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
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.
fyrst table and the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte ben necessarye to alle that wyll haue y◠lyfe withouten ende ¶ Diues Therfore wolde I fayne kepe theym better thanne I haue done but I see many doubtes therin that I can not kepe theym ¶ Pauper What doubte haste thou therin ¶ Here begynneth the fyrste cōmaundemente Caplm Primū DIues In the fyrste cōmaundement as I haue lerned god sayth thus Thou shalte haue none other straunge goddes byfore me Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge noo mawmette noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue ne that is bynethe in erthe ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde ne within thyn herte inwarde Exodi xx.c Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente bothe in the chirche and without the chirche And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye ayenste goddes lawe ¶ Pauper God forbedeth not men to make ymages For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men as we fynde Exodi xxxvij.c ¶ And Salomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god the thyrde boke of kynges vij.c And god bad Moyses make his tabernacle al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makynge of ymages but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes to sette theyr fayth theyr truste theyr hope theyr loue and theyr byleue in them For god wyll haue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone for in hym is al our helpe all our saluacōn And therfore we muste worshyppe hym loue hym and truste in hym aboue all thynge nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym That all the worshyp that we do to ony creature be do pryncypaly for hȳ arrected to hym For he sayth Gloriam meamalteri non dabo et laudem meam sculptilibus Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe my blysse my glorye to none other ne my praysynge to grauen ymages neyther to paynted ymages And in the same chapytre he sayth Shamfully shente myght they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages ¶ Diues wherof serue the ymages I wolde they were brente all ¶ Pauper They serue for thre thynges For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon and on his passyon and on his lyuynge and on other sayntes lyuyng Also they ben ordeyned to styre mannes affeccyon and his herte to deuocyon For ofte a man is more stered by syght than by heryng or redynge Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people that they may rede in ymagerye and paynture that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth De cōsecra distinct .iij. per latū Where we fynde that a bysshop destroyed ymages as thou woldeste doo and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages He was accused to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages Caplm secundū DIues How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture of ymagerye ¶ Pauper whan thou seest the ymage of y◠crucyfixe thynke on hȳ y◠deyed on y◠crosse for thy synne thy sake and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlonde of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne and the blood braste out on euery syde for to destroye the hyghe synne of pryde that sheweth moost in mānes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde Take hede by the ymage how his armes were spradde abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the apple ayenst goddes cōmaundement Also he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes and wycked werkes that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes and make an ende of thy wycked werkes Take hede also how that his syde was opened and his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere and how he shedde blood and water to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules and water to wasshe vs from our synnes Also he suffred this for to destroye y◠synne of pryde couetyse enuye hate wrathe malyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans Take hede make an ende of thy pryde of thy false couetyse of hate enuy wrathe malyce and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that forgaue his deth Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to the crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce haste the for to go to goddes house to goddes seruyce Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente all to torne with tho sharpe scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede there was no hole place on his bodye and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust lykyng of the flesshe glotonye lecherye whiche regne in mannes bodye womans make an ende of glotony lecherye Take hede how naked poore he henge vpon the crosse for thy synne thy sake be thou not ashamed to suffre pouerte myscheyf for his loue And as saynt Bernard byddeth take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the come at one with the. See how his armes hondes be spradde a brode on the tree in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the and to take the to his mercy See how his syde was opened and his herte clouen on two in token that his herte is alwaye open to the and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy trespasse yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the but abyde with the dwelled with the withouten ende On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde and thanke thy god that he
vnproprely For suche worshyppe and veneracyon is no seruyce ne subgeccyon as I sayd byfore And proprely to speke Dulia is a worshyp that longeth only to god and to resonable creatures And pryncypally and excellently to our lady saynt Mary to the manhode of Cryste whiche worshyppe is called Yê‘dulia proprely sayd Also to the crosse that Cryste deyed vpon yf that men hadde it as clerkes saye longeth Yperdulia For all thynges that lacked lyfe the crosse of Cryste ought moost to be worshyped be in moost veneracoÌ„n reuerence But that veneracyon is called yê‘dulia vnproprely Also frendes ther is worshyp that the subgette doth to his souerayne know lechyng hym his souerayne by worde or by token as by knelyng bowynge suche other this maner worshyp is called proprely adoracyon Other worshyp that is called honoracoÌ„n veneracoÌ„n is coÌ„uenyent bothe to the souerayne to the subgette For a lorde honoureth his seruaunt by gyftes by promocoÌ„ns in offyce dygnyte Also a lord worshypeth a poore man whaÌ„ he setteth hyÌ„ at his owne table or aboue other that ben of hygher degree than he yet he adoureth hym not ne doth hym the worshyp of adoracoÌ„n Nathelesse adoracoÌ„n is taken somtyme full vnproprely for comon honoracoÌ„n veneracoÌ„n And for as moche as all these maners of worshyp so dyuerse ben called with one name of worshyp in Englysshe tonge ofte yâ— latyn of worshyp is taken vsed vnproprely to comonly therfore men fall in moche doubte errour in redyng not well vnderstande what they rede Caplm .xiiij. DIues This dystynccoÌ„n declaracoÌ„n of worshypyng how it is taken vsed in dyuerse maner how it is called with one name in Englysshe hath auoyded many argumentes reasons whiche I thought to haue made ayenst the. I am out of doubte I can answere ther to my selfe by thy declaracyon But two thynges as me thynketh thou saydest not all trouth ¶ Pauper Whiche be tho ¶ Diues Thou saydest that men sholde not offre but only to god ne knele on bothe knees but oonly to god And we see att our eye that men offre to the preest in the chirche knele on both knees to the preest in shryfte ¶ Pauper Men offre not the prest but oonly to god as I sayd fyrste by the hondes of the preest for the preest is goddes mynystre ordeyned to resceyue thynges that ben offred to god as tythes deuocyons lyue therby honestly to spende the remenauÌ„t to nedy folke to worshyp of god the helpe of holy chirche Ne men knele not in that maner to the preest but to god byfore the preest for the reuerence of god of the sacramentes of holy chirche But whan man kneled to temporall lordes prelates or prestes or ony other persone for reuerence of his persone or of his dygnyte he sholde knele oonly with that one knee But as sayth Saynt Austyn de ciuitate dei libro decimo capitulo quinto By flaterye and ouerlowenesse of the people and ambycyon of the soueraynes many worshyppes that longeth somtyme to god allone ben now vsed in the worshyppynge of synfull man and woman And though it be also do to man or to woman for the worshyppe of god as I sayd fyrste it is suffrable and suffycyent Caplm .xv. DIues Thuryfycacyon encensyng was by olde tyme an hyghe dyuyne worshypp also And many sayntes were putte to the deth bycause they wolde not encense ymages stockes ne stones But now clerkes encense ymages other prcestes clerkes and lewde people olso And so as me thynketh they do ydolatrye ¶ Pauper In euery lawe thuryfycacoÌ„n or encensynge hath ben an hygh dyuyne worshyp that ought not to be done to ony creature by waye of offrynge Neuerthelesse it may be done in two maners Fyrste by waye of offrynge with conuenyent betokenynge so it may be done to ony creature For in this maner it oweth not to be done but oonly of a preest at an aultre halowed or with a superaltare halowed soo that prestes lefully may saye there theyr masse For by the encensour is vnderstande mannes herte by the encense holy prayers by the fyre charyte And so suche encensyng thuryfycacyon betokeneth that right as the preest offreth vp in the encensour encense swete smellynge by hete of the fyre So the preest the people by the preest offren vp her hertes to god and her prayers quyckned by the fyre of charyte And praye that theyr bedes and theyr prayers and deuocyons may be pleasauÌ„t to hym for that endelesse charyte that he shewed to mankynde whan he deyed for vs all vpon the crosse whiche charyte is presented in the sacramente of the aultre For all the masse syngynge is a specyall mynde makyng of Crystus passyon And right as Cryste was meane in his passyon bytwene god and mankynde Soo is the preest in his masse saynge and sacrefyce makynge and offrynge encensynge meane bytwene god and the people And therfore oonly a preeste sholde encense atte the aultre and with halowed encense and with holy prayer sayenge in this wyse for hym selfe and for the people Dirigatur oracio measicut incensum in conspectu tuo Lorde make my prayers goo right vp in thy syght as encense Also thuryfycacyon or encense may be done only for sterynge of deuocyon and for tokenynge And soo it may be done to the clergye and to the people in token that as the encense by hete of the fyre smelleth swete and also styeth vp to heuenwarde Soo sholde they lyfte vp theyr hertes with deuocoÌ„n and make theyr prayers in charyte that they myght be pleasaunte to god For but yf the preeste and the people ben in charyte otherwyse theyr prayers pleaseth not god neyther gooth not vp to god as it sholde ellys doo and therfore is noo man worthy for to be encensed but yf he be in charyte And whan the clergye in the quere or the people is encensed they sholde bowe them lowe for the reuerence of god take it not as for worshyp done to hyÌ„ but as sterynge to deuocoÌ„n as a token what deuocoÌ„n they sholde she we to god by bowynge them shewe lowenesse of deuocoÌ„n that it stereth them to For without deuocoÌ„n and lownesse of herte our prayers gone not vp to god But as sayth the wyse man The prayer of hyÌ„ that loweth hyÌ„ in his prayer thyrleth the clowdes The myssalle the gospell is encensed in token that the prayers wryten therin prouffyte lytyll or nought but yf they be made with deuocyon in charyte And ther sholde noo man preche the gospell but with deuocyon and for charyte and all his spede and all his prouffyte referre vp to god and all his prayers put in his wyll Atte buryeng of people men encense the deed bodyes in token that he deyed in charyte in his deyeng he had his herte vp to god by hope fayth charyte deuocoÌ„n for ellys he is not worthy to
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
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
