people humble and peasyble the whiche fereth his wordes As it is wryten Ysaye penul ca. Super quem requiescet spuÌ„s meê° nisi super humilem et quietum trementem sermones meos In the place where god enhabyteth is not but peas as dauyd sayth In pace factus est locus eius And he loueth people peasible / and persecuteth people furyous c. Example how those the whiche wrathe them ayenst god ayenst his saintes ben deed myscheuously as ege as / Tarquyn / Dacien / Valeryen c. lvii c.f.h. K ¶ A questyon whan it is that ire is gode or whan it is venyell synne or mortall Capitulo xxvi DEsine ab ira et derelinque furorem / noli emulari vt maligneris dicit psal That is to saye cesse the of ire leue furoure / ne haue thou none enuye vpon another that thou become not a curste Men fynde in scrypture that ire is somtyme good and leful / and somtyme it is meane and veniel synne / and somtyme ryght yll and mortall syÌ„ne ¶ Ire is good whan it is agayne his owne synnes / or agayne those of his neyghbour without passyon of his troblement For a man oughte to haue dyspleasauÌ„ce to haue offeÌ„ded god by synne or to se hym offended And that dule or sorowe that is taken for the sayd synnes ben called in scrypture contrycyon / the duyll or the ire the whiche is agayne the synnes of another is named zelus iustitie God and his sayntes haue vsed of this ire agayne the synners wherof Moyses spake vnto the chyldren of Israell / illud deutero xi Cauete ne forte decipiatur cor vestruÌ„ recedatis a dnÌ„o Sequitur iratusque dominus claudat celum c. Also god wrathed hyÌ„ without passyon of trouble again Dauyd for that that he made to nombre hys people / as it is wryten .ii. regum .xxiiii. for his synne he made mortalyte in his sayd people Also he was wrothe agayne dauyd whan he coÌ„mytted auoutrye / and for asmoche that god loued hym he wolde correcke hym For a good fader the whiche loueth his chylde hym threteneth and punissheth whan he offendeth Saynt pouâ—e sayeth ad hebre xii Eiâ—i mi non nâ—gligere disciplinam dnÌ„i neque fatigeris duÌ„m aâ— eo argueris quem enim dâ—â—git dnÌ„s caâ—â—igat flagellat autem omnem â—â—â—tum quem recipit sequitur Quis fiâ—ius quem non corripit pater quod si extra disciplinam estis cuius particepes facti estis ergo omÌ„es adulteri et noÌ„ filii dei Also whan Moyses spake vnto pharaon and he wolde not here it he was wrothe exodi xi Exiuit a pharao ne iratus nimis Also Moyses coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto the chyldren of Israhell that they ne sholde kepe the manna tyll vnto the mornynge And they were dysobedientes and Moyses was wrothe exodi xvi Iratus eÌ„ moises contra eos Also whan Moyses came to seche the coÌ„maundementes / he fouÌ„de the calfe and the daunce he was wrothe as it is wryten exodi xxxi Iratus est valde Also god wrathed hym agayne the iewes the whiche made theyr marchaundyses in the temple And he chaled theym oute and theyr oxen and kyen / and made a whyppe c. as it is wryten ma. xxi And therfore maye a man be wrothe withoute synne agayne the trespassours It is the werke of mercy as it is declared before / Quere ad numerum .xxii. c. .xxv. b. Men make a question That is to vnderstonde whether it be lefull for to speke ony foule thynge bycause of correccion The answer is made after saynt Thomas scdaÌ„ scdeÌ„ q. lxxii In lyke wyse as it is leful to bete ony persone or to endoÌ„mage in worldly godes bycause of dyscyplyne In lyke wyse may ony man speke worde coÌ„uysyous vnto hyÌ„ that he correcteth whan he hym sholde correcte And in this manere our lorde called his dyscyples fooles / as it is wryten luce vltimo Ostulti et tardi corde ad credenduÌ„ et apo ad gal ii O insensanti galathe How be it in lyke wyse as saynt Austyn sayeth Obiurgacyons and wordes conuensieuses be not to speke yf ther be not necessyte And not to th ende that they serue vnto vs / but vnto our lorde In spekynge suche wordes a man sholde haue ryght grete dyscrecyon attempraunce / for he may speke suche wyce that he sholde dyshonoure the persone And that hymselfe sholde synne mortally as the scrypture saith the whiche shall abyde bycause of shortnes ✿ Ire is venyall synne whan it is sodayne wtout delyberacyon of reason And whan ony sourdeth sodaynly in ire that forthe with by reason he repenteth hym / resystethe and putteth out suche ire without wil to venge hym he ne synneth but venyally Vnde cassiodorius dicit ê™ venialis ira est que non couritur ad effectum Also the scripture sayth that whan ony feleth hym hurte there sourdeth sodaynly a mouynge of courage impetuous that whiche appetyteth vengeaunce is ire for as moche as he suffreth Vnde super illud mathei v. OmÌ„is qui irascitur fratri suo dicit glosa Ira eÌ„ vehemens motus animi ad nocendum / Ire is a mouing hugely of courage to noy or hurte / and this ire yf it be soo moche sodayne in ony maner that it cometh before ony delyberacyon of reason And al mouyÌ„ge of wyll / it is sayd the fyrst mouynge the whiche is not in our puyssaunce to resyst And therfore it is no synne / but it may be the payne of synne And whan reason apperceyueth ire and it appetiteth with vengeaunce and therin taketh ony pleasure / Also he ne resysteth at the fyrst / how be it he ne gyueth ful consentynge ne delyberacyon for to venge hym / it is venyell synne Also whan ony wratheth hym sodaynly / And that in lytell thynge he vengeth him How be it that he hym sholde venge wele in greate thynge yf he wolde / but he wyll not doo it Than suche ire and coÌ„mocyon may alonely be venyell syÌ„ne by the lytylnes of vengeaunce as to drawe a chylde by the herys and semblable thynges Also whan ony wratheth hymselfe of a naturall mocyon / and that he is impacyent / how be it ne in dede ne in worde ne in maner what so it be for this sayd ire he wolde not venge hym ne put his ire in effecte / this Ire maye be venyell synne Also some wrathe them sodaynly anone repenteth theym demaundeth pardon And in some men it is longe or the fyre of ire be lyghtenyd in them and lately it is quenched / for seldome they repente them and demaunde pardon Those here ben worse than those before spoken Vnde au Melior est enim q i quauis ira sepe temptetur / tum festinat ê™ sibiremittat ille cui fecisse iniuriam agnoscit quam qui tardius irascitur et ad veniam petendam tardius inclinatur And of this selfe matere
delyteth and loueth his wombe and body more than god and aboue hym he coÌ„mytteth ydolatry and breketh the fyrst commaundement as in that shall be declared / and yf he breke the fastes of the solempnytees / or that he excede in drynke or in meet in the feestes commaunded he breketh the thyrde commaundement Sabbata sanctifices And at all tymes that he nouryssheth his body stroÌ„gely in so moche that it moeueth him to coÌ„myt lechery he offendeth agaynst the seuenth commaundement / for glotoni and lechery ben systers Syxtely all the sortes and maners of lechery the whiche ben commytted in operacyon ben defended in the seuenth commaundemeÌ„t / and those of the wyll in the .ix. commaundment And a man sholde note that in all the commaundementes where god defendeth the sinnes he commaundeth the vertues opposytes contraryes / as who wolde saye Be thou not proude / than be thou humble Be thou not slouthfull / than delygent Be thou not to moche holdynge ne auarycyous / than that thou be lyberall Be thou not enuyous / thaÌ„ charytable Ne yrefull / than pacyent Ne gloton / than sobre Ne lecherous / than chaste So it appereth that god commauÌ„deth the vertues in his commaundementes defendeth the synnes / the whiche synnes ben too be blamed / and the condycyons of those the whiche commytteth theym that here foloweth D. ¶ Here after foloweth the .vii. mortall synnes defended in the coÌ„maundementes of god ¶ Who so wyll knowe the offenders By the braunches of the seuen synnes I shall reherce them by orders And fyrst with pryde that all yll begynnes ¶ Of pryde ¶ The proude man is dysobedyent Ypocryte / and grete in bostynge Apte to euery inconuenyent Contemnynge also presumynge ¶ Of auaryce ¶ The auarycyous is a thefe Full of gyle / and grete defrauder Vsury and symony to hym is lefe Sacrylege is he / and also rauyssher ¶ Of slouthe ¶ The slouthfull man is also musynge Ydle / neclygent / gyuynge no force Vayne / tydeous / delytynge inslepynge Sluggysshe / vnlusty / an vnthryfty corce ¶ Of enuye ¶ The enuyous is full of hate A grete detractour and full of yll Dysposed euer to make debate Full of malyce and euyll wyll ¶ Of wrathe The enuyous is a grete thretener Iniuryous and blasphematour Also he is a murderer Dysdaynous / cryer / full of murmour ¶ Of glotony ¶ The gloton deliteth in drynke fedyÌ„ge Encombrynge his stomacke with excesse Full seldon sobre / or yet fastynge Puttynge his body to no dystresse ¶ Of lechery ¶ The lecherous is a fornycatour ¶ Aduoutrer / and defloratour Sacrylege / and rauysshour Sodomyte and incestour ¶ The auctour ¶ Who so wyll do his saluacyon Fle the mortall synnes seuen In auoydynge of dampnacyon Yf he wyll enheryte heuen ¶ It is wryten ecclesiastici .xxj. Quasi a facie colubri fuge peccata si accesseris ad illa suscipient te dentes leonis dentes illius interficientes aiÌ„as hominum Fle the synnes as frome the face of a serpent / yf thou approche vnto them they shall take the with lyons tethe / the whiche ben the tethe of that serpent whiche is synne / the whiche tethe sleeth spyrytuall by dethe of gylt the soule of man There is not a worse heed than is the heed of a serpent as sayth the sage eccle xxv Non est caput nequius super caput colubri For his tethe / his tongue / brethe ben venymous / the whiche enuenymeth maketh the persones to deye Also for toâ— speke spyrytually there is nothynge worâ— vnto the soule than mortal synne / the company of it is nothynge worth / for it ledeth vnto dampnacyon and perdycyon Vnde Ezechielis .xviij. Anima que peccauere ipsa morietur The soule the whiche hathe commytted mortall synne shall deye spyrytually of dethe eternall without extynguysshement yf it be not medycyned by penaunce A. ¶ Here foloweth the fyrst commaundement of god .vi. ONe onely god thy creatour Thou shalt serue / in hym beleue And loue hym best with all honour As nere as grace wyll gyue the leue Vno credo deuÌ„ Beleue in one god onely and loue hym ryght parfytely It is euyll taken to them that hath done vnto the contrary / in lykewyse as we may fynde by examples Quere .lvij. c. d. e. In this coÌ„maundement many thynges ben commaunded and defended B. ¶ That it is commaunded to beleue in onely god in trynyte to worshyp him .vi. IT is wryten deutero .vi. Audi Israel / dominus deus vester deê° vnus est O Israell your lorde god is one god Et legitur marci xii Vnus est deus et non alius preter eum One god is / and there ne is none other but he Of necessyte of helthe it is requysyte to all persones for too put theyr faythe credeÌ„ce in god the creature / and not in ydolles and thyÌ„ges created For it is wryten that without faythe it is Impossyble to please god Vnde ad hebreos vndecimo capitulo Sine fide impossibile est placere deo And therfore he commaundeth vs too beleue in one onely god in trynyte That is to knowe in god the fader al puyssaunt / in lykewyse as sayth saynt Peter Credo in vnum deum patrem omnipoteÌ„tem And in Ihesu cryst his dere sone / in lykewyse as sayth saynt Andrewe Et in iesum christum filium eius vnicum dominuÌ„ nostrum Also in the holy goost in lykewyse as sayth saynt Barthylmewe Credo iÌ„ spiritum sanctum These thre persones beÌ„ one onely god in one vnyte and symplycyte / and not many goddes / for they ben in one selfe substaunce and nature / in one selfe myght / dyuynyte / and glory Anathase sayeth Fides autem catholica hec est / vt vnum deum in trinitate / et trinitatem in vnitate veneremur The faythe catholyke is that we honour one god in trynyte the trynyte in vnyte And it behoueth not to confounde the persones ne to separate the substaunce Neque confundeÌ„tes personas neque substantiam separantes For they ben thre persones deuysed and dystyngued the whiche ben in one substaunce and nature / in one vnyte and symplycyte as it is sayd the whiche ben one onely god And therfore it is here commaunded to beleue in hym to worshyp / honour / and serue hym / and to gyue the dyuyne honour the whiche apperteyneth vnto hym and not to ydolles Our blyssed sauyour and redemptour Iesus gyueth it clerely by wordes to vnderstande the whiche ben wryten Mathei .iiij. Dominum deum tuum adorabis et illi so li seruies Thou shalte worshyp thy lorde god and hym alonely serue Also it is wryten deuterono .vi. Dominum deum tuum timebis et ipsi so li seruies Thou shalt drede thy lorde god and hym all onely serue ¶ Examples to worshyp one onely god in trynyte and not many It is wryten in the xviij chapitre of Genese that as
humbled hym was lyft vâ— and Iustyfyed Luce .xviij. Descendit hâ— iustificatus ab illo scilicet phariseo Sextâ— humylyte maketh to possede paradyse Vâ— prouerbioruÌ„ .xxix. Humilem spiritu susâ—piet gloria Et Iob .xxiij. Qui enim humiliatus fuerit erit in gloria et qui inclinauâ—rit oculos suos ipse saluabitur et psal Hâ—miles spiritu saluabit ¶ Examples of humylyte / fyrst of a nonne the whiche washed the pottes / wyped the disshes / and dâ—de all humble thynges Quere in thexamplary .lxj. C. ¶ Another example that tâ— prynce the whiche humbled hym before Hâ—lye and prayed hyÌ„ mekely was not brenâ— with the fyre celestyall as the other were the whiche spake proudly Quere in thexaÌ„plary .lx. G. ¶ Another example in the gloryous vyrgyn Mary the whiche made her selfe handmayden vnto god Luce .j. Ecce ancilla domini c. ¶ Another example of the humylyte of Ihesu cryst in his natyuyte and in his his his lyfe the whiche wasshed the fete of his dysciples and was humble as it is wryten Math. xi Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde c. A. ¶ Here foloweth the seconde coÌ„maundement of god the whiche treateth of swerynges and blaspheminges .x. The name of god thou shalt not swere by Nor yet by his sayntes in vayne For yf thou do so certaynly Thou shalt suffre eternall payne ¶ This commaundemeÌ„t is wryten Exodi xx ca. Non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum Thou shalt not take the name of god in vayne And it is wryteÌ„ deuterono v. ca. Non vsurpabis nomen dei tui frustra qr non erit impunitus qui super re vana nomen eiê° assumpserit Thou shalt not vsurpe the name of thy god for nought For he the whiche hathe taken his name vpon a vayne thyÌ„ge shall not abyde vnpunysshed ¶ Examples of them the whiche hath ben punysshed for theyr swerynge cursedly Quere in the examplary .xlij. A.B. And it is wryten Leuitici .xix. capitulo Non per iurabis in nomine meo nec pollues nomen dei tui ego dominus Thou shalte not forswere the in my name / and thou shalt not soyle the name of thy god by cursed vyolent wordes c. In this coÌ„maundement many chapytres ben wryten B. ¶ And fyrst that god defendeth all swerynges vayne and vnprouffytable vnder this worde / vanum .x. NEiures vana per ipsum Swere thou not without nede and in vayne of a thynge wherof thou arte not certayne ¶ For to vnderstande all this commaundement in fewe wordes it behoueth to holde for a rule generall that as many tymes and as ofte as a man dooth make othes / sermentes / and swerynges the whiche ben vayne vnprouffytable / without necessyte / without cause good and vtylyte so often taketh he the name of god in vayne Or whan a man maketh lyenge othes / and vowes without trouthe the whiche beÌ„ euyll or deceytfull / or execrables / and detestables he taketh also the name of god in vayne and breketh this commaundement Or whan a man maketh Iust vowes and accomplyssheth theym not accordynge to his promysse he taketh the name of god in vayne And for bycause that men do swere in so many of wyse maners that it is meruaylous and that these generalytees suffyseth not vnto the people of lytell entendement it behoueth here afterwarde to goo more largely to recyte and declare the maners therin to offende This worde here vanum is sayd in scrypture in thre maners Vanum aliquaÌ„do dicitur falsum aliquaÌ„do inutile / aliquando peccatum iniustum ¶ Primo this forsayd worde vanum is taken for a false thynge Thou shalte not take the name of thy god in vayne / that is to knowe berynge recorde in wytnessynge testyfyenge for a false thynge agaynst thy neyghbour wherof speketh the psalmyst â–ª Vana locuti sunt homines vnusquisque a proximuÌ„suum These men speketh vayne thyÌ„ges euery of them vnto his neyghbour whan ony wyl deceyue his neyghbour by ony falsenes / fraude or malyce he maketh serment and othe in callyÌ„ge god vnto wytnes for to conferme his malyce the whiche is to take the name of god in vayne / so he dooth Iniury vnto god For forswerynge is none other thynge but to call hym vnto wytnes for to afferme and conferme that that a man swereth / as swore saynt poule Testis est michi deus And to cal god vnto wytnes for to conferme ony false thyÌ„ge is a grete iniury doone vnto hym / for in that maner there it is to beleue that god ne knoweth the veryte ne the falsenes of the thynge that a man swereth / soo man apposeth on hym ygnouraunce the whiche is ayenst the holyscrypture Vnde paulus ad hebreos .iiij. Omnia nuda et apperta sunt ante oculos eius Al thynges that ben open and and naked ben openly sene before the eyen of god Et legitur ecclesia Oculi dnÌ„i multo plus lucidores super solem circuÌ„spicieÌ„tes omÌ„es vias hominum et ê“fundum abyssi hominum corda intuentes in absconditas partes terre c. The eyen of our lorde ben moche more clerer than the sonne beholdyÌ„ge all the wayes of men and the profundyte and depnes of the hertes of men beholdynge in the partyes hyden of the erthe c. Also whan in swerynge ony calleth god to wytnes he imposeth on hym that he loueth lesynges / or that he is a lyer the whiche is a thynge that he hateth VnÌ„ psal Dilexisti iusticiam et odisti iniquitatem Thou hast loued Iustyce and hast hated synne / also thou hast loued veryte Vnde psal Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti So to impose vnto god that he loueth lesynge / or that he is a lyer is a thynge that moche dysprayseth his bounte and imposeth on hym grete iniury And therfore a forsworne persone is worthy of punycyon ¶ Secundo / this worde vanuÌ„ is taken somtyme in the scrypture for a thyge vayne and inutyle Vnde psal Dominus scit cogitaciones hominum quoniaâ— vane sunt Our lorde knoweth the thoughtes of men / for they ben vayne and vnprofytable / as whan a man confermeth a thiÌ„ge vayne vnprouffytable the whiche is agaynst the thought God the whiche knoweth the thoughtes as it is wryten primâ— regum .xvj. seeth well that man taketh his name in vayne In the auncyent testameâ—â— it was defended that men sholde not swere false But Ihesu cryst defendeth in thâ— newe lawe that men ne swere but in necesyte for a thynge vtyle And the reason 〈◊〉 suche / for that / that the tongue is the membâ— and partye of the man or of the womanâ— is moost frayle / tendre / and lyght applyege for to swere and to vttre language nâ—yenge vnto his neyghboure Et qui iura de minimo de leui cadit He the whiche sâ—reth for a lytell thynge falleth lyghtly / anâ— who soo lyghtly falleth ryseth not agayn whan he wyl
aege of fyue yeres And one daye as his fader helde hyÌ„ in his lappe / in lykewyse as many vnto saynt Gregorye it wytnessed the whiche were presente The sayd chylde sawe come to hym the yll spyrytes that ben the deuylles his eyes wepte / he cryed vnto his fader / Helpe me defende me And in cryenge he declyned his face and hydde hym in the bosome of his fader the whiche was abasshed to se hym in suche wyse tremble and crye demaundynge what he sawe The chylde sayd the blacke men of moryenne ben come the whiche wyll bere me awaye And as he blasphemed the name of the maieste he yelded vp his spyryte Saint Gregory sayeth vpon this example that al lytell chyldren the whiche speke yll a man shold not byleue that they entre all in the realme of heuen For vnto some lytel chyldren the sayd realme is closed by theyr parentes / yf they ben yll nourysshed Vnde gregoriê° Omnes paruulos qui iam loqui possunt regna celestia ingredi credendum non est quia nonnullis paruulis regni celestis aditus a parentibus clauditur si male nutriantur After the scrypture euery persone is bounde to holde and to kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god in that aege that he may them comprehende Statim enim cum quis sit capax precepti dei tenetur ad eius noticiam et obseruantiaÌ„ distinctione xvii Some ben more aduysed and sage in the aege of fyue yeres than the other ne ben at .x. And by that that incontynente that the persone maye dyscerne that he dothe good or ylle And that he hathe dyscrecion for to vnderstonde the coÌ„maundementes of oure blessyd lorde Ihesu cryste clerely / He sholde accomplysshe them for that / that they ben of necessyte of helthe c. C. ¶ Of a player the whiche blasphemed the wombe of the vyrgyn Marye and yll came vnto hym IT is wryten in the boke of myracles of cleruaulx of two players after that that the one had loste he wrathyd hym had enuye vpon hym the whiche had won And for to satysfye vnto his wrathe / he began to refrayne and saye / holde thy peas Thou ne sholdest say yll And incontinent he blasphemed god And after swore by the vyrgyn Marye to swere by her wombe And forthwith a voyce from heuen was herde the whiche sayd I haue susteyned forborne myne iniurye / but the iniurye of my moder I ne may forbere in no wyse / And â—orthwith this blasphematoure was stryken vpon the table inuysybly of a wouÌ„de vysyble and apperynge in gaspynge yelde vp his spyryte Cesar sayth that this is true This example sholde drawe backe al persones from blasphemynge god and the vyrgyn Marye For syth that the said man was in suche wyse punisshed in this worlde cruelly It is to presuppose that he is dampned punysshed horrybly c. It is wryten ecclesiastici xxiii Vir multum iurans replebit iniquitate et noÌ„ discedet a domo eius plaga That is to say a man swerynge moche is fulfylled with iniquite And the plage shall not departe frome his house c. D. ¶ Another example of an erle blasphematoure MEn fynde by wrytinge this the whiche foloweth how the discyple recyteth in his promptuarye / sayeth that an erle brought for the suche blaspheme ayenste god that he sayd the wolde god or not he sholde haue agayne his londe / incontynent he fell from his hors vpon the whiche he was / was tormented horrybly And after that the knyghtes had lyft hym vp agayne he felle / in shewynge the payn of his blaspheme and whan he was broughte agayne in to his house he was strongly tormented in the fete in the thyes / He dyspraysed confessyon in suche wyse deyed myscheuously foure monthes after Also in the sayd boke of the dyscyple is wryten of rybauldes the whiche dyuyded a heÌ„ne And afterwarde by wantoÌ„nes sayd / neyther saynt Peter ne Ihesu cryste ne can make it hole agayne And forthwith they were lepres These examples here sholde drawe backe all persones to brynge forth wordes blasphemynge god / for punycyon and dampnacyon foloweth E. Another example of a burgeis of paris that had his lippes perced for blasphemyÌ„ge IT is wryten in the legende of saint Lowys that one of the cytezyns of parys blasphemed our lorde Ihesu crist / but the sayd saynt lowys kynge of frauÌ„ce made his lyppes to be perced with a hote yroÌ„ by punycyon for to gyue example vnto other And bycause some pryÌ„ces reproued hym for this thynge He answerde theym I wolde with good wyll susteyne in my lyppes that payne vnbesemynge whyles that I shall lyue so that this vyce were out of my realme that no man sholde offende more Vnto the example of saynt Lowys men sholde reprehende and punysshe the blasphematours / for it is a synne the whiche displeaseth moche vnto god and vnto his sayntes And those the whiche wyll go into paradyse with them sholde correcte theÌ„ of that vyce F. ¶ Another example of a dyse player that was a blasphemer the whiche brake the armes of the ymage of the vyrgyn Marye / and he was posseded of the deuyll lxii IT is wryten in the myracles of the vyrgyn Marye that some men played at the dyse before the yates of the chirche of the vyrgyne Marye of the monastery of doul And the one of them was wrothe for that that he had loste / and began to blaspheme the vyrgyn Marye / and to speke foully agayne her And in th ende he tourned him towarde the ymage of the vyrgyn Marye the whiche was in stone vpon the yate of the sayd chirche / and in his wrathe keste agayne that a stone and brake the armes of the ymage And incontynent the blode sprange oute of it fresshely And the blasphematoure was posseded of the deuyll was tormented expyred his dayes G. ¶ Another example of a dyse player blasphematoure that the deuyll slewe lxii SOme maysters hathe wryten this the whiche foloweth how the dysciple recyteth in his promptuarye / sayeth that it happened in the realme of Frise in patria laÌ„ditie of a dyse player blasphematour / thefe the whiche vsed his lyfe in suche thynges And one tyme among other to abrege the matere after that he hadde coÌ„mytte thefte yode vnto the tauerne to playe at the cardes with his compaygnons and for asmoche as he lost he blasphemed horrybly god and the vyrgin Marye And incontynent the deuyll came vnto hym to whome he gaue suche a stroke vpon the hede that al the ioynctes from the membres of his body were dysceuered and departed and he dyed horrybly Than his compaygnons fledde the whiche denounced the dede vnto his fader / and that he sholde goo to fetche his sone in a sack And as the said fader theder yode to fetche hym / he yode thorowe the chircheyarde And one of his neyghbours deed seuen yere
hym And he spake vnto them on the gybet sayd / vnhange me for I am yet alyue They wende that it had be a fantasye And he the whiche hange agayne said / ne doubte you not / certainly I lyue yet by the grace of Ihesu cryste by the ayde of the vyrgyn Marye The whiche was vnhanged ledde in to the cyte / at whom the people meruaylled And the sayd knyght vnhanged demaunded the preest the sacrament of the aulter And in grete contrycyon of herte of teres he confessed hym after receyued the creatour More ouer the preest demauÌ„ded hym before the people that he sholde tell the cause wherfore god had done vnto hym suche grace to hange thre dayes without deyenge / he answerde / bycause that I dyde vnto god a lytell seruyce / that was / to saye euery daye fyue tymes pater noster / and fyue aue maria before that I dyde ony other thynge / in the honour of the passyon and of the fyue woundes of Ihesu cryste And one pater noster in the honoure of the sacramente of the hostye the whiche is the very body of Ihesu cryste that the people receyueth euery daye in requyrynge of god that in the ende of my dayes I myght receyue hym / the whiche thyng our lorde Ihesus gaue me by his mercy â–ª and that I ne myght deye tyl that I had receyued hym After that this said knight had sayd thus that he had true contrycyon of his synnes made confessyon receyued his creatour as it is sayd he deyed ended wele his dayes Wherfore it is a good thynge as to serue god to haue in remembraunce his blyssed passyon c. D. ¶ Another example the it toke wele vnto a man the whiche made memorye of the passyon of our lorde in his lyenge downe and rysynge from his bedde Cxiiii THe disciple recyteth in his sermoÌ„s that a maÌ„ was accustomed as oft tymes as he layde hym downe rose frome his bedde he prayed god that whan he shold dye he myght haue true confessyon said this tytle Iesê° nazarenê° rex iudeorum miserere mei / made the token of the crosse with his thombe vpon his heed / his face his brest in sayenge In noiÌ„e patris filii spuÌ„ssancti amen And god suffred that he deyed sodaynly / as the deuylles wold rauysshe hym there came a man shynynge clere the whiche chased them And as he ledde hym thorowe the derkenesses sodaynly he departed / there proceded grete light froÌ„ thens as he was wonte to make the crosses Afterwarde there came deuylles that wolde take hym / but they durste not for bycause of the crosses on hyÌ„ Than the sayd man bryght shynynge sodaynly appered vnto hym sayd Albeit that thou hast wele wonne to be Iuged condampmed after the exigence of thy syÌ„nes neuertheles the souerayne Iuge spareth the wylleth that thou retourne in to thy body for the deuocyon that thou haddeste towardes his passyon that thou caldeste his name tryumphall in the sayd tytle for the impressyon of the crosse And the sayd Iuge wylleth that thou confesse thy synnes that thou amende thy lyfe / so he dyde For after he lyued and ended wele his dayes By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that the crosse maketh the deuylles to drede / it chaseth them / it taketh awaye theyr force / setteth them at noughte c. E. ¶ Another example of a woman the whiche loued the passyon of Ihesu cryste the whiche deyed on the good fryday and was saued Cxiiii THe disciple recyteth in his sermoÌ„s that it is wryten that a noble woman matrone loued the passion of Ihesu cryste / and for the honour of hym of his passyon she toke afflyccyoÌ„ on her body on the frydaye / desyrynge to goo bare foted but bycause she was noble for to kepe honoure she yode not / but put bygge grauell in her shoes in the honoure reuerence of the passyon Also whan her husbande was out by ony dayes she laye not on no feder bedde And amonges the prayers that she made to god / she requyred hym that he wolde gyue her grace that she myghte dye on that daye in that houre that Ihesu cryste was crucefyed / to the ende that in the honoure of his passyon her body had afflyccyon on that day / so it happened For at the same hour she chylded a sone the whiche lyued after / but the sayd matrone deyed of the greate payne And as a frere precher the whiche had confessed her prepayre hym to syng the masse of requyem for her the saterday afterwarde the vygyle of eester / he was wery of the seruyce slepte And in slepynge she appered vnto hym sayd Thou shalt not synge masse of requyem for me / but thou shalte synge gloria in excelsis / for I am in the glorye of the sayntes of paradyse / Whan the sayd relygyous was waked he ne wolde put no fayth vnto his dreme / the pryour sente vnto hyÌ„ forthwith a messenger that he sholde synge for her masse of the daye The said relygyous wende to haue excused hym prayed that it were recoÌ„maunded vnto another but the pryour wolde not / sayd that in that daye he sholde synge the masse of the daye vnto the couent And it was done after the worde of the sayd matrone the whiche hadde appered in slepynge c. F. ¶ Another example that oraysons the whiche ben made in the remembrauÌ„ce of the crosse of the passyon of our lorde ihesus pleaseth hym moche Cxiiii THe disciple reciteth in his sermoÌ„s that it is wryten that an hermyte of a holy lyfe prayed god perseuerauntly that it wolde please hym to shewe vnto him what seruyce pleased hyÌ„ moost amongest all seruyces And for as moche as the orayson of one Iuste is moche worthe in lyke wyse as sayeth the scrypture MultuÌ„ valet deprecatio iusti assidua It befel one tyme that as the sayd hermyte was in hys lytell mansyon honoured god in praynge he herde the voyce of a poore man / he yode to se what he was / whan he sawe hym he meruaylled / for he was as a pore man all naked the whiche trembled for colde / bare a grete crosse on his sholdres / the sayd hermyte hym demaunded what he was / from whens he came / he answered I am come from heuen / am Ihesu cryste the sone of mary / Then the hermyte sayd O good Ihesus what doest thou here before me cursed synner / he answerd thou hast made me to come heder by thy prayers / thou haste prayed vnto me longly that I sholde shewe vnto the what seruyce I had agreable amonge al seruyces / and I am come to shewe it vnto ye. Seest thou this grete crosse that I bere vpon my sholders it is the seruyce the whiche vnto me is moost
whiche is in hyÌ„ as it is sayd it is good reason that we loue hym aboue all thinges with al our thought ¶ Example We rede that the sonne of a ryche man loued in his youthe the vanytees of the worlde He loued fyrst a dogge moche curyously the whiche deyed Secondly he loued right moche an hauke that he bare vpon his fyst / she deyed Thyrdly he loued a lytel hors the whiche lept and torned honestly the whiche also deyed / he was moche wrothe and shewed it to his moder saynge Alas my dog / my hauke / and my hors that I dyde loue so moche ben deed / whome may I more loue that I ne shall lese that loue / his moder sayd vnto hym Myn owne dere chylde loue god and thou ne shall lese that loue go in to the chyrche and put the in orayson and praye god that he gyue vnto the his loue and his grace He was obedyent / and as he perseuered in orayson he herd preche the gospell Mathei .xix. Qui relinquit domum vel fratres vel sorores aut patreÌ„ aut matrem aut vxorem aut filios aut agros propter nomen meum centuplum accipiet et vitam eternam possidebit ¶ He that leueth all his parentes and frendes and all his possessyons for the loue of god / he shall haue an hondred double of retrybucyon shall possede the lyfe eternall Than the sone came vnto his moder and sayd that he wolde leue her and go in to relygion for to loue god parfytely / for the sayd gospell that he hadde herd preche / and his modersayd vnto hym It is that thynge that I desyred / for this worlde ne is but vanyte and ful of decepcyon / loue god therfore parfytely Than the chylde was relygyous and parfyte in holy lyfe E. ¶ Secondly we shall loue god with all our herte thought more than all the worlde / and aboue the golde and the syluer and all the goodes the whiche ben in the worlde That is to say to loue more sooner to lese the godes temporalles of this worlde than to breke one of the commaundementes of god / and the reasoÌ„ is ryght euydent / for a man sholde loue hyÌ„ more that gyueth than the thynge gyuen God the whiche is full of bounte infynyte vs hath gyuen generally and partyculerly and vnto euery of vs the goodes of grace / of nature / and of fortune that we haue / all the goodes procedeth of hym / and estudy wel the scryptures in the chapytres the whiche folowen and thou shalt fynde that it is so Vnde legitur Mathei .xxv. Dominus vocauit seruos suos et tradidit illis bona sua et vni dedit quinque talenta alii autem duo alii vere vnum vnicuique secundum propriam virtutem That is to say that the lorde calleth his seruauÌ„tes and gyueth vnto them his goodes / and gyueth fyue talentes vnto one / vnto an other twayne / vnto an other one / vnto euery of them after his vertue By the lorde is vnderstande god that gyueth vnto his seruauntes / that is that he gyueth vnto euery of vs his goodes vnto the one more than vnto an other after his wyll and after the faculte of euery of them Et legitur ad Ephesi iiii Vnicuique nostrum data est gratia secundum mensuram donationis xpÌ„i Grace is gyuen vnto euery of vs after the measure of the gyft of Ihesu cryst Et legitur ad roma .xii. Habentes donationes secundum gratiam que data est vobis differentes siue propheticam secundum rationem fidei siue ministerium iÌ„ ministrando Et legitur .i. ad Corin. xii Vuicuique autem datur manifestatio spiritus ad vtilitatem / alii datur sermo sapientie / alii sermo scieÌ„tie / alii fides alii gratia sanitatum / alii operatio virtutum c. Manyfestacyon of spyryte is gyuen vnto euery man vnto his vtylyte / the worde of wysdome is gyuen vnto one / vnto another the worde of connynge / vnto another faythe / vnto another grace of helthe / and vnto another operacyon of vertue Et Dauid in psal Cantabo domino qui bona tribuit michi I shall synge vnto the lorde the whiche gyueth me of his goodes Et Iob. i. ca. Si bona suscipimus de manu domini / maia autem quare noÌ„ suscipiamus Yf we haue receyued the goodes of the hande of god wherfore may we not in lykewyse take the euylles And syth that it appereth that god hath gyuen vs all the goodes that we haue It is good reason that we loue hym more than these goodes and aboue them That is to saye to those more sooner to lese all the goodes of the worlde than to breke one of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes oâ— god and to lose his loue For it is wryten IohÌ„ .xiiii. Si quis diligit me sermonem meum seruabit Siquitur Qui non diligâ— me sermones meos non seruat That is to say Who so loueth me kepeth my worde he that loueth me not kepeth not my wordes Verba gratia Yf thou were in turky that men set before the an C. busshels of golde on the one syde / the ydolles on the other and that the kynge of turky sayd vnto the. I shall gyue vnto the all this golde retayne the to be the fyrst of my palays do sacryfyce vnto the ydolles / thou sholdest loue god aboue the golde and honoure of the worlde For it is wryten .i. corin vi Neque fornicarii neque ydollis serueÌ„tes regnuÌ„ mâ—um possidebuÌ„t Also who sholde laye an C crownes in thy hande for to make a false othe in Iugement or to werke one day of a feest commauÌ„ded / or for to sle a man vniustly / thou sholdest loue god thy neyghbour better than the golde and the syluer / and rather wynÌ„e nothynge than to breke his commaundement It wryten Iob. xv Manete in dilectione mea si precepta measeruaueritis manebitis in dilectione mea Dwell ye in my dyleccyon / yf ye haue kept my commaundementes ye shall dwell in my deleccyon Also yf thou knowest well that meane to stele the treasoure of thy neyghbour or to haue his herytage iniustly / it is defended / take it not vpon payne of dampnacyon and to lose paradyse Vnde .i. corint vi Neque fures neque auari regnuÌ„ dei possidebunt Also who soo sholde put fyue hondred crownes in the honde of a womaÌ„ for to haue her company she sholde refuse them vpon payne of dampnacoÌ„n to lose paradyse For to make shorte tale better it is to obey god to lese all the goodes of the worlde than to daÌ„pne his soule For yf ony loue the goodes more than god to leue to obey vnto god for to haue the goodes he byÌ„deth hymselfe vnto dampnacyon ¶ Example of a ryche man the whiche loued to moche the worlde brye fly he fel in to
