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
haue taken good thynges of goddes honde why sholde not we suffre wyked thynges and paynfull of his sond God yaue and god hath taken awaye as god wyll so it is done blessyd be our lordes name Iob. i.et.ij.ca Thus sytte ye sadely in the sadell of pacyence rule ye your horse by the brydell of abstynence by the reynes of temperauÌ„ce yf your horse be so dulle in goddes way pryke hym with two spores that ben diede of helle payne loue of god of heuen blysse And so with drede loue compelle ye your hors to hye him forth in goddes waye Let not your horse yâ— is your flesshe be to carnalle by ease welfare ne to feble for mysfaâ—e ouertrauayle Caplm .vi. THe mayster of kynde li. iiij de qualitate elementari telleth that ther is a byrde that is called a bernake This byrde wexeth out of a tree ouer the water But as longe as it hanged on the tree it is deed but anon as it louseth from yâ— tree falleth downe in to the water anone it quykeneth swymmeth forthe This byrde sayth he hath lytell flesse lesse blood By this tree I vnderstande mankynde that came al of Adam Eue as the tree his brauÌ„ches come al of yâ— rote byneth By this byrde I vnderstande euery man woman whiche whan they be fyrst born of theyr moder they be deed by orygynal synne of Adam not able to the lyf of grace ne of blysse For as saynt Poule sayth we ben all born childern of wrath of deth But anone as we falle in to yâ—â—onâ—stone in yâ— water of baptyme ben baptysed anon we resceyue yâ— lyâ— of grace be able to yâ— lyf of heuen blysse yf we kepe vs besely from the blood of synne from yâ— carnalyte of the bodye desytes of yâ— flesshe For saynt Peter byddeth vs. Abstinete vos a carnalibus desiderijs que militaÌ„t aduersus aiÌ„am .i. Petri .ij. Absteyne ye you from flesshely desyres that fyght ayenst the soule But for as moche as Iob sayth that all mannes lyf vpon erth is knyghthode fyghtyng ayenst goostly enemyes Milicia eÌ„ vi ta hoiÌ„s suê‘ terraÌ„ Iob .vij. Therfore it is nedefull to euery crysten man to gouerne wel the horse of his bodye as I haue sayd But more ouer as saynt Poule sayth He mnste arme hyÌ„ with goostley armure ayenst the dyntes the dartes of the fendes temptacyon For as saynt Poule sayth ad Eph. vi All our fyghtynge is ayenst the wycked spyrytes of derkenesses whiche be prynces powers and gouernours of synfull men Therfore he sayth Arme ye you in the armure of god that ye may withstande the busshement the slyghtes of the deuyll stande parfyght in al thynges Stande ye sayth he in treuth and gyrde ye your lendes with the gyrdel of chastyte do ye on the habergeon of ryght fulnesse shoe ye your feet in dyghtynge of yâ— gospell of peas And in all thynges take ye to you the shelde of fayth with whiche ye may quenche al the brennynge dartes of yâ— wycked fende And take ye you yâ— basynÌ„et of helth the swerde of the holy goost that is goddes worde whiche as he sayth in another place is sharper than ony two egged swerde ad Hebre .iiij. And by almaner prayers besechynge praye ye euery tyme alwaye in spiryte wake ye alwaye in him in all maner besynesse And thus saynt Poule by the lykenesse of bodely armure techeth vs goostly armure techeth vs well to arme our lendes by the vertue of chastyte whan he byddeth vs gyrde well our lendes And than he byddeth vs do on the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse in defence both of bodye soule yâ— we do ryght to all yelde to god to euery creature that longeth to hym both to our soueraynes to our felowes to our sugettes to theym that ben byfore vs paste out of this worlde by almesse gyuynge and yeldynge of dettes for them that ben deed and to theym that ben behynde vs to come by sauynge of theyr ryght of theyr due herytage And thus arme we vs behynde byfore in euery syde with the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse And ryght as in the habergeon euery rynge accordeth with other is knytt with other So sholde all our ryghtfulnes accorde to gydre so be knytt to gydre that we do ryght to all soo that we do no man ne woman wronge For yf we do so moche ryght fauour to one that it be hyndrynge to an others ryght than yâ— rynges in our habergeâ— of ryghtfulnes accorde not ne be well knytt to gydre But ther is an hole wherby the fende may hurte our soule Also he byddeth vs arme our feet our legges with legge harneys that is goostly pouerte that we withdrawe our hertes our affeccyons from erthely thynges not set our loue to moche in erthly thynges ne in worldely goodes not to stryue not to plete for noo worldely goodes but yâ— more nede compell vs therto but seke to lyue in peas with all men yf it may be And thus arme vs with goostly poueâ—te our legges our feet that is to saye our loue our affeccoÌ„ns ayenst the temptacyons of false couetyse And therfore he byddeth vs shoe our feet in to yâ— dyghtynge of the gospell of peas For euery crysten man woman ought to haue gostly pouerte whiche cryst taught in the gospell to forther the gospell of cryste that is the gospell of peas in wyll dede to his power to teche it yf he can And yf he can not helpe forther them that can in techynge of the gospell of goddes lawe helpe theÌ„ with his good to theyr nedefull sustenaunce yf he may they haue nede Also he byddeth vs take to vs the shelde of fayth for as the shelde is a tryangle hath thre corners in whiche tryangle yf fro yâ— myddes be drawen thre lynes in to the thre corners ther sholde be thre tryangles whiche thre be but one tryangle and yet none of them is other And therfore he sayth that fayth of the holy trynyte is lykened to a shelde for ther ben thre persones in yâ— holy trynyte the fader the sone the holy goost eche of them is god and none of theym is ether though they ben al thre but one god in mageste This shelde of fayth of the holy trynyte we muste take to vs in goostly fyght byleue in the holy trynyte and set all our fayth al our truste in one god in trynyte praye to the fader almyghty that he sende vs myght to the sone alwyâ—â— that he graunte vs wytte wysedâ—me to the holy goost all gracyous ful of mercy that he grauÌ„te vs grace so that we may haue myght wytte and grace to withstande all goostly enemyes Also he byddeth vs to take to vs the balynet of
fyrst table and the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte ben necessarye to alle that wyll haue y◠lyfe withouten ende ¶ Diues Therfore wolde I fayne kepe theym better thanne I haue done but I see many doubtes therin that I can not kepe theym ¶ Pauper What doubte haste thou therin ¶ Here begynneth the fyrste cōmaundemente Caplm Primū DIues In the fyrste cōmaundement as I haue lerned god sayth thus Thou shalte haue none other straunge goddes byfore me Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge noo mawmette noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue ne that is bynethe in erthe ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde ne within thyn herte inwarde Exodi xx.c Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente bothe in the chirche and without the chirche And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye ayenste goddes lawe ¶ Pauper God forbedeth not men to make ymages For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men as we fynde Exodi xxxvij.c ¶ And Salomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god the thyrde boke of kynges vij.c And god bad Moyses make his tabernacle al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makynge of ymages but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes to sette theyr fayth theyr truste theyr hope theyr loue and theyr byleue in them For god wyll haue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone for in hym is al our helpe all our saluacōn And therfore we muste worshyppe hym loue hym and truste in hym aboue all thynge nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym That all the worshyp that we do to ony creature be do pryncypaly for hȳ arrected to hym For he sayth Gloriam meamalteri non dabo et laudem meam sculptilibus Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe my blysse my glorye to none other ne my praysynge to grauen ymages neyther to paynted ymages And in the same chapytre he sayth Shamfully shente myght they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages ¶ Diues wherof serue the ymages I wolde they were brente all ¶ Pauper They serue for thre thynges For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon and on his passyon and on his lyuynge and on other sayntes lyuyng Also they ben ordeyned to styre mannes affeccyon and his herte to deuocyon For ofte a man is more stered by syght than by heryng or redynge Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people that they may rede in ymagerye and paynture that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth De cōsecra distinct .iij. per latū Where we fynde that a bysshop destroyed ymages as thou woldeste doo and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages He was accused to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages Caplm secundū DIues How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture of ymagerye ¶ Pauper whan thou seest the ymage of y◠crucyfixe thynke on hȳ y◠deyed on y◠crosse for thy synne thy sake and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlonde of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne and the blood braste out on euery syde for to destroye the hyghe synne of pryde that sheweth moost in mānes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde Take hede by the ymage how his armes were spradde abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the apple ayenst goddes cōmaundement Also he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes and wycked werkes that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes and make an ende of thy wycked werkes Take hede also how that his syde was opened and his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere and how he shedde blood and water to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules and water to wasshe vs from our synnes Also he suffred this for to destroye y◠synne of pryde couetyse enuye hate wrathe malyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans Take hede make an ende of thy pryde of thy false couetyse of hate enuy wrathe malyce and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that forgaue his deth Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to the crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce haste the for to go to goddes house to goddes seruyce Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente all to torne with tho sharpe scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede there was no hole place on his bodye and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust lykyng of the flesshe glotonye lecherye whiche regne in mannes bodye womans make an ende of glotony lecherye Take hede how naked poore he henge vpon the crosse for thy synne thy sake be thou not ashamed to suffre pouerte myscheyf for his loue And as saynt Bernard byddeth take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the come at one with the. See how his armes hondes be spradde a brode on the tree in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the and to take the to his mercy See how his syde was opened and his herte clouen on two in token that his herte is alwaye open to the and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy trespasse yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the but abyde with the dwelled with the withouten ende On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde and thanke thy god that he
and a full greuous synne in hym that dooth it in that maner for that intende but wytche crafte is it none for it is no worshyp to the fendes crafte ne the people is not styred therby to truste in the fende but rather in god ¶ Diues Is it ony wytche crafte to charme adders or other bestes byrdes with holy wordes or holy wryte or with ony other holy wordes ¶ Pauper Yf a man or woman take hede in his doynge only to the holy wordes and to the myght of god it is noo wytche crafte But yf they vse in theyr dooynge ony mysobseruauÌ„ce sette more truste therin than in holy wordes or in god than as clerkes saye it is wytche craftâ— and the effecte therof yf it falle it cometh of the fende namely in adders and serpentes For the adder was the fyrste Instrumente that the fende vsed for to dysceyue mankynde as we fynde Genesis .iij. And yet by the adder he dooth men moost truste in wytche crafte ¶ Diues Is it ony pâ—ryll to man or woman to charge his frende in his deyeng to come ayen teile hyÌ„ how he fareth ¶ Pauper It is a ful grete peryll For as saynt Poule sayth The fende oftyme maketh him lyke an angell of lyght but he may not laste in the beaute ne bryghtnes And so lyghtly the fende myght appere to hym that were alyue in the lykenesse of hym that were deed telle hym lesynges and in case make hym soo afered that he sholde lese his wytte falle in wanbyleue as it felle to one within a fewe yeres And happely he sholde telle hym that he were dampned though it were not so or telle him that he were in blysse though he were in bytter payne and soo lette hym of his almesdede and from his holy prayers and other good dedes by whiche not only that soule sholde be holpen but many other with hym Also yf he appered to hym or yf he wende that he appered to hym he sholde haue the lesse mede for his byleue than he hadde byfore for than were he techeth by experyence to knowe that the soule lyueth after the bodye Also it is not in the soules power to appere to man or woman after the deth of his bodye ne man is not able to see a soule for it is Inuysyble without a specyall myracle of god And so both he that chargeth hym to come ayen he that behoteth to come ayen tempten god And right as god wyll that euery man woman be vncertayne what tyme he shall deye for that he sholde alway be dredeful to do amys and besy to do well Right so he wyll that men be vncertayne of theyr frendes whan they ben deed in what state that they ben for that they sholde alwaye be besy to helpe theyr soules with masses syngynge almes doynge with bedes byddynge and other good dedes not oonly for helpe of hym but of other that haue lytyl helpe or none Also for encresyng of theyr owne mede For who soo that trauaylleth well for an other trauaylleth best for hym self For as saynt Poule sayth Ther shall no good dede be vnrewarded ne no wycked dede be vnpunysshid ¶ Diues Thy reason is good For yf men wyste that theyr frendes were out of payne they wolde do right nought for them so they sholde lese moche mede for that knowyng soules lese moche helpe And yf men wyste for certayne whan they sholde deye they sholde be to bolde to do amys in hope that they sholde ameÌ„de them in theyr deynge But yet notwithstandyng al thy reasons some clerkes sayen that it is lefull to men for to charge theyr frendes to come aren to shewe them her state after theyr deth For as they saye it is kyndely thynge for to desyre for to knowe or to conne For the phylosophre sayth that euery man woman by waye of kynde desyreth to knowe and to conne Omnes homines natura scire desiderant ¶ Pauper They saye sothe and not ayenst me For it is lefull to euery man and woman for to desyre to conne and to knowe But it is not lefull for to desyre to knowe in that maner ne by noo meane vnlefull not by techynge of the fende neyther by techynge of them that ben deed Caplm .xli. DIues How is it that spyrytes walke so about whan men be deed ¶ Pauper Comonly suche spyrytes ben fendes and goo soo about to sclaundre them that ben deed and for to brynge the people in to errour and bachytynge and wycked demynge that yf the people demed euyll spake euyll of them byfore theyr dethe to do them speke deme moche worse after theyr dethe soo to brynge the people full depe in synne And somtyme they gone in to the bodyes of theym that ben deed buryed bere it about to do them vylony But whan spyrytes goo in this maner they do moche harme mothe dysease Nathelesse by the leue of god the soules appere in what maner god wyl to hem that ben alyue some for to haue helpe somtyme to shewe that the soules lyue after the bodye to conferme them that ben feble in the fayth byleue not saddly that mannes soule lyued not after his deth but suche spyrytes do no harme but to tho that wyll not byleue theym that they haue suche payne or wyll not redely helpe hem at theyr axinge Caplm .xlij. DIues Is it lefull to trust in these fastynges newe founde to flee sodayne deth ¶ Pauper It is a grete foly to truste therin For as I sayd now late god wyl that man woman be vncertayne what tyme that they sholde deye in what maner For god wyll that man and woman be alwaye besye to flee synne and for to do well for drede of deth and alway redy what tyme that god wyll sende after theym And yf that men were certayne by suche fastynge that they sholde not deye sodaynly but haue tyme of repentauÌ„ce to be shreuen and houseled they sholde be the more rechelesse in theyr lyuynge and they sholde the lesse care for to doo amys in hope of amendemente in theyr dyeng And therfor god grauÌ„teth them not the ende nor the effecte that they faste for For greter sodayne deth wyste I neuer than that men had than I wyste theym haue that haue fasted suche fastes .vij. yeres about ne more dyspytefull and shame full in open punysshyng of theyr synne and ther was neuer soo moche sodayne deth so longe reygnyng in this londe as hath be sythen suche fastynge began we may not treaten god ne put hym to no lawes And therfore we sholde putte alwaye our lyfe and our deth only in his wyll prayeng to hym of his grace that he wyll ordeyn for vs bothe in lyfe and deth as it is moost to his worshyppe and helpe of our soule It is well done for to praye to god with fastyng and good dedes that he saue vs from sodayne deth
