Tabula.

  • BY this table a man may fynde the maters of the boke named the ordynarye of crysten men / the whiche conteyneth fyue partes pryncypa­les and euery of them dyuysed in pactyes.
  • The fyrst is of the sacrament of baptem / and of the .xij. artycles of the fayth.
  • The seconde is of .x. cōmaūdementes of the lawe.
  • The thyrde is of the werkes of mercy.
  • The fourth is of the maner hym well to confesse.
  • The fyfth is of the paynes of helle / & of the Joyes of paradyse.

¶ In the fyrst partye is made mencyon of baptem & of y e fayth / & it contynued .vij. chapytres.

  • The fyrst is of the vowe that a man maketh vn­to the holy sacrament of baptem.
  • The seconde is of the maner to admynystre the baptem as well in necessyte as in solempnyte of y • mater / of the forme / of the intencyon / of the exor­cysme / and of the cathecysme.
  • The thyrde is the latyn of all the offyce to bapt­se with the exposycyon.
  • The fourth of the vertue and of the effecte in the soule baptysed.
  • The .v. of the .xij. artycles of the fayth in generall.
  • The .vi. of the suffysaunce of the .xij. artycles of the fayth.
  • The .vij. of euery artycle of the fayth in specyall and of the werke for to answere.
  • The fyrst artycle is. Credo in deū &c. The werke for to answere is to fere & to loue god.
  • The seconde artycle is. Et in ihesum xp̄m &c. And the werke for to answere is to kepe the cōmaunde­mentes [Page] of Jhesu cryst after as he them hath decla­red and taught in louynge his pouerté / humylyte / and austeryte.
  • The thyrde. Qui cōceptus est de spūscō &c̄. And the werke for to answere is to conceyue Jhesu cryste spyrytually by the vertue of the holy fayth catho­lyke and to honour fader and moder.
  • The .iiij. is. Passus sub poncio. & y e werke for to answere is to haue pacyence in trybulacōns worldely.
  • The .v. is Descendit an inferna. & the werke for to answere is to descende in to helle by holy medyta­cyon / by the whiche medytacōn a man may aryse from the deth of synne vnto the lyf of grace.
  • The .vi. is Ascēdit ad celos. y e werke for to answere is to haue y e herte vpwarde in dispraysyng y e erthe.
  • The .vij. Inde venturꝰ. the werke for to answere is watche euery man vpon his spyrytuell dede.
  • The .viij. is Credo in spm̄. y e werke for to answere is to haue the vsance of y e fyue wyttes spirytuell.
  • The .ix. is Sanctā ecclesiā. y e werke for to answere is to obeye vnto holy chirche for to praye for them y • ben departed & to kepe hȳ for to be excōmunycate
  • The .x. is sancto (rum) cōmunionē. the werke for to an­swere is to honour the sacramentes.
  • The .xi. is Carnis resurrectionē. y e werke for to answere is not to fere to deye for the fayth.
  • The .xij. Vitā eternā amen. the werke for to answere is to despryse the glorye & the felycyte worldely in comparyson of the glorye eternall.

¶ In the seconde partye is made mencyon of the .x. cōmaundementes of the lawe / and it con­teyneth. xviij. chapytres.

  • [Page]The fyrst how god vs hath gyuen & wryten the .x. cōmaundementes in our propre bodyes.
  • The seconde how the .x. cōmaūdementes ben wry­ten in the soule reasonable.
  • The thyrde of the benedyccyons vnto the true ob­seruatours of the fayth.
  • The .iiij. of the maledyccyons that come [...] vnto the transgressours of the lawe.
  • The .v. of euery cōmaundement in partyculer as well of the thynge cōmaūded as of that defended / & fyrstely of the fyrst / the thynge cōmaūded in the fyrst / that is charyte & true adoracyon of the dyuy­nyte / the thynge defended / that is pryde ayenst god and all maner of ydolatrye.
  • The .vi. of the thynge cōmaūded in the seconde / that is to accomplysshe his vowes and to kepe the trought of baptem / the .vi. of the thynge defended that is the abusyon to swere / & all horryble othes.
  • The .vij. of the thynge cōmaūded in the thyrde / y t is to halowe y e solempnytees & hym to excercyse in good werkes / the .vij. of y e thynge defended ben all werkes erthely & seruyles y t may lette y e spiryte.
  • The .viij. of the thynge cōmaūded in the fourth / that is charytably to honour his neyghbours & to do the werkes of mercy / the .viij. of the thynge de­fended / that is pryde and pryncypally ayenst his souerayns.
  • The .ix. of the thynge cōmaūded in the fyfth / that is to procure & to kepe vnto our neyghbour foure maner of lyues / the .ix. of the thynge defended that is yre and enuye ayenst our neyghbours.
  • The .x. of the thynge cōmaūded in the .vi. y t is so­brenes [Page] & attemperaūce / the .x. of the thynge defen­ded is glotony and lechery pryncypally.
  • The .xi. of the thynge cōmaūded in the .vij. y t is to yelde vnto euery creature that / that vnto hym ap­perteyneth / the .xi. of the thynge defended that is the synne of couetyse and all the synnes the whi­che in it descenden.
  • The .xij. of the thynge cōmaūded in the .viij. that is to magnyfye & exalte the goodnes of his neygh­bour / the .xij. of the thynge defended y t is cursyd langage procedynge of yre and of enuye.
  • The .xiij. of the thynge cōmaūded [...] the .ix. that is pouerte & chastyte of spyryte / the .xiij. of the thyn­ge defended that is all concupyscence carnall by consentynge of wyll.
  • The .xiiij. of the thynge cōmaūded in the .x. that is lyberalyte of good wyll ayenst his neyghbours / the .xiiij. of the thynge defended y t is concupyscen­ce dysordynate of thynges temporelles.
  • The .xv. that is the epylogacyon or shorte repety­cyon of all this seconde partye.
  • The .xvi. is of y e fyue cōmaūdentꝭ of holy chirche.
  • The .xvij. is of two maner of lyues y e whiche ben in holy chirche / that is to knowe the lyfe contem­platyue and the lyfe actyue.
  • The .xviij. is of. xiij. reasons shewynge where by we may be enduced to haue fere & humylyte.

¶ In the .iij. partye is made mencōn of the. vij werkꝭ of mercy / & it conteyneth. v. chapytres.

  • The fyrst is of the .vij. werkꝭ of mercy in general.
  • The seconde of the .vij. werkes of mercy corporal and specyall.
  • [Page]The thyrde of the circonstaunce requysyte in ac­complysshynge the werkes of mercy.
  • The .iiij. of the [...]ij. werkes of mercy spyrytuelles in generall.
  • The .v. of. xij. maner of almesdedes spirytuell in specyall as it is to pardonne / to correcte / to teche / to recomforte / to comforte / & to enhardy / to supporte / or to endure / to exhorte for to prouffyte in good­nes / to coniure the ylle of an other / to coūseyll spy­rytually to accorde the dyscorded / to praye for the necessyte of his neyghbours / to saye or make to saye masses.

¶ In the fourth partye is made mencyon of y e sacrament of confessyon / and it conteyneth. xxx. chapytres.

  • The fyrst is that to brynge a synner vnto the est [...] te of grace is a more greter thynge after many cō ­sideracyons than was y e creacyon of all y e worlde.
  • The seconde is a prouffytable exhortacyon for to do penaunce gladly.
  • The thyrde of the .xij. fruytes the whiche comen of trewe penaunce.
  • The .iiij. is of the dyfference of good werkes done in the estate of mortall synne or of grace.
  • The .v. of six reasons shewynge that the synnerue ought to tarye hym to confesse.
  • The .vi. of the practyse that the confessour ought to holde as well ayenst hymselfe as ayenst theym that be confesseth.
  • Thi vij. of the scyence the whiche is requysyte & necessarye vnto a confessour and the dyfference by­twene mortall synne and venyall.
  • [Page]The .viij. is of the caas reserued vnto our holy fa­de the pope.
  • The .ix. is of the caas reserued vnto the bysshopp be it of ryght or of custome.
  • The .x. of thre maner of penaunces.
  • The .xi. is of foure thynges that the synner ought to do before his confessyon.
  • The .xij. is as well of those y e whiche may here the confessyons as of them that may chose theyr con­fessour.
  • The .xiij. of the .x. poyntes by one of the whiche / or by many the confessyon may be vnfruytfull and how people maryed sholden examen theyr conscy­ences of the dede of maryage.
  • The .xiiij. how a man ought hym to confesse and examen after the ordre and the doctryne of the .x. commaundementes.
  • The .xv. of the examynacyon of the conscyence after the fyrst commaundement.
  • The .xvi. of the seconde cōmaundement.
  • The .xvij. of the thyrde cōmaundement.
  • The .xviij. of the fourth cōmaundement.
  • The .xix. of the fyfth cōmaundement.
  • The .xx. of the sixt cōmaundement.
  • The .xxi. of the .vij. cōmaūdemēt & conteyneth the maters the whiche folowen. Fyrst of symonye. Secondely of vsurye. Thyrdely of fraude & decepcōn Fourthly of vniustyce. Fyfthly of these bysshoppes in partyculer. Sixtly of chanons & curates & other benefyced. Eyghtly of Juges ben they of the chir­che or of secularyte. Nynethly of aduocates / and procurours / & notaryes. The .x. of physycyans.
  • [Page]The .xxij. is of restytucyon necessarye vnto salua­cyon.
  • The .xxiij. is of the examinacyon after the .viij. cō ­maūdement / and of mys thynkynge & of detraccyon / & of folysshe swerynge / with the conclusyons of that mater.
  • The .xxiiij. of examinacyon after the .ix. cōmaun­dement.
  • The .xxv. of the examinacyon of the .x. cōmaun­dement.
  • The .xxvi. how fastynge ought to be done and by whome.
  • The .xxvij. of orysons & of her condycyons.
  • The .xxviij. of the .xij. rules of the physycyens cor­porell applyed vnto the physycyan spyrytuell & of the interrogacyons that a man ought to make v. to hym the whiche is in the artycle of deth.
  • The .xxix. is of the six aduysementes for to dyspo­se hym for to deye well. The fyrst aduysement is how the houre of deth is vncertayne. The seconde of the mysterye / as well of y e good angell as of the euyll whan the houre of deth cometh. The thyrde is whan all / that is to vnderstande good & yll seen the blessyd sauyour Jhesu cryste at the houre of deth. The fyfth is of the Joye incompreuable the whiche at that tyme cometh vnto the blessyd. The sixt of the payne & of the estate of purgatorye.
  • The .xxx. is a breue or short epilogacyon of the .vij. mortall synnes and of the braunches.

¶ In the fyfth partye & fynall of this booke is made mencyon of y e paynes of helle & of y e Joyes of paradyse & it conteyneth. vij. chapytres.

  • [Page]The fyrst is the prologue of this laste and fynall partye.
  • The seconde of the .x. paynes corporelles that the dampned suffren and euery of theym dyuysed in foure.
  • The thyrde of the .x. paynes of the partye of the soule & euery of them dyuysed in foure.
  • The .iiij. of many reasons shewynge that the payne of the dampned shall be eternall.
  • The .v. is the prologue of the treatyse of the Joyes of paradyse.
  • The .vi. is of the .x. Joyes of the partye of the sou­le & euery of them dyuysed in foure.
  • The .vij. is of the .x. Joyes of the partye of the bo­dy & euery of them dyuysed in foure.
¶ Here endeth the table of this presente booke named the ordynarye of crysten men.
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¶ Here foloweth a notable treatyse and full necessary to all crysten men for to knowe and it is na­med the Ordynarye of Crystyanyte or of crysten men. ¶ Here foloweth the Prologue.

EVery creature resonable vnto who me god hath gyuen mynde & vn­derstandynge & wyll. Hym ought to knowe serue & loue with all his myght as moche for the goodnes and noblenes of his creacyon as [Page] well as of his redempcyon & of the glory that we trust in. The whiche thynges be so grete & good that no herte them may thynke ne tonge can them declare. Also he ought to be fered for to eschewe y t payne of eternall dampnacyon. The whiche is so horryble a thynge oonly to ymagen that there is none erthely herte that by a thousande yeres yf he so longe sholde lyue vpon erthe / but y t euery daye he ought to tremble. And these paynes we may not eschewe ne the goodes of eternall glorye haue ne possed. Yf we be not obedyent vnto our creatour in kepynge our vowe & baptem / and in accomplys­shynge all his cōmaundementēs. The whiche to Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mā data. Math [...]xx. knowe & vnderstande euery man ought to put al­so grete dilygence & more / as he doth for to saue his corporell lyf. For otherwyse he may not longe Cōfitebor tibi in directōe cordis [...] ­eo (quam) didi [...] iudi­cia iusticie tu [...]. ps. [...]xviii. go eschewynge synne nor of the fautes cōmytted ayenst y e wyll of god hym clense repent & confesse. And for as moche vnto y e blessyd trynyte the whi­che is the fader y e sone & the holy goost one essence of deite / and for the helth of soules that the swete [...]mo corinth. xiiiii In ecc [...]a vo [...]o qn [...] [...]a sensu meo loqui vt et alios [...] (quam) decē milia verbo & lengua Jhesus hath with his holy blood agayne bought / Foloweth a breue doctryne true & catholyque and ryght necessary for the instruccyon & saluacyon of crysten men. In the whiche shall be spoken pryn­cypally of fyue thyngꝭ. Of the whiche sayth saynt Poule in the fyrst epystle ad Corinthios / that mo­re it is worth and profyteth vnto the saluacyon of soules fyue wordes then. x. thousande. And vpon Hoc [...]mū scientes (quam) veniēt ī nouissi­mis die (bus) ī decep­tione illusores iuxta ꝓ [...]as ꝯcupiscē ­tias ambulātes &c .ii. petri vitimo. ii. thi. iiii. Erit em̄ tē puscū sanā doctrinā nō sustinebunt sꝪ ad sua dsideria coaceruabunt sibi magistros purientes auri (bus) & vitare [...]dē auditū auer­tēt ad fabulas autem ꝯuertent &c. Itē. ii. pet. ii. ca. fuerūt vero & ꝑseudo ꝓphete in pptō si­cut & in vobis erūt magistri mē daces [...] itroducēt sectas ꝑdiriois &c. et in a­uaricia fic [...]s vbis de vobis negocia­buntur. that sayth Nycolas de lyre that of these fyue wor­des the whiche vnderstandeth. saynt Poule. The [Page] fyrst is of the artycles of the fayth. The seconde of the cōmaūdementes of the lawr. The thyrde of synnes y e whiche a man ought to eschewe. The fourthe of the paynes of helle the whiche a man ought to fere. And the fyfth of the glory the whi­che is without ende that euery man ought to desyre. Of these fyue thynges in example of the holy apostell ought to wryte preche & teche all they that wyll please god / and vnto these soules proufyte / & all ryght faythfull crysten men / the whiche haue desyre to come vnto saluacyon hym ought aboue all thynges to rede or here. For whoos deth the contrary hath in hym the sygne of eternall dampna­cyon / as they that loue better Romayns of warrꝭ. of bataylles / wrytynges of poetes / & of these phy­losophres erthely. The whiche make not the lyues & examples of holy sayntes and other holy wry­tynges that touchen the dede of conscyence and of theyr saluacyon / and man sayth that wylfully su­che people renneth after y e prechers the whiche pryncypaly secheth to speke vnto the worldely people for to go with theyr substaūce & syluer / the whiche oftentymes inplye the mynde of them worldely in hye harde & curyous questyons / & by the swetnesse of fayre speche they wrape them & brynge them to theyr ende. So as prophecyed saynt Poule in the pystle vnto the bysshop Thimothee sayeng the tyme shall come that the worlde wyl no more of the good doctryne and salutary / but they shall desyre maysters that them shall tell & preche thynges cu­ryous & fables the whiche vnto them shall be plea [Page] saūt. Of the whiche synners wryteth saynt Peter in spekyng vnto crysten men / & sayth that so as it was of the people of the Jewes fals & cursyd pro­phetes sȳners / so vnto them shall it come for ther shall come & aryse amonge them some maysters full of falsenes of cursydnes & of disceyte the whiche shall gyue vnto the people occasyon of theyr pardicyon. And many shall take and folowe the pathes & the wayes of theyr adulteracyon. ¶ Here Semen est verbū dei. Luce. viii. sayth mayster Nycholas de lyra that the worde of god is the seed / he than that soweth this seed for auaryce or for pryde pryncypally renoūceth y • worde of god his creatour / and many ther shall be the Pau [...] ad galla. i. S [...] adhuc homi (bus) placerē xp̄i seruꝰ nō essē. p̄s. Cōfus [...] sūt [...] hoī (bus) plac [...] ▪ dniam dn̄s spreuit eos. whiche shall here gladly here suche prechours not pryncypally for theyr saluacyon or for to correcte theyr vyces or synnes / but for y e swete & fayre lan­gage of theyr phylosophy & these newe thynges & curyous the whiche they shall fayne for theyr excuse and inuencyon / and by this forme & maner the waye of god & of trouth that is of the cōmaunde­mentes Math. viii. Atten dite a falsis ꝓphe [...] [...] ve [...]ūt ad vos in vestimē [...] ouiū. et [...]eta. Item surgēt pseu do xp̄i & pseudo ꝓphete et seducent multos. & of the artycles of the fayth shall be blas­phemed of suche maner of worldely people curyoꝰ the whiche shall disprayse these prechours of the symplenes of the gospell. And for so moche sayth saynt Gregory that none is wylfully herde yf he please not vnto the herers. Some of these prechers of the gospell consyderynge y e predicacyon of these Item Actuū. xx. Attendite vobis & vniuerso gregi in [...] vos spūssanctus posuit ep̄os rege­re ecc [...]am dei quā ac [...]siuit sāguiesuo worldely maysters afore sayd to be praysed & de­syred & theyr predycacyon dyspraysed shall them enforce to do ayenst them & them to folowe in al­ledgynge phylosophres poetes & other [...]octrynes [Page] not of the gospell / by the whiche they shall fall in thraldome of the deuyll of helle / & in the bonde of Ego scio q [...] [...]tra­būt post discessio­nē meā lupi rapa­ces in [...]os nō par­centes gregi et ex vobisipsis consur­gent. god our creatour. For the holy goost sayth y t they that desyre worldely pleasures in the curyosyte & vanyte of theyr desyre come to grete confusyon / the gospell & these other holy wrytynges in many places vs forbydde ayenst the temptacyon of the Qui nō est mecū ꝯtra me ē. Luc. ix. fals euyl & disceyuable prechours / the whiche shal be the token & pronosticacyon of the Antecryst as we haue late seen by many experyence & in specyal Diuisio presentis opuscult. w tin these fyfty yeres & shall be seen / so that I be­leue from ylle vnto the worst vnto y e reygne of the fals Antecryst. And I vnderstande of those sȳners that do & lyue otherwyse then that / y t our moder the holy chirche vnto them hath lymytted & ordeyned in Sexte of the Decretales in the Chapytre. Cum ex eo. And in tho. vij. in the Chapytre the whiche begynneth. Abusioni (bus) & [...]. the whiche pryncypally secheth not the loue of god nor the salua­cyon of theyr soules / but golde and syluer after the apetyte of theyr coueytousnes / for he that wyl is suche maytene with takynge parte y t suche pre­chers weren of y e party of Jhesu cryst / he hym she­weth a very heretyke and excōmenged then for to eshewe the peryll of this errour & dampnacōn for to resemble & aduyse these poore blynde of Jhesu cryst they be all trewe & faythful crysten men they shal haue in this present treatyse as of late it hath be sayd fyue partes. The fyrst parte shall be of y e noblenesse & of the trouth of the vowe of crysten­dome / the whiche [...]owe is made in the sacrament [Page] of baptyme / & also of the .xij. artycles of the fayth The seconde shall be of the .x. cōmaūdementes of the lawe with y e transgressyon of them that be the .vij. deedly synnes. The thyrde shall be of the .vij. werkes of mercy the whiche werkes shall be holdē the grete & last Jugemēt / and the good & ylle shall be examyned / & these cruwell and coueytous folke vnto deth eternall condempned / and these pytous & mercyfull people in the glory of paradyse shall be rewarded. The fourth partye shall be techyngꝭ for well▪ & enterly hym to confesse of synnes y e whiche he may cōmytte ayenst y e arty [...]les of the fayth & of the cōmaūdementꝭ of the lawe of good werkꝭ that a man leueth to do ayenst y e mercy of god w t ­out the whiche no man may wel come vnto salua [...]on / for all synne is reherced & compryseth in y e cō missyon in doynge synne / or abomynacōn in leuȳ ge the good the whiche a man is holden & bounde to do. The fyfth & the laste partye shall be of the paynes of helle & of the Joyes of paradyse. Also it is to be noted y t as well for to satysfye vnto these clerkes & for the more parfectly to conferme y t the whiche is wryten in englysshe as also for to esche­we & detraccion of lytell vnderstandynge of sym­ple people I put in the heed of this boke in many passages these auctorytees conuocacions & allega­cions the whiche be made in latyn / excepte y e texte of the vowe of baptyme the whiche I haue wyll to put worde by worde in this wrytynge for to shewe the charyte ruyne of crysten people in all estates in the whiche they lyuen at this daye. That is to [Page] wyte the .xiiij. daye of January the yere of our lorde. M. CCCC. lxvij. after the Natyuyte of our lorde Jhesu cryste after dyuers cronycles & maner of nombre the yeres. In the whiche yere and daye this present boke hath be fyrst begonne to be wry­ten.

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¶ Here endeth the prologue / and now foloweth the fyrst parte of baptem.

¶ Here foloweth the fyrst parte of this present boke / of the vowe and sacrament of baptem.

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AS vnto the fyrste partye the whi­che Capitulū primū. is of the vowe & sacrament of baptem / it is to be noted y t after that Jhesu cryst had made publysshe & preche solemply the trouthe of the gospell as well by his holy [Page] apostles / as by other prechers / it is impossyble for Johis .viii. Qui ex deo est [...]ba dei audit. Johis .iii. nisi [...]s renat [...]fuerit ex a­qua & spu sacto nō pōt introire i reg­nū dei. Mar. vit. Qui credid [...]rit & baptisa­t tuerit salu erit. Nō pōt solui scri­ptura [...]ohis .x. man to be saued that is not baptysed. And he that byleued in Jhesu cryst & is baptysed. In lyke wyse it is impostyble but that fynally he be saued. For it is the mouth of god the whithe is the sentence & texte of the gospell that so vnto vs wytnesseth / wherfore it is a thynge ryght necessary to knowe ¶ Fyrste how & in what maner the sacrament of baptem ought to be gyuen. ¶ Secondely the for­me & maner to execute it solemly. ¶ Thyrdely the vertue and the effecte that it hath in the soule of a crysten man. ¶ And fourthly to knowe euery artycle of the fayth in partyculer. ¶ As vnto y • fyrst that is to vnderstande that to crysten or baptem is as moche to saye as to wasshe / and is vnderstande pryncypally of the soule / the whiche by the vert [...]e of god is puryfyed / hauynge this sacrament from all synne / be it pryde venyall or mortall. And for as moche that y e puyssaūce of god is not restrayn­te ne bounde by the institucyon of these sacramentes the whiche of pure myght absolueth he may in many maners clense & purge the soule & it wa [...] ­she from synne. ¶ The doctours saye that there Triplex baptis­mus. are thre maner of baptemes. The fyrst maner is whan ony persone shall by preuylege syngulerly sanctifyed from orygynall synne afore that he be Ante (quam) exieris de vulua sāctificauite. Hiere. i. borne or after the pleasure & wyll of god / as were saynt Jheremy and saynt Johan baptyst. The se­conde whan ony not baptysed vnto the purpose / to make hym baptysed in place & tyme / and befor that he be baptysed / he deyeth by martyrdome or [Page] otherwyse / he may be in the waye of saluacyon yf he haue none other lettynge. The thyrde is the cō mune & sacramentall the whiche is done by worde & water. And suche sacrament & all other ought to be ordynatly executed by man preest or curate as vnto that of Jhesu cryste true god and true man. But in the caas of necessyte the baptem may be gyuen dewely by euery other persone erthely that may haue puyssaūce & intencyon to do & say that that holy chirche doth & sayth in admynystrynge solemly suche sacrament. For yf it so be that there be a man / that myght & ought to do it a woman ought not it to do / yf there were clerke in holy or­dres / the subdeacon ought not to do it before the deacon / nor the lay man before the symple clerke. [...]or otherwyse they synne. And yf ther be oportunyte of tyme they sholde be it man or woman requy­re mercy with grete contricyon of theyr synnes yf they haue remorse of conscyence of deedly synne. For he that admynystreth or receyueth ony sacra­ment he ought to be in the state of grace / & that is as vnto the mynysters of that sacrament. Also it is to knowe that euery creature erthely not bap­tysed is bounde to receyue that sacrament as it is sayd in place & tyme. But otherwyse was this ob­lygacyon accomplysshed at the begynnynge man was not baptysed but in the vigyll of Eester & of Whytsontyde / & they that dewely were cathecuminus: that is to saye instructe of the artycles of the fayth & of that / y t they ought to vowe or promytte But after by the inspyracyon of the holy goost it [Page] was ordeyned that these childern forthwith after y t they were borne sholde be baptysed. For in them is no thynge that may lette the effecte of that sa­cramēt / as sholde be mortall sȳne actuel or fiction And that procedeth of the mercy & Justyce dyuyne For so as two persones that is to knowe Adam & Eue vs bynde all by lawe comonly to synne and dampnacyon w tout our gylte actuell. So pleaseth vnto the Justyce dyuyne that our fader Jhesu cryst & our moder holy chirche sygnifyeth the godfader and godmoder vs promyttynge vnto saluacyon before that we haue vsauuce reason or myght of ony operacyon.

¶ Here foloweth the maner to conferme the holy baptem in the artycle of necessyte.

Of the maner to conferme the sacrament of Capitulū. ij. baptem in the caas of necessyte. That is to knowe that yf a woman or other symple persone baptyse he ought to take hede vnto y e mater of the sacrament vnto the forme of the wordes and vnto the intencyon. Fyrst vnto y e mater. For that ought to be water naturell. For man may not be bapty­sed with wyne / with sydre / with blood / with mylke with vryne / with water of roses / or other water dy­stylled / but man shal be baptysed in necessyte with lye / and with water in the whiche man shall haue smarte in the flesshe. And it is holy thynge & good coūseyll that a man haue holy water in his house For yf it were wel possyble man sholde not be bap­tysed [Page] with other water. Also it is to aduyse symple people that yf there apere ony membre of the childe in the whiche men knoweth lyf & of the whiche he fereth the deth before that it be borne ꝑfectly he it sholde baptyse in that membre the whiche ape­reth. Also yf the moder passe this lyf before the natyuyte of the childe y e whiche a man byleueth truly lyf in her / he ought hastely to gaffe her mouth / & after dyscretly open the bely of the woman & baptyse the lytell childe yf it be foūde on lyue / yf it be founde deed it ought not to be buryed within the holy groūde / yf the moder hath not ben slayne & put to deth for the loue of god or for the trouth of the fayth. For in suche caas may doctours holde y t y e childe sholde be martyr. For it is more to fere & to Nota. playne where a childe deyeth without the receyuynge the sacrament of baptem then it doth of the destruccyon & the fallynge in to depnes of all y e to w­nes castelles / & cytees of the worlde. In the whiche apereth the grete synne / & the grete blame of those the whiche them gouerne ylle in this mater what so euer maner it be in. As vnto the forme that is those wordes the whiche he ought to saye / he beho­ueth to take hede vnto theym that be ordeyned of god & of holy chirche as well in caas of necessyte as of solempnyte. That is to knowe Ego baptisote In nomīe patris et filij et spiritus sancti amen. De forma baptismi. And in englysshe. I baptyse the in the name of the fader & of the sone & of the holy goost. Or in other langage or wordes betokenynge the same sentence For one may baptyse in all maner of langages / [Page] And it behoueth that the wordes & the doynge that is to put the water vpon the childe be holy in ony wyse togyder. That is to saye that before that he hath sayd all these wordes he haue begonne to put the water or before that he hath endeth to put the water he begynne the wordes / for otherwyse there is no baptyme. That is to knowe yf a man saye all these wordes & after put the water or fyrst en­deth to put the water & after sayth these wordes. As to the entencyon / that is to knowe that at the De intentio­ne. lest that persone the whiche baptyseth ought to haue intencyon to do that / that our moder the holy chirche intendeth & cōmaūdeth to do & it may suffyse suche generall intencyon / so that he byleueth the same or haue in his intencyon y t the sacramēt of baptem purefyeth man from all synne or tha [...] these wordes afore sayd suffyse. That is I bapty­se the in the name of the fader & of the sone & of the holy goost / that he saye not with that & of our lady & of saynt Johan or of thynge lyke he hath not than baptym / for the intencyon the whiche is of necessyte of the sacramēt is not good nor ryght­full. Of other cases & diffycultees the whiche be in this mater sholde these curates & prechers somty­me shewe in publysshynge for these dyuers & pyte­ous cases the whiche by Ignoraunce may come in many places of crystendome. The seconde thynge pryncypally to be consydered in this mater is of y e forme & maner the whiche is moost comonly hol­den in the holy chirche of Rome in baptysynge so­lemply in the whiche I shall holde this maner or­dre. Fyrst I shal declare what it is to saye exorciser [Page] and cathecyser. Secondely I shal put the latyn as well of the ordynary as of the orysons & other thȳ ges soo as men vse in the chirche moost comonly. And thyrdely I shal put the subitaūce of the latyn afore sayd in englysshe & the significacion of that that is done & sayd after y e exposicyon of some do­ctours in holy theology. As vnto y e fyrst that is to knowe that the exorcysyon & cathecysacyon ought de exorcismo. to procede the baptem but for the good vnderstandynge the whiche is exorcyser that is to be noted y t whan Adam & Eue vnto whome god had gyuen dominacyon of all the morlde disobeyed vnto god the deuyll toke power vpon theym & in lyke wyse Gene. i. Domina­mini in pisci (bus) maris & volatili (bus) ce­li & vniuersis aianti (bus) [...] mouent suꝑterram. Nūc principes huius mundi eiiciet foras. Johis. xii. vpon all theyr dominacyon as were the ayre y e water & these other creatures the whiche were made & create for man. And than the deuyll hym called Prynce of the worlde / but Jhesu cryst is comen for to fyght w t hym & to put hȳ out of that y t he helde by tyranny. And for so moche all these thyngꝭ the whiche be spoken & cōsecrate vnto god & vnto his dyuyne seruyce / as chirches / chircheyardes / awters corporaces / chalyces / towelles / vestymentes apper­teynynge vnto y e holy mysterye of the awter be ex­orcyses by the benediccion & by the holy oryson of preestes bysshops. That is to saye y t the puyssaūce of y e enmye infernall is coniured & put out of these sayd thynges. And for as moche y e lytell childe is in the power & dominacion of y e deuyil by the sȳne of our fornfads whiche ought to be by the holy sacrament of baptem w tsayd & halowed y e ryght ho­ly temple of the holy goost deputed vnto y e dyuyne seruyce of Jhu cryst & of the holy chirche catholyke [Page] he ought to be exorcysed. And yf it so were that same lytell childe were baptysed in y e [...]as [...] of necessy­te w tout beynge cathecysed or exorcysed & he lyne / a man ought then after beseche & do y e solempny [...]t of exorcysacion. In y e whiche after Rychard demy ville be made many thynges so as it appereth in declarynge y e text. And y t is as now of y e exorcysion & rest to see what it is to saye & signifye cathecyset Cathecyser is as moche to saye as to instructe orteche y e fundacions & artycles necessary of our holy Illi [...] ꝓ baptisan dis i baptismo spo ponderūt tenent eos symbolū. pa­ter noster & alia bona informare de conse. di. iiii. vos ante. fayth. For all they y t ought to be baptysed & ꝓmytt to kepe y e fayth & cōmaūdemētꝭ they shold fyrst be taught. For our lorde cōmaūded vnto y e apostles y • daye of his blessyd Ascencōn to go thrugh y e world to teche & baptyse / & fyrst teche to baptyse / & for as moche at y e begynnyng of y e holy chirche this m [...] ­ner Textus. was kept y t none were baptysed vnto y t y t he were suffycyently cathecysed / y t is instructe & taught Ʋos ante oīa tā viros (que) mulieres [...] filios i baptismo sus [...]epistis moneo vt vos cognoscat fideiussores apud deū ꝓ illis extitisse [...]s vi estis de sacro fonte susciꝑe. ideo sēꝑ admonete vt cast [...]tatem custodiant. iusticiam diligāt. caritatē tenc­ant. ante oia sym­bolū & orationem dm̄cam & vos ipsi tenete & illis quos excepistis ostendi­te. Hec ibi. of y e pryncyples & artycles of y e fayth. And duryng the tyme y t they lerned the lawe in good purpose to be baptysed men dyde them calle Cathecuminꝰ & in this astate & degree abode saynt Martyne by the space of. viij. yeres / for at. x. yeres were made cathecumine & at. xviij. yere were baptysed. But af­ter y t Crystendome was moche augmented & multeplyed the blessyd holy goost hath enspyred y e holy chirche of the maner to do it more certen & ꝓfytable. That is y t these childern sholde be baptysed as soone as they be borne for y e peryls & lettyngꝭ that may come in so moche y t the godfaders & godmo­ders them bynde vnto god & holy chirche y t whan they haue age & dyscrecyon that they shall lerne [Page] them the lawe of the fayth & these thynges apperteynynge & necessary vnto theyr saluacyon yf the naturall fader or moder or other them teche. And for so moche sayth saynt Thomas in his quart y t whan the godfaders or godmoders saye Credo / it is as moche to saye after one exposicyon as I pro­mytte to put true herte & diligence to instructe this childe whan he shall haue wytte & discrecyon for to vnderstande that the whiche is of necessyte vnto saluacōn for as moche as it apperteyneth vnto prelates and curates to teche theyr subiectes generall how be it apperteyneth in partyculer & in especyal vnto y e godfaders & godmoders for to teche them for whome they be boūde. In the whiche appereth the grete & merueyllous peryll of many godfaders or godmoders the whiche to teche that / that they knowe not. In so moche that in the more parte or all at this daye breke y t ꝓmesse. By y e whiche mo­che of these yonge people come to an euyll ende / & I byleue verely that is the defaute of fayth / and these ylles that we see come rathely / & in the more grete parte of that defaute. Wherfore pryncypaly I haue be moued to declare and wryte this mater / for as no thynge it is to repayre the hyenes of the buyldynge where the fundacōn is ruynous / & that suffysed as now of y e exorcysme & cathecysme. For the maner & the practyse is declared here & after more in partyculer / to the entente that symple people may vnderstande that they haue vowed & pro­mysed vnto baptem & the noblynes and dygnyte of crystendome / & the forme & maner as they haue sayd & co [...]s [...]a [...]ed & in the temple of y e holy goost [Page] and of that as vnderstande these good & faythfull crysten men / & in lyke wyse as they may vndstan­de the falle & ruyne of the peryl & the grete ylle in the whiche is become y e more partye of crysten men the whiche kepe not neyther fayth nor cōmaunde­mentes. And also that they the whiche them well reforme & crye god mercy & them repent & confesse not despayrynge themself may haue by this wry­tynge the forme & maner and the waye to retorne vnto swete Jhesus the whiche doth them calle & a­byde venite ad me oēs [...] laborat & oner [...] ti estis & ego ꝑfici­am vos Math. xi. his armes spredde promyttynge yf by this waye or by other whyle that it is tyme them con­uerte / that he vnto them shall pardone the trans­gressyon & treason of brekynge the fayth.

¶ Here foloweth the texte of the offyce of bap­tem with the exposicyon in englysshe.

INcipit ordo baptismi. Primo interroget sa­cerdos Capitulū. iij. infantē. Quid vis fieri? Respondeat patrinꝰ. Cristianꝰ. Qd nomē vis habere? Patrinꝰ dicat nomē eius. Post hec insufflabit sacerdos suꝑ infantē dicēs. In sufflo te diabole in noīe patris et filij et spiritus sancti amen. vt exeas et recedas ab hoc famulo dei. N. Exi ab eo īmūde spiritꝰ & da lo­cū adueniēte spirituisancto paraclito. Et post hec faciat signū crucis in fronte & in pectore infantis dicens. Signū dei viui ī frontē tuā & in pectus tuū pono.

¶ Here foloweth the fyrst oryson.

OMnipotēs sempiterne deus pater dnī nostri iesu xp̄i respicere dignare suꝑ hunc famulū tuū. N. quē ad rudimenta fidei vocare dignatꝰ es oēm cecitatē cordis ab eo expelle. disrūpe oēs laque [Page] os sathane qui (bus) fuerat colligatus. Aperi ei dn̄e in nuā pietatꝭ tue vt signo sapiencie tue imbutꝰ. oīm cupiditatū fetori (bus) careat: & ad suauē odorē precepto (rum) tuo (rum) letus tibi in ecclesia tua deseruiat et ꝓfi­ciat die in diem vt ydoneꝰ efficiat accedere ad graciam baptismi tui precepta medicina. Per eundē dn̄m nostrū iesum xp̄m.

¶ The exposicyon of that before reherced.

HEre begynneth y e ordre & maner of baptem whan it is done solemply. Fyrst at y e chirche dore & not w tin y e childe is offred vnto y e preest who demaūdeth y e childe a questyon / what axest y u what wylt y u haue or where wylt y u become. And they y t it present answere for hȳ in his ꝑsone I requyre cry­stendom. And after y t preest demaūded what name wylt y u haue / & y e godfad or both two togyd answer for y • childe John or els after y t y t they hȳ wyll name Then y e preest bloweth vpon y e childe sayeng to y • deuyll of helle y e whiche hath puyssaūce & dn̄acyon vpon y e lytell child for y e gylte of origynal sȳne / en­my I blawe y e in y e name of y e fad & of y e sone & of y e holy goost & y e cōmaūde y t y u go forth & depart from this create y • which y u holde in thy seruyce & cometh to y e seruyce of god deꝑte y u forth w t spiryt of dāpnacion & gyue place to the holy gost to come reforme & coūsell this soule. After y t sayd maketh the preest the sygne of the crosse in the forhede & in the brest of the childe sayeng I put the sygne of the lyuyng god of Jhu cryst in thy forhede & in thy brest. Vpon this mystery a man myȝt make a questyon yf mā A questyon. ought to say vnto the childe exeas & recedas ab hoc famulo tuo vel dei y t is to saye depart you frō hȳ [Page] or this thy seruaūt or yf a man ought to say deꝑte you frō this thy seruaūt or y • seruaūt of god. The answer / men fynde in some bokꝭ y e seruaūt of the the answere. deuyll & y t may be one & vndstande y • one & y • other how be it there semeth well to be grete dyfference bytwene y • seruaūt of god & the deuyll. For it is a thynge īpossyble to be y • seruaūt of god & y e deuyll Non potestis deo seruite & māmons Math. vi. Item [...] nō est mecu cōtra me est. Et [...] nō col ligit mecū disꝑgit Luce. xi. Mat. ix. Mathei. xii. togydbut they y t haue in wrytyng in theyr bokꝭ the seruaūt of y e deuyll speke as for y e houre present for the childe is not y e seruaūt of Jhu cryst tyll vnto the water of baptem / & yf he dey befor y t he hath receyued y t water in y e name of y e fad y • sone & y e holy gost he sholde not be in y e way of saluacōn / as sayth Cipryan. And saynt Thomas reherced it in his boke wherfor y e lytell childe may saye faythfully in the oꝑacion of y • deuyll & not the seruaūt of god / br [...] the whiche callen before y • baptem the seruaūt of god vndstanden y • tyme to come after y t the myste­ry shalbe ended which is now begonne. And for so moche y t this solempnyte of the exorcyson & cathe­cyson is not of y e insence & necessyte of baptem ther is no grete peryll or dyfference to rede y e one or the other so y t he vndstandeth holy. Also by the exsuflacion y t the preest doth vpon the childe betokeneth y • y t he chaffeth & put out y • power of y • euyll spiryte which hȳ inforseth to let euery good werke. Also by the sygne of the crosse made and put in the forhede & in the brest is the tokē that the child taked vtue & myght to resyste the deuyll openly & it apereth by the crosse made in the forhede / & in the se­cretnes of conscyence made in the brest. After these thyngꝭ befor sayd the preest maketh his prayer to [Page] god in the thyrde persone with all the holy chirche in this maner.

PLeaseth it the blessyd lorde god to exalte my prayer / and my desyre and clamour may come before the true god eternall. And all myghty fader of our lorde Jhesu cryst / pleaseth it y • to beholde this thy seruaūt whom it hath lyked the to drawe & calle at the begynnyng of y • know­lege of the lawe / & the it pleaseth to Illumyn [...] w t thy gce / & to breke the boūdes of the deuyll / of the whiche he hym helde enlasyd. Also pleaseth the very god to open hym the yate of thy mercy / & hym gyue the token of the true sapyence / by the whiche he may eschewe the power of all coueytousnes er­thely / & to receyue the swete odour of thy holy cō ­maūdemētes / by the whiche he the may Joyously serue in the holy chirche. Also to profyte from day to daye to the ende that by that medecyne he ha­ue dysposycyon to receyue the grace of thy bap­tem. And that we requyre in the vertue and in the name of our lorde Jh̄u cryst Amen. Also it is to be Nota. noted that the preest that consecrat vnto god be in the estate of grace / & out of deedly synne / whan he doth solemply the offyce the whiche apperteyneth vnto a preest / he is the mynyster and seruaunt of all the holy chirche / and speketh vnto god for and in the name of hym. And for so moche the clergye the whiche sygnyfyeth and representeth the chir­che answereth Amen. That is to saye we requy­re Amē dico vobis si [...]d petierit patrē in noie meo dabit vobis. Johis. xi. all that it soo be as thou haste sayd and de­maunde. And for that / that the holy chirche vny­uersally and comprehendeth alle the holy college [Page] of paradyse / & all the holy creatures of this worl­de and of purgatory / the blessyd swete Jhesus the whiche is cheyf & capytayne of al the holy chirche Beholdeth pryncypally the merytes of holy-chir­che these holy orysons that these preestes maketh be they good or ylle / where by y e lyght of true fayth & of holy contemplacyon he shall see the virgyne Mary & all the holy college of paradyse & hym y t moost is the blessyd swete Jhesu cryst in so moche that man praynge & besechyng the maieste of god Dico vobis si d [...] [...] ex vobis ꝯsenseri [...] suꝑ terrā de oi re quācū (que) petierint fiet illisa prē meo [...] est in celis. math xviii. Ego dico vobispe tite & dabit vobis querite & iuenietꝭ pulsate et aperiet vobis Ois em̄ qui petit accipit & qui q̄rit inuenit & pul­santi aperiet. Lu­ce. xi. that it wolde please hym to pardon vnto this chil­de the orygynall gylte / & hym gyue grace that he may be the membre of Jhesu cryst & of the college & company of all sayntes / sholde well be fulfylled of the swetnes & admiracyon. Also we sholde make that our lorde Jhesu cryst vnto vs hath taught & cōmaunded to requyre & axe in his name / sayn­ge truely I saye you that yf ye demaūde ony thynge of god my fader in my name he shall gyue it you. And for as moche our moder the holy chirche holdeth this forme that in the ende of these Ory­sons he putteth per dn̄m nostrū [...]h̄m xp̄m. Man demaunded in the name of Jhesus whan he asketh thynges that before the glory of god & the salua­cyon of soules. For Jhūs is as moche to saye as sauyour. And it is impossyble that who so demaun­deth Ambro. de officus Impossibile ē orō nes multo [...] nō ex­audiri. that / that he ought to demaūde / so that he demaunde as he ought / that it be refusyd. For god hath sayd with his mouth that al they the whiche axe so as it is sayd that they shal receyue theyr as­kynge and petycyon.

¶Here shall the preest make a crosse in the forhe­de of the childe sayenge.

PReces nostras quesumꝰ [...]n̄e clementer exaudi et hūc famulū tuū crucis dominice cuiꝰ impressione cū signamꝰ virtute custodi vt magni­tudinis glorie tue rudimēta seruās ꝑ custodiā mā ­dato (rum) tuo (rum) ad noue regenerationis graciā ꝑueni­re mereatur. Per xp̄m.

DEus qui humani generis ita es cōditor vt sis etiam reformator ꝓpiciare populis ad­optiuis et nouo testamento sobol [...] noue ꝓlis ascri­be vt filij ꝓmissionis qd nō potuerūt assequi ꝑ na­turā. gaudeāt se recepisse ꝑ gratiā. Per xp̄m.

¶The exposicyon of the texte precedent.

AFter these thynges aboue sayd y e preest maketh agayne y e sygne of y e crosse w t y e thombe in the forhede of the childe w t suche an oryson / very lorde of all y e worlde we requyre y t of thy swe­te mekenes y t it wyll please the to receyue our prayers / y t is that y u kepe & defende this thy seruytour or seruaūt vnto whome we haue enprynted in the forhede the sygne of y e crosse & vnto y t entent that he may kepe the instruccōn of thy cōmaūdemētꝭ & y t he may come vnto the glory of y e newe regeneracion y t is of the holy fonte of baptem & of y t we re­quyre the in y e name & in y • vertue of our sauyour Jh̄u cryst amē. And so it ought to be vndstande as it is specifyed before ouer al where theris ꝑ dn̄m nr̄m

Also here foloweth an other oryson in suche maner

[Page]O Very god the whiche hast made & formed humayne lygnage & afterwarde hast reformed Pleaseth it y • to receyue in adopcion this newe lyf & wryte among these child of y • newe testamēt o to y • ende y t by thy holy [...]ce he may receyue y t y t he may not haue by nature. And so it apereth y t by thre ty­mes w tin a lytell whyle hath ben marked w t y • sokē Ascendēs iesus de [...] vidit celos ap­tos & spm̄ s [...]m̄ t [...] (que) colum [...]ā desc [...] oc­tē & manētē in ip­so & vox facta ē oe celis tu es filiꝰ meus. &c. Mar. i. idē Math. iii. of the crosse he y t sholde be baptysed & thre orysons vnto god presented in tokenynge y • vertue of holy baptem / & that y t is made cometh & ꝓcedeth aboue all of y t holy blyssed trynyte. And of y t we haue a fygure in baptem of our lord as where he shewed hȳ vnto the blessyd trynyte euydently. God y e fad in the voys y • whiche sayd here is my sone god the holy goost in symylytude of a douue / and god the sone in our humanyte.

¶Here foloweth the exorcysacyon of the salt.

EXorciso te creatura salis In noie dei patris omipotētis & in caritate dnī nostri iesu xp̄i et in [...]irtnte spiritussancti. exorciso te ꝑ deū viuū. ꝑ deū verū. ꝑ deū sanctū. ꝑ deū [...] te ad tutellā hu­mani generis ꝓ [...]reauit et populo venienti ad cru­delitatē ꝑ seruos suos [...]secrari precepit. Proinde te rogamꝰ dn̄e deꝰ noster vt hec creatura salis in noie sancte et indiuidue trinitatis efficiat salutare sa­cramentū ad effugandū inimicū quā tu dn̄e san­ctificando sanctifices. benedicendo benedicas. vt fiat omnibus accipientibus ꝑfecta medicina ꝑma­nens in visceribus eo (rum) in noie eiusdem dnī nostri iesu xp̄i qui venturu [...] est iudicare viuos & mortuos et seculum per ignem.

Amen.

¶ Here he putteth the salt in to the childes mouth askynge his name & sayenge. Accipe sal sapiencie vt sit tibi dn̄s ꝓpiciatus in vitam eternā Amen.

AFter these thynges aboue sayd the preeste exorcysed the salte sayeng. I coniure y e creature of salte. That is to saye. I coniure in the the puyssaūce of the dyuyll in helle in y e name of god fader omnypotent & in y e charyte of our lorde Jhu cryst & in the vertue of y e holy goost. I coniure the from the lyuynge god / from the true god / & from the holy god / from god the whiche the created vn­to the deffence & consolacyon of humane lygnage & cōmaunde that thou flee consecrated for the profyte of the people that wyll come vnto the trouth of the fayth. And for so moche our blessyd god & lorde we the requyre that this creature of salte be made suche sacrament in the name of the blessyd trynyte that he may chasse the deuyll. The which salte thou wylt our blessyd lorde in halowynge ha­lowe / & in blessynge blysse. To the ende that this medecyne abyde in the soule of all them that it re­ceyue in the name & in the vertue of our lorde the whiche shall come for to Juge the quycke and the deed / & this present worlde shall make brenne by fyre amen.

¶ Than the preest taketh the salt so halowed in demaūdynge the name of the childe & it puttynge in his mouth sayenge. Take now the salt of true sapyence / to y e ende y t it may please god to gyue the grace for to come to the lyf eternall Amen.

HEre is to be noted as for the entent of thynges Her secundū gu [...] ­lermū durau [...], afore sayd as for those that folowe the whiche in this solempnyte of exorcysmꝰ / or of con­iuracyon of the deuyll some thynges they make in operacyon w tout all only / the whiche thynges are not in the soule materyally. But they betoken thȳ ges spirytuell as in puttynge the salt in y t mouth of the childe / he puttynge of y e spotell of the preest in his nosetrylles & in his eeres / he makynge the crosse with the holy oyle in the brest & bytwene the sholders. Also after the baptem he maketh y e crosse with the holy cr [...]me vpon the childes heed / he putteth on hym afterwarde the whyte robe the which is called the crysome. And of the signifycacyon of all these thynges shall be sayd euery thynge in his ordre. These other thynges be / the whiche signifye & make that / that they signifye / & in these thyngꝭ there is dede & worde as in the coniuracyon of the deuyll whan the preest vnto hym sayth. Cursed & dampned spiryte / departe then forth w t from this creature / as it is also the imposicyon of the hande & of other thynges that folowe. They sygnifye & make ryally in dede that / that these wordes sygni­fye. And it so be mayster Guillyam duraūt it preueth Guillerm ꝯdurādi in quarto. in his quart by reason & by auctoryte. His reason is suche. The blyssed holy goost y e whiche may not fayle or bere fals wytnes / gouerneth & illumyneth the chirthe in all thynges / & syngulerly in the solempnyte & custome of the seuen sacramentes. Wherfore it behoueth to saye that these wordes & these dedes that man holdeth & kepeth in the custome of the chirche in executynge these sacramentes [Page] be not made for no thynge & with thynkynge / but ryally & truely make & sygnifye the thynges before [...]ayd. [...] vnto that is y e auctoryte of saynt Augustyn the whiche [...]ayth that these lytell childern be blowed on & exorcysed by the preest to y e entent that they be put out & delyuered from the puyssaū ce of the deuyll / & to the entent that they haue not in theyr soules ony lettynge to receyue the grace of god & to be made and consecrated the temple of the holy goost. Rest than to see what sygnyfyeth vs the salte so nobly consecrated / and put in to the childes mouth. For the fyrst m [...]rsell of his dyner is not oonly to moche salt / but as vnto the trouth it is but salt. And it is now manytested that it is not gyuen to hym for substaunce or reteccyon cor­ [...]orell / but for some sygnyfycacyon spyrytuell. The whiche sygnyfycacyon vnto vs is gyuen for to vnderstande by the proprete naturell of salte / the whiche is moche more gretter and larger in foure maners. The fyrst is that the salt dryeth the erthe in suche a maner that she may not ony her­bes gyue or brynge forth after the salte. The seconde is that it gyueth sauouor vnto the metes. The thyrde is that it keppeth the meetes from putre­fyenge and from ro [...]ynge. And the fourth that it is made of the water of the see by the force of fy­re. The fyfth is that god cōmaunded vnto Moy­ses that in all the sacryfyces the whiche he offred that he sholde put salt therto. And by these pro­pretees vnto vs is fygured truely as wytnesseth the holy scrypture the noble vertue of sapyence and of dyscrecyon by the whiche man deserueth bytwe­ne [Page] good and ylle / and bytwene the more goodnes and the lesse goodnes / and bytwene the more ylle and the lesse or the moost lytell. And for so moche he that hath the trewe sapyence of Jhesu cryst and of a good crysten man / he deserued and consyde­reth the dyfference bytwene the greate vertue and goodnes of the glory of paradyse eternall and the greate ylle of dampnacyon without euer to haue ende. Also bytwene these lytell temporall and worldely goodes and the trewe goodes of the sou­le / as ben the greate graces of god / his vertues / and his merytes / and dyspraysen these lytell worldely goodes for the loue of the greate myghty so­uerayne / and fereth and fleeth the greate horryble Augꝰ Salis natura in fecunditatē terre facit. vnde ī ipso. Po [...]uit terrā fructiferā in salsuginem. paynes of helle / and secheth and desyreth the glo­rye of paradyse. By the whiche he is fulfylled in his spyryte of all desyres erthely vayne and worl­dely / and desyreth not to fructefye neyther to en­crease with the goodes of the erthe by auaryce or by other ylle maner wayes agayne the sapyence dyuyne. And this is for to vnderstand-by the fyrst proprete of the salte the whiche dryeth the erthe. Also the good crysten man putteth reason and di­screcyon in his thoughtes / and wordes / and in his dedes. By the whiche they be fwete of sauour and pleasaunte vnto god / and vnto his neyghbours. And that is for to vnderstande by the seconde pro­prete of the salte the whiche gyueth sauour to all meetes. Also it kepeth hym from all ylle or euyll example and to gyue occasyon of ylle and hym en­forceth for to please god / and to conferme hym vnto those holy persones. By the whiche waye he [Page] may gyue vnto his neyghbours example to do wel & lyue well. And this is to be vnderstande by that / that the salte kepeth from stenche & gyueth good odour. Also the salt of dyscrecyon is made of the water of deuocyon / and of fyre of tiue dyleccyon. Also fastynge / almesdede / prayer / or other sacrify­ce that man may thynke vnto god hym pleaseth not yf it be not with the salt of dyscrecyon. They that haue left the salt of discrecyon of / crystendo­me Non est e [...] ista capiētia de [...]ursū de­scendēs a patre luminū sco terrena aialis & diabolica. Jac. iii. supposynge that they be full of wysdome / bru­tale / deuylesshe / and worldely as be they that haue theyr hertes more in the world then vnto theyr sal uacyon. And for one carnall pleasur or some good transytorye lese the grete goodes of eternall glory. be afore god not only foles / but vnsalted. The whiche is as moche to saye as ben vncrystened & ma­de as in maner forsakyng theyr fayth / as vnto spirytuall vnderstandynge / & of these there ben with out nombre. By the whiche they shall be departed from god / and with the angels & foles in the pay­nes of helle the one with the other / & all togyders amonge these deuylles. And this is vnto the sygnificacyon of the salte.

¶As well for the sone as for the douhhter.

DEus patrū nostro (rum) deꝰ vniuerse conditor veritatis te supplices exoramus: vt hūc fa­mulū. N. respicere digneris ꝓpitius & hoc pabulū salis gustantem nō diutius esurire permittas quo minꝰ cibo repleat celesti quatenꝰ sit semꝑ dn̄e spi­ritu feruēs spe gaudens tuo nomini semꝑ seruiēs. et ꝑduc cū ad noue regeneratioīs lauachrū vt cū fi­delibus [Page] tuis ꝓmissionū tua (rum) eterna premia conse­quatur. Per.

¶For the man childe all oonly •.

DEus abraham deus ysaac & deus iacob. deꝰ qni moysi famulo tuo in montē smay appa ruisti. & filios israel de terra egipti transtulisti depu tantes angelū pietatꝭ tue [...] custodiret eos die ac no­cte. te q̄s dn̄e vt mittere digneris sanctū angelū tuū qui similiter custodiat & ꝓtegat hūc famulū tuū. N. et perducat ad grām baptismi tui. Per.

¶As wel for the man childe as for y • woman childe

ARgo maledicte sathana recognosce sentēciā tuā & da honorē deo viuo & vero da honorē ie­su xp̄o filio elꝰ & spirituisancto & recede ab hoc famu lo dei. N. quia istū sibi deꝰ & dn̄s noster iesus xp̄s ad suā sanctā grām & benedictionē fontē (que) baptisma­tis dono gracie vocare dignatꝰ est. et hoc signū san­cte crucis qd nos fronti cius damꝰ tu maledicte dia­bole nun (quam) audeas violare. Per.

¶For the womon childe all oonly.

DEus celi. deus terre. deus angelo (rum). deus ar­changelo (rum). deus patriarcha (rum). deꝰ ꝓpheta (rum) deus apostolo (rum). deus martirū. deꝰ [...]fesso (rum). deus virginū. deus oīm bene viuenciū. deus cui oīa lingua [...]fitet. et omne genu flectitur celestiū terrestriū & in­ferno (rum). te inuoco dn̄e suꝑ hāc famulā tuā. N. vt per ducere eam d [...]gneris ad gratiā baptismi tui. Ergo maledicte &c̄.

¶For the man childe.

DEus abraham. deus ysaac. & deus iacob. de­us [...] tribus israel de egypciaca seruitudine [Page] liberasti & ꝑ moysem famulū tuū de custodia man­dato (rum) tuo (rum) monuisti. et susannā de falso crimine liberasti. te supplex deprecor dn̄e vt liberes hūc fa­mulū tuū. N. et ꝑducere eū digneris ad gratiā baptismi tui. Ergo maledicte &c.

¶For the woman chile all oonly.

EXorciso te īmunde spiritus ꝑ patrē & filiū & spiritū sanctū. vt exeas & recedas ab hoc fa­mula dei. N. ip̄e tibi imperat maledicte dampnate at (que) damnāde [...] ceco nato oculos aperuit & quatri­duanū laza (rum) de monumento suscitauit. Ergo maledicte &c.

¶For the man childe.

DEus īmortale presidiū oīm postulantiū li­beracio supplicū. pax roganciū. resurrectio mortuo (rum). te inuoco dn̄e suꝑ hūc famulū tuū. N. [...] baptismi tui domū petens eternā consequi gratiā spirituali regeneratione desiderat. accipe dn̄e eum vt qui dignatus es dicere petite & accipietis. querite et inuenietis. pulsate & aperietur vobis. petenti ita­ (que) premiū porrige & ianuā pande pulsanti vt eter­nam celestis lauacri benedictionē [...]secutus ꝓmissa tui muneris regna ꝑcipiat. Per.

A [...]di maledicte sathana adiuratus ꝑ nomē eterni dei & saluatoris nostri ihesu xp̄i filij eius cū tu victus inuidia tremēs genlens (que) discede nichil tibi sit [...]mune cū seruo dei iam celestia co­gitanti renunciaturo tibi ac seculo tuo & beate īmor talitati victuro. Da igit honorē aduenienti spiri­tuisancto qui ex sūma celi arce descendens ꝑturba [Page] [...]is fraudibus diuino fonte purgatū pectus. id est sanctificatū deo templū & habitaculū aptū ꝑficiat vt ab oibus penitus noxis preterito (rum) criminū libe­ratus hic seruus dei gracias perhenni deo referat semꝑ et benedicat nomen eius sanctū in secula se­culorum amen.

¶For the man childe & the woman childe.

eXorciso te īmunde spūs In noie patris & fi­lij & spiritussancti vt exeas et recedas ad hoc famulo dei. Ipse em̄ tibi imperat maledicte damp nate at (que) damnande [...] pedi (bus) suꝑ mare ambula­uit et petro margenti dexterā porrexit. Ergo ma­ledicte &c.

¶For the man childe & the woman childe.

eTernā ac iustissimā pietatē tnā dep̄cor dn̄e sancte pater oīpotens eterne deus auctor lu­minis & veritatꝭ suꝑ famulū tuū. N. vt digneris eū illuminate lumine intelligencie mūda eum & san­ctifica da ei scienciā verā vt dignꝰ efficiat accede­re ad grām baptismi tui. Per dn̄m nostrū ihesum xp̄m filiū tuū. Oui venturus est iudicare viuos et mortuos & seculū per ignem. Amen.

After the salt put in the childes mouth the preest in his owne persone with all the holy chirche maketh this prayer. Trewe god aboue all holy faders / fontayne of all trouth / we the beseche & requyre that it wolde please the swetely to beholde hym or her thy seruaunt or seruytour in suche maner / that y u vnto hym wyll graūte that in castyn [Page] ge this fyrst refeccion of salt neuer may haue hon­gre. That is to say that he haue alwaye wysdome and dyscrecyon suffycyent in all thynges the whi­che appertayned vnto saluacyon / and that he be replete of heuenly meetes / to the ende that he haue desyre of spiryte in seruynge the by true hope. And that it may please the very god hym to conduyte vnto the holy regeneracyon / to the entent that he may come vnto the here the whiche thou hast pro­mysed vnto all faythfull crysten men.

THe god of Abraham / of Ysaac / and of Ja­cob / the whiche apyred vnto Moyses in the mounte of Synay the whiche drewest thy people the childern of Israell of Egypte / vnto them ge­uynge by thy swete pyte an holy angel for to kepe them daye & nyght / we the requyre that in lyke wyse thou wylt do vnto hym or her thy seruytour or seruaūt suche grace that he may come vnto the holy welle of baptem. By this oryson is eneweth euydentely sheweth that the baptem was auncy­ently fygured whan the people of god by myracle and puyssaunce dyuyne / and by the seruyce and mysterye of angelles passed thorugh the reed see / and were put out of Egypte and from the subiec­cyon of Pharaon. For by the baptem men gooth from the derkenes of synne / and cometh vnto the lyght of grace / and from the serny [...]e of the deuyll vnto the seruyce of Jhesu cryst / and man receyued the cōmaundementes vpon the hyghe mountayne of the true fayth. And so moche after this oryson the preest sayth vnto the deuyll.

CUrsyd deuyll knowe thou thy sentence & gyue maugre thy wyl honour vnto god the tader / & vnto Jhesu cryst his sone & vnto the blessyd holy trynyte / & departe thou forthwith from this the seruytour or seruaūt of god. For y e blessyd pleasure & mercy of Jhesu cryst is to calle hym now to his grace / & vnto the holy welle of baptem. And we defende the that thou be not so hardy for euer to do vyolence vnto the holy token of the crosse the whiche we put in his forhede.

¶For the woman childe.

GOd of heuen & of erthe / god of angels / god of archangels / god of propheses / god of a­postles / god of martyrs / god of confessours / god of virgyns / god of all good lyuers vnto whom e­uery tonge oweth confessyon of trouth / and before whome euery creature celestyall terrestyall & infernall hym inclyneth / we the requyre our souerayne lorde that it wyll please the to conduyte & brynge this mayden vnto the holy fonte of baptem. Per dūm &c. And here the preest sayth agayne that the whiche is before wryten vnder this worde. Ergo maledicte. Than I shal not reherce otherwyse but in puttynge. Ergo maledicte.

GOd of Abraham of Ysaac & of Jacob the whiche by thy seruaūt Moyses dydest deiy­ner thy people of Israel frō y • seruytude of Egypt vnto them geu age y • cōmaūdemētꝭ / & the whiche delyuerest S [...]anne from the infamye the whiche of wronge vnto her was put. I the requyre y • it wolde please y • to delyuer this thy seruytour geuynge vnto her grace for to come vnto holy baptem.

¶For the mayden.

CUrsed spiryte I the coniure & cōmaunde in the name of the fader / and of the sone / & of the holy goost that thou departe from this the seruaūt of god / & the holy Jhesu cryst the whiche by myracle gyueth lyght vnto hym that is borne blynde. And the whiche on the fourth daye reysed the lazar / wyll thou her to do thy cōmaundement Ergo maledicte.

¶For the man childe.

GOd of eternall lyf / refuge & defence of all them the whiche duely the beseche & requy­re the whiche art the pease of true oratours / resur reccyon of deed men my god I the requyre for thy seruaūt & the whiche the demaundeth baptem to the ende that by the regeneracyon spyrytuell he may come to the grace eternall. My god where it hath pleaseth the to saye. Are & ye shall receyue / Petite & dabitu [...] vobis: querere et [...]nu [...]ietis: puisa­te & aper [...]tu [...] vo­bis. Luce .xi. seche & you shalt fynde / knocke & vnto you it shal be opened / pleaseth it you hym to receyue / & hym to gyue the almes of your grace / for he you requy­reth. Open hym the yate for he knocketh & calleth requyrynge that by the vertue of holy baptem he may come vnto y • royalme & ryches of paradyse.

¶For the man childe.

HErken a cursed aduersary of humayne lyg­nage coniured & ouercome in all enuye by the vertue of god the fader of our sauyour Jhesu cryste his sone the whiche the cōmaundeth that in tremblynge & waylynge thou departe without ha­uynge ony more to do with the seruaūt of god the whiche letely demaūded & requyred the thyngꝭ ce­lestyall [Page] the whiche thou hast lost / & the whiche re­noūceth the & thy power and thy worlde in desy­rynge the lyf eternal. Departe thou then fortwith for the comynge of the holy goost the whiche of the souerayne hau [...]es of heuen wyll descende in to his holy temple / the whiche shall be ano [...]e by the holy baptem purefyed. And hym lyked to put out all thy fraudes & decepcyons / & hym delyuer from all the synnes of tymes past to y e ende that he may for euer gyue thankyngꝭ & blessyngꝭ vnto y • ryght hyghe name of god in the worlde of worldes.

¶For the man & for the woman.

GO forth spyryte & dampned I the coniure & cōmaunde in the name of the fader / and of the sone / & of the holy goost from hym or her the seruytour or seruaūt of god. O acursyd & con­dampned he the maketh by my cōmaūdement the whiche vpon the wawes of water walked surely & he that delyuered saynt Peter that he were not drowned surely. Ergo maledicte.

GOd of lyght & of vertue lorde omnypotent and eternall I requyre thy ryght Juste pyte vpon this thy seruytour or seruaūt / & that it may please the hym or her to illumyne by true entendement & hym or her clense & sanctifye by knowle­ge to that that he be worthely dysposed to receyue the grace of thy holy baptem. Per dn̄m.

¶Hic ponat manū suꝑ caput infantis dicens.

HEc te latet sathana īminer [...] tibi pena [...]. im­minere tibi tormēta. īminer [...] tibi diem iudi cij sempiterni supplicij diē [...] venturus est velut cli­banꝰ ardēs in quo tibi at (que) vniuersis angelis tuis [...]ternꝰ suꝑueni & inter [...]ꝰ. Proinde dānate at (que) dā ­nande da honorē deo viuo & vero. da honorē [...]hesu xp̄o filio eiꝰ & spirituisancto in cuiꝰ noīe at (que) vtute tibi p̄cipio [...]cū (que) es spūs īmūde vt exeas & recedas ab hoc famulo dei. N. quē hodie idē deus & dn̄s no­ster iesus xp̄s ad suā sanctā grām [...]t benedictionē font [...] (que) baptismatis dono grē vocare dignatꝰ est vt fiat eiꝰ templū ꝑ aquā rege [...]eratōis in remissionē oīm pctō (rum). In noīe eiusdē dnī nostri iesu xp̄i [...] venturꝰ est i [...]dicare viuos & mortuos & seculū ꝑ ignē. Amen. ¶Hic interroget sacerdos nomē infantꝭ postea intincto police de sputo tangat aurē eiꝰ dextrā & nares & aurē sinistrā dicendo ad aurē dextrā. Eff [...]ta. qd est adap [...]rire. Ad nares. in odorē suaui­tatis. Ad aurē sinistrā. Tu autē effugare diabole appropinquabit em̄ indiciū dei. Postea dicat om̄s Pater noster et Credo. Tunc deferat infans suꝑ fontē: et interroget sacerdos nomē eiꝰ. Abrenūciās sathane. Respondeāt patrini. Abrenūcio. Et iterū Et oī (bus) oꝑi (bus) eiꝰ. Respondeāt. Abrenūcio. Et oī (bus) pompis eius. Respondeāt. Abrenūcio. Tunc sacer dos faciat crucē in pectore & inter scapulas de oleo sancto. ita dicendo. Et ego linio te olco salutis in xp̄o iesu dn̄o nostro in vitā eterna. Amen. Rursū interrog [...]t nomen eius sacerdos & dicat. Credis in deū patrē ōnipotentē creatorē celi & terre. Respon­deant. Credo. Credis & in [...]esū xp̄m filiū eiꝰ vnicū dn̄m nostrū natū et passum. Respondeant. Credo. [Page] Credis in spiritū sanctū sanctā ecclesiā catholicā. Sancto (rum) cōmunionē. Remissionē pec [...]to (rum). Car­nis resurrectionē. [...]itam eternā post mortē. Respō deant. Credo. Quid petis? Respondeant. Baptis­mū. Vis baptisari. Respon [...]eāt. Volo. Tunc interroget nomē eiꝰ sacerdos. et infundat aquā ter suꝑ caput eius dicens. Et ego baptiso te in noīe patris et filij & spiritussancti amen. Postea faciat crucem sacerdos de crismate in fronte infantis ita dicens. interrogato noīe. Deus pater ōnipotēs dnī nostri iesu xp̄i [...] te regenerauit ex aqua & spūsac [...]. qui (que) dedit tibi remiss [...]nē oīm pctō (rum). ipse linitte crisma te salutis in [...]odem iesu xp̄o dn̄o nostro in vitā eternam amen. Tūc imponat crismale suꝑ caput eiꝰ & dicat. Accipe vestem candidā sanctā & īmaculatā quā ꝑferas sine macula ante tribunal dnī nostri iesu xp̄i cui est honor & gloria in secula seclo (rum) amē. Postea tangat cereū. Accipe lampadē ardentē irre prehensibilē. custodi baftismū tuū serua mandata vt cum venerit dn̄s ad nupcias possis ei occurrere vnacū oībus sanctis in aula celesti vt habeas vitā eternā & viuas in secula seculo (rum) amen.

¶The exposicyon.

BE thou incertayne sathanas that paynes tormentes & waylynges eternall approche vnto the. For the daye of Jugement wherof thou owest to meruayll & fere / as man doth a brennyn­ge ouen enbraced with fyre / at whiche daye thou & all thyn angeles apostates shall be eternally & fy­naly condampned. And for so moche accursyd and [Page] lately dampned / the whiche ayen at the sayd daye of Jugement shalt be condampned / gyue honour vnto god the fader & vnto Jhesu cryst his sone & vnto the holy goost / in y • name & in the vertue of the whiche fader & so [...]e & holy goost. I y e cōmaūde how be it y t y u be acursyd spiryte fedynge y t y u go thy wayes & departe from this the seruaūt of god / the whiche our blessyd sauyour Jhesu cryst as at this daye wylled to calle vnto his holy grace & benediccyon / & vnto the holy fonte of baptem to y • ende y • he be made the temple of god by the water of regeneracyon in remyssyon of all sy [...]nes / in y • name & in y • vertue of the same our lorde Jhesu cryst y • whiche w t the holy goost shall come for to Juge the lyuynge & deed & this present worlde amen. These thyngꝭ beforsayd made & accōplysshed axen y • na­me of the childe & taketh the spetell of his mouth vpon his thombe / & in touchynge y • ryght eere the nosetrylles & y • left eere of y • sayd childe saynge vnto ryght eere. Effeta / y t whiche is as moche to saye make openynge vnto y • nosetrylles speke. In swet­nes of odour. Vnto y • left eere saynge. Flee y u deuyl incontynent / for thy Jugement aprocheth. By the ryght eere to vs may betoken y t wylfully we shold here good doctryne / y • whiche vnto vs is signifyed by the spetell of the preest. By y • spetell put in to y • nosetrylle y • whiche receyuen good odour by y • whiche the brayne is comforted vnto vs is signifyed y • swetnes & pleasure y t a good spiryte ought to take in holy doctryne. By y • whiche he for [...]efyeth hym ayenst all temptacions. By y • coniuracōn y • whiche is made vnto y • left eere is vnderstande y • he ought [Page] to put out of vs all euyll thoughtes & euyll operacyons to shewe all occasyon the whiche myght stere vs vnto ylle. And whan the persone is in suche dysposycyon he is worthy to be receyued to the cō ­pany of faythfull crysten men / and vnto hym one may saye this fayre worde of the gospell. Enter Euge s [...]ru [...] bon [...] et fidelis intra in gaudium dnī tui▪ Mathei .xxv. now in to the Joye of thy lorde Jhesu cryste. And therfore these thynges done & accomplysshed / they enter in to the chirche with the lytell childe sayen­ge. Pater noster and Credo in deum / of the whi­che shall be spoken here after more play [...]y. And afterwarde the [...]hilde is brought vppon the holy fontayne / and the preest demaūdeth agayne to he­re the name of the childe. And whan one hym hath named / than he demaunded hym / renoūcest thou Sathan. And one answereth for hym. I re­nounce Sathan. Agayne the preest demaundeth Renouncest thou all his werkes. And one answe­reth for hym. I renounce all all the werkes of the deuyll. Yet agayne the preest demaundeth / renoū ­cest thou all the pompes of the deuyll. And one answereth. I them renounce. And this renuncyacyon done / the preest hym maketh the crosse of the halowed oyle the whiche is the oyle of the cathecuminꝰ on the brest & bytwene the sholders sayenge. I the anoynte w t y • oyle of helth in y • brest & bytwene the sholders in y • vertue of our lorde J [...]u cryst / to y • en­de that thou haue euerlastynge lyf in the worlde of worldes amen. ¶Also it is to be noted that ma­ny of the mysteryes afore sayd be done at y • chirche dore & not w tin / for to shewe y • none may be of the nōbre of faythfull crystē men nor enter in y • chirche [Page] of the royalme of paradyse / yf he be not purefyed from all grrour the whiche is vnderstande by the cathecysme / & from all synne the whiche is vnder­stande by the exorcysme. Also by the renunciacions is gyuen to vnderstande that he renoūceth specyal­ly vnto thre synnes. That is vnto pryde / vnto co­ueytous / & vnto lechery / or vnto synne the whiche is all oonly at wyll / & vnto hym the whiche is in wyll & in operacyon withoutforth. Also by y e token of the crosse in the brest is sygnyfyed the loue of Jhesu cryst / and of his holy passyon the whiche the good crysten man ought to haue in his herte & in his wyll. By the token of the crosse bytwene y e sholders vppon the whiche man bereth the burden / is sygnyfyed the obedyence of the .x. cōmaūdementꝭ For as no thynge it is sayd that he loueth Jhesu Qui dicit se nosse deū & mādata e [...]ꝰ nō custodit inen­dax est. Johis .xii. cryst or that he is a crysten man yf he kepe not his cōmaūdementes. By the holy fonte where the childe is brought / to vs is gyuen to vnderstande & signifyed the blessyd mystery of y • passyon in the crosse for there is it foūde the fontayne of eternall lyf in the whiche the childe is wasshen bayned & purefy­ed from the tache & meselerye of all synne / & the yate of paradyse to hym is opened / & vnto that sygnifycacyon our lorde wylled that his holy syde to hym were opened. Out of y • whiche yssued blood & water in grete habundaūce / to the ende that he shewed that by the blood the payne / & by the wa­ter the gylte vnto vs ben by the holy baptem all enterly pardonned / for yf a persone hadde lyued an hondred yeres before that he had ben baptyfed / and in those hondred yeres / he had slayne fader & [Page] moder & done all the synnes that may be sayd or thought / & afterwarde he comed in true intencyon vnto holy baptem / & yf y t he deye incontynent, after the baptem / or lyue a longe tyme without mortall synne & venyall / & dye in this estate / it is in the in­nocence of baptem / he sholde go all ryght vnto paradyse w tout ony payne suffryng for the synnes be forsayd / for the paynes is lately payd by y e pryce of the blood of Jhu cryst & the yate open / by the which theris no lettynge to enter the realme of paradyse. And vpon this may some thȳke or make aquestyō A questyon. yf it sholde be a ꝓfytable thynge to dyffer the baptem tyll y t y t one seeth hym in some artycle of deth. & maketh hȳ to be baptysed for to haue remissyon of payne & of gylte of all the synnes of tymes past the answere. It is more worth to be baptysed & to The answer lyue from yought in crystyente / for the good y t one doth before the baptem is not merytorious nor worthy of ony remuneracion eternall in paradyse By the whiche after y t as sayth Fraūces de maronis / it is more worth to a persone the whiche hath lyued an hondred yeres in this worlde / & there hath done no good in all these hondred yeres but to saye one pater noster in the state of ḡce than to be a .L. M. yere in purgatory & afterward to haue the hyre of the sayd pater noster / than to be baptysed in the ende of an hondred yere & than for to go w tout pur­gatory al ryght in to paradyse w tout the meryte of the sayd pater noster. And the reason of y t is suche for the hyre of the pater noster sayd in the state of grace shalbe infynyte / & the sayd payne of the hondred yere shalbe infynyte. Now is it all clere y t it is [Page] more better to seche good tresour infynyte / then to shewe temporall payne hauynge an ende all be it that it be grete. And so it appereth y t the ymagyna cyon to abyde hym to baptyse tyll vnto the ende of his lyf for to haue playne remyssyon of payne & of gylte it sholde not be resonable sure nor profy­table.

AFter these thynges aboue sayd done & accō plysshed / the preest enquyred ayen the na­me of the childe / the whiche name herde & reherced he hȳ demaūded John peter or otherwyse. Byleuest y u in god the fader ōnypotent creatour of heuen & oferthe. Than the childe by the mouth of the godfad & godmod sholde answere Credo. That is to saye truely so I byleue. Yet ayen y c preest axed. Byleuest y u in Jhesu cryst the sone of god the fader soueray­ne lorde & that for vs wylled to be borne & deye / y e answere so I byleue. Byleuest y u in the holy goost / the holy churche catholyke / the cōmunyon of sayn­tes / the remyssyon of synnes / the resurreccyon of y e body / the lyf eternall. Than the preest demaūded in the name of all the holy chirche what demaū ­dest y u / they answere the holy baptem. Also y e preest demaūded / wylt y u be baptysed / as yf he wolde say y u demaūdest of god & of holy chirche a grete thyn­ge. The answere. I wyll & desyre to be a crysten man. Also the preest axed wylt y u be baptysed. The answere. I requyre it. Then the preest demaūded his name / the whiche herde & knowen he putteth water on his heed thre tymes sayeng. I baptyse y • in the name of the fad & of the sone & of the holy goost amē. Vpon these thyngꝭ beforsayd one myȝt [Page] demaūde wherfore the preest axed so often & by so Gaudete autē (quam) nomia vestra scri­pta sunt in celis. Luce .x. many tymes the childes name. The answere it is for to teche & to shewe as how by y e holy baptem y • childe is wryten & named in paradyse / in so moche y t all the sayntꝭ of heuē as of this worlde or of purgatory hȳ receyue in to the cōpany & participacōn of ther prayers & merytꝭ as longe as he wyll kepe the noble state y t he ꝓmysed & receyued. Also he is ayen named to y e cōfusyon of y e deuyl of helle ayen whom he entred in to the felde for to fyght / & it is wryten & regystred in y e wages & souldery of y e holy kyng of glory Jhu cryst / for al holy chirche frō hȳ beneth is ayded & strengthed by euery lytell childe Maiꝰ g [...]udiū erit i celo suꝑ vno pe [...] ­catore penitentiā agentē: (quam) &c. [...] nō indigent peniten­tia. Luce .xv. baptysed & all holy chirche & y e cōpany of paradyse receyuen a newe Joye & gladnes / & god is praysed & glorifyed in the heuēs. Also a man may axe a que­styon wherfore he is demaūded yf he byleue in the fad in the sone & in the holy goost. The answere. A questyon. For in y t is conteyned all y e substaūce of our fayth Docete oēs gētes baptisantes i noīe pris & fil [...] & spūsscī Mathei vltimo. & in the vertue & myght of y t blessyd infynyte try­nyte / he ought to receyue the vtue & theffect of the holy baptem. Also wherfor it is demaūded hȳ .iij. tymes yf he wyll be baptysed / & .iij. tymes he an­swered I wyll be baptysed. The answere. For to A questyon. shewe y t he ought a stedfast wyll to be crystened in the depnes of his herte w tout hauyng ficcion in his Lorde credit adiusticiā ore autem ꝯfessio fit ad saiu­tē Ad romanos. x. worde & confessyon / & to shewe it by his conuersa­cyon by good operacyon & example. Also wherfor the water is put on hȳ .iij. tymes sayeng. I baptyse the in the name of y e fad / & of the sone / & of y e holy goost. The answere. It betokened by the water of A questyon. baptem he is wasshen & clense frō all synne / be it [Page] of w [...]rde / of dede / or of thought / be it mortall / ac­tuall / or [...]enyall. Also for this mystery is made in the name of al y e blessyd trynyte as it is sayd. And of y t we haue a fygure in the baptem of our lorde Jh̄u cryst where all the blessyd trynyte shewed sen­sybly. God the fader in boys the whiche came frō Si q̄s diligit me sermonē meū ser­uabit & pt̄ meꝰ di­liget eū: & ad eum veniem [...] & mansio nē apud eū facie­mus. Johīs. xiiii. heuen / sayenge of the persone of Jh̄u cryst. Here is my ryght dere sone / god the sone shewed hȳ in our humanyte / & god the holy goost in semblaūce of a do [...]e / & hȳ sette & put aboue the holy Jh̄u cryst / & the h [...]uen apered open to shewe & to signifye that the fad & the sone & the holy goost descenden & abyded in the soule baptysed. The whiche by baptem is made & dysposed the temple of the holy trynyte tyll vnto y t y t she cōsented vnto mortall synne. And theris tonge nor ymagynacion y t may saye thynke or declare the beaute of a soule after the baptem / & to hȳ is gyuen a spirytuel token y t these theologiēs calle caractere / the whiche may neuer be defaced be In baptismo ꝯfir matione & ordini­bus im [...] cara­cter nō in aliis sa­cramentis. he saued or dampned after y t he hath ben baptysed the whiche token shall be to the grete confusyon of those y t be dampned / & vnto the grete honour & glory of those y t be blessyd / as shall be temporall the lyuery a grete lorde gyuen lyberally vnto a man of lowe condycyon.

¶ Here foloweth the vertue & theffect of baptem in the soule baptysed.

BY the sacramēt of baptem cometh. xij. good­nesses Caplm .iiij. vnto the soule / of the whiche. iiij. vnto vs be signifyed by. iiij. propretees y e whiche be in y e water. y t one is suche y t by y e wa [...] one clensed thyngꝭ [Page] fylthy & vnclene. By the baptem the soule is pure fyed & made clene from all ordure of synne. The water gyueth refrygeracyon. The baptem taketh & coleth the inclynacyon and the corrupcyon the whiche is abydynge in humayne nature for y e gylt of origynall synne / for yf two childer of lyke complexion / of the whiche y t one sholde be baptysed & that other not. I put that he wende to be were they nourysshed togyder / he y t was not baptysed shalbe more inclyned to ylle & more harde in doctryne thē he baptysed. Also the water quenched & owted the thyrste. The baptem refeccyoneth the soule & kepeth it from dryenge & from deth. Also y e water causeth the erthe to bere & fructefye. The baptem causeth the soule to fructefye spyrytually in good werkes / in vertues & in merytꝭ. Also by y e baptem the soule receyued y e lyuery / the token / & y e caracter afore sayd. Also he receyued distinccyon with these paynems & not baptysed. Also he receyued augmē tacyon of grace & lyght of knowlege spirytuell / & is incorporat & vnyed with holy chirche the whiche is y e mystycall body of Jhesu cryst. Also he is quyte & assoyled of the obligacyon in the whiche euery persone not baptysed is boūden. Also by y e baptem is the yate of heuen opened. After these thyngꝭ be­fore sayd the preest maketh the crosse with the ho­ly creme vpon y e forhede of hym that is baptysed / in namynge hym & makynge suche prayer.

GOd almyghty fader of our sauyour Jhesu cryst the whiche the regenerat by the water of baptem w t the blessyd holy goost / & the y e whiche [Page] the pardonned all thy synnes gyue the now the name of y e holy creme / & y • make the membre of Jh̄u cryst / & the promytte eternall lyf amen. Here is to be noted y t the holy creme is composed of bame & of oyle vnyed & sanctefyed by y e benediccion of the bysshop. By y e bame y • whiche kepeth all maner of flesshe from rottynge & frō corrupcyon / to vs is signifyed y • soule the whiche gyued lyf vnto y e body / & kepeth it frō rottynge durynge y e tyme y t it is vnyed w t the body. By y e oyle to vs is signifyed the body. And by y e bysshop vnto vs god is represented y e whiche these thyngꝭ of so moche dyfference y t is y e body & y e soule hath vnyed & assembled & gyuen his [...]e & benediccyon vnto humayne nature. And for so moche sayen these doctours y t a symple preest supposynge y t he had baptysed y e childe sholde not sette y t crosse of y e holy creme in y e presence of y e bysshop / yf it were not by his specyall cōmaūdemēt / & y t is for the holynes of y e creme & of the mystery & of the benediccyon the whiche by y t is signifyed. Also it is to be noted that this crosse made & gyuen vnto the newe crysten man is the seuenth crosse & the laste that is sette on his body / or the fourteneth in this mystery in acoūtynge these other seuen the whiche be made in y e exorcysacōn of the salte the whiche is put in his mouth. By y e salt the whiche vnto vs be tokeneth wysdome / we vnderstande consequently the soule / & so there be made seuē crosses as vnto y e body / & as many vnto the soule / & they be fourtene Forther more it is to be consydered y t it sygnifyed the nombre of seuen y e whithe betokened the crosse And vnto that sayth saynt Gregory y t by the nombre [Page] of seuen vniuersyte to vs is sygnifyed. For all thynges that god hath made be they corporell or spirytuell / may be brought & deuysed in seuen. Of these corporell there be seuen planetes vnto the body celestyall the whiche haue▪ theyr influence puys­saūce operacyon & gouernynge vpon these thyngꝭ a lowe. Also there be seuen ages in all the worlde / seuen Qui em̄ septē die­bus ōne temp [...] cō ­prehendit: recte septenario nume­to vniuersitas de signat. Hec Gr [...]. dayes in the weke & no mo / seuen sacramētꝭ in the holy chirche / seuen gyftes of the holy goost / seuen werkes of mercy / seuen deedly synnes. And also of other thyngꝭ y • whiche may be brought vn­to seuen / by y • whiche a man may well knowe y t by the nombre of seuen to vs is signifyed vnyuerlyte. Also by y e token of y e crosse in what so euer maner y t it be made / be it in wood / in stone / in golde & in syluer or w t y e hande or otherwyse / y e passyon of y t blessyd Jh̄u cryst to vs betokened / by y • whiche he hath had victory of all his aduersaryes vnto his enmyes confusyon. Also hath rescuwed and delyuered hu­mayne lygnage / broken y e yates of helle / & opened the realme of paradyse. And for to speke shortely / all y e goodnesses of ḡce of benediccōn & of glory proceden of y e depnesses of y e blessyd passyon / & therfor of good ryght all faythfull crysten men ought to receyue y e token of y • crosse for honour / for tryūphe / for it is y e shelde & defence ayenst all our aduersa­ryes. That is to knowe y e worlde the deuyll / & our sensualyte or p oryde / coueytous / & lechery. Wherfor in y e mystery of baptem y e newe knyght entryng in to y • batell of crystyente ayenst these thre aduersa­ryes afore sayd / taketh & receyueth the soules / and the lyuerey of blessyd Jhesu cryste chyef duke and [Page] capytayne of al them that ben chosen. By the whiche armes well kepte he shall haue knowlege de­fence & vyctorye in all thynges / wherfore of good ryght it is sygned seuen tymes as vnto y e body & seuen as vnto the soule / wherof that of the creme is the last & the souerayne. For by that he is proprely called a crysten man / y e whiche is as moche to say as anoynted / or of god consecrated. And therfore whan these childer of these crysten men be put vn­to scole for to lerne connynge / vnto them is gyuen for the begynnynge & for the fundacyon of all wysedome / crystis crosse / for to shewe y t incōparyson of the knowlege of the crosse / is always to be vn­derstande his passyon. All other scyences erthely or worldely is but foly / all noblenes as vylany / all rychesse as pouerte / all delytes be not but as byt­ternesses / & temporall lyf the begynnynge of deth Afterwarde the preest gyueth vnto the childe the crysome aboue his heed vnto hym sayenge. Take now the whyte leuery the whiche is without spote the whiche thou mayst kepe and bere at the grete daye of Jugement / the whiche our lorde Jhesu cryste shall holde / vnto whome be honour & glory in the worlde of worldes amen. ¶ Also vnto hym gyueth the preest a taper brennynge in his ryght hande saynge vnto hym. Take now this lyght y e whiche is without reproche / kepe thy baptem / kepe thy cōmaūdementes / to the ende that whan our lorde shall come for to make these weddynges / wherof these promysses be made by this holy baptem thou them mayst receyue as the faythfull spouse of thy soule in y e company of all y e sayntes of paradyse / [Page] in the whiche y • mayst lyue eternally in the worlde of worldes amen. By these thre thyngꝭ done after the baptem / that is of the crysome / of the creme / & of the lyght be signifyed grete thynges spirituell / For by the creme receyued in tokē of the crosse the whiche is the propre token where the armes be of Jhesu cryst / & is signifyed y t he is named the crystē broder of Jhesu cryst in armes / & parte taker & en­herytour w t hym in the realme of paradyse. And Nota. it is to be noted that auncyently foure maner of people all oonly be anoynted w t the holy vnccyon that is to knowe these kyngꝭ / these knyghtꝭ / these preestes / & these prophetꝭ / the whiche thynge is done in token and fygure of faythfull crysten men. The whiche anoynted with the holy creme may saye truely kyngꝭ yf they gouerne truely the real­me of theyr conscyence & the estate of theyr voca­cyon / for yf they haue in this present batayll vic­tory of the worlde / of the deuyll / & of theyr sensualyte they shalbe crowned as noble kyngꝭ & knyghtes / & so shall haue totall & peasyble possessyon of the realme of paradyse. Also they may be sayd sa­cerdotales the whiche is as moche to saye as enry­ched & ennobled with holy mysteryes. Now it is so that the crysten man the whiche hath thre noble vertues in the soule / that is fayth / hope / & charyte hath the gyftes of the holy goost / & is the habyta­cyon & temple of all the holy trynyte / by the whi­che he may well be named preest or sacerdotal. Al­so prophetes is moche to saye as they that see and knowe thyngꝭ to come. And the good crysten man by the lyght of fayth sayth & consydered the pay­nes [Page] of helle / by the whiche he shewed all ylle & all synne. Also he seeth & consydered the shortnes of this lyf & the grete glorye of paradyse / by the whiche he hasted & enforced hym to accomplysshe good werkes & merytoryous / by the whiche he may co­me vnto so grete goodnes. And in accomplysshyn­ge these two thynges / that is to flee ylle and to do good / he gyueth good example vnto his neygh­bours / by the whiche he preched better than he the whiche is in the chayre & declared these holy wry­tynges / whan the lyfe & the werkes of suche a pre­chour ben contraryous to the cōmaūdemēt of god By the crysome is signifyed the beaute & the innocencye of the soule / the whiche is annorned & enno­bled with all vertues / as the noble spouse of Jhesu cryst. Also by that is signifyed the beaute and the do wars of the body after the resurreccyon / for it shall be more shynynge than the sonne. It sygny­fyed Fulge būt [...]usti si­cut sol in cōspectude [...]. Luceat lur vestra corā hoī (bus) vt vide ant opera vestra [...]ona. Mathe [...]. v. also the dyademe or the crowne ryall. By the lyght the whiche ought to be in the hande / & not in the mouth or bytwene the feet is sygnyfyed the example of good werkes / by the whiche werke eue­ry good crysten man ought to be lyght before the worlde. By the ryght hande often a man vnder­standeth the good werkes. And therfore as after these holy mysteryes done & accōplysshed / the lytel childe is the childe of god & of the holy chirche / he wyll not it leue without kepynge & nourysshynge. For not withstandynge by the mercy of god he be clene from all synne / and replenysshed with all vertues & of beaute inestymable as vnto the soule. How be it by the Justyce of god he abydeth subget [Page] vnto the body / vnto hungre / vnto thyrste / vnto colde / vnto heete / and vnto many dyuerse maners of sykenesses the whiche ben abydynge for to seche y • more gretter merytes in this worlde yf that it be not by our defaute. And lyke wyse as vnto the sou­le / he abydeth subget vnto ignoraūce / vnto concu­pyscence / & vnto malyce sooner than vnto good. By the whiche it is necessary to gyue hym to kepe and conduyte for to prouyde for these inconueny­ences before sayd. And in as moche the godfader & godmoder ben pledges & maketh good for hym holy chirche them enioyned comenly / to prouyde hym as well vnto the necessyte of the body as of the soule. And they be boūde in case that the fader Illi [...] ꝓ baptisa [...] ­dis i baptismo sp [...] ponderūt. tenenteos symbolū & pa­ter n [...] & aue maria informare De cō ­s [...]cr [...]. di. iiii. Uos. & the moder naturall do not that that is of neces­syte. And in as moche that at this daye full fewe there be that them acquyte / they ben in grete bla­me before god. The comyn people grete & small abyden in thre peryllous ignoraūces / as well of artycles as of the cōmaūdementes of our holy fayth Many faders and moders ben moche desyrous to nourysshe / to clothe / & to make purchasses / and to gyder goodes for the bodyes of theyr childern. But ryght fewe there be the whiche thynke on the soule in techynge them and makynge them to kepe the doctryne and the lyf of holy crystyente. But vnto the contrary vnto them they gyue all euyll exam­ple. And in so moche that the childe is more incly­ned to ylle than to good / notwithstandynge the grace of baptem as soone as he cometh to haue discre­cyon & vsaūce of vndstandynge / & he fynded hȳ in Lata est via q̄ [...] cit ad perdition [...]. the place to chose y e waye vnto helle or to paradyse [Page] He taketh sooner y e waye of perdicyon the whiche is Itē intrare ꝑ an­gustā portā qr la­ta porta & speciosa via est q̄ ducit ad ꝑditionē et multisūt q̄ intrāt ꝑ eā. (quam) angusta porta & arta via que ducit ad vitam: & paucisūt [...] inueniūt eā. Mathei. vii. more large & more comen / than he dooth the lytell pathe of paradyse. And yf one demaūde in what age the childe may & ought vpon payne of synne chose the good & flee the ylle. Theris moo y t may for all put a comen rule / for one hath some tyme more greter capacyte at foure or fyue yere / then another at seuen or eyght. And therfore it behoueth y t one watche on them with grete desyre & dyscrecion to the ende that they be put in the ryght pathe & Ubi glosa Paucisūt [...] iueniāt pau­ciores [...] iuentā te­neāt. paucissimi [...] in ea ꝓficiant. Putas venic̄s fi­lius hoīs inueniet fidē i terra Luc. x. good waye whan they shall come by age vnto the before sayd discrecyon. But how shewe the fader & the moder the good waye vnto the childe the whiche go themself by the ylle waye. And therfore by the defaute of fader & moder ryght fewe therbe of the childern in our tyme the whiche kepe vntyll. x. or. xij. yere the tresoure of Innocencye of holy bap­tem. Cū īmundꝰ spūs exierit ab hoie ambulat ꝑ loca in aq o ­sa querēsrequiē & nō iueniēs dicit reuertar i domū me am vnde exim &c. et tūc vadit & assumit septē alios spiritꝰ secū ne [...]ores se. & ingressi habi­tāt ibi & fiūt nouissima hoīes illiꝰ pe­ [...]ora priori (bus). Lu­ce▪ [...]i. et Math. xii. And vnto that attendeth well the deuyll / the whiche hath so grete payne & soo grete confusyon as hath ben afore sayd / hath ben put in & put out of his lodgynge. And therfore vs aduysed & teched the blessyd Jhesu cryst in the gospell sayenge / that whan the deuyll hath ben put out of a persone / he taketh grete payne & dylygence thyder to retorne / & taketh. vij. spirytes worse then he is / & cometh w t suche company & ryght often fyndeth y e yate open & without resystence he entred agayne / frō whens he was departed / & than y t persone is in wors state then before. By this we may vnderstande that the synner be he olde or yonge that after the holy baptem retorned vnto synne is from the moost gretest payne remedyed & the deuyll chased from his con­scyence [Page] by the sacrament of penaunce / as whan he was fyrst baptysed. Than for to ayde them that be R [...]istite fortes [...] [...]ide. i. pe. vlt. fallen hym to areyse / & vnto them that strongely stande & resysten for to proufyte & for to contynue here folowen the .xij. arty [...]en of the fayth.

