pourchace and do so moche by deceyte fraude / that the ylke thynge that is weyed semeth to be more of weyghte thā it is The fourth manere for too synne in marchaundyse is to selle the derrer for the terme / herof we haue spoken tofore ¶ The fyfthe is to selle otherwyse than that mustre is and worse / lyke as these scryueners wrytars done that at the begynnynge shewe and wryte good letter / and after make werse and shende all ¶ The .vi. is in hydynge and concelynge the trouthe of the thynge that is solde / and so do these brokers and coorsers of hors The seuenth is to make pourchace that the ware or thynge that is solde seme moche better than it is / lyke as done the merciers and drapers that chesen and make the places derke where as they selle theyr clothe ware And in many other maners may men synne in marchandyse but it sholde be ouerlonge to saye here ¶ The nynthe braunche of auaryce Ca. .lxiii. THe .ix braunche of auaryce is in many mysteres or craftes In this synneth moche peple and in many maners lyke as done these commyn women / whiche for lytel wynnynge abandone and gyue them self al to synne Also these hazardours / bawdes kepars of forboden games many other whiche for temporell prouffyte abandone theym too dyshoneste vnthryfty craftes / whiche may not be done without synne as well of them that do it as they that susteyne it ¶ The .x. braunche of auaryce is in euyll playes and games / as the dyse at cardes tables or what someuer games that men play at for money or for gayne temporelle Suche maner playes in especyall of dyse and tables ben deffended and for boden by the decrees and lawe for many perylles that comen therof The fyrst is couetyse / the seconde ouer grete vsure as .xii. for .vi. and not at a moneth or thre dayes / The thyrde synne to multeplye lesynges vayne wordes / and that werse is grete blasphemyes of god and of his sayntes The angre and wrath that oftymes hath be taken too correcte and chastyse the other For somtyme theyr vysage hath be torned bacward behynde Somtyme sōme haue loste theyr eyen Somme theyr speche ¶ There was a knyght that sware by the eyen of god / anone the eyen of his heede sprange oute and fyll vpon the eschequer ¶ There was also an archer by cause he had all loste at playe / in despyte he drewe his bowe and shotte vp towarde god on hye / and on the morne whan he was sette ageyne at his play / the arowe fyll doune vpon the eschequyer all blody of blood and threste oute his eyen ¶ The fourth is euyl example that they whiche playe gyuen to other that beholde the playe ¶ The fyfthe is to lese the tyme whiche ought too be employed in good werkys many other wyse ¶ One thynge ought not to be forgeten / that is that he that wynneth at suche games may not / ne ought not in ony manere to reteyne his gayne / but he ought to gyue it all for goddes sake / but yf it were in suche manere that he played for another / or by deceyte or by force lyke as doeth he that maketh another to playe with hym by force In this manere he ought to rendre it to hym that hath loste In lyke wyse I saye of that whiche is wonne at tournoys These been the braūches of auaryce / there bē ynough of other but they appertayne more to clarkys than to laye men / and this book is made more for the laye men than for clerkys that knowe the scryptures ¶ One thynge ought ye too knowe that the auarycious man hath a deuyll to whome he serueth / whiche is called in the gospell māmona / and that deuyll maketh to his seruaunte syx commaundementes The fyrst is to kepe well that he hath / the seconde that in no wyse he mynysshe it The thyrde is that he encreace it alwaye be it daye or nyght / the fourth that he gyue noo thynge ne do almesse for goddes sake / ne curtosye to ony other The fyfthe that he ne lene ne gyue to the poore nedy ony thynge / ne put not in peryll Ieoparde that whiche he hath in his possessyon The .vi. that he refrayne hym self and restrayne his meyne fro mete and drynke for to spare his good ¶ Of the synne of lecherye whiche is loue dysordynatly .xlvii. THe .vi. heed of the beest of hell is lecherye / the whiche is outragyous loue and dysordynate in flesshely delytes Of this synne the deuyll deceyueth a mā in .vi. maners Lyke as sayth saynt Gregory Fyrst in folysshe false beholdynges After in folysshe and leude talkynges and wordes After in false touchynges After in false kyssynges After cometh the dede For fro folysshe beholdynge comynycacōn cometh speche / fro speche to touchȳge / fro touchynge to kyssynge / and fro kyssynge to the dede Thus subtylly bryngeth the deuyll that one to the other Fyrst this synne is deuyded in two maners For there is lechery of herte / and lecherye of body Lecherye of herte hath foure degrees For the spyryte of fornycacyon whiche is the fyre of lechery enbraceth the hert / and maketh fyrst to come the thoughtes / the fygures and the Imagynacyon of synne in the herte / and in consentynges / after the herte delyteth hym in folysshe thoughtes / and yet he delyteth how well that yet he wyll not do the dede / in his thought he abydeth / and this delyte is the seconde degree / whiche may be a deedly synne / so grete may the delyte be The thyrde degre is the consentȳge of the herte of reason and of wyll / and these consentynges concluded ben deedly synne in caas that the deed by dedly synne after the consentynge cometh the desyere / and grete brennynge of the flesshe that they haue to this synne / and do ne many synnes in the day in seynge the ladyes and the damoyselles rychely and fresshely apparayled / whiche ofte dysguyse and araye theym proudly for to make the foles and musardes to muse and beholde theym certes they synne moche greuously / for by theyr coueytyse / by theyr pryde by theyr cause peryssheth many soules / moche peple put to deth and to synne For thus as sayth the prouerbe / dame dator is the arblast to the tour For she hath not a membre in hyr body but it is a grynne of the deuyll As salamon sayth / wherof must be gyuen acomptes at the daye of Iugement of the soules whiche by thoccasyon and cause of them be dampned That is to vnderstonde whan they by occasyon and cause other to synne by theyr entysynge and labour Lecherye of the body is departed in to the lecherye of the eyen of the eerys of the mouth / of the handes / and of all the fyue wyttes of the body / and in especyall of
that he the lyueth by physyke deyeth ¶ They that lyuen after honeste they kepe and holde the mesure of rayson / lyuen honourably in the worlde For they eren in tyme and houre And taken in gree and at worth that whiche they haue curioyslye clenly and gladlye They that lyue after that theyr synne requyreth kepe suche mesure as is charged to theym in penaunce They that lyue after the spyryte ben they that for the loue of god rule and gouerne them self lyke as the holy goost ensygneth and techeth theym to holde and kepe mesure reason ordre They haue the lordshyp and seygnorye ouer theyr body whiche is so dysciplyned and endoctryned by penaunce and so wel chaâ—â—ysed that he demaundeth none ouâ—trage and doeth that whiche the spyryte commaundeth and withoute contradyction Now mayst thou see by that whiche we haue here sayd that the deuyll hath many engynes for to take the peple by theyr throtes and by theyr â—â—…tony For fyrst he sheweth to theym the wynes and the 〈◊〉 whiche ben fayre and delyeyouses / lyke as he dyd to Eue the apple / and yf it be not worthe he sayth to hyÌ„ 〈◊〉 drynke lyke as dyd suche one / thou must nedes 〈…〉 companye wylte thou that men mocke and scorne 〈…〉 wylte thou ben holden a popelarde Or he sayth 〈…〉 thou must nedys kepe the helthe of thy body / who hath 〈…〉 hath no thynge Be not an homycyde of thy self Thou owest to thy body his sustenauÌ„ce Or he sayth to 〈…〉 otherwyse Beholde and consydere the good that thou dooste / what thou mayst do Thou etest not for the delytes of the body / but for to serue god Thou oughtest to kepe thy