The firste chaptre.

In the firste commaūdement as I haue lernyd / god sayth thus. Thou shalt haue no on other straunge goddes bifore me. Thou shalte make to the no grauyn thynge / no mawmet / no lykenesse that is in heuyn aboue / ne that is bynethe in erthe / ne of any thinge. that is in the water vndre therth Thou shalte nat worshyp them with thy body outewarde / ne w ^t thyn hert inwarde. Exodi xx.c. Soo by this me thinketh y ^e god defendeth makynge of ymages and worshippynge of them / and yit men do make ymages / these daies grete plente / bothe in churche and out of churche And alle men as me thynk worshyp ymages: And it is fulle harde to me but I do in that as al men done And if I worshyp them me thinketh I do ydolatrie ayenst god­des lawe.

God forbedith nat men to make ymages / For he bad moyses make yma­ges of ii. aūgelys / that be clepyd cherubyn. in the lyknesse of two yonge men / as we fynd Exodi. xxxvii.c. And salomon made suche and many mo therto ī the temple / to the worshyp of god. the iii. boke of kingis vii.c. And god bad moyses make his tabernacle & al that longith therto / aftre the example and the lyknes. y ^t was shewyde to him vpon the hylle / whanne he was there with god xl. daies & xl. nightes. Exodi. xxv. And therfore god for­bedith nat vtterly the makynge [Page] of ymages / but he forbedith vt­terly for to make ymages for to worship them as goddes / and to sette their faith / their trust / their hope their loue / & their bileue in them For god wole haue man­nys herte hole knytt to him alo­ne / for in him is al oure help & al oure saluacion And therfore we muste worshyp him & loue him / & truste in him aboue al thynge. & no thynge worship but him or for him. That alle the worshyp that we do to any creature be do principaly for him. & arectyd to him. For he sayth. Gliam meam alteri non dabo / et laudem meam sculptilibus / ysaie xlii. I shal nat yeue my worshippe / my blisse / my glorye / to none o­ther / ne my prysynge to grauyn ymages / ne to paynted ymages

And in the same chaptre he saith Shamfully shent mote they be alle that set their truste ī grauen ymages.

Wher­of serue these ymages / I wolde they were brent alle /

They serue for thre. thynges / For they be ordeined to stere mā nys mynde to thynke on cristes incarnacion / and on his passion & on his lyuynge / & on other seintes lyuynge Also they ben ordeined to styre mannys affection. and hi [...] herte to deuocion For ofte man is more steryd by sight than be herynge or redynge / Al­so they be ordeyned to be a tokē & a boke to the leude peple / that they may rede ī ymagery & painture / that clerkes rede ī the boke as the lawe sayth. de cōsecra. distinct .iii. ꝑ latū. Where we fynde that a bisshop distroied ymages as thou woldest do / and forfen­dyd that no man shuld worship ymages He was accused to the pope seynt Gregory whiche blamyd him gretely for that he had so distroyed the ymages / but vtterly he prised him for he forfen­dyd them to worshyp ymages.

The ii. chaptre.

How shuld I rede in the bo [...]ke of peynture. & of ymagery.

Whāne thou seest the ymage of the crucifixe / thynk on him y ^t died on the crosse for thy synne and thy sake and thanke him for his endlesse charite / y ^t he wolde suffre so mo­che for the Take hede by the y­mage howe his hede was crow­ned with a garlonde of thornes tyl they went into the brayne / & the blode braste oute on euery side / for to distroye the high synne of pryde / that shewyth moste in mānys hede and womānes and make an ende of thy pride Tak hede by the ymage howe his ar­mes were spradde abrode & dra­wen fulstrayte vpon the tre. tyl [Page] al the veynes and the synowes crakyd / And howe his hondes were nalyd to the crosse and stremyd oute blode / for to distroye the synne that Adam and Eue. dyd with their hondes / whanne they toke the apple ayenst god­des forbode / Also he suffryd this to distroye the synne of wycked dedys and wycked werkes / that men and wymen do with theire hondes / & make an ende of thy wyckyd werkys Take hede al­so howe his syde was openyd / & his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere / and how he shedde blode and water / to shewe that if he had had more blode ī his body more he wold haue yeuen for mannys loue. He shedde blode to raūsome of our soules / & war̄ to wasshe vs from our sīnes Al­so he suffride this for to distroye the synne of pryde / couetise en­uye. hate wrathe and malyce· y ^t reigne in mānes hert & womans

Take hede & make an ende of thy pryde / of thy false couetise / of hate / enuye wrathe & malice / & foryeue thyn euen cristen / for his loue y ^t foryaue his deth Tak hede also by the ymage / how his feet were nailed to the crosse and stremyd on bode / to distroye the synne of sleuth ī goddes seruice. And make an ende of sleuthe in goddes seruice / and haste thy fot to goddes house & to goddes seruyce / Take hede also by the y­mage howe his body was to rēt and al to torne / with tho sharp scourges y ^t fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede / ther was no hole place on his bodye. & that was to distroye the synne of lust and likyng of the flesshe. glotonye & lichery. Which regne in mannys body and womans. and make an ende of glotony & lychery. Take hede how naked & pore he henge vpon the crosse / for thy synne & thy sake / and be thou nat ashamyd to suffre po­uertie & myscheif for his loue. And as seynt Bernarde byddith take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the redy to kysse the and come at one w ^t the / See how his armys and his hondes been spradde abrode on the tree / in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the / & kysse the / and take the to his mercye. Se howe his syde was opened. and his herte clouen on two / in token that his herte is alwaye open to the / redy to loue the and to forgyue the alle trespasse / yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy / Take hede also how his feet were naylyde fulle harde to the tre. in token that he wyl nat fle away from the. but abyde w ^t the and dwel with the withoutē [Page] ende. On this maner I pray the rede thy Boke and falle downe to grounde / and thanke thy god that wolde do so moche for the / and worshyp him aboue al thynge nat the ymage / nat the stocke / stone / ne tree / but him y ^t dyed on the tree / for thy synne & thy sake So that thou knele if thou wylt bifore the ymage. nat to the ymage. Do thy worshyp afore the ymage nat to the ymage. Make thy prayer bifore the ymage. but nat to the ymage. For it seeth the nat / herythe the nat. vnderstondeth the nat Make thyn offrynge if thou wylt bifore the ymage / but nat to thy­mage Make thy pilgramage nat to the ymage ne for the ymage. For it may nat helpe the / but to him and for him that the ymage representith to the. For if thou doo it for the ymage / or to the ymage thou doste ydolatry.

The iii. chaptre

Me thynkith that whāne men knele bifore the ymage pray and loke on the ymage / with wepyng teres / bū che or knocke theire brestys / w ^t other suche countynaunce / they do al this to the ymage / and so wenyth moche peple.

If they doo it to the ymage / they synne gretly in ydolatry a­yenst reasone and kynde / Butt as I sayde bifore / they may doo alle this bifore the ymage & nat to the ymage /

Howe might they do al this bifore the ymage / and nat worshyp the y­mage.

Oft thou seest that the preest in the chirch hath his boke bifore him. he knelyth he stareth▪ he loketh on his boke he holdith vp his hōdes And for deuocion in case he wepith / and maketh deuoute prayers / To whome wenyste thou the preest dothe alle this worship /

to god & nat to the boke.

On the same maner shulde the lewde man vse his boke that is ymagery and painture nat to worshyp the ymage / but god in heuyn and seintes in their degre And that alle the worshyp that he doth bifore thymage / he doth nat to the ymage / But to him y ^t the ymage representith.

this exāple is gode / but knowest thou any bettre /

Whanne the preest saith his messe at the autre / comonly ther is an ymage bifore him / & comō ly it is a crucifixe stone / or tree / or portrayed.

Why more a crucifixe than an other ymage.

For euery messe syngyng is a special mynde makynge of cristes passion. And [Page] therfore he hath bifore him a crucifixe to doo him haue the more fresshe mynde as he owith to ha­ue of cristes passion.

The skylle is gode / say forthe.

Bifore this ymage the preest sayth his messe / & makith the highest praiers y ^e holy chirch can deuyse / for saluacion of the quycke & of the dede He holdith vp his hōdes / he louteth / he knelyth in case / & alle the worshype that he can do he doth Ouirmo­re he offreth vp the highest sacri­fyce & the best offrynge that any herte can deuyse / that is Cryste / goddes sonne of heuyne / vndre fourme of brede and wyne Alle this worshyp dothe the preest at the messe bifore the ymage / and yit I hope that ther is no mā ne woman so lewde / that he wolde say y ^t the preest syngith his messe ne maketh his prayer / ne doth y ^t worship / ne offrith vp goddes so ne criste hym self to the ymage.

God forbede that any man or woman shulde saye soo or byleue. That were erroure moste of alle erroures

On the same maner. shulde the lewde mā do his worshyp bifore the ymage Make his prayer bi­fore the ymage and nat to the ymage.

The iiii. chaptre.

Contra. On gode friday ouir al in holy chirche / men crepe to the crosse and worshyp the crosse.

y ^t is sothe / but nat as thou menyst The crosse that we crepe to and worshyp so highly that tyme / is criste him self y ^t died on the crosse that day for oure synne and our sake As sayth Beda libro iii. de gemma anime / For the shap of a mā is a crosse. And as he heng vpō the rode he was a very cros He is that crosse as alle doctou­res saye / to whome we praye / & say O crux aue spes vnica Hail be thou crosse oure only hope / encrease thou to the meke her right wisnesse this passion tyme. and yeue pardone to theym that ben gylty. He is that crosse brighter than al the sterres of the worlde as holy churche syngeth & sayth O crux splendidior. cunctis as­tris mundi / &c. And as Bede sayth for asmoche as cryste was moste dispised of mankynde on gode friday / therfore holy chur­che hath ordeyned y ^t on gode fryday men shuld do him most worshyp. And for this skyl we do y ^t high worshyp that daye / nat to the crosse that the preest holdith in his hōde / but to him y ^t dyed for vs al y ^e day vpon the crosse For oftym y ^e cros y ^t the preest holdith in his honde is fulle vnthende [Page] criste hymself / cristes passion / cristes deth / cristes lyuynge / in erth fulle of peyne & wo / the crosse y ^t he dyed on & euery lyknes of the crosse is clepid cristes crosse But the lyknesse of a thynge o withe nat to be in as moche reuerence / & worship as the thinge himself And euery lorde & knight hath a special token in his armes or elles besides his armes wherby he is knowen / & ofte beryth the na­me of his token / & by the name of his token his dedys ben tolde of heraudes & gestours y ^t knowe nat their name ne their persone. Right so Criste in holy wryt oft tymes is clepyde a crosse / for the crosse is his special token And so sūtyme we speke to the crosse as to crist him self Sūtyme we speke of the crosse only / y ^t he henge vpon And so we speke oft in holy church seruyce to the crosse as to criste him self / & anone we turne the worde only to the crosse / y ^t he died on And so sūtyme we spe to the crosse & of the crosse / as to him & of him y ^t the crosse betoke­neth Sumtyme we speke of the crosse only as of his token / & the crosse y ^t he died vpon / and so one worde is referred to diuerse thinges And this blīdith moche folk in their redynge For they wene that alle the prayers that holye chirch maketh to the crosse / that he maketh theym to the tre that Criste died on / or elles to the croce. in the churche / as in that an­teme. O crux splendidior. And so for lewdnesse they been decey­ued / and worshyp creatures as god him self.

On pal­me sūday at procession the prest drawith vp the veyle bifore the rode / & fallith downe to groūde. With alle the people / and sayth. thries. Aue rex noster. Hayle be thou oure kynge / and soo he worshipeth that ymage as king

Absit. God forbede. He speketh nat to the ymage / y ^t the carpenter hath made and the peyntour painted but if the p̄ste be a fole For that stocke or stoone was neuir kynge / but he spekyth to him that dyed on the croce. for vs al / to him that is king of all thynge.

The v. chaptre.

I assente / for this is ayenst skylle and reson and kynde / that man whiche is nere of kyn to god that is verry man and our brother. shuld worshyp in that maner either stocke or stone For they may neither here ne se. ne helpe themself And therfore who so worshyppeth y­mages ī this maner / dothe grete [Page] dishonoure to man that is so noble in ordre of kynde / & moch more to god that toke mankynde. & bicame man / & in oure manhode is aboue alle mankynde.

If the kinges sonne. knelyd to his churle or to his page & worshypyd him as his souerayne and prayed him of grace. that only the kyng might graūt and dyd him the same worshyp. y ^t he shulde do his fader the king it were a grete dishonoure bothe to the sonne and to the fader. And therfore it is repreef to gen­tylles to be ouir homely w ^t boy­es ayenst gode norture. But moche more dishonoure. doo we to god & to oure self also / sithen we be the kinges children of heuen. so nygh of kynne & heires of the kyngdome of heuyn / if we worshyp stockes or stones or any o­ther ymages / or done theim any seruyce / as sayth the lawe. De consecrac. di .iii. Venerabiles.

This is open enoughe that thou sayst For the ymage. neither can ne may help at nede For it hath no vertue at alle It is nothyng elles but a boke or a tokē to the leude peple as thou saidest first to stire hem to think on god & on seyntes in heuen / & so to worshyp god ouir al thing and seyntes in their degre

For this skylle been crosses made by the wey / that whanne folke passynge se the crosse / they shulde thynke on him that dyed on the crosse. & worshyp him aboue alle thinge. And for the same skylle is the crosse borne bifore ī procession / that alle that folowe & mete with the crosse shuld worship him y ^t dyed on the crosse and thanke him for his endeles cha­rite. Also the crosse is borne bifo­re. in token y ^t in al oure lyuyng & alle oure dedys / we shuld haf iye & hert to him that died on the crosse. as to oure kynge oure he­de / oure lord / our leder to heuen blysse. And therfore Salomon saith. Oculi sapien [...]is in capiteeius. The iyen of the wisemā been alway in his hede. y ^t is Ie­su Criste. Whiche is hede of holy churche / and of al. cristen peple.

The vi chaptre

Sithen ymagerye is but a token & a boke of the lewde peple / teche me yit a litel bettre to knowe this boke & to rede therin

Imagery sūwhat betokneth in special. sū what in comen & general In special token the ymage of oure lady is paynted w ^t a childe in her lefte arme / in tokē y ^t she is modre of god / & with a lylie or elles w ^t a rose in her right honde / in tokē y ^t she is mayden withouten ende & floure of alle wymen And soo [Page] of other seyntes / whose ymages haue diuerse signes in their hondes and other places / for diuerse vertues & martirdomes y ^t tho seī tes suffrydde & hadde in their lyf

The ymage of seint petyr is paynted with keyes in his hond in token y ^t criste betoke seint pe­tyr the keyes of holy churche / & of the kingdome of heuene But yit afterwarde / Criste yaue tho keyes to al the apostles / as the gospelles wytnesse. M ^t .xviii. & io .xx.c. Seynt poule is peynted with a swerde in his honde / ī tokē y ^t he was heded w ^t a swerd for cristes sake / & also in token / y ^t sūtyme he pursued holy church with the swerde / Seynt Iohn / the euangeliste is peynted with a coupe in his honde / & an edder therin / in token y ^t he dranke dedly venym / & through the vertue of the crosse it loste his molice. and dyd him none harme. And ī his other honde he be [...]eth a pal­me. in token that he was a martyr / & hadde the palme of martirdome / alle though he were natt slayne for his wylle was to dye for goddes sake Seynt Iohn baptist is peynted in a camelys skynne at the peintoures wylle in token that his clothyng was fulle harde and sharpe / made of camelys [...]ere He [...]erith a lombe w ^t a crosse in his left honde: and his fyngere of the righte honde. ther towarde / in token y ^t he she­wyd goddes lōbe goddes sonne y ^t dyed for vs on the crosse whan he seyd to the people. Ecce ag­nus dei / ecce qui tollit pctā mū ­di. Se goddes lombe / se hym y ^t doth awey the sīnes of the world Seynt Kateryne is peynted w ^t a whele in the one honde / in to­ken of the orrible wheles which the tyraunt maxence. ordeyned to rente her lith from lithe But the aungel distroyed them & many thousandes of hethen peple. And so they dyd her noo harme. She hathe a swerde in the other honde / in token y ^t her hede was smyten of with a swerde for cri­stes sake / Seynt margarete is paynted w ^t a dragon vnder her feet / & with a crosse in her honde in token that whāne the dragon deuoured her / she blessid her and by the vtue of the crosse / the dragon brast and she came oute of him in helth & hole And so forth of diuerse ymages of other seyntes / whiche ymages be made to represente to man the vertuous lyuyng of seintes / & the holy endynge of their temporal lyf.

The vii. chaptre.

What betokneth ymagery in gn̄al or comō

Comonly alle the appostles ben peinted bare fote in [Page] token of innocence & of penaū ce Nathelesse they wente nat alway fully barfoote / but sūtyme w ^t galoches / a sole bineth & a fastnynge aboue the fote Of whiche galothes seynt Bede saythe in his original The aūgel spak to seynt Petyr. saynge. Calciate caligas tuas. Do on thy ga­loches or sandalynes as saythe seynt make in his gospelle Also the apostles comonly and other seyntes ben peynted w ^t māteles in token of the vertue & pouer­tie whiche they had For as saith seynt Gregorye. Al these worldly godes ben nought elles but a clothinge to the body And a mā tele is a louse clothyng nat fast to the body but louse. & lightly may be done awaye Righte soo the godes of this world wer̄ but a mantel to apostles & other seī tes. For they were alway so louse from their herte y ^t they yaf no grete tale therof / nor to lese theym. They were nat faste ne cleuyd nat to them by noo false couetyse / but alway they were redye to forsake alle for cristes sake.

What betokneth the rounde thinges peynted on their hedes

The blys y ^t they haue withouten ende Of whiche the prophete ysaie▪ spe­kyth Leticia sempiterna suꝑ capita eorum. ꝑsa: li.c.

they were nat so gay in clothing as they be peynted

That is sothe For many of hem were clothed in fulle harde clo­thyng and pore / as seint Poule sayth. Circuierunt in melotis ī pellibus caprinis angustiati. They wente aboute in brocke skynnes / in skynnes of gete nedy anguysshed Nathelesse yma. ges stondynge in churches may be ꝯsydered in ii. maners / either as they represent the state of seī tes of whome they be ymages / as they lyued in this lyf / and so they be to be peinted in such maner clothing as tho seintes vsed whiles they lyued here Or elles they may be consideryd as they rep̄sēt the state of enldesse blisse. in whiche seyntes be nowe / & so they be to be peynted ryaly and solemnely / as the cherubynes y ^t rep̄sentyd the aūgelles y ^t been in heuene were made of golde Exodi. xxv. Natheles in al suche paynture an honest meane nei­ther to costly bicause of this cō ­sideracion / ne to vile bicause of the former ꝯsid (er)acōn me thīketh is to be kept

The viii. chapt

Why ben aūgelles peynted ī liknes of yong mē sith they be spirites & haf no bodies

Ther may noo peyntoure peynte a spirit in his kynde And therfore to the bettre [Page] representacion they be peyntyd. in the lyknesse of a man / whiche in soule is mooste accordyng to aungellys kynde And thoughe the aungel be nat suche bodily. as he is peynted. he is nathelesse suche gostly / & hath suche doing & beyng spirituel. They be peynted lyke yonge men berdlesse / in token y ^t they ben endeles & elden nat / ne feble natt / but alwey in one lykynge / in one state. alwey mighty and stronge / And alsoo they be peinted with crulled here in token y ^t their thoughtes & ther loue ben sette alwey in right or­dre / and turne alway vp ayen to god / thanking him and worshippynge him in alle thinge For by the here of the hede in holy wryt been vnderstonde thoughtes / & affectiones of the hert. Also they be peynted with towelles about their neckes / in token that they be alway redy to serue god & mā at goddes bidding And therfore they been clepyd. Administratorii spūs. Ad hebre. i.c. That is to say. spirites of seruice. For they serue to god / in rulynge of mākynde / & gouernaūce of this worlde / They been peynted fe­theryd & with wynges / in token of lightnesse & delyuernesse ī her werkes For in a twynclynge of an iye they may be in heuyn & in erth / here & at rome / & at ierusalē They be peynted w ^t whelys vndre their feet ī token y ^t they mene & rule the roūde bodies. the whe­les & the circles / in heuene / & the cours of the planetes / as the philosopher sayth / & also in token / y ^t as the whele turneth alway a­boute the centre. & his myddes / so the aūgelles doyng is alway aboute god / & alwaye ben nighe him where euir they be Also sūtyme they be peynted armed with spere swerde & shelde / in token y ^t they be redy for to defēde vs fro the fendes y ^t been besy night and day to lese vs For but if holy aū gellys holpen vs & defende vs & kepte vs. letting the fendes malyce. We myghte nat withstonde ne be sauyd And therfore righte as euery man and woman hath a wycked aungel assigned to hī by the fende to tempe him / Soo hath he a gode aungel assigned to hym of god / to saue him if he wyl folowe his rule.

The ix. chaptre.

Why ben the iiii. euāgelistes peynted in such diuerse liknes sith they were mē al iiii.

For diuerse maner of writīg & teching / matheu is peynted in lyknesse of a man / For he principaly wrote & tauȝt the māhode of Criste and tolde. [Page] howe he bicame man / And most specially and most opēly wrote his genologie Seint Iohn that wrote In principio erat verbn̄. is peynted in lyknesse of an egle whiche of alle foules fleeth highest / & in sighte is sharpest. & may se the ferthest / Soo seynt Iohn spake and wrote higheste of the godhode / and hadde more īsight & vnderstondynge in the god he­de. than the other euāgelistes. Seint luke is peynted ī the lyknesse of a calf or an oxe / bicause that he spekith moost openly of the passion of cryste that was of fryd vp to the fadre of heuen / on the altre of the crosse on gode fryday / as the oxe or the calf: was offryd on the aulter in the tēple. by the lawe / for saluacion of the people / which offrynge was toknynge of cristes passion And for that seint luke spekith moste o­penly of cristes passion. Whiche was betokned by the sacrifice of the oxe Therfore he is paynted & presentyd by the lyknes of an oxe. Seynt marke is peynted ī lyknesse of a lyon / bicause that he spekith moost openly of cris­tes resurrection / how he rose frō dethe to lyf / For whan the lyo­nesse hath whelpid they lye dede iii: daies & iii. nightes / tyl on the thridde day / the lyon their fader cometh & maketh an hidous cry ouir them And anoon w ^t y ^e voice & crye they quyckne & waken / & in maner ryse from deth to lyue And for this skille is seint mark p̄sented by the liknesse of a lyon for he spake more openly of cristes resurrectōn And therfore his gospel is rede on ester day Also thou shalt vnderstonde y ^e Criste was god & man / & preest & kyng Mathewe spake moost openly of his manhode / and began att his manhode / and therfore he is paynted in the lyknesse of a mā Seint Iohn spake moste of his godhode / and began at his godhode / And therfore he is painted in the liknes of an egle as I said firste Seynt luke spake mooste of his presthode / and therfore he is paynted in the likenesse of an oxe or of a calf / For that was the principalle sacrifice that the prestes by the olde lawe offryd ī the temple. Seynt mark spake most of his kingdome / shewing hym kynge of alle thynge. And therfore he is paynted in the lyknesse of a lyon / that is kynge of vnreasonable bestes.

Why ben they so painted in four endes of the crosse

In token that he y ^t died on the crosse is kynge of alle thynge For the Egle is kyng of al foules The lyon is kynge of alle wylde bestes vnreasonable.

[Page]The oxe is kynge of tame bes­tes / helpli [...]h to mākynde. Man is kinge of alle bestes & of al visible creatures / that were made for him But criste is kyng of al thynge visible and vnuysible. And in token therof the four eu­angelistes been peynted aboute him on the crosse in dyuerse lykenes of iiii. diuerse kinges ī kynd as foure kynges herawdes bla­synge his armes / & the grete ba­tayl & victory that he did ayenst the fende / for mankynde vpon the crosse /

Why be they paynted in houses in foure par­ties of the house.

For the same skylle and for deuociō & for knowlechynge of his high lordshyp that alle we haue of hī and ayenst tempestes and wyc­ked spirytes that fle the euangelistes set ī maner of a crosse / and been ashamede and abasshed of the crosse / and specially of Crys­tes passion. by the whiche they were alle disconfyt.

The x. chaptre

Why ben ymages. hilyd in Lenten from mā nes sighte

In token. that while men ben in dedly syn they may nat se goddes face / ne seyntes in heuyn And in tokenynge y ^t god & al the court of heuyn hyde their face from man & woman / whiles they be in dedly synne / tyl the tyme y ^t they wole amende them by sorowe of herte & shryfte & satisfaction.

Why been they more hyd in lentē than in other tyme

the tyme of Lente betokneth the tyme of Adamys syn / for the whi­che we loste the sight of goddes face / & god & the courte of heuen hydde their faces from mākynd vnto the tym of cristes passion. & in token therof in lxx. Whā holy church begīneth to make mynd of Adamys synne / he leuyth songes of myrthe / as Gloria in ex­celsis. Te deū. & Alleluya For through the synne of adam / our ioye was turned in sorowe & wo

I holde it wele done to hyde ymages in Lenton to lette men from ydolatry. Nathelesse ymages of comon offrynge ben selden hyd in lenton / for lettyng of lucre.

Seynt poul sayth that couetise and namely of prestes is cause of moche ydolatrye. Auaricia est ydolorum seruitus. Coloc. iii.c. For ne were couetise tho ymages shuld be sette as lytel by as other and as sone hiled and hyd

I suppose y ^t seintes ī erth were nat arayed so [...]ay with shone of syluer / and w ^t clothes of baudkyn [Page] rynges & broches & other iewel­les as ymages be nowe And sū ­tyme thou seydest y ^t by the feet is vnderstonde mannes loue & his affection / And therfore me thynketh that the feet so shode in syl­uer shewe that the loue & the af­fection of prestes is moche set in golde & siluer / & erthly couetyse For suche richesses of clothynge of the ymage is but a tollyng of more offrynge. & a token to the leude people / where they shulde offre and what / for they had ly­uer a broche or a rynge of syluer or of golde than a peny or a halfpeny / thoughe the broche or the rynge be but of easy pryce / And comōly they shoe none ymages ne clothe them so richely / but yf they erne firste their shone & ther clothes / but if it be to tolle folk to offrynge.

leue this mater for it is odiouse to the co­ueitouse prestys y ^t wynne great richesse by suche ymages. And therfore let suche wordes passe at this tyme and speke we of sū what elles more to purpose.

The xi. chaptre.

Cryste saith in the gospelle: Dn̄m deū tuū adorabis. & ei soli seruies. M ^t. iiii.c. Thou shalte worship thy lorde god & serue him alone And it is of the firste cōmaundment as holy wrytte shewyth wele. Deut. vi.c. Howe might I ke­pe this that I shulde no thinge worshyppe ne serue but god. I muste worshyp my kynge / my prelate / my soueraynes. & serue them as myn astate axith / and do to them my dueties homage / and fewtie. & seint Poule saithe Per caritatē seruite īuicem / Ad gala v c. Serue ye to gyd ech mā other by charitie: And seint Pe­tyr sayth: Serui subditi estote. dn̄is vrīs / non tantum bonis et modestis / sed eciam discolis. ¶ye seruauntes be ye subget to your lordes / nat only to the go­de and the meke / but also to ty­rauntes. And in the same place he byddeth vs worshyp alle mē He biddythe vs also. drede oure god & worshyppe oure kynge.

As clerkes say ther is ii. maner of seruice and of wor­shyp. One that longith only to god and to noo creature / and is clepyd Latria. on latyne that is to saye diuyne seruyce and dyuine worshyp / for it longith only. to god A nother is a seruyce & a worshyp comon / to god & to cre­ature resonable & intellectual y ^t is to say to man womā & aūgel. & it is clepyd Dulia. on latyne: The firste seruyce and worship that is clepyde Latria. dyuyne. [Page] seruice longith only to god And on this maner seruyce spekyth Criste whanne he sayth tho wordes Dominum deum tuum. &c. Thou shalte worshyp thy lorde god and serue him alone with diuyne seruyce / and dyuyne wor­shyp. that is to say. Thou shalt do no Latriam. no diuyne worshyp ne diuyne seruyce to no creature. but only to god / And therfore who so doth any diuyne seruyce that is clepyd Latria. to a­ny creature to any ymage. or a­ny fourme or figure. he doth ydolatry. For ydolum. on latyne is clepyd a fourme and an ymage. on englisshe. And therfore who so dothe diuyne worshyp that is clepyd Latria. to any ymage he doth ydolatrye.

What clepist thou propirly latriam. diuyne worshyp and seruyce that longith only to god

As sayth a grete clerke Antisidorensis in summa sua. libro tercio. Latria is a ꝓtestacion & know­lechyng of the high maiestye of god y ^t he is souerayne godenesse. souereyne wysdome / souerayne myghte. souerayne trouthe / so­uerayn largenesse. shaper and sauer of al creatures. & ende of euery thynge. & al that we haue we haue of him / & withoutē him we haue righte nought. & noughte may haue ne do withouten him we. ne none other creatur / This knowlechynge & ꝓtestacion is done on thre maners / by hert by speche / by dede By hert y ^t we lo­ue him as souerayne godenesse. & loue him as souerayn wisdom & souerayn trouth y ^t may nat disceyue / ne be disceyued / & hope & truste ī him as ī souereyn might y ^t may best help at nede / & as so­uerayn largenesse & lorde y ^t beste may yelde vs our mede / & as so­uerayn sauyour moste merciful & moste redy to forgyue vs oure mysdede By mouth & spech this knowlechynge & this seruyce is doon / whan we swere by his name worshipfully & truly ī thing of charge. & fle ydel othes / foul othes false othes / & in our spech do worship to his holy name / & swere nat by creatures / but on­ly by his holy name For he saith in the gospelle. Reddes dn̄o iuramenta tua. Thou shalt yelde thyn othes to thy lorde god & to no creature Also it is done by vowes makynge For it is nat lee­ful to make a vowe to any creature And therfore he sayth Red­des dn̄o vota tua. Thou shalte yelde thyne a vowes to thy lord god. and to no creature. And the prophete saythe / Vouete et reddite domino deo vestro. Make ye vowes / and yelde ye youre vowes to youre lord god [Page] nat to the ymagis stockes ne stones Also it is done with prayer. & prisynge of the mouth For we muste praye him and pryse him as souerayne might / souerayne wysdome / souerayne godenesse souerayne treuthe / as alle rightfulle and merciful. as shapper & sauer of alle thing / & lorde of al & souerayne helpe in euery nede. And on this maner may we nat praye ne prise any creature And therfore they y ^t make their pray­ers and ther prisinges bifore the ymages / & say their Pater nost. their Aue maria / and other prayers & prisynges / vsed comōly of holy churche / or any suche other if they do it to the ymage / & spe­ke to the ymage / they doo open ydolatrye And they be nat excusyd alle if they vnderstonde nat what they saye. For their sighte & their other wyttes / & their yn­ner wyt also / shewyth wele that ther owith no suche prayer pry­synge ne worshyp be done to no suche ymages. For they may nat here them / ne se hem / ne help them at nede.

The xii. chaptre

ALso this ꝓtestacion and knowlechyng is done by dede / as by offrynge / & sacrifice makynge whiche longe only to god. For what man offreth or maketh sacrifice / he knoulegith him yeuer of grace. & maker of holynesse / sauyour & foryeur of synne / & this may no creature do Also it is shewyd by tokenys of the body / as by kneling loutyng lyftynge vp of hondes / by bun­chynge of the brest / whiche tokenys may be do bothe to god and to resonable creatures / but otherwise to god than to resonable creatures. For as saith a clerke Ricardus de media villa suꝑ terciū sentenci. dist. i [...] qōne vltima whāne we knele to god / in y ^t we knowlege that we may nat stō ­de in vertue / in godenesse / ne in wele but only by him / whāne we fal al downe to grounde to god we knowlege that but he helde vs & kept vs / we shulde falle al to noughte And whāne we hold vp oure hōdes to hym. We knoulege that we may right noughte do withouten hym / & that we be al in his power / and that he may do withouten vs what he wole / & so we put vs only in his grace Also by that we knoulege. that al that we haue of any godenes we take it of his honde / and of his yifte. Whanne we bunche oure breestys / we knowlege vs gyltye ayenste him in herte / and in dede. And that we haue done. [Page] moche synne / whiche only god knowith For only he knowyth mannys herte and mānes wylle Also we bunche oure self on the breest in token of sorowe of hert for oure mysdedys / and that we repente vs sore of our mysdedes These toknes of reuerēce be do also to reasonable creatures / as to aūgel / man & womā / but nat in this maner: For whanne we knele or loute. or fal downe to grounde / or holde vp oure hon­des to any creature / we knoulege that ther is some souereinte & some vertue in him that we knele to / wherbye he may helpe vs. nat as principal helper / but as secundary with the helpe of god And therfore these dedys of worshyp and reuerence shuld not be done to ymages / stockes / or stones / ne to none suche other For they haue no suche vertue ne soueraynte aboue man ne womā. ne right nought may helpe them at nede / ne themself neither So that these dedys of reuerence prī cipally ought to be done to god. secundary to aūgel man or woman / but on no wise to noon o­ther vnreasonable creatures / ne to none suche ymages And as sayth a grete clerke. Doctor halis in summa sua. To god men shulde knele with bothe the knees / in token that in him is al our principalle help / but to man only with the one knee. Soo leue frende ye shal vnderstonde that the worshyp which is clepid Latria. shalbe done only to god. The worship that is clepid Dulia. is comon bothe to god & mā For we shulde worship man woman and aungel. nat for theim self / but principally for god / for that they ben made to goddes y­mage For they be goddes seruā tes and goddes mynistres. For ther is no lorde / ne tyraūt / ne p̄ ­late / man ne woman so wicked but that he seruyth god in some thynge. And alle though he be nowe wycked / we woote neuir howe sone he shal amende hym. and be oure brother in blysse. as saith seint Austyn vpon the sauter But to the fende shuld we do no worshyp / for he is dampned withouten ende / and ther is no hope of his saluacion.

The xiii. chaptre

WE shulde worship man & woman / for he is made to the lyknesse of god / for his offi­ce / for the worshyp of god / & dispyse his syn And therfore sayth seynt petre. Omnes honorate. Worshyp ye alle men and wymē Honore inuicem preuenientes. Be ye besy / who soo may euery [Page] man worship other

me merueyleth moche why men be so [...]sy to do the people worship ymages

Couetyse of men of holy churche and leude­nesse bothe of theym and of the people ben cause of suche ydolatrye.

I haue herde say that many grete clerkes holden therwith / & say that men shulde worshyppe ymages

Worshippe is a large word and comon to diuyne worshyp. and seruyce that is clepyde Latria. and to worshype that is clepyd Dulia. Whiche longith propir­ly to speke only to resonable creature For as sayth the philoso­phre. quarto ethico (rum). Worshyp is mede of vertue And it owith nat to be done to any creature. but that creature haue some godenes of vertue moral / & of grace / or elles some office to lede & brynge folke to moralle vertue

Thanne to the ymage stocke or stone / golde or syluer / longith none suche worshyppe For whāne it is so sere and dry. & worme eten / it hath no vertue at alle / but for to brenne soner ī the fyre than a grene tree But whanne it wext vpon the erthe. it hadde vertue to wex & spring & to brynge forth grene leuys & floures to conforte of mannys iye & frute. to helpe of man and beest And yit wole no man worship suche grene trees ne p̄cious stones ne erbys alle if they haf grete vertues and woūderfulle for they haue no vertue moral. ¶Moche more men shulde nat worshyppe sere drye trees / that haue no vertue at alle / Say forthe what thou wilte.

Also worshyp is cle­pyd veneracion that stondith ī honest & siker kepynge / honeste handlynge / clene dightynge / in stondyng / in syttynge / in place settyng And this maner of worshyp may be done & ought to be done to euery holy thynge y ^t longith to god. and holy church as boke chalyce vestment / belles & ymages. in asmoche as they be ournamentes of holy churche / and the lewde mennys boke. But this worshyp and venera­ciō is no seruice ne subiection of hī y ^t doth it to the thyng y ^t he doth it to / but it she wyth subiection / & seruyce of the thinges so wor­shypyd to him that putteth it so in worshyp. so kepith it & so sa­uyth it And on this maner the lawe clepith ymages venerable & worshypful / for ther shuld no man dispyse them ne defoul bē. brenne them ne breke them De consecrac. di / iii. Venerabiles. & for this maner of veneracion. and worshyp sayth the lawe in [Page] the same place / & sūme doctou­res / that ymages boke or vest­ment and chalice / may be wor­shyped with Dulia. But they take that dulia. fulle largely / & fulle vnpropirly / For such worshyp & veneracion / is no seruice ne subiection as I saide bifore. And propirly to speke dulia. is a worship y ^t longith only to god and to resonable creatures / And principally and excellently / to oure lady seint mary. and to the manhode of Criste. Whiche worshyp is clepyd. yꝑdulia: propir­ly said Also to the crosse that criste dyed vpon / if that men had it as clerkes saye longith yꝑdu­lia For of al thinges that want lyf / the cros of criste owith most to be worshipyd / and be in most veneracion and reuerence But that veneracione is clepid yꝑdulia. vnpropirly Also frende ther is worshyp that the subget doth to his souerayne / knowlechyng him his souerayne / by worde or by token / as by knelynge lou­tyng & suche other / & this maner worship is clepyd propirly ado­racion Other worshyp that is clepyd honoracion / & veneraci­on is cōuenyent bothe to the so­uerayne & to the subget For a lord honoureth his seruaunt by yiftes / by promocions in office. in dignitie / Also a lorde wor­shypeth a pore man whanne he settith him at his owne table or aboue other that been of higher degree thanne he / and yit adou­reth he him nat / ne doth him the worshyp of adoracion / Nathe­lesse adoracion is taken sūtyme fulle vnpropirly / for comon honoracion and veneracion / And for asmoche as al these maners of worshyp so diuerse ben clepid with one name of worship in englisshe tunge. & ofte the latyne. of worshyp is taken and vsed. vnpropirly and to comonly. Therfore men fal in moch dout and errour in redyng & nat wele vnderstonde what they rede

The xiiii. chaptre.

This distinction. and declaracion of wor­shypynge howe it is taken / and vsed in diuerse maner / & howe it is clepyd with one name in en­glisse / hath auoided many argugumentes and skylles which I thoughte to haue made ayenste the / I am oute of doute. I can aunswere therto my self by thy declaracion / But ii. thinges as me thynketh thou saidest nat al trouthe

Whiche be tho

Thou seydest that mē shulde nat offre but only to god

Ne knele on bothe knees but [Page] only to god And we se at iye y ^t mē offre to the prest ī the church & knele on both kneis to the p̄ste ī sherifte.

Men offre nat the preeste but only to god. as I saide firste by the hōdes of the p̄ste For the preest is goddes mynistre ordeynede to resceyue thinges y ^t been offryd to god / as tithes & deuociōs / & lyue therby honestly & dispende the remenāt to nedy folke / & to worshyp of god & helpe of holy churche. Ne men knele nat on y ^e maner / to the p̄ste / but to god bifore the preest. for the reuerence of god & of the sacramētes of holy chirch But whan man knelith to temporal lordes p̄lates or p̄stes / or any other ꝑsone / for reuerēce of his p̄soone or of his dignyte / he shuld knele only w ^t thone knee But as saith seynt Austyn de ciuitate dei. li ^o.x ^o.c.v. By flate­rye and ouirlownesse of the people & ambicion of the souereyns many worshyppes y ^t longed sū ­tyme to god alone / ben nowe vsed in the worshipyng of synful man & woman / And thoughe it be do to man or woman for the worship of god as I saide firste it is suffrable:

The xv chapt

Thurification. & encensyng was by olde tyme an high diuyne worshyp. And many seyntes were putt to the deth for they wolde nat en­cense ymages stockes ne stones But nowe clerkes encense ymages & other / preestes & clerkes & lewde people also. And so as me thynke they do ydolatrie

In euery lawe thurificaciō & encensyng hath been an highe dyuyne worship. y ^t ought nat to be done to any creature by wey of offrynge Neuirtheles it may be done on ii / maners. Firste by weye of offrynge w ^t cōuenient toknynge & so it may nat be do to any creature For on this maner it owith nat to be done butt only of a preeste / & at an auter. halowed or with a suꝑaltare halowed / so y ^e prestes lefully may sey there their masse. For by the encensour is vnderstonde man­nys herte / by the encēse holy pyer / by the fyre charitie And so suche encensyng and thurificaciō betokneth that right as the p̄ste offrith vp in the encensoure en­cense. swete smellyng by hete of the fyre So the preest & the peo­ple by the preest offre vp her hertes to god and her prayers quycned by the fyre of charite. And pray that their bedes and theire praiers and deuociones may be plesaunte to him for that endles charite that he shewyd to man­kynde / whanne he dyed for vs alle vpon the crosse / whiche charitye [Page] is presentyde in the sacra­ment of the autre. For alle the masse syngyng is a special mynde makynge of cristes passion / And right as Cryst was meane in his passion bitwene god and mankynde / so is the preest ī his messe saynge / and sacrifice ma­kynge and offrynge and encen­synge / meane bitwene god and the people. And therfore only a preest shulde encense at the au­tre / and with halowed encense / and with holy prayer sayng on this wyse for him selfe & for the people. Dirigatur oratio mea sicut incensū in conspectu tuo. Lorde make my praier go right vp in thy sighte as encense Also thurificacion may be done only for steryng to deuocion & for to kenynge And so it may be done to the clergie and to the people. in token that as the encense by hete of the fyre smellith swete / & styeth vp to heuen warde / Soo shulde they lyft vp their hertes / with deuocion / and make their prayers in charite y ^t they mighte be plesaunte to god / and wende vp to god. For but the preest and the peple be in charite / elles their prayer pleasith nat god / ne gothe nat vp to god as it shuld elles do. & therfore is no mā worthy to be encensed but if he be in charite And whan the clergye in the quere or the people is encen­sed / they shulde lowte lowe / for reuerēce of god / and take it nat as for worshyp done hem but as sterynge to deuocion / & as a to­ken / what deuocion they shuld shewe to god / & by loutyng she­we lownesse of deuocion that it sterith them to For withoute deuocion and lownesse of hert our prayer goth nat vp to god But as saith the wiseman The prayer of him that loweth him in his prayer thirlith the cloudes The myssalle and the gospel is encē ­sed in token that the praiers writen therin profit litel or nought but if they be made with deuocion and ī charitie And ther shuld no man preche the gospel. butt with deuocion and for charitye & alle his spede and alle his pro­fytte referre vp to god / and alle his prayers put in his wylle At buriynge men encense the dede bodies / in token that he dyed in charitye. & in his dyenge he had his hert vp to god / by hope feith charite & deuocion / for elles he is nat worthy to be buryed in cristen buryelles. Also in token / y ^t he shalle quycken ayen and ryse vp from deth to lyf at the dome and wende vp to heuene for his charite whiche he had by his lyf as the encense stieth vp by the hete of the fyre / And for the same [Page] skylle is the graue encensed ī token that he shalle awake and ryse from deth to lyf Also the body & the graue ben encēsed / in tokē that it is plesaunt to god y ^e holy churche pray for hym. But this maner of encensyng done to the clergye to the people & to the de­de bodies to the graue shulde be done with encens nat halowed ne blissed. for it is noon offryng And as touchynge encensynge. done in the presence of ymages. as it semyth to me it is nat done propirly to the ymages / but bi­fore the ymages in diuerse significaciones or toknynges / For whāne encēsyng is done bifore a peinted ymage y ^t rep̄sentith criste whiche is very god & mā. It semyth to me that the encēsyng signifieth y ^t al deuocion & chari­table prayer which is betokned by encence / shulde principally. stye vp to god / & whā encēsyng is done bifore any ymage of our lady or of other seyntes / it may signifye that the prayers of seintes whiche pray for vs wreches in erthe stye vp by their grete cherite to the maiesty of god.

Sith encensyng is nat done to the peple by wey of worshypyng / why encence they first the souereynes more thanne the subgettys.

For in alle thinge must be kept ordre in doynge And also in token y ^t as they ben principal in state & dignite. so shulde they be principal in deuocion & charite / and yeue other gode ensample.

The xvi chaptre.

Why worshyp we god and praye to him more in the est than into the weste. southe and northe.

Eest and west south and north and ouir al it is leful and mede­ful to worshyp god / as him y ^t is ouir al / lorde of al thynge. But for to drawe cristē peple to one maner doynge / & to fle difformite. Therfore holy churche hath ordeyned y ^t mē shulde in chi [...]che & other places if it may be wele done / worshyp god pray him & pryse him in the Eest / as the la­we shewith wele / Distinct xi. ecclesiastica (rum). And that for diuers skylles Firste for crist vpon the crosse dyed into the west / & ther­fore in oure prayer we shuld turne vs īto the eest / to see how crist for vs henge vpon the tree / & so to haue an iye to his passion / & worshyp him y ^t dyed for vs alle. vpon the tree Also to lette the peple to sue the iewys in maner of worshypyng For att goddes ordenaunce they worshyped west warde in token y ^t their lawe and their maner worshipyng ī theire cerymonies shulde sone passe & [Page] go downe & make an ēde as the day endith & passith a way into the west And also in token y ^t for any worshyp or prysynge or p̄yer y ^t they dyd / yit they shulde go downe to hel / tyl the newe lawe came whan criste dyed for vs al And for the same skylle criste died west warde / and in his dyeng saide. Consūmatum est. That is to say It is endyd / For in his deth the olde testament endyd & wente downe as the sonne And the day gothe downe in the west And therfore we cristē peple worship into the Eest / by techynge of the holy goost / in token y ^t our lawe shal spryng & sprede as the day cūmyng of the sonne riseth & spryngeth oute of the eest. and as alle the sterres ben moste bri­ghte in thest. & whan they wende into the west alle they begynne to dymme & derk / so was tholde lawe ful dymme & ful derk / but the newe lawe is open brighte & clere Also we worshyppe Cryste most in the eest for he was most dispisyd in the Eest whanne on gode friday he heng on the crosse turned into the weste / whan the iewes stode bifore him & passide bifore him w ^t many scornes & dispytouse wordes / w ^t mowes / & many a iape they seyde. Vath q destruis templū dei: Tprut for the y ^t distroyest goddes temple. And for he was moost dispysed into the Eest of the iewes & he­then peple / Therfore cristen pe­ple ther ayenst worshyp hī most īto the eest And for he was most dispysed for vs on gode frydaye Therfore we worship him most on gode fridaye And on this maner as moche as we may / al his dispyte we turne to worshyp of him Also we worship god in the eest in token bright as the sonne ryseth vp in the eest / so we byle­ue that criste rose vp from dethe to lyf / and in that we worshyp: him as him that rose from dethe to lyf / & shal lyue withoutē ende Also in token that we longe to come ayen to the blisse of para­dyse y ^t we loste in the eest / & pray god y ^t we may w ^t his mercy / co­me ayen therto.

These skylles ben gode But why wer̄ thanne the xxv. men blamed of god for they worshipyd estward at the risyng of the sonne / as we fynde. ezechielis. viii.c.

Nat for they worshiped god estwarde For danyel & many o­ther worshyped god Estwarde. weste. southe / & northe / as he is worthy to be worshyped ouir al A solis ortu vs (que) ad occasū lau­dabile nomē dn̄i. From the sōne rysynge vnto the goyng downe goddes name is prisable & wor­shipful But they were blamed [Page] for they worshyped the sonne in his rysynge / & dyd diuyne wor­ship therto in dispyte of goddes temple / & of goddes lawe as many foles yit do these daies wor­shipynge the sonne in his risyng & the newe mone in his firste she wynge.

They worship him y ^t made the sonne & the mo­ne.

If they do so they do wele / But I drede nat al do soo And as saith a greate clerke Leo papa ī a sermone / for asmoche as it hath a lykenesse of ydolatry & custome of hethen peple. men shulde absteyne them ther­fro For the people is ful moche enclyned to foly & to ydolatrye.

The xvii. chaptre.

That is sothe For these daies men doo wor / shyp to sonne / mone / & sterres / y ^t for to worshyppe the sterres and the planetes & the crafte of astronomye. they wole put oute god of his maiestye. out of his kingdome & his lordship / & out of his fredome / & make him more bonde to sterres / than euir was any kynge or any lorde / or any mā vpon erth They wole be of goddes pryue coūseyl / wyl god nyl god / & rule his domes his dedys his werkes / & al by their wyttes & by the course of the planetes in somoche y ^t as they say ther shall no man ne womā be hole ne se­ke / foule ne faire / riche ne pore / wyse ne foole / gode ne wycked. but by the worchynge of the bodies aboue & by their wyttes soo y ^t they can tel it afore Ther shal falle no myscheyf ne welthe neither to persone ne to comunyte / but by her wyttes & by the cours of the planetes None hūgre mo rayne ne tempeste. no sekenesse no warre shal falle but by theire wyttes & by the worchyng of the bodies aboue For as they saye / the bodies aboue rule alle thing here bynethe And thus they wol make god more thralle & of lesse power than any kynge or lorde vpon erthe. For why oure liege lorde the kinge god saue his lyf hath power & fredome of a page to make a yoman / of a yoman a gentylman / of a gentylman a knyght / of a pore man a greate lorde / withoute leue or helpe of the planetes And if a man tres­passe ayēst him & be taken with treasone / he is of power to do hī to be hanged & drawē / & to take from him & his heires the herita­ge & make him ful pore And he is of power to make his true lie geman riche though he be right pore This fredome and this power hathe oure liege lorde / oure kyng where so the planetes ben or in what signe / ī what respect or in what cōstellacion or con­iūction [Page] our king may do al this & a [...]e the planetes no leue Thei may nat let him Ne al the astronomoures w ^t al their calculaciō though they watch & stare / after the sterres / tyl they lese their he­des may nat let him / ne saue oo mannes lyf y ^t the kinge wol haf dede Moche more thā the king of heuyn y ^t made sonne & mone / & sterres & al thing of noughte & ruleth gydeth & weldith al thing at his wyl may make riche and pore / faire & foule / hole & seke / wyse and fole / gode or wycked whom he lyketh w ^touten helpe. of the planetis And if any ꝑsone or cōmunyte trespas ayenst him he may chastise him by hungre / by moreyne / by sekenesse / by tē ­pest / by swerd. by poūte. by losse of catel & what wyse he wole / & he may rewarde his true seruantes as hym liketh / bothe in this world & ī the other world axing the planetes no leue / ne coūseyl of astronomours

The xviii c.

As we fynde ī ho­ly wrytte Gen̄. i.c. At the begynnyng of the worlde whan god made al thinge of noughte y ^e iiii. day he made sōne & mone & sterres & set hem ī the firmamēt to yeue light to the creatures here byneth / y ^t the sonne principal­ly shulde shyne & yeue lighte / by day / mone and sterres by night. More ouir as saith the boke he made them & ordeyned them for to ꝑte the day from the nyght / & they shulde be in tokenys / & ty­mes daies & yeres. y ^t by the tokenys of y ^e bodies aboue mē shuld knowe the day from the nighte & one day from a nother / & wyte what day it were / & what tyme of the day / what nighte & what tym of the night / what yere and what tyme of the yere / what moneth & what tyme of the moneth Also god ordeyned them & made them y ^t by the toknes & by the bodies aboue. men shulde knowe whan it were tyme to slepe & tyme to wake / tyme to trauayl / & tyme to rest / tyme to halowe / & tyme to labour / tyme to ete and tyme to faste. tyme to sette & to sowe: tyme to ere tyme to repe & to mowe And therfore salomon saithe Ecclesiastices iii.c. y ^t alle thinge hath his tyme / & al thing vndre heuyne passith awaye by space of tyme / And so god made the firmament aboue w ^t bright bodies y ^t been therin to serue mā kynde. & other creatures also of light & tyme Of lighte as a lanterne that may nat be quenchyd Of tyme as an orloge that may nat fayle God made hem to ser­ue man / nat man to serue them He made them for man. nat mā for hem He made hem nat to gouerne [Page] man / but he yaue man. & woman wytte & discrecion to gouerne them selue w ^t his grace by the light & wissyng of tyme / whyche he hath of the bodies aboue / that by their light they may see. to worche. & by theire stirynge & their cours they may wyt whan it is tyme to worche And therfore saith the lawe xxvi. q̄. v. Nō licet. in glosa. That the bodies aboue ben toknes & nat causes. of thinges here bynethe And as a lampe or an orloge ben neces­sary to religious by nyght wher by they may ryse and rule them­self / in goddes seruyce / soo serue the bodies aboue to mākynde y ^t we may haue of them bodily li­ghte And by their mouyng knowe oure tyme to serue oure god eche man & woman in his degre And as the lampe & the orloge ī the dortoure rule nat the religi­ouse but the religiouse rule hem by the lampe and by the orloge / & in citees and townes men rule them by the cloke / & yit propirly to speke / the clocke ruleth natt them but a man ruleth the clock Right so mā & womā / beest and [...]yrde & other creatures rule hem self by the bodies aboue / & the bodies aboue rule nat theym And therfore they shuld nat be clepid gouernoures of this worlde / for they gouerne nat this worlde. They be nought elles but [...]strumentes of goddes gouernaunce For it farith by god & the bodi­es aboue / as it dothe by the smythe & his gryndyng stone / by the wright & his axe: by the orloger and his orloge.

I pray the shewe me wele this

Thou seest at iye that whanne the smyth grindeth a knyf or an axe or a swerde on his stone / the stone dothe nought but goth a­boute in one course. And as the smyth that sytteth aboue wole dispose and holde / so gryndeth the stone. If he wole grynde sharpe it shal grynde sharpe If he wole grynde blunte and play ne / it shalle grynde blunt & play ne Right as he wol that it grynde. so it gryndeth. If he take a­waye the knyf axe or swerde the stone gryndeth right nought / & yit it goth about the same cours as it dyd bifore / Right so it is of god and the bodies aboue. For the planetes & the bodies aboue gone alway about in one cours certeyne / ī whiche god ordeyned theym at the begynnynge of the worlde / whiche course they shal kepe vnto the dome. And as god wole y ^t they worche / soo they shalle worche If god wole y ^t they grynd sharpe / & cause moreyne [Page] seknes & tēpestes hungre & werre & suche other they shalle do so If he wole y ^t they grynde playne & smothe & cause helthe of body / faire wedyr & holsome / plentie of corne & vitayles / pees & rest / they shal do so Righte as god wole y ^t they worche soo they shal worche So y ^t god may doo with the planetes what he wole & he may do withoute the planetes what he wole In what signe in what cōstellacion / cōiūction / or resp ^te y ^t they be / they be alway redy to fulfyl the wyl of god.

Sithen god maye do with the bodies aboue what he wole & whan he wole / & sithen god is so fre in his doyng. & nat artid by the planetes ne by none other creature / how shulde any man knowe goddes domes by the course of tye planetes / or deme therby / or telle what god wyl do in tyme comynge / or dyuyne of thinges y ^t be to come.

Thou mayste nat kno­we by the axe what the wrighte wole worche ne whan Ne thou mayst nat knowe by the orloge what tyme the orloger wole set it ne knowe the orlogers wylle. Ne thou maist nat knowe by y ^e gryndstone what the smyth wol grynde / ne what maner ne whā

It is soth

No more may we knowe by the bo­dies aboue ne by the cours of y ^e planetes what god wole do / ne what he wole ordeyne of mā or of woman / or of any comunyte londe. realme / cuntre or cite / for the planetes & the bodies aboue ben nought elles but goddes instrumētes / & the course of the planetes is nat chaungeable ne variable / but it is put ī certeyn meuynge and stirynge whiche they maye natt flee ne chaunge / for they haue no fre election ī theire doynge But god is souereyn iuge moste rightful moste merci­ful moste free / to punysshe & to spare / For he is moste of might & no thinge may him withstōde & therfore his domes & his wer­kes be nat nedyd ne artid by the planetes / but aft (er) y ^t mē chaunge her lyuyng so chāgith he his do­mes / to punysshe or spare to wel or to wo to heuyn or to helle He demyd the sīful cite of nynyue. bicause of synne to be distroyed within xl. daies but whan they repētyd hem & amēdyd theym & cryde after mercy / he chāged his dome & sparyd the cyte / & distroied it nat as tellith Ionas the ꝓ­phete / & yit the planetes chāgyd nat her cours for non amēdmēt of the peple Also we fynd ī holy wryt the fourth boke of kinges y ^t god sende the ꝓphete Isaie to the kīg ezechie whā he had sined [Page] and badde him make his testa­ment for he shulde dye & no len­gre lyue Anone the kinge repentyd him & wepte ful sore & axed mercy / And anon god badde the ꝓphete Isaie y ^t yit was ī the kinges halle to wende ayen to the kinge & say to him y ^t god had accepted his repentaunce / & herde his prayer / & y ^t he shulde nat dye than / but he shuld lyue xv. yere lengre. Lo leue frende how sone the dome of god was chaunged al to mercy And though the planetes yit y ^e tyme kept forth their course. they chaūgyd nat for al the kinges wepynge

Anone aft (er) the son chaungyd his cours & turnyd ayen īto the eest & began a newe day

The turnyng ayen of the sonne was natt cause of the mercye of god. ne of chaūgynge of his do­mes / for god chaūgyd his dome bifore or the sonne turnyd ayen So the turnyng ayen of the son was noughte elles / but a token of mercy to the kynge ezechie / & to alle synful wreches y ^t wolde amēde hem For right as the son chaūged his course after the re­pentaūce of the kynge Right so god chaūgith his sentence anon as man or woman repētith him of his syn / & is in wyl to amēde him. Therfore saith the lawe De penitent. di. i. sufficiat No uit deus mutare sentenciam / si tu nouis emēdare delictū: God can chaunge his sentence & / his dome anone as thou canst amē de thy trespasse Also it was a token to the kyng y ^t goddes bihest to him shulde be fulfylled Butt alle the astronomours that euir were coude nat telle bifore of y ^e wounderful token in the sonne. For it was al ayenst the comon course of kynde / & y ^t and suche other shewe wele that god is nat ruled by the course of the plane­tes / but that god ruleth the pla­netes and nat the planetes him / ne his domes ne his werkes. But god ruleth demeth and go­uerneth al mākynde ꝑsone & comunyte after that they deserue / and as him thynketh moost spedeful to his worshyp & to the comon proufyt of his Realme / in heuen in erthe & in helle / whose domes and ordenaūce passe mā nes wyt And therfore seint poul sayth. Quis cognouit sensū dn̄i aut quis consiliarius eius fuit / who saith he hath knowe y ^e wyt of god / or who was his counse­loure. Forsothe nat the astronomoures ne wyches / for they ben fooles of alle foles / and put fettheste oute of goddes counseyl / as folke that god moste hatyth Seint poule sayth / y ^t the domes of god ben incōp̄hensible / nomā [Page] may knowe them wele / no man may trase his weyes Tho been his wonderful domes / they ben so medled with mercy & rightfulnesse y ^t they passe mannes wytte Therfore the prophete Dauyd sayth. Vniuerse vie dn̄i mīa et veritas: Alle the weyes of the lorde been mercy and treuthe. Iudicia dn̄i abissus multa. The domes of god been a moch depnesse / ye so depe that no mā ­nes wytte may seke to the depe­nesse / ne knowe wele the cause. ne skylle of his wonderfulle do­mes And therfore suche astronomoures & wyches that entermet them so high of goddes domes / & wonderful werkes & presume to diuyne of thynges that been to come and make theym wyse / as if they were goddes felowes. and knewe alle his preuy counseyl / they ben foles of alle foles.

Therfore clerkes saye. that they may no thynge tel for certayne But they may tel wher to man or woman or comunyte is enclened by the worchyng of the bodies aboue Neuirthelesse as they saye / man and woman may by vertue ouircome the planetes / and soo euery wyse man is lorde and maister of the planetes And therfore ptolomeus the greate astronomoure saith. Qd vir sapiens dn̄abitur astris.

The xx. chaptre.

ALso as they say by astro­nomye they may knowe whan men ben īclyned to werre or to peas And whan by comon course of kynde shulde falle moreyn / hungre / tempest / drought and such other. But as they say one holy prayer may chaūge e­uery dele And though it fal nat in one cūtre it fallith in an other cuntre.

Sithen they can nat telle for certeyne / what shalle bifalle but al in doute / & their sawes & their domes maye so lightly be chaūgyd & brought to nought / it is a greate folye to sette any trust to their tales For so may euery fole telle what he wole and excuse euery lesynge. This maner of spech is nought elles but a mayntenynge of le­synges and of faytrye and of hydynge of folye and a synful ex­cusacion of synne / & a nett to cache w ^t womānes soul. & a strēge to drawe men to helle / & to dra­we mānes hert his loue his trust from god They wolde fayne beholdē wyse & nye of goddes coū seyl but they wote nat howe for they be founden so false. ¶ye shalle vnderstonde leue frende. that ther is but one sonne & one mone / and other fyue planetes / Saturne Iubiter Mars Venꝰ and Mercury. Whiche w ^t other. [Page] sterres gone aboute alle erth w ^t the firmament euery day natu­turel / & so passe alle the londes / alle realmes / ꝑsones: al erthe al waters / al ayre in xxiiii. oures. that is clepid day natural / from sōne ryse to sonne ryse / from no­ne to none And sithen they passe alle londes & al ꝑsones so euen­ly / & make no more duellyng o­uir one than an other why shuld they more enclyne one lōde thā another / or one ꝑsone more thā a nother to vice / or to vertue / to warre or to peas /

For some ꝯstellacion or some respe [...]t in her passinge fallith vpon one londe more than a nother. And as folk ben borne vndre diuers constellacions or cōiunctiones. dyuerse respectes in dyuerse sig­nes & vndre diuerse planetes / so ben they enclyned in diuerse maner & to diuerse thinges / vice or vertue / werre or peas / helthe or sekenes / pouerte or richesse and suche other.

Whanne the kinges sone is borne / in the same tyme in the same cōstella­cōn respect planete & syne / is the bonde mannes sone borne. And yit haue they nat both one inclinacion / ne one disposicion For the kinges sonne is disposed by his heritage to be king after his fader The bonde mānys sonne. is disposed by his birthe / to be a bonde man alle his lyf as his faders haue been bifore him hun­dryd yeres / y ^t no planete mighte auoide their bondage / ne fro the kinges theire dignyte In the same tyme and in the same con­stellacion & vndre the same pla­nete and signe that one childe is borne been many borne & yit haue they nat alle euyn inclinaci­on ne euyn disposicion For some of theym ben enclyned to godenesse and sūme to wyckednes sūme [...]o sekenesse / and sūme to helthe / Sūme been fulle angry and sūme be nat soo. Sūme be wyse / sūme be foles / sūme foule some faire sūme riche some pore sūme lyuynge longe / sūme dye fulle sone / Esau and iacob. hadde bothe oone fadre and one modre Isaac and rebecca. bothe were bigoten at ones / as saythe seynt Austyn / and bothe borne att ones / and yit were they noo thynge lyke For iacob was a gode man / esau a shrewe Iacob was loued of god Esau was hatyd for his wyckednesse / Iacob was smothe of body with lytel here. Esau fulle of here as a beest Iacob was a true symple man Esau a rauenoure / and a maliciouse shrewe. Iacob was peasible / Esau a faytoure [Page] a baratoure. Soo thou myghte wele se that diuerse inclinacion of man & woman. stondeth nat in the planetes ne in the tyme of the byrthe:

The xxi. chaptre.

What elles may be cause of suche dyuerse in­clynaciones.

For a­dames / syn & original syn y ^t we be alle conceyued in we ben alle īclyned to synne And therfore god saith. Gen̄. viii. That the wytte & thought of mānes hert is īclyned to euyl frō his youth. Sensus et cogitacio cordis hu­mani in malum prona sunt / ab adolescencia sua. And therfore salomon saith. Prouerbi. xx.c. That no man may saye. I am pure and clene withoute synne. Neuirtheles al be nat enclyned alyke moche to synne ne to sek­nes / but some more some lesse / & y ^t for many diuers causes Sūtyme for wycked fuffraūce y ^t chyl­dren be nat chastised in her you­the. For as salamon saith Prouerbi. xxix.c. The childe y ^t is sufryd to haue his wyl shal shame his modre & al his kynne / Sū ­tyme for wycked cūpany y ^t they been in / & wycked example of their elders & mys informacion / Sūtyme for mys vse in youthe For salomō saith. ꝓuerbi. xxii. y ^t a mā in his elde goth nat lightly fro the wey of his youthe.

And yit it is a comon ꝓuerbe. yonge seint olde deuyl:

It is a synful ꝓuerb to drawe men to synne fro vertue. fro god to the feende / For holy wrytte saith. Bonū ē hoī cū por tauerit iugū dn̄i ab adolescēcia sua. Tren̄. iii.c. It is ful gode. sayth he to a mā whāne he hath borne the yok of oure lord from his youthe / And as a poete saith Quod noua testa capit īuetera­ta sapit. Whiche as the potte or the vessel takith whan it is new such it sauoureth whan it is old And therfore in holy wryt seynt Iohn baptist / toby. ieremye / sā pson / samuel / & many other ben prised for their holynes in theire youthe For comōly they y ^t been gode & loue god ī godenesse ī her youthe they make a fulle gode ende / al if for a tyme they falin synne & ben ful veyne God suffreth them to fal for a tyme for they shulde elles be to proude of their godenesse / & haue disdeyne of other synful wreches Also sū tyme one is inclyned to one syn more than a nother / for he was conceyued and begoten in more syn thāne a nother / al if [...]e were begotē & borne ī wedlocke For the man & the wif may synne togyder [Page] fulle greuously / either by myswyl of their bodies / or by ī ­temporance if they passe maner and mesure / or if they comen togyddre in vntyme / as in the ty­me of seeknesse / or in holy tyme withouten drede or reuerēce of the tyme: ne wole nat spare for the tyme. Nathelesse the synne is in the axer nat in the yelder. Also they may synne by wicked intencion / as if they doo it for a wycked ende / or only to fulfyl the luste of the flesshe / nat to fle fornicacion. ne to yelde the dett of their body / ne to brynge forth children to the worshyp of god. but only takē hede of her owne luste Also if they coueite childrē nat to the worshyp of god / but for the world to be grete / and to make their children grete in this worlde / Also men ben enclyned to synne on emore thā an other by excesse of meete and drynke. by myskepynge of his fyue wittes. And for these same causes. one is īclyned to bodily seknes. more than a nother For syn oft tyme is cause of bodily seknesse Also by mysdietynge of the mo­dre while she is with child / or by mysdisposicion of the fadre / or of the modre / or of both. Whāne the childe is bigotē / or by miskepyng of the childe in the youthe For children ī youth wole assay & handle wel nigh al thing / And so oftyme they ete & drynke & receyue inwarde moche vnthrifty thynge & enuenym her self & hurte themself in many wyse y ^• but the gode aungel kept hem they shuld perisshe Also god smyteth hem w ^t seknesse of myscheif Sū tyme for the faders synne / & the moders / for they loue theym to moche / & wole go to helle to make hem rich & grete in this world Sūtyme he smyteth them with seknes to shewe his might & myracle / as we fynde in the gospel of seynt Iohn / .ix c. of him that was borne blynde / y ^t the mighte of god might be shewyd in hym in yeuyng him sight Other causes ther ben ful fele which passe mānes wytte. for we may nat [...] knowe alle goddes domes. Ne these causes here assigned be nat alwaye generalle. For sūtyme a fulle gode man hath a ful shrewyd child / sūme gode sūme bad And sūtyme a fulle wycked mā hath a fulle gode childe. For if the children folowed alway the fader & the modre. in godenesse. or in wyckednesse. / alle the go­denesse shulde be arettyd to the fadre and to the modre / and nat to god / And they shuld be proude / both fadre / modre & the child & comyne to gidre flesshly to moche And ī the same maner al the [Page] shrewidnesse shulde be arettyde to the fadre and modre al if it come on other bihalf / and shulde they be euir sory. and falle in dispeyr and nat wyl yelde to them to gyddre the dette of their body And therfore god medlyth so o­ne with an other / & so modifieth his domes that the gode shulde nat presume of him self ne be to proude / but thanke god of alle. ne the wycked be to sory and so fal ī dispair / but truste in god y ^t so of the wycked makith the gode and of the vnclene makethe the clene

The xxii chaptre

They say that as children be borne vnder diuerse synes / so ben they enclyned and disposed to diuerse craftes & diuerse states If he be bor­ne vndre some signe they say he shalbe a fissher / & vndre some a monyour / & vndre some a clerk vndre some a man of armes.

Many cūtries know no monyours ne money neither

And many cuntries alyf haue money / yit they haue no mony­oures For in a ful grete realme of syxe hundred myle on length & ii. hundryd of brede be no mo­nyoures but in one place assig­ned by the kynge. nat by the signes ne by the bodies aboue The kinge assigneth bothe the place and theym that shalle make the money / nat the bodies aboue And if any wight make money but tho that the kynge hath or­deyned / he shalle be slayne as a traytoure. the signes ne the pla. netes shal nat saue his lyf: And they that be borne nygh the see. or nigh some grete water / yeue them to fisshynge and their chyldren also. nat for the synes that they be borne in / but for mooste oportunyte of their lyuynge. Whiche they haue by the water: that is so nygh. They that ben borne fer from the see yeue hem to tylthe of the londe. Sūtyme to clothe makinge if ther be plē ty of wolle Sūme been shepherdes / some monyouris / some vynoures. some of other craftis as the cuntree axith / nat aftre the signes ne the bodies aboue. Whanne a man hath many children he putteth thym to dyuers craftes to gete her lyuynge Mē of armes put their children to armes And comonly euery man y ^t can oughte or hath ought wher by he may lyue / he puttith some of his children in the same degre to gete her leuyng. And thou maiste wele se that suche diuersitye in crafte. in lyuynge ston. dith more in the childes fadre & [Page] his frendes that ordeyned so for him than it doth in the signes or in the planetes For if they shuld abyde the ordenaūce of the pla­netes they shuld dye for hungre for they teche hem right nought ne ordeyne more for one thanne for another /

Sith such īclinacion stōdith lytel or nou­ght in the planetes / what is that destenye that men speke so mo­che of / And as they say al thing fallith to man & womā by destenye.

The xxiii chaptre

Foles speke as foles. For as sayth seynt Gregory in his omely of the epiphanye ther is no suche destyne Absit a cordibus fidelium vt ali quid esse fatum dicant. God forbede saith he that any cristen man or woman / shulde byleue / or say that ther were any desty­ne But god sayth he that made mannes lyf of nought / he ruleth & gouerneth mannys lyf & wo­mannes after that they deserue / and as his right wysnesse / & his mercy axith And man sayth he / was nat made for y ^e sterres / but the sterres were made for man.

The gospel is ayenste the For we fynde in the gospel / that anoon as criste was borne. of the mayden / his sterre appe­ryd in the Eest / in token y ^t eche man & woman is borne vndre a certeyn sterre / & vndre a certeyn constellacion whiche is clepyde his destyne. for alle his lyuyng aft (er) folowyng is gouerned ther­by / as sayen these astronomou­res.

To mayntene foly they say many folies & ben natt asshamed to lye. For that sterre hadde no maistrye ne lordshype vpon that blessyd child But the childe was maister and lorde of that sterre The sterre gouernyd nat the childe / but the childe go­uernyd the sterre. The childe sought nat the sterre / but y ^t ster̄ the childe The childe serued nat the sterre / but the sterre seruyde the child / & dyd him ful high worshyp & fulle wonderful seruyce / And therfore it was clepyde the childes sterre / for the childe was lord of the sterre as he was of al other For he was and is lorde of sonne mone & alle sterres & of al thynge / and they may nat con­ferme their lesynges ne the false domes of astronomoures / by y ^e sterre. For it was no planete ne sterre of the firmament / as saith seynt austyn & other doctoures / of holy churche / and skylle and reason shewith it.

How

For as seyn these clerkes. Minima stella fixa maior ē tota terra. The leest sterre set [Page] faste in the firmamente is more than alle the erthe within the see & withouten the see / & euery pla­nete also is more than al therth outake the mone & mercury whiche be sumdele lesse than al erth And therfore sumtyme they lese their light that they haue of the sōne by the shadowe and the vmbre of the erthe / whan it fallith right betwene the sonne & theim And if that sterre hadde ben soo moche or any such sterre it shuld haue ouirwhelmyd al erthe / for it went fulle lowe nigh the erthe to lede and to wysse the kinges / in their weye Also the sterres of the firmament and the planetes folowe the course of the firma­ment / and ryse vp in the eest and goo down in the west euery day naturel That sterre dyd nat so. for it was aboue the erthe bothe nyght and daye / & folowed nat the course of the firmament / but it helde his course as the wey led best into the cite of bethleem for to wisse the kinges in their weye to the sonne of rightwysnesse / y ^t there rose out of that clere firmament the mayden mary / & as the sonne from vnder the erthe Also the sterres in the firmament shy­ne by nyght and nat by the daye That sterre shone bothe nyghte and day Also the sterres of the firmament shewe them to al mē comonly both pore & riche yong and old That sterre aperyd nat but to the thre kinges / and their cumpany Also the sterres of the firmament been perpetuel and alwaye lastyng / that lastyd but a lytel while / twelue monethes atte moste / as sūme clerkes say and sūme say but fourtene day­es or lesse.

What maner sterre was it than

Some clerkes sayen that it was an aungel in the liknesse of a sterre For the kinges hadde no kno­wynge of aungelles / butt toke alle hede to the sterre Sūme say that it was the same childe that laye in the oxe stalle / whiche apperyd to the kinges ī the lyknes of a sterre / and so drewe theym & ledde theym to him self in Beth­leem And therfore holy churche / syngith and sayth. Iacebat in presepio et fulgebat in celo. He laye fulle lowe in the cratche and shone fulle bright aboue in heuene But the comon sentence of clerkes is that it was a newe sterre newly ordeyned of god to shewe the byrthe of cryste And a noon as it hadde done the office that it was ordeyned fore it tur­nyd ayen to the mater that it come fro.

The xxiiii. chaptre.

[Page]

Howe myght they knowe by the sterre that suche a childe was borne / for y ^e sterre coude nat speke to theym ne telle no such tales /

That is sothe / & therfore saythe seynt Austyn openly in a sermone. y ^t the sterre dyd nought elles / by his apperynge but broughte them in wounder and grete stu­dye to wytte what it myghte a­mounte And whanne they were at their wyttes ende and knewe wele y ^t her craft seruyd them nat thanne god shewyd theym by inspiracion inwarde or elles by an aungel what it betokenyd / and badde them folowe the sterre. And the same sayth seynt Iohn with the gylden mouthe. vpon Matheu. They knewe wele by balames prophecy that suche a childe shulde be borne / but they knewe it nat by the crafte of as­tronomye / ne myght knowe by their crafte / neither the tyme of his birthe ne the place. as the gospel sheweth wele.

Why sayth thanne seynt austyn / and other clerkes / that the science of iudicial astronomye of children byrthe was leful vnto the tyme of cristes birthe sith they mighte natt by that science / knowe his birthe .xxvi. q̄. iiii. igitur. But as they say it was nat lefulle ne grauntyd after his byrthe.

Seynt austyn sayth nat that the crafte was leful or graunted to do. ne that it was leful to truste therin. For it was alwey false and repreued of god and of philosophers by skylle & resone But he sayth that the scyence of the crafte was leful and graunted of god / nat the doyng that by the science men might repreue the crafte / and the science also. & shewe by their owne principalles and groundes that the crafte is false. and that the science is no science ꝓpirly to speke. but open foly / as it was wel preuyd in cristes byrthe. And for it was so openly preuyd fals ī his byrthe / therfore aftre his byrthe it is nat leful to vse it ne to cūne it. but only to repreue the folye of them that vse it The doynge of the crafte was vnleful bothe bifore and aftre The science was suffryd of god bothe bifore and aftre to repreue foly / as the lawe shewith wele. di. xxxvii. De mensa.

The xxv. chaptre

Wher̄ fyndest thou that god defendeth the iudicial of astronomye. bifore cristes byrthe.

Exodi xx.c. In the firste precepte of y ^e first table. of whiche is now our speche / where god bad that men [Page] shulde make them no lyknesse y ^t is in heuyn But suche astrono­moures make them self lyke as / moche as they may to god in heuyn / in asmoche as they take to theym that longith only to god. For only god knowyth whāne suche thinges as they make hem wyse of shulde falle and howe & where And therfore god rep̄ueth theym and sayth to theym. Nunciate que ventura sūt in futurū / et sciemus (qr) quia dii estis vos. ysaie xli ^o.c. Telle ye vs thinges that been to come aftre this & thanne shal we knowe that ye be goddes And therfore sayth y ^e lawe .xxvi. q̄. iiii. igitur. That they clepid themself diuynes as they were ful of god and knewe alle goddes coūseyl and by faytre and falshode coniecte & tel to the peple thinges that ben to co­me / as they were fulle of godhode and goddes felawes. And on this maner they and alle suche / trespasse fulle highly ayenst the firste precepte For they make them lyke to god in heuyn / and the worshyp that longith only to god they take it to them selfe. Suche p̄sumption & pryde loste aūgelles kynde / and mākynde also. For as we fynde. ysaie xiiii.c. Lucifer saide in his hert that he shulde stye vp vnto heuē & set his seet aboue the sterres / & sytt in the moūt of the testamēt And that he shulde wende vp a­boue the highte of the cloudes / y ^t is to say aboue alle aungelles & be lyke to him that is highest. But anon he felle downe to hel. and so shalle suche astronomoures & wytches / but if they amend them. For they sett their wyttes and their studye and their fayth so moche in the sterres. that they wole passe the sterres and al creatures and be like god that is highest They wole also fytte ī the moūt of the testament / for they wole be ayenst goddes lawes / & haue forthe their domes / wylle god nyl god For if their crafte were true the testament of god­des lawe shuld serue of nought. & soo goddes lawe / holy churche lawe / skyl and reson shulde ser­ue of nought For ther is no mā worthy to be punysshid for a syn that he may nat fle / ne worthye to be medid [...]or a gode dede that he may nat leue. But for that man doth wele whan he myghte do am [...]s / therfore he is worthy mede And for that he dothe euyl whan he might do wele / & might leue his mysdede and wole nat: therfore he is worthy moch pey­ne But if he were nedyd by y ^e bodyes aboue to vertue or to vyce he were worthy neither meed ne peyne. This pryde & p̄sumpciō [Page] loste also Adam & eue & al mankynde For whanne the feende hight theym that they shulde be as goddes knowynge gode and wycked / they assentyd to him / & ete of the apple / ayenste goddes forbode For they wolde haue be as goddes and like god cūnyng gode and wycked / & haue kno­wen what was to come Also we fynde Deut ^o. xviii.c. That whanne god led the children of israel oute of egipt īto the londe of bihest / he forfendyd them the iudicyal of astronomy· and alle maner wytche craftes / and bad they shulde axe no coūseil of none suche dyuynoures ne wiches For I shal saith he distroye the nacions that ye gone to for they haue vsed such craftes / and if ye vse hem I shal distroy also you ¶we fynde also Isaie. xlvii.c. that god repreuyd the people of Babilonye & the caldeis of their wyche craftes and of their astronomye that they trusted mooste in / For of alle naciones they yaue theym moost that tyme ther­to / & sayde to them on this wyse wydowehede & bareynhede shal come to the bothe in one day for the multitude of thy wytches / & for the hardenesse of thy charmerys / And for thou haddest truste in suche malice thy cūnyng and thy science hath disceyued the Disease and wo shal falle to the & thou shalte nat wytt fro whēs it cūmyth Sodeyne myscheif shal falle to the and thou mayst nat fle Stonde saith he with thy charmers and with the mul­titude of thy wyches / in whiche thou haste trauayled. from thy youthe Loke if they may ought helpe the or strenght the ayenste thyn enemyes. Thou hast fay­led and thou shalte fayle / in the multitude of thy coūseyles that thou haste taken of suche folke Lete nowe saith he thy dyuinoures of heuyn stonde and saue the if they may. They that stare so ayenst the styrres and loke after the planetes / and calculen / and cast yeres daies and monethes / to telle the thinges that been to come / they shalle nat helpe the. they may natt helpe the. For as seynt poule sayth Ther is no counseyl ayenst god. Also this crafte of astronomy. is rep̄ ­uyd Sapienc. xiii. by the wyse Salomon / where he repreuythe them that weende and sayd that sōne mone and sterres were goddes of this world / for gouernaū ce lōgith to none vnwytty thīg. as sonne and mone and sterres. been But gouernaunce longith only to wytty thynges skylful. and reasonable and vnderston­dyng / as to god that is souereyn [Page] wysdome to aungel and man Vnwitty bodies with their ver­tues and their might / and theire kindes be nought elles but īstrumentes of goddes gouernaunce and also of aūgelles gouernāce. and of mannys also if they can wele vse them Also suche iudicial of astronomy is repreuyd by the lawe of holy churche / xxvi. q̄. iiii. igitur. & distinct .xxxvii. legimus. &c. qui de mensa. Also seynt poule repreuyth such crafte of astronomye. Ad gala­thas iiii.c. ¶ye kepe saith he daies and monethes yeres & tymes. as hethen people doth And ther­fore I drede me saith he. that I haue traueilyd in veyne aboute you to conuerte you alle And y ^e glose ī the same place repreueth suche crafte of astronomy fulle harde Suche science god repre­uyth. as sayth seint poule in his epystole / i. ad co (rum). i ^•.c. I shalle sayth god­lese the wysdome of the wyse / & the slight of the sligh & of theim that truste so moche ī their cūnynge / where moreouir seynt poule saith thus / where is nowe the wyse man that letythe so wele by his wyt / where is now the man of lawe with al his sly­ghtes / where is nowe the seker of nature & of the cours of kynd of this worlde / God saith he hath turned the wisdome of this worlde into folye.

The xxvi. chaptre

Suche science and wysdō so for to diuyne of thinges to come which stondeth in the wyl of god / and ofte ī the free wyl of man or woman I lete grete folye Ther can none astronymoure by his crafte tel me my thoughtes / ne what I pur­pose me to do in tyme cōmynge ne how I shal lede my lyf They knowe nat my counseyl / alle if they seme and speke with me. Howe shulde they knowe god­des counseyl or what he wol do in tyme cūmynge / sithen they se him natt / and they speke neuyr with him They can nat telle bifore ne be ware of her owne myshappes How shulde they telle other men or women. or warne theym by their crafte of their a­uenture For comonly suche dy­uynoures of astronomye ben in grete myscheif and myshap as­moche as other or more / & they knowe it nat tyl it falle / And y ^e more that they worche by theire crafte the worse they spede.

That is no wounder For the more that they truste in their crafte / the lesse they truste ī god. And the lesse they truste in god in whome is alle our welth. [Page] the worse they shal spede And the more that they trust in their craste the more they truste in fo­ly. And the more that they trust in foly the more foly & mischeyf shal folowe him. Ther wole no wyse man wryte his counseyl & alle that he thynketh to do in y ^e yere folowyng in the roof of his halle / ne aboute on the walles. Where alle men may see it & knowe it. No more wole god wryte his coūseil ne what he thynketh to do in tyme cūmyng aboue in the firmament / there al foles might knowe his coūseyl his thoughtes and his domes Cryst hyd many thingis from his apostles and sayde to them Non estvtm nosse tēpora vel momēta q̄ pa­ter posuit in sua potestate / actu um primo .c. It longith nat to you to knowe tymes momētes and stoundes whiche the fadre. of heuyn hath reseeuyd in his power And he sayde by the prophete. Secretum meū michi / secre­tum meum michi. ysa. xxiiii.c. I kepe my priuyte to me I ke­pe my pryuyte to me. And sithē he reseruyd suche counseyl and pryuyte from his frendes y ^t were so nygh of counseyl / Moch mo­re he reseruyd his counseyl from his enmyes fole synful wreches

These clerkes say that they may by craft of astronomy lefully telle and dyuyne of droughte / of rayne of tēpest. for they falle by comon course of kynde and therfore they may by comō course of nature knowe theym / and telle them bifore

As I saide firste / the course of kynde and of planetes stondeth alle in the wyl of god & do ther­with what he wole / as the instrumente stondeth in the werkmannys wyl what he wole do ther­with And therfore they may nat knowe by their crafte / ne by the course of the planetes as by cause / neither of drought ne of wete ne tempeste cūmynge But they may knowe by the bodies abo­ue / as by tokenys bothe of droughte / of wete of tempest. froste / snowe wynde / thundre / and su­che others / and so knowyth the shepeherde in the felde. the shyp man in the see / the birde in thair the fisshe in the water / beestes in the wode / bettre than alle the astronymoures in this londe /

The xxvii. chapter.

Howe may the bodies aboue be tokenes of suche thinges and nat causes

Fallynge of soote in houses is token of reyne sone comyng / and yit it is nat cause of [Page] the rayne / but the reyne is cause of the sote fallynge For whāne the ayre wexith moiste / the sote by moisture of the ayre wexithe heuy and fallith downe And so the fallynge of the sote is token of grete moisture in the ayre Al­so swetynge of water on the stone is token of reyn / and yit it is nat cause of the rayne but reyne and moisture of the eyr is cause of the water Also meltinge of salte whan it turneth ī to water is token of rayne cūmynge but nat cause. Also smoke in house whan it passith nat redily oute. is token of reyne For the ayr is so thycke and heuy of moisture that the smoke may nat stye vp so redily as whanne the ayre is dry. and clere Also the broughe or circle aboute the candel light is token of reyne And the blewe glowynge of the fyre / is tokene of the froste. but nat the cause These and suche other ben tokenes of wedyr cūmynge but natt causes For they shewe disposicion of the ayre whedyr it is disposed to droughte or to wete. And on the same maner the bodies aboue been tokenes of wedyr cū ­mynge For by their light & ma­ner of shynynge they shewe dis­posicion of the ayre wete or dry frost or snowe / thūdre lighnyng wynde and suche other. And as the lighte in the lāterne shewith disposicion and colour of the lā ­terne / and yit is nat y ^e light cause of suche disposicion ne of the coloure of the lanterne. And as the lighte of sonne or mone she­with disposicion of the glasse / y ^t it passith by / whether it be whyte or blake / blewe or rede / yelowe / or grene And yit is nat the sōne ne the mone cause of the colour. Right so they shewe the disposi­cion of the ayre / and yit ben they nat alwaye cause of suche disposicion And therfore the mone in one lunacion and in the same tyme shewyth in one cuntre grete tokenynge of reyne and so it fallith / and twentye myle thens it she wyth grete toknyng of droughte and so it fallith / and yit is it the same moone and the same lunacion And therfore the cause of that diuersite is nat in the mone but in the ayre. For the ayre in one cuntre is disposed to ray­ne / and in the other to droughte

Also in one cuntre it shewyth wynde and tempest. in an other cuntre nat soo. Some cuntre is fulle hote by shynynge of the sonne / some cuntre is nat so hote One daye is fulle hote. and the nexte day aftre is fulle colde. The sōne shewith his light one [Page] tyme of the day / and a nother tyme of the day it shewith nat / whiche diuersite stondeth nat in the sonne / but in the ayre and other causes For the sonne in himself as sayne these clerkes is alway at one and shyneth alway alike it is nether hote ne colde But suche diuersite fallith by dyuersite of the ayre / and other diuerse meanes and causes whiche passen mannes wytte. Sumtyme suche auenture of hungre of moreyne / of tempest / of droughte. of wete falle by the ordenaunce of god for mannys synne / or for to shewe his might and his wor­shippe. Sumtyme by worching of aungellys gode or wicked at goddes byddynge. Sumtyme withoutē mene only at his wyl and his byddynge. Sumty­me by the worchynge of the bo­dies aboue at his byddyng For as I sayde firste he may do wiy the planetes what he wole / and he may do withoute them what he wole And therfore by the course of the planetes. may we nat knowe suche auentures as by causes but as by tokenys. For god made theym to be tokenys to man / beest. byrde / fisshe / and other creatures / as I sayde firste And therfore we shulde take hede to them only as to tokenes nat to causes. Ne dyuyne by hem as by causes For we wote nat whanne they been causes of suche thinges / ne whan natt.

The xxviii. chaptre

The mone as clerkes sayne is cause of flo­wynge / and ebbynge of the see. for it folowith the course of the mone.

It may wele be so But wele I wote the cour­se of the mone is token whanne the see shal ebbe and flowe. and the see kepith his tyme of ebbīg and flowynge / after the course. and the tyme of the mone in one cuntre sūner / and in an other latter And yit euery see doth nat so but only one parte of the weste see that goth aboute britayne & Irelonde / and other nygh lon­des bicause of tho But in other ferre cūtrees ne in the grekes see is no suche ebbyng ne flowyng. So it semyth that there be other causes of that ebbynge and flo­wynge thanne the mone allone

But sothe it is that man be­est and byrde / fysshe / the see the ayre / tree and grasse / and other creatures vse and kepe their doynge in kynde / and worchen in tyme that god hath ordeyned to theym. Whiche tyme they [Page] knowe wele by the course of the sonne mone and sterres. For as salomon saith Ecclesiastes iii.c Alle thynge hath his tyme ordeined of god by wey of kynde whiche tyme they knowe and kepe. by the course of the bodies abo­ue / whiche been tokenys to hem shewyng what tyme they shuld do their kynde that they ben or­deyned to And therfore god saiy by the prophete Ieremye viii.c. The puttok in the ayre saith he knowith his tyme / the turtyl. & the swalowe kepe the tym of her cūmyng / But my peple knowe nat the dome of oure lorde god. For these daies men take none heede to goddes domes / but alle to the domes of astronymoures and to the cours of the planetes The kynde of euery creature is ordeyned by the dome of god. & what tyme he shal do his kynde whiche tyme they knowe / and fele. by the course of the bodies aboue For as sayth the phylosophre / the bodies aboues mesure alle thinge here bynethe as anē ­tes tyme And therfore sayth Dauid / that by night whan the son is downe / than in derknesse be­gynne bestes of raueyn to walk and seke their prey & their mete. Whan the sōne ryseth they wend ayen to her dennes & byde theim than go men oute to worche tyl it be night Nat that the sōne ne the mone cause hem to do so / but only the law of kynde ordeyned of god techich hē so to do & to kepe their kyndly tyme In the da wynge & spryngynge of the day byrdes begynne to synge / flou­res to sprede and spryng that by night were ful close Man / birde and beest begynne to glade / for ioye of the light / and for the ty­me of their myrthe and of theyre kyndly worchyng cometh ayen by the presence of the sonne / whiche serueth theim principally of light and of tyme The sonne ruleth them nat propirly to speke. but kynde ruleth them in tyme. by the cours of the sonne and by the course of the bodies aboue we fynde in holy wrytte Gene­sis i ^o.c. that the erthe at the byd­dynge of god brought forth tre­es grasse and erbe Trees and er­bes brought forthe their fruyte / eche in their owne kynde The thridde day er god made sonne / mone and sterres And bad the erthe and yaue it vertue and na­ture to brynge forthe grasse and fruyte of many & dyuerse kynde He yaue nat the sonne ne the mone / ne the sterres that nature.

He made theym the fourthe. daye to shyne / and to be in tokenes of tyme to alle creatures here bynethe in erthe.

[Page]God yaue grasse trees and erbes dyuerse vertues & wounderfulle nature / to bud and bryng forth leues faire and grene in diuerse fourme / floures faire blossomes bright of dyuerse shappe and of dyuerse coloure that no man by crafte can deuyse. Also he yaue them nature to bryng fruyt fair and fyne some in in wynter & sū me in somer Sūme he ordeyned in tyme to lese their leuys & their grene hede Sūme to be grene wī ter and somer as lorel. boxe. holme yue: and many mo / whanne other herbes sere & drye vp / than in the colde wedyr saffrone begī neth to sprynge and w ^t his flou­res bringith his fruyt Suche dyuersite in kynde in tre and gras in beest fisshe and foule / vertues so diuerse in stones & other thinges deuysed neuir ne made the sonne ne mone ne the sterres / But he that made sonne mone. and sterres and al thinge ī kynd he made and ordeyned / & he go­uerneth and kepeth alle this ech in his owne kynde / and hath assigned eche creature here byneth his due tyme / his nature to doo and to shewe In one londe fallith hūgre / in an other place plē tye of alle godes. In one londe is plentye of wyne / in a nother none In oo cuntre is plentye of wolle gode and clene / ī a nother lytel and ful vnthende: In one cuntre plentye of golde & siluer / and of other metalle / in an other lytel or noughte. Sumtyme is moreyne generalle sumtyme ꝑ­cial. in oo cuntre and nat in an other Sumtyme in oo towne & nat in the next Sumtyme in y ^e one syde of the strete and nat in that other Sūme householde it takith vp al hole & in the nexte it takith noon Sūme dye in youthe. and sūme in elde / sūme in myddel age / sūme wele sūme euyl / sūme with lytel peyne sū ­me with moche peyne. Howe shuld men knowe or telle al yis diuersite by the bodies aboue or assigne causes therto / or to such other withouten nombre by the course of the planetes /

The xxix. chaptre

It passith mānes wytte Ouly god that made al he knowith al. They ben his domes his ordenaunce And therfore I lete greate folye that men entremette them so high of goddes domes / and namely of thinges that been to come. Butt I praye the telle me if the wounders that fal ayenst kinde in the bodies aboue betokenen.

¶or shewe any auentures. [Page] that been to come /

That fallith ayēst comō cours of kynde betoknethe that some thynge is cūmynge passynge comon course of kynde / be it wele. be it woo But comonly suche wounders falle more ayenst wo thanne ayenst welthe. as come / tis and sterres brennynge castelles in the ayre / Eclipses of the sonne or mone ayenst kynd / mē in the ayre armyd or fightynge. the raynbowe turnyd vp so downe / mysshape thinges in their birthe ayenste kynde These and suche other that falle ayenst comō cours of kynde / betoken that y ^e people where they appere / done ayenst kynde / and that lorde of nature is offendyd with theym. & alle creatures redy to punysshe them.

It may wele be as thou sayst for many such haf apperyd within a fewe yeres / neuyr so many I trowe in so lytel while. And moche sorowe and woo folowyth after. as we fele here and see. But I pray the what betokned that wounder­ful comete and sterre which ap­peryd vpon this londe / the yere of oure lorde Athousande foure hundryd / and ii. from the epiphany. tyl two wekes at after ester. that was the myddel of Aprylle

It was open token of the grete offence of god. With the peple of englonde / and that harde wreche was cūmyng but they wolde amende them of her falsehode and traytorye / ꝑiurye murdre / myspryde. ī euery degre & ouirdone. couetyse. erroures & herises / blasphemye / and ydolatrye. lichery and lesynges with­outen shame / and other synnes. many moo. nat only preuy but open to alle cristendome & sclaū dre to alle cristen people. And for that men repent theym nat ne wole nat amende theym. but putte synne to synne / And by synne of falsehode / murdre. & manslaughter / traueyl to mayntene their olde synnes / therfore vengeaunce fallith as the sterre betoknyd. God of his mercy smyteth nat alle at onys / but lytel and litel / that by the lytel mē shulde be war of the more Butt allas and welawey that no mā wole be ware / no man amende hī / but alway do worse & worse.

They yeue no tale of goddes swerde / but euery cūtre is glade of others disease / vnnethes any mā or womā hath pyte on other But nyghe euery man is glade of others wo And so I drede me that god wylle make an ende. of this lōde / for we loue no pees we seke no mercy. Butte alle oure lykynge is alle in wer.

¶in woo. in murdre and / in [Page] shedynge of blode / in robbery / & falshode / and oure besynesse / is by night / and day is to maynte­ne synne and to offēde god And more so welaway they haue or­deyned a comon lawe that what man speke w ^t the treuthe ayenst their falshode / he shalbe hanged drawen & be hedyd

Thy sawes been ful soth and open at iye Euery state & euery degree. in this londe. is nowe youen to synne & besy to mayntene synne But I pray the what saye cler­kes of such cometes and sterres / so apperynge ayenst the comon cours of kynde

They saye that whanne it apperythe. it signifieth moreyne or chaun­gynge of some grete prynce / or distruction of some cūtre / or chā gynge of some realme. or greate werre or hunger or / wounderful tempest.

Werre hunger and tempest and moreyn we haue hadde grete plentye / & many cuntrees in this realme ben dis­troyed. and chaūgyd into other lordshyp & nacion sithen y ^e sterre apperyd. And it is ful lyke that in shorte tyme bothe the kynge. and al the Realme shalbe chaū ged and distroyed.

Salomon sayth that for gyle & traytoury and dyuerse wronges and dispites done to god and to holy churche / realmes be chaungyd frō nacion to nacion This mater is ful heuy and dolefulle Speke we of sumwhat elles.

The xxx. chaptre.

Al if it be soo y ^t the iudicyal of astronomye. be rep̄uyd of god & of holy chur­che / yit exꝑiēce shewith that oft they telle many treuthes of thinges that been to come and of thī ges preuy that ben done

Sumtyme they happen to saye suche sothes / as the blynde man kest the staf And sumtyme they knowe suche thynges / by other waye than by astronomye / and that they knowe by other weye they saye that they knowe it by astronomye For they wolde fayner be holden wyse / and ne­rer of goddes counseyl / thanne any other.

Howe may they knowe any suche thinges. on other half.

Sum­tyme by boke of prophecy. sumtyme by cōiecture of diuers causes and disposiciones that gone bifore As if mā yeue him to wickyd cumpanye / or vse suspecte places / men that wote it. Wole coniecte therof and saye that in [Page] tyme cūmynge it shalbe his confusion. Alsoo yf a man mysdyete him and ete & drynke oute of mesure / & thing that is nat cō ueniēt to him men wol say that he shalbe seke therof And if a man yeue hym to false the kin­ges seal or the kinges money / other wyl saye that he shalbe hangyd and drawne / and comonly it fallith so Also they knowe thī ges that been to come by coniectynge of dyuerse tales and spe­che in the people / as if comō clamoure of the people be ayenste their kinge whan their king trustith vpon them / it is a token y ^t the peple shal vndo him or he be ware And on this maner these daies the moost parte of the people been prophetes and tel thynges y ^t been to come / whiche thinges they ben about to ꝑfourme. in hert worde and dede And children alsoo by that they here. theire elders speke ben and haue been ꝓphetes nigh ī euery hous Also they knowe suche thinges / by discuryng of coūseyl or kno­wynge of counseyl of them that purpose suche thinges And sūtyme they be of the same counseyl and of the assente and helpynge therto. And on this maner these faytoures that been clepyd soth siggers and astronomoures / sū ­tyme telle thingis preuy and do come ayen thinges that be stole or loste For comonly suche ben theuys / or of these assent And by one sothe sawe or two which they knowe on this maner / they blynde the nyce people and ma­ke theym to leue al theire lesynges And therfore if any such faytoure dyd any thyng come ayen that were stolen / he shulde be taken as a theef or a theuys feere. And comonly suche faitoures & iapers haue maisters to haue ꝑt of their wynnyng / as tauerners brewers hostlers / & nedy werke­lesse men that go so gay & spend grete / whiche aspy aftre thinges that been done in the cuntree / & that yit ben to be done / and telle them to the faytours to do them haue a name And ofte they that shulde moste kepe counseyl. discure counseyl And soo that men wende were counseyl is no coū seyl And comonly suche faitou­res be slye spekers / & slighly can oppose the shepherde & the plow man ī the felde or sūme olde simple folke or children at the tow­nes ende / and axen howe stou­dith it amonge neyghboures / & aboute in the cuntree / And after that they telle theim they make hem wyse / as if they knewe it by astronomye. or by prophecye. [Page] or by nigromancye And for as­moche as they be vnknowen / & telle sothes that men knowe / the peple wenyth that they knowe alle thinges / and might knowe what they wolde / and so leue in them tyl they ben alle disceyued Sūtyme suche faitoures tel so­thes nat by their crafte but by techyng and flauship of the feend whiche is alway redy if god suf­fred him to seche foles for to dis­ceyue them and other by them

The xxxi. chaptre.

How may the de­uyl knowe thinges that been to come or any pryue syn /

Better than any mā / For as saith seynt Austyne / de natura demonū .xxvi. q̄. iiii. sciendum. The feend is more so­tyl of wytte and ferther can se & coniecte than any man. Also he is more light and delyuer in ste­ryng and passinge For he is ten folde lighter than any foul ī his fleynge. Also he may lightly knowe what is done in dyuerse cuntrees and londes He is so so tel in kynde that ther may noo dore ne walle shytte him out of coūseyl And so he may here and se what men & womē do though it be ful pryue Also by longe experience / for they haue lyued so longe they can telle & coniect by wey of kynd many thinges y ^t be to come / & can do many thinges y ^t passe mannys wytte Also ofte tymes that haue leue of god for mannys synne for to do woun­ders / to cause hidous tempestes to enfecte and enuenym the ayr and cause moreyne & sekenesse / hungre & droughte / discension / and werre by distruction of cha­rite / by myspryde couetyse lichery / wrathe and enuye / and such thinges as they done / and pur­sue them to do and haue done a­forne & made other to do they cā ne telle bifore Also by the signes of the body outwarde / they knowe disposicion of man and wo­man inwarde / signes to helth or to seknesse / to vyce or to vertue or oft by toknes outwarde they knowe mannes thought īward But for asmoche as they maye nat nat knowe for certeyne su­che thinges / for only god kno­weth for certeyne thinges y ^t ben to come / & ofte tyme god lettyth them of their malice / whan mē wole amende theym. Therfore the proude spiryte wyl nat telle suche thinges to the people īme­diatly by hymself / but medyate by other that sett theire feythe / & their truste in him / as been wytches faytoures astronomoures y ^t if her sawes be foūde fals / they [Page] shal haue the velonye If it be foūde true. the feende shal haue the worshyppe Also they may knowe the thinges that been to come by boke of prophecy whi­che they vnderstonde by naturel wytte bettre than any man.

The xxxii. chaptre.

Sothe it is y ^t nygh euery synne be it neuir so preuy / it is done by the techyng & tysyng of the feende And ther­fore wonder it is that any liche­ry thefte and mychery / murdre / lesinges or other synnes may be hydde & kepte preuy / sithen the feende knowith it so wel / & may knowe thinges that been so preuy by soo many weyes as thou haste nowe seyde.

Fulle fayne wolde the feend discure mennys synne and womā ­nes to brynge theym to shame & velonye. and so to distroye cha­ritie and make euery man to sle other But god of his mercy let­tith him. for he may nought do. ne telle but as he hathe graunte of god And therfore as we fynd in the gospel M ^t. viii.c. The feend myghte nat entre into the swyne that wente ther bisydes / to drenche hem / tyl he had graūt of criste Also [...]e might nat disese Iob neither ī his body / ne in his catel. tyl he hadde graūt of god▪ Iob. i ^o. & ii ^o.c. And alyue he coude disceyue kinge Achab w ^t lesynges & faire bihestes / to doo him to fight there he myght a ly­ued in peas / yit he might nat do it tyl he hadde graunte of god. The thrid boke of kinges xxii. chapt He knoweth moch thing by the suffraunce of god / but he may nought do withoute graūt & ꝑmission or suffraunce of god. The feende is so feble & so faynt y ^t he may ouircome noo man ne woman by temptacion / butt he wole be ouircome of him /

Ne he may nat dere the leeste childe in the weye but if he haue graunte of god. Whiche sūtyme / grauntyd him power therto / for the syn of the fadre & the modre.

Why suffreth god hym so moche to tempte mankynde.

To moryng or encresynge of oure blysse and of oure mede For as saith seynt Poule Ther is noman worthy to haue the crowne of lyf / but he withstō de the feende in gostly stryf And as he sayth ī an other place / god suffreth him nat to tēpt vs / but as we may wele withstonde / if we wole And if we falle he hath ordeyned to vs remedye of pe­naunce / sone to ryse ayen & bet­ter to fight if we wol And al our tēptacion shal turne vs to mede [Page] if oure wyl be to withstonde.

Sithen the feende knoweth soo many treuthes & wote what is done / for he is at euerye wycked dede. me merueileth moche why he is so redy to lie & why he is so false

For he hatith god that is souerayn treuthe / & for he mighte nat be euyn with god in soueraynte of treu­the / ne haf the name of souereyn treuthe that is god / therfore his likyng and his trauayl is to be souerayne falshede & souereynly false And therfore Cryste sayth in the gospelle y ^t the feende stode neuyr in treuthe / for ther is noo treuthe in him / whan he speketh he spekith lesynges / by weye of kynde / for he is a lyer and fader of lesynges. Io. viii.c. And soo whethyr his tale be true or false say he soth or false. alwaye he is false / alway a lyer.

Howe may he say treuthe & yitt lye. for if he say treuthe me thinketh he lyeth nat.

What so euir man or feende doth or spekith ayenst gode conscience and ayenste the plesaunce of god in wyl and intencion for to disceyue man woman or childe. it is a lesynge. and he is a lyer y ^t doth it or sayth it. And therfore the lawe she with wele .xxii. q̄ ii. hoīes. &c. is autē That if a mā say a treuth whiche treuth he wenyth be false if he say it for to disceyue his euyn cristē / in that he lyeth And so with a sothe sawe / a man or the fende may lie. as if I say to the that it were nat day to let y ^t of thy iourney wenyng my self that it were nat day alle thoughe it were as I sayde yit I lyed And in the same maner the feend tellith treuthis of thinges that been to come / and other so­thes also / wenyng him self that they be false And so in his sothe sawes he lyeth / for he sayth that treuthe vnwyttyngly for disceit and wenyth to say false. And if he say any treuthe wyttyng and wyllynge / he saith it only for to disseyue men. and for a wyckyd ende / and for to do folke w ^t one sothe sawe leeue an hundryd le­synges / and so he is alway fals and disseyuable. And sumtyme he is compelled by the mighte of god to telle treuthes ayenst hys wylle / to shame and shenshippe of him and alle his / as we fynde in the gospel M ^t viii. mar. i. Luce iiii. & vii.c. But for suche so­the sawes is he neuir the trewer. but alway a false lyer / for suche sothe sawes ben ayenst his wyll and if he may he wole turne hem alle to dissayte / and make men for suche soth sawes whan they falle to leue al his lesynges And therfore he is clepid in holy wryt [Page] Spiritus mendax spiritus fal­lax That is to say a spirite lyer a spiryte disseyuable And therfore as the fendes hadde sayde the treuthe that crist cōpellyd theim to saye / anon he put them to si­lence / as sayth the glose in the same place / for they wold elles vndre that sothsawe haue told many lesynges

The xxxiii. chaptre

Whanne he is con­iuryd he is so bounde. by vertue of holy wordes y ^t he must nedys say trouthe which he knoweth if it be axed him

Suche wyches and charmours iapers and faitoures that vse suche craftes haf no power to byn­de him ne to cōplelle him to telle suche sothes / ne righte noughte for to do ne for to telle. For he may nought do ne telle withouten the graunte of god And therfore suche iapers and wytches / bynde nat the feend but the feēd byndeth them ful hard in his seruage / and kepith them thralles to him passynge al other / whose bondage is fulle harde to theym for to escape withouten a specyal grace of god.

Cōtra Ofte men knowe y ^e clerkes close hem in rynges and in other thinges & make hem ther to tel & do many woūders

The The fende fayneth hī to be boū de with suche iapers wordes for to disseyue them & other by them And yit is he nat closed ne bounde / but he goth abrode as he did bifore / and whanne he is clepyd he is sūtyme redy to aūswere for he is fulle swyfte / sūtyme he is nat redy to aunswere / ne to doo their wylle / and ofte though he wolde he may nat for god wole nat suffre him.

yit con­trate Men wote wele that ī many londes prestes & clerkes with holy cōiuracions and holy prayers ordeyned of holy churche cache wyckyd spirytes oute of mē and wymen

That is sothe and nat only gode lyuers. but wyckyd lyuers in many lō ­des catche feendes oute of men and wymen and children by vertue of goddes worde / and holy coniuracions and holy prayers ordeyned of holy church / and soner a gode man or a gode womā shal do that thanne a wyckyde. Suche bynde the feend / and do him lese his power and his lordeship to shame and shenship of hī and alle his Suche seke the worshyp of god and shenship of the feende and helpe of mānes soul And therfor they haue power of god to bynde him & to compelle him But yit as sayth the glose. [Page] mar. v.c. suꝑ illud Quod ē tibi nomē. They that ben so traueyled with the feende must first be clene shreuen as fer as they may and knowe and telle al the ma­ner of the feendes doynge / and of the temptacion that they ha­ue either wakynge or slepynge by sight by herynge by felynge. or by any of their wyttes / or by any thought or fantasye / & dis­discure elle the feendes counseil But these wyches faitours and iapers. seke the fendes worship nat goddes worshyp / They se­ke helpe of the feende and for sake goddes helpe / and do sacrifice to the feend and forsake god and take the feend to ther lorde and make him their god And so the feend hath power ouir them nat they ouir the fende.

The xxxiiii. chaptre

And therfore saith the lawe xxvi. q̄. vii. non obserue­tis. That alle suche wyches / & alle that axe any coūseil or help of them / or sett any feyth ī them or brynge them to their houses. or go to their houses to haue helpe or counseyl of them / and alle that take hede to dysmale day­es / or vse nyce obseruaunces in the newe moone / or in the newe yere as setting of mete or drynk by nighte on the benche / to fede Al holde. or gobelyn. Ledynge of the plough aboute the fire as for gode begynnyng of the yere y ^t they shulde fare the better alle the yere folowyng / or take hede to the iudicial of astronomy or to diuynaciones by chyterynge of byrdes / or by fleynge of fou­les / or assente to any suche nyce obseruaunces / or dyuyne a mā ­nes lyf or deth by nombres and by the spere of Pyctagoras / or make any dyuynyng therby / or by songuary or sompnarye. the boke of dremes / or by the boke that is clepid the apostles lottis or vse any charmes in gadering of herbes / or hangynge of scro­wes aboute man or woman or childe or beest for any seknesse. W ^t any scripture or figures and carectes / but if it be Pater nost. Aue or the Crede / or holy wor­des of y ^e gospel / or of holy wryt for deuocion nat for curioustie. and only with the tokene of the holy crosse / and alle that vse a­ny maner wichecraft or any misbileue / that alle suche forsaken the feyth of holy churche / & their cristēdome / and bicome goddes enmyes and greue god fulle greuously / and falle into dampnacion withouten ende / but they amende theym the soner / And therfore the lawe cōmaundeth y ^e [Page] busshopes shulde be besy to dis­troye alle maner wychecraftes. And if they founde any man or woman that yaue them to wytche craft but they wold amende theym / they shulde chace theym oute of their busshopryke. With open despyte xxvi. q̄. v. ep̄i. And in the same place the lawe saythe that tho wymen whiche wene by nighte to ryde on dyuerse bestes and passe diuerse lōdes and cuntrees and folowe a glo­rious quene that is clepyd Diana / or elles herodiana. or any other name and wene y ^t they been in her seruyce bodilye with mo­che myrthe / suche wymen ben al disseyued and blent w ^t the feend whome they serue And therfore the feende hath power for to dysceyue them And that they suffre only by fantasy / by dreme / & by iapery of the feende They wene it were so bodily & in dede & it is nat so And al tho that say or le­ue that men or wymen myghte by wychecrafte be turnyd īto bestes / or into lykenesse of beestes or byrdes bodily been worse thā any painym And they y ^t for hate or wrathe that they bere ayenste any man or woman take awey the clothes of the autre and clo­the the autre with dolefulle clo­thynge / or bisette the autre or y ^e crosse aboute with thornes / and withdrawe light oute of the chirche / or synge. or do synge masse of Requiem for them that been alyue. in hope that they shulde fare the worse and the soner dye the preest shulde be degradyd / & bothe the preest and he that ste­ryd him therto for to do it shulde be exiled for euyr And alle ma­ner wytches and al that leue on wytche crafte shulde be acursed solēnely / but they wolde amēde them. as the lawe sayth in the same place / and in the next chap­tre folowynge. & c ^o si quis. As the lawe sayth there: c. Contra. If the wytches were bonde men and wymen / they shulde be betē harde and sore If they were free they shuld be punysshed ī harde prison And by the lawe īperialle vt .C. de maleficiis nullus. & l. nemo. & l. culpa. And by y ^e law canon .xxvi. q̄. v. qui diuinacō nes. in glosa. Suche wyt­ches shulde be hedyde and brent and their fautoures exiled. and alle theire godes eschetyde And by the lawe of holy churche alle that leue in theym or mayntene them shuld do fyue yere penāce. xxvi. q̄. v. Non liceat. &c. Qui diuinationes. Also it is defendyd by the lawe as wytche craft for to do thinges come ayen. by [Page] scripture in boke or in tables or by astrolabie. ext. li. v. ti. xxvi. c. i ^o & ii ^o.

I lete it a full gode dede to take a theif. W ^t his thyfte by what crafte that a mā may for saluacion of the people and to punysshe or sle a theif by the lawe for ensample of other.

The xxxv. chaptre

It is nat leful to any man for to sle a theif ayenst the kinges lawe and withoutē pro­cesse of londes lawe and withouten auctorite of his liege lorde. ne without a lauful iuge ordeyned of his liege lorde. & yit is y ^e theif worthy to die

that is sothe For if euery man might sle a theif at his owne wylle and by his owne doome / men shulde vndre coloure of theif sle many a true man for wrathe couetyse. and hate.

Sithen mē do somoche reuerence to the kinges lawes and londes lawes to fle myscheuys that shulde falle but if the lawes were kepte.

Moche more reuerence shulde they do to goddes lawe & holy churche lawe / and eschewe to forfete ther ayenst / sithe god­des lawes and holy churche la­wes ben as resonable & as gode. as the kinges lawes of englond Nathelesse the kinges lawes if they be iuste they be goddes la­wes. And asmany pereles and mo shulde falle if men toke the­uys by witchecrafte ayenst goddes lawes and holy churche la­wes / as if they slewe them ayēst the kinges lawes and the lōdes lawes.

Shewe me that.

If a man sle a theif nat him defendante ayenst the kinges lawe. he forfetith a­yenste his kynge and is worthy deth And if he make him a iusti­ce by his owne autorite. though he kepe other processe of lawe he is a traytoure to his kynge. And asmoche and more forfetiy he ayenst the kynge of heuyn / y ^t taketh a theif with wichecrafte. ayenst goddes lawe / sithen god and holy churche hathe forbodē it / as dothe he that sleeth a theif ayenst the kinges lawe. And sithen he maketh the deuyl and the wytche that been moost goddes enemyes his iuge / and wor­cheth by their doome in despyte of god that hath forbodē it hem he is a ful highe traytour to god And soo he doth ten folde more synne / and is worthy to be hanged more thanne a theif. More ouir in asmoche as the feende is a lyer alway / redy to lye & w ^t le­synges disseyuethe mankynde. [Page] and bringith mē to murdre and to shedyng of blode / and rather to sle innocentes thanne theues If suche wytchecraftes were v­syd / many innocentes and ma­ny a gode mā and womā shulde be taken and slayne and theues goo free. For the feende is more fauourable to theuys / māquel­lers / lichoures and to other syn­fulle wretches / thanne he is to any go [...]e man or woman / & mo­re lykynge he hath to sle a gode man or woman if he might / thā to sle a theif. Also god sayth in the gospel that the feend hath euir been a lyer / and stode neuir in treuthe. and that he is a man queller / and fader of lyers / and of lesynges. And therfore al tho that yeue fayth to his tales and doo therafter / as moche as is in theym / they make god fals and forsake theire god that is soue­rayne treuthe / and take theym to the deuyl / that is souerayne falsehode / and so they worshyp the feende and dispyse god And if such craftes were suffred euery man myght accuse other. of what synne he wold / and say that the feend or the wyche told it hym And on this maner euery man might kylle other. And therfore for these skylles & ma­ny moo and to fle these perelles and many other / god hathe for­boden alle maner▪ wytchecrafte for it is nat done withoutē help of the feend. But these daies god of his mercy suffreth nat the feend but fulle selden to so­thesawe. for if he suffryde hym to soothsawe / englisshe people. shulde forsake god alle at onys and sette their truste and theire fayth alle in the feend. For natwithstandynge that they fynde the feendis tales and his craftis ful false. by greate and ofte ex­perience / and spende fulle grete therabout. and lese al that they doon and myshappen / yit wole they nat cease for noo losse / for noo prechynge / for noo shame / ne for no punysshynge. Neuirthelesse it is no grete woū der. for the fende holdith theym fulle harde bounde. in his boondes as his churles and his thralles. For alle suche doon a pas­synge homage / sacrifice and seruyce to the feende / and forsake god as I sayde firste.

The xxxvi. chaptre

Suche craftes & coniuraciones with holy [Page] prayers and they that done hem been holden fulle gode lyuers / & and yeue theym to fastynge / penaunce doynge / bedys bydding and to many other gode dedys: and therfore men yeue the more fayth to them. and leue them y ^e better. For it is nat semely that the feendes craft shulde be done with suche holynesse

The more holy thynge and the more hooly prayer that man or woman vsyth in the feendes seruyce. the more worshyp and the more plesaunce they doo to the feend. and the more dispyte and offence do they to god For the worshyppe and the prayer and the seruyce. that they shulde doo to god they doo it to the feende. And thinge that is ordeyned only to goddes seruyce / they spend it in the deuylles seruyce. And therfore they that vse holy wor­des of the gospelle. Pater noster Aue. or Crede. or holy prayers ī their wychecraftes / for charmes or coniuraciones / and alle that vse holy water of the fonte / holy crysme / messes syngynge / fastīg contynence / wolwarde goynge and suche other in their wytche­crafte they make a fulle high sacrifice to the feende It hath ofte been knowen that wyches with sayng of their Pater noster. and droppynge of the holy candel in a mannys steppes that they ha­tyde hathe doon his feet rote of.

What shulde the Pater. noster. and the holy candel doo therto.

Right nought But for the wytche worshypeth the feende so highly with the holy prayer / and with the holy candel / and vsyth suche holy thin­ges in his seruyce / in dispyte of god Therfore is the feende redy to do the wytches wylle / and to fulfylle thyng that they done it for. & so it stōdeth only in the de­uyl & in mysbyleue of the wyche nat in the Pater noster. ne in the hooly candel / and yit the fooles wene otherwyse. For the feende wold nat do their wylle but they do him suche high sacrifice. For whanne that they lighte y ^e candel and say Pater noster / to that ende / they do it nat to god. but to the feend. And in that they forsake god. and worshyp the feend as god. and clayme the feende to theire fader / saynge to him that they shulde sey only to god. Pater noster qui es in &c. Oure fader that art in heuenes. halowyde be thy name And alle that folowyth they sey it to the feende. And therfore the feēd may cleyme hem for his childrē. and god may skylfully forsake [Page] them and say to them y ^t he sayde to the iewys. Vos facitis opera patris vestri / vos ex patre diabolo estis / et desideria patris vestri vultis facere. io. viii. ye done saith he the werkes of the feende youre fadre / ye been of the fader the deuel. and the desires of your fadre ye wole doo And on the same maner their chastite / their fastynge her penaunce doyng is ī asmoche as they do it to plese y ^e feende and for a wycked ende / it is a seruyce and a sacrifice to the feende And ful fewe men or wymen wole do so moche penaūce for the loue of god / as wytches do for the loue of the fende / and to please the feende / in so moche that sumtyme they cutte theym self with knyues / and pryke hē self with launcettes / and soo of­fre their flesshe and their blode ī sacrifice to y ^e feend / as we fynde ī the thrid boke of kinges xviii chaptre. And therfore leue frend sithen this maner of synne is so greuous / so hydous and so abhomynable in goddes sight / suffre it neuir to be do by none of your householde / for noo losse ne noo thyfte / for no sekenesse / for noo helthe / for no welthe for no wo. For if ye do it your self / or do it to be done / or assēt to the doyng or suffre it to be done whanne ye myght lette it / ye been acursed & offende your god ful highly and fulle greuously For alle that do it or assente to the doynge / and sette their feyth therin / they for­fete ayenst the firste cōmaunde­ment ful greuously For in that they forsake god / and make the feende their god / and worshype him as god. And by what thing that they do their wychecraft / be it fyre / be it ayre. or water / or er­the. or dede bones / or any other thyng that is in theire mawmet and that they make simylitude to god. asmoche as in theym is. and worship it as god And ther­fore god bade in the first cōmaū demēt. that man shulde nat make him liknesse that is in heuyn that is to saye / neither in the fir / mament. ne in the fyre / ne in the ayre And so in that worde he forbedyth the iudicyal of astrono­mye. and pyromācie / that is wychecrafte doone in the fyre / and aeromancye that is wychecraft doon in the ayre Also he forbedyth men to make them lykenesse of any thynge that is ī erth In that he forbedith geomancy that is wychecrafte done in the erthe. And also nygromā ­cy that is wytchecrafte done by dede bodies that been but erthe. and buryed in the erthe: Also [Page] he forbedith men to make them simylitude of any thynge in the water vndre the erth. In which worde he forbedith ydromancy. that is wychecrafte done in the water He badde that men shuld worshyppe none suche thinges as god / ne sette their trust ne her fayth therin / For if they do they make suche thynges lyke god / ī asmoche as in them is. And nat oonly they make suche thinges lyke god in this maner / but al­soo they make the feendes lyke god / whiche duel sūme in the fy­re. sūme in the ayre / sūme in the water / and some in the erth / for to tempte mankynde / and been besy night and daye to lese mā ­nes soule and womanes.

Shewe me sūme example of thies maner of wychecraftes.

I am besy for to distroye wychecraft and nat for to teche it. But wolde god that no man ne woman wyste what it is / ne knewe thies ne none o­ther / for ther ben alle to many y ^t knowe these and many mo ther to / and practyse newe yere by y [...] re / at the feendes techynge / tylle moche of this londe is blent and shente with suche folye. For ouyr moche wychecraft regneth openly / but moche more pryue­ly / and namely amonges these olde men and wymmen / the whiche for age wolde fayne be hol­den wyse. And thanne begynne thy mooste to dote and to teche theire yonger / many folyes and many nyce fantasies / that been verry wychecraftes And therfore bothe olde and yonge shuld axe counseyl of wyse men of holy churche / and wyt if suche thinges and doynges as they teche. be lefulle or nat lefulle.

