the daye that god made make we now mery be ye gladde ¶ Diues CoÌ„tra Saynt Austyn saith that it were lesse synne to goo at the plough and at the carte carde and spynne in the sondaye than to lede daunces ¶ Pauper Saynt Austyn speketh of suche daunces playes as was vsed in his tyme whan crysten peple was moche medled with hethen people and by olde custome example of hethen people vsed vnhoneste daunces playes that by olde tyme were ordeyned to styre the people to lecherye to other synnes And so yf dauÌ„synge playnge now on the holy dayes styre men wymen to pryde to lechery glotonye sleuthe to ouer longe wakynge on nyghtes and to ydlenesse on the werke dayes other synnes as it is right lykely that they do now in our dayes than ben they vnlefull both on the holy daye on the werke daye And ayenst all suche spake saynt Austyn but ayenst honeste dauÌ„ces playes done in due tyme in good maner on the holy daye spake saynt Austyn not ¶ Diues Contra te We fynde in holy wryte yâ— god badde his people tormente theyr soules gyue theym to sorowe mournynge on the holy dayes Dies expiacionu erit celeberimus et vocabit sanctus affligetisque aias vraÌ„s in eo Ois aia que afflicta noÌ„ fuerit die hoc peribit de populis suis Leuitici .xxiij. Than it semeth that god wyll that men gyue them rather to mournyng in the holy daye than to myrthe or to welfare ¶ Pauper Salomon sayth Spes que differt affligit aiam ê“uer xiij The hope the desyre the longynge that is delayde tormenteth the â—oule For the more that man or woman longeth after a thyng the more it is dysease tyll he hath his dysease his longynge But now it is so that the reste the myrth the ease the welfare that god hath ordeyned in the holy dayes is a token of endlesse reste Ioye myrth welfare in the blysse of heuen that we hope to haue without ende For there men shall halowe without ende from all maner trauayl thoughte and care And therfore as I sayd fyrste god wyll that we thynke on the holy daye of the reste Ioye blysse that the holy daye betokeneth haue it in thought in desyre in longyng hope to come therto And so tormente our soules by longynge by sorowynge By longynge after the endelesse reste by sorowynge that for synne our desyre is so longe delayde In this maner god wyll that euery man and woman tormente his soule in the holy daye by loue louynge to god warde and by sorowe for goddes offence Not to shewe grete heuynesse outwarde to do bodely penauÌ„ce in ony grete holy daye More ouer my frende god badde not that the Iewes sholde tormente theyr soules in euery holy daye but only in one solempnyte that was called the feste of clensynge and of forgyuenesse For that daye god for gaue the Iewes the grete synne that they dyde whan they made theym a calf of golde syluer and worshypped that calf as god called it theyr god notwithstandynge all the wondres that god hadde sheweth them a lytyll byfore ledynge them thrughe the rede see drye fote drenched kynge Pharao all his oost and spake to them openly by voys of angellys from aboue the mount of Synay in thondre lyghtenynge in fyre and smoke and clowdes full grymme in voyces of trompettes of claryon ful dredefull to here And for asmoche as that greuous synne was fyrste forgyuen them in that daye and they were fyrst that daye made clene from that grete synne therfore god badde them that daye for Ioye of forgyuenesse He badde them also that daye tormente theyr soules for sorowe of that greuous synne and for theyr vnkyndenes that they sholde haue mynde of theyr synnes be ashamed therof And also haue in mynde goddes goodnesse ayenst theyr shrewednesse and thanke hym therof This daye was the tenth daye of Septembre Caplm .xviij. DIues Where fyndeste thou that god badde men make mery and to fare well in the holy daye ¶ Pauper In the same place of holy wrytte Leuitici .xxiij. Where we fynde that god badde the children of Israell take braunches bowes of palme trees of the fayrest trees that they myght fynde make theym tabernacles and dwelle therin seuen dayes togydre euery yere ones there to make mery byfore theyr lorde god in the mynde that god made theym to dwelle in tabernacles in deserte .xl. yere there saued theym and kepe them fro wo. And Esdras the prophete sayd to goddes people This daye is halowed to our lorde god wepe ye not ne mourne ye not ete ye gode metes fatte and drynke ye good drynkes and ye that maye sende ye parte to theym that maye not ne haue noo power wherof to dyght them mete or drynke Be ye not sory for it is goddes holy daye GaudiuÌ„ etenim dnÌ„i est fortitudo vestra The Ioye of our lorde is your strengthe that is to saye God is gladde that ye be stronge gladde and mery Neemie .viij. And therfore fastynge is forboden in the sondaye