strength to god lyke as dauyd the prophete sayth Of these reasons abouesayd be somtyme attayned deceyued the moost wyse men The thyrde brauÌ„che of this vyce is to renne take ouer gredely the mete / lyke as the dogge dothe the carayne / how moche greter is the gredenes so moche greter is the synne For lyke as it is not synne to haue the rychesses Iustly goten truely but not ouer moche to loue theÌ„ / ne to vse them euyll / ryght soo it is not syÌ„ne to ete But that it be not ouer gredely ne ouer disordynatly All maner metes ben good vnto good people to them that by reason / by measure vseth theym without ony excesse without outrage / and alway we ought too prayse god rendre thankynges to god of his goodnes of his gyftes / by the swetenes of the meet we ought to thynke on the swetnes of god / of that celestyall / swete mete of glory pardurable whiche fylleth accomplyssheth the desyre of the herte Therfore men rede in houses of relygyon at mete by cause that whan the body taketh his refeccyon on that one parte / that the soule sholde take his spyrytuall mete refeccyon on that other parte The .iiii. braunche of this synne of glotony is of them the ouer nobly wyll ete drynke / whiche dyspende waste that wherof an C. poore men myght be well fed Suche people syÌ„ne dyuersly Fyrst in grete despences that they make After in that / that they vse ouer grete gredynes delyte than vayne glory that they haue But this is not onely thexces of the throte / but it is for pryde / for the praysynge of the world that they seke soo dere metes multyply soo many meases wherof oft tymes growe many syÌ„nes The .v. brauÌ„che of glotony is the curyosyte of glotons / that thynke on none other thynge but for to delyte theym in metes / they ben ê“prelye lycherous whiche seche not sauf onely the delytes of theyr throte mouth In .iii. thynges namely lyeth the synne of suche people Fyrst in the grete charge that they haue in pourchasynge and in arayenge theyr metes After in the glorye and in the grete playsyr that they haue in seynge and beholdynge theym / and that they may recounte what dylygence they put to that / that the metes ben well arayed / and that eueryche haue his ryght propre sawce / how they may of one thynge make dyuers messes dysguysed for the delycyousnesse of the mouthe / and whan the messys or the metes comen in one after another / thenne be sayd the bourdes for entremesses and thus goeth the tyme / and the caytyss forgete theym self and reason slepeth and thynketh no thynge of the deth / ne on the synnes that they do / theyr stomacke cryeth and sayth Dame throte ye slee me I am soo full that I am lyke to breke Thenne the lychorous tongue answereth though thou sholdest to brest I shal not suffre this lycorous mete escape me / after the lycorousnes of meete cometh vaynglorye that is to remeÌ„bre it Thenne desyre wysshe they that they had as longe a necke as a crane / as grete a bely as a cowe that they myght yet deuoure and swalowe more mete Now hast thou herde the synnes that comen of glotonye and of lycourousnesse / and by cause that these synnes sourden and comen ofte in the tauerne whiche is fouÌ„tayne of synne Therfore I wyll a lytell touche the synnes that ben made and done in the tauerne The tauerne is the scole of the deuyll where as his dyscyples studye / and his propre chapel where as his seruyce is done / and that is the place where he sheweth doeth his myracles bothe daye and nyght / suche as appertey-come to shewe his vertues to make his myracles lyke as ye may se in many places / the blynde for to se / the lame and croked to be redressed / to madde men theyr wyt to dombe men speche / and to deefe men theyr herynge But the deuyll in the tauerne dooth all the contrary / for the tauerne is his chapel / as is aforesayd where men doth to hym seruyce / for whan the man gooth to the tauerne he gooth all ryght / and whan he retorneth he hath neyther fote ne hande / by whiche he may hymselfe bere ne sustayne And whan he gooth thyder he speketh well / hereth vnderstandeth / and whan he retorneth he hath loste all this / lyke as he that hath neyther wytte ne reason ne memorye in hym selfe Suche ben the myracles that the deuyll maketh in the tauerne / and what lesson is sayd in the tauerne I shall saye to you There is redde / lerned / herde and seen all fylthe and ordure of synne / that is to wete / glotonye / lechery / swerynge / forswerynge / lyenge / myssaynge / renyenge god his saynces / mysherkenynge / brawlynge and many other syÌ„nes Thenne sourdeth and cometh stryues / homycydes / or manslaughter / there is lerned to steele / to hange / the tauerne is a fosse pytte of theues / and also it is the fortresse of the deuyll for to warre ayenst god and his sayntes /
worlde but they were not parfytely purged Now make they the remenaūte of theyr penaunce vnto they be clere and nette / lyke as they were at the tyme houre whan they were baptised / but this penaunce is moche horryble and harde / for all the payne that women euer suffred in trauayllynge delyuerynge of theyr thyldren / and also saynt bartylmewe suffryd to beflayne all quycke saynt stephen to be stoned with stones / saynt laurente saynt vyncent to be brente rosted vpon brennynge cooles All these martyrdoms and tormentes ne ben not but as a bayne in colde water after the wytnesse of scrypture to the regarde of tormentes of purgatorye where as the sowles brenne vntyll they be purged of all theyr synnes / lyke as golde syluer be purged fyned in the fyre / tyll no more be founde to be purged For this fyre of purgatorye is of suche nature / that all that they fynde in the soule is it of dede of worde and of thought that hath torned to ony synne lytell or grete / all is there brente and purged And also there ben punysshed and purged al the synnes venyal / whiche we calle lytel synnes whiche we ofte do Lyke as foule thoughtes / ydle wordes Iapes trufes lyes and all other vanytees so longe tyll the soule haue no more to be purged of / and that she be so clene so pure so nette and so worthy that she be sayntefyed for to entre in to heuen / where as none may entre but yf he be ryght fyne ryght clene ryght cleer This fyre dreden all they that to theyr power kepe theym fro deedly sȳne / and the kepe holyly theyr body theyrmouth theyr eerys theyr eyen / and all theyr fyue naturell wyttes fro all synnes And also lyuenas they sholde euery daye dye and come tofore the Iugement And by cause that none may lyue all withoute synne / lyke as sayth Salamon For seuen tymes in the daye falleth the ryght wysman And therfore by holy confessyon / by teerys by orysons by almesses other good dedes ought euery man to be relyeued / and putte a way fro synne and a mende his lyfe And to Iuge hym selfe of his sȳnes to the ende that he a byde more suerly the last Iugemente ¶ Also to lerne to knowe euyll / and to fle it and all synne grete and lytell And that he be thenne in the grete drede of god whiche is the begynnynge of all good and of good lyfe ¶ How we ought to lyue holyly lerne to do wel ca lxii NOw it suffyseth not to leue al sinnes and all euylles But that it be lerned too do good / and yf we lerne to gete the vertues / by the whiche we may cast and put a waye the vyces and all sȳnes with out whiche vertues no man may lyue well ne ryghtfully Then yf thou wylte lerne to lyue well after vertu lerne also to dye as I haue a fore sayd to the / deseuer thy spyryte fro thy body by thought and by desyere And go out of this worlde deynge / and go into the londe of lyuȳge where none shal dye ne wexe olde that is in heuen There is lerned to lyue well / and al wysedome and all curtesye For there may entre no vylayne There is the gloryous companye of god and of the gloryous virgyne his moder saynt marye of Angelles and of sayntes There surhabounde all goodes beautees Rychesses honoures strengthe lyghtnes scyence fraunchyse vertues wytte glorye and ioye perdurable There