Eccle. xii his chambre he robbeth and destroyeth the crysten men To speke bryuely these cursed turkes ben neuer sacyate to se the crysten blode shedde O Rome of true fayth I am ryght sorowfull in my herte for the. O the holy syege appostolyke so excellente I haue grete fere that they take the not and bynde the as a bere vnto a stake He ha the the men of acheront the whiche is full of rage she entendeth for to destroye our fayth Alas these wulues wyll destroye all the lambes of the creatour they thynke to separe men women and chyldren bothe yonge olde Slouthe holdeth vs myghtely in her bandes for we be enbraced with slepe By the meane wherof and by the faute of makynge resystence they fere not the crysten men and our fayth and our lawe is almoost perysshed and loste The dukes erles and knyghtes bereth no more sygnes of lordes The auncyent predecessours for xliii dis si rector c. ephe sius theyr goodnes and vertues be regystred in the booke of fame by good renowne and perseueraunce But nowe a dayes it is all otherwyse for couÌ„sayll faylleth in them and reygneth in synne and crudelyte And to speke well they loue not the comune welfare by the whiche meane our fayth and lawe decayeth Our kynges dukes erles and barons slepeth and letteth all be loste taken prostrate and destroyed O chefe somtyme of all the worlde the whiche was emperour resplendysshynge in vertues as a precyous stone At this present tyme thou slepeth Thou arte no more emperoure as I byleue for there is no more mencyon of the than yf thou were deed I byleue that thou lyest amonge the sharpe thornes or in thwater or myre as a thynge that is of lytell valour pryse O saynt peter o thy hygh syege noble and holy thy he 〈…〉 pe c. quamuis detÌ„ gu iu. i auteÌ„ psal lxxv slepeth that in tyme paste was full of vertue 〈…〉 Presently we se well that the fayth is corrupted by the Tutkes and none chaseth them awaye Euery body endureth theyr tormente and letteth themselfe be dystroyed by them None wyll conquere the londe of Europe These turkes domyneth ouer them and be imperyatours of our countrees and hathe marred our lawe But not wcstondynge I thynke that it is for our vyle abhomynable synnes And that god permytteth that we sholde haue these dyscordes For in our townes we honour rychesses and worshyp them as sayntes and be full of abhomynacyons we chase vertues awaye the holy fayth the coÌ„maundementes of the lawe And take pryde auaryce lecherye many other synnes ye serue the deuyll wherfore god the creatour hathe put dyuers countrees in ruyne Somtyme Rome was so puyssaunt that it dyde chese Naum. iii. Esaie li. as ryght wyse foure noble cytees for to be her systers replete with grete fortytude the whiche were the pyllers of the empyre that is for to knowe Iherusalem the holy Alexandrye the ryght synguler berynge the name of a kynge Antyoche And Constantynoble These folkes nowe is depryued from the empyre and holdeth them in his handes These cursed turkes doo nothynge but ymagyne how they may dymynysshe our holy fayth our vyces and synnes is the cause therof bycause we be deuoyde of vertues For we be lyke blynde folkes ful of trybulacyons and myseryes all procedeth from oure abhomynable synnes For our hertes is so roted in synn 〈…〉 Ouidius in prophe and so obstynate that we can not race it awaye At thi 〈…〉 tyme we se that they honour soner the grete turke and obeye soner his coÌ„maundementes than we do to the 〈…〉 of our creatour We haue neyther loue vnto fader nor modeâ— broder syster nor cosyne But by auaryce wolde dyspoyle the one the other The men of the chirche haue symonye in theyr handes The kynges and dukes cor rumpeth the holy scryptures ryght canon and cyuyle yf some be well fortuned we wyll make them fall yf that ê“â—er xvii Hiere xv we may So dothe the crysten men nowe The dyscorde of the prynces maketh the poore subgectes to haue grete tormentes Our mansyons is nowe depryued frome vtylyte haue neyther fayth nor hope This notwithstondynge I meruayll me moche how that the turkes haue taken so many cytees townes and castelles realmes and countrees as I haue specyfyed of before and that they haue not ben resysted For there remayneth no more vnconquered saue this same lytel quarter that we bem Wherfore I fere me sore yf that we make not a grete hoost and make good watche that they shal come vpon vs and put our londe in theyr subgeccyon put our fayth in ruyne for the abhominable synnes that we commyt and do O Rome rome I am aferde that thou Roma Hiere zi shalte se the fortune of Constantynoble I se the gates open and the manyfest waye I doubte gretely that these hethen houndes ymagyne not some trechery agaynst the. Alas thou was named so soueraynly at the fyrste tyme and created thy prynce and souerayne kynge After thou raysed vp a noble senate And bycause that thou surmounted Ad he viii Exortatio the in pryde god hathe punysshed the. Thou was lyberall vnto thy frendes hauynge the imperyall sceptre of the worlde domynynge in Justyce by all vny uersall people Thou hast the sceptre the whiche dymynyssheth strongely thy fayth is gretely vnlosed bycau 〈…〉 e that none defendeth it Eche of vs is culpable therof by our synnes O prynces and barons Romayns O noble fraunce O Almayne the stronge O excellenâ—e Englonde Concordia 〈◊〉 â—e res cres uÌ„t discordia maxime dilabuÌ„â— Salustius imperyall so endued with fortytude O thou holy fader the pope defende all the fayth of Ihesu cryste the whiche dothe gyue it vs by wrytynge Defende his precyous name Haue not your courages faynt Haue a moÌ„gest you amyte concorde pease Holde you in vnyoÌ„ and be stedfaste in the fayth Echone of you take your armes and with the helpe of god smyte togyder vpon the cursed turkes sarasyns Syth that we haue our handes fortefyed and valyaunt men smyte we vpon them O noble Emperoure Maxymilien where is thy force where is thy strengthe Wherat holdeth it that thou employeth it not vpon these vyllayne turkes Thou arte puyssaunte and holdeth the empyre of the Romaynes so stronge Thynke and rethynke vpon thy predecessours that hathe employed all theyr strength vpon them Thou slepest awaken the. Alas thou purpenseth not but for to make warre vpon the crysten men and leueth the infydeles that dystroyeth thyn empyre It were better for the to be a symple erle than for to take suche a charge vpon the and not to do thy deuour O thou ryght puyssaunt kynge of Englonde the whiche hathe more rychesse De nobilissimo ac potentissimo regis â—ngliâ— than euer kynge of Englonde hadde enploye nowe thy puyssaunce vpon the turkes and mescreauntes Thou arte florys shynge in honour amonge the crysten kynges
auctorytees of lawe and of decrete reuolue ye must the forsayd lawe in your myndes ententyfly â—her vpon examyne eche partye and after gyue the sentence to the ende that he whiche thou wylte Juge accuâ—e the not before the grete Juge of heuen of false Jugement And yf that it be so he shall condempne the wtout â—ppele I byleue that thou thyÌ„kest that our lorde knoweth â—ot the synnes done here in erthe yes truely the leest â—hought of man Wherfore trust me for yf thou wylte â—epe the regle of egall Jugement shewe good couÌ„sayl â—t is expedyent that whan thou hast ony grete processe cyâ—yll crymynell ecclesyastyke or of excesse or touchynâ—e herytages ye must demaunde counsayl of the 〈◊〉 â—yscrete and wyse men for semblably as thou Jugeth â—nother thou shalt be Juged and tormented by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex eo Juge of helle God almyghty after our dethe shall Juâ—e bothe feble and stronge there ye shal fynde the poore â—olke the whiche ye haue oppressed by rapyne extorcyoÌ„â—or who that executeth not egall Jugement in this preâ—ent 〈◊〉 de iâ—di l. rem â—oÌ„ nonaÌ„ vale of mesery shall be accused before the 〈◊〉 whiche gyueth iuste and egall sentence after the gooâ—â—r the euyll that they haue done in this mortall lyfe 〈◊〉 〈…〉 e scyence and all the sapyence of men shall not excuse â—hem For who that wolde gyue all the golde cheuaâ—â— De â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—i 〈◊〉 〈…〉 e of the worlde shall not escape For â—e is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall and imperyall aboue all Juges ¶ Of auaryce and prodygalyte ca. iii. ¶ Of the folysshe shyppe there dothe occupye The seconde parte the auarycyous That wyll not gyue a poore man one peny He is so harde and so malycyous Beynge on his rychesse so curyous That is lente hym but for a small ceason The poore at nede to defende by reason ALl theym the whiche assembleth golde and syluer by grete foyson ben repreued as is this poore foole the whiche gadereth golde syluer and grete fynaunce and of his goodes Psal. xxvii taketh no solace whan he hathe gadered grete plente and deyeth Alas he bereth nothynge Ecclesia v. ps xviii with hym he leueth his treasour and fynaunce vnto his chyldren neuewes or kynnesmen the whiche after his dethe maketh grete chere with it they dysprybute it in C. de cura fur l. i. pompous araye and in voluptuous dylectacyons carnalle 〈…〉 to theyr grete dystruccyon of body and soule all for the goodes that the deed body had assembled in grete thought and calamyte the whiche parauenture is in the obscure pyt of helle in grete mysery and extynguysshyble tormente It had ben more expedyente for hym to haue ben satysfyed with a lytell for all that the whiche he hathe assembled togyder prouffyteth hym nothynge but he must endure payne anguysshe cruel rage and of the drynke of Acherons floode infernall in fecte and stynkynge his body is replenysshed with Yet I fynde a gretter euyll of the Prodygue that dyspendeth all his propre goodes in excesse and wast and can not prouyde a remedy therfore ¶ Suche folkes ben deiecte from al good meurs and condycyons and ben replenysshed with all vyces to the dyscrete men cometh the good for the prodygues and vycyous wyll none therof ¶ Be they not then redotynge fooles that assemble soo moche rychesse and purchaseth not the salute of theyr soules Alas louest thou better for to suffre payne inestymable with all the deuylles of helle than leue thyne insacyate desyre of gaderynge of rychesse thy goodes can not aledge the of thy payne of them thou can not be comforted but shall bewrappe the in the moost profoundnes of the extynguysshyble pyt infernal And that worse is yf thyÌ„ enherytours myght by the for a peny with grete payne wolde they do it for yf thou were in this worlde it were behouefull for the to rendre thy goodes agayne I may name vnto the Tantalus the whiche is in the goulfre Tantalus de quo lactaÌ„tius of helle he enrageth for huÌ„gre and thurst and is in the water vnto the chynne but whan he thynketh for to drinke it aualeth so lowe that he can not drynke of it And there is also a pere tree besyde hym vpon the whiche pere tree is a pere that toucheth almoost his nose whan he stratcheth hymselfe vp for to catche it the tree ryseth vp and in this maner of wyse he enrageth for hungre and thurst Consyder what torment it is it were better for the auarycyous to gyue all his goodes than for too be in suche a torment remaynynge there perdurably Wherfore I supply and beseche all the auarycyous meÌ„ in the name of our lorde Ihesu cryst that wolde dye for our sake vpon the tree of the crosse that ye molefy your hertes and that ye do almesdedes durynge this transytory lyfe for after that ye be ones departed out of thys worlde your goodes and rychesse can not helpe you in