a chylde of wytte But in malyee be lytel as a chylde which hath noo malyce Now is it thenne a fayr thynge honeste prouffytable and honourable and specyally to grete men of hye estate to kepe mesure resonable in countenauÌ„ce in al his gouernauÌ„ce that he be wel ordeyned ouerall tofore god tofore the pople And this is the vj degree of thys tree ¶ The seuenth degree of the vertu of sobrenes and of attemperaunce Capitulo Clxj THe vij degre of the vertu of attemperaunce and of sobrenes is to kepe mesure of ouermoche drynkyng etyng for thoultrage of etyng drynkyng doth moche harme to the body and to the soule lyke as I haue sayd tofore Therfor saith our lord in the gospel take good hede that your hertes be not greued ne charged with glotonnye ne dronkennesse That is to say that ye doo noo oultrage of etyng and drynkyng Sobrenes kepeth mesure in etyng and drynkyng that he do none oultrage Of thoultrages that a persone dooth in etyng and drynkyng I haue spoken tofore where as is treated of vyces there as I spake of the synne of glotonnye to which this vertu of sobrenes and of attemperaunce wherof I haue here spoken is contrarye specyally wherof I wyl now nomore say ¶ Now hast thou herde wherby thys tree of sobrenes and attemperaunce gâ—oweth proussyteth And yf thou wylt knowe the brauÌ„ches of this tree byholde the other vertues whyche be conteyned in thâ—s book â–ª thou shalte fynde oueral this vertu For as I haue sayd tofore thys vertue is suche that it setteth mesure in alle thynges The vertues of which I haue spoken tofore been braunches of this vertu for it sheweth it self in alle the other wherfore I wyl sette none other braunches but the vertues toforesayd ¶ This tree bereth moche fayr fruyt That is pees of the herte lyke as I haue tofore shewed· For he that hath thys vertu he hath his hert dysseuered fro the loue of the world and is Ioyned to god by charyte that is the dere loue of god whiche putteth al other thynges in oblyuyon whyche be not ordeyned to god And in suche manere the hert resteth in god where he hath alle hys comfort and his Ioye that he thynketh on none other delyte· Suche comfort and delyte setteth the holy ghoost in the hert that is parfyte in the vertu of sobrenes of attemperaunce which cometh of the yefte of sapyence lyke as I haue sayd tofore Certeynly who that myâ—t haue suche pees of the hert and fele that he rested in god whych is the ende and the accomplysshement and the suÌ„me of all good desyres he shold be wel blessyd in thys world and in that other For thenne shold he wynne that blessyng that god promyseth in the gospel to them that kepe this pees entyerly wythoute brekynge whan he sayth blessyd be the peasyble For they shal be callyd the sones of god They be peasyble saith saynt austyn that ordeyne setten al the moeuynges of the hert vnder the seignorâ— of ryght reason of the spyryte they be callyd by ryght the sones of god for they bere the semblaunce of theyr fader whyche is god of pees of loue so saith saynt poul Thenne pees loue of god is the thyng that mooost pleseth god maketh a man resonable and resemble to god and the contrarye to the deuyll whiche is enemye of god Also they be called the sones of god For they folowe theyr fadâ—r more nyghe than the other For pees and loue folowe them more nyghe than ony other vertu ¶ Also they say theyr houres to theyr fader Ihesu Cryst For god cam not in to this world but for to make pees bytwene god and man bytwene man and aungel bytwene man hym self for whan he was borne the aungellis â—ongen for the pees that god had brought in to the erthe Glia in excelsis cÌ„ therfore that the peasyble people seche no thyng purchacen but pees as moche as they may toward god toward theyr neighbour toward them self they be called specially the sones of god for they do the werkes of theyr fader Therfore thenne by cause they be the sones of god ben they blessyd in this world by specyal grace but this blessyng shal be blessyd whan they shal be in peasyble possessyon of herytage of god theyr fader that is of the royame of heuen where they shal be in sure pees in parsyght pees where al theyr desyres shullen be accomplysshed There shal not mowe be euyl ne sorowe ne aduersyte ne defaulte But habundaunce of alle goodes· and plente of Ioye and glorye wythout ende â–ª That shal be pees honourable pees delectable pees perdurable and pees whyche surmounteth alle wytte as sayth Saynt Poule And sythe thys pees passeth alle wytte and sence it passeth alle wordes For hert may not thynke ne tonge deuyse ne ere here the pees the glorye that god kepeth to his frendes therfore I can not say that thyng that may be suffysauÌ„t to thâ— lawde preysyng therof wherof now I wyl say nomore But here I shal fynysshe make an ende of my matere to the praysyng lawde of our lord to whome be gyuen al honour whiche brynge vs in to hys companye there where as is lyf perdurable Amen THis book was compyled made atte requeste of kyng Phelyp of Fraunce in the yere of thyncarnacyon of our lord M. CC·lxxix translated or reduced out of frensshe in to englysshe by me wyllyam Caxton atte requesâ—e of a worshipful marchaunt mercer of london whyche Instauntly requyred me to reduce it for the we le of alle them that shal rede or here it as for a specyal book to knowe al vyces brauÌ„ches of them also al vertues by whyche wel vnderstonden seen may dyrecte a persone to euerlastyng blysse whyche book is callyd in frensshe le liure Royal· that is to say the ryal book or a book for a kyng For the holy scrypture calleth euery man a kyng whiche wysely and parfytly can gouerne and dyrecte hym self after vertu this book sheweth enseygneth it so subtylly so shortly· so perceyuyngly so parfyghtly that for the short comprehencion of the noble clergye of the right grete substauÌ„ce which is comprysed therin It may ought to be called wel by ryght and quycke reason aboue al other bookes in frensshe or in englysshe the book ryal or the book for a kyng also by cause that it was made ordeyned atte request of that ryght noble kyng Phelyp le bele kynge of Fraunce ought it to be called Ryall as tofore is sayd whiche translacion or reducyng oute of frensshe in tâ— englysshe was achyeued fynysshed accomplysshed the 〈◊〉 of Septembre in the yere of thyncarnacyon of our lord â—CCCC lxxxiiij And in the second yere of the Regne of Kyng Rychard the thyrd
hert whiche he Iustyceth holdeth them in good pees and dooth his wylle For his herte is so ioyned to the wylle of god so that of al that that god doeth he thanketh hym and it playseth hym wel And thys is the seygnorye that vertu gyueth to hym that hath it Of thys speketh seneke sayth as grete honour gyueth god to the whan thou art lord emperour of thy self more thā a kyng ha lord god how many kynges emperours other grete lordes haue ben in the world also barons that haue citees castellis royames that haue not this seygnorye For they be not lordes of theyr hertes By cause that it tormenteth ofte by wrath or by maletalente or by couetyse or by desyre that they may not accomplysshe ¶ Here is spoken of veray fraunchyse capo. lxxj AFter thys I say that there is none that hath veray fraūchyse yf he haue not grace and vertue Thenne yf thou wylte knowe what is veray fraūchyse of a man and of a woman by right Thou oughtest to vnderstonde that a man hath iij maner of fraunchyses One of nature another of grace and the thyrd of glorye The fyrst is free wylle by whiche a man may chese and do frely good or euyl This fraunchyse holdeth euery man of god so frely that no man may do it wronge ne alle the deuylles of helle may not enforce a man ayenste hys wylle to do a synne wythout his accorde and consentemente For yf a man dyd euyl ayenst his wylle· he shold haue therof no synne for as moche as he in no wyse myght eschewe it lyke as sayth saynt austyn This fredom and fraunchyse hath euery man But this fredom is not in chyldren ne in wood men ne in fooles by cause they haue not the vsage of reason by whiche they can chese the good from the euyl A man putteth awaye from hym thys fraunchyse in grete partye whan he synneth dedelye For he selleth hym self vnto the deuyll for the delyte of hys synne And yeldeth hym selfe vnto hym and bycometh his seruaunt by synne so that he may not caste hym self out ne put hym fro his wylle for he hath deserued the deth of helle yf the grace of god helpe hym not The second fraunchyse is suche that the wyse man hath in this world whome god hath fraūchysed by grace by vertues from the seruyce of the deuyl fro synne that they be not bonde to golde ne to syluer ne to temporalle goodes of this world ne to theyr bodyes whyche is caroyn ne to the goodes of fortune whyche the deth may sone take awaye but they haue theyr hertes lyfte vp gyuen to god so that they preyse no thyng the goodes of the world ne the honours ne the vanytees ne kyng ne duc ne meschaunce ne pouerte ne shame ne deth For they been now deed to the world haue the hert so deceueryd taken awaye fro the loue of the world that they desyre the deth lyke as the werkman his payment of his Iourney or dayes labour and the labourer his hyre also lyke as they that ben in the tormēt and in the fortune of the see desyre to come to port salue And lyke as the prysonner desyreth good delyueraunce and as the pylgrym desyreth to come ageyn in to hys contreye And yf they be parfytelye free in thys world lyke as a creature may be thenne fere they ne doubte they no thynge but god and been in greet pees of herte For they haue thenne theyr herte in god and been in heuen by desyre And thys fraunchyse cometh of grace and of vertue But yet al this fraunchyse nys but seruytude to the regarde of the thyrd fraunchyse that they haue that been in glorye They be verayly free For they be verayly delyuerd fro alle perylles and fro alle tormentes fro fere of deth and of deth fro the grynnes empesshemēs of the world fro myserye fro pouerte and fro al payne of herte and of body wythoute retornyng Of the whiche thynge there is none free in thys world how parfyte that he be ¶ Of veray noblesse capo. lxxij WHo that shal haue the second fraunchyse of whyche I haue spoken shal come to grete noblesse The veray noblesse cometh of gentyl hert Certeyn none hert is gentyl but yf he loue god There is no noblesse but to serue and loue god and to kepe hym fro al synnes and from the seruage of the de +uyl Ne there is no vylanye but to angre god by synne Ther is no man by ryght gentyl ne noble of the gentylnesse of hys body For as touchyng the body we ben al sonnes of one moder That is of the erthe and of fylthe of whyche we al haue taken flesshe and blood Of this parte there is none gentyl ne free But our swete fader Ihesu Cryst whiche is kyng of heuen that fourmed the body of the erthe and created the soule to his ymage and semblaūce and al in lyke wyse as it is of the carnal fader that is moche glad and ioyous whan hys sone resembleth hym Ryght so is it of our fader Ihesu Cryst For by the holy scrypture by hys messagers he techeth vs. that we shold payne our self to resemble hym And therfore he sent to vs hys blessyd sone Ihesu Cryst in to therthe for to brynge and gyue to vs the veray exemplayre by whyche we may be reformed to hys ymage and semblaunce lyke as they that dwelle in the hye cytee of heuen That been the angellys and the sayntes of heuen where eueryche is of so moche more hye and more noble As more proprely he bereth thys fayre ymage And therfore the holy men in thys world payne them self to knowe god and to loue hym wyth alle theyr hert and purge them clense and kepe them from alle synnes For of so moche as the herte of a creature is more pure more clene wythout synne of so moche he seeth more clerely more euydently the precious face of Ihesu cryst of soo moche he loueth more ardauntly of so moche he resembleth more proprelye And by that he hath the more gretter glorye And thys is the veray noblesse that god hath gyuen vs ¶ And therfore sayth ryght wel Saynt Iohan the appostle and euangelyst that thenne we shal be the sōnes of god and we shal resemble hym proprely whā we shal see hym euydently lyke as he is This shal be in his glorye whan we shal be in heuen For no man seeth so dyscouerd ne so clerely the beaute of god lyke as sayth saynt poule But thenne we shal see hym face to face proprely and clerely whan we shal be in glorye in his Ioyous companye ¶ The veray noblesse of a man thenne begynneth by grace and by vertues and that is parfyght glorye This noblesse maketh the holy ghoost in the hertes that he purgeth and culumyneth in trouthe and in parfyte charyte These been the grettest
shal yssue a rodde that shal bere the floure of nazareth That is to say oute of the grete charyte and fro the grete enbracyng or brennyng of the loue of god shal come to vs a rodde whyche shal bere the floure of floures For Nazareth is as moche to say as a floure and Iesse is as moche to say as enbracyng or brennyng And vpon this flour shal reste the holy ghoost the spyryte of sapyence of vnderstondyng the spyrite of strengthe and of counceyl the spyryte of scyence and of pyte and the spyryte of the drede of god ¶ These ben the graces of whyche he was al ful fro the houre that he was conceyued in the precious bely of his moder lyke as the grete see is ful of water and is welle and fontayne of al the fresshe waters salte of which he arowseth and watreth al the world Ryght soo was he as sayth Saynt Iohan theuangelyst so ful of grace of veryte or trouthe that of his plante we take al ¶ These vij spyrites and these seuen yeftes we take them receyue in the holy baptesme But thus as the graces corporelle whiche god gyueth to chyldren in wytte in bounte in strengthe and in other graces whyche he gyueth at his playsyr· to eueryche he sheweth hym lytyl and lytyl lyke as a chylde groweth and cometh forth Ryght so is it in spyrytuel graces after that that eueryche prouffyteth and groweth in good werkys and gyueth alle hys herte and all hys thought to god after that god gyueth to hym more of his graces and that sheweth the same yeftes by werkys somme in one and other in other at the playsyr of the holy ghoost as sayth saynt Poul the appostle Thenne in our begynnyng these graces and these vertues been lowe ryse on heyght That is fro the spyryte and yefte of drede vnto the yefte of sapyende For holy drede is the begynnyng of sapyence Lyke as dauyd sayth and Salamon But in Ihesu Cryste weren alwaye alle the graces and all the vertues plenerly wythoute ony mesure And therfore the prophete setteth them in descendyng eche yefte after the ordre of hys dygnyte lyke as the petycyons and requestes of the holy pater noster ben sette forthe after the ordre of theyr dygnyte the hye tofore and the lower after ¶ why they be callyd yeftes for thre reasons capo. lxxxvij SVche maner graces haue to name yeftes for iij thynges and for thre reasons Fyrst for theyr dygnyte and for their valour yf a man at the court of the kyng gyue a robe to a chylde or to a pour man a dysshe of weyght This is no thynge that ought to be called the yefte of a kynge Therfore calleth Saynt Iames thappostle al the other temporel goodes that god gyueth not a yefte but lytel yeftes whych ben moeuable and passyng But these graces abouesayd he callyd them yeftes parfyte For god gyueth them to no creature but that he gyueth to hym hym self The second reson is by cause that the other graces and the other yeftes he leneth them to vs for to vse them in thys present lyf But these seuen yeftes toforesayd ben veray yeftes by ryght wythoute reprysyng and reprehendyng for whan al the other yeftes shal faylle these vij yeftes shal abyde alwaye in theyr ferme estate Thenne they be soo proprely oures that we may not lese them ageyn our wylle lyke as we may lese the other ¶ The thyrd reason the pryncypal is that the selue yeftes be gyuen purely for loue And thou knowest wel that a yefte leseth the name of yefte whan it is not gyuen purely for loue For whan the yeuer yeueth ony yefte for his owne prouffyte that is not a yefte but it is marchandyse whan he beholdeth bounte receyued or seruyse that is not a yefte but it is bounte and curtosye receyued to be rendred and yolden ageyn But whan the yeftes is gyneu frely and lyberally wythout entencyon to haue prouffyte and wythout drede wythoute ony doubte Thenne is it by ryght callyd yefte herof sayth the phylosophre that a yefte is a yefte wythout gyuyng ageyn or wythout to awayte ony rewarde but onely for to gete loue In this maner god gyueth to vs these yeftes purely for the loue that he hath to vs. and for to gete our hertes and al our loue to hym ¶ why they be called the yeftes of the holy ghoost capo. lxxxviij NOw for what cause been they callyd yeftes of the holy ghoost and not the yeftes of the fader of the sonne for al theyr werkys and their yeftes ben comyn To this purpoos ben two reasons That one lyke as the werkes of puyssaunce and myght ben appropred to god the fader and the werkes of sapyence to god the sone ryght soo ben the werkys of grace of bounte appropred to the holy ghoost For bountees ben lyke as sayth saynt denys to spende and to gyue hym self For yf a man yeue that whyche coste hym nought that is not grete bounte But by cause that the holy ghoost by these seuen yeftes expendeth and gyueth hym self in our hertes Lyke as sayth saynt poule lyke as it were by seuen stremes therfore ben they callyd proprely yeftes of the holy ghoost For he is the fontayn and they ben the stremes ¶ That other is by cause that the holy ghoost is proprely the loue that is bytwene the fader and the sonne and by cause that loue is the propre the fyrst the pryncypal yefte that a man may yeue thenne wyth ryght in this yefte ben gyuen al the other and wythoute thys yefte none other is not called yefte truly ne ryghtfully Therfore is the holy ghoost a yefte and yeuar For he gyueth hym self and is yeuen in eueryche of these seuen yeftes whyche that he gyueth for to conferme our loue vnto his so that it be feruent fyne veray and clene ¶ why there be vij yeftes no moo ne lasse capo. lxxxix FOr two thynges a man is saued fro to flee the euyl to do good For to hate and to flee the euyl causeth vs the yefte of drede The other vj yeftes cause vs to do good The yefte of drede is the vssher at the grete masse that is to saye at the grete menasse of the sentence of god and of the paynes of helle whiche is alwaye redy apparaylled ayenst the synuars this is the watche of the castel which neuer slepeth Thys is the wedar of the gardyn that wedeth and plucketh vp al euyl herbys This is the tresourer that kepeth the hert and alle the goodes that ben therin These be the other vj yeftes that make vs to do al the good dedes Now oughtest thou to know that lyke the clerenes of the sonne· which thou seest with thyn eyen yeueth clerenes to the world vertu enuygoure strengthe al the thynges that growe and come in to the world Ryght so doeth the holy ghoost whyche enlumyneth in
them to swere and not to be periured But to the crysten peple is not onely defended to pariure and forswere hym self but also to swere· Excepte in caas of necessyte as sayd is ¶ And therfore it is sayd by our sauyour Ihesu Cryst yf thou wylt ony thynge afferme or denye late thy word be it is thus or it is not thus and yf thou makest oth of habundance but in caas of necessyte it is euyl and it is synne ¶ And the cause of thys restraynte or defence is by cause that the creature hath noo membre so feble ne to the kepyng may by a creature be lasse sette than in the tongne ¶ And to this purpoos sayth Saynt Iames thappostle that alle nature of beestys of byrdes and of serpentys may be dompted and taken by the creature humayne but none may not ne wyl not refrayne his tongue ne kepe hym from euyl sayeng or of ouermoche spekyng ¶ And therfore sayth the holy appostle swete Saynt Iames that the man is parfyte and wyse that setteth to hys tongue suche garde that he mespryse not ne synne not in his spekyng And for that fraylnes the creature that vseth or accustommeth hym for to swere periureth or forsweryth hym lyghtlye The which thynge of hym self is dedely synne whan the pariuryng is made in ernest and by delyberacyon and the moost grettest synne that is after is to adoure straūge goddes which is sayd synne of ydolatrye And therfore not to take the name of god in vayne by the manere that sayd is was the second comandement gyuen of our lord to moyses as tofore is sayd ¶ The thyrd thynge that the veray subgette oweth vnto his lord capitulo ix THe thyrd thynge that the veray subgette oweth to hys lord and soueraynly to god is seruyce and vpon thys was deyluerd to Moyses the thyrd comandement apperteynyng to the dylectyon loue of god is suche as foloweth Thou shalte halowe or sayntefye the sonday that is to say Thou shalt seace the sayd day fro al worldly werkes and in especyal of the werkys of synne And that day thou shalte employe and occupye thy self in the praysyng in the seruyce of god In knowlechyng the benefaytes the grace that thou hast of hym And god wolde that by the Iewes the sabate day shold be employed in his praysyng and his seruyse In mynde of that whiche he had made and fourmed alle thynges And the seuenth day he had seaced dyd reste to make newe creatures And by the crysten people in stede of the sayd sabat day that the Iewes halowed ¶ The day of sonday hath ben ordeyned in mynde of the recreacyon of the creature resonable maad by the resurrexyon of Ihesu Cryst whyche aroos on suche a day And semblably the frestys of Sayntes and the solempnytees commaūded by the chyrche to be kepte also lyke as the sonday ought euery creature temploye in the praysyng loange of god and of his sayntes and to seace reste fro all erthely and worldly werkes and in especyal from synne And in especyal the creature ought to ceasse of two thynges Fyrst fro al werkys temporelle erthely corporelle except in foure caases The fyrst is for to haue the necessyte of his lyf The second for the necessyte of the lyf of his neyghbour The thyrd for the necessyte of holy chyrche The fourth for thauctoryte of his souerayn and for his comandement whan in suche dayes he comandeth to werke for ony causes Iuste resonable In whiche foure caases it is leefful to a creature on the sayd dayes to do werke corporelle ¶ The second thynge wherof thumayn creature ought to cesse in especyal on the sayd dayes is to do synne and in especyal dedely synne For how wel that a creature ought to kepe hym self from synne in especyal dedely Neuertheles synne doon in the sayd dayes is moche more greuous than in other dayes The third thynge wherof a creature ought to kepe hym in the sayd dayes· is of ydlenes For for to be ydle is cause of ouer moche euyl and of synnes and in especyal on the sayd dayes ought a creature to occupye enbesye hym in thre thynges Fyrst in makyng sacrefyse to god of hym self and of al that he hath in especyal a creature ought on the sayd dayes to gyue hym selfe to god by deuoute orysons and prayer And to haue grete sorow and bytter repētaūce of hys synnes Secondly a creature ouzt to occupye hym in the loange praysyng of his maker creatour And by cause that in the mouthe of a synner preysyng is not playsaunt to god euery creature ought to make clene his herte fro al synnes by bytter repentaunce by deuoute confessyon and by penaunce ¶ Thyrdly a creature ought to occupye hym in the sayd dayes in doyng almesses for the loue of god of suche goodes as god hath gyuen to hym to them that haue nede and necessyte and more largely ought to be gyuen in the sayd dayes than in other Also yet in the dayes of the festys of sayntes the creature ought to torne hys entendement in the consyderacyon of thre thynges ¶ Fyrst the creature ought to consyder the grete lyberalyte and largesse of god that the saynt of whome the feste is for a lytyl seruyce that he hath doen to god God hath so gretely rewarded guerdoned that he hath gyuen to hym glorye Ioye pardurable· wyth hym And wyth this god wyl that of his creatures he be honoured and preysyd in this world And by this consyderacion the creature ought to be al toward god and ouzt desyre wyth al his herte to doubte to loue and serue deuoutelye perseuerantly suche a lord that payeth so wel hys seruauntes ¶ Secondly a creature ought in his herte to ymagyne and thynke of the glorye and of the ioye that the saynt hath wyth god whiche is so grete that herte humayn may not thynke ne mowthe expresse ne speke and by suche consyderacyon he desyre to haue suche wele and by this the creature desyre wyth al his herte to serue loue and drede god whiche for this gyueth suche we le to a creature ¶ Thyrdly a creature ought to consyder in the sayd dayes the grete myserye of hym self the dyuers trybulacyons afflyctyons maladyes and euyl accydentes fortunes seruytudes and many moo parylles that ben euery day in thys poure world And by this consyderacōn a creature ought to haue the world in despyte not to preyse worldly thynges and to serue god with al his power And to desyre to be oute of this myserye for to haue the grete Ioye glorye of heuen which the saynt hath wyth god ¶ Here after folowen the seuen other comandementes apparteynyng to the loue dylection of his neyghbour capo. x AFter the thre comandementes aforesayd apparteynyng to the loue dylectyon of god Folowe the seuen other apparteynyng to the loue of his neyghbour accordyng to the second commandement pryncypal aforesayd
