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
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
riche men take full moche gyue oftentyme full lytyll for the loue of god ¶ Ye take the grete and gyue the smalle ye take moche more than taketh yâ— poore And the more that ye take to harder ye be bouÌ„den and to harder rekenyng ye musâ—e gyue For as sayth Gregorye Quanto dona crescunt tanto crescunt raciones donorum The more that gyftes encrease the more encrease rekenynges of gyftes and saynt Poule sayth to the riche man Quid habes qd noÌ„ accepisti What hast thou that thou hast not receyued of god right not but synne So ye riche men ben all on the takyng syde and lytyll on the yeuyng syde The poore man taketh but lytyll and gyueth full moche For one peny gyuen of the poore man is more in goddes syght in case than twenty pounde gyuen of the riche And therfore Cryste sayth in the gospell Luce .xxi. that the poore wydowe whiche offred but two mytes in the Temple that is but one ferthynge she offred more than dyde all men and wyÌ„men that daye yet it was full grete offryng For as cryste sayth she offred all that she hadde to lyue by Other men myght haue offred moche more than they dyde and not haue ben the worse And as touchyng crystus wordes whiche ye allegge Beacius est dare â— It is more blysfull to gyue than to take Worshypfull Beda sayth vpon the same texte Acâ— .xx. The lorde he sayth preferreth not by these wordes riche men that gyue almes byfore theym that forsake all thynges and sue Cryste But Cryste commendeth them moost whiche forsake worldely richesse trauayle neuerthelesse with theyr hondes with suche lytyl as they may gete Iustely to helpe the poore nedy Or ellys it may be vnderstonde thus That to euery man be he riche be he poore yf he haue ony thyng whiche he may forbere it is better to hyÌ„ with suche as he may to helpe other that ben poore nedy than hym selfe to take gyftes of other men ¶ Moreouer sythen the poore wydowe that offred but .ij. mytes gaaf so grete a gyfte bycause of her good wyll A man that forsaketh the worlde and gyueth awaye all that he hath for the loue of god and also forsaketh therwith couetyse of hauynge saue oonly that hym bare nedeth bycause that he soo dyscarged hym of worldely besynesse may be the more ghoostly occupyed he gyueth a full grete gyfte ye soo grete a gyfte that a riche man as he kepeth his richesse with couetyse may not gyue so moche as suche a poore man gyueth Ergo syr by your owne wordes suche a poore man is more blessyd than many that ben full riche Caplm .iiij. DIues Yf all men were as poore as thou art thou sholdest fare full euyll ¶ Pauper Yf all men were so riche as ye ben ye sholde fare moche worse who sholde tyle your loÌ„de holde your plough repe your corn kepe your bestes who sholde shape youre clothes or sewe them what myllare wolde than grynde your corne what baker bake you brede what brewer brewe your ale what coke dyght your mete what smyth or carpenter amende your house other thynges necessarye ye sholde go sholesse clothelesse and go to your bedde metelesse all muste ye than doo allone Yf ye had a wyfe moche wo sholde she haue And yf ye hadde none ye sholde be wretche of all wretches Ther sholde noman well do ony thynge for you Therfore sayth saynt Austyn Quod diues pauê‘ suÌ„t duo sibi necessaria The riche and the poore ben two thynges full necessarye eche to other And I saye moreouer the riche man hath more nede than the poore ¶ Diues How pryuest thou that ¶ Pauper Haue a poore man symple lyuelode symple mete symple drynke other symple thynges and fewe necessaryes to hym it suffyseth to his persone to his astate he careth not but for hym selfe or for fewe mo But the riche man carith for his persone for his astate for his grete meyne for his worshyp for his goodes He hath nede of moche golde syluer moche meyne many vytayles He hath nede of many mennes helpe of seruauntes of labourers men of crafte of men of lawe of grete lordshyp without whiche he may not mayntene his astate ne his richesse The poore nedeth but lytyll of all this He that moche hath byhoueth moche And he that hath lesse byhoueth lesse The riche man must gyue to his frendes to haue theyr assystence and theyr helpe He gyueth his enemyes to lette theyr malyce And soo of moche richesses he gyueth but lytyll for to helpe his soule with The poore man of lytyll may gyue lytyll and hath moche thanke of god Soo the riche man nedeth more and hath more nede and myschyef than hath the poore man For the more that he hath the more hym nedeth and in more myschyef and in more perell he is nyght and daye For as the hous that standeth hyghe on a hylle is in more tempest than the hous in the valaye Soo men of hyghe dygnyte and grete rychesses in hyghe worshyppes ben in moost drede and moost dysease And therfore god sayth to the proude couetous riche man Thou holdest the full riche thou seest that thou hast nede of noo good and thou knowest not how wretched thou art how myschyeuous how blynde poore and naked Apoc .iij. Caplm .v. DIues Thou magnefyest moche pouerte ¶ Pauper Crystus wordes must nedes be true Beati pauâ—es â—mÌ„ vrmÌ„ est regnuÌ„ celorum Luce .vi. Blessyd he sayth be ye poore men for yours is the kyngdom of heuens And in an other place he sayth thus to the poore ye that haue forsake all these worldely richesses for the loue of me and haue folowed me shall syrte on twelue thrones at the daye of dome deme the twelue kynredes of Israell That is to saye all that shall be demed quycke or deed And therfore riche men do ye as Cryste byddeth you in the gospell Make ye the poore men your frendes of the deuyllessheyf eyther richesses of wyckednesse that the poore men may resceyue you in to dwellynges of endelesse blysse Eyther ye muste be poore or begge heuen of the poore yf ye wyll come to heuen ¶ Diues Why calleth Cryste richesse richesses or a deuyllessheyf of wyckednesse ¶ Pauper For couetyse of richesse maketh folke to serue the deuyl and brynge them to synne and to shrewednesse ¶ Diues This is full wonderfull to the riche folke for to here ¶ Pauper We fynde Machei .xix. That ther came a yonge man to our lorde and axed hym what he sholde do to haue the lyf that euer shall laste Cryste answered Serua mandata Kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Slee no man Doo no foly by no woman Stele not Bere no false wytnesse Worshyppe fader and moder Loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Lorde sayd he all these haue I do what lacketh me yet Than sayde Cryste Yf thou wylte be perfyght goo selle
