appetyte / the dylectacyon / and the accustomauÌ„ce to swere vaynely vnlefully / as a thynge ydle / vayne / and peruers Saynt Poule the appostle knewe the commaundementes of god / and neuertheles he sware as it is wryten in his epystles Vestis est michi deus By that it is to vnderstande that swerynge is lefull necessary whan by the same a man thynketh vnto that welfare of his neyghbour after the commaundement of god the whiche sayth Diliges proximuÌ„ tuuÌ„ sicut teipÌ„m And the psalme DnÌ„e quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo aut quis requiescat in monte sancto tuo Lorde who shall dwell in thy tabernacle / or who shal rest in holy mountayne The answer Qui iurat proximo suo et non decepit eum He the whiche swereth vnto his neyghbour deceyueth hym not shal mounte in to heuen c. Also the aungell that saynt Iohan sawe standinge on the see as it is wryten in the appocalyps Teuauit manum suaÌ„ ad celum iurauit per viuenteÌ„ in secula seculorum He lyft vp his hande sware by the lyuyÌ„ge in the worldes Also our lorde sayth in the gospel Amen / amen / dico vobis Also we rede that our lorde sware in the olde testament Iurauit dnÌ„o et noÌ„ penitebit euÌ„ agayne Iurauit dnÌ„s vitateÌ„ c. Our lorde sware true yet he commaunded in the olde lawe Redde dnÌ„o iurameÌ„ta tua c. Yelde thyn othes to our lorde By these foresayd auctorytees a maÌ„ may swere wtout synÌ„e at a nede And for that god sayth in the gospell that our worde sholde be / it is so / it is not so MathÌ„ v. Sit auÌ„t sermo vrÌ„ est / est / noÌ„ / noÌ„ / qd autem his abundaÌ„tiê° malo est The answer that the affyrmacyon or negacyon that is in the hert ought to be in the mouthe / but for that malyce is so growen that they wyll not beleue by syÌ„ple worde / and therfore god hathe put to prudently Quod amplius est malo est That the whiche is more than ynough is yll / not euyll vnto those the whiche swereth for the welfare of theyr neyghbour / but yll vnto those the whiche ne wyll beleue wtout swerynge / theyr incrudylyte is soÌ„tyme of payne and of culpe / and therfore he sayeth not malum Yll vnto hym the whiche hyÌ„ vseth moche in swerynge But he sayth a malo / from the euyll of hym the whiche otherwyse beleueth not / that is of his synÌ„e ne departeth from hym the whiche is somtyme payne / and somtime payne and gylte / thaÌ„ god defendeth the othe the whiche is yll He coÌ„maundeth to speke well in saynge Sit sermo vester est / est / non / non It is soo / it is not so / and he graunteth the swerynge the whiche is necessary Also whan a man wyl not beleue the trouthe but by swerynge / he the whiche swereth in good and Iust cause synÌ„eth not / but he sholde offende yf he sware not For it sholde befall soÌ„tyme that a good man sholde lese his good and Iust cause yf veryte were not approued by good men And therfore sayth saynt Austin Quisqis meru cuiuscuÌ„que potestatis veritatem ocultatiram dei super se prouocat quia magis timet hominem quam deum Yf ony hyde veryte by the drede of puyssauÌ„ce he prouoketh the yre of god vpon hym / for he dredeth the men more than god In suche wyse to swere by necessyte is no synne as it is sayd Also albeit that god hath defended othes inutyles / neuertheles by especyall he defeÌ„deth the swerynges the whiche ben made by the creatures to th eÌ„de that man ne do honour vnto creatures the whiche apperteyneth vnto the creatour Ne honorificeÌ„tia creatoris transferetur ad creaturas Or that man beleue not that ony dyuyne thynge be in hyÌ„ wherby reuerence vnto ought to be done And therfore after that god had said in the gos tild Mat. v. NoÌ„ iurare oiÌ„no Hastely 〈◊〉 putteth after Neque per celuÌ„ qr thronê° dâ— est / neque per terraÌ„ qr scabellum peduÌ„ eiê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ neque per hiero solimam qr ciuitas est regâ—magni neque per caput tuuÌ„ quia non potâ—â—vnum capillum tuuÌ„ facere albuÌ„ vel nigri Swere thou neuer aboue all thynge / neyther by the heuen for it is the throne of gâ—â—ne by the erthe for it is the stole of his feâ—ne by Iherusalem for it is the cyte of the grâ—te kinge / ne by thy heed for thou can not maâ—â— one of thy heere 's whyte ne blacke Also 〈◊〉 rede that saynt Iames defended that noâ— sholde swere AnÌ„ oiÌ„a frÌ„es mei nolite â—â—â—re The glose sayth that he defendeth not syÌ„ sweryÌ„ge / but he defendeth the wyll to â—â—re And therfore he sayd vygylaÌ„tly noâ—â— for the affeccyon wyll sholde not draâ—â— vs to swere / but the necessyte oportum te sholde drawe vs there vnto for the heltâ— and welfare of our neyghbours And thâ— that saynt Iames putteth Nec per celuÌ„ / 〈◊〉 per terraÌ„ / nec per quodcuÌ„que aliud iuramâ—tuÌ„iurare vetat Whan nede is to swere man sholde swere by god in callynge hyâ— to wytnesse / not by the creatures as it sayd In lyke wyse as the wyne is not yâ—â— of it selfe And all be it saynt Poule defedeth men to drynke superfluously / for it cureth dronkenes lechery Nolite iÌ„eâ—â—ri vino iÌ„ quo eÌ„ luxuria Ad eph v. Also sâ—â—rynge in superfluyte is defended All the thynges beforesayd ben expounded spâ—â—ken by saynt Austyn / by Inno. by mâ—ny other .xxii. q. i. NoÌ„ eÌ„ ê¯tra deipÌ„ceptuÌ„ iiii sequeÌ„tibê° SipctmÌ„ extra e. si epÌ„s Aâ— how be it that sweryÌ„ge is defended / notâ—â—â—dynge some ben except wherby a maÌ„â—â—swere whaÌ„ nede is / that is by the euangelyst the auter wherupon the body of cryst is concrate Also by the relykes of sayntes / by 〈◊〉 holy crosse Also a man may swerein the hâ—de of the bysshop lyke as it is wryten xâ—â— q. i. Si aliqua causa ca. Habemus B. ¶ What is requysyte for to swere lefully without ony synne .xiij. THre thinges ben requysyte or that a man swere without commyttynge ony synne That is to vnderstonde / veryte / iugement / iustice Vnde Hieremye .iiij. Iurabis viuit dominus in veritate et in iudicio in iusticia Et habetur .xxii. q. i. Et iura bunt Yf these these thre thynges defayle or ony of theym it is periury / as it is wryten .xxii. q. ii Animaduertendum ¶ The fyrst thynge the whiche is requysyte or that a man may swere without synne is veryte in the conscyence / that is that a man knowe the thynge stedfastly for to be soo as he it swereth For who so sholde thynke one thynge and swere another sholde be periured Or who so sholde beleue that ony thynge were true / and
vnto theyr moders the whiche wept / morouer made to gyue vnto them gyftes And the nyght folowynge he sawe saynt Peter the whiche sayd vnto hym that he sholde call the pope Syluester and that by hym he sholde be conuerted / baptysed heled of his lepry and meselry And in lykewyse was it done as it appereth in the sayd legende ¶ Another example It is wryten in the legende of saynt Eustace how the cause of his conuercyon was for the almesdedes that he dyde The begynnȳge of the lyfe of saynt Eustace was that he was an ydolatre and synner / but he was a grete gyuer of almesse full of pyte of mercy / and for the good dedes that he dyde god wolde not that he were dampned / but gaue hȳ grace to conuert hym / to correcte and to amende / appered vnto hym the whiche sholde be to longe to tell / and for an ende conclusyon he is holy and saued c. C. ¶ Another example It is wryten in the legende of saynt Iohan thalmosyner of the conuersyon of the riche man chaunger and exposytour named Peter / the whiche in the begynnynge of his lyfe was ryght cruel vnto poore people and chased them out of his hous with grete yre and Indygnacyon And on a time the poore men complayned them togyders that neuer in theyr lyfe they myght not haue so moche as one onely almesdede of hym The one of them sayd What wyll ye gyue and I this daye may gete ony almesse of hym Than they made couenaunt with him / he yode vnto the hous for to demaunde almesse And whan the sayd ryche man came sawe the sayd poore man before his gate he coude fynde no stones to cast at hym / so as one of his seruauntes passed by the whiche bare barly loues to his hous he toke one of those loues and smote the sayd poore man by grete wodenes Than the pore man toke vp the lofe and so ranne vnto his neyghbours vnto whome he shewed the almesse that he hadde goten of his hande And two dayes after the sayd ryche mā was seke to the dethe sawe in vysyon that he was in Iugement blacke men put his ylles in balaunce / on the other parte of the sayd balaunce some other clad in whyte / the one of them sayd We haue but one barly lofe that he gaue vnto god by constraynt two dayes passed And whan they had put the sayd brede within the sayd balaunce it semed vnto hym that the balaunces were egalles / thā they sayd vnto the sayd ryche man Multyplye this barly lofe or these blacke men shall take the and than he awoke sayd Alas yf one barlylofe that I kest by wodenes hath so moche auayled me / how moche auayleth the almesdedes the whiche ben giuen lyberally c. For to make short the sayd ryche man conuerted hym was a ryght grete gyuer of almesses after and a veray good man ¶ Another example of another ryche man the whiche serued the deuyll about .xl. yeres / and for goynge to here a predycacion he conuerted hym and was saued As it is wryten in the examplary Quere lvi K. ¶ Another example by that that a man dyspayred had serued saynt Domynycke / he appered vnto hym / conforted hym / and put hym in the waye of saluacyon / as it is wryten in the Legende of the sayd saynt ¶ Another example of a man that was sētencyed Iuged vnto dampnacyon / and was delyuered at the request of the vyrgin Marye / as it is wryten in her myracles ¶ Another example of a fayre mayden pōpeously arayed and cladde vpon a sondaye after that she was wery of daunsynge the deuyll wolde haue taken and borne her away in body and in soule / and she began to crye for helpe of the vyrgyn Mary / for her moder had lerned her to serue her / and she was delyuered from the deuyll / as it is wry in thexamplary Quere lxviii c. d. ¶ A questyon What deference is there betwene the good dedes the whiche ben done in deedly synne / and those the whiche ben done in the estate of grace The answere There is grete deference / for the one is ryght lyuely merytoryous for to haue the rewarde eternall in paradyse It is that the whiche is done in thestate of grace without synne The other the whiche is doone in mortall synne is a good dede / deed and without rewarde eternall / for it is done without grace charyte Also synne is a venym so mortall vnto the soule that it mortyfyeth all goodnes spyrytuall / and departeth god his loue and his grace / wherby the synner loseth his rewarde eternal But the good dedes that he dooth in mortal synne serueth hȳ / for there ben the .v. retrybucions beforesayd ¶ For to vnderstande well this mater the persones the whiche shall be saued at the day of Iugement shall haue meryte and rewarde eternall that they haue done in the worlde in thestate of grace And yf they had commytted ony mortall synnes after doo penaunce all those good dedes that they haue done in thestate of grace in precedinge the sayd synnes come agayne vnto theym in theyr good valour by the penaunce And of those good dedes the whiche ben comen agayne in conualescence ben saued and they shall haue rewarde eternalle in paradyse And not of those the whiche they haue doone in mortall synne / for that / that whan they were done they were deed by synne as it is sayd / by that the meryte eternall is lost Vnde sctūs thomas Nullus pōt mereri nisi mediante gratia vt dictū est quere .xlv. b. Vn̄ versus Illa remiscūt que mortificata fuerunt Viuere nō possunt q̄ mortua nata sūt That is to say that those good dedes reuyueth in god cōualescence by penaunce / the whiche haue ben mortyfyed by synne But those good dedes the whiche were done in synne may not lyue / that is reuerte in conualescence after penaunce to haue rewarde eternall It foloweth than that the good dede that is done in the estate of grace is better than the other deed And therfore those the whiche dyfferreth to confesse them in lentē or in other tymes ben to be reprehended to do a good dede in synne Also a man sholde vnderstande that noo good dede is loste / but the one good dede is moche better than another c. A ¶ The thynge mouynge for to kepe the cōmaundementes of god Ca. xliiii ¶ Those that lerne ne wyll The cōmaundementes lawe to kepe And in euery poynt them fulfyll In hell shall lye ryght depe IN that aege that an enfant is capable of the cōmaundements of god he is holden to lerne theym / for that that he sholde kepe hym that he breke them not vpon the payne of dampnacyon Vn̄ legitur in secundo libro sententiarū distī xvii Statī enī
