nat the man And Paule nat disagreyng froÌ„ his maister sayth that y e kyngdom of god is nat mete drike But in y e choise of meates howe moche more greuous paynful is our burthen thaÌ„ was the iewes for vnto theÌ„ it was lauful to eate euery kynde of fyfsh of al maner foure foted beestes of al maner foules the best most hol somest To vs it is forbydden to ete any maner flesshe at al for a great ê‘te of the yere And coÌ„syder I pray you ho we curious hath ben in this thynge either the custome or els the authorite of our elders At certayn tymes nothige is forbidden but one ly the eatyng of flesshe somtyme it is lauful to eate bothe the oumbles and the satte at another tyme but only the fatte or brewes at another tyme it is not lauful to tast any ê‘te either of foule or els of beest lyuyng on the erthe And here also ryseth ve ry many questions ho we farre the signification of this worde flesshe doth stretch or reche for there be certayne beestes beloÌ„gyng to y e see nat vnlyke to the beestes lyueng on the erthe as Porpasses seales dogges and certayn lyueth both on y e lande and iÌ„ the water somtyme in the one and somtyme in the other as castor an otter Moreouer they dispute about cocles snayles frogges whe ther they be flesshe or nat Agayne some dayes it is ê‘mytted vnlauful to eate egges butter chese mylke Another tyme butter mylke chese but nat egges There be certayn dayes in whiche it is nat lauful to touche any of these thinges at 〈◊〉 There be some dayes also iÌ„ whi che it is forbydden to eate what so euer hath ones bron lyfe so y e no we it is a great doute whether it be lau ful to eate spoÌ„ges whiche as Aristotel iugeth hath felyng be sensyble creatures ther be some men whiche byndeth them selues to fast to breed water onely Though we do grauÌ„t y t these thynges are nat to be dispysed 〈◊〉 who seeth nat howe colde thynges they are very tryfels if they be coÌ„pared to the precep tes of the gospel whervpon we ought chefely priÌ„cipally to sette oure care thought Moreouer it is to be coÌ„sydred whether to exacte these thinges of al men so straitly so ri gorously dothe agree to the lybertie of the gospel whiche Paule so 〈◊〉 defendeth Nowe lette vs se howe trewe it is euyn in this thin ge also that whiche Paule sayth Bodily exercitation is profitable but for lytel good lyueng or in warde holynesse is profitable to al thiÌ„ges No dayes hath the cokes more busynesse labour in the kechyns than on the fysshe dayes neither at any tyme is there more ordynaunce or greatter coste made to fare wel So it is brought to passe that the poore men be huÌ„gry the rich men lyueth more desycately Who had nat leauer eate Sturgion trout or lamprey thaÌ„ bacon hardened with smoke or tough mutton And among these thynges also which are nat flesshe there be many thynges whiche are more norisshynge than befe or mutton as whelkes coccles and other thynges many ye prouoketh styreth more to lust of flesshely pleasure And a maÌ„ 〈◊〉 fynde certayn thinges that doth y e same euyn amoÌ„g herbes frutes of trees also What auayleth it to abstayne from mutton if thou 〈◊〉 thy bely with rocket dates fygges 〈◊〉 musshernes artickchouhges such other thynges which kyndleth the genitales more with waÌ„ton lust than hennes or pullettes Sucket maketh the body more stronge lusty than befe dothe yet non of all these thynges is forbydden By this meanes it is brought to passe that they whiche be poore of smal substauÌ„ce be greued payned with suche coÌ„stitutions whaÌ„ they haue leste nede the riche men through occasyon are called prouoked to more pleasures deyntie fare Some meÌ„ wys saye This is caused through our own faute I grauÌ„t And ther fore parauenture ought suche thynges to be taken awaye whan we pceyue more hurt thaÌ„ good to growe of them And it semeth nat very mo the more frute to come of fastynge for they which be poore or weake of body are fore greued with long fastyng On y e othersyde they whiche be stronge haue wher with vitayleth them selues fylleth their bely with that whiche were suffycieÌ„t for thre dayes so that after dyner they are mete for nothynge but onely to slepe And yet fastynge is ordeyned to be vsed for this cause most chesely that the spirite shulde be the lesse coÌ„bred or holde down with y e weight or burden of the body What nedeth