no wyse ¶ And yf soo be that ye lyue well and egally in this vale of myserye ye shall purchase and acquyre the glorye eternell Rede this that Tullyus resyteth here sayenge Tullius in paradoxis that neuer wyse man wolde regne in this worlde puyssauntly but with good herte moderate thoughte demaunded pacyence pease and sapyence and to flee eschewe pleasure moundaynes for the wyse man maye well do it Of the ordures mouÌ„daynes we haue wryten in the decretalles how Crassus desyred for to haue a grete i. q. i. ê™ qÌ„dem l. crassus somme of golde and syluer the whiche he obteyned and had grete haboundaunce It befell within a shorte tyme after that he was 〈…〉 nprysoned by the Parthes and all was for bycause of his treasour Resemble al vnto so crates the whiche sayd that rychesse was enemy vnto scyence moyennynge of which he that had so moche rychesse threwe all his goodes in to the see in suche wyse that no body coude blame hym ¶ Poore moundaynes thynke well vpon this that I haue rehersed to you for truely there is manere in euery thynge for the happy eurous helde the hye waye ¶ Of newe guyses customes ca. iiii ¶ He that desyreth euer thynges newe For to begynne amonge the poore men all Parauenture he maye it ones sore rewe Whan he cometh before god eternall There to be Juged in sentence fynall Where after his deserte he shall haue mede yf he haue done well he shall ryght well spede EUery body ought for to gouerne them after the auncyentes and good customes but that whiche was of olde antyquyte vycyous crymynell and dyshonest is at this present tyme taken for honeste by newe vsages newe customes haue al the bruyte at this tyme amonge dyuerse folkes I can not well conspyre in my herte the which is the moost foole of them twayne that vse the olde or
the newe customes or he the whiche wereth grete sleues with Math. xviii grete bordures or they the whiche bereth large sleues Saue that me thynketh it is all one thynge and that the one is as folysshe as the other For he thynketh that hathe the bordured sleues that he is as honestly clothed as he the whiche hathe the large sleues Amonge the auncy ente faders it was a grete loouynge and praysynge for to haue longe berdes that custome sholde be ryght folysshe and straunge vnto vs at this present tyme. Socrates ii regum x. the whiche was a grete phylosophre began fyrste for to bere a berde and after hym all the other phylosophres toke that custome ¶ After that the good phylosophers were departed out of this worlde fragylyte and luxury dyde sprede all aboute the worlde in suche wyse that almoost it floryssheth amonge all synnes All the vertues wherwith the hye elementes ben decored and aourned ben all vyces and synnes in a casualte through the worlde All the humaynes wyll counterfet that whiche our lorde hathe create and by theyr presumpcyon thynketh to do better than god O what erroure what abomynable synne Some bereth grete berdes for fere that they seme not more auncyent They araye theyr bodyes Sicambri Ethiopes and vysages in suche a facion that they seme yonge but yet they be olde The other bereth theyr heere as Sycabryens or longe yelowe and trussed lyke Almaynes or as Ethyopiens cryspe and corled the whiche is combed ten tymes a daye Some hathe theyr habytes so shorte that one maye almoost se theyr ars There be some that haue theyr neckes all charged with grete chayne 's and ben all replenysshed with golden Jewelles theyr handes full of gemmes and rynges Ample bonettes with lowe neckes and garded lyke as it were for dyspyte therupon the small hattes that is set all vpon one syde Theyr gownes shorte full of playtes and the sleues large as a sacke Theyr doublettes is garded endlong and ouerth warte bordred with veluet or with sylke Clokes bended with dyuers colours There is dyuers clothes worne at this present tyme the gownes haue double rebraced colers Theyr shertes ben fronced with golde or sylke ye that is of the fynest clothe that can be founden It is the guyse of the infideles of the turkes and sarazyns vyle and abhomynable The grete shone rounde as a boule and after them the squared buskynges all to cut slyppers bygared the hosen garded and bended with veluet or satyn the purses as sachelles with gyrdylles of taffeta What lacketh there more nothynge saue the fayre swerde or hanger by theyr syde O crystendome crystendome yf thou haue mortalytes and epydemees thou arte the cause therof I saye and notefye to the that thou haste endured that suche habytes haue ben worne that worse is is yet worne Thou shalt haue yet dyuers punycyons yf in shorte tyme thou remedy it not Cast awaye these newe guyses and customes aswel men as women for they be vyle and dyshonest Mayst thou not well thynke that the sauyour of all the worlde shall Juge all the humaynes of the mysdedes wyll reuenge hȳ ¶ Of auncyent fooles ca. v. ¶ Alas for all that euer I enclyne To my sepulture bothe by houre and daye yet can I not leue the folysshe ruyne That I haue contynued in alwaye And of olde fooles euer hathe kepte the laye Wherfore of olde fooles I maye be the chefe For all that is vyce hathe ben to me lefe AWaken your spyrytes auncyent folkes the whiche haue ben fooles all your lyfe herken how that this olde foole maketh his cōplaynte The grete foly ryght vycyous and replenysshed with bytternes that hath euer remayned in me syth myn enfancye may not suffre that I leue myne auncyent custome and fyrste lyfe I am a chylde yet ye maye se that I can not go I haue a. C. yere and more yet I am no wyser than I was wonte to be I am almoost as prudent and wyse as I was at my byrthe And that worse is I wolde be no wyser the sygnes and tokens of fooles I shewe and mynyster to chyldren and I wryte the folysshe regyme of foly I haue made my testament the whiche conteyneth techeth doctryne vnto all them that wyll folowe me and lyue folysshely as I haue done I am the ryght euyll and luna Esaye xvi tyke conductour and leder of all the other fooles that haue ensued and folowed my doctryne and am 〈…〉 toure of all vyces and euyll examples and that whiche I lerned I shewe it nowe by experyence Myn innocent dedes c. ex sludits specyfyeth that I am a foole for of my foly I desyre to haue louynge and praysynge In euery place whereas I go I may well gyue them knowlege that I haue sowen euyll renowne in dyuers places and countres c. cum 〈…〉 tu te de presum And by my folyshnes vyle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstraunce of my vyce and synne my foly and my dyshonour and me thynketh it is grete honoure of 〈◊〉 Mlegyōs of euylles hathe ben sowen vpon the erth by me I haue my herte ryght sorowfull that I maye 〈…〉 oo more so I haue grete dyspyre that I may not consume 〈…〉 my clothes vnto an ende that none myght were them after me but syth that I am olde auncyent may no more regne I wyll lerne my chyldren and neuewes to do as I haue done faynynge that of vyces the waye is ryght ample in euery place Lo how the fader gyueth euyll example vnto his chyldren and neuewes the whiche becometh more vycyous and peruers by halfe than is the fader of the whiche he is gretely reioysed wolde be ryght angrye to here saye that his chyldren were benygne In dule and melancoly the chyldren shall fynysshe De consecra ti di v. c. vl in glosa theyr lyues sythe that they lyue soo vycyously Wherfore I saye that he is worthy for to gouerne oure shyp whan there cometh ony tormente Alas olde foole wherfore hast thou no shame that thy foly hathe surmounted the so longe Hast thou no remors of conscyence for to lyue so longe in vyle synne abhomynable Knowest thou not that the euyll the whiche is rooted can not be taken awaye afterwarde for whan one abydeth to longe for Daniel xiiii to remedye his causes with grete payne may he detray the meurs that ben roted in the herte ¶ Of the documente of chyldren ca. vi ¶ He that forgyueth the crymes ryght vycyous Of his chyldren withouten correctynge And them enduceth not in vertues gloryous Is well worthy to haue grete tormentynge And the anguysshe by longe contynuynge For why he seketh all the wayes he can To lyue in sorowe as a folysshe man YOnge chyldren the whiche desyreth to lyue well and ryghtwysly reste you and herken to my doctrynes and you also faders that haue chyldren in your puyssaunce The fader shall be
of golde and syluer for to make it with or elles his ynne shall abyde vnfynysshed 〈◊〉 euery body shall mocke hym yf that he fynysshe it not clene oute and call hym a grete foole Wherfore ye ought for to esche we suche grete fâ—lye and begynne no maner of 〈◊〉 yf that ye haue not moneye ynoughe for to fynysshe it with for it is one of the pryncypall thynges that bryngeth a man vnto pouerte and destruccyon as we may se euydently There was but fewe in olde antyquyte that durste begynne ony grete edefyce for fere that they sholde not haue had fynaunce ynough for to haue fynysshed it with Euen so as Lucullus dyd that was so resplendy â—ihynge in excellence Also Crassus the moost rychest that myght be fouÌ„den the Lacullus Crassus whiche for to proue his rychesse aroused the fles she assyryques with blode by grete faytes merytoryous As it is noted in bookes whoo that hathe volente for to make grete operacyons sholde be dyscrete and wyse in Salustius rekenynge how moche the edefyce myght cost hym and how moche golde and syluer he hathe for otherwyse the ecclesiasti iii. werke sholde stande vnfynysshed and then wolde euery body mocke hym and the expences that he hadde done vpon the sayd edefyce sholde be lost the whiche were in oughe for to destroye a man it were better neâ—er to begynne a thynge than for to leue it vnfynisshed for a maÌ„ lyueth euer after in dyspleasaunce Who that edefyeth in this maner of wyse is mocked oftentymes of dyuers folkes And that also the whiche is foundeâ— of newe In auctenti de non alie aut permu colla ii after is founden by aege is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perdycyon and is by theyr aege consumed as it is sayd in ecclesiasti 〈…〉 ue in the thyrde chapytre and also it is wryten in the 〈…〉 uctentiques 〈◊〉 Of dronkerdes and glotons 〈◊〉 xvi ¶ Of pouerte the dede and charge Can no lecherous man eschewe That nyght and daye in metes large Euer in one dothe contynewe The daye shall come they shall it rewe For they dampne theyr soules in dede That eteth more than they haue nede LOke that ye fayle not to come vnto our shyp folysshe lunatyke glotons that nyght daye gormaundeth and glouteth without remyssyon approche nere herken what I shall sayâ— vnto you for it shall prouffyte you moche yâ— c. â—rapula de vi ho. cleâ— â—x that ye take good hede therto The foole that mounteth in to our shyp draweth no where but vnto good wynes and vnto delycious metes he glouteth in to his vyle caâ— cas dyuers metes delycyous he replenyssheth his body and incontynent voydeth it out agayne it abydeth not And other good wyll they not do but rence pottes and Esaye v. Ecclesia zi vesselles Suche folkes drynketh lyke sponges and olde bootes They kepe the fattes of Bachus myghty wyne maketh them to falle lyke swyne They be oftentymes seke they fynde no dyfference in nothynge Dethe De â—se disti noÌ„e â—nta â—atales Oâ—ee z. ri tricesima â—nta distinc vi nolentum ê“uer xxuu ê“uerb ro trices ma â—nta distiÌ„ctione luxuria iÌ„ prouerâ— io vltiÌ„o tricesima â—nta distictioÌ„e capâ—'o vltiÌ„o Horodotus procedeth oftentymes by to grete excesse of mete drinke These grete repastes withdraweth the