knoweth it not too be all true for certayne he sholde swere of credence not of veryte / for that sholde be agaynst that the whiche is sayd iurabis viuit dnÌ„s in veritate ¶ The seconde thyÌ„ge requysyte to swere wel wtout ony synne is that a man sholde swere by dyscrete delyberacyon / the whiche is in the party of reason / that is that a man sholde dyscerne yf there were ony necessyte to swere or not For albeit that a thyÌ„ge be true yet he sholde not swere yf there ne were necessyte As who so sholde swere by our lady I am in the chyrche c. Howbeit that the othe be verytable yet is there synne / for there is noo necessyte to swere yt. Iurabis in iudicio Whan a man swereth it behoueth that he there haue good Iugement / that is dyscrete delyberacion as it is sayd / to dyscerne and aduyse yf the thynge be requysyte and necessary for to swere / as whan a man warneth or counceyleth to beleue some good thynge the whiche is expedyent and prouffytable vnto some slouthfull and peruers persones the whiche wolde not beleue by simple wordes and speche he may swere in callynge god to wytnesse that in suche wyse he sholde be without offence in swerynge Iurabis iÌ„ iudicio Also whan a man swereth by good dyscrecyon it behoueth to regarde .vi. thynges / that is quaÌ„do / quale / cui / quomodo / vbi / et de quo Fyrst it behoueth too regarde quando in what tyme it is that a man swereth / for in seculer causes nor in other a man ne sholde swere / ne constreyne to swere in the solemne feestes / ne to holde Iurysdyccyon Secondly quale iuramentuÌ„ / what othe it is that a man swereth / for some of theym or one of them ben greter than another more to drede Thyrdly cui to whome it is that a man swereth / for a persone of the chyrche sholde not be coarted to swere to seculer / ne in court seculer but in some case / for there myght folowe irregalyte / as in case of cryme Fourthly quomodo how it is that a man swereth / by what maner / by what delyberacyon / by what constraynte / and by what hastynes / or necessyte Fyfthly vbi where it is that a maÌ„ swereth / in what place / in holy place / or in place not holy / as in the chyrche or chyrche yarde Syxtly de quo / of whome / of what thynge it is that a man swereth / of a thynge good or yll / yf it be of an yll thynge a man sholde not swere ¶ The thyrde thynge the whiche is requysyte to swere lefull is to regarde that the thynge wherfore a man swereth be iust lefull to do good and accomplysshe / for the othe the whiche is not iust sholde not be accoÌ„plysshed And for that offended Herode for the othe that he had made vnto his doughter whan he made saynt Iohan baptyst to be heded VnÌ„ Ysodo Impia est ê“missio qÌ„ scelere adiÌ„pletur The promys is yll the whiche is accomplysshed by synÌ„e / yf the othe haue these thre thynges before sayd a man may swere without synne C. ¶ That a man sholde accomplysshe the vowes Iustly made xiij DAuyd the prophete sayth Vowe ye lefully by deuocyon And after that ye haue vowed soo yelde ye and accomplysshe the sayd vowe to your lorde god Vnde daujd in psalmo Vouete reddite dnÌ„o deo vestro And note well that after that he hath sayd vouete there foloweth incontynent reddite In this seconde coÌ„maundement god defendeth that a man ne breke the vowes the whiche hath be made Iustly / lefully by delyberacyon and by Iuste cause They the whiche accomplyssheth them not and leueth them / and the whiche dooth vnto the contrary of that / that they haue vowed and promysed / or the whiche them dyspyse taketh the name of god in vayne and doth vnto hym irreuerence vnto his sayntes And they sholde vnderstande that they beÌ„ charged and bounde to accomplysshe theÌ„ / or elles they commyt mortall synne Ysodorus dicit Multum deo reus eris si noÌ„ reddas quid voueris / deo displicent qui vota sua non iÌ„plent That is to say Thou shalt be moche culpable vnto god yf thou yelde not / that is yf thou accomplysshe not that that thou hast vowed Those the whiche accoÌ„plysshe not theyr vowes dyspleaseth vnto god ¶ Example of a woman the whiche vowed chastyte and after wolde be maryed Quere in thexamplarye of the seconde commaundement .lxiij. E. Also it is better doone not to vowe than not to holde the promysses after that the vowe is made VnÌ„ eccl v. Multoque meliê° est noÌ„ vouere quam post votuÌ„ ê“missa noÌ„ reddere Et Ysodo dicit Melius est eniÌ„ non ê“mittere quam fide ê“missioÌ„is non soluere That is to saye Better is not to promyse than not to pay the faythe of the promesse Also it is grete Ieopardy to tary to accomplysshe the vowe after it is made yf a maÌ„ hath tyme space to accomplysshe it Vnde deuteronÌ„ .xxiij. CuÌ„ votuÌ„ voueris dnÌ„o deo tuo non tardabis reddere qua requiret illud dnÌ„s deus tuus et si moratê° fueris reputabitur tibi in peccatuÌ„ That is to saye thou ne shalte tary to yelde vnto thy lorde god whan thou hast vowed a vowe for thy lorde god shall requyre it of the / yf thou hast made taryenge to accomplysshe it vnto the it shall be reputed in synne And it is wryteÌ„ ecclesiastes .v. Si quid deo vouisti ne moreris reddere displicet enim iÌ„fidelis et stulta promisso Yf thou haste vowed ony thynge vnto god ne tary thou to yelde promesse / vnfaythfull and folysshe promesse him dyspleaseth ¶ Example that it is a grete peryll to deffer to accoÌ„plysshe his vowe Quere in the examplary .lxiij. H. Many other examples of vowes there shall be founde cete Also a man sholde note that those the whiche accomplyssheth theyr vowe ben in the loue grace of god For they sheweth them selfe loyall and faythfull in there ê“mysses / god vnto them accordeth in there prayers and oraisons ¶ Example that Anne vowed vnto god that yf he wolde sende her a sone that she sholde gyue hyÌ„ vnto the seruyce of god all his lyfe / she conceyued Samuell the whiche was a prophete accoÌ„plysshed her vowe as it is wryten .i. reguÌ„ .i. ca. ¶ Another example that the kyÌ„ge Aza accoÌ„plysshed the vowe that he made of his fader bare hym to goddes hous as it is wryten .ii. paral .xv. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple that after that the chyldren of Ysrael had vyctory of Holofernes they yede to worshyp god in Iherusalem / al they kept theyr vowes promesses / as it is writen Iudith .xvi. ca. D. ¶ What thyÌ„ge is a vowe how is it dyffynyed Vowe is concepcyon of the
of hym the whiche theron hath wrought shall perysshe The feestes ben euyll kept in many maners of the which we shall saye thre generalles The fyrste is for to do theron operacyons worldly / manually / and by hande And this also is deuised in many braūches after the dyuers sortes of people the whiche on the dayes of the feestes there done many operacions Fyrst for to goo vnto the plough / or to mowe / or to sowe / or to make grete werkes Also the mysterys of the persones the whiche dooth the operacyons is defended as it is sayd exodi .xx. Non facies in eo opus The feestes kepe and honour / be theron deuout and labour not Euyll cometh vnto them the whiche on them werketh ¶ Example of carle the whiche yode vnto the plough on the day of the feest commaunded / and the wood claue vnto his hande / two yeres after was heled .lxiiij. F. ¶ Another example of a woman the whiche wrought on the day of saynt Iohan baptyst and she was punysshed dyuynely Quere in the exampl lxiiij B. Secondly men breke the feest to cary on it / to bere burdens in cartes / or vpon horses / for the commaundemente of god sayeth From labour thou sholdest rest the / thy selfe / thy housholde / and thy bestes Vnde the remie .xvii. capitulo Nolite pondera portare in die sabbati et nolite eicere de domibus vestris in die sabbati et omne opus nō facietis in eo dicit dominus ¶ Example of one of the chyldren of Ysraell the whiche was slayne and stoned by the commaundement of god and of Moyses for that / that he gadred and bare wood on the day of the feest Quere in the examplary .lxiiij. A. ¶ A questyon / yf those the whiche bereth cornes vnto theyr lordes on the dayes of the feestes offenden A doctoure answereth that they ben not excused yf other necessyte ne cause and constrayne them therunto And more ouer the lordes the whiche them cōmaundeth or gyueth occasyon that to do ben parteyners of theyr synnes And sayeth afterwarde that they the whiche bereth lyuynges or vytayles ferre in to the countree or marchaundyses and may not do otherwyse without grete domage or hurt / suche people ben excused as he beleueth / so that they be fyrst at the masse and at the seruice And semblable thynge it is of pylgrymes and vyagers ¶ Example of a man the whiche bare wheet in to his graunge or barne vpō the daye of the feest / and the sayd graunge wheet were brent Quere in the examplary .lxiiij. E. Thyrdly forgers or smyths the whiche shoeth hors on the feest commaunded by couetyse of wynnynge breketh the commaundement of god And yf it be for to thynke on the necessyte of pylgrymes or vyagers they ben excused Fourthly men breke the feeste commaunded for to make theron marchaundyses by auaryce and coueytyse of gayne without goynge to here masse and the seruyce the chyrche for to serue god and to sanctyfy the feestes as done many marchauntes the whiche ben more wakynge and erlyer rysen on the sayd festes for too renne vnto fayres and markettes than they ne done on the workynge dayes Suche people the whiche ne thynketh but on the goodes temporall and leueth the godes spyrytuell sanctyfyeth not ne kepeth the feest commaunded / by the whiche they syn̄e mortally / and gone vnto dāpnacyon But those the whiche after the masse and after the seruyce bereth vytayles or other thynges necessaries for to sell / and the other the whiche gooth thyder for to bye theyr prouysyon of vytayles or other thȳges necessaryes may be excused Quia necessitas nō habet legem / nisi malū inde sequeretur de cō di .i. Sicut Necessite hath no lawe / yf euyl sholde folowe after ¶ Example of the byble how it is offence to doo marchaundyse on the holy day / for the marchauntes were reproued in Iherusalem Quere in thexamplary .lxiii. N. Fyfthly the feestes ben broken for to holde on them pledȳges / assyses and Iurysdyccions Vnde legitur in decre In festis diebus a iudicijs et placitis est abstinendum .xv. q. iiij Placita And the glose sayth vpon this that on the day of the feest men may treate of peas And it is wryten Extra de ferijs et de cō di iii. Rogationes / in primo passu dicitur Quod omnes dies dominici sunt seruandi omnibus festiuis diebus cessandum est ab opere seruile neque placitum fieri ad mortam vel penam sanguinis c. Syxtely the feestes ben broken for to do operacyons on the vygylles of the the sayd feestes / as those the whiche werke the saterdaye at nyght Suche people sanctyfyeth not wel the feestes / as thou mayst se by many examples in the examplary Also all sortes of people of what vacacyon that they ben also sholde cease to do worldly operacyons the dayes of the feestes for to restreyne auarice / for to take hede vnto theyr sanctyfycacyon / and also for to obeye vnto god And it semeth that those the whiche them breketh haue loste the mynde of them / and therfore techyngly it is wryten Memēto vt diem sabbati sāctifices Remembre the. c. All beestes appetiteth the rest after theyr labour Also after that all thynges vegetables haue borne floure and fruyte and laboured in somer they rest them in wynter Also after that god had laboured to cōpose and make the worlde he rested hym on the seuenth daye But the auarycyous forgeteth the reste / they laboure .vi. dayes for to nouryssh etheyr bodyes / and they labour the seuenth day for the dampnacyon of theyr soules / so remembreth of it Also many people dare not werke on the holy daye for the sclaunder language of people but yf they haue in some places to werke / or with some persones to speke / or yf they wyll borowe corne or syluer c. Or they wyll fynde to to wynne in marchaūdyse / to sell or to bye or yf they wyll fynde meanes for to aduaūtage them Suche people putteth theyr terme on the daye of the feest for to take hede vnto suche thȳges / they leue or lose theyr masses / euensonges / and the seruyce of the chyrche / they sanctyfye nor the feestes / but breketh it Also those the whiche dooth vnto the contrary of that thynge that god thē commaūdeth that is the whiche dooth operacyons on the sayd feestes by reason dysposed synneth mortally / and putteth theym from paradyse as a man may se by many examples wryten in thexamplary Quere .lxiiij. A. B. C. ¶ Also these logycyens it preueth by reasons in forme and argumentes thus All they the whiche on the sondayes or feestes commaunded go to the plough c to werke dysobey this Sabbata setīfices / om̄e opus c. The synne mortally and by consequence they put them fro paradyse For it is wryten Mathei