¶ Here foloweth the declaracyon of the .xij. arty­cles of the fayth in the whiche shall be holden suche ordre. Fyrst there shall be declared in fewe wordes & generall what the fayth is & the goodnes y e whiche therof cometh vnto these faythfull crysten men Secondely euery artycle in partyculer shall be de­clared & the werke answerynge vnto euery artycle for as no thynge hath he promysed the fayth the whiche it shewed not by good & holy werkes.

[figure]
  • Saynt peter.
  • Saynt andrewe
  • Saynt James y e more
  • Saynt Johan.
  • Saynt thomas.
  • Saynt James y e lesse

[Page]

[figure]
  • Saynt phylyppe
  • Saynt barthylmew
  • Saynt mathewe
  • Saynt symon
  • Saynt Jude
  • Saynt mathia [...]

¶ Here foloweth the fayth catholyke. Caplm. v.

AS vnto the fyrst ti is to vnderstande that Caplm. v. there ben thre vertues theologales & infu­ses. Nūe autē manētspes fides caritas tria hec: maior āt ho (rum) ē caritas. i. ad corinth. xiii. That is to knowe fayth / charyte / & hope / the whiche ben called infuses / for that that whhan the soule is puryfyed by baptem from origynall synne god createth and putteth these thre vertues in the soule / by the whiche she hath dysposycyon to be the temple and the habytacyon of the holy trynyte. Charyte by some approbacyon is ayenst the fa­der. Fayth is ayenst the sone. Hope is ayenst the holy goost. Of charyte shall be spoken in the fyrst [Page] commaundement. Of hope in the thyrde. ¶ And Fides ē sudā re [...] superāda (rum) angmē ­tū nō apparenti [...] Ad hebre. xi. here presently of the Fayth the whiche▪ is named the substaūce or fundacyon of all spyrytuell huyl­dynges / for without fayth it is impossyble to plea­se god. Wherfore sayth Athanasius. Who so euer Quicū (que) vult sal­uꝰ esse ak oia opus ē vt teneat catho­licā fidē quā nisi [...]s (que) ite grā iuiola­tā (que) seruauerit [...]b s (que) dubio i eternū peribit. Athanasi­us in symbolo. wyll be saued it behoued hym fyrste that he holde entyerly and vndefyledly the trought of the fayth catholyke / of the whiche vertue cometh foure pryncypall goodnesses in to the soule. The fyrst for it is the meane by the whiche the soule is espoused and vnyed with god. By the whiche maryage the soule is ennobled infynytly and more than vnder­standynge created neyther may ymagen / and the fayth ought in hym or in other procede the bap­tem. Wherfore our lorde sayth in the gospell. Te­che Docete oēs gētes baptisātes eos &c. Ibidē. Hec ē vita eterna vt cognos­cāt te solū ve (rum) deuin & quē misit i [...] ­sū xp̄m. Io. xvii. Declina a malo & fac bonū. p̄s. xxxvi Justus ex fide vi­uit. Aba [...]uth. ii. et ad ro. i. Declina a maio &c Sācti ꝑ fidē vice­rūt regna operatisūt iusticiā. Ad he­bre. xi. ye / that is for to vnderstande the fayth fyrste and the baptysynge folowynge. Secondely the fayth and the begynnynge and the yate of eter­nall lyfe. The lyfe eternall after that as the gos­spell sayth / and knowe god the fader and Jhesu cryste his sone / the whiche thynge we may doo in this present mortall lyfe / but by the fayth the whi­che is the fyrst begynnynge to see & to knowe hym face to face in paradyse / & therfore the fayth is not of thynges y t we see & knowe naturally. Thyrdely a reasonable persone knoweth y t god is ryght Juste for to punysshe all yll / & souerētly god for to rewarde all goodnesꝰ / wherfore he is induced to do well & to flee yll & synne / y e whiche thynge is ꝑfyte Justy­ce / & all the rule of good lyf. Fourthly by the fayth man hath victory of all his aduersaryes / y t is of the deuyll / of the worlde / & of the flesshe / of the whiche [Page] is wryten that by the fayth all the sayntes of pa­radyse [...]e [...] est victoria q̄ vincit mundū fi­des nostra. Io. v. In oī (bus) stimētes scutum fidei. Ad ephesios. vi. haue had victory. The fayth telleth vs that honours rychesses and other goodes and pleasurs worldely passen / and ben tranlytory and daunge­rous wherfore we them dyspraysen. The fayth vnto vs sayth that in helle theris all euyll wherfore we it fere / & that in paradyse is all goodnes wherfore we it desyre. And this is as vnto the fyrst and in generall of the goodnesses that the fayth dooth one good crysten man.

¶Here foloweth the substaunce and dyuysyon of the .xij. artycles of the fayth the .vi. chapytre.

AS vnto the seconde poynt for to declare Caplm .vi. what is to be seen of euery artycle in par­tyculer / it is to knowe that these artycles of our holy fayth some tyme ben taken and dystyncted af­ter the nombre of the .xij. apostles the whiche ma­de fyrst the Credo. And so there ben oonly twelue. Or other wyse it may be dyuysed after as the se­uen artycles appertaynynge vnto the dyuynyte / and seuen vnto the humanyte of Jhesu cryst. And so there ben .xiiij. the whiche a man may so shewe. For that that whiche we sholde byleue of the hu­manyte appertayneth vnto the essence and vnyte of the dyuynyte. That is for to saye y t we sholde byleue that there en is but one god / and not twey­ne or many. And it is the fyrst artycle in that that we saye. Credo in deum. Or Credo in vnum deū. That is to saye. I byleue in one god and not in [Page] many. Where it appertayneth vnto the persones of the blessyd trynyte. And so y e artycle of god the fader vnto vs is signifyed in that that we saye ꝓatrem ōnipotentē. I byleue in the fader omnypotent The artycle of god the so [...] in that that we saye. Et in iesum xp̄m filiū eius. That is to saye. I byleue in Jhesu cryst the sone of god the fader. The artycle of god the holy goost in that that we saye. Credo in spiritū sanctū. That is to saye. I byleue in god the holy goost. And so there ben foure arty­cles. These other thre of the seuen the whiche ap­pertayne vnto the diuinyte ben as in regarde of y e thre pryncypal operacyons withoutforth. That is creacyon / redempcyon / & glorificacyon the whiche apperteynen all only vnto y e blessyd trynyte. Crea­cyon of all thynges is graūted vnto the fader / in that that it is sayd. Creatorē celi et terre. I byleue in god y • fader creatour of heuen & of erthe. That is to saye of all thynges be they corporell or spiry­tuell. Redempcyon is graūted vnto Jhesu cryst by the sacramentꝭ & vnyon of holy chirche. And that vnto vs is signifyed in that that is sayd. Sanctā ecclesiā catholicā. sancto (rum) comunionē ▪ remissionē peccato (rum). That is to saye. I byleue in the holy chirche catholyke. Or vniuersally y • beynge of all sayntes & the remyssyon of synnes. In this artycle ben comprehended & vnderstande all the sacramentes of holy chirche. Of the whiche I thynke all oonly to speke in partyculer of baptem / & of penaūce as well for cause of shortnes / as also of necessyte of these two sacramentꝭ. The operacyon to gyue the glorye the whiche all these blessyd haue now / and [Page] that we trust is gyuen vnto the holy goost / & that we byleue in sayenge. Carnis resurrectionē vitam eternā amen. I byleue that we shall aryse & that these true crysten men shall haue the euerlastynge Qui bona egerūt ibūt ī vitā eternā [...] vero mala in ig­nē eternā. Atha­nasiꝰ in symbolo. lyf / & in lyke wyse these that ben acursyd shall haue dampnacyon without ende. And we sholde not vnderstande that god the fader hath made y • crea­cyon without god the sone / & without the blessyd holy goost. For they haue not but one myght infy­nyte. And in lyke wyse of the redempcyon & glory­ficacyon. For these thynges appertaynen vnto the dyuynyte / the whiche is one and not deuyded in many. And appereth clerely that the creacyon and gubernacyon of all the worlde & the redempcyon of humayne lygnage / & the gloryficacyon of them that ben saued proceden of all the blessyd trynyte. and so there ben .vij. artycles appertaynynge vnto the dyuynyte / and these other vnto the humanyte. Ego hodie genuite. ps . [...]. Generationē eiꝰ [...]s enar­ [...]a [...]it. ysaie . [...]iij. The fyrst is of the blessyd incarnacyon / where as we saye. Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto. That is to saye that the virgyn Marie conceyued y • sone of god by the vertue of the holy goost. The secon­de is of the Natyuyte in y t y t is sayd. Natus ex maria virgine. That is to saye that we byleue that he y e whiche procedeth of god the fader by eternall & in­comparable generacyon / is borne by naturall Na­tyuyte of her y e whiche alwayes is virgyn as well before the childynge as after. The thyrde is of his passyon in that that is sayd. Passus sub poncio pylato. That is to saye that we byleue that the sone of the virgyn Marie very god & very man was crucefyed & suffred deth & passyon vnder the sentence [Page] and Jugement of the bysshop pylate / and was bu­ryed. The fourth is. Descend [...] ad inferna. That is to saye that Jhesu cryst descended in to helle / & was in lymbo where were these holy persones the whiche had byleued in his comynge and were deed in the estate of grace. And it is to be vnderstande that he descended as vnto the soule vnyed with the dyuynyte / for the body abode in the tombe the space of fourty houres without lyf. The fyfth is to byleue / that he arose the thyrde daye in that that it is sayd. Tercia die resurrexit a mortuis. And a man sholde not vnderstande that he was deed thre dayes entyre / for that sholde be by thre score and twelue houres / but he was deed parte of the fry­daye / all the Saterdaye / & parte of the Sondaye▪ the whiche thre partes ben fourty houres. The sixte is / that the fourtyest daye after his resurrec­cyon / he ascended in to heuen / and sette hym on the ryght hande of god the fader / in the whiche is sayd. Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei pa­tris omnipotentis. And the seuenth is / that he shal come for to Juge the quycke and the deed / and is in that that is sayd. Inde venturus est iudicare vi­uos et mortuos. And soo it appereth clerely that there ben fourtene artycles vnto whome them he wyll so assygne and deuyse. But all is comprehended and brought vnto twelue conteyned and put in to the Credo that the apostles made / the whiche euery man ought for to knowe that hath age and dyscrecyon. And also he ought for to knowe the Pater noster / the Aue maria / and Confiteor. The [Page] Pater noster for to beseche and axe charyte. The Aue maria for to seche hope. The Credo for to haue & knowe y e fayth promysed vnto baptem. The Confiteor for to accuse hym & requyre pardon of his synnes & defautꝭ. And a doctour sayth named Linchorence that these crysten men ought to kno­we the Pater noster / the Aue maria / & the Credo in theyr langage maternall. That is to saye the Frenshe man in fraūce / the Englysshe man in en­glysshe / & so of other. And in as moche I shall put the latyn of euery artycle of the sayd Credo. And afterwarde the englysshe & the declaracyon of the werke the whiche ought to be in euery true crysten man for to answere vnto euery artycle. For the ho­ly scrypture sayth / that that fayth ought to be sayd Fides sine oꝑi (bus) mortua est. Ia. ii. deed the whiche bereth not the fruyte of good werkes. And he that hath not the good werkes of a crysten man y e fayth is no thynge worth. But for the fayth promysed & not kepte by good lyf & holy operacyons shall be more greuous & more sharpe of dampnacyon of an ylle crysten man / than of a sarrasyn or a payneme.

¶ Here foloweth euery artycle in partyculer & of the werke for to answere. And fyrstely of the fyrst the whiche is suche.

CRedo in deū petrē omnipotentē creatorē celi Caplm. vij. et terre. That is to saye. I byleue in god Res nolunt male disponi ideo vnꝰ princeps. Ari. xii. nietha. the fader omnypotent creatour of heuen & of erth Also it is to be noted that it is an nother thynge after these doctours / to byleue god / to byleue of god [Page] and to byleue in god. For these mysbyleuers & pay nems byleue that god is. These euyll crysten men Credere deū ē credere ip̄m eē. credere deo est credere eē vera q̄ dicit. credere in deū ē cre­dere & credendo ī eū ꝑ amorē tendere. Hec augꝰ. in li. de verbis dnī. that byleue that these wrytynges ben holy & trewe & do the contrary / they byleue god & of god & not in god. But these good crysten men the whiche by theyr charyte kepe the cōmaūdementes by leue well god / of god / & in god. And that is of necessyte. For he that sayth that he byleueth in god & kepeth not his cōmaūdementes lyeth falsely. Note: Qui dicit se nosce deū & mādata eiꝰ non custodit men­dax est. Io. i. In lyke wyse as holy scrypture sayth. Who so euer byleued in god parfectly / byleued that in hym is souerayne good­nes & infynyte. And for so moche that euery crea­ture Si [...]s diligit me sermonē meū ser­uabit. Io. xu. desyred appetyted & loued good thynge / it be­houed that a creature resonable loue god & hym appetyte soueraynly / for in hym is bonte infynyte. Diliges dn̄m deū tuū ex toto corde tuo et ex tota aīa tua & ex totis viri­bus tuis & ex omni mēte tua. Luce. x. Qui ex vobis pa­trē petit panē. nū ­q id lapides dabit illi. aut piscē nun­q id ꝓ pisce serpen­tē dabit illi. aut si petierit ouū nūq id porriget ei scorpi­onē. Si ergo vos cū scitis mali nosc [...] bona dare filiis no [...]ri [...] (quam)to magis pater vester celestis de celo dabit spiritū bonū petenti (bus) se. Luce. xi. And yf it be so / he shall kepe aboue all thynges his cōmaūdementes the whiche may not be but good & for good syns that they procede of the bonte infynyte. And he that doth the contrary / is he that ke­peth not the cōmaundementes / he lyued not good merytoriously after as god hym hath cōmaunded sayenge. Thou sholdest loue god with all thyn herte / with all thy thought / and with all thy myght. Wherof sayth a doctour named Prosper / he that loued god is often thynkynge on hȳ desyrynge to come vnto his blessyd vysyon / hauynge synne in ha­te in anoyaūce [...]i charge and these honours & pleasurs of the worlde / & these rychesses to disprayse in comparyson of the loue of god our creatour / & of the goodes the whiche be without ende. The cau­se to loue god aboue all thynge is his bonte infy­nyte / & for as moche that he is our fader omnypo­tent [Page] wherfore he loued vs his childer & not of other loue than of loue infynyte. And in as moche that he is almyghty it behoued that he make & that he gyue goodes vnto his childern after the loue of the whiche he them loued / they ben goodes & glory that no herte it may thynke ne no tonge can it declare. the whiche he vnto vs may gyue by his souerayne myght / by the whiche he hath created & made he­uen & erthe. He can well make it by his grete wy­sedome & he wyll by his bonte & pyteous buxom­nes. By the whiche euery man ought for to enfor­ce hym to byleue and to haue hope to the ende for to come vnto the augmentacyon of charyte and of holy and merytoryous werkes. For as saynt Gre­gory sayth / as moche as the fayth greueth hope is augmented / and as moche as man hath of dyspayre / man wanteth of charyte and after the good & holy operacyons. And soo these thre thynges ben alwaye egall as vnto the proporcion that euery of these vertues ought to haue. And therfore after the grete or lytell man may truely vnderstande and knowe what fayth / what charyte / and what hope is in the persone and none other wyse. And therfo­re sayth our lorde Jhesu cryste in the gospell that man knowith the tree after the fruyte that it be­reth be it good or euyll. By the the fruyte that procedeth of the tree menynge the bo [...]de or the floure and the leef / be entended the werkes the whiche proceden of the herte and of his wyll eyther of the fayth as the fruyte of the tree. In lyke wyse than Fides fine o [...]ib [...] inortua est. Ia. ii. as there ben twelue artycles dystyncted / it beho­ueth that there are also twelue fruytes or twelue [Page] werkes mery [...]oryous and euery of them for to an­swere vnto his artycle. The werke of this present artycle after the mortalyte is childely fere / or ame­rous fere. The whiche thynge vnto vs is shewed and gyuen to knowe and to vnderstande in that Si ego dū [...]ssi vbi timor me?: si pa [...] ­vbi honor. Mala­chie. i. Per timorē din declinat ois homo a malo. Item. Qui timet deū faciet bona. Eccliastici. xv. that is sayd. Deum patrem omnipotentem. Fere is due vnto god the whiche is Juste infynyte. And loue vnto the fader almyghty fader of mercy and of bonte infynyte. And who so euer shall haue the fayth of this artycle in his herte and the werke as it is sayd he shall habounde in good werkes with­outforth and shall shewe euyll and synne in lyke wyse as sayth holy scrypture. And man ought to byleue that the fayth of this artycle is deed that bereth not here the fruyte of this werke.

¶ Here foloweth the .ij. artycle that is suche.

AT in iesum cristum filium eius vnicum do minum nostrum. That is to saye. I byleue in Jhesu cryst our souerayne lorde the sone of god the fader. And in that a man ought to vnderstande that he is semblable & egall vnto the fader in all thynges the whiche appertaynen vnto the deite & is one self essence in dyuynyte as well the fader as the sone / and also the holy goost / for he is not but one god. But that blessyd and that Infynyte and incomprehensyble dyuynyte is one in thre persones. Faciamꝰ holem ad ymaginē & simili­tudinē nostrā. Genesis. i. And notwithstandynge that we be made vnto the ymage of that blessyd trynyte pryncypal­ly as vnto the soule / in the whiche there is mynde / vnderstandynge / & wyll / y e whiche he thre myghtꝭ. [Page] of the whiche that one is not that other / & always it is not but one essence / or one other. And that by this ymage of the trynyte the whiche is in vs / we may somwhat knowe & serche the thynge the whiche it represented / that is the blessyd trynyte. How Nō plus sapere (quam) oꝪ sed saꝑe ad so­brietat [...] vnicui (que) sicut deus dimisit mensurā fidei. Ad romanos .xi. Fides ē substātia rerum speranda (rum) augmentū nō ap­parentiū. Ad heb. [...]. be it we ought to byleue symply without to moche curyous inquyrynge. For ony may there ryght gre­uously synne & offende. And yf this fayth were not aboue all entendement that man may well vnderstande & comprehende in hym the mysterye of the blessyd trynyte / he sholde haue neyther fayth nor meryte / nor by the consequence he myght neuer co­me vnto saluacyon. For the fayth y • whiche is none other thynge than that that god hath shewed / and that he may not nor ought vnderstande naturally is the begynnynge & the groūde of all saluacyon. [...]er [...]i ē de certitudine adhesionis sꝪ nō speculationis. Non e [...] volūtate humana allata est aliqū [...]phetia. sed spū sancto inspirati locuti sūt sancti de [...] hoies .li. pet .i. Wherfore it behoueth vnto all the moost grete clerkes that euer were to sharpe theyr naturall enten­dement in these thynges that touche vnto y e hygh­nes of our holy fayth / & vnto vs it ought to suffyse for to knowe that he may do more than we may vnderstande. And that we see in euery lytell creature / be it herbe or tree / or other thynge / for ther was neuer so grete a clerke or phylosopher that myght knowe parfectly all the propretecs / the vertues & the nature of a lytell herbe. By the whiche it folo­weth by more greter reason that he may not naturally knowe the creature but by the fayth the whi­che is more certayne knowlege that is that of na­turall entendement. For god the whiche may not lye vnto vs hath shewed his holy wrytynges / the whiche ben his owne wordes the whiche hath put [Page] in to the herte & in to the mouth of holy prophetes apostles & other. Also by those holy martyrs & confessours the whiche haue holden & kepte y • trought of this holy fayth catholyke / & shedde theyr blood and receyued the deth Joyously. God hath done in theyr lyf & after theyr deth myracles so grete and so euydent for to approue the trought of the fayth that in crysten man after those sayd myracles & theyr predycacyons made solemply of the trought of our holy fayth catholyke ne ought ony thynge to doubte. For otherwyse he synned ryght greuous­ly / neyther Vobiscū sū vs (que) ad ꝯsūmationē seculi Math. vltimo. Prop ietates viro­rū dn̄o (rum) Sapien­tia pietas vel mia potētia et nobili­tas iusticia. it may not be sayd that he byleued sted­fastly in Jhesu cryst the very sone of god the fader & that he doubted in the fayth for Jhesu cryste the whiche is trought infynyte hath promysed that he shalbe w t the chirche & hym gyue vnto y e holy goost tyll vnto the ende of the worlde. In these wordes of these artycles vnto vs ben shewed the .iiij. ꝓpre­tees of y e true seygnourye / y t is to knowe wysdome swetnes / or mercy / myght & nobles & the fourth is Justyce. By the whiche we sholde haue hym & a­uowe for souerayne lorde. Than the fyrst reason is for the wysdome infynyte the whiche vnto vs is gyuen for to vnderstande in this worde Jhesum The seconde is by the swetnes pyte and mercy / the whiche is sygnyfyed by this worde Xpristum. The thyrde is puyssaunce and nobles the whiche (HꝪ) Habet scriptū ī femo­re rex regū & dn̄s dn̄antiū. Apo .xix. Sa [...]us ppl̄i ego sū dicit dn̄s. Itē ip̄e saluū faciet ppl̄m suū a peccatꝭ eo (rum). Luce .ii. vnto vs ben sygnyfyed by that that is sayd filiū dei. The fourth is Justyce the whiche is sygnyfyed by this worde dominū nostrū. He is very lorde by creacyon / by redempcyon / & for y e resurreccyon. For ther is none other lorde y t may yelde vnto the body [Page] soule & lyf whan one hath lost it in his seruyce ex­cept Jhesu cryst lorde of all lordes / kynge of all kynges. The werke of this present artycle after y e mo­ralyte is obedyence in kepynge the cōmaūdementꝭ of Jhesu cryst / after his intencyon & y e trouth that he hath declared in the gospell not all only the entent lyterall & carnall of y • scrybes & pharysees. For for no thynge & without cause called he hym his lorde / of whome he wyll not his cōmaūdementes. Also it is hym to humble & to loue holy pouerte / for who so euer byleued that Jhesu cryst is very god & full of wysedom infynyte he b [...]leued that in our humanyte & in this present lyf he vs hath gyuen example of all perfeccyon chosynge the lyf & estate the whiche is moost worth. Now taketh he huma­nyte / obedyence / penaūce / & Humiliauit se [...]et ip̄m factꝰ obediēs vs (que) ad mortem: mortē autē cruci [...] [...]d philip .ii. pouerte / in shewynge vs to folowe hym / by the whiche the good crysten man & catholyke hym ought to meke / & all auaryce / vsury / rauayne / & symonye / to forsake / & his propre sensualyte restrayne & repreue. Or elles the fayth of this artycle is deed y • whiche this wer­ke bereth not here.

¶Here foloweth the .iij. artycle that is suche.

QVi conceptꝰ est de spiritu sancto. natus exmaria virgine. And is as moche to saye. I byleue that the virgyn Marie conceyued the sone of god the fader by the vertue of the holy goost & bare childe / her virgynyte abydynge alwayes saue Qui propter nos hoies & ꝓp [...] nrā [...] salutē descēdit de celis & [...]carnatus est de sp [...] [...]t [...] exmaria [...]gi [...]e [...] hō factus est. [...]ec [...] symbolo. hole & entyere. And this artycle is declared more openly in the Credo / the whiche a man syngeth [Page] whan he sayth the masse where he sayth that for the loue & for the saluacyon of humayne nature y e sone of god the fader descended from the heuens & toke our humanyte in the blessyd gloryous & sacred virgyn Marie by the vertue of y e blessyd holy goost in makynge hym very man / he is comen downe by humylyte in suche wyse that many & almoost all the worlde but that hym reputed as for man / he the whiche was / is / and shall be very god al­myghty. Or elles the virgyn Marie sholde not be a moder yf she had not nourysshed in her wombe and borne hym th [...] whiche tre [...]ely is god. Here is the hyghnes and perfeccyon of the fayth of crysten Ego dico tibi [...] tu es petrus & suꝑ hāc petrā edifica­bo ecclesiam meā. Mathei .xv. men the whiche saynt Peter confessed and auowed whan he sayd. Tu es xpristus filij dei viui. Thou art very cryste the sone of the lyuende god / in that that he confessyd cryste / he knoweth hym man in that that he called hym the sone of god / he wytnesseth verely that he is god. And therfore our lorde hym answereth that auowe that trought that he knoweth / that is to knowe humayne nature and dyuyne to be in one persone / he shall founde and sette the trought of the holy fayth catholyke. The werke of this artycle after the moralyte / is for to conceyue the sone of god spyrytually by the vertue of the holy goost and of the holy fayth catholyke / In interiori ho [...]e habitare xp̄m ꝑ [...] ­dē in cordibus ve­stris. Ad ephe. iii. Quicun (que) fecerit volūtatē pris mei [...] i celis ē i [...]e meꝰ frat & soror & ma­ter est. Math .xii▪ by the meane of the whiche fayth Jhesu cryst enhabyted within the conscyences of the true catholy­kes / & so excellently that he hymself wytnesseth in the gospell / the conscyence that he receyued by true fayth ought to be sayd his moder certayne & it is more noble / more dygne / and more holy thynge to [Page] conceyue hym spyrytally / than it sholde be to con­ceyue hȳ corporally all only. And suche nobles in Feliciꝰ ꝯcepit maria deū mente ꝑ fidē (quam) carnis ass [...]p­tionē. Hec aug. li. de [...]gi. one crysten man that is to knowe y t the conscyence is y ee moder of god / no tonge may suffycyently spe­ke / nor vnderstandynge byleue comprehende nor duely adueruayll. In this depnes these deuoute & comtemplatyf spyrytes erthely them ought to prosterne ryght humbly and the holy goost by the whiche he maketh suche concepcyon to them shall de­clare thynges that may not be sayd nor wryten. Also it is to be noted that humayne nature by the concepcyon and blessyd incarnacyon is honoured & exalted moche more than nature angelyke in so [...] moche that god is becomen man and not angell for to proue and shewe vs his Infynyte loue and the waye of saluacyon the whiche is obedyence & humylyte. Also in that that our lorde borne of his moder / dyde not vnto her ony sorowe or payne / nor yet hurte in makynge her to lese the tresour of her virgynyte / vnto vs is sygnyfyed and shewed Honorē hēdis matris tue oī (bus) die (bus) vite eiꝰ memor ei esse debes q̄ & (quam)ta ꝑicule passa sit in vtero suo ꝓpter te Tho .x. that no good childe by his yll and synne / ne ought to wrathe his fader and moder ne them ought to depryue from honour and obedyence that he vnto them ought as well by the cōmaundement of god as of nature. And therfore our lorde hath wylled honour vnto his ryght holy moder in heuen and in erth by suche maner that many crysten men in ly­ke wyse haue more grete hope to fynde mercy by meane of the moder than of the sone / and all that hath he done in geuynge vs example that the fayth of this artycle is deed that the fruyte of honour be­reth not vnto his fader & moder.

¶Here foloweth the .iiij. artycle that is suche.

PAssus sub poncio pylato crucifixus mortuꝰ et sepultus. That is to saye. I byleue that Jhesu cryst suffred deth & passyon vnder y e bysshop Pylate so as it hath ben sayd before. Here the true crysten man ought to enforce hym to thynke on y e lyght of the holy fayth. By the whiche one sayth these thynges dyuyned & these thyngꝭ past / beynge & to come / what is he that suffred / what thynge he suffred & endured / & wherfore he suffred. And as vnto that it is sayd now ynough certayne by these thynges aforesayd that he the whiche suffred is verely god & man the true lambe. The Innocent of god of maieste & of bonte infynyte / he suffred soro­wes in his soule and torment in his body without nombre & without measure for them that vnto hȳ ben the contrarye the whiche haue done the ylle & the synne wherof he bereth the payne / of the whi­che he myght no better do / & y • whiche of that they may not hym worthely gyue thankes / & by them seluen the whiche he hath agayne bought / and the whiche were ryally the seruytours of the deuyll & of synne. And the true crysten man ought to byleue Nota s [...]dm Bon [...] uen .ix. di .iii. (quam)pō [...] & dꝪ concedi (quam) aīa xp̄i est ōn [...] sciens loquēdo de cogni­tione habituali q̄ est sicut sciētia. nō aūt de cognitione actuali q̄ est sicut considerare. Apud dūm mia & copiosa apd eū re­dēptio. p̄s .c. xxix▪ that the soule of Jhesu cryst vnyed with the dyuy­nyte hath clere knowlege of all thynges past / pre­sent / & to com [...] / by the whiche it behoueth to con­fesse that he seeth all these synnes mortall & other that euer were or shall be done vnto y e ende of the worlde. And in as moche that it was the pleasure & wyll of all the blessyd trynyte that by y t passyon was the world ryght habundaūtly agayne bought [Page] from eternall dampnacyon. Jhesu cryst suffred & endured partyculer payne for euery mortall synne that euer was or shall be done ayenst the wyll dy­uyne / be it by hym that shall be fynally sa [...]d / or by hym that shall be dampned / and as moche grete payne as there was / was due vnto euery mortal synne / the whiche thynge surmouteth all vnderstā ­dynge create but only that by y e lyght of the fayth we knowe that he that suffred was very god. By the whiche reasonably we consente that yf he had not shedde by sorowe and anguysshe but one oonly droppe of blood that yf it so we [...] soueraynly it suffyseth for to redeme a thousande worldes / & how be it all oonly he hadde gyuen but one droppe of blood. But by the space of two and thyrty yeres and thre monethes he hath suffred and endured as well in the wombe of the virgyn Marie / as also syns y t he was borne in this worlde / labours / pay­nes / trauayles / in fastynge / in prayenge / in temp­tacyons / in contradiccyons / & fynally the deth the moost greuous / pyteous / & dolorous y t herte may thynke. But the naturall foly of herte & of erthely vnderstandynge may saye & ymagen that in this the whiche is here sayd it is impossyble to cōtynue for as moche that he suffred not but in soo moche as man / & not in suche moche as god. Wherfor he myght not suffre but payne infynyte / & full lytell vnto regarde of that the whiche is here purposed / the whiche is an hondred tymes infynyte yf it we­re possyble to speke it or ymagen. And on the other [...]ant [...] est offensa (quam) tus ē [...]lle [...] offen [...]it. [...]to ethico (rum). parte it hath ben sayd that for euery mortall synne that euer was or shall be done he hath borne pay­ne [Page] suffycyent for to repayre the Iniurye done vnto the maieste dyuyne. The whiche Iniurye for euery synne is infynyte for the ransome of hym the whiche hath offended. For reason and nature it agree that in as moche that he that man offendeth is moost grete / the offence and Iniurye done ayenst hym is moost grete. Now it is ynough knowen y • god is of the maieste infynyte / by the whiche it fo­loweth that the offence done ayenst hym ought to be infynyte / and by the consequens the payne due and for to answere vnto suche offence / or elles god sholde not be true Juge to dāpne eternally for one oonly mortall synne hym the whiche by his defau­te shall not be ayen bought by this blessyd passyon The answere vnto y t folysshe ymagynacyon / the whiche alwayes I graūte by the lyght of our holy fayth y t y • he the whiche suffred is god / how be it y t he suffred not in so moche as god. Also I confesse by the fyrst artycle & these thynges beforsayd y t he is almyghty as the fader. Also I confesse y t Justyce Secundā mensu­rā delicti e [...]t pl [...] ga (rum) modus. dyuyne the whiche may not be chaūged or varyed requyred that after the gylte the payne be mesured Also I graunt that Jhesu cryst is very redemptor and suffysaunce of all the worlde. Wherfore it be­houed that he the whiche suffred be almyghty that he may susteyne payne infynyte. And sythen that Justyce vnmeuable requyred suche payne / it beho­ueth that it b [...] offred & payde sythen that it hath pleased vnto Jhesu cryste ryght parfyghtly vs for to by agayne / and that he it may and that Justyce it requyreth / it foloweth that he hath payed for vs passyons / sorowes / and anguysshes Infynyte. [Page] Wherof sayth a deuout contemplatyf that yf the payne that our lorde suffred for euery one of vs / & for vs in lyke wyse were dyuysed in as many par­tyes as there ben droppes of water in all the sees or in all the worlde. Also in as many partyes as Nota. euer was of brekynge of grasse / of y e leues / of trees of fethers of byrdes / of sterres in the skye / of cornes of the erthe / of men & of women / the humanyte of Jhesu cryste or other naturall man had not borne half a quarter of an houre without deth one of the moost lytell partes of the payne before sayd so dy­uysed. But for as moche that y t blessyd humanyte as well the body as the soule / be & shall be always vnyed in the dyuynyte in y e seconde persone of the blessyd trynyte / she may bere & endure by the ver­tue & myght of the dyuynyte passyons & tormentꝭ without comparyson. And more ouer euery true Nota. crysten man ought to be certayne y • from the hou­re that Jhesu cryste beganne to suffre this payne. That is to knowe from y e fyrst beynge of his blessyd Incarnacyon / he see euery persone that euer was / is / & shall be in knowlege dyuyne / in the whiche In ōni loco oculi dnī ꝯtēplant bo­nos & malos ōnia mūda & aperta sūt oculis eius Ad he­ [...] eos. iiii. all thynges ben past or to come as vnto vs / ben ryght present as vnto hym / and not oonly he kno­weth euery persone that hath ben syns / is / or shall be. But with that he hym loued of suche loue / that yf god the fader had vnto hym made suche offre or suche proposycyon at the houre of his deth. My owne & ryght dere byloued sone. I receyue the sa­crifyce of your dolour & passyon in the whiche ye be as now for the saluacyon of all them / that ha­ue ben / ben / or shall be / except for suche a man and [Page] for suche a woman vnto hym specyfyenge me or an other. And vnto hym offerynge more ouer / yf ye wyll not be for the loue of hym or of her in the an g [...]ysshe of the payne in y • whiche ye be as now vnto the daye of Jugement. Knowe all those that ben present & to come that from that houre he loued so moche euery persone / euery poore synner that syns hath be & shall be that yf yet he sholde be on y e tree of the crosse hangynge as yet that this present boke was fyrste wryten. That is the yere of grace a Nota tp̄sꝯpilatio nis huius libr [...]. thousande foure hondred thre score & seuen. By the whiche it appyred y • he there hath ben more than xv. hondred yeres. And more ouer there sholde be tyll vnto the daye of Jugement for the loue infy­nyte that he hath ayenst vs / before that one erthely persone what so euer he be were eternally damp­ned by the defaute of that passyon. And who so hȳ wyll areste in this meditacyon he there shall fynde pyte / loue / Joye / compassyon / & admyracyon infy­nytly. Here is the depnes of the glorye & the uoble­nes Michi autē absit gloriari nisi ī cru­ce dnī n [...] ̄i iesu xp̄i A [...] galatas. vi. of a crysten man the whiche byleued & knowed to be in so profoūde loue / of his creatour / his god / his broder / & his loue almyghty that hath wylled to suffre for hym more than ony wyll or may for hymself. Here euery good crysten man sholde thynke & meane deuoutly one tyme on a daye / at the lest one tyme in the weke & specyally whan one seeth the precyous body of Jhesu cryst bytwene y e preestꝭ handes. For vnto that is instytute this ryght holy sacrament / that is to knowe that we sholde remē ­bre vs of his infynyte loue / & of his blessyd passyon Also the deuoute cōtemplatyf may hym prosterne [Page] before the ymage of the crucyfix or in an other place Hec quotienscsi (que) feceritis in mei cō memorationē fa­ci [...]tis. secrete / or in ymagenynge that he is ryally vpon the mounte of Caluarye & that he seeth the swete Jhesus hangynge on the crosse syns the tyme before sayd / that is to knowe a thousande & fyue hon­dred yeres in these paynes & in these tormentꝭ be­fore sayd / & also that he seeth hym deyenge & lan­guysshe / for the loue of his swete moder & virgyn pyteous & sorowfull / & be he ryght certayne & w t ­out doubte / that it is for the loue of hym & for to delyuer hym from eternall deth / and yf he be not more harde than ony other thynge / he shall falle in pyte & in admyracyon & he shall knowe clerely that all that that he may do / saye / thynke / or en­dure Nō timebis a tīo­re nocturno: a sa­gitta volāte in die a negocio ꝑambu­lante in tenebris. &c. p̄s. xc. in recompensacyon of that loue / grace & bene diccyon is all as nothynge. By the whiche he shal be preserued from the arowe or darte of the deuyll the whiche fleeth ryght peryllously in the mydde daye and at the houre of none. That is vayne glorye A questyon. the whiche some tyme surmonteth / for prayer or holy medytacyons / or for some other good wer­kes. Also he shall be wyllynge contynually to do some thynges / as penaunce / prayer / almesdede / or other holy medytacyons for the honour and glory of god. But with good herte he may some thynge saye or ymagen. Yf it so be that by suche loue as Deus nō perimit v [...]s in idipūī. nān. primo. it is sayd / god hath so moche endured for me and also ryght habondauntly payed the grete payne of my grete synnes / by what reason or by what Justyce I ought for to abyde subgecte vnto these grete paynes of this worlde and also for to do penaunce after my confessyon and fynally deye / and after [Page] the deth be punysshed by fyre yf I do not here pe­naunce suffycyently on this halfe / where it is soo that god punysshed not the gyltes of his creature by two tymes / in lyke wyse as sayth holy scryptu­re. The answere. In all t [...]e werkes of god agay­ne The answe [...] nature humayne there is mercy and Justyce and euery of them is infynyte. Now is it so that by synne Nota q̄tuor mor­tes. Mors culpe. morsciuilis. mors nature. morsetn [...] after the Justyce dyuyne we were Joyned vnto foure maner of dethes. That is to knowe vnto deth of gylte / vnto deth cyuyle the whiche is to be dampned or exyled from his herytage of his coun­tree or to be in ser [...]age / vnto deth of nature y e whiche is separacyon of the body & of the soule / and vnto deth of helle eternall. By the mercy of god infynyte / & the merytees of his blessyd passyon we ben delyuered from two maner of dethes / that is from the deth of y t gylte of synne / & from eternall deth / by suche wyse that we shall kepe vnto Jhesu cryste our redemptour y t y t we haue hym promysed in baptem. But by the dyuyne Justyce & for our grete profyte we shall abyde subiectes vnto two o­ther maner of dethes. That is vnto y e deth cyuyle. for we be out of paradyse terrestyall y e whiche was our herytage yf synne had not ben / & vnto deth of nature. From the whiche dethes the Justyce dyuyne vs sholde not delyuer / for in so doynge he vs had pryued by a meane for to purchace grete merytes / of the whiche the hyere shall be infynyte. For of In patiencia vrā possidebitis aīas vrās. Luce. xxii. as moche as we suffre the more in pacyence and for the loue of god in the exyle of this worlde / our rewarde shalbe y e greter in the realme of paradyse & so it apyreth y t by Justyce we ought to do penaūce [Page] in this worlde. The werke of this artycle after the moralyte is to haue pacyence & makenes in aduersyte / be it syknes of body / pouerte / or losse of goo­des or of frendes / fortune of tyme. Iniuryes / feble­nesses or temptacyons [...] For of as moche that ony man suffred the more in this worlde in the estate of grace & in takynge it pacyently for the loue of god / of as moche he hath in hym the more grete token of the loue of god & of saluacyon. For as it Qui vult venice p [...]me abneget se­metipsum & tollat crucē suā & sequat̄ me Mat. xvi. marci. viii. Luce. ix. hath ben before sayd. The crosse that is to vnder­stande trybulacyon & aduersyte is the very token where ben the armes of the kynge Jhesus without the whiche there shall neuer persone enter in to y e royalme of paradyse. And in as moche that they ben the more playne & the more grete of as moche is a man sette in the royalme the more honorably & the more nere the kynge. Also the good crysten man sholde take his crosse & hym crucifye in lyke wyse as y e gospell sayth. And it is none other thynge to saye but that the crysten man sholde resyste and not folowe & obeye vnto the inclynacyons and mouynges of the sensualyte. And that vnto vs is sygnyfyed in that that we saye. Crucifixus. That is to saye that our lorde was crucyfyed for to gyue vs example to suffre & endure for the loue of hym with pacyence. And the poore synner ought not to dyspayre hym / how be it that the sensualyte com­playned hym an inpacyent / & that he be inclyned & passōned to take vengeaūce / or to do a grete ma­ny other ylles. So that reason hym holde ferme & stedfast in the fere & loue of god not beynge of consente it for to breke in ferme sensualyte / for as to [Page] suffre suche rebellyons of the sensualyte is not but mater to purchase meryte. Also ought y • good cry­sten man to be deed & buryed with Jhesu cryst▪ the whiche is none other thynge to vnderstande but that he ought to mortifye his membres / that is his Mortificate m [...] ­bra vestra. sensualyte in kepynge it vnder the rodde & dyscy­plyne of reason his fyue wyttes of nature / that is to vnderstande the syght / the herynge / the tastyn­ge / the sauorynge / & the touchynge. He ought also to haue mortefyed & quenched in hym the seculer lyf & worldely / & that is gyuen vs to vnderstande by that that is sayd. Mortuus et sepultus. Our lorde deyed in this worlde & was buryed. For otherwyse the fayth of this artycle is deed the whiche be­reth not the fruyte of holy mortyfycacyon.

¶ Here foloweth the .v. artycle the whiche is suche

DEscendit ad inferna. tercia die resurrexit a mortuis. That is to saye. I byleue y t Jhesu cryste descended in to helle. That is to wyte the soule vnyed with the persone of the very sone of god as before it hath ben expowned / and the thyr­de daye arose. The werke of this artycle after the moralyte is that we sholde by holy and fructuous medytacyons descende in to helle durynge this present lyf / to the entente that thyder we descende not after the deth by eternall dampnacyon. the whiche thynge our lorde vs wolde shewe. For before that he styed vnto the heuens he descended in to the helles The whiche medytacyons the good crysten man ought to make of the paynes of helle for to clȳme [Page] vnto the heuens it shall be spoken in the last partye of this boke. Also by this artycle we sholde knowe the mysery & ryght grete vnkyndnes of humayne condycyon y t we see our lorde for the loue of vs descende in to helle / & [...] loue of hym we wyll not moūte in to paradyse. Also we sholde aryse frō helle / y t is from the estate of mortall synne on the thyrde daye / that is by contrycyon / confessyon / and satysfaccyon. Fyrst for the loue of god pryncypally Secondely for the desyre of the glorye of paradyse And thyrdely for to shewe y e grete paynes of helle & the tormentes that there ben for euer without ende. And therfore the fayth of this artycle is deed the whiche bereth not here this fruyte.

¶ Here foloweth the .vi. artycle.

AScendit ad celos sedet ad dexterā dei pa­tris ōnipotentis. That is to saye. I byleue that our lorde ascended in to heuen the .xl. daye after his resurreccyon & sette hym on the ryght hande of the fader. Here is to be noted y t how be it our holy fayth is of thyngꝭ y e whiche furmoūten the puyssaūce & capacyte of naturall vnderstandynge / how be it she conteyned not no thynge impossyble nor contrary vnto reason. And thefore we saye that y • sone of god descended from heuens by his blessyd incarnacyon & styed in to the heuens by his glory­ous ascensyon / we sholde haue in vs suche dysere­cyon y t we vnderstande y t to descende & to moūte as vnto the mutacyon of the place may not belonge vnto the diuinyte y • whiche is imeuable & infynyte [Page] But we shall vnderstande that the descendynge is none other thynge to saye but hym to shewe & to present in our nature humayne. And in lyke wyse the moūtyng vnto y • heuens is as in regarde of our humanyte in the person [...] [...] the sone of god the fader / the whiche by the vertue dyuyne is lyfte vp a­boue all the heuens / that is aboue all creatures. He sytteth on the ryght hande of god the fader / as vnto the dyuynyte it is none other thynge to vnder­stande but that y e persone of god the sone is egall to god the fader in maieste / puyssaunce / bonte / wysedom & diuinyte. As vnto the humanyte he setteth hym on the ryght hande of god the fader / that is to vnderstande that he is in rest gloryous after his ryght pyteous passyon. On the ryght hande / that is in all the souerayne hyghnesse of glorye and of benedyccyon that euer man may speke or thynke / & as the bonte and puyssaunce dyuyne may gyue. For truely Jhesu cryst very man in body & in soule resonable in vnyte of persone dyuyne is kynge of glorye & of myght egall vnto god the fader & is Juge of the quycke & of the deed. By the whiche it is well sayd he setteth hym on the ryght hande of Qui descēdit ipse ē [...] ascēdit suꝑ oēs celos vt adipletes oia. Ad ephe. [...]. god. For by the ryght hande in holy scrypture vn­to vs is oftentymes sygnyfyed soueraynte of glo­rye & of blessydnes in the whiche the blessyd Jhesu cryfte is in humanyte & in dyuynyte. The werke of this artycle after the moralyte is that the true catholyke the whiche stedfastly byleued these thynges before sayd / ought to haue his herte / his loue / and his desyres on hye / departed from the eithe and from these thynges benethe and transytorye. [Page] That is to saye that he hath not his loue in pry­de / in ¶ nolite dsligere m [...]d [...] ne (que) ea q̄ in mūdo sūt [...] [...]svi ligit mūdū nō ē cat [...]tas pris i eo q [...] oē qd ē i mūdo cō ­cupiscētia carnis ē & [...]cupiscētia o [...]ulo [...] & supbia vite. Jo [...]is. u. worldely vanyte / in delytes / nor in rychesses / but his loue is where his tresoure is / his glorye and his blessydnes / that is the blessyd Jhesu cryste very god of loue the whiche draweth all his trewe louers vnto hym. For no thynge that may be sayd may not better drawe loue / than dooth an other loue / and therfore he sayth in the gospell. Come vn­to me all ye the whiche ben in laboure and in pay­ne / as yf he wolde saye. I laboure as you and mo­re than you and for the loue of you ryght now I Ubi ē thesaurus tuꝰ [...]bi cor tuū erit Luce. vu. Uenite ad me oēs [...] labor [...] & onerati es [...] & ego reficiā vos. Math. vi. sytte and reste me. That is to s [...]ye. I am in glory perdurable / redy for to gyue it vnto all theym the whiche after me wyll labour. These worldely peo­ple laboure for the worlde pryncypally / and these good crysten men laboure for the lyfe eternall. And therfore euery true crysten man beynge in the labours of this worlde sholde saye by the vertue of the fayth that that saynt Steuen sayd whan he laboured in the artycle of deth & whan he bare the Uideo celos aꝑtos & filiū hoīs stantē a dextris [...]tu [...] dei Ac [...]. vu. grete strokes of the harde stones. Video celos aper­tos. I see the heuens open / and Jhesu cryste on the ryght hande of god the fader vnto whome Jbe­re Calicē quidē meū bibitis: sedere aūt ad dexterā meā et ad sinistrā nō est [...]eū dare vobis s [...] [...]ous ꝑatū ē a prē meo. Math. xx. Joyously the laboure of this cormentes. And therfore yf thou haue hungre / thyrste / temptacy­on / trybulacyon / aduersaryes / and contradyccyon enuyous or other mortall persecucōn / beholde swe­te Jhesus / & knowe thou that it is impossyble to gosette hym at his table the whiche wyll not drynke of his cuppe / and the whiche holdeth not the waye that he hath holden. That is for to descende in to helle as it is sayd / for to stye vnto paradyse there [Page] where he is. And knowe thou that the fayth of this artycle is deed y e whiche bereth not here this fruyte.

¶ Here foloweth the .vij. artycle.

INde venturus est iudicare viuos et mortuos Qui vētutꝰ ē ve­niet & nō tardavit Justus autē ex fi­de viuit. Ad ro. i. That is to saye. I byleue that the sone of god the fader shall come to Juge the quycke & the deed. At his fyrst comynge he came in humylyte & pouerte / & was of cursed men Juged and reproued At his seconde comynge he shall come in glorye & A questyon. maieste & shall Juge all the cursyd people. Here a man may demaūde who that wyll speke to Juge the quycke & the deed / where it is so that whan he shall gyue sentence / in lyke wyse as it hath ben de­clared in the gospell / all good & euyll shall be on The answer lyue. Andswere. These doctours sayen that whan he shall come for to Juge at the grete & last Juge­ment those the whiche lyue than vpon the erthe he Statutū ē hoī (bus) semel mori. Ad he breos. ix. than shall make to deye. And this fyrst Jugement is called the Jugement of the quycke. And after y e resurreccyon he shall Juge togyder all them y e whiche before the sayd resurreccōn haue ben deed. But the exposicyon of pope Innocent the thyrde and of many other / it semeth better to be vnto the purpose Uniuscuius (que) opꝰ manifestū erit .i▪ ad co. iii. iii. Itē de [...]yra passū affirmat. Luce. xii he. & ap. x▪ &. xxii. how be it that he agayne sayth not vnto the expo­stcyon before sayd. And that is suche / that our lor­de shall come to Juge fyrste the quycke / that is at the Jugement partyculer the whiche is done at the houre of deth of euery man. For mayster Nycholas de lyra sayth in many cases in his doctryne that our lorde cometh vnto y e departynge of euery man [Page] be he good or ylle. Also the pope Innocent sayth that these good men seen hym at the houre of deth vnto theyr grete Joye & consolacyon in example of a noble espouse the whiche sholde receyue his ryght well beloued & faychfull [...]pouse retornynge from a moche ferre regyon. And the cursyd hym seen vnto ther confusyon / for than they seen the horryble­nes of theyr synnes / theyr infydelyte & theyr vn­kyndnes & that Justely they ought to be dampned In li. de miseria [...]eu vtilitate cōdi­tiois humane. And of this apparycyon at the houre of deth we rede many examples as well of the good as of the ylle. Of the good as saynt John the euangelyst of whome Jhesu cryst hath sayd. I wyll that he aby­de Sic eū volo mane [...] done [...] veni [...]. so vntyll that that I come. That is to saye vnto the houre of deth. Of saynt Andrewe & of saynt Katheryne & of other many we rede that he apy­red vnto theym at the houre of deth. And in lyke wyse appyred he vnto the cursyd / for elles the houre of deth sholde not be the Jugement partyculer / yf they had not one Juge / & an other ought not to Dedit ei iudici [...] facere qr filiꝰ hois est. Io. v. Juge fynally these erthely people excepte hym vn­to whome god the fader hath gyuen puyssaūce & auctoryte & in heuen and in erthe / that is the bles­syd Jhesu cryste not all oonly in so moche as god / but with that as moche as man. Moche it is for to Itē data ē michi [...]is ptās i celo & in te [...]ra. Math. vi. do for to brynge often vnto mynde that we all shall be present in persone at the grete. Jugement. for no man may thens flee. Also the synnes of the dampned shall be publysshed and manyfested vn­to Juges angelles and vnto all them that ben sa­ued and also vnto the deuylles. Also one shall see the falsenesse of these ypocrytes the whiche men [Page] wende other tymes to haue ben trewe faythfull and good people. Her false Jugementes and cur­syd sentences shall be ryght holely and Justele Ju­ged. Gyftes promy [...]s feres nor fauoure may not tarye Justyce infynyte the whiche is and shall be the very Juge of the quycke and of the deed. The werke of this artycle after the moralyte / is that e­uery man sholde take hede of his spyrytuall dede. in lyke wyse as Jhesu cryste vs hath warned in the gospell sayenge. Wake ye in your caas / for ye knowe Uigilate qr nesci [...] di [...] ne (que) hor [...] Ma xxv. & Luce. xiii. not the houre that the Juge shall arryue. And who so that well [...]hym remembreth of the houre / he shall neuer consente for to perseuer or for to a­byde in mortall synne houre nor halfe an houre. And the fayth of this artycle is deed the whiche here this fruyte the whiche fruyte is the fere of god & preparacyon to deye well bereth not.

¶ Here foloweth the .viij. artycle.

CRedo in spiritum sanctum. That is to saye I byleue in the holy goost. For euery fayth­full crysten man ought to byleue in one god or in one dyuynyte in thre persones / that is in the fader in the sone / and in the holy goost. And of this a man ought not for to doubte or for to knowe or curyously for to enquyre as afore hath ben sayd. for entendement create is not suffycyent ynough for to comprehende and to vnderstande the myste­ryes of the blessyd trynyte. But alwayes in these thyngꝭ y t he vndstanded he hath some rep̄sentacion [Page] of the blessyd trynyte / for theris not so lytell a creature but that he hath / vnyte / veryte / & bonte. Also yf he haue admyracyon that one essence of deite be in thre persones of the wh [...]he the one is not the other / as to merueyll h [...] [...]e may haue two natu­res in one persone / that is in creature humayne y e whiche hath in hym nature corporell / & nature spi­rytuall / that is body & soule / wherof the one is mortall & the other īmortall in one self persone. Also euery thynge corpprall hath thre thynges / that is the length / the largenes / & the depnes. Also in all the worlde there is but thre maner thynges. The fyrst ben spirytuell all oonly / that is nature ange­lyke. The seconde ben corporell all oonly / as the foure elementes. The thyrde ben thynges spiry­tuall & corporall togyder / that is man & woman. Also in the soule / the whiche is vnto the ymage of the blessyd trynyte hath thre myghtes. That is to knowe mynde / vnderstandynge / & wyll / & is not but one soule in the trynyte / & the trynyte in vnyte I byleue than euery crysten man y e persone of the holy goost to be one dyuynyte / one puyssaūce / one maieste with these persones of the fader & of the sone / & that that make the one of these thre perso­nes as in regarde of the creacyon & of the gouer­nynge of all the worlde & to glorifye the good & to dampne the euyll is made of all these thre without dyfference. The werke of this artycle as vnto the moralyte is for to meruayll. For as sayth saynt Poule they in whome the holy goost enhabyted by grace habunden in dyuers gyftes. Some haue grace to speke well & wysely / some other haue vnder­standynge [Page] & knowlege of many thynges that man may not knowe but by the gyfte of the holy goost & of prophecye. Some other do myracles / some o­ther suche merytes & vertues by humylyte charyte & mercy in the vertue of the holy goost / the whiche conuerted / moued / and teched & enbrached in loue these humayne bodyes the whiche dyspose them to receyue it & them gyued spirytuall lyf by the whi­che they profyte in good werkes / they fyght & re­syste the worlde & the deuyll & vnto theyr inclyna­cyons sensualles. For in lyke wyse as the erthely spyryte / that is the soule gyueth vnto y e body vsaū ­ce of the fyue wyttes of nature / that is the syght / the Auferes sp̄m to (rum) & i puluetē su [...] re­uertent̄. p̄s. c. iii. herynge / the tastynge / the smellynge / & y e tou­chynge / hym gyueth also power to speke to walke and to be besy in dyuers mysteryes & werkes. And whan it departed from the body he leseth all these thynges before sayd / & falleth vnto erthe rotten & retorneth vnto asshes. So moche more excellently whan the holy goost is in the soule by grace he hȳ gyueth fyue wyttes spyrytuall / by the whiche the soule knoweth meruayllous thyngꝭ of god & hym gyueth myght to walke in kepynge the cōmaūde­mentes Beati īmaculati ī via [...] ambulāt in lege dnī. Item viā māda­to (rum) tuo (rum) cucurri. p̄s. c. xviii. of god & to speke with hym in prayer & to resyste & batayll in this present lyf. And whan by the gylte & synne of ony he is departed from y e soule / she leseth the true knowlege of helle & of para­dyse / & falleth by effeccyon in loue dysordynate in to pouder & asshes of thynges erthely / & becometh fylthy stynkynge in wordes / in dedes / in saeynges & thoughtes / & no power well to resyste the deuyll to kepe the cōmaundementes nor to do thynge the [Page] whiche is vnto god pleasaūt & merytoryous for to purchase a rewarde in paradyse & soo we ought to byleue euery true crysten man & that y e fayth of this artycle is deed the whiche ba [...]eth not the fruyte of this knowlege.

¶ Here foloweth the .ix. artycle.

SAnctā ecclesiā catholicā. That is to saye I byleue the holy chirche catholyke or vnyuersall. Here is to be noted y t holy chirche is as moche to saye of all those & them the whiche haue y e bles­syd holy goost by grace / be it in this worlde or in y e other. For in lyke wyse as y e humayne spyryte that Ala ē tota in toto & tota ī q̄libet cor­poris parte. is the soule vnyeth many & dyuers membres as the heed / the feet / the handes / & the other membres be they grete or lytell in suche maner that there en is but one body humayne & not many. For they haue not but one forme the whiche forme or spyryte hu­mayne is alwaye in euery of the membres / & ouer all so as hath these phylosophres & wyse worldely men a lytell whyle syns perfytly knowen & decla­red. In lyke wyse moche more excellently the bles­syd Sapiētia sācto (rum) narrāt ppli & lau­dem eo (rum) ꝓnūciat ois ecc [...]a sctō (rum). e [...] [...]lesi. xxx [...]x. holy goost vnyeth & vnyfyeth all these mēbres of the holy chirche in one so dygne & so perfyte y t y e goodnes of y t one be it grete or lytell is y e goodnes of y t other. For by y e vertue of charyte euery man of body mystycall of holy chirthe loued his neyghbour as hymself / by the whiche it foloweth y t the honour the goodnes & the Joye of y t one is the goodnes of y t other. That is y e blessyd company / that is to kno­we the vnyuersall chirche is in thre partyes. The fyrst is named y e chirche tryumphaūt or victoryous [Page] that is these blessyd men the whiche ben now in paradyse & here neuer sought degre of meryte essēcyal for they be vnto thē determyned. The seconde-partye is named y e chirch mylytaūt or she y e whiche is in batayll / y t be these good crysten men whiche yet be in batell of this worlde & may from day to day wynne prayse & meryte. The thyrde partye be they y t be in purgatorye y • whiche be in loue of god / but they haue not done penaunce suffycyent for theyr synnes y e whiche they achyue in the sayd place of purgatorye. And for as moche y t euery soule whi­che is of y e nombre of y t one of these thre companyes vnto y e holy goost by ḡce. The whiche holy goost is one in all & is not all but one oonly chirche catho­lyke. And lyke wyse as y e mēbres of y e body natural do ayde & serue y t one vnto y t other euery of them in his offyce / in lyke wyse y e mēbres of y e body mysty­call of holy chirch̄ do seruyce y t one vnto y t other / for these blessyd sayntꝭ praye for them y e whiche be in y e batayll & reioyse thē of theyr goodnes & of y e conuersacōn & penaūce of sȳnes. And they of y e batayl y t is of y e chirche mylytaūt gyue glory & praysynge vnto god of y e tryūphe & victory of sayntes / & they make feestes & solempnytees in erthe / they founde chirches / they gyue rente & tresours in requyrynge thē vnto theyr ayde by deuoute orysons. In lykewyse they praye vnto god for thē of purgatory / & they offer sacryfyeꝭ & almesdedes to allege theyr payne Sancta & salubris t [...] cogitatio ꝓ de­fūetis exorare vt a peccatis soluan [...] Mathei. xii. And they of purgatory praye for theyr benefactors aswel ī purgatory as ī heuē as they be thyd come / & theyr prayers ꝓfyte gretly thē of y e batayl of this world as it shalbe sayd herafter ī y e treatyse of [...]y [Page] The werke of this artycle as vnto the moralyte is in thre maners. The fyrste is to kepe the festes of the holy sayntꝭ of paradyse / in prayers / in orysons in other deuocyons in requyrynge theyr ayde and helpe. The seconde is for to praye for theym that be departed. The thyrde is sufferaynly for to kepe hym to be excōmyned & departed by mortall synne Princeps ego [...] oim tunentiū te & custodienciū man data tua. p̄s. xviii. from so noble a company as is the holy chirche ca­tholyke / for it is impossyble y t yf a creature be in y e state of deedly synne & hath the holy goost by gra­ce. And in lyke wyse as they the whiche haue y e ho­ly goost be in nature angelyke or humayne make an holy chirche & a body mystycal as it is sayd. In Odiui eccl̄iam malignātiū & cū īpiis nō sedebo. ps. xxv. lyke wyse by some semblaūce the congregacyon of cursyd folke maketh a body mystycall in a chirche the whiche is of god acursyd. And therfore y e fayth of this artycle is deed the whiche bereth not here his fruyte.

¶ Here foloweth the .x. artycle whiche is suche.

SAncto (rum) cōmunionem remissionē peccato (rum). That is to saye. I byleue the cōmunyon of layntes & the remyssyon of synnes. Here is to be noted that true & faythfull loue maketh all thynges comyn. And for as moche y t holy chirche is vnyed as it is sayd in the loue of y t holy goost euery man hath parte of the goodnes of that other as well in heuen as also in erthe / for the sayntes of paradyse reioyse them of good werkes & merytoryous y t whiche be done vpon the erthe / & these faythfull crystē men Joye them moche fruytefully of the glory of [Page] these blessyd men. Also in the erthe the true catholyke playned & sorowed of the ylle of his neyghbour by compassyon & mercy & Joyed hym of his good­nes & profyte by the whiche it appyred that he hath cōmunicacyon w t the holy sacramentꝭ / the whiche vnto them be comyn / & syngulerly with the ryght precyous body of Jhesu cryst the whiche vnto vs fygured and represented this vnyon. Also in this artycle is conteyned the trought of all the sacramē tes of holy chirche / in lyke wyse as the doctours sayen specyally in y t y t is sayd remissionē peccato (rum) I byleue the remyssyon of synnes for it may none otherwyse be done after the ordynaūce dyuyne but by the sacramentes as it appyred of baptysme as it hath ben afore declared & shall be herafter more playnely in the treatyse of confessyon. The werke of this artyle as vnto the moralyte is to haue ho­nour & reuerence vnto the sacramentes of the chir­che & hym prepare & them ensue as the very medy­cyne of all the sekenesses spyrytuell conseruatyf of of strength & of helthe / & augmentatyf of grace & of benedyccyon. The fayth of this artycle is deed the whiche bereth not here his werke.

¶ Here foloweth the .xi. artycle whiche is suche.

CArnis resurreccionem. That is to saye. I Oēs [...]dē resurge­mꝰ i momēto i [...]uoculi i nouissia tu­ba: canet ei tuba & mortu [...] resurg [...]t &c. Ad corinth. v. byleue that these humayne bodyes shall a­ryse. For as saynt Poule sayth in a moment / and is as lytell whyle as one may close & open the Joye all good and euyll shall aryse in body and in sou­le / at this mysterye shall be all those blessyd angel­les [Page] by the cōmaundement of god in this lytell mo­mente of tyme shall assemble the asshes and the douste of all erthely bodyes without that that he shall fayle one heere of his [...]olde / and that done in a moment / or instant / the blessyd Jhesu cryste in dyuyne nature and humayne shall yelde the pro­pre body vnto euery soule them areysynge and gy­uynge lyfe that neuer shall haue ende nor depar­tynge. But grete dyfference & moche to meruayll shall be bytwene the bodyes of them that be dampned / & of them that ben blessyd. For these damp­ned Cre do [...]redēptormeꝰ viuit & i nouis­simo die &c. Job. xix. shall be blacke heuy stynkynge and horryble / and so dysformed that none erthely herte ne may thynke it. And by the contrarye the bodyes of them that ben blessyd they shall haue foure noblenesses that is claryte / impossybylyte / subtylyte / and agy­lyte / that these theologyens calle / dowers / of the whiche shall be sayd in spekynge of the glorye of paradyse Man may perswade the trought of this artycle by these thynges that we see in nature / in arte / in reason / and in auctoryte. Nature is moche to be meruaylled in a corne of whete or of other seed / after that it shall be rotten by y e vertue or the sonne / & of the moysture of the erthe / from the rottennes shall become quycke & boudde the whiche shall yelde an hygh stalke and a ryght and for one corne there shall come an hondred. Al­so it is seen in the moneth of Apryle one tree gro­wynge or an other grete chosen braunche grene w t leues / and coured with whyte floures / and to ymagen the lytell now rotten wherof he procedeth / is a mater of ryght grete admyracyon. But folysshe [Page] people ryght fewe so arreste. And the puyssaunce Ni [...] granū frumē ti cadēs i tra mor­tuū fuerit ip̄m so­lū manet: si autē mortuū fuerit mltū fructū affert. [...]o xii. Timēti (bus) deū ori et sol iusticie. Malachie [...]nto. Itē fabricatꝰ est aurorem & solem. Fulgebūt iusti si­cut sol i regno pris eo (rum). Mathei. xii. naturall of the sonne and of the erthe maketh of a lytell corne rotten of newe so fayre and pleasaunt thynge. Wherfore shall not the sonne of Justyce make it / that is the blessyd Jhesu cryste in whome is puyssaunce dyuyne & infynyte of the rottennes of y e body humayne a more fayr thyng than man may thynke. Also we see that of ferne brente and put in to asshes man maketh by crafte these ves­selles of glasse so fayre so clere and so pleasaunte that kynges / popes / and emperours leue cuppes masers of golde for to vse the pleasure of the glas­se. By the whiche then god the whiche is soueray­ne mayster of arte the whiche hath forged the son­ne and the mone and the whiche hath made all thynge of nought / may he not make of the asshes of a body humayne fayre vesselles and full of glo­rye shynynge more than the sonne. Also reason vs telleth that trewely he the whiche was deed and is arysen / he beynge a lyue may a reyse these other Also the auctoryte of saynt Poule wrytynge vnto Sicut ī adam oēs moriūt: ita ī xp̄ [...] oēs viuificabunt .1. corinth. xii. the Corynthyens sayd. So as Adam by his synne is cause of the deth of all these erthely men. In ly­ky wyse Jhesu cryste theym shall areyse all by his Justyce. The werke of this artycle as vnto the moralyte / is not to fere to deye for the trought of the fayth / and for the loue of Jhesu cryste syns that we be certayne that he shall yelde vs body and soule in the moost fayrest / moost noblest / & moost dygne of dysposycyon without ony comparyson than they be now / for they shall be Immortall and Impassyble. Also we sholde not wayle nor [Page] sorowe dysordynatly for the loue of our frendes Nolite ꝯtristari si cut ceteri [...] spem [...] habēt. i. ad thessa­o [...]ce [...]. iiii. and kynnesmen syns that we haue fayth and ho­pe for to see other shortely. The fayth of this ar­tycle is deed the whiche ber [...]th not here the fruyte of this werke.

¶Here foloweth the .xij. artycle.

TItam eternam amen. That is to saye. I byleue that they the whiche haue kepte the trought of the fayth shall haue the lyfe eternall. Hec ē vita eterna vt cognoscāt teve tū deu & quē mis [...] ­s [...] iesū xp̄m. Joh. xvii. Amen. That is to saye I requyre and desyre that it so be. Here is to be noted that eternall lyf is no­ne other thynge to vnderstande for to see & knowe clerely in blessydnes of paradyse by the lyght of glorye that y t we see & byleue in erthe in the lyght of the fayth / that is the blessyd trynyte the fader the sone & the holy goost / & the swete humanyte of Jhesu cryst / & of y t to haue fruiction for euer w tout Oc [...]s nō vidit nec i cor hois ascēdit q̄ p̄ ꝑauit de [...] diligē ­tibꝰ se originaliter [...]sa .lxiiii. &. 1. cor. ii. ende / in body & in soule. The whiche vysyon and fruiction w t the blessydnes is so grete y • herte ne vnderstandynge may it thynke nor tonge declare / for so moche that it is a thynge infynyte & eternall as to haue god in the maner beforsayd. And of that glorye shall be sayd afterwarde in the ende of this boke. Also it is to be noted that notwithstandynge that in this artycle is not made nor exprest men­cyon of the dampnacyon eternall / of those that ben ylle / how be it / it is there ynough to be vnderstande in that y t man byleueth that god is the Ju­styce infynyte the whiche is for to yelde vnto euery man that that he hath deserued. And therfore [Page] sayth Athanasius. They that haue well done af­ter Qui bona egerūt [...] sit i vitā eternā. [...] do mala in ignē etern [...]. hec ē fides catholica &c. Ath [...] nasiꝰ in symbolo. the Jugement shall go vnto lyf perdurable and eternall / & they that haue done ylle to the fyre of helle euerlastynge. And this that is before sayd & wryten is the holy fayth catholyke / the whiche it behoueth to be kepte stedfastly & entyerly vpon the payne of eternall dampnacyon. The werke of this artycle as vnto the moralyte is to dysprayse these rychesses / the loue / the glorye / & the felycyte of this worlde in comparyson of the lyfe eternall. For as Si cōsider [...]mꝰ [...] & (quam) ta sūt [...] nobis ꝓ­mittunt i colis vi­lescūt oia [...] [...]abē [...] in terris. Grego. saynt Gregorye sayth. Yf we thynke & consyder y e goodnesses that god vs promytted in paradyse / all the goodes of the erthe shall be lyke vnto vs vyle & as no thynge. Also it is to be more curyous & more desyrous for to seche these goodes by the which [...] we shall be honoured in y e other worlde infynytly that them of this mortall lyfe the whiche dyspose vs vnto daūger be dampned eternally. And man ought to byleue y t the fayth of this artycle is deed the whiche bereth not here this werke. By these thynges beforsayd it apyreth shortly & in generall the substaūce of the .xij. artycles of the fayth / by y t trought of the whiche euery crysten man is to be ordred & conserued pryncypally in the lyfe contem­platyue / in lyke wyse as by the .x. cōmaūdementes man is well ordeyned pryncypally in the lyf actyf. These doctours make a questyon / that is to kno­we A questyon. yf euery crysten man the whiche hath aege & dyscrecyon is boūden to haue the knowlege of the .xij. or .xiiij. artycles beforsayd all in generall as partyculer. The answere. Of crysten man some The answe [...] be in dygnyte or in offyce to teche or to redresse. [Page] These other in the fayth & in the cōmaūdemen­tes of god / & they here be boūde to knowe in par­tyculer those thynges the whiche they ought to te­che vnto theyr subgectes. These other crysten men be of symple & lasse condycyon as the comynalte of the laye people / and vnto them here it suffysed to knowe in partyculer these artycles of the fayth moost comyn / as it is that there is but one god in trynyte of persone / the whiche artycle he may knowe by the comyn maner to make the token of the crosse in the name of the fader & of the sone and of the holy goost. Also they ought to knowe in partyculer these artycles the whiche ben in comyn vsage of the festes of holy chirche / as the Annuncya­cyon the whiche represented that the virgyn Ma­ry conceyued by the vertue of the holy goost. Also the Natyuyte of our lorde / the Passyon / the Resurreccyon / the Ascensyon / of whome men make te­stes & solempnytees in some and certayne dayes euery yere. For it is also as impossyble but that a crysten man the whiche hath wytte and age may knowe suche artycles yf he be not in suche wyse occupyed and blynded of the worlde that he dys­prayseth the sauacyon of his soule the whiche thynge is deedly synne. Also he is bounde for to byleue that who so trespasseth vnto his wyttynge ony of the .x. cōmaundementes / is in deedly syn­ne. Of these other thynges subtyle of our fayth the symple laye man ought not but lytell to inquyre / but to hym it suffysed to byleue in generall and to haue wyll for to deye in that fayth that our moder the holy chirche byleueth an holdeth. The whiche [Page] thynge vs lyketh to graunte the fader and the sone and the holy goost.

Amen.

¶Here foloweth the seconde partye of this booke in the whiche is made mencyon of the .x. cōmaū ­dementes of the lawe. The fyrst Chapytre.

[figure]
¶The .x. cōmaunde­mentes of the lawe.
  • One oonly god y u shalt loue & worshyp perfytly.
  • God ī vayne y u shalt not swere by nor other lyke.
  • The sondayes y u shalt kepe & serue god deuoutly.
  • Fad & mod y u shalt honor to thende y u lyue longe.
  • Noo man y u shalt slee in dede nor wyllyngly.
  • Lechery y u shalt not do of body ne of consente.
  • No mēnes goodꝭ y u shalt not stele nor witholde.
  • Fals wytnes y u shalt not bere nor lye in ony wyse.
  • The werkes of y e fleshe y u desyre not but ī maryage
  • Other mēs goodꝭ y u shalt not coueyte to haue ī iustli
[figure]

[Page]AFter the treatyse of the .xij. artycles of the Caplm p̄mū fayth / here foloweth the .x. cōmaūdemen­tes of the lawe. God our fader omnypotent seenge & knowynge the lytylnes & fraylte of humayne nature he requyreth not of vs all enterly the seruyce that we ought to do vnto hym after the reygne of Justyce / but vnto vs hath gyuen certayne nombre cōmaūdementes / the whiche yf we them kepe & accomplysshed vnto hym it suffysed for to gyue vs saluacyon. And they be named the .x. cōmaūdemē tes Uoto (rum) due sūt species scꝪ necessitatꝭ & volūtatꝭ necessi­tatꝭ sūt illa q̄ q is in baptismo ꝓmittit scꝪ abrenūciare diabolo et pōpis eiꝰ tenere fidē. serua­re decalogū prout pꝪ de cōse. di .iiii. Prīa hec gof. [...] ti. vo. & vo. red. Et richardus de media vil. xxxviii. di. iiii. & directoriū. Marci. x. ti. Redde altissimo vota tua. p̄s. xlix. of the fayth / the whiche euery crysten man hath auowed & promysed solemply in receyuynge the baptem. By the whiche sacrament by hymself or in the persone of his godfaders or godmoders he renoūceth vnto the deuyll / vnto pryde / vnto pom­pes & vanytees of this worlde as it hath ben before sayd in promyttynge & vowynge vnto Jhesu cryst & vnto the holy chirche to kepe all the tyme of his lyf the .xij. artycles of the fayth conteyned in the Credo / & also the .x. cōmaūdementes of the lawe / And this vowe here of the fayth & of y e obedyence is so grete & so solempne in euery crysten man that god nor holy chirche ne may with hym dyspence but that vpon payne of dampnacyon he is boūde vnto the kynge. Jhesus to kepe vnto hym the fayth promysed doynge hym the seruyce of the .x. cōmaū dementes. And euery persone the whiche hath made the holy vowe of baptem & accomplysshed not & kepe the cōmaūdementes / is a thynge lyke vnto a tree that bereth no fruyte / the whiche is by the gospell of god acursyd. Wherfore sayth well saynt James in his canon that fayth is sayd to be deed [Page] the whiche bereth not the fruyte of good werke. This werke ef the .x. cōmaūdementes the whiche god & nature vs hath gyuen & wryten in thre ma­ners vpon our bodyes / in so moche that we haue .x. tooes on on our two feet / ten fyngers on our two handes / & fyue wyttes of nature double in theyr or­gans & instrumentes naturall. For two eyes serue vnto the syght / two eeres vnto the herynge / two nosetrylles vnto the sauerynge / two lyppes vnto the tastynge / & two other thynges for the touchynge. By the feet of the body to vs is sygnyfyed the desyres & affeccyons of y e soule. By the handes the operacyons. By the fyue wyttes of nature all our gouernaūce as well of body as of soule. And ther­fore our creatour vnto vs hath gyuen & wryten the .x. cōmaūdementes in thre places & maners before sayd / doynge vs to knowe that by the .x. cōmaūde­mentes in all thynges & in all places we sholde be gouerned as well ayenst god as ayenst our neygh­bours. We be well ordeyned ayenst the blessyd try­nyte the fader & the sone & the holy goost by y e thre the fyrst cōmaūdementes / than is to knowe yf we loue god the fader soueraynly / we take not the name of Jhesu cryste in vayne in ony wyse / & ayenst the holy goost yf we kepe the feestes holely / & in accomplysshynge duely these thre cōmaundementes we dyspose vs to receyue of god our blessyd crea­tour the thre vertues theologyes or dyuynes / that is to vnderstande charyte ayenst the fader / hope ayenst the sone / fayth & lyght of grace ayenst the holy goost. By these .vij. other cōmaūdementes we be well ordeyned ayenst y e vnyuersyte of our neygh­bours [Page] Fyrst doynge vnto them good & pleasure in place & in tyme. Secondely kepynge vs in offen­dynge vnto them doynge vylony or damage. To do good vnto vs is commaunded in that that we ought to honour fader & moder. The whiche cō ­maūdement conteyned and compreheded the seuen werkes of mercy as well corporall as spyrytuall / the whiche here after shall be declared. To do ylle vnto his neyghbours may be entended in thre maners / that is to knowe in dede / in worde / and in wyll. Also a man may do ylle in dede to his neyghbour in thre maners / that is to vnderstande to his owne persone / vnto his wyf or espouse / and in his goodes mouable and vnmouale. To do ylle vnto the very persone of his neyghbour vnto vs is de­fended by that / that we sholde not do homycyde / the whiche is the seconde of the seuen cōmaunde­mentes. To do vylony or treason of auoutry ayen his wyf or vnto other persone vnto vs is defended in the thyrde the whiche is y u shalt not do the synne of lechery. To do ylle vnto thy neyghbour in his goodes vnto vs is defended in y e fourth the whiche is / be in no wyse a theef / a sacryleger / an vsurer / a symonyer / or a rauenour. To do ylle vnto thy neyghbour vnto hym spekynge Jniurye / or vnto hym shewynge his synne by euyll intencyon proce dynge of yre or of enuye / vnto vs is defended in y e fyfth by y t y t we sholde bere no fals wytnes. To do ylle vnto his neyghbour of wyll all oonly is vnderstande in two maners. The fyrst in couetynge carnally the wyf or the doughter / or also the wyf of the sone or the espouse of his neyghbour / & that vn [Page] to vs is defended in the sixte cōmaūdement / whi­che is he sholde not haue the desyre of lechery. Se­condely we may offende our neyghbour in desyrynge his goodes ouer reason & ayenst Justyce / & that vnto vs is defended in y e seuenth / the whiche is de­syre not an other mannes goodes ayenst reason as it is sayd. And by that it appyred that thre cōmaū dementes Quicū (que) [...]t tot [...] legē seruauerit of fendat aut in vno factus ē oim reus Ja primo. Lex in decē [...]bis ꝯcludit o [...]s (que)culp a nō ampliꝰ (que) ꝑ de­cē verda cohibet. Greg. li. mo. be ordeyned vs ayenst god & seuen ayenst our neyghbour the whiche ben ten the whiche is enterly the lawe of god eternall / & he that trespassed in one all only he trespassed all the lawe & synned mortally / for he lesed charyte the whiche is con­summacyon of the lawe & his soule dysposed vnto dampnacyon. Pryde ayenst god is defended in the fyrst cōmaūdement & in the seconde. Pryde ayenst his neyghbour in the fourth. Slouth in the thyrde Glotony & lechery in the sixte. Enuye & wrath in the fyfth. Couetyse in the seuenth & in the tenth. Than it is to be noted fyrst that mortall synne Finis p̄cepti cari­tas. i. ad thi. is none other thynge but transgressyon of ony of the .x. cōmaūdementes by the whiche it foloweth that all mortall synne is defended by y e cōmaūde­mentꝭ of god as it is sayd / by the whiche it apyred y e necessyte of true intencyon & clere knowlege of y e .x. cōmaūdemētꝭ to thende y t man may shewe syn­ne Peccatū ē p̄na [...] catio legis diuine & celest [...]u in obuiā m [...]dato (rum). Hec [...] brosius. & them kept enterly & merytoryously in the treatyse of the whiche shall be holden suche ordre. Fyrste shall be shewed how he them vnto vs hath gyuen & wryten in dyuers maners to the entent y t we sholde not haue excusacyon not doynge them. Secondely shall be ꝓmysed y • benediccōn to them that wyll kepe them / & the malediccōn to them the [Page] whiche fere not to offende them. Thyrdely shall be spoken of euery of them in partyculer as well of that is cōmaūded / fyrst as of that that is defended consequently.

¶Here foloweth how god vnto vs hath gyuen the .x. cōmaūdementes in the lyght of our vnderstan­dynge.

AS vnto the fyrste it is to vnderstande that Caplm .ij. the god of nature hath put & wryten the .x. cōmaūdementes not all oonly in the body as it is sayd / but also in the lyght of the soule / the whiche lyght and reason sayth that a man ought to loue god & his neyghbour / and that a man vnto hym Nō tacias aliisqd tibi fieri non vis. Thobias .iiii. Quecū (que) vult [...] vt faciāt vobis hoies he: facite vobis. Mathei .viii. Diliges dn̄m deū tuū & ꝓximū tuū sicut teipsū. In his duo (bus) mādatistota lex pendet & ꝓ­phete. Math .xxii. Nō [...] veni solue re legē sed adiple­re &c. Itē nisi abū dauerit iusticia vestra plu [...] scriba (rum) & phariseo (rum) nō in­trabit [...] in regnū celo (rum). Mathei .v. ought not to do / saye / nor wyll / that that a man wolde not hymself to be sayd / done or wylled. And in these two poyntes is comprysed all the holy scrypture as wytnesseth Jhesu cryste. Also more o­uer them he hath gyuen in wrytynge whan he ga­ue vnto Moyses the two tables of stone wryten w t his owne hande / conteynynge the .x. cōmaūdementes ryght brefly / ryght clerely / ryght easely. Ryght breefly that they sholde not encombre our mynde. Ryght clerely that they sholde not charge the vn­derstandynge. Ryght easely to the entente y t man them sholde studye Joyously. Also the blessyd sone of god the fader theym vnto vs hath expowned & declared in the gospell by his holy mouth & doctryne / & in example by his holy lyf. By the whiche it apyreth that no crysten man hauynge age & kno­wlege hath no cause or excusacyon that he taketh [Page] not & lerneth the cōmaūdementes necessary vnto saluacyon. And this is as vnto the dyuers maners of the tradycyon of the .x. cōmaūdementes.

¶Here foloweth the benedyccyons promysed vn­to them the which kepe the cōmaūdementes.

AS vnto the seconde the whiche is of the benedyccyons Caplm .iij. vnto them the whiche wyll kepe the cōmaūdementes / that is to knowe god pro­mytted vnto the Jewes rude and carnall / all ma­ners of goodes temporall the whiche they myght desyre in this worlde / the whiche may be brought in to fyue maners. The fyrst is prosperyte in fay­re and good lyne. The seconde helth & abundaunce of godes necessary vnto this lyf / as brede / wyne / and other necessaryes vnto the body. The thyrde vyctory of his enmyes. The fourth grete and so­lempne renowne. The fyfth honour and seygnoury excellent. And in these gyftes and promysses were the Jewes abundaunt and moche gloryous du­rynge that they obeyed vnto god / and in that they kepte his cōmaundementes. In lyke wyse as it a­pyreth in the auncyente testamente / the whiche in all thynges were fygured of the newe testament and of the estate of crysten people. By the whiche Dlal figura ꝯti [...] ­gebāt illis .i. ad corinth .x. it behoueth that in lyke wyse as god promytted the realme and the goodes of the erthe vnto them the whiche kepe by fere & lytterally his cōmaūdemen­tes as dyde the moost parte of the Jewes. Also he promytted vnto all crysten people the whiche kepe them by true charyte & spyrytually / not all oonly [Page] the goodes beforsayd / but with that in abondynge the goodes of his grace & benedyccyon in this worlde / and y e realme & the glory of paradyse eternally. The benedyccyons promysed by the holy scryptu­re Salutare sacrifi­ciū ē attē dere mā ­dat [...] & dis edere ab o [...]. [...] ini [...]tate. ecl. xxxv. Pone thesau (rum) tu [...]m i p̄cept [...] altissi­mi & proderit tibi magis (quam) aurū. ecl xxix. vnto the good & faythfull crysten people & true obseruatours of y e cōmaūdementꝭ may be brought vnto .xij. The fyrst for man may not do vnto god in this worlde a more certayne sacryfyce for to co­me vnto saluacyon / for after masses / fastynges / almesdedes / & prayers / man may be dampned / but after the obseruaūce of the cōmaūdementes man Serua mandata mea & viues & legē meā q̄si pupillā o­culi. ꝓuer .vii. may not fayle to be saued. The seconde / for y e obe­dyence & obseruaūce of the cōmaūdementes is the moost precyous tresour that man may seche in this worlde. The thyrde / he y t kepeth the cōmaūdemētꝭ Si [...]s diligit me sermoēs meos seruab [...]t & pater meꝰ diliget eū & ad eū veniemꝰ & māsio­ne apud eū facie­mus. Joh .xiiii. he is in the loue of Jhesu cryst & hath his grace the whiche is so noble a thynge y t no herte may thynke it. The fourth he hath with hym the fader & the sone & the holy goost / by the whiche he ought to fere no thynge in this worlde / but the separacyon of y t company. The .v. he is endowed the broder of Jhesu cryst & enherytour of paradyse. The .vi. all that that he demaūded of god the whiche vnto hym is moost profytable to hym is gyuen in this worlde & in the other. The .vij. the creatures small & grete vnto hym ben subgettes & obedyent in that that it apperteyned vnto his goodnes & saluacyon. The viij. he may no thynge lese y e whiche vnto hym co­meth be it prosperyte or aduersyte / but for y t he wynneth in prosperyte / by attemperaūce / in aduersyte / by pacyence. The .ix. he receyued y e benedyccyon of god in his prayers & in his werkes. The .x. sayth [Page] saynt Austyn allegynge auctoryte of holy scrypture that who so kepeth the cōmaūdementꝭ may ne­uer deye an euyll deth in this worlde. The .xi. he shall be preserued from the deth of helle eternall. Nichil dulci [...] (quam) re spicere i mādatis d [...]. Ecl. xiii. in [...]. The .xij. he shall come Joyously vnto the vysyon of god & eternall possessyon of the realme of para­dyse. By the whiche it apyreth that of good ryght they be called his cōmaūdementes the pathe & the waye by two reasons. The fyrst for as moche that by the obseruaūce of the cōmaūdemantes god co­meth & descendeth in to vs in geuynge vs grace. The seconde for as moche as it is the meane by the whiche we go to hym in glorye.

¶Here foloweth the maledyccyons of them that trespassen the cōm̄aūdementes of god.

THe maledyccyons of them that trespassen Caplm .iiij. the cōmaūdementes ben infynyte. How be it they may somwhat vnderstande by the opposy­te of y e benedyccyons beforsayd. For yf they be not punysshed in this worlde temporally by the which punycyon they receyuen true correccyon they shall be punysshed of eternall dampnacyon. And vnto many it becometh that they be punysshed in this worlde and in the other. In this worlde in theyr lyne fals and accursyd the whiche gyueth vnto the fader and vnto the moder desolacyon and sorowe. Also these fruytes of the erthe decay and perysshe oftentymes by lyghtnynges and tempestes of the tyme. And that cometh oftentyme by the trans­gressyon of the cōmaūdementꝭ. Also they vse theyr [Page] bestes where noman puttes ony. Also they falle in dyuerse aduentures of sykenesses as well spyry­tuell as corporell. Also vnto them cometh warre / by the whiche they be pylled and destroyed wyues / wydowes / childern faderles and moderles / and mannes blood shedde. Also hongers mortalytees / and all other maledyccyons that may be sayd and thought. And all that cometh by the rebellyon that man doth vnto his creatour not kepynge his ho­ly commaundementes / the whiche he hath gyuen vpon the payne of lesynge goodes meouable and herytages. By these goodes meouable is for to be vnderstande pryncypally the grace of god in this worlde. And by the herytage the realme of paradyse. Also vpon the payne of lesynge of body and of soule and to be cōdempned vnto the gybet of helle. But symple people make here admyracyon for as moche as they see sensybly and more comenly that they the whiche kepe them worste or leste / they ha­ue more of worldely prosperyte than they that ke­pe them / by the whiche they be the lesse ferefull to offende god. But suche doubte or admyracyon is Uere lāgores no­stros ip̄e tulit & in­firmitates n [...]āsip se portauit. ysaie. [...]uu. grete & daūgerous defaute of fayth & of true intencyon / for there is not a more greter token of damp nacyon than to haue prosperyte worldely & not kepynge the cōmaūdementes of god. And in lykewyse Justus sepissit perit ꝓ impio. De cō se. di. iii. ca In scā. as Jhesu cryste bare the payne of the synnes of his people wherof he had not done the gylte / so the­se chosen suffre oftentymes grete aduersytees temporall / the whiche cometh for the synnes of them the whiche go vnto helle / & that haue had theyr fe­lycyte & theyr Joye in this worlde.

¶ Here foloweth of the cōmaūde­mentes in partyculer.