synewes froÌ„ the body and maketh dyuers noyses debates Wha 〈…〉 one hathe his heed troubled by to moche drynkynge the bloode the spyryte and the vnderstandynge is corrumpted and adnychylled the goodes ben despended outrageously and there is no vertue nor vnderstandyng but that it is adnychylled and corrumpted Dyuers ben dede before theyr dayes by to moche excesse of mete and drynke Dronkennes engendreth all euylles and dyshonoure vnto creatures They lyue without lawe in customes dyshonest vyle and abhomynable in lechery and debates 〈…〉 e the one and smyte the other this is the delyte of malycyous glotons and dronkerdes whan they haue well dronken they ben replenysshed with hote humours and that prouoketh them to commyt the synne of lechery and to be furyous and apte vnto all vyces withoute makynge fyne of ony thynge Dronkennesse corrumpeth all good meurs and condycyons and maketh the men to be detractours and causeth them for to make relacyon of all thynges secrete of whiche procedeth innumerable euylles There is nothynge more excecrable than glotonye Suche thynges rendreth a man â—yrus Thomirus Justi li. i. Quintus 〈◊〉 cius mate Cyrus had not vaynâ—uysshed Thomirus yf that he hadde not dronken to moche the sayd chylde that was elouen And also the grete kynge Alexander whan he Alexander eccle ii decimo si christ de iurâ— iuâ—â—n ex tricesima â—nta distinctione lu was dronke wolde put his chefe lordes and frendes vnto dethe and all was cause of the wyne Notwithstandynge that I wyll not saye euyll of the wyne but of them that taketh of it to excessyuely for there is maner in euery thynge without takynge it to glotonously for the wyne that is taken moderatly neuer hurteth no body butencourageth the spyrytes and comforteth all the body Wherfore he the whiche drynketh without mesure by to grete excesse and eteth delycyous metes haboundauntly and outrageously is vyle and dyshonest before our lorde Ihesu cryst and all the hole company of heuen And for the grete excesse of mete and drynke that he hathe made in this valey of mysery and bycause that he wolde not gyue that the whiche he had to moche made waste of vnto the poore nedy that lyueth in greate calamyte and mysery here he shall be fedde in the infernall palus with the metes that is mynystred vnto the vyle glotons that is todes snakes and drynke boylynge lede brymstone ¶ O incensyfe glotons dronkerdes that delyteth you in good wynes and delycyous metes in takynge of them to outrageously consyder ye not the poore folkes nedy the grete punycyon god ¶ Of rychesse inutyle ca. xvii ¶ Who that locketh vp his rychesse In chestes alwaye there to 〈◊〉 And helpeth no man in dystresse Thoughe the poore man therfore 〈◊〉 dye And be destroyed vtterly He is a foole at eche deâ—yse The poore men so for to dyspyse YE maye lerne here good doctryne folysshe ryche men that loueth almoost your ryches better than god come hether lyke as ye wolde do to the banke for here ye may prouffyte moche for it is grete foly for to haue soo â—rdaunt a desyre vnto the rychesse and treasours of this wretched worlde and for to haue so grete solace in your luce xvi â—uer xxvii ho. ii ser 〈…〉 hertes for to assemble and gadre it But at this day it is accounted more wysdome for to assemble rychesse than scyence and goodes ben more set by than good meurs â—ertue is no more loued for haboundauÌ„ce of goodes ha he confouÌ„ded vertuous hertes yf one haue grete treaâ—ours he shall haue alyaunce in the courte
grete concupyscence â—iiii q. v. si 〈◊〉 inuenisti of auaryce wyll not that I holde my pease from wrytynge of a chapytre of the fooles that be neuer contente with theyr propre goodes but by cautelles fallacyous reteyneth other mennes goodes Some there be that witholdeth grete treasours and kepeth it as theyr 〈◊〉 cuÌ„ qÌ„rebatur 〈◊〉 vnde vi owne propre goodes and dyspendeth it to theyr owne proussyte semblably as yf the creatour hadde sente it to Augustinus them And they be nothynge curyous for to demaunde and enquyre from whens it came nor who dyde lese it Herken to me folysshe mondaynes be nothynge ashamed for to lerne my documentes ¶ yf by aduenture ye i. petri iiii Deutro vii fynde ony ryche thynge as golde or syluer thynke not that it is yours for ye haue neyther parte nor halfe parte If that a lorde edefye a place or spare his fynaunce by excessyue payne and studye nyght and daye in grete Angelus in 〈◊〉 de re i. fi xxxii distin erubescant Hieremie xvii Psa. vli Psal. vii vexacyon of his body thynke ye that they be youres the whiche had neuer payne nor anguysshe for to assem ble them naye truely And knowe for certaynte that ye fynde ony rychesse ye ought to yelde it agayne incontynent And yf that ye knowe not hym that ought it nor none of his heyres ye ought for to dystrybute it among poore folkes to the prouffyte of hym that ought it For he that reteyneth other mennes goodes dystroyeth hys owne soule And therfore thynke vpon this for yf that ye haue ony thynge of another mannes goodes ye be theues approued bothe by the lawes and the decretes O poore fooles vndyscrete replete with furour and anguy 〈◊〉 non dimittitur c. de re iâ— li. 〈◊〉 sshe thyÌ„ke ye that god knoweth not your courages yes and after this synful lyfe shall punysshe you Then he the whiche fyndeth ony thynge that is not his wyl not yelde it agayne shall neuer entre in to paradyse ¶ Of conscyon of sapyence ca. xxii ¶ Who delyteth in sapyence That is worthy of grete praysynge Shall growe to moche magnyfycence In the courte of some grete kynge And shall haue heuen at his endynge Where he shall lyue eternally With bryght aungelles gloryously FOles vagynge in this wretched worlde ha bandone all mondanyte leue your pleasures terrestryalles and renne in to the grete shyppe of fooles and ye shal here sapyen ce that is so humble make a generall sermoÌ„ in this maner that foloweth ¶ Folkes the whiche be a ê“uerbio i. et viii persâ—â— in saty minerua slepe awaken your spyrytes and herken what I shall saye to you O gendre humayne approche you nere vnto my chayer that bereth the name of veryte retayne iustly ê“uerbio xiii my document and separe ryght from wronge O mortall folkes sloÌ„brynge in synne lerne the ensygnementes plautus in amphi techynges of Mynerue procedynge from a sacred and a holy tongue detraye all foly oute of your thoughtes Seke doctryne that gyueth lyfe and hele Serche phyloso Eccâ— xxxvii phye loue it to the ende that ye be dyscrete eschewe the desyre to gadre pecunes and ioyne you to sapyence that excedeth all precyous stones in vertue And for to tell you truely the grete excellence of sapyence without doubte it surmounteth all the vnyuersall worlde and there is nothynge that may compare with sapyence For as pryncesse she domyneth aboue the monarchye of the worlde in dygnyte tryumphaunt And by counsayll and auctoryte she dysposeth euery thynge to goodnes And by attemperaunce gouerneth cytees townes castelles toures Emperours and kynges and all the people By her is euylles adnychylled and the bodyes replenysshed with vertues She exhorteth euery body to lyue well By me she sayth kynges holde theyr ceptres and crownes prouer viii I gyue vnto them good condycyons lawes and decretes wherthrughe they domyne in grete honoure glorye By me is gouerned realmes and countrees and executed egall iugemente I haue made to euery mana Ecclesia xxi dwellynge place He that loueth me I make hym to eschewe foly and furour and I ensue hym and loue hym prouet iii. Holy rychesses and treasours remayneth in me The remuneracyons of prosperous lyfe is in me I came from paradyse auncyently where as I was abumbred create of the dyuyne mageste And then by me was enuyroned by grete and admyrable facyon the ayres the sterres and the worlde Of auncyente by me he fourmed the worlde and put all thynges necessary therin and there had nothynge ben created in the ayer nor in the worlde had I not bene Wherfore then folysshe mondaynes do ye not your besy cure for to lerne doctrine for he the whiche is replenysshed with prudence and sapyence shal neuer be oppressed with calamyte for I shall socoure hym at all tymes whan he calleth after my helpe And therfore he is a veray foole and a grete waye within the ship and at the last shall be in grete necessyte that wyll not retayne my doctryne ¶ Of iactaunce and confydence of fortune ca. xxiii ¶ Who sayth he is well fortuned Bothe of body and of rychesse And that he was neuer greued Of fortunes whele full of rudenesse That casteth many in dystresse And brenneth houses all aboute Whan the poore fooles stande leest in doubte YOnge fooles and olde in lyke wyse the whiche auaunteth you that ye were neuer mysfortuned nor neuer endured aduersyte come and gyue audyens vnto my saynges ye shal haue intellygence who is well fortuned He ought to ascende in to oure shyppe by reason for to be of the nombre of our grete foles that bosteth hym of his good fortune saynge that she laugheth on hym at euery ceason and that she is euer egal to hym and that she neuer varyeth and that all happeneth to hym after his desyre and trust O lunatyke foole o incensyfe foole o myserable foole without reason what foly dothe tormente Augustinus â—uer xxviii Ecclesia v. me what vycyous fantasyes dothe oppresse the and wherfore art thou so vnreasonable and folysshe for to gyue credence vnto the thynges that cometh gothe seynge that thou may not deny but that the godes of da me fortune ben transmutable and retourneth withouten ony faute to the place from whens they were fyrste extracte without doynge goode in ony wyse Thou bos valeri â–ª ii i. teth and vaunteth thyselfe folysshely of thy goodes of fortune that ben vncertayne vnto euery body and that reposeth there as it pleaseth her wherfor yf the one laugheth the other wepeth yf one be poore another is ryche yf the one leseth the other wynneth O peruers fortune thou gyuest to the one and takest from the other Esa. â—xv and habandonest thyself to them that thou makeste incontynent for to fall it is a pyteous case thou takest theyr propre godes from
