fyrst table and the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte ben necessarye to alle that wyll haue y◠lyfe withouten ende ¶ Diues Therfore wolde I fayne kepe theym better thanne I haue done but I see many doubtes therin that I can not kepe theym ¶ Pauper What doubte haste thou therin ¶ Here begynneth the fyrste cōmaundemente Caplm Primū DIues In the fyrste cōmaundement as I haue lerned god sayth thus Thou shalte haue none other straunge goddes byfore me Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge noo mawmette noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue ne that is bynethe in erthe ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde ne within thyn herte inwarde Exodi xx.c Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente bothe in the chirche and without the chirche And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye ayenste goddes lawe ¶ Pauper God forbedeth not men to make ymages For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men as we fynde Exodi xxxvij.c ¶ And Salomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god the thyrde boke of kynges vij.c And god bad Moyses make his tabernacle al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makynge of ymages but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes to sette theyr fayth theyr truste theyr hope theyr loue and theyr byleue in them For god wyll haue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone for in hym is al our helpe all our saluacōn And therfore we muste worshyppe hym loue hym and truste in hym aboue all thynge nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym That all the worshyp that we do to ony creature be do pryncypaly for hȳ arrected to hym For he sayth Gloriam meamalteri non dabo et laudem meam sculptilibus Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe my blysse my glorye to none other ne my praysynge to grauen ymages neyther to paynted ymages And in the same chapytre he sayth Shamfully shente myght they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages ¶ Diues wherof serue the ymages I wolde they were brente all ¶ Pauper They serue for thre thynges For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon and on his passyon and on his lyuynge and on other sayntes lyuyng Also they ben ordeyned to styre mannes affeccyon and his herte to deuocyon For ofte a man is more stered by syght than by heryng or redynge Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people that they may rede in ymagerye and paynture that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth De cōsecra distinct .iij. per latū Where we fynde that a bysshop destroyed ymages as thou woldeste doo and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages He was accused to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages Caplm secundū DIues How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture of ymagerye ¶ Pauper whan thou seest the ymage of y◠crucyfixe thynke on hȳ y◠deyed on y◠crosse for thy synne thy sake and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlonde of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne and the blood braste out on euery syde for to destroye the hyghe synne of pryde that sheweth moost in mānes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde Take hede by the ymage how his armes were spradde abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the apple ayenst goddes cōmaundement Also he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes and wycked werkes that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes and make an ende of thy wycked werkes Take hede also how that his syde was opened and his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere and how he shedde blood and water to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules and water to wasshe vs from our synnes Also he suffred this for to destroye y◠synne of pryde couetyse enuye hate wrathe malyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans Take hede make an ende of thy pryde of thy false couetyse of hate enuy wrathe malyce and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that forgaue his deth Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to the crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce haste the for to go to goddes house to goddes seruyce Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente all to torne with tho sharpe scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede there was no hole place on his bodye and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust lykyng of the flesshe glotonye lecherye whiche regne in mannes bodye womans make an ende of glotony lecherye Take hede how naked poore he henge vpon the crosse for thy synne thy sake be thou not ashamed to suffre pouerte myscheyf for his loue And as saynt Bernard byddeth take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the come at one with the. See how his armes hondes be spradde a brode on the tree in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the and to take the to his mercy See how his syde was opened and his herte clouen on two in token that his herte is alwaye open to the and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy trespasse yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the but abyde with the dwelled with the withouten ende On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde and thanke thy god that he
after his passyon saluacyon of mankynde the redempcoÌ„n torned the sorowe that holy chirche had on the satyrdaye by malyce of the Iewes in to reste blysse on yâ— sondaye And so it is fulfylled that the prophete Ieremy sayd .xxxi. Redemit dnÌ„s populuÌ„ suuÌ„ God hath bought ayen his people with his precyous blood and hath delyuered his people out of the fendes power God sayth I shall tourne theyr mournynge in to Ioye I shall gladde theym of theyr sorowe and conforte them And by the prophete Ozee he sayd that he sholde make the Ioye of the Iewes sabbottes and of all theyr solempnytees and of all theyr festes to cesse bycause of theyr synne Ozee .ij. Caplm .iij. ALso for halowynge in the satyrdaye was cerymonyal For as we fynde in dyuerse places of holy wryte namely Ezechielis xx Halowynge in the satyrdaye was a specyall token gyuen to the Iewes wherby they sholde be knowen from other people and so was circuÌ„cisyon and many other obseruauÌ„ces cerymonyes that god gaue theym to be knowen from other people And therfore right as the circuÌ„cisyon other obseruauÌ„ces that were bytaken them of god for a token of distynccoÌ„n from other people cessed in Crystus passyon so cessed halowynge in the satyrdaye in Crystus passyon For though it be a morall coÌ„maundement to halowe the .vij. daye yet it is not morall ne byndeth vs to halowe the .vij. daye in the satyrdaye And therfore we rede Exodi .xxxiiij. et .xxxv. That whan Moyses had ben in the mount of Synay with god .xl. dayes .xl. nyghtes without mete or drynke and spoken with god and there taken the lawe we of hym in two tables of stone two stemys and bemes of lyght rysen out of his face as it had be two hornes so shynynge so bryght that the people was adrede of hym and durst not speke with hym and therfore he put a veyll byfore his face whan he sholde speke to the people telle them the lawes and the wyll of god And whan he had soo hydde his face with the veyll The fyrste lawe that he gaue them in goddes name was to halowe the satyrdaye And he spake no worde than of the other .ix. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes but tolde forth other obseruauÌ„ces cerymonyes whiche longed only to the Iewes were but fygures shadowes of thynges to come whiche cessed al in Crystus passyon And soo he shewed wel that halowyng in the satyrdaye was cerymonyale sholde cesse with other cerymonyes in Crystus passyon And therfore whan yâ— he badde them halowe the satyrdaye he put the veyll byfore his face in token that halowynge on the satyrdaye other cerymonyes lawes yâ— he gaue them that tyme was but a veyl helynge ghoostly vnderstandynge vnder fygures of thynges yâ— were to come And whan tho thynges were fulfylled by the passyon of Cryste yâ— veyl mysty syght of fygures sholde be done awaye cesse And in token therof in tyme of Crystus passyon the veyl of the Iewes Temple to rente cleef in two partes the men myght see all the preuy thynges yâ— were in the Temple whiche were byfore hydde fro yâ— syght of the people by yâ— veyl Also the same texte of the coÌ„maundement sheweth full well that halowynge in the satyrdaye sholde be translated in to the sondaye that is called the daye of the sonne For though god cessed in the satyrdaye from makynge of thynges of newe kynde yet in the satyrdaye he made the satyrdaye as he made eche daye byfore in the same daye But in the sondaye next folowynge he made no newe daye in kynde for that was the fyrste daye and soo he rested more in the sondaye from werkynge than he dyde reste in the satyrdaye Also after grete trauayll ought to be more reste But Cryste goddes sone hadde more trauayl in recreacyon and redempcyon of mankynde than he hadde to make al this worlde For in makynge of all the worlde he hadde no trauayll as sayth saynt Austyn but oonly he badde it sholde be done it was done anone what he wolde But in creacoÌ„n redempcyon of mankynde he trauaylled soo that he swoted blood for anguysshe deyed for trauayll shedde his herte blood cessed not of trauayll tylle in the morowe tyde of yâ— sondaye whan he rose from deth to lyue to comforte all mankynde that wolde byleue in hyÌ„ And he shewed openly than that he was is lorde of all thynge And sayd to his apostles that all the power in heuen in erthe was gyuen to hym in his manhode And therfore the sondaye is called the lordes daye Dies dnÌ„icus And therfor sythen god wolde that the satyrdaye sholde be halowed in the olde lawe for god cesseâ— than from creacyon so in that maner began to reste moche more he wyl that the sondaye be halowed in the newe lawe for god cessed than from the grete trauayll of our redempcyon and of our saluacoÌ„n creacyon Caplm .iiij. WE haue also fygures of this in holy wryte Leuitici .xxiij. â— where we fynde that god badde the childern of Israel kepe pryncypaly .vij. festes in the yere of the whiche the laste was called FestuÌ„ tabernaculorum The feste of Tabernacles He badde theym take bowes brauÌ„ches of palme trees and of other trees the fayrest that they myght fynde make them tabernacles logges dwelle therin .vij. dayes togydre in mynde that god made them to dwelle in tabernacles logges .xl. yere in deserte and there he saued them kept them he badde that the fyrste daye the viij sholde be full holy By this feste of tabernacles that came laste after the other festes of the Iewes ben vnderstanden the festes of the newe lawe whiche came laste in the ende of the worlde after the olde lawe For al the festes of the newe lawe ben festes of tabernacles For whan god came for to be man he made fyrste his tabernacle in the mayde Mary whiche tabernacle was arrayed dyght with the fayrest braunches and bowes of grace and vertues and of good thewys as it myght be founden in ony creature for she passed al creatures in grace and goodnesse Of this tabernacle speketh the prophete pÌ„o .xviij. In sole posuit tabernaculuÌ„ suuÌ„ et ipse tanquam sponsus ê“cedens de thalamo suo He made his tabernacle in the sonne that was our lady mayden and moder bryghter than the sonne He came out of her as an husbonde out of his chambre An other tabernacle god made hym in our manhode and in our kynde that was the blysfull bodye that whiche he toke of the mayden Mary For as the tabernacles were made of the fayrest braunches and bowes that myght be founde soo the bodye of Cryste was made gadred togydre of the clenest droppes of the blood that was in our blyssed ladye saynt Marye clene mayden without spotte of synne In this tabernacle god was born of yâ— mayden on Crystmasse daye In
be to the shepeherdes of Israell That is to saye to the prelates curates of holy chirche whiche sholde be shepeherdes of goddes shepe of the soules that cryste bought so dere Woo be to the shepeherdes for they fede themselfe and of the poore people gyue they noo tale ye ete sayth he the mylke and clothed you with the wolle And that was fatte ye slowe to fede well your wombe but ye fede not my flocke of my people that was feble ye helped it not ne conforted not And that was sore and seke ye heled it not And that was broke ye bounde it not ayen that was caste awaye and fordreuen ye fetched it not ayen ne ledde it ayen That was perysshed ye sought it not but with ferenes hardenes and by power without pyte ye commaunded to theym many grete thynges and greuous and reygned amonges theym as Emperours and so my shepe be scatered For there is no shepeherde that gyueth ony tale of them Ezechielis .xxxiiij. And in a nother place he sayth thus Woo be to the shepeherdes that thus descateren and forrende the flocke of my lesue and of my pasture Ieremie .xxiij And therfore god accepteth not the prayer of suche men of holy chirche For they be without charyte and full of crueltee in pyllynge of the poore people And therfore he sayth to them Cum extenderitis manus vestras â— Whan ye shall lyfte vp your handes to me I shall torne myn eyen awaye fro you and whan ye sholde multyplye prayes to me I shall not here you For your handes be full of blode Ysaye .i. Vpon whiche wordes thus sayth the grete clerke Grosthede dicto .xxiij. An vniuste scheder of mannes blood hath blody handes For blood shede out is in the handes of hym that is the shedder out as the effeccyon of the werke is in the cause For the hande of the shedder is cause of blood shedde So than sythen bodely fode is cause of blood of mannes bodye by whiche his lyfe transyto rye is susteyned he that withdraweth sustenauÌ„ce fro the poore in myscheef he withdraweth from the poore man his blood wherby his lyfe sholde be susteyned And therfore god sayth that the blood of the poore folke is in the handes of theym in whos handes the thynges be withholde vniustely By whiche thynges or by the pryse of thoo nedy folke sholde be susteyned Also all thoo that withholde poore men ther good eyther by vyolence or by fraude or thefte or ony dysceyte by whiche good the poore folke sholde lyue they haue theyr handes defouled with blood of pore folke And in that that they fare delycately with poore mannes good they ete drynke the blood of the poore folke And ther clothynge is defouled with blood of poore folke And yf they housen and bylden with the poore mannes good they grouÌ„de ther housyng in the blode of poore men Caplm .ix. ALso euery man and woman and namely men of holy chirche that drawe folke to synne by mys entysyng or by wycked en samples or by false lore they be gylty of manslaughter gostly And therfore saynt Gregory sayth in his omelye that men of holy chirche be gylty of as many dethes as they drawe soules to dedely synne by ther wycked ensample and ther wycked