AS vnto the thyrde poynt the whiche is to Caplm. v. see of euery cōmaūdement in partyculer / it is to knowe that the fyrst cōmaundement is to byleue in god & to put in hym his trust & hym lo­ue aboue all thynges in seruynge hym deuoutely. In this present cōmaundement be conteyned two thynges / that one is cōmaūded / & that other defended. By the whiche it is to be noted that where it is so that charyte is the ende & the goodnes & con­summacyon Finis [...]cepti ē ca­ritas. Ad thi. [...]. of all the lawe of god / it behoueth to saye that charyte is cōmaunded in euery of the .x. cōmaundementes / the whiche is shewed as well a­yenst god as ayenst his neyghbour in many and dyuers operacyons after the dystynccyon of the com­maūdementes as it apyreth here after. The thynge cōmaūded than pryncypally in the thre the fyrst cōmaundementes is charyte ayenst all the blessyd trynyte / the whiche charyte is shewed by humble adoracyon & seruyce all oonly due vnto the fader / vnto the sone / & vnto the holy goost. That adora­cyon ought to be done of soule & of body / of soule he may not do it nor accomplysshe merytoryously yf he haue not true fayth / hope / & charyte. To the entente than that symple people may haue some knowlege of th [...]se thre vertues without the whiche it is impossyble for to come vnto saluacyon it be­houeth to saye some thynge in shorte & in generall And for as moche as I haue declared the noblesse and dygnyte of the fayth in the fyrste treatyse I [Page] reste as now to see of charyte. Charyte is a noble Caritas. vertue moder & nouryce and lyght of these other vertues / by the whiche man loued god aboue all thynges / & his neyghbour as hymself. That is to saye that for to wynne ony good create / be it ne­uer so grete or for to kepe hym from the lesynge of it man sholde not do ayenst the wyll and cōmaū ­dement of god. For euery persone that kepeth it for the losse of ony thynge / or the gaynes trespassynge ony of the commaundementes of god / he hath no trewe charyte. And yf before that he synned mor­tally he were in charyte / he it leseth all hole by the whiche losse he is gretely in dammage. For he the whiche was by the vertue of charyte the sone of god by adopcyon / is made the sone of the deuyll of helle by imitacyon and the sone of dampnacy­on and of perdycyon. He the whiche was in beaute spyrytuall vnto the ymage and semblaunce of the blessyd trynyte is horryble and deformed as a spy­ryte dampned. He the whiche hadde god the whi­che is the good infynyte hath all loste in lesynge charyte. He the whiche was the broder of Jhesu Amice quō hue in­tras [...]i no habēs vestē nuptialē. Mathe [...]. xxii. cryste enherytour of paradyse and of the holy an­gelles honoured and praysed / is the seruaūt of the deuyll and of mortall synne / and vnto the deth eternall condempned yf by trewe penaunce he be Deꝰ caritas ē & [...] maner i caritate i deo manet & deus in eo. Jo. iii [...]. not releued. Charyte is the noble robe & lyght of the weddynges of paradyse wherof the soule the espouse of Jhesu cryste is anorned / & without the whiche man shalbe confusedly put out & departed from the company of all those y t be chosen / the whiche hath holden & kepte this boke in lyke wyse as [Page] sayth saynt Johan. Who so hath charyte / is with god / & god with hym / and by the vertue & grace of this presence & vnyon of the soule with god & god with the soule cometh the lyf spyrytuall. For so as Sicut aia est vita corꝑis ita deꝰ ē vita aie. Augꝰ [...]. li. co [...]f es. saynt Austyn sayth as y e soule gyueth ly [...] vnto the body & myght to meue hym & to do his operacōns so god gyuech vnto the soule beynge in true charyte. xij. fruytes that saynt Poule rehersed / that is to vnderstande Joye spyrytuall one pease y t the world may not gyue / pacyence in aduersyte / swetnes / bonte / amyte / longanimite / fydelyte / temperaūce / con­tynence / & Dslige d [...]m de [...] t [...]ū: ꝑxinū tuū si­cut teipsū. In his duo (bus) mādatis tota lex pendet & [...] ­phecie. Ma. xxii. chastyte, And for to speke shortly / he y t hath charyte hath all goodnes / & he y t hath it not hath no thynge. And therfore sayth our lorde in y t gospell he that loueth god & his neyghbour accomplysshed all the holy scrypture / & hȳ it suffysed vn­to saluacyon / & by the consequens he y t offended charyte putteth his soule vnto dampnacōn. These A questyon. doctours make a questyon yf a man may well knowe of hymself / or of an other yf he haue true cha­ryte. The answere is y t a man may not knowe by The answer the waye of nature / but well by y e reuelacōn of god as haue had some holy persones The whiche thynge is not profytable or necessary of the comen la­we / to thende that we be alwayes in fere & in me­kenes. And therfore sayth holy scrypture no man knowed it / that is to knowe by certaynte humay­ne / yf he be in the loue or in the drede of god. But ony may knowe by some correctours as Saynt Bernarde sayth. Fyrste whan the persone hath dyspleasure of his synnes & of his cursyd & wycked lyf for the loue of god. The seconde whan he hath [Page] ferme purpose for to kepe hym from synne mor­tally Imor dei nun (que) ē ociosus oꝑatur [...]i magna si ē. grego. in tyme to come. The thyrde whan he fyn­deth hymself redy & Joyefull in vsynge good wer­kes. The fourth after some is whan a man here wylfully hereth the worde of god / for the gospell sayth that they the whiche ben of goddes partye he­ren gladly to speke of hym. And it is a lyke Juge­ment Qui ex deo ē vba dei audit. Io. viii of them the whiche in redynge or in herynge thynges of deuocyon & proufytable vnto the soule fynde sauour & enioye them in theyr spyryte. This noble vertue of charyte shewed hym in these good crysten men without forth / he knelynge & Joynyn­ge his handes in berynge honour & reuerence vnto the holy sacramentes vnto the relyques & ymages of sayntes / not oonly that a man ought to worshyp the ymages nor to haue hope in y e fayre more than in the foule or vyle. For that sholde be ydolatrye but a man ought to bere reuerence for the honour of the holy sayntes the whiche they represent / who me we sholde knowe for as moche as god theym hath approued by myracles / by vertues / & by holy lyf. Also we sholde bere honour & reuerence vnto the prelates of holy chirche the whiche ben the ad­mynystratours of the sacramentes. And who soo doth the contrarye by pryde or by malyce is not the true childe of the holy chirche. The thynge defen­ded in the fyrst cōmaūdement is pryde ayens god & all maner of ydolatrye. The synne of pryde is Superbia. cōmytted in foure maners. The fyrst is whan the persone byleueth to haue the goodes of the grace of nature or of fortune of hymself & not of god. And that cometh whan the persone is vnkynde ayenst [Page] god of the sayd goodes not yeldynge hym thankes & mercyes. The seconde maner of pryde is whan Eusebiꝰ in episto­la de obitu Hiere. Quicū (que) excedit i indumētꝭ vel al [...]s mūd [...]hꝰ ornamēt [...] suꝑflue & notabili­ter peccat: ꝯtra ca­ritatē ꝓximi dāna bilit & deū offēdit & mortaliter & nisi penitēdo se corre­xerit & talia suꝑfiu a resecauerit: cū diabolo & angelis eiꝰ in sēpiternū in [...]ternū vadis. the persone byleued well to haue all goodnes of god / but he that vnderstanded that it is by his merytes pryncypally / whiche thynge is outragyous & presumpcyon detestable ayenst god. The thyrde is in auaūtynge hymself to haue y e goodes spyrytuell or temporell the whiche man hath not / as yf it were to haue connynge vertue or deuocyon. And in so doynge / it is arrogance / iactance / & ypocresye as vnto regarde of the goodes spyrytuell / and vayne glorye as vnto the regarde of the goodes outwarde As be the goodes of fortune. And that pryde is shewed in gownes in furres with sleuys with syde lappes or plyted / in cuttynges dysgysed of dyuers fa­cyons / some naked vnto the sholders or all moost vnto the pappes / in doublettes / in cotes / in gyrdel­les / in chaynes / in rynges with precyous stones / ex­cedynge & not apperteynynge vnto the estate of the persone / nor vnto the honeste of holy crystendome And there in he may haue so grete & notable exces & affeccyon so dysordynatly that it is dedely synne And that may come in all estates / be it grete lytel or meane. The fourth maner of pryde is / whan y e persone appetyted dysordynatly / to appere excellēt aboue these other / be it in connynge / in beaute / in strength / rychesse or other goodes. And of that pro­cedeth errour / ambycyon / vayne glory / inobedyen­ce vnto his souerayns / rebellyon / syngularyte / in abylymentes / in wordes / & in opynyons / partyna­cyte / dyscordes / noyses / contencyons / debates / slaū ­dres / & dyuysyons. The whiche thynges somtyme [Page] be mortall synne / or venyall / after the dyuersyte of the circūstances. As oftentymes & as many as pryde is cōmytted by delyberacyon & fully consented / it is dedely synne in foure maners beforsayd. And of all these thynges he ought to examen y e persone after his estate & his callynge / be he seculer or of relygyon. Here foloweth of ydolatrye. Ydolatrye de­fended in the fyrst cōmaundement is cōmytted in fyue maners. The fyrst is that of the paynems y e whiche worshyppe the deuylles. The seconde is of the fals Jewes the whiche yet abyden Jhesu cryste & receyuen the antecryst. The thyrde is of the sar­rasyns the whiche worshyp Mahonde heretyke & dampned. The fourth is the fals ymagynacyon of these heretykes be they crysten men or other y e whiche ayen saye vnto y • fayth of holy chirche the whiche is gouerned of the holy goost. The fyfth is of these fals crysten men / & is cōmytted in thre ma­ners / that is to knowe by pryde / by couetyse / & by Hoc a quolꝪ coli [...] qd p̄ [...]eteris d [...]gitur. Jugustinus. Itē Ambro. Qd [...]spl [...] amat hoc illi deꝰ [...]. De lururio­si [...] multi eī ābulāt qs s [...]pe dicebā vo­bi [...] n [...]c aūt & flēs dico mimicos cr [...] ­cis [...]p̄i [...] (rum) finis in­teritꝰ [...] (rum) deꝰ ven­ter est. Phili. iiii. De auaris. Auaricia [...] ydol [...] (rum) serui t [...]siue simul [...]cro (rum) Corint. iii. Itē nō potest [...] deo seruire & [...]iāmone. ma .vi. De suꝑbis Leuia­thā ip̄e tex suꝑ oēs filios suꝑbie. Job xii. Amos .iii. Nō currit malū i ciui­tate qd nō fecerit dn̄s ꝑmissiue. lechery. And vnto these .iij. maners may be broughte all other maners of synne. And so it foloweth / who that synned mortally loued not god his crea­tour perfectly. And for as moche as the lecherous man loued to be honoured & praysed dysordynatly the couytous man loued his rychesse worldely / and the lecherous man his pleasure carnally / ayen the prohybycyon and defence of god his creatour / they make theyr god of these thynges before sayd. For soo as these doctours sayen / the thynge that ony man loued soueraynly / that thynge is his god. By the whiche it appyreth that the ydolatrye of these euyll crysten men prowde men / couytous [Page] men / and lecherous men / is more to be dyspysed / than that of the paynems / and of sarrasyns the whiche well consyderen the hyghnes of the lawe of Jhesu cryst / & the vnkyndnes of these euyll and vnfaythfull crysten men. Take hede than the synner that wyll examen his conscyence in the whiche is pryncypally his loue / his thought & his desyres / and yf he fynde that there be ony thynge worldely accuse hym as a fals traytour vnkynde and an ydolatrer. Also in lyke wyse he ought to take hede yf he hath ben impacyente of the Jugementes of god / as of the deth of frendes / of the losse of goo­des / of pouerte / of malyce / of defamynge / of war­re / or of other trybulacyons. For as saynt Gregory sayth / there may not come ylle of payne in this worlde as ben these thynges abouesayd / where as it is by the wyll and ordynaunce of god. Now it is soo that of the ordynaunce and Jugement of god may no thynge procede but that it be good & well done. By the whiche it appyreth that who so mer­uayled dysordynatly of a thynge well done / is none other thynge than to contrary & to take god & his operacyons / ordenaūces & Jugementes / the whiche thynge is blasfemynge horryble & detestable. Here than ought the persone to take hede of the synne of murmuracōn / of impacyence / & of dyspayre. Also vpon this cōmaūdement he ought to examen hȳ of all fals byleues / as of sorceryes / of wrytynges / of caracters / of inuocacōns / of deuylles / of diuina­cyons / of folysshe byleues / vnto y e regarde of the cō stellacōns in y e whiche y e childe was borne / of y e son­ge or cryeng of ony byrdes or metyng of some bestꝭ [Page] Also yf he be arested in ony dremes in byleuynge that for the dyuersyte of dremes to hym shal come Ioye or desolacyon. Also yf he put trust vnto these bokes reproued / as is the scyence the whiche is cal­led of the arte inuocatoria or other / in these thyn­ges there may be mortall synne after the qualyte of the persone & the malyce of the caas & in other dyuers maners the whiche sholde be to longe for to telle / as these doctours them distyncten & determen Also here the persone ought to take hede yf he ha­ue made ony vowes the whiche by forgetfulnes / by neclygence or by malyce he hath trespassed. Also yf he hath made a vowe a thynge vnlefull to do / or in lettynge of more gretter good / as woman y e make vowes not to kembe them / or not to wasshe them / or not to spynne on some dayes / the whiche ben grete superstycyons & folysshe. And it is to be noted that these bysshoppes / or those vnto whome they haue gyuen auctoryte may chaūge the vowes of theyr subgectes for some good causes & reasonable. Excepte the vowe of chastyte / of relygyon / of of pylgremage vnto saynt Iames / of Rome / & of Iherusalem / the whiche vowes aperteyne all oonly vnto the puyssaunce apostolycall with other yf it please hym them to retayne. Also it is to be noted that as oftentymes as the persone breketh his vo­we without Iuste & resonable cause as oftentymes he synned mortally. An example / who so had auo­wed Nota. chastyte / & after maryed with intencyon to accomplysshe the werkes of maryage synned mortally in maryenge hym. Also the fyrste tyme that he accomplyssed the dede of maryage he synned mor­tally [Page] ayen. Also as oftentymes as he accomplys­shed the dede of maryage by his request he synned ayen mortally. An other thynge it sholde be yf at the request of the partye she yeldeth the deuour of maryage ayen her wyll assoyled. Soo may a man saye of fastynges and other thynges that a man hath auouwed.

¶ Here foloweth the seconde cōmaundement the whiche is suche. Caplm. vi.

THou shalt not swere by god in vayne nor by none other thynge. In this present cōmaū ­dement Qui dicit se nosce deū & mādata etꝰ nō custodit men­dar est. Ioh. ii. Cauete fr [...]s men daciū qr oēs [...] a­māt mendaciū [...]i­l [...] sūt diabo [...]. Nō solū i falsis [...] ­bis (sed) etiā ī simula tis opibꝰ mēdaciū est. Mendaciū nā (que) [...] xpianū se dice [...]e & oya x [...]i nō fa­ce [...]e. Mendaciū [...] sacer do [...]ē epm vel [...]le [...] cūse ꝓ [...]iter [...] & [...]rra riū huicord [...]oꝑa [...]. hec amb. x [...]. q. v. ca. Cauete. In autētica col. vi. vt nō lu [...]. [...]tra natu rā & ne [...]re [...] ꝑ ca­pillos ne (que) ꝑ a [...]d hmōi ne (que) blasphe met in deū &c. hec in [...]ege [...]iuili. is some thynge cōmaūded & y e other defen­ded. The thynge cōmaūded is to accomplysshe our vowes Iustely & lawfully / & to kepe the trouth of the fayth & our holy baptem / vnto the whiche we haue taken & receyued the name of Ihesu cryste or of a crysten man the whiche is a vayne thynge yf we accomplysshe not the werkes of a true crysten man / in kepynge fayth / trouth / & lawfull for the loue of god pryncypally. Of the trouth of y e fayth hath ben before sayd in the treatyse of baptem / wherfore of that vertue it suffysed as now. The thynge defended pryncypally is that a man shall not swere for no thynge / that the thynge the whi­che is fals be true / or that the trouth be fals / for in that he is forsworne. And yf it were in Iugement ouer the dedely synne it sholde be infamye & boūde to restytucyon of the dāmage the whiche of it co­meth / & a caas comenly reserued vnto the bysshop Also here ben defended horryble othes & detesta­ble [Page] / as ben by goddes deth / by his vertues / by his passyon / by his heed / by his woundes / by his bely / or cursynge hymself and geuynge hym to the de­uyll / & other inuencyons in the whiche many cry­sten men be more to be behated than Iewes or sar­rasyns. And they ought to be punysshed after the [...]ir m [...]tū iutāsre plebit ini [...]tate et [...] discedet a domo [...] plaga. ecl. xiiii. Ite math. v. Ego [...]t dico vobis nō [...]rare o [...]o &c. I [...] [...]a v. Ante o [...]a trēs me [...] no [...]te tu­rate ne (que) ꝑ ce [...]ū ne (que) ꝑ terra ne (que) ali­qdcu (que) [...]uram▪ tū. [...]aduertādū ē (quam) [...]usiurādū tres hꝪ comites [...]itatē ▪ [...]u diciū & iusticiā. Si aūt illa ve fuerint nequa (quam) iuramētū e [...] [...]d ꝑ [...]ur [...]. [...]ii. q. ii. lawes as theues and mordres / wherof is grete de­faute in them that sholde remedye it / & do it not. Also here offended peryllously those the whiche as at euery worde & for no thynge swere by my fayth by god▪ by our lady / & so of other othes / the which custome is moche peryllous. And of that cometh oftentymes that for a penny of marchaundyse or a lytell ware the seller and the byer forswere them by ten or twelue tymes / in the whiche it appyreth that after these thynges theyr synne excedeth that of Iudas. And of that abusyon of swerynge sayth the holy scrypture that he the whiche swereth of­tentyme shall be fulfylled with iniquyte / & shall not longe abyde without the punysshement of god Vnto the transgressyon of that cōmaūdement ben brought the brekynge of vowes & of maryage / the reuelacyon of secretes of an other vnto his grete dāmage and preiudyce. Also in lyke wyse synnen they that swere to make a thynge the whiche is synne or Iniuste of hymself & yet they do it worse in it accomplysshynge. Here is defended pryde ayen god also as in the fyrst. And that is shortly as vn­to the seconde cōmaūdement.

¶ Here foloweth the thyrde commaundement the whiche is suche.

THou shalt kepe the holy dayes in doynge Caplm. vij. holy werkes / in the whiche vnto vs is some thynge cōmaūded & the other defended. The thynge cōmaunded is charyte the whiche is shewed in halowynge. Fyrst hymself in hatynge all dedely synne. And secondely in halowynge the solempny­te of the holy sondaye & of other festes cōmaūded The whiche is done in reknowlegynge god of the benefytes of the creacyon by souerayne puyssaūce of the redempcyon / by his souerayne wysdome of glorye that he vs promysed / & that he vnto vs hath purchased by his souerayne boūte. Also in examy­nynge his conscyence of euyll thoughtes / & wordes & of euyll werkes for to make a lawfull confessy­on in place & in tyme. Also in occupyenge hymself in holy medytacyons / praysynges / prayers / & ory­sons / in herynge masses & sermons. In y • occupy­enge hymself in the werkes of pyte / & of mercy / be they corporell or spyrytuell. Of the whiche werkes Spes ē certa expectant future bea­titudis ex meritꝭ & grā dei ꝓueniens Sine ei meritꝭ ali­q id sꝑare nō sꝑes (sed) p̄sūptio dei potest xxviii. q.iii shall be sayd more here after. And in soo doynge duely man seched augmētacyon of goodes / as wel corporell as spyrytuell / & pryncypally the vertue of hope / the whiche procedeth & is purchased in y e sou­le of a crysten man by the consyderacyon of boūte & lybaralyte of god / & by y e propre werkes good & merytoryous of the persone in lyke wyse as reher­ced the mayster of y e sentences. And without suche consyderacyon man may not haue true hope. The lyberalyte of god & the boūte ayen nature humay­ne appyreth infynytly by that that is sayd in the treatyse of the artycles. But with this consydera­cyon & lyberalyte of god it behoueth that we con­syder [Page] our lyf & our werkes. For yf the lyf be confermed vnto the cōmaūdementes of god / we ought to hope stedfastly that the Justyce dyuyne vs shall rewarde after that it aperteyned vnto the lyberalyte of his dyuyne maieste. And yf our lyf & our wer­kes Carissimi si cor no strū nō rep̄hende­rit nos fiduciā ha­bemꝰ ad deū vt [...]c­ [...]d prtierimꝰ acci­piemus ab eo qm̄ mādata eiꝰ custo­dimꝰ .1. 10. iii. ben other / that is to knowe that they be con­trary vnto the cōmaūdementes of god / & vnto the vowe made vnto baptem / that sholde be presumpcyon & not hope / to wene for to come vnto saluacyon. By hope a man hath myght & strength ayen the trybulacyons and aduersytees worldely / and bryngeth a man vnto saluacyon. Also it is to be noted that so as there is one fayth infused and put in the soule by the vertue of god. In lyke wyse the­re is an other founde by study / doctryne / and pre­dycacyons of holy scrypture. And also a man may saye after these doctours that he may well haue in the persone two maner of hopes and of charyte / that is for to knowe / infused / and purchased / and this suffysed as now of the thre vertues dyuyne / that is fayth / hope / and charyte. Here foloweth Oēs dm̄cos a ves­ꝑa ivesꝑam cū oī veneratione decreuimꝰ obseruari & aboi illicito oꝑe absti nere vt i eis mime mercatū fiat ne (que) placitum ne (que) ad mortē vel ad penā ali [...]s iudicet &c. extra de fe. Oēs. xv. [...]. iiii. c. i. ii. &. iii. that the whiche vnto vs is defended they ben worldely werkes and seruyles / feyres / markettes / ple­dynges / & all other occupacyons corporall the whiche may lette vs from the thynges beforsayd. The which thynge ought to be vnderstande whan these sayd thynges be accōplysshed by couetyse & auaryce worldly. For in the caas of necessyte or some lytell thynge a man may do almesdede or charyte w tout cōtempte of y e cōmaūdemēt of god & of holy chirch̄ a mā may do some of y e sayd thyngꝭ w tout sȳne specyally whā a mā had herde masse & do his deuour [Page] ayen god. For a man sayth comenly that charyte & necessyte hath no lawe. In that cōmaūdement is De pigricia. defended slouth the whiche is an heuynes & noyaū ce to do well / to saye well / & to occupye hym selfe well. This synne hath .vi. braunches as declared saynt Gregory in the .xxxi. boke of his moralles / that is to knowe malyce / rancoure / dyspayre / pu­sillanimyte / vnclennes / & euagacyon of thoughtes Malyce is taken here for a maner of ymagynacy­on of ylle ayen these holy persones the whiche warned these slouthfull people to do well / & they it dis­dayne in theyr courage. Rancoure is to shewe su­che indygnacyon by some taken outwarde. Pusil­lanimyte is to flee the werke of coūsell & of per­feccyon or fere to take laborous werkes. Vnclennes is a slouth & lachosnes to accomplysshe the cōmaū dementes of god. Euagacion of thought is to gy­ue & occupye hymself with talkynges in folysshe & vayne langage / & to brynge hymselfe here & there vnprofytably or to chaūge his courage from one thynge vnto an other. Dyspayre is somtyme syn­ne ayen y e holy goost / wherof there are .vi. maners contraryous vnto the .vi. operacyons the whiche the holy goost maketh in the soule the whiche is in the estate of grace. The fyrst operacyon is that he gyued hope of the mercy of god / & ayen that gra­ce is proprely dyspayre as it was in Cayn & in Ju­das. And thatt cometh whan the persone byleueth & holdeth that for penaunce / or for prayer that he doth / god wyll not pardon hym / the whiche thyn­ge is ayen y e infynyte bonte & mercy of god. The seconde operacyon of the holy goost / is to gyue an [Page] holy fere of god in the soule. And ayen that grace is presumpcyon the whiche is in suche wyse to presume of the mercy of god that y e persone despysed & mystaked his Justyce / as ben a maner of synners dulled the whiche answere vnto them that them repreuen that god hath not made them / for to haue them lost. The thyrde operacyon of the holy goost is to gyue & teche the holy trouth necessarye vnto saluacyon. And ayen that grace is impugnacyon of trouth the whiche is whan the persone of certayne malyce ayen sayth vnto the trouth of the fayth & of the cōmaūdementes in d [...]ytynge hym to pro­ue the contrarye vnto the trouth. The fourth ope­racyon of the holy goost is to gyue ayde vnto the soule by grace dyuyne. And ayen that grace is a dyspleasure of spyrytuell goodnes & of the grace of his neyghbour in repugnynge by certayna ma­lyce vnto the honour of god / and the vnyon of the membres of holy chirche. The fyfth operacyon is to gyue vnto the soule true correccyon of his syn­nes. And ayen that grace is obstynacyon & purpo­se neuer to repente hym of his synne & he is named fynally impenytent. The sixt operacyon of the holy goost is to haue a ferme purpose neuer to cōmytte thynge that is contrary vnto the honour & holy wyll of god. And ayen this grace is obstinacyon & ferme purpose not to leue or departe hym from y e pleasure that he hath in his synnes / as pryde / couetyse / & lecherye. And it is to be noted that these .vi. maner of synnes beforsayd be sayd inremyssyble / but not in suche wyse but that god may them well pardonne yf the synner wolde do penaunce. For [Page] as saynt Austyn sayth / there was neuer so grete a synner / but that he ought to haue hope of his sal­uacyon in as moche as god hym hath gyuen lyf. But they ben named inremyssybles / for as moche that full fewe arysen & with grete payne. And to y e entente that a man may lyghtly retorne & compre­hende the .vi. graces of y e holy goost & the .vi. syn­nes contraryous they be reputed in suche forme. Dyspayre ayen hope / presumpcyon ayen the fere of god / impugnacyon of the trouth ayen the kno­wlege of y e trouth / dyspleasure of goodes spirytuell ayen ayde by the grace of god / beynge in purpose to do no penaūce ayen contrycyon of his synnes / beynge in purpose alwayes to contynue in synne / ayen y e purpose to absteyne hym. And this is shor­tely as vnto the thyrde cōmaūdement.

¶Here foloweth the fourth commaundement the whiche is suche.

THou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thyself / & Caplm. viij. pryncypally thy fader & thy moder. In this present cōmaūdement vnto vs is some thynge cō ­maūded / & the other defended. The thynge cōmaū ded is charytable to bere honour and reuerence & to do seruyce with herte & with worde vnto our so­uerayns / and pryncypally vnto fader & vnto mo­der / the whiche thynge ought to be vnderstande generally & specyally. Specyally it ought to be vn­derstande of the fader & of the moder naturall / al­so of the spyrytuell / as ben the pope / the bysshop / and the curate. Generally they be vnderstande of [Page] the kynge / of duke / of erle / of baron / of aūcyentes & of them that gyuen good example by theyr lyfe and doctryne & consequently they folowe that cō ­maūdement ayen all the sones and doughters of Adam & of Eue the whiche were our fyrst frendes we sholde honoure in theyr lygne / that is in our bredern & systern in nature hamayne. By the whi­che it appyreth that in lykewyse as the thre y e fyrst cōmaūdementes of the fyrst table of the lawe ta­ken vnto Moyses we sholde worshyppe duely by fayth / hope / & charyte ayen the fader / & the sone / & the holy goost. Also this fourth cōmaundement the whiche is the fyrst of the seconde table / contey­ned in hym vertuously the .vij. werkes of mercy / of the whiche is made mencyon in thyrde partye of this present booke. It conteyned also these .vi. other cōmaūdementes y e whiche folowen / the whi­che vnto vs be ordeyned duely ayen the vnyuersyte of our neyghbours / the whiche ordynaūce kepte & accomplysshed vnto vs ben necessarye / the foure vertues cardynalles / that is to knowe prudence / force / attemperaūce / & Justyce / the whiche techen and adressen hym & his neyghbour vertuously and morally. Prudence & force ben for to eshewe yre & Prudencia. enuye. Prudence & attemperance for to eshewe glotony & lechery. Prudence & Justyce for to eshewe couetyse. Prudence is a moche noble vertue the whi­che dyscerned bytwene good & ylle / and the grete with the lytell / and the lytell ylle with the gretter. By the whiche also a man chesed the good & fleed the ylle. This vertue chesed more sooner the gret­ter good than the lytell / for as nothynge dyscerned [Page] well the whiche chesed not well. By the whiche it Sapientia carnis mors ē. ad rom̄. ii. Nō ci ē ista sapiē ­tia desursū descendēs [...]errena alalis & diabolica. Ja. ii. is for to knowe that prudence consydered thre ma­ner of goodes / & thre maner of ylles / that is to knowe the lytell the grete & y e souerayne. These lytell goodes ben they of this worlde. The grete ben they of the soule. And the souerayne ben they of glorye. They than the whiche haue prudence in the lyght of charyte chesen the goodes of the soule / as ben these noble & merytoryous vertues / by the whiche they come vnto souerayne goodes in glorye. But prudence carnall & worldely and deuyllesshe chesed the lytell goodes of this worlde / & lesed the soue­rayne / & is brought vnto souerayne ylle of helle. Justyce is a noble vertue by the whiche a man gyued Justicia. vnto euery man that that is his. That is to knowe in generall / vnto god obedyence / vnto his neyghbour innocence / vnto hymself clennes of conscyence. Innocence is to do nothynge vnto his ney­ghbour that he wolde not vnto hymself to be done In lyke wyse as by Justyce a man doth well & ple­sure vnto his neyghbour / by innocence a man ke­peth hym from offendynge hym. Force is an other Fortitudo. vertue by the whiche a man vndertaketh to do or suffre for the loue of god these thynges stronge & harde. As yf it sholde be to do grete penaūce to entre in to relygyon / to pardonne grete offences / to ouercome his propre inclynacyons / to suffre Iniu­ryes & passyons. Attemperaūce is a noble vertue y • Tēperancia whiche putteth measure in all these other vertues. and without maner & attemperaūce no vertue is parfyte. Also attemperaūce gouerned the persone in his fyue wyttes of nature / & restrayneth & putteh [Page] measure in all sensuall appetyte. And this is shortly of the foure vertues cardynalles. The thynge pryncypally defended in this cōmaūdement is pryde & rebellyon ayen our neyghbour / & specyally a­yen our souerayns / in lykewyse as it hath ben sayd in the fyrst cōmaūdement. Ayenst this cōmaūde­ment Maledictus [...] nō honorat prēm suū [...]t matrē suā. deurer. xxvii. Itē eccle. iii. (quam) male fame est [...] dere­lin [...]t patrē & ē maledictꝰ a deo [...] ex asperat matrē Si genuerit hō filium ꝯtumacē & ꝓternū [...] nō audierit ipe­riū patris vel ma­tris dicet semori­bus ciuitat &c. & la pidibꝰ obruet eū pplus. Deu. xxi. ben pryncypally these childern y t whiche ben harde in herte / rude in wordes / & frowarde in wer­kes ayen theyr frendes & souerayns. And yf there be mortall exces they ben of god accursyd by sen­tence of dyuyne scrypture. For fyrst they sholde dye & be stoned of all the people after the auncyent lawe. Also they come comenly to grete pouerte and mysery by the Juste Jugement of god. Also they ben persecutours of theyr childern. Also they lese all good renowne & be in hatred with all the worl­de. Also and furthermore they ben in gylte of the synne of the transgressyon of all the lawes / that is to knowe of nature / of dyuyne scrypture / and of lawe Canon / & the lawe Cyuyle / in the whiche la­wes is cōmaūded & enioyned the honour of the fader & of the moder. By the whiche it behoueth for to conclude that who so doth the contrary is worth of eternall dampnacyon. Also yf they do not theyr deuour ayen theyr frendes that ben deed they offende this cōmaundement / and ben worthy of grete punycyon temporall & spyrytuall. Also those the Qui nō dat ꝓpria loco & tp̄e dicet si­bi in fine discede [...]aledicte &c. Mathei. xxv. whiche mocken with these auncyentes / or the whi­che bere not honour vnto the people of the chir­che syngulerly for the honour of theyr offyce and dygnyte / and also vnto the noble people & Justyce seculer for as moche as god suffreth and gyueth [Page] puyssaunce vpon theyr subgectes / they trespassen Ergo a forciori [...] nō reddiditparētibus qd de iure d [...] ­betur eis. this commaundement mortally or venyally after the canses and circūstaunces of the offence the whiche they cōmytte / of the whiche shall be seen in the treatyse of cōfessyon. Also it is here wel to be noted that the childern owen vnto theyr frendes many thynges / that is to knowe loue of herte / honour in wordes / purucaunce of thynges necessarye / seruy­ce and obedyence / supportacyon in theyr defautes and pacyently for to endure yf they gyuen or ma­ke ony persecucyon / and he that doth the contrary may not be parfyte the obseruytour of this com­maundement.

¶Here foloweth the .v. cōmaundement the whi­che is suche.

THou shalt slee no man / in this cōmaunde­ment Caplm .ix. vnto vs is some thynge cōmaunded and the other defended. The thynge cōmaunded is charytably to socoure our neyghbour in kepyn­ge hym vnto our power in place and in tyme that he renne not or falle not in ony of the foure ma­ner of dethes the whiche folowen. For as for to co­me vnto saluacyon it is not all oonly requyred neyther to slee / bete / kylle / or do ony other dyspleasure vnto his neyghbour / but it behoueth of necessyte of the cōmaūdement of god to do vnto hym plea­sure in tyme & in place in preseruynge his lyfe / & in defendynge hym from the deth. For we sholde not in ony maner wyse what soo euer y t it be / to be [Page] Iniustely the cause of the deth of our neyghbour. As vnto the thynge defended is to be noted that there be foure maner of lyues / & by the consequent foure maner of dethes. For deth is none other thȳ ge than the separacyon of lyfe. And for as moche as there ben foure maner of lyues / in lyky wyse a man may fynde foure maner of dethes. The foure maner of lyf is lyf naturall / lyf in substaūce tem­porall / lyf in helth corporall / lyf in renowne spiry­tuall. The lyf naturall is vnyon of body & of sou­le. Vita natura­lis. Than vnto the lyterall sens / by this cōmaūde­ment is pryncypally defended manslaughter / that is to be the causer / by dede / by coūsell / by cōmaūdement / by wyll / or otherwyse of the deth of an other vnto thy wyttynge by wrath / or by ylle wyll / and w tout ordre of Justyce. Ayenst this cōmaūdement do these prynces & theyr counsellers the whiche by couetyse or tyrannye meouen warres & bataylles / the whiche they may not do Justely without fyue condycyons. That is to knowe Juste auctoryte / good & pyteous affeccyon in hym y e whiche is Ju­ged / the whiche batayll and warre he ought to do. Good intencyon & certayne condycyon in hym or them the whiche putteth the warre in execucyon / & that they vnto whome he maketh warre be worthy of punycyon. Ayenst this cōmaūdement doo they the whiche by theyr couytousnes put them in war­re / for they haue noo good & ryghtfull intencyon. Also the people of the chirche be not of condycyon that they sholde excercyse mortall warre / & to ma­ke effusyon of humayne blood. For in so doynge they sholde be irreguler & indygne of y e saerament [Page] of hym the whiche hath cōmaunded that a man sholde loue his enmyes. Also ayen this cōmaūde­ment synne men & women be they in maryage or other wyse the whiche by theyr flesshely & dysordy­nate indyscrecyon & cursyd goueruynge / or also by malyce / or vnto theyr wyttynge ben y e causers that a woman lefeth her fruyte & that it cometh forth deed. Also as vnto the lyf of substaūce temporall / Vita substancialis. ayen that cōmaundement do those the whiche pyllen & stelen taken awaye or w tholde from an other for as moche as is in theym they take from theyr neyghbour the thynge the whiche vnto hym is ne­cessarye & where with he sholde susteyne his lyfe / by the whiche as vnto that they be y e causers of his deth. And of this sholde well take hede these aduocates worldely & grete pleders the whiche oftenty­mes make the poore symple for to lese meouables and herytages as ben poore wydowes / childern faderles and moderles & other. For suche theues pyl­lers ryally may be sayd mordres in as moche as they stele and take awaye from the poore people theyr substaunce and goodes of the whiche they myght haue theyr lyuynge. Also they the whiche by defaute of charyte lete these poore people deye for hongre / or in pryson by defaute of theyr ayde / whan they may and sholde do it. Also as vnto the Vita sanita­tis corporis. lyf of helth corporell / ayen this commaundement do they the whiche stryuen and stryken ayenst the ordynaunce of Justyce in hurtynge ony persone / and in puttynge hym from his good helth. Also Vita spiritualis. as vnto the lyf spyrytuall ayen this commaunde­ment done those the whiche hate theyr neyghbou­res / or [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] the whiche by coueytousnes or of euyll dys­posicyon desyre the deth of an other. For holy scrypture sayth who so hated his neyghbour is a man kyller. Wherfore it is to be noted that manslaughter Qui odit frem suū homicida [...]. i. io. iii is cōmytted somtyme in courage and wyll all oonly / and not as in dede outwarde. Somtyme it is cōmytted of dede and not of wyll. Somtyme of dede and of wyll togyder. An example of the fyrst Nō licet nobis in­terficere quem (quam). Io .xviii. The Jewes by theyr Ire and enuye by counseyll and wordes put the sone of god the fader vnto deth without touchynge hym with theyr handes / so as it appyreth by the gospell / in that that they sayen it is not lefull vnto vs for to put no man to deth / in alledgynge theyr holynes and Justyce. And al­wayes the blessyd sone of god sayd vnto Pylate / Those the whiche me haue betaken vnto the / Qui me tradidit tibi maiꝰ peccatū habet. Io .xxix. that is for to vnderstande those bysshoppes / scry­bes / and the pharysees / haue more greuously syn­ned than thou. The whiche oftentymes hadde made shedde his precyous blood by the torment of flagellacyon. By the whiche Ire and enuye may be so greuous that they may be compared vnto man kyllers. So ought a man vpon this commaunde­ment to examen hym of his synnes the whiche folowen in a shorte declaracyon. And fyrst of enuye Enuye after saynt Gregory hath fyue braunches That is for to knowe / hatred of herte / susurracy­on / detraccyon / for to enioye hym of ylle / and for to be sory of his neyghbours welfare. Susurracy­on is for to speke cursyd langage by malyce for to put noyses in some persones. Detraccyon is for to speke cursyd langage for to take from his neygh­bour [Page] his good renowne or good name. And ryght often in these two maners there is deedly synne & dampnable / and suche people may not be assoyled without ferme purpose for to restore his neygh­bour vnto his good name and fame. For as sayth holy scrypture. A good name is more worthe than Meliꝰ ē nomē b [...] ­nū (quam) diuitie [...]l [...]e. myllyons of golde & of syluer / and as oftentymes as he hath taken from ony man two pens or fyue shellynges he may not haue absolucyon without restytucyon of dede or in purpose. And for as mo­che the counseyll of the wyse Salomon is / that as with detractours no man kepe company with wordes. For not all oonly to speke detraccyon or susur­racyon by hate or by enuye of his neyghbour. But with that to prouoke or for to be the cause or hym for to reioyse that suche langage is spoken or wyl­fully it hereth it is a grete synne and a dampnable And as sayth a glose vpon the margen of this wrytynge that by this synne of detraccyon well nygh all the worlde is dampned / and that we may con­iecte. For I suppose that many confesse them of that synne / how be it they make no restytucyon. And for to see the remedye in that caas there ben many confessours vndyscrete in assoylynge to lyghtely. This fals and accursyd synne is cōmytte so­me tyme in puttynge ylle on his neyghbour the whiche is not true / or whan it is true but by wordes a man it byleued / or whan it is ylle it is secrete a man it shewed ayenst the ordres of charyte / or so whan a man sayth that the thynge the whiche of hym is good hath be done in cursyd intencyon. Some tyme in holdynge his pease of the goodnes of [Page] his neyghbour by enuye / and in all maners there may be deedly synne & dampnable / for it is ayenst charyte in takynge awaye or in mynysshynge the good name of his neyghbour. Of the whiche sayth Curā habe de bo­no noīe: hoc eī ma­gis ꝑmanebit tibi (quam) m [...]le magni preciosi thesauri. Ger xli. holy scrypture that euery man ought to haue gre­te herte & desyre of his good renowne & name. For who so leseth good renowne leseth the loue of tho­se the whiche hym loueth the whiche is incompa­rable. Also by the occasyon to do many good dedes & so it is by suche caas many tyme of shame by the whiche he dysposed hym to all ylle. And vnto that it is trewely sayd that he hath more gretter payne for to be helyd of the wounde of the tonge than of the stroke of sworde. And this suffysed as now of the synne of enuye. Here foloweth of Ire. Ire is a De ira. synne dysordynate to auenge hymselfe vpon ony persone by ony waye and maner ayenst reason and the ordynaunce of Justyce. And it is ayenst the lo­ue and charyte that a man ought for to haue vn­to his neyghbour / and by the consequens it is mor­tall synne of the whiche proceden many braunches after as saynt Gregory sayth. That is to vnder­stande / indygnacyon / ymagynacyon of hym to be auenged / clamour in wordes / blasfemynge ayenst god & his sayntes / debates & oppressyons. These dyuers maners of Ire may be also vndstande. For Ire may be shewed only in courage & in wyll w tout shewynge it outwarde. And these be the two fyrste braūches / y t is indignacōn & ymaginacōn to auen­ge hȳ. Where suche Ire is not all oonly in y e wyll / but w t that it is shewed in wordes / & in this ben vnderstande the other two braūches / that is clamour [Page] and blasphemynge of god & of his sayntes. A man may also ouer these cursyd courages & these wyc­ked wordes procede vnto the dede / as to bete & to stryke / or to mysentreate in speche / & other dyuerse maners / & in that ben comprysed these two other membres / that is debatꝭ & improperacions. And in all these braūches there may be dedely synne after the affectyon / delyberacyon / & other circūstaunces. Oftentymes also it is but venyall synne vnto the whiche dyfference he ought to take hede of the conscyence of the persone by the meane & aduysement of a sage confessour. Of this synne of yre proce­deth somtyme derysyons / susurracōns / detraccōns & also to curse / the whiche thynges may be mortall synne or venyall synne after the rote & intencyon wherof they proceden. And for to kepe hym y t this passyon of yre procede not vnto mortall synne he ought to warne the persone in two maners after saynt Gregory. Fyrst in consyderynge y e Iniuryes as well of wyll as of worde done vnto god & vnto sayntes / the whiche thynges they haue suffred in grete pacyence. For they knowe well that he were impossyble to be saued y e whiche hath not pacyent­ly endured. The seconde remedy is that god & his sayntes enduren more of vs without takynge vengeaūce of our synnes the whiche we can neuer do of our neyghbour / for ony Iniurye that we knowe to be done. And this is shortely as vnto the fyfth cōmaundement.

¶Here foloweth the .vi. cōmaundement the whi­che is suche.

THou shalt not be lecherous. Here vnto vs is some thynge cōmaunded & that other de­fended. The thynge the whiche vnto vs is cōmaū ­ded is charytable prudence by the whiche we haue purchased sobrenes and attemperaūce. By the vertue of prudence we purposen the delytts spyrytual vnto the temporelles and carualles. By this ver­tue of attemperaunce the creature reasonable ke­peth hym from to moche drynke and from to mo­che meete / and also from all dysordynaunce sen­suall touchynge the synne of lecherye. The thynge defended ben two synnes mortall / that is glotony and lechery. The synne of glotony is cōmytted in De gula. many maners. Fyrste in etynge at an houre not dewe without appetyte before that the meetes ta­ken ben dygested / wherof cometh many syknesses the whiche greuen the body and the soule. Secon­dely by to moche grete desyre for to haue bought precyous meetes the whiche some tyme perteyneth not vnto the estate of the persone. For for to make dyspence in meetes the whiche appertaynen not vnto the persone is a greuous synne. Thyrdely for to ete to haboundauntly by the whiche nature is greued / the whiche is consent with a lytell and complayneth hym of to moche. Fourthly not ke­pyynge honest maner as for to ete to hastely / the whiche thynge is called deuourynge. And fyfthtly in the maner of the preparacyon of meetes with to moche grete herte / of saltes / of spyceryes / of de­coccyons / and of confectures. Of that synne co­men many cursyd bowes or braunches after saynt Gregory. That is to knowe gladnes dysordynat / [Page] wordes carnall vnhoneste / exces of dyuers langa­ges / vnclennes of body / blyndynge of the entende­ment. In all these braunches may he haue so gre­te exces y t he shall falle in dedely synne. Dronken­nes may come in thre maners without synne / with venyall / and without mortall. An example of the fyrste. Some persone knoweth not the vertue of the wyne and hath grete thorste and drynked after his thorste / it may be that he shall be dronke. Se­condely. I put caas that the persone knoweth the strength of of the wyne / how be it he weneth not y t it hym sholde surmoūte / for that he hath not ben acustomed / and it may be venyall synne all oonly Thyrdely it may happen that some knowen the myght of the wyne & by experyence of y e incōueny­ent & y t he is acustomed to be dronken / but he loued better to obeye vnto his apetyte dysordynatly than to kepe hym from the inconuenyences / and than he synned mortally. For vnto his wyttynge he it proued of vsage of reason & greued his body & his soule / & hym dysposed to all ylle / in lyke wyse as a true sobre & abstynet dysposed hym vnto the grace of god & vnto the clerenes of y e intendement. And this is vnto the synne of glotony.

THe synne of lechery hath seuen maners / That is for to knowe symple fornycacy­on / auoutry / co [...]ynage / sacrylege / defloracion / vyolacyon / and the synne of sodomyte or ayen nature Symple fornycacyon is bytwene two persones the whiche be not the one ne y e other w tin y e sacramēt of maryage / nor in y e estate of virgynyte / of lygnage / [Page] of gossyprede / in holy ordres nor in the vowe of chastyte. Auoutry is whan the one or the other or both tweyne ben maryed with the other partye. In this whan the one or the other ben of lynage or of ony affynyte / or gossyprede. Sacrylege whan the one or the other ben in holy ordres / or haue made auo­we solemply of chastyte. Defloracyon whan the o­ne or the other or both tweyne be virgyns. Vyola­cyon in rauysshynge whan by force & vyolence be she wydowe / virgyne / or maryed is knowen car­nally. The synne ayenst nature & sodomyte is cō ­mytted in many maners. For the persone reasona­ble ought to knowe that god & nature defended al maner of touchynges lecherously / in the whiche a man kepeth not the ordenaūce & the maner / & the partyes or membres the whiche ben requyred by reason for to receyue lygne / & so moche the wors it is / whan a man is dysordynate be it in maryage or other wyse in touchynge hymself or another / or beest by vylony & foule pleasure carnall. Who so is culpable of suche synnes may well ynough vnder­stande his caas by this maner of speche. For other wyse as in generall this horryble synne ought not to be wryten nor openly preched. But the dyscrete confessour may well from the lytell vnto the more grete after the qualyte & circūstaunces of the syn­ner come vnto the knowloge of the caas / & after to shewe vnto the synner the horryblenes of y e syn­ne the whiche is so grete that he ought to be punys­shed after the lawes for to brenne in the fyre / for as moche as this synne cryed afore god vengeaūce for of that cometh hongres / warres / mortalytees / [Page] pestylences / & perdycyons of reames as wytnesseth these holy scryptures. By this synne pryncypally was the dyluuye in the tyme of Noe / & all the worlde deyed except. viij. persones. Also for these same synnes felle in to depnes Sodome and Gomorre & thre other Cytees. And now of late ben as ma­ny of ylles comen / and cometh / & shall come that no man them may wryte or nombre. It happened also as wytnesseth saynt Gregorye / that the leche­rous persone leseth the clerenes & lyght of vnder­standynge / & so he is without constaunce / without consyderacyon takynge / without true hope of the delytes of paradyse / and in one affeccyon & loue dysordynate of this present worlde / & of hymself / for alwayes he wolde lyue in the stenche of his synne. By the whiche it happeneth often that suche lecherous people dyspayre them whan the houre co­meth of theyr departynge / & so they goo vnto the deth eternall. And this is as vnto the synne of le­cherye & for this the .vi. cōmaūdement.

¶ Here foloweth the .vij. cōmaundement the whiche is suche.

THou shalt do no theeft. In this cōmaundement Caplm .xi. vnto vs is some thynge cōmaunded / and the other defended. The thynge cōmaunded is charytable prudence in the lyght of charyte / by the whiche we haue consyderacyon of the greate dyfference the whiche is bytwene the goodes erthe­ly and the goodes of glorye. By this dyfferece and knowlege we dysprayse and repute as nought all [Page] felycyte worldely in comparyson of the very bles­sydnes. And in lyke wyse by this consyderacyon we ben enclyned & induced to do Justyce the whi­che is none other thynge as now / but for to yelde vnto euery man that that vnto hym apperteyneth as it hath ben sayd before & shall be more playnly in spekynge of restytucyon. The thynge the whi­che is defended by the cōmaūdement is the synne De auaricia. of couetyse. Couetyse is an appetyte dysordynate of goodes transytorye & temporall what soo euer they be. This synne is cōmytted generally in thre maners / y t is to knowe in gettynge to moche bren­nyngly / in retaynynge to streytely & in dyspendynge to scarsely. And for as moche sayth saynt Poule that the coueytous man is an ydolater & a seruy­tour of the deuyll. Wherfore it is to be noted that a deuyll named Māmona made vnto the coueytous man. vi. cōmaūdementes. The fyrst is that he kepe well his golde & his syluer or other goodes. The seconde is that he lese not in his handes. The thyrde is that he encrease them from daye to daye The fourth is that he gyue no thynge in almesse nor other wyse. The fyfth is that he lene not nor doo noo pleasure / for in soo doynge he putteth his goodes in peryll. The sixte is that he shall restrayne hymself & his housholde from meete & drynke for to spare his goodes. Of this synne cometh & procedeth seuen doughters or braunches after as sayth saynt Gregorye. That is for to vnderstan­de treason / fraude / begylynge / periurynges / rauayne / desyrous for to gete / hardynes of body ayenst the poore and many other euylles. Here is defen­ded [Page] all euyll marchaundyse / euyll laborynges and werkes to fayne hym in his Journey / and to selle fals ware for good. I put caas that the seller hath ben dysceyued in byenge them for good / for one dysceyued ought not an other for to dysceyue. Here is defended theeft / vsery / rauayne / symony / sacry­lege / fals spekynge / fals swerynge / and generally all decepcyons openly or pryuely / by the whiche a man maketh the losse of an other his owne or els that a man wolde not reasonably vnto hym to be done. Also all contractes and other thynges in the whiche it behoueth▪ For to make restytucyon of the whiche shall be treated in partyculer in the fourth partye. And this is in generall and in short as vnto the .vij. cōmaundement.

¶ Here foloweth the .viij. cōmaundement the whiche is suche.

THou shalt bere no fals wytnes. In this cō ­maundement Caplm .xij. vnto vs is some thynge commaunded / and the other defended. The thynge whiche is cōmaunded is the contrarye and the op­posyte of that the whiche is defended. To bere false and cursyd langage is contrarye vnto charyte / the whiche we sholde haue ayenst our neyghbours By the whiche it appyreth that it vnto vs is com­maunded to saye well to magnyfye and to exalte the good and the honour of our neyghbours and in praysynge god charytably in place and in ty­me / the whiche thynge we accomplysshe by the ver­tue of prudence & of force illumyned with charyte / [Page] for so doynge & desyrynge the good & honour of our neyghbour to be our honour / in lyke wyse as requyreth the vertue & nature of charyte / the whi­che is to loue his neyhbour as hymself / & the whi­che maketh all goodes to be comyn. Than by good prudence we shall exalte & augment our welth & our neyghboures. And by that vertue of force we hym sholde purchase good and honour in berynge hym good wytnes in place & in tyme & in defen­dynge hym to our power & his good renowne. And this is in short as vnto y e thynge cōmaūded. The thynge defended / is fals wytnes. That is to saye cursyd langage procedynge of Ire & of enuye / & in lyke wyse as Ire & enuye ben defended in the .vi. cōmaūdement pryncypally in as moche as the she­we them by werke / in lyke wyse they ben defended in the .viij. in as moche as they it shewen by cursyd langage. For as a man may noye his his neygh­bour in dede / in lykewyse a man may noye hym in worde. And they that may not of dede oftentymes they do it by cursyd langage / y e whiche is cōmytte in dyuers maners. For as sayen these doctours & the holy scryptures in the operacyon of the tonge is the deth or the lyf. And therfore wolde the bles­syd In manibꝰ lingue more & vita. holy goost hym shewe & appyre in the lykenes of tonges of fyre for to gyue vnderstandynge that yf the tonge be not purged and gouerned of the holy goost / it is an harde thynge but that it be go­uerned of a cursyd spyryte. That is the deuyll the whiche by the meane of the tonge serpentynously putteth all humayne lynage vnto perdycyon / and the whiche gouerneth and ledeth theym that ben [Page] replete with Ire and enuye / and them aydeth with theyr tonges as with glaynes cuttynge. And ther­fore Lingua [...]o [...] glad [...] us acutus. [...]. sayth the Psalmyste / that the tonges of syn­ners is the glayne of the deuyll / sharpe and full of venym. And after these doctours .xij. synnes proce­den of the tonge / the whiche may be mortall or ve­nyall after the dyuers circumstaunces and inten­cyon of the synner / as ben blasphemynge / periu­rynges / lesynges / boostynges / murmuracyons / de­traccyons / wordes carnall and vnhoneste / folysshe langages / talkynges / Jangelynges / and many o­ther euylles the whiche ben shewed / as wytnesseth the conscyence of suche people to be horryble and detestable. For as our lorde sayth by the wordes of Loquela tua ma­nifestum te facit. Mathei. xxvi. Qui de terra ē de terra lo [...]. Io. ui. a persone a man may some what haue knowlege and Juge of the wyll and of the conscyence. Of detraccyon of dyuers maners for to lye and of fals wytnes in Jugement shall be spoken in the fourth partye. And this is in generall and in short as vnto the .viij. cōmaundement.

¶ Here foloweth the .ix. cōmaundement the whi­che is suche.

THou shalt not desyre an other mans wyf / And Caplm .xiij. in lyke wyse the wyf sholde not desy­re the man / that is to knowe by cursyd concupys­cence. But well may the one the other desyre with out synne by good and Juste affeccyon of marya­ge. In this present commaundement vnto vs is some thynge commaunded / and the other defen­ded. The thynge commaunded is the vertue of [Page] chastyte and clennes of spyryte and of wyll in the vertue of holy charyte / that is to knowe for the loue of god and of the saluacyon of our soules / the whiche vertue of charyte we sholde haue and pro­cure as well in vs as in our neyghbours. And vn­to that we may come by the vertue of prudence and of force after the maner of forme declared in the .vi. commaundement. The thynge defended in the sixte is all concupyscence by consent dyspo­sed out of maryage. and I put caas yf that suche cursyd ylle wyll is not shewed outwarde in effecte neuerthelesse notwithstandynge yf it soo be / it is deedly synne. For as our lorde sayth in the gospell O [...]s [...] viderit mulierē ad [...]cupiscen dū eā tam mecha­tus ē in corde suo. Mathei. v. who so euer hath concupyscence carnall of the woman / or the woman with the man with consente dysposed offended the commaundement of god. By the whiche it foloweth that all vnhoneste kys­synges / touchynges / lokynges / wordes / lettres / gyftes / promysses / abylymentes / countenaunces / and many other ylle cursyd dedes pryncypally for the entente for to drawe ony persone vnto the consent of concupyscence of the synne of lechery / it is de­dely synne / for the wyll all oonly is deedly synne / as it is sayd. And therfore the wyll the whiche is shewed by ony of these tokens before sayd / it is more greuous than yf he abyde stedfast inwarde of the wyll. And this is in short as vnto the .ix. cō maundement.

¶ Here foloweth the .x. cōmaundement the whi­che is suche.

THou shalt not desyre an other mānes goo­des Caplm. xiiij. vnto his hurte & ayenst the ordynaūce of Justyce & of reason. In this present cōmaunde­ment vnto vs is some thynge cōmaunded / & the o­ther defended. The thynge cōmaūded is the vertue of lyberalyte ayenst our neyghbours. The whiche vertue is excercysed by the vertue of true prudence & of Justyce enformed with charyte / as it is sayd in the .vij. cōmaūdement. In this present cōmaū ­dement may be vnderstande the seuen werkes of mercy. To desyre than to gyue of his goodes by loue & by charyte vnto vs is here cōmaunded. And yf a man may not do it in werke / the good desyre of the wyll suffysed before god for to be gretely re­warded / as the desyre for to do ylle is worthy to be dampned. The thynge defended is concupyscen­ce & couetousnes of thynges temporell or the dam­mage and preiudyce of an other. For in lyke wyse as in the fourth / in the fyfth / in the sixte / and in the seuenth commaundementes vnto vs is defended / for to do ylle / dysplesure / or vylony vnto our neyghbour by ony maner of operacyon. And in the .viij. vnto vs is defended the offence of wordes. In lyke wyse in the .ix. and also in the .x. vnto vs is de­fended the cursyd wyll for to do vnto hym hurte / o [...] vylony by concupyscence carnall or other wyse / In the whiche it appyreth clerely that who so euer hym wyll gouerne by the rule of the .x. commaundementes / shall be well and Justely ordeyned as well ayenst god as ayenst his neyghbour / be it in dede / in worde / or in wyll. Also it appyreth that in euery commaundement be it affyrmatyf or elles [Page] negatyf / there is some thynge commaunded / and the other defended. For god neuer cōmaunded for to do ony thynge but that he forbade the contrary nor not defended ony thynge but that he cōmaun­ded his contrarye.

¶ Here foloweth the epylogacyon or short repety­cyon of this seconde partye.

FOr to vnderstande the better & retayne the­se Caplm. xv. thynges beforesayd they ben recapyteled & enployed in suche maner. In the fyrst cōmaūde­ment of the lawe is cōmaūded humble adoracyon of the dyuyne maieste / & ydolatrye defended & all pryde ayenst the maieste dyuyne. In the seconde / confessyon of the trouth in worde and in dede is cō maunded / and all periurynges and cursyd othes defended. In the thyrde / loue vnto the dyuyne boū te vnto vs is commaunded / and vndeuocyon and foulnes of spyryte vnto vs is forboden. And by suche wyse in accomplysshynge these thre commaundementes we be ordeyned ayenst all the blessyd try­nyte. For vnto the fader is attrybute dyuyne ma­ieste / and vnto the sone infynyte veryte / and vnto the holy goost souerayne bounte. And therfore to the entent that we haue dysposycyon to byleue / to confesse / & to loue this blessyd trynyte the thre ver­tues theologyes that is fayth / hope / & charyte / they ben create of god in the soule the whiche worthely receyueth the holy sacrament of baptem. Charyte for to loue god the fader / fayth for to gyue kno­wlege and for to aduowe the trouth of god the [Page] sone / and hope for to confesse hym in the boūte of the holy goost. In the fourth cōmaundement ho­noure / reuerence / loue & pyte vnto vs be cōmaūded & pryncypally ayen fader & moder / & consequently ayenst euery creature humayne / & all rudenes cru­elte / & vnfaythfulnes ayenst our neyghbours vn­to vs is defended. In the fyfth swetnes & benyg­nyte ayenst our neyghbours vnto vs is cōmaūded. In the sixte chastyte & clennes / in dede & in worde vnto vs is cōmaūded / and all lechery by ony ma­ner what so euer it be vnto vs is defended. In the .vij. lyberalyte in departynge resonably the goo­des of this worlde necessarye vnto our neyghbour is cōmaūded / and all rauayne & coueytousnes is enhabyte. In the .viij. trouth in wordes be it in Jugement or otherwyse vnto vs is cōmaūded / and lyenge / disceyuynge / defamynge / mockynge / or ab­usynge vnto vs is defended. In the .ix. chastyte in thought / in desyre / & in poorenes of spyryte vnto vs is cōmaūded / & all foule thoughtes & carnall desyres vnto vs ben enterdyted & defended. In the .x. to delyre coueytously the goodes transytory vn­to vs is defended / and good desyre of power for to accomplysshe the werkes of mercy in place and in tyme / that vnto vs shall be possyble / and of reason vnto vs is cōmaunded. And by these. vij. the laste cōmaundementes we ben perfectly & Justely ordeyned ayenst our neyghbours in two maners / that is in kepynge vs from offendynge them / and in doynge vnto hym in place and in tyme pleasu­re and seruyce. In these two poyntes / that is for Diuerte a malo & fac bonū. p̄s. xxxiii to knowe / to flee the euyll / and to do the good is [Page] comprehended all parfeccyon of Justyce as sayth Minus [...] mala n [...] agere nisi etiā [...]s (que) stude at & bonis o­ꝑibꝰ insudare Grego. in sermone. holy scrypture. Kepe the from doynge ylle vnto thy neyghbours / and enforce the for to do vnto hym good and pleasure. For in lyke wyse as saynt Gregory sayth. It suffysed nor for to seche saluacyon / not to cōmytte ony ylle nor synne / but it behoueth for to excercyse hym in good werkes in place and Si vis ad vitā in­gredi serua māda [...]a. Math. xix. Qui offenderit in vno factꝰ est oīm [...]eus. Ia. ii. in tyme the whiche is of necessyte. Than he that wyll be saued / hym behoueth necessaryly for to ke­pe all these .x. commaundementes. For god by his Justyce ordeyned may not dyspence nor doo other wyse. For he hath assented that who so wyll come vnto saluacyon / hym behoueth that he kepe and that he accomplysshe all these .x. commaundementes. For as saynt James sayth in his Conon. He that trespasseth one of these commaundementes synned mortally / and breketh all the lawe. Of the whiche brekynge Jhesus soucrayne vertue vs wyl­leth for to kepe / and the true entendement of his lawe and of his holy cōmaundementes vs inspyre and them for to accomplysshe by true fayth / hope / and charyte / vnto the whiche alwaye laketh it / the fader / and the sone / and the holy goost vs ayde Amen.

¶After the declaracyon of the .x. cōmaundemen­tes of god / here folowen the .v. cōmaundementes of holy chirche.

[figure]
¶The fyue cōmaundementes of holy chirche.
  • ¶On the sondayes thou shalt here masse and the festes of cōmaundement.
  • ¶Of all thy synnes thou shalt be confessyd / at the leest one tyme of the yere.
  • ¶And thy creatour thou shalt receyue / at Eester humbly.
  • ¶These festes thou shalt halowe / that ben gyuen the in cōmaundement.
  • ¶The foure embres vigyles thou shalt faste / and the lente entyerly.

[Page]OVer the .x. cōmaundementes of god before Caplm .xvi. wryten our moder holy chirche hath put to fyue. The whiche to obeye and to hepe all crysten Missas die dm̄co seclaribꝰ totas au diri speciali or die [...]cipimꝰ ita vt an­te vn̄dictōem sacer dotis egredi ppls nō [...]sumat .&c. de cōse. di. 1. c. Missus people be boūde after the forme & maner that ho­ly chirche entendeth to bynde her subgectes. The fyrst is y t on the holy sondaye & other grete festes & solempnytees gyuen by cōmaūdement after dyuer syte of y • coūtre & of the dyoces euery man the whi­che hath age & dyscrecyon ought to here masse en­terly yf he haue no lettynge nor excusacōn reasonable Ois vtrius (que) sexꝰ cū ad ānos discre­tiōis ꝑuenerit oia sua simul petā sal­tē semel i āno fide lit ꝯfiteat ꝓ [...]o sa­cerdoti & iniunctā penitēciā sibi ꝓ [...]is vitibꝰ studiat adi­plere suscipiēs re­uerēter ad minꝰ i pascha eucharistie sacramentū &c. ex­tra de pe. & re. ca. Omnis. by y e whiche of y t he may be excused. The secon­de cōmaūdemēt is y t he ought to be confessed / at the lest one tyme of the yere vnto y • preest y t hath aucto­ryte to assoyle hym / in lyke wyse as it apyred by y e statute & ordynaūce of holy chirche. To confesse hȳ many tymes in y e yere / as haue of good & holy cu­stome many good & faythfull crysten men / it is of coūseyll & not of cōmaūdement / except some cases partyculers the whiche ben here after put & decla­red in the treatyse of confessyon. The thyrde cō ­maūdement is that all persones the whiche hath wytte / age / & dyscrecyon competent after the Jugement & good coūseyll of his curate or other confessour ought to receyue y e holy sacrament of the aw­ter at the tyme of Eester trewely confessed & repentaūt of all his synnes the whiche he hath cōmytte in his lyf / and of the whiche he may haue remem­braūce after the fragylyte of intencyon humayne. The fourth cōmaūdement is to kepe the feestes y t be gyuen in cōmaūdement / in halowynge theym. And for to do it the better a man ought to cesse of all werkes of synne erthely and seruyle the whiche [Page] may lette the spyryte to retorne vnto god / & vnto hymself in tyme and place as holy chirche hath or deyned. And it ought to be vnderstande / yf necessy­te l [...]full hym enforce none other wyse. In lyke wy­se it hath ben declared before in the thyrde cōmaū dement of the lawe. The fyfth cōmaundement of holy chirche is that euery persone the whiche hath passed the yeres of one and twenty ought for to faste foure tymes in the yere the Embrynge tyme. De quatuor tēꝑi­bꝰ habet di. lxxvi. ca Jeiuniū & ca. cō stituim [...] & ca. de xl. di. v. ca. q̄dragesi­ma. De vigilus a­plo (rum) extra de ob­serua ieiu. c. ꝯsiliā Qui vos audit me audit. & [...] vos spernit me sꝑnit Lu. x. Oia (que)cu (que) dixerit vobis seruate & facite. Math. xxiii. the vigyles cōmaunded / and the fourty dayes the whiche endeth at Eester / yf he haue not excusacy­on lawfully / in lyke wyse as it apyreth more playnely here after in the treatyse of confessyon. Vnto these fyue cōmaundementes vs byndeth holy chir­che vnto the whiche we sholde obeye as vnto god / For he hath sayd that they the whiche obeye vnto the prelates of holy chirche hym doth obeye / and they that them dysobeye hym dysobeyeth. By the the whiche it appyreth clerely ynough that they the whiche trespassen these cōmaundementes be­fore sayd synnen mortally yf cause resonable them excuse not in all or in parte.

¶Here foloweth of two maner of lyues the whi­che ben in holy chirche. That is to knowe of the lyf actyf and the lyf contemplatyf.

AS wel for these thynges spoken as for the­se Caplm. xvij. thynges the whiche folowen is well for to be noted that holy chirche is comprysed in two estates. That is to knowe in the lyf actyf and in [Page] the lyf contemplatyf the whiche vnto vs ben well sygnyfyed by two women the doughters of one fader & of one moder / that is Martha and Mary mawdelayne dwellynge in one house the whiche chose our blessyd sauyour Jhesu cryste for to lodge there and enhabyte. The lyfe actyfe is the lyfe as of them that ben worldely the whiche vnto vs is sygnyfyed by Martha / the whiche was desyrous to lodge our lorde and his apostles / and to aparell them and to gyue them refeccyon in betokenynge that they of the lyfe actyfe ought for to excercyse them in the werkes of mercy corporall. The lyfe contemplatyf is the lyf of holy relygyon / and that vnto vs is sygnyfyed by Mary mawdelayne the syster of Martha / the whiche was at the feet of our lorde herkenynge ryght swetely the ryght ho­ly doctryne of our lorde the whiche is the brede and the refeccyon of the soule. By the whiche it appyreth that the lyf contemplatyf excedeth in valour and in dygnyte the lyfe actyfe / in as moche as the soule is more noble than the body / and the werkes of mercy spyrytuall ben more noble than these werkes corporall. For in lyke wyse as the ex­cercyse and occupacyon of the actyfe is ayenst the body. In lyke wyse the occupacyon of the lyf con­templatyfe is pryncypally ayenst these necessytees and for the prouffyte of the soule. But not with­standymge that the lyfe contemplatyfe is more hygher and more noble / she is not the lesse peryl­lous. For as moche as the estate is more hygher / the falle or the defaute that a man there in may do is the more greuous. And therfore may a man [Page] saye that euen in lyke wyse as the ryche worldely man of the lyfe actyfe is in payne and in thought for to gette and to augmente goodes temporall▪ fyrst for the necessyte of hymself and of his / and folowynge for to gyue and to departe vnto the po­re in place and in tyme after good prudence and that is the commaundement of god vpon the payne of deedly synne / and by the consequent vpon the payne of dampnacyon. In lyke wyse the per­sone relygyous and contemplatyfe consyderynge his pouerte and indygence spyrytuall and other necessytees without nombre as well in hymselfe as in his neyghbours enforced hym and laboured to socoure vnto the one and vnto the other / and of as moche as these dyuersytees as well corporall as spyrytuall ben the more gretter / of as moche gro­weth the payne and the thought in y • soule of the trewe relygyous man charytable and contempla­tyfe. Alas it is well vnderstande and consydered so many we see of the blynde / of meselles / the hal­te / the lame / croke backed / foule and mysshapen / the whiche well vnderstandeth by the sykenesse of the body / and than that of the soule is moche more greuous and also moche more for to be play­ned and redoubted than these sykenesses corpo­rall in as moche as the soule is a more gretter thynge than the body. And as now vnto the pur­pose who is more blynder than he the whiche gyueth or that leseth paradyse for to purchase helle / Also who is more rotten or stynkynge / and detestable before god and before all the courte of heuen than y e myserable synner / swollen by pryde / rotten [Page] foule / & stynkynge / by the synne of lecherye / wron­ge / crockyd / & myshappes by the synne of couetyse of J [...]e / & of enuye / & so of other synnes / in the whi­che the soule is ordeyned as well ayenst god as a­yenst his neyghbours / and also as broken and put out from the lygne & ordynaūce of nature. And for as moche he that loued his neyghbour as hymself & hym seeth spyrytually in suche aduersyte of syn­ne dampnable the whiche is the waye & the danger of eternall dampnacyon may not haue in his spy­ryte gladnes nor reste. But yt behoueth that of as moche as he loueth his neyghbours more or lesse / that of as moche / he is pyteous / heuy / and sorow­full of the grete ylle and excessyue foly of his frende. By the whiche appyreth the labour and pyte­ous thoughtes of the true contemplatyf / the whi­che seeth and consydereth all moost all the worlde out of the waye and go vnto perdycyon. It appy­red more ouer that as well in the lyf actyf as in the lyf contemplatyf / he hath grete and peryllous la­boure vnto whome well and merytoryously he wyl do his deuour / and that of good ryght / for payne thought and labour is the meane for to come vn­to the reame / vnto the whiche these blessyd be co­me in doynge hymself vyolence and by harde gre­te and stronge trybulacyons. And this vyolence dooth the ryght trewe contemplatyf in hymblyn­ge hymself truely & in repentynge hȳ & all his werkes power and of no valoure. For yf ony goodes A died [...]s [...]ohā [...]i [...] [...]e [...] celo (rum) vim pati [...] & violenti rapit illud. Math .x. there were founden he ought for to knowe verely that suche goodes cometh not of hymselfe but of the oonly bounte dyuyne the whiche is the fontay­ne [Page] of all perfeccyon / and in suche wyse humblyn­ge hym truely he feleth in hymself all mysery and imperfeccyon there is grete vyolence specyally in those worldely people the whiche begynne for to do well / as it is for to make restytucyon vnto an o­ther requyrynge pardonne / for to humble hym in [...]ntrynge in to relygyon or in betakynge other tre­we wayes of penaunce. For it is a thynge naturall vnto a creature reasonable for to desyre honour / glorye / and gladnes / pleasures / and all other excel­lentes and perfeccyons as well of the partye of the body as of the soule▪ But suche is the condycyon of this valey of mysery the whiche by humylyte it behoueth to come vnto honour / for to be vyle and dysprayse voluntaryly it behoueth to come vnto the glorye the whiche is without ende. By contry­cyon / sorowe / and pyte / dysease / compassyon / and mortyfycacyon / man hath purchased Joye / glad­nes and lyf eternall. And so all other thynges that may be sayd or thought of the one the contrarye behoueth for to come vnto the other. For it is im­possyble after the ordynaunce dyuyne for to haue paradyse in this worlde and in the other in comynge from Joyes / gladnesses / pleasures / and delytes worldely vnto the Joye and vnto the reame of pa­radyse. By the whiche a man may well vnderstande / as for to lyue he muste deye / for to haue Joye / he muste wepe to haue all goodnes for euer / hym behoueth for to renounce vnto hymself / that is vnto his sensualyte vnto his desyres worldely natu­rall / and all other goodes wordely and temporall / and for to take and enbrace hertely holy pouerte of [Page] spyryte aboue all the goodes worldely and tempo­rall. And by these thynges beforsayd may a man clerely vnderstande the errour & foly of these worl­dely p [...]ople the whiche with all theyr power sechen the felycyte worldely / for it is none other thynge to saye or to do but for to flee and renoūce vnto the beatytude eternall. Also may a man well vnder­stande that this meruayllous mutacyon and wer­ke of god whan the persone vayne and worldely hym conuerteth and retorneth for to take the waye of paradyse the whiche is penaunce / and that in so doynge hath grete vyolence as it is sayd. Also the persone contemplatyfe the whiche by the grace of A Cagitta volante in die a negocio ꝑ­ambulāte in tene­bris eb [...]cursu & de monio meridiano Psalmus. xc. god is trewely propred of all his desyres and pleasures vayne and worldely / ought soueraynly for to watche and for to kepe hym from the darte that the deuyll casteth subtylly / and ryght vnpyteously in the houre of myddaye / that is the synne of pre­sumptuous thoughtes or vayne glorye that he bryngeth vnto the creature by the reason o [...] holy estate of graces spirituell and good werkes the whiche of that maken a maner of lyght spyrytuall / and therfore they ben lykened vnto the houre of the myddaye / but oftentymes they ben the occasyon of pryde and of ruyne who is not ryght strongely armed with humylyte / and the whiche hath not before hym the bockeler of the f [...] of god. And vnto Beda. that purpose sayth the honourable Beda / that for the grete gyftes / graces / and reuelacyons that god hath made vnto saynt Poule. He was fallen in pryde and in vayne glorye / notwithstandynge his grete and synguler scyence yf god hath not [Page] letted the deuyll for to tempte hym moche horry­bly / and that / yf that temptacyon had not be / by the whiche he was in fere and in m [...]kenes he had ben fynably dampned. And therfore sayth well Isydore that the persone the whiche chaunged the Isidor [...]s. estate and lyfe from ylle vnto good / or from good vnto better / he ought soueraynly to take hede that the vayne glorye of his estate / of hie graces / and of his vertues make hym not falle more lower and more greuously than he was by his grete vyces & synnes. Also he sayth more ouer that for noblenes of estate / for conny [...]ge / for force / or other goodes of nature or of grace noo man ought for to truste in hymself or to gloryfye. For Lucyfer surmounted all erthely creatures in all gyftes and perfeccyons of nature / and neuertheles by his pryde and folys­she thynkynge is torned and fallen in to eternall dampnacyon. Also Adam fauted moche greuously Salomon with his grete scyence. Dauyd with his holynes / sayn [...] Peter with his hardenes and with his stedfastnes / many Heremytes and Relygyous of grete & excellent perfeccyon ben fynably fallen / and all comenly by folysshe thoughtes & presumpcyon of theyr estate. And therfore sayth saynt Au­styn Augustinus. that more it pleased vnto god the persone the whiche of synnes maketh humble confessyon than of hym the whiche of his graces & vertues hym gyueth vnto pryde & presumpcyon. And this vnto vs is declared in the gospell by the example of the publycane Luce. xviij. the whiche was a man mylcheuous and worldely / and of the pharysee of grete relygyon / of the whiche the synner publycane humbled hymself [Page] before god in sayenge and cryenge that he was not worthy for to lyfte vp the face ayenst the s [...]ye / and the pharysee hym gloryfyed in bryngynge in to his mynde how oftentymes he fasted / he payed the demes / he gaue almesse and many other good dedes / by the whiche he Juged in hymself that he was moche better than these other / and that he resembled not vnto these synners worldely. And by suche pryde and boostynge he was by the sen­tence of Jhesu cryste reproued and condampned / and the poore publycane by his contrycyon and humylyte approued and Justyfyed.

¶ Here folowen thre reasons by the whiche we may be enduced to fere and to mekenes.

HOr to holde hym in fere and mekenes without Caplm. xviij praysynge hymself or grauntynge vn­to ony vayne glorye for the estate of perfeccyon / or ony other vertues or merytes. Here folowen thre reasons taken and drawen out of the booke of lyf of Jhesu cryste by the whiche well comprysed and vnderstande the spyryte deuoute and contempla­tyfe may take grete meruayllous strength ayenst his enemye the deuyll his aduer [...]arye and feruour to prouffyte from good vnto better. The fyrst reason is that yf we consyder afte [...] our lytell power the hyghnes infynyte of the dyuyne maieste / his wysdome / his bounte / his honour / and his puys­saunce / and these other perfeccyons infynyte the whiche ben in god / by the whiche he is worthy to be honoured / serued / fered / and loued. We knowe [Page] clerely that all that that we may do / saye / or thyn­ke in regarde of these thynges abouesayd / is lesse tha [...] nought / as is of our parte. And therfore to pryde hym for suche seruy [...]e or ony good werkes it is a grete folye / and after some thynges more gre­ [...]ouser and vnto god more dyspleasure than the pryde of Lucyfer. The reason of good ryght is the fyrste for as moche as all our werkes ought to be done pryncypally for the honour and glorye of god. The seconde reason is that yf we consyder the mekenes of our lorde Jhesu cryst the Jniu [...]yes and reproues / and the paynes & labours / and fynally the deth & [...]ffusyon of his precyous blood / and how he hath all swetly borne & endured more than ony vnderstandynge creature may speke or thynke / and how all that he hath pryncypally endured to the entente that he may haue the lawe of our her­ [...]es / for the whiche loue vnto vs yet he wyll gyue by his ryght abondaūt grace hymselfe / his glorye / and his reame. We see clerely that all our good werkes in comparyson of soo ryght grete & payn­full passyon and of the grete goodes of glory / where in we truste ben lesse than nought. This reason of good ryght vnto the seconde / for as moche that she touche [...] more hyer & incompreuable mater as these [...]he whiche folowen / as is the passyon of Jhe­su cryste and of the glorye of paradyse. The thyr­ [...] reason is that yf we consyder the innocence and the perfeccyon that we haue promysed and vowed vnto holy baptem / the whiche we sholde holde and kepe before god / as is his cōmaundement to loue hym with all our herte / with all our thought / and [Page] with all our myght and vertues. Also our neygh­bours as our selfe. And also that for to please our blessyd creatour we sholde be annorned with all vertues / as is fayth / hope / charyte / humylyte / pa­cyence / obedyence / chastyte / and so of all other ma­ner of vertues We fynde in a dystaunce / also as in­fynyte and in the depe dyche of vnkyndenes and of all imperfeccyn. The fourth reason is that yf we consyder the grete graces and grete benefyces that god vnto vs hath done and doth contynually as well in generall as in partyculer / as well vnto the regarde of the body as of the soule. We see de­rely that we ben acountable ayenst hym without our power hym to acquyte of as moche as he is a more gretter thynge and a more vaylable than we for whome he it is all gyueth the whiche thynge is infynyte. For he vnto vs hath gyuen his ymage and his semblaunce in our creacyon. God the fa­der vs gyueth his oonly and his ryght dere sone naturall for our redempcyon. The whiche sone vs gyueth his ryght holy flesshe / his swete herte / and his ryght precyous blood for a ryght dygne and spyrytuall refeccyon. The blessyd holy goost also vnto vs gyueth his gyftes and his graces / and by spyrytuall infusyon. All the blessyd trynyte it pro­mytteth for to gyue vnto vs eternall beatyfycacy­on. And in recompense of suche thynges all our dede is as no thynge in the whiche it appyreth wel the folysshe presumpcyon of many peple the whi­che wenen for to preuayle in grete thynges before god. The fyfth reason is that yf we consyder mo­re ouer and in partyculer the honour / the Joye / the [Page] noblenes and the ryches of paradyse / the whiche is without ende and without measure / as it is to see the blessyd trynyte thre persones in one essence of dyuynyte. To see in lyke wyse with our eyes cor­porell the ryght holy humanyte of our sauyour Jhesus the whiche shall gyue vnto all his fayth­full and gloryous chosen pleasaunte lokes / enbra­synges and swete kyssynges. To see also the swe­te virgyn Mary moder & quene of all chosen. To see also the gerarchyes heuenly and ordres of angelles. To see and vnderstande the vnyon of all the court celestyall. And how by charyte he is taken & the parfyte goodnes and glorye of that one is the welth and the loue of that other / for euery man that loued his neyghbour as hymself hym enioyed of the glorye of his neyghbours as of his owne / By this consyderacyon it appyreth clerely that that ony humayne creature may do for to come vnto suche a College and vnto suche honour is lesse than nought. The sixte reason is that we consy­der profundely the grete dyfferent of a soule the whiche is in the estate of grace / vnto y t the whiche is in deedly synne. We see that that one is the doughter of god by grace and by adopcyon enhe­rytour of paradyse / and the espouse of Jhesu cry­ste the temple of the holy goost / sanctuary and the habytacle of all the blessyd trynyte / ryght fayre and ryght pleasaunte enorned and enryched with noble vertues more bryghter and more shynynge spyrytually than euer may do the sonne corporally But all the contrarye is it of the soule in mortall sȳne for she is y e doughter & seruytour by īuocacōn [Page] of our goodly enemye the vessell the stynkynge delytes & vanytees worldely / the temple of ydolatres deuyllesshe / the fals and vnfaythfull rybande the whiche hath broken the fayth & the maryage by­twene her & the kynge of kynges Jhesus the sone of god the fader for to submytte her vnto the styn­kynge lechery of y e mesell of deuyll angell apostat By the whiche she is vyle / horryble stynkynge more than ony carayne as well before god as before all the sayntes of paradyse. By the whiche it appyreth that we sholde moche enforce vs to seche y e one estate & to flee the other in as moche as they ben of dyfference. And in so doynge yf god gyue vs not y e grace / there is none the whiche worldely hym may thanke. The seuenth reason for to see and knowe our feblenes and lyfell valure / is in the consydera­cyon of the lyf and of the vertues of holy faders / apostelles / martyres / confessours / & virgyns. Who where not of yron / or of stele / no more than we be who haue resyste vnto the temptacyons of the de­uyll / matted and vaynquysshed theyr bodyes by meruayllous penaunce and abstynence / dyspray­sed the worlde / & suffred martyrdoms terryble all oonly to thynke / haue purchased merytes / the fere and loue of god / holdynge and kepynge the waye of all holynes some in aege of theyr tendre youth / as these blessyd virgyns sayntes and martyrs. Ka­theryne. Margarete. Annes. Barbare / and other without nombre in dyuers ages / estates / and vocacyons. And we the whiche haue theyr lyues by do­ctryne & example & y e lyght of myracles y t god hath done for to approue y e holynes of theyr lyues. And [Page] that the whiche is more we haue theyr aydes & in­tercessyons how be it vnto vs they speke not. And notwithstandynge all these thyngꝭ we ben laches. frowarde & brought lyghtly to falle & torne to im­pacyence / in to murmuracyon / in to vnhope / & in to dyspayre. By the whiche appyreth well our ly­tell fraylte & lytell valour in all these estates y e whiche at this daye ben vpon the erthe. That is the yere a thousande & fyue hondred after the Incarna­cyon & the yeres six thousande six hondred thre sco­re & six that the worlde began after the conuocacyon of the Hebrewes & maner of nombre. The. viij reason is y t yf euery lynner sholde consyder the greuousnes y e grete nombre & vnkyndenes of his syn­nes & y e rygour of the Justyce dyuyne he sholde knowe clerely y t all the penaunce & all the seruyce y e he may do vnto god tyll vnto y e ende of the worlde in byenge ayen y e payne due vnto his synnes / it shol­de be a thynge of lytell valour in comparyson of y e dette in y e whiche we be boūde for our sȳnes. The ix. reason is y t yf we consyder perfyte y e dyuers maners & occasyons the whiche in an hondred thou­sande maners comen & proceden by successyon of tyme as well of y e partye of the worlde as of y e excuse of the deuyll & of y e fraylnes of our power & myserable condicyon / we sholde defye aboue all of our strength & our me [...]tes & vertues in retornynge vs aboue all vnto god by y e true hope y t euery true cry­sten man ought to haue in god his creatour fon­tayne & depnes of mercy & of all swetnes. The .x. reason is that yf we consyder the Jugement of god ryght Juste the whiche is done at the houre of deth [Page] and how hym behoueth to yelde acoūpte of all the goodes y t we haue receyued ben they goodes of na­ture / of fortune / or of grace / tyll vnto the laste far­dynge & of all the tyme of our lyf tyll vnto the closynge of the eye. In lyke wyse also the purenes of conscyence / the ornament of merytes & of vertues that we shall haue before god & the satysfaccyon of synnes y t other tymes we haue cōmytte / we shall see clerely y t our goodnes is a lytell thynge as vnto y t y t we myght haue done in comparyson of thyngꝭ be­forsayd / & ryght grete is our iperfeccyon. The .xi. reason for to holde vs in fere & in mekenes is that yf we consydre the shortnes of this lyf / the necessyte to deye / the incertayne of y e houre of a moment & of the estate we see clerely y t to lytell is the preparacyon / the fere / & the dysposycyon the whiche shol de be in vs for to receyue suche auenture. The .xij. reason is that yf we consydre the sayenge of saynt Gregory / that is to vnderstande y t those the which wyll come vnto saluacōn sholde alwayes go from good vnto better / & moūte from vertue vnto vertue or elles they go behynde by slouth & neclygence / we see clerely that ryght lytell is the profyte / & ryght grete & peryllous our slouth & neclygence. The .xiij reason is that yf we consydre perfytly the grete & horryble paynes of helle / as vnto the oppresseth as vnto the dyuersyte vnto the multytude as well a­yenst the body as ayenst the soule and the eternyte of them the whiche euery synner deserued in com­myttynge mortall synne / we knowe that all the penaunce that we haue done in tyme paste / and that we may doo tyll vnto the ende of the worlde / it is [Page] a ryght lytell thynge / and also as no thynge yf were not the meryte of the blessyd passyon in compa­ryson of our synnes. Also we sholde enforce vs of body & of soule to holde suche lyf by the whiche we may escape y e paynes beforsayd y e whiche ben more greter than man may tell or thynke so as wytnes­seth saynt Austyn. These .xiij. reasons ben noted & drawen out of y e boke of y e lyf of Jhesu cryst in gre­te shortnes. For y e spyryte deuoute & contemplatyf vnto this proprete as w e fewe wordes dyuyned / he can rede & vnderstande grete & meruayllous sentences. And this is done by the ayde & vertue of y e holy goost / the whiche en [...]umyned & lyfteth y e soule vp­warde from the puyssaūces naturelles & hym ma­keth to taste and to sauour the worde of god what so euer it be. For it is the meete spyrytuell the whiche gyueth nourysshynge / force / augmentacyon / and puyssaūce / vnto euery persone the whiche hath in hym the helte of grace. Also it is to be noted that the resolucyon / ende / and conclusyon of eue­ry one of these .xiij. reasons aboue sayd is in two poyntes. The fyrst is to the ende that the persone the whiche this present aduysement well reded & denoutly studyed may in trewe humylyte haue clere knowlege of the lytelnes and imperfeccyon of all his werkes what so euer they be / by the whiche knowlege he hym shall defende from all vayne glory and shall see clo [...]ely the grete foly and derkenes of ypocresye / vayne glorye / and folysshe though­tes. The seconde poynt is y t the persone the whiche wyll here founde his medytacyon may & ought to take feruour & desyre to profyte in graces. in viues [Page] in clymmynge from steyre to steyre without euer hym to contempte tyll vnto that that she may co­me vnto the vysyon of god in the royalme of paradyse. The whiche by his blessyd grace vnto vs wyl gyue the fader / and the sone / and the holy goost / one god in trynyte of persones.

¶Here foloweth the thyrde partye of this booke in the whiche is made mencyon of the seuen wer­kes of mercy and it conteyneth fyue chapytres.

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¶The Prologue.

AFter the treatyse of haptem / of the artycles of the fayth / & of the cōmaundementes of the lawe / with the seuen deedly synnes / here folo­weth the .vij. werkes of mercy / & suche is the reason [Page] of this ordre. For after saynt Gregory as moche as Quātū credis tm̄ sꝑas (quam)tū credis & spastm̄ diligis (quam)t [...] ̄ credis sꝑastm̄ dili­gistm̄ oparis. gre. the persone hath of fayth & of hope / as moche and no more hath of charyte / and as moche as he hath of charyte / he hath of the werkes of mercy. That is to knowe / yf he haue lytell of charyte he hath lytell of good werkes. By the werkes than shal be knowen the fayth / the hope / and the charyte. For as it is sayd before / the fayth is deed the whiche bereth not the werkes of mercy. By the whiche it is for to knowe that mercy is a noble vertue by the whiche a man hath compassyon and pyte of his neyghbour and of his mysery and necessyte. For whan it is so that by the commaundement of god euery creature ought for to loue his neyghbour as hymself / it foloweth that the ylle of an other ought for to be the pyte and compassyon of a true crysten man obedyent vnto the cōmaundementes of god of nature. And for as moche as man is of two natures / that is to knowe corporall and spyrytuall / in euery of these two partyes / he there may haue pouerte / sykenes / or other necessyte. There are two maners of mercyes / that is for to knowe corporell and spyrytuell.

¶Here foloweth the seuen werkes of mercy in ge­nerall. Caplm [...]mū

THe werkes of mercy corporall ben compry­sed A fructt [...]ꝰ co (rum) co­gnosceteos. Mat. vii. Petā tua cle­mosinis redie. da. x. Sicut aq̄ extin­guit ignē ita ele­mosina extinguit petm̄. Augꝰ. Ele­mo [...]na a morte li­berat & ip̄a ē q̄put gat petā & facit in­uen [...]re vitā eternā Tho .xii. Amen dico vobis qd vni ex mininus meis fecistis mihi fecistis. math. xxv Itē ambro. in ser. [...]rcie d [...]ce de ad [...]tu dnī. Deus (que) ­uis offensus (que)uis petis ꝓuocatꝰ cogitur liberare elēosinis quē disposue­tat punire peccatꝭ Beati misericor­des qm̄ ip̄i miam cō sequ [...]t̄. math .xv. Item mathei .xix. L [...]tuplū accipietꝭ [...] vitā eternā possi debitis. Esuriui & n [...] ded [...]stꝭ mihi mā ducare. math. xxv Discedite maledi [...]t [...] in ignē eternū. [...]. Math [...] .xxv. & vnderstande in these verses here. Vi­sito. poto. cibo. vedimo. tego. colligo. condo. Of cor­porell shall be spoken fyrst / & of the spyrytuell consequently in procedynge fron the lest vnto y • gretest [Page] to do & accomplysshe the werkes of mercy corporel ayenst his neyghbour / a thynge of grete profyte / a thynge due / & a thynge necessary vnto saluacyon. Fyrst it is a thynge of grete profyte / for as wytnesseth the holy scrypture / in lyke wyse as the water quenched the fyre / in lyky wyse almesdede & mercy putteth awaye the synnes / nor it may not be done that the soule the whiche truely hath done mercy in this worlde gooth vnto payne & torment in the other. For god of mercy infynyte loued as well euery poore [...]rrature humayne / the whiche hath pacy­ence in his pouerte / mysery / or necessyte / where that the whiche vnto hym is done of goodes and of pleasure for the loue of hym and of charyte it is reputed for to be done vnto hymselfe. And god god the whiche defended the synne of vnkyndenes the whiche is not to knowe the goodnes and plea­sure y t man hath receyued of an other / wyll graūt the good the whiche hath ben done for the loue of hym after as it apperteyned vnto his dyuyne ma­ieste. And for that he promyseth mercy and the re­alme of paradyse vnto all them the whiche accomplysshe the werkes of mercy / and dampnacyon e­ternall the whiche in place and in tyme due them do not accomplysshe. By the whiche it appyreth that to excercyse hym in the werkes of mercy is a thynge of grete and inestymable prouffyte / and for to do the contrary it is the perdycyon of all good­nes. Also it is a thynge oblygatorye / for all that that man may haue in this worlde / be it the bo­dy / the soule / or the goodes worldely / he holdeth all of god / ben they temporell or spyrytuell. Who cō ­maundeth [Page] vpon the payne of deth that a man do mercy vnto his neyghbour / for elles a man shall not fynde the mercy of god / without the whiche no Estote misericor­des sicut p [...] vester misericors ē. lu. vi creature may haue saluacyon. And here appyreth the excellent mercy and bounte infynyte of god a­yenst nature humayne / vnto whome he gyueth the goodes worldely and temporall / by the whiche she may purchase the goodes of glorye the whiche ben eternall. But here may be demaunded of hym the A questyon. whiche hath desyre hym for to saue by what com­maundement and by what lawe he is bounde for to do mercy / and in what maner he ought for to seche it. By the whiche it is for to vnderstande that for to do mercy it is commaunded in the lawe of nature / in the lawe dyuyne / and in the lawe Ca­non. The lawe of nature commaunded for to lo­ue his neyghbour / for naturally euery thynge lo­ueth his semblable. Now it is so that yf true loue Oē aial diligit si­bi sile. Probatio dilectōis exhibitio est oꝑis. Eregoriꝰ Amice ad [...]d ven [...] sti. Mathei .xxvi. be in the herte / she is sheweth by werkes outwar­de yf it be possyble / for elles there is no loue. Also the lawe dyuyne cōmaunded for to loue his neyghbour as hymselfe / and in that doynge promytteth god the lyf of glorye / and vnto them that do it not the deth eternall. The seuen werkes of mercy ben Nō m [...]mini mala morte mortuū [...] l [...] benter oꝑa pietas exercuit. hꝪ ei multos ītercessores et īpossibile ē orōes multo (rum) n̄ exaudiri Amb. in li. de offi. vnderstande to be cōmaunded in the fourth com­maundement the whiche is for to honour fader & moder. Also the lawe Canon cōmaunded to do so­cour vnto thy neyghbour in necessyte / who so euer loued god loued that that loueth hym / and therfo­re sayth a man comenly / he that loued me loued my hounde. Now is it so that god loued euery er­thely persone / as it appyreth by the gospell the sa­me [Page] of his traytour Judas. Or elles he vnto hym he sholde not gyue lyfe beynge nor no substaunce and he sholde not tarye for to penaunce. By the whiche it behoueth for to conclude / that who so loueth not his neyghbour / loueth not god in lyke wyse as he commaundeth hym. But reste for to see whan and in what maner a man ought to ac­complysshe the commaundement to do mercy vp­on payne of deedly synne. By the whiche it is to be noted that whan ony persone hath of the goo­des of this worlde after the necessyte of his estate and of his condycyon / and more ouer hath habondaunce of goodes of the whiche he it may well spare and his neyghbour it requyre in his grete neces­syte F [...]i eliosinā pau­ꝑis ne defraudes. Et se [...]tur. Redde illi debitū tuū. ecl. quarto ca. that he hym ayde by lone or other wyse of his habondaunce / the whiche he entendeth nor for to leue / as well or better in other werkes of charyte / than yf that he by his coueytousnesse defaute of charyte he it refuseth vnto his neyghbours / he synneth there in mortally. In the whiche it appyreth clerely that the synne and the peryll of dampna­cyon of them the whiche haue habondaūce of worldely goodes / and they see from daye to daye grete multytude of poore people in trybulacyon & neces­syte without yeldynge and payenge them that that they vnto them sholde by the ryght of nature and the commaundement of god / that is for to do vn­to Quā difficile di­ues itrabit regnū [...]elo (rum). Math .xix. them almesse and charyte. And therfore sayth Jhesu cryste in the gospell / that they that haue habondaunce of worldely goodes / with grete pay­ne Diuicias [...] pauꝑtates ne dederis mi­hi s [...] victu [...] meo tribue necessaria. shall haue the realme of paradyse. By the whi­che Thobye replete with the holy goost / requyred [Page] of god that he wolde not gyue hym in this worlde grete habondaūce of rychesses / but all oonly vnto the necessyte of this lyf. The whiche thynge is moche [...]e [...]tit amor [...] ­mi (que)tū ipsa pecu­ [...]ia crescit. Ora. contrarye vnto the couetyse of these worldely people / the whiche haue neuer suffycent for ony habondaunce / but alwayes desyren to haue more / not all oonly for to gyue habondauntly / but for y e appetyte insacyable to fede. Reste than to see of e­uery werke of mercy in partyculer.

¶Here foloweth of euery werke of mercy in par­tyculer.

