be buryed in crysten buryelles Also in token that he shall quycken ayen ryse vp from deth to lyfe atte daye of dome go vp to heuen for his charyte whiche he had by his lyfe as the encense styed vp by the hete of the fyre And for the same cause is the graue encensed in token that he shall awake ryse from deth to lyfe Also the bodye the graue ben encensed in token that it is pleasaūt to god that holy chirche prayed for hym But this maner of encensynge done to the clergye to the people to the deed bodyes to the graue sholde be done with encense not halowed ne blyssed for it is none offrynge And as touchynge encensynge done in the presence of ymages as it semeth to me it is not done proprely to the ymages but byfore the ymages in dyuerse sygnyfycacyons or tokenynges For whan encensyng is done byfore a paynted ymage that representeth Cryste whiche is very god man It semeth to me y◠the encensynge sygnefyed that all deuocōn charytable prayer whiche is bitokened by encense sholde pryncypally stye vp to god whan encensyng is done byfore ony ymage of our lady or of other sayntes it may sygnefye that the prayers of sayntes whiche praye for vs wretches in erthe stye vp by theyr grete charyte vnto the mayeste of god ¶ Diues Syth encensyng is not done to the people by waye of worshyppyng why encense they fyrste the soueraynes more thanne the subgettes ¶ Pauper For in all thyng muste be kepte ordre in doynge And also in token that as they ben pryncypal in state dygnyte so sholde they be pryncypall in deuocyon charyte and gyue other good ensample Caplm .xvi. DIues Why worshyp we god and praye to hym more in the eest than in to the weste southe and northe ¶ Pauper Eest and Weste Southe and Northe and ouer all it is lewfull and medefull to worshyp god as hym that is ouer all lorde of all thynge But for to drawe crysten people to one maner doyng to flee dyfformyte Therfor holy chirche hath ordeyned that men sholde in chirche other places yf it may be well-done worshyp god praye hym prayse hym in the Eest as the lawe sheweth well Distinct xi ecclesiasticarum And that for dyuerse causes Fyrst for Cryste deyed vpon the crosse in to the weste therfor in our prayer we sholde tourne vs in to the eest to see how Cryste for vs henge vpon y◠tree for to haue an eye to his passyon worshyp hym that deyed for vs all vpon the tree Also to lette the people to sue the Iewes in maner of worshyppyng For atte goddes ordenaūce they worshyped westwarde in token that theyr lawe theyr maner worshyppynge in theyr cerymonyes sholde soone passe and go downe make an ende as the daye endeth passeth awaye in to the weste And also in token that for ony worshypp or praysynge or for prayer that they dyde yet they sholde go downe to helle tyll the newe lawe came whan Cryste deyed for vs alle And for the same reason Cryst deyed westwarde and in his deyeng sayd Consūmatum est That is to saye It is ended For in his deth the olde testamente ended wente downe as the sonne and the daye gooth downe in the weste And therfore we crysten people worshyp in to the eest by techyng of the holy ghoost in token that our lawe shall sprynge and sprede as the daye comynge as the sonne ryseth spryngeth out of the cest and as all the sterres ben moost bryghtest in the eest and whan they go in to the weste all they begynne to waxe dymme derke so was the olde lawe full dym me and full derke But the newe lawe is open bryght and clere Also we worshyp Cryste moost in the eest for he was moost despysed in the Eest whan he on a good frydaye henge on the crosse tourned in to y◠weste whan the Iewes stode byfore hym passed byfore hym with many scornes despytouse wordes with mowes many a Iape they sayd Vach q ◠destruis templum dei Tprut for the that destroyed goddes Temple And for he was moost despysed in the eest of the Iewes and hethen people Therfore crysten people worshyppe hym moost agayne in to the eest And for he was moost despysed for vs on y◠good frydaye therfore we worshyp hȳ moost on the good frydaye And in this maner as moche as we may we tourne all his despyte in to worshyp of hym Also we worshyp god in y◠eest in tokē that righ as the sonne ryseth vp in y◠eest so we byleue that Cryst rose vp from deth to lyfe and in that we worshyp hym as hym that rose from deth to lyfe shall lyue without ende Also in token that we longe to come ayen to the blysse of paradyse that we loste in the eest praye god that we may with his mercy come ayen therto ¶ Diues These reasons ben good But why were than the .xxv. men blamed of god for they worshyped eestwarde at the rysyng of the sonne as we fynde Ezechiel .viij. ¶ Pauper Not for that they worshypped god eestwarde For Danyell many other worshypped god eestwarde west south north as he is worthy for to be worshyped ouer all A solis ortu vsque ad occasum laudabile nomē dn̄i From the sonne vp rysyng vnto the goyng downe goddes name is praysable worshyfull But they were blamed for they worshypped the sonne in his rysyng dyde dyuyne worshyppe therto in despyte of goddes Temple of goddes lawe as many fooles yet do now a dayes worshyppynge the sonne in his rysynge y◠newe mone in his fyrst shewyng ¶ Diues They worshyp hym that made the sonne the mone ¶ Pauper Yf they do so they do well but I drede they do not all so And as sayth a grete clerke Leo the pope in a sermon for asmoche as it hath a lykenesse of ydolatrye custome of hethen people men sholde absteyne theym therfro For the people is ful moche enclyned to folye to ydolatrye Caplm .xvij. DIues That is soth For these dayes men doo worshyp to the sonne mone sterres y◠for to worshyp the sterres the planetes the crafte of astronomye they wyll putte out god of his maysterye out of his kyngdom his lordshyp and out of his fredom make hym more boūde to sterres than euer was ony kynge or ony lorde or ony man vpon erthe They wyll be of goddes pryue coūseyll wyll god or not and rule his domes his dedes his werkes all by theyr wyttes by the course of the planetes in somoche that as they saye ther shall no man ne woman be hole ne seke foule ne fayre riche ne poore wyse ne foole good ne wycked but by the werkyng of the bodyes aboue by theyr wyttes soo that they can telle it afore Ther shall falle no
longe yâ— people is able to kepe that londe y i god hath gyuen theym to lyue good lyfe But whan they wyll rebelle ayenst theyr souerayns wyll not stande to theyr ordynauÌ„ce but euery man wyll be his owne man folowe his owne fantasyes despyse his souerayns ther dome gouernauÌ„ce ne gyue no tale of goddes lawe ne of londes lawe ne of holy chirche lawe ne haue men of dtue of dygnyte in worshyp but for pryde haue them in despyte be besy to worshyp themself in hynderyng of other that people is able to the swerde able to lese his londe For as ye see at the eye in tyme of tempest though the bowes of the tree bete themself to gydre all to breste fall downe as longe as yâ— rote of the tree kepeth him fast in his place ryseth not so longe yâ— tree shal not fall But whan yâ— rote begyn to ryse out of his place anone yâ— tree begyn to fall Ryght thus it fareth by yâ— people of a londe Though tempest of pryde of couetyse of enuye of lechery faâ— soÌ„tyme in yâ— croppe of yâ— treâ— that is to say amonge lordes souerayns grete men yf yâ— poore people that is rote of yâ— tree of all yâ— comonte kepe them styl in lownes do mekely ther dute to god kepynge his coÌ„mauÌ„dement yâ— good preceptis of ther souerayns so longe is hope that the people shal fare well after that tempest not be destroyed but yf they ryse ayenst god by customable dedly synnes ayenst ther worldely souerayns wyll entecmete them of euery cause of that londe of holy chirche termine euery cause by ther wytt bodye crop of yâ— tree shal falle For it is not possyble that the rote sholde be so hyghe as the crop of the tre but yâ— tre fell Ne that the fote sholde be aboue yâ— hede but the body felle ¶ Diues This is full soth we see it at yâ— eye for pryde rebellyon of yâ— poore peple is cause of destruccoÌ„n of this londe For sythen they aresen ayenst ther souerayns was ther neuer stabylyte in this loÌ„de but alwaye syth yâ— tre of yâ— peple of this loÌ„de yâ— realme hath stande in fallynge ¶ Pauper VnbuxuÌ„nesse pryde was pryncypal cause of lesynge of londes of realmes And pryncypally the cause of saluacyon of realmes londes comontees is obedyence buxumnesse that eche man in his degree obeye to his souerayn worshyp hym as fader And therfore leue frende I praye you for goddes sake that ye worshyp all your faders moders in theyr degre as I haue sayd And haue ye olde folk feble in worshyp whyle ye be in yonge age worshyp ye the age that ye drawe to haue no scorne of the olde folke for feblenes vnclennes that ye see them in But thynke ye that suche ye shall be yf ye abyde theyr age feble vnourne loth to the syght For suche as ye be now suche were they somtyme It fareth by age of man woman as it doth by a precyous stone that is called crysolitus This stone as the mayster sayth of kyndes in the begynnynge of the daye it shyneth bryght as ony golde but as the daye passeth so passeth his bryghtnesse the nerer euen the more it fadeth so yâ— by euen it is lyke a clot of erth Thus fareth by man woman in this worlde For in theyr youth in theyr begynnyng they be fayre rede rody and fresshe as a rose in May full lusty to the eye But as youth passeth so passeth ther beaute And as they olde so they fade tyll at the laste the daye of theyr lyfe cometh to an ende and than be they but a clot of erth full vnourne gastely to the syght ¶ Here endeth the fourth coÌ„maundement And begynneth the fyfthe Capitulum Pr m si DIues As me thynketh thou hast enformed me well in these tour coÌ„maundementes Now I praye the for charyte that thou wylt enforme me in yâ— fyfth ¶ Pauper The fyfth coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this Non occides That is to saye thou shalt not slee In whiche coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t god forbedeth vs all maner manslaught vnleful both bedely goostly He byddeth vs that we slee no man ne woman vnryghtfully ayenst yâ— lawe neyther with herte consentyng to his deth ne by wrath hate For as saynt Iohn sayth Qui odit freÌ„m suuÌ„ homicidia eÌ„ He that hateth his brother is a man sleer for of wrath hate cometh maÌ„slaughter Also by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement he forbydeth betyng fyghtyng maynyng prysonyng banysshyng outlawynge For these suche other be a maner of deth dyspose to deth warde therfor it sholde not be do to man ne womaÌ„ without grete gylt Also he forbedeth yâ— we sle no man ne woman with our tonge hym hynderyng procurynge his deth ne fauour gyuynge ne false wytnesse berynge ne lesynges makynge ne by dyffamynge ne bacbytynge For bacbyters and wycked spekers be manquellers And therfore sayth Salomon That moche folke hath falle by the sworde but not so many as haue be slayne by the tonge Eccl .xxviij And therfore he sayth Prouer. xviij That lyfe and deth be in the handes of the tonge That is to saye in the myght of the tonge For by handes in holy wryt is vnderstande myght power And therfore Dauyd sayth Lingua eorum gladiê° acutus The tonge of yâ— Iewes of other wycked spekers is a sharpe sworde For yâ— Iewes slowe cryste with ther tonges not with ther hondes For they procured his dethe by false wytnesse by excytynge of the people But paynyms slowe hym with theyr hondes dyde hym on the crosse And yet as saynt Austen sayth The Iewes were more gylty of crystus deth than Pylate that dampned hym to the deth or the knyghtes that dyde hym on the crosse For with her tonges the Iewes sloâ—e hym and were cause of his deth And therfore sayth the lawe that he that sleeth his brother with his honde he that hateth his brother he that bacbyteth his brother all thâ—e be mansleers Depe di.i. homicidiarum The bacbyter sleeth thre attones he sleeth hym self by his owne malyce hym that hereth hym hym that hath lykynge in his false tales hym that he bacbyteth For he maketh hym to lese his good name peraduenture his lyfe He maketh hym also to lese charyte whan he knoweth his wycked speche that he hath sayd behynde hyÌ„ so bylesyng of charyte he leseth god that is his lyfe of his soule And therfor the wyse man lykeneth the bacbyter to the adder that byteth styngeth in stylnesse Eccl .x. A shrewed adder is the bacbyter that sleeth thre with one breth Therfore Salomon sayth Ktepe ye you from bacbytynge of yâ— parted tonge For a wycked worde sayd in preuy shal not passe in vayne and without woo For the moneye sayth he that lyet
dyd For it was the lawe that who so spake euyll of god or of the kyng or cursed them he sholde be slayne Whan Iesabell had tydynges that Naboth was slayne she came to the kynge badde hym ryse vp and be mery take the vyneyerde to hym for Naboth was deed And anone the kyng rose went in to the vyneyerde toke it to hym Than at that byddynge of god Ely the prophete met with hym sayd to hym in goddes name Thou hast slayne thou hast that thou coueytest but I telle the it forsoth in the same place there that houÌ„des haue lycked vp the blood of Naboth houÌ„des shall lycke vp thy blood houÌ„des shall ete thy wyfe Iesabell and houÌ„des and bryddes shall ete thy bodye and god shall destroye thyne housholde and slee all thy kynrede and thyn alyaunce and soone after it fell so And thus of false couetyse came periurye false wytnesse murder manslaughter and destruccyon of the kyngdom We rede also in the passyon of saynt Beatryce that there was a false couetouse man whos name was Lucres And he coueyted moche yâ— place of saynt Beatryce And for couetyse to haue yâ— place he accused her to an hethen Iuge that she was a crysten woman And soo by his accusacoÌ„n she was slayne For she wolde not forsake cryste ne crystes lawe Whan she was thus deed Lucres entred in to her place to haue it in possessyon And for Ioye of the place he made therin a grete feest to his frendes And whan he was moost mery Ioconde in the myddes of the feste a yonge soukynge childe that was there in his moders arme sayd all alowde that all men myght here it Audilu â—eci Here now Lucres Thou hast sâ—â—ne thou haste entred falsely in to this place and haste it at thy wyll But now thou art gyuen in to the myght in to possessyon of thy moost m 〈◊〉 And anone in tyme of the feest â—â—fore all his frendes and his gestâ—â—â—â— fende entred within hym thre houres togydre so fortrauayled hym soo rent hym byfore them all tyll he slewe hym for his false couety s e bare his soule to helle Here thou myght see what peryll it is to purchace ony thynge amys by false couetyse And therfor yf thou haue purchaced ony thynge falsely or yf thou occupye ony thynge mys purchaced loke that thou make restytucoÌ„n for saluacyon of thy selfe and of thyne heres For it is a comon prouerbe De male quesitis vix gaudet tercius heres Of euyl goten good the thyrde heyre vnneth hath Ioye Caplm .iij. DIues Yf I hadde ought purchaced a mys my selfe I holde me bounden to restytucyon but of my former faders purchace haue I nought to doo whether it were ryghtfull or not ryghtfull But that they lefte to me I wyll kepe it as the good man Naboth dyde of whom thou spake full late ¶ ê“auper Naboth wolde haue kepte uylle his faders herytage that longeth to hym by ryght and by dyscente of herytage But yf thou kepe ony thynge wyttyngly that thy former faders purcha s ed falsely in that yâ— kepest not thy faders herytage as Naboth dyde but thou kepest other mennes herytage to whiche neyther yâ— ne thy fader had ryght And therfore but thou make restytucyon thou shalt rewe it and all thyne heyres as Achab dyd and his heyres whiche loste not onely yâ— they had mysgoten of Naboth by murder by gyle but therto they loste theyr lyfe theyr worshyp and theyr herytage for euer I rede that ther was a grete man whiche dyd moche almesse for his almesse god wolde haue hyÌ„ saued It byfell in an euenynge he romed allone vnder his wood syde by his place ther cam an angel in a maÌ„nes lykenesse bad hym go with hym Sodaynly they were togydre in a depe valey in the myddes of the valey was a depe pytt ful of fyre smoderynge medled with pytche brymstone full foule stynkynge Than the angell badde this man loke in to this pytt He loked downe there he sawe thre galowes standynge in the fyre On the ferthest henge a man by the tonge on the seconde henge a man by the hondes but on the thyrde henge no man Than the angell axed hym what he sawe and he tolde hym all the soth Than sayd the angell He yâ— hangeth by the tonge yâ— is thy faders fader whiche purchased the place that thou dwellest in by gyle of his tonge by false othes by lesynges by periurye by false wytnesses and dyd many a men forswere them and therfore is he pryncypally punysshed in his tonge and hangeth by his tonge in this horryble fyre and shall doo without ende for he wolde not make restytucyon He that hangeth on the seconde galowes by the hondes is thy fader whiche kepte stylle by myghty honde that his fader amys purchased and wolde not make restytucyon The thyrde galowe in whiche hangeth no man ben ordeyned for the but yf thou amende the and make restytucyon Anone the aungell passeth awaye from hym and he was delyuered ayen vnder his wood syde The next daye after he sente after the heyres of the place and made restytucyon His wyfe and his childern were full sory and sayd vnto hym Allas allas now ben we all beggers Than he answered and sayd Leuer I haue that we begge in this worlde than for to brynge you all and me in to that endelesse payne that I sawe And better it is to vs for to lese a place in erthe to whiche we haue no ryght than to lese our place in heuen blysse without ende ¶ Diues I assente well to thy speche saye forth what thou wylt Caplm .iiij. PAuper Many harde vengeauÌ„ces haue fallen for false couety s e. Giezi was smyten with foule myselrye For couetyse made hym to selle the helthe of Naman whiche helthe came only by the grace of god .iiij. ReguÌ„ .v. For couetyse Iudas solde Cryste goddes sone for thrytty pens and betrayed hym and after he went henge hymselfe tylle his bely brast And there his bely brast there the deuyll that was in hym flewe out and bare his soule with hym to helle ¶ Diues Why went not the fende out of his mouth ¶ Pauper For his mouth hadde touched crystes mouth whan he kyssed cryste in gyle and sayd Hayle mayster ¶ Diues Thy reason is good saye forth what thou wylt ¶ Pauper Also for couetyse Ananya dnd Saphyra his wyfe dyed sodayne deth despytouse deth for they lyed to yâ— holy goost forsoke theyr moneye to saynt Peter For couetyse Nachor was stoned to deth for he stalle golde clothe ayenst goddes forbode Iosue .vij. We fynde in the lyfe of saynt Barlaam that on a tyme an archor toke an nyghtyngale wolde haue slayne it God gaue speche to the nyghtyngale whiche sayd to the archer what shall it profyte to the to slee me Thou mayst not fylle thy wombe with me I