myschyef to slee an Innocent his owne doughter ayenst goddes lawe For god sayth InnocenteÌ„ et iustuÌ„ noÌ„ occides Thou shalt not slee the Innocent ne the right full man ne woman And so by his vowe so folysly made he dyde ful grete dedely synne and forfeted full hyghely ayenst goddes lawe And therfore sayth the maystre of the storyes and Iosephus also that he was a foole in his vowe makynge and wycked ouer cruelly done in the fulfyllynge And therfore sayth the grete clerke Ysydorê° in Synonimis li.ij. et .xxij. qÌ„ .iiij In malis ê“missis rescinde fidem in turpi voto muta decretuÌ„ quod incaute nouisti ne facias impia est promissio que scelere adimpletur In wycked byhestes cutte awaye the fayth that is to saye fulfyll no wycked byhestes kepe no fayth for to do amys For in shrewed byhestes it is better to be holden false than true for who so fulfylleth them is false to god In the vowe sayth he that is foule vnleful chauÌ„ge thy dome that that thou haste not wysely auowed doo it not For it is a wycked byheste that is fulfylled and done with synne Caplm .iiij. DIues I assente saye forth I praye the. ¶ Pauper Also goddes name is taken in vayne by blasphemye and spytefull speche of god as whan that men grutche ayenst goddes domes in sekenesse trybulacyons and dysease and saye that god is vnrightfull and cruell or grutched ayenst his mercy whan they may not haue vengeauÌ„ce of theyr aduersaryes as they wolde haue it and saye that god is to pacyent to mercyable And they also that fallen in wanhope sayen that god wyll not forgyue theym theyr synne And they also that presume to moche of goddes mercy wyll not amende theym for they saye that god wyll forgyue it theym at the fyrste worde Also some saye that god slepeth whan he helpeth theym not as they wolde haue it All they that speke thus or saye ony other thynge of god that is ayenst his worshyp his godhode they take goddes name in vayne by blasphemy Also goddes name is taken amys in vayne by euyll speche of othes swetynge For who so wyll lyghtly swere for a thynge of nought or of no charge or customably or falsely and wote well that he swereth false or dyspyteously or dysceyuable or swereth by ony creatures or vseth ony nyce othes or vnlefull othes all these take goddes name in vayne For there ought noo man ne woman to swere but for a treuthe of charge and whan it nedeth for to swere to wytnesse of treuthe And whan a man shall swere he shall swere by his god by noo creature ¶ Diues Moche folke is so brought in custome of swerynge that vnnethe they can speke thre wordes togydre but they swere by god or by some creature or some grete or nyce othe ¶ Pauper As I sayd by fore wycked custome excuseth not synne but it accuseth and aggregeth synne And therfore it is to drede that they that swere so customably soo lyghtly that they synne dedely yf they swere soth or false And therfore Salomon sayth Iuracioni ne assuescas os tuuÌ„ â— Eccle. xxiij Lete not thy mouthe sayth he be vseth to swerynge for many harde happes fallynges ben in suche swerynge And name not to ofte sayth he goddes name with thy mouth in swerynge ne be not vsaunt in swerynge to medle the with sayntes names for yf thou do thou shalte not be clere of fole swerynge ne clere of synne For what man sayth he that swereth moche he shal be fulfylled with synne shrewednesse trybulacoÌ„n dysease shal not passe fro hym and his housholde For god sayth that who so taketh his name in vayne he shall not passe vn punysshed Suche swerynge and despysynge of goddes name is so horryble a synne in goddes syght that as Salomon sayth in yâ— same boke the xxvij ca. Whan that men herde suche swerynge the here of theyr hedes sholde aryse for drede they sholde stoppe theyr ere 's not here suche yrreuerence and despyte of goddes name Loquela multuÌ„ iuraÌ„s horriplicacioneÌ„ capiti statuit et irreuerencia illius obturacio aurium Caplm .v. DIues Folke now a dayes in thre maners excuse them of swerynge Some saye that they swere so ofte for yâ— loue that they haue to god for to haue hym often in mynde Some saye why may not I swere for I swere soth Some saye but I swere ther wyll no man byleue me ¶ Pauper These ben no excusacoÌ„ns but greuous accusacoÌ„ns grutchynges of synne For as for yâ— fyrste poynte it is false for suche false swerers loue not theyr god for they kepe not his coÌ„maundement and they haue hym full lytyll in mynde and swere many horryble othes in vanyte and shrewednesse bycause of mysuse whan they thynke not on god and therfore that excusacoÌ„n is but an open scorne a grete blasphemynge to god For yf thy seruaunt hadde done a thynge that thou haddest hym forboden the ofter that he dyde it the worse thou woldeste be payed And yf he scorned the sayd that he dyde it for thy loue for to haue yâ— in mynde thou woldest holde it a full grete scorne ben moche more an angred with hym namely yf thou ware his lyege lorde his kyng Moche more than god that is lorde kyng of all thynges is an angred with them that so swere ayenste his coÌ„maundement excuse them so scornfully saynge that they do it to haue god in mynde And therfore it is for to drede that they shal be put out of mynde amonge goddes chosen people for Cryste complayneth hym of suche folke to his fader in heuen sayth thus QmÌ„ queÌ„ tu ê‘cussisti ê‘secuti suÌ„t et suê‘ doloreÌ„ vulnerâ— meorum addideruÌ„t Fader in heuen sayth he for asmoche as these wycked swerers haue pursued smyten hym with theyr wycked tongues that thou sendeste to suffre deth for saluacoÌ„n of mankynde and put newe sorowe aboue the sorowe the bytter paynes of my woundes that I suffred for her synne and theyr sake therfore fader putte to them synne to synne that is to saye lette theym falle fro synne to synne and lette them not entre in to thy rightwysnesse for to be saued Put theym out of the boke of lyfe from amonge theym that shall be in blysse without ende Lette theym not be wryten with the rightwysse folke that shall be saued These ben Crystus wordes complanynge hym to yâ— fader in heuen of suche foule swerers pÌ„o .lxviij. ¶ Diues It semeth herby that suche sweryng is fulgrete horryble synne full peryllous But what sayst thou of the seconde excusacoÌ„n ¶ Pauper We ben bounde neuer to lye nothyng to saye but soth Neuerthelesse we be not bouÌ„de to saye al the sothes ne we ought not to swere for euery soth that we speke For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate
layde the staffe with the golde faste besydes hym Ther came a carte wente vpon hym slew hym brake his staffe tyll the golde scatered all about Anone the people the Iewe also ranne for to see what was fallen And whan they sawe the staffe broken the golde soo scatered about than they knewe how gylfully he had sworen thanked god and saynt Nycholas that the treuthe was so tryed and shewed The Iewe gaue that golde to the poore folke bycame a crysten man ¶ Diues This ensample is open Now I see that gylefull othes ben full peryllous Saye forth I praye the. ¶ Pauper Also a man may be forsworen sweryng soth vnwyttyngly weneth to swere false for to dysceyue his euen crysten As yf I swore to an other that it were not daye to dysceyue hym lette hym of his Iourney wenynge my selfe that it were daye all thoughe it were not daye but ferre from daye yet I were forsworen As the lawe sheweth well xxij qÌ„ ij.c â— .i. Also yf a man swere a treuth with a blasphemye of goddes name As yf he swore by goddes body herte eyen wouÌ„des or ony suche other yf he be vsed therto he is forsworen be it soth or false that he swereth Caplm .x. WHerfore my frende ye shal vnderstonde that in .vi. maners a man is forsworen Fyrste yf he swere ayenst his coÌ„scyence as whaÌ„ he swereth false wyttyngly though he do it for drede Also yf he swere ony thynge vnlefull ayenst charyte as yf he swere to slee a man or defoule a woman with his bodye or that he shall neuer do almesse to poore men ne come in his neyghbours house Also yf man do ayenst his othe whiche is lefull though he do it for drede of deth yf the othe tourne to none euyll ende Also yf he swere treuth for dysceyte gyle as I sayd now late Also yf he swere vnwysely as sayth Durandus in suÌ„ma sua Extra de iureiurando c. â— Sicut et c. â— tua And yf he do it with auysement or vsauÌ„tly it is dedely synne And he sayth there that euery othe made vnwysely is periurye Also yf he compelle an other to swere wyttynge well that he wyll forswere hym As the lawe sheweth well xxij.qÌ„.iiij Inter cetera And saynt Austyn also 〈◊〉 sermon that he maketh of the decollacyon of saynt Iohan baptyste where he tâ—â—leth That on a tyme a good symple true man hadde lente a certayne moneye to a false man whiche forsoke it and sayd that he lente hym none wherfore the true man prouoked hym to swere knowynge well that he wolde forswere hym and soo he dyde the true man loste his moneye And the nyght folowynge the true man thought that he stode byfore a grete Iuge whiche sayd to hym in this wyse Why dydeste thou that man swere sythen thou wyste well that he sholde forswere hym Lorde sayd he for he denyed me my good Than the Iuge sayd to hym It had be better to the for to haue loste thy good than to slee his soule that god boughte soo dere with his precyous blood And anone he dyde hym bete full harde sore in soo moche that whan he awoke his backe appyred ful of wouÌ„des all to beten full blacke blew But whan he repented hym axed mercy his synne was forgyuen hym Caplm .xi. DIues It myght well be so for bothe toke goddes name in vayne dyde dyspyte therto the swerer in that that he forswore hym wyllyngly wyttyngly and he that made hym swere For wyllyngly wyttyngly he dyde hym forswere despyse goddes name so he assented to â—eriury And by the lawe both he that doth the synne he that assenteth therto ben gylty of the synne and ben worthy the same payne But I praye the what sayst thou of theym that swere so dyspytefully and horrybly by goddes bodye herte blood suche other ¶ Pauper That maner swerynge is open blasphemye grete despyte to god And yf a man or a woman be vsed therto swere he soth or swere he false he synneth dedely For not only suche take goddes name in vayne but also in grete despyte And therfore it is forboden by the lawe xxij.qÌ„ i. Si quis per capilluÌ„ Ther sholde noman swere by the heere of Cryste ne by his hede ne by no parte of Cryste ne vse suche blasphe mye ayenst god in ony maner wyse And yf he dyde but he wolde cesse and amende hym and yf he were a man of holy chirche he sholde be deposed and degraded And yf he were a lewde man he sholde be acursed and pursued by censure of holy chirche tyll he wolde amende hym And by the lawe Imperyall as the glose sayth there suche foule swerers sholde be punysshed with the vttrest payne torment saue deth And therfore in Almayne suche folke ben punysshed shamefully in dyuerse coÌ„trees And therfore in tho contrees ben vsed none othes but it be byfore a Iuge or ellys for grete nede Ther is in theyr speche as yâ— gospell techeth ya and nene that ys ye or nay in Englysshe And they kepe more treuth for ya nene than we doo with all our grete othes that we now vse in this londe Of suche foule swerers speketh Saynt Poule sayeng that as moche as in theym is they do goddes sone ofte on the crosse and make but a Iape and scorne of his passyon Rursum crucifigentes sibimetipsis filiuÌ„ dei et ostentui .i. irrisioni habentes ad Hebre .vi. For they can not speke to an vnresonable beste but they all to rente Cryste with theyr othes nyght daye repreue Cryste of his shamefull deth that he suffred for theyr synne theyr sake And there that they ought to take moost mater to loue hym to worshyp hym they take moost occasyon of vnkyndnesse to despyse hym For had not he deyed the bytter deth and shamfull for our gylte our synne and our sake we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes deth had he not wepte salte teerys with his eyen for our sake not for his owne we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes eyen And had he not be percyd to the herte shedde his precyous herte blode to wasshe vs from our synnes we sholde neuer ellis haue sworen by goddes herte ne by goddes blood And had he not suffred the depe wouÌ„des bytter paynes in his bodye and in his bones to saue vs from the paynes of helle we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by his wouÌ„des his bodye his bones ne his blood And also ayenst the endlesse loue that he shewed to vs we shewe hym grete vnkyndnesse and ayenst the grete worshyp that he dyde to vs brought vs to endles worshyp we do to hym ouer grete velonye We fynde in yâ— myracles of our lady that somtyme ther was a ryghtfull Iuge demynge but ful gylty in suche othes swerynge Somdele he was deuoute to
In all thynge that longeth to kepynge of fayth of goddes lawe fleynge from vyces to whiche thynges they bouÌ„de them in ther baptem they be bounde to obeye And in all thynges of the whiche the gouernauÌ„ce longeth to men of holy chirche by comon lawe grounded in goddes lawe to gouerne the people not in other thynges that longe not to men of holy chirche ne in ther precept not grouÌ„ded in goddes lawe And in the same maner clerkes be bounde to obeye to ther prelates in thynges that longe to ther offyce grouÌ„ded in goddes lawe relygyouse to ther prelat in thynges yâ— longe to kepynge of relygyon ¶ Diues I suppose yâ— lordshyp or prelacy be occupyed vnryghtfully by myght falsnesse by symonye gyle treason be ther sugettes bounde for to obeye to them ¶ Pauper Yf they obey to them in thynges leful it is medefull Netheles some clerkes saye yâ— suche caas men be not bouÌ„de to obeye but for to flee sclauÌ„der the more decease Petrus in scrip suê‘ .ij. sent .d. vt smÌ„ confes li. iij ti 0 xxxiij qÌ„ .v. But for as moche as god gyueth oftymes the realmes the lordshyppes of this worlde prelacy also not by mannes lawe ne mannes dome but but by his owne preuy dome and he is souerayn myght lorde of lordes kyng of kynges therfore it is moost sure to obeye to suche lordes and souerayns as longe as god suffreth them For god gyueth lordshyp prelacy in this worlde both to good wycked And therfore as we fynde in Danye lys ê“phecye God made Nabugodonosor the wycked tyraunt kynge and lorde of the gretest parte of this worlde And after for his pryde he toke his kyngdom fro hym made hym in wytt lyke a beste that he wende to haue be a beste halfe lyon halfe oxe and so he wente on all foure fedde hym amonges bestes in the forest seuen monethes tyl he knewe that god was pryncypall lorde of euery kyngdome that he gyueth kyngdom lordshyp to whom that he wyll Daniel iiij And therfore god sayd to Sedechye that was kyng of goddes people to other kynges in the couÌ„tre besyde I made erth man beest vpon erthe in my grete myght and I haue gyuen the lorshyp to hym that me lyketh