hell and all his goodes It is wryten in the lyfe of saynt Ambrose that as he yode on a tyme vnto Rome he came to lodge in the towne of tuscie wherin was a ryche man whan he sawe so moche of goodes of seruauntes he axed the sayd man of his estate The man answered I am happy and glorious in all maners I habounde in rychesses I haue grete company of seruauntes / all that euer I desyred is well comen to me / ne there came neuer vnto me aduersyte Whan saynt Ambrose herde these wordes he was moche abasshed and sayd vnto those that were of his company Aryse and fle we for god is not in this place / haste you chyldren and make none abydynge lest the vengeaunce comprehende vs / and that they ne wrappe vs in theyr synÌ„es / and whan they were a lytell thens the erthe opened sodaynly and swalowed the sayd ryche man and all his goodes and those thynges whiche vnto hyÌ„ apperteyned sanke into hell in suche maner that there ne abode no thynge apparaunt ¶ Another example how the cursed ryche man the whiche was clothed with purple and lyued delycatyuely is buried in hell Quere .lxxxiiii. A. ¶ Another example of a man the whiche gaue hymselfe vnto the deuyll to th ende that he sholde enryche hym / and the deuyll gaue to hym treasours and baptysed hym in the name of all the deuilles .lx. ¶ Another example of a ryche vsurer the whiche loued his godes more than god of whome he demauÌ„ded ayde at his dethe .lxxxvi. f. ¶ Another example of an vsurer the whiche loued to moche his goodes comaunded his soule vnto the deuyl at his dethe / after that he myght no more possede theym .lxxxvi. g. F. ¶ Thyrdly we sholde loue god with all our herte more than our faders moders aboue all our chyldren / cosyns / parentes and frendes / and the reason is good For god is our pryÌ„cipal fader celestyall the whiche hath made vs create vnto his ymage and vnto his symylytude In lyke wyse as it is wryten Genesis nono Ad ymaginem quippe dei factê° est homo And of as moche as the soule that he hathe create is more dygne than the body / of as moche more we sholde loue god obey vnto his commaundement more soner than vnto oure fader carnall Saynt barnarde sayeth Ecce domine quia me fecisti debeo me amori tuo totum Thou lorde by cause thou hast made me create I ought to gyue all in thy loue And it is wryten eccle xxxvii de Dauid De omÌ„i corde suo laudauit deum et dilexit dominum qui fecit illum Dauid praysed god withall his herte and loued his lorde the whiche hathe created hym We requyre god euery daye our fader in sayenge the pater noster Pater noster qui es iÌ„ celis Of good ryght we call hym our fader in as moche as he hath vs made and created / and for as moche as he nouryssheth vs with his goodes that he maketh to growe For he is a good fader the nouryssheth / and in as moche as we hope to possede his herytage that is paradyse as his propre chyldren For these thynges here and many other we sholde loue god aboue our pareÌ„tes We sholde loue our faders carnalles naturally and by the commaundement of god / but we shold loue god aboue them Vnde Augusti Diligendus est genitor / sed preponeÌ„dus est creator ¶ Example of saynt Barbara the whiche loued god more than her fader Diascorus the whi wolde haue her ydolatre / she chose more soner to lose the loue of her sayd fader all her worldly goodes honoures / that her body were beten / cut / put vnto dethe than 〈…〉 as commaundemen◠〈…〉 Accu◠〈…〉 I◠〈…〉 man 〈…〉 syâ—â—â—â—â— mortally and shall go vnto dampnacyon Vndâ—â—gâ—ur in 〈…〉 distin◠〈◊〉 Stâ—â—â—m eniâ—uÌ„â—â—â—s fâ—â— capax precepâ— deâ—â—â—â—tur ad â—â—â—s 〈◊〉 noâ—â—â—am et obseruatâ—oneÌ„ Iâ— that â—â—ge that a â—â—â—de is capable of the commaundemente of god it is commaundeâ— hym that he kepe it And yf the sayd chyldren were not soo wyse that they myght â—nowe that they offende and that they dyde the sayd theft in obeyenge vnto theyr fader carnall they do not synÌ„e mortally but theyr sayd fader shall bere the synÌ„e and punycyon ¶ Example that a man sholde loue god more than his chyldren other parentes Quere in the examplary of the commaundementes .lxx â—a ¶ Another example in Abraham the whiche loued well his sone Ysaac / but he loued god aboue hym in lykewise as it appered whan god coÌ„maunded hym for to do sacryfyce Quere in the examplary of the commaundementes .li. a ¶ 〈…〉 ¶ Another 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 good And therfore they go vnto dampnacyon E. ¶ Fourthly we sholde loue goo with 〈…〉 more than our owne bodies and 〈…〉 hym and vnto his commaundmentes more sooner than vnto our own 〈◊〉 The reason is good for that that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is full of â—ouâ—â—â— infynyte hathe 〈◊〉 â—od vs more than his owne body For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—dured that his body hath be beter crucyfyed and put 〈◊〉 doth for to redemâ— vs from holle where all we defended sholde haue descended by the synne of Adam or forme fader Yf thou he wylt beleue that 〈◊〉 it true by symple worde or speche yet studâ— the scryptures in the chapyttes the whiche folowen It is wryten .i. peâ—tri .i. cap. Noâ—er corruptionibê° auâ—o vel argento redeÌ„pâ—â—â—â—s de vana vestra coÌ„uersatione paterâ—â— tradiâ—ionis sed preâ—â—o so sanguine agâ—â—â—â— macuâ—an christ That is to saye Ye be redemed from your vayne conuersacyon of the tradiccyon paternall not of thynges corruptybles as golde syluer but by the precyous blode of the lambe Ihesu cryst immaculate Et legitur .i. petri .iii. Christus semel pro peccaris nostris morruus est â—â—stus pro frustus vt nos offerret deo That is to say Ihesu Cryst is deed one tyme for our synnes the Iust for the vniust to then de that he offre vs vnto god Et legitur ad Gallarhas .iii. Christus nos redemit Ihesu cryst hath redemed vs. Et Barnardus dicit Ecce domine quia redemisti me dâ—beo me amori tuo totum et tantum debeo plusquam qu aÌ„to tu maior es me pro quo de disti teipsuÌ„ My lorde for that / that thou hast redemed me I sholde gyue me all in to thy loue / and I sholde loue the more than my selfe of as moche as thou arte greter than I for whome thou haste gyuen thy selfe Syth it is so that god hath loued vs more than hymselfe / it is good reason that we loue hym better than our selfe as it is sayd Example in the appostles the whiche hath loued god more than theyr owne bodyes / for some hath endured for to be flayne / as saynt Barthylmewe / some other to be heeded as saynt Poule / the other crucifyed
as saynt Peter / and saynt Andrewe And for all the paynes that the tyrauntes myght do vnto them theyne lefte the loue and the commaundement of god Vnde ad ro .viii. Quis separabit nos a charitate christi tribulatio / an angustia / an persecutio / an fames / an nuditas / an periculum / an gladiê° Saynt Poule sayth what is it that may separe vs frome the loue charyte of god Shall it be trybulacyon / anguysshe / persecucyon / or honger c. I am certayne that dethe / ne lyfe / ne deuylles / ne sygnouryes ne may departe vs frome the loue of god And it is wryten .i. ad coriÌ„t xvi how saynt Poule sayeth Who soo loueth not Ihesu cryste be he cursed Si quis non amat cristuÌ„ anathema sit Also he sayth in an other epystle that god hathe prepayred vnto theÌ„ grete rewarde the whiche loueth hym Vnde .ii. ad corin ii cap. Quod oculus non vidit nec aures audiuit nec iÌ„ cor hominis asceÌ„dit que preparauit deê° diligeÌ„tibus se This auctoryte is declared towarde the ende of this treatyse .xlvii. a. ¶ Example we rede that the herte of a vyrgyn was cutte in her body for the grete loue that she hadde vnto god Quere in the examplary at the nombre .lxxv. e. ¶ Another example that Susanne loued better to be slayne dyffamed than to breke the commaundement of god whan the two harlottes dyde say vnto her Of two thynges choyse whiche thou wylt eyther that thou consent that we haue thy company at our pleasure / or that we make the to be stoned and put to dethe Quere lxxxxvi c. ¶ Another example wryten in the lyfe of faders of a good yonge man the whiche was bounde all naked in a fayre bedde and there was put vnto hym a fayre woman impudyke all naked for to make him to doo synne with her / but for to resyste vnto the synne and to kepe the loue of god to obey vnto his commaundement he bote and ete his owne tongue and spette the blode in the vysage of the sayd harlot the whiche fledde of horrour ¶ Example that mary magdaleyne loued moche god / wherfore god pardoned her all her synnes Vnde Luce .vii. Remittuntur ei peccata multa quoniam diliexit multum ¶ Another example of a duchesse the whiche loued ouer moche her body and lyued voluptuously she dyde stynke The dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye that a certayne duke had a wyfe the whiche lyued so tenderly and so dylycatyuely that she dysdeyned to be bayned in comune waters of ryuers and fountaynes / but her seruauntes gadered the dewe of the skye prepayred vnto to her a bayne Her meetes and drynkes were so delycyously dressed and made that meruayle it was Her bedde also smelled odoryferously and swete / and as she lyued so / by the Iugemente of god she was stryken with so grete stynche in her lyuynge dayes that none ne myght abyde the foule ayre of her Al her gentylmen and seruauntes left her excepte one chamberere or mayden onely / that serued her the whiche ne myght passe by her without hauynge the ayre of some spyces well smellynge / also as in renyÌ„ge admynystred vnto her / and in suche stynke she deyed H. ¶ Fyfthly we sholde loue god with all our herte / and put our truste and hope in hym more soner aboue all the kynges / dukes / erles / lordes / other men of the worlde / and the reason is euydent / for there ne is in all the worlde soo grete a lorde that may defende vs at the dethe froÌ„ our enmyes kepe vs from dampnacyon and gyue to vs paradyse / there ne is none alonely but god the whiche is replenisshed with goodnes infynyte And therfore the psalmyst sayeth Bonum est confidere in domino quam coÌ„fidere in homine Better thyÌ„ge it is to put confydence in god than too put confydence in man IteruÌ„pÌ„s BonuÌ„ est sperare in domino quam sperare in principibê° Better it is to trust in god thaÌ„ to trust in prynces Example Saynt barbara the whiche put her loue / her affyauÌ„ce and her esperaunce in god / and not vnto the lordes temporall she was comforted at her dethe of god / and the aungelles baren her soule in to paradyse / and her fader Dyascorê° the whiche beheeded her was brent with fyre celestyal and the deuylles bare his soule in to hell / his rychesses ne his sygnouryes ayded hym not at nede So it is better to put coÌ„fydence in god than in prynces and men in whome is no helthe Vnde Dauid in psal Nolite confidere in principibus nec iÌ„ filiis hominum / in quibus non est salus And the prophete Iheremye sayth that the man is cursed the whiche putteth his trust in men and putteth his flesshe / his arme / and his herte / and departeth hymselfe from god Vnde Iheremye .xvii. Maledictus est homo qui confidit in homine / ponit carnem brachium suum a domino recedit cor eiê° Helyodorus was punysshed of punycyon dyuyne for that / that he obeyed vnto kyÌ„ge Sceleniê° more soner than vnto god whaÌ„ he yode to take the treasours of the chyrche of Ierusalem Quere .lxxxii. b. ¶ Another example how kynge Ezechyas sente to seke counceyle of his sekenes vnto belzabub and he deyed myscheuously / and his messageres were brent with fyre celestyall Quere .ix. g. For to knowe the deference whan loue is good or ylle / or whan it is mortall synne or venyall thou shalte fynde it in the ix commaundement Quere .xlii. c. ¶ Example in Moyses the whiche loued god parfytely and obeyed vnto his commaundementes more sooner and aboue the wyll of kynge Pharaon / and therfore god loued hym so moche that he spake vnto hym face to face In lykewyse as it is wryten in the thre and thyrty chapytre of Exodi A. ¶ How the commaundemeÌ„t of god coÌ„prehendeth vnder it the thre fyrst commaundementes / and the thre vertues theologalles / the whiche ben faythe / hope / and charyte .ii. IT is wryten in the .xxiiii. chapytre of the gospelles of saynt Iohan that our lorde sayd vnto his dyscyples Si diligitis me mandata mea seruate Yf ye loue me kepe my commaundements Yf thou loue god with all thyn herte aboue all thynges thou shalte beleue in hym / thou shall worshyppe hym and shalte gyue hym honour the whiche is due vnto him / not vnto ydolles / ne vnto thynges create / for it is vnto the creatour vnto whome suche honour is due Thus thou shalte accomplysshe the fyrste commaundemente of our lorde the whiche is wryten Exodi viscesimo Non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum ¶ More ouer yf thou loue thy lorde god aboue al thynges thou shalte sanctyfye / honoure / and kepe the feestes commaunded And in so doynge thou shalte fulfyll and totally accomplysshe the thyrde
Abraham was at the dore of his tabnacle he lyfte vp his eyen and sawe dyuynely thre aungels in semblaunce of thre persones the whiche de noteth the fader / the sone / and the holy goost / he ranne agaynst them and worshipped them in erthe and sayd Domine sun ueni gratiam in oculis tuis ne traÌ„seas seruum tuum sed afferam pauxillum aque et laueÌ„tur pedes vestri c. Tres vidit vnuÌ„ adorauit He sawe thre persones and worshypped one onely god in trynyte ¶ Vnto the example of Abraham we shall adoure and worshyppe one onely god in trynyte ¶ Another example wryten in the .xxiiij. chapytre of Exody that our lorde sayd vn-Moyses Mounte in too the mountayne thou and Aaron / and Madab / and Abyn / and thre score auncyent men of Israell ye shall worshyp a ferre of ¶ Another example in Exody that the chyldren of Israell vnderstode that god them vesited and regarded the tourmentes that Pharaon dyde vnto theym / than they fell prostrate on the erthe and worshypped hym Vnde exodi iiiâ— AudieÌ„tes filij israel ê™ deus eos visitaret et respiceret afflictionem eorum et adorauerunt prom in terram c. ¶ An other example wryten in the fyrste chapytre of the fyrst boke of kynges that a man named Helcana departed from his cyte on the dayes establysshed too th ende that he sholde worshyp doo sacryfyce vnto god ¶ Another example wryten in the .ix. chapytre of Neemie that after that the chyldren of Israell came agayne frome the captyuyte of Babylon they separated themselfe from people strauÌ„gers / and also put them in fastynges / they cladde them in sackes / they put erthe vpon theyr heedes and worshypped theyr lorde god ¶ Another example wryten in the fyrste chapytre of Iob that whan the sayd Iob had herde the wordes of the messengers the whiche came to tell hym that his goodes were lost and his sones slayne / he lyft hym vp and fell prostrate vnto the erthe and worshypped god sayd Nudus egressus suÌ„ de vtero matris mee / nudus reuerâ—ar illuc ¶ Another example wryten in the .vi. chapytre of Danyell the whiche was commaunded of kynge Dayre that none ne sholde demaunde ony thyÌ„ge of god ne of man by .xxx. dayes / but alonely of the sayd kynge Dayre And Danyell ne dyde nothynge bowed his knees thre tymes on a daye and worshypped his lorde god ¶ Another example wryten in the seconde chapytre of the euangelyst saynt Mathewe that whan the kynges that came fro the oryent entred in to the hous founde the chylde and the vyrgyn Mary his moder they yode on theyr knees worshypped hym ¶ Another example in the .x chapytre of the gospell of saynt Iohn that a man that had be blynde from his natyuyâ— was enlumyed of Ihesus and after woâ—shypped hym ¶ Another example wryte Mathei .viij. marci .j. that whan Iesuâ— descended from the mountayne a meselâ— a lepre came to hym and worshypped him and sayd Domine si vis potest me mundare My lorde yf thou wylte thou mayâ—â— hee le me ¶ Another example wryten Mâ—thei .xxviij. that whan the appostles camâ— to our lorde after that he was rysen they woâ—shypped hym ¶ Another example writeâ— in the .iiij. chapitre of the gospelles of saynâ— Mathewe that our lorde sayd vnto Sathan as he tempted hym Thou shalt woâ—shyppe thy lorde god DnÌ„m deum tuuâ— adorabis et illi soli seruies ¶ Another exaÌ„ple wryten in the .xxij. chapytre of the Apocalyps that after that saynt Iohan haâ— seen the reuelacyons of god he fell before fete of the aungell that had shewed theyr to hym to th ende that he myght worshyp hym And the aungell sayd / kepe the froâ— doynge yt. And afterwarde foloweth woâ—shyp god Thou shalt be ryght vnnaturaâ— to dysknowlege thy god the whiche is tâ—â— creatour of the heuen and of the erthe / gâ—uerneth all the worlde and purueyeth vnto all creatures all thynges as to them be necessarye Also thou sholdest be ydolatâ— to giue vnto the ydolles and straunge goâ—des the honoure the whiche apperteyneâ— vnto the fourmer and creatoure of vs all The scryptures sayeth that the name 〈◊〉 god is louable from the oryent tyll vnto occydent Vnde psalmê° Asolis ortu vsâ— ad occasum laudabile nomeÌ„ domini ¶ A so thou sholdest be without entendemenâ— and naturall reason for too thynke that stone or a symulacre hathe puyssaunce fâ— to gyue the helthe in thy sekenesse or paradyse at the ende of thy lyfe Also force or pâ—yssaunce procedeth of the creatour as it is wryten Iohannis .j. Omnia per ipsum fata sunt / et sine ipso factum est nichil And therfore beleue in one onely god in trinyte and yf thou therin be ferme and stedfast thou shalte be worthy to doo myracles as dyde a preste the whiche entred within the fyre for to approue the faythe and was not breÌ„t Quere .lxi. B. ¶ Another example how a good man stedfast in god requyred hym that a mountayne myght be remoeued chauÌ„ged frome one place in to another for to conferme the faythe / his request was herde Quere .lxj. a. Vnto this purpose it is wryten Mathei .xxj. Amen dico vobis si habueritis fidem et non hesitaueritis et si monti huic dixeritis tolle et iactare te iÌ„ mare fiet Certaynly I say you yf it be so that ye haue had faythe without doubtynge / that haue sayd vnto this mountayne take the away and caste the in to the see / it shal be doone C. ¶ Secondly it is defended to beleue in ydolles straunge goddes / in errours / and folysshe credences .vj. IT is wryten in the auncyent testament that god defendeth al yl operacions / thoughtes / and wordes of infydelyte the whiche these ydolatres speketh / thynketh agaynst the faythe Vnde exodi .xx. c. NoÌ„ habebis deos alienos coram me NoÌ„ facies tibi sculpile neque omnem similitudinem que est in celo desuper / et que in terra / nec oiÌ„a eorum que sunt in aquis sub terra non adorabis ea neque colles That is to lay Thou shalt not haue straunge goddes before me Thou ne shalt make ydoldes ne statues ne symylytudes what so euer it be in the skye on hye as the sonne and the mone that many haue worshypped vnfaythfully / nor in other thynges the whiche ben on the erthe of the thynges the whiche ben in / waters / ne vnder the erthe Thou ne shalt worshyp those thynges ne gyue vnto theym the dyuyne honour / that is that the whiche is wryten before ¶ One onely god with all thyn herte thou shalte serue / and in hym beleue Thou shalte loue hym with all thyn herte and also thou shalt honour hym Maledyccyon cometh on those the whiche wyll not beleue in god / and the whiche maketh ydolles vnto whome they
rayne desceÌ„ded and the windes and the waters strake agaynst it and it fell not / for it was so wel founded Vnde mathei .vij. DesceÌ„dit pluuia et venerunt flumina / et flauerunt venti et irruerunt in domum illam et non cecidit / fundamenta enim erant super petraÌ„ The raynes descended / that is the tourmentes and aduersitees the whiche descendeth from the heyght of the ayre By the waters the whiche cometh ben vnderstande the persecucyons of the ryche puyssauntes And by the wyndes the whiche bloweth ben vnderstande the fauours of the worlde / or the Iniuryes / thretenynges / and vniust languages the whiche stryketh agaynst the hous belongynge to the Iust by dyuers temptacyons And it fell not frome good purpose by delectacion / consentement ne good operacyon / for it was founded vpon a stone / that is the faythe of god Saynt Poule sayth in his epystles In oibus sumeÌ„tes scutuÌ„ fidei iÌ„ quo possitê oiÌ„a tela neqissimi ignea extiÌ„guere For to resyst agaynst the temptacyons of the deuyll it behoueth to haue stedfast faythe And a man sholde note the faythe wtout operacyon is deed of no value / as the body is deed whan the soule is departed VnÌ„ Iob ii Sicut corpus sine aiÌ„a mortuuÌ„ est ita fides sine oê‘ibus mortua est ¶ Example of some that hath ben sure in the fayth qÌ„re .lxi. a. b B. ¶ Moche people gooth to daÌ„pnacion perdycoÌ„n for lacke of faythe as lollers heretykes that holdeth beleueth some thynge ayenst the artycles of the faythe / instruteth the syÌ„ple folke so to beleue / suche people ben excommunycate by sentence of ryght Vt habetur extra de hereticis ExcoÌ„municamus And is a case reserued vnto the bysshoppes Also all those the whiche hath put faythe and credence vnto the sayd heretykes in reputynge them to be good and to haue good faythe / and all those the whiche defendeth theym of dede and of worde ben also excommunycate Also many heretykes haue ben yll reproued for that that they haue erred agaynst the artycles of the fayth Fyrst Manycheus erred the whiche sayd that there were two goddes / the one good and the other badde / and that the good hadde created the thynges inuysybles and the yll the thynges vysibles Agaynst this errour saynt Peter sayth Credo in vnum deum patrem omnipotentem creatoreÌ„ celi et terre Secondely Arryanus erred the whiche sayd that Ihesu cryst was a creature created lesse after the dyuynyte than god the fader Ayenst this errour Anathasius sayth Filius a patre solo est noÌ„ factus nec creatus / sed genitus Equalis patri secundum diuinitatem minor patre secundum humanitatem Thyrdly some grekes haue erred the whiche sayd that the holy ghoost was creature and not god Agaynst this errour was made in the symbole Qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur Fourthly Sabellius erred the whiche put the confusyon of the persones without to dystyngue theym and sayd that the fader was somtyme the sone and somtyme the holy goost Agaynst this errour Anathasiê° dooth saye Alia est enim persona patris alia filii / alia spiritussaÌ„cti vna est diuinitas Fyfthly the Iewes and sarazyns erred the whiche beleued not in Ihesu cryst gooth agaynst the artycles of the faythe Sextly Iacobyte and Nycolayte erreth / for they beleue otherwyse in the sacrament than ne dooth the holy chyrche Romayne SeueÌ„thly the Grekes erreth the whiche denyeth that the holy chyrche Romayne ne is the chyefe and the maystresse of al chyrches Agaynst this errour was put in the symbole Apostolicam ecclesiam Many other heretykes haue erred agaynst the faythe the whiche I leue by cause of shortnes ¶ Examples of heretykes And fyrst example that the deuylles kepte an heretyke from brennynge but whan the body of Ihesu cryste was brought they ne myght kepe hym .lix. a. ¶ Another example that a cautelous heretyke was brent of a fole .lix. c. A. ¶ Fourthly of the effecte of the .vii. sacramentes the whiche ben comprehended vnder the artycles of the faythe .viij. IT is wryten that our lorde sayd vnto his dyssyples that they sholde go through out the worlde to preche the gospell that is all holy after our faythe He the whiche hath beleued in god after the faythe and hath accomplysshed that the whiche is wryten in the gospell and hath ben baptysed shall be saued And he the whiche hath not beleued shall be condampned Vn. mar xvi Euntes in mundum vniuersum predicate euaÌ„gelium omni creature Qui crediderit baptisatus fuerit saluus erit / qui vero noÌ„ crediderit condempnabitur After the lawe catholyke and the holy scryptures we beleue that these synners haue remyssyon and pardon of all theyr synnes by the grace mercy that god hath gyuen and instytued vnto those the whiche worthely and holyly receyueth the holy sacramentes instytued and ordeyned in his chyrche / the whiche holy sacramentes ben conteyned and hole comprehended vnder these artycles Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam / sanctorum communionem remissionem peccatorum And they ben seuen the whiche folowen That is to knowe Baptysme / penauÌ„ce / confyrmacion / vnccyon / ordre of prestehode / eucarystie / and maryage After the scryptures these sacramentes ben Instytued for to hele those that ben seke by the Infeccyon of synne The chyrche is an apotycary or as the hous of a prudent phesycyen the whiche is furnysshed with all good medycynes agaynst all sekenesses for to gyue helthe The seke man is the synner / the phesycyen is Ihesu cryst / the mynyster of the medycyne is the preste / the entrayte the lectuary / and apotecareryes is the vertues of the sacramentes The syÌ„ner hath many sekenesses / the fyrst that cometh in to this worlde is synne orygynall / agaynst the whiche is the sacrament of baptysme for to hele it The seconde sekenes is venyall synne agaynst the whiche is instytued the oyle of the last vnccyon The thyrde sekenes is mortall synne / agaynst the whiche is instytued the sacrament of penaunce The .iiii. sekenes is debylyte or weykenes of faythe / agaynst the whiche is instytued confyrmacion The fyfthe sekenes is ygnouraunce of thynges verytables / agaynst the whiche is instytued the sacrament of the ordre of prestehode / for he the whiche receyueth it ought to be a clerke sage for to instructe The syxte is the concupyscence carnall of voluptuous people / agaynst the whiche is instytute the sacrament of maryage The seuenth is affeccyon dysordynate in thynges blynde and defaylynge / agaynst the whiche is the sacramente of eucharystye or body of our lorde Also the seuen sacramentes gyueth grete grace vnto synners / for they do bere effecte By the grete grace that almyghty god hath gyuen within the effecte of the sacrament of baptysme well receyued all gylte is effaced
deo veniale c. The thyrde is by that / that a man is fallen in delectacyon of venyall synnes he dysposeth hyÌ„ ofte tymes to come vnto mortall synnes / wherof speketh saynt Gregory the whiche sayeth Vitasti gaudia / vide ne ebruaris arena He sayth so for that often tymes fro small synnes men come in to grete In lykewyse as by a lytel sparkle of fyre there ryseth a grete flambe Wherof the sage speketh in his prouerbes saynge Qui minima negligit paulatim decidit in maiora He that dyspreaseth the small thynges falleth in to grete The fourth whan that venyall synnes ben not repelled comynly procedeth after the synnes mortall As it appereth in the fyrst mouementes the whiche ben deputed amonge the venyall synnes whan the delectacyon hathe conualescence in soo moche that the consentement also approcheth / so sourdeth incontynent mortall synne Also the accustomaunce to swere is dauÌ„gerous for who so swereth often often him for swereth / and who so often lyeth often synneth mortally Therfore sayth the holy Ysodore Vsus iurandi periuruÌ„ ducit The vsage to swere maketh forswerynge Et legitur hie remie .xiij. Si ethiops mutare poÌ„t pellem suam et pardus varietates suas vos poteritis benefacere cuÌ„ didiceritis maluÌ„ Yf the ethyopyen that is blacke myght chaunge his skynÌ„e / and the leoparde her varyeteâ— that is whyte blacke / and ye may do well 〈◊〉 lykewyse as ye haue lerned accustome yll Also of lytell cornes men may makeâ— grete somme or burden lade an hors so moche that he ne may bere it Also of lytel venyall synnes men make grete mortal sines the whiche ladeth dampneth the pesones VnÌ„ mgrÌ„ alanus De minimis granis fit maxima suÌ„ma cabali / de breuibê° mâ—dis non veniale maluÌ„ So it appereth thâ—â— the venyall synnes and the accustomauÌ„â— to swere ben to fle as it is sayd before E. ¶ To the regarde of othes a man sholde vnderstande that some ben more horryble / greter / solempnell / and byndynge the the other For he the whiche swereth gods well bounde / but he that swereth by god bâ— the euangelyst he is yet more bounde / and so of other swerynges whan the solempâ—â—te groweth the oblygacyon groweth Bâ—â— what is it of one that swereth by god the othe by the euangelist IohnÌ„ Crysostome sayâ—â— that he the whiche swereth by god is moâ—â— bounde than he that swereth by the euaÌ„gelyâ—â— agaynst some that beleueth the contrary Sâ—â— ti scripture proptur deum fcteÌ„ sunt non deu ê“pter scripturas .xxij. q j. Aliqua Foles scryptures ben made for god and not goâ— for the scryptures Also the doctours saytâ— that the one othe and other solempnely mâ—de the one and the other egally byndeth / â— be it yf the one be solempnely made and other not / that the whiche is solempneâ— made byndeth more as vnto the chyrche more penaunce vnto hym ought to be 〈◊〉 ioyned the which transgresseth / but as â—â—to god they ben egally bounde extra quâ— dei vel vo Yet agayne vnto the contrary the holyer that a thynge is wherby a maâ— swereth of soo moche is he more worthye greter payne that soo forswereth hyÌ„ / thâ—â— sayth saynt Austyn Than more bound xxii q. i. Mouet te Yf thou be forsworne repeÌ„t the / do penaunce the whiche effaceth the syn synnes as it wryten before queÌ„ ante .viij. b Also kepe the from swerynge vaynely and vnprouffytably or thou shalt lose the Ioyes of paradyse the whiche ben grete / quere .lxvij. a Also thou sholdest drede to be sent in to the fyre of hell the whiche is a cruell tourment as it is wryten after QueÌ„ xlix b. ¶ Examples shal be founde by the table in the ende of thexamplary quere C. vii A. A. ¶ The maners to blaspheme god / and that the blasphematours ben ryght cursed and euyll .xij. IT is wryten eclesiastice .xxiij. ca. Vir multum iurans implebitur iniquitate non discedet a domo illiê° plaga ¶ A man moche swerynge as he the whiche blasphemeth god / or the whiche forswereth hym shall be replenysshed with inyquyte and the plage shall not departe from his hous To blaspheme god is a ryght grete synne detestable the whiche a man commytteth in many maners Fyrst in gyuinge vnto god ony thinge that apperteyneth not vnto hyÌ„ as to say that god is a lyer Secondly whaÌ„ a man taketh from god that thynge the whi apperteyneth vnto hym / as to say that he is not Iust and good Thyrdly whan man graunteth or gyueth vnto ony creature that thynge the whiche apperteyneth vnto god the creatour / as to saye suche a man or suche an ydoll is god Or as dyde the seruauntes of the kynge of Assyryens the whiche grauÌ„ted vnto theyr kynge that the whiche apperteyned vnto god / for they sayd vnto the kynge Ezechyas Whiche ben the goddes of all the erthe the whiche haue power to delyuer theyr regyons from the handes of our kynge / there is none And whiche is the god that may delyuer Iherusalem froÌ„ his honde c. This blaspheme dyspleased so moche vnto god that the aungell of our lorde stroke the people of the army of the sayd kynge slewe an C. lxxxv M. as it is wryten in the .xix. chapytre of the .iiij. boke of kynges Fourthly whan a man bryngeth forth towarde god contumelous moeuynges to debate or stryfe Vnde mathei .xii. Hic noÌ„ ei cit demones / nisi in belzebub principe de monioruÌ„ Et luce .xi. In belzebub principe demoniorum ei cit demonia Some Iewes sayd that they had founde hym subuerty syÌ„ge the people / and defendynge to gyue the trybute vnto cesar / and they lyed VnÌ„ luce xxiij Hunc inuenimus subuertanteÌ„ genteÌ„ nostram et prohibenteÌ„ tributa dari cesari Also some wende for to haue sayd Iniury vnto hym that he receyued the synners that he eate and dranke with them Vnde luce .xv. Hic peccatores recipit et manducat bibit cum illis Also some sayd that he was good / and other sayd that he was not good but that he seduced the people in yll Vnde IohÌ„ .vii. Quidam dicebant bonus est / alu dicebant non / sed seducit turbas Fyfthly in the swerynge cursedly / execrably / and irreuerently as whan ony cursed crystyens ben angry anenst god / and by that maner of Iniury and of vengeaunce swere by the vertue of god / by the blode / by the guttes / by the lunges / by the herte / by the fete / by the heed / the eyen / the tethe / or ony of his membres The persone that so swereth by delectacyon delyberacyon obstynatly yf he be a clerke he ought to be deposed / yf it be a lay man he ought to be excommunyed as it is wryten .xxij. q. i. Si quis per capillum We rede that saynt Poule thappostle cursed some
proferreth cursed wordes Whan a man seeth smoke and sperkles come out of an hous it is a token that there is fyre in it / also whan a persone proferreth blasphemes it is a token that he is euyll c. And for as moche as these blasphematours speketh the language infernall of the dampned the whiche is the language that the deuyl theyr mayster techeth them maketh them to speke / they goo not in to paradyse with god / but in to hell with the deuyll with al the dampned Quia legitur Iob .xxxvi. Qd deus non saluat impios God saueth not the euyll / that is to knowe yf they deye Impenytent and without contrycyon / confessyon / and satysfaccyon Vnde Luce .xiii. Nisi penitentiam habueritis omnes simul peribitis Yf ye doo not penaunce ye shall all perysshe ¶ Fyfthly blaspheme is so grete a synne that it is agaynst the goly goost / for it is ayenst his bounte / and therfore it is irremyssyble as vnto the payne VnÌ„ legitur mat xii SpuÌ„s blasphemie noÌ„ remittetur in hoc sclo neque in futuro .i. vix remittetur The spyryte of blaspheme shall not be pardoned in this worlde ne in the other Et legitur marci .iij. Qui blasphemauerit in spmÌ„ setmÌ„ non habet remissionem in eternuÌ„ sed reus erit eterni delicti He the whiche hath blasphemed ayeÌ„st the holy goost hath no remyssyon in perdurabylyte That is to vnderstande that he hath not playne punycyon in this worlde or in the other as vntoo the payne / for his synne is not commytted by fragylyte or biygnourauÌ„ce / but by certayne knowlege malyce / wherby he hathe none excusacyon in his synne / and therfore vnto hym apperteyneth playne punycyon without remyssion / not that one sholde vnderstande that yf the blasphematour wolde repent hym that absolucyon to him sholde be denyed that he ne may be saued and haue grace and mercy as to the gylte But a man sholde vnderstande that it shal be with grete payne / for vnto hym apperteyneth playne punycyon playne penaunce as vnto the payne but yf he haue mercy So it appereth note it well that the syÌ„nes agaynst the holy goost be not pardoned in this world ne in the other as to the payne as it is sayd / but they may be pardoned as to the gylte / and therfore the blasphematours shold not dyspayre them but do penaunce absteyne them fro synÌ„e Vnde ezech xviii Si autem iÌ„pius egerit penitenciam vita viuat c. Men fynde in wrytynge dyuers sortes of penauÌ„ce the whiche apperteyneth vnto blasphematours ¶ Fyrst theyr penaunce ought to be of .vii. yeres in lykewyse as for the other mortall synnes / as it is wryten .xxii. PredicaÌ„dum But a man sholde consider the maner of the othe / the qualite of the persone and the other cyrcumstaunces for to gyue vnto hym penaunce / eyther sharper or lyghter easyer as it is wryten R. i. De penitentijs et c. sequenti .v. The othe the whiche is made 〈◊〉 delyberacyon is more to punysshe than 〈◊〉 the whiche is made by hastines Also the pâ—naunce of a publyke blasphematour is â—â—uen by the bysshoppes / the whiche is suche That he ought to be at the chyrche dore sâ—me soÌ„dayes or solempne feestes bare foâ—â—bare heded / vngyrded / with a tapre in his hande c. Also the penaunce of the blasphâ—matours after the auncyent lawe was they sholde be put to dethe / as it appereâ— Leuiti xxiiij Of one of the sones of Israeâ— the whiche had blasphemed god he was â—â—ned and slayne by the commaundements god And it is wryten in the sayd chapytâ—â— that god coÌ„maunded Moyses in shewyne hym what punycyon the blasphematour shal haue / saynge Loqueris ad filios 〈◊〉 el / homo q i maledixerit deo suo portabit pecatuÌ„ suuÌ„ / et qui blasphemauerit nomeÌ„ dimorte morietur / lapidibê° obruet euÌ„ oiÌ„s muâ—tudo ppli Moyses spake vnto the childre of Ysraell saynge That man the whiche sayeth yll vnto his god shal bere his synne he the whiche hath blasphemed that name our lorde shall deye of dethe / all the multitude of people shall stone hym sle hym stones And the gospell sayth He the which hathe sayd yll vnto his fader or to his mâ—der shall deye of dethe VnÌ„ mathÌ„ xv Quâ—mala dixerit patri vel matri morte moâ—◠¶ Syxtly these blasphematours beÌ„ dysâ—sed to speke contumelyous wordes / inuâ—â— and rebuke vnto theyr lorde and mayster And meruayle is it none yf they ben in hâ—te and lose his loue / his grace and his company For in lykewyse as god dwelleth 〈◊〉 grace in the conscyence of the good catholyke Vt habetur .i. iohÌ„ .iiii. Qui maneth inâ—ritate in deo manet et deus in eo Vnto the contrary God departeth hym from the â—â—scyence of the blasphematoure the whichâ— is a ryght yll catholyke Qui noÌ„ manet 〈◊〉 caritate deus non manet in eo And also as men say of the good catholycke IohÌ„ .xiiii. Si quis diligit me sermoneÌ„ meum seruabit / pater meus diligit euÌ„ et ad euÌ„ venâ—amus et mensioneÌ„ apud euÌ„ faciemus Who so loueth me he shall kepe my worde / my fader shall loue hym we shall come vnto hym / and we shall make our dwellynge in hym Also a man may say of the cursed blasphematour Apud euÌ„ non veniemê° meÌ„sionem apud euÌ„ faciemus That is to saye that the blyssed trynyte shall not come to dwell ne rest by grace in the conscyence of the cursed blasphematour as in the conscyence of the good catholyke ¶ Seuenthly blaspheme chaseth the vertues / letteth the good dedes spyrytuall / and maketh many euyls in the soules of the blasphematours the whiche ben declared afterwarde Quere .xliiij. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. ¶ Examples of the blasphematours Quere in thexamplary .lxii. b. c. d. h. i. k. A. ¶ Questyon yf a man commytte synne at euery tyme that he swereth .xiii. NOn assumes nomen dei tui in vanuÌ„ Vpon this coÌ„maundement a man may demauÌ„de yf ony may swere without commyttynge synne The answer A man may swere without sinne whan necessyte is / the whiche is verytable / Iust / lefull / and for good ende / as whan a maÌ„ swereth for to afferme Innocency whan ony cursed cryme is brought vp / or for to conferme the alyaunces of peas / or for to shewe or persuade vnto the herers that the whiche is vtyle for the helth of theyr soules To swere for these thynges it is none euyll synne for it is necessary and lefull Albeit that the swerynge of it selfe is not good / and neuertheles it is not yll whan it is necessary / yet it is not to appetyte as is the good More ouer it is not to fle as an yll thynge whaÌ„ it is lefull / but he defendeth the