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
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
the .vij. daye be halowed ¶ Pauper Ther ben as clerkes tallen .vi. causes Fyrste for that god the .vij. daye rested that is to saye he cessed fro creacyon of newe creatures Also in tokenynge that god in the .vij. daye delyuered yâ— childern of Israell from the harde seruage of Egypte ledde them thrugh the rede see drye fote in to the reste of the londe of byheste As we rede in holy wryte Deut .v. Whiche delyuerauÌ„ce was a token that mankynde sholde thrughe Crystus passyon by his blood that he shedde vpon the rode be delyuered out of the fendes seruage and come to the endelesse reste of the londe of lyfe The .iij. cause is that men sholde the daye pryncypally gyue them to holy medytacyon to thanke god of all his gyftes and his benefyces and to lerne goddes lawe to prayse god The .iiij. cause was for to be a token that Cryste the .vij. daye sholde reste in his graue after that he had trauayled .vi. dayes to refourme ayen mankynde that was lorne thrughe Adams synne The .v. cause was to be a token yâ— we must al cesse from vyces the .vij. dedely synnes yf we wyl be saued As the ê“phete sayth Quiescite agere peruerse discite bene agere Ysaye .i. Reste ye to do amys lerne ye to do well The .vi. cause is to be a token of the endelesse reste that we shall haue from synne payne in the blysse of heuen for the good werkes that we doo in the .vi. dayes of our lyfe that is to saye al the dayes of our lyf the .vi. age of our lyfe for fulfyl lynge the .vi. dedes of mercy whiche Cryste nameth in the gospell For as we rede in the apocalyps .xiiij. The holy ghoost to whom this coÌ„mauÌ„dement is applyed sayth that men after this lyf sholde rest fro theyr traueyles for theyr good werkes folowe them Caplm .ij. DIues Sythen that god badde that the .vij. daye sholde be halowed why kepe we the viij daye than that is the sondaye and not the .vij. daye ¶ Pauper God in the olde lawe gaaf thre maner of coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For some were cerymonyall some Iudycyall some morall The cerymonyalles were but fygures shadowes of thynges that were to come And therfore whan tho thynges were fulfylled that the cerymonyalles betokened the cerymonyales cessed vanysshed awaye as the shadowe vanysshed awaye by lyght of the sonne Iudycyall coÌ„mauÌ„dementes were in punysshynge of synne and Iustyfyeng of whiche some cessed some dwelle yet stylle But morall coÌ„mauÌ„dementes techeth vs to loue our god our euen crysten to flee synne to loue vertues tho laste alwaye as the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes suche other And for asmoche as this coÌ„maundement is cerymonyal in parte as anentes the tyme in parte it is moral in asmoche as it techeth vs to worshyp our god to reste from vyces Therfore in as moche as it is morall it is kept but in yâ— yâ— it is cerymonynal it is chauÌ„ged in to sondaye as for the better for that yâ— it fygured betokened is fulfylled That was the reste of Cryste in the sepulcre in the .vij. daye after the grete trauayll that he had .vi. dayes byfore in reformacyon and redempcyon of mankynde Also we be all bouÌ„den to worshyp god now in the newe lawe but not in that maner ne in that tyme that they were bouÌ„den in the olde lawe ¶ Diues Why is it more chaunged in the sondaye than in to an other daye ¶ Pauper For the grete benefyces and the grete worshypfull wondres that god shewed that daye to mankynde For on the sondaye the worlde began and lyght angellys kynde was made That daye god sente downe maÌ„na that is angellys mete to the childern of Israell in deserte fedde them also .xl. yere That daye god gaaf Moyses the lawe in the mouÌ„t Synay That daye Cryste was borne of the mayden Mary to saue maÌ„kynde That daye Cryst rose from deth to lyfe gyuyng vs example hope to ryse from deth to lyf That daye the holy goost lyghted in Crystus apostles and his dyscyples That daye god shall come to dome as sayth a grete clerke dockynge suê‘ Deutro â— And also that daye was the fyrste daye shal be the laste daye that neuer shall haue ende But it shall be a daye of endelesse blysse to theym that shall be saued For right as Cryste rose vp from deth to lyfe on the sondaye neuer deyed afterward ne neuer shal deye So shal we all in the laste sondaye yâ— shal be yâ— laste day ryse vp from deth to lyf neuer deye after but lyue in blysse without ende yf we make here a good ende This daye is soo worshypfull yâ— no bysshop may be sacred but on the sondaye as RaymuÌ„de sayth li.i.ti. de ferijs And right as yâ— satyrdaye was halowed in the olde lawe for the reste yâ— god made in the satyrdaye after yâ— creacoÌ„n the werkes that he made in the fyrste vi dayes so holy chirche thrugh techynge of the holy ghoost hath ordeyned the sondaye to be halowed for the reste that mankynde shal take after the .vi. ages of this worlde on yâ— sondaye whiche reste sabbot shall neuer haue ende Theyr sabbot that was on the satyrdaye tourneth alwaye ayen to trauayll but our sabbot yâ— is in the sondaye atte laste shal tourne in to endelesse reste Ioye blysse Sabbot in hebrewe is reste in englysshe And euery daye in the weke is called sabbot ferir yâ— is reste in englysshe For euery daye we be bouÌ„de to ferie to rest froÌ„ synne Also all the weke is called sabbot as there Ieâ—unio bis in sabbato And Math vlti â— The sondaye is called the fyrste daye of the sabbottes as there Vna sabbatorum and Math vlti â— it is sayd Prima sabbati For it is fyrste not oonly in ordre of dayes but it is also fyrste in dygnyte For yâ— sabbot the reste in the solempnyte of the satyrdaye of the olde lawe is now chauÌ„ged in to yâ— sondaye for synne of yâ— Iewes whiche slewe Cryste on good frydaye so put our lady saynt Mary all holy chirche in sorowe care grete trauayll both frydaye satyrdaye whyle Cryste laye in his graue But for asmoche as he rose froÌ„ deth to lyf on the sondaye apperyd to his mod to his dyscyples .vij. tymes yâ— daye soo on the sondaye began the fyrste Ioye blysse reste of the newe lawe Therfore by goddes rightfull dome the Iewes sabbot on the satyrdaye torned them to sorowe care and moche trauayll our sondaye torned vs in to grete reste and Ioye blysse And as the satyrdaye was halowed by the olde lawe for god grauÌ„ted that daye fyrste reste to all mankynde after his dampnacyon to perpetuell trauayll for Adams synne So is now the sondaye halowed for than Cryste grauÌ„ted fyrste reste Ioye blysse to mankynde in the newe lawe
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
passe awaye as yâ— floure of the grasse and of the heye For whan the sonne shyneth hote on the heye it welketh dryeth his floure fadeth his beaute passeth Ryght so sayth he the ryche man welketh fadeth in his wayes yâ— is to saye in his lyuynge Iacobi .i. Also worldely welth is lykened to yâ— shadowe alwaye passyng For all our lyuynge in this worlde is but a passynge a wantynge of lyght of heuen blysse In the myddes of the daye whan the sonne is hyghest than is yâ— shadowe shortest Ryght so whan a man weneth to be but in the myddes of his lyfe is hyghest in welthe in his pryde than is his lyf shortest for than men dye sooneste in theyr moost prosperyte And yâ— nygher euen the ende of the daye the lenger is a mannes shadewe Ryght soo these worldely couetouse men the lenger that they lyue whan they ben at theyr lyues ende than they thynke moost to lyue lenger Than they purchace than they house than they begyn to plete tyll theyr lyfe passe sodaynly awaye as a shadewe at euen Therfor mannes lyfe is lykened to a slyder waye For whan a marâ—goth by a slyder waye the more that he galeth about the ferther that he loketh fro hym the sooner the harder shall he falle Bnt yf he loke wel to his feet to his waye he may kepe him on left though he fall he shall take no grete harme Ryght so it fareth by the lyfe of this worlde It is so slyder that ther myght neuer man ne woman passe by this wayt but at the laste he slydeth in to sekenesse myscheef fell downe and dyed or ellys shall come to yâ— same ende And comonly whan men loke ferthest fro them selfe and thynke to lyue lengest and begynne moost to house to purchas and purpo s e many shrewde tournes and to lyue moost in welth in delyces than they dye soonest passe awaye sodaynely as a shadowe at euen Example Cryste telleth in the gospell Luce. xij Ther was sayth cryste some tyme a ryche man hadde in a yere a plenteuous crop on his londe in so moche that he hadde not houses ynough to laye it in He thanked not god of his gyft but tourned hym to proude couetou s e thoughtes sayd to hymselfe what shall I do I haue no housynge to laye in my corn my good I shal destroye myn olde bernes garnerys and make newe lenger larger and stuffe them full of good and than shall I saye to my soule Now soule thou haste good ynough for many yeres now take thy reste now ete and drynke make feste So he thought all of his lyf in this worlde nought of the lyfe in the other worlde Anone god sayd to hym Fole this nyght fendes shall take thy soule from the to whom shall than be all the goodes that thou haste arayed gadred to gydre He myght saye that they sholde be theyrs that trauayled not therfore Caplm .x. THe clerkes that treate of kynde saye that the foxe in wynter whan he gooth to seke his pray yf he come to a frollen water he lyeth his ere downe to the yce yf he here ony water rennynge vnderneth he wyl not passe ouer there for the yce is not syker but he syketh hym an other syker waye Thus I wolde yâ— all synful couetouse men dyd whan they go about to syke theyr pray of fals couety s e of false purchace or to robbe begyle ony man of his good Than I wolde they layed theyr â—eres to the yce thought how freyle a mannes lyfe is For as the yce cometh of yâ— water tourneth ayen to yâ— water Ryght so all we came of the erthe and shall tourne ayen to the erthe and yf they wolde thus laye theyr â—ere to this yce they sholde here water reÌ„nyng They sholde here say there dyeth a pope there a kyng there a prynce there a duke there dyeth a bysshop there a knyght there a squyer They sholde here that as soone dyeth the ryche as the poore the grete as the smalle the yonge as the olde Therfore holy wrytte sayth Omnes morimur et in terram quali aqua dilabimur All we dye slyde in to the erthe as water .ij. ReguÌ„ xiiij Therfor saynt Bernarde in his medytacyon repreueth the proude couetous folke of this worlde and sayth thus Vbi sunt amatores seculi qui nobiscuÌ„ ante pauca tempora fueruÌ„t Telle me now sayth he where ben now these lordes leders these proude gettours these false couetouse men that were here with vs within a fewe yeres where be they now bycome Ther is no thynge of them lefte but asshes pouder wormes Take hede what they were what they ben They were men as thou art ete dranke as thou dost led theyr dayes in moche myrthe in a twynkelynge of an eye many of them sanke downe in to the pytte of helle where theyr flesshe is gyuen vnto wormes where theyr soule is put in to endeles payne what helpe them theyr vayne glory ther poÌ„pe theyr pryde theyr myrth theyr game glee Where is now theyr game theyr laughynge theyr boost and theyr hyghe berynge all is paste as a shadowe From grete myrth they ben fallen in to endelesse sorowe froÌ„ luste lykynge in to bytter payne froÌ„ plente in to endelesse myscheef ¶ Diues These wordes styreme so the may many other lytyll to sette by welth worshyp of this worlde But well is he that may haue helpe of his good after his deth than fynde frendes true attorneys ¶ Pauper But moche better it is that he hath grace to helpe hymselfe byfore his deth with his owne good for one peny shal profyte more byfore his deth than .xx. penys after more profyteth one candell byfore a man than .xx. behynd hyÌ„ Therfor saynt Lucye taught her moder to do almesse by her lyfe not abyde tyll after her deth sayd to her moder Here ye my couÌ„seyll It is noo gyft full plesauÌ„t to god whan man or woman gyueth thynge yâ— he may not vse hymselfe therfor yf ye wyll that god be plesed with your gyft gyue ye to hyÌ„ thynge yâ— ye may vse your selfe For yâ— ye gyue in your dyenge therfore ye gyue it for ye may not bere it with you And therfore moder whyle ye lyue haue helth of your bodye gyue to god that ye haue Caplm .xi. WHan a man wyll not do for hyÌ„self whyle he may though his executours and his attorneys do nought for hym it is no grete wouÌ„dre For eche man woman is moost holden to hymselfe But it fareth ofte by hem that dyed by theyr executours as it dyd ones by two fooles yâ— dwelled in a lordes courte The one was a foole sage that other was a naturell foole It byfell on a daye they came to gydre in to a
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„
is nedefull to all For sythen I may not atteyne to the more perfeccyon I wolde as we muste kepe and holde well the lesse perfeccyon ¶ Pauper Do than as Cryste taughte that yonge riche man Serua mandata Kepe well the commauadementes Haue one god in worshyppe Take not his name in ydelnesse Halowe the holy dayes Fader and moder worshyppe and paye Slee noo man Doo no folye by no woman Loke that thou stele not And noo false wytnesse that thou bere Coueyte thou not thy neyghbours good with wronge house ne londe Desyre not his wyfe ne his childe ne his seruaunt ne his beest ne onythynge that to hym longeth ¶ These ben the .x. cōmaūdementes whiche god wrote in .ij. tables of stone toke theȳ Moyses for to teche theym to the people ¶ The thre fyrst cōmaūdementes were wryten by theym selfe in the fyrst table For tho pryncypaly teche vs how we sholde worshyp our god loue hȳ aboue all thynge therfore they ben called the thre cōmaūdementes of the fyrste table ¶ The other .vij. ben called of the seconde table for they were wryten in the seconde table And they teche vs how we sholde worshyp loue our euen crysten as our selfe And so all the .x. cōmaūdementes ben comprehended in the two cōmaūdementes of charyte ¶ Diues Whiche ben tho ¶ Pauper The fyrste is that thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thyn herte with all thy mynde with all thy myght The seconde is that thou shalte loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe that is to saye thou shalte loue hym to the same blysse that thou louest to thy selfe do to hym as thou woldest men dyde to the not do to hym but as thou woldest men dyde to the as longe as he kepeth the lawe of charyte For yf he forfete do ayenst charyte it is charyte to chastyse hym punysshe hym tyll he wyll amende hȳ for saluacōn of his soule ensample of other In these two cōmaūdementes as Cryste sayth in the gospell hangeth all the lawe and all the prophecye And therfore saynt Poule sayth that loue and charyte is fulfyllynge of alle the lawe Caplm .x. DIues Me meruaylleth moche why Cryste taught more that yonge riche man the cōmaundementes of the seconde table than of the fyrste why he taught hym more how he shold loue his neyghbour than he sholde loue his god For neyther cryste spake to hym of the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte how he sholde loue his god aboue all thyng ne how he sholde haue one god in worshyppe ne how he sholde flee periurye ne that he sholde halowe the holy dayes And yet without kepyng of these may no man be saued ¶ Pauper Whan Cryst bad hym kepe the cōmaūdementes in generall he bad hym kepe the .x. cōmaūdementes the two cōmaūdementes of charyte al goddes hestes his lawes But he specyfyed more the cōmaundementes of the seconde table than of the fyrste more the seconde cōmaundemente of charyte than the fyrste not that he was more boūde therto but for he was more enclyned bycause of youthe of richesses of lordshyp to forfet ayenst tho cōmaūdementes than ayenste the other in the fyrste table For youthe is enclyned to wrath hastynesse fyghtynge and soo to manslaughter to lecherye auoutrye to lyenge so to false wytnesse to theeft to pryde rebellyon to indygnacōn to despyte of his elder And so in many wyse offendeth his neyghbour his euen crysten And namely whan youth is vnder sette with richesse is at his owne rule without drede of punysshyng as that yonge man was For he was full riche and he was a prynce leder and ruler of the contre as sayth saynt Luke in his gospell And therfore Cryste moost souerayne leche not oonly taught hym how he sholde lyue withouten ende but moreouer he warned hym to what sekenesse he was moost dysposed to wherby he myght lese that lyfe deye withouten ende taught hym medycynes ayenst tho sekenesses whan he bad hym not slee do no lecherye no thefte bere noo false wytnesse worshyp fader moder and in his reulynge loue his neyghbour as hym selfe do to hym as he wolde men dyde to hym ¶ Diues Why specyfyed not Cryste to hym the two laste cōmaūdementes of the seconde table whiche be ayenst false couetyse ¶ Pauper For yonge folke be not soo moche enclyned to couetyse as they be to other sȳnes ¶ Diues That is sothe for couetyse reygneth moost in olde folke And so as men wexe in age so encreaseth theyr couetyse And whan all other synnes forsake man for elde and feblenesse than couetyse is moost breme Pryde is fyrste in youthe couetyse last in age Saye forth what thou wylte Caplm .xi. PAuer Euermore thou shalt vnderstonde that ther be two maner of lyues by y◠whiche man may be saued The fyrst is contemplatyfe the seconde actyfe The fyrst stondeth pryncypally in besynesse to knowe god goddes lawes and to loue hym aboue all thynge The seconde stondeth pryncypally in good dedes good rule helpe of our euen crysten The thre fyrste cōmaūdementis of the fyrst table belongeth to all but pryncypally to them that ben in contemplatyf lyfe that haue forsaken the worlde worldely besynesse for the loue of god The seuen cōmaundementes of the seconde table also longen to al. but pryncypally to theym that ben in actyfe lyfe in besynesse of the worlde The contemplatyf lyf is in ease rest of herte The actyf lyfe is in doyng traueyll besynesse of body soule And of this lyfe spake that yonge riche man whan he sayd Lord what shal I do how shal I lyue to haue the lyfe withouten ende And Cryste taught hȳ what good dedes he sholde do what mysdedes he sholde flee yf he wolde kepe well the actyfe lyfe Also thou shalt vnderstonde for this speche of cryste many suche other that cryste in y◠gospell holy wryte by example of y◠lesse preueth sheweth y◠more As whan he sayth that men sholde be saued at the daye of dome for they gaaf mete to the hungrye drynke to the thrustye moche more than sholde they be saued that gaue all that they hadde or myght haue for the loue of god hem selfe to serue god nyght and daye bodye soule and put them to the deth for his loue And they also that fede mannes soule with brede of goddes worde And syth they shal be dampned that wyll not gyue to the poore folke mete drynke for goddes sake mochemore sholde they bedāpned y◠robbe men of theyr lyfe lyuelode they y◠done lecherye auoutry manslaughter robbery and other horryble synnes And on the same maner whan Cryste specyfyed to that riche man the cōmaūdementes of the seconde table and the seconde cōmaundemente ef charyte He sheweth that sythen tho were so necessarye to haue the lyfe withouten ende Moche more the cōmaūdementes of the