it is yet more grete synne and to do the operacion It is the synne vnto the whiche apperteyneth more grete punycyon and dampnacyon ¶ Example of diascorus the whiche by grete ire furoure bete iniustely saynt barbara / and after beheded her / he was brente with the fyre celestyall Que. lvii e. Many other examples ben wryten in the fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„dement of the exemplayre of prynces tyrauntes the whiche haue made to slee and martyr the crystyeus by grete ires and furours And they shall deye of yll dethe lvii.d f. And after the scryptures all men and women shall yelde accompte at the daye of iugement of one and euery of them and of all the yll operacyons that they haue done in this worlde yf they dye impenytentes without contrycion / confessyon satysfaccion vnto god vnto their neyghbour after the offense done Yf thou wylte not byleue that it be true by symple worde than put to fayth vnto the wytnes of the holy scrypture that whiche varyeth not VnÌ„ athanasius in psal QuicuÌ„que dicit ê™ ad aduentuÌ„ christi oeÌ„s hoiÌ„es reddituri suÌ„t de factis ê“priis / rationem qui bona egeruÌ„t ibuÌ„t in vitam eternaÌ„ qui vero mala in ignem eternuÌ„ At the comynge of Ihesu cryst al men shal yelde reason of theyr owne dedes / and those the whiche haue wele done and wrought shall goo in to the ioye eternall And those the whiche haue yll done shall go in to the fyre eternell Et paul .ii. ad co v. OeÌ„s eniÌ„ nos manifestari oportet ante tribunal christi vt referat vnusquisque ê“pria opera corporis prout gessit siue bonum siue malum It behoueth vs al to appere before the charyte of Ihesu crist where euery man shall reporte his owne operacyons of the body as he them hathe dode ben they good or yll Et. hie xxv ReddaÌ„ eis secuÌ„dum opera corum secunduÌ„ facta manuum suaruÌ„ I shall yelde vnto them sayth god after theyr werkes / and after the dedes of theyr handes Also they shall goo in to the place that they haue deserued after theyr operacyons and werkes / the whiche they shall bere with them Et psal Secundum opera manuum eoruÌ„ tribue illis redde retributionem eorum ipsis et cetera Et apo xiiii Opera eniÌ„ illorum sequuÌ„tur illos Thou irous or wrathful man the whiche haste had thy thoughtes yll to auenge the on thy neyghbour / or the whiche haste wronged / and menaced / or beten / or slayn yf thou wylte be saued repente the and take the condycyons of the pylgrym of paradyse the whiche ben wryten here after qÌ„re xlv a. Also obey vnto god and vnto his coÌ„maundementes to th ende that thou possede the Ioyes of paradyse the whiche ben grete in lyke wyse as they shal be declared here after .xlvii. a. Also leue ire / furour / repente the and obeye vnto god of drede / to be sente in to the fyre of helle the whiche is a torment ryghte cruell in lyke wyse as it is declared afterwarde Quere xlix b. VnÌ„ legitur apoca xxi De homicidis / fornicatoribus / beneficis / ydolatris / oiÌ„bus men dacibus / pars illorum erit in stagno ardeÌ„ti igne et sulphure quod est mors secunda ¶ In the sayd chapytre he speketh of homycydes / fornycatours / enuenymours / ydolatryes / and also lyars / the whiche deye impenytentes / the place and the partie of those shall be in a ponde of fyre brynninge in helle the whiche is the seconde dethe where the dampned shall be and shall haue dethe without deyenge and without endynge and default withoute defayllynge Example of a man dampned the whiche spake of the fyre wherin the dampned ben Quere lvii a. F ¶ How god defendeth ire agayne hymselfe Ca. xxvi NOn contristabit iustum quicquid acciderit ei prouer xii c. What fortune / losse of godes aduersyte / pouerte / that cometh vnto a Iuste man / he sholde not be wrothe / for the good persone bereth pacyently all aduersytees for the loue of god as dyde the good man iob / a man is wrothe ayen hymself in many maners wherof one is ryghte yll and worste of al whan by ire a man faileth to dyspayre / that man is homycyde of hymself For therof foloweth dampnacion and perdycyon for the brekynge of the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god Non sis occisor By thyselfe of wyll ne of dede be thou no homycyde / ne in thyselfe ne in thy neyghbour Those the whiche be ire ben homycydes of themselfe sholde be put from the prayers oraysons and from sepulture ecclesiastycall / and sholde be buryed in grounde vnhalowed yf the ende of them appere without ony repentaunce the whiche may be so grete that as vnto god / that suche homycyde shall be in the waye of saluacyon / but suche thynge is vnknowen as vnto vs. Also a man is wrothe agaynst hymselfe whan a man accomplyssheth not his wyll / or whan that he leseth or wynneth ony thinge by his folye / or whan a man leseth or geteth ony good / or whan a man falleth in to ony inconuenyente by deffaulte of takynghede to hymselfe For these thynges here and for many other a man is wrothe somtyme so outrageously that a man stryketh hymselfe / or his wyfe his chyldren / and seruauntes / and that a man breketh pottes and paÌ„nes in doinge many ylles And oftymes a man falleth in to sykenes the whiche greue the body / the whiche taketh hede to gete of goodes also well spyrytuell as corporell / and the whiche dampneth the soules of them the whiche ben obstynate and perseuerynge vnto the dethe without penaunce By this Ire that persone is all troubled â—nÌ„ dauid iÌ„ psal Turbatus est in ira ocuius meê° anima mea veÌ„ter meus Et socrates dicit ê™ iracuÌ„dis cuÌ„ aliis irasci desierit sibi irascitur c After the cause wherfore ony is wrothe the yll the whiche foloweth and he it appetyteth to auenge hym and to do yll / the syn of ire is more grete or more lytell the whiche is knowen as vnto god the whiche shall do the iugement and the punycyon G ¶ Of ire the whiche is agayne god xxvi ITem inferre caue cuÌ„ quo gracia tibi iuncta est Chaton sayth vnto his chylde / kepe the from bryngynge in of stryfe or noyse / with god / thy frende / or thy neyghboure with whome grace is ioyned vnto the A man wratheth hym ayenst god for many thynges / pryncypally for the flagellacions / aduersytees / fortunes / sykenesses / mortalytees / losses / punycyons / famyne / warre yll tyme. c. that he sendeth For these thynges here a man murmureth ayenste god in blasphemynge hym yllynge him / dyspytynge / renyenge him his saintes And yf a man may venge hym / men do venge them the whiche is a haulte folye to haue wyll
suche wyse saued / but dampned with all the deuylles of helle Also saynt Ambrose sayeth Qui caritatem non habet amyttit omne bonum quod habet He the whiche hathe no charyte leseth all his spyrytuell goodes And he the whiche hateth his neyghboure hathe no charyte For charyte is to loue god and his neyghbour / and it behoueth that there be the one loue and the other / or charyte is loste For vnto the dystruccyon of all one diffynycyon or proposycyon it suffyseth that the one partye be false / thus sayeth the logyciens Ad destructionem totius diffinitioÌ„is vel prepositionis sufficit vna pars esse falsa And mayster Nycole de lyre sayeth that by an yll cyrcuÌ„staunce all the dede is yll Malum consistit in singulis defectibus ita quam vna circunstantia mala facit totum actum mala And the holy and blessyd saynt poule sayeth Illud .i. ad corinth xiii Si linguis hominum loquar et angelorum caritatem auteÌ„ non habuero factus sum velut es sonans aut cymbalum tinniens This auctoryte is expounded in the ende of the chapytre of charyte Quere .iiii. c. ¶ Example how a woman auoutres was dampned for the kepynge of hate withoute beynge in wyll to pardon lxxviii d. ¶ Another example how that a woman aduoutres was dampned the whiche trusted in the almesdedes that she had gyuen Quere lxxxxii d. It is wryten eze chie .xxxiiii. that the iustice of the iuste and his almesdedes and good operacyons ne shall delyuer hym in ony houre that he hathe synned ¶ Also it is wryten in the said chapytre as here after ensueth Iustus non poterit viuere in iustitia sua in quacuÌ„que die peccauerit The iuste ne maye lyue in his Iustice in ony daye that he synneth mortally / as to hate his neyghboure and euen crysten be it man or woman Al maner of goodes spyrytual and temporal groweth there as is peas / concorde / and perfyte loue / and they lesse and dymynysshe where as is dyscorde / malyce / wrathe / Ire and enuye Vnde ambrosius Parue res concordia crescunt magne vero res discordia dilabuntur ¶ Also euery royalme the whiche is deuyded shall be desolate Vnde mathei xii Omne regnum in se ipsum diuisum desolabitur et domus supra domum cadet C ¶ The seconde cause wherfore hate is to drede / is for that / that it is soo greate a glayue and swerde and offence that it sleeth spyrytuelly of dethe of gylte the soules of haynours or hatefull people the whiche hateth theyr neyghbours and euen cristen by enuye or malyce desyrynge theyr vnfortune and losse bothe in theyr bodyes and goodes vniustelye .i. vnde iohannis tertio Oninis qui odit fratrem suum homicida est et scitis quoniam omnis homicida noÌ„ habet vitam eternam in se manentem ✿ That is as moche for to saye Euery man the whiche hateth his neyghboure in hys herte is a man kyller and knowe ye that euery homycyde hathe not eternall lyfe abydynge in hym For by his hate he departeth froo god / his loue / and his grace / the whiche is the lyfe of his soule In lyke wyse as it is declared in the coÌ„maundement of homycyde and murdre ¶ Also by hate and cursed malyce a man sleeth his soule spyrytuelly / in lyke wyse as a man maye se by symylitude that a stroke with a swer defieeth a man corporelly For hate rancouce and enuye and all mortall synnes / is by symylytude as a swerde cuttynge of dothe syâ—es the whiche stryketh the soule for to dampne it And yf that remedye be not had therin in this worlde by penauÌ„ce there is no helthe after the dethe Vnde eccle xxi ¶ Quasi rumphea bis acuta omnis iniquitas plage illius non est sanitas ¶ Also the synnes be to flee as frome the face of a serpent For they slee spyrytuelly the soules of men Vnde ecclesi xxi Quasi a facie colubrifuge peccata si accesseris ad illa suscipient te dentes illius dentes leonis interficientes animas hominum Note wele that a man sholde not vnderstonde that the soules ben deed / slayne / that they defaylleth aboue al by synne / for they ben mortelles / but a man sholde vnderstonde that they ben deed spyrytuelly / of dethe of gylte / and dyscendeth in to the dethe eternel / the whiche is dethe without deyenge as it is sayd before For to auoyde the sayd dethe it behoueth