knoweth it not too be all true for certayne he sholde swere of credence not of veryte / for that sholde be agaynst that the whiche is sayd iurabis viuit dnÌ„s in veritate ¶ The seconde thyÌ„ge requysyte to swere wel wtout ony synne is that a man sholde swere by dyscrete delyberacyon / the whiche is in the party of reason / that is that a man sholde dyscerne yf there were ony necessyte to swere or not For albeit that a thyÌ„ge be true yet he sholde not swere yf there ne were necessyte As who so sholde swere by our lady I am in the chyrche c. Howbeit that the othe be verytable yet is there synne / for there is noo necessyte to swere yt. Iurabis in iudicio Whan a man swereth it behoueth that he there haue good Iugement / that is dyscrete delyberacion as it is sayd / to dyscerne and aduyse yf the thynge be requysyte and necessary for to swere / as whan a man warneth or counceyleth to beleue some good thynge the whiche is expedyent and prouffytable vnto some slouthfull and peruers persones the whiche wolde not beleue by simple wordes and speche he may swere in callynge god to wytnesse that in suche wyse he sholde be without offence in swerynge Iurabis iÌ„ iudicio Also whan a man swereth by good dyscrecyon it behoueth to regarde .vi. thynges / that is quaÌ„do / quale / cui / quomodo / vbi / et de quo Fyrst it behoueth too regarde quando in what tyme it is that a man swereth / for in seculer causes nor in other a man ne sholde swere / ne constreyne to swere in the solemne feestes / ne to holde Iurysdyccyon Secondly quale iuramentuÌ„ / what othe it is that a man swereth / for some of theym or one of them ben greter than another more to drede Thyrdly cui to whome it is that a man swereth / for a persone of the chyrche sholde not be coarted to swere to seculer / ne in court seculer but in some case / for there myght folowe irregalyte / as in case of cryme Fourthly quomodo how it is that a man swereth / by what maner / by what delyberacyon / by what constraynte / and by what hastynes / or necessyte Fyfthly vbi where it is that a maÌ„ swereth / in what place / in holy place / or in place not holy / as in the chyrche or chyrche yarde Syxtly de quo / of whome / of what thynge it is that a man swereth / of a thynge good or yll / yf it be of an yll thynge a man sholde not swere ¶ The thyrde thynge the whiche is requysyte to swere lefull is to regarde that the thynge wherfore a man swereth be iust lefull to do good and accomplysshe / for the othe the whiche is not iust sholde not be accoÌ„plysshed And for that offended Herode for the othe that he had made vnto his doughter whan he made saynt Iohan baptyst to be heded VnÌ„ Ysodo Impia est ê“missio qÌ„ scelere adiÌ„pletur The promys is yll the whiche is accomplysshed by synÌ„e / yf the othe haue these thre thynges before sayd a man may swere without synne C. ¶ That a man sholde accomplysshe the vowes Iustly made xiij DAuyd the prophete sayth Vowe ye lefully by deuocyon And after that ye haue vowed soo yelde ye and accomplysshe the sayd vowe to your lorde god Vnde daujd in psalmo Vouete reddite dnÌ„o deo vestro And note well that after that he hath sayd vouete there foloweth incontynent reddite In this seconde coÌ„maundement god defendeth that a man ne breke the vowes the whiche hath be made Iustly / lefully by delyberacyon and by Iuste cause They the whiche accomplyssheth them not and leueth them / and the whiche dooth vnto the contrary of that / that they haue vowed and promysed / or the whiche them dyspyse taketh the name of god in vayne and doth vnto hym irreuerence vnto his sayntes And they sholde vnderstande that they beÌ„ charged and bounde to accomplysshe theÌ„ / or elles they commyt mortall synne Ysodorus dicit Multum deo reus eris si noÌ„ reddas quid voueris / deo displicent qui vota sua non iÌ„plent That is to say Thou shalt be moche culpable vnto god yf thou yelde not / that is yf thou accomplysshe not that that thou hast vowed Those the whiche accoÌ„plysshe not theyr vowes dyspleaseth vnto god ¶ Example of a woman the whiche vowed chastyte and after wolde be maryed Quere in thexamplarye of the seconde commaundement .lxiij. E. Also it is better doone not to vowe than not to holde the promysses after that the vowe is made VnÌ„ eccl v. Multoque meliê° est noÌ„ vouere quam post votuÌ„ ê“missa noÌ„ reddere Et Ysodo dicit Melius est eniÌ„ non ê“mittere quam fide ê“missioÌ„is non soluere That is to saye Better is not to promyse than not to pay the faythe of the promesse Also it is grete Ieopardy to tary to accomplysshe the vowe after it is made yf a maÌ„ hath tyme space to accomplysshe it Vnde deuteronÌ„ .xxiij. CuÌ„ votuÌ„ voueris dnÌ„o deo tuo non tardabis reddere qua requiret illud dnÌ„s deus tuus et si moratê° fueris reputabitur tibi in peccatuÌ„ That is to saye thou ne shalte tary to yelde vnto thy lorde god whan thou hast vowed a vowe for thy lorde god shall requyre it of the / yf thou hast made taryenge to accomplysshe it vnto the it shall be reputed in synne And it is wryteÌ„ ecclesiastes .v. Si quid deo vouisti ne moreris reddere displicet enim iÌ„fidelis et stulta promisso Yf thou haste vowed ony thynge vnto god ne tary thou to yelde promesse / vnfaythfull and folysshe promesse him dyspleaseth ¶ Example that it is a grete peryll to deffer to accoÌ„plysshe his vowe Quere in the examplary .lxiij. H. Many other examples of vowes there shall be founde cete Also a man sholde note that those the whiche accomplyssheth theyr vowe ben in the loue grace of god For they sheweth them selfe loyall and faythfull in there ê“mysses / god vnto them accordeth in there prayers and oraisons ¶ Example that Anne vowed vnto god that yf he wolde sende her a sone that she sholde gyue hyÌ„ vnto the seruyce of god all his lyfe / she conceyued Samuell the whiche was a prophete accoÌ„plysshed her vowe as it is wryten .i. reguÌ„ .i. ca. ¶ Another example that the kyÌ„ge Aza accoÌ„plysshed the vowe that he made of his fader bare hym to goddes hous as it is wryten .ii. paral .xv. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple that after that the chyldren of Ysrael had vyctory of Holofernes they yede to worshyp god in Iherusalem / al they kept theyr vowes promesses / as it is writen Iudith .xvi. ca. D. ¶ What thyÌ„ge is a vowe how is it dyffynyed Vowe is concepcyon of the
vnto the fyre of hell the whiche is a tourment ryght cruel Quere .xlix. B. A. ¶ How a man sholde take hede to serue god and his sayntes on the feestes commaunded .xvi. THyrdly for to sanctyfye the feestes a man shold serue god and his sayntes with herte / with mouthe / operacyon Saynt Poule sayth in the .xvi. chapytre of the seconde epystle to the corynthyens In oiÌ„bus exhibeamus nosmetipsos sicut dei ministros Shewe we our selfe in all thynges as the mynysters of god Et alibi seruire deo regnare est To serue god it is too reygne with hym Euery good crysten man sholde enforce him to serue god on the holy dayes after his scyence and faculte / sholde put hym in deuocyon and orayson for to gyue praysynges vnto god vnto his sayntes / as Dauyd the whiche sayd Semper laus eius more meo The clerkes sholde syÌ„ge with hert / with mouthe / and operacyon for to serue god Vnde ecclesiast xxxix In omni corde et ore collaudate et benedicite nomen domini Prayse ye and blysse ye the name of our lorde in all your hert mouth Also a man sholde serue humbly and reuerently vnto the preest in thynges the whiche vnto hym ben necessaryes / as to gyue him the water / to torne the boke / to bere the paxe to lyght and to put out the candell c. Dauyd sayth Seruite domino in timore exultate ei cuÌ„ trimore Serue ye vnto god vnto his vycars in drede To serue god in drede is the begynnynge of wysdome Vnde prouerbiorum .i. Initium sapientie timor domini Also the good and diligent seruauntes haue euermore the aduauntage / and of good as wel in this worlde as in the other / and they ben beloued of god and of grete lordes before the slouthfull Wherof speketh the wyse man Prouerbiorum .xxii Vidisti virum velocem coram regibê° stabit / nec erit coram ignobiles Et prouerbio rum .xxi. Cogitationes robusti suÌ„t semper in abundancia / omnis autem piger in egestate est The thoughtes of a maÌ„ boystous and coueytous ben euer in habundaunce of goodes / and all slouthfull people ben in nede and in pouerte All the good seruauntes shall be in paradyse with god moche honoured and praysed Vnde in euangelium Si quis michi ministrauerit honorificabit eum pater meus qui est in celis Item euangilium Volo pater vt vbi ego suÌ„ illic sit et minister meus Ihesu cryst sayeth I wyll fader where as I am that my mynister be / that is that his seruauntes be with hym parteners in his realme and his glorye Of the seruauntes the whiche ben good and faythfull / and of those the whiche ben euyll and vnfaythfull is somwhat spoken in the chapytre of Sacrylege Quere .xxx. C. Also god called the good persones swetely his seruauntes Vnde Mathei .xi. Venite me ad oeÌ„s qui laboratis et onerati estis et ego reficiam vos Also god vnto them shall gyue a grete rewarde VnÌ„ mat xxv Euge serue bone et fidelis / quia suê‘ pauca fuisti fidelis / supra multa te ê¯stituaÌ„ intra iÌ„ gauduim domini tui Good seruauÌ„t and faythful enioye the / for that thou hast ben faythfull vpon a lytell thynge I shall ordeyne the vpon a grete thynge / entre in to the Ioye of thy lorde For to make shorte euery persone sholde enforce hym to serue and honour god and his sayntes eche after as his scyence and faculte is And also sholde take hede vnto the vtylyte of theyr frendes and they shall haue grete rewarde in the realme of paradyse Of the whiche is wryten towarde the ende of this presente treatyse .xlvii. A. B. ¶ How a man sholde besy hym in prayer on the feestes commaunded .xvi. FOurthly for to sanctyfye the feestes or holy dayes we sholde pray to god in orayson and saye all the good thynges that we can more besyly than on the werkynge dayes Saynt Austyn sayth ê™ oratio est oranti presidium aduersario inceÌ„dium / angelis solacium / deo gratum sacrificium Orayson or prayer is defence vnto hym that prayeth agaynst all euyll / vnto the deuyll aduersarye Ioye and solace vnto aungelles sacryfyce vnto god moche agreable That orayson kepeth a persone from all euyll it appered by thexample of a woman the whiche wolde haue haÌ„ged her selfe by dyspayre / and as she apparayled the corde in herynge a bell rynge vnto the sacrynge she went on her knees in orayson incontynent the temptacyoÌ„ ceased and she was delyuered Also on the feestes commauÌ„ded we sholde thynke on the euylles that we haue done on the werkyng dayes / and we sholde repent vs and hertely crye god mercy / and put our selfe in orayson for to requyre of hym myserycorde c. ¶ Wherfore is it that god wyll that we requyre hym orayson For foure thynges pryncypally Fyrst to th ende that we reknowlege hym to be our god / lorde / and mayster / creatoure / benefactour / the whiche for vs hath made and created all thynges Vnde iohannis .i. appoc Adorate eum qui fecit celum terram mare et omnia que in eis suÌ„t Et psal Quoniam deus magnus dominus et rex magnus super omÌ„es deos It is good reason that a persone worshyp and pray vnto his god / lorde / and benefactour in reknowlegynge the good that he vnto vs hath done Secondly god wyll that we hym requyre in orayson to th ende that we repute vs to be his seruauntes obedyentes vnto hyÌ„ It is reason that a seruaunt obey vnto his mayster / serue / honour / pray him For as moche as Lucyfer wolde not be as a seruaunt in praynge god but enpryded hyÌ„ of the good that his god vnto hym had gyuen in so moche that he wolde haue sytten by him haue ben semblable vnto hym VnÌ„ ysaie xiiij Sedebo in moÌ„ te testameÌ„ti in lateribê° aquilonis ascendaÌ„ suê‘ altitudineÌ„ nubiuÌ„ similis ero altissimo And for that he wolde not pray god / ne reknowlege to obey vnto him but wolde shewe hymselfe as mayster / so he lost all the good that he had and is now the foulest deuyll in helle And therfore we sholde praye vnto god and confounde the synne of pryde in vs / in shewynge vs to be his seruauntes obedyent vnto him Thyrdly our lorde wyll that we requyre hym in orayson in knowlegynge our poore fraylte as of our selfe we may nothynge doo / and that all cometh and procedeth of god Vnde iohannis primo Omnia per ipsum facta sunt et sine ipso factum est nichil Item Iohannis .xv. Sine me nichil potestis facere For to vnderstande well whan we requyre one of the sayntes of paradyse that we may haue helthe of our sekenesse / it is not the saynt of hym selfe that heleth vs / but it
is god / and the saynt that ye doo requyre prayeth vnto god for you / and god heleth you in exaltynge the request and intercessyon of the sayd saynt In lykewyse all the good puyssauÌ„ce that all the sayntes of paradyse haue god it vnto theym hathe gyuen And therfore we sholde praye god in orayson in reknowlegynge our fragylyte that of our selfe we may nothynge doo / and that all procedeth of hym Fourthely god wyll that we hym requyre in orayson for too doo hym honoure For orayson is a sacryfyce the whiche is moche agreable vnto god Also the encense the whiche is put within the fyre casteth a good odour and a smoke the whiche mounteth on heyght vnto god In lyke maner orayson enbrased vpon the coles of deuocyon casteth a smoke and a swete odoure the whiche mounteth vp before god / the whiche vnto hym is moche agreable And therfore sayeth the psalmyst Dirigatur domine oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo We rede thobie duodecimo That Thobye was moche deuout the whiche occupyed hym selfe to do the werkes of mercy And on a tyme the aungell of god appered vnto hym vnto whome he sayd Whan thou prayest god in orayson with teeres / and whan thou buryest the deed bodyes I present thyn orayson before god Also we rede Actuum decimo / how Cornelius was on a tyme about the houre of noone in orayson the whiche made his request vnto god And incontynent an aungell of god in lykenes of a fayre yonge man clothed in whyte appered vnto hyÌ„ vnto whome he sayd Thyn orayson is exalted / and thyn almesdedes ben remembred before god We ought for to serue god in orayson for to doo hym honoure and sacryfyce the whiche vnto hyÌ„ is agreabled / and vnto vs vtyle and prouffytable Also as a noble man sholde do honour vnto the kynge on his knees the whiche is called homage / in reknowlegynge that he holdeth his sygnourye of hym / and that he is seruaunt obeyssaunte vnto hym In lykewyse we ought to do to god in orayson Or in lykewyse as the seruaunt is bounde for to serue his mayster / in semblable maner ben we bounde vnto god the whiche is our mayster Or in lykewyse as euery maÌ„ sholde bere and pay his rente and his trybute vnto the lorde of whome he holdeth In lyke maner sholde we doo honour vnto god of our bodyes and of our goodes vnto our power C. ¶ A questyon / how sholde a man make orayson vnto god for to haue that the whiche is necessary Answer Hym behoueth to say his pater noster / for he requireth of god that all euylles and synnes ben put awaye and that he haue vnto body and vnto soule al goodes temporalles and spyrytualles the whiche ben necessaryes and vtyles / Our lorde made the pater noster and sayd vnto his dyscyples that they sholde saye it whan they wolde pray vnto almighty god In lykewyse as it is wryten in the gospelles Mathey sexto / et Luce vndecimo ¶ Here after foloweth the orayson domynycall or pater noster the whiche our lorde taught to his dyscyples / and the requestes and fruytfull petycyons conteyned in the same Our fader that art in heueÌ„ sanctified be thy name thy kingdom come to vs / thy wyl be done in erth as in heuen / our dayly brede gyue vs to day forgyue vs our dette as we forgyue our detts lede vs not in to teÌ„ptacoÌ„n but delyuer vs froÌ„ euyl ameÌ„ PAter noster qui es in celis ¶ Our fader celestyall almyghty Lorde / god / and creatour Syttynge in heuen potencyally Exalte me thy seruytour Sanctificetur nomen tuum ¶ Thy name be euer sanctyfyed In our fayth catholyke Aboue all praysed and gloryfyed Without errour dyabolyke Adueniat regnum tuum ¶ More ouer lorde we the requyre That we may come and haue saluacyon Vnto thy kyngdome and empyre In the ende and conclusyon Fiat voluÌ„tas tua sicut in celo iÌ„ terra ¶ Thy wyll be also done Of vs in erthe truely As is of thy sayntes echone In heuen ryght Ioyously PaneÌ„ nrÌ„m cotidianuÌ„da nobis hodie ¶ Gyue vs lorde our dayly fode Of soule and of body eke Amende vs all and make vs gode In spyryte also to be meke Et dimitte nobis debita nrÌ„a sicut etc. ¶ Pardon vs lorde our synÌ„es trespaÌ„ces As we forgyue our offences and dettes Louse vs also out of the deuylles laces And kepe vs from fallynge in his nettes Et ne nos inducas in temptationeÌ„ And suffre vs lorde not to be ledde In euyll thoughtes and temptacyon Wakynge / ne slepynge lyenge in bedde By the deuylles persuacyon Sed libera nos a malo ¶ Delyuer vs from all yll Of body and soule also Gyue vs grace yf it be thy wyll To ouercome our mortall fo Amen ¶ Amen / amen for charyte Graunt vs lorde our petycyon Thy blyssed face for to se And of thy goodheed the fruycyon ¶ Explicit ¶ The requestes that a man maketh vnto god in saynge the pater noster THe petycyon of Sanctificetur nomen tuum taketh away pryde and putteth in vs the vertue of humylyte / and requyreth the gyft of drede / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati pauperes spuÌ„ And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipÌ„o rum est regnum celorum The petycyon of Adueniat regnum tuuÌ„ taketh away enuy / and putteth in vs the vertue of charyte / it requyreth the gyft of pyte / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati mites And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram The petycyon of Fiat voluntas tua sicut in celo in terra taketh away yre and putteth in vs the vertue of pacyence / and requyreth the gyfte of scyence / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati pacifici And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam filij dei vocabuntur The petycyon of Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie taketh away slouthe / and putteth in vs the vertue of dylygence / requyreth the gyft of strength and the beatytude of the gospel Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iusticiaÌ„ And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi saturabuntur The petycyon of Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimê° debitoribus nostris taketh away auaryce / and putteth in vs the vertue of largesse / requireth the gyft of counceyle / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati misericordes And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur The petycyon of Et ne nos inducas in temptationeÌ„ taketh awaye glotony / and putteth in vs the vertue of abstynence / and requyreth the gyft of entendement / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati mundo corde And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi deum videbunt The petycyon of sed libera nos a malo taketh away lechery / and putteth in vs the vertue of chastyte / and requyreth the gyft of sapyence / and the
beatytude of the gospell Beati qui lugent And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi conselabuÌ„tur A. ¶ How a man sholde yelde graces and thankes vnto god of the good welthe the whiche he vnto vs hath doone with out beynge vnkynde .xvii. FYfthly for to sanctyfy the feestes we sholde goo vnto the chyrche on the sayd dayes of the feestes for to yelde thankes praysynges vnto god for the grete goodnesses that he vnto hath done the whiche ben soo many and grete that it is soo Impossyble as vntoo vs that we ne may yelde nor gyue theym agayne in ony thynge that we may doo And euery man ought for too vnderstande that god vnto hym hath doone more good and benefayte than he is worthy / ne than he hathe deserued Saynt Barnarde sayeth Agamus fratres gratias factori nostro / benefactori nostro / redemptori nostro My broder yelde we graces vnto hym the whiche hathe made vs / that is vnto god our fader celestyall Vnde mathei xxiii Vnus est pater vester qui est in celis The whiche hath created our soules of nothynge vnto his symytude Vnde gene .ix. Ad ymaginem quippe dei factus est homo And the psalmyst Ipse fecit nos noÌ„ ipse nos Yelde we graces vnto our benefactour that is vnto god the whiche maketh the cornes and the fruytes to growe and to come / all that wherof we lyue Vnde iohan .i. Omni per ipsum facta sunt / et sine ipso factum est nichil Yelde we graces vnto our redemptour / that is vnto the sone of god the whiche is borne of the vyrgyn Mary the whiche hathe suffred dethe and passyon for too redeme vs from hell where we sholde haue descended Vnde ad gal .ii. Dilexit me tradidit semet ipsuÌ„ pro me nesim ingratus de gratie God hath gyuen the thy body with all thy membres He gyueth the thyn eyen to see / thyn eeres to here / thy fete to go c. Yf thou haddest not syght ne herynge thou sholde not knowe what good it is to here and too se And yf he gyue the lyght thou sholde thanke hym all thy lyfe / he the graunteth now syght and heringe and al thy membres for nothinge without thy merytes Moreouer he gyueth the nourysshement / vestement hous / felde / cornes / oxen / kyen / shepe / and bestyall Vnde paulus in epistola and co Quid habes quod non accepisti What goode hast thou of thyn owne that thou ne hast fyrst taken of another whan thou was borne thou brought nothynge with the / the goodes cometh not of the / thou reknowlegest not the goodes here / and soo thou thankest not god Saynt Austyn sayth in the boke de ciuitate dei Quisquis beneficia dei non vidit cecus est / nec laudat ingratus est / qisquis in laudaÌ„do reluctatur insanus est He the whiche seeth not the benefaytes that god vnto hym hath doone he is blynde / and yf he prayse not god he is vnkynde / and the whiche is worse he is not hole He is seke the whiche impugneth god with his gyftes / vseth of those gyftes agaynst the honoure of god and agaynst his propre helthe / that is to vnderstande whaÌ„ he maketh folysshe lokes with his eyen / whan he bryngeth forth cursed wordes with his mouthe / and so of other membres / or whan he mysuseth the goodes / that is to vnderstande whan he taketh clothes proude and pompous / whan he eteth excessyuely / whan he drynketh vnto dronkenesse / and so of other And as oft tymes as ony abuseth in suche wyse the gyftes of god after true Iustyce / he sholde be put from that gyft / that is to vnderstande from the syght or the herynge c. And it is all for his vnkyndenes Vnde Bernardus super canti Ingratitudo inimica est anime / exmanictio meritorium virtutuÌ„ dispersio / benefactoruÌ„ perditio Suche a man the whiche is so vnkynde is indygne and vnworthy to take many gyftes of god Vnde bernardus Non est dignus daÌ„dis qui noÌ„ agit gratias de datis That maÌ„ is not worthy to haue thynges gyuen vnto hym the whiche yeldeth no thankes of the thynges gyuen / a man may knowe it in hym selfe Yf thou haddest done good vnto a persone by thre or foure tymes / and that at euery tyme he were to the vnkynde thou wolde cease to do ony more good vnto him What shalt thou than say of god the whiche hath doone good vnto the more than a thousande tymes / and thou vnto hast be euermore vnkynde without reknowlegynge the good that he to the hath done ¶ Example that the .ix. lazers that our lorde heled were vnkynde for they went not to yelde hym thankes after that they had helth He had heled x. but there was but one the whiche reknoweleged the good that he vnto hym hadde doone / the whiche retorned hym to yelde thankes Vnde luce .xvii. Nonne deceÌ„ muÌ„dati sunt / et nouem vbi sunt / non est inueÌ„tus qui reddiret et daret gloriam dei / nisi hic alienigena ¶ Another example how the man vnto whome the lorde pardoned ten thousaÌ„de talentes was vnkynde for he ne wolde pardon the small debte / and for his vnkyndenes he was betaken to the hangman and put in prysone Quere .xxvii. H. ¶ Another example contrary of a knyght the whiche pardoned hym that had slayne his fader / and god pardoned hym all his synÌ„es Quere .xxvii. I. The scryptures vs warneth to yelde graces and praysynges vnto god for to fle vnkyndenes VnÌ„ pau i. ad thessal v. In omnibê° gratias agite Yelde thankes vnto god in all the thynges that ye doo Et ad colloscenses .iij. Omne quod cuÌ„que facitis in verbo aut in opere oiÌ„a in nomine dnÌ„i nostri iesu christi facite gratias agentes deo et patri peripÌ„m In euery thynge what so euer ye do in worde or in operacyon / do all thynges in the name of our lorde Ihesu cryst in yeldynge thankes vnto god c. Et legitur .i. ad corin .x. Siue manducatis / siue aliquid aliud facitis omiÌ„a in gloriam dei facite Do ye all thynges in the glory of god yf ye ete or yf ye drynke / or yf ye doo ony other thynge All the aungelles sayntes of heuen loueth god / and yeldeth hym graces of his benefaytes / and so sholde we do Vnde apo vii Vide hostium appertum in celo / dicit btuÌ„s iohaÌ„nes ecce turba magna quaÌ„ dinumerare vt nemo poterat c. Saynt Iohan sayth in the apocalypse that he sawe the dore open in heuen / and soo grete turbes of holy persones that no man myght nombre them / and they cryed with hye voyce Salute vnto our lorde god the whiche sytteth vpon the throne / benedyccion / clerenes / and
commaunded It is here agaynst charyte and mortall synne Quia accidia secundum sanctum thomam est tristicia de spirituali bono in quantum est diuinum ad quod quis de necessitate tenetur Slouthe is to haue trystesse of spyrytuall goodnes in as moche as it is dyuyne whervnto some is holden of necessyte To tary / to withdrawe or to fle the goynge to euensonge / masse / matyns / predycacyons / processyons and all other seruyces Yf he sancyfy not well and honour god and his sayntes in theyr solempnitees And by this ben reproued the slouthfull late comers / neglygentes / people not carynge / forgetefull / ydle / weyke in spyryte / soft / tendre / ennoyfull / sluggardes / and dyffaylers / in so moche that they ne wyll obey to serue god his sayntes after the commaundement the whiche vnto theym is gyuen ¶ Example how that god reproued the ydle people the whiche ne dyde no good operacyon Vnde mathei .xx. Quid hic statis tota die ociosi ite in vineam meam Also those the whiche ben ydle and slouthfull to go vnto seruyce of the solempnytees ben to be reproued as these beforesayd Legitur luc .xii. Ille seruus q i cognouit voluntatē dn̄i sui / et nō se p̄parauit et non facit scdm voluntatē eius vapulabit mltis That seruaūt that knoweth the wyl of his mayster or lorde prepareth not hymselfe / ne dooth after his wyll shall be moche beten Also they shall be sent in to the fyre of hell Wherof it is wryten luce iii et math vii Oīs arbor que nō facit fructū bonū excidetur in ignem mittetur That is to saye Euery tree / that is euery persone the whiche ne maketh good fruyte that is good operacyons shall be cut and sente into the fyre of hell / wherof it is spoken after Quere .xlix. b. A tree the whiche bereth no fruyte ne dooth but occupye the erthe wherin it is / and therfore men cutteth it brenneth it In lykewyse shall the slouthfull be the whiche dooth noo good dede shall be taken out of this worlde and sent vnto the fyre of hel / in the whiche they shall be cōstreyned to abyde eternally / and so to holde thē wyl they or not without euer to haue ayde ne socoures C. ¶ Example of a relygyous that wolde doo no goodnesses It is wryten in the dyalogue of saynt Gregory of a frere the whiche came vnto a relygyon more by necessyte thā by wyl vnto whome it was grefe whā men spake vnto hym of his helthe / he ne wolde do ne here the good / and to all goodnes flouthfull he was to do it Whan he was seke and at the dethe all his brethren came thyder / and as he laboured at the laste ende he cryed and sayd vnto his bredren Departe you / go you hēs for I am gyuen to a dragon for to deuour me / that whiche ne may englout me for your presence / my heed is now plunged in his mouthe / gyue hym place to swalowe me / and that he tourment me no more / and that he do that thynge that he sholde do Yf I be gyuen vnto hym for to be deuoured / wherfore shall I suffre to tary for you Than the bredren vnto hym sayd Broder what thinge is that / that thou spekest / make the token of the crosse He answered I wolde make it but I may not for the scales of this dragon Than his sayd brethren fell flatte vnto the erthe in orayson and wepynge for the ayde and delyueraunce of hym / by theyr prayers he was delyuered He thanked thē and correcked hymselfe / for he was no more slouthful but prompte and dylygent vnto all goodnesse / and after ended well his dayes / and yf he had not correcked hymselfe he had be dampned and put from paradyse ¶ Another example of a man that whiche was dampned for that he wolde do no good dede D. ¶ We fynde by wrytynge how a holy man beynge in deuocyon herde by the permyssyon dyuine the voyce of a soule the whiche cryed horrybly alas / alas / alas / and that sayd holy man hym demaunded what he was / he answered I am a soule dampned and he agayne demaūded / what hast thou doone wherfore thou arte dampned He answered for that / that I was slouthfull to doo good operacions / sayd not the good that I knewe / nor I yode not vnto the chyrche in time and place / and dyde not the good that I was holden to doo / and therfore I am dampned By this example men sholde vnderstande that it suffyseth not to declyne frome euyll for to be saued / but with that it behoueth to doo good dedes Vnde psalmista Declina a malo et fac bonum The sayd man was not dampned for the theftes / ne fornycacyons c. but for that that he loste the tyme of grace without doynge of good dedes / and without confessyng hȳ after his dethe he myght neuer confesse hym ne do good operacyons / for he hadde loste the tyme of grace / and also he was not in the place where he myght doo it Nichil preciosus tempore / sed heu hodie nichil vilius ¶ Another example of a preest the whiche taryed too mynyster the sacramentes vnto his parysshen the whiche departed deyed This example is wryten here before in the fyrst commaundement / quere .viii. c Dylygence is agaynst the synne of slouthe for good seruauntes sholde be prompt and dylygent to serue god and his sayntes in lykewyse as it is declared here before .xvi. A and they shall be praysed / and shall haue grete rewarde in lykewyse as it is wryten in the chapytre of sacrylege Quere in the .vi commaundement .xxx. C. A. ¶ Here foloweth the fourth commaundement of god the whiche treateth that we sholde loue our faders .xx. ¶ Faders and moders thou shalt honour And them socoure in necessyte To helpe thy neyghbour in euery houre Be thou dylygent in all equyte THis commaundement is wryten / Exo. xx ca. Math. xix Marc. vii Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam Honour thy fader and thy moder or euyll shall come vnto the / in lykewyse as it is comen vnto many Quere in thexam .lxx. b d. And it is wryten Math. xxii Et adroma xiii Diliges proximum tuum sicut teip̄m Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy self in lykewyse as it is wryten here before quere .ii. f. g. h. ¶ For to declare this commaundement it behoueth to se and knowe many thynges ¶ And fyrst B. ¶ Whiche ben the faders that we sholde honour .xx. VEnerare patris Honour thi faders Foure pryncypall faders there ben vnto whom honour is due That is to vnderstande Our fader creatour / he the whiche hath engendred vs / the fader spyrytuall / and the fader temporal ¶ The fader fyrst that we sholde honour is god
certes thou sholdest do it Vnde .iiij. regum v. Pater si reÌ„ graÌ„dem dixisset tibi ê“pheta certe facere debueras He murmured agaynst the prophete He liscus c. Vnto these faders seculers here euery man sholde bere honour and reuereÌ„ce by this commaundement whan the tyme the place / and the oportunyte it gyueth / after the dygnyte of euery man Vnde .i. petri ii Omnes honorate fraternitatem diligite deuÌ„ timete / regem honorificate That is to say / honour all folke / loue fraternite / drede god / honour the kynge And it behoueth them to obey vnto thynges the whiche toucheth the gouernement of theyr realme or sygnourye in god and after hym for the helthe of soules / and not otherwyse Legitur mathei xxii Reddite que sunt cesaris cesari / et que sunt dei deo Yelde vnto cesar the thynges the whiche ben due vnto cesar and yelde vnto god that the whiche apperteyneth vnto him That is to vnderstande that men sholde yelde vnto the temporall lorde suche honour and the thynge the whiche vnto hym apperteyneth And for to yelde vnto god the dute magnyfycence the whiche belongeth vnto his soueraynte And saynt Peter sayth Be ye subgectes vnto all humayne creatures for the loue of god or vnto the kynge also as vnto the superlatyfe the whiche is aboue the other / or vnto the dukes as sent of the kynge vnto the vengeaunce of the euyl / and vnto the praysynge and laudacyon of the good Vnde .i. petri ii Subiecti estote omÌ„i humane creature propter deum / sine regi quasi precelenti siue ducibus tanquam ab eo missis ad viÌ„dictam malefactorum / laudem vero bonorum And how be it that oure lorde commaundeth that a man honour / serue / and loue his faders it behoueth for to vnderstande as it is sayd that god is the souerayne fader Vnde mathei xxiii Vnus est pater vester qui est in celis Vnto god apperteyne the souerayne honour / for what persone that honoureth / prayseth / loueth / serueth / or putteth his hope or truste in persones / as in prynces more than in god he offendeth in lykewyse as it is declared before in the fyrst commaundemente Quere .i. H. Moreouer the scryptures sayth that the auncyente people ben our faders in aege Vnde paul .i. ad thimo v. SenioreÌ„ ne in crepaueris sed obsecra vt patrem Thou shalte not blaspheme the auncient / but prayse hyÌ„ also as fader And it is wryten Leuiti xix Coram cano capite surge et honora personam senis / et time dominum deum tuum That is to say Aryse thou before the balde heed / and honour the auncyent persone / drede thy lorde god The auncyent hathe seen passed / and can / and knoweth / wherfore a man vnto hym sholde bere honoure and reuerence And whan the yonge presumeth to speke / to knowe / or to do ony thynge before the auncyent men they ben proude presumptuous / and ought gretely to be reproued Also it is wryten Ecclesiastice .xxxii. In medio magnatorum loqui non presumas / et vbi sunt senes non multa loquaris Glosa Si vis interrogatus fueris habeat caput tuum responsum / et multis esto quasi inscius et auditacens simul et loquens / et pro reuerentia accedet tibi bona gratia That is to say Presume not to speke amonge the grete / and where the auncientes ben speke but lytell Yf thou be questyoned two tymes than answere And be thou in many thynges as not knowynge and herken in scylence And soÌ„tyme speke / and good grace shall come to the for to do reuerence Also this worde here pater the whiche is here of the masculyne gendre is taken in .iiii. maners after Grecisme Est pater hic cura / pater est alius genitura Est pater etate / pater ille vocatur honore Ad summum regem facit illa creatio patrem The fyrst after Grecisme is he the whiche hath the cure to baptyse / to confesse / and to admynyster the sacraments The seconde fader is he the whiche hath engeÌ„dred The thyrde fader is the auncient of aege the whiche is called the fader of honoure The .iiii. fader the whiche ought to be the fyrst is the creatour souerayne kynge ¶ Of these faders before sayd many examples shall be founde in the fourth commaundement of the examplary Quere ad numerum .lxxi. A. B. C. A. ¶ The maners how these chyldren sholde loue theyr faders xxi HOnora patrem tuum et matrem tuam Honour thy fader and thy moder After the coÌ„maundemente of god a man shold bere reuerence vnto his faders in many maners / of the whiche we shall tell .vii. B. ¶ Fyrst a man sholde do honoure vnto his faders whan he passeth before theym / or that he speketh vnto theym / or that he bowe the knee / and vncouer and bowe his heed in humylyte / drede / and loue This maner of doynge is comune in all honest persones moche praysed For it is wryten luce .xiiii. mathei .xxiii. Omnis qui se humiliat exaltabitur All men the whiche huÌ„bleth them and boweth downe shal be exalted The more that a tree is charged with fruite / or an ere with corne / the more they bowe downe and enclyne towarde the erth Also a persone the more that he is replenisshed with vertues and with grace / the more gretely he humbleth hym Vnde iacobi iiii ca. Deus superbis resistit / humilibus autem dat gratiam God resisteth vnto the proude people / and to the humble he gyueth grace Also the persone the whiche boweth doune and humbleth hym more lowe than he ne sholde he offendeth not as to passe in at a dore And yf he rayse hymselfe hygher than he sholde he hurteth hym selfe and offendeth Our lorde had humylyte in al maners That is to vnderstande in his natyuyte / and whan he wasshed the fete of his dyscyples / and whan he put hymselfe vnder saynt Iohan for to be baptysed c. Vnde mathei .xi. Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde Lerne of me / that is take ye example of me for I am soft and humble of herte Yf our lorde hath so moche bowed doune and humylyed hym vnder his dyscyples as to wasshe to theyr fete / by a more greter reason we sholde humble vs and bowe vnder our fader and moder Also it is wryten that euery man drede his fader and moder Vnde leuitice .xix. Vnusquisque patrem suum et matrem suam tâ—meat And whan that ony ne humbleth hyÌ„ and boweth doune before his faders whan tyme and place it requyreth it is pryde and gooth agaynst thiq commaundement Secondly a man dooth honoure and pleasure vnto his faders whan that a man speketh vnto theym swete wordes / good and curteys / symple and amyable