it here to reherse diuers diseases and sicknesses y e weaknesse of olde men and yonge chyldren pouertie the certayn peculyar nature complection of bodies so that to some men the fasting of a sewe houres is deth ye whan they be hole to some al maner fysshe is as a Scorpion or a snake or any venomous beest is to other Moreouer in such countreys where is gret scarcenesse or lacke of fyssh to forbydde y e eatyng of flessh What other thyng is it than to com mauÌ„de the people to famysshe them selues In so great dyuersyte inequalite than of regions of bodyes of coÌ„plexions of ages It appereth euideÌ„tly ynough how many be gre ued with the lawe whiche as they wene is equale indifferent to all men There be some bodies whiche wyll be in good plyte ye ranke wanton though they were fedde 〈◊〉 hay Agayne some there be whiche scarsly are kept a lyue though they be fcdde with partriches fesauÌ„tes If the decree dyd coÌ„maunde that in these fastynge dayes the riche men shulde vse teÌ„peraunce measure in their fare that whiche they withdrawe froÌ„ their own tables of their wont fare to be sent to poore folke for their refresshynge than shulde there be made equalyte the coÌ„stytution shulde fauoure somwhat of Christes gospel Nowe is that fulfylled and done eueriwhere whiche Paule sayd One is hungry ano ther is dronken or to ful The chauÌ„ge of meates is apleasure to y e riche men a remedy agaynst lothsomnesse or gluttyng neither at any tyme do they fare better and fede more dayntilye than whan they abstayn from they eatyng of flesshe But in the meane season the pore husbande man gnawynge on a rawe pasnyp rote or on a leke for lacke of other sole or cates eateth ther with blacke breed of the coursest sorte that can or may be made And in stede of the meth bragot or ypocras of y e riche men he 〈◊〉 sower whay or water of the podle hauyng moche a do in the meane season to susteyne his wyfe his chyldren the resydue of his housholde meyny with coÌ„tynual swette labour Fynally the ma ners of men is come to that poynte nowe a dayes that these thiÌ„ges greueth theÌ„ onely for whose cause they were nat
he hathe done If he whiche is offended or hurte wolde re fuse to obey the bysshop coÌ„maundyng him to remytte the veÌ„geaunce and to be at one agayne w t his neighbour It can not be douted but that for this disobedieÌ„ce he byndeth him selfe to the fyre of hell Why so Bycause this that the bysshop commauÌ„deth he coÌ„mauÌ„deth it accordiÌ„g to the doctryne of the gospel dothe rather offre put to him the coÌ„mauÌ„ dement of Christ than his own coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t But whether the same thyng be done in these thiÌ„ges wherof we nowe do speke let vs coÌ„syder for what so euer I shall say I wyll speke it nat as one affyrmyng but as one inquiryng serchynge out y t truthe afore y t a bysshop both most vertuous euyn so most exellently lerned This is of suretie that the most parte of these thynges wherof we do nowe speke came iÌ„ fyrst and were brought vp by custom Nowe whom custome dothe bynde and in 〈◊〉 thiÌ„ges howe forforth whaÌ„ and howe longe it where somwhat to long here to discusse Fyrste of al this thynge me semeth might be proued by reason that a custom bideth no man more straitly thaÌ„ their mynde wyl was whiche were the begynners fyrst bryngers vp of y e custom Let be excepted in y e meane season y e hurtyng of other mens coÌ„science contempte or dispisynge It is to be beleued that they whiche fyrst of their owne free wylles layd downe their substauÌ„ce riches at y e seete of the apostels dyd it for that purpose that who so euer wold nat do 〈◊〉 shulde be bouÌ„de to euer lastynge payne Or that they whiche fyrst began to abstayn from the eatyng of flesshe wolde be the begiÌ„ners of this custome with y e mynde and wil that who so euer afterwar de wolde nat do the same shulde be bouÌ„de to euerlastyng deth Nay I wene rather y t suche was their mide and suche their coÌ„munication that if they had sene any maÌ„ beyng wea ke feble in body whiche prouoked by their exaÌ„ple wold haue enforced to do the same they wolde haue mo nysshed and couÌ„seyled hym by these wordes Trewly beloued brother I whiche haue a body rebellious to the spirite nat without cause do cha stice punysshe my flesshe with fastes Thou hast a body