was conceyued of the holy ghoost borne of Marye That is to say that he was conceyued in the vyrgyn marie And by the vertu of the holy ghoost and no thynge of man that the vyrgyn marye abode alwaye virgyn tofore and after This artycle sette in saynt Iames the more sayeng Qui conceptê° est de spiritu sancto natus ex maria virgine ¶ The fourth artycle apperteyneth to the passyon of Ihesu cryst that is to say that he suffred vnder pylate his passyon The which pylate was preuoste Iuge for the tyme in Iherusalem for the romayns And of hym was Ihesus cryst Iudged wrongfully at the requeste of the ryght felon Iewes and crucyfyed and deed and layed in the sepulcre and descended in to helle This artycle maad saynt Iohan theuangelyst sayeng Passê° sub poncio pilato crucifixus mortuus sepultus descendit ad inferna ¶ The fyfthe artycle is of the resurrection of Ihesu Cryst That is to say the thyrd day he aroos fro deth This artycle maad Saynt Thomas sayeng Tercia die resurrexit a mortuis ¶ The syxthe artycle is of thascencyon of Ihesu Cryste That is to say he ascended to heuen and sytteth vpon the ryght syde of god the fader almyghty This artycle maad Saynt Iames the lasse sayeng Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei patris omnipotentis ¶ The seuenth artycle is of the comyng of Ihesu Cryst to the dome That is to saye From thens he is to come to Iudge the lyuyng and the ded This artycle made saynt Phelyp sayeng Inde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos ¶ The viij artycle is to byleue in the persone of the holy goost This artycle made saynt bartylmew sayeng Credo in spiritum sanctuÌ„ ¶ The ix article is to byleue in the holy chirche of rome and in thordynauÌ„ces of holy chirche This artycle made saynt mathewe sayeng Sanctam ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ ¶ The x is to byleue in the holy sacrament by the same holy sacrameÌ„t is made remyssyon of synnes to al them that receyue hym worthely Thys artycle made Saynt Symon sayeng Sanctorum coÌ„munionem remissioneÌ„ peccatorum The xj artycle is of the general resurrectyon in propre bodyes This artycle made saynt Iude broder of saynt symon sayeng Carnis resurrectionem The xij the laste artycle is to byleue heuen to be lyf perdurable This article composed made saynt Mathye sayeng vitam eternam Amen ¶ Thus enden the twelue artycles of the feythe ¶ Of the beest that saynt Iohan theuangelyst sawe in thappocalyps capitulo xij THe holy appostle Saynt Iohan the euangeliste in the book of his reuelacioÌ„s which is callyd apocalips sayth that he sawe a beest which yssued oute of the see merueyllously desgysed moche dredeful For the body of the beest was of a lyepard the feet of a beer the throte of a lyoÌ„ he had vij heedes x hornes aboue and aboue the x hornes x crownes saynt Iohan sawe that this cruel beest hath power myght to fyghte ayenst sayntes to ouercome them to conquere them Thys beest so cruel so conntrefayted so dyuers so dredeful signefyeth the deuyl of helle which is ful of sorow of al bytternesse· The body of this beest was as sayth saynt Iohan semblaunte vnto a lyepard For in lyke wyse as the lyepard hath dyuers colours In lyke wyse hath the deuyl dyuers maners of engynes for to deceyue to drawe the peple to synne The feet of the beest were of a bere For in lyke wyse as the beer hath the myght strengthe in his feet in his armes holdeth strongly byclyppeth fast that whiche he hath vnder his feet enbraceth In lyke wyse doeth the deuyl them that he embraceth and hath beten doun by synne The throte of the lyon was in hym for his grete cruelte The vij hedes of the sayd beest ben the vij chyef dedely synnes by the which the deuyl draweth to hym as it were al the world For oftyme it happeth that many ê‘sones falle in soÌ„me throte of these vij hedes That is to vnderstonde of the seuen dedely synnes and therfore sayth Saynt Iohan that the sayd beest had power ayenst the saynces for in the erthe is none so holy a man that parfytelye may eschewe al the maners of synnes· that of these vij heedes of the vij dedely synnes descende withoute specyal pryuylege grace of god lyke as it was in the virgyn marie whyche neuer dyd synne or in another saynt after the specyal grace that he had of god lyke as the gloryous vyrgyn marye had specyal synguler grace of god aboue al other creatures The x hornes of the beest sygnefye the brekyng of the x commandementes of the lawe of our lord whych the deuyl pourchaceth as moche as he may that the creature breke them in lyke wyse as he purchaceth that the creature falle in the vij dedely synnes toforesayd or in soÌ„me of the braunches of them The x crownes of the sayd beest sygnefyen the vyctoryes that the deuyl hath vpon the synners by cause that he hath made them for to breke the ten comandements of the lawe of our lord Herafter foloweth the deuysyon of the vij dedely synnes ca xiij THe fyrst heed of the beest is pryde The second Enuye The iij yre or wrath The iiij slouthe The v auaryce The vj glotonnye The vij lecherye Oute of these vij synnes dedely descenden alle maner of synnes therfore be they callyd chyef of vyces for they ben chyef of al vyces and of alle synnes be they dedely or venyal Eueryche of these seuen dedely synnes is departed in many partyes first we shal speke of the synne of pryde This was the first synne the begynnyng of al euyl whan the angel lucyfer for his grete beaute and his grete vnderstondyng he wold haue ben aboue alle other angels wold compare to god that so good fayr had made hym by cause he took suche pryde in hym he fyl fro heuen in to helle and became a deuyll And alle hys companye wyth hym Alle proude men resemble thys lucyfer whiche wyl be aboue the other and be more preysed more allowed more enhaunced than the other· whiche been better of more valewe than they be This synne of pryde is ouer perylous for it blyndeth man woman so that they knowe not ne see not the perylle wherin they be by synne This is the right stronge wyn of the deuyl and the moost especyal of which he enyureth or maketh dronke the grete lordes ladyes· the bourgeyses the ryche the noble and valyaunte persones and generally al maner of people But in especyal the grete lordes ladyes in suche maner that they knowe not them self ne see not theyr defaultes ne theyr folyes ne theyr synnes Thys is the moost perylous maladye sekenesse of al the other Certeynly he is in grete peryl to whome alle tryacle torneth to venym
lyke as doctryne and chastysyng doth to the proude For the more men chastyse and blame them of theyr defaultes so moche more ben they angry defende them Pryde is the fyrst doughter of the deuyl and she that hath moost grettest parte in his herytage Pryde warreth ageynst god his goodnes al graces and ageyn al the good werkys that ben in the maÌ„ for pryde maketh of almesse synne of vertu vyce thus is pryde a theef to god wyth the goodes that one ought gete heuen he maketh hym wynne helle This synne is the fyrst For it assaulteth the knyghtes of our lord that laste leueth them For whan the knyghtes of god haue ouercomen vaynquysshed alle other vyces and synnes Thenne assaulte them most strongly the synne of pride and of vayne glorye ¶ The brauÌ„ches of the synne of pryde ben these capo. xiiij THe synne of pride deuydeth hym departeth in so many partyes that vnnethe they may be nombred But there ben in this synne vij pryncypal partyes whiche been as seuen braunches that yssue and growe of an euyl rote of whyche the fyrst braunche of pryde is dysloyalte or vntrouthe The second despyte The thyrd is surquydrye whiche soÌ„me calle presumpcion The fourth folehaste whiche is called ambycion The fyfthe vayne glorye The vj ypocrysye The vij euyl and foule shame of wel doyng To these vij partyes braunches apperteyne alle the synnes that growe of pryde But eueryche of these vij braunches haue many smale bowes ¶ The first braunche is dysloyalte or vntrouthe capo. xv THe fyrst brauÌ„che of pryde is dysloyalte whiche deuydeth hym in to thre braunches The first is euyl The second is werse The thyrd is werste That one is vylaynnous That other is wode The thyrd is renyeng Vylaynnous generally is in alle synnes for noo synne is wythoute vylonye But the vylonye of whiche we speke here specyally that groweth of pryde is a partye of dysloyalte whyche is called of clerkes Ingratytude that is vnkyndenes That is to say forgetyng of god of his yeftes that men thanke not our lord ne yeue hym laude and praysyng therof But he forgeteth rendreth euyl for good and vylonye for curtesye This vylonye doth euery creature to god whan he forgeteth his goodnes grace yeftes and yeldeth not to hym therfore praysynges thankes lyke as he ought to do But oftymes fyghteth in euyl custome and vsage ageynst the wylle of god This is moche grete vylonye whan a persone receyueth grete bounte and goodnes and daygneth not ones to say gramercy yet is the vylanye gretter whan one seeth and whan he forgeteth But that slouthe is ouer grete whan a persone receyueth alle waye the bountees and rendreth alwaye euyl for good who thenne bethought hym wel and took hede ofte of the bountees and goodes that god hath gyuen and doon to hym and doeth contynuelly fro day to day for he hath noo goodes but god hath gyuen them to hym Ne goodes of nature as beaute helthe strengthe of body clere vnderstondyng and natural wytte as of the partye of the soule Ne goodes of fortune lyke as rychesses honoures and hawtesses Ne goodes of grace lyke as ben vertues grace good werkes wel ought suche a persone to preyse thanke god honoure doubte and loue hym wyth al his goodes for one bounte requyreth asketh another ¶ Of the second bough of the first braunche capo. xvj THe second bough of dysloyaulte that groweth of pryde is woodnes That maÌ„ is holden for wood that is oute of his wytte in whome reason is goon and departed TheÌ„ne is he a ryght grete fool wel may be sayd oute of his wytte and wood that in good ernest wasteth destroyeth and setteth in euyl vsage the goodes that ben not his but ben the goodes of his lord of whiche he must straytely counte and gyue a rekenyng· thâ—â— is to wete the tyme that he hath loste and how he hath emâ—loyed his tyme. and of the temporelle goodes how he hath vsed them the whiche he hath had in his kepyng and hath despended them in folyes in oultrages in euyl vsages tofore the eyen of his lord that is god Ne hath not pourueyed hym to rendre his acompte knoweth wel that he muste rekene and wote not whenne ne the day ne the houre Suche folye is callyd forsenerye or woodnesse Of thys vyce and of thys synne been the grete proude men that vse ryght euyl the goodes that god hath lente them ¶ Of the thyrd bowh of dysloyaulte capitulo xvij THe thyrd bowhe of dysloyaulte that cometh of pryde is renyeng he is wel renyed that the loÌ„de which he holdeth of his lord putteth in the hande of his enemye and dooth to hym homage Thys synne doo al they that synne mortally or dedely For in as moche as in them is they do homage to the deuyl And become seruauntes and caytyues of the enemye and rendre to hym al that they holden of god bothe body and soule And al other thynges that they haue they put in the seruyce of the deuyl And how be it that suche folke say calle them crysten they renye god by werke and shewe that they been not But in thre maners a man is callyd renegate or renyed and fals crysten Or for by cause that he byleueth not that he ouzt lyke as dooth the bougre or the heretyke and the apostata that renyeth his feythe Or by cause that they breke the feythe that they byleue lyke as doon they that ben pariured be lye theyr fayth Or by cause they byleue more than they ought to doo lyke as doon deuynours Sorciers the charmerers whyche vse and werke by tharte of the deuyl and al they that in suche euyl werkys byleue and sette theyr hope synne dedely For all these thynges ben ayenst the feythe and therfore holy chyrche for bedeth and deffendeth them These been the maners of desloyaulte whyche is the fyrst braunche of pryde ¶ The second braunche of pryde capitulo xviij THe second braunche of Pryde is despyte whiche is a moche grete synne how wel that dedely synne be not wythoute despyte of god Yet alwey after that we here speke in this despyte specyally may one synne in thre maners Or by cause that a persone preyseth not ryghtfully another in his herte lyke as he ought to do Or by cause he bereth not reuerence ne honoure there as he ouzt to do Or by cause he obeyeth not a ryght them to whome he ought to obeye ¶ Now thynke ryght wel dylygently in thyn herte how oftymes thou hast mesprysed herin that whyche thou hast in thyn herte thyn owne self other falsely preysed And the bettyr despreysed and despyted and the werse preysed and thynke hou ofte thou hast despysed in thyn herte them that ben of more valewe thaÌ„ thou arte And how thou hast despysed them for soÌ„me forayne grace that god hath gyuen to the Or for
and in myscreaunce Blasphemye is also as sayth saynt Austyn whan one byleueth that whyche he ought not to byleue But especyally we calle blasphemye whan one myssayeth of god or of his sayntes or of his creatures or of his sacramentes that be made in holy chyrche this synne blasphemye is doon in many maners as in the sayeng in his mynde or thought as doon the heretykes or whan it is sayd by couetyse of wynnyng As doon the enchauntours or the sorceriers Or whan it is sayd by dyspyte as doon these grete swerers that sweren soo vylaynously by god by his blessyd moder and by al his sayntes whiche is a moche horryble thynge to here and to herkene Suche folke ben lyke an hounde enraged and wood that byte and knowe nothyng theyr mayster ne lord This synne is soo grete that god punyssheth it somtyme openlye lyke as we haue sayd tofore whan we speke of the euyl and wycked people ¶ Of this synne sayth god in the gospel that it shal neuer be ê‘doned ne foryeuen in this world ne in that other That is to saye vnnethe he shal be forgyuen by cause that vnnethe he repeÌ„teth hym or it may be perauenture that he shal neuer repente hym ¶ Of the iiij braunche whiche is ambicion capitulo xx THe fourth braunche of pryde is ambycyon That is an euyl desyre to amounte and ryse hyghe This synne is the panne of helle in whiche the deuyl fryeth his frytours this braunche stratcheth hym in many maners on the ryght syde on the lyfte syde For they that desyre to waxe hye and ryche wyl playse somme and therof growen many synnes lyke as it were on the ryght syde That is to wete losangerye flaterye seduction adulacion folyly geuyng and folyly despendyng by cause they shold been holden large and curtoys vnto other they wyl noye and greue and therof comen and sourde the synnes on the lyfte syde As for to myssaye of hym whome he wyl gryeue for tenhaunce hym self and gyue to that other blame And that wers is that he desyreth the deth of hym that holdeth that thynge for whyche he entendeth and desyreth and of thys braunche growen stryues Trayson euyl counceyl and conspyracions ¶ The fyfthe braunche is vayn glorye capitulo xxj THe fyfthe braunche of pryde is vaynglorye This is folysshe playsyr of vayn praysyng That is whan ony feleth in his herte a reioysyng of that that is or weneth to be preysed of soÌ„me thynge that is in hym or weneth to haue And wold be preysed of that of whyche he oughte to preyse god And by that vayn glorye taketh aweye fro god that whiche is his For of al maner goodes what someuer they be he ought to haue the honoure and the glorye And to vs the prouffyte Vaynglorye is the grete wynde that beteth doun the grete toures and the grete steples The grete castellys the grete forteresses dryueth doun to therthe the grete forestys maketh the grete montaygnes to quake shake These been the hye men the moost valyauntes the grete prynces and the grete lordes This is the peny of the deuyl by whiche he byeth al the fayre wares in the fayre of thys world These been the good werkes· and by cause that there ben iij maner of goodes that the man hath of god and that the deuyl wyl bye them wyth his peny Therfore this braunche departeth hym in thre bowes oute of whiche sourde soo many synnes that no clerke may nombre them These iij manere of goodes that the man hath of god been the goodes of nature the goodes of fortune and the goodes of grace The goodes of nature ben the goodes that a ê‘sone hath by nature as toward the body or toward the soule The goodes of the partye of the body ben helthe beaulte strengthe prowesse good facond good wys lyghtnes of body The goodes of the partye of the soule ben clere vnderstandyng clere wytte to vnderstonde and reteyne Subtyl engyne for to fynde good memorye and mynde and the vertues naturel by whyche a man is more naturally curtoys than another or more large or more â—ebonayr or more attempred or more gracyous or to be wel ordeyned· Of alle these yeftes ought euery man to prayse and thanke god serue honoure hym For fro god comen al these goodes that we may haue but the proude man selleth them to the deuyl for the false money of vayn glorye And fyghteth ofte ageyn god wyth alle the goodes that he hath lente to hym whyche ben here aboue declared ¶ How many persones haue accustomed to synne oft by vayn glorye in dyuers maners euery man may Iuge in hym selfe In the goodes of fortune ben hyghnesse honours rychesses delyces and prosperytees whyche ben called in many maners For whan dame fortune hath torned hir whele And hath reysed a man hath sette hym in the moost hyest degree of hir whele as a wynd mylle doeth vnto the mooste hyest mounte come al the xij wyndes and blowe meruayllously with the wynde of vaynglorye For whan he is so hye reysed in prosperyte he thynketh in his herte on his grete dygnyte After in his prosperyte after in his rychesse After on the grete companye that foloweth hym after on the fayre meyne that serueth hym After in his fayre manoyrs After on his fayre horse after on the plente of his fayre robes after on thapparayl of his lodgyng in vessel in beddys and in other maner of harneys that is fayre and noble after on the grete presentes and on the grete festys that ben made to hym oueralle where he goth after on his grete renomee his grete loos praysyng whiche fleeth al aboute wrerin he ioyeth glorefyeth the veray caytyf in his herte that he wote not where he is These ben the xij wyndes of vaynglorye That is to say maners of temptacions of vaynglorye whych they haue that ben in this hye estate or in the world or in relygyon or clerke or laye man The goodes of grace ben vertues good werkes Ayenst these goodes bloweth somtyme the wynde of vaynglorye ofte tyme throweth doun the moost gretest trees moste hye These ben the moost wyse men and it is to wete that in good vertues good werkys the deuyl tempteth by the synne of vaynglorye in iij maners That one is in the herte within forth whan a persone enioyeth hym of the good that he hath doon pryuyly as of prayers orysons or of pryue good werkes weneth that he be bettyr with god than he is That other is whan he suffreth a folisshe gladnes come in to his hert of that he hereth or seeth his good fame or renomee and that he is reputed and holden for a good noble wyse man The thyrd is whan he desyreth and secheth and purchaceth preysyng loos good fame in that entencion he dooth his good dedes werkys no thynge for god proprely but for the world ¶ The vj
braunche of pryde is ypocrysye capitulo xxij THe vj braūche of the synne of pryde is ypocrysye thys is a synne that sheweth good dedes wythoutforth whiche ben not withinforth thēne they ben ypocrites which countrefayte the wyse man withoutfort and they be nothyng soo wythinforth For they do more in the entencyon to haue the name of a good man than the trouthe and the holynesse And this is departed in to thre partyes For there is one ypocrysye folysshe one foule and one subtyl They be foule ypocrytes that doon the ordures and fylthes of synne secretelye in hyd places and countrefete the good men tofore the people Our lord calleth them in the gospel sepulcres paynted gylte They ben folysshe ypocrytes that kepe them clene ynough as toward theyr body do moche grete penaunce good werkes pryncypally for the praysyng of the world by cause they wold be reputed and holden for good and holy Suche peple ben wel folysshe For of good metal they make false money They ben subtyl ypocrytes that wyl moūte in hye estate taken aweye and stele the dygnytees and offyces They doo al that a good man ought to do so subtylly that no man may knowe it vnto the tyme that it be achyeued and goten and al redy mounted and reysed in to hye estate and dygnytees thēne they shewe theyr vyees theyr fayntyses the ypocresyes that were in them wythin theyr herte That is to wete pryde auaryce malyce other euyl werkys by whyche may be clerely knowen theyr wyckednesse and theyr ypocresye And that the tree was neuer good and that alle the werke and dede of suche a persone was fayntyse ypocresye of that he had shewed tofore ¶ The seuenth braunche of pryde is fool drede capo. xxiij THe seuenth braunche of pryde is fool drede fole shame that is whan one leueth to do wel for the world to th ēde that he be not reputed and holden for an ypocryte and a papelart fereth and doubteth more the world than god Thys shame cometh of euyl playsaunce whan one wyl playse the wycked and euyl And therfore is she doughter of pryde And the seuenth braunche pryncypal maketh a persone oftymes to leue to doo wel for to playse wyckedly the world ¶ The ij heed of the beest of helle is enuye capitulo xxiiij THe second heed of the beest of helle is enuye This is the serpente that enuenymeth alle Enuye is moder of the dethe And by the enuye of the deuyl came the dethe to the world ¶ Thys is the synne that moost ryght maketh a man to resemble vnto the deuyl hys fader For the deuyl hateth nothyng more than the we le of another And loueth no thynge but the harme of another And by thys synne the enuyous man may not see the wele of another nomore than the oule may see the clerenesse of the sonne ¶ Thys synne is departed in to thre braunches pryncypal For thys synne poysenneth fyrst the hert of thenuyous persone and after the mouthe And after that the werkys The herte of the enuyous is so poysonned and ouertorned that it may not see the good of another but that it gryeue hys herte wythinforth and Iudgeth euyl that which he seeth or that he hereth he taketh and demeth alwaye the werste And in alle thys he dooth hys owen harme ¶ The hert of an enuyous persone hath so many venymous thoughtes and fals demynges Iugementes that they may not be nombred After thys whan the enuyous persone dooth or hereth ony euyl of ony other what someuer he be is hyt of harme of his body as euyl of hys deth or of hys sekenesse or of euyl fortune as of pouerte or euyl spyrytuel lyke as whan he hereth that somme whyche haue been holden for good men been blamed and deffamed of somme vyces and deffaultes Of these thynges enioyeth the enuyuos persone in hys herte After whan thenuyous persone hereth and seeth the we le of another Thenne cometh to hym a sorowe and an heuynesse to his herte that he may not be eased ne make good chere ne fayr semblaunte Now mayst thou see that the venemous herte of thenuyous persone synneth generally In malyce in gladnes ioye of the harme of other and in sorow of the we le of another Thus synneth the enuyous by his mouth For nedes must suche wyne come oute of the tappe as is wythin the vessel And by cause that the herte is al ful of venym it byhoueth that suche yssue oute of the mouthe Thenne by the mouthe of thenuyous persone yssue thre maners of venymous wordes of whome dauyd spekyth in hys psaulter that the mouthe of thenuyous persone is ful of maledyctyon For of the good we le of another he myssayeth appayreth and lasseth as moche as he may Of hurtyng For al the harme and deffaultes of another he secheth sercheth and sheweth forth to hys power Of Trayson For alle that he seeth or hereth he peruerteth to hys power and tourneth it to euyl and Iudgeth it falselye ¶ After the enuyous persone hath thre maners of venym in werke lyke as he hath in his mouthe and in hys herte For the nature of the enuyous is to quenche and to destroye to hys power alle goodnesses be they lytyl be they grete or myddle or perfyght ¶ Thenne he is of the nature of a basylyke that may suffre no verdure nygh vnto hym neyther herbe ne busshe ne tree ¶ Thenne after the gospel the good or wele hath in hym self thre estates For it is fyrst as in the herbe after in the ere and after it is ful of grayn Thenne al thus there be sōme that haue good begynnyng to come wel forth and to prouffyte wel ben lyke as the herbe Them the enuyous thynketh to destroye yf he may thother ben also lyke theerys of corne that floure wel and prouffyte wel to god and to the world And them the fende cryeth to destroye and to shame to hys power The other been perfyte in grete estate do moche good to god and to the world For to bete doun theyr good loos renomee and for to mynysshe theyr good dedes thenuyous dresseth alle his engynes For as moche gretter as the goodnes is So moche more sorow he hath This synne is soo perylous that vnnethe may one that vseth hit come a ryght to veray repentaunce For this synne is contrarye to the holy goost whyche is fontayne of all goodnesses And god sayth in the gospel who that synneth ayenst the holy ghoost he shal neuer haue for yeuenes ne mercy in thys world ne in that other ¶ For he synneth of his propre malyce And it ought hooly to be vnderstonde that there is noo synne how grete it be but that god foryeueth and pardoneth in this world yf a persone repenteth wyth good herte But vnnethe it happeth that ony repente of this synne For suche one warreth wyth hys power the grace of the holy