THe fyrste werke of mercy / that is to gyue Caplm .ij. meete vnto hym the whiche is in necessyte / for without mete no man may lyue nor longe endure. The seconde is to gyue drynke. for without drynke no man may dygeste nor conserue the helth of the body humayne / and it ought for to be vnder­stande of them the whiche ben in pouerte / in sy­kenes / in age / or other necessyte / wherfor they may not gette theyr lyuynge / and they haue none other the whiche vnto them mynystreth. Or of those the whiche haue auouwed pouerte euangelyke / and not of other the whiche may well gete theyr ly­uynge / but by theyr slouth and trewandyse they wolde lyue of almesse without labour. The thyr­de is for to cloth [...] and to couer the poore humayne bodyes of his neyghbours. The fourth is for to gadre in to his hous these poore pylgrymes / and them the whiche haue not where for to harborowe them. The fyfth is by pyte and compassyon for [Page] to vysyte the syke people in doynge vnto them ay­de & consolacyon. The sixt is to ayde the poore prysoners to delyuer them & put them at lyberte. The seuenth is to burye them that ben deed / in dede or in wyll yf other is accomplysshe not. For the good wyll suffyseth before god / whan a man may not do it in werke outwarde / or that other the whiche hath more greter dysposycyon it putteth in execu­cyon.

¶ Here foloweth the circūstaūces for to accomplysshe the werkes of mercy merytoryously.

IN that y t these werkes of mercy beforsayd Cap [...]m. iij. ben vnto god pleasaūt & merytoryous vnto saluacyon / they ought to be done Joyfully / chary­tably / lyberally / and faythfully. Fyrst they ought for to be done Joyfully / sythen that god promyt­teth that for one peny gyuen he hym shall yelde an Cētuplū accipiet [...] & vitā eternā possi debi [...]. Math. xix. hondred. That is for to saye for these lytell worl­dely temporall goodes dystrybuted and gyuen for the loue of hym / he shall gyue the goodes spyry­tuell of grace in this worlde / and the royalme of glorye in paradyse. The whiche ben more greter thynges in regarde of goodes temporall than is the nombre of an hondred / for to see an hondred myllyons in comparyson of one. And this vnder­standen ryght euyll these worldely people the whi­che ryght Joyously gyuen▪ vnto the deuyll grete thynges by large dyspenses done in pompes / in boostynges / and in excedynge of dyuers abylymentes and grete gyftes vnto the ryche worldely peo­ple [Page] / but with grete payne and with grutchynge they gyuen an half peny or a peny vnto Jhesu cryste. Secōdely almesdede ought to be done charyta­bly / that is that a man hath loue vnto god and vnto his neyghbours. And of this haue we an exam­ple in Cayn and Abell / and for that that Abell Si offers mun [...] tuum ad altare & ibi recordatꝰ fue [...] qrfrat tuꝰ habuerit ali [...]d aduersū terelinq̄ ibi munꝰ tuum an̄ altare & vade priꝰ recōsiliari fratri tuo & tūc ven [...]ēs offeres munꝰ tuū. Math. v. was in charyte his oblacyons / sacryfyces / and al­mesdedes were to god acceptable and not those of Cayn / for that that he hated his neyghbour. And therfore sayth our lorde in the gospell / yf thou of­fre ony thynge vnto god haue fyrste charyte vnto thy neyghbour / for otherwyse it is not vnto god pleasaūt nor profytable vnto saluacyon. Thyrdly almesdede ought to be done lyberally / that is to saye with good wyll after thy power / in lyke wyse as Thobye taught his sone. Yf y u haue grete abondaunce gyue abondauntly / yf thou haue lytell gy­ue lytell / yf thou haue meane gyue meane / for Jhe­su cryst wylled & cōmaundeth that his almesdedes ben prudent and dyscrete. And that is ayenst them the whiche gyuen vnto bastelours. vnto trewandes & other dysceyuers of the people the whiche haue no good tytle for to begge / or the whiche sholde labour and gete theyr lyuynge. Fourthly almesdede Honora d [...]m detua substancia. [...] ­uer. iii. Qui offert sacrificiū de sub­stācia pauꝑis sicut [...] victimat filiū in [...]spectu pris. ccc [...]. [...] ought to be done faythfully / that is to vnderstan­de of a thynge of valour / & at tyme & place where it ought to be done. Also almesdede ought to be do­ne of the propre substaūce of hym the whiche doth it / and not of an other mānes goodes / and of that the whiche ought for to be restored. Also it ought Miserere a [...]e tue bn̄placēs deo. cc [...]. for to be done ordynatly / that is for to knowe vn­to hym selfe fyrste / and folowyngly vnto theym [Page] vnto whome a man is moost beholden by the lawe of nature / as is fader and moder / syster and br [...] ­der / and so of other. For otherwyse it is to vnder­stāde to dysprayse his neyghbour in necessyte / and to ayde hym the whiche sholde be a straunger / it sholde be cruelte more than it sholde be mercy or charyte. How be it they ben grete these werkes do­ne and accomplysshed in the estate of grace vnto god pleasaunte and prouffytable vnto the soule / it appyreth by the gospell where god vs techeth that of that he sholde holde his Jugement / in say­enge vnto them the whiche haue accomplysshed the sayd werkes of mercy. Come you ye blessyd of [...]enite [...]dicti pa [...]ris mei possidete ꝑatū vobis regnū a [...]stitutiōe mūdi. Esuriui & dedistis [...]ihi [...] māducare &c Math .xxv. Amē dico vobis qd vniex minimis meis fe [...] mihi fecistis Math .xxv. god my fader and receyue the realme of paradyse the whiche is made redy vnto you from the begynnynge of the worlde. I haue hadde hongre and thorste and ye haue gyuen me meete and drynke / I haue ben a pylgryme and ye haue herborowed me. I had nede of clothes and ye haue clothed me. I haue ben syke and ye haue vysyted me. I haue ben in pryson and ye haue recomforted me. And than these blessyd shall demaunde not by Igno­raunce / but by admyracyon. Our mayster kynge and lorde whan we see the to haue thorste and hongre / we the recomforted. And the blessyd Jhesu cryste vnto them shall answere. Trewely I saye you that / that the whiche ye haue done vnto one of the leste of my bredern I it repute for to be done as vnto my self. Also he shall saye vnto theym the whiche shall be on the lyfte hande the whiche ha­ue done no werkes of mercy. Departe you fro me acursyd of god / and ye shall go to the fyre of helle [Page] eternall the whiche vnto you is made redy with the deuylles. I haue had hongre and thorste and ye haue not gyuen me that I myght drynke and e [...]te. I haue demaunded lodgynde / and ye wolde not lodge me. I haue ben naked & ye wolde not clothe me. I haue ben syke and ye wolde not bysyte me. Than these accursyd shall saye by admyracyon. Lorde whan we see the to haue hongre and thorste demaundynge lodgynge / syke and in necessyte we haue not comforted the. Than Jhesu cryste vnto them shall answere. I saye you in that that ye haue not had wyll to doo vnto the poore for the loue of me / ye me haue [...]efused to do. And sythen that it is so that ye wolde not lodge me in your houses in the persone of my poore people. I ought not you nor wyll not lodge you in the royalme of pa­radyse. And therfore go you with all the deuylles in to the fyre of helle eternall. And here is the sen­tence and consummacyon of all the worlde and of the grete Jugement that all folke abydes. By the whiche sentence it apyreth that moche more noble more sure and more dygne is the estate of holy po­uerte / or of lyfe contemplatyfe / than of rychesses worldely / the whiche is the lyfe actyfe. Also euery creature ought well to take hede in his herte yf he be poore ryche or meane. The poore by what tytle in what necessyte / and by what intencyon / he re­quyreth and taketh almesse / for yf in beggynge he maketh hym poore or impotent for to wynne his lyuynge he synned ryght greuously as a theef and is boūde to make restytucyon. In the whiche it appyreth the theeft and dampnacyon of many [Page] the which renne thrugh crystendom / y • which after men theyr lesynges and falsenes / that many ab­bayes / chirches / hospytalles / colleges and monaste ryes that they namen may not be susteyned reedy­fyed nor the poore people to be comforted without the almesdede of people / of whome they demaun­den oftentymes for to enryche themself. The mea­ne is he the whiche is neyther ryche nor poore / but all oonly hath his necessyte that he receyueth for suffysaunce. And he is in as grete surete as the ry­che is in grete daunger. For to gyue vnduely it is a thynge of punycyon / and not to gyue what cha­ryte it cōmaunded / and necessyte it requyred / it is ayenst god / and he synned / and this is as now vn­to the werkes of mercy corporall.

¶Here foloweth the werkes of mercy spyrytuall.

HEre foloweth of the werkes of mercy spy­rytuell Caplm .iiij. of the whiche it is for to vnderstande that durynge this lyf there ben two estates / or two maner of lyues. That is the estate of the lyf actyf as ben people maryed or not maryed / ben they no­blesse / burgeyses / marchaundes / labourers / or of ony oter crafte / of the whome the vocacyon and occupacyon ben in these thynges worldely and er­thely. The other estate is of them of the lyfe con­templatyfe / as ben the people of the chirche / and pryncypally relygyous men who sholde take hede vnto the seruyce of god / and vnto thynges spyry­tuall [Page] / as well for them as for those of the lyf acty▪ By the meane of whome they be susteyned in theyr necessytees corporelles / that notwithstandynge it is ryght conuenyent that the one estate take par­te with the other / for none ought for to be all oon­ly actyue / but that he haue some thynge of the ly­ue contemplatyue. And in lyke wyse the contem­platyue hym ought for to excercyse in some occu­pacyon corporell in place and in tyme after good dyscrecyon / and for as moche as the lyfe actyue is good / and also that the lyfe contemplatyue is mo­che more better / he that myght perfaytly haue the­se tweyne he sholde be ryght parfyte for the estate of this presente lyfe. But for to haue parfaytly these two thynges it is the synguler preuylege of the holy blessyd virgyn Mary and of Jhesu cryste her oonly sone in as moche as he is man. For two lyues vnto vs were full well sygnyfyed and fygu­red in Martha and in Mary Mawdelayne / as it is sayd before / with the whiche women systers / and dwellers in one selfe house the blessyd Jhesu Intrauit [...]ꝰ qd dā castellsi. Luc .x. cryste w t his apostles toke his lodgynge / shewynge vnto vs y t he wolde be & dwelle in the house of holy chirch cōposid & vnyed of these two lyues beforsayd in lyke wyse as y e body & the soule ben but one ꝑso­ne. And for as moche y t no man may come from y t lyf vnto y e realme of paradyse but by y e way of [...]cy In lyke wyse as these actyues ben pryncypally boū de vnto y e werkes of mercy corporall so as it hath ben made mencyon before for as moche as they haue y e goodes worldely & corporall. Euen in lyke wyse those of y e lyf contēplatyf thē pryncypaly occupy [Page] and excercyse these werkes of mercy spirytuell. For Estote misericor­ [...]es sicut pater ve [...]er misericors est Luce .vi. of as moche as the soule is a more gretter thynge than the body / of as moche these pouertees / syknesses / & indygence of the soule may be more gretter than those of the body. And vnto this purpose we Exemplum. rede suche an example. There was but late an holy heremyte excellent in contemplacōn / & in the exer­cyte or vsynge of lyf spyrytuall / the whiche y t not w t standynge he coūseylled w t an other holy abbot touchynge the dede of conscyence vnto hym declaryn­ge y t he hath yet such pouerte & defaute of perfeccōn that whan he seeth the synnes & imperfeceyons of some of his crysten broder / he [...]e hym myght well and Joyously receyue in his company. But ryght gladly he receyueth those in whome he knoweth grete goodnes & them he socoureth Joyously in theyr necessytees. And than the holy abbot seynge the imperfeccyon of hym the whiche sholde haue dyscrecyon of necessytees humayne & more to peyse the spyrytuelles than the corporelles / he began to wepe in sayenge. Alas wel we sholde ameruayle y • innocence of humayne bodyes / for ayenst the grete mercy of our neyghbours we ben dulled & auenged more cruelly than bestes. For hogges & other bestes & byrdes sayenge theyr semblable cryenge & in so­me necessyte / them enforce to socour thē & to shewe them the sygne of compassyon. And therfore I an­swere the vnto y t y t y u hast purposed vnto me y • in receyuynge Joyously the good ꝑsone y u doost a lytell good / but yf y u receyue pyteously & in cōpassyon the poore synner in shewynge hȳ his saluacyon y u dost a more gretter almesdede in as moche as he is in [Page] more greter necessyte than the good persone. He sholde be ryght dulle & full of grete cruelte y e whi­che seeth his very broder almoost rotten of meselle­ry deye & in anguysshe of hongre & of thorste / boū ­de & imprysoned in the pryson of his mortall ene­myes yf he hym may ayde & conforte / & he hym leued before he deyed without hauynge of hym pyte & compassyon. Now is it than so that mortall synne in the soule of our crysten broder is moche hor­ryble mesellery & more greter pouerte & wretchyd­nes than is the necessyte corporell before sayd. By the whiche it appyreth in what pyte & compassyon sholde be the whiche see from daye to daye so ma­ny of synnes & so horryble as well in our self as in our broder crysten men. And therfore ought well to take hede euery creature in ryght of hymself the meane to acquyte hym in accomplysshynge y e wer­kes of mercy spyrytuell / the whiche ben pryncypa­ly seuen vnderstanden by the latyn that foloweth. Lonsule / castiga / solare / remitte / fer / ora. That is to saye that euery man is boūde in place & in tyme to coūseyll & to teche his neyghbour. To chastyse hym yf it apertayne. To pardōne hym his defau­te. To comforte hym. To endure. And for his ne­cessyte vnto god & vnto his sayntes to make deuoute orysons.

Here folowen .xij. maners of almesdedes spirytuell.

AFter some doctours mercy spyrytuell is dy­uysed Caplm .v. in .xij. braūches. The fyrst is whan a man pardonned whylfully for y e loue of god them [Page] the whiche haue offended. And it is vnderstanden whan they them repente & requyre pardonne / or where a man is redy & appareylled that to do as many tymes & as often as they wyll requyre par­donne. How moche suche werke is vnto god plea­saūte Si dimiseri [...] hol­b [...] petā [...]o [...] dimit­tet vobis p [...] v [...] ce­ [...]s de [...]ta vrā. Si aūt nō dim [...]se­ [...] [...]oib [...] nec patvrster dimittet vobis petā vrā. Ma­the [...]. vi. it appyreth by the gospell by the whiche our lorde sayth & promytted that yf we pardonne par­fectly for the loue of hym vnto our neyghbours the offence that they haue cōmytted ayenst vs / he vnto vs pardonned the grete offences & infynyte that we haue done ayenst hym / as oftentymes & as many as we trespassen his cōmaundement and it is that that we hym requere from daye to daye whan we saye our Pater noster. Et dimitte nobis debi­ta nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus no­stris. That is for to saye god our fader wyll ye pardonne vs our grete and infynyte defautes that we haue cōmytted ayenst you. In lyke wyse as for the loue of you we pardonne our neyghbours the lytell offences that they haue cōmytted ayenst vs / The peryll not to accomplysshe this werke and commaundement appyreth clerely by that / that Jhesu cryste sayth in the gospell that yf we par­donne not with herte vnto those the whiche hath vs offended / god the fader shall neuer pardonne vs the grete offences that we vnto hym haue done. And soo for to do vnto vs he wolde well gyue an example on the tree of the crosse whan he pardon­ned Pater dimitte il­ [...]s nō ei nesciūt [...]d faciūt. Luce. xxiii. them the whiche made hym to deye in prayen­ge swetly god y e fader for them. We sholde put out the rancoure & ylle wyll of mysdede & shewe in de­de & in wordes tokens of loue vnto hym the whiche [Page] duely hym repented But vnto hȳ the whiche requy­red not pardon it suffysed to pardon y e rancoure & to shewe hȳ tokens of loue in wordes or other wyse And this is of perfeccyon & of necessyte of saluacy on after as Bonauenture sayth & saynt Thomas And in lyke wyse is vnderstande y • worde of Jhesu cryste y t sayth / pardon thy neyghbour whiche the hath offended. And we sholde not pardon one ty­me [...]ne quotiēs pec­cabiti me frat me us & dimittā ei vs­ (que) septies dixit illi [...]esꝰ fi dico tibi vs (que) septies s [...] vs (que) sep­tuagesies septies. Mathei. xviii. ca. Hely falsa pietate suꝑatꝰ [...] a fuios de linquētes corrigere noluit. sci [...]m cū suis apud discretū iuditē grau [...] dānatiōe ꝑeussit di. xlii. Neceē Id exēplū de symo. ca. Hely. et. i. re. ii. ca. alonely but as many tymes & often as of that to do we ben duely requyred for the loue of god / neuertheles we may Justely requyre satysfaccyon of the Iniurye or dāmage y e whiche vnto vs hath ben done or sayd. For y t is not ayenst charyte / but there to is boūden he the whiche hath offended. The se­conde maner of mercy is to correcte charytably the synnes and defautes that a man hath perceyued in his neyghbour. And for as moche as these synnes ben grete meruayllous and open in many people / who so euer desyred to do the commaundement of god and the saluacyon of his soule may make su­che a questyon. That is to knowe whan & in what A questyon. maner a man is bounde to correcte his neyghbour vpon y e payne of deedly synne / the answere. Vnto The answe [...] that ther ben two maner of correccyons. The one is of necessyte of Justyce / the other of necessyte of charyte. Correccyon of Justyce apertayned alonely vnto them y e whiche hath ony prelacōn vpon a no­ther / as is y e good man of the house in his house / the whiche may haue his wyfe / his childern / & his seruaūtes / vnto whome he sholde do correccyon af­ter as it aperteyned vnto his Jurisdiccyon not all oonly by charyte / but w t y t by Justyce to the ende to [Page] acquyte hym & to gyue example. Also these curatꝭ these abbottes / bysshoppes / & other prelates ayenst theyr subgectes after as it apertayned vnto theyr Jurisdiccyon. Also kynges / dukes / erles / & other nobles / & theyr offycers after the Jurisdiccyon & offyce y t vnto them apertayned in the whiche they sholde hepe & do mercy vnto those the whiche them repente & promyttynge correccion & rygour of Justyce vnto obstynates & perseuerynge theyr malyce / For yf they paye not y t y t they sholde / that is to knowe Qui talia ag [...]t digni sūt morte. eo. i i. ca. glo. aug. Consētire dicūt [...] pos­sēt & deberēt torrigere & n̄ faciūt I tē de hoc hēt̄ figura nūeri. xxv. v [...]i dr. Cernēs deꝰ (que) nui­lꝰ eēt corrector ait moist. Accipe oēs [...]ncipes pp [...] & sus­pēdāt ꝯtra solēvt furor meꝰ [...]ta [...] a pp [...]o &c. & occisisūt xxiiii. milia & placa tꝰ ē deꝰ. Itē nota (quam) [...]latꝰ [...] nō corri­git sed [...] formāsue prelationis peccat mortalit. in re. xii. dictū ē p̄latꝰ. Cus­todi virū iustū [...] silapsus fuerit erit aīa tua ꝓ aīa illiꝰ. Itē in psal. Si vi­debas furē curre­bas cū eo &c. mercy & Justyce they dyspose them vnto dampnacyon. The seconde correccion y e whiche is of the necessyte of true charyte apertayned not all oonly vnto the prelates of holy chirche / or vnto these lordes erthely / but with y • vnto all them vnto whome god cōmaūded to loue theyr neyghbours as them self. And for as moche as euery man is boūde hym to repente & correcte of his owne propre synne / it foloweth y t he y e whiche is boūde to loue his neyghbour as hymself that he ought to do his power hȳ to correcte & amende / or elles there is not in hym true charyte / in lyke wyse as god commaunded vpon payne of deedly synne. But it is well to be noted that after as sayen these doctours of theo­logye six condycyons ben requysyte before that a man synned mortally in not correctynge his ney­ghbour / of the whiche thre ben in the regarde of hym the whiche ought for to correcte / and these other thre ben in regarde of hym the whiche oughte for be corrected. The fyrste is whan that he the whiche ought to corecte is certayne of y e synne of his neyghbour. for of sȳnes secrete a man is not [Page] bounde so straytly. The seconde is that the correc­cyon be swete or pyteous syns y t it ought to procede of charyte. The thyrde is y t there is none other vn­to whome it appertayned more couenably for to correcte. For yf an other do it / it shall acquyte suf­fycyently them the whiche elles had ben holden to correcte. The fyrst condycyon of the partye of the synner is that he haue in hym suche dysposycyon that a man may hope that for the correccyon he is the lesse worth / as it may be a persone dronken / a lecherous man / a man of grete turour or of obsty­nate y t a man may not truste correccōn / than a mā ought to dyfferre & abyde the place tyme & oportunyte to do it. For in suche caas suffysed pyte charytable & good wyll. The seconde condycyon is where the synne of hym that a man ought to corecte is mortall / or that is may be very semblable. For as for venyall synne a man is not bounde to correcte vpon the payne of deedly synne. But is boūde all oonly for to counseyll / and after good congruyte / and this gyueth well to vnderstande the gospell the whiche sayth. Correcte thy neyghbour / and yf by thy correccyon he be conuerted thou hast wonne hym. By the whiche it foloweth after as sayth saynt Gregory / that the synne wherof he hath ben corrected was mortall. For for a lytell synne a man is not loste and dampned. Also yf a man we­re bounde for to correcte euery defaute / or feblenes venyell the whiche contynually is in many / full fewe it sholde sauour / and yf it were not that the transgressyon of that commaundement were in e­uery dede of theyr conscyence. The thyrde condy­cyon [Page] that he there haue place tyme & oportunyte. Be it than so spoken and concluded. That who so euer knoweth y e mortall synne of his neyghbour & the peryll of his dampnacōn & hath place tyme & oportunyte for to correcte / & there is none other y e whiche dooth by oblygacyon or other wyse / & it is very lyke y t yf he were correcte & so he hȳ sholde a­mende. Than and not elles a man is holden vp­on the payne of deedly synne hym to aduyse swetly and charytably / for elles a man trespasseth the cō maundement of god & of nature / the whiche is to loue god his creatoure with all his herte abone all thynges / and in lyke wyse his neyghbour as hym­selfe. Whan it is so than / that the moost grettest Qui nō diligit fratrē suū quē videt. deū quē nō videt quō pōt diligere. 1. to. iiii. ca. Amor dei nun (quam) ē ociousus. oꝑat em̄ magna si est. si ve­ro renuerit oꝑari amor nō ē. hec gre mysery that may be in man is the estate of deedly synne / how may it than be that ony man loueth his neyghbour as hymself yf he socoure not hym vnto his power in suche necessyte. Also saynt John sayth in his Canon that he the whiche loueth not his neyghbour may not loue god faythfully / loue may not be hydde. For yf ony man haue true loue he shall shewe it in werkes by accomplysshynge the werkes of mercy in doynge thynges grete or lytell after the quantyte of his loue / in lyke wyse as wytnesseth saynt Gregory. And therfore he the whiche hath trewely the loue of god in his herte dyspayreth not lyghtely the correccyon of his neyghbour / and hym enforceth for to correcte hym in the vertue of the holy goost / the whiche may all thynges. The thyrde maner of mercy spyrytuell is to teche them the whiche ben ignoraunt / by the whiche techynge the soule is fedde with the brede [Page] of holy doctryne. In lyke wyse as the body is nourysshed and susteyned with meete corporell. And yf it be so than that for to gyue meete and drynke vnto the poore for the necessyte of the body god promytteth the royalme of paradyse. For by the more gretter reason he shall gyue his glorye vnto them the whiche for the loue of hym gyuen vnto the soules good and holy techynge. For of as mo­che Maior ē refecti [...] mē [...] (quam) vētris. [...]u [...] as the soule is more dygne than the body / of as moche the meete and the refeccyon spyrytuell is more noble than that of the body. Sythen it is so than that the moost partye of our neyghbours ben in languore of ignoraūce / & that the horryble famyne inuadeth all moost all the worlde for the defaute of brede spyrytuell / that is for to vnderstande of holy doctryne / as it may be to saue hym the whiche hath scyence and knowlege of thynges the whiche apperteynen vnto the saluacyon of y e soule & seeth his neyghbour deye in languysshynge for Eterne d [...]nati [...]s penā icurrit p̄ dicator [...] semen diuini vbi nō s [...]git. xliiii. di. the defaute of this doctryne / certayne with grete payne may he be excused before god of the cōmaū dement to accomplysse mercy. Some ben bounde to teche & to departe the meete & holy docryne bycause Uos es [...] lur mūd [...] vos estis sal terre. Mathei. v. of theyr offyce / as these prelates of holy chirche / and these prechours the whiche for suche vo­cacyons they ben called the lyght of the worlde / and the salt of the erthe. For they gyuen lyght and techen the people symple and ignoraunt / and vnto theym gyuen good sauour and deuocyon in preseruynge them to theyr power from the stenche and corrupcyon of all synne by good example of lyf / by good doctryne and good exortacyon / and in [Page] so doynge the holy fader of mercy vnto them pro­mysed to make thē grete in y e reame of paradyse. Also curates / faders / and moders / godfaders / and godmoders / auncyent people / maysters of scole / and other ought them to acquyte ayenst theym of whome they haue charge / in techynge them / and repreuynge theym of theyr defautes after as it is sayd before in the mater of correccyon as well fra­ternall as of Jurysdyccyon. The fourth maner of mercy spyrytuall is to recomforte them discomfor­ted / & this werke is moche necessary. For by heuy­nes & desolacyon oftymes a man falleth in to dys­payre / & from dyspayre vnto eternall dampnacōn And therfore who so euer charytably conforted the dyscomforted he draweth hym backe from helle as moche as in hym is. The whiche thynge is as mo­che pleasaūt vnto god / as moche as is y e grete loue of the whiche he loued his creature / for whome to saue & preserue from dampnacyon he hath wylled to deye. By y e whiche it foloweth y t to comforte the­se dyscomforted is a werke of ryght excellent meryte before god. To coūseyll & to comforte is y e offy­ce ryght synguler / as well of the blessyd Jhesu cryst as of the blessyd holy goost. By the whiche it apy­reth that he the whiche accomplysshed not the werke of recomforte y e dyscomforted whan there is place & tyme cōmytted as moche grete ylle as it is to do grete good merytoryous & pleasaūt vnto god. The fyfth maner of almesdede spyrytuall is to cō forte Ego rogabo prēm & aliū ꝑaclitū da­bit vobis. Io. xiiii Paraclitꝰ aūt [...]dē est qd consolator. & to enhardy those to do well the whiche ben weke in spyryte / many there ben the whiche done grete thynges vertuous and merytoryous / but by [Page] the vyce & synne of pusyllanymyte or cowardyse / they are not vndertake to come vnto so grete good­nes. Wherfor them to enhardy & them to gyue courage to do & vndertake these thynges the whiche ben vnto the glorye of god & of the saluacyon of theyr soules is the werke of moche grete charyte & moche pleasaunt and merytoryous before god & by the consequent the defaute of that to do and accomplysshe is moche peryllous and dyspleasaunt vnto god / & specyally in them vnto whome it ap­pertayned by theyr offyce the estate & vocacyons to make stronge & exorte the comen people to do well as ben the people of the chirche / ben they prelates / curates / relygyous / or other. And whan it shal happen that they sholde as to make stronge susteyne & to ayde these other for to vndertake werkes me­rytoryous in wekynge them & dyscouragynge / be it by theyr euyll example or otherwyse well nere al shall be lost & wasted. The sixt maner of almesde St lumē qd [...] te [...] tenebre sunt totū corpus tenebrosū erit. Luce. xi. Alter alteriꝰ one­ra portate & sic adiplebitis legē rp̄i. Rursū crucifigen­tes sibimetipsis filiū dei & hostē tuihn̄tes heb. vi. glo. In se ei crucifigūt t [...]iū dei & ꝯtume­liis hn̄t [...] grām eiꝰ vilipendentes in peccatis [...]acet. de spyrytuell is to supporte the feblenesses of his neyghbours / the whiche thynge he ought to do by very compassyon / by oryson / & by good dyscrecyon of correccyon in preseruynge them from the occa­syon of synne / and fyndynge the remedyes & meanes theym to reduce & amende after as it may be possyble by the maner beforsayd of correccyon fraternall. For sythen it is so y t all the blood of Jhesu cryste had ben gyuen & shedde for the precyousnes of the soule the whiche is the ymage of the blessyd trynyte the temple & habytacyon of the holy goost the loue and the delytes of Jhesu cryste / and the whiche may come vnto the beatytude eternall of [Page] paradyse / as may the true catholyke the seruaunt of Jhesu cryste seen & knowen without grete com­passyon and without effusyon of teeres so noble a creature consecrated of god by the holy creame and the espouse of Jhesu cryste put and abandonned vnto the foule lykenes of deuylles / fylthy / vyle / and dysfygured by synne / some more than deuyl­les / by the whiche the blood and passyon of Jhesu cryste ben moche more dyspraysed than the thynge foyled and troden vnder the feet of all maner of beestes. Alas more than a thousande tyme alas a­las how thynke we to be faythfull vnto Jhesu cryste & to see suche pyte & suche deluge of soules spe­cyally crysten men w tout anguysshe & compassyon the whiche is no thynge yf it be not shewed in the werkes of mercy. The .vij. maner of almesdede spyrytuall is / to hydde / to couer / and to anguysshe the ylle and dyffame of his neyghbour / not to pu­blysshe and shewe it by enuye or ony other cursyd entencyon. For sythen it is so that good renowne is a grete goodnes noble and spyrytuall / as how may it be done that ony man loueth god and his neyghbour yf he vnto hym yelde not and conser­ue his good renowne in couerynge his synnes / his defautes and his fragylytees. Certes it is impos­syble / and in as moche as the synne of our neygh­bour is moche grete / of as meche haue we the mo­re gretter mater for to accomplysshe ayenst hym the more gretter mercy / and for to haue ayenst god humylyte / fere / and loue / in byleuynge certaynely that neuer creature dyde synne so grete or detesta­ble / but that we may do more gretter or semblable [Page] yf god kepe vs not and the seruyce of these blessyd angeles. And in lyke wyse as of suche synne I shol de haue wyll it for to hydde. In lyke wyse euery man it ought to do ayen his neyghbour by very cō passyon and charyte. The .viij. maner of almesde de spyrytuall is to exhorte and meoue the good to prouffyte from good vnto better / in shewynge them that they them kepe to presume folysshly of theyr good werkes / of the whiche the honour and the glorye apperteyned all oonly vnto god. Also that they haue in fere and in hate the fauour and the prayse of the worldely people / the whiche often tymes taken and magnyfyen that the whiche god reproueth and punyssheth. Of suche fauours ma­keth A sagita volāte in die a negotio ꝑam bulante &c. p̄s. xc. oftentymes the deuyll his darte or his arowe the whiche he casteth in the mydde daye / that is the vayne glorye the whiche taken these grete foy­les and full lytell well auysed of good werkes. Al­so ben they aduysed that for ony lyf or penaūce of tyme passed they be not of all assured for to be perfaytely acquyted before god. And therfore wat­chen they vpon theyr warde in full grete fere and in humylyte / in bryngynge oftentymes to mynde the estate and the feruour from whens saynt Pe­ter felle the whiche so pyteously forsoke his creatore. Also Dauyd. Salomon. Sampson. and other many excellent in merytes and in hyghenes of lyf comtemplatyfe / of the whome is made mencyon of the lyues of sayntes / ben fallen in grete and pyteous Nō sū sicut [...]ete [...] hoīm raptores ī [...] sti adulter [...] ve [...]ut etiā hic publicanꝰ &c. xviii. ca. inconuenyences. And comenly the rote and the foundacyon of theyr temptacyons hath ben to presume of themself / & to dysprayse poore synners [Page] for one of the grettest temptacyons vnto people of deuocyon is to compare theyr lyf of penaūce / gre­te / noble / and excellent vnto the pouerte & vnto the mysery & feblenes of theyr neyghbours the whiche ben in grete & horryble synnes. And by this meane felle and hym enpryded the pharysee of whome maked mencyon the holy texte of the gospell. But those the whiche ben taught & inspyred prouffy­ten gretly vnto the occasyon of the synnes of theyr neyghbours. For of that they humble them vnto god / en knowlechynge that it is more greter gyfte of god to preserue ony from the fallynge vnto synne / than hym for to areyse after that he is fallen. And yf it be so that the lyf and the merytes of many relygyous and other the whiche yet ben at this daye is a lytell thynge in comparyson of the lyfe and holynes of them beforsayd. Who oftentymes haue so gretely fayled / what is he the whiche oughte to truste in hymself or his merytes. The .ix. maner of almesdede spyrytuall is to gyue good coun­seyll in thynges spyrytuell / & this werke is moche pleasaūt vnto god / and of grete meryte vnto them that it may do in confermynge hym vnto the blessyd Vocab [...] nomē eiꝰ admirabilis ꝯsilia rius deꝰ fortis &c. ysaie. ix. ca. Jhesu cryste / the whiche for his example and doctryne is named the tongue of greate counseyll. The gretenes of this werke and the meryte may be consydered in the hyghenes and dyffyculte of the cause of the Juge and of the partye aduersary. The cause is for to lese / or for to wynne parady­se. The Juge is god almyghty / and all knowyn­ge / by the whiche fals excusacyon / cautelles / cauyllacyons / appellacyons / dylacyons / fere / fauours / [Page] gyftes / or promysses / haue no place in this courte for to peruerte Justyce. The aduersarye is the de­uyll of whome the malycyous cautell & to excuse his practyse and longe experyence surmounten all naturall intendement of humayne creature. And therfore whan a man seeth that the deuyll dyscey­ued enmused and entysed the poore creature hu­mayne for to dampne hym and for to make hym to lese paradyse / it is a moche excellent werke of charyte to counseyll hym the meane for to with­stande the malyce of the deuyll / and hym for to ayde for to come to wynne and to possede so noble an herytage as is the royalme of paradyse. But euery intendement ought well for to haue in hym meruayllous pyte and compassyon of the moost grettest partye of them lyuynge the whiche an hondred thousande tymes ben more dylygent to suche counseyll / to purchase or for to defende theyr ryght in twoo or thre feet of londe / of dwellynges / than they do for to purchase the royalme of paradyse / the whiche vnto theym apperteyned by true ryght of herytage. The whiche vnto vs hath playnely and ryght lawfully purchased our fader Jhesu cryste. And of that folye hath other tymes founde the experyence the whiche foloweth. The yeres a thousande foure hondred foure score and thre / a noble man of the royalme of Fraunce vnto his goostly fader reknowleged and confessed vpon the loyalte of his fayth that he pleated by thre yeres in the grande or grete assyse in the Cyte of Bourgeys for the ryght that belened to haue thre halfe pens of rente by the yere / and he was not yet at the fyne [Page] nor ende of his cause / but he abode in doubte for to lese or to wynne / & he affermed that with his costes and his dyspenses as well of his moeuable as of his herytage / he hath taken the beste coun­seyll that vnto hym was possyble for to fynde / and after the relacyon / and the whiche me semed very semblable / he myght haue made more than an hondred myles vpon londe. And a semblable thynge make many of other worldely people the whi­che make not one myle nor yet halfe a myle for to seche one good coūseyll of conscyence. By the whi­che it behoued for to conclude that cause of many done ylle is for that they renne from the grete and infynyte Justyce of Jhesu cryste. The .x. maner of almesdede is for to pacyfye and accorde them the whiche ben in dyscorde. And how be it it is grete this werke and merytoryous before god / it appy­reth that it is for to vndo that that the deuyll hath done / and for to do that that Jhesu cryste is comen for to do in this worlde / and hath shewed by his example and commaundement for to do. The labour and operacyon of the deuyll is for to put noyses / debates / warres / and dyuysyons in all estates / for the whiche cometh pletynges / hates / deba­tes / and oftentymes murdres / grete losse of goodes and of bodyes and of soules / for who that hated his neyghbour lesed god the whiche may not aby­de but in the conscyence of hym the whiche hath peas with his neyghbour. And therfore whan our lorde was borne for to fyght and for to destroye the puyssaunce of the deuyll he dyde do crye with the sounde of trompettes of paradyse peas in erthe [Page] And therfore of good ryght he is named kynge of Gloria in ex [...]i [...]l [...] deo. & in terra pax hoibꝰ bone vol [...]tatis. Luce .ii. Jherusalem and prynce of peas. By the whiche it appyreth that for to put peas and vnyte bytwene them the whiche ben at dyscorde debate or dyuy­syon it is for to do as moche grete seruyce vnto the kynge of peas in hym prepayrynge the chambre and the habytacyon where he wyll enhabyte and reste / the whiche seruyce and offyce may not be do­ne without grete retrybucyon. And by the contra­rye for to put dyuysyon warre and debate bytwe­ne ony persones is proprely the offyce of the de­uyll and of his membres. And therfore sayth holy Sex sūt [...] odit d [...]ꝰ & septimū detesta­tur aia eiꝰ ꝓuer. vi scrypture that there ben .vi. thynges that god ha­teth moche / but the seuenth he hateth soueraynly. The fyrste of the sixe is pryde. For our lorde is of humylyte infynyte. The seconde is lyenge / for he is trought dyuyne. The thyrde is crudelyte / for he is swete / benygne / and mercyfull. The fourth is enuye / cautelle / or trechery / for he is bonte with­out faynynge. The fyfth is vnfaythfulnes ayenst Justyce / for he is the Juge of Justyce infynyte. The sixte is fals wytnes the whiche is contrarye / as well vnto the trought as vnto charyte / but abo­ue all these thynges before sayd he hath in hor­rour or in hate hym the whiche soweth hatred de­bate dyscorde and dyuysyon bytwene them the whiche ben and ought for be frendes / and therfore they the whiche ben peasyble of good ryght ben Beati pacifici q [...] f [...]l [...] dei vocab [...]. math .v. [...]tr [...]r [...] sensa. Maledi [...] guerr [...] [...]h [...]su diaboli vocab [...]. called in the gospell the childern of god. And by the contrarye may a man saye that they the whi­che sowen hates / warres / dyscordes / dyuysyons / and debates that ben the childern of the deuyll of [Page] helle. The .xi. maner of almesdede spyrytuall is Nullū credi [...]ꝰ ad salutē nisi deo i [...] ­tāte ve [...]ute. nullū iu [...]tat [...] salutē suā [...]isi deo adiuuāte oꝑar [...]. nullū nisi o­ [...]antē auriliū ꝓme ter [...]. her aug .li. de eccl. dogmati. Orō [...] eleuatō mē tis i deū scdm da­m [...]scenū. Si [...]o ex vobis cō senserit suꝑ terrā de ō [...]i re quacū (que) perierint fiet eis a prē meo [...] ē i celis Mathei .xvi [...]. for to praye vnto god for his neyghbours. And this almesse prouffyteth vnto the body and vnto the soule in all maner necessyte. For by this almesse or ayde vnto his neyghbours hath purchased sapy­ence / vertues / and merytes / and fynably the royal me of paradyse / the whiche noo man may haue and gete of hymselfe. By the whiche it behoueth that by humylyte and by prayer a man them re­quyre of god / the whiche so for to do vs hath war­ned. Where of sayth well the holy doctour saynt Austyn that noo maner man may come vnto sal­uacyon yf that god calle hym not / nor noo maner of man may come yf that god ayde hym not / nor also he wyll not ayde hym yf that a man requyre it not. The whiche thynge is done by deuoute prayers / that is for to lyfte vp his herte vnto god by true fayth without ony maner of thynge or ar­tycle for to doubte / that he is more puyssaunt for to gyue moche more gretter thynges than ony ma­ner of man can thynke or demaunde. Also a man ought for to byleue stedfastly that wyll make his prayers auaylable the whiche is the fontayne and depnesse of mercy / of pyte / and of swetnesse infy­fynyte / and he the whiche may not fayle nother lye. And alwayes sayth he in the gospell / that yf two or thre persones ben vnyed in good charyte / he them shall gyue that that they of hym requyre prouffytable for the glorye of god and for theyr saluacyon. If it than a thynge dygne moche holy and moche pleasaunt vnto god / as for to praye o­ne for an other. For oftentymes god pardonned [Page] the one by the request & supplycacyon of the other. In lyke wyse as it appyred by the holy scrypture / where god sayth vnto Moyses. Suffre me & I shal destroye this people for the synne of ydolatrye / as Dimitte me vt ita sca [...] furor meꝰ cō ­tra eos & deie [...] &c. & moyses n [...] din [...] ­sit q̄re deꝰ nō deleuit. exo .xxxii. ca. Precibꝰ dauid an gelꝰ exterminator dimisit pplm. ii. regū vlt. Itē p̄c [...]bus ecc [...]e cathe [...]e ceci derūt de ma [...]bꝰ petri. Actu. yf he wolde saye / that yf it were not for thy prayer the whiche holded me and taryed. I sholde destroye the people ydolatres sodaynly. Also by the prayers of Danyel the people of god were delyuered from the captyuyte of Babylon. Also by the prayers of Danyd the aungell the whiche by the commaun­dement of god put the people vnto deth and de­struccōn incontynent cessyd. Also by the prayer of holy chirche / that is to knowe of those the whiche were baptysed. Saynt Peter was myraculously vnchayned and delyuered from pryson. For it is wryten in the dedes of the appostles that the chir­che prayed for hym without cessynge / and it was fygured how that by the deuoute orysons of holy chirche poore synners the whiche them submytten vnto the sacramentes and prayers of them ben delyuered from prysons and boundes of the deuyll of helle the whiche holdeth them bounden by the cordes of theyr synnes. Also by the prayyrs of ho­ly Precibꝰ scō (rum) cec [...] derūt squam [...] ab ocul pauli. actu. i [...] Quis ei iusto (rum) nō arando pug [...]uit Quisnō hostē orā do deuic [...]r. Orōn [...] bꝰ da [...]eli visa pā ­dūt. sopiūt flame fere abetescūt cad hostes. in [...]m [...]c [...] v [...]n cunt. hec cri. [...] sermo. de Letare. persones the whiche than were present. Saynt Poule receyued the syght the whiche he had loste and was baptysed. By the vertue of prayers these deuylles ben vaynquysshed / fortunes / sykenesses / warres / and pestylences cessen. By prayer these patryarkes / these prophetes / martyrs / and other sayntes / haue chasyd these deuylles / helyd the syke / rey­sed the deed / conuerted these ydolatrers. To praye for his enemyes is a thynge of grete perfeccyon / [Page] and he foloweth Jhesu cryste the whiche in deynge Dūe ne statuas il­lis hoc petm̄. actu. vii. prayed god the fader to pardonne them that made hym to deye / and in this folowed hym saynt Ste­phen. And who so is well enlumyned he shall knowe clerely that euery good crysten man ought for to praye for them vnto hym done Iniurye as for them the whiche vnto hym gyuen mater to entre with Jhesu cryste in to the realme of paradyse / in to the whiche none may entre w tout trybulacyon. The .xij. maner of almesdede spyrytuell is to offre Oportuit pati cristū & sic [...]utrare in g [...]am suā. luce vlti. Item actuū .xiiii. OpꝪ ꝑ multas tri­bulatōes introire in regnū dei. or to make offrynge vnto god the fader the blessyd Jhesu cryste his sone w t the ryght holy sacrament of the awter / and this almesdede here surmounted syngulerly in two thynges / all these other good de­des that may be sayd or thought / that is in dygnyte & in generalyte. In dygnyte / for than is offred the very sone of god / vnto whome ben all the trea­sours of the dyuynyte / and all goodes / ben they of nature / of grace / or of glorye. There is the brede / and the wyne / flesshe / and blood / the ryght holy refeccyon of crysten soules. Also this almesdede is ryght generall as well vnto y e quycke as vnto them that ben departed / for it is the pryce & the redemp­cyon for an hondred worldes yf there were so many the whiche wolde vnto that submytte theyr fayth and theyr hope. This medycyne is not all oonly Qui sanat oēs in­firmitates tuas. [...] corona [...] te ī mīa & miseratiōibꝰ▪ Itē Quō miseret pt̄ filio (rum) misertus est dn̄s timentibꝰ se. p̄s. c. ii. of soules / but with that of bodyes and of all syke­nesses. It is he the whiche for [...]o gyue example of of all perfeccyon hath made and accomplysshed all werkes of mercy as well corporal as spyrytual. For fyrste he vs hath gyuen his ryght holy flesshe vigynale for to eete / and his precyous blood for to [Page] drynke. Also he so is dyspoyled on the tree of the Itē ipse ꝓpiciatoibꝰ ini [...]tatibꝰ [...]s ip̄e sanat oēs infirmitates tuas. ps. crosse for to clothe vs with vertues and with glory He hath wylled that his syde were opened for to lodge vs. He vs hath vysyted from daye to daye our sykenesses / as well spyrytuall as corporall. He vs hath delyuered from the harde prysons of the deuyll. He hath wylled to be buryed by the water of baptem / by the whiche we sholde deye / as vnto the desyres seculer and worldely / and shall lyue with hym arysen. By this oblygacyon he is bro­ken / the deuylles surmounted / the vertues purcha­sed and gyuen / the holy goost sente / and the yate of paradyse opened / and by the werkes of the infynyte mercy of the blessyd Jhesu cryste. Vnto who­me be honour in the worlde of worldes. Amen. And this is as vnto the werkes of mercy.

¶Thus endeth the thyrde partye.

¶Here foloweth the fourth partye of this boke in the whiche is foūde y e maner hȳ well to confesse / & it conteyneth .xxx. chapytres. The whiche well studyed and put in practyse / may be the meane for to make a true and a parfyte confessyon. And by the consequent to haue absolucyon and remyssyon & specyally saluacyon with the company of fayth­full crysten men.

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EVery persone that wylled & desyred to make good examinacyon of his conscyence for enterly & perfectly hȳ to confesse he hȳ ought examy­ne by the doctryne drawen in these thre partyes precedentes. That is to knowe of the artycles of the fayth. Of the cōmaundementes of the lawe. And of the werkes of mercy. For in these thre poyntes is conteyned the dede of the conscyence / by the whiche a man shall be fynably Juged vnto saluacion or vnto dampnacyon. And therfore to the entente that symple people may haue mater and doctryne of well & surely to examyne the dede of theyr con­scyence / there shall be fyrst put some thynges generall touchynge the sacrament of confessyon.

¶Here folowen .iiij. reasons for to shewe y t y t Justy [Page] fycacyon of one synner / is more greater thyng thā the creacyon of the worlde.

AFter the sentence of gloryous saynt austen to reduce a synner from the estate of mor­tall synne / vnto the estate of grace / is a more greater thynge after some consyderacyon / thanne was the creacyon of heuen and of erth / and that may a man shewe by foure reasons. The fyrst is / for the soule y ewhiche is by his synne in y e estate of dampnacyon and perdycyon / is more noble and more dygne syngulerly / For as moche as he is create vnto the ymage of the blyssed trynyte / the whiche is not the sonne / the skye / and all the erth / by the whiche it foloweth that to brynge one suche creature from the estate of maledyccyon & of dampnacy­on vnto saluacyon / and vnto the royalme of paradyse is a more greater thynge than is the creacyon of the thynges before sayd. The seconde is suche for as moche as god demaundeth not to be ayded vnto the creacyon of the soule / nor of all the world but he myght not nor wolde not vs reduce frome dedely synne vnto the estate of grace / without the ayde and consent of our free wyll. The thyrde reason Qui fecit [...] [...]ine te nō saluabit te sine te. Augustinus is / For in the creacyon of the worlde god foūde no lettynge nor resystence / but vnto the Justyfyca­cyon of the conscyence / the synne repugnethe vnto the grace of god: The fourth reason is / for whan god created all the worlde / he sayd that heuen and erthe be made / And at his sayenge and pleasure al was made and formed for too reduce oure soules frome synne vnto grace / he is excessyuely humyly­ed [Page] / And by the space of two and thyrty yeres and thre monethes he hath endured fastynges / prayers paynes / swetynges. and labours / & hath ben bounde / spytte on / stryken / and crucyfyed / And fynally hath shedde all his precyous blode / And hath wylled to dye on the crosse / And all that hath he done for to delyuer oure soules from synne / And for to brynge them vnto saluacyon.

¶ Here foloweth a profytable exortacyon for to do wylfully penaunce.

A Man ought well to note that there is not Caplm .ii so greate a synner in the worlde but that he may recouer the grace of god / yf he wyll do that that is in hym / for god is of so greate pyte & mer­cy that he may not fayle vnto his creatour the whiche doth that / y t in hym is / wherfore it is to kno­we that by the lyght of reason naturall. And specyally of that the whiche is ayded with fayth and enformed / That is to vnderstonde that the synner y • whiche is contrary and dyspleasaunt vnto all reason / Also he may consyder the Justyce dyuyne / the whiche may not sufferre but y e synne were ponysshed / And of this consyderacyon / and comparysō of synne vnto the Justyce dyuyne the whiche is in fynyte / And by the consygnet to offende infyny­tly by synne procedeth and comyth fere vnto y e creatour reasonable culpable and subgecte vnto synne / But howe be it he ought not alwayes to abyde in that consyderacyon / for that sholde be meter hym [Page] too dyspayre / As were Cayme / and Judas / But more ouer he ought to consyder / the bonte / pyte / & mercy the whiche ben in god infynyte / by the whyche he abydeth the synner / and defferreth his deth to the ende that he may vse yf he wyll of the con­syderacyon beforesayd and that he may do penaū ce / And of this consyderacyon of mercy comyth an hope agayn god our fader the whiche is fountay­ne of mercye and of all consolacyon / And by the meane of these two thynges / That is to knowe fere on that one partye / and hope on the other / co­myth a purpose and desyre to do penaunce the whiche purpose comyth prȳcypally of god by a remor­ce of conscyence that god gyueth vnto the persone / or by a lytell / and inclynacyon naturall or by a predycacyon / or by the counseyll of a gode confessour or by other vocacyon semblable / And thenne they the whiche dyspose them to receyue and obey vnto that inspyracyon receyuen true contrycyon of theyr synnes / And by the consyguent the grace of the holy gooste / But they the whiche it refusen in dyfer­rynge from daye to daye / from month to month & from yere to yere makynge a defe eere / the whiche Manda rem [...]d [...] expecta reexpect [...] modic [...]i hic modi­cū ibi hic. xviii. [...] ror ill [...] sed [...] similitudinē serpētis sicut aspidis s [...]de et obturantis a [...] ­ [...]es suas. p̄s. [...]v [...]. by so often tymes / And also contynually stryketh at the yate of theyr conscyence / yelde them vnkynde & indygne of the loue of god & of his royalme / by the whiche they abyde in the temptacyon of the deuell Justely reseruyd vnto the fyre of hell. For it is a thynge certayn that there was neuer creatour dampned but by his owne defaute.

¶ Here foloweth the .xii. fruytes the which cometh of trewe penaunce.

A Man may shewe .xii. fruytes cometh / and Caplm .iii. Jūge collyrio oculos tuos vt vide­as apo. iii. Nota collyriū ex­erta aqua et pul­uere confitetur et purgat in oculis carnosos humore et significat cōfes­sionē que per puluerē ꝓprie cogni­tionis cū aqua la crimose cōpūctio­nis intellectū illu minat qr intellec­tū dat peruulis id est hūilibus. procedeth of trewe penaunce. The fyrst is illumynacyon of the soule for thre thynges / fyrste for the confessyon is not true yf the synner take no payne to thynke on his synnes / and to knowlege his defaute / and his blame / And therfore sayth a man comenly / he that loketh in a glasse seeth hym selfe well / and he that seeth hymself well / knoweth hymself well / And he that kneweth hymself well preyseth hymself lytell / And he that preyseth hymselfe lytell is a wyse man / Secondly for that / that the synner hym humbleth before the preest for the loue of god / some tyme the kynge the pope / before a poore chapelayne / by the which god hym geueth the lyght of grace / Thyrdly for the instructyon y t the good confessour geueth vnto the synner / for many ymagen of venyall synne that it be mortall / or some tyme of mortall that it be venyall / or that it be no synne / The seconde fruyte is y e mercy of god of the whiche sayth saynt Barnardyne that god hath two courtes / That is to knowe the courte of mercy / And that other of Justyce / That of mercy is moche swete and gracyous in comparyson of y t of Justyce for foure reasons / The fyrste is for as moche as the Juge of this court is swete and amyable ageyn the synner the whiche is culpable / The seconde for in this court a man byleueth withoute ony thynge agayne sayenge vnto culpable / The thyrde / for alwayes in this court is gyuen lyberte [Page] and delyueraūce. And ther is neuer gyuen sentence of deth. The fourth for that / that he y • whiche had deserued the gybet of hell / is assured of the royal­me of paradyse. Also for as moche that from the court of Justyce / a man may apele vnto the court of mercy durynge this present lyfe / and not after an example of dauyd of mary Maudelayn of saȳt peter / and many other synners. And also it coūseyleth saynt Austen / and many other holy scryptu­res. The thyrde fruyte is that the synner is arysen from deth spyrytuall / vnto the lyfe of grace / For after that a man hath synned mortally / man may neuer retorne vnto grace / but by the meane of confessyon / and how be it that he the which hath true contrycyon and dyspleasur / of his synnes / he is by that in the estate of grace before that he hath ma­de actuell confessyon. Neuerthelesse it behoueth y t he haue purpose that to do in place and in tyme or elles he may not haue grace. The fourth fruyte is delyuer from the puyssaunce / & from the bondes of the deuyll of hell / the whiche holdeth y e synner in his mouthe the whiche is moche large in the entre but ryght strayte as vnto y e comynge out. The fyft Saluabit te ꝑ confessionē dominus exore augusto la­tissime. iob. xxxvi. capitulū. Dixi cōfitebor aduersū me in iusticiam meā d [...]o et tu remisisti impieta­tem peccati mei. p̄ xxxi. fruyte is purgacyon of ryght horryble & detestable mesellery spyrytuall / y t is from dedely synne / the whiche purgacyon may be made in lytyll tyme durynge the greate dayes of mercy / as well of sȳnes dedely as of venyall / but after this mortall lyf moche otherwyse shall be y • forme & maner of pledȳg The .vi: fruyte is a lyghtynge of y t conscyence for none other thynge is so heuy as y t the whiche hath made these deuylles to fal / & other dampned in to [Page] the depnesse of hell / that is dedely synne the which by other meane than by true confessyon penaunce he may not be deposed / & this alleuacyon they fynde by certayn operacyons grete & horryble synners after y t that they ben lawfully confessed. The .vii. fruyte is / peas / and vnyte with god / for in dysobe­ynge vnto god / the synner maketh warre agayne the maieste dyuyne / agayne whose power to resyste it is a thynge impossyble / by the whiche the synner ought soueraynly to seche the meane of peas / that is true penaūce. The .viii. fruyte is / y • by true con­fessyon the deuyll & all his labour is put to confusyon / and oftymes by y e coū [...]ey [...] of good confessours some embusshement his cautelles and decepcyons ben dyscouerde / The whiche thynge hym dyspleaseth / and the lette of his fals intencyon ryght syngulerly. The .ix. fruyte is that oftymes it happe­neth that he the whiche hath not playne contrycyon / but hath alonely attrycyon / the whiche is a maner of contrycyon vnparfyte and vn suffycyent for to haue the grace of god / But by the vertue of the absolucyon sacramentall / with that attrycyon the Qui humilite [...] cō fitetur veniā con­sequi [...]. her glo .ii. re .xii. D [...] trā ­ [...]s [...]ulit peccatū tuū. Confitem [...]ni d [...]o quoniā bonꝰ. glo. s confessiōe peccati [...] laudi cū non sit pia cōfessio pecca­tor [...] sine lande. synner receyueth the grace of the holy goost / yf there be none other lettynge. The .x. fruyte is reuela­cyon of grete parte of the payne due for y e synnes y t a man hath cōmytte as well for the vertu & puy s saūce of the keyes / & of the sacrament of holy chir­che / as also of y e shame y t a man hath to tell his sȳ ne. The .xi. fruyte is augmentacyon of grace / for often it may happen y t the greate contrycyon / and dyspleasure that the synner hath he hym arayseth from synne in to the more greater grace and loue [Page] of god than euer he hath ben tofore / and more ware to resyst and more humble before god and befo­re man / in lyke wyse as it is red of many sayntes that haue synned. The .xii. fruyt is that the synner Item [...]o [...]e .vii. i [...] ꝑsona confessoris dt. Da gloriā dn̄o deo israel & cōfit [...] re at (que) in dica mi­chi qd feceris &c. by his true confessyon geueth glory & praysynge to god / for that that he hym knowlegeth and confes­seth a synner before god / and by the consequent he knowlegeth the Justyce dyuyne to be true / and in fallyble in the whiche he gyueth glory & praysynge vnto god vnto whome alonely it is due in heuen & in erth.

¶Here foloweth the dyfference of werkes done in synne or in the grace of god.

AFter true confessyon the goode werkes the Caplm .iiii whiche before were deed / and without me­ryte / ben lyuely & merytoryous / They the whiche ben done in the estate of grace / ben sayd to be louely for as moche that they shall be rewarded eternally / yf the persone be fynably saued / & yf after such good werkes he fall in to dedely synne. For y • whyche afterwarde he doeth true penaunce / the meryte of those good werkes the whiche weren mortyfyed and effaced by reason of the sayd synne vnto hym is yelden and restored by the vertu of true penaūce. But so is it not of good werkes done in dedely fȳ ­ne / as shall be fastynges / almesdedys / prayers / or other goodnesses / for notwithstandynge that y e synner shall do penaunce and shall be fynably saued. he shall not be rewarded of meryte essencyall / for those werkes done in dedely synne. For they were neuer lyuely nor pleasaunt vnto god / and by the cō sequent they may not be araysed / by the whiche a [Page] man may certaynly say that it is more worth vnto a persone for to gyue a peny in the estate of grace / or to fast one daye for the loue of god / than to gyue all the golde of the worlde in the estate of dedely sȳ ne / or to fast all the dayes of his lyfe / with brede & with water. In the whiche apereth a merueylous dyfferrence bytwene the estate of dedely synne and the estate of grace. But that not with stondynge where as the synner hath many of synnes of asmoche he hym ought to enforce to do good werkes for by that he is often preseruyd for to fall into other synnes also it hym dysposeth ableth to contynue in good werkes and lyfe vertuous / Also yf suche vnto hym haue ben enioyned by penaūce / it hym acquyteth of that penaunce / after the moost hole opyny­on / Also he occupyeth the tyme fruytfully / & hym maketh som what takynge parte with these good persones / Also it auoydeth paynes temporall / the whiche oftymes comen by cause of synnes he deserueth agayne the grete lyberalyte of god prosperyte & godes tēporall / also they letten y e deuyll y t he hath not so grete puyssaūce to noye y e synner also they relesen y e paynes of hell or purgatory / y • is to knowe y t a man shall not beso moche punysshed as at such tyme y t a man shold do suche good dedes / he hath ben ydell / they prouoken the mercy dyuyne / for to gyue grace / by y • whiche a man may go from his sȳne / & yf suche persones be fynably saued he shall haue ioye eternall of those goodnesses done in the estate of dedely synne / not as suche nor soo greate as yf that he hadde theym done in the estate of grace. For good werkes that be done for y e loue of god [Page] stere put and knocke at the yate of mercy dyuyne / after as it is sayd in the gospell / And this mater declareth ryght a longe saynt Bernardyn in the thre score and foure sermon of the somme / the whiche is intytled de contracti (bus).

¶Here foloweth .vi. reasons shewynge that no sinner ne ought to tary hym to confesse.

THe fyrst reason is / wherfore no man ought Caplm .v. to tary hym to confesse is for the condycyon of synne / for it is lyke vnto fyre brēnynge the whyche may not be quenched but by trewe cōfessyon in the whiche he ought to haue abundaunce of teerys at the leest spyrytuell the whiche ben sorowe and dyspleasure to haue offended god by synne / And in lyke wyse as he sholde be holden a fole the whiche seeth his house brennynge / and he it may remedye by the castynge on of water / and he nothynge wyl do / soo is it of them the whiche ben in dedely syn­ne / and putteth not theyr dylygence to purge them by trewe confessyon. The seconde is for as moche that synne is a ryght perylous syknesse / and con­fessyon is a ryght certayne medycyne and proufy­table / by the whiche it apperyth that full fewe preyse the helthe of theyr soule / the whiche seeth hym selfe syke and nere deed / and fyndeth not the remedyes to make hymself hole / The thyrde reason is for as moche as the dethe is nere the whiche in all places vs purseweth and there is no persone that may knowe y e houre / after the comen lawe ne the houre ne the day / the maner or how he ought to dye [Page] And ryght often it happeneth that the deth taketh the synner / wherof he taketh no hede. And certayn yf ony knewe the daye of his deth / he sholde be more assured / than he that knoweth not the daye nor the hour. And euer more he the whiche knowyth y t he shall haue no more but one yere in this presente lyfe / he sholde aredy hym to dye well / and by true and entyre confessyon / in makynge restytucyon in requyrynge pardon / in pardonnynge. In the whyche it apperyth clerely the grace begylynge and decepcyon as well of the worlde as of the deuyll the whiche bryngeth a slepe the people in synne. The fourth reason is for that / that the synner is now in the mouth of the lyon of hell / the whiche in an horryble rayge desyreth hym to deuoure / from y e why­che peryll he may be delyuerde by true confessyon. & not otherwyse. The fyfte reason is for y • / that y e synner by his synne hath lost y e godes spyrytuall y e godes of glory infynyte / & eternall / & with y t he loseth his tyme / his body / & his soule / and y • that he doth as to purchase meryte essencyall / & all these godes before sayd may he recouer by true confessy­on. But the deuyll of hell dosyth his eeres hȳ promyttynge falsely & in greate treason y t he shal lyue longe / and that he shall amende by true confessyō & this hangynge cometh vpon the dethe. And thā many of these dōme people wolde them confesse & haue true repentaunce / the whiche cometh pryncy­pally of y e grace of god / of y • whiche grace they ben indygne or vnworthy / for whan god thē called & taryed they haue refused to come / by y e whiche of go­de ryght he theym refuseth in theyr necessyte / and [Page] theym sendeth vnto the galowes of helle for theyr irreuerence and iniquyte / for of as moche that he them hath the more longely abyden of as moche ought they to be dampned the more greuously / & Nisi cōuersi [...]ue [...] tis gladiū suū v­brauit arcū suū te tēdit et parauit illū. p̄s .vii. therfore sayth well holy scrypture that god holdeth his bowe bent / and draweth agayne the synners y e whiche taryen them to confesse. The .vi. reason is as vnto the regarde of mercy / & swete pyte of oure saueour Jhesu cryst the which not alonely abydeth at the yate of oure conscyence. But with that / put­tyth / knockyth / and callyth from daye to daye / y t is to knowe by inspyracyons of gode wylles / by predycacyons / by gyftes / and benyfyces / and somty­me by syknesses / losses of godes / warres / and other flagellacyons. But in lyke wyse as the deuyll blȳ deth the synner / so he hym maketh to lose the herȳ ge of the vocacyon that oure lorde vnto hym ma­keth. By y e whiche of gode ryght he vnto hym shal say at the deth / I haue called the & thou haste not wylled to come / Nowe thou callest me / and I the recōmende vnto the deuyll. By these .vi. reasons ap­peryth clerely the peryll the whiche is to defferre & longely abyde hym to confesse / for by y t many can not them confesse as in generall / for y t / that they haue forgoten ther synnes / y e whiche thynge may not be suffycyent excusacyō / whan neclygence & contēpte of theyr helth is cause of theyr ygnoraunce / and many doctours dowten ryghte greatly that suche confessyon is not suffycyent vnto saluasyon / and A questyon. vnto thatpurpose som maken a questyon / That is for to knowe yf that ony synner be bounde hym for too confesse in contynente after that he hathe [Page] synned mortally / and that he hathe place and ty­me and a chapelayne that hath power for to assoy­le / The answere vnto that no man is bounde regulerly / And The answer by the commaundement of holy chirche but one tyme in the yere / that is at tyme of ester / excepte in .v. cases / The fyrst is whan a man wyll receyue the holy sacrament of the awter / and that a man hath presbiterū idonium for to assoyle hym For as sayth a doctour named Rycardus de me­dia vylla / suche a caas may be come that some the whiche hath comytted mortall synne / and hath the presence of ony preest non idoniū may receyue with out synne the holy sacrament of the awter with cō trycyon without other confessyon in attendynge / place and tyme / and confessoure more couenable / The seconde caas dependeth ynough of the fyrste that is for as moche as holy chirche commaūdeth that euery crysten man the whiche hath age com­petent ought to receyue his creature at the tyme of Ester / by the whiche it foloweth that he oughte to be trewly confessed and repentaunce / The thyrde is whan suche persone shall be in the artycle of de­the / and may haue place and oportunyte to make confessyon The fourth shall be whan ony hath su­che synne of the whiche he may not be assoyled but of hym of whome he sholde haue the presence / of y e whiche presence is it semblable that he nor she shall not it recouere but of the yere / The fyfte shall be whan the conscyence of ony man hym prycketh or warneth / that he is holden hym to confesse incon­tynent after that he hath cōmytted his synne mor­tall / & that he hath oportunyte that to doo / for it is [Page] ryght good coūseyll and sure so to do / as it it sayd before in the commaūdementes of holy chirche / also another questyon / that is to knowe yf y • curate A questyon. be bounde to here the confessyons of his parysshynges as oftymes as they hym requyre. The answer The answer he is holden of necessyte to here theyr confessyon whan they hym requyre at the tyme y t they be bounden them to confesse / by necessyte as is one tyme of the yere / after the cōmaundement of holy chirche / or in the artycle of deth / but yf it be more often or in other cases not necessary he shal not be boūdē of necessyte / but alonely of congruyte / as he the why­che syngulerly ought to desyre theyr welth & theyr prouffyte / But alwayes whan he is requyred and he them wyll not or may not here / or vnto them assygne not another confessour / than they haue ly­cence for to prouyde of a confessour for that tyme / or for many tymes whan the [...]as it shall requyre / & that confessour in lyke wyse hath power them to assoyle of the case as may the sayd curate also whan ony is in hate & dyscencyon with his neyghboure or wyll not doo dygne penaunce for his synnes / he is bounde to shewe it in secrete wyse / or byfore wyt­nesse after as the case it requyreth. And yf by suche admonycyon he wyll not be corrected / he it oughte to renoūce vnto his souerayne / as is the bysshop of the dyoses / or vnto his offycyall / also he ought to praye for hym / and hym ought to recōmaunde vn­to the prayers of his other parysshynges / and hym to name after good descressyon / & that it may be vnto his prouffyte / and vnto y e edifycacyon of his neyghbours / and whan he hath done suffycyently [Page] these shynges before sayd. Than he may be excu­sed before god / of the charge and of the gouernyng that he hath of the sayd parysshynges / & not other wyse / In lyke wyse as it appereth by the ryght & other holy scryptures.

¶Here foloweth the practyse that the confessoure ought to holde as well agayne hymself as agayne them that he confesseth.

HOr as moch as the practyse and experyence without grete connynge ys somty me more prouff ytable than is the scyence without experyence. Here foloweth a ryght prouffytable insygnemēt of the practyse that the confessour ought to holde / as well for the saluacyon of his soule / as of them that he confesseth. Fyrst he ought to knowlege and fele in hymself / that the excusacyon of the offyce of the confessour may not be duely done nor accom­plysshed / as vnto theffecte of the sacrament y • whyche is to brynge agayne the synner from the estate of synne to y e grace of god / & from deth spyrytuall to lyfe spyrytuall / but alonely by the vertu & ayde of y e creatour where as it is so as for to iustefy these sȳners it is not lesse than y e creacyon of y e world / as it appereth before / By the whiche the confessoure ought well to examyne his conscyence in requyrynge the ayde of the holy goost / For yf he were boūde from dedely synne he myght not vnto his saluacy on vnbynde the synner / y t he confesseth nor haue y e ayde / & knowlege the whiche vnto y t is necessary & in token of this thynge whan our lorde gaue vnto [Page] his appostles the execusyon to confesse / he vnto thē sayd. Take & receyue the holy goost / they y t you assoyle shall be assoyled / And those that ye wyll not assoyle shall not be assoyled. & therfore sayen these doctours of theologie / y e they the whiche admynys­tren solemly the holy sacramentes / as is y e baptem confessyon or other in the estate of dedely synne sȳ nen dedely. Also be y e confessour warned y t in suche mynystracyon he seche pryncypally y e honour & glory of god / & the prouffyte & saluacyon of soules / not y e preyse fauoure / or agayn temporall / or some other thynge sinistre not purposynge y e ryche vnto the poore / the wyse worldly man vnto these symple creatures / the fayre vnto the foule / the noble vnto them not noble / but by good & iuste cause for asmoche y t of one may come more grete good vnto holy chirche / or vnto the saluacyon of soules than of the other / for yf he haue poornesse of intencyon / hym it shall enayde. But otherwyse he shall be lyke vn to the candell y • brenneth in she wynge the waye vnto other / Also be he aduysed y t the admynystracy­on of y e sacrament is meruayllous amonge other & grete dyffyculte / By the whiche he therin ought to procede demeurely dyscretly / & without preceptacy on in chastysynge / be it to here the synnes / to su­che or to knytte satysfactyon and penaunce / for moche better it is to examyne one or tweyne vnto sal­uacyon / than twenty and foure noughtely. Also it is ryght expedyent specyally at this daye that whan these confessours haue the cases the why­che with good cause were other tymes reserued [Page] vnto the prelates for the correccyon of synners. for with grete payne may a man make ony fruyte in confessyon for the dyuersyte and habundaunce of grete and horryble synnes and of cases the whiche of them cometh as well in olde / as in yonge / as wel for the sentences of excomynȳg of restytucyons / of blasfemynges of ydolatryes & of other cases newe and in estymables the whiche neuer hath ben herde / or founde by scrypture / & the whiche ben at this daye founde and taken from synners by the synguler grace of god / and the meryte and good dylygence of confessours / and there ben foūde many sȳners that neuer wolde consent to be sent vnto the prela­tes though that they sholde be euer without confes­syon so as many sayen and affermen. By the whyche it is not to be vnderstande / that / that the which other tymes hath ben ordayned for y e charyte / and saluacyon of soules / as ben the sacramentes and ordenaūces of holy chirche / ought to be kept vnto the preiudyce of the saluacyon of synners the why­che thynges shall come whan the prelates the whyche haue to answere of dede spyrytuall of theyr subgectes they wyll not cōmytte theyr case and puys­saunce in suche necessyte vnto chapelayns / wyse & dyscrete how be it that at this daye with grete pay­ne there ben founde chapelayns suffycyent in all thynges vnto suche offyce by the which defaute many of the poore synners go vnto dampnacyon / Al­so ought the confessour subtylly aduyse the qualyte the offence and other dysposycyons of the synner / And then he ought to enquyre of the synnes of the whiche he may be culpable / and yf he perceyue that [Page] the persone be yonge or other / ellys he is shamfas [...]e or to moche ferefull / he ought to shewe it swetely & affyably and there he ought to perswade from confessyon / And how he sholde chese more soner to dye than euer to say or ony thynge declare of the synne the whiche vnto hym hath ben confessed. For it vnto hym hath ben tolde in as moche as he is the vp care of god pryncypally / and not as vnto a man / Also he ought to declare of as moche that he hym confesseth the more playnly / and the more longfully / of as moche he shall loue hym the better. Also that by suche confessyon he is put out of the bon­des of the deuyll / and auoydeth the paynes of helle and retorneth vnto Jhesu cryste for to lyue eternally. oftymes it happeneth that by suche Admonycy on man gyueth courage vnto the poore synners y • the deuyll of helle holdeth in fere to confesse them poorly & entyerly. And the confessour ought to la­bour specyally agayne yonge people / or other sym­ple persones and rude to tell theyr synnes. Fyrst in generall / and afterwarde moeuynge the ayde of y e holy goost he ought to dyscende vnto the partycu­lers after that he shall haue the cause and occacy­on by that the whiche is sayd in generall. And thē he may demaūde yf they wyll well that he them examyne to the ende that theyr confessyon may be hole / & vnto theyr saluacyon in she wynge them that yf by ypocrysye or euyll thynkynge they saye not trouth in theyr confessyon they lye vnto god y • whiche all can and knoweth / and that suche confessy­on sholde be more dampnable than merytoryous. and whanne that a man fyndeth ony suche symple [Page] people the whiche promytten to say and to answere truely and requyren & wyllyng that a man them examen / after that they haue sayd that / that they can / a man may not make a more brefe and sure expedycyon than by the commaundementes of god as shall be sayd here after. And a man ought to aduertyse the synner that he answere not to haue do­ne that thynge that he hath not done. As done many the whiche answer yes syre vnto that / y t a man them demaundeth / be it trouth or lesynge / And for to knowe better to procede in suche interrogacyons the confessour ought to demaunde the estate of the persone yf he knowe it not. That is to knowe yf he be in the estate of maryage / or in the estate of the chirche / reguler / or seculer / clerke / or laye / noble / or not noble / prelate / or subiecte / and of other vocacy­ons. And than he may forme his interrogacyons / after the synnes the whiche moost comenly abounden in suche people / as vnto the people of the chirch of symony / of irregularyte / of sacrylege / of y • euyll dyspendynge of the patrymonye of Jhesu cryste / these ben the goodes of the chirche. Also of noble peple / and offycers of rauayn / vnto people marchaū des / offrandes / and of lyenges / vnto borges / vsury vnto yonge people / of temptacyons carnalles / and of touchynge dyshoneste and of the cyrcumstaun­ces the whiche greuen moche▪ and of the maners and dyuers espyces / the whiche may be in one self synne and of the nomber. That is to knowe by hewe oftymes aman is fallen in to the same synne For the synner it ought to tell and confesse yf vnto [Page] hym it be possyble / or as nere as vnto hym it may be very semblable. And so of other thynges / after the dyscrecyon / and medyfycacyon before sayd. by the whiche it appereth that the confessour ought to haue thre thynges / scyence cautelle / and dyscrecy­on / scyence for to dyscerne the dyuersytees of the maner of synnes / cautelle for to enquyre / and to axe / questyons / dyscrecyon for to gyue and enioyne pe­naunce / or ellys he hym dysposeth vnto grete peryl as well of his saluacyon as of them that he confesseth. Also he ought to warne hȳ that he confesseth that he name not / or acuse another persone thanne hymself yf the synne were not of suche condycyon that otherwyse it may not be sayd / or declared / & he ought not to dyscende to moche in partyculer in the cyrcumstaunces of synnes / and specyally of the synne of lechery / For of that may come the lettȳge of conscyence / as well in hymselfe / as in other or to moche grete shame vnto hym the whiche is confessed / how be it a man may hym warne to declare his synne so parfytly that his conscyence grutche hym not afterwarde in that / that he hath not entyerly confessed hym / and with the cyrcumstaūces y • whiche weren of necessyte / and whan it cometh vnto the ende of the confessyon that the synner hath parfytly tolde and declared his synnes / by interro­gacyons or other wyse / than the confessour oughte hym to shewe the errour / and the greuousnesse of his synnes. And also the grace that god vnto hym hath done in that / that he hath abyden hym to do penaunce / and hym to loue fynally in good purpo­se yf vnto hym it be possyble / And in good hope of [Page] the mercy of god / and for some case or ceason he may not hym assoyle / as for the case of excomynȳ ge / or that he wyll not pardonne / or seche pardonne or make restytucyon / or other cases he hym ought to counseyll the forme / and the manere to fynde his remedy / and hym to recōmaunde vnto the sa­cred vyrgyn mary foūtayne of pyte / of mercy / and of doynge ony good dedys. For in soo doynge god hym shall the more soner helpe to fynde his reme­dyes. Also yf y • confessour knoweth by ony sygnes or lokynges coniectures or by other waye that the synner sayeth not suffysauntly his synnes / he hym ought than to warne / not alonely one tyme but many that yf he leue ony thynge vnto his wyttynge his confessyon is no confessyon and synneth gre­uously. And hym ought to warne to go to another confessour / or to retorne to hym another tyme that he may haue other dyspocysyon. Also be the con­fessour wyse and dyscrete / that he enioyne not pe­naunce vnto the synner y • he wyll not receyue wyl­fully and the whiche is very semblable that he shal accomplysshe shewynge hym that yf by forgytful / nesse or otherwyse / he it wyll not accomplysshe / after that / that he it excepteth and that he it may wel do he synneth greuously / and is bounden in suche case to confesse hym / Also neuer for synne secrete he ought not to gyue open penaunce. And those the whiche ben confessed ought to kepe them well that by mockery / malyce or other cursyd cause & thenne they shewe not the secrete of confessyon for in soo doynge they synne greuously / & yf ony persone hȳ [Page] fele strongly roted in ony synne / he may be boun­de after good dyscrecyon vnto soules payne tem­porall / in case that he retorne vnto his synne / as is to swere without cause / of lechery / or of other synne / for Dfie [...] pauci [...]t [...] saluantur. [...]p̄e a. it dixit ad illos con­tēdite intrare per angustā port [...] [...] dico vobis (quam) mul­ti querēt itrare et non potuerūt. lu­ce .xiii. somtyme many kepe theym well to retorne vnto synne / for fere of the losse of .x. shelynges / ye a peny or a halfe peny the whiche he kepeth not for the loue of god / how be it / it is a thynge pleasaunt vnto god whan the persone secheth the wayes and maners to correcte hym & to punysshe his synnes for to please god his creatour / but many ben blyn­dyd in the knowlege of the loue of god of the greuousnesse of synne and of the peryll of euyll custo­me / of the payn of hell / and of the glory of paradyse Item gre. Justū est vt [...] voluit pe­nitere cum potu [...]t cū voluerit s [...]r [...] sit the whiche shall be more dylygent hym to make hole of the ache of a tothe / than they do to remedy the thynge on the whiche hangeth theyr dampna­cyon. By the whiche it happeneth oftymes that suche can not fynde remedy whan they it desyre and wolde / for whan they it may well fynde they wyll not. By these thynges before sayd it appereth clerely that the arte and scyence of well and Justly to examyne theyr conscyence vnto saluacyon as well of the confessour / as of hym the whiche is confessed is of so hygh subtylyte / and so strayt that it is not to byleue / as by scyence humayne alonely or by study / or clergy. a man may well and iustley acquyte without synguler ayde of the blessed holy goost the whiche aydeth and techeth them the whiche by the ordynaūce of the holy chirche ben in fere and in humylyte / & for the charyte of poore soules receyuen the offyce of a confessour / & by y e contrary they the [Page] whiche by presumpcyon couetyse or ther other cau­se Si cecus ceco du­catūprestat ambo [...] foueam cadunt Math. them iugen vnto suche offyce fallen in an in con­uenyent of the whiche sayth our lorde that yf one blynde man ledeth an other both tweyne fallen in the dyche.

¶Here foloweth what scyence is necessary vnto a confessour. Caplm .vii.

HEre foloweth more c [...]specyall of the scyence Cū ante sit ars ar tiū regimē aīarum vt extra de eta. et qua. ordinādorum ignominiosum fo­re [...] alde cōuicitur clericos ad hoc re­gimē ꝓmotos cās ipsius reg [...]mis p [...] n [...]tus ignorare. Nā & vilis [...]imꝰ cō ­putādus est nisi p̄ ­c dat scia & scitate [...] alii prestācior ē honore. i. q. i. vilis­mus. Scia quidē sacer­dotibꝰ ad mod est necessaria iuxta ii ld malachie. ii. Labia sacerdotū cu­stodiūt scia & legē ex [...]rūt scilꝪ [...]ud di­ti ex ore. vt extra. d. here. cū ex in ūcta &. xi. q. i. sacerdo tibus .xliii. di. sed. [...]ctor. and cyrcumspeccyon that he ought to haue the whiche excercyseth the offyce of a confessoure / where as it is so y e the confessour is iuge of the cō ­scyence of y e synner before that he may gyue good sentence it behoueth that he haue knowlege & dys­crecyon in aduysynge yf the synne be mortall or venyall. And therfore some what to vnderstonde the dyfference of synne / it is well to be noted that holy chirche hath two maner of cōmaundementes. The fyrst maner vnto vs is ordeyned duely as well ageyne god as agayne his neyghbour / And they ben named the .x. commaundementes of the lawe / of the whiche hath ben treatyd before of the whiche it is to knowe that euery persone the which hath wytte age / and dyscressyon / and that by delyberacyon & fully consentynge or equyualent trespasseth ony of the .x. commaundementes synneth mortally / For he breketh charyte the whiche is the lyfe spyrytuall of the soule / and the meane to loue god and oure neyghbour / And he may not be excused by ygno­raunce [Page] / for yf he doute in ony case partyculer tou­chynge the commaundementes of god / he ought to be enformed by thē the whiche haue the fere of god and knowlege of the lawe / and not to put hym in y e peryll of transgressyon / and to synne mortally. for other wyse sayen these doctours of holy scrypture that suche a persone dyspyseth god and his salua­cyon. The whiche thynge may not be in creatu­re resonable without gylt of dedely synne. The seconde maner of the commaundementes ben ordy­naunces and statutes humayne. As of prelates of holy chirche or other lordes the whiche may haue auctoryte to make lawes and ordynaunces y t these subiectes ought to kepe and accomplysshe after y e true intencyon of theyr souerayns. But the trans­gressyon of suche ordynaūces shall not be alwayes dedely synne / yf it were not for the dyspysynge of them the whiche haue made the sayd ordynaunces or commaundement / or for to moche grete & notable exces in thynge the whiche of hymself is but venyall synne yf it were not the sayd exces or contēnement. And therfore ryght syngulerly it is to be no­ted that neuer man ne ought to Juge that ony synne be mortall yf it be not cōmyttyd by delyberacyon & full consent / as sayth his equyualent. And I say equyualent for as moche that many synnen by ha­bytacyon of custome or of a contempte in the whiche they ben blyndyd by such maner that it semeth not vnto them that they dyspose them or that they gyue theyr consent in many thynges whiche ben vnprouffytable / The whiche alwayes after some doctours ben sȳnes dedely. as y e custome to swere for [Page] no thyng and without cause resonable / or to do vndyscretly agayne the cōmaundementes of the so­uerayns / And this is for a rule generall / as well for these thynges before sayd / as for these that fo­lowen / also the confessour ought to dyscerne & ad­uyse yf the synner be fallen in to sentence excomē ged or interdyted for in that may rȳne as well clerkes as laye people / or yf he be suspended or irregu­ler the whiche is alonely as vnto clerkes / For yf he Discretus querē ­dus ē sacerdos sciens soluere & liga­re. de pe. d. i. quem penitet & d. vi. qui vult et. c. placuit. e [...] de pe. & re. oēs &c. vlt. & de symoni a ex diligenti. Et secūdū aug. Caue at spūt iuder vt si cut non ꝯmisit cri­mē ne [...]e. ita non careat mūere scie oportet ei vt sciat discernere id ē qd dēt iudicare. qr iudiciaria potestas hoc expostulat vt qd debet iudicare discernat. de pe. d vi. c. i. viciū enim magnū ē ab aliis querere seu disce­re q̄ ipsos i iudicā do eloqui decet vt i ant coll. vi. de iu­di. vbi illi a [...]t. &. i. q. vii. be excomenged the confessour may not hym assoyle sacramentally tyll vnto that / that he be losed and assoyled of the sayd sentence▪ And therfore the confessour ought to take hede yf he haue auctoryte or not / or yf the absolucyon appertayn vnto the pope or vnto the bysshop / or vnto a nother Juge ecclesy astycall / to the entent to counseyll the synner / as he ought to fynde his remedy / Also he ought to dys­cerne bytwene the dyuers espyces / and maners of synne mortall. For it suffyseth not hym to confesse in generall / but hym behoueth to tell the cyrcūstaū ces of them the whiche may gretely greue or chaū ge the synne in to dyuers espyces. And therfore sa­yeth well mayster wyllyam durande. That yf the confessour is soo lytell knowynge that he fuffyseth not to dyscerne the synnes and the cyrcumstaūces of theym as it is sayd / the synner ought to confesse hym to another / yf he be not in suche wyse lettred or by other meane soo dyscrete that he may supply the in suffysaūce of his confessour. Also more ouer it is sayd that the confessour ought to conne dys­cerne and knowe yf these bataylles of prynces ben Juste / or vniuste / And also of taxes imposycyons [Page] subsydes / or other exaccyons / yf it be rauen or not / Cōuenientibus. Cecꝰ aūt si cec [...] ducatū p̄sterābo i foueā cadūt math xv. c. & [...]t. xxx vii. di. c. vlti. &. xxxviii d. q̄. ip̄is. Ignorā ­tia etei est m [...] oim errorum. xxxviii. di. ca. i. vn sedm augu. Dānabilis ꝓfecto est ignorā ­cia sacerdotū vbi hn̄t a quo valeant eru diri .xxxvii. di st [...]n ca. vlt. Also of sellynges of byenges / or other contractes yf they ben Just or vniuste. For otherwyse he may not Justely enioy ne restytucyon the whiche is of the necessyte of the true absolucyon. Also he ought to haue knowlege of wo [...]es of testamētes / of cases of symony / vseryes / and of other dyffycultes the why­che oftymes come in the dede of confessyon. And if he be not suffycyent to know dyscerne and Juge of thynges before sayd / and enforme or replenysshe the synner vnto more knowynge for to shewe hys remedyes. For ellys it is vnto y e grete peryll of dāpnacyon / as well of hymself / as of them that he cō ­fesseth / as also of them the whiche hym gaue the of fyce / or the whiche may / or sholde proue yf he excercyse confessyons. Therfore sayth the holy euange­lyst that yf one blynde man lede another both two fallen in to the dyche. And it is to vnderstonde y t how be it that by the consecracyon of presthode euery preste receyueth the keyes of the Jurysdyccyon / and of the puyssaūce to assoyle / how be it he may not them excercyse yf he haue not mater subgecte that is the people of holy chirche. And therfore▪ it behoueth that he haue auctoryte of comen ryght as is our holy fader y e pope / these bysshoppes / or their diocesains / these curates / in theyr parysshynges / or that he hath the sayd auctoryte by preuylege / or lycence of one of these thre before sayd / or that the sȳ ner hath lycence or preuylege to these a confessour wyse and dyscrete / or elles yf the absolucyon be made without iurysdyccyon / that sholde not be a true absolucyon / but they synnen mortally / as well the [Page] prest as he the whiche is confessed whan they it d [...] holely. Also it is good to be noted y t after a doctour named Austen of anchone ra [...]ihabytacion / or pre­sumpcyon / of the wyll of hym vnto whiche it aperteyneth to gyue Jurysdyccyon to confesse / hath not power nor place in suche case / for it sholde folowe that the absolucyon of the synnes sholde dyspence of a thynge the whiche may be / or not be / the whi­che in certaynte may not be a true absolucyon. In lyke wyse as it appereth by the reasons of y e sayd doctour / here put and noted in wytnes of this layd boke.

¶ Here folowen cases of the whiche the absolucyon Caplm. viii. Aug. de anchona [...] de ptāte pape dicit (quam) rati habicio nō hꝪ lo [...]ū in absolucōe sacramenta­li ad quē requirūt tria. [...]mo p [...]ās ex [...]p̄iꝰ ordis susceptione sedo ordis executō ex superioris iurisdiccōe. Tercio sacramenti admīstracō exipsius verbi cum elemēto aplicatōe qr applicat verbum adelemētū & sit sacramētū sedm au­gu. Si ergo aliquis sacerdos aliquem absoluit [...] tū nō ē rite absolutꝰ qr in tali absolucione deficit ex ꝑte sacerdotis orbis execucio et si post mod ex ꝑtesuꝑio­ris suꝑ ueniat rati habicio defici [...]t sacramenti applica­cio. talis rati habicio nō valet. qui [...] si papa exsola rati habicōe abs [...] sa­cramēti applicatō ne possꝪ aliquē absoluete possꝪ effectū sacramēti abs­ (que) sacto conferre qd xp̄us nulli pu­to homini cōcessit [...]ec Augustinus p̄ fatu [...]. is reserued vnto the pope the whiche they ought to knowe and to note the whiche heren the confessy­ons.

AFter the resolucyon of doctours euery per­sone the whiche stryketh malycyously / ony clerke / relygyous man / or relegyous woman in suche maner that the stroke or the betynge after the ryght may be sayd cruell / and wrongfull is exco­munycate of sentence papall. Also who so brēneth ony holy place or of relegyon falleth and renneth in sentence papall after that the bysshoppe dyoce­sayn hym denoūceth excomunycate / but before the sayd denoūcyacyon the bysshop hym may assoyle / who soo brenneth places or houses / prophanes is not excomunycate tyll vnto the tyme that the bys­shop hym maketh to be denoūced for suche causes and afterwarde he may not be assoyled / but by the [Page] auctoryte of the pope. Also yf it be to falsefye the letters of the pope in theym puttynge or takynge out / one letter / one poynt / or one mynyme / or so vse suche letters malycyously is excomunycate of the sentence papall. Also all those the whiche ben par­teners vnto a cryme by the which ony persone hath ronne in sentence papall in geuynge ayde / cōforte or fauour vnto the sayd cryme they renne in semblable sentence / and also ben those that them receyuen wyttyngly vnto the sacramentes of the chirche or vnto sepulture ecclesyastycall. Also all they the whiche maken couenaur [...]es or promesses with money for to haue Justyce / or ony graces / be it for hymself or for other be it in causes or in Jugementes / or for to obteyne letters of the holy syege apostolycall / or who so vseth / or Joyeth wyttyngly of letters / or of graces so graunted is acursyd of sentence papall by the extrauagant of Bonyface the .viii. Also who so receyueth the benefyces of holy chirche / or holy orders by symonye / is cursyd / & is the case of the pope by y e extrauagant of y e pope Martin / Also who so goth vnto y e holy sepul [...]re by deuocyon or other without lycence of the pope is acursyd & is the case of the pope. Also those the whiche cutte bake or mel­te the body of ony deed persone without lycence of y e pope ben acursyd of sentence papall by y e extrauagant of Bonyface. Also they the whiche enforce ony prest to synge in place interdyted / or the which calleth them that ben interdyted or acursyd to here y e masse / or to receyue the sacrament / or the whiche prohibyton / & defenden that they the whiche ben excomunycate or interdyted / goo not oute of the [Page] chirche after the commaundement that vnto them is made ben excomynynge. And also those the whiche ben warned and go not out and is the case of the pope. Also all relegyous men the whiche admynystren vnto seculers the sacramentes of the awter of maryage / or of the laste vnccyon without the lycence of hym vnto whome it aperteyneth / ben ex­comynynge / and is the case of the pope / Also the in quesytor of the fayth the whiche by hate / or by loue or by fauour or otherwyse letteth to procede after god and good conscyence agayne ony heretyke / or the whiche putteth cursydly the cryme of heresy vnto ony man / or ellys who some euer that letteth malycyously the offyce of the sayd inquysycyon ben all excomunycate and is the case of the pope. Also yf ony relegyous professed in the order of beggers without dyspensacyon hym putteth in to another relygyon excepte of the chartre / is acursyd of y e po­pe by the constytucyon of constaunce. And also the sethe whiche wyttyngly hym receyuen. also euery clerke y • whiche with his good wyll vnto his knowlege cōmoneth in ony of the sacramentes of holy chirche with them the whiche ben acursyd of the sē ­tence of the pope. Also who so euer taketh parte vnto a cryme by y • whiche ony persone is excomunycate by ony of the maners before sayd / or in the sa­cramentes of holy chirche rennen in semblable sentence. Also who so euer hym maketh to be assoyled in the artycle of deth of ony sentence of cursynge / or of other payne canonycall / be it of the pope or of the bysshop or of other Juge ecclesyastycall / and escapeth from the sayd peryll & artycle he is boun [Page] de hym to represent vnto hym y • whiche hym may assoyle / as some that after the sayd artycle / or pe­ryll he shall haue oportunyte vnto y • / that he dothe in the case of the sayd sentence after the Jugement and dyscrecyon of the absoluant / or other wyse / he agayne falleth in to the same maner of sentence / wherof he hath ben assoyled in the sayd artycle of deth But another thynge it sholde be of the abso­lucyon sacramentall of synnes of y • whiche he hath ben assoyled in the sayd artycle / For he shall not be bounde of necessyte hym to reconfesse notwithstandynge that the absolutyon apparteyne vnto the pope / or vnto the bysshop. Also these herytykes / and they the whiche vnto them gyuen ayde / socours / or comfort / ben acursyd / and is the case of the pope. Also all preestes ben they regulers or seculers / the whiche warnen ony persone to swere to vowe or to promes in good fayth or otherwyse that he shall chese his sepulture in theyr chirche or that neuer he shall neuer reuoke he lately bounde to chese / ben excomunycate and may not be assoyled / but of auc­toryte of our holy fader the pope / excepte in the ar­tycle of deth / mo / and many other sentences papalles ben in ryght and in customes / of the whiche here I passe as at this tyme for by cause of shortnes / and also for the pyteous hope that I haue that our moder holy chirche therin shall fynde remedy / and that in short tyme / For he that well shall practyse an hundreth thyrty and foure cases of excomuny­cacyon the whiche ben in ryght / after as reherseth rectoriū Juris / and them conferme with the symonyacles and other excomunycacyons for the twenty [Page] fulmynacyons that they make at this daye comenly. Also thorowe all crystyante as well for the losse of goodes temporalles / as for other occasyons may C [...] [...]te hoīm ma [...]iā qd institut [...] ē ad remediū tēdit ad no [...] [...] .li. vi. de exessibus p̄latorū he knowe clerely that / the whiche the apostle sayth vpon the apocalypse. That is to knowe that in y e tyme of Antecryste well nere all the worlde shalbe acursyd / and that / that the whiche other tymes hathe ben ordeyned for remedy & for the correccyon of synners. That is at this days conuerted in the occasyon of y e dampnacyon of humayne By these thynges before sayd appereth how those the why­che herynge confessyons ought to haue grete dyscrecyon and for the whiche cases they ought to consy­der with these iurystes / & with these theologyens.