and poore as saynt Poule sayth Circuierunt in melotis in pellibus caprinis angustiati They wente about in broken skynnes in shynnes of gote nedy anguysshed Neuerthelesse ymages standyng in chirches may be consydered in two maners eyther as they represente the astate of sayntes of whom they be ymages as they lyued in this lyf so they be to be paynted in suche maner clothynge as tho sayntes vsed whyles they lyued here Or ellys they may be consydered as they represente the astate of endelesse blysse in whiche sayntes be now so they be to be paynted ryaly solempnely as the cherubyns that represented the angellys that ben in heuen were made of golde Exodi .xxv. Nathelesse in all suche paynture an honest meane neyther to costly bycause of this consyderacoÌ„n ne to vyle bycause of the fourmer consyderacyon me thynketh is to be kepte Caplm .viij. DIues why ben angellys payÌ„ted in lykenes of yonge men sythe they be spyrytes haue no bodyes ¶ Pauper Ther may no payntour paynte a spyryt in his kynde And therfore to the better representacoÌ„n they be paynted in the lykenes of a man whiche in soule is moost accordynge to angellys kynde And though the angell is not suche bodely as he is paynted he is neuertheles suche ghoostly and hath suche doynge beyng spyrytuell They be paynted lyke yong men berdlesse in token that they ben endlesse elden not ne feble not but alwaye in one lykyng in one astate alwaye myghty stronge And also they be payÌ„ted with crulled here in token that theyr thought ther loue is sette alwaye in right ordre tourne alwaye vp ayen to god than kynge hym worshyppynge hym in all thyng For by the here of the hede in holy wryte is vnderstonde thought and affeccoÌ„ns of the herte Also they ben paynted with stoles aboute theyr neckes in token that they be alwaye redy to serue god man atte goddes byddyng And therfor they ben called Administratorij spuÌ„s Ad Hebre i.c That is to saye spyrytes of seruyce For they serue to god in rulynge of mankynde gouernauÌ„ce of this worlde They ben payÌ„ted fethered with wynges in token of lyghtnesse delyuerenesse in her werkes For in a twynclynge of an eye they may be in heuen in erthe here att Rome at IhrusaleÌ„ They ben paynted with wheles vnð theyr fete in token that they meue rule the rouÌ„de bodyes the wheles the cercles in heuen the course of the planetes as the phylosophre sayth also in token that as the whele tourneth alwaye aboute the centre his myddes so the angellys doyng is alwaye about god alwaye ben nygh hyÌ„ where euer they be Also somtyme they be paynted armed with spere swerde shelde in token that they be redy to defende vs fro the fendes that ben besy nyght daye to lese vs. For but yf holy angellys holpen vs defende vs kepte vs lettyng the fendes malyce we myght not withstoÌ„de ne be saued And therfor right as euery man woman hath a wycked angell assygned to hyÌ„ by the fende to teÌ„pte hyÌ„ So hath he a good angell assygned to hyÌ„ of god to saue hym yf he wyll folowe his rule Caplm .ix. DIues Why ben the four euaÌ„gelystes paynted in suche dyuerse lykenes sythen they were men all foure ¶ Pauper For dyuerse maner of wrytyng techynge Mathewe is paynted in lykenesse of a man For he pryncypally wrote and taught the manhode of Cryste tolde how he bycame man And moost specyally and moost openly wrote his genologye Saynt Iohan that wrote In principio erat verbuÌ„ Is paynted in lykenesse of an egle whiche of all foules fleeth hyghest in syght is sharpest and may see ferthest Soo saynt Iohan spake wrote hyghest of the godhede and hadde more Insyght vnderstandynge in the godhede than the other Euangelystes Saynt Luke is paynted in the lykenesse of a calfe or an oxe bycause that he speketh moost openly of the passyon of Cryste that was offred vp to the fader of heuen on the Aultre of the crosse on good frydaye as the oxe or the calfe was offred on the Aulâ—e in the Temple by the lawe for saluacyon of the people whiche offrynge was betokenyng of Crystus passyon And for that saynt Luke speketh moost openly of Crystê° passyon whiche was betokened by the sacrefyce of the oxe Therfore he is paynted presented by the lykenesse of an oxe Saynt Marke is paynted in lykenesse of a lyon bycause that he speketh moost openly of Crystus resurreccoÌ„n how he rose from deth to lyfe For whan the lyonesse hath whelped they leye .iij. dayes and .iij. nyghtes deed tylle on the thyrde daye the lyon theyr fader cometh maketh an hydeous crye ouer them anone with that voys crye they quycken waken in that maner ryse from deth to lyfe for this reason is saynt Marke presented by the lykenesse of a lyon for he spake more openly of Crystus resurreccoÌ„n And therfore his gospell is rede on esterdaye Also thou shalt vnderstande that Cryste was god man preest kyng Mathewe spake moost openly of his maÌ„hode began at his manhode therfore he is paynted in the lykenesse of a man Saynt IohnÌ„ spake moost of his god hode began atte his godhode And therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an egle as I sayd fyrste Saynt Luke spake moost of his preesthode and therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an oxe or of a calfe For that was the pryncypall sacrefyce that the prestes by the olde lawe offred in toÌ„ the Temple Saynt Marke spake moost of his kyngdom shewyng hym kyng of all thyng And therfore he is paynteâ— in the lykenesse of a lyon that is kyng of vnresonable bestes ¶ Diues Why ben they so paynted in the four endes of the crosse ¶ Pauper In token that he that deyed on the crosse is kyng of all thynge For the Egle is kyng of all foules The Lyon is kyng of all wylde bestes vnresonable The oxe is kyng of all tame bestes helpynge to mankynde Man is kyng of all bestes and of all vysyble creatures that were made for hym But Cryste is kyng of all thynge vysyble and Inuysyble And in token therof the four Euangelystes ben paynted aboute hym on the crosse in dyuerse lykenesse of four dyuerse kynges in kynde as four kynges herawdes blasynge his armes the grete batayle vyctory that he dyde ayenst the fende for maÌ„kynde vpon the crosse ¶ Diues why ben they paynted in houses in foure partyes of the house ¶ Pauper For the same cause for deuocoÌ„n for knowlechynge of his hyghe lordshypp that all we haue of hym and ayenst tempestes wycked spyrytes that free the euaÌ„gelystes ben sette in maner of a crosse ben ashamed abasshed of the crosse specyally of Crystus passyon by the whiche they were all dysconfyted Caplm .x.
in lesynges in falshode Therfore god suffreth false shrewes for to do wondres myracles for to dysceyue the peple to holde them stylle in theyr errour I haue sayd as my thynketh saye thou forth what thou wylte Caplm .lxiij. DIues What sayste thou of theym that wyll noo solempnyte haue in theyr buryeng but be put in erthe anone and that that sholde be spente about the buryenge of theym they bydde that it sholde be gyuen to the poore folke as blynde and lame ¶ Pauper Comonly in suche preuy buryenges ben full smalle doles and but lytyll almesses gyuen And in solempne buryenges ben grete doles and moche almesses gyuen for moche poore people come than for to syke theyr almesse But whan that it is done so pryuely fewe men knowe therof and full fewe poore people come for to axe almesse for they knowe not whan ne where ne to whome they sholde axe it And therfore I byleue sykerly that some false executours that wolde kepe the goodes all to them selfe began fyrste this errour and this folye ¶ Diues And yet men holde it a grete perfeccyon now a dayes ¶ Pauper Though men burye theyr frendes pryuely or openly it is noo harme to the deed neyther to lyuynge But yf the worshyppe of god be withdrawen and the almesses of the poore nedy folke and the holy prayers and the suffragyes of holy chirche the whiche ben ordeyned for to be prayed and done for the deed folke and the quycke that haue grete nede therof But it is a grete folye and also a grete synne for to forsake solempne buryenges that ben done pryncypally for the worshyp of god and for the prouffyte of the dede folke spendynge theyr goodes to nedefull releuynge of holy chirche and for the prouffyte of the poore nedy people that ben of noo power for to helpe theym selfe for that is a custome of false executours that wolden make them selfe riche with the deed folkes goodes and dele it not to the poore folke after the deed folkes wyll as now all false executours vse by custome And so they that forsake worshypfull buryenges as I haue reherced byfore they lette the praysyng the worshyp and the sacrefyce and offerynges that sholde be done to god They doo also grete despyte to holy chirche in so moche that they forsaken the prayers and the suffragyes of the holy mynystres of holy chirche Also they offende gretely ayenst all the soules that ben in purgatory that sholde be releued by masses syngynge by the prayers and suffragyes of holy chirche whiche ben ordeyned in the buryenge of deed folke for the helpe of all crysten soules And they please the fende yâ— whiche is full besy nyght and daye for to lette goddes offyce goddes worshyppe and holy prayers Also they offende gretly ayenst man kynde ayenst god that toke mankynde of a woman in as moche as they put theyr bodyes in suche dspyte and pryue or take it of the due worshyppe For the bodye of a good man or of a good woman that is knytte to that precyoê° soule that Cryste bought so dere with his precyous blood with whiche soule it shal aryse ayen at the daye of dome and shall lyue in blysse without ende bryghter than yâ— sonne it is of a full grete dygnyte all yf it be here in grete myschyef for a tyme for Adams synne Mannes bodye is of full grere dygnyte in that that god toke our bodye of a woman allone and bycame man without parte of man and bodely in our kynde reygneth god and man aboue all creatures And therfore by waye of kynde and for worshyp of god that toke our kynde it ought for to be worshypped namely in his deth for than is ther no drede of pryde And therfore sayth the wyse man Eccle .vij. Mortuo non prohibeas graciam Withdrawe not thy grace and thy mercy from the deed That is to saye withdrawe not ne lette not the due seruyce and worshypfull Ceremonyes that longen to the bodyes ne the suffrages and prayers that longen to the soules as the glose sayth And in an other place he sayth thus Sone wepe thou for the deed man with bytter teres and grete sorowe and after his astate as right is hele his bodye despyse not his buryenge make mornynge one daye or two after his deseruynge Ecclesiasti xxxviij For by the lawe of kynde by the lawe wryten by the lawe of grace and euery tyme worshypfull sepulture after mennes power hath be due dette to mannes bodye and womannes In the lawe of kynde haue we example of Abraham Ysaac and Iacob and her wyues whiche hadde full costely buryenges As we rede in holy wryte GenÌ„ lvi And in the lawe wryten haue we example of Samuell Dauyd Salomon Iosaphat Ezechye Iosye Tobye and of the Machabeys whose buryenges were costly worshypfully In the lawe of grace that is in the newe lawe haue we example of our lorde Ihesu Cryste whiche not withstandynge how well he suffred spytefull deth for mankynde yet he wolde haue and hadde worshypful and costely sepulture and buryenge As we fynde in the gospell Iohannes .xix. Wherby as the glose sayth there he gaue men example to kepe worshypfull buryenge after the custome of the contree And therfore he coÌ„mended Marye magdaleyn that she came byfore his dethe to anoynte his bodye so precyously and so costely in to the sepulture And many sayntes were buryed worshypfully by the doynges of angellys as saynt Clement saynt Katheryne saynt Agathe and many other And saynt Poule the fyrste hermyte was buryed worshypfully and wonderly by werkynge of lyons and of wylde bestes in tokenynge that mannes bodye womaÌ„nes ought to haue worshypful sepulture for sythen angellys and wylde bestes dyde suche worshypp to mannes bodye after his deth Moche more mankynde sholde worshyppe mannes bodye after his deth and doo worshyp to his owne kynde And so men sholde releue poore folke in theyr myschyef and specyally in theyr deynge by almes gyuynge But they sholde not for that doo ony wronge by theyr lyuyng to theyr euen crysten for to make them riche for to do moche almesse at theyr endynge For as the lawe sayth ther sholde no man be made riche with wronge harme of an other Locupletari noÌ„ debes aliqis cuÌ„ alterius iniuria vel iactura Extra de regulis iuris li .vi. Caplm .lxiiij. DIues What sayste thou of theym that holde markettes and feyres in holy chirche in sanctuarye ¶ Pauper Bothe the byer and the seller and the men of holy chirche that mayntene them or suffre them whan that they myght lette it ben accursed For we fynde not that euer Cryste punysshed soo harde ony synne whyles that he wente here in erthe as he dyde byeng and sellynge in goddes house as we fynde Io .xi. On a tyme he came in to the temple of Iherusalem and there he founde men byeng sellynge oxen and sheep douues to be offred in the temple and chaungers
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