auditum auertent ad fabulas autem conuertentur That is to saye Preche vnto synners and maynteyne thou it opportunatly / unportunately repreue / pray / blame in all pacyence and doctryne / the tyme shall come that they ne shall sustayne / that is they ne wyll haue holsome doctryne They shall assemble prechours and maysters for to tell theym pleasaunt thynges for to here / they shall take away the herynge whan a man shall speke of the trouthe / and they shall approche to here fables / toyes / and mockeryes It is a grete thynge vnto a fader curate or precher to shewe the worde of god to conuert a synner / and to put hym from the errour of his way / for he saueth his soule and couereth the multytude of his synnes Vnde iacobi v. Scire debet quoniam qui conuerti facerit percatorem ab errore vie sue / saluabit animam eius a morte / et cooperit multitudinem peccatorum ¶ Examples of many the whiche haue ben saued for theyr worde of god Quere in thexamplary And vnto the contrary it is a grete daunger vnto curates and superlatiues to lete the soules of theyr subgectes be loste by defaute of theyr shewynge of good doctyne / for they ben deputed as homycydes of theyr soules Vnde Ezechielis .iii. Si noÌ„ annunciaueritis impio neque locutus fueris vt auertatur a via sua impia / et ipse impiê° in iniquitate sua morietur sanguinem auteâ— eius de manu tua requiram c. Et legitur prouerbÌ„ xi Vbi non est gubernator populus curruet The people falleth where as is no gouernour / that is of capytayne or of mayster Also the curates the whiche precheth not ne correcteth theyr parysshens shall answere before god of all theyr synes Vnde iohannes chrisostomus dicit Vnusquisque enim christianus pro suo peccatored det rationem / sacerdos autem non tantum pro suis sed et pro omnium subditorum peccatis Also they ben called dombe dogges the whiche can not barke ne baye / that is they can not preche ne shewe the worde of god Vnde Ysaie .lvi. Canes muti non valatrare videntes vana dormientes et amaÌ„tes somnia c. ¶ Example that he that precheth the worde of god shall haue grete rewarde in paradise / and that many curates gooth vnto dampnacyon for that they gouerne them euyll Quere .lxvi. g. E. ¶ Fourthly the fader shold shewe good example vnto his chyldren Saynt Poule sayth Ad titum .ii. capi Inomnibê° teipsuÌ„ prebe exemplum bonorum operum / in doctrina / in integritate / in grauitate verbum sanum irreprehensibile vt is qui ex aduerso est vereatur nichil habens malum dicere de nobis Gyue thyselfe example of good operacyons in all thynges / in doctryne / in integryte / in grauyte / thy worde be hole with out reprofe to th ende that he the whiche is vnto the contrarye haue shame / and haue not ony euyll thynge to saye of vs. A man sholde note that the fader is deputed homicyde of his chylde spyrytually of dethe of gylte whan he dooth operacyons of syÌ„nes before hym / and that by his example he habandon hym vnto euyll and syntull werkes The blyssed man saynt gregory sayth in his pastoryall Scire debent prelati qd tot mortibus sunt digni / quot perditionis exempla ad subditos transmittunt Et legitur mathei xviii Ve homini per quem scandalum venit Wo vnto that man by whom sclaunder cometh ¶ Example of a man of his chylde the whiche cursed eche other in helle / and sayd by the I am dampned c. Quere in the examplary .lxxi. G. Also in this fourthe commaundemente a man sholde vnderstande that god there coÌ„maundeth that a man loue his neyghbour as hym selfe This dyleccyon is declared largely in the begynnynge of this presente boke Quere .ii. e. f. g. A. ¶ Here foloweth the werkes of mercy the whiche ben here commaunded to accomplysshe aneÌ„st our faders and neyghbours indygentes and nedy xxii ¶ Who so with god wyl make his accorde Whan he shall come vnto the Iugement The werkes of mercy coÌ„mauÌ„deth our lord The to accomplysshe vnto the Indygent SAynt Poule sayeth in his epystle that he wryteth .i. ad Thymotheum .iiij. capi Pietas ab omnia vtilis est promissionem habens vite que nunc est et future Pyte is prouffytable in al thynges hauynge promesse of the lyfe the whiche now is and of that for to come Also these scryptures sayeth Yf thou wylt be in the loue in the grace of god / and that thy case be well borne vnto the Iugement partyculer and generall the whiche shall be doone of the it behoueth that thou be mercyfull to gyue to lende vnto the poore indygent That is to vnderstande Yf ony of thy bredren crysten men be comen to pouerte thou shalte not harden thyn herte ne withdrawe thyn hande / but thou shalte labour and gyue vnto hym the lone in the thynge the whiche thou seest that he hath necessyte Vnde deuteronomie .xv. Si vnus de fratribus tuis ad paupertatem venerit non obdurabis cortuum nec contrahes manuum sed apecies eam pauperi et dabis mutuum quo eum in digeri prospexeris And yf thou do vnto hyÌ„ ony almesse and charyte thou shalte haue way and ouerture for to come surely before god For the gate of paradyse shal be opened vnto hym the whiche hath doone mercy and almesse / in lykewyse as men open the gates and make waye vnto hyÌ„ the whiche bryngeth a fayre present or gyft vnto a lorde / and yf he brynge nothynge men shytte the gates ayenst hym Vnde ecclesiastice xvi Omnis misericordia faciet vnicuique locum secundum meritum operum suorum et secundum intellectum peregrinationis illius All almesdedes and good operacyoÌ„s that the Iust hath doone shall appere vpoÌ„ hym before al at the Iugement Vnde Ezechielis .xviii. Iusticia iusti erit super eum The Iustyce of the Iust shall be vpon hym And the sage sayeth that in the ende of the man his operacyons shall be made open Vnde eccle xi In fine hominis denudatio operum illius Et legitur Ysaie .xxix. Erit vobis visio omnium sicut verba libri signati The vysyon of all thynges shall be vnto you in lykewyse as the wordes of the boke wryten / god shall call with hym the good people the whiche bereth vpon theym the werkes of mercy that they haue accoÌ„plysshed / the whiche he shall put on his ryght hande / and shall lede them with hym into paradyse And the euyll shall be put on the lyfte hande and sent vnto the fyre of helle It is wryten prouerbiorum .xxi. Qui obturat aurem suam ad clamorem pauperis clamabit ipse et non exaudietur He the whiche stoppeth his eeres vnto the clamours of the poore / he shall
so deformed and replenysshed with woundes and sores of the sekenes elephantyne as he myght be / he wolde go in to his hospytall / but he ne myght soo moche do / he was so wery / and intended to go the way of the sayd Martyr monke And the man of god hadde pyte and compassyon of the sayd wery mesyll and thought to helpe and socoure hym in his nede / he toke his owne mantell and spredde it on the erthe and wrapped the sayd lepre in it and lyfte hym vpon his sholders and bare hym and whan he approched nygh to the gates of the sayd monastery the fader spyrytuall of the sayd monastery began to crye with an hygh voyce vnto his seruauÌ„tes Renne ye renne ye and open the gates of the chyrche for broder Martyr is comen the which bereth god on his sholdres And whan he aryued at the gate he the whiche he hadde thought to be a lepre lepte frome his backe in the fourme of our sauyour and redemptour Ihesu cryst the whiche was god and man mounted in to heuen before the sayd frere Martyr in saynge Martyr thou hast hadde no shame of me vpon the erthe / and I shall haue no shame in heuen of the. And whan the holy man was entred in to the chirche the fader of the monastery hym demauÌ„ded sayenge Broder Martyr where is he that thou barest ryght now He answered Yf I had knowen hym I sholde haue holden hym by the fete Than Martyr tolde the case / and sayd that as he bare hym he felte no weyght c. F. ¶ Another example how saynt Elyzabeth serued a mesyll foure dayes ¶ Men fynde in wrytynge that in an hospytall the whiche saynt Elyzabeth hadde do to be made there came a mesyll or lepre so foule / horryble and lothely to beholde that the chamberers and seruauntes of the sayd hospytall had horrour and ne wolde mynyster serue hym of suche necessytes as were requysyte And whan saynt Elyzabeth sawe that he was in suche wyse dyspised of other she came vnto hym for to mynyster his necessytees in all humylyte and dylygence She wasshed his heed / bathed him / and bare hym vpon her sholdres / and made hym to rest in her lappe / and she dyde hym this seruyce foure dayes and than the sayd seke man departed The fyfth day as saynt Elyzabeth was makinge her deuout oraysons our sauyour Ihesu cryst appered vnto her and sayd I am Ihesu cryst the sone of the vyrgyn Mary / vnto whome thou hast mynystred at suche dayes And for as moche as thou haste purueyed me in fourme of a lepre thou shall haue with me eternall lyfe and Ioye c. G. ¶ Another example of a seke body the whiche was vysyted of an aungell It is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that an ancyent man solytary was seke by the space of thyrty dayes the whiche hadde neuer a persone that hym vysyted / nor the whiche vnto hym dyde ony seruyce in his sekenesse the whiche he bare paciently And after the sayd .xxx. dayes god vnto hym sent an aungell the whiche vnto hym admynystred by seuen dayes his necessytees / for no persone hym vysyted And after that some freres remembred theym of the sayd man the whâ—â— sayd togyders Suche one our broder cometh no more forthe lete vs god vysyte hyÌ„ lest peraduenture he be seke / and they arose incontynent and wente towarde hym And whan they came to knocke at the dore the aungell of god departed from hym / and the sayd seke man began to crye with an hye voyce in the sayd hous Go hens bredren / goo hens / and in wepynge they yode and toke the dore of the hokes and entred vnto him / and than they demaunded hym wherfore he hadde in suche wyse cryed / he vnto them answered For I haue laboured by .xxx. dayes in sekenesse and noo maner of persone hath vysyted me / and here these seuen dayes god hath sent an aungell the whiche hath minystred vnto me my necessytees / and whan ye were comen vnto the dore he departed fro me And whan he hadde sayd these wordes he deyed / and all they praysed our lorde god c. ¶ Another example how many freres gaue a clustre of grapes vnto the moost weykest Quere in the examplarye .lxxv. A. ¶ Another example of a curate the whiche vysyted a ryche man at his dethe / and wolde not vesyte a poore woman wydowe the whiche deyed .cv. A. ¶ Another example of a curate the whiche taryed to longe or wente to mynyster the sacramentes to his parysshen the whiche deyed Quere before .viii. C. ¶ Another example how two men became lepres for that / that they hadde horroure and dyspysed lepres Quere in the examplarye lxxxiiij E. H. ¶ To bury the deed ¶ The deed bodyes that lye aboue the grounde Hauyng not wherof in erthe to be brought To bury them all crysten men ben bounde Specyally those that of theÌ„selfe haue nought IN scriptures we rede that the good man Thobye left his dyner and ranne for to haue the bodyes of them that hadde ben slayne and by nyght entered buryed them agaynst the wyll of the kynge / for he fered and loued more god than the kynge c. Also we rede Eccclesiastice .xliii. Corpora saÌ„ctorum in pace sepulta sunt / et viuent noiÌ„a eorum in eternum That is to say The bodyes of those that ben holy ben buryed in peas / and the names of them lyueth in perdurabylyte I. ¶ To counceyle and to conforte ¶ Confort them that ben confortlesse And counceyle them that no counceyle haue Of suche good dedes thou do not cesse Yf thou thynke thy soule to saue A Grete werke of mercy it is as too gyue good counceyle vnto those the whiche haue synned folyed / or gone out of the way or the whiche haue many doubtes and dyffycultees The wyse man sayeth that helthe shall be in the thynge where as ben many counceyles Vnde prouerbiorum .xi. .xxiiii. Salus erit vbi sunt multa consilia A man sholde take the counceyle of god and of the good men and not of the euyl Vnde thobie quarto Consilium semper a sapientie perquire The euyll people ne counceyleth but euyll and synne / therfore take not theyr counceyle Vnde ecclesiastice .xxxvii. A consiliario malo serua animam tuam ¶ Example / euyll came vnto Theophyle to take the counceyle of a sorcyer / for he made hym to renounce vnto god and vnto the vyrgyn Mary Quere .lviii. b Also euyll came vnto Amon the whiche defloured and had to do flesshely with his syster Thamar by the counceyle of Ionadab for he was slayne after Quere in thexamplary lxxxxi C. ¶ Another example how euyll came vnto the kynge Ochozyas for sendynge too seke counceyle at the deuyll / for he deyed myscheuously / and his messengers were brente with the fyre celestyall Quere in thexamplary ad numerum
he ne wolde yelde it agayne lxxxii c. A. ¶ The examplayre theleccyon of those that wele or yll paye theyr dysmes xxxi IT is wryten deuteronomii .xiiii. ca. DecimaÌ„ parteÌ„ seperabis de cuntis fructibê° tuis q i nascuÌ„tur iÌ„ terra ê‘ amos siÌ„gulos decimaÌ„ frumenti tui et vini et olei primogenita de apmeÌ„tis et ouibê° tuis vt discas timere dnÌ„m deuÌ„ tuuÌ„ iÌ„ oiÌ„ teÌ„pore Thou shalt depart the tenth partye of all thy fruytes that ben borne in the erthe euery yere The tenth of thy whete and of thy wyne / and of thin oyle The fyrste borne of thy beestes and of thy shepe to th ende that thou lerne to drede thy lorde god in al tymes The dysmes shold be payed vnto god and vnto his seruauntes of ryght And therfore those the whiche haue stolen or the whiche haue nothynge payed of dysmes of goodes that god vnto them hathe made to growe vpon the erthe or the whiche hathe witholden ony partye or the whiche hathe payed and gyuen of the worste / or payed with yll wyll / or suffred to lese the sayd dysmes without puttynge them vnto prouffyte / sauete / or dyffer to longe to paye them This is here a grete synne moche to drede / for it is agayne the wyll of god the whiche coÌ„maundeth to paye the dysmes cerymonyally in lyke wyse as thou shalte here hereafter by scryptures And fyrst thou shalte knowe that god is the creatoure the whiche maketh to growe to come thy cornes / thy laboures thy fruytes / thy bestyall and all thy godes that the erthe bereth And also thou sholdest knowe that god hathe witholden reteyned for hymselfe the tenth partye of al those fruytes and goodes growynge in the sayd erthe Yf thou wylte not byleue it by symple worde / let hym go study the scryptures in the chapytres the whiche shal be hereafter alledged And fyrst it is wryten deutero xii Decimas et primitias manuum vestrarum vota atque deuorta primogenita bonum et ouium reddere precipit dominus That is to saye Oure lorde hathe commaunded to yelde the dysmes fyrst fruytes / the labours of your handes your vowes gyftes / the fyrst borne of kyen of shepe And it is writen deuto xviii Ab his q i offeruÌ„t victimas siue bouem siue oueÌ„ iÌ„molauerint dabuÌ„t sacerdoti pÌ„micias frumeÌ„ti vini et olei lauarum partem ex duium tonsione ipsum enim elegit dominus deus tuus de cuntis tribubus tuis vt stet et ministret nomini dei tui c. ¶ Of those the whiche offreth sacryfyces or the whiche haue sacryfyced oxe or shepe they shall gyue vnto the preestes the fyrst fruyte of whete / wyne / and of oyle / and the parte of the wolles of the clepynge of sheryng of the shepe Thy lorde god hathe chosen that preest of all thy lygnees to the ende that he it holde of the and admynystre in the name of our lorde ¶ Also our lorde sent vnto the chyldren of Israhell whan they sholde offre in deserte the wordes the whiche ben wryten leuitici xxiiii Cum ingressi fueritis terram quam ego dabo vobis et messueritis sagetes feretis manipulosspi carum messis vestre ad sacerdotem c. Whan ye shall be entred in to the lande that I shall gyue you / ye shall bere youre handes full of the erys of your corne vnto the preest c. Et legitur leuitici xxvii Omnis decime terre siue de fructibus siue de pomis arborum dnÌ„i sunt et illi sanctificaÌ„tur Al the dysmes of the erthe / be it of cornes / or fruytes / or of apples of the trees / they ben of our lordes and they ben sanctyfyed vnto hym Et legitur numeruÌ„ xviii Vniuersas fruguÌ„ primicias quas gignit humus domino deportantur The vniuerselles fyrst fruytes and cornes the whiche the erthe engendreth be borne vnto god / Yf thou wylte vnderstonde what it is to saye primicias Catholycon sayth that primicia primicie dicitur a primis pluraliter he primicie prumiciarum vulgo dicitur ê™ primicie sunt proprie que primo de fructibus percipiuntur vel que deo offeruntur Primicie they ben the newe the fyrst fruytes and cornes that the erthe bereth Also primicia est prima pars frigum dnÌ„o offerenda And it is wryten in the .vii. chapytre of the epystylles saynt poule vnto the hebrewes how the preestes the sones of leui takynge the coÌ„maundemente hadde to receyue the dysmes of the people after the lawe Example of this matere of a lorde the whiche withelde the tennethe of the godes that he gaue vnto his seruaunt Quere lxxxiiii a. Augustinus dicit decime et debito requiruntur et qui eas dare noluerit res alienas inuadit That is to saye that the dysmes ben demaunded of ryght For they ben due / and he the whiche ne hathe wylled to gyue them he witholdeth thynges strauÌ„ge the whiche apperteyneth not vnto hym And god sayeth in the gospell / mathei xxii Reddite que sunt cesarus cesari et que sunt dei deo Syth that it is so founde in the scryptures that god hath wtholden for hymselfe the tenth partye of the fruytes and cornes the whiche cometh froÌ„ yere to yere vpon the erthe as it is sayd / that he wylleth and coÌ„maundeth cerymonyally that in suche wyse it be done Those that dysmeth yll vnderstonde they that they coÌ„mytte synne and that it is vnkyndenes vnto them for to mysknowe theyr benefactour Also those that yll dysmeth that may wele they shall answer at iugement partyculere / or generall the whiche shall be made of theym before god in the courte celestyall For god shall be there iuge and partye Also they shall haue so many of accusatours the whiche shall accuse them of theyr synnes that they shall see / knowe themselfe that they ben culpables Also those the whiche payeth vnto the .xi. or vnto the .xiii. or vnto the .xxx. sholde vnderstonde that it is no dysme It is an yll custome the whiche hathe be begoÌ„ne of couetous people / auarycyous and vnkynde the whiche dysknoweth the good that god vnto them hathe gyuen Those the which foloweth suche custome sholde drede that couetyse and auaryce ne put oute theyr inwarde eyes Wherof it is wryten in the boke of sapyence Malitia eorum eccecauit eos Theyr malyce that is theyr synne hathe blynded them that they maye not see theyr yll It is greate peryll and daunger for the soule to folowe the custome wyll of people auarycyous For they goo vnto dampnacyon yf that they deye impeniteÌ„tes c. B. ¶ The condycyons to paye wele the dysmes Many condycyons sholde those haue the whiche wyll paye wele the dysmes of the whiche we shal tell foure The fyrst is that a man sholde paye entyerly / again those the whiche paye nothinge
prepayreth theym ouer deyntely To suche sauour delectacion vnto superfluyte there is synne / but yf ony haue honger and that he eteth and also delyteth in the meet it is noo synne / for it is a thynge naturall that behoueth vnto al bestes Yf ony also prepayre the meet in suche maner intencyon that he may ete it after the coÌ„plexyon and faculte of hym / for otherwyse he ne may ete it / he it also may do without synne Vnde au Vtantur diuites coÌ„suetudine iÌ„firmitatis sue sed doleaÌ„t se aliter noÌ„ posse melius eiÌ„ facereÌ„t si aliter possent Also those the whiche hath vowed not to ete egges on the fryday / or flesshe on the wednesday syÌ„neth as vnto the fraccyon of the vowe and as vnto glotony Also the excesse of meet drynke is defended that is to vnderstande whan a man eteth too moche of breed and of meet that nature be greued / or that a man vomet / or whan a man taketh so moche of drynke that a man becometh dronke and that the entendement be troubled / or to excede in drynke and mete togyders A doctour named de vrimaria sayth QuicuÌ„que inebriatur vel excedit mensuram in commedendo vel bibeÌ„do et hoc facit preposito intentione / talis peccat mortaliter tociens quotiens / sed si sit ignoranter et siue preposito vel si causa euenerit aut ex fragilitate sumeÌ„tis tunc peccat venialiter That is to saye What soeuer man that maketh hymselfe dronke or excedeth the measure in etinge or drynkynge and dooth it with intency on and purpose synneth mortally by as many oftymes as it happeneth And yf he do it ygnourantly and without purpose disposed or yf it happen by fraylte he synneth venyally And nother doctour named hermaÌ„num beleueth that whan ony taketh so moche of drynke and meet vnto superfluyte from than forthe that it greue nature be it by vometynge or not / and that of it that whiche he hath superfluyte and haboundaunce many poore people had ben susteyned the whiche peraduenture hadde therof necessyte / he beleueth that it is mortall synne Qr contra caritatem ê“ximi This synne is called surfyt the whiche is whan men eteth of the meet eschauffed warme before that it be baked / soden / or rosted ynough / the whiche dooth euyll / or to ete so moche mete that it ne may bake in the dygestyon naturall the whiche causethe corporal infyrmytees and spyrytualles / and maketh men surfytous to deye as sayth the sage Vnde eccle xxxvii Propter crapulam multi obierunt qui autem abstinens est aduciet vitam And the gospell sayth that these persones sholde kepe theyr hertes that they be not greued in surfytes and dronkennes Vnde luce xxi Attendite autem vobis ne forte grauenter corda vestra in crapula et ebrietate Et psal dicit Tanquam potens crapulatus a vino A maÌ„ surfyteth also by ouermoche dryÌ„ke / whan he taketh so moche that his herte is drouned Also the excesse of drynke wasteth the mynde / breketh the wytte and the thought / confoundeth the entendement it moueth vnto lecherye / it noyeth too speke well and implyeth the wordes / corrupteth the blode / derketh the syght / perturbeth the vaynes / taketh the strength from the synewes / maketh the eeres deef / troubleth the guttes / subuerteth the person / moysteth the brayne / letteth the slepe / weyketh all the meÌ„bres / shorteth the lyfe / letteth prayer / the vertue and all good operacyons Vnde legitur eccle xxxi Vinum multum potatuÌ„ irrationem et iram et ruinas multas facit ebrietas animositas imprudentis offensio minorans virtutem et faciens vulnera c Also the sage Salamon sayth that the Ioy of the body and of the soule is whan a man drynketh of wyne moderately without excesse / sobre drynkynge is helthe of the body and of the soule Vnde eccle xxxi Exultacio amime et corporis vinum modere potatum / sanitas corporis et anime sobrius potus And saynt Poule sayth that these dronken people shall not possede the realme of paradyse yf they deye impenytentes Vnde .i. ad Corinth vi Neque fures / neê™ auari / neque ebriosi / regnuÌ„ dei possidebunt And of hym the whiche constreyneth ony to dryÌ„ke to excesse saynt Augustyn sayeth Qui alium cogit vt plus bibat quam opus sit vt bibendo inebriet / melius esset illi vt carnem suam cum gladio vulneraret quam animam eius per ebrietatem occideret that is to say that he the whiche constreyneth ony to dryÌ„ke more than he shold to th ende that in dryÌ„kinge he be dronken / better it were for him that he made a wounde in his body with a swerde than he sholde sle his soule by drokennesse Note well that the synne of dronkennesse noyeth and harmeth in many maners vnto them the whiche it commytteth Quere ad numerum .xliiii. b. c.d.e.f.g.h.i.k ¶ Examples how mani ben come vnto an euyll conclusyon by glotony ¶ Fyrst how grete euyll came vnto Adam for bytynge of the apple c. Quere in the examplarye liiii A. ¶ Another example wryten in the .xii. chapytres of Iudyth the whiche with wyne made Holofernes dronke / and in his dronkennes smote of his heed ¶ Another example how punycyon dyuyne / sekenes / and dethe came vnto the cursed kynge Balthasar in a grete dyner that he had made vnto the grete lordes of his courte in lykewyse as it is wryten Danielis .v. ca. ¶ Another example how Amon the sone of Dauyd the whiche dyspoyled his syster Thamar was slayne at a grete dyner by his broder Absalon / in lykewyse as it is wryten in the .xiii. chapytre of the seconde boke of kynges ¶ Another example how the sones of Iob his doughters were slayne at a grete dyner of theyr oldest broder / in lykewyse as it is wryten in the .xvi. chapytre of the sayd Iob. ¶ Another example how the prynces of the Phelystyns feested togiders and made a grete dyner / and Sampson the stroÌ„ge pulled downe the hous vpon them / and there were thre thousande persones slayne in lykewyse as it is wryten in the .xvi. chapytre of the boke of Iuges ¶ Another example how saynt Iohan baptyst was beheeded and his heed was borne vnto kyng Herode as he was makynge a grete dyner in lykewyse as it is wryten in the .xiiii. chapytre of the gospelles of saynt Mathewe ¶ Another example of filius prodegê° that wasted his substaunce in glotonyes and lecheryes / in lykewyse as it is wryten in the xv chapytre of the gospels of saynt Luke ¶ Another example of a pylgryme the whiche solde his goune for to drynke wyne / euyll came vnto him Quere in thexamplary lxxxxiii G. ¶ Another example that yll came vnto a man named Vodo the which yode to ete and drynke at the
that it is in the mouthe it enuenymeth enfecteth all the persone VnÌ„ psal AccueruÌ„t liÌ„guas suas sicut serpeÌ„tes venenuÌ„ aspiduÌ„ sub labiis eorum They haue whetted theyr tongues as these serpeÌ„tes the sharpe venym of the adder mortal is vnder theyr lyppes Et iacobi .iii. Lingua iÌ„qietuÌ„ maluÌ„ plena mortifero veneno This lesynge was the venym that the serpent of hell had in his mouthe whan he deceyued Eue And therfore men say that lyenge gyueth occasyon that the serpent hath venyÌ„ in his mouthe And those the whiche lyeth hath the tongue enuenymed of the serpent of hell that tolde vnto Eue the contrary of that god vnto her had sayd in lyenge And therby they resemble to the deuyl that is theyr fader by imytacyon VnÌ„ iohÌ„ .viii. Vos ex patre dyabolo estis et desideria ptis vti vultis face ille homicida erat ab uÌ„tio et iÌ„ vitate noÌ„ stetit qr noÌ„ est vitas in eo cuÌ„ loquitur meÌ„datiuÌ„ ex proprus loquitur qr meÌ„dax est prÌ„ eiê° You be of the parte of your fader the deuyl / ye wyll do the desyres of your fader / he was homycyde from the begynnyÌ„ge he holdeth him not in veryte / for veryte is not in him whaÌ„ he speketh a lye he sayth it of hymselfe / for he is a lyer also his fader The deuyl is fader of lyers / for the fyrst inuentour of lyeÌ„ge was the deuyll / also he forged lyes and taught them to his dyscyples C. How a man shold fle lyes loue trouthe xli IT is wryten ad ephÌ„ iiii DeponeÌ„tes meÌ„daciuÌ„ loquimini vitateÌ„ vnusquisque cuÌ„ ê“ximo suo Take away lyenge / speke truely euery maÌ„ with his neyghbour And saynt Peter sayth in the seconde cha of his fyrst epystle Put away all malyce / all trechery / symulacyons / enuyes / and all detraccyons as reasonable chyldren newly engeÌ„dred c And it is wryten ad col iii. Nolite meÌ„tiu iÌ„uiceÌ„ Lye ye not togyders but speke ye true We sholde loue veryte fle lyenge for many thynges Fyrst in folowyÌ„ge our fader celestyall It is wryten ê“uer vi how god hateth .vii. thynges wherof lyenge is one / that is to vnderstande / the eyen lyft vp in pryde / the lyenge tongue / the handes shedynge blode that noyeth not the herte ymagenynge yll thoughtes / the fete redy to renne in to ylle the brynger forth of lyes / the fals wytnesse he the soweth dyscorde betwene his bredreÌ„ Also god loueth veryte as sayeth Dauyd VnÌ„ psal Ecce eniÌ„ veritateÌ„ delixisti Alsoo god is veryce that deceyueth not ne lyeth VnÌ„ iohÌ„ xiiij Ego suÌ„ via vitas et vita And by that we sholde hate to lye loue veryte in folowynge our lorde VnÌ„ ma. viii VeritateÌ„ paceÌ„ diligite Loue ye trouth peas a good chylde sholde loue the good maners of his fader / than yf we ben the chyldren of god we ben also verytables not lyers It is wryten zacha viii Loqinum vitateÌ„ vnusquisque cuÌ„ ê“ximo suo seqitur iurameÌ„tuÌ„ meÌ„dar ne deligatis Secondly we sholde fle lyeÌ„ge and loue veryte / for lyenge dyffameth the persones yf theyr lesynges ben dyscouered VnÌ„ eccle xx OpprobriuÌ„ nequam in hoiÌ„e meÌ„daciuÌ„ et iÌ„ ore in disciplinatorum assidue erit Lyenge is an euyll rebuke to a man / it shall be accustomed in the mouche of them not dysciplyned / verite maketh to haue good renoune before god the worlde VnÌ„ iiii â—hi Verax est laudaÌ„dê° / meÌ„dax vero vituperaÌ„dê° That is to say The veritable is to prayse / the lyer is to be shamed or hated Whan a persone is verytable that for one ne other / for cousyn / kinnesman / ne frende ne swerueth on the one syde ne on the other / but sayeth the pure veryte he is to prayse to loue holy thynge habyteth in hyÌ„ VnÌ„ i. ethi Ambobê° existaÌ„tibê° amicis sctmÌ„ est prehonorare veritateÌ„ Saynt Iames sayth in his canons Si quis in vbo noÌ„ offeÌ„dit his ê‘fectê° est Who so offendeth not in worde he is perfyte Et legitur eccle xxxvii AnÌ„ oiÌ„a oê‘a verbuÌ„ verax pÌ„cedat / anÌ„oeÌ„m actuÌ„ coÌ„siliuÌ„ stabile Thyrdly we sholde fle lyenge loue veryte / for lyenge putteth man fro paradyse departeth him from god / veryte ledeth man in to paradyse VnÌ„ sap vi CoÌ„cupisceÌ„tia id est amor sapieÌ„tie vitas ducit hoiÌ„em ad regnuÌ„ ê‘petuuÌ„ Fourthly we sholde fle lyenge loue verite / for lyenge maketh to haue perdycyon daÌ„pnacyon VnÌ„ psal Perdes oeÌ„s qui loquuÌ„tur meÌ„daciuÌ„ Thou shalt lese all those the whiche speketh lesynges yf they deye Impenytentes / veryte delyuereth from euyll dampnacyon VnÌ„ io viii Si maÌ„seritis in sermone meo vere discipuli mei eritis et cognoscetis veritateÌ„ et veritas liberabit vos Yf ye be abydynge in my worde ye shall verely be my dyscyples and ye shall knowe veryte / and veryte shall delyuer you / in lykewyse shall god the whiche is veryte the whiche shall preserue you from dampnacyon shall lede you in to his glorye / wherunto we may all go Amen A. ¶ The .ix. commaundement of god defendeth all lecherous thoughtes commaundeth clennesse of heâ—te .. xlii ¶ Man beware that thou ne desyre Thy neyghbours wyfe / dought ne mayde In auoydynge eternall fyre God to offende be thou afrayde THis commaundement is wryteÌ„ in the auncient testament Deutero v. ca. NoÌ„ coÌ„cupisces vxorem ê“xum cui That is to saye thou shalt not coueyte thy neyghbours wyfe for to do synne In this coÌ„mauÌ„dement god defeÌ„deth all euyll thoughtes disordonate of the synne of lechery and commaundeth chastyte of thought For as nothynge serueth the chastyte of the body where the thought is corrupt VnÌ„ au Nichil ê“dest vginitas corporis vbi oê‘atur corruptio mentis God defendeth in the seueÌ„th commaundement the operacion of lechery and in that he defendeth the wyll the whiche cometh of the thought These two lecheryes here ben to fle Dauyd it required of god Vnd psal Vre renes meos cor meum Brenne my raynes my hert that they ne coÌ„mytte lechery For to haue the herte blyssed / pure / clene after the gospell math v. Beati muÌ„do corde qmÌ„ ipÌ„i deuÌ„ videbuÌ„t It behoueth to shytte well the gates of the wyttes or nature that the lecherous enemy mortal entre not / that he soyle not the sayd herte by euyl thoughtes Mayster Hugues de saynt victor sayth that lechery cometh in to the herte in .vi. maners Somtyme by syght / somtyme by herynge / or by touchynge / or by thought / or by worde / or by operacyon / by suche thynges lechery is chauffed nourysshed / the soule is departed fro god / chaftyte is fledde from the maners
these men in dethe perdycyon Another exposycyon vpon these sayd wordes NoÌ„ coÌ„cupisces reÌ„ ê“ximi tui Thou shalte not coueyte the thynge of thy neyghbour for to possede it vniustly It is agaynst ryght / Iustyce / reason / for to ordeyne it or too vse it vnto an yll ende / as those that appetyteth goode for to lede grete pompes estate in vaynglory / or for to vse lechery / or to haue dylycatyfe metes / as the cursed Dyues that was dayly serued delycyously rychely / or as the clerkes that appetyteth the benefyces dygnytees / not for to dystrybute the goodes to the poore as they sholde Qr bona eccliarum suÌ„t bona pauperum But for to lyue fatly and poÌ„pously in suê‘fluytees synnes c. vlsic Thou shalt not coueyte to haue the thyÌ„ge of thy neyghbour vniustly for to wtholde it as these auarycyous that kepe assemble wtout gyuynge dystrybutinge Morouer a man sholde vnderstande ryght clerely that as many tymes as ony is disposed in his thought to go agaynst ony of the coÌ„maundements of god he synneth mortally is a breker of this coÌ„maundement ayenst the whiche he wyll go / albeit that he ne come to do the operacyon Verbi grÌ„a Yf thou in thy herte hate thy neyghbour in desyringe his dethe or his domage thou brekest that .v. coÌ„maundemeÌ„t VnÌ„ i. iohÌ„ iii. Qui odit frÌ„rum suuÌ„ homicida est Also yf thou be wrothe in thy herte ayenst thy neybour in desyringe to venge the vniustly by delyberacyon thou brekest the .v. commaundemeÌ„t synnest mortally VnÌ„ math v. OiÌ„s q i irascetur frÌ„i suo scilicet iÌ„ corde reê° erit iudicoÌ„ This mater is suffyciently declared in yepÌ„cedent commaundement in the thynges beforesayd where it speketh that the wyll is reputed for the dede ¶ Here is the ende of the ten commaundementes of god the a man shold kepe for to come vnto the glory celestyall / vnto the whiche we may go cum illo qui est benedictus in scla sclorum Amen B. ¶ How those the whiche haue broken the commaundements of god the whiche ben in mortall synne ne sholde not with drawe to do alwayes good dedes / howbeit that they sholde be dampned xliii SAynt poule sayth in his epystle ad heb iiij ca. OiÌ„a nuda et apperta sunt ante oculos dei All thynges the whiche ben naked hydde ben before the eyen of god He seeth knoweth our thoughtes operacyons / and shal yelde vnto euery maÌ„ that / that he hath deserued Vnde psal Tu reddes vnicuique iuxta oê‘a sua Et alibi scribitur Nullum maluÌ„ remanebit iÌ„punitum et nullum bonuÌ„ irremuneratuÌ„ That is to say that none euyll shall abyde vnpunysshed / no good dede but that it shall be rewarded / be it in this worlde or in the other And therfore the persone that is in deedly synÌ„e sholde not withdrawe to do wel VnÌ„ versê° Non amittuntur / qÌ„ pro dnÌ„o tribuuntur OmÌ„ia que fiunt / in mortali bona pro sunt Nam muÌ„di bona daÌ„t demonijs arma refrenaÌ„t MeÌ„tes uÌ„lustrant / etiaÌ„ tormeÌ„ta minoraÌ„t Ad maiora bona / daÌ„t vsuÌ„ facienda Non tameÌ„ eternaÌ„ / possunt acquirere vitaÌ„ Vel sic Versus CoÌ„dita peccato mortall dant bona terre AugmeÌ„tant vitam minuunt tormenta geheÌ„ne These metres or verses beforesayd hathe ben made taken vpon the scrypture the whiche sayth that they the whiche do good dedes in mortall synne beÌ„ rewarded in .v. maners / albeit that yf they deye impenytentes they shal not be saued The fyrst reumneracyoÌ„ that they shal haue the whiche done good dedes that god shall sende them the sooner erthly goodes in this worlde / greter haboundaunce than yf they ne dyde good dedes The seconde remuneracion is that by doynge of dedes they refrayne / wtdrawen / tary the assautes of the deuyll that is to say that the deuyll hath not so grete puyssaunce force vpon theym the whiche dooth or sayth good as yf they ne so dide ne sayd / also is wtdrawen ¶ Example how an holy man sawe by the suffraunce of god at a grete dyner how the deuylles drewe a backe whan those the whiche dyned spake of god good wordes / the aungelles drewe them nere And whan they spake of detraccyon of euyll the deuyls came agayne c. Quere in thexamplary lxxxxix H. The thyrde remuneracyon is that the good dedes that they doo shyneth vnto them / enlumyneth theyr entendementes to reknowlege theyr defautes / and to se the good that they lose / and the euyl that they gete Also theyr entendementes ben not enlumyned whan they doo no good dedes as whan they doo The fourth remuneracoÌ„n is that yf these persones the whiche do good dedes in mortall synne were dampned in hell they ne sholde be soo greuously punysshed and tourmented as yf they ne had done noo good dede / for the good dedes dooth quenche the synnes as the water the fyre Vnde ecclesi iii. Ignem ardentem extinguit aqua elemosma resistit peccatis ¶ Example of a man deed the whiche fell in goynge ouer a brydâ— for whome there was grete stryfe for his al mesdedes euyll dedes the whiche he had commytted in lykewyse as it is wryten in the examplary C.x. C. A man sholde note here the more that a persone dooth of euyl in this worlde the more cruelly shall he be tormented in hell Quere in thexaÌ„plary .xlix. c. And the more that he hath done of good dedes and the lesse of euyll he shall endure fele the lesse doloure yf it were soo that he were dampned / and therfore a man sholde neuer drawe backe to do euermore good dedes The fyfth remuneracion that those haue the whiche done good dedes in mortall synne is that god theym sendeth the more sooner grace to correcte them and amende them and to come vnto saluacyon than yf they ne dyde ony good dedes / in lykewyse as a man shall fynde by many examples ¶ Fyrst example by Cornelyus the whiche was paynym / and for that that he gaue almesses he sawe an aungell the whiche sayd vnto hym that he shold go vnto saynt Peter the whiche sholde tell hym what he sholde do Vnde actuuÌ„ v. ca. Corneli mitte et excersi symonem qui cognoiÌ„atur petrus / hic dicet tibi quid te oporteat facere And he dyde soo and was conuerted vnto the faythe of our lorde Ihesu cryst ¶ Another example is wryten in the legende of saynt Syluester how the cause of the helthe and saluacyon of the emperour Constantyne was for that he had pyte on the chyldren that men wolde haue slayne to th entent that he were bathed in theyr blode for to haue remedi ayeÌ„st his lepreheed The sayd emperoure wolde not that the sayd chyldren were slayne for hym made to delyuer them agayne
et mel O Israhel here the coÌ„maundements of god and wryte theym in thyn herte as in a boke / I shall gyue vnto the the londe / flowynge mylke and hony These wordes spoken toucheth thre thyÌ„ges The fyrst is that men sholde here gladly the coÌ„maundementes of god Audi israel The seconde is that men sholde put them in myÌ„de Et ea in corde The thyrde is that the rewarde foloweth Et dabo tibi terraÌ„ c. Of the whiche rewarde shall be here afterwarde spoken xlvii a. And it is wryten eccl Que precepit deê° illa cogita sê‘ Thynke euermore vpon those thynges that god hath coÌ„maunded ¶ Example in the blyssed vyrgyn Mary the whiche helde all the wordes of god kept them in her herte VnÌ„ luce ii Maria autem conseruabat oiÌ„a verba hec coÌ„ferens in corde suo They the whiche haue the herte and the thought to breke the commaundementes of god be not the pylgryms of paradyse / but of hell / the whiche shall go to se lucyfer / the deuylles / the dampned / and shall haue herytage in that countre there / yf they deye impenytentes wtout correccyon and amendement This mater is declared in the nynth commaundement and in the tenthe H. ¶ Seuenthly the good pylgryme sholde walke on his fete do the operacyon of his way in trauaylynge his body Also the pylgrymes of paradyse sholde lyue in this worlde in doynge the operacyon of the coÌ„maundementes of god and they shal haue benedyccyon and saluacion VnÌ„ psal Beati qui aÌ„bulant iÌ„ lege tua dnÌ„e They the whiche walke in thy lawe beÌ„ blyssed IterumpÌ„s Bti iÌ„maculati in via q i aÌ„bulaÌ„t in lege tua dnÌ„e Blyssed ben they not soyled in the way that walketh in the lawe of our lorde ¶ Example in Dauyd that ranne in the way of the coÌ„maundementes loued the lawe of god VnÌ„ psal ViaÌ„ maÌ„datorum tuorum cucurri legeÌ„ tuaÌ„ dilexi ¶ Another example in Abraham that dyde in operacyon the wyll of god he had his blyssynge li. a. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of the good man of an hous that receyued the pylgrymes set them at his table receyued god Quere iÌ„ qÌ„rto pÌ„cepto in the werkes of mercy ¶ Another example of a monke that bare god vpon his sholdres in semblauÌ„ce of a mesell or lepre Que xxiii e. Many exaÌ„ples shall be founde in thexamplary of people the whiche haue done in operacyon the wyl of god of theyr superyours / as saynt Mor. Ioseph Thobye Quere lii c. d. e. f. c Also for to be saued Iustyfyed it sufficeth not to here the commaundementes but it behoueth to fulfyll them in operacyon VnÌ„ ad ro ii NoÌ„ eiÌ„ auditores legis iusti suÌ„t apd deuÌ„ sed factores iustificabuÌ„tur Saynt Iames sayth in his .ii. cha In lykewyse as the body is deed wtout soule / euen so faythe is deed wtout operacyons Also he sayth in his fyrst cha Estote fcoÌ„res verbi noÌ„ auditâ—res tmÌ„ fallentes vosmetipÌ„s Iterum di Ex oê‘ibus legis hoÌ„ iustificatur et non ex fide tmÌ„ That is to saye Be ye the doers of the worde of god not alonely the herers deceyuinge your selfe ¶ Example of a wrothfull lady that yode often to here the sermons she ne correcked her for thyder goynge Also exaÌ„ple of her mayden that desyred thyder to go god appered vnto her Quere lxxxxix b. Also eche man that calleth god lorde mayster shall not entre in to heuen / but he that dooth in operacyon his wyll there shall entre / as it is wryteÌ„ in the .vii. cha of saynt math The pylgrym of paradyse that loueth god kepeth dothe his worde / he that loueth hyÌ„ not dothe theÌ„ not io xiiii si qis diligit me sermoneÌ„ meuÌ„ seruabit / qui noÌ„ diligit me sermones meos non seruat ¶ Example how Mathatias that kept the lawe of god persecuted the syÌ„ners the whiche brake it Quere lii a. Those the whiche ne wyll do the operacyon of the coÌ„mauÌ„dements of god ben pylgrymes of hel and thyder shall be sent for too dwell wyll they or not / yf they deye without correccyon and amendement ¶ Example in cayn that slewe his broder Abell I. ¶ Eyghtly the condycion of a good pylgryme is to bere a bordon or a staffe for too defende hym from dogges from his enmyes Also the good pylgryme of paradise sholde haue a good staffe that is stedfast fayth for to defende hym from deuylles Vnd. i. petri v. ca. Aduersariê° vester diabolê° taÌ„quam leo rugieÌ„s circuit quereÌ„s queÌ„ deuoret cui resistite fortes in fide ¶ Example how saynt Anthony was strongly tourmented beten of deuyls / but he had vyctory agaynst theym by the grete faythe that he had in god Also he had in hym al the condycyons of a good pylgryme / wherfore he is in the glory of paradyse Vnto the whiche we may goo cum illo qui est benedictus in secula seculorum Amen A. ¶ Example how the body the whiche is a fole draweth the soule in to the waye of hell xlvi IT is wryten eccle xxxvii A ê¯siliario malo serua aiÌ„am tuaÌ„ Kepe thy soule from an yll councelour for yf thou beleue yll counceyle thou shalte be deceyued in daunger of perdycyon Et legitur i. io iiii NoÌ„ oiÌ„ spuÌ„icredeÌ„duÌ„ est A man sholde not beleue ne gyue credence vnto euery spyryte For the yll persone ne counceyleth but yl the whiche in hyÌ„ resteth ¶ Example of a fole a sage that made a vyage togyders / the whiche yode vnto a cyte wherin men sayd that many goodes vnto them were promysed / in goynge in the sayd vyage came to demaunde the way of pastures or herdmen the whiche to them sayd Ye shall fynde .ii. wayes the one moche large / the other ryght strayte Yf ye go the strayte way anone ye shall be at your cyte And yf ye go by the other large waye it is way full of bypathes the whiche shall brynge you out of your way / also it is ful of theues the whiche shall take frome you your godes and peraduenture shall make you deye ye shall not go vnto your cyte / how so euer it be go ye not that way Than sayd the sage vnto the fole Go we by this streyte waye The fole sayd that wyll we not do / here is a fayre way and a large it is better to beleue that that we se than that that men tell vs. And the sage sayd / thou seest how the pastoures sayth Than sayd the fole / fy / fy on these pastours they wote not what they say / thou arte more fole than I come on / come on thy way And the sayd fole drewe the sage went the large way And anone they were out of the way and fell amonge theues the whiche toke from them al theyr godes /