ghoost in that that he warreth the spyrytuel good of another ¶ In lyke wyse as the Iewes warryd ageynst our lord Ihesu Cryst for the good that he dyd ¶ And ye ought to knowe that there be vj synnes specyally ayenst the holy ghoost That is to wete presumpcyon whyche enlargeth ouermoche to synne and preyseth lytel the Iustyce of our lord and ouermoche to truste in his mercy And therfore moche peple synne in hope ¶ The second synne ageynste the holy ghoost is in despayr whyche bynymmeth and taketh aweye from god hys mercy Lyke as presumpcyon taketh from hym hys Iustyce The thyrd is obstynacyon Thys is hardenesse of herte ¶ whan one is soo enharded in his synne and in his malyce that he may not be humbled ne meked ne bowe and wyl not repente hym ne amende The fourth synne ageynst the holy ghoost is despyte of penaunce That is whan a man purposeth in hys herte that he shalle neuer repente hym of hys synne The fyfthe is to warre ayenst the grace of the holy ghoost in another The vj is to warre ayenst trouthe in ernest wetyngly and in especyal the trouthe of the crysten fayth Al these synnes ben ageynst the bounte and goodnes of the holy ghoost and they been soo grete that vnnethe they come to veray repentaunce And therfore been they vnnethe forgyuen and pardoned ¶ The iij heed of the beest of helle is Ire or wrath capo. xxv THe thyrd heed of the beest is Ire But thou owest to knowe that there is an yre whyche is vertuous that the good men haue ayenste thys synne whyche geten the vertues ayenst the vyces There is another Ire whyche is a moche grete vyce that is felonnye of herte oute of whome yssuen many braunches And in especyal foure warres that the felons haue ¶ Of the fyrst warre of the synne of yre which is suche xxvj THe fyrst warre of the synne of yre is to hym self for whan Ire surmounteth the man she tormenteth the soule the body soo moche that the man may not slepe ne reste Somtyme yre taketh awaye the etyng drynkyng and maketh one to falle in a feuer or in so grete heuynesse or malancolye or despayr that he taketh the deth This is a fyre that wasteth alle the goodes of the how 's ¶ The second warre that the felon hath that is to god For yre and felonnye surmounte and fyre somtyme alle the people by aduersyte temporalle or by maladye and sekenesse or by dethe of frendys Or by ony manere of meschaunce that hys wylle is not doon that he grutcheth and murmureth ayenst god our lord sayth maugre and in despyte of god and of alle hys Sayntes And swereth and blasphemeth ayenst god his blessyd sayntes The thyrd warre of Ire that the felon hath that is vnto them that ben vnder hym that is to his wyf to his meyne breketh pottes cuppes lyke as he were oute of his wytte and so is he The fourth warre is wythoutforth to his neyghbours and bydwellers aboute hym of this braunche growe vj bowes For whan Ire ryseth bytwene two men there is theÌ„ne stryf dyscorde wordes vylonyes wronges And after rancour whyche dwellyth in the herte after cometh hate medlyng and bataylle after desyre for tauenge hym after otherwhyle homycyde and manslaughter After cometh ofte mortalle warre emonge the frendes out of whiche yssuen ofte euyls in dyuers maners and many that may not be amended For whan there is warre bytwene two hye grete men hyt happeth ofte that many men be slayn whyche neuer had blamed ne â—â—espaced monasteryes and chyrches broken vp and somtyme brente townes destroyed and brente Abbayes and grete pryoryes destroyed men wymmen and chyldren dysheryted and put to pouerte· robberyes wymmen maryed maydens defouled and corupte and ouer many other euylles that ben doo for that cause And al this be they bounden to rendre to make amendys al they by whome soo many myschyefs harmes haue be doon And al they that haue ben in theyr helpe in suche wycked euyl werkes and therfore be they in grete peryll of dampnacyon ferre fro theyr sauacyon For they may not amende ne rendre the daÌ„mages that they haue doon and they behoue to restore or to be forlore ¶ Of the synne of slouthe which is sayd accydye capo. xxvij THe fourth heed of the beest of helle is slouthe whyche is callyd of clerkys accidye This synne is greuous to doo wel This synne is an ouer euyl rote and casteth oute many euyl braunches For this synne causeth a man to come vnto euyl amendemente and more euyl begynnyng and ouer euyl endyng The slowe persone hath euyl begynnyng by vj maners of synnes The fyrst vyce is fayntnes that is whan a man loueth lytyl and fayntly our lord whome he oweth to loue ardantly and this happeth whan he is flawe latchous and slowful to do wel The second vyce of slouthe is tendrenesse that is the bedde wherin the deuyl resteth hym and sayth to the man or woman Thou hast be euer tenderly nourysshed thou arte of ouer feble complexyon Thou mayst not do grete penaunces thou arte ouer tendre thou sholdest anone be dâ—ed for this the caytyf suffreth to be cherysshed and to doo alle the eases and the delyte of his body The thyrd vyce is ydlenesse This is a synne of whome cometh many euyls as the holy scrypture sayth For whan the deuyl fyndeth a man ydle he putteth hym anone in his werkys that is he maketh hym fyrst to thynke euyl to desyre vylonyes rybaudryes lecheryes to lose his tyme. and to leue to do moche good that he myght do by whyche he myght gete heuen The fourth vyce of slouth is heuynesse whan a man is so heuy that he secheth nothynge ne loueth so moche as to lye doun reste and slepe Somtyme how wel he be slowe· they been wakre and quycke ynough to the nedes of the world But they be al slepy to the nedes and werkys of god and for to do the werkys that shold be to their sauacyon these maner men had leuer lose thre masses than a swete or a good slepe The fyfthe vyce of slouthe is shrewdnes or cursydnes that is whan a man lyeth in synne and feleth the temptacyons of the deuyl of hys flesshe that assaylle hym And for veray shrewdnesse he wyl not lyft vp his hede ne his herte to god by contrycyon Ne crye to god deuoutelye by confessyon Ne stratche vp his handes to god by satysfaccioÌ„ To suche slouthe resembleth the wycked man that had lyeuer rote in foule stynkyng pryson than to take vn hym the laboure to goo vp the steyer or the degrees for tescape goo his waye ¶ Of pusyllanymyte of delaye werynes capitulo xxviij THe vj vyce of slouthe is pucyllanymyte In this vyce be they that haue fere and drede of nought dare not begynne to do wel for they haue drede that god shal fayle them This
and suche thynges is vsure whan it is lente for occasyon to haue somme prouffyte This is the fyrst manere of vsure that leneth hys good wyckedly and shrewdly ¶ The second capo. xxxvj THe second maner of vsure is in them that lente not the money in theyr owne persone But that whych theyr faders or theyr moders theyr wyues or theyr husbondes or theyr predecessours haue goten by vsure they reteyne it And wyl not rendre ne yelde it ageyn The thyrd maner of vsure is in them that deygne not ne wyl not lene by theyr owne hande but they make theyr seruantes and other people to lene for them theyr money tho ben the maystre vserers ¶ Of these synnes be not quyte the grete and hye lordes that kepe and susteyne the Iewes and lombardes of pyemoūt and other places whyche destroye the contraye and they take the rewardes grete yeftes somtyme the raunsons or redempcions whyche been of the catayl and cheuessaunce of the poure peple ¶ The fourth manere is in them that lene other mennes money or that borow it wyth lytel coste Suche people been dyscyples of vsurers whiche lerne this foule and wycked stynkyng crafte ¶ The fyfthe manere is in marchaundyse whan one sellyth ony maner thynge what somener it be for more than it is worthe for the abydyng of the terme than he wolde doo for redy money that more is the vntrewe sellar and wycked whan he seeth the peple more at grete myschyef thenne he shal selle his ware the more derrer ye twyes or thryes more than it is worthe Suche manere peple doo ouer moche harme For for theyr longe terme they destroye appourysshe the knyghtes and hye men that folowe thassemblees the warres and the tournoyes that they delyuer to them theyr londes and theyr herytages in gayge wedde so lyeng in gayge they deye neuer quytte ne payed The other synne in byeng the thynges as corn wyn or other thynges lasse the halfe than it is worth for the money that they paye tofore hande after they selle the same thre or foure tymes more dere than the thynge was solde and delyuerd to them fore Other marchauntes bye the thynges whā they be at noo prys and good chepe as whete in haruest wyn in the vynyerde or other marchandyse for to selle ageyn in the tyme whan they shal be more dere The other by◠theyr whete in the stalkys eerys and the wyn in the flouryng whan they shewe fayr forth by suche couenaunte that they haue theyr achate sauf and theyr mesure The vj maner is of them that delyuer theyr money to marchauntes in suche wyse that they shal be felowes and parte in the gayne· and no thynge in the losse Or that delyuer theyr beestes to halnes soo that they be as yron That is to saye that yf they deye or perysshe he that taketh them to halnes shal sette and put other beestys in theyr place of so moche and as grete of valure prys as were they that ben deed or perysshed at his propre charge and dyspence The vij maner is of them that put sette theyr nexte neyghbours in theyr werke and labour by cause that they haue lente them golde or syluer or corne· or hath doon to them ony curtosye or frendshyp and whan they see them poure nedy thēne make they wyth them bargayns for theyr auayle and for the money that they delyuer to the poure man or for a lytyl corne that they selle to hym wel dere for more than it is worthe in the market He wyl haue of hym syx penyworth werke or labour for two pens These been the bowes that growe oute of the euyl braunche of vsure· ¶ Of thefte capitulo xxxvij THe second braunche of auaryce is thefte thys is to take or reteyne other mennys thynge wrongfully wythoute knowleche or ayenste the wylle of hym that oweth it And this synne may be doon in foure maners after foure maners of theuys For there ben somme theuys openlye Sōme couertly Somme pryuelye and sōme telawly The comyn open tbeuys ben they that stele in suche wyse that there is Iustyce doon on them whan they been taken and of them ben dyuers maners as wel on the see as on londe The conuert theuys ben they that take aweye secretelye conuertly grete thynges or smale thynges by theyr barate trayson or by subtyl wytte engyne The preuy theues ben they that take aweye no thynge from straungers but of theyr neyghbours and knowen and of them been bothe grete and smale as the vntrewe receyuour Shereuys prouostes Eschetours Bayllyes sergeantes and other suche as taken the amendes and restrayne the rentes to theyr lordes and acounte moche in costes and despences and lasse in receytes and rentes Thus done the grete offycers whiche been in the howses of the grete lordes ryche men that maken grete costes and dyspences gyue largely the goodes of theyr lordes maysters wythoute theyr knowyng and ayenst theyr wylle In thys synne synneth the wyf whyche causeth by hir synne that the chylde whyche she knoweth wel that she hath had of another mā than of hir husbond enheryteth and hath therytage where he hath no ryght therto ¶ In this synne also synneth the wyf that taketh aweye the goodes of hir husbond for to dyspende and put it to euyl vsage ¶ That other theef is the lytel theef that taketh aweye oute of the how 's the breed or wyne and other thynges or fro theyr neyghbours theyr capons or hennys or the fruyt oute of theyr gardyns or other thynges Suche been they that reteyne the thynges that they haue founden knowen wel to whome they belonge and therfore they shold not reteyne them But they ought to do by the counceyl of holy chyrche or by the counceyl of theyr confessour The theuys that ben felowes ben they that parten theyr thefte or by composycyon or by yefte or by achate or by other manere ¶ Also they that consente to the thefte or counceylleth or that commaundeth it to be doou Also they that coūceylle the theuys or deffende them or susteyne them in theyr malyce or receyue them in to theyr hous or in to theyr londe or that gadre togyder the thefte Also the wycked Iustyses that suffre them for yeftes or by prayers or by ouy other euyl reasons and wyl not ne dare not do Iustyce ¶ The thyrd braunche of the synne of Auaryce is Rauyne as foloweth capo. xxxviij THe thyrd braunche of auaryce is Rauyne which hath many bowes The fyrst is an euyl executour of testamentes Suche people robbe them that ben dede whyche is ouer grete an vntrouthe ¶ The second is in wycked and euyl lordes be they knyghtes or other lordes or bourgeyses which ete flee the poure peple by tayllees by aydes Imposycyons amendes or by other maner whyche seche and purchace that whyche may greue theyr subgettis and accomplysshe theyr euyl wylle and they ought
to kepe deffende them· In thys synne ben the grete prynces the grete barons which by theyr myght taken awaye fro the poure other that they may subdue theyr castellys theyr rentes and theyr baronnyes And also other ryche men that take awaye by strengthe fro theyr propre neyghbours londes vygnes and other thynges And taken on alle sydes soo that noo thynge may escape theym ¶ The thyrd been robbeurs of euyl hostryes or Innes which robbe the pylgrymmes and the marchauntes and other that passe and walke by the cuntreye ¶ The fourth is in them that wyl not paye that they owe And that reteyne wronfully wythout cause the hyre or wages of theyr seruauntes or of them that doo theyr werke ¶ The fyfthe is in these grete prelates that pylle theyr subgettys and that raunson them by ouer grete procuracions· or by other exactions and extorcions that they do in many maners ¶ These ben the wulues that destroye the sheep that they shold kepe ¶ The syxte thefte is in bayllyes Shereues bedellys sergeantes and other offycyers whiche doo the grete rauyne and extorcions vpon the poure peple and bye the grete heritages soo moche there is of other manere of rauyne whyche shold be ouerlonge to reherce here But the moost grete parte is conteyned in the thynges aboue sayd ¶ Of the synne of chalenge capitulo xxxix THe fourth of Auaryce is chalenge that is to renne on another wrongfully To this synne apperteyneth al barate trycherye and falsnesse that happeth in plees In the clergye hath dame Auaryce many scoliers and in especyal seuen manere of people that estudye therin ¶ Of seuen maners of the synne of chalenge capo. xl THe fyrst ben the false psedours that make the false partycyons and demaundes and seche the false Iuges and the false wytnessys and the false aduocats and false letters for to trouble other and trauaylle the peple wrongfully in the spyrytuel courte or in the temporal court ¶ The second been they that put aweye and sette at nought that is ryght And sechen barats and delayes for to take aweye from other theyr chyuaunce ¶ The thyrd been the false and vntrewe wytnesses For they maken the fals and vnryght maryages They taken awaye the herytages They doo so moche harme and domages that none may amende it and al thys they doo for theyr grete couetyse The fourth been the false aduocates that susteyne the euyl causes al wytyng and empesshe lette the good people for the hyre and the yeftes that they take on bothe sydes And they make ofte the good causes to be loste the quarelles of good men and maken of ryght wronge and of wronge ryght by theyr wyckednesse and couetyse lyke as they that been maysters of the barate of the trycherye The fyfthe ben the false notaryes that make false letters and Instrumentes and falsen the seales and make false lybellys and many other vntrouthes ¶ The vj thefte done the false Iuges that entende and ben more fauourable ayenst reason more to one partye than to another for yeftes for promesses for propryertees or for loue or for hate or for drede or for fauour yf they delaye the causes and the quarylles wrongfully and make men to doo grete costes and dyspences and taken grete yeftes and somtyme of bothe partyes sellen theyr Iustyce or they leue to doo Iustyce and doon to poure peple so grete domages and hurtes that they may not ne can not amende ne repayre The vij ben the euyl accessours whiche gyuen euyl counceylle to Iuges and causen that the causes and quarellys be loste by the offyces and seruyces that they haue Al these persones tofore sayd ben bounden holden to rendre yelde agayn al that which they haue thus had taken euyl of other also all the costes domages that the other haue had suffred for them ¶ The v braunche of auarice is sacrilege capo. xlj THe fyfthe braunche of Auarice is sacrilege whan one breketh or hurteth or trayteth vylaynousy the holy and blessyd thynges or the persones of holy chyrche or ellys the holy places whyche been appropred or longyng to the seruyce of god and this doeth the synne of couetyse in many maners Fyrst whan one treateth vylaynsly the body of our lord lyke as doon the heretykes the Sorciers or wytches and the wycked preestes for wynnyng in lyke wyse say I of thother sacramentes Also whan one breketh taketh aweye or treateth vylaynsly the sayntuaries the crosses the chalyces the cresme the corporalls the halowed vestymentes and other thynges mysteryes of the chyrche Also whan one brenneth and destroyeth chyrches or monasteryes or holy places or chyrchyerdes ▪ or howses of relygyon or whan ony drawe out them that been fledde for refuge or socour in to monasteryes or chyrchyerdes for theyr surete or warrante ¶ Also whan one maketh medlees or bataylle in the chirche so that blood be shedde or whan the synne of lecherye is doon therin ¶ Also whan honde is layed in wrath and euyl on preest or clerke or on ony man or woman of relygyon Also whan one steleth or bereth aweye by eny reason oute of holy place ony holy thynge blessyd and halowed or vnhalowed what someuer it be Of thys synne be not quyte they that the goodes of holy chyrche the patrymonye of Ihesu Cryst despenden in euyl vsage Ne they that reteyne it by auaryce whan they ought to gyue it to the poure people in holy chyrche or put it in good vsage Ne they also that take aweye or reteyne wyth wronge or wyth force the thynges whyche are longyng to the poure in holy chyrche Or who that payeth them euyl lyke as the rentes the offerynges the dysmes and the other ryghtes and dutees of holy chyrche ¶ Of thys same synne be not quyte they that breke the sonday and other festes commaunded For the holy dayes haue theyr fraunchyse lyke as haue the holy places These been the bowes that growe oute of the braunche of sacrylege ¶ Of the synne of Symonye capitulo xlij THe vj braunche of auaryce is Symonye Symonye hath taken the name of an enchauntour whyche was named Symon whyche wold haue bought of saynt Peter thappostle the grace for to doo myracles And therfore he offryd to hym grete hauoyr and good And therfore been they callyd Symonyaks alle they that wyl selle or bye ony thynges spyrytuel whyche is emonge alle dedely synnes one of the grettest and thys braunche hath many bowes ¶ Of the fyrst boughe of Symonye capo. xliij THe fyrst is in them that selle or bye the thynges halowed or blessyd or the body of our lord or other sacramentes of holy chyrche ¶ The second is in them that selle the worde of god and preche pryncypally for money The thyrd is the synne of them whiche by yeftes or by promesses or by prayers of frendes do so moche that sōme be promoted to dygnyte of holy chyrche lyke as ben bysshops
Abbottes Deene archedeken or other whyche ben made by electyon The fourth is the synne of them that for yeftes or for promesses for prayers or by force of armes or for seruyses dyshonest gyue the prebendes the cures or other benefyces of holy chyrche The v is the synne of them whyche by couenaunte made entre in to relygyon in them that in suche manere receyue them Ther ben many other dyuers synnes in symonye but it apparteyneth more to clerkys than to laye men this book was more made for the laye men than for the clerkys which knowe and haue the bookes yet neuerthelesse it is necessarye and nede to laye men that they kepe them fro this synne in iij causes One is whan they wyl ayde helpe theyr kynnesmen theyr frendes to ryse vnto dygnytees of holy chyrche The other is whan they gyue the prebendes that been of theyr yefte and the benefyces ¶ The thyrd is whan they sette and put theyr chyldren in to relygyon in these thre poyntes yf they gyue or receyue yeftes or prayers not leefful or euyl seruyse they may sone falle in thys synne of Symonye For lyke as sayth the lawe wryton There be thre maners of yeftes of Symonye yeftes of the honde lyke as golde or syluer or other Iewel Yeftes of the mouthe as ben prayers yeftes of seruyce dyshoneste I calle yeftes dyshonest where the synne is done pryncypally for thynges spyrytuel ¶ Of the synne of malygnyte whyche cometh of auaryce capitulo xliiij THe seuenth braunche of auaryce is malygnyte whan a maÌ„ is so wycked that he fereth not to do a grete synne dedely and horryble or to do grete harme to other for lytel conquest of prouffyte for hym self ¶ This braunche hath many bowes The fyrst is whan ony persone for drede of pouerte or for couetyse of wynnyng he renyeth and forsaketh god or for to denye the crysten feythe and bycometh heretyke or Iewe or sarasyn To this synne apperteyneth the synne of them that for money doon calle the deuyls make the enchauntementes and maken to loke in the swerde or crystal or in the vngle or nayle of the fyngre for to atteyne and fynde the thefte or other thynges loste And of them also that pourchace the charmes by sorcerye or by ony other wycked crafte what someuer it be whan persones been in maryage hate eche other and may not dele ne haue companye one wyth that other by maryage Or persones that be not in maryage hate eche other by synne folyly ¶ The second is the synne of cursyng or by euyl sayeng by trayson or by detractyon whan a man for wynnyng or for hyre dooth thynge for whyche ony persone is put vnto deth or by swerde or by venym or by ouy other manere ¶ The iij synne is of them that for to wynne brenne howses or townes castellys or chyrches or destroye the vygnes or cornes and doo other dyuers grete dommages ¶ The iiij is the synne of them that ofte pourchace the plees debates and the warres in cytees or in castellys in chapytres or emonge other hye and grete men by cause that they wene to gete and wynne more in warre than in the pees ¶ The fyfthe is the synne of bayllyes and suche offycers that accuse and chalenge the poure people and make them to be raunsoned and tormented for a lytel gayne that they haue therof To thys synne apperteyneth the synne of the false Iuges of fals men of lawe and aduocates and of fals questys and wytnesses of whiche we haue spoken tofore in many other maners is the synne of malygnyte But it were ouer longe for to wryte it here And better may eche man rede and consyder his synnes many other â–ª in his conscyence than in the skynne of a sheep or in paper ¶ Of marchaundyse capo. xlv THe viij branche of anaryce is marchandyse wherin men synne in many maners for temporal goodes and specyally in seuen maners The fyrst manere is to selle as dere as he may The second is to lye swere and forswere the more for to selle his marchandyse The thyrd is the deceyte and fraude that is doon in the weyghte and in the mesure and this may be doon in thre maners The fyrst is whan a persone hath dyuers weyghtes and dyuers mesures and byeth by a more gretter weyght and lenger mesure and selleth by a lasse The second is whan one hath a trewe weyght a trewe mesure and wayeth or meteth vntruly falsely lyke as the tauerner which fylleth his mesure with scum fome the iij maner is whan they that selle by weyghte pourchace and doo so moche by deceyte and fraude that thylke thyng that is weyed semeth to be more of weyghte than it is The fourth manere for to synne in marchaundyse is to selle the derrer for the terme herof we haue spoken tofore ¶ The fyfthe is to selle otherwyse than the mustre is and worse lyke as these scryueners wrytars doon that at the begynnyng shewe wryte good letter and after make werse and shende al. ¶ The vj is in hydyng and concelyng 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 doon the merciers and drapers that chosen make the places derke where as they selle theyr clothe and ware And in many other maners may men synne in marchandyse but it shold be ouerlonge to say here ¶ The nynthe braunche of auaryce capo. lxvj THe ix brauÌ„che of auaryce is in many mesteres or craftes In this synneth moche peple and in many maners lyke as doon these commyn wymmen whiche for lytel wynnyng abandonne and gyue them self al to synne Also these hazardours bawdes kepars of forboden games and many other wâ—yche for temporel prouffyte abandonne them to dyshoneste and vnthryfty craftes which may not be doon without synne as wel of them that do it as they that susteyne hyt ¶ The x braunche of auaryce is in euyl playes and games as the dyse quardes tables or what someuer games that men playe at for money or for gayne temporelle Suche maner playes in especyal of dyse and tables been deffended and forboden by the decrees and lawe for many perylles that comen therof The fyrst is couetyse the second ouer grete vsure as xij for vj. and not at a moneth or thre dayes but many tymes in one day The thyrd synne to multeplye lesynges and vayne wordes that werse is grete blasphemyes of god and of his sayntes The angre and wrath the oftymes hath be taken to correcte and chastyse the other For somtyme theyr vysage hath be torned bacward and behynde Somtyme soÌ„me haue lost theyr eyen Somme theyr speche ¶ There was a knyght that sware by the eyen of god anone the eyen of his hede sprange oute and fyl vpon the eschequez ¶