is no poynte of ypocresye ne of trycherye / ne of losengerye / ne of dyscorde / ne of enuye ne hungre ne thryst ne hete ne colde ne euyll ne sorowe ne drede of enemyes But alwaye feestes and ryall espousaylles songe and ioye withoute ende This ioye is so grete / that who that shall haue tasted one onely drop of the moost leste ioye that is there / he sholde be fyred soo entalented in the loue of god that all the ioye of this worlde sholde be vnto hym stenche and tormentes and rychesses dunge / honoures but fylthe vyletees And the desyre for too come thyder shall make hym an hondred thousand tyme more ardauntly to hate synne / and to loue vertues and to do well For loue is more stronge than drede / and then is the lyf fayre and honeste / whan a persone fleeth all euyls synnes And enforceth hym to do al the good that he may / not onely for fere to be dampned but for the desyre of the glorye perdurable and for the loue of god And for the grete clennesse that vertues haue and good lyf / and theym whome the loue of god ledeth / moche hastelyer soner and more ardauntly comen therto / and lasse costeth / than they that serue god for drede The hare renneth and soo doth the greyhounde That one for drede that other by desyre That one fleeth the other chaceth The holy man renneth to god lyke a greyhounde For he hath alwaye his eyen and his desyre too heuen where he seeth the pray that he chaceth / for that he forgeteth the goddes of this worlde / lyke as the gentyll hounde whā he seeth his pray This is the way and the lyfe to the fyue good and true louers of god / to gentyll hertes that so moche loueth vertues and hateth sȳnes / that yf they were certayne / that they ne sholde ne myght knowe the sȳnes / ne that god sholde not auenge them / yet they wolde not deygne to do ne to consent to synne / but al theyr thought and payne of theyr herte is to kepe theym clene from all synnes And to apparayle them that be worthy to se and haue pardurably the glory of heuen / where as herte velanous entached with synne shall neuer entre / ne foole ne felonous ne proude man ¶ Of .iii. maner of spyrytuell goodes Ca. lxiii NOw haue I well shewed to that how one shol lerne to dye lede and vse good and holy lyfe / for to gete vertues so that a man knowe well euedently clennes / and what is synnes / what is almesse what is vertue Also that one knowe well and certaynely / and to Iuge what is euyl / and what is good / what is synne / and to can deuyse the veray good the grete good fro the lytell For a thynge not knowen is neyther hated ne desyred / therfore oughtest thou to knowe that the scryptures sayth that there ben some small thynges that be called the lytell good / and some the myddle good And some the grete good / and some veray good that is ryghtful to al the worlde is somtyme deceyued For they gyue the grete godes for the lytel / or the grete for the myddle For this worlde is as a fayre / where as be many folysshe marchaūtes / and fooles / that bye glasse for saphyres / and brasse for golde / bladders for lanternes
that / the soule is deed For lyke as the body is deed withoute the soule So is the soule deed without the grace of god It is called vertue by cause it adourneth the soule with good werkes with good maners / it is called charyte bycause it Ioyneth the soule to god / also dooth all thynge as it were with god For charyte is nothynge elys but a dere vnyte / That is the perfeccyon and the beneurte to whiche we ought to entende Moche were deceyued the auncyente phylosophers that so curyously dysputeden enquyreden who was the souerayne good in this lyfe / and neuer coude they fynde ne knowe it / For some sette theyr stuyde and theyr wytin delytes of the body The other in rychessys the other in honeste but the grete phylosopher saynte Poule whiche was rauysshed vnto the thyrde heuen / and passed all the other phylosophers techeth vs by many reasons that the souerayne good in this lyfe and that the quene of vertues is for to loue god and to haue veray charyte in hym selfe For with out this good ne aualen all the other goodes ryght nought And who that hath this good of charyte he hathe all other goodes / and whan all other goodes shall fayle / this good shall not fayle and aboue all the grete goodes that ben this charyte is lady And thenne the gretest good the whiche is vnder heuen Is charyte And also after by cause that thou wylte and desyerest this good the whiche by ryght is called vertue / and that thou desyerest to loue it moost / and to seche it aboue all other goodes And I wyll yet shewe vnto the his valure it is acustomed for to deuyle thre maner of goodes in the worlde / that is to wyte goodes honourable godes delectable goodes prouffytable There be no mo goodes ne veray ne good ne fayre but these thre maners / and this seest thou openly of the worlde that none desyreth ne loueth ony thynge but that he wene that it be honourable or delectable or prouffytable The proude secheth thȳge honourable The couetous man seketh thynges prouffytable The delycious secheth thynges delectable And whan they sechen this thynge vaynlye Euery man ought to knowe that vertues haue these thre propretees For vertue is moche honourable and delectable and prouffytable ¶ What vertues been goodes honourable Ca. .lxvii. ALl vertues ben goodes honourable / this mayst thou see in this manere Syxe thynges been in this worlde moche desyred by cause that they seme moche honourable / that is to wyte beaulte wytte prowesse power fraunchyse and noblesse These ben .vi. fountaynes of vanyte Of vayne glorye cometh and sourdeth a plante Beaute is a thynge moche loued For it is a thȳge moche honourable / and neuerthelesse beaute that the eyen and the body se and loue / is a thynge fals couerte and vayne It is fals for he or she is noo thynge fayre But our eyen ben vayne and feble that see noo thynge but the skȳne wtoutforth Thenne who myght see as clere as a beest that is called a lynx whiche seth thorughe oute a walle he sholde clerely see that a fayre body nys but a whyte sacke ful of stynkynge dunge / lyke a dunghylle couerd with snowe or with grene grasse ¶ Also I saye to that the this beaulte is moche shorte not abydynge For it is sone faylled and anone passed as a fume or a smoke and as the flour of the felde or of the medowe Anone as the soule departeth fro the body / fayre well all the beaulte is faylled and gone Thenne the beaute that the body hath / the soule hath gyuen it too hym And therfore moche fooles ben they that for the beaute of the body gloryfye themselfe But the beaute of the soule is the ryght beaute / whiche alwaye encreaceth and neuer shall fayle This is the veray beaute by whiche the soule pleaseth god to the aungelles that seeth the herte This beaute rendreth gyueth to the soule graces vertues and loue of god For she reformeth reparaylleth and rendreth her ryght enprynte That is the ymage of her maker / which is beaute without cōparyson / and who best resembleth in getynge the vertues / in pluckynge vp and caste from hym all synnes / kepe his cōmaundemētes entyerly he is moost fayre Then the moost fayre thynge that is vnder god / is the soule whiche hath parfytly his ryght four me and his ryght clerete / coloure of floure / clerenes of the sonne / fygure of man / and pleasaūce of precyous stones And all that the eye of the body seeth of beaute is fylthe foule to the regarde of the soule / all that may be thoughte of beaulte may not be cōpared to the soule ¶ Of veray sapyence Ca. lxviii CLere wytte and clergye is a thynge moche honourable / and moche to be praysed But and thou wylte be wyse a ryght and lerne verey clergye / do so that thou haue veray good / that is grace and vertues That is the veray sapyence that enlumyneth the herte of a man / lyke as the sonne enlumyneth all the worlde This wytte passeth sourmounteth all the wytte of the worlde / lyke as the sonne passeth the clerenes of the mone / For