as a lorde amonges his seruauntes and thyn holy name is called vpon vs lorde our god forsake vs not But yf it be so that we lyue not after our name that we haue taken of Cryste ne lyue not as crysten menne as goddes seruauntes but forsake hym and torne ayen to the fende and lyue not as crysten folke but as Iewes sarasyns or paynyms or ellys worse than take we goddes name in vayne for our name and our lyfe accordeth not And as sayth saynt Poule wycked crysten people with theyr wycked dedes and theyr wycked lyuynge forsaken god And therfore all wycked lyuers and namely ypocrytes that beren the name of holynesse and of Crystus seruauntes and with that they ben the fendes seruauntes they take goddes name in vayne do grete despite to goddes name And therfor Cryste sayth to suche wycked crysten people Per vos tota die nomeÌ„ meuÌ„ blasphemat in gentibus Ysaye lij Et ad Ro .ij. My name is despysed by you euery daye amonge other nacyons or hethen men For by the wycked lyuynge of crysten people the name of Cryste is ashamed And therfore we saye in our prayer Sanctificet nomeÌ„ tuuÌ„ Halowed worshypped be thy name That is to saye grauÌ„te vs grace no thynge to do ne wyll ne to speke that wherby thy name sholde be vnworshyped or ashamed in vs. Caplm .ij. ALso goddes name is taken in vayne by moche speche and that in many wyse Fyrste by namynge of goddes name in vayne in tales tellynge in Iapery in scorne for in suche vanyte goddes name sholde not be named ¶ Diues Telle some ensample ¶ Pauper As yf one sayd to the in scorne whan he is wroth with the god make the a good man And some saye of an other in scorne that god hath forsaken him Iapers dyce players comonly name goddes name in vayne in this maner though they swere none othe And all suche take goddes name in ydlenesse that teche ony errours or heresyes ayenste the fayth and ayenst god or preche or teche the treuthe oonly for couetyse or for enuye or for vayne glorye and not for helthe of mannes soule ne for worshyp of god And therfore the prophete sayth thus Peccatori auteÌ„ dixit deus quare tu enarras iusticias meas et assumis testamentuÌ„ meum peros tuum God sayth to the synfull man why tellest thou my rightfulnesses and takeste my testament and my lawe by thy mouth so ofte nameste my name For all tho that teche well speke well and wyl not do therafter they take goddes name in vayne Also goddes name is taken in vayne by cursynge and swerynge as whan men or wymen in wrath or elles in nyce myrthe saye to an other god gyue the myschauÌ„ce god gyue the euyll grace euyl deth Also it is taken in vayne oftymes by vowes makyng and that in dyuerse maner Fyrste yf man make ony vowes to ony creature For vowes makynge is a dyuyne worshyp that ought to be done only to god and to no creature And therfore the prophete sayth Vouete et reddite dnÌ„o deo vestro Make ye your vowes to our lorde god yeldeth them to hym Also it is taken in vayne whan that the people kepe not theyr vowes that ben lefull but breke them retchelesly or wylfully or by freylte without nede and without auctoryte of theyr soueraynes whiche haue power for to dyspense them or to chauÌ„ge theyr vowes Also yf men make vowes vnlefull ayenst charyte and to doo ony thynge ayenst goddes lawe As yf thou madest a vowe for to slee thyn euen crysten or that thou sholdeste neuer do good to poore men for peraueÌ„ture some poore man hath aggreued the. Also whan men make vowes vnwysely lyghtly without auysement and by comon custome of speche Caplm .iij. DIues And suche vowes ben made now a dayes full many For with moche folke be they ones spoken they ben no more thought on for they ben so comon in theyr mouth ¶ Pauper Therfore they synne full greuously so takynge goddes name in vayne For ther sholde no vowe be made but for a thynge of charyte and with a good auysemente We fynde in holy wryte Iuducum vndecimo That ther was a leder a Iuge of goddes people whose name was Iept And whan he sholde go for to fyght ayenst goddes enemyes the people of Amon he made his vowe to god that yf he gaue to hym yâ— vyctory of his enemyes whan he cam home ayen what lyuyng thynge he mette fyrste of his housholde in his comynge home he sholde slee it offre it vp to god in sacrefyce After this as god wolde he had the vyctory and came home with grete worshyp whan his doughter herde these tydynges she was full gladde and toke her tymber in her honde came in greâ—e haste fyrste of all the housholde dauÌ„synge playnge syngynge ayenst her fader for to welcome hyÌ„ home Whan Iept sawe his doughter so comynge ayenst hym he bethought hym of his auowe that he had made bycame full heuy for he had no childern but her he loued her full well Alas doughter alas sayd he what haste thou done why comest thou so soone ayenst me I haue opened my mouth to god and haue made a vowe ayenst the for I muste by my auowe slee the and offre the vp in to sacrefyce to god But the woman his doughter yet clene mayden was so gladde of goddes worshyp of her faders worshyp that goddes enemyes were so slayne that she made lytyll sorowe or none for her deth sayd to her fader Iept Sythen thou haste made suche a vowe god hath sente the vyctorye of his enmyes fulfylle thy vowe for I take the deth gladdly But I praye the of one boone er I deye Lete me go with other maydens my playferes morne and bewayle my maydenhode amonges the hylles and the mountaynes two monethes For it was that tyme repreef to a woman to deye without yssue of her bodye And Iept grauÌ„ted her bone After two monethes she came ayen to her fader Iept mekely suffred the deth for goddes sake for the loue of her fader And thus my frendes byleâ—e that that womaÌ„s deth whiche was a clene mayden betokeneth Crystes passyon For right as she toke the deth wylfully for saluacoÌ„n of goddes folke and destruccoÌ„n of goddes enemyes So Cryste a clene mayden that neuer was defouled with synne and neuer dyde amys he suffred wylfully bytter deth for saluacyon of all mankynde destruccoÌ„n of the fendes power ¶ Diues Was not his vowe lefull ¶ Pauper It was not lefull For by his vowe yf he had fyrste mette with a catte or an hounde comynge ayenst hym he sholde haue made sacrefyce to god therof whiche sacrefyce sholde haue ben abhomynacoÌ„n to god for neyther was able to be offred in sacrefyce And for as moche as he made his vowe so vnwysely god suffred hyÌ„ to falle in to that
myschyef to slee an Innocent his owne doughter ayenst goddes lawe For god sayth InnocenteÌ„ et iustuÌ„ noÌ„ occides Thou shalt not slee the Innocent ne the right full man ne woman And so by his vowe so folysly made he dyde ful grete dedely synne and forfeted full hyghely ayenst goddes lawe And therfore sayth the maystre of the storyes and Iosephus also that he was a foole in his vowe makynge and wycked ouer cruelly done in the fulfyllynge And therfore sayth the grete clerke Ysydorê° in Synonimis li.ij. et .xxij. qÌ„ .iiij In malis ê“missis rescinde fidem in turpi voto muta decretuÌ„ quod incaute nouisti ne facias impia est promissio que scelere adimpletur In wycked byhestes cutte awaye the fayth that is to saye fulfyll no wycked byhestes kepe no fayth for to do amys For in shrewed byhestes it is better to be holden false than true for who so fulfylleth them is false to god In the vowe sayth he that is foule vnleful chauÌ„ge thy dome that that thou haste not wysely auowed doo it not For it is a wycked byheste that is fulfylled and done with synne Caplm .iiij. DIues I assente saye forth I praye the. ¶ Pauper Also goddes name is taken in vayne by blasphemye and spytefull speche of god as whan that men grutche ayenst goddes domes in sekenesse trybulacyons and dysease and saye that god is vnrightfull and cruell or grutched ayenst his mercy whan they may not haue vengeauÌ„ce of theyr aduersaryes as they wolde haue it and saye that god is to pacyent to mercyable And they also that fallen in wanhope sayen that god wyll not forgyue theym theyr synne And they also that presume to moche of goddes mercy wyll not amende theym for they saye that god wyll forgyue it theym at the fyrste worde Also some saye that god slepeth whan he helpeth theym not as they wolde haue it All they that speke thus or saye ony other thynge of god that is ayenst his worshyp his godhode they take goddes name in vayne by blasphemy Also goddes name is taken amys in vayne by euyll speche of othes swetynge For who so wyll lyghtly swere for a thynge of nought or of no charge or customably or falsely and wote well that he swereth false or dyspyteously or dysceyuable or swereth by ony creatures or vseth ony nyce othes or vnlefull othes all these take goddes name in vayne For there ought noo man ne woman to swere but for a treuthe of charge and whan it nedeth for to swere to wytnesse of treuthe And whan a man shall swere he shall swere by his god by noo creature ¶ Diues Moche folke is so brought in custome of swerynge that vnnethe they can speke thre wordes togydre but they swere by god or by some creature or some grete or nyce othe ¶ Pauper As I sayd by fore wycked custome excuseth not synne but it accuseth and aggregeth synne And therfore it is to drede that they that swere so customably soo lyghtly that they synne dedely yf they swere soth or false And therfore Salomon sayth Iuracioni ne assuescas os tuuÌ„ â— Eccle. xxiij Lete not thy mouthe sayth he be vseth to swerynge for many harde happes fallynges ben in suche swerynge And name not to ofte sayth he goddes name with thy mouth in swerynge ne be not vsaunt in swerynge to medle the with sayntes names for yf thou do thou shalte not be clere of fole swerynge ne clere of synne For what man sayth he that swereth moche he shal be fulfylled with synne shrewednesse trybulacoÌ„n dysease shal not passe fro hym and his housholde For god sayth that who so taketh his name in vayne he shall not passe vn punysshed Suche swerynge and despysynge of goddes name is so horryble a synne in goddes syght that as Salomon sayth in yâ— same boke the xxvij ca. Whan that men herde suche swerynge the here of theyr hedes sholde aryse for drede they sholde stoppe theyr ere 's not here suche yrreuerence and despyte of goddes name Loquela multuÌ„ iuraÌ„s horriplicacioneÌ„ capiti statuit et irreuerencia illius obturacio aurium Caplm .v. DIues Folke now a dayes in thre maners excuse them of swerynge Some saye that they swere so ofte for yâ— loue that they haue to god for to haue hym often in mynde Some saye why may not I swere for I swere soth Some saye but I swere ther wyll no man byleue me ¶ Pauper These ben no excusacoÌ„ns but greuous accusacoÌ„ns grutchynges of synne For as for yâ— fyrste poynte it is false for suche false swerers loue not theyr god for they kepe not his coÌ„maundement and they haue hym full lytyll in mynde and swere many horryble othes in vanyte and shrewednesse bycause of mysuse whan they thynke not on god and therfore that excusacoÌ„n is but an open scorne a grete blasphemynge to god For yf thy seruaunt hadde done a thynge that thou haddest hym forboden the ofter that he dyde it the worse thou woldeste be payed And yf he scorned the sayd that he dyde it for thy loue for to haue yâ— in mynde thou woldest holde it a full grete scorne ben moche more an angred with hym namely yf thou ware his lyege lorde his kyng Moche more than god that is lorde kyng of all thynges is an angred with them that so swere ayenste his coÌ„maundement excuse them so scornfully saynge that they do it to haue god in mynde And therfore it is for to drede that they shal be put out of mynde amonge goddes chosen people for Cryste complayneth hym of suche folke to his fader in heuen sayth thus QmÌ„ queÌ„ tu ê‘cussisti ê‘secuti suÌ„t et suê‘ doloreÌ„ vulnerâ— meorum addideruÌ„t Fader in heuen sayth he for asmoche as these wycked swerers haue pursued smyten hym with theyr wycked tongues that thou sendeste to suffre deth for saluacoÌ„n of mankynde and put newe sorowe aboue the sorowe the bytter paynes of my woundes that I suffred for her synne and theyr sake therfore fader putte to them synne to synne that is to saye lette theym falle fro synne to synne and lette them not entre in to thy rightwysnesse for to be saued Put theym out of the boke of lyfe from amonge theym that shall be in blysse without ende Lette theym not be wryten with the rightwysse folke that shall be saued These ben Crystus wordes complanynge hym to yâ— fader in heuen of suche foule swerers pÌ„o .lxviij. ¶ Diues It semeth herby that suche sweryng is fulgrete horryble synne full peryllous But what sayst thou of the seconde excusacoÌ„n ¶ Pauper We ben bounde neuer to lye nothyng to saye but soth Neuerthelesse we be not bouÌ„de to saye al the sothes ne we ought not to swere for euery soth that we speke For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate
layde the staffe with the golde faste besydes hym Ther came a carte wente vpon hym slew hym brake his staffe tyll the golde scatered all about Anone the people the Iewe also ranne for to see what was fallen And whan they sawe the staffe broken the golde soo scatered about than they knewe how gylfully he had sworen thanked god and saynt Nycholas that the treuthe was so tryed and shewed The Iewe gaue that golde to the poore folke bycame a crysten man ¶ Diues This ensample is open Now I see that gylefull othes ben full peryllous Saye forth I praye the. ¶ Pauper Also a man may be forsworen sweryng soth vnwyttyngly weneth to swere false for to dysceyue his euen crysten As yf I swore to an other that it were not daye to dysceyue hym lette hym of his Iourney wenynge my selfe that it were daye all thoughe it were not daye but ferre from daye yet I were forsworen As the lawe sheweth well xxij qÌ„ ij.c â— .i. Also yf a man swere a treuth with a blasphemye of goddes name As yf he swore by goddes body herte eyen wouÌ„des or ony suche other yf he be vsed therto he is forsworen be it soth or false that he swereth Caplm .x. WHerfore my frende ye shal vnderstonde that in .vi. maners a man is forsworen Fyrste yf he swere ayenst his coÌ„scyence as whaÌ„ he swereth false wyttyngly though he do it for drede Also yf he swere ony thynge vnlefull ayenst charyte as yf he swere to slee a man or defoule a woman with his bodye or that he shall neuer do almesse to poore men ne come in his neyghbours house Also yf man do ayenst his othe whiche is lefull though he do it for drede of deth yf the othe tourne to none euyll ende Also yf he swere treuth for dysceyte gyle as I sayd now late Also yf he swere vnwysely as sayth Durandus in suÌ„ma sua Extra de iureiurando c. â— Sicut et c. â— tua And yf he do it with auysement or vsauÌ„tly it is dedely synne And he sayth there that euery othe made vnwysely is periurye Also yf he compelle an other to swere wyttynge well that he wyll forswere hym As the lawe sheweth well xxij.qÌ„.iiij Inter cetera And saynt Austyn also 〈◊〉 sermon that he maketh of the decollacyon of saynt Iohan baptyste where he tâ—â—leth That on a tyme a good symple true man hadde lente a certayne moneye to a false man whiche forsoke it and sayd that he lente hym none wherfore the true man prouoked hym to swere knowynge well that he wolde forswere hym and soo he dyde the true man loste his moneye And the nyght folowynge the true man thought that he stode byfore a grete Iuge whiche sayd to hym in this wyse Why dydeste thou that man swere sythen thou wyste well that he sholde forswere hym Lorde sayd he for he denyed me my good Than the Iuge sayd to hym It had be better to the for to haue loste thy good than to slee his soule that god boughte soo dere with his precyous blood And anone he dyde hym bete full harde sore in soo moche that whan he awoke his backe appyred ful of wouÌ„des all to beten full blacke blew But whan he repented hym axed mercy his synne was forgyuen hym Caplm .xi. DIues It myght well be so for bothe toke goddes name in vayne dyde dyspyte therto the swerer in that that he forswore hym wyllyngly wyttyngly and he that made hym swere For wyllyngly wyttyngly he dyde hym forswere despyse goddes name so he assented to â—eriury And by the lawe both he that doth the synne he that assenteth therto ben gylty of the synne and ben worthy the same payne But I praye the what sayst thou of theym that swere so dyspytefully and horrybly by goddes bodye herte blood suche other ¶ Pauper That maner swerynge is open blasphemye grete despyte to god And yf a man or a woman be vsed therto swere he soth or swere he false he synneth dedely For not only suche take goddes