THyse wordes ben wryten in the go­spell of this daye. And thus to be englysshed. Ih̄u our sauyour made a proclamacōn with a hyghe & gre­te voyce to the people that came to here hym / sayenge. Euery man whiche hath eeres of herynge may yf he be well dysposed here what is sayd vnto hym. ¶ Bede sayth that thyse wordes ben oft tyme repetyd both in the gos­pelles & in the appocalypsis / and hath in them grete mysterye of y ^e pleasure of god almyghty. ¶ Saȳt Ierom in the chapytre vpon Iohn sheweth that all the sermons & prechynges that Cryste Ihesu made he sayd them (cū magno clamore) by the whiche he certyfyed the people that he preched vnto the grete zele & affeccyon that he had to the wele of ther sou­les / & that they sholde be desyrous to here the wor­de of god / by the whiche they sholde be delyuered fro all mortalyte and be made by it (filias dei per adopcionē) ¶ Fyue proclamacōns specyally ma­de by Cryste Ih̄u. I note in his holy gospelles / whiche ben of that auctoryte / that who so euer wol not here them & indeuour hym to kepe them / shall ne­uer come to euerlastynge Ioye. Wherfore frendes geue better eere & take more hede to them. ¶ The fyrst proclamacōn I note in the gospel of this daye [Page] where he called the people that came fro cytees / townes & borughes / & shewed to them a parable of sede whiche was sowe in dyuerse places not conuenyent for the growynge therof / & perysshed / but y ^t whiche was sowe in good tylth & erth / multeplyed & encresed meruayllously to the grete ryches of him that sewe it. Cryste Ihesu calleth this sede his wor­de by the whiche all thynge is made & multeplyed & hath theyr beynge as it is wryten. i. q. i. Inter catholicam. Oīm rerū recreacio et oīm recreacio fuit in verbo. Psal. Verbo dm̄ celi firmati sūt. Et gene. i. Dixit et facta sunt. et. xxxiij. q. h. c. Quid ergo. ¶ And ryght as sedes sowe bryngeth forth infeny­te corne to the sustenaūce of man. Ryght so the worde of god sowen in mannes soule bryngeth forth infenyte vertues / as is noted. i. q. i. c. (Interrogo vos) ¶ Man is the perfeccyon of the hole werke of god. He made heuen & creatures celestyall Inuysyble to vs that be mortall creatures here in erth. And ma­de man & other creatures here in erthe terrestryall / but the perfeccōn of his werke is the coniunccōn of the soule whiche is celestyall / to the body that is terrestryall / for the whiche body all thynge that is made here in erthe / as tree / fruyte / beestes / foule & fys­she and all other are create to fede & serue the body the body to serue the soule / and the soule oonly to serue almyghty god. And therfore it is wryten (de penitencijs dist. i. recreatꝰ. Sicut aīa est vita corpo­ris. ita deus est vita aīe) ¶ And ryght as almyghty [Page] god hath purueyed for mete to the sustenaunce of the body / in lyke wyse he hath ordeyned spyrytuall meete for the sustenaūce of the soule / whiche is his worde / as he sayth Math. iiij ^o. (and wryten extra de officio. or. c. Inter cetera. Non ī solo pane viuit homo. sed in ōni verbo qd ꝓcedit de ore dei) ¶ By the vertue of his blessyd worde / he hath ordeyned y ^t the materyall brede whiche fedeth the body / shall be transformed in to his flesshe & blood / and it to be most precyous mete to fede y ^e soule of man. Ther­fore Dauyd sayth in the psalme. Afferte dn̄o. Vox dm̄ in magnificencia. That is to be vnderstonde / that the voys of the worde of our lorde hath y ^e ver­tue of magnyfycence / that is whan his seruaunt in due fourme accordyng to his lawe ordened & sayth the wordes vpon the materyall brede / there is that magnyfycence in the wordes that incōtynenty / that whiche was materyall brede is conuerted in to his flesshe / & the materyall wyne in to his blood. Whi­che season the angelles in heuen in y ^e Immolacyon ben there present in mynystrynge & doynge sacrefy­ce to theyr maker / as it is wryten (de con. dist. ij. Quis fideliū) And of this ye sholde not gretly meruayle. For a yonge mayden our lady saynt Mary whan she sayd thyse. v. wordes. Fiat michi scdm verbū tuū. God & man were knytte togyder in her wombe. And so (verbū caro factū est) In lykewyse whan y ^e preest sayth thyse. v. wordes (hoc est em̄ cor­pus meū) there is togyder in that materyall hoste [Page] god & man / the same whiche was born of our lady & hanged vpon the crosse / that rose from deth to lyf & ascended to heuen. And is & shalbe (iudex viuo (rum) et mortuo (rum)) And all faythfull crysten men whiche in true lyf & fayth ben fed with it (viuūt ī eternū) And so it is (viaticū) to strength mannes soule to come (ad montē oreb) to the presence of the trynyte Deꝰ fecit ex bonitate celū & terrā. ex ꝯpassione re­demit genꝰ hūanū. ex ꝑmissione misit in terrā spm̄ scm̄. et ex sua sūma caritate quotidie pascit nos eiꝰ corꝑe & sanguīe vt essemꝰ caro de carne eius et os de ossi (bus)) So frendes who so hereth this proclamacōn thus made by the sone of god / and called to ete of this blessyd meete & wyll not / he shall neuer come to heuen. The seconde proclamacōn that Cryst made is wryten (Ioh̄. vij ^o. &. xxxiij. q. h. tūc saluabit (ur)) where he sayd (Si q ⁱs sitit venit ad me & bibet) who so euer lyste drynke lete hym come & drynke of my drynke / & he shal neuer after be thursty. For ryght as he called them before to ete of his brede / ryght so now he calleth theym to drynke of his drynke. This drynke frendes is the blessyd blood & water y ^t was lete out of Crystis syde whan he hanged on the crosse / clene blood of our redempcōn / & clere water of our regeneracōn. And not (flegma) as the heretyke sayth / as is declared (de Sū. tri. et fi. catho. in clc.) And of this blood & water y ^t passed out of Crystys syde all the sacramentes of the chirche / in whom all our saluacōn & helth lyeth in / hath theyr [Page] effect / as is noted (in. c. cū Martha. extra de ce mis­sa (rum)) And ryght as water wassheth and clenieth al fylth / ryght so y ^e sacrament of Bapteme wassheth mānes soule fro al maner sȳne oryginal mortal & venyal / & is called (Ianua sacramēto (rum)) And this sacrament hath his effecte by the worde of god / as Dauyd sayth in the psalme (Afferte. Vox dm̄ suꝑ aquas. deꝰ maiestatꝭ intonuit dn̄s suꝑ aquas mul­tas) & ryght as whan Cryst was baptyzed / the fad (er) shewed his pleasure (in voce) y ^e sone (in carne nrā) & the holy ghost (in spē colūbe) And all y ^e angelles were there present at y ^e reuerence of the Instytucōn of that sacrament. Ryght soo at this season at the baptysyng of euery crysten creature / is y ^e holy trynyte present with angelles. And there is infused in y ^e soule of y ^t crysten creature (tres virtutes theologice Fides. spes. et caritas) As is noted in the sayd (clementine de Sū. tri. et fi. catho) So frendes who so euer may be baptyzed in water & wyll not / he shall not come in heuen. The thyrde proclamacyon made by our sauyour Cryste Ih̄us is wryten (Ioh. xi ^o. et. xiij. q. ij. c. Qui diuina. et de pe. dist. vi. c. i ^o.) Whan he reysed Lazar from deth to lyf cryenge w ^t a grete voys (Lazare veni foras) And incontynent at the cōmaundement of his worde / the soule that was (in limbo) resorted to the body & gaue it lyfe. Cryst sayeng to his dyscyples (Soluite eū & sinite abite) Euery man beynge in dedely synne frendes is deed in the syght of god. And as Ancelme sayth [Page] amonge all-the people of the worlde is none more odyous / than a traytour to the kyng / & all the peo­ple feereth to deale with hym. And in lyke wyse he that is in dedely synne / is odyous to all creatures for his Ingratytude & dysobeysaunce to almyghty god / as is noted. xxiij. q. iij. Sex. Yet lete no man dyspeyre / yf he woll come at the callynge of Cryste And yf he be in neuer so grete synne & wretchednes His worde is of that effecte & hath grace & vertue whiche taketh awaye all synne / & breketh the yates of helle & all the power therof. And therof Dauyd sayth in the psalme aboue reherced. Vox dm̄ con­fringentꝭ cedros. Thyse wordes ben the wordes of our lorde / whan the preest sayth those wordes (Ego absoluo te a peccatꝭ tuis) The hyghe trees of cedre pryde / enuye / Ire / couetyse / with all other capytall synnes / are destroyed / & neuer shall appere to hurte hym whiche is confessyd of theym. This proclamacyon frendes is of that necessyte / that who so euer may be confessyd to a preest (in forma eccl̄ie) and wyll not / he shall neuer come to heuen. ¶ The fourth proclamacōn Cryste made whan he hanged vpon the crosse & made his prayer to his fad (er) for al synners y ^t wolde byleue y ^t he was god & man / whan he sayd thyse wordes. Dimitte eis (qr) quia nesciūt quid faciūt. Luce. xxiij ^o. et. xxv. q. v. S. i ^o. And this sygne­fyeth (sacramentū extreme vnctōis) by whiche all venyall synnes are taken awaye / whiche sholde be the Impedymentes for entrynge in to euerlastynge [Page] glory. This sacrament hath his effecte of the wor­de of almyghty god / as Dauyd reherceth in y ^e sayd psalme. Vox dm̄ p̄parantꝭ ceruos. For ryght as a harte desyreth for his helpe y ^e water / ryght so mā ­nes soule hauynge this sacrament desyreth pryncypally heuen. This sacrament is deprecatori & stondeth in prayer ryght as Cryst prayed vpon y ^e crosse So in