Is replenysshed with foly And is deiecte from all good grace For no scyence he wyll purchace Wherfore he shall repente hym sore Bycause he wolde not lerne no more FOlysshe studyens come in to this place and you yonge scolers also that passeth your tyme in rennynge from towne to towne and tryflynge in the vnyuersyte dyspendynge your faders goodes folysshely without ony studyenge lyuynge lyke beestes in hauynge no regarde to the tyme future nor to recouer the tyme that ye lese Studye in this chapytre and leue your rennynge aboute in the stretes for it shal prouffyte you moche ¶ You Eccle. xliiii Ad hebre v. ii ad thimo 〈◊〉 Eccle. xxx xvi q. i. sie viue Seneca epi stola xviii c. nisi cuÌ„â—deÌ„ de remune xxxvii distin nonne Ecctle xvi xxvii distin legimus Eccâ—â—a viii studyens that were longe gownes and hodes also as who sayth ye be excellente clerkes prudent men and yet ye be incensyfe fooles for whan ye sholde be at your lessons and in your studyes ye be at the tauerne or amonge noughtypackes passynge your youthe in vycious operacyons they ymagyne newe reasons saynge that they be not subgecte to ryght and reason for theyr flesshe is frayle They go from strete to strete sekynge the nyght and wyll lerne nothynge nor folowe the techynges of wyse and prudent men They resemble not to the dyscrete men nor to them that be theyr maysters the whiche for to lerne scyence dyd watche dyuers tymes and toke grete payne and solycytude And yet there be dyuers foles that wyll lerne foure or fyue scyences without hauynge perfyte intellygence of theyr grammer that is the foundacyon of all scyences They go rennynge vnto logyke and maketh a grete sorte of argumentes and of croked sophyms and haue euer in theyr mouthe sortes or plato how well that by logyke and subtyll argumentes an obscure thynge maye well be claryfyed Neuerthelesse there be some that fyxeth theyr studye theron withoute ony other ensygnement They resemble vnto crekynge frogges by theyr murmuracyons for they tary not on fayre auctorytees and the mene whyle youthe passeth awaye in takynge his naturall course without ony tastynge of delectable scyence and so they remayne alway replete with vyces Folysshe legistes and decretistes that studyeth in codice and in Institutes and that redeth the lessons of doctours ye wene to be more experte than a grete aduocate and yet ye can nothynge bycause of the grete vaynglorye that holdeth you by the heed They that renne to many townes as to Uyenne Arfonde Orleaunce Parys Poytiers Pauye Padoue Tolouse Louayne Monpellyere In Basyle were they nourysshed They can tell some thynge of Barbarye of the see of gaule And they haue sene the cyte of Rome of London of Naples of Myllan of Auygnon of yorke And whaÌ„ xii q. ii gloria cpÌ„i glo in c. cuÌ„ ex litteris de in inte resti Prouer. xiii they retorne home agayne they be all to ragged and can nothynge They be not set by bycause they wolde not folowe good doctryne but notwithstandynge that they haue longe gownes full of plytes hodes semynge grâ—te clerkes yet they are but beestes They go to dyners and bankettes where they be set moost hyest wenyngâ— to the assystentes that they be grete clerkes The otheâ— ben players at tenys at cardes at dyce bourdellers 〈◊〉 pyllours of tauernes rennynge nyght and daye for tâ— breke doores and wyndowes and doynge other euylleâ— infynyte And theyr frendes hathe grete payne for to aâ—semble goodes for them wenynge that suche ryotoureâ— be good clerkes but they sell all for to go on ryotynge ¶ Of them that speke folysshely agaynsâ— god ca. xxviii ¶ If god wolde here fooles prayer After theyr wyll and theyr pleasure They wolde make it ryght synguler With wepynge eyen ye may be sure yf that they myght it so procure But god wyll not to them assente Seynge theyr vnhappy entente INnocent fooles and vnreasonable creatures that speketh folysshely agaynst god come and lerne this excellent doctryne to the ende that ye offende not with vycyous wordes the dyuyne mageste for the man is ryght folysshe that maketh a grete flambynge fyre for to gyue the sonne more grete lyght and bryghtnes Also he that wyll saye that the vi q. i. si omia Eccle. iii. Prouer. xxv Ad roma x. creatoure hathe not done well wyll correcke his hygh operacyons surmounteth all fooles For he is the fountayne of all sapyence of all vertues of all benygnyte true iustyfyer in all thynges refulgent and full of grete and inestymable glorye His mageste his puyssauÌ„ce his magnyfycence is so grete that he hathe no nede of oure Esaie xl xxxii dis erubescant â—elpe for he is lorde and creatour of al thynges of the 〈…〉 uens of the erthe and of the sterres His dyuynyte is so grete that there is nothynge that can dymynysshe it he is yâ— very god that dysposeth all thynge He knoweth â—ll he seeth the courage of euery man He alonely domy â—eth ouer all thynges dysposeth them after his pleasure Euery body lyueth after his lawe for there is nothynge more apparaunt and he dothe neuer nothynge â—apentie i. Psal. ciii SapieÌ„tie 〈◊〉 xi 〈◊〉 xii Eccle. xxiii NuÌ„eri xiiil Juiâ—e ix i. corinth x. â—ithout a cause He dystylleth aromatyke dewes frome 〈…〉 uen it apperteyneth not to gaynsaye hym in no wyse â—ylte thou correcke thynfractour of thy herte mastyke â—yllayne wylte thou make contradyccion with wordes â—gaynst his diuine empyre wylte thou murmure agaynste â—ym that fourmed the of nought and that myghte slee â—he and brenne the in a fyre Thou demaundest for to ha 〈◊〉 payne and vengeaunce of thy synne for folysshely yuâ—ylte gyue demonstraunce vnto god It is not behoueâ—ll for to murmure agaynste hym at no maner of cea 〈…〉 nor blaspheme hym with wordes but loue hyÌ„ perfytly We rede of Israhell that for the murmure and iniurye that the people dyde agaynste god he punysshed theym greuously wherfore poore fooles correcke yourselfe retorne you vnto hym and aske hym mercy and pardon â—o the ende that whan ye come in to the celestyall mansy on ye may haue intellygence of his infynyte puyssauÌ„ce ¶ To gyue iugement on another c. xxix ¶ Some thynketh that they be ryght Juste And iugeth others mennes vyse Saynge that to helle go they muste And neuer come in paradyse He is a fole at eche deuyse To Juge another mannes mysdede And wyll not of his owne take hede GYue audyence vnto my wordes folysshe fooles that iugeth the other for to wynne laude and praysynge Juge not but yf that ye wyl be iuged ye se well a strawein your broders eye but ye se not a blocke in your owne eye O how suche folkes be replete with foly and theyr her tes full of vyces and anguysshous tormentes Neuertheles Ezethieâ— vndecimo mathei vl Luce. vi Glosa in ca. ea qÌ„ deicri regu iii. iiii q.
pease bytwene her husbande hym What shall I saye vnto the chyldren that be so harde to correcke ye se them euery daye in noyses playes and mockynges Alas what shall I saye more saue that ye fle frome all these peruerse courages All these fooles seketh nothynge but for to dystroye a man ¶ Of the dyspraysynge of the Joye eternall ca. xlii ¶ O god how our myndes is mouable Dyshonest false and not loyall For to dysprayse god permanable With all the courte celestyall And set at nought his syege royall For he is a foole nothynge wyse The Joyes of heuen for to dyspryse NOt consyderynge the fooles speculatyues whiche cogyteth the heuen and the erthe I thought for to haue wryten no more but a Eccle. xiiii pÌ„s xli Marci ix Mathei xvi sapiâ—n iiii ad Ro. ii Amos. v. grete turbe of fooles presented them before myn eyen and whan I hadde beholden them I wrote as moche of them as I knewe for I coude take no rest they presed me so moche for to wryte som what of them These fooles be replete with all vyces but theyr wordes be full of prudence Alas how is our nature so frayle for to desyre more the worldly thynges than Eccle. ii i. iohelis ii the Joyes eternall Alas yf I regne a space of tyme my body desyreth to lyue euer in worldly pleasure vnto my laste ende whan that I muste nedes departe hens and haue not obserued and kepte the holy commaundementes of our lorde Ihesu cryst nor his lawe that is so true I haue passed my tyme in grete delytes and Joye with them that was with me without thynkynge that I put my poore soule in the waye to go vnto the goulfre infernall Luce. vi in to the flode of Acheron O poore fooles I can not haue intellygence how ye desyre the mondayne Joye so moche ye walke in the waye swete and delectable but ye shall be trapped and taken in stronge glue aspre and bytter and he the whiche shall take you is the deuyll of helle Now tell me foole what prouffyteth so moche rychesse Tallius 〈◊〉 senectute JahaÌ„ xviii what prouffyte may come vnto the by these treasours inutyle Alas thou seest that many leseth them ryght often and that they melte lyke snowe Habandone the mondayne Joye the whiche is full of galle for it is a thyn ge that endureth no more than the grasse in the felde that whan it is mowen leseth all his rygoure Euen soo haue we our hertes whiche draweth to mondanytees and to vyces foule and dyshonest but god wyll mowe the body and the soule all sodaynly at suche an houre as shall lyke hym best for our dethe is ryght sodayne Alas nowe is loste our dayes our delytes and mondanytees And the worlde departeth from vs and after we shall taste bytter thynges All thynges that hathe rygoure in this ê“uer xi JohaÌ„nis vi Eccle. iii. Sapi. ii 〈◊〉 v. Jacobi v. Luce. xii â—po xiiii et xx worlde shall fynysshe also We se the grete rumoure of the grete estates as well spyrytuall as temporall and in conclusyon all the humaynes God that knoweth the thought of man punyssheth vs or leueth vs in the worlde vyle and replete with synne or sendeth vs sodayne and cruell dethe agaynst the whiche none erthely creature can resyste And thou the whiche wyll lyue in delytes in offendynge god thy creatoure thou doost not well Alas thou arte gretely blynded and affusked And for al that thou hast aege in this worlde yet thou knowest not the grete immondycyte and myserye that thou arte in and that thou leuest the Joye of heuen for to remayne in the stynkynge palus vyle and abhomynable where Mathei xxv as is pluto and proserpyne ingurgyted in the obscurtes of helle ¶ Of tumulte and ianglynge in the chirche ca. xliii ¶ Who bereth a hauke on his hande In the chirche walkynge vp and downe And ledeth houndes in a bande That with theyr belles make grete sowne He were better be in the towne For he letteth without delaye Bothe men and women for to praye COme and here this chapytre foles replete with wanhope the whiche renneth in the chirches lettynge the dyuyne seruyce by your tumulte De immunitate ecclesle c. dec3 li. vi and perturbacyon The seruyce of god ought to be done in pease and reste without cryenge or claterynge or walkynge vp and downe or commyttynge ony thynge dyshoneste Gyue intellygence vnto my doctryne then for there is dyuers in this turbe that gothe to the chirche in maner of deuocyon but whan the prestes be at the dyuyne seruyce they wandre aboute lyke a flocke of shepe in babelynge and claterynge the one to the other and yet they thynke that it is nothynge for to make bruyte rumoure yes it is to moche contemp nynge god and his temple Suche fooles entre in to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunciamê° L. de his qui ad eccle confugiunt chirche more astonyed than a goos berynge a sparowe hauke or a lanyer vpon theyr handes and theyr belles at theyr fete demeanynge grete noyse with the barkynge of theyr houndes all that is lycyte in the chirche can not be done in pease as it requyreth but they be lenynge vpon the aulters claterynge of theyr affayres It is to moche Prouer. v. Creno i. dyspraysed god and his commaundementes They speke of theyr affayres and processes of theyr marchauÌ„dyses and of theyr chaufre it is to moche dyspysed god and his commaundementes they speke of the sellynge of whete of wyne of clothe and of all other marchaundyses without makynge ony prayers or orisons The other JohaÌ„ xii go to the chirche for to se the fayre wyues or yonge maydens or theyr ladyes in loue for to set some steuen sheweth themselfe gorgyously arayed The other gothe not saue for custome traylynge theyr fete with slepers or patyns O dure courages full of furoure how may ye In aucteÌ„ vt lic ma. auie in fâ— col viii walke so in the chirche Alas pore wretches ye ought for to thynke that god hathe gyuen you example by scrypture that ye sholde do nothynge in the chirche that were dyspleasynge vnto the creatoure but beseche hym that he wolde sende you all thynges propyse to your helthe In praynge hym humbly that he wolde gyue you at youre laste ende the realme of paradyse Goo we then in to his house for to make humble prayers orysons for that place is ordeyned therfore God gaue vs a fayre example whan he droue the marchauntes out of the holy temple Joh. ii Eccle. xxi Johelis ii Psal. i. Marti xi Luce. xix bycause that they bought and solde within it sayd vnto them The house of god is a house of prayer oryson The chirche is establysshed for to praye and adoure god in and his sayntes you the whiche haue puyssaunce make them auoyde out to the ende that the yonge men doo not as