name in vayne but also in grete despyte And therfore it is forboden by the lawe xxij.qÌ„ i. Si quis per capilluÌ„ Ther sholde noman swere by the heere of Cryste ne by his hede ne by no parte of Cryste ne vse suche blasphe mye ayenst god in ony maner wyse And yf he dyde but he wolde cesse and amende hym and yf he were a man of holy chirche he sholde be deposed and degraded And yf he were a lewde man he sholde be acursed and pursued by censure of holy chirche tyll he wolde amende hym And by the lawe Imperyall as the glose sayth there suche foule swerers sholde be punysshed with the vttrest payne torment saue deth And therfore in Almayne suche folke ben punysshed shamefully in dyuerse coÌ„trees And therfore in tho contrees ben vsed none othes but it be byfore a Iuge or ellys for grete nede Ther is in theyr speche as yâ— gospell techeth ya and nene that ys ye or nay in Englysshe And they kepe more treuth for ya nene than we doo with all our grete othes that we now vse in this londe Of suche foule swerers speketh Saynt Poule sayeng that as moche as in theym is they do goddes sone ofte on the crosse and make but a Iape and scorne of his passyon Rursum crucifigentes sibimetipsis filiuÌ„ dei et ostentui .i. irrisioni habentes ad Hebre .vi. For they can not speke to an vnresonable beste but they all to rente Cryste with theyr othes nyght daye repreue Cryste of his shamefull deth that he suffred for theyr synne theyr sake And there that they ought to take moost mater to loue hym to worshyp hym they take moost occasyon of vnkyndnesse to despyse hym For had not he deyed the bytter deth and shamfull for our gylte our synne and our sake we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes deth had he not wepte salte teerys with his eyen for our sake not for his owne we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes eyen And had he not be percyd to the herte shedde his precyous herte blode to wasshe vs from our synnes we sholde neuer ellis haue sworen by goddes herte ne by goddes blood And had he not suffred the depe wouÌ„des bytter paynes in his bodye and in his bones to saue vs from the paynes of helle we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by his wouÌ„des his bodye his bones ne his blood And also ayenst the endlesse loue that he shewed to vs we shewe hym grete vnkyndnesse and ayenst the grete worshyp that he dyde to vs brought vs to endles worshyp we do to hym ouer grete velonye We fynde in yâ— myracles of our lady that somtyme ther was a ryghtfull Iuge demynge but ful gylty in suche othes swerynge Somdele he was deuoute to
a Iuge whiche is sworen to god and to the kyng for to deme rightful domes And yf they that ben charged for to saye the treuth gyue none answere to forswere them and to lye they shall dysceyue the Iuge and do hym gyue a false dome Suche periurers robbe men of theyr good dyshereted moche folke They saue stronge theues slee true men Suche robbe folke of theyr good name suche ben false to god to the kyng to prelates of holy chirche Suche ben cause that this londe is in poynte to be loste to be chauÌ„ged to an other nacyon in to a newe tongue And that may not be without shedynge of moche blood manslaughter And so periury is cause of moche manslaughter Also periurye is cause that we haue soo many theues and manquellers in this londe for they hope alwaye to be saued by periury and falshode of questmongers that for a lytyl good wyll forswere them And therfore in hope of periury they ben so bolde in theyr synne to robbe slee brenne for though they ben taken yet they hope to scape by periury And yf they were syker that ther wolde no man ne womaÌ„ forswere hyÌ„ to saue them they wolde neuer be soo bolde to synne all other sholde be yâ— more aferde to synne yf they wyste wel that true dome sholde passe with out periury Suche synfull wretches as the ê“phete Ysaye sayth .xxiij. they haue put theyr hope all in lesynges in ê“iury by lesynges falshode periury ben they mayntened not chasty sed Also it is a synne ayenst kynde to saue a theef in dyspyte of god whose name they forswere ayenst his coÌ„mauÌ„dement For he byddeth that ther sholde no man take his name in vayne Also he sayth Non suscipies vocem mendacij nec iunges manuÌ„ vt ê“ impio dicas falsuÌ„ testimoniuÌ„ Exo .xxiij. Thou shalte not take the voyce of lesynges ne Ioyne thyn honde in makynge of couenaunt to bere ony false wytnesse for the wycked man to saue them Maleficos noÌ„ pacieris viuere Exodi .xxij. Thou shalte not suffre wytches and open malefactours neyther felones a lyue but slee theym in chastysynge of other Slee one saue many one Also this is a synne ayenst kynde ouer grete folye a man to slee his owne soule without ende to saue a theef that neuer wolde doo hym a good tourne but alwaye redy to robbe hyÌ„ perauenture to slee hyÌ„ whan he may It is a grete folye to offende god by periury to plese a theef a manqueller that offendeth god al the contree Suche ben lyke the Iewes that saued Barrabam yâ— stronge theef manqueller slewe swete Ihesu souerayne treuth that neuer dyde amys And as holy doctours tellen that a man sholde rather suffre the moost dyspytous deth of bodye than he sholde for swere him or do ony dedely synne Moche more he sholde not forswere hym ne do no dedely synne to saue a theues lyfe that god londes lawe coÌ„mauÌ„de to slee It felle late in this londe that a Scotte appeled an Englysshe man of hygh treason whan he sholde fyghte byfore a Iuge in theyr cause the Iuge as the maner is put them both to theyr othe whan the Scotte sholde swere he sayd to the Iuge Lorde I came not hyder to swere I cam to fyght for my chalenge was to fyght therto I am redy but swere wyll I not for I made no chalenge to swere The Iuge sayd that but yf he wolde swere that his appele was true ellys he sholde be taken as a coÌ„uycte and a taynt traytour and be hanged drawen without fyghtynge And so he was for he wolde not swere wyttynge wel that his appele was false and made only for malyce as he knowleched er â—e deyed This man myght haue sworen and happely haue hadde the better of his aduersarye and escaped the deth with grete worshypp in this worlde But yet he had leuer to deye dyspytefully than for to do dyspyte to goddes name to swere false therby leuer to deye bodely than to do that periury to god slee his owne soule For he helde it as it is a gretter synne than manslaughter And though he wolde auenge hyÌ„ on man for rancour of herte yet on god he wolde not venge hym by periury And so god saued them both fro periury maÌ„slaughter gaue them grace to dey in charyte make amendes to god man Caplm .xviij. DIues Sythen periury is so grete a synne What payne is ordeyned therto by the lawe ¶ Pauper As the lawe sayth .xxij. qÌ„ .i. pÌ„dicanduÌ„ Asmoche penauÌ„ce sholde be enioyned for periury as for manslaughter auoutry And they sholde neuer more be taken to swere or to bere wytnesse in ony dome but shall be forsaken in euery dome as taynt false alwaye suspecte of falhode And by londes lawes in many contrees yf they be taynt forsworeÌ„ byfore a Iuge they sholde be dyshereted for euer theyr houses be drawen downe theyr wodes hewen downe theyr trees also maÌ„nes hyght aboue yâ— grouÌ„de the stockes stonde stylle to endeles repreef of theym of al theyr kynrede For ther is no synne so noyous to a royalme to euery comunyte as periury is for that is cause that ther may no synne be punysshed ne malefactours ne felones chastysed ne wronges redressed Men of holy chirche sholde be degraded and lewde people accursed .xi. qÌ„ .i. ConspiracionuÌ„ et c. â— ConiuracionuÌ„ Al other synnes whan they haue done penauÌ„ce for theyr fynne and ben amended they ben by the lawe restored ayen to theyr same so yâ— they may bere wytnesses in dome theyr othe ought to be resceyued But periurers that ben taynt shall neuer be restored to theyr fame ne be taken for wytnesse ne his othe accepted in noo dome As sayth Hosti li.ij Ru. de testibus Si â—s possit d. excipit et â— hoc ideÌ„ Et extra li .ij. d testibus c. â— ex ê‘te et .vi. qÌ„ i. QuicuÌ„que And yf he be taynt forsworen byfore a Iuge he is not able to be ony prelate eyther in holy chirche or in the secularyte neyther kyng ne bysshop abbot ne pryour prynce ne duke or ony pryncypate of worshyppe ¶ Diues Why is periurye so harde punysshed by the lawe ¶ Pauper For the synne is ouer greuous ouer moche hauÌ„ted and for it is moost openly ayenst the substauÌ„ce of treuth and wytnesse and moost maynteneth falshode and letteth moost treuth and rightwysnesse As sayth the same clerke Hostyensis in the same place Suche periurers may saye that is wryten Ysaye .lix. Concepimus et locuti sumus de corde verba mendacij â— We haue conceyued false contryuynges and we haue spoken of herte wordes and lesynges And therfore rightfull dome is tourned bacwarde and rightfulnesse stode from ferre He durste not putte forth his hede and treuth felle downe openly in the strete He was borne downe
thynge became subgette to Mary his moder to Ioseph his keper geuynge vs all ensample to obeye and to be buxum and meke to fader moder And Saloman sayth Audi fili mi disciplinaÌ„ patris tui My dere sone here the lore of thy fader and forsake not the lawe of thy moder than thou shalt haue grace and worshyppe Prouer .i. And as he sayth in an other place He is a fool that scorneth his faders lore And he that kepeth his faders vndernamynge shall be the more wyse and the more slye Prouer .xv. Also we muste worshyp fader and moder with good lyuynge For as Salomon sayth Dolor patris filius stultus The childe a fooll is sorow and shame of his fader Confusio patris defilio indisciplinato Of the sone that is euyll taught cometh shame shen shpy of the fader and his doughter a fooll euyll taught shal lese his worshyp and the wyse doughter shall be good herytage to her husbonde to saue hym And the doughter yâ— shendeth her husbonde is in grete despyte and shame of her fader that begate her Eccl .xxij. The wyse sone glaodeth his fader The sone that is a fooll in lyuyage is his moders sorowe Prouer x. Ira patris filius stultê° et dolor matris qÌ„ genuit eum Prouer .xvij. The fooll childe is wrathe tene of his fader and sorowe of his moder that begate hym Caplm .x. ANd therfore Salomon sayth Virga et correpcio â—ribuuÌ„t sapiencia puer auteÌ„ qui dimittitur voluntati sue confundit matreÌ„ suaÌ„ Prouer .xxix. That is to saye the yerde vndernemynge gyuen wytte wysdome to the childe and that childe that is leten haue his wyll in his youth shendeth his moder and al his kynrede Ensample we haue in the fyrste booke of kynges of Hely that was hyghest bysshop preest of goddes lawe and of his sones Ophny and Phynees That for theyr fader vndername theym not ne chastysed them of theyr wycked tatches for the childerns synne and for his mys suffrauÌ„ce god toke from hym his dygnyte from all his kynrede for euer slewe his childern nyghe all his kynrede in batayll And so the wycked taches of his childreÌ„ vnworshypped hym all his kynrede for euer brought them to endlesse shame And his mys suffrasice was cause of theyr deth of his shenshyp and shame to all her kynrede The synne of his childern was pryde letchery lusty fare glutonye sleuth retchelesnes in goddes seruyâ—e in goddes lawe And therfor good frendes and good childern I praye you all that ye be buxam meke to fader moder and worshyp them not onely with reuerence doynge in dede and speche but pryncypally with your good lyuynge your good berynge For that is the moost worshyppe that ye may do to them the moost velonye yf ye doo amys And do ye so that your faders moders your kynrede may haue Iope of you than shal ye haue Ioye of your childern For the wyse man sayth Qui honorat patreÌ„ suuÌ„ iocuÌ„da bit in filijs suis Eccl .iij. He that woe shyppeth his fader shall haue Ioye of his childern And who so worshyppeth not his fader and moder in this maner bat dothe them wrath tene by his myslyuynge euyll taches he is a cursed of god Maledictus qui noÌ„ honorat patre suum et matreÌ„ suam Deutro .xxvij. A cursed be that childe sayth he that worshyppeth not his fader and moder with his good lyuynge but vnworshyppeth them with his myslyuynge For all the myscheuys of the childe tourne to velonye shame to fader and moder And all the goodnesse and al the good bâ—rynge of the childe tourne to grete worshyp of fader and moder of all the kynrâ—de A grete worshyp it is to fader and moder whan men blesse theym and prayse theym for goodnesse of theyr childern saye blessyd be the fader yâ— the childe begate blessyd be the mod that hym bare Therfore sayth the wyse man that god worshyppeth the fader in his childeren whan he seeth theym good childern Eccl .iij. It is grete vylonye to fader moder whan men curse theym deprayue theym for wyckednesse of theyr childeren And therfore the wyle man sayth Non iocunderis in filijs impijs Haue thou noo Iope ne lykynge in thy childern yf they be shrewes and drede not god It is better sayth he to haue one good childe than a thousaÌ„de childern shrewes better to dye without than to leue after them shrewed childern Eccl .xvi. For as he sayth Sapiencie .iiij. All the childern that come of wycked folke shall be wytnesses of wyckednesse ayenst theyr fader and moder whan they shall be chalenged of theyr wyckednesse at the dome For the fader the moder shall answere than for theyr owne wyckednesse and for theyr childerns wyckedne s se But the wyse man sayth Yf thou haue childern teche theym well and bowe them make theym symple and meke in theyr youth Yf thou haue doughters kepe well theyr bodyes and honestly but shewe them no gladde chere be not to homely with them Eccl .vij. Whyle a trce is a smalle sprynge it maye be bowed as men wyll haue it But whan it is full woxen it wyll not be bowed So may the childe in the youth with a lytyll twygge be chastysed and made lowe and meke But whan he is woxen and roted in pryde in mysuse of lyuynge it is full harde to lowe hym or to amende hym And therfor the wyse man sayth Qui parcit virge odit filâ—uÌ„ qui diligit iliuÌ„ instanter erudit Prouer .xiij. He that spareth the yerde hateth his sone and he that loued his sone techeth hym and chastyseth hym besyly Ensample we haue in kynde of the egle whiche of all foules may see ferthest and is myghtyest in syght in soo moche that he may see loke ayenst yâ— sonne whan it shyneth moost bryghtest without blemysshynge of the eye And whan she hath bryddes they be ful woxen she doth hem loke ayenst the sonne tho that loke well ayenst the sonne without blemysshynge of the eye them she loueth cheryssheth And them that wyl not ne may not loke ayenst the sonne or blemysshe theyr eye in so kynge ayenst the sonne she beteth them and bylleth them And but yf they amende them she casteth them out of the neste putteth theym out of her companye as for none of her bryddes Thus sholde faders and moders teche theyr childern to haue thereyr vp to god yâ— is the sonne of ryghtwysnesse take hede to goddes lawe by ensample of Tobye whiche sayd to his sone All the dayes of thy lyfe haue thou god in mynde and beware that thou assente to no synne ne leue not goddes commaundemente Tobie .iiij. And therfore Salomon sayth Eccl .vi. That the wycked man that loketh not vp to the sonne of ryghtwysnesse is so blent