The xxxvii. chaptre

By comon sawes of clerkes god in the firste cōmaundement forbedyth thre principal synnes / Pride that is vnderstonde by the lykenesse a­boue in heuyn / for there it begā. And the proude mā and womā. Wolde alway be aboue and worshyp his pryde as god For the proude man and woman / wole haue forthe their proude wylles nyle god wyl god And therfore Iob sayth that the proude feēd is kynge of al children of pride And as seint poule saith / proud anticryst shal haue him as god. & sytte in goddes temple as if he were god Also they sey that god forbade there the synne of coue­tice / that is vnderstonde by the [Page] lyknes in erth / for myscouetitse stondith moost in erthly thinge. And therfore seynt poule sayth. that auaryce is seruage of mawmettes of ydolatrie For as saith seynt Ierome / the auerous man makith his money and his richesses his god Also they saye / that by the same cōmaundment he forbade lichery and glotenye whiche been vnderstonde by the lykenesse in the water vndre the erthe For as seynt poule saythe Lechoures and glutones make their wombe and ther body their god For their moste trauail and besynesse is to please. and serue. their wombe and their bely.

In asmoche as euery synne is ayenste the worshyp of god / in somoche god in the firste cōmaundment forbedith al maner synne in generalle But as I sayde by the first cōmaundmēt. he forbade ī special mawmetry. ydolatrye wychecrafte & sorcery For afterwarde he yaue the iiii. maūdmēt specialy ayenst pride and vnbox [...]nesse. & the sexte. & the tenthe ayenst lichery / the vii and the nynthe ayenst auarice & couetise.

The xxxviii. chaptre.

It is lefulle to vse lottes.

Sūtyme to breke stryf in partynge & ye­uynge of thynge that may natt wele be departed Or whan men been in doute what is to do and mannys wytte fayleth. thanne is it leful to vse lottes ī thinges that been nat ayenste the wor­shyp of god. soo that it be done with the reuerēce of god / & holy prayer bifore / as thapostles dyd in chesynge of seynt mathie. the appostle / and eliezar in chesyng of a wyf to ysaac abrahames sone. gen̄. xxiiii.c. And therfore salomon saith Prouerbi. xvi c. that lottes ben put in preuy place / and god temprith them as he wole But to vse lottes withou­ten nede: and only for vanytie. or for diuynacion / settyng faith therin to wytt therby what shal fall / is vnleful and repreuyd of god and holy churche And if mē set truste and feyth therin it is a greuous synne.

Pleyng at the dyce stondeth in lotte and auenture of the dyce / and yit y ^e game is lefulle

To vse that game for recreacion / & only for pley it may be suffryde. soo that it be doon in maner ho­nestly. and in place and tyme cō uenyent / and natt to moche in lesynge of tyme But for to vse it for to wynne therby. and putte thynges in auenture. [Page] of dice / it is a fulle greate synne and euyl goten gode / that men gete therby. And therfore by the lawe if it were a mā of holy churche y ^t vsyd suche pley / he shulde be pryued of his benefice. if y ^t he hadde any. And if he hadde noo benefyce he shuld be vnabled / & disposed therto but if he wolde cease. And if it were a leude mā. he shuld be acursed. disti. xxxv. ep̄s Et extra de vita & honesta­te clericorū. c ^o. clerici. And therfore sayth the lawe. that no mā of holy churche shulde be att su­che games.

The xxxix. chapter.

Sithen ther be soo many maners of wytche­craftes y ^t they may nat be tolde. in specialle / I pray the telle me in generalle. What is wychcraft

Euery craft that mā or woman vseth to knowe any thynge or to do any thyng that he may nat knowe ne do / by the wey of reson ne by the worchīg of kynde. is wychecrafte. And though it be do by wey of kynd and the doer vse any charmes or nyce obseruaūces in the doynge wenynge that it myghte nat be done withouten that charme / & suche obseruaunce or elles such charmes only to blynd y ^e peple. that they shuld trust in hym for his charmes / and nat ī worchīg of kynde It is wichecrafte al if he say only his Paternoster. in the doyng for to be holdē a charmer. and to do the peple trust in him principally for charmes / althoughe he say no charmes but worcheth only by kynde / yit he is a wytche & his doynge is wytchecrafte For by suche doynge. he blyndeth the peple and disseyueth them / and doth theim trust ī wychecraft / and so do worship to the feende and dispyte to god And what soeuir man or womā do by weye of kynde and reson. if he vse any craft of iapery and faitre for to blynde the people. for to do them leue that he were a wytche / and that he dyd it nat by weye of kynde / but by char­mes and sorcery / he is a wytche in goddes sighte / and his doyng is wytchcrafte For his crafte is to make men worship the feend in asmoche as he doth the peple truste in wichcraft / and so spēde their gode in the feendes seruyce and to seke helpe of the feende. and forsake goddes helpe. And he hath leuyr hym selue to be holden a wytche and the de­uylles seruaunte: thanne to be [Page] holden goddes seruaunt / and leuyr to take mēnys gode in worshypynge of the feend thanne in worshipynge of god And by the cūnynge & grace that god hathe youen him / and by the myghte. and vertue that god hathe youē to thinges of kynde for helpe of mannys kynde. falsely he enhā cyth the feendes crafte in distruction of mankynde:

Tel some ensample.

To hele mannes woūdes while they be fresshe and clene / blacke wolle and oyle been ful medicynable withouten any charme as experience shewith wele But for asmoche as mē wene that it were nought worth withouten the charme. and sett their feythe principaly in the charme / therfore it is to them a wyche crafte. But though a man in the doing say his paternoster. or some ho­ly prayer clepynge the grace of god in his doynge it is no wyt­che crafte but it is wele doon

The xl. chaptre.

What if he say Paternost. or other holy wordes / or some holy prayer pryue­ly or aperte / for to do the people wene that it is doone by weye of miracle and for his payer & his holynesse / whanne he doth it by reason and worchyng of kynde

Than is it a ful greate ypocrisye and ful greuouse syn in him that dothe it on that ma­ner and for that end / but wychecraft is it none For it is no wor­shyp to the feendes crafte / ne y ^e peple is stired therby to truste in the feende but rather in god.

Is it any wychecrafte. to charme edders or other bestes and byrdes / wyth holy wordes. of holy writte or with any other holy wordes

If a man or womā take hede ī his doynge only to the holy wordes and to the might of god / it is no wychecrafte. But if they vse in their doynge any mysobseruāce and sett more truste therin than in holy wordes or in god / thāne as say clerkes it is wychecrafte. And the effecte therof if it fal cometh of the feende / and namely in adders and serpentes For the adder was the firste instrument that the feende vsed for to disseyue mankynde / as we fynde Genesis. iii.c. And yit by the adder he dothe men moste truste ī wytchecrafte.

Is it any pe­rel to mā or womā to charge his frēde ī his dyīg to cōme ayē & tel [Page] him how he faryth

It is a ful grete perel. For as saith seynt poule. the feend ofte tyme makith him lyke an aungel of lighte. But he may nat laste in the beautie ne brightnesse. And so lightly the feend might appe­re to him that were alyue in the lyknesse of him that were / dede. and telle hym lesynges / and in case make him so aferyd that he shulde lese his wytte / and falle ī wanbileue / as felle to one with in a fewe yeres. And happely he shulde telle him that he were dā nyd. thoughe it were nat so. Or telle him that he were in blysse. though he were in byttre peyne. and soo lete him of his almesde­de and from holy prayer and o­ther gode dedes by which nat on lye that soule shulde be holpen / but many other withe him Also if he aperyd to him / or if he wēde that he appered to him he shulde haue the lesse mede for his byle­ue. thanne he hadde bifore For thanne were he cachyd by exꝑi­ence to knowe that the soule ly­ueth after the body Also it is nat in the soules power to appere to man or woman after the deth of his body / ne man is nat able to se a soule. for it is inuisible withoutē special myracle of god. And so bothe he y ^t chargith hym to come ayen / and he y ^t hotith to come ayen tempten god. And right as god wol that euery mā and woman be vncerteyn what tyme he shal dye / for that alway he shuld be dredeful to do amys and besy to do wele Right so he wole that men be vncerteyn of their frēdes whan they ben dede in what state that they been / for that they shulde alway be besy. to helpe ther soules with messes syngynge. almes doynge / with bedys byddyng / and other gode dedes nat only for help of hī but of other that haue lytel helpe or none Also for encresyng of their owne mede For who so trauay­leth wel for a nother trauaylith beste for him self For as saythe seynt poule. ther shal noo gode dede be vnyoldē / ne no wyckyd dede be vnpunysshed.

Thy skylle is gode. For if men wyst y ^t their frendes were out of peyne they wold do right noght for them And so they shulde lese moche mede for that knowyng & soules lese moche helpe And if men wyst for certayn whan thei shulde dye. they shuld be to bold to do amys in hope y ^t they shuld amende them in their diynge

But yit nat withstondynge alle thy skylles / somme clerkes sayne that it is lefulle to men to [Page] charge theire frendes to cōme a­yen and shewe them her state after their dethe For as they say it is kyndely thynge for to desire to knowe or to kūne. For the philosopher saith that euery mā and womā by wey of kynde de­sireth to knowe and to kūne. Omnes hoīes natura scire desi­derant.

They say so­the / and nat ayenst me For it is leful to euery manand woman to desire to cūne and to knowe / But it is nat leful for to desire to knowe on that maner / ne by no mene vnleful nat by teching of the feende / ne by techynge of them y ^t been dede.

The xli. chaptre.

Howe is it that spirytes walke soo aboute. Whanne men be dede.

Comonly suche spirites ben fendes / and go so aboute to sclaundre them that been dede / & for to brynge the people into errour & bacbityng and wicked demyng that if y ^e peple demyd euyl and spake euyl of them bifore theire dethe / to do them speke and de­me moche worse aftre their deth & so to brynge the peple ful depe in synne And sūtyme they gone īto y ^e bodies of heym y ^t ben dede. and buried / and bere it about to do them vilony. But whanne spirites goo on this maner. they do moche harme and moche disese Natheles by the leue of god the soules appere ī what maner god wole to hem that ben alyue sūtyme for to haue help / sumtyme to shewe that the soulis lyue after the body to conferme them that been feble in the feyth and bileue nat sadly / y ^t mannes soul lyueth after his deth But suche spirytes do no harme but to tho that wole natt leue theym that they haue suche peyne / or wole nat redily helpe hem at their axynge.

The xlii. chapter.

Is it leful to trust ī these fastīges new foūd. to fle sodeyne dethe

It is a grete foly to trust therin For as I sayde nowe late. god wole that man & woman be vncerteyne what tyme they shulde dye / and in what maner For god wole that man and womā. be alway besy to fle synne / and to do wele for drede of deth and alwaye redy what tyme god wole sende aftre theym. And yf men were certayne / by suche fastynge that they shuld nat die sodeynly but haue tyme of repē taunce / and to be shreuyne and houselyde. they shulde be the. [Page] more rechelesse in their lyuynge and the lesse tale yeue for to doo amys in hope of amendemente in their diyng And therfore god grauntyth them nat the ende ne the effecte that they fast for For more sodeyn deth wyste I neuir that men hadde thanne I wyste theym haue that haue fastyd suche fastes vii. yere about / ne more dispytefulle and shamefulle. in open punysshyng of their syn [...]nd was their neuir soo moche sodeyn deth so longe reignynge in this londe as hath be sithe su­che fastynge beganne / we may nat arte god ne putte him to no lawes And therfore we shulde putte alle oure lyf and our deth only in his wylle / praynge to hī of his grace that he wole ordeyn for vs bothe in lyf and deth / as it is mooste to his worshyp and helpe of oure soule It is wele done tor pray to god with fastyng and gode dedys that he saue vs from sodeyne deth / for alle holy churche prayeth soo But for to set feyth in suche nyce obseruaū ces and wene to be syker of their axynge for suche obseruaunces y ^t is nat lefulle / for we may nat knowe the wyl of god in suche thinges w ^tout special reuelaciō of god. We may praye and owe to praye but god shal graunt as him liketh / and as he seeth y ^t it is mooste spedeful to vs and most to his worshyp And therfore sa­lomon sayth. Nemo sit vtrū a­more an odio dignus sit Eccle. ix.c. No man he saith wote sy­kerly whether he is worthy hate or loue And yit we hope / & owe alle to hope y ^t god wold loue vs and saue vs if we do our deuour Fastyng is gode if it be done in mesure & maner & with gode ītē ­cion / so that men sett no mysbyleue therin / ne grounde them in no lesynges ne in no nyce obser­uaūces But in asmoche as they preferre in their fastynge dayes of their owne choyce bifore tho daies that been ordeyned by ho­ly churche to faste / in somoche. they synne in presumption & do p̄iudice to holy churche y ^t ordey­ned suche daies that been moste cōuenyēt to faste as wednesday fridaye and saturday. De cōse. distinc. iii. ieiunia &c. sabbato.

I se no grounde ne reason in suche fastynge / ne whye it shuld be more medeful to fast alle mondayes in the yere whan the feest of oure lady in lente fallyth on monday / thanne to fast in worshyp of her wednesdaye. friday or saturday. For I leue sykerly that the mede of fa­stynge ne the vertue of fastyng is nat assigned ne limyted by y ^e letters of the kalēder ne folowe [Page] nat the cours of the kalender / ne chāgith nat from one day to an other day. al if the lettres chaunge from one day to a nother And so as me thinketh suche fastyng is groundyd in some lesyng and faytre & in some mysbileue fulle nigh wichecraft.

Me thynketh the same For alle if y ^e feest falle sumtyme on the mon­day / sumtyme on the tuesdaye. yit the dede in it self felle neither on the mōday ne on the tuesday but it fel on the friday For than the aungel gret oure lady & than she cōceyued goddes sōne. lorde of blysse And thre & thritty yere. after the same tyme and the sa­me day that is to sa yon gode friday about mydday she sawe her dere sonne diynge for mākynde vpon the rode tre. And so me thī keth that it is more plesaunt to god and to oure lady and more cōuenyent to faste the friday in worshyp of criste / that dyed for vs al that day And also in wor­ship of our lady that conceyued that day her dere sonne at the aū gelles greting than to fast either monday or tuesday And in as moche as they wene that suche faste shulde nat auayl theym to thende that they fast fore but if they chaungyd their fast yere by yere after the cours of the kalender. and that it muste be do vii. yere by yere / it is a nyce fantasy and mysbilene fulle nigh wichecrafte For Cryste might graūte them that boon aswele for fyue yere or for syxe. or eight yere fa­stynge as for vii. yere. I found neuyr grounde wherof it came ne reason ne auctorite fynde I none Axe forth if thou wylte sū what elles.

The xliii. chapter.

Is it lefulle to sett any trust or any feyth on dremys

Ther been ii. maner causes of dremys / Done from inward / a nother from outwarde Causes of dremes from inwarde ben thre maner: Done is comon stirynge of mannes fā tasye. or womans in their slepe. and suche dremys ben but fantasye & vanyte And therfore saith Salomon Vbi multa somnia: ibi multe vanitates. eccle. v.c. Where been many dremys there ben many vanyties / for on this maner one man shal haue moo dremys than sūme tuenty other A nother cause from inwarde is disposicion of the body. For whanne men ben colde of kynd. they dreme of frostes and snow. And so by their dremys a wyse [Page] leche may knowe in party disposicion of her body / be it to helthe or to sekenes The thridde cause from inwarde is. disposicion of the soule For comonly men dre­men of suche thinges as her soul and their thought is moost occupied in while they waken / either by studye / by loue / or by hate / by wrathe / by drede / by sorowe / by care pride or couetise Causes of dremys from outwarde ben two maner / bodily and gostly Bodily is the disposicion of the ayre. and of the place about him / and other thinges beside him. And therfore in rayne wedyr mē dre­me of water and of fisshes. For ofte mannys body chaūgith af­ter the disposicion of the ayre / & of his abidynge place And for these thre causes sayth the philosopher. De somno et vigilia. That leches shuld take hede to the dremys of them y ^t been seke. to knowe therby how they been disposed. Gostly causes from outwarde of dremys been ii. maners. The one cause is gode / for that is god by him self. Or elles by aungelles / and that on three maner For some suche dreme by ymaginacion only / as dyde the kinge pharo and nabugodono­sor. Some only by vnderstōdīg as dyd seynt poule and balaam Sūme dreme both by ymaginacion and by vnderstondyng. as dyd seynt Iohn in apocalips / & danyel in his prophecy / whiche sawe wounderful sightes by y­maginacion and vnderstondīg what tho sightes betokenyde But pharo and Nabugodono­sor vnderstode nat the visiones ne the dremes that they hadde The other cause of dremes from outewarde is nat gode as whan it fallith by illusion of the feend for tho principally serue to wytchecrafte Sumtyme they come of greate besynesse and trauayl. that one hath whanne he is wakynge. And therfore Salomon saith that after besynesse folowe many dremys▪ for comonly mē dreme of suche thinges. as they been occupyed in while they wake. Sūtyme they come of ouir done abstinence and of hungre. Sūtyme it cōmeth of excesse of mete or drynke Sumtyme of myslikynge y ^e man hath whāne he is wakynge And in asmoche as the effecte of thinges is tokē of his causes / as smoke is tokē. of the fyre So suche dremys ben tokenes of causes that they co­me of And on this maner a wyse man may telle by dremys cau­ses of mennys dremys / and soo by causes tel other preuy thīges [Page] that may falle therof For ofty­me one cause bryngeth forth dyuerse effectes. eche after other.

Telle sūme examples.

Experience shewyth that if a man trete moche withe a woman and sette his hert mo­che on her by day. in the nyghte folowynge he dremyth of her some nyce dreme. by which dreme if he tolde it to sūme wyse man. he wolde saye that he louyd moche that woman. and but he w ^t drewe him from her cumpany / it shulde turne him to velony. And so as saye clerkes in asmo­che as dremys come by waye of kynde / in so moche it is leful to telle what they signifie after the causes that they come of Soo that in their tellinge and coniectynge they passe nat the boūdes of kynde. Also it is leful to telle thinges that been to come. by dremys that come by reuela­cion of god / if man and womā. haue grace to vnderstonde them as Ioseph and danyel hadde. But for asmoche as dremys co­me on so dyuerse maners / & it is ful hard to knowe▪ on what maner they come / whether by god. or by kynde / or by the feende / or by any other weye. Therfore it is fulle perilous to set any feyth therin. as sayth seynt Gregoure libro viii ^o morū. super illud Iob Terrebis me ꝑ sompnia. For sumtyme by dremes the feende. hoteth men grete prosperite and moche richesses / to brynge them in pryde & hope of thinges thatt they shulde neuir haue Sumtyme by dremes he pretendith moche aduersite and greate disease for to brynge folke in sorowe & drede / and greate heuynes / and if he may to bryng them into dipeyre. for nyce fantasies that he bryngeth hem in And sumtyme for men sette feyth in suche dre­mys / god suffreth suche myscheuys falle theim as their dremys pretende in punysshyng of their synne / for that they sette in dre­mys ayēst the lawe of god. But prosperite fallith them none for no suche dremynge.

Where fyndest thou that god forbedyth men to sett feyth in dre­mys.

The xliiii. chaptre.

Leuiti. xix c. Where god sayth thus. Non auguriabimini / nec obseruabi­tis sompnia. ye shal nat diuyne / ne make you wyse of thīges preuy by no wychecraft / and ye shalle vayte after no dremys ne take hede therto / ne set feith therynne. [Page] Also deutronomii. xviii. God forbedith alle maner wyt­checraftes and charmes / and biddeth that no man shulde take hede to dremes And in the same boke xiii.c. god sayth thus. If it be so saith he y ^t any man emōges you begyn to be a sothe sayer & a ꝓphete and say that he had a dreme and a vision / and telle anye wounder / whiche wounder and token fallith as he saythe / if he stire the to mawmetry or to any wytchecrafte / here nat the wor­des of that prophete and of that dremer. For by him god assaieth you / that it may be openly kno­wen whether ye loue him w ^t alle your herte and soule or nay And therfore god byddeth that suche dremers and prohetes shulde be slayn & though he wēt thy owne broder by fader & by moder thou shuldest nat spare him in y ^e caas. And therfore Salomon saythe that dremys haue brought mo­che folke in erroure and in foly. and they that truste therin falle to nought. Ecclesi. xxxiiii.c. For alle if dremys come oft ty­mes by wey of kynde as I said yit it is ful harde to knowe whā it c [...]meth / by wey of kynd or by illusion of the feed And though they come by wey of kynde and though a mā knowe the causes ī kynd of dremes / yit it ful harde to telle sothly what shal fal therof. For only god knowythe for certayn thinges that been to co­me / and he may chaūge and lett the worchynge of kynde And also though men knowe the causes of kynde that dremes come of / yit knowe they nat what lettynges ben on other bihalue / by way of kynde.

Tel so­me example.

Whanne smoke medlyd with fire cometh out of an house by the wyndow or by the louerys / men that seen it from ferre wole say that hous shalle goo on fyre. And yitt ther may be so gode helpe nighe to quēche the fyre / that y ^e hous shal take but lytel harme. And many a man by weye of kynde is disposed to dyuerse sekenesse. but yit he may so gouerne hym. and vse such medicynes that he shalle let y ^e disposicion in kynde and nat haue suche seknesses

By the same skylle though a dreme come of goddes sonde to helpe of mannes soule. and in warnynge of myscheyf. to come / he shulde take noon hede therto. ne sett no feyth therin For he wote neuyr of whens it cometh:

Withouten reuelacōn of god he wote neuir of whens it cōmeth. And therfore [Page] whanne god sendyth suche dre­mys / he shal shewe to him that dremythe this / or to some other from whēs it cūmyth / and what it betokeneth As he dyd to the kynge pharo by Ioseph / and to the kynge Nabugodonosor. by danyel.

The xlv. chaptre.

If man or womā haue a dreme that styreth him to gode and to vertue / and to flee synne. and to amende his lyf / may he nat sett feyth therin. and do therafter.

Whether it cometh of god or of y ^e feēd it is lefulle to him to sette fayth therin and to do therafter For it styreth him to thyng that that he is bounde to withouten any dreme. And oft tyme bothe the feend and the feendes lymes teche wele / al yf they do euyl. But a man so dremynge muste be fulle ware / that for suche dremys he take noon hede to other dremys that stire him to vanyte or to curiouste for to knowe thī ges that been to come / or other thinges preuye / or to mysdeme of his euen cristen / or to hate or to mysloue / or to vaite after grete prosperite / or to drede greate aduersite. or dethe of frendes / or losse of catel / and suche other. But in asmoche as they styre hī to god and to godenesse / he may folowe his dremys and do after them wysely and warly / for ofte the feende vnder coloure of holynesse disceyueth bothe man and woman.

Moche folke hadde leuyr dreme of the feende than of god or of his moder ma­ry. for as they say whanne they mete of the feende. they fare wel in the day folowyng / but whan they dreme of god or of oure la­dy they fare euyl afterwarde.

Suche folke fare the worse for their mysbileue & their nyce fantasy. and synne ful greuously. and euyl be disseyued by the gyle of the feend. For whan the feend seeth that a man shalle haue disease / he maketh him on the night bifore to mete of god. and of oure lady / & of other seyntes / or of men of religion / soo to make hym to haue lesse deuoci­on to god and oure lady & other seintes / and lesse affection to mē of religion bicause of his disease that shal falle to him after that dreme And so by the bodily dise­ase that he thynketh to brynge hym in / he traueyleth to brynge hym into gostly disese and depe in synne And therfore whan mē wole be foles. and sette feyth to suche dremys y ^t come so by gyle of the feende for asmoche as dis­ease [Page] fallyth to them onys or tuyes after suche dremys Therfore god suffreth the feende in punysshyng of their synne and of their mysbileue for to do them dreme ofte of suche maner / and after to do them disese as they byleue to haue And therfore whanne men hadde suche dremys with disese so folowyng and began to haue any fātasy or feyth therin / they shulde shryue them therof to so­me wyse man and telle hym the feendes gyle / and they shulde fare the better. Sūme mete of god and oure lady and of holy men / y ^t haue fare fulle wele afterward for they haue no suche fantasye ne mysbileue in dremes And so­me fare ful euyl after for theire mysbyleue / and ofte tyme they fare ful euyl whanne they mete neither of god ne of oure lady.

The xlvi. chaptre.

ON the same maner. some man hadde leuyr to mete with a froude or a frogge in the way / than w ^t a knight or a squier / or with any man of religion. or of holy churche / for than they say and leue that they shal haue gold For sumtyme after the metyng of a frogge or a tode / they haue resceyued golde / & soo they falle in mysbileue and dispysen their euen cristen For wele I wote that they resseyue golde of mē or of wymen but nat of frogges ne of todes / but it be of the deuel in lyknesse of a frogge or a tode And they mete w ^t many a foule frogge & tode in the yere & yit resceyue they no gold for y ^e metyng And if they resseyued any golde. they shuld thanke god and their euen cristen / nat the frogge ne y ^e tode for they may nought yeue them And these labourers deluers and dykers that moost mete with frogges and todes. been fulle pore comonly And but mē paye them theire hyre they haue lytel or nought On this maner also some bileue y ^t if the kyte or the puttok fle ouir the way afore them that they shuld fare wel that daye / for sūtyme they haue fare wele after that they see the puttok so fleynge And soo they falle in wane byleue. & thanke the puttok of their wel fare and nat god But suche foles take none hede howe often men mete with the puttok so fleynge / and yit they fare neuir the better. For ther is no folk that mete so ofte with the puttoke so fleynge as they y ^t begge theire mete from dore to dore

The xlvii. chaptre.

What sayst thou of theym that diuyne by the firste day of the yere. that is the first kalendes of Ianuary. and by Cristmasse day what shal fal in the yere folowynge That if it falle on the sonday / the wynter folowynge shalbe goode / somer gode and drye. plentye of wyne Oxen and shepe shalle wex and multiplye / Olde men and wy­men shalle dye. and peas and accorde shalbe made that yere.

I say that it is open folye and wychecrafte / and full highe offence of the maiestye of god. For he y ^t made al thynge and ruleth alle thyng is nat boū den ne arted to y ^e cours ne lawe of the kalender He nedith no kalender in his gouernaunce But he gouerneth and demythe this worlde by treuthe & equyte medlyd with mercy / and after y ^e men deserue he sendith them wo and welthe / peas or warre / what day soeuir the kalendes of Ianuary or Crystmasse falle on. In the yere of oure lorde a thousande & foure hundryd / the kalendes of Ianuary felle on the thursdaye whan as they say shulde folowe plentye of alle gode and pees also but that yere folowyng grete hungre / grete pestilence / sodeyn deth. Warre felle within the lōde & werre withoute / drede sorowe & care / & tribulacion in euery de­gree. The kalendes hath chaū ­gyd sithen from day to day. and y ^e yere is come ayē on the thurs­daye / but our disease chaungith nat but alway īto worse for our synne. For oure synne alway moreth or encreasith and lessyth nat And on what daye euyr the kalendes of Ianuary & Criste­masse day falle in one londe / the same daye it fallyth al aboute. And yit folowyth it nat therof y ^t it shulde be ouir al peas if it fal on the thursday or the sondaye. ne ouir all plentye / ne ouir alle warre and hungre or pestilence. if it fel on the saturday.

Sūme diuyne by the thūdryng. & make theym wyse of al the yere cūmynge / after the moneth y ^t it thundreth in.

And that also is an high folye & open wytchecrafte For it is a kyndly thinge in somer tyme to thundre in may. apryl / Iuyn. iuly. au­guste and septēbre But in other monethes y ^t been in wynter it is nat so kyndly to thūder as than For whanne grete thūder ī wynter fallith / it is ayēst kynde and token of the high offence of god and token of vengeaunce com­mynge: but if men amende hem [Page] And so is euery thynge / and na­mely wederynge that fallith a­yenst comon course of kynde. But for to diuyne therby in spe­cyalle what shal falle either wel or wo / peas or warre / hungre or plentye / helthe or seknesse / it is vnleful For only god knowith for certayne what is to come of suche thīges / and where & whan it shal falle. And god vsith nat the thundre as an horne to blow his counseyl aboute the worlde

The xlviii. chapter

It is a comon opynion amonges gentiles. and others also / that alle the ye­re foloweth the disposicion of y ^e xii. daies in Crystemasse. So y ^t the firste moneth shalbe suche in wederyng as the firste day of ye tuelue / the secounde moneth as the secounde day / & so forth by & by.

That oppinyon is false / and open folye For it is a ful kyndly thynge to haue frost and snowe alle the tuelue daies. But it were ayenst kynde to haue froste and snowe alle the yere folowynge. And sumtyme it fallyth that it is ful reynye wedyr. al the xii. daies / but it folowyth nat therof that it shulde rayne & be wete wedyr alle the yere after It is fulle kyndely thynge that the sūne shewe him nat thre dayes or iiii. to gider in cristemasse. but it were moche ayenst kynde if the sonne shewyd him nat thre monethes or iiii. to gyder namely in somer tyme And ofte it fal­lyth that in alle the tuelue daies it rayneth noo rayne / but euery day sonne shyne. and fulle faire wedyr / but it folowyth nat therof that it shulde be sonne shyne withouten rayne al the yere af­te / for than beest and mā shuld be in greate perel At the begyn­nyng of the worlde the feend hi­ghte adam and eue / y ^t they shuld be as goddes knowynge gode & wyckyde y ^t was to come / if they wolde ete of the tree ayenste goddes p̄cept. & so he brought them into care and sorowe / & into her folye. And on the same maner these daies he bihoteth mē to be as goddes knowynge wele and woo / thatt is to come. by suche nyce fantasies y ^t he techith them tyl that he bryngeth them in wo and namely ēglisshe nacōn that moste takyth hede to his lore / & moste taketh hede to wychcraft and to them that make them ꝓ­phetes and make them wyse ī suche folyes ayēst the lawe of god

The xlix. capter.

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Is it nat leful to theym that can. to make metal golde or syluer / and multiplye golde and siluer from xx. pounde to xl. pounde / & so forth

If any man coude do it by weye of kynde / it were lee­ful / and ful proufitable to this londe But wele I woote ther is no man that can do it: For if they coude they wolde first mul­tiplye to theym self warde & make theym self riche And comon­ly alle that vse that crafte but if they haue ought elles for to tak to. been ful pore and ful nedye. But whanne they may begyle any man of his gode / as they doo fulle ofte. and rēne awaye with oeher mennys godes / and of the riche make ful pore men. They hoten them multiplication butt they pleye alle with subtraction and brynge folke into greate pouertie Lytel nedyd oure kynge to charge the people with taxes and taliages / if he hadde so mo­che folke in his Realme y ^t coude do that crafte. to make golde. & siluer and so to multiply it But suche iapers and faytoures dis­troye moche golde and syluer in distruction of the Realme / and blynde many a wyse man / & be­gyle them of their gode. For the couetouse and the false accorde sone to gider And for asmoche as whanne men haue ynough & been nat content therwith / ther­fore god suffreth them to be begiled / and so be sotted for couetise that they can nat cease tyl they be brought to nought or to ouir grete losse / for many a mā hathe be vndone by this crafte And therfore this crafte is condemp­ned & forfendyd as wychecrafte by the lawe xxvi. q̄. v. Epūs

The l. chaptre.

What sayst thou of them that wole natt haue men of holy churche. and namely men of religion with them on huntyng / for their bileue is that they shulde spede the worse by­cause of their cumpany.

I pray to god y ^e euyl mote they spede / as ofte as they take any man of religion / or of holy churche to go or to ryde w ^t them on huntynge For suche hū tynge with horne and houndes. and grete noyse / is forfendyd to men of holy churche. Extra .li.iii. ti ^o vltimo: ne clici. c.i. et li.v. ti ^o xxiiii. De cle. venat. c ^o i. & ii. & distin. xxxiiii. quorūdā. And seynt austyn saith that tho men of holy church which haue likynge to se suche hūtyng they shal see oure sauyour and be ful sory. distinc. lxxxvi. Vident.

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What sayst thou of hem that whanne they go on hūtyng or passe by the waye. if they me­te with a man of holy churche or of religion / and namely with a frere / they wole leue him on their lefte honde For by that they we ne to spede the better / & the wors if they leue him on theire ryghte honde.

I say that su­che been of false bileue and wytches [...]eres And but they amend them god shalle putt them from his right honde. and put theym on his lefte honde with theym y ^t shalbe dāpned at the day of do­me / and sende them into the pyt of helle withouten ende. I wold al suche were serued as one was fulle late.

How was he seruyd.

Ther came a proude gettuer rydynge from london and mette with ii. freres walkynge on a dyches brynke. ī a fote pathe to fle the foulway The getter came rydyng ī grete haste criynge with moche boste. On the lefthōde frere. on the left honde frere. The frere prayde him ful faire to ryde forth in his waye and kepe the horse waye. as they kept the fote waye He wolde nat / but algates he wold haue the freres on the lefthonde and precyd in with his horse by­twene the freres and the diche so nigh the diche / y ^t the frere shoof bothe horse and man into a de­pe dyche And there laye bothe horse & man­tyl that other pas­synge folke drewe him oute Ri­ght so withouten doute but su­che foles amonge hem and lette be suche nyce fantasies / god att the day of dome shal putt them on the left syde into the pytte of helle withouten ende / and sey to theym on this wyse For ye putt me on youre side so scornefully. therfore I put you nowe on my liftlonde with them that shal be dampned. And if they say Lord whanne put we the on oure left honde scornefully or dispytous­ly He shal aunswere and say to them as he shal say to other. Quod vni ex minimis meis fe­cistis / michi fecistis. That ye dyde to one of the leest of myne ye dyd it to me And therfore wē dyth nowe on the liftside into y ^e fyre of helle / there to duelle with the feende and his aungelles w ^t outen ende.

The li. chaptre.

Me lystithe nowe more to wepe thanne any more to speke. For I wende tyl nowe that englisshe nacion. had worshiped god passyng alle other naciones / But nowe I se. [Page] it is nat so For moche of my na­cion is entriked and blent withe suche fantasies / many mo than I can tel And so they forfete hi­ghly ayenst the firste cōmaundement y ^e ought mooste to be char­gyd For that techith vs how we shulde worshyp oure god aboue al thynge And ther is neither bushop ne prelate ne curate ne pre­choure. that wole speke ayenste the vyces and erroures that ben so high ayenst goddes worshyp And so by mysuse and sleuth of men of holy churche vice is take for vertue / & erroure for treuthe the feend is worshyped and god is dispysed Nathelesse as men say. god is in no londe soo wele seruyd in holy churche / ne so moche worshyped in holy churche. as he is in this londe For so many fair churches ne so gode aray in churches / ne soo faire seruyce as men saye is in no other londe as is in this londe.

As seynt Gregoure sayth in his omely. god takith more hede to a mannys herte than to his yift. and more to his deuocion thāne to his dede He taketh saith he no grete bede howe moche man or womā yeueth or offreth in holy church / but he taketh hede of howe moche deuocion & of what herte he yeueth and offreth And so a pore man or woman hathe some tyme more thanke / for the yifte of an halpeny / thanne so­me riche man hath for tuēty shelynges If the makynge of churches and the ournamentes / and the seruyce in this londe were done prīcipally for deuocion / and for the worship of god / I trowe this londe passide alle londes in worshypynge of god and holye churche But I drede me that men doo it more for pompe and pride of this world to haue a name and worship therby in the cū tree / or for enuy that one towne hath ayenst another / nat for de­uocion / but for the worship and the name that they se them haue by araye and ournamentes ī holy churche / or elles by sligh couetyce of men of holy churche·

What fātasy hast thou that men do it nat for deuocion

For the people these daies is fulle vndeuoute to god and to holy churche. and they loue but ful lytel mē of holy churche / and they ben lothe to come in holy churche. Whanne they be bounde to come thider / & fullo­the to here goddes seruyce Late they come & sone they go awaye If they been there a lytel whyle theym thynketh fulle longe. They haue leuir go to the tauerne than to holy church Leuyr to here a songe of Robynhode. or [Page] of some rybaudry. thanne to he­re messe or matyns / or any other of goddes seruyce. or any word of god And sithen the peple hath so lytel deuocion / to god and to holy churche / I can nat se y ^t they do suche coste in holy church for deuocion. ne for the loue of god

For they dispyse god day and night w ^t their wycked lyuynge and their wyckyd thewys.

The lii. chaptre.

Me thynketh that it were better to yeue the money to the poore folke to the blynde and to the lame / whose soules god bought so dere / than so to spende it in solemnyte and pryde and making of high churches / in riche vestmentes / in cu­ryous wyndowes / ī grete belles For god is nat holpen therby & the pore might be holpen therby ful moche.

If it be done for pride. or nat with gode mesure they lese moche mede If they do it of deuocion with dis­crecion. it is medeful For euery man pore and riche after his power is boūde to worship goddes house. so y ^e god lorde of al be ho­nestly and worshypfully serued And therfore god bad in tholde lawe y ^t his peple shulde make hī a fulle costly tabernacle att his owne deuyse And he hadde Salomon make him a ful costly tē ple. and yit withoutē dout ther was many a pore man that tym and both blynde and lame amō ges goddes peple Moyses Da­uyd Salomon. ioas. iosies. es­dras. iudas machabeus & many other bothe in the olde lawe and in the newe ben prised highly of god for makynge and worshippynge and mayntenyng of goddes house and his seruyce And as we fynde in the gospel y ^t ther was a pore wydowe that offrid to amendynge of goddes tēple. but two mytes that been worth a ferthynge And she was prysed of Crist / for her offryng passing alle other that offryd than moch more And we fynde Exodi. xxx.c. That god badde that in nombrynge of the people euery mā shulde pay to his tabernacle half a sicle / that was fyue pēs. and that the riche shuld yeue no more as for thanne. ne the pore no lesse In token that riche and pore shulde be besy to worshyp. & to meintene goddes house and goddes seruyce. God bad that both the riche & pore shulde pay alyke / in tokē that the pore mā shulde holde hym self as moche boūde to god as shulde the riche [Page] and the gode as the wyckyde. The gode is bounde to god for he kept him oute of synne. The wyckyd is. for god kepyth hym that he peryssh nat for his synne Also god badde bothe ryche and pore. paye euen to his taberna­cle / in token that they ben bothe bought with one pryce of cristes preciouse bloode / and that they shulde bothe holde them self alyke bounden. and that they haue bothe alyke nede of suffrages & helpe of holy churche Also god badde theym both yeue alyke. ī token that he acceptith their yiftes both alyke / if their deuocion be alyke in their yeuyng that y ^e riche man shulde nat be proude of his grete yift and of his richesses / ne the pore falle in dispeyre. for his smal yifte and for his pouertie Nathelesse who so may best do moste is bounde to helpe goddes house what it nedith. & so it is ful nedeful to araye wel goddes house / and mayntene & increase goddes seruyce And al­so it is nedeful to helpe the pore folke in their grete nede / and sū tyme more medeful than is the other. And therfore leeue freend thou muste take hede to the tyme and other circumstan­ces. For in tyme of welthe of peas and of plente whanne the pore hath enogh or lightly may be holpen / thāne principally mē shulde trauayle to worship goddes hous and to encrese & mayntene goddes seruyce. But in ty­me of wo warre and hūger of pouerte and other tribulacion / thā shulde men principally trauayl besily to their euyn cristen / and take hede that no mā ne womā. perisshed for defaute. but by be­sy to helpe the nedy bothe by ye­uynge and leuynge In token of this we rede. ii: Regū vii. & i ^o ꝑali. xvii. & xxii.c. That god wolde nat suffre the kynge da­uyd to make his temple. natw ^t stōding that he wolde ful fayne haue made it / and brought and ordeyned ful moche thyng ther­to For in his tyme the lōde was in moche tribulacion by warre. Within and withoute / by hūger. moreyne / by discension and de­bate of them selue But he sayde to dauid that Salomon his son shulde make him a temple / For he sayde he shalle reigne in peas and rest / in somoche that he shal be clepyd kynge peasible / for in his daies I shalle yeue pees and reste in the londe of israel And Dauid whan he was in peas & reste and had discoūfyte his enemyes / thanne he beganne to or­deyne for goddes temple & wold haue made it God coude hym moche thanke for his gode wyll [Page] but he wolde natt suffre hym to make it / for he was nat in so gode reste. as he wende to haue ben in. For after that beganne greate warre ayenst him / as we fynde Secundo Regum vii. et viii.c. And therfore god sayde to him / Thou shalte natt make to me an house / For thou haste shed moche blode. and thou arte a man of blode shedynge bifore me That is to say I haue ordeyned the for to fighte ayenst myn enemyes. and to slee theym and so to make peas. And I haue ordeyned thy sonne aftre the to make me an house / in peas and reste / that I shalle set hym in by thy fightynge and thy doynge.

The liii. chaptre.

BVt it faryth these dayes. by moche folke as it dide by Iudas the traytoure. ¶We fynde in the gospel Io. xii.c. y ^e mary ma [...]deleyn anoynted the blisfulle feet of oure lord Ihesu with a precious oynemente nat for any greate nede that Cryste hadde therto / but for loue & de­uocion that she hadde to him. Iudas bare heuy therof & grut­ched and sayd. Why is this oynement thus loste. It might haue been solde for thre hundryd pēs. and be yeuen to the pore folke. But as seint Iohn sayth in that same place Iudas saide nat tho wordes for the loue that he had to the pore folke / but for he was a theif and robbyde Cryste and his disciples of money that was yeuen them. And therfore he wolde that the oynement hadde be solde for thre hundryde pens. and youen to Cryste whiche lo­uyd wel pore folke / that he my­ghat haue myched the money a­way / for he bare the purce. And for that he hadde nat his purpose of the thre hundryd pens / therfore he solde Cryste for thre hundryd pens. that was thretty plates and peces of syluer. For eche one of tho thrytty was worth x. smalle pens. On the same maner / these dayes sūme folke gruche for deuociones and nedeful coste that men done in holy churche / & say as Iudas sayd / y ^t it were better to yeue it to poore folke But many of tho yeue fullytel tale howe euyl the pore peple fare / for they do fullytell to the pore folke or to holy church either. But by ypocrisye and symilacion of almesdede / they w ^t drawen mennys deuocion from god and holy churche / and from pore folke also. And soo they robbe holy churche and the pore folke. For they done lytel [Page] them self / and lette other y ^t wold doo And if they do almes to the pore blynde and lame / they doo it to haue a name / and for to exclude or putte behynde greter almesses that they been bounden to / as to worshyp holy churche. and in case gode minysters ī ho­ly church / and hem that trauayl holy in goddes seruyce. and stu­dye in goddes lawe night & day and preche it to the peple ī dede / a worde / and haue nede of bodi­ly almesse / of the whiche Cryste sayth in the gospelle. Luce. x. That suche werkemen and tra­ueloures ben worthy their mede And seynt poule sayth y ^t Cryste hath ordeyned theym that teche the gospelle & goddes lawe / for to lyue by the gospel / & by their prechynge / nat as passyng beg­gers by the weye / but honestly. & worshypfully as goddes kny­ghtes / as seynt austyn sayth. super illud p̄i. Producens fenū iumentis And therfore they that repreue nedefulle makynge of churches / of vestmētes & bokes & nedefulle makynge of belles. and gruche ayenste the holy ser­uyce of god in holy churche / ben foles & in Iudas caas / For they mayntene worldly worshyp. & lette goddes worshyp Natheles the waast cost of alle these thin­ges & other in holy churche done for pryde and vaynglorye or enuye of one parisshe ayenst a no­ther / or for couetyce of the minysters in the churche seculer or re­ligious is gretly alway to be re­preuyd.

The liiii. chaptre.

God byddyth in the gospel M ^t. vi.c. that whanne man or woman shulde praye he shulde go into his chā ­bre / and shytte the dore to hym. and so praye the fader of heuyn

In tho wordes Cryste techyth vs nat oonly where we shulde praye / but he techyth vs howe we shuld pray For the chā bre that we shuld entre in is our herte / for in our prayer we shuld gadre our inwyttes & oure thoughtes to gyddre in oure herte / & sette oure herte only in god and take hede to oure prayer. The dore that we shulde shytte been oure v. Wyttes outwarde to flee distraction. For thāne we shuld kepe wele oure sight our heryng oure felynge / oure tastynge and semellynge. that ther come noo distraction into oure herte by a­ny of oure fyue wyttes. And he badde alsoo in the same place / that men in theire prayer shulde fle ypocrisye. and vayne glorie. And to flee alle this it is [Page] fulle spedefulle to man and woman whanne they may nat goo to churche / to go to their cham­bre / and into their oratory. and saye there theire prayere and de­uociones But if they dispyse goddes house & leue goddes ser­uyce for such pryue prayer / they synne greuously / and lese mede of their priuey prayer And ther­fore the lawe byddyth that they that haf pryue oratories or cha­pelles by leue of the busshop. to here in their masse and their ser­uyce / that in the greate festes as Ester. Cristmasse / epiphany / ascencton / penticoste / seynt Iohn baptyst & other such / they shuld go to church. and no prest shuld thanne synge in suche oratories or chapelles withouten speciall leue of the busshop / and if he did he shulde be put from his masse. De consecrac. distinc. i. si quis. extra. Bothe pryue prayer and open been gode if they be doone in due maner. and in due place. and in due tyme Prayer is gode in chambre and in oratory / but it is better in holy churche wyth the comunyte / whan tyme is of comon prayer / and whanne mē may wele attende therto w ^t fer­uēt charite Synguler prayer of one ꝑsone is gode in chambre / & in oratorie and better in church. With euē charite. But comon prayer of a comunyte ī churche is bettee thanne a singuler prayer if euery partie of that comu­nytie be in charite For Criste sayth in the gospel / that if ii. or thre be gadryd to gider in his name that is charite / there is he in the myddes of theym / that is to say in their hertes to helpe them in their prayer. And if ii. of you sayth he consent to gider by charite ī her prayer / what euyr they axe it shalbe doo to theym M ^t. xviii. And therfore sayth seynt ambrose. suꝑ illud ad Ro. xvi. adiuuetis me in orationibus vestris. That whanne many smale been gadryd to gidre they ben fulle grete And it is nat possible that the prayers of moche folke in charite shulde nat spede. And therfore sayth the prophete Ioel ii ^o.c. Halowe ye your fastynge. clepe ye cumpany to you / gadre ye the peple to gydre And whan ye be gadryd make ye you holy & clene of synne / take ye the old folke w ^t you & gadre ye to gider the yong children souking al to prayer For right as a voice of a multitude is myghtier & ferther may be herde / than the voyce of one ꝑsone alone / so is the voyce & p̄yer of a multitude soner herd thā is the voyce of one ꝑsone al one & soner getith grace. & therfore the ꝓphet saith Laudate d.o. [Page] gentes / et collaudate cum om̄s populi. Alle folkes pryse ye the lorde / and alle peoples pryse ye him to gydder And seynt Poule Ad colocenses iiii.c. Byddeth. y ^e men shuld yeue them to prayers and wake in prayer and thākinges in that they shulde praye all to gidre.

Moche peple. lye seke in their bedde / and mo­che in pryson / many one on the see. and in other nedefulle occu­paciones / and may nat come to churche / and men duelle in ma­ny dyuerse londes. many thou­sāde myles atwynne / how shuld they pray and pryse god alle to gider.

Al if they may nat come to gyder in one place / ne in one churche / yit they must cūme to gyder in charite / that y ^e multitude of cristen peple be of one herte and of one loue and of one feyth.

The lv chapter.

We make many gadrynges to gidre many general ꝓcessiones and prayers in comon to pray for the pees / and yit haue we noo peas / but euery yere more warre thanne other & euery yere spede worse thā other

If men came to gidre and made their prayers in low­nes / clenesse & charite. god shuld here them For he sayth if ii. or iii consent to gydre in charite what they axe to the worship of god. & to helpe of their soules it shall be done to hem of my fader But oure prayers and processions be ayenst charite / made with grete pryde For al yf men go on pro­cession for the peas / and synge & say with their mouthe Da pacē domine. Lord yeue vs pees / yit with hert men praye alle ayenst peas. For they wolde noo peas haue / ne desire peas / but alway to haue werre and to shede cristē mennys blode For nat withstō ­dynge alle the myscheif that the peple is in bicause of werre / and that we haue the worse on euery syde / yit the peple saythe that it is beter to haue werre than pees & they haue leuyr to here of wer [...] than of peas. And they say that they may natt lyue withouten werre And whanne god sent hē worshipfulle peas on euery side they dispysed pees / and slewe hē that made peas for that they traueyled to make peas. And the peple had leuyr pay grete taxes for shedynge of mānes bloode / thanne for to paye smalle taxes for to haue peas. And sithe they loue no peas / ne desire peas and wole nat haue peas though god wolde yeue theym pees withou­ten doubte they pray nat for y ^e [Page] peas For no man prayeth for a thynge that he wole nat haue And so in their prayers and ꝓcessiones they scorne god / & more ꝓuoke him to vengeaunce thāne to mercy Also they make their prayer nat with lownes / but w ^t grete pride / for they wole nat be knowe of any myscheyf. They holde them selue so stronge and so wyse that as them thynketh. they haue no nede of helpe. And therfore though god here vs nat in oure prayer / ne helpe vs it is no wounder. For with oure mouth we axe peas / but w ^t oure hert we axe werre / w ^t our mouth we say Kyrieleyson. Lorde. haue mercy on vs / but with our herte we praye him to helpe vs. to sle our euen cristen that wold lyue in peas And so oure prayer is alle oute of charite / and oure lyuynge is fulle synful. and ful highly ayenste the plesaunce of god.

The lvi. chapter.

It is a comon prouerbe. that a shorte pray­er thyrleth heuene. Oratio bre­uis penetrat celū. And therfore sayth Cryste in the gospel: M ^t. vi.c. Orantes nolite multū lo­qui. Whanne ye praye sayth he. nyl ye speke moche.

It is a comon prouerbe of truā tes that sone be wery of prayers and haue more haste to tauerne thanne to holy churche and ha­ue more lykynge in the worlde. than in god Natheles if it be wel vnderstonde / the ꝓuerbe is soth gode and holy For euery thyng is clepyd shorte. Whan the endes been nigh to gyder. And the fer­ther that the endes of any thyng is atwynne / the lēger is the thīg And so it farith by prayer For the one ende of our prayer is our herte / and the other ende is god. And therfore sayth seynt austyn that prayer is a styenge vp of a mannys herte to god And on this maner the nigher that a mā nes herte is to god in his prayer. by loue and lownesse and deuocion and right intēcion / the shorter is his prayer And this maner of prayer thirleth heuene / for as holy wrytte sayth. the prayer of him that loweth him in his prayer. thirleth the skyes or the clou­des. For the more that man lo­weth him in his prayer. the more he nighyth to god / for than god of his mercy bowythe downe to him And therfore Crist saith y ^t he that so lowyth him self in his p̄yer he shalbe highed vp to god. And therfore seynt Iames saith y ^e god withondith the proude. & to the lowe and meke of herte he [Page] yeueth grace And on this maner speke a man neuir so moche / as longe as his hert is nygh to god by loue and lownesse / and right intencion and deuocion / so lōge his prayer is but shorte. though he speke neuir somoche with his mouthe And as long as he may contynue his prayer so in deuo­cion / it is leful and medeful / to speke in his prayer. But whāne his speche begynnyth to let him of his deuocion it is gode to cese of his vocal prayer / that is ī his owne free wyl But if he be boū den therto by a vowe or confession or by ordre / or by office / than he must saye his bedys that he is bounde to and do his dette And he must say distincly / nat to yerne ne to atrete. For if he say to yerne he may lightly ouirskyp. And if he saye to atrete / he may falle into grete distraction & lose moch tyme. and leue therby many gode dedys that he might el­les do / and brynge him self in lothynge of prayer and lettyng of deuocion of him self / and of the people also / that wolde here his prayer and his office.

The lvii. chaptre.

Why badde thanne Cryst that men shuld nat speke moche in their prayer.

Cryst had nat vtterly y ^t mē shulde nat speke moche in their prayer / but he had that mē shulde nat speke moche in their prayer as hethen men do. For they wene that god shulde natt here them but if they spake mo­che. Also he badde vs nat speke moche in oure prayer as ypocri­tes done. to be holden holy & soo gette mennys gode For as crist sayth ī the gospel. Luce xxiii.c. Suche deuoure wydowes hou­ses by feynynge of longe prayer For as the glose saith ther̄ / they praye lenger thanne other / to be holden more religiouse and ho­lyer thanne other. And therfore their prayer turneth into synne. ī somoche that they may neither wele praye for themself ne for o­ther. And for suche prayer. they shal the more be dampned. as cryste sayth in the same place Mar. vii.c. This people wor­shyp me w ^t their lyppes / but her herte is ful ferre fro me For god is in heuene / and their herte and thought al in erthe It is a comō prouerbe / that who so spekythe vnwysely and veynely / or in e­uyl maner / he spekyth to moche And therfore as longe as a man or woman prayeth wysely. de­uoutly and with gode ītencion. so longe he spekyth nat to moch But if he praye vnwysely wyth [Page] pryde and wycked intēcion / he spekyth to moche though he speke neuir so lytle And therfore y ^e pharise spake to moche in his p̄yer / for he spake alle with pryde. And petir spake to moche / for he spake vnwysely / & therfore crist repreuyd them bothe. Also they speke to moche in their prayer. that sett their hert and feyth mo­re in sownynge and sayng of y ^e wordes. than they do in god. or in the thynge that they pray for and say ayen and ofte ayen we­nynge that god herde them uatttyl whanne by suche iteracions they been wery / and leue many deuociones that they shuld saye

And therfore sayth the wyse man / Non iteres verbū in orōe tua. Eccle. vii. Sey no worde ayen in thy prayer For suche doubte is lettynge of deuocion. for suche speke ouir moche / and make their prayer in wanbileue

For if mannes herte be to god ward. god herith his praier lōge or he speke it with his mouth.

Sithen god is ouir all present / why pray we more ī holy churche than in other place.

For asmoche as he is ouir al / therfore ī euery place he owyth to be worshiped But for asmoch as we may nat worship him in due maner in euery place Therfore is holy churche ordeyned that men shulde fulfyl there y ^e they leue in other places. And therfore in euery lawe god hath ordeyned certeyne places of prayer where he wolde be worshiped in / passynge other places / and y ^t for many skylles. Firste for co­mon prayer and prisynge is more plesaunte as I saide firste Also to fle erroures and ydolatrye For if eche man or womā drewe him alone alway in his prayer. the feende shulde disseyue hym. by illusions and by iapes / as he dothe comonly them that fle cū ­pany. and loue to be moche so­litary. Also for to exclude slouth in goddes seruyce / y ^t man and woman shulde falle in For but they were boūde to come to gider in some certayne place. to worship her god and to here goddes lawe / they wolde elles trouant. and worshyp god ī no place but ful selden And they wold excuse theym by vncūnyng if they dyd amys. Also holy churche is ordeyned for comon prayer and goddes seruyce that eche man & woman may bere wytnes of o­ther at the day of dome / ayenste the feend / that he dyd in that as a cristen man ought to doo and seruyd his god. For as seynt poule sayth / vs must alle haue [Page] wytnesse of oure feyth by dedys and tokens outwarde.

The lviii. chaptre

Wherto shulde we pray to god for any thing for he is nat chaūgeable. And he may nought yeue vs but that he wyste wele bifore the begynnīg of the worlde that he shulde ye­ue vs

We pray nat for to chaūge his endles ordenaūce but for to gett by prayer that he ordeyned w ^touten ende to grāte vs by prayer For sithe he is our lorde / and we may nought doo. ne no thynge haue withoutē hī. he wole that we pray to him as to oure lorde / and in oure pray­er knowlege him oure lorde And he wole nat graūte vs many thī ges that vs nedyth / but we pray him therfore

Why pray we to god with oure mouth / sith he knowyth alle oure thoughte. alle oure desire / al our wyl / and what vs nedith.

For as I sayde firste god wole that we knowlege him for our lorde and knowlege oure nede y ^t we maye nat do / ne haue no thynge withouten him / whiche knowlegyng must be doone with the mouthe. For seynt poule sayth if a man. or womā wol be saued / he must haue right bileue in herte īward and knowlege it outewarde w ^t his mouth. Ro. x.c. Corde enim creditur ad iusticiam / ore autem confessio fit ad salutem. More ouer leue frende ye shalle vnderstonde / that ther is ii. maner of prayer / one is comon. another is singuler Comon prayer is the prayer of the ministres of hooly churche and of comon persones. in holy churche / whiche prayer. they make in the name of al the peple. And this maner of prayer must be done by mouth / that y ^e peple may knowe that they p̄ye for them And therfore it is ordeyned by the lawe that suche prayer shuld be sayde / and sumtyme sunge openly with highe voyce. that the people may here it But singuler prayer that is done but of one singuler persone / may be done with herte alone withoutē voyce of the mouthe Nathelesse sumtyme it is gode to him thatt prayeth to praye by mouth And that for many skylles / Firste to excite his herte to more deuociō by outwarde tokenes And ther­fore as longe as man or womā. is stired to deuocion by speche or vocal prayer. by knelynge / loutynge fastynge / or any other obseruaunce reasonable / so longe it is wele doone to vse it. in his [Page] prayer / but if he be lettyd therby from deuocion and / falle therby in distraction / it is better to leue it for a tyme than to vse it. For we fynde primo regū ii.c. That anne spake in herte to god with bytter terys / and yitt ther herde no man her voice Also mē pray with the voice of the mouthe in yeldynge of dette For man is bounden to serue god with eue­ry might and vertue y ^t god hath youen him / w ^t hert worde werk with al his might with alle his wytte And therfore holy church syngith and saythe. Os lingua niens sensus vigor confessionē ꝑsonent. Mouth tunge wytte & mighte / make knowlechynge & praisynge to god And on this maner bedys biddynge is partie of satisfaction for synne. Also men pray w ^t voyce of the mouy for greate deuocion y ^t is īwarde in herte whiche brekith oute by speche of the mouthe / as saythe Criste in the gospel. Luce vi. Ex habundancia cordis os lo­quitur. The mouthe sayth he. spekith of suche thinges wherof is plentie in the herte. And ther­fore the prophete saith. Cetatū est cor meū: et exultauit lingua mea. Myne herte sayth he was mery and glade ynwarde / and a none my tunge made ioye outewarde· Also men pray w ^t voyces in speche to the more confu­sion of the feēde / for he may nat knowe mēnys deuocion īward. but but by tokenes outewarde. And the more deuocion and lo­ue that he seeth men to haue to god / the more is his confusion & his peyne And therfore is he soo besy these daies to tempte men ī holy church to pryde / to couetise to sleuth / glotony / and lichery. to lett holy prayers in holy churche / whiche is to him verry con­fusion and sorowe And therfore sayth the prophete of him whan he herith holy prayers and seeth men deuoute. Peccator videb ^t et irascetur: dentibꝰ suis fremit et tabescet. The synful wreche the feende of helle shalle se men­nys deuocion: and he shalbe ful wroth He shal crosche or gnaste with his teeth. and be ful euyl a basshed For the desires of deuylles and their disciples that wold let holy prayer shal perisshe and come to nought

The lix. chapter.

In the begyn­nyng of holy church and ī the tyme of the apostles. Was no suche seruyce and solennyte in holy churche as nowe is

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Than were but fewe cristen mē / & neither they mighte ne durste make suche solennyte for tyrauntrye of the hethen people. Their wylle was gode / but they mighte nat / but as they mi­ghten they dyd worshyp to god. and encresyd goddes seruyce. And therfore we rede ī the lyf of seint clement that by his p̄ching and teching within one yere wer̄ made seuenty churches in oone lytel yle of Cersone. nat with­stondyng that ther were ii. thousande of pore cristen men outla­wyd and dampned to fulle hard trauayl / and might haue be releuyd fulle moche releuyd w ^t that that tho churches costyd. Thanne holy churche was ī his youthe and in his begynnynge. as sayth seynt Ierom ī prologo super actus aplōrū. Nowe holy churche is wexyd. & the feyth sprong and spredde and stabled in peas fro tyrauntes And ther­fore nowe we muste worshyppe oure god with alle oure mighte. and oure cūnynge / for we haue none excusation as they hadde. And for to auoyde ydelnesse of prestys our faders bifore this tyme ordeyned the prayers in ho­ly churche to be sayde after a certeyn fourme / after the custome of diuerse cūtrees kepe their our after the oures of the day / as matynes at morowe and masse af­terwarde. and euynsonge ayēst euyn: so that god shulbe prysed of the preestes alle tymes of the day.

Me thynketh y ^t it were better to say goddes ser­uyce in holy churche withouten note thanne with note and hackynge of the sillabes. and wor­des in oure prayer and prisynge as as we doo. For who shulde telle the kyng of Englond a tale or make his praier to him and made soo many notes and hac­kynges in his tale / he shulde haue lytel thanke.

The king of heuyn is aboue y ^e king of Englonde / and otherwise we muste worshyp hym thanne the kyng of englonde For vs must worshyp him with alle oure mi­ghte. and alle oure herte / and al oure wytt / as him that is maker & lorde of alle thinge. And soo may we nat worshyp the kynge of englonde It nedyth nowe to speke to the kynge of englonde and to euery erthly man distinc­ly / for they knowe nat mannys herte ne his wylle But god knowyth it long or we speke it with oure mouth And therfore whan we synge in our prayer with clē nesse of lif & deuocion of hert we plese god in asmoche as we worshipe [Page] him w ^t oure power of voyce & tunge For euery note so sunge to god in the churche or in o­ther conuenient place for deuo­cion in our self / & to engendre deuocion in other is a praisyng to god. And therfore dauid saythe. Cantate exultate et psallite. Synge ye & make ye mery outewarde / and synge ye to god craftely. Iubilate deo omnis ter­ra: seruite dn̄o in leticia Introi­te in cōspectu eius in exultatōe Alle ye that duelle vpon the erth make ye hertly ioye to god. ser­ue ye oure lorde in gladnes Entre ye in his sight with ioye and myrthe. For many skylles leue frende / songe and melodye was ordeyned in holy churche Firste to the more worshipyng of god. Also to the more excitatione of deuocion of the people Also to putte away heuynesse and vnlustynesse / as saith seynt Bernard For many mā hay more liking more likyng to serue god ī gladnesse than in heuynesse And therfore goddes office shulde be said liuely / distincly / deuoutly with gladnesse of herte For if the office be sayde or sunge so hauely & dedely & so drawen alonge y ^e it lothe both the synger or sayer & the herer / & bryngeth folke into he­uynesse or distraction / it is euyl said or songe For that maner of syngyng is lettyng of moche godenesse / and cause of ydelshyp & of moche foly. for it maketh mē to withdrawe theym fro goddes house and from goddes seruyce. and so wante grace. De con. di. v. nō mediocriter. Also we syng in churche to cōfourne vs to seintes in heuen whiche pryse god & serue god aluey w ^t hygh voyce. and swete syngyng / as we fynd in the apocalipse. & many other places in holy wrytte And ther­fore dauid sayth. Cantate dn̄o canticum nouum: laus eius in ecclesia sanctorū. Synge ye a newe songe to oure lorde. for suche is his prisynge in the church of al seintes And therfore songe in holy churche is gode whanne it is sunge deuoutly in clenes of lyf / roundely nat lettyng the deuout praier of the peple / as doth this curiouse knackyng. sunge of the viciouse mynistres in the churche. & specially in grete and riche churches For it is ofte seen that the singers in suche places. and other also ben fulle proude. glutones and lechoures also.

And the melody of suche men is no plesaunce to god / but har­meth themself and many other.

The lx. chaptre

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Why been nowe no martiris as were wont to be.

We haue these dayes martires alle to many in this londe.

Howe soo.

For the mo martires. the more murdre and manslau­ghter and the more shedyng of ī nocentes blode / the more vengeaunce shal fal therfore.

Moche folke is slayne these daies / but that they shulde be martires I can nat say.

All that ben slayne for the treuth paciently in charite ben martirs / in asmoche as they wytnessen the treuthe and stonde therwith vn­to their deth For martir in latyn is a wytnesse in englisshe It is no worship to any londe or nation to haue many martres of her sleynge / but it is an endles sha­me. And therfore the iewes that slewe Cryste and his disciples. & prophetes & made martres withoute nombre / ben in dispyte and repreef alle aboute the worlde. And therfore Criste saide to hem that alle the rightful blode whi­che they hadde shedde from y ^e begynnynge of the worlde shulde falle vpon theym & harde vengeaūce therfore shuld come to hem And the romaynes that slewe petyr and many martres in euerye londe there they hadde lordshyp nowe they haue lost her lordship & ben wretches of wreches / and bothe the cite and the temple se­myth acursed And now englissh nacion hath made many marti­res They spare neither their owne kyng ne their busshopes / noo dignyte / noon order / no state ne degre / but īdifferētly slee as mē lyketh. and so vengeaūce & wreche folowith theym / and grace & worshyp hath forsaken them. Was it neuir worship to theim y ^t they slewe seynt Thomas. their busshop and their fader. ne that they wolde by comon clamoure & comen assent haue slayne their owne kynge. Martirdome is worshipful theym that in chari­te suffre the deth / & to theim that holde w ^t them in their treuthe. But it is shame and shenshyppe to theym that done them to deth vnrightfully. And for asmoche as y ^e multitude of shrewys is so greate / & falshode is so mightye y ^e the treuthe is ouirsette & borne downe & true folke so martryde. We shuld wepe and nat ioye for that we haue so many marters / & night [...]nd day cry mercy to let wreche If hethen peple or other nacions had made oure martirs we might reioyse vs of our martris But ī y ^t we haue slayne them oure self we ought be ashamyd.

The lxi. chaptre

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Sithe they be martirs why doth god no my­racles nowe for them as he dyde for martirs / and other seyntes ī the begynnyng of holy churche.

If a lorde haue but a fewe true seruaūtes. he wole prise them and magnifie them / and do them worshyp. bothe to holde theym stylle in hys seruice. and also to drawe other to his seruy­ce by ensample of them And the same dothe the maister in scole. to the children that lerne wele. And whāne the moder hath but one childe she cheriseth it the more. and kepith him the more derely. Right so Criste in the begynnyng of holy churche hadde but fewe gode disciples or true seruā tes / and therfore he worshiped. and magnified theim with grete myracles to comforte them ī the feyth / and for to drawe other to the feyth For but god hadde she wyd thanne grete miracles and many / they y ^t were in the feythe. shulde haue forsaken the feythe and fewe wold haue come to y ^e feyth And it farith by holy churche & by the feyth as it doth by a tree. Whan a tre is newly set mē water it and sett stakes and po­les aboute to strenght it ayenst the wyndes blastes / for stormes shulde elles brise it or breke it / & felle it a downe. But whan it is wel rotyd & comōly wexen than men cese of wateryng and take away the stakes and the poles. Right so whan holy church and cristendome was in the begyn­nyng / criste watryd holy church with greate yiftes of grace / & of deuocion / & vnderset it w ^t grete wounders and myracles / which he shewyd that tyme ayenst the harde stormes of ꝑsecution that was that tyme ayenst the feyth of holy churche But nowe holy churche is sprūge and spred and the feith is stabled in mēnys hertes / and therfore suche miracles cese. And if any suche myracles falle in any londe amonges cristen peple it is a token that sūme of them be nat stable in the feith & that god is nat al apaide with the people For seint poule saith y ^e tokenes and miracles ben nat youen to folke of righte bileue. but to folk of false bileue And the mo myracles that men se / y ^e lesse mede they haue for her feith as seynt gregory sayth in his Omely And so multitude of mar­tirs and of miracles proue natt godenesse of the peple that they been doone amonge. but rather they shewe and preue the malice of the people. Whanne god shuld distroy the kingdome [Page] of israel and of iuda for ydola­try and other synne that nigh al the peple was fallen in / he sente his famoꝰ ꝓphetes as hely / and helisee. ysaie. ieremye. danyel / ezechiel & other xii. ꝓphetes whi­che taught the peple goddes law & warnyd theym of mischeyf cū ­mynge but they wolde amende theym And they cōfermyd theire prophecy w ^t many greate mira­cles / & yit the people was worse than euir they were bifore At the laste cryst came to preche and to teche them and dyd many woū ­ders / and helyd alle maner sekenesses & sent his apostles also a­monges theym / whiche dyd many wounderful myracles. And yit the people was thanne wors thanne euir they were aforne In somoche that they slewe nat on­ly the prophetis & the apostles & cristes disciples / but they slewe criste himself goddes sōne of he­uen. lorde of al thinge. Whiche had done hem so moche worship & done so many woūderful cur̄s amonges theym.

The lxii. chapter.

I trowe that if mē were nowe as holy as mē were thanne / they shulde do myracles nowe as they dyd thanne

Though they were as holy or holier they shulde nat do suche myracles For they be nat nowe so nedefulle as they were thanne / ne it were nat ꝓfitable to the people. as I sayde righte nowe And I hope that they ben as holy that do no myracles as many of theim y ^t done miracles. For suche doynge of myracles. stondith nat in the holynesse of him that dothe the miracle / but it stondith in the clepynge. & the vertue of goddes name to the ꝓfytte of other / and ofte to dampnatiō of him that so clepith goddes name and doth the myracle As saith the glose. suꝑ illud M ^t vii ^o Dn̄e nōne in noīe tuo ꝓphetauimus.

It semyth therby that shrewis and wycked lyuers may do miracles

Criste saith so himself M ^t. vii.c For as we rede there. at the doome many that shalbe dampned. shal say to Criste O lorde we ꝓphecyed in thy name and castyd out feendes and dyd many toknes and myracles in thy name. But he shalle say ayen to them.

Wendyth hense fro me ye wor­chers of wyckednesse. I knowe you nat for none of myne. And as sayth seynt Iohn Crisostom in tractatu. Nemo leditur nisi a semetipso. [Page] That Iudas the traitoure had power of god for to do and dyde many greate miracles / yit is he dampned Also doynge of mira­cles is no syker tokene of gode­nesse neither of the doer ne of pe­ple there that they ben done / but only charitie and gode liuynge been syker token of godenesse And therfore Criste taughte vs to know the gode ꝓphetes from the wycked. nat by her miracles ne by their prophecy / but by her gode dedys and charite Therby saith he men shal knowe that ye be my disciples if ye haue chari­te amōges you / nat by miracles ne by prophecy For iudas dyde miracles / and cayphas and ba­laam fulle cursed wreches. pro­phecyed fulle truly And seynt Iohn baptiste that was so holy dyd neuir suche miracles by his lyf And therfore Cryste badde y ^t we shulde take hede to mennys dedys and knowe them by their fruyt.

Ipocrites and heretikes do ful many gode dedys and yit be they shrewys

Suche maner of folke haue ii. maner of dedys / one in priuey. another in apert or open. Their dedis in aꝑt be nat theirs but they ben clothinges of shepe vnder whiche they hile theim or couer them as wolues to dissey­ue gode shepe And therfore crist byddith in the gospel y ^t we shuld be ware of false prophetes. that y ^t come to vs in clothynge of shepe / for they ben inwarde wolues of raueyn. If their dedys be wycked / it is her owne clothing wherby they may be knowē but her priuey werkes and their pryuey teching ben their owne frute whiche comōly ben ful wycked And so by that that they do and teche priuely men may best knowe what they been.

I I may wele assent to thy speche for so many wounders haue fal in this londe within a fewe yer̄s in sūne mone and sterres / ī lond ī water in the ayr / that we rede ī no boke y ^t euir fel so many in so litel tyme And as mē sey ful wicked lyuers do many miracles & prophecye. & yit we wante grace on euery syde / & the harde vengeance of god is vpon vs nighte & day / shewynge that god is gre­uously offēdyd w ^t vs

As saith the glose. suꝑ illud. ii. ad thessalo. ii.c. In signis & ꝓdigiis mendacibus. For asmoche as the peple is oute of charite & wole nat knowe the treuth / but trust al in lesynges & in falshede Therfore god suffreth false shrewys for to do woūders & mira­cles for to disceyue the people. & [Page] to holde them styl in her errour. I haue sayde as me thynkethe say forth what thou wylte.

The lxiii. chaptre

What seyst thou of them that wole no solemnyte haue in their buriynge. but be putt in erthe anon / and that y ^e shulde be spente aboute the buriyng they bydde that it shulde be youen to the pore folke blynde. and lame

Comonly in such priue buriynges ben ful smalle doles and lytel almes youen And in solemne buriynges. been grete doles / and moche al­messe youen / for moche pore peo­ple come thanne to seke almesse But whanne it is done priuely fewe wytte therof. and fewe co­me to axe almesse / for they wote nat whanne ne where ne whom they shulde axe it. And therfore I leue sikerly that sūme fals executoures that wolde kepe alle to themself. bigāne firste this errour and this folye

And yit men holde it a grete ꝑfection these daies.

Though men burie their frendes priuely. or ayertly / it is no harme to the dede ne to the liuynge But if the worship of god be withdrawen. and the almesse of the pore nedy and the holy prayers and suffrages of holy churche / whiche ben ordeyned to be praied and done for the dede and the quicke that haue nede therof But it is a grete foly and also a grete synne to forsake solempne buriynges / y ^t be done principally for the worshyp of god and for the proufyt of the dede / spendyng his godes to nedeful releuyng of holy chirche / and the pore nedye people y ^t been of no power to helpe theim self. for that is a custome of fals executoures that wolden make themself riche with dede mēnys godes / and nat dele to the pore. after dedes wylle / as nowe alle false executoures vse by custo­me. And so they that forsake worshipful buriynge as I haue rehersyd bifore lette the prisyng the worshippe / and the sacrifice and offrynge that shulde be do­ne to god. They do also dispyte to holy churche / in that that they forsake the prayer. and the suf­frages of holy mynistres of ho­ly churche. Also they offende all the soules of purgatory that shulde be releuyd by messes syn­gynge / hooly prayer and suffrages of holy churche / whiche ben ordeynyde in buriynge to helpe [Page] of alle cristen soules And they please the feende that is besy ni­ght and day to lette goddes offi­ce [...] goddes worshyp and holy p̄yer Also they offende mankynde. and god that tooke mankynde. of a woman / in asmoche as they putte their body in suche dispite and pryue it of the due worship For the body of a gode man / or of a gode woman that is knytte to that preciouse soule y ^t Cryste bought so dere. With his precioꝰ blode / with whiche soule it shal ryse apen at the dome / and lyue in blysse withouten ende brigh­ter than the sonne / it is of ful grete dignyte / al if it be here in gre­te myscheyf for a tyme for adā ­mes synne. Mannys body is of fulle grete dignyte in that / y ^e god toke oure body of a woman alone / and bicame man withouten parte of man / and bodily in oure kynde reigneth god and man a­boue alle creatures And therfore by wey of kynd and for worship of god that toke oure kynde / it oweth to be worshiped / namely in his deth / for than is no drede of pryde. And therfore sayth the wyseman. Eccle. vii.c. Mor­tuo non prohibeas graciam. withdrawe nat thy grace. & thy mercy from the dede. That is to say withdrawe nat ne lette natt he due seruyce and worshipfull cerymonies that longe to the body / ne the suffrages and prayers that longe to the soule as sayth. the the glose And in a nother place he sayth thus Sonne wepe thou on the dede man with byt­ter teres and grete sorow / and after his state as righte is hile his body / dispyse nat his buriynge. make mornynge one day or .ii. after his deserte Eccle. xxxviii c. For by the lawe of kynde. by lawe writen. by lawe of grace & euery tyme worshipful sepultu­re after mennys power hathe be due dette to mannys bodye and womannes. In the lawe of kynde haue we exāple of Abra­ham Isaac and Iacob / and her wyues / whiche hadde ful costly buryinges. As we rede in holy wrytte Gen. lvi.c. And in the lawe wryten haue we example. of Samuel / Dauid: salomn / iosaphat / ezechie. iosie / tobie / and of the machabeis / whose buryinges were costly and worshipful In the lawe of grace / that is in the new lawe haue we example of oure lorde Ihesu Cryste / whiche nat withstondynge that he suffcyde spytefulle deth for mankynde. yitt he wolde haue / and hadde worshypfulle and costly sepulture and buriynge. [Page] As we fynde in the gospelle Io. xix.c. wherby as the glose saith there he yaue men exāple to ke­pe worshypful buriyng after y ^e custome of the cuntre And ther­fore he cōmendyd mary mawdeleyn / y ^t she came bifore his dethe to anoynte his body so preciously and costly into the sepulture. And many seyntes were buryed worshipfully by the doynges of aūgelles / as seynt Clemēt. seint katheryne / seynt agace / and many other And seint poule the first hermete was buryed worshipfully and woūderly / by worchinge of lyons / and of wylde bestes / ī tokenyng that mannys body & womans owe to haue worshypful sepulture For sithen aungelles and wylde bestes dyde suche worship to mannys bodye after his deth Moche more mākynde shulde worshyp mannys body: after his deth / and doo worship to his owne kynde. And so men shulde releue pore folke in their myscheyf / and specially in their diynge by almes yeuyng Butte they shulde nat for that do any wronge by their lyuyng to their euen cristen for to make them riche to do moche almesse at their endynge For as the lawe sayth. ther shulde no man be made rich with wronge and harme of a nother. Locupletari non debet aliquis cum alterius īiuria vel iactura. Extra de regulis iuris. li­bro vi.

The lxiiii. chaptre.

What sayst thou of them that holde market­tes and feyres in holy churche & in sanctuary /

Bothe the byer and the seller and mē of holy church that mayntene hem or suffre them whanne they my­ght lett it ben acursed. For we fynde nat that euir Criste punisshed so hard any synne while he went here in erth / as he dyd by­ynge & sellynge in goddes house as we fynde Io. xi.c. On a ty­me he came īto the temple of Ierusalem / and there he foūde mē biyng and sellyng oxen & shepe and doues to be offryd in the tē ­ple / and chaungers of money also to be offryd in the temple. He was highly offendyd / and made a scourge and bette them out of the temple / and saide to them on this wyse Myne house shuld be an house of prayer / and ye haue made it a dēne of theuys. Bere ye out said he this marchaūdise Lede hēs these bestes & make ye nat my faders hous an house of [Page] marchaundise and a dēne of theuys. And as seynt Matheu tel­leth & other gospellers / he drewe downe her bothes / and ouirtur­nyd theire stalles and their setis and shedde their money. And as seint marke sayth. he wolde nat suffre no vessel that was nat lō ­gynge to the temple. to be borne through the temple And sithen. Cryste wolde nat suffre thynge be solde in the temple / that was only for the worship of god. and help of the temple Moche more he wole nat suffre thynge to be solde in the temple that longith nat to the temple. but only to seculertie.

Sithen god was soo offendyde for that men solde therin that was nedeful to the temple. and for easement of hem that came fro ferre cuntrees what shuld he haue do / if he had founde them biynge and selling thynge of seculerte Or if he had founde theym in bacbi [...]yng and glotony / dronkenshyp / lichery / ī songe & speche of rybaudrye. as mē vse these daies ī holy church.

Seynt austyn sayth. that as he trowyth he shulde haf caste them to the pytte of helle.

Howe mighte Cryste y ^t was so pore a mā haue cast out suche a multitude of people. It is a wounder y ^t they withstoden him nat.

For as the glose sayth ther came suche a lighte out of his face by wey of his god hode as long as he wolde y ^t they were al aferid of the sight of his face and fledde awaye. And for the same skyl in tyme of his passiō whā they came for to take hī he sayde I am he y ^t ye seke / twyes they went bakwarde. and for drede felle downe to grounde.

Why sayde he that they made his hous a dēne of theues

For who so is about to begile any man or womā of his gode / he is a theef And in biyng and sellynge either of them is a­bout to begile other / and in that they been theues. And for y ^t they doo it in goddes house & there caste in their herte howe priuelye & how slighly they may begile her euyn cristen / therfore they make goddes house a dēne of theuys:

And comonly in suche fayres. and markettes where soo euir it be holden / ther ben many theues mychers and cutte purses.

And I drede me that fulle often by suche fayres god­des house is made a tauerne of glutones / and a bordelle of ly­choures: For the marchaun­tes and chapmen kepe there w ^t theym their wyues & lēmannes. bothe night and day.

[Page]And if any mā comyne ther̄ flesshely with his wyf or his lēman the churche and the church yerde also ben pollute And if it might be preuyd ther shulde no preeste synge ne say no messe therin / ne body be buryed tyl it were recoū seiled ayen by the busshop. De con. di. i. Si motū. &c. sig­nificasti / Et io. in sūma sua. li ^o iiii. ti ^o CCxliii. vtrū liceat / Et durandus in sm̄a sua. li ^o.ii. ꝑ: i. di. viii / q̄ xxxiii.

And what if the p̄lates & the curates of the place take moneye of the chapmē for y ^e place y ^t they stōde in by couenaunt made bifore / is it any symonye so to sel the lōde of the seyntuary.

It is symonye ful grete for to selle any grounde in the sanctuarye. for buriyng. as the lawe shewith wele. xiii / q̄. ii. q̄sta. & c ^o seq̄nti. Moche more to selle it or to lett it hyre for marchaundyse And therfore suche marchaundyse in holy churche is forfendyd / natt only by the gospelle / but also by the comon lawe / xvi: q̄. vii. Et hec diximus / For men of holy churche by suche symonye / & ta­kyng of thinges that they haue no right to / ben bicome stronge theuys / and make the chapmen theuys in that / that they do hem occupye the place in sanctuarye ayenst goddes wyl lorde of the place And so they make goddes house a duellynge / & a denne of theuys:

Sithen men of holy churche do somoche dispite to god and holy church / though they be ī dispite themself / it is no wounder

That is soth For god sayth in holy wryt Primo regū. ii.c / who so worshippeth me sayth he / I shalle make him worshipful / And they that dispyse me shalbe in dispyte.

I thanke the with alle myn herte For that me thought sumtym no synne / nowe I knowe wele that it is a fulle greuoꝰ dedly synne For the synnes and the erroures that we haue nowe spoken of / ben openly ayenst y ^e worshyp of the high maiestye of god / and ayenst the first cōmaū dement that moste oughte to be charged / And thy skylles ben so grete and thy speche soo open / y ^t ignoraunce myghte nat excuse me ne any wight elles that can reason And yit the peple by myscustome and ignoraunce of mē of holy churche and of themself also by couetise and pryde of y ^e clergie is so blēt that they thynk theym no synnes. And so we wander in synne blent with foly and wante grace.

Wyckyd custome aggregith syn [Page] and nat excuseth synne. And therfore the lawe saith that eue­ry wycked custome shulde be do away.

The firste chapter

I pray the enfourme me noweī y ^e secoūde ꝯmaūdmēt.

What doute haste thou therin

In the secounde maundemente god byddeth that we shulde nat take his name ī veyne For who so dothe shalbe gilty & nat passe vnpunysshed

In thre maners goddes name is taken ī veyne. That is by myslyuyng. by mys speche / & by mysheringe Firste by myslyuyng / for whan man or woman is cristned. ther̄ he forsaketh the feende and alle his werkes and his lordshyppe. Whan his god fader and his god moder aunswere for him sayng. Abrenuncio. that is to say I forsake And there he knyttyth him to criste. & makith couenaunte with him to be his true seruaūte withouten ende And there he takethe the name of Cryste vpon him and bicometh cristen For al cristen people is named aft (er) cryst and he is oure principal godfa­der For cristen cūmyth of criste. and so alle cristen people bere y ^e name of criste vpon theim. And so in asmoche as we been clepyd cristē and goddes peple. in that we bere the name of god vpon. vs. And therfore sayth the pro­phete / Tu in nobis es dn̄e et no­mē sanctū tuum inuocatum est super nos: ne derelīquas nos domine deus nt. Ieremye xiiii.c. Lorde sayth he thou arte amon­ges vs / as a lorde amonges his seruantes / and thyn holy name is clepyd vpon vs / lord our god forsake vs nat But if it be so. y ^t we lyue natt after oure name / y ^t we haue taken of cryste ne lyue nat as cristen men ne as goddes seruauntes / but forsake hym & turne ayen to the feende and ly­ue nat as cristen folke / but as iewys sarsyn or paynym / or elles worse. than take we goddes name in veyne. for our name and oure lyf accordeth nat. And as seynt poule sayth / wyc­ked cristen folke with their wycked dedys and their wycked ly­uyng forsake god And therfore alle wyckid lyuers and namely ypocrites that bere the name of holynesse and of cristes seruauntes. & w ^t y ^t they be y ^t feēdes seruā tes / they take goddes name in [Page] veyne / and do greate dispyte to goddes name And therfore crist saith to suche wycked cristen peple. Per vos tota die nomē meū blasphemar̄ in gētibꝰ. ysaie lii c. Et ad Ro. ii: c. My name is dispised by you all day amonge o­ther naciones or hethen men. For by the wycked lyuynge of cristē peple y ^e name of crist is shamyd And therfore we say in oure prayer. Sanctificetur nomē tuum. Halowyd & worshipyd be thy name. That is to say graūt vs grace no thing to do / ne wyl. ne to speke y ^t / wherby thy name shulde be vnworshipyde or sha­myd in vs.

The secounde chapter

ALso goddes name is take in veyne by mys speche / & that in many wyse Firste by na­mynge of goddes name ī veyne tales tellynge / in iapery ī scorne For in suche vanyte goddes name shulde nat be namyd.

Telle sūme example

As if one sayde to the in scorne whanne he is wroth w ^t the / god make the a gode man. And sūme say of a nother ī scorn that god hathe forsaken him / & iapers and disoures comōly na­me goddes name ī veyne in this maner / though they swere none othe. And al suche take goddes name in ydelship / that teche any erroures or herisies ayenst faith and ayenst god / or preche or te­che the treuthe only for couetyse or for enuye / or for vayne glory and nat for helth of mānys soul ne for worship of god And ther­fore the ꝓphete saith thus. Peccatori autem dixit deꝰ / qua re tu enarras iusticias meas: et assumis testamentum meum ꝑ os tuū. God sayde to the syn­ful man / why tellyst thou my ri­ghtfulnesses / and takyst my testamēt & my law by thy mouth & so ofte namyst my name. For altho that teche wele & speke wele. and wole nat doo therafter: they take goddes name in veyne Al­so goddes name is takē ī veyne by cursyng & weriyng / as whan men or wymen in wrath or elles in nyce myrthe saye to a nother. god yeue the myschaūce / god yeue the euyl grace / euyl deth Al­so it is taken in veyne oft tyme. by vowes makynge / and that ī dyuerse maner / Firste if mā make any vowes to any creature. For vowes makynge is a dyuyne worship that owyth to be do only to god and to no creature. [Page] And therfore the prophete saith. Vouete & reddite dn̄o deo vestro Make ye youre vowes to oure lorde god / and yeldith theym to hun. Also it is taken in veyne whanne folire kepe nat their vowes that been lefulle: but breke them retchesly / or by freyltie w ^t outen nede & withouten auctoritie. of their soueraynes / whiche haue power to dispēse with hem or chaunge their vowes. Also if men make vowes vnlefulle. ayenst charite. & to do any thing ayenst goddes lawe As if thou madest a vowe to sle thyn euyn cristen / or y ^t thou shuldest neuyr do gode to pore men / for parauē ture sūme pore man hath aggreued the. Also whāne men make vowes vnwisely lightly w ^toute auysement and by comon custume of speche.

The .iii. chaptre

And suche vowes ben made these dayes ful many For with moche folke be they ones spoken. they been noo more thought on. For they be so comon in theire mouthe.

Therfore they synne ful greuously / so takinge goddes name in veyne For ther shulde no vowe be made but for a thynge of charite / and with a gode auysement. ¶We fynde in holy wrytte Iudicum xi.c. that ther was a leder & a iuge of goddes peple / whos name was Iept And whanne he shulde go to fight ayenst goddes enemyes the folke of amon / he made his vowe to god that if he yaue him the vitorye of his enemyes whā he came home ayen what lyuīg thing he mette first of his house / holde in his cūmynge hoome / he shulde sle it / & offre it vp to god ī sacrifice After this as god wold he hadde the maistree and came home with grete worship / whan his doughter herde these tidyn­ges she was full glade and toke her tymber in her hōde and came in grete haste first of al the housholde daunsynge pleynge & syngynge ayēst her fader for to welcome him home. Whanne iept. sawe his doughter so cūmynge. ayenst him he bithoughte him of his a vowe and wexte ful sorye for he hadde no childe but her / & he louyd her fulle moche Alas doughter / allas sayde he. Whatt haste thou doone / why cūmyste thou so sone ayenst me. I haue openyd my mouthe to god. and made a vowe ayenste the / for I muste by my vowe slee the / and [Page] offre the vp into sacrifice to god But the womā his doughter yit clene mayden was soo glade of goddes worship / and of her fad (er)s worship / and that goddes enmyes were so slayne / that she made lytel sorowe or none for her deth and saide to her fader Iept Sith thou haste made suche a vowe & god hath sent the victory of his enemyes / fulfyl thy vowe. For I take the deth gladely. But I praye the of one boone or I dye Let me go with other maydens my pleyferes and morne and bewayle my maydenhode amōge the hylles and the mounteynes .ii. monethes / For it was that tyme repreef to a womā to dye w ^t outen issue of her body And iept grauntyd her bone After ii. mo­nethes. she came ayen to her fa­der iepte / and mekely suffryd y ^e deth for goddes sake and for the loue of her fader And thus leeue frende that womans deth which was clene maiden betokneth cristes passion For right as she to­ke the deth wylfully for saluacion of goddes folke / and distruc­tion of goddes enemyes / Soo criste clene mayden y ^e neuir was defouled with synne: and neuyr dyd amys. Wylfully suffryde bitter deth for saluacion of alle mā kynde and distruction of the feē des power.

Was nat his vowe lefulle.

It was nat lefulle For by his vowe if he hadde firste mette with a cat or an hounde cūmynge ayenst him he shulde haue made sacrifice to god therof / which sacrifice shuld haue ben abhominacion to god for neither was able to be offred in sacrifice. And for asmoche as he made his vowe so vnwysely. god suffryd him to falle īto y ^t mischeyf to sle an īnocēte his owne doughter ayenste goddes lawe. For god saith Innocētē et iustū non occides. Thou shalte natt sle the innocent / ne the rightfull man ne woman And soo by his vowe so folily made / he dyd ful greuous dedly synne. and forfettyd ful highly ayēst goddes law And therfore saith the master of the stories and Iosephus alsoo that he was a foole in his vowe makyng and wycked / and ouir done cruel in the fulfillynge. And therfore saith y ^e grete clerk ysodorus. in synonimis. li.ii. Et xxii. q̄. iiii. In malis ꝓmis­sis rescinde fidem / in turpi voto muta decretum / quod īcaute no uistine facias / impia ē ꝓmissio. que scelere adimpletur. In wycked hestes kytte awaye feyth that is to say / fulfylle noo wyckyd biheestes / kepe no faith [Page] to do amys For in shrewyd bihestes it is betr̄ to be holdē fals thā true For who so fulfilleth them is fals to god In the vowe saith y ^t he is foule and vnlefulle chaū ge thy dome / and that that thou haste nat wisely auowyd doo it nat For it is a wycked biheste y ^t is fulfilled & done with synne.

The iiii. chaptre

I assent / say forth I pray the.

Al­so goddes name is take ī veyne by blasphemye and spiteful speche of god / as whan men grutch ayenst goddes domes in seknes tribulacion and disease / and sey that god is vnrightful and cruel or grutche ayenste his mercy.

Whanne they may natt haue vengeaūce of their aduersaries. as they wolde haue / & saye that god is to pacient and to mercy able And they also that fal in wā hope / and say that god wol nat foryeue theym their synne. And they also that presume to moche of goddes mercy / and wole nat amende theym / for they say that god wole foryeue it them at the firste worde. Also sūme saye that god slepith whanne he hel­pith theim nat as they wolde. Alle that speke thus or saye any other thing of god. that is ayēst his worship and his godhode / take goddes name ī veyne by blasphemy. Also goddes name is taken amys and in veyne by mys speche of othes swerynge For who so wole lightly swere for a thynge of nought or of no char­ge / or custumably or falsly wyttyng wele that he sweryth false. or dispitously / or disseyuablye. or swerith any creature / or vseth any nyce othes / or vnleful othes alle these take goddes name in veyne. For ther owith noo man ne woman swere but for a treuthe of charge / and whāne it nedith to swere to witnes of treuthe. And whanne a man shalle swere he shal swere by his god / & by no creature.

Moche folke is so brought in custume. of swering that vnneth they can speke thre wordes to gidder but they suere by god or by some creature / or some grete or nyce othe

As I saide bifore wyc­kid custume excuseth nat synne but accuseth and aggregith syn And therfore it is to drede y ^t they swere so custumably & so lightly y ^t they syn dedly swere they sothe swere they false And therfore sa­lomon saith Iuracioni ne assues cas os tuū. &c. Ecclesi. xxiii.c. Lete nat thy mouthe saith he be vsed to swering / for many harde happes & fallinges been in such [Page] swerynge And name nat to ofte saith he goddes name wyth thy mouthe in swerynge / ne be natt vsaunt in sweryng to medle the with seyntes names For if thou do thou shalt nat be clere of foly swerynge / ne clere of synne For what man saith he swerith mo­che / he shalbe fylled with synne. and shreudenesse / and tribulatiō and disease shal nat passe fro hī & his housholde. For god saith y ^t who so taketh his name in vey­ne. he shalle nat passe vnpunysshyd Suche swerynge and dispisyng of goddes name is so orry­ble a synne in goddes sight / that as salomon saith in the same boke the xxvii.c. Whan that men herde suche swerynge. the here of the hede shulde aryse for drede / & they shuld stoppe their erys and nat here suche irreuerēce and dispyte of goddes name. Loque­la multū iurās horripilationem capiti statuit / et irreuerencia il­lius obturatio aurium.

The v. chapter.

Folke these dayes in iii. maners excuse hem of swerynge. Sūme saye y ^t they swere soo ofte for the loue y ^t they haue to god to haue hym ofte in mynde Sūme say why may nat I swere for I swere soth Sū me say but I swere ther wol no man leeue me

These been noo excusationes / but gre­uous accusacions & aggregyng of syn. For as for the first poynt it is fals For suche fals swerers loue nat their god / for they kepe nat his cōmaundemente And they haue him ful lytel in mynd & swere many an horrible othe in vanytie & shrewydnesse bicause of mys vse / whāne they thynke nat of god And therfore that excusation is an open scorne / and high blasphemye to god For if thy seruaunte had done a thyng that thou haddest forboden him the ofter that he dyd it the worse thou woldest be payed. And if he scornyd the and sayde y ^t he did it for thy loue to haue y ^t in mynde / thou woldest holde it a ful grete scorne / & be moch the more offendyd with him / name­ly if thou were his liege lord and his kynge Mochmore than god y ^t is lorde & king of al thinges is offēdyd w ^t them y ^t so swere ayēst his forbode / and excuse them so scornefully saynge that they do it for to haue god in mynde And therfore is for to drede that they shalbe put oute of mynde from among goddes chosen For crist pleyneth hym of suche folke to [Page] his fader in heuene / & saith thus Qm̄ quē tu ꝑcussisti ꝑsecuti sūt: et suꝑ dolorē vulnerū meorū ad diderūt. Fader in heuene saith he for asmoche as these wycked swerers / haue pursued with their wyckyd tonges. hym that thou smytest & sendyst to suffre dethe for saluacion of mankynd / and putte newe sorowe aboue the sorowe and y ^e bytter peynes of my woundes / that I suffryd for her synne and their sake / therfore fader putte thou synne to synne. That is to saye. lette theym fal fro synne to synne / and let them nat entre into thy rightwysnesse for to be sauyd Put theym oute of the boke of lyf / from amonge them that shalbe in blysse with­outen ende Lete theym nat be writen with the rightwyse folke that shalbe saued These ben crystes wordes plenyng hym to the fader in heuen of suche foul swerers. p̄o. lxviii.

It semyth herby that suche swerynge is fulle orrible synne and ful perilous. But what sayst thou of the secunde excusation.

We ben boūde neuyr to lye. and no thynge say but sothe Nathe­lesse we ben nat boūde to say al the sothes / ne we owe nat to swere for eurry sothe / that we speke For as saith seynt Thomas. deveritate theologie. Bothe he y ^t forswerith him ayenst the treuth and he that swerith w ^t the treuth withoutē grete cause bothe they take goddes name ī veyne For he that forswerith him wytingly he nameth souerayn treuth / and that is god and dispiseth it And he that sweryth withouten grete cause takith his name ī ydelship For he swerith withouten gode cause / and whan him nedith nat And so bothe lytel or nought set by goddes name / and so they take it in veyne

The vi. chaptre.

In howe many cases is it lefulle to swere.

In vii. cases clerkes and leude folke may swere lefully Firste for to saue man or woman from harme of his body. & & fro lesynge of his gode / whāne the treuthe may none otherwise be preuyd Also for confirmaciō of peas Also to kepe feith and treuthe amonges mankynde. Also for to kepe obedience. and ordinal subiection of the subgettes to their soueraynes. Also for to saue fredome of holy churche Also for purgation and saluaci­on of mannys name. and of his fame Also for assoylynge from a [Page] curse Extra li ^o i ^• de elect. signi­ficasti And ī euery othe mē must haue thre thinges. Whiche been treuthe dome and rightwysnes. as saith the ꝓphete ieremy iiii.c. For who so shal swere he muste haue treuthe in his conscience / y ^t he wote wele he swerith treuthe. For if he be nat syker / but only wenyth to be syker. he shal nat swere y ^t it is soo / but that he we­nyth that it is so as he sayth Al­so he must haue with him dome that is a gode and a discrete auysement or he swere / that he swer̄ nat but treuthe. And for ne­de. that he to whome he sweryth wole nat elles bibeue him ī thīg of charge that is proufitable to be bileuyd but he swere. Also he must haue rightwysnes / that y ^e thinge that he swerith for / & the maner of sweryng be rightful honest & leful. Extra li ^o ii. de iure iurando Et si xp̄s.

I wolde fayne fle suche othes / but as I saide firste. men wole nat leue me but I swere.

If it be a treuthe of charge right ꝓfitable to be leuyd & men woll nat leue the for thy simple word thanne it is leful to the to swere as I haue saide. But if it be a thinge of no charge ne nedefulle swere thou nat For if thou vse the to swere comōly for a thyng of nought / thou sinest greuously & makest other of wanbileue / y ^t they shulde no more leue the for thyne othe than they do withouten othe / And wyse men wol the lesse leue the for thyn othes For comonly grete swerers and vsāt swerers been fulle false.

Why so.

For in y ^t they take goddes name so in veyne. they ben false to god in their swerynge And sithen they been fals to god in their sweryng / they yeue lytel tale to be fals to man or woman in their swerynge / or to begile them with othes And therfore if thou wylt y ^e men leue the. by yhe. or nay. vse the to speke truly discretely & flee othes And so worship goddes name. and be true to god in biyng and selling in speche and in lyuynge And than men shulde leue the redily. Withouten any othe. Do so and speke so that men may holde the a trewe man And than men shal leue the by yhe & naye. better thā other with their greter othes. And if thou be variynge and vntrusti in thy worde and in thy dede / men wole neither bileue the by othe ne withouten othe.

Therfore sūme saye y ^e cryste forbad al maner sweryng whāne he saide in his gospel. Ego autē dico vobis nō iurare oīno M ^t v.c. I say to you y ^t ye swere ī no maner.

That [Page] is nat y ^e englisse of cristes word But this is the englisshe. I saye to you that ye swere nat ī euery maner / that is to saye for euerye cause nat light lyne custumably Also he badde by tho wordes. y ^t men shulde nat swere by creatu­res / as for wytnes / neither by heuyn for it is goddes trone Ne by erthe. for it is the stole vnder his fete Ne by ierlm̄. for it is the cite of the grete kynge. Ne by thyne hede / for thou mighte nat make one of thyn herys whyte ne blak Let your worde be yhe yhe. nay nay. M ^t v.c.

Must we than say twyes yhe. & twies nay

That thou muste if thou wylt be true. For the same yhe y ^t thou sayst with thy mouth thou muste say it with thyn hert And y ^e same nay that thou saist with thy mouth. thou muste say it with thyn hert For thy mouth and thyne herte must accorde togydder For if thou say yhe with thy mouthe. and nay with thyn herte / thou art fals & dost ayenst cristes lore.

yit Contra te Seynt Iames saith Ante oīa frēs mei nolite iurare. &c. Iaco­bi v.c. Bifore al thinges my le­ue brethern / wole ye nat swere. neither by heuyn ne by erthe. ne by any other othe / wherby it se­myth y ^t it is nat leful to swere.

Seynt Iames forfē dith vs nat vtterly for to swere. But he byddeth that men shuld nat be in wyll to swere any othe for men shulde nat but for nede

yit Contra te Crist byddeth in the gospel M ^t v.c. That our worde shuld be yhe yhe / nay nay Quod autem his habundancius est / a malo est. For what is more than this in spech it is of euyl. Wherby it semythe that if men say more than ye. or nay by othes swerynge / they do amys

Crist saide nat y ^t it was euyl to saye more than yhe or nay / or to swere whan itt nedith But he saide it is of euyl that men swere & say more than yhe or nay For it cometh of wā ­byleue of him that wole nat lee­ue his euyn cristen / but he swere Also it cūmyth of falshode of y ^e peple / y ^e moche folke is so false. y ^e vnnethes men may leue theim withoutē oth or by othe

Where fyndest thou y ^t god badde mē swere / or that it is lefull for to sweere.

In the gospel that thou allegist ayenst me M ^t v.c. Where crist saith thus. Reddes dn̄o iuramenta tua. Thou shalt yeld to thy lord god thyn othes That is to say thou shalt swere by him & by none o­ther / & therfore he saith. deut. vi Thou shalt drede thy lord god & serue hī alon̄ & swer̄ by his name

The vii. chapter.

Why forbidith crist men to swere by creatur̄s

Ther is ii maner of swerynge. One is a takynge of wytnesse of thynge. that a man sweryth by / and so it is nat leful for to swere by any creatur̄ For seynt poule saith. Hoīes ꝑ maiorē suū iurant. ad hebre. vi. Mē swere saith he by their more / y ^t is to say by him that is more of credence and of reuerēce than they been theim self But only god is more in dignitye and more in order of kynde than man. for he is both god and man And therfore he wole that we take in swerīg no wytnesse but only of him / for he is souerayne treuthe And therfore suche maner swerynge is a diuyne worship that longith only to god and to no creature For god wole that whāne men may haue no wytnesse of treuthe yat is nedefulle and profitable to be bileuyd / y ^t they take him to wytnesse and swere by hym as by souerayne treuthe and by no crea­ture For suche maner swerynge is a diuyne worship that lōgith to god & to no creature. As saith the glose M ^t v.c. sup illud. Nō piurabis. And as austyne saith. ī the same place / who so swerith by any creat (ur)e / he swerith by god y ^t made that creature And therfore criste bad. y ^t men shulde swere by no creatures. For if they doo lightly they falle in double syn. bothe in ydolatrye and in ꝑiury. Firste in ydolatrye. for the wor­ship y ^t longith only to god. they do it to creatures Also they falle ofte so in ꝑiurye. For men drede lesse to lye and to forswere them whanne they swere by creatures than whanne they swere by god allone.

The viii. chaptre.

ANother maner swerynge is by execration and imp̄ cation / that is whanne man or woman in his sweryng prayeth openly or priuely ayenst hī self. or ayenst any thinge that he lo­uyth / or any other thinge but it be as he saith. And thꝰ sūme mā sweryth by his hede / sūme man by his thedame For as seynt austyn sayth / he that sweryth so he byndeth him self & leith his hede & his thedame / in plegge to god. and prayeth to god that he leese his hede and his thedame. & ne­uyr thryue but it be as he saithe. or but he do as he saith or hotith Sūme swere by theire soule / by their chaffare & by al the gode y ^t they haue / and so bynde them to lese their soul / their chaffare & al their gode. and bynde their soul to the fyre of helle withoutē ēde but it be as they say. [Page] Sūme swere by faders soul and moders. and so asmoche as they may they bynd their faders soul and moders to the peyn of helle withouten end / but it be as they say / or but they do as they hoten Sūme in their swerynge praye openly ayenst themself / as whā they say so helpe me god. There they forsake the help of god but it be as they say Sūme say elles the deuyl brenne me / god gyue me elles myschaunce / and suche other. And of this maner swerīg is that solemne othe that mē make ī dome & oute of dome / whan men say. so helpe me god at the holy dome / or elles soo helpe me god and the holy dome. In this othe mē forsake y ^e helpe of god and of oure lady / and of alle the cumpany of heuyn at the day of dome / but it be so as they saye And ouir that if they swere fals. they clepe god to wytnesse. of a thynge that is false. and sayen that god whose name is treuthe beryth them wytnesse of a thing that is fals And so they lye on god and do him greate velonye. for he was neuir fals wytnesse. ne neuyr shalbe For he is soue­rayne treuth that nat disseyueth ne may nat be disseyued. And that shal these fals iurours fele at y ^e day of dome / but they amē de them.

Why ley men their honde on the boke whanne they shulde swere bifore a iuge.

For that men shulde charge their othe the more. For whanne he leith his honde on y ^e boke. he forsaketh alle the feith of holy churche / and alle the ho­ly prayers writē in the boke. but it be as he sayth Also he forsaketh alle the ioyes of heuyn writen ī the boke / and byndeth him to alle the peynes wryten in the boke / but if it be as he sayth. And ī that he leyth his honde on the boke in his swerynge / he forsakith alle the gode dedys that euyr he dyd or euyr shal do / but it be sothe that he swerith For in holy wrytt by the hondes ben vnderstonde werkes And in y ^t he sweryth so with his mouthe. & kysseth the boke. he forsakith alle holy prayers and gode wordes that euyr he spake with his mouth / or euyr shalle speke but if it be as he saith / & but he swere sothe. And if he forswere him with his mouthe / he maketh it vnable to resceyue the holy sa­cramēt of the auter / that is crist him self souerayne treuthe / vn­der fourme of brede.

The ix. chapter.

What saist thou of theym that thoughe they swere sothe / yitt in sligh wordes they disseyue their euyn cristen whiche vnderstond theym nat.

Suche be forsworne. For in ii. maners a man may be forsworne in swe­rynge soth. First if he swere soth in gilous wordes and slighe for to begile his euyn cristen For as saithe. Isodorus xxii. q̄. quinta. quacū (que). What crafte or slighte euir thou vsest in thy speche and in thyne othes to disseyue thyne euyn cristen / god that knowyth thy thought and thy conscience. takith it nat as you menyst / but as he vnderstondeth it / to whom thou sweryst so in disseyte. And as he saith thou dost double syn so swerynge For bothe thou ta­kest goddes name in veyne / and also thou disseyuest thyne euyn cristen.

Telle sūme ex­ample.

We fynde in the lyf of seynt Nicholas that a iewe lent a cristen man a greate sūme of gold vnto a certeyn day and toke no sikernes of him but his feith / and seynt Nicholas to borowe The day passide and y ^e cristē mā paied nat. Wherfore y ^e iewe chalēged his gold of the cristen mā bifore a iuge / for he said falsly that he hadde payed hym. Whan the iuge shulde sytt on the cause. the cristē man bithoughte him of gile and feynyd him seke & came lenyng on a staffe bifore the iuge / in whiche staffe he had putt al the golde y ^t he oughte to the iewe and more therto / for y ^e staffe was holowe And whanne be shulde ley his honde on the boke / he toke the iewe the staffe in his honde / prayng him to holde it while he made his othe The iewe thought of no gyle / but to­ke the staffe to holde as he prayed him And than the false cristen man leyd his honde on the boke & made his othe on this manere. By god and seint Nicholas & so helpe me god at the holy doome I toke the al the money y ^t thou chalengist and more therto And he saide soth / for he hadde taken it him that tyme in the staffe. The iewe was wrothe & said to him Now as wysly as you hast forsworne the by god & seynt nycholas. I pray god and seynt nicholas y ^t was thy borowe / y ^t hard vēgeaūce come to y ^e The cristē mā toke ayē his staf of the iewe & went homwarde ayen lenyng on his staffe Ther felle suche an heuynes of slepe on him that he leyd hī downe ī the way to slepe a lytel from the cite wher̄ he had [Page] made his othe / and leyd the staf with the golde faste besides him Came a carte and wente vpon him / and slewe him and brak his staffe. tyl the golde scateryd alle aboute Anoon the peple and the iewe also ranne for to see. What was fallen. And whanne they sawe the staffe broken / and the golde so scateryd about they knewe howe gylefully he hadde sworne. and thankyd god. and seint Nicholas. that the treuthe was tryed and shewid The iewe yaue that golde to pore folke / & bicame a cristen man.

This ensample is open. Nowe I se that gyleful othes been ful perilous Say forthe I pray the

Alsoo a man may be forsworne sweryng sothe vnwittingly and wenyth to swere fals to disseyue his euyn cristen As if I swore to a nother that it were nat day to disseyue him and lett him of his iourney / wenyng my self that it were day / al thoughe it were nat day but fer from day yit I were forsworne. As the lawe shewyth wel. xxii. q̄. ii. c. i ^o Also if a man swere a treuthe w ^t a blasphemye of goddes name. As if he swore by goddes bodye. herte / iyen / woundes / or any suche other / if he be customyd therto / he is forsuorne / whether it be sothe or false that he sueryth.

The x. chapter.

WHerfore leue freend ye shal vnderstonde that in vi maners a man is forsworne First if he swere ayenste his conscience. as whā he swerith false wyttingly though he do it for drede Also if he swere a thinge vnleful and ayenst charite / as if he swere to sle a man or defoule a womā w ^t his body / or y ^t he shalle neuir doo almesse to pore men / ne come in his neighbours hous Also if mā do ayenst his othe whiche is lee­ful alle though he do it for drede of deth / if the othe turne to none euyl ende Also if he swere treuth for disseyte and gyle as I sayde nowe late Also if he swere vnwisely / as saith Durandus in summa sua. extra. de iureiurando c. sicut. &c. tua. And if he do it w ^t auysement or vsaūtly / it is dedely synne. And he saith there that euery othe made vnwisely is periurye. Also if he compelle. a nother to swere wyttyng wele that he wole forswere him. As the lawe shewith wele xxii. q̄. iiii Inter cetera. And seynt austyn also ī a sermone that he maketh in the decollacion of seynt Iohn Baptyste. Where he tellith. [Page] That on a tyme a gode symple true man had lent a certeyn mo­ney to a false man / whiche forsoke it. and saide that he lente him none / wherfore the true man ꝓ­uokyd hym to swere. Wyttynge wele that he wolde forswere him and so he dyd. and the true man loste his money And the nighte folowyng the true man thought that he stode bifore a grete iuge. Whiche said to him on this wyse why didest thou that man swere sithen thou wyste wele that he shuld forswere him Lorde saide he for he denyed me my gode. Thanne the iuge saide to hym. It had be better to the for to ha­ue loste thy gode / thanne to slee his soul that god bought so dere with his precious blode. And a­non he dyde hym bete harde and sore / in somoche that whāne he awoke his backe apperyd fulle of woundes and al forbeten ful blake and blo. But whanne he repentyd him and axed mercye. his synne was foryouen him

The xi. chapter.

It mighte wele be so / for bothe toke goddes name in veyne / and dyd dispite therto / the swerer in that that he forswore him wyllynge & wyt­tynge / & he that made him swere For wyllyng and wyttynge he dyd he forswere him and dispise goddes name / and so he assētyd to ꝑiure And by the lawe both he that doth the synne. and he that assentith therto been gilty of the synne and ben worthy the same peyn But I pray the what saist thou of theym that swere so dis­pitfully and horribly by goddes body. hert blode and suche other

That maner swering is open blaphemye and grete dispyte to god And if a man or wo­man be vsaunt therto / swere he soth swere he fals. he synneth dedely For nat only suche take goddes name in veyne but also in grete dispyte. And therfore it is forfendyd by the lawe xxii. q̄. prima Si quis ꝑ capillū. Ther shulde no man swere by the here of cryste / ne by his hede / ne by no parte of criste / ne vse suche blas­phemye ayenste god in any ma­ner wyse. And if he dyd. but he wolde cease and amende him if he were a man of holy churche he shulde be deposyde and degradyde. And if he were a lewde mā he shulde be acursed and pursued by censure of holy churche. tyl he wolde amende him. [Page] And by the lawe imperial as the glose saith there / suche foule swerers shulde be punysshed with y ^e vtterest peyne and turmēt / saue dethe And therfore in almayne. suche ben punisshed shamefully in dyuerse cūtrees. And therfore in tho cuntrees ben vsed none othes / but it be bifore a iuge or elles for grete nede. Ther is theire speche as the gospel techith. yho & nen. that is ye and nay on en­glisshe. And they kepe more treuthe for yho and nen / thanne we do with alle the greate othes that we vse in this londe Of su­che foule swerers spekith seynte poule sayng that asmoche as in theym is they doo goddes sonne ofte on the crosse / and haue butt a iape and scorne of his passion. Rurfū crucifigentes sibimet ip­sis filium dei & ostentui. i. irrisio ni habentes. ad hebr̄. vi. For they can nat speke to an vnskylful beest / but if they to rēde crist w ^t their othes / & day & nyght re­rep̄ue crist of his shameful dethe y ^t he suffride for their synne & her sake And there y ^t they oughtē to take mooste mater to loue hym and to worshyp him / they take moost occasion of vnkyndnesse to dispyse him. For ne hadde he dyed bytter dethe and shameful for oure gylte oure synne & oure sake / shulde we neuir elles haue sworne by goddes deth / & ne had he wepte salte terys with his eyn for oure gylt & nat for his owne shulde we neuir elles haue sworne by goddes iyen And ne hadde he be stūge to the herte / & shedde his precioꝰ herte blode to wasshe vs from oure synnes / shulde we neuir elles haue sworne by god­des herte / ne by goddes blode. And ne had he suffryde the depe woūdes & bytter peynes ī his body & ī his bones to saue vs from helle peyne / shuld we neuir elles haue sworne by his woūdes / his body. ne his bones. ne his blode And so ayēst the endlesse loue y ^t he shewyd to vs we shewe hī grete vnkyndnes / & ayēst the grete worship y ^t he did to vs & brought vs to endles worship / we do him ouir grete velony. ¶We fynde in the miracles of our lady that sumtym ther was a iustice rightful in demynge / but ful gyltye in suche othes swerynge Sum­dele he was deuoute to oure la­dy. and grette her euery daye w ^t certeyne auyes / wherfore our lady by night apperyd to him and shewyd him a childe alle blody. The iyen were putte oute of the hede / and henge downe by y ^e chekys / the herte was rente oute of the bodye / and henge a downe. [Page] by the side. and al the body was for torne and wrappyd in blode Thanne she saide to him / thou arte a iustice yeue me nowe a ri­ghtful dome: what is that man worthy that thus hath arayede my childe. The iustice aunswe­ryd and sayd He is worthy to be hangyd by the necke in the fyre of helle withouten ende Thāne oure lady aunsweryd Forsothe. thou arte the same man / For I hadde neuir childe but this allone. Whiche was borne of my bo­dy for saluacion of al mākynd.

And thou asmoche as in the is hast put oute his eyn / whā thou swore by goddes eyn / thou rentyst oute his hert whan thou swore by goddes herte. Thou haste alle to rent hym with thy foule othes. And therfore a­mend the or thou shalt haue the some dome that thou hast youē and hange by the neck ī the fyre of helle withouten ende.

The xii. chaptre

What sayst thou of theym y ^t swere by the cock for god / sūme by god & by y ^e haldam. for god and the holy dome sūme by laken / for by oure lady sūme by cockes bodye / sūme by their hode some by their tepat & cap / and many suche other nyce othes. men vse nowe these day­es.

If they swere any suche othes for to begile their e­uyn cristen that vnderstonde hē nat / they synne dedely and been forsworne And for to couple to gydder god and the holy dome ī sweryng in ernyst or in game / it is a greuous synne. and dispyte and scorne to goddes name.

And if they swere suche othes nat for disceyte. but for to fle greter othes: yit they synne ful gre­uously if they be vsaunt therto. For they do ayenst cristes lore. that byddeth vs swere by no creature / ne to swere but for greate nede and grete profyt / and elles nat / but our worde shuld be yhe yhe. nay nay. And if a man be compellyd to swere he shal swer̄ by his god. and by noone suche nyce othes. Moreouir leue frēd whāne y ^t mā sweryth by his cap or by his hoode / or by any suche other either he swerith so by wey of wytnesse takynge or by wey of exetracion· If he swere so by wey of wytnesse taking he doth hym self foul velony For he maketh his hode of more worshyp. and of more credence than hymself. For as seynt poule sayth ther shuld no man swere for witnesse takynge / but by his more. [Page] & by his better And he offendith god ful highly / for the worship that lōgith only to god / he doth to his hode For why swerynge. [...]s for wytnesse is a diuyne worship that longith only to god. And if he swere by hode by weye of execration. soo y ^t he mote lese his hode but he saye sothe / It is an ouyr scornfulle othe / for it is no greate losse a man to lese his hode to wynne an hūdryd pūde.

And yit suche ben more true of their worde thanne other that swere greter othes.

Sumtyme it is so For the feēde temptith them lesse. & to the lesse synne for to holde theym stylle ī the greter / and so drawe other to the same synne that they ꝑceyue nat. For more syn it is to rubbe god of his worshyp. than to rob be a man of his catel But suche as swere by hode: do diuyne worshyp to hoode / and take it from god and make other to do more worship to hode than to goddes holy name And oft suche so sweryng kepe treuthe in smalle thinges and comon / to disceyue mē in greter thinges of more charge And therfore I pray the vse nat suche nyce othes / Butt lette thy worde be. yhe yhe. nay naye. as crist byddeth it / so that it be said with lownesse & reuerence And if it nede you to say more / say yhe truly / nay truly / or sikerly or sothely / for that maner of spech is none othe For it is nought elles to say. but I say ye truly / & nat falsly. I saye yhe sykerly / & nat disceyuably / and vse none othes but thou be compellyd by thy souerayne / or for a thinge of char­ge / & men shalle leue the wel by thy yhe yhe. and naye nay / withouten any more.

The xiii. chaptre.

Is it nat more syn a mā to swere him by god than by his hode

It is more synne. For the holyer that the thynge is that man swerith by. the greater is the synne & the ꝑiurye / as sayth y ^e lawe And more syn it is a man to forswere him by god than by creatures / or by fals goddes or mawmettys. And though if you swere by any othe or by any creature / that is nat lefulle to swere by / thou synnest greuously swere thou sothe swere thou false / But yit ꝑiury. by god is more synne thanne by creature.

If a man swere by his hode / is he bounten to kepe his othe.

yhis if his othe be leful and spede fulle. or elles he dothe synne to synne.

As the lawe saithe .xxii. q̄. i. [Page] Mouet te.

Is it lefulle to a cristen man to take an othe of an hethen man that swerythe by his false goddes.

yhe. if he may none other syker­nesse haue of him. But it is nat lefulle to a cristen man to styrre him to swere so. Exāple of this haue we Gen̄. xxxi. Where Laban swoore to iacob by his false goddes

Whāne seruaū ­tes ben sworne to their lord that they shalbe true to him and warne him of his harmes / been they bounde to telle him al the mys­cheuys falsededis. & vilonyes. y ^t been done to the lorde in house­holde or out of housholde if they knowe them

If the lord be felle cruel and baratous or suspecte ayenste the ꝑsone. that is giltye I trowe the seruaunt by y ^t othe be nat boūde to tel the lord therof / for to accuse the ꝑsoone. for so his othe is vnlefulle. For so in kepyng of his othe he shulde lede the lorde to greuous synne And therfore he shuld nat haue made that othe at the begī nynge / for it was semely y ^t mo­che disease might come therof if it were kepte. Nathelesse if that seruaūt that so swore knewe a­ny wight berynge or takynge away or wasting the lordes gode that he hath in keping / he owith to warne the lorde therof / but if he may the more peasibly haue it ayen / & saue the lordes ꝓfytte And euery seruaunt is bounden to warne the lorde of the harme y ^t is done to the lord in his office for gode feithe and saluacion of his owne persone / if it maye nat elles peasibly be redressed And a­nentes other defautes y ^t touchen nat his office / if he may ꝓue hem he is bounde to telle them to the lorde / if the lorde be pacient and skylful & nat to cruel If he may nat proue them / he is nat boun­de to telle them. As the lawe shewyth wele xxxv. q̄. vi. Ep̄s in synodo. et ii. q̄. i. Si peccauerit et q̄. vii. Plerū (que). vi. q̄. ii. Si tm̄ For if the seruaunt whanne he made that othe thought to bynd him to telle his lorde al the har­mes y ^t he knewe / though he my­ghte nat preue it / his othe was nat lefulle & therfore it byndeth nat Euery seruaunt is bounde by hisothe and by his feith to be true to his lorde & warne him of his harme & of his velonye in comon maner / but he is nat boūde for to accuse in special / but if he may preue it / but it be ful pryuely to suche one that wole ꝓfytte to the ꝑsone and nat harme him ne defame him / but only amēde him For by accusyng in special [Page] but if the pleynt may be preuyd fallith hate / fightyng / māslauȝter diffamacion & grete disese.

The xiiii. chaptre.

Whāne a comynte or a college. swerythe for them and their successours to do or to kepe a certeyne thynge in tyme cūmyng / if their successoures do it nat / ne kepe nat theire couenaunt / been nat their successoures forsworne.

Nay. For that othe byndeth the ꝑsones that swore and nat their successoures / as for ꝑiurye Na­thelesse the successoures ben boū den by gode feyth for to do & for to kepe. that their predecessours bounde theym to so swerynge / if it were leful / and haue the same proufyttes therfore that their p̄ ­decessoures hadde Extra e. veritatis. et Ray. li.i ^o. ti. de ꝑiurio.

Itm̄ pone

If a man make an othe to an other mā / may nat that other mā that he makith it to vnbynde hī from that othe / & forgyue it him

If it be so that othe be made principally in fa­uoure of goddes worship / y ^e mā y ^t he made it to may natt assoyle him ne vnbynde him from y ^e othe ne none other may but by chaungyng īto some thyng better. but nede or vnpower excuse him. If the othe be made principally in the fauoure of the man y ^t he swerith to / that man may wele vn­bynde him fro his othe And if he made that othe in fauoure of an other man / only that other man may vnbynde him from y ^t othe. but ony condicion put in the oth lette it As I swore to the that I shuld yeue thy fader x shelinges thou mightest nat vnbynde me fro y ^t othe But thy fader mighte wele vnbynd me therof

Whether is a man harder boūde. by vowe or by othe

The vowe byndeth harder For oure vowe byndethe vs by oure feythe & the treuthe that we owe to god to paye to him oure bihestes Oure othes bynde vs principally to be true to oure euyn crysten for reuerence of goddes ho­ly name. As saith iohēs in sū. con. li.i. ti. ix. q̄. xiiii. quero.

