ne forsake theyr grete synnes done no plesauÌ„t almesse For why sayth he almesse sholde be done to gette forgyuenesse of synnes that be paste not to gette leue to dwelle stylle in synne to do a mys ¶ Here endeth the nynthe coÌ„maundement And begynneth the tenthe Capitulum PrimuÌ„ DIues Me thynketh thy speche resonable good proufitable wel confermed by grete auctoryte I thanke the for thy wordes thy good enfoâ—â—aeyon in the nynthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement Now I praye the enfourme me in the tenthe coÌ„maundement ¶ Pauper The tenthe commauÌ„dement is this Non deâ—â—derabis vxorem ê“ximi tui noÌ„ seruuÌ„ noÌ„ ancillam noÌ„ boueÌ„ noÌ„ asinuÌ„ nec oÌ„nia que illius sunt Exodi .xx. Thou shalt not desyre thy neyghbours wyfe not his seruauÌ„t not his mayden not his oxe not his asse ne no thynge that to him longeth In the nynthe commauÌ„dement god forbydeth couetyse of an other mannes good not mouable In this laste he forbydeth all maner false couetyse of an other mannes good mouable Also in the nynthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement he forbydeth couetyse of the eye In this laste pryncypall he forbydeth couetyse of the flesshe And therfore sayth saynt Austen that the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this allone thou shalt not desyre thy neyghbours wyfe And all yâ— foloweth after whan he sayth not his sernauÌ„t not his oxe ne his asse ne no thynge yâ— to hym longeth it is of the .ix. coÌ„mauÌ„dement And it is also a newe forbedynge of all maner mys couetyse both of thynge mouable not mouable both of couetyse of the eye of the flesshe And therfore yf a man dyscoueyte an other mannes seruau t or his wyfe or his childe as for possessyon seruyce it is ayenst the nynthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement pryncypally ayenst couetyse of the eye And yf he coueyte theym for mysluste of the flesshe than it is ayenst the tenthe commauÌ„dement ¶ Diues I hope that not euery myscouetyse is dedely synne ayenst goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement For couetyse both of the eye of the flesshe falleth lyghtly in mannes herte And it is not in our power alwayes to flee thought of fals couetyse For as sa yt Poule sayth the flesshe coueyteth alwaye ayenst yâ— spiryte ¶ Pauê‘ God forbydeth not suche couetyse yâ— is not in our power to flee but he forbydeth all maner myscouetyse with assent to perfourme it longe lykynge therin And therfore though men do not in dede theyr fals coretyse yf they be in wyll to do it in dede yf they myght or durste for drede of the worlde than they synne dedely ayenst goddes byheste ¶ Diues Syth it is so yâ— fals couety s e with assent wyll to perfourme it is dedely synne ayenst goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement And as saynt Poule sayth it is rote begynnyng of euery euyll Radix oiÌ„m malorum est cupiditas Sythen wycked wyll gooth byfore wycked dede why putteth not god yâ— forbedynge of false couetyse of wycked wyll in yâ— ordre of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes byfore the forbedynge of the dede of lechery of theft syth couetyse euyll wyll is begynnynge of both For wycked wyll gooth byfore euery synne in so moche yâ— ne were not wycked wyll there sholde noo synne be ¶ Pauper God gaue the tenthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement to the people as souerayne techer as souerayne leche And euery techynge must begynne at thynges that ben moost easy to knowe euery cure leche crafte bothe of bodye of soule muste begynne there the sekenesse is felte moost-greuous And for as moche as the vnwyse people hath more knowynge that mysde de was synne than myswylle felte them more aggreued by mysdede thaÌ„ myswylle therfore god forbedeth fyrste the dede of false couetyse after he forbedeth the wyll the assent to myscouetyse ¶ Diues Yet contra te God forbedeth no thynge but synne synne of dede of wyll is all one For synne begynneth at euyll wyll endeth in euyll dede As we rede in the seconde boke of kynges of kyng Dauyd Fyrste he desyred the fayre woman Bersabee that was wyfe to the true knyght Vrye and fro that wycked desyre he felle in to auoutrye and from auoutrye in to glotonye from glotonye in to false traytorye from traytorye in to murdre and manslaughter blasphemye and to despysynge of godded hygh mageste wherfore god punysshed hym ful harde for the childe soo mys goten dyed soone after the byrthe And his sone Absolon laye openly by his wyues in syght of the people droue hym out of his kyngdome His other sone Amon laye by his owne syster Thamar And therfore Absolon her brother and his slewe hym Bnd Salomon his sone slewe his brother Adony so Dauyd had lytel Ioye of his childern bycause of his auoutrye And was ther neuer after stabylyte in his kyngdome for that auoutrye murder other synnes that came al of his wycked desyre euyll wyl for that he so mysdesyred an other mannes wyfe ayenst that byhest of god whan he sayth Non desiderabis vxoreÌ„ ê“ximi tui Thou shalt not desyre thy neyghboures wyfe ¶ Pauê‘ Whan wycked dede is knyt to wycked wyl it is one synne both ben forboden by the same coÌ„mauÌ„dement in whiche he forbedeth lecherye theft But whan the wyll the assent be not done in dede than the synne standeth only in euyl wyl suche synne pryncypaly is forboden by these two laste coÌ„mauÌ„dementes in whiche god sheweth openly that euyll wyll without the dede is dedely synne Caplm .ij. DIues Whan god gaue the coÌ„mau dementes in the mouÌ„te of Synay to Moyses Ther he forbade fyrste couetyse of the eye But whan Moyses rehersed ayen the lawe to the childern of Israell whan they sholde entre in to yâ— londe of byheste there Moyses forbad fyrste couety s e of flesshe putteth it byfore as we rede Deut â— .v. what was cause of this dyuersyte ¶ Pauê‘ Whan god gaf them yâ— lawe in the mouÌ„t of Synay they were in desert in grete myscheef therfore they were more enclyned to robberye than to lecherye And therfore god for that tyme forbydeth theÌ„ fyrst couetyse of yâ— eye than couetyse of yâ— flesshe But whan Moyses reherced ayen the lawe to theym in his laste dayes they were at the entre of yâ— londe of byheste in a full plentouoê° coÌ„tre where they were more endyned to lecherye for welfare than to robberye for mysfare And therfor Moyses for that tyme forbade them fyrst couetyse of the flesshe than couetyse of the eye of rychesse An other cause leue frende is this For all the pylgrymage of the childern of Israel .xl. yere in desert betokeneth our pylgrymage here in this worlde from our begynnynge vnto our endynge In token than that man woman in his youth in his begynnynge is sooner tempted to couetyse of the eye of worldely good than couetyse of the flesshe in his endynge in his age latter tempted to couetyse of the
people for theyr ryghtfull domes somtyme for vnryghtfull geten them moche hate of the people and without gylte and for ther good dede and so they haue many aduersaryes For it is not in the power of the gouernour to please all But nedes eyther he muste offende god or ellys men that dreden not god And therfore the Iuge shall not lyghtly byleue a fewe wytnesses ayenst suthe persones Also yf persones of dygnyte myght lyghtly be dampned by yâ— symple folke the people sholde be to holde ayenst ther soueraynes lytyll let by them so dygnyte both spyrytuall temporall sholde be in despyte come to nought And therfor some tyme it is better to suffre a shâ—ewde prelate or a curate a shrewde man to regne than lyghtly at the requeste of yâ— people to depose hym but his synne be well open well sclauÌ„derous noyous ¶ Diues Is ther ony caas in whiche it is lefull to stande to one wytnesse ¶ Pauper In yâ— is no preiuoyce to an other it is leful to stande to one wytnesse as yf it be in doubte whether a childe be crystened or a chirche halowed or an aultre or vestymeÌ„t halowed Also by assent of both partyes men may stande to the wytnesse of one Also men may stande to yâ— wytne s se of the preest seynge yâ— his parysshen is amended yf the synne be not open Vt dicit hostiensis iÌ„ suÌ„ma li .ij. Ru. de testibus S. quotus est numerus Also the wytnesse shall saye for certaynte yâ— he knoweth for certayne saye in doubte thynge that is to hym in doubte ¶ Diues Ofce a man weneth to be syker of thynge he is desceyued ¶ Pauper Yf he do his deuoure to knowe the treuth though he be desceyued so saynge ayenst treuth he synneth not dedely for it is not his wyll to bere false wytnesse Caplm .xi. DIues Is a man bounde to kepe counseyll of a thynge yâ— he knoweth by preuy tellynge ¶ Pauê‘ That a man knoweth only by shryft he is bounde to kepe it preuy and noo wytnesse here therof For he knoweth it only as goddes preuy mynyster But yf he knewe it not onely by shryfte but by other waye than by this tellynge that is shreuen to hym therof yf it be suche that it be grete harme of the comynte or of ony persone than he is bouÌ„de to telle out for saluacyon of his euen crysten sauynge as moche as he may the persone that tolde it hym soo that he beware of more harme by his tellynge Yf it be suche that it be not to harme of the comynte ne to grete harme of ony persone yf he haue bouÌ„de hym to couÌ„seyll he shal not be it aknowe for no byddynge of his souerayne For it is a lawe of kynde to kepe counseyll that man knoweth by couÌ„seyl yf the kepynge of couÌ„seyl be not ayenst charyte For ayenst charyte may no man be bounden neyther by byheste ne by othe And for to dyscouer counseyll yâ— is tolde theym for counseyll whan he may lefully kepe it counseyll it is a falsehede And therfor the wyse man sayth That who soo dyscouereth the preuytees of his frende he leseth fayth Ecclesiastici vicesimo septimo For that is the maner of false frendes that whan they tourne to enemytee than to telle the preuytees of theyr frendes to shende them As sayth the wyse man Ecclesiastici sexto Wytnesses muste accorde in the thynge in the person the place and in the degree and in the tyme. Yf one wytnesse stande ayenst many wytnesses his wytnesse is nought but he be wryten with them in ony Instrument Yf the wytnesses contrarye amonges themselfe the Iuge shall deme after the more partye but the lesse partye passe the other partye in worshyp dygnyte in good name Or ellys yf theyr wytnesse be more semely to the treuth and that they preue better theyr wordes than the other partye but yâ— must stande in dyscrecoÌ„n of the Iuge They yâ— shall atteynt other wytnesses muste be mo in nombre of more worshyp of better name than the other were Yf wytnesses ben euen in both partyes in nombre in dygnyte the Iuge shall delyuer hym yâ— standeth for gylty for mercy muste be pryncypall vertue in the Iuge And therfore sayth saynt Iames yâ— mercy enhauÌ„seth the dome Hec in suÌ„ conf li. ij ti de testibus Also ther is wytnesse of dede by dede withouten wytnesse of worde as whan yâ— dede sheweth the selfe Dist xxviij priusê™ Ther may no man be Iuge and wytnesse and accuser togyder in the same cause but in case the Iuge may be wytnesse of treuth to excu s e .iiij. qÌ„ .iiij. Nullus vnê™ In euery dome muste be foure maner persones a Iuge accuser defendour and wytnesse Ibidem In cause of felonye of a grete synne sholde no man be wytnesse ayenst the gylty that had borne wytnesse ayenst hym byfore in ony dome for it is a token of enemyte .iiij. qÌ„ iij. testes S. Item in criminali The wytnesses sholde be worshypful true and sadde Ibidem Suche folke sholde be wytnesses in dome that knowe beste the treuthe .xxxv. qÌ„ .vi. S. i. By wytnesse of one shall no man ne woman be dampned but his trespasse be so open that the dede sheweth the selfe .iij. qÌ„ .iij. testes Et Deutro .xix. et Numeri .xxxv. No man is suffycyente wytnesse in his owne cause .xv. questione tercia sane in fine Item quarta questione tercia testes s Item in criminali Post me Euery man may be wytnesse in dome ayenst hymselfe but not for hymselfe quarta questione secunda S. i. The defendour may forsake wytnesses that ben his enemyes quarta questione tercia testes Noman may be compelled by the lawe to bere wytnesse ayenst his owne kynnesman ne ayenst ony of his nyghe alyauÌ„ce Ibidem An heretyke an hethen man may bere wytnesse ayenst an other heretyke ayenst an other hethen man in helpe of a crysten man But ayenst a crysten man sholde they bere no wytnesse .xxiiij. qÌ„ .i. mirantur Caplm .xij. HE that is vnable to be a preste sholde bere no wytnesse ayenst a preest in cause of felonye and of grete synne .ij. qÌ„ .vij. ipsi apostoli He that bereth false wytnesse forsaketh cryste souerayne treuth xi qoÌ„e .iij. abijt Yf prestes or dekenes be taken with false wytnesse berynge they sholde be thre yere suspended from theyr offyce do harde penauÌ„c v. qÌ„ .vi. quis in fine Euery false wytnesse sholde do .vij. yere penaunce xxij qÌ„.v.si qis And by the lawe he is vnable to euery offyce laful dede of ony worshyp worthy to lese his goodes and to be beten harde chastysed punysshed and the same payne is he worthy that bryngeth men wyttyngly to bere false wytnesse xxij.qÌ„.v.si qs se And as the lawe sayth there he sholde faste .xl. dayes in brede water and .vij. yere folowynge do harde penaunce neuer after
that withdrawe or let goddes worde to be preched ben manquellers that goddes worde sholde hyghly be worshyped what profyte it is to here goddes worde ca. x ¶ Curates that repreue not theyr sugettes of theyr synnes also they that defraude take awaye holy chirche godes ben manquellers so be the prestes that denye the sacrament of penauÌ„ce to repentant men in theyr laste ende what peryll it is to truste to moche on goddes mercy ca. xi ¶ He that doth an other man wyttyngly to forswere hym also he that consenteth to dedly synne who so doth ony dedly synne is a mansleer why god gaue the coÌ„maundementes of yâ— nombre of .x. yet ben they all knyt in one coÌ„mauÌ„dement of kynde how goddes lawe is lykened to a sautrye and to an harpe ca. xij ¶ DeclaracoÌ„n of this text He yâ— offendeth in one offendeth in all ca. xiij ¶ How coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the fyrste table be comprehended in the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of kynde of vengeauÌ„â—s of manslaughter of murder ca. xiiij ¶ God defendeth not sleynge of bestes but only manslaughter without gylte how men may synne in sleyng of bestes ca. xv ¶ In what maner to whom man slaughter is leful god yâ— lawe sleeth wycked doers Iuges slee as goddes mynystres his offycers ca. xvi ¶ Why yâ— swerde was grauÌ„ted to prest mynystres of the olde lawe why that swerde of shedyng of blood is forbodeÌ„ prest of the newe lawe also what the saâ— meÌ„t of the aulter representeth ca. xvij ¶ How the lawe punysshed clerkes she ders of blood many cases of yrregularyte for manslaughter wymeh yâ— do mys craft or vnlefull craft to let theÌ„ self fro beryng of childreÌ„ al that come to sle tho yâ— sle not be maÌ„sleers c.xviij ¶ Many other cases of yrregularyte for manslaughter ca. xix ¶ ExposycoÌ„n of this texte he yâ— hath no swerde selle his cote â— of the deth of many saphyra at saynt Peters wordes ca. xx ¶ A Iuge knowynge a man vngylte shal not dampne yâ— man tho the qÌ„ste â— what the Iuge shal do â— ca. xxi ¶ Causes why it is vnlefull man or woman to slee themselfe ca. xxij ¶ Why it is more syÌ„ne to slee a right full man than a wycked how it is vnleful a man to slee his wyf for auoutry more synne to slee fader or moder than his wyf ca. xxiij ¶ Why god suffreth warre batayl thre thynges be nedefull yâ— batayle be rightful how clerkes other meÌ„ may defende theÌ„self how sugett be excused of fyghtyng for theyr prynce soude oures also how not ca. xxiiij ¶ The sixthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement ¶ Nyne spyces of lechery how many maners a man maye synne with his wyfe Ca. I. ¶ Why matrymony was ordeyned of .iij. thynges of matrymony what matrymony betokeneth ca. ij ¶ What myscheef cometh of auoutry what vengeauÌ„ce god hath do therfore in holy wryt of the ê“phecye of Boneface martyr of y E lechery of englonð yâ— grouÌ„de begyÌ„nyng of eury peple is laful generacoÌ„n in wedlok ca. iij ¶ WhaÌ„ god made matrymony gatlawes a good declarynge of the wordes of Adam this bone is now of my bones â— why womaÌ„ was made of yâ— ryb of man not of erth â— ca. iiij ¶ Auoutry is gretter synne in husboÌ„de than in wyf a grete ê“cesse of sayÌ„t Austen rebukyng auoutrers ca. v ¶ Saynt Austen answereth to false excuses of lecherous men how cryste saued the womaÌ„ taken in auoutry they yâ— sholde punysshe synne sholde be vngylte â— cases in whiche yâ— husboÌ„d may not accuse his wyf in auoutry ca. vi ¶ In what maner a man may forsake his wyf for fornycacoÌ„n of the yrre gularyte of a man knowyng his wyf after he knoweth that she hath do fornycacoÌ„n only deth departeth breketh bonde of matrymony of two maner dethes of entre in to relygyon of wedded folke or they knowe flesshely togydre the wyf hath as grete occasyon in to fayth of matrymony ayen her husbonde as her husbonde ayenst her cause why ca. vij ¶ Symple fornycacoÌ„n is dedly synne These wordes Crescite multiplica mini that is wexe ye be ye multeplyed were spoken of only to man woman wedded tegydre why cryste wolde his moder sholde be wedded or he were conceyued ca. viij ¶ Wedded man woman may lyue chaste yf it lyke them both for many causes ordeyned god man woman not knowe to gydre flesshely but in wedloke what â—ynnes a woman auoutresse dooth ca. ix ¶ A woman lechour is yâ— fendes snare a man lechour is the fendes nette ComoÌ„ly more malyce is in men than in wymen of excusacoÌ„n of Adam why he synned more than Eue why cryste becam man not womaÌ„ ca. x ¶ Sampson Dauyd Salomon disceyued themself or wymen disceyued theym Peter whan he forsoke Cryste was more in defaut than the woman that spake to hym men lechours dyffame chaste wymen that wyll not assente to them ca. xi ¶ Blamynge or lackynge of wycked wymen praysynge of good wymen the the wyne is not to blame though the glotone therof do lechery neyther yâ— beaute of a womaÌ„ is blame though a man by occasyon therof be styred to hyr the mysuse is to blame ca. xij ¶ Of maÌ„nes arraye womans cause why wymen ben oft more stable in goodnesse than men Of men wymen ankers that womans counseyll cometh ofte of god ca. xiij ¶ Dyuerse remedyes ayenst lecherye example of Rosamonde of the bauson the foxe of vnclene lecherous thoughtes ca. xiiij ¶ Mynde of crystes passyon redynge in holy wryt thynkynge of the paynes of helle ben also remedyes ayenst lecherye ca. xv ¶ Vengeaunce that god hath taken for fornycacoÌ„n for auoutrye for mys vse of a mannes owne wyfe for Incest for synne of sodomye why wymen childern were punysshde in the subuersyon of sodomye â— ca. xvi ¶ Of lechery of prestes dekens sub dekens paynes sette in the lawe for suche synnes whan a man of holy chirche is called in the lawe an open notorye lechour ca. xvij ¶ Causes why lecherye in clerkes is more greuous than auoutrye in seculers ca. xviij ¶ How men falle in bygamye why they ben yrreguler by bygamye that by gamus shall not haue the preuyleges that longe to clergye ca. xix ¶ Wymen delyuered of childe maye entre holy chirche what tyme that they wyll ben of power Neyther husbonde may gyue leue one to other to take an other woman or man ExcusacoÌ„n of Abraham of Iacob that had at ones dyuerse wyues ca. xx ¶ In what maner elues yâ— ben fendes ben sayd to do lecherye with man woman beest of monstres or wouÌ„dre thynges so gendred ca. xxi ¶ What is goostly fornycacoÌ„n goostly auoutrye ca. xxij ¶ An answere to an argument that