ther enemyes or for ony thynge ayenst goddes worshypâ— in theyr prayer submytte not ther wyll to the wyll of god Euery prayer that is made to the worshyp of god by waye of charyte for a good ende with purpose to please god that prayer is made with deuocyon though he that prayeth be dystracte thynketh not on his wordes and peraduenture vnderstandeth them not ne hath but lytyll lykynge therin Nethelesse man and woman ought to do theyr deuoure to thynke on god and of that that he sayth in his prayer Caplm .x. DIues Thy speche pleaseth me say forth what thou wylt ¶ Pauper As I sayd fyrste all that lette man or woman of ther good dedes and good purpose tyse them to synne and foly and brynge them in errour or heresye by mysse te chynge be mansleers lymmes of the fende Whiche as cryste sayth in the gospell is a manqueller from the begynnynge of the worlde For through his mysse counseyll and his fodynge he slough all mankynde both goostly and bodely at the begynnynge of the worlde Also he sloughe hym selfe through pryde and many a thousandes of angellys that assented to hym And yet he cesseth not to slee mannes soule by false suggestyons and temptacyons and that by hymselfe and whan men see hym not And somtyme vysybely in the lykenesse of some vysyble creature so he tempted cryst Eue saynt Martyn many other Somtyme he teÌ„pteth sleeth maÌ„nes soule by his lyÌ„mes that be wycked men wymen Also men of holy chirche slee men wymen goostly of goddes worde and of good techynge For as cryste sayth NoÌ„ in solo pane viuit homo sed in omni vbo ê™ ê“cedit de ore dei Math .iiij. Man lyueth not only in bodely brede but moche more he lyueth in euery worde that cometh of goddes mouth that is to saye in the wordes of the trewe prechour For euery trewe prechour sent of god is called goddes mouth And therfore god sayth to the prophete Si seperaueris preciosum a vili quasi os meum eris Ieremie .xv. Yf thou departe precyouse thynge from thynge that is foule and of noo pryse thou shalt be as my mouth For it longeth to the prechour of goddes worde to commende vertues despyse vyces to chese truthe and lette falsehode to coÌ„mende heuen blysse ghoostly thynges and repreue pompe pryde of this worlde and flesshely thynges And than is the prechour as goddes mouth and speketh with goddes mouth and his worde is goddes worde by the whithe man and woman lyueth goostly and escapeth endeles deth And therfore Dauyd sayth Misit verbuÌ„ suâ— et sanaunt eos et eripuit eos de entericionibus eorum God hath sent his worde and hath heled his people from ghoostly sekenes and delyuered them from ther deynge whan they sholde haue deyed through synne and helle payne And therfore he sayth in the gospell That who so kepeth his worde he shall not a taste the deth without ende Sythen that goddes worde is lyfe and saluacyon of mannes soule all tho that lette goddes worde and lette them that haue auctoryte of god and by ordre take to preche and teche that they maye not preche and teche goddes worde and goddes lawe they be mansleers ghoostly and gylty of as many soules as perysshe and deye ghoostly by suche lettynge of goddes worde and namely these proude couetouse prelates and curates that neyther can teche ne wyll teche ne suffre other that can and wyl and haue auctoryte to teche of god and of the bysshop that gyueth them theyr ordres but lette theym for drede that they sholde haue the lesse of ther sugettes or ellys the lesse be sette by or ellys that ther synnes sholde be knowen by prechynge of goddes worde And therfore leuer they haue to lese the soules that cryste so dere bought than to here ther owne synnes openly repreued generally amonge other meÌ„nes synnes As saynt Austen sayth goddes worde ought to be worshypped as moche as crystus bodye And as moche synne dooth he that letteth goddes worde despysed goddes worde or taketh it retchelesly as he that despyseth goddes bodye or through his neclygence leteth it falle to the grouÌ„de i.qÌ„.i.intâ—trogo vos There the glose sheweth that it is more profytable to here goddes worde in prechynge than to here ony masse And rather a man sholde forbere his masse than his sermon For by prechynge folke be sâ—yred to contrycyon and to forsake synne and the fende to loue god and goodnes and be Illumyned to knowe ther god vertues from vyces truth from falsehode and to forsake erroures heresyes By the masse be they not so but yf they come to masse in synne they goo awaye in synne and shrewes they come and shrewes they wende And also the vertue of that masse standeth pryncypally in true byleue of the masse specyally of cryste that is there sacred in the oost But that may man lerne by prechynge of goddes worde not by herynge of masse And in so moche herynge of goddes worde truly preched is better than he rynge of masse Nethelesse the masse profyteth them that be in grace to gete the more grace fotgyuenes of ve nyall synne encreassynge of mede and lesynge the payne of purgatory And the preest may be so good that his prayer for reuecence of the sacrament shall gese grace of amendemeÌ„t of hyÌ„ that he prayeth for Both be good but goddes worde ought to be more charged and more desyred than he rynge of masse For whan the people despyseth goddes worde loth goddes worde that is ghoostly fode to man yâ— people is but deed in goddes syght and nyghe to the gates of helle And therfore Dauyd sayth OmneÌ„ escam abhominata est anima eorum et appropinquauerunt vsque ad portas mortis Ther soules haue lothed all goostely mete that is to saye all trewe prechynge and techynge of goddes worde so they be neyghed to the yates of deth Caplm .xi. ALso tho prelates curates be gylty of manslaughter goostely that knowe ther sugettes in dedely synne wyll not snybbe them ne speke ayenst ther synne di .xliij. epheseis And therfor god sayth to euery curate prelate of holy chirche to prechours of goddes worde I haue made the a daye wayte to the people of Israell that is to saye to crysten peple yâ— shalt here the worde of my mouth tell it them in my name And yf I saye to the synfull that he shall dâ—ye thou telle it hym not ne speke not to hym that he may amende hym torne hym fro his wycked waye lyfe that synfull wretche for thy defaute shall deye in his synne And I shall seke the blood the dethe of hym of thyn hande yâ— shalt answere for his deth Eze. iij Also they called mansleers that defraude take awaye holy chirche goodes xij.qÌ„.ij.qui xpÌ„i â— qui abstulerit Also that preest
is a mansleer ghoostely that denyeth the sacrament of penaunce to man or woman in his laste ende and wyll not assoyle theym whan they repent them and axe absolucyon For so they put folke in dyspayre ayenst the goodnesse and mercy of god that is endeles and alwaye redy to all that seke mercy as longe as the soule the bodye be knyt to gydre Example of the theef that hynge on the ryght syde of cryste the whiche of payne knowleched his synne and axed grace gate the blysse of paradyse whan he sayd lorde haue thou mynde of me whan thou comest in to thy kyngdom And anone cryste ryghtful Iuge that best knewe his herte sayd to hym I saye the forsoth this daye thou shat be with me in paradyse xxvi.qÌ„.vi si presbiter â— agnouimê° Where the lawe sayth That they that be soo harde vpon men in ther deynge doo not ellys but put deth to deth Deth of soule to dethe of bodye ¶ Diues Moche folke presume so moche on yâ— mercy of god that they gyue no tale to lyue in ther synne moche of all ther lyf in hope to haue mercy in yâ— last ende ¶ Pauper And yet yf they axe mercy in due maner they shall haue mercy as yâ— lawe sayth well in yâ— same place and holy wryte in many places For god sayth by the prophete Ezechielis xxxiij.ca That in what houre yâ— synner sygeth for his synne axe mercy I shall forgyue hym his synne forgete his synne Netheles I dare not behote suche folke yâ— they sholde haue grace stede tyme to axe mercy as them nedeth to axe For comonly suche maner folke be dysceyued by sodayne deth or elles in ther deynge they lese ther hedes ther wyttes begynne to raue Or ellys they haue soo moche payne in theyr bodye and soo moche besynesse with the worlde that they thynke neyther of god ne of themself And as saynt Austen sayth in his sermon de Innocentibus Iusto dei iudicio agitâ— vt moriens obliuiscatâ— sui qui duÌ„ viueret oblitus est It is goddes ryghtfull dome that he forgete hymselfe in his deynge that hath forgeten god in his lyuynge As fell in englonde besydes Oxenford There was a tyraunt in the countre that dredde not god ne had pyte of man Ofte men preched hym couÌ„seyled hym to good He had despyte of ther wordes and sayd that yf he myght haue thre wordes before his deynge he sholde be saued as well as the best man lyuynge At the laste it befell that he rode by the waye to be on a queste before a Iustyce And he began to slepe his hors stombled he fyll downe brake his necke And in his fallynge he sayd with grete herte Ore vaunte a deblis That is to saye in Englysshe Now forth to the deuyll And so he had thre wordes to his daâ—pnacyon not to his saluacyon Therfor the wyse man sayth De propiciatu pccoÌ„rum noli esse sine metu Be not without drede of forgyuesse of thy synnes ne put synne to synne ne saye not that the mercy of god is grete he shall haue mercy on the multytude of thy synnes for mercy wrathe also hastely come fro hym nyghe to mankynde But his wrath loketh to synners that wyll not amende theym his mercy to theym that wyll amende theym Ne tardas conuerti ad dominuÌ„ â— Therfore lette not to tourne the to god delaye not from daye to daye For yf ye do his wrath shall come sodaynly and destroye the. Ecclesiastici v. For suche folke that be so bolde in theyr synne in hope of the mercy of god do the worse bycause of his goodnes they scorne god seke vengeauÌ„ce no mercy They take hede to his mercy and not to his ryghtfulnesse Dauyd sayth Vniuerse vie dnÌ„i misericordia et veritas All the wayes of god and all his domes be mercy trouth Yf thou seke mercy it were ayenst his ryghtfulnesse but he shewed mercy and but thou seke mercy ryghtfulnesse muste dampne the. Seke mercy and mercy and his ryghtfulnesse wyll saue the yf thou seke it in due maner Caplm .xij. DIues These wordes be good and confortable resonable Saye forth what thou wylt ¶ Pauper Also he is a mansleer ghoostely that maketh ony man or woman to forswere them For he sleeth his owne soule and his soule that he doeth soo forswere hym xxij.questione .v. ille Also men slee themselfe as oftentyme as they assent to wycked thoughtes in herte tourne them awaye fro god in whom is all our lyfe And therfor Salomon sayth Auersio paruulorum interficiet eos Prouer. i That the tournynge awaye of the lytyll childern slee them For they that soone be ouercome in temptacoÌ„n and soone assent to the fende be lykened to yonge childern that be faynt feble to withstande ony thynge Of suche childern god sayth that a childe of an hondred yere shal be acursed of god Ysa lxv Also they slee ther soules that gydre foule lustys vnlefull desyres in ther herte wyll not redely put them out Therfore the wyse man sayth Desideria occiduÌ„t pigruÌ„ Prouer. xxi Wycked desyres sle them that is slowe to put them out And therfor Dauyd sayth Beatus â— tenebit et allidet ê‘uulos suos ad petraÌ„ Blessyd be he that shall holde hym with god smyte downe his smale yonge thoughtes desyres to the stone that is cryste Blessyd is he that anone as he begynneth to haue suche wycked thoughtes anone begynne to thynke on crystus passyon of goddes lawe as saynt Ierome sayth in his pystle ad PaulaÌ„ et EustochiuÌ„ ¶ Diues It foloweth of thy wordes that whâ— soo doth ony dedely synne he is a mansleer And so euery synne is forboden by this coÌ„maundement Non occides Thou shalt not slee Why yaue than god ten coÌ„mauÌ„dementes sythen tâ—ey be all comprehended in one ¶ Pauper For dulnes of mannes wyt it nedeth to gyue mothan one to declare mannes synne that he may knowe whan he synneth and how he may flee synne All the lawe all the â—phecye as cryste sayth in the gospell hangeth in two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of charyte whiche teche vs to loue our god aboue all thynge out euen crysten as our selfe But yet god wolde declare tho two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes by ten coÌ„mauÌ„dementes that man woman sholde yâ— better knowe them please hym the more flee his offence ¶ Diues Why declared he theÌ„ more by ten coÌ„mauÌ„dementes than by twelue or by nyne for he myght haue gyuen many mo whan he gaue but ten ¶ Pauper To gyue ouermoche many was not profytable ne to gyue ouer fewe And therfore god gaue his byhestes in the nombre of ten for as ten is nombre perfyght conteyneth all nombres soo goddes lawe is perfyght and all is comprehended in ten byhestes that ben so knytte to gydre of so grete acorde that who so trespaceth in one
gladij hic Lorde lo two swerdes here redye And our lorde sayd Satis est It suffyseth it is ynough ¶ Pauper For as I sayd The appostles vnderstode not why ne to whom cryste sayd tho wordes And therfor they wende as moche folke weneth yet that cryste hadde bode theym haue bought swerdes for to fyght And therfore they answered in that maner and began to speke of swerdes of fyghtynge And than cryste was dyspleased with ther speche and badde them be stylle of suche speche Satis est It is ynough it suffyseth that ye haue spoken in this maner speche now nomore of this mater And therfore as Luke sayth in the same place they cessed of ther speche anone went with cryste in to yâ— moute of Olyuete On the same maner god sayd to Moyses as he prayed hym that he myght entre the londe of byhestes Sufficit tibi It is ynough to the that thou haste sayd speke nomore to me of this mater Deu. iij. Also god sayd to the angell that slough the people Sufficit contine manum tuam It is ynough withholde thy honde And cryste sayd to his dyscyples in tyme of his passyon whan he founde them slepynge Sufficit It is ynough that ye haue slept now awake ye And as he made an ende of her slepynge By this worde sufficit it suffyseth soo he made an ende of theyr vnkunnynge speche whan they began to speke of swerdes by this worde Satis est It is ynough that is to saye ye haue spoke ynough in this mater nomore therof For they wyste not what cryste ment nomore than they wyste what crystement whan he sayd to Iudas Quod facis fac cicius That thou doost doo it anone In suche wordes cryste vnd nam Iudas of his euyll purpose that he sholde amende hym And yet it is a custom with moche foke whan they here theyr childern or seruauÌ„tes speke vnwysely to put them to sylence and do theym be stylle with the same worde saye sone it is ynough thou haste sayd ynough ¶ Diues And many clerkes saye that whan the apostles sayd loo here two swerdes and cryste sayd ayen Satis est It is ynoughe In tho wordes cryste graunted men of holy chirche two swerdes bothe ghoostely swerde and bodely swerde ¶ Pauper They erre as the apostles dyde For they vnderstode not why ne to whom cryste sayd tho wordes For cryste grauÌ„ted neuer too clerkes the bodely swerde to shedde blood but he forbad it to theym in the same tyme whan he vndernam Peter smytynge with the swerde and badde hym put it vp his swerde in to the shethe For why sayth he who that smyteth with the swerde he shall perysshe with the swerde And so all the processe of the gospell yf men vnderstode it well sheweth that cryste hath forboden men of holy chirche yâ— bodely swerde And therfor as saynt Ambrose sayth ther armuer theyr fyghtynge sholde be bytter teeres holy prayers ¶ Diues Yet contra te Cryste sayth in the gospell Non veni paceÌ„ mittere sed gladiuÌ„ I cam not sayth he to sende peas in erth but yâ— swerde Math .x. ¶ Pauper By the swerde in that place is vnderstande the swerde of goddes worde as yâ— glose sayth By suche swerde man is departed from synne from wycked company as the gospell sheweth well there And by this swerde synne is slayn in manes soule ¶ Diues Sythen god forbad men of holy chirche the swerde and sheddynge of blood and manslaughter why slough saynt Peter Ananyam SapharyaÌ„ his wyfe for hyr false couetouse and for hyr lesynges ActuuÌ„ .v. ¶ Pauper As the lawe sayth xxiij.qÌ„.viij Petrê° He slough them not with materyall swerde but only by power that god gyue hym to do myracles with his prayers he reysed a woman from dethe to lyfe whos name was Tabyta ActuuÌ„ .ix. And with wordes of his blamynge he toke hyr lyfe from Ananyam Saphyram He prayed not for hyr deth but onely vndername them for ther synne anone they feldowne deed by the vertue of the swerde of goddes worde that Peter spake and the holy goost by Peter For as saynt Poule sayth the swerde of goddes worde full often departeth yâ— soule from the bodye And therfore the worde the cursynge vndernemynge of holy men and of men of holy chirche is moche for to drede Or cllys by suffraunce of god Anone as saynt Pater vndernam them for they repented them not yâ— fende Sathanas toke power ouer them slough them bodely as he slough them fyrst goostely by the synne of false couetyse Caplm .xxi. DIues Is it lefull in ony caas to slee ony man or woman vngylty ¶ Pauper In no caas as the lawe sayth openly xx.qÌ„.v si noÌ„ ¶ Diues I suppose that the queste dampneth a man that the Iustyce knoweth vngylty shall not yâ— Iustyce gyue the sentence dampne hym sythen the queste sayth that he is gylty ¶ Pauper God forbede For than falleth the Iustyce in manslaughter For he may by no lawe slee him that he knoweth vngylty xxiij.qÌ„.v.si non ¶ Diues What shall he do than ¶ Pauper Yf he haue noo Iuge aboue hym he shall saue hym by his playne power And yf he haue a Iuge aboue him he shall sende the man to hym tell hyÌ„ all the â—aas that he may of his playn power delyuer hym saue hym from yâ— deth or ellis seke some other waye for to saue hym But he shall not gyue the sentence of his deth Pylate trauayled full besely to saue cryste from deth for that he wyste hym vngylty moche more a crysten Iuge ought to trauayle to saue the Innocentes lyfe whom cryste bought with his blode flee false sentence Pylate myght and ought by lawe haue saued cryste But for to please the people for drede that they sholde haue accused hym to the Emperour he folowed ther wyll and put cryste to the deth and therfore afterwarde he was dampned For the false queste Pylate wolde not haue dampned hym in that that he wyst him vngylty but only for drede to please the people he dampned hym And sythen hethen lawe sledth noo man vngylty moche more crysten lawe shal slee no man vngylty But the Iuge shall do all his besynes to flee sheddynge of blood without gylte Therfore he is made Iuge to descuse the truthe to saue the vngylty to punysshe the gylty to lette malyce foly aud falsehode of the questes of the fals wytnesses Therfore god sayth thus to euery Iuge thou shalt not take the voyce of lesynges ne thou shalt not Ioye ne thyn honde to saye fals wytnesse for the wycked man That is to saye thou shalt make no couenaunt to saye fals wytnesse ne assent therto Thou shalt not folowe the peoples wyll to do ony euyl thynge or ony falsenes in dome Thou shalt not assent to the sentence of many to go awaye from the truthe Exo.