this tabernacle he was circumcyded worshypped of the thre kynges dwelled with vs in erthe in our pylgrymage .xxxij. yere and more In this tabernacle he deyed for mankynde rose from deth to lyfe on Ester daye styed vp in to heuen on holy thursdaye very god and very man there he sytteth on his faders right honde aboue all heuens in this tabernacle lorde kyng of all thynge In this tabernacle he shall come ayen at the dome to deme the quycke and the deed And all the festes that we holde of ony sayntes we halowe them holde them for the good dedes that they dyde whyle they dwelled here in the tabernacle of theyr bodye in hope to come to the endelesse tabernacle full of Ioye blysse without ende Of whiche tabernacle god speketh in the gospell whan he byddeth the riche men make poore men theyr frendes that they may resceyue them in to the endelesse tabernacle of whiche speketh Dauyd QuaÌ„ dilecta tabernacula tua dnÌ„e virtutuÌ„ concupiscit et deficit aia mea in atria dnÌ„i Lorde of vertues how louely how lykynge ben thy tabernacles My soule sayth he desyreth longeth to entre in to the halles of our lorde And for his desyre is delayed he fayleth and faynteth for sorowe And so yâ— solempnyte that euer shall laste shall be a solempnyte of tabernacles whan we shall dwelle in endelesse tabernacles with endlesse reste Ioye blysse There the fyrste daye the .viij. daye shall be full holy whiche daye is the sondaye For that is the fyrste daye it is the .viij. daye shall be the laste daye euer lastynge in Ioye and blysse And therfor in the festes of yâ— newe lawe that ben festes of the tabernacles is yâ— sondaye pryncypally halowed as god badde than For it was the fyrste daye and it is the .viij. daye and it shal be the laste daye euer lastynge in Ioye blysse Caplm .v. DIues Why badde god that we sholde thynke to halowe wel the holy dayes the sabbot ¶ Pauper Ther is thre maner of sabbottes that is to saye of reste or of halowynge Scilicet pectoris temporis et eternitas That is to saye of reste of herte of tyme of endlesse restynge By reste of herte of thought men come to reste of tyme. And by reste of thought of tyme men come to endelesse reste So without reste of herte and of thought noo man may come to the endelesse reste that the sabbot and the holy daye betokeneth And therfore god bad vs that we sholde pryncypally trauayll to haue sabbot reste of herte of thought without whiche reste sabbot we may not well halowe ony holy daye And therfore Cryste sayd in the gospell that out of the herte whan it is out of rest come euyll thoughtis manslaughters auoutrers lecherers theftes false wytnesses dyspyte of god Mathei .xv. whiche synnes destroye charyte and peas and ben causes of moche vnrest in this worlde and lette reste of tyme so that vnnethes they may be ony tyme in reste And therfore god sayth thynke that thou halowe well thyn holy daye Bethynke the yf thou be in charyte reste of herte with god man And yf thou be styred ayenst thyn euen crysten by wrath hate or enuye or haue ony heuy herte ayenst thy brother go as god byddeth in the gospell be fyrste recouÌ„seylled to thy brother and than come make thyn offrynge of holy prayer of thankynge of praysynge and of thy gyftes to god And but thou do soo put awaye all rancour and heuynesse of herte ellys thyn halowynge thy sabbot is not pleasauÌ„t to god Also bethynke the yf thou be in dedely synne and repente the and be shreuen as soone as thou myght in good maner so offre vp thy selfe to god by charyte by sorowe of herte make thy selfe holy and than art thou able to halowe well the holy daye For as longe as thou art in dedely synne by wyll or by dede so longe thou halowest not thyn holy daye For thou dost seruyle werke of synne and dost dyspyte to the holy daye whiche is or deyned that men sholde than amende them and serue god more specyally than in the werken daye And as longe as man or woman is in dedely synne they serue the deuyll and not to pleasauÌ„ce of god Also god byddeth that men sholde bethynke theym to halowe well the holy daye For in the holy daye namely on yâ— sondaye men sholde drawe theyr wyttes to gydre from the worlde bethynke them yf they had ought trespassed that woke by recheleshede or by couetyse or by lechery or by ony other wyse and aske god forgyuenesse Also thynke on the good spede and benefyces that god hath sente theym that woke or euer byfore thanke hym therof Thanke hym of his endelesse mercy and of his endelesse charyte that he shewed to mankynde Thynke how he made man to his owne lykenesse to be heyre cytezeyn of heuen Thynke how he made all thynge for man Thynke what blysse he hath ordeyned to man and woman yf they doo well what payne yf they do euyll Caplm .vi. THerfore sayth Orygenes suê“ LeuiticuÌ„ .xxviij. On the sondaye thou sholdest doo noo worldly thynges but oonly gyue the to god and also to ghoostly thynges Than sayth he come to chirche and laye thyn ere 's to goddes worde thynke heuenly thynges thynke on the lyfe that we hopen all for to haue in endelesse blysse Thynke on the laste dome how harde that shall be and how strayte Take than none hede to this worlde ne to thynges bysyble But on the holy daye haue thy ghoostly eye pryncypally to thynges that ben to come that yet ben Inuysyble He that thus doth sayth he haloweth wel his holy daye and he maketh the sacrefyce of his sabbot And therfore the lawe sayth thus we haue ordeyned that all sondayes be kepte with all maner worshyp from euen to euen and that men absteyne theym from all maner vnlefull werkes that ther be noo markette holden on the sondaye ne plee ne no man dampned to deth ne to payne ne none othe taken solempnely but yf it be for peas or for some other grete nede Extra li. ij.ti de ferijs Omnes dies dnÌ„icos The lawe sayth that men sholde no thynge do on the sondaye but gyue theym to god ne do no seruyle werke But that daye sholde be occupyed in pray synge worshyppynge of god and in ghostly songes De con di .iij. Ieiunia Men sholde on yâ— holy daye serue god with herte mouth and werke With herte thynke as I haue sayd With mouth well spekynge in prayer praysynge and worshypynge of god and good informacyon of theyr euen crysten In werke also of dedes of almesse in peas makynge accordynge of neyghbours suche other But now alas it is fulfylled that Ieremye sayd Trenorum pri â— Viderunt eam hostes et deriseruÌ„t sabbata
enhaūseth rightfull dome And but god had ended his werkes in mercy in the vij daye slaked his harde dome ayenst mankynde for Adams synne ellys his werkes had not ben complete ne parfyght in asmoche as y◠pryncypal creature for whom he made all thynge was loste For whan the fynale cause of ony werke fayleth that werke is not complete ne parfyght For this mercy that god shewed to man whan he ordeyned rest in the .vij. daye that was called sabbot fygure of endelesse reste of mankynde Cryst sayth in the gospell That the sabbot was made for man not man for the sabbot Marci .ij. But synfull man be so blent with couetyse that he tourneth his dampnacōn his payne in to lykynge and hath leuer to trauayll to his vndoynge vnto his dampnacyon than to rest to his saluacōn And hath leuer to folowe the harde sentence of god to his punysshynge than to take his grace and his mercy to be eased Suche ben lyke oules backes whiche hate the daye loue the nyght lyke to the fendes of helle that neuer haue recte ne for malyce wyll seke reste Caplm .ix. QOre ouer my frende we fynde four maner of sabbottes in holy wrytte One sabbot of dayes that was the .vij. daye ordeyned of god for reste ease both of man of beest Also we fynde a sabbot of monethes ordeyned also of god for to reste both of man and beest that was the .vij. moneth that man and beest sholde reste theym than after the grete trauaylle that they hadde done in the two monethes byfore in whiche was theyr heruest to gadre corne wyne and oyle and other fruyte The vij moneth was Septembre as for than in that hote contree heruest was all done Also we fynde a sabbot of yeres that was the .vij. yere For that yere the londe rested y◠it myght bere the better the more plenteuously after for that yere was noo londe sowen Also we fynde a sabbot of sabbottes that was the fyfth yere ordeyned of god for reste of the londe of beest of man namely of them that were in trauayll of trybulacyon For than outlawed men myght come ayen home in surete Than bounde men were made free dettes forgyuen Than men resceyued ayen theyr herytage By the sabbot of dayes is vnderstonden reste from vyces in the lyfe actyf that hath .vi. dayes to werke in By the sabbot of mone is vnderstonden reste that men haue in the lyfe contemplatyf both from vyces temptacōns for that moneth was moche holy but not all holy Right soo they that haue the lyfe contemplatyf they haue more reste from vyces and temptacōns than they that haue the lyfe actyfe but ful reste haue they not in this worlde By the sabbot of yeres whan the londe rested the .vij. yere is vnderstonden the reste that our soules shall haue in the blysse of heuen whyles the erthe of our bodyes shall reste in the graue By the sabbot of sabbottes that was the .l. yere is vnderstonden the reste without ende that we shall haue in heuen whan we shal go ayen both bodye soule vnto our herytage that we loste thrughe Adams synne whan all our trauayll trybulaco n shall cesse all our woo tourne to wele by vertue of Crystus passyon Caplm .x. DIues Sythen the sabbot of dayes was moste solempne in the olde lawe for it was not lefull that daye to go ouer a thousande pass ne to dyght theyr mete more ouer that daye were offred two lambes passynge the comon sacrefyce that was done euery daye sythen than the solempnyte of the sabbottes is translated in the newe lawe in to the sondaye why is not the sondaye as worshypfull in the newe lawe as was the sabbot in the olde lawe For as that was called the sabbot of our lorde also the sondaye is called the daye of our lorde passynge all other dayes And yet we haue in the yere many dayes more solempne than is the sondaye ¶ Pauper All the festes of the newe lawe that ben the dayes and the sabbottes of our lorde For alle tho ben of hym selfe in hym selfe or ellys of hym selfe in his sayntes In the olde lawe was no feste of our lorde but only the sabbot whiche was halowed in mynde of the creacōn of the worlde in mynde that god the .vij. day cessed of creacyon And also than to thanke hym for his endelesse goodnesse that he shewed to mankynde in his creacyon whan he made all bodely vysyble creatures to serue man man to serue hym here in grace after in the blysse of heuen without ende Other festes of the olde lawe were but solēpnytees myndes of auentures prosperytes y◠felle to the Iewes in tyme of the olde lawe And therfor the sabbot amonges them was moost solempne And amonges vs also the sondaye is moost solempne and holy for the grete dedes and wondres that god dyde in the sondaye But for as moche as it cometh ofte we make it not alwaye lyke solempne for it falleth the sondaye in whiche god shewed his wondres as Esterdaye Wytsondaye to be more solempne than other comon sondayes Other festes also as Crystmasse daye Epyphanye daye in as moche as they ben our lordes dayes come but ones in the yere therfore we make more solempnyte in tho dayes than we doo comonly on the sondaye And so we do in many other festes for all they be festes and dayes of our lorde Neuerthelesse ther is no daye so solempne in themselfe as the sondaye for that is alwaye solempne for y◠wondres that god dyde therin Other dayes somtyme ben solempne and somtyme not solempne after that the festes therin falle by chaūgynge of the yere so that other dayes haue noo solempnyte of themselfe by custome ne by lawe but only by fallynge of festes as the yere chaungeth The thursdaye was some tyme as holy as the sondaye for Cryste styed vp that daye to the heuen And than began the processyon that we vse on the sondaye for than Cryste wente in processyon with his dyscyples out of Ierusalem in to the mounte of Olyuete and there he styed vp in the syght of theym all And the crosse y◠is borne byfore vs in y◠processyon betokeneth that Cryste deyed on the crosse and afterwarde he arose ayen from deth to lyfe And on the holy thursdaye wente he byfore his dyscyples ledyng them vnto the moūte of Olyuete But for as moche as many newe festes comen on and it was greuous for to kepe two dayes so lempne euery woke therfore the solempnyte of the thursdayes cessed the processyon in mynde of Crystes ascen s yon was translated in to the sondaye ¶ Diues Therfor me thynketh that the sondaye sholde be the more solempne ¶ Pauper So it is and so it ought for to be moost halowed thoughe holy chirche doo not alwaye than moost solempnyte for that daye is ordeyned for reste in the newe lawe both to man and
warye them ne harme them ne scorne them for none age for none vnclene s se for no wantenesse ne folye that they saye or do but supporte them in theyr age feblenesse as they supported vs in our youthe holpe vs and kepte vs in our feblenesse whan we coude not ne myght not helpe our selfe We fynde Genesis .ix. That Noe hadde thre sones Sem. Cham. and Iaphet Whan the flood was done it happed that theyr fader Noe dranke wyne soo that he was dronke for he knewe not the myght of the wyne For byfore the flood men dranke noo wyne ne ete noo flesshe And whan Noe was thus dronke his myddell sone C ham foūde hym lyggynge bare so that he myght see his preuy membres and anone he laughed his fader to scorne wolde not couer his fader but wente tolde it to his brethern in Iapynge scornynge his fader But his brethern wolde not see that nyce syght but tourned theyr face frō theyr fader caste a clothe vpon hym couered hyw honestly Whan Noe awoke and wyste what his myddell sone Cham had done to hym he was wrothe with hȳ cursed Chanaan Chams sone all that sholde come of hym made hȳ thrall boūde to Sem and Iaphet to theyr childern after them And thus for scornyng vn worshyp that the sone dyde to the fader began fyrste boundage and thraldome and was confermed of god ¶ Diues Sythen Cham dyde y◠synne not Chanaan whiche was yet but a childe why cursed Noe y◠childe Chanaan not Cham y◠childes fader ¶ Pauper Noe wolde not curse Cham in his owne persone for god hadde blessyd hym in his persone with his brethern anone after y◠flood therfore he cursed Chanaan his sone hym in his sone and punysshed hym in his sone and all that sholde come of hym For it was goddes dome that right as he hadde done shame to his fader so his childern sholde be shame shenshyp to hym And as Noe hadde no Ioye of hym so sholde he haue no Ioye of his childern ¶ Diues The reason is good rightfull saye forth ¶ Pauper Therfore Salomon sayth Oculum qui subsannat patrē et despicit partum matris sue suffodient eum corui de torrentibus et demones Prouerbiorum .xxx. The eye that scorneth his fader and despyseth the byrth of his moder rauyns of the brokes that is to saye fendes of helle brokes shal delue out and pyke out that eye And therfore he sayth in an other place Honora patrē tuum et gemitus matris tue ne obliuiscaris Memento quo niam nisi per illos non fuisses et retribue illis quomodo illi tibi Eccle. vij Worshyp thou thy fader and for yette uot the syghynges of thy moder ne what payne she hadde whan she bare the of her bodye Thynke that but by theym thou haddest not ben and yelde theym and do to theym as they dyde to the. And god badde hym selfe in the olde lawe that who soo cursed or waryed his fader or moder he sholde be slayne Leuitici .xx. Caplm .ij. DIues Many childern wolde ful fayne see theyr fader and moder dede y◠they myght haue her herytage lyue at theyr owne gouernaūce And oft whan they may not haue it by theyr good wyll ne by theyr deth they wyll haue it by plee by maystrye ¶ Pauper Suche childern full late shal thryue they shal haue full lytyll Ioye and worshyp of her owne childern but moche shame shenshypp For as Salomon sayth He y◠cursed his fader or his moder or dyseaseth theym his lanterne shall be quenched in y◠myddes of derkenesses that is to saye eyther he shal haue no ne ayer or yf he haue he shal be with out worshyp For the herytage sayth he to whiche childern hasten faste in this maner shal want blessyng grace of god in the laste ende Prouer .xx. And in an other place he sayth that who so withdraweth ony thyng from his fader from his moder sayth it is noo synne he is as wycked as a manqueller Particeps homicidie est Prouer .xxviij. Also we fynde in the seconde boke of kynges xv.c ◠That Absolon the sone of Dauyd wolde haue putte his fader Dauyd out of his kyngdom he droue hym out of the cyte of Ierlm barefote for he cam so sodaynly on hym that Dauyd was fayne to flee saue his lyfe Soone after Absolon gaaf batayll to his fader in the felde but as god wolde he was ouercomen moche of his folke slayne both by swerde by wylde bestes Than Absolon fledde rydynge on his mule bare heded And as he rode vnder an oke his heere that was full longe and full fayre smote vp amonges the bowes and there it fastened so that the mule passed forth in his rennynge but Absolon henge stylle by his heer tyll that Ioab that was chyef captayne prynce of the oost of Dauyd came to hym smote hym through the herte with thre speres and made hym forth be stoned to deth that was the moost dyspyteous deth in the lawe And soo Absolon y◠was than the fayrest man lyuynge for haste that he had to the herytage wronge y◠he dyde to his fader he loste both his herytage his lyfe Also Adony his brother wolde haue ben kyng whyles his fader Dauyd lyued and Dauyd pryued hym of the kyngdome for euer made Salomon that was than not .xi. yere olde kyng And afterwarne Adony was slayne for he wolde haue ben kyng ayenst his faders ordenaūce Therfore god badde in the olde lawe Deut .xxi. That yf ther were ony vnbuxom childe y◠wolde not obeye to his fader and moder they sholde lede them to the rulers of the Cyte saye to them in this wyse Our sone is bolde proude he wyll not here our techyng ne our byddyng but he gyueth hym to ryot glotony lechery to grete festes fare And god badde that all the people of the cyte or of that towne sholde slee y◠vnbuxom childe with stones in example of all other For whan that yonge folke wexe rebelle ayenst fader moder gyue them to suche ryot welfare ydlenesse but they ben chastysed and withstonde in the begynnynge they shall ashame the comynte of the people by robbery murdre manslaughter by euyll wycked company and make rebellyon rysyng ayenst theyr soueraynes and so be cause of destruccyon of the londe of the Cyte and of the comynte Also Mathei .xv. Cryste in the gospell repreueth all tho that by ypocresye withdrawe nedefull lyuynge from fader or moder vnder colour of goddes worshyp holy chirche And he repreued tho men of holy chirche that so enfourme the childern to saye to theyr fader and moder that they may not worshyp god and holy chirche for the coste that they doo to susteyne theym selfe so make