mynystracōn of this sacrament y ^e preest ane­lynge dyuerse partes of mannes body besecheth al­myghty god / that what soo euer this creature hath offended in his hert / by his eyen / his eeres / his hon­des & fete / or ony other parte by the whiche he hath dyspleased hym / to forgeue hym (vt extra de sacra. vnctōe. c. vnico) And so who so wol not receyue this sacrament & may / shall not come to y ^e glory of he­uen. The fyfth proclamacōn shall be made by cōmaūdement of Cryst Ihesu whiche is (rex et pontifex) at the daye of dome / as is redde Math. xxv ^o. Media nocte clamor factꝰ ē) at whiche voys & crye all mankynde / aswell (fideles as infideles) shal ryse w ^t the same bodyes whiche they haue here now / and they shall be incorruptyble. And all faythfull crysten men whiche hath kept Crystys proclamacyons shall receyue euerlastynge Ioye by the sentence of Cryste Ihesu (pontificis) to whom oonly y ^e pro­nuncyacōn of the Iugement is geuen Sayeng Ve­nite bn̄dicti patris mei ꝑcipite regnū qd paratū est vobis ab origīe mūdi. de pe. dist. iij. c. ad huc instant in gl̄o. And so to receyue euerlastynge Ioye / & to be [Page] confermed in the same. This proclamacōn & sen­tence representeth the sacrament of Confyrmacōn. whiche muste oonly be done by a bysshop as is wryten (i. c. vnic. de sacra. vncc) And in that (dant (ur) grā et robur vt de cō. dist. ij. oēs) ¶ And though it be so y ^t a man baptysed deye are he be confermed / he shal haue euerlastynge Ioye / but not so plenarye as he sholde haue yf he were confermed. ¶ It is ordey­ned by the chirche / that a childe confermed / by the space of thre dayes shal bere a shred or bende aboute the necke / in token he is become a seruaūt of thre persones & one god / the fader / the sone / & the holy ghoost. And therfore Dauyd spekynge of this sa­crament / calleth it the sacrament of grete vertue & grace for the stable confyrmacyon therof sayenge. Vox dm̄ in virtute. ¶ And who so euer may receyue this sacrament & woll not / he shall neuer entre the kyngdom of heuē. ¶ Ther ben other two sa­cramentes instytute by Cryste Ih̄u / whiche ben put in mannes wyll to receyue them or naye. And they taken byndeth the takers to obserue theym vnd (er) the payne of theyr dampnacōn. Whiche ben the sacra­ment of matrymony & ordre. Of the sacrament of matrymony speketh Dauyd in y ^e fore reherced psalme sayenge Vox dm̄ int̄cedentꝭ flāmā ignis. The flame of cucupyscence of the flesshe in fornycacyon whiche is dedely synne. By this sacrament of ma­trymony y ^t mortalyte of synne is torned in to veny­al in dyuerse cases (vt. xxvi. dist. deinde. &. xxxij. q. ij. [Page] Sicut. Et qd ip̄e deꝰ ē custꝭ & defensor mat̄mo. xxxij q. iiij. nemo ī fi. ¶ And y ^e sacrament of ordre is y ^e se­conde whiche is put in mānes eleccyon / in the whi­che (imprimit (ur) caracter indebilis & dat (ur) special grā) And he ordred specyally to be mynystre of al other sacramentes. ¶ Of this ordre & power therof spe­keth Dauyd in y ^e aboue sayd psalme sayeng. Vox dm̄ ꝯmouentis desertū. Whiche deserte this worlde is called. And his offyce is mankynde lyuynge in it to informe & meue with his good example of ly­uynge & holy doctryne (increpando. arguendo. ex­hortando. et ꝯminando) And they ben ordred to loue god pryncypally as is noted. h. q. iij. Qui ep̄s. ¶ I haue shewed vnto you thyse fyue proclamacyons / whiche must be kept vnd (er) payne of your dampnacyon. Wherfore I saye to you with Cryste. Qui habet aures audiendi audiat) y ^t is to saye. Ye y ^t he­re the worde of god / here it deuoutly & prynte it in your soules perfytly / & execute it acordynge to y ^e sa­me. ¶ God almyghty frendes neuer lefte man without remedy for the saluacōn of his soule / as in the olde Testament was circūcysyon & sacrefyce of beestes & other after the fourme thenne geuen / whiche were expyacōns for synne for y ^t season / but they had no vertu to open heuen yates & brynge man in ¶ And there whan he ascended ( corꝑalr) he lefte in his chirche the. vij. sacramentes in the remembraū ­ce of his passyon and to haue theyr vertue of de sa­me / as is wryten in the chapytre (cū martha de ce [Page] missa (rum)) ¶ He left also his moder here behynde hȳ whiche lyued dyuerse yeres after hym to instructe y ^e Appostles & Euangelystes of his incarnacōn & his blessyd lyfe & cōmaūdementes / & therfore she is called (mater eccl̄ie). ¶ And as y ^e grete doctour Albertus sayth vpon the gospell (Missus est angelus gabriel) that our lady receyued all the sacramentes of the chirche excepte preesthode / for thre causes. The fyrst was (ꝓpter hūiliacionē) where y ^t our fyrst moder Eue was condempned for her pryde / she in her lyf shewed al mekenes & wolde be amonge wȳmen as one of them. And so wolde be after the lawe purefyed though she neded it not / but be as one of thē a moder lyke as her sone Cryste Ih̄u wolde be cir­cumcysed as a childe as Saynt Bernarde sayth. ¶ The seconde cause was (ꝓpt (er) instruccōem alio (rum)) that by her ensample euery man & woman sholde receyue theyr sacramentꝭ / w ^tout whiche they myght not be saued. For why / her sone had sayd as is wryten (Math̄ vltīo) geuynge his appostles in cōmaū ­dement Eūtes docete oēs gētes baptisantes ī noīe prīs & fi. et ss. docentes eos seruare q̄cū (que) mandaui vobis. ¶ The thyrde cause (ꝓpter suꝑerrogacionē) as is wryten Apocalipsis vltīo. Qui iustꝰ est. iusti ficet (ur) adhuc. ¶ And though it be so y ^t she was (ab inicio sanctificata ex vtero matris. et plena grā. et magis repleta in ꝯcepcōe filij sui) And though she neded not to receyue the sacramētꝭ for purgacōn of synne / yet she receyued them (vt cresceret ꝑ effectū [Page] sacramēto (rum)) ¶ She wolde be baptyzed as her sone was & so receyue (carectarē baptismalem) And be nombred amonge crysten people / & dystyncte from the Iewes. ¶ She was confessyd to the Euange­lyst of no synne / but geuynge laude & praysynge to almyghty god / that it pleas [...] hym to make her his moder beynge his creature. ¶ Also she receyued of the sayd saynt Ioh̄n whiche sayd masse before her and mynystred to her the same body / whiche was born of her. Ioyned to the godhede in remembraū ­ce of his passyon / & to her grete consolacyon in his absence. And so al other sacramentes except preest­hode as is aboue sayd she receyued / whiche is to the stablysshement & confyrmacōn of the sacramentes of the chirche and the veryte & truthe of the same / & to the confusyon of all Heretykes. And therfore we synge in the chirche Gaude maria v (er)go cūctas hereses tu sola interemisti. This is noted by Anto­nyne (in quarta ꝑte titlo. xv ^o. c. xvi ^o.) ¶ Ye knowe ryght wel brethern that credence is not to be geuen to no proclamacōn but to y ^t / whiche cometh by the kynges hyghe cōmaundement & vnder his seale / & the more honourable persone that bryngeth & pro­clameth it / the more credence ought to be geuen to it. Proclamacōns ben made in dyuerse places of y ^e cytees & londe / to the entent they sholde be well vn­derstonde / & noo man after to alledge Ignoraunce therof. To y ^e transgressours & brekers therof som­tyme the penalyte is treason / somtyme deth / inpry­sonement [Page] & losse of theyr goodes as the lawe assygneth in that behalf / noted (extra de constit. c. fīali) ¶ Thyse proclamacyons frendes ought to be ac­cepte aboue all other / for they come from the kyng of all kynges almyghty god / as is red apocalipsis (xix ^o. et de const. iiij. c. ꝓprie. et de re. iudic. c. ij. in. cle) ¶ This gloryous godheed stondeth in thre perso­nes / the fader / the sone / & the holy ghost (Pater est deꝰ. filiꝰ ē deus. spiritus scūs ē deus) Also of one es­sence nature & power / and who so euer dyspleaseth one / dyspleaseth all (qr tres illi vnū sūt) & no man may resyste hym (in celo ne (que) in t (er)ra. Ioh̄. xvij ^o. et in c. cū martha de ce missa (rum) extra de ꝯse. dist. ij. c. ī xp̄o xxxv. q. x. c. i ^o.) ¶ And that his proclamacōn sholde be more of auctoryte to be accept / the fad (er) of heuen sent his oonly begoten sone y ^e seconde persone of the trynyte to make thyse proclamacōns / & mantylde y ^e godheed in our nature & becam man in euery con­dycōn as we are except synne. And with a plenarye commyssyon geuen to hym all power in heuen & in erthe / as is noted (Math̄ vltīo. et Io. ij. De plenitudine eius oēs nos accepimus grām. de cō. dist. ī. s. i ^o. et dist. ij. c. Saxtā. et de pe. dist. ī. c. libent (er). et de pur. post ꝑtū. c. vnico) ¶ And the seconde persone of the trynyte of a congruence was sente on this message to be the sone of man / ryght as he was in the trynyte the sone of the fader / as is noted / by the mayster of the Sentence. His natyuyte was proclamed by angelles at Bedleem the nyghte of his byrthe / [Page] as is red (Luc. ij ^o. Ecce em̄ euangeliso vobis gau­diū magnū. qd exit ōni populo. et de con. dist. i. nocte) And that more credence sholde be geuen / y ^t god had taken our nature / an hoste of angelles appyred & songe Gloria in excelsis deo. et in t (er)ra pax hoi (bus) bone voluntatis) And sayd to the shepeherdes that they sholde goo to Bedlem / and there they sholde (inuenire infantē iacentē in presepe et inuolutū pā nis) So frendes ryght as a man hauynge