xxiij Therfore the lawe byddeth that the Iustyce be not to lyght ne to redy to leue ne to redy to take vengeaunce Di. lxxxvi si quid Et. xi.qÌ„.vi.iij.quamuis Et. xvi.qÌ„.viij Si quid The ende of euery dome shall be iusticia that is ryghtwysnes in englysshe And ryghtwysnesse is a vertue and a stedfaste wyll alwaye to yeloe euery man woman his ryght Extra de ver significacione ca. forum in glosa And therfore whan the Iustyce dooth wronge in his sentence gyuynge that is noo ryghtfull dome for it endeth not in ryghtwysnesse But more wronge may he not do to man or woman than robbe hym of his lyfe and slee hym without gylte Therfor than what Iuge sleeth man or woman vngylty wytytngly he is no Iuge but he is a tyrauÌ„t and doth ayenst all lawes whiche be ordeyned to do ryght to euery man to punysshe the gylty to saue the vngylty And therfore sayth the lawe that he is no Iuge yf ryghtwysnesse be not in hym Non est iudex si non est in eo iusticia xxiij qÌ„.ij.iustuÌ„ Caplm .xxij. DIues Is it leful to ony man or woman in ony case to slee themselfe ¶ Pauper In no case that for many reasons Fyrste for by waye of kynde euery man loueth hyÌ„self is besy to saue hyÌ„self to with stande al thynge that wolde destroye hym And therfore it is synne ayenst al kynde man or woman to slee hymselfe Also it is ayenst charyte for eche man is bounde to loue hymselfe and his euen crysten as hymselfe Also he doth wronge to the comonte of mankynde For as the phylosophre sayth v â—o ethicorum Euery man is a parte of the comonte as euery meÌ„bre is a parte of the bodye Also for mannes lyfe is an hygh gyft of god gyuen to man to serue god And only god may take it awaye whan he wyll And therfor he that sleeth hymselfe he synneth ayenst his god in that that he sleeth his seruauÌ„t ayenst his wyll for thoughe god gyue a man auctoryte to slee an other man for his mysdede yet god gyueth no man auctoryte to slee hym selfe And therfore sayth the lawe xxiij qÌ„.v.non licet That no man ne woman sholde slee hymselfe neyther to flee myschyfe of this worlde ne to flee other mennes synne ne for sorowe of his one synne that he hath done ne for to go the sooner to heuen For yf he slee hymselfe as the lawe sayth there he gooth to endelesse myscheef And he falleth in ouer greuous synne And in that that he sleeth hymself he falleth in wanehope dooth despyte to the mercy of god as Iudas dydde For after his deth he may not amende hym of that greuous synne of manslaughter And by that manslaughter he sleeth his lyf in this worlde his lyf in heuen blysse and gooth to the deth in helle without ende And therfore ther sholde noo woman slee hyrselfe to saue hyr chastyte that she be not defouled For yf she be defouled by vyo ence ayenst hir wyl she synneth not For as saynt Lucye sayth to yâ— tyrauÌ„t Pascasius the bodye is not defouled but by assent of the soule But the synne is in hym that soo defouleth hyr And lesse synne it is to fall in lechery than man or woman to slee hymself for there is noo helpe after Ne there sholde no man ne woman slee hymself ne mayme hymself for drede that he sholde consent to synne but truste in god that may kepe him from consentynge and lette occasyons of synne And though man or woman be constrayned to synne for drede of deth better it is a fayrer that an other slee hym than he slee hymself for that is dampned in euery lawe ¶ Diues Contra te Sampson dyuerse other slough theÌ„ self as we rede in holy wryt ¶ Pauê“ As saynt Austen sayth de ciuitate dei They slough themselfe by the preuy couÌ„seyll of the holy goost that wolde by ther deth do myracles As whan that Sampson toke the two pylers of the paynyms temple whiche bare vp all the temple and shooke them to gydre with his armes tyl they brosten the temple fell downe and slough many thousandes of the hethen people that was gadred to wondre on Sampson in despyte of god of heuen whos seruauÌ„t Sampson was Caplm .xxiij. DIues Whether is it more synne to slee the ryghtfull man or the wycked man ¶ Pauper It is more synne to slee the ryghtfull man for in that the sleer noyeth moost hym whome he ought more to loue Also for he doth wronge to hym that haue not deserued it and more ayenst ryghtwysnesse Also for he pryueth robbeth the comonte of manhode of a grete Iewell For euery good man and good woman is a welle to the comonte of mankynde Also for he dooth more despyte to god for to all good cryste sayth Qui vos spernit me spernit Who despyseth you despyseth me ¶ Diues Contra. Yf a good man be slayn he shal soone go to heuen But the wycked man yf he be slayne vnwarly he shall goo to helle And lesse synne it is to sende by sleynge a man to heuen than to helle ¶ Pauê‘ Saynt Poul sayth .i. ad corum iij. That euery man woman shall take his owne mede after that his trauayll is Therfore the good man soo slayn shal go to heuen for his good dedes not for yâ— malyce of the sleer And the wycked man so slayne shall goo â—o helle for his owne wycked dedes not for the wycked dedes of the sleer And the sleer shall goo to helle bothe for the sleynge of the good and of the wycked But he shall be depper in helle for sleynge of the good than of the wycked For he sheweth more malyce and more aggreueth god and all the courte of heuen in sleynge of the good than of yâ— wycked And he shall answere for all the good dedes that the good man sholde haue doo yf he had lyued lenger And he shall be puny s shed for the sleynge of the wycked man for that that he sleeth hym ayenst goddes lawe letteth hym that he may haue no tyme to amende hym ¶ Diues Is it lefull to ony man to slee his wyf yf he take hir in auoutre ¶ Pauper To slee hyr by lawe cyuyle there lawes ordeyne man woman that done auoutre to be slayne It is lefull so that he do it only for loue of ryght wysnesse and of clennesse not for hate ne for to be auenged on hyr And lete hym well charge his conscyence yf he be ought gylty in the same eyther in wyll or in dede and take hede to his owne freelte and thynke that the lawe is as well ordeyned to punysshe him yf he do amys as to punysshe the woman But ony man to slee his wyte by his owne auctoryte or do hyr be slayne without lawfull Iuge it is not lefull by all goddes lawe And thoughe ony londes lawe gyue men leue to slee
worlde ne for shame of thy wyfe to whom thou art bounde to be true ne thou wylt leue it for no good norture but lyue as an harlotte and vse harlottes maners Thou art not ashamed of thy synnes sayth saynt Austen for so many men falle there in The shrewednesse of man is now soo greate that men be more ashamed of chastyte than of lecherye Manquellers theues periurers false wytnesse rauenours and false men be abhomynable and hated amonges the people But who soo wyll lye by his woman be a bolde lechoure he that is loued is praysed And all the woundes of his soule tourne in to game And yf ony man be so herdy to saye that he is chaste and true to his wyfe And yf it be knowe that he be suche he is ashamed to come amonges men that be not lyke hym in maner For they sholde Iape scorne hyÌ„ saye that he is no man For maÌ„nes shrewednes is now so grete that ther is no man holde a man but he be ouercome with lecherye And he that ouercometh lecherye and kepeth hym chaste he is holde no man These be the wordes of saynt Austen in a boke de decem cordis ¶ Diues Me meruayleth moche that saynt Austen and you also accuse man soo moche of lecherye and put more defaute in man than in woman ¶ Pauper Cryste dyde the same We rede in the gospell Io. viij that on a tyme whan cryste satte in the temple of Ierusalem techynge the people his lawes Than the scrybes the men of lawe and the phareseys brought a woman newely taken in auoutrye sette hyr byfore cryste and sayd to hym all in gyle Mayster this woman ryght now was take in auoutrye The lawe of Moyses byddeth vs stone all suche but what sayest thou there to All this they sayde in gyle for hadde he bode them stone hyr he hadde sayd ayenst his owne prechynge For his prechynge and techynge was full of mercy and pyte And yf he hadde sayd that she sholde not haue be stoned than hadde he sayd ayenst Moyses lawe and than wolde they haue stoned hym And therfore he sayd ne that one ne that other But he stouped downe and wrote with his fynger in the erthe And whan he hadde wryten a whyle he sette hym vpryght ayen sayd to them Whiche of you be without synne he caste on hyr the fyrste stone And afterwarde he stouped downe and wrote in the erthe And whan the accusers of the woman herde these wordes of cryste and see his wrytynge they were ashamed and went out eche after other and the eldeste wente out fyrste and none of them lefte there For as saye these clerkes eche of theym sawe in that wrytynge all the euyll synnes that he had done of lecherye of spousebreche or of ony other synne And eche of them wende that all other about had seen his synne And so for drede for shame they went out for they sawe well that they were more gylty in lecherye than the woman more worthy to be stoned But cryste of his goodnesse wrought soo that eche of theym sawe there his owne synne and none other mannes so gyuynge vs ensaumple to hydde other mennes synne and not defame our euen crysten whyle ther synne is preuye And whan they were gone out for drede and shame Than sayd cryste to the woman where be they that accused the. No man hath dampned the. Lorde sayth she that is soth noo man hath dampned me Than cryste sayd to hyr Ne I shall not dampne the. Goo be in wyll no more to synne ¶ Diues By yâ— lawe she was worthy to be deed why wolde than cryste that gaue the lawe saue hyr ¶ Pauper All though she were worthy to dye yet hyr accusers the people that brought hyr thyder were not worthy to dampne hyr ne to pursue hyr to deth for they were more gylty than the woman And therfore sayth the glose in that place Though the lawe byd them be slayne that be gyltye yet the lawe wyll not that they sholde be slayne by them that be gylty in the same synne But he that is vngylty in the same synne shall punysshe hym that is gylty And therfore sayth the glose that they that so accu s ed the woman by ryght of yâ— lawe or they muste haue lete hyr go or ellis be stoned with hyr for they were more gylty in that synne than the woman And soo by the lawe cryste delyuered hyr ryghtfully saued hyr mercyably Therfore sayth the lawe of holy chirche that tho that be gylty in ony grete synne sholde not be take for accusers ne wytnesses in dome no man queller no theues ne wycked Iogulers robbers of chirches rauenours ne open lechours ne they that be in auoutrye ne they that poyson folke ne periurers ne fals wytnesses ne they that axe counseyll of wytches All these and suche other be vnable to accuse in dome or to bere wytnesse in dome but yf it be for to accuse them that be the felowes and helpers in ther synne .ii. qÌ„.r constituimus Et vi.qÌ„.li qÌ„ crimen And saynt Ambrose sayth that onely he is worthy to be domesman and dampne the errours of an other that hath nought in hymselfe that is dampnable suê“ Beati imaculati Et. iij.qÌ„.vij.iudicet And therfore the lawe putteth many a case in whiche the husbonde may not accuse his wyf of lecherye Fyrst yf he be gylty in the same xxxij.qÌ„.nichil iniquiê° Also yf he gyue hir occasyon to do for nycacoÌ„n by withholdynge of dette of his bodye xxij.qÌ„.vij Si tu Also yf she be defouled by strength grete vyolence ayenst hyr wyl xxxij.qÌ„.v Ita ne Also yf she wene that hyr husbonde be deed .xxxiiij qÌ„ i.si ê‘ bellicaÌ„ And yf she be wedded to an other wenynge that hyr husbonde be deed whan he cometh home she muste forsake the seconde husbonde go ayen to the fyrste and but she forsaketh yâ— seconde anone as she knoweth that hyr fyrste husbonde is a lyue ellys she falleth in auoutrye hyr fyrste husbonde may accuse hyr forsake hyr Also yf she be desceyued medle with an other wenynge that it were hyr husbonde xxxiiij.qÌ„.ij in lectuÌ„ Also yf he knowe hyr lecherye suffreth hyr in hyr synne and meddleth with hyr after that he knoweth hyr synne or forgyueth it hyr recouÌ„seyll hyr to hym than may he not accu s e hyr xxxij.qÌ„.i Si quis vxorem Also yf hyr husbonde put hyr to doo a mys Extra li.iij ti xiij discrecione Also yf an hethen man forsake his hethen wyfe and she be wedded to an other hethen man and after they be both tourned to crysten fayth than is he bounde to take hyr ayen but she felle in ony other fornycacyon Not withstandynge that she be knowen flesshely of the seconde husbonde Extra li. iiij de diuorcijs ca. gaudemus S. si ergo Caplm .vij. DIues Is a man bounde to forsake his wyfe
byhestes and tourneth him to the fende by his owne fyndynges of mys lustes leueth the loue of cryste for the loue of ony creature than he doth goostly lecherye with the fende And therfore sayth Dauyd that they haue do fornycaco n in ther owne fyndynges And on this maner all flesshely thought al mys luste vnryghtfull doynge vnleful couetyse in that it withdraweth the loue of man or of woman fro god it is called goostly fornycacoÌ„n and auoutrye And thus euery dedely synne is called goostly auoutrye goostely fornycacyon but pryncypaly ydolatrye forsakynge of the fayth Also false prechynge false exposycoÌ„n of holy wryt is called spyrytuell fornycacyon As they that preche pryncypaly to please the people and to gete a name or to gete temporall good Of suche sayth laynt Poule That they put goddes worde in auoutrye Adulterantes verbuÌ„ dei ij.ad Corum iiij For there the sholde vse it to the worshyp of god and to the proufyte of mannes soule they vse it to ther owne worshyp and to ther owne worldely proufyte and to pleasaunce of the fende and harme of mannes soule Also false couetyse is called goostly fornycacy on Therfore saynt Iames sayth to false couetyse men AdulteriuÌ„ nescitis quia amicicia huius mundi inimicicia est deo Iacobi .iiij. Ye auouterers and lechours wyte ye not that frendshyp of this worlde is enmye to god Therfore in the boke of goddes preuytees couetyse pompe of this worlde and couetous and proude people is called the cyte of Babylon that is to saye the cyte of shenshyp And it is lykened to a comon woman with whiche kynges prynces lordes marchauÌ„tes all couetouse folke haue doo lecherye and it is called moder of fornycacyons and of abhomyncyons For as saynt Poule sayth Couetyse is rote of all wyckednesses And therfore god byddeth there that his people sholde go out of the cyte of Babylon That is to saye forsake synfull companye forsake luste of the flesshe pompe and couetyse of this worlde that maketh men to forsake god and doo goostly lecherye with the fende wende ye out sayth god fro this wycked Babylon forsake this wycked comon woman of luste of false couetyse that desceyueth all this worlde For in one daye shal come all hyr destruccyon that shall be endeles deth wepynge hongre without ende and there shall be brennynge fyre smoder without ende And than all that haue do goostly lecherye lyued in delyces false couetyse shall wepe says Ve ve alas alas Apo. xvij.et.xviij Caplm .xxiij. DIues All though thy speche de resonable yet in one thynge clerkes holde ayenst the in that that thou sayst that the synne of Adam was more than the synne of Eue. And they argue thus ayenst the God ryghtfull Iuge punysshed Eue hard for hyr synne than he dyd Adam for his synne but that sholde not god haue do but for hyr syÌ„ne was more greuous than yâ— synne of Adam therfore the synne of Eue was more greuous than Adams synne ¶ Pauê‘ This argument is grounded in two false maximis Fyrste that euery punysshynge and vengeaunce assygned of god for mannes synne and womans is assygned after that the synne is more or lesse And this maxime grouÌ„de is false wherfor thou shalt vnderstande that god punysshe some synne in this worlde and some in the other worlde some bothe here there In the other worlde