¶ Here foloweth the cases reseruyd vnto the bys­shop.

OF the cases reserued vnto the bysshop / as well of ryght as of aūcyent custome there ben .ix. That is to knowe foure of ryght / and .v. of aun­cyent custome. The fyrst is the synne by the which ony derke sholde be irryguler / the whiche may co­me in four maners / fyrst whan ony man receyueth vnto his knowlege holy orders by symonye / & in suche case the pope and none other may dyspence. Secondely whan ony clerke receyueth holy orders s [...]elyngly as he the whiche is not of the dyoses nor hath not loue of his dyocesayn / suche is irryguler & yf the bysshop hath defended vpon payn of cursȳ ge y • none other dyoses receyue orders of hym than suche irryguler may be dyspenced / but of y e auctory [Page] [...]e of the pope / but yf the bysshop hath not hym defended he there may than dyspence. Thyrdly whan ony clerke excercyseth the offyce y t he hath not yet receyued. Fourthly whan ony preest acursyd of the grete curfynge suspended or enterdyted / syngeth masse in suche estate. The seconde case reserued to these byssoppes is of them the whiche brennen malycyously ony chirche / or there make the brekynge of ony dores / or the wyndowes of the vestry / of the walle / or of couerture / the whiche the bysshop may assoyle yf that before he them hath not denoūced / or made to denoūce cursynge / for yf it were so they may not be assoyled but of the auctoryte of y e pope The thyrde case of synne is / wherfore the penaūce ought to be ioyned alonely for synne grete / & horryble they shall be dynulged as man slawghter & after the custome of some dyoses the synne of y e fren­des by dyffaulte wherof theyr chyldern dyen perys­shynge / or ben strangled in the bedde or otherwyse The fourth case reserued vnto the bysshoppes after the ryght is the synne by the which a man renneth in the sentence of cursynge / as to smyte a clerke malycyously not wrongfully / for than the absolucyon sholde aperteyne vnto the pope / other cases ther ben many of the whiche the confessour ought to be well aduysed & hȳ enforme desyrously as well by studye as by coūseyl & practyse of these lawers. The fyrst of the .v. cases of auncyent customes is homicide volūtary / the .ii. of those y • whiche falsen y e letters of y e pope / or wyttyngly vsen of suche letters false / the thyrde of them y • whiche breken y • lybertes of holy chirche / as those the whiche enforce the people of y e [Page] chirche to pay taxes watches subsydes / or passages agayne theyr wyll & without leue & ordynaūce of prelates. The fourth of them the whiche breken y • innunyte & preuylege of y e chirche in place halowed as done they the▪ whiche taken wylfully ony perso­ne in the chirche / or chirchyerde / in takynge hym out of the fraūchyse w tout the ordynaūce of Justyce or the whiche there maken ony fraccyon as it is sayd before. The fyfth is of sorcyers and denyns / a doctour named John̄ Andrew sayth that many other cases ben reserued vnto bysshoppes / as is to blasfeme god and his sayntes / of them also y • whiche maken maryages clandes [...]yns y • is to say agayn the prohibycyon of holy chirche and without solēpnyte that vnto that appertayneth. Also of all grete and horryble cases after that they ben publysshed Also of fals wytnesses in Jugementes / of synne dȳ ceste / as to haue company carnal / of his moder / or of his kynred / or affynyte / & it is a semblable thȳ ­ge of the woman as of y e man Also of the synne of lechery with a nonne or with a woman that hath auowed ony relygyon approued or with bestes / Also of them that breken theyr maryages / & in lyke wyse other cases y t the bysshoppes may retayne for good cause but as sayth hostyence to reserue many cases it is vnto y e preiudyce of curates / & there may come more grete lettynge of saluacyon of soules & grete prouffyte / & therfore he concludeth that these curates may assoyle of all cases excepte these .ix. before sayd / and that it vnto them be not defended in ryght by some specyal inhybycyon or custome approued / but as to regarde of these freers minours or [Page] prechours the whiche ben lawfully presented / noo man ought to doubte but that they may assoyle of all cases excepte these .ix. before sayd / the whiche ben reserued of ryght or of custome for gloses / or opinyons dyuerses of doctours / they ought not to be re­ceyued / ne to haue place in this mater / agayne the wyll and expresse declaracyon / of the holy syege appostolycall. For it is clere and ryghtfull that y e leste and the moost was / may not restrayne ordyuynys she the preuylege / statute / and ordynaunce of hys souerayne. Now is it so that the pope Benedic. the xi. and Eugeny the fourth they haue confermed the opynyon of Raymunde / the whiche putteth foure cases of ryght / and fyue of custome as it is sayd / & that that he hath wryten in the .vii. of the decretal­les. That is to vnderstonde that these relygyous may not assoyle of cases reserued vnto these bys­shoppes / that ought to be vnderstonde of them that ben reserued of ryght. In lyke wyse as it appereth by the decretal the whiche begynneth. Dudum. but yf these concilles sinodaux / or by the statutes / or or­dynaunces prouyncyalles / some synne was defen­ded vpon the payne of cursynge / these freers before sayd may not them assoyle. For the absolucyon of cursynge apperteyneth of ryght vnto these bysshoppes / excepte these the whiche ben reserued vnto the holy fader. Also it is well to be noted that the preste the whiche receyueth wyttyngly the persone acur­sed of the grete cursynge to here the offyce of y e chir­che or ony of the sacramentes / or sepulture ecclesy­astycall synne mortally / and is suspended of all admynystracyon ecclesyastycall / and he is enterdyted [Page] of the entre of the chirche / and yf he synge in suche estate he is irryguler / and yf he so dye he ought not to be buryed in holy place. Also yf ony take parte with these excomunycate / in spekynge / or in etyng or in drynkynge / or in gretynge them / in dyspysȳ ­ge the prohybycyon of holy chirche / he synneth mortally / & is acursyd of the lasse cursynge / of the whyche sentence he may well be assoyled of his curate / yf of suche case he hath contrycyon suffycyent / and these doctours sayen that suche absolucyon / of the lasse excomunytate ought to procede the absolucyō sacramentall of other synnes vnder suche forme / Ego te absoluo a sentencia minoris excomunicacionis siue minorum excomunicacionum / et hocsi sit plures Item eadem auctoritate / Ego absoluo te a peccatis tuis / In no [...]e patris et fil [...] et spiritus santi amen) And the reason to holde this forme / is for as moche that they the whiche ben in some senten­ce / be not parteners of the sacramentes of holy chirche / from whome the sacrament is enhybyt tyl vnto that / that they ben loused of the sayd sentence / In lyke wyse as it appereth by the ryght. Also it is to be noted y t some may well be assoyled of pay­nes canonycalles / as ben excomunye / suspencyon / interdyte / or irrygularyte / without that / he were assoyled sacramentally / of his synnes / & of the one of the sayd paynes abydynge boūde / of other yf he were bounde of many / but so is it not of the abso­lucyon sacramentall / In the whiche he behoueth to be assoyled of all his synnes / or of one / The cau­ses and reasons wherfore a man may not comen with these that ben acursyd without [...]ennynge in y e [Page] sentence be conteyned in this vers. Vtile / lex / humile / res ignorata necesse. Hec anathema quidem fa [...] unt ne possit obesse) That is to say for the grete vtilite / be it of hym that is a cursyd / or of hym y t spe­keth w t hym / or for the bonde of maryage / or whā ony is subiecte vnto the cursynge / or whan a man hathe not knowlege of hym that is acursyd / or whā there is necessyte couenable / to speke or to comyne with these cursyd it is not defended vpon payne of synne ne of other sentence.

¶Here foloweth the dystyncyon of thre manere of penaunce.

THre maner of penaūce ben as well in ryght Caplm .x. as in custome. That is to vnderstonde opē penaunce / solempne penaūce / and penaūce secrete / or sacramentall / penaunce open penaūce is that y • whiche is done openly for synnes grete / & vnlaw­full the whiche hath ben cōmytte openly / but suche penaunce ought not at this daye to be enioyned yf it be not done alonely in the towne or cyte / in the whiche than he shall recede the court of Rome / or the holy concylle / after as sayth mayster wyllyam Durande the scot / for as moche that of suche pe­naūce may sooner come sclander than prouffyte / & edyfycacyon of soules / & therfore a man shold punysshe them y • whiche for to begge & trewande go thorowe the worlde all naked betynge hym self before the people / affermynge y t vnto thē it hath ben enioyned by penaūce in y • whiche they lyen falsely & cursydly / penaūce solēpne / is y t a man begȳneth [Page] the assewenesdaye / with grete mysterys the which ought not to be gyuen but for grete synnes open & wrongfull and it apperteyneth alonely vnto the bysshop for to gyue it or vnto hym the whiche hym representeth. The forme and maner to enioyne & Di. [...]. Si depost remissionē [...]ff ꝓenul aliqua vno t [...]e cō gr [...]t que also tē ­pore s [...]t necessa­ [...]. [...]. also to do suche penaunce is wryten in the ryght / But oftymes the custome hurteth the ryghtes: and therfore in some dyocyses men vse not suche penaū ce / And in these other men vse them in many and dyuers maners. They y • whiche geuen open penaū ce or solempne for synne the whiche is knowen / y t is to vnderstonde the whiche is not comen vnto the knowlege of all them of the towne / or of the more parte aren / and fayllen gretly as other tymes it hathe ben sayd of these poore nouryces the which fynden theyr chylde dede by them or in the cradyll w t out that that they may knowe the cause or y • lest of suche aduenture the whiche oftymes may happen / without the gylte of the fader or of the moder / pe­naunce sacramentall is done secretly and of all maner of synnes ben they open / or secrete / and it maye be with drawen by as many tymes as the synner a bydynge in this present lyfe falleth agayne in sȳne And it is the pryncypall intencyon of this fourth Nisi penit [...]nciam egetit [...]s [...]ēs simul peribis. luce. [...]. Penitē [...]am agite ap ꝓpiquab [...] reg n [...] celo [...]. Mat. [...] [...]. partye of this presentbook. And of this penaunce sayth saynt Austen. that it is more worth to a persone the whiche is in synne to make a good and an entyer confessyon / than to go in pylgrymage vnto all the holy places that ben vpon erth. For without that no creature may recouer saluacyon nor also with that to goo vnto dampnacyon. And therfore take hede desyrously euery poore synner / the which [Page] is in the domynacyon of the deuyll in the mater / and in these chapytres the whiche folowen.

¶Here foloweth four thynges that the synner ou­ght to do for to begynne well his confessyon.

THe persone the whiche desyreth so excellent Caplm xi. a werke as is to puryfye hym from fynne. and to be reduced vnto god by true and entyer confessyon / ought to do foure thynges / In lyke wyse as techeth mayster Peter de aquila / and also done these other theologyens comenly. The fyrst is ef­fectuously to thynke on his lyfe / after as sayeth holy scrypture. I shall me remembre / & I shall thynke on my lyfe before the face of my god / in bytternes and dyspleasure that I haue hym offended / & euery persone ought to put also grete dylygence & Recogitabo tibi ōs annos meos in amaritudine aie mee ysaie. xxxviii payne to remembre hym of all his synnes / for to haue dyspleasure as he sholde be for to thȳke a grete gayne temporall / or as he sholde be to kepe him from losse / for yf by sloweth & neglygence to thynke of his synnes / he leueth one / or many with oute confessynge / and yf he dye in suche estate there is extreme peryll of dampnacyon / A nother thynge it shall be whan he hathe done his delygence after y e debylyte / of stragylyte humayn to remembre hym of all his synnes / and▪ that notwithstondynge su­che dylygence / he forgetteth one or many / for it is a conclucyon certayne that euery persone the whyche doth that / that in hym is to remembre hym of his synnes for to haue dyspleasure / god hym shall gyue knowlege / or thē hym shall pardon as vnto [Page] the peryll of dampnacyon eternall / In the whiche it appereth that no persone is dampned but by his owne defaute. The seconde thynge that y • synner Tanta ē offensa (quam)tus ē ille [...] offen ditur. arist. v. ethi ought to do before his confessyon is to haue dys­pleasure of euery synne y t he hath cōmytted ageyn god his creatour / and he ought to be certayne that the offence of euery dedely synne / is as grete / as is the maieste and boūte of hym the whiche is pryncypally offended / that is god the whiche is good in fynyte. The thyrde thyng is that the synner ought to haue purpose moeuynge the ayde of god neuer to cōmytte dedely synne / for in lyke wyse as he the whiche hath true contrycyon of his synnes pryncypally for the loue of god and in purpose to confesse hym in place and in tyme dewe / and competent / is in the estate of grace / In lyke wyse by the contra­ry / yf ony creature hadde done all the good dedys of the worlde / and neuer durynge his lyfe hath cō ­mytted dedely synne / other than to haue alonely intencyon to sȳne in tyme to come / he shall be forth with by that cursyd wyll in the estate of dedely synne and in the waye of dampnacyon. The fourth thynge is that the synner ought to make prayer to god his creatour / that he hym gyue to haue know­lege of his synnes / and grace for to make confessyon the whiche vnto hym may be pleasaunt / & vn­to the helth of his soule / prouffytable.

¶ Here foloweth of them the whiche may lawfully assoyle as also of them the whiche may chose a confessour.

THe synner the whiche desyreth to do so ex­cellent Caplm xii. a werke as is to puryfye hym from all synne by true confessyon and hym reduce vnto god his creatour / after these foure thynges before sayd done and accomplysshed / he ought to seche & chese a confessoure the whiche is suffycyent for to declare hym the dyffycultes of his cases / as many be of bequestes of vowes / of testamentes / of resty­tucyons / of sentence of excomunycacyon of irrygularytes / of suspensyons / or of interdytynges / and so of other agayne the cases the whiche oftymes is foūde in the dede of [...]nscyence / For as saynt Aus­ten sayeth / the synner sholde at the leste do for the lyfe and helth of his soule that / that he doth ryght dylygently for the helth of his body / nowe is it soo that they the whiche ben syke corporally / and prȳ ­cypally they that a man certefyeth to be in daūger of deth sechen the best medycyne and the moost ex­perte that they may fynde for to recouer theyr hel­the and for to escape the deth / by the whiche it appereth y • the syke & hurte spyrytually of tymes of more than of a thousande mortall synnes / sholde be desyrous to fynde a good medycyne spyrytuall / for to eschewe the deth of helle the whiche is eternall / suche medycyne spyrytuall is a gostely fader or a cō ­fessour the whiche hath cunnynge suffycyent hym to examen of dyuers cases as it is sayd. Also that he hath Jurysdyccyon / and puyssaunce to assoyle the synner / for elles yf he haue not Jurysdyccyon & puyssaunce he synneth ryght greuously in y • assoylynge / And also doethe he the whiche hathe with hym suche a folysshe chapelayn hym confessynge / [Page] wyttyngly / and there he hath not the true absolu­cyon. Also it is to be noted that vacabons the whyche haue no resydence / marchaūtes the whiche ben out of theyr contree / pylgrymes or they the which passen the contree for to seche dwellynge may be assoyled of the curate of the parysshe in whome they haue deuocyon to confesse them / for in suche cases they ben of that parysshe where they abyde / as for to receyue the sacrament of confessyon / and abso­lucyon of all these cases / of the whiche these cura­tes may assoyle theyr subiectes / & by the consequēt these freres mynours or prechours the whiche law­fully be presented vnto the bysshoppes / as yf it soo be that they haue of comen ryght in that power to assoyle / as haue these curates. Also in lyke wyse as the curate may assoyle his subiecte as well in hys parysshe as with out / In semblable wyse may doo these aboue sayd relegyons agayne them of the diocyse where they haue be presented / otherwyse theyr preuylege shall be restaynt / the whiche thynge the ryght wyll not suffre / than whan the synner is dysposed as it is sayd / and he hath foūde a chapelayne the whiche hath iurysdyccyon and power to as­soyle / as sholde oure holy fader the pope the why­che hath power pleanere and generall to assoyle all them of crystyente and of all cases without ony to be except / or the bysshop vpon all them of his bys­shopryche of all cases except those the whiche ben reserued vnto the pope / or y • curate the whiche may assoyle his parysshynges of all cases the whiche be not reserued by ryght or by custome vnto the pope or vnto the bysshop / or vnto other preestes reguler / [Page] or seculer / the whiche by cōmyssyon generall / or specyally / and auctoryte with lycence of the one of y • thre before sayd. That is to knowe of the pope of the bysshop / or of the curate / Also that the sayd sȳ ner hath loue or preuylege generall / or specyall to chese a confessour idoniū than he ought to tell and declare vnto y • confessour all his synnes euery one in pertyculer so as god vnto hym shall gyue knowlege / and also the cyrcumstaunces the whiche may chaunge the synne in to dyuers maners. As in the synne of thefte a man ought to take hede yf he be culpable / of vseryes / of symonyes / of fals weygh­tes / of mesures / of rauens or sacryleges / for they y • whiche wyttyngly and by malyce alonely accuse them alonely of thefte / and they haue cōmytted sacrylege / extorcyon / or vsery they be not well confessed / but they synne mortally / In lyke wyse is it of the synne of lechery / for who so hym accuseth of fornycacyon / & hath cōmytted auoutry / or incest / de­floracyon / or sacrylege / & so of these other espyces they be not confessed / & they synnen mortally / and therfore the persone the whiche is confessed ought to tell clerely his case / & yf he be sȳple y • confessour hȳ ought to declare his greef & hardnes of hys case

¶ Here folowen .x. poyntes by one of the whiche or many the confessyon may be no thynge / & also in­struccyon for to examen well hym the whiche is in the sacrament of maryage.

AFter these thynges before sayd the persone that wyll make good confessyon vnto the [Page] helth of his souleought well to take hede vnto these .x. poyntes that folowen / for by one of them / or by many y • cōfessyon may be no thynge. The fyrst is y t he be not in y e sentence of cursyng / for yf it were so holy chirche hath no power hym to assoyle / of ony mortall synne / tyll vnto that / that he be loused For otherwyse he is not partener of the sacramen­tes of holy chirche. The seconde poynt is y t the synner ought to take hede to make conscyence there it ought to be made / and not to make it where it ought not to be made. For by the defaute of these. i▪ poyntes / the confessyon may be nothynge / and oft tymes it happeneth vnto many that they make no conscyence / in the case of vseryes / of symonyes / of gyftes the whiche they make otherwyse than by lyberall loue. Also of cursyd wylles dysposed to syn­ne mortall / whan they haue not put them in effect nor that they haue lefte that to do for the loue or fere of god / but alonely for fere worldely or fere to­be dampned / or elles that they haue not had place tyme & oportunyte / Also as not to haue cōplysshed the werkes of mercy in place & in tyme / as a man is boūde by the cōmaundement of god / and vpon the payne of dedely synne / y e whiche thynge is harde vnto symple people to vnderstonde but by y • dyscrecyon & good aduysement of the cōfessours after the doctryne of the treatyse precedent of the wer­kes of mercy. Also he hath no [...] taught and correc­ted them that a man is bounde to correcte in place and in tyme. Also whan a man oweth lawfully ony thynge / And that a man hath well power to pay it / and he vnto whome a man oweth it willeth [Page] and requyreth to be payed / & the dettour hath not of Justyce excusacyon that he sholde not and may paye / than suche redeuable is contynually in the estate of dedely synne / and may not be assoyled yf he haue not wyll to acquyte hym as sone as he may And here appereth the culpe of many symple and ygnoraunt confessours the whiche of these cases & other semblables they do not make conscyence vnto them that they assoylen / who many and ofte tymes owen to poore people / the whiche by the defaute of theyr payment ben gretely dāmaged / In the whiche case they be h [...]lden to recompense theym / The thyrde poynt is that the synner ought to take hede that the confessyon be entyer / in leuynge nothynge to his wyttynge / or by defaute to doo that that is in hym / after as it hath ben sayd here before / for he that dooth not his deuoyre after as it is in the flagelyte humayne / and soo by his defaute forgoten one or many of his synnes / the whiche he ought to confesse all in partyculer / his confessyon is not hole / And in this poynt I make grete doub­te of the confessyon of them the whiche by theyr defaute take no hede vnto the cōmaundementes of god / for to accōplysshe them / & for to kepe hȳ from synne & also hym to accuse & cōfesse of y • transgressyon of them the whiche they myght haue lerned & vnderstonde in one daye / or in tweyne for well and suffycyently them to confesse for euer all theyr lyfe. & for the more clerely to vnderstonde this peryll & this defaute a man may consyder y e persone y • whiche is of .xxx. yere / hath a. M. v. c. & thre score sōdayes in the whiche he hath ben defended all erthely [Page] werkes that hym may lette to thynke on god and of his benefyces for to thanke hym. And also he ought to lerne these thynges necessary vnto his soule and to thynke on his conscyence / and on his synnes for to confesse hym worthely. And for as mo­che as the more grete party of bodely people done yll theyr deuoure / on the sondayes and th [...]e othe [...] feestes to thynke on theyr cōscyences / they can not be confessed as in generall where they sholde be cō fessed in partyculer yf he holde it not in theyr defaute. Nowe is it wryten as well in ryght as in reasō that none ought to haue prouffyte of his cryme & defaute / And therfore it excedeth myn vnderstandynge & reason yf suche confessyons ben vylable before god / the whiche thynge I leue in the depnesses of Jugementes dyuyne. The fourth poynt that y • synner ought to take hede that he tell all that wherof he hath mynde vnto one confessour and not vnto tweyne or vnto many / for yf vnto his wytrynge he t [...]ll one parte vnto one / and parte vnto another malycyouslly he synneth mortally and he shall not be assoyled of the one ne of the other. But yf by ony case he were sent agayne vnto the souerayne / it shall suffyce to tell the case wherfore he hath ben sent agayne / so that he hath all tolde vnto the fyrst The fyfth poynt is that he ought to be aduysed parfytly yf he be redy to pardon with good herte / the yll wyll vnto them y t haue hym offended / For as sayth oure sauyour in y • euangelyste. yf we par­don not vnto oure malefactours the rancour that we haue agayn thē god shal not pardon vs in lyke [Page] wyse he that hath offended ony persone in worde or in dede / he oughte to requyre pardon in dede yf he be present or to be in ferme purpose that to do it [...] place and in tyme / whan he shall fynde oportunyte. The .vi. poynt as vnto regarde of people y • whyche ben in maryage as in two poyntes. The fyrst is how they haue receyued the sacrament of maryage. The seconde is of the maner how they ben gouerned / as vnto the fyrst it is to knowe that after the ordenaūce o [...] holy chirche none may take in maryage his kynnesman / or his kynneswoman but that one of the party [...] be at the leest at the fyght degre / of the whiche degrees / the broder and syster make y e fyrst / the chyldern y • whiche ben germaȳs make the seconde. The chylder of these germaȳs the whiche ben called remoued maketh the thyrde. And the chyldern of the remoued maketh the .iiii. And the remoued from the remoued maketh the fyfth / and he that is sayd y • fyfth may haue in maryage / her of the seconde of the thyrde / and of the fourth / and so consequently in lyne colla [...]erall for neuer may ony haue in maryage hym / or her the whiche is in ryght lyne be it in assendynge / or dyscendynge / and yf ony be maryed wyttyngly wyth ony of his lygnage vnder the degrees before sayd / he synneth mortally / and more ouer he is acursyd And it is to be noted that by habycyon carnall in fornycacyon is caus [...] of affynyte with all them of the lynage as well of the one parte as of the other in the same degre the whiche appertayne vn [...]o thē the whiche cōmytten suche fornycacyon / an exam­ple. Thou co [...]nyt test fornycacyon with a womā [Page] all hyr systers naturalles ben thy systers by affynyte / her neces ben thy neces / her germayns ben thy germayns. And so of other and a lyke thynge is it of the woman as in regarde of a fornycatour / & they may neuer mary with the frendes / of the one ne of the other / and yf they mary them wyttyngly they ben acursyd & they ought to be departed not­withstondynge ony space of tyme / or of what soo euer lyne that he be comen from suche maryage another thynge it sholde be yf after the maryage legytyme of some they haue company carnall / the woman of the kynred of her husbonde / or the hus­bonde of the kynred of his wyfe / for the maryage shall not be departed. But the partye culpable falleth in to suche inconuenyent that he may neuer requyre the deuoyr of maryage / vnto the partye yf he be not fyrst dyspenced with / of the auctoryte of the pope but that he synne mortally. But the party the whiche is not culpable hym ought to yelde with the dyspleasaunce the whiche may fall in suche case / and than the partye culpable synneth not mor­tally yf he haue not other dysordynaūce and so it is good counseyll that suche persone conspable suche is dyspensacyon of the pope for to eschew the perylles the whiche may come by cause of suche lettynge Also he ought to take hede vnto the lygnage spyrytuall the whiche cometh amonge many persones by cause of the sacrament of baptem / or of confyr­macyon / that is to knowe / bytwene the chylde baptysed / and them the whiche holden / and bytwene these chyldern naturall ben they borne before or after / For the sone or the doughter of ony persone [Page] may neuer be maryed / or marye with the chyldern naturalles of theyr godfader or godmoder but the godfaders and godmoders well may mary theyr other chyldern togyder / of whome the gossypred is not comen / many other cases he may haue by cause of cognacyon legall / and of the affynyte y t men call Justyce dyshoneste openly / the whiche I passe by cause of shortnes. Also a man ought not to mary from the begynnynge of the aduent / tyll vnto y e vtas of the epephanie. Also from the septuagesime tyll vnto the vtas of Ester. Also from y e thre days before y e Assencyon tyll vnto the vtas of Pentecost And he y t dooth other wyse without dyspensacyon he synneth mortallly / and this is as vnto the fyrst poynt of the sacrament of maryage.

¶Here foloweth the examynacyon of the persone maryed.

AS vnto the seconde poynt the whiche is of the gouernynge of the persone maryed in regarde of his sacrament of maryage / it is to vn­derstonde that after as these doctours declaren the werke of maryage / may be accomplysshed in fyue maners / some tyme merytoryously / somtyme with out synne / somtyme with synne venyall / somtyme with suche cyrcūstaunces that these theologyens doubten of mortall or venyall / somtyme it is mortall synne / fyrst the werke of maryage may be accō plysshed merytoryously whan y e one of y e partyes or both .ii. togyder ben in y e estate of grace / & theyr in­tencyō is to haue lyne / or to yelde y e maryage y e one [Page] with the other / or to eschewe the peryll of auoutry in hym or in her partye / and in kepynge the cyrcū ­staunces the whiche appertayne vnto the honeste of maryage / whan it is synne there is doute of mortall / or venyall / the good and suffycyent confessour it may comprehende by the cyrcūstaunces of the dede / of the intencyon / and of the confessyon of peo­ple maryed. But in seuen maners a man may synne mortally with her party after as declaren these doctours. The fyrst is suche whan the man also y e woman ben so moche dysordynate / that they wyl­len by delyberacyon accomplysshe the werke of maryage / with party the whiche is not his by marya­ge / and this case is here harde to Juge / as vnto iugement humayn / But god the whiche is Juge of conscyence seeth clerely the troweth. The seconde case in the whiche he is in daunger of synne mortal is whan the one partye refuseth the other withoute excusacyon lefull. The thyrde case is whan y e man abused of his partye for to seche more greter plea­sure carnall. The fourth whan the woman is not in dyspocysyon of her body that she sholde yelde the deuoyre of maryage and his partye the whiche hath of it knowlege is so moche vnresonable that he wyll not hym abstayn / than synneth he mortally after as sayen comenly these doctours / but the woman the whiche obeyeth agayne her wyll for to eschewe the daungers of incontynence / or other yl les the whiche may come in maryage synneth not The fyfth is whan these people maryed goo vnto theyr wyues in these grete festes / after as sayen so­me doctours / how be it saynt Thomas sayeth the [Page] synne is not mortall / and the deuoute doctour Bo­nauenture / and also the doctour subtyle the scotte holden that opynyon / for the chirche he defendeth not the werke of maryage / in these feestes / but alonely counseylleth that a man absteyn hym / to the ende that they be the better dysposed to praye vnto god / for of as moche as a man putteth the more his herte in pleasures carnalles / of as moche is a man the lesse dysposed to praye vnto god / and the more ferther frō his loue & they ought to make suche abstynence of a comen assent / In lyke wyse as techeth saynt Poul / and yf the one of the sayd partyes wyll not absteyne the other partye there ought to obe ye without fermynge conscyence erronyous / as yf the partye beleueth that it were dedely synne to obeye in her partye in the dede of maryage in the tyme of grete solempnyte / and neuerthelesse that notwithstandynge hym she obeyeth / than she synneth mortally alonely / for as moche as she dooth contrary to her conscyence the whiche is erronyous to byle­ue as to obeye in her partye in the sayd tyme is de­dely synne. The .vi. whan the werke of maryage is commytted in place halowed / as is the chirche / or chirchyerde yf these partyes maryed may other­wyse company togyders / and yf the case were knowen / the chirche or chirchyarde sholde be reconsyled after the ryght. The seuenth is whan the woman is with chylde / and nere her tyme / and they haue by some experyence / or true semblable that the chylde may renne in ony peryll / & neuerthelesse by theyr incontynence they dyspose them vnto suche pareyl they synnen mortally after some doctours / and vn [Page] to that purpose I haue founde other tymes a man maryed that by sorowe and remors of conscyence sought remedy and counseyll of that / that his wyfe hath hadde foure or fyue chyldern all deed fayr grete and well formed / the whiche knowe not the cause ne y e occasyon of y e dethe of y • sayd chyldern nor other cause they coude not Juge / vnder the Ju­gement of god but theyr incontynence. for so as he sayd they absteyn them not for ony dysposycyon / or nerenesse of chyldynge that was the party / and so it appereth in many maners the estate / and ho­neste of maryage is euyll kept of many people vyle and carnall the whiche oftymes there cōmytten the case of the bysshop and many wronges / of the which they make not ony conscyence nor make not ony confessyon / and oftymes god them ponyssheth in theyr lyue by as moche that they begete chyldern wronge / croked / lame / blynde / messelles / or fallynge on the grete yll. so as sayen these holy doctours and therfore a man sholde take hede and teche yō ge people of the honoure and reuerence / of the fere and of the obedyence that they ought to kepe in y e sacrament of maryage and how they sholde mary them pryncypally for the entencyon to haue lyne y • whiche may come vnto the holy seruyce of god / & of holy chirche. after y e example of yonge Thobye vnto whome the angell of god taught / that as wel he as his wyfe sarra them sholde absteyne from y e dede of maryage after theyr benedyccyon the espace of thre dayes and thre nyghtes / In the whiche tyme they sholde gyue them vnto holy orysons / and [Page] so he dyde by the whiche he was delyuered from al pareyll and from the temptacyon of the deuyll the whiche hadde before strangled seuen husbondes y • whiche hadde espousyd the one after the other the sayd Sara / not alonely for the loue of lyne / and of the sacrament of maryage / but for the beaute of y e doughter and to accomplysshe theyr pleasures carnalles. And this doctryne and techynge haue kepte syns many good crysten men and well taught / of whome they ben founde in the greate benediccion of good lyne / of Joye / of consolacyon / and of lon­ge lyfe. The seuenth poynt is that the confessyon is not merytoryous nor suffycyent / for to aske newly the grace of god whan it is done pryncypally by custome / or for fere worldely / and not pryncypally for the loue of god / and of the saluacyon of y e soule the whiche thynge is done moost comenly / so as it may be comprehended and arguyde by the lyfe of the more parte the whiche with grete payne them represent one tyme in the yere and ryght late before theyr confessoure. The .viii. poynt is whan the sȳ ner hath no wyll nor ferme purpose / to ceas and to put ende in his synne / for the tyme to come / and to fle the occasyons of mortall synne. The .ix. is whā the synner cheseth vnto his wyttynge for his con­fessour a symple chapelayne / the whiche is not suf­fycyent nor idoniū / for to redresse the dede of his cō scyence / after the vocacyon and estate / of the why­che the synner may be / or the whiche hath not po­wer to assoyle. The .x. is whanne that the synner hathe forgoten by his neclygence his penaunce [Page] enioyned / or elles he wyll not do it / be it to requyre pardonne / or to pardon / be it to restore another / to faste / or to make prayer / for in suche case the con­fessyon is none / and ought to be withdrawen / and so it is good counseyll y • a man accomplysshe hys penaunce in the estate of grace / for in soo doynge he se [...]heth grete meryte agayne god / and with that a man acquyteth hym of temporall payne.

¶ Here foloweth the practyse that he ought to hol­de the whiche entyerly hym wyll confesse / and exa­men after the order of the .x. commaundementes of the lawe after the mooste sure maner that there may be founde.

WHo so euer wyll well and parfaytly examē Caplm xiiii. his conscyence in partyculer / he ought to rule hym after the .x. commaundementes of the lawe. For so as wytnesseth saynt Austen a man may not fynde a more certayne practyse to examen well his conscyence. Also sayth well saynt Gregorye that .x. commaundementes ben as ten myrrours / In the whiche the soule crystened may clerely see and knowe the fylth of his synne and of the dysordynaunce of his conscyence. Also sayth the ryall prophete Dauyd / I shall confesse me well and ryghtly for as moche as I haue lerned the ten commaūdementes of god / by the whiche it is well to be noted that no persone is bounde hym to con­fesse regulerly and of necessyte but onely of dedely synne the whiche is not other thynge but the transgressyon of ony of the .x. cōmaundementes in the [Page] whiche ben defended the seuen deedly synnes / Also there be conteyned the seuen werkes of mercy / & the trouth of the artycles of oure holy fayth. In y • whiche thynges that is to vnderstonde in the commaundementes of the lawe / in the artycles of the fayth / and in the seuen werkes of mercy is comprehended and cōteyned all the dede of the conscyence in lyke wyse as it hath ben sayd before / And ther­fore who so euer wyll hym well examen and make parfyte & hole confessyon after these thynges sayd he ought to take hede how he hath kepte and accō ­plysshed the ten cōmaundementes of god / as well in the thynge cōmaunded that is in sechynge ver­tues / and in accomplysshynge the werkes of mercy as also in the thynge defended / as ben the seuen dedely synnes. That is to know / pryde / enuy / wrath couetyse / glotonye / slouth / and lechery / In y • whi­che seuen maner of synnes a man may falle often mortally and dampnably And somtyme venyall alonely / for it is to byleue that euery passyon or mouynge of Ire / of enuy / of vayne glorye / and soo of other synnes before sayd ben alwayes deedly synne But whan suche passyons or wylles abyden in the termes of venyall synne / or that they exceden tyll vnto mortall synne. That thynge is ryght harde vnto Jugement humayne / and it is not possyble therin to gyue a rule generall suffycyent for to Juge of euery case inpartyculer / wheder it be mortall or venyall / after as it hath ben sayd before in the seuenth chapytre of this partye / and therfore as nowe I reste to see in partyculer some case after y • [Page] ordre of the ten cōmaundementes.

¶Here foloweth of the fyrste commaundement.

OUer these thynges sayd in the fyrste cōmaundement Caplm .xv. he the whiche wyll well purge his cō ­scyence ought to take hede vnto these poyntes that folowen. Fyrste vnto the brekynge of his vowes / yf ony haue ben broken / as who sayth not carynge by dyspysynge and inobedyence agayne god / the whiche was lawfull to holde / and to accomplysshe it is dedely synne / yf a man cōmytte suche fraccy / on by delyberacyon / or equyualente after the rule put in the chapytre of the scyence that a confessour ought to haue the whiche oughte well to be noted for all these cases the whiche folowen in this ma­ter of all the ten commaundementes. Also it is to be noted that for as moche that there hath ben made mencyon in the treatyse of the cōmaundemen / tes / of all the seuen deedly synnes. He the whiche by the studye of this boke wyll examen his conseyence ought for to truste the thynges the whiche the­re hath ben sayd / be it in generall / in especyall with them that folowen in this recapitulacy on of the cōmaundementes in partyculer / yf ony by syknes forgetfulnes / or other cause excusable breketh hys vowe that is no synne / or it is alonely venyall / yf he hath auowed a thynge vnlefull he ne sholde ac­complysshe it / but without other dyspense ought more sooner to do all the contrary and hym to con­fesse of soo folysshely to haue auowed thynge the [Page] whiche is not lefull / or honeste / yf he haue taryed to accomplysshe his vowes in suche wyse that he thē hath forgoten / or by to moche taryenge falleth in to suche inconuenyent that he ne them may ac­complysshe / some grete theologyens wyll saye and susteyne y t it is deedly synne / yf he haue made auowe to faste or to do other thynge lefull / for ony cursyd ende / as for to come to cōmytte thefte / auoutry or other synne / he hath synned mortally / yf he hath made auowe of chastyte / or of relegyon / and afterwarde hym maryeth / it is deedly synne and as many tymes and often as he requyreth on his partye the deuoure of maryage / he synneth mortally / but yf he were requyred he may acquyte hym in yeldynge the deuoyre of maryage without deedly synne / by suche wyse that he loueth better after the wyll of reason hym to content / and not to accomplysshe the werke of maryage / The whiche thynge is yl to kepe all the tyme of his lyfe / and therfore they y t ben in suche inconuenyent they sholde make dys­pense of theyr vowe and be assoyled of the synne / And it is to be noted that a curate may assoyle his subiecte of the brekynge of his vowes / but he may not dyspence / or them chaunge without specyall lycence of the pope / or of the bysshop / after as the ca­se it requyreth. The dyspensacyon or cōmutacyon of the vowe / of chastyte / of pylgrymage vnto Jhe­rusalem / of Rome / of saynt James ben reserued to the pope. But the dyspence or commutacyons of other vowes appertayne vnto the prelates. Also it is to be noted that yonge people / that is to knowe y e doughter vnder the yeres of .xii. accomplysshed / & [Page] the sone vnder the yeres of .xiiii. may not vowe / or entre in to relegyon of theyr owne auctoryte not withstondynge what dyscrecyon so euer they may haue. Also auowe is not oblygatory yf it be not made by delyberacyon and full consent. Also a woman maryed may not vowe or obserue the vowe y t she hath made before the maryage yf her husbond wyll not so consent / and yf she hath auowed after or before the maryage / the husbonde her may ma­ke it to leue without other dyspense / and withoute the synne of y e one or of the other / yf y • husbonde were not ony tyme consentynge / The man may well vowe without lycence of his partye the whiche be not vnto the preiudyce of maryage. Also they the whiche vowen neuer to kembe them on the fryday or not to spynne on the satyrdaye / or other semblables superstytucyons ought to leue suche vowes symple and full of vanytees / But doo after the ordenaunce of theyr wyse and dyscrete confessour. and other holy faders. Secondly the synner ou­ghte well for to take hede yf he be culpable / of sorceryes / of wytchcraftes of charmes / of inuocacyons of the deuyll / or of adoracyons / or of paccyon with hym and with his dyabolykes. Also yf y t he haue vsed ony euyll crafte / or yf he haue kepte or retay­ned bokes of the same. Also yf he haue Jugyd of the deth or of the lyfe / & of the aduentures of ony persone by the constellacyons and knowlege of the planettes on the skye / or by phylosephye. Also yf y • he haue vsed of sorte for to knowe ony thynge / yf he hath byleued ouer moche and stedfastly in the aduentures of ony dremes / yf that he hath lokyd [Page] or causyd to loke in the tokens of the hande / for to knowe the aduentures of hymself or of other / yf he for ony syknes hath vsed lytell scrowes / or of char­mes / yf he hath put dystyncyon in certayne dayes As the tewesdaye and the wēnysdaye / or other da­yes for to begynne ony werke / for to make waye in beleuynge that by one daye he shall profyte better than by a nother / yf he hath put fayth for ony aduentures / in songe or in cryes of ony byrdes / or in the metynge of ony beestes / or of other thynges / in all these cases before sayd oftymes it is dedely synne / and ryght selden venyall synne.

¶Here foloweth the seconde commaundement.

OVer these thynges before sayd in the seconde Caplm xvi. commaundement / the synner onght to take hede vnto the poyntes the whiche folowen yf he hath sworne in certayne / the thynge the whiche is in doubte / It is mortall synne / specyally in Juge­mente / yf he hath sworne to do thynge the whiche of it selfe is yll / as it sholde be to do synne / he hath synned mortally / nor suche othe ought not to be kepte nor accomplysshed / yf he hath shewed wyttyngly the secrete or the counseyll that he hath sworne to holde secrete / It is dedely synne / as well in hym that swereth as in hym the whiche wyttyngly ma­keth suche reuelacyon knowynge well that it was gyuen hym for to kepe it secrete / yf he hath sworne detestably / as by y e blode / by y t deth / or by the wombe of our lorde / it is dedely synne / And in suche maner to swere is reputyd also as to blaspheme / and [Page] in lyke wyse to dysplease by Ire god and his sayn­tes / yf he hath promysed & sworne to do ony thyn­ge lefull / and he there trespasseth without excusary on resonable and vnto his wyttynge / it is dedely synne / but the thynge sworne may be suche as to be te his chylde / or other thynge semblable the whiche is not accomplysshed / it is but synne venyall / yf he hath constrayned hym to swere that he byleueth y • he shall be forsworne / it is deedly synne / except the Iuge the whiche by the order of ryghte maketh to swere ony in Justice yf in songes vnhoneste / & try­fylles / and talkynges / of langage / he swereth god or his sayntes / it is deedly synne / also to swere tro­weth with out cause and for no thynge. And also as at euery worde he may with grete payne be do­ne without the contenement of the lawe of god / & by the consequent it is deedly synne.

¶Here foloweth the thyrde commaundement.

OVer these thynges spoken in the thyrde commaundement Caplm. [...]v [...]. the synner ought to take hede vnto the poyntes the whiche folowen / yf he occupy hymselfe his seruantes / or his chyldern in worldly werkes and cursyd on the sonday / or on other festes gyuen by the commaundement / by couetousnes & without constraynt of necessyte / it is dedely synne as well in hym that commaundeth / as in hym the whiche obeyth and consenteth / yf he hath gone vnto fayres or vnto markettes by his couetousnesse / in the sayd feestes / he there may synne mortally.: / [Page] Other thynge it shall be after masse herde / yf he it may goodly here / he gooth vnto the fayrres or vnto the markettes / As these prelates of holy chirche suffren / without makynge specyall prohybycyō or without the makynge of ony punysshement / yf he be occupyed all the daye / in dysportes / in feestynges / in goynge on huntynge and hawkynge with out herynge masse / and somtyme they occupye the se other it is deedly synne comenly / here sholde they take hede / and seche good counseyll / tauerners / [...]y bakers hocsters / potycaryes / bayllyues and in lyke wyse / sergeaūtes / and other offycers / Also tayllers cordyners / and generally all maner of people / of labour and of noblesse of what so euer degree that they ben / for euery man hym ought to examen af­ter the vocacyon and estate in the whiche he lyueth and to take hede for what occasyon and with what cyrcumstaunces / yf he be occupyed on the holydaye in worldly werkes / for yf that hath ben pryncypally by his couetousnes / it is dedely synne. Also frawdes euyll thoughtes clamacyons / pariurynges and other tryfylles the whiche oftymes they cōmytten in all maner of marchaūdyse / be it in weyght / in mesure / in pryce / in substaūce / or in qualyte / is more greuous synne on the holydaye than it sholde be another daye / for as moche that in so doynge the­re is the transgressyon of the cōmaundementes / y t is of the thyrde the whiche is to halowe the feestes in the whiche is pryncypally the werke of synne / & also of the seuenth the whiche defendeth all thefte as shall be sayd here after.

¶Here foloweth the fourth commaundement.

OVer these thynges sayd in the fourth cōmaūdement Caplm xviii the synner ought to take hede vnto these poyntes folowen / fyrst yf he hath spoken wordes vnlefull vnto fader or vnto moder / yf he hath cursyd them / yf he hath mockyd them / yf he them hath put or stryken / yf he theym hath prouoked to wrathe / and he in the wronge / it is dedely synne / yf he theym wolde not obeye in thynge the whiche was good and lawfull / it is deedly synne / whan in that there is a contempt / for another thynge it sholde be yf by ouer syght or in ony neclygence or in thynge of lytell reputacyon / yf he ne them hath purueyde of theyr necessytes after as he may & ought to do / yf he vnto them borne honoure and reuerence in place and in tyme it is comenly dedely synne yf he them hath not acquyte after theyr deth and accomplysshe theyr laste wylles and testamentes after as he may and ought well to do / it is deedly synne / yf he hath ben Irreuerende vnto his other frendes / vnto his souerayns as vnto people of the chirche / vnto offycers and vnto his lordes / yf he hath not taught his chyldern and other of his houshold in makynge them to kepe the cōmaundementes of god / to receyue the sacramentes in place & in tyme in prouydynge them of meete and of drynke / of clothe and hosynge honestly after his power and hys estate / yf he them hath causyd to leue pryde / bostȳ ­ges and vanytes / yf he them hath suffred to be foū de in daūces in companyes peryllous & vnhoneste yf he hath made his seruant or seruantes to werke [Page] on the holydayes / in all these thynges [...]e may ha­ue deedly synne / after the cyrcumstaunces & modyfycacyon of mortall synne the whiche hath ben spoken here tofore.

¶Here foloweth of the fyfth commaundement.

OVer these thynges before▪ sayd in the fyfth Caplm .xix. commaundement the synner ought to take hede vnto these poyntes folowen / fyrste yf he hath done manslawghter of ony persone be it in dede / in thought or by yll doynge / in vsynge thynges vnlefull / as it sholde be to caste stones without dyscrecyon / or [...]ny draught / or in doynge thynge vnleful and aduyseth not them the whiche may be in daū ­ger / or by necessyte euytable or not / In the whiche necessyte he sholde be fallen by his culpe / as yf in hymself defendyng he kylleth the husbonde of ony woman with whome he sholde be foūde vnhonest­ly / in all these cases it is dedely synne. Also yf ony Iuge gyue sentence of deth / by enuy / by Ire / or by his couetousnes vpon the whiche he hath deserued to dye or not. It is deedly synne / yf a woman with chylde take ony thynge to procure the dethe of her fruyte and they the whiche counseyllynge or therto consenten synnen mortally folowe the dede of the deth of y e chylde or not / and yf y e fruyte hath soule that sholde be homycyde and the case of the bysshop in all them the whiche gynen coūseyll / consentyng or aydynge / yf fader or moder / or nouryce / stop the breth of a lytyll chylde / by ouersyght / or otherwyse there may be deedly synne / by theyr neclygēce and [Page] defaute of good kepynge yf a woman with chylde by to moche laboure / by her auaryce / for to holde acquaynted / for to daunce / or for other ordynaun­ces leseth hyr fruyte / she synneth mortally / yf ony smyte or shoue a woman with chylde / by suche Ju­rysdyccyon that she leseth her fruyte / it is dedely synne / yf manor woman enforce them to fynde wayes / or maners by the whiche he may lette that y e woman conceyue not a chylde / it is deedly synne / yf ony smyte or hurte an other / in takynge from hȳ ony of his membres / or of the vsage of them with out the order of Justyce it is deedly synne / yf he gyue counseyll cōmaundement / or ratifye / and hath excepte that ony be kylled / or beten agayne y e ordre of Justice and of charyte / it is deedly synne / not withstandynge that the dede folowe not / yf he desyre the deth of a nother with delyberacyon / be it for hate / for enuy / or for ony other cursyd cause / it is deedly synne / another thynge it sholde be to desyre the deth of ony malefactours for as moche as they hurte the goodes of ony good man after the Juge­ment humayne / yf he smyte and wounde wronge­fully ony in the chirche / or in the chirchyarde / it is sacrylege / and the place halowed polutyde / yf he hath made make / or causeth to be made Justes in the whiche there may be peryll of deth / it is synne / many other cases partyculers may come touchyn­ge the mater of the fyfth commaundement / of the whiche those vnto whome they comen them ought to aduyse and pourge.

Here foloweth of the .vi. commaundement.

OVer these thynges before sayd in the. vi commaundement / in Caplm .xx. the whiche suffycyently ynoughe hath ben spoken of dyuers maners of lechery the synner sholde take hede vnto these poyntes the whiche folowen. Fyrste yf he hath touched vnho­nestly / or kyssed for to drawe the persone vnto the synne of lechery it is deedly synne notwithstandȳ ge that none other thynge folowe / yf he hath wryten borne or sente letters vnto his knowlege for to prouoke ony persone vnto the synne of lechery / it is deedly synne / yf he hath made songes spoken or herde the whiche sholde be vyle and prouokynge vnto the synne of lechery / pryncypally for to endu­ce hym or other vnto synne / it is deedly synne / yf he hath accompanyed ony or yf he hath gyuen fa­uoure of assembles / or yf he hath made messages / or presentes / for to drawe vnto the synne of lechery it is deedly synne / And in lyke wyse of those the whiche vnto suche intencyon receyuen gyftes / or promysses / yf he hath taken delectacyon to thynke on the dede of lechery the whiche is deedly synne / he synneth mortally / whan there is delyberacyon / yf that he hath hadde cursyd wyll / and consented vnto the dede of lechery / and of suche wyll proceden lokynges / spekynges / touchynges in hym or in other / it is deely synne / In lyke wyse as the wyll wherof suche thynges proceden / not that suche a wyll and the dede that foloweth ben two synnes / but they ben but one alonely / here ought they full [Page] well to take hede euery good persone that by hys prayer by his lokes / or by his abyllymentes he ne gyueth occasyon vnto another of folysshe thought or of cursyd wyll / for the occasyon may be suche y t it sholde be dedely synne. Also it is to be noted that of the synne of lechery proceden many passyons by the meane of whome a man falleth oftymes vnto synne / and in to grete inconuenyens / that is to knowe offuscacyon of the very knowlege / & of vnder­standynge preceptacyon / incōsyderacyon / inconscyence / loue dysordynate / of his owne sensualyte loue of this present lyfe / hate of y e Justyce and ordenaū ce of god / And therfore the synner ought to examē yf for his synne of lechery he is in suche wyse occu­pyed that he hath lefte to thynke on god / & on hys saluacyon yf he hath ben precypytant and without delyberacyon in his werkes and besynes. yf he hath ben without due examynacyon of that that he hath done / or for to do / yf he hath chaūged his good purpose / and it hath lefte aboue all to doo / yf he hath excessyuely sought the pleasures and cases of hys body / yf he hath to moche loued this present lyfe / / or the delytes of the flesshe / yf he hadde in dyspleasure the lawe of god for as moche as it defendeth the concupyscence of the worlde and of the flesshe and in euery of these thynges / to haue so grete ex­ces that it is deedly synne after as declareth saynt Gregorye.

¶Here foloweth of the seuenth commaundement.

OVer these thynges before sayd in the seuenth cōmaundement vnto the synne of couetyse y e synner sholde take hede vnto these poyntes that folowen. The fyrste is of symony. The seconde of vsury. The thyrde is of fraudes and decepcyons The fourth is of iniquyte agayne Justyce. The fyfth of bysshoppes. The syxte of chanons / of cu­rates / and of other benefyced. The seuenth of iniquyte / or defaute of Justyce in lordshyppes seculer. The .viii. of Juges ben they of the chirche / or of se­cularyte. The .ix. of aduocacyons / of procurers of notaryes / be it in courte of the chirche / or the secularyte. The .x. of phe [...]ycyans. The. x [...]. of restytu­cyon necessary vnto saluacyon.

¶Here foloweth the fyrste of symonye.

AS vnto the fyrste the whiche is of symony the synner sholde take hede yf he hath gy­uen moneye or other thynge by paccyon and with his good wyll / for to haue or to receyue ony of the sacramentes of holy chirche / or other benedyccyon hauynge intencyon them to bye or to obteyne for by cause of suche thynge gyuen / it is symony and deedly synne / another thynge it sholde be of hys good wyll for almes / or for the reuerence of the sa­crament / or of the benedyccyon / or for ony custo­me / vnto the whiche to kepe he shall not be enfor­ced / and yf he cōmytte the synne of symonye / as well of hym that selleth these thynges spyrytuall / as also of hym that them byeth suche thynges and the whiche ben cause and meane that to doo / yf he [Page] gyue ony thynge temporall for to obteyne chapell / personage / prebende / or other benefyce of the chir­che / or for to be presented vnto ony offyce of y • chir­che it is symony and deedly synne. for to paye the taxe of the courte of Rome for to obteyn bulles / of benefyces / or other letters apostolycalles / it is not reputyd symony / yf he hath bought or solde the se­pulture of holy chirche it is symony / yf he hath solde or bought vnto his wyttynge the ryght of a pa­tronage / of personage / or of chapell or of other be­nefyce ecclesyastycall / it is symony / yf he hath ma­de prayers and supplycacyon [...] vnto prelates of the chirche for to benefyce ony / the whiche of that was indygne / as the whiche hath not cunnynge suffycy­ent for the excucyon of the offyce / or the whiche is not of honest lyfe / or the whiche hath not aege cō ­petent / it is symony / yf ony foundatour / of chirch or patron hath receyued gyftes or promysses for to present ony vnto the benefyce / by cause of the whi­che gyftes he hath ben presentyd / it is symony and deedly synne / yf he hath receyued gyftes or promysses for to be meane to procure vnto ony clerke ordre or benefyce of the chirche / it is symony in both .ii. yf he hath made paccyon to receyue of ony thyng temporall for to preche the worde of god / it is sy­monye in the one and in the other / yf he hath made couenaunte of certayne sōme for hym / or for other for to be receyued in to relegyon / the whiche is of grete / and suffycyent foundacyon / for to sustayn the membre of relegyous men or relegyous womē it is symonye in both two partyes / another it shall be after these doctours whan the foundacyon of y • [Page] monastery is not suffycyent / for than a man may make couenaunt of the quantyte of gyftes not ha­uynge intencyon to bye ony thynge spyrytuall / yf he hath procured by his owne prayers and supplycacyons Thom̄. in iiii to obteyne benefyces / vnto y • whiche he hath cure of soules / some doctours wyll say that he is a symonyacle for as moch as he hym sheweth indygne / and meke / prayer made for good intencyon / & with that intencyon to haue syluer for to do with suche syluer other good werke / suche intencyon is not euyll nor corrupte / for two good endes be not cō traryes Nota (quam) magis [...] cipale non [...] [...] minus pricipal [...]s. / knowe ye that syluer may not be the self ende / or pryncypall to make prayers / or predycacyō prayers made in intencyon pryncypally for to haue syluer to put it vnto folysshe vsages / it is deedly synne / symony and sacrylege lyke vnto the synne of Judas / as vnto the regarde of the masse / of the whiche some taken .xii. pens the whiche ben worth thyrty pens for to put them in folysshe vsage / as it may be to wexe ryche / by auaryce / or with other maners indeuyde / and yf the sayd prayer be made by Mag. io. ger­sō synners in other thynges soo moche the lesse it is worth knowe ye agayne thew the whiche make suche preestes to synge wyttyngly / yf he hath renoū ­cyd vnto ony benefyce by suche paccyon y t it sholde be gyuen vnto his kynnysman / or vnto ony other the whiche for so doynge hym hath promysed ony thynge temporall / it is symony in the one and in the other / mo and many other cases of symonye / there may be founde / as well in prelates of the chirche / as in lordes temporall / as in all other degrees of persones / of whome I passe ouer as at this tyme [Page] by cause of shortnes notwithstondynge be the cler­ke well aduysed / the whiche in receyuynge ordres / or benefyces / is fallen in symony that he is irreguler / and synneth mortally in executynge offyces of holy ordres before that he be dyspensyd with.

¶ Here foloweth of vsury the whiche is cōmyttyd as well in dede as in wyll.

AS vnto the seconde the whiche is of vsurers the synner ought to take hede yf he hath lē te money or other thynge wherof the vsage is consumpcyon of that / as sholde be corne / or wyne / by paccyon / or intencyon pryncypall for to receyue more than he gaue / that is vsury and deedly synne yf he hath lente vpon gage of thynge moeuable / or also of herytage / by suche condycyon or pryncypall intencyon / that he shall haue the vsage / or the fruytes / and leue of the sayd charge / without deductynge and rebaytynge of the somme lente / it is vsury excepte the gendred kynnysman the whiche taketh ony wages / in attendynge the promysse the whiche vnto hym hath ben made / by cause of the maryage of his wyfe by suche wyse that he her mayntene as a husbonde ought to mayntene his espouse / And it is well to be notyd in this mater that there ben two maners of vsuryes. The one is clerely open as that before sayd. The other is hyd and is com­mytte in dyuers maners / yf that he hath bought [Page] londes and possessyons for lytyll / and mynyssheth the pryce for as moche that the seller putteth in his bargayne that he may bye agayne his herytage w t in certayne tyme / he cōmytteth vsurye yf he rebate not that / that he hath receyued ouer the costes and layenges of y e sayd herytage / yf he sell many tymes the more harder / for that that he leneth in abay­tynge his payment tyll vnto a certayne tyme / how be it some what he may sewe more specyally whan he loueth better to haue vpon the ower a lesse pry­ce than to tarye / Also whan he hath bought certaȳ ware as corne / or wyne / the whiche ben yet for to gadre / and for as moche that he hath auauncyd y c payment he gyueth lesse than the thynge is worthe at the ower / or at the tyme that he it sholde receyue it is vsery. Also whan he leneth pryncypally for the intencyon to haue presentes / money / ayde / or other thynge temporall / it is vsurye / yf he hath be­taken bestyall vnto haluys by suche condycyon / y t yf there happen mortallyte or other aduenture of losse / wherof he the whiche them taken is not the cause / neuertheles his catyll shal be euer more sauf and entyer / it is vsury / and for a rewle generall alwayes as in suche contractys / be it of shepe / of lā ­bes / of the hyre of oxen / or of other bestes that the one of the partyes maketh his pryce and paccyon in suche maner that he is assured to wynne or no­thynge to lese what so euer that there happen / and the other partye abydeth in doubte and subiecte to the aduentures of fortune / suche cōtracte is agayn reason and agayne Justyce / but whan the exces of the one partye / or of the other is suche that with [Page] greate payne he may be in losse / or in gayns soo y t they entende no fraude the one vnto the other. I put that euery of them awayte vnto his owne proffyte / here is none vsurye / yf the procurer or tuter of ony faderles chyldern gyueth theyr fynaūce vn­to vsury to the ende y t the sayd fynaūce vnto them shall prouffyte / and that by that meane / they were nourysshed or theyr maryages augmented / and also that poore marchaundes by suche meane that them myght auantage / that notwithstondynge / it sholde be deedly synne / and to the sayd procuroure / or tutour is bounde to restore the sayd vsurye in case yf they the whiche haue hadde the prouffyte / wyll not restore. In lyke wyse as they there ben pryncypally bounde. Also it is well to be noted y t many sellers and byers ben full of vsurye / before god and after good conscyence as well for the cause of the entencyon of the beynge / as also of the sellynge / the whiche alwayes semen to be lawfully solde after the forme of the contracte and of the wordes / as for example Martyn hath necessyte to fynde an hundreth crownes for to lene / but he seynge and knowynge that no man hym wyll do that pleasur he cometh vnto Petyr vnto hym she wynge his necessyte / by the whiche he is dysposed to selle hym. xl shelynges of rente vpon his herytage / by suche condycyon that tyll vnto the terme of seuen yeres / as many tymes and as often that he shall yelde the somme lent / that is an hundreth crownes Peter is hounde hym to delyuer his herytage / In suche ca­ses and semblables the intencyon and the condycy [Page] ons of the seller and of the byer sholde be weyed & consydered for yf the seller hadde not intencyon y t these .xl. shelynges sholde abyde for euer vnto the byer / the whiche entencyon y e byer knoweth or vn­to hym it is very semblable by some meane. Also of his party he wylled and desyred that the contracte were made vnder the forme of sale / and not of wynnynge / vnto y • that without knowlege of vsu­ry his hundreth crownes he may purchase vpon hym of suche contracte / and semblable may a man say that it is a wulfe couerde with a shepes skynne. That is to knowe [...] vsury the whiche cometh of wnnynge hyd specyally whan the seller was indygent or nedy and a persone dygne of mercy. For in suche case the somme taken lened by cause of the sayd sale is suche that he sholde rebate as many tymes and as often as the seller shall yelde his mo­ney / In this mater to dyscende vnto all cases / condycyons / and cyrcumstaunces in partyculer for to Juge certaynly that there is vsury / and deedly syn­ne or venyall / it is a thynge ryght harde withoute the grace especyall of god / for the malycyous aua­ryce of erthely people hath so many founde of eauil lacyons that with grete payne there may go out of the waye all the moost gretest and moost yllumy­ned doctours / for the whiche cause I passe ouer frō my other cases partyculers. Also it is holden for a rule generall / as to lene money it may be done in fyue maners. The fyrste lyberally without ony in tencyon of ony retrybucyon corporall / or temporal ouer the somme gyuen / and that maner is good and charytable. Secondly with suche condycyon [Page] that he the whiche receyueth that londe of money in marchaundysynge vnto the halfe of losse or of gayne / and suche contracte may well be made and he the whiche hath lente may receyue a more grea­ter somme than he hath gyuen / But for the condycyon of persones / or for the aduersyte of the inten­cyon of auaryce▪ or of other / he there may haue let­tynge. Nota Thyrdly in puttynge the chatell that is the somme gyuen in certaynte / and the gayn in certayne / that is to vnderstande / that lese or wynne he y • whiche receyueth vnder suche forme / he shall yelde alwayes the sayd sōme / and yf he wynne y e bayllye takyth auantage / here is vsury manifeste. Fourthly vnto the contrarye of this laste case. That is to vnderstande in puttynge the gayn in certayne and the chatell vnder incertayne / as for An example / I lene the an hondreth crownes wher with thou shalte marchaundyse at my pareyll with all the somme / by suche wyse that after a yere / or another [...]erme thou shall yelde me syx crownes. or .x. or mo or lesse / and yf thou lese by fortune the sayd hon­dreth crownes / vpon me it is al and yf it be sauyd he it shall yelde with the somme spoken / suche contracte is full of vsury after the ryghte / the cause is suche for the hope that suche a lener hath more is more to wynne than lese. Fyfthly in puttynge the gayn / and chatell in certayne. as for an exam­ple. I lene the an hundreth crownes by suche wy­se that after the yere paste thou me shalte yelde an hondreth & .x. here is vsury manyfeste / vnto these v. maner to lene may be broughte all these other / But more ouer these doctours make a questyon yf A questyon. [Page] it be lawfull in ony case to receyue ony thynge because of the lone. It is lawfull in fyue maners. The answ [...] Fyrst a man may well receyue a thynge spyrytual as is the lone & the good grace of hym vnto who­me he hath lente. Also yf of free wyll he gyueth o­ny thynge or it may receyue / so that the lone hath not be made to suche intencyon. Secondely by rea­son of dysdāmage / as yf the lone hath ben made vnder a certayne payne it for to yelde at a certay­ne tyme / and that by the defaute of that for to do the lender were in dammage without ficcyon / in this caas he may for by cause of the dysdāmage take the sayd payne with his pryncypall yf that the sayd payne were not excessyue and vnreasona­ble. Thyrdely by reason and cause of the doubte / vnto the whiche the lender is submysed / in lyke wyse as it appyreth in the seconde caas of the no­table before sayd in lendynge vnto the halfe of losse or of gayns. Fourthely by reason of the dam­mage that he renneth in the whiche lended / by cau­se of the sayd redy. As for an example. At your grete request I lende you an hondred crownes for a yere / in the whiche after god and good conscyen­ce I shall be in dammage in the somme of ten or twenty crownes. Than yf he the whiche borowed seeth that it sholde be better vnto his prouffyte to take the sayd somme and to restore the dāmage of the lendynge he it may do / & the other it receyue o­uer the pryncypall for to kepe hym / & to recompense hym the dāmage. Fyfthtly by reason of the hyre of a thynge the whiche he may hyre / as oxen / hor­ses / and other thynges that a man may receyue / [Page] some tymes more in valour that they were at the tyme of the hyre / and with the hyre. But for to receyue more than a man hath lente in ony other maner wyse than here before hath ben sayd or done ayenst the cōmaundement and a man selleth the thynge imprecyable / and the whiche proprely may not be solde. That is to vnderstande the pleasure & the charyte that euery creature ought vnto his neyghbour / as well by y e lawe of nature as by the lawe of holy scrypture / the whiche lawes & all other ben they Canons or Cyuyles defenden y e synne of vsurye. Also yf ony gyne olde corne or other thynge semblable for to renewe it hauynge inten­cyon pryncypall that the newe shall be more worth and elles he wolde not gyue it he cōmytted vsurye But yf he do that pryncypally to the intente that his thynge perysshe not / or for to do a pleasure vnto his neyghbour / or in trewe semblable doubte yf that the thynge be more worthy or lesse at the ty­me that it shall be yelded agayne in suche a caas it is none vsurye. The payne of vsurers publys­shed is suche that they ben excōmunycate of ryght wherfore the holy chirche defended that vnto suche there be not gyuen the precyous body of Jhesu cryste. Also that theyr oblacyon be not receyued in the holy chirche. Also that after theyr deth theyr bodyes ben cast in a voyde grounde and not receyued in the place holy and blessyd. For a man ought not to doubte but that the soules of theym the whiche deyen in suche estate ben dampned with the deuyl­les in helle / wherfore the bodyes sholde not be put to reste with the faythfull crysten men. And yf in [Page] theyr laste dayes they requyre penaunce they may not be assoyled / but in doynge y t y t in them is possy­ble to restore all these vsuryes y t they haue receyued in all theyr lyf / & it suffysed not to be receyued vn­to y e sacramentꝭ of holy chirche / & assoyled to orden by theyr testament y t after theyr dethes these vsu­ryes ben restored / but it behoued to dyspose moua­ble & herytage tyll vnto y e somme the whiche may amoūte the sayd vsuryes & yf they vnto whome he ought to make restytucōn ben present hȳ behoued them to make full satysfaccion in yeldynge it all / be it by fynaūce maruell / by gage / or assygnacōn. And yf they ben absent y e Juge of y e court or his ly­uetenaūt / or y e bysshop / deane / or curate sholden re­present y e persones in receyuynge the sayd satysfaccyon & in caas y t mouables & herytagꝭ suffyse not▪ as often it happened after y t they haue all layde mouables & herytages as it is sayd / they sholde re­quyre mercy of god / of holy chirche / & of them vn­to whome they ben redyuables / & than a man may them assoyle & not elles. For the testament that they make in ony maner wyse is of no valour nor effecte after the ryght. Vnto that peryll is boun­den wyues / childern / neuewes / nyces / or enherytou­res the whiche wyttyngly retaynen the goodes mouables or herytages of vsurers the whiche haue not made in theyr lyf suffycyent restytucyon or sa­tysfaccyon / and it ought to be restored yf that it be possyble / not all oonly the somme of that hath ben receyued by vsurye but with that the dāmage that they myght haue hadde by cause of theym the whiche haue payed the sayd vsuryes / by the [Page] whiche it apyreth clerely that full fewe of vsurers escapen the deuyll. In lyke wyse also it appyreth the peryll of those y • whiche receyuen in theyr chirches or chircheyerdes vnto sepulture the body of an vsurer / suche as hath ben spoken. For the pree­stes the whiche do it wyttyngly ben excōmunycate ipso facto after the newe ryght. Also it is to be no­ted that he the whiche taketh vnto vsurye for his grete necessyte of hym the whiche is an vsurer re­nommed and is redy that for to do synned not in takynge vnto vsurye / but to take vnto vsurye for auaryce / or for to dyspende folysshely / or for to en­duce ony to gyue vnto vsurye the whiche it hath not accustomed it is a synne moche greuous. And this is shortely as vnto the seconde poynt.

¶ Here foloweth of fraude and of decepcyon.

AS vnto the thyrde poynt the whiche is of fraudes and of decepcyons the whiche is cōmytted of dyuers maners of people / and in dy­uers maners the synner sholde take hede. Fyrste in dede of marchaundyse ouer the thynges sayd of vsurye / yf he hath done fraude by fals weygh­tes or ony fals mesures or in the sellynge of ony fals thynge corrupte or meddled in affermynge that it is good and pure be it metalles / appoteca­ryes / wyne / oyle / or ony other ware / by the whiche the byer is notably defrauded / it is deedly synne / syns in a lytell thynge it is venyall synne. How be it / it is well to be noted that yf ony man defrau­de and dysceyued his neyghbour in a lytell thyn­ge [Page] / that he hym wolde well dysceyue in a more greter thynge yf he myght suche synnen mortally. For god that seeth all weyeth more the good wyll than the werke withoutforth. If he hath frauded & reteyned taxes serches passages / or other imposicyons made by the ordynaūce of Justyce it is deedly synne. Also yf people of seygnourye & of Justyce haue made prestes taxes & imposicyons by auary­ce or tyrannye / & not for the comen wele it is mortall synne. Also yf he hath falsed bookes of recey­te / or other lettres vnto the notable dāmage of an other it is deedly synne. Also yf the marchaūt marchaūdyse pryncypally for auaryce or for to encrease his catell & not for to lyue honestly after his vo­cacyon or for to ayde the poore / or for the welth of the comunalte / it is deedly synne / whan in suche gayns he putteth his pryncypall entente. Yf ony bye stuffe or ware in intencyon for to selle them a­gayne more derer without chaungynge them in doynge with them ony crafte / as is the corne / or the wyne / not as it sholde be by the waye for to wryte / or of wood for to make ony crafte for to selle it / or without caryenge it from one regyon in to an other for the comon welth / but pryncypally secheth by suche maner to encrease his catell suche marchaundyse is vnlawfull / and there he may haue deedly synne after as sayth mayster Fraūces de maronis. Also yf they haue made paccyon bytwe­ne them for to selle theyr ware rudely and at a pryce not competent / by the whiche the comons be constayned for to bye it at theyr pryce / it is deedly synne. Also yf he be payed with one ware for an o­ther [Page] / by the whiche that seynge he hath aboue made his owne / and mynysseth and hurteth the other mortally it is deedly synne. Also yf he hath payed symple people in fals moneye / it is fraude and de­cepcyon and deedly synne. Also yf he hath vsed flaterynge speche and of swerynges / to selle indyffe­rently at the daye of the feste cōmaunded / or in halowed place often there is deedly synne. Also yf he hath bought of robbers of theues / where that he byleued the thynge to be suche that it apperteyned vnto them Justely it is deedly synne. Also yf he hath ben the meane of ony co [...]tracte that he byle­ued to be vniuste / as of vsurye in byenge of hery­tage / or in corsynge of hors / or in treatynge of maryage / seynge and knowynge the greuous dāmage of the one of the partyes it is deedly synne. By these thynges beforsayd of the vocacyon and estate of marchaundyse a man may applye vnto other la­bourers & handcrafty men / ben they drapers / tay­lers / cordeners / weuers / tauerners / bakers / pye ba­kers / smethes / carpenters / massons / golsmithes / labourers w t theyr armes / labourers of the erthe / for in euery vocacyon there may be fraude / trechery / & malyce in theyr werke / be it in weyght or mesure / in valour / in intencyon / or in these other circum­staūces / yf god & purenes of conscyence ne them adresse. And therfore they sholde consyder theyr e­state & occupacyons / as well by them as by the ayde of theyr confessour / & declare the fraudes that they knowen well to do / & to speke more subtylly y • no clerke by wrytynge may them declare / & they shold telle wheder they were for to leue suche maners of [Page] fraudes or not / & it shewe & confesse playnly / for yf they haue intencyon to retorne in cōtynuynge theyr dysceyuable maners to vse / they ne ought to be as­soyled. Also yf ony hym medle of offyce / or crafte the whiche he may not do without deedly synne / as to at house steues syde / to do seruyce vnto these vsurers / to meue warre the whiche is not Juste / to make these mixions wherw t women paynte theyr vysages / & so of other vocacyons suche ought not to be assoyled / yf they haue not wyll neuer for to retorne vnto the sayd offyce. Also people y • whiche geten by theyr Journeys & them faynen & sparen to werke / or y • whiche in euyll wyse done theyr werke / & y t notwithstandynge wyll be well payed they ben theues & boūde to make restytucyon. As for an example. They haue promysse of .xij. pens for the Journey / & I put y t a man thynketh it suffycyent / how be it after god & good cōscyence they gete not but .x. pens / for as moche as they do not theyr Journeye lawfully they ben theues of .ij. pens vpon the Journeye y e which amoūted at the ende of the yere y t a man hath made .cc. suche Journeys y e somme of .xvi. [...] .viij. d. of the whiche somme they ought make restitucyon. And oftyme it happened by y • Jugement of god y t vnto suche people theyr goodes encrease not nor yet profyten / but some them dyspen­de in tauernes or vnto them cometh losses & dāmages / by y e whiche they fallen in necessyte of pouerte & of no power to restore y t the whiche sholde be wel with reason. And by suche meane ben deceyued by the deuyll without nombre / & so to do he is ayded by confessours ignorauntes the whiche assoylen su [Page] che people without them enioynynge restytucyon / or without the counsyll the whiche vpon that sholde be gyuen.

¶ Here foloweth of iniquyte or defaute of Justyce.

AS vnto the .iiij. poynt the whiche is of ini­quyte or Justyce / y t is of the defaute for to do & yelde Justyce & reason vnto his neyghbour the synner ought to take hede. And for as moche as to yelde / kepe / & to defende Justyce it aperteyned pryncypally vnto y • prelates of hol [...]chirche / & vnto y e lordes erthely after as y e Jurisdiccōn of euery of them extended & consequētly vnto these Juges / aduocatꝭ. proctours / notaryes / sergeaūtes / prentyses / & wyt­nesses of euery of these estates & maners of perso­nes some thynge it ought here to be shewed for to examen all well / and fyrst of the prelacyon & seygnoury ecclesyastycall. Yf he were irreguler / suspen­de / excōmunycate / bygame / illegittinie / or [...]cubinarie open & knowen / & by y • consequens suspende at the tyme & houre y t he receyued y • dygnyte / the cure / or prelacyon he synned mortally & is contynually in deedly sȳne / & in executynge his offyce cōmytted alwayes of newe deedly synne before y e dyspence & absolucōn. Yf he hath not ben elect canonly of the college or patrone vnto whome it apperteyned or hath be / receyued / & confermed of hym y t so to do hath power / or vnto y t is come by meanes forboden suche is called after y e ryght a wronge doer & theef and yf he hath not ony maner of puyssaunce or Jurysdyccyon for to dyspose / or to make offyce of [Page] ony thynge temporall or spyrytuall aperteynynge vnto the offyce or benefyce he synned mortally as oftentymes as he hym endeuoured to excecute that the whiche aperteyned vnto the sayd offyce or benefyce. Yf he hath made prayers by hymselfe or by other for to be chosen & receyued vnto the sayd of­fyce he is a symonyacle / & yf he hath had paccyon or couenaūt the dyspence aperteyned vnto y e pope. & before y • dyspence he holdeth theuyshly the offyce or dygnyte. Yf he suffre & dyssymule ony grete ylle in his subgectes that he may after the ryght pur­ge & correcte it is deedly synne. Yf he hath fauou­red ony ayenst Justyce & vnto the dāmage of the o­ther / yf he hath lost & wasted the goodes of y e chir­che in folysshe vsages / yf he hath rebelled ayenst reason vnto his soueraynes. Also yf he hath ben neclygent to gete good & suffycyent counseyll for to seche Justyce / by the whiche defaute the partye hath ben in dāmage. In all these thynges it is de­dely synne. Also yf he hath put offycers indygne or vnworthy specyally in cures of soules where a man them knoweth for suche & them may w tsaye law­fully & repelle / & is neclygent that to do it is deedly synne. Also yf he hath suffred confessours ignoraū tes with grete peryll & dāmage of soules the whi­che he may vndertake it is deedly synne. Where so­me is indygne / or to moche ignoraūt apyreth in y • chapytre of y • scyence necessarye vnto a confessour Also yf he hath ben curyous & proude in buyldyn­ges / in heyght / in horses / harneys / abyllymentꝭ / in grete & peryllous dyspences vnto the grete dāma­ge / as well of the chirche as of y • poore it is deedly [Page] synne. Also yf he hath ben more curyous of the temporalyte than of the spyrytualyte / after the exces moche or lytell it is mortall synne / or venyall. Also yf he hath lefte to lese the ryght & preuyleges of his prelacyon / or of the benefyce after as they apertey­nen of ryght the neclygence may be mortall. Also yf he hath dyspensed vndyscretely by the whiche they be become recheles & vnthryfty / or by the con­trarye haue ben to harde & inhumayne to dyspen­se / & to puru [...]ye for the enfermetes of his subgec­tes after the exces of moche or of lytell it is mortal synne or venyall. Also he ought to be the lyght & example vnto his subgectes in all thynges / in fe­we wordes & of thynges prouffytable in quenchynge dyscordes / in reprouynge detraccyons or bac [...]y­tynge / grutchynges / fals reportes / mockeryes / & folysshe langages. Also he ought to be circonspect in all thynges / & specyally in holdynge secrete y e caas the whiche happened after as it is of ryght & of charyte. Also y t he be in fere of honour & of reuerence the whiche vnto hym ben done by cause of his prelacyon / for of that with other thynges before sayd hym behoued to yelde acounte. Also of the correccyon the whiche vnto hym apperteyned by cau­se of the offyce ouer the cōmune y • whiche he ought to do with all after the lawe of charyte / of the whiche had ben made mencyon before. Also he is boū de to pastoure his shepe as a good shepeherde by good doctryne & good example / & them to defende vnto his power from the wolues rauysshynge as ben prechours that prechen pryncypally for to go with theyr syluer or other goodes. Also of tyraūtes [Page] and extorcyoners the whiche oftentymes them de­uouren vnto the wyttynge & knowledge of prelates And here he may haue suche exces of neclygence with these other circumstaunces that it is mortall synne. For the prelate spyrytuall ought to be the fader & defender of poore people / of children fader­les & moderles / and also of wydowes / & ought to haue specyall herte on theyr causes.

¶ Here foloweth more in partyculer of bysshopes.

AS vnto the fyfth poynt y • whiche is of bys­shopes / it is to be noted ouer these thynges beforsayd in general touchynge y e estates of bysshopes y t he ought to take hede fyrst vnto y e forme & maner of his entre. For yf he be not entred regulerly as before hath ben sayd he is a theef / in lyke wyse as our lorde sayth in the gospell. If he hath gyuen holy ordres by symonye in secrete wyse he is suspende alonely as vnto hȳ & is in mortall synne / & ly­ke wyse those y e whiche so ben ordeyned ben suspende & vnto them it behoued to seche dispence before y t they execute theyr offyces. If he hath gyuen holy ordres wyttyngly vnto them y t haue not age to de­termyn in ryght it is deedly synne / for he may not dyspence at the sayd tyme. If he hath gyuen ordres wyttyngly vnto ony y e whiche hath not than the which sholde precede / or to gyue ordres in an other tyme than of ryght w tout y e dispence of y e pope it is deedly synne / & he y • whiche so hath ben ordeyned is supende. If he hath lefte ony thynge to do or to saye the whiche is of the essence of the sacrament [Page] of holy ordres hym behoued all to go backe for as moche as in suche sacrament it is create of god / & gyueth a token spyrytuall named caractere. An o­ther thynge it sholde be / yf he lefte a thynge the whiche sholde not be essencyall / how be it a man sholde supplye in these other ordres / y t the whiche is forgoten / & y • hāgynge the clerke so ordened shol not offyce / nor there ne may ignoraūce vycyous ex­cuse suche defautes. Yf he hath not caused to make examen of the age / of the holy lyfe / of the scyence / & of other thynges y • whiche ben requysyte of ryght in them the whiche sholde be ordeyned it is deedly synne. For by suche defaute many indygne ben re­ceyued & ordeyned vnto the grete preiudyce of sou­les & of all y e holy chirche. Yf he hath ben neclygent to gyue the sacrament of confyrmacyon by y • whi­che many be deed w tout suche sacrament / & the grete good spyrytuall & caractere the whiche in suche sacrament is receyued / or yf in it gyuynge he hath not kepte the forme / the mater / & the place. That is to vnderstande in y • forhede / or wyttyngly it gy­ueth two tymes vnto one self persone. Yf the very daye of the asshes he hath not consecrate the holy creme & other thynges in kepynge there the forme and ordynaunce of holy chirche / he there may haue deedly synne. Yf he hath not consecrate in place & in tyme chirches chircheyerdes & ornementes. Also abbotes & abbesses. Also in reconsylynge chirches & chircheyerdes. In all these thynges he may haue so grete defaute & dāmage spyrytuell that it shol­de be deedly synne. Yf he hath prouyded of benefy­ces / be it of cures of soules / or without cure / those [Page] the whiche were notably indygne & it knoweth or sholde knowe it is deedly synne. And in lyke wyse in receyuyng them indygne as some present by auctoryte of patronage. Yf he hath gyuen prebendes or other benefycꝭ vnto his kynnesmen pryncypally for by cause of lygnage & in them preferryng them vnto them y t ben more worth it is deedly synne. Yf he hath not prouyded vnto chirches of a rectour in tyme & in the maner y t is of ryght & well possyble / or yf he hath receyued vnto holy ordres without tytle suffysaūt / or hath not vysyted his dyocyse / as ryght and reason it ryquyred in prouydynge of confessours & other mynysters / in correctynge the defautes the whiche is done ayenst the sacramen­tes / & the offyce dyuyne / and the vyces & sclaūdres of his clergye & of his subgectes. Also yf he hath not made punycyons & correccyons after y e discre­cyon & charyte ordeyned vnto y e ryghtes / the dāmage of y e soules / the sclaūdre & these other ylles y • whiche cometh by y e occasyon of the defaute of y e thynges before sayd vnto hym shall be imputed & mo­che greuous the dede of conscyence. In lyke wyse as it is well shewed by y e fygure of y e aūcyent testa­mēt in the .xxv. chapytre of nombres. For our lorde seeynge that none ne dyde correccyon in lyke wyse as it apperteyned vnto ylle & synnes the whiche reygnen in the people of god cōmaūded vnto Moyses that all the prynces of the people sholde be hanged on hygh gybettes / and for the defaute of cor­reccyon deyed in one daye. xxiiij. thousande men of the people of god. Also yf he hath founde newe exaccyons for to extorcyon gyftes / promysses / or [...]

AS vnto the .vi. poynt the whiche is of cha­nons / curates / & other benefyced / it is to be noted ouer these thynges beforsayd of symonye / & of the estate of prelacyon that all they the whiche receyuen offyce or benefyce in the whiche to execu­te & gouerne they haue noo connynge competent / they synnen mortally after as sayth saynt Tho­mas in the .xviij. distiction du quart. Also chanons curates & other prebendaryes sholde take hede yf they haue euyll intreated y e benefyce / as in lettyng the buyldyngꝭ to go vnto ruyne / or indyspendynge yll / & in folysshe vsage y e fruy [...]s / rentes / & reuēnes of them be it ayenst theyr ryche frendes or otherwyse. For it is sacrylege after mayster Alexande de halis in his tyers & they be boūde to make restitucōn but wherof & in what maner it is a harde thynge vnto many. Yf they haue procured dyspenses to opteyne Nullus [...] c [...]ricus [...]o vel fauore dꝪ [...]l [...] ep̄o peccatū publicū ꝑrochiani [...]vel c [...]ā minꝰdi [...]e penitēt [...] recō ­cilia [...] & ci testimo [...]ū de hoc ferre vt digne penitētē re­p [...]llere al [...]as symon ā [...]mittit extra d [...]monia. [...]a Nemo [...]s [...]ite [...]o (rum). many benefyces / pryncypally for ambicyon & by auaryce. Also yf they haue receyued y e goodes of y e benefyce w tout there makynge the seruyce the whiche vnto it apperteyned / or there haue cōmytte persone indygne & insuffycyent / by the whiche it happened that the offyce of god is euyll sayd / or the sacramentes intreated & admynystred vnduely as it is of confessyons vnparfyte by y e defaute of trewe examynacyon and to enioyne restytucyons. Also as is the defaute to vysyte & to take hede vnto [...]l [...] nolumꝰ incorrectū (quam) [...]dē cler [...] eccles [...]as sic ex­ [...]nunt suꝑlectibꝰ [...]prus & etiā alie­ [...]. the syke / to coūseyll & to conforte those the whiche ben in necessyte / be it corporally or spyrytually to brynge vnto concorde those the whiche ben in wrath & in dyuysyons. Of all these ylles & other the whiche ben in the people without nombre shal [Page] shall answere all those the whiche holden cures & benefyces. Ut pociꝰ domꝰ lai­ce quā dei basilice videāt (ur) nō ꝯsiderā tes ꝙ dn̄s nō sine­bat vt vas transferet (ur) ꝑ tēplū. Sūt & ali [...] q i nō solū ecclesias dimittūt īcul­tas verum etiam vasa ministerii et vestimenta minis­tro (rum) ac pallas al­taris. necnō & ipsa corꝑalia tā imūda reliquūt ꝙ īterdū aliq iꝰ sūt horrori qr [...]o zelus nos comedit domꝰ dei firmiter ꝓhibemꝰ ne hmōi suꝑlectilia ī ecclesiis admittā [...] nisi ꝓpter hostiles ī cursꝰ aut incēdia reptina seu alias necessitates vrg [...] ­tes Ad eas dꝪ [...]c refugiū sic vt ne­cessitate cessāte res in loca pristma re­portent (ur). Precipi­mꝰ (que) vt oratoria vasa corꝑalia & v [...] sti [...]ta p̄dicta mū da & nitida ꝯseruē tur nimis ei absurdū videt (ur) in sacris sordes necligere q̄ dedeceret etiā ī ꝓ­phanis patēt. Hec extra de custodia [...]ucar. extra d [...] co­habitatōe cleri. et mulie. Item extra de sentē. e [...]cō. Si ꝯcubine. & de cohabitatōe cleri. & mulie. Quesitū. Also yf ony hath it posseded y • benefyce of the chirche y • whiche hath not insencyon to be fynally a man of y • chirche it is mortall sȳne / moche greuous & he ought to make restitucōn. Yf he hath receyued the dystrybucōns quotidiēnes of colle w t ­out theyr abydynge / not w tstandynge y • y • ordynaū ce is suche y t w tout he be present nothynge he shall take or that he is gone vnto the offyce pryncypally for the distrybucyons temporalles it is deedly sȳne If he desyre to haue cures or benefyces more pryncypally for the good temporall than spyrytuall it is mortall synne & symonye spyrytuall. If he hath lefte by fere / by fauour / by loue / by gyftes / or by ꝓ mysses for to shewe vnto his soueraynes the ylles & synnes open y t he wyll not or may correcte in his subgectes he cōmytted symonye after the ryghtes If he hath lefte the goodes moeuable or vnmoeuable of chirch be they thynge halowed or other for bycause or in maner y t they be not graūted of ryght or also as w t the goodes of y e chirch byed herytage forte gyue & to leue vnto his kynnesmen or vnto a nother place than to y e chirche he sȳned greuously & ought to make restytucyon. If he hath suffred vten syles as lynen cloth or wollen / flesshe / corne / & wy­ne / or other thyngꝭ noughty hath ben put in y e chirche w tout necessyte lefull & suffycyent after y e ryghtes as is sholde be for fere of theues or of the enbrasynge fyre y e whiche sholde be in the houses or other euydent necessyte [...]s / the whiche passed y e sayd thynges sholde be taken out of the chirche & place halowed / he synned greuously in trespassynge y • cōmaū [Page] dement of the pope Innocent the thyrde / & in lyke wyse all they y e whiche ben consentynge or y • cause of suche dyshonour. Also cōmaūded by expresse wordes of the same pope / chirches / chapelles / chalyces corporaces / towelles / halowed / awters / chesybles & other vestymentes & vesselles ordeyned vnto y e ser­uyce of the awtre be kepte pure & clene. And it is well to be noted in this mater / as to do wyttyngly that the whiche the pope defended or dispraysed to do y t y t he cōmaūded it is deedly synne. If he suffred that ony playes prouokynge h [...]m vnto vanytees or noyses / turbacyons / grete noy [...]es / or also drynkyn­ges or etynges to be done in the chirche or in other place halowed he synned greuously. If he hath foū de or gyuen noualtees of relykes & them hath de­noūced vnto the people for his auaryce pryncypal­ly / or yf he hath extorcyoned by cautell / or by fayre langage / almesdede / or oblacyon it is mortall sȳne If he hath receyued vnto sepulture ecclesyastycall ony persone excōmunycate by sentence of ryght / as vsurers open or other / or those y e which were denoū ced enterdyted in other maner than it is taken of ryght ouer the sȳne mortall he is excōmunycate in lykewyse as it apyred by y e Clementyne. Also yf he hath receyued vnto sepulture these y e whiche seeth eche other in tormentꝭ defended he sȳned mortally If he be a concubynarye open & knowen when it is so y t he of y t was lawfully vaynquysshed or y t he hath y t confessyd in Jugement / or y t his synne is so open & so euydent y t all they of the parysshe or the more grete partye of them it knowed / or y t there be so grete perseueraūce y t noman ought to doubte he [Page] is suspende as vnto hymselfe / & as vnto other & yf he saye masse or admynyster other sa [...]ramētꝭ in suche estate he is irreguler after as sayth [...]ostyense. And moreouer some lawyers holden y t in suche case there may not be dyspence but alonely by y e auc­toryte of the holy syege apostolycall. And this opynyon holden Rycharde de media villa / the Scotte John andrewe. Astence & Panorme alledgynge the chapytre Cū [...]terni extra de sentēcia et re iudicat [...] Also after y • he is cōmunycate namely al those the whiche hym know [...] synnen mortally in herynge his masse / but an other thynge it shold be of an o­ther synne the whiche is secrete / for durynge y t y e holy chirche it taketh awaye a man synned not mor­tally. Also it is to be noted y t the concubyne of the preest suspende as vnto hymself & as vnto other & excōmunycate as it is sayd / renned in the sentence of y e grete excōmunycacyon. By the whiche it foloweth moreouer y t suche persone may neuer be assoyled sacramentally but in y e artycle of deth yf he be Hoc [...]ba [...] ꝑ dec [...]e tū basiliefi extra d sn̄i [...] excō Si [...]cub [...] [...]e publice clerico­rū ecc [...]astice cēsu­re districtōe artā [...] eosdē [...]rubinarios nō est dubiū [...]n̄i [...] maioris excōis in­uolui qui post latā sentenciā cōicāt ī eodē crim [...]e crimi nosis. hec ibidem. not fyrst vnbounde of the sayd sentence. And so it ought to be vnderstande of the concubyne y e whi­che perseuered with her rybaude excōmunycate by that cause of fornycacōn. If he hath not borne [...]onsure honeste / yf he hath lerned the offyce of a laye man / or vnto marchaūde in byenge for to selle a­gayne openly & more derer therfore to gayns as a laye man may / yf he hath haunted taue [...]nes / the playes of Joglyng / daūces w t women. In all these cases may he haue so grete & so excessyue sclaūder y • it is mortall synne. Also yf he hath songe masse in leuynge wyttyngly ony of the vestymentꝭ vnto [Page] that requysyte / as is the coope / the aube / the many ple / the stole / the chesyble / or w tout messall without lyght / or w tout clerke to answere it is deedly synne for of y t he may not be excused by ignoraūce. If he hath left his matens canonycalles all or parte vnto his wyttynge w tout cause resonable / as it shold be for syknes / or other necessyte it is deedly sȳne after y t he is subdeacon / & in lyke wyse of the matens of our lady whan they ben of y e ordynary or of cu­stome approued. But yf he them hath lefte by for­getfulnes he shalbe holden to axe forgyuenes whā it vnto hȳ is remēbred. Also y [...] he be occupyed wyttyngly in thyngꝭ outwardby y e whiche he hath gretely distrayned to vnderstande his mateus / or yf be put to thynke on an other thynge vnto his wyttynge he there may haue deedly sȳne / an other thyng it sholde be of thought comynge ayenst y e wyll. If he hath receyued holy ordres before y e age cōpetent y t is to knowe subdeacon before .xviij. yeres / deacon before .xx. preest before .xxv. & it suffysed y t the .xxv. be begōne / or elles it is deedly sȳne. And he ought not to excecute y e offyce aperteynynge vnto y e ordre tyll vnto the tyme determyned of ryght. If he haue lefte ony thyng notable aperteynyng vnto y e forme or mater of sacramēt it is deedly sȳne / yf wyttyngly or by neclygence he hath cōmytte suche obmyssyon. Also after holy Thomas he the whiche excercysed y e offyce of holy ordres in deedly he sȳned mor­tally as oftymes as he hath touched y e thyngꝭ holy Also yf he hath admynystred ony of the holy sa­cramentes vnto synners notorely knowen and o­pen before satysfaccyon & amendement competent [Page] it is deedly synne. Yf he hath songe masse in deed­ly synne w tout hym confessynge & repentynge due­ly yf he hath place & oportunyte it is deedly synne Yf he hath cōmytted notable reuerence ayenst y e sacramentes / as puttynge no water in to the chalys or y t the oost were broken / or y e wyne aygre or sowre or the holy oost euyll kept / or hath left ony thynge notable by to moche hastynge hȳ / or to synge for other intencyon than holy chirche doth intende / or hath not borne reuerently w t lyght the body of our lorde vnto syke folke. In all these thynges & many other the whiche may come by neclygence he may haue suche exces that it is mortall synne. Also yf he hath promysed to saye certayne masses / & of y t hath receyued the almesse / in intencyon not to saye that that he hath promysed it is deedly synne. Also yf he hath ben neclygent hym to prepayre & dyspose for to synge at the leste in the grete festes and solempnytees / but hath lefte that to do / not pryncy­pally for the fere & reuerence of the sacrament he there may haue deedly synne. Also yf he hath assoyled of the sentence excōmunycacyons or in the caas and persones vpon whome he hath not power nor auctoryte / or hath made dyspense of vowes / or yf he hath shewed the synne of the persone the whi­che he hath herde in confessyon / or hath enioyned penaunces of almesse the whiche by his inducyn­ge cometh vnto his prouffyte temporall / or hath be notably vndyscrete in assoylynge them the whiche weren indygne for as moche as they wolde not pardonne or requyre pardonne / or make restytucon af­ter as it was of reason or they wolde not leue ony [Page] synne / or yf he hath enquyred malycyously of the name of the persones with whome they haue syn­ned those the whiche them confess [...]n vnto hym / or hath done his deuour to examen the dede of the cō scyence of poore & symple synners / or hath not ben desyrous it to enquyre of clerkes and more experte than he was of the dyffycultees & perplexitees the whiche often is foūde in the dede of the conscyen­ce / or hath assoyled in deedly synne & without true contrycyon. In all these cases beforsayd there is comonly mortal synne. Yf he hath broken y e vowe of chastyte the whiche he hath done solemply ouer the pryncypall promysse made vnto the sacrament of baptem. That is to vnderstande whan he recey­ued the holy ordre of subdeacon. Also whan he re­ceyued the holy ordre of deacon. And afterwarde in receyuyng y e ryght holy & sacred ordre of presthode. And therfore the trangressyon of suche vowe is horryble sacrylege dygne of eternall deth. Also yf [...]. q. ca. oēs. e [...]. c. sequis Si [...]o s [...]c [...]r dos e [...] filia sua pe [...] for [...]catꝰ fuerit sc [...]at se gra­ [...] adulter [...] [...]m [...] ­ [...]sse. [...]d [...]ireo fem [...]a si la [...]a [...] oia rel [...] ­quat et res suas pauꝑ [...]bꝰ tribuat & [...]uersa in monas [...]e rio deo seruiat v [...] [...] ad mortem. he hath knowen carnally his paryshens vnto who me he hath other tymes admynystred the sacramē tes of holy chirche / or his doughter or her the whi­che he hath holden in confyrmacyon / or also his godmoder / his kynneswoman / or his affynyte / o­uer the grete & detestable synne mortall ben ordey­ned dyuers paynes after the ryghtꝭ for suche cases. Also yf he hath gyuen benedyccyon nup [...]yale vnto those the whiche other tymes it hath receyued / he is suspended of y e offyce & of the benefyce / of y e whiche he may not be releued but of y e holy fader. And yf Sacerdos autē [...] malū exemplū de­dit hoibꝰ ab ōm of f [...]o depona [...] & ꝑe grinādo .xii. ānis penitcat. postea ve [...]o ad monaste­riū vadat ibi (que) o [...] bus diebꝰ vite sue deo seruiat. hec ibi Si vero est ep̄s et fornicatio e [...] no­toria debet depo­ni. &. xv. ānis peu [...] ­tere. Ibidem. he admynystre ony of the sacramentes before that he there be remedyed ouer the payne beforsayd he [Page] is irreguler / & in so berynge hym vnto the sacramē tes in suche estate he synned alwayes mortally. To nombre in partyculer all these cases & the dyuersyte of synnes the whiche may come vnto bysshops deanes / chanons / curates / chapellayns & other people of the thirche & of relygyon / by cause of theyr dygnytees & offyces euyll kept it is a thynge ryght harde vnto all lawyers & theologyens. But the holy scrypture the whiche teched all trouth the whi­che is necessarye vnto all saluacyon / it suffyseth well vnto the conscyence of euery man of the chir­che the whiche hym enforced to do that the whiche is in hym for to please god / and for to kepe well and Justely the degree and for to execute the offy­ce that god and holy chirche vnto hym hath com­mytted.