And I haue gyuen all these londes kyngdoms here about to Nabu godonosor my seruauÌ„t kyng of Babylon all nacyons shall serue hym his sone his sones sone what nacyon or kyngdome wyll not serue hym ne obeye hym I shall destroy yâ— nacion by sworde hongre moreyn who so wyll serue hym obeye to hyÌ„ I shall late hyÌ„ dwelle styll in his owne londe therfore serue ye hym mekely obeye ye to hym ye shall lyue fare wel Ieremie .xxvij. And cryst in the gospell sayth Reddite qÌ„ suÌ„t cesaris cesaâ—i et qÌ„ suÌ„t dei deo Yelde ye to the emperour of Rome that is the emperours yelde ye to god that is goddes And yet the emperour of Rome had no ryght to the lordshyp that he occupyed but only by the gyfte of god by swerde ¶ Diues I suppose that the bysshop byd a preest curs a man whiche man the preest holdeth vngylty the multytude of the people also ¶ Pauper Eyther the bysshop byddeth the preest denouÌ„ce hym acursed or he byddeth hym acurse hym Yf he byd the preest denouÌ„ce hym acursed in the bysshppes name yf he may not well put it of But he shall by waye of charyte excuse that man in as moche as he knoweth hym vngylty And also excuse the bysshopp saynge that he is mys enformed yf he had knowen yâ— treuth he wolde not haue cursed hym And he shal couÌ„seyll that man to suffre it lowely for helpe of his soule he shal enforme the bysshop as soone as he may of that mannes vngyltynesse But yf the bysshop byd yâ— preest acurse hym the preest muste take hede whether his vngyltyed is openly knoweÌ„ or is in doubte or it is certeyn but not openly knowen Yf his vngyltyed be openly knowen the prest shal allegge to the bysshop that he is vngylty proue it by wytnesse And yf he fayle in his proue he shall obeye to the bysshoppes byddynge though he knowe that the man is vngylty And yf he may preue him vngylty he shal not curse hym though yâ— bysshop byd hym neuer so fersely Yf it be in doubte whether he is gylty or nay than the preest shall obeye to the bysshppes byddynge SmÌ„ pfes li.ti xxxiij qÌ„.vi Quid si eps Caplm .xx. DIues Whan the offycers of the kyng knowe well that a man or woman is dampned to the deth vngylty shall they obeye to the Iuge that byd them slee man or woman without gylte ¶ Pauper Yf the offycer be seker yâ— he is vngylty he shall not slee hym but he shall obeye to god yâ— byddeth hym slee noo man ne woman vngylty But yf he be in doubte whether he is gylty or vngylty than he shall obeye to the Iuge do his byddynge he is excused by his obedyence Ray. li. ti.ix.de iurameÌ„ to et ê“iurio C.xiiij â—d de iudice Netheles the sugettes muste beware in suche doubtes that they presume not to moche of ther owne wyt For ful ofte a man weneth to knowe a thynge be in certayn of his knowynge yet he is desceyued it is not as he weneth And it is full peryllous to yâ— suget to repugne the dome of his souerayn to repreue yâ— wyt the sentence of many wyse men therfore I couÌ„seyl the sugettes yâ— offycers in suche to stande to yâ— conscyence the ordenauÌ„ce of ther souerayns obey with sorowe of herte hauyng pyte of mannes deth of his dysease no lykyng in cruelte And therfor god bad in holy wryte that men sholde folowe the sentence of ther Iuges do ther byddynge who so wolde not obeye them he sholde be slayn Deut.â—xvi The kynges Iustyce represent the kynges persone in full hygh degree And therfor men must be more adred to withstande his sentence and his dome for his dome is called goddes dome And as Salomon sayth Sicut diuisiones aquarx ita cor eius in manu dnÌ„i â— As the watres sayth he may lyghtly be departed drawen in dyuerse partes soo is the herte of the kynge of Iuges rulers in the hande of our lorde He shall enclyne it whether he wyll For the dome that semeth vnryghtful to mannes wyt is ryghtful in goddes syght And though the dome be ryghtfull in goddes syght and though the man be worthy to dye yf the Iuge wene that it be vnryghtfull he gyueth yâ— sentence wenynge sekerly that it be vnryghtfull he synneth dedely though his sentence be ryghtfull For as saynt Poule sayth All that is not done of fayth of good conscyence it is synne Yf the man be gylty the lawe his mysdedes
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
the chirche or gyuynge of the grouÌ„de leseth his ryght of the patronage But yf he were patrone by dotacyon he leseth not his ryght of patronage In tabula iuris patronatê° Yf the patrone vary in his representacoÌ„n presentynge fyrste one sythen an other it standeth in yâ— dome wyll of the bysshop to resceyue whiche he wyll Though the patron of layfe present a persone vnable he leseth not his ryght of repÌ„sentacoÌ„n ne ought to lese it But yf a college present a persone vnable in yâ— he leseth his ryght of presentacoÌ„n for that tyme And yf a clerke present a persone vnable he is worthy to lese his ryght of presentacyon for that tyme. Extra de electione cuÌ„ in cuÌ„ctis The patron of the layfe may abyde but four monethes of his presentacoÌ„n The college the clerke patrone may abyde six monethes yf they passe ther tyme by retchelesnesse or by bryge the bysshop shall ordeyne for that chirche benefyce Noo man ought to presente hymselfe The patron may lefull present his sone his neuewe ony of his kynne yf they be able power And yf a patrone be poore nedy the bysshop may gyue hym that benefyce in whiche he is patron he may take it of his gyfte so that that gyfte come only of the bysshoppes free wyl without ony procurynge of hymselfe Hostien sis li. iij.de iure patronatus Caplm .xxv. DIues I thanke the for thou haste tolde me more of this coÌ„mauÌ„dement than euer I herde byfore But yet me meruayleth moche why that god byddeth not men do almesdede to strauÌ„gers to other folke at nede in none of all the ten coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For but men be bounde therto by goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement I holde it no dedely synne to leue it Ne men sholde not be dampned for they dyde it not ¶ Pauper By this coÌ„maundement pâ—yncypaly we be bouÌ„de to helpe al nedy tolke vpon our power For by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement we be bouÌ„de to shewe pyte to all men ¶ Diues CoÌ„tra god speketh in this comauÌ„dement only of worshyp that longeth to fader moder ¶ Pauê‘ That worshyp standeth in two thynges in affeccoÌ„n of herte thyÌ„ kynge in dede doynge By affeccoÌ„n of herte we sholde loue all men wemen with drede to offende them vnskylfully By dede doyng we sholde do al men reuerence after ther degre help them in nede as we wolde be holp ourself And therfor saynt Peter byddeth vs worshyp al men saynt Poul byddeth that eche man womaÌ„ do put other before in worshyp for eche maÌ„ ought to holde with others fad in some degre Caplm .xxvi. DIues Why so ¶ Pauê‘ For eche man passeth other in some degre of worshyp in that he is his fad or in beynge or in wysdome or in goodnes In beyng we haue many faders For some be fad s of oure fyrst beyng as our bodely faders moders that vs begate Some be faders in well beynge and that in two maners for some ghoostly some bodely In well beynge ghoostly be our faders prelates of holy chirche al that haue cure of our soules In wel beynge bodely be our faders all that haue cure gouernauÌ„ce of our bodye and of our lyuynge in this worlde as kynges prynces lordes suche other Also all that be elder in age had ther beynge before vs be our faders Faders in wysdome be prechours techers men of lawe clerkes and men of age whiche by longe experyence knowe more than theyr yonger Faders in goodnes be all holy men all that passe vs in goodnes And for that eche man ought to deme other better than hymself therfore eche man ought to worshyp other as fader in goodnes but yf open malyce make hym lyke a beest no man And therfore saynt Poule sayth Suê‘iores sibi inuiceÌ„ arbitrantes Euery man woman deme other his souerayn in goodnesse Ad PhilipÌ„ .ij. For as the glose sayth there Though we seme souerayne to other by some goodnesse and dygnyte that is in vs openly knowen yet ther may be some goodnesse preuely in another of lower degre in whiche goodne s se he is our souerayne in goddes syght ¶ Diues Why is this coÌ„mauÌ„dement gyuen with a byhest of helth more welfare than ony of the other coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For he sayth thus worshyp thy fader moder that thou may lyue longe vpon erth fare wel in the londe that thy lorde god shall gyue the. Deut â— vi ¶ Pauê‘ For syth god behoteth so grete mede for kepynge of this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t that is moost naturall wherto man woman is moost enclyned by waye of kynde he sheweth well that men sholde haue moche mede for kepynge of other coÌ„mauÌ„deme t that be not so naturall And by yâ— mede assygned for kepynge god sheweth well what payne man womaÌ„ shall haue for the brekyng that is to saye short lyue vpon erth euyll fare both here in yâ— londe of deth after lese that londe of lyf without ende wende to yâ— londe of wo of derkenes TerraÌ„ miserie et tenebrarum And for that this coÌ„mau dement is pryncypall of yâ— seconde table in maner encludeth all six folowynge thorfore to this coÌ„mauÌ„dement he knytteth the mede for the kepynge of all payne for brekynge of all For after he behoteth many dyuerse medes to theym that kepe his byhestes many myscheues to theym that breke them And all they be coÌ„prehended in this shorte byhest knyt to this coÌ„mauÌ„deme t. For yâ— byheste is moost coÌ„uenyent to this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t For as saynt Poule sayth ruth pyte almesdede is good for al thynges hath his mede both in this worlde also in yâ— other worlde that is comynge ¶ Diues Shewe me that ¶ Pauê‘ For it is good reason that they lyue longe whiche mayntene well theym that be begynnynge of ther lyfe that is fader and moder For whan the rote of the tree fayleth by defaute of the tree aboue than the tree shal soone fayle and sere vp And it is not worthy that he lyue longe ne fare well that worshyppeth not them ne helpe them by whom he lyueth hath his lyfe his welfare And he that worshyppeth not the begynnynge of his beynge is worthy soone to lese his beynge And he that helpeth other with his good to lyue longe good lyfe is worthy to haue good good lyfe Caplm .xxvij. ALso good frende ye shall vnderstande that god sayth these wordes not onely to euery persone by hymself but he sayd them to all the people and to euery people as to one persone not only for worshyppynge of theyr flesshely fader moder but also for worshyppynge of ther souerayns in ther degre as I sayd before For why as longe as ony peple is burum meke to ther souerayns wyll folowe her gouernauÌ„ce worshyp men after ther degre and euery man be payd with his owne degre do the dute of his degre so
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
xxiij Therfore the lawe byddeth that the Iustyce be not to lyght ne to redy to leue ne to redy to take vengeaunce Di. lxxxvi si quid Et. xi.qÌ„.vi.iij.quamuis Et. xvi.qÌ„.viij Si quid The ende of euery dome shall be iusticia that is ryghtwysnes in englysshe And ryghtwysnesse is a vertue and a stedfaste wyll alwaye to yeloe euery man woman his ryght Extra de ver significacione ca. forum in glosa And therfore whan the Iustyce dooth wronge in his sentence gyuynge that is noo ryghtfull dome for it endeth not in ryghtwysnesse But more wronge may he not do to man or woman than robbe hym of his lyfe and slee hym without gylte Therfor than what Iuge sleeth man or woman vngylty wytytngly he is no Iuge but he is a tyrauÌ„t and doth ayenst all lawes whiche be ordeyned to do ryght to euery man to punysshe the gylty to saue the vngylty And therfore sayth the lawe that he is no Iuge yf ryghtwysnesse be not in hym Non est iudex si non est in eo iusticia xxiij qÌ„.ij.iustuÌ„ Caplm .xxij. DIues Is it leful to ony man or woman in ony case to slee themselfe ¶ Pauper In no case that for many reasons Fyrste for by waye of kynde euery man loueth hyÌ„self is besy to saue hyÌ„self to with stande al thynge that wolde destroye hym And therfore it is synne ayenst al kynde man or woman to slee hymselfe Also it is ayenst charyte for eche man is bounde to loue hymselfe and his euen crysten as hymselfe Also he doth wronge to the comonte of mankynde For as the phylosophre sayth v â—o ethicorum Euery man is a parte of the comonte as euery meÌ„bre is a parte of the bodye Also for mannes lyfe is an hygh gyft of god gyuen to man to serue god And only god may take it awaye whan he wyll And therfor he that sleeth hymselfe he synneth ayenst his god in that that he sleeth his seruauÌ„t ayenst his wyll for thoughe god gyue a man auctoryte to slee an other man for his mysdede yet god gyueth no man auctoryte to slee hym selfe And therfore sayth the lawe xxiij qÌ„.v.non licet That no man ne woman sholde slee hymselfe neyther to flee myschyfe of this worlde ne to flee other mennes synne ne for sorowe of his one synne that he hath done ne for to go the sooner to heuen For yf he slee hymselfe as the lawe sayth there he gooth to endelesse myscheef And he falleth in ouer greuous synne And in that that he sleeth hymself he falleth in wanehope dooth despyte to the mercy of god as Iudas dydde For after his deth he may not amende hym of that greuous synne of manslaughter And by that manslaughter he sleeth his lyf in this worlde his lyf in heuen blysse and gooth to the deth in helle without ende And therfore ther sholde noo woman slee hyrselfe to saue hyr chastyte that she be not