If a man or a woman haue do dedly synne / of whiche he is shreuen and contrite / may he swere sikerly y ^t he is nat gilty. of that synne / for to auoyd sclā der of him self and of his frēdes. and of other that wole nat leue him in that but he swere

For asmoche as he knowyth nat sykerly that he is sufficiētly cōtrite / he is natt syker whether [Page] his syn is foryouen him or natt. And therfore he shuld for no mischeyf swere so folily Moche more he shuld nat swere it of his owne profer / whan him nedith nat to swere. In sū. con. ti. ix. q̄ xii. qd de vxore. Extra li.v. de purgatōne canonica. accepimus.

What if a mā or womā make ii. othes contrarie y ^t maye nat be kepte bothe to gidder.

The firste shalbe kepte if it be lefulle. Hostiensis li.ii. Rubrica de iureiurādo. S. quot comites. v. Itm̄ si duo. But if a man make ii. vowes contrarie that may nat be kept / the greter shalbe kepte if it be lefulle / and for the other he shal do a syth by the dome of his p̄lates Sū. con. ti. viii ^o q̄. lxxxiii.

The xv. chapter.

What is a vowe ꝓpirly

Vowe is bihotyng of sūme gode thyng made to god with a auysement. As saith Reymūde.

Whan man or woman in anguysshe & disease makith a vowe to be holpen / been they nat boūden to fulfylle that vowe though āguyssh & disease catche. or styrre theym therto

yhis forsothe if they thought on the cause whye they made it. & were in purpose. than to bynde theym if they had their desire & helpe / in that nede. so y ^t by kepynge of theire vowe. they ben better disposed to kepe goddes cōmaūdemētes / for therto shulde al comon vowes deserue And the wyf that in peryl of childe beryng or of other seknes makith a vowe al if she oughte none to make / withouten leeue of her husbonde / yit she owythe nat to do ayenste y ^t vowe by her owne dome / ne withoutē dome of her souerayn / if she fele her holpen by the vowe. Nathelesse I trowe that her husbōde may vn­bynde her therfro / and her confessoure also / by chaungynge into some other gode dede / and namely if y ^e keping of y ^e vowe shuld turne īto p̄iudice of the husbōde. or lettynge of the better dede. For wyues owe nat to mak grete vowes that shulde be in disese and p̄iudice of their husbonde Ne children within age. shulde make none a vowe / withouten assent of their fader or of their tutoure Ne the seruaūte ī p̄iudice. or hyndrynge of his lorde or of his maister And if he do / his lord or maister may reuoke it / and so may the fader the childes / and y ^e husbonde the wyues Other vo­wes that been no preiudice to y ^e [Page] husbōde / the wyf may make as to say certeyne bedys But of no grete pilgramage / ne of grete abstinence / ne of continence / ne to yeue grete almesse / but if her husbonde be mys disposed ī his wit­tes / or nat rulyde of custome by reasone. For if her husbonde be vnpitous of nedy peple she may make a vowe to yef to porefolk to the plesaunce of god after her power sauynge their bothe asta­te

Whethir is more medful to do a gode dede w ^t a vowe or withoutē a vowe.

With a vowe / for vowe makīg is one of the highest worshyp y ^t man may do to god Quia est actus latrie. Also by vowe man lowyth him mooste to god. and yeueth to god the mooste yifte y ^t he may yeue that is his free wyl. As he yeueth a greter gyfte that yeueth the tree with fruyt / thāne he that yeuyth the fruyt / and re­seruyth to him the tree Also by vowe mānys wylle is more sta­bled in godenesse Nathelesse for asmoch as man and womā ben fulle frayl & chaungeable / ther­fore mē shulde nat make vowes but fewe and with a gode auysemente For brekynge of vowes is greate dishonoure to god.

What if a man make a vowe only vnder condicion.

If the condicion fall or be he is boūde / elles nat. And if a man bynde hym by dyuerse causes / if the one falle he is boū den though the other falle natt. As if I made a vowe. to goo to Seynt Iames in hope to fynde there my brother / and also to haue redēpciō of my sīnes / though I wyste after certaynly that I shulde nat fynd my brother ther̄ yit I were bounde to go thyder. for the other cause.

For howe many causes is mā or wo­man vnbounde from his vowe.

For iiii. causes First if the principal causes of his vowe makynge fayle As if a man make a vowe to faste alle the satdayes to haue helth of his child if the child amende nat he is nat bounde therto. Also if it be made vndre condicion / yat is nat ne fallith nat Also if he souereyne vnbynde him therof. Also by vnpower if may nat kepe it.

Thanne if a mayden make a vowe to lyue in maydē hode alle her her lyf / if she be corrupte and lese her maydenhode. she is vnbounde from her vowe. for she may no lēger lyue ī may­denhode

Al if she may no lenger lyue in maydenhode. yit she is bounde to ꝯtynence al her lyf / and to kepe her vowe in [Page] asmoche as she may And so it is of other vowes y ^t men may natt alle do / for they ben boūde to do that they may do. Moreouir ye shal vnderstonde y ^e sūme vowe is of nede / as the vowe y ^t we make in baptym / to forsake the fe­ende / and to kepe the feyth of holy churche. And other vowes of free wyl. as whanne man byn­deth him frely to do a gode dede. Withoutē which he may be saued as fastynge contynence pilgra­mage. Two thinges be nedeful in chagyng of vowe. Rightful cause. and autorite of the soue­raynes In dispensacion of the vowe of abstinēce or such other must be taken hede to the riches­ses or the pouertie of the persone

For a pore man ī caas owith to haue asmoche dispensacion. for a peny or for right noughte. as a grete lorde for an hundryd marke Sūme condiciones been vnderstonde in vowes thoughe a man say them nat / as I shalle do if I lyue / if god wole. Other condicions ben more special / as I shal visytte seint thomas if I go into kent By both maner of these condicions if they fayl mā is excused of his vowe / if it stō ­de ful in that condiciō The husbonde may nat entre into religi­on / but his wif make first vowe of ꝑpetuel contynence Neither the wyf ne the husbōde may make vowe of contynce withoutē other assente Solempne vowe of continēce lettith matrymony doon. and for to be doone. If it be nat solēne if the ꝑsone wedde the matrymony holdith. He must yelde the dette of his body to his wyf / but he may nat axe it of her Solempne vowe is made by takynge of holy ordre / or by entre into religion Thoughe a man or woman breke his fast bicaus of seknes / he brekith nat his abstinence. Extra li ^o v ^to de regulis iuris. quod non est li­citum.

The xvi chapter.

What if a man or woman swere a thinge in hastinesse / whiche othe he wold nat haue sworne if he hadde auised him.

If his othe be a meane to kepe the better god­des cōmaundement / & to fle thee by more syn & loue the more god he is boūde to kepe his othe. and nat elles

If childrē swere to do a thing leful whyle they be within age / may their fader & their moder reuoke that othe.

Fader and moder and his tutoure may reuoke the childes othes and their vowes / as sone as they knowe therof And so [Page] may the husbonde of his wyf. & she is boūde to obey to his reuo­cacion But if he go forthe whan he wote therof / & reuoke it natt. at the begynnynge / afterwarde he may natt by the lawe reuoke it / ne the fader the childes oth ne vowe.

I suppose he re­uoke it afterwarde.

Bothe the wyf to the husbonde. & the childe to the fader while he is within age owyth to obey A­uyse hym of the peryl that so re­uokith.

The xvii. chapter.

Whether is ꝑiurye. more synne or manslau­ghter.

Periury is more. For as saith seynt poule Ad he­breos vi.c. Men shuld swere by their better and their greter / and of euery contrauersye / that is to say. of euery cause that is in de­bate to conferme the true party. the laste ende is an othe For euery suche cause is termyned & en­dyd by an othe And sithē it is so y ^t the cause of manslaughter and of euery open synne touchynge mannys dome muste be termy­ned by an othe / ꝑiurye muste be taken for a passynge synne and so it is. For who so forswerythe him wyttyngly he forsakith his god And therfore ꝑiury is grea­tyst syn of al synnes next ydolatrye For it is ayenst the secoūde cōmaūdemēt / & īmediate ayēst god / & dispite & forsaking of god But manslaughter is īmediate ayenst mā And though man w ^t manslaughter greuyth god full highly / yit he forsakith nat god ne dispiseth hī / ne dishonoureth him so moche as he doth by ꝑiu­rye. And as the phisopher sayth. In principio metaphisice. Amō ges hethen mē othe hath euir be worshipful For euery sect. iewe sarsyn. paynym. fleeth to swere falslye by his goddes name / as moste incouenient And if man­slaughter were more syn than ꝑ­iurye / it were but a folye to trye the cause of manslaughter by a­ny oth For it is semely y ^t he that was nat aferide to do the greate synne of manslaughter / shuld litel drede to forfete ī the syn of ꝑ­iury if it were lesse And thus saiy seint thomas in qōe. de quolibet & Io ī sū. li.i. ti. q̄. xxiiii vt (rum).

If alle men chargyd ꝑ­iury and fals othes as thou dost many man hadde ben hangyd & drawen and slayne in otherwise y ^t yit lyue and farewele It is ful harde so lightly to sle a man w ^t a worde / whanne his lyf may be saued with a worde For a man costith ful moche or he come to be a man

Therfore men shulde bisily fle ꝑiurye and [Page] false othes For ther is no thinge that causith so moche manslaughter and shedynge of blode / as dothe ꝑiury.

Shewe me that I pray the if thou can.

Salamon saith Eccle. x ^o.c. The kyngdome is flyttyd and chaungyd fro nacion to nacion. for wronges. vnrightful­nes and despites done to goddes name in dyuerse gyles But ꝑiu­rye is cause of alle false domes & wronges / and of alle vnrighte­fulnesse / cause of gyle and trea­sone / & of greate dispites / y ^t been done to god and man For as I saide firste euery cause muste be endyd by wytnesses or by ques­tes / whiche been sworne to saye treuthe / and also by a iuge whi­che is sworne to god. and to the kinge to deme rightful doome. And if they that ben chargyd to say the treuthe yeue noo tale to forswere theym. and to lye / they shal disceyue the iuge / and doo him yeue a false dome Suche ꝑ­iurers robbe men of their gode / & disherite moche folke They sa­ue stronge theues / and slee true men Suche robbe folke of their gode name. such ben fals to god to the kynge / to prelates of holy churche. Suche been cause that this lōde is in poynte to be loste & to be chaūged to a nother nacion & īto a newe tūge And y ^t may nat be withoute shedynge of moche bloode and manslaughtere. And soo periurye is cause of moche manslaughter. Al­so ꝑiurye is cause why we haue so many theues & māquellers in this londe For they hope alway to be saued by ꝑiurye and falshede of questmongers / y ^t for lytelle gode wole forswere them. And therfore ī hope of ꝑiury they ben so bolde in their synne / to robbe sle. & brenne / for though they betakē yit they hope to scape by ꝑ­iurye And if they were siker that ther wolde no man ne womā forswere hī to saue them / they wold neuir be so bolde to synne And al other shulde be the more aferyde to synne / if they wyste wel that true dome shuld passe withoutē ꝑiurye. Suche synful wretches as saith the ꝓphete ysaie xxiii.c haue put their hope al in lesīges & in ꝑiury / & by lesinges falshede & ꝑiurye / they been mayntened. & nat chastised Also it is syn alle ayenst kynde to saue a theef ī dispyte of god / whose name they forswere ayenst his cōmaūdmēt For he byddeth that ther shulde no man take his name in veyne Also he saith Non suscipies vo­cem mendacii / nec iūges manū vt ꝓ impio dicas fal [...]ū testimo­niū. Exodi xxiii. Thou shalte nat take the voyce of lesynges. [Page] ne ioyne thyne hōde in making of couenaunte to bere false wyt­nes for the wyckyd man to saue him. Malificos nō pacieris vi­uere. Exodi xxii. Thou shalte nat suffre wytches & open male­factoures and felones lyue / but sle theim in chastisynge of other Sle one and saue many one. Also this is a syn al ayēst kynd and ouir grete foly / a man to sle his owne soule withouten ende to saue a theef that neuir wolde wayte him gode turne / but redy to robbe him & parauēture to sle him whan he may A grete folye to offende god by ꝑiurye to plese a theef a māqueller / that offen­dith god and alle the cuntre Suche been lyke the iewes y ^t sauyde barraban the stronge theef & mā queller: & slewe swete ihesu souerayne treuth y ^t neuir dyd amys. And as holy doctoures say a mā shulde rather suffre the moste dispitoꝰ deth of body than he shuld forswere hī or do any dedly syn. Moche more he shulde nat for­swere him ne do no dedly synne. to saue a theues lyf / that god. & londes lawe cōmannde to sle. ¶It felle late in this londe that a Scott appelyd an englisshmā of high tresone / whāne he shuld fighte bifore a iuge in their cau­se / the iuge as the maner is putt them bothe to their othe. Whāne the scotte shulde swere he said to the iuge. Lorde I came nat hy­der to swere I came to fight. for my chalenge was to fight / and therto I am redy / but swere wol I nat / for I made no chalenge to swere The iuge saide y ^t but if he wolde swere. that his appele was true / elles he shulde be ta­ken as a cōuycte & a taynt tray­toure / and be hangyd & drawen withoute fightynge And soo he was / for he wolde nat swere wittynge wele that his appele was false / and made only for malice as he knowlechyd er he dyed. This man might haue sworne. and happely haue hadde the better of his aduersary and escapid the dethe. With worshyp in this worlde But yit he had leuyr dye dispitefully / thanne do dispyte to goddes name / to swere falsly therby / and leuir to dye bodilye. than to do that ꝑiurye to god. & sle his owne soule. For he helde it as it is a greter synne thā mā ­slaughter And though he wolde auēge him on man for rancour of herte / yit on god he wold nat venge him by ꝑiurye. And soo god saued them both fro ꝑiury & māslaughter & yaue them grace to dye ī charite / & do a seeth both to god and man.

The xviii. chaptre.

Sithen ꝑiury is so grete a syn / what peyne is ordeyned therto by the lawe.

As the law saith xxii q̄. i. p̄dicādū. Asmoche penaūce shulde be enioyned for ꝑiury / as for manslaughter and auoutre. And they shuld neuir more be taken to swere or to bere wytnesse in any dome / but be forsaken in euery dome. as taynte fals. and alwey suspecte of falshede. And by londes lawe in many cuntre­es if they be taynt forsworne bi­fore a iuge: they shuld be disherytyd for euir. & their house be dra­wen downe / their wodes hewyn downe / & their trees also mānes hight aboue the groūd The stockes stōde stylle to endeles repre of theym & of al their kynred. For their is no synne so noyous to a reme & to euery comynte as is ꝑiury For y ^t is cause y ^t yer may no syn be punysshed / ne malefactoures ne felones chastised / nee wronges redressyd Men of holy churche shulde be degraded / and lewde folke accursed .xi. q̄. i. cō spirationū &c. cōiuiationū. Alle other synners whāne they haue done penaunce for their synne & been amendyd / ben by the lawe restored ayen to their fame / so y ^t they may be wytnesses in dome. & their oth owyth to be resceiued But ꝑiures y ^t ben taynt / shal neuir be restored to their fame: ne be taken for witnesse / ne his oth acceptyd in no dome / As saith hostiensis. li.ii. Ru. de testibus S. qs possit v. excipit. &. v. hoc idē Et extra li.ii. de testibꝰ. c. exꝑte / & vi q̄. i. quicum (que). And if he be teynt forsworne bifore a iuge / he is nat able to be any p̄late either in hooly churche / or in the laifee neither kynge ne busshop abbot ne prioure / prynce ne du­ke. or any chifteyne of worship

Why is ꝑiurye so harde punysshed by the lawe

For the synne is ouir greuous & ouir moche hauntyd / and for it is moste openly ayenste the sub­staunce of treuthe and wytnesse and moste maynteneth falshede and lettith moste treuth and ri­ghtwysnesse. As saith the same clerke hostiensis in the same place. Suche ꝑiurers may say that is writen. ysaie lix c. Concepi­mus et locuti sumus de corde vba mendacii &c. We haue con­ceyued false contryuynges. and we haue spoken of hert wordes of lesynge And therfore rightful dome is turnyde bacwarde / and rightfulnesse stode from ferre.

He durste nat putte forthe his hede / and treuthe fel downe. [Page] openly in the stretes He was borne downe openly / and noo man wolde helpe hī vp Equyte saith he ne euenhode in shiftyng. and in demynge might nat entre / for treuthe is al foryeten And he y ^t fledde from wycked / was euery mannes prey.

Nowe I se that ꝑiury is a fulle greuouse synne and fulle perilous to eue­ry comynte / & cause of moch mā slaughter / and shedyng of man­nys blode & lesynge of realmes. For as I haue red. the Realme of englonde for ꝑiurie & falshede was translated from britons to saxones Afterwarde it was trāslatyd for ꝑiurye from saxones. and englisshe men to the danys. Afterwarde whāne englisshe mē hadde the kingdome ayen by y ^e deth of the danys / they kepte it but two kinges tymes / seynted warde and horaldes / and anone it was translated ayen for ꝑiu­rye vnto the normaynes by wylliam duke of normandy / which slowe vp nigh al the cheualrye. of this londe / and chaungyd the lordship and the prelacy of this londe nigh alle vnto the frenche mē And what mordre & sheding of blode felle for these ꝑiurers in these thre tymes and chaungin­ges is fulle harde to telle. And nowe alas newly in oure dayes we ben fallē in ꝑiurye in the hy­ghest degre / nat one but nigh al And what blode hath be shedde sithe / bicause of oure ꝑiurye / no tunge can telle And this londe by shedyng of blode is so feblys­shed ī euery state that we be nat of power withoutē special miracle of god lenger to withstonde. And so it is ful moche to drede y ^t this Realme in shorte tyme for oure ꝑiurye shalbe translatyd a­yen to the britones / or elles to sū me other tunge. I pray the saye forthe what thou wylte

The xix. chaptre

Ferthermore I saide y ^t goddes name is taken in veyne by mysheryng For if thou haue liking to here grete othes of other men / or any mysswerynge / Or if thou wate natl veyne othes ne art nat myspay­ed whan thou heryst them / thou takest goddes name in veyne For thou doste no worship ther­to: as thou oughtest to doo For as salomon saith a mānys here shulde ryse for fere / and he shuld stop his erys whan he herde goddes name so dispised And if a man swere to the sadly ī goddes name and auysely / thou art boū dē to lene hī for worship of goddes holy name / but you haue y ^e more euidēce to y ^e ꝯtrarie. And but thou accepte his othe & yeue [Page] credence therto but ye knowe y ^e contrarye / elles thou takyst goddes name ī veyn For thou doste no due worshyp therto / but gre­te dispite / in that that thou wylt nat leue so worshypfulle a wytnes as god is / whome he takith to wytnesse so sweryng For many a symple man wolde be myspayed if thou forsokest him for wytnesse of treuth

If I fynde a man ofte false in his othes / though I leue him nat I do god no dishonoure.

That is soth / for thou may wel wete that god souerayne treuth beryth him no wytnesse ī his falshode And therfore doo worshyp to his othe and to goddes name and repreue his falsehode & dys­pyte. that he dothe to goddes holy dame Moreouir if thou here men swere or blasphemegoddes name / or name goddes name in vanytie / if thou haue likynge therin / thou takist goddes name in veyne. And but thou snyb or rep̄ue them if thou haue power ouir them / & gruche ayen a their synful speche / elles thou takyst goddes holy name in veyne. by heryng Also if thou haue likīge to here erroures ayenst the feithe of holy churche to cōsent to hem or shrewyd tales / or veyne tales medlyd with goddes name & vnhonest speche / ayēst the worshipful name of criste and of cristendome / whiche speche no gode cristen man ne womā owith to here / thou takyst goddes name in veyne by hering For if thou loue wele thy god thou shuldest natt here paciently any speche y ^t sow­neth dishonoure to his holy na­me For if thou louedyst wele a­ny man or woman / thou wolde here no speche sownynge ayenst their name and worship ne that might be causes of their offense. or velonye.

The xx. chaptre.

ALso goddes name is takē in veyne by brekynge of couenaunte made in goddes name / and cōfermyd by swerynge in goddes name. As whan peas and couenaunt is made bitwene kinges and realmes / by­twene comynties / and bitwene persones / and bitwene comynte & ꝑsone / & is confermyd by swe­rynge Than euery mā & womā that knowith it shulde fle to forfete in worde or dede ayenst the couenaunte & the pease / for re­uerence of goddes holy name by whiche it was confermyd. And all tho that wyttyngly breken suche couenauntes / or pro­curen by worde or dede or assen­ten therto. that suche couenaūt [Page] shulde be broken / if the couenāt be leful / al if it be nat plesaunte they take goddes name in veyn And alle tho that knowe of the couenaūte and of the othe / if by retchleshede of speche or of dede ben cause of brekynge of peas & of suche couenaūtes whether it touche theym or nat / they take goddes holy name in veyne and do dispyte therto / sithen the pees and the couenaunte was made ī goddes holy name / and confer­myd also. We rede also in ho­ly wrytte / Iosue ix. chapter. That whanne Iosue and god­des people biganne to conquere the londe of biheste / the folke of gabaon in gyle sent messangers to iosue to make peas with Io­sue and with goddes people. The messangers in gyle dyd on olde clothes cloutyd / olde shone patched and alle to torne They toke hored brede ī their scrippes. soure wyne in their botels. and lodyd asses with old hored brede in old sackes / and came so to iosue / and made a presaunt to him of olde vitayles and said to him ¶youre name springeth fer and wyde that ther may no kyng no nacion withstōde you Therfor̄ we be come to you for saluaciō of our lyues to make peas with you Thanne iosue and the peo­ple saide to theym If ye dwel in the londe that god hath yeuen to vs / we may no peas make with you Thanne iosue axed theym what they were and from whēs they came Sir saide they we ben thy seruauntes & came to the fro fulle ferre cuntrees / sente fro the lordes & the leders of oure londe to make peas with the Thou may see by oure araye y ^t we be come fro fer For whanne we come oute oure clothes and our shone were newe / they ben al to torne & alle to rente. Oure brede was newe baken / nowe it is hooryde Oure botels & oure wyne weren newe / nowe our botelles be nigh brusten / and the wyne is soure. and oure vytales and the p̄saūt that we haue brought to the ben nigh lost for elde And thus they lyed almoost euery worde & dis­ceyued iosue / for they duelte ly­tel ouir xx. myle thens Iosue toke their presaunte / and made peas with hem And he & alle the princes of goddes peple swoore to theym y ^t they shuld haue their lyues & their godes / within a fewe daies after Iosue came to gabaon / and began to fighte a­yenst the cite Anoon they came out & shewyd her charter of pees

And how that Iosue and the prynces of goddes people. also [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] hadde sworne to theym. to saue their lyues / the people wolde haue slayne theym bicause of their gyle Thanne iosue and the princes sayde to the people / we may nat sle theym For we haue sworne to theym in the name of oure lorde And if we forswere vs god shal take vengeaunce of vs.

I trowe y ^t clerkes these daies wolde say that they were nat bounde to kepe that othe / sithen they gate that othe of them with so grete gyle.

If they auysed hem wele they wold say as iosue saide For as I said firste. a man owythe to kepe his oth if it be leful though he made it for drede of deth For euery oth leful owyth to be kept though it be neuyr so moche ayenst herte. And that shewyth god wele aft (er) ­warde For as we fynde the se­counde boke of kinges xxi.c. Thre hūdryd yere after. Saule kyng of goddes folke slewe all the gabionytes y ^t he might fynd to plese his peple / whiche hatyd alway tho gabionytes for their gyle God was myspayed with y ^e dede / & lete the kyng saul soone after be slayne ī batayl / & al his housebolde / & moche of goddes peple After in tyme of Dauyd y ^t reignyd next after saul / ther fel suche an hungre in the londe of israel thre yere to gidder y ^t moche of goddes people perisshed Da­uyd axed of god what was the cause of that hungre God sayde that the dethe of the gabionytes whiche saul had slayn was cause therof. Dauyd sente after the gabyonites that were lefte. and sayde to them. I knowe wele y ^t for you this hūgre and myscheif is fallen in my realme Axe ye a­mendes what ye wole & I shall do it Thanne they saide we axe neither golde. ne syluer / ne noo mannys dethe of israel / but on­ly vengeaunce on saule and his kynrede that so wyckydly opp̄ssyd vs and destroied vs. We axe that euery man of his kynred be slayne. and that none be left of his kynrede. Dauyd might nat graunte that axynge for thothe that he hadde made to Ionatas the sōne of saul to saue his kynred Thanne they axed vii. men oonly of the kynred of saule. to hāge hem on the gebettes ayēst the sonne / and to sle theym dispitously ī punisshyng of y ^e spite y ^t saul had do to goddes holy na­me / ī y ^t he dyd ayenst the solēpne couenauntis y ^t his p̄decessoures had made & cōfermyd swerynge by goddes holy name For ī that saul toke that othe & goddes holye name in veyne. As sayth [Page] the maister of the stories. Whan this was done the hūgre ceased. and anone began reyne and plē tye of corne and fruyt.

This example is ful gode and shewith wele that euery othe le­fulle shulde be kepte And that euery man and woman shuld fle to do dishonoure or spite to goddes name Also it shewyth wele y ^t ꝑiurye and dispisyng of goddes holy name is cause of shedynge of blode / of hungre / and of myscheyf / And that god wole nat suffre that his name be dys­pised ne taken ī veyne

Therfore god saithe that euery man and woman that so takith his name in veyne. I shal do to the as thou haste hadde swering in dispyte. and chargyste nat to breke couenaunt / therfore thou shalt bere thy synne & haue dys­pite yerfore Eze. xvi.c. Also he saith thus by the prophete If ye wole nat here ne sette in herte to yeue worshippe to my name / I shal sende in you hungre & nede and myscheyf And I shal curse your blessynges / and take your mighte from you / that ye shalle nat withstonde. Malachie ii.c.

I thanke the moche. For nowe I knowe better thāne I dyd bifore / Howe the secounde commaundement shulde be kepte And what peril it is to take goddes name ī vey / ne. Nowe I pray the enfourme me in the thridde cōmaundmēt.

In the thridde com­maundement god byddeth that thou shuldest bithynke the. and haue wele in mynde to halowe thyn holiday. Sixe daies thou shalte worche and do alle thyne owne werkes. In the seuynthe day is the sabot / that is to saye. reste of thy lorde god In that daye thou shalte do noo seruyle werk / neither thou ne thy sonne thy doughter / ne thy seruaunte. man ne woman / ne thy beest / ne ne the straunger. that is within thy yate.

Why badde god that the seuynth day shulde more be halowed thanne the syxte daye.

For as god sayth there In syxe day­es he made heuene and erth and see / and alle thynge that is ther­in. And in the seuynthe daye he restyd and ceasyd of his werkes And therfore he blessyd that day and halowyde it / and ordeyned that in that day man and beeste shulde reste / And that man [Page] that day shulde specially thank god. For alle the creatures that he made bifore ī vi. dayes he made to helpe and seruyce and solace of man

Why saith holy wrytte that god restyd the se­uynth daye. sithen he trauayled neuyr For as seint austyn saith he made alle thinges withouten trauayl / & as holy wryt shewith Genesis primo .c. He saide butt this one shorte worde Fiat. and badde that it shulde be done / a­non it was done as he wolde.

Whanne holy wrytte saith that god rested the seuynth daye / he vnderstondeth therby y ^t in the seuynthe daye he ceasyde to make new creatures For euery thinge was made bifore ī the vi. daies either in the thyng him self / as aungel / light sonne mo­ne sterres / either in his kynde & ī his simylitude / as mā best fysshe foule and grasse / and tre / either ī his causes / as thynge gendryde of corruption / and thyng made by crafte For god ī his godhede. Was neuir in trauayl but alway in blisful reste withoutē ende. And therfore holy wrytte saythe nat that he restyd after his werk ne in his werke / but y ^t he restyde from euery werke that he hadde made For he hadde no trauayle for any werke / and he was natt holpē by his werke / for he made no thing for nede but al for loue

yit contra te. Cryste saith in the gospelle Io. Pater meus vs (que) modo opera [...]. et ego operor. My fader wor­chith vnto this tyme / and I worche also Therfore it semyth that god ceased nat the seuynth daye from euery werke

Two maner of werk is longe to god. creation and gouernaunce From the werk of creation he cesyd the seuynthe day / and thāne principally beganne the werke of gouernaunce and of kepyng whiche werke he cōtynueth and shalle contynue withoutē ende. And of this werke of gouernaū ce spekyth Cryste the wordes in the gospelle / nat of the werke of creacion.

Ben ther any mo skylles. Why god hadde the vii. day be halowed

Sixe skilles ther been as sayen these clerkes. Firste for god the vii. day restyd / that is to say / he ceased fro creation of newe creatures Also in tokening that god in the vii. day delyuered the children of israel from the harde ser­uage of egipte / and ledde theym through the rede see drye foote / ī to the reste of the londe of bihest As we rede in holy wrytt Deut. v.c. whiche deliueraunce was [Page] token y ^t mankynde shuld throu­ghe cristes passiō & by his blode. y ^t he shedde vpon the rode / be de­liuered out of the feendes serua­ge / and come to the endles reste. of the londe of lyf The iii. cause is y ^t men shulde y ^t day principaly yeue them to holy meditacione. and to thanke god of al his yif­tes & his benefices / and to lerne goddes lawe and to pryse god The fourth cause was to be to­ken that criste the vii day shuld reste in his graue / after y ^t he had traueyled vi. daies to refourme ayen mankynd that was lorne through adams synne. The v. cause was to be token y ^t vs must alle cese from vices and the vii. synnes / if we wole be saued. As the prophete saith. Quiescite a­gere peruerse / discite bene agere. ysa. i.c. Reste ye to do amys. and lerne ye to do wele The vi. cause is to betokene the endlesse reste that we shal haue from syn and peyne in heuyn blisse / for ye gode werkes that we do the vi. daies of oure lyf / that is to saye al the daies of oure lyf / & the vi. ages of oure syf. & for fulfillyng the vi. dedys of mercy which criste nameth in the gospel. For as we rede in the apocalips xiiii.c. The holy goste to whome this p̄ cepte is applied saith that mē after this lyf shulde rest from their trauailes / for their gode werkes folowe them.

The ii. chapter.

Sithen that god badde the vii daye shulde be halowed / why kepe we ye viii daye. that is sundaye. and natt the vii. daye.

God in the olde lawe yaue three maner of p̄ceptes For sūme wer̄ cerimonyal / sūme iudicial / and sūme moral The cerimonialles were but figure & shadowe of thī ges that were to come And ther­fore whan tho thinges were fulfylled that the cerimonyalles be tokenyd / the cerymonials cesyd & vanisshed. awaye / as the sha­dowe vanyssheth away by light of the sonne Iudicial preceptes were in punisshynge of synne / & iustifiynge / of whiche sūme ceased / sūme duelle yit stylle. Butt moral p̄ceptes y ^t teche vs to loue oure god. & oure euyn cristen / & to flee synne / & to loue vertues. tho laste alway / as the x. cōmaū dementes & suche other. And for asmoche as this p̄cept is cerimonial in party as anentes the ty­me / and in party it is morall / in asmoche as it techith vs to wor­shyp [Page] oure god / and to reste from vyces / Therfore in asmoche as it is moralle it is kepte / but in y ^• that it is cerymonyal / it is chaū gyd into sūday as for the better. For that that it figured and be­tokned is fulfillid That was ye reste of criste in the sepulcre ī the vii day / after the grete trauayle that he hadde vi daies bifore in reformacion and redemption of mankynde Alle be we bounden to worship god nowe in ye newe lawe / but nat in that maner ne ī that tyme that they were boūdē in the olde lawe.

Why is it more chaungyd in the sun­day thanne into an other day.

For the greate benefi­ces & the grete worshipful wounders that god shewyd that daye to mankynde For on the sūday the worlde begāne / & lighte and aungelles kynde was made. That daye god sente aungelles mete manna downe the the chil­drē of israel in deserte / and fedde them so xl. yere That daye god yaue moyses the lawe in moūte of synay That day criste was borne of the mayden mary to saue mankynde That day cryste rose from deth to lyf / yeuyng vs example and hope. to ryse from dethe to lyf That day the hooly goste lighted in cristes apostles. and in his disciples. That daye god shal come to dome / as saith a grete clerke dockyng / suꝑ deutronomiū. And so that day was the firste day and shalbe the last day that neuir shalle haue ende But it shalbe a daye of endlesse blisse to al y ^t shalbe saued For right as cryste rose vp from deth to lyf on the sunday / and neuyr dyed after ne shal dye / So shall al we in the laste sonday y ^t shall be ye last day / ryse vp from deth to lyf and neuir dye after / but lyue in blisse withoutē ende / if we make here a gode ēde This day is so worshipful that no bisshop may be sacryd but on the sūday. As saith Reymūde li.i ^o ti. de fe­riis. And right as the saturday was halowed ī the olde lawe for the reste y ^e god made in the saturday after the creacion & the wer­kes that he made in the vi. firste dayes / so holy churche throughe techynge of the holy goste hathe ordeyned the sunday to be halo­wyd for the rest that mankynde shalle take after vi ages of this worlde on the sondaye / whiche reste and sabott shal neuir haue ende Their sabott that was on the saturday turneth alway ayē to trauayl / but oure sabote that is in the sūday at the laste shalle turne into endles rest ioy & blisse [Page] Sabot in ebrewe is rest ī englisshe And euery day ī the woke is clepyd sabott & ferie y ^t is reste in englisshe For euery day we ben boūde to ferie & to reste from syn Also al the woke is clepyd sab­bot as there. Ieiuno bis in sab­bato. And M ^t vltīo. The sun­day is clepyd the firste day of ye sabbottes / as there. Vna sabbatorū. And M ^t vltīo. it is saide. Prima sabbtī. For it is first nat only ī ordre of daies / but it is also firste in dignite For the sabot & the reste in the solēpnyte of the saturday of the old lawe is now chaūgyd into the sūday / for syn of the iewes whiche slewe cryste on gode friday / & so putt oure lady seynt mary and al holy chur­che in sorowe & care & grete tra­uaile bothe friday and saturday while criste lay ī his graue. But for asmoche as he rose from deth to lyf on the sūday and apperyd to his moder and to his disciples vii sithes y ^e day / & so on the sun­day begāne the firste ioye blysse. & reste of the newe lawe / Therfore by goddes rightful dome ye iewys sabot on the saturday / tur­nyd them to sorowe & care & moche trauayle. and oure sundaye turnyd vs into grete reste & ioye and blisse And as the saturdaye was halowed by the olde lawe. for god graūted that daye firste rest to mankynde after his damnacion to ꝑpetuel trauayle for adams synne / so is nowe the sū ­day halowyd / for than criste grā tyd firste reste ioye & blisse to mā kynd in the newe lawe after his passion & the saluacion of man­kynde & the redempcion / & tnyd the sorowe that holy church had on the saturday by malice of the iewes / into reste & blisse on the sū day And so it is fulfylled y ^t the ꝓphete Ieremye saide .xxxi.c. Redemit dn̄s populum suum God hath boughte ayen his pe­ple with his p̄ciouse blode / and hath deliuered his peple oute of the feendes power I shal saythe god turne their mournyng into ioye / I shal glade theim of their sorowe and conforte them. And by the ꝓphete Osee he saide y ^t he shulde make the ioy of iewys sabotes / & of al their solennyties. and of al their feestes to cese bi­cause of their synne Osee .ii.c.

The iii. chapter

ALso for halowyng in the saturday was cerymony al For as we fynde ī diuerse places of holy wryt. & namely Ezechielis xx.c. Halowyng ī the saturday was a special token yo­uen to ye iewys wherby they sh­ulde be knowen from other peo­ple [Page] / and so was circūcision. and many other obseruaūcis and ce­rymonyes god yaue theim to be knowen from other people And therfore right as the circumcisiō and other obseruaunces / y ^t were bitaken them of god for tokē of distinction from other peple ceasyd in cristes passion / so cesyd halowynge in the saturday in Crystes passion For why. although it be a morall p̄cepte to halowe the vii. day / yit it is nat moralle ne byndeth vs to halowe the vii day in the saturday And therfor̄ we rede Exodi. xxxiiii. & xxxv ca. That whāne moyses hadde ben in the mounte of synay with god fourty daies and xl nightes withouten mete or drynke / and spoken with god and there takē the lawe of him in two tables of stone / two stemys and bemes of light risen oute of his face / as it had be two hornes so glysnyng & so bright / that the people was a dred of him & durste natt speke with him / and therfore he putte a veyl bifore his face whāne he shuld speke to the peple / and tel theym the lawes and the wyl of god And whāne he had so hydde his face w ^t the veyl / the first lawe that he yaue them in goddes na­me was to halowe the saturday And he spake no worde than of the other ix. preceptes / but tolde forth other obseruaunces & cery­monyes whiche longed only to the iewys / and were but figure. and shadowe of thīges to come. Whiche cesyd alle in cristes passion And soo he shewyd wele that halowyng in the saturday was cerimonyal / & shulde cease with other cerymonies in cristes passion And therfore whanne he bad them halowe the sat (ur)day / he put the veyle bifore his face in tokē y ^e halowyng on the saturdaye. & other cerimonyes and lawes yat he yaue them that tyme wer̄ but a veyle hilynge gostly vnderstō dyng / vnder figures of thynges that were to come. And whanne tho thinges were fulfilled by the passion of Cryste / y ^e veyle & mys­tihede of figures shulde be done awaye and cese. And in token therof in tyme of cristes passion. the veyle of the iewys temple to rent and cleef in ii. parties that men mighte se al the priuey thinges that were in the temple / whiche were bifore hyd fro the sighte of the people by that veyle Also the same texte of the cōmaundemente shewyth wele / that halo­wynge in the saturday shulde be translatyd into the sunday / that is clepyd the day of the sonne. For al though god cesyd in the [Page] saturday from makinge of thinges of newe kynde / yit in the sa­turday he made the saturday as he made eche day bifore in the same day But in the sonnedaye next folowyng he made no new day in kynde / for that was the firste day / and so he restyd more in the sunday from worchynge. thanne he dyd in the saturdaye. Also after greate trauayl owith to be more reste. But criste god­des sonne hadde more trauayle in recreacion & redēpcion of mā ­kynde thanne he hadde to make al this worlde For in makynge of alle the worlde he hadde noo trauayle / as seynt austyn saith. but only he bad it shuld be done. and it was done anon what he wolde But in recreation & redēpcion of mankynde he traueyled so that he swat blode for anguisshe / and dyed for trauayle & shed his herte blode / and cesyd nat of trauayl tyl in the morowe tyde of the sonne day whanne he rose from deth to lyf to comforte alle mankynde y ^t wolde leue in hym And he shewid openly than that he was and is lorde of al thing. And saide to his apostles. y ^t alle power in heuene and erthe was youen to him in his manhode. And therfore the sūday is clepyd the lordes day. Dies dominicꝰ. And therfore sithen god wolde y ^t the saturday shulde be halowed in the olde lawe / for god ceasyd thanne from creacion / and so in maner beganne to rest / moch more he wole that the sonneday be halowyde in the newe lawe / for god cesyd than from ye grete traueyl of our redempcion and our saluacion and recreacion.

The iiii chapter

FIgure of this we haue also in holy wrytt. Leuitici xxiii ^o. where we fynde that god badde the children of israel kepe principally vii feestes in the yer̄ of the whiche the laste was cle­pyd. Festum tabernaculorum. The feest of tabernacles He bad theym take bowes & braunches of palme trees and of other trees the feyrest that they might fynd and make hem tabernacles and logges & duelle therin vii. daies to gidder / ī mynde that god ma­de theym to duelle ī tabernacles & logges xl. yere in desert & there he sauyd them & kepte them and he hadde y ^t the firste day and the viii shulde be ful holy. By this feest of tabernacles y ^t came laste after ye other festes of the iewes ben vnderstonde the festes of ye newe lawe / whiche came laste in [Page] the ende of the worlde. after the olde lawe. For alle the festes of the newe lawe been festes of ta­bernacles For whāne god came to be man / he made firste his ta­bernacle in the mayde mary whiche tabernacle was arayed. and dight with the fairest braūches and bowes of grace and vertues and of gode thewys. that might be foūde in any creature / for she passyd al creatures in grace and godenesse. Of this tabernacle spekith the prophete. p̄o. xviii. In sole posuit tabernaculū suū et ipse tan (quam) sponsus procedens de thalamo suo. He made his tabernacle in the sōne / that was our lady mayden and moder brighter thāne the sonne. He came oute of her as an husbonde oute of his chābre Another taberna­cle god made him in oure māho­de and in oure kynde / that was the blisful body. Whiche he toke of the mayden mary For as the tabernacles wer̄ made of the fairest braunches and bowes thatt might be founde / so the body of cryste was made and gadryd to gydder of the clenest droppes of bloode that were in oure ladye. seynt mary clene mayden with­outen spotte of synne In this tabernacle god was boorne of the mayden on Cristmasse day. In this tabernacle he was circumcided / worshipped of thre kinges. and duellyd with vs ī erth ī our pilgramage xxxii. yere & more.

In this tabernacle he died for mākynde / and rose from deth to lyf on Ester day / and styed vp ī to heuyn on holy thursday. very god and very man / and there sytteth on his faders right honde a­boue alle heuenes in this taber­nacle lorde & kyng of al thinge. In this tabernacle he shal come ayen at the dome / to deme the q ⁱcke and the dede And alle the feestes that we holde of any seynte. We halowe them and holde hem for the gode dedys that they dyd whyle they duellyd here in the tabernacle of their body / ī hope to come to endeles tabernacles ful of ioy and blysse withoutē ende Of whiche tabernacle god spe­kith in the gospel whāne he byddeth the riche mē make pore mē their frendes / that they may res­ceyue them into endles tabernacles / of whiche spekith Dauid. Qm̄ dilecta tabernaclā tua dn̄e virtutū: cōcupiscit et deficit aīa mea in atria dn̄i. Lorde of vertues how louely and how lykīg been thy tabernacles / My soule saith he desyreth and longith. to entre into the halles of oure lord And for his desire is delayed / he [Page] faileth and feynteth for sorowe. And so the solēnyte y ^t euir shalle laste. shalbe a solēnyte of taber­nacles / whāne we shal duelle in endlesse tabernacles. With ende­lesse reste ioye and blisse. There the firste day and the eight daye shalbe ful holy / which day is ye sonneday For that the firste day & it is the viii. day and shalbe ye laste day euir lastynge in ioye & blisse· And therfore in the feestes of the newe lawe that ben festes of the tabernacles is the sunday principaly halowed / as god bad thāne For it was the firste daye and it is the viii. daye / & shalbe the laste day euir lastynge ī ioye and blisse.

The v. chapter

Why bad god that we shulde thynke to ha­lowe wele the holiday and the sabot.

Ther is thre ma­ner of sabottes / that is to say. of reste or of halowynge. Scilicet. pectoris temporis et eternitatis That is to say of reste of hert / of tyme / and of endelesse restynge. By reste of hert and of thought. men come to reste of tyme. And by reste of thought and of tyme. men come to endlesse reste. Soo withouten reste. of herte and of thoughte / may no man come to endelesse reste that the sabot and the holiday betokneth And therfore god bad vs that we shulde principaly trauayle to haue sa­bot & reste of herte and of thouȝt withoutē whiche rest & sabot we may nat wele halowe any holy­day And therfore Cryste sayd in the gospel. y ^t out of the hert whā it is oute of reste / come wycked thoughtes māslaughters / auoutryes / lechery / theftes / false wytnesses / dispyte of god. M ^t xv.c. whiche synnes distroye charitie. & peas / and been causes of moch vnreste in this worlde / and lette reste of tyme / so that vnnethes. may any tyme be reste And ther­fore god saith. thynke that thou halowe wele thyne holiday. Be thynke the if thou be in charitie and reste of herte with god & mā And if thou be stired ayēst thyn euyn cristen by wrath hate or enuye. or haue any heuy hert ayēst thy brother / go as god biddeth ī the gospel and be firste reconseyled to thy brother / & than come & make thyn offryng of holy prayer of thankynge of prisyng / and of thy giftes to god And butt thou do so and putte away alle rancour and heuy hert / elles thy halowynge and thy sabot is nat plesaunte to god Also bithenke [Page] the if thou be ī dedly synne / and repente the & be shreuen assoone as thou might in gode maner / & so offre vp thy self to god by charite / and by sorowe of hert & make thy self holy / and thāne arte thou able to halowe wele the holiday For as longe as thou arte ī dedly synne by wyl or by dede. so longe thou halowest nat thy haliday For thou doste seruyle werke of synne / and doist dispyte to the haliday. Which is ordeyned that men shulde thāne amē de them / and serue god more specially thanne in the woke daye. And as longe as man or womā is in dedly synne / he serueth the deuyl and nat god to plesaunce Also god biddeth that mē shuld bethynke theim to halowe wele the haliday For in the halidaye namely on the sūday men shuld drawe their wittes to giddre frō the worlde and bethynke theym if they hadde oughte trespassed / that woke by recheleshede or by couetise / or by lechery / or any o­ther wyse / and axe god foryeuenesse. Also thynke on the spede & benefices that god hathe sente theym that woke. or euyr bifore / and thanke hym therof. Thank him of his endeles mer­cy / and his endelesse charite that he shewyd to mākynde Thynk hou he made mā to his owne liknesse to be ayre and citezen of heuene. Thynke howe he made alle thynge for man. Thinke what blisse he hath ordeyned to man and woman if they do wel. What peyne if they doo euyl.

The vi. chaptre.

THerfore saith Origenes. suꝑ Leuiticum xxviii.c. On the sunday thou shuldest do no worldly thinges / but oonly yeue the to god and gostly thin­ges. Thanne saith he come to churche / ley thyne ere to goddes worde / thynke heuynly thinges thynke on the lyf that we hopen alle to haue in endlesse blisse. Thynke on the laste dome hou harde it shalbe and howe straite Take thanne none hede to this worlde ne to thynges visible. But on the haliday haue thy go stely iye principally to thinges. that ben to come / and yit ben inuisible. He that thus dothe saith he. halowith wele his halidaye. and he maketh ye sacrifice of ye sabott And therfore the lawe saith thus. We haue ordeyned y ^t alle sundaies be kepte with all maner worship from euyn to e­uyn / and that mē absteyne hem from al maner vnleful werkes. that ther be no markette holden on the sonneday / ne plee / ne no [Page] man dāpned to dethe / ne to peyne. ne othe taken solemnely / but it be for peas or for some greate nede. Extra li.ii. ti. de feriis. Omnes dies dominicos. The lawe saith that men shuld nought do on sunday / but yeue theym to god / ne doo no seruyle werke. But that day shulde be occupied in prisynge & wor­shipynge of god and in goostly songes. De con. di. iii. Ieiunia Mē shulde on the haliday serue god with hert mouth and werk. With herte. thynkynge as I haue saide / with mouthe wele spe­kynge in prayer prisynge & worshipynge of god / and gode īfor­macion of their euen cristen. In werke also of dedes of almesse. ī peas makynge & accordynge of neighboures and suche other. But nowe alas is fulfilled that Ieremye saide. Treno (rum) .i ^o.c. Viderunt eam hostes et derisetr̄ sabbata eius. The enemyes the feendes see mannys soule & womānes how it was defouled with synne on the haliday / and scornyd his halidaies and his sabotes For ye haliday was ordeyned in confusion of the feende & ī worship of god / & for saluacion of mannes soule / but nowe it is turned to shēship of mānys soul to dispite & offēce of god. & ī ple­saunce of the fende. For in the sunday reigneth more lecherye. gloteny / manslaughter / robbe­ry / bacbityng / ꝑiury / & other synnes / more than regnyd al the weke bifore And whan men come to churche / they leeue bedys byddynge / and spende their tyme in synfulianglynge. For there they caste gyle ayēst their euyn cristen There they holde their ꝑ­vys of manye wronges. Whiche they thynke to do. And therfore god may say to theim y ^t he sayde to the iewys. It is writen saide he y ^e myn hous shalbe clepyd an hous of prayer / & ye haue made it a dēne of theues / ī y ^e that ye cō tryue her gyle & falshede / to rob­be your euyn cristen of his gode of his right & of his fame. And therfore he sayth by the ꝓphete. Isaie i.c. My soule hatith your solēpnities & halidayes. They ben ful heuy to me / I haue tra­ueil to suffre them But therfore sayth he / whan ye shal lyfte vp youre hōdes to me I shal turne myn iyen away from you. And whan ye multiply youre prayer to me I shalle nat here you / for youre hondes be fulle of blode y ^t ye haue shedde and fulle of syn. And youre cūpanyes and youre gadrynges to gydder been fulle wycked. Iniqui sunt cetus vti.

The vii. chapter.

ALso leue frende god bade that men shulde thynk to halowe wele the holyday For mā and womā shuld so bethink them bifore ī the woke day and so ordeyne their occupacions / y ^t they shulde nat nede to breke the holiday. For if a man nedith to breke the holiday / and that nede come of his owne folye & of his misgouernaūce bifore / he is nat excused by that nede. Moche lesse thanne is he excused if that nede come of purpose and of co­uetise. And therfore they y ^t wole nat go ne sende to market in the woke daye to bye their necessaries / but abyde tyl on the sunday. for sparyng of tyme / they be nat excused though tho thinges ben nedeful to them Men shulde studye and dispose hem as besily to serue god on the sunday. as they studie bifore to traueyl for them self on the woke day For god hath graunted vi. daies to man and woman for to traueyle for them self / and the seuynth daye. he hath reseruyd to his seruyce ¶We rede in holy wryt Numeri. xv.c. That a man wente in the sabot day and gaderyd styckes He was taken and ledde to moises / and he putt him in prison til he had an aunswere of god what he shulde do with him. God had moyses y ^t he shulde be ledde oute of goddes castelles y ^t were clepid the duellinges and tētys of goddes folke / and there al the peple shulde stone him to the deth And so he was slayne spitefully / for he bithought him natt bifore to halow the haliday / for he might haue gadryd styckes in the day bifore And sithē he was so spyt­fully slayne for gadering of styckes to make therwith his fyre y ^t was nedeful to him Moch mo­re shulde they be punisshed that on the sūday gadre to gidre brō ­des of synnes of couetyse. of le­chery ꝑiury. and bacbitynge / to brenne with their soules in helle withouten ende but they amēde them.

What clepith god seruyle werkes.

Euery dedly synne is seruyle werke. For as Criste saith in the gospel who so doth synne he is seruaūt of synne and thral to the feende Qui facit peccatum seruꝰ ē pct [...] And suche seruile werke god forbedith euery day / but mooste on the haliday For who so doth dedly synne on the haliday he dothe double synne. For he doth y ^t syn and therto he brekith ye haliday ayenst goddes precepte Also seruyle werke is clepyd euery bodily werk don prīcipali for [Page] tēporel lucre and worldly wyn­nynge / as biynge and sellynge. erynge sowynge / mowynge / re­pynge / and al crastes of worldely wynnyng Also pledynge / motynge / markettes fayres sytting of iustices and of iuges / shedīge of blode and execution of punisshynge by the lawe / and alle the werkes that shulde let mā from goddes seruyce / and dispose him to couetise or to the feendes ser­uyce. Natheles if erynge & sowynge repyng mowynge cartyng and suche other nedeful werkes be done purely for almesse / and only for heuynly mede / and for nede of them that they been to. in light holidayes they been thā noo seruyle werkes / ne the holyday therby is nat broken Nathelesse in the sonnedaies and grete festes suche werkes shulde natt be done but ful grete nede com­pelle men therto

The x. chaptre.

Why bad god that bothe man & beeste shulde reste and halowe on the holiday

For as salomō saith. Sap̄. vi. & xi.c. God loueth al thinge that he made / & hath cure of alle thinges that he made. And therfore he ordeyned reste ī ye holidaies nat only for his owne worship and for gostly helpe of soule / but also for bodily help bothe of man and beste But the couetise of man were refreyned. by reste on the holiday he shulde neuir reste / But with trauail sle him self / his seruaūtis his subgettes / and his bestes And ther­fore both to saue man and beest and for grete ꝓfyte of man / god bad reste on the holiday For bo­the man and beste nedith rest aft (er) trauayle / and shalle be the more freysshe al the woke after to tra­uayle if they haue rest on the holyday And therfore it fallith oft that they which wole nat rest on the sundaye / been made to reste al ye woke aft (er) / either for seknes that they fal in by ouir trauayl. or by sekenes / or by feblenes of their seruaūtes / and of their beestes / or elles by deth. For often they sle their bestes by ouir mo­che trauayle / and contynuynge of trauayl And therfore in the begynnynge of the worlde whāne Adam synned in the sixte daye. by etynge of appyl ayenst god­des forbode. And that god hadde dampnyd him and al his to perpetuel trauayl for his syn

After this of his greate and endelesse mercy he tempryd and [Page] slakyd his harde dome / and or­deyned reste bothe to man & best in the seuynth day And therfore saith holy wrytt Gen̄ ii.c. That god fulfillyde his werkes in the vii daye / nat only for he maade than the vii day & cesyd of crea­cion / but also principally for he shewyd thanne first mercy ayēst synne grauntynge and bidding reste in the vii. day both to man & to beste whiche he dampned in the day bifore to ꝑpetuel traueil for adams synne / whiche mercy was fulfyllyng and ꝑfection of al his werkes Quia miseratōes eius suꝑ oīa oꝑa eius. For as dauyd saith goddes mercyes bē aboue al his werkes. And seynt Iames saith. Mercy enhaūsith rightful dome And but god had endyd his werkes in mercy in ye vii. day / and slakyde his harde dome ayenste mankynde for A­dams syn / elles his werkes had nat been complete ne parfyte / in asmoche as the principal creature for whome he made al thinge was loste. For whāne the fynall cause of any werke faileth / that werk is nat complete ne parfite. For this mercy that god shewyd to man whāne be ordeyned rest in the vii· day that was clepyde sabott. figure of endlesse reste of mankynde Crist saith in the gospel. that the sabot was made for man / nat mā for the sabbotte. Mar. ii.c. But synful man is so blent with couetise / y ^t he turneth his dampnation and his peyne. into likynge / and hath leuyr to trauayle to his vndoynge. and vnto his dampnacion / than to reste to his saluation And hathe leuir to folowe the harde sentēce of god to his punysshyng / thāne to take his grace and his mercy. to be esyd Suche ben lyke oules & backes / whiche hate the day & loue the night / lyke to the feen­des of helle that neuir haue reste ne for malice wole seke reste.

The ix. chapter.

MOreouir leeue frende we fynde iiii. maner of sabottes in holy wrytte One sabot of daies that was the vii / daye or­deyned of god for reste and ease. bothe of man and of beest Alsoo we fynde a sabott of monethes. ordeyned also of god for rest bo­the of mā and beest that was ye vii. moneth that man and beest shulde reste theym thanne. after the greate trauayl that they had in the ii. momethes bifore. ī whiche was their heruyste to gadre corne / wyne and oyle and other fruyt The seuynth moneth was [Page] Septembre. for thanne in that hote cuntre heruyst was al done Also we fynde a sabott of yeres. that was the seuynthe yere For that yere the londe restyd that it might bere the better and the more plētuously after / for that yere was no londe sowen Also we fynde a sabott of sabottes / that was the fyfte yere ordeynede of god for rest of the londe / of beest of man / and namely of theym y ^t were in trauayle of tribulacion. For thanne outlawed men my­ghte come ayen home in suretie. Thanne bonde men were made free and dettes foryouen Than men resceyued ayen their herita­ge By the sabott of daies / is vnderstonde reste from vices in the lyf actyf / that hath sixe daies to worche By the sabbot of mone­thes is vnderstonde reste. y ^e men haue in the lyf contēplatyf / bo­the from vices and tēptaciones For that moneth was moche holy / but nat alle holy. Righte soo they that haue the lyf cōtemplatyf they haue more reste from vices and temptacions / than they that haue the lyf actyf / but fulle reste haue they nat in this world By the sabot of yeres whāne the londe restyd the seuynth yere. is vnderstonde the reste. that oure soules shalle haue in blysse / whyles the erthe of oure bodies shal reste in the graue By the sabotte of sabottes that was the fiftithe yere is vnderstonde the reste wi­thouten ende / that we shal haue in heuyn / whanne we shal wēde ayen bothe bodye and soule / to our heritage y ^t we loste through Adams synne / whanne al oure trauayle and tribulacion shalle cese and alle oure woo turne to wele by vertue of cristes passion

The x. chaptre.

Sithen the sabott of daies was moste solēpne ī the old lawe / for it was nat leful to go that day ouir a thousande paas / ne to dight their mete / and more ouir that day were offryde two lambren passyng ye comon sacrifice that was doone euery daye / sithen thanne the solempnyte of the sabbotes is trāslatyd in the newe lawe▪ into the sonneday / why is nat the sonneday as worshipfulle in the newe lawe. as was the sabotte in the olde lawe. For as that was cle­pyd the sabott of oure lorde / soo the sonneday is clepyd the daye of oure lorde passynge other daies. And yitt we haue in ye yere many daies more solempne [Page] thanne the sunday.

Alle the feestys of the newe lawe ben the daies and the sabotes of oure lorde For al tho been of him self in him self / or elles of him self in his seintes In the old lawe was no feeste of oure lorde but only the sabot / whiche was halowed ī mynde of the creacion of the worlde / and ī mynde that god the seuynth day cesed of creacion. And also than to thanke him for his endelesse godenesse y ^t he shewed to mankynde ī his creacion / whan he made al bodily & visible creatures to serue man / & man to serue him here in grace and after in blisse withoutē ende Other festis of the olde lawe were but solēpnitees / & myndes of auentures and prosperites. that felle to the iewys in tyme of the olde lawe And therfore the sabot amonges them was most solēp­ne. And amonges vs also the sūday is moste solempne and holy for the grete dedys & woūders that god dyd in the sunday But for asmoche as it commyth ofte we make it nat alway lyke so­lempne For it fallith the sūday­es in whiche god shewyd his wō ders / as Ester day and wytson­day / to be more solempne: than other comon sundayes Other festes also as Cristmasse day / and epiphanye daye / in asmoche as they been oure lordes daies and come but ones in the yere Ther­fore we make more solennytee. in tho dayes / than we do comonly on the sunday And so we do ī many other festes / for al they be festes & dayes of oure lorde Na­thelesse ther is no day so solemp­ne in the self as the sundaye For that is alway solempne / for the wounders that god dyd therin. Other dayes ben sumtyme solē pne / & sumtyme natt solempne. after that the festes fal therin by chaungyng of the yere So that other daies haue no solempnite of hem self by custome ne by la­we / but only by fallynge of fes­tes as the yere chaungith The thursday was sumtyme as holy as sunday / for criste that day styed vp to the heuyn. And thanne bigāne the ꝓcession that we vse on the sunday For thanne Crist went in procession with his disciples oute of Ierusalem into the mounte of Olyuete / and there styed vp in sighte of theym alle. And the crosse that is borne by­fore vs in processione / betoke­neth y ^e Cryste dyed on the crosse.

And after roose from dethe to lyf. And on the holy thursday went bifore his disciples ledyng

[Page]¶theym vnto· the mount of oliuete But for asmoche as many newe festes co­men on / and it was greuouse to kepe two daies solempne euery woke / therfore the solennyte of thursdayes ceesed. and the pro­cession in mynde of cristes ascension was translatyd into the sū ­day.

Therfore me thynketh that the sundaye shulde be the more solempne.

So it is / and soo it owith to be moste halowyde thoughe hooly churche do nat alway than most solennyte For that day is ordeyned for rest ī the newe lawe both to man & to beest / as the sabotte was ordeyned for rest in the old lawe.

The xi. chaptre

Been we bounden by this p̄cepte to kepe the holidayes that holy church hath ordeyned in the newe lawe.

yhe forsothe For alle thoughe the p̄cepte passyde in y ^•. that it was cerimonyal as anentes tyme / yit it duellith in that it was & is moral / and byndeth vs to fle vices / & serue our god one day more than another / whiche day is the sonday ī the new lawe by ordenaūce of god & holy churche For as the gospel saith. M ^t xii.c. Dn̄s ē enī filiꝰ hoīs & sab­bati. The maydens sōne crist ihesus is lorde of the sabot. And for asmoche as it was soo euyl kepte in the olde lawe / & so mo­che blode was shedde ī the sabot & cryste him self suffryd so moch despyte on the sabote Therfore he was myspayed & saide by the ꝓphetes Isaie .i.c. & osee ii.c. That he shulde no lenger suffre their sabbottes / but as a lorde of the sabbottes he chaungyd that reste & solennyte of their sabbottes īto the sunday / for the skyl­les whiche I sayde bifore / which day al if it be the viii. day in the firste ordre of daies / yit is but ye but the vii. day in obseruaūce of the p̄cepte For we haue nowe vi daies to worche in / ī token that god ī vi daies made al ye world & the vii day we halowe as god badde vs / in token y ^t god the vii day cesed of creation & ordeyned reste in the sūday As seynt poul in his pystle / Ad colocensis ii.c. saith openly that the sabott and other feestes of the olde lawe were but shadowe and figure of the newe lawe And therfore after cristes passion tho festes cesyd and noo man owith to kepe theym. And who so kepith them in that he forsaketh y ^e Cryst was borne of ye mayden / & dyede for man­kynde. And seynte gregoure in [Page] his pystle Ad Ro. saith That al that halowe the saturday / for it was so holy in the olde lawe / ben antecristes disciples For ātecrist shal do men halowe bothe sun­day and saturday Sunday / for to drawe cristen peple to his sect For he shal fayne him dede and to aryse ayen fro dethe to lyf on the sonday And the saturday to drawe the iewes to his secte. De con. di. iii. Peruenit /

The xii. chapter.

Why wolde god make the worlde more in the nombre of vi. daies thanne in any other nombre of daies.

For as Salomon saith god made al thing in nombre weight and mesure He made no thinge to moche ne to lytel But he made euery thinge par­fytely in his kynde / and endyde al his werkes in ꝑfytnesse. And for the nombre of vi. is the first nombre euyn that is ꝑfyte / ther­fore he made alle the worlde in nōbre of vi. daies

Hou is the nombre of vi. more parfyte thāne another nōbre.

For al his parties y ^t mete him if they be taken to gidder make e­uyn vi. As one ii.iii [...] make euen vi. & these thre nombres mete hī. For sixe sithes one is vi. & thries two is vi. and twies thre is vi. And this ꝑfection is in no nom­bre within x. but in vi / And fro ten. to an hundryd is none butt xxviii And from an hundryd to a thousande is but this euyn nō bre. foure hundryd lxxx / xvi. The nexte is viii thousande an hundryd and xviii. And thanne no mo suche butt one within an hundryd thousande And who so wole fynde that he muste study After an hundryd thousande bē mo suche than al the clerkes vndre sūne tan telle / mo thanne a­ny herte may thynke or tūge tel and yit it is fulle harde to fynde one. And for that vi. is the firste parfite nombre in this maner. Therfore god wolde make this worlde in the nombre of vi­ī token that al his werkes were parfite And therfore saith holy writ Gen̄. ii / c. That heuyn and erth and al their araye were parfyte. And for the same skylle god made man the vi day as for a parfite and a noble creature / For the same skylle in the vi age of the worlde bicame man And on the vi day gode friday the vi / oure of ye day ī the vi age / he bought ayen mankynde with his p̄cioꝰ blode in token that al his wer­kes were parfyte And that same [Page] nombre of daies god hath graū ­tyd vs to worche in / in token y ^t alle oure werkes shulde be par­fyte & gode / and no thynge do amys / that we shulde for no couetise do to moche / ne for no sleuth do to lytel / but alway holde vs ī a meane and in euenhede For god graūtyd vs no tyme to syn. Therfore he wole alway y ^t we be euen with god and with our euē cristen / as sixe is alway euyn w ^t his parties to giddre.

The xiii. chapter.

Why bad god reste on the seuynth day more than a nother day.

In tokē that as seuyn cūmeth next after the parfyte nombre of sixe daies of worchynge / so after parfite werkes in this worlde shalle folowe parfyte reste in the other worlde Also he badde reste in ye vii. day for that passith the par­fyte nōbre in token that he wole no thinge be done passinge ꝑfec­tion And therfore al synne is cō p̄hendyd in vii. dedly synnes. For as vii passith the parfite nō bre of vi. so euery synne passith perfection and is oute of ꝑfectiō of alle gode werkes Also god badde reste on the vii. day / for he wole y ^e men reste them than both gostly and bodily. Gostly from besynesse & thought of the world Bodily. from bodyly trauayle. For why vii. is made of foure & thre· Foure betokneth bodily thinges made of iiii. elimentes. Thre betokneth mannes soule made to the likenesse of the holy trinite And therfore he bad reste in the vii. day / y ^t mē shulde than reste bothe body & soule. Also god badde reste in the vii day / in token / y ^t after ꝑfyte werkes shal folowe endeles reste bothe of body & of soule For this nōbre vii. in asmoche as alle tyme and all duracion is cōp̄hendyd ī vii dayes. therfore it betokneth endles lastyng And therfore reste on ye vii. day bitokneth endelesse rest Also frende god ordeyned reste ī the vii day reste / in token of vii. blisses whiche we shal haue for parfite werkes y ^t we do here ī vi. daies and vi. ages of this of yis worlde For anētis the body we shal haue foure blisses / brighte­nesse and beaute withoutē any spotte For as Criste saith in the gospel / men and wymen shal shine ī heuen / as bright as the sōne Also men shal haue there īpassi­bilite and helth of body / withouten al maner sekenes No thing shalle dere them ne disease them. Also they shal haue deliuerhede [Page] of body and lightnesse withou­ten letting / for they shulde be as light as thought / and in tuynklyng of an iye be wher̄ they wol Also they shalle haue soteltie of body. Withouten any withston­dynge / for ther shal noo thynge withstonde hem But as ye sōne passith the glasse without lettīg of the sonne / soo shal they passe ouir walle and euery thinge. at their wyl withouten any disease or any lettynge And anentes ye soule we shal haue the blisfulle sight of goddes face. brennynge loue to god / and to our euyn crysten / and alwaye haue him that we loue / and what we desire. There alle oure loue shall be in ioye / withouten wo drede and sorowe In this worlde euery loue is medlyd with wo / in tokene of these vii. blisses that we shal haue in endelesse reste for oure par­fyte werkes. Therfore god bad reste in the seuynthe day.

The xiiii. chaptre.

How longe owyth ye haliday to be kept and halowyd.

From euen to euen / As saith Reymounde & the lawe also. Extra li.ii. ti. de feriis. c. Omēs dies dn̄icos. And holy wrytt also and god hī self Leuitici xxiii. A vesꝑa vs (que) ad vesꝑam celebrabitis sabbata vestra. From euyn to euyn ye shal halowe your halidaies Nathelesse sūme begynne sonner to halow after that the feest is / and after vse of the cuntre. Extra e. quoniam. But that men vse in saturdaies and vigilies to ryng holy at midday ꝯpellith nat mē anon to halowe / but warnythe them of the haliday folowynge. that they shulde thynke theron. and spede theym / and so dispose hem and their occupacions that they might halowe in due tyme.

Is it leful for any caas in the sunday to gadre in corne. fruyt or hay.

Suche nede it may be that it is excusable as if they may nat in other day­es gadre it in for enemyes / as in tyme of werre / if they shulde gadre it they haue rightfulle cause to withstonde their aduersaries Also if corne or grasse be felde. & shulde be lorne but it were dight and gaderyd / it is leful in the halidaies to saue it and kepe it / so that goddes seruyce be nat lefte therfore But for to mowe / or to repe carte or to sowe in the sūne­day I holde it nat leful but ī ful greate nede. Principal festes shulde alway be halowyd / butt right grete nede compellyd men [Page] to worche / so that grete nede ex­cused hem For as the lawe saith Extra li.v. De regulis iuris. Nede makith leful that elles is vnleful by the lawe For nede hath no lawe De con. di. i. sicut et di. v. discipulos. Extra de furtis. Si quis ꝑ necessitatem Also it is lefulle to fisshe after he ryng on the sunday & other fisshe also. that may nat be taken but certeyn ceson of the yere / for whiche fisshe men muste go ferre on the see and longe abide. Extra de feriis. c. Licet. It is leful al so to do rightful bateiles on the sunday / and in other halidayes. for saluacion of the cōmyntie It is leful thāne to saue that elles shulde perisshe bothe mā and beste fruyt corne and other thinges alway with reuerēce of god and of the haliday. It is leful thanne to leches to help the seke folke It is leful to dyke walle. defence townes castelles / and to araye men to batayle in the sōneday whanne nede compellith / & peryl of enmyes Thus saith Io. in sū. con. li.i. ti. xii. q̄. vii. So that in al these and suche o­ther / nede and pite excuseth men Cryste helyd men in the sabotte. & repreuyd the iewys that were mispayed therwith / and sayd to them. Sithen a man takith his circumcision in the sabotte / why haue ye īdignacion to me for I haue made a mn a hole in the sabott / Io. vii.c. And in an other place he saide to the iewys / who is it of you that hath a shepe & it falle in the diche in ye sabot / y ^t he ne wole go and lyfte it vp oute of the diche But forsothe man is better thāne a shepe / and therfor̄ saide he / it is leful to do gode de­des ī the sabot and ī the haliday. M ^t xii.c. Another tyme cryst helyd a womā of an harde seke­nesse that hadde holdē her xviii. yere / she wente stoupyng al downe. and might nat loke vpward Thanne the maister of the lawe and of the synagoge was wroth and saide to the peple Ther ben vi. daies to worche in / come ye thanne and be ye helyd / and nat in the sabott. Criste aunsweryd to him Ipocrite / eche of you vntithe his oxe and his asse from ye maunger or crache in the sabott & ledith it to the water. Moche more it is nedefulle to vnbynde this doughter of Abraham ī the sabott from the harde bounde in the whiche sathanas hadde hol­den her bounden xviii. yere And al tho ypocrites were asha­myd By these examples Cryste shewyd that dedys of pitee and of almesse / and namely p̄chinge [Page] and techynge / by whiche mānes soule is losed out of the feendes bondes. been medeful and nedeful in the haliday. And he excu­sed dauyd by nede. that he ete of the holy looues y ^t no lewyd man shulde haue eten of by the lawe. Also he excused his disciples yat they g [...]yddyd the eerys ī the feld in the sabotte / and ete the corne. M ^t xii.c. For as he saith there. god loueth better mercy and py­tee / thanne any sacrifice.

The xv. chaptre.

NAthelesse. natt withston­dynge alle / this euery mā and womā shulde besily halowe the halidaye / and nat lightly for no smal nede breke the haliday. For god chargyd this cōmaundment ful highly / whanne he said Thynke that thou halowe wele the haliday And in a nother pla­ce. Deu. v.c He saith loke y ^t you halowe wele the halidaye And ī an other place of holy wrytte he saith Loke ye kepe wele my sa­bott and my day / for that is to­kē bitwene me and you / who so defouleth that day or dothe any seruyle werk in that day / he shal dye. Exo. xxi. Leuitici. xvi. et xix. Itē ieremye xvii. Ezechielis xx. & xxii. & xxiii.c. By ye lawe bochers / tauerners / & other vitailers may lefully dight ī the sunday vitayles to be solde ī the moneday / if they mighte nat di­ght them ī the daye bifore. to sa­ue them and their vitailes / soo y ^t it be done principally to goddes worship / and for the comon profytte Also marchauntes y ^t leden their marchaundise in the sūday and other halidayes to feires in ferre cūtre by londe or by water ben excused if they may nat lede them in other daies. Also messangers / pilgrymes / and wayfering men / that may nat wele rest w ^t outen grete harme ben excused. so that they do their deuer to her̄ masse and matyns if they maye For longe abidinge ī a mannes iourney is costful and perilouse Also they that lete to hire horse & carte / or shyp to pilgrymes. and to passinge folke in the sunday. to spede them in their iournaye. if they do it principaly for ease & spede of them that so hyretheim. they ben excused But if they do it principaly for lucre or for co­uetise / they be nat excused Also if men for hastinesse do them shaue or do their horse sho in the sū ­day whanne they may nat wele abyde / ne might nat wele doo it bifore / they ben excused / if nede compelle theym therto / and nat [Page] couetise ne sleuth. Mylwardes craste by wynde and water is leful in the sunday / after custome in the cuntre / for so it may be do with lytel traueyle. But for to do it with draught of beest in the sūday / it is nat leful. for it may nat be done so without grete traueyl Thus saith Io. in sū. con. li. i. ti. xii. De feriis et tabula iuris.

The xvi. chapter.

Is it nat leful mē to begīne grete iourneys in the sūnedaie / of longe pilgry­mage or of fer passyng

If they do it of custome or withoutē nede / they synne greuously al though they here their seruice er they wende / and namely men of holy church. that shulde in halidayes moste occupie hem ī goddes seruice / and deuocion and techynge of goddes lawe / and ye­ue the peple gode example to halowe wele the haliday. Prechoures that trauayle from towne to towne in the sunday and greate festes to teche the peple goddes lawe ben excused & wynne moch mede But be they ware that vndre colour of prechyng they rēne nat to moche aboute in veyne in the sunday.

Is it leful in grete halidayes to trauayle aboute makynge of holy churche as in cariage liftynge of stones. gadyng of stones & suche other.

As for a brayde it is leful / but nat to do no longe traueyl ne ouir grete y ^t shuld bryng men to werynesse to let them fro goddes seruyce For the haliday rep̄sentith endlesse reste and ha­lowynge withouten ende. And therfore I hold it vnleful to make grete cariages in the sunday. or any principalle feste. for any churche makyng.

Is it nat leful to helpe men of hooly churche in the grete halidaies to housynge in cariage & other tra­uayle.

If they be pore. it is leful as for abrayde to help theym in housynge But if they be riche ynough to pay therfore. in the werke day / it is natt leful to trauayle for them in sundaye and other grete festes.

Is it lefulle to vitaylers & other chapmē to ryde or go fro towne to towne in the sunday for to sel vitayles or other thinges in the churche or in the church yerde or at the churche yate.

Nay forsothe For ther shuld no suche market be holden in ye sū / day / neither in seintuary / ne out of seyntuarie. Extra de feriis. Omnes dies dominicos. And therfore ben market daies ordeyned [Page] ī other daies that men shuld than bye and selle / and halowe ī the sunday But it is leful to vytailers to sel vytailes ī their owne place / so that they do it prin­cipaly for almesse of their euyn cristen / and here their seruyce. Auyse hem that than bye.

Is it leful to worche in the sun­day whanne euensonge is sayd and whanne mē haue herde goddes seruyce.

Nat but the greter nede compelle them to worche as I saide firste For el­les men boundē to halowe from euyn to euyn. And therfore whā euensonge is done by mydouyr / none in the sunday / yit it is nat leful to worche And though the euensonge be sayde in the saturday by mydouirnone / yit it is leful to worche tyl the sonne goo downe Nathelesse so lytel the werke may be y ^t it is no synne to do it thanne.

Howe shulde men knowe howe moche werke is leful to doo in the haliday / & what nede excuseth man of traueylynge in the sunday / & in other grete festes / for couetise and wanbileue y ^t men truste nat to god / but wene that god shuld fayle them / put folk in drede of nede / whanne ther shulde elles. be no drede of suche nede.

Therfore if they might redily haue theire busshop / they shulde axe him coūseyl / or elles their curate / or some other gode wise man And if the nede be gre­te and open / their owne conscience owith excuse theym For they may thanne worche by auctoritie of the lawe. And if a man or womā axe counseyl in thinges of doute of him that he wenythe skylfully shulde yeue gode coū ­seyl / though the coūseylour fail in his counseyl yeuynge / yit the axer is excused / but he knowe y ^t the coūseyl is nat gode. or elles dyd nat his deuer to knowe that And for he lowith hī to axe coū ­seyl and forsakith his owne wit and his owne wyl he gettith moche mede.

The xvii. chaptre.

Whanne seruaun­tes traueyl in the sunday by compellyng of their soueray­nes / ben they excused bifore god by their maisters byddynge.

If they trauayl and do their maisters biddynge principaly for drede & for obedience. that they owe to their souerayn. and nat for couetise ne for none other euyl cause / & the maner of traueyl be leful in the self / than they been excused For as holy wryt saith God loueth more obedience than sacrifice. But ware [Page] the souerayne that cōpellith his seruaunte / in the sunday or any grete feeste withoutē grete nede. For to the souereynes is halow­yng of haliday principaly bodē For withoutē their wylle her seruaunt ne their beste. shal do co­mōly no seruyle werke

Steracles pleyes and daunces. that are vsed in grete festes. and in sundayes / are they nat lefull.

Miracles pleyes & daū ces that ben done principaly for deuocion honestye and myrthe. to teche men to loue god the more. and for no ribaudrye / ne medlyd with rebawdrye ne lesynges. been leful / so that the people be nat lettyd therby frō goddes ser­uyce / ne fro goddes worde herīg and that ther be no erroure med­led in suche miracles and pleyes ayenst the feith of holy churche. ne ayenst gode lyuynge. Alle other ben forfēdyd both haliday and werkday. De con. di.iii. Irreligiosa Et extra li.iii. ti. i. cū decorē. Where the glose saith that for to rep̄sente in pleyng at Cristmasse Heroude and ye thre kynges. and other processe of ye gospel bothe thāne and at ester. & in other tymes also / it is leful. and cōmēdable.

Than it semyth by thy speche y ^t in hali­dayes men may lefully maken myrthe.

God forbede elles For as I saide the haliday is ordeyned for reste and releuīg bothe of body and of soule And therfore ī lawe of kynde / ī lawe writen / in lawe of grace / & euyr frō the begynnyng of the world. the haliday hath ben solaciouse with onestie / both for soule and body / & for worship of god whos daye is that daye / solaciouse in clothinge in mete and drinke / in occupacion / honestie w ^t myrthe makynge And therfore the pro­phete saith. Hec dies quem fecit dn̄s: exultemus et letemur in ea This is the day y ^t god made / make we nowe mery & be we glade.

Contra. Seynt austyn saith y ^t it wer̄ lesse wycked to go at the plough and at the carte / & carde and spynne in the sundaye than to lede daunces.

Seynt austyn spekith of suche daūces and pleyes as was vsed in his tyme / whan cristen peple was moche medlyd w ^t hethē pe­ple / and by olde custome and example of hethen people vsed vnhonest daunces and pleyes that by olde tyme were ordeyned. to stire folk to lechery and to other synnes And so if daunsyng and pleynge nowe on the halidayes stire men & wymē to pryde to le­chery glutonye and sleuthe / to ouir longe wakynge on nightes. & to ydelship on the werk daies. [Page] and other synnes / as it is righte likly y ^t they do in our daies than ben they vnleful both on the haliday and on the werke day And ayenst al suche spake seynt Au­styn But ayenst honest daūces. and pleyes done ī due tyme and in gode maner ī the haliday. spake nat seint austyn.

Cōtrate. We fynde in holy wryt y ^t god badde his peple turmente their soules and yeue them to sorowe and mournynge in the ha­lidaye. Dies expiationū erit celeberimus et vocabitur sctūs. affligetis (que) aīas vrās in eo Oīs aīa que afflicta nō fuerit die hoc [...]ꝑibit de pplīs suis. Leuitici. xxiii. Thanne is semyth that god wole y ^e men yeue hem rather to mournyng in the haliday thā to myrth or to welfare.

Salomō saith. Spes que differtur affligit aīam. Prouer. xiii.c The hope the desire and the lon­gynge y ^t is delayed turmentithe the soule. For the more that mā or woman longith after a thing the more it is disease / tyl he hath his disese and his longyng. But nowe it so that the rest the mirth the ese and the welfare / that god hath ordeyned in the halidayes. is tokē of endlesse reste ioye and myrthe and welfare in heuenes blisse that we hope to haue withoutē ende. For there men shalle halowe withouten ende / from al maner trauayle thought & care. And therfore as I saide first god wole that we thynke on the haliday of the reste ioye and blysse y ^t the haliday bitokneth. and haue it in thought / in desire in lōging & hope to come therto And so turment oure soules by longynge & by sorowynge By longynge af­ter the endelesse reste And by so­rowynge y ^e for synne oure desire is so longe delayed In this ma­ner god wole that euery mā and womā turmente his soule in ha­liday / by loue longynge to god warde / & by sorowynge for god­des offence Nat to shewe greate heuynesse outwarde / and to doo bodily penaunce in any grete haliday Moreouir leue frende god badde nat that the iewys shulde turment their soules in euery haliday / but only in one solemnite that was clepyd the fest of clen­synge & of foryeuenesse For that daye god foryaue the iewys the grete synne that they dyd whan they made them a calf of golde. and siluer / and worshiped y ^e calf as god / and clepyd it theire god nat withstondynge al the woū ­ders that god hadde shewid hem a litel bifore / ledyng hem throu­gh the rede see drye fote / and drē chyd [Page] kyng pharo and al his oste and spake to them opēly by voyce of aungelles from aboue the mount of synay in thundre and lightnynge in fyre and smooke. and cloudes / ful grymme ī voyces of trumpe and of clarion ful dredeful to here And for asmoch as that greuous synne was first foryouen them in that day / and they were firste that day maade clene from that grete synne / therfore god bad theym halowe that day for ioy of foryifnes. He bad them also that day turmēt their soules for sorowe of y ^e greuouse synne / and for their vnkyndnes that they shulde haue mynde of their synnes & be ashamed therof And also haue in mynde goddes godenesse ayenst their shrewyd­nesse / and thanke him therof. This daye was the tenthe daye of Septembre.

The xviii. chaptre.

Where fyndst thou that god badde men mak mery & farewele in the halidaye

In the same place of holy wrytte. Leuitici. xxiii. Where we fynde that god bad ye children of israel take braūches and bowes of palme trees & of y ^e fayrest trees y ^e they might fynde. and make theym tabernacles / & duelle therin seuyn dayes to gidder euery yere onys / & there ma­ke mery bifore theire lorde god. in the mynde y ^t god made theym to duelle in tabernacles ī deserte xl. yere and there sauyd theym & kepte them fro wo And Esdras the prophete saide to goddes pe­ple This day is halowyd to our lorde god. Wepe ye nat ne mourne ye nat / ete ye gode metes and fatt / and drynke ye gode dryn­kes / and ye that may. sende ye parte to them that may natt / ne haue no power wherof to dighte them mete or drynke. Be ye nat sory for it is goddes holy daye Gaudiū etenī dn̄i est fortitudo vestra. The ioye of our lorde is youre strengith / that is to say. God is glade that ye be stronge glade and mery. Neemye viii.c. And therfore is fastynge forfendyd in the sunday. Di. xxx. Si quis tanqm̄ &c. si quis prisbiter. Where fastynge is forfendyd in the sunday And also ther shulde no fastynge be vsed moche from Ester to pētecoste y ^t is wytsontide / for ioye of cristes resurrectiō & of oure saluacion. Di. lxxvi. Ieiunia. Et de cō. di. i. Ieiunium.

Where fyndest thou in holy wrytt y ^e daūces & songes ben leful and plesaunte to god.

[Page]

We fynde Exodi xv. That whan the children of isra­el were passyd the rede see drie fote / soo y ^t the water stode in either side of them right vp as a walle and god hadde drenchyd kynge pharo and al his oste / than moyses made a mery songe and pry­synge to god / whiche songe be­gynneth thus in latyne. Can­temus dn̄o gloriose: enī magni­ficatus est. Thāne mary the suster of aaron toke her tymber in her honde / & al wymen y ^e mighte toke her tymbers ī her hondes. & wente daunsynge and syngyng the same songe prisynge & wor­shipynge oure lorde god. ¶We fynde also in the secounde boke of kinges in the vi / chaptre that whāne dauyd shulde fetche goddes hutche into ierlm̄. Dauyd & al the people of israel went ther with & pleyed in al maner myn­stralcye / songe and daūcyd and skypped for ioye. and so prysed and worshiped god But michol saules doughter and Dauydes wyf scornyd dauyd for his daū ­synge and for his skyppynge / & said. that it was nat semely to a king so skippe & daūce as a knaue. bifore the people & bifore her maydens. Dauyd saide to her. I shal pley and daūce bifore my lorde god y ^e hath chosen me to be a kinge. & put thy fader & al thy kyn from ye crowne I shal pley bifore my lorde god / & put me in lower degre for his loue / and belowe and meke in myn owne si­ght to plese god y ^t made me king And for y ^t mychol scornyd so dauyd for his skippynge & his daū synge and his lownesse / therfore god made her bareyne / y ^t she had neuir childe as saithe the booke there. ¶Also god gladyd his pe­ple y ^t was in care & moche tribu­lacion / & sayd. yitt shal maydēs make mery in songe and daun­synge / & olde folke to gider For I shal turne their care into ioye. & glade them & conforte them of their sorowe. Ieremye xxxi.c.

It may wele be as thou saist For myrthe and gladnesse. conforteth men in goddes seruyce / and heuynesse dullith and lettith al maner lykyng

Therfore dauyd saith. Seruite dn̄o in leticia. Serue ye oure lorde in myrthe & gladnesse But two thinges leue frende must be kepte in goddes seruyce. and in gode lyuyng / sadnesse and gladnesse. Sadnesse in chere and in doynge. Gladnesse in hert thynkyng. Sadnesse withoutē sorynesse of malice / of wrath hate / and of enuye. And gladnes withouten folye and ribaudrye.

And therfore leue freende I praye you saddith wele / butt [Page] baddith nat Be alwaye gladde. but neuirmore mad by no folye Alway sad / alway glade / so yat youre gladenesse & your sadnesse be alway medlyd with likynge and loue of god / & w ^t deuocion.

The xix chapter

Why been these iii. preceptes clepyd the p̄ceptes of the firste table.

For whanne god yaue moyses. the lawe in the mounte of synay he toke him the x cōmaundemē tes writen in ii. tables of stoone In the first table were writen ye thre firste cōmaundmentes whiche teche vs how we shulde worship oure god. & loue him aboue al thinge And therfore they ben clepyd the p̄ceptes of the first table / both for worthynes of them self. and for they were writen in the firste table. In the secounde table were writen other vii. cōmaūdementes / that teche vs to loue our euēcristen as our self / & ben clepyd the p̄ceptes. of the secounde table And so al the x. p̄ceptes ben cōprehendyd and closed ī the ii. p̄ceptes of charite. The firste precepte of charite is this / y ^t thou shalt loue thy lorde god with al thyn herte / with all thy soule. With al thy mynde / w ^t al thy might. Whanne he saith thou shalt loue thy god with al thyne herte / he excludeth al maner of ydolatrie / that is for forfē dyd by the firste cōmaundmēte. that no man set his herte / ne his feyth ne his truste in no creatur̄ more than in god / ne ayenst goddes worshippe. For who so loueth wele another / he hathe kyndly a trust and a feith in him And after that he loueth. so he trustith And ther̄ he trustiy moste / comōly he loueth moste. And therfore god badde y ^t thou shuldest loue him with al thyne herte / y ^t is to say w ^t al thy feithe so that thou sett al thy feith and thy truste in him bifore al other as in him that is almightye and may best helpe at nede And ther­fore the firste p̄cepte of thies iii. is applied prīcipaly to ye fad (er) almighty. Also god biddeth y ^t thou loue him with al thy soule / that is to say as seint austyn saiy w ^t al thy wyl. Withoutē cōtradiction / y ^t thy wyl be nat contarie to his wylle / but alwey conformed to his wyl. And in that he byd­deth y ^t thou take nat his name ī veyne But as thou haste taken the name of crist / & art clepyd cristen / soo confourme thy wylle. thy lyf. & thy speche to the wylle of Criste. y ^t thou wole no thyng ne do no thynge. ne say no thīg. ayenste his wylle by thy wylle. [Page] & thy wyttynge / ne make none othe ne vowe ayenst his wyl. & his worship. And tho that thou haste made to his worship kepe them / and hope sikerly y ^t if thou fulfille goddes wyl here in erthe he shal fulfyl thy wyl in heuyn. And loke that thou spende alle thy lif and thy beyng to his worship and in his loue And thanne louest thou him w ^t al thy soule. in whiche principaly is thy lyf & thy beynge And therfore if thou spende nat thy lif and thy beyng in his loue / thou louest him nat with al thy soule And therto thou takest his name in veyne. for his name is. Qui est. That is to say / He that is. For al thīg y ^t is takith his beyng of him And therfore if thou spende thy lyf & thy beyng in synne and vanitie. thou takyst his name of beynge in veyne Also loke that thou spende al thy wytte in his loue. y ^t thou study to knowe the treuy y ^t is cristes name For he saithe Ego sum veritas. And so study to fle falshede & folye by help of criste goddes sonne y ^t is al witty And therfore the secoūde cōmaū demēt is applied to the secoūde ꝑsone in trinyte / y ^t is the sonne al wytty Also he biddeth y ^t thou loue him with al thy mynde / withouten foryetynge of his benefi­ces and of his yiftes to the. & to mankynde And in that he byd­deth the kepe wele the halidaye. Whiche is ordeyned principally y ^t mē shulde than withdrawe her thoughtes and their mynde. frō the worlde / and thynke thanne on god and on heuynly thinges Than thynke on their owne vnkyndnesse and of goddes gode­nesse as I sayde firste And ther­fore he saith Memēto. Thynk that thou halowe wele the halyday That is to say / loue god w ^t al thy thought and with al thy mynde / that thou be in wyl no thynge to thynke ayenst his plesaunce / and that thou haue ly­kyng to thynke of him by grace of the holy goste / to whome the thridde cōmaundement is applied / withouten whome as seynt poule saith. We may thynke no gode thought The firste p̄cepte is applied to the fader almighty y ^t may best helpe at nede. For mawmettes and ydolatry may nat helpe The secounde p̄cepte. is applied to the sonne alwytty. Whose name is treuthe and souerayne wisdome For he knowith al he may nat be disseyued And treuthe shulde natt be taken in veyne / but alwaye worshipyde & wisely mayntened The thrid p̄cept is applied to the holy gost whiche is clepid. paraclitus. y ^t is to saye comfortoure. [Page] For the halidaye is ordeynyde. to comforte bothe of soule. and of body / to comforte a man and and beste And the holy goste cō ­fortith vs in sorowe and care / & he is bote of euery bale. He yeueth reste after trauayl / He is so lace in disease / and he abatith careful thoughtes / and yeueth pe­es and reste in herte And therfor̄ the prophete saith to him Logi­tacio hominis confitebitur tibi. et reliquie cogitationis diem festum agent tibi Mānes thought shalbe aknowe to ye his myscheuys / and the remenaūtes of his thoughtes shal make a haliday to the in the sunday and other festes. Secundū multitudinē do lorū meorū in corde meo: conso­lationes tue letificauerūt alam meam. Lorde saith he after ye multitude of sorowes in myne herte / so thy confortes haue gla­dyd my soule For the holy goste biddeth that mē reste from their traueyles here in the halidayes. and after in endlesse blisse.

The xx. chapter.

ALso leue frende / as the gospel saithe Mar. xii·c. ye shal loue god with al your hert with al your soule / with al your mynde / with alle youre mighte. that is to say / as seint Bernarde saith / ye must loue him. dulciter. prudenter / fortiter / Swetely. Wisely / mightily / Swetely wiy al youre herte / with alle youre. soule / that ye haue likyng ī him passinge al other. Wisely with al youre mynde & with al your thought / y ^t ye studye and be besy night & day to do his plesaunce. & to fle his offence Also ye muste loue him mightily & stedfastly y ^t neither wele ne woo deꝑte you. from his loue And therfore seint poule saith y ^t no tribulacion hū ­ger ne thruste / hete ne colde / lyf ne dethe / ne no creature shuld departe vs from the charite in crist if we louyd him as we shulde loue / ye shal loue youre god with al youre hert / so that ye loue no thinge but for him & in him. ye shal loue him with al your soule so y ^t ye spende al youre wylle. & alle youre affection in his loue. ye shal loue him with al your mynde / so that ye spēde al your thoughtes in his loue. ye shalle loue him with al youre mighte. so that ye spende al youre mightes in his loue / so that ye assente to no thing / ne thynke no thing ne do no thinge / ayenst his ple­saunce / ne y ^t shulde lett his loue. ne departe you from his loue The firste cōmaundmēt techith vs to loue him mightily The ii. techith vs to loue him wisely. [Page] The thrid techith vs to loue him swetely in ease and reste of herte By the firste cōmaundment god techith vs feith and right bileue By the secoūde he techith vs ho­pe For as he saith by the ꝓphete Qm̄ in me sperauit liberabo eū: protegam eum qm̄ cognouit no men meū. For he hopyd in me I shal deliuer him. and I shalle defende him for he hath knowē my name. Beatus vir cuius ē nomē dn̄i spes eiꝰ: et non respex it in vanitates. et insanias fal­sas. p̄o. xxxix. Blessyd be that man whose hope is in the name of oure lorde / and hath taken hede to no vanityes ne to no false wytnesses to forswere him / and to take goddes name in veyne. For as seynt poule saith / ther is no name in whiche we may be sauyd / but goddes name swete Iesus And therfore they that haue goddes name ī worshippe / may haue siker hope to be sauyd And tho y ^t haue it in dispite owe to be in grete drede. By the thridde cōmaundement. god techith vs charite For charite and gode lo­ue is reste in euery wo & trauayl For loue makith traueyl lighte and easy / that shuld elles be ful diseasy. By the firste precepte of charite we be bounden to shewe loue to god in herte / in worde / in werke And therfore god biddeth that we shuld loue him with all our herte / with al our soule and mynde / y ^t is to say w ^t al our spe­che For speche outward is tokē of thoughtes īwarde Also he biddeth vs loue him with al our mightes / that is to saye. W ^t al oure werkes. And so the first p̄cept of the firste table techith vs to loue god with alle oure herte The secounde techith vs to loue hī w ^t alle oure worde / and shewe hym loue ī speche For who so loueth wele a nother / he wole speke go­de and worship of him that he loueth / and be glade to here of his gode name and speke him gode. & worship / and sorye to here his name dispised and diffamed By ye thrid cōmaundmente we ben taught to shewe loue to god ī dede / y ^t is to leue oure owne oc­cupacions on ye haliday & yeue vs prīcipaly to serue god & to be occupied w ^t hī / & no thīg do but for his loue & to his worship / or for grete nede of oure self For who so loueth wele a nother / he wole seke a tyme to speke w ^t hī. & dele w ^t hī And therfore god biddeth vs halowe wel the haliday & than attēde to hī & occupie vs w ^t hī as w ^t oure dere loue / y ^t made vs of nought / and bought vs with his blode ful dere / & saueth [Page] vs / and kepith vs / and yeuethe vs al that we haue of any gode and fyndeth vs alle that vs ne­dith and moche more And if we loue him in this maner with all oure mightes and oure dedys / & oure werkes / and halowe thus the haliday & the sabot y ^t he hath boden vs halowe / He shulde ye­ue vs a sabot and reste in heuen blisse / where as saith ysaie the ꝓphete. shalbe sabott of sabottes. that is to say endlesse rest betok nyd by temporel rest in the hali­daye. And moneth of moneth / y ^t is to say endlesse myrthe betoke nyd and figured. by temporalle myrthe in the haliday. ysaie lx [...] vi.c. Amen.

¶Ca. i.

As me thyn­keth thou haste de­clared the cōmaundmentes of ye first ta­ble ful wele and parfitly to mā nes soul Now I pray ye for goddes sake ꝑfourme that thou hast begūne. and declare to me ye cō ­maundementes of the secund table / y ^t I may the betr̄ knowe goddes lawe / and the more plesauntly serue my god / in kepe me the more peasible in charite w ^t myn euencristen. For as I haue vn­derstonde / al the seuyn cōmaūdmentes of the secounde table be knytte in the secounde ꝑcepte of charite whiche biddeth vs loue our euēcristē as our self

Mankynde hath ii. begynnyn­ges The firste begynnynge and begynner is god. The secounde begynnyng and begynner. is ye fader and moder By the first cō ­maundemēt of the first table we be taught to worship god aboue al thinges / as him that is begynnyng of vs and of al creatures. By the firste cōmaundement of the secounde table we be taught to worship fader and moder yat been oure begynnynge next af­ter god And therfore he saith ī ye firste cōmaundement of the se­counde table. Honora patrem tuum et matrē tuā. That is to saye / worship thy fader and thy modre. By the preceptes of the firste table he taughte vs to loue god aboue alle thinge. By the preceptes of the secoūde table. he techith vs to loue oure euencristen as oure self. And for asmoche as charite is moost shewyd by worshipynge and helpynge of oure euencristen / ther­fore he begynneth by teching of [Page] worship that owith to be doone to them that we owe by weye of charite moste to worshippe after god and mooste to helpe that is fader and moder And therfore he saith. Honora patrem tuū et matrem tuam. Worship thou thy fader and thy moder. By which cōmaundement we ben boundē to helpe oure bodily fader & mo­der at nede and be to theym buxum and meke / and fle their dis­plesaunce. nat dispise them / nat āgre hem vnskylfully / nat bāne ne warie them / ne harme theym ne scorne them for none age / for none vnclenesse / for no wanwyt ne folye that they say or do / but supporte them ī their age and feblenesse / as they supportyd vs ī oure youthe / and holpe vs. and kepte vs in oure feblenesse / whā we coude nat ne might nat help oure self. ¶We fynde Genesis ix.c. That Noe had thre sones. Sem Cham & Iaphet. Whanne the floode was doon it happyd y ^t their fader noe dranke so wyne. that he was drōke / for he knewe nat the might of the wyne. For bifore the flode men dranke no wyne ne ete no flesshe. And whāne noe was thus drōke / his myddel sonne Cham fonde him liggynge bare / so that he might se his preuy membris And anon he laughed his fader to scorne / & wolde nat hile his fad (er) / but wēte and told it to his brethern iapīg and scornyng his fader But his brethern wolde nat se that nyce sight / but turned their face from their fader and cast a cloth vpon him and hiled him onestly. Whā ne noe awoke. and wiste whatt his myddel sonne Cham hadde doon to him. he was wroth with him and cursed his Canaan and al that shulde come of him / and made him thral & bonde to Sem and Iaphet / and to their childrē after them And thus for scornīg and vnworship y ^• that the sonne dyd to the fader / begāne first bō dage and thraldom and was cō fermyd of god.

Sithē Cham dyd the synne & nat cha­naan whiche was yit but a child why cursed noe the childe chanaan. and nat cham the childes fader.

Noe wolde natt curse Cham in his persoone / for god hadde blessyd him in his persone with his bretherne anoone after the flode And therfore he cursed his sonne / and him in his sonne / and punysshed him in his sonne / and alle that shuld come of him For it was goddes dome that right as he hadde do shame to his fader / so his children shuld be shame and shenship to hym [Page] And as noye hadde no ioye of hī so shulde he haue no ioye of his children.

The skylle is gode and rightful / saye forthe

Therfore Salomon saith. Oculum qui subsannat patrē: et despicit partum matris sue / suffodient eū corui de torrē ­tibus & demones / prouer. xxx.c The iye that scornyth his fader and dispiseth the birth of his moder / rauyns of the brokes / thatt is to say. feendes of hel brokes. shal delue oute and pyke oute y ^e iye. And therfore he saith in an other place. Honora patrē tuā et gemitus matris tue ne ob liuiscaris. Memento qm̄ nisi ꝑ illos non fuisses: et retribue illis quomodo ilu tibi. Eccle. vii.c. worship thou thy fader / and for yette nat ye sighinges of thy moder. ne what peyne she had whā she bare the of her body. Thynk that but by theym thou haddest nat been / and yelde them and do to theim as they dyd to the. And god bad him self in ye olde lawe y ^t who so cursed or waried his fa­der or moder / he shuld be slayne Leuitici. xx.c.

The ii. chapter

Manye children wolde ful fayn se their fader and their moder dede / y ^t they mighte haue her heritage / & lyue at their owne gouernaunce And ofte whāne they may natt haue it by their gode wyl ne by theire dethe / they wole haue it by plee. and by maistrye.

Such children fulle late shalle thryue. and they shal haue ful lytel ioy and worship of her children / but moche shame and shenshyp For as salomō saith He that cursith his fader or his moder or disesith theym / his lanterne shalbe quenchyd ī the myddes of derknesses. that is to say either he shal none eyre haue / or if he haue he shalle be withoutē worship For the heritage saith he to whiche childrē hasten fast in this maner / shalle want blessyng and grace of god in the laste ende. Prouer. xx.c. And in a nother place he saith / y ^t who so withdrawith any thyng from his fader and from his mo­der. and saith it is noo synne / he is as wyckyd as a manqueller. Particeps homicidie ē. Prouer. xxviii.c. Also we fynde in the secounde boke of kinges xv.c. y ^t absolon the sōne of Dauid wold haue put his fader dauid out of his kingdome / and he droue him oute of the cite of ierlm̄ barosote For he came so sodeynly on him that dauid was besy to fle. and [Page] saue his lyf Sone after absolon yaue batayle to his fader in the felde. But as god wolde he was discounfited / and moche of his folke slayne / bothe by swerde. & by the wylde beestes.

Thanne absolon fledde rydynge on his mule. discheuele. y ^t is open heded And as he rode vnder an oke / his here that was ful longe and ful feyre smote vp a­monges the bowes / & there fastenyd so that ye mule passyd forth in his rēne But absolon henge stylle by the here. tyl that Ioab. that was cheefteyne and prynce of the oste of dauid came to him and smote him through the hert with thre sperys / and dyd stoone him ful vp to the deth / that was the moste dispitouse dethe in the lawe And soo absolon that was thā ye fairest mā lyuīg / for haste that be hadde to the eritage and dyd suche wrong to his fader / he loste bothe his heritage and his lyf Also adony his brother wold haue been kinge while his fader dauid lyuyde / and dauid priued him of the kingdome for euir. & made salomon kinge / that was thāne nat xi. yere olde And afterwarde adonye was slayne for he wolde haue ben kinge ayēst his faders ordenaūce Therfore god bad ī the old lawe Deutro. xxi.c y ^t if ther were any vnbuxū child & wrawe y ^t wolde nat obey to his fader and moder / they shuld lede him to the rulers of the cite. and say to them in this wyse Oure sonne is stoute & proude / he wol nat here oure techyng ne our biddyng / but he yeueth him to ryot glutonye and lechery / & to grete festes and fare And god bad y ^t al the people of the cite or of y ^t tow­ne. shulde sle that vnbuxū child with stones / in example of alle other For whanne yonge folke. Wexe rebelle to fader and moder and yeue them to suche ryot and welfare / and ydelship / but they be chastised & withstōde ī the be­gynnyng / they shal shēde the comyntee of the peple / by robbery. murdre & manslaughter / by colisions & wicked cumpanyes and make rebellion & risynge ayenst their soueraynes / and so be cau­se of destruction of the londe of the cite and of the comynte Also M ^t xv.c. Criste in the gospel repreueth al tho that by ypocrisy. Withdrawe nedful lyuyng from fader or moder / vnder colour of goddes worship and holy chirch And he repreueth tho men of ho­ly churche that so enfourme the children to say to their fader and moder. that they may nat wor­ship god and holy churche for ye [Page] coste y ^t they do to susteyne theim self / and so make fader and mo­der to lyue in myscheyf / y ^t mē of holy churche may lyue in delice.

The iii. chapter.

NOt only by the precept of god ben we bounden and taught to worship and help our fader and oure moder / but alsoo by example in kynde as tellithe the maister of ꝓpirties. That whanne the stork that is clepyd Ciconia. in latyn hath brought forth her briddes to flight / both the male and the female bē woxen fulle feble for trauayle y ^t they hadde in the bredyng and bryngynge forthe of their briddes / and so feble that they may natt wele helpe theym self For bothe the male and the female sytte by dyuerse tymes on the eyren / & chaū ge their traueyle in bredynge of their briddes / and in fetchyng of mete and drynke for them self. & for their briddes. And therfore whanne the bryddes been woxē and may fle / they fetche mete to their fader & moder into the nest as longe tyme as they traueiled to brynge forth their byrdes / tyl they be releuyd and may traueyl to helpe them self. Also he tel­lith y ^t ther is a bridde that is cle­pyd a pellicane. Pellicanus. And ther is a greate enemyte bi­twene the pellican and the addre The addre waiteth whanne the pellican hath briddes / & whanne she is out of the neste to gete mete to her & to her briddes. the ad­der crepith vp into the neste and sleeth the briddes. Whanne the pellican cometh ayen / and fyn­dethe her briddes slayne on this maner / she mourneth three day­es and thre nyghtes for dethe of her briddes. The thridde day she settith her ayen ouir her briddes. & with her bylle she smytethe her selfe in the syde. and spryngithe the blode on her briddes And by the vertue of the bloode she ray­seth them fro dethe to lyf. By the bledyng she wexith so feble y ^t she may nat traueyl to fede her self.

Thanne some of her briddes for loue and pitee put theym to traueyle and fede their moder / & some yeue no tale of her but on­ly fede theym self. Whanne the moder is amendyd. and woxen stronge / tho briddes that helpyd her she loueth and cherissheth. And the other y ^t wolde nat helpe her / she betith and bylleth and castith them oute of her cumpany.

The iiii. chaptre.

[Page]

This precepte biddithe vs worship fader and moder / & y ^t we may do withouten ony coste and with lityl trauaile / For we may ryse a yens theym. knele to them and take ther blessing and speke to them with reuerēce and so kepe ye cōmaūdemēt /

The cōmaundement byndethe vs not only to worshipe. fader & moder with such reuerēce doing but also to worship them w ^t hel­pe at nede /

Where findest thou that helpe at nede is cleped worship.

In the firste pistle that seīt poule wrote to ye bubssop tymothee .v.c. where seīt poule bad that he shuld worship verrey widewis. That is to saye he shulde susteine them with go­dis of holy church And he clepith there varrey widewis. that had no good to be susteined withe of ther owne / And if that she hadde childrē or fader or moder or whereof to liue. he bad that she shuld lerne to rewle hir houshold and helpe fader & moder as they hol­pen her / And in the same chapter he biddeth that prestis and men of holy church that rewle wel her sugettis. shuld haue double worship of the peple. That is to say the glose that the people shulde obey to them & do them reuerēce and finde them al that theym nede. and namely to them that trauayle in prechinge and techinge of the gospel

It is ōly foly. Whan folke for age and feblenesse maye not ne can not helpe them silf ne gouerne theym silffe thāne to be take to ther childrēs gouernaunce of the howshold. & putte them silf in keping of ther children and ther gouernaunce.

More semely it is that they putte them in her childrens gouernaunce and keping than ī straungeris Namely if they ha­ue founde them good and kinde to them bifore But for any trust in ther children I wold not counsci [...]e them fully dysmytten them of her good / But alwey reserue the lorship to them silf. and ther children in daūgere / And therfor salamon sayth / Audite me magnati and omnes ppli &c. Eccle. xxxiii. ye grete men and gouer­nouris of holy churche and ye al people liste now to my saw yeue to no man ne woman power vp on the by thy self Neithir to sōne ne to doughti ne to brother ne to frend yeue not awey to other mē thy good and thy catell For happely it may repent the. and thān shalt thoupreye to haue helpe of thine owne good and thou shalt noon haue. Melius est vt filii tui te rogēt (quam)te respiccre in ma­nus [Page] filiorū tuo (rum) Eccl. xxxiii.c. It is better sayth he that thi chyldren pray the and axe helpe of the: than thou loke īto ye hādes of thy children for helpe. I fynd that an olde man bitoke to hys sonne hys houshold and yaue hī al that he hadd to kepe him wel in his age / Firste he lay with his sōne in the chaumbre. at the last he was put oute of the chaūbree & layde him bihynde the spere at ye haldore For he cowght & row ghide so: his sonne and his sōnes wyf might no rest haue by hym in the chanmbre / And whan he lay so nigh the halle dore he had moch colde and clepyd to hī hys sonnes sonne a litel childe: and badde him goo to hys fader: and axe of him some cloth to kepe hī with from colde / The childe ded the erande: and the fader toke ye childe an olde sacke / Haue sayd he: and bidde hym lay this on hī Nay fader sayde the childe. butt kytte it in too. and sende ye him the halfe: and kepe ye to you ye other halfe: tyl to the time whan ye be olde that ye may thāne hil you therwithe and kepe you fro colde / Not longe syth thys caas bifel in colchestre There was an olde man sumdel lettred: which bitoke his sonne in his age al ye housholde / and yaue him al that he hadd for to kepe hī wel in his age First he lay in chaumbre withe his sonne / after he was putt aloone: in an oute chaumbre in the yerde: and was seruede fulle cudl both at bedde and at boord On a daye he prayde his sonnes wyf to lene hym half a busshel to mete by a certeyn thynge / Butt he wold not tel hir what he shuld mete / She toke hī half abusshel hauyng greate wondre what he shulde doo therwith / He wentte into his chaumbre and shett the dore to hym / He toke a sewe pēs and halfpens & ferthingys / that he hadde: and put them into the craueises of the half busshel And sone aft he toke hir a yen hir half busshel / She loked besily in the halfe busshel: to knowe what he hadde mote therby / And thanne she foonde that money hanging in the crauises and cliftes of the halfe busshel: and she wend that he hadde mote money by the vessel: And went & she wide it to hir husbond / and he wende the same For his fader kept eú a gret hutche besidis his bedde wel lockid Right heuy it was. but his sōne might not wete what was therin But after this dede he hopi [...]e y ^t ther hadd be therein moch mony And in hope of that money He & his wyf kepte well and onestly [Page] hys fader in to hys dethe. Whāne he was dede: he brake vp the hutche for keie fonde he non therto. And thanne fonde he in y ^t hutche but erthe and stones and a betyllyinge ouer it with a scr­owe theron in the wich was wre­ten in this maner / whith this be til be they beten that her children her good shal letyn: and yeue a­way al ther thinge & goon them self on beggynge.

Capitulū .v.

yet contrate. Crist sayth in the gospel. Qui non odit patrem suum et matrē suam-non potest meus esse discipulus. Luce .xiii.c. He that ha­tith not his fader and his moder he may not be my disciple / But that we be bounde to hate we be not bounde to worship ne to helpe / Therfore thanne we be neyther bounde to worship fader ne moder: ne to helpe them at nede

Crist sayde tho wor­des whanne nighe al the worlde was hethen and of false bileue: whanne nighe al the faders and moders were in false bileue and in deedly synne / And therfore criste sayde tho wordes. Not that childrē shuld hate the ꝑsōs of yer faders & moders But they shuld hate their false bileue / and theyr wicked liuynge. and so vs mus­te al if we wyl be saued / we shulde loue euery man and woman and hate their synne / And in as moche as fader and moder with stonde vs in goddes weye: we shulde hate ther maleice and forsake ther wicked liuynge and fo­lowe godd and be besy to drawe fader and moder after vs in goddes weye by good techynge and ensaumple /

yet contrate Crist sayth in the gospel. De­ni seperare hominem aduersꝰ patrem suum et aduersus matrem suam m ^t .x.c.

In god­des cause and in truth man and woman owthe to forsake fader and moder if they wythestonde goddes cause / and holde a yens the truthe / And so Crist cam for to departe man and woman fro ther fader and moder: that stode in false bileue a yens god / Criste cam not to put ful hate bitwene man and his fader and moder: But for to make man & woman to forsake fader and moder for goddes sake: If they wyl let thē from godde / And therfore he say­the in the same place. He that loueth fader and moder more than me he is not worthy to come to me / we shuld loue fader and moder and helpe them at nede / thou [Page] they be hethen and neuir so wic­ked but we shulde loue god mo­re than them And if we may not please godd and theym also: we shulde offende thyem and please god: and alwey loue ther person and hate ther synne / And be bisy to a mende them by good enfor­macyon with loue & lownes and reuerence.

yet contra te Seint poule saith. Non debent filii parentibus the saurizare sed parentes filiis .ii. ad co (rum) .xiii ^•.c: Children owe not to tresoure ne to gadre to gidre to ther faders & moders: but faders and moders owe to tresure and gadre to ther children. Therfore thanne it se­meth that children shulde not care for ther fader and moder: but fader and moder shulde care for ther children

Erhe of them owe to care for other / But more the fader and moder for ye childe: thanne the childe for fa­def and moder

Why soo

For the child is toward and by comon course of kynde is semynge lenger to lyue thane his fader or moder / And his chl­dren shulde be his fadris childrē children and his moders / And so fadere and moder care not only for ther owne children: but also by wey of kynd: they care for yer children children: & haue effectiō mor̄ to ther childrē: than ther children for them / And more care for ther children: than ther children for them / And therfore right as the rote in the tree by wey of kynde yeueth more moysture & ver­tue vp to the tree and to the croppe / Thanne the tree or the crope yeueth doune to the rote: soo by wey of kynde the fader and the moder moste be more besie to helpe ther children: and to ordeyne for theym. Thanne the children for fader & moder that sooner by wey of kind shuld dye / Netheles right as the crop refresshithe the rote by moysture of dewe and of reyne and bisshadewth the roote fro the hete of the sonne: so owth the children refresshe ther fader & ther moder in ther nede: and ke­pe them from messhefe as moche as they may in good maner and kepe them wel and onestly / Not for to make them riche: ne norisshe them in deliciis.

The sixte chapter.

Whāne man or wo­man entrethe into the religion: he is dede a yenste the worlde / Therfore thanne it semethe that bihis religion he is vnb [...]ū de from this pecept / And he that is not bounde to helpe his fader [Page] or moder at nede / For whan he is professed in religion he maye not yeue / For he y ^t nought haue nought may yeue.

Mā and woman by thys precepte is boūd to two thingis: to reuerēce fader and moder and to helpe th­em at nede / As for the reuerence the religiouse is as moche boun­de or more as ye seculere in time and place whanne and where he may doo it. But as for ye secunde poynte that is to helppe theym at nede if hys fader & mo­der haue not wherby to lyue: ne be of power to gete ther liuynge onestly-the sonne owthe not to entre such religion: there he may not helpe thē for if he do he may be cause of ther deth: But if hys fader and moder haue enoughe to liue by: he may entre religion thowe fader and moder forbede it him: He shall not spare for lo­ue: prayer: for blessynge / ne for cursse / For as saint austen sayth in eplā ad letum. This precepte byndethe there that thynges of more charge & more profyte lett it not.

yet contra te. If the religiouse kepe not this pre­cepte bi cause of his religion: he dede a mysse in takynge of his religion

That is sothe.

I suppose y ^t he se neuer aft (er) his fader ne moder: ne do thē no helpe ne reuerence: Houe ke­peth he thanne thys precepte:

Thow he se thē neuer after: ne helpe theym at nede ne do to theym reuerence: if his wil be good to helpe them at nede: & to do them reuerence if he might come to them hym silfe: or by mene ꝑsone: yet he kepe the p̄cept / For thow this p̄cepte byndeth alwey man and woman: yet it byndeth not for alweye. as say these cler­kes nat for eūy tyme ne for eue­ry place: ne for euery cause. butt only for suche cause: tyme & place whanne they may do it leful­ly / And thus bynde al preceptis affirmatiue / But preceptys ne­gatiue binde euery tyme and for euery tyme /

What if fa­der and moder falle in mischeefe after y ^t ther sone is professed in religion: owe not her sonne to for­sake religion. and helpe his fa­dar and moder in ther mischeefe.

Some clerkes seye y ^t for as moch as he is dede a yenst the worlde by hys profession th­erfor he is dischargyd fro cure of fader and moder. as he is dischargyd therof by bodely deth / And he owe not to goo oute of hys religion: but dwel styl vnder obbediens of his prelate / Netheles he owe to do his deuor to helpe thē sauynge his obedience and onestee [Page] of his religion. In sū. cō. li ^o. iii ^o. ti ^o. xxxiiii. q. CC. xlix.

As I sayde firste. He y ^e nought haue nought may yeue. but the religiouse maketh so his profession y ^t he may no thing haue in propre / Hou shuld he than helpe either fader or moder: or o­ny other of his kyn

If he be a religious mendinaūt: he may begge for his fader and moder as he doth for him silfe: and so releue and helpe them by mennys almes / And if he do so: with oute doute god shall sende hym enoughe by cause of his charyte And he shal fare the bettre for th­em bothe in body and soule / And if he be a religious possessionere endewyd by temporall godes he may releue them in the same maner. Or elles by almes of the house. Which is endewed principhly to helpe the nidy. and namely fader and moder / For seint poule sayth that who so haue not cure of hys next: he is wors than iew sarseyn or paynym.

The seuenthe chapter.

As thei say the go­des of holy churche maye not be aliened: ne youen in God to the vse of seculeris.

for bede elles / For all that holy church hathe. it is youen to holy churche. or ellis purchasyd by substance of temporel lordes to helpe cristen people in mische­efe / And therfore holy churchys goodes ben cleped the goodes of the pore and of the nedy .xvi. q. ī. decime et c ^o. qui ^o.

These religiouse possessioners endewed in so grete richessys: saye that they be the goodes of the house: And therfore noon of them may yeue ony thing of the goodes wioute comon assent of the couent And leue of ther souerayne / And so me thinketh that it is full harde to ony religious possessionere to helpe ether fader or moder by goodes of hys house / For the re­ligiouse may scarsely help them sylfe by goodes of hys house: he shal ful euyl or may releue fader or moder by goodes of his house For redely he shall fynde bothe hys prelate and his couent ayēs hym: alegginge dilapidacion & wast and pouertie and greate nede withe oute nede / For yet ther is no house that wyl saye y ^t they [Page] haue enoughe.

A sory lordship is thanne the lordshipp of religeouse that may nat in so greate richessys passynge dukes cerlis barons. releue the mysshef of theyr owne fader and moder. But sothely they shewe wel that al ther besinesse is to spare to purchase to begge of lordes and la­dies. and of other men londes & rentys gold and siluer. Not for help of the pore: but for to maynteyn ther pride and ther lust fare Saynt benette ofte wythe goo­de consience yaue to the couen­tys gode to folke ī mischefe For we rede p ^o. li ^o. dialogo (rum). That there was a good simple man disesid for he ought a man twelue shillinges: and he had not wherwith to paye / He cam to seint benet and prayd him of help Seīt benet sayde that he hadde noght thanne wherwith to helpe hym. But come a yen sayde he to me: after too dayes: and thāne I sh­al helpe the if I may / Seint be­net for petie that he hdde on that man praide to god for help / And sodynly be foond ligging thret­tene shyllinges on the hutche of the couent that was full of whete / whiche money seint benet to­ke & yaue to that sory man / and bad him paye twelue shillinges for his det / And twelue pens oū he bad him kepe for his liuynge And withe oute doute if seint benette hadde hadde so moche mo­ney of the couent: He shulde ha­ue do the same with the couents money with out assent of the co­uent / For we fynde in the same boke that there was a grete hungre in that cuntre y ^e seint benette dwelled in / And whanne he saw folke at mysshefe: he yaue a way nigh al the godes of the couentt so that therere was no thing left in the couent wherby to liue but a litel oyle in a glasse / Ther cam a man to hym whos name was agapitus: And prayde him for goddes sake to yeue him alytyll oyle / Seiut benet bad the monk that hadde the oyle in kepynge: deliuer that oyl to that nedi mā The monke for negardship and for that it was the couentys go­de wolde not delyuer it to the nedy man / For if he yaue that a wey ther shuld noon leeue to ye couentt / Seint benet was mys­payde: and badde another monke take the vessel of glas withe the oyle and caste it oute at the windowe: for y ^t the monke was so vnobediēt for the oyle / whan it was caste oute: it felle doune more than an hundred foote on cragges and stones For the hou ¶se stoode vpon [Page] an hygh hyl / & nether ye glas brake ne the oyle spylt. Thānee sit benet bad the monkes take it as it was / and yeue it to ye nede mā And thanne bifore al the mon­kes he vndername the cellerer of hys pride and of his wanebileue Thanne saint benett withe hys brethern prayde to godd that he wold sende them some oyle wherby to leue / And anon a tūne that laye there besyde voyde sodenly was so ful of oyle that it ranne ouer in the flore / we reden also in the lyf of saint gregory that the re cam a man & axide saint gre­gory almes for goddis sake For he hadde lost al hys good on the see: and onneth he escaped with lif Saint gregori that was than but abbot: bad his awmener ye­ue hym sixe pens / And he did so The same day he cam ayen: and axide almesse: and hadde as moche / He cam ayen the thyrde day and aleggide greate pouertye: y ^t he hadde lost moche goode: and gate but litel a yen Seint gregory bad hys ꝓcuratour & rewler of the couentis godes that he shuld yeue hym his almsse / He answerde and sayde that there was non thinge lefte: but adisshe of siluer in which his moder was wontt to sende hym mete / Saynt gre­gory bad hym yeue the poreman that disshe / And so he dede This pore man was goddes aungel: ī ye lekenes of a pore man / & for thys almesse god made seint grery afterward pope of Rome / we fynde also ī the lyf of saint fraū ­ces That he bad hys brethren take the clothes of our ladies ault. & yeue thē to ye pore folk .viii.c.

the religeouse saye that the godes of the couent ben alle theyre goodes in comon. And therfore may non of theym yeue oute awey withoute assentte of them al: For by comon rewle of the lawe: that toucheth al moste be approued of al / Quod omēs tangit: ab hominibꝰ approbari debet. And by a nother rewle. there may noo man yeue any other right: but such right as he hathe hym self / Nemo potest plus vi­ris transferre in alium qm̄ sibi cō petere dinoscitur / And therfore sith no persone of the couent ha­th any right in godis of the couē tys: therfore non of them maye yeue any almes of the couentys godes ne non other goode withe oute assent of them all: or of the more parte / For what thinge is any monckes of the couent: it is the couentis / And what so he getteth. it is the couentys. Quia qc quid adquiritur monacho: ad quiritur monasterio.

[Page]Bi such ipocrise vnder the color of poute they mainteyn ther pride & ther auarice: & occupye gretter lordshipys than do many dukes eerlis and barons to greate hindrynge of the londe and gret disease of the pore people / For y ^e god ordeined to be comon to helpe at nede all men at nede: they say that it is thers and no mānis els / So that foure men of religion in one house myghte spende xx. thousend marke bi ther wil & by ther comon opinyon / al that good shuld neythir turne to help of the lond ne of the pore people but all to helpe the pore couent

Say to my skillys.