¶ Diues What fantasye haste thou that men do it not for deuocyon ¶ Pauper For the people now a dayes is full vndeuoute to god and to holy chirche and they loue but full lytyll men of holy chirche and they ben lothe for to come in holy chirche whan they be bounde to come thyder and full lothe to here goddes seruyce Late they come and soone they go awaye Yf they ben there a lytyll whyle theym thynketh full longe They haue leuer to go to the tauerne than to holy chirche Leuer to here a songe of Robynhode or of some rybaudrye than for to here masse or matynes or ony other of goddes seruyce or ony worde of god And sythen that the people hath so lytyll deuocyon to god and to holy chirche I can not see that they do suche coste in holy chirche for deuocōn ne for the loue of god For they despyse god daye and nyght with theyr euyll and wycked lyuynge and theyr wycked thewys Caplm .lij. DIues Me thynketh that it were better to gyue the moneye to the poore folke to the blynde and to the lame whose soules god bought so dere than so to spende it in solempnyte and pryde and makynge of hyghe chirches in riche vestymentes in curyouse wyndowes in grete belles for god is not holpen therby the poore myght be holpen therby full moche ¶ Pauper Yf it be do for pryde and not with good mesure they lese moche mede Yf they do it of deuocyon with dyscrecōn it is medefull For euery man poore and riche after his power is boūde to worshyp goddes house so that god lorde of all be honestly and worshypfully serued And therfore god bad in y◠olde lāwe that his people sholde make-hym a full costly tabernacle at his owne deuyse And he badde Salomon make hym a full costly temple yet without doubte there was many a poore man that tyme both blynde lame amonge goddes people Moyses Dauyd Salomon Ioas. Iosyas Esdras Iudas machabeus many other bothe in the olde lawe and in the newe ben praysed hyghely of god for makynge and worshyppynge and mayntenynge of goddes house and his seruyce And as we fynde in the gospell that ther was a poore wydowe that offred to amendynge of goddes temple two mytes that ben worth a ferthynge and she was praysed of Cryst for her offryng passyng al other that offred than moche more And we fynde Exodi .xxx. That god badde that in the nombrynge of the people euery man sholde paye to his tabernacle an halfe sycle that was fyue pens that the riche sholde gyue no more than and the poore no lesse in a token that that riche and poore sholde be besy to worshyp and to mayntene goddes house and goddes seruyce God badde that bothe the riche poore sholde paye alyke in a token that the poore man sholde holde hymselfe as moche bounde to god as the riche and the good as the wycked The good is bounde to god for he kepte hym out of synne The wycked is bounde to god for he kepeth hym that he perysshe not for his synne Also god badde both riche poore paye euen moche to his tabernacle in a token that they ben bothe bought with one pryce of Crystus precyouse blood that they sholde both holde themself alyke boūden that they haue both alyke nede of suffrages helpe of holy chirche Also god badde them both gyue alyke in a token that he accepteth theyr gyftes both alyke yf theyr deuocōn be alyke in theyr gyuynge that the riche man sholde not be proude of his grete gyfte of his richesses ne the poore falle in dyspayre for his smale gyfte and for his pouerte Neuerthelesse who so may do moost best is bounde to helpe goddes house what it nedeth and so it is full nedeful to araye well goddes house and mayntene and encrease goddes seruyce And also it is nedefull to helpe the poore folke in theyr grete nede and somtyme more medefull than is that other And therfore my frendes thou muste take hede to the tyme and other cyrcumstaūces For in tyme of welthe of peas and of plente whan the poore hath ynough or lyghtly may be holpen thā pryncypally men sholde trauaylle to worshypp goddes house to encrease and mayntene goddes seruyce But in tyme of wo warre and hungre of pouerte and other trybulacōns than sholde men pryncypally trauayll besely to theyr euen crysten and take hede that no man ne woman perysshed for defaulte but by besye to helpe the nedy both by gyuyng and by lenyng In a token of this we rede .ij. Regū .vij. et .i. Paralip .vij. et .xxij. That god wolde not suffre the kyng Dauyd to make his temple notwithstandynge but he wolde full fayne haue made it and brought and ordeyned full moche thynges therto For in his tyme the londe was in grete trybulacyon by warre within and without by hungre morayne by dyscensyon debate of them selfe But he sayd to Dauyd y◠Salomon his sone sholde make hym a temple For he sayd he shall reygne in peas and in reste in so moche that he shall be called a kyng peasyble for in his dayes I shal gyue peas reste in the londe of Israell And Dauyd whan he was in peas and reste and hadde dysconfyte his enemyes than began he to ordeyn for goddes Temple and wolde haue made it God coude him moche thanke for his good wyll but he wolde not suffre hym for to make it for he was not in so good reste as he hadde wente to haue ben in For after that began a grete warre ayenst hym As we fynde .ij. 0 Regum .vij. 0 et .viij. 0 And therfor god sayd to hym Thou shalt not make to me an house for thou haste shedde moche blood and thou arte a man of bloodshedynge byfore me That is to saye I haue ordeyned the for to fyght ayenst myne enemyes and for to slee theym and so for to make peas And I haue ordeyned thyn sone after the for to make me an house in peas and in reste there I shall sette hym in by thy fyghtynge and by thy doynge Caplm .liij. BVt it fareth now a dayes by moche folke as it dyde by Iudas the traytour We fynde in the gospell Iohēe xij That Marye Magdaleyn anoynted the blysful fete of our lorde Ihesu with a precyous oynement not for ony grete nede that Cryste hadde therof but for the grete loue deuocōn that she had to hym Iudas was sorowe therof grutched and sayd why is this oynement thus loste It myght haue ben solde for thre hondred pens and be gyuen to the poore folke But as saynt Iohan sayth in the same place Iudas sayd not tho wordes for the loue y◠he hadde to the poore folke but for he was a theef and robbed Cryste and his dyscyples of moneye that was gyuen to theym And therfore he wolde that the oynemente sholde haue be solde for thre hondred pens