both weake febly also obedyent ynough to the spirite whose weaknesse is to be cured rather than wantoÌ„nesse to be kepte vnder punysshed Wherfore prouyde se for the helth of thy body takyng suche meates mesura bly with gyueng thaÌ„ges to god whiche are mete for the that thy body may y e more lustely coragiously do seruyce to his spirite After su che facyon doth Paule couÌ„sayle his welbeloued Timothe that he shuld vse a lytel wyne for the weaknesse of his stomake often sickenesse diseases Nowe whether custome coÌ„trary to the wyl myndes of theÌ„ which haue ben the begynners of 〈◊〉 dothe bynde to ony synne lykewise as whan any maÌ„ monyssheth another of his mysdede although he do it nat for thentent that he whiche is monysshed shulde synne more greuously yet he whiche monysshed of his synne doth nat repent ameÌ„de synneth more greuously thaÌ„ he dyd before it is nat mete tyme nowe to discusse This onely is to be consy dred whether in these thynges whiche beynge of them selfe lauful are made vnlauful onely by the coÌ„stytution of man it was the mynde wyl of the bysshops popes whan they dyd coÌ„fyrme the custome receyued vsed that who so euer nat of any malycious coÌ„tempte but thorough frayltie negligence dyd nat obserue kepte the custom shuld be bouÌ„de to y e fyre of hel god is nat so cruel or veÌ„geable y e for euery lyght faute he wyl caste them in to helle whom he hath redemed w t his own blode He knoweth the weaknesse fraylte of his creature he suffreth many thynges in vs afore that he wyllcutte vs awaye from the body of his own sonne But who so euer coÌ„mytteth a deedly synne of the meÌ„ bre of Christ is made the meÌ„bre of the deuyl of the heyre of heueÌ„ly lyfe is made y t heyre of euerlastyng fyre Seynge than that the bysshops are succeded in to the roume of him whi che secheth to haue all men saued to distroy no man and if they bere fatherly affection towarde their flo cke coÌ„sydering also that their selues are men frayle weake in many thynges nedyng the mercy of god Howe is it lykely to be trewe that they were of this mynde that they wolde with their coÌ„stitutions made by them whiche are nought els but men bynde their brethern sonnes to euerlastyng payne namely seiÌ„g they may knowe euyn by their own myndes that the myndes of men be prone redy to synne ye oftenty mes are wonte to be styred prouoked to lust of synnyng so moche the more bycause they are forbydden Temporal laye princes whiche beareth a swerde by their office and whiche with feare punysshmeÌ„tes by their professyon holdeth the people backe from roÌ„nyng to moche at large yet wolde they nat although they myght the lawes whiche they ordayn make to be rigorus that the transgressour breaker of them shulde forth with lese his heed And yet can they kylle nothyng els but the body onely And do the bysshopes whose parte is to saue meÌ„ with the swerde of the worde of god for a lytes meate or drinke whiche Crist hath gyuen vs lyberte to take requere that the breker of their constitution shulde go bothe body soule in to y t fyre of hesle namely seynge that it lyeth in their power nat to cast on this boÌ„de or snare nor to bring men in to this great paryl icopardy Moreouer y e bondes of the EuaÌ„ gelical charite is greter than y e bon des of kynred the bondes of y e spi rite than the boÌ„des of the flesshe the bondes of god than of nature But what carnal father was there euer so cruel agaynst his sonnes y e is he had forbydden them y e driÌ„kyng of wyne lest at any tyme y e driÌ„kyng vnmesurably might cast them selues in to a feuer he wolde requyre that this his forbyddynge shulde be of so great streÌ„gth that if they dyd nat obey it they shulde suffre dethe namely seyng that they might driÌ„ke wyne safely ynough without any hurte so they drinke it mesurably No doute of it he wolde forbeare and refrayne from gyueng any suche coÌ„mauÌ„dement if he knewe that his sonnes shulde be in dauÌ„ger of so great paryl he had leuer that they shulde sal in to some feuer than to ronne in to ieoê‘dy of theyr lyfe Be sydes this I do nat suppose y e there is any man but he wyl graunt that the lawes of god which he him selfe made ordayned are more to be re graded set by than y e lawes made by