Di. xxx Si quis tanê™ â— Si quis presbiter Where fastynge is forboden in the sondaye And also ther sholde no fastynge be vsed moche from Ester to Pentecoste that is wytsontyde for Ioye of Crystus resurreccyon of our saluacyon Di. lxxvi Ieiunia Et de con di.i Ieiunium ¶ Diues Where fyndest thou in holy wrytte that daunces and songes ben lefull plesaunt to god ¶ Pauper We fynde Exodi .xv. That whan the childern of Israell were passed the rede see drye fote so that the water stode in eyther syde of them right vp as a walle god hadde drenched kyng Pharao and all his oost than Moyses made a mery songe praysynge to god whiche songe begynneth thus in latyn Cantemus dnÌ„o gloriose emÌ„ magnificatus est Than Marye the syster of Aaron toke her tymber in her honde all wymen that myght toke her tymbers to her hondes and wente daunsynge and syngynge the same songe praysynge and worshyppynge our lorde god We fynde also in the seconde boke of kynges in the vi chapytre that whan Dauyd sholde fetche goddes hutche in to Ierusalem Dauyd all the people of Israell wente therwith played in all maner mynstralles songe dauÌ„ced sprange for Ioye so praysed and worshyped god But Mychol Sauls doughter and Dauydes wyfe scorned Dauyd for his dauÌ„synge and for his spryngynge and sayd that it was not semely to a kynge so to sprynge dauÌ„ce as a knaaf byfore the people byfore her maydens Dauyd sayd to her I shall playe dauÌ„ce byfore my lord god that hath chosen me to be a kyng put thy fader all thy kyn froÌ„ the crowne I shall playe byfore my lorde god put me in lower degree for his loue
shrewed childe some good some bad And somtyme a full wycked man hath a full good childe For yf the childern folowed alway the fader the moder in goodesse or in wyckednesse all the goodnesse sholde be arected to the fader to the moder not to god And they sholde be proude both fader moder childe comyne togydre flesshly to moche And in the same maner al the shrewednesse sholde be arected to the fader moder all yf it came on other behalf they sholde euer be sory falle in dyspayre not wyll yelde to them togydre the dette of theyr bodye And therfore god medleth so one with an other so modefyeth his domes that the gode sholde not presume of hymselfe ne be to proude but thanke god of all ne the wycked be to sorye and so falle in dyspayre but truste in god that so of the wycked maketh the good of the vnclene maketh the clene Caplm .xxij. DIues They saye that as childern be born vnder dyuerse synnes soo ben they enclyned and dysposed to dyuerse craftes and dyuerse astates Yf he be borne vnder some sygne they saye that he shall be a fyssher and vnder some a monyour and vnder some a clerke vnder some a man of armes ¶ Pauper Many contrees knowe no mony ours ne moneye neyther And many contrees ben ther that haue moneye yet they haue no monyours For in a full grete realme of .vi. hondred myle in length .ij. hondred of brede be no monyours but in one place assygned by the kyng not by the sygnes ne by the bodyes aboue The kyng assygneth bothe the place and theym that shall make the moneye not the bodyes aboue And yf ony dooth make moneye but tho that y◠kyng hath ordeyned he shall be slayne as a tray toure the sygnes neyther the planetes shall not saue his lyfe And they that be born nyghe the see or nyghe some grete water gyue theym to fysshynge and theyr childern also not for the synnes that they be born in but for the moost oportunyte of theyr lyuyng whiche they haue by the water that is so nyghe They that ben borne fer from the see gyue them to tylthe the londe Somtyme to clothe makynge yf ther be plente of wulle Some ben shepeherdes some monyours or moneye quyners some vynours some of other craftes as the contre axeth not after the sygnes ne the bodyes aboue Whan a man hath many childern he putteth theym to dyuerse craftes for to gete theyr lyuynge Men of armes put theyr childern to armes And comonly euery man that can ought or hath ought wherby he may lyue he putteth some of his childern in the same degree to gete theyr lyuyng And thou mayst well see that suche dyuer syte in crafte or in lyuynge standeth more in the childes fader his frendes that ordeyned so for hym than it doth in the sygnes or in the planetes For yf they sholde abyde the ordenaūce of the planetes they sholde deye for hongre for they teche theym right nought ne ordeyne noo more for one than for an other ¶ Diues Syth suche Inclynacyon standeth lyryll or nought in the planetes what is that destenye that men speke so moche of And as they saye all thyng falleth to man woman by destenye Caplm .xxiij. ¶ PAuper Foles speke as foles For as sayth saynt Gregory in his Omely of the Epyphanye ther is no suche destenye Absit a cordibus