calfe ¶ Of the dolorous departynge of the puyssaunce of heuen ca. lii ¶ Neuer man yet was so puyssaunt Of goodes or of parentage But that mortall dethe dyde hym daunt By processe at some strayte passage Ye were he neuer of suche aege For he spareth neyther yonge nor olde Fayre nor foule fyerse nor also bolde AL you proude fooles the whiche wolde surmouÌ„t all other thynketh that none may compare with you come and gyue audyence vnto my documentes saynges Poore courages obstynate in vaynglorye and eleuate in the dampnable synne of pryde To gretely ye deceyue yourself for to folowe the vanytees of this wretched worlde as yf the worlde were pardurable and withouten ende Wherfore do ye not consyder that ye must all deye Cezar dyde deye Cezar intioâ— for all that by his puyssaunce he was mayster of all the worlde Yf it had not ben by his valyaunce after that he hadde wonne all his goodes he wolde haue conquered all the hye realmes He felte hymselfe puyssaunt stronge wherfore he put his affyaunce therin and gloryfyed hymselfe in tormentynge the burgeyses of Rome and was to hasty to smyte them for the whiche thynge the cruell people slewe hym incontynent by grete furoure What may one saye saue that his hye puyssaunce fell in to grete ruyne myschefe Also Daryus kynge of Perses Darius i. mach i. the whiche had so moche good helde halfe the worlwas not contente therwith but coueyted other mennes goodes wherfore he was vaynguysshed by Alexander the whiche surmounted his pryde And bycause that he pretended to haue other mennes goodes he was vnclothed of his ryght loste al within a shorte space Xerxes Xerxes de quo herodotus li. v. the moost rychest of kynges that hadde goodes ynough without vsurpynge of other but he insacyate wolde make warre vpon the staungers of the realme of Dattyque where as Xerxes loste al his knyghtes how well that he had a grete company for his pryde deceyued hym and fynably he lost also diuerse castelles and shyppes of the whiche he was ryght dyspleasaunt Nabuchodonosor Nabuchodo kynge of Babyloyne posseded a grete treasour and for all that he had goodes ynoughe and that he affyed hym in fortune yet bycause that he toke the honour from god and wolde haue decored hymselfe hyghly god transfor formed hym in to the lyknesse of a beest and abode so seuen yere entyerly Also Alexander the grete kynge of all Alexâ—nd m. Juuenalis the worlde for all his conquestes he bare with hym nothynge in to the places tenebrous saue a fardell full of vyces and synnes Cyrus the grete kynge of perses the Cyrus Herodoâ—s ea Justinus li. i. whiche was neuer sacyate to se the blode humayne shed ledde his hoost in to Chytare and euery man ledde his wyfe with hym where as they were all destroyed The quene had grete doloure in her herte form the bloode of her lorde and of her men she deyed the whiche was a harde thynge and a cruell Crasus that was not content to â—rasâ— Herodotus li. i. possede grete rychesses fortune dyde surmounte hym al waye in her specyall grace but he insacyable wolde euer haue more goodes so that she dysdayned hym fynably for he loste his realmes fynaunce and his armye and all for lacke of suffysaunce By the meane of whiche all kyngdomes decayeth fortytude vayne mondanyte Ecclesia x. Eccle. xlix Job iii. Apo. xviii Sapien. vii rychesse Rome cartage mytenes solyme and all grece ben almoost fyled by theyr perdycyons And for the grete synnes that we commytte amonge vs Latyns I am sore aferde that we forge a hammer for to breke our bodyes withall ¶ Of predestynacyon ca. liiii ¶ He the whiche demaundeth the pryse That he dyde neuer well deserue He is a foole peruerse and nyse So to aske for though he sholde sterue And be lost he wyll not obserue The byddynges and commaundementes Haue he neuer so many rentes LUnatykes and ouerwenynge fooles that desyreth the thynges that ye neuer deserued let Ad 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ii thimo 〈◊〉 Ad Rom. i. ê“uer 〈◊〉 Hie 〈…〉 go biblie the crowe flee in the felde and come and beholde that the whiche I haue wryten in this present chapytre It is grete abhomynacyâ—n vnto man for to haue volente for to knowe the meruayllous secretes of the creatour and to enquyre to ferforth in the hye dyuynyte As how he myght make the elementes and the mouynges of the same in the skye And in lyke wyse how he made heuen and erthe The man shâ—â—de not enquyre of suche thynges for it apperteyneth not to hym for to knowe suche thynges But vnto god alonely is remytted the knowlege By this occasyon I wyl wryte here of dyuerse ydyot foles that thynketh oftentymes on the hyghe operacyons of god the whiche fooles haue theyr hedes full of ventosytees saynge that they haue intellygence of the holy lawes haboundantly And by this moyen they reuycyte theyr bookes and lyke innocentes they goo and gyue sence aboue the hyghe and holy scyence and sapyence of god and that whiche we ought to byleue where as remayneth a storye dyuyne that we sholde all vnderstonde Of hym that composeth the Grego iÌ„ dia. xxiii q. iiii obtineri decretes and in euery passage wyll reforme them and this man by the vnderstondynge that he addeth thertâ— vnreasonable and false aryseth many erroures and heresyes co 〈…〉 pynge and destroyenge the hye sence dyuyne in enforsynge them to tourne the morall sence O JohaÌ„ vi ygnoraunt foole I praye the and beseche the that thougyâ—e audyence vnto my wordes Wylte thou speke agaynste xxiii q. iiii Nabuchodo god wylte thou intermet the agaynst hym saynge that his puyssaunce is not perfyte in some thynges by thy desyres thou wolde pemet it in to other sence but thou may not And yf god hathe made the cauernes helles for to punysshe Sâ—pien x. Hieremie i. ê“uer xxiiii Eccle. xii Mathei xvi Ad Rom. ii Aâ—â— xxii synners in perdurably that there is some damned wylte thou saye that it is euyll done and that god is not Juste and that he hathe not perfyte bounte I tel the that god hathe neuer taken vengeaunce of no body without that he hathe deserued it by obeyenge of the deuyll of helle Also he gyueth no rewardes but vnto them that hathe loued hym and serued hym for to them he gyueth the hyghe realme of paradyse and to the cursed the horryble paynes of helle And he that serueth god and obserueth his commaundementes hathe no cause to be Esaye xiv Ad Rom. ix 〈◊〉 sorowfull for he shall gyue hym the Joyes of paradyse for his laboure I supplye the lunatyke foole that thou speke not agaynst the mageste dyuyne expulse that folye God hathe created the in this worlde to the ende that thou be pure and clene of synne for to wynne his glorye
the laye people but also vnto the clerkes and them of the chirche for they daunce also how well that theyr thoughtes be vertuous yet they be beten downe with mondanytees and ben sene reygne in maladyccyon Osyuyte holdeth euery daye chyldren yonge maydens be nothynge endoctryned as they were in tyme paste they can no more vertuousnes nowe nor honour nor amyable speche in the worlde is nothinge but synne All men as wel on werke dayes as on holydayes daunceth ye and they that be so auncyent that they maye scarsely susteyne themselfe enrageth for to daunce In many and dyuers wayes it is but vycyousnes 〈…〉 g. ii geor Judith ii in mouynge theyr corporall bodyes after the melodyous armony of the instrument More than a thousande myllyons of euylles is done at the daunces for a notable man shal fynde with his doughter or with his wyfe a grete sorte of galauntes spekynge many dyssolate wordes kyndelynge the fyre of loue And after they be so ardaunt in loue that all theyr bodyes is tormented therwith Amonge you yonge maydens that putteth all your curyosyte therin yf ye wyll lyue without vyce flee that thynge ¶ Of players of instrumentes ca. lix Who gothe aboute euery nyght Playnge on instrumentes swetely And syngeth songes by the lyght Of the mone melodyously Before his ladyes dore truely He is a foole endurynge colde Whiche he shall fele whan he is olde PLayers on instrumentes that renneth on the Esaye xxix SapieÌ„ xiiii Job xxiii ê“uer vii nyght aboute come and playe a balade before my booke and ye shall haue a celestyal rewarde I wolde haue made an ende of mi saynges for my volunte was descended on the banke of the see where as I sawe a grete companye of foles that gothe by nyght Then toke I my penne wrote of theÌ„ as I dyde of other Whan euery body was at reste these fooles made grete noyse whiche noyed sore the poore folkes that were at reste as well men as women for they gooâ—cryenge and rennynge from strete to strete makynge dyuers songes and playenge on many instrumentes lyke as fooles that haue loste theyr sensuall wyttes They synge vycyous songes and balades Somtyme they haue vysyons by nyght that be ryght Ouidius in arte Luce. v. horryble Notwithstandynge the swete instrumentes and the songes that they go syngynge oftentymes of deumenydes And for all theyr melodyous instrumentes yet they trouble them sore that be at reste bycause that they be not in theyr houses And it behoueth them often tymes to caste stones at them water ye and the pot with pysse for to chace them awaye they endure colde hete froste snowe and rayne O poore fooles wherfore reioyse you yourselfe for to renne vpon the nyght as foles SapieÌ„ xvii JohaÌ„ xi vnreasonable beestes that were neuer wyse The mynstrelles be not all alone doynge so But the yonge Joyous men gentylmen preestes religyous men and monkes doynge on the nyght all thynges dysordynate The husbandes that hathe theyr custome for to accomplysshe theyr cursed wyll and macule theyr maryage leue theyr wyues in theyr beddes without ony consolacyon wherthorugh oftentymes they be dysposed to vycyousnes by his euyll example Who that is maryed ought Juuenalis ad ephe iiii i. thessa iiii to kepe theyr wyues honestly and peasybly mynystringe vnto them all that is behouefull and necessarye to the ende that ye gyue them none occasyon for to doo euyll For oftentymes for lacke they be vycyously dysposed ¶ Of beggers of theyr vanytees c. lx ¶ I whiche am a poore almesse man Haue grete fere to encrease lygnage Bycause that I nothynge gete can To helpe myselfe in myn olde aege And my chyldren in theyr domage Goynge aboute from dore to dore Gyue your good almesse to the poore ALl vacabondes and myghty beggers the which gothe beggynge from dore to dore ayleth lytell or nought with lame men and 〈◊〉 de mendi vali li. xi v. q. v. noÌ„ ois lxxxvi dis c. pasce glo suê‘ math c. auaricie de preben puerbi xiii crepylles come vnto me and I shall gyue you an almesse saluberryme of grete vertue The mendycans be in grete nombre wherfore I wyll declare vnto you some of theyr folysshe condycyons These fooles the whiche be souÌ„de in theyr corporall bodyes wyll nourysshe and kepe dyuers chyldren I by leue fermely that they wolde not haue theyr lyues in this Luce. vi Thobie iiii et xii Eccle. iii. vale of my serye otherwyse The monkes haue this myschefe and the clerkes also the whiche haue theyr coffres full of grete rychesses and treasours Neuertheles yet they applye themselfe in the offyce of the mendycans in purchasynge and beggynge on euery syde They be a grete sorte replenysshed