Thy skillys be not worthe / For the godes of religiouse shulde be more comō than other mennes godis: to helpe the lond and the pore peple / And therfore sayth ye law: y ^t comō lyf is nede­ful to al men / & namely to them that wyl folowe the lif of cristes desiples / For as the eyre: or the light of the sonne may not be deperted: ne approprid to one place more thā to a noyer / So saith he shulde al these worldly godes be comon in nede .xii. q̄. i. dilec­tissimis / And therfore they y ^• ha­ue most nede: haue moste right to godes of the rereligeouse And the lorship is no more aproprid to the religiouse than to the seculeris / Fr bothe seculers and regulers shulde be holpen therby But dispensinge gouernaunce: And kepynge of the goodys of holy churche: is a ꝓprid to the religeouse and to other men of ho­ly churche / And therfore saythe holy writt that in the begynyng of holy church al thinges were comon to the multitude of al cristē people nat only to the apostlys: but to al cristen people. Actu­um. quartum. capitulū. &. xii. q̄. i. dilectissimis. And ther­fore if religeouse mispēde the godes that be taken to them. & help not the nedy peple: they do cristē peple grete wronge For they withhold them her right: and make ꝓpre to them y ^t owthe be comon to al It is a shame and an ouer greate abusion: y ^t aman of reli­gion shal ride with his tenth sū ­me or with his twenty sūme on an hors of ten pounde in a sadel al gold bigon And for pouertye that he byndeth him to in his ꝓ­fession as they saye he maye not yeue an halfpeny for goddys loue ne helpe his fader and moder at nede withouten axyng leeue of hys souereyn / Syth god that is souereyn of al bad them helpe fader & moder at nede / For god­dis biddīg is most to charge And [Page] seint peter sayth / Obedire opor­tet domino magis (quam) hominibus Men muste obeye to god more than to man / And therfore god may saye to such folke of religi­on that witholden almesse from fader & moder & from the pore peple to make her house & her couēt riche. y ^t he sayde to the maisters of the lawe and to the phariseys that were men of religion that time Quare transgredimini mandatum dei ꝓpr tradicionem ves­tram why breke ye goddes com­maundenent for youre statutys and youre lore m ^t. xv.ix.c.

It is long sithe I harde the speke of this matter. passe forth & speke more to purpos

Also we be bounde to worshipe fader and moder / nat only in re­uerence doing and helping at nede but also in obeiyng to her biddyng and her lore / For salomon sayth / Audi patrem tuum qui genuit te / et ne cōtēpnas cum seu­uerit mar̄ tua ꝓv. xxiii.c. Here thy fader that the begat & dispise not whanne thy moder is olde. That is to saye / For any age dispice hir nat / but be low and me­ke to hir and set hir teching ī hert Iudicium patris audite filii di­lecti &c. Eccl. iii.c. ye dere chil­dren here ye the dome of your fader: and do ye so that ye be saued He that worshipth his moder: he maketh hī a tresoure in ye worl­de comynge / He that worshipth his fader: he shal haue ioye of hys children / And he shal be hard of god in hys praier: and he shal liue the lenger good lyf / And he that obeith to his fader: he shal refressh his moder / He that drede god: he worshipe fader & mader And he shal serue hī that bigate hī as his lorde ī worde & in dede and in al paciēce worship thy fader sayth he: that goddes blessīg mai comto ye The fadirs blessīg sayth he makethe stable & seker ye housis of her children: and the modris curs distroith her housis doūe to grounde He is ful of wickide fame that: forsakethe hys fadris obedience / And he is a cursed of god y ^t angrethe his moder & wyl not do hir biddīg / Al these ben salomonis wordis eccle. iii.c And therfore god bad that chil­dren vnbuxum to fader and moder shuld be stoned to deth deut. xxi. We reden ieremie xxxv.c. That ionadab bad his children that they shuld neuer drīke wynne make house ne sowe londe ne set vine / And for that they kepte her fadris bidding: god seyde to them by the ꝓphete ieremye / For that ye haue obeide to the p̄cept of ionadab your fader and kept al his cōmaundemētis: therfore ye kīred of ionadab shal not fail [Page] his cōmaundemētes. Therfore the kynrede of Ionadab shalle nat fayle / but al daies that kynred shalbe in my sight / & I shalle haue iye to them and helpe them But the wicked people of iuda. and of ierlm̄ that wold nat obey to my cōmaundmentes I shalle distroye. Therfore seint poule saith Filii obedite parentibꝰ vestris. &c. ye children saith he o­beye ye to your faders & moders for that is rightful thinge. Worship ye fader and moder for this is the first cōmaundment and biheste / that ye may be wele in ly­uynge longe vpon erthe And ye faders saith he prouoke ye natt. ne styre ye nat youre children to wrathe vnskylfully / but norys­sheth them in gode lore and ī vndernamynge of oure lorde god. Ad ephe. vi.c. Criste goddes sonne god and lorde of al thing bicame subgett to mary his mo­der & to ioseph his keper / yeuyng vs al ensample to obeye and to be buxum & meke to fader & moder And salomon saith. Audi fili mi disciplinam patris tui. My dere sōne here ye lore of thy fader / & forsake nat the the lawe of thy moder / & thāne thou shalt haue grace and worshyppe. Prouer. i.c. And as he saith in a nother place. He is a fole y ^e scor­neth his faders lore. And he that kepith his faders vndernamyng shalbe the more wise and the more slye. Prouer. xv.c. Also vs muste worship fader and moder with gode lyuynge For as salomon saith. Dolor patris filius stultꝰ. The childe fole is sorowe and shame of his fader. Confu­sio patris de filio indisciplinato Of the sōne euil taught cūmeth shame and shenship of the fader. and his doughter fole & euyl taughte shal lese his worship / & the wyse doughter shalbe gode heri­tage to her husbōde to saue him. And the doughter that shendith her husbonde is in grete despyte and shame of her fader. that bi­gat her Eccle. xxii.c. The wise sōne gladith his fader The sōne y ^t is a fole in lyuynge is his mo­ders sorowe Prouer. x.c. Ira patris filius stultꝰ: et dolor mrīs q̄ genuit eū. ꝓuer. xvii.c. The fole childe is wrathe & tene of his fader / and sorowe of his moder. that bigatte him.

The x. chapter.

And therfore salomō saith. Virga et correptio tribu­unt sapīam / puer aūt qui dimit titur voluntati sue confūdit matrē suā. ꝓuer. xxix.c. That is to say The yerde vndernymyng yeuen wytte and wysdome to [Page] the childe / and that childe y ^t is leten haue his wylle in his youthe shendith his moder & al his kynrede. Example we haue in the first boke of kinges. of hely that was highest busshop and preest. of goddes lawe / and of his son­nes ophny and phynees. That for their fader vndirnam theym nat ne chastised hem of their wicked tatches / for the children syn and for his mys sufferaūce. god toke from him his dignyte. & frō al his kynrede for euyr / & slewe his children and nigh al his kynrede in batayl. And so the wyc­ked taches of his childrē vnworshipyd him and alle his kynrede for euir / & brought them to ende lesse shame And his mys sufferā ce was cause of their deth and of his shenship and shame to al her kynrede. The synne of his chil­dren was pride letchery lusty fare and glutonye / and sleuth & rechlesnesse in goddes seruyce and in goddes lawe And therfore gode frendes & gode childrē I pray you alle that ye be buxū & meke to fader and moder / & worshipe them nat only with reuerence doyng in dede and speche / but principaly with youre gode lyuyng. & youre gode berynge. For that is the most worship that ye may do to them / and the moste velo­nye if ye do amys And do ye so y ^t youre faders and moders & your kynred may haue ioye of you / & than shal ye haue ioye of youre children. For the wise man saith Qui honorat prēm suū io cūda­bitur in filiis suis Eccle. iii.c. He y ^e worshipeth his fader shalle haue ioye of his children. And who so worshipeth nat his fader & moder in this maner / but doth them wrath and tene by his mislyuynge and euyl taches / he is a cursyd of god Maledictus qui non honorat patrē suū et matrē suā. Deutro. xxvii.c. Acursyd be that childe saith he that wor­shipeth nat his fader and moder with his gode lyuynge / but vn­worshipeth them with his myslyuynge. For al the myscheuys of the childe turne to vilonye & shame of fader & moder. And al the godenesse and al the gode berīg of the childe / turne to grete worship of fader and moder / and of al the kynrede A grete worship. is to fader and moder whāne mē blesse them and pryse theym for godenesse of their children & say. blessyd be ye fader that the child begatt / & blessyd be the moder y ^t him bare Therfore saith the wyseman that god worshypeth the fader in his children. Whanne he seeth theym gode children. [Page] Eccle. iii.c. It is grete vilonye to fader and moder whanne mē curse them and deprayue theym for wyckednesse of their childrē And therfore the wise mā saithe. Non iocunderis in filiis impiis Haue thou no ioye ne likyng in thy children if they be shrewys & drede nat god It is better sayth he to haue one gode childe / than a thousande children shrewys / & better to dye withoutē / thāne to leue after them shrewyd childrē. Eccle. xvi. c. For as he saythe. Sapīe. iiii. c. Alle the children y ^t come of wycked folke shalle be wytnesses of wyckednesse ayēst their fader and moder / whanne they shalbe chalengyde of theire wyckydnesse at the dome For the fader and the moder shal aū swere thāne for their owne wyckednesse / and for their children wyckednesse But the wise man saith / if thou haue children tech theym wele / and bowe them and make them souple and meke in their youthe. If thou haue dou­ghters. kepe wele their bodies & honestly / but shewe them no glade chere / be nat to homely withe them Eccle. vii.c. While a tree is a smalle sprynge it may be bowyd as men wole haue it Butt whanne it is ful woxen / it wole nat be bowyd So may the child in the youghe w ^t a lytel twygge be chastised and made lowe and meke But whāne he is woxen & rotyd in pride and mysuse of ly­uynge / it is ful harde to lowe hī or to amende him. And therfore the wise man sayth. Qui parcit virge odit filiū: et qui diligit il­lū instāter erudit Prouer. xiii.c. He that sparith the yerde hatith his sonne / and he that loueth his sonne techith him and chastifeth him bisily. Example we haue in kynde of the egle. Which of al foules may se ferthest / and is mightiest in sight / in somoche that he may se & loke ayenst the sōne whanne it shyneth moste bright without blemysshyng of the iye. And whanne she hath briddes & they be ful woxen / she doth hem loke ayenst the sonne And tho y ^e loke wele ayenst the sonne with oute blemysshynge of iye / them she loueth and cherissheth. And them that wole nat ne may nat loke ayenst the sōne / or blemissh their iye in lokynge ayenste the sōne / she betith them and bylleth them. And but if they amende them / she castith them out of the neste / and putteth theim oute of her cumpany as for noon of her briddes. Thus shulde faders and moders teche their children. to haue their iye vp to god / that [Page] is sonne of rightwisnesse: & take hede to goddes lawe by exaum­ple of tobie: whiche sayde to his sonne / Al the dayes of thy lyf haue thou god in mynde: & be wa­re that thou assentte to no synne ne leue not goddys cōmaunde­ment. Tobie. iiii.c. And therfor salomon sayth. Eccle. vi. That the wicked man that loketh not vp to the sunne of rightwisnesse is so blent with derkenesse of sinne / that he woot not what is gode: ne what is wicked / And therfore sayth he in the next chapter wisdom with richessis is more ꝓfitable than with oute richessys: & it profith most to them that sethe sunne. that is to say to them that haue iye to the sūne of right wisnesse. that is god / For as sa­lomon sayth. Ocu [...] sapientis in capite eius. Eccle. ii ^o. The iyen of the wise man be alwey in hys hede. That is to say in crist that is hede of holy churche and of al thingis / And dauid sayth. Sic ^t oculi seruorum in manibus dn̄o rum fuorum et sicut oculi ancil­le in manibus domine sue: ita o culi nostri ad dominum deū nostrum donec misereatur nostri. As the seruantys haue ther iyen to the handes of ther lorde: and as the mayde in chaumbre hath hyriyen to the handys of hyr la­dy: So muste vs haue oure iyen vp to oure lorde god til he wyll haue mercy on vs.

The eleuenth chapter

Reson yeueth that men shuld teche ther chil­dren goddes lawe: & gode thew­is / and for to take hede to god y ^t made vs al of nought / and bou­ght vs so dere. But no we men saye that there shulde no lewed folke entirmete them of goddes lawe: ne of the gospel: ne of ho­ly writ: nether to kun it ne to te­che it.

This is afoule enour and ful perilous to man­nys soule / For euery man & wo­man is bounde aftir his degre to do his besines to knowe goddis lawe that he is bounde to kepe. And faders and moders godfa­dres and godmodres be bounde to tech ther children goddes law or elles do them be taught / And therfore god sayth. Erunt [...]ba hec. &c. These wordes y ^t I bid ye thys daye shulde be in thy herte. Thou shalt tell them and teche them to thy children / Thou sha­lt thēk theron sittīge ī thy house amougys thy folke: And whan thou goest by the way. Whan thou goest to slepe. & whan thou a risest thou shalt bynde them as a [Page] token in thy hande in thy dede: ī thy werke they shulde be alwey styrring byfore thy iyen of thyn herte / Thou shalt wryte theym in thy thressheolde and in thy dorys of thyn house that is to saye whanne thou comest in: and whanne thou goest oute. ī thi beginnynge and ī the ending of euery dede / alwey loke y ^t thou ne noon of thyne forfette a yens goddes lawe by cause of the. Deut ^o. vi. c. And in another place of the same boke he saythe thus / Thou shalt teche my wordis to thy children: to thy folke. and to thy kinnesmen. Deut ^o: iiii.c. And saint austen sayth that ech man in his owne hon shold shuld do the offi­ce of the busshoppe in techynge: and correctinge of comon thyn­ges / And therfore sayth the lawe That the office of techinge and chastisinge longeth not only to the busshop: but to euery gouer­noure after his maner / & his de­gree. To the pore man gouning hys pore housolde / To the riche man gouernīg his folke / To ye husbondman gouernynge hys wyf. To the fader and mo­der gouerninge ther children To the iustice gouernynge hys cun­tre. To the kynge gouernynge hys people .xiii. q̄. iiii. duo. & q̄. v. nō putes. And oon neighbore shulde teche another / For saint Peter sayth. Euery man mines­tre on to other the grace that he: hath taken of god .i. petri ii ^o.c.

My fader and moder be dede: And therfore I lete me dischargid of this commaunde­ment.

Thow they be dede: yet art thou bounde to doo them worship and to helpe ther soules withe hooly prayers and almesse dedys if thou myghteste Also thou art bound to worship them with thy good lyuinge: as I sayde firste / For the wisman sayth That he that techeth well hys child: he shal be praysed and worsshiped in hys childe amon­gis hys kynred he shal haue ioy and worsship in hys childe / The fader of the well taught childe ī some maner is dede: & ī some maner is not dede. For he lefte hys chylde lyke after hym / For all if the fader dye bodely: yet he lyue and is worsshipped in the good­nesse of his children / Est mortuus et quasinon ē mortuꝰ. Eccl. xxx.c. And in the wickyd lyuīg of the childe: the fader is vnwor­shiped and dede. Whyle he gothe vpon erth / Also by thys cōmaū ­dement we be bound to worship godfader and godmoder.

The xii. chapter.

[Page]ALso to worship god: that is fader of al thynge that is cleped fader of mercyes: and god of al conforte. Pater mīa (rum). et deus tocius consolacionis. He is oure fader for he made vs of nought. he bought vs wythe his blod he findeth vs al that vs nedeth and moch more: he saue­th vs. he kepeth vs. he ledeth vs he fedethe vs: he medeth vs. He is our fader by grace / For by his grace he hath made vs eyrys of heuen blisse / was there neuer fa­der so tendre ouer his childe: as god is tēdre ouer vs / He is to vs bothe fader and moder / And therfore we be bounde to loue hym. and to worship him aboue al thī ge. as I sayde in the firste com­maundement: But he maye say to vs as that he sayde to the vn­kynde iewis / Filius honorat patrem: et seruus dominum suum timebit. &c. The sonne sayth he by wey of kynde worshipith his fader / and the seruant shal dre­de his lorde. Syth thanne I am fader of al. Where is my worship And sythe I am lorde of al where is my drede: Neyther ye wor­shyp me as a fader: ne drede me as a lorde Malach. i.c. Nunqd non est pater vnꝰ omniū vestrū Nunquid non deus vnius crea­uit vos: Haue ye not sayth he al oon fader. & oon god made you all / why thanne sayth he despise ye ech man other. That is hys brother by pryde and ouerledīge and brekynge the cōmaūdemēt of youre formfadris: Malach. ii:c. Also for ten [...]re loue y ^t he hath to mākynd: he clepc [...]h hymsylfe oure moder saiyng to sin [...]ul soule: wenest thou sayth he: that ye moder may foryete hir yong childe that she bare of hir body: and haue no reuthe ne petye theron: And thou she foryete hir childe & haue no petye theron: yet I shal not foryete the to shewe the mercy. ysa. xlix ^o.c. And therfore he sayth. Ego mater pulcre dilecci onis &c. I am moder of fayre lo­ue. of loue drede. of knowynge of holy hope. In me is al maner grace of truthe & of lyf / In me is al hope of lyfe of vertu of mercy alof al maner goodnesse Eccle. xxiiii.c. And thus by this precepte we be bounde to loue our god and worship him aboue al thynge as oure principal fader & mo­der / And that principaly for the mercy and pety that he shewthe to mankinde ī his gouernaunce & keping By the first cōmaūde­ment we be boande to worshyp him aboue al thing for he is endles might as god & beginner and shaper of alle thynge.

The xiii. chapter

ALso we be bounde by this cōmaūdemēt to worship oure gostly fader that hath cure of oure soule: as pope. and oure busshop oure prelate. oure ꝑson. oure vecary. oure curate. our cō fessoure / And oure moder that vs muste worshipe is holy churche. Of this maner fader and moder sayth salomon / Audi fili mi dis­ciplinam patris tui: et ne dimit­tas legē matris tue. Mi dere son sayth he here the lore of thy gost­ly fader: and forsake not the law of thy moder holy church. ꝓū. i.c. Of these maner faders spekethe also holy wryt / Lorde saythe he here byfore thou madest choson faders. and madest them ful ho­ly .ii ^o. macha. .i.c. Prelates of holy churche be cleped faders / For ther offyce is to gendre folke in right byleue: and to norishe thē in good thewys: and vertuous liuynge / And therfore saint pou­le sayth / Per euangelin̄ ego vos genui. By this gospel I begate you in crist / Such faders be worthy double worship: as saīt poule saythe / For they be worthy to be reuerenced of ther sutgettis: & to haue ther liuynge / Therfore they owe to haue tithes and offeringys of ther chyldren: that be vnder cure / For as saint pou­le sayth in the same place / The werkeman that wel traueilethe io worthy hys mede .i. tymo .v.c. But now god may say. Regna­uerunt (sed) non ex me. Prelatys haue reygned in holy churche: & not of me ne by my plesaunce I made them not I chase thē not And therfore saint poule saythe that thow men haue ten thousēd maisters yet they haue but fewe faders / For prelatis for the most part seke mor̄ ther own ꝓfyt thā profyt of mannys soule. Omēs que sua sunt querūt nō que Iesu cristi / Such prelates and cura­tis be not fadirs of the peple: but wolues of rauyn that deuoure goddes peple. Sicut escā panis Of such prelatis & curatis speke ysaie the prophete. Ip̄i pastores ignoraueuerūt ītelligēciam. &c. Such shepeherdis prelates and curates knowe not goddis lawe ne the vnderstonding of goddes lawe / Al they bowed awey from goddes wey īto ther own wey of false confience from the higheste to the lowest. ysaie. lvi.r. And for that sayde he. that the shepeher­dis prelates and curates of holy churche dede soo folyly: & wyll not seke vp oure lord god to please hym and to serue hym / Therfore they haue lost vnderstōdīg [Page] and wit to teche the people / And so al ther flocke is disperplid by eresie debate diuisōn & discēcion Ieremie .x.c. who saythe god by toke the shepherdes & p̄lates y ^t thus disparplen and al forrende ye flocke of my pasture or lesewe y ^t is cristen people. ieremie .xxiii.c. And therfore saint gregori in his omelie. omē .xvii. Ve signauit dominus. Maketh his mone & sayth thus Praye ye to god that he wyl send trewe werkemen in­to his corn. That is to say amō ­gis his people / For ther is moch corn and moch people to be tau­ght / But fewe werkemen of prechours to teche them and to tyll mannys soule. For thowe there be folke to hyre / There be fewe to seye or to teche / we se wel sayth he that the world is ful of prestes / But ful lytel ony of theym worchethe in goddes corn / For we take saythe he the offyce of presthode: but we fulfyl not to do the werke of the offyce.

The xiiii. chapter.

ALso by this precept we be bounde to worshyp oure eldre. that be oure faders in age And therfore god sayth. Coram can [...] capite consurge. &c. Ryse vp sayth he byfore the whythe­ryd man: and worship you the ꝑsone of old man or woman: and drede thy lorde god / That is to say For drede of god worshype thou thyn elders: and despyse thē not for no age forno febilnesse. leuitici .xix.c. And therfore saint poule bad the busshop ty­mothie that he shulde not vnder nyme hys eldre ne olde folke to shrapely ne to proudly: but prai them as faders to amende them. yonge men as brethern. olde women as moders. yonge wemen as systers in al maner chastytye i. adtimo .iiii.c.

Oft ty­me olde folke be more sherewys than other and be ful harde to a mende thei be so roted ī sīne And therfore as me thinketh them ne deth to be harde vndernoman & sharply / For god saithe. y ^t ye childe of an hundered yere shall dye and the synner of an hundred yere shalbe cursed. ysa. xlv.

Some olde folke be vertu­ouse and not customable to fine Suche owe to be worshipped: & if thei do some tyme amisse: for that y ^• they be not customable to synne / therfore ther prelatis shulde the more spare them and mor worshipfully speke to thē Som olde folke be customable to sīne and wyl not amende them: and such be worthy no worshyp: as god sheweth wel by the wordys of ysaie. And therfore saint [Page] gregori sayth that the olde man [...]ole shuld be harde vnder nomā

The xv. chapter.

Thy answer is skilful: say forth I praye the

Also by thys precepte we be bounde to worshype oure kynge. oure lege. oure souereins alle / For al tho that haue gouernaunce of vs or of the comontie owe by ther office and ther dignite: to be faders of the comontie & of ther sugettys / And be besy to saue ther sugettys: as the fader hys children / And therfore naa / man prynce of syrye was cleped fader of hys seruantys .iiii. (℞.) Regum v. c. And iob sayde. Pater erā pauperum. I was fader of the pore and ye cause that I knew not I traced it and sought it vp besyly iob .xxix.c.. And therfore saynt poule byddeth the peple do wor­ship and obey to ther souereyns. And he sayth thus. Serui obedite dn̄is vestris carnali (bus). ye ser­uantes obey ye to your flesly lordes with drede and trimelyng in simplenesse of youre herte: as to crist / Serue ye thē not only at ye iye to plese them: but as crystys seruantis: do ye the wyll of god of hert wythe gode willferuynge them of oure lorde god. Not as men. That is to saye: serue ye them truly for ye drede of god and for the loue of god And thenke ye that the seruyce that ye do to them: ye do it to god. And he principaly shall yeld you youre mede / For wete ye well sayth he that euery goode dede that man or woman doth: be he free be he bond: he shal take his mede ther­fore of oure lorde god / And ye lordes & souereins sayth he do ye the same to youre seruantis: and foryeue them your thretnynges and thenke ye and wete ye it wel y ^t god ī heuin is god both of you and of youre seruantys. and soo ye and they haue bothe oon lord oon god that accept no man for hys persone. but yelde eche man and woman after he deserueth. Ad eph. vi ^o.c.

By these wordes it semeth that seruantys for her true seruice: shal haue moch mede.

That is soth For he that doth goddes byddīg god shal yeld him hys mede / And it is godges biddynge and god­des wyl: that they serue truly & lowly ther souereyns / And ther­fore sayth the glose: That sythe crist biddethe the seruantes serue truly: if they serue truly: they serue not only mā ne womā but prī cipaly they serue criste /

Why byddeth the apostle that the seruantes shuld obeye and serue to flesly and carnal lordes

For the glose sayth: Them most by goddes lawe obeye not [Page] only to good lordes: but also to shrewys / Therfore saynt Peter sayth Subiecti estote oīm humane creature ꝓpter dm̄ &c. Be ye sugettis sayth he to euery man & woman that is youre souereyn not for them sylfe: but for god. Be ye sugettis to kynges to du­kes & to temporal lordes & thēk ye thatodg hathe ordeyned them to veniaunce of wicked doers & to preysinge of good folke / For thus is the wyl of god that with youre good dedys and youre meke seruice ye stoppe & make styll the vnkunnynge of the vnwise folke / Serue ye as fre men: that is to saye: not only for drede of. man: But for drede and loue of god as goddes seruantes / Dre­de ye god. and worshyp ye your kynge. And ye seruantes be ye sugettis and meke in al drede to youre lordes that is to saye not only in seruyle drede. but also in loue drede for goddes sake / Be ye sugettis for goddes sake: not only to gode lordis and wel reuled: but also to shrewys and ty­rauntis. Non tantū bonis & modestis (sed) eciā discolis / For than / ne is man and woman worthy thanke of god. Whanne for con­sciens and goddes sake he suffe­reth paciently disese wythe oute gylt / If ye be beten and bo­feted for youre synne and youre trespase: ye be worthy no thank neyther of god ne of man / But if ye do wel. and with that suffre paciently disese vngyltly Than be ye worthi moche mede of god And for to do thꝰ criste yaue you ensaumple whanne he suffered paciētly bitter deth withuot gilt that ye shulde folowe hys step­pes and paciently suffre woo with oute gylt / Theyse be the wor­des of saint peter in hys first pistle. ii ^o.c. Here to accordethe saynt poule in his pystle. Ad rom̄nos. xiii ^o.c. Where he sayth thus Euery soule. that is to say. euery mā and woman moste be suget and meke to the power aboue theym and to hys souereyns. For there is no power ne lordshype but of god and of goddes ordinaunce: And therfore saythe he. Whoo so withstondeth the lorship and the power of his souereyn: he wyth­stondeth goddes ordinaūce and getthe him dampnacion wythe­oute end / For why sayth he princes & lordes be ordeyned of god to drede of wycked werke: not to drede of gode werke / wolt th­ou not drede the power of thy souereyn? Do wel and thou shalt haue preysing of him / For if he be a gode lorde: he shall loue the the better / And if he be a shrewe thou shalt haue the more preisīg of god y ^t thou doest wel vnder a [Page] wycked souereyn as saythe the glose / Thy kyng thy lord is godges ministre ordeyned of god to thy good If thou do amys drede thou For he beryth not the swerd without cause For he is goddes mynistre: to venge the wrath of god in hym that doth amys And therfore sayth he. be ye sugettys and meke to your souereyns as to the nedful ordinaunce of god not only for to fle wrath of your souereyns: but also for consciēs And therfore ye yeue tributes to youre princes and lordes-for they be goddes mynestres and ser­ue therfore in defendyng and gouernaunce of the people / And as the glose sayth. in that ye yeuen them tribute ye serue god: for they be goddes mynistres.

The xvi. chapter

Whanne saint poule sayde tho wordes: emꝑours kynges and nyghe al prynces and temporal lordes vpon erth were hethen and of false by / leue: bou might they be goddes minystres or goddes serūantys?

Eueri creature is suget and seruant to god: or wyth hys wylle: or wythe oute hys wyl. And therfore saynt austen vp y ^• psalme. Exoudi deus oracionē meam. sayth thus wene ye not y ^t god suffereth wicked folke to be in thys worlde with oute cause? For euery wicked man sayth he eyther god suffereth hym to lyue for to amende him. or elles that good men maye be amended by hym. and wynne mede by him in that that they suffre hys malyce paciently: and trauayle for to amende him / The malyce of shre­wys is purgatorie to gode folke and shrewys be goddes scourge: to chastyse goddes children whych he had ordeyned to the kyng­dome of heuen. and to punysshe and purge the synnes of theim y ^t god loueth. and also to punyssh other shrewys / And therfore god sayde to the synful iewys For ye wil not here my wordes ne kepe my lawys: Therfore I shal send aft (er) my seruant nabugodonosor kynge of babyloyne: and bryng him & al his peple vpon this londe: and distroy this londe bi cause of synne. Iereīe. xxv.c. Thys nabugodonosor kynge of baby­loyne was an hethen man a fyn shrewe and had noo loue to god ne knewe hym for hys god / He was a wicked tyraunt & destroied goddes lawe and goddes pe­ple and goddes temple in ierlm̄. And yet god cleped hym his ser­uant / For he was goddes yerde [Page] to chastise shrewys and to punisshe the synnes of goddes people And as ye se that whanne the fader hath beten his childe withe a yerde he castith the yerde into ye fire: right so whan god hath chastysed and scourged his chyldren by wycked men and by wycked tyrauntes that be goddes yerde. but if the tirauntes amend them he shal cast them into the fyre of helle with outē end / And therfor he sayth. Ve assur virga furoris mei et baculus ipse ē &c. Woo be to the people of assur and to hys kynge: for they be the yerde and the staf of my wrath:

I shalle sende theym a yens the false peple And ayenste the peple to which I am wroth I shal byd him distroy the peple: robbe thē. & sle them / But he weneth not so but he witethe it al to hys owne myght. & he dothe of malyce & I bid hī do my rightfulnes ysa. x.c

The xvii. chapter.

Syth it is so that al lordship and power ī erth cometh of god: me merueleth moche why god yeueth wycked men such power in thys worlde?

The power comethe of god: but the malyce & wickednesse & wycked couetise comethe of man.

God knowith ther maleice and what they wyll do. Why yeueth he than such lordship and power to shrewis

For comon synne of the pe­ple / For synful people rebel and false is worthy to haue no good lord merciable ne benygne But for to haue cruel lordes false ty­rauntes lyke the peple / And therfore iob sayth. Regnare facit y­pocritam ꝓpter pctā pplī. God maketh an ypocrite a wicked lyuer to regne for synne of people. iob. xxiiii ^o.c. And therfore say the holy wryt that god yaue his people a kynge in hys wrat such as shulde disese them. Osee. xiii. Dabo eis regem in furore meo.

The phylosofre saythe iiii ^o: ethi. that the wicked man is worthy no worship: and only ye goode man is worthy worshyp / For as he sayth there / worship is mede of vertue / And so he that is not vertuous and vicious as tyraūtys be: is worthy no worship

y ^t is soth

Why byddeth than god & peter & poul as thou hast sayd y ^t mē shuld do worship & obey not ōly to ye gode lordes but also to the wycked

As I sayde first we shulde obey & do worship to them not for themsilfe but for god and for power y ^t god hath youen theym And for that they represent goddes ꝑsone in erthe we shulde worshype theym not ther owne per­sonnes [Page] but for the dignitie y ^t god hath youen them and made thiē oure souereins And they be gode and vertuous we shuld do them worship and obeye to theym not only for her dignite: but for ther vertu and oure owne ꝓfyt / And the rfore saint poule sayth. Obedite prepositis vrīs. &c. ad hebr. xiii.c. Obey ye to youre prelatis and souereyns and be ye meke & suget to them: For why sayth he they be ful besy and traueil to saue youre soulis. as thei that shulde yeue answere for your soulys at the dome.

Many of theym care ful lytel for mannys soule / They care more to get money and mannys good / And many of them be ful febyl lyuers.

Whanne they be suche take no ensaumple of ther wyc­ked lyuyng. do not as they doo. but as thei sey whanne they tech wel. and reuerence theim for ther dignite and for ther ordre. for so bedeth criste in the gospel.

I suppose that thei neyther do wel ne teche wel: for many of them be ful lewed /

yet as longe as they be thy soue­reyns or thy curates thou shaltt obey to them in al thing resona­ble and leful that longeth to her office. and do them worshyp for ther dignite. not for ther persone but for god. Whos persone they present in messis singing in shrestis hering and in other sacramentis yeuyng and in gouernynge.

The xviii. chapter.

I suppose that my lege lorde the king bydde me do athynge. and my mayster or my souereyn bydde me do the contrary or if my curate byd me do athing cōtrary to my bisshoppis byding to whom shal I obey

In that cas tou shalt obey to thy kyng that is thy so­uereyn. and thy maystyrs soue­reyn also. and thou shalt obey to thy busshop that is thy curatys prelate and thyn also. if the kynges bidding and the busshoppys be not ayens goddes worshyppe And if thy kyng thy pope: or thy busshope: or any other souereyn byd the do any thynge that thou knowist wel that it is ayēs god­des worship and ayens hys law thou shalt not obey to thē ī y ^• but to god y ^t is ther souereyn: & thin also. And therfore sayth saint peter to the iewis Obedire oportet magꝭ deo qm̄ hoī (bus) It bihoueth to obey to god more thā to men: If it be rightful to her̄ you rath­er thā: god: deme ye. and ye lawe [Page] sayth that if oni souereyn bid his suget ony thing that is contrary to god: the suget shal not obeye ne do ony thing vnrightful and vnonest: ne that shuld harme ye comontye for hys biddinde if he knowe wel that the biddinge be not leful .i. q̄. iii. nō semꝑ

I suppose that the sugette be in dout whether it be goddes lawe or nay.

Than shal he o­bey to hys souereyn: and he is excused / but if it be in such thinge y ^t he is bounde to knowe & to kun As if he byd him ony thing y ^t is openly ayens goddes cōmaunde­ment or ayens the feyth. or ayēs goddes lawe or lawe of holy ch­urch / that he is bound to knowe thanne shal not he obeye in ony wyse to hys bdidīge.

Is the suget boūde to obey to his souereyn in al thing leful.

Seruage and subiection came ī amongys mankynge for pryde and other synne / But as sayth a greate clerke. seneca .li ^o.iii ^o. de beneficiis. This seruage wentt not into al men ne in al wemen: But the better parti of man and woman that is the soule is oute takyn from such seruage & only mānis body and womās is boū ­de to seruage of tenmporall lor­des and of ther souereyn. & mannys soule and womans is fre so that he maye haue hys thought hys loue. his wyl inward as him lyke. With oute leue of his soue­reyn / And therby he offēdeth not hys souereyn ne pleseth▪ but on­ly god y ^t knowth suerly mannys herte / But only in the dedis of ye body the suget is bounde to obei hys souereyn.

In which dedys?

In suche as longe to rewle and gouernaūce and in such thinges as he hath made hym suget into hys souereyn: in such the suget owthe to obeye to hys souereyn / As knyght in ar­mes is bound to obeye hys chef­teyn & hys leder in thynges that longe to armes / The bond man to hys lorde ī doing seruyle workes in dutie of his bondage: the sonne to his fader: in thing that longeth to good norture & rewle of his houshold: the wif to hir husbōd: ī thing y ^t lōge to matrimony & social liuing / not in werkes of vileyn siruage / And if the wif o­bey more than she is bounde to. And do more dedis of lownesse ī plesaunce of hir husbonde than she is bounde to: she is more to prayse. and the more he owth to loue hir & haue hir in worship as his owne flesshe / And if she do it for goddes sake: god shal be hir mede thowe hir husbound be ful vnkinde. But in thinges that [Page] longe to the kyng of mannis body: man ne woman is not suget to hys lorde ne to hys souereyn temporal. but only to god / For al men in thinges that longe to kynde of body be euen: as ī substaunce of the body: in bringing forth of childrē / And therfore the seruaunt may wedde withoute leue of his lorde. and the sonne withoute leue of his fader / And the seruant may kepe hym chast withoute leue of his lorde and a yens hys byddynge. and the son a yens tye byddyng of hys fader and wedde a yens his byddynge and if him like. Netheles it is gode that yonge folke in such thinges folow the counseile of fader and moder and of ther frendes: but if ther counseile be to let thē from god / For this skil also husbond and wif as ayens vsing of ther body be euen and eche of thē hath power ouer others body.

The xix. chapter.

Is the people bounde to obey to the Pope to ther busshop to ther curate in all thingis what they wyl byd them do?

In al thinge that longeth to keping of feythe and of goddes lawe: and fleing from vicys to which thingis they boū de them in ther baptem: they be bound to obey / And in al thīgis of the which the gouernaūce longeth to men of holy church by comon lawe grounded in goddes lawe to gouern the people not ī other thinges that long not too men of holy churche: ne in ther preceptis not grounded in god­des lawe / And ī the same maner clerkes be bound to obey to ther prelates in thinyes that long to ther offyce grounded in goddes lawe & religious to ther prelates ī thinges that long to kepyng of religion /

I suppose y ^t lordship or prelaci be occupyed vnrightfully by might and falsnesse. by symonye gyle and tresō be ther sugettis bounde for to o­bey to them?

If they o­bey to them in thingis leful it is medeful / Netheles some clerkis sai that such cas men be not boū de to obey: but for to fle slaūder and the more desese. Petrus in scrip. suꝑ ii. sent. d. vt. & sm̄. con­fes .li ^o iii. ti ^o. xxxiii. q̄. v. But for as moche as god yeuethe oft ty­mes the realmes and ye lordshippis of this worlde: and prelacye also not by mannys lawe ne mā nys dome. but by his owne pre­uy dome and he is souerayn mi­ght lorde of lordes & kīg of kīg­ges therfor it is most sure to obei [Page] to such lordes and souereyns as longe as god sufferith them For god yeueth lordship and prelaci in thys worlde: bothe to good & wycked / And therfore as we fynde in danielys prophicie: god made nabugodonosor the wycked tyraunt kynge and lorde of the greate part of thys worlde: And after for hys pryde he toke hys kyngdome fro him: and made hī in wyt lyke a beste. that he wend to haue be a beste halfe lyon half oxe. and so he went on all foure and fedde him amongis bestes ī the forest seuen monethis tyl he knew y ^t god was prīcypal lorde of euery kīgdome & y ^t he yeuethe kīgdom lordshyp to whom y ^t he wyl danielys .iiii ^o.c. And therfor god sayde to sedechye that was kyng of goddes peple: and to o­ther kynges in the cuntre besyde I made erth man and beste vp­on erth in my greate might: and I haue youen the lordship to hī that me lyketh / And I haue yo­uen al these londes & kingdoms here a boute to nabugodonosor my seruant kyng of babiloyn: & al nacyons chulen serue hī & his sōne & his sōnes sōne / & what nacion or kingdome wil not serue him ne obey him: I shal distroy y ^e nacion by swerd hūgre & moreyn & who so wyl serue hī & obey to hī I shal late him dwel styll in hys owne londe / And therfore serue ye him mekely & obey ye to hym & ye shal liue & fare wel. ieremie. xxvii.c. And crist in the gospel sayde. Reddite que sunt cesaris cesari: et que sunt dei deo. yelde ye to the emꝑour of Rome: that is the emperours and yelde ye to god that is goddes / And yet the emꝑoure of rome had no right to ye lordship that he occupied: but onli bi the yeft of god & by swerd

I suppose that the bus­shop byd a prest curs a man which man the prest holdeth vngilti and the multitude of the people also.

Eyther the bus­shop biddeth the brest denounce him a cursed. or he bideth him a curse hym / If he byd the preste denounce him acursed in the busshoppis name. if he may not wel put it of / But he shal by wey of charite excuse that man ī as moch as he knowth him vngilty. And also excuse the busshop: saying that he is mys enformed: & if he had konwe the trewth: he wolde not haue cursed him / And he shal coūsel that man to suffre it lowly for helpe of his soule And he shal enfourme the busshop as sone as he may of that mannys vngyltynes / But if the busshop byd the preste acurse hī the prest [Page] moste take hede whether his vn­giltyede is opēly knowen or is ī doute: or it is certeyn but not o­penly knowen / If his vngyltyede be openly knowen: the prest shal alegge to ye busshop that he is vngilty and proue it by wyt­nesse And if he faile ī his profe he shal obey to the busshoppis byddynge thowe he knowe that the man is vngilty / And if he maye preue hym vngilty: he shall not curse him. thow the busshop byd him neuer so fersly If it be ī dout whether he is gilty or nay: Thā the prest shal obey to the busshoppys byddynge. Sm̄. ꝯf. li. ti. xxxiii. q̄. vi. Quid si episcopus.

The xx. chapter.

Whan the officerys of the kynge knowe well that a man or woman is damp­ned to the dethe vngyltly: shall they obey to the iuge that bydde themsle man or woman withoute gylt?

If the officer be seker y ^t he is vngilty: he shall not sle him: but he shal obeye to god that biddeth him sle no man ne woman vngilty / But if he be ī doute whether he is gilty or vngilty: thanne he shal obey to the iuge & do his biddind / And he is excused by his obediens. Kay. li. ti. ix. de iuramento & periurio. C.xiiii. quid de iudice. Netheles ye sugettis moste beware in suche doutis. y ^t they p̄sume not to mo­ch of ther owne wyt / For ful oft a man weneth to know a thing & be in certeyn of his knowinge and yet he is deseyued: & it is not as he weneth / And it is fulpere­lous to the suget to repugne the dome of his souereyn: & to rep̄ue ye wit & the setēce of many wyse men / And therfore I counseyle the sugettis & the offyiceris ī such thinges to stond to ye consiens & the ordinance of ther souereyns & obey withe sorowe of herte ha­uing pety of mānis deth & of his disese & no lyking in cruelte And therfore god bad in holy writ: y ^t men shuld folow the sentence of ther iugis & do ther bydding And who so wolde not obey them. he shuld be slayn. deut ^o. xvi ^o.c. The kynges iustice representhe the kynges persone in fulhighe degree / And therfore men moste be more adred to withstond hys sentence and hys dome / For his dome is cleped goddes dome: & as salomon sayth / Sicut diuisiones aqua (rum) it a cor eius in ma­nu dn̄i. &c. As the watris saith he may lightly be deꝑted & drawen in diuerse perties: so is the herte of the king & of iuges: & rewlers [Page] in the honde of oure lorde / He shal encline it wheder he wyl / For the dome that semethe vnryght / full to mannys wyt: is rightfull in goddes sight / And thowe the dome be rightful in goddis sight and thowe the man be worthi to dye. if ye iuge wene that it be vnrightful & he yeueth the sentence wenynge sekerly / that it be vn­rightful: he senneth dedly. thow his sentence be rightful / For as saint poule sayth All that is not done of feyth and of good consience it is synne / If the man be gilty: the law and his mysdedis slee hym / If he be vngyltly slayne by fals dome of the iuge or [...]i a false queste or by them y ^• myse enformed the queste they sle him & not the officerys. but if he do it wetingly a yens the worship of god: whanne the falshede of the dome is openly knowen. or if he do it withe lykynge in crueltye.

Is the religious man or woman bounde to obey hys prelate: whanne he byddeth hym to ony thing ayens his rewle

In al thynge that longethe to very obseruance of hys rewle or is nedeful to good & trewe kepynge of the rewle: he is bound to obeye. but he haue resonable excusacion / In other thyngys that be īpertinent to the rewle & to hys profession or contrarie to the rewle: he is not bound to o­bey / For if he were bounde to al such byndyngis: his yeer of no­uycere shulde serue of nought. For hys prelate might so agreg­ge the hardnes of lyuynge in religion in double more than he made hys profession to. and bynde hym to more penaunce without comparison than euer he thou­ght to bynde hym to: and put hī ī another maner lyuyng. that he made neuer hys profession to: ne knowe in the yere of hys assaye ī hys nouycery / And by the lawe euery vowe is sette in some cer­teyn / But if the religious were bounde to obey in al thynge: his profession were al vncertein and vnassayed in his nouycery / Ne­theles it is a greate perfection to obey in alle thingys leful after y ^e man or woman may do sauyng hys rewle and goddes worshyp And if hys prelate byd hym doo ony thynge ayens hys rewle: he most take hede whether hys pre­late may dispens with y ^e point of rewle or nay / If he knowe wel y ^t he may dispēs with y ^t: he owth to obey his biddīg. But if he know wel y ^t he may not dispens with y ^e poīt of the rewle: he shal not obei to him ī that: & he shal also obey if he be in doute whether he may [Page] dispense or not

Tel me some exaumple

In fas­tynge in wakynge: in silence keping / & in diuerse obseruāce of religion: the prelate may dispense & ī cas he owth to dispens ayens his sugettis wyl: whan he seethe that his sugett may not kepe suche poyntis of his rewle with oute vndoinge of him silfe or withoute hinderinge of other thingis that be more to goddes worship And ofte tymes the sugettis wyl do more than they may do: and put them to more than they mai perfourme / And than ther prela­te as a good fader ouwthe to ta­ke hede therto: and for saluacōn of hys suget dispēce with hym & put hī ī discrete goūnāce for sal­uacion of the persone. and for ye worship of god / And the sugette owth to obey his biddyng & stōd to hys ordinaunce: withe good conciens / In some thynges the prelate may not dispence: as in the princiapal poītis of euery religion. that is to lyue in obeidence: in pouerte and ī chastite / And many other thingis ben exempt by lawis of religion in which ye prelate may not dispence / And therfore if the prelate byd the su­get do ony thīge that is ayens ye thre principal pointis of his rewle or a yens such thingis ī which he may not dispence: hys sugett owth not to obey hys biddynge

The xxi. chapter.

If the busshop byd a clerke yeue hys boke to his nece or neuewe or resigne his church / & his benefice that ye busshope may yeue it to hys nece or neue we: or to some of his kyn: is that clerke bound to obey y ^e byd­dynge of the busshop:

Nay forsoth / For it longeth not to the busshop to bidde such thinges / Netheles if the clerke haue gode bokes and is vnable to ꝓ­fite in boke / and the busshop bidde him lene the boke to a nother clerke that is able to profyte in boke and to helpe holy churche: he is bound to obeye / If he gate tho bokes of holy churche godis or by cause of holy churche: as if it were youyn or biquethid hī to profit of holy churche: But if ye bokes be puerly his owne: he is not bound to obey that biddyng

What if the husbond bid hys wyfe breke a vowe that she hath made to god: as of fastyng of pilgrimage. continence. Wol­ward goyng and such other: I [...] she bound to obey his byddynge

ye forsothe / And but she obeythe hys bidynge in that ells [Page] she synneth / And if she do his biddyng only for obedience: she wī. neth moche mede. for in that she obeyth to god which biddeth hyr obey to hys husbond / And so in y ^t she doth the wil of god: thowe y ^• she be sory that she may not per­fourme hyr vowe xxxiii. q. v. no suit More ouer leue frēd ye shal vnderstonde that as sayth saynt bernard ī eplā ade mdch. Sūme thinges be puerly good of the silfe: and to suche we be bound by goddes lawe. as ten cōmaūdmē tys / Sūme be ful wicked of the silf / and tho we be bounde to fle by goddes lawe wythouten any bydding of any souereyn vnder god / And therfore in such thyn­ges stondeth not properly the v (er) ­tue ne mede of obedience to man or woman / Other thinges there be that maye be goode and they may be wicked. and wel do and euyl do. and ī such thinges ston­dethe properly obedience: y ^t men owe to ther souereyns: For in such we shulde stonde to ther wyll and to ther wyt more than to oure owne / For in such stondeth ꝓperly the vertue of obedience: y ^t we owe to man for goddes sake And the hatder that the precepte be: if it stond with reson: the more medeful is the obedience / For the more y ^t man or woman forsaketh his owne wyl for goddes sake the more is his lownesse. and the more is his mede.

The xxii. chapter.

ALso leue frend by thys cō maundement we be boūd to worship alle that be in higher state & dignite than we be / For al such be cleped our fadirs ī worship Patres honore / And therfor ī holy wryt al men of worship be cleped senes et seniores. that is senyours in french / And in fren­che tung mene of worshype and lordes be cleped senyours. & pe­ris that is faders ī englisshe / For they be faders in worshyp & ow­en to be worshyped as faders by thys cōmaundement For comō ly in men of worshyppee is and owth to be sadnesse of wytt and wysdome as in men of age / For in them is the age of wyt & wis­dome: Thow they haue no gre­ate age of yerys / And therfore sayth salomon. Senectus venerabilis est non diuturna ne (que) an norum numero cōputata. The age of worship stondith not ī longe lyuyng ne in noumbre of ye­rys: but it stondeth in wytte and wysdome / For the wittys of the wysman ben old and sadde: and a clene life is cleped age of elde. Sapīe. iiii ^o.c. And therfore god byddeth in old lawe. Honora ꝑ­sonam senis et time dominum [Page] deum tuum. Leuitici. xix. Wor­shyp thou the persone of an olde man & drede thy lorde god / And in the newe lawe he sayth thus. Deum timete regem honorificate / Drede ye god and worship ye youre kynge .i. petri ii ^o.c. That is to saye for drede of god wor­ship thou thyn eldre and for dre­de of god worship thou thy king and thy souereyn and all that be in hygher degre than thou art. For syth god hath put them ī de­gre of worshyp: thou moste for drede of god worship them / And but thou worship them: elles th­ou offendeste god / And therfore saint peter sayth / Omnes hono­rate. Worship ye al men and we­men after ther state and ther dig­nite And saint poul biddeth that al thinge shulde be do onestly & ī ordre. Omīa honeste et scdm̄ or­dinem fiant .i. ad co (rum). xiiii.

The xxiii. chapter

ALso leue frende by this cō maundement we be bon̄d to worship holy aungels & sain­tes in heuen: for they be oure fa­ders in age in worship in cure & ī kepynge of vs / For they longen after vs that ther noumbre and ther cumpany that was lessed by the pryde of lucifer myght be re­stored ayen by saluacion of vs. And therfore nyght and day thei prayen for vs to god for helpe & grace nedful to vs. Of these fa­ders spekethe saint poule in hys piste: and sayth thus I knele & praye for you nyght and day ye fader of oure lorde Iesu criste of whom is named al maner of fa­derhede in heuen and in erth Exquo omīs paternitas nominar̄ ī celo et in terra. ad eph. iii ^o.c. For as the glose sayth ther disposici­on the aungels be oure faders in heuen ordeyned for vs and in erthe p̄latis be oure faders hauing cure & kepynge of vs / And so both prelatis in erthe and aungels in heuen ben oure faders / And therfore as saye al these clerkes Ech man and woman hath two aungels assignyd to him of god oon another of the fende / For ye fende sathanas at goddes suffe­raūce assigneth to him a wicked aungel to tempte him and to le­se him / But god of his goodnes assigneth him a good aungel to saue hym and to kepe hym / Of which good aungel criste sayth in the gospel. that they se alwey the face of the fader in heuen: for they be alweye in his presence & speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore saythe saynt ierom vp on the same worde of criste y ^e aungels bere oure prayer & oure good dedis into heuen and kepe and defend vs ayens the malice and the sleyght of the fende And [Page] therfore the aūgel raphael whā ­ne he had led the sōne of tobie in to fer cuntre and sauid him from many perelys and brought hym ayen in greate welth: he sayde to thobie / whanne thou preydyste with bytter terys and beriediste the dede bodies & leftest thi mete & haddeste dede bodyes by daye in thyn house and be [...]ieiste them by night for goddes sake ayens the wyl of the wicked king senacherib: Thanne offered I thy p̄ier to oure lorde god. tobie. iiii ^o.c. Also we rede ī the fourth boke of kynges the vi. chapter. That ye propheete helesiee was sodenly by nyght byseged in the cetye of dothaym with the ost of the kynge of sirie In the morowe the seruaunt of helisee sawe the oste a­boute the cety and he was ful sory: and sayde to his mayster helisee Alas alas alas what shal we do: we be so byseged wythe oure enemys that we may nat escape Than heūse sayd to hī Drede ye not For we haue more folke with vs thanne they haue with thē Thanne helisee prayde to god y ^t he wold open the iyen of that seruant-that he myght se what helpe helisee had with him / And a­non he sawe the hillys aboute helise ful of hors and charettys brē nyng as fyer and a greate peple arayed to bateil that was the ost of aungeles sent of god in to ke­ping of helyse through whos helpe the prophete helise ledde al ye oste that byseged him into the cety of samarie amongys alle ther enemys / For they were so blentt that they wyst not whether they went / They come to take helise and helisee toke them wyth hel­pe of aungels: and dyd with thē what he wolde / And therfore dauid sayth. Monte in circuitu [...]iꝰ et dn̄s in circuitu pplī sui. The hyllys: that is to say aungels be aboute the gode man and the gode woman to kepe thē / and god is aboute his peple to saue them And therfor saint Cecīle sayd to hir husbonde valerian / I haue goddes aungel that louethe me fulwel and kepeth my body wi­th greate cheerte that no man sh­al defoule me / And if thou wyll by foule loue defoule me: he shal sle the / And if thou loue me with clene loue and wil kepe my maidenhode hool and clene▪ he shall loue the as wel as me / And whā ­ne thou art cristened: thou shalt se him / Anon hir husbond valerian by hir counsel went and was cristened of the busshop saint vr­ban. And whan he was cristened he cam ayen & fond saynt cecily praīg ī closet: & the aūgel stōdīg bisidys hir with wingis & fethers fulbright and his faceshon and [Page] glymered as the flame of fyre He hade in eyther hande a garlonde made of rosys and lelyes ful fayre and fressh and fulswete ī smelling / He yaue vnto saynt cecile one another to valerian and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodi & of soule / For why sayd he. I haue brought them oute of paradise / And ye shal knowe by this token / For they shal alwey be grene and fresshe and neyther welke ne fade: ne lese ther swete sauore-and no man ne woman may se them: but they that loue clennesse and chastyte: as ye do we rede also in the lyfe of saynt agnes y ^t whāne she was but threttene yere of age: suffered deth for the loue of god: and for the loue of chastite. for the wolde not as­sent to be wedded to the grete lordes sōne of rome: for he was he­then / And also for she wolde kepe hir maydenhode to crist / She was made naked and led to the bordel house: to be defouled of synful wretchis / But sodēly hir here wey so moche: that it hilled and hidde al hir body / And whā ­ne she came to the bordell house hir good aungel was redy: and brought hir a clothe as whyte as snowe ful mete to hir body: and bylapped hir with so grete lyght that there might no mā loke vp­on hir: ne no man durst entreye place / Thanne the lordis sonne as fole hardy ran into that light for to defoule hir / And anon the fende whom he wolde haue ser­ued him: slough him / But saynt agnes with hir praier to god and help of hir gode aūgel reysed him from dethe to life. to shame and shenship of al hethen peple / For anon he went oute of that house and cried openly that there was no god but crist: and despised her mawmētys and ther fals byleue Also whanne saynt agace was beryed hir aungel in the liknesse of a yonge man clothed in cloth of silke with an hundred yonge men al clothed in white: that were aungels also or els holy sou­lys: came to the beriyng and sayde astone of marble vpon hir graue with a writyng of grete con­fort to al the contre: & went not thens tyl al the beriynge was do and neuer after was se any of al that cumpany / Also the good aū gel brake the whelis that shulde haue slayne saint kateryne And whāne she was dede for goddes sake the aūgels toke hir body & bare it ī the erth into ye moūte of synai and there beried it worship fully / And therfore leue frend I pray you y ^t ye haue saintes in he­uen and holi aūgels ī reuernece [Page] and deuocion: for they be to vs fader and moder as I sayde first worship ye oure ladi moder and mayde aboue al: next after god and thanne other sayntes bothe man and woman and holy aun­gels: as god yeuethe you grace. Whorship ye theym: not as god but as oure tuters defondours & kepers and oure leders and go­uernouris vnder god and menis betwene vs and god that is fa­der of al and soueren iuge to que me him & to praye for vs to gete vs grace to do wel & foryeuenes of oure mysdede And therfore dauid sayth Pro hac. id est ꝓ missione pccī orabit ad te oim̄s scūs in tempore oportuno / Euery saint shal pray to the lorde in byhoful tyme for mercy and foryeuenesse of sine / And leue frend p̄y ye her­tely to youre aungel as to hym y ^t is next you and hath moste cure of you and is moste besy to saue you vnder god And if ye wyl fo­lowe his gouernaunce and trust ī him ī al goodnes & w ^t reuerēce & clēnes p̄y ye hī faitfully pleine you to hī & speke ye to hī homely to be youre helpe as he is youre tuter and keper assigned of god and say ye oft that holy prayer / Angele qui meus es &c.

The xxiiii. chapter /

Thy speche pleseth me wel and thy wordis be goode and deuoute: but I pray the say forthe of thys cōmaundement if thou can more.

Also by this cōmaūdement men of holy church be bound to wor­ship ther patrones / For the pa­trone of the church is fader of ye church and of the benefice ī that that he begynnethe it of nought xvi. q̄. vii.. pia in glosa.

For which thingys is a man cleped patron.

For thre thinges / For fundacion that is yeuyng of ground: for the firste dotacion: and for makyng of ye firste church. Patronum faciūt dos edificacio fundus.

What worship owe men of holy churche to do to ther patrones: & what right longeth to ye patron

It longeth to him for to present a persone able and ye­ue the church and the benefice by wey of almes to whom he then­keth able by assent of ye busshop Also it longeth to hī to mainten ye church and to kepe it fro dilapidacion and from destruccōn & from al maner wrongys as a gode fader & a gode tutoure & as a true aduoket to kepe & defēd the church and the mynystrys of the churche from al wrongis and disesys vp on hys power / And if he fynde person veker or curate or ony other clerke or prelate mys­usynge the benefice ī which he is [Page] patroun: he owthe to amende them in fayre maner if he maye And if he may not be owth to tel the busshop therof: or summe of his officeris. to whom longethe the correction of such defautys: And if the busshop do not his de­uoure ne his officeris: he shal tel it to the archebusshop And but he do hys deuour he shal tel it to ye kynge: xvi. q̄. vii. filiis And therfore men of holy churche that be auaūced by ther patrouns most nedely do ther patroūs worshyp and haue theym in reuerence by weye of kyndnesse: and for nede of helpe to be mayntened in ther right / And also for drede of ther offens / For if they misbere them ther patroūs may depryue them of ther benefice by assentt of the busshop: and in case ayens the busshoppis wyl / Also it longeth to men of holy churh to susteyne ther patrūs & ther chidren whan­ne they falle to nede / And if they be taken prisoners to help to pai ther raunsome. xvi. q̄ .vii ^o q̄cū (que) Ex. li ^o iii ^o. de iure patronatꝰ .c. nobis fuit Et xii. q̄ i. aplicos &c. sacrorum. et ibidem q̄ .ii. aureū. And it longethe to men of holy church to do ther patrones wor­ship ī sittinge in goinge: and put them by fore in sitting in goinge xvi. q̄. vii. pia mentis / And it lō geth to ye patron to haue ye prī ­cipal place and sytt principaly ī hys church. Tabula iuris: dicci one patronatꝰ / And for worship of the patron: & his ese the preste may singe two messys ī one day Extra. li ^o.iii ^o de celebracōe mis­sa (rum) cōsuluisti And whan the pa­tron presentethe a persone to the busshop: whiche ꝑsone he wyl a­uaunce: the busshop is boūde to reseyue that persone: but if he be proued & know for a wicked mā and vnable xvi. q̄. vii. monaste­riū / Also the patron may in hys fundacion byfore the halowyng of the church reserue to him a cer­teyn rente by yere by assent of ye busshop to reseyue it of the chur­che. Ex. de iure pat ^o. t. p̄tea. Et hostiensis ī sm̄ sua li ^o. in. c. ti ^o. Also if a p̄late be chosin in a churche collegiat: as in an abbey p ⁱo­ry chauntry: he shal by the lawe be p̄sented to the patron: or that he be confermed and if he be vnable: he may & owth to withstond the confirmacion. Ex. de iure patronatus. c ^o. nobis fuit & xvi. q̄. vii. filiis. Also he maye in hys fundacion of the church collegi­at reserue to him to be in the elleccion of the p̄late of the church with assent of the busshop or of the pope by the same lawe: but he moste shewe that writen whāne he wil vse it / Hostiensis li ^o.iii ^o. Ru. de iure parōātꝰ / Et tabula [Page] iuris diccione prōnatꝰ Et extra de iuro patronato nobis fuit in glosa

Patroūs fynd ful oft ther auaūces ful vnkynde to them and ful prowde / And ther­fore many a patroun maye saye Filios exaltaui et enutriui: ipsi autē spreuerunt me. ysaie. i ^o.c ^o: I haue auaunsed chyldren and brought them vp of nought and they haue despiced me.

Such vnkind men of holy church but thei amēd thē thei shal haue goddes cursse: that he yaue to al suche in the same chapter. Ve genti peccatrici pplō graui iniq­tate: semini neqm̄ filiis scelera­tis / woo be to the synful people heuy through wickednes. to ye wicked sede. to the vnkynd syn­ful children.

If a church be destroied: and a man do it make ayen of his cost: shal that mā be cleped patroun of the churche

ye thowe he do make it ayen of the same mater that it was made of by fore / And the patron that was byfore patron only by makynge of the churche or yeuyng of the grounde leseth his right of the patronage But if he were patron bi dotacōn he leseth not hys right of patronage. In tabula iuris patronatus. If the patron vary in his representaci­on presenting first one and sythe another: it stondeth in the dome and the wyl of the busshop to re­seyue which he wyl / Thowe the patron of laife present a persone vnable: he leseth not his right of representacion ne owth to lese it But if a college present a perso­ne vnable: in that he lesethe hys right of presentacion for that tyme / And if a clarke present apersone vnable he is worthy to lese his right of presentacion for y ^e tyme. Extra de eleccione. cū ī cūctis / The patron of ye laife mai abyde but foure monethis of his presentacion / The college and the clerke patron mai abyde six monethis: and if they passe ther tyme by retcheleshede or by bry­ge: the busshop shal ordeyn for y ^e churche and benefice / No man owthe to present himsilfe / The patron maye lefully present his sonne: hys neuewe. and ony of his kyn: if they be able & power: And if apatron be pore and nedi the busshop may yeue hym that benefice in whiche he is patron: and he may take it of his yeft: so that yefte come only of the bus­shopys free wyl: with oute ony ꝓcuringe of hymsylfe: Hostien­sis li ^o.iii ^o de iure patronatus.

The xxv. chapter.

I thāk ye for thou hast told me more of thys cōmaūdemēt than euer I harde bifore / But yet me meruelethe [Page] moch why y ^e god biddeth not mē do almesdede to straūgerys & to other folke at nede ī non of al ye ten cōmaundementys / For but men be bounde therto by goddes cōmaūdemēt: I holde it no dedly synne to leue it: Ne men shuld not be dampned for they dede it not

By thys cōmaūde­ment prīcipaly we be bounde to helpe alle nedy folke vpon oure power / For by thys precepte we be bound to shewe pety to al mē

Contra God speketh in this cōmaūdmēt ōly of worship y ^t lōgeth to fader & moder

That worship stondethe in two thingys: ī affection of herte thenkīge: & in dede doynge / By affectōn of herte we shulde loue al men & wemē w ^t drede to offēd them vnskilfuly By dede doing we shuld do al men reuerence aft (er) ther degre: & helpe theym in nede as we wolde be holpe oure silfe: And therfore saint peter biddeth vs worshyp al men / And saynt poul biddeth y ^t ech man & womān shuld put other bifore ī worshyp for ech man owth to holde wyth other his fader ī sū degre.

The xxvi. chapter:

Why so?

For ech man passith other ī some degre of worship / & in that he is his fader / Or in beynge or ī wisdome: or ī goodnes / In beinge we haue many faders / For sūme be faders of oure first beīg as oure bodely faders & moders: y ^t vs bigate / Sūme be faders in wel beyng: and that in two ma­ners: for sūme gostly sūme bodely / In wel being gostly: be oure faders p̄lates of holy church and al that haue cure of oure soulys. In wel beinge bodely be oure faders al that haue cure and gouernaūce of oure body and of oure liuing in thys worlde as kinges princes: lordes and suche other: Also al that be elder in age & had ther beinge byfore vs: be oure faders / Faders in wisdome be pre­chours techers: men of lawe cler­kys and men of age: whyche by long experiēce knowe more thā ther yonger / Faders in goodnes be al holy men: and al that passe vs in goodnes / And for that ech man owth to deme other: better than himsilfe: therfore eche man owe to worship other as fader in goodnes: but if open malyce make him lyke a beste and noman. And therfore saynt poule saythe Suꝑiores sibi īuicē arbitrantes Euery man and woman deme other his souereyn in goodnesse. Ad philip̄ .ii ^o.c. / For as the glose sayth there: Thowe we seme so­ueren [Page] to other by some goodnes and dignyte that is in vs opēly knowen: yet ther mai be sū goodnesse preuely in a nother of low­er degre: in which goodnes he is oure souereyn in goddes syght ^o. /

Why is this cōmaunde­ment youen with a biheste of helth and welfare more than any of the other cōmaūdemētis / For he sayth thus: worshyp thy fader & moder: that thou may lyue long vpon erthe & fare wel in the lond that thy lorde god shal yeue the. Deut ^o. vi.c.

For sythe god hoteth so grete mede for ke­ping of this p̄cept: that is moste natural: and wherto man & wo­man is moste enclined biwey of kynde: he shewthe wel that men shuld haue moch mede for kepīg of other p̄ceptis that be not so natural / And by the mede assygned for kepīg: god sheweth wel what peine man & womā shal haue for the breking: y ^t is to saye short ly­fe vpon erth. & euyl fare: both here and in lond of deth: and after lese the lond of life without end and wende to the londe of woo & of derkenes / Terrā miserie et te­nebra (rum). And for that this p̄cepte is principal of the secunde table and in maner includeth al six folowing. therfore to this cōmaū ­dement he knitteth the mede for the keping of al: and payne for brekīg of al For after he hoteth many diuerse medys to theym y ^t kepe hys hestys: & many myscheues to them that breke thē / And al they be cōp̄hended ī thys short bihest knit to this cōmaūdemēt For the biheste is moste cōueni­ent to this cōmaūdemēt / For as saint poule sayth: ruth pety and almesdede is good for al thīgys and hath hys mede both in thys worlde & also ī the tother world that is comyng

Shewe me that.

For it is good reson that they lyue longe: why­th maynteyn wel theym that be beginnynge of ther lyfe: that is fader and moder / For whanne the rote of the tre faylethe by de­faute of the tre aboue thanne ye tre shal sone fayle and sere vp. And it is not worthy that he liue lōg ne farewel that worshipeth not them ne helpe them: by whō he lyueth: and hath his lyfe and hys welfare / And he that wor­shipeth not the begynning of his his beynge: is worthisone to lese hys beinge / And he that helpeth other withe hys good to lyue longe good life: is worthy to haue good and good lyfe.

The xxvii. chapter:

[Page]Also leue frend ye shal vn­derstonde y ^t god sayth the­se wordys not only to euery per­sone by himsilfe: but he sayd thē to al the peple & to euery people as to one ꝑsone not onli for worshiping of ther fleshly fader and moder: but also for worshiping of ther souereyins ī ther degre as I sayd bifore / For why as lōge as any peple is buxū & meke to ther souereyns: & wyl folowe her gode gouernaunce. and worship men after ther degre: & euery mā be payde w ^t his owne degre & do the dute of his degre: so lōge the peple is able to kepe y ^t lond that god hath youen them to lyue go de lyfe / But whanne they wyll rebelle ayens ther souereins and wyl not stond to ther ordinaūce but euery man wyl be hys owne man: and folowe hys owne fan­tasies: despice hys souereīs ther dome & gouernaūce: ne yeue no tale of goddis lawe ne of londis lawe ne of holy chyrchys law: ne haue men of v̄tue & of dignyte ī worship: but for pryde haue thē in despite and be besi to worship thēsilfe ī hindering of other that peple is able to the swerde: & a­ble to lese his londe / For as ye se at the iye ī tyme of tēpest: thow the bowys of the tre bete thēsilfe togydre & altobrest & full doune as long as ye rote of y ^e tre kepeth him fast in hys place and ryseth not: so lōg ye tre shal not fal But whā the rote beginne to rise oute of his place: anon the tre begyn to fal / Right thus it fareth by ye peple of a lond / Thow tempest of pride of couetise: of enuie: of lechery fal sūtime ī the croppe of the tre: y ^t is to say a mongis lor­des & souereins & the grete mē. if the pore peple y ^t is rote of the tre & of al the comonte kepe thē styl ī lownes: & do mekely ther dwte to god kepīge hys cōmaūdemē ­tys & the good preceptys of ther souereins: so lōge is hope y ^t ye peple shall fare wel after y ^e tēpeste & not be destroied / But if they ri­se ayens god by customable dedly synnes: & ayens ther worldly souereins: & wil entermete them of euery cause of that londe & of holy church: & termine eūy cause by ther wyt body & crop of y ^e tree shal falle / For it is not possyble that the rote shuld be so highe as the crop of the tre: but the tre fell Ne y ^t the fote shuld be aboue the hede: but the body felle

This is ful soth we se it at ye iye For p̄de & rebellion of ye pore peple is cause of destruccōn of this lōd / For sythe they aresen ayens ther souereīs: was there neu (er) sta­bilite ī this lōd: but alwey syth̄e ye tre of ye peple of this lōd & the realme: hathe stond in fallynge

[Page]

Vnbuxūnesse & pride was principal cause of lesing of londys and of realmys / And prī cipaly the cause of saluacion of realmes londys and comontees is obedience and buxūnesse: y ^t e­che man in his degre obey to his souereyn & worship hī as fader / & therfore leue frende I pray you for goddes sake that ye worship al youre faders and moders: in ther degre: as I haue sayde And haue ye old folke & feble ī wor­ship: while ye be in yonge age: & worship ye the age that ye draw to and haue no scorne of the old folke for feblenes and vnclēnes that ye se them in / But thenk ye that suche shall ye be if ye abyde ther age: feble vnourne and loth to the syght / For suche as ye be nowe: such were they sūtime It fareth bi age of man and womā as it doth by a precyous stone y ^t is cleped crisolitus / Thys stone as saythe the mayster of kīdes ī the begynnyng of the day it shy­neth bright as any gold / But as the day passeth so passeth his bri­ghtnesse / And the nyer euen the more it fadeth: so that bi euen it is like a clot of erth / Thus it fa­reth by man and woman in this world / For in ther youthe and ī ther begynnynge they be fayre: rede and rody and fresshe as rose in may: ful lusty to the iye But as youthe passeth so passeth ther bewte / And as they olde: so they fade: tyl at the laste the daye of ther lyfe cometh to an ende / And than be theye but a clott of erthe ful vnourne & gastly to the sight

The firste chapter.

As me thenketh: thou haste enfor­med me well in these iiii. cōmaūdementis Nowe I praye the for charyte y ^t thou wolt enfourme me: in the fifte

The fift cōmaun­dement is this Non occides that is to say. Thou shalt nou slee In which precept god forbedth vs al maner manslaughter vn­leful both bodely and gostly / He biddethe vs y ^t we slee no man ne woman vnrightfully ayens the lawe. neyther with herte cōsētīg to his deth: neyther by wrathe & hate For as sayth saīt iohn Qui odit frēm suū homicida est / He y ^t hateth his brother is a mansteer: For of wrath & hate cometh mā ­slaughter / Also bi this p̄cepte he forbyddeth beting fighting and maynīg p̄sonyng banisshīg out­lawinge / For these & such other be a maner of dethe & despose to dethward / & therfore it shuld not be do to māne to womā without [Page] grete gylt / Also he forbiddethe y ^t we sle no man ne woman withe oure tunge: hym hyndering and procuringe hys dethe: ne fauoure yeuynge: ne false witnesse beringe: ne lesynges makynge: ne by diffamyng ne bacbityng For bacbyters and wycked spekers. be manquellers. And therfore salomon sayth: that moche folke hath falle by the swerde: but not so many as haue be slayn by the tunge. Eccle. xxviii ^o.c. And therfore he sayth ꝓuer .xviii ^o.c. That life & deth be ī ye hōdis of the tūg y ^t is to say in the might of ye tūg For by hondis ī holy writ is vnderstond might and power And therfore dauid saith Līgua eorū gladius acutus. The tunge of the iewis and of other wic­ked spekers: is a sharpe swerde. For the iewys slowe criste withe ther tunges. not with ther hon­des / For they procured his dethe by false witnesse: and by excilīg of the people / But paynyms slowe him with ther hondys and dyd him on the cros / And yet as sayth saint austen the iewys were mo [...]e gilty of cristys dethe than pylate that dampned hym to the deth: or the knightys that dyde hī on the cross For with her tunges the iewis slowe him: and were cause of hys deth / And therfore sayth the lawe. that he that sleeth hys brother with his hond and he that hatethe hys brother and he y ^t bacbyteth his brother. al thre be mansleers. De pe .di.i. homicidia (rum). The bacbyter slee­th thre at onys / He slethe himsilf by his own malice. and him that hereth him: and him that hath lykyng in hys false tales and hym that he bacbytethe / For he maketh him to lese his good na­me: and perauenture his lyf / He maketh him also to lese charyte: whā he knowth his wekid spech y ^t he hath sayde byhind hym And so by lesinge of charite he leseth god that is hys lyfe of hys soule And therfore the wys man lickenethe the bacbiter to the adder y ^t byteth and styngeth in stylnesse Eccle. x ^o. A shrewyd adder is the bacbiter that sleth thre with oon breth / Therfore salomon saythe Kepe ye you from bacbytyng of the partid tūge For wekid word sayd in preuy: shal nott passe in vayn and wyth oute woo / For the money sayth he that lyth sle the soule. Sap̄ / i.c.

The secunde chapter.

Is flaterynge ony gostli māslaughter

In so moche as it slethe the soule bothe of him that flatereth & of him that is flatered: ī so mo­ch it is gostly manslaughter.

Is euery flaterynge [Page] gostly man slaughtyr and dedly synne?

Nay. For flate­ring is a speche of veyn praysīg sayde to man or woman with intencion to plese them / And that maye be do in three maners: as praysing man or woman ī goodnesse and in good that he hathe. Or els praysinge them in good­nesse and good y ^t they haue not. Or els praising them in threw idnesse and falsnesse: of which maner flatering speketh dauid and sayth. Qn̄i laudatur peccator in desideriis anime sue et iniquus benedicetur / Forsoth sayth he ye synner is praisid in desiris of his soule: and ye wicked man is blessed of folys / For whanne shrew­is haue forth ther wyl in shrewednesse: thanne the world praiseth them and worshyp theym / The firste maner of praisynge if it be do only to plese man & not god: it is synne. and in cas dedly syn­ne / And therfor saint poule saith that if he wold only plese man & not god: he were not cristys ser­uaunt / But it be do to plese god and for a good ende it is cōmen­dable and medful / For in good folke vertue y ^e is praised wexeth Virtꝰ laudatur crescit / Butt this maner praysinge is no flatering The secunde maner of praysing if it be do for god and for a good ende it is sufferable: & in cas cō ­mendable and medeful / But if be do wetingly: only to plese mā and not god. it is dedly synne. The thyrd maner of praysynge if it be do wyllynge and wetyng it is dedly sinne And therfore dauid sayde. Oleum pccōris non ī pinguet caput meū. Lord god sayth. lete not the oyle of ye synner make fatte my hede y ^e si say. late my herte neuer haue no lykynge ne ioye in false flaterīg For as saint austen saith ye tūg of ye flaterer do more harme yan the swerde of the enmye pursuīg Therfore salomon saythe: it is better to be vnder nomen of the wyse man: than he deseyued by flaterīg of folis. eccle. vii ^o. This synne of flateringe is so grete & greuous y ^e if any mā of holi church were customable therin: he shuld be degraded / Also if he were a traytour or a teller of shrifte. distince. xlvi. clericus / God ye­ueth curs to al false flaterers saiinge in this wyse. Ve qui consu­unt puluillos sub omniū cubito manus et faciunt ceruicalia sub capite vniuerse etatis ad capiendū aīas. Who be to them y ^e sowe smale softe pelowis vnder euery elbowe. and make pelowis vn­der the hede of euery age to take the sowlys of my people / They [...]ckened soulys y ^e were not quik but depe in dedly synne: and so [Page] defouled me by fore my people. For by cause of ther slaterynge they youen no tale of me: ne dre­ded me: ne worship me / For an handful of barly sayth be & for a go bet of brede they slowe soulis that were not dede: and they q̄c­kened soulys that lyued not makynge lesingys to my peple that loued lesingys / And they conforted synners in ther synne and in ther falsnesse: and dyconforted good folke in ther goodnes and in ther truth. Eze. xiii ^o.c.

The thirde chater.

This vice of flate­ringe regneth ful moch in this lond For the peple is so blēt with flaterynge and lesinges: y ^t they se not the mischef y ^e thei be ī And therfore they lyue forthe in pride and not lowe them to god ne pray to god for helpe as they shuld do: if they knewe ther mischefuousnesse that they be in.

Therfore god saythe Popule meus q te beatum dicūt ipsi te decipiunt et viam gressuū tuorum dissipant / My people they that se that thou art blessed & in welth: thei disseyue the & distroy the wey of thy goinge: that thou might not forth ne haue no spede in thi werkys for defawte of grace. ysa. iii ^o.c.

What in vnderstonde by the pillouis y ^e god spekethe of a yens flaterers

As saint gregrory suyth. moraliū .xviii ^o.c. suꝑ illud. iob. xvii ^o Donec deficiam nōre cedam &c. He that preyseth man or woman in hys wicked werke he leyth hys pyllowe vnder hys elbowe / And he that gladdeth ye herte of the synner in hys synne he leyth a pelowe vnder his hede For by the hede is vnderstonde the herte / For why by such flateringe they reste softly and slepe ī ther synne and dye gostly wythe oute payne and perseyue not her owne deth / And therfore salomō sayth. that he that iustifithe the wicked man and dampneth the rightful man: both thei be abhominable to god ꝓuer .xvii ^o.c. Therfore god lycknethe flate­rers to them that playstren & palten wallis and wowys with out For thinge that is foule thei make it to seme fayre and make folke to haue lyking ī ther synnes. Therfore god sayth that the sinner maketh the wal of synne bytwene hym and god. But flate­rers playsteren and paynten the wal of synne. Eze. xiii ^o:c. Al so flaterers be lickened to an adder that is cleped dipsa which as the master of kindes sayth. li ^o xviii ^o he is so litel y ^t thow a man trede theron he mai not se it But hys venī is so violent that it sleethe [Page] a mā he fele it & he deth with oute payne / Right to flateringe semeth but a smal synne and yet it is ful venemous and sleth mā nys soule or he fele it / And with oute payne bringeth him to endles payne / Flaterers be lykened to an adder that is cleped tyrus. Whiche is leest of al edders: and yet his venym is not curable as sayth the mayster of kynd in the same place / Right so flaterynge semeth but a ful lytyl synne and yet it is so venemous that it wyl not be lightly helyd / For whāne man or woman hath lykinge in flateringe and rewlethe hys lyfe after flateryng tunge: it is full harde to that man or woman to be saued / For as longe as men preysen him in his synne: so songe he is bolde in hys synne / And if men begynne to lacke him: he falleth into sorowe and dispey­re / Therfore saint iames sayth that the tunge is but a lityl membre: and reyseth vp grate desese it is a wickid thing that hath no rest ful of dedly venym. iac.iii.c. And the prophete dauid saythe. Acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentes: venenum aspidum subsabiis eorum / They haue shar­ped ther tungys as addris: the v­nym of addyrs is vnder the lyp­pes of flaterers and wicked spe­kers / And if a man do his dedys only for to be preysed & flatered of the people: flaterynge is hys mede / And whanne flaterynge ceseth and the wynde turnethe a yens him he hath no lenger likīg in good dedys / and so as the gospel saythe. for that he seketh thā ke in preysinge only of man for hys good dedys and not of god: therfore al suche be lyckened to the fyue maydens folys y ^e wolde mete with ther husbond criste ie­su at the dome with lampis withouten oyle / That is to say with good dedis with oute gostli mer­the and ioye and conscience For they hadde no ioy in ther goode dedys: but in preysing and flateringe of the people / And therfor criste sayth in the gospel they haue take ther mede in this worlde and at the dome they shalbe shet oute of heuen blisse from endles mede bothe flaterers and they y ^e haue lykynge in flaterynge and do ther dedys only for flateryng and preysing of the people / But the fiue wys maydens as sayth the gospel hadden oyle ī ther laū pis that is to say gostly ioy and lykīg ī ther good dedys And therfore they shal be receyued of ther hushōd crist into the blesse wyth outen ende / And as saint austen saith in hys sermon bi oyle is vnderstonde both gostly praysyng

¶and worldly praysynge [Page] and myrthe. Gostly preysyng & gostly myrthes is cleped the oile of the holy gooste / But worldly preysing and worldly merthe is cleped the oyle of synners / And therfore he saythe that flaterers selle oyle to the maydens folys that is to saye to synners as ofte as they flater theym and preyse them in ther foly and in ther pryde for to haue mete or drinke or money or worship. or any tem­poral lucre. & so bringe thē in errour & foly & plese & praise theim in ther synne / But as dauid sayth. Deus dissipauit ossa eorum qui hominibus placent. God hath dystroyed and shal distroye ye bonys of them that plese men in dyspite of god and disseyue men and Wemen by flateringe / wyc­ked tunges do moch harme and sle many soules but the flaterīg tunge is worste of al / And ther­fore the wyse man sayth. Susurro et bilignis erit maledictus a deo Ecle .xxviii. The musterer and the double tungedman shal be accursed of god. For be trou­bleth moche folke that haue pes The thyrde thunge sayth he hath stired and moued moch peple oute of pees & disparlid theym fronacion into nacion.

The fourthe chapter.

What is susurro & y ^t is cleped a musterer

It is a preuey towner: that pry­uely telleth false tales a mongis the people for to make discenci­on and debate a mongis the people: and telle tales preuely whyche / he dare not tel opēly ne may not a vowe them / Of whych folke saint poule saythe Susurro­nes detractores deo odibiles. Ad rō. i.c. Such musterers and bac­byters god hateth them / For su­surro is a preuy bacbiter & a preuy lyer that maketh debate amō ges frendes / And as the wyse man sayth. God hateth al tho y ^• sowen discord a mongis bretherne and frendes. ꝓuer .vi.c. And as he sayth in a nother place. su­ch preuy musterers defoule ther soule. and thei shalbe hated of ol bothe of god & of al the courte of heuen Eccle. xxi. And therfore god sayth. Non eris susurro nec criminator in populis. Thou shalt be no musterer a mōgis th [...] people to lette loue and pees: ne thou shalt be no tale teller ne bl­abbe to defame man or woman falsly or ony synne that is preui Leuitici. xix.c. Soche preuy musterers and bacbyters make discencion and heuinesse in eue­ry comonte. in euery housholde in euery cumpany / And therfore [Page] whanne they be knowe for such they shulde be put oute of cum­pany: or elles chastised / For the wyse man sayth whāne the wo­de is withdrawe: the fyre abateth and is quenched. Right so sayth he withdrawe such preuy muste­rers and bacbiters: and put them oute of cumpany: and chidinge and debate shal cese. Prouer. xxvi.c.

What ie bilignis that thou clepest a double tūged man

Biliguis and ye double tūged man is he that say the one with hys mouwthe: and thenketh another in hys herte: & he that sphekethe good byfore a man: and bihynde hym he speke­th him euyl: he that sayth a tru­the one tyme: and another tyme he forsakethe it he that is vnsta­ble in speche: and nowe saythe one and nowe another / Of such god speketh and sayth. Os bilī ­gue detestor. prouerbio (rum). iii ^o.c. Iwlate and lothe the mouthe y ^t is double tunged.

What clepethe the wyse man the thyrd tunge that dothe so moche woo.

The third tunge is ye flaterynge tunge: whyche is the worste of all / For euery flaterer that flatereth man or woman in his synne: he is a flaterer he is a / bacbiter: he is double tunged: & so he may be cleped in latey [...] tri­linguis: that is treble tunged in englisshe / The flaterer blyndeth so folke that he flaterethe: that they take no hede to theym sylfe ne to god: ne knowe not thēsilfe and waye so proude y ^t they yeue no tale of ther euencrysten / Also the flaterer lacketh and bacbite­th al tho that he heteth: whom he flatereth so to plese him: and hī ­dereth another mannys name to enhaunse his name: and so ma­keth discorde and discencion Al­so flaterers be double tūged For as lyghtly as they preysen man or woman: as lightly they wyll lacke theym. if they fayle of ther purpose & haue noo lucre by ther flaterīge as they wend haue had For comonly graete preysers be greate lackers: and as moche as they preyse man or woman oute of mesure by flateringe: as mo­ch they willacke him or another by bacbytinge / Therfore seneca sayth: Lauda parce vitupa per­cius. Preyse scarsely. but lacke more scarsely / For these skyllis salomon saythe: that the thyrde tunge hathe stired moche īto pride: and so made them falle ī shame and shenship and dysperpled thē fro nacion to nacion It hath destried walled townes: & dolue vp the housis of grete forbis: It hathe kyt a weye the myght and [Page] the vertue of peple that were ful strong and made them feble For flaterers make townes nacions and fordes bolde to beginne wer­rys: plees and debate: by whych they come to nought / For they be so blent by flatering and ouer preysinge: that they knowe not themsylfe: but wene to ouerlede al men tyl at the last they be de­stroied themsilfe / Also as the wy­se man seyth: the thirde tung hath caste stronge wemen: that is to saye good wemen syker and vertuouse oute of ther vertue: & priued them and put them from ther trauayls / For whāne a go­de woman hath traueyled moch of hir lyfe to plese god & to haue a gode name: cometh a false fla­terer in gyle and wyth flatering wordes & fayre bihestis of matrimony: or of richessys bryngethe hyr to synne & doth hir to lese hir good name and bryngeth hyr to shame and veleny / And therfore seythe the wyse man in thesame place. Eccle. xxviii.c. that who so taketh bede to the flaterynge tunge. that is the thirde tung: to haue lykinge therin: he shal ne­uer haue reste / And he shal haue no frende in whom he may reste ne trust / For flaterers be no true frendys: but alle blinde so men y ^e thei mai not knowe ther frendis ne take hede to the speche of ther frēdys that wold say them the soth & warne theym of ther harme.

The fifth chapter.

That many a gode woman is deceyued: and destroyed by flatering: men kn­owe wel / But that flatering de­stroyed cetyes: lordes houses na­cions and desperpled them from nacion to nacion I se not: but I praye the telle some exaumple:

As we fynde ī the four­th boke of kynges and the boke of ieremye / For the chyldren of israel wolde not here the wordys of ieremye and of other true pro­phetys: ne do therafter: but had lyking in flateringe of fals pro­phetis which bihight them welth and prosꝑite for to plese the peo­ple: therfore was the cetye of ie­rusalem destroied and nigh al ye cetyes and castellys of the londe The hynge sedechie was take & his children slayn byfore hym: & after his iyen were put oute / All the lordis and the gentilis of the londe eyther they were slayn: or elles ledde prysoners into baby­loyne / The peple was sleyn wi­th hungur moreyn & swerde And al tho that were left a lyue after [Page] that the cetye of ierusalem was taken were desparpled in diuers nacions: and slayn in diuers maner: for they trusted alwey in flaterynge of false prophetys: and slowe ieremye and other good ꝓphetys that sayde them the truth and wold haue saued them And I dare say that flateringe of fal­se prophetis and prechours: and of other spekers that blynde the people with plesaunt lesīges: ne wyl not vndo to thē ther wickednesse: is prīcipal cause of destruccion of many realmys and lond­des people: and cetyes into thys day: as we might se at iye if fla­teringe and lesīges blent vs not

Men prech these dayes ful welle a yens synne.

Sūme do so: but a yens the gre­te synne that al the lond is entri­ked in & al cristendome knowth & is open cause of oure myschefe ayens that no man precheth but nighe al be aboute to maīten it.

Which sine is that

Ofte haue I tolde the: but thou beleueste me not / Go ouer these: and there men shal tel it ye if thou axe / we fynde ī the thyrd boke of kynges: that the kynge of israel whos name was achab was styred to be sege the cetye of ramathigalaad & so begīne werr̄ ayens the kynge if sirie / This achab sent after foure hūdred fals flatering prophetys of his londe whych were wont to plese hym & to flatere him: & axed them coū ­seyle and howe he shulde spede: They flatered him al and badde him go and fight: and sayd that he shuld spede right wel and ta­ke the ceti and destroie al the lōd of sirie / Thanne at the counseyl of iosephat the king of iuda that was come to helpe hym: he sent for mychee goddes prophete to knowe what he wolde saie / And as he came towardys the kynge the massēgere sayde to michee ye prophete Al other prophetys wi­the one mouth tel oure lorde the kynge good tidynges and say y ^t he shal spede right wel. I praye the saye as theye saye / Thanne the prophete answered what my lorde god saythe to me: that shal I speke to oure lorde the kynge And whanne he cam by fore the kyng he said to ye king achab. I sawe bi visōn al the peple of israel desꝑpled ī the hillys & scatered aboute as shepe wythoute a she­peherd Anon the king was wra­th and saide that he tolde him neuer good ne welthe / Thanne the prophete sayde / Here the worde of god. I sawe oure lorde god sittynge on hys sete / and al the ofte of heuen stondynge bisydys him [Page] on the right syde and on the lifte syde / Thanne sayde oure lorde god: who shal deseyue achab kī ­ge of israel to do him go & fighte in ramothgalaad and falī fight Anon a wicked sprite stode for­the: and sayde I shal desseyue hī Than oure lorde axed him hou he shuld disseue him I shal seide he go oute and be aspryte lyer in the mouth of al his false prophetys / Thanne oure lorde god sei­de Thou shalt deseyue hym and thou shalt haue the maistri of hī Go forthe and do as thou haste sayde / Thanne the kynge was more wroth: and cōmaunded hī to presone / The kynge lefte the counseile of the prophete michee and followed the counseile of his false prophetis: and went to ba­teile and was slayne: and his peple discoumfyt.

Dauid speketh moch in hys boke of the gylous tunge: that is cleped in lateyn. lingua dolosa.

The gylous tung is the flaterīg tunge / For comonly euery gyle in spech is medled with flaterīge In gilous spech be two thingys sleyght and flateringe. And therfore gilous spech is lyckened to an anglyng of fysshe / For in the anglyng be two thinges: the ho­ke & the mete on the hoke / The hoke is the sleyght in spech: the mete on the hoke is flaterynge y ^t drawth man womā on to the deuelys hoke Thus adam and eue were desseiued with ye fendes speche: For slyly he axed Eue why god bad that they shulde not ete of euery tre ī paradise / And whā he sawe hir vnstable and doutīg he put therto the mete of flaterīg and sayde: that they shulde not dye but be as goddes kunnynge good and wycked / And so by flateringe the fende loste alle man­kynde / Figure hereof we haue ī ye secūd boke of kīges xx c. where we fīd y ^e ioab gitiously slough the noble prince amasam wythe a knyfe craftely made lyghtlye to go oute of the sheth / And whā he shulde steke hym wythe the knife he toke hī by the chyn and sayde to to him heyle my brother And for hys flaterynge and fayre / wordis: amasa tok no hede to the knyfe / And in the same ma­ner whanne iudas betraide crist he sayde in flaterynge and gyle Aue rabi Heile thou master.

The sixte chapter.

Thou hast wel de­clared the myschefe of fla­teringe tunges Say forth what thou wylt.

Also god [Page] forbedethe vs by thys cōmaun­dement that we slee no man: ne woman by oure bede: him a mys doynge or him hurtinge / And so by this commaundement he for­biddeth vs wrathe: and wretche chydynge. despisynge: smitynge scornynge: and al suche meanes and motyues to manslaughter.

As thou wel saidest god forbyddethe not al maner man­slaughter: but only manslaughter / vnrightful and ayēs the law For god had that men shuld not suffre wycked doers lyue in dys­ese of the people. Malificos non pacieris viuere. exo. xxii And al­so he had that we shulde slee noo man ne woman rightful and vngilty. Innocentem et iustum nō occides. exo. xxiii.c. Therfore I prai the tel me in how many maners a man is slayn vnrightful­ly.

On thre maners First if he be slayn withoute gilt Also if he be slayn with oute or­dre and processe of lawe / Al­so if he be slayn withoute lawful iustyce ordeined of hys lege lord to whom god hath youen lyfe & lyme and the swerde to punyssh sherwys: as saint poule sheweth wel in hys pystle: Ad romanos. xiii.c. Also if he be slayn by enmi­te hate and crueltye: for to haue vengeaunce: not for saluacion of the truthe and of the people.

The seuenth chapter.

Thy speche is skil­ful say forth

Also if ony man or woman dye for defaute of helpe: Thanne alle y ^t shulde haue holye them and mi­ght haue holye them and wyste therof and wolde not helpe them be gylty of manslaughter / And therfore saythe the lawe. Pasce fame morientem si non passis occidis. dist. lxxxvi. pasce. That is to say Fede hym that is ī pointe to dye for hungre / If thou wil not fede hym whanne thou my­ght: thou sleeste hym / Moch more thanne they be mansleers that by extorcioun: raueyne and o [...] ­ledinge by might fraude and gyle robbe men of ther gode: or wytheholde / men of ther good wher­by they shulde lyue: and brynge them so in thought: sorowe and care and so haste ther dethe Therfore god saythe that such maner folke as tyrauntes extorcioners and false men deuoure his peple as the mete of brede / Deuorant plebem meam sicut escam panis And therfore he forbiddeth them and saythe to theym / Lystne ye princes & lordes: and leders of the people to you it longethe to knowe ryghtfulle dome to deme [Page] what is good and what is wyc­ked: what is truthe and what is false / Butte nowe ye hate good thinge and loue wycked thinge and lothe goodnesse: And loue shrewednesse / By violence and myght ye hilde men and ta­ke ther synnes from them and take ther flesshe from the boonys: These ete the flesshe of my peple and hylde awey ther skinnis fro aboue them & breke ther bonys Mychiee. iii ^o.c ^o. And so al suche be man slears in goddes syght. For they haste mannys dethe by myschefe: and sorowe and care: that they brynge them in

What is vndertonde here by the skīne flesse and boonys

Thre thinges be nedeful to euy man and woman liuynge hylīg lyfelode: and helpe of frendes in feblenes & dissease By the skīne y ^e hyleth and clothe the flessh is vnderstonde: clothinge: houseyng armure: by whyche man is hiled and defended fro tempestis: cold and hete and enemies and many desesys / By flessh is vnderstond mete and drinke: wherby the flesshe is norisshed / By the bonys y ^t bere vp the flesse and strenthe the flesshe ben vnderstonde mānys frendys: whych helpe hym at ne­de: and bere hym vp and strenth hym in febblenesse and disese But these tyraūtys and extercioners and false folke take aweye the skīne of the pore folke / For thei robbe them of ther housinge and of ther clothīg And thei ete awey ther flesshe: for they take aweye ther lyflode: wherby ther flesshe shulde be susteyned / For they pille them so and make them so po­re: that they haue neyther house ne home: ne clothinge to ther body: ne mete ne drynke to lyue by Also they breke ther bonys: For thei pursue ther frendes y ^t wolde helpe them: and put them ī such drede that theye dare not helpe them and ofte bete them and breke ther bonys and mayme them Exaumple of thys we haue ī ye thyrde boke of kīges: where we fynde that there was a true man dwellynge besidys the paleys of achab that was kynge of israel: and the pore man was cleped naboth / And for he wolde not selle hys gardeyn to the kynge at hys wyl: the kynge was wroth / And by false dome and false witnesse he dyd him be stoned to deth and so by fraude and manslaughter he escheted to hī the pore mānis gardeyn / wherfore the kyng af­terwarde was slayne / And the quene iesabel for she assented: and halpe to the death of the true man: and was slayne also / And houndys ete hyr flesshe: and hyr boonys and lycked vp hir blode [Page] in vengeaunce of the dethe of naboth / The kynge was slayne in werre / Hys wyfe iesabel was caste oute of hir soler windowe and trode to dethe wythe fete of hor­sys / And other two kinges of hir aliaunce: and nighe alle hyr kynred was slayne afterwarde in vengeaunce of the dethe of naboth / Achab hadde syxty sōnes and ten lyuynge after hys dethe and they were byheded in vengeaunce of the deth of naboth .iiii ^o. regum .x.c ^o:

The eyght chapter.

ALso they be gylty of man­slaughter: that defraude seruauntes of ther hyre / Therfor the wyse man saythe: That he that takethe awaye from the seruaunte / hys brede and his lyflo­de: hathe gote in swyncke: and swete: is as wycked as he y ^e sleethe hys neyghbore / And he that shedethe mannis blode and he that dothe fraude to the hyred man be brethern: that is to saye they be lyke in synue: and wor­thy in lyke payne. Qui effundit sanguinem et qui fraudem facit mercenario sunt fratres. Eccle­siastici. xxxiiii ^o. And therfore saynt Iames saythe thus to the false ryche couetouse men Se ye hou the hire of youre werke men & laborers that haue reped youre feldys is defrauded by you: and not payde criethe to god for vengeaunce / And the cry of theym is entred in to the erys of the lordis of ostys. Iacobi. quinto capitu­lo. And the wise man saythe that who so offerethe sacryfyce of the pore mannys good: to lyke him that sleethe the sonne in the sight of hys fader / And he that defraudethe the pore man of hys good is a mansleer. Homo sanguinis est. Ecclesiastici. xxxiiii ^o.

Thys poynte of manslau­ghter toucheth moche men of holy churche / For as the lawe say­the: The tythes of holy churche be tributes of them that be in nede: / To reuele theim in ther nede And alle that men of holy chur­che haue: It is the pore mennys goodys / And ther housys shulde be comon to alle men at nede. Theye shulde be besy to reseyue pylgrymys: and kepe hospitali­te after ther power .xvi. q̄. i. deci­me. etc. qm̄ quicquid. Wherfore me thenkethe: if ony pore folke perissh by ther defaute & for that they wolde not helpe them: they be gylt of manslaughter.

That is sothe And therfore [Page] criste sayde thries to saint petyr. Pasce / That is to saye fede my lambys and my shepe that be yo soulys that criste bought wythe hys blode / For prelatys and curatys / of holy churche moste fede ther sugettys by goode ensaum­ple yeunge: and by helpe at ne­de / And therfore criste sayde twi­es to saint peter: fede my lambis but the thyrde tyme he sayde: fe­de my shepe / For as long as thei be lambis they yeue neyther milke ne wolle. but whanne these be waxen shepethey. yeue bothe milke & wolle And so criste in his wordys badde that prelatis and curatys of holy churche shuld haue double cure of the pore peple: to fede theym gostly and also bodely: wythe bodely helpe at nede But they be not bounde to fede the rych folke: but goostly: & thē that haue noo nede: wythe holy churchys goodys / And of the pore folke yeue they no tale: but to pylle them: and haue of them: & gette of theym what they maye by ipocrisie: by fraude: by drede and violence / And therfore god vndernymethe theym by the prophete ezechiel: and sayth thus to theym / De pastoribꝰ israel woo be to the shipherdis of israel: that is to saye to the prelatys and curatis of holi church: which shuld be shepeherdys of goddys shepe: and of the soulis that criste bou­ght so dere: woo be to the shepe­herdys: ffor they fede theimsylfe and of the pore people yeue they no tale / ye ete saythe he the milk and clothed you withe the wolle And that was fatt ye slowe to fede wel youre wombe: But ye fe­de not my flocke of my people: that was feble: ye helpyed it not ne conforted not: / And that was sore & syk ye heled it not. And y ^t was broke: ye boūd it not ayen that was cast a weye and fordreuen: ye fetched it not ayen: ne ledde it a yen / That was perysshed ye soght it not: but withe feernes and hardnesse and by power wy­theoute petye ye cōmaunded to theym many grete thynges and greuous and reygned amongys theym as emperours / And so my shepe be scatered / For there is no shepeherde: that yeuethe ony ta­le of them. Ezechielis .xxxiiii ^o: And in another place he sayethe thus / woo be to the shepherdys that thus descaterne: and forrende the flocke of my leswe: and of my pasture. Ieremie .xxiii ^o.c ^o. And therfore god acceptethe not ye praier of such mē of holy churche: For they be wyth oute cha­rite and ful of crueltye in pyllīge of the pore people / And therfore he saythe to theym. Cum exten­deritis manus vestras &c. Whan [Page] ye shal lyfte vp youre hondys to me: I shal turne my iyen aweye fro you: & whāne ye shuld multi­plye prayers to me: I shal not here you: ffor youre hondys be ful of blode .ysa.i.c. Vpon whyche wordys thus sayth the grete cler­ke grosshed .dicto xxiii ^o. An vn­iuste scheder of mannis blode hathe blody hondys: ffor blode she­de oute is in the hondys of hym that is ye sheder oute. as the effeccion of the werke is in the cause: For the hond of the sheder is cause of blode shed / So thanne syth bodely fode: is cause of blode of mannys body by whych hys life transitorye is susteyned: he that wythdrawethe sustynaunce fro the poore in myss [...]efe: he wythe­drawethe from the pore man his blode: wherby hys lyfe shulde be susteyned / And therfore god saythe that the blode of the pore fol­ke is in the hondys of theym: in whos hōds ye thīgis be withhold vniustly / By whyche thyngis or by the pryse of thoo nedy folke shulde be susteyned / Also all tho that wythholde pore mē ther go­de eyther by violence or by frau­de or thefte or oni deseyte bi whiche goode the pore folke shulde lyue: they haue ther hōdes defouled wythe blode of pore folke. And in that that they fare dely­catly wyth pore mannys goode they ete and drynke the blode of the pore folke / And ther clothīg is defouled wythe blode of pore folke / And if they housen & byl­den wyth the pore mannys gode they grounde ther housyng in ye blode of pore men.

The nynthe chapter.

ALso euery man & woman and namely men of holy churche that drawe folke to syn­ne by mys entysynge or by wyc­ked ensaumple: or by false lore: theye be gylty of manslaughter gostly / And therfore saint gregori saythe in hys omelie: that men of holy church be gylty of as many dethys: as they drawe soulis to dedly synne by ther wicke ex­aumple: and ther wycked liuīge And therfore cryste byddethe in the gospel: that there shulde noo man sclaundre the lewed simple folke / For who so dothe it: it were better to him that he were cast in the se wyth a mylstone abou­te his necke / wyth word as saith ye glose is specialy sayde for mē of holy church / And therfore saīt poule saith to al crysten peple: & namely to prestys & clerkis. Neponatis offēdiculū frībꝰ vel scā / balū: y ^t is to say as sayth ye glose Do no thīg y ^t mai be cause of falsīge [Page] & perisshīg of youre brethern ne cause of sorowe and heuines Ad rom̄. xiiii ^o. & therfore the law bydddethe that whāne busshops & ther officerys go a boute for to visite: That they shulde do no tyrauntrye: In takynge of ther costys but visyte with charite: & lownes with oute pompe of gre­te araye and of grete mayne besi to amende the defautys: and to preche goddes worde and to winne mānis soule. not to robbe the folke of ther good but take ther costys in esy maner So that thei sclaūdre not ther brethern ne ther sugettys: ne be not greuouse to them: x. q̄. iii. cauend. / Alle men and namely men of holy church moste besely fle sclaundre: y ^t they yeue no man ne woman occasy­on of slaundre ne of synne: butt ofte tyme lyfe the harder and absteyne them fro mani thinges le­ful to fle sclaūdre / For as saythe saint ierom: super mycheam All that yeue occasion of sclaūdre be gylty of altho that perisshe by y ^e sclaūdre .i. q̄. i. hii. quosquū (que) Et nota pro vitando scandalo in rebus licitis. ad rō. xiii. et p. ad co (rum) viii ^o. For these causys god saith to men of holy church by the prophet osee / ye be made snare to mē lokyng a fer: and as a net sprede abrede on the hylle of thabor: & ye haue bowed down sacrifices ī to the depnes: that is to say y [...] y ^• ought to be ware lokers to wor­che wel: and warne men of perel of synne: be made a snare and a net in holy church: that is the hyl of thabor: to take folke in sinne and drawe them to foly / And so ye haue slain soulis & bowed thē doun into the depnesse of damp̄ ­cion and so made sacrifice to the deuel of the soulys that god to­ke you to kepe. Osee. v ^o.c. Also men of holy church sle ther suget tys gostly that mys eggyng miscounseyle: and mys enformacy­on bringe them in dedly synne: & in eresie or elles lette them from good dedys that thei wolde do & so slayn good purpose and good wyl that man or woman is in: & in maner sleyn ther fayth wherbi they shulde lyue. For the ꝓphete sayth / Iustus ex fide viuit. The rightful mā lyueth by feyth. And saint. Iames saith that faythe wythoute good werkes of charite is but dede / And also prayer. Withoute deuocion is but ded as sey these clerkes.

Than nyghe alle the prayers that men make: be but dede For comonly in oure prayere we be destracte and thenk on other thinges And it is not possible to vs alwey to thenke on what we saye. [Page] For there is no thinge so chaūge able as thought / & thow we thēk on that we sey. yit it is not in oure power withoute special gyfte of god to haue deuocioun therin

Take it not so straite For it is vnderstonde thus Preyere witheoute deuocion is butte dede: that is to saye Prayer ma­de ayens deuocioun is but dede.

Howe a yens deuocion

As whanne men prey ayens the saluacion of oure soulys or other soules: & not for the worship of god but for ipocrisi or ōli for wordly lucre Or whā mē preye ayens charite: as for to ha­ue vēgeaūce of ther enemyes: or for ony thing ayens goddis worshyp: and in ther prayer submytt not ther wyl to the wylle of god Euery prayere that is made to the worshyp of god by weye of charite and for a good end withe purpose to plese god: that preyer is made withe deuocion: tho we he that preyeth be distracte: and thenkethe not on his wordys: & perauenture vnderstondethe thē not: ne hath but lytel liking ther in / Nethelesse man and woman oueth to do ther deuoure: to thē ­ke on god / and of that that he seī the in his prayere.

TTe tenthe chapter.

Thy speche please me: seye forthe what thou wylte

As I seide first al that lette man or woman of ther good dedys: and good pur­pose and tyse them to synne and foly and brynge them in erroure or eresie by mys techyng be mā ­sleers and lymmys of the fynde. Whyche as criste sayth in the gospel is a manqueller from the be­gīnīge of the world For through hys mys counseyle: and hys fo­dinge: he sloughe al mankynde bothe gostli and bodely at the begynnynge of the worlde / Also he sloughe himsilfe throughe pride and many thousandys aungels that assentyd to hym / And yet he sesethe not to sle mannys soule: by false suggestiouns and temp­taciouns: and that by hymsilfe & whanne men se him not / And sū ­tyme visibily in the lickenesse of sum visible creature: & so he tēp­ted criste: eue and saint martyn: mani other / Sumtyme he temp­tethe and slethe mannis soule bi hys līmes that be wicked men & wymen: Also men of holy chur­che sle men and wymen gostli of goddes word and of gode techīg For as crist sayth Nō īsolo pane viuit homo: (sed) in omni verbo ꝙ [Page] procedit de ore dei. m ^t. iiii ^o.c ^o. Man lyuethe not only in bodeli brede: but moche more he lyueth in euery worde that comethe of goddes mouthe: that is to saye ī the wordys of the trwe prechour For euery trwe prechoure sentte of god: is cleped goddes mouthe And therfore god saythe to the ꝓphete / Si seperaueris preciosum a vili quasi os meum eris. Iere. xv ^o. / If thou departe precious thinge from thinge that is foule and of no pryse: thou shalt be as my mouthe / For it longeth to ye prechoure of goddis worde to cō mende vertuis and despise vices to [...]hese truthe and lette falshede to commende heuen blysse: and gostly thinges and repreue pompe and pryde of thys worlde and flesshly thinges / And thāne is ye prechoure as goddes mouth and spekethe wyth goddes mouthe: and hys worde is goddes worde by the whyche man and woman lyueth gostly: and escapeth end­les deth. And therfore dauid say­th Misit verbum suum et sana­nauit eos: et [...]ripuit eos de inter­icionibus eorum / God hath sent hys worde and hathe heled hys people from gostly sekenes: and delyuered them from ther diynge whanne they shulde haue dyed: throughe synne and helle payne And therfore he sayth in the gos­pel. that who so kepeth hys worde: he shal not ataste the deth withe oute ende. Sythe that god­des worde is lyfe and saluacion of mānys soule: alle tho that let goddes worde: and lette them y ^t haue auctorite of god and by or­dre take to preche and teche that they maye not preche and teche goddys worde ne goddes lawe: they be manslears gostli and gilty of as many soules as perisshe and dye gostly by such lettynge of goddes worde: and namely these proude couetouse prelatys and curates that neyther kunne teche ne wyl tech: ne suffre other that kūne and wil and haue auctoryte to teche of god and of the busshop that yeuethe theym ther orders: but lette theym for drede that they shulde haue the lesse of ther sugettis or els the lesse be set by: or elles that ther synnes shulde be knowe by prechyng of goddes worde / And therfo­re leuer they haue to lese the soulys that criste so dere bought thā to here ther owne synnes openly repreued generaly among other mēnys sīnys As saint austen saith goddis worde owth to be worshipped as moch as cristys body And as moch synne doth he that letteth goddes word & despiseth [Page] goddis worde or taketh it retchelesly as he that despiseth goddis body: or through hys neccligens letethe it falle to the ground .i. q̄. i. int rogo vos / There the glose shewethe: that it is more profitable to here goddes worde in pre­chynge: than to here ony messe: And rather a man shulde forbere hys messe than hys sermoun For by prechynge folke be styrede to contricion and to forsake synne and the fende and to loue god: & godenes & be illumined to know ther god and vertues from vices truthe from falshede: and to for­sake errours and eresies / By the messe be they not so / But if they come to messe in synne: they goo awey in synne: and shrewis they come: and shrewys they wende. And also the vertue of the messe stondethe princypaly in true by / leue of the messe: and specialy of criste that is there sacred ī the ost But that may man lerne by prechinge of goddes word: and not by hering of mes / And ī so moch berynge of goddes worde: trwly preched is better than heringe of messe / Nethelesse the messe pro­fiteth them that be in grace to gete ye more grace and foryeuenes of venyal synne: and encressing of mede: and lessynge the payne of purgatory. And the prest maibe so good that his prayer for re­uerence of the sacrament shal gete grace of amendement of hym that he preyeth for Both be gode but goddes word owth to be more charged and more desyred thā heringe of messe For whanne the people disspiseth goddes word / & loth goddes worde / that is gostly fode to man: that peple is but ded in goddes syght: and nyghe to the yatys of hell And therfore dauid sayth: Omnem escam ab­hominata est anima eorum: et a ꝓpinquauerūt vs (que) ad portas mortis / Ther soulis haue lothid al gostly mete: that is to saye al trwe preching & techīg of goddis word and so they be neyghed to the yatys of dethe.

The eleuenth chapter.

ALso tho prelates and curatys be gylty of māslaughter gostly: that knowe ther sugettys in dedly synne: and wyl not snybbe them ne speke ayens ther synne. di.xliii. epheseis: And therfore god sayth to euery curate & prelate of holy churche and to p̄ ­chours of goddes worde / I haue made the a daiwaite to the peple of israel: that is to saye to cristen peple & thou shalt here the worde of my mouth & tel it thē ī my na­me [Page] And if I saye to the synful y ^t he shal dye and thou telle it him not: ne speke not to hym that he may amende him and turne him fro his wicked wey and lyfe that synful wretche for thy defaute shal dye in his synne: And I shal seke the blood and the deth of hī of thin hond: and thou shalt an­swere for hys deth. Ezegie. iii ^oc. Also they be called mēsleers: y ^t de fraude and take awey holy churche goodes .xii. q̄. ii. qui xp̄i: &c: q ⁱ abstulerit / Also that preeste is a mansleer gostly that denieth the sacrament of penaunce to man or woman in his laste ende and wyl not assoyle theym whanne they repent them: and axe abso­lucion / For so they put folke in despeire ayens ye goodnesse and mercy of god that is endles: and alwey redy to al that seke mercy as long as the soule and yebody be knyt to gedre: Exaumple of the thefe that henge on the right syde of crist: the which for payne knowleched his synne and axed grace and gate the blysse of paradyse: whanne he sayde lorde ha­ue thou minde of me whan thou comest īto thy kingdome / And a non criste rightful iuge that best knewe his herte sayde to him: I se [...] [...]e for sothe: thys daye thou shalt be wythe me in paradise. xxvi. q̄. vi. si presbit. & c ^o agnouimus / where the lawe sayth that they that be so harde vp on men in ther dying: do not els but put deth to deth Deth of soule to de­the of body

Moch folk presume so moch on the merci of god: that they yeue no tale to ly­ue in ther synne moche of al ther life in hope to haue mercy in last ende.

And yet if they ax mercy in due maner: they shal haue mercy: as the lawe sayth wel in the same place: and holy writ in many places / For god saythe by the prophete. Ezechielis xxxiii.c ^o That in what oure the siner sighith for his sinne and ax mercy I shal foryeue him his sinne and foryete his synne Nethe­les I dare not hote suche folke y ^t they shulde haue grace stede and tyme to axe mercy as thē nedeth to axe For comonly such maner folke be desseyued by soden deth or elles in ther diynge they lese ther hedys and ther wyttys: and begynne to raue. Or elles they haue so moch payne in ther body and so moch besynesse withe the world. that they thenke neyther of god ne of thēsilfe / And as sei­th saint austen in his sermone de innocentibus Iusto dei iudicio agitur vt moriens obliuiscatur sui: q dū viueret oblitꝰ est. It is [Page] goddis rightful dome y ^t he forye­te himsilfe in his diynge that hath foryeten god in hys lyuynge. As fel in englond besidys oxen­ford / There was a tyraunt in ye cūtre that dredde not god ne had petye of man / Ofte men preched him: & coūseyled him to gode He had despite of ther wordes: And sayde that if he myght haue thre wordes byfore his diyng: he sh­ulde be saued as wel as the beste man leuynge / At the laste it by­fel that he rode by the weye to be on aqueste byfore a iustice / And he bygan to slepe: hys hors stomblid: & he fel doune & brake hys necke / And in his falling he say­de with greate herte. Ore vaun­te a deblis. that is to saye in en­glisshe: Nowe forth to the deuyl And so he had thre wordis to his dampnacion: not to his saluacion / Therfore the wisman sayth De ꝓpiciatu pctō (rum) noli esse sine metu / Be not wythoute drede of foryeuenesse of thy synnes: ne put synne to synne: ne seie not y ^t the mercy of god is grete: he shal haue mercy on the multytude of thy synnes / For mercy & wrathe also hastli come fro him nighe to mankynd / But his wrath loke­th to sinners that wyl not amēd theym: and hys mercy to theym that wyl amend them Neterdas conuerti ad dominum &c. Ther­fore lette not to turne the to god and delaye not from day to day For if thou do: hys wrathe shal come sodenly and destroye the. Eccl. v ^o c. For suche folke that be so bolde in ther synne in hope of the merci of god & do the wors by cause of his godnes: they scorne god and seke vēgeaunce: and no mercy / They take hede to his mercy: and not to hys rightful­nesse. Dauid saythe. Vniuerse vic domini misericordia et veri­tas. Al the weyes of god and al his domes be mercy and teruthe: If thou seke mercy it were ayēs hys rightfulnesse but he shewed mercy: and but thou seke mercy rightfulnesse moste dampne the Seke mercy: and mercy and his rightfulnesse wyl saue ye: if thou seke it in due maner.

The xii. chapter.

These wordes be gode and cōfortable and resonable: Say forth what thou wylt

Also he is a man / sleer gostly: that makethe ony man or woman to forswere thē For he sleth hys owne soule and hs soule y ^t he dothe soo forswere hym .xxii. questione .v. ille Al [Page] so men sle theymsilfe as ofte as they assent to wicked thoughtis in herte: & turne them aweye fro god in whom is al oure lyfe And therfore salomon sayth. Auersio paruulo (rum) interficiet eos ꝓu (er).i ^o. taht the turnīg away of the lytel children sle them / For they that sone be ouer come in temptacion and sone assent to the fend: be lykened to yonge children that be feynt and feble to withstond oni thinge / Of such children god saith that y child of an hundred ye­te shalbe acursed of god isa .lxv ^o c. Also they slee ther soulys that gedre foule lustys & vnleful de­sires in ther herte and wyl not redely put them oute Therfore ye wyse man sayth. Desideria occi­dunt pigrū ꝓuer .xxi.c. / wicked desiris sle theym that is slowe to put them oute / And therfore da­uid sayth Beatus qui tenebit et allider peruulos suos ad petram Blessid be he that shal holde him withe god and smyte doune hys smale yonge thoughtys and de­sirys to the stone: that is cryste. Blessed is he that a non as he be­gynnethe to haue suche wycked thoughtys: anon beginne to thē ke on cristis passion: and of goddes lawe as sayth saint ierom in hys pystle. Ad paulam et eu­stochium

It folowethe os thy wordys that who so doth ony dedly synne: he is a mansle­er: And so euery sinne is forbode by this precepte. Non occides Thou shalt not slee / why yaue than god ten preceptis. syth thei be al cōprehendid in one

For dulnes of mānys wyt: it nedeth to yeue mo than one to de­clare mānys synne: that he may knowe whanne he synneth: and howe he may fle sine Al the lawe and al the prophycie as criste seith in the gospel hangethe in two preceptys of charite which teche vs to loue oure god aboue al th­inge: and oure euen cristen as oure silfe / But yet god wold decla­re tho two preceptys by ten pre­ceptis that man & woman shuld the better knowe them and plese him: & the more fle his offēs

Why declared he them more by ten preceptis than by twelue or by nyne / For he myght haue youen many mo: whanne he ya­ue but ten /

to yeue oū ­don many was not prophitable ne to yeue oudon fewe / And therfore god yaue hys heestys in the noumbre of ten / for as ten is no­umbre perfyte: and conteyneth al noumbrys: so goddes lawe is parfyte: and al is comprehended in ten hestys that be so knytte togedre and of so greate accord: [...] [Page] who so trespasethe in one he tres­pasethe in alle / And therfore sai­the saint Iames in hys pystle: y ^t thowe a man kepe al the lawe: & he offende in one: he is gilty in al For why saythe he: god that bad the do no lecherye: He badde the not slee / And therfore saythe he: Thowe thou do no lecherye and thou sle: thou brekeste the lawe. Iacabi .i ^o.c ^o. For as sayth saint austen. in libro de decem cordis. Alle the ten cōmaundemētys be conteyned in the two preceptys of charitye: And the two precep­tys of charitie be conteyned and knyt in thys one precepte of kinde. Quod tibi non vis fieri: alte­rine facias. to bie .iiii ^o. That that thou wylte not be do to the do it not to another: And soo as saynt austen saythe there: Al the lawe is conteyned ī thys one precepte of kynde. That thou wylt not be do to the: do it thou not to non other / And so nedys he that offendethe in one: offendethe in al / And therfore dauid and saint austen also clepe goddes lawe a sawtree and an harpe of ten cor­dys / And therfore dauid bydde­the vs preyse god in the harpe: & in the sawtre of ten cordys: that is to saye in good kepinge of the ten cōmaundementys / Confite­mini domino in cithara in psal­terio decem cordarū psallite illi And if it be so: that one corde in the sawtree or in the harpe be broke: or oute of tune of a corde w ^t other cordys: al the songe that is pleyde therin shalbe vnlikynge to al that here it and not plesaūt As tellethe the mayster of kynde Li ^o. xviii ^o. That thowe the har­pe be wel stringed wyth stringis made of ashepe: and ther be one stringge that is made of a wolfe sette in the harpe: it shal make al other at discorde: So that they shulde not a corde whyle it is there And it shal frete atwo al the other cordys / Ryght so thow a man or a woman kepe wel all the cōmaundementys as to mā ­nys syght: if he breke one: he is gylty of alle in goddes syhgt: as saint Iames sayth and hys lyfe whyle he is suche is not plesaūt to god / And the songe of his harpe: that is his lyuyng and his cō uersacioun is at discorde wythe god and al the courte of heuen & / as the wolfe is alwey contra­rius and enmie to the shepe: so is he at discorde and enmye to goddys shepe that be al tho y ^e be ī wei of saluacyoun: And as longe as thou kepeste wel the ten hestys ī lownesse: so long the stringes of thyn harpe be in good acorde as the stryngges that be made of a shepe / But if thou folow the maners of the wolfe. and breke out [Page] of goddes cōmaundementys by gyle: by raueyne. by malyce and false couetyse: by false cōtriuīge Thāne thou makest ī thyn har­pe astringe of the wolfe: whych shal shend the harpe of thy liuīg and destroy it: but thou doo it awey by sorowe of herte: shrift of mouthe & amendys makyng.

The xiii. chapter.

I wolde se more o­penli hou he that sīneth in one synneth al ten cōmaūdemē tis

If thou trespase in manslaughter: thou trespasyste ayens alle ten heestys / For thou vnworshipest thy god: in y ^e that thou brekest hys cōmaūdemēt: and so defoulest hys image Also thou takest in veyne hys name: that is criste and cristē For thou doyst not as a cristen man shuld do / Also thou halowyst not from synne as god bad the by the thir­de cōmaundement / Also thou despisest and not worshipest fader and moder that be god and holy church: and thi bodely fader and moder / For thy wycked tatchys be shame and shenship to thy fa­der and moder / Also thou doeste lecherye in that y ^e thou louest thi wycked wyl and thi malyce more than god / And for to haue thy wycked wyl perfourmed: thou forsakest god and taktst thi soule to the fende / For what thinge man loueth mor than god: with that thinge he dothe gostly lechery and fornicacion and auoutre Also thou beryst false witnesse & lyest many lesingys to maītein thy synne: or elles to hyde it: Al­so thou stelest thi soul & his soul whom thou sleeste fro god: that bought hī so dere also whā thou slest: thou doste ayēsthe nynth & the tenthe cōmaundement / For euery manslaughter is do for couetyse of vengeaunce: or for couetyse of erthely good. or for co­uetyse of flesshely lust: as of mē ­nys wyues: or of ther children or of ther seruantys: or for couetise of worshyp: so that if thou slee: thou forfetist ayens al ten com:+maundemētis / And so it may be shewid of ech of al ten. that he y ^t breketh one: breketh al: and he y ^t is gylty ī one dedly sinne: is gilty ī al vii. & ī al ye x cōman̄demētis And in token of thys saint iohn sawe a woman sityng on aredde best ful of names of blasphemie which beste had seuen hedis & x. hornys. Apoc ^o. xvii ^o. By thys woman is vnderstonde pryde. & vanyte of this worlde / By the red best that she sate on is vnder stond the fende & dedly syne that is ful of blasphemie ayens god: This beste had seuen hedys and ten hornys: That is to sai seuen dedly synnes and breking of the [Page] ten cōmaundementys: in token that what man or woman falle­the ī oni dedly sine opēli: he falle thī al seuē preueli ī goddis sight And whanne he breketh one cō ­maundement: He brekethe alle And therfore sayth saint Iames y ^t he that offendethe in one offen­dethe ī al & is gylty of al iac .ii.c ^o.

The xiiii. chapter.