passe all the londes all realmes persones al erthe al waters all ayre in .xxiiij. houres that is called daye naturally from sonne rysynge to sonne rysyng from none to none And sythen they passen all londes all persones so euenly make noo more dwellynge ouer one londe than ouer an other why sholde they more enclyne one londe than an other or one persone more than an other to vyce or to vertue to warre or to peas ¶ Diues For some constellacyon or some respecte in her passynge falleth vpon one londe more than an other And as folke ben borne vnder dyuerse constellacoÌ„ns or coniunccoÌ„ns dyuer se respectes in dyuerse sygnes vnder dyuerse planetes so ben they enclyned in dyuerse maner to dyuerse thynges vyce or vertue warre or peas helthe or sekenesse pouerte or richesse suche other ¶ Pauper Whan the kynges sone is borne in the same tyme in the same constellacoÌ„n respecte planete and sygne is the poore bonde mannes sone born and yet haue they not both one inclynacoÌ„n ne one dysposycoÌ„n For the kynges sone is dysposed by his herytage to be kyng after his fader The poore bonde mannes sone is dysposed by his byrthe to be a bonde man all his lyfe as his faders haue ben byfore hym hondred yeres that no planete myght auoyde theyr bondage ne fro the kynges theyr dygnyte In the same tyme in the same constellacoÌ„n vnder the same planete sygne that one childe is borne ben many childern borne yet haue they not all one inclynacoÌ„n ne one dysposycoÌ„n For some of theym ben enclyned to goodnesse some to wyckednesse some to sekenesse some to helthe some ben full angry some ben not so some be wyse some be fooles some foule some fayre some riche some poore some lyuyng longe some deye full soone Ezau and Iacob had both one fader and one moder Ysaac and Rebecca both were bygoten at ones as sayth saynt Austyn both borne attones and yet were they noo thynge lyke For Iacob was a good man Ezau a shrewe Iacob was loued of god Ezau was hated for his wyckednes Iacob was smoth of bodye with lytyll here Ezau fulle of here as a beest Iacob was a true symple man Ezau a rauenoure and a malycyous shrewe Iacob was peasyble Ezau a faytour or a baratour So thou myght well see that dyuerse inclynacoÌ„n of man woman standeth not in the planetes ne in the tyme of the byrthe Caplm .xxi. DIues what ellys may be cause of suche dyuerse inclynacyons ¶ Pauper For Adams synne and orygynall synne there we ben all conceyued in we ben all enclyned to synne And therfore god sayth GenÌ„ .viij. That the wytte thought of mannes herte is enclyned to euyll from his youth Sensus et cogitacio cordis humani in malum prona sunt ab adolescencia sua And therfore Salomon sayth Prouerbiorum .xx. That no man may saye I am pure clene without synne Neuertheles all be we not lyke moche enclyned to synne ne to sekenesse but some more some lesse that for many dyuerse causes Some tyme for wycked suffraunce that childern be not chastysed in her youth For Salomon sayth Prouerbiorum .xxix The childe that is suffred to haue his wyll shall shame his moder all his kynne Somtyme for wycked company that they ben in wycked example of theyr elders ylle informacoÌ„n Somtyme for mys vse in youth For Salomon sayth Prouer .xxij. That a man in his elde goth not lyghtly fro the waye of his youth ¶ Diues And yet it is a comon ê“uerbe yonge saynt olde deuyll ¶ Pauper It is a synfull prouerbe to drawe men to synne fro vertue fro god to the fende For holy wryte sayth BonuÌ„ est homini cuÌ„ portauerit iuguÌ„ dnÌ„i ab adolescencia sua TrenÌ„ .iij. It is fulle good sayth he to a man whan he hath borne the yok of our lorde from his youthe And as a poete sayth Quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit Whiche as the potte or the vessell taketh whan it is newe suche it sauoureth whan it is olde And therfore in holy wryte saynt Iohan baptyst Thoby Ieremy Sampson Samuell many other ben praysed for theyr holynesse in theyr youthe For comonly they that ben good loue god in godenesse in her youth they make a full good ende all yf for a tyme they fall in synne ben full veyne God suffreth theym to falle for a tyme for they sholde ellys be to proude of theyr goodnesse haue dysdayne of other synfull wretches Also somtyme one is enclyned more to one synne than a nother for he was conceyued and begoten in more synne than an other al yf he were begoten born in wedlocke for the man the wyf may synne togydre full greuously eyther by mys wyll of theyr bodyes or by intemperauÌ„ce yf they passe maner and mesute or yf they comen togydre in vntyme as in the tyme of sekenesse or in holy tyme without drede or reuerence of the tyme ne wyll not spare for the tyme. Neuerthelesse the synne is in the axer and not in the yelder Also they may synne by wycked Intencyon as yf they doo it for a wycked ende or oonly to fulfyll the luste of the flesshe not to flee fornycacyon ne to yelde the dethe of theyr bodye ne to brynge forth childern to the worshyp of god but oonly taken hede of her owne luste Also yf they coueyte childern not to the worshypp of god but for the worlde to be grete to make theyr childern grete in this worlde Also men be enclyned to synne one more than an other by excesse of mete and drynke by myskepynge of his fyue wyttes And for this same causes one is enclyned to bodely sekenesse more than an other For synne oftyme is cause of bodely sekenesse Also by mys dyetynge of the moder whyle she is with childe or by mys dysposycyon of the fader or of the moder or of both whan the childe is begoten or by mys kepynge of the childe in the youthe For childern in youth wyl assaye and handle well nyghe all thyng And so oftyme they ete drynke and receyue inwarde many vnthryfty thynges enuenym herself hurte themself in many wyse that but yf the good angell kepte them not they sholde perysshe Also god smyteth them with seknesse of myschyef Somtyme for the faders synne the moðs for they loue theym to moche wyll go to helle to make them riche and grete in this worlde Somtyme he smyteth them with sekenes to shewe his myght myracle as we fynde in yâ— gospell of saynt Iohan ix.c Of hym that was born blynde that the myght of god myght be shewed in hym in gyuyng hym syght Other causes ther ben ful many whiche passen mannes wytte for we may not knowe all goddes domes Ne these causes here assygned be not alway general For soÌ„tyme a full good man hath a full
he is bouÌ„de to telle them to his lorde yf his lorde is pacyent resonable not to cruell yf he can not preue them he is not bouÌ„de to telle them As the lawe sheweth full well .xxxv. qÌ„ .vi. EpÌ„s in synodo et ij.qÌ„.i Si peccauerit et qÌ„.vij PleruÌ„que vi.qÌ„.ij Si tmÌ„ For yf the seruauÌ„t whan he made that othe thought to bynde hym to telle his lorde all the harmes that he knewe and whan he can not preue it than his othe is not lefull and therfore it byndeth not Euery seruaunt is bounden by his othe by his fayth to be true to his lorde warne hym of his harme of his velonye in comon maner but he is not bounde for to accuse in specyall but yf he can preue it but it be full preuely to suche one that wyll prouffyte to the persone not harme hym ne defame hym but only amende hym For by accusynge in specyall but yf the playnt can be preued it maketh hate fyghtynge manslaughter dyffamacyon and grete dysease Caplm .xiiij. DIues Whan a comunyte or a college swereth for them theyr successours to doo or to kepe a certayne thynge in tyme comynge yf theyr successours do it not neyther kepe not theyr couenaunte ben not theyr successours forsworen ¶ Pauper Nay For that othe byndeth the persones that swore it not theyr successours as for periury Neuerthelesse the successours ben bounden by good fayth for to doo and for to kepe that theyr predecessours bouÌ„de theym to soo swerynge yf it were lefull yf they haue the same prouffytes therof that theyr predecessours hadde Extrahe veritatis et Ray .li. pri â— ti de periurio Item pone ¶ Diues Yf a man make an othe to an other man may not that other man that he maketh it to vnbynde hym from that othe forgyue it hym ¶ Pauê‘ And yf it be soo that that othe be made pryncypally in fauour of goddes worshyp the man that he made it to can not assoyle hym ne vnbynde hyÌ„ from that othe ne none other may but by chauÌ„gynge in to some better thynge but nede or vnpower excuse hym Yf the othe be made pryncypally in the fauour of the man that he swereth it to that man may wel vnbynde hym fro his othe And yf he made that othe in fauour of an other man only that other man may vnbynde hym from that othe but ony condycoÌ„n put in the othe lette it As I swore to the that I sholde gyue thy fader .x. shelynges thou myghtest not vnbynde me fro that othe but thy fað myght well vnbynde me therof ¶ Diues Whether is a man harder bouÌ„de by auowe or by an othe ¶ Pauper The auowe byndeth harder For our auowe byndeth vs by our fayth treuth that we owe to god to paye to hym our byhestes Our othe bynde vs pryncypally for to be true to our euen crysten for the reuerence of goddes holy name As sayth IoheÌ„s in suÌ„ con li.i.ti.ix.qÌ„.xiiij quero ¶ Diues Yf a man or a woman haue doo ony dedely synne of whiche he is shreuen contryte may he swere sykerly that he is not gylty of that synne for to auoyde sclaundre of hymselfe and of his frendes and of other that wyll not byleue hym in that but he swere ¶ Pauper For asmoche as he knoweth not sykerly that he is suffycyently contryte he is not syker whether his synne is forgyuen hym or not And therfor he sholde for no myschyef swere soo folysly Moche more he sholde not swere it of his owne profer whan hym nedeth not to swere In suÌ„ con ti ix.qÌ„ .xij. â—d de vxore Extra li.v. purgacoÌ„e canonica accepimus ¶ Diues What yf a man or woman make two othes contrarye that may not be kepte both togydre ¶ Pauper The fyrste shall be kepte yf it be lefull Hostriensis li.ij. Rubrica de iureiurando S. quot comites â— Item si duo But yf a man make two auowes contrarye that may not be kepte the greter shal be kepte yf it be lefull for that other he shal do satysfaccoÌ„n by dome of his prelates SuÌ„ coÌ„ ti viij.qÌ„.lxxxiij Caplm .xv. DIues What is auowe proprely ¶ Pauper Auowe is byhotynge of some good thynge made to god with auysement As Raymunde sayth ¶ Diues Whan a man or woman in anguysshe dysease maketh auowe to be holpen ben they not bounden to fulfyll that auowe though anguysshe dysease brought theym therto ¶ Pauê‘ Yes forsoth yf they thought on the cause whan they made it than vere in purpose to bynde theym yf they had theyr desyre helpe in that nede so that by kepyng of theyr auowe they ben better dysposed to kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes for therto sholde all comon auowes deserue And the wyfe that in peryl of childe beryng or of other sekenes maketh auowe all yf she ought none to make without leue of her husbonde yet she ought not to doo ayenst that auowe by her owne dome ne without dome of her souerayne yf she fele her holpen by the auowe Neuerthelesse I trowe that her husbonde may vnbynde her therfro her confessour also by chauÌ„gynge in to some other good dede and namely yf the kepynge of the auowe sholde tourne in to preiudyce of that husbonde or lettynge of the better dede For wyues ought not to make grete auowes that sholde be in dysease preiudyce of theyr husbonde Ne childern within age sholde make none auowe without assente of theyr fader or of theyr tutour Ne the seruauÌ„te in preiudyce or hyndryng of his lorde or of his maystre And yf he do his lorde or maystre may reuoke it and so may the fader the childes the husbonde the wyues Other auowes that ben not preiudyce to the husbonde the wyfe may it as to saye certayne bedes But of no grete pylgremage ne of grete abstynence ne of contynence ne to gyue grete almesse but yf her husbonde is euyll dysposed in his wyttes or not ruled of custome by reason For yf her husbonde haue no pyte of nedy people than she may make auowe to gyue to poore people to that pleasauÌ„ce of god after her power sauynge theyr bothe astate ¶ Diues Whether is it more medefull to do a good dede with auowe or without auowe ¶ Pauper With auowe for a vowe makynge is one of the hyghest worshyp that man may do Quia est actus latrie Also by auowe man meketh hym moost to god gyueth to god the moost gyfte that he can gyue that is his free wyl Also he gyueth a greter gyfte that gyueth the tree with fruyte than he that gyueth the fruyte reserueth to hym the tree Also by a vowe mannes wyl is more stabled in goodnesse Neuerthelesse for as moche as man and woman ben full frayle and chauÌ„geable therfore men sholde not make auowes but fewe with a good auysement For brekynge of auowes is a grete dyshonour to god ¶
Diues What yf a man make a vowe oonly vnder condycōn ¶ Pauper Yf the condycōn falle or be he is bounde ellys not And yf a man bynde hym by dyuerse causes yf ther one falle he is bounden though the other fallen not As yf I made ony auowe for to go to saynt Iames in hope to fynde there my brother also to haue redempcōn of my synnes though I wyste afterwarde certaynly the I sholde not fynde my brother there yet I were boūde to go thyder for y◠other cause ¶ Diues For how many causes is a man or woman vnboūde from his auowe ¶ Pauper For four causes Fyrste yf the pryncypall cause of his auowe makynge fayle As yf a man make auowe to faste all that satyrdayes to haue helth of his childe yf the childe amende not he is not boūde therto Also yf it be made vnder condycyon that is not ne falleth not Also yf his souerayne vnbynde hym therof Also yf he haue no power for to kepe it ¶ Diues Than yf a mayden make an auowe to lyue in maydenhode all her lyfe durynge yf she be corrupte lese her maydēhode she is vnboūde from her auowe for she can no lenger lyue in maydenhode ¶ Pauper All yf she can no lenger lyue in maydenhode yet she is boūde to contynence all her lyfe to kepe her auowe in as moche as she may And so it is of other auowes that men may not all do for they ben boūde to do all that they may do Moreouer ye shall vnderstonde that some auowe is of nede as the auowe that we make in bapty me for to forsake the fende to kepe the fayth of holy chirche And other auowes of free wyll as whan a man byndeth hym frely to do a good dede without whiche he may be saued as fastynge contynence pylgremage Two thynges be nedefull in chaungynge of auowe Rightfull cause auctoryte of the souerayns In dyspen sacyon of the auowe of abstynence or suche other it muste be taken hede to the richesses or to the pouerte of y◠persone For a poore man in caas ought to haue as moche dyspensacōn for a peny or for right nought as a grete lorde for an hondred marke Some condycōns ben vnderstonden in auowes though a man saye them not as I shall do yf I lyue and yf god wyll Other condicōns ben more specyal as I shal vysyte saynt Thomas yf I go in to kent By bothe maners of these condicōns yf they fayle man in excused of his auowe yf it stande all in that condycōn The husbonde may not entre in to relygyon but his wyfe make fyrste auowe of perpetuell cōtynence Neyther the wyfe ne the husbonde may make auowe of cōtynence without others assente Solempne auowe of cōtynence letteth matrymony to do or to be done Yf it be not solempne yf the persone wedde that matrymony holdeth He muste paye the dette of his bodye to his wyfe but he may not axe it of her Solempne auowe is made by takynge of holy ordre or by entre in to relygyon Though a man or woman breke his faste bycause of sekenesse he breketh not his abstynēce Extra li.v. de regulis iuris qd non est licitū Caplm .xvi. DIues What yf a man or woman swere a thynge in hastynesse whiche othe they wolde not haue sworen yf they had auysed theym ¶ Pauper Yf theyr othe be a meane to kepe the better goddes cōmaundement to flee therby more synne loue god the more they be boūde to kepe this othe and not ellys ¶ Diues Yf childern swere to doo a thyng leful whyle they be within age may theyr fader moder reuoke that othe ¶ Pauper Fader and moder and his tutour may reuoke the childerens othes theyr vowes as soone as they knowe therof And so may the husbonde of his wyfe and she is boūde to obeye his reuocacōn But yf they go forth whan they wote therof reuoke it not at the begynnynge afterwarde they may not by the lawe reuoke it ne the fader the childes othe ne the vowe ¶ Diues I suppose they reuoke it afterwarde ¶ Pauper Bothe the wyfe to the husbonde and the childe to the fader whyle he is within age ought to obeye Auyse hym of the peryll that so reuoketh Caplm .xvij. DIues whether is periury more synne or manslaughter ¶ Pauper Periury is more For as saynt Poule sayth ad Hebr .vi. Men sholde swere by theyr better and theyr gretter of euery contrauersy that is to saye of euery cause that is in debate to conferme the true parte the laste ende is an othe For euery suche cause is termyned ended by an othe And sythen it is so that the cause of manslaughter of euery open synne touchynge mannes dome muste be termyned by an othe Periurye muste be taken for a passynge synne and soo it is For who soo forswereth hym wyttyngly he forsaketh his god therfore periury is the gretest synne of all synnes next ydolatrye for it is ayenst the seconde cōmaundement inmedyatly ayenst god in despyte forsakyng of god But manslaughter is inmedyatly ayenst man And though man with manslaughter greued god full sore yet he forsaketh not god ne despyseth hȳ ne dyshonoureth hym so moche as he doth by periury And as that phylosophre sayth In princi ◠meta ◠Amonges hethen men othe hath euer be worshypfull For euery secte Iewe Sarasyn Paynym fleeth to swere falsely by his goddes name as moost inconuenyent yf māslaughter were more synne than periury it were but a folye to trye the cause of manslaughter by an othe For it is semely that he that was not aferde to do the grete synne of manslaughter sholde lytyll drede to falle in that synne of periury yf it were lesse And thus sayth saynt Thomas in qōe d qðlibe et Io. in sū li.i ti q̄ .xxiiij. vtrum ¶ Diues Yf all men charged periury and false othes as thou dost many man had ben hanged drawen and slayne in otherwyse that yet lyue fare wel It is full harde so lyghtly to slee a man with a worde whan his lyfe may be saued with a worde for a man costeth full moche or he come to be a man ¶ Pauper Therfore men sholde besyly flee periurye and false othes For ther is no thynge that causeth so moche manslaughter and shedynge of blood as periury doth ¶ Diues She we me that I praye the yf thou can ¶ Pauper Salomon sayth Eccle .x. The kyngdome is fletted and chaūged fro nacyon to nacyon for wronges vnrightfulnes and despytes done to goddes name in dyuerse gyles But periury is cause of all false domes and wronges and of all vnright fulnesse cause of gyle and of treason and of grete dyspytes that ben done to god and man For as I sayd fyrste Euery cause muste be ended by wytnesses or by questes the whiche ben sworen to saye treuth and also by