feblenes ne weykenes / perseuerauntly withoute ceasynge ne ennoye Also obedyence is the keye the whiche openeth paradise / and inobedience is that that shytteth it Saynt poule sayeth of those the whiche ne wyll obeye Illud ad thessal .iii. Si quis non obedierit verbo nostro per epistolam hunc notate et ne commiseamini cum eo vt confundatur That is to say Yf there be ony that wyll not obeye vnto our worde by epystyll note ye hym / and acompany ye not with hym / to the ende that he be confounded / For to be shorte / obedyence is requysyte of necessyte of helthe And therfore it is in suche wyse dyffynyed after mayster Hyonde foliot Obedientia est salus omnium fidelium genitrix omnium virtutum inueÌ„trix regni celorum virtus celos aperiens et hominem in de eleuans cohabitatrix angelorum cibus omnium sanctorum ex hac enim letati sunt et per hanc ad perfectionem venerunt The whiche is as moche for to saye Obedyence is the helthe of all those that be faythfull / the engendresse of all vertues / the fynderesse of the realme of heuens / the vertue openynge the heuens lyftynge vp man from the erthe / the dweller or nere enhabytaunt of aungelles / the vyande of all sayntes / by her they ben gyuen souke / and by her they ben come vnto perfeccyon Without obedyence noo man maye haue saluacion nor escape dampnacyon And therfore yf thou wylte haue of good not to haue none ylle / it behoueth that thou be obedient vnto the coÌ„maundementes of god and of the superyoures in thynges the whiche ben after god good maneres as was Abraham and as hathe be the sayntes of paradyse B. ¶ Another example of a monke the whiche caste his sone in to a brennynge ouen by obedyence / yet was he not brende li. IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders how a seculer man renounced the worlde and made hym a monke And afterwarde by leue he yede to seche a lytell sone that he had lefte in a cyte / and bare hym vnto the monastery And the abbot toke hym betwene his armes and kyssed hym After sayd vnto his fader Louest thou this childe he answered ye After the abbot demauÌ„ded loueste thou hym And the fader yet answered hym ye After the abbot sayd vnto hyÌ„ Yf thou loue hym take hym and caste him in to this brennynge fyre At the houre they were at the ouen where men make brede and the ouen was enbrased with fyre / and the fader caste hym within the ouen And incontynent the sayd ouen was in lyke wyse as it hadde be roused with water and the fyre ne dyde no hurte vnto the chylde In that dede he gate glorye in that tyme / as dyde Abraham the pÌ„atryarke by the grete fayth that he hadde in god and obedyence vnto his abbot C. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of Noe. li. IT is wryten the .vii. chapytre of genese that Noe was obedyent vnto god in all thynges that he hym commaunded Facit noe omnia que mandauerat ei dnÌ„s And for that that he was a good man Iuste and obedyent he ne was taken in the deluge with the ylle For god hym coÌ„maunded that he sholde make an arche in the whiche he sholde entre hymself / his wyfe / his thre sones / and theyr wyues And they were saued and preserued from the grete haboundaunce of waters the whiche drowned al the worlde D. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of Ioseph li. YT is wryten in the .xxxvii. chapytre of genese how Ioyeth was prepared to obeye vnto his fader whan he wolde sende hym vnto his brederne the whiche kest him in to an olde cysterne and solde hym vnto straunge people In the ende and conclusyon for that that he was a good man Iuste and chaste not wyllynge to coÌ„mytte lecherye with the wyfe of Pharaon the whiche requyred hym and that he was obedyent vnto god and vnto his sayd fader he had domynacion aboue his brederne Albeit that he was the yongest E. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of yonge Thobie li. IT is writen in the .v. chapitre of the boke of Thobye that after that the yonge Thobye had be we le instructe of his fader that he ne sholde coÌ„mytte mortall synne / that in his lyfe he sholde do many almesdedes and good operacyons / more ouer that he hym had coÌ„maunded that he sholde go in to a place ferre from his worldly besynesses The good chylde answerde illud thobie v.c. OiÌ„a quecuÌ„que precepisti pater faciam That is to saye fader I shall do all thynges that thou coÌ„maundest me By his obedyence the auÌ„gell was assocyate with hym / and ledde hym vnto the place where his fader had sente hym after broughte hym agayne withoute hauynge ony ylle A. ¶ Another example of matathias lii IT is wryten in the .ii. cha of the fyrst of Machabees that a man of the lygnee of Israhell named Matathias was so obedyent vnto god in kepynge the lawe of his faders that the messagers of the kynge of Anthyoche ne myghte make hym to do sacrefyce vnto the ydolles to leue hys lawe Vnto the whiche messengers he answered Et si oeÌ„s geÌ„res regi anthioco obediuÌ„t discedaÌ„t vnusqsque a seruitute legis patruÌ„ suoruÌ„ coÌ„sentiaÌ„t maÌ„datis eius ego et filii mei fratres met obediemê° legi patruÌ„ nostroruÌ„ That is to saye yf the people of Anthyoche leue the lawe of theyr faders to obey vnto the kynge / yet I my sones my brederne shall obeye vnto the lawe of our faders This matathias was so wrothe to se the people erre goo agaynst the lawe of god that he slewe the messenger of the kyng of Anthyoche as he constrayned the people to do sacrefyce / dyde caste horrybly a Iewe vpon the aulter as he sacryfyced Afterwarde dystroyed the ydoles and fledde he and his chyldren in to the mountaynes called with them all those that had zele of the lawe persecuted the synners / This matathias the whiche loued god obeyed vnto his coÌ„maundemente more soner than vnto the coÌ„maundement of a teÌ„porall kynge he is to looue / to prayse / and to loue For a man sholde kepe the lawe the coÌ„maundementes of god as it is sayd and to persecute the synnes / and those the whiche them commytte B. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of our lorde Ihesus and of his appostylles Capitulo lii IT is wryten in the .ii. chapitre of the gospelles of saynt luke that our lorde Ihesus was cyrcumcysed wolde be presented in the temple with oblacyons in shewynge that he wolde obeye vnto the lawe / And whan he had .xxii. yeres it is wryten that he was submytte obeyssaunt vnto the parentes VnÌ„luce .ii. Erat subditis illis Also it is wryten that he was obedyente vnto god tyl vnto the dethe for
shal be declared herafter Also god tolde it vnto Moyses Delebo enim memoriam amalech sub celo c. E. ¶ Another example of the obeyssaunce of kynge Saule liiii IT is wryten in the .xv. chapytre of the fyrste boke of kynges how god sente vnto kynge saule by the prophete Samuell that he his armye sholde go to slee and to dystroye the kynge synner Amaleche all his people / all his beestes / and that al were dystroyed loste withoute takynge ony vnto mercye And without coueytynge ne takynge ony thynge .vi regum xv Vade percute amalech demolire vniuersa eius et non concupisces ex ipsius ali quid noÌ„ parcas ei sed interfice a viro vsque ad mulierem paruuluÌ„ atque lactanteÌ„ bouem oueÌ„ asinuÌ„ c. Than Saule yode he and his armye the whiche was grete accomplysshed not the coÌ„maundement of god / for he toke the kynge Gag quycke / slewe Amalech / the good bestyall was spared Also they toke the precyous vestymentes clothes / the best of the goodes And slewe the wulgarye people bestyall dystroyed all that the whiche was not gode precyous agaynst the wyll and commaundement of our lorde Ihesu cryst by his prophete c. This thynge dyspleased vnto god for that that Saul was inobedyeÌ„t where as he punysshed not the synners as it was coÌ„maunded hym And for as moche that he pylled and toke theyr goodes the whiche was defended him c. After that that the prophete samuell had spoken vnto god / knewe that he was wrothe of the sayd inobedyence He came vnto Saule demaunded hym werfore he had not obeyed vnto god / that he was gone vnto the pyll erye Saule answered vnto Samuel sayd vnto hym So haue I obeyed vnto god I haue brought Gag the kynge also Amalech haue I slayne / the people hathe be pylled brought of fayre shepe and of oxes to th ende that he dide sacryfyce vnto god MelioreÌ„ eniÌ„ obedieÌ„tia quam victime / That is to saye obedyence is better than sacryfyce Also the prophete Samuell reproued another tyme the sayd saul for his inobedyence said vnto hym illud i. reguÌ„ xiii Stulte egisti nec custodisti mandaradnÌ„i dei tui qÌ„pÌ„cepit tibi quod si noÌ„ egisses iam nuÌ„c pÌ„parasset dnÌ„s regnuÌ„ tuuÌ„ suê‘ israhel in seÌ„piternuÌ„ sed nequaquam consurget c. Thou haste done folysshely haste not kepte the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of thy lorde god the whiche he coÌ„maunde the. Yf thou haddest not done it our lorde had prepared thy realme vpon the people of Israhell in eternyte But from hensforth he ne shall lyfte hym vp For as moche as the sayd saul lefte god dyde the wyll of the deuyll / the deuyl hym posseded tormented gretely as it is wryten in the bokes of the kynges / the ende of hyÌ„ was ryght yll / for he drewe his swerde slewe hymselfe Saul arripuit gladiuÌ„ suuÌ„ irruit super euÌ„ c. F. ¶ Another example of the dysobeyssauÌ„ce of Pharaon of his punycyon liiii IT is wryten in exodi in the .vii. viii chapitre c. How the kynge Pharaon had the herte so enhaâ—ded / rebelle inobedyent that he ne wolde obey vnto god / vnto his seruauÌ„t For he ne wolde let go the chyldre people of Israhell by many tymes in lykewyse as god hym commaunded And therfore at euery tyme that he dysobeyed vnto our lorde Ihesu cryste he sente a punycyon ¶ The fyrst punycyon that oure lorde sente them was that all the waters and ryuers of the kyngdome of Egypte was chaunged and torned vnto bloode ¶ The seconde that god sent them so many of frogges that they spradde ouer all egypte ¶ The thyrde god sente soo many of gnattes and flyes vpon bestes and people that they ne myght defende them ¶ The fourth other flyes and more terryble or al sortes ¶ The .v. was mortalyte vpon all the beestes of egipte ¶ The .vi. was wouÌ„des bladders vpon the beestes people ¶ The .vii. was thondres lyghtenyÌ„ges hayle and fyre in the myddes ¶ The .viii was grasseloppes and other the whiche ete all the verdure grenesse of egypte The ix was derkenes ¶ The .x. was mortalyte vpon the fyrste borne / for that that he had the herte so harde that he ne wolde obeye to god ne by worde ne by punycyon moyses stroke the water of the see the whiche departed on the one side and on the other And syxe hondred thousande men of the chyldren of Israhell without the women passed with drye fote And pharaon and all his armye entred afterwarde all we redrowned VnÌ„ exo .xv. Curus pharaonis excertitus eius proiecit in mare Et electi principes eius sub mersi sunt in mari rubro abyssi operuerant eos descenderuÌ„t in ê“funduÌ„ quasi lapis Filii auÌ„t israel ambulauerunt ê‘ siccuÌ„ in medio mari By Pharaon the whiche was soo obstynate that he ne wolde neuer obeye vnto the seruauÌ„tes of god / ne hym correcte for plage nor punycyon that god sente vnto hyÌ„ ben vnderstonde the synners obstynate the whiche ne correcte them for prechynges ne wrytynges that a man vnto them myght tel / ne for sekenes of fortune what so euer the god vnto them sente And for asmoche as they be in dauÌ„ger to haue in th ende conclusyon as pharaon had / that is that god shall punysshe them make to deye myscheuously and that they shall descende in to dampnacyon in to helle c. G. ¶ Another example of the inobedyence of the prophete ionas liiii IT is wryten in the fyrste chapytre of Ionas how god him commaunded that he sholde go to preche in the cyte of Nynyues / the whiche obeyed not redely fled from the face of our lorde / mounted vpon the see in a shyppe and incontynent these began to moue for the tempest of the tyme. For to make short Ionas was caste into the see / a fisshe named a whale him swalowed / was in his wombe thre dayes thre nyghtes And in the wombe of the said fysshe made his orayson vnto god Afterwarde god coÌ„maunded vnto the fysshe that he sholde vomete Ionas He was obedyent and vometed hym and caste hym on drye londe And whan Ionas came forthe of the wombe of the whale / god hym commauÌ„ded secondly that he sholde go to preche in the cyte of Nynyue / and he was obedyent forthwith H. ¶ Another example how chore dathan and abyron / theyr alyes dyscended in to hell for theyr inobedyence murmure Also how the chyldren of Israhell gadred of the manna agayne the coÌ„maundemente of Moyses Ca. liiii IT is wryten in the .xvi. chapytre of the boke of nombres / how chore / dathan abyron two C. l men murmured agaynste god Moyses ylle came
vnto them For the erthe opened vnder them And they dyscended all quycke in to hell hosed shod and clothed / and in suche wyse they perysshed Vnde numeri .xvi. Dirupta est tra sub pedibus eorum et aperâ—es os suum de uorauit eos cum tabernaculis suis vniuersa substantia eorum descenderumque vi ni in infernum operti et perierunt c. Also it is wryten in the .xvi. chapitre of the boke of exodi how the children of Israhel murmured that they had not of flesshe and of brede And god sente vnto them of the manna the whiche dyscended from heuen / and Moyses commaunded them that they ne sholde gadre ne kepe but that the whiche sholde suffyse them for the daye withoute kepynge it tyll vnto the morowe And many were inobedyentes kepte it tyll vnto the morowe / the whiche manna stanke therin gadred the wormes These examples here shewe that inobedyence murmure maketh to haue punycyon dampnacyon temporell and eternell and therfore it behoueth to obeye vnto god and vnto his seruauntes I. ¶ Another example of a frere the whiche was punysshed dyuynely for the murmure that he made agayne god liiii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that there was a frere honest verytable / after that he had serued god longe tyme in the ordre of prechours / that he ne had apperceyued ony thynge of consolacyons and swetnes of god the whiche redde and that he had herde how these other had tasted ofte tymes In a nyght they were before the crucyfyxe and lamentably began to enquyre before god in saynge these wordes here My lorde I haue herde of the the thou procedest al creatures in bounte and mansuetude And I haue serued the by many of yeres in kepynge harde thynges for the wordes of thy lippes / and wyllyngly I am all mortefyed for the loue of the And my lorde I knowe that yf I had done as moche of seruyce vnto a tyraunt he wolde haue shewed me some sygne of benyuolence eyther in spekynge swetely / or in gyuynge me some thynge / or in coÌ„myttynge me to do some secrete / or at the leest in laughyng on me And certaynly my lorde thou haste not shedde in me ony doulsour / thou haste not shewed in me ony benyuolence Thou lorde the whiche prechest swetnes thou arte in me cruell Thou arte more harde than yf thou were to me a tyraunt / thou lorde what thynge is it or wherfore dost thou it ¶ Than as he sayd these wordes and began agayne many other semblables / he herde one tyme two grete tremblynges / in lyke wyse as the chirche had threted ruyne / and aboue the couerynge of the chirche he herde sco moche of tredynge as yf many dogges there had grated with theyr nayles and gnawen with theyr tethe Whan he herde that he was a ferde hugely and all his body trembled / sodaynly he sawe behynde hym an horryble vysage And with a thynge that he helde in his handes stroke it and fell prostrate vnto the erthe And as he wolde haue rysen / he ne myght in no manere / and in brekynge he drewe hym towarde an aulter / And more ouer he ne myght ferther procede for the grete dolour that he had Whan the freres arose at pryme that they fouÌ„de hym replenysshed with dolours / they bare hym in to the fermerye knewe not the cause of his maladye He laye the space of thre wekes / and vnto hymselfe vnto other he stanke so moche that with grete payne myght they serue hym yf they dide not stoppe theyr nosethrylles ¶ After that he hadde recouered his strength and that he was corrected of his presumpcion retourned vnto the place where he had be stryken and where he hadde deserued the wrathe and ire of god / to the ende that he sholde gete mercy And he sayd My lorde I haue synned in heuen and before the I am the leest of all those of whome thou haste pytye / and am indygne of thy greate graces My lorde thou haste beten me iustely but debonayrly thou hast heled me Than he fell prostrate on his face and requyred pardon many tymes of thynges that he had folysshely thought and lightly spoken agayne god / and a voyce vnto hym was made Yt thou wylte haue the consolacyons that thou hast made And these doulicurs of the holy ghost it behoueth that thou the repute vyle in lyke wyse as a worme and as the myre where vpon thou tredest Whan he herde that he was strongly comforted he rose hym vp yelded graces vnto god / And afterwarde dyd the sayd thynges huÌ„bly brennyngly / and lyberally he shewed this thynge the whiche happened hym vnto the mayster of the ordre of prechours / men byleue that it came vnto hym as it is before rehersed in the lyfe of the faders / therfore inobedyence maketh to haue punycyon c. ¶ VErbum dei A. ¶ Examples for the worde of god and the prechynges And fyrste A. ¶ Example how a grete synner repented hym and was saued by the herynge of a predycacyon or a sermon lv MEn fynde by wrytyng in many bokes this the whiche foloweth the whiche the dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye and sayeth that as saynt Bernarde preched in the churcheyarde in a cyte / ii rybauldes were nere Of the whiche the one theder wolde go as the other people / the whiche yede theder And the other mocked hym and sayd vnto hym How ledeth the theder nowe the deuyll the whiche nededyste in all thy lyfe ony good dede And nowe thou wylt go vnto the predycacyon And he toke no hede of the rebukes that he sayd vnto hym theder yode And saynt Bernarde preched agayne those the whiche spoke cursed wordes and the whiche lede an yll lyfe The synner began to haue contrycyon and doloure for his synnes / he began for to wepe And saynt Bernard sawe that he had aboute his necke a grete chayne the whiche had more than an hondreth linkes / but at euery iere that he wepte there fell a lynke from the sayd chayne Than saint bernarde began to preche more strongely and ardauntly and to deteste his synnes And the synner more strongly wepte In the ende the chayne was al vndone and broken After the sayd predycacyon saynt bernarde called hym and comforted hym And by his admonycion he coÌ„fessed all his synnes and afterwarde liued holyly and his compaignon abode in syÌ„ne and bonde with a more cheyne than was the other By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that mortall synne is a bonde or a chayne by the whiche the soule of synners is bounde and holden in the handes of the deuyll of helle In lyke wyse as approueth the scrypture in many places / Vnde dauid in psal Funes peccatorum circumplexi suÌ„t me The cordes of my sinnes hathe beset me aboute and compassed in all thynges Et legitur prouerbioruÌ„
haue coÌ„mytted synne that wolde repente them that god sholde sende the holy ghost the whiche sholde make clene theyr hartes and al synnes And afterwarde sholde enhabyte in them Incontynent that the preest had spoken this thynge the sayd knyght yode in to a place secrete to praye vnto god and sayd O lorde god I am a synner / I haue goten many of synnes / of the whiche I sorowe and repente me gretely I pray the by thy grete mercy that thou sende me on this daye the holy ghoost the whiche shall make me clene and enlumyne myn herte And incontynent god exalted hym sent vnto hym the holy ghost the whiche made clene his herte by verey contrycyon and after by pure confessyon And so the holy gost came vnto hym and abode with hym and after synned he no more mortally and dyde penaunce dygne and satisfaccyon and ended his lyf in good consoÌ„macyon This example denoteth that it is a grete thyng to here the worde of god / for all benedyecyon and saluacyon procedeth of it Another example it is wryten in the dede of the appostles that as saynt peter preched the holy ghost dyscended vpon all those that herde the worde of god VnÌ„ actuuÌ„ .x. Adhuc loqueÌ„te petro cecidit spiritussaÌ„ctus super oeÌ„s q i audiebant vbuÌ„ dei E. ¶ Another example of a counte the whiche coÌ„uerted hyÌ„ in heryÌ„ge the worde of god IT is wryten in the sermons of the dyscyple in other bookes that there was an erle lecherous / proude / malycyous the whiche lyued longly in many synnes and so it befel one tyme that he entred in to the chirche there herde a sermon And whan he herde preche that / that is wryten eze .xviii. In quacuÌ„que hora iÌ„gemuerit pctoÌ„r oiÌ„m iÌ„iqitatuÌ„ eiê° noÌ„ recordabor That is to say / in what houre the synner shall wayle wepe hys synnes I shall not remembre of al his iniquytes He toke this auctoryte in hymselfe he repented hyÌ„ bytterly requyred of god his grace his mercy that he wolde pardon hym his synnes / confessed sayd that he ne wolde do more other thynge tyll vnto the dethe than to serue god / he lefte the worlde / he entred in to relygion and there serued god deuoutely And after his dethe men founde in wrytynge vpon his sepulture in lettres of golde the wordes of the psalmyste Misit dnÌ„s vbuÌ„ suuÌ„ sanauâ—t epos That is to saye that our lorde sente his wordes heled hym / that is that he conuerted hym from ylle in good by the herynge of the worde of god therfore it is a grete thynge as to preche to teche ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of a carle the whiche wolde not here the worde of god / the crucyfyxe stopped hys ere 's in sygnefyenge that he ne wolde here the prayers that men made for hym MAyster Iaques of Vitre sayth in his booke that there was a carlysshe man that wolde neuer in his lyfe here the worde of god / whan the preest began for to preche he yode out of the chirche wente in to the chircheyarde to talke to detracte with other carles the whiche was repreued many tymes of his sayd preest for that that he the other letted to speke the worde of god / but he ne corrected hyÌ„ abode in his obstinacyon The whiche was afterwarde seke greuously / called his sayd preest confessed hym for drede of dethe / not for the charyte of god / ne for his helthe / of the sayd sekenes shortely he deyed And whan his body was borne vnto the chirch and that the sayd preest and clergye songe the dyryge the offyce of the deed bodyes the ymage of the crucifixe stopped his ere 's with the fyngers of his handes taken from the crrosse before all the people Than as all they meruaylled to se that / the preest sayd vnto the people Knowe ye what token this is here They answered that naye And the sayd preest sayd Ye shal vnderstonde that the soule of this carle whose body lyeth here is nowe betwene the handes of the deuylles For in lykewyse as he stopped hys ere 's that he herde not the worde of god / In lyke wyse god closeth his ere 's that he ne here the prayers oraysons that we make for hym And the sayd preest defended vnto al the presence that they ne sholde pray more for hys soule Than they ceased to praye for hym And his body was taken from the holy place and was buryed in a felde For as for the soule of one dampned a man sholde not praye Quia in inferno nulla est redemptio After that a persone is iuged and sente vnto the paynes of hell for to suffre payne / he shall neuer come agayne vnto lyghte ne neuer shall he haue mercy Wherfore it behoueth no more praye for it Vnde gregoriê° vndecimo Quis quis ad inferna mala tolleraÌ„da semel decenderit nequaquam vlterius miaÌ„ parcentis liberat quos semel in locis penalibus iustitia iudicantis damnat A. ¶ Another example of the paroyssyens of a curate the whiche ne wolde here the predycacyon and the coÌ„maundementes of the chirche IT is wryteÌ„ how a curate reproued many tymes his paroyssyens for that that they yede in to the chircheyarde whan he preched and made his antetyme Also whan ony other made predycacyon / for asmoche as he knewe not how to remedie it for the helthe of theyr soules For they dyuysed of theyr occupacyons seculers in the sayd chircheyarde whan he diuysed of feestes / fastynges And other coÌ„maundentes of the chirche What dyde he / he made to brynge hym a lytell stole in the myddes of them in the chircheyarde and soo set hym downe / and behelde theym there And he herde theyr langayges And whan he ennoyde them they demauÌ„ded what he dyde there He answerde Vbi sunt ciues ibi debet esse episcopus That is to say That the bysshop sholde be where his cytezyns ben Also a curate sholde be where his paroyssyens is / you are here / wherfore I sholde be with you And for asmoche that at the fyrst tyme they correcte them not / yet theder dyde he goo afterwarde the seconde time And whan it came vnto the thyrde tyme they all had so grete shame that afterwarde they yede theder no more And soo he correcte them / vnto them it prouffyted more than all the langayges that he had spoken to them before And therfore whan a man maye not correcte his paroyssyens in one manere hym behoueth to assaye in another B. ¶ Another example how a herdeman was saued correcte hymselfe by the herynge of one predycacyon lvi THe dysciple recyteth in his tromptuary how that a pastour or herd man yede late vnto the chirche vnto masse sermons for the kepynge of his bestyall And one tyme he passed by a cite
entred into the chirche herde preche that euery creature is taught to fle sȳne to loue god / by this prechynge he was edefyed And in beholdynge the creatures he sayd to hymselfe Suche a creature serueth vnto god obeyeth vnto hym The water in rennynge the byrdes in syngynge the herbes in rysynge vppe and growynge and in lyke wyse of other creatures And he sawe a toode one tyme and said / the creatoure myght haue create me as this tode yf he had wolde / I offende him contynuelly by synnes and am vnkynde For he hathe made me and create vnto his ymage for to haue beatytude and me hathe redemed by his passyō c. For to be shorte he conuerted hym and dyde penaunce / and was suffycyently instructe of a holy man and perseuered louably in the seruyce of god c. C. ¶ Another example That to here the worde of god it is prouffytable albeit that a man holde it not IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that a frere sayd vnto a goode fader abbot I haue axed questyons oftymes that they wolde tel me ammonycyon for the helthe of my soule And of all that that they tell me I reteyne nothynge The auncyente sayd vnto the frere I haue two vesselles voyde goo fetche me one and wasshe it with water / and afterwarde caste it and put the sayd potte in his place And the sayd frere dyde so one tyme two tymes / and the aūcyente sayd vnto hym Brynge me the two vesselles heder / whan that he hadde broughte them the auncyente sayd vnto hym / Whiche of the two pottes is moost moyst and also clene The frere sayd vnto hym It is that wherin I haue put my water that I haue wasshed Than the auncyent sayd vnto hym Sone in lyke wyse is it of the soule the whiche hereth often the worde of god / albeit that he reteyne nothynge of the thynges that he axeth / notwithstondynge he is more clene than he the whiche demaūdeth nothynge and also hereth not ony thynge D. ¶ Another example how some freres slepte in herynge the worde of god and in herynge the ydell wordes they were moche wakynge Ca. lvi IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that an aūcyent the whiche set him in hermytage for to pray vnto god that he wolde gyue hȳ grace that he slepte not whan men sholde speke of spyrytuell thynges And whan men sholde speke of detraccyon or of hate that he myght slepe incontynente that the ere 's ne token the venyme of that synne He sayd that the deuyll studyed hȳ to admoneste these men in ydell wordes for to impugne doctryne and thynge spyrytuell And he tolde this example Whan I spake some tyme vnto some freres of the vtylyte of soules / they slepte so profoūdely that they ne myght meue the eye lyd of theyr eyes And I wolde shewe that it was a thynge dyabolyke And I yode to speke thynges ydell And they were incontynent wakynge and enioyed theym and I toke me to wayle and to saye I spake tyll vnto nowe of thynges celestyall / and all your eyes were holden by grefe to slepe whan an ydell worde hathe be brought forth / ye haue be all prompte and redy to here For the whiche thynge I praye you ryght dere brethern that ye knowe that it is the werke of the cursed deuyll / take hede to your selfe and kepe you from slepynge whan ye do or here ony thynge spyrytuell c. By this example a man may vnderstonde that the deuyll bryngeth a slepe his seruauntes of drede that they ne here the worde of god / and that they ne sholde leue theyr synnes And also he waketh thēfor to here ylle / to th ende that they fall in to synne and dampnacyon c. E. ¶ Another example agayne those the whiche fleeth the sermons lvi IT is wryten that as saynt martyn yode frome towne to towne prechinge and doynge myracles one Cayment impotente fledde euermore before hym from towne to towne / and from cyte to cyte / and fered that he sholde hele hym / of drede that he ne loste to gete and to demaunde his liuynge In lyke wyse the rauysshers / the the uys / the lechoures / and synners fleeth the sermons and they ne wyll here them / of drede leste that they leue theyr synnes / they ne amende them c. F. ¶ Another example how the case of a prechoure was borne at the dethe / how Ihesu cryste ayded hym and chased awaye the deuylles lvi SOme maysters hathe wryten this the whiche foloweth howe the dyscyple recyteth in his prōtuarye and sayth that it was cōmaunded vnto a relygious preest of the ordre of the prechers that he sholde go to preche agayn the sarazyns / the crosse he theder yode and so deyed And he appered vnto one of his compaygnons the whiche axed hym of his estate He answered in this It semed me that my payne was to longe And whan that I deyed I ne sawe by me but the deuylles the which began to saye vnto me Thou keptest neuer wele thy professyon ne the obedyence that thou hast promysed vnto thyn abbot And also thou ne preched neuer vnto ony clerely thy lorde god And as the sayd deuylles preposed agaynst me dyuers thynges in the sayd manere and that there ne was persone the whiche answerde for me Ihesu cryste came and sayd Come after me / for thou haste preched me And incontynent all the company of deuylles departed as a smoke I folowed Ihesu cryste in to glorye and I ne felte ony other pain excepte the sayd fere c. G. ¶ Another example how he the whiche precheth the worde of god shal haue grete rewarde in heuen MEn fynde by wrytynge in some bokes / also the dyscyple it recyteth in his promptuarye that as a good preest precher approched vnto his dethe one of his good frendes made hym swere in our lorde that he sholde come to certefy hym of his estate .xxx. dayes after his dethe After that he was deed the said preest appered vnto hym as he had requyred hȳ in a meruayllous fayre chapel al replenysshed with ouches of golde that is to saye of Iewelles ryche / noble good and precyous / amonges the whiche there was one vpon the brest dyffered / was more fayr without comparyson than the other And as he enquyred of his estate / he sayd vnto hym that it was wele After he hym demaunded wherfore he was so cladde He answered I haue this vestyment for the grete zele and loue that I haue had vnto my neyghbours And as many as I haue conuerted of synners there are in my vesture of ouches And I haue receyued the ouche that thou seest on my brest / for that that I haue conuerted a synner of whom no man had ony hope of helthe And he asked hym of the estate of those the whiche haue cure and charge of soule and of people
grace of the gloryous vyrgin Mary of her dere sone Ihesus And after ended her dayes in good purpose c. F. ¶ Another example of a man that had made a vowe the whiche was dampned Also example of rauayne of the paynes of hell lxiii THe dyscyple recyteth in his prōtuary this the whiche foloweth the whiche is wryten in other bokes sayth that as man preched of the crosse a carle vsurer bought agayne a vowe that he made to Iherusalem / yode to the despensatour fraudelently gaue vnto hym for his sayd vowe .v. li. he myght well haue gyuen .xlviii. wtout to dysheryte his chyldren And as this sayd carle sate in the tauernes he sayd vnto other the whiche hadde made vowes Ye foles ye shall passe the see in peryll of your lyues / ye shall spende your substaunce I haue agayn bought my vowe for v.li And I shal abyde sure of my lyfe in my hous / also I shall haue as grete mede as you And on a nyght as he was in his bedde with his wyfe he herde in his myll moeuynge tempest as the wheles gryndynge / he sayd vnto his sone God se what is in the myll The chylde yode retorned anone by grete drede and horrour / of whome the mayster demaunded / what hast thou seen I haue had so grete fere at the myll dore that I durst not tary And he sayd / yf the deuyll be there yet shall I go se who it is Than he kest his clothes vpon his sholdres and yode vnto the myll / he was all naked sauf onely of the sayd vestement He opened the dore loked wtin and sawe to blacke horses / a blacke man by them the whiche sayd vnto the carle Haste the / lepe vpon this hors the whiche is to the brought The earle feered / the blacke man sayd Why taryest thou / caste downe thy vestement come There was a crosse on his garmēt He was dyspeyred at the voyce and callynge of the deuyll keste of his clothes and lept on the other hors and they were incōtynent brought in dyuers places of paynes / in the whiche the cursed sawe his fader his moder in many other that he had knowen And he sawe a knyght named He lye of the castell horste that sate strydlynge on a cowe / the backe towarde the hornes The whiche cowe ranne on the one syde and on the other / tourmented terrybly the sayd knyght in smytynge hym with her hornes in the backe And the carle demaunded hȳ wherfore he suffred suche payne He answered I haue taken away this cowe from a woman wydowe wtout mercy / therfore she me tourmēteth sore Afterwarde there was shewed vnto the carle a syege of fyre / it was tolde vnto hym Thou shalt retorne now vnto thy hous / after thre dayes thou shalte come agayne in to this place here / thou shalte take thy rewarde in this syege After these wordes the deuyl brought hym agayne in to his mylle / he founde his wyfe his meyny as halfe deed / vnto whome he tolde that that he had sene how it was comen vnto hym The preste was called for to confesse hym to styre him to confessyon and to haue contrycyon And he answered What prouffyteth me these wordes here I may not repent me / for I se that in vayne I sholde confesse me / I knowe that it is of necessyte to accomplysshe in me the thynge the whiche is dysposed And the cursed man deyed in suche wyse without receyuȳge the sacraments of the chyrche c. ¶ They the whiche chaungeth theyr vowes sholde take hede therin to make fraude as dyde the sayd man to mocke other / for punycyon and dampnacyon there foloweth Also the rauysshers sholde well note where punycyon dampnacyon foloweth to take to rauysshe the kyen or other godes from theyr neyghboures as was punysshed the sayd knyght named Helye Also people obstynate ben to be blamed For yf the sayd carle had repented hym confessed he had be saued / but for his obstynacyon he was dampned eternally c. G. ¶ Another exāple how a doctour that had vowed dyfferred to accomplysshe his vowe lost his syght lxiiii MEn fynde by wrytinge this the whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in the boke of his promptuary and sayeth that a doctour gretly lettred clerke after that he had vowed to entre in to the ordre of freres in the cyte of melanke / and that he vnto them had assygned the day he was withdrawen of his scolers and wente into another cyte to th ende that he sholde teche his scyence / that he ne se the sayd freres And on that day that he brake his promes he lost his syght abode thre dayes blynde At the last he reknowleged his synne recouered his syght entred in to the ordre / therin was deuout and ended his lyfe in good consummacyon H. ¶ Another example that it is peryll to dyfferre to do his vowe lxiii MEn fynde by wrytinge this the whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in the boke of his promptuary and sayeth that a yonge man named Iohan vowed that he wolde entre in to the ordre of Cysterciences / but he was replenysshed with slouthe repented hym And in stede of that vowe he made his pylgrymage vnto saynt in galyce Iames. And whā he had accomplysshed it he was receyued honorably of his parents And in his slepe he sawe hym ascyted before god / with whome was saynt Peter / saynt Poule / saynt Iames / saynt Iohan / the other And it semed hȳ that saynt Peter helde in his hande a fayre boke the whiche our lorde commaunded to open And he sawe that the name of the sayd Iohan was wryten in lettres of golde / how our lorde commaunded that it were scraped out Than saynt Iames fel prostrate before our lorde requyred hym that the name of his pylgryme were not put out / out lorde excused hym not Than our lorde reproched hardly vnto the sayd Iohn̄ with grete Indygnacyon that he had contempned to accomplysshe his vowe / he cōmaūded vnto saynt peter that he sholde scrape out his name And saynt Iames fell prostrate yet agayne before god / prayed hym that the name of his pylgrym were not effaced ne put out / in promyttynge for him that he wolde accomplysshe his vowe wtin .xv. dayes Than the sayd Iohan awoke fro slepe yelded thankes vnto sayd Iames / promysed that he sholde beginne before the terme And before the .xv. dayes he entred in to the ordre of cystercyences / and was so good afterwarde that he was abbot and bysshop of Valence where he dyde many myracles fynysshed his lyfe c. ¶ This example denoteth that those the whiche repente theym to haue vowed or that ne wyll accomplisshe theyr vowes ne shall be of