lyuynge And therfor cryste byddeth in the gospell that ther sholde no man sclaundre the lewed symple folke For who so doth it it were better to hym that he were calle in the seewith a mylstone about his necke with worde as the glose sayth is specyally sayd for men of holy chirche And therfore saynt Pouâ—e sayth to al crysten people namely to prestes clerkes Ne ponatis offendiculuÌ„ friÌ„bus vel scandalu That is to saye as the glose sayth Do noo thynge that may be cause of fallynge perysshynge of your brethern ne cause of sorwe heuynes And roma .xiiij And therfore that lawe byddeth that whan bysshops offyeers go about for to vy sytâ—â— that they sholde do no tyrauÌ„trye In takynge of ther costes but vysyte with charyte and lowenes without pompe of grete araye and of grete mayne besye to amende the fautes and to preche goddes worde to wynne mannes soule not to robbe the folke of ther good but take ther costes in easy maner So that they slauÌ„dre not ther brethern ne ther sugettes ne be not greuouse to them x.qÌ„.iij.cauendu All men and namely men of holy chirche muste besely flee sclaundre that they gyue no man ne woman occa s yon of sclaundre ne of synne but oftentyme lyue to harder absteyne them fro many thynges lefull to flee sclaundre For as saynt Ierom sayth suâ— Micheam All that gyue occasyon of sclauÌ„dre be gylty of all tho that perysshe by the sclauÌ„dre i.qÌ„.i.hij quoscuÌ„que Et nota pro vitando scandalo in rebus licitis ad Roma xiij.et.i.ad corum vin For these causes god sayth to the men of holy chirche by the prophete Ozee Ye be made snare to men lokynge a fer as a net sprede abrede on yâ— hylle of Tabor ye haue bowed downe sacrefyces in to that depnes that is to saye ye that ought to beware lokers to werke well warne men of peryll of synne be made a snare a nette in holy chirche that is yâ— hylle of Tabor to take folke in synne and drawe them to foly And so ye haue slayne soules bowed them downe in to the depnes of dampnacoÌ„n so made sacrefyce to the deuyl of the soules that god toke you to kepe Ozee .v. Also men of holy chirche slee ther sugettes goostly that mys eggynge mys couÌ„seyll mys enformacoÌ„n brynge them in dedely synne in heresye or ellys lette theym from good dedes that they wolde do so slayne in good purpose good wyll that man or woman is in in maner slayne ther fayth wherby they sholde lyue For the ê“phete sayth Iustus ex fide viuit The ryghtfull man lyueth by fayth And saynt Iames sayth That fayth without good werkes of charyte is but deed And also prayer without dyuocyon is but ded as these clerkes saye ¶ Diues Than nyghe all the prayers that men make be but deed For comonly in oure prayer we be destracte and thynke on other thynges And it is not possyble to vs alwaye to thynke on that what we saye For ther is no thynge so chauÌ„geable as thought though we thyÌ„ke on what we say yet it is not in our power without specyall gyfte of god to haue deuocyon there in ¶ Paup Take it not so strayte For it is vnderstande thus Prayer without deuocyon is but deed That is to saye Prayer made ayenst deuocyon is but deed ¶ Diues How ayenst deuocyon ¶ Pauper As whan men pray ayenst the saluacyon of our soules or other soules and not for the worshyp of god but for ypocresye or only for worldely lucre Or whan men praye ayenst charyte as for to haue vengeauÌ„ce of
shall take vengeauÌ„ce of all that mysu s e his creatures And therfore Salomon sayth that he shall arme creatures in vengeauÌ„ce of his enemyes Armabit creaturaÌ„ in vlcionem immicorum Sapie .v. And therfor men sholde haue rueth on bestes of byrdes and not harme them without cause in takynge rewarde that they be goddes creatures And therfore they that for cruelte vanyte byheded bestes and torment bestes or foule more than it is spedefull for mannes lyuynge they synne in case full greuously Caplm .xvi. DIues As thou saydeste before by this coÌ„maundement is forboden all wronful manslaughter Tell me in what case it is leful to slee ony man ¶ Pauper Somtyme manslaughter is do by hate enmyte as whan a man is slayne malycyously of his enmye Somtyme it is do for wycked couetyse to haue a mannes good Somtyme it is do by ordre of obedyence processe of lawe as whan a man is slayne by a queste by sentence of a Iuge ordynary Semtyme manslaughter is do for nede â— for helpe of the comonte for the saluacoÌ„n of them that be vngylty As whan a knyght fyghteth for his ryght for the ryght sleeth his aduersarye To slee ony man in to yâ— fyrste maners that is to saye for hate wrathe enmyte or for false couetyse is alwaye vnleful But for to slee a man the thyrde maner and the fourth that is to saye by processe of lawe with a lawfull Iuge or by lawe of armes by the handes of knyghtes or of men of armes ruled by yâ— lawe of god it is lefull whan men be gylty And therfore saynt Austen sayth lt i.de li. arbitreo Yf it be so that the knyght slee his aduersarye in ryghtfull batayil or the Iuge his of fycers slee hym that is worthy to dye me thynketh they synne not But leue frende thre thyngis be nedeful so that manslaughter sholde be leful right full Fyrste that the case by ryghtfull ordre processe of lawe that the Iustyce haue lawfull power to slee that he that shall be slayne be conuycte of his trespace Also the IntencoÌ„n of the Iuge of the pursuers of the offycers be ryghtfull that they slee hym in saluaâ—yon of the ryght for saluacoÌ„n and ensample of other not for lykynge of vengeauÌ„ce ne of cruelte not hauynge lykynge in his payne so that the cause be ryghtfull and the ordre processe the entencoÌ„n be ryghtfull Iusta causa iustus ordo iustus animus ¶ Diues Contra te Yet the gospell sayth Qd deus â—iunxit hoÌ„ noÌ„ seperet Metâ— ix Theâ—e sholde noo man departe thynge that god hath knyt togydre But god hath knyt the soule and the bodye togydre therfore than it is not lefull to ony man for to departe yâ— soule from the bodye neyther to slee man ne woman ¶ Pauper Whan the man that is gylty is slayn ryghtfully by yâ— lawe man sleeth him not but as goddes mynysters goddes offycers For yâ— lawe of god god hymselfe slee hym in that that god coÌ„mauÌ„deth suche to be slayne God is pryncypall Iuge of this deth man is but goddes offycer to do his byddynge And therfore sayth the lawe that they that slee men ryghtfully be not called mansleers For why sayth he the lawe sleeth them not they xxij.qÌ„.v si homicidiuÌ„ et in qoÌ„ibus le Caplm .xvij. DIues Sythen it is soo that trespasors lawfully maye be slayn by the byddyng of god why may not prelates of holy chirche mynystres of the aulter slee suche trespasors ne sytte in yâ— dome of maÌ„nes deth ne gyue the sentence ne gyue assystence to yâ— domesman syth in the olde lawe prestes mynystres of the aulter myght lawfully slee trespasors as we fynde in many places of holy wryt Exo. xxxij.de Leuit et Numeri xxij de Phinees l.reguÌ„.xv.de Samuele â— inâ—fecit Agag Et. iij.reguÌ„.xviij.de Helia qui interfecit sacerdotes Baal ¶ Pauper As the lawe sayth xxiij.qÌ„ viij occidit Moche thynge was lefull in yâ— olde lawe that is not leful in the newe lawe In the olde lawe yâ— swerde was grauÌ„ted to prestes mynystres of goddes aulter In the newe lawe god for byddeth theym the swerde whan he sayd to Peter in tyme of his passyon anone as he had betaken hym power to make the sacrament of the aulter Conuerte gladiuÌ„ tuuÌ„ in vaginaÌ„ â— Tourne thy swerde in to the shethe for he that smyte with the swerde shall perysshe with yâ— swerde In suche wordes god forbydeth yâ— swerde to all the mynystres of goddes aulter as yâ— lawe sayth xxiij.qÌ„.viij.de cplis cuÌ„ alijs capls sequeÌ„tibus ¶ Diues Why forbadde he them the swerd ¶ Pauper For god wolde that men of holy chirche sholde be men of peas of mercy of pyte And therfore he sayd to theym Discite a me quia mitis sum et huÌ„ilis corde Lerne ye of me for I am lowe and meke of herte Matâ— xi He bad them not lerne to playe with the swerde ne with the staffe ne lerne to fyght and shote to slee ther enemyes but he bad theym lerne to be lowe and meke of herte and to lyue in pacyence as lambes amonges wolues And he badde them loue ther enemyes and do good to them that hate them Matâ— v He hadde them shewe pacyence peas and pyte not only in worde wyl and dede but he bad them absteyne them from all tokenes of vnpacyence of vnpeas and of crueltee And for that sheddynge of blood and manslaughter is ofte token of vnpacyence and vnpeas of wrath and of cruelte in them that sleen and dysposeth them to crueltee Therfore cryste forbadde the swerde to alle the mynystres of the aulter ¶ Diues Telle me some other reason ¶ Pauper An other reason is this For the sacrament of the aulter that the prestes make by the vertu of crystus worde is a sacrament of charyte of onehede For it representeth the onehede that is bytwene cryste holy chirche And also it representeth the onehede of the soule with the bodye For as the soule quyckeneth the bodye so cryste by yâ— sacrament of the aulter quyckeneth holy chirche maÌ„nes soule Also it representeth yâ— onehede of yâ— godhede with our manhede in cryste therfore holy chirche sayth thus Nam sicut aiÌ„a racionalis et cato vnê° est hoÌ„ ita deê° et hoÌ„ vnê° est xâ—s Ryght as reasonable soule the flesshe is one man soo god and the man is one cryste and one cryste is bothe god man And therfore he that destroyeth the onehede of the soule with the bodye departeth them atweyne by manslaughter he sheweth not in hymselfe ne in his dede the sacramente of onehede of cryste with holy chirche of the godhede with the manhede in cryste But he dooth ayenst that sacrament by speracyon dyuysyon that he maketh in manslaughter and sheddynge of blood And therfore he is yrreguler vnable to make the
sacrament of the aulter And for the same reson yf a man haue wedded two wyues so departeth his flesshe in dyuer s e wymen he is yrreguler vnable to the aulter And therfore not only prestes but dekenes and subdekenes in that they be astent to the preest in makynge of the sacrament muste be without suche departynge that is contrarye to the sacrament of endeles charyte of onehede bytwene god and holy chirche bytwene all good crysten people yâ— is in charyte for alle they be one come togydre in this sacrament For this reson it is not leful to men of holy chirche to shed maÌ„nes blood ne to slee ne to mayme The newe testament is a lawe of loue therfore cryste wolde that the mynystres of the auter in the newe testament that sholde mynystre the sacrament of his endeles loue of his endles mercy to mankynde that they shewe loue mercy pyte no token of cruelte The olde testament was a lawe of drede duresse and nygh all the sacrefyces that the prestes made was done with shedynge of blood not only in fygure of crystus passyon but also in token that he that synned was worthy to be slayne as the beest that was slayne that was offered for his synne And therfore the swerde was graunted to prestes and to the mynystres of the olde lawe to punysshe rebellours whan it nedeth and moche of theyr offyce was to shedde blood And so by theyr offyce they were dysposed to crueltee In soo moche that they were not afrede to flee goddes sone ther lorde ther souerayne ther god And for that prestes of the olde lawe by cruelte slough cryste god and lorde of all Therfore shedynge of blood manslaughter is forboden to prestes in the newe lawe and maketh them vnable to the aultre that shedde mannes blode or helpe therto Caplm .xviij. SHeddynge of blood in men of holy chirche is so abhomynable horryble in goddes lyght yâ— yf ony clerke dye in batayl fyghtyng or in playes of hethen men of whiche foloweth shedynge of blode deth as in playnge at the swerde bokeler at the staffe twohands werde hurlebat in tourmentes in Iustes for that clerke holy chirche shall make noo solempne masse ne solempne prayer for hym but he sholde be buryed without solempnyte of holy chirche xxiij qÌ„.viij.â—cuÌ„que clericê° And yf a man in his woodnes and rauynge slee man woman or childe though his woodnes passe yet he is yrreguler vnable to goddes aulter xv.qÌ„.i siâ—s insaniens Nethelesse yf he be prest or that caas falle hym whan his wodenes is passed be in hope of seker helthe he may saye his masse Also yf a man smyte childe man or woman by waye of chastysynge he dye of yâ— stroke he is yrreguler xv.qÌ„.i Si â—s noÌ„ iratê° et extra li. v.de homicidijs ca. pÌ„sbiteruÌ„ Also yf he be in doubte whether he dye of the stroke he shall absteyne hym from goddes aulter Extra e. ad audiencia Also yf a prest or clerke or ony man slee the theef that robbeth the chirche he is yrreguler Extra e significasti Also yf clerkes fyght ayenst sarasynes ayenst hethen men yf they slee ony man womeÌ„ or childe they be yrreguler yf they be in doubte whether they slough or nay they sholde absteyne them fro yâ— aulter Extra e.peticio Also yâ— Iuge the aduocate the accessour the offycere the wytnesse by whiche man or woman is slayn the wryter he that sayth the sentence or redeth in dome the examynacyon of the cause or wryteth the endytement or other lettres by the whiche man or woman is slayn he is yrreguler though the cause the dome be ryghtfull Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf a man be dryuen by nede to slee man or woman yf he fledde in that nede by his owne defaute fledde not that nede whan he myght haue fledde he is full yrreguler But yf it were suche nede that he myght not flee it the nede cam not by his defaute holy chirche suffreth him in the ordres that he hath taken to mynystre therin but he shall take none hygher ordre Yf ony man slee man woman or childe casuelly and by myshappe whether his occupacyon was lefull or not lefull yf he dydde not his besynesse to flee manslaughter he is full yrreguler But yf his occupacyon were leful and he dyde his besynes to flee manslaughter though he sawe not before all chauÌ„ges that myght fall he is not yrreguler Ray. li.ij.ti.i with hym that sleeth man woman or childe wyllyngly with hande or with tonge is no dyspen s acoÌ„n IbmÌ„ Yf a man smyte a woman with childe whan the childe is quycke or poyson hyr with venym yf that childe be deed born or ellys born out of tyme dye by that poyson or by that stroke he is yrreguler But yf the childe were not quycke he is not yrreguler but he shall be punysshed by the lawe of holy chirche as a manqueller And so shall the man that gyueth venym or ony drynke or ony other thynge to let woman that she may not conceyue ne brynge forth childern And yf yâ— woman wylfully take suche drynkes or do ony mys crafte to let hyrself or ony other from berynge of childern she is a mansleer Yf many men fyghte togydre one or mo be slayne it is not knowen by whome of that coÌ„pany all that smeten or came for to slee or for to fyght all though they smeten not be mansleers And alle that came to helpe mansleers though they slough not ne had wyll to slee but come only to conforte and to helpe of the sleer and all that were on the wrong syde be yrreguler Yf man or wuman dye by defaute of the leche by his vnkunnynge mys medycyne the leche is yrreguler And therfore it is forboden men of holy chirche to gyue ony peryllous drynkes or to borne men by surgery or to kytte them for often deth or mayme tometh therof Also they mayme them selfe without a nedefull cause or be maymed by other men or by ther owne foly all yf they dyde theym gelde to be chaste so please god they be yrreguler For ther sholde no man serue at goddes aulter that had ony greate foule mayme Yf a man withdrawe hym that wolde saue a man fro deth yf he wyll not hymself saue fro the deth yf he may namely yf it longe to hym of offyce he is yrreguler Hec Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf ony clerke bere ony wood or fyre or ony mater to the brennynge of ony heretyke yf he be deed therby or his deth hasted therby he is yrreguler though the pope or the bysshop gyue pardon to all that helpen to the deth of that heretyke In suÌ„ma confes li.ij.ti.qÌ„.xxv.quid de ill Yf a preest sende a yonge childe to water his horse though he bydde hym beware of the water and the childe by his sendynge drenche the preest is