whan the man hath had companye wyth suche a woman he may not after haue his maryage of the cosyns of his wyf And yf he take hyr the maryage is none after the lawe and yf he take a wyf after hyr cosyn he loseth the ryght that he hath to hys owen wyf in so moche that he may not ne ouzt not to dwelle wyth hir yf she requyre it not tofore The x of a woman to a clerk This synne aryseth aualeth moche after thordre and after the dygnytees ordred The xj is of a man of the world wyth a woman of relygyon or the reuerse a woman of the world wyth a man of relygyon thys synne encreaceth dyscreaseth after the state of the persones that done it The xij is of the prelates whiche ought to be forme and ensaumple of clennesse of chastyte and of holy lyf to alle the world The laste is moost foule and so abhomynable that it ought not be named This synne is ayenst nature whyche the deuyl enseygneth and entyseth a man in many maners which ben not to be named for the matere whiche is ouermoche abhomynable But in confessyon it ought to be sayd yf it be he or she to whome it hath happed For of so moche as the synne is more grete and more horryble of soo moche auaylleth the more the confessyon For the grete shame that a man hath to saye his synne is a grete parte of the penaunce after the holy scripture ¶ This synne dyspleseth so moche to god that he dyd do rayne fyre brennyng and stynkyng sulphre vpon the cytees of sodom and gomor and dyd do synke for this synne fyue cytees doun to helle The deuyl hym self that purchaced thys synne hath shame and abhorred it whan it is doon ¶ Of the synne of glotonye capitulo xlix THe seuenth heed of the beest of helle is the synne of the mouthe otherwyse callyd glotonnye which hath two offyces of whiche that one apperteyneth to the taste as to ete and drynke and that other is in spekyng Therfore this vyce this synne is deuyded in two partyes pryncypally that is to wyte in the synne of glotonye whiche is in etyng drynkyng and in the synne of the shrewde tongue that is in foule and folysshe spekyng And fyrst we shal saye of the synne of glotonye whiche is a vyce that moche pleaseth the deuyl and dyspleaseth to god By this synne hath the deuyl grete power in man wherof we rede in the gospel that god gaf lycence to deuylles for to entre in to swyn and whan they were entred they drowned them in the see Thys sygnefyeth that the glotons that lede the lyf of hogges and of swyn the deuyls haue leue to entre in to them to drowne them in the see of helle And maketh theym to ete so moche that they breste drynke so moche that they be drowned whan the champyon hath ouerthrowen his felowe he holdeth hym by the gorge by cause he shold not relyeue Ryght so is hyt of hym that the deuyl holdeth by hys synne in his mete the deuyl renneth to hys gorge lyke as the wolf dooth to the sheep for to strangle hym lyke as he dyd to Adam Eue in paradys terrestre Thys is the fysshar of helle whiche taketh the fysshes wyth the grynnes by the throte This vyce dyspleseth moche For the gloton doeth to hym grete shame whan he maketh his god of a sacke ful of dunge That is his bely whyche he loueth more than god and doubteth serueth it God commaundeth that he shold faste The bely sayth nay thou shat not but thou shalte eete longe and by leyzer God commandeth to ryse erly his god his bely sayth thou shalte not I am ouer ful me lyst to slepe The chirche is none hare he wyl not flee awaye and it is not yet open It shal wel abyde and tary for me· And whan the gloton aryseth he begynneth his matyns and his prayers and sayth O god what shal we ete this day shal we not fynde that is ony thynge worthe After these matyns comen the lawdes sayth A lord god how wel dranke we yester euyn the good wyn and how good mete ete we Thenne after this by wepeth the gloton his synnes and sayth Alas sayth he I wende wel thys nyght to haue deyed The wyne yestereuyn was ouer stronge myn heed aketh I shal not be eased tyl I haue dronken This god of the wombe of glotonye is ouer euyl For fyrst he bycometh a tauern gooar frequenteth tauernes after he playeth at the dyse after he selleth his good awaye after he bycometh a rybaulde an holyer and letchour and at the laste he hangeth on the galowes This is the salarye and the scotte that is ofte payed for the synne of glotonye This synne is departed after saynt gregorye in to v braūches For there is synne in fyue maners in etyng drynkyng and therfore somme drynke tofore tyme. or without reason or mesure or ouer ardantly or ouer plentyuously or ouer curiously Thenne the braūche of this synne is to ete tofore tyme. Ouermoche to ete is a foule thynge to a man that hath age dyscrecōn whan he may not abyde a due hour for to ete drynke By grete excesse of glotonye it happeth ofte that a man that is hole and stronge of body drynketh and eteth without cause resonable tofore tyme ordeyned that he cometh to the mete as doeth a dombe beest And moche synne and maladyes bodelye happen ofte by the customes and therof it cometh that this gloton sayth that he may not faste ne doo penaunce For he sayth he hath an euyl heed and an euyl herte also and certaynly he sayth trouthe and for to breke the fastyng dayes vygils commaunded is ryght a grete synne For he dampneth hym self and also wyl haue companye with hym withdraweth and letteth them to doo wel and ledeth them wyth hym vnto helle For he maketh them to breke theyr fastes and do glotonnye whyche they wold kepe yf it were not the euyl companye and felawshyp For these glotons and these letchours emonge al other euylles that they doo done a synne that is proprely the crafte of the deuyl that is whan they lette and wythdrawe al them that they may fro wel doyng mocke skorne alle them that loue to do wel ¶ These glotons say that they mowe not faste but they lyen falselye For lytel loue of god causeth them to say so ▪ For yf they loued as moche the veray glorye of heuen as they do the vayn glorye of the world For lyke as they faste for theyr worldly occupacyon and temporal goodes oft vnto the nyght as wel myght they fast vnto none for goddes loue yf they loued hym And that yf they desyred theyr saluacyon But they be lyke vnto the chylde that alle day wyl haue breed in his honde And trouthe it is that lyke as one synneth by etyng and drynkyng ouer erly
in grete despences that they make After in that that they vse ouer grete gredynes ouer grete delyte After in the vayn glorye that they haue But this is not onelye thexcesse of the throte but it is ofte for bobance for grete pryde and for the praysyng of the world that they seche so dere metes multeplye so many messes wherof oft tymes growe many synnes The v brauÌ„che of glotonye is the curiosite of glotons whiche thynke on none other thynge but for to delyte them in metes they ben proprelye lychorous which seche not sauf onely the delytes of theyr throte mouth In iij thynges namely lyeth the synne of suche peple Fyrst in the grete charge that they haue in pourchasyng in arayeng their metes After in the glorye in the grete playsyr that they haue in seyng beholdyng them that they may recounte what dylygence they put to that that the metes been wel arayed that eueryche haue his right propre sawâ—e how they may of one thynge make dyuers messes dysguysed for the delycyousnesse of the mouthe whan the messys or the metes comeÌ„ in one after another theÌ„ne be sayd the bourdes for entremesses thus goeth the tyme. the caytyfs forgete them self reason slepeth and thynketh no thynge of the deth ne on the synnes that they do their stomack cryeth and sayth Dame throte ye slee me I am so ful that I am lyke to breke TheÌ„ne the lychorous tongue answereth though thou sholdest to brest I shal not suffre this licoroê° mete escape me after the lycoroê°nes of mete cometh vaynglory that is to remeÌ„bre it TheÌ„ne desyre and wesshe they that they had as longe a necke as a crane as grete a bely as a cowe that they myght yet deuoure swalowe more mete Now hast thou herde the synnes that comen of glotonye of lycourousnesse and by cause that these synnes sourden and comen ofte in the tauerne whiche is fontayne of synne Therfore I wyl a lytel touche the synnes that ben made and done in the tauerne The tauerne is the scole of the deuyl where as his dyscyples studye and his propre chapel where as his seruyce is doon and that is the place where he sheweth doeth his myracles bothe day and nyght suche as apperteynen the deuyl for to do Atte chyrche our lord god hath a custome to shewe his vertues to make his myracles lyke as ye may see in many places the blynde for to see the lame and croked to be redressyd to mad men their wytte to dombe men speche to deef men theyr heryng But the deuyl in the tauern doth al the contrarye for the tauerne is his chapel as is aforesayd where men dooth to hym seruyce for whan the man goeth to tauerne he goeth alle ryght and whan he retorneth he hath neyther fote ne honde by whyche he may hym self bere ne susteyne and whan he goeth thyder he speketh wel hereth and vnderstondeth and whan he retorneth he hath loste alle thys lyke as he that hath neyther wytte ne reason ne memorye in hym self Suche been the myracles that the deuyl maketh in the tauerne what lesson is redde in the tauerne I shal say to you Ther is redde lerned herde seen all fylthe and ordure of synne that is to wete glotonye lecherye sweryng forsweryng lyeng myssayeng renyeng god his sayntes mysherkenyng brawlyng many other synnes TheÌ„ne sourden comen stryues homycides or manslaughter there is lernyd to stele and to hange the tauern is a fosse a pytte of theuys and also it is the fortresse of the deuyl for to warre ayenst god his sayntes the tauerner that susteyneth suche peple dysordynate ben partonners of alle theyr synnes that they doo in theyr tauernes And certeyn yf a persone sayd as moche shame to hys owne fader or to his moder or to his knaue as suche manere peple do to theyr fader of heuen and to our lady and to the Sayntes they shold be moche angry and fynde and sette other remedye than god dooth ¶ Of the synnes of the tongue capitulo L WHo that wyl knowe and thynke of the synnes of the tongue hym byhoueth to thynke and acounte to thynk what the tongue is and fro whens she cometh what harme and euyl she doeth For it happeth that somtyme the worde is synne in hym self by cause it is euyl and happeth by cause that it is synne men synne for as moche that she yssueth and cometh of an euyl herte ¶ And also it happeth that the worde is grete synne by cause it dooth euyl how wel that it be fayre and wel polysshed ¶ Now thou oughtest to knowe that the euyl tongue is the tree that god curseth in the gospel by cause he fonde theron no thynge but leeuys By the leeuys ben vnder stonden in holy scrypture wordes And lyke as it shold be a thynge dyffycile and harde to nombre the leeuys of trees Ryght so it is Impossyble to compte and nombre the synnes that growen of the tongue But we shal sette and put ten chyef braunches whyche growe oute of thys tree And these x braunches may thus be named ydlenes auauntyng losangerye detraction lyes or lesynges Forswerynges contencyons murmure rebellyon and blasphemye ¶ Of the synne that been in ydle wordes capo. lj THey that abandoÌ„ne them to ydle wordes geten grete dommage and grete perylle whyche they apperceyue not ¶ And also they lese the tyme whyche they may neuer recouere And lose also the good dedes that they shold myght doo vnto theyr owne salute and helthe And lesen the ioye of heuen and the tresour of theyr herte and replenysshe it of vanyte of synnes They dyscouer the potte the flyes entre therin They calle them ydle wordes but they ben not For they ben moche costyous damageous perillous as they that auoyde fro the herte al goodnes and replenysshe it wyth vanyte For they shal rendre reason yelde acompt of them to god straytely atte day of Iugement lyke as god saith in the gospel This is not thenne a lytel thynge ne lytel ydlenes whan hit byhoueth to yelde reason and accomptes at the day of dome vnto a lytel thought and in so hye a court as is tofore god al his sayntes In this ydle wordes men synne in vj maners There been somme vayn wordes of whyche somme tongues be so ful that so moche speke afore and after that they be lyke the clyket the clappe of a mylle whyche may neuer reste also soÌ„me wordes ben soo curyous of them that gladly heren tydynges tolde that they ofte sette theyr hert to the desease of them that here them so that the recounters been ofte holden for fooles lyars After comen the rehersayl the fayr wordes wherin is moche vaynglorye in them that can subtylly shewe say them for to make the herars to laughe after ben the truffes bourdes
Sarasyns To Iewes To false crysten men lyke as he hath to good men Also thys is not veray good that faylleth at nede and that may be loste maulgre hym self And though theuys may not take them and robbe them yet the deth taketh them awaye at the laste Also I say that the veray goodes ayden alwaye and greuen neuer but certeynlye suche goodes and suche graces forayn been ofte dammage and greue them that haue them yf they vse them not wel accordyng to god For somme auaunte them and been proude and despysen 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 wel and Iustly accordyng to god they shall be in gretter tormente in helle And straytly they must acompte and yelde a rekenynge at the day of dome of that they haue doon and how they haue vsed and despended it Notwythstondyng they haue goten goodes that god hath lente to them for multeplyeng and encrees ¶ Here after is shewed of the goodes of grace capo. lxvj NOw haue I shortly shewyd the lytel good the moyen good Now wyl I shewe to the whyche is the veray good ryghtful and parfyte This doeth he whyche hath the good wyth ryghte and vnderstondyng· For wythoute the whyche was neuer no good wyth ryght This good is called the grace of god vertue charytee· Grace by cause that she gyueth lyf and helthe to the soule For wythoute that the soule is deed For lyke as the body is dede withoute the soule So is the soule deed wythoute the grace of god It is called vertue by cause it adourneth the soule with good werkys and wyth good maners it is called charyte by cause it ioyneth the soule to god and also dooth al thynge as it were wyth god For charyte is no thynge ellys but a dere vnyte That is the perfection and the beneurte to whyche we ought to entende Moche were deceyued the auncyent phylosophres that so curyously dysputeden enquyreden who was the souerayn good in thys lyf and neuer coude they fynde ne knowe hit For somme sette theyr studye and theyr wytte in the delytes of the body The other in rychessys the other in honeste but the grete phylosopher Saynt Poul whyche was rauysshed vnto the thyrd heuen and passeth alle other phylosophres techeth vs by many reasons that the souerayn good in this lyf and that the quene of vertues is to loue god to haue veray charyte in hym self For wythoute this good ne auaylen alle the other goodes ryght nought And who that hath thys good of charyte he hath alle other goodes whan al other goodes shalle faylle this good shal not faylle and aboue al the grete goodes that been this charyte is lady Thenne the grettest good that is vnder heuen is charyte After by cause that thou wylte and desyrest thys good whyche by ryght is called vertue and that thou desyrest to loue it moost and to seche it aboue alle other goodes I wyl yet shewe to the his valure It is acustomed to deuyse thre maners of goodes in the world that is to wyte goodes honourable goodes delectable goodes prouffytable There be no moo goodes ne veray ne good ne fayre but these thre maners And thys seest thou openlye of the world that none desyreth ne loueth ony thynge but that he wene that it be honourable or delectable or prouffytable ¶ The proude secheth thynge honourable The couetous man secheth thynges prouffytable The delycious secheth thynges delectable And whan they sechen this thynge vaynlye Euery man ought to knowe that vertâ—es haue these thre propretees For vertue is moche honourable and delectable proâ—ffytable ¶ what vertues ben goodes honourable capo. lxvij WHyche vertues ben goodes honourable this mayst thou see in thys manere Syxe thynges been in this world moche desyred by cause that they seme moche honourable that is to wete beaulte wytte prowesse power fraunchyse and noblesse These ben vj fontanyes of vanyte Of vayn glorye cometh and sourdeth a plante Beaulte is a thynge moche loued For it is a thynge moche honourable and neuerthelesse beaulte that the eyen and the body see loue is a thynge fals couert and vayne It is false for he or she is nothynge fayre But our eyen ben vayn and feble that see noo thynge but the skynne wythoutforth Thenne who myght see as clere as a beest that is callyd a lynx whyche seeth thorugh oute a walle he shold clâ—rely see that a fayr body nys but a whyte sacke ful of stynkyng dunge· lyke a dunghylle couerd wyth snowe or wyth grene grasse ¶ Also I say to the that thys beaulte is moche shorte and not abydyng For it is sone faylled 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 fare wel al the beaulte is faylled and gone Thenne the beaute that the body hath the soule hath gyuen it to hym And therfore moche fooles been al they that for the beaulte of the body gloryfye them self But the beaulte of the soule is the ryght beaute whyche alwaye encreaceth and neuer shal faylle This is the vâ—ray beaulte by whiche the soule pleaseth god and to the aungellys that seen the herte This beaulte rendreth and gyueth to the soule graces vertues and loue of god For she reformeth reparaylleth and rendreth hyr ryght enprynte That is the ymage of hyr maker whiche is beaulte wythout comparyson and who best resembleth in getyng the vertues in pluckyng vp and caste from hym alle synnes kepe hys commaundementes entyerly he is moost fayre ¶ Thenne the moost fayre thynge that is vnder god is the soule whyche hath parfytely his ryght fourme and his ryght clerete colour of flour clerenesse of the sonne fygure of man and playsaunce of precyous stones And al that the eye of the body seeth of beaulte is fylthe and foule to the regarde of the soule al that may be thought of beaulte may not be compared to the soule ¶ Of veray sapyence capitulo lxviij WYtte clergye is a thynge moche honourable moche do be preysed But and yf thou wylte be wyse a ryght and lerne veray clergye do soo 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 alle the world This wytte passeth and surmouÌ„teth al the wytte of the world lyke as the sonne passeth the clerenesse of the mone For the wytte of the world nys but folye lyke as the scrypture sayth and chyldehode wodenesse Folye is in them that so moche louen the world and his beaulte and that can not knowe the day fro the nyght Ne Iuge bytwene grete lytel and bytwene precyous vyle They wene the mone to be the sonne For they wene that the honour of the world