indulgence chyrches And afterward as he was seke his doughter the whiche was moche deuout prayed hȳ instauntly that after his dethe he wolde appere vnto her and for to shewe her of his estate and beynge The whiche appered after his dethe within .xxx. dayes and helde in his hande the vessell infernall the whiche was all in fyre And whan his sayd doughter sawe hȳ so enbrased she had grete feere / and demaunded hym what he was / and what he wolde with that cup. The whiche answered I am thi fader And this cuppe is the tourmente wherin I drynke Wherof speketh the psalmyst Ignis sulphur et spiritus procellarum pars calicis eorum And she demaunded hym secondly yf she myght helpe hym by prayer or good dedes And he sayd nay / ne all the sayntes of heuē for the sentence of the gospell was gyuen agaynst hym Ligatis manibus pedibus proucite eū in tenebras exteriores ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium Mathei xxii Than he cryed with an hye voyce thre tymes ve in sayenge Ve in amaritudine / ve in multitudine / ve ī eternitate penarum And saynt Gregory sayth in his moralles Qui nunc se male in voluptatibus dilatat / illum postea in suppliciis pena angustat c. ¶ Venatio A. ¶ Examples of hunters And fyrst exāple how a lorde the whiche hunted on the feestes had a chylde the whiche had ere 's lyke a dogge lxviii THe dyscyple recyteth in his sermōs this the whiche foloweth the whiche is wryten in libro apū and sayth that a noble mā was all gyuen vnto huntynge in suche wyse that he neyther herde masse on the saterdayes ne on the sondayes And his wy that was deuout reproued hym often / but he toke no hede And it befell that after that the sayd wyfe had many chyldren she chylded an euyll shapen thynge the whiche had the heed as a dogge / and the eeres hangynge And whan she sawe it she was confused shamed before many damoysels good matrones the whiche were there in presence / the whiche counceyled all that incontynent it were couered with erthe without beyng more sene / and it was done And forthwith the husbande came from huntynge the whiche demaūded where the childe was that he wolde seit And for as moche as she dyfferred it for shame he drewe his swerde sayd that he wolde se it Than the sayd woman made to take out of the erthe the heuy and horryble monster the whiche sayd vnto her husbande Beholde how the puyssaunt god by shewynge manyfest hath venged thyn vnwytte for that thou hast doone no good dede ne honour vnto the holy dayes and festes / and hast not gyuen ony reuerence vnto the holy sacramentes of the sacred body of Ihesu cryst / but vnto vayne huntynge thou hast taken hede on the sayd holy feest dayes c. Than the sayd noble man correcked hym worthely and dyde penaunce moche bytter B. ¶ Another example the men knewe not where an hunter became in huntinge of a beest lxviii ALso it is wryten in libro apum this that foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in his sermons And sayth that ryche lorde parforced his mē subgectes to go with hym euery daye to hunte / the whiche men left to labour to do theyr seculer occupacions tyll that they became poore / thēself / theyr wyues / and chyldren And it befell one day that the sayd lorde went to the huntynge in a wood he and his housholde the houndes reysed the wylde beest He was on horsbacke folowed hym / and sawe hym euermore / but his rennynge prouffyted hym nothȳge for he myght not take hym and perceuered to folowe hym by night and from that day afterwarde neuer man sawe him more / ne no man wyst what there was done of hȳ / and he was not founde Some saye that in lykewyse as the erthe opened the whiche swalowed Chore. Dathan / Abyron the whiche descended all quycke in to hell that soo it myght be happened vnto the foresayd hunter ¶ Chorea C. ¶ Example of dauncynge on the feestes And fyrst example how the deuyll wolde haue borne away a mayden the whiche daunced on the sonday lxviii IT is wryten in the myracles of the blyssed vyrgyn Mary of a fayre doughter the whiche in her dedes was desolute dauncer and a synger the whiche wolde not correct her for her moder And her fader loued her for her beaute the whiche clothed her pompeously with fayre garmentes And one daye of the sondaye after that she was werye of dauncynge she sate her downe vnder an apple tree for her recreacyon And incontynent the deuyll came vnto her the whiche sayd vnto her Aryse thou and come with me And she sayd What arte thou He answered I am the deuyll vnto whome thou enforcest the to do my wyll / thou arte our armes and our doughter to take the soules And therfore now thou shalt receyue paynes / not alonely for thy synnes / but for all the synnes of them the whiche ben drawen vnto cursed concupyscence for thy clothyn-and aournementes of thy body And as the deuyll enforced hȳ to rauysshe her vyolently she cryed twyes Lady mary helpe me Her moder had taught her in her youthe so to call the vyrgyn Mary for to salue her And she lerned her to say Auemaria gratia plena c. And the deuyl sayd Cursed be they that taught the that orayson Yf thou hadde not sayd it I had borne the now in to hell and he departed ¶ By the example of the mayden that was fayre / well clothed / of abyte to daunce to synge must be vnderstande that she pleased vnto the deuyll dyspleased god For suche vanytees draweth vnto synne / corrupteth vertues good maners ledeth vnto dampnacyon Also by that the she called helpe of the vyrgyn Mary that is the floure of vyrgynyte is vnderstande that in lykewyse sholde these vyrgyns do in necessyte / and them conferme vnto the vyrgyn Mary to th ende that they may goo in to paradyse c. D. ¶ Another example of men and womē the whiche daūced a yere wtout that ony persone myght socour them lxvii MEn fynde by wrytinge this that whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in the boke of his promptuary and sayeth that in the yere of the incarnacyon of our lorde M. .xi. There happened in a cyte of the countre of saxonye wherin there was a curate of the parisshe chyrche of saynt Mayng the whiche curate was called Tulles how in the vygyll of crystmas many of his parysshens men and women put them to daunce in the sayd chyrcheyarde and to synge in suche maner that they letted the sayd curate in his offyce of the chyrche Wherfore he sent to them that they sholde cease / but they ceased not ne wolde not obey for hym Than he cursed them in requyrynge god that they myght not cease all that
relygyous came vnto his sayd sone demaunded him that that his fader had lefte vnto theym by his testament Than the sone answered sayd I ne shal gyue vnto no persone that lyueth / tolde the reason Ye saye in approuynge the scrypture that yf ony be in helle that the suffrages good dedes ne prouffite to hym And yf he be in heuen that hym nedeth nothynge I knowe not nowe yf he be in paradyse or in helle And yf he be in purgatorye he is there purged vnto the laste synne / for I ne shal gyue nothyng for his soule The goodes temporelles that I possede I ne shal shedde them Also I doubt me for his soule / but be he tormented tyll that he be purged This example techeth vs to do of good dedes whyles that we lyue without taryenge or trustynge vnto oure parentes for to do it after our dethe VnÌ„ grego Tutior eÌ„ vita vt bonuÌ„ qd quisque post morteÌ„ sperat agi ê‘ alios agat duÌ„ viuit ipse ê‘ se Beatius quippe eÌ„ liberuÌ„ exire quam post viÌ„cula liberanteÌ„ qÌ„re Chylde vnnaturall syth that it is so that god coÌ„mauÌ„deth the to helpe thy neyghbours / the poore / the hongry / the thrusty / the seke / yf thou do it not thou shalt yelde accompte before god at the day of Iugement By a more stronge reason yf thou socour not thy parentes of whom thou haste thy goodes the whiche ben in the pryson of purgatorye hauynge hongre thurst / grete necessyte thou arte worthy of grete punycyon c. E. ¶ Another example of semblable matere to do of good dedes without taryeng or trustynge vnto his chyldren lxxii MEn fynde by wrytynge that there was a ryche man the whiche had purchased loÌ„des and possessyons And all the countree aboute hym was his It happened that he fell in a grete sekenes sente for his preest deuysed that he had / requyred hym to praye for hym / made to praye in euery monastery And promysed that yf he myght escape that he shold de go vnto saynt Iames / vnto saynt gyles / vnto Rochemador And that he sholde do many of good dedes for the loue of god / It happened that he escaped from the sayd sekenes / became wors than euer he had be and more vnfaythfull / dyde nothynge of all that he hadde promysed vnto the preest Longe tyme after he fell agayne in to a moche greate sekenes / and sente for his preest as before And promysed to doo many of good dedes / and that he wolde praye for hym Ha said the preest the other tyme thou saydest as moche vnto me / nothynge hast thou done of that that thou promysed I haue sayd he to moche good / who shall do it for me Then he called his sone his heyre tolde hym that he had goten hyÌ„ grete londes that he muste goo for hym vnto saynt Iames and vnto saynt gyles And vnto suche pylgrymages yf I deye / Fayre fader sayd the sone men saye that deed men go as swyftely as they wyll Go you by saynt Iames and vnto saynt gyles yf ye wyll / so god helpe me I shall not put my body in payne Yf ye haue we le do ne ye shall fynde it The sayd heyre yode not / therfore a good thynge it is not to tary ne abyde vnto his heyres For the lanterne the whiche is borne before gyueth better lyght than that the whiche is borne behynde F. ¶ Another example how a man sholde do of good dedes whyles that he lyueth that a fole taught wele one sage lxxii MEn tell of a grete lorde the whiche had of custome as done these grete lordes whan he wyll go thorowe the couÌ„tree to sende his coke to prepayre his dyner and his place And the sayd lorde had a fole that had of custome to go after the coke for the prouffyte that he there had c. It befell one tyme that the sayd lorde was seke in his bedde of the dethe And the people the whiche came to se hym sayd vnto eche other whan they mette / the lorde gothe his waye The sayd fole herde these sayd wordes sayd that shall he not do / for his coke is yet here And for that that the people perseuered to say that he gothe his waye / the said fole entred in to the chambre of the lorde / sayd to hym My lorde all the people say that ye go your waye / and bycause ye haue not sente your coke before by saynt Peter ye shall deye of hongre Than the lorde sayd that the fole sayd true / that a fole hathe assensed wele a saige Than the lorde made all the prestes of the countree to synge to do in his lyfe the seruyces that men sholde do after his dethe to do almesdedes so he sente the coke before / made his fardell to bere with hym as dothe a bryde the whiche departeth from the house of her fader c. A. ¶ Another example of a fader and of his sone the whiche were dampned for the goodes yll begoten and witholden lxxiii THe dyscyple recyteth in the booke of his sermons sayeth that an vsurer had two sones of the whiche the one repented hym in herynge a sermon / after sayd vnto his fader My fader yf we deye in suche wyse we shal be loste in body in soule Than he sayd vnto hym Paye vnto euery man that that thou owest retorne vnto god Vnto whome the fader sayd / the other broder Sholdest thou be our confessoure / goo deye where thou wylte For we shall abyde with our goodes The whiche helde his peas / lefte theym yelded hymself hermyte / lyued a poore lyfe in seruyÌ„ge god And after that this good hermyte herde speke that his fader and his broder were deed was moued in pyte desyred to knowe of theyr estate And requyred of god yf it were his pleasure that he might se them And one daye as he was in orayson the aungell of our lorde came vnto hyÌ„ sayd Thy petycyon is made / come thy waye I shall shewe them the. And he toke hym rauysshed hym / and bare him in to helle And set hym vpon a hye mouÌ„tayne And the sayd aungell sayd vnto hym / wylte thou se and here thy fader and thy brother and the sayd hermyte answered that ye And he sawe a valeye replenysshed of dyuers kyndes of tormentes / and herde a myserable voyce And he sawe fyrst his fader the whiche boylled in fyre as pesen do the within a grete pot the whiche said Maledyccyon / maledyccyon / maledyccyoÌ„ / cursed be the houre that euer I was conceyued Cursed be the wombe that bare me / Whan the sayd hermyte herde these wordes he trembled and sayd O fader arte thou here The answer My sone thou art blyst for thou hast dredde god
ne myght endure them of the horrour that they had to se them in suche horrybly to tremble / they departed them thorowe out the world vacabondes And ouer all where they yode euery man behelde them And two of them were heled a sone and a doughter by the merytes of saynt steuen in the presence of saint Austin This example sheweth that all chyldren sholde drede to offende theyr faders moders that maledyccyon dampnacyon come not vnto them Also faders moders ne sholde curse theyr chyldren / but sholde desyre that they haue benedyccyon and saluacion / yf they ben as forsaken they sholde punysshe them correcte sagely and dyscretely F. ¶ Another example that it displeaseth vnto god that a woman aourned her doughter and clothed pompously lxxvi THe dyscyple recyteth in his booke that a fader a moder had a doughter the whiche serued god deuoutely vnto the example of her moder purposed to abyde in virginite And the fader coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto the moder that she shold aourne her doughter after the course of the worlde the whiche dredde her husband and clothed her doughter pompously seculerly and aourned her face her heere Than the aungell by the coÌ„maundement of god appered vnto her moder and sayd vnto her Wherfore haste thou more dredde thy husbande than god to aourne thy doughter / to take her frome Ihesu cryste for to put her in to the worlde For this thynge thou shalt dye within four wekes / thou shalt be dampned yf thou repente the not with in the sayd tyme. And more ouer within the sayd tyme all thy chyldren shall deye / And this daye thy handes shall begyn to drye in payn for that that thou hast aourned the heere of thy doughter Than the sayd woman dyde true penaunce and all happened in lyke wyse as the other had sayd vnto her For she deyed and her chyldren within the sayd terme / also her handes dryed c. Those and they the whiche ben culpable sholde loke vpon this take example for to correcte them amende to the ende that oure lorde Ihesu cryste be not wrothe agaynst them / and that they haue not punycyon c. ¶ Correctio A. ¶ Examples of correccyon And fyrste example how swete correccyon more profyteth vnto the yll than sharpe lxxiiii IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders in many other bokes that as saynt Machayre walked one tyme by the countree he sayd vnto his dyscyple that he sholde go acore And as he yode he met with the prest of the ydoles the whiche bare a grete staff the dyscyple sayd vnto hyÌ„ wheder goest thou deuyll that thou arte And the sayd preest wrathed hym agaynst hym for his harde wordes / bette hym soo moche that he lefte hym as for halfe deed After the sayd preest yode his waye And as he yode his way he met the sayd Machayre whiche sayd vnto hym Thou arte a saue walker / thou be saued And the preest meruaylled sayd vnto hym What haste thou sene of goodnesse in me the wiche salutest me in suche wyse And he sayd I haue beholde that thou labourest strongly in walkynge And the preest sayd vnto hym that in his salutacyon he hathe had composycyon / he knewe the he was the seruaunt of god that he had mette a cursed monke that had iniuried him and that for his iniuryes he had strongly beten hym For to be short by the swete wordes of the sayd Machayre the sayd preest yode with hym / conuerted hymselfe / and was relygyous / many paynyms coÌ„uerted them by the example of the sayd preest And here the sayd Machayre sayd that a proude worde an yll conuerteth somtyme the good vnto the yll And a humble worde good somtyme draweth the yll to do good Vnto this purpose it is wryten ê“uer xv ê™ respoÌ„â—io mol is fraÌ„git iraÌ„ / sermo durus excitat furoreÌ„ Et eccle vi Dulce vbuÌ„ inimicos mitigat et amoreÌ„ multiplicat B. ¶ Another example of the good correccyon that was done vnto a chylde lxxiiii THe dysciple recyteth in his promptuarye that a fayre sone noble / was gyuen of his parentes in to a monasterye of the blacke ordre / for to be discyplyned regulerly in good maners / the whiche was instructe of the pryour correcte by wordes / somtyme by rodde / in so good maner that he refrayned hym from all thynges infancybles vnnefull / that he was informed in all goodnes And the sayd chylde toke the sayd correccyon humbly And in lyke wyse grewe he in good perfeccyon tyll vnto the aege of .xx. yeres so deyed / And after his dethe appered the soule of hym vnto the pryour so clere fayre that the chambre was all replenysshed with lyght he sayd Pryour I yelde vnto the thankes of the correccyon that thou hast put in me I am not fallen by lytell by lytell in to synne by the whiche I had be dampned / and by the I am saued c. C. ¶ Another example of the correccyon of two relygyous of the whiche the abbot corrected the one spared the other lxxiiii IT is writen in the boke of the sermons of the dyscyple how there was two freres in a monasterye / of the whiche the one was gracious agreable vnto his abbot and vnto the other relygyous / therfore he was spared was not punysshed of his necligences And the other was not agreable And he was punysshed incontynent that he dyde a faute So they deyed bothe twayne And he the whiche was gracyous appered vnto his abbot after his de dethe and sayd vnto hym that he was in grete paynes And his sayd abbot demauÌ„ded hym Where is the cursed the whiche commytted more of neclygences than thou And he sayd O fader he is not cursed / for he is in the clere vysyon of god For the neclygences that he coÌ„mytted were incontynent punisshed And by that that the satisfaccyon of his synnes is made / but for that that thou sparedest me in my neclygences for my gracyousnes I am nowe tormented in purgatorye And therfore my fader I requyre the praye vnto god for me And that ye recoÌ„maunde me vnto myn other bretherne in theyr messes to the ende that ye delyuer me from the greate paynes wherin I am By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that these synners the which ben ofte tymes punysshed corrected or those the whiche gone often vnto confessyon do penaunce ben more sooner saued than those the whiche be not repreued / and the whiche go not vnto confession but one tyme in the yere c. D. ¶ Another example how a man sholde correcte hym whan a man is warned THe discyple reciteth in his sermoÌ„s and sayeth that a good relygyous conceplatyf was rauysshed in iugemente the whiche sawe an erle accused before god also a grete prelate agayne whome god was
sone bare the punicyon of his sayd fader the whiche is grete matere to vnderstonde to moralyze the whiche shall abyde bycause of shortnes And the fals harlot Iezabell the whiche humbled her not was slayne eten of dogges the whiche is a longe thynge to declare / in lyke wyse as it is wryten in the forsayd chapytre c. C. ¶ Another example how Ioab slewe the prynce Abner malycyously Amasam yll came vnto hym lxxvii IT is wryten in the chapytre of the seconde boke of kynges how Ioab the whiche was capytayne and chyef of the werre of kynge Dauyd slewe malycyously a prynce named Abner for to venge hȳ of his broder that the sayd Abner had slayne in batayl And dauyd was gretely wrothe of that murdre wepte vpon his graue ne wolde neuer in the daye ne ete ne drinke tyll that the sone was gone to reste / sayd vnto his seruauntes the whiche wolde make hym to ete Ye knowe not that a prȳce and that ryght grete is fallen this daye in Israhell Our lorde graunt vnto them the whiche haue done the yll after theyr malyce And it is wryten in the seconde chapytre of the thyrde boke of kynges that in contynent that dauyd was deed the sayd Ioab fledde in to the tabernacle of our lorde / helde hym nere the aulter for to warraunt hym For the kinge Salamon commaunded that he were slayne / for that that he had slayne two men better than hymselfe without the consentynge of dauyd / that is to vnderstonde Abner prynce of the chyualrye of Israhell / Amasam prynce of the armye of Iudas And the sayd Ioab wolde not come forthe of the tabernacle / And there was slayne by the cōmaundement of Salamon Men saye incōune lāgage / he that sleethe with the swerde with the swerde shall deye c. D. ¶ Another example how herode Ascalonyta made to sle the innocentes lxxvii THe euangelyst saynt mathieu maketh mencyon / that whan god was borne in bethelem the thre kȳges came out of orient for to worshyp hym / demaunded kynge herode where that he was borne Whan herodes herd these wordes he was greately troubled / those of Iherusalem with hym And inquysycyon was made where it was that Ihesus sholde be borne / the grete clerkes sayd that it sholde be in bethleem as it was wryten by the prophete mychee vi Et tu bethelem terra iuda nequaquam minima as ī principibus iuda ex te enī exi et dux q i regat populū meū israel Than the kynge herodes called the other kynges asked them dylygently in what tyme the sterre appered vnto them And sent them in to bethelem to enquere dylygently where he was borne And whan they had foūde hȳ that they sholde come agayne vnto hȳ in faynynge to go to worshyp hym / but it was for to slee hym Whan the kynges had founde hym and worshypped hym it was sayd vnto them in a dreme that they sholde not retorne vnto herodes / but goo in to theyr countrees by another waye And so was it done Afterwarde whan herodes sawe that the kynges retourned not by hȳ and that he was mocked he sente in to bethelem made to sle all the chyldren the whiche were in the coūtree of the aege of two yeres and vnder / wenynge for to slee our redemptoure Ihesus And the soules of the holy innocentes cryed vnto god vengeaunce of theyr bloode that herodes had made them to shedde And they had dyuyne answer that they sholde tary yet a lytel tyme tyll that the nombre of theyr bretheren were accomplysshed The sayd herodes ne abode vnpunisshed in lyke wyse as it is wryten in the hystorye scolastice For he began his hell frome this worlde before that he deyed / he became blowen so stȳkynge foule and vyllayne that there ne was persone that myght approche vnto him and also he hadde his guttes eten with wormes Legitur etiā actuū xii By this historie it appereth that the sayd herodes was moche cursed wher as he wolde not gyue honour vnto god as the other kynges / but wolde slee hym And in wenynge to do hym ylle made to sle grete nombre of fayre chyldrē And therfore he had wele deserued punycyon the whiche came vpon hym the which sholde be to longe a thyng to tell c. E. ¶ Another example how Herodes Antypas made to slee saynt Iohan baptyste ca. lxxvi IT is wryten in the .xiiii. chapitre of the gospelles of saynt Mathieu that saynt Iohan baptyst reproued herode of his lecherye sayd vnto hym that it was not lefull to haue the wyfe of his broder philyppes By this thynge herode was wrothe by the coūsayll of his harlot herodien he made saynt Iohan baptist to be put in pryson for to sle hym / but he fered the people for they helde hym as a prophete And Herodes made a grete dyner the daye of his natyuyte vnto the prynces greate of his courte And his doughter daunced at dyner lepte pleased so wele Herode the whiche sayd vnto her with an othe that she shold axe what she wold he wolde graūt it her yf it were halfe his realme Thys thynge was done malycyously for to haue the occasyon to make saynt Iohan to die Than herodyane counsaylled her doughter And made her to saye vnto the kynge Gyue me in a grete dysshe right hastely the heed of saynt Iohan baptyste And the kynge fayned to be wrothe for the othe and the prasence the whiche ther dyned And sent to behede in pryson saynt Iohan baptyste And the heed was brought in a dysshe and presented vnto the lepynge wenche The scrypture maketh mencyon that there were thre kynges herodes The fyrste had to name Ascolonita the whiche slewe the innocentes The seconde antipa / the whiche made saynt Iohan baptyst to be slayne / The thyrde Herode had to name Agrippe the whiche made to slee saynt Iames the more And put saint peter in pryson It is wryten in speculo historiali that a doctour named vincent reciteth in the sayd boke that a holy man by vysyon permyssyon diuine sawe in helle the beforsayd kynges herodes the whiche were hanged in the fyre of hell beynge in grete tormentes And the sayd harlot was hanged vnder them more cruelly tormented than the sayd herodes For she had two serpentes the whiche helde her by the brestes / and bote her And by punycyon permyssyon dyuyne his said harlot herodes antipa bote hym in the throte oft tymes as yf he wold haue strangled hym Also the sayd harlot had in her heed so many of litell bestes as litell serpents that by hys estimacion as she myghte haue of herys that whiche bestes bote hir incessably c. F. ¶ Another example howe iudas / pylate / thys other iewys were homicides of the deth of owre blyssyd sauyour and redemptour Iesus lxxvi IT is wryten in the
by couÌ„sayll of an olde woman she poysoned her And the fader had horrour of his synne lefte her Wherfore the doughter poysonned hym also And whan she had so slayn her fader moder she dyspayred thynkyÌ„g not to haue mercye tyll vnto that she herde preche that in contrycyon confessyon all synnes were pardonned Albeit thâ—t they were thâ— mooâ—t grâ—ce and fouâ—â— that man may speke / so mâ—che is greate the bâ—ounte grace of god Than the sayd doughter came to the precher for to confesse her / for her grete dysperacyon ne myghte declare all her synnes in confessyon And after that he had chered her she confessed truely her synnes with so many of teres of lamentacyons that it was meruayll / and sayd that she was worthy to haue all payne confusyon After that she had confessed her and that she had receyued penaunce salutarie she entred in to the chirche with her chamberere and fell prostrate in orayson wepte and lamented her synnes in so grete dolour haboundaunce of teres that she deyed in the place And afterward as her confessour preched desyred the people to praye for her he herde a voyce the whiche sayd that he and the people had more grete nede of grete haboundauÌ„ce of teres she had be puryfyed wasshed in lyke wyse as of newe baptyzed and so flewe in to heuen wtoute the paynes of purgatorye E. ¶ Another example how dauyd made to slee Vrye vniustely and commytted aduoutrye lxxvii IT is wryten in the .xi. chapitre of the seconde boke of kynges that dauyd behelde out at a wyndowe the wyfe of vrye as she wasshed her / for her beaute was tempted and deceyued For he her coueyted / loued and slepte with her And whan her husbande Vrye seruaunte of the sayd dauyd came from the warre to brynge tydynges to his mayster / dauyd sayd vnto hym that he sholde go to lye with his wyf And sent after hym vyande ryall / but the sayd Vrye wolde not lye with his wyf but excused hym honestly Afterwarde dauyd wrote agayne vnto his capitayne a pistyl by Vrye that in the place where the daunger of dethe sholde be he sholde put Vrye in batayl to th ende that he were slayne / so was it done And it foloweth incontynent in the .xii. chapitre the god sente nathan vnto dauyd vnto whom he sayd Answer me of a Iugement Two men were in one cyte one ryche one poore The ryche had oxen and shepe goodes habouÌ„dauÌ„tly / the poore ne had but one sheepe that he had bought and nourished And so moche he loued her that she ete of his brede and dranke of his cuppe slept in his bosome And it befell that a pylgrym came vnto the ryche the whiche spared his shepe yode to take the shepe of the sayd poore / prepayred of metes vnto hym / for the that he was come to hym Whan dauid herde these wordes here he was moche wrothe and sayd vnto Nathan God seeth For he the whiche hathe done this thynge is culpable of dethe / he shall yelde the shepe in foure double bycause he hathe done this thynge And Nathan sayd vnto hyÌ„ Thou art he the whiche hathe done this thinge god hathe made the kynge gyuen the of goodes that whiche hathe dyspysed his wordes Thou haste slayne Vrye by glayue / also hathe taken his wyfe for thyself For this thynge the glayue shall not departe from thy house God hathe sayd that he shall sende yll vpon the vpon thy house / shal take thy wyues before thyn eyes gyue theym vnto thy neyghbour the whiche shal slepe with those women Thou haste done thy synne secretely / I shall do all these thynges before all the people of Israhell And dauyd sayd vnto Nathan Peccaui dnÌ„o I haue synned vnto my lorde And incontynent as dauid had reknowleged his faute that he hadde sayd peccaui / Nathan sayd vnto hym God hathe translated thy synne thou shalte not deye / but thy sone that is proceded of the shall deye / and soo was it done as it is wryten in the sayd chapytre c. F. ¶ Another example how a knight was strongly tormented in purgatory for that that he vyoled the chircheyarde / hurte a man within it lxxvii IT is wryten in the legende of the deed that as a knyght was layde in hys bedde with his wyfe / the mone was clere the whiche entred by the holes / he meruaylled hym moche wherfore the man the whiche is reasonable obeyde not vnto his creatour / whan the creatures not reasonnables obeyed vnto hyÌ„ And began to missaye of a knyghte deed the whiche had be his pryue frende And the sayd knyght dede entred in spekynge these wordes in the chambre all sodaynly / vnto whom he said Frende haue thou none yll suspeccyon of me in ony thynges / but pardon me yf I haue ony thyng synned in the. And whan he demaunded hym of his estate he sayd vnto him I am tormented of dyuers paynes for that that I haue vyoled the chircheyarde hurte a man within it / hym dispoylled of his mauntelles hode / the whiche is vpon me more heuyer than a mouÌ„tayne And the said deed man prayed him that he wolde do make oraysons for hym Than he demauÌ„ded yf suche a preest sholde synge for hym The sayd deed answered nothynge / that is he spake no worde / but lyfte vp shoke his heed in lyke wyse as he them refused And afterwarde hym demauÌ„ded yf he wolde that suche an hermyte prayed for hym And he said I wyl wel that he praye for me And whan the sayd knyght had promysed it hym the deed said vnto hym And I saye the that this daye two yeres thou shalte deye And so was it done This example denoteth many thynges The fyrste is that one man shold not saye yll of another in as moche as the deed body repreued hym that spake yll of hym The seconde is that a man sholde kepe hyÌ„ to do to speke ylle in holy grounde in as moche as the deed body was in purgatori for that / that he had vyoled the sayd chirche yarde And also that a man ne sholde betene do none yll vnto his neyghbour / for punycyon foloweth in this worlde and in the other The thyrde thynge that the example denoteth is that the prayers oraysons of a good persone ben more soner exalted than those of synners in synne It is here vnderstonde by that that the deed loued the prayer of the hermyte more soner than of the other beforsayd How be it yll preestes empayre not the sacrament of the masse / but those the whiche accedeth vnworthely is vnto theyr dampnacyon G. ¶ Another example how the aungell shewed vnto tongdalus a valeye replenisshed with coles of fyre in the whiche were put the homycydes lxxvii MEn fynde by wrytynge that a man amed Tongdalus deyed
yll came vnto hym He was also proude and lyft vp ouer puyssaunce humayne / as it is wryten in the .xvi. cha of the sayd Machabees And he was punysshed as he yode he and his army in grete pryde furour to sle them of Iherusalem / god vnto hym sent a cruell ryght stynkynge sekenes in the guttes so that he was borne in a lytter / and from that fell in to puddle of myre lyenge on the erthe Also he was so stynkynge that his seruauntes and his hoost were sore greued / hymselfe ne myght endure his owne styÌ„ke Also he was so seke that maugre in his heed he meked hyÌ„ and than deyed in dyspayre E. ¶ Another example of a man dampâ—â—d that had many benyfyces lxxxv SOme maysters wryteth this the whiche foloweth how the discyple reciteth in the boke of his promptuarye and sayeth that one of the grete maysters of Parys named in scyence was vysyted of the bysshop of paris and admonested at the houre of his dethe that he sholde leue resygne many benyfyces that he had vnlefully / that he sholde holde alonely one And he abode in his opynyon full of errour sayd I shal assay yf ony may be saued with many benefyces After his dethe he appered vnto that bysshop at the houre of tyerce as he was in orayson to praye vnto god And whan the sayd bysshop knewe that it was the sayd deed body he asked hym how it was with hym He answered I am dampned eternally wtout ony remyssyon And he demaunded the cause wherfore He answered for elacyon And the bysshop axed hym of the sayd opynyon He answered that the pluralyte of his benefyces helped hym not / but noyed hym And the sayd dampned him asked yf there were mo persones lyuynge in the worlde The bisshop answered / Why demaundest thou that / the whiche arte so grete a clerke that thou wenest that the worlde is so sone fynysshed He answered Certaynly syth that I deyed there is dyscended in to hell so grete multytude of soules dampned that I wolde skantly beleue that there had ben so many lyuynge in the worlde c. Vnto this purpose the prophete Ysaie sayth / that at the day of Iugement fewe of the people shall be saued in regarde of al sortes of the yll that shall be dampned And gyueth this symylytude of raysyns in the tyme of theyr rypenesse and of olyues in the tyme that they ben gadred Whan the grapes and the olyues haue ben assembled gadered there yâ— abydeth same lytel thynge in the vynes and olyues forgoten lefte And this lytell the whiche there abydeth is to compare by symylytude vnto the saued / and the grete multytude of the raysyns gadered vnto the dampned Vnderstande well this the whiche is here wryten Ysaie .xxiiii. Erunt in medio terre in medio pplorum quo modo si pauce oliue qÌ„ remaÌ„seruÌ„t excutiantur ex olera et raceÌ„m cuÌ„ fuerit finita viÌ„demia / huscm pauci boni saluati lenabuÌ„t voceÌ„ suaÌ„ atque laudabuÌ„t cuÌ„ glorificatus fuerit dnÌ„s c. ¶ This man dampned that had soo many benefyces denoteth that the couetyse of godes honour of the worlde deceyueth dampneth that people of the chyrche Or cupiditas et radix oiÌ„m maloruÌ„ .i. ad thy .vi. ca. F. ¶ Another example that none ought to be constytute in benefyce by prayers carnalles lxxxv MEn fynde by wrynge of anabbot whan he was in his dethe bedde he made all his monkes to come before hyÌ„ Vnto whome he requyred that whaÌ„ he sholde be deed that they shold chuse his neuew for to be abbot after hym The whiche was done And as the newe abbot walked in his gardyn by a well syde he herde a voyce that complayned ruthefully And the sayd yonge abbot coniured the sayd voyce in the name of god that he sholde tell hym what he was He answered I am the soule of thyn vncle that am here brent broyled mestemably in this fountayne / for that that I haue procured carnally that thou were abbot after me To whome the neuew sayd How may this be that thou brennest in a well so colde Than the voyce sayd Go in to the chyrche fetche the candelstyckes of copre cast theym in to this well and thou shalte se how I am brente Than he dyde it / and incontynent the sayd candelstyckes were molten as waxe within the fyre And whan the sayd yonge abbot sawe that he called all the monkes renounced vnto the dygnyte croyse / afterwarde the sayd voyce was no more herde ¶ By this example a man sholde vnderstande that those that whiche entreth so in benefyces entreth not not by the dore / that is Ihesu cryst as before is declared Vnde iohan .x. Qui non intrat per hostium in ouile ouium sed ascender ali unde ille fur est et latro G. ¶ Another example how a man seculer sholde not do the offyce of the preste in the chyrche lxxxv IT is wryten in the .xxv. chapytre of the seconde boke of paralipomenon how the kynge Ozyas lyft vp in pryde whan he was in puyssaunce regal / and dyspraysed his god Morouer he presumed to be worthy to do the offyce of prestes And he entred in to the temple of god and toke the ensencer for to do the offyce of a preste after as the custome was to do honour vnto god And the mayster of the prestes named Azarias entred in to the temple after with grete multytude of prestes stroÌ„ge The whiche resysted agaynst the sayd kynge / vnto whome they sayd that it was not his offyce to do suche thynge VnÌ„ .ii. pa. xxvi NoÌ„ est tui officu vt adoleas incensuÌ„ dnÌ„o / sed est sacerdotuÌ„ qui consecrati suÌ„t ad huiusmodi misteriuÌ„ / egredere de sctuÌ„ario ne conteÌ„pseris / qr noÌ„ reputabitur tibi ingliam hoc a dnÌ„o deo And for as moche as the prestes reprehended the kyÌ„ge therof / he thretened them in grete yre And incontynent before the prestes in the temple he was smyten with a lepry / was soo all his lyfe / dwelled in an hous separated from all other / where he deyed a roten lepre And for the sayd cause he was put out of the temple c. ¶ By this example after scrypture the seculer people sholde not presume to do the offyce of a preste / nor medle to gouerne the goosâ—ly thynges ne the chyrche For suche thynges dyspleaseth god H. ¶ Another example in Alchinê° / how lordes sholde not coÌ„stytute people of yl lyfe to be benefyced lxxxv IT is wryten in the .vii. cha of the fyrst boke of Machabees how kyÌ„ge Demetrius consiytuted in souerayne preste / that is bysshop a yll man warryour named Alchinus the whiche dyde many euylles / also he dyed mischeuously / and he reygned not longe in his bysshopryche / after that he had of eccysyons he began to dystroy