with vnhappynes saynge that â—s xl Danielis iiii they lede theyr lyues in grete pouerte and calamyte therfore they praye euery man to gyue them theyr good almesse in release of theyr payne and myserye And yet they haue golde and syluer grete plente but they wyll spende nothynge before the comyn people ¶ Our lorde Eccle. vii de 〈◊〉 et re c. cum ex eo Ihesu cryste hathe ordeyned that almesse sholde be dystrybuted and gyuen vnto the poore folkes that possedeth nothynge and that be indygente to the ende that they lyue here to the laude and praysynge of our lorde Ihesu cryste the whiche thynge is ryght precyous before god Somtyme the cursed taketh the almesse of the poore in dygente I fynde grete fautes in the abbottes monkes pryours chanons and couentes for all that they haue Eccle. xix l. vna 〈◊〉 de meÌ„di vali rentes tenementes and possessyons ynough yet as folkes deuoyde of sence and vnderstondynge they be neuer satysfyed with goodes They goo from vyllage to vyllage and from towne to towne berynge grete bagges vpon theyr neckes assemblynge so moche goodes that it is grete meruayll and whan they be in theyr relygyons or cloysters they make them byleue that they haue had lytell gyuen theym or nothynge for god knoweth they make heuen chere in the countree And by this occasyon the poore nedy hathe none almesse or elles it is but small There is another sorte of pardoners the whiche bereth relyques aboute with them in abusynge the pore folkes for yf they haue but one poore peny in theyr purses they must haue it They gadre togyder golde syluer in euery place lyke as yf it grewe They make the poore folkes byleue moche gaye gere They sell the feders of the holy ghoost They bere the bones of some deed body aboutâ— the whiche parauenture is dampned They shewe the heere of some olde hors saynge that it is of the berde of the innocentes There is an innumerable syght Uide libruâ— stultoruÌ„ i lingua theutoni calatius of suche folkes and of vacabondes in this realme of englonde the whiche be hole of all theyr membres myghte wynne theyr
that it were not for the grete rychesses that Juuenalis they be replete with Dyuers sholde be hanged brente or slayne yf that it were not for theyr goodes And by this meane abydeth many vnpunysshed The pore man that hathe nothynge shall be greuously punysshed By suche meanes is commytted soo many euylles that it is horrour Achas that was kynge of Samarye vsurped Achas iii. Reg. xxi Eccle. v. Jezabell all his subgectes for he was not contente with his realme Naboth had a fayre arbour and a delectable to this kynge the kynge asked it hym eyther to sell or to haue as moche for it but Naboth sayd he wolde not breke the arbour of his fader for that sholde be to grete dyshonour He departed from thens and came in to his house and layde hym downe vpon his bedde he myght neyther ete vi q. iii. paup Juuenalis Lucanus xv q. ii illa no. de rescrip statatuÌ„ li. vi bea tho ii ii q. clxxx viii ar iii. ê“uer xix xii q. ii crates Roma Qui curtius dendatus Publicola Fabritius M. regulus de q o tulliê° i of Apuletus Grecia Aristotelis epaminuÌ„das Homerus Socrates Eccle. xi Roma Augustinus Duidius Eccle. x viii Larthago ê“uer xxii Juuenalis nor drynke His wyfe arryued there the whiche was ryght sorowfull but whan she knewe wherfore it was she sayd vnto hym that he sholde take no thought TheÌ„ she wente and shewed it vnto the grettest of the towne And she exhorted them soo moche that they stoned hym to dethe But god knoweth all for meÌ„broth was slayne for that the whiche the kynge suffred folysshely Thus is the poore oppressed by the ryche In the tyme of the golden leage pouerte was praysed and well maynteyned And by her was good lyfe without enuye euery bodylyued Euery body vsed largenesse and negardyse was expulsed by her was had good vertues and scyences auaryce was not then reygnynge Al the estates reygned in peas and vnyon with the people Vertues and honoure was with pouerte All grete prynces and lordes was replete with vertues and pouerte They domyned in euery prouynge As Curtius and his felowes that helde the Samnytes ausonye and dyuers other cytees bycause that they were enclyned to serue pouerte They maynteyned the thynges publyke mounted vp in honoure and excellence Pouerte was cause she was of heuen of the worlde the hye pryce the gate of heuen at this tyme for thou berest the keye O publycolle thou berest honoure is dygne of grete laude bycause that thou mayÌ„teyned pouerte O fabrycyus thou arte worthy to be praysed for thou dyspraysed all the grete gyftes of Pyrrus Pouerte gaue the honour I pray the folysshe ryche man consyder that pouerte hathe done many excellent werkes As to crowne kynges To dyscerne Justyce estatâ—s of realmes she hathe loued doctrynes Grece respleÌ„dyssheth in pouerte and all scyence is extracte therfro The grace of pouerte fleeth neuer Arystotle EpaminuÌ„ces Homerus Socrates were grete phylosophres and excellente poetes notwithstondynge they were poore desyred no rychesse Rychesse gaue neuer no goodes but hathe destroyed many realmes ¶ By pryde is knowen how Rome is decayed many men it peryssheth Cartage came vnto ruyne It engendreth all euylles There is nothynge more excellenter nor more sweter than pouerte â—resê° de quo Herodo li. i. ê“uer xii Eccle. xvi Marti x. Wherfore do we loue otherthynge than We myrre ourselfe in this vnhappy moneye that ledeth the soule vnto helle Tell me what auaylled the rychesse vnto kynge crassus or to Sardanapalê° or other To speke shortly there is nothynge worse nor more abhomynable Pouerte gyueth fruycyon to the realme of heuen Wherfore you cursed fooles that dyspryseth pouerte know that ye shall be banysshed and expulsed from the realme of paradyse Of hi that wyll not perseuer in goodnes ca. lxxx ¶ Dyuers fooles wyll the carte drawe By wanhope and iniquyte Without reason or ony lawe Lyuynge in grete calamyte Deuoyde of blysse and prosperyte And all thrugh theyr folysshe bobaunce Not folowynge perseueraunce NOw without ony lenger delaye foles that wyll not perseuer in goodnes make a lepe in to our shyppe and ye shall knowe the gre Luce. ix Ecc 〈…〉 xxxviii de pe dis ii multi Abacuc i. ii â—orin vi Ad hebre iii. Ad hebre xii te erroure that ye be in and ye shall se the robuste man begynne to werke the which whan he hathe tasted it ones wyll neuer leue it Now yf thou wylte vnderstonde this thynke where as I wyll falle to the ende that thou take ensygnement and here my sentence amyably Our shyppe calleth all these men bycause that they be couenable to drawe the cordes of our saylles or do some other thynge aboute in the shyp vnderneth the hatches and aboute the pompe and stere They the whiche begynne for to lyue well and vertuously and make clene theyr soules frome synne wyll ensue good doctrynes and vertuous scyences and cast out from your conscyences the infeccyons and fylthes Eccle. ii pictagoras But who that gothe vp a mountayne to holde the somet and abydeth in the halfe waye it is grete pyte and yf he loke behynde hym he destroyeth hymselfe and leseth all the vertues that were resplendy sshynge in hym he was debonayre but he perseuered not therin dyuers be of theyr condycyons The other wyll goo in the waye of Josue vii ê“uer xxvi Exodi xvi Nume xiiii veryte where as is Justyce and ryght but whan they be at the halfe waye they torne the brydell in to the waye polluted and so strayeth out of the ryght waye for they tourne theyr faces awaye and beholde the perfounde places of mondanytees As the chyldren of Israhell to whome our lorde had done so moche good and loued so perfytely and made them to be ledde out of captyuyte by Moyses in to deserte And after they murmured saynge that god wolde predestyne them vnto grete myschefe bycause that he hadde put them in to so barayne a countre and taken them from that the whiche was soo fructuous God knowynge theyr murmuracyon made Mathei xv Luce. ii apoca 〈…〉 i. Hieremie iii. it to rayne manna from heuen for to se yf that they wolde kepe theyr lawe They dyde well But in the ende they wolde do euyll Then for to come vnto my purpose I saye that he the whiche wyll be the waye to serue god after be wrappeth his body in synne knowe that his es tate is ryght daungerous for he honoureth that the whiche is of no valure example of a seke man to whome the physycyen sayeth that he wyll hele hym I demaunde i. q. i. c. veÌ„tuÌ„ Depe dis 1. c. qÌ„ pertinet xcii di plurimos the yf he wyll obserue his commaundement naye and yf he impayre who is it longe on of hymselfe bycause he wolde not byleue his good couÌ„sayll the whiche was for his helthe Yf thou had a grete
wouÌ„de wolde not suffre that it sholde be serched and made clene and greuous maladye where thorughe dethe sholde procede in xv q. i. ca. in canonibus whome sholde the faute be in the and not in the physycyen In lyke wyse yf that thou saye I haue lyued wel all my lyfe I haue done alwayes good thyn vnderstoÌ„dynge dothe contrarye Thou contempneth good werkes Thou doost not well for the pryncypall thynge is not to begynne well an operacyon but muste lyue well and vertuously vnto the laste ende and so contynue in werke also O poore gendre humayne I praye you doo Eccle. xviii Eccle. vii Sapien. v. Mathei x. Deuter. xxxii Ecclesia ix merytoryous dedes in your lyues contynue ye shall please god For yf that ye be not good at the ende ye shal meryte nothynge of the realme of heuen They the whiche reyse vp perturbacyons maye well go with the other that gothe in the stretes by nyght makynge suche noyse that no body can haue no reste in theyr beddes They make the begynnynge of theyr helle for they borne horses and maketh the moost vyllaynous stynke that can be thought or ymagyned of the whiche I am sore abasshed that the Justyce setteth not handes on them for the moneye that they take and demaunde is agaynst god reason and yf they be suffred here yet god for all that permytteth it not And it is ryght euyll done to suffre suche thynges for it were ynoughe to enfecte a hole countree with ¶ Of the dysprysynge of dethe ca. lxxxi ¶ O dethe dethe thou arte ryght cruell To destroye all thumayne lygnage And to sende them to heuen or hel To dwell there with theyr parentage Where ryche nor poore hathe no vauntage For golde nor syluer in no manere Saue of all good vertues in fere LOke that ye wasshe your eyen with clere water fooles that contempneth the dethe and come and se this chapytre and it shall prouffyte SenecaÌ„ ff de condi de l. i. Tulliê° de se. Job xviii ii reguÌ„ xiii Ouidius in tristium ê“uer x. Eccle. ix SapieÌ„tie ix Ad roma v. you gretely Mondayne brederen howe haue we our wylles soo dyuers to thynke for to lyue alwayes in this wretched worlde ¶ Alas we be walkynge in dyuerse passages we thynke not on the furour of this dethe he pardoneth no body for he hath his houres amytted He taketh certayne and vncertayne can not tell whan it shall be We resemble to the water that without ony restynge renneth in the ryuer For yf we be hole to daye we shall be deed to morowe so moche he is cruell and peruerse be it yonge or olde he putteth all in his cercle castynge his darte at auenture He loketh not at the auauntage that the yonge sholde haue He taketh all without fauourynge O foole thou sayeth dethe abyde it is not tyme that I deye for I am yonge Eccle. xi ad roma vi Job xxi Juuenalis Eccle. vii ê“uer xi stronge puyssaunt lyght knowynge fayre honeste tryumphynge Were thou also stronge as