he punyssheth euery synne after that it is more greuous or lesse greuous But in this worlde he dooth not alwaye so But oft in this worlde he punyssheth the lesse synne harder than he doth the more synne Therfore in the olde lawe auoutrye was punysshed as harde or hard than manslaughter yet manslaughter is more greuous synne than auoutrye god toke more temporall vengeuÌ„ce in this worlde for lecherye than euer he dyd for ydolatrye yet ydolatrye is gretter synne than lechery for it is in medyat ayenst god ayenst yâ— fyrst coÌ„maundement of the fyrste table And manslaughter is harder punysshed in this world than periurye yet ê‘iurye is gretter synne as I sayd in yâ— seconde coÌ„mauÌ„dement And synnes in symple poore folk be harder punysshed in this worlde than synnes of the grete men Yf a poore man stele an horse he shal be hanged But yf a lorde by raueyn extorcyons robbe a man of all yâ— he hath he shall not be hanged ne lytyll or nought punysshed in this worlde Dauyd dyde auoutre man slaughter for whiche synne he was worthy to be slayne by comon lawe of god yet god wolde not haue hyÌ„ slayn but yf a poore man had do tho synnes he sholde haue be slayne A symple man went gadred styckes in the sabot god had Moyses stone hyÌ„ to deth Salomon Ieroboam Acham dyd grete ydolatrye drough moche of the people to ydolatrye yet were they not slayn therfore the smaller synnes god punysshed in this worlde that the soules be punysshed in this worlde so that the soules of the synners may be saued yf they take it pacyently comonly he punysshed hard poore folke in this worlde than the ryche folke as by comon lawe For the synne of grete men as in yâ— same spyce of synne is more greuous than is the synne of the poore man And therfore god reserueth the greuous synnes and the synnes of grete folke for to punysshe them in the other worlde or in helle or in purgatorye There may no temporall payne be full punysshynge for dedely synne saue contrycyon allone And therfore god punyssheth not alwaye folke in this worlde after the quaÌ„tyte of ther synne but as he seeth it moost nedefull spedefull to yâ— people and to his worshyp For only god knoweth the greuoushede of dedely synne For oft that that semeth moost greuoê° in mannes syght is lesse greuous in goddes syght ayenwarde Therfore god melureth not alwaye payne after the quantyte of the synne But oft he punyssheth in this worlde them that be lesse gylty as moche as theym that be more gylty And in tyme of the flood of Noe in the pery s shynge of Sodom and Gomor and many other tymes he punysshed wymen childern and bestes that were not gylty in the synnes for whiche that vengeaunce felle And oft he sendeth sykenes dysease to good men in punysshyng of ther synnes in this worlde and suffereth shrewes to haue ther wyll and lytyll or nought puny s sheth them in this worlde And as the lyon is chastysed by betynge of the whelpe so oftyme god punyssheth chastyseth ful harde in this worlde them that be lesse gylty to warne theÌ„ that be more gylty that they sholde amende them Therfore cryste sayd to the Iewes wene ye that tho men whiche Pyâ—at slough for theyr rebellyon were gretter synners than other folke of the contre Nay forsoth But I say to you forsoth but ye amende you ye shall perysshe all And wene ye sayth cryste
of themselfe yet the lordshyp power is of goddes gyfte As saynt Austen sayth therfore it muste be worshypped The lordshyp that is only of dyspensacoÌ„n coÌ„mytted by a souerayne is medefull worshypfull coÌ„mendable Also ther is thre maner of propertees and properhede One is that kynde gyueth as man to lye And euery man hath his owne herte his owne soule his owne wyll for to do well or euyll and this properte is nedeful An other properte ther is that cometh only of couetyse by whiche couetyse folke saye this is myne this is thyne And so they propren to themselfe by couetyse that is comon by kynde And this propertee so grouÌ„ded in couetyse is dampnable synfull The thyrde is dyspensacoÌ„n For one man hath moche thynge in his dyspensacyon and gouernaunce that an other man hath nought to do of And this dyspensacoÌ„n cometh some tyme of goddes gyfte as whan he sente one man more ryches in this worlde than an other Somtyme it cometh by ordynauÌ„ce gyfte of lordes of soueraynes here in erthe As whan lordes and prelates coÌ„mytte to ther sugetâ— gouernauÌ„ce of ther goodes of ther places benefyces And this dyspensacoÌ„n yf it be well do it is full medeful ¶ Diues But as saynt Poule sayth It is a questyon who is fouÌ„de trewe amonge suche dyspensours For nygh al seke ther owne profyte but not the worshyp of Ihesu cryste ¶ Pauper Many be full false yet sythen dyspensacyon of worldely goodes is so coÌ„mytted to theym in that they haue lorshyp of ther propre dyspensacoÌ„n ordeyned of god be called propre lordes of ther ê“pre dyspensacyon not for ther false couetyse ne for no properhede that they chalenge by false couetyse For in that be they no lordes but tyrauÌ„tes and rauynours And so though they haue propre lordshyp of dyspensacoÌ„n of worldely goodes more than the poore people they haue yet nomore lordshyp by waye of kynde than the poore man ne non other lordshyp than the poore man but only of dyspensacoÌ„n And so though the ryche folke haue more lordshyp of propre dyspensacyon than the poore yet the lordshyp of kynde in nedefull thynges standeth styll comon to ryche and poore But for synne it is not so fre as it was byfor yâ— synne of Adam For god wyl not that the poore folke take ony thynge without leue of the propre dyspensatour that is called lorde therof therfore god sayd Non furtuÌ„ facies Thou shalt do no theeft that is to saye thou shalt nought take without thy lordes leue ¶ Diues This is wonderfull to me that the poore man is as grete a lorde by waye of kynde as the ryche yet may he nought take with out his leue ¶ Pauper It is more wonder that the good poore man is lorde of all thynge nedefull to hym by waye of kynde that synfull ryche man is lorde of ryght nought by waye of kynde for he is goddes traytour And yet god wyll that the poore take ryght nought of the good that the ryche man hath in his dyspensacoÌ„n without leue ¶ Diues That is to me more wondful tell me how this may be ¶ Pauê‘ Thou myght see at eye that the kynges heyre aparant other heyres of grete lordshyppes not withstandynge that they be heyres lordes of al yet shal they not entre the offyce of ther offycers ne take ony thynge ayenst ne bere ayenst without leue And yf they do they shall be harde vndernomen in case bete of ther mayster of ther tutour For fredom in youth is cause of pryde of many other vyces Ryght so god seynge that mankynde whiche is lorde of all erthly goodes ordeyned to regne in heuen blysse Yf he hadde his fredom in vse of erthely thynges he sholde falle in pryde many vyces as Adam dyd whyle he was free Therfore he hath put mankynde namely the poore people vnder that gouernauÌ„ce of the ryche folke of ther lordes whiche be ther tutours dyspensatours of goodes of this worlde to saluacoÌ„n of the poore people And therfore sayth saynt Poule Quanto tempore heres peruulus est nichil defert a seruo cuÌ„ sit dnÌ„s omniuÌ„ sed subtutoribus et auctoribus est vsque ad prefinitu tempus a patre ad Gala .iiij. As longe as the heyre is yonge and lytyll ther is no dyfference bytwene hym a seruauÌ„t sythen ther is a lorde of all but he is vnder tutour gouernour vnto a certayne tyme ordeyned of the fader And therfore sythen the ryche folke ben tutours dyspensatours of these worldely goodes ordeyned of god to saluacoÌ„n of the poore people god wyll that no man take of the goodes that ben commytted to them without theyr wyll theyr leue And yf ony man take therof ayenst theyr wyll ayenst goddes ordenauÌ„ce he doth theeft ayenst this coÌ„mauÌ„dement Non furtuÌ„ facies Thou shalt do no theeft Caplm .vi. DIues Is it lefull in ony case to stele take ony thynge ayenst the lordes wyll ¶ Pauper Stelynge sowneth comonly theeft robbery somtyme it sowneth preuely takynge without wyttynge of the lorde And so it may be done in four cases with out synne For nede for almesse for ryght for happe of fyndynge Fyrste for nede myscheef for yf ony man or woman for myscheef of hongre or of thryste or of colde or of ony other myscheef whiche myscheef he may not flee to saue his lyfe but he take thynges ayenst the lordes wyll Yf he take ony thynge so in peryll of deth or in grete myscheef nede excuseth hyÌ„ fro synne fro theeft yf he do it only for nede and not for couetyse And he ought to enfourme his conscyence thynke that yf the lorde of the thynge knewe his myschef he sholde not be myspayed than doth he no theeft for in the laste nede al thynge is comon Also for the lorde is bouÌ„de to helpe him at that nede also for nede hath no lawe Example we haue in the gospell where we fynde that the dyscyples of cryste for hongre toke ere 's in the felde gnydded theym ete the corn for hongre The pharysees were asclauÌ„dred therof sayd to cryste that his dyscyples dyd thynge that was not leful And than cryste excused them for nede of hongre sayd that they were vngylty Innocentes in that And he put them example of Dauyd that ete for nede of the holy loues in goddes tabernacle whiche loues only prestes sholde ete by the lawe Math .xij. For it is a generall rule in the lawe that nede hath no lawe ¶ Diues Is that man ytso taketh for nede bouÌ„de to restytucoÌ„n ¶ Pauper Nay And yet for more sykernesse to put hym in drede of stelynge his confessour shal gyue hym somdele penau ce for that doynge Also by waye of almesse the wyfe may take of her lordes good in whiche she hath dyspeÌ„sacoÌ„n as in mete drynke
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
whete at myghelmasse the whete be better for that tyme than is the moneye it be in doubte reasonably whether yâ— whete shall be more worthe or lesse in tyme of payment it is none vsure But yf it were semely that it sholde be more worthe in tyme of payment he lent the moneye in hope of yâ— lucre he dyd vsure Extra e. ti nauiganti et in suÌ„ma conf li.ij.ti.vij Yf the seller selle a thynge for the more pryce by cause that he abydeth of his paye he dooth vsure And yf the byer bye a thynge for lesse than it is worth for that he payeth byfore or the thynge bought may be taken to hym he doth vsure ibidem in suÌ„ma conf Yf a man lene syluer or wyne to haue ayen the same quantyte in certayn tyme only in hope that the same quantyte shall be more worth in tyme of paymeÌ„t he doth vsure yf the dettour wyl paye hym his det byfore that tyme to flee his owne harme he wyll not take it of hym to the tyme assygned of the payment so to wynne by his lenynge he dooth vsurye Yf a man lene moneye to resceyue a certayn tyme corn wyne or other thynge â—herfore he shall take as moche as cometh therto in tyme of payment no more Yf a man lene moneye to resceyue other maner moneye therfor in certayn tyme to wynne therby soo charge his dettour he doth vsurye Yf a man selle a thynge for certayn pryce as the market goth in tyme of yâ— sellynge in couenauÌ„t yâ— yf it be better worth byfore cester that he shal paye so moche more though it be lesse worth he shall paye no lesse he doth vsurye Yf the byer bye horse or other bestis for lesse pryce than they be worth in tyme of byenge to resceyue theym after in certayn tyme of feyre it is vsure but he wene sykerly that it sholde be than only so moche worth or lesse worth but yf he wene that they sholde be that tyme more worth it is vsurye Caplm .xxvi. YF a man let his horse his oxe or cowe to hyre in couenauÌ„t that yâ— the beste dye or appeyre he that hyreth it shall stande to that losse to halfe wynnynge yf it amende he doth vsurye For it is not semely that he sholde haue as moche profyte by the amendement of the beste as he sholde haue harme by the deth Nathelesse though he that letteth it to hyre make suche couenauÌ„t with hym yâ— hyreth it to do hym be the more besy to saue the beste he doth no synne yf his purpose be not to take though the beste perysshe without his defaute But yf he do it for gyle or couetyse he doth vsurye And therfor it is good to flee suche couenauntes For alle though his entencyon be good yet the maner of the couenaunt semeth wycked sclaunderous to folke that knowe not his entencyon Nathelesse he that hyreth a thynge may lefully take to hym the peryll the myscheef of that thynge yâ— he hyreth yf he wyl Yf a man betake his beest to a poore man to hyre or to kepe in couenaunt vtterly yâ— yf it dye it shall dye to the poore man lyue to hym for he wyll haue as good therfor it is wycked vsurye Suche vsurers ben the fendes charmours for to suche folke theyr shepe ne theyr bestes shall neuer dye Yf men in tyme of plente bye in corne or other nedefull thynges pryncypally to selle theym forth more derer in tyme of derthe and of nede it is synne But yf it be do pryncypaly for comon profyte and for saluacyon of the contree it is medefull For Ioseph gouernour of Egypt dyde so to saue the people in tyme of hongre GenÌ„ xlvij Also a man maye do so for his owne psofyt to flee myscheef comyng by waye of prouydence though he selle forth in tyme of nede to helpe of other as the market goth he doth no synne in that but yf he witholde it wyl not selle forth in tyme of nede thyng yâ— he hath passyng his lyuyng but kepeth stylle in hope of more derth he synneth greuously And therfore Salomon sayth Qui abscondit frumentu maledicet in populis BnÌ„dictio dniÌ„ suê‘ caput vendenciuÌ„ Prouerbiorum .xi. He that hydeth whete in tyme of hongre shall be accursed amonges the people And yâ— blessynge of god vpon the hede of them that selle forth Also it may be done by comon ryght of marchaundyse they to wynne therby ther true lyuynge soo that they cause no derthe by ther byenge And namely they may bye so lefully yâ— haue not wherby to lyue but suche marchauÌ„dyse But yf they do it only of auaryce to compelle men to bye men at ther lykynge as dere as they wyll than they synne greuously and namely couetou s e clerkes that haue ynough els wherby to lyue For to clerkes it is not graunted suche marchaundyse Yf a clerke bye a beest or an other thynge and by his husbondrye or by craft lefull to hym it be amended or put in better degree than it was byfore he maye selle it forthe lefully for more than he bought it to For suche doynge is called proprely crafte and not marchaundyse xxiiij.qÌ„.iij canonuÌ„ glosa et de con di.v nunê™ Yf a man lene olde corne to haue therfore newe corne at the heruest and wyll not take olde corne for olde corne as good for as good whan the borower maye paye it he doth vsurye as Raymunde sayth Et suÌ„ma confes vbi supra But yf it be done pryncypally to saue his owne good that els sholde perysshe or pryncypaly for helpe of his neyghboure he dooth none vsurye By goddes lawe all vsurye is dampned By emperours lawe by mannes lawe some tyme it is suffreth not for that it is good ne lefull but for to flee yâ— more euyll for ofte men sholde perysshe but they myght borowe vpon vsurye For elles the couetous ryche men wyl not lene to the nedefull and so the lawe of man ryghtfully suffereth it for a good ende But the couetouse man dooth it vnryghtfully for a wycked ende And therfor holy chirche dampneth them yâ— lene vpon vsurye but not in them that borowe for nede or for a good cause vpon vsurye whan he may not els borowe But yf they borowe for a wycked cause as for playe at yâ— dyce or to spende it in glotonye lecherye or pryde or in other wycked vse they synne greuously And though it be lefull to borowe for a good ende vpon vsurye yet it is not leful to lene vpon vsurye ne to counseyll ony to borowe vpon vsurye As it is lefull to a crysten man to take an hethen man that swereth by his fals god And yet it is not lefull to the crysten man for to axe of hym yâ— o the ne to styre hym therto For why othe swerynge is a dyuyne worshyp that longeth only to verry god Also notaryes that make Instrumentes vpon