his garmentes vpon hym / ye may not se his propre naked body. Ryght so Cryste heynge here in erthe mortal (quo ad humanitatē) his godhede was not seen / but the humanyte was the Instrument & garment therof (Quia deū nemo vidit vn (quam)) as is wryten Ioh̄. ij ^o. et in. c. Moyses. viij. q. i. in glo) ¶ The fad (er) also preued / that he was his one geten sone / & that he had cōmyssyon in heuen / in erth / & vpon all creatures / as is wryten Math̄. xvij ^o. et. ij. q. vij. Item obi­cit (ur)) And as it proued in his transfyguracyon / for out of helle he called Moyses / & out of paradyse y ^e prophete Hely / & the fader appyred (in voce) sayenge. Hic est filiꝰ meꝰ dilectꝰ. in quo michi bn̄ ꝯpla­cui. ip̄m audite. xciij. dist. legimꝰ. et de con. dist. iij. c. fi) & so our maker & fader almyghty god wol & cō maūdeth / y ^t we shal here hym / accept hym / take hȳ for his one geten sone / & by hȳ & his worde we shal be restored to our Inherytaunce whiche man is ex­cluded for the preuarycacōn of our fore fad (er) Adam / whiche was commaunded by the seconde persone [Page] of the trynyte that he sholde not ete (de ligno sci­encie boni et mali) and brake his worde & cōmaū ­dement. Ryght so now by the cōmaūdement of the sayd seconde persone god & man / by his worde and proclamacōn shal be saued & restored to theyr olde Inherytaūce / who so woll byleue in hym & obserue his worde as is wryten Ioh̄. iiij ^o. Qui credit in eū nō iudicat (ur). qui autē nō credit. iam iudicatus est. de pe. dist. iiij. c. Ante. et. c. in domo. Et oīs q ⁱ credit in eū nō ꝑeat. sed habebit vitā eternā vt. xxiij. q. iiij. Sex his oī (bus). ¶ Whan this noble messenger the sone of god & man accordynge to his faders cōmaūde­ment had made his holy proclamacōns / the Iewes axed of hym by what auctoryte he toke vpon hym so to make newe lawes & proclamacōns / and what he was & from whens he came. And he answered sayenge as is wryten Ioh̄. vi ^o. Ego sū alpha et o. principiū et finis. de celo descendi. nō vt faciā vo­luntatē meā. sed eiꝰ qui me misit. de pe. dist. iiij. c. Si ex bono. And y ^t I am sone of the fader in heuen and he in me & I in hym. And y ^t I haue suffycyent power to saue y ^e worlde & shall deme it I shall pre­ue by your lawes & scryptures / wytnesse suffycyent & dede. Moyses whiche is your (legꝭlator) to whom ye geue credence & must in the scrypture whiche he wrote vnto you / whan I had spoken with hym in the mount / & gaue hym y ^e lawe (in tabulis saxeis) He wrote vpon me whan he sayd (ꝓphetā suscita­bo eis de medio fratrū suo (rum) silem tut. et ponā ver­ba [Page] mea in ore eiꝰ. loquet (ur) (que) oīa ad eos q̄ p̄cipero illi ¶ And of me / my power & cunnynge he prophecyed In lyke wyse ye sent to Iohn Baptyst your preestꝭ & leuites / whom ye had in grete veneracyon for his vertue & holynes. And was in y ^t season (lucerna lu­cens) And he certefyed you what I was. I nede no testymonyall of man / for I haue testymonye of my fader in heuen y ^t he is in me / & I in hym. And ye vnderstonde y ^t none may forgeue synne but almyghty god. And that I am god & man / & haue power of body & soule it is redde (Math̄. ix. et de pe. dist. iij. ss. ꝓducto (rum). et de pe. dist. i. ss. deni (que)) that the Iewes brought a man before me whiche had the Palsey in euery parte of his body. I seeyng theyr deuocyon & fayth sayd to the seke man (Confide fili remittū tur tibi peccata tua) The Scribes & Pharysees be­yng present whan I forgaue hȳ his sȳnes / thought that I toke vpon me that whiche was the offyce of god & not man / & sayd (Hic blasphemat) I vnderstondynge ther frowarde hertes sayd vnto them. Whether it is lesse dyffyculte to forgeue synne / or to byd this man lyenge shakynge here in his bedde to ryse & go. And that ye shal se that I god & man haue power in erthe to forgeue synne. I saye to the ryse & beere thy bed with the and goo home to thy house. This man was heelyd in euery parte of his body Incontynenty & without ony tracte of tyme / whiche passyd all naturall power of man / & dyde as Cryste cōmaūded hym. The water knewe that [Page] he was god whan he walked on it / as Math. xiiij. &. xxij. dist. c. Si q ⁱd. The erth knewe hym / whan he hanged on y ^e crosse (terre motꝰ factꝰ ē. Math. xxviij) The sonne / mone / & sterres with other elementes knewe hȳ (in passioē) & in detestacōn of the Iewes cruelte withdrewe theyr lyght (et tenebre facte sūt) Math. xxvij ^o. And all creatures knewe hȳ / & in maner sanctifyed hȳ except y ^e Iewes. And many body­es whiche were buryed many yeres tofore / rose fro deth to lyf in y ^e tyme of his resurreccōn / & apperyd to moche people / & certefyed theym y ^t he was god & man. ¶ And as it is wryten by a deuout doctour / y ^t the prynces of the Iewes whiche had put Cryst vn­to deth / herde tell y ^t suche bodyes were rysen & so certefyed / sent dyuerse men of substaūce to se & speke with them / & to knowe y ^e truthe / & so was done / by the whiche many of them were conuerted. And soo frendes it is proued euydently y ^t Cryst hath power in heuen & erth & is (iudex viuo (rum) & mortuo (rum)) Wherfore it is expedyent to take hede of his lawes & proclamacōns. And therfore I saye to you the wordes of my tyme. Qui (h) habet aures audiendi audiat.

¶ I shewed you before y ^t proclamacyons be made in dyuerse places of cytees of the londe / to thentent that no man sholde pretende ignoraūce. Ignoraūce frendes is very peryllous / for it is the moder of all errowyse / as is wryten. xxxviij. dist. ignorācia. And though it be so y ^t certen persones be excused for cer­ten causes in the lawe posytyue / yet in the lawe of [Page] nature & the lawe of god / they be not excused hauȳ ge ther wyttes & be of lawfull age (vt in p̄dcō. c. q ⁱ ea eadē dist. Et turpe ē ignorare ius circa qd q ⁱs versat (ur). ff. de origīe iuris. l. ij. ss. si ius. et. xxxvij. dist. q ⁱ de mensa) There is noo thynge more Inconuenyent than a man to be ignoraūt in y ^t lawe whiche he is dayly conuersaūt with / as is wryten. xxviij. dist. Si in laicꝭ ītollerabil vir insciēcia. (que) to magꝭ ī clericꝭ. nec excusacōe digna ē. nec venia. Therfor it is wryten in the sayd chapytre (ignorācia. xxxviij. dist) y ^t all preestes are boūde to vnderstonde (sacras scripturas & canones) & to vse them in ther prechynge & in ther good examples / or elles they shall haue the punysshement y ^t god speketh of by his ꝓphete / say­enge (Tu scienciā repulisti. & ego repellā te. ne sa­cerdocio fūgarꝭ m) ¶ There be thre specyall ignoraūces to my purpose at this tyme (vt in. c. turbata. ī. q. iiij. Ignorācia supina. crassa. et affectata) Su­pina & crassa is that thynge y ^t is openly done & proued / & yet ther be some y ^t wol not vnderstonde it / as the Iewes dyde of Cryst whose comynge / & he was god & man / was preued by prophecye / by myracles by angels / & also by other wayes / as I haue shewed to you before. And yet they perseuered in ther obsty­nacy / & wolde not knowe hym of malyce. Et ignorancia affectata is y ^t / whan a man may be lerned to vnderstonde & wyl not endeuour hym to haue it / but refuseth in maner to haue knowlege of it / and they be y ^e persones y ^t Dauyd spake of in the sawter [Page] Nolūt ītelligere vt bn̄ agerēt) they woll not vnd­stonde to do well. ¶ Saynt Poul spekyng of thyse thre ignoraūces sayth (ignorans ignorabit (ur)) & as it foloweth in y ^e same distynccōn. He y ^t wol not knowe god here in erth & folowe his cōmaūdementes / god wol not know & hȳ at daye of dome / but saye to hȳ as it is wryt (Math̄. xxv. et. i. q. i. c. ꝓphetauit. Amē dico vobis nescio vos) Cryst sayd to y ^e Iewes whan they wolde not byleue in his wordes / nor his myra­cles / nor byleue in hȳ (Moriemini ī pccis v̄ris) I haue shewed you both by my prechers / prophetꝭ / & al­so come my self to teche you / & so ye can laye none excuse. Ryght soo frendes many a noble sermon is sayd in this place in y ^e yere / & in lyke wyse in maner thrugh y ^e realme & the lawes of god shewed you / & how ye shal plese hȳ in leuyng your synnes of pryde / couetyse / symony / vsury / aduoutry & fornycacōn & all other mortall synnes. And as men saye there was neuer more pryde / couetyse / vsury ne other capytall synnes vsed than be now a dayes / for al the no­ble prechynge y ^t is there made. And truly brethern I am sure y ^t in no maner reame in crystendom / be so many noble clerkes of Curates in all maner facultees & vertues also as be in this reame of Englon­de. And though all be not so perfyte as they sholde be / yet loue & worshyp the other that ben good. For Peter. Iohn & other of the apostles ought not to be despysed / by cause of Iudas y ^t was apostle / & saynt Austen sayth. Blame not my house yf there be one [Page] therin not good / for I can not make my house beter than Abrahams house. To whom was sayd. Ec­ce ancillā cū filio eiꝰ. ¶ And in Noes house y ^e sone scorned the fader. And in Crystis house the seruaūt betrayed the mayster as is noted. xlvij. dist. Quātū ­libet. ¶ It is red (xiij. q. i. quasi ꝑ totū et extra de ꝑochijs) y ^t al crystendom is dyuyded after spyrytual diuisyon in diocesis / & euery dyocese hath a bysshop whiche hath cure of al y ^e hole dyocese / & al y ^e