the olyphauÌ„t yet sholde thou haue no more respyte than the other for thou shalte deye Thou labourest in vayne for whan de the wyll take the thy wytte shal not kepe the for thy body shal swete for colde and for styffenes thy fayre membres that were wonte to be well coloured shall be pale Thy herte for grete payne shall tremble for fere to descende bynethe thy speche shall fayle whan thy poore lyf Ecclesi xli Uirg vi en Horatius Job xv Eccle. xlviii Job iii. Eccle. ii iii Eccle. xiiii Nestor Sybilla l. fi C. de saâ— san eccle Apo. xxi i auteÌ„ de nup deiceps col iiii Juuenalis Uirg vi en SapieÌ„tie iii. wyll fynysshe The dethe is suche to all men O dethe cruell and sodayne vnto hym that hathe assembled grete treasours thou takest hym in a shorte space Alas it dothe hym grete euyll for to departe from his goodes the whiche he loued so well Thou takest from euery body be it kynge duke or erle thou goth frely knocketh at theyr gates without beholdynge why or wherfore Thy courage is so fyerse that and one wolde gyue the a grete somme of moneye thou wolde haue dysdayne at it And yet yf the pope or the rustyke procure thou wylt do nothynge for thou wylte beholde none euyll tyme but shortely wyll destroye them And yf he had reygned and domyned euer in the worlde syth Nestreus vntyll this presente tyme or syth Sybylle the wyse his lyfe shol de be shorter If that some haue lyued a thousande yere in Juuenalis Horatius Martialis this worlde yet dethe hathe vsurped them at the laste for this tyme presente we be wel sure that we shal not lyue paste a hondreth yere for there is but fewe that lyueth lenger After that the fader is deed the sone dyscoÌ„forteth hymselfe and more ouer we se that the sone lyueth lesse than the fader or as moche and no more Pore foole wepeth thou not whan thou haste knowledge that the dethe maketh so grete lamentacyons vnto them the whiche is lyuynge If that he pycke ony it is nature for ones muste we deye none excepte he spareth neyther yonge nor olde He taketh them in the ayer in the fyre in the water and in the erthe Dethe hathe not reserued our lorde Ihesu cryste nor the holy sayntes the which he hathe conduyted vnto the celestyall courte And thâ— other vycyous synners he hathe ledde in to yâ— fyre of he This dethe hathe taken awaye townes castelles places and worldly goodes from grete lordes how well that Eccle. xxxix i. corin xv Eccle. xlviii Eccle. ii iii. Horatius fortune fauoured them had eleuate them on heyght And the other she hathe vnclothed of goodes The one shall be a greate succeder for all that rychesse hathe habandoned hym But this dethe wyll come make mortell warre without takynge ony to mercye They that haue lyued in syÌ„ne shall be depryued from paradyse He murdreth and sleeth that whiche pleaseth hym And ledeth all the mondaynes to his daunce There is no prayer nor request that is ought worthe and yf all the humaynes were afore hym cryenge with theyr handes ioyned yet he wolde refuse them There is nothynge create bestes byrdes nor fysshes be they neuer so fayre nor pleasaunt but that he rauyssheth maketh to passe by hys handes He calleth with his trompe pope emperour all lyuynge in an instaunte Thou the whiche edefyeth vpon thy body a grete crosse and epytaphe a tabernacle gylted and paynted meruaylously or a marble stone I demaunde the wherfore thou doost soo Arte thou Arthemisia de qua Hiero vii a. g. li. x. Chemnis de q o diodo li. ii more purer clener of synne than the other naye But full of crymes and parauenture tormented in helle all this serueth the not of a lytell halfepeny Tell me what auaylleth the grete monumente
x. Johel ii Nume xv Thobie iiii not well women that for your pleasures carnalles draweth men vnto your loues Knowe for a certaynte that god shall punysshe you greuously for your pryde insacyable lecherye Thynke amonge you grete synners of the infynyte Joyes of paradyse And in lyke wyse of the inestymable paynes and tormentes of helle And consyder that Lucyfer the whiche was the fayrest aungell of Job xli Esaie xiiii Nume xvi â—s cv paradyse by his pryde is the vglyest deuyll in helle and all proude folkes shall be punysshed so bothe men women As Dathan and Abyron the whiche wolde vsurpe the sacrefyce the ensence the dyuyne offyce by theyr pryde for the whiche god punysshed them well For they were swalowed quycke in to the erthe And in the same wyse shall our lorde Ihesu cryste do with the proude men and women ¶ Of vsurers and feneratours ca. lxxxix ¶ All you the whiche ben vsurers That take of men theyr hole substaunce And also you that be synners Lyuynge euer in grete bobaunce Leue your vyle synnes and perturbaunce Or elles ye shall be put in thrall And haue tormentes perpetuall USurers abhomynable come and lenne some moneye by vsurye vpon my chapytre studye therupon and ye shal see what prouf ê“uer xâ— Luce. vi Inno. in c. i. de vsu. Bal. i auÌ„t ad hec L 〈◊〉 ti xiiii q. â—iii pet totuÌ„ fyte ye may haue by your vsuryes you be lefte behynde yet for to speke of the whiche is the vylest company that I spake yet of And yf that ye wyll knowe what they be knowe for certaynte that they be vsurers that be full of lyes They ought to be punysshed and delyuered vnto cruell dethe for theyr studye c. i. de emp. et ven Eccle. xlii Esaie xxxiii Azech xiii Ebacuc ii xiiii q. iiii ca. uonuÌ„ et c. se. ec c. pe is not but for to dyspoyle the poore people of theyr goodes without hauinge ony pyte Of suche folkes there is many bothe burgeyses and lytell lordes of smal vyllages They fere not god his vengeaunce nor the offence that they do in destroyenge the poore folkes how well that it is not greuous for to saye I saye that the Jewes is more charytable more iuste and more verytable thaÌ„ they be for all that they kepe grete vsuryes more than the crysten men and be better in theyr lawe They be Math. xxiii Leui. xxv Deutr. xxiii Exodi xxii Hiere v. Luce. xix pÌ„s lxxi Eccâ— xxvii no rauysshers of goodes as the crystyens is We dysprayse god euery day And yf we chase the Jewes out of our countrees they knowe not our entencyon nor to what ende we entende Certaynly it is to our vsurye alonely not vnto that of the Jewes thus we be without vertues and expulsed from god O holy crysten men how that it is an vndyscrete paccyon and a spere more sharper than stele To do so vnto your crysten brederen you be as horryble wulues famysshed that holdeth the poore shepe By auaryce you commyt vsurye fraudulously xiiii q. iiii nec hoc et c. se. et c. quicunque be enraged by grete hete you desyre derthenes of whete and corne to the ende that you may sell your prouysyon you desyre another mannes euyll and truely the euyll shall fall vpon yourselfe It had ben better that you had neuer ben borne than to commyt suche extorcyons In dyuers thynges you thynke that ye coÌ„myt none vsurye and excuse yourselfe But god at the daye of Jugemente shall accuse you ¶ Of the vayne hope to haue succede â—ca lxxxx ¶ Who trusteth to haue successyon Of others goodes and rychesse Makynge therfore prouysyon Not thynkynge on dethes hardynesse He is a foole voyde of sagesse For to desyre other mennes dethe Eyther for rychesse londe or hethe SLepe no more fooles that desyreth the dethe of your frendes to haue the successyon and â—e coÌ„ces pÌ„beÌ„ c. ii et c. ne ca â—tande eo â—i li. vi l. stipulatio ff de ver ob l. quidaÌ„ ff de dona Eccâ—ie xxxi Treno v. Esaie xxx i. thimo vi ê“uer xx Eccle. xliiii Hiere xxii Sapien. iii. Eccle. vi ê“uer x. Osâ—e ix ê“uer xii â—amê° de quo Juuenalis Absolon 〈◊〉 Reg. xviii Hiere viii pÌ„s xxxvi Eccle. iiii ê“uer xxviii Ecclesi x. pÌ„s liiii come and se the testament where as is lefte you many fayre doctrynes Ha what is he that may suffre this foole that hathe his mynde lyght as wynde the whiche desyreth the dethe of another for his goodes He is a fole so to desyre his frendes deth but god gyueth theÌ„ no power therto nor excepteth not theyr prayers For oftentymes we se the contrary that they dye before theyr frendes Alas is it not grete furoure to the to desyre ony mannes deth for temporall goodes For deth foloweth the fote for fote be thou neuer so grete at the laste thou shalte be deceyued It is sene often that the sone deyeth afore his fader It is than grete fo ly to truste in the dethe of another man Kynge Pryam for all his aege sawe all his chyldren deye before hym Wherfore he deyed almoost as he wente In lyke wyse whan Absolon sawe the sceptre of his fader kynge Dauyd he desyred it gretely But all sodaynly dethe smote hym with his darte and he wolde not haue thought but that he sholde haue lyued after his fader The dedes of dethe be not all the sureste for they be to obscure derke Lyuynge folkes be not so folysshe to put your truste in thynges caducke and transytorye but truste euer to lyue with the sayntes of heuen in Joye perdurable and not in the thynges mondaynes ¶ Of them that obserueth not the sondayes and other feestes ca. lxxxxi ¶ Who that kepeth not the sondayes And holy festes canonysed But occupyeth them in playes Is a grete fole predestyned And shall be from god expulsed But yf that he kepe them truely In seruynge god reuerently AWaken you out of your dremes fo 〈…〉 he lu natyke fooles the whiche haloweth 〈…〉 nor kepeth not the sondayes nor the ot 〈…〉 sayntes ero xx 〈◊〉 xxxi Leuiti xxvi Johan xvii Deu. v. dayesmen women come 〈◊〉 this chapytre parauenture it shall 〈…〉 se you for to obserue them as ye be bounde for to do â—nd coÌ„maunded of our moder holy chirche Alas I aduertem my remembraunce the vyces opprobryous of the humaynes I am ryght sore abasshed how that they haue theyr hertes so affusked in vyle synnes ¶ For they haue theyr corporall bodyes enuyronned with obscurnes tenebrous walkynge in dyuers quarters oure of the hye waye And holdeth not the playne and perfyte waye that Hier. xvii De fer ci i. 〈◊〉 vltimo L. e. t. l. ois our lorde Ihesu cryste hathe demonstred them of good fayth He gyueth his ensygnementes and artycles hys doctryne and hye grace vnto euery