to loue oure lorde Ihesu cryst and his neyghbours / to flee hate Saynt Austyn sayeth Vita mea dilectio est et mors odium My lyfe is dileccyon / and my dethe is hate Et legitur de peni di i. Omnis qui non diligit manet in morte Euery man the whiche loueth not dwelleth in dethe Et poeta dicit Si quis odit fratrem suum censetur ob hoc homicida He is iuged for homycyde c. ¶ Example how a boye was dampned for hate and that he wolde be venged Quere .lxxix. a. Another example how the deuyll slewe a man for the kepynge of hate and wolde not pardon hym .lxxix. c. D ¶ The thyrde thynge wherfore the sinne of hate is for to be dredde is for that / that it blyndeth the soule of the haynoure / that is to put oute the inwarde eyes of his vnderstondyng Vnde i.x.ii Qui diligit fratrem suum in lumine manet qui autem odit fratrem suum in tenebris est et in tenebris ambulat et nescit quo eat quoniam obcecauerunt oculos cius That is to saye in oure maternall tonge of Englysshe to you the whiche vnderstondeth not the laten He the whiche loueth affectuously his euen crysten broder he dwelleth in lyghte And he the whiche hateth hym is in derkenes and walketh in derkenes And he ne knoweth where he gothe For derkenes hathe put oute his eyes His entendemente is made derke / his lyght is lenyne / that is charyte the whiche gyueth lyght and shyneth is put oute / charyte is adnychylate loste ¶ Also in lyke wyse as the eyes of the body of a persone wexeth dyÌ„me and derke for to beholde sharpely the beaumes of the sonne In lyke wyse the eyes of the soule ben put oute and made derke for to se the welth of theyr neyghbour Vnde gregoriê° Mens inuidi tam de alieno bono affligitur quam de radio solis excecatur By the grete lyght is vnderstonde here the haboundauÌ„ce of the good operacyons of thy neyghboure / by the whiche good operacyons the enuyous haynoure is blynded of duyl that he hathe to se them Also thou hateful thy soule is in derkenes In lykewyse as a man may se by symylytude that the body of a blynde man is in derkenesse whan his eyes ben put oute Thou seyth not the ylle that is in the ne that that thou hast for
Legitur in secundo libro regum ê™ infidelis est episcopus qui nepotulo suo coÌ„fert prelationem cum sciat enim inabillem et sciat totum pondus prelii versum super prelatuÌ„ That is to saye The bisshoppe is vnfaithfull the whiche bryngeth vnto prelacyon / or dygnyte his lytell neuewe whan it is so that he knoweth that he is feble to fyghte and that he knoweth that all the countre and the ruyne of the batayll tourneth on the prelates Example that a man ne sholde constytute ony by prayers charnelles / Quere lxxxv f. ¶ Also god gyueth vs example clerely that we ne sholde lyfte vp our parentes in dygnyte spyrytuel yf they be not worthy it Legitur mathei xx that whan the wyfe of zebede aunt of Ihesus hym prayed that her two chyldren / saynt Iames saynt Iohan cosyns of our lorde that he sholde make them sytte the one on his ryght hande and the other on his lefte hande The answer was Nescitis quid petatis They were vnworthy to be set nere by hym And therfore god said vnto her ye wote not what ye demaunde Marye ye may wele endure passyon as I. But to sette you on my ryght hande it is not vnto me to gyue it you sed quibus paratuÌ„ est a patre meo That is vnto them the whiche ben dygne I. ¶ Fourthly those the whiche make paccyon to gyue certayne soÌ„me for to be receyued in a monastery suche wyse rented that it is suffycyent to susteyne to puruaye as wele those that there ben nowe as those that they shal receyue they ben symonyacques And in lyke wyse those the whiche maketh the sayd recepcyon / or therto gyue couÌ„sayl consentement / and there nys custome vnto the contrary the whiche maye excuse the synne K. ¶ Fyfthly the people of the chirche sholde admynystre the sacramentes / and the sepultures without makynge paccyon ne exaccyon of money / otherwyse there is symonye But after that they haue done theyr deuoyre the laye people them sholde contente after the customes auncyentes or otherwyse a man may make them to come before the bysshop after the droitz Extra de symonia ad apostolicam The sacramentes of the chirche ne sholde be solde / for that sholde be symonye Oure lorde it shewed clerely vnto his apostles whan he said vnto them Illud math x. Infirmos curate mortuos suscitate leprosos mundate demones eiicite gratis accepistis gratis date The gospell sayth Hele ye the seke / arayse ye the deed / he le ye the lepres chase awaye the deuylles / ye haue taken for nothynge gyue you it for nothynge Also it is wryten Administre ye takynge nothynge for it the Eucharistie that is the sacrament of the aulter vnto the people / confesse ye takynge nothynge / baptyse ye takynge nothynge / gyue you vnto all folke for nothynge after the appostle VnÌ„ augustinus dicit Gratis eucharistiam plebi ministrate gratis confitemini gratis baptisate secundum apostolum cuntis gratis date L. ¶ Whan ony preest selleth or marchauÌ„deth the masses or that he synge masse for moneye and that the cause fynall of the dylectacyon be to th ende that he haue the sayd moneye / it is symonye / and synneth mortally Vnde augustinus Qui precise vnaÌ„ missam vel plures pro pecuniis celebrat daÌ„nationem sibi eternam preperat He that syngeth a masse / or many for moneye he prepareth vnto hymself eternell dampnacyon And it is here to be noted that the thyÌ„ges temporelles ne sholde neuer be the ende of thynges spyrytuelles / but there ben causes wele mouynge VnÌ„ hec est falsa The preest is holden to gyue the thynges spyrytuelles to th ende that he haue the thinges temporelles Sed hec est vera The layeman is holden to gyue the thinges temporelles for the thynges spyrytuelles / not in byenge them / for they sholde not be solde as it is sayd in lyke wyse as a man selleth the flesshe vpon the stalle The grace of god the whiche is in the sacrament is inapprecyable and it falleth not vnder ony pryce / For man hathe not thynge wherof he it may bye / but for asmoche as the seruauntes of god ne may laboure in thynges spyrytuelles without hauynge theyr lyuynge sustentacyon / god wyll that a man vnto them gyue some thyng for to lyue it hiÌ„ they haue done theyr deuoyre Vnde pau i. corinth ix Qui altario deseruiuÌ„t cum altario participaÌ„t ita et dnÌ„s ordinauit hiis qui euangelium anunciant de euangelio viuere They the whiche on the alter dysseruen shall be parteyners of the aulter / in suche wyse that god hathe ordeyned vnto theym the whiche shewe the gospell / to lyue of the gospell / not that they shall selle it / for that sholde be symonye as it is sayd M. ¶ Syxtely marke wele that no man laye ne sholde presume to do the offyce of preestes the whiche ben in holy ordres / where yf they do yll shall come vnto theym as dyde vnto the kynge ozyas For after that he had coueyted and presumed to doo the offyce and that he had taken the enseÌ„cer encensed and menaced the preestes for the that they gaynsayed hym leperye hym toke in the vysage within the house of god / c. as it is wryten .ii. paralipo .xxvi. Quere lxxxv g. N. ¶ Seuenthly a man ne sholde sell the yeftes of grace / ne the vertues the whiche ben in the soule / ne scyence / where that sholde be symonye Augustinê° dicit Spectat ad offirium vestre dignitatis gratie peteÌ„tibê° dona dare gratis sed si vnquam fidei munera vendatis incoursores giezi lepraÌ„vos sciatis It belongeth vnto the offyce of your dygnyte to gyue gyftes for nothynge vnto the demaundauntes of grace / but yf ye sell in ony wyse the gyftes of fayth knowlege you than vnto the lepre of Gyezy In lykewyse as sayeth saynt austyn vnto the mynystres of the chirche Giezie was the dyscyple of Helyseus / the whiche toke a grete gyfte of the ryche man Naaman for that that his mayster had heled hym of his leprye And therfore the sayd prophete Helysyus sayd vnto giezi Lepram naaman adherat tibi et semini tuo The leprye of Naaman shall be broughte vnto the and vnto thy sede In lyke wyse was it done as it is wryten in quarto regum .v. ca. For he hadde receyued gyft of the grace of the holy ghost Quere post .lxxxv. b. O. ¶ A questyon to vnderstonde yf an aduocate may sell the scyence of the iuste cause that he demeneth The answere He ne sholde selle the scyence / but he may selle the grete laboure and trauayll of his body that he taketh to studye to plede and to defende the iuste cause For god sayeth in the gospell that the werkman is worthy of his mete and of his hyre Mathei x. Dignus est eniÌ„ operarius cibo suo Et luce x. Dignê° est
kynges in the .xix chapytre how the prophete Helye fasted .xl. dayes .xl. nyghtes whaÌ„ the aungel brought hym meet c. Also we rede in the .iiij. chapytre of the gospelles of saynt Mathew that our blyssed sauyour redemptoure Ihesu cryst fasted .xl dayes Vnde mathei iiij Et cum ieiunasset quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus postea esurijt c. Also the sayd lenten sholde be fasted / and it is of the commaundement of the chyrche vnto them that haue aege and that may do it C. ¶ Many persones ben holly excused / as women with chylde for her fruyte / also nouryces yf they may not fast they sholde do after theyr power with the nuryture of the chylde ¶ A questyon of women that ben stronge and may well faste it / but theyr husbondes defendeth it them The answere is / scdm innocen vbi dicit Licet dimittere debeaÌ„t mulieres vota voluntarie suscepta ê“pter habitationeÌ„ viroruÌ„ / non tameÌ„ ieiunia ab ecclesia precepta Also the seke / the weyke ben excused ¶ A questyon of pylgrymes people sore labouryÌ„g The answer after saynt Thomas Yf the pylgrymage or labour may be deferred or taken awaye wtout inconuenyent fastynges sholde not be broken And yf it be necessyte to walke to do the grete Iourneyes or to labour moche that they ne may do it with fastyng they ben not bouÌ„dede to faste In suche thinges it sholde be surer to haue recours to be dispenced of the prelate And a man sholde not vnderstande in comyn prouerbe how all the labourers ben excused to faste it For yf ony be ryche and hath suffycyent nourysshynge wherwith to kepe the fastyng day he ought to labour the lasse to th ende that he may faste satysfye vnto the commaundement of the chyrche But yf he be poore that necessyte coÌ„streyne hym to laboure strongly for that he ne may haue his necessytees for his wyfe chyldreÌ„ yf he dyde not the sayd grete labour he synneth not mortally yf he ete on the fastynge daye sygnauntly so that he haue his coura-and wyll that he wolde obey gladly vnto the coÌ„maundement of the chyrche yf he might haue the sayd necessytees Also it is to vnderstande that fastynge is so greuous and so harde vnto some persones that scantely and with grete payne they may faste one daye in the weke in lenten for theyr laboures and trauayles that they aledge Vnto those a man sholde answere that they shall haue the more greter meryte in paradyse for the grete laboure that they take to faste / that god shal rewarde vnto euery persone the fastynges and the laboures after the operacyons that they do Vnde psal Retribu et vnicuique scdm opera sua And yf he wyll not fast do almesdedes or oraysons or good operacyons in recompence and in shewynge token that he wolde obeye gladly yf he myght Questyon of poore beggers yf they ben holden to faste The answer after Thomas ii.ii q. cxlvii where he sayth that yf they may haue as moche of almesse togyder as shal suffyce vnto them to ete at dyner / they shall not be excused of fastyÌ„ge And yf they may not soo moche assemble for to suffyce them on that day to fede they ben not bouÌ„de to fast / or whan they ben weyke for the pouerte therof procedynge they ben excused ¶ Example of fastynge Quere in the examplarye .cv. C A. ¶ The eyght commaundement of god defendeth all wordes the whiche ben agaynst the dyleccyon of thy neyghbour xl ¶ False wytnesse loke thou none bere Ne yet lye in ony wyse Drede thou also to speke or swere Agaynst thy neyghbour