eye of worldely good than to couetyse of the flesshe for in olde folke whan al other temptacyons cesse than is temptacyon of couetyse of the eye of worldely good moost brennynge For ryght as theyr bodye by age nygheth to the erth soo theyr herte clyueth than moost to erthely thynges And therfore in the begynnynge of theyr pylgrymage in desert as to begynnynge folke god forbadde them fyrste pryncypaly couetyse of the eye in the ende of theyr pylgrymage as to folke nyghe theyr ende he forbydeth them pryncypally laste and moost openly without oft rehersynge couetyse of the eye For comonly the more that men nygh ther ende the more couetouse they ben Caplm .iij. DIues Thy reasons be good saye forth what thou wylte ¶ Pauper God in the sixth byheste forbydeth the dede of lechery of spousebreche in this byheste he forbydeth the wyll the consent of herte to lecherye to sponsebreche For as the dede of leshery is dedely synne so is the foule consent the desyre of herte dedely synne For as cryste sayth in the gospell Mathei .v. He that seeth a woman coueyteth her by desyre to do lecherye with her he hath do lecherye in his herte though he do it not in dede And therfore eche man sholde take hede besely what thoughtes entre in to his herte and yf ony thoughtes ben about to drawe the reson of his soule to consente to synne anone putte he awaye tho thoughtes myghtely let hyÌ„ thynke on the bytter paynes that cryste suffered in his syde hondes feet soo tourne his mysluste in to deuocoÌ„n of crystus passyon quenche the brennyng thoughtes of lechery with the blood the water that ranne out of crystus syde whan his herte was clouen a two with that sharpe spere thynke on that endeles loue that cryste shewed than to hym to all mankynde And so to torne his foule stynkynge loue that he begynneth to fall in shame shenshyp in to the swete clene loue of IhuÌ„ full of Ioye worship The mayster of kynde telled li .xij. that ther is a byrde in Egypt that is called a pellycane of al foules he is moost chere ouer his byrdes moost loueth them Ther is a grete enmyte bytwene him the adder wherfor the adder wayteth whan the pellycane is out of his neste to seke mete for him for his byrdes than he goth in to the neste of the pellycane styngeth his byrdes enuenemeth them sleeth them whan the pellycane cometh ayen fyndeth his byrdes thus slayn he maketh moche sorowe and mone by waye of kynde thre dayes thre nyght he morneth for deth of his byrdes And at the thyrde dayes ende he setteth hym ayen ouer his byrdes and with his bylle he smyteth hymselfe in the syde letteth his blood falle downe on the byrdes And anone as yâ— blode toucheth his byrdes anon by waye of kynde by vertue of the blood they quycken ayen rysen from deth to lyfe By this pellycane that loueth so well his byrdes is vnderstande cryste Ihesu goddes sone yâ— loueth mannes soule womans more than euer dyd yâ— pellycane his byrdes And he sayth hymselfe Similis factus suÌ„ pellicano solitudinis I am made lyke to yâ— pellycane of deserte By the byrdes I vnde Adam Eue all mankynde By the nest I vnderstande yâ— blysse of paradyse For right as byrdes be brought forth in yâ— nest so mankynde had his begynnynge was brought forth in paradyse By yâ— adder I vnderstande the fende whiche appered in yâ— lyknes of an adder to Eue stange her full euyl Adam also with his wycked fondynge slewe them both bodye soule And not only he slewe them but also he slewe al mankynde in them For yf Adam had not synned we sholde neuer haue dyed ne haue wyst of woo wherfore this pellycane Ihesu cryste seynge yâ— myscheef yâ— mankynde was fall in by gyle of yâ— fende he had ruth on mankynde for grete loue that he had to maÌ„kynde as sayÌ„t Poul sayth he auentysshed hyÌ„selfe toke flesshe blood of yâ— mayden Mary bycam man in yâ— lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t in our manhede in our kynde suffered to be taken be bouÌ„de beten forspyted dispysed byscorged at the pyler be crowned with thornes be nayled to the tree hondes feet and hanged on the crosse as a theef amonges theues be stonge to the herte with the sharpe spere so dyed bytter deth all for our gylt not for his gylt for he dyd neuer amys in worde ne in dede as saynt Peter sayth in his pystle And thus for our loue that ben to hym ful vnkynde he shed his precyous blood out of euery parte of his blysfull bodye born of the mayden And his Inner hert blood he shed so to wasshe vs fro our synnes to reyse vs fro yâ— deth of synne into yâ— lyfe of grace after fro bodely deth into yâ— lyf of endles blysse Therfore saynt Iohn sayth Dilexit nos lauit nos a pccis nâ—Ì„is i sanguie suo Apoc. i. He loued vs so moche that he wasshed vs froÌ„ our synnes with his precyous blood Loue droue hym downe fro heuen into erth loue led hyÌ„ into yâ— maydens bosom brought hym into this wycked worlde Loue bouÌ„de hyÌ„ in cradel wonde hyÌ„ in cloutes ful poore layd hyÌ„ in an oxe stalle Loue helde hyÌ„ here in sorowe care honger thryst moche trauayl .xxxij. yere more At yâ— last loue toke hyÌ„ bouÌ„de hyÌ„ set hyÌ„ at yâ— barre byfore yâ— synful Iustyce Ponce Pylate Loue layd him on the crosse nayled hyÌ„ to yâ— tree Loue led hyÌ„ to his deth cleef his hert a two And for whose loue leue frende Forsoth for loue of you of me of other synful wretches that neuer dyd hyÌ„ good but offended hym nyght day ben to hym ful vnkynde Therfor he may well saye the wordes that Salomon sayd Fortis eÌ„ vt mors dilectio Canâ— .viij. Loue is stronge as deth ye forsoth moche strenger than deth For loue led his lyfe to his deth he that neuer myght dye by waye of kynde loue made hym dye for mankynde And so sayth Salomon there Brondes of his loue ben brondes of fyre of flammes both For the loue that he shewed to mankynde and also for the loue that we ought to shewe to him For ryght as the hete of the sonne with his lyght whan he shyneth in the fyre in the house wasteth the fyre quencheth it so the loue of god and the endelesse charyte of his passyon yf it shone in maÌ„nes soule with his hete it sholde quenche waste the brondes and the fyre of lecherye brennynge in mannes soule by foule luste and wycked desyre And therfore he sayth to euery crysten soule â—one me vt signaculuÌ„ suê‘ cor tuuÌ„
chirches in one lytylyle of Cerlone notwithstandynge yâ— ther were two thousande of poore crysten men outlawed dampned to ful harde trauayll myght haue be releued full well with that yâ— tho chirches costed Than holy chirche was in his youthe in his begynnyng as saynt Ierom sayth in ê“logo suê‘ actê° aplorum Now holy chirche is growen and the fayth sprongen spredde stabled in peas fro tyrauÌ„tes And therfore now we muste worshypp our god with all our myght our connynge for we haue none excusacoÌ„n as they hadde And for to auoyde ydlenesse of prestes our faders byfore this tyme ordeyned the prayers in holy chirche to be sayd after a certayne fourme after the custome of dyuerse contrees kepe theyr hour after the houres of the daye as matynes atte morowe masse afterwarde and euensonge ayenst euen so that god shall be praysed of the prestes at all tymes of the daye ¶ Diues Me thynketh that it were better to saye goddes seruyce in holy chirche without note than with note hackynge of the syllabes wordes of our prayers praysynge as as we do For who sholde telle the kyng of Englonde a tale or make his prayer to hym and made so many notes hackynges in his tale he sholde haue lytyll thanke ¶ Pauper The kyng of heuen is aboue the kyng of Englonde otherwyse we muste worshyp hym than yâ— kyng of Englond For we muste worshyp hym with all our myght all our herte all our wytte as hym that is maker lorde of all thynge so may we not worshyp the kyng of Englonde It nedeth now to speke to the kyng of Englonde to euery erthely man dystynctly for they knowe not the maÌ„nes herte ne his wyll But god knoweth it longe er we speke it with our mouth And therfore whan we synge in our prayers with cleÌ„nesse of lyfe deuocoÌ„n of herte we please god in as moche as we worshyh hym with our power of voyce and tongue For euery note so songe to god in the chirche or in other conuenyent places for deuocoÌ„n in our self to engendre deuocoÌ„n in to other is a praysynge to god And therfore Dauyd sayth Cantate exultate et psallite Synge ye make you mery outwarde synge ye to god craftely Iubilate deo ois terra seruite dnÌ„o in leticia Introite in conspectu eius in exultacoÌ„e All ye that dwelle vpon the erthe make ye hertely Ioye to god serue ye our lorde in gladnesse Entre ye in to his syghte with Ioye myrthe For many causes my frendes songe melodye was ordeyned in holy chirche Fyrst to the more worshyp of god Also to the more excytacoÌ„n of deuocoÌ„n to the people Also to put awaye heuynesse vnlustynesse as sayth saynt Bernarde For many man hath more lykynge for to serue god in gladnesse than in heuynesse And therfor goddes seruyce sholde be sayd lyuely dystynctly deuoutly with gladnesse of herte For yf the seruyce be sayd or songe so hauenly dedely so drawen a longe that it lothe both the synger or sayer the herer bryngeth folke in to heuynesse or dystraccoÌ„n it is euyll sayd or songe For that maner of syngynge is lettynge of moche goodnesse cause of ydlenesse of moche foly for it maketh men to withdrawe theym from goddes house from goddes seruyce and so wante grace De conse dist v. Non mediocrit Also we synge in holy chirche to confourme vs to sayntes in heuen whiche prayse god and serue god alwaye with hyghe voyce swete syngynge as we fynde in the Apocalyps many other places in holy wryte And therfore sayth Dauyd Cantate dnÌ„o canticuÌ„ nouuÌ„ laus eius in ecclia sanctorum Synge ye a newe songe to our lorde for suche is his prysynge in holy chirche of all sayntes And therfore songe in holy chirche is good whan it is songe deuoutely in clennes of lyfe roundely not lettynge the deuoute prayers of the people as doth this curyouse knackynge songe of the vycyouse mynystres in the chirche specyally in grete riche chirches For it is ofte seen that the syngers in suche places other also ben ful proude glotons and lecherous also And the melodye of suche men is no plesaunce to god but it doth harme to them selfe and many other Caplm .lx. DIues Why ben ther now no martyrs as ther were wonte for to be ¶ Pauper We haue now a dayes all to many martyrs in this londe ¶ Diues How soo ¶ Pauper For the more martyrs the more murdre and manslaughter and the more shedynge of Innocentes blode the more vengeaunce shall falle therfore ¶ Diues Moche people is slayne now a dayes but yf they sholde be martyrs I can not say ¶ Pauper All that be slayne for the treuthe pacyently in charyte ben martyrs in as moche as they wytnessen the treuthe stonde therwith vnto theyr deth For martyr in latyn is a wytnesse in englysshe It is no worshyp to ony londe or nacyons for to haue many martyrs of her owne sleynge but it is an endles shame And therfore the Iewes that slewe Cryste and his dyscyples the ê“phetes madâ— martyrs without nombre ben in despyte and repreue all about the worlde And therfore Cryste sayd to them that al the rightfull blood whiche they had shedde fro the begynnynge of the worlde sholde falle vpon them an harde vengeauÌ„ce therfore sholde come to them And the Romayns that slewe Peter and many martyrs in euery londe there as they hadde lordshyp and now they haue lost ther lordshyp ben wretches of wretches and bothe the cyte the temple semeth acursed And now Englysshe nacoÌ„n hath made many martyrs For they spare neyther theyr owne kyng ne theyr bysshoppes no dygnyte no ordre none astate ne degree but indyfferently slee as them lyketh so vengeauÌ„ce wretchednesse foloweth them grace worshyp hath forsaken them it was neuer worshyp to them that they slewe saynt Thomas theyr bysshop theyr fader ne that they wolde by comon clamour comon assent haue slayne theyr owne kyng Martyrdom is worshypfull to theym that in charyte suffreth deth to theym yâ— holde with them in theyr treuthe But it is shame dyshoneste to theym that putte them to deth vnrightfully And for asmoche as the multytude of shrewes is so grete and falshede is so myghty that the treuth is ouersette borne downe true folke so martred we sholde wepe not be gladde for that we haue soo many martyrs and nyght daye crye mercy to lett wretche Yf hethen people or other nacoÌ„ns had made our martyrs than we myght reioyse vs of our martyrs but in that we haue slayn them our selfe we ought to be ashamed Caplm .lxi. DIues Sythen they be martyrs why doth god no myracle now for them as he dyde for martyrs other sayntes in the begynnynge of holy chirche ¶ Pauper