defouled For yf she be defouled by vyo ence ayenst hir wyl she synneth not For as saynt Lucye sayth to yâ— tyrauÌ„t Pascasius the bodye is not defouled but by assent of the soule But the synne is in hym that soo defouleth hyr And lesse synne it is to fall in lechery than man or woman to slee hymself for there is noo helpe after Ne there sholde no man ne woman slee hymself ne mayme hymself for drede that he sholde consent to synne but truste in god that may kepe him from consentynge and lette occasyons of synne And though man or woman be constrayned to synne for drede of deth better it is a fayrer that an other slee hym than he slee hymself for that is dampned in euery lawe ¶ Diues Contra te Sampson dyuerse other slough theÌ„ self as we rede in holy wryt ¶ Pauê“ As saynt Austen sayth de ciuitate dei They slough themselfe by the preuy couÌ„seyll of the holy goost that wolde by ther deth do myracles As whan that Sampson toke the two pylers of the paynyms temple whiche bare vp all the temple and shooke them to gydre with his armes tyl they brosten the temple fell downe and slough many thousandes of the hethen people that was gadred to wondre on Sampson in despyte of god of heuen whos seruauÌ„t Sampson was Caplm .xxiij. DIues Whether is it more synne to slee the ryghtfull man or the wycked man ¶ Pauper It is more synne to slee the ryghtfull man for in that the sleer noyeth moost hym whome he ought more to loue Also for he doth wronge to hym that haue not deserued it and more ayenst ryghtwysnesse Also for he pryueth robbeth the comonte of manhode of a grete Iewell For euery good man and good woman is a welle to the comonte of mankynde Also for he dooth more despyte to god for to all good cryste sayth Qui vos spernit me spernit Who despyseth you despyseth me ¶ Diues Contra. Yf a good man be slayn he shal soone go to heuen But the wycked man yf he be slayne vnwarly he shall goo to helle And lesse synne it is to sende by sleynge a man to heuen than to helle ¶ Pauê‘ Saynt Poul sayth .i. ad corum iij. That euery man woman shall take his owne mede after that his trauayll is Therfore the good man soo slayn shal go to heuen for his good dedes not for yâ— malyce of the sleer And the wycked man so slayne shall goo â—o helle for his owne wycked dedes not for the wycked dedes of the sleer And the sleer shall goo to helle bothe for the sleynge of the good and of the wycked But he shall be depper in helle for sleynge of the good than of the wycked For he sheweth more malyce and more aggreueth god and all the courte of heuen in sleynge of the good than of yâ— wycked And he shall answere for all the good dedes that the good man sholde haue doo yf he had lyued lenger And he shall be puny s shed for the sleynge of the wycked man for that that he sleeth hym ayenst goddes lawe letteth hym that he may haue no tyme to amende hym ¶ Diues Is it lefull to ony man to slee his wyf yf he take hir in auoutre ¶ Pauper To slee hyr by lawe cyuyle there lawes ordeyne man woman that done auoutre to be slayne It is lefull so that he do it only for loue of ryght wysnesse and of clennesse not for hate ne for to be auenged on hyr And lete hym well charge his conscyence yf he be ought gylty in the same eyther in wyll or in dede and take hede to his owne freelte and thynke that the lawe is as well ordeyned to punysshe him yf he do amys as to punysshe the woman But ony man to slee his wyte by his owne auctoryte or do hyr be slayne without lawfull Iuge it is not lefull by all goddes lawe And thoughe ony londes lawe gyue men leue to slee
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
taken in fornycacoÌ„n she sholde be brente Leuitici .xxi. ca. And yf ony other mannes doughter felle in to fornycacyon in hyr faders house or she were wedded she sholde be stoned to deth Deutâ— .xxij. Therfore god wolde that his moder Marye sholde be wedded or he were conceyued of hyr For yf she hadde be founde with childe out of wedlocke the Iewes sholde haue stoned hyr without wercy And yf it were lefull to syngell man and syngell woman to medle togydre gendre god hadde made matrymonye in vayne and there wolde noman knytte hym vndepartably to ony woman yf he myght without synne medle with what woman he wolde Therfore cryste in yâ— gospell dampned symple forntcacyon and all maner lecherye and sayth that who so loketh on ony woman in wyl to medle with hyr out of matrymonye he dooth lechery ayenst goddes coÌ„maundement synneth dedely Mathei .v. And therfore as I sayd fyrste generacyon and bryngynge forth of childern is graunted only to theym that be wedded togydre lawfully Caplm .ix. DIues Be all wedded folke bouÌ„de by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god Crescite et multiplica mini To do ther dylygence to byget childern ¶ Pauê‘ Byfore mankynd was multyplyed wedded folke were bouÌ„de to do ther dylygence to brynge forth childern But now that mankynd is multyplyed the coÌ„mauÌ„dement byndeth them not so moche to generacoÌ„n But they be free to coÌ„tynence kepe them chaste yf they be both of one assent therto For many reasons god or deyned that man woman sholde not medle togydre but they were wedded togydre For by auctoryte fornycacyon falleth full ofte that the brother lyeth by his syster and the fader by his doughter And many vnlawfull wedloke is made bycause of auoutre And he that dooth auoutrye he is a theef and robbe the man or woman of his bodye that is better than ony worldely catell For the wyues bodye is the husbondes bodye and his body is hyr bodye for neyther of theym hath power of his owne bodye to gyue it to ony other by flesshely luste And he that dooth fornycacoÌ„n he robbeth cryste of his ryght both bodely goostly And therfore saynt Poule sayth that the lechour taketh the membre of cryste maketh it the membre of yâ— struÌ„pet with whom he medleth .i. ad corum vi Also by auoutrye be made false heyres and true heyres truly bygoten put out of ther herytage Also by auoutrye goddes lawe that he made so solempnely in the begynnynge of the worlde fyrste of all lawes is broken And therfore he that breketh it is an open traytour To this accordeth the wordes of the wyse man where he sayth that the woman whiche forsaketh hyr husbonde taketh an other maketh herytage of an other matrymony dooth many synnes Fyrste she is mysbyleuynge to goddes lawe breketh goddes lawe Also she trespaceth ayenst hyr husbonde Also she dooth fornycacoÌ„n in auoutrye maketh childern to hyr of an other man But hyr sones shall gyue no rotes ther braunches shall gyue no fruyte She shall leue ther mynde in cursynge hyr shame shall neuer be doo awaye Eccl .xxiij. And therfore sayth the glose that auoutry is as daÌ„pnable in the man as in the woman And therfore in the same chaptre he repreueth auoutrye and fornycacoÌ„n in man ful hyghely Caplm .x. DIues Reason holy wryt dryueth me to grauÌ„te that both auoutrye symple fornycacyon be full greuous synne but more greuous is auoutrye fayne I wolde kepe me fro both synnes But wymen be the fendes snare so tempte me to lecherye that it is ful harde to me to kepe me Adam Sampsonem Petrum Dauid et Salomonem Femina decepit â—s modo tuttê° erit Woman deceyued Adam Sampson Peter Dauyd Salomon who may than be syker fro womans gyle ¶ Pauper Many a man hath be desceyued by wycked wymen more by his owne foly than by dysceyte of wymen But many more wymen haue be deceyued by malyce of men than euer were men deceyued by malyce of wymen And therfore the woman lechour is called the snare of the fende that hunteth after maÌ„nes soule For the wyse man sayth Inueni amarioreÌ„ morte muliereÌ„ â— I haue fouÌ„de woman more bytterer than deth Suche is the snare of the hunter hyr herte is a net hyr handes be harde bondes He that pleseth god shall ascape hyr but the synful man shall be take of hyr Eccl .vij. But men be called not only yâ— snare of the fende but also they be called his net sprede abrode on the hylle of Tabor for to take many at ones Ozee .v. Mannes malyce is called a net spred a brode on an hyghe hylle for it is open bodely done not in a fewe but in many And therfor whan holy wryte speketh of yâ— malyce of men he speketh in the plurell nombre as to many But whan he repreueth the malyce of woman he speketh in the synguler nombre as to fewe in token that ther be more shrewes of men than of wymen comonly more malyce in men than in wymen all though some woman be malycyous Fyghtynge robbery manslaughter open lechery glotony gyle falsenesse periurye traytoury false contryuynge and suche other horryble synnes reygne more in man than in woman This false excusacy on that excuse so ther synne by the malyce of wymen began fyrste in Adam and loste Adam all mankynde for synfully he excused his synne by woman whan god vndernam hym of his synne put woman in defaute Also he putte god in defaute that made woman answered full proudely as men do now a dayes sayd to god The woman that thou gaue to me to be my felowe yaue me of the tree I ete therof As who sayth Haddest thou not gyuen hyr to be my felowe I sholde not haue synned And so notwithstandynge that he was more in defaute than yâ— woman yet he wolde not knowelege ony defaute but he put woman god pryncypally that made woman in defaute ¶ Diues How was Adam more in defaute than woman ¶ Pauê‘ For to hym pryncypaly god gaue the coÌ„maundement that he sholde not ete of that tree Eue knewe it not but by Adam Woman was tempted by the fende wonderfully in the adder whiche went that tyme ryght vp and hadde a face lyke a woman As Beda sayth the mayster of storyes And she was dysceyued with his fayre byhestes and his false slye speche For he behyght hyr that they sholde not dye but be as goddes knowynge good and euyll Adam had no temptacyon from outwarde but a symple worde of his wyfe that profered him the apple For we fynde not that she sayd to hym ony desceyuable worde And therfore sythen man was forboden of goddes mouthe and she not but by man and man had lesse temptacyon than woman and therto in no thynge wolde accuse hymselfe ne yelde hym gylty but put defaute all in woman in god therfore he synned more than
woman for woman yelde hyr gylty but she axed no mercy She made no suche excusacoÌ„n but in a grete parte yelded hyr gylty in that she sayd the adder hath desceyued me For in that she knowleged that she was desceyued she knowleged that she hadde do amys vnwysely and otherwyse than she ought to haue do And for that woman lowed hyr and knowleged hyr vnwysedom hyr foly therfore god put in woman that tyme an hope of our saluacoÌ„n whan he sayd to the adder I shall put enmyte bytwene the woman and bytwene thy sede hyr sede and she shall breke thyn hede that was the fende whiche was hede leder of the adder that tyme. The sede of the fende be wycked werkes and wycked folke to whome god sayd in the gospell Vos ex patre dyabolo estis Io .viij. Ye be of the fader the fende The sede of the woman goostly be hyr good dedes with whiche the fende and the fendes lymes haue grete enuye And comonly wymen haue more horrybylyte of synne than men doo And by our lady blessyd mote she be the fendes powrr is destroyed Also the sede of woman is cryste born of the mayde Mary without parte of man And so there was neuer man proprely sede of woman but cryste allone and alwaye is enmyte bytwene cryste and the fende and his sede For as saynt Poule sayth Cryste Belyall lyght and derkenesse may not accorde For this reason saynt Poule sayth that Adam was not desceyued in the fyrst pryuarycacoÌ„n but woman was desceyued .i. ad Thi .ij. And therfore as the glose sayth Whan god Adam vndernam he sayd not that the woman had desceyued me as yâ— woman sayd the adder hath desceyued me but he sayd the woman gaue me of the tree I haue eten And also as yâ— glose sayth there Adam was so wyse that he myght not byleue the fendes tales ne be desceyued in that maner as yâ— woman was And for the woman was not so wyse as Adam was therfore she byleued yâ— fendes tales so was desceyued And the wyser that Adam was the more was his synne whan he felle But though Adam was not deceyued fro outwarde by an other he was desceyued fro inwarde by hymselfe by preuy pryde as sayth saynt Austen de ci li.xiiij.câ— xiij Where he sayth that Adam Eue began fyrst to be wycked inwarde by whiche preuy wyckednes they felle in open vnobedyence For as he sayth there Pryde is begynnynge of euery synne IniciuÌ„ omnis peccati suê‘bia Eccl .x. And as Salomon sayth Contricione precedit suê‘bia et ante ruinaÌ„ exaltatur spuÌ„s Prouer .xvi. Byfore brekynge brysure gooth pryde and byfore open fallynge the spryte of a man and a woman is enhaunsed by pryde And therfore sayth saynt Austen in the same chaptre that both Adam and Eue were wycked desceyued by pryde and well lete of themselfe byfore they ete of the tree For preuy fallynge inwarde went byfore open fallynge outwarde by inobedyence and so Adam was desceyued and felle by pryde or Eue gaaf hym the apple Eue was desceyued by pryde or the serpent desceyued hyr For as sayth saynt Austen vbi sâ— They coueyted more excellence hygher degre than god ordeyned them to They bothe synned greuously but Adam more greuously as I sayd fyrst And therfor saynt Poule sayth not all men dyed thrugh yâ— synne of Eue but thrugh yâ— synne of Adam Ne god sayd not to Adam cursed be yâ— erthe in Eues synne ne he sayd cursed be yâ— erth in your synne But to Adam allone he sayd Cursed be the erthe in thy werke and in thy synne And therfor sayth saynt Ambrose suê‘ lucaÌ„ That Eue synned