the wyt of the worlde is but foly / lyke as the scrypture sayth / and chyldehode wodenes Foly is in them that so moche loueth the worlde and his beaute / and that can not knowe the day fro the nyght Ne Iuge betwene grete and lytell / and bytwene precyous and vyle They wene the mone to be the sonne For they wene that the honoure of the worlde be veraye glorye / and a lytell apple to be a grete mountayne / for they wene that the worlde be a grete thynge But to the regarde of heuen it ne is but pouerte They wene that a glasse be a saphyr And they wene that theyr strengthe theyr power be moche grete / whiche is more feble more frayle than is glasse ¶ Also I saye that this chyldehode of the wytte of the worlde is in them that so moche make them wyse for to kepe and ease the body and to be in delyces whiche lyuen as a chylde / that seche nothynge ellys but to do theyr propre wyll In suche people reason is deed and therfore they lyuen as beestys / for theyr wytte is al torned and corrupt / lyke as is the taste and sauour of a seeke man or of a woman grete with chylde / whiche fyndeth more sauour and appetyte in a soure apple than in brede made of whete / and more sauoure in a cool than in good metes Also these people may not byleue that there is more Ioye delyte in louynge god and to serue and to honoure hym / than in doynge the wyll of the caroyne of theyr body For they can not ryght fully Iuge betwene swete and bytter Also I saye that the wytte of
/ that is to saye with veray teerys whiche comen of the grace of god and of ryght felynge of the herte For hym semeth that he is lyke a chylde that is all naked tofore his maystre that can not his lesson / or that he is lyke to the poore man endetted / whiche is fallen in the hondes of his credytour / hath not whereof he may fyne ne paye his debte Or that he be lyke a theef proued that is taken with an hondred trespaces / and that hath the corde aboute his necke / or that he be lyke the lame man that lyeth at chirche dore / whiche hath no shame to shewe his maladye and his soores to them that passe by / for cause that eche body sholde haue pyte on hym Yf the wylte thenne lerne to praye god / praye and adoure hym aryght / these .iiii. thynges aforsayd shall enseygne and teche the that is to wete / the chylde / the man endetted / the theef / and the lame man ¶ Of hym that is veray humble and meke Ca. C.i. THe custome is of a veray meke humble man to prayse another gyue hȳ loos / to hȳ afore alowe hym with his mouthe / by werkes to bere hym honour he is lyke the lytell bee that maketh the hony / whiche escheweth stynkes / and secheth floures of the felde souketh the dewe and the substaunce of them / and maketh hony for to garnysshe with his hous Thus dooth the veray humble / whiche taketh none hede of the stenches / the synnes / and defautes of other But all the godes that other do / he holdeth theym loueth and prayseth and souketh the swetenes of deuocyon of his herte with whiche his conscience is replenysshed The veray humble seeth none so ylle a thynge / ne so harde / ne so synfull / but that he can drawe mater to alowe and prayse god In his herte he preyseth other in thre maners For he beleueth more the wyt of an other man / than the wytte of hymselfe / he wyll that the wyll of other men be do soner than his owne All the contrarye dooth the proude man lyke as we haue shewed tofore After also the veray meke and humble man alloweth prayseth other men by worde The good dedes the other haue done he enhaunceth and prayseth them / and the euyll dedes he excuseth and maketh them lesse The veraye meke man tourneth to the meane thynge in to good / and vnderstandeth them alway to the best / this is ayenst the euyll tatches of the myssayers / whiche enhaunce the euyll dedes mynysshe the good / the meane preuerteth torne to the werst The veray meke and humble prayseth by werke / honoureth in dede euerych as he ought to do as he may doo without mysdoynge Thus dooth not the proude man / but all the contrary lyke as we haue sayd tofore in the treatyse of the synne of pryde ¶ Of hym that is humble of hert Ca. C.ii. THe custome is of hȳ that hath an humble hert that all his good dedes he hath behynde hym at his backe / and all his euyll / his sinnes all his defautes he hath alwaye in mynde tofore his eyen / the good dedes of other he hath alwaye tofore his eyen / and the euyll defautes and sȳnes of all other he setteth them behynde hym at his backe as in oblyaunce or forgetinge And herof happeth oftymes that the veray meke and humble man the more he prayseth other and honoureth / so moche more he dysprayseth hymselfe The veray humble and meke persone of herte is lyke the auarycyous and coueytous man that hath alway his eyen on the goodes that other haue / and that they do And alway hym semeth that he hath noo spyrytuall good in hym For lyke as there is an euyll proude man / so is there veray meke and humble He that is veray hūble of herte is lyke a lytell chylde whiche is sone of a kynge and heyre of the realme / whiche wepeth cryeth / and knoweth nothynge of his hyenes ne of his ryches He is also lyke vnto the symple shepe / in whome all is good prouffytable / the wolle / the felle / the flesshe / the mylke / and his donge / and the shepe knoweth nothinge of it / ne he thynketh on it / and in this maner sayth the grete Patryarke Abraham of hym selfe / that he was nothynge but asshes and poudre And holy Iob that was soo grete ryche in the worlde sayd in lyke wyse And saynt Andrew that sayd also of hym selfe / what am I but asshes / duste fylthe / rotynnes / a worme / wynde / shadowe / leues that the wynde bereth away / drye stupple which is nought but for the fyre And lyke as the veraye humble persone of herte prayseth honoureth other with his hert mouth also in dede as we haue sayd Ryght so dyspyseth he hȳ self in these .iii. maners It semeth to hym lyke as saynt Iherome sayth of hym selfe / whan that I ete or drynke or that I wake or slepe / alwaye me thynketh that the fereful trompe of the daye of Iugement bloweth in mynerys sayenge / come to thy Iugement / come to thy Iugement / and by cause that he wyll not be Iuged of his synnes / he seeseth not but euery daye purgeth hymself / kepeth and clenseth hym from all synnes and Iugeth / condempneth / and repreueth al his werkes and his wordes / he cryeth nombreth / poyseth counterpoyseth and repreueth / for he fyndeth more chaffe than grayne / that is to vnderstonde more of synnes than of good dedes And by cause that he wyll not be Iuged at the dethe of Iustyce / wyll he not leue but that lytell and grete be examyned and sayd / and also Iuged in the court of mercy that is in holy confessyon In that court who counteth well aryght / is all quyte of his synnes But in the courte of Iustyce whiche shal be at the daye of Iugement / whome someuer he oweth he must paye Ne neuer shall he mowe be aquyted / and therfore he shall be perdurably dampned For he must rendre or pendre / that is hanged Alas caytyf what shal he paye that hath no thynge / but the body whiche is charged and all full of deedly synnes who that well vnderstode felte these thynges / he sholde holde kepe hym fro all synnes / shold withdrawe hym fro mockeryes and lesynges / whiche they contryue ayenst the veray meke humble persones whiche drede god and loue hym / by cause they fere drede hym / they wyll kepe them clene without ordure of synne and cōfesse them gladly and ofte / but lytell auaylleth confessyon without repentaunce / and without penaunce / with-good Iugement / and that Iustyce be not done truly / therfore all in lyke wyse as the veraye meke and humble persone maketh