many men nat able to paye satisfye them And those poetes and wyse men of y e olde tyme feared the vnlerned multitude nat able to be handled ruled with the reasons of philosophy away from yuel doyng with the lyghtnyng of Jupiter takyng veÌ„geauÌ„ce vpon malefacters with the saynynges of y e furies the punysshers of great synnes of KadamaÌ„thus iuge in helle of other terrible dredeful paynes turmeÌ„tes whiche the foules of yuel men shulde suffre there after this lyfe Though we do grauÌ„t to y e laye priÌ„ces somwhat of suche maner fay nyng yet I do nat thynke that it is to be receyued in the bysshops whiche professeth the doctryn of y e truth of the gospel But who so euer coÌ„mauÌ„deth or maketh a lawe casteth on an halter or snare to bynde men but who so euer exhorteth dothe so cal men to the better thynges that he do nat take froÌ„ them their liberte ParaueÌ„ture some man wyl say an exhortation is to weake a thyng and of to smal strength it is nedeful to coÌ„mauÌ„de make lawes for the sturdy vnruly persons Me se meth the coÌ„trary OfteÌ„tymes more is obtayned gotten with fatherly exhortation than with tyraÌ„nycal cruel exaction Let this be counted a lye yf we do nat fynde it trewe by dayly experieÌ„ce in our wyues chil dren except Roboam to his great hurte myschefe hath taught it to be trewe whiche had yuel chaunce lucke of folowyng the cruel thret nyng counsayle of his yonge coÌ„panyoÌ„s If the people shal se one whi che is a very preest or bysshop iÌ„ dede his exhortation shalbe of 〈◊〉 strength But if open wicked 〈◊〉 corrupt vnclene maners grose ig noraÌ„ce insactable couetusnes barbarical crudelyte shal haue 〈◊〉 hym vtterly out of fauour with the people what shal it auayle or profyte to coÌ„mauÌ„de to make coÌ„stitutions They whiche wyl nat obey shal synne more greuously for cause of their coÌ„tumacy stubbernesse and they whiche shal obey onely for seare shal deserue nothyng at al or els very lytel for asmoch as no maÌ„ sulfylleth the precepte which fulful leth it beyng coÌ„pelled ther vnto by violence ye paraueÌ„ture his ypocrisy doubleth the offence It lyeth than most of al in our owne selues that oure exhortation be it neuer so gentel louyng may be of authorite regarded amonge the people Therfore they do very wel whiche prouydeth that the authorite of the prelates may be saued but they pro uyde very yuel for it which wyl ha ue it to be saued mayntayned hose non other wise thaÌ„ w t threttes feare But in y e meane season it is rizt and accordyng that some prouision be made to saue the lyberte of y e slocke as moche as equite requereth for it also hath a certayne authorite belongyng to it selfe that no small or lyght authorite Doth nat custoÌ„e 〈◊〉 disanul a lawe in so mo che that a lawe is nat worthy to be called a lawe except it be approued by the consente of the people whiche grudgeth nat to vse it What thing hath disanulled made of no strenght so many coÌ„stitutions made in the last couÌ„sayle called Consilium lateraneÌ„s which began vnder pope July the seconde was fynisshed ended vnder pope Leo the tenth ☞ Was it not the custome vsage of the people which were neuer mided to obey the coÌ„stitutioÌ„s decrees whiche were made in that couÌ„sayse Doutlesse such is y e voice of the peo ple whiche same also is called y e voi ce of god such is the authorite of the fre multytude a regarde respecte of the which is mete to be had as of tentymes as it goth nat a wry from the rule of vertue holynesse Wher fore he shal gyue good counsayle who so euer wyl so moderate order his couÌ„saile that both partes be prouyded for indiffereÌ„tly Nowe as coÌ„cernyng the offendyng of our neighbours coÌ„science howe moche it is to be regarded let vs consyder in fewe wordes ☞ Our capitayn and mayster Jesu Christ somtyme regardeth y e offendyng of other meÌ„ and applyed him selfe to auoyde the same Agayn at another tyme here garded it nat that y e phariseis were offended He wolde be born of a ma ried woman he was circumcised he obserued the ceremonyes apoynted and coÌ„maunded in the lawe he dyd faste lest any thyng might haue be layde agaynst hym wherin it mizt appere of lyklyhode that he had don wickedly or coÌ„trary to iustice But he dyd nat cesse to preche his father he dyd nat cesse to teche the heuenly philosophy he cessed nat to do good to al meÌ„ he feared not to heale men on the sabbot day though the phari seis