diocese is his parysshe. And the dyocese is dyuyded in pa­rysshes / & euery parysshe hath a chirche & a curate lymyt to it. And euery man y ^t dwelleth within the sayd parysshe / is parysshon therof. ¶ And it is red also Luc. ij. et. xi. q. i. Magnū. that the season y ^t cryst sholde be born / euery man was cōmaūded to go to the place where he was born / & there he sholde make his professyon to themperour with a certen try­bute / & his name to be wryten & sent to the Emperour. And therfor Ioseph went to Bedlem / to ma­ke his professyon where he was born. ¶ Bedlem frendes (interp̄tat (ur) domꝰ panis) & it sygnefyeth to euery man his parysshe chirche whiche is the place of his regeneracōn where he shall be fed with the brede of Bedlem Cryst Ih̄u & with his sacramentꝭ whiche hath (oēm dulcedinē) to saluacōn of man. ¶ No man ought to be crystened but in his parys­she chirche / nor to be shryuen by the lawe / but of his curate / whiche hath charge of his soule / as it is noted (in. c. Ōis extra de pe. & re) Neuertheles ther be [Page] other places that men may be shryuen in by dyspensacōn / as in places where pardons ben. And to cer­ten freres whiche ben admytted to here confessyon. Nor he ought not to be houseled but in his paryssh̄ chirchee & also there to be buryed / except he chese some other place makynge in his owne chirche his (vltimū vale) To this Bedlem his parysshe chir­che he ought to come euery holy daye & other dayes yf he conuenyently may to loue / & to here his ma­tyns / masse & euesonge. And who so euer absenteth hymself fro his parysshe chirche in the tyme of ser­uyce & gooth about in other places / it is a token by lykelyheed y ^t he woll falle in grete errour & heresye ¶ William Durant in his boke called (Racōnale diuino (rum)) sayth y ^t euery sondaye a curate goth in to the pulpytt / to shewe the people how eche one shal pray for other / & other thyngꝭ necessary to them for y ^e weke folowyng / in kepyng holy dayes or fastyng to the weele of ther soules. And stondeth on hye / to the entent he may se yf he want ony of his parys­shons / & yf ony be acustomed to be absent to shewe it to y ^e bysshop. And to byd straūgers to go to theyr owne chirches / excepte they ben pylgrymes. ¶ And though it be so as I am sure almyghty god is gret­ly pleased w ^t the perfyte lyuynge of men of relygyon for theyr contemplacōn / prayers / theyr good exā ple & prechynge also. But in nyn opynyon y ^e parysshe chirches ben they / y ^t holde & kepe the people in good rule to loue & serue god to ther preseruacōn of [Page] the fayth / wherfor frendes I exhort you to loue thē / honour & mayntene them / as loued be god they be full honourable here in this cyte & in other places of this reame / to the grete pleasure of god. Dauyd sayth (Dilexi decorē domꝰ tue) & Salomon had his grete wysdom for edyfyeng y ^e hous of god / as is no­ted (. xvi. q. vij. Et hoc diximꝰ. xxxvi. dist. ss. Ecce. et de con. dist. i. c. i ^o.) ¶ We se by experyence frendes y ^t to y ^e place where proclamacōns be made moche people resorte to here what is proclamed / & in theyr retorne many of them varye in theyr rehersall & can not tell y ^e very truthe for theyr varyaūce to other y ^t herde not the proclamacōns made. Wherfore a wy­se man that wolde knowe the proclamacōn & suche thynges as is comprysed in it & tauoyde y ^e penalyte wyll go to the kynges Chaūsery where y ^e orygynall is vnd (er) the kynges seale & gete a copy therof & wyl prynte it well in his mynde y ^t he forgete it not. In the Chaunsery frendes ye knowe there is my lorde Chaūseler as heed / &. xij. maysters / & certen other offycers / as bowgers & clerkes to wryte & serue the people of suche thynges as longeth to the lawe. ¶ And as Breton sayth in his boke whiche he made of the lawe of the londe Nemo dꝪ recedere a cā ­cellaria sine remedio) And ther is rolled all statutꝭ proclamacōns & the kynges hyghe cōmaūdementꝭ & all other ordynaūces made for y ^e weele of the reame. ¶ The chirche of god may well be called the Chaunsery. The Chaūseler herof is Cryste Ihesu [Page] as saynt Poul sayth. Ip̄e ē caput eccl̄ie. Et nemo potest ponere aliud fūdamentū p̄ter id qd positū ē qd est x̄ps ih̄s) ¶ And he sayth also (ad Ephesios iiij ^o. Qd īpe dedit quosdā quidē aplos. quosdā autē ꝓphetas. alias euangelistas. alios autē pastores vs (que) ad ꝯsūmacionē sancto (rum) in opus ministerij. me­diacionē corꝑis xp̄i. extra de hereticꝭ. c. extra iniūcto et. c. Sicut in vno) ¶ And Saynt Austen sayth in this verse. Pro patri (bus) tuis nati sūt tibi filij. ꝯsti­tues eos principes suꝑ oēm terrā) wryten. xxi. dist. c. in nono. et. lxviij. dist. Quo (rum) vices) that y ^e chirche hath yet apostles / whiche ben the Bysshoppes (Et septuaginta duos discipulos) the prophetes & euāugelystes prechers of the worde of god. Pastores and the holy doctours whiche expowned the holy scryp­ture. And this chaunselery with all the mynystres therof shall endure to the ende of the worlde. And all the tyrauntes y ^t euer was / coude neuer destroye it / nor neuer none shall. ¶ For as Iohn Crysostom sayth. Cryste ordeyned the angelles / prophetes / ap­postles / martyrs / confessours / virgynes & all other for his chirche. And at laste came hymselfe. And thoughe he made all the worlde with one worde / yet he was in buyldynge his chirche by the space of xxxiij. yeres. And he sayd to Peter. (Rogaui petre vt non deficiat fides tua. xxi. dist. S. i ^o.) And the chirche vnyuersall can not erre (in his q̄ sūt fidei) ¶ For almyghty god sayth by his prophete Dauyd spekynge of the chirche. Et volūtate labio (rum) suo (rum) [Page] nō fraudabit (ur)) that is to saye the wyl & dysposycōn that the chirche maketh for the weele of mannes soule concernynge the fayth / shal be euer true & stable. ¶ The chirche is our moder / for she muste fede vs & teche vs to please almyghty god & the waye to come to heuen. In her doctryne & holy scrypture is noo falshede ne feyned matere / but all truthe & cunnynge for the weele of mannes soule. ¶ For as saynt Austen wryteth to saynt Ierom & is noted. x. dist. Ego solis. cū tri (bus). c. sequēt.ꝭ y ^t ther is no false­hede nor lye in all the scrypture. ¶ And saynt Ie­rom sayth as is wryten (xxiij. q. c. Quid ergo. ꝙ ne­phas est dicere mendaciū in sacra scriptura) Wherfore no man sholde disdeyne to lerne at this scole y ^e chirche. ¶ For as saynt Poul wryteth (ad eph. iiij. Quia oīa creauit vt innotescat principi (bus) et pote­stati (bus) in celesti (bus) ꝑ eccl̄iam multiformis sapiencia dei) ¶ And saynt Ierom sayth y ^t the angels knewe not plenarye the mystery of the Incarnacōn tyl the season that Cryste suffred his passyon / and thapo­stles preched & taught by the chirche. ¶ And Iohn Crysostom sayth in his prologue (suꝑ Iohēm Nam (que) qd angeli nobiscū ꝑ Iohīs vocē et ꝑ nos didice­rūt) And as it foloweth after / that without doub­te the angelles geue grete attendaūce to the worde of god whan it is preched. And to vs is grete ho­nour & Ioye that the angelles lerneth with vs and by vs that whiche they knewe not before. And soo frendes who so euer is not of the scole of Cryste / is [Page] ayenst hym / as he sayth hȳself the wordes wryten. Luc. xi. et. xxiiij. q. i. Qm̄ vetꝰ. Qui nō est mecū. con­tra me est. et q ⁱ nō colligit mecū. disꝑgit) whiche be all heretykes & presumptuous men in ther reason & argumentes (Heresis grece dr ab eleccōe. s. eam disciplinā quā sibi vnusq ⁱs (que) elegit putat sibi melio rē. vt. xxiiij. q. iij. heresis. Et hereticꝰ ē q ⁱ aliter scripturā sacrā intelligit. (quam) sensꝰ spūs sancti efflagitat) He is an heretyke that taketh the scrypture of god after his wyll / & not after the sense of y ^e holy ghost. And that presumptuous man y ^t woll defende ony errour dampned by the chirche (hereticus est) as is wryten (.xxiiij. q. iij. Qui in eccl̄ia) Thenne to the heretyke whiche sayth that the wordes of Cryste (Hoc est em̄ corpus meū) wryten in his holy scryp­ture (Math. xvi. Mat. xiiij. Luc. xxij. et Io. vi. de cō. dist. ij. c. Loquido. et. c. cū oē) sayd by the preest ordered in due fourme sholde not be there transforma­cyon fro the materyall brede in to his flesshe / & the wyne to be his blood for the redempcōn of man / y ^u woldest make hym a lyar / whiche is (Veritas) For he sayth hȳself Ego sū panis viuꝰ q ⁱ de celo descendi. Siq ⁱs manducauerit ex hoc pane. viuet in eternū Ioh. vi. xxxi. q. i. c. Quō. in fi. de con. dist. ij. Species) Cryste sayd I am brede the sone of god and man descendeth fro heuen / that who so eteth of my bre­de / shall euer lyue / for this brede whiche I shall geue / is my flesshe (ꝓ mūdi vita. de con. dist. ij. xp̄s. et. c. verū) And that this is true / saynt Iohan the [Page] Euangelyst (Ioh̄. vi ^o.) swereth in this wyse sayeng Amen amē dico vobis nisi manducaueritꝭ carnē filij hoīs et biberitis eius sanguinē. non habebitis vitam in vobis. vt. xxiiij. q. i. Si autē) Frendes this worde (Amen) is an othe of that Inportaūce / that it coude not be properly translate. And therof saȳt Ierom and other translatours of the scrypture le­te it stonde in that sygnyfycacyon that it was in. (apud Hebreos) But it sygnefyeth an othe in eue­ry place of fayth & truthe. And