Yf a lorde haue but a fewe seruauÌ„tes that ben true he wyll prayse them magnefye them do them worshyp both to holde them stylle in his seruyce also to drawe other to his seruyce by ensample of them And the same dothe the maystre in the scole to the childern that lerne wel And whan the moder hath but one childe she cheryseth the more and kepeth hym the more godely derely Right so Cryst in the begynnyng of holy chirche had but fewe good dyscyples or true seruauÌ„tes therfore he worshypped magnefyed theym with grete myracles to comforte them in the fayth for to drawe other to the fayth For but god had shewed than grete myracles and many they that were in the fayth sholde haue forsaken the fayth and fewe wolde haue come to the faythe And it fareth by holy chirche and by yâ— fayth as it dothe by a tree whan a tree is newely sette men water it sette stakes poles about to strength it ayenst the wyndes blastes and for stormes it sholde ellys bryse it or breke it and felle it a downe But whan it is wel roted comonly wexen than men cesse of waterynge take awaye the stakes and the poles Right soo whan holy chirche and crystendome was in the begynnynge Cryste watred holy chirche with grete gyftes of grace of deuocoÌ„n and vndersette it with grete wondres myracles whiche he shewed that tyme ayenst the harde stormes of persecucoÌ„n that was that tyme ayenst the fayth of holy chirche But now holy chirche is sproÌ„gen spredde the fayth is stabled in mennes herte and therfore suche myracles cesse And yf ony suche myracles falle in ony londe amonge ony crysten people it is a token that some of them be not stable in the fayth that god is not well apayed with the people For saynt Poule sayth that tokens myracles ben not gyuen to folke of right byleue but to folke of false byleue And the more myracles that men see the lesse mede they haue for theyr fayth as saynt Gregory sayth in his Omely And so multytude of martyrs of myracles preue not by the goodnesse of the heople there they ben done amonge but rather they shewe and preue the malyce of the people whan god wolde destroye the kyngedome of Israell and of Iuda for ydolatrye other synne that nygh al the people was fallen in he sente his famous prophetes as Hely Helyzee Ysaye Ieremye Danyell Ezechyell other .xij. prophetes whiche taught the people goddes lawe and warned theym of myschyef comynge but they wolde amende theym And they confermed theyr ê“phecy with many grete myracles yet the people was worse than euer they were byfore Att the laste Cryste came to preche to teche them dyde many wondres heled all maner sekenesses sente his apostles also amonges theym whiche dyde many wondrefull myracles And yet the people was than more worser than euer they were aforne In soo moche that they slewe not oonly the prophetes and the apostles Crystus dyscyples but they slewe Cryste hymselfe goddes sone of heuen lorde of all thynge whiche had done them so moche worshyp done so many wondrefull cures amonges theym Caplm .lxij. DIues I trowe that yf men were now as holy as men were than they sholde do myracles now so well as they dyde than ¶ Pauper Though they were as holy or holyer they sholde not do suche myracles for they be not now so nedefull as they were that tyme ne it were not prouffytable to the people as I sayd right now And I hope that they ben as holy that do no myracles as many of theym that done myracles For suche doynge of myracles standeth not in the holynesse of hym that dooth the myracle but it standeth in the callynge in the vertue of goddes name to the prouffyte of other ofte to dampnacoÌ„n of hyÌ„ that so calleth goddes name and doth the myracle As sayth the glose suê‘ illud Mathei vij DnÌ„e noÌ„ne in noie tuo ê“phetauimê° Â¶ Diues It semeth therby that shrewes and euyl wycked lyuers may do myracles ¶ Pauper Cryste sayth so hym selfe Math .vij. For as we rede there at the daye of dome many that shall be dampned shall saye to Cryste O lorde we prophecyed in thy name and casted out fendes and dyde many tokens myracles in thy name But he shall saye to them ayen Goo thou hens fro me ye werkers of wyckednesse I knowe you not for none of myne And as saynt Iohan Crysostomus sayth in tractatu Nemo leditur nisi a semetip so That Iudas the traytour hadde power of god for to do and dyde many grete myracles yet is he dampned Also doynge of myracles is no syker token of goodnesse neyther of the doer ne of the people there as that they ben done but oonly charyte and good lyuynge ben syker tokens of godenesse And therfore Cryste taught vs to knowe the good ê“phetes from the wycked not by her myracles ne by theyr prophecy but by her good dedes charyte Therby sayth he men shall knowe that ye be my dyscyples yf ye haue charyte amonges you not by myracles ne by prophecy For Iudas dyde myracles and Cayphas Balaam full cursed wretches prophecyed full truly And saynt Iohan baptyste that was so holy dyde neuer suche myracles by his lyfe And therfore Cryste badde that we sholde take hede to mennes dedes knowe them by theyr fruyte ¶ Diues Ypocrytes heretykes do many full good dedes and yet be they shrewes ¶ Pauper Suche maner of folke haue two maner of dedes Done pryuely and another in aperte or openly Theyr dedes openly ben not theyrs but they ben clothynges of sheep vnder whiche they hele them or couer them as wulues to dysceyue good sheep And therfore Cryste byddeth in the gospell that we sholde beware of false prophetes they yâ— come to vs in clothynge of shepe for they ben inwarde wulues of raueyn Yf theyr dedes be wycked it is her owne clothyng wherby they may be knowen but theyr preuy werkes theyr preuy techynge ben theyr owne fruyte whiche comonly ben full wycked And so by that that they do teche pryuely meÌ„ may best knowe what they ben ¶ Diues I may well assente to thy speche for so many wondres as haue fallen in this londe with in a fewe yeres in some mone sterres in londe water in the ayer yâ— we rede in no boke that euer fell so many in so lytyl tyme as men saye ful wycked lyuers do many myracles ê“phecye yet we wante grace on euery syde the harde vengeaunce of god is vpon vs nyght daye shewyng that we haue greuously offended our god ¶ Pauper As sayth yâ— glose suê‘ illud ij â— ad Thessalo .ij â— In signis et ê“digijs mendacibus For as moche as the people is out of charyte and wyll not knowe the treuthe but truste all
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
shaper of all thynge Caplm .xiij ALso we be bounde by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement to worshyp our ghoostly fader that hath cure of our soule as pope our bysshop our prelate our person our vycary oure curate our confessour And our moder that vs muste worshyppe is holy chirche Of this maner fader moder sayth Salomon Audi fili mi disciplina patris tui et ne dimâ—ttas legem matris tue My dere sone sayth he here the lore of thy ghoostly fader and forsake not the lawe of thy moder holy chirche Prouer .i. Of these maner faders speketh also holy wryt Lorde sayth he here before thou madest chosen faders and madest them full holy .ij. Macha .i. Prelates of holy chirche be called faders For theyr offyce is to gendre folke in ryght byleue and to nourysshe them in good thewes vertuous lyuynge And therfore saynt Poule sayth Per euaÌ„geliuÌ„ ego vos genui By this gospell I begate you in cryste Suche fads be worthy double worshyp as saynt Poule sayth For they be worthy to be reuerenced of theyr subgettys to haue theyr lyuynge Therfore they owe to haue tythes and offerynges of theyr childern that be vnder cure For as saynt Poule sayth in the same place The werke man that well traueyleth is worthy his mede .i. Tymo .v. ca. But now god may say RegnaueruÌ„t sed noÌ„ ex me Prelates haue reygned in holy chirche not of me ne by my pleasaunce I made them not I chase them not And therfore saynt Poule sayth that thou men haue ten thousande maysters yet they haue but fewe faders For prelates for the moost parte seke more ther owne profyt thaÌ„ profyte