were greued with these thinges he gaue occasyon to Herode also to be offended to whom he wold make non answere therfore Herode dispised him And in a certayne place whan he was warned tolde that the phariseis were offended What answere made he Let them alone saith he they are blynde gydes of the blynde Accordyng to his enfaÌ„ple the apostels also in many thynges applyed themselues to the infir myte weaknesse of the iewes feste any thynge myght haue hyndred or letted the course goynge forwarde of the gospel But yet dyd they nat in al thynges nor at al tymes auoy de the offendyng of al men for the iewes coulde nat with any cryenge out of them cause them to coÌ„pel the gentyls to be circuÌ„cised This thing onely they dyd for a season hauing respecte to the inuyncyble ê‘tynacy fro wardnesse of the iewes y t they coÌ„mauÌ„ded the gentyles to abstayne from fornycation from the blode and from the beest which was suffo cated from the flesshe which was offred in sacrifyce to ydols Paule dyd shaue of the heer of his heed he vsed the maner ceremonys of the iewes in the feestes called the Nudi pedales he dyd purifye him selfe among other in the temple to theÌ„tent that he mought mytigate pacifye the mynde of certayn persons whi che were redy to haue reysed vp sedi tion stryfe But although he dyd these thynges yet where so euer he mought 〈◊〉 he spake agaynst them he coÌ„fesseth knowlegeth that it is sauful to eate al maner meates but a chauÌ„ce salleth other whyles that it is nat expedient to vse this lyberte He 〈◊〉 to vs the syberte of the gospel but charite whiche measureth al thynges by the profyte of the neighbour other whiles wyllyngly forgoth of her ryght and lyberte but nat vtterly in euery thyng neither coÌ„tynually at al 〈◊〉 but in the meane season striueth to her power agaynst the infyr mite weaknesse of them which vn discrete are offended without cause and for thynges of smal value vn tyl that they also do profyte grow vp to suche strength of spirite that they be no loÌ„ger offended with those thinges which of their
own nature are neither good nor yuel Paule as concernynge the vse of meates other whyles among the iewes was made as a iewe to thende y t he myzt wynne the iewes to Christ. Agayne among the geÌ„tyles he became a gen tile to wyn them also But it shulde be an vnsemely thing against rea son if any man no we a dayes also wolde lykewise amoÌ„g the iewes become a iewe abstaynyng from the meates whiche are forbydden nat lauful to be eaten among them 〈◊〉 he myght ronnein to the hatered of the iewes Ye moreouer Paule rebu keth Peter by canse that whan the doctryne of Christ was so publysshed and sprede abrode that it was mete accordynge for the iewes beyng taugh monisshed to haue forsaken caste away their superstitious weaknesse yet he lest he shuld haue offended the iewes dyde withdrawe him selfe from the company of the gentyles and wolde nat eate with them and so auoydyng to offende the iewes he fell in to a more greuous offendyng of the gentiles That tyme was as aman wolde say the infancy and fyrst age of the gospel And the relygion of y e lawe which they had lerned and receyued of their forefathers whiche also was confyrmed by long vsage and custom was so faste grounded and roted inwardly in y e myndes of the iewes that this affection for a season was to be pardoned to be suf fred in them for as moche as it dyd springe and ryse of an honest cause and coulde nat sodainly be agayne 〈◊〉 out of the myndes os men Moreouer of this offendyng great ieopardy shulde haue folowed ☞ The nation of the iewes which toughly cleued to the custome vsed of their forefathers was tourned to the hatered of the gospel The gentyles so hated and abhorred the bur thayn of Moyses lawe that many of them coulde fynde in their hertes rather to haue renouÌ„ced Christe agayne than to receyue the ceremonyes lawe of y e iewes And whan nothyng is more abhomynable thaÌ„ idolatry yet he that dydeate of the flesshe whiche was offred in sacryfyce to an idole at that tyme gaue a sykely occasyon to be suspected as though he dyd fauour and agree to the suê‘stition of them with whom he dyd eate And yet cryeth Paule euen in this also y e lawe to be abro gated and of no strength he cryeth that an ydole is nothynge that the flesshe offred to an idole is