in lesynges in falshode Therfore god suffreth false shrewes for to do wondres myracles for to dysceyue the peple to holde them stylle in theyr errour I haue sayd as my thynketh saye thou forth what thou wylte Caplm .lxiij. DIues What sayste thou of theym that wyll noo solempnyte haue in theyr buryeng but be put in erthe anone and that that sholde be spente about the buryenge of theym they bydde that it sholde be gyuen to the poore folke as blynde and lame ¶ Pauper Comonly in suche preuy buryenges ben full smalle doles and but lytyll almesses gyuen And in solempne buryenges ben grete doles and moche almesses gyuen for moche poore people come than for to syke theyr almesse But whan that it is done so pryuely fewe men knowe therof and full fewe poore people come for to axe almesse for they knowe not whan ne where ne to whome they sholde axe it And therfore I byleue sykerly that some false executours that wolde kepe the goodes all to them selfe began fyrste this errour and this folye ¶ Diues And yet men holde it a grete perfeccyon now a dayes ¶ Pauper Though men burye theyr frendes pryuely or openly it is noo harme to the deed neyther to lyuynge But yf the worshyppe of god be withdrawen and the almesses of the poore nedy folke and the holy prayers and the suffragyes of holy chirche the whiche ben ordeyned for to be prayed and done for the deed folke and the quycke that haue grete nede therof But it is a grete folye and also a grete synne for to forsake solempne buryenges that ben done pryncypally for the worshyp of god and for the prouffyte of the dede folke spendynge theyr goodes to nedefull releuynge of holy chirche and for the prouffyte of the poore nedy people that ben of noo power for to helpe theym selfe for that is a custome of false executours that wolden make them selfe riche with the deed folkes goodes and dele it not to the poore folke after the deed folkes wyll as now all false executours vse by custome And so they that forsake worshypfull buryenges as I haue reherced byfore they lette the praysyng the worshyp and the sacrefyce and offerynges that sholde be done to god They doo also grete despyte to holy chirche in so moche that they forsaken the prayers and the suffragyes of the holy mynystres of holy chirche Also they offende gretely ayenst all the soules that ben in purgatory that sholde be releued by masses syngynge by the prayers and suffragyes of holy chirche whiche ben ordeyned in the buryenge of deed folke for the helpe of all crysten soules And they please the fende yâ— whiche is full besy nyght and daye for to lette goddes offyce goddes worshyppe and holy prayers Also they offende gretly ayenst man kynde ayenst god that toke mankynde of a woman in as moche as they put theyr bodyes in suche dspyte and pryue or take it of the due worshyppe For the bodye of a good man or of a good woman that is knytte to that precyoê° soule that Cryste bought so dere with his precyous blood with whiche soule it shal aryse ayen at the daye of dome and shall lyue in blysse without ende bryghter than yâ— sonne it is of a full grete dygnyte all yf it be here in grete myschyef for a tyme for Adams synne Mannes bodye is of full grere dygnyte in that that god toke our bodye of a woman allone and bycame man without parte of man and bodely in our kynde reygneth god and man aboue all creatures And therfore by waye of kynde and for worshyp of god that toke our kynde it ought for to be worshypped namely in his deth for than is ther no drede of pryde And therfore sayth the wyse man Eccle .vij. Mortuo non prohibeas graciam Withdrawe not thy grace and thy mercy from the deed That is to saye withdrawe not ne lette not the due seruyce and worshypfull Ceremonyes that longen to the bodyes ne the suffrages and prayers that longen to the soules as the glose sayth And in an other place he sayth thus Sone wepe thou for the deed man with bytter teres and grete sorowe and after his astate as right is hele his bodye despyse not his buryenge make mornynge one daye or two after his deseruynge Ecclesiasti xxxviij For by the lawe of kynde by the lawe wryten by the lawe of grace and euery tyme worshypfull sepulture after mennes power hath be due dette to mannes bodye and womannes In the lawe of kynde haue we example of Abraham Ysaac and Iacob and her wyues whiche hadde full costely buryenges As we rede in holy wryte GenÌ„ lvi And in the lawe wryten haue we example of Samuell Dauyd Salomon Iosaphat Ezechye Iosye Tobye and of the Machabeys whose buryenges were costly worshypfully In the lawe of grace that is in the newe lawe haue we example of our lorde Ihesu Cryste whiche not withstandynge how well he suffred spytefull deth for mankynde yet he wolde haue and hadde worshypful and costely sepulture and buryenge As we fynde in the gospell Iohannes .xix. Wherby as the glose sayth there he gaue men example to kepe worshypfull buryenge after the custome of the contree And therfore he coÌ„mended Marye magdaleyn that she came byfore his dethe to anoynte his bodye so precyously and so costely in to the sepulture And many sayntes were buryed worshypfully by the doynges of angellys as saynt Clement saynt Katheryne saynt Agathe and many other And saynt Poule the fyrste hermyte was buryed worshypfully and wonderly by werkynge of lyons and of wylde bestes in tokenynge that mannes bodye womaÌ„nes ought to haue worshypful sepulture for sythen angellys and wylde bestes dyde suche worshypp to mannes bodye after his deth Moche more mankynde sholde worshyppe mannes bodye after his deth and doo worshyp to his owne kynde And so men sholde releue poore folke in theyr myschyef and specyally in theyr deynge by almes gyuynge But they sholde not for that doo ony wronge by theyr lyuyng to theyr euen crysten for to make them riche for to do moche almesse at theyr endynge For as the lawe sayth ther sholde no man be made riche with wronge harme of an other Locupletari noÌ„ debes aliqis cuÌ„ alterius iniuria vel iactura Extra de regulis iuris li .vi. Caplm .lxiiij. DIues What sayste thou of theym that holde markettes and feyres in holy chirche in sanctuarye ¶ Pauper Bothe the byer and the seller and the men of holy chirche that mayntene them or suffre them whan that they myght lette it ben accursed For we fynde not that euer Cryste punysshed soo harde ony synne whyles that he wente here in erthe as he dyde byeng and sellynge in goddes house as we fynde Io .xi. On a tyme he came in to the temple of Iherusalem and there he founde men byeng sellynge oxen and sheep douues to be offred in the temple and chaungers
layde the staffe with the golde faste besydes hym Ther came a carte wente vpon hym slew hym brake his staffe tyll the golde scatered all about Anone the people the Iewe also ranne for to see what was fallen And whan they sawe the staffe broken the golde soo scatered about than they knewe how gylfully he had sworen thanked god and saynt Nycholas that the treuthe was so tryed and shewed The Iewe gaue that golde to the poore folke bycame a crysten man ¶ Diues This ensample is open Now I see that gylefull othes ben full peryllous Saye forth I praye the. ¶ Pauper Also a man may be forsworen sweryng soth vnwyttyngly weneth to swere false for to dysceyue his euen crysten As yf I swore to an other that it were not daye to dysceyue hym lette hym of his Iourney wenynge my selfe that it were daye all thoughe it were not daye but ferre from daye yet I were forsworen As the lawe sheweth well xxij qÌ„ ij.c â— .i. Also yf a man swere a treuth with a blasphemye of goddes name As yf he swore by goddes body herte eyen wouÌ„des or ony suche other yf he be vsed therto he is forsworen be it soth or false that he swereth Caplm .x. WHerfore my frende ye shal vnderstonde that in .vi. maners a man is forsworen Fyrste yf he swere ayenst his coÌ„scyence as whaÌ„ he swereth false wyttyngly though he do it for drede Also yf he swere ony thynge vnlefull ayenst charyte as yf he swere to slee a man or defoule a woman with his bodye or that he shall neuer do almesse to poore men ne come in his neyghbours house Also yf man do ayenst his othe whiche is lefull though he do it for drede of deth yf the othe tourne to none euyll ende Also yf he swere treuth for dysceyte gyle as I sayd now late Also yf he swere vnwysely as sayth Durandus in suÌ„ma sua Extra de iureiurando c. â— Sicut et c. â— tua And yf he do it with auysement or vsauÌ„tly it is dedely synne And he sayth there that euery othe made vnwysely is periurye Also yf he compelle an other to swere wyttynge well that he wyll forswere hym As the lawe sheweth well xxij.qÌ„.iiij Inter cetera And saynt Austyn also 〈◊〉 sermon that he maketh of the decollacyon of saynt Iohan baptyste where he tâ—â—leth That on a tyme a good symple true man hadde lente a certayne moneye to a false man whiche forsoke it and sayd that he lente hym none wherfore the true man prouoked hym to swere knowynge well that he wolde forswere hym and soo he dyde the true man loste his moneye And the nyght folowynge the true man thought that he stode byfore a grete Iuge whiche sayd to hym in this wyse Why dydeste thou that man swere sythen thou wyste well that he sholde forswere hym Lorde sayd he for he denyed me my good Than the Iuge sayd to hym It had be better to the for to haue loste thy good than to slee his soule that god boughte soo dere with his precyous blood And anone he dyde hym bete full harde sore in soo moche that whan he awoke his backe appyred ful of wouÌ„des all to beten full blacke blew But whan he repented hym axed mercy his synne was forgyuen hym Caplm .xi. DIues It myght well be so for bothe toke goddes name in vayne dyde dyspyte therto the swerer in that that he forswore hym wyllyngly wyttyngly and he that made hym swere For wyllyngly wyttyngly he dyde hym forswere despyse goddes name so he assented to â—eriury And by the lawe both he that doth the synne he that assenteth therto ben gylty of the synne and ben worthy the same payne But I praye the what sayst thou of theym that swere so dyspytefully and horrybly by goddes bodye herte blood suche other ¶ Pauper That maner swerynge is open blasphemye grete despyte to god And yf a man or a woman be vsed therto swere he soth or swere he false he synneth dedely For not only suche take goddes name in vayne but also in grete despyte And therfore it is forboden by the lawe xxij.qÌ„ i. Si quis per capilluÌ„ Ther sholde noman swere by the heere of Cryste ne by his hede ne by no parte of Cryste ne vse suche blasphe mye ayenst god in ony maner wyse And yf he dyde but he wolde cesse and amende hym and yf he were a man of holy chirche he sholde be deposed and degraded And yf he were a lewde man he sholde be acursed and pursued by censure of holy chirche tyll he wolde amende hym And by the lawe Imperyall as the glose sayth there suche foule swerers sholde be punysshed with the vttrest payne torment saue deth And therfore in Almayne suche folke ben punysshed shamefully in dyuerse coÌ„trees And therfore in tho contrees ben vsed none othes but it be byfore a Iuge or ellys for grete nede Ther is in theyr speche as yâ— gospell techeth ya and nene that ys ye or nay in Englysshe And they kepe more treuth for ya nene than we doo with all our grete othes that we now vse in this londe Of suche foule swerers speketh Saynt Poule sayeng that as moche as in theym is they do goddes sone ofte on the crosse and make but a Iape and scorne of his passyon Rursum crucifigentes sibimetipsis filiuÌ„ dei et ostentui .i. irrisioni habentes ad Hebre .vi. For they can not speke to an vnresonable beste but they all to rente Cryste with theyr othes nyght daye repreue Cryste of his shamefull deth that he suffred for theyr synne theyr sake And there that they ought to take moost mater to loue hym to worshyp hym they take moost occasyon of vnkyndnesse to despyse hym For had not he deyed the bytter deth and shamfull for our gylte our synne and our sake we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes deth had he not wepte salte teerys with his eyen for our sake not for his owne we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes eyen And had he not be percyd to the herte shedde his precyous herte blode to wasshe vs from our synnes we sholde neuer ellis haue sworen by goddes herte ne by goddes blood And had he not suffred the depe wouÌ„des bytter paynes in his bodye and in his bones to saue vs from the paynes of helle we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by his wouÌ„des his bodye his bones ne his blood And also ayenst the endlesse loue that he shewed to vs we shewe hym grete vnkyndnesse and ayenst the grete worshyp that he dyde to vs brought vs to endles worshyp we do to hym ouer grete velonye We fynde in yâ— myracles of our lady that somtyme ther was a ryghtfull Iuge demynge but ful gylty in suche othes swerynge Somdele he was deuoute to
our lady and grette her euery daye with a certayne Auees wherfore our lady by nyght appyred to hym shewed hyÌ„ a childe all blody The eyen were put out of yâ— hede henge downe by the chekys the herte was rente out of the bodye henge a downe by the syde the bodye was all to corne and to wrappyd in blood Than she sayd to hym Thou art a Iuge gyue me now a ryghtfull dome what is that man worthy to haue that thus hath arayed my childe The Iuge answered and sayd He is worthy to be hanged by the necke in the fyre of helle without ende Than our lady answered to hym Forsothe thou art the same man For I hadde neuer no childe but this allone whiche was borne of my bodye for saluacyon of all mankynde And thou as moche as in the is haste putte out his eyen whan thou sworest by goddes eyen thou rentest out his herte whan thou sworest by goddes herte thou hast all to rente hym with thyne foule othes And therfore amende the or thou shalte haue the same dome that thou haste gyuen shalte be hanged by the necke in the fyre of helle without ende Caplm .xij. DIues What sayste thou of theym that swere by the cock in stede of god some by god and by the holy dome some by laken some by our lady some by cockes bodye some by theyr hode and some by theyr tytpat cap and many suche other nyce othes that men vse now these dayes ¶ Pauper Yf they swere ony suche othes for to begyle theyr euen crysten that vnderstande theym not they synne dedely and ben also forsworen And for to couple or knytte to gydre god and the holy dome in swerynge in ernest or in game it is a full greuous synne and grete despyte and scorne to goddes name And yf they swere suche othes not for dysceyte but for to flee gretter othes yet they synne full greuously yf they ben vsed therto for they do ayenst Crystus coÌ„maundement that byddeth vs swere by no creature ne to swere but for grete nede prouffyte ellys not but outwarde sholde be ye ye nay nay And yf a man be compelled to swere he shal swere by his god and by none suche nyce othes Moreouer my frende whan that a man swereth by his cap or by his hode or by ony suche other eyther he swereth soo by waye of wytnesse takyng or by waye of execraccyon Yf he swere soo by waye of wytnesse takynge he dooth hymselfe foule velony for he maketh his hode of more worshyp of more credence than hymselfe For as saynt Poule sayth ther sholde noo man swere for wytnesse takynge but by his more by his better And he offendeth god full hyghely for the worshyp that longeth only to god he doth it to his hode For as swerynge to bere wytnesse is a dyuyne worshyp that longeth only to god And yf he swere by his hode by waye of execracyon so that he must lese his hode but he saye soth it is an ouer scornefull o the for it is no grete losse a man to lese his hode for to wynne an hondred pouÌ„de ¶ Diues And yet suche ben more true of theyr worde than other that swere gretter othes ¶ Pauper Somtyme it is so For the fende tempteth them lesse to the lesse synne for to holde theym stylle in yâ— gretter so to drawe other to the same synne that they perceyue it not For it is more synne to robbe god of his worshyp than to robbe a man of his catell But suche as swere by theyr hode do dyuyne worshyp to ther hode take it from god make other to do more worshyp to theyr hode than to goddes holy name And ofte suche swerers kepe treuth in smale thynges comon to dysceyue men in greter thyngis of more charge And therfore I praye the vse not suche nyce othes but lete thy worde be ye ye nay nay as Cryste byddeth it so that it be