of maÌ„nes soule OeÌ„s que sua sunt queruÌ„t noÌ„ que Ihesu xpÌ„i Suche prelates and curates be not faders of the people but wolues of rauen that deuoure goddes people Sicut escam panis Of suche prelates and curates speketh Ysaye the prophete Ipsi pastores ignorauerunt intelligenciaÌ„ â— Suche shepeherdes prelates curates knowe not goddes lawe nete vnder s tandyng of goddes lawe Al they bowed a waye from goddes waye in to ther owne waye of fals conscyence from the hyghest to yâ— lowest Ysa lvi And for that sayd he that the shepeherdes prelates and curates of holy chirche dyde so folyshly and wyl not seke vp our lorde god to please hym to serue hym Therfore they haue loste vnderstandynge wytte to teche the people And so al theyr flocke is dyspercled by heresy debate dyuysy on dyscencyon Iere â— .x. Who sayth god bytoke the sheepherdes prelates that thus dyspercled al to rente the flocke of my pasture or lesewe that is crysten people Iere â— .xxiij. And therfore saynt Gregory in his Omely omelia xvij Ve signauit dnÌ„s Maketh his mone sayth thus Praye ye to god that he wyll sende true werke men in to his corn that is to saye amonges his people For ther is moche corn and moche people to be taught but fewe werke men of prechours for to teche them and to tylle mannes soule for though ther be folke to here ther be fewe to saye or to teche We see well sayth he yâ— the worlde is full of prestes But ful lytyll ony of theym werketh in goddes corn For we take sayth he the offyce of preesthode but we fulfyl not to do the werke of the offyce Caplm .xiiij. ALso by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement we be bouÌ„de to worshyp our eldre yâ— be our faders in age And therfore god sayth Coram cano capite consurge â— Ryse vp sayth he by fore the whyte hered man and worshyp ye the persone of olde man or woman and drede thy lorde god That is to saye for drede of god worshypp thou thyn elders and despyse them not for no age or for no feblenesse Leuitici .xix. And therfore saynt Poule badde the bysshop Thymothee that he sholde not vnderneme his eldre ne olde folke to sharpely neyther to proudely but praye them as fader to amende them yonge men as brethern olde women as moders yonge wymen as systres in all maner chastyte .i. ad Thimo .iiij. ¶ Diues Ofte tyme olde folke be more shrewes than other be full harde to amende they be so roted in synne And therfore as me thynketh them nedeth to be harde vndernomen sharply For god sayth that yâ— childe of an hondred yere shall deye the synner of an hondred yere shall be cursed Ysaye .xlv. ¶ Pauper Some olde folke be vertuous not customable to synne suche ought to be worshypped and yf they do somty me amys for that that they be not customable to synne therfore theyr prelates sholde the more spare them and more worshypfully speke to theym Some olde folke be customable for to synne wyll not amende them suche be worthy no worshyp as god shewed full well by the wordes of Ysaye And therfore saynt Gregory sayth that the olde man full of synnes sholde be harde vndernomen Caplm .xv. DIues Thyn answere is resonable saye forthe I praye the. ¶ Pauper Also by this coÌ„maundement we be bouÌ„den for to worshyp our kyng our lyege our soueraynes all For all tho that haue gouernaunce of vs or of the comonte owe by theyr offyce theyr dygnyte to be faders of the comonte of ther subgettes and be besy to saue ther subgettes as the fader his childern And therfore Naaman prynce of Syrye was called fader of his seruauÌ„tes .iiij ReguÌ„ .v. And Iob sayd Pater eram pauperuÌ„ I was fader of the poore and the cause that I knewe not I traced it sought it vp besely Iob .xxix. And therfor saynt Poule byddeth the people to do worshyppe and obey to theyr soueraynes And he sayth thus Serui obedite dnÌ„is vestris carnalibus Ye seruauÌ„tes obey ye to your flesshely lordes with drede and tremelynge in symplenesse of your herte as to Cryst Serue ye them not only at the eye to please them but as Crystus seruauÌ„t Do ye the wyll of god of herte with good wyll seruynge them of our lorde god not as men That is to saye Serue ye them truly for the drede of god for the loue of god And thynke ye that the seruyce that ye doo to them ye do it to god And he pryncypally shall yelde you your mede For wote ye wel sayth he that euery good dede that man or woman doth be he free or bouÌ„de he shall take his mede therfore of our lorde god And ye lordes and soueraynes sayth he doo ye the same to your seruauÌ„tes and forgyue them your thretenynges thynke ye wote ye it well that god in heuen is god both of you of your seruauÌ„tes and so ye and they haue both one lorde one god that accepte noo man for his persone but yelde eche man and woman after that he deserueth Ad Ephe .vi. ¶ Diues By these wordes it semeth that seruauÌ„tes for theyr true seruyce shall haue moche mede ¶
that the .xviij. men vpon whiche felle the toure of Syloa in Ierlm and slough them wene ye that they passed in synne all the men of Ierusalem Nay forsoth But I say to you but ye amende you ye shall perysshe all to gydre Luce. xiij And so the punysshynge of tho men so slayne was a warnynge to them that were more synfull that they sholde amende theym And soo thou myghtest well see that thy reason is nought worthy god punysshed Eue harder in this worlde than he dyde Adam therfore hyr synne was more than the synne of Adam Caplm .xxiiij. ALso the seconde maxime and grounde in whiche thou sayste that god punysshed Eue harder than Adam may resonably be denyed For in punysshynge of Adam god gaf his curse and sayd Cursed be the erthe in thy werke in thy synne He sayd not cursed be the erthe in thy werke of Eue ne he sayd not cursed be the erthe in your werke as for comon synne of them bothe but he sayd only to Adam Cursed be yâ— erth in thy werke In punysshynge also of the serpent he gaf his curse sayd Thou shalt be cursed amonges alle thynge lyuynge vpon erthe Also god cursed Caym whan he punysshed hyÌ„ for sleynge of his brother Abell But whan god punysshed woman he gaue not his curse And we rede not that euer god gaue his curse to ony woman openly in specyaall Ne god repreued not Eue so moche as he dyde Adam And so the grete repreue blamynge the curse that god gaue in punysshyng of Adam more than he dyd in punysshyng of Eue shewyng well that the synne of Adam was more greuous than was the synne of Eue that there was more obâ—tynacy in Adam than was in Eue. For cursyng is not gyuen of god ne of holy chirche but for obstynacy As I sayd fyrst Adam answered full obstynatly God blamed Adam pryÌ„cypaly for brekyng of his coÌ„maundement sayd to hym that brekynge of his coÌ„mauÌ„dement was cause of his nakednesse of his sodayne myscheef and notwithstange the techynge and the styrynge of god he wolde not be aknowen of his synne but put his synne on god and excused hym by Eue and soo put synne to synne in excusacyon of his synne Whan god punysshed Adam he cursed the erthe for his synne whiche curse tourned