of body / lyke as we haue shewed afore And therfore sayth our lorde Ihesu cryste in the gospell / that blessed ben they that ben clene of herte For they shall see god This blessynge begynneth here / for they ben purged fro derknesses of errour / as to the vnderstondynge / and fro the spottes of synne / as to the wylle / and therfore they see god by fayth enlumyned of clerenes / whiche cometh of the gyfte of vnderstondynge by whiche a man knoweth his creatour / and all that apperteyneth to the helth of his soule / without slydinge / wtout doubtynge / and without wauerynge in the fayth of Ihesu Cryste where they be so Ioyned and fermly fouÌ„ded / that they may not departe theym for deth ne for to suffre ony tormente what someuer it be ¶ And therfore ben blessed they that be clene of hert in this mortall lyf For they haue the eyen of the herte / the vnderstondynge and the wyll soo clere and so clene that they see god and byleue hym by fayth ferme and certayne lyke as we haue sayd tofore ¶ wherof our Lorde sayd to saynt Thomas / by cause thou hast seen me / thou hast byleued me But they ben blessed that haue not seen me bodyly / and haue byleued me certeynly / but this blessynge shal be perfyght in the lyf perdurable / where he that is clene of hert whiche here seeth hym by fayth / that is alwaye derkly There in his glory shall se hym face to face all clerely as sayeth saynt Poule That is the blyssynge to aungelles and to sayntes whiche se hym in his precyous vysage / to knowe one god in thre persones / to beholde clerely in that myroure where all thynges shyneth / aungelles all the sayntes loketh therin / and meruayleth them / and taketh there theyr glory / and neuer may they be ful for to loke therin For there is all beaute / all bounte / all swetnes / fouÌ„tayne of lyfe pardurable / and all that whiche herte may wyll and desyre But yet I shall say a lytell For lyke as sayth the scrypture The eyen mortall may not beholde ne ere here ne herte of man thynke / what that god hath arayed and made redy to his frendes / that loueth / serueth / and kepe his commaundementes / and that kepe theÌ„ from synne Wherof saynt Ancelme sayth Soule sayth he lyft vp thyn entendement there aboue / and thynke as moche as thou mayst what we le / how grete and how moche delectable is that good whiche conteyneth in himselfe the Ioye and the delyte of all godes And not suche Ioy and suche delyte as is founden in creatures / but as moche more Ioye / as the creatoure and maker is more grete and more worthy / more excellent / than his creatures O sayth he thou faytour thou man that goest soo folyly for to seche dyuers goodes / to thy soule and to thy body Loue thou and seche one good / wherin ben all godes / and he shall suffysethe For the good that god hath graunted and gyuen to his frendes / that is hym selfe the whiche is the souerayne good of whom cometh and sourdeth all other goodes / as stremes / the whiche yssueth out of the quycke fountayne ¶ Certaynly right blyssed shal he be sayth saynt Austyn / the whiche without vylonye shall se the vysage dyscouered and the glory of god / and shal be transformed in to thymage of glory where as he shal see god as he is / the whyche syght is glorye crowne without ende / and all the rewarde and meryte of sayntes This shall be al the good of man This sayth mayster hughe of saynt vyctor The man that made all and formed For therfore wolde god by come man / whiche made in himself al men blessyd in body and in soule / by cause that the man sawe hym with the eyen with his body in humanite And that the soule sawe hym in his deyte so that he founde swetnes and delyte in his creatour maker / within and without within his deyte and with oute in his humanyte This shall be the Ioye of euery creature his Ioye his delyte lyfe perdurable of his blessyd vysyon That is the blessynge / that they attende whiche kepe clennes and chastyte of herte and of body ¶ Of the yefte of sapyence Ca. Cliiii THe last yeft the souerayne and the moost hye is the yeft of sapience or of wysedom whiche is a grace that the holy ghoost gyueth to the herte contemplatyf / by whiche he is esprysed of the loue of god that he desyereth ne secheth none other thynge but to see god / to haue hym / to delyte in hym / to loue hym / to honoure and serue hym / and dwelle with hym This is the somme of perfeccyon / and the ende of contemplacyon ¶ The gyfte of vnderstondynge of whiche we haue spoken tofore maketh god to be knowen and the thynges spyrytuell as by syght symple byholdynges But the gyfte of sapyence maketh to fele knowe god by taste / then sapyence is none other thynge but a sauery knowleche / whiche is with sauoure grete delyte of herte / for otherwyse knoweth not he the wyne that drynketh it in a fayre voyre or glasse / yf he drynke and taste it not sauour it Many phylosophres knewen god by scrypture and by the creatures / lyke as by a myrrour wherin they behelde by reason and by vnderstondynge his myght / his beaute / his wytte and his bouÌ„te / in that whiche they see the creatures that he hath made so grete so fayre and so well ordeyned Then they knewe hym / by symple byholdynge of vnderstondynge and natural reason But they neuer felte hym by taste of ryÈt loue ne by deuocyon Ryght soo ben there many crysten persones / clerkes and laye / whiche well knowe hym by fayth and by scrypture / but by cause they haue theyr taste dysordynate by synne / they may not fele hym nomore than the seke persone may fynde taste or souour in good mete ¶ The gyfte of sapyence whiche the holy ghoost putteth in a perfyght herte / purgeth and clenseth it fro all ordure of synne / lyfteth vp soo the spyryte of a man that he Ioyneth hym to god by ardaunt desyre of loue / soo that he is al with god / there he fyndeth hym / there he nouryssheth hym / there he fatteth hym / there he delyteth and resteth hyÌ„ / and there he slepeth There he forgeteth all his trauaylles / all his flesshely desyres and erthely / hym self / so that he remembreth no thynge but god whome he loueth aboue all thynges This is the laste degree of the laddre of perfeccyon that Iacob sawe in his slepe whiche touched heuen / by whiche auÌ„gellys mouÌ„ted descended / the degrees of this laddre ben the .vii. gyftes of the holy ghoost / of whiche we haue spoken tofore / by these .vii. degrees
thynge that loue hath moost trauayle for / by moost payne is goten / ought to be moost loued / moost dere worthely kept / and this sapyence is moche necessary and prouffytable to all them that wyll go with god / For thus as sayth holy scrypture / by many trybulacyoÌ„s behoueth vs to entre in to the realme of heuen And this manyfesteth and sheweth to vs the lyues of sayntes / the whiche for to come to god haue so moche suffred and endured After it is to wete / that to thaccomplysshement of the sayd commaundement .iiii. thynges admonesteth the creature ¶ The fyrst is to haue in mynde contynually the goodes that the creature hathe receyued of god as sayd is tofore For whan the creature consydereth that he hath receyued of god body soule / all other godes that he hath / spyrytuall and temporall / the perylles also whiche he hath escaped The glory of heuen whiche he hath apparayled to vs. The creature humayne shall Iuge that he oweth to loue god with all his herte The .ii. reason is to haue in consyderacion the grete puyssaunce / excellence / nobles of god And with that the grete mysery pouerte of our self / by the whiche consyderacyon the creature shall Iuge / the whan he shall loue god with all his herte / he shall serue hym with all his myght / whiche yet he doth full lytel vnto the regarde of his grete excellence noblenesse and puyssaunce ¶ And therfore the creature humayne sholde alway the more for to enforce hym to loue / to serue / for to honour god ¶ The thyrde reason is to take away the loue and affeccyon of worldly thynges as sayd is to fore For where all the herte suffyseth not for to loue almyghty god suffycyently / consydered his grete excellence noblenes and puyssaunte magnyfycence as is tofore sayd / thenne he that putteth in his herte the loue of thyÌ„ges temporell / the whiche ben but stynkynge fylthe and ordure to the regarde