What longethe to ye precepte of kynde y ^e saynt austen speketh of: to the loue of god or to the preceptys of the fir­ste table / For we may do to god neyther good ne euyl

ssoth it is y ^t we mai not do to god neyther gode ne euyl / And yet as faynt austen saythe in the same boke. De decē cordis Thys pre­cepte of kynde byddeth vs to lo­ue oure god and serue him wel & trwly: and kepe alle hys heestys For why al we be goddys seruā ­tys / And if thou haddist a seruāt sayth saint austen: thou woldest that thy seruaunt serued the wel and trwly I pray the thāne say­the he serue thou wel & trwly thy god: that is thy lorde and his lorde: Thou woldeste that thy ser­uant were trwe to ye and not false be thou not fals to god Thou woldest no mā shuld defoule thy wyfe: defoule thou not thi soule that is goddys spouse. ne non o­ther soule: Thou woldeste that no mā shuld destroi thi house: ne defoule it: defoule thou not than goddes temple: that is euery cle­ne cristen soule / Defoule it not by lecherye ne by no dedly synne For saint poule sayth: that who so defouleth goddes temple: god shal destroy him: Thou woldest thy seruant kept wel thy cōmaū dementys: and dyd not ayēs thy byddynge / Kepe than thou god­des cōmaundentys: and do not ayens hys byddyngys: Thou woldest that no man despise thy image paynted on aboorde: de­spyse thou not goddes image by ony dedly synne / For syth thou may not please god in sinne and shrewednesse: therfore thou offē dest thy god in thi synne and thy corrupcion: and doest wrong to hī thisylfe / Thou doest wrōg to his grace: to his gyft: thou mai­not do wrong to thy brother but thou do wronge to god: y ^t is thi lorde and his also / And therfore saythe saint iohn ī his pistle that who so saythe y ^t he loue the god: & he hate his brother: he is a lyer .i. io.iiii ^o. / For in that he doth wrō ­ge principaly to god: and to hys brother also / And therfore god sayth. Quicū (que) effuderit huma gum sanguinem: effundetur sā ­nuinis eius. gen̄. ix. He that shed [Page] dethe oute mannys blode wrōg­fully: hys bloode shalbe shedde: For whi saythe he: man is made to the lykenes of god And so mā slaughtyr is open wronge do to god ī y ^• that his seruaūt is so slai­in: and his image dispysed: and distroyde: Therfore god sayd to the first mansleer that was caim which sloughe hys brother abel falsely for enuy of his owne go­denesse: what hast thou do caim The voyse of the bloode of abel thy brother criethe to me fro erth and axeth vēgeaūce of the / And therfore thou shalt be cursed vp­on erthe: whyche hathe opened his mouth & hath take the blode of thy brother abel of thyn hond Thou shal traueil in tylth of ye lōde: & it shal yeue the no frute: Thou shalt be wanderinge and flemed vpon erthe. gen̄. iiii ^o. And the same vengeaunce comōli foloweth murdre: For murdre mai not be hydde: but nyght and dai it axethe vengeaunce / The murdre shal my shappe in his doinge and be vnstable and wandering and odious in his lyuing / This synne of manslaughtir is so gre­uous in goddes sight Tthat he cōmaunded in the olde saw that if ony man biliynge in awayte or by preuy aspiynge: or by pur­pose kylled ony man: and after fled to goddes auter for so coure he shulde be take awaye thens & be slayne for that deth .exo. xxi ^o. c ^o. And therfor saint iohn sayth ī the boke of goddys preuites y ^t he that sleeth shal be slayne: Apoc: xiii ^o: For as criste saythe in the gospel. that same mesure y ^e men mete to other: shalbe moten ayē to them / And therfore in tyme of hys passion he seide to peter Put vp thy swerde For ech man that vsethe swerde to shedde mannis blode wytheoute lawful power graunted of god: shal peryssh by the swerde: that is to sai biswerd of bodely vengeaunce: Or by the swerd of goddes mouth: whi­che is ful sharpe on euery side punysshinge bothe body and soule: Apoc. i ^o: c ^o. For comonly he that vsethe the swerde: or ony wepen to slee ony man or woman he sleethe firste himsilfe by the swerde of hys owne malyce But trespa­sourys that wil not be amended in other maner. may by iuste do­me be slayne by thē that here the swerde of temporal punysshyng as saint poule saythe. Adroma­nos xiii ^o.

The xv. chapter.

It semeth to moch folke that god forbedeth [Page] by hys precpte al maner sleynge bothe of man and of beste / For he sayde generaly. Non occides Thou shalt not sle.

By thys word occides ī latyn he specifiethe & shewethe y ^t he forbyd­dethe sleynge of man: and not of beste. For occisio in latyne is in englissō manslaughter quasi ho­minum cesio And therfore the ꝓ pre englisshe is thys. Non occi­des Thou shalt not slee no man

Whāne god sayd the sixt heeste: that non mechaberis. y ^t is to saye thou shalt do no lecherye he forbyddeth al maner of leche­rye. And whanne he sayde the se­uen heestys: Non furtum facies y ^t is thou shalt not stele: he forbid dethe al maner theft both of mā and of beste and of al other thīg­ges / And by the same skil as methynkethe whanne be badde vs not sle: he forbadde vs al maner sleynge:

It is not the same skil ne lyke that skyl. For as I sayd firste by ꝓperte of the same worde Occides: He forbid dethe only manslaughter. God graunted man power to slee bes­tes and lyue therby. gen̄: ix.c. but he graunted hym neuer to do le­chery wythe ony creature: ne ta­ke ony thynge by wey of stelche: or of false couetise

Con­trare we fynd that baalam rode on his asse to curse goddis peple ayens goddys wylle. An aungel stode in a right streyght weye a­yens him The asse sawe the aungel and fledde asyde for drede of ye aūgels swerd & bare baalam a yens the walle: and brosyde hys foote Balaam sawe not the aū ­gel / And therfore he was wrothe wythe the asse and smote him fulharde thāne the asse throughe the might of god vndernam balaā: hys master and sayd to hī: what haue I do ayens the: why betest thou me? Thanne balaam say­de: For thou haste wel deserued it: wolde god I hadde aswerd to slee the: Thanne the asse saide a pen: Haue I nott alweye be thy beste on whiche thou haste be wont alweye to ryde. Seye whanne I dyd euer the suche di­sese into this day / And a non god opened the iyen of balaam: & thā he saw ye aūgel stōdīg ayēs hī w ^t his swerd drawne And the aun­gel sayde to balaam / why haste thou so bete thyn asse / For butte thyn asse hadde goon oute of the wey & [...]ouen me place I shulde a haue slayn the: and ye asse shuld lyued. Numeri .xxii ^o. Syth thā it is so that balaam was blamed for he bette hys asse not withstō ­ding that he hurth him: moch mo / to he shulde haue be blamed if he [Page] hadde slayne him And fo it seme­the that it is not leful to slee any beste

It is grauntid to man to sle bestys whāne it is ꝓ­fitable to him for mete or clothī ­ge: or to auoyde noyaunce of ye bestys: whych be noyouse to mā And therfore god sayde to noe / & to hys children / Also fysshes ī the see be take to youre power: and to youre hondes: and al thinge y ^t styrethe and lyueth vpon erthe: beste and bridde shalbe to you in mete I haue take them al to you as grene erbys: oute taken that ye shalle not ete flesshe withe the blode: Gen̄. ix c: And in another place he sayth thus: If the lyke to ete flesshe: sle and ete after the grace and the gyfte that god ha­the youen the: so that thou ete it withe oute bloode. Deut ^• .xii ^o. And so graūtid god to mā for to slee bestes fesshe and foule to his profite: but not to sle thē for cru­eltye: ne for lykynge in vanyte and shrewidnesse / And therfore whanne he forbadde man to ete flesshe with the blode: he forbad him to slee bestes by wey of cru­eltye: or for lykynge ī the shrew­ednes / And therfore he sayd Ete ye no flesshe with the blode: that is to saye: with crueltye / For I shalle seke the bloode of youre soulys of the honde of al bestys: that is to saye I shal take vengeaunce for alle the bestys that ye slayne only for crueltye of soule and lykynge ī shrewidnes. Gen̄. ix.c. For god that made al hath cure of al. And he shal take ven­geaūce of al that mysuse his creature / And therfore salomon say­the that he shal arme creaturys ī vengeaūce of hys enemeyes Ar­mabit creaturam in vlcionem ī ­imicorū. sap̄. v ^o.c ^o. And therfore men shuld haue rueth on bestys of bryddys and not harme them withoute cause in takīg reward y ^t they be goddes creaturys / And therfore they that for cruelte and vanyte heded bestes and turmēt bestys or foule more thā it is spedeful to mannys lyuynge: they synne in case ful greuously.

The xvi. chapter.

As thou saydest by fore by this cōmaūdemēt is forbode al wrongful māslau­ghter / Tel me in what case it is leful to sle any man

Sū tyme manslaughter is do by ha­te and enmyte: as whāne a man is slayne maliciously of hys en­mye Sūtyme it is do for wicked couetyse to haue a mannys go­de: Sūtyme it is doo by ordre of obedience and processe of lawe: as whā a mā is slayne by aqeust & by sētence of a iuge ordynarye Sūtyme māslaughter is do for nede & for helpe of the comonlye [Page] & for the saluacion of them that be vngylty / As whāne the kny­ght fightethe in his right / & for ye ryght sleethe hys aduersary. To sle any man into ye first maners that is to saye / for hate wrath & enmyte: or for false couetyse: is alwey vnleful / But for to slee a man the third maner and the for the / that is to saye by processe of lawe withe a lawful iuge / or by lawe of armes by the hondys of knghtys or of men of armes rewled by law of god it is leful: whā mē be gilty / & therfor saint austē saythe li ^o.i ^o de libro arbiterio If it be so that the knight sle his aduersary in rightful bateyle: or ye iuge and hys officerys sle hym y ^t is worthy to dye / me thenkethe they synne not / But lene frende thre thinges be nedeful / so that manslaughter shuld be leful and rightful / Firste that the cause be rightful ordre & processe of lawe and y ^t iustice haue lawful power to slee / and that he y ^t shalbe slayn be conuicte of hys trespase / Also the intencion of the iuge / and of the pursuers and of the officerys be rightful: that they slee him in saluacioun of the right / And for saluauacōn and ensaumple of other / not for likīg of vengeaūce ne of crueltye: not hauīg lykīg ī his peyne: so y ^t the cause be right­ful and the ordre and processe: & the entencion be rightful: Iusta causa. iustus ordo. iustus aīmꝰ.

Cōtrate. yet the gospel sayth / Quod deꝰ cōiunxit hō nō seperet. m ^t. ix. There shulde no man deperte thinge that god ha­the knyt to gydre. But god hath knytte the soule and the body to gidre therfor thāne it is not leful to any man for to departe ye soule from the body: neyther to slee man ne woman

Whāne the man that is gilty is slayn ri­ghtfully by the law: man sleethe him not / but as goddes mynys­ters and goddes offcers / For the lawe of god & god hīsilfe sle him ī that that god cōmaūdeth suche to be slayne / God is prīcipal iu­ge of hys dethe / and man is but goddes officer to do his bydding And therfore sayth the lawe that thei that sle mē rightfully be not cleped mansleers For why seyth he the lawe sleeth thē not thwe. xxii. q̄. v. si hoīcidiū & ī qōībꝰ le.

The xvii. chapter.

Sythe it is so that trespasors lawfully may be slayne by the byddyng of god why maye not prelatys of holy churche and mynystrys of ye au­ter sle suche trespasours / ne sit in the dome of mānys deth: ne yeue [Page] the sentence / ne yeue assistence to the domesmā sythe ī the old lawe prestes and mynystres of ye au­ter might lawfully sle trespasors as we fynd in many places of holy wryt Exo. xxxii. deleuitis et numeri .xxii. de phinees .i. regum xv. de samuele q īterfecit agag. Et iii ^o. regū xviii ^o. de helia q īterfecit sacerdotes baal

As ye law seyth .xxiii. q̄: viii. occidit Moche thyng was leful ī ye old lawe: that is not leful in the new lawe In the olde lawe the swerd was graūted to prestes & minys­tres of goddes auter In the new lawe god forbiddethe thyem the swerde / whanne he seyde to peter in tyme of hys passion / anon as he hadde betaken hym power to make the sacrament of the auter Conuerte gladiū tuū in vaginā &c. Turne thy swerde īto the she the For he that smith with swer­de / shal perisshe with the swerde. In such wordys god forbiddeth the swerd to al the mynystres of goddes auter / as the lawe sayth xxiii. q̄. viii. de eplīs. cū aliis ca­plīs sequeneti (bus)

Why for badde he them the swerde

For god wolde that men of holy churche shuld be mē of pees of mercy and of petye / And ther­fore he sayde to theym / Discite a me quia mitis sum & huīlis cor­de. Lerne ye of me: for I am low and meke of herte. m ^t. xi ^o.c ^o: He badde them not lern to pley with the swerde / ne with the staffe: ne lerne to fight and shote to sle ther enemyes: but he badde them ler­ne to be lowe and meke of hertte and to lyue in pacience as lam­bys amōgys wolues And he bad them loue ther enemyes: and do gode to them that hate them. m ^t. v ^o. c. He badde them shewe paci­ence / pees and petye / not only in worde wyl and dede: but he bad them absteyne them from all to­kenes of vnpacience of vnpees: and of crueltye And for that sheddynge of blode and manslaugh­ter is ofte token of vnpacience & vnpees of wrathe and of cruelte in them that slen and disposythe them to crueltye / Therfore criste forbadde the swerd to al the my­nystres of the auter.

Tel me some other skyl

Another skyl is thys For the sa­crament of the auter that the p̄s­tes make by the vertue of cristes worde is a sacrament of charitie and of onehed / For it representh the onehede that is bytwene crist and holy churche: And also it re­presenteth the onehed of the sou­le with the body / For as the sou­le quyckeneth the body / so cryste by the sacrament of the auter q ⁱc­keneth [Page] holy church & mānis soul Also it representyth the onehede of the godhede with our māhed ī crist & therfore holy church sayth thus. Nam sic ^t aīa racionalis et caro vnns est homo: it a deꝰ et ho­mo vnus est xp̄c Ryght as roso­nable soule and the flesshe is one man: so god and the man is one criste / and one criste is both god and man And therfore he that destroyethe the onehede of the soul with the body and departeth thē a [...]we [...]n by māslaughter he sheweth not in himsilfe ne in his dede: the sacrament of onehede of crist with holy church and of the godhede with the manhede in criste. Butte be dothe ayens that sacrament by speracion and diuision. that he maketh ī manslaughter: and shedding of blode / And ther­fore he is irreguler: and vnable to make the sacrament of ye au­ter / And for the same skylif amā haue wedded two wyues and so deperted his flesshe in diuers wy­men / he is irreguler. and vnable to the auter / And therfor not on­ly prestys: but dekones and sub­dekenes in that they be astent to the preste in makynge of the sa­crament must be witout such departinge that is contrarye to the sacrament of endles charitie and of onehede bytwene god and ho­ly church and bytwene al goode cristē peple y ^t is ī charite for al thei be one & com to gidre ī this sacramēt / For this skyl it is not leful to men of holy church to shed mā nys blode: ne to sle: ne to mayme The newe testament is a law of loue And therfor criste wold y ^t ye mynysters of the auter ī the new testament that shulde mynystre the sacrament of hys endles loue and of his endles mercy to man­kynde / that they shewe loue mer­cy: and petye: and noo token of crueltye The olde testamēt was a lawe of drede and duresse: and nighe al the sacrifices that the p̄stes made was don with sheddīg of blod not only in figure of cris­tys passion: but also ī token y ^• he that synned was worthy too be slayne as the beste that was slayne That was offeridde for hys synne / And therfore the swerde was graunted too preestes And the mynesterys of the olde lawe to punysshe rebells: whanne it nedethe And moche of ther office was to shedde blod And so by ther offyce they were disposed to crueltye: In so moche that they were notte aserede too slee god­des sonne ther lorde ther souereyne: and ther god / And for that preestys of the olde lawe be crueltye slowe criste god & lord of alle [Page] Therfore sheddīg of blode & mā ­slaughter is forbode to prestys ī the newe lawe / and maketh thē vnable to the auter: that shedde mennys blode or helpe therto.

The xviii. chapter.

SHeddynge of blode in mē of holy churche is so abhominable & orrible ī goddes sight: y ^t if any clerk dye ī batayl & figh­tīg or ī pleies of hethē mē of whiche foloueth sheddinge of blode: and dethe / as in pleyinge at the swerde and bokeler / at the staffe two hondswerde hurlebat in tur­mentys: in iustys: for that cler­ke holy churche shal make no so lempne messe ne solempne pray­ere for him but he shuld be beried witheoute solempnetye of holy church .xxiii. q̄. viii. q cū (que) clericꝰ And if a man in hys woddnes: & ranynge sle man and woman or childe: though his woddnes pas yet he is irreguler and vnable to goddes auter vv. q̄. i. si quis insaniens / Nethelesse if he be prest or that case fall hym whāne his woodnes is passed and be in hope of seker helthe he may sey his messe Also if a man smyte child: man or woman by wey of chastisīg & he dye of that stroke: he is irreguler .xv. q̄: i. Si quis non iratus & extra .li ^o.v. ^o. de homicidis .c. p̄sbiterū. Also if he be in doute whe­ther he dye of ye stroke he shalab steyne hym from goddes auter. Extra .e. ad audientiam / Also if a preste or clerke or any man sle the thefe that robbeth the church he is irreguler. Extra .e. signifi­casti / Also if clerkes fight ayens sarasynes and ayens hethen mē if they sle any mā womē or child they be irreguler & if they be ī doute whether thei slough or nai thei shulde absteyne thē from the au­ter / Extra .e. peticio. Also ye iuge. the aduocate. the accessoure. the officere. the witnesse by why­che man or woman is slayn and the writer. and he that seythe the sentence or redeth in dome ye ex­aminacion of the cause: or wry­teth ye enditemēt or other lettris by whiche man or womā is slayne / he is irreguler. though ye cause and the dome be righful Ray. li ^o.ii. ti. i. If a man be dryuen by nede to sle man or woman / if he fled in that nede by hys owne defaute and fledde not that nede: whanne he myght haue fledde: he is ful irreguler / But if it were such nede that he might not fle it & ye nede cam not by his defaute holy church sufferethe him in the ¶ordrys that he hath takeen to [Page] minystre therī butte he shal take non hygher ordre. If any man slee manne woman or childe ca­suely and by mysse happe whe­ther hys ocupacioun was leful or not leful: if he dydde not hys besynesse to fle manslaugh [...] he is ful irreguler But if his ocupacion were leful & he dydde his besynes to fle māslaughter thow he sawe not byfore al chaunsis y ^t might falle: he is not irreguler. Ray .li ^o.ii ^o. ti ^o: i ^o. With him that sleeth man woman or childe willy wyth hond or with tung is no dispensacioun. Ibm̄. If a man smyte a woman with child whā the childe is quyck or poyson hir with venym: if the childe be ded borne: or els born oute of tyme and dye by that poysoun or by y ^e stroke: he is irreguler: But if the childe were not quycke: he is not irreguler But he shalbe punysshed by the lawe of holy church: as a manqueller / And so shal ye mā that yeueth venyn or any drīke or any other thing to let woman that she may not cōseyue ne brī ­ge forth children / And if the wo­man wylfully take suche dryn­kys: or do any mys crafte to let hirsylfe or any other from berīge of children: she is amansleer / If many men fyght to gedre: & one or mo be slayn & it is not know­en by whom of that company al that smeten or came for to sle: or for to fyght al though they sme­ten not be mansleers.

And al that came to helpe man­sleers thowgh they sloghe not: ne hadde wyl to sle: butt come only to conforte and to helpe of ye sleer and al that were on ye wrōg syde: be irreguler If mā or womā dye by defaute of the leche: & by hys vnkunnynge: and mys me­dycyne: ye leche is irreguler And therfore it is forbode men of ho­ly churche to yeue any perelons drynkys or to brnne men by sur­gery or to kytte them / For ofte dethe or mayme comethe therof. Also they mayme themsilfe wy­theoute nedful cause: or be maymed by other men: or by ther ow­ne foly al if they dydde theim gelde to be chaste and soo plese god: they be irreguler For there shuld no mā serue at goddis aut y ^t had any greate foule mayme / If a­man with drawe him that wold saue a man fro dethe: & if he wyl not himslfe saue fro ye deth if he may and namely if it longe to hī of office: he is irreguler / Hec Ray .li ^o.ii ^o. ti. i ^o. If any clerke bere any wood or fire or any mater to the brennynge of any eretyke if he be dede therby: or hys dethe

¶hasted therby he is irreguler. [Page] thwgh the pope or the busshoppe yeue pardon to al that helpen to the deth of that eretike. In sm̄. conf. li ^o.ii ^o. ti. q̄. xxv. quid de ill. If a prestesende ayonge child to water his hors: though he bidde him beware of ye water: and the childe by hys sendynge drenche the preste is irreguler: for he put so the childe in auenture. Ibidē q̄· xxvii. quid de presbitero. Et host· .li.v. Rub. de hoīcidio quid de presbitero

And what if the preste sende oute his child on his erand barelegged and barefote and euyl clothed in froste and snowe: if the childe dye for colde or take such sekenes by that cold that he die therof: is not the prest irreguler

ye his forsoth For he ought to do his deligence to saue y ^e childe: and to fle that parel in whiche he might lightly falle in that wedyr.

And what if any prelate sende oute wetingly his suget barelegged & barefoote in suche weder: & euyl clothed: if he dye by y ^e colde that he taketh so by hys sendīg: is y ^t not y ^e prest irreguler

In that that he sleeth him so by col­de: he is irreguler: & māqueller.

The xix. chapter.

Seye forthe what thou wylt.

Prelates of holy church may not fight ne sle and yit they may styre men of armes and the people to fight for the feyth and for the truthe of goddes lawe: & of holy churche: and though mē be slayne therby: they be not irreguler: as the lawe sheweth we l.xxxiii. q̄. viii. igitur cū aliis c ^o. If thou go by weye wyth hym y ^e gothe to slee any man: thoughe thou counseile him to cese of hs [...] purpose: and wyl not cese & thou goo forth with hym to defende hī: & he sle: thou arte irregular as seyth. host. li ^o.v. Ru. de hoīcidio q̄. quid si quis. If a clerke pleyn him to the iustice on hī y ^t robbed him of his gode only to haue ayē his good and not to pursue hys deth though ye iustice sle ye thef the clerke is not irreguler Ex. e [...]postulasti &c. tua nos. S. ad vl­timū. If a clerke help to take a thefe or to binde hym to lede hī to the iustice: or write only lettre to take ony man: if the thefe be slayne or that man slayn ye cler­ke is irreguler: Netheles he may clepe to bold ye thefe tyl he haue his good or holde him hīsilfe: & if he crye holde the thefe or crye theues theues: if it were semely to hī that manslaughter shuld folow therof: he is irreguler: if any mā

¶be slayn therby. But if [Page] he hope therbi onli to haue ayen his gode without manslaughter he is not irregular: thowe man­slaughter folowed therof / Cler­kys may bere wepen whāne thei passe by perelouse placys to afe­se theues: But theye owe not to smyte: If a clerke lene ony man bowe arblast or oni other wepen to feyght wythe: if any man be slayne therwith or maymed that clerke is irregular If a clerk erre in answeringe and by hys mysse answere folowe manslaughter: if the clerke be holde awyse man he is irreguler / And thowe he be but simple lettred and he erre so ī suche thinges that he owethe to knowe: and manslaughter come of his mys answere: he is irregu­ler / As if a clerkd sey that it is le­ful to sle a thefe: and to sle leche­rous: or to ryse ayens ther soue­reyns or sle them: if men folowe his counseile and sle: he is irreguler: If a clerke byd men stoppe the theues mouth that he cri not so to lede him the more slily and the more sekerly to his iuge: if he be slayne: the clerke is irreguler If men pursue a thefe or ony o­ther man to take hym: and they axe a clerke if he sawe ony suche if he teche them: or wysse theym wetinge or supposinge that thei seke hī for to desease hī: if y ^e man be slayne: the clerke is irreguler: But if he haue no fantasye why they seke him but good: he is not irreguler / Tho we a man sle not ne yeue counseile to sle: if he suf­fre wetingly ony thynge wherof it is semely to come manslaugh­ter: if ther come therof manslau­ghter: he is irreguler / Also if he counseile men to take a castel to caste engyne to a towne: or to a / castel: or to shote into house walled town: or castel that mē dwelled therī: if ani man be slain therby: he is irreguler / If ony man counseile a nother man to goo & sle and be slaine himsilfe: he that yaue that counseyle: is irreguler Thowe prest or clerke counseile men to feyght for saluacioun of the cūtre and of the feyth so that he bydde them not sle. he is not irreguler thow thei sle thow he bid them put himsilfe to the deth for saluacion of the cuntre & for the truthe If oni man wolde fle his enemyes. And a nother man counseile him not fle: and he vp­on that he trust & abydeth and is slaine. he that yaue him that coū seyle: is irreguler / But he were in hope to haue saued hys lyfe & that he might haue saued his life or by power or by frenshyppe: & in truste therof dyd hī abyde thā is he not irregular But if he [Page] presumed to moche on hinsylfe: or was retcheles in kepinge: or gylous: thāne is he irreguler. If ony man in nede sle his aduersa­ry to saue his owne life: if he mai not elles wel saue hym silfe: He synneth not: so that his nede co­me not by his foly / For if his fo­ly brought him in that nede: He synnethe and is irregular. Hec ī sm̄. cōfesso (rum). li ^o.ii ^o.ti ^o.i ^o.

The xx. chapter.

Me merueleth mo­che why sheddinge of blode and the swerde is soo straytly forbode to men of holy churche. For as we rede ī the gospel Crist badde his desiples selle ther clo­thys and bye them swerdys: whā he sayde. Qui non habet vēdat tunicam suam: et emat gladiū. luc. xxii ^o He that hath no swer­de sylle hys cote and bye hym a­swerde

Crist sayde tho wordis not to al his apostlis but to iudas ye traitoure not biddīg him bye him a swerd: but so shewinge and saiynge by fore the wicked wyl and the wicked purpo­se y ^t iudas was ī to begge aswred to come for to betray criste: and to take him: that whāne the iewys came wythe swerdis & staues to take hym as the gospel saithe he shulde haue his swarde redye to defende himsilfe. if ony of cristys discyples wolde smyte hym. And therfore criste sayde not tho wordys in the plurel noūbre: as to many: but in the singuler: as to one iudas alone / For he only was in purpose to betray hym: & to begge hym a swerde for drede of knockys / And by tho wordis criste bad him not begge aswerd but bi tho wordys he vndernam him of his malyce: in such maner that onli iudas shuld vnderstōd it: and non other of the apostlys For criste wold not puplissh ey­ther discure hī to the apostlis but only vndernam him in such spe­che: that only iudas shulde wite that cryste knewe hys wycked purpose and wold not discure hī And so he shewed goodnes ayēs his malyce to stere him to repen­taunce.

Why answerde thanne the apostles and sayd. Domine ecce duo gladii hic Lorde lo two swerdys here redy And oure lorde sayde: Satis est: It suffisethe: it is inoughe.

For as I sayde: The apostles vnderstode not why ne to whom criste sayde tho wordis And therfore they wende as moche folke wenethe yet that criste hadde bo­de theym haue boughte swerdys to feyght / And therfore they [Page] answerde in that maner: and bygūne to speke of swerdis and of fightinge / And thanne crist was displesyd wythe ther spech & bad thē be stylle of such spech Satis est. It is inoughe: it suffiseth y ^t ye haue spoken ī this maner speche Now nomore of this mater And therfore as luke saythe in the sa­me place: they cesed of ther spech anon and went with crist īto the mounte of oliuete / On the same maner god sayd to moyses whā he prayde hym that he might en­tre the londe of byheste. Sufficit tibi. It is inoughe to the y ^t thou haste sayde. speke nomore to me of thys mater. Deut ^o. iii ^o.c ^o. Al­so god sayde to the aungel that slowe the peple: Sufficit cōtine manum tuam. It is inough wi­thold thy honde / And criste sayd to hys dyscyplys in tyme of hys passion whanne he fond him slepynge. Sufficit. It is inoughe that ye haue slept nowe: awake ye / And as he made an end of her slepinge By thys worde suf­ficit: it suffisethe: so he made an ende of ther vnkunnyng speche whanne they begūne to speke of swerdys by thys worde. Satis ē It is inoughe: that is to saye: ye haue spoke inoughe in this mar̄ nomore hereof. For they wyste not what crist ment nomore thā they wyste what criste ment whā he sayde to iudas. Quod facis fac cecius. That thou doiste [...]o it a non. In suche wordys criste vndernam iudas of his euyl purpose y ^t he shuld amēd hī / And yet it is a custum with moch folke y ^t whāne theye here ther children or seruantys speke vnwysly to put them to silence and do theym be stylle wyth the same worde: and say: sone it is inoughe thou hast sayde inoughe.

And many clerkys say: that whanne the apostlys sayde lo here two swer­dys: and criste sayd ayen Satis est It inoughe. In tho wordys crist graunted men of holy chur­che two swerdys: bothe goostly swerde and bodely swerde

Theye erre as the apostlys did For thei vnderstode not whine to whom criste saide tho wor­dys / For criste graunted neuyr too clerkys the bodely swerde to shedde blode: but he forbad it to them in the same tyme whanne he vndernam peter smiting with the swerde and bad hym put vp hys swerde into the shethe / For whi sayth he: who that smytethe wythe swerde: He shall perysshe withe the swerde / And so alle the processe of the gospel if men vn­derstond it wel: shwethe y ^t cryste hathe forbode men of holy chur­ch the bodeli swerd / & therfore as saith saint ambrose ther armuer [Page] and ther fyghtinge shuld be byt­ter teerys and holy praiers:

yet contra te Criste sayth in the gospel / Non veni pacem mittere (sed) gladium / I cam not saith he to sende pees in erthe: but the swarde .m ^t.x.c ^o.

by the swerde ī that place is vnderstōd the swarde of goddys worde: as saythe the glose: By such sward man is departed from synne and from wycked cumpanye: as the gospel shewethe wel there / And by thys swerde synne is slayn in mannys soule.

Sythe god forbad men of holy churche the swerde and sheddyng of blod and māslaughter: why slow saīt peter ananyam and saphariam: hys wyfe for hyr false couetouse and for hir lesinges. auctuū. v ^o.

As the lawe sayth xxiii. q̄. viii. petrꝰ. He slowe thē not wythe material swerde: but only by power that god yaue hī to do myraclys / wythe hys praiers he reysed a woman from deth to lyfe: whos name was thabita auctuum .ix.c. And wythe wor­dys of hys blamynge he toke hir lyfe from ananye and safira / He prayde not for hyr dethe: but on­ly vnder name them for ther sīne and a non they fel doun dede by the vertue of the swerde of god­dys worde that peter spake / and the holy gooste by peter / For as saynt poule saythe. the swerd of goddes worde ful ofte departeth the soule from the body And therfore the worde and the cursynge and vndernymynge of holy mē and of men of holy churche: is moche for to drede / Or elles by sufferaunce of god: anon as seīt petyr vndernam them: for thei repented them not: the fende sathanas toke power ouer them: And slowe theim bodely: as he slowe theym fyrste goostly by the sīne of false couetyse.

The xxi. chapter.

Is it leful ī oni ca [...] to sle oni mā or womā vngylty?

In no case as the lawe saythe openly .xx. q̄. v. si non

I suppose that ye queste dampnethe a man that ye iustice knowethe vngylty: shal not the iustice yeue the sentence: and dampne hym: sythe the queste saythe that he is gylty.

God forbede. For thāne fallethe the iustice ī manslaughter: For he maye by no lawe sle hym that he knowethe vngilty xxiii. q̄. v. si non.

What shal he do thanne?

If he ha­ue no iuge aboue hym: he shal [Page] saue hī by his playn power / And if he haue a iuge aboue hym / he shal sēd the man to him & tel him al the case y ^t he may of his playn power deliuer him and saue hym from the dethe. or elles seke sum other weye for to saue him / But he shall not yeue the sentence of hys deth. Pylat traueyled ful be­syly to saue criste from deth: for that he wyste him vngylty moch more a cristen iuge oweth to tra­uayle to saue the innocentys lyf whom crist bought with his blo­de / and flee false sentence / Pylat might and ought by lawe haue saued criste / But for to plese the peple / and for dred y ^t they shulde haue accused hym to the empe­roure he folowed ther wylle and put criste to the deth / and therfor afterwarde he was dāpned / For the false queste pilate wolde not haue dampned hym in that that he wyste him vngylty: but only for drede and to plese the people: he dampnede him / And sythe he­then lawe sleethe no man vngil­ty: moche more cristen lawe shal sle no man vngylty / But the iu­ge shal do al hys besynesse to flee shedding of blode withoute gylt Therfore he is made iuge to des­cuse the truthe to saue the vngil­ty: and to punyssh the gylty and to lette malyce. foly and falshed of the questys & of the false wyt­nessys / Therfore god seyth thus to euery iuge: thou shalt not ta­ke the voyce of lesīges: ne thou shlat nof ioy ne thyn hond to sey false wytnes for the wycked mā that is to saye / thou shalt make no couenaunt to saye false wyt­nesse ne assent therto Thou shat not folowe the peples wyl: to do any euyl thinge or any falsnesse in dome / Thou shalt not assent to the sentence of many to go a­weye from the truth. Exo. xxiii.c. Therfor the lawe biddeth that the iustice be not to light ne to redy to leue: ne to redy to take vengeaunce. Di. lxxxvi. si quid Et xi. q̄. vi.iii. quāuis Et xvi. q̄. viii si quid. The ende of euery dome shalbe iusticia. That is riyhtwisnesse in englisshe / And rightwis­nesse is a vertue: and a stedfaste wyl alwey to yelde euery man & woman his right. Extra de v. significacione c ^o. fo (rum). in glosa. And therfore whanne the iustice doth wronge in his sentence ye­uynge. that is no rightful dome for it endeth not in rightwysnes But more wrong may he not do to man or woman. thanne robbe him of his lyfe and slee him with oute gylt. Therfor thanne what iuge sleeth man or woman vn­gilty wytingly he is no iuge: but [Page] he is a tyraunt: and doth ayens al lawes whyche be ordeyned to do right to euery man to punissh the gilty and to saue the vngilty And therfore seyth the lawe that he is no iuge if rightwysnesse be not in him. Non est iudex si non est in eo iusticia xxiii. q̄. ii. iustū.

The xxii. chapter.

It is lefulle to any man or womā in any case to slee themsylfe.

In no case. and that for many skyllys Fyrste for by wey of kynd euery man louethe himsilf and is besy to saue himsilfe and to withstōd al thinge that wold distroy him And therfore it is synne ayens al kynde man or woman to sle him silfe / Also it is ayens charite ffor eche man is bounde to loue him / silfe and his euen cristen as hīsilf Also he doth wrōg to ye comon­tye of mankynd / For as the phi­losofre sayth. v ^to: ethico (rum) Eue­ry man is aparte of the comonte as euery menbre is aparte of the body. Also for mannys lyfe is an high gyfte of god youen to man to serue god / And only god may take it awey whanne he wyl. And therfore he that sleeth hym­silfe: he synneth ayens hys god: in that that he sleeth his seruant ayens his wyl / For though god yeue a man auctorite to sle ano­ther mā for his misdede: yet god yeueth no man auctoritye to sle hymsilfe / And therfore sayth the lawe .xxiii. q̄. v. non licet. That no man ne woman shulde sle hī ­silfe: neyther to fle myscheeffeof of this world. ne to fle other mē ­nys synne: ne for sorowe of hys owne synne that he hath don: ne for to go the soner to heuen / For if he sle himsylfe as saythe there the lawe: he gothe to endles mis­cheeffe. And he fallethe in ouer greuous synne / And ī that he sle­ethe hymsilfe falleth in wanehope. and doth dispyte to the mercy of god as iudas dydde For after his deth he may not amend hym of that greuous sīne of māslau­ghter And by that manslaughter he leseth hys lyfe in thys worlde and his lyfe in heuen blysse: and gothe to the dethe in helle wythe oute end / And therfore ther shuld no woman sle hirsilfe to saue hir chastitie that she be not defouled For if she be defouled by violen­ce ayens hir wyl: she synneth not For as saint lucie seyde to the tyraunt paschasius ye body is not defouled but by assent of the soule / But the synne is ī him that so defouleth hyr / And lesse synne it is to fal in lecherie / than man or [Page] woman to sle himsilfe: for there is no helpe after / Nether shulde no man ne woman slee himsilfe ne mayme himsilfe for dr [...]d that he shuld ꝯsent to synne: but trust in god that may kepe hym from consentynge: and lette occaciōs of synne And though mā or wo­man be constreyned to synne for drede of deth: better it is & a fey­rer that a nother sle hym: than he sle himsilfe for that is dampned in eueri lawe

Contra te. Sampson & dyuers other slough themsilfe as we rede in holy writ

As seyth saynt austen de ciuitate dei. They slough thē silfe by the preuy counseyle of ye holy gooste: that wolde by ther deth do myracles / As whan sāp­son toke the twoo pylerys of the paynyms temple whych bare vp al the temple and shook them to gidre withe his armes tylle they brosten & the temple fell doune & slough many thousandys of the hethen people that was gadrede to wondre on sampson in dispyt of god of heuen whos seruaunt sampson was.

The xxiii. chapter.

Whether is it more synne to slee the rightful­man or awycked man?

It is more synne to sle the right­fulman / for in that the sleer noyeth most hī whom he oughtmore to loue Also for he doeth wron­ge to him that haue not deserued it and more ayens rightwisnesse Also for he pryueth and robbeth the comontye of manhode of a­greate iewel / For euery gode mā and gode woman is awelle to ye comontye of mankynd / Also for he doth more dispyte to god: for to al good criste seyth. Qui vos spernit. me spernit who despisith you despisithe me.

Con­tra If a good man be slayne: he shal sone go to heuen / Butte the wicked manne if he be slayn vn­warly: he shal goo too helle / And lesse synne it is: to send be sleīg a man to heuen: than to hel

Saynt poul seyth .i. ad co (rum) iii ^o. that euery mā & woman shal thake his owne mede: after that his traueyle is Therfore the go­de man so slayn shal go to heuen for his good dedys: notte for the malyce of the sleer / And the wic­ked man so slayne: shalle goo to helle for his owne wicked dedys not for the wycked dedys of the sleer / And the sleer shal go to hel both for the sleynge of the good and of the wicked / But he shal be depper in helle for sleyng of the good than of the wycked: For he shewethe more malyce. & [Page] more aggreuethe god and al the courte of heuen in sleynge of the good than of the wicked And he shal answere for al the good de­dys that the good man shuld ha­ue do: if he had lyued lenger And he shal be punysshed: for the sle­inge of the wicked man: for that he sleeth hym ayens goddes law and letteth hym that he may ha­ue no tyme to amende hym

Is it leful to any man to sle his wyfe: if he take hir ī auoutre

To sle hir by lawe cy­uyle there lawis ordeyne man & woman that don auoutrye to be slayne: It is leful so that he doo it only for loue of rightwysnesse and of clennesse: not for hate ne for to be auenged on hir.

And lete him wel charge his con­sciens: if he be ought gylty ī the same: eyther ī wyl or in dede and take hede to his own freelte and thenke that the law is aswel or­deyned to punuyssh hym if he do amys as to punyssh the woman But any man to sle hys wyfe by his owne auctorite or doo hir be slayne withoute lawful iuge: it is not leful by alle goddes lawe. And though any londys saw ye­ue men leue to slee ther wyues in any case: holy churche shalle pu­nysshe theym and enioyne them ful harde penaunce as for man­slaught.

Whether is mo­re synne a man to sle his wyfe or to sle hys fader or moder.

Bothe be greuous synnes: & moche ayens kynde / For the mā and hys wyfe be one flesshe and one blode / And he oweth as say­the saynt poule loue his wyfe as hys owne body / And therfore he to sle hir ayens kynde / Butt yet it is more synne: and more ayēs kynd to sle fader and moder: for of them man hath his begynnīg his flesshe & blode / And also if he sle any of thē he forfetteth opēly ayens the cōmaundementys of god the fourthe and the fifte For in that he vnworshyppethe ouer moche his fader and hys moder: and fallethe ī cruel manslaugh­ter and therfore it is more synne to slee fader and moder: than to sle his wyfe: as seyth the lawe in sm̄. cōfesso (rum) .li ^o.iiii ^o. ti ^o. ix. q̄. x.

The xxiiii. chapter.

Sythe god byd­dethe that no man shulde slee vnrightfully: why suffereth g [...]d soo moche werre be in erthe: & so many bateyles.

For moch folke is worthy to die and wyl not stonde to the lawe of pees / Therfore god hath ordeyned [Page] and cōmaūded the lawe of swer­de and of cheualrye to bryng thē to pees with the swerde that wyl not obeye to the pees by lawe of charitye and reson.

Thā it semeth that mē of armes maysle men lefully that wyl not obey to the pees and too goddes wyl

That is soth For Abraam. moyses. iosue. dauid. iosie machabeis and many other were men of armes and slowghe moche folke / And yit god repre­ued them not but he badde them sle and halpe them in ther sleyng and in ther fyghtyng.

I may wel assent that bateyle is leful: if it be rightfull. For god is cleped. Dominus exercituum & dominꝰ sabaoth. That is to sey lorde god of ostys

Thre thynges be nedful: that bateyle be rightful. Iusta causa: iustus animus: et auctoritas legitum principis a rightful cause. arightful intencion and auctoritie of a lawful prynce / Fyrste it is ned­ful that ye cause be rightful that they fight only for the right: and to maynteyne right and for sal­uacion of the comontye: and of them that be vngiltye and wold haue pees / For as seyth synt austen. the ende of bateyle shulde be pees .xxiii. q̄. i. nolite. Also ther intencon most be rightful that thei fight not for pryde to gete theim aname. ne for no false couetyse to gete worldly good: ne for noo malyce for to be vengede: ne for no crueltye and lykynge to shed blode: For if ther intencioun be wycked: thoughe ther cause be true: they synne in manslaugh­ter / And for ther wycked intenci / on god suffereth men to be ouer­cōme in a rightful cause / Also it most be do by auctorite of a law­full prynce: that is prynce made by comon custom: or by comon lawe: or by comon assentt of the comontye: or by comon lawful election: For though aperson gadre to him rebellys ayens hys le­ge lordes wyl: al thoughe the re­bellis make him ther hed and her prynce: they may not by his auc­torite do rightful bateyle But al though auctorite of a prīce law­ful be nedful to rightful batayle that is solemply don by mannis lawe: yit ī a rightful cause at ne­de man may by lawe of kynd w ^t oute auctorite of any prīce fight and defende hymsilfe: and hys godis ayens wycked folke For it is the lawe of kynd euery man to saue himsilfe and putte awey fors w ^t fors. and might w ^t might Licitū ē vim virepellere. Soo y ^t his purpos be not to slee ne to re­bel ayens his souereyn ne ayens the lawe: but only in truth to sa­ue him and his fro wicked doers [Page] Netheles clerkes shuld not fight for no worldly goodis / but they may in case with fightynge and smytyng defende ther owne per­sone ayens clerke and lewed mā And so may the lewed man defē de himslife with smitynge ayens the clerke that seketh to smyte hī if he may not els sekerly saue hī ­silfe / And if he may sekerly saue himsilfe: eyther by slight: eyther by shettyng of dore or of gate or any other weye: he owthe to saue himsilfe and not smyte a clerke: but wysely saue them both / But alwey be he ware: that his flight be not cause of his deth And syth that the lewed man oweth to fle the clerke if he may in seker ma­ner to saue thē both Moch more the clerke that shulde shewe pacience and fle sheddynge of blode: by hys ordre oweth to fle alewed man / if he may to saue himsylfe sekerly and to saue theym bothe. If the sugettys be in doute whether the cause that they fyght for be true / they be excused by the p̄ ­cepte of ther prynce for vertue of obedyence: so that the subgettys haue no cause to misdeme of her prynce by his comon liuyng but that they suppose that he ī al his lyuyng be rewled by reson & goddes law But if they be seker that the cause is false / they be not excused ne owe not to fight / Or els if the prynce be man oute of go­de gouernaunce as frentyke / or braynles. or els that he be in hys lyuyng openly rebellyng ayens god: thanne the peple oweth not to obey to his biddyng whāne he byddeth them fyght: butt if they knowe sekerly that his cause betrwe / But thāne they most obey the prynce of heuen that biddeth them sle no man ne woman vn­gylty / Sowdeours & other kny­ghtys and men of armes & other frendes of the prynce not subget to him by obedience / if they fight for him in a cause that is ī doute they be nott excused from dedly synne and māslaughter. In sm̄. cōfesso .li ^o.ii ^o. ti. v ^o q̄. xlv. & .xlvi. Thus leue frende haue I decla­red you the fifte heeste that byd­deth you and vs al / not sle / And therfore leue frende al if youre ꝑ­sone be not able to fight ne to sle yit I pray you that ye be ware y ^t ye assent to no mannys deth nei­ther byfore ne after: but ye were syker that they were gyltye and worthy to dye / For the lawe sey­the / that bothe they that don the mysdede / and they that assentte therto / but worthy euen payne. A gētes & cōsenciētes pari pena puniātur. Iustifye ye noo man­nys deth / butt ye knowe wel the cause of his dethe / For I am sy­ker y ^t god dampneth moch man­slaughter [Page] that ye and other iusti­fye. and the dome of god shal fal that he seyde to saynt peter / He y ^t smytethe withe the swerde / shal perysshe with the swerde / And he that robbeth shalbe robbed. Veq p̄daris nonne predaberis. ysa. xxxiii ^o. Al day ye may see what vēgeaūce falleth for shedinge of mannys blode euery yere more & more / Other nacions sle vs in e­uery syde and robbe vs / and we haue lytel spede or non but only to sle oure owne nacion / Ther[fore be ye ware of goddes swerd: and of mannys swerde also / and iustifye ye not y ^t god dampnethe Here endethe the fifte precepte: & bygynneth the syxte precepte.

Thy coūseyle si gode God send vs pees: and kepe vs fro the swerde. Nowe I pray the declare me the sixt cō maūdemēt.

The sixt cōmaundement is thys. Nō me­chaberis That is to sey ī englis­she Thou shalt do no lecherie: ne medle with no thyng flesshly but only withe thy lawful wyfe. As seyth the glose / And so by thys p̄cept he forbyddeth al spyces of lecherie

Hou many spi­ces be ther of lecherye.

Nyne And these be they. Forni­cacion and lecherie wyth comon wymen. auoutry defoulynge of mayden hode. defoulīg of chas­tite auoued to god defoulyng of them that be nigh of kyn / of afe­nitye. or of gossyprede. and sodomye that is mysvse of mānys body or womans in lecherye ayens kynde and polucion of mannys body or womans: by ther owne styrynge and by themsylfe why­che is a ful orrible synne / And also synful medlynge to gedre by­twene husbond and wyfe / For­nicacio. meretriciū. adulterium Stuprū. sacrilegiū. īcestus. p [...]m̄ sodomiticū volūtaria ī se pollu­cio & ꝑ se ꝓuocat. et libidinosus: coitus cōiugalis.

In hou many weyis may ye husbōd synne medlynge with his wyfe?

In eyght weyis First if he medle withe hir only to fulfyl his lustys and his lecherye takīg no hede to god ne to ye onestie of matrimonye / Also if he passe me sure in his doyng / Also if he med­le with hir in tymes whyche holy church coūseyleth men to cōtinē ce / as in holy tymes and in time of lente in tyme of fastynge and of other prayer: whych tymes he may medle with hyr so bodely a­yens reuerence of the tyme / and of god y ^t he shal synne dedly / For peter and poul tech that wedded solke shuld in holy tyme / and in tyme of preyr absteyne them fro [Page] such lustys that ther prayer may ye more gracōusly be herd of god and ther herte the more youen to godd / For suche luste as for the tyme drawethe mānys hert and womannys moch fro god: and maketh them ful flesshly and ye les goostly / Therfore as we rede Gen̄. vii ^o. in the tyme of the flo­de in noes tyme for the herde tri­bulacion and dred that they wer in al that yere: noe and his thre. sonnes kept them chaste and lay by themsilfe and ther wyues by theym sylfe. so that by holy preyer and contyēnce they myght the soner be delyuered of that perel & myschefe that they were in / Also if he medled with his wyfe ī holy place withoute nede / For ī tyme of werre though he medle wyth his wyfe in church: if he dare not ly of out ye church for dred of en­nemyes he is excused: & the chur­ch is not polute / or elles it were polute. And also if he medle with his wyfe whāne she is grete with child nygh the tyme of ber­the. For thāne lyghtly he might sle the child. Also if they medle to gydre with euyl condicion / Also if he medle with his wife wetīg­ly ī hir comon sekenes at his ow: ne profre. But if husbond & wife medle to gedre flesshly withoute these defautis only to bryng for­the a veyne too the herte. And heth children to goddes seruyce els to fle fornicacion and lechery on other halfe-or to yelde the det of ther body ech to other thāne they synne not / But thanne as sayth saynt poule ther wedlok is worshipful / and ther bed wytheoute spot of blame.

Honorabile connubiū ī oībus & thorus īmaculatꝰ. Ad hebre. xiii. c ^o. Vpon which worde sayth the greate clerke haymo and the glose also. y ^t it is a worshipful wed­lok whāne man weddeth his wife lawfully to bryng forth chyl­dren to goddes seruice: & abstey­neth hym fro his wyfe in dwe tymes. And thanne is ther bed wy­thoute spot of blame: whanne he medle with his wif lawfully and for a good end kepe mesure and maner: thanne ryse they vp oute of bed with oute spott of blame.

The sedunde chapte.

MAtrymony wae ordeyned of god for ii. causes Firste pryncypaly into office / to bryng forth children to goddes seruice. Also into remedie to fle fornica­cion and lecherye / For the fyrste cause it was ordeyned ī paradise byfore adams synne. For the ii. cause it was ordeyned oute of ꝑ­adise [Page] after adams synne / Thre goode thynges be pryncipaly in matrimonye / The firste is feyth that eche of them kepe truly hys body to other: and medle flesshly wyth non other / The secunde is brynginge forth and norysshīge of children to the worship of god and to goddes seruice. For elles it were better that they were vn­borne. The third is the sacramēt which may not be vndo: but on­ly by deth / And therfore the ordre of wedlok is fulworshipful / for it representeth the gret sacramēt of vnyte & of endles loue bytwe­ne ye godhed & ye māhede ī criste verry god & verry man bitwene criste and holy churche. and by­twene crist and cristē soule / And the feythful loue that owethe to be bytwene husbōd & wyfe byto­keneth the loue and the feythe y ^e oweth to be bitwene crist & cristē soule: and bytwene crist and ho­ly church / For the husbond shul­de loue his wyfe wyth true loue / And therfore whāne he weddeth hir: he setteth a rynge on hir fyn­ger / which rynge is token of true loue that owethe to be bytwene them. For they moste loue them to gedre hertely / And therfore it is sette in the forthe fynger / For as clerkes sey fro that fynger go yeueth hir but one rynge ī token that they shulde loue theym syn­gulerly to gedre. For as ayens comynīge of ther body / the hus­bond shulde loue his wyfe & non other / and the wyfe hir husbond and non other / The rīg is roūde aboute and hath non ende in to­ken that ther loue shulde be end­les: and no thynge depart theim but deth alone / Also the rynge is made of golde or of syluer in to­ken that as gold and syluer pas al other metals in value and clē nesse: so shulde ther loue passe al other loues. And the husbond lo­ue his wife passyng al other wy­men: And the wyfe loue hir hus­bond passynge al other men And as gold and syluer passe al other metals in clennes / so shulde ther loue al be set ī clēnes & not comō to gedre / but for bryngyng forth of children or to flee fornicacion or to yelde the dette of ther bodyes Thys loue bitokeneth the lo­ue that we owe to god that is oure goostly husbonde too whoom we be all weddedde in oure bap­tem / For we shulde loue him hertely with al oure herte syngu­lerly wythe al oure soule lastingly wythe al oure mynde myghtely wythe al oure myghtys / And therfore he saythe. Deutro. vi ^o. Thou shalte loue thy lorde god with althy hert w ^t al thy soul w ^t [Page] al thy mynde with al thy might: The husbōd betokeneth crist ye wyf betokeneth holy church and cristē soul which is goddes spouse & / oweth to be suget to cryst: as wyfe to husbond / Thre ornamē tys longe pryncipaly to a wyfe. Arynge on hir fynger a broch on hir brest: & agarlond on hir hede / The rīge betokenethe true loue as I haue seyd / The broch byto­keneth clennesse in herte & chastitye that she oweth to haue / The garlonde bytokeneth gladnesse. and the dignitye of the sacramēt of wedlok / For the husbond by­tokeneth crist: and the wyfe holy church / which is cleped quene: & goddes spouse / And therfore seīt poule sayth thus. Viri diligite vxores vestras. ye men loue ye youre wyues as. criste loued ho­ly church / and put himsilfe to the deth for holy church / So shulde men do if it neded for ther wyues as saythe glose / Men saythe he owe to loue ther wyues: as ther owne bodyes He that loueth his wyfe: he loueth himsilfe: Sythe thanne thys sacrament of wed­lok is so greate and so worshyp­ful in crist and holy church / ther-fore euery man loue his wyfe as himsilfe / And the wyfe loue hyr husbond and drede him / wymen saith he most be suget to ther husbondys as to ther lorde: For mā is hede of woman: as criste is hede of holy churche / And as al ho­ly church is suget to crist: so most wymē be sugettis to ther husbōddys. These be the wordys of seīt poule. Ad eph. quinto.

The thirde. chapter.

Syth that the ordre of wed­lok is so greate & so wor­shipful in criste & holy church / as saynt poul saith without doute they y ^t breke it or misuse it in lust and lykyng of the flesshe and fo­lowe only ther lust as bestes and refreyne not themsilfe by reson & by goddes lawe / they synne ful greuously / Therfore we fynd in holy wrytte. tobie .vi ^o.c ^o. That there was a woman that hyght sara and she was wedded to vii. husbondys: and adeuel y ^e hyght asmodeus slough them al ech af­ter other the firste night or y ^t they medled wlth hyr / For they wed­ded hir more for brēnīge luste of ye flessh / than for any true cause of matrymonye / After the aun­gel raphael cam to yonge Tobie & seid to hī y ^t he shuld wedde sara Thā yong tobie seyde to the aū ­gel I haue hard he seyde y ^t ye de­uel hath power oū al men y ^t wed hir / and slethe them Thā the aū ­gel [Page] seyde to hī / I shal tel ye ouer whiche men the fend hath power ouer them that so take wedloke that they putte god from theym: & fro ther mynde & yeue tente to flesshely lustys / as hors and mu­le that haue no vnderstondynge Ouer them the deuel hath power Butte thou shalt not take hir in suche maner: but three nyghtys ye shal kepe you chast / and yeue you to holy prayere: and thanne thou shalt take thy wyfe wythe the dred of god prīcypaly to brīg forthe children to the worship of god / Sythe thāne the deuyl ha­the such power ouer them that so misuse ther wyues and the ordre of wedlok / Moche more power hathe he ouer them that breke ye ordre of wedlok & take other thā ther wyues / Therfore god bad in the olde law. Deut ^o. xxii. that if ani mā medil with another mā nis wyf / they shal be slayn both ye mā & the womā And the wyse man seyth / that he that dothe a­uoutrye for myschefe of herte / he shal lese hys soule: & he gadereth shame and shenship to himsylfe. & hys shame shal neū be do awey Proū. vi ^o. And there he saythe y ^t al thoughe theft be greuous synne / yit ī regard of auoutrye it is but a smal synne / And so saith ye greate clerke bede / and the glose allso. Many myscheues falle to them that lyue ī auotrie moch si­kenesse: moch myshappe losse of good: wanysshyng of cateyl / and lytel foyson therin: sodeyne po­uert euyl name and moch shame greate hurte / and ofte maymīge and myscheuous deth / as dethe in presoun and hangynge / and ofte soden dethe / and instruction of eyrys and of ther erytage / And therfore the wyse man seyth Filii adultero (rum). &c. The chlidren of theym that lyue in auoutrye: shal sone be at ende / and the issue and the sede that comethe of the wicked bed shalbe distroyed and though they liue longe they shal not be sette by and ther laste age shalbe wythoute worshyp. Na­ciones ini (que) dire sunt consūma­cionis They that be msborne moste comonly they haue har­de ende. Sap̄. iii ^o: c ^o. And as he seythe in the next chapter folow­ynge / Children borne in auoutre shal yeue nos deperotys: ne sette no stable gronude butt they shal alweye be in tempeste of tribulacion / Ther braunchys shal bre­ke / and ther rotys be plucked vp The frute of theym shalle be vnprophytable / and they shalle be ful bytter ī eūy mete & able to ri­ght nought. Sapiencie .iii ^o.c ^o. In token & cōfirmacion of thys [Page] we fynde in the lawe: y ^t the holy [...] boniface the thyrde whych was amerter wrote to the kynge of englond in this maner As it is tolde openly by the cuntres. and vpbreydyd to vs that be ī fraun­ce and ytalie: and hethen men repreue vs therof: that englissh pe­ple despise the lawes of wedlok and yeue theim to auoutrye and lecherie as dyd the folke of sodō. Butte wyte it wel: if it be soo as men sey of them / the people that shal be borne of such lecherie and spouse brech shalbe vngentil pepel and reprefe to al ther kynred They shalbe wode in lecherie / & alwey the people shalle come to wors and wors / and at the laste be vnable to bateile. vnstable in feyth and withoute worship and not loued of god ne of man: as it fallethe to many other nasions: ffor they wolde not knowe god­des lawe Distinc ^o .lvi. si gens anglorum.

It semethe y ^t the ꝓphicie of that [...] is nowe fulfilled / For what auoutre ha­the reygned in thys londe many yerys: it is no coūceyl & namely amōgns these lordis which haue nowe brought this lōde in bitter bales / Sūme of them be slayne: & sūme of theim yit lyue ī moche woo Goddes law is foryete and forbade that men shuld not kū ­ne it ne haue it in ther moder tū ­ge The people is vnworthy and in despyte to al crystendome. for ther falshede and ther false byle­uynge: and soo wood in lechery that the brother is not ashamede to holde openly hys owne sustre. They be harlottis in lyuyng vnstable in feythe: vnable to bateyle: ouercōme nyghe oueral hated of god and of man withoute grace and spede nigh in al ther doīg

Exaumple to thys we fynde in the secunde boke of kyngys .xii ^o.c ^o. where we fynd y ^t whāne dauid had don auoutre wyth barsabee the wife of the noble knyght Vrie: and after that treccherousli slayne that knight god sentte the ꝓphete nathan to dauid: and repreued hym of hys synne and seyde: that swerd and debate shulde neuer passe fro his housholde and fro his kīredde I shal saythe god reyse myscheffe: and disease ayens ye of thyn ow­ne menye: and take thy wyues and yeue them alle to thy nexte. and he shal openlyly by thy wif Thou doiste it preuely. I shalle punysshe the openly. And so it befelffor absolon hys owne son­ne droffe hym oute of hys owne kyngedome & say by hys wyfe: in the syght of al the people And ¶was there neuer after. [Page] stabilyte in hys kyngdom / And yit the auoutrye of dauid was more punysshed: For the chylde that was bygoten ī auoutry dy­ed sone after for the synne of the fader and moder / And afterward aaman dauidis sōne lay by tha­mar his owne suster / And therfor absolō hir brother sloughe aamā his brother in treccherie And alle these myscheues fel for dauid is synne wythe bersabee / we fynde also in holy wrytte. Iudicū xx. c ^o. that for defoulyng of one mā ­nys wyfe were slayn sixty thou­sande and fyue thousande / It is a comon prouerbe in lateyn. Debile fundamentū fallit opus: A feble grounde disseyueth ye wer­ke / For whanne the grounde is feble and false: the werke that is sette theron shal sone fayle / But the grounde and the bygynnyng of euery peple is lawful wedlok and lawful generacion in matremony And if that fayle the peo­ple shalbe vnstable and vnthrif­ty / and that god shewethe wel in the begynnyng of the world For whanne mē wedded vnlawfulli and brake the boondys: and the lawes of wedlok whych god or­dened at the begynnynge. thāne god sent the gret flod & destroied al mankynde: saue noe and hys wyfe & his iii. sōnes & ther wiues

The fourth chapter.

Whanne yafe god lawes of matrimony and what lawes yaue he:

Whanne god had made adam he put a grete slepe in adam: and in his slepe he toke oute one of hys ribbys: and fylled vp ye place w ^t flessh / And of that ribbe he made eue & brought hir to adam. Thā adam awoke and as god inspy­red hym: he toke ye lawes of wedlok and sayde thus / Thys bone is nowe of my boonys: and thys flesshe of my flesshe / For thys thynge man shall forsake fader and moder: and take him to hys wyfe / And they shalbe two lone flessh. Gen̄. ii ^o. In whych wor­dys: whanne he sayde that man for hys wyfe shulde forsake fa­dir and moder: and take hym to his wyfe: he shewed ye sacramēt of trewe loue and vnyte that owthe to be bitwene husbond & wy­fe / And by the same wordys he shewed what feyth owth to be bitwene theym / For he shalle take hym to his wyfe and medel wy­the hir and withe non other. and she wythe hym and with non o­ther / And in that he sayde that they shulde be two in one flesshe: he shewid that they shulde medle to gedre pryncypaly too brynge ¶forthe chyldren to [Page] goddes worship / For ī ther child husbond and wife ben one flessh and one blode / Also ī that he sey­de that the husbonde shuld cleue to his wyfe: he forbiddeth forni­cacion and auoutre / And that he seyde in ye synguler noumbre to his wyfe and not too his wyues: he forbiddeth bigamie that amā shuld not haue two wyues to gedre ne one woman two husbōdis to gidre / And in that he seyd that they shulde be two in one flesshe. he forbad sodomye / bnd also by the same wordys he sheweth y ^t e­che of theim hathe power ouer o­thers body and non of them may conteyne: but by assent of theim both.

Why made god woman more of the ribbe of adā than of another boon.

For the ribbe is nexte the hert in tokē that god made hir to be mā nys felowe ī loue and his helper. And as the ribbe is nexte the her­te of alboues: so shulde the wyfe be next in lone of al wymen: & of al men / God made not woman of the fote to be mannys thral ne he made hir not of the hede: to be his mayster: but of hys syde and of his ribbe to be his feolowe ī loue and helper at nede / But whā eue synned: thanne was woman made suget to man: that the wy­fe shulde be reuled by hir husbōd and drede him and serue hym as felowe in loue and helper at nede & as nexte solace ī sorow: not as thral and bond in vilein seruage For the husbonde owth to haue his wyfe ī reuerēce and worshyp in y ^t they be bothe one flessh & one blod

Why made not god woman by hirsilfe of the erthe as he dyd adam.

For to encrease ther loue to gedre: And also to yeue womā mater of lownesse / Firste for encressyng of lo­ue. ffor in that woman is part of mānys body: man most loue hir as his owne flessh and blod / And also she must loue man as hir begynnynge: and as hir flessh and hir blode / Also she oweth to take grete mtaer of lownesse: and thē ­ke y ^t mā is hir perfection: and hyr begynnyge and haue man in re­uerence as hir perfection: as hyr pryncipal: as her begynnyg and hir firste in ordre of kynde / God made al mankynd of one For he wolde that al mankynde shulde be ī one charite as they cam al of one.

The fifte chaptor.

Whether is auoutre gretter synne in the man or in the woman.

Co­monly it is more synne ī the mā For the higher degre ye harder is ye fal & sinnemore greuous Also mā is mor̄ mighty by wey of kī ­de to withstōd & hath more skyl & reson wherby he may withstōd [Page] and be ware of the fyndes gyle. And in that he is made maister & gouernoure of woman to gouer­ne hir in vertue: and kepe hir fro vices / If he falle in vices and in auoutre more than woman he is moch to blame and worthy to be repreued shamefully / Therfore saynt austen. in li ^o. de decem cordis: vndernymeth husbōdis that falin auoutre and seyth to ech of them in thys maner / God seythe to ye thou shalt do no lechery y ^t is to sey: thou shalt medle withe no woman: butte wythe thy wyfe / Thou ayist this of thy wife that she medle with non but with the And therfore thou oughtist to be byfor thy wyfe in vertu thou fallest doūe vnder ye filth of lechery Thou wylt that thy wife be ou (er) ­cōmer of lechery & haue the may­stry of the fend / and thou wylt be ouercome as acowerde & ly doūe in lecherye / And not withstond­dynge that thou arte hede of thy wyfe yet thy wife go bifore ye to god and thou that art hed of thy wif goeste bacward to hel / Mā seyth he is heed of woman / And therfore in what housholde the woman liueth better than ye mā in that housholde hangethe the hed dounwarde For syth man is hed of womā: he owethe to lyue better than womā: & go byfor his wyfe in al gode dedys: y ^t she may sue hir husbond and folow hir hede the hede of eche housholde: is the husbond: and the wyfe is the body By course of kynd theder y ^t the hedde ledethe: thyder shulde the body folowe / why wolde thanne the hede y ^t is the husbond go to lecherye: and he wyl not y ^t his body hys wyfe folowe / why wold the man go thyder wheder he wyl not y ^t his wyfe folowe: & a lytyl after in the same boke saīt austen sayth thus / Daye by day playntes be made of mannys le­cherye. al thogh ther wyues dare not playn thē of ther husbondys Lechery of mē is so bold & so cus­tomable / y ^t it is take nowe for a law ī so moch y ^t mē tel her wyues y ^t lecheri & auoutry is leful to mē but not to wymē: thus seith saīt austē /

And sūtyme it is wist & hard y ^e wyues be take lyīg w ^t her seruātis & brouht to court bifore ye iuge: with moch shame but y ^t any husbōd is so brouht to court bifor ye iuge for he laye w ^t his wymē: it is seldō sen

& yet as seyth saīt austē ī ye same boke: it is as gret sīne ī the husbōd as ī ye wyfe & sūdel more But forsoth saith he it is not the truth of god but ye shrewednesse of mā y ^t maketh mā les gilty thā womā ī the same sīne Mē be not so oft take ī auoutry ne punysshhedd for auoutrye as wymen be [Page] not for they be les gylty: but for y ^t thy be more gylty & more mighty & more slygh to maynten ther sīne / & nygh eche of them confortethe other in his synne / Men be witnessys iugis and doers to punysshe auoutrie in woman / And for they be ouerdone gylty in a­uoutre. Therfore they traueyle nygh al with one assent to mainteyne ther lecherye / In woman is seldom se a voutre: And ther­fore it is ful sclaunderous whā ­ne it fallethe and harde punyssh­ed Butte in men it is so comon y ^t there is vnnethys ony sclaunder therof wymen dare not speke a­yens the lecherie of men: and mē wyl not speke to repreue the le­cherye of man / for they be so mo­che gylty / Synne that seldome falletheis mooste sclaunderous. and yete in case lesse greuous. And synne that ofte falleth / and is mooste in vse / is leeste sclaun­derous and yet it is mooste gre­uous / For the more customable and the more blode that men be ī synne and the lesse dreye & shame that men haue to synne: the mo­re greuous is ther synne / Ther­fore saynt austen ī the same pla­ce spekethe more of this mater a­yens the lecherye of men and sey the thus / Parauenture thy wyfe herethe in churche by prechynge that it is nott leful to the to take any other but thy wyfe / She co­methe home and grutcheth ayēs thy lecherye and seythe to the: y ^t thou doeste thynge that is notte leful / For why we be both cristē The chastite that thou axiste of of me. yelde thou me / I owe too the feythe: and thou owiste feith to me: and both we owe feyth to criste / Though thou disseyue me thou disseyueste not god: whos seruantes we be bothe Thou disseyueste not him that bought vs bothe for he knoweth al But weneste thou seyth saynt austen that the man wylbe heled and a­mend with hir wordes /

Nay nay seythe he / but anon he shal be wroth and he shalbe wo­de bothe withe hys wyfe / & wyth the prechoure and curse the tyme that his wyfe cam to the churche to here the truthe. These be the wordis of seynt austen in the sa­me boke And yet after ī the same boke he seyth thus / Parauēture thou letchoure wolt excuse the & sey / I take noon other mannys wyfe / But I take myne owne seruaunt / wylt thou seythe he: y ^t thy wyfe sey to the / I take noon other husbond I take butte my seruaunt / God forbede that thy wyfe shulde sey so to the / Better it is that she haue sorowe of thy [Page] synne: than folowe the or take: wycked ensaumple of the / Thy wyfe is chaste & an holy woman and a true cristen woman: She hath sorowe of thy lecherye: not for the flessh but for charite / And thy wyfe wolde that thou doeste not amys: not for that she dothe not amys / but for it is not spedeful to ye For if she kept hir chast & did not lecherye only for y ^t thou shuldeste doo no lecherye / if thou doest lecherye: she shulde do lecherye But for that the gode womā kepeth chastitye: not only for ye feyth y ^t she owthe to the / butt also for the seythe that she owethe to criste / For though the man do a­mys / yit the woman yeuethe hir chaste to god. Therfore saythe saynt austē ī ye same place Crist speketh in the hertys of gode wymen wythin in ther soule: there ther husbond hereth it not / for he is not worthy to here it / and con­forteth his doughter withe suche maner wordys / Thou art euyl deseased wythe wrongys of thy husbonde: what hath he do to the I pray ye haue pacience be sory of hys mysdede: but folowe hym not to do amys:. but he must fo­lowe the in goodnesse / For ī that that he dothe amys lete him nott be thy hede to lede the: butte lete thy god be thy hede / For if thou folowe hym as a hede ī his shrewednesse / both hede and body shal fal doune into helle And therfore myght nott the bodye that is the wife folow the wycked hede but myght she holde hyr to the heede of holy churche that is criste / To him the wyfe oweth hir chaste to hym pryncipaly she most do worship: for he is pryncipal husbōde Be hir husbond present be he ab­sentte / the goode womoan shall alwey kepe hir chaste / For criste hir husbond to whom pryncypaly she owethe hir chaste. is neuer absente / Chaunge youre lyfe ye men letchours: saythe saynt aus­ten there / And fro thens for war­de be ye chaste / Ne seye ye notte that ye maye not kepe you chast For it is shame to sey y ^t mā maye not do: that a woman dothe: ne be so chaste as a woman is / The woman by ryght hath as freel a flesshe as the man / And woman was firste deseyued of the adder. youre chast wyues shewe to you that ye may be chaste if ye wyl. Theyse be the wordys of saynte austen.

The sixte. chapter.

Wymen maye bet­ter be chaste than men for theye haue moche kepynge vp­on [Page] theym / The lawe byddethe theym too chastytye / Ther hus­bondys be besye too kepe theym and harde lawes be ordeyned to punysshe theym: if they do amys

To thys answerethe saynt austen in the same boke: & saythe thus / Moche kepyng makethe woman chaaste: and manhode shulde make man chaaste. To wooman is ordeyned moch kepyng. for she is more freel woman is ashamed for hir husbond to do amys / Butte thou art not ashamedde for criste to do amys Thou art more fre than the wo­man / For thou art strenger: and lightlier thou mighteste ouercō ­me the flessh and the fend if thou wylt / Therfore god hathe byta­ken the to the. Butte one womā is moche kepynge of hir husbōd dredful lawes good norture gre­ate shame fastnesse. and god prī ­cipal / and thou man haste only god aboue the / Thy wyfe flee­the lecherye for drede and shame of the for drede of the lawe: ffor good norture and principaly for god / Butte for al these thou ke­peste not the chaaste / ne thou le­ueste not thy lecherie neyther for dred of god ne for goddes law ne for shame of the worlde: ne for shame of thy wyfe: to whō thou arte bounde to be trewe. ne thou wylt leeue it for ne good nortur but lyue as an harlotte and vse harlottys maners / Thou artte not ashamed of thy synne saythe saynt austen / For so many men falle therin. The shrewsdnesse of man is nowe so greate that men be more ashamedde of chastytye than of lecherye / Manquellers theues: ꝑiureris: falsewytnessis rauenourys and false men be abhominable and hated amongys the people / But who so wyl lye by hys woman and be a bold le­choure / he that is loued he is preised / And al the woundes of hys soule turne into game / And if a­ny man be so herdy to sey that he is chaaste and trew to hys wyfe and if it be know that he be such he is ashamed to come amongis men that be not lyke him in ma­ner / For they shulde iape & scor­ne him and seye that he is no mā For mannys shrewidnes is now so greate: that there is noo man holde a man: but he be ouercōme wythe lecherie / And he that ouer­comethe lecherye and kepethe hī chaaste he is holde no man. Theyse be the wordes of sayntt austen in a boke de decem cordis

Me meruelethe moche that saynt austen: and you also accuse mā so moch of lecherye: & put more defaut in man than in [Page] woman▪

Crist dyd the same / we rede in the gospel. Io.viii ^o. that on a tyme whanne cri­ste satte in the temple of Ierusa­lem techynge the people his law­es / Thanne the scribis: and the men of lawe: and the phareseys brought a woman newly taken in auoutrye: and sette hir by fore criste / and seyde to hym al in gy­le. Mayster thys wooman right nowe was take ī auoutrye / The lawe of moyses byddethe vs sto­ne al suche / Butte what sayeste thou therto Al this they sey­de in gyle For hadde he bode thē stoned hir: he hadde seyde ayens hys owne prechynge / For hys prechinge and techynge was ful of mercy and pety / And if he had seyde that she shulde not haue be stoned thanne hadde be sayde a­yens moyses law and thāne wolde they haue stooned hym / And therfore he seyde neyther the one ne the other. But he stouped doune: and wrote wythe hys fynger in the erthe / And whanne he had wreten a whyle he set hī vpright ayen and sayde to them / whyche of you be withoute synne: he cas­te on hir firste the stone / And af­ter he stouped doune and wroote in erthe / And whanne the accu­sers of the wooman herde theyse wordes of criste and se hys wry­tynge / they were ashamed: and went oute eche after other / and the eldeste went oute firste / and non of theym lefte there / For as seye these clerkes: eche of theym sawe in that wrytynge alle the euil synnes that he hade doon of lecherye of spousebreche or of a­dy other synne / And eche of them wende that al other aboute had seen hys synne / And so for drede and for shame they went out for they sawe wel that they were more gyltye in lecherye than the woman and more worthy to be sto­ned / But criste of hys goodnesse wrought so / that eche of theym sawe there his owne synne: and non other mannys: soo yeuynge vs ensaumple to hyde other mē ­nys synne: and not defame oure euen cristen: whyle ther synne is preuye / And whanne they were goon oute for drede and shaame Thanne saide crist to the womā where be they that accused the. No man hathe dāpned the Lord sayth she that is soth no man ha­the dampned me: Thanne criste sayde to hir / Ne I shal not dāp­ne the / Go and be in wyl no mo­re to synne

By the lawe she was worthy to be dede / why wolde thaune criste that yaue ye the lawe saue hir

although she were worthye to dye [Page] yit hir accuserys and the people that brought hir theder were not worthy to dampne hir / ne to pursue hir to deth / for they were mo­re gyltye than the woman / And therfore seythe the gloose in that place / Though the lawe bid thē be slayne that be gyltye: y itt the lawe wyl not that they shulde be slayne by them that be gyltye in the same synne / Butte he that is vngyltye in the same synne shal punysshe him that is giltye / And terfore seyth the glose: that they y ^• so accused the womā: by right of lawe / or they moste haue lete hir go or ellis be stoned withe hir for they were more giltye in that synne than the wooman / And so by the lawe cryste delyuered hyr rightfully: and saued hir merciably / Therfore seythe the lawe of holy church: that tho that be gil: tye in any grete synne shuld not be take for accusers ne witnessis in dome: no manqueller no the­ues: ne wicked iogulors robbers of churchis: rauenours: ne open lechours. ne they that be in auoutrye. ne they that poysone folke. ne periurerys. ne false witnessys ne they that axe counseyl of wit­ches / Al these and such other be vnable for to accuse in dome: or to bere witnesse in dome: butt if it be for to accuse thē that be ther felowys: and helpers ī ther synne m̄. q̄. v. cōstituimꝰ. Et vi. q̄. li. q ⁱ crimen / And saynt ambrose sey­the: that only he is worthy to be domesman and dampne the er­rours of a nother that hath nou­ght in himsylfe that is dampna­ble. suꝑ Btī īmaculati. Et iii. q̄. vii. iudicet. And therfore the law putteth many a case in which ye husbōd may not accuse his wife of lecherye. Firste if he be gyltye in the same .xxxii. q̄. nichil īiqus Also if he yeue hir occasion to do fornycacion by withholdyng of det of his body xxii. q̄. vii. Si tu Also if she be defouled by streuth and grete violence ayens hir wil xxxii. q̄. v. Ita ue. also if she we­ne y ^t hir husbond be ded .xxxiiii. q̄. i. si ꝑ bellicā. And if she be wedded to a nother wenyng that hir husbond be ded whāne he come­the hoomeshe moste forsake the secunde husbond and go ayen to the firste: and but she forsake the secunde anon as she knowethe y ^t hir firste husbond is a lyue. elles she falleth in auoutrye: and hir firste husbond maye accuse hir & forsake hir / Also if she be desey­ued and medle with another we­nynge that it were hir husbonde xxxiiii. q̄. ii. in lectum / Also if he knowe hir lecherie and suffereth hir in hir synne. and medlebh w ^t [Page] hir after that he knoweth hir syn or foryeueth it hir: & reconseyle hir to hym / thanne may he notte accuse hir xxxii. q̄. i. Si quis vx­orem. Also if hir husbonde putte hir to do amys. Extra li ^o.iii ^o. ti. xiii ^o discrecione / Also if an he­then man forsake his hethen wi­fe and she be wedded to anoother hethen man. & after they be bothe turned to cristen feythe thāne is he boūd to take hir ayen / butt she fel ī any other fornicacion / Not withstondynge that she be kno­wen flesshly of the secūd husbōd Extra li ^o.iiii ^o. de diuorciis .c ^o. gaudemus. S. si g ^o.

The seuenth chapter.

Is a man bound to forsake his wyfe: whanne she falleth in fornicacion

Either ye fornicacōn is p̄uy or it is open / If it be preuy: and may not be preued / he shal notte forsake hir openly / ne he is notte bound to forsake hir preuely / as anentys the bed / If hyr fornica­cion be open: eyther there is hope of amendement: or there is noon hope of amendement / If she wil amende hir / and there be gode hope of amendement / he may lefully kepe hir stylle / If there be non hope of amēdemēt: he oweth not to kepe hir styl / For if he do: it semeth that he consenth to hir syn­ne. Sm̄. con. li ^o.iiii ^o. ti. xxii. q̄. vi. quero.

May a mā by his owne auctoritye forsake his wyfe / if she falle in fornicacioun

As anentys hir bed: he may forsake hir by his owne auctoritye but not anentis dweling to gydre wythoute auctoritye of holy church And if he forsake hir company as anentis dwellynge without auctorite of holy chur­ch: he shalbe compelled to dwelle with hir / butt he may anon pre­ue hir fornicacion / If a mā med­le wythe his wyfe after that y ^t he knoweth hir fornicacion: he is ir­reguler / though he be compelled therto by holy church. Sm̄. con. li ^o.iiii ^o. ti ^o. xxii. q̄. viii. vtrū vir. If the husbond be deperted from his wyfe by auctoritye of hooly churche: He may if he wylle entre into religion withoute hyr leeue / Butte whether he entre or nay: he is bounde to contynence al hir lyffe / and he may non othir wyfe haue as long as she lyueth for only deth deperteth the bond of wedlok

Contra If a man wedde a woman he may entre īto religion or he medle withe hir: & she may take another hus­bond and yit neyther of theim is [Page] deed.

There is bodely deth and gostly deth: that is en­tre into religion / For thanne mā or woman dyeth ayens the worlde / If he medle wyth hir bodely: only bodely deth may depert thē as ayens the bonde of wedlok. But or that he medle wythe hyr bodely: goostly deth that is en­tre īto religion may depart them For tyll whanne they medle to gydre bodely: the boude of ther wedlok is but goostly / And ther­fore goostly dethe brekethe that boonde / And for as moche leeue frend as the husbonde is as wele bounde to kepe feythe to his wi­ue / as the wyfe to the husbonde. therfore if the husbond trespasse and falle in fornicacion: she ha­ehe as greate accion ayens hym as he shulde haue ayens his wyf if she dyde amys. Quia quo ad fidem matrimonii iudicātur ad paria.

The eight chapter.

I maye wele assent that auoutrye be asul gre­uous synne bothe in man and in woman / But that simple forni­cacion bytwene syngle man and syngle woman shulde be deedly synne / I may not assentt therto And comon opynyon it is: that it is no dedly synne.

Euery synne y ^t excludethe man or woman oute of heuen is ded­ly synne / but simple fornicacion excludeth man and woman out of heuen but they amende theim here / therfore thanne symple fornicacion is dedly synne

Where fyndeste thou that simple fornicacion excludeth man and woman oute of heuen

In the pystle of saynt poul whe­re he seyth: that no fornicaries ne they that do auoutrye. nesodomitis. ne theeues. ne mawmetrerys ne glotons. ne wycked spekers. ne they that lyue by rauyn / shall haue the kyngdome of heuen .i. ad co (rum). vi. And in the chapter next bifore. he byddeth that men shulde not medle wyth such for­nicaries and with suche wycked lyuers not ete wyth them ne drī ­ke with them: for they be acursid of god and of al the company of heuen / And ī another pystle saīt poule sayth thus. Wyte ye it wel and vnderstond ye it that no fornicarie: ne vncleene man of hys body: ne fals couetous mā shal haue eritage in the kyngedome of criste and of god / And therfor seythe he / Late ye no fornicacōn ne vnclennesse ne auarice be na­med in you: ne filth ne foly spech ne harlottre: but al maner oneste [Page] as it bicometh sayntis. Ad ephe. v ^o. And in another place he saythe that god shalle deme for­nicaries and them that do auou­trye. Ad hebre .xiii ^o. That is to seye as seyth the glose / God shal dampne them withoute ende / although they wene not so but sith that god yeueth no tale of flessh­ly synne / And therfore saīt Iohn sayth in the boke of goddes pre­uitees to fornicaries: and man­quellers liers and periureris and such other cursed folke: ther part shalbe ī ye pit wellyng and bren­nynge with fier and brymstone. Whych is the secunde deth of hell Apo· xxi ^o.c ^o. And the wyse man biddeth that thou shalt not yeue thy soule too fornicaries in any thyng that thou lese not the and thy soule and thyn eritage in he­uen / And euery woman fornica. tye: shal be troden vnder foot of the fendis as drit īye wey Eccle. ix c.

Contra Al the p̄cep­tys of the secunde table be youen of god to lette wrongys that mē shulde elles do to ther euen cristē But whāne a sēgle mā medleth with a sengle woman: he dothe no man ne woman any wronge For eyther of them is in his own power

Though ech of theym be in hys owne power / yit ech of them doth other gret wrōg For ech of theym slethe other by dedly synne: and ech of them sle­eth himsylfe: and ech of them do­th wrong to god: in that they do ayens hys forbode: and slee the soules that he bought soo dere: And both they do wronge to ther euen cristē: in that they yeue thē wicked ensaumple and mater of sclaundre

yit Contra te God seyth to euery man and woman Crescite et multiplicamini. Wexe ye and be ye multiplyed. Therfore thanne if a syngle mā medle with a syngle wooman to brynge forth children: it semeth to me no synne.

God sayde notte tho wordes to euery man and woman / butte only to them that were wedded to gidre by goddes lawe: that as they were wedded to gydre to bryng for­the children: so god badde theym brynge forth children: God say­de not tho wordys to sengle fol­ke but to adam and eue his wife And vn to Noe and hys wyfe / and to hys sonnes: and ther wy­ues / And therfore Tobie sayde: to hys sōne / Attendite tibi fili mi ab omni fornicacōne. & cetera My sōne kepe the fro al ma-ner fornicacioun: ne medle with non wooman: but only wyth thy wi­fe. Tobie. quarto. capitulo. And saynt poule sayth Mortificate [Page] membra vestra que sunt suꝑ ter­ram. Sle ye youre synful mem­brys that be open etthe / Slee ye fornicacion. vnclennesse. leche­rye / These be the membrys that he byddethe vs sle. not the ꝑtyes of oure body / as the glose saythe And the glose saythe also / That euery liynge with a woman oute of lawful wedlok is cleped for­nicacion. and forbode as dedly synne / And therfore god badd in the olde lawe: that if the preestes doughtir were take in fornicaci­on: she shulde be brent. Leuytici xxi ^o.c ^o And if any other mānys doughtir: fel into fornicacion in hir faders house or she were wed­ded / she shulde be stoned to deth. Deu. xxii.c Therfore god wold y ^t his moder marie shuld be wed­ded or he were conseyued of hyr. For if she hadde be founde with childe oute of wedlok: the iewys shulde haue stoned hir withoute mercy / And if it were leful to syngle man and syngle wooman to medle to gydre & gendre: god had made matrymony in vayne and there wolde no man knytte hym vndepartably to any wooman if he might withoute synne medle with what wooman he wolde Therfore crist in the gospel dāp­nethe symple fornicacion and al maner lecherye: and saythe that who so lokethe on any woman: in wyl to medle with hir oute of matrymonye: he doth lecherye ayens goddes commaundementt and synneth dedly / Ma ^t. v ^o.c ^o. And therfore as I seyde firste ge­neracion: and bryngynge forthe of chyldren is graunted only to theym that be wedded too gydre lawfully.

The nynth chapter.

Be al wedded folk bounde by thys precept of god Crescite et multiplicamini: to do ther diligence to byget chil­dren:

Byfore mankīd was multiplyed: wedded folke were bounde to do ther deligence to brynge forth children / Butte nowe that mankynde is multi­plyed / the precept byndeth them not so moch to generacion / But they be fre to continēce and kepe them chast: if they be both of one assent therto / For many skyllys god ordeyned that man and wo­man shulde nott medle to gydre but they were wedded to gydre. For by auoutrye and fornicaci­on falleth ful oft that ye brother lyeth by hys sustre and the fader by his doughter / And manye an vnlawfulle wedlok is made by [Page] cause of anoutrie / And he y ^t doth auoutrye he is a thefe and robbe the man or woman of his bodye y ^t is better thā any worldly catel For the wyues bodye is the hus­bondis body: and his body is hir body / For neyther of theim hath power of his owne body: to yeue it to any other by flesshly luste And he that doth fornicacion he robbeth crist of his right both bo­dely and goostlye / And therfore saynt poule sayth. that the lech­oure taketh the membre of criste & maketh it ye membre of ye strū pet with whom he medleth .i. ad co (rum). vi ^o Also by auoutrye be ma­de false eyris: and true eirys tru­ly bigote put oute of ther eriatcte Also by auoutrye goddes lawe y ^t he made so solempnely in the be­gynnynge of the worde fyrste of al lawes: is broken / And therfor he that breketh it: is an opē traitoure / To this accordeth ye wordes of the wyse man: where he seyth that the woman which forsaketh hir husbonde / and take / another: and maketh eritage of another matrimony doth many synnes First she is misbileuynge to goddis law / and brekethe goddes lawe. Also she trespaseth ayens hir husbond / Also she doth fornicacion in auoutry / and maketh childrē to hir of another mā But hir sōnes shal yeue no rotis and ther braunches shal yeue no frute She shal leeue ther mynde in cursynge and hir shame shalle neu (er) be do a wey. Eccle. xx.iii.c. And therfor seith ye glose y ^t auoutry is as dānable in the man as ī the woman / And therfore in the same chapter he repreueth auoutrie & fornicacōn ī mā ful highly

The tenth chapter.

Reson & holy wryt dryueth me to graunte: y ^t both auoutrye & symple fornicacōn be ful greuous sinne but more greuous is auoutrye: And fayne I wold kepe me fro bothe synnes But wymen be ye fendis snare. and so tempte me to lecherye. that it is ful harde too me to kepe me / Adam sompsonem Pe­trum Dauid & Salomonem Femina decepit: qs modo tutꝰ erit. Womā deseyued adam. sampson petir. dauid & salomō / who may thāne be syker fro womās gyle:

Many a man hath be deseyued by wycked wymen: more by his owne folythan be disseyte of wymen But many more wy­men haue be deseyued by malice of mē: than euer were mē desey­ued by malyce of wymen / And therfore the wooman lechoure is cleped ye snare of ye fēd y ^e hūtith after mannys soule. For the [Page] wyse man seyth. Inueni ama­riorem morte mulierem &c. I haue foūde womā more bitter than deth / Such is the snare of the hū ter: hir herte is a net and hir han­dys be harde boondys / He that pleseth god shal escape hir: butte the synful mā shalbe take of hyr Eccle. vii ^o.c. But men be cleped not only the snare of the fēd but also they be cleped hys net spred abrode on the hyll of thabor for to take many at oones Osee v ^o. Mannys malyce is cleped a net spred a brode on an highe hyl for it is open and bodely don: notte in a fewe: but in many / And therfore whāne holy wryt spekethe: of the malyce of men: he speketh in the plurel noumbre as to ma­nye / But whanne he repreuethe the malece of woman he speketh in the synguler noumbre: as to fewe: in token that there be more shrewes of men than of wymen: and comonly more malyce ī mē than in wymen: al though sūme woman be ful malicious. Figh­tyng robberye. manslaughter o­pen lecherie. glotenye. gyle fals­nesse ꝑiuri tratoury. false contri­uynge. and suche other orryble synnes: reigne more in man thā in woman / Thys false excusa­cion that excuse so ther synne by the malyce of wymen: byganne first in adam and lost adam and al mankynde: For synfullye he excused his synne by womā whā god vndernam him of his synne and put woman in defaute / Also he put god in defaute that made woman and answerd ful proud­ly: as men do these dayes & sayd to god / The womā y ^t thou yaue to me to be my felow yaue me of the tree and I ete therof / As who seyth / Haddeste thou not youen hir to be my felow I shuld not haue synned / And so notwithstōd­dynge that he was more ī defaut than the womā: yit he wold not knoulege any defaute. butte he put woman and god principaly that made woman in defaute.

Hou was adam more in defaute than woman.

For to him principaly god yaue the precepte that he shuld not ete of that tre: and eue knewe it not but by adam / woman was tēp­ted by the fende wonderfully in the adder whyche wentt that ty­me ryghte vp: And hadde a face lyke a wooman. As saynt be­de and the mayster of stories. And she was dysseyued wyth his fayre by heestes and his falsse sly speche For he hyght hir that they shulde notte dye: but be as god­des kunnynge goode and euyl: Adam hadde noo temptacioun [Page] from outward but asimple word of his wyfe that profered him ye apple / For we fynd not that she sayde to hī any deseiuable word And therfore syth man was for­bode of goddes mouthe: and she not but by man. and man hadde lesse temptacion than wooman. and therto in no thyng wold ac­cuse himsilfe: ne yelde him gylty but put defaute al in wooman & in god therfore he synned more than woman: For woman yeld / hir [...]tyltye. but she a [...]sed no mer­cy She made no such excusacōn but in grete perty yelded hir gyl­tye. in that she seyd: the adder ha­th deseyued me / For in that she knowlegyd that she was desey­ued she knowlegide that she had do amys and vnwysely & other­wys thā she oughte haue do / And for that woman lowede hir and knowlegide hir vnwisdom and hir foly: therfore god put in wo­man that tyme an hope of oure saluacion whanne he sayd to ye adder I shal put enmitye bitwe­ne the and woman: end bitwene thy sede and hir sede: and she shal breke thyn heed that was the fē ­de whiche was heed and leder of the adder that tyme / The sede of the fende be wicked werkes and wycked folke: to whom god sey­de in the gospel / Vo [...] ex ꝑte dia­bolo estis. Io. viii. ye be of the fader the fende / The seede of the woman goostly be hir goode de­dys / with which the fende and ye fendys lymes haue greate enuye And comonly wymen more orribilitie of synne than do men And by our lady blessed mo­te she be: the fendys power is de­stroyde / Also the sede of woman is criste borne of the maid marie withoute parte of man / And so there was neuer man properly sede of womā but crist alone / & al­way is enmitye bytwene criste & the fende and hys seede / For as saynt poule sayth criste & belial. light and derkenesse may not a­corde / For thys skil saynt poule sayth. that adam was not deseyued in the first priuaricacōn: but woman was deseyued .i. ad thi [...] .ii And therfore as seyth the glose whāne god vndernam adam he sayde not that the wooman had deseyued me: as the woman seyd the adoer hath deseyued me. butt he sayde the woman yaue me of the tree. & I haue eten / And also as the glose sayth there / adā was so wis y ^t he might not bileue ye fē dys tales ne be deseyued ī y ^t ma­ner / as ye womā was And for ye womā was not so wise as adam was therfor she bileued ye fēdis tales & so was deseyued / And ye [Page] wyser that adam was: the more was his synne whāne he fel But al though adam was not desey­ued fro outward by another: he was deseyued fro inward by hī ­silfe by preuy pryde as saith saīt austen. de cī. li ^o.xiiii. c ^o.xiii. Where he sayth that adam and e­ue bygūne firste to be wycked ī ­warde: by whych preuy wycked [...]nesse they fel in open vnobedien­ce / For as he saythe there Pryde is begynnynge of euery synne. Inicium omīs peccati superbia Eccle. x ^o. And as salomon saith Contricionem p̄cedit superbia: & ante ruinam exaltatur sp̄c. ꝓu. xvi ^o: Byfore brekynge and bri­sure goth pryde. and byfore open fallynge the sprite of a man and a woman is enhaunsyd by pride And therfore sayth saynt austen in the same chapter that bothe a­dam and eue were wycked: and deseyued by pryde: and wel lete of them silfe byfore they ete of ye tree / For preuy fallynge inward went byfore / open fallyng oute­warde by inobedience: and so a­dam was deseyued and fel by pride or eue yaue him the apple and eue was deseyued by pryde or ye serpent deseyued hir. For as sey­the saynt austen vbi. sm̄. they coueted more excellence and hiyh­er degre than god ordeyned them to / They both synned greuous­ly: but adam more greuously as I said first And therfor saīt poul sayth / not al men dyed through the synne of eue but through the synne of adam Ne god sayd not to adam: Cursed be the erthe in e­ues synne ne he seyde: Cursed be the erthe in youre synne / But to adam alone he sayde. Cursed be the erthe in thy werke and in thy synne / And therfore sayth saynt ambrose. suꝑ lucam. That eue synned more by freelte / and vn­stablete and chaūgeabletie than by shrewednesse. Mobilitate magis animi (quam) p̄uitate peccauit: Crist bycam not womā: but mā to saue mankynde / That as mā kynde was loste by man: so mā kynd shuld be saued by mā / And therfore in manhede he wold die for mankynde: for manhed had loste mankynde. And also he by­cam man and not woman to sa­ue the ordre of kynde. And for y ^t womās synne was lesse greuous than adās synne: and lesse dered mankynde. and womā was les infect ī the first priuaricacōn thā was man: therfore god toke hys māhed only of woman wythout part of man / And so ī y ^t he bycam mā: he did gret worship to man. But ī y ^t he toke his māhede only of womā withoute part of man [Page] he dyd greate worshyp to womā For only of woomans kyn: he made medycyne to the syne of a­dam: and to hele mamkynde of the hard sikenes of adams synne

The eleueth chapter▪

Thy wordys be wonderful / Butte I can not ayensaye the for drede of ou­re lady moder and maide that gate grace to mankynde and is ou­re helpe in euery nede / But yit I seye as I seyde firste woman dis­seyued sampson y ^t was so strong

Woman disseyued him not til he had disseyued hims [...]lfe. by lecherie and misgouernaunce of himsilfe / Firste he wedded an hethen womā ayēs goddes law. and ayens the wylle of his fader and moder: for luste and myslo­ue that he hade to hir / After that he lay by a comon woman: that was hethen / And after that he toke another hethen woman to his concubyne that hight dalida wi­che ful disseyued hym & brought him to his deth / He was false to god / and wymen were false to hī wymen sey that he was by sotted vpon them. and therfore they treted him as a sot / He disseyued hī ­silfe & did ful vnwysly: whāne he suffered a woman to bynde hym amongys his enemyes and told an hethen woman his counseyle and in what thyng hys enemyes might mooste dere him / And alle thoughe god turned hys foly de­dys to the worship of god and of goddes lawe: yit sampson was nott excused therby for he dydde moch amys and moch foly / Also dauid was deseyued by hys mys lust: and his lecherye. not by the woman bersabee as thou seydest in thy veers / For thus we rede in holy wryt in the secunde [...]oke of kynges .xi ca ^o. That on a tyme whanne kyng dauid roos from his slepe after mydday & romed in his soler of his paleyse: he saw a fayre woman wassh hir in hir soler. he knewe not the wooman [...]ne the woman thought nott on him ne knewe not of his wicked wyl as the boke sheweth there A non he sentt after thys wooman and whanne she cam to hym: he lay by hir: and bygate hir wythe childe / and non as he knew that she was with child. to hide his sī ­ne he sēt after hir husbond vrie. y ^t shuld come home & medle w ^t hys wife y ^t ye child shuld be named to hī and not to dauid / And for ye godeknyght wolde not come home at his wife ne vse luste of his body whylys goddes ooste lay ī [Page] the feelde in seege of a cetye that hight rabath: dauid sente him a­yen withe letters of hys dethe to ioab the prynce of the ooste / and traytourly dyd hī sle / Here migh­teste thou se that dauid was ou­come with lecherie and deseyued by the fende / or the woman cam to hym / For as criste sayth in the gospel / For who so lokethe on a woman in wyl to do amys wyth hir: anon he hath do lecherie and forsetteth ayens this cōmaundement Non mechaberis Dauid loked on that wooman in wil to do lecherie: whanne the woman thought non euyl / He sent after hir as after his lege woman and she wyste not why And whanne she cam to hym as to hir kyng he lay by hir synfully. for it was ful harde to hir to lette him / Also pe­ter forsoke cryste in tyme of hys passion and ran awey fro cryste. or any wooman spake to hym y ^e tyme & so he deseyued himsilfe: & the woman deseyued hym notte. She dyd hir offyce / For she was vsshere and keper at the dore / as sayth the glose and saint gregori and she seyde to him that he was one of cristys disciplis as she sei­de soth For she was bounde that she shulde lete non of cristys dis­ciplis entre / And anō at the first worde he forsoke criste and sayd that he knewe him not / And not only woman dyd saynt peter forsake criste in this maner / but mē sayde to hym the same wordis & for drede he forsoke crist sone aft (er) and suore that he knew him not And therfor if it be repreue to womā y ^e womā made saint peter forsake criste: as moch repreefe it is to men and moch more / For alle though he forsoke criste at ye womans word yit he swore not therfore ne forswore him til men sey­de to hym the same wordys. M ^• xxvi.c ^o & m.xiiii ^oc ^o. Also salomō disseyued himsilfe or any womā disseyued hym. For he toke to hī many hethen women of false bi­leue to haue his luste / He sought them: they sought nott hym / He wyste wel that it was ayens goddes law a kyng to haue so many wyues & concubines as he hadde For god bad y ^e kynges of hys peple shulde nott haue manye wy­ues. ne multiplye theym manye horsys in greuaunce of the peple ne multiplie to him greate wey­ghtys of golde and syluer in dy­sease of the people: as holy wryt shewethe wel. Deutronomio xvii ^o. capitulo. Also it was for­bode to him and to al other so to cumpanye wythen wymen And ayens alle thys dyde Salomon in hyghe offence of god. [Page] Salomon sought the cūpany of hethen wymen / The wimen wer stable in ther false byleeue. He was vnstable in his right bileue and folowed hir false byleeue: & forsoke goddes lawe in greate ꝑ­tye / and worshiped false goddes Lecherye ouercam hym longe or many of the wymen knew him And so be men right these dayes. ouercome wyth lecherye wythe oute womannis cumpanye and wythoute doyng of wymen For as criste sayth in the gospel who so loketh on a woman in wyl to do amys wythe hir / thoughe she thenketh not on him: he doth le­cherie / And if he hādle hir or smel hir or speke to hir or go to hir: or seke by wilys. or by sleyghtys to haue hys luste of hir / thoughe the woman consente not to hym & though he be letted of his wyc­ked wyl: yet he is gyltye in leche­rye / and doth ayens this camaū dement of god Non mechaberis Men lechours gon and ryde fro towne to towne to gete wymen: after ther lust / They seke the wymen: and not the wymen theym They caste many wyles to gete womans assent ī synne Men co­monly beworchers and bygīers of lecherye and thāne whether ye woman assent or not assente: yit the man is gyltye / And for oft tyme it fallethe that whanne men wende be seker of the woomans assent thanne the wooman wyll not assent for drede of god and if she assented byfore and hight the man to folowe his lust and after repenteth hir and withdrawethe hir from his wycked cumpanye thāne shal the lechours man dif­fame al wimen and sey that they be false and deseyuable / For su­ch lechours speke moste vylenye of wymen: for they may not ha­ue ther foule luste of them at wil and for they maye notte defoule them wyth ther bodyes: they de­foule them wyth ther tūges: and speke of them ful euyl and defa­me them falsely: and procure to theym the harme that they may. Exaumple we haue in the boke of Danyel. xiii ^o.c ^o. of the goode woman susanne and of two fals olde prestis that were iugys and gouernourys of the people for y ^e yere / whyche by one assent way­ted to haue thys woman aloone in hir gardeyne / whāne she shuld go to wasshe hyr: as the maner was thanne / And for she wolde not assent to ther wickednes but cryed after helpe: anon they cried ayens hir / And whanne men co­me: They sayde that they fonde hir liynge wythe a yonge man.

¶And soo falsely dampnedde [Page] hir to dethe: for they might nott do ther foule luste with hir / But at the prayer of susāne god sente daniel hys prophet and toke thē and conuecte them in ther false­hede and sloughe theym and sa­ued susanne / we fynde also in ye secunde boke of kynges .xiii. ^o capi. That aamon the sonne of dauid feyned him seke and prayde hys fader dauid y ^t thamer hys suster might come and kepe him And whāne she was come he spake to hir for to lygh by hir: butte she wold not assēt / And thāne he opp̄ssed hir: and so defouled hys owne suster / And anon he hated hir more than euer he loued hyr. bifore / bicause that she wold not assent to hym / And spitfully put hir oute of his chaumbre and did shete the dore after hir / For thys dede aamon was slayne sone af­ter of his brother absolon.

The xii. chapter.

And yit many a woman wyl assent to luste of flesshe ful lightly if it be profryd.

That is sothe / But wymen be not so redy to assente as mē be to profre it And he that profereth it and bigīneth: he assē teth firste and is more in defaute

Thou excuseste moche wymen: and acuseste men

I accuse no good man: butt lecherous men: ne I excuse noo wicked woman but gode wymē that be falsly defamed of lechery not only in ther persones / but in ther kynde generaly / For the proude malice of man defameth vnskilfully the kynde of womā And as adam dyd put hys synne on womon and wolde not excu­se his owne malice to get mercy.

Salomon speketh mo­che euyl of wymen.

And salomon speketh moche go­de of wymen / For he sayde Mu­lier timens dm̄: ipsa laudabitur. The womā that dredith god she shal be preysed. Salomon repre­ueth wycked wymen: and pray­sethe good wymen / and he repre­uethe wycked men and preisethe good men

Salomō sey­the. Dm̄s malacia nequicia mulieris. Breuis est om̄is malicia super maliciam mulieris Eccle. siastici xxv ^o. The wyckednesse of womā is al malyce / / And eue­ry malyce is short aboue ye ma­lyce of woman.

Soth it is whanne wemen yeue theym to shrewidnes: they be ful maliciouse. And whanne they yeue thē to goodnesse: they be ful gode. & therfore the wyse man ī the next chapter. folowīg prayseth wimē [Page] ful moch and saithe. that blessed is that man that hath a gode woman to hys wyfe / Hys yeris shal be doubled. he shal end hys yeris in pees / A good woman is a go­de part: in a good part of theym that drede god / And she shall be youen to a man for hys gode de­dys / The grace of the besy woo­man shal lyke hir husbond / and make his bones fatte / Hir disci­plyne and hir norture. is the gift of god And the holy woman and chaaste is grace vpon grace And as the sonne shynynge lightneth the world in ye heyght of ye day so ye bewtie of a goode wooman is in confort and aray of hir hus­bonde / And as golden peleris set on sylu basys so be siker feete on the solys of the stable wooman. And endles groundes on a seker stone: be goddes cōmaūdemētis in the herte of an holy woman. Fundamenta eterna super petrā solidam: mandata dei in corde mulieris sancte. Eccle: xxvi.c ^o.

Salomon saythe Vinū et mulieres apostatare faciūt sa­pientes Eccle. xix ^o. wyne and wymen make wyse men to dote. and forsake goddis lawe and do amys

And yit ther is no defaute in the wyne: ne oft tyme in the woman / But defaute is in hym that vnwysely vse the wyn and vnwysely vseth the woman & other goddes creaturys / Tho­ghe thou drynke wyne tyll thou artte drunken and falleste in le­cherye by thy glotenye: the wyne is not to blame: but thou y ^t canst not or wylt not mesure thysylfe: And thoughe thou loke on a woman & art caught ī hir bewtye: & assenteste to do amys: the womā ī case is not to blame: ne hir bewtye nott to lacke that god hathe youen hir But thou art to blame that no better kepeste thyn hertt from wycked thoughtys / Butte there thou shuldeste preyse god: thou thenkeste euyl: and misus­seste goddes fayre creature in of­fence of god there thou shuldeste preyse hym: And if thou felest ye tempted by the syght of woman: kepe thy syght better / And if hir dalyaunce stire the to lechery: fle hir companye / For ayens leche­rye fleght is best fight / Thou art fre to goo awey fro hir: no thyng bīdeth ye to do lechery but thy lechours herte.

The xiii. chapter.

Womans aray sty­reth moche folke to leche­rye.

Although ī case ye [Page] aray and the atyre is not to bla­me nomore than is hir bewte: yit by comon cours of kynde bothe man and womā seke to be onestly arayed after ther estat and af­ter ther degre: and after the custō of the cuntre that they dwelle in not to tempt folke to lecherie: ne for pryde ne for non other synne but for onestie of mankynd and to the worshyp of god: to whos lykenesse man and womā is made / And he is oure brother: and this is the custome of good folk But if they do it for pryde / or to tempte folke to lecherye or for any other synne or y ^t they toke on thē atyre y ^t is not accordynge to them if it be to cost ful or to stra­unge in shap. or to wyde or to side not rewled by reson: they syn­ne ful greuously in the syghte of god / And namely tho men that cloth theym so short: that man & wooman may se the fourme of the shap of ther preuy membrys which be shameful to shewe and the syght is grete cause of temp­tacōn and of wicked thoughtis Saynt poule byddeth that wy­men shulde atyre theym in onest araye with shamefastnesse: and sobrenesse. not in broydynge of ther heere: not in golde and sylu ne in perrie ne in ouerdon clo­the .i: ad thi ii ^o. And the same sey­the saynt peter in his firste pistle iii ^o.c ^o. where he byddeth that mē shulde haue ther wyues in wor­ship and kepe them onestly.

Wymen these dayes araye theym ful moch ayens the techī ­ge of Peter and Poule / and therfore I drede me: that they synne ful greuously

Peter & Poule forbyd not vtterly such araye / But they forbydde wymē such araye to vse in pryde: or to prouoke folke to lecherie and to vse such araye passyng ther estate / or for an euyl ende / For we fynde that saynt cecilie and ma­ny other holy wymē went aray­ed in clothys of golde and in rich perrie & wered the hayre vnder y ^e solempne atyre / And Peter and Poule sayde tho wordys pryn­cipaly for tyme of prayer. as for lent: ymbre dayes gangedayes. fridays: vigilies / and in tyme of general precessdn made for nede In such tyme namely man and woman shulde leeue al tokens and signes of pryde in aray / For as the glose saythe: ther proude clothynge gettethe no goode of god: and maketh folke to deme amys: namely if it passe mesure and good maner / The pricipal entencōn of saint poule there he saythe tho wordys: is to enfourme men and wymen in prayer [Page] For whom they shuld pray why and hou. and where they shal p̄y as sayth the glose / And he enformethe them to prey in lownesse: withoute pompe of clothyng & of grete araye / For I am syker: that the foule stynkyng pompe and pryde of araye that is nowe vsed in thys londe in al thre per­tyes of the churche. that is to sey in the feudorys and in clergie: & in comoners. Wyl not be vnuenged. But if it be sone amended: by verry renpentaunce and for­sakynge of thys synne / For fro the higheste vnto the loweste in: euery staate and in euery degree and nigh hond in euery persone: is now aray passyng to mannys body and womans ayens all re­son and the lawe of god

Syth it is soo that man is more pryncipal in ordre of kynde thā is woman. and more stable and mighty and of higher discrecion by cours of kinde than is womā and shulde as thou haste wel seyde be more vertuous and stable in goodnesse than woman: hou may it be that wymen kepe thē oft more chast. and be more sta­ble in goodnesse than man / For we se that whanne men take thē to be ankeris and reclusys. With inne fewe yerys comonly eyther they falle in reusys. or eresyes or they breke out for womās loue. or for irkyede of ther lyfe / or by som gile of ye fend But of wimē ancris so inclusid is seldome her de any of these defautys but ho­lely they begīne and holely they ende

Man by wey of kynde is more stable than is woman and of more discrecion but by grace wymen be oft more stable in goodnes than be men and haue better discrecion ī goodnes than many a man.

Why so

For men truste to moch in themsilfe and truste not in god as they aught to do: wy­men knowinge ther freelte trust not in themsilfe. but only in god and cōmend them more too god than do men ofte tyme / And the wyse man seith Iniciū sapiencie timor domini. ꝓu. ix.c ^o: ps. no. The drede of the lorde is begyn­nynge of wysdome / For who so dredethe god with loue drede as the good childe the fader: that loue drede shall teche hym what is plesaunt to god: and what may displese him / And it shall make hym besy to do hys plesaunce. & to lef hys offence / And comonly whāne men bicome ancrys they do it more for ye world than for god. They do it for ipocrisie: to haue a name of holines & of wysdome. or for couetise to get gode [Page] or be oute of obedience: and at ther owne wyl. to ete and to drī ke: wake and slepe whanne thē lykethe. and to doo as theym lykethe / For there shalle noo man repreue theym therof: ne wyte whether they do well or euyl: or whether they praye or not praie And comonly men ancrys haue more dalyaunce wyth the world both wyth men and wymen: thā euer hadde they or they were ancrys / And though they were lewed foolys byfore: thāne men hol­de theym wyse. and axe of them doubtys of conciēce and of thīgges that be too come. of whyche thynges they kun noo skyl And yit what they seye. the peple ta­kethe it for gospel. and soo they deseyue many a man and many a wooman. And sythe they groū de theym alle in pryde in ypocri­sie and in couetyse: and truste in themsylfe more than in god therfore he sufferethe the fende haue power ouer theym. and desease theym and brynge theym to wicked ende / But wymem take oft that state for no such ende: butt only for god / And they seynge ther owne freelte cōmende theim to god / And therfore god kepeth theym so: that the fende may not desese theym in suche maner: ne disseyue theym / we redel holy wrytt. Gen̄. xii ^o. & .xx.c ^o. That whanne abrahm̄ cam into straū ge londys he badde hys wyfe sa­ray that she shuld not be aknow that she was hys wyfe: but seye that she was hys sustre / For she was so fayre a wooman that he wyste wel that men shuld coueyte hir for hir bewetye / And if they wende that she were hys wyfe: they shulde slee hym: To haue hir at wyl / For auoutrye was harder punysshed than manslaughter / And therfor to saue hys li­fe abrahm̄ sayde: and badde hyr seye that she was his sustre / For as seyth doctor de lyra abraham wyste wel that she was a goode wooman: and had suche an aū ­gel to kepe hir that no mā shuld haue power to defoule hir / and so it byfel / For anon she was ta­ke and led to the kynge of egipt & kept there ye in kynges courte longe tyme: And abraham fared wel by cause of hir / But god sēt suche sykenasse to the kyng and to hys wyues and to hys concu­bynes. and to alle hys houshold that thay hadde no myght ne ly­kynge too defoule hir / Thanne the kynge axed hys preestes: and maysters of the lawe / why y ^e desese fel vnto hym: and to hys housholde / And they by reuela­cion of god. saide. that it was for [Page] the pilgrymes wyfe / And thāne the kynge lette hym goo wythe worshyp / we rede also that abraham hadde two sonnes. ysmael. of agar his seruant. and ysaac of sara hys wyfe / Abraham loued wel ysmael / for he was the elder son On a tyme sara saw ysmael: pleye wyth hir sonne ysaac: nott goodly: she was mispayde: and sayde to abraham: that he shuld putte ysmael & hys moder agar oute of housholde: For ysmael sayde she shulde haue noo parte of eritage wythe my sonne isaac Abraham bare ful heuy of theise wordes: for he loued moche ys­mael / Thanne god sayde to A­braham Thake it nott so harde ne so sharpely that sara sayde to the of thy chylde: and of thy ser­uant agar / Butte in alle thynge that sara saythe too the: here byr voyce. and do therafter. And thanne abraham putt them ou­te housholde: Full moche ayens herte / And so nott withstōding that abraham was so nyghe god that he was cleped goddes frende / yit as for thanne hys wyfe knewe more of goddis wyl than dyd he / Also we rede of Isaac and rebecca his wife that they hadde two sonnes borne at onns which were Esau and Ia­cob ysaac loued better Esau thā Iacob / But Rebecca loued betr̄ Iacob [...]han esau: and so did god And by techyng of the holy gost she begyled ysaac and esau also: and dyd ysaac yeue hys pryncy­pal blessynge to Iacob: there he wolde haue youen it to Esau: & al was goddys dede and so con­fermed by god / that whanne ysaac wyste of gyle: yit he durst not withdrawe hys blessynge For he sawe wel that it was goddes wil and goddes doynge And therfor he sayde to esau wepynge for he was so begyled / Benedixi ei:et erit benedictus I haue blessed hī and he shalbe blessed.

The xiiii. chapter.

I assent wele that by grace a wooman may be as stable in chastitye: in goodnesse as a man And without grace neyther man ne woman may kepe hym chaste / For the flesshe bothe of man and woman is ful freel and ful redy to falle / And therfore I pray the tech me some remedie ayens the temptacōn of of lecherye.

One remedye is resonable abstynece from mete and drynke. and for to flee deynte metys and deynte dryn­kes. and to flee gloteny as most bygynnynge & mene to lecherye. [Page] And therfore glotenie is forbode by thys cōmaundement as me­ne and wey to lecherye / Another remedye is harde liynge watche: and trauayle. that the body ha­ue not to moche ese. but be wel o­cupyed / For the wyse man say­the that idylshyp hathe taughte moche malyce / Multam enim maliciam do cuit ociositas: Therfore sayth he. Ryght as to the asse longethe fedynge / yerde and birdeyn so to the seruaunt y ^t is to seye to the flesshe that shuld be sugett and seruant to the sou­le. longeth drede and chastisyng and werke of good ocupacioun Eccle. xxxiii [...]. And god saythe y ^e pryde and plentye of brede: and welfare and plentye of rychessys and idelshy [...]e. Were cause of the wyckednesse of Sodemitys: & of there lecherye. and for they lo­ued not pore folke. Ezechi. xvi.c [...]. And therfore almesdede is a / grete remedye ayens lecherye to gete grace of chastytie. so that it be youen to the pore nedye: that is in myscheffe. and to such that haue not bykynd to get ther ly­uelo de by traueyle of ther bodye and if they begge they do it with oute auarice: with mekenesse. & clennesse of lyuynge: to such bid deth criste do almesse seiynge. Date elimosina [...]: et ecce omīa munda sunt vobis. Luce: yeue ye almes. and lo al thīges be clene to you: if ye wyl amēd you / & another remedye is a man to haue mynde of his dethe: and thenke hou he shal wende hense. Wyth bitter payne. and thāne al hys luste shal turne into wo and so rewe and thenke. that by mā or wooman neuer so fayre: soo wel farynge. so hole: so lusty: so lykynge to the iye. so myghty so witty. so grete of lynage. so rych so grete of name. or of lordshyp. Eyther by man eyther woman. he euer so plesaūte: shal die: and turne to erthe and aisshis & wor­mes mete And if he smel now ne­uer so swete: he shal stīk than ful sowre. Therfore the wyse man seythe. In omnibus oꝑibus tuis memorare nouissima tua & īeter num non peccabis Eccle. vii [...] c. In al these werkes thenk on thy last thynges: and thou shalt not do no synne withoute ende: we rede that in englonde was a kīg that had aconc [...]byne. Whos na­me was rose / And for hyr greate bewte he cleped hir rose amoūde Rosa mundi / that is to saye / rose of the worlde / For him thought that she passed al wymen ī bew­tye / It bifel that she died & was buried whyle the kynge was absent / And whanne he cam ayen for grete loue: that he had to hyr he wolde se the body in the graue [Page] And whanne the graue was opē ned there sate an orrible tode vpon hir breste bytwene hir teetys: and afoule adder bigirt hir body aboute in the midle / And she stā ke so that the kyng ne non other might stonde to se that orryble sight / Thanne the kynge dyde shette ayen the graue / and dyde wryte these two veersis vpon ye graue Hic iacet in tūba rosa mū di non rosa munda. Non redolet (sed) olet quod redolere solet That is thus to sey ī englissh / Here ly­ethe in graue rose of the worlde but not clene rose / She smelleth not swete but stynketh ful foule that sumtyme smelled ful swete And another remedye ayens le­cherye is that a man and womā kepe wel ther fyne wyttes that a man kepe wel his hōdys and his body from mys touchynge. hys [...]erys fro misherynge. that he he: re noo tales of lecherye / ne foule spech / For saynt poule saythe. Corrūpiunt bonos mores colloquia praua .i. ad co (rum). xv ^o. Wyc­ked spech destroyeth chastytye & good thewys / Also he most kepe wel hys sight. takynge exaūple of Iob which made acouenannt with his iyen. that he shulde not thenke on amaydē to haue mys lykīg ī the thought And ye ꝓphete Ieremye sayde y ^t hys iye had robbed his soule in the womā of his cetye treno (rum). iii ^o. For theyse skyllys the prophete sayde: that deth is entred by oure windouys that is to saye / by oure fyue wyttys whych be wyndouys▪ and wikettys to the soule. Ieremye ix ^o c ^o. And another remedye is a mā to kepe wele hys herte from idel thoughtys / and from wyckedd thynges. For as criste saythe in the gospel. oute of the he [...] co­wycked thoughtys: māslaught. auoutrye fornichcion. the [...] [...]s wytnesse. blasphemye. Mxv ^o. And therfore seyth the wysman. Omni custodia serua cor tuum. ꝓu: iiii ^o: c ^o. With al kepyng kepe wel thyn herte / For of the herte cometh lyffe and deth / The maysttr of kyndys / li ^o.xviii. Seyth y ^t there is abest y ^t is cleped taxus. y ^t is a brok or a bawsym ī glysshe / And there is a greate en­enmytye bytwene the fox and hī The foxe is besy to put the bawsym oute of hys denne / And for he may notte do it by might: he doth it by sleyght / He waytethe whāne ye bausī is gon out of his denne tahn he goth and pisseth & maketh foule the bawsonys den And for the bawsym hath stench and vnclennesse: whanne he co­methe and fyndeth hys denne so stenkyng and so defouled he for [Page] soke hys denne and seketh hym another. And thanne the fox en­treth: and there he bringeth forth a shrewed brode / By the bawsī that hateith stenche and vnclennesse is vnderstond cryste Iesus borne of the mayde floure of clē nesse / By the fox is vnderstond the fende which is aboute night and daye to put crist oute of his denne: that is mannis soule and womans / For mannys soule is goddes denne / goddes tēple goddes house. goddes dwellīg place And for the fende may nott putt him oute by might / he puttethe him oute by sleyght / He make­the foule ī mannys soul and womans / He putteth in ther soulys foule stynkyng thoughtys of lecherye. firste smale and aft (er) gret­ter / And anon as man or womā begynnethe to haue lykynge in such thoughtys: anon ther soule bygynnethe to stenke in goddes sight & if they assēt to ye though tys to do thē in dede. or for to de­lyte theym therin. Thanne ther soulys stinke so foule in goddis sight that he forsaketh tho sou­lys and wendeth oute / and than the feende entrethe. And there he bryngeth forth synne after syn­ne. tyll at the laste he bryngethe theym from shame to shame: to wycked deth and to wicked end Therfore saynte Austen in hys sermon byddeth vs that we shulde traueyle that oure god fynde no thynge in his temple. that is to sey in oure soulys that maye offende the iyen of his maiestye. But mote the dwellynge of oure herte be voyded of vyces. and fylled wyth vertues. shett to the fende and open to cryste.

The xv. chapter.