to woo trauayle of hym of all mankynde whiche we maye not flee And therfore ha sayd to Adam thou shalt ete of the erth in trauayle and sorowe all the dayes of thy lyfe I shall brynge the forth brerys thornes thou shalt ete herbes of the erthe Also in punysshynge of Adam god gaf the sentence of deth vpon hyÌ„ all mankynde for his synne And therfor god sayd to Adam thou shalt ete thy brede in swynke swete of thy face tyll thou tourne ayen in to the erthe For erthe thou art in to erthe ayen thou shalt wende Sythen than god for the synne of Adam gaf so greuously his curse and blamed so harde Adam of his synne and for his synne dampned hym and all mankynde and punysshed all erthely creatures for his synne dampned hym and all man kynde to perpetuel trauayle whan he sayd Thou shalt ete thy mete with trauayle sorowe al the dayes of thy lyfe And also for the synne of Adam he gaf sentence of deth to hym and to all mankynde that is moost of all paynes it foloweth that god punysshed harder Adam for his synne than he dyde Eue for hyr synne For why in punysshynge of Eue god repreued hyr not so moche as he dyde Adam he gaf than no curse ne payne perpetuell saue subieccyon I shall sayd god multeplye thy myscheues thy conceyuynges in sorowe thou shalt bere thy childern and thou shalt be vnder power of man he shall be thy lorde God sayd not to woman I shall multeplye thy myscheues all dayes of thy lyfe For she may kepe hyr chaste yf she wyll and flee myscheef and payne of childern byrthe And that god made woman suget to man for the synne of Eue it was noo newe thynge to woman For as saynt Austen sayth suê‘ GenÌ„ li.xi.ca.xiiij Woman was suget to man byfore by ordre of kynde but that subieccoÌ„n was only by loue and charyte but for hyr synne she was made suget not only by loue but also by nede bondage of honeste seruyle werkes to obeye to man and be vnder his gouernaunce Byfore hyr synne she was sugette to man only by loue but after hyr synne she was made suget to man not only by loue but by drede by nede For she muste drede man she hath nede of his helpe For that was the pryde of Adam of Eue that they desyred to haue noo souerayne ne gouernour but god allone as clerkes saye And therfore the fende in gyle behyght them that they desyred saynge to Eue yf ye ete of the tree that god hath forbode you ye shall be as goddes knowynge gode euyll that is to saye ye shall nede noo souerayne ne gouernour to teche you ne to gouerne you but god for that they desyred it lyghtely they byleued it For as the mayster of storyes sayth A thynge that is desyred lyghtly it is byleued And therfor god ryghtfull Iuge punysshed them bothe in subieccyon of drede and of nede and of harde seruage He made woman suget to man and afterwarde he made man suget and thrall to man for the synne of Adam as sayth saynt Austen suê‘ GenÌ„ v sup More than euer he made woman suget to man For the synne of Eue as sayth saynt Austen suê‘ GenÌ„ v.s For thoughe woman be in thraldome to temporell lordes as be men that is not for the synne of Eue but pryncypaly for the synne of Adam The subieccoÌ„n that woman is put in for yâ— synne of Eue is the subieccoÌ„n that the wyfe ought to hyr husbonde And all the soueraynte and lordshyp that ony man hath here in this worlde eyther ouer man or woman it is medled with moche woo grete sorowe care For euery souerayne in this worlde muste care for his sugettes yf he be wyse And in hygher degree that he be of lordshyp of dygnyte in the hygher degre is he of peryll of drede of sorowe care in punysshyng of Adams synne And so both lordshyp in this worlde subiecco n be punysshed of Adams synne And yf sugettes can haue pacyence with theyr degre they be in more sykernes both of bodye of soule in more gladnes of herte than be the souerayns And so punysshed god Adam as moche in maner in that he made hym lorde gouernour of woman as he punysshed Eue whan he made hyr suget to Adam For in that god bonde man to haue cure of woman in hyr myscheef to saue hyr and to kepe hyr that was by comon so faynte so feble freell and so myschyuous by cause of hyr synne Caplm .xxv. DIues Yet clerkes
clothes gyue almesse mesurable to the nedy thynke that hyr husbonde sholde be pleased with hyr gyft yf he sawe that myscheef of the poore yf he somtyme forbyde his wyf to do almesse she shall not full cesse from almesse dyscretely done For husbondes make oft suche InibycoÌ„ns to theyr wyues to tempre ther gyuyng not fully to let hem And yf she see that hyr husbonde be sclauÌ„dred and wroth with her gyuynge though his wrath be vnresonable she muste tempre the more hir gyuynge but whan she may wel som what gyue for them both with good conscyence Natheles yf she see hym gretly agreued for hyr gyuynge he forbede vtterly hyr to gyue almesse than it is good that she obey to his byddynge be sory that she may not gyue be alwaye in wyll to gyue yf she durste so wynne her mede by wyl alone as she dyde byfore by wyl dede ¶ Diues Yf the wyfe haue good in propre by hyrself Bona ê‘afernalia may she not gyue therof with out hyr husbondes wyll ¶ Pauper She may gyue she is bouÌ„de to gyue he ought not to lette hyr ¶ Diues I suppose that the husbonde forbede his wyfe vtterly to do almesse of his good she see a man or woman in vtter myscheef may she not than gyue them almesse and helpe theym ¶ Pauper In that nede she is bouÌ„de to gyue shall gyue thynke that hyr husbonde sawe that nede he sholde not be myspayed We rede in the fyrste boke of kynges .xxvi. ca. That ther was a grete nygard an angry shrewe whose name was Naball He had a good woman wyse fayre to his wyf whose name was Abygaell That tyme Dauyd fled the persecucoÌ„n of kynge Saul lyued in deserte with .vi. hondred men with hym as outlawes And for myscheef he sent .x. men to this ryche Naball praynge hym of some almesse in mete drynke But this Naball despysed Dauyd his messangeres called them theues outlawes flemyd men wolde no good gyue hem notwithstandynge that they had saued his good his bestes all yâ— tyme that they were in deserte Whan Dauyd herde these tydynges he was wrothe came with .iiij. hondred men to slee Naball all that longed to hym It happened that a seruauÌ„t of Naball tolde his wyfe Abygaell how Dauyd had sent messangers to Naball and how he had despysed theym Anone Abygaell without wyttynge of Naball charged asses with brede wyne with soden flesshe of fyue shepe fygges and reysens other vytales grete plente sent to Dauyd by hyr seruau tes and she folowed after happened to mete Dauyd in his comynge Than Dauyd repreued hyr husbonde Naball of his vnkyndenesse sayd he sholde slee hym and all that longd to hym Than that good woman Abygaell felle downe to grouÌ„de and worshypped Dauyd and prayed hym of audyence Than she axed mercy for hyr husbonde Naball and excused hyrselfe that she wyste not of his messangers whan they were there prayde Dauyd that he sholde not so venge hymselfe and taught hym moche goodnesse prophecyed to hym moche welth prayed