sayd with mekenesse reuerence And yf you nede to saye more saye ye truly nay truly or sykerly or sothly for that maner of speche is none othe For it is not ellys to saye but I saye ye truly not falsely I saye ye sykerly not dysceyuably vse none othes but thou be compelled by thy souerayne or for a thyng of charge men shall byleue well by thy ye ye and by thy nay nay without ony more Caplm .xiij. DIues Is it not more synne a man for to swere by god than by his hode ¶ Pauper It is more synne For the holyer that a thynge is that man swereth by the greter is the synne and the periurye as the lawe sayth And it is more synne a man for to forswere hym by god than by creatures or by false goddes or mawmettes And thou yf thou swere by ony othe or by ony creature that is not lefull to swere by thou synneste greuously yf thou swere soth or swere false But yet periury by god is more synne than by ony creature ¶ Diues Yf a man swere by his hode is he bounden to kepe his othe ¶ Pauper He is yf his othe be lefull and spedefull or ellys he dooth synne to synne As the lawe sayth xxij.qÌ„.i Mouet te ¶ Diues Is it lefull for a crysten man for to take an othe of an hethen man that swereth by his false goddes ¶ Pauper It is lefull yf he may none other sykernesse haue of hym But it is not lefull to a crysten man for to styre hym so to swere Example we haue of this GenÌ„ .xxxi. Where Laban swore to Iacob by his false goddes ¶ Diues Whan seruauntes ben sworen to theyr lorde that they shall be true to hym warne hym for his harmes ben they bouÌ„de to telle hym all the myschyues false dedes velonyes that is done to the lorde in housholde or out of housholde yf they knowe them ¶ Pauper Yf the lorde be fell cruell baratoê° or suspecte ayenst the persone that is gylty I trowe the seruaunt by that othe is not bouÌ„de to telle the lorde therof for to accuse the persone for also his othe is vnâ—â—full For so in kepynge of his othe he sholde brynge the lorde to greuous synne And therfore he sholde not haue made that othe at the begynnynge for it was semely that moche dysease myght come therof yf it were kepte Nathelesse yf that seruaunt that soo swore knewe ony thynge berynge or takynge awaye or wastyng the lordes good that he hath in kepynge he ought to warne his lorde therof but yf he can the more peasybly haue it ayen saue his lordes prouffyte And euery seruauÌ„t is bouÌ„den to warne his lorde of the harme that is done to his lorde in his offyce for good fayth and saluacyon of his owne persone yf it can not ellys peasybly be redressed And yf ony other defaultes that touchen not his offyce yf he can preue them
openly and noo man wolde helpe hym vp Equyte sayth he ne euenhode in shyftynge and in demynge myght not entre for treuthe is all forgeten And he that fledde from wyckednesses was euery mānes pray ¶ Diues Now I see that periurye is a full greuous synne full peryllous to euery comunyte cause of moche manslaughter shedyng of mannes blood lesynge of Royalmes For as I haue redde y◠Royalme of Englonde for periurye falshode was translated from Brytons to Saxons Afterwarde it was translated for periurye from Saxons Englysshe men to the Danes Afterwarde whan Englysshe men had the kyngdome ayen by the deth of the Danes they kepte it but two kynges tymes Saynt Edwarde heraldes anone it was trāslated ayen for periurye vnto the Normans by Wyllyam duke of Normandy whiche slough well nyghe all the chyualrye of this londe chaūged the lordshyp and the prelacye of this londe nyghe all vnto the frensshe men And what murdre shedynge of blode fell for these periurers in these thre tymes and chaūgynges full harde to telle And now allas newely in our dayes we ben fallen in periury in the hyghest degree not one but nygh all And what blood hath be shedde sythen bycause of our periurye no tonge can telle And this londe by shedynge of blood is so feblysshed in euery astate that we be not of power without specyall myracle of god lenger for to withstande And so it is full moche to drede y◠this royalme in short tyme for our periurye shall be translated ayen to the Brytones or ellys to some other tongues I praye the saye forth what thou wylt Caplm .xix. PAuper Furthermore I sayd that goddes name is taken in vayne by mysherynge For yf thou haue lykynge to here grete othes of other men or omy mysswerynge Or yf thou wayte all vayne othes ne art not myspraysed whan thou hereste them thou takest goddes name in vayne for thou doost no worshyppe therto as thou oughtest to doo For as Salomon sayth a mannes heere sholde aryse for fere he sholde stop his ere 's whan he herde goddes name so despysed And yf a man swere to y◠sadly in goddes name auysely thou art boūden to byleue hȳ for worshyp of goddes holy name but thou haue the more euydence to the contrarye And but thou accepte his othe gyue credence therto but ye knowe the contrarye ellys thou takest goddes name in vayne for thou doost no due worshyp therto but grete despyte in that that thou wylt not byleue so worshypfull a wytnesse as god is whom he taketh to wytnesse soo swerynge For many a symple man wolde be euyll payed yf thou forsokest hym for wytnesse of treuthe ¶ Diues Yf I fynde a man ofte false in his othes though I byleue hym not I do god no dyshonour ¶ Pauper That is soth for thou may well wote that god souerayne treuth bereth hym no wytnesse in his fasholde And therfore do worshyp to his othe to goddes name and repreue his falshode and despyte that he doth to goddes holy name Moreouer yf thou here men swere or blaspheme goddes name or name goddes name in vanyte yf thou haue lykynge therin thou takest goddes name in vayne And but thou rebuke or repreue them yf thou haue power ouer them and grutche ayenst theyr synfull speche ellys thou takest goddes holy name in vayne by herynge Also yf thou haue lykynge to here errours ayenst the fayth of holy chirche to consente to them or shrewde tales or vayne tales medled with goddes name vnhonest speche ayenst the worshypfull name of Cryste of crystendom whiche speche no good crysten man ne woman ought to here thou takest goddes name in vayne by herynge For yf thou loue well thy god thou sholdest not here paciently ony speche that sowneth dyshonour to his holy name For yf thou louedest well ony man or woman thou woldest here no speche sownynge ayenste theyr name and worshyppe ne that myght be causes of theyr offence or velonye Caplm .xx. ALso goddes name is taken in vayne by brekyng of couenaūte made in goddes name and confermed by swerynge in goddes name As whan peas and couenaut is made bytwene kynges and Royal mes bytwene comunytees and bytwene persones and bytwene comunyte and persone is confermed by swerynge Than euery man woman that knoweth it sholde flee to forfete in worde or dede ayenst the couenaūt the peas for the reuerence of goddes holy name by whiche it was confermed And all tho that wyttyngly breken suche couenauntes or procuren by worde or dede or assenten thertoto that suche couenaunt shall be broken yf the couenaunt be lefull all yf it be not pleasaunt they take goddes name in vayne And all tho that knowe of the couenaunt and of the othe yf they by retcheleshede of speche or of dede ben cause of brekynge of peas and of suche couenauntes whether it touche theym or not they take goddes holy name in vayne and do grete despyte therto sythen the peas the couenaunt was made in goddes holy name and confermed also We rede also in holy wryte Iosue .ix. That whan as Iosue and goddes people began fyrste for to conquere the londe of byheste the people of Gabaon in gyle sente messagers to Iosue for to make peas with Iosue and with goddes people The messagers in gyle dyde on olde clothes clowted olde shone patched and all to torne They toke hored brede in theyr scryppes soure wyne in theyr botels and loded asses with olde hored brede in olde sackes and came so to Iosue and made a presaunt to hym of olde vytayles sayd to hym Your name spryngeth ferre and wyde that ther may no kyng nor nacyon withstande you Therfore we be come to you for saluacyon of our lyues for to make peas with you Than Iosue and the people sayd to theym Yf ye dwelle in the londe that god hath gyuen to vs we may no peas make with you Than Iosue axed theym what they were from whens they cam Syr sayd they we ben thy seuaūtes come to the fro full ferre contrees sente fro the lordes and the leders of our londe to make peas with the. Thou may see by our arraye that we be come fro ferre For whan we came out our clothes our shone were newe now they ben al to torne and al to rente Our brede was newe baken and now it is hored Our botels and our wyne weren newe and now our botels be nygh brusten and the wyne is soure and our vytales and the presaunt that we haue brought to the ben nyghe loste for elde And thus they lyed almoost euery worde desceyued Iosue for they dwelleden but .xx. lytyll myle thens Iosue toke theyr presaunt and made peas with them And he all the prynces of goddes people swore to theym that they sholde haue theyr lyues and theyr goodes Within a fewe dayes after Iosue cam to Gabaon
the .vij. daye be halowed ¶ Pauper Ther ben as clerkes tallen .vi. causes Fyrste for that god the .vij. daye rested that is to saye he cessed fro creacyon of newe creatures Also in tokenynge that god in the .vij. daye delyuered yâ— childern of Israell from the harde seruage of Egypte ledde them thrugh the rede see drye fote in to the reste of the londe of byheste As we rede in holy wryte Deut .v. Whiche delyuerauÌ„ce was a token that mankynde sholde thrughe Crystus passyon by his blood that he shedde vpon the rode be delyuered out of the fendes seruage and come to the endelesse reste of the londe of lyfe The .iij. cause is that men sholde the daye pryncypally gyue them to holy medytacyon to thanke god of all his gyftes and his benefyces and to lerne goddes lawe to prayse god The .iiij. cause was for to be a token that Cryste the .vij. daye sholde reste in his graue after that he had trauayled .vi. dayes to refourme ayen mankynde that was lorne thrughe Adams synne The .v. cause was to be a token yâ— we must al cesse from vyces the .vij. dedely synnes yf we wyl be saued As the ê“phete sayth Quiescite agere peruerse discite bene agere Ysaye .i. Reste ye to do amys lerne ye to do well The .vi. cause is to be a token of the endelesse reste that we shall haue from synne payne in the blysse of heuen for the good werkes that we doo in the .vi. dayes of our lyfe that is to saye al the dayes of our lyf the .vi. age of our lyfe for fulfyl lynge the .vi. dedes of mercy whiche Cryste nameth in the gospell For as we rede in the apocalyps .xiiij. The holy ghoost to whom this coÌ„mauÌ„dement is applyed sayth that men after this lyf sholde rest fro theyr traueyles for theyr good werkes folowe them Caplm .ij. DIues Sythen that god badde that the .vij. daye sholde be halowed why kepe we the viij daye than that is the sondaye and not the .vij. daye ¶ Pauper God in the olde lawe gaaf thre maner of coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For some were cerymonyall some Iudycyall some morall The cerymonyalles were but fygures shadowes of thynges that were to come And therfore whan tho thynges were fulfylled that the cerymonyalles betokened the cerymonyales cessed vanysshed awaye as the shadowe vanysshed awaye by lyght of the sonne Iudycyall coÌ„mauÌ„dementes were in punysshynge of synne and Iustyfyeng of whiche some cessed some dwelle yet stylle But morall coÌ„mauÌ„dementes techeth vs to loue our god our euen crysten to flee synne to loue vertues tho laste alwaye as the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes suche other And for asmoche as this coÌ„maundement is cerymonyal in parte as anentes the tyme in parte it is moral in asmoche as it techeth vs to worshyp our god to reste from vyces Therfore in as moche as it is morall it is kept but in yâ— yâ— it is cerymonynal it is chauÌ„ged in to sondaye as for the better for that yâ— it fygured betokened is fulfylled That was the reste of Cryste in the sepulcre in the .vij. daye after the grete trauayll that he had .vi. dayes byfore in reformacyon and redempcyon of mankynde Also we be all bouÌ„den to worshyp god now in the newe lawe but not in that maner ne in that tyme that they were bouÌ„den in the olde lawe ¶ Diues Why is it more chaunged in the sondaye than in to an other daye ¶ Pauper For the grete benefyces and the grete worshypfull wondres that god shewed that daye to mankynde For on the sondaye the worlde began and lyght angellys kynde was made That daye god sente downe maÌ„na that is angellys mete to the childern of Israell in deserte fedde them also .xl. yere That daye god gaaf Moyses the lawe in the mouÌ„t Synay That daye Cryste was borne of the mayden Mary to saue maÌ„kynde That daye Cryst rose from deth to lyfe gyuyng vs example hope to ryse from deth to lyf That daye the holy goost lyghted in Crystus apostles and his dyscyples That daye god shall come to dome as sayth a grete clerke dockynge suê‘ Deutro â— And also that daye was the fyrste daye shal be the laste daye that neuer shall haue ende But it shall be a daye of endelesse blysse to theym that shall be saued For right as Cryste rose vp from deth to lyfe on the sondaye neuer deyed afterward ne neuer shal deye So shal we all in the laste sondaye yâ— shal be yâ— laste day ryse vp from deth to lyf neuer deye after but lyue in blysse without ende yf we make here a good ende This daye is soo worshypfull yâ— no bysshop may be sacred but on the sondaye as RaymuÌ„de sayth li.i.ti. de ferijs And right as yâ— satyrdaye was halowed in the olde lawe for the reste yâ— god made in the satyrdaye after yâ— creacoÌ„n the werkes that he made in the fyrste vi dayes so holy chirche thrugh techynge of the holy ghoost hath ordeyned the sondaye to be halowed for the reste that mankynde shal take after the .vi. ages of this worlde on yâ— sondaye whiche reste sabbot shall neuer haue ende Theyr sabbot that was on the satyrdaye tourneth alwaye ayen to trauayll but our sabbot yâ— is in the sondaye atte laste shal tourne in to endelesse reste Ioye blysse Sabbot in hebrewe is reste in englysshe And euery daye in the weke is called sabbot ferir yâ— is reste in englysshe For euery daye we be bouÌ„de to ferie to rest froÌ„ synne Also all the weke is called sabbot as there Ieâ—unio bis in sabbato And Math vlti â— The sondaye is called the fyrste daye of the sabbottes as there Vna sabbatorum and Math vlti â— it is sayd Prima sabbati For it is fyrste not oonly in ordre of dayes but it is also fyrste in dygnyte For yâ— sabbot the reste in the solempnyte of the satyrdaye of the olde lawe is now chauÌ„ged in to yâ— sondaye for synne of yâ— Iewes whiche slewe Cryste on good frydaye so put our lady saynt Mary all holy chirche in sorowe care grete trauayll both frydaye satyrdaye whyle Cryste laye in his graue But for asmoche as he rose froÌ„ deth to lyf on the sondaye apperyd to his mod to his dyscyples .vij. tymes yâ— daye soo on the sondaye began the fyrste Ioye blysse reste of the newe lawe Therfore by goddes rightfull dome the Iewes sabbot on the satyrdaye torned them to sorowe care and moche trauayll our sondaye torned vs in to grete reste and Ioye blysse And as the satyrdaye was halowed by the olde lawe for god grauÌ„ted that daye fyrste reste to all mankynde after his dampnacyon to perpetuell trauayll for Adams synne So is now the sondaye halowed for than Cryste grauÌ„ted fyrste reste Ioye blysse to mankynde in the newe lawe