fader moder to lyue in myschyef yâ— men of holy chirche may lyue in delyces Caplm .iij. NOt oonly by the coÌ„maundement of god ben we bouÌ„den and taught to worshyp and to helpe our fader and our moder but also by example in kynde as the maystre telleth of propretees That whan the storke that is called Ciconia in latyn as she hath brought forthe her byrdes to flyght both the male and the female ben bycomen full feble for trauayl that they had in the bredynge bryngynge forth of theyr byrdes ben so feble that they may not well helpe theym selfe For both the male and the female sytten by dyuer s e tymes on the egges chaunge theyr trauaylle in bredynge of theyr byrdes and in fetchyng of mete and drynke for them selfe for theyr byrdes And therfore whan the byrdes ben growen may flee they fetche mete to theyr fader moder in to the neste as longe tyme as they trauayleâ— to brynge forth theyr byrdes tyll they be releuyd and may trauayle to helpe them selfe Also he telleth that ther is a byrde that is called a Pellycane Pellicanus And ther is a grete enemyte bytwene the Pellycane and the addre The addre wayteth whan the Pellycane hath byrdes and whan she is out of the neste to gete mete to her and to her byrdes the addre crepeth vp in the neste and sleeth the byrdes And whan the Pellycane cometh ayen and fyndeth her byâ—des slayne in this maner she mourneth thre dayes and thre nyghtes for the deth of her byrdes The thyrde daye she setteth her ayen ouer her byrdes and with her bylle she smyteth her selfe in the syde and spryngeth her blood on her byrdes And by the vertue of her blood she rayseth them fro deth to lyfe By the bledynge she wexeth so feble that she may not trauayle to fede her selfe Than some of her byrdes for loue and pyte put them for to trauayle and fede theyr moder and some care not for her but oonly fede theym selfe Whan the moder is amended and waxen stronge tho byrdes that helpeth her she loueth cheryssheth them the other that wolde not helpe her she beteth bylleth and casteth them out of her company Caplm .iiij. DIues This coÌ„mauÌ„dement byddeth vs worshypp fader moder and that we may do without ony coste with lytyl trauayle For we may ryse ayenst them knele to them take theyr blessynge and speke to them with reuerence so kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dement ¶ Pauper The coÌ„mauÌ„dement byndeth vs not only to worshyp fad mod with suche reuerence doynge but also to worshyp theÌ„ with helpe at nede ¶ Diues Where fyndest thou that helpe at nede is called worshyp ¶ Pauê‘ In the fyrste pystle that saynt Poule wrote to the bysshop Thymothee .v. Where he badde that he sholde worshyp very wydowes that is to saye he sholde susteyne theym with goodes of holy chirche And he called there very wydowes that had no good to be susteyned with of theyr owne And yf that she had childern or fader or moder or wherof to lyue he badde that she sholde lerne to rule hyr husholde and helpe fader and moder as they holpen her And in the same chapytre he byddeth that prestes men of holy chirche that rule wel her subgettes sholde haue double worshyp of the people that is to saye the glose that the peple sholde obey to them and do them reuerence fynde them al that theym nedeth and namely to them that trauayle in prechynge and techynge of the gospell ¶ Diues It is only folye whan folke for age and feblenesse may not ne can not helpe themselfe ne gouerne themselfe than to be taken to theyr childrens goueruauÌ„ce of the husholde put themselfe in kepynge of theyr childern ther gouernauÌ„ce ¶ Pauper More semely it is that they put theym in theyr childrens gouernauÌ„ce kepyng than in straungers Namely yf they haue founden them good and kynde to them byfore But for ony trust in ther childern I wolde not couÌ„seyll theym fully to dysmytten them of her good But alwaye reserue the lordshypp to themselfe theyr childern in dauÌ„ger And therfore Salomon sayth Audite me magnati et omÌ„s populi â— Eccl. xxxiij Ye grete men gouernours of holy chirche ye all people herken now to my sawe gyue to no man ne woman power vpon the by thy selfe Neyther to sone ne to doughter ne to brother ne to frende gyue not a waye to other men thy good and thy catell For hapely it may repente the than shalt thou praye to haue helpe of thyn owne good thou shalt none haue Melius est vt filij tui rogent te ê™ te respicere in manibus filiorum tuorum Ecclesiastici .xxxiij. It is better sayth he that thy childern praye the and aske helpe of the than thou loke in the hondes of thy childern for helpe I fynde that an olde man bytoke to his sone his housholde and gaaf hym all that he hadde to kepe hym well in his age Fyrste he laye with his sone in the chambre at the laste he was put out of the chambre layde hym behynde the spere at yâ— halle dore for he cought roughed so that his sone his sones wyfe myght haue no reste by hyÌ„ in the chambre And whan he laye so nygh the halle dore he hadde moche colde and called to hym his sones sone a lytyll childe and badde hym go to his fader and aske of hym some clothes to kepe hym with from colde The childe dyde the erande the fader toke the childe an olde sacke Haue sayd he bydde hym laye this on hym Nay fader sayd the childe but kytte it in too sende ye hym yâ— halfe kepe ye to you the other halfe tylle to the tyme whan ye be olde that ye may than couer you therwith kepe you from colde Not longe syth this caas byfel in Colchestre There was an olde man somdele lettred whiche bytoke his sone in his age all yâ— housholde gaaf hym all that he had for to kepe hym wel in his age Fyrste he laye in the chambre with his sone after he was put allone in an out chambre in the yerde and was serued full euyll both at bedde and at borde On a daye he prayed his sones wyfe to le ne hym halfe a busshell to mete by a certayne thynge but he wolde not tell hyr what he sholde mete She toke hym halfe a busshell hauynge grete wondre what he sholde do therwith He wente in to his chambre shette the dore to hym He toke a fewe pens halfpens ferthynges that he had put them in to the craueyses of the halfbusshell and soone after he toke hyr ayen hyr halfbusshell She loked besely in the halfbusshell to knowe what he hadde moten therwith And than she fouÌ„de that moneye hangynge in the craueyses clyftes of yâ— half busshel and she
lorde god And in the newe lawe he sayth thus Deum timete regem honorificate Drede ye god and worshyppe ye your kynge .i. petri .ij. That is to say For drede of god worshyp thou thyn elder and for drede of god worshyp thou thy kynge thy souerayne and al that be in hygher degre than thou art For sythen god hath put them in degre of worshyp thou muste for drede of god worshyppe them And but thou worshyp them ellys thou offendest god Omnes honorate Worshyp ye all men women after ther astate and ther dygnyte And saynt Poule byddeth that all thynge sholde be do honestly and in ordre OiÌ„a honeste et scdm ordineÌ„ fiant .i. ad corum .xiiij. Caplm .xxiij. ALso leue frende by this commauÌ„dement we be bouÌ„de to worshyp holy angels sayntes in heuen for they be our faders in age in worshyp in cure in kepynge of vs. For they longen after vs that ther nombre ther company that was lested by the pryde of lucyfer myght be restored ayen by saluacoÌ„n of vs. And therfore nyght and daye they prayen for vs to god for helpe and grace nedefull to vs. Of these faders speketh saynt Poule in his pystle and sayth thus I knele praye for you nyght and daye the fader of our lorde Ihesu cryste of whom is named all maner of faderhede in heuen and in erthe Ex quo omnis paternitas nominat in celo et in terra ad Ephe .iij. For as the glose sayth ther dysposycyon the angellys be our faders in heuen ordeyned for vs and in erthe prelates be our faders hauynge cure and kepynge of vs. And so bothe prelates in erthe and angellys in heuen ben our faders And therfore as all these clerkes sayen Eche man woman hath two angels assygned to hym one of god an other of the fende For the fonde Sathanas att goddes suffraunce assygneth to hym a wycked angell to tempte hym and to lese hym But god of his goodnes assygneth hym a good angell to saue hym and to kepe hym Of whiche good angell cryste sayth in the gospell that they see alwaye the face of the fader in heuen for they be alwaye in his presence speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore sayth saynt Ierom vpon the same worde of cryste that angels bere our prayers and our good dedes in to heuen and kepe and defende vs ayenst the malyce and the sleyght of the fende And therfore the angell Raphaell whan he had ledde the sone of Tobye in to fer contree and saued hyÌ„ from many perylles broughte hym ayen in grete welth he sayd to Tobye whan thou praydest with bytter teres beryedeste the deed bodyes and leftest thy mete and haddest deed bodyes by daye in thyn house beryeste them by nyght for goddes sake ayenst the wyll of the wycked kynge Senacheryb Than offered I thy prayer to our lorde god Thobie .iiij. Also we rede in the fourth booke of kynges the .vi. chaptre That the prophete Helyzee was sodaynly by nyght besyeged in the Cyte of Dothaym with the oost of the kynge of Syrye In the morowe the seruaunt of Helyzee sawe the oost about the Cyte he was full sory sayd to his mayster Helyzee Alas alas alas what shal we do we be so besyeged with our ennemyes that we may not escape Than Helyzee sayd to hym Drede ye not for we haue more folke with vs than they haue with them Than Helyzee prayed to god that he wolde open the eyen of that seruaunt that he myght see what helpe Helyzee had with hym And anone he sawe the hylles about Helyzee full of horse charettes brennynge as fyre a grete people arayde to batayll that was the oost of angellys sent of god for kepynge of Helyzee through whos helpe the prophete Helyzee ledde all the oost that had besyeged hym in to the Cyte of Samarye amonges all ther enemyes for they were so blent that they wyst not whether they went They come to take Helyzee and Helyzee toke theym with helpe of angels and dyde with them what he wolde And therfor Dauyd sayth Montes in circuitu eius et dnÌ„s in circuitu ppli sui The hylles that is to saye the angellys be about the good man and the good woman to kepe them and god is about his people to saue theym And therfore saynt Cecyle sayd to her husbonde Valaryan I haue goddes angell that loueth me full well and kepeth my bodye with grete suerte that noo man shall defoule me And yf thou wyll by foule loue defoule me he shall â—lee the. And yf thou loue me with clene loue and wyll kepe my maydenhode hole clene he shall loue the as well as me And whan thou art crystened thou shalt see him Anone her husbonde Valeryan by her couÌ„seyll went and was crystened of the bysshop saynt Vrban And whan he was crystened he cam ayen fouÌ„de saynt Cecyle prayenge in closet the angell standynge besydes her with wynges fethers ful bryght his face shone glymered as the flaÌ„me of fyre He had in eyther hande a garlonde made of roses lelyes full fayre tresshe and full swete in smellynge He gaaf vnto saynt Cecyle one an other to Valeryan and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodye of soule For why sayd he I haue brought theÌ„ out of paradyse And ye shall knowe by this token for they shall alwaye be grene fresshe neyther welke ne fade ne lese ther swete sauour and no man ne woman may see them but they that loue clenne s se and chastyte as ye doo We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Agnes that whan she was but .xiij. yere of age suffered deth for the loue of god and for the loue of chastyte foâ— she wolde not assent to be wedded to the grete lordes sone of Rome for he was hethen And also for she wolde kepe her mayndenhode to cryste She was made naked ledde to the bordell house to be defouled of synfull wretches But sodaynly her here wexe soo moche that it hylled and hydde all her bodye And whan she cam to the bordell house her good angell was redy and brought her a clothe as whyte as snowe full mete to her bodye and be lapped her with so grete lyght that ther myght no man loke vpon her ne no man durste entre the place Thanne the lordes sone as ful hardy ran in to that lyght for to defoule her And anone the fende whom he wolde haue serued slough hym But saynt Agnes with her prayer to god and helpe of her good angell reysed hym from deth to lyfe to shame shenshyp of all hethen people For anone he went out of that house cryed openly that there was no god but cryste and desspysed her mawmettes and ther false byleue Also whan saynt Agace was buryed her angell in the lykenesse of a yonge man clothed in clothe of
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
sacrament of the aulter And for the same reson yf a man haue wedded two wyues so departeth his flesshe in dyuer s e wymen he is yrreguler vnable to the aulter And therfore not only prestes but dekenes and subdekenes in that they be astent to the preest in makynge of the sacrament muste be without suche departynge that is contrarye to the sacrament of endeles charyte of onehede bytwene god and holy chirche bytwene all good crysten people yâ— is in charyte for alle they be one come togydre in this sacrament For this reson it is not leful to men of holy chirche to shed maÌ„nes blood ne to slee ne to mayme The newe testament is a lawe of loue therfore cryste wolde that the mynystres of the auter in the newe testament that sholde mynystre the sacrament of his endeles loue of his endles mercy to mankynde that they shewe loue mercy pyte no token of cruelte The olde testament was a lawe of drede duresse and nygh all the sacrefyces that the prestes made was done with shedynge of blood not only in fygure of crystus passyon but also in token that he that synned was worthy to be slayne as the beest that was slayne that was offered for his synne And therfore the swerde was graunted to prestes and to the mynystres of the olde lawe to punysshe rebellours whan it nedeth and moche of theyr offyce was to shedde blood And so by theyr offyce they were dysposed to crueltee In soo moche that they were not afrede to flee goddes sone ther lorde ther souerayne ther god And for that prestes of the olde lawe by cruelte slough cryste god and lorde of all Therfore shedynge of blood manslaughter is forboden to prestes in the newe lawe and maketh them vnable to the aultre that shedde mannes blode or helpe therto Caplm .xviij. SHeddynge of blood in men of holy chirche is so abhomynable horryble in goddes lyght yâ— yf ony clerke dye in batayl fyghtyng or in playes of hethen men of whiche foloweth shedynge of blode deth as in playnge at the swerde bokeler at the staffe twohands werde hurlebat in tourmentes in Iustes for that clerke holy chirche shall make noo solempne masse ne solempne prayer for hym but he sholde be buryed without solempnyte of holy chirche xxiij qÌ„.viij.â—cuÌ„que clericê° And yf a man in his woodnes and rauynge slee man woman or childe though his woodnes passe yet he is yrreguler vnable to goddes aulter xv.qÌ„.i siâ—s insaniens Nethelesse yf he be prest or that caas falle hym whan his wodenes is passed be in hope of seker helthe he may saye his masse Also yf a man smyte childe man or woman by waye of chastysynge he dye of yâ— stroke he is yrreguler xv.qÌ„.i Si â—s noÌ„ iratê° et extra li. v.de homicidijs ca. pÌ„sbiteruÌ„ Also yf he be in doubte whether he dye of the stroke he shall absteyne hym from goddes aulter Extra e. ad audiencia Also yf a prest or clerke or ony man slee the theef that robbeth the chirche he is yrreguler Extra e significasti Also yf clerkes fyght ayenst sarasynes ayenst hethen men yf they slee ony man womeÌ„ or childe they be yrreguler yf they be in doubte whether they slough or nay they sholde absteyne them fro yâ— aulter Extra e.peticio Also yâ— Iuge the aduocate the accessour the offycere the wytnesse by whiche man or woman is slayn the wryter he that sayth the sentence or redeth in dome the examynacyon of the cause or wryteth the endytement or other lettres by the whiche man or woman is slayn he is yrreguler though the cause the dome be ryghtfull Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf a man be dryuen by nede to slee man or woman yf he fledde in that nede by his owne defaute fledde not that nede whan he myght haue fledde he is full yrreguler But yf it were suche nede that he myght not flee it the nede cam not by his defaute holy chirche suffreth him in the ordres that he hath taken to mynystre therin but he shall take none hygher ordre Yf ony man slee man woman or childe casuelly and by myshappe whether his occupacyon was lefull or not lefull yf he dydde not his besynesse to flee manslaughter he is full yrreguler But yf his occupacyon were leful and he dyde his besynes to flee manslaughter though he sawe not before all chauÌ„ges that myght fall he is not yrreguler Ray. li.ij.ti.i with hym that sleeth man woman or childe wyllyngly with hande or with tonge is no dyspen s acoÌ„n IbmÌ„ Yf a man smyte a woman with childe whan the childe is quycke or poyson hyr with venym yf that childe be deed born or ellys born out of tyme dye by that poyson or by that stroke he is yrreguler But yf the childe were not quycke he is not yrreguler but he shall be punysshed by the lawe of holy chirche as a manqueller And so shall the man that gyueth venym or ony drynke or ony other thynge to let woman that she may not conceyue ne brynge forth childern And yf yâ— woman wylfully take suche drynkes or do ony mys crafte to let hyrself or ony other from berynge of childern she is a mansleer Yf many men fyghte togydre one or mo be slayne it is not knowen by whome of that coÌ„pany all that smeten or came for to slee or for to fyght all though they smeten not be mansleers And alle that came to helpe mansleers though they slough not ne had wyll to slee but come only to conforte and to helpe of the sleer and all that were on the wrong syde be yrreguler Yf man or wuman dye by defaute of the leche by his vnkunnynge mys medycyne the leche is yrreguler And therfore it is forboden men of holy chirche to gyue ony peryllous drynkes or to borne men by surgery or to kytte them for often deth or mayme tometh therof Also they mayme them selfe without a nedefull cause or be maymed by other men or by ther owne foly all yf they dyde theym gelde to be chaste so please god they be yrreguler For ther sholde no man serue at goddes aulter that had ony greate foule mayme Yf a man withdrawe hym that wolde saue a man fro deth yf he wyll not hymself saue fro the deth yf he may namely yf it longe to hym of offyce he is yrreguler Hec Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf ony clerke bere ony wood or fyre or ony mater to the brennynge of ony heretyke yf he be deed therby or his deth hasted therby he is yrreguler though the pope or the bysshop gyue pardon to all that helpen to the deth of that heretyke In suÌ„ma confes li.ij.ti.qÌ„.xxv.quid de ill Yf a preest sende a yonge childe to water his horse though he bydde hym beware of the water and the childe by his sendynge drenche the preest is
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.