saȳt Iohn doubleth his othe where he sayth (Amen amen) to y ^e Instruccyon of faythfull men / and to the condempnacyon & expulsynge out of heuen all heretykes. Or elles he doubleth this othe swerynge that ther were two natures in Cryste / the godhede / and the manhede / And agayne suche heretykes he wrote his gospel­les / that Cryste was god and man. Thou heretyke sholde men byleue the rather than faynt Poul. He sayth as it is wryten (ad Corinth) I neuer lerned the scrypture that I wryte to you of no man / but of god almyghty (Et si angelus de celo euangeli­set vobis p̄ter (quam) euangelisauimꝰ vobis. Anathema sit. ad Galath. i. et. xi. q. iij. c. Si. i. s. q ⁱ p̄est) And he spekynge of the blessyd sacrament of the awter / as is wryten (pri ^o. ad Corinth. xi ^o.) sayth. Dn̄s ihūs xp̄us in qua nocte tradebat (ur) accepit panē benedixit ac fregit. Dedit discipulis suis dicens. Accipite et manducate. Hoc est corpus meum. quod pro vobis tradetur. hoc facite in meam commemoracionem) [Page] ¶ The nyght before that Cryste our sauyour suf­fred his passyon / he toke brede & blessyd it / brake it & gaue it to his dyscyples / sayenge / take this brede & ete it / this is my body whiche shall deye for you / and do ye in lyke wyse after in remembraūce of my passyon fore forgeuenes of synne. Thyse wordes spake not saynt Poul in fygure / but in veryte / that that brede was torned in to his flesshe & blood / ad­uertysynge euery man that sholde receyue it / that he sholde be out of sȳne to auoyde his dampnacōn ¶ Frendes though there ben made infenyte argu­mentes to preue y ^t after thyse wordes sayd / the bre­de to be chaūged & made the body of Cryste / shall neuer be vnderstonde without the lyght of very fayth / as is noted (xx. q. i. Quia) ¶ I rede frendes that there was a grete doctour of the vnyuersyte of Parys / whiche was euer dysputynge of the verytee of the sacrament of the awter. And at laste / he fell in grete errour therof by his resonynge / & was fou­ly accombred in hymselfe. And came to dyuerse doctours for reformacōn. At laste he came to an aūcy­ent doctour whiche sayd to hym. Broder thou hast ben to besy in dysputacōn of y ^e sacrament of y ^e awter byleue as the chirche byleueth as is thy dewty & all crysten men & go no ferder / and so he dyde & was delyuered fro his errour. ¶ The lawe of Cyuyll sayth. Qui negat alimenta. necare videt (ur)) Syres the blessyd body of Cryste is our sustynaūce & mee­te to brynge vs to heuen / & is called (viaticū) And [Page] thyse false heretykes that wolde brynge vs to wronge byleue / & make vs to goo to helle with them / as the sayd lawe of Cyuyl sayth it is not longe to dyspute with them / they beynge obstynate / but geue them that / whiche is ordeyned for them / fyre.

¶ Ye knowe ryght well frendes / y ^t the Chaūsery & all persones y ^t perteyneth to it ben preuyleged / that they nor none of them shall be cōuented nor sewed in no courte but oonly in the same courte of y ^e chaū sery. And yf ony of them be sewid in ony other courte / the Chaūseler woll sende a wrytte called (corpꝰ cū causa) or elles a (cerciorare) & remeue the cause & brynge the persone to his owne courte. And in ly­ke wyse is dayly done in the kynges benche & the comyn place / & in the kynges cheker also / and wyll not haue theyr preuyleges dysputed / but they woll interprete them themself. ¶ Cryste Ihesus god & man his Chaūsery is the chirche as is sayd before. And he hath hymself preuyleged it / & geuen to it lybertees / y ^t none sholde adnulle nor breke. And for y ^e perpetuyte therof / he hath put it in his testament & sealed it / & also confermed it (morte eius vt ex. de cele missa (rum). c. cū martha) And as I sayd before / no man sholde interprete his wyll & his scrypture / but hymself / his chirche & they that he hath geuen auctoryte / his appostles and them whiche succedeth in theyr places / as is wryten in the gospel of this daye Vobis datū est nosci misteria regni celo (rum). cete­ris autem in parabolis. ¶ In the olde testament [Page] frendes was anoynted bysshops / kynges / prophetes & preestes. And the tabernacle (archam mensā) & (vasa) as is noted ( Exod. c. vltīo. & ex. de. sa. vnccōe c. vnico) And al thyse persones & thyngꝭ thus anoȳ ted / sholde be had in honour / & no man to deale w ^t them / but they whiche were anoynted & stode in the same dygnyte. And therfore almyghty god geueth a generall cōmaūdement / sayenge by his prophote Dauyd. Nolite tangere cristos meos. ne (que) in pro­phetis meis malignari) And also he sayth by his prophete Zach̄. ij ^o. Qui vos tangit. tangit pupillā occuli mei) whiche texte is declared by holy faders (. ij. q. vij. Accusacio) that ryght as in a man is the precyous thynge that he tendreth moost the balle of his eye / ryght so almyghty god tendereth moost preesthode / whiche ben the Executours of his wyll agayn his aduersary y ^e deuyll. And it foloweth in the same texte / y ^t euery man wolde punysshe his ser­uaūt y ^t offendeth hym / hymself & suffre none other man. In lyke wyse almyghty god wolde not haue his seruaūtes / preestes anoynted punysshed but by suche as he hath deputed by his lawe / ne woll not haue them sclaūdred / for they ben the pyllars whi­che holdeth vp his chirche / as it is red (.x. c. iij. dist. Dn̄s noster ih̄s xp̄s. rex iudeo (rum). et deus noster. vs (que) ad passionis diē seruauit honorē pontifici (bus) et sa­cerdoti (bus). (quam)uis illi. nec timorē dei. nec agnicōem xp̄i seruassent) ¶ And as he sayth hymselfe (Ioh̄. xv ^o. Non vos me elegistꝭ sed elegi vos. ex. de sensi (bus). c. [Page] procuracōes in fi.) ¶ And whan it pleased hym to be taken & led to his passyon / he sayd to y ^e knygh­tes whiche toke hym. Si me queritis. sinite eos abire) that is to saye. Suffre my apostles to departe / for ye haue no Iurysdyccyon in them / nor in me neyther / but that I woll suffre you as it is wryten. Io. xix. et. xxiij. q. i. Quid culpat (ur). et. xxij. q. i. c. Mouet ¶ Also frendes besyde this preuylege graunted by almyghty god to his chirche / there ben other preuy­leges graunted to it by holy faders. Popes. Empe­rours & kynges. And by generall coūselles whiche byndeth all the worlde / for there ben present all kynges for theyr londes & comynaltee / & all bysshops for theyr chirches / dyocese and clerge. And in thyse generall coūselles ben accursed all they whiche bre­keth the lybertees of the chirche / whiche resteth in the materyall chirche / that no man do no vyolence therin / but haue it in honour (vt mater nostra) And that no man sholde laye honde of spyrytuall persones beynge ordred nor inuade theyr goodes & spoylle them ayenst theyr wyll / yf they do / they ben acursed. And also all makers of statutes / wryters & kepers / or fauoureth the sayd statutes & makers of them / ben acursed / as is noted (ex. de sen. ex. c. Nouerit. et. c. grauē) It is a grete shame frendes a man to go & do contrary his owne dede promysed & sea­led by hym. And be some doctours (incidit in penā ad turpilianū. ff.) ¶ This reame beynge in grete trouble in tyme of kynges / as Iohan. Henry. And [Page] Henry the seconde & the thyrde / to the plesur of god and pleasynge the londe was made a statute called (Magna carta) And y ^t it sholde be inuyolatly kept & obserued / the kyng and all the lordes temporall & the comynaltee by theyr attourneys. And all the bysshoppes of the reame beynge in this same place Poules crosse (in pontificalibꝰ) cursed all them y ^t brake ony artycle comprysed in the same / in the whiche (Magna carta) by thyse wordes wryten (Habeat acclia anglicana. oēs libertates suas integras et illesas) And the lybertees of y ^e chirche of god is / as is aboue sayd / that noo temporall Iuge shall haue ony Iurisdiccōn in a spyrytuall persone vnder the payne before sayd. And dayly agayn y ^e wyll of god his lawe & determynacōn of his chirche is done the contrary. As Pharao despysed y ^e prechynge of Moyses / & the cōmaundement of god / y ^t he sholde sease his persecucōn of the people of Israell. And y ^e more that Moyses spake vnto hȳ to sease & kepe goddes cōmaūdement / the more rygorous & cruell he was / tyll he was drowned in the reed see / & all his grete Iuges & offycers with hym. For he & his counsell wolde not vnderstonde the cōmaundement of god / nor the wordes of his precher. And therfore it is wryten of hym ( Exod. vij ^o. et. xxiij. q. iiij. c. Nabugodo­nosor. duratū est cor pharaoīs &c.) That is to saye His herte is soo Indurate that he woll not vnder­stonde the cōmaūdement of almyghty god shewed by his precher / but as it dyde please hym.

[Page] ¶ Iohn Andrewe in the boke called Ieronimanū sayth / y ^t ther was a Greke & an heretyke whiche dysputed with a catholycall preest in the chirche of Ierusalem / and the sayd preest alledged to the he­retyke saynt Ierom / and the heretyke sayd to hym ayen. Thy Ierom whiche thou alledgest lyeth fal­sely / & euen forth with his tongue was taken from hym & he spake neuer after. And in lyke wyse one of the secte of Arianis sayd that saynt Ierom was false / and his wrytynges were not true. And incontynent the deuyll entred in hym / and he cryed euer (Ieronime Ieronime) & so deyed in wretchednesse.