the last pange I was brought before the Iuge / as I helde my peas for drede I sawe many soules clerer than the sonne the whiche stretched theyr haÌ„des out agaynst me vnto the Iuge cryed Lorde venge our blode on this lyer detractour the whiche hath vs dyffamed by lesynges before the men At this voyce the Iuge behelde me with vysage wrothe / in beholdyÌ„ge hym I was all ferefull confused of the ylles that men spake ayenst me in seynge that I was culpable I forgate my selfe dyspayred me of the mercy of god was Iuged and am dampned eternally ¶ By this exaÌ„ple a man sholde vnderstande that detraccyon is a grete synne / for the good persones detracted demaunded vengeaunce and punycyon it was doone With grete payne is that synne pardoned / for it behoueth to restore the good renowne as after shall be declared Et ideo hieronimê° Non facilis venia praua dixisse deiectis hoÌ„mibus To moche speche noyeth For there ensueth punycyon dampnacyon D. ¶ Another example of a detractoure that had his tongue amonge todes lxxxxviii MEn fynde by wrytynge this that whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in his promptuary sayth that there was a man a ryght grete detractour of relygyous / clerkes / of other good men he departed and deyed And after in grete tyme as a man digged in his sepulchre men founde all his body in erthe dust / but his venimous tongue was hole amonge todes the whiche remoeued it wolde gnawe it but they ne myght / in shewynge that the tongue was not worthy to retorne in to erthe for that that it had hurt many a man / and that the cursed man that owed the sayd tongue was tourmented in soule and after the Iugement shall be in body in soule eternally wtout to be coÌ„sumed VnÌ„ apocÌ„ ix Desiderabunt mori et mors fugiet ab eis E. ¶ Another example of a detractour that bote wasted his tonge lxxxxviii THe dyscyple recyteth in his proÌ„ptuary that a preste was so abaÌ„doned in vyce of the tonge that almoost he made detraccyon of all and infamed greuously other men Whan it came before his dethe he was furyous / in his furour bote hymselfe / brake wasted his cursed tongue venymous in shewynge before all that his tongue had spoken cursed wordes dygne of punycyon payne F. ¶ Another example of a fader that slept as he herde detraccyon lxxxxviii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders of a good auncyent fader named machetem the whiche was moche solytary / vnto whome god gaue suche grace that as often tymes as he was in conuent with the other bredren for to here the seruyce collacyon espyrytuall he neuer slepte yf he had ben there the longe day the nyght But as sone as ony spake worde of detraccion / or ydle worde he was forthw t aslepe ¶ Vnto thexample of this good fader a man sholde kepe hyÌ„ from slepynge in the seruyce predycacyons / and frome herynge of euyll wordes G. ¶ Another example that as a knyght made detraccyon of a deed man he appered vnto hym lxxxxviii IT is wryten in the legende of the deed be dyes that as a knight was layde in his bedde by his wyfe he made detraccyon of another knyght deed The whiche appered to hym sodaynly sayd Frende pardoÌ„ me cease too make detraccyon for I am in grete paynes in purgatory And he hym demaunded / may a man helpe ye. He answered / ye And he demaunded him / wylt thou that suche a preste or suche pray for the. Than he shoke the heed in token that it pleased hym not / for that that he was in mortall synne Afterwarde he demauÌ„ded yf he wolde that suche an hermyte prayed for hym He answered I wolde well / yf he prayed for me lyghtly I sholde be delyuered ¶ These examples denoteth that a man sholde cease hyÌ„ of detraccyoÌ„ / for it is a vyce that dyspleaseth vnto god vnto the sayntes of paradise And in that that the deed body desyred the prayer of the her myte not of the other is to vnderstande that the prayer of good folke is exalted not they of synners But the holy sacrament of the masse enpayreth not for an yll preste ¶ Loqui A. ¶ Examples of some the whiche hath vttred cursed wordes And fyrst example of a man letygyous ful of stryfe dyscorde the whiche sayd at his deth that all those that he had troubled them opposed ayeÌ„st hym enforced to sle hym lxxxxix THe dyscyple recyteth in his boke that Guilliam sayth that there was a man so letygyous full of stryfe furyous that from his yonge aege he ne myght lyue in rest with his owne kynnesmen but dyscorded with all them in his hous without the whiche was greuously seke in the dethe bedde he toke the sacramentes of the chyrche vnworthely And hastely amoÌ„ge the people the whiche were present he cryed horrybly Aryse ye al take armoures kepe me for all theym the whiche I haue troubled oppose them agaynst me enforce them to sle me And wtout taryenge his eyen tourned terrybly / in cryenge myscheuously he deyed ¶ This example denoteth that the iust men and sayntes of paradyse aryse in Iugement agaynst the sinners the whiche them hath troubled that hath brought forth cursed wordes ayenst god taken away theyr goodes Wherof it is wryten sapientie .v. Stabunt iusti cuÌ„ magna coÌ„stancia aduersus eos qui se angustiaueruÌ„t / et q i absâ—ulerÌ„t labores eorum And by this a man shold kepe hym from spekynge yll of another to do hym yll For none yll shal byde wout punysshement B. ¶ Of a woman ful of wrathe that myssayed her mayden lxxxxix IT is wryten in the promptuarye of the dyscyple in other bokes that there was a lady that oft tymes herde the predycacyons / but she was so impacient that whan she came fro the chyrche she stryued with her mayden that was good deuoute This sayd lady wrothed her for nothynge without cause / and myssayed her sayd mayden The whiche mayden on a tyme requyred her lady that she myght go to here the predycacyon that a relygyous well renowmed sholde make And she answered by courage wrothe and harty Abyde at home and kepe the hous â—he was obedient and taryed And as she â—as in the kechyn with grete affeccyon to herâ— the worde of god she made a request vnto our lorde in saynge My lorde Ihesu cryst teche me to doo thy wyll And forthw t Ihesu cryst appered vnto her in sayenge What coueytest thou And she answered to here the worde of god And Ihesus began to preche vnto her and sayd Kepe thre thyÌ„ges that I shall tell the and thou shalte be saued Holde thy peas in maledyccyons / be thou pacyent in trybulacyons and aduersytees / ne yelde thou euyl
IT is wryten in the some of penauÌ„ce that a woman deuoute a gyuer of almesse confessed her often vnto the bysshop of the cyte / therfore he loued her moche bycause of her holynes It happened one daye she behelde a yonge man by concupyscence carnall by reason dysposed fyxed had the wyll to haue his companye without other thyng / but by many tymes that she confessed her / also in the dethe she had it in remembraunce / she had shame to tell it excused her vnto herselfe sayenge Sith that I haue not done the dede that it was nothynge / and that she wolde not speke it And so she deyed without confessyon and contrycyon After her dethe the sayd bysshop made her honourably to be buryed in his chapell where of custome he made his prayers / for asmoch as she was of grete people And that he loued her for the holynes of her And in the nyght after that she was buried before matyns the said bysshop wende to make his oraysons in the said chapel And as he approched it semed vnto hym that it was full of fyre / in lykewyse as a brennynge ouen Albeit he put his trust in god approched sawe vpon the tombe of that woman a gyrdyron of fyre a body stretched aboue it all full of fyre the deuylles with instrumentes of yron the whiche embraced the fyre in tornynge her from one syde to another And whan the sayd bysshop sawe that it was the sayd woman coniured her and her demauÌ„ded wherfore she was dampned And she answered sayd that it was for the thought of lecherie that she had not confest her of c By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that god dampneth punyssheth the persones for the yll thoughtes And by more grete reason for the yll operacyons B. ¶ Another example how a woman desyred a clerke to vse of her embracements THe dyscyple reciteth in his promptuarye sayeth that a woman caste her eyen on a clerke vnto whome she said yf thou wylt consent to vse of myn emâ—racementes all my goodes shall be thyne by many tymes he refused her / she yode to accuse hyÌ„ before the Iuges of oppressyon done vnto her Than the iuge made hym to be put in pryson / and the sayd woman was so prycked with lecherye that she mounted vpon a walle with a laddre lete herselfe fall where the sayd yongman was desyred hym to coÌ„mytte lecherye / the whiche ne dyde it And the iuges herde tell that the sayd woman was in the sayd pryson made the clerke to go oute wende that he had be an enchauntour full of malices / they made to alyght a greate fyre / wherin he was caste And as he brende that the sydes were than dyscouered that men myghte se his lyghtes he cryed aue maria so hye that all herde hym Than one of the cosynes of the woman fastened a staffe in his mouthe sayd vnto hym I shal take fro the thy oraysons / him strangled in suche wyse stopped his brethe And the bones were buryed in the felde / the wiche dyd many myracles And ouer his tombe a fayre chirche was made And by this example a man maye vnderstonde that the said yong man was chaste good the whiche loued better to be in pryson / dyffamed brente to dye a martyr than to breke the coÌ„mauÌ„demente of god by coÌ„myttynge lecherye / Also it is to be noted that the sayd harlot synned mortally / brake the coÌ„maundement of god Also she was homycyde of his dethe dygne of punycyon and dampnacyon And the yongman gate prayse / paradyse Ioye eternell / â— so sholde we doo / the woman deserued shame punycyon c. C. ¶ Another example how a noble woman brake this coÌ„mauÌ„dement whan she desyred requyred her porter to coÌ„mytte lecherye â— albeit that she dyde nothyng / for he wolde not consent C. THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuary that a noble woman as she was aâ—one vpon a daye in the castell where she dwelled was sodaynly enflambed with lecherye that she ne myght bere the fyre of loue And she dyscended downe vnto the porter of the castell and prayed him by grete instaunce that he wolde medle with her / vnto whome he answerd Madame what is that that thou spekest / where is thy wytte / beholde god take hede vnto thin honour / but of al these thynges she forced her nothyng And whan she sawe herself in suche wyse repulsed of the sayd porter / by inspyracyon of god she yssued forthe of the castell ranne vnto the water froson vnder the castell / therin kepte her so longe that all the flambe embracement of lecherye was quenched / and afterwarde came vnto the sayd porter yelded hym thankes and praysynges that he had in suche wyse repulsed her and sayd vnto hym Yf thou woldest gyue me a thousande marke of golde I ne sholde suffre nowe that thyÌ„ge wherof I prayed the not longe ago she retorned in to her place The sayd porter is to be loued before god the worlde / For by his resystence the lady corrected her resysted and loued hym after more than yf he had coÌ„mytted the syÌ„ne This here is example for to gaynsaye those the whiche praye to doo ylle Also for to holde hym in coldnes for to resyst agayne the embrasyng of lecherye as dyde the sayd lady within the sayd water c. D. ¶ Another example of a frere the whiche delyted him in the thought of fornycacyon without resystyng vnto it And therfore his aungell was sorye / the orayson of the holy fader was not exalted C. IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that as a frere was tempted of the spyryte of fornycacyon he yode vnto a grete auncyent fader vnto whome he sayd Fader shewe me thy charyte praye for me For I am tempted solycyted of fornycacyon And the sayd auncyent fader prayed for hym And secondly agayne that frere came vnto the sayd auncyent repeted the sayd wordes And the auÌ„cyent ne dyspraysed hym but prayed god for him and sayd My lorde god reuele me of this thynge of fornicacion the whiche is in this frere / for I haue prayed vnto the / he ne hathe of rest ne of ayde agayne the spyryte of fornicacyon And god reueled that thynge the whiche was agayne that broder And the auncyente sawe the broder the whiche was sette the said spyryte by him that played with hym / the aungell the whiche was sent vnto his ayde was there / the whiche had indygnacyon ayenst the sayd frere / for he ne enclyned hym towarde god / but more sooner delyted hym in his thoughtes / enclyned all his thought And by that the auÌ„cyent knewe that the cause proceded of the sayd frere that his orayson was not exalted And he shewed it vnto hym sayeng
haste not thou departed tyll vnto this houre And he answered no / for thou hast not gyuen me leue And the auncient sayd / wherfore haste thou not waked me He answered I had drede to dystourbe the The sayd auncyent rose hym vp / said matynes and instructe his dyscyple / afterwarde gaue vnto hym leue for to slepe / as the sayd auncyent satte hym alone he was as in a traunce And he sawe an aungell the whiche shewed vnto hym a gloryous place and a syege in that place / vppon the sayd syege seuen crownes And the said auncyent asked hym the whiche shewed vnto hym that thynge in demaundynge vnto whom the sayd syege was and the crownes He answered vnto thy discyple / he hathe deserued to haue the place and the syege for the good conuersacyon of him / and he hathe deserued to haue the seuen crownes in this nyght And the sayd auncyent had meruayll / called his dyscyple and demaunded hym what he had done the said nyght He answered that he had nothyng done And the auncyent wende that by humylyte he ne wolde confesse vnto hym / sayd vnto hym I shall not be contente with the yf thou tell me not what thou hast done or thought this nyght And the sayd dyscyple doubted and thought that he sholde answere / and for that that the auncyente hadde commaunded hym to tell He answered I haue done none other thyng but that I haue thought seuen tymes was moche impugned in my thoughte that I sholde go my waye and that I sholde slepe before that thou had gyue me leue / but for that that thou haddest not gyue me leue I yode not but susteyned resysted tyl that thou were waked and that thou haddest gyuen me thy benedyccyon Whan the said auncyent herde these wordes he vnderstode that at all the tymes that he resysted in his thought as many tymes he deserued to haue crowne of god And therfore a maÌ„ sholde resyst vnto all yll thoughtes for to haue vyctorye agayne the deuyll / and for to haue rewarde in paradyse c. B. ¶ Another example how that a relygyous apostate the whiche repented hym it appereth that the wyll of a body is reputed for the dede Cii IT is wryten in libro cesarii that sâ—ynt bernarde had a monke the whiche lefte the habyte of his ordre by the admonycyon of the deuyll and toke to gouerne a parysshe And engendred a sone and a doughter on a concubyne Than it befel that after that he had dwelled there many yeres his abbot past by the parysshe wherin the sayd monke enhabyted / came to lodge in his house withoute that that he knewe ony thynge and without knowynge hym Albeit the monke knewe hym wele receyued hym also proprely as his owne fader / and vnto hym he admynystred vnto his compaygnons vnto theyr marys all haboundauntly in theyr necessytes Erly in the mornynge whan saynt bernarde had sayd matyns he was prepared to goo his waye And hadde not spoken vnto the monke for that that he was gone ryght erly vnto the chirche He sayd vnto the preestes sone Go and bere suche message vnto thy mayster / that chylde was dombe from his natyuyte the whiche was obeyssaunte at his coÌ„maundemente apperceyued in the vertue of the coÌ„maunder ranne vnto his fader and brought absolutely the wordes of saynt bernard and sayd The fader abbot coÌ„maundeth the suche thinges and suche Whan the fader herde the fyrst voyce of Ioye toke him to wepe and secondly and thyrdly made hym to repete the wordes And enquyred dylygently that that the abbot had done / vnto whome he sayd / he hathe done none other thinge to me but that he sayd vnto me Go and tell vnto thy fader these wordes Than the preest was coÌ„tryte of so greate and euydent myracle / came hastely vnto the holy man and felle prostrate at his fete in wepynge and said vnto hym My lorde fader I was your relygyous in suche wyse am I named and I departed at suche a tyme. Than I praye your good faderheed that I maye goo agayne with you vnto the monastery for god hathe vysyte myne herte in youre comynge vnto whome saynt bernarde answered sayd Abyde me here And whan I haue done my besynesses I shall come anone this waye / I shall lede the with me And the sayd monke dredde the dethe / the whiche he had not dredde before / and sayd My lorde I drede to deye in the space of this tyme. And he hym answered / Know thou for certayne that yf thou dye in suche condycyon purpose thou shalte be founde to be monke before god And so he departed Whan that abbot came he fouÌ„de hym deed newly buryed Than he coÌ„maunded that men sholde open his sepulcre And those the whiche present were demauÌ„ded what he wolde do He answered I wyll se yf he lye in the sepulcre as monke / or as clerke They answered we haue buryed hym as a clerke in habyte seculer Than the erthe was taken awaye and the monument open wherin he had be buryed And he appered before al in tonsure of monke And god was magnified of them all the whiche reputed and toke the wyll for the dede c. C. ¶ Another example how a thefe came vnto an hermyte in good wyll to amende hym / the whiche hermyte dysdeyned him wherfore euyll came vnto hym C.ii. THe dysciple reciteth in his sermoÌ„s that a thefe was moche sorowful of his synnes had good wyll to amende hym the whiche prayed an hermyte that he wolde receyue hym in to his felyshyp / for he purposed neuer to coÌ„myt tho synes and to serue god euermore And the hermyte ne wolde receyue hym / dyspraysed hyÌ„ in his herte and lete hym go without consolacion And as the thefe wolde haue made hym an hermytage a tree that he hewed fell vpon hym and slewe hym And in suche wyse he deyed in grete contrycyon of herte Than the sayd hermyte sawe that aungels came and bare the thefe in to heuen / was sory and sayd Wherfore make I my dwellynge here in this hermytage This man hath be a cursed thefe / and for his good wyll he is nowe mounted in to heuen And I haue be here soo longe I ne maye enter And in that coÌ„mocyon sayd I go in to the worlde I shall be a thefe / and in th ende I shall be saued / and as he excercysed hym to coÌ„myt theftes he was pursued of the people of the cite and in fleynge he fell and slewe hymselfe and the deuilles came the whiche toke the soule and bare it in to helle c. ¶ This example denoteth that by the contrycyon and good wyll that the sayd thefe had he was saued Also it is wryten ezechielis xviii / InquacuÌ„que die ingemuerit peccator oiÌ„m iniquitatum eius non recordabor And the sayd hermyte was dampned by that that he
chaunged his lyfe from good in to ylle Vnde ezechielis xxxiii Iustitia iusti non liberabit eum iÌ„ quacuÌ„que die peccauerit c ¶ Eucharistia D. ¶ Examples of the eucharistie And fyrste example of an abbot the whiche sayd that the hostye consecrate was not the very body of our blessyd lorde Ihesu cryste / but that it was his fygure Cii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that an abbot was grete in lyfe actyue / the whiche perseuered in greate labours / but he was symple in the fayth For he erred and said that it was not naturelly the body of oure lorde Ihesu cryste the hostye consecrate in the masse that we receyue / but sayd that it was his fygure And whan two auncyentes herde tell that he spake suche wordes consyderynge his lyfe conuersacyon how symply and ygnorantly he spake the sayd worde / they came vnto hym sayd Abbot we haue herde tell that an infydele hathe sayd that the brede consecrate in the masse that we receyue is not naturelly the body of Ihesu cryste / but that it is his fygure And he sayd it is I the said it And the sayd auncyentes gaue vnto him ensygnementes techynges that he sayd not wele And he sayd vnto them that yf he ne myghte knowe manyfestly the sayd thynge that he wolde nothynge byleue / the sayd auncyentes sayd Praye we vnto god this weke and we byleue that he wyl reuele it vnto vs. The sayd abbot was coÌ„tente / all thre yode in to theyr houses / put them in orayson And whan the sayd weke was accoÌ„plysshed / these abouesayd came in to the chirche on the sondaye the whiche put them in a place apperynge as in the pulpyt from the whiche they se al the secretes of the preest And the eyes of theyr vnderstondynges were open And whan the loues consecrates were put vpon the aulter they sawe in lyke wyse as thre chyldren lyenge on the aulter And whan the preest put forth his hande for to breke the sayd brede consecrate the aungell of oure lorde and redemptour dyscended from heuen vpon the sayd aulter the whiche had in his hande a knyfe cut that chylde and the blode ranne in to the chalyce And whan the preest brake the brede consecrate in lytell partyes In lyke wyse the aungell cut the membres of the chylde in lytell partyes And the sayd abbot approched for to receyue the holy coÌ„munyon It was gyuen vnto hym seule in forme of flesshe soylled with blode And whan he sawe it he dredde toke hym for to saye to crye I byleue my lorde that the brede the whiche is consecrate on the aulter that it is thy body And the wyne the whiche is consecrate in clalyce / that it is thy blode And forthwith the flesh that was in his hande was chauÌ„ged into the lykenes of brede after the mystere / and after the sayd abbot receyued his creatoure / yelded vnto hym graces was confermed in the lawe ¶ By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that after that the wordes sacramentalles ben pronounced that the hostye is no more brede / that it is the precyous body of Ihesu cryste he the whiche is borne of the vyrgyn marye / and the whiche hathe suffred dethe on the crosse for to redeme vs. Before the consecracion the hostye is brede And after the consecracyon the sayd brede is transmuted vnto the precyous body of Ihesu cryste And note wele here that thou ne sholdest worshyp the hostye ne ioyne the handes for to do it honour tyll that the wordes sacramentales ben pronounced / that is tyl that the preest lyfte vp the hostye For that sholde be ydolatrye to worshyp the brede the whiche is one of the creatures of god / to gyue vnto it the dyuyne honour the whiche apperteyneth alonely vnto god Incontynente that the preest hathe consecrate he lyfteth vp the hostye / than thou it sholdest worshyp byleue stedfastly that it is the precyous body of Ihesu cryst naturelly not a lonely his fygure as byleued the abbot It is wryten ioh vi Ego suÌ„ panis viuis q i de celo desceÌ„di Si quis maÌ„ducauerit ex hoc pane viuet iÌ„eternuÌ„ That is to say I am the brede of lyfe the whiche am dyscended from heuen / who so eteth of this brede / that is to vnderstonde in the estate of grace that he perseuer in suche wyse tyll vnto the dethe he shall lyue in perdurabylyte And that chapytre iohannis .vi. is wryten Caro mea vere est cibus et sanguis meê° vere est potus That is to say certaynly my flesshe is the viande and nourysshynge of the soule And my bloode is the drynke by the whiche she is replete â–ª Also we rede ioh ii capit that god chauÌ„ged the water in to wyne at a weddynge He hathe also puyssauÌ„ce to chaunge the brede in to his body / and the wyne in to his blode after that it is his wyll Whan the preest pronounceth the wordes that he hathe instytute the whiche ben wryten in the euangelystes Hoc est eniÌ„ corpus meum Hic est eniÌ„ calix saguiÌ„s mei c A man sholde not abasshe him yf the hostie chaunge his nature that it be transmuted vnto the precyous body of Ihesu crist We rede more strongly Moyses the whiche was man mortall chaunged many tymes his rodde in to a serpent before pharaon And whan he wolde the serpent became a rodde Also we rede that moyses made grete haboundaunce of water to yssue out of a roche for to gyue vnto the people of Israhell the whiche murmured also the waters of the chyldren of Israhell were soo bytter that beestes ne people ne myght drynke it And at the commaundement of moyse the whiche put his rodde with in the waters they became swete chaunged theyr natures Also we rede that an axe the whiche was without hafte fell in to depe see came agayne vnto the hafte swaÌ„me agayne nature at the voyce at the coÌ„maundement of the prophete helyseus the whiche helde the sayd haft of wodde The yron of his nature is heuy And albeit at the coÌ„maundemente of a mortall man it swaÌ„me vpwarde on the water Sith that it is so that mortal men the whiche ben the creatures of god hathe done the sayd thynges it foloweth wele that god the whiche is the creatour of all thynges may chauÌ„ge the brede in to his precyous body It is more grete thynge to create than to chaunge Also notwithstondynge that there ne is but one god / so is he entyerâ—y in all the hostyes with out dymynucion verbi gratia Whan ony man speketh his voyce is harde entreth in euery of the auditours Also whan the preest bryngeth forthe the wordes of god it entreth extendeth in to all the hostyes ben consecrate / god is entyerly in euery of them without ony dymynucyon Also yf all
brede / but of a chylde / the whiche whan the preest wolde haue receyued him he tourned his face and resysted with his fete his handes that he shold not entre in to the mouthe of the sayd preest And this deuoute man sawe this thynge not alonely one tyme but many Vnto whome the cursed preest one tyme amonges other sayd All tymes whan I take the body of Ihesu cryste I take it with so grete dyffyculte that I meruayll therof And the deuoute man sayd vnto hyÌ„ I couÌ„sayll the that thou correcte the / and I haue sene that of the. Than the preest corrected hym And as he songe afterwarde the sayd deuoute man sawe the chylde the whiche ioyned the handes / assembled the fete and entred in to the mouthe of the preest hastely and easely c. By this example a man may vnderstonde that god dwelleth not ne yet wyll dwell by grace with the synners in the synne / but wyll dwell and enhabite with the good the whiche ben in the estate of grace And therfore euery man sholde correcte hymselfe amende c. H. ¶ Another example of a chylde of .ix. yeres the whiche was admynystred at his dethe Cii THe dyscyple recyteth in his boke sayeth that as a yonge chylde seke replenysshed with the holy ghost requyred that the body of Ihesu cryste shold be brought vnto hym And as his frendes refrayned it he cryed strongly Gyue me the body of our lorde / giue me the body of our lorde Whan this thynge was spoken vnto the preest he answered That it was no sure thynge to gyue the body of Ihesu crist vnto suche a chyld the whiche knewe not what it was And the preest toke an hosty vnsacred bare it vnto hym sayd Here is the body of our lorde And god inspyred the chylde for to dystroye the falsnes and infydelyte of many the whiche vse theym yll And answered Wherfore wylte thou deceyue me this is not the body of our lorde that ye offre me Than the preest was meruaylled of this thynge ymagyned that this chylde was enspyred dyuynely / yode to fetche vnto hym the holy coÌ„munyon / that chylde receyued it enough deuoutly I. ¶ Another example how that a horse / an oxe / an asse knewe Ihesu cryst with in the sacrament dyde hym honour Cii IT is wryten in the promptuary of the dyscyple that a deuoute bysshop an herytyke stroue togyders of the veryte of the body of Ihesu cryste And for to proue this thynge they put of otes in a vessel put the eucharystye vpon the otes by cautell And afterwarde ledde theder a horse an oxe an asse the whiche ne touched vnto the prouende / but bowed the knees and worshypped our lorde In lykewyse as yf they had vsed of reason Whan the said heretyke had sene that he conuerted hym after was faythfull / vnto purpose of this example it is wryten ysaie .i. Cognouit bos possessoreÌ„ suuÌ„ asinê° pÌ„sepe dnÌ„i sui israhell auÌ„t me noÌ„ cognouit et populê° meê° noÌ„ intellexit That is to saye The oxe hathe kowen his possessour And the asse the crache of his mayster Certaynly Israhell hathe not knowen me / my people hathe not vnderstonde me That is to vnderstoÌ„de that the beestes irreasonables knowen theyr mayster And the men reasonables ne knowe theyr god lorde master c. K. ¶ Another example of the hors of a Iewe the whiche knewe Ihesucryst in the sacrament of the eucarystye Cii THe dyscyple reciteth in his promptuarye that as a good preest bare the body of Ihesu crist for to admynystre vnto a seke body he met a Iewe vpon a fayre hors / the said hors bowed the knees before the body of Ihesu cryst And the iewe ne myght make hym to passe for the strykynge with the sporres tyll that the body of Ihesucryst was paste And a voyce froÌ„ heuen was harde Know thy creatoure that thou denyest to be borne of the vyrgyn marye And whan the Iewe sawe that he repented hym byleued in Ihesu cryste and receyued baptysme Also thou infydele whan thou seest these examples here thou sholdest byleue stedfastly in the holy sacrament to worshyp it and to conuerte the vnto god as dyde the Iewe. c. L. ¶ Another example of a woman the whiche put the body of Ihesu cryst before the hogges Cii THe dyscyple recyteth in his booke and sayeth that in the tyme that alberte regned in his bysshopryche a woman came vnto hym to confesse that the deuyll ne wolde suffre that she sholde byleue in the sacrament of the aulter that it was the body of Ihesu crist put it before hogges For all the hogges bowed the knees worshypped the sacrament And the cursed woman wolde se the experyence put the body of Ihesu cryst vpon the broche rost it afterwarde with fyre as roste And afterwarde the droppes of blode began to drop / This thyÌ„ge done she was not yet content She toke the body of Ihesu cryst buryed it in the erthe / moche of blode yssued aboue the pitte / in lyke wyse as in boyllynge out of the erthe At this thynge the sayd woman repented her byleued the very body of Ihesu crist to be in the sacrament of the aulter confessed this thynge vnto the sayd bysshop her syÌ„ne / and receyued perpetuall penaunce of hym This example sholde withdrawe al vnfaithfull from errour / sholde worshyp theyr creatour / or they shall be wors than hogges the whiche yode on knees Be ye not so incredule and without byleue as was the sayd woman the whiche wolde nothynge byleue tyll that she hadde sene the experyence of the dede c. T. ¶ Another example of a mayden the whiche shedde the body of Ihesu crist vpon the cabysshe and cole wortes Cii THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye saith that it happened in the yle of saynt Iames that a mayden seculer was posseded of the deuyl And a prest demaunded of the deuyll the whiche was in her wherfore he tormented her so cruelly and so longly the sayd woman He answered by the mouthe of the mayden / she had well deserued it And the preest demauÌ„ded hym wherfore He answered for that that she hathe layde the ryght hye god on the cabysshe herbes And bycause that he vnderstode not this thynge that the deuyll ne wolde expounde it to hym He demaunded of the woman yf she had vnderstonde that that the deuyll had spoken that she wolde expounde it to hym / incontynent she confessed her synne and said Whan I was yonge I entred in to a lytell gardyn to gadre cabysshe herbes that the lytel wormes ete And I loged a woman tourmented on nyght vnto whom I expounded the doÌ„mage of my gardyn that these lytell wormes ete my cabysshe herbes She answered that she sholde teche me a good medecyne Take the body of Ihesu crist and afterwarde breke
creatour in synne Cii IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that god gaue so grete grace vnto a holy fader named Eulogium that he apperceyued the merytes and the synnes of those the whiche came to receyue theyr creatoure And he withelde some monkes the whiche wold accede vnto the table of our lorde to whome he sayd How are you soo hardy to come vnto goddes borde Fyrste he sayd vnto one Thou hast had thought of fornycacyon this nyghte / sayd in thy herte there is no dyfference betwene the iuste the synner to accede vnto the sacrament And sayd to another thou hast made a doubte in thy herte how a man may sanctefye the coÌ„munyon And the sayd holy man put a parte those the whiche were in synne / sayd that they sholde repente them and do penaunce or that they were acceded c. T. ¶ Another example of the punycyon of some the whiche retourned vnto theyr glotonyes synnes after ester Cii THe dysciple recyteth that it is wryten in the booke of the souerayne bysshoppes the some men after the feest of ester that they had receyued theyr creatoure retourned vnto dronkennes / playes / folyes / sinnes / but they ne abode vnpunysshed For from theyr mouthes there raÌ„ne stynkynge bloode the whiche entred with in theyr bodyes and choked and drowned them Also sodaynly water rayne discended from heuen the whiche them moysted and marde / dystroyed all the cornes and fruytes of theyr possessyons / and with that water proceded dragons so venymous that the people ne myght go ne come / but that they were in daunger of dethe For to take awaye the said punycyon an holy man prayed for them deuoutely Vnto whome the auÌ„gell of god appered sayd I pray the tell me what sholde a man do with those the whiche enclose the sone of the emperour in a ryght darke pryson stynkyng for to waste hym The man of god answered that a man sholde vndo those the whiche do suche thynge And the aungell sayd vnto hyÌ„ What sholde a man do with hym the whiche putteth the body of god in the stynkinge myre And the man of god sayd vnto hym the men sholde brenne hym And the auÌ„gel sayd vnto him Those for whom thou prayest haue not they done suche a thyng on the holy daye of ester They receyued the holy coÌ„munyon afterwarde yode to daunces dronkenesses agayne the holy sacrament that they had receyued / thâ—rfore god is wrothe agayne theym Whan they herde this thyng many repented theÌ„ and appesed the ire of god Vnto the purpose of this example a man may take the wordes of the gospell the whiche ben wryten mathei xii CuÌ„ immuÌ„dê° spiritê° exierit ab homine scêª per coÌ„fessioneÌ„ ambulat ê‘loca arida quereÌ„s requieÌ„ noÌ„ iÌ„uenit tuÌ„c dicit Reuertar in domuÌ„ meaÌ„ vnÌ„ exiui vadit assumit septeÌ„ alios spuÌ„s secuÌ„ nequio res se et iÌ„trantes habitant ibi fiuÌ„t nouissima hoiÌ„s illiê° peiora prioribê° That is to vnderstonde whan the yll spyryte is yssued from the man by confession he walketh on the one syde on the other for to deceyue hyÌ„ And yf the sayd man retourne vnto syÌ„ne or yf he delyte hym / or yf ony synne be not wele confest / the yll spyryte sayeth I shal retourne in to my house frome whens I came Therder he gothe and taketh seuen other spyrytes wors than he / they entre dwell there the laste thynges of the said man ben made wors than the fyrst Soo toke it vnto the sayd people the whiche retorned vnto synne after ester c. V. ¶ Another example how the eucharistie prouffyteth vnto those that ben deed / fyrste example of a man the whiche was delyuered from purgatorye by the sainge of thre masses Cii IT is wryten in dialogo cesarii that a yonge man was receyued in the relygyon of cleruaulx / whiche kepte shepe / and as he was in the felde with his shepe one of his parentes lately deed appyered vnto hym And the sayd yongman hym demauÌ„ded from whens he came He answered I am deed and tormented in greate paynes And the conuers him demauÌ„ded yf a man myght helpe hym He answered yf I myghte haue thre masses in your ordre I sholde be delyuered And the sayd conuers yode to tell the pryour of the house that that he had sene and herde Whan the pryour had herde this thynge with good wyl he sayd a masse and also commaunded to two of his bretherne And incontynent after the deed body appered vnto the sayd yong man yelded hym thankes and sayd that by the benefyce of thre masses he was delyuered from purgatorye X. ¶ Another example of a frere the whiche sholde be .xv. yeres in purgatorye and he was delyuered by one masse Cii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders of the ordre of prechers this the whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in his sermons and sayeth that there was a fader pryour prouyncyall in the holy lande / humble / gracyous / deuoute And as he was one tyme in orayson in the chirche of the freres after matyns he lyfte vp his eyes agayne the walle with herte / and he sawe in lyke wyse as the shadowe of a frere in beynge and had habyte blacke soylled And as he demaunded what he was he answered I am suche a frere the whiche of late deyed And whan I lyued I loued the moche And he demaunded of the sayd frere how it was with hyÌ„ He answered yll and hardly For I sholde be in harde payne tyll vnto .xv. yeres And he hym demaunded wherfore he sholde so hardly and longly be punysshed the whiche had lyued so relygyously and deuoutly He answered / ne demaunde that / for after the iuste iugement of god the creatour I haue wele deserued suche payne / but I pray the ayde me And he hym promysed that so he sholde doo vnto his power Whan it was daye the prouyncyall began to synge masse for the deed body And after the ostye was consecrate and lyfte vp in holdynge it in his handes began to praye god so as in this wyse sayeng these wordes My lorde Ihesu cryste yf the soudan the whyche is kynge of paynyms helde a prysoner in bondes that his chamberere the whiche had serued hym twenty yeres demauÌ„ded hym the sayd prysoner for his seruyce the sayd soudan ne sholde hyde hym lyghtely My lorde be noo more harde than the soudan of the sarazyns I am thy chamberier and haue serued the by many yeres thou holdest this frere my frende in captyuyte and bondes I praye the that thou gyue him me of thy grete debonayrte for my seruyce And in grete teres and lamentacyons in repetynge the sayd wordes many tymes ended his masse / the nyght folowyng after matynes he sawe the deed frere before hym beynge in habyte whyte ryghte clere And he hyÌ„