eius The enemyes that ben the fendes see how mannes soule and womannes was defouled with synne on the holy dayes and scorned his holy dayes and his sabbottes For the holy daye was ordeyned in confusyon of yâ— fende in worshyp of god for saluacoÌ„n of maÌ„nes soule But now it is torned to shame of maÌ„nes soule to despyte offence of god in pleasaunce of the fende For in the sondaye reygneth more lechery glotony manslaughter robbery bacbytynge periury other synnes more than reygned all the weke byfore And whan men come to chirche they leue byddynge of bedes and spende theyr tyme in synfull Iangelynge for there they caste gyle ayenst theyr euen crysten there they holde theyr peruys of many wronges whiche they thynke to doo And therfore god may saye to them as he sayd to yâ— Iewes It is wryten sayd he that myn hous shal be called an hous of prayer ye haue made it a denne of theues in that that ye contryue your gyle falshode to robbe your euen crysten of his good his right his fame And therfore he sayth by the prophete Ysaye .i. My soule hateth your solempnytees holy dayes they ben ful heuy to me I haue trauayll to suffre them But therfore sayth he whan ye shal lyfte vp your hondes to me I shall tourne myn eyen awaye from you And also whan ye multeplye your prayers to me I shall not here you for your hondes be ful of blood that ye haue shedde and full of synne And your companye and your gadrynges togydre ben full wycked Iniqui sunt cetus vestri Caplm .vij. ALso my frende god badde that men sholde thynke to halowe well the holy daye For man womaÌ„ sholde so bethynke them byfore in the werke daye ordeyn theyr occupacoÌ„ns also yâ— they sholde not nede to breke yâ— holy dayes For yf a maÌ„nedeth to breke the holy daye yâ— nede come of his owne folye and of his mysgouernauÌ„ce byfore he is not excused by that nede Moche lesse than is he excused yf that nede come of purpose of couetyse And therfore they that wyll not go ne sende to market in the werke daye to bye theyr necessaryes but abyde tyll on the sondaye for sparynge of tyme they be not excused though tho thynges ben nedeful to them Men sholde studye dyspose them as besely to serue god on the sondaye as they studye byfore to trauayl for themselfe on the werke daye For god hath graunted .vi. dayes to man and woman for to trauayll for themselfe the .vij. daye he hath reserued kepte to his seruyce We rede in holy wryte Numeri .xv. That a man wente in the sabbot daye and gadred styckes He was taken ledde to Moyses he putte hym in pryson tyll he had an answere of god what he sholde doo with hym God badde Moyses that he sholde be ledde out of goddes castels that were called the dwellynges tentys of goddes folke and there the people sholde stone hym to deth And so he was slayne pytefully for he bythought hym not byfore for to halowe the holydaye for he myght haue gadred styckes in the daye byfore And sythen he was soo spytefully slayne for gadrynge of styckes to make therwith his fyre that was nedeful to hym Moche more sholde they be punysshed yâ— on the sondaye gadre togydre brondes of synnes of couetyse of lechery periury bacbytytnge for to brenne with theyr soules in helle with out ende but they amende them ¶ Diues What calleth god seruyle werkes ¶ Pauper Euery dedely synne is seruyle werke For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Who so doth synne he is seruauÌ„te of synne thrall to the fende Qui facit peccatuÌ„ seruus est peccati And suche seruyle werke god forbedeth euery daye but moost on the holy daye For who so doth dedely synne on the holy daye he doth double synne for he doth yâ— synne therto he breketh the holy daye ayenst goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement Also seruyle werke is called euery bodely werke done pryncypally for temporall lucre worldely wynnynge as byenge sellynge erynge sowynge mowynge repynge and all craftes of worldely wynnynge Also pledynge motynge markettes fayres syttynge of Iustyces of Iuges shedynge of blood and execucyon of punysshynge by the lawe all the werkes that sholde lette a man from goddes seruyce and dyspose hym to couetyse or to the fendes seruyce Neuertheles yf erynge sowynge repynge mowynge cartynge suche other nedeful werkes be done purely for almesse oonly for heuenly mede and for nede of them that they ben to in lyght holy dayes than they ben noo seruyle werkes ne the holy daye therby is not broken Neuerthelesse in the sondayes and grete festes suche werkes sholde not be done but for grete nede compelle men therto Caplm .viij. DIues why badde god that both man beest sholde reste halowe the holy daye ¶ Pauper For as Salomon sayth SapÌ„ .vi. et .xi. God loueth all thynge that he made hath cure of al thynges that he made And therfor he ordeyned reste in the holy dayes not only for his owne worshypp for ghoostly helpe of soule but also for bodely helpe bothe of man beest But the couetyse of man were refreyned by reste on the holy daye he sholde neuer reste But with trauayll slee hym selfe his seruauÌ„tes his subgettes add his bestes And therfore both to saue man and beest for grete prouffyt of man god badde reste on the holy daye For both man beest nedeth reste after traueyl and shall be the more fressher all the weke after to trauayll yf they haue reste on the holy daye And therfore it falleth ofte that they whiche wyll not reste on the sondaye ben made to reste al yâ— weke after eyther of sekenesse that they falle in by ouer trauayll or by sekenes or by feblenes of theyr seruauntes and of theyr bestes or ellys by deth For oftentyme they slee theyr bestes by ouer moche trauayll contynuynge of trauayll And therfore in the begynnynge of the worlde as whan Adam synned in the .vi. daye by etynge of an apple ayenst goddes coÌ„maundement and that god hadde dampned hym and all his to perpetuell trauayl for his synne After this of his grete and endelesse mercy he tempred and slaked his harde dome and ordeyned reste both to man and beest in the .vij. daye And therfore sayth holy wryte GenÌ„ .ij. That god fulfylled his werkes in the .vij. daye not oonly for he made than the .vij. daye cessed of creacoÌ„n but also pryncypally for he shewed than fyrste mercy ayenst synne grauntynge and byddynge reste in the .vij. daye both to man to beest whiche he dampned in the daye byfore to perpetuell trauayll for Adams synne whiche mercy was fulfyllynge parfeccoÌ„n of al his werkes Quia miseracoÌ„es eius suê‘ omnia oê‘a eius For as Dauyd sayth goddes mercy is aboue all his werkes And saynt Iames sayth Mercy
beest as the sabbot was ordeyned for reste in the olde lawe Caplm .xi. DIues Be we bounden by this coÌ„maundement to kepe the holy dayes that holy chirche hath ordeyned in the newe lawe ¶ Pauper Yes forsoth for though the coÌ„mauÌ„dement passed in that the it was cerymonyall as anentes tyme yet it dwelleth in that it was is morall byndeth vs to flee vyces serue our god one daye more than another whiche daye is yâ— sondaye in the newe lawe by ordenauÌ„ce of god holy chirche For as yâ— gospell sayth Ma. xij DnÌ„s est emÌ„ filius hoiÌ„s et sabbati The maydens sone Cryste Ihesus is lorde of the sabbot And for as moche as it was so euyll kepte in the olde lawe soo moche blood was shedde in the sabbot Cryste hyÌ„selfe suffred so moche despyte on the sabbot therfore he was dyspleased sayd by the prophetes Ysaye .i. and Ozee .ij. That he sholde noo lenger suffre theyr sabbottes but as a lorde of the sabbottes he chauÌ„ged that reste solempnyte of theyr sabbottes in to the sondaye for the causes whiche I sayd byfore whiche daye all yf it be the .viij. daye in the fyrste ordre of dayes yet it is but the .vij. daye in obseruauÌ„ce of the coÌ„maundement For we haue now .vi. dayes for to werke in in token yâ— god in .vi. dayes made all yâ— worlde the vij daye we halowe as god badde vs in token that god the .vij. daye cessed of creacoÌ„n ordeyned reste in yâ— sondaye As saynt Poule sayth in his pystle ad Colo .ij. That openly the sabbot other festes of the olde lawe were but shadowes fygures of the newe lawe And therfore after Crystus passyon tho festes cessed noo man ought to kepe them And who so kepeth them in that he forsaketh yâ— Cryste was borne of the mayden deyed for mankynde And saynt Gregorye in his pystle ad Ro sayth That all that halowe the satyrdaye for it was so holy in the olde lawe that ben Antecrystes dyscyples For Antecryste shall do men halowe both sondaye satyrdaye Sondaye for to drawe crysten peple to his secte for he shall fayne hym deed to aryse ayen fro deth to lyf on yâ— sonday And yâ— satyrdaye to drawe the Iewes to his secte De con di.iij Peruenit Caplm .xij. DIues Why wolde god make the worlde more in the nombre of .vi. dayes than in ony other nombre of dayes ¶ Pauper For as Salomon sayth God made al thynge in nombre in weyght and in mesure He made noo thynge to moche ne to lytyll But he made euery thynge parfyghtly in his kynde and ended all his werkes in parfyghtnesse And for the nombre of .vi. is the fyrste nombre euen yâ— is parfyght therfore he made all the worlde in nombre of .vi. dayes ¶ Diues How is yâ— nombre of .vi. dayes more parfyght than another nombre ¶ Pauper For all his partes yâ— mete him yf they be taken to gydre make euen .vi. as i.ij.iij make euen .vi. these .iij. mete hym For .vi. tymes one is .vi. thryes two is .vi. twyes thre is .vi. And this parfeccoÌ„n is in no nombre within .x. but in .vi. And fro .x. to an hondred is none but xxviij And fro an hondred to a thousande is but this euen nombre four hondred four score .xvi. The next is .viij. thousande one hondred and xviij thaÌ„ no mo suche but one with in an hondred thousande And who soo wyll fynde that he muste studye After an hondred thousande ben mo suche than all the clerkes vnder the sonne can telle and mo than ony herte may thynke or tongue can telle yet is it full harde to fynde one And for that .vi. is the fyrste parfyght nombre in this maner Therfore god wolde make this worlde in the nombre of .vi. in a token that all his werkes were parfyght And therfore sayth holy wryte GenÌ„ .ij. That heuen and erthe al theyr arraye were parfyght And for the same cause god made man the .vi. daye as for a parfyght and a noble creature For the same cause in the .vi. age of the worlde he bycame man And on the â—i daye a good frydaye the .vi. hour of the daye in the .vi. age he bought mankynde ayen with his precyous blood in token yâ— all his werkes were parfyght And the same nombre of dayes god hath grauÌ„ted vs for to werke in in token yâ— all our werkes sholde be parfyght good no thynge do amys that we sholde for noo couetyse do to moche ne for no slouth do to lytyll but holde vs alwaye in a meane in euenhe de for god grauÌ„ted vs no tyme to synne Therfore wyll he that we alwaye be euen with god and with our euen crysten as sixe is alwaye euen with his partes to gydre Caplm .xiij. DIues Why bad god reste on the .vij. daye more than an other daye ¶ Pauper In token that as .vij. cometh next after yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. dayes of werkynge soo after parfyght werkes in this worlde shall folowe parfyght reste in the other worlde Also he badde reste in the .vij. daye for yâ— passeth the parfyght nombre in token yâ— he wyll that no thynge be done passynge parfeccoÌ„n And therfore all synne is comprehended in .vij. dedely synnes For as .vij. passeth yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. so euery synne passeth parfeccoÌ„n is out of parfeccoÌ„n of all good werkes Also god badde reste the .vij. daye for he wyll that men reste them than both goostly bodely Goostly from besynesse thought of the worlde Bodely from bodely trauayll For why vij is made of four thre Four betokeneth bodely thynges made of four elementes Thre betokeneth mannes soule made to the lykenesse of the holy trynyte And therfor he badde reste in the .vij. daye that men sholde than rest both bodye soule Also god bad rest in the .vij. daye in token yâ— after parfyght werkes shal folowe endeles rest both of bodye of soule For this noÌ„bre vij in asmoche as all tyme all duracoÌ„n is coÌ„prehended in .vij. dayes therfore it betokeneth endeles lastynge And therfore reste on the .vij. daye betokeneth endeles rest Also my frende god ordeyned reste in the .vij. daye in token of .vij. blysses whiche we shal haue for parfyght werkes that we do here in .vi. dayes and .vi. ages of this worlde For anentes yâ— bodye we shall haue four blysses bryghtnesse beaute without ony spotte For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Men wymen shall shyne in heuen as bryght as the sonne Also men shall haue there inpassybylyte helth of bodye without all maner sekenesse no thynge shall dere them ne dysease them Also they shal haue delyuerhede of body lightne s se without lettynge for they sholde be as lyght as thought in twynkelynge of an eye be where as they wyll Also they shall haue sotylte of bodye without