whan she falleth in fornycacoÌ„n ¶ Pauper Eyther the fornycacoÌ„n is preuy or it is open Yf it be preuy may not be preued he shall not forsake hyr openly ne he is not bounde to forsake hyr preuely as anentes the bedde Yf hyr fornycacoÌ„n be open eyther ther is hope of amendement or there is none hope of amendement Yf she wyll amende hyr and there be good hope of amendement he may lefull kepe hyr styll Yf ther be none hope of amendement he ought not to kepe hyr stylle For yf he do it semeth that he consent to hyr synne suÌ„ma â—fes li.iiij ti xxij.qÌ„ vi qÌ„ro ¶ Diues May a man by his owne auctoryte forsake his wyfe yf she falle in fornycacoÌ„n ¶ Pauper As anentes hyr bed he may forsake hyr by his owne auctoryte but not anentes dwellynge togydre without auctoryte of holy chirche And yf he forsake hyr company as anent dwellynge without auctotyte of holy chirche he shal be compelled to dwelle with hyr but he may anone preue hyr fornycacoÌ„n Yf a man medle with his wyf after that that he knoweth hyr fornycacyon he is yrreguler though he be coÌ„coÌ„pelled therto by holy chirche suÌ„ma â—fes li.iiij ti xxij.qÌ„.viij vtruÌ„ vir Yf the husbonde be departed from his wyfe by auctoryte of holy chirche He may yf he wyll entre in to relygyon without hyr leue But whether he entre or nay he is bounde to contynence all hyr lyfe he may none other wyfe haue as longe as she lyueth for only deth departeth the bouÌ„de of wedlecke ¶ Diues Contra. Yf a man wedde a woman he may entre in to relygyon or he medle with hyr and she may take an other husboÌ„de yet neyther of them is deed ¶ Pauê‘ Ther is bodely deth goostly deth that is entre in to relygyan For than man or woman dyeth ayenst the worlde Yf he medle with hyr bodely onely bodely deth may departe them as ayenst the bouÌ„de of wedloke But or that he medle with hir bodely goostly deth that is entre in to relygyon may departe them For tyll whan they medle togydre bodely the bouÌ„de of ther wedloke is but goostly And therfore goostly deth breketh that bouÌ„de And for as moche leue frende as the husbonde is as well bouÌ„de to kepe fayth to his wyfe as the wyfe to the husbonde therfore yf the husbonde trespasse and falle in to fornycacyon she hath as greate accyon ayenst hym as he sholde haue ayenst his wyfe yf she dyde a mys Quia quo ad fidem matrimonij iudicanâ— ad paria Caplm .viij. DIues I may well assente that auoutrye be a full greuous synne both in man and in woman But that symple fornycacyon bytwene syngel man syngel woman sholde be dedly synne I may not assent therto And comon opynyit is as that it is noo dedely synne ¶ Pauper Euery synne that excludeth man or woman out of heuen is dedely synne but symple fornycacoÌ„n excludeth man woman out of heuen but they amende theym here therfore than symple fornycacyon is dedely synne ¶ Diues Where fyndest thou that symple fornycacyon excludeth man woman out of heuen ¶ Pauper In the pystle of saynt Poule where he sayth that no fornycaryes ne they that do auoutrye ne sodo mytes ne theues ne mawmetrers ne glotons ne wycked spekers ne they that lyue by rauyn shall haue the kyngdome of heuen .i. ad corum vi And in the chaptre next before he byddeth yâ— men sholde not medle with suche for nycaryes and with suche wycked lyuers not ete with them ne drynke with them for they be acursed of god and of all the company of heuen And in an other pystle saynt Poule sayth thus Wyte ye it well and vnderstande ye it that no fornycarye ne vnclene man of his bodye ne false couetous man shall haue herytage in yâ— kyngdome of cryste of god And therfor sayth he Late ye no fornycacyon ne vnclennesse ne auaryce be named in you ne fylth ne foly speche ne harlottre but all maner honeste as it becometh sayntes Ad ephe .v. And in an other place he sayth that god shall deme fornycaryes them that do auoutrye Ad hebreos .xiij. That is to saye as the glose sayth God shall dampne them without ende al thoughe they wene not so but sythen yâ— god gyueth no tale of flesshly synne And therfore saynt Iohn sayth in the boke of goddes preuytees to fornycaryes manquellers lyers and periurers and suche other cursed folke theyr parte shall be in yâ— pyt wellynge brennynge with fyre brymstone whiche is the seconde deth of helle Apo .xxi. And the wyse man byddeth that thou shal te not gyue thy soule to fornycaryes in ony thynge that thou lese not the and thy soule and thyn herytage in heuen And euery woman fornycarye shall be troden vnder foot of the fendes as derte in yâ— waye Eccl .ix. ¶ Diues Contra. Al the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of yâ— seconde table be gyuen of god to let wronges yâ— men sholde ellys do to ther euen crysten but whan a syngel man medleth with a syngell woman he doth no man ne woman ony wronge for eyther of them is in his owne power ¶ Pauê‘ Though eche of them be in his owne power yet ech of them dooth other grete wronge for eche of theym sleeth other by dedely synne eche of them sleeth hyÌ„selfe eche of them doth wronge to god in that that they do ayenst his forbode slee the soules that he bought so dere And both they doo wronge to ther euen crysten in that that they gyue them wycked ensample and mater of sclauÌ„dre ¶ Diues Yet contra te God sayth to euery man woman Crescite et multiplicamini Wexe ye be ye multyplyed Therfore than yf a syngell man medle with a syngell woman to brynge forth childern it seâ—eth to me no synne ¶ Pauper God sayd not tho wordes to euery man and woman but onely to them that were wedded togydre by goddes lawe that as they were wedded togydre to brynge forth childern so god badde theym brynge forth childern God sayd not tho wordes to syngell folke but to Adam and Eue his wyfe And vnto Noe his wyfe and to his sones and theyr wyues And therfore Thobye sayd to his sone Attendite tibi fili mi ab omni fornicacione â— My sone kepe the from all maner fornycacyon ne medle with none woman but onely with thy wyfe Thobie .iiij. ca. And saynt Poule sayth Mortificate meÌ„bra vestra que sunt super terraÌ„ Slee ye your synfull membres that be vpon erthe slee ye fornycacyon vnclennesse lecherye These be the membres that he byddeth vs slee not the partes of our bodye as the glose sayth And the glose sayth also That euery lyenge with a woman out of lawfull wedlocke is called fornycacyon and forboden as dedely synne And therfore god badde in the olde lawe that yf the prestes douhhter were
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
moraliuÌ„ sayth thus Os qd mentit occidit aiÌ„am The mouth yâ— lyeth sleeth the soule And the prophete sayth Lorde thou shalt lese all that speke lesynges And therfore sayth he men of perfecco n muste with all besynesse flee lesynges in so moche that for saluacoÌ„n of ony maÌ„nes lyfe they sholde not lye to helpe an others bodye in harmynge of theyr owne soule And therfore god sayth Non menciemini et noÌ„ decipiet vnusquisque ê“ximuÌ„ suuÌ„ Leuitici .xix. Lye ye not and no man desceyue his neyghbour Caplm .iij. DIues Contra. We rede in holy wryt Exodi .i. that Pharo assygned to the wymen of Israel two mydwyues Sephora and Phua badde them slee all the childern males kepe the wymen But they for the drede of god for pyte dyd not so but saued both male female with a lesynge excused them to the kynge sayd that wymen of Israell coude better helpe themselfe than wymen of Egypte had childeren or they come to them And as holy wryt sayth there therfor god gaue them house and londe ¶ Pauper Not for the lesynge but for they dred god for the drede of god they saued the childern Therfor god gaue them house londe not for the lesynge so sayth holy wryt Nathelesse some clerkes saye that for her lesynge god chauÌ„ged the endlesse mede yâ— they had ellys be worthy in to temporell mede of house londe ¶ Diues Yet coÌ„trate We fynde in the gospell that after that cryste was rysen from deth to lyfe he wente with two of his dyscyples Cleophas an other in the lyknesse of a pylgryme spake with them of his deth and of his passyon but they knewe hym not And at euen whan they came to the castell of Emaus he fayned him to go ferther And yet at theyr prayer he went in with theym But faynyng as saynt Austen sayth is a maner of lesynge therfore not euery maner of lesynge is synne ¶ Pauper It semed to theyr syght that cryste hadde fayned not by false faynynge Inwarde in dede as he shewed outwarde for he was fer fro ther fayth And therfore he shewed hym outwarde as a strauÌ„ger a pylgryme passynge for they knewe hym not ne byleued not in hym stedfastly Also by that doynge he shewed that he sholde passe forth bodely out of this worlde goo aboue all heuens ¶ Diues We fynde GenÌ„ .xxvij. That Iacob in desceyte of his fader that was blynde in fraude of his brother Esau sayd to Ysaac his fader to haue his blyssynge I am Esau thy fyrste sone that was false and yet god approued his dede Therfore than it semeth yâ— euery lesynge is synne ¶ Pauper That Iacob dyd was fygure prophecye of thynge yâ— sholde falle And for yâ— prophecye is done in dede therfore it was no lesynge For thoughe he were not his fyrste sone in byrthe yet he was his fyrste sone in dygnyte by ordynauÌ„ce of god yâ— ordeyned that the people comynge of Iacob sholde be souerayne to the people comynge of Esau And that the grete byhest of crystus byrth made to Abraham and Ysaac sholde be fulfylled in Iacob not in Esan as theyr fader wende that it sholde haue be And though Esau were the fyrste sone pryncypall to Ysaac by the dome of Ysaac yet was Iacob his fyrste sone his pryncypal sone by the dome of god And though he were not Esau bodely in persone yet he was Esau in dygnyte ¶ Diues Contra. His fader Ysaac sayd that he came gylefully toke his blessynge ¶ Pauper Ysaac sayd as he wende but not as it was For he knewe not than the wyll of god in yâ— doynge for it was no gyle ne falsenesse in Iacob For it was not the dede ne the speche of Iacob but it was the dede yâ— speche of the holy goost yâ— wrought in hyÌ„ spake in hym And therfore cryste sayd to his dyscyples It ben not ye that speke but the holy goost of your fader in heuen speketh in you And so he spake in Iacob Rebeca his mod that couÌ„seyled hym so to gete his faders blessynge Caplm .iiij. DIues Saynt Austen sayth that lesynge lyenge is not only in fayned speche but also in fayned dedes ¶ Pauper Saynt Austen sayth not that all fayned dedes ben lesynges synne but he sayth that all fayned speche in falsehede is lesynge synne For man hath more free myght to gouerne his speche than to gouerne his dedes for alwaye a man may speke as he wyll but he may not alwaye do as he wyll And the phylosophre sayth prio. periarminias that speche is token of thoughtes in the hert For it is ordeyned that man by his speche sholde shewe thynge to be or not to be as he feleth and thynketh in his hert And therfore cryste sayth in the gosspell Sit sermo vester est est non non Be your speche ye ye nay nay That as it is in the herte soo it be in the mouthe that ye of the mouthe be ye of the herte and nay of the mouthe be nay of the herte so that the mouthe the hert muste alwaye accorde For as saynt Austen sayth in libro â—tra men daciuÌ„ The mouth bereth wytnesse to the herte And therfore yf man or woman saye otherwyse than it is in his herte he bereth false wytnesse ayenst his hert ayenst hymselfe doth ayenst the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god yâ— byddeth hyÌ„ saye no false wytnesse ayenst his neyghbour ne ayenst his next yâ— is his owne hert his soule An other reson is this for dede is not ordeyned pryncypaly to be wytnes to yâ— thought of maÌ„nes hert but it is ordeyned to yâ— profyt of the doer to yâ— profyt of his neyghbour to the worshyp of god And therfor whan faynynge in dede is profytable to the doer to his euen crysten and to the worshyp of god it is lefull in case full medefull And therfore Dauyd whan he was amonges his enemyes in peryl of deth medefully fayned hym to be wood so to saue his lyfe to the worshyp of god the profyte of his nacyon and of his frendes and of his enemyes that sholde ellys haue fallen in manslaughter Pri â— reguÌ„ .xxi. But speche is ordeyned of god pryncypaly for to be true wytne s se of thought in herte And therfor who so sayth otherwyse than it is in his herte in his conseyence he synneth for he mysused his speche ayenst the ordre of kynde ordeyned of god ¶ Diues Sythen faynynge of dede is not alwaye synne as faynynge of speche telle me whan it is synne and whan not ¶ Pauper Faynynge in dede is done somtyme by slyght for a good ende As we rede in the fourthe booke of kynges iiij ReguÌ„ .x. That Ieu the kynge of Israell dyd calle to gydre al the prestes of the false mawmet Baall in to a certayne daye
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
fyrste Deme well to thy selfe of thy selfe For as Salomon sayth The true wytnesse delyuereth soules of woo both in his owne and in many other Prouer .xiiij. And as the prophete sayth Seke ye vp our lorde god with almesse dede whyle he may be founde calle ye hym whyle he is nyghe Now he is hyghe now he called vs to his mercy Now he may be fouÌ„de benygne and bonour to all But after the dome and after our deth he shall be felle and fyers to vs but we amende vs. Than shall we fynde no mercy but that we deserue by our lyf And therfore leue frende doo ye as saynt Poule sayth Dum tempus habemus operemur bonum ad omnes Whyle we haue tyme werke we good to all And the wyse man sayth what good thyne honde may do do it besely whyle thou myght For ther shall be no werkynge reason ne connynge ne wysdome after thy deth to wynne the mede Eccl .ix. Therfore cryste sayth in the gospell that ther shall come a nyght whan no man shall werke to wynne hym mede The daye is our lyfe the nyght is our deth for be we deed we may no more werke to wynne mede ne to amende vs. ¶ Here endeth the eyght coÌ„maundement And begynneth the nynthe Capitulum PrimuÌ„ DIues God sende vs grace to do as thou sayst I thanke the for this enformacoÌ„n for I hope it shall do profyte Now I praye the yâ— thou wylt enforme me in the .ix. coÌ„maundement ¶ Pauê‘ The .ix. coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this NoÌ„ ocupisces domuÌ„ ê“ximi tui Exo .xx. Thou shalt not coueyte thy neyghbours good with wronge house ne londe In the .viij. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes byfore god forbedeth all wycked werkes In these two laste he forbedeth all wycked wylles consente to synne For of wycked wyll cometh euyll dede And therfore cryste sayth in the gospell that out of the herte cometh all maner synne for without wyll assente of the herte is no synne done De corde exiunt cogitaciones male homicidia adulteria fornicaciones furta falsa testimonia blasphemie Mathei .xv. Therfore saynt Poule sayth that couetyse is rote of all euyl And therfore god forbedeth all wycked couetyse both of the worlde and of the flesshe Couetyse of the worlde is called couetyse of the eye in other mennes good Couetyse of the flesshe is called wylle to lecherye and to glotonye And ryght as a wycked wede is clene clensed out of a londe whan the rote is drawen a waye and tylle whan the rote is drawen vp the londe is not clene clensed ne well weded And bodely sekenesse is not well cured ne helyd tylle the rote of the sekenesse be thus destroyed Ryght so maÌ„nes soule womans may not be clene clensyd of synne ne goddes lawe may not be kept tylle couetyse of the herte whiche is rote of all maner synne of all goostely sekenesse be drawen out of the londe of mannes hert destroyed And therfore whan god had gyuen .viij. coÌ„maundementes by whiche men shold flee al wycked werkes he put therto other .ij. coÌ„maundementes ayenst false couetyse byddynge yâ— men sholde put wycked couetyse out of herte for false couetyse is pryncypall letter of kepynge of goddes lawe rote of al wyckednesse Therfor in this coÌ„mauÌ„dement god forbedeth pryncypaly false worldely couetyse specyally of thynges not mouable by themselfe whan he byddeth that thou shalt not coueyte thy neyghbours good with wronge house ne londe In the .vij. coÌ„mau demeÌ„t god forbedeth the dede of all wrongfull takynge whan he byddeth the not stele In this byheste he forbedeth all maner wrongful desyre mys couetyse of ony mannes good of house of londe of golde of syluer of cloth of corne of all suche other thynges that may not styre themselfe This coÌ„mauÌ„dement is princypaly ayenst false purchasours that for false couety s e ben besy to begyle with falsehede to robbe men of house of londe put theym out of theyr herytage To suche false purchasours god gyueth his curse and sayth thus Ve qui cogitatis inutile et operamini malum in cubilibus vestris â— Woo be to you that thynke vnprouffytable thynge and werke wyckeÌ„d thynge in your beddes in the morowe whan ye may not slepe For than they caste gyle and falsehede ayenst theyr euen crysten They haue coueyted other mennes fâ—ldes sayth he and by myght take them awaye from them robbe them of theyr houses falsly chalenge the man his house his herytage For often they chalenge men for bouÌ„de and so entre in to theyr house and londe haue all theyr herytage with goddes curse Michee .ij. Also god gyueth them his curse by the prophete Ysaye there he sayth thus Ve qui coniungitis domum domui et agrum agro copulatis â— Woo be to you that falsely Ioyne house to house and couple felde to felde to the ende of the place that ye may saye all this is myne no man hath ought within me Wene ye sayth god that ye allone shall dwelle vpon erthe This false couetyse sayth he sowneth in myne eeres And therfor many a fayre house and grete shall be forsaken and no man ne woman dwelle therin Ysaye â—nto And thus the wyse man sayth Non attingas terminos paruulorrum â— Touche not the bouÌ„des of the small poore folke to reue theym of theyr ryght entre thou not in to the felde of faderles childern to put them out of theyr herytage For almyghty god that is ther nyghe frende shall make theyr full greuous and full harde ayenst the. Prouer .xxiij. Caplm .ij. WE fynde in holy wrytte the thyrde booke of kynges .xxi. ca. That ther was a kyng of Israell that hyght Achab and there was a man dwellynge by hym that hyght Naboth that had a fayre vyneyerde that laye nyghe the kynges paleys and therfore the kyng desyred gretly to haue it and sayd to Naboth gyue me thy vyneyerde and I shall gyue the a better therfore or ellys asmoche moneye as it is worth Than Naboth sayd god forbede that I sholde chauÌ„ge my faders herytage I wyll neuer chaunge it ne selle it Than the kynge was wroth and for malancoly layde hym on his bedde and wolde not ete ne drynke The quene Iesabell his wyfe come to hym and axed what hym ayled The kyng sayd that he had spoken to Naboth to haue his vyneyerde and he wolde not graunte it hym Than Iesabell the quene sayd Bt of good conforte and take me thy rynge and I shall gyue to the the vyneyerde Than she wrote lettres in the kynges name to the pryncypales of the cyte vnder the kynges sygnet And badde them gadre theyr courte to gydre make a solempne fastynge so to blynde the people with ypocresye badde them ordeyne two false wytnesses whiche sholde accuse Naboth saye that he spake euyl of god of the kyng so dampne hym as gylty stone hym to the deth soo they
am soo lytell Saue my lyfe and lett me flee and I shall teche the thre wysedomes whiche yf thou kepe them well they shall do the moche proufyte Than the archer was a wouÌ„dred of her speche and behyght her sykerly to let her flee yf she taught hym the wysedomes Than she sayd besye the not to take a thynge that thou myght not take For a thynge that is lost may not be recouered ne goten ayen make no sorowe ThyÌ„ge that is not semely to be soth byleue it not The archer lete the nyghtyngale flee Whan the nyghtyngale was vp in the ayer she sayd to the archer a feble couÌ„seyll haste thou take For thou haste loste a grete tresour for I haue a Margery stone in my wombe more than an ostriches egge Than the archer was sory and prayed the nyghtyngale come ayen to hym and hyght her well Than sayd the nyghtyngale Now I wote well thou art a fole all my lore profyteth the not For thou makest moche sorowe for thou haste loste me and yet thou myght not gete me ayen Thou trauayleste to take me and thou myght not take me ne passe the waye that I passe by And ouer that thou byleuest that I had suche a precyous stone in my body as moche as an ostryches egge all my bodye is not halfe so moche ¶ Diues What is this to purpose ¶ Pauper By this nyghtyngale that syngeth soo swetely I vnderstande Cryste goddes sone that songe to mankynde songes of endeles loue And a nyghtyngale is in latyn Philomena that is to saye in Englysshe a swete louer as Catholycon sayth And a sweter louer than cryste was ther neuer none He taughte to vs many wysdomes in whiche he taught vs these thre Fyrste he bad that thou sholdest not be besye to take thynge that thou myght not take whan he bad the not stele ne coueyte thy neyghbours good with wronge For as the lawe sayth Hoc soluÌ„ possumus quod de iure possumus Onely we may do that we may do lawfully And therfore yf thou trauayll to gete thynge vnlaufully that thou myght not haue by the lawe be it house or londe worshyp or dygnyte than thou besyest the to gete a thynge that thou myght not take And therfore the wyseman sayth Noli laborare vt diteris â— Trauayll thou not to moche to be ryche but put measure and maner to thy wysedome and to thy slyght that though thou myghtest gete a thynge by sleyght or by sotyltee alwaye take hede to the ryght and to the lawe Ne erigas oculos tuos ad opes quas habere noÌ„ poteris s.de iure â— Lyfte not vp thyne eye sayth Salomon to rychesses that thou myght not haue ryghtfully For they shall make them wynges as of an egle flee in to heuen that is to saye they shall flee awaye from the accuse yâ— byfore god of thy falsehede and of thy couetyse Prouer xxiij Also couetouse folke doo ayenst the seconde lesson that this nyghtyngale cryste Ihesus taught vs to kepe For whan they lese thynge by myshappe or by aduersyte or by deth of wyfe or childern they make so moche sorowe that they renye god fall in full harde sekenesse both of soule of bodye But Dauyd the kyng kepynge this wysdome dyd not so but whyle his sone laye seke as longe as he was of hope to haue his lyfe so longe he wept fasted prayed for his lyfe to god But whan the childe was deed anone he cessed of his wepynge and ete and dranke and made mery For he wyste well that he myght not gete hym eyen .ij. ReguÌ„ .xij. Also couetyse maketh men to leue thynge that is not semely to be soth to byleue many stronge lesynges For thynge that is moche desyred is soone byleued as that mayster of storyes sayth And for as moche as couetouse folke desyren to haue moche thynge that they haue noo ryght to therfore they byleue many falle tales and assenten to falsehede For the couetouse the false accorden soone to gydre For yf a false man come telle the couetouse man a false tale of wynnynge or telleth hym that he hath ryght to a thynge he byleueth hym soone be it neuer so false But therfor this nyghtyngale blessyd Ihesus sayd Qui cito credit leuis est corde â— He that soone byleueth is lyght of herte and full chaungeable from vertue to vyce from treuth to falsenesse from charyte to couetyse Et minorabi And he that soone byleueth shall be lessed in worshyp lytyll set by For soone byleuynge of lesynges bryngeth people to moche folye This maketh men to begynne playes bryges one neyghbour to hate an other the hnsbonde to haÌ„te his wyfe yâ— wyf hyr husbonde the fader his sone the sone his fad the moder hyr doughter yâ— brother his syster this hath brought Englonde in bytter balys Therfore the wyse man sayth Non omni verbo credas Byleue not euery worde Eccl xiiij He that byleueth soone lesynges his worde his loue his fayth waweâ— about as the wynde Therfore the grete clerke Seneca sayth in his epistle that noo wyse man byleueth ony newe tales lyghtly Caplm .v. ALso we rede in holy wryt Numeri .xxij. That Balaam the false prophete wolde haue cursed goddes people for couetyse of the gyftes whiche Balaaâ— kyng of Moab profered him notwithstandynge that god forbad it hym badde hym not come there wherfor as he rode to the kyng Balaaâ— his asse that he rode on vndername hym hurte his fote ayenst a walle For the asse sawe an angel standynge with a swerde drawen ayenst hym in the waye therfor the asse fledde out of that waye in to that felde Balaam was wroth smote his asse full harde with a staffe for he bare him so out of the waye And yâ— asse cam in a strayt waye bytwene two walles there he sawe also the angell ayenst hym for dred he fledde a syde bare Balaam ayenst yâ— walle hurte his fote ayenst yâ— walle Than Balaam bette the asse full euyll Soone after yâ— angell stode ayenst hym in so strayt a waye that the asse myght not flee on ony syde but felle downe and wolde no ferther than efte he smote the asse God opened the asses mouthe and he sayd to Balaam what haue I do ayenst the why betest thou me now the thyrde tyme. I haue alwaye be thy beest and thou haste alwaye roden on me I serued the neuer thus tyll now Than god opened the eyen of Balaam he sawe yâ— angell standynge ayenst hym with a naked swerde whiche repreued hym of his false couetyse and of his wycked purpose and for that he bete his asse without gylte and sayd that but the asse had gone out of the waye he sholde ellys haue slayne hym for his waye was ayenst the plesauÌ„ce of god ¶ Diues What betokeneth this tale ¶ Pauê‘ Balaam is to saye in
sekenesse feblenesse losse of catell and aduersyte than he may saye Regnaui I haue reygned somtyme I was a man But whan he lyeth on deynge he may saye Sum sine regno I am without kyngdome My reygne my kyngdome my welth is done Also in the whele of fortune yâ— is in the one syde anone it is in the other syde For they that ben this daye a maÌ„nes frendes stande on his syde to helpe hym the next daye they shall be his enemyes stande ayenst hym with his aduersarye Of this whele speketh Dauyd In circuitu impij ambulant Wycked couetouse folke go about as a whele Posuisti eos vt rotaÌ„ et sicut stipulaÌ„ ante facieÌ„ venti Lorde sayth he thou haste put them as a whele a stoble byfore the face of the wynde For as the stoble whyle the wynde bloweth wauereth fleeth aboue in the ayer now hyghe now lowe but anone as the wynde passeth it falleth adowne to the erth lyeth there stylle Ryght so the proude couetouse folke wauere in this worlde in welth and worshyppe now hygher now lower And as the stoble the strawe in his flyght kepeth no certayne waye so kepe they no waye of goddes lawe tyll at the laste the wynde passeth out of theyr bodye they falle downe in to ther graue many of them in to the pytte of helle Also this worlde is lykened to a shyp in the see saylynge For be the shyp euer so grete of hym selfe haue the wynde with hym all at wyll bere he his sayle neuer soo hyghe go he neuer soo yerne be he passed ther is no token where he went Ryght so be a man neuer so grete in this worlde haue the wynde of meÌ„nes mouth neuer so wel with hym to bere his name to prayse him to flater hym though his naâ—e sprynge neuer so wyde bere hym neuer so hygh in pryde or be he so solempne so myghty yâ— no man dare quycche ayenst him ne do be he deed passed out of this worlde soone he is foryeten Men shal fynde no token of hym within a fewe yeres Vnnethes shall he fynde one frende that wyl do synge a masse for his soule Goo to the chircheyerde and thou shalt knowe by the bodyes the ryche from the poore the fayre from the foule the wyse from the foles the free fro the bouÌ„de But all they torne there to erth asshes to wormes mete to stenche vnclennesse All these grete kynges yâ— were somtyme so grete of name where ben they all bycomen Alexander Iulius cesar Nabugodono sor Octauyan Arthur kyng Charles all suche other where ben they bycomen Therfore they may saye yâ— is wryten in the boke of wysdom Quid nobis ê“fuit suê‘bia â— What profyted to vs our grete pryde what halpe vs our pompe our grete rychesses All is passed awaye as a shadowe as a shyp that passeth the wawes of the see of whiche be it passed men may fynde no token Sap. v. Mannes lyf may well be lykened to a shyp whiche is streyt narowe at both endes but in the myddes it is wyde large Ryght so is mannes lyfe for his byrth his begynnynge is full strayt ful narowe For he cometh into this worlde naked poore wepynge walynge vnmyghty vnwytty nought may ne can helpe hymselfe with moche trauayle is brought forth tyll by lytell lytel he cometh to maÌ„nes age There the shyp of his lyf is somdele wyde large for in his myddell age he hath moost his myght his wytte his wyl But anone the shyp of this lyfe draweth to an other strayt ende Anone cometh age feblenesse seknesse aduersyte losse of catell pouerte at the laste deth maketh a full strayt ende whan he dyeth with bytter payne in moche drede moche sorowe and gooth hens naked poore ryght as he cam bereth nought with him but his good dedes wycked Of these two strayt endes sayth Iob thus Nudus egâ—essê° snm de vtero matris mee et nudus reuertar illuc Naked I cam out of my moders wombe naked I shall tourne ayen in to the erthe moder of all And yf a man wyll styre well a shyp or a bote he may not stande in yâ— myddes of the shyp ne in the former ende but he muste stande in yâ— laste ende there he may styre the shyp as he wyl Ryght so he yâ— wyll styre well yâ— shyp of his lyf in this worlde he may not stande in yâ— myddes of his shyp not set his thought his herte in welth that he hath in his myddel age ne he shal not stonde in yâ— former ende not set his herte ne his thought in his byrthe ne in his begynnynge to thynke moche of his kynrede ne of alyauÌ„ce to styre him to pryde But he must stonde in the laste ende of his shyp of his lyfe thynke on his deth and on his laste ende And how myscheuously how perylously he shall wende hens and how wheder ne whan wote he neuer And in that maner he shall beste styre the shyp of his lyfe to the syker hauen of heuen blysse Therfore the wyse man sayth Memorare nouissimatua et in eternuÌ„ non peccabis Thynke Inwardly of thy laste thynges of thyne ende thou shalt neuer do synne Eccl vij In the begynnynge of euery dede thynke on the ende what ende it may haue what may falle therof Caplm .ix. ALso welthe of this worlde is lykned to a floure that soone fadeth falleth to the grouÌ„de For as the roso floure is fayre to the syght swere in smellynge softe in handelynge so welth of this worlde is fayre to the syght of man lykynge in the hauynge But ryght as the rose wexeth alwaye amonges the chornes and he that gadreth roses but he be more ware shal lyghtly hurte hym and prycke hym Ryght so welth and rychesses of this worlde wexeth all amonges thornes of harde trauayle of thonght of bâ—ysynesse and of many peryls both bodely and goostely For a man hath moche trauayle in the getynge moche drede in the kepynge moche bytter sorowe in the lesynge Diues diuicias noÌ„â—gregat absque labore Non tenet absque metu nee deserit absque dolore Whan a man hath trauayled all his lyfe tyme to gadre good and to haue welth worshyppe in this worlde it wyll soone welke tade falle awaye as the rose Sodaynly cometh moreyn his beestes dye cometh aduersyte losse of catel and at laste deth taketh awaye euery dele And who so wyll be besy to gadre the rose of worldely weth of rychesses but he be ryght ware he shall hurte hym both bodely goostly And therfore saynt Poule sayth that they that coueyte to be riche in this worlde they falle in the fendes snare in to full harde temptacyons For these causes saynt Iames sayth yâ— the ryche man shall