ANother remedye ayens ye temptacion of lecherye is deuocion and mynde of crystys passion / Far as sayth saynt gre­gori / there is non so harde temp­tacion. but that man shuld ouer come esily enough. if he thought enteerly on cristys passion / we fynde in gestys that on a tyme a greate kynges son loued wele a pore wooman / For thoughe she were pore / yit she was fayre and plesaunt in berynge / The kyn­ges sonne tooke hir to hys para­moure and wedded hir / wherfor his fader & nigh all his kyn was myspayde. For them thought y ^t he was moch disperachid by hir. Wherefore he seyng that his kynred bare so heuy of his mariage: he wente into fer londes & yaue. hym to armes / & what he might [Page] wynne with his swerde he sent it home to hys wyfe: sauynge hys worship and his lyuynge / In e­uery iourney he had the better of his enemies & so his name bigan to sprynge fer and wyde. At the last he cā ī so hard feight al thoughe he hadde the maystery yit he was so wounded. that nedys he muste dye / Thanne he sente ho­me his sharte ful of woundys: & of holys: and al forbledde to his wife with alettre vnder his seale saiynge in this wyse / Cerne cicatrices: vetris vestigia pugne. Quesiui ꝓprio sāguine q ⁱcquid habes. Byhold my woundys & haue theym in thy thought / For al the goodis that be thyne with my blode I haue theym bought And whanne this woman sawe this sharte. and redde the lettre she fel doune ī swowne And whā she was releued she heng vp this sherte ī a preuy place of hir chambre. and whanne euer any man cam to hir to speke of weddynge or of flesshly luste: she wente īto hir chaumbre and loked on hys sharte. and cam oute ayen styffe and stedfast in hir husbondis lo­ue that was ded: and denyed thē ther axynge. seiyng in this ma­ner / while I haue his blode ī my mynde / That was to me so go­de and kynde / Shal I neu (er) hus­bonde take / But hym that dyed for my sake. And thus she kept hir in clennesse and chastitye all hir lyfe for loue of hir husbonde. that dyed for hir loue By thys pore woman that was soo fayre is vnderstonde mannys soule & womans which is made too the lykenes of god / But it was ma­de ful pore through the synne of adam / By the kynges sōne is vnderstonde criste goddes sōne whiche loued so moch mannys soul that as sayth saynt Poule he a­uentisshed himsilfe and dispari­ched himsilfe into the likenes of aseruant: and maried to him oure kynde and mannis soule and lyued here two and thritty wyn­ter and more in moch wo to wī ­ne the loue of mannys soul and faught ayens the feude. the fles­she and the worde that be alwey besy to lese mannys soule. And alwey he hadde the maystry: by might of the godhed / But on gode friday he cam in so fel a fight with that tyraunt ye fend of hel y ^e though he had the maistry: yit he was so forwounded. y ^t by wey of māhod whiche he toke of the mayde nedely he must dye / And thā he sent home a lettre of loue to his spouse mānys soul seiyng as the knight sayde. Cerne cita­trices &c. Beholde my woundys and haue them ī thy thought. For al ye godis y ^t be thine w ^t my [Page] blode I haue them bought / For why al the ioye and blis that we shulde haue in heuen and all the grace and goodnesse that we ha­ue here in erth. al haue we by vertue of cristis passion. For but he wold haue died for onre sake els shulde we haue layne in hel payne withoute ende / By this shirte ful of woundys and so blodye I vnderstōd his blesful body For as mānis body is clad ī his shert so the godhed was clothed in the blesful body of criste / which bodi was al blody and so ful of woū ­dys: y ^t as shyth the prophete Isaie. i.c. Fro the sole of the fote to ye top of the hede there was noo hole place in his body / Therfore [...]ue frende I pray you hange ye thys shertte in a preuye place of youre chaumbre: that is to saye Sette ye crystys passion enterly in youre herte: and whonne the fende: the worlde. or the flesshe. or any wycked man or woman. bygynneth to temp [...]e you to synne: anon wende ye to youre hert & loke ye on thys shert / Thenke hou that blesful body was born of the mayde marye wytheoute synne and sorowe and neuer did amys / Thenke hou it was for­rent and fortorne / byspeted for oure synne and oure sake: & not for his owne gylt / and if ye doo so and thenke enteerly on cristis passioon / ye shal lightly ouercō euery temptacion. and haue the better pacience in tribulacion. Whefor an holy man sayth thus Reminiscens sacrati sanguinis. quem effudit amator hominis / effundendo lacrimas: Non est locus ingratitudinis. vbi torrēs tante dulcedinis attīgit aīas &c. Whanne I thenke on cristis blode / that he shed vpon the rode I lete terys smert. What man may be vnkynde That cristis blode hath in mynd. enteerly ī his hert Swete Iesu cryste what is thy gylt That thou thus for me arte spylt. floure of vnlothfulnes. I am a thefe and thou dieste I am gyltye and thou obeyste alle my wickednes why yaueste thou so moch for thyn what wīnest thou wythe thyne harde payne: ryche in blysse aboue: Loue thyn herte so depe hath sought That peyne of deth letteh ne nought to wīne mannys loue Another remedye ayens lecherie is redynge and daliaunce of holy writ and of holy mennys lyues / And therfore seīt Ierom sayth ad rusticum monachum Ama scienciam scriptura­rum & carnis vicia non amabis Loue kunnynge of holy wrytte and of goddes lawe: And thou ¶shalt notte [Page] loue vices of the flessh. And therfor god sayth / Nō videbit me homo et vinet. Exo. xxxiii ^o. Ther shal no man se me by deuocion and lyue flesshely / For noothynge sleeth so moch the lust of the flesshe as deuocion / and thē ­ke of god / and studye in goddes lawe / And a nother remedy is to thenke on hel peyne / For as sey­th saynte Thomas de veritate theologie In hel shalbe ouerdon hete of fyre and gnastīg of teeth for cold and for payne derkenes and smoke and bitter wepynge. Withoute ende / Rorynge and belewynge of foule fendes. Wepīg and weylynge sobbynge & sigh­ynge of synful soulys / and end­les repreue of ther synnes endles drede. endles thirst stenche / lyght thundre and worme of consciēce boondys. presoun. drede. shame wantyng of the blisful sight of goddes face / and woo withoute any hope of any welthe: There men shal seke deth and not fynd it / and wisshe that they hade neu (er) be borne / And as saint Bernard in his meditacions seythe / there shal be harde wepyng & groging of teeth roryng of feendys: and hidous thunder There ther sight shalbe foule. Wormys todys ad­ders: and orryble faces of the fē ­des and misshape thynges. there wycked wormes shal gnawe the herte rotys. there shalbe sorowe and sighynge: and orrible drede There synful wretchys shal brē ­ne in the fyre withoute ende / In ther body they shalbe turmēted by fyre and in ther soule by worme of conscience: There shalbe deth withoute deth For alweye they shalbe in diyng and ī vtter payne and may not die / butt al­wey lyue in diynge / Ther smel­lynge shalbe fylled wyth orrible stenche. for there shalbe no hope But whanne they be ī these paynes ten hūdred yere: yit ther payne is newe al to begynne And therfore if loue of god: ne mede ī heuen styreth vs not to fle leche­rye and al other synnes / lette vs fle lecherie and all other synnes for drede of endles payne.

The xvi. chapter.

And another remedye ayēs lecherie is to thenke of ye harde vengeaunces y ^e god hath take for lecherie First take hede what vēgeaūce god hathe take for symple fornicacion we finde in holy wryt Gen̄. xxxiiii ^o. that dyua ye doughter of Iacob wēt fro home to se ye wymen of that cuntre: and to se ther atyre Thā sychem the sōne of emor: prynce y ^• cūtre wēt & defouled this dyua by might And not withstōdyng [Page] his besines for to haue weded hir yit he was slayne for his lecherie and his fader. and al the men of that cetye. and that cetie destroyed / we rede also ī holy writ Nu­meri xxv ^o. For that the childrē of israel dyd lecherie with the wimen of moab. god was offēded And bad mooses take the pryn­ces of his peple and hang theym vp on iebetys / for they were asesentynge to the synne. and bad-euery mā sle his neyghbore that was gyltye in that synne / For by lecherye they fel into idolatre And so for y ^t lecherye were slayn y ^e tyme foure & twenty thousand Thanne phynees the sonne of e­leazar saw one of the children of israel lye by one of ye wymen: & to venge hys synne he toke hys swerde and roof them both togy. dre into the erthe: throughe ther preuy membrys / And god was so moche pleased withe hys dede that he graunted to hym: and to his children after him the digny­tye of preesthode wythoute end For but he had do that dede god shulde elles haue destroyede the peple / Also for auoutrye and vnlawful wedlok alle mankynde was destroyde in tyme of noeis flode safe eight soulys. Gen̄. vi. And for defoulynge of one mannys wife were slayne sixty thousand and fyue thousand and all acuntrye: and a greate cetye de­stroyed at the byddynge of god. Iudicū. xix ^o. & xx ^o. Also dauid for auoutrye was dreuen out of of hys kyngdome. and he and al his housholde and al his kynred were afterward ful hard punish­ed for his lechery .ii ^o. (℞.) Regum xi. & xii ^o c ^o. And by the olde law both mā and woman shuld be slayne: if they were take in auoutrye / we rede that Iudas the sonne of ia­cob had thre sonnes by one woo­man her. onam and selam / But her that was the eldest sōne was a shrewe and mysused hys owne wyfe / wherfore god was wrothe with hym and slough hym with soden deth / for he vsed hys wyfe ī luste and wold not bygete chyldren of hir / but dyd so y ^t she shuld not cons [...]yue. Gn̄. xxxviii ^o. Al­so for lecherye: seuen husbondis of sara that was after the wyfe of yonge tobie were slayne of ye fende for ther foule luste. Tobie vi ^o Also for lecherie of thē y ^t be of kynred & of affenitye: god hath take hard wrath. as whā Aamō lay by his sustre thamer. he was slayne of his brother absolon: & Loth ye brother of Abraham by drūkenship: lay by his own two doughters & bigat of thē ii. chyl­drē moab & amon which childrē [Page] and the peple that cam of theym were alweye enemyes to goddes folke and a cursed of god Al­so Iacob cursed his sōne Ruben for he lay with one of his wyues Also for the foule synne of sodo­mye: fyue fayre citees Sodom & Gomorre and other thre cytees. Were destroyde ī tyme of abrahā For god rayned vpon them fyre and brymstone from aboue And the erthe shoke so and tremblyde that they sonke doūe īto hel house. lond man. and child. and best and al that they had There was no thyng saued butt Loth & hys two doughters. His wife might haue be saued. but for that she loked ayen to ye cetie ayens ye aū gels byddyng / whāne she harde the rewful crie of them that perisshed therfore she turnid īto a salt stone For ye aūgel bad thē streitly that they shuld not loke ayen And al that cūtre which was byfore likened to paradise for farienesse and plentye of the cuntrye: turned into afoule stynkīge po­del: that lasteth into this day: & is cleped the dedde see / For there may no thīg lyue therin for filth and stench in vēgeaunce of that stynkynge lecherie. Gen̄. xii ^o.

Me merueleth moche y ^t god toke so general wreth to slee man and woman and child / For I am syker. ther were many children ful yonge and vngiltie in y ^e synne / Also we fynde notte that wymen were thanne gyltye in y ^e synne / The boke sayth that alle the peple of men fro the child male to ye old cam to do that synne but of wymē speketh he not that any cam therto

Though women vse notte that synne. yit they were gylty in that that they forsoke not ther husbondys y ^t were gyltye / For sodemye is moost sufficiēt cause of dyuorce bytwene husbond & wife whāne it is o­penly vsed / And sythe they wold not forsake ther husbondys: in y ^e orryble synne: in maner they as­sented to ther synne: & so ryght­fully they perisshed ī synne wyth them. Of the chyldren vngiltye the mayster of stories saith. that god slough theym for ther beste. For if they had lyued forth into mighty age they shulde haue fo­lowed the lecherye of ther faders and so it was better to theym to die or they were gyltye: than to haue lyued lenger and died gyl­tye and go to helle without ende

The xvii. chapter.

Fel there any ven­geūce for lecherye of men of holy churche?

We fynd ī the secunde boke of kyn­ges [Page] vi.c ^o. that there was a dekē ī the olde lawe: whos name was Oza And whanne he touched ye hutche eyther arke of god to holde it vp whannd it shulde els haue falle: his right arme serid and dryed sodenly: and anon he died For as seyth the mayster of sto­ries. y ^e night he had delyd wythe his wyfe Syth thanne the dekē of ye old law was so herd punyshed for he touched goddes hutch y ^e elles shuld haue fal for he medled that nyght with his wyfe moche more prestys and dekens of the newe lawe be worthy moche woo: if they p̄sume to touch goddes body or to mynestre at god­des auter. Whanne they haue co­monedde wythe other mennes wyues- or wythe ther concubynes. And therfore the lawe byd­deth streitly that there shulde no man ne woman here masse of ye preste which that he knoweth si­kerly that he holdeth acōcubyne or is an open lechoure & notorye Distinc. xxxii. nullus &c. p̄t hec. And in the same law it is forbo­de in payne of cursinge that any preste lechoure: shulde saye any masse. or any deken lechoure re­de any gospel. or any subdeken rede any pystle in the office of holy churche / And in another place the law biddethe y ^t suche notorye lechourys shulde haue no offyce in holy church ne benifice. and if they had but if they wold amēde them ·they shuld be pryued both of offyce and of benefice Distīc. xxviii. decreuimus / And if any man of holy church haunted moche the place and the cumpanye of suspecte wymen. but he wold cese He shuld be deposed Destīc. lxxxi. clericus / And there shuld no straunge wymen dwell with men of holy church: but ther mo­dris beldames auntes and god­moders and brothers doughter. or susteris doughter. Ibm̄ c ^o. cū omnibus And if there might any euyl suspecōn be of ther dwellīg to gydre or for youth. or for they be suspecte in other byhalue. thā thay shulde not dwelle with thē in housholde. but in some other place. Ex. de cohītacōne clico (rum) & mlīerū.i ^o.c ^o.

Though a preste be a threwe. the sacramē tys that he mynystreth be not ye worse / For the goodnesse of the preste amendethe nott the sacrament. Ne hys wyc­kednesse appeyrethe theym not as the lawe shewethe well in the same place Vbi supra ꝓxi mo capitulo. vestra. Why forbid dethe thanne the lawe men to here massys of synful preestys le­¶chourys▪ [Page] & therfor ye law saith y ^e fallīg fro the higher chastite y ^t is voued to god is more and wors thā auoutrye / For sythe god is offended whanne the wyfe kepethe notte feythe to hir bodely husbond: or the husbonde kepeth nott feythe to his wyfe: moche more is god offended if feythe of chastitye is not kepte to hym which was ꝓ­fered to hym frely: not axed ne­dely. And the more freely it was made withoute compellyng. the more synne is the brekynge. xxvii. q̄. i. Nupciarū in fine .c. &c ^o. impudicas. &c. sciē. Also the lawe sayth that the synne that is don īmediatly ayens god is mo­re synne than ye synne that is do pryncipaly ayens man / And therfore seyth he: facrilege is more synne than any fornicacōn or auoutrie. xvii. q̄. iiii. sunt q.

Contrate. The lawe sayth that auoutrie is mooste of al sī ­nes .xxxii. q̄. vii. quid in omnibꝰ

The glose answereth therto and seyth. that it is ama­ner of spech to do wlate auoutre and shewynge that auoutrye is ful greuous / But he sayth there that manslaughter and incest: & sacrilege by brekyng of the vow of chastitye is more greuous. And also it may be take for gostly auoutrye: that is whāne acristen soule forsaketh the feythe of holy churche that he reseyued in his baptem: and forsaketh crist to whom he wedded hym. & tur­neth to the fende and to false byleue / And euery dedly synne is goostly auoutrye

I am answerd seye sorthe what thou wylt

Also lecherie is more synue ī men of holy church thā in wedded folke: bycause of thy persone / For men of holy church may better withstonde the flesshly temptacion / than wedded mē For they owe to passe the people in kunnynge and vertue / And therfore god seyth in the gospel: that the seruante knowynge the wyl of his lorde and not doynge hys wyl shalbe harde punysshed. Also for his vnkyndnesse. For why the gretter his benefyce is & the more that hys dignytye is ye more is he boūde to god and the more is his synne if he be vnkīd And therfore holy wrytt saythe. Potentes potent tormenta pacientur / They that be myghty in thys worlde by welth and wor­ship that god sendeth them: shal suffce mightely turmentys / If they be vnkynde Also for the sī ­ne repugneth more to his person both for his digīte & for ye vow of chastite y ^t he made ī takyng of ¶holy ordre.

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Not for defaute of ye sacrament. For the secrament is not the worsse for the malyce of the preeste / But therfor this law forbiddeth men to here ther masses and ther offyce: that they mi­ght be so ashamed of ther synne and the soner amende them

Whan is a man of holy churche cleped ī the lawe an open no­torye lechoure.

Whan the dede sheweth so thesilfe that it may not be denyed ne excused or whanne he is aknow it bifore a iuge or conuycte therof byfore hys iuge Extra e.c ^o. vestra. & c ^o ­quesitum. Whāne it is thus notorye and open: there shuld no mā ne wooman here ther massys nether office wetyngly / Such cler­kes lechours. be he preeste. be he busshop. be he deken or subdekē he shulde lese his degre and not abyde in the chaunsel amonge other clerkes ī tyme of office & he shuld haue no ꝑte of ye godes of holy churche. Distīc: lxxxi. si qs cū aliis capitulis sequentibus And therfore saynt Gregori bid­dethe in the name of god: by the auctorite of saynt Peter that no preeste lechoure. ne deken ne subdekene lechoure shulde entre ho­ly churche tyl that they wolde a­mende them / And no mā ne wo­man sayth he: be so herdy to here ther office For why he sayth ther blessynge turneth into cursynge & ther prayer into synne For god sayth to them. I shal curse your blessyngys / And al tho sayth he that wyl not obeye to thys holy precepte. they fal ī synne of ydo­latrye. Distinc c.lxxxii. si q sunt Therfore god seythe to wycked men of holy church: butt ye wyl here me and sett youre hertys to worshyp my name: elles I shall sende to you myscheef and curse youre blessyngys. Mlachie ii.c:

The xviii. chapter.

Whether is lecherye more synne in wedded folke: or ī mē of holy church

In lecherye be many degre­es. as I seyde byfore / For auoutrye is more synne than is sym­ple fornicacion / But in ceste y ^t is lecherye with theim that be nigh of kyn: is more than auoutrye: And sacrilege that is lecherye in theym that haue auoued chasti­tie as in men of holy church and in men of religion also: is more than auoutrye. Hec sm̄. cons ^oli ^o. iii ^o. ti ^o .xxxiiii ^o. q. CCi. quero. Where he saith that sacrilege and bregynge of the vowe of chasty­tye: is more than auoutrye / And [Page] also his synne is more greuous for it is more sclaunderous. and noyous to the peple. for his wic­ked ensaumple. And therfor saīt gregory sayth. that they shal answere for as many soulys as pe­risshe by ther wycked ensaumple For whanne the hede and the le­der falleth: the body lyghtly shal falle / And more discomfort it is to an oste if they se ther chefteyn flee and turne the backe. thanne though they see twenty other sī ­ple men turne the backe and flee and more conforte to the enemyes And so it is of mē of holy churche that shulde be leders of cristē people For they turne the backe to god & fle oute of goddes ooste as ofte as they falle in dedly synne / Also it is more greuous ī mē of holy churche / For they maye better flee lecherye than men of the world / For it nedeth not thē not moch dele wythe wymen: ne withe the worlde. ne it longethe not to theym. But it longeth to theym to fle the cumpanye of wimen and euery occasōn of synne Vide in sm̄. conf. li ^o.iii ^o. ti. xxx­iiii. q̄. CCii. For these skyllys clerkes sey that ye studious thē / kynge of lecherye defoulethe as moch a clerke as doth ye dede of auoutrye of the lewed man: Tantum coinquinat clericum studiosa cōcupiscēcia quātū laicū ad u [...]ii culpa. sicut dr̄ in tractatu Qui bene presunt.

The xix. chapter:

Why be men irreguler for bigamye:

For many causys. Firste for dignyte and onestie of holy ordre: & of the sacramentys of holy chur­che / Also to shewe token and ex­aumple of contynence & of chastitye Destinc: xxxii. posuisti. For he that shal prech continēce and chastitye: moste shewe con­tinence and chastitye in himsilfe Also for ther is not ful sacramēt of matrimonye And he that shal minystre the sacramentys of ho­ly churche. moste haue no defaute in any sacramente / wherfore thou shalt vnderstondde as that I seyde firste. the sacramente of matrymonye bytookenethe the vnite and the knot bitwene crist and holy church. as bitwene one husbonde and one wife mayden withoute spotte. as sayth saynt poule. and that is bytokened by the cōiunction and the knyttīge togidre bodely of husbonde and wyfe in matrymonye. Also that bodely knyttynge to gedre ī ma­trymonye bitoenketh the vnyte and ye knot bitwene the godhed [Page] and the manhed in the chambre of the mayde marie which knot and vnitie and matrimonye by­ganne in time of patriarkis and prophetys. and it was made si­ker and stable in the tyme of grace in the birthe of crist and in hys passion / But it shalbe ful ended and made perfite in heuen blisse And therfore sayth saint Austen in questioī (bus) orosii. that as god made woman of the rib of adam slepynge and of his syde. so out of the syde of crist slepyng vpon the crosse. ran bloode and water. Which be the sacramentis of our redempcion. by which sacramē ­tys holy church is fourmed: and wedded to criste as eue to adam Also matrimonie bytokeneth ye vnytye and the knotte bytwene [...]riste and cristen soule. and that pryncipaly for the goostly knot that is bitwene the husbond and wyfe ī assent of ther willys. For as moche thanne as he that is in bygamie is not only one husbōd to one clene wyfe. as crist is one husbonde too one holy churche mayden. Or the wife is not on­ly wife bodely to one husbonde. but the husbonde hathe deperted his flessh in two wiues. or ye wi­fe departed hir flessh in two men therfore there is defaute in y ^e sa­crament of matrimonye / For it signifieth not ꝑfitly the vnyte bitwene crist and holy church / And in many maner man fallethe in bigamye and so in irregularitye First if he haue two wyues law­fully one after a nother & know­ethe theym flesshly / Also if he ha­ue two to gydre or mo. as one by the lawe openly and by dome of holy church / and another by law of conscience / and knowe theim flesshly / Also if he haue two on y ^t maner one after another & knowethe theym flesshly / Also if he ha­ue wedded a wedowe corrupte Also if he wed any woman cor­rupte of another man. Where he knoweth hir corrupt or knowe­the it not / Also if he knew flessh­ly his owne wyf after that she is knowne of a nother / whether he knoweth it or knoweth it notte Also if any man of holy churche or ꝓfes in religion wedde a wo­man and medle wyth hir: be she mayde or corrupte. he is irregu­ler. Versus. Si ducas īducam. vel quam corruꝑit alter. Vnā post aliam binas (que) simul tua coniux. Cognita si fuerit bigamie lege teneris. Et si pollici­tam violasti virginitatem. In al these casys man is irreguler.

Though the man be not mayde whanne he weddeth a mayde: is he not irreguler. for [Page] his own corrupcōn why is he thā irreguler for corrupcōn of ye woman / For it semeth that his ow­ne corrupcion shulde rather ma­ke him irreguler: Than the corrupcōn of the woman.

In the coniunction of criste to holy church is vnyte and one­hed in bothe parties And therfor if eyther man or woman in ma­trimonie hath departed his flessh byfore: there is a defaute in that matrimonye. as anentis that sacrament / For ther matrymonye bytokeneth not perfytly the matrimonye bytwene criste and ho­ly church / But more onehed and clennesse is nedful in the womā than in the man / For in the man it is nedful that he haue wedded no woman byfore flesshly butte one / But it nedeth not that he be amayde: but ī the woman it is nedful that she be not corrupt bifore of any other man.

By what skille:

For the corrupcion byfore matrimo­nye causeth not irregularitye in him that is corrupt: but it cause / the irregularitie in the other that is knyt to him / For that dede of corrupcion fallethe not thāne on him that dyd the dede / but on him that is knitte to him in ma­trymonye / And therfore right as the man is not irreguler for he is corrupt himsilf whanne he wed­deth: but for he weddethe a wo­mā corrupt right so if womā were able to holy ordre: she shuld be irreguler / not for that she is cor­rupt: but for that she knyttethe hir to man corrupt: but she hade be corrupt byfore in other matri­monye / Another skylle maye be thys / For the knott and vnitye made bytwene criste & holy churche: and bitwene the godhed and the manhed: it is one and onys made for euer / Therfore it is bi­tokened by the bodely knyttīge to gedre of the first matrimonye But whanne man passeth to the secund wife and weddethe also bodely: or if she be corrupte: Thanne goth he from vnitye to pluralite / Therfore the secūd matrimonye may not figure perfytly the coniunction of criste to holy church: ne of the godhed to the manhed: which coniunction is one: and but onys don for eu. and not chaungeable / For there the thyng tokened is but one: ye thynge tokenynge that thynge moste be one / And the thīg tokened & ye thyng tokenīg y ^e thynge most be lyke / Also more clēnesse is nedful to the woman to saue the sacrament of matrymonye: thā ī the man: for ye womā bitokenethe holy churche wedded to criste: which as saynt poul saith most be clene mayde withe oute [Page] spot / Also the woman bitokene the mandhed of criste that he to­ke of the mayde marie withoute part of man / Also the womā bi­tokeneth cristē soul which most be withoute corrupcōn of synne if it shal be cristys spouse / For these skyllys: to saue the sacra­ment of matrimonye: ye womā most be mayden /

I sup­pose a man had defouled a mayden: and after that he wedded hir is he irreguler for he weddethe y ^t woman so corrupte /

Sūme clerkes saye ye and sūme nay / But most comon openyon is that he is not irreguler: for he departed not his flesshe īto ano­ther wyfe. so that the maiden be not defouled of another

Saynt poule sayth / Oportet p̄sbiterū esse vniꝰ vxoris virum. p̄. ad thi. iii.c It bihoueth a prest to be husbonde of one wyfe / And so it semeth that euery preste moste haue a wyfe. or elles he maye be no preste: and so there shulde no preste dwelle mayden

The wordes of sapnt Poule be thus vnderstond: that there may no man be preste that hathe had two wiues bodely For thanne is he bigamus.

What if a man wene to wedde a mayd and he fynd hir corrupte.

He is irreguler / And if he wed a mayde and she medle after with any other man. and hir husbōd med­le with hir after that she is knowen of another. thoughe the hus­bond wite it not: yit he is irregu­ler / And if a man accuse his wif of auoutrie & he medle withe hyr after: that by his owne axing or by his wyues axynge: he is irre­guler: be she gilty. be she not gilty / And by comō openiō though he be compelled by holy churche to yelde to hir hir dette of his bo­dy. if he yeld it: he is irreguler If a man wedde a mayden: and she dye a mayden: and after that he wedde another mayden & know hir flesshly: or if he know ye first and not the secunde: in thys case he is not irreguler For he deꝑteth not his flessh into two wyues ne his wyfe into two men And if he wedde a wedow mayd: he is not irreguler / If a man hath made a contract with a woman: & after weddethe a nother and knowe­the hir flesshely if he knowe nott the firste flesshly: he is not irreguler / But if he be compelled by holy church to go ayen to the firste anon as he yeldeth hir the det of his body he is irreguler / If a mā haue two wyues byfore his bap­tem: or one bifore: and a nother after bodely: he is irreguler: He y ^t is bigamus shal haue no ioye of [Page] any preuilege that longeth to ye clergie: and be subget to other seculer iuges / as other lewed men. And vpon peyne of cursynge. he shal bere no tonsure: ne vse clo­thyng that longeth to clergye. In sm. conf. li ^o iii ^o.ti ^o de bigame

The xx. chapter:

WHanne wymen be deliūd of ther children they may entre holy churche to thank ther god what tyme they wil or may the law letteth them not / And by the same skil mē of holy churche may sīge bifore thē in ther oratorie and oneste place: if thay ha­ue leue. Extra libro iii ^o.ti ^o. de purgacione post pertum And thefore they that clepe theym he­then wymen for the tyme y ^t they lye in be folys: and synne in case full greuously.

May a man yeue his wyf leue to medle w ^t another man: or the wyfe ye­ue the husbond leue to medle w ^t another woman

Nay For neyther may yeue other le­ue to do dedely synne ayens the precepte of god. Non mechabe: ris. Ne the Pope himsilf may yeue theym leue.

Contra. We rede. Gen̄. xvi ^o. That Sara the wyfe of Abraham yaue abraham leue too medle wythe Agar hir seruant to gete on hir a childe & so he dyd: for he bigate on hir ysmael

To this clerkes sey that Abraham was excused. For it was the maner amonges the good peple of god that tyme that if the wyfe were bareyne: by ther both assent the husbond mi­ght take hī a secūdarie wife: not for luste / but only to multyplye goddes peple / And so Abraham by assent of hys wyfe and by the preuy leue of god: nott for luste but for to haue a child to goddes worshyp toke Agar to his wyfe And so she was his secūdarie wi­fe: and sara the chefe wyfe / And so also had Iacob foure wyues lefully not for luste / But for to multiplye goddes peple / and for token of thīges that were to co­me / And y ^t was do by auctoritye of dispensacion of god: whych is aboue al lawes / But thoughe god dispensed wythe abraham & Sara to do in that maner: or w ^t Iacob to haue many wyues to gedre: for figure and skillis that god knewe: yit men may not ta­ke now this tyme example ther of to do thesame / For the skillis aforsayde be fulfylled And the lawe sayth: Priuilegium pauco rum non facit▪ legem communē. [Page] xxv. q̄. i.c ^o. vstiō ꝓpe sinem. The preuylege of a fewe makethe no comon law / And therfore Isaac the sonne of Abraham had neuer but one wyfe that was Rebecca of which he bygate but two chil­dren: at one tyme as sayth saynt Austen / And he medled neuer w ^t other woman for desyre of chyl­dren. ne for lust of his flessh / And so by his cōtinence he shewethe y ^t his faders doyng was but a spe­cial preuilege graūted of god to him: and therfore in that he toke non ensample therof / For that Abraham dyd: he dyd it by speci­al despensacion of god: and ī fi­gure of thynges to come / For by his seruant Agar: and his sonne ysmael: is vnderstonde the olde testament and the iewes and all that lyuen after the flessh and in dedly synne / By Sara & hir son­ne Isaac is vnderstonde ye new testament. and folke of the new lawe that is cristen people. that lyuen gostly oute of dedly synne And that abraham at the biddīg of god droue oute eyther put out of housholde his seruant and his childe whanne Sara had borne hir sonne ysaac. bytokeneth y ^t in tyme of grace whanne the newe testament that is the newe lawe and cristen people byganne: thā the olde lawe shulde be putte a­weye. and the iewes put from ye houshold of heuē: but they wold be conuerted / And also that alle that lyuen after the flsshe and in dedly synne: shalbe putte oute of goddes houshold: but they amē ­de theym.

The xxi. chapter.

I haue ofte harde sayde that fendes in mannys lykenesse haue leyne by wymen and made theym wyth chil­de / And that is wonderful to me For the fynde is but asprite and hath neyther flesshe ne boone: ne any thynge of mankynde wher­by he shulde gendre with womā

The fende by suffe­raunce of god may sadde the ey­re and make him a body of the eire: in what lykenesse god suffe­reth him in so moch that as saith saynt Poule: he transfygurethe himsilfe into an aungel of lyght Moch more than he may trans­figure hym into lykenesse of mā or womā by sufferaunce of god. for mannys synne and womās. And the fēdes y ^t tempt folk to le­cherie be moste bcsy to appere in mannys likenes & womās to do lecherie w ^t folk & so brīge thē to lecherye / And in speche of folke: they be cleped eluys / But in la­tyne whā they appeir in mannis [Page] lykenes: they be cleped Incubi. And whāne they appier in lyke­nesse of wymē: they be cleped succubi / And for they haue no mat (er). ne sede of themsilfe to gēdre: therfore they gendre and take the su­perfluyte of the mater and seede of man that passeth from mā sle­pynge and other tymes. and w ^t that mater they medle with wy­men / Also they gader matyr and seede of wooman. And with that medle with man in womans lykenes / And of such medlynge as god suffereth comon sū tyme good children: sūtyme wicked: sumtyme wele shapen. sumtyme euyl shapen / Butte nedys one moste be man or womā For fende with fend may not gendre Suche fendys be moste besye to shende wymen And therfore it is perelous to wymen that desyren moch mannys cumpanye. to be ouermoche solitarie withoute o­nest cumpanye / And suche foule spritis do ther lecherie in this maner: not only with man and wo­man: but also with vnresonable bestes: and appere to them in ly­kenesse of bestes: as a bole to kyne: and as aram to shepe / And so by fendes doyng come many of theyse mysshape thynges that be borne both of wymen and of bes­tes: as a calf with an adders tai­le: a childe with an adders hede. a child born of a shepe with wol­le in the necke / Al these haue fall in oure dayes.

The xxii. chapter.

It may be wele as thou sayste. But I praye the telle me what is gostly foruycacion: gostly auoutrye and mi­cherye:

Alle thre be ta­ke for one: and pryncypaly it is cleped ydolatrye / whanne man or woman withdraweth hyo lo­ue and his truste fro god and set­tethe it more in creature than in god and the worship that longe­the to godhed doth it to creature thankynge creature of the bene­fices that only god may do / And so the worship that longeth only to god they yeue it too creature: stocke or stone man or woman: or to ymagys made withe man­nys hondys that neyther may se here: ne helpe at nede: whanne man or woman is cris­tened: his soule is wedded is criste by right byleue and trew loue and charitye that he hoteth there to gog to kepe his hestys and to forsake the fende / But aft (er) whā he forsaketh god and goddes hestes and turneth hym to the fende by his owne fyndīges of mis lustes & leueth ye loue of crist for ye loue of any creature thā he doth [Page] gostly lechery with the fend And therfore sayth Dauid: that they haue do fornicacion in ther own fyndyngys / And on thys maner al flesshly thoughtis and of misluste and vnrightful doyng and vnleful couetyse in that it with draweth the loue of mā or of woman fro god: it is cleped goostly fornicacion and auoutrye / And thus euery dedly synne is cleped gostly auoutrye and gostly for­nicacion: but pryncipaly ydolatre & forsakyng of the feyth Also false prechyng / and fals exposi­cion of holy wryt: is cleped spirituel fornicacōn As they that preche pryncipaly to please the pe­ple and to gete a name or to get temporal good / Of such saythe saynt Poule: that they put god­des worde in auoutrye: Adulte­rātes verbum dei .ii. ad. co (rum) ·iiii ^o. For there they shuld vse it to the worshyp of god / and to the pro­fyt of mannys soule: they vse it to ther owne worship and to ther owne wordly profyt and to ple­saunce of the fende and harm of mannys soule / Also fals couety­se is cleped gostly fornicacion. Therfore saynt Iames sayth to false couetyse men: Adulterii nescitis quia amicicia huius mū di inimica est deo. Iacobi iiii ^o. ye auoutererys & lechouris wyt ye not that frēdship of this worlde is enemye to god / Therfore ī the boke of goddes preuetyes couetyse and pompe of thys world and couetous and proud people is cleped the cetye of Babiloyne that is to say the cetie of shēship And it is likened to a comon woman w ^t which kīges prynces lordes. marchauntys and alle couetouse folke haue do gostly lecherye: and it is cleped moder of fornicacions and of abominacōns For as saynt Poule sayth: coue­tyse is rote of alle wickednessys And therfore god byddethe there that his peple shuld go out of ye cetye of babiloyne that is to seye forsake synful cumpanye: and forsake luste of the flessh & pom­pe and couetyse of thys world y ^t maketh men to forsake god and do gostly lecherye with the fende wende ye oute saith god fro this wicked babiloyne: and forsake this wckiid comō womā of lust & of false couetyse: that deseyueth alle this worlde / For in one day shal come al hir destruccōn / And that shalbe endles deth: wepyng and hungre without end: & there shalbe brennynge fyre & smoder without end and thā al y ^t haue do gostly lechery & liued ī delicys & fals couetise / shal wepe & say veve: alas alas. apo c.xvii. & xviii.

The xxiii. chapter.

Al though thy spe­che be skylful: yit in one thyng clerkes holde ayens the in that that thou seist that the syn­ne of Adam was mare than the synne of Eue. And they argue thus ayens the / God rightful iuge punysshed eue harder for hyr sīne: than he dyd adā for his sīne but y ^t shuld not god haue do: but for hir sīne was mor greuous thā the synne of adam / therfore than the synne of eue was more gre­uous than the synne of adam.

Thys argumente is grounded in two false maxyms First that euery punisshyng and vengeaunce assigned of god for mannys synne and womans is assigned after y ^t the synne is mor or lesse / And this maxime & groū de is fals / wherfor thou shalt vnderstond that god punisshe some synnes in this worlde: and some in the other worlde: sūme bothe here and there In the other worl­de he punyssheth euery synne af­ter y ^t it is more greuous / or lesse greuous / But in this worlde he doth not alwey so / But oft ī this world he punyssheth the les syn­ne harder: than he doth the more synne / Therfore in the old lawe auoutre was punysshed as hard or harder than manslaughter: & yit māslaughter is more gruous synne than auoutrie And god toke more temporal vēgeaunce in this world for lecherie. than euer he dyd for ydolatrie. And yit ydolatrie is gretter synne than lecherie: for it is īmediat ayens god & ayens the first precept of the first table / And manslaughter is har­der punysshed in thys worde thā periurie / And yit periurie is gret­ter synne: as I sayde in the secū ­de cōmaundement / And synnes in symple pore folk be harder punisshed in this worlde / than syn­nes of the gret mē / If a pore mā stele an horse: he shal be hanged But if a lorde by raueyn and extorsions robbe a man of al that he hath: he shal not be hanged ne lityl or nought punisshed in this world / Dauid did auou­tre and manslaughter for which synnes he was worthi to be slayne by comon lawe of god / & yit god wold not haue him slain but if apore man had do tho synnes he shulde haue be slayne / A sym­ple mā went & gadered styckes ī the sabot: & god bad moyses sto­ne him to deth. Salomon Iero­boā achaz did gret ydolatrie and drough mech of ye peple to idolatre & yit were they no slayn: ther­for the smaler synnes god punis­sheth ī this world that ye soules [Page] punyssheth ī this world y ^t ye soulis of the synners maye be saued if they cun take it ī pacience And comonly he punisshith harder pore folk in this world / than he do rich folk: as by comon law / For the synne of greate men: as in ye same spyce of synne is more gre­uous: than is the synne of ye po­re man / And therfore god reser­uethe the greuous synnes and ye synnes of greate folke to punis­she them in the other world: or in helle or in purgatorye / There may no temporal payne be full punysshynge for dedly synne saue contricion alone / And therfor god punissheth no alwey folk in this worlde after the quantite of ther synne: but as he seth it most nedful and spedful to the people and to hys worshype / For only god knoweth the greuoushed of dedly synne / For oft that that semeth mooste greuous in mānys sight: is lesse greuous in goddes sight: and ayenward. Therfore god mesureth not alwey peyne: after the quantitye of the synne. But ofte he punysshethe in thys worlde them that be lesse gyltye as moche as theym that be more gyltye / As in tyme of the flode of Noe: and in the perisshyng of so­dom and gomorre: and many o­ther tymes he punisshed wymen children and bestis that were not giltye in the synnes: for whyche that vengaunce fel / And ofte he sendeth sikenes and dysese to gode men / in punysshynge of ther synnes in thys worlde. and suffereth shrewes to haue ther wyll: & lytyl or nought punyssheth thē ī thys worlde / And as the lyon is chastised by betyng of the whelp so ofte tyme god punissheth and chastiseth ful hard in this world them that be lesse gyltye: to war­ne them that be more giltye that they shulde amend them / Ther­fore crist said to the iewes: wene ye y ^t tho men which pylat slough for ther rebellion were gretter sī ­ners than other folke of the cun­tre / Nay forsoth / But I saye to you forsoth: but ye amend you: ye shal perissh alle / And wyne ye saythe crist that the eightene mē vpon which fel the tour of syloa in Ierlm̄ and slough them wene ye that they passed in synne alle the men of Ierusalem / Naye forsoth But I say to you: but ye amend you: ye shal perisshe alle to gydre. Luce. xiii ^o. And so the punysshyng of tho men soo slayne was a warning to them that were more synfulle that they sh­ulde a mande theym / And so thou mighteste wele see that thy ¶skylle is nought worthy: god [Page] punysshed eue harder ī this worlde than he dyd adam: therfor hir synne was more than the synne of Adam.

The xxiiii. chapter:

ALso the secunde maxyme and ground ī whych thou sayst y ^t god punysshed eue harder than adā: may skylfullye be de­nyed. For in punysshīg of adam god yaue his curse and sayde. Cursed be the erth in thy werke & in thy synne / He sayd not cursed be the erth in thy werke of eue ne he sayde not cursed be the erth in youre werke: as for comon syn­ne of them bothe: but he sayd only to adam / Cursed be theerth in thy wrke / In punysshynge also of the serpent he yaue hys curs: & sayd / Thou shalt be cursed amō ges al thynge lyuynge vpon er­the / Also god cursed caym whan he punysshed hym for sleynge of hys brother Abel / But whanne god punysshed woman / he yaue not hys curse / And we rede not y ^t euer god yaue hys cursse to any woman openly ī special / Ne god repreued not eue so moche: as he dyd adam / And so the gret rep̄efe & blamīg & the curs that god ya­ue in punysshyng of adam more than he dyd in punisshing of eue sheweyng wel y ^t the synne of adā was more greuous than was ye synne of eue / and that there was more obstynacye in adam than was eue / For cursyng is not yo­uen of god ne of holy church but for obstinacie / As I sayde fyrste adam answerde full obstynatly / God blamed adam pryncypaly for brekynge of hys cōmaunde­ment and sayde to hym that bre­kyng of his cōmaundemēt was cause of his nakednesse & of hys sodeyn myschefe: and not wyth­stondynge the techynge / and the styrynge of god: he wolde not be aknowe of his senne: but put his synne on god: and excused hym by eue: and so put synne to sinne in excusacion of his synne. Whanne god punisshed adam he cursed the erth for his synne / whiche curse turned to woo and tra­ueyle of him & of all mankynde which we may not fle / And ther­fore he sayd to adam. thou shalt ete of the erth in trauaile & sorow alle the dayes of thy lyfe / I shal brīg the forth breris and thornes and thou shalt ete erbis of the er­the / Also in punysshīge of adam god yaue the sētence of deth vp­on hī & al mākīde for his synne: & therfor god siad to adam thou shalt ete thi bred ī swīk & swet of thy face til thou torne ayen into the erthe For erthe thou arte ¶:and into erthe ayen thou [Page] shalt wende / Syth thanne god for synne of adam yaue soo gre­uously hys curse: and blamed so harde adam of his synne: and for his synne dampned hym and all mankynde: and punisshed al er­thely creaturis for his sīne & dāpned him and al mankynd to per­tuel traueyle whanne he sayde. thou shalt ete thy mete with tra­ueyle and sorowe al the daies of thy lyfe / And also for the synne of adam he yaue sentēce of deth: to him and to al mankynd that is moste of al peynes: it folowe­the that god punysshed harder a­dam for his synne: than he dyde eue for hir synne / For why in pu­nisshyng of eue god repreued hir not so moch as he did adam And he yaue thanne no curse ne peyn perpetuel safe subiection: I shal sayde god multiplie thy mysche­ues and thy conseyuyngys: and in sorow thou shalt bere thy chil­dren: & thou shalt be vnder pow­er of man: hnd he shal be thy lord God seyde not to womā: I shal multiplie thy thy myscheues all dayes of thy lyfe / For she maye kepe hir chaste if she wyl and fle mischefe and peyne of chyldren byrthe / And that god made wo­man subget to man for the syn­ne of eue: is was no newe thyng to woman For as sayth saīt austen suꝑ gen̄. li ^o xi ^o.c ^o xiiii. womā was subget to man bifore by ordre of kynde: but that subiectōn was only by loue and charytye but for hyr synne she was made subget: not only by loue: but al­so by nede and bondage of onest seruyle werke to obeye to man & be vnder his gouernaunce / By­fore hir synne she was subgett to man only by loue / But after hir sinne she was mad subget to mā not only bi loue but by drede and by nede For she most drede man & she hath nede of his helpe / For that was the pryde of adam and of eue: that they desired to haue no soueraigne ne gouernour but god alone as clerkis sey And therfore the fend in gyle by hight thē y ^t they desired saiyng to eue if ye ete of ye tree y ^t god hathe for­bode you: ye shal be as goddes knowynge good and euyl: that is to saye: ye shal nede no soue­raigne ne gounoure to tech you ne to gouerne you but god / And for y ^t they desyred it lightly they leuyd it / For as sayth the mayst of storyes: Thynge that is desi­red: lyghtly it is beleued And therfore god rightful iuge punisshed theym bothe in subiection of drede and of nede: and of har­de seruage He made woman sub ¶get to man / and aftwarde [Page] he made man subget and thralle to man: for the synne of adam as sayth saynt Austen Suꝑ. gen̄. v. sup̄. mor thā eū he made womā subget to man. for the synne of eue: as saythe saynt Austen. suꝑ. gen̄. v.s. For though woman be in thraldome to temporal lordis as be men. that is not for the synne of eue: but prīcipaly for ye sinne of adam / The subiectōn that womā is put ī for the synne of e­ue: is the subiection that the wif owethe to hir husbond / And alle the soueraygntie and lordshyp y ^t any man hath here in this world eyther ouer man or woman: it is medled with moch woo and gret sorowe and care / For euery soueraigne in thys world moste care for his subgettys: if he be wyse. And in higher degre that he be of lordshyp and of dignitye: in the higher degre is he of perel of dre­de of sorowe and care in punissh­ing of adms synne: And so bothe lordship in this worlde: & subiec­cion be punisshed of adams syn­ne / And if subgettis can haue pacience with ther degre. they be in more sikernes both of body and of soule / and in more gladnes of hert thā be the souereignes / And so punysshed god adam as moch in maner: in that he made hī lor­de and gouernour of woman as he punysshed eue: whāne he ma­de hir subget to adam / For in y ^e god bonde man to haue cure of wooman I hyr mischeefe to saue hir and to kepe hir: that was by comon soo feynte: soo feble and freel: and so mischeuous by cau­se of hir synne.

The xxv. chapter.

yet clerkys ergue ayens the and sey that woman synned more greuously thā adam: for she put hirsilfe ī synne and hir husbond adam / Butte adam put only himsilfe in synne.

This skill is nought For as I said first adā was shēt withe preuy pryde and welth of himsilfe and felle into synne or eue profered hym the apple / Also saith saint Austē de cī. dī. l ^o.xiiii ^o c ^o.xi ^o. Adam wyste wele that it was a greuous synne / But eue was soo deseyued that she wend that it had be no synne / And therfore the synne that she dyd by ig­norance and deseyte of the fende excuseth not: ne lessethe nott the synne of Adam that he dyd wyl­lynge and wyttyngly. Adā was hir soueraigne and shulde haue gouerned them bothe: and not obeied to ye voice of his wif ayēs [Page] the voyce of god that forbad hī the tre Example if a symple mā be vnkunnyng and by deseyt of sum shrew do a foly wening not to do amys: and he come to his prelate or his busshop and counseyle him to do the same: and his prelate or his busshop do the sa­me wetynge wel that he doth a­mys: and that it is a greuous sī ­ne: euery man wyl deme that ye busshop and his prelate synneth more greuously than the symple man that wend not to do amysse And thus nigh al circumstaun­cys that agreggen any synne a­gregged the synne of adam mo­re than the synne of eue / For he was soueraigne and perfit more in kynde wyser and myghtier to withstonde the fendes fodynge / And with lesse temptacion fel in synne and brake goddes cōmaū demente wytyngly / But eue by deseyte of the adder synned by ignorance. as saythe saynt austē. v. su [...] ꝓxīo. & sidorꝰ de sū. bono li ^o.ii ^o. Eue yelde hir coulpable. adam did not so. Eue wend not haue synned. adam wetyngly sī ­ned in hope of foryeuenesse: As sayth saynt austen: & the mays [...] of sentence li ^o.ii ^o.d.xxii. And so adam synned in hope and p̄sūp­cion ayens the holy gooste: and thys is a fulle greuous synne as crist sheweth ī ye gospel M ^t.xii ^o Quicū (que) dixerit verbū cōtra spiritum scm̄ non remittetur ei. &c. Where the glose sayth that they that synne by ignorance may li­ghtly haue foryeuenesse. but he y ^t doth it wetyngly ayens the ma­iestie of god ayens his conscien­ce: he is worthy no foryeuenesse Also adam was more obstynat than eue was.

Shewe me that

For god bla­med hym firste of al: and decla­red to him his synne: and god a­bode of punysshyng tyl he hadde vndernome eue: and after eue ye fende ī the adder: and fyrst he punisshed ye adder & thā eue y ^t adā shuld haue beware & axed mercy And so god blamed him first and punisshed him last: so yeuyng hī respite of repentaunce: But for al this adam repented hym non ne wolde axe mercy ne lowne hī Firste god punisshed him fro fe [...] in the adder in that he cursed the adder that was his suget & made the adder enmye to hys wife and to hir sede: that is to seye to ther children that she shuld gett of a­dam / & so god made the adder y ^t was bifore suget & meke to him rebel & enemye to his loue y ^t was his wife & to al y ^t shulde come of thē two / yit adā stode abstinat. Thā god punisshed eue his wife his loue his help: & so punisshed him in Eue / For if he loued hyr [Page] so moch as clerkes sey. it shulde haue be to him ful greate payne to se his wyfe his loue so punisshed / For as clerkes seye. the grete loue that he hadde to eue: made him to breke the cōmaundemēt of god / And yit these dayes it is ful greate payne to kynde folke trewe in loue to se ther loue: and ther frendis in sorow and desese. Also god punysshed adam & eue. in that he punisshed hir with mischeues of sykenesse. freeltie and feblenesse / For in so moche god toke from him his help that was woman made to be mannis hel­pe / But the more feble that god made hyr for synne: the lesse she might helpe man / Also god pu­nisshed theym bothe anon as A­dam ete of the tre: and made thē so naked and so vnoneste y ^t they were ashamed of themsilfe whi­che peyne fel not too adam ne to eue tyl adam hadde ete of the apple / And not withstondyng alle thys: yit adam stode obstynat & axed no mercyne knowleged no synne And thanne god rightful iuge punysshed him ful herde / bothe in thys worlde and in the other worlde and punissh­ed al mankynd for his synne as sayth saynte Poule and saynte Austē and other doctouris / God punysshed adam and mankynd ful harde for his synne: whanne he toke moche of his lordship a­wey from hym: and made nighe al creaturis rebelle to hym: and brought hym so lowe in ordre of kynd that though by wey of kinde man byfore adams synne passed woman in vertue and perfeccion of kynde Nowe after adās synne woman ofte tyme passeth many men in uertue and discre­cion: and in other gyftis both of kynde and of grace / And byfore the synne of adam: man was so souereyne to woman: that wo­man shulde not haue be hys so­uereyne / But nowe for adamis synne of tyme mā is suget to woman as to hys lady by bondage and thraldome: by hard feruage by nede: and drede: and owethe more seruage and subiection to woman for adamys synne: than doth woman to man for ye syn­ne of eue / For god made womā for the synne of eue only subgett to hir husbond in seruice of onest werke as felawe notte as chorle in velenye werke of wordly bondage. Also man for the synne of adam is ordeyned too many more perelys bothe on lond and on water & too werre / and too wo. and besynesse of thys worl­de and to moche traueyle: and ¶manye perelys [Page] more than wooman is ordeyned to

Wondre I haue that any clerke shulde hold ayens the in thys mater of adam is synne.

Clerkes speke ofte by opynyon in thys matere & other maters also. and not alwey afferme that they sey to the vttermost but put it in the doome of other clerkes. if they kun saye better. And so do I at this tyme / if any clerke can say more skilfully. Here endeth the sixte p̄cepte and bygīneth the seuenth precepte.

The firste chapter.

I thanke the for thou haste wel declared to me the syxt precepte. Now I p̄y the enfourme thou me ī the seuē / the heest

The seuenth precepte is this. Non furtum fa­cies That is to seye Thou shalt do no thefte. neyther in wyl: ne ī dede as saith the glose And so by this precept is forbode al maner mys takynge and al maner fals witholdynge and withdrawyng of other mennys good ayēs ther wyl. and al the menys that lede to thefte be also forbode by thys precepte as false weightys. fals mesurys. fals othes / gylous speche. gyle in crafte. and gyle ī chafarye false werkmanship & feint laboure in laborerys that taken greate hire and do lytel therfore. Also raueyns extorcions. false witholdynge of det and of men­nys hires. and false witholdyng of mannys right and womans. and lettynge of ther right. Al these be forbode by this precept And so by thys precepte is forbode al maner thefte both bodely & gost­ly

What is bodely thefte

As saythe Reymūde. li ^o.ii ^o.ti ^o. de furtis Bodely theft is a gilous and vnleful tretyng and vsynge of another mannys good mouable ayens the wyl of the lord that oweth the thyng to gette the thyng in the silfe to his auauntage. or to haue the vse of the thyng for a tyme or for to hyde it for atyme and denye ye possession: though he thenke to ma­ke restitucion / And thus sum is open theft / and sū is preuy theft Open theft is whanne the thefe is taken with hys pelfere or con­uicte by trewe wytnesse of thefte and such thefte is punysshede by lōdes law and by holy churches lawe / Sum is do so preuely that the theefe may not be take ther­with ne conuict / And suche may not be punisshede openly by noo lawe but only preuely by law of [Page] conscience in the dome of his cō ­fessoure which is bounde to coū ­seyle and to saue his name & hys fame / And as the law say­the: euery vnleful vsyng and takyng of other mannys good meuable or not meuable. is theft. xiiii. q̄ .v. penale & xxxii. q̄. iiii.. meretrices. For as the lawe seith there. god that forbyddeth theft. forbyddeth raueyne /

The secund chapter.

ALso leue frende ye shal vnderstond that as holy writ wytnesseth. there is theft and robberye of mannys name and wo­mans and y ^t is cleped bacbitinge and defamynge through whiche man and woman leseth hys go­de name / And therfore the wyse man sayth / Ne appelleris susur­ro in vita tua. Eccl. v ^o. Be thou not cleped a musterer: ne preuy bacbyter in thy lyfe. be thou not take false in thy tunge y ^t thou be not shent for to that thefe y ^t stele­the a mannys good name / is or­deyned moche shame and moche payne and ful wicked dampna­cion is to the double tunged mā and womā and to musterys and preuybacbiters is hate & enmite and despyte. Eccle. v ^o.c ^o. For thys maner of theft is ful greate and greuous. For as Salomon sayth Melius est nomen bonum qm̄ diuicie multe. et super aurū & argentum gracia bona / A good name is better than many richeses. and good grace of good loue passeth gold and syluer ꝓū. xxii.c ^o. For the beste iuel and most richesshes that man or womā may haue vpon erth. is to haue a go­de name and loue and. grace a­mongys his neyghborys and in the cuntre / And therfore bacby [...]s lesyngmongeris and wicked spekers that robbe man or woman of ther good name and bring thē in wycked name and fame: they be ye worst theues vpon the erth and they may nott be assoyled of thys thefte: but they do ther de­uore vpon ther power: to restore man or woman ther gode name and fame: that they haue wyc­kedly robbed theym of / And therfore sayth the law that they that wyth bacbytyng destroye the gode name and the goode lyfe: and the good thewys of other folk be worse theues than be they: that robbe men of ther godys: and of ther catel. vi. q̄. i. de [...]iores / And in the nex chapter. the lawe saythe: that bacbitynge is a ful gret wickednesse For who so bacbytethe [Page] hys brother he is a mansleer and there shal no such thefe ne man­sleer haue part ī ye kyngdome of heue / And therfore the law sayth in another place that it ꝓfyteeth not as anentys mede in heuen a mā to fast or prey or do other go­de dedis of relegion but his thoughtys be withdrawe fro wicked­nesse and his tunge fro bacbitīg De condici. v. nichil enim ꝓdest & not only he is giltie ī bacbitīge that speketh euyl of his euē cris­tē / but also tho that gladly here suche wicked spech and shrewed tales of ther euen cristen. vi. q̄. i. ex merito .xxi. q̄ .iii. nō solū / And therfore the wyse man sayth / put awey fro the the wicked mouthe and put awey fer fro the lyppys bacbytynge. ꝓū. iiii. Hegge thynrerys with thornes. and here not the wycked tunge. and make dorys to thy mouth: and lockys to thyn eerys. Eccle. xxviii. Thē ­ke y ^t he wyl speke of the as euyl bihynd the: as he doth of another bihynde him / Thēke what woo and myschefe comethe of bacby­tynge and wycked tunges: and shewe him no gode chere: but sh­ewe him by thy countinance and thy chere y ^t hys spech plesethe the not / And anon he shal cese / and be ashamed of hys malyce / For the wyse man sayth Right as the northe wynde destroieth and scatereth the rayne and the cloudys soo the heuy face of the herer de­stroyeth the t [...]ng bacbityng ꝓū. xxv ^o. The children of israel bacbited goddes doyng / and lacked the londe of byheste / whāne they shuld haue entred / & god was of­fended with them / and bad them wend ayen bacward into desert and there he held thē fourty yere tyl they were dede euery chone: y ^t cam oute of egipte: saue two mē Iosue and Caleph For they two spake good of the lond of byhest and held with god / And soo the children of the peple that cā oute of egipt entred the lond of bihest and not the faders: saue Iosue & Laleph / And that for ther bacbitynge. Numeri. xiiii. Also marie the sustre of Moyses bacbyted hir brother moyses and spakeuil of hī & anon she was afoul lepre & might notte be heled til moises prayd to god for hir. num̄ i.vii.c.

The third chapter.

ALso there is theft of wor­dys / Of which thefte god speketh by the prophet Ieremie xxiii ^o.c ^o. Where god vndernime­the false ꝓphetis and fals p̄chourys: which stale awey his wordis fro the peple and told not the truthe as god bad them: butte only sayde such thynges y ^t shal please [Page] the peple and so deseyued the pe­ple with lesynges and with false myracles. as men do these dayis feynyng myracles of ymagis as men do these daies to maynteyn ydolatrie for lucre of offerynge & false myracles of wicked lyuers and sey that god dothe myracles for them: and so blynd the peple in falsnesse / And so they yeue the worshyp of myracles doynge to ymagis that man hath made: & to wicked lyuers goddes enemyes. Which miraclis only god may do & so robbe god of his worship And in that they withdraw goddes worde. and the trewethe the goddes lawe that longeth to mē of holy church to tech. and to the peple to cun and to knowe / And so they deseyue the peple in that they be theues of goddes worde and shalbe punisshed ful hard of god for such theft of goddes worde / For god sayth to euery p̄late curate and prechourer Speculatorē dedi te domui israel & cetera I haue made the a day wayte to the houshold of israel and to my peple. & thou shalt here my wor­de of my mouth. and shew it and tel it in my name to theim / If I sey to the wycked man y ^t he shall dye for his wickednesse / And thou tellest him not butt hydeste my word. and spekeste not to hī that he may turne him from hys wickednes and leue it: that wic­ked mā shal dye ī his wickednes and I shal seke the blod and the deth of him of thin hond. that is to say thou shalt answere for his deth. Ezech. iii ^o.c ^o. Also they be theues of goddes wordes that p̄ che goddes wordes to ther owne wordly auantage: not to ye worship of god. ne to profyt of man­nys soule / Also they be theues of goddes wordis that eleggen goddes wordes and holy writ falsly to maynteyn errours and eresies or synne or shrewdnesse.

The fourth chapter.

ALso there is atheft of wordly good. Of suche thefte Iob sayth Agrū nō suū demetūt They repe other mennys feldys & make vintage of ther mennys wynes. & take mennys clothīge fro them: and late them naked ī the colde wynter. and robbe mo­derles childrē & pore widowis by might and spoyle and robbe the pore peple / The thefe saythe / he riseth vp in the morwe & sleth the nedy and the pore. and by night he steleth as a mycher. SꝪ deus īultū abire nō patit. iob xxiiii.c.

Hou many spices be of theft

Full many. For sum tyme a thing is stolne p̄uely [Page] withoute wetyng of the lorde or of the keper and ayens ther wyll & it is cleped mycherie Sūtyme it is do openly by might and vi­olence wetyng the lord & the ke­per ayens ther wyll. and that is ꝓpirly rapina raueyn / Sūtyme it is do wetyng the lord or the keper and aparte ayens the wyll. but not all ayens ther wyl / vn­der certeyn cōdicion of wynnīge not leful in the taker. and thāne it is cleped vsura. gouel or vsure in englyssh / Also al maner vn­rightful occupiyng of any thīge lordship or any other auer ī thys world: is cleped theft / And ther­fore saynt austē saith thus The thyng that man or woman hath by the lawe: that is his by ye law and non other mannys / And mā hath by ye law that he hath rightfully and he hath that rightfully that he hathe wele / And therfore sayth he / euery thyng that is mis had is other mennys / and euery man hathe his goode amys that vseth his gode amys In eplā ad macedoniū / Also witholdyng of almes from the pore nedy folke: is theft in goodes syght / For the couetous rich men withdraw fro the pore folk that longeth to thē and misspende the pore mennys good wherby they shulde be sus­teyned / And therfore the wis mā sayth. Sone defraude thou not the almes of the pore mā / ne tur­ne not awey thin iyen fro the po­re. ne despyse not the hūgry sou­le. ne tene ne angre thou nott the pore in his mischeffe / Torment thou not the hert of the nedy: ne delay thou not the yift from him that is in angwyssh / Cast not a­wey the preyer of him that is de­sesed: ne turne thou not thy face awey fro the helplese for wrath ne yeue thou not him that axeth the goode non occasion to curse the byhynd the / For if the pore man curse the ī bytternes of sou­le: hys prayer shalbe harde / For he that made hym shal here hym And therfore make the plesaunt in speche to the congregacion of pore folk / and bowe thyn [...]ere to the pore without heuynesse: and yelde thy dette and answere pesable thynges and mekenesse: nott to arunt them ne rebuke them ne chyde theym but only thou haue the more open cause. Eccle. iiii ^o. Therfore saynt Poule saythe: y ^t god louethe a gladde yeuer.

By the lawe of kynde & by goddes lawe. al thynge is co­mon / And therfore sayth the law xii. q̄. i. dilectissimis Right as the eyre ne the lyght of ye sōne may not be departed by lordeshyppys ne aproprid more to one persone [Page] than to another: ne to one colle­ge more than to another: no mo­re shuld other thynges that be youen comonly to helpe of mākīd. be departed by lordshippis: ne a­propred more to one thā to ano­ther. but al thynges shuld be co­mon / And therfore we rede Actu­um iiii ^o. that in the begynnynge of holy church alle thynges were comon to the multitude of cristē peple / And ayens lawe of kynde is no despensacion. Destīc. xiii. S. i ^o. Why bad god thāne y ^t men shuld not stele. syth al thynge is comen to gode mē

By goddes law: al thyng is comon to gode men / For as saythe saīt austen Omla sūt iustorum / Alle thynges be the rightful mennys But as the law sayth. xii. q̄. i: di­lectissimis Dyuision & ꝓperte of lordship is made amonges man kynde by wyckednesse of fals couetyse. both of riche and of pore. For the rich drawe to themsylfe. that longeth to other For why al that the rich man hath passynge his oneste liuyng after the degre of his despensacōn. it is other mē nys and no hys / And he shal ye­ue ful hard rekenīg therof at the day of dome whāne god shal sey to him / Redde racionem villica­cionis tue / yeld acoūte of thy balye / For rich men and lordes in thys worlde be goddes balyfes and goddes reues to ordeyn for the pore tolk and to susten them And therfore sayth saynt Poule Habentes alimēta & quibꝰ tega­mur: hiis contēti simꝰ. If we ha­ue nedful lyfelode and hilīge: be we payd therwithe. and couette we nomore Also pore folk be not payde with sufficiēt lyuyng but couete more than theym nedethe And for couetyse: more thā for nede take thynges ayen the lor­des wyl. in hynderīg of hym and of other that be more nedy. and shuld be holpe therby / And ther­fore god forbad al maner thefte that mē shulde take no thīge for anymis couetise ayēs the lordes wyl.

The fift chapter.

Syth alle thyng is comon by goddes lawe: & by lawe of kynde: hou maye any mā be lord of any thīg. more thā another man

There is lordship of kynde. & there is lordship of this world groūded only ī couetyse. & there is lordeshyp of despensacōn and of gouernaūce and so Ioseth the sonne of iacob was cleped lord of egipt. Gen̄. xlv.c. The first lordship is comō to euery gode man and woman. For kynd made alle men euene [Page] in lordshyp / And in token therof both lord and seruant fre & bond rich and pore: come īto this worlde naked and powre: and wend hens naked and pore / Nought they bring with them. but wepīg sobbyng and forow / And here no thyng with them: but ther dedys gode or wycked / The lordshyp of thys worlde is sufferable and worshipful / For as saynt Poule saythe / Omīs potestas a deo est / Euery power and lordship ī this world cometh of god / And ther­fore he biddeth that euery man & woman shuld be subget and meke to the lordship aboue thē For though the couetise and wyckednesse that lordes and ryche men ground theym in be of themsylf. yit the lordship & power is of goddes yift: as sayth saint Austen. & therfore it moste be worshypped. The lordshyp that is only of di­spensacion cōmytted by a soue­reygne is medful worshypful & comendable / Also ther is thre maner of ꝓperties & ꝓpirhed / One is that kynd yeuethe. as man to lye. And euery man hathe hys owne hert. his owne sowle & hys owne wyl. for to do wel or euyl and this ꝓpertie is nedful / Ano­ther ꝓpirtie there is. that cometh only of couetyse. by which coue­tise folk say. this is myne & thys is thyne / And so they propren to themsilfe by couetise: that is co­mon by kynd / And thys ꝓpirtye so groūded in couetise is dāpna­ble and synful / The thirde is di­spensacion / For one man hathe moch thyng in hys dispensacion & gouernaūce: that another man hathe nought to do of / And thys dispensacion comethe sūtyme of goddes gyft. as whanne he sent one man more riches ī this worl­de than another Sumtyme it cometh by ordinaunce and yifte of lordes and of souereigins here in erth: As whane lordes & prelatis cōmytte to ther subgetys gouer­naunce of ther godys of ther places and benefices. And thys di­spensacion if it be wel do it is ful medful:

But as saynte Poul saith / it is a question / who is found trewe amonge suche di­spensouris / For nigh al seke ther owne profit. but not the worship of Iesu crist

Many be ful false / And yit sythe dispensa­cion of worldly goodys is so cō ­mytted to theym / in that they haue lordship of ther propre dispensacion ordeyned of god: and be cleped propre lordes of ther pro­pre dispensacōn / not for ther fal­se couetise / ne for no properhede that they chalenge by false coue­tyse / For ī that be they no lordes [Page] but tyrauntys and rauynourys. And so though they haue propre lordship of dispēsacōn of world­ly godis more than the pore peo­ple: they haue yit no more lord­ship by wey of kynd than the po­re mā / ne non other lordship thā the pore man. but only of dispē ­sacion / And so thoughe the riche folk haue more lordship of pro­pre despensacion thāne the pore yit the lordship of kynd ī nedful thynges stondeth styl comon to riche and pore / But for synne it is not so fre. as it was byfore the synne of adam For god wyl not that the pore folk take any thīg without leue of the propre dispē satour that is clepid lord therof & therfore god sayd. Non furtū fa­cies. Thou shalt do no theft / y ^t is to say. thou shalt nought tak w ^t out thy lordes leue /

this is wonderful to me that the po­re man is as grett a lorde by wey of kynde as the rich and yit may he nought take without his leue

It is more wondre y ^t the good pore man is lord of alle thynge nedful to him by weye of kynde. and the synful riche man is lord of rightnought by wey of kynde. for he is goddes traytour And yit god wylle that the pore take rightnought of the goode y ^t the riche man hath in his dispen­sacion without leue:

that is to me more wonderful tel me hou this may bee:

Thou might se at [...]ye y ^t the kyn­ge heyre aparāt & other heyris of grete lordshippes: not withstondyng that they be heyrys and lordes of all: yit shal they not entre the office of ther officers / ne take any thyng ayēs: ne bere ayēs w ^t out leue And if they do: they shal be hard vndernome: and in case bete of ther master and of ther tutoure / For fredam in youthe is cause of pride and of many other vices / Right so god seynge that mankynde wich is lorde of al er­thely godys and ordeyned to regne in heuen blysse: If he had hys fredam in vse of erthely thynges he shuld falle in pride and many vices as adam did while he was fre / Therfore he hath put mākīd and namely the pore people vn­der the gouernaunce of the ryche folke / and of ther lordes whyche be ther tutourys & dispensatou­rys of godys of this world to saluacion of the pore people / And therfore saynt Poule saythe: Quanto tempore heres peruulꝰ est nichil defert a seruo cū sit do­minus omnium. sed sub tutori­bus et auctoribus est vs (que) ad p̄ ­finitum tempus a patre. ad gal. iiii ^•. As longe as the heyre is yōg [Page] yonge and lytel. ther is no diffe­rence bitwene him & a seruaunte sithe ther is a lorde of alle / but he is vnder tutour and gouernoure vnto a certein tyme ordeyned of the fader And therfore sith the ri­che folke ben tutours & dispēsa­tours of these worldly godes or­deyned of god to saluacion of ye pore peple / god wole y ^t nomā ta­ke of the godes y ^t been cōmittyd to them withoutē their wyll and their leue. And if any man take therof ayēst their wylle & ayenst goddes ordenaūce / he doth theft ayēst this p̄cepte. Nō furtū faci­es. Thou shalt do no theft.

The vi. chapter.

Is it lefulle in any cas to stele. and take any thinge ayenst the lordes wylle

Stelth sowneth comō ly theft & robbery / and sūtyme it sowneth priue takyng without wittyng of the lorde. And soo it may be done in iiii. cases with­outē synne For nede. for almes. for right / for happe of fyndinge. First for nede & mischeif / for if any man or woman for myscheif of hungre / or of thrist / or of cold. or of any other mischeif. Whiche mischeif he may nat flee. to saue his lif but he take thinges ayēst the lordes wylle. If he take any thinge so in ꝑel of deth / or in gre­te mischif / nede excuseth him fro synne / & fro theft. if he do it only for nede & nat for couetise. And he oweth to enfourme his cōsci­ence & thynke y ^t if the lorde of the thinge knewe his myscheife. he shulde nat be mispaied. & thāne dothe he no theft / for in the laste nede al thing is coēn Also for ye lorde is bounde to helpe him at y ^e nede. & also for nede hay no lawe Example we haue in the gospel wher we fynde y ^t the disciples of Criste for hūgre toke erys in the felde & gnyddyd theym / & ete the corne for hungre The phariseis were asclaundryd therof & saide to Crist y ^t his disciples dyd thing y ^t was nat leful. And thāne criste excused them for nede of hungre & saide that they were vngiltie & īnocentes in that. And he putte them example of dauid. that ete for nede of the holy loues in goddes tabernacle / whiche loues only prestes shulde ete by the lawe. M ^t. xii.c. For it is a generalle rule in the lawe / that nede hathe no lawe.

Is y ^e man y ^t so takith for nede boūde to restitu­cion

Naye. And yit for more sikernesse. & to putt him in drede of stelth / his cōfessour shal yeue him sūdele penaūce for ya [...] doynge. Also by weye of almesse [Page] the wyf may take of her lordes gode in whiche she hath dispēsa­cion / as in mete drynk & clothes & yeue almesse mesurable to the nedy / & thynke y ^t her husbonde shulde be pleasyd with her yifte. if he sawe y ^e mischeif of the pore. & if he sūtym̄ forbede his wyf / to do almesse / she shal nat ful cease from almesse discretly doon For husbondes make ofte suche ini­bicions to their wyues to temꝑe ther yeuyng nat fully to let hem

And if she see y ^t her husbonde be sclaundryd & wrothe with her ye­uyng. though his wrathe be vn­s [...]rilful. she must tēpre the more her yeuyng But whāne she may wele sūwhat yeue for them both with gode cōscience. Nathelesse if she se him greatly agreuyd for [...]eryeuynge / and he forbede vt­terly her to yeue almesse / thanne it is gode that she obey to his biddynge & be sory y ^t she may nat yeue / and be alway in wyl to yeue if she durst. & so wynne her mede by wylle alone / as she dyd bifore by wyl and dede.

If ye wif haue gode in ꝓpre by her self Bona ꝑafernalia. may she natt yeue therof withoutē her husbō ­des wylle.

She may yeue. & she is bounde to yeue / & he oweth nat to lette her

I suppose. y ^t the husbonde forbede his wyf vtterly to doo almesse of his gode & she se a mā or a womā in vi [...] mischeif / may she nat thā [...]eue them almesse & helpe theym

in y ^e nede she is boūde to yeue & she shal yeue / & thynke y ^t if her husbonde sawe yat nede he shulde nat be mispayed. ¶we rede in the firste boke of kinges. xxvi.c. y ^t ther was a greate ny­garde & an angry shrewe. Whose name was nabal. He had a gode womā wise and faire to his wyf whose name was abigail. That tyme dauid fledde the ꝑsecucion of kynge saul. & lyued in deserte w ^t vi. hundryd men with him as outlawes. And for mischeif he sente x. men to this riche nabal. praynge him of sūme almesse in mete and drynk But this nabal dispised dauid & his messangers. & clepyd them theues & outlawes and flemyd men / and wolde noo gode yeue hem / nat withstōding that they had sauyd his goode / & his bestes / al the tyme that they were in deserte. Whanne dauid herde these tidīges he was wroth and came with iiii. hundryd mē. to sle nabal / and alle that lōged to him. It hapnyd that a seruāt of nabal tolde his wyf abigail. howe Dauid hadde sent messan­gers to Nabal: and howe he had despysed theym.

[Page]Anon Abigail without wytting of Nabal charged Assis with brede and wyne with soden flessh of fyue shepe. figges & with reisens and other vitayles grete plentye and sent to / Dauid by hir seruā ­tis: and she folowed after: and happened to mete Dauid in hys comynge / Thanne Dauid repreued hir husbonde Nabol of hys vnkyndnesse: and seyde he shuld sle him / & al that longed to hym. Thanne the good woman Abi­gail felle doune to grounde and worshipped Dauid. and prayde him of audience / Thāne she ax­ed mercy to hir husbonde Nabol and excused hirsilf. that she wyst not of his massēgers whāne they were there and prayde Dauid y ^t he shuld not so venge himsilfe & taught him moch goodnes. and proficeid to him moch welth and prayde that he wolde accepte hir presaunt. and so he did / Thāne Dauid sayde to hir / Blessed be oure lorde god that sent the this day to me / and blessed be thy speche. and blessed be thou that this day hast letted me fro sheddyng of blode to venge mysilfe / And thanne Dauid turned ayen into desert. & she cam home ayen and fond hir husbond nabal at soper solē [...]ly But that night she spak nought too hym of that mater. for he was ful drunken / But in the morowe whanne he was so­bre: she tolde hym what she had do to saue his lyfe / And anon his herte died for sorow / and he wex heuy as a stone / and with in ten daies he died wicked deth. & than Dauid wedded his wife Abigal Also if man or womā stele awey mannys swerd whanne he is wood to lette hym of manslaughter of himsilfe: or of other: he dothe no theft ne synne. Also by cause of rightwisnesse man maye take aweye other mennys goodys a­yens ther wyl. as in rightful ba­teyle: soo that they that feyght rightfully ayens the vnrightful take ther goodys not for coueti­se: but for rightfulnesse to shewe y ^t they haue ocupied tho goodys wrōgfully / But if they take ther goodys for euyl couetyse: they do raueyne. thoughe the dede be rightful in the sylfe.

The seuenth precept.

If a thynge be loste and he that fyndethe it kepe it stylle: is it thefte.

He y ^t findeth it: is boū de to restitucion: if he may wete to whoom it longethe. And [Page] therfore he shal do men to wyte of the fyndynge by open spech in toune strete and in churche / that he that oweth it may chalenge it And if noo man chalenge it: he y ^t fōde it may by auctorite of awis confessoure kepe it stylle if he be pore and nedy and pray for him that aught it or elles yeue it to o­ther nedy that they may pray for hym y ^t aught it: & so make resti­tucion Therfore saynt Austen saith in omelia. if thou hast foūd any thynge / and not made resti­tucion: that thyng thou hast stolen / For he saith / god taketh mo­re hede to ye hert than to the hōde And therfore thefte is doonin a­smale thynge: as in a grete For god chargeth not the thyng that is stolne: but the wicked wyl of the steler as saith saīt austē & saīt gregori / And therfor if children ī ther yongthe stele pynnes or ap­ples or any other smale thynges anon as it is ꝑseyued / they shuld be hard chastised in ye begynnīg For the philosofre sayth Princi­piis obsta withstond the begyn­nynge of vices and of micherye. For whāne childrē in yonge by­gynne to haue lykynge in my­cherie / though the thyng be smal ī valu: ther synne is not the lesse ne the synne of theym that suffre thē: Therfor it is goddes dome y ^t whan they be not chastysed ī ther yongth for such mycherie after­ward they stele gretter thynges: and be hanged. to shame & shen­shyp of al ther kyn / And therfore as boicius de disctplina scolariū telleth whāne a mannys sōne of Rome shuld be hanged: he p̄yed hys fader to kys him And he bo­te of his faders nose. seiyng to hī Thenke wel fader on this tokē: and chastice better thy chyldren. For haddest thou chastysed me wel in myy outh I shuld not haue be hanged / Therfor the wyse man sayth / Qui parcit virge o­dit filiū suū &c. He that spariehe the yerd: hateth hys sōne. And he loueth his sōne that chastiseth hī and techeth him besely. ꝓū .xiii. We rede that on a tyme a powre mā was tēpted to ete goos flessh but he durst not stele for drede of hangīge. On a day he met wyth the fend and he bad hī stele a go­se and ete enough at onis And he did so / And sone after he stale an ox and was take & led to the ga­lowes And thanne the fend mete with him & sayd to him wheder a wey Thāne the these sayd to the fend: woo worth the wicked wi­ght: for thou hast brought me to this end / Thāne sayde the fende blame me not / for thou mightest se by ye byl that it was no goo [...]

The eight chapter.

I suppose a mā ha­ue borowed a thyng. & he that lent it him takethe it aweye fro him p̄uely ayens his wyl. & ayens the couenaūt of the lenyng do that man theft. so takynge ayen his own gode:

He doth theft For it is not for y ^e time fully hys owne goode. as saythe Raymūd li ^o.ii ^o. ti. de furtis / And if lord or lady: or any other man bytake his seruaūt or his officer any thynge to kepe. and he take it awey fro him without his we­tīg: for fals couetyse or for ma­lice to endaūgere the seruaūt. he doth theft / For though the thīge be his own: yit it is not frely hys own: as long as the seruaunt by his assent hath kepīg and despē ­sacion therof.

I suppose a man weneth to take hys owne gode whan he taketh anoter mā nys gode ayens his wyl / or if he take his owne goode vnlefully. Wenyng y ^t it were leful so to ta­ke it doth be any theft in this ca­se:

Nay For all though in case he do vnlefully: yit ī thys case be doth no theft ne dedly synne: And yit he is boūd to restitu­cion / Theft īcludeth alwey gy­le & falsnes without which is no theft: And if a man take of ano­ther mannys gode withoute hys wittyng if he haue a iust caus to wene y ^t he shuld not be mispayde though he wist it thā doth he no theft ne sine / & if he take another mānis gode wenīg that it be not his wyl though it be his wyl y ^t he take it: yit he doth thefte & dedly synne in goddes sight: But he is not boūd to restitucōn whāne he knoweth y ^t it is the lordis wil: ne the lorde may not axe restitucōn syth it was his wel / If aman or womā by mis eggīg take awey another mannys seruant he doth theft / If a man selle or bye man or woman that is fre. or yeuethe him or taketh him of gift ayens his wyl / he dothe thift: as saythe Raymūd. Vbi sup̄. If a man or womā be take presoner ī time of rightful bateyl he is not fre And therfor his master may yeue him or sel hī by lawe of armes: Butte ware him of law of conscience: & of charitie:

If a man haue hired or borowed an hors or any other thing into a certeyn place and for a certeyn tyme: and he pas that place or his tyme ayēs hys wil that owethe that thynge doth he theft:

If he do so of purpos and for couetyse or sum euyl cause / he dothe thefte But if there falle a sodeyne case whāne he comethe to that place

¶that he hyred it to and [Page] he knew not of that case whāne he hyred that thyng / and hī most nedis ꝑfourme that case: or elles falle in grt harme: thāne he may take that hors or other thing ferther and lenger without: theft so that he may truly paie for that y ^t he passeth in the first couenaunt

And what if a man lene awey another mannys good without assent of hym: which good he lent him to his vse.

he doth thefr: But he haue iust cause to wene that the lord of ye thī ­ge shal not be mispayd / For in y ^e lening he vseth another mannis gode ayens his wil for lucre and wynnyng of frendshyp / And if a man lene another any thyng vpon a wed. And he vse y ^e wed without leue of hym that oweth it: he doth theft / but it be for sal­uacōn of ye thīge For if he vse it for sparīg of his own gode for lucre or for fals couetise ayens his wyl that oweth it. he doth thefte as sayth the same clerk If athīg stolne perissh. thoughe the theefe haue no profyte therby: yit is he boūde to restitucōn. and he most yeld as gode or better thā it was whā he toke it And he is boūd to mak restitucōn both of ye thīg & of the ꝓfyt that cam therof to hī And for ye ꝓfyt that shuld haue come therof to the lord in the ty­me that ocupied it ayens his wil And if he haue amēded the thing that he stale / he may nott axe a­yen ne withold his expēsis / And he shal make restitucion after y ^t the thyng was worth whanne he stale it or better If the thefe ꝓfre the lord in couenable tyme & place the stolen thīge: and the lorde wyl not receyue it: if the thynge after that by mishap perisshe: the lorde hath non accion ayens the thefe for the lettīge of restitucōn ne for the ꝓfyte that might haue come therof after that he ꝓfered it to him: but for the tyme byfore If a mā haue stolen a thīg he is bound not only to restitucion of the thynge: but also of the value of the vse.

If a man or woman bye in open markette a thyng stolen: wening that it we­re not stolen: whanne he know­eth the soth. may he axe the pry­se of that thyng of him y ^t owethe it: or withdraw it: til he haue pated hī as moch as he payd therfor

Reymūd & other clerkes sey nay. And therfore be ware a­nother tyme / both for losse of his and also for susspeccion of theft. for lightly for beggīge of stolen thīg he might be take as a thefe / Nethelesse he my rightfully axe hys payment of hym that sold it to hym whanne he hath restored it to the lorde of that thynge / & if he spēt any thyng in amēdemēt [Page] of that thyng while it was in his kepyng: he may with good fay­th axe that of him that owth the thyng without restoryng of the prophet that he had of that thīg: bifore he wyst that it was stolen But whāne he knowethe that it is stolen. & other mennys kepeth it stylle for couetise or any other vnleful cause: he is boūd to restitucōn fro y ^e time as long as he kepeth it of the ꝓfyt to the lord: If the thing perissh while he kepe it not knowyng that it was stolen by good feyth: he is bound to re­stitucion / And if he solde it awey or yaue it or he knew of the stelthe be is not bound to restitucōn of the thing. but of the ꝓfyt. if he be amēdyd therby and this is gode lawe of cōscience / If a mā stele fro a rich negard or an vsurer. any thyng to do almes: he dothe theft / Quia nō sunt faciēda mala vt veīāt bona .xxxii. q̄. iiii. sic ^t non sunt / For as saynt Austen. sayth. alle though he yeue in al­mes al that he hath take in stelth he is not excused of thefte. for he putteth synne to synne / First he steleth / and in y ^t yeueth it awey he makethe himsylfe vnable: to make resttuicōn / And though a man purchase moch good falsly and do almesse of y ^e misgote go­de he is not excused of rauayne.

The nynth chapter.

May not cristē mē stele yong childrē of iewes & of hethen peple. & baptise them ayens the wyl of ther fader and moder /

Nay / And that for thre skilles / Fyrst to fle perel of the feyth / For whāne they co­me to age they myght lightly be peruerted fro the feythe. by mys eggyng of the fader and moder. Also by rightful lawe of kynde the childe is vnder cure of the fa­der and his moder and of his frē ­des tyl he come to yeris of discrecion But whanne they be in age of discrecion / they may be criste­ned ayens the wyll of ther fader and moder: but nott ayens ther owne wyl / Also it was neuer the maner of holy church to cristene yonge children of hethen people: ayens the wyll of ther fader and moder / And if it myght haue be don lefully saynt Siluestre and saynt Ambrose & other holy men of holy church shulde haue gette that leue of cristen prynces that were lordes that tyme: bothe of cristen and hethen people But they axed neuer that leue: ne did it by ther owne auctorite: as sey the saynt Thomas In quadam

¶questione de quolib (bus). [Page] & sm̄ ▪ cōf. li ^o.i ^o. ti. iiii. Vtrū pueri.

If a woman stele any thyng or she be wedded. may she make restitucōn after that she is wedded without any leue of hir husbond:

If she haue stole thyng: she is boūd to make restitucyon therof / thoughe hyr husbond ayen say it: For hir hus­bond hath no right in that thing And if the thynge stolen be was­ted: she is bounde to make resti­tucion if she may of hir owne traueyle and of hir owne wynnīge But of hir husbondys godys: ne of ther godys in comon she may not wele make restitucion with oute his leue: but if he were con­sentynge to the thefte / and if the husbond stele any thynge: if the wife consent therto or haue part therof in etīge and drynkyng or any other vse: be it with hir wyll be it ayens hir wyl. she may pre­uely make restitucōn of ther co­mon godys / For in that she doth no gyle ne theft to hir husbonde. but she doth that [...]e aught to do But if he forbid hir vttrly to make restitucion: and she be not cō ­senting to the theft it is siker thā to hir to obey and make no resti­tucion ayens his wyl / & thoughe she dyd / it were no dedly synne. And if she stele any thyng: & hir husbond be cōsentyng therto: or wetingly taketh part of ye theft she may make restitucion p̄uely of ther comon godys: if she maye not do it of hir own laboure. Hec sm̄. confes. li.ii ^o. ti ^o. vi ^o. qd de illa

If a man haue late hys house or place to ferme for acertē tyme may he in any case put the fermore out within that tyme.

In many case he may put him out: First if the place be nedful to his owne dwellīge. for his other place that he dwelled ī: whanne he lete that to hyre is perisshed by fire or by mishap: or take fro him: and he hath nō other to dwelle in / But if he had non other whāne he lete him to hyre: he may not put him out for that nede / For he might auysed hī whā he lete it so to hyre / Also if the house haue nede of amendemēt. Which byganne after that he le­te it him to hire / But in these two casis he moste alesse the hire that the fermoure shulde paye for the time y ^t hath dwelled therin Also if the fermoure myssvse the house and the place / as if he kepe swy­ne in house of onestye: or waste the place / And in theyse casys he may do hī pay ful paimēt for ye tyme that he hathe ocupied it: & make amendys for such harmes And if he fayle gretly of his pay /

¶ment at hys terme: an [...] [Page] breketh couenauntys made by­twene theym / Also if by his foly and hys faute he brynge the lōd oute of tilthe / Also if the lorde of the house or place / falle in greate harme & enmyte by defaute of ye fermoure Also if the fermoure kepe open theues or open lechours or other malefasouris in his houses: or hys reseyuourys: of suche wicked folke: thanne maye the lorde skilfully put hym oute. Sm̄. cōf. li.ii. ti. vltīo. in quibus

The tenth chapter.

If a mā by gyle do another mā sel a thing y ^t he thought not to sel or doo hym sel it for lesse than he thought haue solde it: Doth that man any synne / As these men that tel folke that there is moch corne & moch salt comynge newly from biyonde the see. & so make men to sel greate chepe ther corn and salt y ^t they haue: that they maye they msylfe afterwarde sylle ther corne and ther salt the derer And as chapmen that come home by tymes byfore other: tel that ther felowes be take of enemyes and that lityl more chaffer shal come And so by lesynges they sell ther good more dere than they shuld ells selle

They synne greuously. and in maner they do theft / Netheles the contract that men make withe theym in byīg and sellynge moste stonde: but if it be ouerdon outrage and opē falshede / Butt he moste doo pe­naunce for his lesynges and hy [...] gyle

Is it leful to sel a­thynge for more than it is worth

If the seller selle any thyng for more than it is worth to begyle the byer. he doth greate synne and theft / But if he do no gile ī his sellyng than he may sel it after that they accord / For although it be not so moche wor­the to another mā as he selleth it for: yit ī case it is so moch worth to hī y ^t begeth it. & he that selleth it may not forgo it for lesse price withoute greate damage / And ī thys case one thinge may be sold for mor thā it is worth ī ye silf by comō estymacōn but if ye seller may forgo it w ^tout damage so y ^t he haue the valeu by comon estimacion he is bounde too selle it for the comon vse. and nomore take therfore / And if the seller be moche harmed by the sellyng: & the byer moch amēded by the byynge: he owethe by good consci­ence if he may do sum reward to the seller. although londys lawe compel hym not therto / And the [Page] same owith the seller to the byer. if the seller be moche amēdyd by that sellyng / and the bier moche apeyred

It is harde to knowe what is the righte value. of a thynge

The right value and the iust price of thing is after y ^t the comō market gothe that tyme And soo a thing is as­moche worthe as it may be sold to. by comon market. Tāti va­let quanti vendi potest. Hec sm̄ con. li.ii. ti. viii. q̄. i. et q̄. ix. If a man or womā selle a thing for gode and he knowe a defaut therin by whiche defaute the bier is disceiued / he doth gile & thefte Also and if the bier begile soo the seller. And therfore god seyde to the false iewys. Argentū tuū versū ē in scoriam / et vinū tuū mix­tū est aqua Thy siluer is turned into drosse of siluer and into fals metal [...] and thy wyne is medlyde with water. ysa. i ^o And therfo [...] they that begile folke with false money wyttyngly / do grete syn. and perilous theft Also if he selle wyttyngly by fals measure / and by false weightes And therfore god saith thou shalt nat haue dyuerse weightes more and lesse / to bye by the more / and selle by the lesse. Ne thou shalt nat haue a more busshel and a lesse busshell. ne none other fals diuerse mesut But thou shalt haue iuste weiȝt and true and euen busshel & true. that thou may lyue longe in the londe that god shalle yeue the God hatith that man that dothe suche gyle / and he hatith al ma­ner of vnrightfulnesse. Deutro. xxv. Also if man or woman sell seke thing for an hole thing wit­tyngly to begile the bier / he doth theft / and is bounde to restituci­on. And though he knowe nat y ^e defaute / whan he sellith it / whan he knowith yat defaut he is boū den to make sūme recōpēsacion. as saith the same clerk in the sa­me boke and place. q̄. xi. Also if the seller sel a better thynge than he wenyth to selle in grete dāmage of him self / as if he selle golde for latō. or if he sel a gode thing for a smalle price / wenyng that it were litel worth if he be moche harmyd therby / the bier is boūde to restitucion or recompēsacion.

Is the seller holden to tel the bier the defautes of a thīg that he sellith

If the defautes be preuy and ꝑilous / he is holden to telle them to the bier and selle that thing better chepe. For if he sel an haltyng hors for a swyft hors / and a ruynoꝰ hous for a stronge hous / it is ꝑilouse. and harme. to the bier / and he is bounde to restitucion But if the [Page] defaute be open / and thoughe it may nat serue ye seller it may serue the byer / thanne it nedith nat the feller to tell the defautes but he is boūde to selle it for the lesse prise.

May a man selle a thing a derrer thāne he bought it. to

Elles mighte no man lyue by his marchaūdise ne by his craft He must take vp his costes and susteyne him and his by measure and worship god and holy churche / and helpe the pore nedy after his estate And for this ende it is leful and nede­ful to the chapmā & to the werk­man to selle thynge derrer thāne he bought it. to And therfore seīt Poule saith. that no man is holden to trauayle on his owne cos­tes for the comynute / neither in knighthode ne in chapmanhode ne in werkmanship. And they y ^t with false othes / and lesynges / & slye speche begile folke in byeng and sellynge / synne greuouslye. & be holden to restitucion / if they begile so folke wyttyngnly.

If ii. ꝑsones betake the thridde ꝑsone a thing to kepe by couenaunt that he shal nat deli­uer it but to them bothe to gider. is he bounde to kepe couenaunt

yhe forsothe.

And what if he deliuer it to oone of them in absence of the other / & withouten his wyttyng

He dothe amys / and yitt neither of hem hath lauful accion ayēst him for to compelle him to yelde it. For he that resceyued it ayen hath none accion to hym / for he toke it him ayen. And the other. hath none accion ayēst him / for he is nat bounde to him withou­ten the other that made the couenant with him / and hath rescey­ued it ayen. Thus saith Hostiē ­sis in sū. li.iii. Rubrica de depo­sito. S. cui detur. v. si vero.

The xi. chapter.

May nat a mā do almesse of euyl gotē gode

Salomon saith. Immo lantis ex iniquo: oblacio est ma­culata. The offrynge of him y ^t offceth of euyl gotē gode / is spottyd and foule in goddes sighte And he that offreth sacrifice of ye pore mannes gode / is lyke him. that sleeth the sonne in the sight of his fader. And god that is highest approueth nat the yiftes of the wicked mē / ne takith hede to their offrynge. Eccle. xxiiii. And therfore Salomon saithe Honora deum de tua substācia. Worship thy lord god with thyne owne gode / nat of other mennes [Page] gode Prouerb. iii. And Tobie saide. Ex substancia tua fac elemosinā. Of thyn owne gode do almesse. Tobie iiii.c.

Contra. God biddeth in the gos­pel that men shulde make theim frendes in the blisse of heuyne of richesses of wickednesse / Facite vobis amicos de māmona iniq­tatis. Therfore it semyth yat it is leful to do almes of euyl goten godes

In thre maners a thing may be euyl goten / For sūtyme it is so mys goten y ^t it must be yolden ayen to him y ^t oweth it / as in thefte / raueyne / & vsurie if he may be founde. And so of mys goten gode men shuld do none almesse / but yelde it ayē Also a thing is mys goten whan bothe yeuyng and taking of the thyng is ayenst goddes lawe / & both the yeuer and the taker lese their right / as in symonye. And therfore neither they may do plesaūt almesse of that gode so mys goten. Also a thynge is mys goten / whanne the dede and the crafte that it is goten by is so vnleful that the taker may kepe it stylle lefully / but the yeuer may nat axe it ayen / as thinge goten by licherye and by synful iapery of irregulers of mynstralles witches / and suche other. Which maner wynnyng is clepid foule wī ­nyng. that is Turpe lucrū in la­tyne. And of suche euyl goten gode they may do none almesse. But they shulde make no open offrynge at the auter ne sacrifice of so mys goten gode. And ther­fore god saith. Non offeres mer­cedē ꝓstibuli in domo dn̄i dei tui quia abhominatio ē apud deum Thou shalt nat offre ye mede of the woman a comen lechoure in the house. of thy lorde god / for it is abhominacion to god. Deutro. xxiii. And officers of kin­ges princes lordes and ladies of busshoppes and prelates / y ^t take yiftes of men by comyn custome or by ꝓfre / that they shuld mayntene them and yeue them fauour in their causes / they may doo al­mes of godes so gotē / al though it be ful ofte euyl goten .xiiii. q̄. v. non sane. For to suche Cryste bad that they shulde make them frendes in heuene / of richesses of wyckednesse / that is to say of ri­chesses so mys goten For he that taketh it hath noo righte therto.

Why praysed Crist in ye gospel the false baily that so for yaue men their dett / in fraude of his lorde / to haue thanke of hem and helpe at nede. For he forya­ue one the halfdele his dett / A nother the fifte parte of his dette.

Crist prised nat the fals [Page] [...]al [...]e. Butt Cryste saith that his lorde praised him nat for his fraude but for his slighte that he dyd in helpe of him self ne Criste tellith nat that parable in the gospel / that men shulde take example of his fraude. to helpe theym self by fraude of robbere of other mennys gode / but to teche mē to make theym frendes by dedes of mercy and of almesse / and foryeue other men their dettes as they wole that god foryeue them ther dettes and make them frēdes / in heuene w ^t richesses of this world

Why clepyd Crist richesses of this world richesses of wickednesse

For they been to moche folke occasion of mo­che wyckednesse. and moche dis­ease of hate / wrath / enuye / of debate of plee and of grete discension And it is ful harde to gete thē or to kepe them withoutē synne. and grete disease And therfore seint Poule saythe that they yat coueyte to be riche in this world. fal in the feendes snare. And the wiseman saith if thou be riche in this worlde / thou shalt nat be vngiltie ne cleen from synne. Alsoo leue frende ye shal vnderstonde. that wyckednesse in holy wrytte is taken nat only for synne / but also for peyne and disease & mys­cheuys of this worlde And so godes of this worlde been clepyd ri­chesses of wyckednesse / that is to say of peyne. and disease. and of mischeif For they bringe men in to peyne trauayle and moche disease / for men haue moch trauail in gettynge / moche drede in ke­pynge / and moche sorowe in the lesyng.

diuicias non congregat abs (que) labore. Non tenet absꝪ metu / nec deserit absꝪ dolor They hote sikernesse and bryng folke into grete perel / grete drede and in grete enemyte They hote a man to haue his lust & lykyng and brynge him in endlesse hun­gre For as salomon saith the co­uetouse mā hath neuir ynoughe Auarus non impletur pecunia. but alway couetith more & mo [...] Also they bi [...]ete a man ease & rest and bring him in moche trauail. for nigh alle the traueyle of this worlde is to gete gode. Another skylle ther is why they been cle­pyd richesses of wickednesse For the lawe saith .x. q̄. i. dilectissimi [...] by wey of kynde alle men ben e­uyn in lordeshippe and richesses. but by wyckednesse of false couetise in the people men ben vneuē ī riches For sūme haue moche. some litel / sūme ben riche sūme ben pore / and god hath youen more richesse to one man in dispensacion and gouernaunce / thanne to [Page] many other. And y ^t is to refreyne the wyckednesse o false couetise. in the peple And for wyckednes is cause that oone man is richer thanne a nother / therfore they be clepyd richesses of wyckednesse. For ne hadde be the wyckednes of Adames synne / and of fals couetise of mannes herte / elles alle men shulde haue been euynly ri­che. But nowe they ben vneuyn in richesse for synne and shrewidnesse / and therfore godes of this worlde ben clepyd richesses of vneuenes and of wyckednesse. ini­quitatis id est non equitatis. And therfore alle the richesses y ^t one man hath passinge another. it is richesses of vneuenesse. For in yat he is vneuyn with his euē cristen. therfore they ben clepyde richesses of vneuynesse. Ther­fore god biddeth the riche men y ^t been but his baillies and his Reues in this worlde make frendes of the pore folke / bothe by yeuīg and foryeuynge / as that baillie dyd / and be nat to harde to their subgettes but merciable and for yeue hem their dettes which they owe to god & to them For god is so greate a lorde and so riche y ^t ther may no man do him fraude. of his gode ne hyndre ne lese hys lordshippe.

The xii. chapter.

In the fift precept thou seidest that riche mē. that wole nat help the pore folk ben mansleers Here thou seest y ^t they be theuys / and so it semyth that they do ayēst bothe precep­tes.

In that the pore man may die for the riche mā w ^t holdith his gode from hym / in y ^t the riche man is a mansleer / and dothe ayenst this precepte Non occides. thou shalt nat slee And in that he witholdith his goode. from the pore man in his nede he is a theef and dothe ayenst this p̄ cepte Non furtum facies Thou shalt do no thefte. For al that ye richeman hath passynge his ned­ful lyuyng. after the state of his dispensacion / it is the pore man­nes And therfore saith seint am­brose. that it is no lesse synne. to the riche man for to denye the pore man helpe at nede whanne he may helpe him of his abūdaūce. thanne it is to robbe a mā of his goode. The brede saith he y ^t thou witholdest in superfluytee. is the pore folkes that haue hū ­gre And the waste clothynge yat thou shittest vp in superfluytie. is the pore wydowes. And the moneye that thou hydest in the [Page] erthe in waste is the raunsome of the priseoners and of mischeuoꝰ folke / for to deliuer them out of prisone and oute of bondes / and helpe them oute of woo. And therfore saithe he / wytte thou itt wel. that of asmany godes thou arte theif and rauenoure as thou mightest yeue to helpe of the po­re folke if thou yeue them nat. Noo man shulde saye any thing his owne that is comyne to alle.

I assent wele to thy wordes that riche men shulde yeue almesse of their haboundaunce sa­uynge the state of their dispensacion / & y ^t is fulle harde to do For moche thing is nedeful to the ri­che man more thāne to the pore. bicause of his state. of dispensa­cion. For moo thinges ben nede fulle to a kinge thāne to an erle. and moo to an Erle thanne to a simple knighte. and so it is of o­ther staates. To kinges princes and lordes it is nedful to ha­ue treasoure to wage men of ar­mes in defence of the Realme / & to wage their officers in gouer­naūce of the Realme and of ther lordship. And therfore an Emperour saide. Qui omnibus pre est: omnibus indiget. He that is Lorde by dispensacion of alle thinge in this worlde / hath nede of alle thinge. And so the more lorship in this worlde / the more nede.

Therfore of suche thinges so nedful to man af­ter the state of his dispensacion. he is nat boūde to yeue the pore. but in greate nede. But of other superfluyte that is nat nedefulle to him in that degre / he is boūde to yeue For alway the comyn ꝓfytte owith to be chargyd more. thanne the profytte of one ꝑsone

It semyth by thy wor­des that men of holy church whi­che spende the godes of holy chirche in wicked vse / as in pompe. pride / glutony / lechery / and in other vanities be theues / for they witholde pore mēnys gode / and spende it mysuse ayēst the wylle of god and of pore folke

That is sothe / for seint Ierome saith that al that clerkes haue of holy churche godes / it is the pore mennys / and for helpe of the po­re folke principaly holy churche is ēdowyd. To them that haue the benefices and ye godes of holy churche / it longith principaly to yeue almesse and to p̄aue cure of the pore people. Therfore seint Bernard / in epistola ad eu­geniū / saith thus. the nakyd crie and the hungre pleyne them and say. ye bisshopes what doth gold in your bridles / it may nat putt away cold ne hūgre fro ye bridle [Page] It is oure that ye so spende ī pō ­pe and vanytie. ye take it from vs cruelly / and spende it veyne­ly. And in a nother pistle that he wrote to a chanon he saide thus. If thou serue wele goddes auter it is grauntyd to the to liue by ye auter / nat to bye their bridelles. silueryd or ouirgilt For what thou kepist for thy self of the auter passinge thyn honest nedeful lyuynge / it is raueyne / it is theft it is sacrilege. Therfore these men of holy churche that boocle ther shone with boocles of siluer and vse greate siluer harneys in their girdylles and knyues / and men of religion / mōkes and chanones / and suche other. that vse grete ouches of siluer and golde. on their copes to fastne their ho­des ayenst the wynde / and ryde. on high horse with sadles harneised with gold and siluer more pō pouslye thanne lordes / be strōge theuys and do grete sacrilege so spēdyng the godes of holy chur­che in vanite and pride / in luste of the flesshe / by whiche gode the pore folke shulde lyue. A lady of a thousande marke by yere cā pynne her hode ayenst the wynd with a smalle pynne of laton xii for a peny. But a monke that is bounden to pouertie by his pro­fession wole haue an ouche / or a broche of golde and siluer in va­lue of a noble or moche more.

Be nat such men of holy churche so mispendyng the pore mennys godes bounde to restitution.

If they haue wherof to make restitucion / they ben holden to restitucion / as saythe Dockynge super. Deutro. v.c. Quia non dimittitur peccatum donec restituatur ablatum. And therfore seint Austyne. In epistola ad Macedonium. saith thus. If a nother mannes gode be nat yoldē ayen whāne it may be yolden / he that stale it doth no verrey penaunce but he feyneth penaunce For if he do verrey pe­naunce he must do restitucion to his power.

And what saist thou of tho clerkes that spē de holy churche goodes. on their kynnesmen and wymen. and o­yer rich folk for to be mayntened and for to haue a name and for to be worshiped in this worlde.

If they yeue their kynnesmyn and their frendes to releue theym of their nede / it is wele done. and the ordre of charite axith it. But if they yeue the godes of holy churche to make them ri­che and grete in this world. of ye pore mennys gode / it is raueyne theft and sacrilege. Alsoo to yeue riche folke measurablye to [Page] mayntene them rightfully in ho­ly churche / it is wele doon Butt to yeue them holy churche godes to be worshipid and to haue a name of pompe it is euyl doon and it is sacrilege & thefte so to spend the godes of holy chirch that ben the pore mennys godes.

What sayste thou of theym that spende the godes of holy church. in their owne nedefulle vse / and doo nat their duite ne serue natt therfore.

The same Cclerke Dockynge in the same place faith / that they ben theues For the godes of holy churche / & the benefices ben youen to them. that they shulde trauayl and ser­ue holy churche in techynge pre­chynge and sacramentes yeuīge and in besy gouernaunce. And but they do so. they be natt wor­thy to haue bn̄fices of holy chur­che ne to lyue by holy church go­des. And therfore Seint Poule. saith. Qui non laborat. nō mā ­ducet.· He that trauayleth natt shuld nat ete. And if y ^t they take holy churche godes / and traueyl nat therfore as they ben boundē they ben theuys. For if a labou­rer toke money to trauayle in ye felde. and he trauayled nat ther­fore / but he yaue it ayen he shuld be holden a theef. And therfore seint Poule saide. Qui episcopatum desiderat / bonum opus de­siderat. He y ^t desireth a busshop­rike / he desireth a gode werke. Prima and Thimo. teercio For as saith the glose / in that that he desireth a busshoprike / he desirey a werke nat a dignitie. He desy­reth trauayle / nat ease and reste. nat to wexe into pride / butt for to come from pride to more lownesse / to be seruaunt and minis­ter of alle his subgettes of which he hath cure / or elles they be nat worthy to lyue by the goodes of holy churche For the benefices of holy churche be nat youen hē for to go pley theym / butt for to trauayle aboute their cure.

They haue their vikers and their parisshe preestis vndre them.

The vyker and the parisshe preest shal aunswere for that they they resceiue and ye pesone for that / y ^t he resceyuethe. And he that more resceyueth mo­re is boūde. And the benefices of holy church be nat youen to cler­kes that they shulde betake to o­ther men the cure / Butt for they shulde haue principal cure them self. For elles the lewyd man. & woman might haue the benefi­ces of holy churche / as saithe the same Clerke. And he saith that persones whiche absent them fro their churches only for ese or for [Page] couetise. or for luste of their fles­she. and so spende the goodes of holy churche / they been theues Nathelesse as he saith they may absente them from ther churches for a tyme by leue of their soue­raignes that may yeue theym le­ue for sūme gode cause / as for lernynge or for helpe of their chur­ches. Also they that resceyue the benefices of holy churche and be vnable in that tyme whāne they resceyue them to serue holy chur­che / or to haue cure of that benefice / they ben theuys. But whan they falle in age and in feblenes after that they haue truly traueiled / or after that ye bn̄fice is yo­uen them they may lefully lyue by their benefices but if they ha­ue sufficient patrimony to be susteyned with. Also they that ap ꝓpre to them godes of holy church be theuys & do sacrilege as saith the same Clerke dockyng / in the same place For clerkes in theire begynnynge saie. Dominꝰ pars hereditatis mee Oure lorde god is part of myne heritage For as saith seint Ierom. ad nepocianū He must be ꝑte of god. and haue god to his part / and so haue him in his lyuynge / that he haue god with him and that god haue him And sithen he saith god is my ꝑt. he owyth no thinge to haue butt oure lorde god. And if he haue golde siluer / possessions and su­che other richesses / oure lorde disdeyneth to be his part with these parties And if I be parte of oure lorde / I take no part ne worlde lynesse amōges other folkes but lyue by the tithes and am susteyned by seruice of the auter that I serue. And so I shalle be paied with mete / and drynke / and clo­thes / & so folowe naked of worldly gode him that hangyd nakyd for me on the rode. xii q̄ i. clericꝰ. And therfore he biddeth ther̄ yat euery clerke shulde take hede to his name what it signifieth / and trauayle to be suche as his name signifieth. Quia cleros greci dr sors latine. For clerk in greke and in latyne. is lott and part in englisshe For euery Clerk shuld be the lotte and the parte of oure lorde god / and in that they been ordeyned to goddes seruice pas­synge the comen people Therfore they been clepyde Clerkes. Clerici. that is to saye / chosen by lotte. For they been kin­ges / and gouernoures of hoolye churche. And in tooken therof they bere the crowne on their he­de by shauynge awaye of theire heere. For the shauynge away of their here. signifieth & betoke­neth doing away of tēꝑal godes [Page] and wilful pouert. by which they been kinges in heuene. Ibidem. capitulo. duo. And therfore saith the lawe there. Capitulo Res ecclesie. That thinges of hooly churche ben nat hadde as propre but as comē / and owe to be spēt in the vse that they be youen to. For alle that thou Clerke haste. more thanne suffiseth the to thy nedeful lyuynge / but thou yeue it and spende it in gode vse thou witholdest violently as a theef. Distinctione. xlvii. Sicut. And if clerkes haue patrimony. sufficiently of their owne to lyue by / if they waste the godes of holye churche that been ordeynede for pore folke. they do theft and sacrilege. xvi. q̄. i. in fi.

The xiii. chapter.

What is propirly sacrilege.

Sacrilegium est sacre rei violatio / vele / iusdem vsurpatio Vnde sacrile­gium quasi sacrilediū id est sac (rum) ledens. Sacrilege is defouling of holy thing / or mysusyng and mys takynge of holy thinge.

In how many maners is sacrilege done.

Sūtyme sacrilegie is done for the per­sone that is dispised and mysbo­den As whanne clerke or religi­ouse is beten or smyten in despit Sumtyme sacrilege is doon bi­cause of the place as whan churche or churcheyerde is pollute by blode shedyng or any holy place is reuyd of his fredom. Also sacrilege is done bicause of thing yat is stolen or mysused / and that in thre maners / Or for that holy thinge is taken out of holy pla­ce / or thinge nat holy oute of ho­ly place / or holy thinge out of no holy place. xvii. q̄. quarta. q ⁱsq ⁱs.

thā it semyth y ^t they yat witholde ther tithes fro god and holy churche / doo theft

So saith the lawe. xvi. q̄. vii decimas. For the tithes of hooly churche been the auowes of cris­ten people / raunsome of synnes. and patrimonie helpe and heritage of the pore people / and tribu­tes of the nedy soules. xvi. q̄. i. quia iuxta. et .c. decime. Where the lawe saith that tithes be deit to god. And alle that witholden them falsly they doo sacrilege / & robbe the pore folke of their go­des And he that witholdithe his tithes / wrongefully shalle aun­swere at yedome for asmany soules as perisshe for hungre and mischeife. in that parisshe.

[Page]Where he duellith. And he y ^e wole nat pay his tithes shal mysspede and his goode. shalle vanysshe / and he shalle haue sekensse. and sodeyne pouert. Ibidem .c. Re­uertimini. And if he paye his ti­this truly he shal haue helth of boby / and the more plentie of gode and grace of god / & foryeuenesse of synne / and the kingdom̄ of heuyn. As saith the lawe / ibidm̄ c ^o. decime. Et Raymundus in sūma sua li.i. titulo de decimis. And therfore the lawe saith there that god axith nat the tithes for yifte ne for nede but for worship yat we shuld knowlege him our lorde and yeuer of al gode He axith of vs the tenthe part for oure ꝓfit nat for his ꝓfit It is a synne to paie late / but moche more syn is neuir to pay ibm̄ x.c.

Of what thinges is a mā boūde to tithe

Of corne in heruyst / of wyne in wēdage / of fruyt. of bestial / of gardeyn / of yerde / of medowe / of venery / of hyues / of fisshing. of wyndmyl. and of watermylle / xvi q̄. vii. Quicū (que) et c ^o sequenti. Extra. li.iii. ti. xxx ^o pastoralis. And as Raymonde saith Tithes owe to be youen of al the frutes of ye erthe Of apples of tres / of erbes of pastures / of bestes / of wolle. of mylk / of hey / of fisshinge / of fermes / of mylles / of bathes / of fullynge places / of mynes of sil­uer & of other metal / of q̄reris of stone / of marchaundise of craste and of other goodes and also of tyme li ^o i ^o. ti ^o xii. And as saith hostiensis libro iii. [...]odē titulo Of euery thing rightfully goten a man shulde tithe and of his ser­uyce and of his knyghte shippe.

Moche thinge is wele geten and with lytel auātage of them that gete it. and oft with grete losse / and therfore me thynketh it is vnskilful that a man shulde tithe his chaf­fare and his crafte or his seruyce or his trauayle there his wynnīg is lytel or noughte.

Ther been ii. maner tithes. Sū me come of therth / as corne wyn bestiale that is brought forth by the londe And suche tithes ben clepyd prediales in latyne Su­me tithes come onlye of the par­sone / as by marchaundise. and werkmāshippe / and suche tithes ben clepyd parsonales in latyne.

And in suche tithes that been parsonales / and comen of marchaundise. Or of crafte / or of suche. other trauayle / a man shal accompte his expenses / and loke whether he is encreasyd / or natt. And tithe his wynnynge and his free encreases. [Page] in payng of tithes prediales yat come of the londe / he shal nat a­counte expēses but frely pay the tithe neither worste ne beste but. but as they cūme to honde with­outen chois Extra li.iii. e. ti. pastoralis. et c. cū homines. Nathe lesse if a man for deuocion yeue the best to god / it is prisable and wele doon

Shulde mē tithe al thing y ^e newyth

Thinges y ^t ben taxed in the lawe men shulde tithe / nat al thynge that newithe / for moche thynge newith that is natt profitable. And though it be profitable. yitt it is nat worshipful as houndes. and cattes.

I suppose a man cūme by fre yift of by succession and by heritage to gret lordship and moche richesses / or take frely grete yiftes / is he bounden to yeue the tenth part of that eri­tage or of tho yiftes to holy churche.

Nay. for so al pos­cessions and lordshippes shulde falle to hooly churche. Extra e. pastoralis glosa. And if a riche man yaue a pore mā x pēs to bye him w ^t a clothe. or to pay his dettes / or els to his lyuynge. he shulde paie the tithe to the p̄st and that were ayenst reason For if al free yiftes shulde be tithed. holy churche shulde be to riche. & the people to pore For soo he might axe the tenthe part nyghe of euery testamament

The xiiii chapter.

To what churche shal man paie his tithes.

Tithes ꝑsonales as of marchaundise & of crafte man shal pay to his parisshe churche. there he duellith and takith his sacramentes / and herith his ser­uyce But tithes prediales shuld be paied to the church / to whiche maner and the londe longith to. but custome be in the contrarie. as saith sūma conf. Tithes p̄ ­diales shulde be youen / anon in the begynnyng / but tithes ꝑso­nelles may abyde til the ende of the yere for the more auantage. of the churche

Howe shulde the tithes be spent

The tithes and the godes of ho­ly churche shulde be departed in foure partes / after that the parties haf nede and be worthy One to the busshop if him nede Ano­ther to the ministres of the chur­che. The tridde to pore folke The iiii. to amendmēt and ma­king of the churche if it nede .xii. q̄. iiii. quatnor. where the glose concludith and saith yat clerkes shulde be compellyd to reꝑacion [Page] of the churche and nat the lewde people x. q̄. i. decernimꝰ. But as saith Guy do in rosario in y ^e men must take hede to custome of ye cuntre and what the part is that longith to the churche

I suppose y ^t the curate of the chirch waste the godes of holy churche. in synne and ī lechery / and be an open theef or an open lechour or mansleer / so that his misleuyng. is sclaunderous & notorie. shuld men pay their tithes to such wic­ked lyuers

Hostiensis saith that if the prest or curate or curate of the church mispende holy churche godes. or be a notorie lechoure / the lewde man is natt bounde to yeue him his tithes But he shal yeue them to his so­ueraigne nexte aboue him which is bounde to spende them in pro­fytte of the church / or of the pore parisshyns

The lawe is ayenst him Extra li.iii· ti. de decimis c. tua nos. where the lawe saith that for wyckednesse of the minystres of holy churche. men shuld nat withdrawe their tithes from them

Hostiensis aunswereth therto and saith yat as longe as their synne is pryue. men shulde nat withdrawe their tithes And so meneth that lawe. But whanne their synne is opē. and notorie thanne men shulde. nat paie to them but to ther soueraigne Thus saith Hostiensis in sū. sua. li.iii. Kubrica de decimis .S. et quare in fine And he al­legith many lawes for him and many lawes ben for him that he aledgith nat For the grete Clerk Gracianꝰ in the decrees y ^t is cheif booke of lawe canon saithe y ^t the clerke notarie lechour shulde ha­ue no part in the goodes of holy churche. distinct. lxxxi. Si quis amodo cū aliis caplīs sequenti­bus And ther saith the glose that to whome it is forboden to doo office in hooly churche / to him is forboden and interdiit his bene­fice But as the lawe saith there. To al suche notorie lechoures. prestes dekenes subdekenes ben forboden the offices of holy chir­che yat they shulde do no offices in holy churche / and the people is forboden to here their office. Therfore than their benefice. is forbodē thē til they amēde hem ibm̄ Siqui sunt prisbiteri Vpon whiche lawe saith Gwydo in rosario. That if prestes be founde suche open lechoures and male­factoures / their subgettes maye of their owne auctorite put them from their office / And natt abide sentence ne doome of their souereyn / al though the bisshop wer̄ fauourable to suffre suche. [Page] wycked liuers For why saith he suche been suspēded by the pope and by the lawe.

This sentence is wonderfulle and nat plesaunte to men of holy church and yit as me thenkith it is skil­ful For if any mā ought me dett and paied it to myne enemye / to strengith him in his malice ayēs me wyttyng wele that he shulde robbe me therof & nat paie it me. he dyd moche ayenst me and robbed me cruelly of my gode. And so as me thynkith do they y ^t paie tithes and dueties that longe to god and holy church and to pore folke / and paye theym. to suche wycked lyuers and open enemyes to god / for they been loste for euir Or if he kept them stille / or paied them to his souerayne. as Hostiensis saith / than were they sauf and holy churche & the pore people might be holpen therby

It is leful so to kepe them and nat ayenst the lawe / y ^t they aledge ayens hostiēsis and ayenst other clerkes & ayenst the comon lawe / for y ^e lawe acordeth with al other clerkes if it be wele vnderstonde. For these been the wordes of the lawe. Pretextu nequicie clericorum nequiunt e­as. s. decimas nisi quibus de mā dato diuino debētur suo arbitrio errogare Extra libro iii. de decimis­c. tua nobis. That is to saye in englisshe Lewde mē may nat vnder colour of wyckednes of clerkes yeue by their owne do me the tithes butt to theym that they been dette to / by the cōmaū dement of god. For it is nat leful to yeue awey a nother man­nes gode withouten the wylle of the lorde of the goode as saith ye lawe there. These wordes be nat ayenst Hostiense / for Hostiense. spekith of clerkes open lichours and open wycked lyuers.

This lawe spekith of clerkes whos synne is preuy and of hem that been defamed falsly by ma­lice of the people / and he biddeth there that they shulde be yeuone them ayen Also this lawe saithe that it shulde natt be youen but to them that it longith to by the commaundement of god But by the the commaundemente of god they longe nat to suche wycked lyuers. Therfore they shuld nat be youen to them. Also though they lewde man witholde his tithes and his dueties fro su­che wycked men in holy churche and paie them to his souerayne. or elles kepith them stylle for ꝓ­fytte of holy churche. in that he yeueth them nat away butt ke­pith thē sauf to ꝓfit of holy chir­che And that lawe men alledge. [Page] ayens hostien̄. s. tua nobis / spe­keth ayenst the lewde me. that yeue awey tithes of holy church. & dispende them as them likethe. and yeue them away to whom y ^e they wole / and this is nat lefulle withoutē autorite of busshopes. If the busshop or any hous of religion resceiue so many tithes in a parisshe by olde custome / that the curat of the churche may nat lyue honestly by his bn̄fice / than a certeyne porcion of the tithes. may be youen to that curate. for to lyue by. nat withstondyng ye olde custome Extra li.iii. de prebendis / c. extirpande / where the lawe saith / y ^t he that hath cure of a prisshe shulde serue it him self and nat by a nother / but nede of other cure compelle him therto

The xv chapter.

Shal holy church axe tithes ꝑsonales of ie­wys that duelle amonges cristē people

Nay. For they be nat of holy churche / and they take natt sacramentes of hooly churche ne seruyce of the curate. If a man gilously selle a porci­on of corne or it be tithed / bothe the byer and the seller ben bound to tithe it The seller for his gyle. and for he hathe the value of the tithe. And he y ^t bieth it is boūden for that corne passith to him. W ^t charge of they tithe. And so hooly churche may axe ye tithe of whe­ther of them that he wole But if he gete it of the one of theym / he may not axe it of the other But if the byer thought to gyle in his biynge if he paied the tithe after y ^e he bought it / the seller is boun­de to make him restitucion. And if the byer and the seller wist wel yat it was not tithed / them must bothe do penaunce as for thefte. And if the byer paie the tithe / the seller is boūde to restitucion but the byer bought it to suche a pris y ^t he may yit wele saue his owne If the corn be stole or it be tithed and the lorde of the corne wer̄ to slowe in the tithing & tithed natt after the custom̄ of the place but delayed it / holy church may axe of him the tithe of the corn̄ so stolen But if it be taken away with in the tyme of due tithynge he is nat bounde to restitucion of the tithes. Hec Raymundus li ^o i ^o de decimis.

Is a mā boūde by the precepte of god to paie al his tithes bothe prediales and ꝑsonales.

As Innocente the pope the thridde. Extra e. in aliquibus. and Reymonde also [Page] say Al the tithes must be payed that ben taxed by goddes lawe. Leuitici vltimo. And al other tithes bothe p̄diales and ꝑsonales after custome of the cuntre long approued For consuetude or cu­stome in lawe positif that is mā ­nes lawe. is expositour and ter­mynour of the lawe. Consuetu­do approbata est optima legum interpres. extra. li.i ^o ti. iiii. cū dilectus Et consuetudo est alteralex. But ther may no consuetu­de or custome be kept ayēst god­des lawe / ne ayenst lawe of kīde

Why badde god that mē shulde paie more the x. part thā a nother part.

For x is nombre so parfyte that it conteyneth al nombre For al nombres after x. ben made of ten and nō ­bres within x. And nyne is nombre vnparfite / and alle nombres within x ben vnꝑfite in regarde. of .x / And therfore god bad that men shulde yeue him. the tenthe part / and kepe to them self nyne partes / in token that al oure parfection cūmeth of god and to hī it must be arretted by prisynge & thankyng / and al oure imꝑfeccion cūmeth of oure self And ther­fore we witholde nyne partes to oure self / and yeue to god the .x. parte / so knowlechyng that alle oure ꝑfeccion and godenesse cū ­meth of him / and al oure imꝑfeccion cūmeth of our self And in token that he is our lorde and lord of al / and al yat we haue cūmey from him / as al oure nōbres ben conteyned in x / and come of x.