¶ It is wryten also frendes in the lawe. Non est bonū ludere cū scīs) And there was also certen men whiche played at the dyse / and it was shewed vnto them y ^t they sholde sease / for it was a game forbo­den by the lawe of god & his chirche & by saynt Ie­rom / saynt Austen & many holy faders. At y ^t nexte metynge whan they sholde playe one of them sayd I woll playe at the dyse in spyte of Iorom. Austen decrees & all other that bordeth it / & forthwith the deuyll slewe hym & bare his body awaye thrugh the rouffe of the house / & lete the bowels stynkyng there. By this ensamples frendes we may vnder­stonde that the auctoryte of the chirche & the pre­chynge of the mynysters therof ought not to be dy­spysed / but with all reuerence to be honoured & the holy doctrynes of it to be obserued & kept. Brethern vnderstonde well the wordes of the sayd chartre. [Page] Magna carta) wherin is sayd (Habeat eccl̄ia an­glicana libertates suas. non tuas) not y ^t y ^u geuest it ony lybertees / but y ^t they sholde haue ther owne geuen them by god & holy fad (er)s of y ^e chirche / as popes emperours / kynges / and (integras) Not a parte of theyr lybertees / but they sholde haue them hoole w ^t out ony dyuysyon (et illesas) not to be hurt by ony interpretacōn nor wrong declaracōn / but accordyng to the intellect of Crystys chirche. And for the very perfyte intellect y ^t temporell men sholde not deale with no spyrytuall persone / but lete the chirche haue his hoole lybertee. Saynt Thomas of Caūter­bury / whom heuen & erthe taketh for a saynt deyed for none other cause / but for the lybertees of the chirche. And therfore we saye in our seruyce to al­myghty god in his laude. Deꝰ ꝓ cuiꝰ eccl̄ia glio­sus pontifex et martyr thomas occubuit &c. And y ^t his cause whiche he deyed fore was accepte of al­myghty god / for sauynge the lybertees of his chir­che. It is red that Cryste Ih̄u sayd to hym (Thoma thoma. eadē gloriā (quam) dedi apostolo meo petro. do tibi) And it is to presume brethern y ^t yf Saynt Thomas of Caūterbury were now lyuynge / they whiche dyrectely now doo agaynst the lybertees of the chirche / wolde put hym to deth agayne / as saȳt Poul sayth (ad Hebre. vi ^o et de pe. dist. ij. Si em̄. ss. paulꝰ) that synners dayly crucefye Cryst / syttynge on the ryght honde of his fad (er) / dyspysyng his lawe & his chirche / whiche is planted with the blood of [Page] his sayntes. ¶ The chirche frendes of god in euery reame of crystyante / y ^e heed therof is cryst. The chirche of Rome (Sedes apostolica) is our mod (er) / & we all are generat by her (vera fide) & dyspowsed in (castitate) to Cryste Ihū. And the lybertees whiche he hath geuen / be not geue to one chirche synguler but to all as one / as he sayth hȳself y ^t wordes wry­ten (.xxiiij. q. i. loq ⁱt (ur). et.c. oī (bus) vna ē colūba mea. ꝑfecta mea & vna ē matris sue electa genit ⁱcis sue) And who so woll dyuyde them or take y ^e preuylege from one of them / he taketh y ^e preuylege from them al / & is demed by all the lawe (vt scismaticꝰ) & stondeth acursed as is noted (xxiij. q. h. Nō vos. et tunicā dm̄ in ꝯsutilem) he wolde deuyde ayen the wyll of god (vt .xxiij. q. i. Qm̄) & in y ^t be of worse dysposycyon than y ^e Iewes were / whiche sayd (Nō scindamꝰ eā. (s) sed sorciamur de ea) ¶ It is an argument with some people / y ^t a preest or a consecrate persone do a tem­porall dede / why sholde not he be punysshed by a tē porall Iuge. This reason can haue no place / where there is a prohybycōn geuen & a certen Iuge lymyt for y ^e punysshement of a persone so ordred by y ^e lawe of god. For y ^e offence frendes chaūgeth not y ^e Iurys­dyccōn in this case / & though he y ^t is cōuentyd wolde consent in a tēporall Iuge / he may not (vt ex. de. f. c. ꝑ. t.) And it is oft sayd y ^t the bysshops of Englonde haue geuen consent therto / whiche they may not do by y ^e lawe. And suche y ^t dyde so ben acursed / & theyr consent is / as no consent (potis. ī crīali) ¶ It is red [Page] ij. regū. xxiiij) that grete varyaūce was betwix Dauyd & Saul a kyng anoynted. And where as Da­uyd myght haue slayne hym & spared / sawe that he kytte a pese of Sauls garment / in, token that he myght haue destroyed hym. Yet in it y ^t he was a­noynted Dauyd had grete conscyence & sayd (ꝓpi­ciꝰ sit michi dn̄s. ne extendā manū neā in xp̄m dm̄) ¶ For as saynt Austen sayth in the chapytre (Dn̄s .i. q. i. qd saul nō habebat innocenciā. et tamē habe­bat sanctitatē. nō merito vite sue. sed tamē vnccōis) ¶ Cryste knewe y ^t Iudas was a traytour to hym / & shewed it to his dyscyples / as is Io. vi ^o et .i. q. i. Cryst sayenge. Nōne ego vos duodecim elegi. & ex vobis vnꝰ diabolꝰ est) Yet he depryued not hym (de apostolatu) but suffred hȳ in his company tyll he han­ged hymself as is wryten (actuū .i. et. i. q. i. Qui studet) And all sacramentes mynystred by hym were approuyd though he were not well dysposed hym­self / as is wryten (.i. q. i. dedit) Therfore Dauyd in his sawter after made / by hȳ aduertyseth al fayth­full men in eschewynge y ^e grete dyspleasure of god sayenge. Nolite tangere xp̄os meos. et in ꝓphetis meis. nolite malignari) The holy ghost spekynge in the mouthe of Dauyd / sayth thyse wordes / tou­che not my prestes / nor malygne not agayn my prophetes whiche ben in y ^e newe testament / the preestes & prechers of y ^e worde of god / as Bede sayth vpon this gospel. Ecce ego mitto vos) They y ^t malygne agayn preestes / be of y ^t condycōn that Herode was / [Page] as it is red (actuū. xiij.) whiche stroke of saynt Iamys heed for no cause but y ^t he was (de eccl̄ia) And in lyke wyse he put saynt Peter in pryson & for the same cause. ¶ Brethern malygne not that a clerke preest be promoted to grete dygnyte in the chirche / as ye se dayly poore men of byrthe exalted to haue rule / for y ^t is the purueaūce of god to poore mennes sones & vertuous. For he wol also dystrybute at his pleasure all dygnytees spyrytuall & temporall. Example. ¶ He called the fyrste kyng Saul of y ^e peo­ple of Israel from kepynge of asses / & Dauyd y ^e seconde kyng from kepyng shepe. And saȳt Peter fro fysshyng & other of his apostles / & made them prȳ ­ces of al the worlde. Constitues eos principes suꝑ oēm terrā) This felyshyp that speketh & malyg­neth ayenst the chirche in theyr resonynge & argu­mentes to oppresse the auctoryte therof / may wel be lykned to a dogge whan the mone shyneth fayre & bryghte / he barketh & bayeth euen ayenst it as he wolde destroye it / & yet he neyther vnderstondeth what it is / nor it lyeth not in his power to hurte it And this dogge thus barkynge / letteth other men of theyr reste & seaseth not tyll he be rapt on y ^e heed & so slayne & throwen in a dyche. ¶ Ryght so thy­se barkers & malygnours ayenst the chirche / & the auctoryte therof shall be stryken with the vengaū ­ce of god & shall be buryed in the stynkynge dyche of helle as heretykes ought to be / as is red (de he­reticis. ex. ꝑ totū). [Page] ¶ In the begynnynge of my sermon I sayd fren­des / y ^t he whiche herde not the proclamacōns made It were expedyent for hym to go to the Chaunsery & gete hym a copy of them / to the effecte he myght kepe them & auoyde y ^e penaltees of them. ¶ Saynt Austen sayth that all crysten people stondeth vnder one fayth in two maner kyndes / as preestes & laye men. And thyse two people pryncypally ought to take hede of Crystꝭ proclamacōns & to prynte them well in theyr mynde. For eche one of them must geue a sore coūte for the obseruaūce & kepynge of the same. ¶ Fyrste as for preesthode shall haue a bylle of remembraūce in this maner. Estote sancti. sicut dn̄s deus vester scūs est) as is wryten ( Leuit. xix. et xxxi. dist. c. tenere) Be ye holy as I am your maker & god / & so ye ought to be. And to worshyp & loue me aboue al other thȳge. I made your soules to my ymage of Immortalyte / & whan ye had foyled it / & loste your Inherytaūce. I toke your nature & made my selfe lyke to you. I was conuersaunt amonge you in the worlde (sicut pontifex & sacerdos) I gaue vnto you power y ^t neuer I gaue vnto creature befo­re. For ryght as I god almyghty made all thynge of nought. Ryght so ye my preestes / shall chaunge the nature of brede and wyne in to my flesshe and blood / by the whiche ye ben (os de ossi (bus) meis / et caro de carne mea) Ye haue power also to open he­uen yates & spare them. Ayenst your power all hell may not resyste. I haue boughte with my precy­ous [Page] blood of my fad (er) all oblacōns / tythes (primogenita) & all other lyuelode & goodes longyng to the chirche here mylytaūt / & geuen them to you seruaū tes of my chirche so that ye shall lacke no thynge. ¶ Orygene sayth vpon this texte ( Leuit. xiij. qd oīa aīalia pri ^ogēita) & all vessels in the temple whiche were depute to the seruyce of god were (scā) & no man sholde touche them but he y ^t were (scūs) And so euery preest whiche is consecrate / is depute & ha­lowed to almyghty god / & euery parte of his body ought to be halowed / & to be put to no occupacyon worldely / by the whiche synne sholde growe therof & god dysplesed / not to loke & se amysse / here nor speke but y ^t whiche sholde be to his laude / nor handle no thynge with y ^e hondes / whiche sholde touche his body / but (q̄ sūt mūda) And as saynt Ierom sayth god almyghty hath an housholde in heuē al of