for his pryde to whom he was wedded at the begynnynge of the worlde Ne truste thou not in thy dome on a good contree For yf the quest comyn of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes whiche thou hast broken of the two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of charyte ayenst whiche thou haste offended of the .xij. artycles of the fayth ayenst whiche thou haste erred of the .vij. dedes of mercy whiche thou haste not fulfylled of thy fyue wyttes whiche thou haste myspended and the foure cardynall vertues ayenst whiche thou haste trespassed this solempne queste of .xl. true wytnesses shal dampne the as a man queller of thyne owne soule And as a theef traytour thou haste robbed thyne owne lorde of his good For robberye is called al maner mystreatynge of an other mannes good ayenst his wyll And thou haste robbed cryste of that precyous soule that he bought with his dere blood and mysused and myspente his creatures ayenst his wyll For as saynt Gregorye sayth in his Omelye All thynge that we take of god to vse of good lyuynge we tourne it in to vse of wycked lyuynge Quicquid ad vsum recipimus vite in vsuque conuertâ—mus culpe For the helthe of bodye that sent vs. we spende it in synne and in wyckednesse fayre weder in vayne occupacyon of pryde and of couetyse peas in vayne sykernesse plentee of vytayles in glutonye lecherye And so this solempne queste of fourty wolde dampne the for gylty Therfore ther is none other remedye but truly deme thyself yelde the gylty take the to the mercy of god punysshe thy selfe by drede sorowe of herte put the in the dome of goddes Iuge that is thy confessour make amendes after his dome by his assent For god ayenst whom thou haste so hyghly offended wyll stande to his ryghtfull dome accepte suche satysfaccoÌ„n as he assygneth the by yâ— lawe of god to do yf thou do it with good wyll Caplm .xiiij. THus deme thou thyselfe and than shalt thou be syker at the dredefull dome whan cryste our brother verry god and verry man shall come downe to deme the quycke and the deed And as saynt Poule sayth He shall come downe with the voyce of a trumpe that is to saye with the voyce of angelles and of archangelles the whiche shall crye and saye Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Ryse ye vp that ben deed and come ye te the dome And anone in a twynkelynge of an eye we shall all awake of the longe slepe and ryse vp come to the dome Pope prynce Emperour kynge Lorde and lady free and bounde ryche and poore grete and smalle all they shall awake and ryse vp bodye and soule ayen knytte togydre That voyce shall be so hydeous so dredefull sterne that heuen and erthe shall begynne to quake The stones shall ryue and all the deed aryse from deth to lyf eche man woman to answere for hymselfe no man per attourney Now our Iuge Cryste is a lombe mercyfull meke than he shall be as a lyon dredefull sterne And the lyon with his crye abassheth all other bestes and maketh theym to stande stylle saue his owne whelpes whiche with his crye he reyseth fro deth to lyfe So the voyce of cryste at the daye of dome shall arere vs all from deth to lyfe whiche voyce shall be full dredefull to them yâ— lyue bestely take none hede to god ne to his lawe Them it shall arrest make them stande stylle as prysoners on the erth abyde theyr Iuge For they shall so be charged with synne that they shall not wende vp ayenst cryste as the good shall wende vp mette with cryste For to them yâ— ben goddes childern that voyce shall be full swete ful lykynge to here make them soo lyght that they shall wende vp mete with cryste in the ayre as saynt Poule sayth To his childern Cryste shall saye Venite â— Come ye my faders blessyd childern and take ye the kyngdome of heuen that was ordeyned to you byfore the begynnynge of the worlde But to these bestyal folke wycked lyuers to the proude to the couetouse to the enuyouse to lechoures glotons to vengeable folke his voyce shall be full dredeful fnll bytter whan he shall saye to them Discedite a me maledicti â— Wende ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches in to the fyre of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende his angellys And so he shall sende them to sory place to sory companye without ony remedye Was ther neuer thondblaste so dredefull as his voyce than shall be to theym yâ— shall be dampned And was ther neuer songe so mery ne melodye so lykyng as his voyce shal be than to all that shal be saued And therfore deme well thy selfe here that thou be not dampned there Stande here to the sawe of the grete queste of true wytnesses whiche I haue nempned to the and deme thy selfe therafter And be true domesman of thyselfe or els thou shalt haue the same queste ayenst the at the dredefull dome And therto all angelles and archangelles and all the sayntes in heuen and all creatures shall than bere wytnesse ayenst the and axe vengeaunce on the Than as sayth Iohn Crysostom suê‘ illud Plangent se omnes tribus terre â— The angelles shal brynge forth the crosse the spere the nayle the scourges the garlonde of thornes with whiche cryste suffered his passyon Than shall cryste sytte on hyghe to deme the quycke the deed he shall departe the gooe from the wycked sette the good on the ryght syde the wycked on the lyfte syde He shal torne hym to the wycked on the lyfte syde shewe theym the crosse the spere the nayles the scourges the garlonde of thornes his wouÌ„des al fresshe whiche he suffered for all mankynde and saye to the wycked on this wyse Ecce miseri et ingrati quanta ê“ vobis sustinui propter vos homo factus sum â— See ye vnkynde cursed wretches what I suffered for your sake For whan I was god and kynge of kynges lorde of lordes neuer had wyste of woo for your sake I becam man for your sake I suffered to be beten and bounde to be spateled and despysed to be nayled to the crosse crowned with thornes stongen to the herte with a spere and was slayne dyspytous deth as ye may see to bye you from endeles deth Where is the rauÌ„som of my blood where be the soules that I bought so dere where is the seruyce that ye sholde haue done to me where is the loue that ye sholde haue shewed to me I loued you aboue al creatures I loued you more than I dyde myne owne worshyppe For why for your loue I putte myselfe to sorowe and care And ye loued more a lytyll mucke and a lytyl luste of â—he flesshe than ye dyd me or my
ryghtfulnesse and lytyl or nought wolde do for my loue For whan I was hongrye ye wolde not fede me whan I had thurste ye gaue me noo drynke whan I was naked ye hylde me not whan I sought myne harborowe ye resceyued me not whan I was seke and in pryson ye vysyted me not And therfore wende ye hens from me in to the fyre of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende his angelles O sayth saynt Gregorye thou synfull wretche what shalt thou do flee may thou not ne hyde the may thou not yf thou appere as nedes thou must thou art but shent for there thou shalt haue all thynge ayenst the. Aboue the thou shalt haue the dredefull domesman redy to dampne the. On yâ— ryght syde thou shalt hane thy wycked werkes to accuse the. On yâ— lyfte syde the foule fendes redy to drawe yâ— to helle Byneth the thou shalt haue the endeles depnes redy to swolowe the in without the thou shalt haue all the worlde on fyre redy to brenne the within the thou shalt haue thyn owne conscyence worste of all gnawynge the fretynge the without ende Than as the wyse man sayth All creatures shall fyght ayenst vs. SapÌ„ .v. Than as the grete clerke sayth Crysostomus Heuen erthe water sonne mone nyght daye all the worlde shall stande ayenst vs in wytnes of our synnes And though alle thynge were stylle oure thoughtes our conscyence our werkes shall accuse vs stande wytnesses ayenst vs. Therfore saynt Austen in his Omelye suê“ illud Estote misericordes sayth thus Bretheren take ye hede to the mercy of god and to the harde dome of god Now is tyme of mercy after it shall be tyme of dome Now god calleth ayen that ben tourned awaye fro hym forgyueth them ther synnes that tourne ayen to hym he is full pacyent abydeth of wretche that men sholde tourne them to hym and be saued And anone as synners tourne them ayen to god he forgyueth synnes that ben passed byheteth Ioyes to comyng Now god sâ—yreth monesteth them that ben slowe to good dedes he conforteth them that ben dyseased he techeth them that be studyouse helpeth them that fyght ayenst vyces He forsaketh no man ne woman that trauayleth to doo well yf they calle to hym He gyueth to vs that we sholde gyue ayen to hym to please hym whan we haue offended hym For we haue not gyuen hym ne wherwith to queme hym but that we take of hym The tyme of mercy is ful grete I praye you brethern al lete ye not this tyme passe you but take ye it whyle ye may After this tyme shall come tyme of dome whan men shall do harde penauÌ„ce without fruyte for it shall not helpe them Than synners that had theyr welth in this worlde shall syghe saye with grete sorowe Quid nobis profuit suâ—bia â— What hath prouffyted to vs pryde what hath now holpen vs our pompe our boost our rychesses All these ben passed awaye ryght as a shadowe These ben the wordes of saynt Austen Caplm .xv. THan they yâ— shal be dampned shall saye a sawe of sorowe yâ— neuer shall haue ende Defecit gaudiuÌ„ cordis nriÌ„ vsus eÌ„ in luciuÌ„ chorus nrÌ„ cecidit corona capit nriÌ„ ve nobis quia peccauimê° The Ioye of our herte is done past awaye to sorowe care is tourned our playe the garlonde of our hede is falle to grouÌ„de that euer we dyd synne wel awaye the stouÌ„de Trenorum iiij Therfore leue frende take we to vs the tyme of mercy amende we vs whyle we may for ellys we shall not whan we wolde And the lenger the god suffereth folke to regne in theyr synne the more pacyence that he hath with theym the harder he shal smyte them but they ameÌ„de them And therfore the dome of god is lykened to a bowe for the bowe is made of .ij. thynges of a wronge tree a ryght strynge Soo the dome of god is made of two maner folke Of them that ben wronge thorugh synne lyue wronfully do moche wronge and of them that be ryght ryghtfull in lyuynge The archer shetynge in this bowe is cryste And the more yâ— the bowe is drawe abacke the harder is smyteth whan the archer louseth So the lenger yâ— cryste abydeth soo draweth his dome abake the harder he shal smyte but folke amende them And as the archer in his shetynge taketh the wronge tree in his lyfte honde the ryght strynge in his ryght honde draweth them atwynne so cryste at the dome shall set the wronge lyuers on his left honde the ryghtfull lyuers on yâ— ryght honde set the arowe in his bowe that shal be the dredfull sentence of his dome drawe the rightful from the wronge the good froÌ„ the wycked whan he shall saye to the ryghtfull Come ye with me vp in to heuens blysse without ende to the wronge lyuers he shal saye go ye hens frome downe in to helle payne without ende Of this bowe the ê“phete sayth ArcuÌ„ suuÌ„ teteÌ„dit parauit illuÌ„ God hath bente his bowe made it redy he hath arrayed or made redy ther in tacle of deth hath made his arowes hote with brennynge thynges For they that ben brente with synne shall brenne with the fyre of helle without ende Of this bowe Dauyd also sayth Dedisti metuentibus te significacoÌ„em vt fugiâ—t a facie arcus Lord thou hast gyuen a tokenynge to them yâ— drede the to flee awaye from the face of the bowe Caplm .xvi. DIues What tokenes ben tho ¶ Pauê‘ Ther is dome in specyal dome in generall that shall be in the laste daye of this worlde Dome in specyall eche man hath anone as he dyed And therfore cryst sayth NuÌ„c iudiciuÌ„ eÌ„ muÌ„di Now is dome of the worlde for anone as thou art deed thou shalt be demed eyther to heuen or to helle or to purgatorye Of this dome speketh Salomon Memor esto iudicij mei Haue mynde of my dome for suche shall be thy dome yesterdaye it felle to me to morowe it shall falle to the. Byfore this dome go many tokenes of warnynge to synfull wretches as age sekenesse feblenesse dasewynge of syght blyndnesse deefnesse rymplynge or reuelynge of skynne fadynge of coloure faylynge of mynde losse of catel of frendes by deth other ¶ Diues Whan shall yâ— daye of generall dome faile ¶ Pauper Cryste sayth in the gospell ther is none angell ne saynt in heâ—en that wote whan it shal falle But sodaynly and vnwarly it shall falle and come as a theef as deth doth to many a man that wyll not beware by tokenes byfore No more shall than man blent with synne be ware of the laste dome ne of the fyrste yâ— shall be deth no more than the men wolde be ware by the prechynge of Noe to flee the flood that drenched all
englysshe a deuourer of the people and troubelour of the folke Interpretatâ— deuorans ppl'm et turbans gentem And therfore Balaam betokeneth false couetyse of this worlde whiche deuoureth yâ— poore people and troubled euery nacyon For nyghe all the debate in this worlde is for myne and thyne And therfore sayd a phylosopher Tolle duo verba meuÌ„ et tuum et totus mundus erit in pace Put out of this worlde two wordes myne and thyne and all the worlde shall be in peas Balaam fyrst in his prophecye worshypped goddes people and prophecyed to them moche prosperyte as he was coÌ„pelled by yâ— myght of god to saye But at the laste with his shrewde couÌ„seyll that he gaue to Balaac to haue his gyftes he desceyued goddes people brought theym to lecherye to ydolatrye and so to offende god wherfore foure and twenty thousande of goddes people were slayne and all the prynces of the people were hanged vpon gebettes ayenst the sonne at the byddynge of god Ryght so couetyse of this worlde fyrste putteth men in hope of grete prosperyte byheteth them welth worshyp See sayth couety s e suche a clerke is there yâ— may spende so moche by yere and yet he was but a poore maÌ„nes sone as thou art be of good herte for suche as he is thou myght be And soo couetyse putteth example of knyghtes of marchauntes of prelates of lordes and of ladyes Yf thou haue rychesse sayth couety s e thou may do moche almesse haue many preestes to praye for the out of purgatory But beware for by suche byhestes the fende worldely couety s e ben about to desceyue the and to brynge the in glotonye lecherye and ydolatrye as Balaam brought goddes people to shenshyp He wolde make the to truste more in thy good than in thy god For what thynge that man or woman loueth moost setteth his herte moost therin that is his god as saynt Ierom sayth Therfor saynt Poule sayth That auaryce is seruage of mawnetrye For golde is god to yâ— couetouse man to whom he doth moost worshyp whiche fals god is betokened by the ymage of golde yâ— was .xl. cubytes in hyght and .vi. in brede whiche the kyng Nabugodono sor reysed vp in the felde of Durayn and compelled all men to worshyp it And who so wolde not worshyp it he dyd put theym in an ouen ful of fyre in token yâ— who so worshypeth not in this worlde the false god of golde of false couetyse and gyueth no tale of this worlde and wyll not obeye to false couetyse to serue it with gyle falsehede periurye but lyue in treuth in charyte that man shal haue moche woo in this worlde And therfor saynt Poule sayth that they that wyll lyue mekely and goodly in cryste shall suffre moche trybulacyon in this worlde Therfor saynt Gregory sayth This worlde is a forneys and an ouen to trye in goddes childern by anguysshe and tryâ—ulacyon Beware of the byhestes of couetyse for fayre byhestes make sottes blythe He wyll so entryke the in dette in synne that it shal be full harde to the for to escape and so to brynge the to dye in dedly synne And yf thou dye