by myn aduyse THis commaundement is wryteÌ„ in the auncyent testament Deutero v. ca. et exodi xx Non loqÌ„ris contra proximum tuuÌ„ falsum testimonium Thou shalte not speke ne bere false wytnesse ayenst thy neyghbour And it wryten Leuiti xix ca. NoÌ„ mentiamini nec decepit vnusquisque proximum suum Ye shall not lye and neyther of you shall deceyue his neyghbour And it is wryten in the newe testament Mathei xix ca. et luce xviii Non falsuÌ„ testimoniuÌ„ dices Thou shalt not say false in wytnessyÌ„ge but that thou be punysshed as many haue ben in lykewyse as thou mayst se by examples Quere lxxxxvii a.b. In this coÌ„maundement god defendeth generally all fals euyll languages in al the maners that a man may brynge theym forthe with the tongue the whiche ben agaynst the dyleccyon of thy neyghbour / in lykewyse as it shall be declared in particuler herafter / vs commaundeth the vertue of veryte For syth that he defendeth in suche wyse al lesynges euyl languages it foloweth well that he vs coÌ„maundeth that we bringe forthe good and verytable wordes c. B. ¶ Of false wytnessynge that god defendeth xl NOn falsuÌ„ testimoniuÌ„ dices thou not say fals in witnessyÌ„ge He that maketh fals reporte in iugement of certayne conscyence for to noye vnto neyghboure synneth ryght greuously in thre maners Primo / in as moche as he forswereth hym falseth his fayth that he taketh vpon the font of baptysme that he renounceth god that is ful of veryte / leueth his feaute the othe that he had made vnto him for to drawe hyÌ„ vnto the deuyll the fader of lyenge and the hande that he lyfteth vp in forsweringe hyÌ„ apperteyneth vnto the deuyll / whan he blysseth and crosseth hym it is with the deuilles hande Scdo in as moche as he is the cause wherby the ryght Iustyce is fyled corrupt wherby falleth grete incoÌ„uenyent Tercio / in as moche as he is a lyer / false / corrupter of veryte Those the whiche forswereth them wytyngly in iugement ben infamed as it is wryten in ryght extra qÌ„relaÌ„ Et. vâ— q.i. Infames Also they ne sholde neuer be take in wytnes extra de testi Sicut e. vii q.i. Quicunque They deceyue thre persones that is the Iuge / the innocent / and themselfe They deceyue euyll the Iuge / wors the Innocent / and worst of al themselfe They deceyue the Iuge by that / that he beleueth that they saye veryte / and he maketh false Iugement agaynst ryght Iustyce the whiche is to yelde vnto euery man that thynge the whiche is his They deceyue yet wors the Innocent / for by the false witnessynge somtyme the Innocent leseth his herytage / somtyme his goodes / his good renounce / or soÌ„tyme is slayne and put vnto dethe They deceyue worst of all themselfe / for they do dampne theyr soules / and they bynde them to make restytucyon of al the losses and domages in the whiche the sayd Innocent reÌ„neth by the sayd false wytnessynge In lykewyse as a thefe or harlot the whiche taketh withdraweth the goodes of his neyghbour is holden to make restytucyon In lyke maner a false wytnesse the whiche wtdraweth the goodes of his neyghboure by
vnto them For the erthe opened vnder them And they dyscended all quycke in to hell hosed shod and clothed / and in suche wyse they perysshed Vnde numeri .xvi. Dirupta est tra sub pedibus eorum et aperâ—es os suum de uorauit eos cum tabernaculis suis vniuersa substantia eorum descenderumque vi ni in infernum operti et perierunt c. Also it is wryten in the .xvi. chapitre of the boke of exodi how the children of Israhel murmured that they had not of flesshe and of brede And god sente vnto them of the manna the whiche dyscended from heuen / and Moyses commaunded them that they ne sholde gadre ne kepe but that the whiche sholde suffyse them for the daye withoute kepynge it tyll vnto the morowe And many were inobedyentes kepte it tyll vnto the morowe / the whiche manna stanke therin gadred the wormes These examples here shewe that inobedyence murmure maketh to haue punycyon dampnacyon temporell and eternell and therfore it behoueth to obeye vnto god and vnto his seruauntes I. ¶ Another example of a frere the whiche was punysshed dyuynely for the murmure that he made agayne god liiii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that there was a frere honest verytable / after that he had serued god longe tyme in the ordre of prechours / that he ne had apperceyued ony thynge of consolacyons and swetnes of god the whiche redde and that he had herde how these other had tasted ofte tymes In a nyght they were before the crucyfyxe and lamentably began to enquyre before god in saynge these wordes here My lorde I haue herde of the the thou procedest al creatures in bounte and mansuetude And I haue serued the by many of yeres in kepynge harde thynges for the wordes of thy lippes / and wyllyngly I am all mortefyed for the loue of the And my lorde I knowe that yf I had done as moche of seruyce vnto a tyraunt he wolde haue shewed me some sygne of benyuolence eyther in spekynge swetely / or in gyuynge me some thynge / or in coÌ„myttynge me to do some secrete / or at the leest in laughyng on me And certaynly my lorde thou haste not shedde in me ony doulsour / thou haste not shewed in me ony benyuolence Thou lorde the whiche prechest swetnes thou arte in me cruell Thou arte more harde than yf thou were to me a tyraunt / thou lorde what thynge is it or wherfore dost thou it ¶ Than as he sayd these wordes and began agayne many other semblables / he herde one tyme two grete tremblynges / in lyke wyse as the chirche had threted ruyne / and aboue the couerynge of the chirche he herde sco moche of tredynge as yf many dogges there had grated with theyr nayles and gnawen with theyr tethe Whan he herde that he was a ferde hugely and all his body trembled / sodaynly he sawe behynde hym an horryble vysage And with a thynge that he helde in his handes stroke it and fell prostrate vnto the erthe And as he wolde haue rysen / he ne myght in no manere / and in brekynge he drewe hym towarde an aulter / And more ouer he ne myght ferther procede for the grete dolour that he had Whan the freres arose at pryme that they fouÌ„de hym replenysshed with dolours / they bare hym in to the fermerye knewe not the cause of his maladye He laye the space of thre wekes / and vnto hymselfe vnto other he stanke so moche that with grete payne myght they serue hym yf they dide not stoppe theyr nosethrylles ¶ After that he hadde recouered his strength and that he was corrected of his presumpcion retourned vnto the place where he had be stryken and where he hadde deserued the wrathe and ire of god / to the ende that he sholde gete mercy And he sayd My lorde I haue synned in heuen and before the I am the leest of all those of whome thou haste pytye / and am indygne of thy greate graces My lorde thou haste beten me iustely but debonayrly thou hast heled me Than he fell prostrate on his face and requyred pardon many tymes of thynges that he had folysshely thought and lightly spoken agayne god / and a voyce vnto hym was made Yt thou wylte haue the consolacyons that thou hast made And these doulicurs of the holy ghost it behoueth that thou the repute vyle in lyke wyse as a worme and as the myre where vpon thou tredest Whan he herde that he was strongly comforted he rose hym vp yelded graces vnto god / And afterwarde dyd the sayd thynges huÌ„bly brennyngly / and lyberally he shewed this thynge the whiche happened hym vnto the mayster of the ordre of prechours / men byleue that it came vnto hym as it is before rehersed in the lyfe of the faders / therfore inobedyence maketh to haue punycyon c. ¶ VErbum dei A. ¶ Examples for the worde of god and the prechynges And fyrste A. ¶ Example how a grete synner repented hym and was saued by the herynge of a predycacyon or a sermon lv MEn fynde by wrytyng in many bokes this the whiche foloweth the whiche the dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye and sayeth that as saynt Bernarde preched in the churcheyarde in a cyte / ii rybauldes were nere Of the whiche the one theder wolde go as the other people / the whiche yede theder And the other mocked hym and sayd vnto hym How ledeth the theder nowe the deuyll the whiche nededyste in all thy lyfe ony good dede And nowe thou wylt go vnto the predycacyon And he toke no hede of the rebukes that he sayd vnto hym theder yode And saynt Bernarde preched agayne those the whiche spoke cursed wordes and the whiche lede an yll lyfe The synner began to haue contrycyon and doloure for his synnes / he began for to wepe And saynt Bernard sawe that he had aboute his necke a grete chayne the whiche had more than an hondreth linkes / but at euery iere that he wepte there fell a lynke from the sayd chayne Than saint bernarde began to preche more strongely and ardauntly and to deteste his synnes And the synner more strongly wepte In the ende the chayne was al vndone and broken After the sayd predycacyon saynt bernarde called hym and comforted hym And by his admonycion he coÌ„fessed all his synnes and afterwarde liued holyly and his compaignon abode in syÌ„ne and bonde with a more cheyne than was the other By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that mortall synne is a bonde or a chayne by the whiche the soule of synners is bounde and holden in the handes of the deuyll of helle In lyke wyse as approueth the scrypture in many places / Vnde dauid in psal Funes peccatorum circumplexi suÌ„t me The cordes of my sinnes hathe beset me aboute and compassed in all thynges Et legitur prouerbioruÌ„
in the presence of moche people And whan the sayd sanctulus had stratche the necke sene the sworde / he sayd O saÌ„cte iohaÌ„nes suscype illuÌ„ And incontynent saynt Iohan vyolently held in the ayre the arme of the said hangman they all thanked god Some requyred the by his prayer the arme were heled He answered that he ne wolde praye for hym / but yf he wolde swere that he sholde neuer kyl crysten man And after that he had sworne sayd Put downe thy hande And it was taken away heled Than the lombardes wolde gyue vnto hym all the oxen kyen that they had pylled / but he them refused and requyred all the prysoners / they all were gyuen vnto hym So by his charyte he delyuered them all This example sholde moue vs to loue another / to put vs in daunger corporelly for to saue and to delyuer our neyghbours from yll from incoÌ„uenyence as dydde the sayd sanctulus the whiche delyuered the deken from dethe the prysoners from captyuyte D. ¶ Another example howe god sente a poore man .xx. s for one peny the he gaue IT is wryten in the booke of the discyple that peter damyen recouÌ„ted the a poore man fasted with his wyf the whiche had not but one peny for to by theyr diner he gaue his peny vnto a pore man as he yode vnto the market And after that as he was at his table that the brede was put vpon it there came in a man vnknowen hastely the whiche layde .xx. s in money vpon the sayd table in a clothe bouÌ„de said This here my lorde hathe sent you incontynent he departed And men presuppose that it was an aungell This example sholde moue vs to gyue almesse to the poore people For grete retrybucyon foloweth therof For one peny that the sayd man gaue god sente hym twelue score Al soo yf ony wyll haue vyctorye and to surmounte his enemyes / be he a gyuer of almesse And yf he wyll regne and to flee in to heuen also gyue he vnto the poore folk In lyke wyse as sayth the scrypture VnÌ„ poeta Vincit cuÌ„cta dare da sivis superare Per dare regnare poteris celosque volare c. E. ¶ Another example how the herte of a vyrgyn was cutte for the grete loue that she had vnto god lxxv THe discyple recyteth in his promp tuarie this example the whiche is wryten in many other bookes sayeth that a noble vyrgyn was .xiiii. yere moche deuoute vnto the vyrgyn Marye And by .vii. yeres euery daye she requyred her that it wolde please her to shewe vnto her her chylde And it befell as on a crystenmas daye she entred alone in to the chapelle bycause