The xvi chapter

Is symonye any spice of theft

It is theft and sacrilege in that y ^t a man tretith and occupieth vnri­ghtful thinge that is nat his Of suche theues spekith Crist in the gospel. Qui non intrat ꝑ oftiū in ouile / sed ascendit aliūde / hic fur est et latro. Io. x.c. He yat entrith natt in the folde of hooly churche by the dore that is Crist. and takith nat his benefice frely by weye of almesse for cristes sa­ke but by symonye / he is a theif. & a mycher And al that so cūme. into the benefices of holy church by symonie / they ben mychers / & theues

What is symony

Symonye. is a studioꝰ couetise and wylle to bye or sel. thinge spirituel / or thing annex­ed or knytt to spirituel thynge. For as the philosophre saith nat only he that stelith priuelye / is a mycher But also he that wole stele priuely / is a mycher & a theif [Page] But here thou shalt vnderstonde that sūme thīges be forbodē. for they be symonyent as bieng and sellyng of the sacramentes of holy churche / in whiche wylle alo­ne withouten dede makith a mā giltie in symony Sūme thinges ben symonient only for they ben forboden by holy churche. As if a clerke resigne his churche in couenaunt that it shalbe youen to his neuewe or to sūme of his kyn suche wylle withouten dede maketh nat a man symoniēt ne gil­tie in symonye as anentes holy church / but if it be done only for profytt of the ꝑsone and nat for profytt of holy churche. he is giltie bifore god And if he resigne it frely in couenaunt and in wyl that it shalbe youen to hym that is more able to profyte to man­nes soule thāne he is him self / in that resignyng he dothe no symonye.

Wherof came the name of symonye

Of symon magus a grete wytche For he proferyd to seint Petir a grete sūme of money to haue grace of the holy goste to make men hole of seknesses / and to do wondres and to make the holy goste to li­ght in men and wymen / as seint petyr dyd But seint Petir forso­ke his money and saide to hym. Thy money be stylle with the in ꝑdicion and perisshing of damp­nacion / for thou wenyst to gete ye yift of god w ^t itactuū iiii And therfore alle that bye any thinge spirituel or any thinge knytt to spirituel thinge / ben clepyd pro­pirly symoniētes And they that selle it ben clepyd giezites Giezi te in latyne For Giezi the seruāt of Helisee the prophete toke me­de of the grete lorde Naman for that god hadde made him hoole. of his lepre / by the prophete He­lisee that was his maister And so he selde falsly the yifte of god. in asmoche as was in him / ayēst the wyl of god and of the ꝓphete helisee. And therfore he was a le­pre and al his kynne after hym. iiii ^o Regū v. Nathelesse comonly bothe bier and seller of spirituel thinge ben clepyd symoniētes For symon magꝰ dyd that was in him to bye the grace of the ho­ly goste / and was in purpos and wylle to selle it forth to other for money and for yiftes

In howe many maners is symonie doon.

In thre ma­ners as thing spirituel is bought and solde by thre maner yiftes For sūtyme it is bought by yifte of honde / sūtyme by yift of seruyce / sumtyme by yift of tūge / yift of the hōde is clepyd money and other richesses / yift of seruyce. is [Page] clepyd their seruyce youen nat ī due maner / ne rightfully to haue a thing spirituel / yift of tunge is fauoure flateryng and prayer y ^t men make them self or by other. so to haue spirituel thinges Also in resceyuyng of holy ordre is do symonye / sumtyme only on his side that makith orders As whā sūme frend of him that shalbe ordred yeueth the bisshop sūme yift withoutē the wityng of him yat shalbe ordred Sumtyme it is do only on his side that shalle be or­dred / as if he yeue any yiftes to any of the bisshopes officers to speke for him that he may be ordred and of whiche yift the busshoppe knowyth nat Sumtyme it is do of bothe the parties / as whan the one yeueth and the other takith. Sumtyme it is done and yitt in neither ꝑtie / as if a frende of him that shalbe ordred yeue or hote any thing to the bisshopes officers to help him in that cause / and nether he ne the bisshop knowith of tho yiftes. And in these ma­ners may also be done symonye. in yeuynge of benefices of hooly churche. If any man yeue any yift for me or pray for me that I may be ordryd or resceyue bene­fice if I ayensey and assent natt therto his yifte / ne his biheest / ne his prayer / lettithe nat fro myne ordres ne fro my benefice / but if I assent therto bifore or after payng the money that he behighte. I falle in symonye. And though it be neuir so preuy I must resigne / And if myn enemy yeue or bihete yiftes for my ꝓmocion ī wil so to let me by symone / and it be nat myn assente / his dede lettith me nat Extra libro iiii. de symonia c. sicut tuis litteris. If any frende yeue any yift me vnwyt­tyng for my ꝓmocion / and after that I wyste therof or I wer̄ clepyd of the busshop to my ꝓmoci­on. and I wyst it wele y ^t I shuld nat be clepid but for y ^e yift I shuld nat resceyue that ꝓmocion. Hec sū. conf. li.i. ti. i.

The xvii chapter

May no thinge be youē lefully for thing spū el.

yhis. For both yift of honde of tonge and of seruice. may be youē for spirituel thinge ¶yift of honde may be youē for spūel thing in v. cases as saithe Reymunde. First if it be youen frely for deuocion and for reue­rence of the sacrament & of spūel thing withoutē any couenāt. or any axing of the taker. But for to yeue any thing by wey of couenaunt or biyng / or sellyng / or of chaungyng it is nat leful And if it be dout whether the yift be yo­uen [Page] by couenaunt or by euyl en­tencion / mē muste take hede. to the state of the yeuer / & of the ta­ker whether the riche yeue the pore / or the pore to the riche. or ry­che to riche Also to the quātite of the thifte / whether it be of greate price or of lytel price. Also to the tyme of the yeuyng / whether ī tyme of nede or in other tyme And so by these circumstaunces deme in wh ^t maner it was youen The secoūde cas is / whanne mē yeue frely to any man of holy church. any thing for spūal dedis as for certeyn seiyng and syngynge to whiche he is nat boūde. The iii. case is whanne it is youē to clerkes for spūel dedes to the whiche they bē boūde of office For ther is no man boūde to trauayle for noughte / ne the curate serue the churche for nought / ne the p̄chor to traueyle for nought And therfore seint poule saith that they y ^t serue the auter shal lyue by thauter. And so god hath ordeyned y ^t they y ^t p̄che the gospel. shal lyue by the gospel. Prima ad co (rum) ix. Nathelesse the more frely that a man p̄chith the more is his mede And though he axe nat ye peple is bounde to yeue him freely / As saith seint austyn suꝑ illud Producēs fenū iumētis. The iiii. cāe is to haue lyf withoutē ēde. & fory euenes of synne Therfor̄ Daniel saide to the kynge Na­bugodonosor Pctā tua elimo si­nis redime Dan̄ iiii. Bye ayen thy synnes with almesse / nat yat we may bie heuene / ne foryeue­nesse of synne / but by almesse doyng we may deserue to haue for yeuenesse of syn / & heuene blysse and so biynge is taken for deser­uynge. The fift cause is whāne a man for to haue peas byeth a­way the wronge that ht suffryth in spūel right whāne he is syker. y ^t his cause is rightful. Extra de symonia c. Dilecto filio

The xviii. chapter.

What peyne is or­deyned ayēst symonye.

If a clerke be a symo­nient in takyng of his ordre / he is suspendyd of his ordre both a­nentis him self and anētes other so y ^t he may nat do execucion of his ordre And whether his symo­nie be pryue or apert he is suspē dyde. And if he be cōuicte bifore his iuge / shalbe deposed. & vna­bled to eūy worship & lese ye mo­ney y ^t he paied therfore And he y ^t ordryd him wyttyngly by symo­nie / or yaue him bn̄fice by simo­nie or he th ^t resceyueth any bn̄fi­ce by symonye / or is meane ther­to though their syn be priuy / yitt they be suspendyde. as anentes [Page] them self. And if it be open / they ben suspēdyd both anētes theim self and anētis other And he y ^t taketh his benefice w ^t symonye / he must resigne & make restitucion of al the ꝓfyt y ^t he hath take ther of / & for the ꝓfyt y ^t might haue be taken therof for his tyme. For it is a general rule in the lawe that who so occupieth any thing wiyoutē rightful title / he is boundē to restitucion of al the harmes & of al ꝓfyt y ^t came therof / or miȝt haue come therof for y ^e tyme / sa­uyng hi [...] expensis y ^t he spent ī ꝓ­fyt & saluacion of y ^t thyng And bothe clerke & lewyd man y ^t doth symonye / he is acursed in y ^e dede. And if it may be preuyd / y ^e lewde man shulbe accursed openly ī holy churche. Prima q̄. i. reꝑiūtur.

If the officer of the bus­shop axe of custome any yiftes ī makinge of ordres / in sacrynge of busshopes / in blessynge of ab­bottes / if they y ^t shulde be ordryd or blissed or sacryd / yeue them suche yiftes. for custome that they allege / is it symonye.

If he yeue it principaly for such custome & for their axing it is symony But if he yeue it frely / nat for ther axing ne for custome ne by couenaunt / it is no symonye But most siker it is that he yeue none thanne ne for thanne / for it is lyke symony. And seint Poul biddeth y ^t mē shuld absteyne thē from euery wycked liknesse Also they that yeue or take any thīge by wey of custome or of couenāt for blessyng of weddynges for sepultures / for diriges / for creame or oile / or for any sacramente in whiche is youen grace he doithe symony. If any curate or ꝑisshe preest for yiftes / for prayer. for loue / for frēdship / hide a opē syn of his parisshyn obstinate in syn or recounseile him that wole nat amēde him / or for hate & enemy / te wole nat recounseyl him that wole amende him / or for hate or loue or yift or prayer putteth a­ny mā or womā / from the sacra­mentes of holy churche / he dothe symony. If a preest be bounden of office to say a messe / or dirige. & such other prayers & he axe money therfore / he dothe symonye. But if he be nat boūde therto of office / and he hath nat his nede­ful lyuyng he may take money for his trauayle and lett his tra­uayle to hyre by daies and yeres as annuelers done / as saith Reymunde. Et extra ne p̄lati. vices suas & c ^o vltimo. But if he haue sufficient lyuynge and he be nat bounde to say that messe or diri­ge / thanne he shalle say it freely. or elles nat say it For elles it se­meth [Page] that he doth it principally. for couetise. If a prest haue said a masse if he say a nother masse. that day for money or for to ha­ue thanke of the world / he doth symone. De con. di. i. sufficit.

The xix. chapter

If religiouse or se­culer clerkes in auaunce­ment of their kynnesmen make couenaūt to giddre and say / As­sent thou to auaunsynge of my neuewe and I shal assēt the auā syng of thy neuewe Or elles one saith that aslonge as I lyue shal ther no grace of any auaūsemēt. passe while I may lette it / but I haue this grace for him yat I p̄y for. do these any symonye.

It is symonye. For the lawe saith. Absit omīs ꝑactō cesset omīs conuentio .i. q̄. ii. qm̄ pio. In spirituel thinges euery couenaunt shulde be awaye / euery conuencion cease. If the cu­rate wole nat burye the dede bo­dy / ne suffce it to be buried / but ī couenaunt that he shal haue his bedde or his best clothe / or sūme other thing he doth symone. alle though it be custome to paye. y ^t he axith. And therfore he shulde frely bury the dede and blesse thē that been nedy / and so absteyne him fro euery spice of symonye. and afteward compelle them to pay and kepe gode customes / if that they might wele do it for pouert. Extra e. ad apostolicam If a preest wole nat baptise but he haue money therfore he dothe symonie. And rather the lewyd man or womā shulde baptise the childe / thanne yeue money ther­fore And if he wer̄ of age y ^t shuld be baptised. and there were noo man ne woman butt the preeste. though he were in peryl of dethe he shulde rather die without baptyme of water / thanne he shulde be baptised by symonie. For in that case the baptym of the holy goost suffiseth to him Euery mā and woman may baptise for ne­de. If any patrone yeue a be­nefice in couenaunt that he that resceyueyth it shal helpe him tē ­porally and his also / it is symo­nye Extra e. nemo. And if he yeue it to sūme of his kynne soo to magnifye him self / and to be the more mighty worldly by auā syng of his kynrede / it is symone And if a patrone selle a patronage by the self / or selle the maner y ^t is annexed therto / the more dere for the patronage / he doth symonye As saith Petrus tarentinus [Page] suꝑ quartum sent. distinct xxv. And therfore he saith that chop­pyng of churches withoutē auc­torite of the bisshop / is symony. And he saith there also that right of patronage may natt be solde. but it passith forthe with biynge of the londe that it longith to. If prechours or pardonystris or other folke that goo for almesse. pray the parisshe preest or the curate to ꝓcure them sūme gode in their parisshe in couenaunt y ^t the preest or the curat shal haue a certeyn part therof / it is symony as anentis the preest / for both do sysymony / and also they do sacrilege & theft / in that y ^t they defraude men of their gode / and put it nat in the almesse that they yeue it to and both the preste and the par­donistre be boūde to restitucion.

The xx. chapter.

IF a man or woman / yeue money to be resceiued īto house of religion / and so in religion in couenaunt y ^t he or she shall yeue a certeyn money to ye hous it is symonie though it be comen custome so to yeue Nathelesse if he be resceyued frely as the lawe wole / he dothe no symonie. Ex­tra e. sicut ꝓ certo et c. in tantum c ^o veniens. c ^o. audiuimus c. Iacobus. Nathelesse if the house be pore & ouircharged w ^t y ^e ꝑsone so cladde / they may afterward pray the frēdes of that ꝑsone / of sūme almesse in releuynge of the hous and of that charge. If a man or a woman yeue money to prestes riche or pore / for trental / for ānuel / for yerday / or for to say messe of the holy goost or other masses or to yeue money to clerkes / for saynge of psalters or of diriges. or to pore men in couenaunte of certein prayers / with intencion so to bye their prayers he doth symonye. scdm̄ glosam Willī / et vt habetur in sū. con. li.i. ti. i. q̄ xlii. And yit as he saith there / it is le­fulle to take and to yeue money and other temporel thinges / for suche spirituel thing / and for p̄yer by wey of deuocion and of fre yift / so to excite deuocion and loue of ꝑsones the more to pray for them. And in this maner men may yeue to colleges certein money to kepe their yereday / nat by wey of couenaunt of biyng / and of sellynge / but so to stirre theim frely to graunt them their axing by wey of more charite and mor̄ beuocion. For suche spirituel thing may nat be solde And therfore men shuld yeue their goode [Page] frely to men of hooly churche by weye of amesse / and they shulde take it frely by wey of almesse And the yeuer w ^t his yifte of charite may axe certein prayers. of them that he yeueth to / & if they grauntyd him they ben bounden to kepe their graunt Therfore saith seint Austyne that the apo­stelys toke frely their liuynge of them that they prechyd frely to. And as grete synne it is the prest to sel his prayer / as the prechour to selle his prechynge. Criste badde ī the gospel that mē shuld make them frendes of the riches­ses of this world yat they might resceyue them into endlesse tabernacles that is to say yat they mi­ght so pray for hem y ^t they might be resceyued into blisse And thus muste alle men of holy churche. take their lyuyng if they wol be clene oute of symony. For they may nat sell ther office that they do in holy churche / ne their prayer / but by fre yiftes take their sufficient lyuelode Extra ne p̄lati. vices suas. c ^o qm̄ enormis.

Con̄tra. It is ordeyned by constitucion synodalle what money a parissh preest and what an annueler shuld take

That is natt for his office but it is done to lett the false couetise. of men of holy churche / to putte in certein hou moche is sufficiēt: to their lyuyng that they shulde no more axe. ne men no more yeue theym. But if it be nat sufficient / they may take more by leue of their prelates And that taxinge is natt ordeigned by the ye­uer of the money / but by the prelates of holy churche bothe anentis symonye and ayenst false co­netyce of their clerkes.

The xxi. chapter

It semeth by thy wordes / that they y ^e synge the golden trentalle. go fulnigh symonye For they make wounderful couenaunte. of their syngyng.

Leue frende thou shalt vnderstond that couenaūt makynge maketh ofte symonye that shulde elles make no symo­nye / As if the yeuer axe what it is worthe to synge many messys and the preest answereth twenty shillynges. or ten shillynges / or a noble. Or if the yeuer seye. syr what wylt thou take to syn­ge it. and the preest answere and sey no lesse than twenty shillyn­ges. or ten shyllynges. and thus bargeyne and broke. aboute the syngynge of the messe. that may [Page] nat be folde ne boughte / as men do in biynge and sellynge / of an horse / thanne they falle bothe in cursed symony. Also if the yeuer say to the preest in his bar­gaynynge / that he shal synge for certeyne soules and for no moo and he bihotith him soo / thanne ben they bothe accursed for that foule symonye And also for it is ayenst charite / for the preeste is bounden to synge for alle cristen And for the mo he prayeth in special by weye of charite / the more he plesith god. and the more ben tho soules holpen / for whiche he takith his sellarie. And in that he byndeth him to say speci / alle messes in certeyne tyme / He muste in cas leue the messe of the daye that he is bounden to. if he be a curate & so dothe symonye. as saith Raymounde / and other clerkes. ¶Also he dothe in that ayenst the ordenaūce of ho­ly churche. Extra libro tercio de celebratione missarum. c. secūdo where it is boden that ther shuld noman leue masse of the day for other specialle messes / As of the Trinitie / oure lady. or other nat for it is euyl to here or to say su­che specialle messes. but for it is euyl to leue messes of the day for suche special messes. as saith the glose. Neuirthelesse if a man wole here suche special messes in reuerēce of the Trinite or of our lady / it is wele done / so that he leue nat messe of the daye for such messes.

Thanne me thynkethe that curates. that been bounden to say messe of the day / to the parissh / or ī cas messe of Requiem / may nat wele syng suche golden trentalles.

That is sothe / ne no preest that hathe sufficiēt lyuynge by other salarie. And therfore it is forbo­dē the synodales of englonde / y ^t any persone or wyker shuld ma­ke couenaunt with his parisshe preest / that he shulde besides his salarie. take annuel or trentalle or any such other / that they clepe vantages. Inhibemus districtius. But they shal yeue to their parisshe preest sufficient salarie. Wherby they may lyue withoutē suche false couetise. And in the constitucion of Lambeth the secounde chapter / it is bodē that no preest shalle bynde him to su­che special messes / by the which they myghte be lettyd. that they mighte natt serue the churche / of laufulle seruyce. of the daye / as they be boūde.

Sithen than it is so that messe of the day is as gode as suche speciall mes­ses / and that it is as gode or bet­ter to here and to say messe of the [Page] daye as suche special messes / me thynketh that by suche maner sī gynge of golden trentales / sou­les been moche disceyued.

That is sothe For tho thritty messes that they axe / as they say muste be in doynge al a yere nerehande / there they might haue thritty messes as helply / to the soule oute of peyne / withyn thritty daies. For in suche syng­yng is done moche symony. mo­che ypocrisie and moche folie. For sūme prestes faitoures telle the people that but the messes be saide in thre daies principally of tho feestes / that is to saye in the festis and in two daies next fo­lowynge / elles the soules be nat holpen by tho messes And so if the preest felle seke tho thre day­es so that he might nat synge / although he had sung alle thother messes / that trental mighte nat be done that yere by their oppinion. And soo in cas he shulde happen to be in syngyng of one tren­tal x. yere / or twenty yere / there as he might euery yere synge his annuel. Also if oure ladies day in lente falle on gode friday he may nat thanne synge tho iii. messes. Also sūme prestys bihighte to faste brede. and water / and to were the here eue­ry day whanne they shal synge. any of tho masses for tho soules And so them must fast brede and water / and were the heire on Cri­stmasse day Ester day / and nigh alle the high [...]estis of the yere /

Also they say that they muste haue a specialle Orison / that is nat of the missalle / ne approued of holy churche / butt ofte repre­uyd. or elles as they say the mes / ses ben litel or nought to profyt of the soules. And thus by faitrie and ypocrisie many foole prestys bihight more and bynde theym to more for x. shillinges. thanne a gode preest wolde doo. for x. marke.

And they say that Seynt Gregorye. ordeyned that maner of singyng to haue his modre oute of purgatorie. And therfore they clepe it. seynt Gregories trental

They lye on seynt Grigory For his modre was a ful holy womā as we fynde in his lyf. And we fynde nat that seint gregory dyd any preeste synge in that maner. for any soule But we fynd libro iiii. dialogo (rum) That whan seint gregory knewe by reuelacion y ^t one of his monkes was in harde peyn of purgatorie for he hadde been a proprietarie vnto the ty­me of his diynge / seint Gregory [Page] badde one of his monkes which he leet a gode man syng for him thritty messes day by day And in the thritty daye the dede monke. apperyd to the same monke and thankyd him / for vnto this tym saide he I haue be in harde peyn but nowe I am deliueryd. And seynt Gregory tellith alsoo libro quarto dialogorum. that a soule apperyd to a preest and p̄yed him that he wold haue mynde of him in his messe And he songe for him seuene daies by and by. and so the soule was deliuered For better it is to deliuer a soule oute of peyne within vii. daies. or xxx. thanne so to let him lan­gore in peyne al ye yere whanne he might be holpen within thrit­ty daies And so wolde euery mā. and woman that is in bodily disease and in prison. And he were no gode frende that lete his frēde lyue in prison al a yere / whanne he might haue hym oute within vii. daies or within xxx. daies.

The xxii. chapter.

And so it may be y ^t the feend fonde vp the golden trental so to langore soules in their peyne / there they shulde the soner be deliuered.

Therfore seint Gregory .iii ^o. et quarto dialogo (rum). shewith by many an example that it is beste to synge for the soules day by daye if the preeste be wele disposed to synge so. And he shewith there y ^t lettyng of any day syngynge. is grete disese to the soules / for thei desire ful moche to be deliueryd. oute of their peyne But the peo­ple by faitre of couetous clerkes is so blent. that they haue leuyr. to yeue xx. shelinges to langore the soules in peyne al a yere / thā to yeue xx. shillinges or x. to haue them oute within a monethe. or moch lesse tym But leue frēde better it wer̄ to yeue xx shillīges to helpe them in haaste with the worship of god and of holy churche. than for to yeue xx shillin­ges late to helpe theym and that with offence of god. and p̄iudice of holy church And better it is to haue four score messes / sunge to gidre day by day for twenty shil­linges thāne to haue thritty messes songe in the long yere for xx shillinges For why ye may for twēty shillinges do singe a quarter of an annuel and do the sou­les haue part nat only of thritty messes / but of asmany messes as be pens ī xx shilīgis For though ye yeue a thousande poūde for a [Page] messe. the preest may nat appro­pre that messe to any soule / butt only praye for him after y ^t he is bounden / & he must put his praier in the wylle of god / and in his plesaunce / for in cas the soule y ^t he praieth fore is dampned And parauenture a pore mā. that no preest thinketh on in special / yat died in more charite than he that the preest praieth fore in special. shal rather be holpē by the messe of the preest thanne he for whom he prayeth in special. More ouir leue frende vnderstōde that praier is a grete gracious yift of god. For as say the clerkes holy praier is a stiyng vp of mannes herte and womannes to god. Oratio est ascensus mentis ī deum. And that may no man haue withouten special yift of god For Criste saith in the gospel / y ^t ther cūmeth no man to him / but ye fader of heuene drawe him by inwarde gostely mocion that is inwarde deuocion / And with­outen this inwarde deuocion p̄yer of mouth is right noghtworth And therfore it is gode sumtyme to yeue almesse to a gode preeste whiche hath neede of almesse to meue him to pray for you yat ye may haue the grace of god & swetenesse in him by the praier of the p̄ste and your almesse. Natheles ye shall nat yeue him almesse to cōstreyne him to certeyn prayer. after your deuise so to let him of his deuocōn. Ne ye shal nat ye­ue him almesse with intēcion to let him to pray for whom that he wole after that his deuocion is & after y ^e god yeueth hī grace. For alway the prest must be more fre to pray thāne ye may be to yeue. ne ye may nat with your yift cō ­streyne him ne lett him to praye for whom that he wole praye. For al thoughe the preest be ar­tyde by the lawe of his takynge ther may though noo lawe arte him of his praier but that he shal alway be fre to praye for whom that he wole / and as his deuoci­on is for al cristen / and for the cō uersion of al hethen folke. And therfore leue frende ye shal yeue freely to the preest what you ly­keth so to excite his deuocion to pray for you and the more to haue you in loue and mynde in his prayers / nat to lese his charite to pray for other. For the mo that he praieth fore by wey of charite the more profite it is to you and to your freendes soules. that he syngith fore.

The xxiii. chapter.

[Page]

thy speche semethe to me ful reasonable But I pray the if religiouse / or secu­ler clerkes selle any grounde of scūarie in church or churchyerde to buriynge of dede bodies / is it symonye

Neither the office of buriyng ne the grounde of sanctuarie may be solde to buriyng withoute symony Tercia q̄. ii. &c. postqm̄ / et in sūma cōf. li. i. ti. xvi. q̄. prima. Moch more thanne it is symonie to sel the grounde of sanctuarie in church or in church yerde to chapmen to sett on their bothes and their stalles for to make goddes house an house of marchandise / and a den of theuys ayenst the lore of crist.

And if the colleges or curates. selle the rynginge of their belles at buriynges or at diriges / soo y ^t they wole nat suffre their belles. be ronge but they haue a certein money therfore / it is symonye / & to selle the office of ryngynge is symony. Nathelesse the ryngers may take for their trauayle And he that hath thoffice of ryn­gyng frely yeuen to him may let that office to hire withouten sy­mony In sūma. conf. li.i ^o ti ^o.i.

It semyth by thy speche that clerkes charged sūtyme moche the vyce of symony

It muste be chargyde. for it is a synne y ^t god punyssheth ful hard For as Ierom Austyn & Grego­ry say / symone of the preestes of the olde lawe was one of the prī ­cipal causes. Why god distroyed the cite and the temple of ierusa­lē / and the kingdome of iewes

Is it symone if colleges of religious or of seculers abbot or priour selle oute of their hous lyuerunse

Many clerkes sey that it is no symony / but it is a ful vnsiker marchaundise And I dare say that it it sacrile­ge and theft ful nighe symonye. For why the godes of holy chur­che so wele endowed ben youen to helpe of the pore & to kepe hospitalite nat to selle them ayen to riche mē to mayntene them ī vnlust and in bodily ease But that the clerkes that serue the church shall lyue therby / and to spende the remenant in hospitalite / and in almesse to the pore people. And so the godes of that colleg­ges been nat here but as dispen­soures. For they been the poore mēnys to whom and for whom tho were yeuen And by suche ly­uerūses / the colleges be brought to pouertie / and the pore and the seke that shulde be holpen ther­by / been fraudyd / and robbyd of their righte And persones been made riche / and the comynutee. [Page] ouir pore & charite is exiled oute of the cōgregacion For whanne the money is paied the religious that solde the lyuersūnes desire the deth of the bier And comōly. suche lyuersūnes ben solde in hope that the byer shal sone dye / or in hope y ^t in his endynge he shall yeue to them al his gode or mo­che therof passynge his couenāt And so sellyng of suche lyuersū ­nes is ferre from charite. and de­pe groundid in false couetise & it is yift and sacrilege in that y ^t thei so minystre the godes of the pore folke and selle theym aweye / by which godes the pore folk shuld be holpen / and so bothe the byer. and the seller do sacrilege. For these skylles and many moo sel­lyng and biyng of suche lyuersū nes ben vtterly forboden. by the lawes of holy churche. in cōstitutionibus octo bon̄. c ^o. volentes.

The xxiii. chapter.

Is vsurie & gonel. any spice of theft

In cas it is ful greate thefte.

What is ꝓpirly vsurye.

Vsure is a wynnyng axed by couenaunt of lenyng. and for lenyng / as saith Raymunde li ^o / iii. [...]. ti. And it is done mooste comonly in thinges of nombree. of weight & of mesure / as in mo­ney y ^t is tolde / or metall or other thinge that is weyed / or in corne oyle wyne / y ^t is mesured.

Howe many spices been they of vsury.

Raymounde saith that ther ben ii. spices of v­sure / one is spūel and rightful of whiche Crist spekith in the gos­pel Luce xix. Quare non dedi­sti pecuniā meā ad mensam. &c. Why yaue thou natt my money to the borde / y ^t is to say my grace & my yiftes to ꝓfyt of other men by open cōmunicacion. And soo spirituel vsure is clepyd multi­plicacion of the yiftes of god / & of the graces that god hath youē to man or womā nat to hyde thē but to comyne them forth to profytt of other And so with the grace and the yift that god hath yo­uen to man for a litel trauayle. to wynne an hundryd folde me­de in heuene. Another vsurie is bodily vsure and vnrightful. that cūmeth of false couetise by couenaunt of lenynge. For if wynnyng come frely to the lener for his lenynge withouten coue­naunt / so that his intencion wer̄ nat corrupt in his lenynge / but y ^t he lente principaly for charite / & nat principaly for worldly wynnyng / it is none vsure al though he hope to haue and so haue auā tage [Page] by his lenyng But if he lēt prīcipaly in hope of worldly wī ­nyng whether he lent it with co­uenaunt or without couenaunt of wynnynge for his fals coue­tous intencion he dothe vsure / & is an vsurer Therfore Crist saiy in the gospel. Date mutuū nihil inde sꝑantes. Luce vi. ¶yeue ye your lone hopyng no wynnyng therof / that is to say / as saith the glose Do ye it prīcipaly for god. and nat for man / but hope ye prī cipaly to haue your mede of god y ^t biddith you lene And thanne whether the borower pay or nat pay god shal yelde you your mede.

May the lener axe no thīg of the borower for his le­nynge.

No money ne thinge that may be measured by money / neither mete ne drynke. ne cloth / ne yift of honde of tūge ne of seruyce. But other thing y ^t may nat be mesured by moneye. he may axe / as loue and charite. gode wylle and gode frenshippe for his lenyng

Why is vsurie holden so grete asynne.

For the vsurer sellith to gidre the thing that he lenyth and the vse of the thing And therfore vsure cūmyth of the selling of the vse. The vsurer sellith the thinge that he lenyth in that yat he takithe more ouir for the vse. of the thinge. ¶Wherfore thou shalt vnderstonde that many thī ges ther be that may nat be vsed withouten waste and distructiō. of the thinge / as mete and drink and suche other / and in suche the vse may nat be departed from ye thing. But nedes he that graun­tith the thinge / grauntith the vse of the thing / and they may natt be solde a sundre. And in suche thinges / if the seller take for the vse he sellith that thinge twyes. and sellith thinge that noughte is. For the vse of that thinge is fulle waste therof. and for suche sellynge of the vse it is clepyd vsury. For the vsurer sellith the thinge in it self and the vse ouir. Sūme thīges ther be ī which the vse is nat full distruccion of the thinge / as vse of an house is the duelling or occupacion therof / & ī suche the lordship of the thinge may be graūtid withoutē the vse & the vse withoutē the lordship. And so a mā may take his hous y ^t he letith to hire ayē to hī & ouir take for the vse of the hous But as the philosop̄. saith v ^o iii. politico (rum). the vse of money is chaū ­ging of one for a nother to helpe and ese of the comynute whiche chaungyng is destruccion of the money and wastynge in maner. In that he that chaungithe it. [Page] for other thing so spent it away. And therfore it is vnleful. for to take any thing for the vse y ^t ow ^t to be comen to al / as it is ordey­ned to help and ease of al And therfore it suffiseth y ^t the lener ta­ke ayen the euyne value / & if he take more ouir for the vse he doy vsure / and he is bounde to resti­tucion

Contra. God yaf leue to the iewes to take vsure of other nacions.

That was to fle the more euyl / for els they wolde haue taken vsurie of their brethern for couetise / and y ^e god forbade them & grauntyd to them to take vsure of other naci­ons about them & amonge them bothe to spare their owne nacion and also to gete so ayen in ꝑtie y ^t longid to them by the graunt of god For al y ^e lōde theraboute enhabite with the hithen peple lon­gyd to the iewes by the graunte of god / & wrongfully the hethen peple withelde moche londe fro them.

The xxv. chapter.

IF lordes of mylnes. lene money to bakers / or to o­ther folke in couenaunte. y ^t they shal nat grynde but at their mylles they do vsurie & so lete theim that they may nat grynde freely where they wole. And if they be harmed therby / the leners be boū den to make restitucion. But if they be nat harmed therby. they be nat bounde to restitucion but for that they let them of their fre­dome / sumdele they ben bonndē. And the same is of chapmē. that selle to creaūce to let the bier frō other chapmen / or bicause of her lenyng selle to theym more dere. thanne to other. Suche sellers ben bounde to restitucion / in y ^t the bier be harmed and hyndryd. If the lener or ony other mā wol nat yeue to his dettour lenger tyme of paiement whanne he may nat kepe his day assigned / but he haue sūme yifte / thoughe he axe no yift opēly he doth vsure And if a chapmen selle the more dere. for the lenyng of his price thāne he shulde selle if he paied anoon he doth vsure. and he is bounden to restitucion Extra li. e. ti. consiluit If the borower vpon v­sure faile of his day of payment. he that is his borowe may paye that money with the vsure to ye lenner. & do his dettour for who­me he is borowe pay to him ayē. that money with the vsure. For it is to the borowe none v­sure. For he wynneth nought therby / but so fleeth myscheyf. [Page] that shulde elles falle to him If a man be cōpelled to borowe money with vsure for falhede of his dettoure that wole nat paie him at his terme that false dettour is boūden to make restitucion nat ōly of his det / but also of ye vsur̄ yat he was compelled to pay for his falshede / or elles deliuer him out of daunger if it be yit to pay Extra libro tercio de fideiussori­bus. c. ꝑuenit. et c. cōstitutus. If a man or a woman lene x. shelinges at Ester or in other tyme. to resceyue asmany busshellis of whete at mighelmesse / & ye whete be better for that tyme thanne is the money / & it be in doute skil­fully whether the whete shalle be more worthe or lesse. in tyme of paymēt it is noon vsure. But if it were semly that it shuld be more worth in tyme of paymēt and he lent the money in hope of yat lucre he dyd vsure. Extra e. titulo nauiganti. et in sūma conf. libro ii. titulo vii. If the seller selle a thing for the more price bicause that he abideth of his pay. he doth vsure And if the bier bye a thing for lesse than it is worthe for y ^t he paieth bifore or the thing bought may be taken to him / he dothe vsurie. ibidē in sūma cōf. If a man lene siluer or wyne to haue ayen the same quātite ī cer­teyn tyme / only in hope that the same quātite shalbe more worth in tyme of paymēt / he doth vsur̄ And if the dettour wole pay him his det bifore that tyme to fle his owne harme / and he wole nat take it of him to the tyme assigned of the pay ^t so to wynne by his lenyng / he doth vsurie. If a man lene money to resceyue a certein tyme corne wyne or other thing therfore / he shal take asmoch as cūmeth therto in tyme of pay ^t & no more If a man lene money to resceyue other maner money. therfore ī certeyn tyme to wynne therby & so to charge hi [...] dettour he doth vsurie. If a man selle a thynge for certein price. as the market gothe in tyme of the sel­ling in couenaūt that if it be bet­ter worth bifore ester that he shal pay so moche more / and though it be lesse / worthe he shalle paye noo lesse. he doth vsure. If the byer bye hors or other bestes for lesse price than they be worth in tyme of biyng. to resceyue theim after in certeyn tym̄ of feire / it is vsure / but he wene sikerly / that it shulde be thanne only so moch worth or lesse worth. but if he wene that they shulde be that tyme more worthe it is vsure.

The xxvi. chapter.

[Page]IF a man let his horse / his oxe or cowe to hire / in couenaunt that if the best die or appeyre / he that hireth it shal stond to half losse and to half wīnyng if it amende. he doth vsurie For it is nat semely that he shulde haue asmoche profyt by the amendment of the beest as he shuld ha­ue harme by the deth. Nathelesse though he that lettith it to hyre. make suche couenaūt with him. that hireth it to do him be the more besy to saue the beste. he dothe no synne / if his purpos be nat to take though the beest perisshe w ^t outen his defaute. Butt if he do it for gyle or couetise / he doth v­surie. And therfore it is goode to fle suche couenauntes. For alle though his intencion be gode yit the maner of the couenauute se­mith wycked and selaundrouse. to folk that knowe nat his intē ­cion. Nathelesse he that hyreth a thinge may lefully take to hym. the ꝑel and the mischeif of y ^e thīg that he hireth if he wole. If a man be take his beest to a poore mā to hire or to kepe in couenāt. vtterly that if it dye it shal die to the pore mā and lyue to hym for for he wole haue as gode therfor̄ it is wycked vsurie. Suche vsurers ben the feendes charmoures for to suche folke their shepe / ne their bestes shal neuir die. If men in tyme of plentie bye in corne or other nedefull thinges. principaly to selle theym forthe. more dere in tym̄ of derth and of nede / it is synne. But if it be doo principally for comyn profytt / & for saluacion of the cuntre / it is medeful For Ioseph gouernour of egipt dyd so to saue the people in tyme of hungre. Gen̄. xlvii Also a man may do so for his owne profit to fle mischeif cūmyng by wey of ꝓuidence / and though he selle forth in tyme of neede. to help of other as the market goth he dothe no synne in that. But if he witholde it and wole nat selle forth in tyme of nede thinge y ^t he hath passīg his lyuīg / but kepith stylle in hope of more derth / he sī neth greuously And therfore sa­lomon saith. Qui abscondit fru­mentū male dicetur in populis. Bn̄dictio dn̄i suꝑ caput venden­ciū ꝓuerbi. xi. He that hideth whete in tyme of hungre shallbe accursyd amonges the people And the blessyng of god vpon ye hede of them that selle forth. Al­so it may be don by comon right of marchandise / they to wynne therby ther true liuyng / soo that they cause no derth byther biyng And namely they may bie so lee­fully y ^t haue nat wherby to lyue. [Page] but suche marchaundise Butt if they do it only of auarice / and to compelle men to bye men at ther likyng / and as dere as they wole thāne they synne greuously and namely couetouse clerkes / that haue enough elles wherby to lyue For to clerkes it is nat grauntyd suche marchaundise. If a clerke bye a beest or other thyng and by his husbondry or by craft leful to him it be amēdyd or put in better degre thanne it was bi­fore he may selle it forth lefully. for more thanne he bought it to. For such doyng is clepyd propirly craft. and nat marchaundise. xxiiii. q̄. iii. canonū glosa. et decon. di. v. nun (quam). If a man lene old corne to haue therfore ne­we corne at heruyste / and wole nat take olde corn for old corne. as good for as gode. Whāne the borower may pay it he doth vsurie as saith Raymond Et sūma conf. vbi supra But if it be done prīcipaly to saue his owne gode. that eles shulde perisshe / or prin­cipaly for help of his neighbour he dothe none vsurie By goddes lawe al vsurie is dampned. By emꝑoures lawe & by by mannes lawe sumtyme it is suffryd natt for yat it is gode ne leful but for to fle the more euyl. for ofte men shulde perissh. but they might borowe vpon vsurie For elles the couetous riche men. Wole nat le­ne to the nedeful / and so the lawe of man rightfully suffrith it for a gode ende But the couetouse mā doth it vnrightfully & for a wycked ende And therfore holy chur­che dampneth them that lene vpon vsury but nat in them that borowe for nede / or for a goode cāe vpon vsurie whēne he may natt elles borowe But if they borowe for a wycked cause / as for pley at the dyce / or to spende it in glo­tony lecherie or pride / or in other wycked vse / they synne greuously And though it be leful to bo­rowe for a gode ende vpon vsu­rie / yit it is nat leful to lene vp­on vsurie / ne to counseyl any to borowe vpon vsurie. As it is le­fulle to a cristen man to take an hethen man y ^t swerith by his fale god And yit it is nat leful to the cristen mā for to axe of him that othe / ne to styrre him therto. For why othe and swerynge is a diuine. Worship that longith only to verrey god Also notaries y ^t make instrumentes vpon couenaūtes of vsurie ben forsworne. For whanne they be made notaries. they make an othe that they shal neuir make instrumentes vpon couenaunt of vsurie And so if they make any suche instrumēt. [Page] they been forsworne / & they may neuir after bere wytnesse in any cause ne make instrumēt in any cause For they ben made therby of wycked name. and vnable to euery office worshipfulle / in the lawe and to euery dignite And if any p̄late vnder wrytt to such couenaunt or sette his seale therto. Wyttyngly / is giltye of vsurye. though he haue no wīnyng ther­by. Hec in sūma conf.

The xxvii. chapter

What peyne is ordeyned in the lawe for vsurers

Alle vsurers by the lawe ben bounden to restitu­cion And if they been open vsu­rers / they ben accursed by the la­we in thre thīges For they shuld nat be houseled. ne holy churche shal nat take ther offryng ne res­ceyue them to cristē buriyng but they amēde thē bifore their deth. And what preest elles taketh her offcyng & burieth them / he shalle make restitucion of y ^t he takithe to the busshop in help of the pore folke And he is worthy to be suspendid of his office & of his messe Extra e. ti. quia in omnibus. If the vsurer may nat make res­titucion / he muste axe foryeue­nesse of hem that he is dettour to if he wole be saued And nat only ye vsurer / but also his heir is boū den to restitucion / and he may be compelled by the lawe to restitucion. Extra e. ti. tu nos And if other men be bounden to him for vsury he may no restitucion axe til he haue made restitucion to o­ther that he is bounde to for vsu­rie Extra e. ti. quia frusta.

Wherby shulde men knowe an open vsurer

If he kepe open stacion or open shoppe to lene or to chaunge for vsurie. Or if he knowlege it bi­fore a iuge in dome / or be cōuicte by wytnesse / or if he bere the na­me of an vsurer with dedys openly don accordyng to that name.

If a clerke be an vsurer / or an heir to an vsurer but he wole ma­ke restitucion he shalbe suspen­dyd And but he wole amende hī he shalbe deposed. And if he be so īcorrigible that his busshop may nat amēde / him he shalbe chastised by seculer hōde. Extra libro secundo titulo de iudiciis. capi­tulo cū non ab homine. The clerke shal make restitucion of his owne gode if he haue wherof and nat of godes of holy churche but if he haue ought spēt of such vsurie to profyt of holy churche [Page] If a prelate resceyue offrynge of the vsurer sūme clerkes say that he shalle take it ayen to the vsu­rer in repreef of his synne. Sūme saye that he shalle take it to the busshop which shal take it ayen to the vsurer. And if that vsurer. may nat be founden the busshop shalle yeue it to the pore folke. If the borower swer̄ that he shal pay the vsurer & nat axe it ayen. he must paye it to saue his othe. and he shalle nat axe it ayen.

But he may make denunciacion to prelates of holy churche. of that vsurie. yat the vsurer may be compellyd by lawes of hooly churche to amende him / and soo to make restitucion And if he swere that he shalle neuir bewrey him to holy churche. of that vsu­rye / he is nat bounden to that o­the. For it is ayenst the saluacion of his euyne cristen. and a­yenst the precepte of god.

¶If the vsurer bye an horse or londe withouten money of his vsurer / and yeue it to a nother / he that resceyueth that yifte is bounden to make restitucion. if he wyst that it was so bought and youen. Extra. e. cum tu. Seruaūtes and labourers / that serue vsurers in honeste thinges. may lefully take their hire of thē Butt if they serue theim in thyn­ges nat nedefulle ne leeful. they may nat take their hyre of the v­surer. If the seruaunte borowe money vpon vsurie / withouten biddyng of his maister / thoughe he borowe it for the nedys of hys maister / or any man borowe money vpon vsurie for the nedis of a nother withouten his bidding. he that so boroweth. is bounden to restitucion / if the vsurer wold lene withoutē vsure freely. He y ^e coūselith hī nat to lene but vpon vsure is boūde to restitucion / for he lettith the proufytte of his ni­ghboure. If a Iewe lene to a cristen man vpon vsury / he synneth And he may be compelled by prelates and by lordes to make restitucion. Extra e. post miserabilē And it is nat lefulle to any cristē man or woman to take vsurye. of any man Cristen or hethen.

No lorde / no college / no man shuld suffre vsurers duelle ī their lordshippe. ne lete theym to hyre to duelle in / But within thre monethes that they knowe of theire vsurye. they shulde putte theym oute / and neuir resceyue suche v­surers more after. And if bus­shoppe / or archebusshop doo the contrarie they been suspendyde. And they that been of lesse degre. been accursed if they doo the contrarie / and colleges and comyn­tes [Page] falle into interdit And if they stonde stylle in their malice / one moneth alle their londes ben in­terdited And lewde people that suffre suche vsurers to duelle in their lordship. or in their houses. shulde be compellyd by censure. of holy churche to putt them out scdm̄ grego. decimū / et cōsilium lugdunense ti. de vsuris c ^o. vsu­rarum. Hec in fumma conf. li. secundo. ii. ti. e. Also if a mā selle a thing for moche lesse thanne it is worth in couenaunt to haue it ayē what tyme that he wole pay the price that it is worth / it is v­surie For the byer gettith ayen al that he paied and asmoche therto As if a man selle a thyng for ten shelinges that is wele worth xx. shelynges / he shal haue it ayen. for so the byer wynneth by vsure ten shelinges ouir that he payed firste.

The xxviii chapter

BVt suche slightes and many other that been nat writen here / the false vsurers cursed of god begyle and robbe the pore people ayenst the precept of god there he saith thus. If thou lene. to my pore peple / thou shalt nat therfore mysbede him ne trauayl him the more therfor̄ / ne ouirp̄sse him with vsurie. Exodi xxii. If thy brother saith he be nedye. pore or feble. take none vsure of him / take no more. thanne thou yaue Drede thy god that thy pore brother may lyue with the / Thou shalt nat lene thy money to vsurie / ne axe of him ouir ha­bundaūce. Take no more than thou lentyst Shus saith god Leuitici xxv. Non fenerabis fatri tuo &c. Thou shalt lene to thy brother by vsurie neither money ne corne ne any other thing But lene it to him withouten vsurie. that thy lorde god may blesse the in euery werk that thou hast don Deutro. xxiii For who so leneth to his euen cristen withoutē vsurie he shalle spede the better. And they that lene with vsure. shalle spede the worse. And in what londe vsurie is vsed openly that londe shal mysfare Therfore dauid saith / that wyckednesse hath besegyd that cite & y ^e comynte by day & by night aboue the walles and trauayle and vnright & mo­che wronge is in y ^e cite. & gyle. & vsure faileth nat from the stretis of y ^e cite. Die ac nocte circumda­bit eā suꝑ muros eiꝰ īiquitas. &c. For suche vsurie & gyle and false othes in biyng & selling / the pro­phete zacharie saith y ^t he sawe a boke fleyng in the eyre y ^t was xx [Page] cubites longe & x. in brede. And he axed the aungel of god what it might be / & the aungel saide to him it is the curse of god y ^t gothe to the houses of theuys / & to men nys houses that forsuere theym. by the name of god. zacharie v [...]. And therfore salomon saith that who so gadreth tresoures with a liyng tunge / he is veyne and e­uyl herted / and he shal stumble. to the snares of deth. Raueyners and robbries of wicked men shal drawe theym downe to helle. for they wolde do no rightful dome Prouer. xxi. To suche god ye­ueth his curse. Woo he saith be to you that ioyne house to house. & couple felde to felde / and saye of right that is wronge / & of wrōge y ^t is right / and put light into derknesse / and derknesse īto light / bytter into swete / and swete into bittre. ysa v.c. For these false men of lawe and sligh couetouse folk be a mannys cause euir so goode but they haue moneye to stonde with him they shalle saye that is a wycked cause. And be it euir so clere in right / they shal seye. it is ful derke / they can se none helpe therin And be it neuir so derke y ^t nomā can se right therin / for money they shal say that it is clere enough And be it euir so siker. or esy to pursue & swete ī ye silf they shal say it is a bytter cause & vn­sauery to dele w ^t / but they haue money / & be it euir so ꝑilous and bytter for money they shal say y ^t it is siker enough. He that robbeth his euyn cristen of any gode he dothe ayēst thre lawes. Firste ayēst the lawe of kynde y ^t saithe thus That thou hatist to be don to the. do thou it nat to a noiher. Also he dothe ayēst lawe writen. Nō furtū facies [...] y ^t biddith Thou shalt do no theft Also he dothe a­yenst the lawe of grace For charite y ^t is principal heest of the lawe of grace biddeth y ^t men shulde yeue to other of their gode & nat ta­ke from them wrongfully. We fynde in holy wrytt Iosue vi. et vii. cap̄. y ^t for achor stal golde siluer & cloth ayēst the beest of god. he and his wyf / his children / and al his bestes were stooned to the deth first / and afterward brente. With al the other god that he had and xxxvi men slayne with enemyes for the theft of Achor / that so stalle ayenst goddes biheeste. And god saide that til whan his yefte was punysshed / the people shulde neuir haue spede in batail ne in otyer iourney.

It is thanne lytel woūdre that our folk spede euil these daies ī wer [...] ̄ vpon their enemyes. for they go more to robbe & to pile thanne to [Page] fight for any right

For that synne and many other / they spede ful euyl / For they be soo blent with synne that the light of grace by which they shuld be wissed in ther dedys is hid a wey fro theym. and so they wandre forth amonge ther enemyes. as blynd bestes. and for they seen no mys­cheif til they falle therin / For as the wyse man seithe / Obcecauit cos malicia eorum. sap̄. ii ^o Ther malice hath made theym blynde Telleth a greate clerke. Solmꝰ de mirabilibus mūdi that in the londe of serdynye is a welle of ye which welle if a trewe man drin­ke. his sight shal amende / But if a thefe drynke therof. thoughe his sight be bifore euer so clere. he shal wey blynd / By this welle I vnderstonde plentie of worldly goodis and of richesses that god sendeth amonges mākinde whi­che / goodys and richessis comen of the erth / and newen yere by ye­re / as water in the welle. and alle trewe folk that drynken of thys welle / that is to seye that comen trewly to ther good and richessis of this worlde and spenden them wele to the worship of god. and ꝓfite of ther euen cristen: they haue more light of grace to se what is to doo / and what may please god / And they that falsely come to godes of this world by yift. by gyle. and vsure and by fals othes they wexen blynd. for they leese the light of grace and be blent w ^t ther malice / Therfore seint Am­brose suꝑ lucam seyth. that in the richessis is no blame. but the blame and the defaute is in theym y ^t can nat wel vse ther richessis / And as richessis saith he is lettīg of vertue to shrewis. so it is help of vertue to gode folke that can and been in wille to vse wele her richesshis /

I drede me that nigh alle oure nacion hathe so drunken of this welle of sardynye. that they been gostly blynd For if I take hede what theft of symonye regneth in the clergye. What theft of vsure regneth principaly amonge marchaūtes and rich folke / what theft of raueyne and extorsion regnethe amonge the lordes. and grate men. What mycherie and robbere among the pore comons that be alwey inclined to sle and to robbe. me thyn­kethe that moch of oure nacion is gyltie in theft & ouerdon moch blent with fals couetise /

Therfore god seyth thus / Ami­nimo vs (que) ad maximum omnes sequūtur auariciā / A ꝓphā vs (que) ad sacerdotem cūcti faciunt mē ­dacium. et ideo corruent. Fro ye leest to the most al they folowen [Page] auarice and false couetise From the prophete to the preest al they make lesynges and doo gile and falsehede. And therfore they shalle falle. And I shalle yeue their wymen to straungers and their lōdes and their feeldes. to other heires Iere. viii. And by the prophete ysaie god vnder namyth the gouernours of the peo­ple bothe in temꝑaltie and in spiritualtie. and saith thus. Princi­pes tui infideles socii furum &c. Thy princes been false. and fe­lowys of theues. Alle they louen yiftis and folowe meedys & yel­dynge ayen / For they demed not after the right. but after that mē might paye. ysa. i ^o. Si vide­bas furem currebas cum eo et cū adulteris porcionem et cetera. If thou seye a thefe thou ran w ^t him to helpe him. as false iuges ī temporalte don these daies / And with lechouris and auoutreris. thou puttedist thy part as iugis in spiritualte don these dayea.

It is fulle moche to drede that gile. and falshede shal vndo this londe as thou sayst but god of his mercy / he do bote I thanke the with al myne hert / for thou haste wele enfour­myd me in kepinge of the seuēth commaundement. Now I pray the for charite that thou wylt en­fourme me in the eight commaū dement.

The eight cō maundemēt is this. Non loque­ris contra proximū tuū falsū te­stimonium. That is to saye. Thou shalt speke no false wyt­nesse ayenst thy neighboure. In wordes as saith seint Austyne. & seynt Thomas de veritate theo­logie libro quinto. God forbe­deth alle maner lesyngea and hydyng of treuthe whanne it shuld be saide. For as the lawe saithe. Qui tacet consentire videtur. He that is styl and wole nat say the treuthe whanne he shuld say it semyth / y ^t he consentith to falsenesse And so by his stylnesse he witnessith with falsenesse ayenst treuth / and ayenst his neighbour and synneth dedly with his tung for that he wole nat vse it to witnesse the truthe whanne he shuld And therfore saith seint austyne. that bothe he y ^t hideth the treuthe and he that lieth ayēst the treuth [Page] been giltie ayenst this precepte.

For why he that is stylle wole nat porfyt to his euē cristen / and he that lieth desireth to harme his euen cristen. In Epistola ad casulanum. For man and woman in bounden by this precepte natt to harme his neighbour with his tunge And therfore Iohn Criso­stome saith that nat only he is a traytoure to the treuthe / that ly­eth ayenst the treuthe / But also he that saith nat frely the treuth. y ^t he owith to say / or nat freely defendith the truth which he oweth to mayntene and defende And so altho that by stylnesse enforce theym nat to knowe the treuthe. that they knowe and wole natt be a knowe in due tyme / they be lyers and false wytnesses Nathe lesse leue frēde ye shal vnderstōd that ther is thre maner of stylnes One is anentis god. a nother a­nentis oure euen cristen The iii. anentis oure self. The firste is wycked whanne we cease from due prisyng of god / and thankīg for his benefices. The secounde is wycked whanne we cese from due maner of techynge and vn­dernymyng of oure euen cristen. The third is wicked in two ma­ners / Firste if a man or woman for drede or shame / or for pryde wil nat seye thyng that he shuld sey to pleyne him of his mischeif and to seke help of soul by shrift or good counseile. or of body by other help and by good counseile but gnawynge and fretyng him silfe inward and wil not pleyne him outward to them that wolde conforte him and speketh so moche inward withoute confort tyl he falleth in wane hope. and shendeth himsilfe by angre / & inward sorowe / Therfore saith seynt Gregory li ^o .viii. moraliū That moche folke whanne they haue wronge sufferen moch the more disese inward / for they wille not speke it outward / For why saith he If they sayde peasebly ther di­sese outward with ther tunge so­rowe and desease shuld passe out of ther herte. and oute of ther cō ­science. Si illatas inquit molestias lingua tranquille di­ceret: a consciencia dolor ema­neret Sumtyme men be stille in desceit of other. that they may the more bodely accuse other.

The secunde chapter

Hou many maner been there of lesynges.

Seint austen li ^o de mē dacō putteth vii man̄ of lesīges [Page] whiche ben cōprehendyd in thre. Quia omne mendaciū velē ꝑniciosū. vel officiosū. vel iocosum For euery lesynge or it is suche y ^t it doth harme. and than it is cle­ped in latyne ꝑniciosū. that is to sey wycked in englisshe / Or it is such that it doth good and none harme. and that is cleped ī latyn o [...]ficiosū that is profitable in englissh. Or it is suche that it doth neyther good ne harme. and that is cleped in latyne. Iocosū that is bourdeful ī englyssh: as whan men make lesynges only to ma­ke folke mery / The firste maner that is cleped ꝑniciosū and wyc­ked is alwey dedly synne / But the two other maner of lesynges been venial synne to the comon people / But to men of holy churche and to religeouse and to alle that shulde be folke of ꝑfection. they ben dedly synne if they been done by auysement / or by custo­me as saith seint Austyn. The first maner of lesinges is done in v. maners. First if any man sey preche or teche any thing ayenst the feith of holy churche. The ii. is. whanne the lesyng harmethe sūme & ꝓfiteth to none / as lesynges of bacbiting & fals wytnesse of syn y ^t comyn lawe punyssheth The thridde is y ^t so ꝓfitith to one y ^t it harmeth to a nother / as false wytnesse in cause of dett or of heritage or of suche other. The iiii. is whanne the lesynge is maade withoutē ꝓfyte / and withouten cause. saue only for likyng to lie and to disceyue / and for custome of lesinges. The fift is whan the lesynge is made only for to plese as flateringe Alle these maner of lesynges ben forboden by this cō ­maundment to alle maner folk. as dedly synne The lesynge of flatering may be done in thre maner / or prisynge a man in thyng. that he hath more than he is worthy to be prised / or prisyng him ī thing that he hath nat / or prisīg him and flateryng him ī his syn. and shrewydnesse and in his foly And this maner of flatering if it be done wyttyngly / it is dedely synne The secoūde maner of lesyng that is clepyd Officiosū and proufitable / it is done in iii. maners. First for saluacion. of catel that shulde elles be loste wyckedly by theues if they wiste where it were Also for saluacion of man or of woman innocent. that is sought of his ennemyes. Also to saue man or woman fro synne As if a syngle woman say that she is a wyf / soo to kepe her clene from theym that wolde defoule her. Suche maner of lesynges y ^e auayle & ꝓfytt [Page] and also lesynges bourdful been venial synnes to the comyn people. but to men of ꝑfection / they ben dedly synne / namely lesyn­ges bourdful whan they been in vse custumable. For it fallith nat to men of holy churche. and of religion to be iapers ne lyers. But it fallith to them principal­ly to fle ydel wordes For Criste saith in the gospel / that mē shall yeue aunswere at the dome for e­uery ydel worde that they saye. But suche lesynges bourdful in men of ꝑfeccion turne lightly to lesynges ꝑnicious and wycked. For they do harme to theim that here them / in that y ^t they. be asclā ­dryd of their vanyte and of their lesynges For them thinketh and sothe it is / that men of holy churche & of ꝑfection shulde nat be iapers ne disours ne liers ne veyne but sadde in chere in word & dede Therfore the maister of senten­ces. li.iii. distinct xxxviii. saith opēly that such maner lesynges. been venial synnes to them that be of vnꝑfyte state / & dedly syn­nes to them y ^t be of ꝑfite stat And seint Austyn libro contra mendaciū saith y ^e treuth shuld nat be corrupte for any temꝑal ꝓfyt. And no man ne woman shalbe led to enlesse helthe with help of lesyn­ges / for euery lesyng & falshede. is ayenst crist. that is souereyne treuthe And seint Gregory libro xviii. moraliū. saith thus. Os quod mentitur occidit aīam. The mouth that lyeth sleeth the soule And the ꝓphete saith Lord thou shalt lese al y ^t speke lesīges And therfore saith he mē of ꝑfec­cion must w ^t al besynesse fle lee­synges / in somoche y ^t for saluacion of any mannys lif they shuld nat lye to helpe a nothers body ī harmīg of their owne soule. And therfore god saith Nō menciemī & nō decipiet vnusqs (que) ꝓximum suū Leuitici xix / Lie ye nat & no man disceyue his neighboure.

The iii. chapter.

Contra. We rede in holy wryt Exodi. i ^o. that pharo assigned to the wymen of israel two mydwyues Sephora and phua. & badde them slee alle the children males & kepe the wymē But they for the drede of god and for pite dydnat so but saued bothe male and female and with a lesyng excused them to the kīg and saide that wymmen of israel cowde better helpe themsilf than wymen of egipte & had children or they come to them / And as holy writ saith there / therfore god yaue them house and londe.

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Nat for the lesyng but for they dredde god / and for the drede of god they sauyd the chil­dren. Therfore god yaue theym house and londe / & nat for the le­synge and so saith holy wryt Nathelesse sūme clerkes sey y ^t for her lesynge god chaungid the endles mede y ^t they had elles be worthy. into temporel mede of hous and londe.

yit Contra te. We finde in the gospel that after yat criste was risen from deth to lyf. ne went with ii. of his disciples. cleophas & another in the liknes of a pilgryme & spake with them of his deth & of his passion / butt they knewe him nat And at euen whanne they came to the castell. of emaus / ne feyned him to goo ferther And yit at their prayer he went in with them But feyning as seint austyn saith is a maner of lesyng / therfore nat euery maner of lesyng is synne

It semyd to their sight that crist hadde feyned / nat by fals feynīg inwarde ī dede as he shewyd outward / for he was fer fro ther feith And therfore he shewyd him out­warde as a straunger and a pyl­gryme passing for they knewe hī nat ne beleuyd nat ī him stedfastly Also by that doyng he shewyd that he shulde passe forth bodily out of this worlde / and wende aboue alle heuenes

We fynde gen̄. xxvii ^o that Iacob in in disceit of his fader y ^t was blind and in fraude of his brother E­sau said to Isaac his fader to haue his blissīg I am esau. thy first sonne / & that was false And yitt god approuyd his dede Therfor thanne it semeth that euery lesinge is synne /

That Iacob dyd was figure and prophicie of thinge that shulde falle / And for that prophicie is don ī dede / ther­fore it was no lesing For though he were not his first sonne in ber­the. yit he was his first sōne ī dignitie by ordenaunce of god / that ordeyned that the peple cūmyng of Iacob. shulde be soueraigne. to the people cūmyng of esau. And that the grete biheest of cri­stes birth made to Abraham and Isaac shulde be fulfilled ī iacob and nat in Esau. as their fader wende that it shulde haue be. ¶And so though Esau. Were the firste sonne / and principalle to Isaac / by the dome of Isaac yitte was Iacob his firste sonne / and his principalle sonne by the do­me of god. And thoughe he were nat Esau. bodily in persone yitt he was Esau in dignite.

Contra His fader Isa­ac seyde that he came gylefully. and tooke his blessynge.

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Isaac said as he wende but nat as it was For he knewe nat thāne the wyll of god in yat doynge For it was noo gyle ne falsenesse in Iacob. For it was nat the dede ne the speche of Ia­cob / but it was the dede / and the speche of the holy gost y ^t wrought in him and spake in him. And therfore Criste saide to his disci­ples. It ben nat ye that speke but the holy goost of your fader in heuene spekith in you. And so he spake in Iacob. and rebecca. his moder that counseiled him so to gete his faders blissynge.

The iiii. chapter.

Seint Austyn saith that lesynge and liynge is nat only in feyned speche but al­so in feyned dedes.

Seynt austyn saith nat that all feyned dedes ben lesynges & syn. but he saith that al feyned speche in falshede is lesyng and synne. For mā hath more fre mighte to gouerne his speche thanne for to gouerne his dedys / for alwaye a man may speke as he wole / butt he may nat alway do as he wole And the philosophre saith. p ^o ꝑy armynias / y ^t speche is token of thoughtes in the hert For it is ordeyned y ^t mā by his speche shuld shewe thing to be or nat to be / as he felith and thynketh in his hert And therfore Crist said in the gospel. Sit sermo vester est ē / non nō. Be your speche yhe yhe. nay. nay / That as it is in the hert soo it be in the mouthe. y ^t yhe of the mouthe be yhe of the herte.

And nay of the mouthe be nay of the hert / so y ^t the mouthe & the hert must alway accorde. For as saith seint austyn In libro cōtra mendacium. The mouth berith wytnesse to the hert And therfor̄ if man or woman say otherwise thanne it is / in his hert / he berith fals wytnesse ayēst his hert & a­yenst him self. & doth ayēst the p̄ ­cept of god / y ^t biddeth him say no fals witnesse ayēst his nighbour ne ayēst his nexte / y ^t is his owne hert and his soule Another skyll is this for dede is nat ordeyned. principally to be wytnesse to the thought of mānes herte / but it is ordeined to the profit of the doer and to the proufytte of his ney­ghboure & to the worship of god. And therfore. Whanne feynyng in dede is profitable to the doer. and to his euyn cristen and to ye worship of god / it is leful and in case fulle medeful. And therfore dauid whan he was amōges his enemyes in perel of of dethe / medefully feyned him to be woode. so to saue his lyf to the worship [Page] of god and the profyt of his nacion and of his frendes and of his enemyes. that shulde elles haue fallen in manslaughter. Primo regū xxi. But spech is ordeyned of god principally for to be true. Wytnesse of thought in hert. And therfore who so saith other wise. thanne it is in his hert and in his conscience he synneth / for he misuseth his speche ayenst the ordre of kynd ordeyned of god.

Sithe feynyng of dede is nat alway synne / as feynyng of spech telle me whanne it is synne. and whāne nat.

Feynyng in dede is done sūtyme by slight. for a gode ende As we rede in the fourth boke of kinges .iiii. Reg. x ^o. that Iev. the kinge of israel. dyd clepe to giddre al the prestes of the false mawmet baal. into a certein day / as though he wolde haue made a grete solempnytie. and worship to baal / & dyd cloth alle the false preestes in one cer­tein clothe that he yaue theym / y ^t by the clothing mē shuld knowe them from other And whanne they were al gadryd to giddre in their temple to worship baal / the king Iev badde. men of armes go and sle them alle / and so they dyd. Also Iosue leder of goddes people feyned flight. to disceyue goddes enemyes / Iosue. viii.c. Suche feynyng so that it be doo withouten lesyng of the mouthe is leful and in cas medeful / Also ther is feynyng for gode teching And so Crist feyned him to go ferther to stirre his disciples to hos­pitalite. Also ther is feynynge of significacion / and so Iacob. as by mannes dome feyned him to be esau But in goddes doome it was no feynyng of falshede / but figure shewyd by holy goste that spake in him and wrought ī him Aso ther is feynyng of falsenesse and of doublenes for to disceiue. and suche is in ypocrites. & false folke And al suche feynynge / is lesyng and forboden of god. by this precepte.

The v. chapter.

Is it any synne to bileue thinge that is false.

Ther is falshede of the sayer / and falshede of the thyng that is saide Falshede of the say­er sumtyme is ꝑnycious and wicked / and to bileue lightly. suche falshede / itt is dedely synne and dampnable. Sumtyme false hede of the sayer is profitable as touchīg worldly thīg. & nat noyous as to the world. & sūtyme it is neither ꝓfitable ne noyꝰ to the world as lesīges made only. for [Page] borde y ^t harmeth no man world­ly ne profiteth And to bileue tho ii. maner of falshedes it is venial synne Also ther is reproua­ble falshede of thing that is sayd And either that thing longith to the nedefulnesse of oure saluaci­on as be articles of the faith and to bileue suche falshede / it is dedly synne / or it longith nat to the nedefulnes of our saluacion and to bileue suhce falsehede lightly it is venial synne / or elles no syn as saith Dockyng suꝑ Deutro­nomiū Nathelesse ther shuld no wysemā be to hasty to bileue thī ges of charge that sounde either grete ꝓsperite or grete aduersite: For the wiseman saith Qui ci­to credit leuis est corde. He that sone bileuyth is light of hert and vnstable Ecclesiastici xix. And therfore saith he bileue nat euery worde that men telle the. ibidem The fole simple man saith he by leueth euery worde but the wyse mā takith hede to his paas / and gothe ne bileueth nat chaungea­bly after mennys speche ne after lesīges but after the lawe of god that is nat chaūgeable Prouer. xiiii. & eccle. xxxiii.

Sithen it is so y ^t a man may syn beryng false wytnesse of him self whether synneth he more prising him self falsly or lackīg him self falsly

Bothe ben foly. & in cas grete syn For caton saith. Nō te collaudes nec te culpaue­ris ip̄e. Prise thou nat thy selue. ne lacke thou nat thy self / And salomon saith Laudet te alienꝰ. et non os tuū. Extraueus et nō labia tua. Let a nother mā prise the & nat thyne owne mouthe / a straūgers & nat thy lippes. ꝓuer. xxvii And therfore by comyn o­pinion of clerkes / it is more syn a mā to prise him self falsely by auantement than it is to lacke hī self falsly For auātmēt cometh of pride y ^t is worst of al synnes But lackyng of him self may come of lownesse medefully For e­uery mā of hī self is more to lack than to prise. And therfore saithe the prophete Omnis homo men dax Euery mā & womā of hīself is fals and a lyer. And salomon saith y ^t no mā wote whether he is worthy loue or hate of god And so do mā wote what he is worthe ī goddes sight And asmoch as he is worth in goddes sight so moch he is worthe & nomore Therfore saith aristotle iiii. etheco (rum) xiiiic y ^t the auaūter of him self is wors than the lacker of him self Iac­tator vituꝑabilior est (quam) vituꝑa­tor Et idem dicit Ricardus de media villa suꝑ sentencias li.iii. di. xxviii. questione quarta.

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Whiche ben clepyd by the lawe false wytnesses

They that ben broughte to bere wytnesse and ben sworne to saye the soth / and do ayenst their oth. sayng fals or hidyng the treuthe and thing that shuld be saide / or transpose thinges that shulde be saide Or a man say thing for certein yat he is nat siket of though it be treuth that he saith And al­so he is false wytnesse that swe­rith a treuth with sligh spech for disceyt Suche maner folk seynt Austyn likneth to Iudas And moche folk saith he these dayes dispise the dede of Iudas / & yitt they doo the same that he dyd or elles worse For why saith he Altho that for mede bere false wyt­nesse / they selle Criste that is so­uerayne treuthe for mede Et est suꝑ illud M ^t. Quid vultis mihi dare et ego eū vobis tradam. But such fals witnesses be wors thanne was Iudas For he solde crist for thritty pens. But many false wytnesse selle Crist for mo­che lesse / and sumtym for noght only to shewe malice or to be vē ­gyd Iudas made restitucion of the money that he toke to bitray crist and wolde nat reioise it / but false witnesses these daies make no restitucion / but lyue by suche false synful lucre. Iudas bile­uyd nat that Crist shulde rise fro deth to lyf. and deme the quycke and the dede But we beleue yat he rose from deth to lyf and shall come to deme al mankynde verry god and verry man And ther­fore cristen men false wytnesses. been more to blame thanne was Iudas.

The vi. chapter.

May al maner mē bere wytnesse in doome.

Nay. for bonde seruā tes shulde bere no wytnesse ī causes of their lordes / neither ayēste them ne with them / but in asmo­che as the cause touchith other of his seuauntes iiii. q̄. iii. Scriminali. v. Itē serui. Ne wymmen shulde bere no wytnesse of preef in causes of felonie / but in matrimonie and in causes of purgaci­on of wymens euyl name. they may bere wytnesse of preef. And wymen may accuse in causes of felonie Also no yonge folk with in xiiii. yere / ne foles ne beggers ne ful pore folk / ne hethen men. ne cristen men openly loosed of falshede / or onys teynt false and forsworne. ne open wycked ly­uers and of euyl name / none of these is able to bere wytnesse / in [Page] dome bifore a iuge. vꝰ Condicō sexus etas discretō fama Et fortuna fides in testibus ista reqre.

By false wytnesses the iewes slewe seint Steuyn / and by fals wytnesses they slewe Criste / and by false wytnesse the true mā na bothe / and by false wytnes they wolde haue slayne the holy woo­man Susanne. but god sauyde her and brought the false wytnesses to the same dethe. y ^t she shulde haue hadde / if her witnesse hadde been true / and that was the lawe that tyme / and yit it is in manye londes. And if they disherite any man or woman / or do him lese any thinge by false wytnesse / they ben bounden to restitucion Also bacbiters forfete ayenst this pre­cept / whiche by malice bacbyten them that ben gode / and by lesinges diffame theym Also flaters y ^e falsly prise them that be wycked so to fauour them in their synne. And so bothe the bacbiter bacby­ting the gode man / and the flaterer prisynge the wycked man ha­ue goddes curse / that he yeuethe to alle suche / thus saynge. Ve qui dicūt bonū malū / et malū bonū. Wo be to al them that say the gode wycked / and wycked gode ysa. v.c ^o. And namely they that ben nigh to lordes and to greate men and been their gouernoures or ther coūseilours or cōfessours and to please them / and to flater theim be it neuir so false / and ta­ke none hede to god ne to treuth. but only to plese / and say nay or yhe / nat after the treuthe is / butt after the lorde wole haue it / and so harden him and blynde him in his folie. Such flaterers be lyke to a beest that is clepyd cameliō. Whiche best changith his coloure after the thinges that be besides him / nowe white / nowe blacke. now rede / now grene / now blewe nowe yalowe / Right so suche flaterers chaunge their speche / after that they hope best to please ther lordes. and other men For nowe they speke gode of a man / whyle the lorde is his frende And if he falle enemy to hym / anone they speke him harme and velonye so to plese the lorde and other alsoo that ben that mannes enemyes. In presēce of his frēdes they speke a man gode / though they wo­le him no goode and in presence of his enemyes they speke him e­uyl And as the fane of the steple. turneth after the wynde. so turne flaterers and bacbiters their spe­che / as cūpany spekith that they ben in The mosel and the face. of the camelion is lyke a swyne. and an ape. For euery flaterer is a bacbiter And as a swyne hay [Page] moore lykynge to lye in a foule slough thanne in a faire grene / & with wrotynge of his snoute de­fouleth the place ther he goothe. so hath the bacbiter. more liking to speke of other mennys defau­tes and of their vnhonesties and synne thāne to speke of their godenesse and honestie / and wysly speche. Wroting vpon their defautes to appere & defoule their gode name And in that he is a flaterer he is lyke the ape / that what he seith other men do he wole do the same. For flaterers reule their tū ge nat after the treuthe. but after the plesaunce and spech of other men But this beest Camelion though it be faire while it is aly­ue yit assone as it is dede it is ful foule as saith the maister of kīd Right so suche flaterers and fair spekers that speke wele and doo ful euyl although they seme fair and worshipful / in this worlde. ī the other world after their deth they shalbe ful foule and fendes felowes / in helle peyne / but they amende them And al that speke wele and do nat therafter forfete ayenst this p̄cept For they denye by their dedes the treuth that thei say with their mouthe Of suche. seint poul saith y ^t w ^t their mouth they knowlege them self to kno­we god. but with ther dedes they denye it. Confitentur se nosse deum / factis autē negant. Tite. p ^o And therfore god warneth folke of suche false wytnesses that spe­ken the treuthe with their mouth and denye it ī dede. and saith thꝰ Omnia quecun (que) dicerint nobis facite: scdm̄ vero oꝑa eorū noli­te facere. M ^t xxiii. Alle thinge that they bydde you do / do ye it. But do ye nat after their wicked werkes.

The vii chapter

ALso these mē of lawe that for mede mayntene falshede ayenst the treuthe. or for mede hyde the treuth that they shulde. mayntene / or for mede withdra­we them to suffre or lett falshede haue his forth. they forfet ayenst this precepte whiche forbedith al maner falshede. ¶I rede on a tyme there were ii. men of lawe. duellyng in one towne The one at euyn came home from the assise. and the other axed him what he hadde wonne that day And he saide xx marke. and that he had right moche trauayle therfore. yhe sayde the other / and I haue wonne asmoche and more / to be at home. and nat to trauayl. Suche men of lawe and batteres of [Page] lawe that haue no ꝯscience / may wele say y ^t is wryten in the boke of ysaie the prophete Concipimꝰ et locuti sumꝰ de corde verba mē dacii. &c. We haue conceyued. by study and by gode informaci­on knowyng of the treuthe / and of our owne herte / and of our cō ­triuyng we haue spoken wordes of lesynge and of falshede And therfore rightful dome is turned bacwarde. and rightfulnesse sto­de from ferre and might nat nigh treuthe felle downe in the strete. and equite might natt entre / the treuth is al foryeten And he that went away fro wycked thinge / & wold haue lyued in pees & treuth he was open pray to false men Qui recessit a malo prede patuit ysa. lix. But wolde god that they wolde amende theym. and say that is writen the same chapter. Lorde god oure synnes been multiplyed bifore the / and oure synnes aunswere to vs for oure grete synnes been with vs and accuse vs. We knowe oure wyt­nesses. for we haue synnyde and lyed falsly ayenst oure lord god. We turnyd vs awaye and wolde nat go after oure god / to folowe him in treuth / but spake ayenste him falshede. and passing of goddes lawe for to endaūger the simple folk. Also prechoures of goddes worde that preche moore for wynnyng of worldly gode than for wynnynge of mannys soule. & seke more their owne worshyp. thanne goddes worship in theire preching and preche nat the treuthe / ne wole say men their sothes in rep̄uynge of their synnes. they been fals witnesses and do ayēst this precepte. For if they hyde treuthe in fauour of synners and wole nat preche ayenst their vy­ces. Or if they preche falshede and errour to shewe their wyt by curioust of spech / or preche high maters nat profitable to the people nat helply to mannys soule. alle suche prechoures ben clepyd false wytnesses. Also they that preche so harde ayenst the mercy of god / that they bringe folke in wanhope. And also they that preche so moche of the mercy of god and so lytel of his rightwysnesse that they make folke to bolde in synne / suche prechoures ben fals wytnesses of crist For al his mer­cy is medlyd with rightwysnesse and al his rightwisnesse is med­lyd with mercy. Therfore dauid saith Vniuerse vie dn̄i mīa et veritas. Alle the wayes and the do­mes of our lorde god been mercy and treuthe. Deus iustus et mi­sericors. God is rightful and he is merciable. to alle that wole [Page] amende them. Alle prechours of goddes worde shulde be wytnesses of Criste. that is soueraigne treuthe. And therfore Crist saide to his disciples. Eritis michi te­stes in ierusalem &c. ye shalbe wytnesses to me in Iherusalem. and in al iurye / and in samarye. and in euery londe to the last end of the erthe. Actuum primo c ^o. And therfore prechoures shulde auyse them wel that they prechid no falshede / ne say no thinge for certayne that is in doute to them and that they hide nat the treuth that shuld be saide / and that ther lyf and their techyng accorde w ^t the techyng and the lyf of Cryste For if they teche otherwise thāne Criste taught / and lyue natt as cryst lyued they ben false wytnesses to crist Cryst taught chastite. & cōmēdyd pouert and lownesse And therfore if the prechoure of goddes worde be a lechoure and a carnal man proude of hert and couetouse. he is nat true wytnes of Criste And if he repreue in his dedys poue [...]t and chastite. & saye that criste was nat pore for mannys sake / he lyeth vpon Criste & he is to him ouirdone false wyt­nesse. For Crist saide that foxes hadde their dennys / and the briddes her nestes / but the maydens. sonne hadde nat where he might reste his hede / M ^t viii.c. And seint Poule saide that Crist bicame man nedy for vs ī this world to make vs riche w ^t his myscheif Propter nos egenus factus est: cum esset diues: vt illius inopia diuites essetis. ii. co (rum). viii.

The viii chapter.

ALso alle ministres of holy churche / and namely men of religion. shulde be wytnesses of Cryst to edificacion of the people and of their neighbours / that ben al men and wymen And therfore men of holy churche ben be­toknyd by galaad that is to say▪ an hope of wytnesse For al their lyuyng in hert in worde in werk. and in clothinge shulde bere wytnesse to crist.

How shuld men of holy churche bere wytnes in clothing to Crist

For in clothing they shuld shewe sadnesse honestie & lownesse / as nigh folowers of Criste / and wytnes­ses that taught sadnesse ayēst vanitie / honestie ayenst glotonye & lechery / lownesse ayenst pryde / & pouert ayenst couetise And ther­fore the outclothing of mē of ho­ly churche / and namely of mē of religion shulde nat be to strayte. [Page] ne to short. to shewe. the shap of their body. for pryde and vanite and to tempte wymen / ne to pre­ciouse ayenst pouerte / ne ouirdo ne feble ayenst their degree. and honestie of holy church / ne to sy­de ne wyde ayenst measure.

Of this mater thou spake bifore. I coueyte no more to here therof. For as thou sothely saidest men of holy churche & na­mely mē of religion passe ī grete arraye and pompe / temporal lordes

Also as oft as the p̄st syngith his [...] he representith the ꝑsone of Crist y ^t dyed for vs alle vpon the tree. And by his clothyng and by his messe syngyng he berith wytnesse of Cristis pas­sion. and shewyth that al that he doth ī seyng of his messe / he doth it in mynd of cristes passion and if he haue no mynd of cristes passion after that his clotyng shew­yth that he shulde be / he is a fals wytnesse in disceyte of his neighboure Therfore seint Gregorye saith that no man doth more harme in hooly churche / thanne he that hath a name and ordre of holynesse and lyueth wyckedly. Nemo amplius nocet in ecclia. (quam) qui ꝑuerse agens nomē et ordinē sanctitatis habet.

What betokneth the clothing of of the prest at messe.

The amyt on his hede / at the begynnyng betokneth the clothe y ^t cristes face was hyled with in ty­me of his passion / whanne the iewys hyled his face and bobbyde him / and badde him arede whoo smote him The longe aube betokneth the white cloth that Errowde cladde with crist in scorne as he hadde ben a fole. The fanō the stole and the girdel / betoken the boondes. Whiche Criste was bonden with / as a theef / in tyme of his passion. The fanon betokneth bondes of his hondes. The stoleye rope y ^t he was led w ^t to his deth. The girdel the bondes yat he was bounde with to the pyler and to the crosse. The chesible betokneth the clothe of purpure in whiche the knightes clothed him in scorne. and knelyd to him and saide in scorne Hayle thou king of iewys The busshop passynge other prestys hath a mytre and a crosse. The mytre on his hede betokneth the crowne of thornes. y ^t crist bare on his hede for mannes sake. And therfore the mytre ha­the two sharpe hornes. in tooken of the sharpe thornes. The two tunges y ^t hange downe on ye mytre betokē the stremys of bloode y ^t ranne downe fro cristes hede by pryckyng of the crowne of thor­nes. The crose that the busshop [Page] berith in his honde betokneth ye rede spere that the knyghtes tur­mētours put in the honde of crist in scorne for a ceptre And the ar­chebusshoppes crosse betoknethe the crosse that crist died vpon for vs alle The busshoppes gloues. at messe in his hōdes. betoken ye nayles in cristes hondes / and the sandalies on his feet at messe be­token the nayles in cristen feet If it be so than y ^t mē of holy churche hauyng thies tokenys of cristes passion in their messe saynge haue no deuocion in cristes passion ne mynde of his passion they bere false wytnes For it is nat w ^t them inwarde as the tokene [...] shewen outwarde Also the amyt betokeneth the basinet of helth y ^t is hope of the lyf that is to come / & forsakyng of erthly thinges. The longe albe betokneth chas­tite of body and soule The gyr­del fanon and stole / betoken the cōmaundementes and the coun­seyles of crist in the gospel by ye whiche mē of religion & of hooly churche ben bounden passynglo­ther to serue god The chesible betokneth the holy clothe of Criste withoutē seme alle wōne in one whiche betokneth parfyt charite The mytre on the busshopes he­de w ^t the hornes betokneth cun­nyng of two testamentes olde & newe whiche cūnyng he owith to haue and to teche with two. tun­ges / with tūge of dede. & with tū ge of speche & shewe them both in dede by gode example yeuynge. & in speche wele techyng / & y ^t betokenyth the ii. tūges hangyng be­hynde on the mytre. And the sa­me betoken the ii. tunges hang­ynge behynde on the aube on the prestes shulder. For euery preest shulde cūne goddes lawe & prech it with tunge of dede & gode exā ple. & with tunge of speche The­se ii. tunges hange higher on the busshop than on the symple prest in token y ^t the busshop is more hi­ghly boūde to the tūges of gode ensample and gode teching than the symple preest.

It is a common sawe that tho ii. tunges on the preestes shuldre betoken y ^t this londe hath ben twes renegat and ꝑuertyd.

That is false. For sithe this londe tooke first the feith / the peple was ne­uir renegat But the peple of this londe was slayne nigh al vp for ye faith til ther was no cristē mā to duelle therin / but only hethen peple y ^t had slayne cristen people. & by the swerde kept this londe y ^t they wāne of cristē people Therfore Bede de officio diuino saith y ^t it betokneth ii tūges y ^t mē of holy church owe to haue as I haue [Page] saide And therfore they ben clee­pyd tūges Also the p̄stes crow­ne betokneth the crowne of thor­nes on cristes hede and the dignitie of the presthode. And his sha­uyng as saith the lawe / betoke­neth pouert ī soule / and forsakīg of worldly godes.

The ix.c.

What betokneth the busshoppes crosse. in maner of lyuyng.

As saith a grete clerke Bede. li.i. de diuino officio. The busshop cro­ce is clepyd a shepherdes staff. to to stirre the busshop to lownesse. and to thinke on the cure and on the besinesse and the charge that he taketh vpon hym whanne he is made busshop He berith no ceptre of worldly dignyte to stire hī to pride / ne berith no swerde that is token of cruelte / but he beryth a shepherdes staf / nat to sle / ne to smyte / but for to saue his shepe. y ^t ben his subgettes spiritualy / whiche staffe aboue is crokyd in maner of an hoke / to drawe ayen y ^t wold nat come / or elles go awey For the busshop shulde principaly trauayle to drawe synful men and wymen with fairnesse by goode wordes. and by gode ensample to the mercy of god / and natt to be fers ne felle to the synfulle. And therfore as Bede saith abo­ue on the hoke of the crosse is writen thus aboute. Cum iratus sueris mīe recordaberis. Whanne thou shalt be wrothe thou shalte thynke on mercy. In the rounde knott byneth the hoke is writen homo. that is to say a man / to do the busshop thynke that he is but a man as another is / and natt be proude of his dignite. Byneth beside the pyke of yron is writen parce. that is to say spare. For he must spare his subgettes & shewe grace to thē as he wole haue grace of god And in token therof the pyke of the crosse shulde nat bee sharpe but blunt For the doome of the busshoppe shulde nat be to sharpe / but alway medlyd with mercy The staffe of the crosse is right and nat wronge. in token. that the busshop shulde deme ry­ghtfully and gouerne his subgettes in right and equite. and doo no man wronge Vnde versus. Contrahe ꝑ primū / medio rege. parce ꝑ ymū By these tokenes outwarde busshopes and prestes wytnesse them self to be suche in­warde as the toknes shewe But if they be nat suche. they be false wytnesses to criste and to cristes lore in damage of their euyn cri­sten / for by ypocrisy they disceiue the people Forsothe it is a lesing any mā knowlege him self a busshop preest / or clerke / or man of religion. and worche contrarye [Page] thynges to his ordre. and ayens the tokenes that he bereth of ho­lynesse / It is a lesynge any man or woman to saye him cristen. & do not ne lyue noe therafter. as a cristen man or woman. but per­auenture wors than iewe. sare­syne or panyme / Therfore sayth seynt Iohn in his pistle / y ^t who soo saithe that he knowethe god and kepeth not his cōmaū ­dementis. he is a lier / there is no feith in him .i. Iohannis socūdo And he y ^t saithe y ^t he loueth god & hate his brother. he is a lier. Io. iiii ^o. And so euery wicked lyuer. is a lier And therfore saynt Am­brose sayth in this maner / Bre­therne flee ye lesynges / For alle that louen lesynges. ben the chil­dren of the fynde / For as criste sayth in the gospel. alle such ha­ue the fende to ther fader / whych hath euer be a lier and fader of lesynges: and neuer stode in treuth but with a lesing lees alle man­kynde as criste himsilfe saith ī ye gospel .io.viii. And yit into this day vnnethis he bryngethe any man woman to synne but with lesynges And so with lesinges he sleth mannys soule and womās & euer hathe be a cruel mansleer and a false lier: as criste saith ī ye same gospel

Telle me I praye the / hou wyttnessis shuld haue them ī dome for to be treue witnessis /

The witnes­sisī dome and the iuge also shuld be indifferent to both perties and saye the treuth for both perties. And the iuge may not by the law take mede to deme treuly / ne the witnesse may nat by the lawe ta­ke mede to bere trewe witnesse. Moch more than ye witnesse oweth to take no mede to bere false witnese. ne the iuge to yeue vn­rightful dome .xiiii. q̄. v Nōsane Nethelese the witnesse may lefully take his costis of him y ^t bringe the him to witnesse / And if a mā see that his neighbore shuld fall in his truth and lese his right for defaut of witnesse / if he know ye treuth and may bere witnesse in the cause. but he bere witnesse & saie ye treuth for saluacōn of his neighbore. elles he synneth gre­uously though he be nat brought to bere witnesse. And in that case men of holy church may & owen to bere witnesse: so that it be not ī cause of blode ne of greuous syn And if a man take meede for his witnesse. he is boūd to restitucōn

The tenth chapter.

to whom shal he make restitucion:

If he toke mede to bere fals wit­nesse. [Page] though he bere treue wyt­nesse. or no witnesse / he shal ma­ke restitucōn. nat to him that yaue it. For he is not worthy to ha­ue it ayen. syth he yaue it for fal­sehed and for synne. But he shal make restitucion to hī ayēs whō he toke it to do him wrong / And in the same maner shal make re­stitucion if he toke mede notte to bere witnesse. but for to be stylle. and nat saye the treuth And if ye witnes take mede to say the treuthe / he shalle make restitucion to him that yaue it to him in help of his right / For it was leful to him so to yeue. but it was nat lefulle to the witnesse so to take / And if it be in doubte for what ende the yifte was youen: thanne he shal make restitucion and yeue it ye pore folke by the doome of holy church / Hec Reymundus li. ii. ti. de testibus.

hou many witnessis be nedful in doome.

After that the cause is: so most be the noūbre of witnes­sis / And after the persone or the persones been ayens whom the witnessis been brought / For ayens busshopis and preestis and ayens men of holy church & ayēs persones of temporalle dignitye most be brought more witnessis and of more worship. than ayēs symple folke:

Why so

For there shulde no man be in dignitye neyther speiritual ne temporal: but treue folke. to whos treuth mē shuld yeue more credēce. thā to spech of sīple folk which knowen not wele what is treuth. ne what is false. What is ꝓfitable to the comonte. ne what is noyous. and ofte ful litil dre­dyng god / Also ꝑsones in digni­tie in that they be soueragines & iuges and gouernouris of the peple. for ther rightful domes: and sūtyme for vnrightful geten thē moch hate of the people. and oft withoute gilte and for ther good dede. and so they haue many ad­uersaries / For it is not ī ye pow­er of the gouernoure to please al But nedis either he most offende god. or elles men that dreden not god / And therfore the iuge shalle not lightly leeue a few witnessis ayens such ꝑsones / Also if ꝑsons of dignite might lightly be dāp­ned by the symple folke. the peo­ple shulde be to bolde ayens ther soueraignes and litil set by them And so dignitye both spiritual & temporal shuld be in despite and come to nougt / And therfore sū ­tyme it is better to suffre a shrew­ed prelate or a curat and a shrewed man to regne: thanne lightly att the requeste of the people to despose hī / but his syn be wel opē [Page] and wele sclaunderouse & noyoꝰ

Is ther any caas in which it is leful to stonde to one wytnesse

in that is no preuidice to a nother / it is lefulle to stonde to one wytnesse As if it be in doute whether a child be cristenyd / or a churche halowyd. or an auter / or vestment halowyd. Also by assente of bothe ꝑties mē may stōde to the wytnesse of one Also men may stonde to the wytnesse of the preest seyng that his parisshyn is amēdyd if the synne be nat open. Vt dicit hostiensis. in sūma li. ii. Rubrica de testibꝰ. S. quotus est numerus Also the wytnesse shal say for certeynte y ^t he knowyth for certeyne / and sey in doute thinge that is to hym in doute.

Ofte a man we­nyth to be syker of thinge and he is disceyued

If he do his deuer to knowe the treuth / thouȝ he be disceyued so sayng ayenste treuth / he synneth nat dedly For it is nat his wylle to bere fals witnesse.

The xi. chapter.

Is a man bounde. to kepe counseyl of thing that he knowith by priue telling

That a man knowyth. only by shrift he is bounde to ke­pe pryue & no wytnesse bere ther­of For he knowith it only as goddes pryue minyster. But if he knewe it nat only by shrifte. but by other weye thanne by his tel­ling that is shreuyn to him ther­of / if it be suche that it be greate harme of the comynte / or of any ꝑsone / thanne he is bounde to tel it oute for saluacion of his euen cristen / sauynge asmoche as. he may the ꝑsone that tolde it hym. so that he be ware of more harme by his tellinge If it be suche that it be nat to harme of the comente ne to greate harme of any ꝑsone if he haue boūde him to counseyl he shal nat be it a knowe for no biddynge of his soueraigne For it is a lawe of kynde to kepe coū seyle that man knowith by counseyl / if the kepyng of counseil be nat ayenst charite For ayēst charite may no man be bounden neither by biheest ne by othe. And for to discoure counseyle that is tolde thim for counseyl whanne he may lefully kepe it counseyle it is a falshede. And therfore the wyse man saith / that who so dis­cureth the priueties of his frende he lesith faith Ecclesiastici. vicesimo septimo. For that is the manere of false freendes that whāne they turne to eneminyte. [Page] than to telle the priuetyes of ther frendes to shende them / as saithe the wyse man / Ecclesiastici vi ^o. wytnesses must accorde ī the thī ­ge and in the ꝑsone the place & in the degre / and in the tyme. If one wytnesse stonde ayēst many wytnesses / his wytnesse is nouȝt but he be writē with them in any instrument. If the wytnes­ses contrarie amonges themself / the iuge shalle deeme aftere the more partie / butt the lesse partye passe the other partie in worship. and dignitye / and in gode name Or elles if their witnesse be more semely to the treuthe / and y ^t they preue better their wordes thanne the other ꝑtie / but that must stōd in discrecion of the iuge. They that shal atteynt other witnesses must be mo in nōbre and of mor̄ worship and of better name than the other were. If wytnesses ben euen in bothe ꝑties in nombre / & in dignitie / the iuge shal deliuer him that stondeth for giltye / for mercy must be principal vertue. in the iuge And therfore saith seīt Iames that mercy enhaūsith the dome. Hec in sū. conf. li. ii. ti. de testibus. Also ther is wytnesse of dede & by dede withoutē wytnes of worde / as whāne the dede she­with the self Distinct xxviii pri us (quam). Ther may no man be iuge. and wytnesse and accuser to gydder in the same cause / but in cas. the iuge may be wytnesse of treu­the to excuse iiii / q̄. iiii. Nullus. vnquā. In euery dome muste be foure maner ꝑsones / a iuge / accuser / defēdour and wytnesse ibidē In cause of felony of a grete syn shulde no man be wytnesse ayēst the gilty. that had borne wytnes ayenst him bifore in any doome. for it is a token of enemyte. iiii q̄ iii. testes. S Item in criminali. The wytnesses shuld be worshipful true and sadde. ibidem Such folke shulde be wytnesses in doome that knowe best the treuthe. xxxv q̄. vi / S. i. By wytnes of one shalle no man ne woman. be dampned / butt his trespasse be so open that the dede shewith the self. iii. q̄ iii. testes. Et deutro xix. et numeri xxxv. Noman is sufficiente wytnesse in his owne cause. xv. questione tercia. sane in fine Item quarta questione tercia. testes. S. Item in criminali. Post me. Euery man may be wytnesse in dome ayenst hymself but nat for him self quarta q̄. secunda S. i. The defendoure may forsake wytnesses that ben his enemyes. quarta. questione. tercia Testes. Noo man may be compelled by the lawe to bere wytnesse. ayenste his owne [Page] kynnesman / ne ayēst any of his nigh alyaūce. ibidm̄ An heretike and an hethen man may ber̄ wit­nesse ayenst a nother heritik and ayenste a nother hethen man. in helpe of a cristen man But ayēst a cristen man shulde they bere no wytnesse. xxiiii qōne i. mirātur.

The xii. chapter.

HE y ^t is vnable to be a p̄ste shulde bere no wytnesse ayenst a preest in cause of felonye and of grete synne .ii. q̄. vii. ip̄i. aplī. He that berith fals wytnes forsaketh crist souerayne treuth xi. q̄ iii. abiit. If prestes or dekenes be taken with false wytnesse berynge / they shulde be thre yere suspendyd from their office. and do harde penaunce .v. q̄. vi. quis in fi. Euery false wytnes shuld do vii. yere penāce .xxii q̄. v. si qs And by the lawe. he is vnable to euery office and lauful dede of any worship / worthye to leese his godes and to be beten and harde chasticed and punysshed / & the same peyne is he worthy that bryngith men wytingly to bere false wytnesse / xxii. q̄ v. si qs se. And as the lawe saith there he shulde fast xl daies ī brede & water / and vii. yere folowyng do harde pe­naunce / & neuir after he without penaūce of sorowe and contrici­on for his synne And al y ^t were assentyng to false wytnesse and to ꝑiury / shuld do the same penaūce ibidem. The wordes of wytnes shulde be taken to the best vnder stondyng and moost benigne. Extra libro ii. ti. de testibus. c ^o. cum tu. The wytnesse that ayē / saith him self is of no credence. Extra li. ii. ti. de ꝓbationibꝰ c ^o. Licet. Men shulde stonde to the firste speche that man or woman saith in his cause if he varie a nother tyme. e. ti. ꝑ tuas If the witnesse by distraction say amys / it is leful to him anon to amende his speche. but if he abyde w ^t an ynterual / though he chaūge his worde and amend it / he shal nat be accept ne herde Extra. li. ii. ti. de testibus cogendis. c ^o p̄terea wytnesse in dome shulde natt be herde ayenst him that is absente. but he were obstynate and wold nat come Extra de testibus c. ii. He yat saith first the treuth must be taken for one wytnes. e. ti / in omni. If a man haue sworne to the partie nat to bere wytnesse of the treuth / with the other ꝑtie. his othe is vnlefulle. And therfore nat withstondynge his othe he may bere wytnesse of the treuthe. e. Intimauit.

[Page]No man shal bere wytnesse to a nother in his cause if he haue the same cause. or any lyke that / to spede for him self For suche a persone is suspect that he wolde doo fauoure to a nother mannes cāe to haue him fauourable to him ī his cause. e. ti. ꝑsonas. No mannys wytnesse shalbe resceyued in dome ī preiudice of a nother / but if he swere though the witnesse be a man of religion. e. ti. nuper. The honestie and the worshippe of the wytnesses is more to char­ge than the multitude. e. ti. ī nta For to discusse irregularite of bygamye / both lewde man & lewde woman. may be taken for wyt­nesse. e. ti. tam is. Seke folke & pore folk may nat be compellid to come bifore the iuge / & to bere wytnesse But the iuge may sēde to them wyse mē to wyt of them the treuth. e. ti. si qui. Euery mā and womā shulde hate false wytnesse / for god hatith fals wytnes as saith Salomon Deus odit testem fallacem Prouer. vi / And euery lyer is a false wytnesse and ful of gyle And the sodeyne wytnesse disposeth and ordeynethe a tunge of liyng For he that is re­dy to bere wytnesse bifore he be auysed / he disposeth hī to lye Pro­uerbi .xii. But as Salomō saith The false wytnesse shalle nat be vnpunysshed. and he yat spekith lesynges shal perisshe. Prouer. xix. Ferthermore leue frende. ye shalle vnderstonde that ther ben thre maner of wytnesses.

The xiii. chapter.

THer is a wytnesse abooue vs that knoweth alle and may nat be disceiued / that is god that seeth al / and he shalle at the day of dome be to vs bothe iuge and wytnesse. Ego sum iudex et testis. I am iuge and wytnesse. saith oure lorde god. Ieremye xxix And Iob saide. In heuene is my wytnesse / and he y ^t knowiy al my counseil. is aboue in high And ther is a wytnesse within vs that is oure conscience. For as seint poule saith. oure ioy is wit­nesse of oure conscience And ther is a wytnesse withouten vs / and y ^t is our nighbour & all creatures that shal bere wytnesse ayenst vs at the dome bifore the high iuge. but we amende vs by tyme and deme wele oure self For moyses saide. Testem īuoco celum & ter­rā. I clepe heuene and erth to witnesse / that if ye make to you any lyknesse / or ymage to worship it & breke goddes lawe / ye shal so­ne perisshe. Deutro. quarto. And ī an other place he saith thꝰ. [Page] I clepe heuyn and erthe to wyt­nesse that I haue sett bifore you lyf and dethe / gode and euyl blessyng and curse. And therfore chese the lif that ye may lyue and & loue your lorde god and obeye to his voyce / and cleue to him by feith and loue. for he is your lyf: and lengith of youre daies. And if your hert be turned away from him and ye wole nathere his lawes / but worshippe false goddes. I say to you bifore that ye shall sone perisshe. Deutro. xxx ^o. And therfor̄ lene frend if we wol be syker at the last dome / and co­me sikerly bifore oure souerayne iuge that knowith al / vs muste deme wele our self in this world. For seint poule saith That if we demyd wele our self / and discus­sed wele oure lyf / we shulde natt be dampnyd. Prima ad Co (rum) xi ^o

Howe shulde we deme our self.

As the glose saith there. Thou shalt be thyne owne domesman Thy seete shal be thyne herte / and sett thy selue gilty bifore thy self domesman. Thy thought and thy cōscience. shalbe thy two wytnesses / for to accuse the. Thy turmentoures shulde be drede and sorowe / that in maner shulde shewe thy blode by wepyng of salt terys whanne by wytnesse of thyne owne con­science and of thy thought / thou haste demyd thy self giltye / and nat worthye to come to goddes borde ne to heuene blisse. And there saith the glofe that seknesse feblenesse / and sodeyne dethe fal comonly / aftre Ester amonges the people / for men in Estre res­ceyue vnworthily goddes flesshe and his blode. Ideo multi in firmi et ībecilles et dormiūt mul ti. s. per mortem. prima ad co (rum). xi. Butt for euery man is fa­uourable to hym self. and to his owne cause. therfore thou shalte haue with the two. assessoures by whose counseile thou shalt deme thy self / and tho shall be treuthe. and reasone. Take with the treuthe that thou make no false excusacion of thy synne. Ne lye thou nat for to excuse thy self ne for to accuse thy self falsly. ne to greuously. but as thyne other assessoure reasone wole accorde. And if tho ii. wytnesses that is to say / thy thought and thy consci­ence suffise nat to bere wytnesse ne to ful enfourme the of thy synful lyf. Take to the. the thridde wytnesse that is thy feyth. And so lete thy doome stonde in wyt­nesse of two or thre. And feith saythe thus. Fides sine operibus mortua est. Feyth withou­ten gode werkes is dede. For [Page] al though you beleue as a cristē man. butt thou lyue as a cristen man / elles thou art dede in soule and worthy to die withoutē end Feith that faileth in worde. and thought is dede and helpith natt to blisse. And anon conscience. & mynde shal accorde to him / and say thus. He that vsith amysse his free wyl that he die it is skyl withouten remedie sauyng god­des mercy And take hede y ^t thy clergie may nat saue the For ho­ly wrytt and clergie say. Anima peccatoris morietur. The soule of the synner shal dye Also thy clergie may nat saue the. if thou be in dedly synne. For thou arte bigamus. & twyes weddyd First to crist ī thy baptym. and after to the feende by assent to syn And so thou art wydowe. fro crist wed­did to another widowe that is ye feend forsakē of god for his pry­de. to whom he was weddyd att the begynnyng of the world. Ne trust thou nat in thy dome. on a gode cuntre. For if the quest co­myn of the x. cōmaundementes whiche thou hast broken / and of the ii. preceptes of charite ayenst whiche thou hast offendyd / and of the xii. articles of the faith a­yenst which thou hast erryd / and of the vii. dedes of mercy. Which thou hast natt fulfilled / & of thy v. wyttes whiche thou hast mis­spendyd / and the foure cardynal vertues ayenst whiche thou hast trespassed / this solempne queest of xl true wytnesses shal damp­ne the as a man queller of thyne owne soule. And as a theef tray­toure thou hast robbed thyn ow­ne lorde of his goode For robbe­ry is clepyd alle maner mystrea­tynge of a nother mannes gode. ayenst his wylle. And thou haste robbyd Cryst of that preci­ouse soule. that he bought with his dere blode / and mysused and myspent his creatures. ayēst his wylle. For as saith seint Gregory in his Omelie. alle thinge that we tak of god to vse of gode lyuynge / we turne it into vse of wycked lyuynge. Quicquid ad vsum recipimus vite: in vsum conuertimus culpe. For the helthe of body that god sent vs. We spende it in synne and in wyckednesse. faire wedyr in veyne occupacion of pride & of couetyse. peas / in veyne sikernesse / plētee of vitailes / in glutony and lechery And so this solempne quest of fourty wolde dampne the for giltie. Therfore ther is none other remedy but truly deme thy self & yeld ye gilty & tak the to the m̄ [...]y of god & punysshe thy self by dre­de and sorowe of hert & putt the [Page] in the dome of goddes iuge / that is thy confessoure / & make amendes after his dome and by his assent For god ayenst whom thou hast so highly offēdid wole stōde to his rightful dome / and accept such satisfaccion as he assigneth the by the lawe of god to doo / if thou do it with gode wylle.

The xiiii. chapter.

THus deeme thou thy self / and thanne shalt thou bee syker at the dredeful dome whā criste our brother verry god / and very man / shal come doune to deme the quycke and the dede And as saith seint poule / he shal come downe with the voyce of a trūpe that is to saye. With the voyce of aungelles and of archaungelles whiche shal crie and say Surgi­te mortui venite ad iudicium. Rise ye vp that ben dede / and co­me ye to the dome And anone in the twynklyng of an iye we shal al awake of the longe slepe and ryse vp and come to the dome pope and prynce / kinge and caiser. lorde and lady free and bonde ri­che and pore. greate and smalle. al they shalle awake and rise vp body and soule. ayen knytte to giddre That voice shalbe so hy­dous so dredeful and sterne that heuene and erth shal begynne to quake. The stones shal ryue / & al the dede aryse from deth to lyf eche man and womā to aūswere for him self / no man ꝑ atturney. Nowe oure iuge Crist is a lomb merciful and meke / than he shall be as a lyon dredful and sterne. And the lyon with his crye abas­sheth al other beestes & makethe them to stonde stylle saue his owne whelpes / whiche with his crye he reyseth fro deth to lyf / soo the voice of Crist at the day of dome shal arere vs al from deth. to lyf whiche voyce shalbe ful dredful to them that lyue beestly / and take none hede to god ne to his la­we Them it shal arrest and mak them stonde stylle. as prisoners. on the erth and abyde their iuge. For they shal so be chargyd wi [...] synne / that they shal nat wende vp ayenst Crist. as the gode shal wende vp and mete with Cryste For to them that ben goddis children that voice shalbe ful swete. and ful likyng to here and mak them so light that they shal wēd vp & mete with criste in the ayre. as saith seint poule To his chil­dren Crist shal say Venite. &c: Come ye my faders blessyd chil­dren & take ye the kingedome of [Page] heuen that was ordeined to you before the begynnyng of ye worlde. But to these bestial folke. & wycked lyuers to the proude to the couetouse. to the enuiouse / & to lechouris. glotoūs. and to vē geable folke. his voice shalbe ful dredful and ful bitter whanne he shal saye to them Discedite a me maledicti etc. Wende ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches into the fi­er of helle withouten ende. there to dwelle with the fende and hys aungelis And so he shal send thē to sory place and to sory cūpany withoute any remedie / was ther neuer thunderblast so dredful as his voice thanne shalbe to theim that shal be dampned / And was there neuer songe so mery. ne me. lodie so likyng as his voice shal be thāne to al that shalbe saued. And therfore deme welle thy silfe here: that thou be not dampned there Stond here to the saw of ye greate queste of treue witnesses. Wich I haue nempned to the and demethisylfe therafter / And be treue domesman of thisylfe or els thou shalt haue the same q̄st. ayens the at the dredful dome. And therto alle aungelis and ar­chaungelis and al the seyntes in heuen and alle creaturis shal thā bere witnesse ayens the and axe vegeaunce on the / Thanne as sayth Iohn crisostom super illud. Plangent se omnes tribus tre et c. The aungelis shal bryng forth the crosse. the spere. the nay­les. the scourges. and the garlōd of thornes with which criste suf­fered his passion. Thanne shal crist sit on high to deme ye qcke & the dede / he shal departe the gode from the wycked and sette the gode on the right syde. the wycked on the liftesyde / He shal turne hī to the wicked on the liftsyde and shewe theym the crosse. the spere the nayles. the scourges and the garlond of thornes and his woū des alle fresshe which he suffered for alle mankynde. and saye to the wicked on this wyse / Ecce miseri et ingrati quanta ꝓvobis sustinui ꝓpter vos homo factus sum &c. Se ye vnkynde cur­sed wretches what I suffered for your sake For whā I was god & kynge of kynges and lord of lordes and neuer had wyst of woo. for youre sake I bicam man for youre sake I suffered to be beten and bounde. be spateled and de­spised be nailed to the crosse crowned with thornes. stongen to the harte with a spere. and was slay­ne dispitous deth as ye maye see to bye you from endles deth. Where is the raūsom of my blode where be the soules y ^t I bought [Page] so dere: where is the seruice that ye shulde haue don to me: where is the loue that ye shuld haue shewed to me: I loued you aboue alle creaturis / I loued you more than I dyd myn owne worshyp Forwhy. for youre loue I putte misylfe to sorowe and care. And ye loued more a lytel mucke and a lityl luste of the flesshe. than ye dyd me or my rightfulnesse: and lityl or nought wolde do for my loue / For whāne I was hungry ye wolde not fede me / whanne I hadde thurst. ye yaue me no d [...]h whanne I was naked / ye hilde me nat / whanne I sought myne harborowe: ye resceyued me nott whanne I was seke and in pre­son: ye visited me not / And ther­fore wende ye hens from me into the fier of helle without end there to dwelle with the fende and hys aungelis / O. sayth seynt Gregori thou synful wretch what shalt thou do. fle may thou not. ne hy­de the may thou not. and if thou apere as nedys thou moste thou art but shēt / for yer̄ thou shalt haue al thyng ayens the / Aboue ye thou shalt haue the dredfulle do­mesman redy to dampne the On the right syde thou shalt haue the wicked werkes to accuse the On the lyft side the foule fendes redy to drawe the to helle / Byneth the thou shalt haue ye endles depnes redy to swolow the in / withoutē the thou shalt haue al the worlde on fier redy to brenne the / within the thou shalt haue thyn own cō ­science worst of al / gnawyng the and fretynge the withouten ende Thanne as sayth the wyse man Alle creaturis shal feight ayens vs / Sap̄ v ^o. Thanne as saythe the greate clerke / Crisostomus. heuē erth water sōne mone night and day & al ye world shal stond ayens vs in witnesse of oure syn­nes And though al thing wer stil oure thoughtis and oure consci­ence / and oure werkes / shal accuse vs and stonde witnessis ayens vs / Therfore seynt austen in his omelie suꝑ illud Estote miseri­codes sayth thus Brethern take ye hede to the mercy of god: and to the harde dome of god: Nowe is tyme of mercy. after it shal be tyme of dome Nowe god clepeth ayen that been turned a weye fro him: and foryeueth thē ther syn­nes that turne ayen to him: and he is ful pacient and abidethe of wrech that men shulde turne thē to him and be saued. And anon as sīners turne them ayen to god he foryeuethe synnes that been passed & bihetith ioyes to comīg Now god stireth and monestith thē that been slaw to gode dedi [...] [Page] he confortith them that been dis­easyd / he techith them that be studiouse / and helpith them y ^t fighte ayēst vices He forsaketh no mā ne womā that traueyleth to doo wele if they clepe to him He yeueth to vs that we shulde yeue ayen to him to please him whāne we haue offendyd him For we haue nat youē him ne wherwith to queme him / butt that we take of him The tyme of mercy is ful grete. I pray you bretherne alle lete ye natt this tyme passe you. but take ye it while ye may After this tym shal cūme tym of dome whanne men shal doo harde pe­naunce withouten fruyte / for itt shal nat helpe them Thāne syn­ners that had their welth in this worlde shal sigh and say w ^t grete sorowe Quid nobis profuit suꝑ­bia &c. What hath profited to vs pride / what hath nowe holpē vs oure pompe: oure boost / oure ri­chesses: Al thies ben passed awey right as a shadowe. These been the wordes of seint austyn.

The xv chapter.

THāne they that shalbe dā ­ned shal say a sawe of so­rowe y ^t neuir shal haue ende. De fecit gaudiū cordis nti. versus ē in luctū chorus nt. cecidit coro­na capitis nostri / ve nobis quia peccauimus. The ioye of oure hert is done and past away / to sorowe & care is turned oure pleye. the garlonde of oure hede is falle to grounde / that euir we dyd syn welaway the stounde. Treno (rum). quarto. Therfore leue frende ta­ke we to vs the tyme of mercy & amende we vs while we may for elles we shal nat whāne we wold And the lēger y ^t god suffrith folk to reigne in their synne / & the more pacience y ^t he hath with theym the harder he shal smyt them but they amende them. And therfore the doome of god is lykned. to a bowe For the bowe is made of ii. thinges Of a wronge tree. and a right strynge So the dome of god is made of ii. maner folke Of them y ^t ben wronge throughe synne / and lyue wronfully / and do moche wronge / & of them y ^t be right & rightful in lyuynge The archer shetīg in this bowe is crist And the more y ^t ye bowe is drawe abak / the harder it smyteth whā the archer lousith. So the lenger y ^t Crist abideth / & so draweth his dome abake / the harder he shalle smyte but folk amende them And as the archer in his shetinge taketh the wronge tre in his lifte honde / and the righte strynge in his right hōde and drawith them [Page] atwynne / so Crist at the doome. shal sett the wrong lyuers on his left hōde. the rightful lyuers on his right honde / & sette the arowe in his bowe / that shalbe the dred­ful sētence of his dome / & drawe the rightful from the wronge / the gode from the wycked / whanne he shal say to the rightful. Come ye with me vp into heuene blisse. Withouten ende / and to the wrōg lyuers he shal say. Wende ye hēs fro me downe into helle peyn. W ^t outen ende. Of this bowe the ꝓ­phete saith Arcum suū tetendit & parauit illū. God hath bent his bowe / and made it redye / and he hath arrayed or made redy therin tacle of dethe. and hathe maade his arowes hote with brennynge thinges For they that ben brente with synne shal brenne with the fyre of helle withouten ende. Of this bowe dauid also saith Dedisti metuētibus te significationē: vt fugiant a facie arcus. Lord thou hast yeuen a tokenynge to them that drede the / to fle awaye from the face of the bowe.

The xvi. chapter.

What tokenes ben tho

Ther is dome in special / and dome in generall. y ^t shalle be in the laste day of this worlde Dome in special. ech mā hath anone as he dyeth And therfore crist saith. Nunc iudiciū est mundi. Nowe is dome of the worlde / for anon as thou art de­de / thou shalt be demyd either to heuene or to helle / or to purgatorye. Of this dome spekith Salomon. Memor esto iudicii mei Haue mynde of my dome / for suche shalbe thy dome / yisterday it felle to me / to morowe it shal fal to the Bifore this dome goo ma­ny tokenes of warnynge to syn­ful wretches / as age / seknesse / feblenesse / dasewyng of sight / blindenesse / deefnesse / rymplynge or ryuelyng of skynne / fadynge of coloure / failyng of mynde / losse of catel / of frēdes by deth & other

Whanne shal that daye of general dome falle

as Criste saith in the gospel ther is none aungel / ne saint in heue­ne that wote whanne it shal fall But sodeynly & vnwarly it shal falle / and come as a theif / and as deth doth to many a man y ^t wole nat be ware by tokenes bifore. No more shal men thanne blent with synne be ware of the last dome ne of the first. that shalbe deth no more thanne the men wold beware by the prechinge of Noe to fle the flode that drenchid al saue viii. soules.

Sithen [Page] eche man and woman is demyd anon as he is dede / wherof shall serue the general doome.

That al men hethen and cristen may se the rightfulle dome of god / nat only in theym self but in al other / that hethē mē may se and knowe their false bi­leue for whiche they been damp­nyd And cristen men se and kno­we their vnkyndnesse / and howe rightfully they and alle other be dampned that die in dedly synne

The xvii chapter.

MAnnes dome is ꝑuerted by iiii. thinges as saith the lawe xi. q̄. iiii. Quatuor. by drede by couetise of yiftes / by hate / by lowe But crist he is almighty / he dredith no man He is lorde of al he nedith no mede ne yiftes He hatith no gode man ne woman. and therfore he shal dampne no gode man ne gode woman He loueth al maner right / and ther­fore he shal do no wronge. He knowith al / and therfor̄ ther shal no fals witnes ne slight of mē of lawe disceyue him. Euery man shalbe ther a true wytnesse of his owne dome / for his owne consci­ence shal saue him or dampne hī And therfore leue freende be ye a true wytnesse of your self in this world to saue your self here in tyme of grace / and thanne shal ye be a true wytnesse to youre selfe. to saue youre self. in tyme of the dome. False wytnesses in this worlde haste their rightful doo­me of dampnacioun in the other worlde. For they been false witnesses to them selfe / & to the other also. As saith seynt Iohn with the gilden mouthe. super Matheum opere imperfecto Omelia vi. Ther is no man able to be a true wytnesse to a nother man but he be firste a true wytnesse. to hym selfe in his owne dome.

At the doome god shalle axe of vs reknynge and aunswerynge / of the benefices. that we haue taken of him / he shalle axe them ayen / in nombre in weight and measure. He shalle axe of vs how ofte we haue resceiued of his yiftes. howe moch we ha­ue resceyued & how we haue spēt them And the lettres and the tay­les of oure conscience. shal aun­swer̄ and say that we haue resceyued goodes of kynde / that is to say of body and of soule / Alsoo godes of fortune that ben temporal godes and temporal richesses and godes of grace that ben ver­tues and cūnynge. Thanne the [Page] soueraigne iuge shalle axe of vs aunswere of his benefices in the plurel nombre saynge. Esu­r [...] &c. I hadde hungre and ye yaue me no mete I hadde thriste and ye yaue me no drynk I was nakyd and ye clothed me nat. I sought my herborowe and ye resceyued me nat. I was seke and ī prisone / and ye visited me nat ne comforted me nat And sithen the dome shalbe so hard to them yat helpe nat their euen cristen withe their gode at nede / moche moore streit it shalbe to them that robbe their euen cristen / as to theuys pilours extorcioners and māquel­lers lechoures and to al wycked doers Thanne men shal yeue aū swere of euery ydel worde y ^t they speke / as crist saith in the gospel And as seynt Bernarde saith the riche man shal yeue aunswere of euery threde in his clothe / of eue­ry crūme of brede ī his brede skep of euery droppe of drynke of his barel and in his tūne & in his vessel Also Criste shalle axe reknīg by hole mesure. For as Criste saith in the gospel. men shal ther̄ reken and yeld to the lest ferthīg withouten foryeuenesse And su­che measure as men mete here to other shalbe moten ayen to them mercy for mercy / harde for harde Also god shal thanne axe of vs. reknyng in weight of strayt doo­me for al oure dedes shal there be weyed by the dome of god and of onre owne conscience / and after that they wey they shalbe rewar­dyd / the gode in blisse the wicked in peyne Thanne the honde of god shal write in the conscience. of euery mā and womā that shal be dampnyd these thre wordes. Mane techel phares. Whiche iii. wordes he wrote on the the walle of the kinges hall Balthasar. to his dampnacion Danielis v ^o.c. which vision apperyd to the kīg in tyme of the greate feest that he made in dispyte of god / and ma­de men drynke in the vesselles of goddes temple / whiche vesselles wer̄ halowed to god. For Mane is to say in englisshe. God hathe nombred thy kingdome and dayes of thy reigne and made an ēde therof. Techel. is to saye / thou art weyed in a balaunce / & thou weyest to lytel. Phares. is to say thy kyngdome is departed from the For after the dome the synful man may no lēger loke after the kingdome of heuene which was ordeyned to him if he wold haue deseruyd it But thanne he shalbe departyd fro that kingdome yat he hath loste by his folye. and go to prison of hell withouten ende whiche he hath deseruyd For thā [Page] Criste shal say to euery man and woman Tolle quod tuū est et vade. Take that is thyne. and that thou haste deserued and goo thy wey / to heuene if thou haue do wele / or to helle if thou haue do amys and nat amendyd the. Thanne al wycked cristen men shalbe demed and dampnyd / but hethen men shalbe dampned and nat demyd For as Criste saith in the gospel He that bileueth natt in Criste nowe / he is demyd Sū ­me shalbe demyd and sauyde / as gode cristen men comyn lyuers. And sūme shal be saued and nat demyd / as men of ꝑfection / For they shal deme other as crist saiy in the gospel Dos qui reliquistis omnia. &c. ye that haue forsakē al worldly godes for my sake / & folowed me in pouertie and in ꝑ­fection / ye shal sytt on xii. sety [...] demyng the xii. kynredes of israel. that is to say / all that shal be demyd.

The xviii. chapter.

It is dredeful thing to thynke on this dome.

It shalbe more drede­ful to here it and to se it / & moost for to fele it. and namely to riche folke that haue resceyued many godes of god & nat spendyd them ne dispensed them to his worship And seynt gregory in his omelye saith / the more the yiftes of god come to a mā / the more wexe reknynges & aunswere of the yiftes. Therfore seint Iames spekithe to you riche men in this maner Agite nunc diuites &c. Nowe ye riche men do ye so that ye may saue your self / wepe ye and wayle ye for your myscheuys that shall falle to you but ye amende you. ¶youre richesses ben roten / your clothes be mothe eten / your gold and siluer is rustyd and the ruste therof shalbe wytnesse ayēst you at the dome. and ete your flesshe. as fier. For ye kepte your goode so harde from the pore folke / therfore ye haue tresourid wrath and wreche to you in the laste dayes. Iacobi v.

Wele is hym. that is wele dede

And wele is him that wele lyueth For as seint Austyn saith He that ly­ueth wel may nat euyl die Therfore as I saide firste Deme wele to thy self / and of thy self For as Salomon saith The true wytnesse deliuereth soules of wo bo­the ī his owne and in many other Prouerbi. xiiii. And as the ꝓphete saith Seke ye vp oure lorde god with almesse dede. While he may be foūde. clepe ye him while [Page] he is nigh. Nowe he is high now he clepith vs to his mercy Nowe he may be foūde benigne and bonour to alle. But after the dome and after oure deth / he shalbe fel and fiers to vs. but we amende vs. Thanne shalle we fynde no mercy but that we deserue by our lyf And therfore leue frende doo ye as seint Poule saith Dum tē ­pus habemus operemur bonum. ad omnes. While we haue tyme worche we gode to al. And the wise man saith what gode thyne honde may do / do it besily while thou might / For ther shalbe noo worching reason ne cūnynge / ne wysdome. after thy dethe to wyn the mede Ecclesiasttes ix. Therfore Crist saith in the gospel that ther shal cūme a nighte whanne no man shal worche to wynne hī mede The day is oure lyf / the ni­ght is our deth. for be we dede we may no more worche to wynne mede. ne to amende vs.