hym that he wolde accepte hyr presaunt so he dyde Than Dauyd sayd to hyr Blessyd be our lorde god that sent the this daye to me blessyd be thy speche blessyd be thou that this daye haste letted me fro sheddynge of blood to venge myselfe And than Dauyd tourned ayen in to deserte she came home ayen fouÌ„de hyr husbonde Naball at souper solemply But that nyght she spake nought to hym of that mater for he was full dronken But in the morowe whan he was sobre she tolde hyÌ„ what she had do to saue his lyf And anone his herte dyed for sorowe and he wexe heuy as a stone within ten dayes he dyed a wycked deth than Dauyd wedded his wyfe Abygaell Also yf man or woman stele awaye mannes swerde whan he is wood to lette hym of manslaughter of hymselfe or of other he doth no theeft ne synne Also by cause of ryghtwysnes man may take awaye other mennes goodes ayenst ther wyll as in ryghtful batayle so that they that fyght ryght fully ayenst the vnryghtful take ther goodes not for couetyse but for ryghtfulne s se to shewe that they haue occupyed tho goodes wrongfully But yf they talke ther goodes for euyll couetyse they do rauayne though the dede be ryghtfull in themselfe Caplm .vij. DIues Yf a thynge be loste he that fyndeth it kepeth it styll is it theeft ¶ Pauper He that fyndeth it is bouÌ„de to restytuco n yf he may wete to whome it longeth And therfore he shall do men to wyte of the fyndynge by open speche in towne strete in chirche that he that ought it may chalenge it And yf no man chalenge it he that founde it may by auctoryte of a wyse confessour kepe it stylle yf he be poore nedy and praye for hym that ought it or ellys gyue it to other nedy that they maye praye for hym that ought it soo make restytucoÌ„n Therfore sayth saynt Austen in Omelia Yf thou haste fouÌ„de ony thynge not made restytucoÌ„n that thynge thou hast stolen For he sayth god taketh more hede to the herte than to the honde And therfor theeft is done in a smale thynge as well as in a grete For god charged not the thynge that is stolen but the wycked wyll of the steler as saynt Austen sayth saynt Gregory And therfore yf childern in ther youth stele pynnes or apples or ony other smale thynges anone as it is perceyued they sholde be harde chasty s ed in the begynnynge For the phylo s ophre sayth Principijs obsta With stande the begynnynge of vyces of mycherye For whan childern in yonge begynnen to haue lykynge in mycherye though the thynge be small in value theyr synne is not the lesse ne the synne of them that suffre theym Therfore it is goddes dome that whan they be not chastysed in ther youthe for suche mycherye afterwarde they stele gretter thynges be hanged to shame shenshyp of all ther kynne And therfore as Boecius de disciplina scolariuÌ„ telleth Whan a mannes sone of Rome sholde be hanged he prayed his fader to kysse hym he bote of his faders nose saynge to him Thynke well fader on this token chastyse better thy childern for haddeste thou chastysed me in my youth I sholde not haue be hanged Therfore the wyse man sayth Qui parcit virge odit filiuÌ„ suuÌ„ cÌ„ He that spareth the yerde hateth his sone And he loueth his sone that chastyseth hyÌ„ and techeth hym besely Prouer .xiij. We rede that on a tyme a poore man was tempted to ete goos flesshe but he durste not stele for drede of hangynge On a daye he mette with the fende he bad hym stele a goos ete ynough at ones he dyd so And soone after he
passe awaye as yâ— floure of the grasse and of the heye For whan the sonne shyneth hote on the heye it welketh dryeth his floure fadeth his beaute passeth Ryght so sayth he the ryche man welketh fadeth in his wayes yâ— is to saye in his lyuynge Iacobi .i. Also worldely welth is lykened to yâ— shadowe alwaye passyng For all our lyuynge in this worlde is but a passynge a wantynge of lyght of heuen blysse In the myddes of the daye whan the sonne is hyghest than is yâ— shadowe shortest Ryght so whan a man weneth to be but in the myddes of his lyfe is hyghest in welthe in his pryde than is his lyf shortest for than men dye sooneste in theyr moost prosperyte And yâ— nygher euen the ende of the daye the lenger is a mannes shadewe Ryght soo these worldely couetouse men the lenger that they lyue whan they ben at theyr lyues ende than they thynke moost to lyue lenger Than they purchace than they house than they begyn to plete tyll theyr lyfe passe sodaynly awaye as a shadewe at euen Therfor mannes lyfe is lykened to a slyder waye For whan a marâ—goth by a slyder waye the more that he galeth about the ferther that he loketh fro hym the sooner the harder shall he falle Bnt yf he loke wel to his feet to his waye he may kepe him on left though he fall he shall take no grete harme Ryght so it fareth by the lyfe of this worlde It is so slyder that ther myght neuer man ne woman passe by this wayt but at the laste he slydeth in to sekenesse myscheef fell downe and dyed or ellys shall come to yâ— same ende And comonly whan men loke ferthest fro them selfe and thynke to lyue lengest and begynne moost to house to purchas and purpo s e many shrewde tournes and to lyue moost in welth in delyces than they dye soonest passe awaye sodaynely as a shadowe at euen Example Cryste telleth in the gospell Luce. xij Ther was sayth cryste some tyme a ryche man hadde in a yere a plenteuous crop on his londe in so moche that he hadde not houses ynough to laye it in He thanked not god of his gyft but tourned hym to proude couetou s e thoughtes sayd to hymselfe what shall I do I haue no housynge to laye in my corn my good I shal destroye myn olde bernes garnerys and make newe lenger larger and stuffe them full of good and than shall I saye to my soule Now soule thou haste good ynough for many yeres now take thy reste now ete and drynke make feste So he thought all of his lyf in this worlde nought of the lyfe in the other worlde Anone god sayd to hym Fole this nyght fendes shall take thy soule from the to whom shall than be all the goodes that thou haste arayed gadred to gydre He myght saye that they sholde be theyrs that trauayled not therfore Caplm .x. THe clerkes that treate of kynde saye that the foxe in wynter whan he gooth to seke his pray yf he come to a frollen water he lyeth his ere downe to the yce yf he here ony water rennynge vnderneth he wyl not passe ouer there for the yce is not syker but he syketh hym an other syker waye Thus I wolde yâ— all synful couetouse men dyd whan they go about to syke theyr pray of fals couety s e of false purchace or to robbe begyle ony man of his good Than I wolde they layed theyr â—eres to the yce thought how freyle a mannes lyfe is For as the yce cometh of yâ— water tourneth ayen to yâ— water Ryght so all we came of the erthe and shall tourne ayen to the erthe and yf they wolde thus laye theyr â—ere to this yce they sholde here water reÌ„nyng They sholde here say there dyeth a pope there a kyng there a prynce there a duke there dyeth a bysshop there a knyght there a squyer They