more by freelte and vnstabylyte and chaungeabylyte than by shrewednes Mobilitate magis animi quam prauitate peccauit Cryste becam not woman but man to saue mankynde That as mankynde was loste by man soo mankynde sholde be saued by man And therfore in manhede he wolde dye for mankynde for manhede had loste mankynde And also he becam man and not woman to saue the ordre of kynde And for that womans synne was lesse greuous than Adams synne lesse dered mankynde woman was lesse infecte in the fyrste pryuaricaco n than was man therfor god toke his manhede only of woman with out parte of man And so in that he bycam man he dyd gret worshyp to maÌ„ but in that he toke his manhede only of woman without part of man he dyd grete worshyp to woman for only of womans kyn he made medycyne to yâ— synne of Adam to he le mankynde of yâ— harde sekenes of Adams synne Caplm .xi. DIues Thy wordes be wonderfull But I can not saye ayenst the for drede of our lady moder mayde that gate grace to mankynde is our helpe in euery nede But yet I saye as I sayd fyrste woman desceyued Sampson that was soo stronge ¶ Pauper Woman desceyued him not tyll he had desceyued hymselfe by lecherye mysgouernauÌ„ce of hymselfe Fyrste he wedded an hethen woman ayenst goddes lawe and ayenst the wyll of his fader and moder for luste and mysloue that he hadde to hyr After that he laye by a comon woman that was hethen And after that he toke an other hethen woman to his concubyne that hyght Dali da the whiche full desceyued hym and brought hym to his deth He was false to god wymen were false to him wymen saye that he was bysotted vp on them therfore they treated hym as a sot He desceyued hymselfe and dyde full vnwysely whan he suffred a woman to bynde him amonges his ennemyes tolde an hethen woman his couseyll in what thynge his ennemyes myght moost dere hym And all though god tourned his folys dedes to yâ— worshyp of god of goddes lawe yet Sampson was not excused therby for he dyde moche amys moche foly Also Dauyd was desceyued by his mys luste his lecherye not by the woman Bersabee as thou saydest in thy verse For thus we rede in holy wryt in the seconde boke of kynges xi caâ— That on a tyme whan kynge Dauyd rose from his slepe after myd daye romed in his soler of his paleyse he sawe a fayre woman wasshe hyr in hyr soler he knewe not the woman ne the woman thought not on hym ne knewe not of his wycked wyl as the boke shewed there Anone he sent after this woman whan she cam to hym he laye by hyr bygate hyr with childe And anon as he knewe that she was with childe to hyde his synne he sent after hyr husbonde Vrye that he sholde come home medle with his wyf that the childe sholde be named to hym not to Dauyd And for the good knyght wolde not come home at his wyfe ne vse luste of his bodye whyles goddes oost lay in yâ— felde in syege of a cyte that hyght Rabath Dauyd sent hym ayen with lettres of his
man eyther woman be he euer so plesauÌ„t he shall dye and tourne to erthe asshes and wormes mete And yf he smel now neuer so swete he shall stynke than full sowre Therfore the wyse man sayth In omnibus oê‘ibus tuis memorare noui s sima tua et ineternuÌ„ noÌ„ peccabis Eccl .vij. In all these werkes thynke on thy laste thynges thou shalt not do no synne without ende We rede that in Englonde was a kynge that had a concubyne whose name was Rose And for hyr grete beaute he called hyr Rose amouÌ„de Rosa mundi That is to saye Rose of the worlde For hym thought that she passed all wymen in beaute It befell that she dyed was buryed whyle the kynge was absent And whan he cam ayen for grete loue that he had to hyr he wolde see the bodye in the graue And whan the graue was opened there sate an horryble tode vpon hyr breste by twene hyr tetys a foule adder bygyrt hyr bodye about in the mydle she stanke so that the kynge ne none other myght stande to see that horryble syght Than the kynge dyd shette ayen the graue and dyde wryte these two verses vpon the graue Hic iacet in tumba rosa mundi noÌ„ rosa muÌ„da Non redolet sed olet quod redolere solet That is thus to saye in englysshe Here lyeth in graue rose of the worlde but not clene rose She smelleth not swete but stytketh full foule that somtyme smelled full swete And an other remedye ayenst lecherye is that a man woman kepe well ther fyue wyttes that a man kepe well his handes his bodye from mystouchynge his eeres fro mysherynge that he here no tales of lecherye ne foule speche For saynt Poule sayth CorruÌ„piunt bonos more 's colloquia praua .i. ad Corum .xv. Wycked speche destroyed chastyte good thewes Also he must kepe well his syght takynge example of Iob whiche made a couenauÌ„t with his eyen that he sholde not thynke on a mayden to haue myllykyng in the thought And the prophete Ieremye sayd that his eye had robbed his soule in the woman of his cyte Trenorum .iij. For these reasons the prophete sayd that deth is entred by our wyndowes that is to saye by our fyue wyttes whiche be wyndowes and wykettes to the soule Ieremye .ix. And an other remedye is a man to kepe well his herte from ydell thoughtes and from wycked thynges For as cryste sayth in the gospell out of the herte comen wycked thoughteâ— man slaughter auoutre fornycacoÌ„n theeft false wytnesse blasphemye Mathei xv And therfore sayth the wyse man Omni custodia serua cor tuuÌ„ Prouer. iiij With all kepynge kepe well thyn herte for of the herte cometh lyfe and deth The mayster of kyndes li. xviij Sayth that there is a best that is called taxus that is a brok or a bawsym in Englysshe And there is a greate enmyte bytwene the foxe and hym The foxe is besy to put the bawsym out of his denne And for he may not doo it by myght he doth it by sleyght He wayteth tyll whan the bawsym is gone out of his denne than he gooth and pysseth maketh foule the bawsyms denne And for yâ— bawsym hate stenche and vnclennesse whan he cometh and fyndeth his denne so stynkynge so defouled he forsaketh his denne and seketh hym an other And than the foxe entreth there he bryngeth forth a shrewed brode By the bawsym that hateth stenche and vnclenne s se is vnderstande cryste Ihesus born of the mayde floure of clennesse By the foxe is vnderstande the fende whiche is about nyght and daye to putte cryste out of his denne that is mannes soule womans For mannes soule is goddes denne goddes temple goddes house goddes dwellynge place And for the fende may not put hym out by myght he putteth hym out by sleyght He maketh foule maÌ„nes soule and womans he putteth in ther soules foule stynkynge thoughtes of lecherye fyrste smale and after gretter And anone as man or woman begynneth to haue lykynge in suche thoughtes anone ther soule begynneth to stynke in goddes syght yf they assent to the thoughtes to do them in dede or for to delyte theym therin Than ther soules stynke soo foule in goddes syght that he forsaketh tho soules and gooth out and than the fende entreth therin And there he bryngeth forth synne vpon synne tyll at the laste he bryngeth theym from shame to shame to wycked deth and to a wycked ende Therfore saynt Austen in his sermon byddeth vs that we sholde trauayle that our god fynde no thynge in his temple that is to saye in our soules that may offende the eyen of his mageste But the dwellynge of our herte mote be voyded of vyces and fylled with vertues and shette to the fende and open to cryste Caplm .xv. AN other remedye ayenst the temptacoÌ„n of lecherye is deuo cyon mynde of crystus passyon For as saynt Gregorye sayth There is none so harde temptacyon but that man sholde ouercome easely ynough yf he thought entyrely on crystus passyon We fynde in gestys that on a tyme a grete kynges sone loued well a poore woman For though she was poore yet she was fayre and plesaunt in berynge The kynges sone toke hyr to his paramoure and wedded hyr Wherfore his fader and nyghe all his kynne was myspayde For them thought that he was moche dysperached by hyr wherfor he seynge that his kynrede bare so heuy of his maryage he went in to fer londes gaf hym to armes and what he myght wynne with his swerde he sent it home to his wyfe sauynge his worshyp his lyuynge In euery Iourney he had the better of his enmyes so his name began to sprynge fer and wyde At that last he came in so harde a fyght all though he had the maystrye yet he was soo wounded that nedes he muste dye Than he sente home his sharte full of woundes and of holes and all forbleded to his wyfe with a lettre vnder his seale saynge in this wyse Cerne cicatrices veteris vestigia pugne Quesiui ê“prio sanguine quicâ—d habes Beholde my woundes and haue theym in thy thought For all the goodes that be thyn with my blode I haue theym bought And whan this woman sawe this sharte redde the letter she felle downe in swowne And whan she was releued she henge vp this sharte in a preuy place of hyr chambre whan euer ony man cam to hyr to speke of weddyng or of flesshely luste she wente in to hyr chambre and loked on his sharte and came out ayen styffe stedfaste in hyr husbondes loue that was deed denyed them ther axynge saynge in this maner Whyle I haue his blood in my mynde that was to me so good and kynde Shall I neuer husbonde take but hym that dyed for my sake And thus she kepte hyr in clennesse and chastyte all hyr lyfe for loue of hyr
dygnyte of preesthode without ende For but he had do that dede god sholde ellys haue destroyed the people Also for auoutrye vnlawfull wedloke all mankynde was destroyed in tyme of Noes flood saue .viij. soules GenÌ„ vi And for defoulynge of one mannes wyfe were slayne thre score thousande fyue thousande all a contre and a grete cyte destroyed at the byddynge of god IudicuÌ„ .xix. et .xx. Also Dauyd for auoutrye was dreuen out of his kyngdom and he al his housholde all his kynrede were afterwarde full harde punysshed for his lecherye .ij. Re .xi. et .xij. And by the olde lawe both man and woman sholde be slayne yf they were take in auoutrye We rede that Iudas the sone of Iacob hadde thre sones by one woman Her Onam Selam But Her that was the eldest sone was a shrewe mysused his owne wyfe wherfore god was wrothe with hym and slough hym with sodayne deth for he vsed his wyfe in luste wolde not by gete childern of hyr but dyde so that she sholde not conceyue GenÌ„ .xxxviij. Also for lecherye seuen husbondes of Sara that was afterwarde the wyfe of yonge Thobye were slayne of that tende for ther foule luste Thobie .vi. Also for lecherye of them that be of kynre de of affynyte god hath take harde wrath as whan Aamon lay by his syster Thamer he was slayne of his broder Absolon And Loth the broder of Abraham by dronkenshyp lay by his owne two doughters bygate of them two childern Moab Amon whiche childern the people that came of theym were alwaye enemyes to goddes folke acursed of god Also Iacob cursed his sone Ruben for he laye with one of his wyues Also for the foule synne of Sodome fyue fayre cytees Sodom Gomor other thre cytees were destroyed in tyme of Abraham For god rayned vpon them fyre brymstone from aboue And the erthe shoke so trembled that they sonke downe in to helle house londe man childe and beest all that they had There was no thyng saued but Loth his two doughters his wyfe myght haue be saued but for that she loked ayen to the cyte ayenst the angels byddynge whan she herde the sorowfull crye of them that perysshed therfore she tourned in to a salt stone For the angell bad them streytly that they sholde not loke ayen And all that contre whiche was byfore lykened to paradyse for fayrenesse plente of the contre tourned in to a foule stynkynge podell that lasteth in to this daye is called the deed see For ther may noo thynge lyue therin for fylth stenche in vengeauÌ„ce of that stynkynge lecherye GenÌ„ .xij. ¶ Diues Me meruayleth moche that god toke so general wrath to slee man woman and childe For I am syker ther were many childern full yonge vngylty in that synne Also we fynde not that wymen were than gylty in that synne The boke sayth that all the people of men fro the childe male to the olde cam to do that synne but of wymen speketh he not that ony cam therto ¶ Pauper Though woman vse not that synne yet they were gylty in that that they forsoke not ther husbondes that were gylty For sodomye is moost suffycyent cause of dyuorce bytwene husbonde wyfe whan it is openly vsed And syth they wolde not forsake ther husbondes in that horryble synne in maner they assented to ther synne soo ryghtfully they perysshed in synne with them Of the childern vngylty the mayster of storyes sayth that god slough them for ther best For yf they hadde lyued forth in to myghty age they sholde haue folowed the lechery of ther faders and so it was better to theym to dye or they were gylty than to haue lyued lenger dyed gylty and go to helle without ende Caplm .xvij. DIues Fell there ony vengeaunce for lechery of men of holy chirche ¶ Pauper We fynde in the seconde boke of kynges vi.ca. That ther was a deken in yâ— olde lawe whos name was Oza And whan he touched that hutche eyther arke of god to holde it vp whan it sholde els haue falle his ryght arme seryd dryed sodaynly anone he dyed For as the mayster of storyes sayth That nyght he had deled with his wyf Syth than the deken of the olde lawe was so hard punysshed for he touched goddes hutche that els sholde haue falle for he medled that nyght with his wyfe moche more prestes dekens of the newe lawe be worthy moche wo yf they presume to touche goddes bodye or to mynystre at goddes aulter whan as they haue comoned with