openly and noo man wolde helpe hym vp Equyte sayth he ne euenhode in shyftynge and in demynge myght not entre for treuthe is all forgeten And he that fledde from wyckednesses was euery mānes pray ¶ Diues Now I see that periurye is a full greuous synne full peryllous to euery comunyte cause of moche manslaughter shedyng of mannes blood lesynge of Royalmes For as I haue redde y◠Royalme of Englonde for periurye falshode was translated from Brytons to Saxons Afterwarde it was translated for periurye from Saxons Englysshe men to the Danes Afterwarde whan Englysshe men had the kyngdome ayen by the deth of the Danes they kepte it but two kynges tymes Saynt Edwarde heraldes anone it was trāslated ayen for periurye vnto the Normans by Wyllyam duke of Normandy whiche slough well nyghe all the chyualrye of this londe chaūged the lordshyp and the prelacye of this londe nyghe all vnto the frensshe men And what murdre shedynge of blode fell for these periurers in these thre tymes and chaūgynges full harde to telle And now allas newely in our dayes we ben fallen in periury in the hyghest degree not one but nygh all And what blood hath be shedde sythen bycause of our periurye no tonge can telle And this londe by shedynge of blood is so feblysshed in euery astate that we be not of power without specyall myracle of god lenger for to withstande And so it is full moche to drede y◠this royalme in short tyme for our periurye shall be translated ayen to the Brytones or ellys to some other tongues I praye the saye forth what thou wylt Caplm .xix. PAuper Furthermore I sayd that goddes name is taken in vayne by mysherynge For yf thou haue lykynge to here grete othes of other men or omy mysswerynge Or yf thou wayte all vayne othes ne art not myspraysed whan thou hereste them thou takest goddes name in vayne for thou doost no worshyppe therto as thou oughtest to doo For as Salomon sayth a mannes heere sholde aryse for fere he sholde stop his ere 's whan he herde goddes name so despysed And yf a man swere to y◠sadly in goddes name auysely thou art boūden to byleue hȳ for worshyp of goddes holy name but thou haue the more euydence to the contrarye And but thou accepte his othe gyue credence therto but ye knowe the contrarye ellys thou takest goddes name in vayne for thou doost no due worshyp therto but grete despyte in that that thou wylt not byleue so worshypfull a wytnesse as god is whom he taketh to wytnesse soo swerynge For many a symple man wolde be euyll payed yf thou forsokest hym for wytnesse of treuthe ¶ Diues Yf I fynde a man ofte false in his othes though I byleue hym not I do god no dyshonour ¶ Pauper That is soth for thou may well wote that god souerayne treuth bereth hym no wytnesse in his fasholde And therfore do worshyp to his othe to goddes name and repreue his falshode and despyte that he doth to goddes holy name Moreouer yf thou here men swere or blaspheme goddes name or name goddes name in vanyte yf thou haue lykynge therin thou takest goddes name in vayne And but thou rebuke or repreue them yf thou haue power ouer them and grutche ayenst theyr synfull speche ellys thou takest goddes holy name in vayne by herynge Also yf thou haue lykynge to here errours ayenst the fayth of holy chirche to consente to them or shrewde tales or vayne tales medled with goddes name vnhonest speche ayenst the worshypfull name of Cryste of crystendom whiche speche no good crysten man ne woman ought to here thou takest goddes name in vayne by herynge For yf thou loue well thy god thou sholdest not here paciently ony speche that sowneth dyshonour to his holy name For yf thou louedest well ony man or woman thou woldest here no speche sownynge ayenste theyr name and worshyppe ne that myght be causes of theyr offence or velonye Caplm .xx. ALso goddes name is taken in vayne by brekyng of couenaūte made in goddes name and confermed by swerynge in goddes name As whan peas and couenaut is made bytwene kynges and Royal mes bytwene comunytees and bytwene persones and bytwene comunyte and persone is confermed by swerynge Than euery man woman that knoweth it sholde flee to forfete in worde or dede ayenst the couenaūt the peas for the reuerence of goddes holy name by whiche it was confermed And all tho that wyttyngly breken suche couenauntes or procuren by worde or dede or assenten thertoto that suche couenaunt shall be broken yf the couenaunt be lefull all yf it be not pleasaunt they take goddes name in vayne And all tho that knowe of the couenaunt and of the othe yf they by retcheleshede of speche or of dede ben cause of brekynge of peas and of suche couenauntes whether it touche theym or not they take goddes holy name in vayne and do grete despyte therto sythen the peas the couenaunt was made in goddes holy name and confermed also We rede also in holy wryte Iosue .ix. That whan as Iosue and goddes people began fyrste for to conquere the londe of byheste the people of Gabaon in gyle sente messagers to Iosue for to make peas with Iosue and with goddes people The messagers in gyle dyde on olde clothes clowted olde shone patched and all to torne They toke hored brede in theyr scryppes soure wyne in theyr botels and loded asses with olde hored brede in olde sackes and came so to Iosue and made a presaunt to hym of olde vytayles sayd to hym Your name spryngeth ferre and wyde that ther may no kyng nor nacyon withstande you Therfore we be come to you for saluacyon of our lyues for to make peas with you Than Iosue and the people sayd to theym Yf ye dwelle in the londe that god hath gyuen to vs we may no peas make with you Than Iosue axed theym what they were from whens they cam Syr sayd they we ben thy seuaūtes come to the fro full ferre contrees sente fro the lordes and the leders of our londe to make peas with the. Thou may see by our arraye that we be come fro ferre For whan we came out our clothes our shone were newe now they ben al to torne and al to rente Our brede was newe baken and now it is hored Our botels and our wyne weren newe and now our botels be nygh brusten and the wyne is soure and our vytales and the presaunt that we haue brought to the ben nyghe loste for elde And thus they lyed almoost euery worde desceyued Iosue for they dwelleden but .xx. lytyll myle thens Iosue toke theyr presaunt and made peas with them And he all the prynces of goddes people swore to theym that they sholde haue theyr lyues and theyr goodes Within a fewe dayes after Iosue cam to Gabaon
began to fyght ayenst the cyte anone they cam out shewed her charter of peas And how that Iosue the prynces of goddes people also hadde sworen to theym to saue theyr lyues the people wolde haue slayne theym bycause of theyr gyle Than Iosue and the prynces sayden to the people We may not slee them for we haue sworen to theym in the name of our lorde And yf we forswere vs god shal take vengeaunce of vs. ¶ Diues I trowe that clerkes now a dayes wolde saye that they were not bounde to kepe that othe sythen they gate that othe of theym with soo grete begyle ¶ Pauper Yf they auysed them wel they wolde saye as Iosue sayd For as I fyrst sayd a man ought to kepe his othe yf it be lefull though he made it for drede of deth For euery othe leful ought to be kepte though it be neuer so moche ayenst herte and that sheweth god well afterwarde For as we fynde the seconde boke of the kynges xxi Thre hondred yere after Saull kyng of goddes people slewe all the Gabaonytes y◠he myght fynde to plese his people whiche hated alwaye y◠Gabaonites for theyr gyle God was dyspleased with y◠dede lete y◠kyng Saull soone after slayne in batayll all his housholde moche of goddes people After in tyme of Dauyd that reygned next after Saull Ther felle suche an hongre in the londe of Israell thre yere togydre y◠moche of goddes people perysshed Dauyd axed of god what the cause was of y◠hongre God sayd that the deth of the Gabaonytes whiche Saull had slayne y◠was cause therof Dauyd sente after the Gabaonytes that were lefte and sayd to them I knowe well that for you sake this hongre myschyef is fallen in my realme Axe ye amendes what ye wyll and I shall do it Than they sayd we axe neyther golde ne syluer ne no mannes deth of Israell but oonly vengeaunce on Saull and his kynrede that soo wyckedly oppressed vs and destroyed vs. We axe that euery man of his kynred be slayne and that none be lefte of his kynrede Dauyd myght not graunte that axynge for that othe that he hadde made to Ionatas the sone of Saull to saue his kynrede Than they axed seuen men only of the kynrede of Saull to hange them on y◠gebettes ayenst the sonne so to slee them dyspyteously in punysshynge of the spyte y◠Saull had do to goddes holy name in y◠he dyde ayenst the solempne couenaūtes y◠his predecessours had made confermed swerynge by goddes holy name for in that Saull toke that othe goddes holy name in vayne As sayth the maystre of the storyes Whan this was done the hongre cessed anone began rayne plente of corne fruyte ¶ Diues This ensample is full good sheweth well that euery othelefull made sholde be kepte And that euery man woman sholde flee to do dyshonour or spyte to goddes holy name Also it sheweth well y◠periury dyspysynge of goddes holy name is cause of shedynge of blood of hongre of myschyef and that god wyl not suffre that his holy name be dyspysed ne taken in vayne ¶ Pauper Therfore god sayth that euery man woman that so taketh his holy nama in vayne I shall doo to the as thou haste doo thy swerynge in dyspyte of me chargest not to breke couenaūt therfore thou shalte bere thy synne haue dyspyte therfore Eze .xvi. Also he sayth thus by the prophete Yf ye wyll not here ne sette in your herte to gyue worshypp to my name I shall sende to you hongre and nede and myschyef And I shall curse your blessynges and take your myght from you that ye shall not witstande Malachye .ij. ◠¶ Here endeth the seconde cōmaundement and begynneth the thyrde Caplm primū DIues I thanke the moche For now knowe I better than I dyde byfore how the seconde cōmaūdement sholde be kepte and what peryll it is to take goddes name in vayne Now I praye the enfourme me in the thyrde cōmaundement ¶ Pauper In the thyrde cōmaūdement god byddeth that thou sholdest bethynke the haue well in mynde to halowe thyn holydaye Sixe dayes thou shalte werke do all thyn owne werkes In the .vij. daye in the sabbot that is to saye reste of thy lorde god In that daye thou shalt doo no seruyle werke neyther thou ne thy sone thy doughter ne thy seruaunte man ne woman ne thy beest ne the straūgers that ben within thy yates ¶ Diues Why badde god that the .vij. daye sholde more be halowed than the .vi. daye ¶ Pauper For as god sayth there In .vi. dayes he made heuen and erthe and the see and all thynge that is therin And in the .vij. daye he rested and cessed of his werkes and therfore he blessyd that daye and halowed it and ordeyned that in that daye man and beest sholde reste and that man that daye in a specyaall sholde thanke god for all the creatures that he made byfore in the .vi. dayes he made them to helpe and seruyce and solace of man ¶ Diues Why sayth holy wryte that god rested than the .vij. daye in soo moche as that he neuer trauaylled For as saynt Austyn sayth he made all thynges without trauayll and as holy wryte sheweth Genesis pri ◠He sayd but this one shorte worde Fiat and badde that it sholde be done anone it was done as he wolde haue it ¶ Pauper Whan holy wrytte sayth that god rested the .vij. daye he vnderstandeth therby that in the .vij. daye he cessed for to make newe creatures for euery thynge was made by fore in the .vi. dayes eyther in y◠thynge hymselfe as angell lyght sonne mone and sterres eyther in his kynde and in his symplytude as man beest fysshe foule and grasse and trees eyther in his causes as thynge gendred of corrupcōn and thynges made by crafte For god in his godhede was neuer in trauayll but alwaye in blysfull reste without ende And therfore holy wrytte sayth not that he rested after his werke ne in his werke but that he rested from euery werke that he had made for he had no trauayll for ony werke he was not holpen by his werke for he made no thynge for nede but al for loue ¶ Diues Yet contra te Cryste sayth in the gospell Io. Pater meus vsque mode operat et ego operor My fader werketh vnto this tyme I werke also Therfore it semeth that god cessed not the vij daye from euery werke ¶ Pauper Two maner of werkes longen to god creacyon and gouernaunce From the werke of creacyon he cessed the .vij. daye and than prycypally he began the werke of gouernaunce and of kepynge the whiche werke he contynueth and shall contynue without ende And of this werke of gouernaunce speketh Cryste the wordes in the gospell but not of the wordes of creacyon ¶ Diues Ben ther ony mo causes why god badde
sacrament of the aulter And for the same reson yf a man haue wedded two wyues so departeth his flesshe in dyuer s e wymen he is yrreguler vnable to the aulter And therfore not only prestes but dekenes and subdekenes in that they be astent to the preest in makynge of the sacrament muste be without suche departynge that is contrarye to the sacrament of endeles charyte of onehede bytwene god and holy chirche bytwene all good crysten people yâ— is in charyte for alle they be one come togydre in this sacrament For this reson it is not leful to men of holy chirche to shed maÌ„nes blood ne to slee ne to mayme The newe testament is a lawe of loue therfore cryste wolde that the mynystres of the auter in the newe testament that sholde mynystre the sacrament of his endeles loue of his endles mercy to mankynde that they shewe loue mercy pyte no token of cruelte The olde testament was a lawe of drede duresse and nygh all the sacrefyces that the prestes made was done with shedynge of blood not only in fygure of crystus passyon but also in token that he that synned was worthy to be slayne as the beest that was slayne that was offered for his synne And therfore the swerde was graunted to prestes and to the mynystres of the olde lawe to punysshe rebellours whan it nedeth and moche of theyr offyce was to shedde blood And so by theyr offyce they were dysposed to crueltee In soo moche that they were not afrede to flee goddes sone ther lorde ther souerayne ther god And for that prestes of the olde lawe by cruelte slough cryste god and lorde of all Therfore shedynge of blood manslaughter is forboden to prestes in the newe lawe and maketh them vnable to the aultre that shedde mannes blode or helpe therto Caplm .xviij. SHeddynge of blood in men of holy chirche is so abhomynable horryble in goddes lyght yâ— yf ony clerke dye in batayl fyghtyng or in playes of hethen men of whiche foloweth shedynge of blode deth as in playnge at the swerde bokeler at the staffe twohands werde hurlebat in tourmentes in Iustes for that clerke holy chirche shall make noo solempne masse ne solempne prayer for hym but he sholde be buryed without solempnyte of holy chirche xxiij qÌ„.viij.â—cuÌ„que clericê° And yf a man in his woodnes and rauynge slee man woman or childe though his woodnes passe yet he is yrreguler vnable to goddes aulter xv.qÌ„.i siâ—s insaniens Nethelesse yf he be prest or that caas falle hym whan his wodenes is passed be in hope of seker helthe he may saye his masse Also yf a man smyte childe man or woman by waye of chastysynge he dye of yâ— stroke he is yrreguler xv.qÌ„.i Si â—s noÌ„ iratê° et extra li. v.de homicidijs ca. pÌ„sbiteruÌ„ Also yf he be in doubte whether he dye of the stroke he shall absteyne hym from goddes aulter Extra e. ad audiencia Also yf a prest or clerke or ony man slee the theef that robbeth the chirche he is yrreguler Extra e significasti Also yf clerkes fyght ayenst sarasynes ayenst hethen men yf they slee ony man womeÌ„ or childe they be yrreguler yf they be in doubte whether they slough or nay they sholde absteyne them fro yâ— aulter Extra e.peticio Also yâ— Iuge the aduocate the accessour the offycere the wytnesse by whiche man or woman is slayn the wryter he that sayth the sentence or redeth in dome the examynacyon of the cause or wryteth the endytement or other lettres by the whiche man or woman is slayn he is yrreguler though the cause the dome be ryghtfull Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf a man be dryuen by nede to slee man or woman yf he fledde in that nede by his owne defaute fledde not that nede whan he myght haue fledde he is full yrreguler But yf it were suche nede that he myght not flee it the nede cam not by his defaute holy chirche suffreth him in the ordres that he hath taken to mynystre therin but he shall take none hygher ordre Yf ony man slee man woman or childe casuelly and by myshappe whether his occupacyon was lefull or not lefull yf he dydde not his besynesse to flee manslaughter he is full yrreguler But yf his occupacyon were leful and he dyde his besynes to flee manslaughter though he sawe not before all chauÌ„ges that myght fall he is not yrreguler Ray. li.ij.ti.i with hym that sleeth man woman or childe wyllyngly with hande or with tonge is no dyspen s acoÌ„n IbmÌ„ Yf a man smyte a woman with childe whan the childe is quycke or poyson hyr with venym yf that childe be deed born or ellys born out of tyme dye by that poyson or by that stroke he is yrreguler But yf the childe were not quycke he is not yrreguler but he shall be punysshed by the lawe of holy chirche as a manqueller And so shall the man that gyueth venym or ony drynke or ony other thynge to let woman that she may not conceyue ne brynge forth childern And yf yâ— woman wylfully take suche drynkes or do ony mys crafte to let hyrself or ony other from berynge of childern she is a mansleer Yf many men fyghte togydre one or mo be slayne it is not knowen by whome of that coÌ„pany all that smeten or came for to slee or for to fyght all though they smeten not be mansleers And alle that came to helpe mansleers though they slough not ne had wyll to slee but come only to conforte and to helpe of the sleer and all that were on the wrong syde be yrreguler Yf man or wuman dye by defaute of the leche by his vnkunnynge mys medycyne the leche is yrreguler And therfore it is forboden men of holy chirche to gyue ony peryllous drynkes or to borne men by surgery or to kytte them for often deth or mayme tometh therof Also they mayme them selfe without a nedefull cause or be maymed by other men or by ther owne foly all yf they dyde theym gelde to be chaste so please god they be yrreguler For ther sholde no man serue at goddes aulter that had ony greate foule mayme Yf a man withdrawe hym that wolde saue a man fro deth yf he wyll not hymself saue fro the deth yf he may namely yf it longe to hym of offyce he is yrreguler Hec Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf ony clerke bere ony wood or fyre or ony mater to the brennynge of ony heretyke yf he be deed therby or his deth hasted therby he is yrreguler though the pope or the bysshop gyue pardon to all that helpen to the deth of that heretyke In suÌ„ma confes li.ij.ti.qÌ„.xxv.quid de ill Yf a preest sende a yonge childe to water his horse though he bydde hym beware of the water and the childe by his sendynge drenche the preest is