nothyng els but as other flesshe is he rebuketh that man who so euer wyttiÌ„gly offendeth his brother with his eatyng But agayne he chydeth hym whiche iugeth another maÌ„nes conscience in meate or drynke whiche speketh yuel of his brother for the meate sake for the which he gyueth thankes to the goodnesse lyberalyte of the lorde which hath created and made al thynges to the behoue and vse of men He scorneth the folysshe wysedome of them whiche as though they had taught a certayne great thyng dyd saye Touch nat taste nat handyl nat As the superstitious choyse of meates which the iewes vsed by the couÌ„sayle authorite of Paule hath begon to 〈◊〉 dispi sed after that y e gospel is nowe suffyciently publysshed openly knowen So of lykelyhode it semeth y t the meate offred to an ydole is to be dispysed seyng that it is nowe suffyciently knowen that christen men may with pure and clene conscience eate al maner of meates accordyng to the necessyte of the body gyueng thankes to him whiche hath ordayned and prouyded al thynges y t are in this worlde for his worshippers Whan he him selse is lorde of al thin ges and whiche wolde nothyng to be impure or vnclene to those persons whyche be pure and clene Wherfore to conclude seyng that the lauful cause to be offended cesseth Seyng also that the kyngdom of god is neither meate ne drinke seyng that the abstaynyng from certayne meates prouoketh the moste parte of ryche men to superfluyte delycate fare dothe cruelly greue and payn the poore men It is to be consydred and loked on whether we ought to stryue so greatly as we do for suche maner constitutions In that tyme wherof we spake before the apostels for a season dyd that thing which they thought most expedient for the fortherauÌ„ce of the gospel which than was yonge and newe begon Somwhat they applyed them selues to the affectioÌ„s of men remaynynge of the maner of lyueng whiche they had vsed aforetyme And that they so dyd it was but for a season of charite and not of right or necessyte and they dyde nat so in al thinges nor at al tymes neither yet without spekyng agaiÌ„nst suche infyrmite as we haue sayde before But no we adayes how for tuneth it that occasyon to be offeÌ„ded is takenne of suche thynges the vse wherof is nat forbydden by the gos pel but rather y e forbidders of them are condempned by the writynge of Paule the apostel Forbyddynge sayth he the meates whiche god hath created to be eaten and sorbyd dyng to mary or wedde Finally howe farforthe semeth the greuyng or offending of our neighbour to be auoyded Paule dyd forbeare and abstayne from y e flesshe which was offred to an idole but nat except he had ben warned afore that it was sacrifyced to ydoles But the same Paule dyde eate all maner meates askyng no question for hurtyng another mannes conscience And yet in this thynge wherof we do nowe speke the offendyng of other meÌ„nes conscieÌ„ce myght be auoyded without any great grefe or incoÌ„modite for he that for a season dyd refrayn from flesshe offred to an ydole had other flesshe at hande which he mizt 〈◊〉 If any man dyd 〈◊〉 froÌ„ builes flesshe whiche was offred to Neptunus he myght eate partrych or capon whiche was nat offred to any false god and yet dyd they nat so moche as abstayne from flesshe which was offred to idoles but one ly whan they sawe occasion Some man abstayned from swynes flessh and dyd eate a plouer But nowe a dayes whan for y e most parte of the hole yere the eatynge of al maner flesshe is forbydden thynkest thou it right or reason that I for y e weak nesse and superstityousnesse of this man or that shulde stande in ieoê‘dy of my helth and of my lyfe seing that by this tyme all christen men ought to haue ben taught that they shulde nat iuge their neyghbour by suche maner thynges But if it seme to be that chusten charite so mo che ought to apply it selfe to y e weke nesse of vnlerned or superstycyous persones that to auoyde the offendyng of them we wolde haue hym whiche is stronge in conscyence to ronne in to ieopardy of his helth or of his lyfe Why do we nat y t same in those thynges wherin is iust and manyfest occasyon of offendyng other men There be prelates of y e church whiche whan they haue yere ly rentes and possessyons so great that they maye compare in rychesse with any kynges yet neyther they