descendeth the drope of dewe whan one seeth hit a ferre resemble to a precyous stone But whan one weneth to take it it falleth to grounde and bycometh nought Thus is it of the delytes of the fyue wyttes bodely whan one thynketh or fygureth or wyssheth or whan one desyreth them it appyereth moche precyous But whan a man hath holdeth them anon they be lost bycome truffes dremes Thynke on the delyte of the last yere and of thy dreme to nyght thou shalt see that al is one anone they passen anone they comen ageyn in noo manere may they fulfylle the herte of a man And yf in a drope be as moche swetenesse that it is the swetenesse of al the fontayne Thenne is that a delectable good And therfore the wyse holy men in al that they sawe in thys world sauoureden of the delectable goodes of the world preyseden god and moost desyreden the loue of hym and the more that they sawe the dropes swete the more they desyreden to come to the fontayne celestyal And therfore it is wel knowen that the more that one forgeteth the drope the more he loueth the fontayn and the reuerse The more that one loueth the drope the more he hateth the fontayn forgeteth it And the more that the swetenesse of the world playseth to a creature whiche he soo moche desyreth the lasse hath he of the swetenesse of god Therfore the good men take the lasse of the swetenesse of the world as moche as they may and wyl not vse the flesshly delytes ne the deduytes that comen by the fyue wyttes bodyly A good lord god how moche been they fooles more than beestys that knowe wel that the body of a man is the moost foule thynge that may be and that the soule of a man is the moost noble thynge the moost precyous and the moost noble creature that may be Therfore they shold not wene that the goodes that come of the body be more delectable and swete than they of the spyrite whyche ben veray good pure perdurable and may fulfylle the herte and replenysshe it Suche goodes gyueth god to a man in thys world whan he gyueth to hym pees of herte vyctorye ayenst his synnes ayenst thenemyes of helle And gyueth to hym glorye of conscyence apeasyble herte whan he replenyssheth the herte wyth loue spyrytuel Ioye Of suche Ioye ne of suche delyte no semblaūce ne no comparyson may be foūden in the ioyes of the world ne been not but dropes to the regarde of the fontayne of swetenesse whyche is Ihesu Cryst Thys is the fontayne of swetenesse of whyche our lord speketh in the gospel who that shal drynke of the water that I shal gyue hym he shal become a lyuyng fontayne whyche shalle make hym lepe in to the lyf perdurable This is the fontayn of ioye of swetenesse and of charyte which may fylle and replenysshe the herte And none other thynge what someuer it be may not fylle it ¶ Of this fontayne hath tasted Dauyd the prophete whyche sayth in his psaulter O lord god how moche is the multytude of thy grete swetenesse whyche thou kepest to thy seruauntes and departest to thy frendes And certayn who had wel tasted and sauoured thys swetenesse that god hath gyuen to his frendes he shold despyse al the delyces alle the Ioyes of thys world and shold chese and reteyne the spyrytuel Ioye And shold do lyke as they that bulte the mele and deceuereth the flour fro the brēne and grous and as they that make the oyle that take the clere pure fatte and leue the grosse matere For Ioye of the herte that cometh of god to loue to serue and honour hym whyche is veray Ioye parfyte lyke as sayth the prouerbe That none hath parfyght Ioye yf it come not of loue And therfore thys ioye is callyd oylle in holy scripture lyke as our lord sayth by the prophete I shalle gyue sayth he Oylle of Ioye for wepynge This is ioye of herte pure and veray for wepyng of penaunce Of thys oylle ben enoynted they that god hath made kynges and lordes of the world and of them self And thenne is a man parfyte crysten whan he is enoynted with holy cresme For of crisme is said crys and of cryst is sayd crysten that is of Ihesu Cryste And who that is enoynted of suche oynement that is of Ioye and loue of god he lyueth in god god in hym lyke as the appostle sayth And thys is thenne the lyf of a Crysten that is to speke ryght the lyf of a man Thys is a good lyf and blessydnes that al crysten men ought to seche and desyre for to gete the lyf perdurable ye knowe moche wel that he is not in lyf but in langour that alwaye lyueth in payne in thought in anguysshe This is no thynge but now wepe anone laughe Now is ease now is he at mysease now is he in angre now is he in pees now in Ioye now in sorowe Thenne who that wyl lede a good lyf lyue Iustly wythout synne seche he that he haue the veray good thenne he shal haue lyf honourable delectable and prouffytable And thenne he shal lyue as a man resonable That is to say holyly ordynatly wysely Ioyously and meryly Meryly wythout angre wysely wythout errour· and Ioyously wythout sorowe and thys lyf hath one by grace and by vertu none otherwyse ¶ Here after is spoken of vertues in especyal capo. lxxv NOw I haue shewyd to the generally here tofore the dygnyte and the valure of the vertue of charyte wherfore one ought to gete it For grete prouffyt cometh for to haue it as Ioye honour glorye perdurable But by cause men knowe not the thynge so wel in general as they do in specyal Therfore is myn entencyon to speke of vertues in especyal in suche manere that eueryche that wyl studye in this book may ordeyne his lyf by vertu by good werkys For otherwyse lytel shold auaylle to knowe the good yf he do it not For lyke as sayth Saynt Iames the appostle who that knoweth the good and dooth it not he synneth and mysdoeth he is a fool that knoweth the right waye and ernestly gooth oute of hyt The holy scrypture sayth thus The wyse man or wyse woman hath a fayr gardyn ful of verdure fayre trees and of good fruytes· wherof god sayth in the book of loue to the holy soule My suster my frende thou art a gardyn enclosed of two closures That is of the grace of god and of angellys Thys gardyn planted the grete gardyner That is god the fader whan that he admolysshed and made softe the herte of the creature humayn made it swete traytable lyke waxe chauffed and as good erthe wel arayed and cultyued and worthy that good ympes shold be therin planted These ympes been the vertues whyche the holy ghoost bydeweth with
hys grace The blessyd sone of god whyche is the veray sonne by the vertu of his clerenesse maketh them to growe on hye prouffyte These thre thynges be necessarye to al the thynges that growe in erthe that is to wete erthe couenable humour nourysshable and hete resonable wythoute these thre thynges spyrytually may not the ympes of vertues growe ne brynge forth fruyte These thynges maketh the grace of the holy ghoost in the herte of the persone and maketh to wexe grene to flourysshe and to fructefye it maketh hym as a gardyn moche delectable ful of good and precyous trees But in lyke wyse as god planted in paradys terrestre plente of good trees and of fruyt And in the myddle he planted a tree whyche was called the tree of lyf By cause that hys fruyt had strengthe vertu to kepe the lyf to them that shold ete of hit wythout deyeng and wythoute euer to haue ony maladye or sekenesses Ryght so doth he spyrytuelly in the hert of a persone The grete gardyner that is god the fader For he planted the trees of vertues And in the myddle he sette the tree of lyf That is Ihesu cryst whyche sayth in the gospel who that eteth my flesshe and drynketh my blood hath lyf perdurable Thys tree enuerdureth and embelyssheth by his vertu alle that whyche is in paradys By the vertu of this tree growen flourysshen and fructefyen alle the other trees In this tree is al good as moche as there is This tree is to be preysed and to be loued for many thynges For the rote for the fruyt for the stocke for the floure for the odour for the leef and for hys fayre shadowe The rote of thys tree is the ryght grete loue and the oultrageous charyte of god the fader of whyche he loued vs so moche that for to bye ageyn his euyl seruaunte he gaf his ryght blessyd sone delyuerd hym to deth to tormente Of this rote speketh the prophete sayth thus That a rodde shal yssue of the rote of Iesse This word is as moche to saye as embracer of loue The stocke of this precyous tree is the precyous flesshe of Ihesu Cryst The herte of this tre that was the holy soule in whyche was the precyous marghe of the sapyence of god The barke of the tree was the fayr conuersacion wythoutforth The droppynges of this tree the body weren thre precyous thynges and of ryght grete vertu whyche yssueden and dropped out of the precyous membres of Ihesu crist that were the water the teres the swete and the blood The leuys of this tree weren the precyous holy wordes of Ihesu Cryst whyche heleden al maladyes The floures were the holy thoughtes of Ihesu Crist whiche were fayr honest beryng fruyt The fruyt weren the twelue apostles whyche fedde alle the world nourysshed it wyth theyr holy doctryne by theyr examples by theyr good werkys wyth theyr benefaytes The braunche of this tree in one sens been al the chosen that euer were and that ben and that euer shal been For lyke as our sauyour Ihesu Cryste sayd to his appostles I am sayd he the vygne and ye ben the braunches ¶ In another sens his braunches were his fayre vertues and his gloryouse exemples whyche he shewyd by werke and taught them wyth his mouth These were the parfyte vertues ful of veray beneurte blessydnesse whyche Ihesu Cryst shewed to his pryue frendes to the xij apostles whome he ledde in to the montayne and there he satte as sayth the gospel and his dyscyples were aboute hym And thenne the debonayr Ihesus opened his mouth sayd Blessyd be the poure of spyryte for the royalme of heuen is theyres Blessyd be the debonayr for they shalle be lordes of the erthe Blessyd be they that wepen For they shal be comforted Blessyd be they that haue hungre and thurst for Iustyce for they shal be ful fedde Blessyd be the mercyful for they shal fynde mercy Blessyd be they that be clene of hert for they shal see god Blessyd be the peasyble for they shal be callyd the sones of god ¶ These ben the seuen braunches of lyf of the blessyd sone of god Ihesu Cryste In the shadowe of thys tree ought the fyne and good herte to shadowe hym oughte to see and beholde these fayre braunches whiche bere the fruyte of lyf perdurable In these braunches and in these seuen wordes is enclosed all hyenesse al perfection of grace of vertu of blessydnesse as moche as may be had in this world and to haue and atteyne in that other For these ben seuen rules of holy lyf whyche Ihesu Crist taughte to hys chyldren This is the veray phylosophye that the maystre of angellys enseygned to his dyscyples ¶ In these wordes is enclosed alle the somme of veray perfection of the newe lawe of loue and of swetnesse And it is wel sayd newe For it may wel wexe olde lyke as dyd tholde lawe to the Iewes And by cause that the soule was woxen olde by synne it is made yonge ageyn and bycomen newe by these wordes aforesayd It is veray newe and desguysed fro the other lawes lawe is said by cause it is bounden But the other bynden and thys vnbyndeth The other chargen this dyschargeth The other lawes menâ—cen and threten thys lawe promyseth In other lawes is plee In this newe lawe is pees In other lawes is drede In this newe lawe is loue The other lawes haue maledyctyon and cursyng this newe lawe hath benedyction and blessyng ¶ Thenne is this newe lawe al ful of beneurte and blessydnesse And therfore ben blessyd alle they that kepe it accomplysshe it this sayth Salamon For al they that kepe it wel wynnen the tree of lyf perdurable Thenne these vij wordes abouesayd whyche god sayd ben callyd blessynges For they make a man to be blessyd as moche as he may be in thys present lyf and yet more blessyd in that other Now hast thou herde what the tree of lyf is whyche is in the myddel of paradys whyche god planted in the holy soule In the shadow of thys tree groweth prouffyteth the fruyt The tree of vertues whyche god the fader that is the grete gardyner planted in this gardyn and bydewed it wyth the fontayne of grace which maketh it wexe grene growe to prouffyte holdeth it in vertue and in lyf This fontayne is departed in to seuen ryuers These ben the vij yeftes of the holy ghoost which arowsen watren al the gardyn Now beholde the ryght grete curtosy of god whyche cam in to this world for to seche saue that whyche was loste by cause that he knewe wel our pouerte and our feblenesse by whych we may falle in to synne But by our self we may not relyeue vs ne yssue out of synne ne gete vertue ne do none other good but yf it be by the grace of
god or that it come of hys yefte and therfore he cesseth not to excyte vs that we praye and requyre hym of these yeftes And promyseth moche to vs that yf we requyre demaunde hym ony thynge that is good for vs and that it be ryghtfull we shal haue it And yet the debonayr Ihesus dooth vnto vs more of his curtosye For he is our aduocate that formeth for vs our requeste and our petycyon For we haue not the wytte yf he formed it not to vs. ¶ The petycion the requeste or oryson that the swete Ihesus enformed and taughte vs wyth his blessyd mouth is moche fayr moche good and but shorte by cause we shold reteyne it wel That is the pater noster wherin been vij petycyons and requestys by the whyche we requyre our good fader Ihesu Cryst that he gyue vs the vij yeftes of the holy ghoost that he delyuer vs fro the vij dedely synnes and that he take them awaye fro our hertes And in stede of the sayd synnes that he by hys grace wylle plante there and nourysshe the vij vertues whyche brynge vs to the vij blessynges of perfectyon of holy lyf by which we may haue the promysses that the debonayr Ihesus maad and promysed to hys chosen peple in the seuen wordes aforesayd ¶ Thenne our entencyon is wyth the ayde and grace of the holy ghoost to speke fyrst of the seuen petycions of the holy ghoost whyche been conteyned in the holy pater noster ¶ After I purpose to saye of the yeftes of the holy ghoost After of the seuen vertues ageynst the seuen dedely synnes ¶ The seuen petycyons and requestes ben lyke as seuen fayr maydens that neuer cesse to drawe the lyuyng waters oute of seuen ryuers for to watre and arouse these seuen trees that bere the fruyte of lyf perdurable ¶ The seuen petycyons an drequestes that been conteyned in the holy Pater noster capitulo lxxvj WHan a lytyl chylde is sette to scole atte begynnīg he lerneth his pater noster who that wyl lerne of this clergye knowe it he muste be lytel and humble as is a chylde For our good mayster Ihesu Cryst techeth his scolers this clergye whiche is the moost prouffytable and the moost fayr that is who that thys doctryne wel knoweth vnderstondeth and wel reteyneth hyt For suche there be that wene wel for to vnderstonde it that noo thynge knowe therof by the barke or rynde wythoutforth That is the lettre whyche is good But lytel is hit worth to the regarde of the margh◠of the goodnes and of the grete substaunce whyche wythinforth is so swete ¶ It is moche shorte in wordes and moche longe in substaunce lyght to saye and subtyl for to vnderstonde ¶ Thys prayer and oryson passeth and surmounteth alle other in thre thynges That is to wyte In shortnesse In dygnyte and in prouffytablenesse ¶ The dygnyte is in that that the ryght blessyd sone of god made it to god the fader in shorte wordes God the holy ghoost touchyng hys demaunde he wyl that it be shorte in wordes by cause that none ne excuse hym to lerne it and to conne it ¶ And also by cause that none shold be greued to say it wyllyngly and ofte And for to shewe that god the fader hereth vs ryght soone and graūteth it gladly whan we praye hym wyth good herte so that it be not of longe ryotte ne of wordes polysshed ne rymed ¶ For swete Saynt Gregory sayth Verayly for to werke is not to saye fayre and glosyng wordes wyth the mouthe but to caste oute wepynges and depe syghes from the herte ¶ The valure and the prouffyte of thys oryson or prayer is so grete that it compryseth and encloseth in wordes moche shorte alle that whyche may be desyred of herte and prayed and demaunded of mouthe That is to be delyuerd of alle euylles and replenysshed wyth al goodes ¶ Thus begynneth the holy pater noster Fader our that arte in heuen ¶ Beholde now how our good aduocate and our ryghte good and blessyd mayster our Lord Ihesus Cryste whyche is the sapyence of god the fader and that knoweth al the vsages and alle the lawes of his courte techeth vs for to plete wel and to speke wysely subtylly and shortly But certeynly yf the fyrst worde that thou sayest fader oure that arte in heuen· yt that it be wel vnderstonden and wel poursyewed he shalle gyue to the alle thy requeste and alle thy demaunde ¶ For Saynt bernard sayth that the oryson that begynneth by the ryght name of god the fader gyueth to vs hope to Impetre and gete alle our prayes and requestys ¶ Thys swete worde fader whyche maketh swete alle the remenaunte sheweth to the that whyche thou oughtest to byleue and somoneth the to that whyche thou oughtest to doo And these two thynges saueth the man whan he byleueth wel and a ryght And whan he dooth after that he ought to doo whan thou callest hym fader thou knowest that he is lord of the hous that is of heuen and of erthe and capytayn and begynnyng And fontayne of whome alle creatures and alle goodes comen Thus knowlechest thou in that his puyssaunce and myght ¶ After I say by cause that he is a fader he is ordeynour gouernour and pourueour of his meyne and specyally of hys chyldren that is of the men whome hym selfe hath created made and fourmed to his semblaūce and in this thou knowlechest hys sapyence yet also sythe that he is a fader by nature and by ryght he loueth that whyche he hath maad Lyke as sayth the book of Sapyence And he is debonayr and loueth and nouryssheth hys chyldren and dooth theyr prouffyte better than they can deuyse And he beteth and chastyseth theym whan they mysdoon for theyr prouffyte as a good fader And gladly he receyueth them vnto mercy and to pardon whan they haue trespaced and retorne to hym by grete repentaūce And by thys we knowe hys bountee and hys grete debonayrtee ¶ Now I haue shewed vnto the thenne thys worde whan thou sayest fader hys Puyssaunce hys Sapyence· hys bountee and hys debonayrte ¶ On that other parte he remembreth thy selfe thy noblesse thy beaultee and thy rychesse ¶ Of more grete noblesse ne mayst thou not be sone Ne vnto soo grete a kynge Ne vnto so myghty or puyssaunt an Emperour as is god For more gretter rychesse mayste thou not haue than to be heyre of all that he hath More grete beaulte mayst thou not haue than to resemble hym by ryght The whyche beaulte is soo grete that it passeth the beaulte of man and of angellys Thenne thys worde fader remembreth the that thou arte hys sone by cause that thou paynest thy self to resemble hym as a good sone ought to resemble hys fader and to ensyewe thy good fader in alle good vertues and in alle good werkys That is to say that thou be wyse and noble vygorous stronge
sayd onelye that hyt is substancyous bytwene ony vnderstondyng and supposyng but it is sayd sursubstancious This brede requyre we at our good fader Ihesu Cryste and we praye hym that he wyl gyue it to vs in this day that is in this presēt mortal lyf to th ēde that we may make a good Iourneye and abyde more gladly our rewarde that is in the ende of our lyf the glorye perdurable ¶ Here foloweth the v petycion and request of the holy pater noster capitulo lxxxiij DImitte nobis debita nostra sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris In this request and petycyon we requyre and demaunde our good fader of heuen that he wyl pardonne and foryeue vs our synnes and our trespaces lyke as we foryeue them that haue trespaced to vs. or that trespasse to vs. Thēne we say thus fayr fader quyte to vs our debtes lyke as we quyte our dettours· Our dettes ben our synnes whyche we haue encreased vpon our soules This is the best and moost dere wedde that we may fyne wherof the synnar for one dedely synne whiche is soo sone passed as to the delyte or as touchyng the dede is bounden to so grete vsure that he hath noo power to paye ne to fynyssbe· that is the payne of helle whyche is wythoute ende ¶ After he oweth vnto god whome he hath dysplesed so grete amendes that he hath noo power to paye it For in alle his lyf yf he lyued an hondred yere or more he myght ne coude not make suffysaūt penaunce For one dedely synne onely· yf god wold vse hys ryghtful Iustyce it shold neuer be fogyuen to the ¶ And therfore it byhoueth that in bytter and grete repentaunce the wycked synnar retorne vnto the mercy of the debonayr and blessyd lord Ihesu Cryste And that he crye hym mercy and demaunde pardon and foryeuenes ¶ For by the ryght of the courte of Iustyce the synner shal be Iuged and condeuipned vnto deth perdurable And therfore our good fader Ihesu cryst which is softe and debonayr for to foryeue pardone large curtoys for to yeue we praye hym that he wyl pardone foryeue to vs our synnes trespaces But thynke and consider wel how thou prayest For thou sayst pardone to vs our synnes our trespaces lyke as we pardone to them that to vs haue trespaced God shal not foryeue ne pardone to vs as he hym self sayth in the gospel yf we foryeue not pardone to other that haue trespaced to vs. Thenne he that saith his pater noster yf he kepe in his hert rancour felonnye he prayeth more ayenst hym self than for hym self For he prayeth to god that he forgyue hym not his synnes whan he sayth foryeue me lyke as I forgyue therfore al the tymes that thou shalt say thy pater noster tofore god that seeth thyn hert Thou oughtest to forgyue al euyl talentes and cast out of thyn hert al Ire and alle rancour Otherwyse thy prayer is more ayenst the than with the. yf it seme to the an hard thynge greuous to foryeue pardone to them that hate the and that wylle the euyl or that haue moche trespaced to the. or myssayed Thynke that god pardoned his deth to them that crucefyed hym for to gyue to the an exaumple for to forgyue and more yet for to praye for them that haue trespaced to the that god forgyue them and more yet for to do wel good to them to helpe them yf they haue nede For as he sayth in the gospel that it is not a grete thynge ne grete meryte ayenst god to do good to them that do vs good ne to loue them that loue vs For so done the paynyms and the Sarasyns Iewes and other synners ¶ But we that been the chyldren of god by fayth by grace and been named crysten of our blessyd Lord Ihesu Cryste and been heyres wyth hym of the herytage of heuen ought for to foryeue eche other And also ought for to loue our enemyes That is to saye theyr persones and praye for theym and to do good to them yf they haue nede For so comandeth god in the gospel Thenne we ought onely hate the synnes to loue her soules Lyke as the membres of one body loue supporte eche other yf one membre hurte that other by aduenture that other aduengeth hym not And therfore we that ben al one body in Ihesu Cryste lyke as thappostle sayth we ought to loue and supporte eche other and not to hate ne to greue who that dooth otherwyse he is an homycyde of hym self thys sayth the scrypture Suche there be that can say their pater noster that it were better for them and more auaylable that they coude say it aryght For who that pardoneth not ne foryeueth wyth hert and wyth mouthe he moeueth his Iuge ayenst hym In this prayer that we make to god we requyre of hym the yefte of scyence whyche maketh a man wyse and cunnyng This spyrite sheweth to hym what he is fro whēs he cometh whyther he gooth and what he hath don what he hath trespaced how moche he hath lente and how moche he oweth And whan he seeth that he hath not wherof to paye thenne this spyryte maketh hym to repente to wepe and to syghe and to crye god mercy and say O good lord foryeue and pardonne to me my debtes that be my synnes· for I am moche endetted vnto the. for the euylles synnes that I haue commysed and doon for the good dedes that I haue forgoten and lefte to do whiche that I ought myght haue doon and for the goodes and benefaytes that thou hast done to me· the grete bountees which I haue al day receyued euyl vsed them and haue euyl seruyd the. And by cause lord that I moche drede doubte to make my payement I requyre the to pardone me that whiche I owe vnto the. whan thys spyryte of scyence hath thus enlumyned hym that he knoweth his defaultes and synnes Thenne he casteth oute of his hert alle hate and rancour and pardoneth alle his euyl wylle angre yf he haue ony And yf he haue ony and is in wylle and in purpose to pardone and foryeue wyth good hert yf ony haue trespaced to hym Thenne may he wel say Fayr fader forgyue vs our trespaces lyke as we do to them that haue trespaced to vs. ¶ The vj peticion request of the pater noster capo. lxxxiiij ET ne nos inducas in temptacionem Brent chylde fyre dredeth he that somtyme is fallen in to synne whan hys synne is pardoned hym he is more doubtous and more aferde and hath more drede of the temptacyon of synne than he had tofore therfore he prayeth to god to whome he hath so moche trespaced and also that hath forgyuen and pardoned hym that he wyl kepe hym fro fallyng in to hit ageyn saith thus Et ne