sholde here that as soone dyeth the ryche as the poore the grete as the smalle the yonge as the olde Therfore holy wrytte sayth Omnes morimur et in terram quali aqua dilabimur All we dye slyde in to the erthe as water .ij. ReguÌ„ xiiij Therfor saynt Bernarde in his medytacyon repreueth the proude couetous folke of this worlde and sayth thus Vbi sunt amatores seculi qui nobiscuÌ„ ante pauca tempora fueruÌ„t Telle me now sayth he where ben now these lordes leders these proude gettours these false couetouse men that were here with vs within a fewe yeres where be they now bycome Ther is no thynge of them lefte but asshes pouder wormes Take hede what they were what they ben They were men as thou art ete dranke as thou dost led theyr dayes in moche myrthe in a twynkelynge of an eye many of them sanke downe in to the pytte of helle where theyr flesshe is gyuen vnto wormes where theyr soule is put in to endeles payne what helpe them theyr vayne glory ther poÌ„pe theyr pryde theyr myrth theyr game glee Where is now theyr game theyr laughynge theyr boost and theyr hyghe berynge all is paste as a shadowe From grete myrth they ben fallen in to endelesse sorowe froÌ„ luste lykynge in to bytter payne froÌ„ plente in to endelesse myscheef ¶ Diues These wordes styreme so the may many other lytyll to sette by welth worshyp of this worlde But well is he that may haue helpe of his good after his deth than fynde frendes true attorneys ¶ Pauper But moche better it is that he hath grace to helpe hymselfe byfore his deth with his owne good for one peny shal profyte more byfore his deth than .xx. penys after more profyteth one candell byfore a man than .xx. behynd hyÌ„ Therfor saynt Lucye taught her moder to do almesse by her lyfe not abyde tyll after her deth sayd to her moder Here ye my couÌ„seyll It is noo gyft full plesauÌ„t to god whan man or woman gyueth thynge yâ— he may not vse hymselfe therfor yf ye wyll that god be plesed with your gyft gyue ye to hyÌ„ thynge yâ— ye may vse your selfe For yâ— ye gyue in your dyenge therfore ye gyue it for ye may not bere it with you And therfore moder whyle ye lyue haue helth of your bodye gyue to god that ye haue Caplm .xi. WHan a man wyll not do for hyÌ„self whyle he may though his executours and his attorneys do nought for hym it is no grete wouÌ„dre For eche man woman is moost holden to hymselfe But it fareth ofte by hem that dyed by theyr executours as it dyd ones by two fooles yâ— dwelled in a lordes courte The one was a foole sage that other was a naturell foole It byfell on a daye they came to gydre in to a
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
woman do a mys for drede to lese yâ— blysse ¶ Pauper It fareth by folke born in pryson of the wycked worlde as it doth by a childe born in the depe derke pytte of the pryson whan it falleth a woman with childe be put in pryson The moder that knoweth the welfare yâ— she had out of pryson is in moche sorowe care and longeth full moche to be out of pryson ayen in her welfare But the childe born in the myscheef of the pryson and neuer hadde knowynge of better fare gyueth lytell tale of that myscheue in pryson But aslonge as he hath his moder with hym his sustenauÌ„ce though it be full feble he maketh no sorowe ne care he longeth after no better fare for he knoweth no better For yf his moder tells hym of yâ— Ioye welfare out of pryson of the sonne mone of the sterres of yâ— fayre floures spryngynge vpon erthe of the byrdes syngynge of myrthe of melodye of ryche arraye of lordes of ladyes welth that is out of pryson all hyr tale is but a dreme to the childe he byleueth it not therfore he longeth not therafter wyll not for all this blysse the welfare that she speketh of forsake his moder ne the feble fare that he hath with her that is for he byleueth it not yet it is as the moder telleth the childe But were the childe ones out of pryson and sawe the welth myrth the welfare whiche his moder tolde hym of he wolde be full sory for to go ayen to pryson there to lyue with his moder For all his lyfe in pryson that was fyrst lykynge ynough to hyÌ„ sholde than be full bytter he sholde neuer haue Ioye ne reste in herte tyll he came ayen to that welfare that he sawe out of pryson Ryght thus folke of this worlde borne and brought forth in sorowe care moche trauayl in the pryson of this worlde they haue so moche loue lykynge to theyr erthly moder to ther coÌ„panye that is to saye in erth in erthely thynges for erth is moder of al that they haue no lykynge in heuenly thynges ne longe not therafter And yet theyr gostly moder holy chirche ther goostly fader and god him selfe fader of all telleth them of the blysse of heuen It is to them but a dreme as is the moders tale to her childe in pryson they haue noo sad fayth therin And though it be so as our mod holy chirche telleth vs thoughe the childe byleue not that suche welfare be out of pryson the welfare is neuer the lesse though erthely couetouse men haue no lykynge but in erth in erthly thynges byleue not yâ— suche blysse be in heuen yet ther is suche blysse and neuer the lesse for theyr false byleue But had they ones sene assayed a lytell of that blysse al the Ioye lykynge that they haue in this worlde in erthly thynges sholde be to them full grete bytternesse full of sorowe care Example we haue of saynt Peter whom Cryste ledde vpon the hylle of Thabor with saynt Iohn saynt Iames and there he shewed them but a lytell of the blysse of his manhode His face shone as bryght as the sonne his clothes were whyte as snowe Moyses and Hely appered with hym in grete blysse magestee Than Peter sayd to our lorde Ihesu Lorde it is good to vs to be here Make we here thre tabernacles one to the an other to Moyses an other to Hely and let vs all dwelle here Luce .ix. And anone in syght of lytel blysse he forgat al the blysse of this worlde He cared neyther for mete drynke ne clothynge for hym thought he myght haue lyued without ende by the blysfull syght with that company Also whan saynt Poule was rauysshed in to heuen had seen yâ— vysyon of god afterwarde all his lyf in this worlde was to him a payne so moche he longed ayen to that blysse And therfore he sayd Infelix ego quis me liberabit demorte corê‘is huiê° Ro. vij I an vnsely man who shall delyuer me fro yâ— deth of this body I coueyte to be departed the soule from the bodye be without ende with cryste Moyses was with god in the mouÌ„t of Synay .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes metelesse drynkeles fedd by the speche of god by his presence yet sawe he but lytell of this blysse For he was not able to see his blysse ne noman lyuynge in this worlde as god sayd to hym yâ— tyme. But leue frende after our deth yf we kepe well goddes commaundementes and amende our mysdedes by our lyfe we shal see his grete blysse whiche neither Peter ne Poule ne Moyses myght see in erthe And we shal be syker of that blysse without ende Whiche blysse as saynt Poule sayth yâ— none erthely eye may see ne ere here ne herte thynke ne wytte comprehende In this blysse leue frende I hope to see you dwelle with you in the hyghe cyte of Ierusalem in the kynges courte of heuen To whiche blysse he brynge vs that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen ¶ Here endeth a co 〈…〉 treatyse dyalogue of Diues and Pauper That is to saye the ryche the poore fructuously treatynge vpon the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes fynysshed the .iij. daye of Decembre The yere of our lorde god M. CCCC.lxxxxvi Eâ—prentyd by me Wyken de worde at Westmonstre ¶ Deo gracias W· C·