of orayson the vyrgin Marye appered vnto her holdynge a fayre sone betwene her armes sayd vnto her Take my sone and playe with hym And she toke hym with grete Ioye / reuerence deuocyon And the said chylde demauÌ„ded her / louest thou me And she answered / ye Whether sayd he louest thou me more than my clothes / and she sayd I loue you more than my herte / And the sayd chylde sayd How louest thou me more than thy herte The answer / I ne can tell it / but the same speke And incoÌ„tynent the herte of the said vyrgyn for the grete loue that she had to the sayd sone it brake in sondre And so deyed the sayd vyrgyn Than the chylde toke her soule soo grete songe melodye of aungelles was there to bere the sayd soule in to heuen / that the people ranne vnto the chapel the whicâ—e were replenysshed of meruayllous odoure And they founde the sayd vyrgyn deed And her herte cut wherin was wrytâ—n in lettres of god I loue the more than myself For thou haste create me redemed endowed c. After the scypture thys example we shold loue god more than our self vnÌ„ math Diliges dnÌ„m deuÌ„ tuuÌ„ ex toto corde tuo et ex tota aiÌ„a tua F. ¶ Another example of the charyte of hym the whiche dyd wyÌ„ne his broder the whiche was fallen in to fornycacion for to make hym selfe a synner / in doynge penaunce lxxv IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders how two bredren yode to sell in the cyte that / that they had wrought And whan they were departed in that cyte / one of them fell in fornycacyon After that his broder came vnto hym and sayd Broder retourne we in to our habytable / he answered I may not retourne / he demaunded the cause And he sayd vnto hym After that thou departest fro me I was tempted I am fallen in to fornycacyon And his broder sayd that soo was he / but retourne we togyder do we penaunce with grete laboure god shal pardon vs our syÌ„ne Whan they were retourned they tolde it to the auncyentes The whiche gaue them in charge the maner how they sholde do penaunce and the one of them dyde penaunce / but for the other broder also as he was culpable to haue syÌ„ned In fewe dayes god shewed vnto one of the auÌ„cyentes that the synne of hyÌ„ the whiche hadde done fornycacyon vnto hym was pardoned by the greate charyte of the other the whiche had not synned / ¶ This example is greately to be noted / For for to socoure his broder the whiche was fallen in to the sinne of lecherye / and in to the bondes of the deuyll And in the waye of perdycyon daÌ„pnacyon eternell He made hymselfe a synner toke labour and penauÌ„ce for hym / that was charyte and grete socour dyd vnto his neyghbour In this thynge it appereth that he loued his brother as hymselfe / that he socoured hym in his necessyte as he wylled that a man sholde do vnto hym / and for the grete charyte the synne was pardoned c. G. ¶ Another example how one frere wtdrewe another from yll wyll / not by force but by charyte and pacyence lxxv IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that a frere came one tyme vnto a grete auncyent and sayd vnto hym I haue a broder the whiche goeth on the one syde on the other without holdynge hym with me / therfore am I tormented And the auÌ„cyent sayd vnto hym Bere it pacyently Whan god shal se the labour of thy supportynge he shall call hym agayne vnto the ne wene thou not by austeryte that ony shall withdrawe hym from his entencyon / for one deuyll ne expelleth another deuyl / but by benygnyte thou shalt make hym come agayne vnto the. Our lorde draweth vnto hym many in cherynge theym And he recouÌ„ted to hym of two freres of the whiche the one was fallen in fornycacyon / the whiche woulde retourne vnto the worlde the other wepte said Broder I shal not suffre the to retourne be loste And for that that he wolde nothynge do / he wente to take couÌ„sayl of a grete
example a man sholde vnderstonde that this chylde was accused before god of the deuyl of so lytel a thyÌ„ge as is an halfpeny / by a more grete reason shall be accused those the whiche stele a grete thynge And yf he had so grete punycyon for so lytell offence / so shal they haue that do the grete offences And by that that god hym coÌ„maunded restytucyon so sholde those do the whiche hathe taken fro other / or elles they may not be saued For it is wryten in droit NoÌ„ dimittur pctmÌ„ nisi restituatur ablatuÌ„ xiiii q. vi c. Sires and saynt Thomas sayth secuÌ„da secuÌ„de q. lxii articulo .viii. Who so euer letteth iniustely another neyghbour in the vsage of the thynge the whiche vnto hym apperteyneth he trespasseth the coÌ„maundement of charite A. ¶ Another example how churle was punysshed of the deuyll for that that he had stolen a lytell of a hedge in the felde from his neyghboure lxxxi IT is wryten in the dyalogue cesaruÌ„ that a carle was in the dethe bedde the deuyll came vnto hym the whiche helde a lytell of a hedge al in fyre / the whiche enforced hyÌ„ to put it in his mouthe Than the sayd carle forgote not his synne And vnderstode that the deuyll dyde vnto hym soche payne for a lytell of a hedge that he had taken stolen in the felde from his neyghboure / had put it in his felde vnto hymselfe And for that that the deuyll was euermore before his face in what place so euer he tourned hym was constrayned to restore the sayd lytell hedge / called his frendes sente theym to promytte to restore the sayd lytell to requyre pardon / vnto whome the mayster of the sayd lytell sayd I shal not pardon hym yet / let hym be wele tormented And agayne the sayd deuyll helde the sayd lytel hedge embrased / him tormented as before And agayne sente messengers but they ne might haue pardoÌ„ thyrdly in wepynge sente them I vnhappy I ne maye dye ne lyue / retorne ye to demauÌ„de pardon Than the other him pardoned the deuyl departed incoÌ„tynent By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that all maner of theues that steleth or wasteth the goodes of theyr neyghbours iniustely shal be punysshed in this world or in the other Syth that the deuyll tormented soo thys man for so lytell a thynge as is a lytell of hedge By a more stronger reason he shall torment those the whiche do the grete theftes This lytell of a hedge was not worth no greate thynge But it was a grete thyÌ„ge as to take it wyttyngly from his neighboure theuysshely agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god wherfore he was digne of punycyon c. B. ¶ Another example of a seruaunt the whiche toke stole frome his maister fyggues lxxxi THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye sermons sayeth that the body of saynt Thomas is reuerently kepte / where god vnto hym hathe gyuen suche grace that he is yet entere hole And whan the tyme cometh to admynystre vnto the people one sytteth in a chayer reuerently Whan the hostyes are consecrate the preest putteth them in saynt Thomas haÌ„de / the whiche admynystreth the people And yf ony of those that receyueth theyr creatour be in ony synne the sayd saynt thomas with draweth his hande / shall not be admynystred tyl he be in the state of grace The scrypture speketh of a seruauÌ„t that stole fygges from his mayster eate them wtout the knowlege of his mayster / confessed him not of it So he came to be admynystred as the other dyde And the sayd saynt thomas withdrewe his hande and wolde not suffre hym to receyue it Then the seruauÌ„t be thought hym of the sayd theft was coÌ„fessed / after that was admynystred of the sayd sayÌ„t Thomas was no more repulsed And by this all theft is to fle be it grete or lytell For for that man is put out of the company of god C. ¶ Another example of a baylye iuge thefe the whiche toke gyftes iniustely and corructe Iustyce lxxxi THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye sayeth that a baylye made a weddynge vnto his sone / a man that whiche had a grete cause before hym gaue vnto hym an oxe / prayed hym that he wolde do for hym in his cause And whan his aduersarye herde it spoken / he sent a fayr cowe vnto the wyfe of the sayd baylye and prayed her to speke for hym The whiche dyde so moche ayenst the said baylye that he promysed that he wolde doo for hym that had sente the cowe And whan they were in iugement that the said baylye ne spake for hym the whiche had gyuen the oxe / he sayd / oxe speke Than the baylye answered The oxe may not speke / for the cowe wyl not suffre it c. The cause of suche iuges the whiche corrupteth iustyce by gyftes promesses fauours shal be dyscussed iuged before god the whiche is souerain Iuge / the whiche is not acceptour of persones / in lyke wyse as sayeth the holy scrypture NoÌ„ eniÌ„ eÌ„ acceptio ê‘sonaruÌ„ apud deum And in the sayd iugement of god euery man shal be punysshed after that / that he hathe deserued as the fals Iuges and those the whiche wyÌ„ne theyr causes falsly And those the whiche possede herytages yll begoten / witholde them without restitucyon Tu reddes cuique iuxta opera sua / vt dicit psal Also god ne shal spare in Iugement the grete lordes / ne prayer ne golde ne syluer / ne contrycyon ne wrathe ne shall doo nothynge in lyke wyse as sayeth the scrypture VnÌ„ ê“uer vi zelê° furor viri noÌ„ parcet dnÌ„s iÌ„ die viÌ„dicte nec acquiescet cuiusquampÌ„cibê° nec suscipieth ê“redeÌ„ptio ne dona plurima c. D. ¶ Another example how the kyng of perse made to fle an yll Iuge corrupte by gyftes c. lxxxi THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye that the kynge of perse repreued a iuge for gyuyng fals iugement and for his iniustyce made hym to be flayne to put his skynne vpon a stole And made to sytte vpon the said stole his sone the iuges the whiche came after hym to th ende that they sholde remembre them of the sayd yll Iuge And that they sholde drede to Iuge vniustely c. E. ¶ Another example how the deuyl bare away in body and in soule a thefe couetous aduocate THe dyscyple recyteth in his sermoÌ„ that there was an aduocate chief of dyuers townes / auarycyous withoute mercy that made of greuous exacions in his subgectes / came one daye as he yode in a towne for an exaccyon the deuyll assocyated with hym in the waye in lykenes of a man And of horroure of the wordes that they spake togider he vnderstode that it was the deuyl dredde to go with hym / but in no manere he ne myght departe