other mennes wyues or with ther concubynes And therfore the lawe byddeth streytely that there sholde no man ne woman here masse of the preest whiche that he knoweth sykerly that he holdeth a concubyne or is an open lecherour and notorye Distinc .xxxij. nullus â— preter hec And in the same lawe it is forboden in payne of cursynge that ony preest lechour sholde laye ony masse or ony deken lechour rede ony gospell or ony subdeken rede ony pystle in the offyce of holy chirche And in an other place the lawe byddeth that suche notorye lechours sholde haue no offyce in holy chirche ne benefyce yf they had but yf they wolde ameÌ„de them they sholde be pryued both of offyce of benefyce Distinc xxviij decreuimus And yf ony man of holy chirche houÌ„ted moche the place and the companye of suspecte wymen but he wolde cesse he sholde be deposed Distinc lxxxi clericus And there sholde no strauÌ„ge wymen dwelle with men of holy chirche but thermoders beldames auntes and godmoders and brothers doughters or systers doughter IhideÌ„ ca. cuÌ„ omnibus And yf there myght ony euyll suspeccyon be of ther dwellynge togydre or for youth or for they be suspecte in other byhalue than they sholde not dwelle with them in housholde but in some other place Ex. de cohitacoÌ„e clerico abrum et mulieruÌ„ .i. capitulo ¶ Diues Though a preest be a shrewe the sacramentes that he mynystreth be not the worse For the goodnesse of yâ— prest amendeth not the sacrament Ne his wyckednesse appereth theym not as the lawe sheweth well in the same place Vbi supra ê“ximo caplo vestra ¶ Pauper Why forbydeth than the lawe men to here masses of synfull prestes lechours The lawe sayth that fallynge fro the hygher chastyte that is voued to god is more wors than auoutrye For sythen god is offended whan the wyfe kepeth not fayth to hyr bodely husbonde or the husbonde kepeth not fayth to his wyfe moche more is god offended yf fayth of chastyte is not kepte to hym whiche was prouffered to hym frely not axed nedely And the more freely it was made without compellynge the morer synne is the brekynge xxvi.qÌ„.i Nupclarum in fine ca. et ca. impudicas et ca. scien Also the lawe sayth that the synne that is done
byhestes and tourneth him to the fende by his owne fyndynges of mys lustes leueth the loue of cryste for the loue of ony creature than he doth goostly lecherye with the fende And therfore sayth Dauyd that they haue do fornycaco n in ther owne fyndynges And on this maner all flesshely thought al mys luste vnryghtfull doynge vnleful couetyse in that it withdraweth the loue of man or of woman fro god it is called goostly fornycacoÌ„n and auoutrye And thus euery dedely synne is called goostly auoutrye goostely fornycacyon but pryncypaly ydolatrye forsakynge of the fayth Also false prechynge false exposycoÌ„n of holy wryt is called spyrytuell fornycacyon As they that preche pryncypaly to please the people and to gete a name or to gete temporall good Of suche sayth laynt Poule That they put goddes worde in auoutrye Adulterantes verbuÌ„ dei ij.ad Corum iiij For there the sholde vse it to the worshyp of god and to the proufyte of mannes soule they vse it to ther owne worshyp and to ther owne worldely proufyte and to pleasaunce of the fende and harme of mannes soule Also false couetyse is called goostly fornycacy on Therfore saynt Iames sayth to false couetyse men AdulteriuÌ„ nescitis quia amicicia huius mundi inimicicia est deo Iacobi .iiij. Ye auouterers and lechours wyte ye not that frendshyp of this worlde is enmye to god Therfore in the boke of goddes preuytees couetyse pompe of this worlde and couetous and proude people is called the cyte of Babylon that is to saye the cyte of shenshyp And it is lykened to a comon woman with whiche kynges prynces lordes marchauÌ„tes all couetouse folke haue doo lecherye and it is called moder of fornycacyons and of abhomyncyons For as saynt Poule sayth Couetyse is rote of all wyckednesses And therfore god byddeth there that his people sholde go out of the cyte of Babylon That is to saye forsake synfull companye forsake luste of the flesshe pompe and couetyse of this worlde that maketh men to forsake god and doo goostly lecherye with the fende wende ye out sayth god fro this wycked Babylon forsake this wycked comon woman of luste of false couetyse that desceyueth all this worlde For in one daye shal come all hyr destruccyon that shall be endeles deth wepynge hongre without ende and there shall be brennynge fyre smoder without ende And than all that haue do goostly lecherye lyued in delyces false couetyse shall wepe says Ve ve alas alas Apo. xvij.et.xviij Caplm .xxiij. DIues All though thy speche de resonable yet in one thynge clerkes holde ayenst the in that that thou sayst that the synne of Adam was more than the synne of Eue. And they argue thus ayenst the God ryghtfull Iuge punysshed Eue hard for hyr synne than he dyd Adam for his synne but that sholde not god haue do but for hyr syÌ„ne was more greuous than yâ— synne of Adam therfore the synne of Eue was more greuous than Adams synne ¶ Pauê‘ This argument is grounded in two false maximis Fyrste that euery punysshynge and vengeaunce assygned of god for mannes synne and womans is assygned after that the synne is more or lesse And this maxime grouÌ„de is false wherfor thou shalt vnderstande that god punysshe some synne in this worlde and some in the other worlde some bothe here there In the other worlde he punyssheth euery synne after that it is more greuous or lesse greuous But in this worlde he dooth not alwaye so But oft in this worlde he punyssheth the lesse synne harder than he doth the more synne Therfore in the olde lawe auoutrye was punysshed as harde or hard than manslaughter yet manslaughter is more greuous synne than auoutrye god toke more temporall vengeuÌ„ce in this worlde for lecherye than euer he dyd for ydolatrye yet ydolatrye is gretter synne than lechery for it is in medyat ayenst god ayenst yâ— fyrst coÌ„maundement of the fyrste table And manslaughter is harder punysshed in this world than periurye yet ê‘iurye is gretter synne as I sayd in yâ— seconde coÌ„mauÌ„dement And synnes in symple poore folk be harder punysshed in this worlde than synnes of the grete men Yf a poore man stele an horse he shal be hanged But yf a lorde by raueyn extorcyons robbe a man of all yâ— he hath he shall not be hanged ne lytyll or nought punysshed in this worlde Dauyd dyde auoutre man slaughter for whiche synne he was worthy to be slayne by comon lawe of god yet god wolde not haue hyÌ„ slayn but yf a poore man had do tho synnes he sholde haue be slayne A symple man went gadred styckes in the sabot god had Moyses stone hyÌ„ to deth Salomon Ieroboam Acham dyd grete ydolatrye drough moche of the people to ydolatrye yet were they not slayn therfore the smaller synnes god punysshed in this worlde that the soules be punysshed in this worlde so that the soules of the synners may be saued yf they take it pacyently comonly he punysshed hard poore folke in this worlde than the ryche folke as by comon lawe For the synne of grete men as in yâ— same spyce of synne is more greuous than is the synne of the poore man And therfore god reserueth the greuous synnes and the synnes of grete folke for to punysshe them in the other worlde or in helle or in purgatorye There may no temporall payne be full punysshynge for dedely synne saue contrycyon allone And therfore god punyssheth not alwaye folke in this worlde after the quaÌ„tyte of ther synne but as he seeth it moost nedefull spedefull to yâ— people and to his worshyp For only god knoweth the greuoushede of dedely synne For oft that that semeth moost greuoê° in mannes syght is lesse greuous in goddes syght ayenwarde Therfore god melureth not alwaye payne after the quantyte of the synne But oft he punyssheth in this worlde them that be lesse gylty as moche as theym that be more gylty And in tyme of the flood of Noe in the pery s shynge of Sodom and Gomor and many other tymes he punysshed wymen childern and bestes that were not gylty in the synnes for whiche that vengeaunce felle And oft he sendeth sykenes dysease to good men in punysshyng of ther synnes in this worlde and suffereth shrewes to haue ther wyll and lytyll or nought puny s sheth them in this worlde And as the lyon is chastysed by betynge of the whelpe so oftyme god punyssheth chastyseth ful harde in this worlde them that be lesse gylty to warne theÌ„ that be more gylty that they sholde amende them Therfore cryste sayd to the Iewes wene ye that tho men whiche Pyâ—at slough for theyr rebellyon were gretter synners than other folke of the contre Nay forsoth But I say to you forsoth but ye amende you ye shall perysshe all And wene ye sayth cryste
of themselfe yet the lordshyp power is of goddes gyfte As saynt Austen sayth therfore it muste be worshypped The lordshyp that is only of dyspensacoÌ„n coÌ„mytted by a souerayne is medefull worshypfull coÌ„mendable Also ther is thre maner of propertees and properhede One is that kynde gyueth as man to lye And euery man hath his owne herte his owne soule his owne wyll for to do well or euyll and this properte is nedeful An other properte ther is that cometh only of couetyse by whiche couetyse folke saye this is myne this is thyne And so they propren to themselfe by couetyse that is comon by kynde And this propertee so grouÌ„ded in couetyse is dampnable synfull The thyrde is dyspensacoÌ„n For one man hath moche thynge in his dyspensacyon and gouernaunce that an other man hath nought to do of And this dyspensacoÌ„n cometh some tyme of goddes gyfte as whan he sente one man more ryches in this worlde than an other Somtyme it cometh by ordynauÌ„ce gyfte of lordes of soueraynes here in erthe As whan lordes and prelates coÌ„mytte to ther sugetâ— gouernauÌ„ce of ther goodes of ther places benefyces And this dyspensacoÌ„n yf it be well do it is full medeful ¶ Diues But as saynt Poule sayth It is a questyon who is fouÌ„de trewe amonge suche dyspensours For nygh al seke ther owne profyte but not the worshyp of Ihesu cryste ¶ Pauper Many be full false yet sythen dyspensacyon of worldely goodes is so coÌ„mytted to theym in that they haue lorshyp of ther propre dyspensacoÌ„n ordeyned of god be called propre lordes of ther ê“pre dyspensacyon not for ther false couetyse ne for no properhede that they chalenge by false couetyse For in that be they no lordes but tyrauÌ„tes and rauynours And so though they haue propre lordshyp of dyspensacoÌ„n of worldely goodes more than the poore people they haue yet nomore lordshyp by waye of kynde than the poore man ne non other lordshyp than the poore man but only of dyspensacoÌ„n And so though the ryche folke haue more lordshyp of propre dyspensacyon than the poore yet the lordshyp of kynde in nedefull thynges standeth styll comon to ryche and poore But for synne it is not so fre as it was byfor yâ— synne of Adam For god wyl not that the poore folke take ony thynge without leue of the propre dyspensatour that is called lorde therof therfore god sayd Non furtuÌ„ facies Thou shalt do no theeft that is to saye thou shalt nought take without thy lordes leue ¶ Diues This is wonderfull to me that the poore man is as grete a lorde by waye of kynde as the ryche yet may he nought take with out his leue ¶ Pauper It is more wonder that the good poore man is lorde of all thynge nedefull to hym by waye of kynde that synfull ryche man is lorde of ryght nought by waye of kynde for he is goddes traytour And yet god wyll that the poore take ryght nought of the good that the ryche man hath in his dyspensacoÌ„n without leue ¶ Diues That is to me more wondful tell me how this may be ¶ Pauê‘ Thou myght see at eye that the kynges heyre aparant other heyres of grete lordshyppes not withstandynge that they be heyres lordes of al yet shal they not entre the offyce of ther offycers ne take ony thynge ayenst ne bere ayenst without leue And yf they do they shall be harde vndernomen in case bete of ther mayster of ther tutour For fredom in youth is cause of pryde of many other vyces Ryght so god seynge that mankynde whiche is lorde of all erthly goodes ordeyned to regne in heuen blysse Yf he hadde his fredom in vse of erthely thynges he sholde falle in pryde many vyces as Adam dyd whyle he was free Therfore he hath put mankynde namely the poore people vnder that gouernauÌ„ce of the ryche folke of ther lordes whiche be ther tutours dyspensatours of goodes of this worlde to saluacoÌ„n of the poore people And therfore sayth saynt Poule Quanto tempore heres peruulus est nichil defert a seruo cuÌ„ sit dnÌ„s omniuÌ„ sed subtutoribus et auctoribus est vsque ad prefinitu tempus a patre ad Gala .iiij. As longe as the heyre is yonge and lytyll ther is no dyfference bytwene hym a seruauÌ„t sythen ther is a lorde of all but he is vnder tutour gouernour vnto a certayne tyme ordeyned of the fader And therfore sythen the ryche folke ben tutours dyspensatours of these worldely goodes ordeyned of god to saluacoÌ„n of the poore people god wyll that no man take of the goodes that ben commytted to them without theyr wyll theyr leue And yf ony man take therof ayenst theyr wyll ayenst goddes ordenauÌ„ce he doth theeft ayenst this coÌ„mauÌ„dement Non furtuÌ„ facies Thou shalt do no theeft Caplm .vi. DIues Is it lefull in ony case to stele take ony thynge ayenst the lordes wyll ¶ Pauper Stelynge sowneth comonly theeft robbery somtyme it sowneth preuely takynge without wyttynge of the lorde And so it may be done in four cases with out synne For nede for almesse for ryght for happe of fyndynge Fyrste for nede myscheef for yf ony man or woman for myscheef of hongre or of thryste or of colde or of ony other myscheef whiche myscheef he may not flee to saue his lyfe but he take thynges ayenst the lordes wyll Yf he take ony thynge so in peryll of deth or in grete myscheef nede excuseth hyÌ„ fro synne fro theeft yf he do it only for nede and not for couetyse And he ought to enfourme his conscyence thynke that yf the lorde of the thynge knewe his myschef he sholde not be myspayed than doth he no theeft for in the laste nede al thynge is comon Also for the lorde is bouÌ„de to helpe him at that nede also for nede hath no lawe Example we haue in the gospell where we fynde that the dyscyples of cryste for hongre toke ere 's in the felde gnydded theym ete the corn for hongre The pharysees were asclauÌ„dred therof sayd to cryste that his dyscyples dyd thynge that was not leful And than cryste excused them for nede of hongre sayd that they were vngylty Innocentes in that And he put them example of Dauyd that ete for nede of the holy loues in goddes tabernacle whiche loues only prestes sholde ete by the lawe Math .xij. For it is a generall rule in the lawe that nede hath no lawe ¶ Diues Is that man ytso taketh for nede bouÌ„de to restytucoÌ„n ¶ Pauper Nay And yet for more sykernesse to put hym in drede of stelynge his confessour shal gyue hym somdele penau ce for that doynge Also by waye of almesse the wyfe may take of her lordes good in whiche she hath dyspeÌ„sacoÌ„n as in mete drynke