¶ Here foloweth of the defaute of Justyce in domynacyon seculer or temporall.

AS vnto the .vij. poynt the whiche is of the seygnourye seculer it is to vnderstande y t kynges / dukes / coūtes / & all other degrees of seyg­nourye sholde fyrste take hede how they be comen vnto the sayd seygnourye. That is to vnderstand yf by ryght of lygne / or by other waye of Justyce for than they theyr may purchase saluacyon. But yf they it holden by vsurpacyon / or tyrānye ayenst ryght & Justyce they them dampnen / & they haue no power there to cōmytte offycers in ony degree or auctoryte / but in so doynge they synne mortally & the offycers in lyke wyse in excecutynge theyr [Page] & other oppressyons by force of armer / or otherwyse [...]ūs dauid [...]u [...] deꝰ [...]ā magnū testimo [...]u ꝑhibuit in his [...]t [...] [...]ēturio [...] dn̄o d [...]it nō sū dn̄e di­gnus vt intres subiectū meū. Hec ibi Re [...] pōt facere regē ini [...]tas imꝑan­di. innocente [...]o [...]: or do seru [...]ē [...] pa [...]t. xxiii. q. [...]. in lyke as it was possyble it is deedly synne. For for y t cause & seruyce to do vnto y e comons they hol­den theyr seygnouryes / these rentes / these trybutes. & these taxes. If he hath Juste tytle to make warre but in y • doynge his affeccyon is vnordynate by auaryce or other wyse he there may haue deedly synne as well in hym as in them the whiche executen the sayd warre. Wherefore it is to be noted as to do y t wherof ony warre may be made Justely it behoued that he there haue .vi. condy [...]ons / that is to vnd­stande a good wyll & desyre to do Justyce w t auctoryte of y • to do & this is of the partye of the prynce Also in them y e whiche executen the dede of y e sayd warre ought to be intencyon & condycyon. Intencyon not pryncypally for auaryce or for his propre vē geaūce. Condycyon y t is to vnderstande y t the perso­ne the whiche maketh suche warre be laye or secu­ler not clerke in holy ordres. Also in them ayenst whome a man maketh warre ought to haue some gylte or defaute by the whiche they haue deserued to be punysshed / for w tout these .vi. causes warre may not be Juste. Also it is to be noted y t these sub­gectes of prynces the whiche ben men of warre be not boūden to haue all knowlege yf the warre be Juste or vniuste / but vnto them it suffysed not to be certayne that the warre y t they make by cōmaū ­dement be contrarye vnto reason & vnto Justyce. If he hath suffred wyttyngly capytaynes or other offycers that he knowed to be pyllers & oppressours of the people he synned mortally / & is holden with all dāmages & oppressyons the whiche by defaute [Page] of correccyon ben felonyed. If he hath suffred & cō maūded homycydes / mutilacyons / flagellacyons / or pryson ayenst ryght & Justyce / or not w tstandynge y t y e cause were Juste he it hath done or made to be done prȳcypally by hate or vengeaūce it is deedly sȳne & moche greuoꝰ. If he hath made or suffred [...]orneys duellacōns or y e fyght of two men playes or p̄sentacōns y • whiche of theyr condycōn & oftymes ben thyngꝭ noysaūtes to y e body & to y e soule whiche he myght defende & make to cesse it is mortall synne. If he haue cōmytte ayenst y e chirche caas wher­fore a man hȳ may lawfull suspende enterdyte or excōmunycate / & y t notw tstandynge he hath made masse to be songe in his presence in sustaynynge y • censures of holy chirche it is mortal sȳne & moche greuoꝰ. If he hath taken & cōmaūded or approued y t clerke or persone relygyous were taken / beten or inprysoned in dede & not in ryght & w tout y e lycen­ce & Juste permyssyon of the chirche ouer y e deedly synne he is excōmunycate. If he hath suffred lawes or statutꝭ in his seygnourye y e whiche weren cōtraryous to y e lybertees of holy chirche ouer y e mortall synne he is excōmunycate. Also in lyke wyse yf w t out lycence of the pope & concessyon Jurisdycall he hath cōmytte and suffred to be put and imposed vpon the people of the chirche the whiche is not suffred of ryght / taxes / subsydyes / watches / serches or other exaccyons / after he hath admonycyon to cesse despysed so to do ouer the mortall synne he renned in the sentence of excōmunycacyon / yf he hym correcte not within the space of the tyme or­deyned in ryght that soo for to doo. And also yf [Page] by his cryme the cyte / the towne / or the coūtre / fal­len in enterdyte he is culpable of the cessacyon of all the good dedes whiche myght be done & had ben done yf it had not ben enterdyted. Also yf for the censures ecclesiastycalles done to hȳ or to his / after y e ordre of ryght he endāmaged or gyued vexacyon vnto Juges or mynystres of y e chirche ouer the mortall synne he is excōmunycate. Also yf he hath receyued & suffred open vsurers of an other regyon to dwelle & enhabyte in his seygnourye to vse theyr vsuryes & hath put no dilygence them to expelle w t in the tyme y t to do▪ is ordeyned [...]e is excōmunycate And in suffrynge them of his seygnourye to excercyse the sayd vsuryes in gyuynge vnto y e permyssy­on or consentynge it is mortall synne. Also yf he extorcyon or dystresse or gyued ayde or consentyng that to do vpon marchaūdes or pylgrymes vpon y • see he is excōmunycate & y • absolucyon reserued to the pope. Also yf he take & retayne the goodes of them y • which haue had lettynge in torment perdycyon of theyr goodes / & fraccyon & brekynge of vesselles & shyppes vpon the see he synned deedly. As sayth Astence y t no custome may hym excuse. Also yf he make to sette on fyre chirches monasteryes or other holy places. Or yf he do or make to be do­ne wronges fraccyons w tout y e ordre of ryght & of Justyce ouer the mortall synne he is excōmunycate & yf he be denoūced for suche by y e dyocesayne the absolucōn is reserued vnto y e pope. If he haue let­ted y e eleccyon of ony to prelatꝭ ecclesyastycall ma­lycyously by fere / by vyolence / or by other cursyd meanes / or also to ꝓcure y t ony were chosen ayenst [Page] the ly [...]rtees & ordynaūces of ryght / or hath gyuen greef or vexacōn vnto college or vnto ony of them for as moche as men to hȳ hath not obeyed in cho­synge after his wyll ouer y e mortall synne he is ex­cōmunycate. If he hath broken & fyled y • preuylegꝭ of y • chirche in makynge by vyolence to take ony ꝑ sone in y e chirche or other place preuylged w tout permyssyon of ryght he cōmytted sacrylege mortall & hym may a man denounce excōmunycate aftr y t he hath ben warned duely to repayre y e forfayte. If he pylle y e people of the chirche or rauysshe thyngꝭ the whiche aperteynen to y e chirche / or taked for to marke y • people of the chirche he sȳned mortally. If he hath presented as patron of y e chirche / or hath ꝓcu­red by other y t he y • which was indygne after ryght were receyued to benefyce ecclesyastycall it is mor­tall synne. If he haue taken moneye gyftes or promysses for to present ony vnto benefyce of y e chirc [...] or hath wryten & made supplycacōn vnto the pope or vnto other prelate to benefyce ony y • whiche of y • was vnworthy he is symonyacle & in mortall synne. If he hath gyuen ayde fauour or defence to heretykes or scismatykes in asmoche y t they be suche he is excōmunycate. If he appropre thyngꝭ y • whi­che aperteynen to an other / or letted wyttyngly the preuylegꝭ or lybertees of ony it is mortall sȳne. If he haue letted by hȳ or by his offycers y • ony cause Li. vi. de imunitate ecclesie ca. Quoniā. were not drawen in y e courte of the chirche / in lyke wyse as it aperteyned of ryght he is excōmunyca­te. If he hath made or imposed nouelte of lawes y • whiche ben contraryous to ryght & to Justyce it is mortal sȳne. I [...] he be y • messenger of an other seyg [Page] forthwith & hastely sence for to knowe how her la­dy & maystres dyde y e sayd Loūtesse / & it was foū ­de that at that houre that she vnto her apyred she was deed pyteously. And this vysyon reherced the sayd lady vnto many in her lyf in y e whiche it apy­red y t it is truely sayd y t a fole byleued not soo mo­che Quicū (que) e [...]cedit i [...]dumē [...] vel al [...]is mūdi hu [...] orna [...] ­tis sup [...]lue & nota biliter pe [...] cat [...]tra caritatē pr [...]m dā nabiliter & deū of­fendit etiā morta li [...]. & nisu pen [...]tēdo se corrererit & ta [...] a supflua resecaue [...]it cū diabolo & an gelis eiꝰ ins [...]piter nū interitū vadit. hec eusebtꝰ i ep [...]a de obitu hieron̄. li. vi. [...] imumtate ec­clesie. ca. Quoniā. Qui hꝪ duas tunicas der vni nō hn̄ti luc. iii. Qui habuerit subs [...]ā [...]iā mūdi hu [...]ꝰ & viderit frēm su [...] necessitatē ha bere & clauserit vi scera sua abeo quō caritas de [...]manet i co. [...]. [...]o. iii. ca. Si vir aut mulier se ornauerit & vultꝰ spectātiū ad se [...] ­ [...]cauerit & si nul­ [...]ū inde ven [...]at dā ­nā. iudici [...] tn̄ pati etur i eternū qrvenenū obtulit & si n̄ fuerit qui biberit. hec criso. that he receyued. And vnto that purpose sayth Eusebius in the epystle of y e deth of saynt Ierome that euery persone the whiche exceded in robes in yssues or in other abylymentes worldely be it that the sayd exces be to prayse it may be so grete & the affeccyon so moche vndrdyna [...] that it is mortall synne / to determyne how moche & how the sayd exces is mortall or venyall vnto the regarde of ony persone in partyeuler it is a chyng ryght harde as vnto Jugement humayne. But as sayth a lawyer named Monaldus the blessyd holy goost teched many tymes them the whiche ben dysposed that that may not do the subtylyte of the entendemēt or vnderstandynge humayne / for as moche that it is he the whiche teched all trouth necessarye vnto saluacyon. Also sayth our lorde in the gospell vnto the purpose of the horyble dampnacyon of hym the whiche exceded in abylymentes that he thē whiche hath two gownes is bounde by the lawe of chary­te for to gyue one vnto hym the whiche hath none And it ought also to be vnderstanden that he the whiche ouer suffysaunce hath haboundaunce he ought for to ayde charytably vnto chose the whi­che ben nedy. Also ladyes and gentyl women or o­ther women the whiche them appareyle to please men carnall & worldely and to the entent that they [Page] them coueyten dysordynatly synnen mortally / & in Justicia [...]emota [...]d sūt magna reg­na nisi magna la­trocu [...]a Aug. li. d [...] ciuitate de [...]. lyke wyse may it be spoken of men. By these thynges beforsayd apyred the peryll of those vnto who me it aperteyned to yelde kepe & defende Justyce / & of the grete ylles the whiche may come by theyr defaute as well in them as in theyr subgectꝭ. And therfore sayth well saynt Austyn that grete seyg­nourye is none other thynge but grete theftes and pyllers yf Justyce reygne not & gouerne. And for a conclusyon to put in this mater cometh vnto my purpose the questyon the whiche saynt Thomas made. That is to vnderstande yf he y e whiche doth ony thynge contraryous vnto Justyce synned mor­tally. The answere. For as moche as Justyce ordeyned these creatures the one ayenst the other after that it is of reason in yeldynge to euery man that that vnto hym apperteyned / to do the contrarye wyttyngly it is ayenst the charyte of his neygh­bour / & by the consequent mortall synne / & for as moche as paradyse is promysed vnto Juste men / these vnlawfull & vniuste dwellen in helle.

¶ Here foloweth of Juges be they of the chirche or of secularyte.

AS vnto the .viij. poynt y • which is of them Deinde v [...]o [...] ti­mētes deū et i [...]b­sit [...]itas & oder [...] auar [...]ciā [...] [...]udic [...]t pp [...]m. exo. xviii. the whiche haue offyce & Jurysdyccyon to gyue sentences to make Jugementes. It is to be noted that they sholde take hede ben they of the chirche or of the secularyte vnto the poyntes folowen / Yf he be entred in the sayd offyce by symonye / by fraude / or by vsurpacyon / for than he hath none [Page] auctoryte to Juge / but in so doynge he synned mortally If he haue exceded wyttyngly y e besynes of his cōmaundement or of his Jurysdyccyon he synned mortally / and ignoraunce vycyous may not hym excuse. If he by fere / by coueytyse / by loue dysordy­nate / or other cursyd cause he gyueth sentence a­yenst ryght and Justyce wyttyngly / it is mortall synne / and is bounde for to restore the partye in dammage / in caas that he for whome he hath ben Juged wyll not restore hym. If by his ignoraunce vycyous he hath gyuen fals sentence / he ought to dysdammage the partye and [...]ath synned mortal­ly. If he haue ben neclygent for to studye and to en quyre the trouth for to yelde and gyue lawfull sentence by the whiche neclygence he hath Juged fal­sely it is mortall synne / and is holden vnto the partye as before hath ben sayd. An other thynge it sholde be of a Juge ouerseen the whiche hath done his deuour for to haue the counseyll of lawyers and clerkes / and that not withstandynge hath gy­uen fals sentence by symplenesse and not vnto his wyttynge nor by no malyce. For obedyence ayenst hym the whiche in that hath ben ouerseen / and the grete dylygence that he hath done for to en­quyre the trouth hym may excuse before god. And this the whiche is sayd of Jugement contencyons and in outwarde thynges may a man saye of the Jugement of the conscyence the whiche is made in confessyon / for euery confessour is Juge ecclesyas­tycall and spyrytuall. I put that some wyll saye that as well he the whiche enioyneth the offyce of of the confessour as he the whiche it receyued and [Page] is not suffycyent that for to do synnen mortally. But that sholde be vnderstande of those that aua­ryce and presumpcyon induced that to do and for not of those that charyte inclyned vnto saluacōn of soules. I put that after good & holy intencion in receyuynge or in enioynynge the offyce he may haue so grete dylygence to studye or to enquyre y e trouth y t in gyuynge fals sentence of absolucyon he there Hec secund [...] Raymūdū. sholde haue mortall synne. If the coūseyller of the Juge y e whiche Juged is symple & of good wyll coū seylled ylle by ignoraūce vicyous / or by other malyce y • Juge may be excused in gyuyng fals sentence the which he byleued to be good / but the coūseyller synned mortally in affermyng falsyte for veryte / & so is holden to restore or to procure restytucōn to be made vnto the partye. But yf it be very semblable vnto the Juge that his coūseyller is not experte in lawes or in customes / or hath no renōme of grete Justyce they be not excused y • one ne the other of mortall sȳne in gyuynge fals sentence not w tstan­dynh y • they byleue y t it be good / & euery of them is boūde to restytucōn / not y • double restytucōn ought to be made to y • partye / but yf the one restore not y • other is boūde to restore If the Juge ordinarye take money or other thynge to yelde Jugemēt it is mortal synne & may come in foure maners. The fyrst i. q. i. Jubemꝰ for to take moneye to Juge falsely & to repayre suche synne the thynge the which for suche occasyon hath ben gyuen aperteynen after y e ryghtꝭ vnto the partye whiche is hurte. Secondly to take moneye to Juge Justele & the moore sooner. Thyrdly to Juge notw tstange that of y • to do he hath none Juris▪ [Page] diccyon or puyssaunce. Fourthly to the ende that xxiij. [...]. v. cap̄. Administra­tores. he Juge not fals. In all these foure maners testy­tucyon ought for to be made vnto hym the whiche hath gyuen or vnto the poore after good coūseyll. and vnto the dede of conscyence. If he hath not wylled to do sentence notwithstandynge that he it may & sholde do it is mortall synne / and he is holden to restore the partye. If he were Juge ordyna­rye & hath taken of the partyes other thynge than vytayle the whiche was offred & gyuen lyberally and moderatly / he there may haue auaryce / euyll example / & mortall synne. But the Juge deluded di. xviij. de eu logijs. the whiche hath not somtyme grete rychesse / and hym behoued to ryde / and to go out for hym to in­forme / or other wyse by the whiche he may the more largely dyspende than he sholde / yf the sayd charge were not suche may take salarye moderate Scdm glo. et Raymundū. after theyr labours & other consyderacyons of the mater subiecte. If the Juge of the chirche gyue sentence of excōmunycacyon / of suspencyon / or of en­terdyte to lyghtly or w tout ordre of ryght / or pryn­cypally by hate / by vengeaūce / by fauour / or by o­ther cursyd occasyon ayenst Justyce & vnto the dā ­mage of an other ouer the mortall synne he is suspende of the execucyon of his offyce / and he ought to be condampned after the estymacyon of the dā made made vnto the partye / & yf he in suche esta­te mysbere hym vnto the sacramentes he renned in irregularyte / of the whiche he may not be releuyd but by auctoryte of our holy fader the pope. If he hath suffred wyttyngly to calle before hym aduo­cates the whiche weren heretykes / excōmunycate / [Page] or paynems. Yf he hath suffred & receyued dylacy­ons ayenst the ordre of Justyce yf he hath not kept the termes of ryght. If he haue fauoured the one partye vnto the greef & dāmage vnto the other / yf he hath made questyons vnto the culpable y t weren impertynentes after the order of ryght / yf he hath refused to receyue appellacōns legittime [...] / yf he malycyously hath gyuen oportunyte for to calle. If af­ter the legittime appellacyon he hath proceded in cause / yf he hath not sought coūseyll sure & certayne after as he it may & ought to do / yf he hath re­ceyued allegacyons scornfull & impertynentes / yf vnto poore people as wydowes / childern faderles & moderles / & myserable persones he hath not gyuen comforte & prouysyon of coūseyll. In all these thynges & other semblables he there may haue mortall sȳne. If he hath not punysshed these malefactours or ylle doers after as the ryght & the caas it requyred. In that may he haue gylte & synne in thre maners. Fyrst for as moche as that to do he hath not puysaūce or cōmyssyon of the prynce / but all oonly hath power to Juge after the lawes and customes. Secondely yf in so doynge he hath done wronge vnto the partye. Or thrydely yf he haue pardōned the caas the whiche ought to be punysshed. For not withstandynge that of that to do he hath power & that the partye so sholde consente yf he myght he synned mortally in pardonynge the caas without punycyon. In lyke wyse as sayth saynt Thomas in his quodlibetꝭ / for in pardonynge the caas the whiche is vnto the grete sclaunder of the people foloweth defaute of Justyce & of reparacyon vnto the [Page] comon wele / yf he hath augmented & diminysshed malycyously the payne or punycyon y e whiche was of ryght he there may haue mortall synne. Also it is to be noted that caas may happen y t he shall Juge [...]or [...]de & cito ap­parebit vobis q [...] [...]diciū durissunū in his [...] pres [...]t fiet [...]p [...]en̄. vi. Quāto magnꝰ [...]s humilia te in oibꝰ ecc [...]. iiii. ca. & greg. i ome [...]. C [...]to esse [...]or at (que) ad ser medū deo ꝑ [...]pti­or [...]s (que) e [...] dꝪ e [...] munere (quam)to obligati­o [...]ē se e [...] [...]pit in reddenda ratione grego. Jesus autē cū cognouisset q (que) v [...]turi essēt [...] caperet eū & facerēt regē. fu­giti mōtē [...]pe solꝰ orare. 10. vi. ca. Sie [...]ōtrario mathei. xxvi. Surgite ea­mꝰ ecce appropin­ [...]bit [...] me tradet. H [...] cū i honore [...]ēt nō itelle [...]it [...]ꝑatꝰ [...] [...]u [...]i [...]is insip [...]ēti bus & si [...]is factꝰ est [...]is. I tē. i. thi. iii. Nō neophitū eli­gas supple in ep̄ [...] [...]e i su [...]bi [...] elatꝰ in iudiciū diaboli ici dat. Si dicētē me adimpium morte morteris & nō an­ [...]ūciaueris e [...] &c. sa guinē eiꝰde manu tua re [...]ram. eze­chielis. [...]. hym y t he knoweth to be innocent / & in so doynge he synned not mortally. As for example. A man proued & bereth fals wytnes ayenstony in Jugemēt of the whiche falsyte y e Juge is ryght certayne & so he may not by dylacōn of sentēce nor by other mea­ne persuade to the wytnesses for to prouyde vnto theyr conscyence. Nor may no [...] also Justely y • innocent y e whiche is falsely excused w tout doynge ma­nyfeste Iniurye vnto the wytnesses. Also he may not constytute or ordeyne lyuetenaūt / nor to y e soue­rayne when all these condycyons shall be togyder & concurrentes he shall be constrayned to gyue sentence after these thyngꝭ alledged & approued false­ly ayenst hym the whiche is innocent / & in so doynge by his offyce he synned not but may haue meryte. And of that opynyon holdeth mayster Fraūces de maronis / saynt Thomas / & Rycharde de villa noua. Some holden y e contrarye affermynge y t the Juge sholde sooner suffre deth than to gyue suche sentence. But I ne consente to y e fyrste opynyon in the cause pecuniarie / & to y • seconde in the cause of deth or of mutilacōn. For as for to lese y e goodes of fortune is oftyme to y • grete prouffyte of the soule / but y • holy scrypture whiche may not lye forbydeth symply the deth of hym y e whiche is innocent. In lyke wyse as it appyred in Exodi. By these thynges beforsayd of prelates of prynces & of Juges appy­red the trouth of the scrypture y e whiche sayth that [Page] Jugement ryght meruayllos shall be gyuen vnto them y • whiche preceden. That is to vnderstande yf they kepe not y e lygne & the purete of Justyce & of equyte / & therfore they ought to fere & them humyle before god the Juge of Juges & hynge of kyngꝭ. & euery creature as moche y • more as he hath y e more grete charyte of seygnourye & of Justyce. After as sayen these scryptures & holy doctrynes / & of y t to do hath gyuen example the blessyd sone of god the fader Jhesus nazarenus ordynarye Juge of the deed & the quyke. And therfore whan a man wolde take hym for to make & constytute hym kynge he fledde in to a moūtayne to praye vnto god the fa­der / but whan man hym sought for to Juge & to put hym vnto deth he hym yelded & presented vn­to the towne & vnto the place where he knowe wel that men hym sholde cause to deye. In lyke wyse as he wolde saye by an example that moche more Joyously sholde many receyue the deth than prelacyon / offyce / benefyce / or seygnourye. By the occa­syon of seygnourye & of prelacyon cometh many tymes vnto them of suche estate foure ylles. In ly­ke as it appyred by these scryptures. The fyrst is pryde and elacyon / by the whiche proude men of good ryght be compared vnto bestes. For of the thynge wherof he hym sholde humyle / he hym en­haunced and enpryded. The seconde ylle is the oc­casyon Noli [...]re [...]e fieri [...]uder nis [...] valeas virtute irrū [...]e in [...]ratē ne forte extune seat faciē potēt [...]. eccl. vii. gre Hoc si hoīes attē [...]r [...] [...] ­latōes nō a [...]ir [...]t of the more grete dampnacyon / for as it is sayd before the Jugement of those the whiche haue had prelacyon shalbe ryght strayte. The thyrde is [...] in receyuyng prelacōn he hȳ byndeth to answere & to yelde accompte of his synnes & of his subiectꝭ [Page] The fourth is the slaūder of his subiectꝭ the whi­che cometh whan y e Juge or the prelate gyueth not the correccōn & doctryne y e whiche aperteyned vnto the offyce or seygnourye. And therfore sayth well saynt Gregory y t yf these men resonable knowen y e charge the whiche is y e prelacyon they fere & neuer haue appetyte it to receyue / for as it apyred by the fygure the whiche is in the .xxv. chapytre of y e boke I [...]tꝰ d [...]s dixit ad moysē. tolle cūctos [...]ipes ppl [...] & sus­pende eos [...]tra so­le in patibulis &c. [...]occisi sunt. xxiiii. [...] [...]oim Nume [...]. xxv. ca. of nombres. xxiiij. thousande men of the pryncypal les of the people of god deyed in one daye for the defaute of good presydentes & of good correccyon. The whiche thynge was fygured of all those whiche after the example & doctryne of Jhesu cryst presumed in pryde & in abusynge of theyr vocatōn / in the whiche is reserued moche cruell dampnacyon. But also by the contrarye those the whiche in fere & humylyte there do that the whiche vnto them is possyble / after god and good ordre of Justyce they shalbe ryght excellently rewarded. And this suffy­sed as now of the holy estate of prelacyon.

¶ Here foloweth of aduocatꝭ / ꝓcurours / notaryes. ben they in y e courte of the chirche or of secularyte.

AS vnto the .ix. poynt whiche is of these ad­uocates sergcaūtes prentyses & notaryes. It is to vnderstande y t they sholde fyrst take hede & specyally these aduocatꝭ. If they ben of suche cō dycyon y t the offyce for to be aduocate vnto them be defended by ryght or by custome / as sholde those be y t ben excōmunycate / heretykes / or religyous but for theyr monasterye & of the cōmaūdement & ly­cence [Page] of theyr prelate. For suche people the whiche myshere them for to aduocacyer synnen gretely / & also done they y e whiche vnto y t them receyuen wyt­tyngly. If he be in holy ordres or in lesse w t benefy­ce it is to hȳ enterdyte y e aduocacyer in laye courte except in his owne cause / or for his chirche / or in case of pyte in y e cause of them y t ben poore. Also the Juge may not aduocacyer in the cause y t he ought to Juge. Also an aduocate beuefyced in ony chirche may not after y e ryght aduocacyer ayenst his chir­che w tout it be for some the whiche sholde be of the sayd chirche / & yf h [...] otherwyse do to his wyttynge that may be mortall synne by reason of y e contem­nement. If aduocate or procurour sustaynen wyt­tyngly cause vniuste it is mortall sȳne & is holden to restore vnto y e partye all the dāmage the whiche vnto hym cometh by cause of that / or to induce the partye y t he susteyned to restore in dede ryally. If he enterpryse to sustayne cause y t he byleued somwhat to be good & Juste / but in procedynge he it knowed to be fals he ought incontynent to cesse not in she­wynge the trouth vnto the partye aduersarye / but vnto hym for whome he hath pleated in inducyn­ge hym to apoynte with the partye. For yf by his coūseyll or ayde the partye is endāmaged or leseth the cause y e whiche was good & Juste he is holden to make restytucōn / or to enduce hȳ of whome he sustayned the cause y t to do. But durynge y t the cause was doubtfull a man it may sustayne & pleate w tout synne. If in pleatynge he hach cōmytte falsy te as in producynge fals wytnesses / or consented y t to do / or hath coūseylled his partye for to lye or to [Page] alledge a thynge the whiche was fals / or is ayded falsely of lawes the whiche were not to purpose / or also of probacōns be it in y e waye of ryght or of de de. If he hath sought dylacōns & cauyllacōns ayen ryght / or for to gyue costes & vexacōns to y e partye in the cause y e whiche was not Juste / yf he hath appeled of Juste sentēs wyttȳgly. In al these case may he haue mortall synne. If he hath ben slouthfull to studye / to susteyne / & to kepe y e good cause by his defaute / & by slouth y • partye hath ben in dāmage he there may haue mortall synne & is boūde to make restytucōn. If he hath shewed enalycyously y e secre­te of his partye to y e partye aduersarye / by y t whiche cometh costes & damagꝭ it is mortall sȳne & ought to make restytucōn. If he hath lost y e good cause by neclygence by vnfaythfulnes / or by his vycyous ignoraūce is holden to restore all y e dāmages whiche by cause of y t cometh to y e partye. If he see & knowe poore peple which may not pursue & defende theyr good cause / for as moche as they ben poore & seeth y t none vnto them gyueth socour y e whiche thynge he may well do / than he synned mortally yf he do not vnto them as he wolde y t a man dyde vnto hȳ in caas semblable after the lawe of charyte. If he haue taken excelsyue salarye he there may haue mortall synne / the salarye may be Juged excessyue or competent after the cause y e labour / the faconde of the aduocate / & also after y e custome of the con­tracte & may make couenaūt of the pryce w t hȳ the Aug xiiij. q. v Non sane. whiche vnto hym toke y • cause before y t the cause is cōmenced or after y t it be fynyed. Not after y t it is cōmenced & hangynge in ryght so as sayen y e rygh­tes [Page] / & it is not lawfull to make couenaūt that the aduocate haue the tenneth or the hondreth or other partye determyned but all oonly of y e pryce named & certayne. If ony lawyer gyue counseyll how ony iij. q. vij. In fames. ss. p̄terra cause y t whiche he knoweth vniuste may be wonne he synned mortally / & yf it so happen he is boūde to restore y e partye as it is sayd of y e aduocate. Also yf he be presented as sage & experte in the ryghtꝭ & in the customes y e whiche scyence he hath not / by y • whiche he hath gyuen coūseyll whiche hath borne dāmage vnto the partye / or yf he hath demaūded pryce excessyue for to gyue his coūseyll / or hath not coūseylled y e poore y t seeth in necessyte be it sayd as of the aduocate. Also as vnto these procurours y t is to vndstande yf he haue procured wyttyngly in the fals cause or by neclygence hath lette lose the good yf he hath not gyuen ayde & comforte to the poore yf he hath ben excessyue in salarye be it sayd as of the aduocate. Also as vnto bayllyfes & notaryes / yf he hath done treason in his offyce / as in false­fyenge a good lettre / or not wyllynge to shewe let­tres certaynes or regystres / or hath not wylled to teche in lyke wyse as he sholde / or hath taught y t that he sholde not / or hath ben ignoraūt to regestre or to endyte / by the whiche cometh often processe & debates by the whiche the partyes rennen in grete dāmages / or hath ben neclygent or slouthfull for to spede & yelde his actes. In all these thynges he there may haue mortall synne & is holden to restore the dāmages the whiche ben come by his defau­te. If he hath passed the testamentes of those that were not in dysposycyon of power to make a testa [Page] ment / as ben those the whiche haue not the vsaūce of reason or other lettynge lawfull it is mortall synne & is holden to dysdāmage the partye. If he hath not kept y e solemnyte requysyte / as wytnesses & of othes & these other thynges the whiche ben of ryght he breketh his othe & sȳned mortally / & more ouer is holden to restore y e dāmages that folowen. If he passe the testament of an vsurer or symonyacle he is forsworne & synned mortally. If he be suffycyantly waged in courte or in cōmunyte & y t not w t standynge he taketh salarye of the partye / or yf he be waged yf he be excessyue in salarye / or wry­teth on the festes or holy dayes by auaryce to gete & without necessyte suffycyante he there may ha­ue mortall synne. If he hath spoken or wryten sta­tutes ayenst the lybertees of the chirche ouer the mortall sȳne he is excōmunycate. If he be notarye of the bysshop & waged suffycyantly & y t not w t standynge he taketh salarye for these lettres of ordres he is symonyacle / & in lyke wyse in losse & gaynse in the moneye that the bysshop taketh by symonye If ony doctours in lawes or in physyke hath re­ceyued in his scoles & lectures wyttyngly relygy­ous or preestes seculers or other clerkes in offyce of dygnyte of the chirche / as well he as the sayd sco­lers ben excōmunycate. Also what so euer doctour y t receyued wyttyngly any relygyous y t whiche hath not lycence of his prclate is excōmunycate. Also yf he hath made paccyon to rede by suche wyse that a man vnto hȳ shall gyue a chaūtrye he is symonyacle / how be it a man may ordeyne y t the chaūtrye y • whiche than sholde be vacante shall haue from [Page] now forth suche charge that he the whiche shall haue it shalbe boūde for to rede. Also yf a man ensu­re or yf a man promytte ony pryce for lycence for to rede it is mortall synne / & theyr falled pryuacōn of offyce & of benefyce. How be it y t it is not proprely symonye after as sayth Hostience. Also to take or to gyue moneye for lycence for to leue y e lecture in ony daye of feest y e whiche is of y e cōmaūdement of the chirche it is symonye. If he hath wages or be nefyce suffycyent for to rede & y t not w t standyng he taketh salarye it is symonye & is boūde to restytu­cōn / but yf he haue not salarye suffycyent he may take salarye of his scolers by suche wyse y t he be suffycyent in the faculte y t he enterprysed yf he hath receyued maystershyp & offyce to rede & he is not suffycyent. In that he there may haue so grete in­suffysaūce y t it is mortall synne. And specyally in the scyence & faculte of theologye for the peryll of soules. For a man putted fayth in a doctour by reason of degree & of offyce. And more ouer those the whiche hym receyuen or Justely in suche degree or offyce ben cause of y e ylles whiche therof may come he there may haue mortall synne. If he hath appetyted y e degre & offyce to rede by ambycōn or for a­uaryce or for other cursyd cause he there may haue mortall sȳne. If he hath taught scyences defended as nygromācy or other cursyd arte it is deedly sȳne If he hath ben neclygent to instructe in scyence & good maners his subiectes or them hath suffred to lede lyfe vnhoneste & of synne he there may haue mortall synne. If he hath not kepte y e othes of the vnyuersyte. If he hath ben short in dysputacōns or [Page] hath susteyned cōclusyons more by ambycyon thā for to enquyre the trouth / yf he hath ben proude in abylymentꝭ / yf he hath ben swollen & vayne & gloryous for his scyence / yf he hath ben slouthfull to studye / yf he hath ben a waster of tyme & of goodes In all these thynges & many other as well the do­ctour as the scolers may excede mortally. And therfore euery man sholde studye to knowe hymselfe for to correcte hym & amende / and it suffysed as now of the mater of the scolers.

Here foloweth of phisicyēs & many other vocacōns

AS vnto the .x. poynt the whiche is of phisy­cyens / it is to vnderstande y t the physycyen may synne in many maners y e whiche folowen. If he be put to excercyse the offyce whereof he hath not the scyence. For it is vnto the grete peryll of the helth or of the lyf of his neyghbour. Also in beyn­ge neclygent in the sayd offyce. Also in gyuynge coūseyll for the helth of the body the whiche is contraryous vnto the helth of the soule. Also in not kepynge by the cōmaundement of the chirche the whiche is suche / that is that he ought to shewe the syke persone after the dysposycyon in the whiche he is to seche pryncypally & fyrst the medecyne spyrytuell. Also in not aydynge the poore after the necessyte in the whiche he them seeth & y t he it may & sholde do after the lawe of charyte. Also in geuyn­ge medecyne vndyscrete vnto the grete auenture of deth. In all these thynges & many other as sholde be in auauntynge hymself in dyspraysynge other [Page] of his vocacyon there he may haue suche exces that it is mortall senne or so lytell y t it shall not be but venyall. And lyke Jugement ought to be of potycaryes & also of those y e whiche sellen w t weyghtes or other mesure & y e whiche mixte & medlen theyr stuf in doynge there decepcyon & cursydnes & oftyme there falleth restytucōn. If the tauerner or hosteler hath done fraude & decepcyon in geuynge one maner of wyne for an other / or hath put water in it & gyued to vndstande the contrarye / where there is a medled thynge y e whiche may be noyous vnto the helth of them the whiche it drynked / or hath made fals mesure or hath myscoūted to his wyttynge / or hath receyued wyttyngly rybaudes men & women players of the dyce or of other game / or gyued his wyne vnto them y t he seeth well that they wyll be drōken / or also vnto theues or wasters or blasphe­mers of god the whiche he may well put out of his house. In all these thynges he may haue mortall synne. And generally in all craftes & all marchaū dyses in all estates & degree of euery vocacyon of secularyte / or of the chirche he may bete downe cursyd auaryce in lyke wyse as sayth holy scrypture / the whiche is none other thynge but to loue w t out ordre those thynges worldely & temporall. And for as moche as it is impossyble vnto nature humay­ne to lyue in this worlde without loue / all those the whiche loue not god soueraynly as it is sayd in the fyrste commaundement fallen necessaryly in loue dysordynate of thynges erthely and tem­porall. Of the whiche loue also as the lyuely fon­tayne pceden all these ryuers of symonye / ot vsury [Page] of rauayne / of theeft / of fraudes & decepcyons in dyuerse marchaūdyses / fals pletynges / exaccyons pylleryes / & other dyuers inuencyons y • whiche better semen to be deuylshe than humayns & w tout nō bre & w t out mesure / of y • whiche incōuenynce & synnes the soule may not be loused & repayred ayenst his creatoure yf he retorne not from suche loue by true repentaūce & in makynge restytucyon / of the whiche it foloweth here after.

¶Here foloweth of restytucyon necessarye vnto saluacyon of those the whiche withholden from an other.

FOr as moche as to restore an other it is ne­cessarye Caplm .xxij. to y • saluacyon of soules the whiche thynge I seche & vnderstande pryncypally in al the processe of this present boke it behoued to saye so­me thynge. And fyrst it is to be noted y t to put out to take / to rauysshe / or to wholde ony thynge ayen Non dimittit̄ peccatū nisi restituat̄ [...]latū. Her augꝰ. ad macedon [...]ū. et habet̄ .ix. q. vi. i. ca the good & Juste wyll of hȳ to whome suche thyng aperteyned it is to do a thynge ayenst charyte & by the consequent mortall synne. For after y • lawe dy­uyne & also of nature noo man ought to do to his neyghbour y t y t he wolde not or wyll not vnto hym sholde be done. More ouer it is to be noted y t there is thre maner of goodes / of y • whiche some may be indāmaged / that is to vnderstande y • goodes of the soule as ben y • graces & vertues spyrytuelles & good renowne. These other goodes ben those of nature as helth & beaute of body. And the thyrde goodes be named y • goodes of fortune as ben goodꝭ erthely [Page] and temporall / be it golde / syluer / or other goodes meouables or herytagꝭ. And in euery of these thre maner of goodes cometh by defaute of reason & of charyte y t oftymes vnto hȳ endāmaged y e other / by the whiche he behoued to make restytucyon due or to be vniuste before god / & by y t consequent culpa­ble of deth eternall / for whiche deth & dāpnacōn to eshewe ouer these thyngꝭ beforsayd as well in the viij. cōmaūdement as in the mater of vsurye / of symonye / & of dyuers estates & vocacōns here before put / folowen some caas of the sayd restytucōn more in partyculer.

Here foloweth of restytucōn of y e goodes of y e soule

AS vnto y e restytucōn of y e goodes of y e soule is fyrst to be noted y t suche goodꝭ may not be lost but in geuynge them consentyngly to sȳne And therfore he y e whiche induced my persone vnto Deteriores sūt [...] vitā mores (que) bono [...] corripiūt (quam) [...] [...] ­dia alio (rum) substan­tiā (que) diripi [...]t .vi. q. i. ca. ex merito. Qui occasionē dā ­ni dat damnū de­disse videt̄. extr [...] de liu. [...] dāno dato synne in geuynge hȳ coūseyll cōmaūdement ex­ample or occasyon to synne / by y e whiche he leseth the goodes of y • soule / is of as moche the more boū de to restore as vnto y t maner of dāmage of as moche as y • goodes of the soule ben more worthe than those of the body or of the worlde. The maner of restytucōn ought to haue conformyte to y e maner of y e dāmager / for yf he hath ylle coūseylled he ought it to reuoke & to gyue good coūseyll. If he haue gyuen euyll example he ouggt to gyue good. Also he ought to praye for y e conuersacōn of y e persone y t he hath made to synne in recōmaūdynge hym or her vnto god & to these holy persones / for in suche case [Page] a man hath more sooner stryken downe than rele­ued. And saynt Austyn sayth y t he the whiche doth not his deuoure for to restore in y • caas & in the maner beforsayd may not haue remyssyon. If he hath dyffamed his neyghbour in puttynge on hȳ cryme whiche is not trewe he it ought to reuoke before y • persones to whome he hath tolde y • sayd cryme spe­cyally / yf he byleue y t by his wordes they be sclaū ­drers of y • persone to whome he hath imposed y • cryme / & also y t he may do it conuenyently. For in dyf­famynge his neyghbour by suche maner he is mo­che y • more greuously endāmaged / as yf he had lost myllyons of gold & of syluer. If he hath spoken of an other the cryme whiche was trewe / but y t notw t ­standynge it was secrete he it ought to reuoke not in saynge y t he hath lyed & spoken falsely / for than he lyed vnto his wyttynge y • whiche thynge he shol de not do for to saue y • lyf of all those y t ben lyuyn­ge / but he sholde saye y t he hath ylle sayd & y t he it repented. And he ought to induce those to whome he Melius est nomē bonū (quam) diuitie ml [...]e. ꝓuer .xii. ca. hath spoken y • dyffame of his neyghbour not to be­leue it / by the whiche it appyred ynough y t this case here is neuer the lesse harde to repayre well / notw t standynge y t the dyffame imposed is not trewe. If he haue w tsayd or denyed ony of that that he vnto hym imposed in ony cryme in open audyence the whiche was trewe / but w tstandynge it was secrete. Than he is the imposaūt knowynge of the cryme of the sclaūdre the whiche is moche grete ylle & in­famye / suche caas is ryght harde to repayre / for both tweyne ben fallen in to incōuenyent / the one in imposynge openly theyr caas y • whiche was se­crete [Page] & that he myght not proue / the other in agay­ne sayenge it the imposaūt knowynge that he is amys thynker. And saynt Gregorye sayth y t not­w tstandynge that he y e whiche is accused openly of the thynge whiche is secrete he it may denye after the maner that suche caas vnto hym is imposed. How be it so he it ought to confesse & to make sa­tysfaccyon / and so he ought to repayre the honour of the imposaūt vnto his power not in auowynge that he hath sayd trouth / for a man may well so­me tyme holde his peas of the trouth / but not to telle a lye. But he may and sholde speke seme wordes sobre and couered / as in besechynge the herers that they be not euyll dysposed or euyll content of the imposaūt / for he ymagyned to haue power to proue cryme that he imposed. And for to abredge this mater it suffysed as now / for these grete and subtyle doctours with grete payne and dyffyculte determynen the mater of the myserable synne of fals & enuyous langage. But many confessours taken but lytell hede and therfore they put not the remedye and the restytucyon the whiche is necessarye & that proceded of theyr ignoraunce & of the synne of detraccyon the whiche is at this daye to moche comon. And therfore sayth well the holy scrypture that by the synne of fals langage almoost all the worlde perysshed / for with grete payne and also as of the lest parte of that is made trewe restytu­cyon. These thynges beforsayd sholde be vnderstā de of cryme the whiche is a grete mortall synne / for yf ony man hath despysed his neyghboure by the whiche he myght be the lesse praysed / he hym [Page] ought to prayse & honoure dyscretly as well ayenst hym as ayenst other. And this may suffyse for to repayre the dyspysynge that he vnto hym hath do ne before.

¶ Here foloweth of the restytucyon of goodes as vnto the body.

AS vnto the restytucyon of the goodes of nature is to be noted that some may be endā mage in his body in thre maners. The fyrste is whan a man taketh from hym his lyf. The seconde whan a man taketh from hym ony or many of his membres. The thyrde is in betynge hym & hurtynge w tout sleynge hym or w tout depryuynge hȳ from the vsage of his membres. Restytucyon for the deth of ony persone may not be foūde more sure or more certaynet han y t the which is ordeyned & taxed of god in these holy scryptures as well of the auncyent testament as of the newe. That is to vnderstande he the whiche hath done homycyde receyue in gree & inpacyence the deth the whiche vnto hȳ shall be gyuen by Justyce. But yf suche penaunce O [...]s [...] gladiā acceperint. gladio pe­ [...]ibūt Math. xxvi. ca. vnto hȳ be not gyuen / or for as moche y t the dede is secrete / or for as moche y t he asketh his grace of the prynce the whiche vnto hym it may do & gyue. The moost certayne penaūce after that beforsayd shall be y t he amende his lyfe in desyrynge to deye for the fayth comonly ayenst these myscreaūtes / by suche dyscrecyon euermore y t he slee not hymself / or cause to be slayne vnto his wyttynge. For yf he so sholde do he sholde be the sleer of hymself. And in [Page] caas that he take not suche penaūce as it is sayd / that in geuynge lyf for lyf neuer may he all holy be acquyte in this worlde / as vnto the payne deyte But well ayenst god as vnto the regarde of y e gyl­te & not for to be fynally dampned. And yf the persone were slayne of suche condycyon that he susteyned & nourysshed fader & moder or childern or o­ther housholde / the moder is holden yf vnto hym it be possyble them to susteyne & mary the dough­ters & supplye as vnto that all other charges that the persone slayn [...] susteyned after that it is well possyble in suche ca [...]s. In this dyffyculte of restytucyon appyred the lytell oyscrecyon of many con­fessours the whiche oftymes assoylen more lygh­tly for the deth of a man than they sholde do for the deth of an hoūde or other beest in lykewyse as declared the Scotte in the .xv. dystynccyon of his quart. And than for as moche that w t grete payne may he bere so grete charge / it is there expedyent vnto saluacyon to take the deth in gree after the ordynaūce of Justyce. Restytucyon for the mayme of ony persone ought to be done after the exces of the sayd mayme the whiche is so named / for as moche as y e persone maymed leseth all holy the vsage of some or of many of his membres. Also in suche Extra de iniurii [...] & dāno dato. ca. [...]. restytucyon a man ought to consydre the state of persone endāmaged / for the poore labourer the whiche by that hath lost his hande sholde haue more grete harme than sholde a man gretely ryche. Also yf he lye in bedde the stryker ought for to paye the Journeys of the surgyne w t these other necessytees so as sayen the ryghtes / or elles the restytucyon is [Page] not suffycyent.

¶ Here folowith the restytucyon for these thynges temporelles.

AS vnto y • restytucōn for these thynges temporelles / it Non furtū facies exodi. xx. Ricard ꝰde media villa di. xxxvii. ter [...] in [...]t (quam) planū ē (quam) i diuinis p̄cept [...] nō potest dispē sare necetiā deus. ii. [...]i. ii. ca Fidelis [...] den seipsū nega­re nō potest. Itē i decretis di. x. cap̄. Mandata mora­lia ad ius natura­le ꝑrinc̄t ideo nul­lā mutabilitatē recepisse mōstran [...]. is to be noted y t in lyke wyse as to take frō an other malycyously it is deedly sȳne & transgressyon of y e cōmaūdement of god. In lyke wyse to wholde frō an other ayenst y e good & ordy­nate wyll of hȳ to whome y e thynge apperteyned it is mortall synne. By the whiche it foloweth y t du­rynge the wyle in suche wyse to retayne from an o­ther there is no power in heuen nor in erthe y e whi­che hym may assoyle / for y e cōmaūdementꝭ of god may not be chaūged or varyed by dyspensacyon or other wyse / by the whiche more ouer it appyred y t it is truely sayd & of good ryght. Yelde or hange where the deth of helle shall abyde. In this mater of restytucyon y e whiche is moche necessarye ben to see & to note foure thynges by ordre. The fyrst is whiche is he that ought to restore The seconde is what thynge he ought to restore. The thyrde is to whom he sholde restore. The fourth is whan a man ought to restore.

¶ Here foloweth of hym y e whiche ought to restore

AS vnto the fyrst is to vndstande not alonely Versus. Iussi [...] [...]siliū [...]sen­sus palpo recurs'. Par ic [...]ās mutꝰ n [...] obstans nō manifestans. he y e whiche hath taken frō the other a­yenst reason & Justyce is holden to restore / but w t y t many other maner of persones as he y e whiche ga­ue [Page] cōmaūdement that to do / & w tout the whiche cō maūdement y • takynge had not be done. Also yf he hath gyuen coūseyll / comfort / ayde / defence / or yf he hath hydden y • thynge taken / stolen / or rauyshed w t these malefactours / or y t he hath taken gayns or parte vnto the sayd theeft he is holden to restore. Also yf he sholde prohybyte & may defende by the auctoryte of his offyce / as these lordes & prelatꝭ to the regarde of theyr subiectꝭ or theyr offyeers / or he the whiche sholde be lawfully requyred to saye the trouh of the theeft [...] wyll not it confesse. All these condycyons of persones be named flaterers & con­senters / & euery of theym is holden to make hole restytucyon / by suche wyse y t yf they were many & o­ne restored all holy they ben all acquyted ayenst hȳ vnto whome y e dāmage hath ben done / as in regarde to make restytucōn / but euery of them is boūde vnto hȳ the whiche them hath acquyted of the porcyon the whiche vnto hym may apperteynen.

¶ Here foloweth what thynge ought to be restored

AS vnto the seconde poynt y e which is what Si videas futem currebas cū co et cū adulteris por­tionē tuā ponebas hec fecisti & tacui. &c. p̄s. xlix. thynge ought to be restored / it is to be vndstande that yf the thynge stolen is of suche condy­cyon that it may bere fruyte as is londe / or beestꝭ / it ought to be restored with the fruytes ouer the dā mages & other partes that myght haue ronne vn­to hym vnto whome the sayd thynge apperteyned An other thynge it sholde be to haue purchased he rytages or possessyons with syluer stolen / for it shall suffyse to restore the somme of moneye with [Page] the dāmages Justely estemed that he myght haue ronne in dāmage.

¶Here foloweth to whome he ought to make re­stytucyon.

AS vnto y • thyrde it is vnto whome restytu­cyon Sāctus tho. i suo q̄ [...]to dicit (que) qn̄ ē i certꝰ dn̄s re (rum) abla [...] (rum) cūc pauꝑessūt heredes. Ité scotꝰ Ubi ler diuina vl [...]ct [...]astica fi ligat ꝑsonā sequenda ē [...]aturalis rō. rō au [...] dictat (que) ꝑsona q̄ tenet faciat ꝑ se [...] excludēdo ꝯsiliū [...]om viti. hec ille. ought to be made / it is to vndstande y • after ryght & reason it ought to be made vnto hym the whiche hath ben endamaged or vnto his next enherytours yf he were decessy [...] or yf suche restytucyon sholde be made so longe y t the dyspenses sholde amoūte more or as moche as y • thynge stolen vnto whome he wolde go for to seche y e places & the per [...]ones / or y t a man knoweth not to whome to restore / than a man sholde gyue to y • poore y e thynge or the value the whiche ought to be restored for the spyrytuell welth as well o [...] y • quycke as of them y t ben deed vnto whome myght apperteyne the sayd restytucyon. Some hath wylled to saye y t the resty­tucyon of suche thynges to the partye incertayne / ought to be made by the ordynaūce of prelatꝭ or o­ther Justycyers. But saynt Thomas & the Scotte sayen that it is not of necessyte but it may be done by the good dyscrecyon of hym y e whiche is boūde to restore / be it by hymself or by other. Also it is to be noted that yf ony stele from a theef the thynge that he hath stolen a man it sholde restore vnto hȳ vnto whome it apperteyned of ryght or y e whiche it w tholdeth vnder y e forme of preste or of gage.

Here foloweth whā a mā ought to make restytu [...]ōn

AS vnto the fourth the whiche is to kno­we whan a man is holden to restore / it is to vnderstande that it is not lawfull to reteyne frō an other houre ne moment whan he vnto whome he ought to make restytucyon wolde Justely that y t sayd restytucyon vnto hym be made / & allo y • the withholder hath place / tyme & space / and puyssaū ce that to do / for it shall be well lawfull for some circūstaunces to dyfferre to make restytucyon / as whan he vnto whome it ought to be made wolde or sholde wyll after good reason that it be dyffer­red / or for as moche that it sholde be vnto the grete preiudyce of the comen wele. As for example. He the whiche sholde be in the warre & in the seruyce of the kynge the whiche hath dystressed ony law­full marchaunde of the sōme of an hondred crow­nes the whiche may not be restored without sellynge hors & harneys of armes / by the whiche it shall be vnprouffytable vnto the welthe of the comon people / and that restytucyon may be occasyon of ryght grete ylle in all the royalme. For by the de­faute of one nayle a man leseth a shoe / by a shoe an horse / by an horse a man / by a man a bataylle / by a bataylle a royalme. By the whiche it appy­reth that the marchaunde sholde more loue that restytucyon were dyfferred for the greate comon welth than his owne wyll were accomplysshed for his lytell welth partyculer. And therfore in suche caas and other semblable he may well dyfferre re­stytucyon with purpose to restore in place and in tyme. Also restytucyon may somtyme be vnto the grete peryll and dāmage of hym vnto whome it [Page] is done / as the glayne to a man at the houre that by fury he wolde kylle an other. Also some may be of suche condycyon that yf he restored vpon y e hou­re he sholde renne in grete shame or in grete dāmage / & he vnto whome he sholde make restytucyon nothyng or lytel of profyte sholde haue. By y e whiche it appyred y t after charyte & reason he ought to attende place / tyme / & oportunyte in that that restytucyon vnto hym be made after good charyte & reason in lyke wyse as it apperteyned. By these thynges beforsayd appyred ynough y t yf the thynge w t ­holden hath ben taken secretly it ought to be yelde secretly / & as vnto hym y e whiche hath no power to restore vnto hym it suffysed vnto saluacyon to ha­ue dyspleasure of the caas with purpose to yelde as many tymes & often as he shall haue oportunyte as it is sayd / & he may reteyne his necessyte corpo­rell / as of drynke & of meete & of cloth not to lyue delycyously / or to holde grete estate & haboūdaūce of an other mannes goodes. If ony were in extre­me necessyte / by the whiche he sholde take ony thynge fruytefully for to ayde hym in suche necessyte / he shall not be holden to yelde it / notw tstandynge that afterwarde he hath well the power / but yf he hath taken before suche necessyte in the whiche he falleth afterwarde durynge the tyme of that ne­cessyte he shall not be holden to restore / but after­warde yf he haue power than he shall be boūde to restore. If a woman maryed conceyue of an other than of her husbonde y • caas is stronge to remedye & of y t may come grete ylle & dāmage / as well vnto the husbonde as to y e very enherytours / by y e which [Page] it foloweth that the woman may not recouer saluacyon yf she make not restytucyon. But of y • maner many grete theologyens & lawyers it determen dyuersely. The Scotte is of the opynyon that suche woman is not holden to declare herself neyther vnto her childe but it ought to shewe dyscretly / be it sone or doughter for to put hym in the estate of the chirche / and to leue the herytage vnto other / or yf she may not vnto that come and that she be ry­che of meouables and of herytages she ought with out her to declare b [...] testament or other wyse to re­compense as moche the husbonde the whiche hath had the charge of the auoutrye as also the enhery­tours after as she may goodly. Raymonde sayth that yf it were very semblable that suche infante fered and loued god and were persuasyble the mo­der myght make suche processe / that is to vnder­stande that before her confessour / the moder & the childe now hauynge age & dyscrecyon them shol­de present / & that that the confessour make the childe to swere that he shall holde secrete the thynge that he vnto hym wyll declare vnto the prouffyte of his soule. Also to make the moder to swere that she shall saye without ony malyce the trouth. And than these thyngꝭ done y • sayd mod may well swe­re yf she be well certayne y t the sayd infante is not of her husbonde / y e whiche thynge alwayes y • sayd infant is not boūde to byleue in suche maner y t by that he is boūde to forsake his herytage. But yf he it byleue & he it forsake he dooth well and me­rytoryously. Other hath wylled to saye that yf the woman & the husbonde were of suche condycyons [Page] that she were also as gouernouresse & that vnto hȳ were very semblable y t she hym sholde pacyfye than for the surete of conscyence she it myght declare & manyfeste / & more ouer to remedye y • caas for the best y t it sholde be possyble. By these thynges befo­re sayd appyred as to gyue true & sure remedye in that caas it is a thynge ryght harde consyderynge the varyacōns of y e circūstaunces & the dyuerse condycyons of the persones. Appyred also y e horrybyly te of y e synne of the brekynge of maryage & y e grete theeft & dampnacōn of many [...]ybaudes men & women. If ony lette & draweth backe an other to en­tre in to good relygyon approued w tout Juste cau­se & resonable he synned mortally. If he do ony vy­olence to the persone late entred in to religyon ouer the mortall synne he is excōmunycate & so is boūde to enduce that persone that he hath withdrawen & myscoūseylled / or other to entre in the sayd relygyon and in caas that he may not make suche in­duccyon / he there sholde entre hymself / yf he haue not lettynge suffycyent lawfull / for elles he ma­keth not restytucyon suffycyent vnto relygyon. If he haue letted ony to come vnto benefyce of the chirche vnto maryage / vnto the purchase of hery­tage / or of other thynge / & he that do pryncypally for to anoye hym / or pryncypally for his synguler prouffyte & w t y t in awaytynge to anoye an other / by suche condycōn y t he hath not done y e sayd lettynge but for to anoye an other he is boūde to restore after the arbytracyon of people of reason and of good conscyence. But yf he haue letted an other not by intencyon and wyll to anoye hym / but for [Page] the prouffyte of hym / or of his / he is not in nothȳ ge holden to restore / for euery man may procure his prouffyte by wayes and meanes lawfull and ho­neste / notwithstondynge by the occasyon of that cometh some lettynge in dāmage vnto his neygh / bour / yf he hath stolen a lytell hogge of ony lytell valour from the houre that he hym taketh and af­terwarde hym nouryssheth tyll vnto the valoure of ony grete somme he is not holden in dede of con­scyence for to restore but onely vnto the valour of the beste at the tyme that he hym toke / And alyke thynge it sholde be of a colte / or other beestes / or to haue helyd or nourysshed or elles to better the thynge stolen / or rauysshed / and by the thynge contrary yf the thynge stolen be impeyred / he ought it to repayre and so is holden of the dāmages the whiche may be comen vnto hym vnto whome aperteyneth the thynge stolen / for by cause of the sayd theft. / [...] Also yf suche thynge stolen perysshe by fortune or ellys yf it abyde alwayes he the whiche hath stolen is bounde yf he hath not done his deuoyre to offre restytucyon before that the thynge perysshe. The whiche restytucyon he that is endāmaged hath not wyll it to receyue / yf he hath boughte wyttyngly the thynge stolen / or rauysshed the whiche other wyse aperteyneth not vnto the seller / and hath intencyon to bye it and retayne / for hym selfe / ouer the mortall synne he is holden it to restore vnto hym vnto whome apertayneth the thynge so bought / or vnto the inherytours / or vnto the poore as it hath ben sayd before without power to repute the pryse that he hath gyuen / but onely vnto hym the which [Page] hym hath made suche sale. Also more ouer he is holden to kepe harmeles and warande hym vnto whome appertayneth the thynge stolen where soo euer that he become / but yf he it boughte in good intencyon / that is to knowe for to yelde it / and vnto that / that it were not all loste / he there may Justly repute the somme gyuen or yelde alonely the surplus that it may be worth / and yf he can not fynde hym vnto whome suche thynge appertyneth / y t sōme of the surplus ought to be gyuen vnto the po­re. but yf he hath bought thynge the whiche hath ben stolen / the whiche he byleueth to be of loyalte he is not holden it to restore tyll vnto that / that he be certefyed of the trouth / but after that he is duely certefyed / than he is holden it to restore / and that durynge the tyme that he byleueth that the thynge was of loyalte it peryssheth or were consumed in parte or in all / he is bounde to restore alonely the party with the fruytes that he hath in tyme that he byleued that the thynge was solde truely Also they that eten and drynken of the rauen of the thefte bē holden to restore vnto the estymacyon that they haue taken / excepte those the whiche ben in grete ne­cessyte / and vnto whome it may be very semblable that it shall please well those vnto whome y e sayd thynge rauysshed or stolen appertayneth / as it sholde be prechers / or other the whiche entende to enduce these theuys to amendement & vnto restytucyon also the wyse y • chyldren / & the seruaūtes of those the whiche haue all theyr goodes of thefte / as is that of vsury / of symony / or of rauen ben holdē to restore after the valour y • that they may haue of the [Page] sayd thefte be it in drynke / meete / to hose / to cloth / or otherwyse / but onely in as moche as they haue laboured and take payne by ammonycion or other wyse that restytucyon were made vnto the partye Also yf with the goodes the whiche were euyll goten / there hath some the whiche were truely goten / they may adresse theyr intencyon to lyue of those goodes / and not of the thefte / or they may lyue w t theyr laboure / or they sholde demaūde prouysyon of Justyce / & yf they may not lyue by ony of the wayes before sayd they sholde more sooner demaū de almes than to lyue of thefte / but alonely in the case of extreme necessyte. Also ignoraūce may ex­cuse as moche the persones before sayd / as also y e poore the whiche receyuen and demaūden almes / Si [...]d inuenisti et nō [...]eddidisti rapu [...]s [...]i. Hee aug. & ha­betur .lx. q. v. Also yf he haue founde ony thynge the whiche appertayneth vnto a nother / he cōmytteth thefte in it reteynyug [...] [...]heuysshely agayne reason / & agayn the good wyll ordeyned of hym vnto whome suche thynge may appertayne / and therfore yf he know not vnto whome it appertayneth. he it ought to make to be cryed in open places / and yf the partye be not founde after the taryenge suffycyent / it ought to be departyd vnto the poore by good dyscrecyon And y • fynder may abyde by longe tyme with gode and prompte conscyence it to restore as oftymes & as many as the partye shall be foūde / another thȳ ge it shall be of thynges founde the whiche hath not other tymes be in the possessyon and domynacyon of ony persone for than he that fyndeth may retayne in ony place where as yf it sholde be olde & auncyent tresours foūde in y e herytage of another [Page] For after the lawe cyuyle the halfe apertayneth vnto the lorde of the herytage and the other parte vnto hym the whiche hath founde it. And vnto that S [...]e est regnū ce­lorū thesauro ab­scondito in agro quē [...] in uenit hō abscōdit et p̄ gan­dio [...]ꝰ vadit & vē dit vniuersa q̄ hꝪ e [...]e [...]it agrū illum math. xiii. Nō qd furto sub­la [...] est mēs furā ­ [...]is attenditur. ix. [...]. vi. ca. v [...]t [...]. Item deusnō iudicat ex oꝑibꝰ sed ex cogi­ [...]acōibus. xxii. q. ii [...]x. q. v. Non sane Itē tho. i [...]. ii. li. extra de s [...] excō. li. vi ca. caueant. Nō sane [...]d [...]d ab­inuito sumit iniuriose affert. nā pleri (que) ne [...] mendico volūt redde [...]e ho­norē suū nec oper [...]rio mercedē. nec [...] hec q̄ ab inuito [...]ccipiunt per iniu [...]am. purpose it semeth to besayd in the parable of the euangelyste that yf ony fynde a tresoure in a felde he goth and byeth the well of the herytage / in the whiche the tresoure is hydde / and than he is lorde of the tresoure as well by the reason that he it foū de as by reason of the possessyon of the herytage. / Also the fynder may be so poore that he may after the good counseyll of his prelate or confessour re­tayne the thynge founde specially whan he kno­weth not vnto whome to restore it / Also the thyn­ge founde may be of so lytell valoure that a man ought not to forme conscyence of it to restore. but whan the wyll shall be suche that a man shall ta­ke wylfully a more grete thynge / or that suche ly­tell thynge a man byleueth to do iniury and dysplesure vnto hym vnto whome it appertayneth / than he there may haue mortall sȳne / were it for a thor­ne / for a nedyll / or for a nother lytell thynge / for his wyll is more weyed before god / than is the werke outwarde / yf he hath taken theuysshly of y • godes of hym the whiche vnto hym oweth ony somme tyll vnto the pryce of the dette / or lesse after good cōscyence / consyderynge more ouer that he can not well paye hym without plee or other lettynge / the maner of that to do / it is yll and synne / for by the fere of god & pacyence in his dāmage he may pur­chase grete meryte. But neuertheles in suche case he is not holden and bounde to restore hym / & more ouer some sayen that yf for suche maner of takyn­ge [Page] theuysshely the sentence of excomunycate were caste / he the whiche hath taken as it is sayd / is not acursyd / for holy chirche intendeth not to bynde by suche sentence / but those the which witholdeth fro another agayne reason / & malycyously The whi­che thynge doth not he the whiche is payed as it is sayd / notwithstondynge that after the lawe ciuyle he sholde be culpable / and punysshed / how be it it foloweth not that he falleth in the sayd sentence / & he sholde take hede vnto whome suche case sholde come / that he gyue not in that doynge sclaunder or euyll example vnto his neyghbours / yf he be an offycer and he take gyftes / or seruyces for to do pleser vnto ony / vnto the preiudyce of Justyce and to the dammage of another / it is deedly synne. Also yf by thretenynges or otherwyse / he extorcyoneth gyftes promysses / Journeys. or other thynge nota­ble he ought it to restore / how be it for his payne / or some pleasure done resonably he may receyue that / that he vnto hym shall gyue lyberally / These lordes of the chirch / or of secularyte may receyue the amendes / after y t they ben taxed in theyr cour­tes / be it by ryght or by good custome / soo that it be not done by hate / or by couetyse / or by other cursyd occasyon / and it is good counseyll to departe suche amendes / vnto the power specyall whan the amendes surmonteth the dāmage / yf he hath vsyd wyttyngly of a thynge lent ouer the termes and wyll of the lener / he synneth mortally and is holden to make satysfaccyon / yf the thynge lente impeyre / or is all loste / he is holden it for to restore / yf that he hath lente wyttyngly ony thynge / As a tonne [Page] that is musty to put in wyne / or an horse / another thynge / by the whiche cometh dāmage vnto hym the whiche borowed / The lener is holden to kepe hym harmeles. Also he the whiche is hyred for to wynne in Journey to do ony werke / as he y e whiche vndertaketh to carye tōnes of wyne / or voweth to do other thynge / he is holden to restore the dā / mages the whiche cometh vnto the sayd werke by his defaute and notellys / yf he haue taken to kepe ony thynge he it ought to yelde excepte some case / The fyrste whan it shall be yelde vnto the grete yl or dāmage of hym vnto whome a man sholde yel­de / as it sholde be to yelde the glayue vnto a man furyous / The seconde whan a thefe hath gyuen to kepe his thefte / a man it sholde yelde more sooner vnto the very lorde. The thyrde whan the gyuer it sholde forfayte by the whiche his goodes shold be in lyke wyse forfayte / In a nother maner he y • whiche taketh it to kepe / ought it to restore how be it that the thynge perysshe or were losse by his de­faute / or by case of fortune / yf he take salarye for the kepynge / or yf he were vnto that bounde or for that / that he yelde it not at the terme that he sholde yelde it / and for a rule generall in this mater / it is to vnderstonde that the thynge lente put in ke­pynge or hyred / abyde vnto the peryll of hym the whiche it gyueth / yf it be not by bergayne made bytwene the gyuer and the receyuer / or for the gylte and the defaute of hym the whiche it receyueth or for his longe abydynge. And also euery man is holden for to restore that / that he hath receyued by bequeste / or by ony playe / of those the whiche hath [Page] loste theyr wyttes naturall / or that ben wasters / chyldern faderles and moderles and yonge folke / vnder the yeres of .xxv. or the whiche were in frānesye / or dcef / dōme / blynde / or in syknes perpetuall for all these before sayd be not proprely lordes / of theyr goodes by maner that they them may alyen without the ordynaūce of them vnto whome it appertayneth ordenarely / and in lyke wyse the seruy tour / the chylde the whiche is in the housholde and gouernaunce of his fader / the woman maryed / the monke / and he the whiche hath the admyny­stracyon of the goodes of the chirche / as those y • whiche haue the rentes and benefyces of the chirche . / All these maner of people may not Justely alyen the goodes in the whiche they ben subiectes to theyr souerayns / agayne the Juste wyll and resonable of them be it of the mayster / of the good man of the house / of the husbonde / of the abbot / or of the pope And these the whiche wyttyngly receyuen vnduely of suche maner of persones / ben holden to make restytucyon. Also all those that wynnen in playes of the dyse / or the cardys ben holden for to restore / whan by cursyd couetyse / by fraudes / by force / or by Importunyte they haue enducyd theyr partye to playe / or that they haue made decepcyon in the maner of playe / another thynge it sholde be to playe fordysporte / or for recreacyon in playes honeste & not defended for some lytell thynges after the condycyons of the persones / as for the dyner / or for y • souper amonge lordes or ryche people the whiche attende more the dysporte & recreacyon / than they do the gayns or y • losse / for in suche case there shal [Page] not fall no restytucyon I put that he there may haue there venyall synne. Also it is to be noted that pyllers & rauysshars of goodes the whiche pyllers ben knowen and publysshed / the whiche hath ben warnyd duely it to restore / and they haue no wyl it to do whan they sholde / and may yf in suche estate they comen vnto the dethe / and than they wolde well make restytucyon but they may not nor shol­de not be buryed in halowed grounde / notwithstondynge that they haue ben assoyled / and receyued the body of oure lorde. Also those the whiche receyuen gyftes and knowen well that they done more by fere than for loue / or the gyuers ben deceyued in wenynge to gyue vnto one / and they gyuen vnto another / as yf ony by mysthynkynge or fyccyon / hym calleth the kynnysman of ony / or affermeth to be poore / and indygent and is not so / as ben many trewandes and dronken beggers the whiche oftymes demaunden almes / and it receyuen of many the whiche ben more nedy than they ben. Also suche maner of people ben holden to make restytu­cyon / for the gyuers ben cōstrayned for fere of more losse / or deceyued by ignoraunce. By the whiche it foloweth that that the whiche they gyuen / is not proprely gyuen / for euery gyfte ought to procede pryncypally from the fontayne of loue. Also the­se the whiche maken / and edefyen waremes douue houses vnto the grete dāmage / & preiudyce of hys neyghbour / & wyll not repayre y • dāmage y • why­che foloweth synnen mortally / Of weremes and douue houses auncyent some sayen that whan it is very sēblable y t they which kepe herytage ner hest [Page] and neyghbours they ben caste vnder in that for as moche as they holden theyr herytages of lesse pryce or for other good cause. Than the lordes of these douue howres / and of these waremes / be not holdē them to restore. Also those the whiche holden and nourysshe bestes noyous / as sholde be a wulfe / a bere / or a dogge the whiche byteth y e people / or estrangleth ony fame beestes or an oxe the whiche stryketh with his hornes / ben holden to repayre the dāma­ges the whiche the sayd bestes done. Also those the whiche by huntynges endāmagen gretely cornes / grasse / or other labourages / in brekynge hedges / closynges ageyne the wyll of the labourers ben holden it to repayre / And those the whiche without necessyte lefull or suffycyent / leuen the offyce of holy chirche / in festes and dayes cōmaunded to halowe. Niero. Quicquid hn̄t clereci paupe­rū est. id aut q [...] expēdit extra pauperes [...]d aliuo (quam) ra­pina. synnen mortally. And also those the whiche them obeyen of theyr good wyll so to do. Also those y e whiche haue the patrymonye of Jhesu cryste / that is to vnderstonde the goodes the whiche comen of Itē idē. Ecclesiam traudare sacrilegium [...] aliq id ei suu­trahere d erogan­dis pauꝑibus. crudelitatē p̄donū suparat. Itē ber. Quid q id pter necessatū victū & vestitū de al­tari retines. tuum nō ē rapina est sa­crilegiū ē. xii. q. ii. ony benefyce of the chirche / the whiche ouer the su­stentacyon resonable / of the mynystres of the chirch apperteynynge vnto the poore / geuynge and departen the sayd good vnduely / as in pompes / in exces of clothes / of wynes / or of meetes / or them gyuen or dystrybuten / vnto theyr ryche frendes for them to augment or ennoble / or in other folysshe vsages agayne the wyll and ordynaunce of holy chirche cō mytten sacrylege and ben holden to restore / for the sayd goodes be not vnto them otherwyse than it is sayd / and for to admynystre theym in werkes of charyte and of pyte. And it is well to be noted y t [Page] the restytucyon the whiche he ought to make of su­che Aurū hn̄tes suffi­ciens patrimoniū [...]bere pn̄t bona eccle [...]e nō vt ea si bi reseruēt. sed vt pauperibꝰ d [...]t ali­as mortalit (er) peccāt scd̄m astē. x. li. vi. c. xxiii. arti .iiii. ss. fi. goodes euyll dyspendyd / may not be made of the sayd patrymonye / for y t sholde be of anothers / But yf they the whiche ben fallen in to suche incō uenyent haue patrymonye in secularyte or dyspose them to wynne by other maner / they may them ac­quyte of the goodes the whiche vnto them shall come of the other partye / as of y • chirche / or he ought to restrayne tyll vnto the valour of that / the which ought to be restored of the thynge the whiche vnto them was well lauwfull to take / for them in pitā ­ce and in vestymens yf they were not fallen into y • sayd inconuenyent / more ouer sayen the ryght that those the whiche haue patrymonye in secularyte may well haue patrymoneye in y t holy chirche not for to do with it theyr propre wyll / but alonely for to departe them vnto the poore / Also folysshe wo­men ryche / Also iogelers the whiche haue receyued vnduely as it is sayd the goodes of holy chirche / ben holden them to restore / not vnto the persone of the chirche / the whiche them hath gyuen / but vnto the prouffyte of that chirche y • whiche by that was endammaged / or ellys they ben sacryleges. Also those the whiche receyuen the goodes of holy chirch without there doynge the seruyse the whiche apperteyneth / be holden to restore. for these goodes tem­porall ben gyuen for them the whiche done the seruyce dyuyne in holy chirche. And therfore sayth y e holy scrypture / That the whiche laboureth not Qui non laborat nō [...]ducet Labores manuū tuar [...] quia manducabis brūse & bene tibi [...]rit .cxxvii. sholde not ete And also it sayth blyssed ben they y e whiche wynne theyr lyuynge in labourynge with theyr handes. By this thȳges beforesayd appereth [Page] the malediccyon of those the whiche haue y e godes Radix oīm malorū cupiditas. i. thi. vt capi. Cōuersi sunt ad irritā dū me er­go & ego faciam [...] furore me [...] & nō ꝑcꝪ oculꝰ meꝰ ne (que) miserebor. & cū clamauerit ad aures meas voce magna nō exaudiam eos eze. octauo. of the chirche without there doynge the seruyce / of nobles the whiche haue rētys / and renownes / taxes and subsydes without defendynge / kepynge / and conseruynge theyr people / of freres beggers y • whyche haue the habyte and not the obseruaūce of holy relygyon / of trewandes / knauys & other questours the whiche by euyll thynkynges and ficcyons abu­sen the people by theyr cau [...]elouse auaryce / For all these maner of people ben holden to make restytucyon after the good ordenaunce and dyscrecyon of confessours / vnto whome I submytte as well the­se Fac ꝯclusionem (que) repleta est [...]ra iu­dicis sāguinū & ci­uitas plena ē u [...] ­tate. eze. vii. c. erit tribulacio magna qual nō fuit ab [...] clo mūdi. Mathei xxiiii. thynges before sayd in the exposycyon of the cō ­maundementes / as in this present mater of resty­tucyon. Also it is more ouer to be notyd for the tyme the whiche is nowe / that in lyke wyse as in the ty­me of Noe regned and abounded lechery / the whi­che was by the Justyce dyuyne punysshed. And in the tyme of Abraham and of Loth regnyd y e hor­ryble and stynkynge synne agayne nature. And in the tyme of Moyses and of Aaron murmuracy­on agayne god & also ydolatrye. Also in the tyme of souerayne bysshoppes scrybes & pharisees / ouer these euylles regnyd enuy & cursyd auaryce / y • whi­che Itē da xii. Erit t [...] pus qua [...]e nō fuit ab eo ex quo gen­tes ceperūt. Humiliauit semetipsum phil. ii. v. Itē mat. xi. thynges were the occasyon of the deth of our sauyour Jhesu cryste. Also in lyke wyse who answe­reth of y • ryall veryte to y e fygure of olde seynge these euylles regne togyders / & eche of thē more euyll than euer were afore / by y e whiche it faylleth not to brȳge in doubte y • y e crystyente dyffygured is not come in these dayes y • holy scrypture sayth y • which bē [Page] soueraynly to redoubte / for as moche as it is cer­tayne that god shall do suche punycyon / and shortely / that there was neuer thynge lyke / for it appertayneth vnto the Justyce in fynyte to gyue the pay­ne of sȳne / who answereth vnto the gylte of vnkȳ denes Discidite a me [...]amitis▪ um & huilis corde. vulp es fo­ueas hn̄t et volu­cres celinidos filius aūt hois nō hꝪ vbi caputsuum reclinet. ma [...]. viii. ca and iniquyte. Jhesu cryste the mayster and lorde of trouth hath taught vnto crysten men and women soueraynly humylyte / and the worlde vnto the contrary / hath taken pryde / bostynge / & va­nyte / Also he hath shewed soueraynly pouerte / and these worldly people hath take [...] auaryce / of who­me proceden / vsury / symony / rauens / fraudes / tre­cheryes / and theftes without nombre and without ende. Also vnto vs he hath shewed souerayne obe­dyence Sciebas quia ho­ [...] austerꝰ sum. &c [...]c .xix. ca. Itē phi [...] . [...]. Humiliauit. & factus obediēs vs [...] ad mortē. mor­tem aūt crucis. Et in fonte nomē eiꝰ scriptū misterium Sabilon magna [...]d̄ fornicacionum [...]abhoiacionū [...]re a [...]o .xxvii. and drede / and the worlde by the contrarye hath taken all rebellyon agayne his holy cōmaundementes / in lechery and in carnalyte without hȳ reknowlegynge and without retournynge hym to the fruyte of very penaunce / and of pyte / and of cō passyon after the forme & maner that those dayes were clerely shewed in the holy euangelyste / by the whiche of good ryght he entytleth and nameth the syxte estate of holy chirche / as vnto the congrega­cyon of those that ben acursyd. The grete Baby­lonye / moder of these fornycacyons and of these abhomynables of the erth. Babylonye is by inter­pretacyon confusyon the whiche was neuer so gre­te in the transgressyon publysshed and manyfested of holy dyuynys cōmaundementes / and by the consequent / the dampnacyon of soules and specyally by cursyd auaryce and of defaute of correccyon and of parfyte restytucyon / for as men sayen comenly [Page] hym behoueth to yelde / or to hange / or the deth of helle to abyde.

¶Here foloweth of the .viii. cōmaundement.

OVer these thynges before sayd in the .viii. cō maundement the synner ought to take hede vnto these poyntes that folowen. The fyrste is of the synner lyenge. The seconde is of detraccyon. The thyrde is of adulacyon. The fourth is of pariurynge / As v [...]to the fyrste it is to vnderstonde that there ben thre maner of lyenges as to speke generally. Mēdaciū triplex est ꝑnisiosū [...]ocosū offici. sum. The fyrste is y t the whiche beryth noysaū ce vnto ony personel / and is alwayes mortall sȳne whan a man doth it wyttyngly for suche an entēte and is cōmytte in thre maners / of the whiche the fyrste is yll / The seconde is wors / The thyrde is worste of all. The fyrste is the lye by the whiche a man doth noysaūce vnto one / and doth prouffyte vnto another / The seconde is that by the whiche a man doth noysaunce vnto another without prouffytynge another. The thyrde maner is that y • whiche is contrary vnto the holy fayth catholyque / as ben herytykes the whiche sowen errours and fals doctrynes somtyme for to come vnto theyr leche­ryes / as those the whiche affermynge that symple fornycacyon is not mortall synne / or that the synne of lechery is not so grete / or so greuous In lyke wyse as sayth these holyscryptures / & these prechers / the whiche it cōdampnen / somtyme suche is com­mytte by suche lyenge couetyse / As ben those the whiche prechen vnto y e sȳple people as for to gyue [Page] some syluer / or other thynge temporall in takyng theyr indulgencis they purchasen theyr absolucōn a pena et aculpa in hydynge from them the trou­the / and geuynge them to vnderstonde that by the vertue of the indulgence he is pardonned a pena & aculpa the whiche thynge is false / for the vertue of these indulgences may not be vnderstonde / but vnto the payne temporall / of those the whiche ben in the estate of grace and by the cōsequent without the gylte of mortall synne / and of suche prechers there ben at this daye without nombre thorowout crystyente / after as the gloryous saynt Petyr hath lately prenounced. The seconde maner of lyenge is that the whiche is done by dysporte / and is com­mytte in two maners. The fyrste by dysordynate pleasure that a man taketh in tryfylles & talkyn­ges. The seconde by a desyred dysordynate / and to please the herers rehersynge fables / or dysportes & in these two maners may he haue mortall synne / or venyall / after the cyrcumstaunces of the dysor­denaunce and of the mater of whiche a man spe­keth / or of the persones of the whiche a man spe­keth / or vnto whome suche lyes ben tolde. The thyrde maner of lyenges is that by the whiche a man prouffyteth vnto ony persone in sauynge him his goodes temporall / as golde syluer or other thynge / or to chastyse his body / or his lyfe corporall. and it is to be noted y t for asmoche as to lye it is to saye some thȳge / & to byleue / or vnderstonde y t it is not so as a man sayth & affermeth / it is impossyble to lye wyttȳgly in ony maner w tout mortall synne or [Page] venyall / the whiche thynge he sholde not do for to saue all those y t ben lyuynge. A man may some tyme hyde the trouth / but not to lye without grete synne / to saye false for dysportynge or for to prouffyte vnto ony persone without noysaūce vnto ano­ther it may be venyall synne in lay people and se­culers. But with grete payne is lyenge in people of perfeccyon w tout mortall synne / as sayth Bonauenture & frācoys de marōnes vpon y e thyrde of y • sentences / of the whiche the reason is asmoche for sclandre of theyr ne [...]ghbours / as for the perfeccyon of the estate of relegyon / by the whiche ryght desyrously euery relegyous ought to kepe hym from the tellynge of lesynges / yf it vnto hym be very semblable y t in so doynge he gyueth euyll example / & mater of sclandre / specyally vnto people feble and sel­lers the whiche lyghtly maken of a lytell occasyon theyr euyll prouffyte / another thynge it is to go a backe with ony fable. The whiche as well in the intencyon of the saynge as in the maner / and vnto the purpose to speke it semeth well to be rehercyd for a fable / for in suche maner of lyenge is not proprely to lye / for as to lye it is to speke agayne hys conscyence in gyuynge falsely to vnderstonde vnto the herers / and in the recytacyon of suthe fables where the speker wylleth for suche to be vnderstonde it is not mortall synne after [...]aynt Thomas / . mayster Alexandre and the Scot. Also in another In quolibetis. place sayth saynt Thomas that a man may lye mortally / as well by wrytynge by abylemens by tokenes and by operacyon. as a man doth in wordes [Page] For a man that is dōme may well synne mortally in his maner to lye / Also lyenge is pryncypally in speche / In lyke wyse symulacyon and fyccyon ben in operacyons / Ypocresye is one maner of symulacyon Simulata sātitas duplex ē ītquitas hie. & an. sup ip̄m. Eraudi deus ora­cionē meā cū de. Simulata e [...]tas nō ē duplex ī [...]tas Sumulatores et [...]alidi ꝓuocāt ira & dei. iob. xxxvi. but all symulacyon is not ypocresye / as to kneele / to ioyne the handes / to stryke his breste in token of deuocyon / the whiche is not in the persone / but the dede for some euyll ende / as for to be hyred and preysed for to come vnto offyce / or vnto bene­fyce / of the whiche he is not worthy / it is mortall synne / after the Sootte and saynt Thomas. spe­che in paraboles or by symylytudes / as to saye one thynge for to gyue to vnderstande vnto a nother it is not of hym the lye or synne / for our lorde the whiche may not lye nor synne fayned before hys dyscyples / that wolde go forth from thens in fy­gurynge / and wyllynge to gyue to vnderstonde y t yet was he ferre from theyr vnderstondynge / by very knowlege of the true fayth / Also forto hyde the trouth in wordes couerte he may do w tout lȳne specyally mortall. For the holy scrypture reherseth of the holy patryarche Abraham that he counseylled his wyfe that she sholde saye vnto the Egypcyens that she was his syster / and in that doynge there was trouth hydde and trouth wrapped / for as mo­che as she was his wyfe ryally / and his syster in nature humayne / or also for as moche as aūcyently those of one selfe lygne as were Abraham and his wyfe callyd eche other brothers and systers / and in lyke maner to saye is founde in many other places of holy scryptures. Also a man fyndeth another maner of lyenge y e whiche may be called iactance & [Page] is commytted in spekynge or ymagenynge of hymselfe more grete thynges than there is of goodnes of nobles / of prowesse / or of vertues and after the greuousnes of the circūstaunces / it is oftyme mor­tall synne. Also to saye of hymselfe ony thynge of his feblesses and necessytes / or of his synnes / or to take vestemens of ab eccyon to y e ende that a man be renommed and reputed humble abiecte & grete thynge in merytes and deuocyons before god / the whiche thynge is not suche as a man it sheweth / y t may be mortall synne / and suche synne is named yronie / not that the whiche is of grāmare / by the whiche a man sayth one and gyueth to vnderston­de the contrary / for the maner and for the purpose in the whiche a man speketh the wordes / as to saye alas that thou arte a good man / or thynge semblable / y e whiche is asmoche to saye that he is nothȳge worth / and there he may haue synne / yf suche thȳ ­ge Qui offenderit i [...] vno factꝰ est oīm reꝰ. ia. ii. be sayd malycyously / & for to de fame / another it sholde be yf for to repreue / or for to teche a man vsech in suche maner to speke / a man may more ouer doubte of a preest / or of another persone the whiche is in the estate of grace / and sayth his con­fyteor in aduouynge that he is a synner / in dede in worde and in thought / and in all maner of synnes to knowe yf he saye trouth or lye / and yf he oughte so to assent / or otherwyse / The answere the preste speketh in the persone of all them that ben cryste­nyd / in whome be it in one / or in another ben all maner of synnes / Also sayth saynt Austen / that in one only synne a man may truely consyder many synnes / For he that synneth mortally is a man kyl [Page] ler / For asmoche as he putteth his soule the which is the doughter of god with all the blyssed trynyte by creacyon vnto deth spyrytuall. Also he cōmyt­teth thefte or sacrylege for as moche that he taketh as well from god / as from the holy chirche y e thynge the whiche vnto them appertayneth agayne y e wyll of the souerayne lorde / That is to vnderstonde hym selfe and the honoure and obedyence that he oweth vnto god. Also he cōmytteth baudrye & auo [...]rye for as moche as he gyueth and subdueth the soule / the whiche by the ve [...]tue of the passyon / and of holy baptem was the [...]spouse of Jhesu crist vnto the rybaudrye and auowtry of soules. That is to vnderstonde of the ennemy of humayne lyg­nage. Also he lyeth and breketh the fayth promy­sed vnto baptesme and is apostate of the holy ca­tholyque / & also of other synnes by suche maners spyrytually to vnderstonde that who so cōmytteth one mortall synne / he hym may knowe in all with out lye / after these thynges before sayd is to be no / ted that euery true crysten man ought to be veryta­ble as well before god as before man. And also in his owne conscyence / in dedes / in w [...]des / and in abyllementes / and in his countenaūces / In lyke wyse as in all these thynges he may cōmytte lyen­ge / fyccyon / and duplycyte / of the whiche thynges yf they ben come a man ought him to repente pur­ge / & confesse / Also yf he hath ben called for to bere wytnes before a Justyce & he wyll not saye y • trouth the whiche vnto hym was demaunded / or to lye to his wyttynge vnto the dāmage of another / and in doynge irreuerence vnto the Justyce / ouer y e mortal [Page] synne and the payn of infamye he is holden to dyl dāmage the party yf he hath lyed in confessyon of that the whiche was nedefull of confessyon / it is mortall synne / and is not assoyled of that he hath confessed yf he hath accusyd ony falsely & agayne Detraccio ē quoti ens [...]s ali [...]d eam t [...]tione de alio di­cit vtipse minus a mari vel minꝰ ap­preciari possit. hec anselmꝰ. the ordre of charyte / agayn the Justyce / or agayne the prelates / it is mortall synne / yf in prechynge he hath sayd false wyttyngly / it is mortall synne another thynge it sholde be yf by surrectyon & sodenly he sayth a thynge false. and this is as vnto the sȳ ne of lyenge.

AS vnto the seconde poynt the whiche is of Noluit xp̄s iudam ꝓditorē publicare vt nos doceret (quam) pctā occulta alio (rum) publicare n̄ debe­mꝰ qr sicut ē mor­tale pctm̄ ino [...]ti falsu crimē impo­nere. sic verum crimē occultū alusre uelare. hec criso. detraccyon / it is to vnderstond that detraccyon is to reherce yll of ony in his absence / and to the ende and intencyon to mynysshe his good renō me / or vnto that he be the lesse praysed / And for as moche that good renōme is the moost grete good that persone may haue in these thynges temporal­les / it foloweth that to take the good renōme from ony it is agayne the ordre of charyte / as whan it is by pryde / by enuy / or by vengeaūce / or other cursyd cause / it is mortall synne / and aman is holden to restore the good renōme / so as it may be possyble and as it hath ben spoken before / and therfore ou­ght well to take hede the whiche wyll well hym cō fesse / yf he haue imposed vnto ony the thynge the whiche ought be mortall synne / the whiche thyng was not true / or yf it were true it was secrete / For than yf he it publysshe it is mortall synne / & not w t stondynge that the synne were publysshed as ofty­mes as he it reherseth by hatered / or by enuy it is [Page] mortall synne / how be it he is not holden to restore Qui talis agsit digni sunt morte nō solū [...] faciūt [...]a. s [...] [...] [...]sētiūt faci [...] tibus. [...]o. i. ca. Qui racet rsētire vide t [...]r. extra de re. iii yf he haue rehersed the yll / or y • synne of his neygh boure by the maner of comen langage not hauynge intencyon hym to defame / or hym for to annoye it is comenly ven yall synne / yf he hath reherced y • fraylte and imperfeccyon the whiche is of it selfe venyall yf he do. it not agayne charyte / as for to defame or to lette his neyghboure from ony good yf he haue wylfully herde the detractoure / or hym enducyd wyttyngly that to do / or vnto hym hath shewed by ony token that such [...] langage hym ple­sed / or hath not hym repreuyd whan it was a per­sone the whiche he myght and sholde do / it is mor­tall synne / another thynge it sholde be yf he lefte hym to repreue by a maner of fere humayne or that vnto hym it appertayneth not / yf he hath causyd wrytynges dyffamatyues for to be founde in place openly or hath made or spoken songys rymes or mockeryes for to dyffame or to mocke ony persone it is deedly synne / yf he hath sayd that the good werkes that ony persone doth that it is by fantasy or by ypocresye / or hath not wylled to saye or to cō fesse the goodnes the whiche was in another hym to excuse / or to delyuer frome ony opprobe whan there was place and tyme / it is a defaute of chary te / And by the consequent / it is mortall synne. To tell and reherce the yll of another by compassyon vnto these prelates / or vnto other the whiche that may remedy / it is no detraccyon / but charyte / and of tymes necessary vnto saluacyon / for who loueth his neyghboure he ought to remedy his inconuenyens.