vir­gyns & clene creatures. Ryght so Cryste set vp here his housholde & his chirche / & wolde haue thē chaste people & virgyns / & so by y ^e law euery man reccyued in to holy ordre sholde professe chastyte / as is noted (xxviij. dist. Ecce i prin. cū se) And as saȳt Ciprian sayth in the chapytre (nec aliqua. xxvij. q. i.) y ^t there was neuer man more Ielous of his wyf y ^t she sholde caste loue to no man in famylyar talkynge / plesur in speche ne syght / but to hȳ oonly / than Cryste is of his prestꝭ / men & wȳmen of relygyon / y ^t haue vo­wed chastyte. And is forbode (extra de vi. et ho. cle) prestꝭ to dwell w ^t wȳmen / harde it is to be amonge [Page] scorpyons & be not venymed. And a preest also frendes ought to vse his garmentes acordynge to y ^e law of god & his chirche (ꝙ nec sint sordidi nec fulgidi. ne (que) nimis longe. nec nimis curte. xli. dist. ss. i.) And sholde alwaye be dystyncte & knowen by theyr garmentes from laye men. And yf y ^u se a preest go lyke a laye man / with his typpet / slyppers / & grete sleues / it is to presume y ^t he repenteth hym y ^t euer he forsoke the habyte of a laye man / & therfore he vseth it. And the penalyte of them y ^t goon soo is by the law they be suspended (ab ministracōe) & other paynes lymytte in the Clementyne (de vita et ho. cle. [...]xxi. q. iiij. ꝑ totū) ¶ And it is lawfull to the chirche to haue syluer & golde / for it was neuer for­bode to sayntes y ^e vse therof / but y ^e abusynge. ¶ And saynt Ierom sayth (xij. q. ij. c. Aurū. Aurū (h) habet eccl̄ia nō vt seruet. (s) sed vt erroget. et in necessitati (bus) subue­niat) And Cryste had (loculos) golde & syluer for his college (ct ꝓ egenis & pauꝑi (bus)) geuynge exam­ple as is redy (xij. i. c. Exemplū) that it is lawfull for the chirche to haue golde & syluer vnd (er) hym as dyspensatours. Therfore we all bysshops / persons vycaryes / & other spyrytuall persons haue y ^e goodes of the chirche (ad ministratores) & to spende theym to his cōmaūdement / accoidynge to his lawe & his chirche in foure maner wyse / as is noted (.xij. q. ij. .c. Quatuor. cū. c. sc) whiche ben thyse. Fyrste to se his chirche & chaūsell to hym belongynge be hono­rable & worshypfully reparellyd. In this shall he [Page] please god specyally / & to hymself grete worshyp & meryte. ¶ The seconde parte of his good sholde be spende aboue reparacōn of his mancōn & lyuelode it to be reparellyd & kepte accordynge to his beha­uour suffycyently / wherof hymself shall haue grete plesure & thanke of god & man. ¶ The thyrde parte to be spent in hospytalyte / kepynge housholde & geuynge meete & drynke to his parysshons & other poore folkes / & in this behalf he shall be compared to Abraham & Loth / whiche dyuerse seasons fedde angels / & by them they were delyuered oft tyme fro grete persecucōn. And in thy kepynge housholde y ^u shalt gretly please Peter & Poul / y ^t persuad [...] sayd vnto prestes. Diligite hospitalitatē) & noted (xvi. q. i. c. vltīo) ¶ The fourth parte ye muste spende to gete you frendes specyal to speke for you in tyme of nede / whiche ben as Cryste sayth (pauꝑes) blynde lame / & they whiche can not helpe themself / ne may not. ¶ And scūs Iohēs Elemosinariꝰ) called poore men & beggars his lordes / for they myght beste spepe for hym / & helpe hym with almyghty god / whiche good geuen vnto them / is geuen vnto Cryste / & he woll defende all them y ^t socoure & helpe the poo­re peple / as is wryten (xxij. q. ij. Glia) No man may spende theyr goodes more honourably / than in thy­se foure causes y ^e whiche Cryste & his chirche hath assygned vs. And at our comynge to Cryst / we shal haue a specyall thanke w ^t wordes of comfort. Euge serue bone & fidel) And yf y ^u deye in grete ryches [Page] & kept it (in sudario) & spent it not in reparacyon of thy chirche / mansyon / kepynge housholde / ne geuynge to poore people / accordyng to goddes cōmaū dement & his chirche / thou shal be called (seruū ne­quā) & called a theyf with Iudas whiche had Crystys money in admynystracōn / & spende it otherwyse than was Crystis cōmaūdement to his owne vse & pleasure. And therfore he is called Fur in y ^e gos­pel of Iohn & in the sayd chapytre (exemplū .xij. q. .i.) And haue the payne lymytte as he hath / wry­ten (ex. de pe. clerico (rum) in .c. penultīo.

¶ The copy of y ^e byll for remembraūce of the pro­clamacōns for seculer men is this / that Dauyd speketh by the auctoryte of the holy ghost. Iusti here­ditabunt terrā. psal ^o. xxxvi ^o.) For as euery preest in his conuersacōn & dedes / ought to be holy / so euery crysten man ought to be (iustꝰ) a true man. And as ye knowe by experyence / y ^t the fader of his childe hath a grete plasure beynge lyke hym in hauour & condycōns. In lyke wyse almyghty god hath grete pleasure in his childern true men beynge lyke vnto hym. Iustus dn̄s. et iusticias. dilexit. equitatē vidit vultꝰ eiꝰ) ¶ And as Arystotle sayth / no vertue may make man so lyke almyghty god / as Iustyce. The proprytee of man is to desyre to be (felicē) here in this worlde & so to lyue euer to haue good name & fame / & to haue suche thynges whiche is necessary to his exibycyon / & that that he hath charge vpon. ¶ Amonge all vertues morall is none to conserue [Page] a man in all thynge as is the vertue of Iustyce with true fayth & charyte. And therfore it is wryten (Ius tus ex fide viuit. ad Hebre. x. et de pe. dist. iiij. In domo. et. xxiiij. q. i. vbi. Et iustꝰ germinabit sicut liliū) A true man to be except & florysshe in the syght of all good men / & they to be gladde of his company. Et iustꝰ vt palma florebit) a iuste man shall as a palme tree endure. ¶ Dauyd frendes with his me­ry songes whiche he syngeth with his harpe in his boke called y ^e sawter / in y ^e psalme Noli emulari. & Quā bonꝰ. maketh a dyologe after the comyn opynyon of men / bytwix a false man & a true lyuer cō ­syderynge the prouydence & ryghtwysnes of god / y ^t an vntrue man / whiche obserueth not nor kepeth his lawe / hath peas without trouble. He hath fely­cyte also in temporall goodes / as is red ( eccliasti. vij. Iustꝰ perit in iusticia sua. et impiꝰ multo tem­pore viuit in malicia sua) The wycked man hath ryches to helpe hym whan he is seke by physyke. A poore iuste man hath none / & therfore lyeth in grete payn. They are neuer put to labour & afflyccōn / as other true poore men be / whan ought is to be done for the comyn weele / nor to paye taxe / but at theyr pleasure / & euer lyueth in theyr pleasure & solace / & so spared for theyr ryches / & oftyme y ^e good of Iuste men be perysshed by casueltees & Ieoperdy of the see & theyr goodes ben spared & not perysshed. They oppresse y ^e Iuste men & dyspyse god / though they haue al thynge at ther desyre. This prouydence of god & [Page] pacyence made Dauyd to starker and muse in his mynde what this sholde meane / & coude not fynde by no naturall reason / y ^t the vniuste sholde thus be sparyd / & the poore iuste man punysshed Donec intrarē in sāctuariū dei & intelligā in nouissimis eo (rum) Vnto y ^e season he hath the scrypture of god ruled & shewed vnto hym / & he remembred (ꝙ iudicia dei vera sūt) And lykned thyse vniuste men vnto her­bes whiche sowen soono growe & soone fade / & vn­to y ^e fume of a fyre / the hyer it fleeth / y ^e sooner it is destroyed / & vnto a man in his slepe dremynge of moche good / & whan he waketh he is in pouerte as he was before / & we ben all a slepe lyuynge in this worlde / tyll we shal be waked (in nouissīa die tuba michelis) And whan Dauyd had consydred al this he songe w ^t his harpe. Vidi impiū exaltatū sicut cedros libani & transiui et ecce nō erat. quesiui & nō inuentꝰ locꝰ eiꝰ) I sawe sayd Dauyd wycked proude & vniuste men exalted in honour & worshyp as grete hye trees of Lybanye / & soone after I sought them & theyr progeny / & all theyr goodes & proude seruaūtes aboute them / & coude not fynde them a­boue the erthe / but they passed as a shadowe. ¶ Of this frendes we haue exāples ynough in our dayes w ^tout scrypture / of grete men how they are passed with all theyr grete dygnytees & ryches / & lytell speche is now of them. The sayd Dauyd therfor son­ge with his sayd harpe an other balet / sayeng. Iu­nior fui ethem̄ senui: et nō vidi iustū derelictū. nec [Page] semen eius querēs panē) that is to saye I was yonge & now am I olde / & I sawe neuer a true man y ^t god forsoke but gaue hym helpe in tyme of nede to his profyte / nor his childern beyng true at last daū ger of theyr extreme pouertee. And what hungre or other trybulacōns they suffred / were for the weele of theyr soules & euerlastynge Ioye at theyr departynge. The lawe of god / & in lyke wyse the lawe of naturall reason wolde y ^t the fader sholde make his sone his heyre / & to succede hym in his goodes & lyuelode. And as I haue experyence therof / y ^t many faders whiche for the loue they owe to theyr chil­dern sercheth to make y ^e londes sure vnto theyr childern after theyr dyscese / & costeth them moche mo­ney to men of lawe for the same entent / whiche as I haue herde men of the lawe saye / it is harde to do And durste not take vpon them to promyse them. But frendes I dare take vppon me to make your children & you also / sure & euerlastynge Ioye / & not to be forgote / but to be helped by almyghty god here in this worlde / yf ye woll gete