ther wyues in ony caas holy chirche shall punysshe theym and enioyne them full harde penauÌ„ce as for mauslaughter ¶ Diues Whether is more synne a man to slee his wyfe or to slee his fader or moder ¶ Pauê‘ Bothe be greuous synnes moche ayenst kynde For the man his wyf be one flesshe and one blood And he ought as saynt Poule sayth to loue his wyfe as his owne bodye and therfore he to slee hyr ayenst kynde But yet it is more synne and more ayenst kynde to slee fader and moder for of them man hath his begynnynge his flesshe blood And also yf he slee ony of them he forfeteth openly ayenst the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god the fourth the fyfthe For in that he vnworshyppeth ouer moche his fader and his moð falleth in cruell maÌ„slaughter therfor it is more synne to slee fader moder than to slee his wyfe as the lawe sayth in suÌ„ma â—ffessorum li. iiij ti.ix.qÌ„.x Caplm .xxiiij. DIues Sythen god byddeth that no man sholde slee vnryghtfully Why suffreth god so moche warre be in erthe so many batayles ¶ Pauê‘ For moche folke is worthy to deye wyll not stande to the lawe of peas Therfor god hath ordeyned coÌ„mauÌ„ded the lawe of yâ— swerde of cheualrye to brynge them to peas with the swerde yâ— wyll not obeye the peas by lawe of charyte and reason ¶ Diues Than it semeth yâ— men of armes may slee menlefully that wyl not obeye to the peas to goddes wyll ¶ Pauê‘ That is soth For Abraam Moyses Iosue Dauyd Iosye Machabeis many other were men of armes sloughe moche folke And yet god repreued them not but he bad them slee and halpe them in ther sleynge and in ther fyghtynge ¶ Diues I may well assent that batayll is lefull yf it be ryghtful For god is called DnÌ„s exercituuÌ„ et dnÌ„s labaoth That is to saye lorde god of oostes ¶ Pauper Thre thynges be nedeful that batayl be ryghtfull Iusta causa iustus ammus et auctoritas legittimus principis A ryghtfull cause a ryghtfull Intencyon and auctoryte of a lawfull prynce Fyrste it is nedefull that the cause be ryghtfull that they fyght only for the ryght to mayntene ryght and for saluacoÌ„n of the comonte of them that be vn gylty and wolde haue peas For as saynt Austen sayth The ende of batayll sholde be peas xxiij.qÌ„.i nolite Also ther Intencyon muste be ryghtfull that they fyght not for pryde to gete theym a name ne for no false couety s e to gete worldely good ne for no malyce for to be venged ne for no cruelte and lykynge to shedde blood For yf ther Intencyon be wycked thongh ther cause be true they synne in maÌ„slaughter And for ther wycked Intencyon god suffreth men to be ouercomen in a ryghtfull cause Also it muste be do by auctoryte of a lawfull prynce that is prynce made by comon custome or by comon lawe or by comon assent of the comonte or by comon lawfull eleccyon For thoughe a persone gadre to him rebellors ayenst his lege lordes wyll all though the rebellors make hym ther hede and her prynce they may not by his auctoryte do ryghtfull batayl But all thoughe auâ—toryte of a pryÌ„ce lawful be nedefull to ryghtfull batayll that is solempny done by mannes lawe yet in a ryghtfull cause at nede man may by lawe of kynde without auctoryte of ony prynce fyght defende hyÌ„self his goodes ayenst wycked folke for it is the lawe of kynde euery man to saue hymselfe put awaye fo rs with fo rs myght with myght LicituÌ„ est vim vt repellere So that his purpose be not to slee ne to rebell ayenst his soue rayne ne ayenst the lawe but only in truthe to saue hym his fro wycked doers Nethelesse clerkes sholde not fyght for no worldely good but they maye in case with fyghtynge smytyng defende ther owne persone ayenste clerke â—wde man And so maye the lewde man defende hymself with smytynge ayenst the clerke yâ— seketh to smyte hyÌ„ yf he may not els sekerly saue hymself yf he may sekerly saue hyÌ„self eyther by slyght eyther by shettynge of dore or of gate or ony other waye he ought to saue hymself not smyte a clerke but wysely saue them both But alwaye be he ware that his flyght be not cause of his deth And syth that the lewde man ought to flee the clerke yf he may in seker maner saue them both Moche more the clerke that sholde shewe pacyence flee shedynge of blood by his ordre ought to flee a lewde man yf he may to saue hymselfe sekerly to saue theym both Yf the sugett be in doubte whether the cause that they fyght for be true they be excused by the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of ther prynce for vertue of obedpence so that the sugettes haue no cause to mysdeme of her prynce by his comon lyuynge but yâ— they suppose that he in all his lyuynge be ruled by reason goddes lawe But yf they be seker that the cause is false they be not excused ne ought not to fyght Or els yf the prynce be man out of good gouernau ce as frentyke or braynles or els that he be in his lyuynge openly rebellynge ayest god than the people ought not to obeye to his byddynge whan he byddeth them fyght but yf they knowe sekerly that his cause be true But than they muste obeye the prynce of heuen that byddeth them slee noo man ne woman vngylty Sowdeours other knyghtes men of armes other frendes of the prynce not suget to hym by obedyence yf they fyght for him in cause that is in doubte they be not excused from dedely synne man slaughter In suÌ„ma â—fesso li.ij.i.v.qÌ„.xlv.et.xlvi Thus leue frende haue I declared to you the fyfthe byheste that byddeth you and vs all not slee And therfore leue frende all yf your persone be not able to fyght ne to slee yet I praye you that ye beware that ye assent to no maÌ„nes deth neyther byfore ne after but ye were seker that they were gylty worthy to deye For the lawe sayth that both they that done the mysdede and they that assentten therto be worthy euen payne Agentes et consencientes pari pena puniantur Iustefye ye noo mannes deth but ye knowe well the cause of his deth For I am seker that god dampneth moche manslaughter that ye other Iustefye and the dome of god shall falle that he sayd to saynt Peter He that smyteth with yâ— swerde shall perysshe with the swerde And he that robbeth shall be robbeth Ve â— predaris nonne predaberis Ysa .xxxiij. Aldaye ye maye see what vengeaunce falleth for shedynge of maÌ„nes blood euery yere more more Other necyons slee vs in euery syde robbe vs we haue lytyll spede or none but only to slee our owne nacoÌ„n Therfore be ye ware of goddes swerde
ornament longe pryâ—cypaly to a wyfe A rynge on hyr fynger a broche on hyr breste a garlonde on hyr hede The rynge betokeneth true loue as I haue sayd the broche be tokeneth clennesse in herte chastyte that she ought to haue the garlonde betokeneth gladnesse and the dygnyte of the sacrament of wedloke For the husbonde betokeneth cryste the wyfe holy chirche whiche is called quene goddes spouse And therfor saynt Poule sayth thus Viâ—i diligite vxores vestras Ye men loue ye your wyues as cryste loued holy chirche and put hymselfe to the deth for holy chirche so sholde men do yf it neded for ther wyues as the glose sayth Men sayth he ought to loue ther wyues as theyr owne bodyes He that loueth his wyf he loueth hymselfe Sythen than this sacrament of wedloke is soo greate and so worshypfull in cryste and holy chirche therfore euery man loue his wyfe as hymselfe And the wyfe loue hyr husbonde and drede hym Wymen sayth he muste be suget to ther husbondes as to ther lorde For man is hede of woman as cryste is heâ—e of holy chirche And as all holy chirche is suget to cryste so muste wymen be sugett to ther husboÌ„des These be yâ— wordes of saynt Poul Ad eph .v. Caplm .iij. SYthen that the ordre of wedlok is soo grete and so worshypfull in cryste holy chirche as saynt Poule sayth without doubte they that breke it or mysuse it in luste lykynge of the flesshe folowe only ther luste as bestes refreyne not themselfe by reason and by goddes lawe they synne full greuously Therfore we fynde in holy wrytte Thobie .vi. That there was a woman that hyght Sara she was wedded to seuen husbondes a deuyll that hyght Asmodeus slough them all eche after other the fyrste nyght or that they medled with hyr For they wedded hyr more for breÌ„nyÌ„ge luste of the flesshe than for ony true cause of matrymonye After the angell Raphaell cam to the yonge Tobye sayd to hym that he sholde wedde Sara Than yonge Tobye sayd to the angel I haue herde he sayd that the deuyll hath power ouer al men that wedde hyr sleeth them Than the angell sayd to hyÌ„ I shall tell the ouer whiche men the fende hath power ouer them that so take wedloke that they put god from theym fro ther mynde gyue tente to flesshely lustes as horse and mule that haue no vnderstandynge ouer them the deuyll hath power But thou shalt not take hyr in suche a maner but threnyghtes ye shall kepe you chaste and gyue you to holy prayers than thou shalt take thy wyfe with the drede of god pryncypaly to brynge forth childern to the worshyp of god Sythen than the deuyll hath suche power ouer them that so mysuse ther wyues the ordre of wedloke Moche more power hath he ouer them that breke the ordre of wedloke take other than ther wyues Therfore god badde in the olde lawe Deutâ— .xxij. That yf ony man medled with an other maÌ„nes wyfe they sholde be slayn both the man the woman And the wyfe man sayth that he that doth auoutrye for myscheef of herte he shal lese his soule he gadreth shame shenshyp to hymselfe his shame shall neuer be do awaye Prouer .vi. And there he sayth that although theeft be a greuous synne yet in regarde of auoutre it is but a smal synne And soo sayth the greteâ—clerke Bede the glose also Many myscheues falle to theym that lyue in auoutrye moche sekenesse moche myshappe losse of good vanysshynge of catell lytel foyson therin sodayn pouerte euyl name moche shame grete hurte ofte maymynge and myscheuous dethe as deth in pryson and hangynge and ofte sodayne deth and Instruccyon of heyres and of theyr herptage And therfore the wyse man sayth Filij adulterorum â— The childern of theym that lyue in auoutrye shall soone be at an ende and the yssue the sede that cometh of the wycked bedde shall be destroyed though they lyue longe they shall not be set by theyr laste age shall be without worshyppe Naciones inâ—que dire sunt consummacionis They that be mysborn moost comonly they haue an harde ende SapÌ„ .iij. And as he sayth in the next chaptre folowynge Childeren borne in auoutrye shall gyue no deperotes ne sette noo stable grounde but tehy shall alwaye be in tempest of trybula cyon Theyr braunches shall breke and theyr rotes be plucked vp The fruyte of theym shall be vnproufytable and they shall be ful bytter in euery mete and able to ryght nought SapiÌ„e .iij. In token and confyrmacyon of this we fynde in the lawe that the holy pope Bonyface the thyrde whiche was a martyr wrote to yâ— kynge of englonde in this maner as it is tolde openly to the contrees vpbreyded to vs that be in frauÌ„ce Italye hethen men repreue vs therof that engâ—ysshe people despyse the lawes of wedloke gyue them to auoutrye lecherye as dyde the folke of Sodom But wyte it well yf it be soo as men saye of theym the people that shal be borne of suche lechery spouse breche shall be vngentyll people and a repreue to all ther kynrede They shall be wood in lecherye alwaye the people shall come to worse worse and at the laste be vnable to batayll vnstable in fayth and without worshyp not beloued of god ne of man as it falleth to many other nacyons for they wolde not knowe goddes lawe DistincoÌ„e .lvi. Si gens anglorum ¶ Diues It semeth that the prophecye of that pope is now fulfylled For what auoutre hath reygned in this londe many a yeres it is no couÌ„seyll namely amoÌ„ges these lordes which haue now brought this londe in bytter bales Some of them be slayne some of theym yet lyue in moche woo Goddes lawe is foryete forboden that men sholde not knowe it ne haue it in ther mod tonge The people is vnworthy in despyte to al crystendom for ther falsehede and ther false byleuynge and so wood in lecherye that the brother is not ashamed to holde openly his owne syster They be harlottes in lyuynge vnstable in fayth vnable to batayll ouercomen nyghe ouer all hated of god of man without grace and spede nyghe in all ther doynge ¶ Pauper Example to this we fynde in the seconde boke of kynges .xij. ca. Where we fynde that whan Dauyd had done auoutre with Barsabee the wyfe of yâ— noble knyght Vrye after that treccherously that knyght slayne god sente the ê“phete Nathan to Dauyd repreued hym of his synne and sayd that swerde and debate sholde neuer passe fro his housholde fro his kynrede I shall sayth god reyse myscheef dysease ayenst the of thyne owne manye and take thy wyues and gyue them all to thy next and he shall openly lye by thy wyfe Thou doost it preuely I shall punysshe
theym to shrewednesse than they be full malycyouse And whan they gyue theym to goodnesse they be full good And therfore the wyse man in yâ— next chaptre folowynge prayseth wymen full moche sayth that blessyd is that man that hath a good woman to his wyf His yeres shal be doubled he shal ende his yeres in peas A good woman is a good parte and a good parte of theym that drede god she shall be gyuen to a man for his good dedes The grace of the besy woman shall lyke hyr husbonde make his bones fatte Hyr dyscyplyne and hyr norture is the gytte of god And the holy woman chaste is grace vpon grace And as the sonne shynyng lyghtneth the worlde in the heyght of the daye so the beaute of a good woman is in confort aray of hyr husbonde And as golden pyleris set on syluer basys so be syker fete on the soles of the stable woman And endeles grouÌ„des on a seker stone be goddes coÌ„maundement in the herte of an holy woman Fundamenta eterna suê‘ petraÌ„ solidaÌ„mandata dei in corde mulieris sancte Eccl .xxvi. ¶ Diues Salomon sayth Vinum et mulieres a potestate faciuÌ„t sapientes Eccl .xix. Wyne and wymen make wyse men to dote and to forsake goddes lawe and doo amys ¶ Pauper And yet ther is no defaute in the wyne ne oftentymes in the woman But defaute is in hym that vnwysely vse the wyne and vnwysely vseth the woman other goddes creatures Thoughe thou drynke wyne tyll thou art dronken and falleste in lecherye by thy glotonye the wyne is not to blame but thou that canste not or wylt not mesure thyselfe And though thou loke on a woman art caught in hyr beaute assentest to do amys the woman in case is not to blame ne hyr beaute not to lacke that god hath gyuen hyr But thou art to blame that no better kepest thyn hert from wycked thoughtes But there thou sholdest prayse god thou thynkest euyll and mysusest goddes fayre creature in offence of god there yâ— sholdest prayse hym And yf thou feleste the tempted by the syght of woman kepe thy syght better And yf hyr dalyauÌ„ce styre the to lecherye flee hyr companye For ayenst lecherye flyght is best fyght Thou art free to go awaye fro hyr no thynge byndeth the to doo lecherye but thy lecherous herte Caplm .xiij. DIues Womans araye styreth noche folke to doo lecherye ¶ Pauê‘ All though in case the araye the atyre is not to blame nomore than is hyr beaute Yet by comon course of kynde both man woman seke to be honestly arayed after ther astate after ther degre after the custome of the contre that they dwell in not to tempte folke to lecherye ne for pryde ne for none other synne but for honeste of mankynde to yâ— worshyp of god to whos lykenesse man woman is made And he is our brother this is the custome of good folke But yf they doo it for pryde or to tempte folke to lecherye or for ony other synne or that they toke on them atyre that is not accordynge to them yf it be to costfull or to strauÌ„ge in shap or to wyde or to syde not ruled by reason they synne ful greuously in the syght of god And namely tho men that cloth them soo shorte that man woman may see the forme of the shap of ther preuy membres whiche be shamefull to shewe the syght is grete cause of temptacyon of wycked thoughtes Saynt Poule bydeth that wymen sholde atyre them to honeste araye with shamefastnesse sobrenesse not in broydynge of ther heere not in golde syluer ne in parrye ne in ouerdone clothe pri â— ad Thi .ij. And the same sayth saynt Peter in his fyrste pystle iij. ca. Where he byddeth yâ— men sholde haue ther wyues in worshyp kepe them honostly ¶ Diues Wymen now a dayes araye theym full moche ayenst the techynge of Peter Poule therfore I drede me that they synne full greuously ¶ Pauper Peter Poule forbyde not vtterly suche aray But they forbyde wymen suche aray to vse in pryde or to prouoke folke to secherye and to vse suche araye passynge ther astate or for an euyll ende For we fynde that saynt Cecyle and many other holy wymen went arayed in clothes of golde in ryche perrye wered the hayre vnder yâ— solemp ne atyre And Peter and Poule sayd tho wordes pryncypally for tyme of prayers as for lente ymbre dayes gangedayes frydayes vigylyes and in tyme of generall processyon made for nede In suche tyme namely man woman sholde leue all tokens and sygnes of pryde in araye For as the glose sayth Ther proude clothynge gette the no good of god and maketh folke to deme amys namely yf it passe mesure good maner The pryncypall entencyon of saynt Poule there he sayth tho wordes is to enfourme men and wymen in prayers For whome they sholde praye why how and where they shall praye as sayth the glose And he enformeth them to praye in lownesse without pompe of clothynge of grete araye For I am syker that the foule stynkynge pompe pryde of araye that is now vsed in this londe in all thre partyes of the chirche That is to laye in the feudorys and in clergye and in comoners wyll not be vnuenged But yf it be soone amended by very repentaunce and forsakynge of this synne For fro the hygheste vnto the lowest in euery astate and in euery degree and nyghe honde in euery persone is now araye passynge to mannes bodye and womans ayenst all reason and the lawe of god ¶ Diues Sythen it is so that man is more pryncypall in ordre of kynde than is woman more stable and myghty and of hygher dyscrecyon by cours of kynde than is woman and sholde as thou hast well sayd be more vertuous and stable in goodnesse than woman how maye it be that wymen kepe them ofte more chaste be more stable in goodnesse than man For we see that whan men take them to be ankeres and recluses within a fewe yeres comonly eyther they falle in reuerses or heresyes or they breke out for womans loue or for trouble of ther lyfe or by some gyle of yâ— fende But of wymen ancres so inclused is seldon herde ony of these defaut but holyly they begynne holyly they ende ¶ Pauper Men by waye of kynde is more stable than is wymen and of more dyscrecyon but by grace wymen be oft more stable in goodnesse than be men haue better dyscrecoÌ„n in goodnes than many a man ¶ Diues Why so ¶ Pauper For men truste to moche in themself truste not in god as they ought to do wymen knowyng ther freeite truste not in themselfe but only in god and coÌ„mende them more to god than do men oftyme And the wyse man sayth Inicium sapiencie timor dnÌ„i Prouer .ix. ca.