ony dedely synne For sythen thou may not please god in synne and shrewednesse therfore thou offendest thy god in thy synne and thy corrupcyon doost wronge to hym thyselfe Thou doost wronge to his grace to his gyfte thou mayst not doo wronge to thy brother but thou do wronge to god that is thy lorde his also And therfore sayth saynt Iohan in his pystle that who so sayth that he loueth god he hate his brother he is a lyer i Io iiij For in that he doth wronge pryncypaly to god and to his brother also And therfore god sayth QuicuÌ„que effuderit hamanuÌ„ sanguinem effudeâ— sanguinis eius GenÌ„ .ix. He that sheddeth out mannes blood wronfully his blood shall be shedde For why sayth he man is made to the lykenes of god And so manslaughter is open wronge doo to god in that that his seruaunt is so slayne and his ymage despysed and destroyed Therfore god sayd to the fyrste mansleer that was Caym whiche sloughe his brother Abell falsely for enuye of his owne goodnesse What hast thou doo Caym The voyce of the blood of Abell thy brother cryeth to me fro erthe and axeth vengeunce of the. And therfore thou shalt be cursed vpon erthe whiche hath opened his mouth hath take the blood of thy brother Abell of thyn honde Thou shalt trauayll in tylthe of the londe it shall gyue yâ— no fruyte Thou sqalt be 〈◊〉 derynge flemed vpon erth 〈◊〉 And the same vengeasice comonâ—â— foloweth murdre For murdre may not be hydde but nyght and daye it axeth vengeaunce The murdre shal myshappe in his doynge and be vnstable and wanderynge and odyous in his lyuynge This synne of manslaughter is so greuous in goddes syght that he coÌ„maunded in the olde lawe that yf ony man by laynge in awayte or by preuy aspyenge or by purpose kylled ony man after fled to goddes auter for socour he sholde be taken awaye thens be slayn for that deth Exo. xxi And therfore saynt Iohan sayth in the boke of goddes pryuytees that he that sleeth shall be slayne Apo. xiij For as cryste sayth in the gospell That same mesure that men mete to other shall be moten ayen to them And therfore in tyme of his passyon he sayd to Peter Put vp thy swerde for eche man that vseth swerde to shedde mannes blood without lawful power grauÌ„ted of god shall perysshe by the swerde that is to saye by swerde of bodely vengeauÌ„ce or by the swerde of goddes mouth whiche is full sharpe on euery syde punysshynge bothe bodye soule Apo.i. For comonly he that vseth the swerde or ony wepen to slee ony man or woman he sleeth fyrste hymselfe by the swerde of his owne malyce But trespasours that wyll not be amended in other maner may by Iuste dome be slayne by them that bere the swerde of temporall punysshynge as saynt Poule sayth Ad Romanos xiij Caplm .xv. DIues It semeth to moche folke that god forbydeth by his coÌ„mauÌ„dement all maner sleynge both of man and of best For he sayd generally Non occides Thou shalt not slee ¶ Paup By this worde occides in latyn he specyfyeth she weth that he forbydeth sleynge of man not of beest For occasio in latyn is in englysshe manslaughter quasi hominu cesio And therfore yâ— propre englysshe is this Non occides thou shalt not slee no man ¶ Diues Whan god sayd the sixt byhest Tu noÌ„ mechaberis That is to saye yâ— shalt do no lecherye he forbydeth all maner lecherye And whan he sayd the seuen byhestes Non furtuÌ„ facies That is thou shalt not stele he forbydeth al maner thefte both of man of beest and of all other thynges And by the same reason as me thynketh whan he bad vs not slee he forbadde vs all maner sleynge ¶ Pauper It it not the same reason ne lyke that reason For as I sayd fyrste by properte of the same worde Occides He forbydeth onely manslaughter God grauÌ„ted man power to slee bestes lyue therby GenÌ„ ix But he graunted hym neuer to do lechery with ony creature ne take ony thynge by waye of stelynge or of false couetyse ¶ Diues Contra te We fynde that Balaam rode on his asse to curse goddes peple ayenst goddes wyll An angell stode in a ryght strayght waye ayenst hym The asse sawe the angell and fledde asyde for drede of yâ— angels swerde bare Balaam ayenst the walle brosed his fote Balaam sawe not the adgell And therfore he was wroth with the asse and smote hym full harde than the asse through the myght of god vnder name Balaam his mayster sayd to hym What haue I do ayenst the why betest thou me Than Balaam sayd For thou haste well deserued it wolde god I hadde a swerde to slee the. Than the asse sayd ayen Haue I not alwaye be thy beest on whiche thou haste be wont alwaye to ryde Saye whan I dyde euer the suche dysease vnto this daye And anone god opened the eyen of Balaam than he sawe the angell standynge ayenst him with his swerde drawen And the angell sayd to Balaam why haste yâ— soo beten thyn asse For but thyn asse hadde gone out of the waye gyuen me place I sholde haue slayne the the asse sholde lyued Numeri .xxij. Sythen than it is so yâ— Balaam was blamed for he bette his asse not withstandynge that he hurte hym moche more he sholde haue be blamed yf he had slayn hym And so it semeth that it is not lefull to slee ony beest ¶ Paup It is graunted to man to slee bestes whan it is ê“fytable to hym for mete or clothynge or to auoyde noyauÌ„ce of the bestes whiche be noyouse to man And therfore god sayd to Noe and to his childern Also fysshes in the see be take to your power to your handes all thynge that styreth lyueth vp on erthe beest byrde shall be to you in mete I haue take them all to you as grene herbes out taken yâ— ye shall not ete flesshe with the blood GenÌ„ .ix And in an other place he sayth thus Yf the lyke to ete flesshe slee ete after the grace and gyfte that god hath gyuen the so that thou ete it withoute blood Deutâ— .xij. And so graunted god to man for to slee bestes fysshe foule to his prouffyte but not to slee them for cruelte ne for lykynge in vanyte and shrewednesse And therfore whan he forbadde man to ete flesshe with the blood he forbadde hym to slee bestes by waye of cruelte or forlykynge of shrewednesse And therfore he sayd Ete ye noo flesshe with the blood that is to saye with crueltee For I shall seke the blood of youre soules of the honde of all bestes that is to saye I shall take vengeaunce for all the bestes that ye haue slayne only for cruelte of soule lykynge in shrewednesse GenÌ„ ix For god that made all hath cure of all And he
ther wyues in ony caas holy chirche shall punysshe theym and enioyne them full harde penauÌ„ce as for mauslaughter ¶ Diues Whether is more synne a man to slee his wyfe or to slee his fader or moder ¶ Pauê‘ Bothe be greuous synnes moche ayenst kynde For the man his wyf be one flesshe and one blood And he ought as saynt Poule sayth to loue his wyfe as his owne bodye and therfore he to slee hyr ayenst kynde But yet it is more synne and more ayenst kynde to slee fader and moder for of them man hath his begynnynge his flesshe blood And also yf he slee ony of them he forfeteth openly ayenst the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god the fourth the fyfthe For in that he vnworshyppeth ouer moche his fader and his moð falleth in cruell maÌ„slaughter therfor it is more synne to slee fader moder than to slee his wyfe as the lawe sayth in suÌ„ma â—ffessorum li. iiij ti.ix.qÌ„.x Caplm .xxiiij. DIues Sythen god byddeth that no man sholde slee vnryghtfully Why suffreth god so moche warre be in erthe so many batayles ¶ Pauê‘ For moche folke is worthy to deye wyll not stande to the lawe of peas Therfor god hath ordeyned coÌ„mauÌ„ded the lawe of yâ— swerde of cheualrye to brynge them to peas with the swerde yâ— wyll not obeye the peas by lawe of charyte and reason ¶ Diues Than it semeth yâ— men of armes may slee menlefully that wyl not obeye to the peas to goddes wyll ¶ Pauê‘ That is soth For Abraam Moyses Iosue Dauyd Iosye Machabeis many other were men of armes sloughe moche folke And yet god repreued them not but he bad them slee and halpe them in ther sleynge and in ther fyghtynge ¶ Diues I may well assent that batayll is lefull yf it be ryghtful For god is called DnÌ„s exercituuÌ„ et dnÌ„s labaoth That is to saye lorde god of oostes ¶ Pauper Thre thynges be nedeful that batayl be ryghtfull Iusta causa iustus ammus et auctoritas legittimus principis A ryghtfull cause a ryghtfull Intencyon and auctoryte of a lawfull prynce Fyrste it is nedefull that the cause be ryghtfull that they fyght only for the ryght to mayntene ryght and for saluacoÌ„n of the comonte of them that be vn gylty and wolde haue peas For as saynt Austen sayth The ende of batayll sholde be peas xxiij.qÌ„.i nolite Also ther Intencyon muste be ryghtfull that they fyght not for pryde to gete theym a name ne for no false couety s e to gete worldely good ne for no malyce for to be venged ne for no cruelte and lykynge to shedde blood For yf ther Intencyon be wycked thongh ther cause be true they synne in maÌ„slaughter And for ther wycked Intencyon god suffreth men to be ouercomen in a ryghtfull cause Also it muste be do by auctoryte of a lawfull prynce that is prynce made by comon custome or by comon lawe or by comon assent of the comonte or by comon lawfull eleccyon For thoughe a persone gadre to him rebellors ayenst his lege lordes wyll all though the rebellors make hym ther hede and her prynce they may not by his auctoryte do ryghtfull batayl But all thoughe auâ—toryte of a pryÌ„ce lawful be nedefull to ryghtfull batayll that is solempny done by mannes lawe yet in a ryghtfull cause at nede man may by lawe of kynde without auctoryte of ony prynce fyght defende hyÌ„self his goodes ayenst wycked folke for it is the lawe of kynde euery man to saue hymselfe put awaye fo rs with fo rs myght with myght LicituÌ„ est vim vt repellere So that his purpose be not to slee ne to rebell ayenst his soue rayne ne ayenst the lawe but only in truthe to saue hym his fro wycked doers Nethelesse clerkes sholde not fyght for no worldely good but they maye in case with fyghtynge smytyng defende ther owne persone ayenste clerke â—wde man And so maye the lewde man defende hymself with smytynge ayenst the clerke yâ— seketh to smyte hyÌ„ yf he may not els sekerly saue hymself yf he may sekerly saue hyÌ„self eyther by slyght eyther by shettynge of dore or of gate or ony other waye he ought to saue hymself not smyte a clerke but wysely saue them both But alwaye be he ware that his flyght be not cause of his deth And syth that the lewde man ought to flee the clerke yf he may in seker maner saue them both Moche more the clerke that sholde shewe pacyence flee shedynge of blood by his ordre ought to flee a lewde man yf he may to saue hymselfe sekerly to saue theym both Yf the sugett be in doubte whether the cause that they fyght for be true they be excused by the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of ther prynce for vertue of obedpence so that the sugettes haue no cause to mysdeme of her prynce by his comon lyuynge but yâ— they suppose that he in all his lyuynge be ruled by reason goddes lawe But yf they be seker that the cause is false they be not excused ne ought not to fyght Or els yf the prynce be man out of good gouernau ce as frentyke or braynles or els that he be in his lyuynge openly rebellynge ayest god than the people ought not to obeye to his byddynge whan he byddeth them fyght but yf they knowe sekerly that his cause be true But than they muste obeye the prynce of heuen that byddeth them slee noo man ne woman vngylty Sowdeours other knyghtes men of armes other frendes of the prynce not suget to hym by obedyence yf they fyght for him in cause that is in doubte they be not excused from dedely synne man slaughter In suÌ„ma â—fesso li.ij.i.v.qÌ„.xlv.et.xlvi Thus leue frende haue I declared to you the fyfthe byheste that byddeth you and vs all not slee And therfore leue frende all yf your persone be not able to fyght ne to slee yet I praye you that ye beware that ye assent to no maÌ„nes deth neyther byfore ne after but ye were seker that they were gylty worthy to deye For the lawe sayth that both they that done the mysdede and they that assentten therto be worthy euen payne Agentes et consencientes pari pena puniantur Iustefye ye noo mannes deth but ye knowe well the cause of his deth For I am seker that god dampneth moche manslaughter that ye other Iustefye and the dome of god shall falle that he sayd to saynt Peter He that smyteth with yâ— swerde shall perysshe with the swerde And he that robbeth shall be robbeth Ve â— predaris nonne predaberis Ysa .xxxiij. Aldaye ye maye see what vengeaunce falleth for shedynge of maÌ„nes blood euery yere more more Other necyons slee vs in euery syde robbe vs we haue lytyll spede or none but only to slee our owne nacoÌ„n Therfore be ye ware of goddes swerde
the openly And soo it befell for Absolon his owne sone droffe hym out of his owne kyngdome and laye by hys wyf in the syght of all the people And therafter was neuer stabylyte in his kyngdome And yet the auoutrye of Dauyd was more punysshed for the childe that was begoten in auoutrye dyed soone after for the synne of the fader and of the moder And afterwarde Aaman Dauydes sone lay by Thamar his owne syster therfore Absolon hyr brother sloughe Aaman his brother in treccherye And all these myscheues felle for Dauydes synne with Barsabee We fynde also in holy wryt IudicuÌ„ .xx. That for defoulynge of one mannes wyfe were slayne thre score thousande and fyue thousande It is a comon prouerbe in latyn Debâ—le fundamentuÌ„ fallit opus A feble grouÌ„de desceyueth the werke For whan the grounde is feble and false the werke that is setttheron shall soone fayle But yâ— grouÌ„de and the begynnynge of euery people is lawfull wedloke lawfull generacoÌ„n in matrymonye And yf that fayle the people shall be vnstable and vnthryfty and that god sheweth wel in the begynnynge of the worlde for whan men wedded vnlawfully and brake the bondes the lawes of wedloke whiche god ordeyned at the begynnynge Than god sente the grete flood and destroyed all mankynde saue Noe his wyfe and his thre sones and ther wyues Caplm .iiij. DIues Whan gaaf god lawes of matrymonye what lawes gaaf he ¶ Pauper Whan god had made Adam he put a grete slepe in Adam in his slepe he toke out one of his rybbes fylled vp the place with flesshe of that rybbe he made Eue brought hyr to Adam Than Adam awoke as god Inspyred him he toke the lawes of wedloke and sayd thus This bone is now of my bones this flesshe of my flesshe For this thynge man shall forsake fader moder and take hym to his wyfe and they shall be two in one flesshe GenÌ„ .ij. In whiche wordes whan he sayd that man for his wyfe sholde forsake fader and moder and take hym to his wyfe he shewed the sacrament of true loue and vnyte that ought to be bytwene husbonde and wyfe And by the same wordes he sheweth what fayth ought to be bytwene theym For he shall take hym to his wyfe and medle with hyr and with none other and she with hym and with none other And in that he sayd that they sholde be two in one flesshe he sheweth that they sholde medle togydre pryncypally to brynge forth childern to goddes worshyp For in ther childe husbonde and wyfe ben one flesshe and one blood Also in that he sayd that the husbonde sholde cleue to his wyfe he forbyddeth fornycacyon and auoutrye And that he sayd in the synguler nombre to his wyfe and not to his wyues he forbyddeth bygamye that a man sholde not haue two wyues to gydre ne one woman two husbondes to gydre And in yâ— he sayd that they sholde be two in one flesshe he forbadde sodomye also by the same wordes he sheweth that eche of theym hath power ouer others bodye none of them may conteyne but by assent of them both ¶ Diues Why made god woman more of the rybbe of Adam than of an other bone ¶ Pauê‘ For the rybbe is next the herte in token that god made hyr to be maÌ„nes felowe in loue his helper And as the rybbe is next the herte of all bones soo sholde the wyf be next in loue of all wymen of al men God made not woman of the fote to be mannes thrall ne he made hyr not of the hede to be his mayster but of his syde of his rybbe to be his felowe in loue helper at nede But Whan Eue synned than was woman made suget to man so that the wyfe sholde be ruled by hyr husbond drede hym and serue hym as felowe in loue helper at nede as next solace in sorowe not as thrall bouÌ„de in vyleyne seruage For yâ— husbonde ought to haue his wyfe in reuerence worshyp in that they be both one flesshe one blood ¶ Diues Why made not god woman by hyrselfe of the erthe as he dyd Adam ¶ Pauê‘ For to encrease ther loue to gydre also to gyue woman mater of lowenesse Fyrste for encreasynge of loue for in that woman is parte of mannes bodye man muste loue hyr as his owne flesshe blood And also she muste loue man as hyr begynnyng as hyr flesshe hyr blood Also she ought to take grete mater of lownesse thynke that man is hyr perfeccyon hyr begynnynge haue man in reuerence as hyr perfeccoÌ„n as hyr pryncypal as hyr begynnynge hyr fyrste in ordre of kynde God made all mankynde of one for he wolde that all mankynde sholde be in one charyte as they came all of one Caplm .v. DIues Whether is auoutry gretter synne in the man or in the woman ¶ Pauper Comonly it is more synne in the man For the hygher degre yâ— harder is the falle the synne more greuous Also man is more myghty by waye of kynde to withstande hath more reason wherby he may withstande beware of the fendes gyle And in that he is made mayster gouernour of womaÌ„ to gouerne her in vertue kepe hyr fro vyces Yf he falle in vyces and in auoutre more than yâ— woman he is moche to blame worthy to be repreued shamefully Therfore saynt Austen in li. de decem cordis Vndernemeth husbondes that falle in auoutrye sayth to eche of them in this maner God sayth to the thou shalt do no lecherye that is to saye thou shalt medle with no woman but with the wyfe Thou axest this of thy wyfe that she medle with none but with the. And therfore thou oughtest to be byfore thy wyfe in vertue thou fallest downe vnder the fylthe of lecherye Thou wylt that thy wyfe be ouercomer of lecherye haue yâ— maystrye of the fende thou wylt be ouercome as a cowarde lye downe in lecherye And notwithstandyng that thou art hede of thy wyfe yet thy wyfe go byfore the to god thou that art hede of thy wyfe goost bacwarde to helle Man sayth he is hede of woman therfore in what housholde the woman lyueth better than the man in yâ— housholde hangeth the hede donewarde For syth man is hede of woman he ought to lyue better than woman go byfore his wyfe in all good dedes that she may sue hyr husbonde folowe hyr hede The hede of eche housholde is the husbonde yâ— wyfe is the bodye By course of kynde theder that the hede ledeth thyder sholde the bodye folowe Why wolde than the hede that is the husbonde go to lecherye he wyll not that his bodye his wyf folowe why wolde the man go thyd wheder he wyll not that his wyfe folowe a lytyll after in yâ— same boke saynt Austen