fideliū vt aliquid esse fatū dicant God forbede sayth he that ony crysten man or woman sholde byleue or saye that ther were ony destenye But god sayth he that made mānes lyfe of nought he ruleth gouerneth mannes lyfe womannes after that they deserue and as his rightwysnesse his mercy axeth And he sayth that man was not made for the sterres but the sterres were made for man ¶ Diues The gospell is ayenst the. For we fynde in the gospell that anone as Cryste was borne of the mayden his sterre appered in the Eest in token that eche man woman is born vnder a certayne sterre vnder a certayne constellacyon the whiche is called his destenye for all his lyuynge after folowynge is gouerned therby as these astronomers sayen ¶ Pauper For to mayntene folye they saye many folye ben not asshamed for to lye For that sterre had no maystry ne lordshypp vpon that blessyd childe But the childe was maystre lorde of that sterre The sterre gouerned not the childe but the childe gouerned the sterre The childe sought not that sterre but that sterre sought the childe The childe serued not the sterre but the sterre serued y◠childe dyde hym full hyghe worshyp full wonderfull seruyce therfore it was called the childes sterre for the childe was lorde of the sterre as he was of al the other For he was is lorde of sonne mone of all the sterres of all thynge they may not conferme theyr le synges ne theyr false domes of astronomers by that sterre For it was noo planete ne sterre of the fyrmamente as saynt Austyn sayth other doctors of holy chirche and reason and other causes sheweth it full well ¶ Diues How ¶ Pauper For as these clerkes tellen Minima stella fixa maior est tota terra The leste sterre sette faste in the fyrmamente is more than all the erthe within the see without the see euery planete also is more than all the erthe outake the mone mercury whiche be somdele lesse than all the erthe And therfore somtyme they lese theyr lyght that they haue of the sonne by the shadowe the vmbre of the erthe whan it falleth right bytwene the sonne and theym And yf that sterre had ben so moche or ony suche sterre it sholde haue ouerwhelmed all the erthe for it wente full lowe nygh the erthe to lede to brynge the kynges in theyr waye Also the sterres of the fyrmament the planetes folowe the course of the fyrmament ryse vp in the eest go downe in the weste euery daye naturelly That sterre dyde not soo for it was aboue the erthe both nyght daye folowed not the course of the fyrmament but it helde his course as the waye lede best in to the cyte of Bethleem for to bryng the kynges in theyr waye to the sonne of rightwysnesse that there roose out of that clere fyrmament yemayden Marye and as the sonne from vnder the erthe Also the sterres in the fyrmament shynen by nyght not by daye That sterre shone both nyght daye Also the sterres of the fyrmament shewe themself to all men comonly both poore riche yonge olde That sterre appered not but to the thre kynges theyr companye Also the sterres of the fyrmamente ben perpetuell alwaye lastynge that lasted but a lytyl whyle twelue monethes atte moost as some clerkes saye some saye but xiiij dayes or lesse ¶ Diues What
pryncypall more gentyll wyues Lya Rachell foure of Lya two of Rachell And therfore god ordeyned theym to blesse in token that no man sholde be chosen to preesthode but he were gentyll by wantynge of cursed condycoÌ„ns And also in token that it is more kyndely to worshypfull persones as all prestes sholde be to blesse than to curse And therfore bysshoppes other prestes sholde not curse but for a ful greuous open synne for grete nede Therfore saynt Poâ—le sayth to men of perfeccyon as all prestes sholde be Benedicite et nolite maledicere Blesse ye be ye not in wyll ne redy to curse but for grete nede that it be done in charyte to worshyp For cursynge in the selfe is a dede of ImperfeccoÌ„n And therfore god chose them that were moost Imperfyte leste worshypfull of byrthe to pronouÌ„ce the curse the moost perfyte worshypful in byrth to pronouÌ„ce his blessynge to the kepers of his lawe whiche sayd thus in goddes name to the people Caplm .ix. IF thou here the voyce of thy lorde god to conne to kepe all his byhestes that I bydde the kepe thy lorde god shal make the hygher than all nacyons that dwelle vpon erthe And all these blessynges shall come to the take the so that thou kepe goddes byhestes thou shalt be blessyd in cyte in towne in felde The fruyte of thy bodye the fruyte of thy londe the fruyte of thy beeestes shal be blessyd thy berne thy garner thy seller shall be blessyd all thy leuynges shall be blessyd Thou shalt be blessyd comynge in and goynge out God shall make thyn enemyes that ryse ayenst the to falle in fyght byfore