psal no. The drede of the lorde is begynnynge of wysedom For who soo dredeth god with loue drede as y◠good childe the fader that loue drede shall teche hym what is plesaunt to god and what may displease hym And it shall make hym besy to do his plesaunce to leue his offence And comonly whan men become ancres they doo it moro for the worlde than for god They doo it for ypocresye to haue a name of holynes and of wysdom or for couetyse to get good or to be out of obedyence and at ther owne wyll to ete to drynke wake and slepe whan them lyketh and to do as theym lyketh For ther shall no man repreue theym therof ne wyte whether they doo well or euyll or whether they praye or they praye not And comonly men ancres haue more dalyaunce with the worlde bothe with men and wymen than euer they had or they were ancres And though they were lewde fooles byfore than men holde theym wyse and axe of them doubtes of conscyence and of thynges that be to come of the whiche thynges they can noo skyll And yet what they saye the people taketh it for a gospell and so they desceyue many a man and many a woman And sythen they groūde theym all in pryde in ypocresye and in couetyse truste in themselfe more than in god therfore he suffreth the tende to haue power ouer theym and so dyseased theym and bryngeth theym to a wycked ende But wymen take oft y◠state for no suche ende but only for god And they seynge ther owne freelte cōmende theym to god And therfore god kepeth them soo that the fende may not dysease theym in suche maner ne dysceyue theym We rede in holy wryt Gen̄ .xij. et .xx. That whan Abraham cam in to straūge londes he bad his wyfe Saray that she sholde not be aknowen that she was his wyfe but saye that she was his syster For she was soo fayre a woman that he wyste well that men sholde coueyte hyr for hyr beaute And yf they wende that she were his wyfe they sholde slee hym to haue hyr at theyr wyll for auoutrye was harder punysshed than manslaughter And therfore to saue his lyfe Abraham sayd bad hyr saye that she was his syster For as doctor de lyra sayth Abraham wyste well that she was a good woman and hadde suche an angell to kepe hyr that noo man sholde haue power to defoule hyr and so it befell For anone she was take led to the kynge of Egypt kepte there in the kynges courte longe tyme. And Abraham fared well by cause of hyr But god sent suche a sekenesse to y◠kynge and to his wyues to his concubynes and to all his housholde that they hadde no myght ne lykynge to defoule hyr Than the kynge axed his prestes and maysters of the lawe why that dysease felle vnto hym and to his housholde And they by reuelacyon of god sayden that it was for the pylgrymes wyfe And than the kynge lette hym go with worshyppe We rede also that Abraham hadde two sones Ysmaell of Agar his seruaunt and Ysaac of Sara his wyfe Abraham loued well Ysmaell for he was y◠elder sone On a tyme Sara sawe Ysmaell playe with hyr sone Ysaac not goodly she was myspayde sayd to Abraham that he sholde put Ysmaell his moder Agar out of housholde for Ysmaell sayd she sholde haue no parte of herytage with hyr sone Ysaac Abraham bare full heuy of these wordes for he loued moche Ysmaell Than god sayd to Abraham Take it not soo harde ne soo sharpely that Sara sayd to the of thy childe and of thy seruaunt Agar But in all thynges that Sara sayth to the here hyr voyce and doo there after And than Abraham put them out of his housholde full moche ayenst his herte And soo notwithstandynge that Abraham was soo nyghe god that he was called goddes frende yet as than his wyfe knewe more of goddes wyll than he dyde Also we rede of Ysaac and Rebecca his wyfe that they hadde two sones borne at ones whiche were Esau and Iacob Ysaac loued better Esau than Iacob But Rebecca loued better Iacob than Esau so dyd god And by techyng of the holy goost she begyled Ysaac Esau also dyd Ysaac gyue his pryncypall blessynge to Iacob there he wolde haue gyuen it to Esau and all was goddes dede and so confermed by god that whan Ysaac wyst of that gyle yet he durste not withdrawe his blessynge for he sawe wel that it was goddes wyll and goddes doynge And therfor he sayd to Esau wepynge for he was so begyled Benedixi ei et erit benedictus I haue blessyd hym he shall be blessyd Caplm .xiiij. DIues I assent well that by grace a woman maye be as stable in chastyte in goodnesse as man And without grace neyther man ne woman maye kepe hym chaste For the flesshe bothe of man and woman is full freell and full redye to falle And therfore I praye the teche me some remedye ayenste the temptacyon of lecherye ¶ Pauper One remedye is resonable abstynence from mete drynke and for to flee deynte metes deynte drynkes and to flee glotonye as moost begynnynge mene to lechery And therfore glotony is forboden by this cōmaūdement as mene waye to lecherye And other remedye is harde lyenge watche and trauayll that the bodye haue not to moche ease but be well occupyed For the wyse man sayth That ydelshyppe hath taught moche malyce Multam enim maliciam docuit dciositas Therfor sayth he Ryght as to the asse longeth fedynge yerde and byrdeyne soo to the seruaunt that is to saye to the flesshe that sholde be suget and seruaunt to the soule longeth drede and chastysynge and werkes of good occupacyon Eccl .xxxiij. And god sayth that pryde and plente of brede and welfare and plente of rychesses and ydelshyppe were cause of the wyckednesse of the Sodomytes and of there lecherye and for they loued not poore folke Ezechi .xvi. And therfore almesdede is a grete remedye ayenst lecherye to gete grace of chastyte so that it be gyuen to the poore nedye that ben in myscheef and to suche that haue not by kynde to gete ther lyuelode by trauayll of ther bodye and yf they begge they doo it without auaryce with mekenesse and clennesse of lyuynge to suche byddeth cryste to do almesse saynge Date elimosinam et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis Luce. Gyue ye almesse lo all thynges be clene to you yf ye wyl amende you And an other remedye is a man to haue mynde of his deth thynke how he shall wende hense with bytter payne than all his luste shall tourne in to woo sorowe thynke that by man or woman neuer so fayre so welfarynge so hole so lusty so lykynge to the eye so myghty so wytty so gret of lynage so ryche so grete of name or of lordshypp Eyther by
dygnyte of preesthode without ende For but he had do that dede god sholde ellys haue destroyed the people Also for auoutrye vnlawfull wedloke all mankynde was destroyed in tyme of Noes flood saue .viij. soules GenÌ„ vi And for defoulynge of one mannes wyfe were slayne thre score thousande fyue thousande all a contre and a grete cyte destroyed at the byddynge of god IudicuÌ„ .xix. et .xx. Also Dauyd for auoutrye was dreuen out of his kyngdom and he al his housholde all his kynrede were afterwarde full harde punysshed for his lecherye .ij. Re .xi. et .xij. And by the olde lawe both man and woman sholde be slayne yf they were take in auoutrye We rede that Iudas the sone of Iacob hadde thre sones by one woman Her Onam Selam But Her that was the eldest sone was a shrewe mysused his owne wyfe wherfore god was wrothe with hym and slough hym with sodayne deth for he vsed his wyfe in luste wolde not by gete childern of hyr but dyde so that she sholde not conceyue GenÌ„ .xxxviij. Also for lecherye seuen husbondes of Sara that was afterwarde the wyfe of yonge Thobye were slayne of that tende for ther foule luste Thobie .vi. Also for lecherye of them that be of kynre de of affynyte god hath take harde wrath as whan Aamon lay by his syster Thamer he was slayne of his broder Absolon And Loth the broder of Abraham by dronkenshyp lay by his owne two doughters bygate of them two childern Moab Amon whiche childern the people that came of theym were alwaye enemyes to goddes folke acursed of god Also Iacob cursed his sone Ruben for he laye with one of his wyues Also for the foule synne of Sodome fyue fayre cytees Sodom Gomor other thre cytees were destroyed in tyme of Abraham For god rayned vpon them fyre brymstone from aboue And the erthe shoke so trembled that they sonke downe in to helle house londe man childe and beest all that they had There was no thyng saued but Loth his two doughters his wyfe myght haue be saued but for that she loked ayen to the cyte ayenst the angels byddynge whan she herde the sorowfull crye of them that perysshed therfore she tourned in to a salt stone For the angell bad them streytly that they sholde not loke ayen And all that contre whiche was byfore lykened to paradyse for fayrenesse plente of the contre tourned in to a foule stynkynge podell that lasteth in to this daye is called the deed see For ther may noo thynge lyue therin for fylth stenche in vengeauÌ„ce of that stynkynge lecherye GenÌ„ .xij. ¶ Diues Me meruayleth moche that god toke so general wrath to slee man woman and childe For I am syker ther were many childern full yonge vngylty in that synne Also we fynde not that wymen were than gylty in that synne The boke sayth that all the people of men fro the childe male to the olde cam to do that synne but of wymen speketh he not that ony cam therto ¶ Pauper Though woman vse not that synne yet they were gylty in that that they forsoke not ther husbondes that were gylty For sodomye is moost suffycyent cause of dyuorce bytwene husbonde wyfe whan it is openly vsed And syth they wolde not forsake ther husbondes in that horryble synne in maner they assented to ther synne soo ryghtfully they perysshed in synne with them Of the childern vngylty the mayster of storyes sayth that god slough them for ther best For yf they hadde lyued forth in to myghty age they sholde haue folowed the lechery of ther faders and so it was better to theym to dye or they were gylty than to haue lyued lenger dyed gylty and go to helle without ende Caplm .xvij. DIues Fell there ony vengeaunce for lechery of men of holy chirche ¶ Pauper We fynde in the seconde boke of kynges vi.ca. That ther was a deken in yâ— olde lawe whos name was Oza And whan he touched that hutche eyther arke of god to holde it vp whan it sholde els haue falle his ryght arme seryd dryed sodaynly anone he dyed For as the mayster of storyes sayth That nyght he had deled with his wyf Syth than the deken of the olde lawe was so hard punysshed for he touched goddes hutche that els sholde haue falle for he medled that nyght with his wyfe moche more prestes dekens of the newe lawe be worthy moche wo yf they presume to touche goddes bodye or to mynystre at goddes aulter whan as they haue comoned with other mennes wyues or with ther concubynes And therfore the lawe byddeth streytely that there sholde no man ne woman here masse of the preest whiche that he knoweth sykerly that he holdeth a concubyne or is an open lecherour and notorye Distinc .xxxij. nullus â— preter hec And in the same lawe it is forboden in payne of cursynge that ony preest lechour sholde laye ony masse or ony deken lechour rede ony gospell or ony subdeken rede ony pystle in the offyce of holy chirche And in an other place the lawe byddeth that suche notorye lechours sholde haue no offyce in holy chirche ne benefyce yf they had but yf they wolde ameÌ„de them they sholde be pryued both of offyce of benefyce Distinc xxviij decreuimus And yf ony man of holy chirche houÌ„ted moche the place and the companye of suspecte wymen but he wolde cesse he sholde be deposed Distinc lxxxi clericus And there sholde no strauÌ„ge wymen dwelle with men of holy chirche but thermoders beldames auntes and godmoders and brothers doughters or systers doughter IhideÌ„ ca. cuÌ„ omnibus And yf there myght ony euyll suspeccyon be of ther dwellynge togydre or for youth or for they be suspecte in other byhalue than they sholde not dwelle with them in housholde but in some other place Ex. de cohitacoÌ„e clerico abrum et mulieruÌ„ .i. capitulo ¶ Diues Though a preest be a shrewe the sacramentes that he mynystreth be not the worse For the goodnesse of yâ— prest amendeth not the sacrament Ne his wyckednesse appereth theym not as the lawe sheweth well in the same place Vbi supra ê“ximo caplo vestra ¶ Pauper Why forbydeth than the lawe men to here masses of synfull prestes lechours The lawe sayth that fallynge fro the hygher chastyte that is voued to god is more wors than auoutrye For sythen god is offended whan the wyfe kepeth not fayth to hyr bodely husbonde or the husbonde kepeth not fayth to his wyfe moche more is god offended yf fayth of chastyte is not kepte to hym whiche was prouffered to hym frely not axed nedely And the more freely it was made without compellynge the morer synne is the brekynge xxvi.qÌ„.i Nupclarum in fine ca. et ca. impudicas et ca. scien Also the lawe sayth that the synne that is done
that the .xviij. men vpon whiche felle the toure of Syloa in Ierlm and slough them wene ye that they passed in synne all the men of Ierusalem Nay forsoth But I say to you but ye amende you ye shall perysshe all to gydre Luce. xiij And so the punysshynge of tho men so slayne was a warnynge to them that were more synfull that they sholde amende theym And soo thou myghtest well see that thy reason is nought worthy god punysshed Eue harder in this worlde than he dyde Adam therfore hyr synne was more than the synne of Adam Caplm .xxiiij. ALso the seconde maxime and grounde in whiche thou sayste that god punysshed Eue harder than Adam may resonably be denyed For in punysshynge of Adam god gaf his curse and sayd Cursed be the erthe in thy werke in thy synne He sayd not cursed be the erthe in thy werke of Eue ne he sayd not cursed be the erthe in your werke as for comon synne of them bothe but he sayd only to Adam Cursed be yâ— erth in thy werke In punysshynge also of the serpent he gaf his curse sayd Thou shalt be cursed amonges alle thynge lyuynge vpon erthe Also god cursed Caym whan he punysshed hyÌ„ for sleynge of his brother Abell But whan god punysshed woman he gaue not his curse And we rede not that euer god gaue his curse to ony woman openly in specyaall Ne god repreued not Eue so moche as he dyde Adam And so the grete repreue blamynge the curse that god gaue in punysshyng of Adam more than he dyd in punysshyng of Eue shewyng well that the synne of Adam was more greuous than was the synne of Eue that there was more obâ—tynacy in Adam than was in Eue. For cursyng is not gyuen of god ne of holy chirche but for obstynacy As I sayd fyrst Adam answered full obstynatly God blamed Adam pryÌ„cypaly for brekyng of his coÌ„maundement sayd to hym that brekynge of his coÌ„mauÌ„dement was cause of his nakednesse of his sodayne myscheef and notwithstange the techynge and the styrynge of god he wolde not be aknowen of his synne but put his synne on god and excused hym by Eue and soo put synne to synne in excusacyon of his synne Whan god punysshed Adam he cursed the erthe for his synne whiche curse tourned to woo trauayle of hym of all mankynde whiche we maye not flee And therfore ha sayd to Adam thou shalt ete of the erth in trauayle and sorowe all the dayes of thy lyfe I shall brynge the forth brerys thornes thou shalt ete herbes of the erthe Also in punysshynge of Adam god gaf the sentence of deth vpon hyÌ„ all mankynde for his synne And therfor god sayd to Adam thou shalt ete thy brede in swynke swete of thy face tyll thou tourne ayen in to the erthe For erthe thou art in to erthe ayen thou shalt wende Sythen than god for the synne of Adam gaf so greuously his curse and blamed so harde Adam of his synne and for his synne dampned hym and all mankynde and punysshed all erthely creatures for his synne dampned hym and all man kynde to perpetuel trauayle whan he sayd Thou shalt ete thy mete with trauayle sorowe al the dayes of thy lyfe And also for the synne of Adam he gaf sentence of deth to hym and to all mankynde that is moost of all paynes it foloweth that god punysshed harder Adam for his synne than he dyde Eue for hyr synne For why in punysshynge of Eue god repreued hyr not so moche as he dyde Adam he gaf than no curse ne payne perpetuell saue subieccyon I shall sayd god multeplye thy myscheues thy conceyuynges in sorowe thou shalt bere thy childern and thou shalt be vnder power of man he shall be thy lorde God sayd not to woman I shall multeplye thy myscheues all dayes of thy lyfe For she may kepe hyr chaste yf she wyll and flee myscheef and payne of childern byrthe And that god made woman suget to man for the synne of Eue it was noo newe thynge to woman For as saynt Austen sayth suê‘ GenÌ„ li.xi.ca.xiiij Woman was suget to man byfore by ordre of kynde but that subieccoÌ„n was only by loue and charyte but for hyr synne she was made suget not only by loue but also by nede bondage of honeste seruyle werkes to obeye to man and be vnder his gouernaunce Byfore hyr synne she was sugette to man only by loue but after hyr synne she was made suget to man not only by loue but by drede by nede For she muste drede man she hath nede of his helpe For that was the pryde of Adam of Eue that they desyred to haue noo souerayne ne gouernour but god allone as clerkes saye And therfore the fende in gyle behyght them that they desyred saynge to Eue yf ye ete of the tree that god hath forbode you ye shall be as goddes knowynge gode euyll that is to saye ye shall nede noo souerayne ne gouernour to teche you ne to gouerne you but god for that they desyred it lyghtely they byleued it For as the mayster of storyes sayth A thynge that is desyred lyghtly it is byleued And therfor god ryghtfull Iuge punysshed them bothe in subieccyon of drede and of nede and of harde seruage He made woman suget to man and afterwarde he made man suget and thrall to man for the synne of Adam as sayth saynt Austen suê‘ GenÌ„ v sup More than euer he made woman suget to man For the synne of Eue as sayth saynt Austen suê‘ GenÌ„ v.s For thoughe woman be in thraldome to temporell lordes as be men that is not for the synne of Eue but pryncypaly for the synne of Adam The subieccoÌ„n that woman is put in for yâ— synne of Eue is the subieccoÌ„n that the wyfe ought to hyr husbonde And all the soueraynte and lordshyp that ony man hath here in this worlde eyther ouer man or woman it is medled with moche woo grete sorowe care For euery souerayne in this worlde muste care for his sugettes yf he be wyse And in hygher degree that he be of lordshyp of dygnyte in the hygher degre is he of peryll of drede of sorowe care in punysshyng of Adams synne And so both lordshyp in this worlde subiecco n be punysshed of Adams synne And yf sugettes can haue pacyence with theyr degre they be in more sykernes both of bodye of soule in more gladnes of herte than be the souerayns And so punysshed god Adam as moche in maner in that he made hym lorde gouernour of woman as he punysshed Eue whan he made hyr suget to Adam For in that god bonde man to haue cure of woman in hyr myscheef to saue hyr and to kepe hyr that was by comon so faynte so feble freell and so myschyuous by cause of hyr synne Caplm .xxv. DIues Yet clerkes