put dyuysyon and to trouble the sayd maryage The olde woman it wrought more stronge was the homycyde of the sayd woman And therfore a man sholde here note that the sayd olde woman her semblables the whiche in suche wyse put diuysyon where there is good loue demaunde penaunce a man ne sholde denye it theim but a man sholde gyue vnto them playne punycyon penaunce without ony mercy For it is a synne the whiche is agayne the synne of the holy ghost Inuidentia fraterne dilectionis the whiche hathe not of remyssyon as vnto the payne ne in thys world ne in the other Also yf suche people wyll go in to paradyse before that they there entre it behoueth that they haue true contrycyon / confessyon / ful punycyon for by satysfaccyon by penaunce in this worlde / or in purgatorye / yf they deye without correccyon amendement they shal haue in helle punycyon and dampnacyon eternell without ony mercy F. ¶ Another example of the woman the whiche had the partye vpwarde brent in the chirche after her dethe for her cursed tongue lxxxxix IT is wryten in the .iiii. boke of the dialogue of saynt Gregorye / how that a noÌ„ne was chaste in the lawe partyes / but she had cursed language / whan she was deed she was buryed in the cathedral chirch And in that nyght the gardyen of the chirche sawe by vysyon that she was taken vp borne before the grete aulter cut by the myddell that the one partye was brente and the other was not Whan the mornyÌ„ge came he tolde the sayd thyng vnto his brederne / the whiche yode before the sayd aulter in the chirche / and founde the apparence of the brennynge in the stones as yf the sayd woman there had be brente corporelly G. ¶ Another example of an aduocate that whiche loste his tongue in his dethe for he had habounded in yll langages lxxxxix MEn fynde by wrytynge in the boke cesarii this that whiche foloweth how the disciple recyteth in his promptuarye And sayeth that whan an aduocate was deed / men ne fouÌ„de of tongue in his mouthe And of good ryght he loste his tongue in his dyeng For in his lyfe he solde it many tymes in defendynge causes vniuste in callyng them in wyttyngly by fauours and by gyftes that he toke vniustely / in lyke wyse as recompteth cesarius By thys example it is to be noted that a sholde wtdrawe hym from yll spekynge For whan a persone haboundeth wyllyngly in his lyfe in cursed languages / in his dethe he leseth his speche / and he ne may confesse hyÌ„ to crye god mercye and to dispose of suche thynges as he sholde do Also in the membre wherin a persone hathe moost offended / in the same membre shal he suffre the moost of torment That is to vnderstond yf an aduocate be dampned for his cursed tongue / he shall fele the mo of tormentes in his said tongue than in other membres VnÌ„ ber In quo auÌ„t meÌ„bro magis creator offeÌ„ditur in eo grauiê° pctoÌ„r torquetur The cursed dyues habounded in cursed langages in dyenge And therfore signantly the gospell sayeth that he playneth hym that his tongue was brente more sooner than another membre And also saynt 〈◊〉 maketh mencyon in the appocalypse oâ—â— dampned tormented for cursed wordâ—s / Et dicit illud apo xvi CoÌ„manducaueruÌ„t linguas suas pre dolore et blasphamaruÌ„t deum pre doloribus suis c. H. ¶ Another example how the aungels ben present whan a man speketh of good wordes / and whan yl wordes ben spoken the deuylles ben redy lxxxxix THe dyscyple recyteth in the booke of his sermons that a ryche man badde one tyme many of his parentes neyghbours vnto dynere with hym The whiche he put at one table / and in a seconde table he set and put many poores and one of those poores the whiche was a holi man sawe that they sayd benedicite / and as they ete the fyrste two loues / the aungelles were amonge them the whiche enuyronned and beset aboute at the said dyner / they spake of god and of all good wordes And afterwarde they began to speke of worldly thynges and vycyous of detraccyons And incontynent the sayd holy man sawe that the deuylles were present by them / and the auÌ„gelles fledde fer of gaue place vnto the deuylles the whiche lepte and enioyed them beset theym aboute Than the said holy man began to wepe bytterly And after in th ende of the dyner they toke them to speke of god and of good maners salutaryes the sayd auÌ„gelles came agayne right ioyous the deuylles fledde And whan the sayd man deuoute sawe this thynge he began to laugh gretely And after that graces were sayd thâ— sayd man deuoute was asked the questyon wherfore he had wepte afterward laughed Than he tolde them the cause in admonestyng them that in etynge drynkyÌ„ge they sholde speke of god / for god hys auÌ„gelles there ben present And vnto the contrary the deuylles ben present in detraccyons cursed wordes Vnto this purpose it is wryten math xviii VbicuÌ„que fuerint duo vel tres congregati in noiÌ„e meo / ibi ego suÌ„ in medio eoruÌ„ c. That is to say whan two or thre men ben assembled in the name of god in spekyng of hym / god is in the medyll of them c. ¶ Audire I. ¶ Example for those the whiche here cursed wordes And how the syster of sayÌ„t damyen was tormented for that that she hadde taken pleasure to here the songe of daunces lxxxxix THe dyscyple recyteth in his booke sayeth / that the syster of saynt damyen appered vnto hym after her dethe Vnto the whiche damyen she sayd that she was in grete paynes in purgatorye And the sayd Damyen demaunded her the cause She answered that it was for that / that she beynge ones in her chambre herde the songe of those the whiche daunced And she therin toke pleasure dylectacyon of the whiche dylectacyon she ne dydde penaunce in this worlde / for that cause she sholde be punysshed .xv. dayes in purgatorye By this example a man shold vnderstonde that it is grete daunger vnto the soule as to here vaynwordes or yll syth that the sayd woman had suche punycyon VnÌ„ sapiens ec ix CuÌ„ saltatrice ne assiduus sis nec audias illaÌ„ ne morte pereas efficatia eiê° c. K. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple how two marchauÌ„tes sayd vnto theyr curate that they coude nothynge sell wtout othes lesynges IT is wryten in the dyalogue cesarii how two marchauÌ„tes of coloyne confessed them vnto theyr curate that almoost they ne myght sell nothynge wtout lyenge / swerynge pariurye / and the preest sayd vnto them Vse ye of my counsayll ye shall do the better Kepe you from swerynge leyenge in sellynge this yere / ye shall se how it shall
man / for yf I had not slayne hym he haâ— slayne his fader this nyght And whan the monke herde those wordes he yode on knees before the sayd aungell / knewe that it was the aungell of god / the whiche departed incontynent frome hym And he knewe that the Iugements of god ben iust c. B. ¶ Another example that an hermyte murmured agaynst god for his dyuers Iugementes Cvii MEn fynde by wrytinge this the whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in the boke of his promptuary and sayeth that an hermite murmured in his herte of the dyuers Iugementes of god for that / that those the whiche lyued yl had godes And vnto the contrary those the whiche lyued well had of trybulacions / and somtime those the whiche had ledde a good lyfe had in th ende dethe abiecte the yll the fayre ende And the good loste oft the temporall godes / yll had prosperyte And as the sayd hermyte thought moche on the sayd thynges he prayed god that he wolde shewe hyÌ„ his Iugementes Than an aungell came vnto hym sayd that he was sent from god for to shewe them vnto hym / that he sholde come after hym The sayd aungell was in fourme of an hermyte pilgrym Whan they had walked they came fyrst to the hous of an hermyte the whiche they founde broken wasted with wolues Of this thynge the sayd hermyte was moche admeruayled sayd This here was an holy man the whiche lyued here solytaryly fyfty yeres to serue god And god hathe suffred that he hath be broken with beestes And the aungell of god sayd vnto hym Thou seest here one of the Iugementes of god Secondly they came vnto another that had his hous set on an high roche aboue these / vnto whome the aungel preched of pacyence agaynst aduersytees trybulacyons agaynst impacyence And in wepynge grete contrycyon he confessed that as he had ben there by the space of .xl. yeres with grete afflyccyon of penaunce at the laste he was vaynquysshed so stroÌ„gly in his myÌ„de that he wolde leue his good lyfe and retorne in to the worlde And whan the sayd aungell sawe hym veray contryte he toke hym kest hym in to the see drowned hyÌ„ And whan the hermyte sawe this he was in grete fere fledde / but the auÌ„gell called hym agayne sayd to him Drede thou not god had shewed the here his seconde Iugement Thyrdly they came in to the hous of the thyrde hermyte that receyued them gladly gaue theym drynke in a cuppe of syluer that he had And the aungel toke the sayd cuppe secretely put it in his bosom bare it away Afterwarde they came by nyght to the hous of a knyght robber with grete payne they were receyued to lodge euyl entreated tourmented of reproches rebukes / notwithstandinge men gaue them somwhat a bedde yll apparayled In the mornyng the aungell wolde not departe tyll he had spoken with his hoost And he drewe out the sayd cuppe gaue it hym Whan thermyte sawe that he was admeruayled murmured in his herte of that he had seen After in another nyght they came to the hous of another knyght that receyued them ryght we le / albeit he treated them ryght meanely And in the mornyÌ„ge whaÌ„ they sholde parte he was prayed of the aungell that his onely sone engendred shol conduyte them on the way And as the chylde ledde them he toke slewe hym and kest hym in to a dyche Whan the hermyte sawe that he fledde sayd Thou art none auÌ„gel thou arte a deuyll And the aungell sayd to hyÌ„ These thynges that thou hast seen ben the Iugements of god occulte hyd that thou requyred too knowe Vnderstande thou the causes The fyrst hermyte that we founde deuoured knowe thou that it was comen vnto hym in crowne of martyrdome that he hath deserued to haue by loÌ„ge tyme requyred of god by grete prayers The seconde hermyte that I kest in to the see after that he was conuerted vnto god that he had contrycyon good repentaunce / so he is well deed is gone to god wtout hauyÌ„ge other payne but onely the dethe that I haue gyuen hym And yf he had not be slayne whan the temptacion was to men agayne he had accomplysshed that / that he had conceyued had ben lost The thyrde hermyte is a contemplatyfe and of good prayers But the deuyll by his cautele had procured hyÌ„ lettinge in his oraysons hath ordeyned that a ryche man gaue vnto hym the cuppe of syluer for to pray for hym And I haue taken it from hym / for whan he wolde praye there came vnto hym of thought what he myght do with the sayd cuppe that the theues ne sholde stele it from hym / soo the thought of the sayd cuppe letted his hert to praye god And by that he shal retorne in to oraysons accustomed wtout hauyÌ„ge ony lettynge The fyrst knyght where we yode is an yll man that is not worthy to haue remuneracyon celestyall / for a lytell goodnes that he dyde vnto vs we gaue vnto hym remuneracyon temporall in gyuynge him the sayd cuppe The seconde knyght was a good hospytaller that dyde grete almesses / for that he had none heyre he prayed the relygyous men that they wolde pray vnto god for hym that he myght haue lygnage And god hath gyuen vnto him this sone that thou hast seen that I haue slayne / he is retorned to do the werkes of mercy that he had left to do vnto the poores / also he hath left to do many ylles that he dyde for to assemble teÌ„porall goodes vnto his sayd sone Also we haue ê“cured theyr helthe that they sholde conuerte them vnto god shall do good dedes after the dethe of theyr sayd sone ¶ By these thynges before sayd a man may knowe that the Iugements of god ben Iust harde to knowe as vnto vs. And therfore it nedeth vs not to enquyre forther ne to knowe than our entendement ne may comprehende Non oportet sapere plusquam sapere oportet c. C. ¶ Another example how a holy bysshop was punisshed by the Iugement occulte and hydde of god for that / that he receyued a vestyment of an vsurer Cvi IT is wryten in the legende of sayntes that after that saynt Fortyn bysshop was deed he sawe two aungels that came vnto hym to bere his soule / the thyrde auÌ„gell came with a whyte bokeler and with a swerde shynyÌ„ge that yode before And afterwarde he sawe the deuylles the whiche cryed / herde that they sayd Go we before make we batayle before hyÌ„ And whan they were before they keste brennynge dartes / but the aungell that yode before receyued them on his bokeler Than the deuylles put them agaynst the auÌ„gelles sayd This man spake often of ydle wordes / he ne sholde wtout hauynge payne a blyssed lyfe And