kabehouse whan folke were at the ouen and the ouen was glowynge hote Than sayde the foole sage to the natural foole whether the ouen be now hote as it semeth wyll we assaye sayd the other ye sayd the foole sage but whiche of vs shall go in to the ouen fyrste for to assaye Than sayd the naturell foole I shall goo in and thou shalte haue a bolle full of water and stande at the ouens mouth And yf I fele hete and I crye caste caste anone caste the water after me and quenche the fyre about me It shall be done sayd the other foole Than the naturell foole toke the foole sage a bolle full of water in his honde and he wente and crepte in to the ouen and anone as he was in he beganne to brenne And anone he cryed caste caste Whan the other foole sawe his foly he laughed so enterely at his foly that vnnethes he myght stonde on his fete Than the foole in the ouen cryed caste man caste I brenne to deth Than the other foole answered breÌ„ne thou yf brenne wylt dye yf thou dye wylt I laugh so that I may not caste And so the foole brent to deth in the ouen By tho two fooles I vnderstaude men yâ— dye theyr false executours for both ben they fooles For the executours ben grete fooles in that that they bynde theym to helle payne for theyr falsehede But they that dye ben more fooles in that that they truste more to other men than to themself For whan they shall crepe in to purgatorye that is hoter than ony ouen than they take to theyr executours a bolle full of water in theyr honde that is to saye golde and syluer and other rychesses for to do almesse for them and by almesdede by masses syngynge holy prayers refresshe them in theyr paynes kele the fyre about theym But comonly whan they haue this bolle of water in theyr honde haue the goodes at theyr wyll they laugh so make so mery and fare so well with the goodes of the deed that they may no thynge cast after them for they be full loth to forgo ony of the goodes And therwhyles yâ— synfull soule lyeth in purgatory suffreth ful moche wo cryeth after helpe nyght daye sayenge in this maner Miseremini mei miseremini mei salteÌ„ vos amici mei qr manê° dniÌ„ tetigit me Iob .xix. Haue ye mercy on me haue ye mercy on me namely ye my frendes for yâ— honde of god full harde hath touched me And whan they fynde no helpe of them yâ— sholde helpe them they axe vengeauÌ„ce on them nyght daye A grete clerke Turpinê° de gestâ— Karoli telleth that the kyng Charles had with hym a knyght in his oost a man of good conscyence whan he sholde dye he called to hyÌ„ his neuewe praynge hym that whan he were deed he shold selle his horse and his harneys do almesse and do synge thrytty masses for his loue He behyght hym well but lasted hym full euyll kept it stylle to his owne vse and dyd not as he badde hym doo Whan the thrytty dayes were passed in yâ— nyght folowynge the knyght apperyd in slepe to his neuewe axed hym why he had not done as he bad hym do Than he excused him by dyuer s e besynesses yâ— he fayned not that hadde And he axed his eme how he fared And than he answered sayd I shall telle the how I fare and how thou shalt fare Alle these thrytty dayes I haue ben in purgatorye and suffred ful moche woo and payne for defaute of helpe But now thanke be god I am passed purgatorye and goo vp to heuens blysse without ende But for thou woldest not helpe me as I badde the therfore as this daye mydmorowe thou shalt dye and goo to helle without ende On the next daye folowynge as he rode in yâ— oost on yâ— same horse tolde these dremes to his felowes as for a Iape at mydmorowe came sodaynly a blake skye with thondre lyghtnynge and grete nombre of fendes in lykenesse of rauens rokes hent hym vp fro the horse in the myddes of the oost flewe awaye with hym so that they sawe no more of hym tyll they came foure dayes Iourney thens amonges the mouÌ„tes of Nauerne There they founde hym all to rent and drawen lyth from lyth but his soule was drawen to helle By his cote armure they knewe well that it was yâ— same man ¶ Diues Be a man deed he fyndeth fewe frendes Caplm .xij. PAuper I rede in vita Barla am yâ— ther was a ryche man whiche had iij. frendes The fyrste frende the seconde he loued with all his herte but the thyrde frende he loued lytell or nought This man felle in suche a daunger ayenst his kyng that aâ— his good was forfetted eschetyd to the kyng hymselfe wened to haue ben slayn Than he wente to his fyrste frende that he loued soo moche praynge hym of helpe that he wolde go to the kyng speke for hyÌ„ saue his lyfe yf he myght Than he answerd sayd Fare well faue I knowe the not I haue other felowes frendes ynough with whom I haue my myrtes solace Nathelesse yf thou be slayne I shall gyue the a shete to burye the in Than he went to the seconde frende that he loued soo moche praynge hym also of helpe And he excused hym sayd I praye the haue me excused for I am so besye that I may not atende to the But yet for olde felaushyp I shall go with the on waye to the yate Than went he to the thyrde frende that he loued so lytel prayed hym of helpe sayd Leue frende I am ashamed to speke to the for I haue ben to the ful vnkynde lytell loue shewed to the. But I praye the haue reuth on me for goddes sake helpe me in this nede And than he answered hym and sayd Leue frende welcome be thou and be of good comforte for I am thy frende and wyll be thy frende and to helpe the that I may do thou shalt fynde me redy And anone he went dyde so and spake to the kyng that he saued 〈◊〉 lyfe delyuered hym out of all his daunger ¶ Diues So it fareth these dayes as longe as a man is in welth so longe he shall haue frendes ynough to take of him what they may and to flater hym and to please hym But yf he begynne to go donewarde than fyndeth he fewe frendes and many enemyes Therfore sayth the wyse man Tempore felici multi numerantur amici Cum fortuna perit nullus amicus erit In tyme of welth a man shall fynde frendes ynough But whan rychesses hap is gone he shal fynde fewe frendes fele fone Saye forth thy tale ¶ Pauê‘ By this ryche man I vnderstande euery man that hath rychesses goodes of this worlde By his fyrste frende yâ— he loued
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
Canâ— .viij. Set me as a token vpon thyn herte And saynt Poul sayth SpuÌ„ aÌ„bulate desideria carnis noÌ„ ê‘ficietâ— ad Gala v. â— Go ye with the holy goost that is called welle of goostly fyre ye shal not do the desyre of yâ— flesshe for deuocoÌ„n mynde of crystus passyon is the best remedy ayenst temptacoÌ„n of lechery Caplm .iiij. ALso it is a good remedye to a man to thynke on his deth on his freelte on the bytter paynes of helle euer lastynge of the hygh offence of god of the endeles Ioyes that they lese yf they assent to lecherye Therfore Salomon sayth Memorare nouissima tua in eternuÌ„ noÌ„ peccabis Eccl .vij. Thynke on thy laste thynges thou shalt neuer doo synne Eche man woman sholde beware that neyther by nyce contenauÌ„ce ne by foly speche ne by nyce araye of body they styre ony man or womaÌ„ to lecherye And though resonable arraye honeste be coÌ„mended both in man woman after theyr astate ruled by goddaes lawe reason so they muste be well ware that by suche arraye they falle not in pryde ne in lecherye ne styre other to lecherye wyllynge wetynge We rede in vitas patrum that ther was an holy woman whose name was Alexandre and she was a full fayre woman and whan she herde saye that a man was fallen in to harde temptacoÌ„n of lecherye bycau s e of her beaute she closed herself in an house wolde neuer see man after ne come out of that house but toke her lyuynge in to her by a smalle wyked Men axed her why she dyde so And she saye that she hadde leuer to shytte herselfe all quyck in the graue than to harme ony soule that god made to his lykenesse bought soo dere with his precyous blood We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Bryde that a man wolde haue wedded her for her beaute she prayed god that he wolde sen do her some blemysshynge of her face wherby that mannes temptacyon myght cese Anone her one eye braste out of her hede wherfore her fader made her a nuÌ„ne as a woman vnable to the worlde And whaÌ„ she was made a nuÌ„ne had forsaken the worlde anone she had her eye her syght ayen Thus sholde wymen besely kepe theÌ„ in chastyte clennesse maydens in chastyte of maydenhode wydowes in chastyte of wydowehode wyues in chastyte of wedloke kepe ther bodye truly to theyr husbondes so yâ— husboÌ„des truly to theyr wyues Forsoth it is a dedely synne a man to desyre an other mannes wyfe or his mayden or his doughter to flesshely luste Moche more is it dedely synne to oppresse theÌ„ defoule them lye by them Caplm .v. DIues Saynt Poule sayth that the flesshe desyreth couey s eth alwaye ayenst yâ— soule And it is full harde to withstande his lustes his desyres ¶ Pauper Therfore man sholde gouerne chastyse his bodye as a good man of armes gouerneth chastysed his horse For as Iob sayth All our lyuynge vpon erth is knyghthode fyghtyng ayenst yâ— fende yâ— worlde yâ— flesshe Iob vij And in this batayle our bodye is our horse whiche we muste chastyse rule as a knyght dooth his horse For yf yâ— horse be to proude euyl tached he may lyghtly lese his mayster becau s e of his deth And yf he be tame to his mayster well tached it shall do hym worshyp helpe him at nede in case saue his lyfe Thre thynges ben nedeful to the knyght to rule wel his horse He muste haue a brydel sadel two spores By the brydel I vnder s tande abstynence trauayle by the whiche the flesshe muste be refrayned fro his lustes his euyll tacches whan he begynneth to wexe proude wynsynge kykyng ayenst his mayster that is the soule And yf he be ouer proude to rebell to his mayster he muste haue a sharpe brydel of sharpe abstynence of harde trauayle And yf he be meke tretable gyue hym a smothe brydel of easy abstynence of comon trauayle The raynes of thy brydel sholde be two partes of temporau ce that is to saye neyther to moch ne to lytel knyt togydre in a knot of gode discrecoÌ„n And than thyn 〈◊〉 shal go ryght forth in the waye 〈◊〉 lyfe bere the to heuenly blysse 〈◊〉 â—hou gyue thy flesshe to moche meâ—â— drynke ease it wyll be thy mayâ—ter slee the. And yf thou gyue it to lytell it shall be to feble fayle the at nede let the of thy Iourneye The sadell of thyn horse shall be pacyence mekenesse that thou be pacyente in adnersyte in sekenesse that thou folowe not the grutchynges yâ— sterynges of thy flesshe The steroppes of thy sadell sholde be lowenesse sadnesse Lowenesse ayenst pryde sadnesse ayenst the worlde the flesshe That thou be not to sory for no wo ne to gladde for no wele ne for no welfare Sytte sadely in thy sadell kepe well thy steroppes for no pryde ne for no wrathe for no sekenesse for no aduersyte let not thy horse caste 〈◊〉 downe out of yâ— sadel of pacyence but than syt faste by the vertue of goostly strength kepe thy soule in the sadel of pacyence as cryste byddeth in the gospell whan he sayth In paciencia vraÌ„ possidebiâ—â— aiÌ„as vraÌ„s Ye shall kepe your soules in your pacyence And as the sadell maketh an horse semely plesauÌ„t to the syght so pacyence maketh a man plesauÌ„t to the syght of god of men maketh them haue loue in euery coÌ„pany where they ben And wrath Inpacyence hastynes maketh a maÌ„ vnplesauÌ„t without loue Of this sadel god spake to Caym whan he was wroth with his brother Abel why sayd god art thou wroth why is thy face thy there so fallen for he was fallen out of the sadell of pacyence Yf thou do well thou shalt resceyue of me good mede yf thou do euyll anone thy synne cometh at yâ— yate to be punysshed But the desyre of synne shal be vnder the and in thy power as the horse vnder the knyght and thou shalt be lorde therof yf thou wylt GenÌ„ iiij But Caym by mysgouernauÌ„ce of his hors felle out of his sadel of pacyence into manslaughter of his brod for he wolde not kepe hyÌ„ in yâ— sadel of pacyence ne refrayne the wycked desyre of his flesshe therfore god cursed hyÌ„ fyrst of all men Therfore leue frende kepe you well in the sadel of pacyence let no angre ne losse of catell ne deth of frendes none aduersyte no trybula cyon no sekenesse vnsadel you of pacyence But sytte ye fast as Iob dyd saye ye as he sayd whan he hadde loste all his good all his childern were slayne hymselfe smyten with harde sekenesse and horryble foule than he sayd thus Yf we
woman do a mys for drede to lese yâ— blysse ¶ Pauper It fareth by folke born in pryson of the wycked worlde as it doth by a childe born in the depe derke pytte of the pryson whan it falleth a woman with childe be put in pryson The moder that knoweth the welfare yâ— she had out of pryson is in moche sorowe care and longeth full moche to be out of pryson ayen in her welfare But the childe born in the myscheef of the pryson and neuer hadde knowynge of better fare gyueth lytell tale of that myscheue in pryson But aslonge as he hath his moder with hym his sustenauÌ„ce though it be full feble he maketh no sorowe ne care he longeth after no better fare for he knoweth no better For yf his moder tells hym of yâ— Ioye welfare out of pryson of the sonne mone of the sterres of yâ— fayre floures spryngynge vpon erthe of the byrdes syngynge of myrthe of melodye of ryche arraye of lordes of ladyes welth that is out of pryson all hyr tale is but a dreme to the childe he byleueth it not therfore he longeth not therafter wyll not for all this blysse the welfare that she speketh of forsake his moder ne the feble fare that he hath with her that is for he byleueth it not yet it is as the moder telleth the childe But were the childe ones out of pryson and sawe the welth myrth the welfare whiche his moder tolde hym of he wolde be full sory for to go ayen to pryson there to lyue with his moder For all his lyfe in pryson that was fyrst lykynge ynough to hyÌ„ sholde than be full bytter he sholde neuer haue Ioye ne reste in herte tyll he came ayen to that welfare that he sawe out of pryson Ryght thus folke of this worlde borne and brought forth in sorowe care moche trauayl in the pryson of this worlde they haue so moche loue lykynge to theyr erthly moder to ther coÌ„panye that is to saye in erth in erthely thynges for erth is moder of al that they haue no lykynge in heuenly thynges ne longe not therafter And yet theyr gostly moder holy chirche ther goostly fader and god him selfe fader of all telleth them of the blysse of heuen It is to them but a dreme as is the moders tale to her childe in pryson they haue noo sad fayth therin And though it be so as our mod holy chirche telleth vs thoughe the childe byleue not that suche welfare be out of pryson the welfare is neuer the lesse though erthely couetouse men haue no lykynge but in erth in erthly thynges byleue not yâ— suche blysse be in heuen yet ther is suche blysse and neuer the lesse for theyr false byleue But had they ones sene assayed a lytell of that blysse al the Ioye lykynge that they haue in this worlde in erthly thynges sholde be to them full grete bytternesse full of sorowe care Example we haue of saynt Peter whom Cryste ledde vpon the hylle of Thabor with saynt Iohn saynt Iames and there he shewed them but a lytell of the blysse of his manhode His face shone as bryght as the sonne his clothes were whyte as snowe Moyses and Hely appered with hym in grete blysse magestee Than Peter sayd to our lorde Ihesu Lorde it is good to vs to be here Make we here thre tabernacles one to the an other to Moyses an other to Hely and let vs all dwelle here Luce .ix. And anone in syght of lytel blysse he forgat al the blysse of this worlde He cared neyther for mete drynke ne clothynge for hym thought he myght haue lyued without ende by the blysfull syght with that company Also whan saynt Poule was rauysshed in to heuen had seen yâ— vysyon of god afterwarde all his lyf in this worlde was to him a payne so moche he longed ayen to that blysse And therfore he sayd Infelix ego quis me liberabit demorte corê‘is huiê° Ro. vij I an vnsely man who shall delyuer me fro yâ— deth of this body I coueyte to be departed the soule from the bodye be without ende with cryste Moyses was with god in the mouÌ„t of Synay .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes metelesse drynkeles fedd by the speche of god by his presence yet sawe he but lytell of this blysse For he was not able to see his blysse ne noman lyuynge in this worlde as god sayd to hym yâ— tyme. But leue frende after our deth yf we kepe well goddes commaundementes and amende our mysdedes by our lyfe we shal see his grete blysse whiche neither Peter ne Poule ne Moyses myght see in erthe And we shal be syker of that blysse without ende Whiche blysse as saynt Poule sayth yâ— none erthely eye may see ne ere here ne herte thynke ne wytte comprehende In this blysse leue frende I hope to see you dwelle with you in the hyghe cyte of Ierusalem in the kynges courte of heuen To whiche blysse he brynge vs that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen ¶ Here endeth a co 〈…〉 treatyse dyalogue of Diues and Pauper That is to saye the ryche the poore fructuously treatynge vpon the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes fynysshed the .iij. daye of Decembre The yere of our lorde god M. CCCC.lxxxxvi Eâ—prentyd by me Wyken de worde at Westmonstre ¶ Deo gracias W· C·