wyll not amende hyÌ„ or for hate and enmyte wyl not recounseyll hym that wyll amende hym or for hate or loue or gyft or prayer putteth ony man or woman from the sacrameÌ„tes of holy chirche he doth symonye Yf a preest be bouÌ„den of offyce to say a masse or dirige suche other prayers he axe moneye therfore he doth symonye but yf he be not bouÌ„de therto of offyce he hath not his nedeful lyuynge he may take money for his trauayle lette his trauayle to hyre by dayes and yeres as annuelers done as Raymunde sayth Et extra ne prelati vices suas et ca. vltimo But yf he haue suffycyent lyuynge and he be not bouÌ„de to saye that masse or dirige than he shall saye it frely or elles not saye it For elles it semeth that he dooth it pryncypally for couetyse Yf a preest haue sayd a masse yf he saye an other masse that daye for moneye or for to haue thanke of the worlde he doth symonye De con di i.sufficit Caplm .xix. DIues Yf relygyouse or seculer clerkes in auauÌ„sement of theyr kynnesmen make couenau t to gydre saye Assent thou to auauÌ„synge of my neuewe and I shall assent the auaunsynge of thy neuewe Or ellys one sayth that as longe as I lyue shall ther no grace of ony auauÌ„sement passe whyle I may lette it but I haue this grace for hym yâ— I praye for do these symonye ¶ Pauper It is symonye For the lawe sayth Abut dnis ê‘actio cesset omnis conuencio .i. qÌ„ ij.qiii pro. In spyrytuell thynges euery couenaut sholde be awaye euery conuencyon cesse Yf the curate wyll not burye the deed bodye ne suffre it to be buryed but in couenaunt that he shall haue his bedde or his beste clothe or some other thynge he doth symonye all though it be custome to paye that he axeth And therfor he sholde frely burye the deed blesse them that ben nedy and so absteyne hym fro euery spyce of symonye and afterwarde compelle them to paye kepe good customes yf that they myght well do it for pouerte Extra e. ad apostolicam Yf a preest wyll not baptyse but he haue moneye therfore he doth symonye And rather the lewed man or woman sholde baptyse the childe than gyue moneye therfore And yf he were of age that sholde be baptysed and there were no man ne woman but the preest though he were in peâ—yll of deth he sholde rather dye without baptyme of water than he sholde be baptysed by symonye For in that case the baptym of the holy goost suffyseth to hym Euery man woman may baptyse for nede Yf ony patrone gyue a benefyce in couenaunt that he that resceyueth it shal helpe hym temporally and his also it is symonye Extra e. nemo And yf he gyue it to some of his kynne soo to magnefye hym selfe and to be the more myghty worldely by auauÌ„synge of his kynrede it is symonye And yf a patrone selle a patronage by the selfe or selle the maner that is annexed therto the more derer for the patronage he doth symonye As sayth Petrus tarentmus suê‘ quartuÌ„ senteÌ„ distinct xxv And therfore he sayth that choppynge of chirches without auctoryte of the bysshop is symony And he sayth there also that ryght of patronage may not be solde but it passeth forth with byenge of the londe that it longeth to Yf prechours or pardonysters or other folke that goo for almesse praye the parysshe preest or the curate to procure them some good in theyr parysshe in couenauÌ„t that the preest or the curate shal haue a certayn parte ther of it is symonye as anentes the preest for both do symonye also they doo sacrylege theeft in that that they defraude men of theyr good put it not in the almesse that they gyue it to bothe the preest the pardonyster be bouÌ„de to restytucyon Caplm .xx. IF a man or woman gyue moneye to be resceyued in to house of relygyon and so in relygyon in couenauÌ„t that he or she shall gyue a certayn moneye to yâ— house it is symonye though it be comon custome so to gyue Nathelesse yf he be resceyued frely as the lawe wyll he doth no symonye Extra e. sicut ê“ certo et ca. in tantuÌ„ ca. veniens ca.audiuimê°.ca Iacobus Nathelesse yf the house be poore ouercharged with yâ— persone so cladde they may afterwarde praye the frendes of that persone of some almesse in releuynge of the house and of that charge Yf a man or a woman gyue moneye to prestes ryche or poore for trentall for annuell for yeredaye or for to saye masse of the holy goost or other masses or to gyue money to clerkes for saynge of psalters or of dyryges or to poore men in couenaunt of certayn prayers with entencyon so to bye theyr prayers he dooth symonye scom glosam Willi. et vt habet in suÌ„ con li.i.ti.i.qÌ„.xlij And yet as he sayth there it is lefull to take to gyue moneye other temporall thynges for suche spyrytuell thynge for prayer by waye of deuocoÌ„n of free gyft so to excyte deuocyon loue of persones the more to praye for them And in this maner men may gyue to colleges certayn moneye to kepe ther yereday not by waye of couenaunt of byenge of sellynge but soo to styre theym frely to grauÌ„t them theyr axyuge by waye of more charyte more deuocyon for suche spyrytuell thynge maye not be solde And therfore men sholde gyue theyr good frely to men of holy chirche by waye of almesse and they sholde take it frely by waye of almes And the gyuer with his gyfte of charyte may axe certayn prayers of them that he gyueth to yf they grauÌ„ted hym they ben bounden to kepe theyr graunt Therfore sayth saynt Austen that the apostles toke frely theyr lyuynge of them that they preched frely to And as grete synne it is the preste to selle his prayer as the prechour to selle his prechynge Cryste badde in yâ— gospel that men sholde make them frendes of the rychesses of this worlde that they myght resceyue them in to endelesse tabernacles that is to saye that they myght so praye for hem that they myght be resceyued in to blysse And thus muste all men of holy chirche take theyr lyuynge yf they wyl be ciene out of symonye For they maye not selle ther offyce that they do in holy chirche ne theyr prayer but by fre gyftes take theyr suffycyent lyuelode Extra ne prelati vices suas ca.qmÌ„ enormis ¶ Diues Contra. It is ordeyned by constytucyon synodalle what moneye a parysshe preest what an annuler sholde take ¶ Pauê‘ That is not for his offyce but it is done to lett the false couetyse of men of holy chirche to put in certayn how moche is suffycyent to theyr lyuynge that they sholde no more axe ne men no more gyue theym But yf it be not suffycyent they maye
as though he wolde haue made a grete solempnyte worshyp to Baall and dyd clothe all the false prestes in one certayne clothe yâ— he gaue theym that by the clothynge men sholde knowe them from other And whan they were all gadred togydre in theyr temple to worshyp Baall the kyng Ieu bad men of armes go and slee them all and so they dyd Also Iosue leder of goddes people fayned flyght to dysceyue goddes enemyes Iosue .viij. Suche faynynge so that it be do without lesynge of the mouth is lefull and in case medefull Also ther is faynynge for good techynge And so cryste fayned hym to go ferther to styre his dyscyples to hospytalyte Also ther is faynynge of sygnyfycacyon so Iacob as by mannes dome fayned hym to be Esau But in goddes â—ome it was no faynynge of falsehede but fygure shewed by holy goost that spake in hym wrought in hym Also ther is faynynge of falsenesse of doublenesse for to dysceyue suche is in ypocrytes and false folke Aâ—d all suche faynyÌ„ge is lesynge forboden of god by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement Caplm .v. DIues Is it ony synne to byleue a thynge that is false ¶ Pauper There is falsehede of the sayer falsehede of the thynge that is sayd Falsehede of the sayer somtyme is pernycyous wycked to byleue lyghtly suche falsehede it is dedely synne dampnable Somtyme falsehede of the sayer is profytable as touchynge worldely thynges not noyous as to the worlde somtyme it is neyther profytable ne noyous to the worlde as lesynges made only for bourde that harmeth no man worldely ne ê“fyteth And to byleue tho two maner of falsehedes it is venyall synne Also ther is repronable falsehede of a thynge that is sayd And eyther that thynge longeth to the nedefulnesse of our salutacyon as be artycles of the fayth to byleue suche falsehede it is dedely synue or it longeth not to the nedefulnesse of our saluacoÌ„n to byleue suche falsehede lyghtly it is veny all synne or ellys noo synne as sayth Dockynge suê‘ Deutron â— Nathelesse ther sholde no wyse man be to hasty to byleue thynges of charge that sholde eyther be grete prosperyte or grete aduersyte For the wyse man sayth Qui cito credit leuis eÌ„ corde He that soone byleueth is lyght of herte vnstable Eccl .xix. And therfore sayth he byleue not euery worde that men telle the. Ibidem The foole symple man sayth he byleueth euery worde but the wyse man taketh hede to his paas goth ne byleueth not chauÌ„gâ—ably after meÌ„nes speche ne after lesynges but after the lawe of god that is not chauÌ„geable Prouer .xiiij. et Eccl xxxiij ¶ Diues Sythen it is so that a man may synne berynge false wytne s se of hymselfe whether synneth he more praysynge hymselfe falsely or lackynge hymself falsely ¶ ê“auper Bothe ben foly in case grete synne For Caton sayth NoÌ„ te collaudes necte culpaueris ipÌ„e Prayse thou not thyself ne lacke thou not thyself And Salomon sayth Laudet te alienê° et noÌ„ os tuuÌ„ Extraneê° et noÌ„ labia tua Let an other man prayse the not thyn owne mouth straungers not thy lyppes Prou .xxvij. And therfor by comon opynyon of clerkes it is more synne a man to prayse hyÌ„self falsely by auauÌ„tement than it is to lacke hyÌ„self falsely For auauÌ„temeÌ„t cometh of pryde that is worst of all synnes but lackyng of hyÌ„self may come of lownesse medefully For euery man of hyÌ„selfe is more to lacke than to prayse And therfore sayth yâ— prophete Omnis homo men dax Euery man woman of hyÌ„self is false a lyer And Salomon sayth that no man wote whether he is worthy loue or hate of god And so no man wote what he is worth in goddes syghte as moche as he is worth in goddes syght so moche he is worth noo more Therfore sayth Arystotle .iiij. Ethicorum That the auauÌ„ter of hyÌ„selfe is worse than the lacker of hymselfe Iactator vituperabilior eÌ„ ê™ vitupator Et ideÌ„ dicit Ricardus de media villa super sentencias li .iij. di .xxviij. qÌ„ .iiij. ¶ Diues Whiche ben called by the lawe false wytnesses ¶ Pauê‘ They that ben brought to bere wytnesse ben sworne to saye the sothe and doo ayenst theyr othe saynge false or hydynge the treuth thynge that sholde be sayd or transpose thynges that sholde be sayd Or a man saye a thynge for certayn that he is not syker of though it be treuth that he sayth And also he is false wytnesse that swereth a treuth with slyght speche for dysceyte Suche maner folke saynt Austen lykeneth to Iudas moche folke sayth he these dayes despyse the deed of Iudas yet they do the same that he dyd or ellys worse For why sayth he Alle tho that for mede bere false wytnesse they selle cryste that is souerayne treuth for mede Et eÌ„ suê‘ illud Math. Quid vultis michi dare et ego eum vobis tradam But suche false wytnesses be worse than was Iudas For he solde cryste for thrytty pens But many false wytnesse selle cryste for moche lesse somtyme for nought onely to shewe malyce or to be venged Iudas made restytucyon of the moneye that he toke to betraye cryste wolde not reioyse it But false wytnesses these dayes make no restytucoÌ„n but lyue by suche false synfull lucre Iudas byleued not yâ— cryste sholde ryse fro deth to lyue deme the quycke the deed But we byleue that he rose from dethe to lyue shall come to deme all mankynde verry god verry man And therfore crysten men false wytnesses ben more to blame than was Iudas Caplm .vi. DIues May all maner men bere wytnesse in ony dome ¶ Pauper Nay For bounde seruauÌ„tes sholde bere no wytnesse in causes of theyr lordes neyther ayenst them ne with them but in as moche as the cause toucheth other of his seruau tes .iiij. qÌ„ .iij. S. criminali v. Item serui Ne wymen sholde bere no wytnesse of preef in causes of felonye but in matrymonye and in causes of purgacyon of wymens euyll name they may bere wytnesse of preef And wymen may accuse in causes of felonye Also no yonge folke within .xiiij yere ne foles ne beggers ne ful poore folke ne hethen men ne crysten men openly loosed of falsehede or ones teynt false forsworen ne open wycked lyuers of euyll name none of these is able to bere wytnesse in dome byfore a Iuge .v. Condicio sexus etas discrecio fama Et fortuna fides in testibus ista require By false wytnesses the Iewes slewe saynt Steuen by false wytnesses they slewe Cryste and by false wytnesse the true man Naboth by false wytnesse they wolde haue slayne the holy woman Susanna but god saued her brought the false wytnesses to the same deth that she sholde haue had yf her wytnesse had ben true and that was the lawe that