so bytterly He answered sayd that one of the thynges wherfore he al the dampned sorowe moost fore is that that they haue loste consumed the tyme of grace vnprouffytably in synnynge / where in an houre by repentaunce they myght haue goten grace and escaped the tormentes wherin they be and shal be eternally By this example these synners sholde vnderstonde that it is the moost grete good dede that may be in them as to be in the state of grace wele confessed / repentaunte of theyr synnes Also by that that this soule wepte in helle is vnto the purpose of that that the euangylles saye that the dampned wepe in hel Vnde mathei .viii. Et luce .xiiii. Ibi erit fletâ—s et stridor dentiuÌ„ Vnto this purpose tongdalus the whiche sawe the tormentes of helle afterwarde was brought agayne tolde that he sawe in helle a torment of an yzy ponde where the soules the whiche therin were tormented cryed so horrybly that they were herde vnto heuen And after where the sayd tongdalus spake of the pytte of helle he herde grete cryes and howlinges of soules thondre so horryble that no man ne myght thynke ne tongue declare the horryble crye and the noyse the whiche was in the sayd torment c. C. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of two men the whiche were in paynes whan saynt taurayn areysed them Cviii IT is wryten in the legende of saint taurayn the tydynges were brought vnto a ryght honourable man that his sone and his squyere were deed And for to abredge the matere saynt taurayne areysed the sayd sone The whiche yode incontynent on knees before saynt taurayne requyred hym to be baptysed And after that he was baptysed sayd vnto his fader Halas fader thou knowest what myserable lyfe we lede what paynes those susteyne the whiche ben semblables vnto vs And what glorye is vnto those the whiche loue and serue vnto that god the whiche is to be honoured of man CertayÌ„ly I haue sene hym to be in the company of aungelles and to praye vnto god for vs. And whan the sayd sone areyâ—ed had spoken these wordes many other vnto his fader he yode on knees before saynt tauryn caused hym to baptyze him And also his wyfe moder of the sayd reysed And for to be shorte in that daye soo many of grete lordes as of lytell people a thousande two hondred persones were baptyzed And afterwarde at the request of the sayd sone areysed sayÌ„t tauryn areysed also afterwarde the squyer the whiche wytnessed that he was in grete paynes whan a messengere came to tell him of the souerayne maister that he were brought agayne taken vnto sayÌ„t tauryn And this said squyer areysed sayd vnto the said sone He the whiche hathe brought me agayne heder coÌ„maundeth the that thou dispose the to retourne vnto hym And incontynent a feuer toke hym / after the coÌ„mauÌ„dement deyed D. ¶ Another example of .iii. deed men areysed the whiche recompted of the paynes of purgatorye and of helle / how they were in iugement before god Cviii IT is wryten in the epystyll of the holy bysshop named sirillus that by the merytes of saint Iherome the whiche appered vnto saynt eusebe thre deed bodyes were areysed for to take awaye a grete erroure the whiche regned in the tyme amonge the grekes that it came in the latyns of the heretykes that sayd that the ylle persones ne sholde haue of tormentes in helle tyl vnto the daye of Iugement that the body the soule shold be remyt togyders The thre deed bodyes that were areysed lyued .xx. dayes / the whiche were demaunded why they wepte so sore And the one of them sayd vnto hyÌ„ that asked it Yf thou knewe the paynes the whiche before yesterday I endured thou sholdest haue euermore cause to wepe he was requyred to tell what paynes he hadde endured and suffred within helle / He sayd that the dampned those in purgatorye haue so grete paynes that yf a persone sholde endure in this worlde all the paynes / tormentes / afflyccions that a man may thynke / that ne sholde be but consolacyon to endure al that / in regarde of the leest payne of purgatorye / or of helle Also he sayd / yf ony lyuynge had felte the experyence of the dolour the whiche is in helle or in purgatorye / that he sholde loue better to endure tyll vnto th ende of the worlde without ony remedy togyders all the paynes and tormentes that all the men women hath endured one after another syth Adam vnto nowe / than to be tormented one daye in the leest payne that is in helle or in purgatorye And therfore yf ye axe me what the cause is wherfore I wepe It is for that that I knowlege me to haue synned ayenst god / and that iustely he punyssheth the syÌ„ners Wherfore I wepe to haue deserued suche punycyon Afterwarde he was axed wherin dyffereth the paynes / and tormentes of purgatorye / and those of helle He answered that they ne dyffere as vnto the qualyte quantyte of paynes they ben of one self gretenes / but they differe in asmoche as the paynes of helle haue none ende And also the dampned shal haue augmentacyon of tormentes in Iugement whan they shall there be tormented in body and in soule And the paynes of purgatorye shal haue an ende For whaÌ„ the penaunce is accomplysshed / those of purgatorye ben delyuered Also he was asked yf those the whiche ben in purgatory and in helle haue egalle tormentes or dyuers He answered that the one haue more greate tormentes and dyuers than the other after the quantyte and gretenes of synnes that they haue coÌ„mytted And also the dampned albeit that they ben in a place of paynes / yet fele they more grete tormentes the one than the other / after the quantyte / and qualytees of synnes that they haue commytted For in the persone where there is more of matere of synne / and more strongly the fyre hym taketh breÌ„neth more cruelly Also he was demauÌ„ded how he bare the dede whan the soulâ— yssued out frome the body He answered / Whan myne houre of dethe came in place where I was he fouÌ„de so many of deuylles that a man ne myghte nombre theÌ„ for the grete multytude the whiche were so horrybles to beholde that a man ne can thynke more grete payne than it is Ony man had leuer caste hymselfe more soner in a fyre flambynge and brennynge than to beholde them with the eye / the whiche deuylles came vnto me brought agayn vnto my mynde all the cursed operacyons that I had done agayne god esmouynge that I ne had more of esperaunce of the dyuyne mercy the whiche I haue gretely offended And certes knowe ye that yf the mercy of god ne had ayded me I ne might haue resysted vnto them For whan my spyryte was destytute of all force lytel and lytell I
me consented vnto theyr wordes / saynt Iherome arryued more clere than the sōne with grete multytude of aūgels the whiche came vnto myn ayde And the said saynt Iherome blamed them / they departed with grete howlynges and clamours c. For to abrydge this mater the sayd areysed sayd that his soule was borne before god in iugemente in lyke wyse as a man may shyrte the eye / but how ne of whom he ne knewe More ouer he said all the synnes that he had done / spoken / thought in all his lyfe appered clerely vnto the iuge before al in lyke wyse as they had ben present / so that there ne abode the moost lytell thought but that it appered / so it had be thought Also he sayd that he was replenysshed with so grete fere that meruayll it was And that grete multitude of deuylles were there present the whiche wytnesse the ylles that we haue done in declarynge the place / the maner and the tyme the ylles that men spoke agaynst vs / we ne maye agayne saye them in noo maner For the iuge knoweth and seeth al Also the iustes and presentes it sene and knowe Alas what shal I saye / we ne abyde more than the sentence to be broughte forth agayne vs. For all the presents crye vnto the iuge that we ben dygne of tormentes And almoost noo good dede appered wherin we hadde esperaunce to haue the mercye of god And whan he ne resysted more as to bryngforth the sentence the whiche is iustely gyuen agayne the synners the blyssed saynt Iherome was present Also were presente saynt Iohan baptyst saint peter / and grete multytude of aungelles the whiche requyred of the Iuge that our sentence were yet dyfferred a lytell of tyme for the reuerence and deuocyon that we had made vnto the sayd saynt Iherome / And for to destroye the errour the whiche regned in the worlde And he was accorded vnto the sayd saynt Iherome that that he requyred The whiche ledde vs with hȳ And shewed vs the glorye of the blyssed soules and the paynes of helle and of purgatorye / to th ende that we myghte wytnes certayne that thynge that we haue sene The whiche thynges be not here wryten for bycause of shortnes And wolde that we were put within the paynes of purgatorie to th ende that we sholde proue the experyence of the paynes the whiche there ben in the whiche we were put For to abrydge the sayd saynt Iherome vs cōmaunded that we sholde come agayne in to our bodyes And that we sholde wytnes that that we had sene / and vs promysed that on the .xx daye yf we dyde dygne penaunce of the synnes that we had cōmytted that we sholde deye agayne with saynt Eusebe the whiche sholde deye on the said daye we sholde haue glorye And so our soules were in contynent within theyr bodyes c. E. ¶ Another example how a deuyl said that the soule of the erle Guyllaume was in horryble payne Cviii. IT is wryten in dialogo cesarii this the whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in his boke sayeth that as a knyght was at the dethe in his bedde all alone the deuyll appered vnto hym vysybly in forme and semblaunce of a she ape the whiche had the hornes of a gote And whan he se hȳ there in suche wyse he had fere and hym demaunded what art thou what sekest thou He answered I am a deuyll the whiche am come for to fetche thy soule Vnto whome the sayd knyghte sayd departe thou fro me cursed there / I haue cōmaūded it vnto Ihesu cryste that I haue receyued in the sacrament And the deuyll sayd Varlet yf thou wylte doo me homage I shall yelde vnto the helthe and I shall enryche the aboue all thy parents And the knyght hym demaunded where ben thy tresours He answered treasours infynyte ben hydde nere vnto thy courte / And the sayd knyght asked hym / tell me where is the soule of the erle guyllaume the whiche is lately deed He answered It is in helle in soo grete fyre that yf the moost grete mountayne were there it sholde be consumed in lesse of tyme than to close the eye And that payne there is but a bayne of mylke in the regarde of the daye of Iugement where he shall receyue the payne And he asked hym of another man And he answered he hath be .xxxi. yeres in paynes / but a monke and a mynchen hath delyuered hym by good dedes And agayne he demaunded the deuyl From whens camest thou whan thou came to me He answered I my felowes were at the dethe of an abbesse awaytynge her soule And the knyght hym demaunded How many ben ye He answered that the moost grete forest of the worlde hathe not so many of leues as we were And the knyght demaunded hym What haue ye done He answered Alas nothynge / she was a good relygyous / saynt Myghell came theder the whiche bete vs departed in like wyse as departeth the poudre before the wynde / he was axed yf he were at the dethe of suche an abbot He answered that there is not so moche of grauell in the see as ther was of deuylles / but we ne dyde nothynge / for the vyllaynes monkes the whiche there were groned as hogges ne wolde let vs to approche And the sayd knyght sayd how dare ye go vnto the dethe of so holy a man And the deuyl sayd I was at the dethe of the sone of god / set me on the arme of the crosse / wherfore dare I not than go vnto the dethe of suche a man c. F. ¶ Another example how a relygyous wolde more sooner entre in to a fyre than to beholde the deuyll Cviii THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye sayeth that one tyme a relygyous came vnto the dethe the whiche cryed horrybly / cursed be the houre that euer I was relygyous / and after helde his peas And within a lytell whyle afterwarde he began to laugh with a Ioyous face said Naye But blessed be the tyme that I entred in to the ordre And blyssed be the gloryous moder of Ihesu cryste that I loue and agayne helde his peas The freres the whiche were by hym and herde these wordes wepte and prayed for hym Two houres after he sayd vnto a frere the whiche was by hym / call my bredern For god hathe exalted theyr prayers And he said vnto them whan they were entred My bredren ye were troubled of the fyrste worde I sayd vnto you / but the cause of the worde was for that that the deuylles horryble appered vnto me / the whiche wolde rauysshe my soule And for the drede I was rauysshed out of my selfe cursed the houre that I entred in to relygyon I tell you that yf a grete fyre were here melled with brymstone / and that I had to chose to put me within it or elles to beholde agayne the