AS vnto the thyrde the whiche is of the synne We [...] dicit malum bonū. ysa. v. Item hiero. Nichii ē qd tā facile corru [...]at mētes hoim sicut adulacio Itē ābroiser. Ne [...]audau [...] ­ris hoīem īvita sua Item ꝓuer: xxvii. Meliora sūt vul­nera diligentis (que) oscula fraudu [...]ē caodi [...]tis Qui occasionē dā [...] dat dā nū dedisse videtur extra de [...]ur. & [...] ­no dato. of adulacyon or of flaterynge it is to be noted that somtyme it is venyall synne / and some mortall synne / and is defendyd in this present commaundement / and it may be cōmytte in thre ma­ners / Fyrste whan a man preyseth ony persone for to please hym / in that the whiche is mortall synne for that sholde be agayne the honoure of god and the goodnes and charyte of his neyghbour. Secō ­dely for the reason of the intencyon of the flaterer it is to vnderstonde whan by his adulacyon & flate rynge he entendeth to dysceyue his neyghbour and hȳ for to anoye corporally & spyrytually. Thyrdly whan the flaterer gyueth mater / or occasyon by his adulacyon to synne mortally / And how be it y t he intendyth not by suche manere of flaterynge to make his neyghbour fall in to mortall sȳne: Neuer theles the thynge in whiche he flatereth may be of suche condycion that / that notwithstondynge he sholde synne mortally / In other maners of adulacyon and flaterynge is comenly venyall synne /

AS vnto the fourth poynt the whiche is of periurynge / it is to vnderstonde that periuryng is none other thynge but to swere falsely the whiche thynge he may do in thre maners. The fyrste whan the thynge that a man swereth is not true / or a man byleueth that the thynge is not soo as a man affermeth by his othe / and also it is a lye to afferme by othe / and therfore to swere it is none other thynge / but to calle the trouth of god to wytnes that the thynge that a man affermeth / or that [Page] a man denyeth is suche as he sayth hymselfe to periury is asmoche to saye as god is wytnes of the falsyte / the whiche thynge to saye / or assent is moche horryble blasphemynge and irreuerence done vn­to god the whiche is trouth infynyte and therfore it is mortall synne whan he doth it by delyberacōn Secondly whan the thynge that a man swereth is contrary vnto reason and vnto Justyce / as it shold be to swere to do synne / or thynge vnlefull / in so do ynge it is irreuerence to doo vnto god the whiche wyll not approue the yll / and also it is mortall synne as in the maner precedent. Thyrdly whan without cause and reason good and suffycyent a man accomplyssheth not that that he hath Justly pro­mysed by oth and therfore it is mortall synne whā it is done by delyberacyon / for yf by precypytacyō or surrepcyon in worde w tout consentynge of wyll a man swereth false / or thynge unlefull that is no mortall synne▪ the whiche is neuer cōmytte but by delyberacyon and consent of wyll. But here is Sicut [...]s prudē ­ti [...] magnam quasi tp̄e i perceptibili [...]b [...]ratsic potest [...]osueer hitu opposito quasi i tp̄e [...]ptibili delibe­racio erit sufficiēs ad tōnem peti si­cut al [...] ad tōnem [...] Hec scotus [...]. di. tercii. well to be notyd that in lyke wyse as an harper stryketh the strynges of his harpe by delyberacyon and the one after the other in dyuerse alteracyon & melodye / Also as without arestynge / or thynkynge on y • that he doth / and he maketh suche delyberacyon by his habytuacyon and maieste / of the whiche he is to prayse / In lyke wyse is it of the delyberacyon that a man hath to do well / or to do yll / for in lytel tyme & also as imperceptyble a man may haue de lyberacyon suffycyent to cōmytte mortall synne in cursyd werkes / as is to swere in vayne / and hym­self to forswere / or also for to seche merytes in good [Page] werkes as is to praysed god / By the whiche many grete and solempne doctours in holy theologie af­termen and shewen that to swere without prouffyte and necessyte in comen langage / notwithston­dynge that the thynge that a man swereth be true / and that a man is not dysposed otherwyse as it is sayd / be it by custome vnto the whiche a man put­teth no payne to resyste as a man sholde / it is the transgressyon of the cōmaundement of god and by the consequent mortall synne / for it is not lefull to swere / That is to vnderstonde to calle the trouth of god vnto wytnes / yf there be not thre cōdycyons The fyrste is that the thynge that a man swereth be verytable. The seconde that it be a thynge Just and lawfull / for euery true thynge is not Juste ne good to speke morally. The thyrde that notwithstondynge that yf ony be true & Juste / as it is true and Juste that the daye the whiche was yesterdaye is paste / and that the daye of the morowe is comȳ ge. How be it it suffyseth not of suche trouth for to swere well surely / but with that it behoueth that swerynge be made in Jugement. That is to vnder stonde with dyscrecyon in aduysynge yf there be necessyte / or prouffyte for hymselfe / or for his neygh­boure / suche that the trouth infynyte oughte to be called to wytnes / by othe what so euer it be. for who that swereth by these sayntes / or other creatures heswereth alwayes pryncypally / by god the why­che hath made and mayntenyth suche creatures / And therfore sayen as well these doctours of theologye / as of the trouth and ryght y • whan of these [Page] thre condycyons before sayd or many / That is to vnderstonde veryte / Justyce / Jugement / or dyscre­syon / dyffayllyng / it is to swere in vayne / & agayn the cōmaundemente of god / and abusynge is to swere / but whan an othe is made with these thre condycyons a man may well swere surely / and there he may haue meryte / In lyke wyse as by the de [...] faute of the one / or of many it is grete irreuerence done vnto god and transgressyon of his lawe / by the whiche it appereth clerely y e grete perell of dāpnacyon / vnto those that can no [...] spe [...]e but in swe­rynge / also as at euery worde [...]nd for a thynge of nought / but they sayen that it is not but of custome and that they do it not by delyberacyon the which is none other thynge to saye but to excuse and en­creasynge of theyr synne / How be it well it may [...] multū [...]urās [...]pleb [...] i quitate [...] nō d [...]s [...]ed [...] [...] a do [...] plaga. [...]ccl. xxiii. c. S [...] [...] pone [...] p [...]o p [...] mor­talisēpec [...]atūmor [...]ale v [...]si [...]. Agere i [...]ertū & dimittere certu [...] in materia morali pe [...]m̄ mor­ [...]ale [...] S [...] ta [...]e sit i certū (quam) sit morta­ [...] non sol [...] [...] conie [...]turas le [...]e aut ex [...]spitōne t [...]ep da [...] s [...]ru [...]ulos [...] [...] itel [...] dū [...]ale ē vehe mēter & [...]babil [...] i certūeque sicut oppositū v [...]l mag [...]s tūt illud [...]dagitu [...] mortali culpa non [...]re [...] [...]otimg [...]o [...]s gersō [...] tracta­ [...] de tegulis man datorr hoe eiav au gustino dectorum maximo morta [...]e [...]udicatur [...]si [...]s in certitudinis pic [...]o āt mortal pcti dis­crimini se ipsum [...] mittit. hec ille. happen that he the whiche hath very dyspleaser of suche cursyd custome and purpose hym to absteyne in tyme to come that yf he swere by ouersyght and by labytuacyon of his cursyd custome / of the whi­che thynge he sholde be dyspleasaūt whan he kno­weth it for to swere / Than it is not to saye that in ly [...]e wyle to swere in vayne were synne / or at the moost [...]it is not but venyall synne / but it is not to doubte that those the whiche hauen suche purpose. and dyspleasaūce shall be in shorte tyme / as in half a yere / or lesse moeuynge y e ayde of god hym to dyscustome / vnto the whiche dysacustomaūce be not many comen in the espace of. xx. or. xxx. yeres / but for the contrary many that ben aged gone from yll vnto wors / notwithstondynge predy [...]acyons / and inspyracyons y • god vnto them sendeth from yere [Page] to yere / and from moneth to moneth / By the whi­che I can not ymagen that suche crysten people ben in the waye of saluacy [...]n / nor that they may per­fytly resyste vnto the deuyll / ne resyste vnto theyr cursyd custome / yf they laboure not fyrste parfytly to put them in the estate of grace / without the whiche a man may not begyn to do well / and therfo­re sayth well the wyse Lathon that he is the gret [...] frende of god the whiche can gouerne well his ton­ge / and suche is begynnynge of all holynes of lyfe And for to shewe that the holy goost apperyd insē ­blaunce of tongys vpon the appostles the whiche ben and were the pyllers and the foundars of holy chirche after Thesu cryste and the swete vyrgyn his moder in she wynge in lyke wyse that yf the holy goost gouerne not the tonge / with payne may it be but that it be the instrument of the deuyll / embra­cyd with the fyre of helle / as wytnesseth saynt Ja­mes in his canon / who so hath not [...]he begynnyng of good lyfe / That is well and holely to vse with his tonge may not haue good meane / that is to vnderstonde the grace of god for to come vnto the holy ende the whiche is the glorye of paradyse / wher fore sayth well holy scrypture that he the whiche swereth often shall be fulfylled with iniquyte and that fynably the punycyon of god shall come vpō hym. Some doctours of our tyme seynge y e multy Queritdoctor sub tilis i [...]lo [...]o vtrū cognic [...] su [...] natu­ralis sit sufficiē [...] [...] sacrascriptur [...] tradita [...] arguit [...] nō m [...]a sūt de [...]bus nō cognoscit [...]r cer [...]udinal [...]ex s [...]cra scriptur [...] vtrū sint peccata velnō quo [...]ū [...]n̄ cog [...]cio ē nece [...]saria ad saiutē Responcio. dicit orig. (quam) nulla sciencia [...]ia e [...]plica [...]it. sed illa [...]x qua pn̄t [...]uffici [...]ter elici. ad quo [...]ū expōn [...] v [...] li [...] fuit labor do [...] ­ [...] ̄. tude of chose the whiche were often in theyr comē langages without prouffyte and necessyte / and more ouer consyderynge theyr estates / theyr scyences / and theyr degrees as ben many people of the chir­the / as well regulers as seculers and some doctours [Page] in dyuynyte / in lawes Lyuiles / and in decretꝭ. Al­so noble people aduocates / and other indyuers estates / amonge whome there hen many the whiche haue grete tolrenes to fere and to lo [...]e god / haue ma­de grete admyracyon in this mater / and haue fere to gyue sentence that suche people ben all in y • way of perdycyon / for theyr abusynge to swere in vayn and without dyscrecyon / but the honoure sauyd of werlres▪ pyteous / lesse admyracyon in that ought to be made that in the sentence of blyssed Thesu cryst irreuocall the whiche is suche Multi sunt vocati / pa [...]i vero electi. Math. xx. ca. And is as moche to saye / many of the people ben called / & ryght fewe there are that ben saued / or in another maner and vnto oure purpose / many there ben that ben bap­tysed / and the whiche sholde neuer swere in vayne and ryght fewe there are that it wyll kepe / Also it is a comen sentence / and a conclusyon certayne y t as oftymes and as many / as in the mat [...]r of the fayth / or of good maners these doctours holden dyuers oppynyons / of the whiche the one is [...] certayne and sure to holde / for to kepe hym from synne and Et [...] obiciatur [...] e ciā suppoitur doc­torum doctrina ad b [...]cintrasūt dnbia vtrū sit mortalia. Respōsio nō ē du­bi [...] via salntis [...]ra [...]al [...]b [...] tā (quam) a [...]iculo sis debꝪ hō cauere ne si expona [...] pari [...]lo icidati p [...]tm̄ qd si noluerit q̄re­ [...]e salutē sꝪ n̄ curā do expona se illi pi [...]o [...] forte de ge nere actus [...] pet [...] mortale. t [...] pecca­bit mortal [...]sese [...]lli pi [...]ulo exponen [...] hec scotꝰ. that the other oppynyon conteyneth in hym doubte hogely where that it is synne. a man is holden in suche case vpon payne of mortall synne to holde y • party certayne / and to leue the doubtous / for it is he dysposeth hy [...] vnto the peryll of mortall synne and by the consequent dyspyseth his saluacyon. /: Now is it so that some hath wylled to saye that to sw [...]re in vayne as it is to swere in comen langage the thynge the whiche is not necessary nor pro [...]ffy table it is not but ve [...]yall. ynne. These other doc­tours [Page] / and grete nombre sayen the contrary. That is to vnderstonde to swere without dyscrecyon and for thynge of no prouffyte / it is the transgressyon of the cōmaundement of god / & by the consequent mortall synne / after the forme the which hath ben before put and declared / Of the whiche opynyons the one is ryght sure and ryght certayne / that is to eschewe suche swerynge / in holdynge the doctryne of oure sauyoure and redemptour. Thesu cryste put in the gospell there where it is sayd that oure ma­ner of speche is harde / or not / without other maner of swerynge / yf there be no necessyte. The other oppynyon the whiche sayth y • suche maner of swe­rynge in comen langage that the whiche is true I put that it were not prouffytable / or necessyte it is but venyall synne / it is hogely doubtous. Specyally after as Thesu cryste vnto vs hath declared in this mater his holy wyl as it is sayd By the whiche to do the contrary indyfferently it concludeth in it selfe the dyspysynge of god and of his conscyence / and for as moche after the sentence of the doctours to holde suche oppynyon / and it to vse / it is for to synne mortally / And yet for the more certayne to shewe that suche maner of swerynge vpon comen langage by custome and without necessyte / it is a thynge ryght peryllous and reprouable.

¶Here foloweth certayne conclusyons in laten ex­tractes of doctours & wrytynges of grete & solēpne doctours in holy theologye.

  • Secūdum preceptum nos ordinat ad reueren [...]iam (veritatis summeideo non debimus [Page] sine causa iurare.
    Alexander de hal. in tercio: Bonaucn̄. i tercio Idem vbi su­pra. Idem. Nicolaus de lyra Matheiv. capitlo Idē ibidem. Franciscus de ma [...]onisi tractatu de preceptis. Scūsthomasi tracratu de p̄cepti. s. Her guillerimꝰ du randi. xxxiii. Radulphus ardē tis. xiii. li. ca. xi. Ricardꝰ de media villa d. xxiiii. iii. Idē ricardis.
  • Jurare sifiet reuerenter est ad ocultū dei / si irreue­renter est opositum.
  • Jurare sine causa et vtilicate est porcio irreuerēcie veritatis diuine.
  • Juracio nominis dei vbi nulla est necessitas vel vtilitas / valde est irreprehensibilis.
  • Juramentum incautum quod fit sine causa vel necessitate importat irreuerenciam diuini nominis.
  • Non solum iuramentum mendax sed eciam quod fit sine necessitate et vtilitate est in secundo precep­to inibitum.
  • Jurare sine causa est nomen dei in vanū assumere & disponit hominē ad conceptū dei.
  • Non est iurandum de falso nec de mutili et non eciam nisi de iusticia et veritate.
  • In iuramentum debet esse discreta deliberacio vt non iuretur verum nisi pro necessitate vel vtilitate
  • Ex irreuerencia nascitur iurandi consuetudo que peccatum est iugens et mortale et non solū vnum sed multiplex.
  • Consentus interpretauimus est quando quis negliget reprimere aliquod inductum est mortale.
  • Contempus dei sine peccato mortali esse nō potest.

BY these thynges sygnifyed in these conclu­syons and auctorytes as well of holy scryp­ture as by doctours before sayd alleged appereth clerely that all those the whiche haue suche cursyd cu­stome to swere for nothynge and without necessyte And wyll not labour to correcte theym / dyspysen god and theyr saluacyon / and by the consequent [Page] synnen mortally / and me semeth also / as Impossyble to byleue that the persone the whiche is in mor­tall synne may leue the euyll custome to swere with out cause and necessyte / for the deuyll of hell y e whyche tormenteth spyrytually suche maner of people he aydeth the more easely from theyr membres / for euen in lyke wyse as a man putteth a bytte of a brydell Omnisl eni natu­ra bestia (rum) & volu­crū serpētū & cete ro (rum) domāt a natura humanā liguā aut nullꝰ hoīem do mare potest. ia. iii. capitulum. in the mouth and vpon the tonge of a greate stronge and terryble hors / by the meane of the whiche a chylde lytell of aege and in myght hym tor­neth and retorneth and holdeth stedfaste. In lyke wyse doth the deuyllin puttynge cursyd custome to swere and offalse langage in the tonges of those Si e [...]s frena fore mittimꝰ ad ꝯsēcie dū nobis oēs cor­pusiilo (rum) circūseri niꝰ. ia. iii. capitulū Itēaug. super illd [...]. immissiones ꝑ angelos malos di­cit in malis potest diabolus sicut hō ipecore suo nisi ꝓ hibeatur asuperiore. that he possedeth / by the whiche he them ledeth and bryngeth agayne from synne to sȳne all at his wyl by suche maner y t there is no doctryne excused nor puyssaunce humayne y t whiche may or can stoppe and refrayne suche tonges so enflāmed and gouerned by the spyryte of deuyll / that they doo not the operacyon of hym the whiche them gouerneth / as is to lye / to backbyte / to fors were hym / to mocke / and all other maner of folysshe and abhomynable langages / of whome proceden other ylles innume­rable. In lyke wyse as it appereth by y • thyrde chapytre or the canon of saynt James / and this is as at this tyme as vnto the synne to swere / and to for swere folysshely / the whiche thynge weyed and aduysed a man hym may well confesse.

¶ Here foloweth of the .ix. cōmaundement.

OVer these thynges spoken in the .ix. cōmaandement the synner ought to take hede vnto Caplm. xxiii the poyntes the whiche folowen. That is [...]o knowe yf he hath desyred by consentynge and delybe­racyon to accomplysshe the synne of lechery / or yf he haue delyted in carnall thoughtes / and for to vnderstonde and well to Juge of suche wylles whan it is mortall synne / or alonely venyall / The why­che thynge is ryght harde / it behoueth fyrste to vn­derstonde thre thynges the whiche ben in vs deffe­rences / The fyrst is sensualyte the whiche is none other thynge but the .v. wyttes of nature with theyr operacyons / as is the syght / the taste / the herynge / the smellynge / and the touchynge / In these fyue thynges we and these bestes ben comen / The secō ­de thynge the whiche is in vs / is the lawe porcyon of reason the whiche is a lyght of knowledge of our operacyons and dyscrecyon naturall of thynges sensybles in the whiche we surmoūt these bestes. /: The thyrde thynge is the souerayn porcyon of reason the whiche is a lyght by y • whiche we haue dysposycyon to vnderstonde these thynges spyrytuall▪ dyuyne / and eternall / the whiche porcyon may be anormed of the noble vertu of the fayth catholyque and enformed of the trouth of the cōmaundemen­tes of god / and than she may and ought to haue do mynacyon and rule as well the sensualyte / as the lawe porcyon of reason and all theyr operacyons / or yf there be defaute / or neclygence of the deuyll of hell allyed of the sensualyte / and of the monda­nyte of this present lyfe putteth in oftymes the concupyscence carnall and temporall by y e wyndowes [Page] of the soules the whiche [...]en the fyue wyttes of na­ture before sayd / to the ende that the lawe porcyon of reason there taketh pleasure dysordenate / be it in drynke or meete / or melodye of soūdys / or in tow­chynges / or other pleasures sensualles / and that she induceth the hyghe porcyan to gyue consente in suche pleasure dysordenate is dyspleasaūce vnto god after the forme that tho dayes / Eue presented vn to Adam the beaute of the apple / and the swetnes of the taste / vnto the whiche thynge he condysten­dyd and consented agayne the cōmaundement of god by the whiche all humayne lygnage was damned / yf god by his mercy infynyte hadde not remedyed. By Eue a man sholde vnderstonde as well the sensualyte / as the lawe frayle porcyon of rea­son / and by Adam the souerayne porcyon & this is the foundacyon to vnderstonde whan these sȳnes y • whiche be cōmytted alonely in the wyll ben mortal or venyall for in the oonly pleasure of the sensua­lyte / he may not haue mortall synne / But yf the pleasure of the thynge deffended / as is lechery thefte or propre vengeaūce cometh tyll vnto the lawe porcyon of reason and in that doynge aresteth and abydeth in hym there in delytynge before that so­uerayne reason may or ought to haue suffycyente aduertyssement / it is venyall synne comenly / But yf souerayne reason is notally neclygente to repre­ue and agayn saye suche pleasure dysordenate / by the whiche neclygence and defaute / the reason in­warde abydeth and delyteth in y • sayd dysordenaū ­te / how be it that the accomplysshynge of the dede [Page] hym dyspleaseth / and it agayne sayth / than is that mortall synne after the comen sentēce of doctours for hye porcyon of reason is in blame / for as mo­che as she hath not ben inough dylygent to repre­ue and to put out the peryllous pleasure the whiche was comen into the inwarde reason / & suche neclygence may be named consentyngly by interpre­tacyon / Bonauenture sayth in this mater that many suche thoughtes to be alonely venyall synne The whiche hath ben well Juged they ben mor­tall synnes / wherfore in suche doubte a man hym ought delygently to examen and hym to confesse / as of mortall synne. for in all cases of conscyence / the whiche ben doubtous / a man is bounde to chese the moost sure partye. Also it is to be noted that oonly wyll fully determyned and dysposed to accō plysshe ony mortall synne / is mortall synne / & of suche condycyon / as hadde be the the synne / yf that it hadde ben accomplysshed by werke. As for an example / yf ony hadde wyll to haue company car­nall of a vyrgyn he cōmytteth the synne of defflo / racyon / yf with ony of his kynred / it is inceste / yf with ony relegyous / it is sacrylege / and so vnto the synne of thefte and of other commaundementes But in that vnto suche dyfference that the synne the whiche abydeth alonely in the wyll is not pu­nysshed / of the payne canon / or Cyuyle as sholde be the wyll with the dede / An example oonly wyl to bete a clerke / or to slee hym agayne the ordre of charyte suffyceth not for to renne in the sentence of excomunycacyon / or for to be reserued vnto y e pope [Page] or vnto the bysshop / and therfore a symple curate hym may assoyle / and so of other case. Also it is to be notyd that yf ony persone hath wyll to accom­plysshe mortall synne / suche wyll may be interrept and deuysed in many maners. Fyrste by wyll contraryous as is true contrycion and dyspleaser to haue hadde suche wyll / and after suche contrycion of newe retorneth vnto that cursyd wyll of synne. And than they ben two mortall synnes / in asmo­che that suche wyll drowe backe in the maner spo­ken. Secondly she may be interrupte by dyuerse thoughtes / and occupacyons woldly / as for to sle­pe / to drynke / or to ete / or for to speke with other persones / by suche wyse that as many tymes & often the temptacyon retorneth vnto the mynde the wyll is dysposed to accomplysshe the synne / and than after some doctours / they ben as many of mortall sȳ nes / as the sayd wyll hath ben interrupted oftymes Other wyll saye that it is but one mortall synne / of as moche the more greuous / as it hath ben by lō ge tyme contynued / and therfore the longe abydȳ ge / and frequentacyon / of suche temptacyon ought to be confessed / and dysclosed after that it is possy­ble / vnto the fraylte of the mynde humayne / by suche maner that the confessour dyscrete may vnder­stonde the multytude / or the greuousnes of suche synne / for ellys the confessyon sholde not be suffy­cyent / for that that a man is bounde to tell all his synnes as vnto the nombre. Also yf suche cursyd wyll were applyed agayne many persones / agayn one / & after vnto another / they sholde be as many synnes mortalles as they sholde be of persones but [Page] yf suche wyll be applyed vnto many persones by one oonely operacyon that sholde not be but one synne as to the operacyon of the wyll / but it shold be many as vnto oblygacyon of payne and vnto y e deformyte of synne / as for example. Some harlot seeth .vi. wymen / of the whiche the one is in wydo hode / the other in maryage / the other a vyrgyn / & so in other dyuers degrees / and that he hath hadde a wyll and consentynge to desyre to haue theyr cō ­pany carnall / vnto the regarde of one that sholde be auowtry / and vnto the other defloracōn and so of other dyuers degrees / And a man ought to vn­derstonde these thynges spoken of cursyd wyll / as well of the concupyscence carnall defended in the ix. cōmaundementes as of the concupyscence of co­uetyse defended in the .x.

¶ Here foloweth of the .x. cōmaundement.

Ouer these thynges spoken in the .x. cōmaun­dement Capl [...] .xxv. it is to be notyd that oonely wyll to stele is thefte and mortall synne. and of that espyce and maner as yf the dede had ben accomplysshed in lyke wyse as hath ben sayd of the wyll of the cō cupyscence carnall in the .ix. cōmaundement. Also more ouer it is to be noted that he the whiche endā ­mageth his neyghboure in a lytell thynge be it in byenge or in sellynge / or ellys he hym wolde endā ­mage gladly of a more gretter thȳge yf he myght [Page] he synneth mortally / for god loketh more pryncy­pally vnto the wyll than vnto the werke outwarde and vnto that is vnhappy sholde well take hede the whiche ouer sellen theyr marchaundyse in lytell pryce for as moche that they may not nor sholde not ouersell in more greter pryce of the whiche thȳ ­ge to do they haue well the wyll y e whiche is dampnable and also mortall synne. By these thynges Pranū [...] cor hois & instrubile [...]s cognoscꝪ illid &c. Ego dn̄s scrutās corda & probans renes [...] do vnicui (que) turta viā suā .hie. xv [...]. before sayd clerely appereth that it is a ryght har­de thynge to Juge well of wylles humayns: And with moche grete payne it suffyseth the moost gretest clerke of the w [...]lde well to Juge deserue and weye his owne wylles / in the whiche more ouer may a man knowe the presumpcyon of those the whiche Jugen lyghtly of the conscyence of theyr neyghbours. The whiche suffyse not to Juge wel them selfe alonely and none other. And therfore it is necessary vnto euery creature erthely the whiche yet is witholden in the derkenesses of this lyfe to dyspose hymselfe by humylyte mekenes and pra­yers agayne the lyght and clerenes without ende / the whiche illumyneth and adresseth euery creatu­re Erat lur vera q̄ i [...] lu [...]at o [...]m hoīem veniētē in hūc mū dū .io. i. ca. the whiche ben in this worlde create / so as it ap­pertayneth and as a man it shall deserue and wynne well and merytoryously. That is to saye the blyssed Jhesus vnto whome by honoure and glory of this worlde and rewarde vs for our laboure in the eternall blysse Amen.

¶Here foloweth how fastynge ought to be made and whan and of whome.

FOr as moche as oftentymes a man is en­ioyned in penaunce for to do almesdede / fastynge / and prayer / And that of almesdede it hath ben treatyd in the thyrde partye of this boke / reste we as nowe to see somethynge / and in fewe wordes of fastynge. As vnto the fyrste it is to be noted y t some may be bounde to faste other by cōmaunde­mente generall of holy chirche / or by penaunce en­ioyned / or for as moche that he hath vowed to fast As vnto the fastynges of the chirche it is to vnderstonde that the .xl. dayes the foure Imbres that is to vnderstonde the wenysdaye / the frydaye / and y e saterdaye nexte after Whytsontyde / and those af­te [...] [...]ona est or ō cū [...]e [...]un [...]o & clemosina magie (quam) the sauros agri cōdereqm̄ elemosina amorte li­betat & (quam)a ē q̄ pur gat peccata & fac [...] et iuen [...]re vitā et­nā. the .xii. ca. [...]he exaltacyon of the holy crosse in the moneth of Septembre / and those after saynt Luce in de­cembre / and those after assh wenysdaye / Also the mondaye / the tewysdaye and the wenysdaye befo­re the Assencyon / the vigiles of y • apostles / excepte saynt Jamis / saynt Phelip / and saynt John̄ the Euangelyste. Also the vigiles of Crystemas / of De cōse. di v. qua diagesima. d. xxvi Statuimus. Whytsontyde / of the Assumpcyon of ourelady / of saynt John̄ Baptyst / of saynt Laurence / and of All halowen ben fasted of the cōmaundement of y • Extra de obserua [...]ione [...]e [...]unio (rum) cōsi [...]iū. &. ca. applica [...]i chirche / how be it the fast of the thre dayes of roga cyons is not proprely cōmaunded yf it were not for the generall custome of the regyon / but it is y • coū ­seyll & admonycyon of good deuocyon. The custome generall to faste in euery regyon or bysshopry­che byndeth them the whiche than enhabyte in it [Page] yf they haue not excusacyon lefull / for the law of ryght posytyf intendeth not to bynde ony persone the whiche hath exculacyon resonable to faste all the lent / or other fastynge dayes / as ben wymen w t chylde / or nourysshes / labourers / the whiche traualen gretely / poore people y e whiche haue not wherof to take suffycyently theyr refeccyon / olde people / & people that haue the goute / yonge people vnder y • yeres of. xxi. lyke people / and pylgrymes the whi­che haue necessyte to spede and delygent theyr way how be it yonge people y • whiche ben of. x. or of. xii. or of. xv. yeres after theyr compleccyon sholde of good congruyte faste more or lesse after as they fȳ de by the coūseyll of theyr confessours of theyr go­de inspyracyons. Also many poore people and la­bourers enforce them to faste / & in so doynge they may purchase grete meryte / notwithstondynge y t they be not bounde after the requyre of cōmaundement / euery other persone the whiche without ex­cusacyon resonable trespasseth vnto his wetynge. and by contempt the fastynge the whiche ben of cōmaundement of the chirche or of good custome approuyd mortall synne mortally nor may not be excused of one onely daye in gyuynge an hundreth thousande crownes for to redeme the sayd faste. / A nother thynge it is of a faste put in penaunce / or that a man hath it by vowe / for he vnto whome it shall appertayne it may chaunge / or dyspence. also I put that a woman maryed may leue by the com­maundement of her husbande the fastes that she hath by vowe before that she was his wyfe / how be it she may not by suche commaundement without [Page] other excusacyon breke the fastes of the chirche but that she synne / Also it is to be notyd that▪ whan Crystmas daye cometh on the frydaye a man may ete flesshe / excepte those y • whiche haue the frydaye by vowe / or by penaunce. These other the whiche wyllen thē absteȳe without Jugynge theyr neyghbours they do not yll. Also to ete spyces or confectures / to drynke wyne / or ale / or other drynkes be­fore dyner / or after is no brekynge of the faste / yf it be not done in fraudynge the faste / that is to vn­derstonde that a man taketh suche thynges not for necessyte of thorste / or of debylyte of stomake / but for to kepe hym from hūger / or in takynge y e sayd thynges in quantyte excessyuely. Also to ete flesshe on the saterdaye it may be done without synne yf it were the custome of the countree. Also the bys­shop dyocesayn may and ought to dyspence wyth syke people to ete flesshe in the lente / or the frydaye and on other fastynge dayes / and in lyke wyse w t the people in tyme of necessyte / and of grete famyne / for Extra de obserua [...]ōne [...]eiunio (rum). cap Consiliū. necessyte is not subiecte vnto the lawes / for to absteyn on y e frydaye to ete flesshe it is good coū seyll and a thynge to prayse but not cōmaundemēt To faste the aduent or not the custome of the coū ­tree ought to be obserued. The houre of dyner the ryght is thre houres after the myddaye / but y • custome obtayneth at the myddaye / seruauntes may after theyr offyces taste the meetes one after they haue broken theyr faste to bere some messes / and af­terwarde make an ende of theyr dyner w tout frac­c [...]on of theyr faste. To holde lōge table excessyuely for to passe the tyme / to the ende that y • faste be not [Page] to moche costable to bere / it is fraude of the inten­cyon Legem frāgit [...] in fraudē legis aliq •d facit. of the statute of holy chirche / And here may he haue suche exces that it is the brekynge of y e fast Also one dronken body on the daye of fastynge sȳ neth somtyme more greuously than he hadde done in brekynge his faste symply w tout makynge him selfe dronken / to ete many tymes on the fastynge daye he breketh his faste / it is also agreuaūce of sȳ ne more or lesse of asmoche that a man eteth many tymes.

¶Here foloweth the seconde poynt the whiche is of prayer.

AS vnto the seconde poynt the whiche is of Caplm xxvii prayer that is to vnderstonde that euery creture resonable the whiche hath age and dyscrecyon competent is bounde by the ryght of nature to make prayer vnto god his creatour / for prayer as vnto that purpose is to lyfte vp his herte vnto god in re­knowlegynge hym his / creatour / mayster / & lorde In requyrynge hym prouysyon of thynges necessa­ry vnto this present lyfe / and ayde agayne all oure aduersaryes / and of dyuers temptacyons the whyche cometh on all partes to the ende that by y e meane of his ayde and of his blyssed grace we may co­me vnto his blyssed royame. Nature vnto vs sayth that we sholde seche the thynge without the whiche we may not be as is the ayde of god / The whiche ayde is not vnto vs duely regnoure of Justyce nor we haue not wherof we may it suffycyently bye / by y e whiche we muste & sholde abyde in y t necessyte [Page] to demaunde that ayde humbly and deuoutly by prayers and orysons and therfore in all places and at all houres the ayde of god vnto vs is necessarye. for other wyse we may not endure / or vnto oure aduersaryes resyste. So vnto vs of necessyte euer more Oportet sēꝑ ora­re & n [...] (quam) deficere. luce xviii. Dn̄e āte te oē desi deriū men̄. p̄. xxx. vii. v [...]i glosa. Nū (quam) de sūt orare qu [...] nū (quam) desunt a­mare. to praye in lyke wyse as sayth Jhesu cryste in y e gospell. That is to vnderstonde that after oryson vocall / or mentall made in place and in tyme after good congruyte / holdeth vs euermore in the loue and fere of god / & holely occupyed / and in so doynge we praye god without cessynge / for the good de­syre of the herte is before god an hyghe clamoure. / Also saynt Austen declareth that we may not nor we sholde not come to god yf he called vs not / and we may not come yf he ayde vs not / and we deser­ue not to be ayded but onely by deuoute prayers / & therfore at the begynnynge of the seuen houres ca­nonicales we requyre y e ayde of god / whan we saye deus in adiutorium.

  • To haue pacyence in suffrynge grete aduersytees.
  • To haue vyctorye of trybulacyons & temptacōns.
  • To put oute these euyll thoughtes & affeccyons.
  • To holde thyne espyryte in holy and prouffytable medytacyon.
  • To know the begylynges & temptacyons of the deuyll.
  • To berethe laboure Joyously vnto the whiche god the calleth.
  • The to conferme and make stronge to do the wyll of thy creature.
  • To leue the estate of synne & to purchase vertues.
  • [Page]To come vnto holy contemplacyon / and thou too come with god.
  • To haue Joye and swetnes spyrytuall in god.
  • To be famylyer with angelles / and hatefull vnto deuylles.
  • Fynally to haue the royalme of paradyse.

¶ Also more ouer it is to be noted that some may Derse. d. i Missas died dn̄ica seclaribꝰ totas audire speci all ordinep̄cipimꝰ ita vtan̄bn̄diccōn [...] sacerdotis egredi populusn̄ p̄sumat qdsi fecerit ab ep̄o publice [...]fūdāt. id est excōmunicent. O [...]oēascē [...] mētis ī deū. hec domas. be holden & boūde to prayer vocall / or for by cau­se of his offyce / as ben people of the chirche / or for penaunce inioyned / or for as moche that he hath auowed suche prayer / or for suche ordenaūce gene­rall of holy chirche / by the whiche the people is boū de to here the dyuyne seruyce on the sondayes and grete solempnyte / yf they haue not excusacyon le­full / and vnto them it suffyseth not for to acquyte and for to seche meryte before god to be in the chir­che / and to here alonely with the eeres corporalles the offyce of y e masse / but they sholde lyfte vp theyr hertes vnto god in lyke wyse as the preeste the whiche vnto them representeth Jhesu cryste them com­maūdeth sayenge (Sursum corda) That is to say haue your hertes vpwarde / that is to knowe the vnderstondynge and the wyll towarde god / and ther fore answereth the clergye as well for them as for the people (habemus ad dn̄m) That is to saye we haue our hertes with god / and suche thynge that is to vnderstonde to haue his herte / his vnderston­dynge / and his wyll towarde god is a ryall and verytable prayer after as sayth a doctour named Damascene & vnto y t purpose sayth Bonauenture y t [Page] he hereth truely the masse and none other the whi­che Extra de cele. mis [...]a (rum). Dolētes. hie. habe [...] de [...]se. d. v. N [...] verbis tm̄ sꝪ [...]orde orādꝰ ē deꝰ. with that that he hereth the wordes he hym cō ­uerteth by deuocyon / and by the vnderstondynge to consyder the mystery of the blessed passyon / by the whiche it is to be noted that he the whiche is boun­de to make oryson vocall by vowe / by penaunce or otherwyse and wyttyngly durynge that oryson he is occupyed in other werkes or thoughtes / lettyn­ges / or contraryous vnto the sayd oryson synneth moche greuously and is not acquyte / another thynge it is whan suche thoughtes and occupacyons / comen agayne the wyll / and y t a man doth his payn to put them oute after the fragelyte humayne / & vnto this artycle sholde those desyrously take hede the whiche ben bounde vnto the houres canonyales For the holy chirche cōmaundeth in the vertue of holy obedyēce that they ben sayd deuoutly and attē tyuely / for god taketh more of pleaser and of loue in the deuocyon of the herte / than he dothe in the voyce and modulacyon of the mouth. Also oryson made with thre condycyons / that is to vnderstonde prouffytably / faythfully / and with perseueraunce is euer more fynally exalted of our lorde. prouffy­tably y t is to demaūde the thynge y t is vnto the glo­rye of god / & vnto the saluacyon of the soule. Faythfully that is whan he the whiche maketh the oryson hath true fayth / hope / and charyte towarde god w t [...] [...]g [...] dico vobis petite & dabor vo­bis q̄ [...]ite & iuenie­tis puisate & a ꝑie [...] vobis. Petitis et non accipitis eo (quam) male petatis. ia. perseueraūce / whan the prayer / the affeccyon and good lyfe / and good operacyon perseueren / and it it is that y •our lorde sayth in the gospell / axe / seche and knocke / axe by prayer / seche by affeccyon / and knocke by good operacyon / for all those that soo [Page] done shall receyue that / that they wolde. many maken De pen̄. d. iiii. cap̄ Cauēdum d [...] si diuesille aliqd bonū nō egisset vn̄ ī [...]ti seculo remunera­cōem recepisset. ne qua (quam) abrahā ei diceret recepistis bo na ī vita tua Abū ­dāt tabercula p̄do nū. iob. xii. Itē. p̄s Ecce īpu pctōres & habūdātes ī s [...]l▪ obtinue [...]t diuicias psal. lxxii. Deus orātibusne [...]at ꝓ [...]icius [...] cō [...] dit alus [...]bus me­rito ēiratus. xvi. q. i. Reuertunī. tp̄a­lia ꝓmittūtur his [...] decimas soluūt l [...]cet sin & in pctō. prayers oblacyons / pylgrymages / processyons the whiche god exalteth not be it for hym selfe or for other / for they haue not the condycyons before sayd. As vnto the regarde of goodes and prosperytes temporall the whiche many demaūden and re­quyren in theyr prayers / happeneth oftymes that god them graunteth vnto grete and horryble syn­ners / and in hydynge it vnto his frendes the which ben in the estate of grace / so as it appereth of y e cur­syd ryche man vnto whome Abraham answered after the deth. Remembre the that god the rewarde of thy goodes as thou haste done in y e other worlde / And therfore sayth Job. that oftymes that the uys & people of euyll lyfe haue aboūdance of godes of this worlde / for god graūteth oftymes y e godes worldly vnto those agayne whome he is wroth / & gyueth aduersytes and trybulacyons vnto those the whiche that he holdeth in his loue / In lyke wyse as he sayth by saynt John̄ in his appocalypse. / These holy scryptures vnto vs declaren in many places ryght playnly what condycyons and cyrcū ­staūces true prayer ought to haue / amonge y e whi­che there are thyrty specyalles of the whiche agaȳ the forme of this treatyse folowen the auctorytes / lyne by lyne after theyr ordre with the frensshe.

  • ¶ The fyrste condycyon of prayers is that she ou­ght to be made in true fayth.
  • Miserere me [...]deus quontam in [...] confydit anima mea.
  • Secondely with grete hope without doubte. Jacobi
  • [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] Postulet in fide nil hesitans. de hoc. xxiiii. q. ii. ss. ii
    Citius exaud [...] a deo [...]ohū [...]liantis [...] dec [...] milia con­t [...]ris. aug.
  • Thyrdly prayer ought to be made with humylyte
  • Eccle. xxv.
  • Oracio humiliantisse nubes penetrabit:
  • Fourthly with dyscrecyon without the whiche she is not vnto god pleasaunt.
  • Mathei: xx. Nestitis quid potatis. Et ia. iiii. petitis et non accipitis eo (quam) male potatis.
  • Fyfthly more of the herte than of y e mouth in multyplyenge. i. reg. i.
  • Anna loquebatur in corde suo et vox penitus non audiebatur.
  • Syxtly w t reuerēce in humylyte & in fere. luce. xviii
  • Publicanus non audebat leuare oculos suos ad ce­lum.
  • Seuenthly she ought to be made secrete and in place pryue. Mathei. vi.
  • Tu autē cum oraueris intra cubiculū tum et clau so ostio ora patrem.
  • Eyghtly in poornes of herte / & of cōscyence. p̄s.
  • Iniquitatē si / aspexi i corde meo nō exaudiet dn̄s.
  • Nynethly w t terys at y e lost spirytuall & cordyal.
  • Audiui oracionē tuā vidi lacrimas tuas. et idē. tho
  • Tenthly w t attēcyon vnto the whiche a man spe­keth and that demaūdeth. p̄s. Intēde voci ora­cōnis mee: & rex meus deꝰ meꝰ &c. ergo et tu attēde:
  • Enleuenthly w t grete feruour of spyrite. hie. xlviii
  • Maledictus [...] facit opus dei neglygenter.
  • Tweluethly she ought to be accompanyed w t gode and holy werkes. Tho. xii. bona ē oracio cū ieiunio
  • Et Mathei. v. Beati misericordes. Thyrtenthly w t perseueraūce / as from daye to daye / frō good [Page] vnto better. Actum. apostolierant perseuerantes cū mulieribus et maria matrem eius.
  • By these thynges before sayd appereth the necessyte / the noblesse / and the prouffyte of the true oryson for as sayth John̄ Crisostum we shall speke and may spede with god by holy oryson as oftymes as we wyll in marchaundysynge and in askynge all the thynges the whiche vnto vs be necessarye / and prouffytable / and in this fayth I requyre the mer­cy of the blyssed swete Jhesus as well for me as y e necessyte with all oure moder holy chirche that it hym please vs to pardon / and vs to reforme and to brynge in the true obseruaūce of his blyssed cō ­maūdementes and of his holy grace and benedyc­cyon by the merytes of oure lady his gloryous mo­der / and of all other blyssed sayntes oure poore soules yllumyne / to y e ende that fynally we may come vnto his blyssed fruccyon amen.

¶ Here foloweth a ryght prouffytable applicacyon of the arte of a phesecyan with the practyse y e whi­che the phesecyan spyrytuall ought to holde with the interrogacyons that a man ought to make vn­to hym the whiche is in the artycle of deth.

Caplm xxvi.

AS for to seche and conserue the lyfe & helth corporall many stodyen ryght desyrouslye as well the theorique as the practyser of the arte of phesyke / by more greter reason / of as moche as the soule is more noble than the body / and the lyfe of glorye more dygne than tēporall / euery true crysten man sholde studye in the scyence by the whiche he [Page] may purchase and conserue in his soule the lyfe of Inu [...]sibilia enim dei a creatura mū di ꝑ ea [...] facta sūt ī tell [...]eta cōspiciun­tur. rom̄. i. ca.▪ grace without the whiche a man may not come vn to lyfe eternall / And therfore to the ende that we may know and eschewe synne the whiche is the syknes of the soule and the cause of deth eternall fo­loweth brefe recolleccyon of the arte of physyke spyrytuall founded in the twelue rules of the scyence of physyke corporall / for in lyke wyse as vs techeth the ryght gloryous apostle saynt Poul by y • meane manduccyon of thynges corporalles & sensybles a man may come vnto the contemplacyon of spy­rytualles / And therfore vnto vs hath gyuen the swete Ihesu cryste the true saumarytayn and physycyans of oursoules / the physyke of his holy sacra­mentes vnder the forme of thynges corporall in fere who answereth / as well of the syknes as of the medecyne / and also as of the syke body. For for asmoche that for the occasyon of the fyrst synne was the etynge of the apple the whiche was a thynge corporall. Ihesu cryste vnto vs hath gyuen his precyous body / and his ryght holy blood vnder the for me and semblaunce of brede / and of wyne / and so of baptysme and of other sacramentes in lyke wyse as well agayne the metynge of synne orygenall as of other / As vnto the regarde of the physycyan it is Ihesu cryste the whiche is god and a man togyders / and the syke body that is a man and woman in body materyall / and spyrytuall / by the whiche of good ryght appereth that by the physyke corpo­rall a man may treate and gyue to vnderstonde y • spyrytuall.

THe fyrste rule of a physecyan is that he ou­ght to vnderstonde what helth is / & what syknes is. Or ellys he may not enduce the one and put out the other / In lyke wyse ought the physycy­an spyrytuall. That is to vnderstonde the confes­sour to know what synne is / the whiche is the sykenes of the soule / and what it is to be in the estate of the grace of god the whiche is the helth of that soule: wherfore it is to be noted that helth corporall is Quatuor sūt hu­mores sāguis tleuma colera melan­colia. good dysposycyon the whiche cometh of an armo­ny and consyderacyon of the foure humours. that is to vnderstonde of the blode / of the coler / of the fleume / and of the malancoly / For whan all these foure kepe his degree w tout excedynge or hauynge rule after y e cōplexyon of y e supposaūt there is helth corporall / & by the contrary exces / or defaute / or tribulacyon in y e one / or in many of y e sayd humours causeth syknes applycacyon / In lyke wyse whan Quatuor passio­nes Ira cōcupiscē cia timor tristicia. the foure pryncypall passyons of the soule. That is to vnderstonde / Ire / concupyscence / fere / & heuynes benduely ordeyned & amodered / than the soule is well dysposed & in helth spyrytuall. But by y e contrary whan they ben dysordenate / and troubled there is syknes / & playnly to vnderstonde this ma­ter / that is to know y t whan the passyon of Ire / is vnto y • regarde of thynges y e whiche we may soner from y e loue of y e creatour whan our cōcupyscence & desyre is to y • regarde of y • goodes of glory / fere is vnto y e regarde of dāpnacyon / & heuynes is vnto the regarde of synnes the whiche we haue commyt Than the soule is well dysposed and in helth spy­rytuall / And thanne by the contrary whan that [Page] these foure passyons ben dysordenate / and vnto y • regarde of thynges erthely the soule falleth in lan­goure and in to excessyue syknes.

THe seconde rule of a phesecyan is that he ought to enquyre the causes of helth and of [...]atuor qualitates calor rigiditas siccitashumiditas syknesses / for euery thȳge produceth bryngeth forth and nouryssheth his effecte / By the whiche it is to be notyd that whan the foure qualytes / that is to Suꝑ cecidit igniset nō viderūt solē p̄s. lvii. vnderstonde / hete / colde / drye and moystour ben in certayne and in good porcyon vnto the regarde and suppost: Than they causen armonye & helth Trepida [...]ersit ti­more vbi nō erat timor. p̄s. lii. In lyke wyse the exces or diminucyon or perturba cyon the one agayne y e other / causen syknes / apply­cacyon / In lyke wyse is it vnto the soule. By he Inici [...] sapīetimor dn̄i. p̄s. cx. te vnto vs is sygnyfyed loue the whiche may be well ordeyned agayne god / or dysordynate agayne those thynges erthely / and than it causeth in y e sou­le helth or syknes / more or lesse after the ordenaun­ce / or dysordenaunce. By colde is sygnyfyed fere the whiche may be worldely / humayne / seriule / & vycyous / and than that causeth syknes spyrytuall or it may be helth / and fylyale and the begynnyng of true sapyence and she causeth helth / by drynes is sygnyfyed heuynes the whiche may be dysordy­nate in moche and in lytell / as is to be to moche heuy of aduersytes worldly / and lytell of the offence and dyshonour of god / moystnes sygnyfyeth dely­tes and pleaser without the whiche soule resonable may not lyue / yf they ben worldely & carnall they causen syknes / yf they ben in god and in thynges spyrytuall they causen helth spyrytuall.

THe thyrde rule of a physycyan is that by Grego. sicut ī arte medicie calida fri­gidis frigida cali­discurātur ita dn̄s nt̄ [...]traria oppo [...] it medica [...]ta pctīs vt lubricis [...]tinēci ā tenacibꝰ largita­tē iracūdis māsue tudinē elatis pre­ciperet humilitatē thyng contraryous he sholde chase thother as yf the syknes be hote / he ought to gyue a medycyne colde / yf it be by cause of coldenes / he oughte to gyue medycyne of hete / and soo of other causes applycacyon. In lyke wyse in the physyke spyry­tuall / for in lyke wyse as Ihesu cryste techeth / and the whiche saynt Gregorye declareth / agayne le­chery a man sholde put to abstynaūce / in drynke and in meete / in y • vsynge / in takynge hede / agayn couetyse / almesded [...] / agayne Ire / and furour / pa­cyence / heuynes / agayne pryde humylyte / The whiche maner to remedy ought to be vnderstonde whan there is no cause suffycyent wherfore reso­nably a man sholde other wyse do.

THe fourth rule of the physycyan / is to con­serue Non in solo pane vivit hō (sed) ī oī verbo qd procedit de ore dei. deut. viii. & mat. iiii. Qui ꝑseuerauerit in finē: hic saluꝰ erit. mat. .x. Quid prīcipiis obsta sero medici­na paratur. Cum mala ꝑ lōgas [...]ua­luere mor [...]s. [...] mu tarep̄t ethiopspel lem suā & pardus varietatessuas e [...] vospoteritisb [...]sa cere [...]sididisceritis malū. hiero. xiii. c. the helth recoueryd the whiche thyng is done in foure maners. The fyrste in the vsyn­ge of good meetes. Secondly in takynge of good drynke. Thyrdly in eschewynge drynke excessyf noysaūt. Fourthly in holdynge hym in good ayre In lyke wyse is it vnto the dede spyrytuall. Fyrste in herynge good doctrynes and predycacyons. Se condly to desyre alwayes to do better & to be more worth. Thyrdly in occupyenge hym in holy ope­racyons / forellys at longe goynge a man may not eschewe these euylles. Fourthly in perseuerynge in good werkes / for without perseueraūce in good lyfe a man may neuer come to the hyre or rewarde.

THe fyfth rule of the physycyan / is dylygē ­ce for to remedye at the begynnynge of syknesses. For with more greate payne is the thorne areched of as moche as she putteth her rote the more in depnes / applycacyon / a lyke thynge it is of synne who so hym wyll plante in the soule / be it Ire / enuy / pryde / lechery or other synne / for who y • wyll resyste at the begynnynge he therto may come easely / but who that it deffereth by longe tyme w t grete payne he therto cometh / And therfore sayth well holy scrypture that he hath the blessynge of god the whiche casteth his lytelnes and yongth nourysshed / and it chaseth agayne the stone / by thesely Fūdamētū aliud nemo pōt ponere pter illud qd pos [...] ­tū ē iesus xp̄s▪to [...]i. iiii. tell yonge and newely borne ben sygnyfyed these euyll thoughtes and moeuynges of synne the why che ben casten agayne the stone / whanne a man requyreth the ayde of Ihesu cryste the whiche is na­med the true stone / for as moche as he is the foun­dacyon of the holy fayth catholyque and of all ho­ly chirche.

THe syxte rule [...]f a phesycyan is y t he ought to know the tokenes of the sykenes the whiche Nota quattuor signa ifirm [...]a [...]s. ben foure. The fyrste whan the persone hath loste all apetyte. The seconde whan he eteth and forth with he it auoydeth by y • waye that he hath it receyued. The thyrde whan he appetyteth not but thynges the whiche vnto hym be contraryous. ap­plycacyon / Alyke thynge it is vnto the dede of the soule whan she enioyneth not to receyue good doc / tryne / it is the fyrste token of his sykenes or whan she herkeneth gladly euoweth but nothynge she re­teyneth [Page] that is as vnto the seconde / or whan shere ceyueth and retayneth but she putteth nothynge in werke by good dygestyon y • is as vnto the thyrde as euyll token / or whan she desyreth not but thyn­ges worldly / and erthly and without mesure / as by symony or vsury.

THe seuenth rule of a phesycyan is to know Erit tp̄s cum sanā doctrinā non sustinebūt. i. thim. iiii. Ad tp̄s credūt et ī tp̄e tēptacōis recedūt. luce. viii. Dicūt et nō faciūt mathei. xxiii. c. Quatuor signa sanitatis. Qui ex deo ē ver­ba dei audit. io. viii. c. the tokenes of helth the whiche ben foure & contrary vnto the foure tokenes of syknes before sayd. applycacyon. whan the soule appetyteth to here good doctryne and putteth payne to retayne / and to put it in werke by good lyfe / and eschewe euyll langage and folysshe cōpanyes. Than she is nourysshed with remembraunce by holy medytacyons those thynges the whiche vnto her may prouf­fyte / and by that she encreaseth and fortyfyeth in euery benediccion.

THe .viii. rule of a phesycyan y t is to auoyde payne and heuynes vnto the pacyent in gy­uynge good medycyne. Example / grete abstynence and dyete for to hele feuers with porcyon of her­bes bytter to perce and cleue in dyuers maners botches Pene in montibꝰ sūt medicinales secūdum aristo. swellynges / and apostumes / to gyue pylles or triacle made of venym / and of porsons / and of bitter thynges / for to auoyde these euyll humours / for to breke bones / synewes / vaynes in membres euyll sette & crokyd / for to brynge them agayne & thē remytte in theyr ryght poynt / & soof many other medecines. applicatō. so is it in medicine spiritua▪ for [Page] who that suffreth the brennynge of cursyd concu­pyscence carnall he ought to make dyete / who that hath botche and swellynge of pryde / ought to con­syder the humylyte of the kynge of glorye / his lyfe and his passyon and humble hymselfe / he that is in Ire / or in enuy the tryacle of bytter compassyon vnto hym is necessary and hym behoueth to make fraccyon of the hardenes of his herte. Also as he hath one membre crokyd & dysordoned from his place in requyrynge pardon and in humblynge hȳ to warde those that he myght offende / and by suche wyse he hym shall redresse and shall lyue with his neyghbour.

THe .ix. rule is lytell / and lytell and by succes [...]umb [...] nissemad vos frēs veni nō i sublimitate sermonisaut sapie. i. cor [...] [...] se [...]tur i. c. iii. [...]ā (que) [...]lis i xp̄o la [...] vobis potū de­di nō escā mūdū ei poteraris ītelligē ­te (sed) nec nūc [...]dem potestis a dhu [...] eni [...]rnalis estis. &c. syon of tyme he sholde gyue medycynes pur gatyues / for nature may not werke sodeynly / and therfore to gyue medycyne without dysposycyon is aduenture to lese all / applycacyon. This forme ought the physycyan spyrytuall to kepe / for at the begynnynge of the reduccyon of the syke body that is to vnderstonde of the synner he ought not to enioyne thynges of hye perfeccyon or stronge / or har­de restytucyons / or sodeyne / but ought hym to reduce from lytell vnto more greater / for to come vnto correccyon and amendement / And suche doctryne holdeth and techeth saynt Poul / the true medycy­ne spyrytuall as it appereth by his wrytynges.

THe. x. rule is to haue good knowlege to pur­ge the body of his euyll humours / for of as [Page] moche as they abounde they cōuerten the good meetes in to them selfe / wherfore it is to vnderstonde that in four maners he may make purgaryon of euyll humour [...] / for somtyme he doeth it byneth / & another tyme by the mouth / another tyme by ble­dynge / or by sethynge and by force of fyre. apply­cacyon / lyke chynge is it in the dede of the soule / for his purgacyon is made byneth whan the synner cō sydereth the grete and horryble paynes of helle the Date elemosinā [...] oia mūdasūt vob. lu. xi. Purgabit filios leui & cōflabit eos quasi aurum & quasi argentū. malachie. te [...]io. whiche ben maderedy vnto syuners / somtyme it is made by the opper▪ parte by a cōsyderacyon that he leseth the blyssed royalme of paradyse / by the whiche the synner is moeued to make an entyere and parfyte contessyon / somtyme it is made by almes dede in puttynge out from hym of his goodes and of his substaūce / another tyme by the sethynge and by the fyre of trybulacyon taken and endured in good pacyence.

THe .xi. rule of a phesycyan is to knowe the tokenes of deth to the ende that he may de­noūce as well vnto the pacyence as vnto his fren­des that they puruayen of the surplus for than the physycyan is at the ende of his knowlege & may neuer brynge agayne helth / wherfore it is to be noted that in a syke body there may be foure tokenes of deth corporall. The fyrste is whan he felyth not his sykenes / for thenne nature is to moche lowe. The seconde whan he hath noshame that a man seeth all this membres / for shame is the token of [Page] good dysposycyon in blode of persone resonable the whiche dysposycyon is than dystroyed. The thyrde whan he knoweth no more those persones the whiche other tymes he knewe / for that is a token that the brayne and the pryncypall organes ben lately dede / or excessyuely troubled. The .iiii. is whan he is in franesye / for thenne not alonely the brayne but with that the herte is in tormente. / applycacyon. In lyke wyse may a man haue foure tokenes of the deth spyrytuall of the soule / And of the conscyence of the synner. The fyrste whan Amplius la [...]a me dn̄e ab ū [...]tate m̄a [...]a pctō meo mūda me &c. qm̄ ū [...]tatem meā ego cognosco p̄s. l I [...]ciū salutis est agnicio prope mi [...]tatis. [...]n̄. the synner knoweth not his gylte and his synne / it is a token euydent that of suche syknes he may not escape but that he go vnto the deth eternall / The seconde whanne he hath no shame to synne openly The thyrde is whanne his affeccyon is in suche wyse dysordynate and applyed vnto yll that he hath no knowlege of his dede nor of his peryll of his soule & dampnacyon. The fourth whan the sensua­lyte ruleth so in hym that he hath no reason nor strength for to resyste vnto the passyons of Ire / of enuy / of wrath / of lechery / or other y e whiche vpon hym cometh. By these foure tokenes a man may knowe that the syke body spyrytually is dysposed vnto the deth of helle.

THe .xii. rule of the physycyan is to knowe the tokenes of lyfe and of helth / for to de­noūce it vnto the pacyent to the ende that it hym may enioye and recomforte in his spyryte the whi­che [Page] thynge helpeth moche vnto the helth corporall By the whiche it is to be noted that the tokenes for to mowe recouer helth ben foure / The fyrste whā the sykenes is mynysshed and that nature is strengthed those ben tweyne tokenes of helth. The thyr­de whan the mater of the syknes begynneth to dy­geste. The fourth whan by ony maner of euacua­cyon a man putteth out humours and maters the whiche causen the syknes. applycacyon. These foure tokenes to recouer helth spyrytuall bē shewed spyrytually. Fyrste whan the persone restrayneth and reproueth his passyons. The seconde whan be hym enforseth to purchasse vertues and good habytuacyons for to resyste. The thyrde whanne reason argueth and comprehendeth the inconue­nyens y e whiche may folowe to obey vnto his passyons sensualles. By the whiche she requyreth y • ayde of god & of his blyssed sayntes for to resyste agayne them. The fourth whan he fleeth vnto his power the occasyons of synne as from the pla­ce from the tyme / from the persones & soo of other thynges the whiche hym may enduce vnto synne. / By these thynges before sayd appereth in brefe the applycacyon of medycyne spyrytuall vnto the me­dycyne corporall and who answereth of the one vnto the other who so well doth vnto his prouffyte / helth muste he haue eternall amen.

¶ Here foloweth some brefe interrogacyons that a man may make to euery good crysten man that a man seeth labourynge in the artycle of deth / or [Page] the whiche yf he can or may and fyrste ought for to do.

CRysten man / or crysten woman byleue you sted fastly all y e artycles of the fayth. That is to vnderstonde in god the fader y e whiche is creatour of heuen and of the erth / and of all other thynges vysyble and inuysyble: Also in Jhesu cryste his sone the whiche for vs hath be conceyued and borne of the vyrgyn Mary. The whiche for vs to teche and to agayne bye hath soo moche suffred of payne / and fynally the deth ryght cruell / and the thyrde daye arose / and the whiche is styed into he­uen / and shall come agayne to Juge the quycke & the deed for to yelde vnto euery creatour that / that he hath deserued. Byleue you that by the grace of the holy goost the holy chirche is sustayned & nou­rysshed and the holy sacramētes ordened and that after our descesse we all shall aryse. The answere yes. Be not ye well Joyfull to dye in the crysten fayth / and in the vnyte and obedyence of our mo­der the holy chirche / The answere yes. Confesse ye to haue so poorely lyued that you haue not de­serued ony meryte of goodnes / & y t ye better sholde haue lyued than ye haue done / The answere yes / Knowlege ye that ye haue offended your god / your creatur ryght often and ryght greuously / The answere yes. Haue not you sorowe and dyspleaser of all the synnes that ye haue done and of the go­denes [Page] that ye haue lefte to do / of the gyftes and of the graces of god the whiche ye haue not well vsed answere yes / haue not ye good purpose and wyll you to amende yf god you graunt to come vnto helth. answere yes / pardon you not with good herte for the loue of god all them that you haue offended answere yes / requyre not you also & demaūde ryghte humbly pardon and mercy generally of all those y t ye haue offended / answere yes / Byleue you well y t for you our lorde wolde dye / and that otherwyse than by his blessyd passyon ye may not be saued / answere yes / Of this and of other innumerable graces that he vnto you hath done and vnto all the worlde yelde ye not hym graces and mercy w t hert as moche as ye maye / yf the persone may speke w t very fayth and good conscyence with herte alonely / or w t herte and with mouth togyders these thynges before sayd / and answere in lyke wyse as it is sayd / and in suche estate desseaceth / it is a ryght grete token of saluacyon. Than the persone the whiche in suche wyse is dysposed all holely hym ought to recōmaūde and to cōmytte vnto the blyssed pas­syon of our lorde in puttynge therto his hope / and not in other meryte or good dede and theron ought he to thynke contynually in as moche that the syknes he may endure and bere / for by that ben sur­moūted and beten downe the dyuerse temptacyōs of the deuyll of helle / And than a man ought by­twene god the fader & the greuousnes of y e gylte of his synnes put & oppose the deth of his swete chyld without otherwyse to pleade or aledge / and also for the merytes that he ought to haue and that he hath [Page] not he ought to offre the merytes of oure sauyoure Jhesu cryste / the whiche ben infynyte comen vnto all those the whiche duely them axe and reclayme and thynke on hym / Or a man sholde calle vnto his mynde the story of y e good thefe how he knowleged his gylte and his synne and the swetnes & pyte of our lorde the whiche requyred god the fader for the synne of those the whiche hym put and helde in tormentes and in deseases of deth / by the whiche▪ cō syderacyon he was inspyred to requyre the ayde of Jhesu cryste sayenge (Memento meidn̄e) That is to saye lorde haue pyte and mynde of me. The whiche thynge ought he to saye vnto his power y e whyche laboureth in the extremetes of deth / and also ought to saye his confyteor / and after to make protestacyon that he wyll dye in the trouth of the holy fayth catholyque / what so euer illusyon / or freue­saye vnto hym come in the artycle of deth. And af­terwarde saye in manus tuas dn̄e cōmendo spiri­tum meum &c.

¶ Here folowen. vi. aduysementes ryght prouffytable for to enduce them that be lyuynge for to dye.

HOr as moche as in y e consystorye of the blyssed Caplm xxix. trynyte is determyned irreuocably that it vs behoueth all to dye and before god at y e houre of deth vs represent all and that euery creatour in pertyculer for tore [...]eyue Jugement and fynall sentence of saluacyon or of dāpnasyon after at euery [Page] of them hath deserued / it is souerayne wysdome Quocū (que) enī die cōederitis de fru [...] tu ligni scīe boni & mali morte morte mini. g [...]ene. i. [...] for hym to study to dye well. Than for to haue so­me knowlege of peryllous thynges y e whiche comen vnto euery creatour at the houre of deth and for to haue mater & exitacyon vs to prepayre from daye Statutūē hoībus semel mori et post hoc iudiciū ▪ hebre. ix. c. to daye so that contynually we approche vnto that houre ryght doubfull. Here folowen syx aduysemē tes for to conceyue fere by the whiche we may dys­prayse this present worlde and for to prepayre vs to departe surely from this present lyfe.

THe fyrste auysement is that at the houre of deth of euery creature is the ende of the worlde and the grete Jugement as vnto regarde of the sentence / and of thynges the whiche theder comen and ben done vnto the case partyculer of the crea­ture vbi te iuenio ibi te iudicabo. resonable / for in y t estate in the whiche a man is founde in that estate and houre a man is Jugyd and sentence irreuocably vnto the whiche sentence he may not resyste / lette or it dyffer / by scyence / by puyssaūce / by loue / or by fauour. Alas popes / Em­perours / Kynges. Dukes / Erles / Barons / and all other of what so euer preemynence / or condycyons be it a man or a woman / olde or yonge / all by the condycyouegalle we be nowe acyted for to appere vnto suche and soo meruaylous Jugement / And full fewe there are the whiche on it thynketh duely The whiche thynge these worldely people shewen clerely by theyr lyfe that they holden and leden the (whiche is [Page] dampnable / for the more parte of them ben begy­led Dēs morimut et quast aque delabimur in terrā [...] nō reupttātur. iii. reg xiiii. capitulo. by the temptacyon of the deuyll the whiche thē maketh ymagen that they haue true repentaūce before that they ben presented vnto the Jugement of god / and vnto the houre of the deth as it is sayd / wherfore Ducūt ī bonis di­es suos & ipūto ad in ferna descēdūt. [...]. xxi. capitulo. they doubte not to contynewe theyr vayn lyfe / seculer & worldly / and whan they comen vnto the ende they fallen by Justice secrete and infynyte in to dyspayre and by the consequent with Judas [...]ac aīaduersiē ꝑ [...]uti [...] petōr vt mo­rieus obliui scatur su [...] [...] dū viueret et oblitus ē del. an. in eternall dampnacyon. By the whiche it is well and truely sayd / of good lyfe good ende / of euyll cometh neuer good. And vnto that purpose make these theologyens suche questyon. That is to vn­derstonde Decentfi milibus hoibus quo (rum) vita erriteri [...] mala vix rueretur saluari v­nus [...]a si vix iustꝰ saluabit̄ impius & peccator vbi pare bunt. yf the persone y e whiche hath ledde euyll lyfe tyll vnto the syknes / or vnto the tyme of the deth may come vnto good ende & haue saluacyon The answere. After saynt Austen it is not possyble but that he the whiche hath ben of euyll lyfe may haue a good ende / but it is ryght harde for as sayth Eusebius in one of his epystles / of an hundred. M persones the whiche haue contynued an euyll lyfe cometh there one vnto a good ende. And vnto that purpose sayth Richarde de media villa that the penaunce is suffycyent vnto saluacyon / whan the synner hath dyspleaser of his synne / and in purpose neuer to consent vnto mortall synne / and of tyme paste maketh a true confessyon and an hole or in purpose that to do in place and in tyme / and that vnto all these thynges before sayd it is moued and enduced pryncypally for the loue of god & not pryncypally for fere to be dāpned or for other occasyon seuile or temporall / or ellys the penaunce that a mā [Page] doeth in the artycle of deth suffyseth not to gete saluacyon / and for as moche that ryght fewe of tho­se the whiche haue ben of euyll lyfe haue the con­dycyons before sayd at the houre of deth it foloweth that of those the whiche dyfferrē and taryen to do true penaunce tyll the bedde and at y e tyme of deth full fewe there aren that be saued / For yf it be soo that they haue not wyll to loue god faythfully du­rynge the tyme that he vnto them gyueth so moch of his goodes and of his graces / as may be y • body and the soule / helth / prosperyte / of wytte of mynde of goodes erthly / [...]other thynges / how may they hym loue and reclayme with herte pyteous & tayth full whan he them shall holde in grete dysti esle in the pryson of greuous syknes in takynge from thē helth playes / dysportes / Joyes / and gladnesses and all pleasures worldly In the whiche they haue put theyr hertes and theyr studye. This thynge is ry­ght harde for to ymagen. That is to vnderstonde that than they loue god by true charyte the whiche prouen these doctours by many reasons / the fyrste is for the grete and horiyble passyon of the syknes and of a fere seruyle & hatefull in y • whiche talleth than the espyryte humayn the whiche hath not god with hym by grace whan there come suche necessyte / as Dfie si pauci sunt q̄ saluāiur. (quam)e aūt dixit ad illos Lotē dite itrare ꝑ augustā port [...] dito vo­vis qr multi que­rāt itrare & nō po­tuerunt. lu. xiii. c. Itē. ps. vi. No ē imorte [...] memor sit tui. yf ony hadde the fote in the tyre / or in y e wa­ter sethynge he may not fynde his vnderstondynge Than for to reknowlege his synnes for the grete so rowe that he suffreth / and by the consequente may not haue y e dyspleaser y e whiche is necessary before y t god pardoneth y e synnet / & y • he gyueth his grace & therfore sayth well holy scrypture as vnto suche [Page] people they thynke not on god suffycyantly for to fynde grace whan the houre of deth cometh / For Justyce and reason requyren y • he the whiche hath no wyll to recorne vnto god by promesses / and by gyftes / by thretenynges & by increpacyons / y t god hath contynued towarde some by thyrty / or by fyfty yeres / more or lesse / As ben predycacyōs / remors of conscyence / prosperytes worldly / examples and Qui fecit tesine tenoiustificabit te siue te. au. Itē greg Justū vt [...] noluit penitere cūpotuit cū voluerit sero sit Jugementes of god they ben comen as in theyr tyme as of the deth of those the whiche they knowen And parauenture them resemb [...]n in estate and in maner of lyuynge & in other maners without nō ­bre vnto god called & be not in wyll to retorne du­rynge y t he hadde the tyme & the houre / by y e which god them suffreth Justly to fall into dampnacion eternall / for he seeth & knoweth in his scyence dyuine & infynyte / y t where by. M. of dayes & of yeres / he thē taryeth / yet euer more they abyden in their obstynacyon / & therfore notw tstondynge y t whan the ende cometh & theyr necessyte they them wolde cōfesse & amende it is to late for to abyde. Also as in all case comenly suche penaūce procedeth of fere seruyle / as is y e fere pryncypally to be dāpned. and Paucos ex his credo saluari [...] vs (que) in fine expectāt iustifica [...]. Ne tardescōuertiad d [...]im nec diffe­ [...]as de die i diē. eccle. v. Si mutare pōt e­t [...]iops pellē suā et ꝑdꝰ varietates su­as & vos poteritis v [...]facere cū diceritis malū. hi [...]. xiii. therfore sayth and byleueth saynt Jerome that of suche there aren ryght fewe saued / By the whiche it appereth clerely ynough y • he the whiche dyffer­reth true parfyte penaūce tyll vnto y • tyme of deth he hym dysposeth vnto dāpnacyon / & doth agayn the admonicyon of y • holy goost. The seconde let­tynge to do true penan̄ce whan the ende of the lyfe cometh it is an habytuacyon of sȳne the whiche is in the soule of them the whiche haue longely con­tynued [Page] an euyll lyfe. The whiche habytuacyon is Hāc [...]adue [...]siōe ꝑ cuci [...] pctōr vt moriēs obliuisca [...] su [...] [...]dū viueret oblitꝰ est dei. aug [...]. vnto them also as naturall. By the which it sholde be a ryght harde thynge it for to breke / dystroye & put awaye whan it cometh vnto the ende & consū ­macyon of the lyfe & there where the persone hath so lytell of tyme & so many of lettynges that to do. The thyrde lettynge is the temptacyon of y • deuyl the whiche tempteth the persone at the tyme of the deth more than euer he hadde done in the dayes of his lyfe / & the persone hym resyste not with tymes paste / & in the tyme of his greate knowlege of his helth & y • whiche hath not deseruyd so moch agayn god as y • blyssed sayntes of paradyse to fynde ayde in y t laste necessyte / what may he do in suche shor­tenes of tyme / and in suche oppresse of paynes & of tēptacyons y • whiche cometh on all partyes. The fourth lettynge is dyffaylynge of wytte humayne For in as moche y e the synner hath put his herte & his vnderstondynge in thynges erthly & transyto­ryes the whiche faylen at nede ben they women / chyldren / rychesses / delytes / pleasures / and other goodes of this lyfe they fallen in a confusyon of vnderstondynge / and is in a dyspleaser of the Ju­gement of god. By the whiche he theym maketh to lese and to leue the thynge in the whiche they haue put theyr loue / and theyr pleasaunce / and by suche passyons / as well in the vnderstondynge / as in the wyll they forgeten god and theyr saluacyon / By the which god suffreth tyght Justly that they fallen and abyden amonge the handes of theyr en (nemyes / many [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] other greate and also as innumerable lettynges comen vnto synners at the houre of the deth whan they haue ben of euyll lyfe / And so appereth the trouth of the questyon. That is to vnderstonde yf the synner the whiche hath ledde an euyll lyfe tyll vnto the tyme of his syknes mortall may come vnto saluacyon and this is as vnto the fyrste aduyse­ment.

THe seconde aduysement is of the mysterye of the two angelles of the creature the whi­che sholde dye That is to vnderstonde of the good and of the euyll / for euery persone the whiche hath good and resonable vnderstondynge oughte to be aduysed y • he hath a good angell / the whiche hath vnusquis [...] ab ex­ordio vite su [...]habꝪ [...]onu angel [...] custo d [...] et malū angelū excitante. Hee magister sentenc [...]arū [...]. d [...]. secundi. the offyce and cōmaundement of god hym to pur­ge / illumyne and enduce to come vnto perfeccyon. And also hym to defende from the deuyll of helle. And to kepe hym from the h [...]ure of the creacyon of the soule tyll vnto the departynge from y e body the whiche is the houre of deth. And in lyke wyse he hath an euyll spyryte for to tempte hym and enduce vnto all yll and fynably vnto dampnacyon yf he may / And a man ought to vnderstonde that as w [...]ll the good angell as the euyll haue greter knowlege naturall / than euer myght haue phylosopher / astronomyer / or physycyan / by the whiche it folo­weth that they may know naturally y • complexion the causes / and the greef of the syknes of the persone of whome they haue the charge / and the cure▪ / : That is to vnderstonde the good to enduce hym vnto saluacyon. And the cursyd vnto dyspayre [Page] and vnto eternall dampnacyon. And therfore whā [...]mnis [...] ­onis vid [...] fine. [...]s. [...]xviii. Cōstituite prīcipem super [...]i [...] [...]ias suscip [...]ed [...]. the good angell seeth / and knoweth the ende and the houre of the deth of suche persone to be comen / and knoweth not what shall be the sentence of the Jugement of god / he sheweth and bryngeth this mater with the blyssed and gloryous archangell saynt Michell vnto whome god hath gyuen offyce to receyue the soules the whiche haue obeyed vnto the good inspyracyons of the blyssed angelles and than the sayd archangell gyueth and assygneth cer­tayne nombre of the chyualry of paradyse vnto the sayd angell for to d [...]scende and to come vnto y e Ju­gement of the lytell worlde. That is to vnderstōde of man and of woman the whiche of good ryght is named and called the lytell worlde / for it is the cō ­clusyon and cōsūmacyon of all the grete worlde / & than the angell so nobly accompanyed more or lesse after y • dygnyte of y • offyce / or the prelacyon of the persone y • whiche ought to be Juged descendeth & hym presenteth on the ryght syde. And in lyke wyse the euyll spyryte y • whiche hath had y e offyce to tempte that persone maketh grete dylygence to fet­che vnto Lucyfer y • ende & the Jugement of y e persone y t he hath tempted to be come / & hath not than certayne knowlege yf he shall be saued or dāpned for ony yll or sȳne y t he hym hath made to do. And thā Lucyfer vnto hȳ gyueth cōpany of deuylles more or lesse after y e vocacyon & the degre of y e persone in lyke wyse as it is sayd of y e good angell. & than y • deuyl so accompanyed cometh & hym presenteth on y • lefte syde of y • champyon / be it man or womā y t is bataylled & than cometh as well vnto y • body [Page] as vnto y • soule of suche persone so grete & so Imcompreuable batayle of dysease / of sorowe / and of fere / y t there is no tonge nor wrytynge y t it may de­clare & tell / for there was neuer soo holy a persone y • by the waye of nature & of comen cours may be assured of his case & what shall be the ende of his Jugement. And therfore those y e which ben present at suche departyng sholde praye with the company of holy creatures the whiche ben presented for the poore creature the whiche is in the moost grete ne­cessyte & dystresse y t euer vnto hȳ ▪may come in this worlde / and hym they sholden recomforte & enduce vnto hope in she wynge hym y • token of y • ryghtt pyteous passyon of our blyssed sauyoure & redēptour Jhesu cryste / the whiche is the confusyon of deuyl­les of helle in namynge hym / or make to speke the name of Jhesus / for thā it is no tyme to brynge vnto theyr mynde dettes restytucyons / or the grete hates and synnes / for that ought to haue be made be­fore y t they were comē vnto suche extremyte of paynes & of dyseases y • whiche than them holden in al partes. Also it is to be noted y • by preuylege synguler god sheweth vnto some holy persones theyr go de & holy departynge before the houre of theyr deth By y • which they be not more ferefull as it is sayd But they ben in one peas and gladnes spyrytuall the whiche vnto them is nowe a begynnyge of glorye / O very fader omnipotent what haue we thys houre and this batayll before our eyes of our vn­derstondynge for to arme vs with merytes & with vertues and for to dyspose vs and to deserue agaȳ the sayntes of paradyse and syngulerly agayne y • [Page] virgin Mary to mo we haue socours and ayde / for thā shall prouffyte nothynge golde / syluer / townes nor castelles / offyces / dygnytes / ne preemynences / But of all suche thynges it shall behoue to yelde acompte ryght straytly / as shall be sayd here afterwarde. Dedit ei iudiciu [...] facere quia filius hois est. Jo. v.

THe thyrde aduysement is that euery creature ben they good or euyll shall se at y • houre of the deth the blyssed swete Jhesu cryste the which vbi [...]ū (que) fuerit corpus illi [...]gregabū tur & a [...]le. lu. xvii. is Juge generall of the quyche and of the deed and hym they shall see in the forme and maner that he was on good fryday whan he hongelvpon y • crosse Sol obscurab [...] et luna non dabit lu­mēsuū & stelle ca­dēt de celo & virtutes celo (rum) cōmoue­bū [...] & tūc aparebit signū filii hoīs ī [...]e so & videbit filium hoīs ī nubibꝰ celi cū virtute magna & maiestate &c. mathe [...]. xxiiii. cap [...]. sayen vnto god the fader (Pater in manus tuas cō mendo spiritum meum) wherfore it is well to be noted that the persone so approchynge vnto y • deth cometh vnto suche passage that he leseth the vsage of his fyue wyttes of nature all holly / for yf all the bellys and bombardes of the worlde sowned in his ere he them hereth not / and so of the syght and of other wyttes vnto regarde of syght / of felynge / of smellynge / and of tastynge / and than in that mo­ment y t the yates of the body. That is to vnderstonde the fyue wyttes ben closed / the yates of his soule yet beynge in his body ben open / for than the soule seeth all clerely the blyssed Jhesu cryste in the forme and estate as it is sayd before / Also she seeth her holy angell with grete company of gloryous spyrytes / And also seeth the deuyll and his compa [...]y the whiche all abyden the sentence dyuyne / be if▪ [Page] of saluacyon or of dampnacyon and than the bo­kesben open / for the soule be it good / or euyll seyng the blyssed Ihesu cryste the whiche is named truely the boke of lyfe wryteth within and without seeth than clerely all y • processe of his lyfe / for neuer had he thought in his lyfe but than therof than she hathe clere knowlege of all togyders and of euery of them in partyculer weren they good or euyll. And in lyke wyse of delyres of wyiles / and of wordes & by a more greter reason of all his werkes ben they good or yll and of the good dedes of the whiche a man hath hadde oportunyte to do and that aman hath not done / and also in lyke wyse of the euyll. & all these thynges shall be weyed and examyned by the Iuste balaūce of the Iustyce dyuyne. and than many thynges the whiche semeth to be golde / syl­uer / precyous stones after the Iugement humayne shall not be but donge / erth / and caryn. That is to saye that many semen vnto y e worlde to be of gre­te deuocyon and of grete perfeccyon shall be than knowen to be full of ypocresye and of abhomyna­cyon here rynnen to socours / y e ryght gloryous vir­gyn mary and the holy sayntes of paradyse / vnto whome the persone hath done honour and seruyce in his lyfe / and also the good werkes and merytes that a man hath purchased durynge that a man hath hadde tyme and space. And those the whiche haue not deseruyd to be ayded suffysen not to an­swere / or them to excuse. O very god the whiche sercheste and examynest the hertes / the synewes / y e [...] vaynes and the mouynges of the bones [Page] of humayns. That is to saye the causes / y e reasons and the intencyons / and these other cyrcūstaunces of dedes humayns / what shall he be that may thā answere before thyn ryght holy face / before the holy angelles / and before the deuylles. Also shall be demaunded reason and a compte of all the tyme of our lyfe and so tyll / vnto the shettynge of the eye. And of all the goodes y e whiche vnto vs hath ben gyuen in our lyfe ben they gyftes of grace / of nature / or of fortune / as we them haue vsed be it Qui g [...]abitu [...] [...] mūdū se h [...]e. cori. in prosperyte / or aduersyte. Alas more than a. M. tymes alas / Alas what may than answere those the whiche so folysshely and so vaynly passen and so lesen the tyme of mercy / and therfore at y e houre of deth the soule be it good or euyll / shall see & kno­we by the puyssaunce dyuyne all the proces of hys lyfe / for the boke of his conscyence vnto hym shall be shewed so clerely that by the boūte / pyte / & mer­cy of god she is of the nombre of the saued / or that by the Iustyce dyuyne she ought to be Iustly con­dampned and delyuered vnto the deuylles for his defaute and ryght cursyd lyfe. And this is as vn­to the thyrde aduysement.

THe fourth aduysement is of the sentence of the Iuge / for than our lorde shall appere so terry [...]e vnto them that haue not deserued saluacy on that none vnderstondȳge suffyseth it to ymagē Rebrobi malent o [...]e tormētū sust [...] nere (quam) faciem [...]ud [...] [...]s [...]rat [...] vider [...]. a [...] And therfore sayth well saynt Austen that there is no torment in the worlde that is so harde to endu­re as is to be presented before y e face of Ihesu cryste [Page] and hath deserued his Ire / & his maledyccyon / for he shall reproche vnto the cursyd / theyr synnes gre­te & horryble geuyng vnto them clere knowlege of theyr vnkyndenes / and how they haue hym crucyfyed Uoc [...]ui & re niuis­tis venire extendi manū meā & nō fu it [...] asp [...]cerꝪ despe xis [...]is o [...]e cōsilium meū & īcrepaciōes meas neglexistis ego quo (que) ī īteritu v [...]o ridebo & subsā [...]abo cūvobis (quam) ti mebat▪ aduenerit cūirruerit repēta calamitas et ī teri [...]ꝰ &c. prouerbiorū [...]. [...]ap [...]. of newe / As done all those the whiche after y • baptem / after the sacrament of confessyon / & after the recepcyon of his ryght precyous sacramente in the whiche he gyueth his flesshe and his blode they ben retorned vnto theyr sȳnes from yere to yere. & without there makynge an ende. And vnto them he shall shewe clerely the myste [...]ye of his blyssed in carnacyon / and of his passyon / and the tyme / and how longe he them hath abyden vnto mercy / all y • whiche thynges they haue dyspraysed in as moche that they haue not them vsed vnto saluacyon. and therfore in that laste houre ryght Iustly he theym dyspraysynge in gyuynge vpon them his sentence so terryble that the heuen and y e erth shall tremble That is to vnderstonde nature angelyke / and na­ture humayne in sayenge vnto the soule dampned Departe thou forthwith / with thy body cursyd creature / and go thou vnto the fyre of helle and vnto the tormentes eternall / the whiche vnto the ben made redye / and the whiche thou hast▪ Iustly deserued with the spyrytes dampned vnto temptacyons of whome thou haste wylled to obeye / Than the soule accursyd is constrayned to departe from the body / and seynge that she is in the bonde and ma­ledyccyon of god / and more ouer seeth the cruel best enraged / that is the deuyll of hell y • whiche is redy & in awaytynge her to receyue. Than fynably she her torneth and cōuerteth towarde her holy angell [Page] the whiche alwayes tyll vnto y t houre hath her de­fended from y t euyll enemye in desyrynge naturally yet to haue socoure & defence. But the good an­gell in approuynge y e ryght Iuste sentence of god vnto hym sayth / Go thou w t the deuyll acursyd by the sentence of the blyssed Trynyte & of all the cō ­pany of heuen / for thou haste not in tyme passed wylled for to knowe thy creatour / & the seruy [...]e y t to the hath be done by his cōmaūdement in defendynge y • from the aduersytes & in procurynge the to remors of cōscyence & inspyracyons to doo well / & to leue synne / but y u m [...] haste refused / & therfore nowe of good ryght god & euery holy creature y e oughte well to refuse / and there with all y e to leue vnto those vnto whome thou haste obeyed and than y e poore soule seynge that she hath not socours nor ayde in heuen nor in erth / & that she may not flee nor auoy de the hande and puyssaunce of deuylles the which ben present as these slawghter men of helle for to execute the sentence dyuyne maketh so grete acrye spyrytuall and maketh so grete sorowe and so grete complaynt / as sayth the booke of angelles that there is no torment in this worlde that a man or a woman ne bereth more easely than to see the pyte­ous departynge of the soule and of his holy angell Opyteous hertes humayns why haue not you re­garde in this mater that may haue remedye vnto suche in conuenyent / for yf a persone had done all the synnes that euer were done / soo may she durynge the tyme of mercy doo penaunce and amende­mente / By the whiche she may euade & escape y e [Page] and hath deserued his Ire / & his maledyccyon / for he shall reproche vnto the cursyd / theyr synnes gre­te & horryble geuyng vnto them clere knowlege of theyr vnkyndenes / and how they haue hym crucyfyed Voc [...]u [...] & [...]e niuis­ [...]s venire extendi manū meā & nō fuit [...] aspicerꝪ despexistis o [...]e cōsilium meū & īcrepaciōes meas neglexistis ego quo (que) ī īteritu v [...]o ridebo & subsā nabo cūvobis (quam) ti mebat aduenerit cū irruerit repēta calamitas et ī teritꝰ &c. prouerbiorū [...]. capi. of newe / As done all those the whiche after y • baptem / after the sacrament of confessyon / & after the recepcyon of his ryght precyous sacramente in the whiche he gyueth his flesshe and his blode they ben retorned vnto theyr sȳnes from yere to yere▪ & without there makynge an ende. And vnto them he shall shewe clerely the mysterye of his blyssed in carnacyon / and of his passyon / and the tyme / and how longe he them hath abyden vnto mercy / all y • whiche thynges they haue dyspraysed in as moche that they haue not them vsed vnto saluacyon. and therfore in that laste houre ryght Justly he theym dyspraysynge in gyuynge vpon them his sentence so terryble that the heuen and y e erth shall tremble That is to vnderstonde nature angelyke / and na­ture humayne in sayenge vnto the soule dampned Departe thou forth with / with thy body cursyd creature / and go thou vnto the fyre of helle and vnto the tormentes eternall / the whiche vnto the ben made redye / and the whiche thou hast / Justly deserued with the spyrytes dampned vnto temptacyons of whome thou haste wylled to obeye / Than the soule accursyd is constrayned to departe from the body / and seynge that she is in the bonde and ma­ledyccyon of god / and more ouer seeth the cruel best enraged / that is the deuyll of hell y e whiche is redy & in a waytynge her to receyue. Than fynably she her torneth and cōuerteth towarde her holy angell [Page] the whiche alwayes tyll vnto y • houre hath her de­fended from y t euyll enemye in desyrynge naturally yet to haue socoure & defence. But the good an­gell in approuynge y • ryght Juste sentence of god vnto hym sayth / Go thou w t the deuyll acursyd by the sentence of the blyssed Trynyte & of all the cō ­pany of heuen / for thou haste not in tyme passed wylled for to knowe thy creatour / & the seruyce y t to the hath be done by his cōmaūdement in defendyn ge y • from the aduersytes & in procurynge the to remors of cōscyence & inspyracyons to doo well / & to leue synne / but y u me haste refused / & therfore nowe of good ryght god & euery holy creature y e oughte well to refuse / and there with all y • to leue vnto those vnto whome thou haste obeyed and than y e poore soule seynge that she hath not socours nor ayde in heuen nor in erth / & that she may not flee nor auoyde the hande and puyssaunce of deuylles the which ben present as these slawghter men of helle for to execute the sentence dyuyne maketh so grete a crye spyrytuall and maketh so grete sorowe and so grete complaynt / as sayth the booke of angelles that there is no torment in this worlde that a man or a woman ne bereth more easely than to see the pyte­ous departynge of the soule and of his holy angell Opyteous hertes humayns why haue not you re­garde in this mater that may haue remedye vnto suche inconuenyent / for yf a persone had done all the synnes that euer were done / soo may she durynge the tyme of mercy doo penaunce and amende­mente / By the whiche she may euade & escape y e [Page] sentence and maledyccyon of god and to come vn­to mercy & vnto saluacyon. Here foloweth the execucyon that the deuylles of helle done in takynge the possessyon and seasyne of the soule condemned the whiche is a thynge pyteous and also to meruayle▪ y t by wrytynge it can not be duely spoken nor recompted / for than she taketh and receyueth for herytage eternall paynes of helle declared in the treatyse folowynge vnto whome it shall please also theym to see. Alas well may she curse the houre of her crea­cyon whan by his defaute he leseth the royalme of paradyse and falleth in to the furoure of god and of his enemyes.

THe fyfth aduysement is vnto the regarde Qui hol mor [...]enti apparuit [...]esꝰ xp̄s ī [...]ruce pendēs [...] bo [...]os ꝓuocat ad supp [...]icandū ꝓ▪ mīa et ma [...]is apparet ad magnū terrorem. Hec lothariꝰ [...] post [...]a fuit papa īnocē [...]ius terc [...]us ī. li. d. miseria [...]d [...]cōis humane. Itē mg [...] nicolaus de [...]ira luce x [...]i. he. x. apo. ix. et xii. in fine. Absterget deꝰ oēm [...]māab oculis [...] & [...]ā nō erit am p [...]ꝰ ne (que) vllus do­ [...]or [...] [...]ora trās [...] [...]ur. apo. xxi. ca [...]. of the soule the whiche hath deserued saluacyon / for she beynge in the batayll of deth as it hath be sayd before. Incontynent that she seeth the blessed swete Jhesu cryste in the forme and maner that hath ben sayd. That is to vnderstonde in the esta­te that he was in at the houre that his ryghte holy soule was departed. She shall knowe clerely that by the boūte and mercy of god and y e meryte of his passyon she is of the nombre of the saued and shall see manyfestly and openly the ylles that she hath euaded and escaped and all the meanes / By the whiche she shall come vnto suche ende / as it shall be to haue byleue vnto good inspyracyons of his holy angell and to haue fere and loue god in kepyng & accōplysshynge his holy cōman̄dementes for elles it had be impossyble for to come vnto a good ende [Page] And the blyssed swete Jhesu cryste his god / his lo­ue / his espouse hym shall comforte of paynes / of sorowes / of the fere / and of the doubte and of the peryll from whome she came / and so shall be assured of the deuyll the whiche than shall be all confused seynge and knowynge that he hath loste his praye and that the holy persone / be it man or woman / hym vaynquyssed in deseruynge to haue the royal me and glorye of paradyse / The whiche he hath loste by his pryde and defaute / none vnderstondynge ne may comprehende. No clerke worth [...]ly expresse the Joye and exaltacyon the whiche than cometh vnto the soule the whiche hath deserued to be of the nombre and of the company of them that be chosē For she her seeth and knoweth the espouse of Jhe­su cryste / And by the consequent quene of paradyse And therfore Jhesu cryste in [...]allynge her / vnto her sayth ryght gracyously come you▪ with me myn espouse. Also she her seeth so moche loued of Jhesu cryste the which hath wylled to suffre deth and passyon for her on the tree of the crosse / and in the maner in the whiche he appered than as yf he wolde saye vnto the soule / Reknowlege ryght dere creature that by this passyon how moche I you desyre & loue for no creature may not more strōgly loue thā to wyll to dye wylfully for the loue of his frende. / Also she seeth the humanyte vnyed with the deyte in the persone of his loue and of his espouse / by the whiche she knoweth to be the doughter / syster and loue of the kynge of glorye and honoured more than nature angelyque as vnto that. And therfore [Page] Jhesu cryste in callynge yet agayne vnto her sayth [...] mei [...]ul santis aperi mic [...]i soror [...]a amica [...]a colūba mea imacu lat [...] [...]ea. cāt [...]. v. Come vnto me my syster and my dou [...] / and than the blyssed soule so departeth vnto the voyce of her loue the which calleth so swetely / she her departeth and leueth her body and her representeth vnto hȳ vnto his blyssed pleaser and cōmaundement / and than all the angelles and sayntes of paradyse re­ceyuen a newe iubylacyon in gyuynge praysynges and graces vnto the creature the whiche by his mercy hath gyuen suche ayde & comforte vnto his creature that she is escaped vyctoryo [...]sly the deuyll of helle / the worlde / and the fless [...] / and than the gloryous angelles ryght reuerently taken the dough­ter of god the fader / and the loue of god the sone y • temple and habytacle of the blyssed holy goost and her conduyteth Joyously in to the possessyon eter­nall of the royalme of parady [...]e the whiche from the begynnynge of the worlde vnto hym hath ben prepared promyssed and gyuen. O he [...]te faythful and pyteous and of the vertue of the fayth yllumyned ymagyned / contemple / and esmeruayll the grete and incompreuable dyfference the whiche is at y • houre of deth / bytwene the good soule and the euyl For in lyke wyse as the deth is the yate of paradyse vnto the good soule. Also is it the yate of helle vnto the euyll / Come with me blyssed of god my fader. And by the contrary he sayth vnto euyll / Go thou vnto the deuyll acursyd and seperat from all the blyssed trynyte. And euen in lyke wyse as these holy angelles taken accompanyen and comfort the good soule of Joye inestymable. In semblable [Page] [...]yse by the contrary the deuylle [...] taken / and de­uouren the soule of the dampned in gyuynge vnto her fere dysease / and tormentes without ende and without relesynge / And this dyfference appereth more playnly vnto hym that wyll rede and consy­der the treatyse of the paynes of helle / and of y • Joyes of paradyse.