God sende vs grace to doo as thou sayst. I thāke the for this informacion / for I hope it shal do profyt Now I pray the that thou wylt enfourmme in the ix. commaundemente

The nynthe precepte is this Non concupisces domū ꝓximi tui. Exodi. xx. Thou shalte nat coueite thy nighboures gode with wronge / house ne londe In the viii. preceptes bifore god forbedith all wycked werkes. In these ii. last he forbedith al wyc­ked wylles and consent to synne For of wycked wyl cūmeth yuel dede And therfore Criste saith in the gospel / that oute of the herte. cometh al maner synne. for with outen wylle and assēt of the hert is no synne done. De corde exiunt cogitaciones male / homici­dia adulteria fornicationes / furta falsa testimonia / blasphemie. M ^t. xv. Therfore seint Poule. saith that couetise is rote of alle euyl. And therfore god forbedith al wycked couetise. bothe of the worlde and of the flesshe Couetise of the worlde is clepyd coue­tise of the iye. ī other mēnes gode Couetise of the flesshe is clepyde wylle to lechery and to glutony. And righte as a wycked wede is clene clensyd oute of a lōde whā the rote is drawen away / and til whan ne the rote is drawē vp / the londe is nat clene clensyd ne wel wedyd / and bodily seknes is nat [Page] wele cured ne helyd tyl the roote of the seknes be thus distroyed Right so mannys soule and wo­mans may nat be clene clēsyd of synne. ne goddes lawe may natt be kepte / til couetise of the herte whiche is rote of al maner synne and of all gostly sekenesse be drawen oute of the londe of mannes hert / and distroyed. And therfore whanne god hadde youen viii. p̄ ceptes by whiche men shulde flee al wycked werkes / he put therto other ii. preceptes ayenst false couetise / bydding that men shulde put wycked couetise oute of hert For false couetise is principall. letter of kepyng of goddes lawe and rote of al wickednesse Therfore in this cōmaundement god forbedith principaly false worldly couetise. and specially of thinges nat mouable by thē self whā he byddeth that thou shalt nat coueyte thy nighboures gode with wronge house ne londe. In the seuynth p̄cept god forbedeth the dede of al wrōgful takyng whā he biddeth the nat stele In this heest he forbedeth al maner wrō geful desire and mys couetise of any mannys goode / of house / of londe / of golde / of siluer / of cloth of corne and of all such other thī ges that may nat stire themself.

This precept is principaly ayēs false purchasoures / that for false couetise ben besy to begyle. and with falshed to robbe men of house / and of londe & put theym oute of their heritage. To suche false purchasoures god yeuethe his curse and saith thus. Ve qui cogitatis īutile et operamini malum in cubilibus vestris. &c. Woo be to you that thynke vnꝓfitable thinge / and worche wyc­ked thinge in youre beddes ī the morowe whanne ye may nat sle­pe For thāne they caste gyle and falshede ayenst their euencristen. They haue couetyd other men­nys feeldes saith he / and by miȝt take them away from them / and robbe them of their houses / & falsly chalenge the mā and his hous and his heritage For ofte they chalenge men for bonde / and so entre into their house and londe. and haue alle their heritage with goddes curse. Michee. ii. Also god yeueth them his curse by the prophete ysaie ther he saith thus Ve qui coniungitis domum do­mui. et agrum agro copulatis &c

Wo be to you that falsly ioy­ne house to house / & couple felde to felde / to the ende of the place y ^t ye may say / all this is myne and noo man hath ought within me.

Wene ye saith god that ye alo­ne shal duelle vpon erthe. [Page] This false couetise saith he sowneth in myn erys And therfore many a fair house and grete shal be forsaken / and no man ne wo­man duelle therin. ysa. v. And thus the wise man saith Non at tingas terminos paruulorum &c Touche nat the boundes of the smal pore folke. to reue them of their right. and entre thou nat in to the feelde of faderles children. to putte them oute of their heritage For almighty god that is ther nigh frende shal mak their cause ful greuouse and ful hard ayēst the Prouer. xxiii.

The ii. chapter.

WE fynde in holy wrytte the thrid boke of kinges xxi.c. That ther was a kinge of israel that hight Achab / and ther was a man duellyng by him that hiȝt naboth that hadde a faire vyne­yerd that lay nigh the kinges paleis / and therfore the kinge desy­red gretly to haue it / and saide to naboth. yeue me thy vyneyerde. and I shal yeue the a better ther. fore. or elles asmoche money as it is worthe Thāne naboth saide god forbede that I shulde chaū ­ge my faders heritage. I wole neuir chaunge it ne selle it. Thāne the kinge was wroth and for malancoly leyde him on his bedde. & wolde nat ete ne drynke. The quene Iesabel his wyf come to him and axed what him ayled The king saide that he had spo­ken to naboth to haue his vyne­yerde / and he wolde nat graunte it him Thanne Iesabel the que­ne saide Be of gode confort and take me thy rynge and I shal yeue to the. the vyneyerde Thāne she wrote lettres ī the kinges name to the principalis of the citee vndre the kinges signet. And badde them gadre their courte to gidder and make a solempne fastynge so to blynde the people w ^t ypocrisie and bad them ordeyne. two false wytnesses / which shuld accuse naboth. and say y ^t he spak euyl of god and of the king and so dampne him as gilty and sto­ne him to the deth and so they did For it was the lawe that who so spake euyl of god or of the king or cursyd them he shulde be slayn ¶whanne Iesabel hadde tidin­ges y ^t naboth was slayne / she ca­me to the kinge and badde hym ryse vp & be mery & take the vynyerd to him for naboth was dede And anone the kinge rose & wēte into the vyneyerde & toke it to hī Thā at the bydding of god Ely the ꝓphete met w ^t him & saide to him in goddes name Thou hast [Page] slayn and thou hast that thou couetist. But I tel the it forsothe in the same place there the houndes haue lykked vp the blode of Nabothe / hoūdes shal lycke vp thy blode / and houndes shall ete thy wyf Iesabel. and houndes & briddes shalle ete thy body / and god shall distroye thyne householde. and sle al thy kynred / and thyne alyaunce / and sone after it fel so And thus of false couetise / came ꝑiurie / false wytnesse. murdre / & manslaughter and distruccione. of the kingdome. ¶we rede also in the passion of seint Beatrice that there was a false couetouse man whos name was Lucres. And he coueytid moche the place of seynt Beatrice And for couetice to haue ye place he accused her to an hethen iuge. that she was a cristen womā And so by his accusacion she was slayne. For she wolde nat forsake Cristene Cri­stes lawe. Whanne she was thus dede / Lucres entryd into her pla­ce to haue it in possession And for ioye of the place he made therin. a grete feest to his frendes And whanne he was moost mery and iocūde in the myddes of the feest a yong soukyng childe that was there in his moders arme sayd al alowde that al men might here it Audi lucreci. Here nowe Lucres Thou hast slayne / & thou haste entryd falsly into this place and haste it at thy wylle. But nowe thou art youen into the mighte & into possession of thy moste ene­my And anone in tyme of the fe­est bifore al his freendes and his gestes / the feende entryd within him / and iii. oures to gidre so for trauelyd him and so rent him be­fore them al til he slewe him and for his fals couetise bare his soul to helle Here thou might se what perel is to purchace any thing a­mys by false couetise And ther­fore if thou haue purchased any thing falsly / or if thou occupye any thing mys purchased looke y ^t thou make restitucion for saluacion of thy self / and of thyne heyres For it is a comen prouerbe De male q̄sitis vix gaudet terciꝰ heres Of euyl gotē gode ye thrid heire vnneth hath ioye.

The iii. chapter.

If I hadde oughte purchaced a mys my self. I holde me bounden to restituci­on / but of my former faders pur­chace haue I nought to do whe­ther it were rightful or nat right­fulle. Butt that they lefte to me I wyl kepe it as the gode mā [Page] Naboth dyd of whom thou spakfull ate

Naboth wolde haue kept stylle his fader herita­ge that longyd to him by right / & by discent of heritage. But if thou kepe any thinge wyttingly that thy former faders purchasid falsly. in that thou kepist nat thi faders heritage as naboth dyde. but thou kepist other mennys heritage to whiche neither thou ne thy fader hadde right And therfore but thou mak restitucōn thou shalt rewe it and al thyne heires. as Achab dyd and his heires. Whiche loste nat only that they had mysgoten of naboth by murdre. and by gyfe / but ther [...]o they lost. their lif / their worship and theire heritage for euir. ¶ I rede that ther was a grete man whiche did moche almesse / & for his almesse. god wolde haue him saued It by fel in an euenynge he romyd alone vndre his wode side by his place. ther came an aungel in a mā ­nes lyknes & bad him go w ^t him Sodēly they were to gidre ī a depe valeye / and in the myddes of the valey was a depe pytt ful of fyre smoderinge medlyd with pitche and brymstone. ful foule stī ­kynge. Thanne the aungel bad this man loke into this pytt. He lokyd downe / and there he sawe thre galowes stonding in the fire On the ferthest henge a man by the tunge. on the secounde henge a man by the hondes / but on the thridde henge no man. Thanne the aungel axed him what he sa­we. and he tolde him al the soth. Thanne saide the aungel. He y ^t hangith by the tūge is thy faders fader / which purchased the place that thou duellyst in / by gyle of his tunge / by false othes / by lee­synges / by ꝑiurie / by false wyt­nesses / and dyd many mē forswere them / and therfore is he principaly punysshed in his tūge / and haungith by his tunge in this orrible fyre and shal do withouten ende for he wolde nat make restitucion. He that hangith on the secounde galowes by the hondis is thy fader whiche kept stylle by mighty hond that his fader myspurchased / and wolde nat make restitucion The thridde galowes in whiche hangithe no man been ordeyned for the but if thou amē de the and make restitucion Anone the aungel passyd aweye from him. and he was delyuered ayen vndre his woode syde.

The nexte daye after he sent after the heires of the plaace and made restitucion. His wyf and his children were fulle sory. and saide vnto him. Allas allas nowe been we alle beggers. [Page] Thanne he aunswerid & said Leuer I haue that we begge in this worlde / thanne to brynge you al and me into that endelesse peyne tha I sawe And better it is to vs for to lese a place in erthe to whi­che we haue no right / thanne to lese oure place in heuene bl [...]sse w ^t outen ende.

I assent wel to thy spech / say forth what thou wylt.

The iiii. chapter.

Many harde ven­geaunces haue fallen for false couetise Giezi was smyten with foule miselrie For couetise made him to sel the helth of Naman / whiche helth came only by the grace of god. iiii ^o. (℞.) Regum v. c. For couetise iudas solde Cryste. goddes sonne for thritty penys. and betrayed him / & after he wēt & henge him self tyl his bely brast And there his bely braste / & there the deuyl that was in him flewe oute and bare his soule with him to helle.

Why went natt the feende oute at his mouthe.

For his mouth hadde touchyd cristes mouthe / whanne he kyssed crist in gile and sayde. Hayle maister.

Thy skyl is gode say forth what thou wylte.

Also for coue­tise an any and saphira his wif died sodeyn deth & dispitouse bethe for they lyed to the holy▪ goost. & forsoke their money to seint Pe­tyr For couetise Nachor was stoned to the deth / for he stale golde and clothe ayēst goddes forbode Iosue vii. ¶ We fynde in the lyf of seint Barlaam yat on a tyme an archer toke a nightyngale and wolde haue slayne it God yaue speche to the nightyngale. Whiche saide to the archer / what shal it proufyt to the to slee me. Thou maist nat fylle thy womb with me I am so lytel Saue my lawe and lett me fle and I shalle teche the thre wysdomes whiche if thou kepe wele they shal do ye moche proufyt. Thanne the ar­cher was a woundryd of her spe­che and hight her sykerly that he let her fle. if she taughte hym the wysdomes. Thanne she said be­sye the nat to take thinge y ^t thou might nat take. For thinge that is looste and may nat be recured ne goten ayen make no sorowe. Thinge that is nat semely to be sothe / leue it nat The archer lete the nightyngale fle. Whanne the nightyngale was vp in the ayre. she saide to the archer a feble coū seyl hast thou take For thou hast lost a grete treasoure For I haue a margery stone in my wō ­be more thanne an ostriches ey. [Page] Thāne the archer was sory and prayed the nightyngale come a­yen to him & hight her wele Thā saide the nightyngale. Nowe I wote wele thou art a fole / and al my lore ꝓfiteth the nat For thou makest moche sorowe. for thou hast lost me. and yit thou might nat gete me ayen Thou trauay­list to take me. and thou mighte nat take me / ne passe the weye y ^t I passe by And ouir that thou leuyst that I hadde suche a preciouse stone in my body asmoche. as an ostriches ey. and al my bo­dy is nat half so moche.

What is this to purpose.

By this nightyngale y ^t syngethe so swetly / I vnderstonde Criste. goddes sonne that songe to mankynde sōges of endles loue. And a nightyngale is in latyne philomena. y ^t is to saye in englisshe. a swete louer / as saith Catholicon And a sweter louer thāne Cryste was ther neuir none He taughte to vs many wysdomes / in which he taught vs these iii. First. he badde that thou shuldest natt be besy to take thing y ^t thou mighte nat take. Whanne he bad the nat stele / ne coueyte thy neighbours gode with wronge. For as the lawe saith. Hoc solum possumꝰ. quod de iure possumus. Only we may do that we may do lau­fully And therfore if thou traueil to gete thing vnlaufully y ^t thou might nat haue by the lawe / be it house or londe worship or dignytie / thanne thou besiest the to ge­te a thinge that thou mighte nat take. And therfore the wiseman saith Noli laborare vt diteris &c. Trauayle thou nat to moche to be riche. But putte measure and maner to thy wysdoome / and to thy slight / that though thou my­ghtest gete a thinge by sleight or by soteltie / alwaye take hede to the right and to the lawe. Ne erigas oclōs tuos ad opes quas ha­bere nō poteris. s. de iure &c. Lift nat vp thyn iye saith Salomon to richesses that thou might natt haue rightfully. For they shalle make them winges as of an egle and fle into heuene / that is to sey they shal fle away from the / and accuse the bifore god of thy false hede / and of thy couetise Prouer xxiii. Also couetouse folk doo a yenst the secoūde lesson that this nightingale crist ihūs taught v [...] to kepe. For whā they lese thing by myshappe or by aduersite / or by deth of wif or childrē they make so moch sorowe. y ^t they renye god / & falle in ful harde sekenes bothe of soule and of body. But dauid the king keping this wis­dome dyd natt soo but while his [Page] sōne [...]ay seke. as long as he was of hope to haue his life: so longe he wept and fasted. and prayde for his life to god. But whanne the childe was dede / anō he sesed of his wepynge and ete & dranke and made mery: For he wyst wel that he might not gete him ayen .ii ^o. (℞) Regum xii ^o.c ^o. Also couetise maketh men to leeue thynge that is not semely to be soth / and to beleue many stronge lesynges For thynge that is moch desired is sone leued. as sayth the master of stories / And for as moch as couetouse folke desiren to haue moch thyng that they haue noo right to / therfor they bileue many false tales. and assenten to falsehede / For the couetise and the talse accorden sone to gedre / For if a false man come and telle the couetise man a fals tale of wyn­nynge. or telleth him that he ha­the right to a thynge: he leuethe him sone be it neuer so false. But therfore this nightyngale blessid Iesus sayde Qui cito credit leuis est corde &c. He that sone bileueth is light of herte and fulle chaungeable. fro vertue to vice. from treuth to falsnesse from charite to couetise. Et minorabitur And he that sone bileueth shalbe lessed in worship and lityl set by For sone leuīg of lesīges brīgeth people to moche foly / This ma­keth men to bigynne pleyes and briges & one neighbore to hate a nother. the husbonde to hate his wyfe. the wife hir husbonde. the fader his sonne. the sonne his fa­der. the moder hir doughter. the brother his suster. this hath brought englond in bitter balis Therfore the wise man saith / Non omni verbo credas / Bileue not eue­ry word Eccle. xiiii ^o. He y ^t leueth sone lesynges. his worde and his loue and his feith wawen about as the wynde / Therfore the gret clerke Seneca sayth in his epist­le. that no wyse man bileueth a­ny newe tales lightly.

The v. chapter.

ALso we rede in holy wrytt numeri xxii. That Balaā the false prophete wold haue cursed goddes people for couetise of the yiftis which Balaac kyng of moab profered him. natwitston­dyng that god forbad it him and bad him nat come there. Wherfor as he rode to the kyng balac. his asse that he roode on vndername him and hurt his fote ayēs awal For the asse sawe an aūgel ston­dinge with a swerd drawen ayēs him in the weye. and therfore the asse fled out of ye wey īto ye feld Balaā was wroth & smoote his [Page] asse ful harde with a stafe: for he bare him so oute of the weye And the as cā in a strait wey bytwene two wallys. and there he saw al­so the aungel ayens him And for drede he fled a syde and bare Ba­laam ayens ye wal and hurt his fote ayens the wal Thāne balaam bette eftsones ful euyl Sone after the aungel stode ayens him in so strayte weye. that the asse might not flee on any syde. butt felle doune and wolde no ferther thanne efte he smote the asse / God openid the assis mouth and he sayde to balaam. What haue I doo ayens the. Why byteste thou me nowe the thirde tyme / I haue alwey be thy beest▪ and thou hast alwey reden on me. and I serued the neuer thus tyl nowe / Thāne god opened the iyen of balaam. & he sawe the aungel stondynge ayens him with a naked swerde which repreued him of hys false couetyse and of his wicked pur­pos. and for that he bete his asse withoute gilte and sayde. y ^t butt the asse had goon oute of the wey he shulde elles haue slayne hym for hys wey was ayens the ple­saunce of god:

What bitokeneth thys tale

Balaam is to saye in englisshe a deuourer of the people and stur­bloure of the folke Iterp̄tatur deuorans pplm̄ et turbans gentem And therfor balaam bitokeneth false couetise of this worlde whiche deuoureth the pore peple and stourbelith euery nacion / For nigh alle the debate in this worl­de is for myn and thyn: And therfore sayde a philosofre. Tol­le duo verba meum et tuum. et totus mundus erit in pace / Put oute of this worlde two wordys myne and thyn. and al the world shalbe in pees. Balaam firste in his prophecie worshipped goddes people and prophicied to thē moche prosperitie as he was compelled by the might of god to say But at the laste with his sherew­ed counceile that he yaue to balaac to haue his yiftis. he / disseyued goddes people and brought th [...]ē to lecherie and to ydolatrie. and so to offende god wherfore foure and twenty thousand of goddes people were slayne. and alle the princes of the peple were hangid vpon gebettes ayens the sonne [...] at the biddynge of god Right so couetyse of this worlde fyrste putteth men in hope of grete ꝓs­peritye. and hoteth them welthe and worship / See sayth coueti­se. such a clerke is there that may spēnde so moche by yere / and yit he was but a pore mannys sōne as thou art / be of goode hert / for [Page] suche as he is thou mighte be. And so couetise puttith example of knightes / of marchauntes / of p̄lates of lordes and of ladies If thou haue richesse saith couetise. thou may do moche almesse and haue many prestis to pray for ye oute of purgatorye But be ware for by suche bihestes the feende & worldly couetise been a boute to disceyue the and to bringe the in glotonye and lechery / and ydolatrie / as balaam brought goddes people to shenship He wole mak the more to trust in thy gode thā in thy god For what thinge that man or woman loueth mooste & settith his hert moost therin / that is his god / as saith seint Ierom. Therfore seint poule saith / that auarice is seruage of mawmetry For gold is god to the couetouse man / to whome he dothe mooste worship / whiche false god is be­toknyd by the ymage of golde. y ^t was lx. cubites in hight and vi. in brede whiche the kinge Nabugodonosor reysed vp in the feeld. of Durain. and cōpellyd al men to worship it And who so wolde nat worship it / he dyd put theim in an ouen ful of fyre / in token. that who so worshipeth nat ī this worlde the false god of gold and of false couetise / and yeueth noo tale of this worlde and wole nat obeye to false couetise to serue it with gile falshede and ꝑiury but lyue in treuth and in charite / yat man shal haue moche woo ī this worlde And therfore seint poule saith y ^t they that wole lyue mekely and goodly in Criste shal suf­fre moch tribulacion ī this world Therfore seint Gregory saithe. This worlde is a furneys and a ouen to trye in goddes children. by anguysshe and tribulacion. Be ware of the bihestes of coue­tise For faire bihestes make sot­tes blithe. He wole so entryk the in dett and in synne / that it shall be ful harde to the for to escape. and so to brynge the to die in dedly synne And if thou dye in dedly synne / al the golde vndre the co­pe of heuene though it were thy­ne / ne alle the prestes vnder sōne may nat helpe the. Therfore seīt poule Qui volunt diuites fieri ī cidunt in temptationes et in laq̄ um diaboli. &c. They that co­ueyte to be riche ī this worlde fal into harde temptacions and into the feendes snare. and into wyc­ked desires and vnproufitable. and fulle noyous / whiche drench men into the dethe of helle & brīg them to perdicion For why saith he / Roote of alle euyl is couetise Prima ad Thi. vi.

The vi. chapter.

I wene that all mē might be holpen with her. richesses after her deth.

It is nat soo But only they shal be holpen with their goode. after their dethe / that deseruyd by ther lyf to be holpen with their riches­ses after their dethe. as they that do almesse after their staate / and spende wele the goode. that god hathe sentte to theym / and paye wele their dettes / and do such o­ther gode dedys / and kepe theim from dedely synne to their lyues ende or namely thanne. Thus saith seynt Austyne In glosa prima ad thessalo. quarto suꝑ illud. Nolumus vos ignorare de dor­mientibus And therfore be ware and take hede to thre warnyngis and tokenes that god yaue to balaam to flee the swerde Firste his asse went oute of his waye. After that he hurte his foote and disea­syd al his body At the laste he fel downe vndre him and wolde no ferther bere him. By the asse I vnderstonde welth of this world that stondith principaly in richesses and in bodily helthe / whiche berith a man vp in this world as the asse bare balaam. Butt beware. for right as the asse is a ful dulle beest / and whanne a man hath moost nede and moost hast in his iourney / thāne he wol nat go but at his owne luste / and so disceyueth his master Right soo worldly welthe disceyueth them that trust therin / and fayleth thē at nede. This asse of worldlye welth firste gothe out of the wey that is whāne god sendith a mā aduersite / and his causes and his traueil goth nat forth as he wold ne as he wende they shulde doo. but whanne he wenyth to wyn. he leesith / and spedith natt as he wende to spede. And there he we­nyth to fynd frendes / he fyndeth enemyes. And in case if he wole passe the see / the wynde is ayenst him / and dryueth him out of his weye. And if he plete / sūme sliȝt putteth him oute of his purpose. and y ^t he wende to spede in a mo­neth he shal nat spede it in a yere. and parauentur neuir bringe his cause into the right wey there he wolde haue it. Whanne this asse gothe oute of the waye. take hede to thy waye and to thy pur­pose / and if thy way and purpos be ayēst the plesaunce of god / as was the waye of Balaam thāne wende ayen and cese of thyn euil purpose. And if it be nat ayēs the plesaunce of god / dispose the to pacience and thank god of al. [Page] and take hede what the aungell sayde to Balaam. Butt the asse sayde he. hadde gone oute of the waye I hadde slayne the For but welthe of the worlde wente sumtyme oute of the waye by aduersite and by sekenesse / elles it shulde be cause to moche folke. of dethe. bothe bodily and gostly

For if man hadde alway his welthe and his wyl in this world he shulde yeue no tale of god / ne of man. ¶The secounde too­ken was that he hurte his foote. and soo diseased his bodye / thatt is whanne god sendith man sekenesse and castith him downe ī his bedde / and maketh him so feble. that his feete may nat bere hym. thāne take thou hede to thy wey and to thy lyf. if it be ought contrarie to god / and if it be amend the. The thridde token was. that the asse fel downe vndre his feet in a streyt wey / and wold no ferther bere him This streyt wey & so narow a paas / is deth where no man may flee Thanne welth of this worlde lykned to the asse. fallith downe to grounde & wole no lēger here mā vp in this world Thanne passith helth and welth and al lust of the flesshe And therfore whanne thou cūmyst to the poynt / take hede to thy wey and to thy lif. And if it be contrarie to god / amende the thanne for euir as thou wylte fle goddes swerde Richesse and welth of this world is lykned to a ioguloures horse.

¶We fynde that on a tyme came a proud gettour into a stable and founde a mynstralles horse. stonding by his horse. And for it was better thanne his / he toke it and rode away theron / and lefte his feble horse there. The mynstral ꝑceyued that / and ranne by a nigh pathe. and mette with hī. in passyng ouir a water and cry­ed. Flectamus ianua. The hors knewe wele his maisters voyce. as he was wont to doo in pley he dyd thanne / and knelyd downe ī the water. Thanne the mynstral saide. Leuate. And anone the horse rose vp as he was taughte and kest the proude iettor in the water / and ranne ayen to his master. This mynstral is the world whiche pleyeth with folk of this worlde as a mynstralle / as a io­gulour and as a disour His hors is richesses of this worlde / which ofte at the voyce of this worlde playeth Flectamus genua. and bringeth them lowe and to grete pouert & forsaketh them in theire moost nede / & foloweth the play of this worlde and nat the wyll of coueitouse folk that wold ha­ue them / but ful often they that [Page] traueyle mooste to be riche / been moste pore And namely euyl go­ten goode sone pleyeth Flectamꝰ genua. With them that haue mysgoten them by myspurchace / or by witholdyng of dett / or by fals executorie or by mycherie or robberye Therfore it is a comen prouerbe. De male quesitis vix gaudet tercius heres. Of euyl goten gode vnneth ioyeth the thrid heir

The vii. chapter

Thy speche is nat plesaunte to worldly co­uetouse men / and yit experience shewith that thou saiste sothe.

It farith by many folke as it dothe by many shepe. For many shepe be nat payed to go with their felawes in comē pasture / but seke their mete amon­ges busshes thornes & brymbles. to haue the better bytte / tyl they ben so wysked and snarled amō ­ges brembles & thornes that they may nat go away. Thanne cū ­meth the pie or the rauene and piketh oute the one iye. and after­warde the other iye. Thanne cū ­meth the wolf or an hoūde or sū ­me other beest & sleeth him Right so it is of couetous folk For they wole nat lyue in playne pasture. amonges their neighboures / ne be nat payed with comen lyuīge that god hath sent to theym but outrage and seke to be in higher degre of richesses and of worship thanne their nighbours ben. and seke their liuyng amonges brimbles and thornes / that is to saye amōges false richesses / as saythe Cryst ī the gospel. They borowe of one x.li. of a nother .xx.li. & so forth [...] and thynk neuir to pay & thus they gete moche gode and lyue a mery lyf with other men­nys gode Also they bicome exe­cutours and attourneys to sūme riche mā in his diyng. & hote him wel to be true to him But whan he is dede they kepe al to thēself & thus they snarle thēself so ī dett & in false richesses to be holdē grete in this worlde / that they maye nat pay ther dettes Thā cūmeth the feend & pyketh out ther right iye & maketh them lese tōscience. anētis god After he pyketh oute their left iye. & maketh them lese shame anentis the worlde So y ^t neither for dred of god / ne for shame ne for spech of the world / thei cese nat to borowe ne to gete falsly other mennys gode / & so falle depper & depper in dett / tyl at the last the feend sleeth them body / & soule And therfore loke y ^t thou pay wele thy dettes. Whyle thou [Page] may / for els thou shalt nat whā thou woldest For a shepe y ^t gothe moche amonge thornes leeuyth sūme of his flece in euery busshe. there he gothe. tyl he is naked Right so the thornes of fals richesses. and such dettes shal take thy flece fro the / y ^t is to saye / thy true catel if thou any haue / so y ^t thou shalt haue right nought to helpe with thy self [...] tyl whā thou shalt go nakyd of gode / and haue lesse than nought Therfore saith a grete clerke Tulius .li.ii. de officiis. that no thing saueth more a comyntie than faith. But feythe may nat be saith he but men wol pay their dettes. And in the thrid boke. de officiis. he saith / y ^t it is a synne ayenst kynde to tak awey falsely a nother mannes gode / & to make him riche with a nother mannys losse For y ^t saithe he / distroyeth charite and the felauship of mankynde For men dare nat comyne their gode to gidre by le­nyng / for drede of false couetise.

That is soth For I had leuyr haue my gode in other mennys hondes thanne in myne / if I wyste that they wolde truly paye it ayen But I fynd so many fals and so fewe true / y ^t I dare nat le­ne but to fulle fewe Saye forthe what thou wylt.

The viii. chapter.

Two thinges prin­cipaly shulde abate coue­tise of mannys herte. Vnstable­nesse of this worlde and drede of dethe. First vnstablenesse of this worlde / for this worlde. and the welth of this world is lykned to foure thinges ful vnstable To a whele aboute turnyng / to a shyp in the se sailyng / to a floure that sone fadith and fallith to groūd. and to a shadow that alway passith and duellith but a stounde Firste welth of this world is lykned to a whele aboute turnynge. for whan the whele gothe about that / y ^t is byneth. anone it is aboue. and that y ^t is aboue. anone it is byneth. And that y ^t is on thone syde anone it is on the other syde Right so it is in the whele of for­tune of this worlde. For nowe a man is byneth in his youthe & in his begynnynge In myddel age he is aboue in his welthe & in his floures / But anon the whele turneth downe ayen to greter age to pouert / to seknesse and feblenes. tyl at the last he fallith of ye whele / & dieth / & lyeth there as a clott of erthe by the walle. Tferfore in the whele of fortune is writē this verse. Regnabo regno. regnaui. sū sine regno. Man in his youth [Page] whanne he is towarde in hope of welthe. he saith Regnabo. I shal reigne. But whanne he is in his myddyl age and hath the world at wyll and so sytteth aboue on the whele. than he saith ī his pri­de. Regno. Nowe I regne. I am alle aboue But anone the whele turneth doūwarde anon cūmeth age sekenesse / feblenesse / losse of catel and aduersite [...] than he may say Regnaui. I haue regned. sū ­tyme I was a man But whanne he lyeth on diynge he may saye Sum sine regno. I am without kingdome. My reigne my kingdome. my welth is done. Also in the whele of fortune / that is ī the one syde / anone it is in the other syde For they that ben this daye a mannes frendes and stonde on his side to help him / the next day they shalbe his enemyes and stō ­de ayēst him with his aduersarie Of this whele speketh Dauid. In circuitu impii ambulāt. Wicked couetouse folke goo aboute as a whele. Posuisti eos vt rotā. et sicut stipulam ante faciē vēti. Lorde saith he thou hast put thē as a whele / and a stoble bifor̄ the face of the wynde For as the sto­ble while the wynde bloweth wauereth and fleeth aboue in theyr. nowe high. nowe lowe / but anon as the wynde passith it fallith a downe to the erth and lyeth there stylle. Right so the proude couetous folke wauere in this world in welthe and worship / nowe hi­gher / ne lower / And as the stoble and the strawe in his flighte ke­pith noo certeyn waye / soo kepe they no wey of goddes lawe / tyll at the last the wynd passith oute. of their body and they fal downe into ther graue / and many of thē into the pytte of helle. Also this worlde is lykned to a shyp. in the see saylyng For be the ship euir so grete of him self and haue the wynde with him al at wylle. and bere he his saile neuir so high & go he neuir so yerne / be he pas­sed there is no tokē where he wēt Right so be a man neuir so grete in this worlde / and haue the wīd of mennys mouthe neuir so wele w ^t him to bere his name. to pryse him and to flatere him / thoughe his name sprynge neuir so wyde and bere him neuir so high in pri­de / or be he so solēpne & so migh­ty. y ^t no man dare quycche ayenst him ne do / be he dede. and passed oute of this world / sone he is for yetten. Men shal fynde no tokē of him within a fewe yeres / Vn­nethes shal he fynde one frende. that wole do syng a messe for his soule. Go to the churchyerd and thou shalt knowe by the bodies. [Page] the riche from the pore / the faire. from the foule / the wise from the foles / the free fro the bonde. But at they turne there to erth & asshē to wormes mete / to stynche and vnclēnesse Al these grete kinges that were sūtym so grete of name where ben they al bicome. Alex­ander. Iulius cesar Nabugodonosor. Octouyan. Arthur̄. king charles & al suche other / where be they bicome. Therfore they may say that is writen in the book of wysdome Quid nobis ꝓfuit suꝑbia &c. What profited to vs oure grete pride. What halpe vs oure pōpe & oure grete richesses. All is passed away as a shadowe / & as a ship y ^t passith the wawes of the see / of which be it passed mē may fynde no token Sap̄. v. c. Mannes lyf may wele be lykened to a ship whiche is streyt & narowe at bothe endes / but in the myddes it is wyde & large. Right so is mā ­nes lyf / for his byrth & his begynnyng is ful strayt & ful narowe. For he cūmeth into this worlde naked and pore / wepynge & wa­lyng / vnmighty. vnwytty / & no­ght may ne can helpe hym self / & with moche trauayle is brought forth / til by litel & litel he cūmeth to mānes age. There the ship of his lyf is sūdele wyde & large / for in his myddel age he hath moost his miyht / his wytte & his wylle. But anone the ship of this lif draweth to another strayte ende. A­none cūmyth age / feblenesse sek­nes. aduersite / losse of catel / & pouert / & at the last dethe maketh a ful strayte ende / whāne he dyeth with bytter peyne ī moche drede. & moche sorowe & wendith hens nakyd & pore / right as he came / & nought berith w ^t him but his de­des gode & wycked. Of these ii. streyte endes saith Iob thus.

Nudus egressus sum de vtero matris mee: et nudus reuertar il­luc. Nakyd I came oute of my moders wombe / & nakyd I shal turne ayen into the erth moder of all. And if a man wole stire wele a shyp or a bote / he may nat stōd in the myddes of the ship / ne ī the former ende. but he muste stōde ī the laste ende / & there he may stir̄ the ship as he wole. Right so he y ^t wole styre wele the ship of his lyf in this worlde / he may nat stōde in the myddes of his ship / nat set bis thoughte & his hert in welthe y ^t he hath in his middel age / ne he shal nat stonde in the former ēde nat sett his hert ne his thoughte. in his byrthe ne in his begynnīge to thynke moche of his kynrede. ne of alliaunce to stire him to pride. Butt he must stōde in the last ende of his shyppe. and of his lyf [Page] and thinke on his dethe / and on laste his ende. And howe mys­cheuously / and howe perilously. he shal wend hens / and how whedyr ne whanne / wote he neuir. And in that maner he shalle best stere the shyppe of his lyf to the siker hauene of heuyn blisse Therfore the wyseman saith Memo­rare nouissima tua et in eternum non peccabis. Thynke in ward­ly of thy laste thinges & of thyne ende. and thou shalt neuir do syn Ecclesiastes vii. In the begyn­nyng of euery dede / thynk on the ende what ende it may haue and what may falle therof.

The ix. chapter.

ALso welth of this world is lykned to a floure that so­ne fadeth and fallith to ye groūd For as the rose floure is faire to the sight / swete in smellyng / soft in handlynge / soo welthe of this worlde is faire to the sight of mā and likynge in the hauyng But right as the rose wexith alway amonges the thornes / and he that gadrith roses but he be more wa­re shal lightly hurte him & pryck him. Right so welth and riches­ses of this world wexith al amō ges thornes of harde trauayle of thought of besynesse and of ma­ny perels. bothe bodily and gost­ly For a man hath moche traueil in the gettyng / moche drede ī the kepyng / moche bytter sorowe in the lesyng. Diues diuicias nō congregat abs (que) labore. Non te­net abs (que) metu. nec deserit abs (que) dolore. Whanne a mā hath tra­uayled all his lyf tyme to gadre gode / and to haue welth and worship in this worlde / it wole sone welke fade and fall away as the rose. Sodeynly cūmeth moreyn and his beestes dye / cūmeth ad­uersite and losse of catel. and att last deth takith away euery deel And who soo wole be besy to ga­dre the rose of worldly welth and of richesses / but he be right ware he shal hurte him bothe bodily. & gostly And therfore seint Poule saith that they that coueyte to be riche in this worlde / they falle in the feendes snare & into ful hard temptacions For these skylles seint Iames saith y ^t the riche mā shal passe away as the floure of the grasse & of the hay For whan the sonne shyneth hote on the hey it welkith and drieth & his floure fadith. and his beaute passithe Right so saith he the rich mā welkith and fadith in his weyis that is to say in his lyuyng Iacobi. i. [Page] Also worldly welth is lykned to the shadowe alway passing For al oure lyuyng in this worlde is but a passynge and a wantynge of light of heuene blisse In the middes of the day whan the sōne is highest / thanne is the shadowe shortest Right so whan a mā we­nyth to be butt in the myddes of his lyf. and is highest in welthe. & in his pride / thanne is his lif shortest / for thanne men dye sonest ī their moste prosperite And the ni­gher euen and the end of the day. the lenger is a mannys shadowe. Right so these worldly couetous men the lēger that they lyue and whanne they been att their lyues ende / thanne they thynke moste to lyue lenger Thanne they purchace / than they house / than they begyn to plete tyl their lyf passe. sodenly away as the shadowe at euē Therfore mannes lyf is lykned to a slyder wey For whanne a man gothe by a slyder wey / the more that he gasith aboute / and the ferther that he loketh fro him the soner and the harder he shalle fal But if he loke wel to his feet. and to his way / he may kepe him on lofte / & though he fal. he shall take no grete harme. Right so it farithe by the lyf of this worlde. It is so slyder. that there mighte neuir mā ne womā passe by this wey / but at the laste he slydethe into sekenesse and myscheif / [...]nd fel downe and dyed. or elles shal come to the same end And comō / ly whanne men loke ferthest fro them self and thynke to lyue lengest / & begynne mooste to house. & to purchace / and purpose ma­ny shrewyd turnes / and to lyue moste in welth & in delices thāne they dye sonest and passe awaye. sodenly / as a shadowe at euen. Example Crist tellith in the gospel Luce. xii. Ther was saithe Criste sumtyme a riche man and hadde in a yere a plenteous crop. on his londe. in somoche that he hadde nat houses ynowe to ley it in He thākyd nat god of his yift butt turnyd him to proude coue­tous thoughtis / and saide to him self / what shal I doo I haue no housyng to ley in my corne & my gode I shal distroy myn olde bernys and garneris and mak newe lenger and larger. and stuffe thē ful of gode. and thanne shalle I say to my soule. Nowe soule thou haste goode enough for many yeres / nowe take thy reste. Now ete and drynke and make feest So he thought al of his lyf in this worlde and nought of the lyf in the other worlde. Anone god saide to him. Fole this night fendes shall take thy soule from [Page] the whos thanne shal be alle the godes y ^t thou hast arayed and gadryd to gidder He might say that they shulde be their / that trauey­led nat therfore.

The x. chapter

CLerkes that trete of kynd say that the fox in wynter whanne he goth to seke his pray if he cūme to a frosen water / he lyeth his ere downe to the yce / & if he here any water rynnynge vn­drenethe / he wole nat passe ouyr ther̄ / for the yce is nat syker But he sekith him a nother siker way. Thus I wolde y ^t al synful couetouse men dyd / whan they goo about to seke their pray of false couetyse / of fals purchas / or to rob & begyle any man of his gode. Thanne I wolde they leyd their erys to the yce and thought how freyle a mannes lyf is For as the yce cūmeth of the water and tur­neth ayen to the water / righte so al we came of the erthe. & shalle turne ayen. to the erthe / & if they wolde thus ley their ere to this y­ce / they shuld here water rēnyng They shuld here say / there dyeth a pope / there a kinge / there a prī ce. there a duyke. there dyethe a busshoppe. there a knighte. there a squyer. They shulde here that assone dieth the riche / as the pore / the grete as the smalle / the yonge as the olde. Therfore ho­ly wrytte saith. Omēs morimur et in terrā quasi aqua dilabimur Alle we dye and slyde into the er­the as water ii. Regū xiiii. Therfore seint Bernarde in his medi­tacion repreueth the proud coue­touse folk of this worlde & saith thus. Vbi sunt amatores seculi. qui nobiscum āte pauca tēpora. fuerunt. Telle me nowe saith he where ben nowe these lordes and leders / these proude iettours and these false couetouse men y ^t were here with vs within a fewe yeres where be they now bicome Ther is no thing of them left but asshē pouder and wormes Thake he­de what they wer̄ and what they been They were mē as thou art. ete & dranke as thou doste / & led their daies in moche myrth / and ī tuynkling of an iye many of thē sanke downe into the pytt of hel where their flesshe is youen vnto wormes / and where their soule is put īto endlesse peyne. What help them their veyne glorye / ther pō ­pe / their pride / their myrth / theire gaame and glee. Where is nowe ther game and their laughynge / their boost and their highe berynge / al is past as a shadowe [Page] From grete myrth they ben fallē into endeles sorowe / from luste & likyng they be fal into bitr̄ payn from plente into endles myscheif

These wordes stire me. and so they may many other / ly­tel to sett by welthe and worship of this worlde But wele is he y ^t may haue helpe of his gode after his dethe. and thanne fynde fren­des and true atturneys

But moch better he is y ^t hath grace to help him self bifore his deth. With his owne gode For one pe­ny shal ꝓfyt more bifore his deth thanne tuenty penys after. And more ꝓfiteth one candel bifore a mā / than xx. behynd hym Therfore seynt Lucye taught her mo­der to do almesse by her lyf / & nat abyde tyl after her deth / & said to her moder Here ye my coūseyl It is no yift ful plesaūt to god whā man or womā yeueth thing y ^t he may nat vse hīself· therfore if ye wole y ^t god be plesyd with youre yift / yeue ye to him thīg y ^t ye may vse your self For y ^t ye yeue ī your diynge therfore ye yeue it. for ye may nat bere it w ^t you And ther­fore moder while ye lyue & haue helth of your body / yeue to god. that ye haue.

The xi. chapter.

WHanne a man wole natt do for him self while he maye. though his executoures & his at­tourneys do nought for him it is no grete woundre For eche man & woman is moste holden to him self But it farith oft by hem that dye & by their executoures / as it dyd onys by ii. fooles. that duel­lyd in a lordes courte. The oone was a fole sage / the other was a naturel fole. It bifel on a daye. they came to giddre into a bake­house whanne folke were at the ouen / and the ouen was glowīg hote Thanne saide the fole sage to the naturel foole. Whether the ouene be nowe hote as it semyth wole we assaye saide the other. yhe saide the fole sage / but which of vs shal go into the ouene for to assaye Than saide the naturel fole. I shal go in / and thou shalt haue a bolle fulle of water. and stonde att the ouene mouthe. And if I fele hete and I cry cast caste. anone cast the water after me / and quenche the fyre aboute me It shalbe done said the other. foole. Thanne the foole na­turel toke the foole sage a bolle fulle of water in his honde / and he wente & crepte into the ouene. and anone as he was in. he begā to brenne. And anoone he [Page] cryed caste cast. Whāne the other sole sawe his soly he laughed soo enterely at his foly y ^t vnnethes he [...]ght stonde on his fete Thāne the fole in the ouen cried cast mā cast I brenne to deth Thanne the other fole aunswered. brenne if thou brenne wylte / die if thou dye wylt / I laugh so that I may nat caste. And so the foole brent to dethe in the ouen. By tho ii. foles I vnderstonde men y ^t dye & their false executoures / for bothe been they fooles. For the execu­tours been greate foles in that / y ^t they bynde theim to helle peyne. for their falshede Butt they that dye been more foles / in that that they trust more to other men / thā to themself. For whanne they shal crepe into purgatorye. that is hoter thanne any ouene. than they take to their executoures a bolle fulle of water in their hond that is to say golde and syluer / & other richesses / for to do almesse for them / & by almesdede. by messes syngyng and holy praiers re­fresshe them in their peynes / & ke­le the fyre aboute theym But co­monly whan they haue this boll of water in their honde / and ha­ue the godes at their wylle / they laughe so and make so mery and fare so wele w ^t the godes of the dede y ^t they may no thing cast after them / for they be ful lothe to for go any of the godes And therwhiles the synful soule lyeth in pur­gatory. & suff [...]ith ful moch wo & crieth after helpe night & day sayeng in this maner. Miseremini mei miseremin [...] mei / saltē vos a­mici mei. (qr) quia manꝰ dn̄i tetigit me Iob. xix. Haue ye mercy on me haue ye mercy on me / namely ye my frēdie [...] for the hōde of god ful harde hath touched me And whā they fynde no help of thē y ^t shuld helpe them they axe vengeaunce on them night & day. A greate clecke turpinus de gestis Karoli tellith / y ^t the kyng charles hadde with him a knighte in his ooste. a mā of gode conscience / & whā he shulde die he clepyd to him his neuewe praynge him that whan he were dede he shuld sel his hors and his harneys and do almesse. and doo synge thritty messes for his loue. He behight him wel but lastyd him ful euyl / and kepte it styl to his owne vse. and dyd nat as he badde him doo. Whanne the thritty daies were passed ī the night folowyng / the knight ap­peryd ī slepe to his neuewe & ax­ed him why he had nat don as he bad him do. Than he excused hī by diuerse besynesses y ^t he feyned nat that he hadde And he axed his eme howe he faryde.

[Page]And than he aunswered and said I shal telle the howe I fare / and howe thou shalt fare. All these thritty daies I haue be in purgatory and suffred ful moche woo. & peyne for defaute of helpe But nowe thankyd be god I am pas­sed purgatorye and go vp to he­uene blisse withouten ende. But for thou woldest nat helpe me as I badde the / therfore er this day mydmorwe thou shalt dye & goo to helle withouten ende. On the next day folowyng as he rode in the ooste on the same hors & told these dreemys to his felawes. as for a iape / at mydmorowe came sodenly a blake skye with thun­dre and lightnyng and grete nō ­bre of feendis in lyknesse of raue nys and rokes & hent him vp fro the hors in the middes of the oost and flewe away with hym / so y ^t they sawe no more of him tyl thei came foure daies iourney thens. amonges the mountes of nauer / ne There they founde him all to rent and drawen lith from lythe.

Butte his soule was drawen to helle. By his cote armure they knewe wele that it was the same mā.

Be a mā dede he fyndeth fewe freendes.

The xii. chapter.

I rede in vita Barlaam. y ^t ther was a riche man whiche had iii. frendes The first frēde & the secoūde he louyd w ^t al his hert / but the thrid frende he louyd lytel or nought This mā fel in suche a daūger ayēst his king y ^t al his gode was forfetted and eschetyd to the king / & hīself we­nyd to haue been slayne Thā he wēt to his first frēde y ^t he louyde so moche prayng him of help. & y ^t he wolde go to the kinge & speke for him and saue his lyf if he mi­ght Than he aunsweryd & saide Fare wele fast I knowe the nat I haue other felawes and freen­des ynowe with whome I haue my myrthes & solace. Nathelesse if thou be slayne I shal yeue the a shete to burye the in. Than he wente to the secounde frende yat he louyd so moch prayng him also of helpe And he excused him & said I pray the haue me excuse [...] for I am so besi y ^t I may nat atēd to the But yit for olde felauship I shal go with the on way to the yate. Thanne went he to the thridde freende that he louyd soo lytel. and prayed hym of helpe. and saide. Leue frende I am ashamyd to speke to the for I haue been to the ful vnkynde and litel loue shewyd to the Butt I praye the haue reuthe on me. and for goddes saake. helpe me in this neede. And thanne. [Page] he aunsweryd and saide. Leue frende welcome be thou / and be of goode comforte / for I am thy frende and wole be thy freende / & to helpe the that I may do / thou shalt fynde me redy. And anone he went and dyd so and spake to the kynge that he sauyd his lyf. and delyuered him oute of al his daunger.

So it fareth these daies as longe as a man is in welthe / so longe he shall haue frēdes ynowe to take of hī what they may and to flater him / and to please him. But if he begynne to go doūwarde / thanne fyndeth he fewe freendes and many ene­myes. Therfore saith the wyse man. Tempore felici multi nu­merantur amici. Cum fortuna perit nullus amicus erit. In tyme of welth a mā shal fynde frē ­des ynowe But whāne richesses & hap is gone. he shal fynde fewe frendes and fele fone. Say forth thy tale

By this riche man I vnderstōde euery man y ^t hath richesses and goodes of this world By his first frende y ^t he lo­uyd so moche / whiche yaue hym but a shete to be buriyed in / I vnderstōde the worlde / which worldly mē loue so moche / that for lo­ue therof they trauayle nighte & day & put them in peril of body & soule / & oft lese them self both body & soule. And yit at the last ēde vnnethes yeueth it to them a she­te to be buried in For many of them whanne they die haue lesse thanne nought And if they haue ought yit their excutoures wole saye that they haue noughte / & y ^t they owe more than they haue By the secounde frende y ^t wente w ^t him to the yate I vnderstōde a mannys wyf / his children and his bodily frendes And a womā ­nes husbonde. her children. & her bodily frendes / whiche whanne they ben dede / shal go with them on wey to the yate and bring thē to their graue / & ꝑauenture stōde and wepe on them But be man. or woman dede and doluen vn­dre clay / he is sone foryeten / and oute of mynde passed awaye Be the belles rūge and the messe sūg he is sone foryeten. Vnnethes shall he fynde oone freende that wole synge for him one messe vnnethes in the yere. By the thridde frende whiche he loued so lytel. and whiche halpe hym att his nede. I vnderstonde almesse dede. Whiche the worldely coueytouse men loue fulle lytell. And yitt att the dredeful doome whanne they shall stonde att the barre bifore the soueraigne iuge. Crist ihesu / thanne almesse dede shalbe the beste frende. that they [Page] shal haue For that shal speke for them and pray for hem and saue hem if they shalbe saued And therfore salomon saithe Conclu­de elimo sinam in sinu pauꝑis / et ipsa pro te exorabit ab omni malo Ecclesiastici. xxix. Ther­fore leue frende do ye as Tobye taught his sonne. Ex substancia tua fac elimo sinam. Do al­messe of thy goode & of thy catel. and nyl thou turne away thy fa­ce from any pore man / & as thou might be thou merciable.

If thou haue mooche yeue thou mooche. Butt and if thou haue but lytel studye thou to ye­ue litel with good wylle For thā thou tresourest to the a grete yift in the day of nede For almesse deliuereth soules from euery synne and from dethe / and suffreth nat the soule to go into derknes To­bie quarto.

The xiii. chapter.

To whom shal I do myn almesse.

Do as Crist biddeth ī the gospel. Oī petenti te tribue. yeue to euerye nedye y ^t axith the / if thou mighte Luce vi.

Cōtra Crist in the gospel Luce xiiii. saith thus. Whā thou makest a fest nyl thou clepe therto thy frendes / thy nighboures / thy cosyns and riche mē. but clepe thou pore mē feble blīd and halt / by whiche wordes it semyth to me y ^t I shuld do none almesse but to pore y ^t ben feble blīd & halt

Crist forbedith nat men to bid their frēdes & their ni­ghboures & riche men to the feest But he had hem y ^t they shuld nat only byd their frēdes & the riche. but also pore folk / nedy & feble. Also he bad y ^t mē shulde nat byd the riche folke & their frendes to feest with no wycked intencion. ī hope of false wynnyng / for pō ­pe / for glutony. for lechery / or to gete them a grete worldly name. but principaly for to norisshe pe­as & charite And in token y ^t festis made with gode ītencion both to riche & pore ben plesaunt to god. criste clepith vs al riche & pore to the endlesse feest. And crist him self though he were pore. in oure māhede / he was nat feble blynde ne halt whan the pharise to whō he sayde tho wordes bad hym to mete / ne whan he was at the bry­dales with his moder in the cha­ne of galile / ne whan mary magdaleyn & her sustre martha / & za­cheus made hī grete feestes / & yit they were prysed of Crist for ther dedys / and al that fedde Cryste. and his apostles / and his disci­ples whanne they wente about the worlde preching and teching been praysyde. And yitt the [Page] apostles and his disciples / were strong mē neither blynde ne halt And crist him self fedde his disci­ples neither blynde ne halte And sumtyme he fedde iiii. thousand of mē / sumtyme fyue thousande that folowed him fro cūtre to cū ­tre to here his preching / and to se the woundres that he dyd / & yitt were they nat blynd ne halt For as the gospel saith he made them hole of their bodily seknesse / or y ^t he fed them Luce. ix. et M ^t xiiii Also tho ii. disciples y ^t toke criste to herborowe in the lyknesse of a pilgryme on esterne day at euyn ben praysed / and yit was he nei­ther blynde ne halt. Also abrahā and Loth and many other hooly men resceyued aungels in the liknesse of worshipful men neither blynde ne lame to mete and her­borowe And seynt Petyr rescey­ued knightes & worshipful men to mete and to herborowe which came to him on message from the grete lorde cornely / as we rede in holy wrytt / actuū x.c. And alle these been prised of god / and had moche thanke of god for their almesdede. Therfore I saide firste Crist badde that men shuld do almes to al that nede bothe frende and foo And the apostle biddeth if thyne enemye haue hūgre fede him / if he haue thurste. yeue him drynke. The charite of cristen faith outaketh no persone mā ne womā ne state ne degre / ne secte. hethen ne cristē / from almesdede whanne they had nede. Butt vs must haue pyte on all / and helpe all at oure power Nathelesse vs must kepe ordre in yeuynge and takyng hede to the cause / and to the maner of nede in theym. that we yeue almesse to. For why so­me be pore by their wylle and so­me ayenst their wylle And they y ^t ben pore by their wylle sūme ben pore for the loue of god / and sū ­me for the loue of the worlde. They that been pore for the loue of god must be holpen passing o­ther for their pouertie is medeful parfyte and vertuous. They y ^t been pore wylfully nat for god. but for the worlde. as the romaynes were / and as these daies mo­che folke dismytte them of their owne gode and tak it to ther children to make them greate in this worlde / and moch folke take so moche hede to other mennys profyte / that they take none hede to them self / and so falle in pouerte and in nede / such pore folk must principaly be holpen of them / to whome their godes profityd and rather helpe theym thanne other. that been pore ayenst their wyll. but they shal nat be putte bifore [Page] them that be pore for the loue of god but the nede be the more.

The xiiii. chapter

OF them that be pore ayēst their wylle / sūme ben pore by fortune / by mysauentures as they to whō fortune serueth nat at their wylle / ne god multiply­eth nat their gode as they wolde and that / y ^t they haue they lese by mysauentures / and by the dome of god. And sūme been pore only by synne / and for the loue of syn as they that wast their gode in lechery and glutonye / in pride and pletyng / and in mysuse at the dyce in ryot and in vanite. Suche pore folke been laste in the ordre of almesse doynge / but their nede be the more And nathlesse if they haue pacience with their pouerte they shal haue mede for their pa­cience. if they repente theym. for their mysdedys. And in the same maner sūme been feble blynde. & lame for goddes cause & for god­des loue. Sūme ayenst their wyl by course of kynde. Sūme ayēst ther wyl for loue of synne as the­uys fighters baratoures / whiche in fight and barett lese their iyen. their feet / their hondes / and ofte ben punysshed by the lawe. God forbede y ^t suche pore folk blynde & halt shuld be put in the ordre of almes doing bifore them y ^t be po­re & feble by vertue. & for goddes sake. Suche shalbe holpen natt to luste of their flesshe / ne to doo them worship / but oonly to saue their kynde. tyl the dome of god passe vpon hem by ꝓcesse of lawe & by goddes mynistres.

Moche folke thynke y ^t it is none almesse to do gode to suche folk.

yhis forsothe For god wole y ^t mē help them / & at the do­me he shal say I was in prisone & ye visited me / & y ^t ye dyd to the leest of myne / ye dyd it to me.

Seint austyn de verbis dn̄i sermone xxxv. saith. ȳt god shal say the wordes to theim y ^t be pore in spiryt & lowe of hert / and y ^t suche been clepyd the bretherne of Crist and leest for lownesse by whiche they set leest by them self

They ben no folke po­re in spirite. but they that be pore for goddes sake And so seint au­styne shewyth there y ^t god shal accept more the almes y ^t is done to them y ^t ben pore for goddes sake. than to them y ^t been pore ayenste their wylle & for synne sake. Whiche conclusion alle though is besothe. yitt me thynketh y ^t Criste shal say tho wordes for tho wor­des for the almesse that he hathe done to al maner pore men both [Page] parfyte and vnꝑfyte For thanne he shal yeld mede for euery gode dede For why wycked doers and synful pore men been clepyd the lest of goddes menye / for they be leest set by in the court of heuene. And therfore he saith in the gos­pel that who soo brekith one of his leest cōmaundemētes and techich other by word or by euyl ensample. so to breke his cōmaundmentes he shalbe clepyd leeste in the kingdome of heuenes. God shal shewe at the dome grete pite and moche mercy / whanne thing that is done for his sake to his e­nemyes and to his leest seruātes. moste vnworthy / he shal accept it & rewarde it as it were done to his owne ꝑsone / and say I thāk you For that ye did to the leest of myne / ye dyd it to me

Why shal he clepe them bretherne that bi leest worthye / and many of theym to whō the almesse was done shalbe dampned.

Er he shalle yeue the sentence of dampnacion he shal clepe al mē bretherne for lyknesse of kynde. For in that he is mā he is brother to vs al by lyknesse of kynd / but nat by grace ne by blisse / but on­ly to them that ben in grace Thā the meke iuge shal clepe alle mē bretherne to confort of them that shalbe saued / and to grete disconforte of them that shalbe damp­ned whanne they shal see the meke iuge nat foryete the brotherhede ne lyknesse in kynde. Whiche he hath w ^t them / and yit catched and in maner cōpetlyd by his ri­ghtfulnesse to dampne theym. Grete mater shal they haue than to sighe and sorowe / whāne they shal knowe their synnes so gree­uous and so grete. and their vn­kyndnesse so moche / that ther oune brother so meke a iuge muste dampne them.

This o­pinion is more plesaunt to ryche mē and to other synful wreches. that hope than to be holpen by almesdede. For in many cuntrees. been but fewe pore folk in spirit. ne by their wyll Fewe that forsaken the worlde for goddes sake. But many ther be that the world hath forsakē / many that for syn sake ben ful pore / and many for their mysdedis lye bounde in pri­son in grete pouert / hungre colde and bytter peynes. And to suche folke in many cuntrees men doo moste comonly their almes / ī ho­pe to be thankyd and rewardyd. therfore at the laste dome

They shalbe thanked and be medyd. therfore as I sayde firste. & sithen Criste rightful iuge shalle thanne thank men for the almes that they dyd for his loue to his [Page] enemyes & wycked doers as ma­ny suche ben / moche more he shal thanke them for the almesse that they dyd to his frendis and to his true seruauntes. And sithen they shalbe dampned that wolde nat yeue to his enemyes at nede. for his sake / moch soner shal they be dāpned y ^t wold nat helpe his freē des and his true seruaūtes at ne­de for his sake. y ^t putt thē self for his loue to pouert and moch tra­uayle for helpe of mannes soule And if it be so plesaunt and med­full to yeue almesse to suche pore folke forsakinge the worlde / of whiche many neither shalbe res­ceyued into endlesse tabernacles of blisse / neither shall resceyue in to that blisse. moch more it is plesaūt to god and meritorie to help them that ben pore in spirite. and in wyll for the loue of god. For as Crist saith in the gospell. the kīgdome of heuenes is theirs and it is grauntyd to them to res­ceyue folk that haue holpen thē into endlesse tabernacles.

The xv. chapter

And therfore leue freēd wytye it wele y ^t if mā or womā haue more wyll to yeue to them that been pore ayenst their wylle and for the loue of synne / thanne for to yeue to them that ben pore for goddes sake. and for goddes cause. they synne ful greuously. and lese the mede of their almesse in that they putt goddes enemy­es bifore his frendes / and vice bi­fore vertue. And therfore ye shal releue al the pore and nedy as ye may / but prīcipaly them that be nedy and pore for goddes sake & by wey of vertue. For if ye leeue by false opinion the more almes. for the lesse. Whanne ye may doo bothe in gode maner / ye lese me­de bothe for the more and for the lesse. Therfore seint austyn saith thus. Thou shalt nat do to the pore prechoure of goddes worde. as thou dost to the begger passīg by the wey. To the begger thou yeuest. for Crist biddith the that thou yeue to eche that axith the. Butt to the pore prechoure thou owyst to yeue though he axe the nat. And therfore loke that the pore pechour goddes knight ne­de nat to axe the For if he nede to axe for thy defaute / and thy de­faute & thy lacchesse / he shewithe the dampnable or he axe And right as it is saide of the begger. that sekith the / yeue thou euery man that axith the / so it is saide of him that thou owyst to seke Let thyne almesse swete in thyne honde / tyl thou fynd him to whō [Page] thou muste yeue. ¶yeue thou to euery mā that axith the / but mo­che rather and more yeue to god­des seruauntes / to the knight of criste though he axe nat. Hec au­gustinus. et ponitur in glosa suꝑ iliud p̄i. Producens fenū tumen­tis. And therfore saith the lawe. that who so wol nat yeue almes to men that folowe the lyf of the apostles ī pouert and to the pore prechoures for their nedeful vse. he dampneth him self. xvi. q̄. i. aplīcis. For as the apostle saith it is due dett to the pore prechour of goddes worde to lyue by his p̄ chyng Therfore Reymūde de hospilitate ordinand. seyth y ^t some axe almesse of dette / sūme only for nede to susteyne the bodye. They that axe almesse of det ei­th [...]r they be knowen for suche / or nat knowen for suche If they be knowen for suche they must nedly be holpen. If they be nat kno­wen / they shalbe examyned wi­sely whether it be as they say For it were grete peryl to lett them if it be so For in that they yeue gostly thinges bodily thinges be due dett to them / as saith poule & the lawe .xlii. distinctione quiescaꝰ. And if they axe only for sustenā ­ce of the body. either thou might yeue al for stede and tyme / either thou might nat yeue all If thou mayst yeue al / thou owyst to ye­ue al after the nede that they pre­tende / and after their state wele ruled. Take ensample of Abra­ham and Loth whiche resceyued folke indifferently to hospitalite & so they resceyued aūgelis And if they hadde putt sūme awaye / ꝑauēture they shuld haue put awey aungelis for men As saith Crisostom. suꝑ eplām ad hebreos. Therfore he saith that god shall nat yeld the thy mede / for the go­de lyf of them whiche thou resceyuest / but for thy gode wylle / and for the worship that thou dost to thē for goddes sake / for thy mer­cy and thy godenesse. And therfore the lawe saith / that mē owe to yeue their almesse to cursed folk. & to synful folk. be they neuir so wycked. xi. q̄ .iii. qm̄ multos. et d. lxxxvi. pasce &c. nō satis in fine. But they do the worse. for y ^t they ben syker of their lyuclode. For as seint austeyn saith. if the synner do the worse for mennys almesse / it is better to withdrawe it from him thāne to yeue it him. v. q̄ .v. nō oīs. Nathelesse if he be in vttter nede. he must be hol­pē. di. lxxxvi. pasce.

The vi. chapter.

And in case whan thou miȝt nat helpe alle / thou muste [Page] take hede to x thinges. To feith cause / place. tyme. maner. nede­neighnesse of blode. & of affinite. age / feblenesse. nobley. First tak hede hede to feith / for ī caas thou shalt put a cristen man bifore an hethen mā. Also take hede to the cause of his neede / whether he i [...] com̄ to nede for goddes cause. or by cause of synne Take hede al­so to the place / as whan the rightful man is turmentyd in prison for dett / & helpe him if thou may For sith we be boūde to help al if we may / moche more we be boū ­den to helpe the rightfull man / & woman. Also take heede to the tyme / for if he gete no thinge of the in tyme of his tribulacion. and in tyme of ꝑell whanne he is led to his deth vnrightfully / but thou settyst more by thy money. than thou dost by his lyf / it is no light synne Also take hede to the maner of yeuing / that thou yeue so one day that thou may yeue a nother day / & so to one that thou may yeue to a nother. butt thou wylte forsake the worlde alle at ony [...] for goddes sake and for ꝑ­ꝑfeccion Also take hede to nede & yeue them after that they haue nede Also take hede to nighnesse of blode and of affinite For by wey of kynde they must be holpen rather thanne straūgers if the nede of bothe be euen Also take heede to age / for old folk muste be put bifore yonge folke. Alsoo ta­ke hede to the feblenesse. for blīde & lame and other feble folk must be holpen rather than hole folke. in euen nede Also take hede to ye nobley of the ꝑsone / namely ī thē y ^t withoutē synne ben fallē to pouertie and myscheyf / for comon­ly suche ben shamfast to axe. di. lxxxvi. Non satis. Et eadē di­cit amb (rum). libro de officiis Vnde versus. Causa / fides. tēpus. sā ­guis / locus / ac modus etas De­bilis ingenius / vericūdus factus egenꝰ. Hiis bona ꝑsonis prudēs erogare teneris. And seynt Au­styne accordeth therto in. de doc­trina xp̄iana libro primo c. decīo

I suppose y ^t I mette w ^t ii. pore men straungers elyke nedye / bothe they axe / and I haue nought that I may yeue but on­ly to the one of them.

Seint Austyn in the same place. biddeth that thou shuldest thāne yeue it by lott.

I assent. say forth what thou wylt

Also in thy yeuyng thou must take hede to the holynes and to the profitablenesse / and the nighnes of the ꝑsone that nedith help For to the holyer man and to him yat is or hath ben more profitable to to the comynte if he neede / thou [Page] shalt yeue rather and better / thā to a ꝑsone nigh of kyn or of affi­nite nat so / holy ne so profitable. but thou haue the more specialle cure of hym / and but he be in the greter nede. Also to them that be pore for cristis sake and to the pore prechoures that preche princi­pally for the worship of god and helpe of mannes soule. puttyng away al spices of false couetise. thou shalt yeue them that is nedeful to them after the tyme and after thy power / as to disciples of crist But to other pore folk that been pore ayenst their wylle whi­che the worlde hath forsakē / nat they the worlde / it suffiseth to yeue of thy relif honest & holesome. For it is synne to yeue deyntees. to suche pore comē beggers whā they ben nat conuenient to them As the lawe saith. di.xxv. vnū. S. multi. et di.xli. Non cogant Of other pore men spekith seynt austyne. in a sermone of clerkes lyf and saith thus If the rich mā haue but one child / wene he that crist be his other childe. If he ha­ue two childrē / weue he that crist be the thrid. If he haue x. make he Crist the elleuenth. that is say yeue he to crist that he shuld spēd on the elleuenth .xiiii. q̄ ii. si quis irascitur. And thus leue frende ye may se y ^e riche men whiche be goddes reues and goddes bailes owe to ordeyne for them that ben po­re for goddes loue and wylfully haue forsaken the worlde for his sake that they haue no nede But to comen beggers and nedy folk whiche the worlde hath forsakē. it suffiseth so to helpe theym and to yeue hem that they perissh nat Also leue frende as saith seint austyn in the boke of the cite of god libro xxi.c ^o.xxvi. they that wol nat amende their lyf. ne forsake their grete synnes / done no plea­saunt almesse. For why saith he. almesse shulde be done to gett for yeuenesse of synnes that be past. nat to gette leue to duelle styl in synne / and to do a mys.

Me thynketh thy speche skylfulle. gode & proufitable / & wele cō [...]ermyd by grete auctorite. I thāke the for thy wordes and thy gode informaci­on in the nynthe precepte. Nowe I praye the enfourme me in the tenthe cōmaundment

The tenthe commaundmente is this. Non desiderabis vxorem [Page] ꝓximi tui / nō seruū / nō ancillā. nō bouē / nō asinū / nec omīa que illius sunt. Exodi. xx. Thou shalt nat desire thy neighboures wyf / nat his seruaūt nat his mayden. nat his oxe / nat his asse / ne no thinge that to him longith. In the nynthe cōmaundemente. god forbidith couetise of a nother mannes gode nat mouable. In this laste he forbedith all maner false couetise of a nother mānes gode meuable Also in the nynthe p̄cept he forbedith couetise of the iye / in this last principaly he for / bedith couetise of the flessh. And therfore saith seynt austyne that the tenthe p̄cepte is this alloone. thou shalt nat desir̄ thy nighboure [...] wif. And all y ^t folowith after whāne he saith nat his seruaūte. nat his oxe ne his asse / ne no thīg y ^t to him lōgith / it is of the nynth p̄cepte. And it is also a newe for­bedynge of all maner mys coue­tise. bothe of thing meuable and nat meuable bothe of couetise of the iye & of the flessh. And therfor̄ if a man myscoueyt a nother mā nes seruaunt / or his wyf / or his childe / as for possession. and ser­uyce / it is ayenst the nynthe pre­cepte / and principally ayenst co­uetise of the iye And if he coueyte theym for mysluste of the flesshe. thanne it is ayenst the tenthe cō ­maundement.

I hope y ^t nat euery miscouetise is dedely synne ayenst goddes precept For couetise both of the iye and of the flesshe fallith lightly in mannes hert And it is nat in our power alwaye to flee thoughtes of fals couetise For as seynt poule saithe. the flesshe couetith alway ayenst the spirite

God forbe­dith nat such couetise that is nat in oure power to flee / but he for­bedith alle maner myscouetyse. With assent to ꝑfourme it a longe lyking therin And therfore thou­ghe men do nat in dede their fals couetise / if they be in wyl to doo it in dede if they might or durste. for drede of the world / than they synne dedly ayenst goddes heest.

Sith it is so that false couetise with assent and wyll to ꝑ­fourme / it is dedly synne / and a­yenst goddes p̄cepte / & as seynte poule saith / It is roote & begyn­nyng of euery euyl. Radix oīm malorum est cupiditas. Sithen wycked wylle gothe bifore wyc­ked dede / why puttith nat god ye forbeding of fals couetise and of wycked wyll. in the ordre of ten. cōmaūdemētes bifore the forbe­dyng of the dede of lecherye / and of thefte / sithen that false coueti­se and euyl wylle is begynnynge of both. For wycked wylle goth [Page] bifore euery syn in somoche / y ^t ne were nat wycked wyll. ther shuld no synne be.

God ya­ue the tenthe commaundemente to the people as souereyne techer and as soueraigne leche And euery teching must begynne at thin­ges that been moste easy to kno­we / and euery cur̄ and lechecraft bothe of body and of soule muste begynne there the seknesseis felt moost greuous. And for asmoche as the vnwise peple hath more knowynge y ^t mysdede was synne thanne myswylle / and felt them more agreuyd by mysdede. than myswylle / therfore god for­bedith first the dede of false couetyse / & after he forbedith the wyll and the assent to myscouetyse.

yitt contra te God forbedith no thinge but synne. & synne of dede and wylle is all one. For synne begynneth at euyl wylle & endith in euyl dede. ¶As we rede in the secounde boke of kin­ges / of kinge Dauid Firste he desired the faire woman Bersabee. that was wyf to the true knighte Drie / and fro that wycked desire he felle into auoutre / and from a uoutrie into glotonye / and from glotonye into false traytourye / & from tratourye into murdre / and manslaughter / and blasphemye. and to dispisyng of goddes high maieste / wherfore god punisshed him full harde / for the childe soo mysgotē dyed sone after the bir­the And his sonne absolon say o­penly by his wyues ī sight of the people and droue him oute of his kyngdome. His other sone Amō laye by his owne suster. thamar. And therfore absolon her brother and his slewe him And salomon his sone slewe his brother Adony And so dauid had litel ioy of his children / bicause of his auoutrye And was ther neuir after stabili­te ī his kingdome for y ^e auoutrye and murdre / & other synnes y ^t ca­me al of his wycked desire & euyl wyll / for y ^t he so mysdesired a no­ther mannes wyf / ayenst the he­est of god whan he saith Non des sidabis vxorē ꝓximi tui. Thou shalt nat desire thy neighboures wyf

Whan wycked dede is knyt to wycked wyll / it is one synne / and bothe been forboden by the same cōmaundmēt in whiche he forbedith lechery & thefte. But whāne the wyl & the assente be nat doone in dede. thanne the synne stondeth only in euyl wyl & suche syn principaly is forbodē by these ii. last cōmauūdmentes in whiche god shewith openly y ^t euyl wyll withouten the dede is dedely synne.

The ii. chapter.

[Page]

Whan god yaue the commaundementis in the monte of synay to moyses / there he forbade first couetise of the iye But whan moyses rehersid ayen the lawe to the children of israel. Whāne they shulde entre into the sonde of biheest / there moyses forbad first couetise of flesshe & put­tith it bifore. as we rede Deutro. v. c. what was cause of this di­uersite.

Whan god yaue them the lawe in the mount of synay. they were in desert in greate myscheif / and therfore they were more inclyned to robberye thāne to lecherye. And therfore god for that tyme forbedith them first couetise of the iye & than couetise of the flesshe But whan moyses re­hercyd ayen the lawe to theim in his laste daies / they were att the entre of the lōde of bihest in a ful plenteuous cūtre / where they were more enclyned to lecherye. for welfare than to robbery for mysfare And therfor̄ moyses for that tyme forbade them first couetise. of the flesshe & thanne couetise of the iye. and of richesse Another skylle leue frende is this For all the pilgrymage of the childrē of israel xl. yere in desert betokneth our pilgrymage here ī this world from oure begynnyng vnto oure endynge In token than that mā and woman in his youthe and in his begynnynge is sonner temp­tyde to couetise of the iye and of worldly gode / thanne couetise of the flesshe / and in his ēdyng and in his age latter temptyd to couetyse of the iye and of worldly go­de thanne to couetise of the flessh for in olde folk whanne al other temptaciones cese thanne is tēptacion of couetyse of the iye and of worldly gode moost breme. For righte as their bodye by age nighith to the erthe / so their herte cleueth thanne mooste to erthlye thinges. And therfore in the be­gynnyng of their pilgrymage in deserte as to begynnynge folke. god forbadde them firste and prī cipally couetise of the iye / and in the ende of their pilgramage. as to folke nigh their ende / he forbedeth them principaly and laste / & moost openly withouten ofte re­hersynge couetise of the iye. For comonly the more that men nigh ther ēde the more couetouse they been.

The iii. chapter.

Thy skilles be gode say forth what thou wylte

God in the sixte biheest forbidith the dede of lichery and of spousebreche. and in this heest he forbedith the wylle. and the cōsent of hert to lecherie. and [Page] to spousebreche. For as the dede of lechery. is dedly synne / soo is the foule consent and the desyre. of hert dedly synne / For as Crist saith in the gospel M ^t v. He that seeth a womā & coueytithe her by desire to doo lechery with her / he hath do lechery ī his hert / though he do it nat in dede. And therfore eche man shulde take hede visily what thouthtes entre īto his hert & if any thoughtes ben about to drawe the reson of his soule to cō sent to synne / anone put he awey tho thoughtes mightilye / & let hī think on the bytter peynes. y ^t crist suffryd in his syde / hondes & feet & [...]o turne his myslust into deuo­cion of cristes passion / & quenche the brennyng thoughtes of lichery with the blode and the water y ^t rāne out af cristes side / whan his hert was clouen a two w ^t y ^t sharp spere / & thynk on y ^e endles loue y ^t cryst shewyd than to him & to all mankynde And so to turne his foule stinkinge loue y ^t he begyn­neth to falle in shame & shenship. īto the swete clene loue of ihū ful of ioye & worship Tellith the master of kynd .li.xii. y ^t ther is a bird in egipt y ^t is clepyd a pellicane.

And of all foulis he is moost chere ouir his briddes & moste lo­ueth thē Ther is a grete enemyte bitwene him & the adder / wherfor̄ the adder waiteth whan the pellicane is oute of his neste to seeke. mete for him & for his briddes / & than he gothe into the nest of the pellicane / & stingith his briddes. & enuenemyth them & sleeth them whā the pellicane cūmeth ayen. & fyndeth his briddes thus slayn he maketh moch sorowe & mone. & by wey of kynde thre daies and thre nightes he morneth for deth of his briddes. And at the thridde daies ende he settith him ayen o­uir his briddes & with his bylle. he smytith him self in the syde / & lettith his bode fal downe on the briddes. And anone as the blode toucheth his briddes / anoone by wey of kynde & by vertue of the blode they quyken ayen / & risen from dethe to lyf By this pellicane y ^t loueth soo wele his briddes. is vnderstonde Crist ihū goddes sonne y ^t loueth mānes soule & womans more than euir dyd the pellicane his briddes. And he saithe hīself Similis factus sū pellica­no solitudiniis. I am made like to the pellicaue of deserte By the birdes I vndstōde adā. eue & all mākynd. By the nest I vndstōd the blisse of paradise For right as birdes be brouȝt forth ī ye nest / so mākynde had his begynnynge / & was brought forthe in paradise. By the adder I vndstōd the feēd [Page] whiche appered in the lyknesse of an adder. to eue & stange her full euyl & adā also w ^t his wycked fō dyng & slewe them bothe body. & soul. And nat only he slewe them but also he slewe al mankynde ī them For if adam hadde nat synned / we shulde neuir haue dyed. ne haue wyste of woo. Wherfore this pellicane Iesus crist seynge the myscheif y ^t mākynde was fal in be gyle of the feēd / he had ruth on mankynde. And for grete lo­ue y ^t he had to mākynde / as seint Poule saith. he auentisshed hymself & toke flessh and blode of the mayden marye / & bicame man in the lyknesse of a seruaunt / and in oure māhede. & in oure kynde suffred to be taken and be bounde & beten / forspited / dispysed / discourgyd at the pyler. be crowned with thornes / be naled to the tree hon­des & feet / & hangyd on the crosse as a theef amonges theuys / & bestōge to the herte with the sharpe spere. & so dyed bytter deth / al for oure gilt & nat for his gilt. for he dyd neuir amysse in worde. ne in dede. as saith seint petyr in his pistel And thus for oure loue y ^t ben to bī ful vnkynde / he shed his p̄ ­cioꝰ blode out of euery ꝑte of his blisful body borne of the maydē. And his īner hert blode he shed so to wasshe vs fro our synnes / & to rayse vs fro the dethe of syn into the lyf of grace. And after fro bo­dily deth / into the lyf of endlesse blisse Therfore seint Iohn saith. Dilexit nos. & lauit nos. a petīs nr̄is ī sāguine suo. apoc. i. c. He louyd vs so moche. y ^t he wasshed vs from our synnes w ^t his p̄cioꝰ blode. Loue droue hī downe fro heuen īto erthe. loue led him into the maydens bosom & brought h [...] into this wycked worlde Loue bōde hī ī cradyl & wōde him ī cloutes ful pore / & leyde hī in an oxe stalle Loue heelde him here in sorowe & care hūgre & thrist & moch trauayl .xxxii. yere & more Atte laste loue toke hī & bōde hī & sett him at the barre bifore the synful iustice poūce pylate Loue leyde him on the crosse & nayled him to the tre Loue led him to his dethe. & cleef his hert a two. And for whose loue leeue frende Forsoth for loue of you & of me & of other synful wretches y ^t neuir dyd hym gode but offendyd him nighte & day & been to him full vnkynde.

Therfore he may wele say the wordes that salomon saide For­tie est vt mors dilectio Cant viii Loue is stronge as dethe / yhe for sothe moche strenger than dethe. For loue ledde his lyf to his deth & he that neuir might die by wey of kynde. loue made him die for mankynde. And so saith salomō there. Broondes of his loue. [Page] ben brōdes of fire and of flames. both For the loue that he shewed to mankynde / & also for the loue that we ought to shewe to hym. For right as the hete of the sūne. With his light whan he shyneth ī the fyre in the house / wastith the fyre and quenchith it / so the loue of god and the endlesse charite of his passion if it shone in mannes soule with his hete it shulde quē ­che and waste the broondes & the fyre of lechery brennyng in man­nes soule by foule luste and wycked desire. And therfore he sayth to euery cristen soule Pone me vt signaculū suꝑ cor tuū Cant. viii Sett me as a token vpon thyne hert And seint poule saithe Spū ūbulate & desidia carnis nō ꝑfici­etis. ad gala. v. Goo ye with the the holy hoste y ^t is clepyd well of gostly fire / & ye shal nat do the desire of the flesshe For deuocion. & mynd of cristis passion is the best remedy ayēst tēptaciō of lechery

The iiii.. chapter

AAlso it is a gode remedye. to mā to thīke on his deth & on his freelte & on the bitter peynes of helle euirlastyng / & of the high offence of god / & of the endelesse ioyes y ^t they lese / if they assēt to lechery Therfor̄ salomō saith Memorare nouissima tua & in e­ternū nō peccabis. Ecclsiastici vii. Thynke on thy last thingis & thou shalt neuir do synne. Ech man and woman / shulde be war̄ y ^t neither by nyce contenaunce ne by foly speche / ne by nyce araye. of body they stire any mā or wo­mā to lechery. And though reso­nable arraye and honestie be cō ­mendyd bothe in mā and womā after their state reuled by goddes lawe and reason / & so they muste be wele ware that by suche array they falle nat in pride ne in lechery. ne stire other to lecherye. Wyl­lyng and wetynge. ¶We rede in vitis patrum▪ that ther was a holy womā whose name was a­lexandre. and she was a ful faire woman / and whanne she herde. saye that a man was fallen into harde temptacion of lecherye bycause of her beaute / she closed herself in an house and neuir wolde se man after. ne come oute of y ^e house / but toke her lyuynge in to her by a smalle wyket Men axid her why she dyd so And she said that she hadde leuyr to shytte herself all quycke in the graue / than to harme any soule y ^t god maade to his lyknesse / and boughte soo dere with his preciouse bloode. [Page] ¶we rede also in the lif of seynte Bride / y ^t a man wolde haue wed dyd her for her beaute / & she prayed god y ^t he wold sēd her sūme blemyss [...]ynge of her face / wherby y ^t mannes temptacion might cese. An [...] on her one iye braste oute of her hede / wherfore her fader ma­de her a nūne. as a womā vnable to the world. And whan she was made a nūne and hadde forsakē the worlde / anone she had her iye and her [...]ight ayen. Thus shulde wymen be [...]ly kepe them in chas­tite & clennesse / maydens in chastite of maydenhode / widowes in chastite of widowehode / wyues in chastite of wedlok / & kepe ther body truly to their husbondes / & so the husbōdes truly to their wyues. Forsothe it is a dedly syn a man. to desyre a nother mannes wyf or his mayden or his doughter. to flesshely luste Moch more it is dedly synne to opresse them. and defoule them & lye by them.

The v. chapter.

Seynt poule saith. y ^t the flesshe desireth & couetith alway anenst the soule. And it is ful harde to withstonde his lustis & his desires.

Therfore mā shuld gouerne & chastise his body / as a gode mā of armes gouerneth & chastiseth his horse / For as Iob saith Al oure lyuīge vpon erth. is knighthode & figh­tyng ayenst the feende / the world & the flesshe Iob vii. And in this bateyle oure bodye is oure horse whiche we muste chastise & rule. as a knight dothe his horse. For if the horse be to proude & euyl tached / he may lightly lese his mas­ter & be cause of his dethe. And if he be tame to his maister / & wele tacched / it shall do hī worshyp / & helpe him at nede & in caas saue his lyf Thre thinges been nede­ful to the knight to rule wel his hors He muste haue a brydell. & sadyl / and two spores By the bridel I vnderstonde abstinence. & trauayle. by the which the flesshe must be refrayned fro his lustes. & his euyl tacches whā he begyn­neth to wexe proude & wynsyng. & kikyng ayenste his master y ^t is the soule And if he be ouir proud & to rebell to his maister / he must haue a sharpe bridel of sharpe abstinence & of harde trauayle And if he be meke & tretable / yeue him a smothe brydel of easy abstinē ­ce & of comyn trauayle The raynes of thy bridel shulde be ii. ꝑti­es of temporaunce y ^t is to say neither to moche ne to lytel knyt togidre ī a knot of gode discrecion

And thanne thyne horse shal goo ryghte forthe in the weye of [Page] lyf and bere the to heuenly blisse. If thou yeue thy flesshe [...]o moch mete and drynke and eese. it wol be thy maister and flee the.

And if thou yeue it to lytel / it shalbe to feble & fayle the at nede and let the of thy iourney The sadyl of thyn hors shalbe pacience and meknesse y ^t thou be paciente in aduersite / & in seknesse / y ^t thou folowe nat the gruchynges & the sterynges of thy flesshe. The ste­roppes of thy sadel shulde be lownesse and sadnes Lownesse ayēst pride / sadnesse ayenst the world and the flesshe That thou be nat to sory for no wo / ne to glade for no wele ne for no welefare Sytt sadly in thy sadyl and kepe wele thy steroppes / and for no pryde. ne for no wrathe / for no seknesse for no aduersite / let nat thy hors cast the downe out of ye sadyl of pacience But thā syt faste by the vertue of gostly strength. & kepe thy soule in the sadel of pacience as crist byddeth ī the gospel whā he saith. In paciencia vestra possidebitis aīas vras. ye shal kepe your soules in your paciēce And as the sadel maketh an horse se­mely and plesaunte to the sighte so pacience maketh a mā plesāt. to the sight of god / & of men & maketh them haue loue in euery cū ­pany where they ben And wrath. & ī pacience & hastynesse. maketh a mā vnplesaūt & withoutē loue Of this sadyl god spak to caym whā he was wroth w ^t his brother abel why said god art thou wroy & why is thy face & thy chere soo fallē For he was fallē out of the sadyl of pacience If thou do wel thou shalt resceyue of me goode mede And if thou do euyl anone thy synne cometh att the yate to be punysshed But the desire of syn shalbe vndre the & in thy po­wer. as the horse vndre the kniȝt And thou shalt be lorde therof if thou wylt Gen̄ iiii. But caym by mysgouernaunce of his horse felle out of his sadyl of pacience. īto manslaughter of his brother. for he wolde nat kepe him in the sadyl of pacience / ne refrayne the wycked desire of his flessh / & therfore god cursed him first of al mē Therfore leue freende kepe you wele in the sadyl of paciēce / & let no angre / no losse of catel / ne de­the of frendes / none aduersite / no tribulacion / no seknesse vnsadle you of pacience. But sytt ye fast as Iob dyd / & say ye as he sayde. Whan he hadde lost al his goode and al his children were slayne. and him self smyten wtth harde. sekenesse / and orrible and foule. than he saide thus. If we haue taken goode thinges of goddes [Page] honde / why shulde nat we suffre wycked thinges and peynful of his soond [...]. God yaue. and god hath taken awaye / as god wylle so it is done. blessyd be our lordes name. Iob i ^o. et ii ^o.c. Thus syt ye sadly in the sadel of pacience. & rule ye your horse by the brydel of abstinence / & by the reynes of temꝑaunce / & if your horse be soo dulle in goddes wey / pryke him with ii. spores y ^t been drede of hel peyne. & loue of god. & of heuene blisse And so with drede & loue cō pell ye your hors to hie him forth in godds wey. Let nat your hors y ^t is your flesshe be to carnalle by ease & welfare / ne to feble for misfare and ouirtrauayle.

The vi. chapter.

THe master of kynde li.iiii. de qualitate elimētari tel­lith. that ther is bridde that is clepyd a bernak. This bridde wex­ith oute of a tre ouir the water. But aslong as it hangith on the tree. it is dede / but anon as it lousith from the tre. and fallith downe into the water / anone it quykneth & swymmeth forth. This bridde he saith hath lytel flesshe & lesse blode. By this tree I vnder­stonde mākynde y ^t came al of A­dā & eue as the tre & his braūches come al of the rote bynethe. By this bridde I vnderstonde euery mā & womā whiche whā they be first borne of their moder they be dede by original synne of Adam & nat able to the lif of grace ne of blisse For as seint poule saith we ben alle borne children of wrath. & of dethe But anone as we fall into the fontstone. & in the water of baptyme & ben baptised / anon we resceyue the lyf of grace / and be able to the lyf of heuen blysse. if we kepe vs besily from the blode of synne / & from the carnalite of the bodye. and desyres of the flesshe For seint petyr biddeth vs Abstinete vos a carnalibus desi­deriis que militāt aduersus a [...]az i. petri ii. Absteyne ye you from flesshely desires that fight ayenst the soule But for asmoch as Iob saith y ^t al mannes lyf vpon erthe is knighthode & fightyng ayēste gostly enemyes. Milicia est vi­ta hoīs suꝑ terrā Iob vii. Ther­fore it is nedeful to euery cristen man to gouerne wele the horse of his body as I haue saide. But more ouir as seynt Poule saithe. he must arme him with gostly armure ayenst the dyntes. and the dartes of the fendes temptacion For as seint poule saith. Ad eph. vi. Alle oure fightynge is ayenst the wycked spirites of derknessis [Page] whiche be princes & powers & go­uernoures of synful men. Ther­fore he saithe Arme ye you in the armure of god that ye may with­stonde the busshemēt and the sli­ghtes of the deuyl / and stonde ꝑ­fyte in al thinges. Stonde ye saith he in treuthe / and gyrde ye your lendes w ^t the gyrdel of chastite / & do ye on the habergeon of rightfulnesse / and sheo ye youre feet in dightyng of the gospell of pees. And in al thīges take ye to you the shelde of feith / w ^t whiche ye may quenche al the brennyng dartes of the wycked feende And take ye you the basynett of helth & the swerde of the holy gooste / y ^t is goddes worde. Which as he sai­the ī a nother place is sharper thā any ii. eggyd swerde. Ad hebreos iiii ^o. And by alle maner prayers & besechyng pray ye euery tyme & alway in spirite / and wake ye alway in him in all maner besy­nesse And thus seint poule by the lyknes of bodily armure / techith vs gostly armure / and techith vs wele to arme oure leendes by the vertue of chastite / whan he byd­deth vs gyrde wele oure leendes. And thā he byddeth vs do on the habergeon of rightfulnesse in de­fence both of body & soule / y ^t we do right to al and yelde to god & to euery creature y ^t lōgith to him. both to our soueraignes & to our felawes / & to our subgettes. and to theim that been bifore vs past oute of this world / by almesse yeuynge / and yeldyng of dettes for them that ben dede / and to theim that ben behynde vs to cūme by sauyng of their right and of their due heritage. And thus arme we vs behynde and bifore and ī eue­ry syde with the habergeon of ri­ghtfulnes And right as in the habergeon euery ryng accordeth w ^t other & is knytt with other / So shulde al our rightfulnes accord to giddre & so be knytt to gyddre. y ^t we do right to alle / soo that we do no man ne womā wronge. For if we do somoche righte and fauoure to one y ^t it be hyndrynge to anothers right / thā the rynges in our habergeon of rightfulnes. accorde nat ne be wele knytte togider But ther is an hole wherby the feende may hurt oure soule Also he byddeth vs arme our feet & our legges with legge harneys y ^t is gostly pouert y ^t we withdra­we oure hertes & oure affections. from erthly thinges / & nat set our loue to moche in erthely thinges ne in worldly godes / nat to stry­ue / nat to plete for no worldly godes / but the more nede cōpell vs therto / but seke to lyue ī pees w ^t all men if it may be. And thus [Page] arme vs with gostly pouert oure legges and our feet / that is to say oure loue and oure affections a­yenst the temptacions of false couetise. And therfore he byddeth vs shoe oure feet into the dightīg of the gospel of peas. For euery cristen man and woman owethe to haue gostly pouert which crist taughte in the gospel / and to forther the gospel of crist that is the gospel of pees ī wyl & dede to his power / & to tech it if he cā. And if he can nat. helpe and forther thē that can in teching of the gospel. and of goddes lawe / & helpe thē with his gode to their nedeful sustenaūce if he may & and they ha­ue nede. Also he biddeth vs take to vs the shelde of feith / for as ye sheld is a triangle & hath thre corners / in whiche triangle if fro the myddes be drawen thre lynes. in to the thre corners / ther shulde be thre triangles / whiche thre be but one triangle / and yit none of thē is other And therfore he saith. feith of the holy trinyte is likned to a shelde / for ther been thre ꝑso­nes in the holy trinyte / the fader. the sonne. and the holy gooste / & eche of them is god. and none of theym is other. And though they ben alle thre but one god in maiestie / this sheld of fei­the of the holy Trinyte. vs must take to vs in gostly fight & bile­ue in the hooly trinyte & sett alle oure feith & alle oure trust in one god in trinyte / and pray to the fadre almighty / that he sēde vs mi­ght. to the sonne al witty that he graunte vs wytt and wysdome. to the boly gooste all gracious & ful of mercy / that he graunte vs grace / so that we may haue miȝt wytt and grace to withstonde al gostly enemyes. Also he byddeth vs to take to vs. the basynett of helth. and of saluacion / as saith the glose / hope to haue the mais­tre of oure enemyes by the helpe of god / and heuene blisse to oure mede for oure fightynge and for oure trauayle For ther wyl noo man put him to lauful fight / but in hope to haue the maistrie / and mede for his trauayle And as the basynet wel arayed is clene fur­busshed from rust / and made sly­ke and smothe. that shot may so­ne glide of / and it is highest of al armure goyng and gaderyng vpwarde into a smalle poynte / soo muste oure hope and oure truste. principaly go vp to god / and nat set oure hope ne oure trust to moche in mannes might ne in erthly helpe / whiche is but ruste wastīg the basynet of hope that we owe to god. Therfore saith the ꝓphet Ieremye. Cursed be the mā that [Page] trustith in man / and in flesshelye might / & lettith his hert go all ey fro god And blissed be that man. Which settith his hope & his trust in oure lorde god Ieremye xvii. Also seint poule biddeth that we shulde take with vs rerebras and vābras and gloues of plate that is to say gode occupaciones & besynesse in gode werkes And ther­fore he biddeth vs wake in al maner besynesse of gode werkis For as the wise mā saith Ec. xxxiii. Idelship & sluth is cause of moch wyckednesse For an ydel man & lustles is lyke a man hondlesse / & wepenles amonge his enemyes. and lyke a man in batteyl withe naked armes and hondes / which for nakednesse and for defaut of armure lesith both arme & honde Also we must do aboue the [...]acke or the acton of charite For as the iacke is softe and nesshe & by his softnesse and nesshenesse softithe & feynteth al strokes yat cūmeth therayenst / so charite softith and feyntith all the dyntes of the feē des temptacion. Therfore seint poule saith / that charite suffreth al thinge paciently / & ma­keth euery trauayle soft & berith al thinge easily. Omnia suffert. oīa sustinet. Prima ad co (rum). xiiii And therfore seyth the glose there that charite & pacience & benignyte. Withe compassion of otheres myscheif / been the principall ar­mure that lōgith to cristen peple This iacke of charite is betoke­nyd by the clothe of crist withou­tē seme all wōne aboue into one whiche in tyme of his passion the knightes wold nat ky [...] / but kept it hole / and kest lott who shulde haue it hole In token that euery gode knight of god shuld be besy to arme him with the clothe & the iacke & the armure of charite / and trauayle to saue peas & vnyte. & make no diuision For the end of euery batayle shulde be pees / & to y ^e ende & for none other mē of ar­mes shuld traueil & fight / as saith seint austyn. Thus leue frēde I pray you y ^t ye arme you in gostly armure. as goddes gode knight. For though ye be nat able to bo­dily batayl / ye be yit able to gostly fight In that y ^t ye be cristen ye be cristes knight ordeyned to fiȝt in this gostly bateyl / if ye wol be saued. And therfore arme ye you wel as I haue nowe sayed & gird ye you with the swerde of goddis worde / by which ye shuld defēde you from al gostly enemyes For as the swerde ꝑsith / kyttith & maketh seꝑacion / so goddes worde. & prechinge techinge & redyng of goddes worde & of goddes lawe. ꝑsith mānes hert / & womans and [Page] maketh seꝑacion bitwene synful soules & their synne / & departith. atwynne wycked cūpany & ma­keth seꝑacion of mannnes herte. from erthely couetise. Therfore crist seith that he came nat to make sinful peas / but to sēde swerd of seꝑatione in erthe / to distroye wycked peas y ^t men haue in their synne Therfore leue frende as goddes gode knight gyde ye you with this swerde of goddes word y ^t is to say fastne ye it wel in your hert by heryng & reding / by techīg & by dede doynge / & than take ye to you the spere of cristes passion & thynke howe he was smyten to the hert for your sake w ^t y ^e sharpe spere. & his syde opned. & his hert clouen a two to shewe you howe moche he louyd you And thanne he shedde oute his hert blode and water in token. y ^t if he hadde had more blode more he wolde haue shed. for your loue Moreouir ye shal vnderstōde y ^t in bodily fight a mā must chese him a gode groū de & a playn place to sight in For it is no gode fightyng in myres. ne amonge corne / in slidre wey. & pitty groūde / ne in stoble groūd And therfore seint poule biddeth vs stonde in treuthe & equite y ^t in all oure doynge we loke to oure grounde & oure cause be true and rightful / clere & clene. & make no stryf in vncerteyne Also a wyse knight in his fight wole take w ^t him the hyl & the sūne & the wīde if he may. & so must vs in gostly fight take with vs the hyl of ho­ly lyuyng y ^t we may say with the apostle. Nr̄a cōuersatō in celis ē Oure liuyng & cōuesacione is in heuenes & in heuynly thinges. And therfore seint poule biddeth vs stōde ꝑfite in alle thinges. Al­so we must take with vs in oure fight the sūne & the lighte of god­des grace / & the wynde of holy p̄yer. And therfore seint poule bid­deeth vs praye in euery tyme & alway / by al maner prayer & bise­chyng in the holy gost / y ^t is to sey with the grace of the holy gooste In this maner leue frende. arme ye you in gostly armure / & dispo­se ye you to gostly batteyl ayēste al gostly enemyes / & gouerne ye wele your hors of your boody as I haf seyd Lete it nat be to feble by oudone abstinēce & traueil / ne to wild by ouirdon rest / by gluto­nye / by lechery / by wycked desy­res of the flesshe & euyl wylles for in caas such wycked wylles & desires been dedly synne in goddes sight & ayēst this last p̄cept Therfore dauid saith y ^t god p̄ueth and knowith mānes hert & his leēdes y ^t is to say god knowith mannes wyll & his lust For he knowith [Page] more verely the thoughtes of mē nes hertis & wymēs / thanne any man may. knowithe others wer­kes He seeth & knowith alle thīg And therfore such as man or wo­man is in hert & in soule / & in wyl suche he is bifore god y ^t knowyth bothe body and soule.

The vii. chapter.

NOwe leue frende I haue ī partie declared thou the x cōmaundementes. by whiche ye must gouerne your lif / if ye wole be sauyd For crist saith to ech mā and womā Si vis ad vitam īgre di serua mandata. M ^t. xix. If thou wy [...]te entre euirlasting lyf. keepe goddes cōmaundmentes.

And therfore do ye as salamon saithe. Deū time et mādata eius obserua. hoc est oīs hō. Ec. vltīo Drede ye god & kepe his cōmaūdmentes. this is euery man & wo­man For asmoche as man or womā plesith god by kepinge of his heestis / so moche is he in goddes sight. And asmoche as man or woman is in goddes sight / so moche he is and no more. as saythe seint austyne de ciuitate .li.xx ^o.c.iiii. For as he saith. ther is noo man ought but the keper of god­des ꝯmaūdmētes / for as he seith who so is nat keper of goddes cō maūdemētes / he is nought. For he is nat reformyd ayē to the lyknesse of treuthe / y ^t he was made after / but duellith stylle in the lyk­nesse of vanitye y ^t he was nat made to. Therfore dauyd saide Maledicti q declināt a mādtis tuis. Cursed be they y ^t bowe away fro thy cōmaūdmētis / & wole nat kepe them. ¶We rede in holy wryt Deutro. xxvii. y ^t god badde the children of israel y ^t whan they ca­me newly into the lōde of beheest vi. kynredes of iacob / y ^t is to say Symeon. leuy. iuda. ysachar / ioseph. & beniamyn / shulde stonde on the hyl of garizym. ther to thā ke god / & to blesse alle the kepers of goddes lawe And ayenst them shulde stonde other vi. kynredes of iacob. y ^t is to say Ruben / gad. aser / zabulon. Dan / & Neptilym on the hyll y ^• hight ebal. and curs w ^t high voyce al that breke goddes hestis & say in this wyse. Cursed be y ^e man & womā y ^t maketh any grauē ymage that is abhomi­nacion to god / werke of the hon­des of men of crafte to worship it outward with his body / & settith it in pryue place / y ^t is to say. ī his hert. to sette his feith & his truste. therin / soo to worship it with his hert īwarde / and at goddes byd­dyng al the people shuld aūswer̄ & sey amen. So mote it be. Cur­syd [Page] be he y ^t nat worshipeth fader. & moder. amē seide the peple Cursyd be he y ^t flitteth the boundes & the doles or termes of his neighe­boure / and puttith him out of his right / amen seyde all the people. Cursed be he y ^t maketh the blīde. to wyl or to erre in his wey. amē seyde al the people. Cursyd be he y ^t ꝑuertith the rightfull doome of the comelyng and of the straun­ger. & of the faderlesse childe and of the moderlesse chylde / and of the widowe. Amen saide al the peple. Cursed be he that lyeth by his faders wyf / or by any of his nigh kynred / or of nigh affinitie. Amen saide all the people. Cursed be he that medlith flesshely w ^t any vnreasonable beeste / Amen saide al the people. Cursed be he y ^t lyeth by his nighboures wif A­men saide al the people. Cursyd. be he that priuely sleeth and murdreth his nighboure / amen sayde alle the people. Cursed be he that takith yiftes to slee hī that is nat gilty. amen saide all the people. Cursed be he y ^t duellith nat in the wordes of goddes lawe. ne dothe them nat in dede. Amen saide all the peole. This is the high curse. & the solēpne sentence which god yeueth to al tho y ^t wole nat kepe his heestis & lawe / & what curse & mischeif shuld fall to them y ^t wyttyngly or wyllyng breke his hes­tes / he shewyth in the same boke the nexte chapter where he saithe thus.

The viii. chapter.

IF thou wylte nat here the voyce of thy lorde god. to kepe and to do al his cōmaundementes & his lawes / al these cur­ses & myscheuys shal fall to the. & take the. Thou shalt be cursed in cite. in towne in feld / thy bern thy gerner. & thy seller shalbe cursyd. & that y ^e leueth the ouir the yere shalbe cursed. The fruyt of thi body shalbe cursed / & the fruyt of thy lond shalbe cursed / thy best is thy shepe shalbe cursed. Thou shalt be cursed whā thou cūmest in / & whā thou wēdest out. God shal sēde vpon the hūgre & mys­cheif & myshap / & blame to al thy werkes y ^t thou doste He shal smyte the with pestilence / tyl he shall waste the & distroye the. He shall smyte the with harde feuers both colde & hote / & with venemouse. eyr. God shal make heuene and the eyre aboue the brasē / & therth byneth the yreny. that is to saye bareyne for defaute of reyne For thy reyne shalbe pouder & asshes. & myldewe to distroye the. God shalle take the into thy enemyes hondes / & thou shalt falle bifore thyn enemyes. Thou shalte goo [Page] ayenst them by one weye / and fle awey by vii. weyes / & briddes / & beestis shal ete thy body in the fe­elde God shal smyte the with seknesse that may nat be helyd God shal smyte the with wodenesse. & blyndnesse of wytte. and so bisot the that thou shalt nat with what is for to do / ne cūne no rede ne cō seyl. Thou shalt house & other shal duell therin Thou shalt tyl and other shal in that thou tylest Thy oxe / thyne asse / thy horse. thy shepe and thy beestis / shalbe take fro the / and thy wyf and thy children ledde away prisoners. God shal smyte the with seknes vncurable / from the sole of thy sete vnto the top of the hede. [...]hatt is to say god shal punysshe the people that wole nat cūne. ne kepe his lawes from the lowest staate to the highest And but thou wylt kepe his lawes and amende the. he shal lede the and thy kynge y ^t thou shalt make vpon the / prisoners into ferre cūtre y ^t thou neuir knewe ne thy faders bifore the. Al these curses & many mo therto whiche be writen in the same pla­ce shal take the. & pursue the. tyl thou be distroyed For thou her­dist nat the voice of thy lord god ne kepist nat his heestis & his la­wes y ^t he bad the kepe And at the day of doome he shal yeue to all tho y ^t dispise his lawes / his ēdlesse curse bitterest of alle / whanne he shal say to them. Discedite [...] me maledicti in ignem eternū. M ^t. xxv Go ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches into the fire of hell / ther̄ to duell w ^t the feēde & his aūgels withoutē ēde.

y ^e last cur­se is moste for to drede / for other curses of tēporal mischeif fal as sone to the gode as to the wicked

Temporal mischeif sumtyme fallith to ꝑsone in spe­cial / sumtyme to comynte in ge­neral In special. it fallith sūty­me for synne / sūtyme withouten synne / to encreasyng of a mānes mede But than y ^e mischeif is noo curse but a louetyk of god. Butt comen mischeif fallith nat to the comyntie / but for synne of the comyntie And of suche comen myscheues y ^t shuld fall to the people. if they dispised goddes hestis spe­keth god in y ^e place And suche co­myne myscheuys y ^t fall to the co­mynte for comen synne be clepid curses.

Why were tho vi kynredes of Iacob so assigned of god to curse the brekers of god­des lawe / & the other vi. assigned to blesse the keꝑs of goddes lawe

Them y ^t were most vn­gentyl of birthe god assignyde to curse For al tho vi. sones of Ia­cob. Were borne of the secūdarye [Page] wyues that were but seruauntes to his cheif wyues / lya. & rachel. saaf. ruben. Whiche lost his wor­shippe / for that he laye by his fa­ders secundarie wyf. that highte bala. The other vi. kynredes were borne gentyl of birthe / for thei were borne of the principal & more gentyl wyues / Lya & Rachel. foure of lya / & ii. of rachel. And therfore god ordeyned theym to blesse / in token y ^t no mā shuld be chosen to preesthode. but he were gentyl by wantyng of cursed cō ­dicions. And also in tokē that it is more kyndely to worshipful ꝑsones as al prestes shulde be / to blesse than to curse. And therfore busshopes & other p̄stes shuld nat curse but for a full greuouse opē syn & for grete nede. Therfore poule saith. to mē of ꝑfeccion as al p̄stes shulde be. Benedicite. et nolite maledicere. Blesse ye and be ye nat in wylle ne redy to curs but for grete nede / and that it be done in charite to worship For cursyng in the self is a dede of imꝑfeccion. And therfore god chose theim that were mooste imꝑfyte. and leest worshipful of the birth to ꝓnounce the curse / & the moste ꝑfite & worshipful in birthe to ꝓ­nounce his blessing to ye kepers of his lawe. Whiche seyde thus / ī goddes name to the people.

The ix. chapter.

IF thou here the voyce. of thy lorde god. to cūne and to kepe al his heestes y ^t I byd the kepe / thy lorde god shalle make the higher thanne al naciouns y ^t duelle vpon erthe And al these blessinges shal come to the & tak the. so that thou kepe goddes he­stes. thou shalt be blessed in cyte. in towne & in feelde The frute of thy body / the fruyt of thy londe. the fruyte of thy beestes shalle be blessed / thy berne / thy garner / thy seller shalbe blessed / & al thy leuī ­ges shalbe blessyd. Thou shalte. be blessyd cūmyng in and goyng oute. God shalle make thyn enemyes that rise ayenst the. to fall in fight bifore the. They shal co­me ayenst the by one wey. & they shal fle away by vii. weyes. God shal yeue his blessing ꝓsꝑi­te & spede to al thy werkes / so [...] y ^t thou kepe goddes heestis & go in his weyes & in his lawes / y ^t al peple on erthe shal se and knowe y ^t the name of oure lorde is clepyd on the / and they shal drede the / & worship the / & oure lord god shal make the plenteouse in al godes God shal vndo his beest tresour. aboue from heuene. and yeue the reyne in tyme. Thou shalt lene [Page] to other nacions / & thou shalt haue no nede to borowe of other nacions God shal make the īto the hede & nat into the tayle. For he shal putt the alway aboue & nat byneth / so y ^t thou kepe his heeftis and his lawes. And at the day of dome he shal yeue to al the keꝑs of his lawes his endlesse blissing. of euirlasting ioye / & say to them in this wyse. Venite bn̄dicti ptis mei. possidete paratū vobis reg­nū a constitutōe mūdi. M ^t xxv. Come ye with me ye blissed chil­dren of my fadris / & take ye ī possessione the kingdome of heuene arayed & ordeyned to you. fr [...]m the settīg or makīg of the world.

In whiche kingdome as saith austyn shalbe light without der­kenesse / endlesse ioy withoutē heuynesse / endlesses lyf withouten wo. endlesse myrthe & gladnesse. W ^t the blisful cūpany of aūgelis apostles & al seintes. Ther saith he is light of light / & wel of briȝt shynynge There is the cite of seī tes y ^t is clepyd Ierusalem of heuē There is the grete couent of martires & of holy ꝓphetes & patriarkes abraham Isaac & iacob & of all seyntes There is noo sorowe ne heuynesse. after ioye. There shalbe no night / none age / no fe / blenesse. There is charite withoutē ende & euirlasting peas / no debate no discension. There eue­ry man and woman hath y ^t he lo­ueth. and what he desireth Ther is al loue withouten wo & with­outen sorowe & care. Ther shall we be aungels peris and felawes in blisse / with the high potestatis cherubyn & seraphin / & with alle nyne ordres of aūgels Ther shal be māna oure heuenly fode withoutē corrupcion Ther shalbe aū gelis lyf / and to say shortly. ther shalbe sowne no sorowe no disese none euyl. and what may be th­ought of any godnes: ther shalbe founde.

The x. chapter.

THe kingdome of heuen is clepyd in holy wrytte a cy­te sett on a ful high hylle in stabilite and sikernesse withouten drede. and withouten peryl / for ther may none enemye / no peryl noo disease neigh therto It stondithe so high and in so grete welth▪ For men haue in this cyte what euir they desire Ther is nouȝt to seke frō withoutē / it nedith noo helpe from withoutē But al must seke help from within this cite. Therfore saith. ysaie. the ꝓphete lx.c. Helth & sanacion occupy the walles of this cytee / kepe theym and defende them & praisyng of god. [Page] withoutē ceasyng. occupieth the yates & so kepith hem y ^t ther may no sorow entre. In this cite saith he shalt thou not nede / to haue ye sūne to shyn̄ to the by day / ne the light of the mone shal nat shyne to the by night / but thy lorde god crist ihesus y ^t bought the soo dere. shalbe light withouten ende / and thy god shalbe thy ioye. there thy sonne shal neuir go downe / & thy mone shall neuir wayne / for thy lord god shalbe thy light withoutē ende / & the daies of thy sorowe here in this world / there shalbe endyd For god there shalle wype a way the teris from the iyen of his seyntes Ther shalbe no weping. no criyng / none hūgre / no thurst no sorowe For al the wo & disea­ses y ^t were bifore. ben all past frō them y ^t come to this cyte Alle the people of this citee shall be gode & rightful / there shalle no shrewe no briger / no lechour. no wycked lyuer. entre into this cite. There euery mā & womā shall shyne as bright as the sūne. And whā many sūnes ben gadryd to giddre in cūpany w ^t the high sūne of right­fulnesse crist ihesus whiche saith in the gospel Ego sum lux mū ­di Ioh. viii. I am lighte of the worlde / there shalbe a faire cūpany. a blisful cūpany. God bring vs therto. Than the sūne shalbe seuē sithes brighter thā it is now. & the mone as bright as the sūne is nowe Than the sūne shal stō ­de in the Eest alway stylle. & the mone in the west alwey shynyng withoutē wanyng So y ^e synful soules dāned to hel vnder therth shal no confort haue / neither by sonne ne by mone. In this king­dome in this cytee▪ is noo wynde no storme / no tēpest. no thundre no lightnīg no reyne / hayl froste ne snowe / no hete no colde Ther be no skyes no cloudes to let our light / but alway mery somer / al­way bright day In this cite alle mē & wymē ben fre The king of this cite axith no presauntes. ne yiftes of man ne of womun / but their hertis and their loue & y ^t thei fare wele He puttith no man. ne womā there to trauayle / butt he wole that alle be in rest in peas & in ease And what any man or woman there desireth to haue / he ye­ueth it to them anone. He axith no rent. noo tribute / no seruyce. none homage but gode loue and gode hert / and that we loue hym with ioye and myrthe. and glad­nesse. He yeueth vs al that he axith of vs. ¶yeue thy self to this blysse. and thou shalte haue this blisse. Other pryce axith he none. For this blisse may nat be boughte. butt with loue. and [Page] charite In this cyte shalle euery man & womā haue so grete lord­ship y ^t al they shall haue place y­nough withoutē enuye / & all be kinges & quenes. of asmoche as they desire. Ther shalbe no plee­tyng for no lordship / for no lōde There shalbe none enuye butt e­uery man and womā glade of o­thers welfare Ther̄ shalbe no wo noo disease. but endles ioye. and welthe. and endlesse helth. In heryng swete songe. & melo­dy. in sight / endlesse fairnesse / in tastyng & smellyng / endles swetnesse. in feling endlesse liking w ^t outen woo.

The xi. chapter.

OF this cyte spekithe syent Iohn in the boke of god­des priueties xxi ^o.c. and saithe thus The aungel ledde me in spirite by vision īto a ful high hylle & a ful grete. And there he shewid me the holy cite of Ierusalem ordeyned of god / & hauyng the bri­ghtnesse & the beaute of god The light of this cyte was lyke the p̄ ­cious stone iaspis & cristel which stone betokneth crist sonne of ri­ghtwysnesse. Whiche saith in the gospel Ego sū lux mūdi Io. viii I am light of the worlde This cyte had a wal ful grete & ful hiȝ & it had xii. yates / & eche yate xii aūgelis redy porters. to lede in al gode soules / and ī the yates were writē al the names of the xii. kī ­redes of israel. y ^t is to say / of all y ^t shalbe saued & be able to se god ī his face For the names of alle y ^t shalbe saued been registred in the boke of lif in heuene & redy wri­ten ī the yates of heuē / ayēst our cūmyng in tokē y ^t we shalbe welcome & siker of our blisse if we do our deuer. This cite stode ī square & it had thre yates into the eest thre into the northe. thre into the south / & iii. into the west / in tokē y ^t oute of iiii. ꝑtes of the worlde. y ^t is to say / out of euery ꝑte of the worlde soules entre into heuene blisse of yonge & olde riche & pore by the feyth of the hooly trinitye. y ^t is betoknyde by the thre yates. yonge folke ben vnderstonde by the eest / there the day begynneth Olde folk by the weste there the day ēdith Rich folk by the south Pore folk by the north. for y ^t cū ­tre is most sharpe & bareyne The wal of the cite was set & groūdid on xii. p̄cious stones. The firste was Iaspis. the ii. saphirus. the iii. calcidonius. the iiii. smarag­dꝰ. the v. sardenyx. the vi. sardi­nꝰ. the vii. crisolitꝰ. the viii. berillus. the ix topasius / the x. criso­passus. the elleuenthe iacinctus. the xii. amatistus And in tho stoones were writen the names [Page] of the xii. apostles & of goddes lō be And al the wall was made of p̄ciouse stones / and the yates made of saphires & smaragdes. as to bye saith in his boke .xiii.c. And as seīt iohn saith. euery yate was as a margarite or margery stone The stretis of the cite were clene golde as clere as glasse And as to by seith the stretis of this cytee were pauyd with ful white clene stone / and alway in the stretis is songe alleluya. Which song cou­de neuir clerke wele declare ne expowne to the vtterest / for the ioy the myrth / the melody / & gladnes y ^t is there may no tunge telle / ne herte thynke / ne honde wryte / ne wytte deuyse & declare In this citee seint Iohn sawe no tēple / for almighty and goddes lombe crist Ihesus verrey god & mā he is the temple of this cite. This cite as seith seint Iohn nedith neither sū ne ne mone. For the brightnesse of god wel of light & the sūne of rightfulnesse illumyneth this cy­te. The lōbe crist ihesus is the lā terne & the light of this cite Alle nacions & peoples shal go in the light of this cyte. & brynge theire nobley their blisse. their worship. into this cite. The yates of this cite shal neuir be shytt Ther shal be no nighte but alway day / alwey somer and neuir wynter In to this cite shall come noo foule thinge no false lier / no forswerer ne none that doth abhomīacion. of dedly synne Ther shal no mā entre but they y ^t ben writen in the booke of lyf and in the lyf of the lombe criste Iesus that boughte vs so dere with his blode·

The xii. chapter.

ANd as saith a grete clerke Doctor de lyra. by the xii. p̄ciouse stones. on whiche this cite is groundyd. / in which stones the names of the xii. apostles be writen ben vndstonde the xii. ar­ticles of the feith. Whiche the xii. apostles gaderyd into one crede. in whiche xii articles al oure sal­uacion is sett & groundyd And therfore seint poule saithe Fide statis. ye stonde in faith. for oure feith is grounde of oure saluaci­on By the twelue yatis ben vndstonde the x. cōmaundmentes. & the ii. p̄ceptes of chari [...]e Of whi­che yatis crist saith Si vis ad vitā ingredi. serua mādata M ^t xix

If thou wylt entre into the lyf of this blisfull cite there no man dieth. keepe thou the cōmaunde­mentes This scripture is wretyn in euery yate of this citee. in token that into this cite cūmethe [Page] no man ne womā but the kepers of goddes cōmaundementis For the cōmaundementes ben the yates of heuene / by whiche vs must entre / and they ben also the weye ledyng to the yate of heuene And therfore dauid saide Viam man­datorū tuo (rum) cucurri: cū dilatasti cor meū. p̄o. Cxviii. I ran the weye of thy cōmaūdmētes whan thou madest myne herte large by charite For whan mē be to strait at the breest by false couetise and nygardship / they may natt wele renne in the weye of goddes hes­tes. For false couetise byndethe them so streit at the hert y ^t they haue no likynge in goddes heestes. Therfore dauid said. Deduc me dn̄e in semita mandatorū tuorū: (qr) quia ip̄am volui. Inclina cor meū deus in testimonia tua: et non in auariciā. p̄o Cxviii. Lorde lede thou me in the pathe of thy com­maūdemētes / for it is my desire. & my wyll to go that wey Bowe myne herte into thy witnessingis & into thy cōmaundmētes / & nat into auarice & couetise Thus le­ue frende holy wrytt & holy men declare the blisse of heuene by thī ges visible y ^t we may see at iye / so to lede vs into knowynge of the blisse that we may se with oure bodily iye while we lyue ī the lō ­de of dethe. Butt leue freende byleue ye it forsothe y ^t ther is an hundryd thousāde thousād folde more blisse than any tunge may telle. or any hert thynke.

The xiii. chapter

If men hadde sadde feith to haue such blisse for their gode dedes / ther wolde noo mā ne womā do amys. for drede to lese that blisse.

It farith by folke borne in prisone. of the wycked worlde as it dothe by a childe borne in the depe derk pytt of the prison whan it fallith a woman with childe be put ī prisone. The moder that knowithe the welfare y ^t she had oute of pry­son is in moch sorowe & care and longith ful moche to be oute of prisone ayen in her welfare Butt the childe borne in the myscheyf of the prisone and neuir had knowyng of better fare yeueth lytel tale of y ^e myscheif in prison. But aslonge as he hath his moder w ^t him & his sustenaunce though it be fulfeble / he maketh no sorow ne care. He lōgith after no better fare. for he knowith no better. For if his moder telle him of the ioye and welfare oute of prisone of the sūne / mone & of the sterres. of the faire floures spryngynge. vpon erth. of the briddes syngīg [Page] of myrthe / of melodye / of rich arraye / of lordes of ladies / & welth y ^t is oute of prison. alle hir tale is but a dreme to the childe. he bile­uyth it nat / and therfore he lon­gith nat therafter. and wole natt for al this blisse / & the welefare y ^t she spekith of / forsake his modre ne the feble fare. that he hath w ^t her / and that is for he bileueth it nat And yit it is as the modre tellith the childe But were the child onys out of prison. and sawe the welthe & myrthe and the welfare whiche his moder told him of. he wold be ful sory for to wēde ayē to prison there to lyue w ^t his moder For al his lyf in prison y ^t was firste likinge ynough to hī shuld than be full bytter. and he shulde neuir haue ioye ne rest in hert tyl he came ayen to that welefare. y ^t he saw out of prison. Right thus folke of this world borne & brou­g [...]t forth in sorowe and care and moche trauayle in the prisone of this worlde / they haue so moche loue and likynge to theire erthly moder and to ther cūpany / y ^t is to say in erth & in erthely thīges / for erth is moder of alle. y ^t they haue no likyng in heuenly thinges / ne longe nat therafter And yit their gostly moder holy churche & ther gostly fader & god hīself fader of al tellith them of the blisse of he­uen It is to thē butt a dreme / as is the moders tale to her childe in prisō / and they haue no sad feith therin And though it be so as our moder holy church tellith vs tho­ugh the childe bileue nat y ^t suche welfare be out of prisone / the welfare is neuir the lesse. & though er­thly couetouse mē haue no likīg but in erth & in erthly thinges bi­leue nat y ^t suche blisse be in heuen yit ther is suche blisse. & neuir the lesse for their fals bileue But had they onys sene and assayed a ly­tel of that blisse / all the ioye and likyng y ^t they haue in this world & in erthly thinges shuld be to thē ful grete bytternes ful of sorow. & care. Example we haue of seīt petyr. Whom Criste ledde vpon the hylle of Thabor. With seynt Iohn & Iames. & there he shewid them but a litel of the blisse of his manhode. His face shone as bri­ght as the sūne / his clothes were white as snowe. Moyses & Hely aperyd w ^t hī ī grete blisse & maiestie. Thā petir saide to our lorde. ihū Lord it is gode to vs to be her̄ Mak we her̄ iii. tabernacles one to ye. another to moises & anoyer to hely. & let vs al duel her̄ Luce ix. And [...]iō ī sight of litel blisse he foryat al the blis of this world He cared neither for mete drīk ne clothing For hī thought he miȝt [Page] haue lyued withoutē ende by the blisful sight & w ^t that cūpany Also whan seint poule was rauys­shed into heuene & hadde seen the vision of god / afterwarde al his lif in this worlde was to hī a pey­ne. so moche he longyd ayē to y ^t blisse. And therfore he saide Infelix ego quis me liberabit de mor­te corporis huius. Ro. vii. I an vnsely man who shal deliuer me fro the deth of this body I coueit to be departed / the soule from the body & be withoutē ende w ^t crist Moyses was w ^t god in the moūt of synay xl. daies. and xl. nigh­tes metelesse and drynkles / fedde by the speche of god / and by his p̄ sence / and yitt sawe he butt lytel of this blisse For he was nat able to see his blisse / ne no mā liuyng in this worlde / as god saide to hī that tyme Butt leue frende after oure deth if we kepe wele goddes cōmaundmentes & amende oure mysdedes by oure lyf / we shal see his grete blisse which neither Pe­tir ne poule ne moyses might se ī erthe And we shalbe siker of that blisse withoutē ende / which blisse as seint poule saith y ^t none erthly iye may se / ne ere here / ne hert thī ke. ne wytte comp̄hende In this blisse leue frend I hope to se you and duelle with you in the highe cite of ierusalē in the kīges court of heuene. To whiche blisse he bring vs / that for vs dyed on the rode tree. Amen.