of god / semeth well that he dooth to god grete velony / and in this case he loueth not god with all his herte after the sayd commauÌ„dement / for of so moch as the herte of the creature is set to loue other thynge than god of so moche it is lesse in god The fourth reason is to kepe hym selfe and to put from hym all synnes and in especyall deedly synne / for no creature beynge in deedly synne may loue god For by deedly synne the creature offendeth god and is pryued and out of grace / whiche thynge is contrary to his loue ¶ Of the fyrst commaundement of the law Ca. iii. WE ought thenne accordynge to the sayd fyrst commaundement to loue with all our herte The whiche thynge the creature dothe / whaÌ„ in all his werkes his entencyon is ryghtfull and after goddes wyll For the entencyon of the creature is suche vertu that he rendre his werkes operacyon after god good or euyll / and therfore what so euer werke that the creature do yf his entencion be euyl the operacyon and al the werke is without meryte / and conuerted fro it / in to do euyll / herof it is sayd in the gospell by our sauyour Ihesu cryst / yf thyn eye be euyll all thy body is derke That is to saye yf thyn entencyon be euyll / all thy werkes ben derke and in synne and wtout meryte And therfore it behoueth to rendre the werke of the creature good and merytorye and that his entencyon be ryghtfull accordynge to goddes wyll But bycause that for to rendre the werke of the creature good and merytoryous accordynge vnto god / suffyseth not onely good entencyon But it behoueth also to haue the ryghtfull entencion and good wylle lyke as it may appyere in hym / that wyll stele and take other mennys goodes for to nourysshe and fede the poure peple / For thentencyon of the wylle to gyue for goddes sake to the pore peple is good But the wylle to stele or take awaye other mennes goodes is euyll for to so do And therfore that dede shal be euyll / and may not be excused For by cause that an euyll werke for ony good entencyon may not be excused It is sayd after in the commaundement / that the creature ought to loue god with all his soule That is to saye that his wyll accorde in all his werkes to the wyll of god / this demaunde we of god whan we say our pater noster whan we praye god that his wyll be done in vs. ¶ Also by cause that yet for to accomplisshe the sayd commaundement / suffyse not onelye good entencyon and good wyl it is after sayd in the same commaundement / that the creature ought to loue his god with all his entendemeÌ„t and vnderstondynge That is to saye that in thentendement of the creature be no deedly synnes delybered by consentynge ne concluded For alle consentynges concluded in thynge that sholde be as touchynge the dede of deedly synne / though soo be that the dede be not done outward as touchynge the werke that ony thynge ensie we therof / yet it is deedly synne And the creature beynge in deedly syÌ„ne may not loue god as aboue is sayd Also by cause that yet for taccomplysshe the sayd commaundement suffyse not onelye good entencyon good wyll as touchynge the werkes withoutforth / that in thentendement of the creature groweth deedly synne by consentynge / but it behoueth that the creature put and employe all the strengthe and puyssaunce that he hath in good werkes and dedes Iuste and vertuous / that they be to thonoure and worshyp of almyghty god and to the saluacion of hym self and his neyghboure It is sayd afin the foresayd commaundement that the creature ouÈt for to loue his god with all his myght and with all his strengthe And therfore all they that put and employe all theyr myght and strengthe in the werkys of synne / done ageynst the sayd commaundemenet synne deedly Thus it appyereth clerely that for taccomplysshe the sayd fyrst commaundement pryncypall The creature ought to gyue vnto god entencyon / wyll / entendement and all his strength and good wyll by the maner that is aforesayd ¶ The seconde commaundement of the lawe is how eche man ought to loue his neghboure Ca. .iiii. FOr to haue knowleche of the seconde commaundement pryncypall aforsayd touchynge the loue of his neyghboure whome the creature ought to loue as hym self It is to wete that to the loue of our neyghbour four thynges ought to moue vs. Fyrst for by cause that we all ben chyldren of god by creacyon And naturally brethern and systers loue that one that other And thus we ben all members of Ihesu Cryst / whiche is our heed and one membre loueth another naturally Secondly to this ought to brynge vs the loue obeyssaunce that we owe to god as aforesayd is / whiche commaundeth vs to loue our neyghboure Thyrdly to
humylyte of that whiche they haue not done And fro suche a lesynge ought a creature moche for to kepe hȳ and for to be ware ryght gretely there of / for such humylyte is wycked For after the saynge of saynt Austyn Lyke as a creature ought not for to hele ne hyde in his confessyon that whiche he hath doone In lyke wyse ought he not for to saye that whiche he hathe not done ¶ Somtyme a creature lyeth in his owne dede for shame That is to wete whan he sayth some thynge whiche he weneth be true And in sayng it he auyseth hym and knoweth hym selfe that it is not so And neuerthelesse for shame he dare not withdrawe that he hathe sayd / accordynge vnto the trouthe ¶ And sometyme a creature lyeth for to haue some prouffyte therby / or for to escape some peryll Sometyme for to do prouffyte vnto an other Or to delyuer or kepe hym from some peryll or for to empesshe his prouffyte Or to lette his domage Also somtyme the creatures maketh lesynges or lyes or Iapes or playes / and for to gladde and enioye the people with whiche they are in companye with all ¶ And from all these lesynges after the sayenge of swete saynt Austȳ A creature ought all way to kepe hȳ fro makynge of lesynges For euery lesynge that a creature maketh is synne And the two fyrst ben deedly sȳnes / and the other by euyl custō may brynge a creature to deedly synne / after these .iiii. commaundementes aforesayd whiche defende to do euyll by werke and by worde folowe the other two whiche defende the wylle of lyberte to greue doo euyl to another The first deffendeth the wyl to hurte another in his godes teporall And that is this Thou shalt not coueyte the thynge of thy neyghboure Ayenst this commaundement mespryseth synneth a creature sōtyme mortally or deedly / that is to wete as ofte as by delyberacyon he coueyteth wolde haue the goodes of another and ayenst reason Somtyme venyally that is to wete whan he coueyteth the goodes of another But he wolde not haue them but by reason as for the prys that they be worthe / and by the good wyll of hym or them that owe them The seconde commaundement defendeth the wyll delybered or concluded to coueyte the wyf of another mā for to haue carnall companye with her For to haue the knowleche of the sayd commaundement it is to vnderstonde that in .iii. maners concupyscence carnall is in a creature Fyrst in the herte whan it is by consentynge delybered and concluded To this purpose sayth our sauyour Ihesu Cryst / that he that byholdeth a woman by carnall concupyscence / that is to say by a wyl concluded to haue hyr companye flesshly in his herte / he hath commysed fornycacyon / synneth deedly Secondly in the mouth in expressynge and declarynge the euyll desyre that is in the herte by consentynge the whiche consētynge is called deedly synne / thyrdly in werke whan the euyll purpose or consentynge is done in dede After it is to wete that .iiii. thynges pryncypally kepeth a creature fro fallynge into the synne of concupyscence ¶ The fyrst is to flee euyll companye all occasyons that gyuen moeuen cause of concupyscence As for to frequent and to se women oft and to here speke of them The .ii. is to put out not remembre in his herte the euyll thoughtes and the temptacyōs that come by the thynges that he hath seen and to chastyse his body and holde in penaunce