heuen in erth al them that ben in grace men wymmen and angellys and al in lyke wyse as there beu in heuen thre estates of aungellys as saynt denys sayth of whome one is moost hye that other moyen or myddle and the thyrd more lowe The moost hye ben lyke them that ben of the kynges coūceyl They be alwaye wyth god more nerre to hym than the other and see hym and here hym and his secretes The moyen or myddle ben as barons and bayllyes that gouerne loue and kepen al the royam and gone comen lerne of them of the coūceyl that whiche they comande· make it to be done to other the lowest ben lyke as seruauntes offycers whiche haue theyr craftes and done their offyces messages as is sayd to them By this maner ensaumple there ben iij estates of the chyldren of god in erth the whyche the holy ghoost ledeth conduyteth as sayth saynt Poul The one estate is of them hat ben in the world· lyuen after the commandementes of god and of holy chyrche after that they here and byleue of theyr prelates The other estate is of them that ben parfyte that al haue theyr hert out of the world of this mortal lyf haue theyr conuersacyon in heuen and theyr body in erthe and theyr herte wyth god The thyrd ben in the myddle estate whyche gouerne them self wel other and lyuen after the counceyl of the gospel and not onelye after the commandements These thre maner of people techeth the holy ghoost and ledeth gouerneth by these vj yeftes and departeth to them his graces to eueryche after his benygne volente and wylle as sayth thappostle The two fyrst of these vj yeftes apperteyne to them that ben of the fyrst estate The yefte of scyence techeth them the yefte of pyte maketh them to werke The ij myddle apperteyne to them of the moyen estate The yefte of counceyl gouerneth them· the yefte of strengthe accomplyssheth the werkes The ij last apperteyne to them of the moost hye estate The yefte of vnderstondyng enlumyneth them the yefte of sapyence confermeth them Ioyneth them wyth god Another reason there is wherfore there ben vij yeftes for the holy ghoost by his seuen yeftes wedeth plucketh and taketh awaye the vij synnes vyces fro the hertes of the persones planteth there nouryssheth vij vertues contrarye which make perfytely a man to be honoured These ben the goodes that the holy ghoost maketh in the hertes where as he descendeth by these seuen yeftes But tofore that I descende vnto the vertues whiche ben contrarye to the seuen dedely synnes I wyl shortly speke of seuen other vertues of whyche thre ben callyd dyuyne the other four been callyd the foure cardynal vertues ¶ Of seuen vertues of whome there been thre dyuyne foure cardynal capitulo lxxxx THe thre fyrst vertues dyuyne Saynt Poul thappostle calleth them Fayth hope charyte And they be callyd dyuyne by cause they be godly ordeyne the herte to god fayth lyke as saynt Austyn sayth setteth vs vnder god maketh vs to knowe hym knowleche hym a lord of whome we holde al that whyche we haue of good Hope sayth he enhaunceth vs to god and maketh vs stronge and hardy and to entrepryse for the loue of god that whiche passeth the vertu and strengthe of man Charyte sayth saynt Austyn Ioyneth vs to god For charyte is none other thynge but chyere vnyte that is dere onehede for she maketh the hert and god alle one as sayth saynt Poul Fayth byholdeth in god souerayn vnyte hope beholdeth in god souerayn hyenesse and charyte souerayn bounte These iij vertues ben deuyded by iij degrees of loue for for iij thynges a mā is loued One is by cause that one hath herde or hereth grete good of hym Or by cause that he hath receyued grete good of hym Or by cause he entendeth to haue grete good of hym These iij maners of loue ben in these iij vertues Loue of fayth hereth werketh loue of hope feleth the sauour and requyreth it loue of charyte taketh and seeth it and tasteth holdeth it ¶ Of the foure cardynal vertues by whyche a man ought to gouerne hym capitulo lxxxxj OF the four cardynal vertues speken moche the auncyent phylosophres but the holy ghoost gyueth them enseygneth them better an hondred tymes as sayth Salamon in the book of sapyence The fyrst of these iiij vertues is prudence the second attemperaunce the iij strengthe and the fourth Iustyce These iiij vertues ben callyd cardynallys by cause they ben the moost pryncypal emonge the vertues of whyche the auncyent phylosophres speken For by these iiij vertues a man gouerneth hym self in this world Lyke as the pope gouerneth al holy chyrche by hys cardynalles ¶ Prudence kepeth a man that he be not deceyued by none engyne of the enemye Attemperaunce kepeth a man that he be not corrupt by none euyl loue· Strengthe kepeth hym that he be not vaynquysshed ne ouercome by wrath or by drede or by sorowe This is that holdeth a man in good estate toward hym self Iustyce setteth a man in ryght ordre in ryght estate anenst hym self other for Iustyce rendreth to eche man that whiche is his These ben the iiij toures at iiij corners of the hous of the good man that maketh it stronge sure good Prudence garnyssheth it toward the eest by pourueaunce for perylles Attemperaunce garnyssheth it toward the south ayenst the euyl heetys Strengthe garnyssheth it toward the north for the euyll coldes Iustyce garnyssheth it toward the west ayenst the euyl raynes Yet ageyn of the four cardynal vertues as foloweth lxxxxij THese iiij vertues haue dyuers offyces and been moche dyuers in theyr werkys lyke as sayth an aūcyent phylosophre named plato in his book that he made of these foure vertues deuydeth thē moche subtylly sayth that prudence hath iij offyces For by this vertu al that which a man doth sayth thynketh is ordeyned al ledde by lyne rule reason in al his werkys he pourueyeth that he vse them after thordynaunce of god that al seeth Iugeth A grete lord shold he be as me semeth that shold haue this onely vertu by these thre thynges shold gouerne hym ¶ Of the vertu of attemperaunce capitulo lxxxxiij THe vertu of attemperaunce hath iij offyces for the hert that hath this vertu wylle not ne coueyteth not to do a thynge of whyche he ought to repente In no thynges he breketh not the lawe dysmesurably but putteth hym self alwaye vnder the yoke of reason And no thynge doubteth of alle the couetyses of the world That is to say who hath this vertu he kepeth hym that he he not corrupt by the thre thynges that foulen and shamen the world ¶ Of the vertu of strengthe capitulo lxxxxiiij THe vertu of strengthe hath also iij offyces for a man that
hath this vertu in his hert he lyft hym self vpon hye aboue the perylles of this world· no thynge doubteth he sauf vylonye synne he bereth aduersyte prosperyte and suffreth withoute to bowe on the ryght syde ne on the lyfte syde Moche good shold be the knyght of god that in these thre thynges shold be wel proued These iij vertues armen ordeyne adourne a man as touchyng the thre partes of the hert whiche ben callyd reason loue vygour Prudence kepeth the reason that it be not deceyued Attemperaunce kepeth the loue that it be not corrupt Strengthe kepeth the vygour or myght that it be not ouercome ¶ Of the vertu of Iustyce capitulo lxxxxv IVstyce maketh a man to lyue ordynatly emonge the other For lyke as plato sayth the phylosophre This is the vertu that maketh that a man doth vnto euery man that whiche he oweth to do For he rendreth reuerence honour to them that be aboue hym Frendshyp pees concorde to them that ben lyke to hym grace pyte to them that ben vnder hym By these iiij vertues sayth the sayd phylosophre that a man is thenne worthy that he be gouernour of hym self and after of other In these iiij vertues studyed the auncyen phylosophres which despyseden al the world for tacquyre to gete vertu wysedom therfor were they callyd phylosophres· which is as moche to say as loue of sapyence ¶ O good god how shold this confounde vs make vs aferd that they that were paynyms without lawe wryton nothynge knewe of the very grace of god ne of the yeftes of the holy ghoost neuertheles they styed vp in to the montayn of perfection of lyuyng by force by their propre vertu daygned not to take hede of the world ne to do euyl ne to consent to synne we that ben cristen men that haue the veray fayth knowe the commandements of god haue the grace of the holy ghoost yf we wyll our synnes cause it not that we may more prouffite for our helth anenst god in a day than they myght in a yere we defoule our self lye here bynethe as a swyne in myre in the ordure of this world synne in the fylthe donge of delyces of this world Therfore sayth saynt Poule that the paynym that is without lawe shal Iuge vs atte day of Iugement that haue had here the lawe we neyther holde ne kepe it by cause they had not ryzt fayth ne the grace of the holy ghoost ne no vertu ne quycke ne very fayth they may not wel know how these vertues be good fayr for as moche dyfference as is bytwene a brennyng cole a dede cole a lyuyng man a dede man So moche dyfference is there bytwene vertu that is wythout charyte and vertu that is wyth charyte whiche is the boūte the valure the lyf of other vertues wherof saynt austyn sayth whan he speketh of these iiij vertues he deuydeth them by iiij maner of loues by iiij thynges that veray loue doth and sayth that the vertu of prudence is the loue of hert· whyche veryly wysely refuseth al that whiche may greue ennoye hym cheseth al that whyche may aydeto haue that whiche he loueth that is god The vertu of attemperaūce is the loue of the hert by whiche he gyueth hym self entyerly and wythout corruptyon to that whyche he loueth that is god The vertue of strengthe is the loue of the herte· by whyche a man serueth onely that whyche he loueth that is god and for hym setteth a man al other thynges vnder his fote despyseth them Thenne the vertu of Iustyce setteth a man in his right estate that is aboue al thynges vnder god without these iiij vertues there is none that may mounte in to the montayn of perfectyon for who that wyl mounte so hye hym byhoneth that alther fyrst he haue prudence whiche maketh a man to despyse the world that he haue with hit the vertu of strengthe whiche gyueth to hym grete hert stronge stable courage to enpryse and to pursiewe grete thynges on that other partye that he haue the vertu of attemperaunce by cause that he be not ouer charged ne euyl caryed and that he haue with hym the vertu of Iustyce that may lede hym by the ryght path and by a good Iuste waye that he be wythout synne and that he shewe to hym how by holy werkys he oweth to conquere the royame of heuen lyke as god dyd to Iacob as sayth the book of sapyence who that thus may haue these iiij vertues he shal be wel parfyte blessyd in this world more in that other for he shal be in pees of hert in ioye spyrytuel and no thynge shal faylle hym but he shal haboūde in the grace of god that he shal haue with hym in whome he shal delyte ¶ Here after foloweth how a man may take aweye and put from hym the vij dedely synnes gete the vertues lxxxxvj NOw late vs come ageyn to our mater pray we with al our hert to the holy ghoost that he wyl inspyre and enseygne our hertes that he be our aduocate teche vs to shewe how he by the vij yeftes of the holy ghoost he plucke out take aweye the seuen dedely synnes fro our hertes and that he therin wylle vouchesauf to plante the seuen vertues Of the yefte of holy drede whych maketh a mā Iust lxxxxvij THe yefte of drede is the fyrst of the yeftes for he casteth oute of the hert al the synnes lyke as we haue sayd tofore But proprely this yefte of drede plucketh oute taketh awaye and destroyeth the rote of pryde· planteth there in his place the plante of humylyte Now beholde vnderstonde wel how the synnar that holdeth hym and slepeth in his synne is lyke to a rybaulde that slepeth and is dronke· and hath al lost atte tauerne is al naked so poure that he hath no thynge but he feleth no thynge ne complayneth not but weneth that he be a moche grete lord But whan he hath slepte cometh ageyn to hym self and that he is oute of hys dronkennesse Thenne feleth he his harme knoweth his folye Now complayneth he his losse and his domage This is the fyrst good that the holy ghoost doth to a synnar whan he vysyteth hym For he gyueth to hym ageyn his wytte and his mynde and bryngeth hym ageyn to knowe hym self So that he aduertyseth and seeth what goodes he hath loste in what pouerte and in what perylle he hath be for hys synne lyke as dyd the sone of the good man whiche wasted and dyspended hys herytage in dyssolucyon and rybauldrye In suche confusyon myserye he became that hym byhoued to kepe the swyne fede them and to lyue of theyr releef and mete lyke as our Lord Ihesu cryst sheweth vs by
this loue bryngeth hym veray humylyte ¶ Now mayst thou see clerely that the poure of spyryte ben blessyd For they be soo humbled voyde of theyr spyryte that their spyryte is alle mynuysshed for god hath it al. and the holy ghoost hath replenysshed the hous of his hert is there lord and enhaunceth them that been poure of spyryte These been the veray meke and humble whome he maketh to regne in heuen by holy hope by holy conscyence therfore sayth our lord in the gospel that the royame of heuen is theyres Not onelye by promesse but by fyn certeynte lyke as they that began somtyme to receyue the fruytes the rentes how they shold be blessyd in that other world That may noo man knowe vnto the tyme that he be there For the hert of a mortal man may not thynke it ne expresse wyth mouthe ne here it wyth hys cerys ¶ Of the yefte of holy drede of pyte capitulo Cviij THe first yefte of the holy ghoost maketh the hert huÌ„ble dredeful and to doubte god and hate al synnes therfore it is named the yefte of drede ¶ The second yefte of pyte maketh the hert swete debonayr and pyteous And therfore is it named the yefte of pyte And that is proprely a dewe and a tryacle ayenst the venym of felonnye and in especyal ayenste the venym of the synne of enuye of whyche we haue spoken tofore For this yefte of pyte taketh awaye and plucketh out of the hert the rote of enuye and there heleth it parfyghtely Thenne the hert that receyueth thys yefte and feleth in hym a dewe whyche maketh hym to germyne a swete rote ryzt wel atempred that is good loue oute of whyche groweth a fayr tree beryng grete fruyt that is a fayr vertu good that is callyd in latyn mansuetudo That is to say swetenesse and debonayrte of hert whyche maketh a man swete debonayr charytable and amyable For this vertu maketh a man to loue his neyghbour parfytely and hym self after god This tree hath vij degrees by whiche he mounteth on heyght These vij degrees sheweth to vs saynt Poul· there where as he admonesteth and prayeth that we do payne to that that we be al one in god The fyrst reason is that we haue al one herte the hye and the lowe the poure and the ryche That is that we haue al one fader in heuen That is god whych made vs al comunely to his ymage and to his semblaunce by cause that we al haue one creatour and maker whyche maad vs al of one matere and of one fourme and to one ende that is that we be al in hym and wyth hym lyke as he sayth in the gospel It is moche grete reason that we loue eche other for the bestys and the byrdes eche loueth his semblable· The second reason is that we be al crysten and baptysed in the sacrament of bapâ—esme poure and ryche That is that we be al wasshen wyth the precyous blood of Ihesu Cryst And we were redemed wyth one maner money and as moche coste that one as the other Moche thenne owe we to loue eche other and to honoure For god hath moche loued vs and praysed vs. and hath made vs of grete dygnyte ¶ The thyrd reason is by cause we haue al one fayth and been bounden all to one lawe whyche alle is accomplysshed lyke as Saynt Poul sayth in thys word loue thy neyghbour as thy self Of thys debte is no man quyte for ony thynge that he can do this debte oweth eche man to other who that moost rendreth moost oweth ¶ The fourth reason is that we haue al one maystre one lord that is god of whome we holde al. body and soule and al that we haue he hath made vs al and formed and hath vs al redemed of a lyke prys he shal Iuge vs al· rewarde largely to al them that shal haue kepte and holden hys commandementes and that haue loued eche other truly ¶ The fyfthe reason is by cause that we be al felowes in the hoost of our lord And we ben al hys knyghtes souldyers whyche we al abyde one rewarde that is the glorye perdurable and loue and companye of alle sayntes ¶ The vj reason is that we lyue alle of one espyryte spyrytuelly lyke as we lyue alle of one ayer corporally By this spyryte we ben alle sones of god by adopcyon That is by aduoerye and sones of holy chyrche brethern germayn of fader and moder a spyrytuel fraternyte whyche is better worthe than a carnal fraternyte lyke as the spyryte is of more value than the body ¶ The seuenth reason is by cause that we been al membres of one body of whyche Ihesu cryst is the heed we been the membres which lyuen al of one mete That is of the precyous flesshe blode of Ihesu Cryst whyche so moche loueth vs and vs holdeth so dere that he gyueth to vs his precyous blood to drynke his precyous flesshe to ete Therfore remembreth vs so ofte saynt Poule this loue whyche he sheweth to vs. For a more quycke reason ne more fayrer example may he not shewe to vs of veray amytye and frendshyp yf thou wylte thynke wel on these reasons thou shalte fynde vij degrees of amytye and frendshyp whyche comen of the yefte of pyte ¶ Of vij maners of spyrytuel loue capitulo Cix OF this stocke and oute of this rote growen vij braunches For this vertu sheweth hym in seuen maners lyke as loue is knowen whyche is emonge the membres of a body in vij maners Fyrst the one of the membres kepeth countregardeth the other that it do to hym none euyl ne that at faylle hym not ne that it do hym none harme ne doÌ„mage to hys power herin we vnderstonde our Innocencye which we ought to kepe eche anenst other For thys comandement is wryton in the hert of euery persone That is that thou do to another after god that whyche thou woldest that he dyd to the. and that thou sholdest not doo to another otherwyse than thou woldest shold not be doon to the. Ne that thy ryght honde shold smyte thy lyft honde Also that one membre suffre swetelye that other that it do to hit no harme ne no vengeaunce ne wrath But yf that one membre haue harme or hurte that other membres fele it And in this vnderstonde we parsyght debonayrte whyche hath iij degrees The fyrst is that he reuenge hym not The second that he reteyne not wrath ne yre The thyrd that he ne fele no moeuyng of hate ne yre toward his neyghbour for ony thynge that he doth ¶ Also the membres obeyen al to theyr souerayn For they do al to theyr power that whiche the hert comandeth them and the cyen enseynen them In this vnderstonde we the vertu of obedyence of which we haue spoken tofore whyche ought to be apparaylled in loue in charyte lyke as sayth
hym and whan he was in the waye he fonde a grete masse of golde and thenne he thought that god had rendred and yelden hys promesse and retorned in pees ¶ Also of another poure man by cause that he had herde that god wold so gyue an hondred for one he gaf hys cowe vnto hys curate whyche was ryche The preest took gladly thys cowe and sente it to hys pasture where as hys other kyen were And at euen the poure mans cowe came ageyn home brought an C. kyen longyng to the preest with hyr whan the pour man sawe that he thought that god had kept his promesse accordyng to the gospel the sayd kyen were Iuged tofore the bysshop to the poure maÌ„ ayenst the preest These ensauÌ„ples toforesaid shewen wel that mercy is good marchauÌ„dise for it eÌ„creaceth wel the goodes temporel Also mercy eÌ„petreth geteth of god the goodes spirituel ê‘durable wherof saynt Poule sayth that it auaylleth to alle thynge For she gyueth lyf grace in this present lyf and the lyf of glorye wythoute ende in that other And therfore sayth Dauyd in hys psaulter that god loueth mercy and trouthe For she gyueth grace in thys world and glorye in that other ¶ Also mercy and almesse kepeth a man fro alle perylles delyuerth hym from spyrytuel deth that is fro synne and fro the deth of helle For many dede men haue ben reysed to lyf by the werkes of mercy that haue be doon wherof there be many ensaumples in wrytyng of the lyues of sayntes that is of the deth perdurable of helle Therfore sayd Thobye to his sone Be thou sayd he pyteous and mercyful as moche as thou mayste For almesse delyuerth and kepeth fro alle synne and fro the deth of helle and defendeth the soule that it goo not in to the derknesse of helle ¶ Now hast thou herde the braunches and the degrees of mercy by whyche she groweth and prouffyteth Now the byhoueth to see the braunches of this tree by whiche she mounteth by whyche it descendeth ¶ Here after folowen the brannches of the vertu of mercy of almesse capitulo Cxxxj THis tree hath moo brauÌ„ches thaÌ„ thother toforesayd for it extendeth more than the other wherof there been brauÌ„ches on the ryzt syde on the lyft syde On the right syde ben the werkes of mercy whiche touche the soule They ben the spyrituel werkes of mercy on the lyft syde ben the bodyly werkes of mercy which apperteyne to the body on the ryght syde be vij brauÌ„ches The fyrst is to gyue good counceyl to them that haue nede onely for the loue of god purely not for to coueyte other thyng temporel therfore as doon these aduocates men of lawe that taken with bothe handes of that one partye of that other And gyuen ofte tymes many euyl counseylles for to haue money or for yeftes or for drede or for fauour of ryche men but they that haue god tofore theyr eyen and counceyl the synnars to leue theyr synne and saue them Or they that be oute of synne to kepe them to th eÌ„de that they falle not therto ageyn lyke as confessours ought to doo and the prelates the good men in what someuer estate they be they doon the first werke of mercy spyrytuel and this is the fyrst braunche of the ryght syde The second braunche is to teche and enseygne them that a man hath to gouerne As a prelate his subgettes whome he ought to fede wyth good doctryne wyth good ensaumple In lyke wyse ought the mayster doo to his dyscyples in doctryne in scyence and in good maners Also the faders the moders theyr chyldren in suche wyse that they kepe them fro synne vyces that they accustome them to do wel and that they kepe them fro lyeÌ„g fro sweryng fro euyl playes games fro euyl companye specyally the chyldren of grete lordes and of ryche men ouzten to be best enformed in good maners For the chyldren wyl alle waye holde theyr fyrst forme And therfore they ought to be enformed to do wel ¶ The thyrd braunche is to reprehende and chastyse the fooles and the wycked people of theyr folyes and this apperteyneth specyally to the prelates and to the prynces whyche oughten to chastyse theyr subgettes whan they knowe that they be wycked For whan they suffre the synnes where they myght amende them and wyl not they ben partyners· ¶ Ne noo prynce ne prelate ought not to suffre ony wyckednesse in a man aboute hym yf he may knowe it For yf he haue aboute hym euyl wycked meyne yf he knoweth it or supposeth yf he remedye it not It is a sygne that he is noo good man for it is comynly sayd suche lord suche meyne after the lord the meyne folowe oftymes it happeth that the lord is deffamed by his euyl meyne and therfore ne for hauoyr ne for fauour ne for famyliarite of persones a lord ouzt not to doubte to take awaye the synnes that been aboute hym For he ought to doubte more god and to loue hym than ony man mortal Me ought to loue the persones and hate the synnes and euery prynce prelate and lord ought to knowe that ygnoraunce in thys parte shal not excuse them For they be bounden to knowe how theyr people gouerne them in theyr houses and in theyr offyces and ought tenquyre by good men and trewe and that drede god and loue hym For they shal not be quyte atte day of Iugement for to say that they knowe not therof ¶ The fourth braunche of mercy is for to comfort the seek men and them that ben in trybulacyon or in aduersyte or in maladye and to helpe them to theyr power and to comforte them by good wordes that they falle not in despayr or dyscomfort and that theyr hert faylle them not Thus commaundeth Saynt Poul that sayth Comforte them that be feble of hert And Salamon sayth that he that is in dysease of hert shal be glad and Ioyous for to here a good worde Also as he hym self sayth lyke as a persone delyteth hym and taketh playsyr in good odoures in lyke wyse delyteth the soule in grete swetenesse of good counceyl and in the good wordes of a very frende That is he that loueth also wel in aduersyte as in prosperyte For at nede is seen who is a frende and in aduersyte is the good and trewe frende proued thou oughtest to knowe that iiij thynges comfort moche a man which is in aduersyte in trybulacyoÌ„ or in maladye The first thyng is to thynke on the paynes of helle whiche ben so moche harde sharpe and horryble that it nys but a shadowe and an enoyntyng all that that may be suffred in this world to the regarde of the paynes of helle wherof saynt austyn sayth to our lord O good lord brenne me here and hewe me al in pyeces rather than thou dampne me perdurably Also Saynt austyn sayth that the