your good truly with out synne & falshede / & of those goodes so goten / geue parte of theym in dedes of charyte / as is wryten ( eccliastici. xliiij. Hij sūt viri mīe. quo (rum) iusticie ob­liuionē nō acceperūt. cū semine eo (rum) ꝑmanent bona hereditas scā. nepotes eo (rum)) Thyse ben the wordes of the holy ghoost / and thus moche to saye. Thyse men whiche ben mercyfull in dedes of charyte / theyr ryghtwysnesse in theyr lyuynge and getynge [Page] of good truely / shall neuer be forgote. His childern & neuewes shall enioye his goodes & Inherytaūce. Et in testamentꝭ stetit semē eo (rum)) As he dysposed in his testament / so shall his wyll be perfourmed. Wherfore yf ye woll that your childern shal enioye your goodes / pryncypally se y ^t they be wel goten. For the ryghwysnes of y ^e fader / geueth grete Influence of grace to his succession / as ensample of Abraham y ^t good true man gaue to his sone Ysaac / & Ysaac to Iacob his sone / & Iacob to his. xij. sones / of whō cometh the. xij. tribus of Isrl. ¶ And as Lyre sayth the kyngdom of Isrl was kept by a longe season in y ^e succession of Dauyd after his dyscesse / not for ther merytes / but for the goodnes & truthe of Dauyd / & therfore it is wryten In bonis iusto (rum) exaltabit (ur) ci­uitas & in ꝑdicōe eo (rum) erit laudacio. et in bn̄diccōe iusto (rum) exaltabit ciuitas) That cyte whiche is reple­nysshed with good true men / is exalted / & to it all good men haue good wyll to enhabyte therin. And whan a wycked man deyeth therin / to them it is a grete reioysynge. And y ^e blessyng of god whiche true Iuste men haue / concerueth the cyte in prosperyte. ¶ And Archedeken (in rosario. c. hoc autē. xxx. dist. sayth. Si iusti fuerimꝰ. debemꝰ deo honorē. sanctis imitacōem. defunctis ꝯpassionē. ꝓ xi ^o. amorē. peccato odiū. diabole ꝯtinuū bellū) Fyrste y ^u muste do ho­nour & worshyp to almyggty god with body & sou­le as thy creatour. And in token therof / to yelde vnto hȳ tythes / oblacōns & other sacrefyces. (Qr) Quia eiꝰ est [Page] terra et plenitudo eiꝰ. viij. dist. c. Quo iure) And secondly to folowe example of holy sayntes. A preest to folowe saynt Peter & the apostles / saynt Martyn & saynt Nycholas holy confessours. And laye men to folowe Zachee. Whiche sayd to Cryste. Si ali­quē defraudaui. reddo quadruplū) Yf I haue doo ony man wronge or desceyued hym. I woll make amendes with due satysfaccyon / or elles I knowe well I can not be called a Iuste man / & haue god in my hous. The thyrde to haue cōpassyon of them whiche be departed the worlde and praye for them. And who soo haue ony goodes of thers / to dyspose & do it not / & causeth them to lye in payne. It is a grete offence frendes to desceyue a man that is a lyue / but moche more to desceyue hym whiche is deed And all brekers of a mannes laste wyll / be acursed as ye haue herde ofte tymes. The fourth / ye muste loue your neyghbour as your selfe / & desceyue hym not / lyke as ye wolde not be desceyued yourself ney­ther in worde nor dede. ¶ And good frendes note oo worde what I shal saye to you / whiche Iohn cry­sostom sayth (in .c. eiciēs. lxxxviij. dist) to al them y ^t vseth choppyng & chaūgynge what occupacōn they be of / he byddeth them beware in theyr byeng & sel­lyng / y ^t they vse no othes / periury / nor desceyte / for al suche marchaūtes Cryst bete out of y ^e temple / & the prophete sayth. Quia nō cognoui negociacōes ītroibo ī potēcias dm̄) I knewe neuer suche vntrue by­ers & sellars entre in to y ^e kyngdom of heuen. And [Page] he putteth an example of a man whiche syfueth or fanneth corn / the good corn falleth thrugh / & there remayneth but stones & other harlatrye. Ryght so a man that hath goten with othes / lyes / & fasehede his goodes / lete hym restore all y ^t he hath goten by that waye / & there remayneth to hymself but synne The fyfth is we sholde hate synne. Synne is that thynge whiche is contrary to all Iustyce / & forbode by the lawe of god / as is wryten (.xv. q. i. c. i. in fie) And as longe as a man is in dedly synne / he is drede in the syght of god & called (seruꝰ peccati) a seruaunt of the deuyll. ¶ And Ancelme sayth / whan a man is in dedly synne / all creatures made by al­myghty god abhorreth hȳ. And therfore sayth Se­neca as y ^e glo. noteth (xv. q. i. c. merito Si scirē deos ignoscituros. hoīes eciā nescituros. adhuc dedigna­rer peccare) And he that seaseth not to be in dedly synne / but contynewe therin / he shall haue this pu­nysshment / to forgete god whan he deyeth & to aske hym mercy / as saynt Gregory noteth in a sermon de Innocē. & noted (xxxij. q. v. c. Sicut cū glo. Ioh̄. et Guid.) No man can lyue so perfytly here ocupyed in y ^e worlde / but he must falle in to vanyal synne / y ^t ben put awaye dyuersly / as by sayeng his pr̄ nr̄ / by holy water / by almes dede / by tuncōn made on his brest / by fastyng / by anelyng / by general confessyon by blessyng of the bysshop / & preest beyng at masse and by contrycōn of thy synne / whiche all ben no­ted (de pe. dist. iij. de quotidianis. cum glo. Iohēs et [Page] Guido. et ex. de pe. et re. c. Oī (bus) ꝑ hostien̄) ¶ The vi. & laste is to contynewe batayle euer with the deuyll. And who so euer woll haue the vyctory of hȳ he must arme hȳ with humylyte / whiche is the vertue y ^t he hateth moost in man here in the erthe / whiche vertue he forsoke in heuen / therfore he is called the kynge of all proude men. Iob .xli. et .xiij. dist. Nulli ꝑ Guido) ¶ I fere frendes y ^t he is a grete kyng ouer many folkes & moche people in this londe now a dayes / as apperyth by theyr araye / & many gooth in his clothynge / excedynge theyr power / offyce / blood & dygnyte. And ryght as the deuyl presumed to be lyke almyghty god / excedynge his or­dre & degree & so caste out of heuen / and is & shalbe in euerlastynge payne. Ryght soo all proude men now beynge in this londe / werynge theyr garmen­tes in fourme & maner of them / that put Cryste to deth / & his sayntes as ye may se in storyes of pycture therof. The abhomynacōn of theyr clothynge & mysshappe therof / is ferre out of reason / that it passeth my wytte to shewe the vnthryftenesse therof / & the paynes put in holy scrypture whiche they shall suffre for theyr mysbehauour in this behalfe. And therfore almyghty god sayth thyse wordes wryten. Sophonie. i ^o. Visitabo suꝑ oēs q ⁱ induti sūt veste ꝑegrina) I shall punysshe all them y ^t bryngeth in newe shape of garmentes / whiche causeth my peo­ple to falle to wantennesse / & in varyaūce of theyr araye. Therfore saynt Ierom sayth vpon this text. [Page] Sanguis ft̄is tui clamat vindictā ad me) who so euer bryngeth in a wronge custome in to a cyte / or ony shape of garmentes whiche sholde cause synne amonge the people / as longe as it is vsed he shall neuer come in heuen. ¶ Frendes I remembre dayes here before in my yongthe / y ^t there was a vertuous monke of Bury called Lydgate / whiche wrote ma ny noble hystoryes / & made many vertuous balettꝭ to the encrease of vertue / & oppressyon of vyce. And amonge other he made a treatyse called Galand. & all the kyndred of Galand he dyscryued therin. I suppose yf galantes vnderstode the progeny / they wolde refuse to be of y ^t felyshyp & kyndred. The occasyon of makynge this boke was whan englysshe men were bete out & had loste Fraunce. Gascoyn. Gyon. & Normandye / & came home dysguysed in theyr garments in euery parte of theyr bodyes / whiche englyssh men sawe neuer before. And many fo­lowed the lewde & abhomynable garmentes / in so moche y ^t all good men cryed out of them. And this good monke in detestacyon of theyr synne & wret­chednesse made the sayd boke in balette wyse. And the repete of euery balett was this. Englonde may wayle y ^t euer Galand came here. And in short sea­son after / were grete surreccōns / & murdre of lordes & other / as I doubte not many y ^t lyueth can remembre it. I praye god they may amende them / y ^t we be not punysshed for them & wayle theyr wretched­nesse / for by cause we suffre y ^e subgettes of the kyng [Page] of pryde to dwelle amonge vs. ¶ Frendes I saye the wordes of Cryst vnto you whiche I toke to my tyme. Qui habet aures audiendi. audiat) y ^t thyse wordes whiche ye haue herde by my symplenesse & by your materyall eeres / may be vnderstonde also by your Inwarde eeres of your soule by true Intel­lecte / & so put in execusyon. For I saye vnto you as saynt Ierom sayth in an epystle / & saynt Austen in lyke wyse (ꝙ nō sūt nuge et friuola que dixi vobis Sed sūt scripture et verba dei) And therfore saynt Poul sayth. Syres take good hede at the lawe of god / & perfourme it in y ^t you is (q ⁱa deꝰ nō irridet (ur)) he wyl not be laughed to scorne / but punysshe them that by worde or dede despyseth his cōmaūdement ¶ Thenne frendes I ende thus / besechynge eche one of you / to remembre & kepe the fyue proclama­cyons whiche I haue shewed vnto you. And ye of the spyrytualte to calle to mynde your bylle of re­membraūce to be holy in your conuersacōn. And ye maysters of the temporalte to remembre your bylle of Iustyce & truthe to god & man. And yf ye haue grace thus to do. I answere & dare promyse in the name of Cryste Ihesu / ye shall haue Ioye that the eye may not se / nor herte can thynke / nor tonge can speke / to the whiche god brynge all.

Amen.

¶ Enprynted at Westmynstre by Wynken de worde.