afflyccyon The .iii. is to haue recours to god by deuout orysō and prayer whan flesshely temptacyon cometh in requyrynge deuoutly his helpe The fourthe is also in occupyenge hymselfe in good werkes accordynge to god And alway to fle ydlenes whiche is cause of all euyll Thus it appereth clerely by the cmaundementes aforesayd declared that the creature that loueth god hath of necessyte for to do thre thynges Fyrst that he adoure and worshyp but one god after the fyrst commaundement partyculer Secondly that the name of god he receyue not in vayne after the seconde commaundement Thyrdly that he honoure god after the thyrde commaundement In lyke wyse a creature that loueth his neyghboure hathe of necessyte to do .vii. thynges The fyrst is that he doo honoure and reuerence due after the .iiii. commaundemēt The seconde that he doo none euyll ne Iniurye by werke Fyrst as touchynge to his persone after the .v. cōmaundement Secondly as touchynge the persone to hym conioyned after the .vi. commaundement Thyrdly as touchynge to his godes after the .vii. cōmaundement Also do not ne bere domage by his worde after the .viii commaundement Ne also by thought and wyll concluded Fyrst whan he coueyteth his wyfe after the .ix. cōmaundement Secondly as touchynge to coueyt his thynges after the .x. commaundement The whiche god gyue vs grace to accomplysshe Amen ¶ Thus endeth the cōmaundementes of the crysten lawe whiche eche man ought to holde and kepe entyerly for to haue the lyf and glorye pardurable Deo gracias ¶ Here foloweth the twelue artycles of the fayth made by the .xii. apostles S. Peter S. Andrewe S. iames the more S. Iohan. S. Thomas S. iames the lesse ¶ These ben the .xii. articles of the crysten fayth whiche euery man ought too byleue fermely For otherwyse he may not be saued / yf he haue vnderstondynge reason in hymself and they ben .xii. artycles after the nombre of the twelue apostles / whiche establysshed theym to holde and kepe / of whome the fyrst apperteyneth to the fader The seconde to the sone / and the .iii. to the holy goste For this is foundement of the fayth to byleue in the holy trynyte That is in the fader / and in the sone / and in the holy ghoost one god in .iii. persones Al these artycles ben conteyned in the grete Credo and in the lytel credo / the whiche the .xii. apostles made / of whiche eche of theym made sette a clause of whome the fyrst is thys ¶ The fyrst artycle of the fayth capitulo .xi. S. Phylyppe S. Barthylmew S. Mathewe S. Symon S. Iude. S. Mathyas I Byleue in god fader all myght creatour or maker of heuen erthe / this article made saint peter sayenge Credo in deum patrem omnipotem creatorem celi terre The .ii. apperteyneth to the sone as touchynge his deyte / that he is god / and that is thys I byleue in our lorde / sone of the fader / and in this we ought for to byleue that he is semblable egall vnto the fader to all thynges the whiche apperteyne vnto the deyte / and is one thynge with the fader / sauf the persone whiche is other than the fader as touchynge thumanyte This artycle made saynt Andrewe saynge Et in Ihesum xp̄m filium eius vnicum dn̄m nostrum ¶ The .iii. artycle is of the cōcepcyon of cryst / and was conceyued of the holy goost
But he is a good marchaunte that of euery thynge knoweth well clerely the trouthe and the propre vertue / lyke as the holy ghoost enseygneth vs / another maystre techeth vs too knowe the grete thynges fro the smale the precyouse fro the vyle / the swete from the bytter ¶ Of the goodes of fortune Ca. .lxiiii. THey calle the smalle goodes the goodes of fortune whiche dame fortune hath aboute her whele / alwaye taketh awaye and gyueth / and torneth that whiche is aboue to falle vnder These ben the precyouse stones that the fooles haue bought for rubyes for saphyrs and for emerawdes These ben also as Ieweles and yonge chyldren whiche god gyueth to vs for to solace vs with / and for to drawe our loue to hym By cause that he knoweth well that we been tendre feble and that we may not holde the sharpe wayes of penaunce / of anguysshe and of martyrdome / lyke as done the good knyghtes of god whiche conquere the royame of heuen by strengthe and take it by theyr prowesse and theyr good vertues Thenne that is not the grete good ne well ryghtful For yf that were the grete good and veray Then were foles the blessyd chyldren of god Ihesu Cryst whiche chosen pouerte shame and sharpnesse for to gyue and to shewe to vs ensaumple And refused the ioyes the honoures and the rychessys of this worlde / yf these goodes transytorye worldly and temporall ben veray good / thenne be not al the veray goodes in heuen Then is not god parfytelye good and happy by cause he wyll not vse suche goodes / Thenne god is not good ne naturall by cause he gyueth not these worldly goodes to his frendes / but he gyueth theym more largely to his enemyes / yf these were veray good / thenne were foles all the sayntes / al the good clerkys the wyse phylosophres that fledde fro suche worldly goodes despysed theym as dunge / yf these be veray good / thenne fayleth the holy scrypture that calleth them lyes and vanytees / nettes and grynnes of the deuyl / this is as trewe as the pater noster For these ben the engynes of the deuyll / by whiche he deceyueth the soules in a thousande maners / and byndeth theym and taketh and holdeth theym But the wyse marchaunte that is the wyse man / whome the holy ghoost enlumyneth by veray knowleche / that oueral knoweth and can decerne what euery thynge is worth / he seeth ryght well vnderstondeth that all the worlde is not a good morsell for too fylle the herte of one man / and that there is therin moche euyll and lytell good And therfore he beholdeth the euylles perylles that ben therin / and knoweth well that it is trouthe that is comunelye sayd / who that gyueth not that whiche he loueth / he taketh not whiche he desyreth Suche folke gyuen the worlde for to haue heuen / forsaketh ouerall rychesses for ioye / fylthe ordure for golde / and leue all for godes sake / rychesses delyces honoures / and bycome poore in this worlde for to wynne good and for to gete the rychesse of heuen This is the moost fayrest lyf moste sure that may be in this worlde There ben other that see that in many maners may one do his prouffyt his sauacyon with goodes temporall that he may haue without ouermoche to loue theym For god commaundeth not a man to leue al. They reteyne them / but lytel they preyse them They vse them but lytel they loue them / lyke as dyd Abraham Iob and Dauyd / many other whiche eschewed fledde the peryls And they do spyrytuell prouffyte with temporall goodes / wyll by heuen with theyr almesses and other good dedes They can bye out theyr synnes helpe theyr neyghboures They can the more loue god / drede doute hym for the perylles that they be in / and the more humble them selfe whan they se and consyder theyr synnes theyr defautes / whan in sharpe and strayte wayes of penaunce they dare not go / whan so lytel for goddes sake they wyl suffre gyue / whiche so moche suffred to saue them / and wolde .xxxii. yere in this worlde be poore for to enryche them in heuen They saue them selfe well but it is harde to do For it is a more lyght thynge to leue all the godes at ones / than to retayne them not to loue theym ¶ Of the godes of fortune whiche folowe here Ca. lxv THe meane or myddle of goodes ben the goodes of nature and of doctryne Of nature lyke as beaute of body / prowesse / force / or strengthe / vygour / lyghtnes / debonayrte / clere wytte clere engyne for to fynde / good memorye for to retayne well / good voyce for to synge well All these goodes aforesayd nature bryngeth theym in the natyuyte or byrth of a persone Doctryne clargy all other godes be goten by studye or by accustomaūce / lyke as ben good vertues / good maners / and other vertues But these be not yet veray good ryghtfull For they doo not that whiche is perfytely good For