there is none that maye compare with the. Thou alone arte suffycyent to conquere the holy londe Alcydes Achyles Hercules Jason Parys Hector nor AgamenoÌ„ had neuer the myght that thou hast ryght puyssaunt kynge It is he that shall regne domyne aboue his enemyes by the grace of god And shall be vyndycatour of the chirche mylytante And by his ineffable strengthe shall subdue the turkes and go vnto Iherusalem to vysyte the sepulcre of our lorde Ihesu cryste and shall reduce all vnto our crysten fayth O dukes erles barons and knyghtes of this redouted realme of Englonde whiche is the floure of crystendome and tryumphaunte treasoure of bounte that is more worthe than precyous stones I be seche you awaken your hertes and go all and make an ende of these cursed turkes You se that the kynges slepe and haue theyr hertes endurced the whiche sholde be the pyllers of crystendome And it is they that setteth nought by the chirche They ought to haue grete shame O noble Apostrophâ— ad germanos lordes domynatours of Almayne awaken you for you be stronge and myghty and sheweth it not you lyue in peas and suffreth that our fayth is separed Shewe you in polysshed armes And go with the Englysshemen and frensshe men on the turkes with a grete hoost And let them slepe that wyll slepe Put men and shyppes on the see And you shall see that god the creatour shall helpe Apo. xvii you He shall breke the stronge castelles Consyder how god dyde helpe kynge Henry the fyfte agaynste the crysten men the whiche by reason sholde helpe you soner agaynst the infydeles O puyssaunt kynge of Romaynes wyse and prudent whiche holdeth the sceptre ryall of the empyre Romayne what someuer enuye that hathe ben had on the thou arte myghtye and worthy to gouerne suche a crowne I knowe no prynce more Juster vertues domyneth in the thou louest peas and thyn honour encreaseth Now then souerayne prynce awaken thyne hoost whiche is so valyaunt for to go and smyte vpon the grete turke and the myscreauntes And helpe for to redresse our fayth the whiche enclyneth from daye to day You other kynges what dreme you what auaylleth the kepynge and lourynge in your countrees nothynge habandone them and leue ladyes and gentylwomen sadle your horses take your harneys and make sowne your trompettes in to Turkye O you enuyous cursed hertes dysloyall folkes flee your waye that ye be neuer sene you empesshe our good kynge of Englonde for to make warre for the sustentacyon of the fayth Cursed be your flaterynge your hertes is more bytterer thaÌ„ galle and at all assayes you be nought worthe you shall haue an euyll ende And the grete deuyll shall take you for the dyuysyons that you haue made in your dayes I can not tell yf that you haue redde in the auncyent hystoryes of them that wolde make these consystoryes vnto theyr lordes as I fynde of Charles Chauues that reygned â—â—rolo caluo in fraunce after Charlemayne was the fourth of that name to whome god shewed the paynes of helle Beholde there what he sayeth vnto them that were as you be you enryche your frendes the whiche ben yssued out of a poore lygnage in gyuynge them the offyces of prudent gentylmen and so by flaterynge the chorles is promoted and the gentylmen remayneth in extremyte you desyre warre but you kepe you euer ferre from the strokes In cytees townes where as ye passe the wyues and maydens ben vyoled the poore men beten and robbed Who hathe done it my lorde and his men And then they dare not speke Justyce slepeth from whens cometh that bycause that trouthe slombreth The poore shall be punysshed and the ryche and the noble shall escape by supplyenge For to wyte yf that it be wryten in the byble in the ryght canon or cyuyll is it polyce for the comyn welfare no O Ihesu cryst how thou arte pacyent for to endure suche thynges Notwithstandynge I suppose that they the whiche ben fered so in this worlde shall obeye and fere after theyr dethes the women infernals that is prepared for them O noble kynge aboue al other redoubted and reclaymed for your benygnyte thynke for to resyste agaynste this affayre expulle theyr grete bytternes exyle them from your affayres and dedes your besynesses shall spede the better And to the ende that you lyue in pease byleue neuer these false tongues serpeÌ„ tynes and detractours the whiche loueth better to se you in trybulacyon than in prosperyte Reygne peasybly whan all Englonde is in tranquylyte then go vpon the sarasyns and myscreauntes And recouer that the whiche they haue conquered And after your dethe you and yours shall be lyuynge in the realme of paradyse But ye do ony thynge agaynst your god and agaynst the comyn welfare god shall hate you your people also For whan a lorde is not belouyd of his subgectes it is an euyl sygne and token ¶ Of blandysshers flaterers c. lxxxxvi ¶ Who blandyssheth a cruell stede Lyckynge the platters of ryche men And faylleth his mayster at his nede Is worthy punysshed for to ben In greuous tormentes nyne or ten Bycause of his grete trechery Blandysshynge and flatery AUoyde where someuer you be flaterers and scuÌ„mers of the courte renne sone and beware ê“uer xxix bea tho ii iâ— q. cxv gl xxv dis c. vnum of the horse that stryketh and come and here this chapytre the shyp that you be in is apparaylled with theym that folowe the kechyn I coude not abstayne me from puttynge these folkes alone and haue gyuen them a shyp for to gouerne You ought to vnderstonde that these folkes wyll gouerne the halles of lordes and prynces This turbe desyreth fraudes ymagynacyons for they wyll flater all aboutes And by suche meanes the lordes holdeth them for the moost truest and wyll gyue them the charge of all We xlvi di c. ecce quare Hora. i epi. Leuiti xix Eccle. vii xl di c. vltiÌ„o ê“uer xxvi 〈◊〉 thessalo ii Eccl. xxviii haue ordeyned for them a grete shyp vpon the see All these flaterers and extorcyoners is the fyrst and moost ne reste the kynge in courte or of a lorde or of a mayster They go gladly in to the courte of a kynge of a prynce of a duke of an erle or of a baron They recyte many wordes of none effecte and is alwayes nexte the kynges persone And yf that there is ony that is wyse and dyscrete Juuenalis ff de her isti l. captatorias 23. dis nihil xi q. iii. nemo perit they wyll conspyre fraudes agaynst them wyll reporte many false tales to put them out of grace And to the contrary they wyll say that a foole is replete with wysedome and sapyence They saye dyuers wordes ful of vanytees of them that theyr maysters hateth The other bycause they wolde be called good seruauÌ„tes gadereth the feders other
catho Ruffus Sextus pompeius Celius antipater Lucius crassus Sextus papirus insti de instici et 〈◊〉 intis precepta ff d legi senatus â—sul l. legis virtas bal. ea l. iusti de iusti et iure 〈◊〉 iuris prudentia iusti de iu. na geÌ„ ci in 〈◊〉 and Seruius sulpicius with dyuers other And whan I was in more greter strengthe I haue had Balde Barthole Cinius Angelus Alexander of ymola Panorme Johan andre of rota Accursius Anthonius de butrio diuers other that haue augmented me maynteyned I am ryght canon cyuyl without me none can do nothynge Justyce taketh his name of me the whiche me kepe Whan I am amonge the armed men I make scylence and holde my peas for fere oppresseth me to sore I neuer dydde wronge to none and they seke but for to dystroye me O pope that is the generall vycayre of god ad papâ—m ii q. vi â—i quis ad nostram 〈◊〉 c. ad romanam also well in the thynges temporelles as spyrytuelles defende me for thou arte the chyef of the chirche vnyuersall Thou maye curse the emperour thou hast so grete puys innocentius c. 1. de offi ordi et c. nos inter di si inimicus xxiii q. viii c. ii vt pridem saunce What is the cause that thou casteth this darte in the stomacke of ryght the whiche thou sholde defende It were better for the to make peas amonge the crysten men Thou louest better to susteyne warre than to put pease where as thou sholde Thou taketh kynges and prynces in indygnacyon thou ought not to hate none but be in peas with the crysten people Thou maye well bere armes and make batayll It sholde be then necessarye for the to go agaynst the infydeles and not to nourysshe warre amonge the crysten people Thou gyueth so many dyspences and thou knoweth well that it is the woundynge of ryght the whiche is odyous What auay leth it vnto a relygyous man or an hermyte to leue his Dispensatio est vuâ—â—uis iâ—â—is 〈◊〉 q. 〈◊〉 ips◠〈◊〉 tas de fi de presâ—i 〈◊〉 si prâ— bendis c. non potest li. vi de â—â—angui affâ—â—â— quod dilecto ff de ven in spâ— l. i. habyte of relygyon and take a seculer habyte What auayleth it to a man of the chirche to haue thre or foure cures prebendes bysshopryches archebysshopryches other benefyces and the good studyentes haue nothing the wyse men is not praysed but the asses shal be honouerd What auaylleth so many dyspenses vnto the wedded people for they are so dysregled that the gossep and gossep haue no conscyence to synne carnally togyder Certaynly of gossepshyp it is no more but entrynge in to the house The cosyn and cosyn broder syster is all one It were better for the to gouerne holyly thy papalyte euery body ought to kepe his dygnyte and good renowne Alas after that you are deed mondayne popes you shall haue but seuen fote of erthe thynke than to vpholde ryght well as you be bounde to the same O maieste imperyall the whiche bereth the dyademe of the Romaynes thou ought not to be decored alonely with armes but also with ryght Thou arte lorde mayster almoost of all the worlde Thou ought to defende the ryght mere ad imperatoreÌ„ iusti in ê“phe than ony on lyue thou smytest hym with thyn are vpon his body Is it not grete horrour that thou maynteynest warre agaynst the crysten men and may lyue in peas ye agaynst ryght and reason It were better for the that ff ad l. rodâ— am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dep 〈…〉 ff ad l. 〈…〉 ir plagus v. tabernacâ—â—ê° thou wente agaynst the infydeles than for to wyll harme ony crysten man Thou knowest well that he the whiche smyteth fyrste begynneth the noyse Rome is wryten with foure lettres That is for to wytte R. o. m. a. R. radix o. oim m. maloâ— a. auaricia whiche is to saye Rome is the rote of all the euylles of auaryce Thou hast euyll redde the cronycles romaynes and the noble feates of the emperours Romaynes Where is nowe the senatoures that auncyently were wonte for to gouerne Rome is there no mo semblable to them no for the Empyre is at the moost lowest that euer it was sene In the place where as Justyce was done is now no more mencyon wherat holdeth it for lacke of polycye who is the cause It is the heed imperyall that is not obeyed wherfore xii q. 〈◊〉 nolâ— Bycause that he is full of vyce and that he sholde nourysshe peas in crystendome and he kepeth warre who is the cause lacke of good vertues and good counsayll It were better for hym for to withdrawe his swerde maynteyne ryght as his predecessours haue done He that dothe agaynst his conscyence is ryght cruell and setteth nought by his good renowne ¶ The palays imperyall was somtyme in grete honour the whiche is now al caducke Emperour haue aspecke vnto thyn operacyons and remembre that thou muste deye be wormes mete and become as shes and that after that thy good dedes shall be weyed in a iuste balaunce O kynges the whiche ad regeâ— is in maieste ryall ye may make lawes in your realme you haue grete puyssaunce for by your arbytre all is gouerned What auayleth it the kynge for to smyte with this spere ryght amonge you kyÌ„ges you ought to mayÌ„teyne Uoâ—untas principis est lcx ff de origiâ—uris innoceÌ„tius de fi instrÌ„o◠〈◊〉 cum hym and yet you wyll put hym vnto dethe you gyue so many remyssyons that it is pyte you do pardon the ryche and punysshe the poore Suffre noo Justyce to be done on faderies chyldren and pore wedowes you make bysshoppes abbottes pryours within your realmes and yet certaynly you maye not for they ought to be made by the eleccyon of the chapytre this same putteth the prelates in descencyon Loys the leuenth of that c. cum in cuÌ„ ctis de elec name kynge of fraunce demaunded of a bysshop wherfore the bysihoppes of this present tyme dyde not myracles also well as the bysshoppes in olde tyme and the bysshop answered hym Syr the cause is bycause that they that put the bysshoppes in theyr syeges cathedralles haue no puyssaunce for to do it But whan they are perfyte of true eleccyon the holy ghost is with hym the whiche may do myracle and suche bysshoppes abbottes pryours may well do myracles The emperour may not lxiii di valen tia et c. veâ— et c. cuÌ„ adrianusâ— c. ego cum multis similibus baldus in l. 〈…〉 s publiciê° fr. de iusti et â—ur 〈◊〉 ff de iusti 〈◊〉 â—ur 〈◊〉 ff de verbo si l. agâ—r v. i. in glosa medle with the eleccyon of prelates One can not nowe haue a benefyce without pledynge and thus the benefyces is occupyed by force Symonye dothe it not