that haue noo lodgyng Thys is one of the werkes of mercy that pleseth moche to god as it appyereth by ensaumples of holy scrypture Fyrst Abraham receyued oftymes the aungellys of heuen in semblauÌ„ce of poure pylgryms and they promysed to hym that his wyf Sarra whych was olde barayn shold conceyue a sone Loth by cause he receyued the poure and kept hospytalyte he receyued the angellys whyche kepte delyuerd hym fro the peryll of sodome therfore sayth Saynt Poule lete vs not leue hospytalyte for therby many good men haue ben moche playsaunt to god in his loue and in his grace for they receyued aungellys in stede of the poure It is not meruaylle yf suche peple receyue angellys For they receyue our lord lyke as he sayth in the gospel For who receyueth them receyuen hym as he sayth that whyche is doon to the poure is doon to hym wherof saynt Gregory recounteth of a good man whyche was moche pyteous gladly receyued the poure peple in to his hous he receyued on a day the poure lyke as he had be acustomed and whan he had supposed to haue gyuen water to a seek man that was there as sone as he torned hym he that was in lykenes of the poure man vanysshed and none knewe where he bycam wherof he moche meruaylled And the nyght after our lord apperyd to hym and sayd that he had on other dayes receyued hym in his membres but on that day he had receyued hym in hys propre persone ¶ Also hospytalite is better and more worth than abstynence or ony other labour wherof is founde in vitis patrum that in egypte was an holy fader whyche receyued alle them that passed forth by that had nede and gaf to them suche as he had It happed that a man of moche grete abstynence was herberowed in hys lodgyng whyche wold faste and wolde not ete at the prayer of the good man that had receyued hym Thenne the good man that had lodged hym sayd to hym late vs goo fayr brother vnder that tree there wythoute and praye we to our lord that thys tree enclyne and bowe donn at the prayer of hym that best pleaseth god and whan they had made theyr prayers the tree enclyned doun to hym that receyued the poure peple and not to hym that made the grete abstynences there been many moo fayre examples of hospytalyte but it shold be ouer longe a thynge to reherce ¶ The syxthe braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxvij THe vj braunche of mercy is to vysyte comforte ayde them that ben in pryson in holde them to delyuer yf they may For to do this admonesteth vs thappostle poule that sayth Remembre ye them that ben in pryson lyke as ye were bounden wyth them that is to say that ye vysyte them comforte and ayde them lyke as ye wold that ye were comforted vysyted and holpen yf ye were bounden in pryson as they ben Thus dyd Thoby whyche wente to them that were in pryson and comforted them wyth good wordes And salamon sayth in his prouerbes Delyuer thou them sayth he· that men lede to dye In suche wyse delyuerd danyel sâ—sanne fro deth And our lord delyuerd the woman that had be taken in aduoultrye· whyche shold haue be stoned to deth after the lawe not for by cause that Iustyce shold not be doon vpon malefactours But in suche dede and fayt he taught the Iuges what they shold be how they ought to Iuge other wherof in this ensaumple he enseygneth foure thynges that euery Iuge ought to haue and kepe in Iugement The fyrst thynge is grete delyberacyon grete aduysement of counceyl good and hool wherof Iob sayth The cause that I knewe not I enserched it requyred ryght dylygently and this is to vnderstonde in that whyche our lord whan the Iewes had accused the woman he wrote in the erthe wyth his fyngre he that is wythoute synne of you throwe the fyrst stone For to stone the woman· And by the scrypture made wyth the fyugre we vnderstonde dyscrecyon and grete delyberacyon ¶ The second thynge is good entencyon that he bowe not ne enclyne more on that one partye than on that other ne for prayer ne for yefte ne for fauour ne for loue ne for hate and this is to vnderstonde in that whan Ihesu Cryste wrote he helde hym stylle in the place The thyrd thynge is good lyf to kepe hym wel fro synne For he that Iugeth other ought to be of good lyf of good conscyence lyue Iustly For yf he be other he ought to haue grete drede of the Iugement of god whyche sayth in the gospel that suche Iugement as ye do to other shal be doon to you And Saynt poul sayth thus of euyl Iuges In that thou Iugest other thou condempnest thy self For thou doost that for whyche thou Iugest other wherof our lord sayd whan he aroose fro wrytyng he of you that is wythoute synne caste on hyr the fyrst stone and whan they herde this sentence they departed went awaye al ashamed the one after another wythout takyng leue for they were gretter synnars than the woman whome they wold haue stoned The fourth thyng is to haue pyte and compassyon that the Iuge ought to haue on hym that he shal Iuge for he ouzt more to enclyne by humanyte and mercy than tenharde hym by rygour to do Iustyce For Iustyce wythoute mercy is cruelte and mercy wythout Iustyce is lewdnes And therfore that one of these ij vertues holdeth ofte companye with that other in holy scrypture But alwaye sayth the scrypture that mercy surmounteth Iustyce And saynt Iohan wyth the golden mouth sayth that at the day of Iugement that it shall be more worthe to rendre reason of doyng mercy than of the rygour of Iustyce and Saynt Iames sayth that Iugement wythoute mercy shal be doon to hym that hath doo no mercy And therfore our lord after that he was relyeued he enclyned hym toward therth after delyuerd the woman for the Iuge ought to enclyne by pyte and compassyon to hym· whome he ought to Iuge haue grete drede and also ayenst his wylle ought he to Iuge the other For yf he Iuge wyckedly he shalle be Iuged at the day of Iugement Now is it grete almesse to vysyte the prysoners and them to redeme and delyuer that may And therfore our lord Ihesu Cryst wold descende in to helle for to delyuer the soules of sayntes that were there ¶ The vij braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxviij THe seuenth braunche of mercy is to burye the dede bodyes Of this werke is moche preysed in holy scripture Thobye whyche buryed the dede bodyes and lefte hys mete And our lord praysed Marye Magdalene for the oynemente that she shedde on his heed wherof he sayd that she had doon it in sygnefyaunce of his sepulture Also Ioseph demaunded the body of our lord and buryed it moche dylygently The other were ryght besy
of theyr sepulture· and had grete bewayllyng and grete deuocyon to the holynesse good and holy lyf of theyr faders and therfore they wold be buryed wyth them Of whome Iacob sayd to his sone Ioseph Burye me not in egypt but with my faders and therfore it is good to be buryed emonge good relygyous men for to haue their prayers Nature ought to moeue a man to thys good werke wherof it is redde in the nature of beestes that the dolphyns whaÌ„ they see a dolphyn deed they assemble them to gydre an bere hym to the bottom of the see and there they burye hym Yf nature pyte moeue and styrre the Iewes and Sarasyns and other myscreauntes to doo thys moche more ought pyte and compassyon to moeue the crysten men to doo thus why he by our fayth see that the bodyes be reysed and rewarded with the soules And therfore who that loueth the soule of hys neyghbour he ought to loue the body and doo burye it whan it is dâ—ed wyth alle humanyte and mercy that he may ¶ Now hast thou herde the braunches of the tree of mercy These been the werkes of mercy corporell and spyrituel Here after is sayd how almesse ought to be doon Cxxxix IT is so that there is moche peple that lese their almesse and theyr other good dedes whyche they do by cause they doo theym not as they ought to doo Therfore I wyl shewe here shortly how almesse ought to be doon and how it is prouffytable and playsaunte to god Fyrst I wyl· shewe shortly how a persone ought to do almesse and wherof he shold do almesse For a man must doo it of his owne good and not of another mans and of suche good that is wel and truly goten God setteth no thynge of none euyl yefte Almesse whiche is made of thefte or of takyng awaye of others good of raâ—yne or of vsure or of other euyl gooten good pleaseth noo thynge to god wherof the scrypture sayth Thou shalte not make sacrefyse ne offryng to god· of oxen ne of sheep ne of thynge wherin is ony spotte of synne For god hath grete abhomynacyon of suche sacrefyse The wyse man sayth that who that dooth sacrefyse to god of the catayl or goodes of the poure man He dooth lyke to hyâ— that sâ—eâ—th the sone tofore the eyen of his fader And Saynt Austyn sayth what yefte is that whyche the one taketh gladly· and that other wepeth And therfore ought euery man take hede wherof he dooth hys almesse ¶ Also he ought to take hede to whome he dooth it wherof the scrypture sayth Beware to whome thou shalte doo good doo wel to the good That is to hym that thou wenest that he be good And gyue noo thynge to the wycked for cause of theyr wyckednesse Lyke as they doo whyche gyue to rybauldes and to menestrellys for theyr wyckednesse· whyche is a grete synne as saye the sayntes but who that gyueth to them not for euyl but for pyte and compassyon for theyr pouerte or of theyr wyues or of theyr chyldren yf they haue ony or of theyr faders or moders or for ony other good cause or reason as for to wythdrawe them fro synne he doth wel ¶ Thenne the almesse ought to be gyuen vnto the poure and more to them that be veray poure of herte and of wylle whiche haue lefte for goddes sake that whyche they had moche more than to other that be not poure wyth theyr wylle but somtyme of pure necessyte And somme there be trewauntes and slouful for to doo ony good and myght gete theyr lyuyng yf they wolde ¶ And somme there be that by fayntyse shewe somme hurtes and be faytours of them self that deceyue the world To suche ought a man not to gyue hys almesse but it ought to be gyuen to the poure orphans to shamefast peple to poure wydowes to the dyseased and lame and vnto seek poure people where as it is nede and whan one may doo it And yf a man is bounden to gyue to straungers he is moche more bounden wythoute comparyson to hys fader and moder more than to ony other For nature enseyneth it And God commaundeth it ¶ It is redde of the storkes that they nourysshe fader and moder whan they be olde and may not purchace theyr mete Thenne nature techeth that one ought to doo good to hys fader and moder and therfore it is wel ryzt and reason that myschyef falle to al them that do euyl to their faders and moders as it oftyme happeth Also a persone ouzt to take hede how he ought to do almesse and the maner of gyuyng For iij condycyons ought to be had in gyuyng almesse The fyrst is that a man ought to gyue gladly wyth good herte For god hath more regarde to the hert than to the handes wherof god in his sacrefyse as saynt gregory sayth beholdeth not onelye the thynge that is gyuen but with what herte Lyke as hit appyereth wel in the gospel of the poure woman that had nomore but two mytes whyche she offeryd in the temple And our lord sayd that she had offred more than alle the other whyche had offred grete thynges for more playseth somtyme to god a peny that a poure man gyueth gladly for goddes sake than yf a ryche man had gyuen an hondred marke of syluer in grudchyng And therfore sayth the wyse man in the scrypture Make alwaye sayth he good chyere in al thy yeftes And Saynt Poul sayth that god loueth moche the yeuar that is glad curtoys There been soÌ„me peple ryght ryche be so rude and vylaynous to the poure that whan they demaunde hem almesse they answer to them so vylaynously that they calle them truauÌ„tes and saye to them many reproches and vylonnyes Suche almesse pleseth not god and therfore sayth the wyse man in holy scrypture Enclyne bowe thyn eere to the poure man wythoute heuynesse and answer hym swetelye ¶ The second thynge that apperteyneth to doo almesse is that it be doon anone and hastelye wherof Salamon sayth say thou not to thy frende goo and come ageyn to morne· and thenne I shal gyue to the whan thou mayst gyue anone· And also god saith withdrawe not longe thy yefte fro the poure and fro them that be nedy That is to say· make thou not hym abyde whan thou mayst gyue forthwyth Thys is ayenste many ryche men whych make poure men to crye after them that haue to doo wyth them And soo moche delaye them· that they must ofte praye and requyre them tofore that they wyl ony thynge doo They selle ouer dere theyr bounte and curtosye that they do to them for lyke as seneque sayth nothyng is so dere bought as that whyche is requyred the ê“uerbe saith that it is ouer dere bouzt that is demauÌ„ded Thus shold euery maÌ„ hastely do for his soule as longe as he is alyue hool wherof the wyse man saith Fayr sone saith he do wel to thy self yf thou haue
the degrees the braunches the fruyt and the spyrituel good that cometh therof in thys world and in that other Of the fruyt of thys tree sayth Dauyd to vs in the psaulter in thys wyse Blessyd is he that entendeth to the nedy to the poure· That is to say that he abyde not soo longe tyl the poure demaunde hym but that he 〈◊〉 wythoute askynge Ne he hath no hert to gyue that gyueth not wythout askyng he dooth wel that gyueth to the poure but he doth moche better that gyueth with oute demaundyng And therfore sayth Dauyd the prophete blessyd is he that entendeth vnto the poure· and wherfore is he blessyd he sayth after in the sayd place that god shal delyuer hym in the euyl day fro his enemyes That shal be at the day of dome whyche shal be harde and euyl to them that shalle be dampned by cause they haue not fulfylled the werkes of mercy ¶ Thenne shal the Iuge saye to them at that day· Goo ye cursyd in to the fyre of helle wyth the deuyls whan I had hungre and thyrst ye gaue to me neyther mete ne drynke I was seek and ye vysyted not me I was naked and ye clothed me not and therfore they shalle be delyuerd to theyr enemyes that been the deuylles of helle And they that haue been pyetous and haue entended to the poure shalle be delyuerd that day and shullen be put in the possessyon of heuen Lyke as our lord sayth in the gospel For he shalle saye vnto them that haue doon and accomplysshed the werkes of mercy ¶ Come ye blessyd of my fader Receyue ye and take ye the kyngdom of heuen whyche that I haue maad redy for you syth the begynnyng of the world For that whyche ye haue doon to the poure ye haue doon to me Grete honoure shalle god doo to theym whan he shall thanke theym of the werkes of mercy and shalle gyue to them the glorye perdurable And therfore sayth he in the gospel Blessyd ben the merciful For they shal haue mercy by cause they haue enlonged the lyf of the poure peple by their almesse therfore they that haue had pyte of the membres of Ihesu Cryste· haue susteyned them in thys world haue comforted ayded them in theyr aduersytees It is wel reasoÌ„ that he do to them mercy which delyuerth fro al aduersytees fro al myserye so shall he doo whan he shal gyue to them the lyf â—erdurable wherto mercy shal lede them and herberowe them ¶ Of the lyf actyf of the lyf contemplatyf capitulo Cxl THe holy scripture wytnesseth and enseigneth to vs ij maners of wele and gooâ—es by which a persone cometh to the lyf perdurable The fyrst is called the lyf actyf by cause it is in labour of good werkes maketh a man to enteÌ„de to the prouffyte of hym self and of hys neyghbour The second is called conteÌ„platyf by cause it is in reste of good werkes ne entendeth to no 〈◊〉 but to loue to knowe god TheÌ„ne is he ydle of wer 〈…〉 like as he were a slepe but he is awaked 〈…〉 for to thynke vpon god and for to loue hym And for the loue that he hath to god he put al other thyngeâ— in forgetyng lyke as he were al rauysshed fyxed in god desyreth to be dysseueryd fro the mortal body for to be alwaye wyth Ihesu Cryst The fyrst lyf is the felde of good werkes where the knyghtes of god assaye preue them The second reste them wyth god in the chambre of clene conscyence· The fyrst entendeth to fede god wyth the mete of good werkes The second entendeth to be â—edde and fulfylled of god by veray comfort spyrytuel Of the fyrst is sygnefyed by martha whyche was besy to fede our lord as it is sayd in the gospel The second is sygnefyed by marye magdalene which satte at the feet of Ihesu Cryst· and herde hys wordes The fyrst is a waye entre to the second For no persone may come to the lyf contemplatyf· yf he be not fyrst wel proued in the lyf actyf lyke as saith saynt Gregory· The yeftes the vertues wherof we haue spoken tofore apperteynen to the fyrst lyf whyche is called actyf The two last yeftes of whyche we shal speke by the helpe ayde of the holy ghoost that is to wete of the yefte of vnderstondyng and of the yefte of wysedom and sapyence apperteynen to the second lyf whyche is callyd contemplatyf Thys lyf hath two thynges lyke as we haue tofore touched that is to wete in ryght knowleche of god and in parfyght loue The yefte of vnderstondyng ledeth to perfectyon of ryzt knowleche The yefte of sapyence ledeth to perfectyon of loue we shal say fyrst of the yefte of vnderstondyng after that the holy ghoost shal teche enseygne vs. Thys yefte that is called the yefte of vnderstondyng nys none other thynge after the sayntes and the doctours· but a lyght and a clerenes of grace whyche the holy ghoost sendeth in to the hert by vnderstondyng a man is lyfte vp to knowe his maker the thynges spyrytuel whyche may not be seen bodyly And al the thynges thâ—t apperteynen to the helthe of the soule and to naturall reason to whyche the vnderstoÌ„dyng of a maÌ„ by hym self may not ome This yefte is called lyght for it purgeth the vnderstondyng of a man fro the derkenesse of ygnoraunce fro the spottes fylthe of synne For lyke as the bodyly lyght taketh awaye the derknesse and maketh the bodyly thynges to be seen clerely Ryght so this spyrytuel lyght purgeth the vnderstondyng of a man to that whyche he may see clerely knowe certeynlye as a man may knowe in this mortal lyf god hys maker the spyrytuel creatures lyke as â—en the aungellys the soules and the thynges that apperteyne to the helthe of soules That ben the artycles of the feyth of whiche we haue spoken tofore This knowleche is not but in conscyence wel purged pure and clene For lyke as sore eyen charged wyth fylthe may not beholde the clere lyght Ryght soo the vnderstondyng of a man whan it is of hym self may not beholde ne knowe spyrytuel thynges yf it be not wel purged fro al tatches of errour and of fylthe of synne by veray fayth whyche purgeth the hertes as the scrypture sayth· But the yefte of the holy ghoost of whyche we speke here perfourmeth this purgacyon atte herte so that the holy soule whyche is purged and enlumyned with this lyght of vnderstondyng may see and knowe god and al that whyche is to hym necessarye and prouffytable to his sauacyon And that is the blessyng wherof god speketh in the gospel whan he sayth blessyd be they that be clene of hert for they shal see god in presence by fayth in lyght and enformed by the yefte of vnderstondyng and after the deth they shalle see hym in heuen face to face clerely wythout ende as
been one body as sayth holy scrypture And therfore ought eche to loue other as them self For lyke as the two ben one body so ought they to be one hert by true loue ne neuer ought they to dâ—parte ne to deceuere of theyr hertes ne of theyr bodyes as longe as they lyue Thenne they ought to kepe theyr bodyes clenely chastly reserued sauf the actes of maryage And therfore sayth Saynt Poul that the wymmen ought to loue and honoure theyr husbondes and ought to be chaste and sobre· and to kepe them fro al other men sauf fro theyr husbondes and ought to be sobre in etyng drynkyng For ouermoche mete drynke alyghteth the fyre of lecherye Ryght soo oughten the men to kepe theyr bodyes chastly and not to abandonne them to other wymmen Maryage is a state whyche ought to be holden and kept moche clenly and holyly for many reasons for it is a state of grete auctoryte For god ordeyned it establysshed it in paradys terrestre in the estate of Innocencye tofore that man had euer synned and therfore it ought to be holyly kepte by cause that god establysshed it also for the holy place where it was ordeyned Also it is a grete estate of dygnyte for god wold be borne in mariage that is of the vyrgyn marie which was maryed to Ioseph without losyng of hyr vyrgynyte The virgyn marye made of maryage her mantel vnder the whyche was conceyued and borne the blessyd sone of god vnder thys mantel was hyd fro the deuyl the secrete counceyll of our redempcyon and of our saluacyon Therfore it ought to be honoured and clenly kept Also it ought wel holyly to bâ— kept for the holynesse therof For it is one of the seuen sacramentes of holy chyrche And sygnefyeth the maryage that is bytwene Ihesu Cryst and holy chyrche and bytwene god the soule Thenne the state of maryage is so holy honest that it maketh that whyche was synne mortal wythout mariage is wythout synne in maryage and not onely wythout synne but it may be in somme caas cause to wynne the lyf perdurable And it ought to be knowen that in thre caases may one doo luxury of maryage wythout synne and may haue grete meryte as to the soule The fyrst caas is whan thys werke is doon in entencyon to haue lygnage for to serue god And in suche entencyon was ordeyned and establysshed maryage pryncypally The second is whan that one rendreth to that other his dette whan it is requyred And to that ought to moeue Iustyce whyche rendreth to eueryche hys ryght Thenne yf that one refuse to that other hys ryght whan it is demauÌ„ded and requyred by the mouthe or by sygne as doon the wymmen that been honest and shamefast to demaunde suche thyng he or she that refuseth to that other that requyreth it synneth For he doth wronge to that other of that which is his owne For that one hath ryght in the body of that other but he that rendreth that whyche he oweth dooth wel ryght whan he dooth it in good entencyon For Iustyce moeueth hym to do soo and that is neyther synne ne lecherye The thyrd caas is whan a man requyreth hys wyf for suche werke for to kepe hyr fro synne Also whan he seeth that she is so shamefast that she neuer requyreth hyr husbond of suche thynge and doubteth that she shold lyghtly falle in to synne yf he requyred hyr not who in suche entencyon rendreth or requyreth suche thynge of suche dette he synneth not but he may deserue toward god me ryte For pyte moeueth hym to do it In these thre thynges is no poynte of synne in the werkes of maryage but in other caas there may be synne venyall or mortal And specyally in thre caas The fyrst is whan thys werke is requyred onelye for his delyte and lecherye and in this caas may one synne venyally and dedely venyally whan the delyte passe not the bondes and the termes of maryage That is to say whan the delyte is so subgette to reason that he that in thys werke in suche estate wold not do thys thynge but onely to his wyf But whan the lecherye and the delyte is so grete in hys wyf that reason is deed and so blynde that as moche he wold doo to hyr yf she were not his wyf In suche a caas the synne is mortal For suche delyte passeth the boundes of maryage wherof god is oft dyspleased to suche peple· and gyueth somtyme to the deuyl grete power to noye and greue them lyke as we rede in holy scrypture of Sara doughter of Raguel whyche was wyf to yonge Thobye and had had seuen husbondes tofore and alle were slayn of the deuyl the fyrst nyght that they wold haue layen by hyr and haue knowen hyr Of whome the aungell sayd to Thobye that he shold haue hir to his wyf I shal say to the sayd he in what people the deuyll putteth hym in and hath power on them that putten god oute of theyr hert and of theyr thought that they ne entende to noo thynge but to theyr delytes and for to accomplysshe their wycked desyres lyke as dooth an hors or a mule ¶ And god taketh awaye fro them somtyme theyr lygnage and theyr fruyt that they may not haue chyldren by theyr synnes ¶ Yet may they synne mortally in another manere that is to wete whan that one treateth that other ayenst nature or oherwyse than nature of man requyreth ne lawe of maryage graunteth Suche people synnen more greuously than the other toforesayd but they that in theyr mariage kepe the drede of our lord and kepen clenly and holyly theyr maryage Suche people plesen god ¶ The second caas that may be synne 〈◊〉 maryage· is whan a man gooth to hys wyf in suche tyme as he ought not that is whan she is in the maladye or sekenesse that cometh vnto wymmen oftyme He that spareth not hys wyf whan she is in suche estate for the parylle of the lygnage that she myzt thenne conceyue shold be mezel or lepre he synneth dedely For as Saynt Iherome sayth In that estate be conceyued the lame ofte tyme. the croked and the lepres And that tyme the woman ought for to telle it to hyr husbond whan she is in that plyte desyryng hym to abyde and suffre all soo longe as she is in suche poynte ¶ Also they bothe ought for to spare and absteyne them fro the werke of maryage in holy tymes That is to say as in the grete solempne feestys for the better to entende to praye god and to serue and honoure hym· And in the tymes of vygyles· of lente and of fastynges commaunded by holy chyrche they ought to suffre and forbere suche werke not for that it is synne to do suche thynge in that tyme For in a good entency on he may do it but somtyme they ought to suffre of that they may do for to gete the better of god that