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
haue taken good thynges of goddes honde why sholde not we suffre wyked thynges and paynfull of his sond God yaue and god hath taken awaye as god wyll so it is done blessyd be our lordes name Iob. i.et.ij.ca Thus sytte ye sadely in the sadell of pacyence rule ye your horse by the brydell of abstynence by the reynes of temperauÌ„ce yf your horse be so dulle in goddes way pryke hym with two spores that ben diede of helle payne loue of god of heuen blysse And so with drede loue compelle ye your hors to hye him forth in goddes waye Let not your horse yâ— is your flesshe be to carnalle by ease welfare ne to feble for mysfaâ—e ouertrauayle Caplm .vi. THe mayster of kynde li. iiij de qualitate elementari telleth that ther is a byrde that is called a bernake This byrde wexeth out of a tree ouer the water But as longe as it hanged on the tree it is deed but anon as it louseth from yâ— tree falleth downe in to the water anone it quykeneth swymmeth forthe This byrde sayth he hath lytell flesse lesse blood By this tree I vnderstande mankynde that came al of Adam Eue as the tree his brauÌ„ches come al of yâ— rote byneth By this byrde I vnderstande euery man woman whiche whan they be fyrst born of theyr moder they be deed by orygynal synne of Adam not able to the lyf of grace ne of blysse For as saynt Poule sayth we ben all born childern of wrath of deth But anone as we falle in to yâ—â—onâ—stone in yâ— water of baptyme ben baptysed anon we resceyue yâ— lyâ— of grace be able to yâ— lyf of heuen blysse yf we kepe vs besely from the blood of synne from yâ— carnalyte of the bodye desytes of yâ— flesshe For saynt Peter byddeth vs. Abstinete vos a carnalibus desiderijs que militaÌ„t aduersus aiÌ„am .i. Petri .ij. Absteyne ye you from flesshely desyres that fyght ayenst the soule But for as moche as Iob sayth that all mannes lyf vpon erth is knyghthode fyghtyng ayenst goostly enemyes Milicia eÌ„ vi ta hoiÌ„s suê‘ terraÌ„ Iob .vij. Therfore it is nedefull to euery crysten man to gouerne wel the horse of his bodye as I haue sayd But more ouer as saynt Poule sayth He mnste arme hyÌ„ with goostley armure ayenst the dyntes the dartes of the fendes temptacyon For as saynt Poule sayth ad Eph. vi All our fyghtynge is ayenst the wycked spyrytes of derkenesses whiche be prynces powers and gouernours of synfull men Therfore he sayth Arme ye you in the armure of god that ye may withstande the busshement the slyghtes of the deuyll stande parfyght in al thynges Stande ye sayth he in treuth and gyrde ye your lendes with the gyrdel of chastyte do ye on the habergeon of ryght fulnesse shoe ye your feet in dyghtynge of yâ— gospell of peas And in all thynges take ye to you the shelde of fayth with whiche ye may quenche al the brennynge dartes of yâ— wycked fende And take ye you yâ— basynÌ„et of helth the swerde of the holy goost that is goddes worde whiche as he sayth in another place is sharper than ony two egged swerde ad Hebre .iiij. And by almaner prayers besechynge praye ye euery tyme alwaye in spiryte wake ye alwaye in him in all maner besynesse And thus saynt Poule by the lykenesse of bodely armure techeth vs goostly armure techeth vs well to arme our lendes by the vertue of chastyte whan he byddeth vs gyrde well our lendes And than he byddeth vs do on the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse in defence both of bodye soule yâ— we do ryght to all yelde to god to euery creature that longeth to hym both to our soueraynes to our felowes to our sugettes to theym that ben byfore vs paste out of this worlde by almesse gyuynge and yeldynge of dettes for them that ben deed and to theym that ben behynde vs to come by sauynge of theyr ryght of theyr due herytage And thus arme we vs behynde byfore in euery syde with the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse And ryght as in the habergeon euery rynge accordeth with other is knytt with other So sholde all our ryghtfulnes accorde to gydre so be knytt to gydre that we do ryght to all soo that we do no man ne woman wronge For yf we do so moche ryght fauour to one that it be hyndrynge to an others ryght than yâ— rynges in our habergeâ— of ryghtfulnes accorde not ne be well knytt to gydre But ther is an hole wherby the fende may hurte our soule Also he byddeth vs arme our feet our legges with legge harneys that is goostly pouerte that we withdrawe our hertes our affeccyons from erthely thynges not set our loue to moche in erthly thynges ne in worldely goodes not to stryue not to plete for noo worldely goodes but yâ— more nede compell vs therto but seke to lyue in peas with all men yf it may be And thus arme vs with goostly poueâ—te our legges our feet that is to saye our loue our affeccoÌ„ns ayenst the temptacyons of false couetyse And therfore he byddeth vs shoe our feet in to yâ— dyghtynge of the gospell of peas For euery crysten man woman ought to haue gostly pouerte whiche cryst taught in the gospell to forther the gospell of cryste that is the gospell of peas in wyll dede to his power to teche it yf he can And yf he can not helpe forther them that can in techynge of the gospell of goddes lawe helpe theÌ„ with his good to theyr nedefull sustenaunce yf he may they haue nede Also he byddeth vs take to vs the shelde of fayth for as the shelde is a tryangle hath thre corners in whiche tryangle yf fro yâ— myddes be drawen thre lynes in to the thre corners ther sholde be thre tryangles whiche thre be but one tryangle and yet none of them is other And therfore he sayth that fayth of the holy trynyte is lykened to a shelde for ther ben thre persones in yâ— holy trynyte the fader the sone the holy goost eche of them is god and none of theym is ether though they ben al thre but one god in mageste This shelde of fayth of the holy trynyte we muste take to vs in goostly fyght byleue in the holy trynyte and set all our fayth al our truste in one god in trynyte praye to the fader almyghty that he sende vs myght to the sone alwyâ—â— that he graunte vs wytte wysedâ—me to the holy goost all gracyous ful of mercy that he grauÌ„te vs grace so that we may haue myght wytte and grace to withstande all goostly enemyes Also he byddeth vs to take to vs the balynet of
helth of saluacyon as sayth the glose hope to haue the maystrye of our enemyes by the helpe of god and heuen blysse to our mede for our fyghtynge and for our trauayle For ther wyll no man put hym to laufull fyght but in hope to haue the maystrye mede for his trauayle And as the basynet well arayed is clene furbusshed from ruste made slyke and smothe that shot may soone glyde of it is hyghest of all armure goynge gaderynge vpwarde in to a smalle poynte so muste our hope our trust pryncypaly go vp to god and not set our hope ne our truste to moche in mannes myght ne in erthely helpe whiche is but ruste wastynge the basynet of hope that we owe to god Therfore sayth the prophete Ieremye Cursed be the man that trusteth in man in flesshely myght letteth his herte go awaye fro god And blyssed be that man whiche setteth his hope his truste in our lorde god Ieremie xvij Also saynt Poule byddeth that we sholde take with vs rerebras and vanbras gloues of plaâ—e that is tâ— saye good occupacyons besynesse in good werkes And therfor he byddeth vs wake in all maner besynesse of gode werkes For as the wyse man sayth Eccl .xxxiij. Ydelshyp slouth is cause of moche wyckednesse For an ydel man lustles is lyke a man hondeles wepenles amonge his enemyes lyke a man in batayll with naked armes hondes whiche for nakednesse for defaute of armure leseth bothe arme honde Also we muste do aboue the Iacke or the acton of charyte For as the Iacke is softe nesshe and by his softenesse nesshenesse softeth feynteth all strokes that cometh there ayenst soo charyte softeth feynteth all the dentees of the fendes temptacoÌ„n Therfor saynt Poule sayth that charyte suffreth all thynge pacyently maketh euery trauayle softe and bereth al thynge easely Omnia suffertoi a sustinet .i. ad Corum .xiiij. And therfore sayth the glose there that charyte pacyence benygnyte with compassyon of others myscheef ben the pryncypall armure yâ— longeth to crysten people This Iacke of charyte is betokened by the cloth of cryste without seme all wonne aboue in to one whiche in tyme of his passyon the knyghtes wolde not kyt but kepte it hole cast lott who sholde haue it hole In token that euery good knyght of god sholde be besy to arme hym with the cloth the Iacke the armure of charyte trauayle to saue peas and vnyte make no dyuysyon For the ende of euery batayle sholde be peas and to yâ— ende for none other men of armes sholde trauayle fyght as saynt Austen sayth Thus leue frende I prayr you that ye arme you in goostly armure as goddes good knyght For though ye be not able to bodely batayl ye be yet able to goostly fyght In that that ye be crysten ye be crystus knyght ordeyned to fyght in this gostly batayle yf ye wyll be saued And therfore aâ—me ye you well as I haâ—â— now sayd and gyrde ye you with the swerde of goddes worde by whiche ye sholde defende you from all goostly enemyes For as the swerde perseth kytteth maketh separacoÌ„n so goddes worde prechynge techynge redynge of goddes worde of goddes lawe perseth maÌ„nes herte womans maketh separacoÌ„n bytwene synfull soules theyr synne departeth atwynne wycked company maketh separacoÌ„n of mannes herte from erthely couetyse Therfore cryste sayth that he cam not to make synful peas but to sende swerde of separacyon in erthe to destroye wyked peas yâ— men haue in theyr synne Therfore leue frende as goddes good knyght gyde ye you with this swerde of goddes worde that is to saye fastne ye it wel in your herte by herynge redynge by techynge by dede doynge and than take ye to you the spere of crystus passyon thynke how he was smyten to the herte for your sake with that sharpe spere his syde opened his herte clouen a two to shewe you how moche he loued you And than he shedde out his herte blood water in token that yf he hadde had moâ—â— blood more he wolde haue shedde for your loue Moreouer ye shall vnderstande yâ— in bodely fyght a man must chese hym a good grouÌ„de a playne place to fyght in For it is not good ryghtynge in myres ne amonge corn in slydre waye pytty grouÌ„de ne in stoble grouÌ„de And therfor saynt Poul by â— deth vs stande in treuthe equyte that in all our doynge we loke to our grouÌ„de our cause be true rightful clerâ—e clene make no stryfe in vncertayne Also a wyse knyght in his fyght wyll take with him yâ— hylle the sonne wynde yf he may so muste we in gostly fyght take with vs yâ— hylle of holy lyuynge yâ— we may saye with yâ— apostle NraÌ„â—uersacoÌ„ in celis eÌ„ Our lyuynge conuersacoÌ„n is in heuens in heuenly thynges And therfor sayÌ„t Poul byddeth vs stande perfyte in al thynges Also we muste take with vs in our fyght the sonne yâ— lyght of goddes grace the â–ª wynde of holy prayer And therfore saynt Poul byddeth vs praye in euery tyme alwaye by all maner prayer besechynge in yâ— holy goost that is to saye with the grace of the holy goost In this maner leue frende arme ye you in goostly armure dyspo s e ye you to gostly batayl ayenst al goostly enemyes gouerne ye well your horse of your bodye as I haue sayd Lete it not be to feble by ouerdone abstynense tranayll ne to wylde by ouerdone rest by glotony by lâ—Ì„chery by wycked desyres of yâ— flesshe euyl wylles for in caas suche wycked wylles desyres ben dedly synne in goddes syght ayenst this last coÌ„mauÌ„dement Therfore Dauyd sayth that god preued knoweth maÌ„nes herte his lendes that is to saye god knoweth maÌ„nes wyl his lust For he knoweth more verely yâ— thought of meÌ„nes hert wymeÌ„s than ony man may knowe yâ— others werkes He seeth knoweth al thynge therfore suche as man or woman is in hert in soule in wyl suche he is byfore god that knoweth both bodye and soule Caplm .vij. NOw leue frende I haue in parte declared you the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes by whiche ye muste gouerne your lyfe yf ye wyll be saued For cryste sayth to eche man woman Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Math .xix. Yf yâ— wylt entre euerlastynge lyfe kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes And therfor do ye as Salomon sayth DeuÌ„ time et mandata eius obserua hoc est ois homo Eccl vltimo Drede ye god kepe his coÌ„maundementes this is euery man woman For as moche as man or woman pleseth god by kepynge of his byhestes so moche is he in goddes syght And as moche as man or woman is in goddes syhht so moche he is