clothes gyue almesse mesurable to the nedy thynke that hyr husbonde sholde be pleased with hyr gyft yf he sawe that myscheef of the poore yf he somtyme forbyde his wyf to do almesse she shall not full cesse from almesse dyscretely done For husbondes make oft suche InibycoÌ„ns to theyr wyues to tempre ther gyuyng not fully to let hem And yf she see that hyr husbonde be sclauÌ„dred and wroth with her gyuynge though his wrath be vnresonable she muste tempre the more hir gyuynge but whan she may wel som what gyue for them both with good conscyence Natheles yf she see hym gretly agreued for hyr gyuynge he forbede vtterly hyr to gyue almesse than it is good that she obey to his byddynge be sory that she may not gyue be alwaye in wyll to gyue yf she durste so wynne her mede by wyl alone as she dyde byfore by wyl dede ¶ Diues Yf the wyfe haue good in propre by hyrself Bona ê‘afernalia may she not gyue therof with out hyr husbondes wyll ¶ Pauper She may gyue she is bouÌ„de to gyue he ought not to lette hyr ¶ Diues I suppose that the husbonde forbede his wyfe vtterly to do almesse of his good she see a man or woman in vtter myscheef may she not than gyue them almesse and helpe theym ¶ Pauper In that nede she is bouÌ„de to gyue shall gyue thynke that hyr husbonde sawe that nede he sholde not be myspayed We rede in the fyrste boke of kynges .xxvi. ca. That ther was a grete nygard an angry shrewe whose name was Naball He had a good woman wyse fayre to his wyf whose name was Abygaell That tyme Dauyd fled the persecucoÌ„n of kynge Saul lyued in deserte with .vi. hondred men with hym as outlawes And for myscheef he sent .x. men to this ryche Naball praynge hym of some almesse in mete drynke But this Naball despysed Dauyd his messangeres called them theues outlawes flemyd men wolde no good gyue hem notwithstandynge that they had saued his good his bestes all yâ— tyme that they were in deserte Whan Dauyd herde these tydynges he was wrothe came with .iiij. hondred men to slee Naball all that longed to hym It happened that a seruauÌ„t of Naball tolde his wyfe Abygaell how Dauyd had sent messangers to Naball and how he had despysed theym Anone Abygaell without wyttynge of Naball charged asses with brede wyne with soden flesshe of fyue shepe fygges and reysens other vytales grete plente sent to Dauyd by hyr seruau tes and she folowed after happened to mete Dauyd in his comynge Than Dauyd repreued hyr husbonde Naball of his vnkyndenesse sayd he sholde slee hym and all that longd to hym Than that good woman Abygaell felle downe to grouÌ„de and worshypped Dauyd and prayed hym of audyence Than she axed mercy for hyr husbonde Naball and excused hyrselfe that she wyste not of his messangers whan they were there prayde Dauyd that he sholde not so venge hymselfe and taught hym moche goodnesse prophecyed to hym moche welth prayed hym that he wolde accepte hyr presaunt so he dyde Than Dauyd sayd to hyr Blessyd be our lorde god that sent the this daye to me blessyd be thy speche blessyd be thou that this daye haste letted me fro sheddynge of blood to venge myselfe And than Dauyd tourned ayen in to deserte she came home ayen fouÌ„de hyr husbonde Naball at souper solemply But that nyght she spake nought to hym of that mater for he was full dronken But in the morowe whan he was sobre she tolde hyÌ„ what she had do to saue his lyf And anone his herte dyed for sorowe and he wexe heuy as a stone within ten dayes he dyed a wycked deth than Dauyd wedded his wyfe Abygaell Also yf man or woman stele awaye mannes swerde whan he is wood to lette hym of manslaughter of hymselfe or of other he doth no theeft ne synne Also by cause of ryghtwysnes man may take awaye other mennes goodes ayenst ther wyll as in ryghtful batayle so that they that fyght ryght fully ayenst the vnryghtful take ther goodes not for couetyse but for ryghtfulne s se to shewe that they haue occupyed tho goodes wrongfully But yf they talke ther goodes for euyll couetyse they do rauayne though the dede be ryghtfull in themselfe Caplm .vij. DIues Yf a thynge be loste he that fyndeth it kepeth it styll is it theeft ¶ Pauper He that fyndeth it is bouÌ„de to restytuco n yf he may wete to whome it longeth And therfore he shall do men to wyte of the fyndynge by open speche in towne strete in chirche that he that ought it may chalenge it And yf no man chalenge it he that founde it may by auctoryte of a wyse confessour kepe it stylle yf he be poore nedy and praye for hym that ought it or ellys gyue it to other nedy that they maye praye for hym that ought it soo make restytucoÌ„n Therfore sayth saynt Austen in Omelia Yf thou haste fouÌ„de ony thynge not made restytucoÌ„n that thynge thou hast stolen For he sayth god taketh more hede to the herte than to the honde And therfor theeft is done in a smale thynge as well as in a grete For god charged not the thynge that is stolen but the wycked wyll of the steler as saynt Austen sayth saynt Gregory And therfore yf childern in ther youth stele pynnes or apples or ony other smale thynges anone as it is perceyued they sholde be harde chasty s ed in the begynnynge For the phylo s ophre sayth Principijs obsta With stande the begynnynge of vyces of mycherye For whan childern in yonge begynnen to haue lykynge in mycherye though the thynge be small in value theyr synne is not the lesse ne the synne of them that suffre theym Therfore it is goddes dome that whan they be not chastysed in ther youthe for suche mycherye afterwarde they stele gretter thynges be hanged to shame shenshyp of all ther kynne And therfore as Boecius de disciplina scolariuÌ„ telleth Whan a mannes sone of Rome sholde be hanged he prayed his fader to kysse hym he bote of his faders nose saynge to him Thynke well fader on this token chastyse better thy childern for haddeste thou chastysed me in my youth I sholde not haue be hanged Therfore the wyse man sayth Qui parcit virge odit filiuÌ„ suuÌ„ cÌ„ He that spareth the yerde hateth his sone And he loueth his sone that chastyseth hyÌ„ and techeth hym besely Prouer .xiij. We rede that on a tyme a poore man was tempted to ete goos flesshe but he durste not stele for drede of hangynge On a daye he mette with the fende he bad hym stele a goos ete ynough at ones he dyd so And soone after he
as though he wolde haue made a grete solempnyte worshyp to Baall and dyd clothe all the false prestes in one certayne clothe yâ— he gaue theym that by the clothynge men sholde knowe them from other And whan they were all gadred togydre in theyr temple to worshyp Baall the kyng Ieu bad men of armes go and slee them all and so they dyd Also Iosue leder of goddes people fayned flyght to dysceyue goddes enemyes Iosue .viij. Suche faynynge so that it be do without lesynge of the mouth is lefull and in case medefull Also ther is faynynge for good techynge And so cryste fayned hym to go ferther to styre his dyscyples to hospytalyte Also ther is faynynge of sygnyfycacyon so Iacob as by mannes dome fayned hym to be Esau But in goddes â—ome it was no faynynge of falsehede but fygure shewed by holy goost that spake in hym wrought in hym Also ther is faynynge of falsenesse of doublenesse for to dysceyue suche is in ypocrytes and false folke Aâ—d all suche faynyÌ„ge is lesynge forboden of god by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement Caplm .v. DIues Is it ony synne to byleue a thynge that is false ¶ Pauper There is falsehede of the sayer falsehede of the thynge that is sayd Falsehede of the sayer somtyme is pernycyous wycked to byleue lyghtly suche falsehede it is dedely synne dampnable Somtyme falsehede of the sayer is profytable as touchynge worldely thynges not noyous as to the worlde somtyme it is neyther profytable ne noyous to the worlde as lesynges made only for bourde that harmeth no man worldely ne ê“fyteth And to byleue tho two maner of falsehedes it is venyall synne Also ther is repronable falsehede of a thynge that is sayd And eyther that thynge longeth to the nedefulnesse of our salutacyon as be artycles of the fayth to byleue suche falsehede it is dedely synue or it longeth not to the nedefulnesse of our saluacoÌ„n to byleue suche falsehede lyghtly it is veny all synne or ellys noo synne as sayth Dockynge suê‘ Deutron â— Nathelesse ther sholde no wyse man be to hasty to byleue thynges of charge that sholde eyther be grete prosperyte or grete aduersyte For the wyse man sayth Qui cito credit leuis eÌ„ corde He that soone byleueth is lyght of herte vnstable Eccl .xix. And therfore sayth he byleue not euery worde that men telle the. Ibidem The foole symple man sayth he byleueth euery worde but the wyse man taketh hede to his paas goth ne byleueth not chauÌ„gâ—ably after meÌ„nes speche ne after lesynges but after the lawe of god that is not chauÌ„geable Prouer .xiiij. et Eccl xxxiij ¶ Diues Sythen it is so that a man may synne berynge false wytne s se of hymselfe whether synneth he more praysynge hymselfe falsely or lackynge hymself falsely ¶ ê“auper Bothe ben foly in case grete synne For Caton sayth NoÌ„ te collaudes necte culpaueris ipÌ„e Prayse thou not thyself ne lacke thou not thyself And Salomon sayth Laudet te alienê° et noÌ„ os tuuÌ„ Extraneê° et noÌ„ labia tua Let an other man prayse the not thyn owne mouth straungers not thy lyppes Prou .xxvij. And therfor by comon opynyon of clerkes it is more synne a man to prayse hyÌ„self falsely by auauÌ„tement than it is to lacke hyÌ„self falsely For auauÌ„temeÌ„t cometh of pryde that is worst of all synnes but lackyng of hyÌ„self may come of lownesse medefully For euery man of hyÌ„selfe is more to lacke than to prayse And therfore sayth yâ— prophete Omnis homo men dax Euery man woman of hyÌ„self is false a lyer And Salomon sayth that no man wote whether he is worthy loue or hate of god And so no man wote what he is worth in goddes syghte as moche as he is worth in goddes syght so moche he is worth noo more Therfore sayth Arystotle .iiij. Ethicorum That the auauÌ„ter of hyÌ„selfe is worse than the lacker of hymselfe Iactator vituperabilior eÌ„ ê™ vitupator Et ideÌ„ dicit Ricardus de media villa super sentencias li .iij. di .xxviij. qÌ„ .iiij. ¶ Diues Whiche ben called by the lawe false wytnesses ¶ Pauê‘ They that ben brought to bere wytnesse ben sworne to saye the sothe and doo ayenst theyr othe saynge false or hydynge the treuth thynge that sholde be sayd or transpose thynges that sholde be sayd Or a man saye a thynge for certayn that he is not syker of though it be treuth that he sayth And also he is false wytnesse that swereth a treuth with slyght speche for dysceyte Suche maner folke saynt Austen lykeneth to Iudas moche folke sayth he these dayes despyse the deed of Iudas yet they do the same that he dyd or ellys worse For why sayth he Alle tho that for mede bere false wytnesse they selle cryste that is souerayne treuth for mede Et eÌ„ suê‘ illud Math. Quid vultis michi dare et ego eum vobis tradam But suche false wytnesses be worse than was Iudas For he solde cryste for thrytty pens But many false wytnesse selle cryste for moche lesse somtyme for nought onely to shewe malyce or to be venged Iudas made restytucyon of the moneye that he toke to betraye cryste wolde not reioyse it But false wytnesses these dayes make no restytucoÌ„n but lyue by suche false synfull lucre Iudas byleued not yâ— cryste sholde ryse fro deth to lyue deme the quycke the deed But we byleue that he rose from dethe to lyue shall come to deme all mankynde verry god verry man And therfore crysten men false wytnesses ben more to blame than was Iudas Caplm .vi. DIues May all maner men bere wytnesse in ony dome ¶ Pauper Nay For bounde seruauÌ„tes sholde bere no wytnesse in causes of theyr lordes neyther ayenst them ne with them but in as moche as the cause toucheth other of his seruau tes .iiij. qÌ„ .iij. S. criminali v. Item serui Ne wymen sholde bere no wytnesse of preef in causes of felonye but in matrymonye and in causes of purgacyon of wymens euyll name they may bere wytnesse of preef And wymen may accuse in causes of felonye Also no yonge folke within .xiiij yere ne foles ne beggers ne ful poore folke ne hethen men ne crysten men openly loosed of falsehede or ones teynt false forsworen ne open wycked lyuers of euyll name none of these is able to bere wytnesse in dome byfore a Iuge .v. Condicio sexus etas discrecio fama Et fortuna fides in testibus ista require By false wytnesses the Iewes slewe saynt Steuen by false wytnesses they slewe Cryste and by false wytnesse the true man Naboth by false wytnesse they wolde haue slayne the holy woman Susanna but god saued her brought the false wytnesses to the same deth that she sholde haue had yf her wytnesse had ben true and that was the lawe that
be without penaunce or sorowe and contrycyon for his lynne And all that were assentynge to false wytnesse to periurye sholde do the same penauÌ„ce IbideÌ„ The wordes of wytnesse sholde be taken to the beste vnderstandynge mooste benygne Extra li. ij.ti de testibus ca. cuÌ„ tu The wytnesse that ayensayth hymselfe is of no credence Extra li. ij ti.de ê“bacionibs ca. licet Men sholde stande to the fyrst speche that man or woman sayth in his cause yf he varye an other tyme e. ti per tuas Yf the wytnesse by dystraccoÌ„n saye amys it is leful to hym anone to ameÌ„de his speche but yf he abyde with an Interuall though he chauÌ„ge his worde amende it he shall not be accept ne herde Extra li. ij.ti de testibus cogendis ca. preterea Wytnesse in dome sholde not be herde ayenst hym that is absent but he were obstynate and wolde not come Extra de testibus ca. ij He that sayth fyrste the treuth muste be taken for one wytnesse e.ti. in omni Yf a man haue sworne to the partye not to bere wytnesse of the treuth with the other partye his othe is vnlefull And therfore not withstandynge his othe he may bere wytnesse of the treuth e Intumauit Noo man shall bere wytnesse to an other in his cause yf he haue the same cause or ony lyke that to spede for hymselfe For suche a persone is suspecte that he wolde do fauoure to an other mannes cause to haue hym fauorable to hym in his cause e.ti. personas Noo mannes wytnesse shall be resceyued in dome in preiudyce of an other but yf he swere though the wytnesse be a man of relygyon e ti nuê“ The honeste the worshyp of the wytnesses is more to charge than the multytude e ti in nostra For to dyscusse yrre gularyte of bygamye both lewde maÌ„ lewde woman maye be taken for wytnesse e ti tam is Seke folke and poore folke may not be compelled to come byfore the Iuge to bere wytnes But the Iuge may sende to them wyse men to wyt of them the trenth e ti si â— Euery man woman sholde hate false wytnesse for god hateth false wytnesse as Salomon sayth Deus odit testem fallacem Prouer .vi. Aud euery lyer is a false wytnesse full of gyle And the sodayne wytnesse dysposeth ordeyneth a tonge of lyenge For he yâ— is redy to bere wytnesse byfore he be auysed he dyspeseth hyÌ„ to lye Prouer .xij. But as Salomon sayth The false wytnesse shall not be vnpunysshed and he that speketh lesynges shall perysshe Prouer .xix. Ferthermore leue frende ye shall vnderstande that ther ben thre maner of wytnesses Caplm .xiij. THer is a wytnesse aboue vs yâ— knoweth all and may not be dysceyued that is god that seeth all and he shall at the daye of dome be to vs both Iuge wytnesse Ego sum iuder et testis I am Iuge and wytnesse sayth our lorde god Ieremie .xxix. And Iob sayth In heuen is my wytnesse and he that knoweth all my couÌ„seyll is aboue in hyghe And ther is a wytnesse within vs that is our conscyence For as saynt Poule sayth Oure Ioye is wytnesse of our conscyence And ther is a wytnesse without vs yâ— is our neyghbour all creatures yâ— shall bere wytnesse ayenst vs at the dome byfore the hyghe Iuge but we amende vs by tyme deme wel our selfe For Moyses sayd Testem inuoco celuÌ„ et terraÌ„ I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse yâ— yf ye make to you ony lykenesse or ymage to worshyp it and breke goddes lawe ye shall soone perysshe Deutro .iiij. And in an other place he sayth thus I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse that I haue sette byfore you lyfe and dethe good and euyll blessynge and curse And therfore chese the lyfe that ye may lyue and loue your lorde god and obeye to his voyce and clyue to hym by fayth and loue for he is your lyfe and lengthe of your dayes And your herte be tourned awaye from hym and ye wyll not here his lawes but worshyppe false goddes I saye to you byfore that ye shall soone perysshe Deutro .xxx. And therfore leue frende yf we wyll be syker at the last dome come sykerly byfore our souerayne Iuge that knoweth all we muste deme well our selfe in this worlde For saynt Poule sayth That yf we demed well our selfe dyscussed well our lyfe we sholde not be dampned Pri â— ad Corum .xi. ¶ Diues How sholde we deme our selfe ¶ Pauper As the glose sayth there Thou shalt be thyne owne domesman Thy seete shall be thyne herte and set thy selfe gylty byfore thy selfe domesman Thy thought thy conscyence shall be thy two wytnesses for to accuse the Thy tourmentours sholde be drede and sorowe that in maner sholde she we thy blood by wepynge of salt teeres whan by wytnesse of thyne owne conscyence and of thy thought thou haste demed thy selfe gylty and not worthy for to come to goddes borde ne to heuens blysse And there sayth the glose That sekenesse feblenesse and sodayne deth falle comonly after Eester amonges the people For men in Eester resceyue vnworthely goddes flesse his blood Ideo multi infirmi et imbecilles et dormiunt multi s per morteÌ„ Prima ad Corum .xi. But for euery man is fauourable to hymselfe and to his owne cause therfore thou shalt haue with the two assessours by whose couÌ„seyll thou shalt deme thy selfe and tho shall be treuthe and reasone Take with the treuthe that thou make no false excusacyon of thy synne Ne lye thou not for to excuse thyselfe ne for to excuse thyselfe falsely ne to greuously but as thyne other assessour reason wyll accorde And yf tho two wytnesses yâ— is to saye thy thought and thy conscyence suffyse not to bere wytnesse ne to ful enfourme the of thy synfull lyf Take to the the thrydde wytnesse that is thy fayth And soo lete thy dome stande in wytnesse of two or of thre And fayth sayth thus Fides sine operibus mortua est Fayth without good werkes is deed For alle though you byleue as a crysten man but thou lyue as a crystin man ellys thou art deed in soule and worthy to dye without ende Fayth that fayleth in worde and in thought is deed and helpeth not to blysse And anone conscyence and mynde shall accorde to hym and saye thus He that vseth amys his free wyll that he dye it is reson without remedye sauynge goddes mercy And take hede that thy clergy may not saue the. For holy wryt and clergye saye Anima peccatoris morâ—etur The soule of the synner shall dye Also thy clergy may not saue the yf thou be in dedely synne For thou art bygamus and twyus wedded Fyrste to cryste in thy baptym after to the fende by assent to synne And so thou art wydowe fro cryste wedded to an other wydowe that is the fende forsaken of god
soo moche whiche gaaf hym but a shete to be buryed in I vnderstaÌ„de the worlde whiche worldely men loue so moche yâ— for loue therof they trauayle nyght daye put them in peryl of bodye soule oft lese them selfe both bodye soule And yet at the last ende vnnethes gyueth it to them a shete to be buryed in For many of them whan they dye haue lesse than nought And yf they haue ought yet theyr executours wyll saye yâ— they haue nought that they owe more than they haue By the seconde frende that went with hym to the yate I vnderstande a mannes wyfe his childern his bodely frendes And a womannes husbonde her childern her bodely frendes whiche whan they ben deed shall go with them on waye to the yate brynge them to theyr graue per auenture stande and wepe on them But be man or woman deed doluen vnder claye he is soone forgeten out of mynde passed awaye Be the belles ronge and the masses songe he is soone forgeten Vnnethes shall he fynde one frende that wyll synge for hym one masse vnnethes in the yere By the thrydde frende whiche he loued soo lytell and whiche halpe hym at his nede I vnderstande almesdede whiche the worldely couetouse men loue full lytyll And yet at the dredeful dome whan they shall stande at the barre byfore the souerayne Iuge Cryste Ihesn than almesse dede shall be the beste frende that they shall haue For that shall speke for theym and praye for theym and saue theym yf they shall be saued And therfore Salomon sayth Conclude elemosmam in sinu pauperis et ipsa pro te exorabit ab omni malo Ecclesiastici .xxix. Therfore leue frende doo ye as Tobye taught his sone Ex substancia tua fac elemosinam Doo almesse of thy good and of thy catell and nyll thou tourne awaye thy face from ony poore man and as thou myght be thou mercyable Yf thou haue moche gyue thou moche But and yf thou haue but lytell studye thou to gyue lytell with good wyll For than thou tresourest to the a grete gyft in the daye of nede For almesse delyuered soules from euery synne from deth and suffered not the soule to go in to derkenesse Thobie .iiij. Caplm .xiij. DIues To whom shal I do myn almesse ¶ Pauper Doo as Cryste byddeth in the gospell Omni petenti te tribue Gyue to euery nedy that axeth the yf thou myght Luce .vi. ¶ Diues Contra. Cryste in yâ— gospell Luce .xiiij. sayth thus Whan thou makest a feest nyll thou calle therto thy frendes thy neyghbours thy cosyns and ryche men but calle thou poore men feble blynde halt by whiche wordes it semeth to me yâ— I sholde do none almesse but to poore yâ— ben feble blynde and lame ¶ Pauê‘ Cryste fordydeth not men to byd ther frendes ther neyghbours ryche men to the feest But he bad heÌ„ yâ— they sholde not only byd theyr frendes yâ— ryche but also poore folke nedy teble Also he bad that men sholde not byd the ryche folke theyr frendes to feest with no wycked emencoÌ„n in hope of false wynnynge for pompe for glotonye for lecherye or to gete them a grete worldely name but pryncypaly for to nourysshe peas charyte in token that feest is made with good entencoÌ„n both to ryche poore ben plesauÌ„t to god cryste called vs al ryche poore to yâ— endelesse feest And cryste hymself though he were poore in our manhede he was not feble blynde ne halt whan yâ— pharise to whom he sayd tho wordes bad him to mete ne whan he was at the brydales with his mod in the chane of galyle ne whan Mary magdaleyn her syster Martha Zacheus made him grete festes yet they were praysed of cryste for ther dedes all that fedde cryste his apostles his dyscyples whan they went about the worlde prechynge techynge ben praysed And yet the apostles and his dyscyples were stronge men neyther blynde ne lame And cryste hymselfe fedde his dyscyples neyther blynde ne lame And somtyme he â—ed foure thousande of men somtyme fyue thousande that folowed hym fro contre to contre to here his prechyng to see wouÌ„dres that he dyd and yet were they not blynde ne lamâ— For as the gospell sayth he made them hole of theyr bodely seknesse or that he fedde them Luce .ix. et Math .xiiij. Also tho two dyscyples that toke cryste to herborowe in the lykenesse of a pylgryme on â—ester daye at euen ben praysed yet was he neuer blynde ne lame Also Abraham Loth many other holy men resceyued angels in the lykenesse of worshypfull men neyther blynde ne lame to mete herborowe And saynt Peter resceyued knyghtes and worshypfull men to mete to herborowe whiche came to hym on message from the grete lorde Cornely as we rede in holy wrytt ActuuÌ„ .x. And all these ben praysed of god had moche thanke of god for theyr almesdede Therfore I sayd fyrst Cryste bad that men sholde do almesse to al that nede both frende foo And the apostle byddeth yf thyne enemye haue hongre fede hym yf he haue thurste gyue him drynke The charyte of crysten fayth outaketh no persone man ne woman ne state ne degree ne secte hethen ne crysten froÌ„ almesdede whaÌ„ they had nede but we must haue pyte on all helpe all at our power Nathelesse we muste kepe ordre in gyuynge takynge hede to the cause and to the maner of nede in theym that we gyue almesse to For why some be poore by theyr wylle and some ayenst theyr wyll And they that ben poore by theyr wyll some ben poore for the loue of god some for the loue of the worlde They that ben poore for the loue of god muste be holpen passyng other for theyr pouerte is medefull parfyght vertuous They that ben poore wylfully not for god but for the worlde as the Romaynes were as these dayes moche folke dysmytte them of theyr owne good and take it to ther childeren to make them grete in this worlde and moche folke take so moche hede to other mennes proufyte that they take none hede to them selfe and so falle in pouerte in nede suche poore folke muste pryncypaly be holpen of them to whom theyr goodes profyted rather helpe them than other yâ— ben poore ayenst theyr wyll but they shall not be put byfore them that be poore for the loue of god but the nede be the more Caplm .xiiij. OF them that ben poore ayenst theyr wyll some ben poore by fortune by mysauentures as they to whom fortune serueth not at theyr wyll ne god multeplyeth not theyr good as they wolde and that that they haue they lese by mysauentures and by the dome of god And some ben poore onely for synne for the loue of synne as they that waste theyr good in lecherye