in dedely synne all the golde vnder the cope of heuen though it were thyne ne all the preestes vnder sonne maye not helpe the. Therfor saynt Poule sayth Qui vo lunt diuites fieri inciduÌ„t in temptacoÌ„nes et in laqueuÌ„ dyaboli â— They yâ— coueyte to be ryche in this worlde fall in to harde temptacoÌ„ns and in to the fendes snare in to wycked desyres vnprouffytable full noyous whiche drenche men in to yâ— deth of helle brynge them to perdycoÌ„n For why fayth he Rote of all euyll is couetyse Prima ad Thi .vi. Caplm .vi. DIues I wene that all men myght be holpen with her ryche s ses after her deth ¶ Pauper It is not so But only they shall be holpen with theyr good after theyr deth that deserue it by theyr lyfe to be holpen with theyr rychesses after ther deth as they that doo almesse after theyr astate and spende well the goodes that god hath sente to theym and paye well theyr dettes and doo suche other good dedes and kepe wel theym from dedely synne to theyr lyues ende or namely than Thus sayth saynt Austen in glosa prima ad thessalo quarto suê‘ illud Nolumus vos ignorare de dormientibus And therfore beware and take hede to thre warnynges and tokenes that god gaue to Balaam to flee the swerde Fyrste his asse went out of his waye After that he hurte his fote and dyseased all his bodye At the laste he felle downe vnder hym and wolde no ferther bere hym By the asse I vnderstande welth of this worlde that standeth pryncypaly in rychesses in bodely helth whiche bereth a man vp in this worlde as the asse bare Balaam But beware for ryght as the asse is a full dulle beest whan a man hath moost nede and moost haste in his Iourney than he wyll not go but at his owne luste and so desceyueth his mayster Ryght so worldely welth desceyueth them that truste therin fayleth them at nede This asse of worldely welth fyrst goth out of the waye that is whan god sendeth a man aduersyte and his causes his trauayle goth not forth as he wolde ne as he wende they sholde do but whan he we neth to wynne he leseth spedeth not as he wende to spede And there he weneth to fynde frendes he fyndeth enemyes And in caas yf he wyll passe the see the wynde is ayenst hym dryueth hym out of his waye And yf he plete some slyght putteth hym out of his purpose that he wende to spede in a moneth he shall not spede in a yere and perauenture neuer brynge his cause in to the right waye there he wolde haue it Whan this asse gothe out of the waye take hede to thy waye and to thy purpose and yf thy waye and purpose be ayenst the pleasauÌ„ce of god as was the waye of Balaam than wende ayen and cesse of thyn euyll purpose And yf it de not ayenst the pleasaunce of god dyspose the to pacyence and thanke god of al and take hede what the angell sayd to Balaam But the asse sayd he ne hadde gone out of the waye I hadde slayne the. For but the welthe of the worlde wente some tyme oute of the waye by aduersyte and by sekenesse ellys it sholde be cause to moche folke of dethe bothe bodely and goostly For yf man hadde alwaye his welthe and his wyll in this worlde he sholde gyue noo tale of god ne of man The seconde token was that he hurte his fote and so dyseased his bodye that is whan god sendeth man sekenesse and casteth hym downe in his bedde and maketh hym so feble that his feet may not bere hym than take thou hede to thy waye and to thy lyfe yf it
honde tylle yâ— fynde hym to whome thou muste gyue Gyue thou to euery man yâ— axeth the but moche rather more gyue to goddes seruauÌ„tâ— to yâ— knyght of cryste though he axe not Hec augustinê° et ponit in glosa suê‘ illud pÌ„i Producens fenuÌ„ iumentis And therfore sayth the lawe that who so wyll not gyue almesse to men that folowe the lyfe of the apostles in pouerte to the poore prechoures for theyr nedefull vse he dampneth hymselfe .xvi. qÌ„ .i. aplicis For as the apostle sayth it is due dette to yâ— poore prechour of goddes worde to lyue by his prechynge Therfor RaymuÌ„dde hospitalitate ordinand sayth that some axe almesse of dette some only for nede to susteyne the bodye They that axe almesse of dette eyther they be knowen for suche or not knowen for suche Yf they be knowen for suche they muste nedes be holpen Yf they be not knowen they shall be examyned wysely whether it be as they saye For it were grete peryll to lette them yf it be so For in that they gyue goostely thynges bodely thynges be due dett to them as saynt Poul sayth and the lawe .xlij. dist quiescamus And yf they axe only for sustenaunce of the bodye eyther thou myght gyue all for stede tyme eyther thou myght not gyue all Yf thou mayst gyue all thou owest to gyue all after the nede that they pretende after theyr astate well ruled Take exsample of Abraham and Loth whiche resceyued folke Indyfferently to hospytalyte so they resceyued angels And yf they had put some awaye peraduenture they sholde haue put awaye angeles for men As sayth Crysostom suê‘ eplam ad Hebre. Therfore he sayth that god shal not yelde the thy mede for the good lyfe of them whiche thou resceyuest but for thy good wyll for the worshyp yâ— thou dost to them for goddes sake for thy mercy thy goodnesse And therfore the lawe sayth that men ought to gyue theyr almesse to cursed folke to synfull folke be they neuer so wycked .xi. qÌ„ .iij. qmÌ„ multos et di lxxxvi pasce â— noÌ„ satis in fine But they do the worse for that they ben syker of theyr lyuelode For as saynt Austen sayth yf the synner do yâ— worse for mennes almesse it is better to withdrawe it from him than to gyue it hym .v. qÌ„ .v. noÌ„â—nis Nathelesse yf he be in vtter nede he muste be holpen di lxxxvi pasce Caplm .xvi. ANd in case whan thou mygh not helpe all thou muste take hede to ten thynges To fayth cause place tyme maner nede nyghenesse of bloode of affynyte age feblenesse nobley Fyr c take hede to fayth for in caas thou shalt put a crysten man byfore an hethen man Also take hede to the cause of his nede whether he is come to nede for goddes cause or by cause of synne Take hede also to yâ— place as whan yâ— ryght full man is tourmented in pryson for dette helpe hym yf thou may For sythen we be bouÌ„de to helpe all yf we may moche more we be bouÌ„den to helpe the ryghtfull man woman Also take hede to the tyme for yf he gete no thynge of the in tyme of his trybulacyon in tyme of peryll whan he is led to his deth vnryghtfully but thou settest more by thy moneye than thou doost by his lyfe it is no lyght synne Also take hede to the maner of gyuynge that thou gyue soo one daye that thou may gyue an other daye so to one that thou may gyue to an other but thou wylt forsake the worlde all at ones for goddes sake for perfeccoÌ„n Also take hede to nede gyue them after that they haue nede Also take hede to nyghenesse of bloode and of affynyte for by waye of kynde they muste be holpen rather than straungers yf the nede of both be euen Also take hede to age for olde folke muste be put byfore yonge folke Also take hede to the feblenesse for blynde lame other feble folke must be holpen rather than hole folke in euen nede Also take hede to the nobley of the persone namely to them that with out synne ben fallen to pouerte myscheef for comonly suche ben shamefaste to axe dist .lxxxvi. Non latis Et eadem dicit Ambro .li. de officijs Vnde vsus Causa fidem tempus sanguis locus ac modus etas Debilis ingenius vericuÌ„dus factus egenus Hijs bona ê‘sonis prudens erogare teneris And saynt Austen accordeth therto in de doctrina xpiana li. i. ca .x. ¶ Diues I suppose that I mette with two poore men strauÌ„gers alyke nedy both they axe I haue nought yâ— I may gyue but only to the one of them ¶ Pauê‘ Saynt Austen in the same place byddeth yâ— thou sholdest than gyue it by lot ¶ Diues I assent saye forth what thou wylt ¶ Pauper Also in thy gyuynge thou muste take hede to the holynesse to the profytablenesse the nyghenes of the persone yâ— nedeth helpe For to the holyer man to hym yâ— is or hath ben more profytable to the comonte yf he nede thou shalt gyue rather better than to a persone nyghe of kynne or of affynyte not so holy ne so profytable but thou haue the more specyall cure of hym but he be in the greter nede Also to them yâ— be poore for crystus sake to the poore prechours that preche pryncypally for the worshyp of god helpe of mannes soule puttynge awaye all spyces of false couetyse thou shalt gyue them that is nedefull to them after yâ— tyme after thy power as to dyscyples of cryste But to other poore folke yâ— ben poore ayenst theyr wyll whiche the worlde hath forsaken not they the worlde it suffyseth to gyue of thy relyf honeste holsome for it is synne to gyue deyntees to suche poore comon beggers whan they ben not conuenyent to them As the lawe sayth di .xxv. vuuÌ„ S. multi et di .xli. Non cogant Of other poore men speketh saynt Austen in a sermone of clerkes lyfe sayth thus Yf the riche man haue but one childe we ne he yâ— cryste be his other childe yf he haue two childern wene he that cryst be yâ— thyrde Yf he haue ten make cryste the enleuenth that is to saye gyue he to cryste yâ— he sholde spende on the enleuenth .xiiij. qÌ„ .ij. si â—s trascit And thus leue frende ye may see that riche men whiche be goddes reues goddes bayles owe to ordeyne for them that ben poore for goddes loue wylfully haue forsaken the worlde for his sake that they haue no nede But to comon beggers to nedy folke whiche the worlde hath forsaken it suffyseth so to helpe them to gyue them yâ— they perysshe not Also leue freÌ„de as saynt Austen sayth in the boke of the Cyte of god li .xxi. ca .xxvi. They that wyl not amende ther lyf
eye of worldely good than to couetyse of the flesshe for in olde folke whan al other temptacyons cesse than is temptacyon of couetyse of the eye of worldely good moost brennynge For ryght as theyr bodye by age nygheth to the erth soo theyr herte clyueth than moost to erthely thynges And therfore in the begynnynge of theyr pylgrymage in desert as to begynnynge folke god forbadde them fyrste pryncypaly couetyse of the eye in the ende of theyr pylgrymage as to folke nyghe theyr ende he forbydeth them pryncypally laste and moost openly without oft rehersynge couetyse of the eye For comonly the more that men nygh ther ende the more couetouse they ben Caplm .iij. DIues Thy reasons be good saye forth what thou wylte ¶ Pauper God in the sixth byheste forbydeth the dede of lechery of spousebreche in this byheste he forbydeth the wyll the consent of herte to lecherye to sponsebreche For as the dede of leshery is dedely synne so is the foule consent the desyre of herte dedely synne For as cryste sayth in the gospell Mathei .v. He that seeth a woman coueyteth her by desyre to do lecherye with her he hath do lecherye in his herte though he do it not in dede And therfore eche man sholde take hede besely what thoughtes entre in to his herte and yf ony thoughtes ben about to drawe the reson of his soule to consente to synne anone putte he awaye tho thoughtes myghtely let hyÌ„ thynke on the bytter paynes that cryste suffered in his syde hondes feet soo tourne his mysluste in to deuocoÌ„n of crystus passyon quenche the brennyng thoughtes of lechery with the blood the water that ranne out of crystus syde whan his herte was clouen a two with that sharpe spere thynke on that endeles loue that cryste shewed than to hym to all mankynde And so to torne his foule stynkynge loue that he begynneth to fall in shame shenshyp in to the swete clene loue of IhuÌ„ full of Ioye worship The mayster of kynde telled li .xij. that ther is a byrde in Egypt that is called a pellycane of al foules he is moost chere ouer his byrdes moost loueth them Ther is a grete enmyte bytwene him the adder wherfor the adder wayteth whan the pellycane is out of his neste to seke mete for him for his byrdes than he goth in to the neste of the pellycane styngeth his byrdes enuenemeth them sleeth them whan the pellycane cometh ayen fyndeth his byrdes thus slayn he maketh moche sorowe and mone by waye of kynde thre dayes thre nyght he morneth for deth of his byrdes And at the thyrde dayes ende he setteth hym ayen ouer his byrdes and with his bylle he smyteth hymselfe in the syde letteth his blood falle downe on the byrdes And anone as yâ— blode toucheth his byrdes anon by waye of kynde by vertue of the blood they quycken ayen rysen from deth to lyfe By this pellycane that loueth so well his byrdes is vnderstande cryste Ihesu goddes sone yâ— loueth mannes soule womans more than euer dyd yâ— pellycane his byrdes And he sayth hymselfe Similis factus suÌ„ pellicano solitudinis I am made lyke to yâ— pellycane of deserte By the byrdes I vnde Adam Eue all mankynde By the nest I vnderstande yâ— blysse of paradyse For right as byrdes be brought forth in yâ— nest so mankynde had his begynnynge was brought forth in paradyse By yâ— adder I vnderstande the fende whiche appered in yâ— lyknes of an adder to Eue stange her full euyl Adam also with his wycked fondynge slewe them both bodye soule And not only he slewe them but also he slewe al mankynde in them For yf Adam had not synned we sholde neuer haue dyed ne haue wyst of woo wherfore this pellycane Ihesu cryste seynge yâ— myscheef yâ— mankynde was fall in by gyle of yâ— fende he had ruth on mankynde for grete loue that he had to maÌ„kynde as sayÌ„t Poul sayth he auentysshed hyÌ„selfe toke flesshe blood of yâ— mayden Mary bycam man in yâ— lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t in our manhede in our kynde suffered to be taken be bouÌ„de beten forspyted dispysed byscorged at the pyler be crowned with thornes be nayled to the tree hondes feet and hanged on the crosse as a theef amonges theues be stonge to the herte with the sharpe spere so dyed bytter deth all for our gylt not for his gylt for he dyd neuer amys in worde ne in dede as saynt Peter sayth in his pystle And thus for our loue that ben to hym ful vnkynde he shed his precyous blood out of euery parte of his blysfull bodye born of the mayden And his Inner hert blood he shed so to wasshe vs fro our synnes to reyse vs fro yâ— deth of synne into yâ— lyfe of grace after fro bodely deth into yâ— lyf of endles blysse Therfore saynt Iohn sayth Dilexit nos lauit nos a pccis nâ—Ì„is i sanguie suo Apoc. i. He loued vs so moche that he wasshed vs froÌ„ our synnes with his precyous blood Loue droue hym downe fro heuen into erth loue led hyÌ„ into yâ— maydens bosom brought hym into this wycked worlde Loue bouÌ„de hyÌ„ in cradel wonde hyÌ„ in cloutes ful poore layd hyÌ„ in an oxe stalle Loue helde hyÌ„ here in sorowe care honger thryst moche trauayl .xxxij. yere more At yâ— last loue toke hyÌ„ bouÌ„de hyÌ„ set hyÌ„ at yâ— barre byfore yâ— synful Iustyce Ponce Pylate Loue layd him on the crosse nayled hyÌ„ to yâ— tree Loue led hyÌ„ to his deth cleef his hert a two And for whose loue leue frende Forsoth for loue of you of me of other synful wretches that neuer dyd hyÌ„ good but offended hym nyght day ben to hym ful vnkynde Therfor he may well saye the wordes that Salomon sayd Fortis eÌ„ vt mors dilectio Canâ— .viij. Loue is stronge as deth ye forsoth moche strenger than deth For loue led his lyfe to his deth he that neuer myght dye by waye of kynde loue made hym dye for mankynde And so sayth Salomon there Brondes of his loue ben brondes of fyre of flammes both For the loue that he shewed to mankynde and also for the loue that we ought to shewe to him For ryght as the hete of the sonne with his lyght whan he shyneth in the fyre in the house wasteth the fyre quencheth it so the loue of god and the endelesse charyte of his passyon yf it shone in maÌ„nes soule with his hete it sholde quenche waste the brondes and the fyre of lecherye brennynge in mannes soule by foule luste and wycked desyre And therfore he sayth to euery crysten soule â—one me vt signaculuÌ„ suê‘ cor tuuÌ„