fame than ought one to take example of good lyf Also the people of holy chyrche ought to be pure and clene of al fylthe of synne and ought to be moche holy by cause they clense and sayntefye and halowe other For lyke as sayth Saynt Gregory The honde that is foule and fylthy may not wel take awaye the fylthe fro other And the scrypture sayth he that is foule may not clense another· That is to vnderstonde as touchyng hys meryte for the sacrament that is made mynystred by the honde of an euyll mynystre is of no lasse value to hym ne werse ne he is noo lasse myghty ne vertuouse to halowe them that receyue it than yf they shold receyue it by the honde of a good mynystre For the euyl of the mynystre appayreth not the sacrament ne his bounte neyther and also amende it not But alwaye the euyl of the mynystre may empayre other peple by euyl example and also he may by his bounte edefye them by example of good lyf and therfore they that sayntefye and clense other in that they mynystre the sacramentes of holy chyrche ought to be more holy and more clene than the other For yf they be euyll they shal be more punysshed than the other This is the syxthe estate in whyche ought to be kepte the vertu of chastyte ¶ The seuenth estate of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cliij THe seuenth estate in whyche ought to be kept the vertu of chastyte of hert and of body is the estate of relygyon For they that been in that state haue promysed to god and auowed that they shalle lyue chastly Thenne they be holden and bounden by suche auowe that they may neuer marye after that they ben professyd And yf they marye after that they be professyd the maryage shal be none ¶ And therfore ought they to sette grete payne and dylygence in kepyng wel theyr chastyte and for theyr estate whyche is the state of holynesse and of perfectyon For of so moche as the state is more holy of so moche is the synne of them more grete and more foule· And also as the spotte is more grete and foule and more apparaunt in a whyt robe than in another cloth And who falleth fro moost hye hurteth hym moost greuously and for to vaynquysshe theyr aduersarye that is the deuyl which moche payneth hym to tempte and to make falle in to synne them of relygyon and more he Ioyeth whan he may ouercome one of relygyon than many of other peple For lyke as the auÌ„gellys of heuen haue grete Ioye of the synnar whan he repenteth hym and dooth penaunce and confessyon of hys synnes ¶ Ryght so enioyen the deuyls whan they may ouercome a good man and make hym to falle in to synne And whan he is in grete estate and parfyght so moche hath the fende more Ioye whaÌ„ he may deceyue hym lyke as the fisshar hath more grete Ioye to take the grete fysshes than the smale ¶ we rede in the book of the lyues of faders that an holy man recounted how he was bycomen a monke and sayd that he had be sone of a paynym sarazyn whyche was preest of thydolles And whan he was a chylde on a tyme whan he entred in to the temple wyth hys fader he hydde hym and there he sawe a grete deuyl that satte in a chayer many deuylles aboute hym and thenne came one of his prynces and adoured hym Thenne he that satte in the trone demaunded hym fro whens he came he answerd and said that he came fro the erthe and that he had moeued purchaced many warres many euylles so that moche people were dede and moche blode shed The maister deuyl demaunded of hym in how longe tyme he had doon this and he ansuerd in xxx dayes· the maister said hast thou be so longe tyme out for to do so lyte TheÌ„ne he commaunded anone that he shold be beten and euyl treated After hym came another deuyl whyche adoured hym as dyd the first and the mayster demaunded hym fro whens he came and he answerd that he came fro the see where he had maad many grete tempestes by whyche many shyppes were broken and moche people drowned The mayster asked of hym in how long tyme he had doon it· he ansuerd in twenty dayes Anone the maystre commaunded that he shold be beten as that other was tofore by cause he had doo nomore harme in soo longe tyme After came the thyrd deuyl of whome the maistre asked fro whens he came and he sayd that he came fro a cyte where as he had ben and meued stryt debate had purchaced medlynges that moche peple were slayn and also he had slayn the husboud of a weddyng The maistre deuyl asked hym in how longe tyme he had done it he ansuerd in x dayes Thenne he comauÌ„ded that he also shold be beten Atte last came another deuyl which adoured the maistre deuyl the prynce of the deuylles demaunded of hym fro whens comest thou he ansuerd that he cam fro an hermyte where he had abyden xl yere for to tempte hym which was a monke in the synne of lecherye he had so moche laboured that that nyzt he had ouercomen hym had made hym to falle in the synne of lecherye TheÌ„ne the maistre deuyl eÌ„braced kyssed hym sette a crowne on hys heed and made hym to sytte by hym and sayd that he had doon a grete thynge and a grete prowesse ¶ Now sayd the good man the monke that he had seen thys and herde it and thought that it was a grete thynge to be a monke and for thys cause and vysyon he was bycom crysten a monke In these wordes aforsayd may appyere that the deuylles haue grete Ioye whan they may make a man of relygyon to falle in to synne for after that a maÌ„ is in relygyon he is lyke to hym that is entred in to a felde of batayl for to fyght ayenst the deuyl and all hys temptacyons whan our Lord wold be tempted of the deuyll he went in to deserte For the deserte of relygyon is a felde of temptacyon· Relygyon is called deserte For lyke as deserte is a place sharpe and drye and ferre fro people So ought to be the state of relygyon sharpe and of holy parfyght lyf which is a stronge helpe and a stronge armure ayenst the fendes of helle Sharpnes of penaunce is the remedye ayenst lecherye For who that wyl quenche the fyre of lecherye in hym self he ouzt to take awaye· withdrawe fro hym al the flesshly delytes eases soulaces of this world For al relygyouse people ought to take away and cutte fro his flesshe fro al his body al delytes worldly â–ª eases by fastynges by wakynges by deâ—oâ—te wepynges by discyplynes by other penauÌ„ces Ellys the fyre of lecherye may not wel be quenched who that wyll take a cyte or a castel he ought as moche as he
grete chepe in theyr courtes The grettest derthe that is aboute these grete lordes is of veryte and of trouthe and therfore been they ofte deceyued For they here gladly and byleuen lyghtly that which pleaseth them Seneke sayth that there lacketh no thynge to grete lordes but trewe spekars and sayers of trouthe For of lyars they haue grete plenteâ— A man ought to haue hys ere 's open for to here gladly the good wordes whiche auayllen and prouffyten to the helthe of the soule And a man ouzt to haue his ere 's closed and stopped to lewde and folisshe wordes whiche may noye and greue and may not helpe wherof the wyse man sayth in the scrypture Stoppe thyn ere 's with thornes and herkene not the euyl tongue The euyll tongue is the tongue of the serpent of helle whyche the euyll sayers bere and enuenymeth hym that hereth them ¶ Ayenst suche tongues one ouzt to stoppe his ere 's wyth thornes of the drede of our lord or of the thornes of whych our lord was crowned in remembraunce of hys passyon· they shold not gladly here the euyl sayers ne the flaterers ne lewd wordes ne dyshonest ¶ In another manere may thys worde be vnderstonden Stoppe thyn ere 's wyth thornes The thornes that pricken sygnefyen hard wordes by which one ought to repreue the euyl sayers and shewe to them that they wyl not gladly here them There is a serpent whyche is called in latyn asâ—â—s whyche is of suche nature that he stoppeth one of his ere 's wyth the erthe And that other ere he stoppeth wyth hys 〈◊〉 to the ende that he here not thenchauntour ¶ Thys serpent enseygneth to vs a grete wysedom that we shold not here thenchauntour That is the flaterer the lyar and euyll sayers whyche enchaunte ofte the ryche men who that wold stoppe one of his eerys wyth erthe and that other wyth hys taylle he shold not retche to be enchaunted of the deuyll ne of euyl tongues He stoppeth one of his eeres wyth erthe â–ª that thynketh that he is of the erthe and to the erthe shal retorne And thus a man remembreth his Infyrmyte and his vylete wherfore he ought to humble hym self and no thynge preyse That other ere he ought to stoppe wyth hys taylle for remembraunce of deth whyche he ought moche to fere and drede who that thus coude and wolde stoppe his ere 's he wold not gladly here ne remembre ne saye ne herkene wordes that shold dysplease god Thus shal he be wel mesured in heryng in thys fourth degree of sobrenes and of attemperaunce ¶ The v degree of sobrenes and of mesure Capitulo Clix THe fyffhe degree of the vertue of sobrenes is to kepe mesure in habyte in vestymentes· and in precyouse roobes where a man or woman passeth oft mesure and dooth grete oultrage and by cause that the makyng of them is ouer curyouse· or ouer proude or ouer grete and excessyf of dyspences it is grete synne oftymes and causeth many other to do synne and in suche thynges one ought to kepe mesure For yf ouer precyons and ouer curyous araye were not synne our lord wold not haue spoken so hardly in the gospel ayenste the euyll ryche man whiche clad hym so proudly with soft byse and precyous purpre And certeynly he is moche a fool· and a chylde of wytte that of a gowne robe or what someuer precyous clothyng it be that is prowd therof for there is none of what so hye estate he be but that he is cladde arayed of dede beestes and for to consydere wel it is alle but vanytee and fylthe and al bycometh ordure Certeynly he or she shold wel be holden for a fole that wold be proude to bere the habyte or the vesture whyche shold not be but as a sygne a memoryal of the shame of his fader and of his synne This is the vsage of clothes which was neuer fouÌ„de but for the synne of Adam our fyrst fader and of Eue our fyrst moder for to couer their confusyon and oures whaÌ„ we see a biere of a dede corps whiche is couerd and apparaylled aboue It is a sygne that there is wythin a dede body Ryght so it happeth oftymes that vnder these fayre robes the soule is dede by synne Specially in them that gloryfye them and ben proude Yf the pecock be proude of his taylle or the cocke of his crestâ— it is no meruaylle for nature hath gyuen it to them and they doo after theyr nature But a man or a wyman that hath wytte and reson whiche knoweth wel that natuâ—e hath not gyuen to hym suche a robe or gowne he ought not to be proude of the arayement of hys body whyche is not but of dede beestes· or of that whych cometh fro the erthe ne also of the queyntysâ— or parements that be in his heed Therfore sayth the wyse man in the scrypture Ne glorefye the not in fayr roobes And Saynt Poul sayth that the wymmen ought to araye them wyth sobrenes and mesure That is to say by mesure wythoute oultrage after that thestate of the persone requyreth certeynly it is not with oute oultrage whan a persone hath for his body soo many gownes and roobes that many poure men myght be susteyned of the surplus and of it whyche is ouermoche yet yf they were gyuen atte laste for goddes loue it shold be somwhat but they be gyuen to rybauldes which is so grete synne Therfore ought to be kept in suche thynges mesure and good ordenaunce after that that the state of the persone requyreth as I haue sayd tofore ¶ The vj degree of the vertu of sobrenes and of attemperaunce capitulo Clx THe syxthe degree of sobrenes of attemperauÌ„ce is that eueryche kepe mesure in good manere wherof Seneke sayth yf thou art sobre and attemperate· take good hede that the moeuynges of thyn hert of thy body be not foule ne dysauenaunte For of the dysordynaunce of the hert cometh the dysordynaunce of the body Somme be so chyldysshe of soo nyce manere that they make them self be holden for a fool It apperteyneth to a man of value whyche is in grete and hye estate that he be wel ordeyned wel amesured in al his dedes al his sayenges of fayr good countenaunce to fore al peple so that none take euyl example of hym that they be not holden for a fool· For as a phylosopher sayth A chylde of age a chylde of wytte of maners ben all one the scripture sayth that a chylde of an hondred yere shal be cursyd That is to say that he that is of grete age and lyueth as a chylde shal be cursyd wherof saynt Poule sayth of hym self whan I was a chylde I dyd as a chylde but whan I came to the age of a parâ—yght man I lefte my chyldehode For who that holdeth a man of age for a chylde he holdeth hym for a fool And therfore sayth saynt poul Be not
sayth saynt Poule Thys yefte taketh awaye alle ordure fylthe fro the hert maketh hym clene parfytelye fro al ordures of synne and specyally for the spotte of the synne of lecherye For who that of thys synne is entatched is veray blynde For he hath loste the eyen of the hert of reason and of vnderstondyng So that he may not vnderstonde ne knowe hys maker ne thynge that is holsom ne helthe of his soule But is lyke a beest that hath neyther wytte ne reason in hym self wherof dauyd saith in the psaulter that a man to whome god hath doon so grete honoure that he hath made hym to his ymage and his semblaunce by whyche he may knowe god haue hym whyche he hath not doon to ony other beest yf he forgete hys maker the bounte that he hath doon to hym he is bycomen semblable to folysshe beesâ—ys whyche haue none vnderstondyng The synne that maketh moost a man to be lyke a foule beest is the synne of lecherye of whyche we haue spoken tofore in the traytye of vyces The yefte thenne of vnderstondyng whyche is contrarye to thys ordure and destroyeth fro the hert the synne of lecherye· and setteth therin purete clennesse out of which groweth a ryght fayre tre That is the vertu of chastyte by whyche they come to this blessyng whyche god promytteth to them that kepen clennesse of herte whan he sayth blessyd be they that be clene of herte For they shalle see god By cause that they shal haue the eyen of the herte wel purged and wel enlumyned of the yefte of vnderstondyng This tree groweth and prouffyteth moche lyke to the other byforsayd by seuen degrees These been vij thynges whiche moche auaylle to lyue chastelye ¶ The first degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxlj THe fyrst degree is clene conscyence that is the rote of thys tree For wythoute clene conscyence chastyte may not plese god Thys clennesse chastyte and purete requyren that the hert may be kept fro euyl thoughtes soo that the herte consente to no synne For who so consenteth to euyl thought and to euyl desyre of his hert he is not chaste how wel that he kepe hym fro the dede For. for the consentyng onelye delybered purposed he shold be dampned yf he deyed in the same state Thre thynges auaylle moche to kepe clennesse of herte The fyrst is to here gladly the worde of god and the sermons wherof our lord sayth in the gospel to his dyscyples ye be alle clene sayd he by the wordes that I haue sayd to you For the word of god is lyke a fayre myrrour in whyche one may see the spottes of the hett The second thynge is very confessyon whyche is the fontayne where one ought ofte to wasshe hym of al ordure of synne The scrypture sayth in the book of kynges that Elysee the prophete commaunded to Naman which was a lepre that he shold wasshe hym vij tymes in the flom Iordan for to be clene and heled of hys maladye and whan he had wasshen hym there he was alle hool and clene The flom Iordan is as moche to say as the â—treme of Iugement whyche sygnefyeth confessyon where one ought to Iuge hym self wyth grete sorowe of hert and with grete repentaunce of his synnes so that a streme of teeres renne by the conduyt of hys eyes and thus the synnar shal be hool of the mezelrye of synne And therfore sayth saynt Bernard· loue confessyon yf thou wylt haue beaute· For veray confessyon and hool is the beaute of the soule The iij thynge is to haue remembraunce of the passyon of Ihesu Cryst For noo temptacyon ne none euyl wylle may not duelle in the hert that thynketh remembreth ofte the deth and the passyon of Ihesu Cryste For this is the armure that the deuyl doubteth moost as that by which he is ouercomen leseth hys power This is ryght wel sygnefyed to vs in scrypture where as Moyses reysed vp a serpent of brasse by the commauÌ„dement of god vpon a perche on hye that al the peple sawe it And al they that beholde it were helyd of the bytyng and hurtyng of the serpentes The serpent of brasse that henge on the perche sygnefyeth the body of Ihesu Cryst hangyng on the crosse That was the serpent withoute venym of whyche was made the tryacle of our sauacyon for who someuer feleth hym smyton and enuenymed of pryckyng and styngyng wyth the venemous serpentes of helle that ben the deuylles late hym beholde by veray fayth on the serpent of brasse That is to say that he haue in his hert parfyte mynde of the passyon of Ihesu Cryst and anone he shal be heled and delyuerd of the temptacyons of the enemye that is the deuyll ¶ The second degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxlij THe second degree of the vertu of chastyte by which this tree groweth prouffyteth is for to kepe hys mouth fro vylaynous wordâ—s whyche ben of rybauldrye and dyshonestees or suche as tornen to dyshonour For by suche wordes by suche wynde is ofte quyckened enflaÌ„med the fyre of lecherye wherof the scripture sayth who speketh of a comyn woman is brennyng as fyre And saynt Poul sayth that the shreude wordes corrumpen good maners And therfore who that wyl kepe hym chastly hym byhoueth that he kepe hym fro suche wordes and who that gladly speketh them or gladly hereth them he leseth god and sheweth wel that he is not chaste For there may none other thynge yssue out of a vessel but suche as is wythin it yf the wordes be foule vylaynous It is an open sygne that the ordure and the vyloÌ„nye is in the hert For of the habundaunce of the hert the mouth speketh this sayth our lord in the gospel ¶ The thyrd degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxliij THe thyrd degree of the vertu of chastyte is to kepe well the fyue wyttes of the body the eyen fro folye beholdyng the ere 's fro herkenyng of folye and vayne wordes The nose thrylles fro ouermoche delytyng in swete sauours and wycked odours The tongue fro euyl speche and rybauldous langage And the mouth fro ouer swete and delycyous metes drynkes These ben the â—â—yates of the cyte of the hert by which the deuyl entreth ofte· these ben the fyue wyndowes of the hous by whyche deth entreth ofte in to the hert· lyke as sayth the prophete Many grete wyse men haue be taken and ouercomen by thys that they kepte not wel the yates And yf thou wylt haue example of this matere thynke that no maÌ„ was more stronge than Sampson Ne more holy than dauyd the prophete Ne more wyse than Salamon And neuertheles they fylle and were al deceyued by wymmen Certaynly yf they had wel kepte theyr yates of theyr fyue wyttes corporell the fende had not taken so grete fortressesâ— For as saynt gregory sayth The toure of the hert may not be taken yf it
be not opened to the hoost of the deuyl wherfore the auncyent phylosophres fledde in to ferre places in desertes by cause they myzt not see ne here ne fele thynges delectable by whyche theyr strengthe and vertu shold wexe feble ne by which they myght lese theyr chastyte ¶ Other phylosophres there were that by cause they shold not be lette to thynke on theyr phylosophye put oute theyr eyen by cause they shold see no thyng that myzt drawe them fro contemplacyon TheÌ„ne the bodyly wyttes ben lyke an hors that renneth wythout bytte or brydle which maketh hys lord to ouerthrowe or falle But the chaste hert holdeth hym by the rayne and by the brydle of reason Of the fourth degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxliiij THe fourth degree of the vertu of chastyte is sharpnesse of penaunce· to subdue his flesshe whyche is rebelle and make it subgette to the spyryte lyke as sayth saynt poule For he that wyl quenche the fyre of lecherye he ought to take awaye the ryse fagotte and alle tho thynges that make it to brenne and that nourysshe the fyre These been the delyces and the eases of the body whyche quyckene and lyghten the fyre of lecherye and corrumpen chastyte wherof saynt bernard sayth that chastyte peryssheth in delyces And therfore who that wyl kepe hym fro brennyng he ought to take awaye by abstynence and by sharpnesse of penaunce of his body alle the occasyons that may quyckene the fyre of lecherye wherof the scrypture sayth that the chyldren that were nourysshed wyth grosse metes wold not vse delycyouse metes and were saued in the fournays of babylone by whyche is vnderstonden the synne of lecherye whyâ—he is quenched by abstynence and by sharpnes of prâ—aunce But the fatte metes delycyouses and the strong wynes enflame and nourysshe thys synne of lechery in lyke wyse as oylle and grece alyght and enflammeth the fyre and enforce it ¶ Of the v degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxlv THe fifthe degree of the vertu of chastyte is to flee euyl companye and the occasyons of synne Moche people haue fallen to synne by euyl companye whyche otherwyse had not fallen lyke as the leuayn corupteth the paste drawe it to sauour· Ryght so the euyll companye corupteth the good fame and renommee of the persone An appel roten yf it be emonge the sounde and hole corrupteth the good apples yf it lye longe emonge them· A brennyng cole anone setteth a fyre an hepe of cooles whan it is layed emonge them wherof dauyd sayth in the psaulter wyth the holy thou shalte be holy and wyth the shrewes thou shalte be peruerted ¶ Thus thenne yf thou wylt kepe chastyte and clennesse folowe the companye of the good For yf thou loue the companye of euyl and shrewes thou shalte be euyl as they be For who that loueth the companye of a fool· it byhoueth that he be lyke to hym accordyng to that scrypture sayth Thus byhoueth it to flee alle the occasyons of synne As to speke secretly wyth a woman and in suspecyous place one allone to one For suche thynges gyuen occasyon to synne whan there is place and tyme. wherof we rede in the book of kynges that Amon whyche was the sone of dauyd whan he had his syster Thamar in hys chambre he corrupted and defoulyd hyr The lady of Ioseph whan she fonde hym allone she wold haue maad hym to synne wyth hyr but he fledde as a wyse man and lefte hyr ¶ Therfore sayth Saynt Poule Flee ye fornycacyon that is to saye alle the occasyons that may brynge or lede a persone to the synne of lecherye For one may not better ouercome the synne of lecherye ne kepe chastyte than by fleyng the companyes and the occasyons of thys synne wherof the aungel sayd to loth that he shold yssue and departe fro the cytee of Sodome and from alle the marches For it suffysed not to leue the euyl companye ne the synne but that he shold leue the marches of synne It is sayd that sâ— longe gooth the potte to water that at the laste it breketh· And the gnat fleeth so longe at the flamme of the candell that atte laste it brenneth ¶ In lyke wyse may one seke thoccasyons of synne that he falleth therin who so wyl thenne kepe hym wel fro suche fyre that he brenne not he ought to withdrawe hym fro it The sixthe degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxlvj THe syxthe degree of the vertu of chastyte is that one be wel occupyed and wel sette a werke of good werkys and honeste For the deuyl whyche slepeth not whan he fyndeth a man ydle and slowe to do wel put hym self to laboure and maketh hym falle lyghtly in to synne wherof the scrypture sayth that ydlenesse that is to say neclygence slouthe for to do good is maystresse of many euylles and that is enemye of the soule ¶ And therfore sayth Saynt Poule Ne gyue thou no place to the deuyl That is to say ne be thou not ydle that the fende fynde not place to tempte the. For who that is ydle to doo good werkes he gyueth rome and place to the deuyl for to tempte hym Therfor sayth Saynt Gregory doo allwaye somme good werkes that the deuyl fynde the not ydle For he is lyghtly taken of the fende that occupyeth not hym self alwaye in soÌ„me good werkes For he that is ydle may not longe kepe â—ym fro fallyng in to synne Of this sayth the prophete that the cause of the synne of sodome the cyte was plente of breed and wyn and ydlenesse That is to vnderstonde that they ete and dranke and dyden noo thynge And therfor they fyll in to synne so horryble that it ought not to be named Ryght so do moche peple that lese her tyme and employe it in vanytees and in oultrages of mete drynke and lewde games in Iolyteâ—s of lewde songes of daunces of playes not leeful· and other deduytes And in suche vanytees they wasten theyr tyme· and therfore the falle ofte in many horryble synnes and ofte in to the pytte of helle For lyke as Iob sayth They lede theyr lynes in playes in deduytes and in delyces and in an only poynte they descende in to the pytte of helle that is at the poynte of deth where as they take none hede ¶ The vij degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxlvij THe seuenth degree of the vertue of chastyte is deuoute prayer and oryson whyche moche auaylleth to ouercome alle synnes and specyally the synne of lecherye wherof Saynt Ambrose sayth· That prayer is a good shelde ayenste alle the brennyng dartes of the deuyll And saynt ysodore sayth that it is the remedye ageynst alle temptacyons of synne a man to renne to prayer assone as the fende tempteth hym vnto synne For the accustomaunce of deuoute prayer quencheth alle the assaultes of synne Deuoute prayer is moche myghty vnto god whan it is vnder sette and accompanyed wyth