glotonye in pryde pletynge in mysuse at the dyce in ryot in vanyte Suche poore folke ben laste in the ordre of almesse doynge but theyr nede be the more And nathelesse yf they haue pacyence with theyr pouerte they shall haue mede for theyr pacyence yf they repente them for theyr mysdedes And in yâ— same maner some ben feble blynde lame for goddes cause for goddes loue Some ayenst theyr wyll by course of kynde Some ayenst theyr wyl for loue of synne as theues fyghters baratours whiche in fyght barett lese theyr eyen theyr feet theyr hoÌ„des ofte ben punysshed by the lawe God forbede yâ— suche poore folke blynde lame sholde be put in yâ— ordre of almes doynge byfore them yâ— be poore feble by vertue for goddes sake Suche shal be holpen not to lust of theyr flesshe ne to do them worshyp but only to saue theyr kynde tylle the dome of god passe vpon them by processe of lawe by goddes mynystres ¶ Diues Moche folke thynke yâ— it is none almesse to do good to suche folke ê“auper Yes forsoth For god wyll yâ— men helpe them and at the dome he shall saye I was in pryson ye vysyted me yâ— ye dyd to the leste of myne ye dyd it to me ¶ Diues Saynt Austen de â—bis dniÌ„ sermone .xxxv. sayth yâ— god shal saye yâ— wordes to theym yâ— be poore in spyryte lowe of herte yâ— suche ben called the brethern of cryste leste for lownesse by whiche they sette leste by themselfe ¶ Pauper They ben no folke poore in spyryt but they yâ— be poore for goddes sake And saynt Austen sheweth there so yâ— god shal accept more the almesse that is done to them that ben poore for goddes sake than to them yâ— ben poore ayenst theyr wyll for synne sake whiche conclusyon al though it be soth yet me thynketh that cryste shall saye tho wordes for the almesse that he hath done to all maner poore men bothe parfyght vnparfyght For than he shall yelde mede for euery good dede For why wycked doers synful poore men ben called the leste of goddes menye for they be leste sett by in the courte of heuen And therfore he sayth in the gospell that who so breketh one of his lest coÌ„mau demeÌ„tes techeth other by worde or by euyll example so to breke his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes he shall be called lest in the kyngdom of heuen God shal shewe at the dome grete pyte moche mercy what thynge that is done for his sake to his enemyes to his leste seruauÌ„tes moost vnworthy he shal accept it rewarde it as it were done to his owne persone saye I thanke you for that ye dyde to the leste of myne ye dyd it to me ¶ Diues Why shall he calle them brethern yâ— be leste worthye many of theym to whom the almesse was done shall be dampned ¶ Pauper Er he shall gyue the sentence of dampnacoÌ„n he shall calle al men brethern for lykenesse of kynde For in yâ— he is man he is brother to vs all by lykenesse of kynde but not by grace ne by blysse but only to them yâ— ben in grace Than the meke Iuge shall calle al men brethern to confort of them that shall be saued to grete dysconfort to them yâ— shall be dampned whan they shall see the meke Iuge not forgete the brotherhede ne lykenesse in kynde whiche he hath with them and yet catched in maner coÌ„pelled by his ryghtfulnesse to dampne theym Grete mater shall they haue than to syghe sorowe whan they shall knowe theyr synnes so greuous so grete theyr vnkyndenesse soo moche that ther owne brother so meke a Iuge muste dampne them ¶ Diues This opynyon is more pleasauÌ„t to ryche men to other synfull wretches yâ— hope than to be holpen by almesdede For in many countrees ben but fewe poore folke in spyryte ne by theyr wyll Fewe yâ— forsaken the worlde for goddes sake but many ther be that the worlde hath forsaken many yâ— for synne sake ben full poore many for theyr mysdedes lye bounde in pryson in grete pouerte hongre colde bytter paynes And to suche folke in many contrees men doo moost comonly theyr almesse in hope to be thaÌ„ked rewarded therfore att the laste dome ¶ Pauper They shal be thanked be meded therfore as I sayd fyrste sythen cryste ryghtful Iuge shal than thanke men for theyr almesse yâ— they dyd for his loue to his enemyes wycked doers as many suche ben moche more he shal thanke them for theyr almesse that they dyd to his frendes to his true seruauÌ„tâ— And sythen they shal be dampned that wolde not gyue to his enemyes at nede for his sake moche sooner shall they be daÌ„pned the wolde not helpe his frendes his true seruauÌ„tes at nede for his sake that put themselfe for his loue to pouerte moche trauayle for helpe of mannes soule And yf it be so plesauÌ„t medefull to gyue almesse to suche poore folke forsakynge the worlde of whiche many neyther shall be resceyued in to endlesse tabnacles of blysse neyther shall resceyue in to that blysse moche more it is plesauÌ„t to god me rytorye to helpe them that ben poore in spyryte in wyll for the loue of god For as cryste sayth in the gospell the kyngdom of heuen is theyrs it is graunted to theym to resceyue folke that haue holpen them in to endelesse tabernacles Caplm .xv. ANd therfore leue frende wytt ye it wel that yf man or woman haue more wyl to gyue to theÌ„ that ben poore ayenst theyr wyl for the loue of synne than for to gyue to them that ben poore for goddes sake for goddes cause they synne greuously lese the mede of theyr almesse in that they put goddes enemyes byfore his frendes vyce byfore vertue And therfore ye shall releue all the poore nedy as ye maye but pryncypally them yâ— ben nedy poore for goddes sake by waye of vertue For yf ye leue by false opynyon the more almesse for the lesse whan ye may do both in good maner ye lese both mede for the more for the lesse Therfore saynt Austen sayth thus Thou shalt not do to yâ— poore prechour of goddes worde as thou dost to the begger passynge by the waye To the begger thou gyuest for cryste byddeth the that thou gyue to eche that axeth the. But to the poore prechour thou oughtest to gyue though he axe the not And therfor loke that the poore prechour goddes knyght nede not to axe the. For yf he nede to axe for thy defaute thy defaute and thy lacchesse he sheweth the dampnable or he axe And ryght as it is sayd of the begger that seketh the gyue thou euery man that axeth the so it is sayd of hym yâ— thou oughtest to seke Let thyne almesse swete in thyne
for all holy chirche prayeth soo But for to sette sayth in suche nyce obseruaūces and wene to be syker of theyr askynge for suche obseruaunces that is not lefull for we may not knowe the wyl of god in suche thynges with out a specyall reuelacyon of god we may praye ought to praye but god shall graūte as hym lyketh as he seeth that it is moost spedefull to vs moost to his worshypp And therfore Salomon sayth Nemo sit vtrū amore an odio dignus sit Eccle. ix Noo man he sayth wote sykerly whether he is worthy hate or loue And yet we hope and ought all to hope that god wyll loue vs saue vs yf we doo our deuour Fastyng is good yf it be done in mesure maner in good intencyon so that men sette no mysbyleue therin ne grounde them in no lesynges ne in noo nyce obseruaūces But in as moche as they preferre in theyr fastynge dayes of theyr owne choyse byfore tho dayes that ben ordeyned by holy chirche to faste in soo moche they synne in presumpcyon and doo preiudice to holy chirche that ordeyned suche dayes that ben moost conuenyente to faste as wednesdaye frydaye and satyrdaye De conse distinct .iij. Ieiunia ◠sabbato ¶ Diues I see no grounde ne reason in suche fastynge ne why it sholde be more medefull to faste all mondayes in the yere whan the feste of our Lady in lente falleth on the mondaye than for to faste in worshyp of her the wednesdaye frydaye or satyrdaye For I byleue sykerly that the mede of fastynge or the vertue of fastynge is not assygned ne lymyted by the lettres of the kalender ne folowe not the course of the kalender ne chaungeth not from one daye to another daye all yf the lettres chaunge from one daye to an other And so as me thynketh suche fastynge is groūded in some lesyng faynyng and in some mysbyleue ful nygh wytchecrafte ¶ Pauper Me thynketh the same For all yf the feste falle somtyme on the mondaye somtyme on the tuesday yet the deed in it selfe felle neyther on the mondaye ne on the tuesdaye but it felle on the frydaye for than the angell greted our lady than she conceyued goddes sone lord of blysse And .xxxiij. yere after the same tyme and the same daye that is to saye on good frydaye about myddaye she sawe her dere sone deynge for mankynde vpon the rode tree And soo me thynketh that it is more pleasaunt to god to our lady more conuenyent to faste the frydaye in the worshyp of cryste that deyed for vs all that daye and also in worshyp of our lady that conceyued that daye her dere sone at the gretynge of the angell than to faste eyther mondaye or tuesdaye And in as moche as they wene that suche faste sholde not auayll theym to th ende that they faste it fore but yf they chaūge theyr faste yere by yere after the course of the kalender that muste be do .vij. yere durynge after other it is a nyce fantasye and mysbyleue full nyghe wytchecrafte For Cryste myght graū them that boon as well for fyue or for .vi. or for .viij. yere fastynge as for .vij. yere fastynge I fonde neuer grounde wherof it cam neyther reson ne auctoryte fynde I none Axe forth yf thou wylte somwhat ellys Caplm .xliij. DIues Is it lefull to sette ony truste or ony fayth on dremes ¶ Pauper Ther ben two maner causes of dremes One from inwarde an other from outwarde Causes of dremes from inwarde ben thre maner One is comon sterynge of mannes fantasye or womans in theyr slepe suche dremes ben but fantasyes and vanytees And therfore sayth Salomon Vbi multa somnia ibi multe vanitates Eccle. v. Where as ben many dremes ther ben many vanytees for in this maner one man shall haue moo dremes than some twenty other Another cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of the bodye For whan men ben colde of kynde they dreme of frostes snowe and so by theyr dremes a wyse leche may knowe in parte the dysposycōn of ther bodye be it to helthe or to sekenes The thyrde cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of the soule For comonly men dremen of suche thynges as ther soules theyr thoughte is moost in occupyed whyle that they waken eyther by studye by loue or by hate by wrath by drede by sorowe by care pryde or couetyse Causes of dremes from outwarde ben two maner bodely ghoostly Bodely is the dysposycōn of the ayer and of the place about hym other thynges besyde hym And therfore in rayne weder men dreme of water of fysshes for ofte mānes bodye chaūgeth after the dysposycyon of the ayer of his abydynge place And for these thre causes sayth the phylosophre De somno et vigilia That leches sholde take bede to the dremes of them that ben seke to knowe therby how they ben dysposed Ghoostly causes from outwarde of dremes ben ij maners the one is good for that is god by hym selfe or ellys by angellys that in thre maners For some dreme so by ymagynacyon only as dyde the kyng Pharao Nabugodonosor Some dreme only by vnderstandynge as dyde saynt Poule Balaam Some dreme bothe by ymagynacōn by vnderstandyng as dyde saynt Iohan in apocalyps Danyell in his prophecye whiche sawe wonderfull syghtes by ymagynacōn vnderstandyng what tho syghtes betokened But Pharao and Nabugodonosor vnderstonde not the vysyons ne the dremes that they had The other cause of dremes from outwarde is not good as whan it falleth by Illusyon of the fende for tho pryncypally serue to wytche crafte Somtyme dremes come of grete besynesse trauayl that one hath whan he is wakyng And therfor sayth Salomon that after besynesse folowen many dremes for comonly men dreme of suche thynges as they ben in occupyed whyle they wake Somtyme dremes come of to moche abstynance of hongre Somtyme it cometh of excesse of mete or of drynke Somtyme of myslykynge that man hath whan he is wakyng And in as moche as the effecte of thynges is token of his causes as smoke is token of the fyre soo suche dremes ben tokens of causes that they come of And in this maner awyse man may telle by dremes causes of mannes dremes so by causes telle other preuy thynges that may fall therof For oftyme one cause bryngeth forth dyuerse effectes eche after other ¶ Diues Telle some examples ¶ Pauper Experyence sheweth that yf a man talke moche with a woman sette his herte gretely to her by daye in the nyght folowyng he dremeth of her some nyce dreme by whiche dreme yf he tolde it to some wyse man he wolde say that he loued moche that woman but he withdrewe hym from her company it sholde tourne hym to felony And also as clerkes saye in asmoche as dremes come by waye of kynde in
soo moche it is lefull to telle what they sygnefye after the causes that they come of soo that in theyr tellynge castyng they passe not the bouÌ„des of kynde Also it is lefull to telle thynges that ben to come by dremes that come by reuelacoÌ„n of god yf man woman haue yâ— grace to vnderstande them as Ioseph and Danyell hadde But for as moche as dremes comen in soo dyuerse maners certayne it is full harde to knowe in what maner they come whether by god or by kynde or by yâ— fende or by ony other waye Therfore it is full peryllous to sette ony fayth therin as saynt Gregorye sayth li .viij. morx suê‘ illud Iob. Terrebis me ê‘ sompnia For somtyme by dremes the fende behoteth men grete prosperyte moche richesses to brynge them in pryde hope of thynges that they sholde neuer haue Somtyme by dremes he pretendeth moche aduersyte grete dysease for to brynge folke in sorowe drede grete heuynes yf he may to brynge them in to dyspayre for nyce fantasyes that he bryngeth them in And somtyme for men sette fayth in suche dremes god suffreth suche myschyues to falle to theym as theyr dremes pretende in punysshynge of theyr synne for that they sette in dremes ayenst the lawe of god But prosperyte falleth them none for no suche dremyng ¶ Diues Where fyndest thou that god forbedth men to sette fayth in dremes Caplm .xliiij. Pauper Leuitici .xix. where as god sayth thus Non auguria bimini nec obseruabit sompnia Ye shall not dyuyne ne make you wyse of preuy thynges by no wyt checrafte ye shall wayte after noo dremes ne take hede therto ne sette fayth therin Also Deut 0 .xviij. God forbedeth all maner wytchecraftes charmes byddeth that no man sholde take hede to dremes And in the same boke .xiij. god sayth thus Yf be so sayth he that ony man amonges you begynneth to be a soche sayer a prophete saye that he had a dreme a vysyon telle ony wonder whiche wonder token falleth as he sayth yf he styre the to mawmetrye or to ony wytchecrafte here not the wordes of that prophete and of that dremer For by hym god assayeth you that it may be openly knowen whether ye loue hym with all your herte soule or nay And therfore god byddeth that suche dremers prophetes sholde be slayne though he were thyn owne brother by fader by moder thou sholdest not spare hym in that caas And therfor Salomon sayth that dremes haue also brought moche people in errour in folye and they that truste therin falle to nought Eccle .xxxiiij. For all yf dremes come oftymes by waye of kynde as I sayd yet it is ful harde to knowe whan it cometh by waye of kynde or by Illusyon of the fende And though they come by way of kynde though a man knowe the causes in kynde of dremes yet it is full harde to telle certaynely what that falle therof for only god knoweth for certayne thynges that ben to come he may chauÌ„ge lette the werkynge of kynde And also though men knowe the causes of kynde that dremes come of yet knowe they not what lettynges ben on other byhalfe by waye of kynde ¶ Diues Telle some exaÌ„ple ¶ Pauper Whan smoke medled with fyre cometh out of an house by the wyndowe or by the louerys men that seen it from ferre wyll saye that that house shall go on fyre And yet ther may be soo good helpe nyghe for to quenche the fyre that that house shal take but lytyll harme And many a man by waye of kynde is dysposed to dyuerse sekenesse but yet he may soo gouerne hym vse suche medecynes that he shall lette that dysposycoÌ„n of kynde and not haue suche sekekesses ¶ Diues By the same reson though a dreme come of goddes sendynge to helpe of mannes soules and in warnynge of myschyef to come he sholde take none hede therto ne sette ne faythe therin for he wote not fro whens it cometh ¶ Pauper Without reuelacoÌ„n of god he wote not fro whens it cometh And therfor whan god sendeth suche dremes he shall shewe to hym that thus dremeth or to some other from whens it cometh what it betokeneth As he dyde to the kyng Pharao by Ioseph and to the kyng Nabugodonosor by Danyell Caplm .xlv. DIues Yf man or woman haue a dreme that styreth them to good werkes and to vertue and to flee synne and to amende his lyfe may he not sette his fayth therin and do therafter ¶ Pauper Whether it cometh of god or of the fende it is leful to hym for to sette his fayth therin and to do therafter For it styreth hym to thynges that he is bounden to without ony dreme And oftymes bothe fende and the fendes lymmes teche well though they doo full euyll But a man so dremynge muste be full well ware that for suche dremes he take none hede to other dremes that styre him to vanyte or to curyosyte for to knowe thynges that be to come or other preuy thynges or to mysdeme of his euen crysten or to hate or to mysloue or to mayte after grete prosperyte or to drede grete aduersyte or dethe of frendes or losse of catell and of suche other But in as moche as they styre them to god to goodnesse he may folowe his dremes do after them wysely warly for ofte the fende vnder colour of holynesse desceyueth bothe man and woman ¶ Diues Moche people hadde leuer for to dreme of the fende than of god or of his moder Marye for as they saye whan they dreme of the fende they fare well in the daye folowynge but whan they dreme of god or of our lady they fare euyll afterwarde ¶ Pauper Suche people fare the worse for theyr mysbyleue and theyr nyce fantasye and synne full greuously be full euyll dysceyued by the gyle of the fende For whan the fende seeth that a man shall haue dysease he maketh hym in the nyght byfore to dreme of god of our lady of other sayntes or of men of relygyon so to make hym to haue lesse deuocoÌ„n to god our lady and other sayntes and lesse affeccoÌ„n to men of relygyon bycause of his dysease that shall falle to hyÌ„ after that dreme And so by the bodely dysease that he thynketh for to brynge in hym he trauaylleth to brynge hym in to ghoostly dysease and in depe synne And therfore whan men wyll be foles and sette theyr fayth to suche dremes that come so by gyle of the fende for as moche as dysease falleth to them ones or tâ—â—es after suche dremes Therfor god suffreth the fende in punysshynge of theyr synne of theyr mysbyleue for to doo them dreme ofte of suche maner after to do them dysease as they byleue to haue And therfore whan men hadde suche dremes with dysease so folowynge and began to haue