husbonde that dyed for hyr loue By this poore woman that was soo fayre is vnderstande mannes soule womans whiche is made to the lykenesse of god But it was made full poore through the synne of Adam By the kynges sone is vnderstande cryste goddes sone which loued so moche mannes soule that as saynt Poule sayth he auentysshed hymself and dysparyched hymselfe in to the lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t maryed to hym our kynde mannes soule and lyued here two and thrytty wynter more in moche woo to wynne the loue of mannes soule and faught ayenst the fende the flesshe the worde that be alwaye besye to lese mannes soule And alwaye he hadde the maystrye by myght of the godhede But on go de frydaye he cam in soo fell a fyght with that tyrauÌ„t the fende of helle that though he had that maystrye yet he was so forwouÌ„ded that by waye of manhode whiche he toke of that mayde nedely he muste dye And than he sent home a letter of loue to his spouse maÌ„nes soule saynge as that knyght sayd Cerne cicatrices â— Beholde my wouÌ„des and haue them in thy thought for all the goodes that be thyn with my blood I haue them bought For why all the Ioye blys that we sholde haue in heuen and all the grace and goodnesse that we haue here in erthe all haue we by vertue of crystus passyon For but he wolde haue dyed for our sake els sholde we haue layne in helle payne with out ende By this sharte full of wouÌ„des and so blodye I vnderstande his blysfull bodye For as mannes bodye is clad in his sharte so that godhede was clothed in the blysfull bodye of cryste whiche bodye was all blody so full of wouÌ„des that as sayth that ê“phete Ysa i Fro the sole of the fote to the toppe of the hede there was no hole place in his body Therfor leue frende I pray you hange ye this sharte in a preuy place of your chambre That is to saye Sette ye crystus passyon entyrely in your herte And whan the fende the worlde or the flesshe or ony wycked man or woman begynneth for to tempte you to synne anone wende ye to your herte and loke ye on this sharte Thynke how that blysfull bodye was borne of the mayde Mary without synne and sorowe and neuer dyde amys Thynke how it was forrent and for tourne byspetted for our synne and our sake and not for his owne gylte And yf ye do so thynke entyrely on crystus passyon ye shall lyghtely ouercome euery temptacyon and haue the better pacyence in trybulacyon Wherfore an holy man sayth thus Reminiscens sacrati sanguinis queÌ„ effudit amator hominis effunden do lacrimas Non est locus ingratitudini vbi torrens tante dulcedinis at tingit animas â— Whan I thynke on crystus blood that he shedde vpon the rode I lete teres smert What man may be vnkynde that crystus blood hath in mynde entyrely in his herte Swete Ihesu cryste what is thy gylt that thou thus for me art spylt floure of vnlothfulnes I am a theef thou dyeste I am gylty thou obeyest all my wyckednes Why gauest thou so moche for thyne what wynnest yâ— with thyne harde payne ryche in blysse aboue Loue thyne herte soo depe hath sought that payne of deth letteth me nouht to wynne mannes loue An other remedye ayenst lecherye is redynge dalyauÌ„ce of holy wryt of holy mennes lyues And therfore saynt Ierom sayth ad rusticuÌ„ monachum Ama scienciam scripturarum et carnis vicia noÌ„ amabis Loue connynge of holy wryt and of goddes lawe and thou shalt not loue vyces of the flesshe And therfore god sayth Non videbit me homo et viuet Exodi xxxiij Ther shall no man see me by deuocyon and lyue flesshely For noothynge sleeth soo moche the luste of the flesshe as deuocyon and thynke on god and to studye goddes lawe And an other remedy is to thynke on helle payne For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate theologie In helle shall be ouerdone hete of fyre gnastynge of teeth for colde for payne derkenesse smoke bytter wepynge without ende Rorynge and belewynge of foule fendes wepynge and weylynge â–ª sobbynge and syghynge of synfull soules and endeles repreue of ther synnes endles drede endles thyrste stenche lyght thondre worme of conscyence bondes pryson drede shame wantynge of the blysfull syght of goddes face and woo without ony hope of ony welthe There men shall seke deth not fynde it wysshe that they neuer hadde be borne And as saynt Bernarde sayth in his medytacoÌ„ns There shall be herde we pynge gnastyng of teeth roryng of fendes hydeous thondre There that syght shal be foule wormes todes adders horryble faces of the fendes mysshape thynges There wycked wormes shall gnawe the herte rotes there shall be sorowe syghynge and horryble drede There synfull wretches shall brenne in the fyre without ende In ther bodye they shall be tourmented by fyre in ther soule by worme of conscyence There shall be deth without deth for alwaye they shall be in deynge and in vtter payne and may not dye but alwaye lyue in deynge There smellynge shall be fylled with horryble stenche for there shall be no hope But whan they be in these paynes ten hondred yeres yet ther payne in newe all to begynne And therfore yf loue of god mede in heuen styreth vs not to flee lecherye and all other synnes lette vs flee lecherye all other synnes for drede of endelesse payne Caplm .xvi. ANd an nother remedy ayenst lechery is to thynke of that harde vengeauÌ„ces that god hath take for lecherye Fyrst take hede what vengeauÌ„ce god hath take for symple fornycacoÌ„n We fynde in holy wryt GenÌ„ .xxxiiij. That Dyua that doughter of Iacob went fro home to see that wymen of that contre to see ther atyre Than Sychem that sone of Emor prynce of that contre wente defouled this Dyua by myght And not withstandyng his besynes for to haue wedded hyr yet he was slayne for his lechery his fader all the men of that cyte that cyte destroyed We rede also in holy wryt Numeri .xxv. For that the childeren of Israell dyde lecherye wâ— the wymen of Moab god was offended bad Moyses take that prynces of his people hange theym vpon Iebetes for they were assentynge to the synne bad euery man slee his neyghbour that was gylty in that synne For by lecherye they felle in to ydolatrye And so for that lecherye were slayn that tyme .xxiiij. thousande Than Phynees the sone of Eleazar sawe one of that childern of Israell by one of the wymen to venge his synne he toke his swerde roof them both togydre in to the erthe throughe theyr preuy membres And god was so moche plesed with his dede that he grauÌ„ted to hym to his childern after hym the
helth of saluacyon as sayth the glose hope to haue the maystrye of our enemyes by the helpe of god and heuen blysse to our mede for our fyghtynge and for our trauayle For ther wyll no man put hym to laufull fyght but in hope to haue the maystrye mede for his trauayle And as the basynet well arayed is clene furbusshed from ruste made slyke and smothe that shot may soone glyde of it is hyghest of all armure goynge gaderynge vpwarde in to a smalle poynte so muste our hope our trust pryncypaly go vp to god and not set our hope ne our truste to moche in mannes myght ne in erthely helpe whiche is but ruste wastynge the basynet of hope that we owe to god Therfore sayth the prophete Ieremye Cursed be the man that trusteth in man in flesshely myght letteth his herte go awaye fro god And blyssed be that man whiche setteth his hope his truste in our lorde god Ieremie xvij Also saynt Poule byddeth that we sholde take with vs rerebras and vanbras gloues of plaâ—e that is tâ— saye good occupacyons besynesse in good werkes And therfor he byddeth vs wake in all maner besynesse of gode werkes For as the wyse man sayth Eccl .xxxiij. Ydelshyp slouth is cause of moche wyckednesse For an ydel man lustles is lyke a man hondeles wepenles amonge his enemyes lyke a man in batayll with naked armes hondes whiche for nakednesse for defaute of armure leseth bothe arme honde Also we muste do aboue the Iacke or the acton of charyte For as the Iacke is softe nesshe and by his softenesse nesshenesse softeth feynteth all strokes that cometh there ayenst soo charyte softeth feynteth all the dentees of the fendes temptacoÌ„n Therfor saynt Poule sayth that charyte suffreth all thynge pacyently maketh euery trauayle softe and bereth al thynge easely Omnia suffertoi a sustinet .i. ad Corum .xiiij. And therfore sayth the glose there that charyte pacyence benygnyte with compassyon of others myscheef ben the pryncypall armure yâ— longeth to crysten people This Iacke of charyte is betokened by the cloth of cryste without seme all wonne aboue in to one whiche in tyme of his passyon the knyghtes wolde not kyt but kepte it hole cast lott who sholde haue it hole In token that euery good knyght of god sholde be besy to arme hym with the cloth the Iacke the armure of charyte trauayle to saue peas and vnyte make no dyuysyon For the ende of euery batayle sholde be peas and to yâ— ende for none other men of armes sholde trauayle fyght as saynt Austen sayth Thus leue frende I prayr you that ye arme you in goostly armure as goddes good knyght For though ye be not able to bodely batayl ye be yet able to goostly fyght In that that ye be crysten ye be crystus knyght ordeyned to fyght in this gostly batayle yf ye wyll be saued And therfore aâ—me ye you well as I haâ—â— now sayd and gyrde ye you with the swerde of goddes worde by whiche ye sholde defende you from all goostly enemyes For as the swerde perseth kytteth maketh separacoÌ„n so goddes worde prechynge techynge redynge of goddes worde of goddes lawe perseth maÌ„nes herte womans maketh separacoÌ„n bytwene synfull soules theyr synne departeth atwynne wycked company maketh separacoÌ„n of mannes herte from erthely couetyse Therfore cryste sayth that he cam not to make synful peas but to sende swerde of separacyon in erthe to destroye wyked peas yâ— men haue in theyr synne Therfore leue frende as goddes good knyght gyde ye you with this swerde of goddes worde that is to saye fastne ye it wel in your herte by herynge redynge by techynge by dede doynge and than take ye to you the spere of crystus passyon thynke how he was smyten to the herte for your sake with that sharpe spere his syde opened his herte clouen a two to shewe you how moche he loued you And than he shedde out his herte blood water in token that yf he hadde had moâ—â— blood more he wolde haue shedde for your loue Moreouer ye shall vnderstande yâ— in bodely fyght a man must chese hym a good grouÌ„de a playne place to fyght in For it is not good ryghtynge in myres ne amonge corn in slydre waye pytty grouÌ„de ne in stoble grouÌ„de And therfor saynt Poul by â— deth vs stande in treuthe equyte that in all our doynge we loke to our grouÌ„de our cause be true rightful clerâ—e clene make no stryfe in vncertayne Also a wyse knyght in his fyght wyll take with him yâ— hylle the sonne wynde yf he may so muste we in gostly fyght take with vs yâ— hylle of holy lyuynge yâ— we may saye with yâ— apostle NraÌ„â—uersacoÌ„ in celis eÌ„ Our lyuynge conuersacoÌ„n is in heuens in heuenly thynges And therfor sayÌ„t Poul byddeth vs stande perfyte in al thynges Also we muste take with vs in our fyght the sonne yâ— lyght of goddes grace the â–ª wynde of holy prayer And therfore saynt Poul byddeth vs praye in euery tyme alwaye by all maner prayer besechynge in yâ— holy goost that is to saye with the grace of the holy goost In this maner leue frende arme ye you in goostly armure dyspo s e ye you to gostly batayl ayenst al goostly enemyes gouerne ye well your horse of your bodye as I haue sayd Lete it not be to feble by ouerdone abstynense tranayll ne to wylde by ouerdone rest by glotony by lâ—Ì„chery by wycked desyres of yâ— flesshe euyl wylles for in caas suche wycked wylles desyres ben dedly synne in goddes syght ayenst this last coÌ„mauÌ„dement Therfore Dauyd sayth that god preued knoweth maÌ„nes herte his lendes that is to saye god knoweth maÌ„nes wyl his lust For he knoweth more verely yâ— thought of meÌ„nes hert wymeÌ„s than ony man may knowe yâ— others werkes He seeth knoweth al thynge therfore suche as man or woman is in hert in soule in wyl suche he is byfore god that knoweth both bodye and soule Caplm .vij. NOw leue frende I haue in parte declared you the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes by whiche ye muste gouerne your lyfe yf ye wyll be saued For cryste sayth to eche man woman Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Math .xix. Yf yâ— wylt entre euerlastynge lyfe kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes And therfor do ye as Salomon sayth DeuÌ„ time et mandata eius obserua hoc est ois homo Eccl vltimo Drede ye god kepe his coÌ„maundementes this is euery man woman For as moche as man or woman pleseth god by kepynge of his byhestes so moche is he in goddes syght And as moche as man or woman is in goddes syhht so moche he is