the. They shal come ayenst the by one waye they shall flee awaye by seuen wayes God shall gyue his blessynge prosperyte and spede to all thy werkes so that thou kepe goddes byhestis go in his wayes in his lawes yâ— al people on erth shal see knowe that the name of our lorde is called on the they shall drede the worshyp the and our lorde god shal make the plenteuous in all goodes God shal vndo his beste tresour aboue from heuen gyue the rayne in tyme. Thou shalt lene to other nacyons thou shalt haue no nede to borowe of other nacyons God shall make the in to the hede not in to the tayle For he shal put the alwaye aboue not byneth so that yâ— kepe his byhestes his lawes And at the daye of dome he shall gyue to all the kepers of his lawes his endelesse blessynge of euer lastynge Ioye say to them in this wyse Venite benedicti patriâ— mei possidete paratuÌ„ vobis regnu a â—stitucoÌ„e muÌ„di Math .xxv. Come ye with me ye blessyd childern of my faders take ye in possessyon the kyngdome of heuen arayed ordeyned to you from the settynge or makynge of the worlde In whiche kyngdome as sayth saynt Austen shall be lyght without derkenesse endelesse Ioye without heuynesse endelesse lyf without wo endelesse myrthe gladnesse with the blysfull companye of angels apostles all sayntes There he sayth is lyght of lyght well bryght shynynge There is the cyte of sayntes that is called Ierusalem of heuen Theâ— is yâ— grete couent of martyres of holy prophetes patryarkes Abraham Ysaac Iacob of al sayntes Theâ— is no sorowe ne heuynesse after Ioye There shall be no nyght none age no feblenesse There is charyte without ende euerlastynge peas no debate no dyscensyon There euery man woman hath that he loueth what he desyreth There is all loue without wo without sorowe care There shall we be angeles peres felowes in blysse with the hygh potestates Che rubyn Seraphyn with all yâ— nyne ordres of angels There shal be maÌ„na our heuenly fode without corrupcyon There shall be angeles lyfe shortly to saye there shall be sowne no sorowe no dysease none euyll and what may be thought of ony goodnesse there it shall be founde Caplm .x. THe kyngdom of heuen is called in holy wrytte a cyte sette on a full hygh hylle in stabylyte â—sekernesse without drede and without peryll for there maye none enemye noo peryll noo dysease nyghtherto It standeth so hygh and in so grete welthe for men haue in this cyte what euer they desyre There is nought to seke from without it nedeth no helpe from without But all muste seke helpe from within this cyte Therfor sayth Ysaye the prophete lx.ca. Helth sanacoÌ„n occupy the walles of this cyte kepe theym defende them and praysynge of god without ceasynge occupyeth the yates so kepeth hem that ther may no sorowe entre In this cyte sayth he shalt thou not nede to haue yâ— sonne to shyne to yâ— by dayene the lyght of the mone shal not shyne to the by nyght but thy lorde god cryst Ihesus that bought the so dere shal be lyght without ende thy god shal be thy Ioye there thy sonne shall neuer go downe thy more shal neuer wayne for thy lorde god shall be thy lyght without ende yâ— dayes of thy sorowe here in this worlde there shall be ended for god there shall wype awaye the teres from the eyen of his sayntes Ther shal be no wepynge no cryeng no hongre no thrust no sorow for all yâ— wo dyseases yâ— were byfore ben all past from them that come to this cyte All the people of this cyte shal be good ryghtful there shal no shrewe no bryger no lechour no wycked lyuer entre in to this cyte Theâ— euery man woman shall shyne as bryght as yâ— sonne whan many sonnes ben gadred to gydre in companye with the hygh sonne of ryghtfulnes cryst Ihesus whiche sayth in the gospell Ego suÌ„lux muÌ„di Io .viij. I am lyght of the worlde there shall be a fayre company a blysfull company God brynge vs therto Than yâ— sonne shall be .vij. tymes bryghâ—er than it is now the mone as bryght as the sonne is now Than the sonne shal stande in the eest alwaye styll the mone in yâ— west alwaye shynynge without wanyng So that synful soules dampned to helle vnd therth shall no confort haue neyther by sonne ne by mone In this kyngdome in this cyte is no wynde no storme no tempest no thondre no lyghtnyng no rayne hayl frost ne snowe no hete no colde Ther be no skyes no cloudes to let our lyght but alwaye mery somer alwaye bryght daye In this cyte al men wymen ben free The kyng of this cyte axeth no presauÌ„tes ne gyftes of man ne of woman but theyr hertes theyr loue that they fare well He putteth no man ne woman there to trauayle but he wyl that all be in rest in peas in ease And what ony man or woman there desyreth to haue he gyueth it to them anone He axeth no rente no trybute no seruyce