chirches in one lytylyle of Cerlone notwithstandynge yâ— ther were two thousande of poore crysten men outlawed dampned to ful harde trauayll myght haue be releued full well with that yâ— tho chirches costed Than holy chirche was in his youthe in his begynnyng as saynt Ierom sayth in ê“logo suê‘ actê° aplorum Now holy chirche is growen and the fayth sprongen spredde stabled in peas fro tyrauÌ„tes And therfore now we muste worshypp our god with all our myght our connynge for we haue none excusacoÌ„n as they hadde And for to auoyde ydlenesse of prestes our faders byfore this tyme ordeyned the prayers in holy chirche to be sayd after a certayne fourme after the custome of dyuerse contrees kepe theyr hour after the houres of the daye as matynes atte morowe masse afterwarde and euensonge ayenst euen so that god shall be praysed of the prestes at all tymes of the daye ¶ Diues Me thynketh that it were better to saye goddes seruyce in holy chirche without note than with note hackynge of the syllabes wordes of our prayers praysynge as as we do For who sholde telle the kyng of Englonde a tale or make his prayer to hym and made so many notes hackynges in his tale he sholde haue lytyll thanke ¶ Pauper The kyng of heuen is aboue the kyng of Englonde otherwyse we muste worshyp hym than yâ— kyng of Englond For we muste worshyp hym with all our myght all our herte all our wytte as hym that is maker lorde of all thynge so may we not worshyp the kyng of Englonde It nedeth now to speke to the kyng of Englonde to euery erthely man dystynctly for they knowe not the maÌ„nes herte ne his wyll But god knoweth it longe er we speke it with our mouth And therfore whan we synge in our prayers with cleÌ„nesse of lyfe deuocoÌ„n of herte we please god in as moche as we worshyh hym with our power of voyce and tongue For euery note so songe to god in the chirche or in other conuenyent places for deuocoÌ„n in our self to engendre deuocoÌ„n in to other is a praysynge to god And therfore Dauyd sayth Cantate exultate et psallite Synge ye make you mery outwarde synge ye to god craftely Iubilate deo ois terra seruite dnÌ„o in leticia Introite in conspectu eius in exultacoÌ„e All ye that dwelle vpon the erthe make ye hertely Ioye to god serue ye our lorde in gladnesse Entre ye in to his syghte with Ioye myrthe For many causes my frendes songe melodye was ordeyned in holy chirche Fyrst to the more worshyp of god Also to the more excytacoÌ„n of deuocoÌ„n to the people Also to put awaye heuynesse vnlustynesse as sayth saynt Bernarde For many man hath more lykynge for to serue god in gladnesse than in heuynesse And therfor goddes seruyce sholde be sayd lyuely dystynctly deuoutly with gladnesse of herte For yf the seruyce be sayd or songe so hauenly dedely so drawen a longe that it lothe both the synger or sayer the herer bryngeth folke in to heuynesse or dystraccoÌ„n it is euyll sayd or songe For that maner of syngynge is lettynge of moche goodnesse cause of ydlenesse of moche foly for it maketh men to withdrawe theym from goddes house from goddes seruyce and so wante grace De conse dist v. Non mediocrit Also we synge in holy chirche to confourme vs to sayntes in heuen whiche prayse god and serue god alwaye with hyghe voyce swete syngynge as we fynde in the Apocalyps many other places in holy wryte And therfore sayth Dauyd Cantate dnÌ„o canticuÌ„ nouuÌ„ laus eius in ecclia sanctorum Synge ye a newe songe to our lorde for suche is his prysynge in holy chirche of all sayntes And therfore songe in holy chirche is good whan it is songe deuoutely in clennes of lyfe roundely not lettynge the deuoute prayers of the people as doth this curyouse knackynge songe of the vycyouse mynystres in the chirche specyally in grete riche chirches For it is ofte seen that the syngers in suche places other also ben ful proude glotons and lecherous also And the melodye of suche men is no plesaunce to god but it doth harme to them selfe and many other Caplm .lx. DIues Why ben ther now no martyrs as ther were wonte for to be ¶ Pauper We haue now a dayes all to many martyrs in this londe ¶ Diues How soo ¶ Pauper For the more martyrs the more murdre and manslaughter and the more shedynge of Innocentes blode the more vengeaunce shall falle therfore ¶ Diues Moche people is slayne now a dayes but yf they sholde be martyrs I can not say ¶ Pauper All that be slayne for the treuthe pacyently in charyte ben martyrs in as moche as they wytnessen the treuthe stonde therwith vnto theyr deth For martyr in latyn is a wytnesse in englysshe It is no worshyp to ony londe or nacyons for to haue many martyrs of her owne sleynge but it is an endles shame And therfore the Iewes that slewe Cryste and his dyscyples the ê“phetes madâ— martyrs without nombre ben in despyte and repreue all about the worlde And therfore Cryste sayd to them that al the rightfull blood whiche they had shedde fro the begynnynge of the worlde sholde falle vpon them an harde vengeauÌ„ce therfore sholde come to them And the Romayns that slewe Peter and many martyrs in euery londe there as they hadde lordshyp and now they haue lost ther lordshyp ben wretches of wretches and bothe the cyte the temple semeth acursed And now Englysshe nacoÌ„n hath made many martyrs For they spare neyther theyr owne kyng ne theyr bysshoppes no dygnyte no ordre none astate ne degree but indyfferently slee as them lyketh so vengeauÌ„ce wretchednesse foloweth them grace worshyp hath forsaken them it was neuer worshyp to them that they slewe saynt Thomas theyr bysshop theyr fader ne that they wolde by comon clamour comon assent haue slayne theyr owne kyng Martyrdom is worshypfull to theym that in charyte suffreth deth to theym yâ— holde with them in theyr treuthe But it is shame dyshoneste to theym that putte them to deth vnrightfully And for asmoche as the multytude of shrewes is so grete and falshede is so myghty that the treuth is ouersette borne downe true folke so martred we sholde wepe not be gladde for that we haue soo many martyrs and nyght daye crye mercy to lett wretche Yf hethen people or other nacoÌ„ns had made our martyrs than we myght reioyse vs of our martyrs but in that we haue slayn them our selfe we ought to be ashamed Caplm .lxi. DIues Sythen they be martyrs why doth god no myracle now for them as he dyde for martyrs other sayntes in the begynnynge of holy chirche ¶ Pauper