many a phylosophre / and grete clerkes Emperoures Kynges / and many other prynces and other grete lordes the whiche hath had many of these goodes ben dampned in hell pytte ¶ Also all these goodes hath our lorde gyuen to his enemyes as well as to his frendes To Sarasyns To Iewes To false crysten men lyke as he hath too good men Also this is not veray good that faylleth at nede / and that may be loste maulgre hym self And thought theuys may not take theym and robbe theym Yet the deth taketh them alwaye at the laste Also I saye that the veraye goodes aydeth alwaye and greuen neuer / but certeynlye suche goodes and suche graces forayne ben oft domage greue them that haue them / yf they vse them not well accordȳge to god For some auaunt them and ben proude and dyspyse the other / whan they to whome god hath gyuen suche graces and suche goodes as I haue tofore sayd and named / yf they vse them not well and Iustly accordynge to god / they shall bee in gretter tormente in helle And straytly they must acompte and yelde a rekenynge at the daye of dome / of that they haue done / and how they haue vsed and despended it Notwithstondynge they haue goten goodes that god hath lente to them for multeplyenge and encrees Here after is shewed of the goodes of grace Ca. .lxvi. NOw haue I shortly shewyd the tytell good and the meane good Now wyll I shewe to the whiche is the veray good ryghtfull parfyte This doeth he whiche hath the good with ryghte and vnderstondynge For withoute the whiche was neuer no good with ryght This good is called the grace of god and vertue charytee Grace by cause that she gyeueth lyf and helthe too the soule For withoute
drynke Then shewed god to Moyses a staffe of tree / sayd to hym that he sholde put it in to the water that was so bytter And whan he had put it therin / it was all swete The bytter water ben the trybulacyons of the worlde The staffe of the tree that made it swete / that is the crosse on whiche the debonayre Ihesu cryste was hanged on for vs. For who that remembreth well this sorowe that he suffred on the crosse There is no payne ne aduersyte / ne tribulacion temporall / but it it is swete and lyght to suffre The fourth thynge is to thynke on the spyrytuall godes that the trybulacyons dooth to them that suffreth them pacyently For the trybulacyons proueth the knyght of god A knyght knoweth not well his strengthe / vnto the tyme that he hath ben in batayle in prees Wherof saynt Poule sayth / that the pacyence proueth a man / and an aungel of heuen sayd to Thoby / by cause that thou were pleasaunte to god It behoueth that temptacyon shall proue the. ¶ Also trybulacyon purgeth the soule as the fyre purgeth the golde in the forneys / and as the flayle the corne whan it beteth it And as the hamer the yron / as sayth saynt Gregory Also trybulacyons ben the medycynes of the maladyes of synne For lyke as sayth the holy scrypture The greuous malady maketh a man sobre whome sȳne hath made dronke oftymes Wherof saynt Gregory sayth Lete it not be harde to the that thou suffre dysease on thy body whan thou arte guarysshed of the malady of synne within forth Also by trybulacyons is won the crowne of glory / whan one hath good pacyence Wher of saynt Iames sayth / blyssed is that man that suffreth temptacions / that is aduersyte trybulacyon / lyke as a good knyght that suffreth the strokes / for whan he shall be well assayed proued / he shall haue the croune of glory These .iiii. remembraūces aforsayd comforte moche thē that ben in trybulacion The .v. spyrytuell braunche of mercy is to pardone his maltalente euyl wyll to euery body For lyke as saynt Gregory sayth / who gyueth his pens or his almesse to the poore and pardoneth not his euyll wyll / his almesse is nothynge worth For god receyueth not the gyfte as longe as the felonnye is in the herte / for god weyeth / preyseth / and taketh the gyfte after his wyll And therfore our lorde sayth in the gospel ¶ Yf that we forgyue not eche other / our fader of heuen shall not forgyue vs our synnes Thenne he that wyl not pardonne and forgyue sayth ageynst hym self / as ofte as he sayth the pater noster / for he prayeth that god pardonne hym / lyke as he pardonneth his euyll wyll to other It is sayd of themperour theodose / that he helde it for a grete shame / yf one dyd to hym vylonye or Iniurye that prayed hym to forgyue hym / and whan he was moost angry / then he forgaue moost sonnest For he had lyuer drawe to hym people by debonayrte and by loue / thenne by drede ¶ The .vi. braunche of this vertue is to haue in the herte pyte and compassyon of the synnars / and of them that be in trybulacyon or in pouerte / or in aduersyte For that one membre ought to bere the maladye of that other wherof saynt Poule sayth / who that is seke / and I am seke with hym And saynt Gregory sayth / that so moche is a man more parfayt / as he feleth more in hym self the sorowe of another ¶ The .vii. braunche of mysyry corde is to praye for the synnar / and for his enemyes / and for all trespasses For soo commaundeth our lorde Ihesu Cryste in the gospell Praye ye sayd he for theym that done to you euyll / and so shal ye ben the sones of your fader whiche is in heuen / as who sholde saye / otherwyse ye ben not the sones of god / and thenne ye haue nothynge in his herytage ¶ Now is it then̄e grete almesse and grete prouffyte for the soule to praye for the synners / for Mekenes rote Mercy and pyte atrēpaūce Iustyce Compassyon Prudēce Force Forgiuenes Faythe Hope Charyte his enmyes / and for all them whiche ben departed out of this presente lyfe These ben the seuen braunches of mercy of this tree on the ryghte syde ¶ Here after foloweth the seuen braūches of mercy vpon the lyfte syde Ca. C.xxxii LYke as this tree of mercy hath seuen braunches on the ryght syde / so ben there seuen braunches on the lyfte syde These ben the seuen werkes of mercy corporell / whiche holdeth the body / lyke as the other beholdeth the soule too foresayd ¶ The fyrst braunche is to fede the hungry the nedy and the myseased / this admonesteth vs the holy scrypture in many places Fyrst Thobye whiche sayd to his sone Ete thy brede with the nedy the poore that deye for hungre and Salamon sayth / yf thyn enemye haue hūgre gyue hym to ete / yf he haue thyrst gyue to him drynke Also our lorde sayth in the gospel / whā thou shalte make a grete dyner / calle the poore people / the blynde / the lame the Impotent and thou shalte be blessed For they may not yelde it to the ageyn But god shal yelde to the in the resurreccyon generalle / an hondred folde double This is ageynste ryche men that done grete oultrages of mete / for bobaunce / pryde / vaynglorye of the worlde haue no pyte on the poore people But they ought to haue grete drede that they falle not in meschyef / lyke as it byfell to the ryche gloton / of whome god sayth in the gospel / whiche ete euery daye delycyously / and suffred the poore Lazare deye for hungre at his yate But as to the deth of that one of that other was a grete chaunge For Lazare was borne with aūgellys in to Abrahams bosome / the ryche man auarycyous gloton had his sepulture in helle / where he desyred to haue one drope of water for to refresshe his tongue Alas yf all the water of the see had ronne ouer his tongue / it sholde not haue ben coled in that fyre perdurable of helle whiche may not be quenched Therfore it is good to fede the poore peopell For there by may one escape fro the paynes of helle / and wynne the glorye of heuen / lyke as sayth holy scrypture / wherof our lorde Ihesu Cryste shal saye at the daye of Iugement Come ye blessed of my fader in to the royame of heuen whiche is redy to you For whan I had hungre And thyrste ye gaue to me to Eete and to drynke For that whiche that ye dyd to the leste of my poore people / ye dyd it to me ¶ The seconde braunche of mercy .. Cxxxiii THe seconde braunche of mercy is to clothe the poore naked people That is