THe syxte aduysement is of the estate of purgatorye / of the whiche euery man ought to vn [...]e [...]stonde that it is one parte of hell & the place of ryght maruayl [...]us payne / For fyrste the soule [...] the whiche bē in that torment ben boldyd & taryed to see the ensence dyuyne / the whiche vnto them is noysaūt incompreuable / Also they ben in afflecciō of fyre and of tormentes moche sharpe / or of other paynes after the Jugement dyuyne. Wherof sayth saynt Bernarde in his wrytynges / that the payne of purgatorye of one daye surmoūteth the payne y • whiche all martres and other sayntes of paradyse haue suffred / For the Justyce dyuyne punyssheth otherwyse in the other worlde. And therfore sayth saynt Austen that a man may more acquyte of the payne due vnto synne by wepynge one [...]ere in this present lyfe than a man sholde do in ten yeres by y • payne of purgatorye / for as moch that a man is in the other worlde in the courte of Justyce. And in this worlde a man is in the courte of mercy / of that place and of that estate hath full fewe y • knowlege y • cōmunyte of crysten people y • which lyuen at this daye y • which wyll not faste / or do other penaūce y • whiche lytell doth for ony maner of s [...]ne that they [Page] haue cōmytted. how be it it behoueth to do dygne penaunce in this worlde or in the other. And ther­fore sayth well saynt Gregorye and saynt Ambrose that a man fyndeth in paradyse more of saued the whiche haue kepte y • innocence of baptem than of those the whiche haue longely lyued / and doeth suche penaūce of theyr synnes that after the deth they sholde not be holden in purgatorye and not­withstondynge theyr grete payne / how be it be they certayne that they shall be saued / And they ben visyted by those angelles of paradyse and ayded ry­ght gretely as well by the blyssed sayntes vnto who me they haue hadde deuoeyon and done seruyce in this w [...]rlde as by the suffrages and orysons of ho­ly chirche / for as moche as those of paradyse and of purgatorye / And those the whiche yet ben in this present lyfe in the estate of grace ben one body my­sticall in Jhesu cryste by the vnyon of charyte / for all these before sayd haue the blyssed holy goost by grace / for yf the one membre serue vnto the other naturally by more stronger reason the sayntes of paradyse may ayde as well vnto vs the which ben in this worlde for to prayse them & reclayme as vnto thē of purgatorye the whiche haue deserued on this halue to be ayded / For comenly after as some doth theyr deuoure to praye & to acquyte thē agaȳ thē y t ben departed / In lyke wyse shall it be done for hȳ after his deth Also these doctours sayen that they of purgatorye prayen for vs y • whiche ben in this worlde & y t moche of goodes corporall & spyrytuall vnto vs comē by y • merytes & orysōs of fayth full people departed / specyally whan we do our de [Page] uoure agayne them & by the contrary those y • whi­che them dyffrauden as done these possessours the whiche posseden / laudes / rentes / & houses / be it in lytell / or in grete y e whiche to them be come & succe­de from theyr frendes / & predecessours departed. / & as ben those y • whiche ben charged of y • execuciō of testamentes / & to do almes ordoned by the laste wyll of y • deed / & also as done people of the chirche he whiche posseden rentes / laudes / & renownes / & whiche haue ben gyuen & ordened comenly for to [...]o coure & ayde tho [...]e y t ben departed. Also as ben these beggars ben they relegyous or other the whiche lyue of dayly almes / Of all these maner of people playnen they of purgatorye & requyren y • vengeaū ce of god / for those the whiche theym may & sholde ayde as well by y • oblygacyon of ryght of nature / as of y • ordenaūce of holy chirche thē leuen tormented cruelly / notw tstondynge y • they cryen in demaū ­dynge ayde cōtynually & in sayen (Miserem [...]i mei saltē vocis amici mei) That is to saye / haue pyte haue mercy / haue mercy on me / at y • leest ye my sones & doughters / nyeces & neuewes / cosyn & cosȳs / & ye other vnto whome I haue lefte my goodes / & for to vnderstonde y • crudelyte of many agayn the y t ben departed / we ymagen y • whan y • sone or the doughter / or other frende seen theyr fader or moder or syster or other frende in ony cruell torment as of fyre / or of water boyllynge / & thē they may ayde. Neuertheles they take no hede nor dylygence to so cour thē. shewē they not clerely to be cruell & dygne of y • vengeaūce of god / and certaynly we may saye by more greter reason y • they ben ryght cruell. & in [Page] the Ire of god y • whiche acquyte them not agayne In firmꝰ & i carce­re erā et nō visita stis me &c. Amē dico vobis (quam) dui [...]ō fecistis vni [...] mioribꝰ his nec mihi fecistis & ibūt hi i suppliciū et nū mat. xxii. capi. them departed after y t y t they ben beholden more or lesse / for at y t ende of theyr lyfe our lorde vnto thē shall saye / I haue bē in harde pryson & ye haue not vysyte me / cōforted nor taken payne to delyuer me & than they shall answere / whan see we y e in prysō or in suche necessyte / & than he vnto thē shall saye. that y t ye haue not wylled to do vnto my mēbres to my chylder & to my frendes y • whiche were in harde pryson were it in y e worlde / or in purgatorye / of y t Et cū apperuisset septimū sigillū factum ē silenciū i ce to quasi media ho­ [...]a. apo. viii. pleaser there ye haue me refused & now I you refuse & dysauow & you cōdampne in to y e harde pryson of deuylles in to y e fyre of hell. O very god to what vsages gone at this daye y e godes by the whiche a man sholde ayde thē y t ben departed / well sholde I tell it yf I were not cōstrayned to kepe y e halfe hour of sylence y t hym behoueth to endure in these presēt dayes. Those y e whiche done well theyr deuour for thē y t bē departed purchasen grete ayde & grete me ryte / as well for this present lyfe as for y e other / for who y t by almes fastynge / prayer & by oblacyons / or in sayenge / or in makynge to saye masses / vygy les / y e seuen salmes / or other suffrages make shorte the purgatorye of one departed or of many by the whiche they comen the more sooner somtyme of a yere more or lesse vnto y e vysyon of god & of y e vyr­gyn Mary & to possede the glorye and the royalme of paradyse / it shall neuer be but that these blyssed holy sayntes men or women the whiche in suche haue ben ayded / and made shortene holde thē redeuables & boūde vnto hym or vnto them the whiche them so haue socoured in theyr necessyte and ayded [Page] the more sooner for to come vnto the glorye before sayd / for in lyke wyse as a man speketh & wryteth other tymes some the whiche nowe ben in y e glorye of paradyse / to see the vyrgyn Mary by the espace of one yere alonely in the glorye of her maieste is so grete goodnes y t a man sholde Joyfully endure. all the marterdomes that haue ben suffred in this present worlde with all the martres and other saȳ ­tes of paradyse for to come vnto suche goodnes as it sholde be to see the vyrgyn Marye in so lytell ty­me vnto the whiche vy syon vs wyll bryng for eternyte her dere chylde the swete Jhesns vnto whome be honoure and glorye in secula seculo (rum) amen bo­ne Jhesu.

¶ Here foloweth ashorte epylogacyon of the seuen mortall synnes ryght prouffytable for to see y e braū ches Caplm. xxx. shortely and the mater of euery of them.

syx synnes ben sayd to be agayne the holy goost.
  • Enuye of the goodnes of his neyghbour.
  • To Impugne wyttyngly agayne the trouth
  • Obstynacyon of speryte.
  • Presumpcyon.
  • Dyspayre.
  • To dysprayse fynally penaunce.

PRyde hath seuen braūches vnfaythfulnes vnkyndenes as not to wouchsauf to thanke god of the goodes of nature to denye his graces / or [Page] forgete his goodes of grace / yll for the gode rewarde of the goodes of fortune is to gyue no force to enploye well the goodes and the graces of god and not to thynke how ne whan it hym behoueth to yelde acompte before god / to deny is not to byleue [...] t that a man ought to byleue as men y e synneth with beestes / and as those the whiche forswere them and falsen theyr fayth / to byleue more than a man ou­ght to byleue / As dyuynys / sorcyers / & charmers / dyspraysynge is not for to prayse his neyghboure as a man ought as vnto god not to honour those [...] t a man ought / as to his fader & moder / neobeye vnto thē y t a man ought / as vnto his prelate and other / arrogaūce to wene to be better than a man is / to wene to vowe more than he may / to wene to knowe more than he knoweth / to wene for to know more / to be more in valoure & of power than ony other. syngularyte / as not to vouchesauf to do as done other / folysshe enterpryse or prodygalyte of his or of other / for the folysshe preyse of worldly peple / presūptuous thynkyng as to vndertake noyse plee / and contempte / bostynge & auaūtynge by hȳ self or by other / deresyon of his neyghbours for as moche that they haue not that / y t suche errogant or after weneth to haue / rebellyon in dyffendyng his vyce & synne not wyllynge hym to amende ne correcte / nor not wyllȳge to byleue good coūseyll am bycyon wyll some please by praysynges to entent that he be holden curtays and large / By foly to gyue to ende that he be holde curtoys and large / By foly to gyue to the ende that he be holden cur toys and lyberall other for to by euyll spekynge [Page] of those that he wolde refuse for to exalte hymselfe by the raysynge on them blame / By desyrynge the deth for to come vnto that vnto the whiche he lo­keth fore. By vnfaythfulnes & by treasons / by cursyd induccyons and coūseyll. By wycked conspy­racyons. By contemptes and oblygacyons / vayne glorye in the goodes of nature of the body / as helth beaute / strength prowesse / noblesse / good tonge / gode voyce / of the soule as clergye / fayre engyne / me moryes / largesse / pyte / attemperaūce / In y e goodes of grace / as ben vertues / and good werkes / of the whiche procedeth some vayne glorye / In y e goodes of fortune / as ben prosperyte / ryches / delytes / grete company / buyldynges / abyllementes / plate / and other vtencyles / grete presētes / grete renōme worl­dely / of pryde / foule Ipocresye / as to be a grete synner euyll and vnfaythfull and to shewe holy oute warde / a fole as to do grete penaūce for the prayse worldely / folysshenes as to doo many good dedes to purchase dygnytees and offyces / folysshe fere worldly / as was that of Pharaon / of Herode / and of the Jewes the whiche fered to moche those thȳ ges temporalles. humayne as was that of the fyrst fader y • whiche fered to moche to make Euesorowfull / by the whiche he obeyed & synned / Seuyle as it is of many the whiche haue more fere of the fyre of helle than to lese the vysyon of god and the blessed glorye of the royalme of paradyse / Enuy. In herte by fals Jugementes of his neyghbours. By cursyd sorowe of the goodnes of his neyghbours. / In the mouth by maledyccyons and coniuracyons agayne his neyghbours. By wordes rude & bytter [Page] agayne his neyghboure. By treason agayne his neyghboure / In werkes agayne the cōmencans / agayne prouffytans / and agayne y • tymes. Ire. vn­to hym selfe in lesynge the drynke the meete / the slepe / the lyfe and all other goodes / agayne god in dyspysynge / in blasphemynge in swerynge by all the membres of god in cursyd sayenge in dysablynge. vnto his subiectes of whome comen contempcyons / tancures / hates / vnto his neyghbours wherof comen desyre / desyre of y e vengeaūce of manslaughter / lechery / of wyll / in folysshe thoughtes / & yma­gynacyons of that vyle and dyshoneste synne / Incursyd delectacyons / the whiche folowen of mynde and of thought / In consentynge of wyll with dely beracyon / In determynynge hymselfe vnto ony persone / or vnto many / of dede / in folysshe beholdyn­ges / in folysshe wordes / in folysshe touchynges / in folysshe kyssynges / in persone fre / not in the bonde of maryage the one alonely or both tweyn with persone in the bonde of maryage / with persone vyr­gyn the one alonely or both tweyne / with persone in the estate of wydowhode y • one alonely or both tweyn / w t persone of relegyō y e one alonely or both tweyne / with persone in the estate of prclacyon the one alonely or both tweyne / In his propre parte a­gayne the vnhoneste of maryage the one alonelye or both tweyne / with his gossype or gossypes / with theyr doughter / or doughters chylde or w t y e chylder of the godfader or godmoder / or with his kynnes­man or kynneswoman / by consanguynyte / or affynyte / with persone in holy ordres / or with other creature as persone humayne / or with other persone [Page] of the same kynde / the whiche synne is named the synne dysordenate. The whiche ought to be punysshed by fyre after the lawes for the iniury the whi­che by that is done vnto the ryght holy humanyte of Jhesu cryste and vnto all nature humayne / Of the synne of lechery comen ylles innumerable the whiche I passe as nowe by cause of shortenes / Glo­tony is cōmytte in drynkynge / and eetynge at an houre not due in drynkynge / and in eetynge with out mesure / in drynkynge and eetynge to hastely / in drynkynge to aboundantly / in drynkynge and in eetynge to delycyously / of this synne cometh many of ylles as well vnto the body as vnto the soule of the whiche hath be spoken as well in generall. / and in the syxte cōmaundement as also in the treatyse of confessyon. And therfore it suffyseth as now Couetyse. In gyttynge to moche brēnynges by vsurye as in lenynge syluer by hymselfe or by other by condycyon and hope pryncypall to receyue more. / By thefte and rauen / be it by theuys aparte co­uerdeprpue or felowes executours / lordes / Juges hostylers / marchaundes / labourers / or other what so euer they be the whiche done falsyte in theyr vocacyon / By falsyte Imposynge cryme vnto ano­ther as sholde be false plaȳtyf fayntyf / aduotates wytnesses notaryes / assessours and other / By sa­crylege in euyll entreatynge the body of oure lorde or other sacramentes / in brekynge and in euyl [...] entreatynge y • crosse / chalays / or other thynges halo­wed in brekynge the chirche there strykynge ony body / in drawenge hym wylfully from y • place halowed / or preuyleged / in lyenge his hāde on clerk or [Page] one persone relegyous agayne ryght / in stelyng in place halowed and blyste / in takynge yll & retay­nynge the goodes of the chirche / In brekynge y e ho­ly festes and solempnytes cōmaūded in byenge holy ordres / or other sacramentes / By symony in by enge the worde of god / or in sellynge it in takynge gyftes / promesses / or fauours worldly for to gyue / or for to gete benefyces of the chirche / by malygnyte and by marchaūdyse the whiche is done in place in tyme / in maner by persones / or thynges vndue as in place halowed / or on a holydaye in swerynge in lyenge / or by people of the chirche for nygardyse or also for the falsete and decepcyon of the ware. by cursyd craftes as ben those the whiche may not be excercysed without synne / By cursyd playes / as bē those of yogelynge and of the hasarde / in retaynȳ ge to straytly as in not clothynge the poore the whiche ben the membres of Jhesu cryste / not gyuynge meete and drynke vnto them the whiche ben in ne­cessyte not aydynge the poore persones / not vsynge hospytalyte whan there is place and tyme / not vy­sytynge nor comfortynge the poore syke people. /: Not berynge the dede so as it hath ben sayd before In dyspendynge to scarsely as they the whiche holden werkemen in Journey The whiche furnysshe not ryght & resonably of in dyspence with theyr owne seruaūtes. or other of the housholde. By the whiche defaute they cōmytten oftymes murmuracyons and occasyon to take theuysshely / and of many other lettynges.

SFouth cursyd begynnynge by werynes in louynge to lytell good / by tendernes in obeyē ge vnto his sensualyte / by ydelnes in lesynge his tyme folysshely / by heuynes in lyenge and slepyn­ge to longe / by cursydnes in abydynge in synne w t out cryenge god mercy. In pusyllamynyte in defailynge without ony thynge makynge sure / cursyd amendement by vnfaythfulnes in refusyng good inspyracyons / by neclygence in leuynge to do well as well agayne god as agayne his neyghbours by forgetefulnes in the knowlege as well of hymselfe as of his synnes as of the wyll of god the creatour By slouth in lesynge good wyll / fauour and deuocyon of spyryte / by lachesnes in deffaylynge wyth out desyre to do well / by grutchynge in refusen doctryne and correccyon / by heuynes in all thynges falleth in languoure and in ennoysaūce of his lyf / by dyspayreby the whiche the deuyll hym receyueth and hym putteth vnto deth. For as moche as they the whiche haue loste the lyght of true charyte ha­ue founde and fynden from daye to daye fraudes cauteles and malyces from yll vnto worse after as the spyryte dyabolycall them suggerneth in y e ma­ter of [...]suryes.

¶ Here foloweth an epylogacyon of the sayd ma­ter moche vtyle and prouffytable well holy to vnderstonde. ff. de regulis iuris

ACcipere vltra sortem intelligitur quadru­pliciter. Quia aut racione pene cōuencōnalis. Aut racione liberalis donacionis et sic de se lici [Page] tum est aut racione īteresse / etsic fit sex modis pri­mo Ertta de fideiusso ribꝰ. cōstitutus thi dē. c Peruenit. quando fideiussor soluit capitale et vsuram. Secundo quando mutans incurrit dānū propter defectū solucionis. Tercio quando impignoracio Ertta de vsuris sa lubri. ibidē [...]ques­tus. fit ecclesie a suo vassalo qui tempore impignora­cionis non soluit seruicium &c. Quinto eciam quā do fit dn̄o temporali modo simili sicut dictum est ibidē ꝑ arma si [...]c ī de ecclesia. Sexto quando mutuat quisalicui qui ertta. c. iiii. ꝑuenit iniuste rem suam de tinet aut racione exaccionis. Et hoc fit tripliciter. Primo sine pacto et insinuaci one aliquid plus habendi quāuis hoc intendat etsic peccatsed non tenetur ad restitucione. Secundo sine pacto et ī sinuacione tamen et sic restituere tenetur. Tercio cum pacto et hoc quadrupliciter. Pri­mo ponendo capitale et lucrum sub certo. Secūdo ponendo capitale sub certo et lucium sub in certo. Tercio econuerso / lucrum sub certo et capitale sub incerto. Quarto ponendo vtrum (que) sub incerto / etsic aliquando licet Quia aut de locacione / aut de vendicione aut de empcione Etsic bene licet obseruatis obseruandis.

¶ Here foloweth the fyfth & finall partie of this boke in the whiche is made mencyon of y e paynes of helle and of the Joyes of paradyse and fyrste of the paynes of helle.

[figure]

FOr as moche that euery good persone hu­maynehym ought to cōforme after as it is of reason vnto the wyl dyuyne the whiche is suche That is to know y t we eschewe all yll & y • we vs enforce to prouffyte in vertues and in good werkes vnto the whiche thynge to do we be induced natu­rally / by fere in regarde to purchase merites and vertues. Here foloweth thetreatyse of y e paynes of helle and of the Joyes of paradyse the whiche is y e In oibꝰ oꝑibꝰ tuis memorare nouissima & īeternū non peccabis. eccle. vii. fyfth and the laste partye of this boke / by the con­syderacyon of the whiche we haue the souerayn mater and occasyon the whiche may be founde / or [Page] ymagened for to fere / and for to loue. That is to vnderstonde for to fere the paynes of helle / and for to loue and desyre the glorye of paradyse. The whiche thynge to do y e holy scrypture vs hath warned the whiche sayth that yf we consyder well the thyn­ges laste or extreme / we sholde neuer do synne wherfore it is to be noted that hell and paradyse ben named the extremites / or the thynges laste y • we shold thynke and consyder that they ben ryghte extreme in comparyson of this present worlde as vnto the sytuacyon of the place and as vnto theyr qualytes as vnto the place and sytuacyon / for this presente worlde is bytwene helle and paradyse / and for as moche that euery thyngemeane hath comparyson and partycypacyon with his extremytes / we se sensybly that in this worlde there are many of ylles / . and many of goodnesses / for there are ylles as wel of culpe as of payne. That is to vnderstōde colde and hete / wyndes / raynes / hayles / thonder / lyghtenynge / & other tempestes / as well vpon the see as vpon the londe / Also honger / thruste / and syknes­ses of dyuers condycyons / As ben feuers / styches / goutes / botches / and rottynges of membres / swel­lynges / venymes / and apostumes. Also warres batayles / dyuysyons / mortalytes / famynes and other ylles innumerable / the whiche ben noysome and aduersaryes of the body. Also of the partye of the soule there are ylles of sȳne and of culpe grete and without nomber / and temptacyons the whiche co­men vnto some by cause of theyr dyuers occupacy­ons worldely / these other of the cautelle & malyce [Page] of the deuyll / these other by cause of oure owne in­clynacyons & of the corrupcyon & fragylyte humane. By the whiche the esperyte humayne falleth in to heuynes / & thought / & indesmaye / in Ire / in en­uy / and Ci [...]si [...]detunt [...] mala [...] (rum) nō est numerꝰ ꝑs. xxxix. in malancoly / & also in synnes detestables and more horryble than vnderstondynge may vn­derstonde / or ymagen. And also those thynges bensom what fygured / with representacyon and royal representacyon of the extremyte of paynes & of tormentes the whiche ben in hell without ende. Also on the other par [...]e we see in some persones of this worlde / Joye / gladnes / helth / beaute / honours / ry­chesses / pleasures / dysportes / games / and delytes▪ after the desyres of herte humayne / and fornycacyon of the pleaser of creatures. As delectable odour of the sauoure of dyuers fruytes / wynes / meetes / & the delectacyon the whiche is in pleasaūt touchyn­ges. Also in the sounde and melodye / of dyue [...]s soū des / as well of Instrumentes musyques / as in the Ioyous modulacyon of voyce humayne and other thynges pleasauntes and delectables / as well vnto the fyue wyttes of nature / as vnto all the puyssaū ces of the soule. The whiche thynges ben the symelytude and representacyon of the glorye and beatytude of paradyse. By the whiche it appereth clerely that in this worlde all is medled. That is to vnderstonde Cōtra malū bonū [...] & [...]tra vitā morssic & [...]tra v [...] (rum) iustū pctōr. & sic ītuere ī omīa oꝑa altissimi duo [...]tra duo & v­nū cōtra vn [...]. ccc [...] xxxiii. good and yll / as deth and lyfe / helth & sykenes pouerte / and rychesse / sorow and gladnes. and so of all other thynges contraryes and opposytes by suche condycyon how be it y • in this worlde there is no good parfayte / but alonely is founde and ho [...]ed in paradyse. In lyke wyse the ylles and try­bulacyons [Page] of this worlde be not ylles souerayns & extremes / but ben alonely founde of the dampned in helle / and therfore the god of nature the whiche putteth ordre and reason in euery creature and yeldeth and bryngeth euery thynge vnto the ende and Ode [...]t peccate m [...] i formid [...]e pene o­ [...]erūt peccareboni [...]tutis amore oracius i eplissuis. consummacyon taketh in this worlde the good & them putteth and ordeyneth with the good vnto y e royalme of paradyse / and the cursyd with the cursyd in the pryson and in the tormentes extreme of Discediteame male dicti ī ignē etnū [...] p̄parat ēa diabolo & angelis eius. mathei. xxv. capi. helle. And therfore of those two extremytes it behoueth some thyng to touche and recyte for to put vs in fere and loue the whiche ben the two rotes for to flee and to leue all yll / and to take the payne to Ecce ipsi pctōres & abūdantes in sctō obtmue [...]td [...]cias p̄s. ixxii. do well. And fyrste of the paynes of helle. & secon­dely of the Joyes of paradyse. As vnto y e fyrst it is to vnderstonde y t no crysten man ne ought to doubte but y t in helle there is prepayred payne eternall. vnto those the whiche refusen & dyfferren to do y t / y t is vnto theyr saluacyon in the shortenes of this lyfe / for it is the trouth anoūced by the holy scryptu­res and prechynges by the mouth of Jhesu cryste & a thynge confermed in the lyghte of reason. The holy scryptures the whiche wytnessen that in helle / and the eternall paynes of it the whiche ben reser­ued vnto the cursyd ben ynough manyfeste. The reason vnto that may be suche. Syns it is so that god is of Justyce infynyte / it is impossyble but that suche Justyce ordeneth and suffreth that euery synne be ryght Justely punysshed. The whiche thyn­ge is not alwayes done in this worlde / For of the more comen cours the moost gretest synners / haue [Page] the moost of felycyte worldly. By the whiche it behoueth Malal [...]nidicere vel cogitare ꝓut sūt nēo pōt p [...]iora [...]ppe sūt (quam) cogitē ­tur. het au. li [...]e triplici habitacth circa princi. to conclude that they shall be punysshed in the other. Of the whiche punycyon it behoueth to see fyrste in generall and afterwarde more in especyall. As vnto the generalyte of the paynes of hell comen vnto purpose / the sayenge of saynt Austen in the boke named de tribus habitaculis. In y e whiche is declared that none vnderstondyng create suffyseth for to thynke / or ymagen y • tormentes of hell and of eternall dampnacyon suche as they ben / for they ben ryght more greuous & excess yf than may be spoken or thought / and how be it an hye and a fayre vnderstondynge may thynke paynes & for­mentes moche to meruayll / as sholde be the bytternes and horrybylyte to see in fyre / or in metall molten with out hauynge power to taste the deth the whiche is than in hell of as moche or more desyred of the dampned the whiche is not in this worlde redoubted / and of good ryght vnto them it is denyed For as moche that in this worlde they haue y e lyfe eternall dyspreysed and refused / Also a man may Deside rabūt mor [...] et mors fugiet ab ei [...] ▪ consyder the generalyte / the dyuersyte / and the eternyte of the sayd paynes the whiche▪ the dampned suffren as well vnto the body as vnto all the puyssaunces of the soule in suche rayge and varyacyon mayntenaūt of colde and after of hete that euery vnderstondynge there fayleth. Also the wepynges and the waylynges and the confusyon the whiche ben contynually in helle and other paynes innumerable without euer there hauȳge release / and without Ab a [...]s niuisi trā sibunt ad calorem nimium. that / that the dampned mayen by length of eternyte be enhardened or acustumed for the lesse [Page] greffe them to endure and bere. Also a man may cō syder [...]ich [...] ardet [...]e [...] no nisi ꝓpria vol [...] [...]as. aug. the remors and the dyspleasures that these dampned haue. Whan they knowen certenly that they hadde ben saued yf they hadde wolde / and for a momente of the pleasure of this presente worlde they ben gyuen vnto suche incōuenyent that neuer in theyr case there is no hope nor abydyng of reparacyon and many of other suche contemplacyons may be ymagyned by intente humayne and how be it as sayth saynt Austen in the boke before sayd that it is as nothynge in compa [...]yson of the dede and of the royalte of that / y t suffren the dampned and y t notwithstondynge yet we sholde vs enforce after our lytell & obscure capacyte to vnderstonde & thynke that / y t by the holy scryptures vnto vs hath be gyuen & shewed / for the fere y t we seche by this cō syderacyon cometh and procedeth whan a man apprehendeth and taketh by vnderstondynge some thynge terryble and of as moche that a man considereth and that a man vnderstondeth suche thyn­ge horryble more in specyall & in partyculer of as moche conceyueth a man the more greter fere. and for as moche that in the seconde poynt the whiche is the consyderacyon of the sayd paynes in party­culer mouynge the ayde of the holy goost. I shall reher [...]e ten paynes pryncypalles of the partye of the body and ten other of the partye of the soule. And euery of the twenty paynes is dyuysed in foure / & so there shall be foure and twenty paynes partyculers taken of y e paynes infynyte and without nom­bre that suffren and shall suffre euer without ende (these cursyd [Page] dampned soules / by the consyderacyon of the whiche the herte humayn the whiche them wyll rede or herken shall be to moche enhardened and tayde of the bondes of the fende of helle the whiche concey­ueth not fere / and tremblynge for to come after the shortenes of this present lyfe vnto suche & so hor­ryble tormente.

¶ Here foloweth the ten paynes of the partye of y e body that these dampned suffren in helle and eue­ry of thē deuysed in foure & so they ben. xl. paynes.

  • THe fyrste is fyre ryght cruelly brēnynge.
  • The seconde is colde soo moche fresynge.
  • The thyrde grete cryes of dolour w tout ceassynge
  • The fourth smoke the whiche may not in helle be lefte.
  • The fyfth odoure and stynkynge moche horryble
  • The syxte vysyon of deuylles terryble.
  • The seuenth hungre tormentynge cruelly.
  • The .viii. thruste y • which tormenteth in lyke wyse
  • The .ix. grete shame and confusyon.
  • The tenth in all his membres afflyccyon.

THe fyrste payne is of fyre brennynge of the whiche it is to vnderstonde y t notwithston­dynge y t the fyre of helle is a thynge corporall & of y e same nature as is y t of this world / how be it they dyfferen in foure thynges. The fyrste is in sharpenes of hete / for it is more hote than is oures / of as moche as oures is more hoter than y t the whiche is paynted on a wall after as sayth saynt Austen the [Page] whiche is none other thynge to vnderstonde but y • we be not suffycyent for to ymagen the excesse of y e fyre of helle in regarde and comparyson of oures. Of the whiche euer more we haue so meruaylous experyens that there is no metall / ne other thynge but that it melteth / brenneth / or altreth / and ther­fore esmeruayll y e torment of the fyre of hell what it may be. The seconde dyfference of the fyre of helle / and of oures / is as vnto the hardenes for ou­res is in beynge lesseth and consumeth his mater / but that of hell is eternall / and neuer lesseth / For for euer her mater shall endure▪ That is to vnder­stonde the body and y e soule of dampned synners them holden alwayes in one maner. Thyrdly they dyfferen in lyght / for how be it that / that of helle is grete and brennynge euer more / y et it yeldeth no lyght the whiche is ony thynge plea saunt / but all the syght and lyght the whiche is in helle / it is for to torment greuously those y t ben dāpned. Fourthly they dyfferen / for it conserueth in beynge y e thȳ ­ge that it brenneth and boyleth to chaunge in to asshes / or in to other nature. By these foure thynges appereth that none vnderstondynge is suffycyent to comprehende the horrybylyte of suche tormente.

THe seconde payne is of water colde / & dyf­fereth from that of this present worlde in foure thynges. The fyrste is oppresse of colde / for lyke wyse as the brennynge of the fyre of helle surmounteth the brennynge of oures / euen so the colde in the other worlde surmounteth the colde in [Page] this worlde by suche maner that yf the moost greteste moūtayne of the worlde were of yren massyf and embrased as was euer stele for to forge / and it were put in the tormente of the ponde of yse in the coldenes of hell [...] / it sholde be from parte to parte yse. also as in a moment. And therfore sayth well saynt Gregorye that suche colde is intollerable / & yf a man demaunde wherfore oure lorde sayth not as well in the gospell / departe you from me acur­sed dampned and go ye in to the colde eternall as he sayth into the fyre eternall. The answere / for asomoche as the fyre amonge other elementes is y • moost actyf and the moost afflyctyf / therfore god vnto vs gyueth example of fyre more sooner than of the yse. I put that he it gyueth ynough to vnderstonde by other places of y • gospell / where he sayth that these dampned shall wepe and shall grynde theyr teeth for coldenes. The seconde dyfferēce of y e water of helle & of this worlde is for y • of hell neuer chauffeth for ony thynge hote y • whiche vnto it may be gyuen / but euer more abydeth in one estate and degree of coldenes. The thyrde dyfference is that / y t of helle is euermore trouble full of stenche and incomparable erroure: The fourth dyfference is for that helle maketh not these dampned to dye but in lyke wyse as these fysshes lyuen in the wa­ter in this worlde / so these dampned may not dye in the water in that worlde.

THe thyrde payne is to crye & to braye in wepynge and in playnynge y e whiche torment [Page] is the cause for foure thynges. Therfore as moche that the dampned knowen that they shall neuer se god / the whiche is the moost gretest payne of helle for these saued / or these dampned loue better to be in helle for euer / and to see god than to be in paradyse & see hym not yf suche thynge were possyble And in suche wyse y t none ne may speke nor thynke the melodye the whiche is made in paradyse as well of the blyssed angelles as of holy men and women yblyssed. In lyke wyse there is none that may declare the pyteous and horryble trye and howlynge the whiche is made in helle as well of deuylles / as of other dampned / And yf a man demaunde what they saye in cryenge. The answere. All the dampned cursen the creature. Also they curse togyders / as theyr fader and moder / and the houre that they were begoten / that they were borne / and that they were put vnto nourysshynge / and those y • them sholde correcte and teche / and also those that haue ben the occasyon of theyr synnes / as the baude cursyd be the baude / and also of other occasyons in dyuers synnes. The seconde cause of the crye of them dampned is for the consyderacyon that they haue of the tyme of mercye the whiche is paste. In y e whiche they may do penaunce and purchase paradyse / The thyrde cause is of theyr crye for by cause of y • horryble paynes that they enduren. As we may cō sydere that yf an hundreth persones hadde euery of them one fote and one hande in the fyre or in the water sethynge without power to dye / what bruyt and what crye they sholde make / but that sholde be lesse than nothynge in comparyson of deuylles [Page] and of other dampned / for they ben more than an hundreth thousande thousandes the whiche all-to­gyders vnto them doeth noysaūce / and all in one thondre cryenge and brayen horrybly. The fourth reason of suche clamoure is for as moche that they bē dyspeyred for euer to haue remedy. A man may demaunde how that may be as after the Justyce dyuyne that for one oonly synne the whiche hath be so sone done and so lyghtly cōmytte a. soule the whiche hath ben of god so moche beloued the whiche vnto the ymage of hymself hath be made and fermed is dampned eternally vnto so grete depnes and confusyon of paynes and tormentes. The answere may be made by the example of a byeng of an herytage the whiche is done in a lytell tyme & how be it he gyueth the ryght of possessyon in perpetuyte. In lyke wyse the synner selleth his soule and the ryght that he hath vnto y e royalme of pa­radyse in lytell whyle. By the whiche he is dysen­heryte for euer / and vnto eternyte of paynes con­dampned. Also a stroke is sone stryken wherof y e deth foloweth without euer to recouer the lyfe. Al­so a man is anone fallen in to suche a dytche soo y t the arysynge is impossyble. The answere by rea­sons the synners the whiche in theyr ende haue be foūde in synne mortall haue synne in eternyte for yf they hadde lyued in this worlde euer more hadde they contynued theyr sȳne. By the whiche of good ryghte they sholde haue payne without ende. Also after the deth the soule and the wyll ben innuua­bles be it in good or in yll. And for as moche that the cursyd wyll of those that be dampned dureth & [Page] perseuereth in her iniquyte she ought for euer more to abyde in paynes also the synne in the whiche y e dampned ben deed / is agayne the god of eternyte / By the whiche after Justyce eternall and infynyte the payne ought to be without ende. Also for a ly­tell tyme of true penaunce / or of a good werke do­ne in the estate of grace / god gyueth in eternyte y • royalme of paradyse / by the whiche Justyce it re­quyreth that in lyke wyse / also for one oonly synne mortall of the whiche a man myght in lycell ty­me do penaunce is gyuen payne eternall and of y t eternyte of paynes shall be spokē after more plaȳ ly.

THe fourth payne is smoke. By the whiche it is to vnderstonde that euen in lyke wyse as smoke herebyneth is the cause of the thyknes of the fyre from whens it sheweth derke & blacke and ingendreth stenche and prycketh the eyes / pro­cureth terys / letteth the syght and hurteth y e brayne So in shewynge that of all paynes possybles the­re are in hell abundaūce. The holy scrypture sayth [...]laye. lxvi. Fumꝰ erit in furore meo fumus ardēs tota die. that in helle is smoke the whiche procedeth of fou­re thynges / fyrste of the place infecte and stynkyn­ge / where there are so many of fylthes / & dyrte / as synnes agayne the lawe of god / synnes indycybles synnes agayne nature / rebellyons / obstynacyons / impenytāce / & cursyd example & doctryne shewed ysa. vi. Domus i­plera ē fumo. & [...]s. xvii. [...]scēdit fumꝰ in i [...]a eius: vnto yonge people. of y e whiche ylles in this worlde the smoke / y t is the renōme y e which is so moche fylthy & daūgerous & for y t / y t in hell euer more it wexeth grene & aboūdeth therfore euer more ther is it & [Page] encreaseth. And how be it y t in helle there is greate Hiere. xx. Male dicta dies iqua natꝰ sum & in qua [...] ꝑit me mater mea. fyre & horryble / it consumeth not the sayd smoke. but euer more it augmēteth. Secondly it procedeth of the mater the whiche there is brente / for euen in lyke wyse as nothynge entreth in to paradyse but that is pure and clene / euen so in helle entreth no­thynge but stenche and dyrte / wherof the smoke may not be but inuysyble / and so as these synnes on this halue / blyndeth & letteth the vnderstondynge soo y e smoke of y e fyre of helle in y e quencheth theyr true knowlege in suche wyse that they dyspysen / Job. xli. De nari­bus eius ꝓcedit fumꝰ. apo. x. De ore eiꝰ ꝑcedebat ignꝰ fumus et fulfur. and dyspraysen / and cursen theyr Justyce / they curse also fader and moder and all theyr frendes. the thyrde thynge wherof the sayd smoke procedeth is of the assystence and presence in the sayd place of helle / for by the experyens wese that in places where Apo. xiii Fumꝰ tor mēto [...] eiꝰ ascēdit in secula seculorū. ben people infecte / foule and stynkynge / of theyr nose / of theyr bodyes of theyr clothȳges / procedeth smoke / and odoure engendrynge heuynes / and maketh hym that may to fle the place. In lyke wyse of deuylles & of the dampned procedeth / for they ben full of all vnclenlynes and smoke beynge full of sorowe / and the whiche engendreth derkenesses outwarde / & vnfelynge. The fourth thynge wher­of procedeth the habundaūce of the sayd smoke / is that in the sayd place of helle there is no waye nor other place from whens it may departe / but from the tyme that the cursyd angelles were create / and they rebelled agayne god / & that Cayme y e whiche was the fyrste dampned of men / all y e smokes ben abydynge there. Than I reste that y e place is mo­che blynde derke dyspleasaūt & noyfull

THe fyfth payne is odour stynkynge and horryble cause of foure partes. The fyrste partye shall be for as moche y t all the stynkynge thyn­ges that euer were or euer shall be. Than shall be assembled and caste in to the dytche of helle. And a body humayne the whiche rotteth in a waye / or in a quarefoure of a towne without beynge buryed is so grete stynche specyally in the tyme of grete hete that suche stynche rotteth and enpoysoneth all y e enhabytances of a cyte. What may that be of the multytude of the bodyes of all the dampned / lecherous people ydolatres / and other without nombre the whiche shall be wors than roten in the fyre and in the smoke the whiche may not out of hell auoyde thynke who so can. The seconde payne shall be of sulfre embrased after as sayth holy scrypture. / The thyrde shall be of the flesshe humayne as it is sayd the whiche after the dyuersyte and greuousnes of synnes shall be stynkyng more or lesse / the fourth shall procede of the presence of deuylles of the stenche of whome god hath shewed many ex­amples as it apereth in the legende of saynt Martyn y • whan they appered in this worlde they lefte astynche intollerable.

THe syxte payne is of the vysyon of deuylles vidētes turbabū [...] [...]more horribili & miserabuntur &c. Cap. v. the whiche causen vnto the dampned four maner of paynes. The fyrste is fere and tremblȳ ­ge / for yf a man fere moche to see / or to mete a dogge / or a lyon enraged / or other creature foule / cruel and gastly / what may that be to see contynually all the deuylles / for a man fyndeth in wrytynge y t [Page] yf ony persone mortall see one oonly in that fygu­re that these dampned thē seen it sholde suffyce for to make hym dye / or for to be madde and to lese al his vnderstondynge. The seconde payne the which gyueth suche vysyon vnto the dampned is conty­nuall reproche of synnes that they them haue ma­de to acompte. The thyrde shall be flagellacyons and tormentes inexplycables it without ende or w t out releasynge. The fourth shall be that they shal foyle and threste all the dampned togyders and in more greter dystresse thā euer were stones in a wall or in other thynge by forceof engyne of pressures.

THe seuenth payne is hongre imcompreua­ble Famē pacientur vt canes [...]s. lviii. Itē serui mei cōe­dent & vos esurie­tis. ysa. vii. Sicut oris i ifer­no positi sāt. mors de pascet eos. [...]. lx viii. for foure thynges. The fyrste for vnto suche hongre by no meane these dampned ne may haue remedye. The seconde / for thynge the whiche is in helle hath not dysposycyon for to be satyfyed The thyrde for the remembraunce that they haue of the delyte that they were wonte to take for to ete The fourth for as moche that they knowe suche hongre shall neuer cease and soo they knowe well that these tormentes before sayd and those the whiche folowen ben come in nature humayne. By the occasyon of cursyd eetynge of the fruyt y t god had defendyd vnto our fore faders.

THe. viii. payne is of thruste inestymable the whiche tormenteth not alonely the tonge / [Page] the throte / or the mouth / but with that all the par­tyes of the body without and within and suche torment cometh by foure thynges. The fyrste for as moche that the dampned haue water presented of the whiche they may not taste. The seconde for as moche that in suche thruste there is no release / or hope for ony tyme to come / of that torment sayth Ihesu cryste in the gospell y t the cursyd ryche man requyred the dayes of Abraham one poore and lytell Pater abrahōmit te lazarū vt [...]tigat extre mūdigiti s [...] aqua vt refrigeret līguā meā [...]a cruci or [...]ha [...] flāma. luce [...] vncapitulo. droppe of water and neuer myghte he haue it / nor neuer shall he haue it▪ a man fyndeth in wrytȳ ge that the sayd cursyd ryche man hadde to name Tantalus and was of the people of hebryeus the whiche thynge men afferme for as moche as he called Abraham his fader▪ and he was foure hō dreth yere byfore the comynge of Ihesu cryste and in the tyme of the grete physosypher Arystole / and euersyns / nor neuer shall cease to dye and for to enrage for thruste. In the whiche it appereth how y t Horrēdū ē incide­ [...]e [...] manu de [...]v [...]ē t [...]s. [...]e. x. it is grete errour for to fall in the Iustyce dyuyne / The thyrde is for a sauour that these dampned haue in theyr taste the whiche is made and compo­sed of galle and of the bytter thynges of helle the whiche holy scrypture nameth y e galle of dragons the whiche is a torment in explymable / for in lyke Fel dra [...]ho [...]ū vi­ [...]ū eo [...] venenū as­pidū [...] sana [...]ile. de vtero. xxxiii. Per que [...]s peccat [...]he [...] et torquet [...]t as in this worlde it is a thynge moche pleasaunt as to taste and sauour precyous wynes and delycyous meetes. Also in the other worlde it is a thynge moche cruelle as the tormente the whiche is to taste. /: The fourth is a rage the whiche is of the teeth / for in lyke wyse as the teeth haue ben somwhat an instrument [Page] to taste / they ben in the other worlde an instrument for to tormente.

THe. ix. is a payne ryght excessyue for foure reasons. The fyrste / for they shall be en-treated ryght cruelly. The seconde by cause of the place the whiche is ryght vyle and ryght stynkyn­ge. The thyrde for they shall be in seruytude of the ryght yll sauoure that is of y e deuylles and vn­to the synnes the whiche they haue loued. The fourth for the companye / for euery of the damp­ned hath partyculer payne for the presence & dampnacyon of the other / as well of deuylles as of the men and women.

THe tenth payne of those that ben dampned is as vnto the touchynge / for all the partyes of the body of them dampned ben more tender as to be hurted and dyseased than they were in this worlde whan by botches and apostumes they were halfe [...]oten and that notwithstondynge they shall haue agreuaunce of foure partyes. The fyrste shall be of the ponderosyte and collygacyon from the one membre vnto the other the whiche is of as moche grete greuaunce / as the helth and the good dysposycyon was the comforte and ayde of other membres in the present lyfe and more grete of as moche as the lyfe where y e estate to come excedeth in good or in yll that of this presēt lyfe. The ayde that the one membre doeth vnto the other may be knowen in consyderynge the operacyon and vsage [Page] of euery membre in regarde of the other / as we see that the operacyon of the mouth is the cause of y e lyfe of all the other / soo of the eyes / soo of the fote / and of euery of the other membres secrete in asmoche that the sykenes and dystruccyon of the one is the dystruccyon of the other / And soo in lyke wyse may a man saye of the dolour the whiche is in euery membre of the dampned / for it is suffycyent vnto the deth of all these other yf deth corporall myght be in helle recouered / and so this may be vnderstonde not aloonly of the membres of the body of na­ture. but with that of the membres of the body mystycall / that is to saye that yf ony • were in hell with out hauynge other payne than that / that he seeth and knoweth in his neyghbours he sholde suffre for to dye of as many dethes as there are of persones dampned in suche wyse that as many of membres Asserunt theologi [...] [...]te [...] diciū ge [...] ab [...]gn [...]er [...]h tor [...]ri i [...]tū [...]t īstrumentū [...]u. s [...] o [...]e. ergo a [...] ▪ vel aforcior [...] [...] [...]diciū [...]or [...] [...]r. Transivūt ab a quisniuiū ad [...]alor [...] nuniū. Iob [...] ▪ capitulo. as many of dethes. The seconde payne is for the touchynge of the place in the whiche they ben the whiche fyre enbraseth not aloonly by nature / but more ouer by operacyon dyuyne for that / that he is the instrument to excersyce the Iustyce of god. /: And for as moche that these operacyons dyuynes / & maryculousses ben moche more excellentes than those the whiche ben done symply after the cours of nature the embrasynge and the tormente of the fyre of helle excedeth the hete of all metalles mol­ten the whiche may be ymagyned more excessyuely than herte may thynke. And therfore whan suche fyre is in the depnes of the herte / of bones / of syne­wes / and of vaynes / of bloode and of [Page] the flesshe of the dampned and the whiche is more to esmeruayll in all y e puyssaunces of y e soule. who may than thynke the anguysshe of them the whi­che ben in suche torment without euer to haue po­wer A questyon. to dye. But some may make suche a questyon Yf it be so that these dampned shall be bayned in a ponde of yse after▪ as holy scrypture sayth / and lately hath ben sayd before that as moche is the gre­te oppresse of colde as that of fyre / as it may be to enioyne hete and colde in one selfe torment and in those y e whiche may not be remeuyd from one place vnto another. The answere vnto that / the grete The answer Alberte that suche alteracyon of colde and of hete in one selfe body maketh / is not made y t it is put from one place in to another. But in lyke wyse as the▪ sykenes of a feuer gyueth fyrste coldenes and afterwarde meruayllous hete / euyn so the tormen­tes of helle ben varyed amonge these dampned w t out mutacyon of the place of theyr pryson and hell perpetuall. The thyrde payne is for the touchynge of other bodyes dampned and embrased as a man seeth sensybly that of as moche that there is moch wode in a fyre / of as moche it brenneth y e more strō gely / and therfore the fyre embrased in a towne is Poēs eos vt cliba nū ignis ī tp̄e vul­tus tui. [...]s. x. ryght peryllous for the multytude of the houses y e whiche ben togyders. Not alonely to fele or for the domage that it doeth / but with that vnto the regarde of hym or of those y • whiche nothynge shall possede in the sayd cyte / for by the erroure and abho­mynacyon of suche embrasynge a man may lese the wytte and the vnderstondynge / Now thynke he that may what it may be of those the whiche felen [Page] them and vnderstonden to be dampned in the fyre of hell for euer more as longe as god shall be Quis ex vobis poterit habitare cu [...] [...]gn [...] deuorāte. god. and they shall be mothan an hundreth thou­sande thousandes of y e whiche euery of them shall make more greter fyre than sholde that of y e moost greatest towne of the worlde yf it were embrased. The fourth payne of the betynge and strykynge y t Parata sūt deriso [...]bꝰ iudicia et male [...]cu [...]iēres stulto rū corporibꝰ ꝓuer xix. ca. the deuylles make vpon y e bodyes & vpon y e soules of those that ben dampned / and for a brete epilo­gacyon of all the paynes of the partye of the body it is to be noted that all the fyue w tyttes naturalles of the dāpned shall be replenys [...]hed with thynges Cōgregabo super eos mala. & p̄. 1. sa­gittas meas cōple bo i eis. deu. xxxii. the whiche vnto them shall gyue tormentes aboue all estymacyons / as the cyte shall see tormentes & creatures deformed / as the doughter shall see the Sagittes [...]tfames [...]tis. frigus. estus. infirmitas. lassitu do et mo [...]s. moder / and y e moder the doughter / the systers and the broder kynnesfolke and other frendes. Also the husbonde the wyfe / and the wyfe her husbonde / & so of an hundreth thousande other thynges / that euery of the dampned seeth and knoweth & of eue­ry thynge vnto sorowe and dysease pertyculerly / & so of the herynge / in herynge y e crye / the lyghtenynge and the thondre of hete and of colde the which contynually ben assembled the one as grete as an other / of the whiche assemble and presse spryngeth a cōfusyon of soūde as somtyme we may se whan one putteth an yron embrased in the water / or whā a cloude colde assembleth with another cloude hote Than it causeth y e lyghtenynge & the thondre the whiche of tymes vnto vs is hatefull for y e errour of the grete soūde & of the cryes / yf it than be so that the body of euery of the dampned be a corner of y e [Page] lyghtenynge & of the tormente of helle / what con­fusyon of crye and of thonder there may he haue thynke he that may. Also the taste / the smell / and y e touchyng ben in semblables varyacyons and innō brables paynes and tormentes. By the consydera­cyon alonely of the paynes before sayd the whiche is a lytell thynge in comparyson of them the whi­che folowen all vnderstondynge the whiche may vnto suche paynes come or hym kepe theder for to come sholde well in hymselfe conceyue on suche ferechat / by that he hym enforce to do well / and all yll for to eschewe and fle / the whiche thynge is the ende vnto the which we entende in all the processe of this present boke.

¶ Here folowen in one maner of the generalyte of the paynes of the soule dampned.

AFter y • forty paynes corporalles nombred and reherced before it behoueth some what to reherce of the paynes of the soule to the ende y t those the whiche wyll not or may not conceyue fere by the consyderacyon of the sayd paynes corporalles that for the spyrytualles they may come vnto the fere of the creature the whiche hath puyssaunce to dampne body and soule in helle / for the paynes spyrytualles ben more cruell and more to be doub­ted Eū timete [...] pōt ꝑ de [...]e corpꝰ & aiam i gehe [...]nam. of as moche that the soule is more greter thyng thā y e body / y e whiche cōparyson surmoūteth now the capacyte of vnderstondynge humayne in this (mater / and by [Page] the consequent a man may not comprehende par­fytly the paynes of the soule / for as it hath ben be­fore sayd after saynt Austen they be moche more greter than a man may speke or thynke. And that notwitstondynge some thynge shall be here reher­ced how be it that it be lytell / and fyrste in generall and secondly more in pertyculer. As vnto the fyrst it is to vnderstonde that vnto god the fader is gy­uen puyssaunce infynyte / vnto god the sone semblable sapyence / and vnto the god the holy goost lyke bonte and buksōnes / and this blyssed trynyte one dyuynyte / one selfe essence / one maieste by his puyssaunce / his sapyence and bonte to create soule rea­sonable vnto his semblaūce / vnto his ymage / in gyuynge her mynde / vnderstondynge / and wyll in so hyghe degree of noblesse naturall that he vnto her hath gyuen fre choyse to do well or yll / soo that it shall procede of the free wyll / and yf she her wyll humble in yeldynge vnto god the obedyence and y e seruyce that she knoweth by reason naturall to be due vnto the creature / she her vnyeth with hym by grace beynge partener vnto the glorye of his dyuynyte by so hygh excellence of dyuynyte that he her calleth the doughter of god / the espouse of Jhesu / cryste / and quene of paradyse. And she the whiche knoweth and may all thynges in god / And by the contrary whan so noble a creature her peruerteth contraryous and rebelle agayne god her creature y e whiche in suche wyse her hath autorysed endoned & ennobled and y t she wyll of her propre wyll agaȳ the cōmaundement and ordenaūce of her god creatour and redemptour. The whiche thynge is agaȳ [Page] all reason naturall. Than she supposeth vnto god her creatour / maketh of herselfe her god in presu­mynge and sechynge dysordenatly in all thynges her propre honoure / her glorye / and her prayse / and for that / that suche god is nothynge folye and er­roure / the poore soule myserable falleth & abydeth aduersary and contraryous vnto god the creatoure in whome is all goodnes and all puyssaunce infy­nytly / and he oonly vnto whome is gyuen all ho­noure. and therfore so as we see that derkenesses bē contraryes vnto lyght / beaute and honeste / vnto foulnes and vnto all fylth / pouerte / rychesse / helth syknes / the deth / vnto the lyfe and soo of all other thynges contraryous. In lyke wyse it behoueth to saye of the soule the whiche is contraryous and aduersary vnto god And for as moche that in god as it is sayd / is puyssaunce / sapyence / bonte / beaute / rychesse / glorye / honoure / pleasures. delytes / lyfe / trouth / Justyce / equytes / swetnes / and all other perfeccyons infynytly & without nombre / it foloweth well that in the soule the whiche by the abusyon of his propre wyll / is vnto hȳ contraryous in fermynge aduersarye and contraryous vnto the wyll dy­uyne is all frowarde and the contrary of the thyn­ges before sayd. That is to vnderstonde / debylyte and myserable feblenes / folye and cursydnes / hor­ryble defermyte of foulnes / pouerte of all godenes so grete y t the deth / or to be adnychylate hym sholde seme to be for a grete good / mysery / & dyshonoure of all partes dyspleasaūce / dysease / paynes / and do lours without nombre & without mesure deth eter­nall vnto hym is his partage and propre herytage [Page] falsete / iniquyte / malyce / and suche crudelyte that he curseth god and all creatures in desyrynge that all the worlde were dampned as she notwithston­dynge that she knoweth well that better with her it shall nothynge be but euer worse. And for asmo­che y t she hath clere vnderstondynge of herselfe and that she knoweth & seeth her dysposycyon her dāpnacyon / & the ylles & the incōuenyētes before sayd & the whiche folowe w tout nōbre & without ende in the whiche is put & gyuen by her propre wyll. also Cōmēducauer [...]it liguas suaspre do lore & blasyhema­uersit deū celi p̄ [...]o loribus & vulneri bus suis. a [...]o. xvi. she hath knowlege of y e goodes of the glorye that she hath loste by her defaute / And the whiche may neuer be recouered / and seeth that of all these ylles she oonly is the culpe and defaute / she hateth herselfe and curseth aboue all thynges. And in lyke wyse as she is dysordynatly loued she her selfe ha­teth and of good ryght / and wolde she hadde neuer ben made but she may not haue y e thynge that she desyreth / who knoweth the foulnesand dyrte that she may not dryue a waye or wasshe her dyshonour that she may not recouer / her iniquyte that she may not correcte / her losse that she may not recouer / for the whiche thynges and for the greate rage in the whiche she is holden she byteth and eateth her handes and her tonge hath well to vnderstonde & she may not helselfe bere ne endure / wherfore there is none vnderstondynge tonge ne wrytynge by y e whiche a man may declare the payne and greuous rage of the dampned and this is as vnto the genera­lyte of the paynes of hell of the partye of the sou­le.

[Page]¶ Here foloweth of the ten paynes pryncypalles of the soule the whiche is dampned / and euery of thē dyuysed in foure.

  • THe fyrst is of all glorye defayllynge.
  • THe seconde remors w tout ende of cōscyence
  • The thyrde Ire / rancure / and murmure.
  • The fourth pryde and rebellyon harde.
  • The fyfth of another mans welth cursyd enuy.
  • The syxte is fere that moche men noyeth
  • The .vii. payne is torment the whiche fayleth not.
  • The .viii. is of all Joye defaute.
  • The .ix. desyre of the deth ryght hydeous.
  • The .x. is trybulacyon shamfull.

THe fyrste payne is to be depryued from the glorye of paradyse / and for to vnderstonde some what the gretenes of this payne / it is well to be noted that as moche grete yll is the losse of some Visio dei totamerces. gio. suꝑ illud [...] ostē dāilli salutare meū. Ego ei mul­to grauiores (quam) ge­hēna esse dico cru­ciatus remoueri & ab [...]ci ab illa gtia nec puto ita acer­ba esse gehēne i cē dia vt sūt illa [...]bꝰ torq̄turis [...] arce [...] [...]cospectu dei hec criso. Item. au. Simali posset malēt deū videre i infer no & in penis (quam) extra pena [...] deū non videre. good as is grete the value of that good loste / as for example. Yf a man demaunde how moche the grete yll of sykenes / a man may truely answere that it is as moche grete yll as helth is grete good for as moche as the sykenes is contraryous vnto helth. also what yll is the deth / it is as moche grete yll as y • lyfe is grete good. In lyke wyse yf a man demaū ­de what yll is dampnacyon eternall / it is as moche grete yll as the glorye of paradyse is grete good. & for as moche that y e glorye of paradyse is more grete good than the tormentes of payne sensytyue before sayd ben grete yll / it foloweth that the payne (of the dammage that these dampned soules [Page] haue that is to be depreuyd from the beatytude eternall is more grete yll than all the paynes corporalles before sayd. This payne of y • dōmage causeth foure greate and incōpreuables ylles vnto the dāpned. The fyrste is to be depryued to see the blyssed trynyte the whiche is as moche grete yll / as god is grete good after as it is declared before / ymagen he that may and not I y e yll of suche losse & damp­nacyon. And therfore sayth well saynt Austen that there is no saynt in paradyse but that loueth better to be in the fyre and tormentes of paynes and too see god than to be in the glorye of paradyse excepte to see good. The seconde yll is to de depreuyd from the cōsolacyon and glorye that the saued haue for the company & presente of blyssed angellys. The thyrde yll is to be depryued from y e Joye and gladnes that all sayntes haue for the presence the one of the other. The fourth yll is to be depryued from the contree and from the royalme of paradyse the whiche of good ryght is named the lande of lyfe / as this present worlde is well named the londe of deth. Wherfore it is to be notyd that as to lese a du­che / or a royalme in this valee of mesery and of y e coūtre of deth and ryght peryllous to enhabyte / it is a thynge so moche ferefull and so moche playnnynge y t for to kepe hym from suche peryll / a man doeth armes / bataylles / assaultes / as ▪sholde euery man in the ryght of hymselfe to doo for to eschewe the losse of suche good as the royalme of paradyse. Wherof sayth saynt Gregorye that the leste of the Propter caritatē magnā hereditas illa oibus ē vna & singularis tota. saued haue entyerly and perfytly the possessyon of all paradyse / for charyte by the whiche a man lo­ueth [Page] his neyghbour as hymselfe maketh all go­des to be comon specyally in the sayd royalme of paradyse.

THe seconde payne of the partye of the soule vermis eo (rum) [...]ō morietur. ysaie. vl [...]. is named the worme or the remors of con­scyence and a payne the whiche procedeth of clere knowlege the whiche than is in the soule / by y e whi­che she knoweth she hadde ben saued yf she hadde wylled whan she sholde haue wylled to do the werkes. Also she knoweth that in suche losse there is no recouer / and this vnto her is a dyspleaser incompreuable as we may see some what in this worlde of them the whiche by theyr defaute or neclygence. lesen a grete good that they ben in remors and in dyspleaser agayne themselfe / & this payne is aug­mented Quid ꝓ fuit nobis suꝑbia aut diuicia rū iactāc [...] [...]d no bis ꝯtulit. [...]ap̄. v. vnto the dampned of foure partes. The fyrste is of the mynde of all the synnes y t they euer dyde in theyr lyues / haue they be pardōned other tymes on this behalue or not / for in as moche that god them hath pardōned many synnes & by many tymes / of asmoche haue they be the more vnkynde to be retorned and fynally to dwelle in synnes. and whan they see the lytell pleaser / the prouffyte & the hardenes y t they haue had in sȳne & they felen the payne & knowen y e eternyte / thynke who so may y e rage in y e whiche they ben without ceasynge. The seconde is of the mynde that they haue of y e good dedes that he myght haue done in lytell tyme / as penaūce & to purchase merytes and the royalme of paradyse & that all is paste without euer there to haue remedy. The thyrde is of y e mynde of y e goodes / of [Page] the honours & of y e rychesses y t god vnto them hath Horrēdo & cito apparebit vobis qm̄ iudiciū durissimūī his [...] [...]sūt fiet exig no e [...]rcedit̄ mīa. Itē potētespotēt [...]ormēta paciētur sap̄. vi. Itē ibidem fortioribꝰ forcior instat cruciatus. gyuen in this worlde for to prayse hym & serue hȳ & they haue ben abused in makynge warre & dys­honoure vnto y e creature & vnto the sayntes of pa­radyse. wherfore not aloonly the Justyce & maieste dyuyne them holden offended / but with y t the crea­tures in asmoche as y e vnkyndenes & the offence is grete / now is it ynough-clere by reason naturall y t the offence made agayne the puyssaunce / sapyence & bonte infynyte / his malyce / iniquyte / & folye in­fynyte / by the whiche it behoueth [...] the Justyce dy­uyne punysshe iustely / and by tormentes infynyte as afterwarde shall be shewed / and this knoweth and seeth euery dampned to be done by the Justyce infynyte. The whiche they hate soueraynly & vn­to whome they may not resyste / in ony wyse flee / or escape. The fourth of the mynde of the goodes of grace that they haue other tymes hadde / or y t they myght haue hadde / of the whiche they haue loste y e meryte and retrybucyon the whiche was the vysyon of god and all the royalme and beatytude of paradyse. Also they haue clere knowlege of the bene­fyce of the Incarnacyon of oure lorde and of his blyssed passyon / the whiche thynge vnto theym is as moche grete payne / as the loue and the benefyce was grete and incompreuable and vpon this yma­gen profoundly euery creature after the grace that the swete Jhesus vnto hym shall gyue / for I am ynough certayne that none vnderstondynge create ne may it comprehende all playne.

THe thyrde payne of the soule is Ire / & ran­cure incompreuable agayne foure thynges specyally. The fyrste is agayne the puyssaunce of god vnto the whiche they maye not resyste as yt is sayd / notwithstondynge that they it desyren so­ueraynly & ben certayne to haue no power theder to come / by the whiche they ben in Ire intollerable. /: The seconde is agayne theyr mysery & dampna­cyon in suche wyse y t euery of them is in sorowe & in anguysshe of his propre wyll & dōmage more or lesse after the colour & the dāmage. & for as moch y • the soule dampned hath clere knowlege of all her ylles she is enraged of an Ire without mesure. the thyrde is agayne the deuylles by y • temptacyon and suggestyon wherof they be comen vnto suche estate & also y t these tormentes ben w tout remedy. The fourth is agayne y e persones y e whiche other tymes haue consented vnto theyr synnes / or the which haue not done theyr deuour for to teche them / or correcte & in regarde of this y e subieccyon agayn theyr prelates / y e chyldren agayne y • fader & moder / the harlotte agayne the harlotte / ben in suche a rage of Ire / that none may it thynke or wryte.

THe fourth payne is pryde enuenumyd and they may not it auēge & it procedeth of. iiii partes. The fyrste is as vnto y e regarde of y • lordeshyp & dominacyon infynyte / & generall of y • creature & for asmoche y t the soule dāmpned it aduersa­ry & cōtrarious vnto god she hath of asmoche grete dyspleaser of y e honour & domynacyō of y e creature as suche honour is excellent & grete. The secon [Page] de is vnto the regarde of y e Justyce dyuyne / after y • whiche she her seeth aiuged vnto y e eternyte of ex­cessyue paynes y t she feleth & endureth / & for asmoche y t she hath ben vniuste in vsurpynge glorye / honour / & the vsaūce of her propre wyll she is made & formed cōtraryous & aduersary of y • Justyce dyuyne / by the whiche she abydeth Justely in y e obstynacyon of her pryde / & by y • consequent of her tormēt w tout ende. The .iii. is vnto y e regarde of theyr propre wyll of y e whiche they haue made theyr god / & for y • / y t they haue loued suche god aboue all other thynges. & they hȳ se agayne y e cōtrary / & tormen­ted w tout mesure / & as vnto ony maner of thyng desyred they may not come they ben in a se of anguysshe torment. The .iiii. is vnto y e regarde of y e holy­nes of vertues & of trouth y t she hath loste & to thē is cōtraryous / & alwayes seeth & knoweth y t trouth Justyce / & glorye arysen & ben taken frō theyr torment & from theyr payne by thē the whiche ben in paradyse / by the whiche she enrageth of dolour.

THe fyfth payne of y • soule is of cruell enuy in regarde of four thȳges. The fyrste is of the bonte of god / for syns that she is contraryous vnto god as it is sayd / she hath in her the contrary of the proprytes and excellences the whiche ben in god. Now is it certayne that in god is pyte / swete­nes / & mercy infynytly / by the whiche it foloweth that in the soule dampned there is enuy / crudelyte and anguysshe of all the goodnesses the whiche come & proceden vnto creatures of the bonte. & mercy of god. And for as moche that suche goodes [Page] innumerables as well in nature āgelyque as in nature humayne / as well in heuen as in erth the tor­ment of y • enuy of those dampned may not be suf­fycyently ymagyned. This tormēt is shewed somwhat of this present worlde in the torment y t these enuyous people suffren in the prosperyte of theyr neyghbours. The seconde is vnto the regarde of y e noblesse & excellence y e whiche is in nature angely­que. The thyrde vnto the regarde of other blyssed men & women / for as it is grete and is shewed the mercy & bonte infynyte vnto y e saluacyon of y • multytude of the blyssed sayntes / of as moche is it grete / and is multyplyed y e enrage of enuy of those y • ben dampned. The fourth is vnto y e regarde of lytell chyldrē y e whiche ben deed in orygynall synne / The whiche shall be in y e fyre of hell w tout suffrȳ ge payne sensyble. In lyke wyse as sayth these doctours & of y t company the which shall be ryght grete / the dampned shall be affrayed for the crudelyte of theyr enuy vnto whome all welth shall be cōtraryous as ynough it hath be shewed before.

THe. vi. payne of y e soule is fere immuable in the whiche they were fyrste caste in to hell & cōdampned / for syns in helle there is no redēpcyon it behoueth to say y t they shall abyde in perpetuyte in y e degre of y e payne in y e whiche they ben fyrst cō dampned. this fere procedeth of foure thynges. the fyrste is vnto the regarde of y e Juge y t they knowē to be puyssaūte & of iustyce infynyte. Also they knowen y t theyr iniquyte is incompreuable and damp­nable and of suche comparyson and knowlege procedeth [Page] fere seruyle inestymable and without euer to cease. The seconde is vnto the regarde of y e company of men and of women dampned / for it fau­teth not to ymagen that they ben lesse ferefull in helle that they were on this halue / but more in as moche that they may more suffre of fere than they haue had on this halue. Now is it so that yf they had seen or mette one dampned on this halue they had had fere to haue ben madde / thynke than who that may vnto what thynge it may be in the other worlde / where these dampned fyn [...]en an hundreth thousande myllyons The thyrde is vnto y • regarde of deuylles / for in as moche that they haue not feryd vnto them to obeye in this worlde / it is y e good Justyce of god that they feren theyr presence / theyr lokes and theyr tormentes in helle eternally. This fere ouer that / that it is naturall it is grauyd after the Justyce dyuyne in forme and maner iudycyble The fourth is vnto the regarde of the grete & horryble paynes of hell / as for an example. Yf a man shew vnto ony in this present lyfe a water hote / or a metall molten and that a man hym certefye that he therin shall be put by Justyce / by the espace of a moneth or of a yere / he sholde haue moche greate drede & greate fere aduyse euery creature after that that he may ymagen the vnderstondynge of soules dampned the whiche be not in nothynge taryed / but more soner aboue all nature ayded and chosen to vnderstonde clerely as well the paynes corporalles as spyrytualles the whiche vnto them ben ma­de redy vnto / to that thynke he that may.

THe seuenth payne of the soule dampned is certaynte y t neuer in suche payne there shall be ende / terme / respyte / or releasynge for four thȳ ges / The fyrste is for the reason of hym that she hath offended by her synne that is god the whiche is infynyte and eternall: The seconde is by reason of the nature of synne fynall / That is to vnder­stonde he the whiche at th [...]deth is founde without true repentaūce. The thyrde is vnto the regarde of the Justyce dyuyne. But for as moche as of that eternyte of paynes due vnto euery synne mortall shall be a chapytr [...]in the ende of thys mater / it is not as nowe necessarye other wyse to drawe these foure poyntes or payne / .

THe eyght payne of the soule dampned is defaute of all consolacyon the whiche defau­te vnto them cometh of foure partes / The fyrste is in the regarde of the dyuyne fountayne of Joye and of consolacyon / from the whiche the cursyd dampned ben put fer awaye and departed. By the whiche they ben fallen in to the contrarye partye / That is to vnderstonde in to the see and in to the depenesses of heuynesses and of all desolacyon. /: The seconde is in regarde of nature angelyque the whiche after god is the synguler consolacyon of nature humayne specyally vnto the speryte / and for as moche that these dampned haue not obeyed vnto y e good inspyracyons of theyr holy angelles but more soner to y e suggestyōs of theyr gostly enemy [Page] in stede of the kepyng and consolacyon angelyque they haue y e presence and the desolucyon inestyma­ble of deuylles. The thyrde is in regarde of y e holy cōpany of those that ben blyssed / as is Jhesu cryste the vyrgyn Mary / and all those other holy sayntes of paradyse the whiche haue not in ony maner cō ­passyon of those that ben dampned / but they enyoye in the crudelyte and eternyte of theyr tormentes the whiche thynge y • dampned seeth and knoweth By the whiche they ben inestymably tormented & dyscomforted. The fourth is vnto the regarde of the company of the dampned / for the one shal not haue compassyon of the other. By the whiche they curse eche other / and so shall be depryued from all cōpassyon / as well of those of paradyse / as of them of helle. nor in them selfe they may not in ony wyse haue it / but they it hate and curse pryncypally / for they ben the cause defayllynge of all / of all the tor­mentes vnto the whiche the ben come.

THe .ix. payne of the soule dampned is desyre to mowe dye vnto the whiche she may neuer come. Of good ryght they may not fynde the deth in the other worlde the whiche haue refused y e lyfe on this behalue. By the whiche they desyren foure thynges / vnto the whiche they may not come The fyrste is that they wolde they hadde not ben create. The seconde that they myght be as nothȳ ge. The thyrde that they hadde not ben redemyd / The fourth that they sholde not aryse. For in lyke [Page] wyse as these foure thynges ben greate glorye and gladnes vnto the blyssed. In lyke wyse it is anoy­saunce and heuynes vnto those acursyd more than euer man may thynke.

THe tenth payne of the soule dampned is cō ­fusyble retrybucōn for four thynges. The fyrste is for that / that the dampned ben certayne y t god the whiche is theyr aduersary seeth theyr con­fusyble dampna [...]yon / for in lyke wyse as to se god is eternall & perfyte retrybucyon vnto the blyssed / In lyke wyse to be seen of god in eternall dampnacyon is inestymable confusyon in all these damp­ned & some what appereth the confusyon / of y • torment in this worlde / for a thefe hath shame to be seen & knowen in his theft of ony man notable. but soueraynly he sholde fere to be seen of hym y • whi­che hȳ shall Juge. The seconde is for as moche y t the tormentes & the multytude & theyr greuys ben in y • clere vysyon & knowlege of god not aloonly / but w t hȳ & all the court celestyn / & in lyke wyse as y • glorye of the blyssed is gretely trurstyd by y e dāp­nacyon of those acursyd. In lyke wyse y • dāpnaciō of those reproued is a grauyte inestymable by cause of y • knowlege of those y • ben saued. of y • maner of this syght no theologiē ne ought to doubte for they of paradyse see in god all y e thynges y e whiche ben to y • augmentacōn of theyr glorye / as bē y • tormētes of hell in lyke wyse as it hath ben sayd before. and shall be more playnly in y • chapytre of y • eternyte of y • paȳes internalles. Also yf ony make meruayle how it may be y • a chylde sauyd shall haue as gre [Page] te Joye and as perfyte gladnes of the dampnacōn of his fader / and of his moder / or of the one of thē or the fader & the moder sauyd of the dampnacōn of theyr chylde & other frendes. The wyll of the sauyd is in suche wyse vnyed with the wyll dyuyne that all y t / that god wyll / is the Joye & the wyll ry­ght parfyte of all the sauyd for y t / that god wolde or sholde wyll after the puyssaunce & Justyce vnto that dampnacyon & for as moche is it the wyll and glorye of all those y t ben chosen. The thyrde is of the lokes of one vpon another / for euery of theym shall see the synne & the conscye [...]ce / the one of the other / & for y t / that soule resonable notw tstondynge that she be dampned leseth not her propryte y t she had shame of her sȳne & of her confusyon she shal be in souerayne angre in herselfe & vnto the syght of all the worlde as well of the sauyd as of y e dampned. The fourth is for asmoche as she seeth clerely the multytude of her synnes the grefe and the vn­kyndenes that she hath commytted agayne y e crea­tour / and so as the sauyd haue in themselfe a Joye & a gladnes of the good dedys y t they haue done in this worlde▪ In lyke wyse the dampned seynge all theyr synnes shall haue for euery synne partyculer shame and abhomynacyon & incompreuable cōfusyon. Now beholde who y • may what it shall be of all togyders / by these thynges before sayd it appe­reth that there are .xl. paynes partyculers of y • partye of the body & in lyke wyse as many of y • soule And so there ben foure score paynes partyculers in euery dampned in body & in soule / for as it is sayd [Page] all the fyue wyttes of nature. That is the syght / y • herynge / the smellynge / the taste / & the touchynge Also the bones / the mary / the synewes / the vaynes the flesshe / the blode / the humours / & qualytes cor­poralles shall be replenysshed with souerayne & in dycybles / dolours / & anguysshes. Also all y • puys­saunces of the soule / as the mynde / y • vnderstondȳ ge / and the wyll / shall be in Ire / and in rancure / in pyrde & in rebellyon / in obstynacyon / & in profoundyte of souerayne / eternall desolacyon / & of confusyons and so innōbrables that yf all y • see were yn ke for to wryte / and the skye and all the foure ale­mentes parchement drawen in length / & all y • tonges of the blessyd sesse not in an hondreth yeres to name & to nombre the partyculer paynes vnto the whiche is adiuged & condampned euery dampned a man myght not speke nor wryte in an hundreth thousande yere the paynes of one dampned aloonly / for yf for euery yere that he shall be in helle he myght wepe one oonly tere / whan he hadde so moche wepte that it amounteth all the see / yet sholde it not be but a maner to begynne his torment and his wepynge. Also yf he were a stone a thousande tymes more greater than all the erth and that there came a byrde / and from an hondreth thousand ye­res vnto an hondreth thousande yeres and none of tener and for euery vyage he taketh and consu­meth of the sayd stone also grete aloonly as is the tenth parte of a corne of whete. In suche wyse that in ten hondreth thousande yeres he had not taken of y • stone but y e moūtenaūce of a grayne of the [Page] sayd corne and that god had made promesse to one dampned y • whan the sayd stone sholde be all eten and no sooner he sholde haue than y • glorye of pa­radyse but in the releasynge of his payne / the sayd dāpned sholde be now lately dyschargyd of one of the horryble tormentes of hell y t is y • he sholde haue hope of y • tyme & of y e houre y • the stone sholde be al eeten / & that than he sholde haue some releasynge But alas alas & a. C. thousāde tymes alas / & whā shall y • be / And euer more all y • dampned ben depryued & put from suche truste & from euery other hope or remedye / & ben certayne y t for euer withoute ende & eternally they shall be in payne & in the torment that they fele & endure / & this payne is dys­payre / no creature it can suffycyently thynke. O hertes pyteous thynke profoūdly where shall beco­me your aege & your tymes / thynke where is your loue & your vnderstondynge / thynke yf ye be in the waye of glorye / or of torment & ymagen that there are an hondreth myllyons in helle y t yf they had y • fourth parte of the halfe houre to do penaūce and to recouer mercy in suche wyse that it to do ye haue the dayes the monthes and the yeres they sholde do dylygence and suche penaunce the whiche there they shall neuer fynde / y • whiche thynge they shall neuer recouer. Alas thynke who that may / the we pynges / the waylynges / the lamentacyons / and y e complayntes that they make in sessybly in cursynge the houre that they were euer begoten / that euer they were borne of theyr moder / that euer they were nourysshed and gyuen souke / they haue conty­nually [Page] in the mynde and in the vnderstondynge y e grete goodes that they haue loste. & the grete ylles in to y e whiche they ben come / by the whiche they may saye. Alas where is become y e tyme in y • why­che we myght haue ben sauyd full lytell whyle haue endured our laughynges our playes / / & our plesurs of y • worlde. Alas what haue prouffyted vs honours / rychesses / & delytes / grete castelles / houses / dygnytes / offyces / all is paste more sooner than y • wynde & with [...]s abydeth not but y e maledyccyon of god / mysery & torment / cursyd be y e houre y t we hadde not ben famysshed & deed more sooner than Male dicetregisu [...] & deo fuo. ysu. vii borne / we haue loste y • meryte of y • passyon / we haue loste paradyse & eternall benedyccyon / alas god wherfore haste thou vs create / cursyd be the creature of creatures / & the houre also of y e creacyon / well ben we acursyd & cōfoūded / we haue fere to crye to curse / & blaspheme y e one may not y • other comfort but well awaye may eche with other sorowe. O how moche is this horryble thynge cruell & to re­doubte as to offende god & his cōmaūdementes to trespasse but to late it is hym to aduyse & repent. suche remors & other without nombre ben in y • songe of y • acursyd / of y e estate of whome & of theyr pay­nes none ne may speke nor wryte playnly / in cōparyson of y • / that they suffre / but y t notwithstondȳ ­ge who y • well taketh hede & weyeth in his herte y • the whiche is sayd and reherced in this treatyse he shall conceyue fere yf euer by meane of wrytynge / or by other waye erthely he y t sholde conceyue and vnto that purpose is founde by scrypture that a yo [Page] geler a man excessyuely worldely and of all vany­te playnly named Fulques one tyme amonge other was layde in a fayre bedde softe & pleasaūte but he myght not slepe as he desyred & hym it ennoyed that the lyght of the daye came not vnto hym no sooner / not for to here masse / or ellys for to praye vnto god / but for to excercyse his folyes and his vanytes worldly. And he beynge in suche ennoysaūce thought in hymselfe profoūdly what ennoye and doloure he myght haue yf he were condāpned hym to holde and abyde in the bedde where he laye tyll vnto y • espace of two or of thre yeres w tout seynge other lyght / or persone / & conceyued in hymselfe y t for no sōme of golde / or of syluer / he wolde suffre to be comdampned vnto suche ennoye & suche tor­ment. And afterwarde thought yet more profoundly what it myght be of those the whiche haue not done suffycyently penaunce on this behalue / by the whiche they ben Justely adiuged to be an hondreth yeres and some other more / & other lesse in tormentes and in the sharpe fyre of purgatorye / the whi­che is so harde and so anguysshous a thynge to be­re & endure / y t none ne may it thynke / and moche he meruaylled of the payne / and of y • ennoye that they myght haue in awaytynge the daye of glad­nes that they sholde be crowned in the royalme of paradyse & delyuered from all the paynes for euer without ende. But so as god wolde he thought more profoundly what it myght be of those the whi­che ben in helle dampned in eternyte of tormentes who awayte not nor truste not for euer to haue so­cours ne lyghtynge in ony space of dayes or of myllyons [Page] of yeres / and by this consyderacyon and thȳ kynge he conceyued suche fere / and so grete admy­racyon that for his folysshe and cursyd lyfe he myght not one tyme come vnto suche confusyon whe­re incontynent he dysposed hȳ to leue his lyfe worldely & ryght peryllous in cōsyderynge y • with gre­te payne / and well late thynken these worldly people of thynges y • whiche vnto them ben fynally for to come / & after in full fewe dayes lefte y • worlde & entred in to y • relegyon of cystoriencis in y • which he prouffyted so gretely in thynkynge on y • paynes of helle. the Joyes of paradyse & other holy medy­tacyons / y • for his grete holynes & medytacyon and perfeccōn of good lyfe he was chosen ryght holely bysshop of tholouse / in y • whiche offyce & dygnyte he ended vnto y • glorye of god his dayes. By this example appereth clerely the grete prouffyte y • whiche came of holy medytacyon & to thynke on the paynes of helle & vnto the eternyte of theyr hardenes. And therfore to y • ende y • those y • whiche wyll studye in this present booke hauynge mater more haboūdantly offere & to esmeruayll y • eternyte of the sayd paynes of helle. Here foloweth a chapytre in y • whiche ben contayned many causes & reasons sheweth wherfore god punyssheth synne eternally. without euer there to haue an ende.

¶ Here foloweth the chapytre of y • causes & reasōs wherfore y e paynes of helle sholde be eternall.

NOtwithstondynge that some thynge hath ben touched of the eternyte of paynes & tormentes [Page] of them reproued yet for the more greater admyracyon and also for to mete with folysshe sē tences & oppynyons y t the deuyll soweth amonge the hertes of many worldly people blynded & dowed in theyr synnes. Here folowen many causes and reasons by the whiche it is euydently shewed y • the sayd paynes ought to be eternalles w tout euer there to haue releasynge / & pryncypally for thre reasons generalles. The fyrste is vnto y e regarde of y • con­dycyon of mortall synne. The seconde vnto the re­garde of the creatour the whiche is gloryous & eternall. The thyrde is the consyderacyon of the vny­uersall worlde.

AS vnto the fyrste y t is of the consyderacōn of synne it is to vnderstonde y t for four rea­sons Justyce dyuyne requyreth y • synne be punys­shed in eternyte. The fyrste is for y t / that after all Jugement of reason / y e offence of sȳne ought to be w [...]yed & punysshed after the dygnyte / grete / lytell or meane of hym the whiche is offended / for none ne may ymagen y t it were no grete offence to stryke vniustely a bysshop thā a symple chapelayne / or y • souerayn bysshop y t is y • pope thā another man of the chirche in lesse dygnyte. Now is it soo that by euery synne mortall god is offended soueraynly & as moche greuously as his maieste is dygne & infynyte. By the whiche it foloweth that Justyce requyreth payne who answereth / & by the consequent infynyte for euery mortall synne. The seconde rea­son is for as moche that by mortall synne euery (creature is depryued from [Page] welth eternall the whiche is god / and by suche wyse he hym submytteth vnto his oposyte / y • is damp nacyon eternall. The thyrde reason is for asmoche y • mortall synne depryueth y • creature from welth paste / present / & to come. The welth paste y t is the passyon of y • blyssed Jhesu cryste without y e whiche it were vnpossyble vnto all y e worlde to mowe euade the bondes of y • deuyll / and euer more by mor­tall synne a man hym depryueth from suche benefyce. The good present y t is the meryte of holy chirche from the whiche the synner beynge as a syn­ner is depryued & seueryd. The goodes to come y t ben the goodes of glorye y • whiche by good Justy­ce sholde not be gyuen in ony wyse vnto those the whiche ben enemyes & aduersaryes vnto the crea­toure as ben all those y • whiche fynally abyden in mortall synne. The fourth reason is for asmoche that mortall synne of his propre condycyon destroyeth all the good dedes of the creature y • whiche he cōmytted / for euery thynge destroyeth his contrary in as moche as is in hym / as it appereth of fyre & of water / of lyght and of derkenes / and so of other thynges contraryes. Now is it ynough certayne y t there is nothynge contraryous vnto the wyll dy­uyne but oonly synne / and by the consequent syn­ne destroyeth and putteth vnto nought as moche as is in hym the wyll dyuyne and so putteth all y • blyssed Trynyte vnto nothynge and in suche wy­se he destroyeth all the worlde / as well the holy men & women of paradyse / as also all these other creatures / for it is Impossyble that creature may [Page] be to haue enduryd but in that / that god hym holdeth and conserueth and yf god be dystroyed by sȳ ne the whiche aloonly vnto hym is contrary / euery creature is deed and destroyed in the deth of the In iterno aūt [...]s [...]fitebi [...] tibi quas [...] dicerꝪ nullꝰ. p̄. vi. I tē qr nō ifernus cōfitebit tibi ne (que) morslaudabit ten̄ expectabūt [...] descē dut ī lacūverita [...]ē tuā. vsa. xxx viii. creatour. But it is a thynge impossyble y e god may not be / or to dye / by the whiche it foloweth & behoueth y t synne be punysshed after y e puyssaūce / sapyence & eternyte of his contrary y t is god / & yf it were not done / there sholde be defaute of Justyce. and yf Justyce dyuyne and infynyte defayle / god shold defayle / Also the synner the whiche dyeth in mor­tall synne / synneth in eternyte / for yf he alwayes hadde lyued / alwayes he hadde synned. And in as moche as that he endureth in synne / he oughte to endure punycyon. Also yf the sȳne the whiche euer endureth were not for euer punysshed / the Justyce penytyue sholde be to moche vnlawfully dyuynysshed and all trouth dyuyne defraudyd / ye anoyn­tyd the whiche ben thynges to moche impossybles. Also as moche grete is the transgressyon / as y • grete oblygacyon. Now is it trouth that euery creatu­re is bounde to serue and honoure his creatour the whiche thynge he may not do the whiche is in de­dely synne / but more sooner doth the contrary that is to knowe to blaspheme and to dyshonoure god. By the whiche he is the transgressour of the lawe dyuyne and of nature the whiche ben lawes eternal les. By the whiche it foloweth that suche trans­gressyon ought to be punysshed eternally.

AS vnto the seconde poynt the whiche is in the comparyson of the synne / and of the creature agayne whome it is done / it is to vnder­stonde that for foure reasons he ought to be punysshed eternally. The fyrste is for the grace that god hath done vnto the creature humayne / For of as moche as the grace / or the benefyce done vnto ony is grete / of as moche is greter the offence or the for fayte of hym the whiche is redeuable / or shall yel­de accompte before hym whome he ought to serue & honoure / As for an example. The kynge gyueth a thousande pounde of rente vnto one knyght and vnto another an hundreth thousands pounde both tweyne offende and commytte treason agayne the kynge. Than it shall be Jugyd that the treason of hym the whiche hadde an hundreth thousande pounde is more greuous thanne is that of hym y e whiche hadde not but aloonly a thousande poun­de / and therfore for as moche that an hundreth thousande pounde is more greater thynge thenne a thousande pounde aloonly. And vnto the pur­pose god vnto vs hath gyuen the body and the soule the whiche ben also as the two knyghtes / vnto the body he hath gyuen / syght / tastynge / smellyn­ge and herynge / and so of other gyftes corporalles but vnto the soule he hath gyuen vnderstondynge mynde / and in creatynge her vnto his ymage and vnto his semblaunce in gyuynge vnto her hym the whiche is the good and tresour infynyte / and not (withstondynge that she [Page] it forfayteth & cōmytteth treason as many tymes and as often as whan she her consenteth vnto de­dely synne / for she withdraweth y e honoure the obedyence / and the glory that she oweth vnto her crea­toure by y e whiche it behoueth to saye y • as is moch grete the offence as was grete the benefyce / and for as moche that he was infynyte / also is the trans­gressyon and punycyon infynyte by so ryght Justyce that ony creature nedeth to doubte. The seconde reason is by cause of the iniury done vnto god in that / that the soule her consenteth vnto the gylte of mortall synne choseth and loueth better ony good create than she doeth her creatour. Now is it so y • bytwene the good creatyd what soo euer that it be & the good increatyd y e whiche is god vnto y e dystā ce infynyte & of as moche y t the good that a man choseth more sooner than a man doeth god is lytel the iniury is y • more grete as vnto the consyderacy on / by the whiche it appereth y t lecherous men and women the whiche maketh of they [...] belly and of theyr pleasure of theyr sensualyte theyr god / and the couetyse men and women of theyr golde & of theyr syluer / & proude men and women of wynde of abusyon and of vayne glorye doeth horryble in iury vnto god & infynyte and may not abyde vn­punysshed after as it vnto hym appertayneth that is to knowe infynytly / or elles he sholde not be the god of Justyce infynyte y e whiche is a thynge Im­possyble. The thyrde reason is by cause of the maieste dyuyne y • whiche hath be ynough shewed before That is to vnderstonde of asmoche that he y e whiche is offended / is of more grete noblesse / dygnyte [Page] sapyence / Jurysdyccyon / and auctoryte / and of as moche that a man is more holden and bounde / of as moche is the offence agayne hym y • more greate And for as moche y t god is of maieste infynyte and y t the creature vnto hym is boūde infynytly That is to saye asmoche as she hath beynge / substaunce and other goodes / ben they of nature / of grace / or of fortune it foloweth clerely y t the offence of mortall synne ought to be infynytly punysshed. The fourth reason is by cause of the Justyce dyuyne the whiche thynge he may also shewe / yf it appertayne vnto y e Justyce & mercy dyuyne to rewarde the blessyd in eternyte of glorye / for y e obedyēce / honour & reuerence y t they haue done vnto theyr creatour in this worlde by y t same selfe Justyce it behoueth y t he punysshe eternally y e inobedyence / y • dyshonour & irreuerence y t these cursyd dampned haue done to god theyr creatour in this present lyfe.

AS vnto y • thyrde poynt pryncypall & fynal the whiche is y t sȳne ought to be punysshed in eternyte after y • comparyson y • it hath vnto the vnyuersall worlde / it is to vnderstonde y e euery per sone of his propre nature & condycyon desyreth to come vnto welth eternall. & therfore y e soule y e whiche her consenteth vnto mortall synne / choseth so­me good create / as ben honours / in proude people rychesses in couetyse people / delytes pleasurs car­nalles vnto lecherous people / he constytuteth hys ende / and blyssednes in y e thynge y t he desyreth so­ueraynly & all these thynges the whiche hym may [Page] serue / be it god / the sayntes the angelles or other thynge for to come vnto suche ende / he them desy­reth not but by the ende & felycyte before sayd and of suche people is there without nombre y t wolde haue in this worlde y t / that they desyre & neuer to see god or other blessydnes to haue. And for as moche y t in suche loue & suche desyre they ben foūde at the houre of deth / it is not agayne the inclynacyon naturall of the soule. That is to vnderstonde that she abydeth in her eternyte vnder the punycyon of the deceuable beatytude y t she hath chosen aboue god & agayne god / and this is for the fyrste reason of y e thyrde poynt y e whiche sheweth wherfore the puny cyon of the dampned ought to be eternall. The seconde reason hath ben lately touched before / for y • perfeccyon of the worlde vnyuersall requyreth that he there hath felycyte eternall / and this here is or­dened by Justyce vnto them the whiche haue resysted and foughten in this present lyfe agayne theyr sensualyte and propre wyll agayne the worlde and In mēsurā cōtra mēsurā cā abiecta fuerit iudicabit dn̄s. ysa. xxvii. c. Itē. xxviii. ca. Ponam in pōdcre iu­diciū et iust [...]am in [...]nsnra. the deuyll and haue perseueryd tyll vnto the ende. And by that same selfe Justyce behoueth it that punycyon eternall be prepayred & reseruyd vnto them the whiche haue not wylled to fyght / but haue obeyed vnto theyr aduersaryes / and soo whan euery creature shall haue Juste retrybucyon after his nierytes / or demerytes / all the worlde shall be in her perfeccyon / In the whiche he shall haue no more / as to adde / to mynysshe / or to varye / for it apper­tayneth vnto the puyssaunce / sapyence and Justyce dyuyne to conserue all thynges in theyr fynalle perfeccyons. The thyrde reason for the grete vtyly [Page] te the whiche cometh of the eternyte and mysery of the dampned vnto the perfeccyon of the vnyuersall worlde / for fyrste god is feryd soueraynly. Also his commaundementes ben kepte the more humbly & Deo eī militat oē quod obstat. her [...] lexāder de halis. the more dylygently / and in so doynge a man purchaseth fynally ferefylyale or chyldly meryte and saluacyon. And therfore to saye that the paynes of the dampned ben and ought to be eternall / it is no pyte / but souerayne iniquyte and manyfeste subuercyon of the trouth of god conteyned and shewed in holy scryptures & all the destruccyon of oure holy fayth catholyque. The fourth reason of the eternyte of y e paynes of the dampned y t is for y e glorye of the creatour y e whiche is y e souerayne ende wherfore Qui bona eger [...]t ibūt i vitā eternā. [...] vero malo i ign [...] etnū. Hec ē fides catholica &c. hec a­thana. i sym. all thynges ben create / made / formed / & ordeyned The whiche glorye shyneth & is shewed vnto all the worlde / grete noble & infynyte / in as moche y t y • multytude of y e dāpned & theyr paynes / dolours & tormentes ben grete innumerable & eternall. for in lyke wyse as the mercy infynyte of y e creatour is shewed / in y e grete beatytude or blessydnes of para­dyse / so is manyfested y e Justyce by the eternyte of y e tormentes of y • dampmed / and of suche many­festacyon of mercy and of Justyce cometh and accordeth a melodye of glorye wherof sayth holy scrypture that a man o