wende that he hadde moten moneye by the vessel wente shewed it to hyr husbonde and he wende the same For his fader kepte euer a grete hutche besydes his bedde wel locked was right heuy but his sone myght not knowe what theriâ— was but after this dede he hoped that therin had be moche moneye And in hope of that moneye he his wyfe kepte well honestly his fader in to his deth Whan he was deed he brake vp the hutche for keye founde he 〈◊〉 therto And than founde he in that hutche but erthe and stones and a betyll lyenge ouer it with a scrowe theron in whiche was wryten in this maner With this betyll be they beten that her childern her good shall leteâ— And gyue awaye all theyr thynge gone them selfe on beggynge Caplm .v. DIues Yet ê¯tra te Cryst sayth in the gospell Qui noÌ„ odit patre suuÌ„ et matreÌ„ suaÌ„ non potest meus esse discipulus Luce .xiij. He that hateth not his fader and his moder he may not be my dyscyple But that we be bounde to hate we be not bounde for to worshypp it ne to helpe it Therfore than we be neyther bouÌ„de for to worshyppe fader ne moder ne to helpe them at nede ¶ Pauper Cryste sayd tho wordes whan nyghe all the worlde was hethen people and of false byleue whan nyghe all the faders and moders were in false byleue and in dedely synne And therfore Cryste sayd tho wordes Not that childern sholde hate the persones of theyr faders moders but they sholde hate theyr false byleue and theyr wycked lyuynge so we muste all yf we wyll be saued we sholde loue euery man woman hate theyr synne And in as moche as fader moder withstonde vs in goddes waye we sholde hate theyr malyce and forsake theyr wycked lyuynge folowe god be besye to drawe fader moder after vs in goddes waye by good techynge and ensample ¶ Diues Yet contra te Cryste sayth in the gospell Veni seperare hominem aduersus patreÌ„ suum et aduersus matrem suam Mathei .x. ¶ Pauper In goddes cause and in treuthe man woman ought to forsake fader and moder yf they withstande goddes cause and holde ayenst the treuthe And so Cryste came for to departe man and woman fro theyr fader and moder that stode in false byleue ayenst god Cryste came not to put full hate bytwene man and his fader moder but for to make man and woman to forsake fader and moder for goddes sake yf they wyll lette the fro god And therfore he sayth in the same place He that loueth fader and moder more than me he is not worthy to come to me we sholde loue fader and moder and helpe them at nede though they be he then neuer so wycked but we sholde loue god more than them And yf we may not please god and theym also we sholde offende theym and please god alwaye loue theyr persone and hate theyr synne And be besy to amende them by good enformacyon with loue mekenesse and reuerence ¶ Diues Yet contra te Saynt Poul sayth Non debent filij parentibus thesaurizare sed parentes filij Scdo ad Corum .xiij. Childern ought not to gadre togydre tresoure to theyr faders moders but faders moders ought to gadre tresoure to theyr childern Therfore than it semeth that childern sholde not care for theyr fader and moder but fader and moder sholde care for theyr chyldern ¶ Pauper Eche of them ought to care for other But more the fader and moder for the childe than the childe for fader moder ¶ Diues Why so ¶ Pauper For the childe is towarde and by comon course of kynde is semynge lenger to lyue than his fader and moder And his childern sholde be his faders childers childern his moders And so fader moder sholde not care only for theyr owne childen but also by waye of kynde they ought to care for theyr childers childern haue more affeccoÌ„n to theyr childern than theyr childern for them and more care for theyr childern than theyr childern for them And therfore right as the rote in the tree by waye of kynde gyueth more moysture vertue vp to the tree to the croppe than the tree or the croppe gyueth downe to the rote Soo by waye of kynde the fader the moder muste be more besy to helpe theyr childern to ordeyne for them than the childern for fader and moder that sooner by waye of kynde shall deye Neuerthelesse right as the croppe refressheth the rote by moysture of dewe and of rayne bysshadoweth the rote for the hete of the sonne so ought the childern to refresshe fader moder at theyr nede kepe theym from myschyef as moche as they may in good maner kepe them well and honestely Not for to make them riche neyther nourysshe them in delyces Caplm .vi. DIues whan man or woman entreth in to relygyon he is deed ayenst the worlde Therfore it semeth than that by his relygyon he is vnbounden from this commaundement And he that is not bouÌ„de to helpe his fader or moder at nede for whan he is professed in relygyon he may not gyue for he yâ— nought haue nought may gyue ¶ Pauper Man and woman by this comaundement is bouÌ„de to two thynges to reuerence fader moder and to helpe them at nede As for the reuerence the relygyouse is as moche bouÌ„de or more as the seculer in tyme place and whan and where he may do it But as for the seconde poynte that is to helpe theym at nede yf his fader and moder haue not wherby to lyue ne be of power to gete theyr lyuynge honestly the sone ought not to entre in suche relygyon there he may not helpe them for yf he do he may be cause of theyr deth But yf his fad mod haue ynough to lyue by he may entre in to relygyon though fader moder forbede it hym He shall not spare for loue for prayer for blessynge ne for curse For as saynt Austyn sayth in Epla ad LetuÌ„ This coÌ„mauÌ„dement byndeth there that thynges of more charge of more prouffyte lette it not ¶ Diues Yet contra te Yf the relygyouse kepe not this coÌ„maundement bycause of his religyon he doth amys in takynge of his relygyon ¶ Pauê‘ That is soth ¶ Diues I suppose that he neuer after see his fader ne moder ne do them no helpe ne reuerence how kepeth he than this coÌ„maundement ¶ Pauper Though he see them neuer after ne helpe them at nede ne do to them reuerence yf his wyl be good to helpe them at nede to do them reuerence yf he myght come to them hyÌ„selfe or by ony persone yet he kept the coÌ„maundement For though this coÌ„mauÌ„dement byndeth alwaye man woman yet it byndeth not for alway As
clerkes tellen not for euery tyme ne for euery place ne for euery cause but only for suche cause tyme place whan they may do it lefully And thê° bynde al coÌ„mauÌ„dementê affyrmatyfe But coÌ„maundementê negatyfe bynde euery tyme for euery tyme. ¶ Diues What yf fader moder falle in myschyef after that theyr sone is professed in relygyon ought not her sone to forsake relygyon helpe his fader mod in theyr myschyef ¶ Pauper Some clerkes tellen that for as moche as he is deed ayenst the worlde by his professyon therfore he is dyscharged fro cure of fader moder as he is dyscharged therof by bodely deth he ought not to go out of his relygyon but dwelle styll vnder obedyence of his prelate Neuerthelesse he ought to do his dylygence to helpe them sauynge his obedyence honeste of his relygyon In suÌ„ con libro .iij. ti .xxxiiij. qÌ„ CC.xlix ¶ Diues As I sayd fyrste He that nought haue nought may gyue but the relygyouse maketh so his professyon that he may no thynge haue in propre How sholde he than helpe eyther fader or mod or ony other of his kyn ¶ Pauper Yf he be a relygyoê° mendycant he may begge for his fader moder as he dooth for hymselfe so releue helpe them by meÌ„nes almes And yf he do so without doubte god shall sende hyÌ„ ynough bycause of his charyte he shall fare the better for them both in bodye soule And yf he be a relygyoê° possessyoner endewed by temporal goodes he may releue them in the same maner or ellys by almes of the house whiche is endewed pryncypaly to helpe the nedy namely fad mod For saynt Poule sayth that who so haue no cure yf his next he is worse than Iewes sarasynes or paynymes Caplm .vij. DIues As they saye the goodes of holy chirche may not be dealed ne gyuen in to the vse of seculers ¶ Pauper God forbede ellys For all that holy chirche hath it is gyuen to holy chirche or ellys purchased by substaunce of temporel lordes to helpe crysten people in myschyef And therfore holy chirches goodes ben called the goodes of the poore and of the nedy .xvi. qÌ„ .i. Decime et cao. Quino. ¶ Diues These relygyou s e possessyoners endewed in so grete richesses saye that they be the goodes of the house And therfore none of them may gyue ony thynge of the goodes without comon assente of the couent leue of theyr souerayne And so me thynketh that it is ful harde to ony relygyouse possessyoner to helpe eyther fader or mod by goodes of his house For the relygyouse may scarsely helpe themselfe by goodes of his house he shall full euyll or may releue his fader or moder by goodes of his house For redely he shall fynde both his prelate and his couent ayenst hym alleggynge delapydacoÌ„n waste and pouerte and grete nede without nede For yet ther is no house that wyll saye that they haue ynoughe ¶ Pauper A sory lorshyp is it than the lorshyp of relygyouses that may not in so grete richesses passynge dukes eerles barons releue the myschyef of theyr owne fader and moder But sothely they shewe well that all theyr besynesses is to spare to purchase to begge of lordes ladyes and of other men londes and rentes golde and syluer not for helpe of the poore but for to mayntene theyr pryde theyr welfare Saynt Benett ofte with good conscyence gaaf to the couentes good to helpe poorefolke at nede For we rede prio. lio. Dyalogorum That ther was a good symple man dyseased for he ought a man .xij. shellynges and he had not wherwith to paye He cam to saynt Benett prayed hym of helpe Saynt Benett sayd that he had nought than for to helpe hym selfe with but come agayne to me sayd he after two dayes than I shall helpe the yf I may Saynt Benett for pyte that he hadde on that man prayde to god for helpe And sodaynly he fouÌ„de lyggynge .xiij. shellynges on the hutche of the couent that was full of whete whiche moneye Saynt Benett toke and gaue to that sory man badde hym paye .xij. shellynges for his dette and .xij. pens ouer he badde hym kepe for his lyuynge And without doubte yf Saynt Benett hadde hadde so moche moneye of the couent he sholde haue done the same with the couentes moneye without assente of the couent For we fynde in the same boke that ther was a grete hongre in that contree that saynt Benett dwelled in And whan he sawe the folke at myschyef he gaaf awaye nygh all the godes of the couent so that ther was nothynge lefte in the couent wherby to lyue but a lytyll oyle in a glasse And than cam a man to hym whos name was Agapitus and prayed hym for goddes sake to gyue hym a lytyl oyle Saynt Benett badde the monke that had the oyle in kepynge delyuer that oyle to that nedy man The monke for nygardshyp for that it was the couentes good wolde not delyuer it to the nedy man For yf he gaue that awaye he sholde none leue to the couent Saynt Benett was dysplaysed and badde an other monke take the vessell of glasse with the oyle and caste it ought at the wyndowe for that the monke was soo vnobedyent for the oyle whan it was caste out it fell downe more than an hondred fote on cragges and stones for the house stode vpon an hyghe hylle and neyther the glasse brake ne the oyle spylte Than saynt Benett badde the monkes take it as it was gyue it to the nedy man And than byfore all the monkes he vndername the cellerer of his pryde of his wanbyleue Than saynt Bernarde with his bretheren prayed to god that he wolde sende to them some oyle wherby to lyue And anone a tonne that laye there besyde voyde sodaynly was so full of oyle yâ— it raÌ„ne ouer in the flore We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Gregory yâ— there came a man axed saynt Gregory almes for goddes sake For he hadde loste all his good on the see vnneth he escaped with his lyf Saynt Gregorye yâ— was than but abbot bad his awmener gyue hym .vi. pens And he dyde so The same daye he cam ayen axed almes had as moche He came ayen the thyrde daye alledgyd grete pouerte that he had lost moche good gate but lytyll ayen Saynt Gregorye had his procuratour and reuler of the couentes goodes that he sholde gyue hym his almes He answerde and sayd that ther was none thynge lefte but a dysshe of syluer in whiche his moder was wonte to sende hym mete Saynt Gregorye bad hym gyue the poore man yâ— dysshe so he dyd This poore man was goddes angell in the lykenesse of a poore man for this almes god made saynte Gregory afterwarde pope of Rome We fynde also in yâ— lyf of saynt FrauÌ„cys that he bad
he steleth in that gyueth it awaye he maketh hymself vnable to make restytucoÌ„n And though a man purchase moche good falsely do almesse of that mysgoten good he is not excused of rauayne yf the seller be moche amended by that sellynge and the byer moche apeyred ¶ Diues It is harde to knowe what is yâ— ryght value of a thynge ¶ Pauper The ryght value the Iulte pryse of a thynge is after that the comon market gooth that tyme. And so a thynge is as moche worth as it may be solde by comon market Tanti valet quanti vendi potest Hec smÌ„ con li.ij. ti viij.qÌ„.i.et.qÌ„.ix Yf a man or a woman selle a thynge for good he knowe a defaute therin by whiche defaute the byer is desceyued he doth gyle theeft Also yf the byer begyle so the seller And therfore god sayd to the false Iewes ArgentuÌ„ tuuÌ„ versuÌ„ eÌ„ in scoriaÌ„ et vinuÌ„ tuuÌ„ mixtuÌ„ est aqua Thy syluer is tourned in to drosse of syluer in to false metall and thy wyne is medled with water Ysaiâ— .i. And therfor they that begyle folke with false moneye wyttyngly do grete synne peryllous theeft Also yf he selle wyttynly by false mesure by false weyghtes And therfore god sayth thou shalt not haue dyuerse weyghtes more lesse to bye by the more to selle by the lesse Ne thou shalt not haue a more busshell and a lesse busshell ne none other false dyuerse mesures But thou shalt haue Iuste weyght true and euen busshell true that thou may lyue longe in the londe that god shall gyue the. God hateth that man that dooth suche gyle and he hateth all maner of vnryghtfulnesse Deutro .xxv. Also yf a man or woman selle a seke thynge for an hole thynge wyttyngly to begyle the byer he doth theeft is bouÌ„de to restytucoÌ„n And though he knowe not that defaute whan he selleth it whan he knoweth that defaute he is bouÌ„de to make some recoÌ„pensacion as sayth the same clerke in the same booke place qÌ„.xi Also yf the seller selle a better thynge than he weneth to selle in grete dammage of hymselfe as yf he selle golde for laton or yf he selle a good thynge for a smale pryse wenynge that it were lytyll worth yf he be moche harmed therby the byer is bouÌ„de to restytucoÌ„n or recoÌ„pen s acoÌ„n ¶ Diues Is the seller holden to telle the byer the defautes of a thynge that he selleth ¶ Pauper Yf the defauâ— be preuy peryllous he is holden to telle them to the byer selle that thynge better chepe For yf he selle an haltynge horse for a swyft horse a ruynous house for a stronge house it is peryllous harme to the byer he is bounde to restytucyon But yf the defaute be open and though it may not serue the seller it may serue the byer than it nedeth not the seller to telle the defautes but he is bounde to selle it for the lesse pryce ¶ Diues Maye a man selle a thynge a derrer than he bought it ¶ Pauper Ellys myght no man lyue by his marchauÌ„dyse ne by his craft He must take vp his costes susteyne hym and his by mesure and worshyppe god and holy chirche and helpe the poore nedy after his astate And for this ende it is lefull and nedeful to the chapman to the werkman to selle thynge derrer than he bought it And therfore saynt Poule sayth that noman is holden to trauayle on his owne costes for the comunyte neyther in knyghthode ne in chapmanhode ne in werkmanshyp And they that with false othes lesynges llye speche begyle folke in byeng sellynge synne greuously be holden to restytucoÌ„n yf they begyle so folke wyttyngly ¶ Diues Yf two persones betake the thyrde persone a thynge to kepe by couenauÌ„t that he shall not delyuer it but to theym both to gydre is he bouÌ„de to kepe couenauÌ„t ¶ Pauê‘ Ye torsoth ¶ Diues And what yf he delyuer it to one of them in absence of the other and without his wyttynge ¶ Pauper He doth amys yet neyther of hem hath lawfull accyon ayenst hym for to compelle hym to yelde it For he that resceyued it ayen hath none accyon to hym for he toke it hym ayen And that other hath none accyon ayenst hym for he is not bounde to hym without the other that made the couenaunt with hym hath resceyueth it ayen Thus laâ—tâ— Hostiensis in suÌ„ li.iij Rub. de deposito S. icui detur .v. si vero Caplm .xi. DIues May not a man doo almesse of euyll goten good ¶ Pauper Salomon sayth Immolantis ex iniquo oblacio est maculata The offerynge of hym that offereth of euyll goten good is spotted foule in goddes syght And he that offereth sacrefyce of the poore mannes good is lyke hym that sleeth the sone in the syght of the fader And god that is hyghest approueth not the gyftes of the wycked men ne taketh hede to theyr offerynge Ecc◠〈…〉 And therfore Salomon sayth 〈◊〉 deum de tua substancia Worshyp thy lorde god with thyne owne 〈◊〉 not of other mennes good Prouâ— .iij And Tobye sayd Ex substancia tâ—a fac elemosinaÌ„ Of thyne owne good do almesse Tobie .iiij. ¶ Diues Contra God byddeth in the gospell that men sholde make theym frendes in the blysse of heuen of rychesses of wyckedne s se Facite vobis amicos de maÌ„mona iniquitatis Therfor it semeth that it is lefull to do almesse of euyll goten goodes ¶ Pauper In thre maners a thynge may be euyll goten For somtyme it is so mys goten that it muste be yolden ayen to hym that ought it as in theeft raueyne viirye yf he may be founde And soo of mys goten good men sholde do none almesse but yelde it ayen Also a thynge is mys goten whan both gyuynge and takynge of the thynge is ayenst goddes lawe both the gyuer the taker lese theyr ryght as in symonye And therfore neyther they may doo plesauÌ„t almesse of that good so mys goten Also a thynge is mys goten whan the dede the crafte that it is goten by is so vnlefull that the taker may kepe it stylle lefully but the gyuer may not axe it ayen as thynge goten by lecherye by synfull Iapery of yrregulers of mynstralles wytches and suche other whiche maner wynnynge is called foule wynnynge that is Turpe lucruÌ„ in latine And of suche euyll goten good they may do none almesse But they sholde make non open offrynge at the aultre ne sacrefyce of so mys goten good And therfore god sayth Non offefres mercede ê“stibuli in domo dniÌ„ dei tui â—a abominacio eÌ„ apnd deuÌ„ Thou shalt not offre the mede of the woman a comon lechour in the house of thy lorde god Deutro xxiij And offycers of kynges prynces lordes and ladyes of
bysshoppes prelates that take gyftes of men by comon custome or by proufre yâ— they sholde mayntene them gyue them fauour in theyr causes they may do almes of goodes so goten all though it be full ofte euyll goten xiiij qÌ„.v.noÌ„ sane For to suche cryste badde that they sholde make them frendes in heuen of rychesses of wyckednesse that is to saye of rychesses so mys goten For he that taketh it hath no ryght therto ¶ Diues Why praysed cryste in the gospell the false bayly that so forgaue men theyr det in fraude of his lorde to haue thanke of hem helpe at nede For he forgaf one yâ— halfdele his deth an other the fyfth parte of his deth ¶ Pauper Cryste praysed not the false baylye but cryste sayth that his lorde praysed hym not for his fraude but for his slyght that he dyde in helpe of hymselfe ne cryste telleth not that parable in the gospell that men sholde take example of his fraude to helpe themselfe by fraude of robberye of other meÌ„nes good but to teche men to make theym frendes by dedes of mercy of almesse and forgyue other men theyr dettes as they wyll that god for gyue them ther dettes make them frendes in heuen with rychesses of this worlde ¶ Diues Why called cryste rychesses of this worlde rychesses of wyckednesse ¶ Pauper For they ben to moche foâ—ke occasyon of moche wyckednesse moche dysease of hate wrath enuye of debate of plee of grete dyscensyon And it is full harde to gete them or to kepe them without synne grete dysease And therfore saynt Poule sayth that they that coueyte to be ryche in this worlde falle in the fendes snare And the wyse man sayth Yf thou be ryche in this worlde yâ— shalt not be vngylty ne clene from synne Also leue frende ye shall vnderstande that wyckednesse in holy wrytte is taken not only for synne but also for payne dysease myscheues of this worlde And soo goodes of this worlde ben called rychesses of wyckednesse that is to say of payne dysease and of myscheef For they brynge men in to payne trauayle moche dysease for men haue moche trauayle in gettynge moche drede in kepynge moche sorowe in the lesynge Diues diuicias noÌ„ ogregat absque labore Non tenet absque me to nec deserit absque dolore They behote sykernesse brynge folke in to grete peryll grete drede and in grete enmyte They behote a man to haue his luste lykynge brynge hym in endelesse hongre For as Salomon sayth The couetous man hath neuer ynough Auarus noÌ„ impletur pecunia But alwaye coueyteth more more Also they byhote a man ease reste brynge hym in moche trauaylle for nyghe all the trauayle of this worlde is to gete good An other cause ther is why they ben called rychesses of wyckednesse For the lawe sayth x.qÌ„.i dilectissimis By waye of kynde al men ben euen in lordshyppes rychesses but by wyckednesse of false couetyse in the people men ben vneuen in rychesse For some haue moche some lytyll some ben ryche some ben poore god hath gyuen more rychesse to one man in dyspensacoÌ„n gouernaunce than to many other And that is to refrayne the wyckednesse of false couety s e in the people And for wyckednes is cause that one man is rycher than an other therfore they be called rychesses of wyckednesse For ne hadde be the wyckednesse of Adams synne of false couetyse of mannes herte els all men sholde haue ben euen ryche But now they ben vneuen in rychesse for synne and shrewednesse And therfore goodes of this worlde ben called rychesses of vneuenesse and of wyckednesse Iniquitatis .i. noÌ„ equitatis And therfore all the rychesses that one man hath passynge another it is rychesses of vneuenesse For in that he is vneuen with his euen crysten therfore they ben called rychesses of vneuenesse Therfore god byddeth the ryche men that ben but his bayllyes and his reues in this worlde make frendes of the poore folke both by gyuynge and forgyuynge as that bayllye dyd and be not to harde to theyr sugettes but mercyable and forgyue hem theyr dettes whiche they ought to god to them For god is so grete a lorde so ryche that ther may no man do hym fraude of his good ne hyndre ne lese his lordshyppe Caplm .xij. DIues In the fyfth coÌ„mauÌ„dement thou saydest that ryche men yâ— wyll not helpe the poore folke be mansleers Here thou sayest yâ— they be theues so it semeth that that they do ayenst both coÌ„mauÌ„dementes ¶ Pauper In yâ— the poore man may dye for the ryche man with holdeth his good from hym in yâ— the ryche man is a mansleer doth ayenste this coÌ„mauÌ„dement Non occides thou shalt not slee And in yâ— he witheldeth his good from the poore man in his nede he is a theef dooth ayenst this coÌ„maundement Non furtuÌ„ facies thou shalt do no theeft For all yâ— the ryche man hath passynge his nedefull lyuynge after the astate of his dyspensacoÌ„n it is the poore maÌ„nes And therfore sayth saynt Ambrose yâ— it is noo lesse synne to the ryche man for to denye yâ— poore man helpe at nede whan he may helpe hym of his habondauÌ„ce than it is to robbe a man of his good The brede sayth he that thou withholdest in superfluyte is the poore folkes that haue hongre And the waste clothynge that thou shettest vp in superfluyte is the poore wedowes And the moneye that thou hydest in the erthe in waste is the raunsome of the prysoners and of myscheuous folke for to delyuere them out of pryson and out of boundes and helpe them out of woo And therfore sayth he wytte thou it well that of as many goodes thou art theef rauenour as thou myghtest gyue to helpe of the poore folke yf thou gyue them not Noo man sholde saye ony thynge his owne that is comon to al ¶ Diues I assent well to thy wordes that ryche men sholde gyue almesse of theyr habondauÌ„ce sauynge the astate of theyr dyspensacoÌ„n and that is full harde to doo For moche thynge is nedefull to the ryche man more than to the poore bycause of his astate of dyspensacoÌ„n For mo thynges ben nedefull to a kynge than to an erle and mo to an erle than to a symple knyght and soo it is of other astates To kynges prynces and lordes is nedefull to haue treasoure to wage men of armes in defence of the Realme and to wage theyr offycers in gouernaunce of the Realme and of ther lordshyppe And therfore an Emperour sayd Qui omnibus pree s t. omnibus indiget He that is lorde by dyspensacyon of all thynge in this worlde hath nede of all thynge And soo the more lordshyppe in this worlde the more nede ¶ Pauper Therfor of suche thynges so nedeful to man after the astate of his dyspensacoÌ„n he is not