that a holy fader was seke the whiche as he was sene to drede the dethe / the freres hym demaunded wherfore he dredde and he answered in this manere Brederne I haue kepte the coÌ„maundementes of god after my puyssaunce / but I am a man I knowe not yf my operacions hath pleased vnto god or naye And therfore I ne am sure tyll vnto that that I come vnto hym c. F. ¶ Another example of a pryour relygyous that sayd that he dyed lawfully faithfully / amyably and ioyously IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that the pryour of a couent was in a greuous sekenes replenysshed with meruayllous pacyence And he sayd oftentymes one thynge the whiche is wryten in the cantycles with grete dolour of deuocion Dilectê° meê° michi ego illi donec aspiret di es iÌ„clinentur vmbre Also he sayd vnto his brederne .xv. dayes before his dethe that he sholde deye of that sekenes in the solempnyte of the feest of the vyrgyn Marye the whiche thynge was done For at the fyrste euen songe of the natyuyte of the vyrgyn Marye he deyed / was buryed that daye He had songe the last masse of the vyrgyn Marye And also of her he had made hys laste predycacyon Whan he sholde deye anone he made to assemble before hym his brederne vnto whome he sayd Knowe ye my brederne that I deye lawfully / amyably faythfully ioyously And expounded it in this wyse I deye lawfully For I deye in the fayth of Ihesu cryst of the sacramentes of the chirche Amyably / for I haue perseuered in the dyleccyon of god vnto myn aduyse syth that I entred in to the ordre And I haue studyed how I might best please hym Faythfully for I knowe wele that I go vnto god Ioyously for I go from one lande replenysshed with myserye vnto a good countree I passe from wepynges vnto Ioye sempyternell c. G. Another example of a monke the whiche was chosen to be bysshop he refused it and deyed wele Ciiii. IT is wryten in the promptuary of the dyscyple that Arnoldus sayeth that a monke of cleruaulx was chosen to be bysshop / the whiche refused it agaynst the wyll of his abbot / of the bysshop / sone after he deyed And he appered after his dethe vnto his famylyer / the whiche demaunded hym yf the dysobeyssauÌ„ce beforsayd had noyed hym He answered that nay and afterwarde sayd Yf I had taken the bysshopryche I hadde be dampned And sayd more ouer an horryble worde The estate of the chirche is come vnto that that she is not dygne to be gouerned but of yll bysshoppes c. H. ¶ Another example of the dethe of many holy persones of the whiche the Byble maketh mencyon Ciiii. THe holy scryptures maketh mencyon of the dethe of many holy faders that it sholde be longe thynge confuse for to wryte And for to be shorte who so wyll se in the byble lette hym studye in the chapytres the whiche foloweth here / Fyrst it is wryten of the dethe of abel genesis .iiii. cap. Of the dethe of abraham ge xxv of the dethe of Ysaac genesis .xxxv. of the dethe of iacob gene xlix of the dethe of Ioseph gene l. Of the dethe of Aaron numeri .xx. Of moyses the whiche deyed in the lande of Moab that oure lorde buryed / neuer man ne knewe his sepulcre In lyke wyse as it is wryten deuterono xxxiiii Of the dethe of dauid it is wryten primo paralipo xxix of the dethe of zacharie it is wryten secuÌ„do paralipo xxiiii of the deth of Thobye it is wryten thobie .xiiii. of the dethe of his sone it is wryten thobie vltimo / of the dethe of iob / it is wryten iob xlii of the dethe of mathathias .i. machabioruÌ„ ii of the dethe of saynt Iohan baptist mathei xiiii Of the dethe of the poore lazar begger that the auÌ„gelles bare in to AbrahaÌ„s bosome it is wryten luce xvi of the goode thefe the whiche deyed whan our lorde deyed it is wryten luce xxiiii of the dethe of saynt Steuen the whiche was stoned / it is wryten actuum .vii. c. ¶ Mors malorum A. ¶ Examples of those the whiche hathe not wylled to do the wyl of god ne to accoÌ„plysshe his coÌ„maundementes ben deed of an yll dethe in paynes dolours / fyrste example / how the deuyll drewe the soule of a cursed ryche man with a crochet and a woman wedowe was comforted of the vyrgyn marye and of the vyrgyns Cv. VYcent sayeth in the .viii. boke of the myrrour hystoryall that there was a ryche curate vycyous in a parysshe the whiche had vnder his cure a noble ryche man a poore woman wedowe / the whiche deyed in one tyme. Whan the sayd ryche man was seke he sente to seche the curate to vysyte hym to admynystre the sacramentes the whiche curate theder yode quykly and was moche more curyous to haue the said ryche man couched on feders in a fayre bedde couered with purple with precyous vestymentes / and aourned with golde with precyous stones And also he founde many seductoures the whiche gaue vnto hym consolacyons of flateryes / his wyfe / his chyldren / housholde the whiche lyed And in this thynge hangynge there came a messenger vnto the sayd curate froÌ„ the sayd wedowe strongly seke for to confesse her and to vysyte And the sayd prest the whiche put all his entente for to sowke the ryche synner ne answerde nothyng And a deacon the whiche was presente had pyte of the poore wedowe dredde that she sholde deye without receyuynge the sacramentes / spake vnto the curate the whiche answered by grete furoure O that thou arte of lytell counsayll the whiche wylt that we leue this noble man our patron for to go vnto the olde wedowe And the deacon answered Ne trouble you not / yf you coÌ„maunde me I shall vysyte her And the deacon yode theder by his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t And bare the body of Ihesu cryste The wedowe was gretely poore of worldly godes / but full of good operacyons ¶ She was prostrate vpon the erthe / and a lytel of strawe vnder her ¶ Whan the deacon was at the dore he was meruaylled rested him For he sawe there the vyrgin marye / and grete company of vyrgyns standynge by the wedowe / and marye chered her / vysyted and with a clothe wyped the swetynge from her vysage And whan the quene of heuen and the vyrgyns sawe the body of our lorde Ihesê° they yode on theyr knees and worshyppeth the sacramente / Whan they were redressed they assured affably the deacon that he sholde entre and the vyrgyn mary sayd that he sholde not drede And that he sholde confesse and admynystre the sayd wedowe so he dyde / And afterwarde he said of the psalmes to coÌ„maunde the soule with grete ioye to departe After came in to the hous of the sayd ryche man Whan
so bytterly He answered sayd that one of the thynges wherfore he al the dampned sorowe moost fore is that that they haue loste consumed the tyme of grace vnprouffytably in synnynge / where in an houre by repentaunce they myght haue goten grace and escaped the tormentes wherin they be and shal be eternally By this example these synners sholde vnderstonde that it is the moost grete good dede that may be in them as to be in the state of grace wele confessed / repentaunte of theyr synnes Also by that that this soule wepte in helle is vnto the purpose of that that the euangylles saye that the dampned wepe in hel Vnde mathei .viii. Et luce .xiiii. Ibi erit fletâ—s et stridor dentiuÌ„ Vnto this purpose tongdalus the whiche sawe the tormentes of helle afterwarde was brought agayne tolde that he sawe in helle a torment of an yzy ponde where the soules the whiche therin were tormented cryed so horrybly that they were herde vnto heuen And after where the sayd tongdalus spake of the pytte of helle he herde grete cryes and howlinges of soules thondre so horryble that no man ne myght thynke ne tongue declare the horryble crye and the noyse the whiche was in the sayd torment c. C. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of two men the whiche were in paynes whan saynt taurayn areysed them Cviii IT is wryten in the legende of saint taurayn the tydynges were brought vnto a ryght honourable man that his sone and his squyere were deed And for to abredge the matere saynt taurayne areysed the sayd sone The whiche yode incontynent on knees before saynt taurayne requyred hym to be baptysed And after that he was baptysed sayd vnto his fader Halas fader thou knowest what myserable lyfe we lede what paynes those susteyne the whiche ben semblables vnto vs And what glorye is vnto those the whiche loue and serue vnto that god the whiche is to be honoured of man CertayÌ„ly I haue sene hym to be in the company of aungelles and to praye vnto god for vs. And whan the sayd sone areyâ—ed had spoken these wordes many other vnto his fader he yode on knees before saynt tauryn caused hym to baptyze him And also his wyfe moder of the sayd reysed And for to be shorte in that daye soo many of grete lordes as of lytell people a thousande two hondred persones were baptyzed And afterwarde at the request of the sayd sone areysed sayÌ„t tauryn areysed also afterwarde the squyer the whiche wytnessed that he was in grete paynes whan a messengere came to tell him of the souerayne maister that he were brought agayne taken vnto sayÌ„t tauryn And this said squyer areysed sayd vnto the said sone He the whiche hathe brought me agayne heder coÌ„maundeth the that thou dispose the to retourne vnto hym And incontynent a feuer toke hym / after the coÌ„mauÌ„dement deyed D. ¶ Another example of .iii. deed men areysed the whiche recompted of the paynes of purgatorye and of helle / how they were in iugement before god Cviii IT is wryten in the epystyll of the holy bysshop named sirillus that by the merytes of saint Iherome the whiche appered vnto saynt eusebe thre deed bodyes were areysed for to take awaye a grete erroure the whiche regned in the tyme amonge the grekes that it came in the latyns of the heretykes that sayd that the ylle persones ne sholde haue of tormentes in helle tyl vnto the daye of Iugement that the body the soule shold be remyt togyders The thre deed bodyes that were areysed lyued .xx. dayes / the whiche were demaunded why they wepte so sore And the one of them sayd vnto hyÌ„ that asked it Yf thou knewe the paynes the whiche before yesterday I endured thou sholdest haue euermore cause to wepe he was requyred to tell what paynes he hadde endured and suffred within helle / He sayd that the dampned those in purgatorye haue so grete paynes that yf a persone sholde endure in this worlde all the paynes / tormentes / afflyccions that a man may thynke / that ne sholde be but consolacyon to endure al that / in regarde of the leest payne of purgatorye / or of helle Also he sayd / yf ony lyuynge had felte the experyence of the dolour the whiche is in helle or in purgatorye / that he sholde loue better to endure tyll vnto th ende of the worlde without ony remedy togyders all the paynes and tormentes that all the men women hath endured one after another syth Adam vnto nowe / than to be tormented one daye in the leest payne that is in helle or in purgatorye And therfore yf ye axe me what the cause is wherfore I wepe It is for that that I knowlege me to haue synned ayenst god / and that iustely he punyssheth the syÌ„ners Wherfore I wepe to haue deserued suche punycyon Afterwarde he was axed wherin dyffereth the paynes / and tormentes of purgatorye / and those of helle He answered that they ne dyffere as vnto the qualyte quantyte of paynes they ben of one self gretenes / but they differe in asmoche as the paynes of helle haue none ende And also the dampned shal haue augmentacyon of tormentes in Iugement whan they shall there be tormented in body and in soule And the paynes of purgatorye shal haue an ende For whaÌ„ the penaunce is accomplysshed / those of purgatorye ben delyuered Also he was asked yf those the whiche ben in purgatory and in helle haue egalle tormentes or dyuers He answered that the one haue more greate tormentes and dyuers than the other after the quantyte and gretenes of synnes that they haue coÌ„mytted And also the dampned albeit that they ben in a place of paynes / yet fele they more grete tormentes the one than the other / after the quantyte / and qualytees of synnes that they haue commytted For in the persone where there is more of matere of synne / and more strongly the fyre hym taketh breÌ„neth more cruelly Also he was demauÌ„ded how he bare the dede whan the soulâ— yssued out frome the body He answered / Whan myne houre of dethe came in place where I was he fouÌ„de so many of deuylles that a man ne myghte nombre theÌ„ for the grete multytude the whiche were so horrybles to beholde that a man ne can thynke more grete payne than it is Ony man had leuer caste hymselfe more soner in a fyre flambynge and brennynge than to beholde them with the eye / the whiche deuylles came vnto me brought agayn vnto my mynde all the cursed operacyons that I had done agayne god esmouynge that I ne had more of esperaunce of the dyuyne mercy the whiche I haue gretely offended And certes knowe ye that yf the mercy of god ne had ayded me I ne might haue resysted vnto them For whan my spyryte was destytute of all force lytel and lytell I
I loked towarde the heuen and sawe a ferre of a lyght â—â—scende in lyke wyse as it hadde ben a sterre ryght clere and shynynge In the whiche I hadde esperaunce that ther was some ayde that god sente vnto me And as it approched vnto me I apperceyued wel that it was the aungell of god the whiche had kepte me in thys worlde And whan he approched vnto me he also greted me swetely sayd God the salue Tongdalus ¶ And whan I sawe soo fayre a yongman the whiche greted me so swetely by my propre name / by grete Ioye I answered Alas my lorde the dolours of helle hathe besette me aboute And the panges of dethe hathe occupyed me / as it is wryten Dolores inferni circumdederunt me preoccupauerÌ„t me laquei mortis And the aungell answered Thou callest me nowe lorde and I haue be euermore with the / but Iuge thou not that I were dygne of suche grete honour The soule answerd Syr I neuer se the before And the aungel sayd From the houre that thou were borne I haue euermore be with the in all places where thou were And thou ne woldest neuer bileue my couÌ„sayll Than the aungell lyfte vp his hande amonges the deuylles shewed vnto hym one the whiche dyde vnto hym wors than the other sayd vnto hym that is he the whiche couÌ„saylled the whiche thou byleued and dyde his wyll / but be thou sure that thou shalt haue the mercye of god / thou shalt suffre a lytel of tormentes that thou hast deserued Come thou after me / and that that I shall shewe the so kepe thou it put thou it in thy memorye / for thou shalt retourne agayne within thy body / Whan the soule hadde herde this she was moche ferefull she approched vnto the aungell Whan the deuylles herde this worde they were madde For they sawe that they ne had of puyssaunce to doo yll vnto the soule anâ— blasphemed god in sayng that he was not ryghtfull / for he yelded not vnto euery man after his deserte And of the grete woodnes wherof they were ful they bet eche other And they departed frome thens sorye and heuye as enraged Than the aungell sayd vnto the sayd soule Come after me A syr thou goest before / these deuylles shall take me behynde shall lede me in to helle The aungell answerde / Haue thou no fere for we haue more grete ayde than they ne haue Si deus ê“ nobis qis coÌ„tra nos Yf god be for vs there is none that maye noye vs. It is wryten by the prophete dauid CadeÌ„t a latere tuo mille et deceÌ„ millia a dextris tuis ad te auÌ„t non appropiÌ„quabit veruÌ„tameÌ„ occulis tuis coÌ„siderabis et retributioneÌ„ pctoÌ„rum videbis / That is to saye a thousande shall falle on thy left syde / ten thousande on thy right side Certaynly they shal not approche vnto the. Albeit thou shalt consyder by thyn eyes thou shalte see the retrybucyon of thy synnes And whan he had sayd these wordes they yode forthe B. ¶ Of the valeye WHan they were gone longlye togyders by so grete derkenesses that they had no lyght / but that the whiche proceded of the aungell / they came in to a valeye moche horryble / the whiche was ryght depe and ful of brennynge coles And aboue that valeye there was a couerynge of yron brennynge of thyknes syxe fadome the whiche was more hote than that whiche brente vnderneth From thens yssued soo grete strenche the whiche greued more the soule than all that that he had before suffred Aboue the sayd couerynge dyscended many chetyues soules the whiche there were fryed as a man fryeth bacon in the panne And afterwarde they were strayned thorowe the coueryng as waxe / fell and dyscended in to the welle of the sayd valeye / vpon the brennynge coles where they were tormeÌ„ted of a newe torment / thus sayd the aungell This payne suffreth those the whiche haue kylled faders or moders / or other people by delyberacyon or dede and after this tormente they shall be ledde in to more grete but thou ne shalt suffre this said torment albeit that thou hast wele deserued it C. ¶ Of the beest horryble AFter they entred in to a way moche horryble croked harde And whan they had gone longe in derkenes / the soule sawe a ferre a beest moche horrible ferefull of the gretenes incredyble / more grete than all the mountaynes that he had before seen She had the eyen as grete fyres brennyÌ„ge / had the mouthe so grete that it semed vnto hym that there myght well entre .x. M. men of armes There yssued out of his mouthe fyre inextynguyble / stynke incomparable Grete multytude of soules entred by the mouthe in to the wombe of the sayd beest the whiche soules cryed horrybly of tormentes that they were in And before the sayd beest there was grete multytude of deuyls the whiche bette and tourmented the sayd soules after put them within the sayd beest And whan the soule had longe beholden the sayd beest she was moche ferefull sayd to the aungell Syr wherfore approche we vnto this tourment The aungell answered We may not go by other way / for none escapeth this tourment but those that god hath chosen to be in his coÌ„pany This beest that thou seest is called Acherons the whiche tourmenteth all the auarycyous Of this beest it is wryten Absorbebit fluuiuÌ„ et non mirabitur / habet fuditiam ê™ influat iordanis in os eius That is to say He shall swalowe a streme or water it shall be no meruayle / also haue affyaunce that the water of Iordan renneth yet through her mouthe And whan they had spoken this they came before the sayd beest / the aungell departed and left the soule amonge the deuylles And incontynent the deuylles beset her about and there tourmented her with grete tourmentes as woode dogges And afterwarde they ledde her with them in to the wombe of the sayd beest Therin she suffred many bytynges of dogges / of beres / of lyons / of serpentes / of other beestes that she had neuer seen ne knowen before / there had of grete tourmentes of deuylles / brennynge of fyre / sharpenes of sulphre / derkenesse woundes / to plundge / to crye / and grete habondaunce of dysease and of trybulacyon There was the sayd soule accused of her syÌ„nes that she had committed And for the grete heuynes wherof she was full she strake her selfe on the chekes tare them with the nayles of her owne handes / wende there to be daÌ„pned pardurably And anone she fouÌ„de her selfe out of the sayd beest / but she wyst not how she came out / she was layde ferre of moche feble Afterwarde wtin a whyle of tyme she opened her eyen sawe her aungel by her Than had she grete Ioye albeit that she was moche tourmented / began to
the aungell Syr whyder go we The aungell answered This waye ledeth vnto dethe And the soule sayd What is that than that the scrypture sayth Lata est via que ducit ad mortem et multi suÌ„t quuntrant per eaÌ„ That is to saye that the way the whiche is large ledeth vnto dethe and many there ben the whiche entre and go by that way The aungell sayd Of this speketh not the scrypture / but of the cursed waye of the worlde wherby men comen 〈◊〉 to this way And whan they were desceÌ„ded in to the sayd valey moche depe they sawe there of forges Than the aungell sayd vnto the soule The mayster of this valey is called Vulcain the whiche by his engin and falsenes hath casten many soules in to paynes and tourmentes Than sayd the soule vnto the aungell Syr shall I suffre this tormeÌ„t The aungell answered / ye / thou shalte suffre this tourment And whan the deuylles herde that worde they beset the soule about and toke it with theyr Instruments of yren that they helde / and sayd vnto the holy aungell none harme / and keste it in to a chymney full of fyre brennynge And began too blowe the fyre of theyr furneys in lykewyse as men blowe whan the yren is in the furneyse And so they tourmented the soules that whiche were there tyll that they came as to nothynge And whan they were so brent tourmented they toke the sayd soules with theyr Instrumentes of yren .xx. an hoÌ„dred or two hondred and layde them on an hepe vpon an anuelde of yren / and the deuylles the whiche were in other forges sayd Cast vnto vs these caytyues soules we shall yet tourment them agayne Than the deuilles kest them vnto them agayn the whiche werein the other forges And after that they hadde ben there stâ—ongly payned and tourmeÌ„ted they kest them vyolently vnto thosof the fyrst forges And before that they came to the grounde they were taken agayne and so they keste theym from one vnto another and tourmented tyll vnto that / that the skinnes / the flesshe / and the bones came as vnto nothynge Of this mater is wryten ProuerbioruÌ„ .ix. Parata sunt derisoribus supplicia / et mallei percutientes stultorum corporibus After that the caytyues soules were so tourmented as it is sayd they desyred the dethe but they myght not deye Vnto this purpose it is wryten Apocalipsis .ix. In diebus illis querent homines mortem et non inuenient eam / et desiderabunt mori et mors fugiet ab eis And whan the sayd soule had suffred longly these tourmentes the aungel came vnto her and toke her and had her out of the fyre where she was / and sayd vnto her How felest thou thy selfe now Remembre the that for as moche as thou hast done thy wyll and the delyte of thy body thou hast suffred soo grete tourmentes But the soule had not soo moche force that she myght answer one worde for the grete tourment that she had souffred Than the aungell sayd vnto the soule Illud psalmi Dominus mortificat et viuificat deducit ad inferos et reducit Comfort the / for our lorde quyckeneth and mortifyeth / ledeth in to helles and bryngeth agayne And al be it that the tourmentes that thou haste seen ben moche grete yet shalte thou se moche more greter from the whiche thou shalt be delyuered by the mercy of god And knowe thou that al those soules that thou hast seen here abydeth the Iugemente of god But those the whiche thou shalte se from hensforthe ben all redy Iuged Goo we now forwarde for thou arre not yet comen vnto the paynes of hell And the aungel touched her and heled as he hadde ben accustomed for to do c. G. ¶ Of the pytte of hell ¶ After that they entred in to a waye / and whan they were a lytell gone forwarde in spekynge one vnto the other there came to the soule sodayne horrour and colde intollerable stynke and derkenes more thycket than those before / trybulacyon and anguysshe so grete that it semed vnto the soule that all the foundementes of the erthe trembled vnder her fete and sayd vnto the aungell Syr wherfore is it that I ne may holde me on my fete as I haue acustomed to do And whan she had sayd this she ne myght remeue from the place for the grete feere that she had / and incontynent the aungell departed in suche maner that she myght noo morese hym / and forthwith she began to dyspayre For she founde that the whiche is wryten Ecclesiastes .ix. Nec opus / nec ratio / nec sapientia / nec scientia erunt apud inferos que tu ê“peras That is to say that in hell there ne is operacion / ne reason / ne wysdome / ne connyÌ„ge wherby man may ayde hym The caytyf soule was in lykewyse / for she might not helpe herselfe / the whiche herde terryble cryes and howlynges of soules / thonder so horryble that no man may thynke it ne tongue declare the horryble crye and the noyse that there was Vnto this purpose god speketh in the gospell Illud math .xxii .xxiii. Ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium Than the soule loked about her for to knowe yf she myght se the way wherby they were comen / and she sawe a grete square dyche in lykewyse as a cysterne And from that dyche yssued oute a pyler of flambe and of smoke togyders moche horryble and stynkynge And that pyler of fyre was so hygh that it stretched vnto the heuens And in that flambe there was grete multitude of soules and of deuylles togyders the whiche mounted with the sayd flambe in hyghe in lykewyse as lytel flambes And of tourmentes the whiche they suffred they came as vnto nothynge / and after that they fell agayne in to the dyche tyll vnto the botome Vnto the purpose of this sayeth the psalmyste Tu vero reduces me in puteuÌ„ interitus And whan the soule had beholden this she wolde haue drawen her abacke / but she ne myght lyft her fete from the grounde And whan she had assayed many tymes to remoeue her and that she might not she was moche ferefull / and of the grete wodenes that she hadde she tare and rent her chekes with her owne handes and nayles cryed Alas caytyfe wherfore may not I deye And the deuylles the whiche mounted with the sayd flambe herde the sayd soule in suche wyse crye soo they be set her about with theyr instrumentes of yron wherwith they tourmeÌ„ted the soules and sayd in this wyse Caytyfe soule worthy of payne and tourment from whens art thou comen hyder / thou ne hast yet nothynge felte ne suffred / thou shalt endure now that that thou arte worthy by the synnes that thou hast commytted From the whiche tourment thou ne mayst neuer departe ne within it deye / but euermore thou shalt lyue and brenne in tourment
she had accustomed / of the whiche enfant she demaunded / yf he coude his aue maria The whiche answered Saye it vnto me before / whan she sayd benedictê° fructus ventris tui / the chylde sayd I am he / he vanysshed out of her syght Than the sayd woman cryed in enioyenge her / come agayn chylde ryght dere / ryght swete / and ryght welbeloued And so ceased not to calle by xxx dayes / the .xxx. daye Ihesus came the whiche sayd I the whiche am called am comen vnto the / nowe thou shalte come after me shall regne with me / that whiche in enioyenge herself deyed debonayrly Another example lxxxxiiii b. quere aÌ„te ¶ Passio christi A. ¶ Examples of the passyon of our sauyour redemptour Ihesus And fyrste example of a grete synner the whiche bare vnto his dethe sekenes for his syÌ„nes in the remembraunce of the passyon of oure lorde Ihesu cryste Cxiiii THe disciple reciteth in his sermoÌ„s sayeth that a grete synner was constytute vnto the dethe / he toke his sykenes in reparcussyon of his synnes as he sayd It is good reason that I endure yl in all my membres that whiche hathe offended god by synne And in suche anguisshe he gaue hym to thynke on the passyon of our lorde Ihesus That is to vnderstond yf he endured in his heed heere it was of good ryght / for he had aourned his said heere offended god the whiche for to redeme hym had endured the crowne of thornes And also his eyes the whiche hadde made the fals lokes were derked suffred that was of good ryghte For oure lorde endured for to redeme hym that his eyen were bended with a kerchyef / hys face stryken buffeted And yf his body that whiche had coÌ„mytte the lecheryes pleasauÌ„ces carnalles and synnes suffred it was good reason For our lorde endured for to redeme hym that his body was rente beten hewen And also his mouthe the whiche had spoken yll wordes dronken to exces suffred payne it was of good ryghte For oure lorde endured for to redeme hym to drynke vynagre gall And so of the other membres as the handes that whiche had done of cursed operacyons And the fete the whiche walked yll wayes he bare the said sekenes wyllyngly for his owne sinnes in thynkynge that god had had the fete the handes perced endured dethe for to redeme hym And it is not to doubte but that he had helth with the good thefe whan his soule parted frome this worlde c. This here is a grete example to instructe al persones for to do penaunce as dyde the said man whan they shall come vnto the bedde of dethe For yf they take paciently the said sekenes the dethe for theyr owne syÌ„nes in sayng that they haue wele deserued punycyon theyr meÌ„bres that haue offended god as it is sayd in the example Suche punycyon corporell by sykenes shal serue for penaunce for the synnes coÌ„mytte after confessyon / shal be agreable vnto god sayÌ„t gregorye sayeth Si passio christi ad memorieÌ„ reducitur nihil eÌ„ quod noÌ„ equo aiÌ„o telleretur Yf the passyon of Ihesu cryst be broughte vnto mynde / that is to vnderstonde that he hathe endured for to redeme the frome hel with moche paynes There is none aduersyte so harde but that thou shalt endure it with good courage Yf the kynge bere a greate maste for the loue of the / thou sholdest bere for the loue of hym a strawe The good thefe that was hanged on the right hande of Ihesu cryste bare the dethe agreably and blamed the yll thefe vnde luce .xxii. Nos quideÌ„ iuste naÌ„ digna factis recipimê° morteÌ„ hic vero scilicet xpuÌ„s nichil mali gessit He sayd that he receyued the dethe Iustely / that he hadde wele deserued it for his propre dedes In so sayenge he confessed that he was a synner and that he toke it wyllyngly in gre by penaunce punycyoÌ„ for his owne synnes / so he had confessyon dyde penaunce It is gretter penaunce to endure the dethe for his synnes / than it is to faste to saye oraysons Also whan a man confesseth openly in iugement his synne as dyde the good thefe / it is more grete thynge than to confesse it vnto one onely / but the custome is to be absoyled of hym the whiche hathe auctoryte God absoylled the sayd thefe gaue vnto hym pardon of his synnes in consyderynge the grete contrycyon / confessyon / fayth that he had in sayenge vnto the yll thefe NoÌ„ times deuÌ„ et memeÌ„to mei duÌ„ veneris in regnuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Also it was grete penaunce as it is sayd that he toke the dethe for the punycyon of his synnes And therfore of good ryght god sayd vnto hym Thou shalt be with me this daye in paradyse Hodie mecumeris in paradyso Before that a man dieth hym behoueth to demauÌ„de grace and pardon For it sholde be to late after the dethe VnÌ„ eccle xviii Ante laÌ„goreÌ„ adhibe medicinaÌ„ et ante iuditiuÌ„ iÌ„terroga te ipsuÌ„ et in coÌ„spectu dei iÌ„uenies ê“pitiationeÌ„ That is to vnderstonde / take medecyne / that is penaunce before that thou fal in to langour in helle aske thy conscyence before that the Iugement be made of ye. And thou shalt fynde of debonayrte mercy before god and saynt gregorye sayth Qui tpÌ„s ageÌ„di peniteÌ„tiaÌ„ ê‘dit frustra ante ianuaÌ„ paradisi cuÌ„pÌ„cibus venit He the whiche leseth the tyme to do penaunce / cometh as voyde for nought before the yate of paradyse with prayers to demaunde lyfe eternell c. B. ¶ Another example of the swetnes of the passyon that a man hadde that sayd fyue tymes pater noster Cxiiii THe dyscyple recyteth in his booke of sermons sayth that there was a man the whiche loued moche god for the reuerence of the fyue wouÌ„des of Ihesu crist he sayd euery daye fyue pater nosters / one tyme our lorde appered to hyÌ„ and gaue hym fyue meruayllous swetnesses / soo that he studyed alonely for to serue god / And he prouffyted gretely in good operacions vertues / in th ende he fyned wel his dayes / yode in to paradyse c. C. ¶ Another example of a knyght the whiche ne myght deye on the gybet for that that he sayd euery daye thre pater nosters in the honour of the passyon of Ihesus Cxiiii IT is wryten in the dyalogue cesarii that a knight was accused vnto the emperour that he dyspoyled wasted his lande the whiche knighte was taken hanged by the coÌ„maundemente of the sayd emperour / on the thyrde daye the cosyn of the sayd knighte hanged passed therby with his seruauÌ„t the whiche had coÌ„passyon of hym / for he was a fayre man a noble approched vnto the gybet for to vnhange hym to burye
agreable that thou and euery man ne may do / that thou bere my crosse vpon the in remembrauÌ„ce euery daye of my passyon For it is the seruyce moost agreable vnto me c. This exaÌ„ple ought to drawe vnto vs to remembre the blyssed sauiour Ihesus that endured to redeme vs. fyue M. CCCC.lxxv woundes the dethe Vnde versê° SeptuagiÌ„ta quiÌ„â—quatur centuÌ„ millia quinque tot fertur xpÌ„s pro nobis vulnera passus c. G. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of a frere that honoured the passyon of Ihesu cryste wele came vnto hym Cxiiii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that a frere had of custome from his enfance to haue the passyon of Ihesu cryste his woundes in grete reuerence loue / And euery daye he sayde at euery of the fyue woundes Adoramê° te christe bene dicimê° tibi qia ê‘ cruceÌ„ tuaÌ„ redemistri munduÌ„ Also he demauÌ„ded fiue tymes pardon in sainge as many pater nosters in prayenge Ihesus that he wolde gyue vnto hym his loue his drede After Ihesu cryst appered vnto hym vysybly in lyke wyse as hymselfe telleth afterwarde gaue vnto hym a meruaylous swetnes of euery of the woundes And whan he hadde tasted the swetnes the consolacyon of the worlde vnto him was conuerted vnto bytternes c A. ¶ Another example that the passyon of Ihesus moueth to haue the vertues and to resyste agayne the deuyll Cxv THe discyple recyteth in his promptuarye sayth that a persone the whiche thynketh on the passyon of Ihesucrist ne may be surmounted of the deuyll / but that it be with grete payne Example of a good man that put hym in a place secrete / also remembred with all hiâ— puyssaunce how Ihesu cryste was borne conuersed in the worlde / suffred many rebukes / iniuryes / betynges the dethe for to redeme vs. And he sayd that it had more prouffyted vnto hym in goodnes than all that that he had done other tymes VnÌ„ bonauentura Si vis homo vt de vtute iÌ„ virtuteÌ„ de gratia iÌ„ gratiam de bono iÌ„ meliê° profitias quotidie nullo fatigatê° iÌ„pedimeÌ„to quamta potes deuotione ê‘curras mediteris domini passionem B. ¶ Another example that the token of the crosse was founde in the herte of a martyr Cxv THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuary that as men ledde a holy man to be martred / he was asked of the tyrante wherfore these crysten men women desyred to receyue martyrdom with Ioye / He answerde for the token of the crosse iâ— prynted in theyr hertes And therfore it is no meruayll thoughe they folowe Ihesu cryst crucyfyed with Ioye The tyrant answerde I shall proue that whiche thou sayest of mouthe And whan the saynt was slayne he fouÌ„de the prynte of the crosse in his hÌ„ert And whan the tyrant sawe that myracle he made hym to be crystened C. ¶ Another example that a conuers had the lyfe passyon of Ihesu cryst for a lesson in the table whan he dyned or ete cxv THe dyscyple reciteth in his promptuarye sayeth that a conuers was requyred of the pryour one daye that he sholde tell what he thought so at the table bycause he toke no hede vnto the lesson that was redde at the table He answerde and sayd I haue redde a ryght good lesson at the table Whan I begyn to ete I thynke how the sone of god was anounced of the aungell for me conceyued of the holy gost in the wombe of the vyrgyn marye in entreatynge that in my thought I founde the fyrst lytel lefe Afterwarde I thought how he was borne / how he was wrapped in lytell clothes cloutes layde vpon a lytell of hey in the crache And how the auÌ„gelles enioyed them sange melodyously whan thâ—y appered vnto the shyppardes whan I haue redde this in my thought that is the seconde lefe In this maner I renne vnto the cyrcumsycyon comynge of the kynges / vnto the oblacion made in the temple / vnto the baptysme / vnto the fastynge / vnto the passyon / resurreccyon assencyon / vnto the sendynge of the holy ghost / in th ende on the Iugement this is my dayly lesson th ende of my dyner Vnto the purpose of this relygyous the whiche thought the mysteryes of god dauid in psal Beati q i scrutantur testimonia eius in toto corde exquiruÌ„t euÌ„ Et sapiens dicit eccle xiiii Beati qui iÌ„ sapieÌ„tia morabitur qui iÌ„ iustitia meditabitur iÌ„ sensu cogitabit circuÌ„spectionem dei Et psal dicit Beaê° vir euiê° eÌ„ nomeÌ„ dnÌ„i spes eiê° noÌ„ respexit iÌ„ vanitates iÌ„ sanias falsas Et mathei v. Beati muÌ„do corde qmÌ„ ipsi deum videbunt D. ¶ Another example of a relygyous that whiche lerned thre lettres that whiche he recorded often Cxv THe dyscyple reciteth in his promptuarye sayeth that there were two germayns in one monasterye of the whiche the one was a clerke the other laye / The clerke applyed his tyme to rede and to wryte the whiche asked one tyme hys broder laye how he wasted his tyme. The whiche answerde I haue lerned thre lettres on the whiche I thynke euery day / retourne them The fyrste is blacke The seconde is rede And the thyrde is whyte / Then he axed him theyr names / he said The fyrst is of the recordacyon of my synnes the whiche is so heuy greuous that I am gretely tormented The seconde lettre is the recordacyon of the precyous blode of Ihesu cryste that he hathe shed haboundauntly mercyfully by his woundes / the dethe that he hathe endured on the crosse for to redeme me The thyrde is the desyre of the Ioyes celestyall and of those the whiche folowe the lambe in aubes that is of the sayntes that folowe Ihesu cryst Whan the frere the whiche was clerke herde these thynges he had shame / wayled reputed all his scyence as noughte And afterwarde employed his dayes in deuocyon E. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of an abbesse the whiche whan she sholde deye she caused the passyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste to be redde vnto her Cxv. IT is wryten in the booke cesarii that there was an abbesse loued the rule of Iustyce of all dyscyplyne reguliere the whiche whan she sholde deye she made the passyon of Ihesu cryste to be redde vnto her And whan that a man came in to the place she sayd In manê° tuas dnÌ„e coÌ„meÌ„do spirituÌ„ meuÌ„ Incontynente she yelded vp her spyryte deyed And after her dethe she appered vnto a good relygyous the whiche axed her of her estate / she answered Incontynent that my soule departed from my body it flewe in to heuen Also the said abbesse appered vnto another syster beyng in orayson she axed her of her estate She sayd in syngynge these verse of dauyd Sicut audiuimê° sic vidimus in ciuitate
beatissimaeÌ„ vita The lyf is right blyssed of the vertuous Et legi iÌ„ .ii. ethicoruÌ„ Virtus certior eÌ„ et melior oiÌ„ arte Vertue is more certeyne better than all art crafte And one ought here to note that one sholde not be to Iuste / nor to vniuste for to fle the inconuenyentes that therafter may folowe / but one ought to take the meane For it is wryten in .ii. ethico ê™ oiÌ„s virtus coÌ„sistit iÌ„ medio in oiÌ„bus medium est laudabile c. B. ¶ Another example that four vertues were in foure hermytes cxxiiii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders the foure hermytes werâ— in one house / the whiche hermytes one tyme enquyred eche other of theyr vertues for to shewe the moost specyall One sayd that he was so humble that it semed hym that none was wors than he in all the worlde The other sayd that he was pacyente The thyrde sayd â— he herde gladly speke of god The fourth sayd that he prayed gladly And with one assent prayed god to gyue them knowlege whâ—che was moost agreable to hyÌ„ / they herde a voyce that sayd to them The fyrst hath take me / the seconde holdeth me / the thyrde byndeth me / the fourth bereth me wher he wyll c. C. ¶ Another example of the excercyte of fyue sreres Cxxiiii THe dysâ—yple recyteâ—â— in his promptuarye sayth that an abbot had .v. freres / whiche he coÌ„maunded to tell theyr vertues The fyrste sayd I haue made generall confessyon euery daye this ten yere The seconde sayd I haue studyed to haue good entencyon in orayson euery daye by xx yeres The thyrde sayd I haue ben meserycordyous asmoche as I myghte .xxx. yeres The fourth sayd I haue troubled no persone by .xl. yeres / haue susteyned al thynges pacyently The .v. sayd I haue sought dyspreysynge by .l. yeres and haue founde none semblable to me in humylyte Then the abbot prayed god that he wolde shewe whiche oâ— them were the beste and a voyce sayd to hym The fyrst gyueth hyÌ„ selfe to our lorde The seconde fyÌ„deth our lord The .iii bereth our lorde The .iiii. byeth our lorde The .v. vaynquyssheth oure lorde c. D. ¶ Another example how a man and his wyfe werâ— in lyke in meryte vnto saynt pafuncius Cxxiiii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that a holy fader named pafuncius requyred of god that he wolde shewe vnto hym vpon the erthe vnto whom he shold be semblable And a voyce came vnto hyÌ„ the whiche sayd Knowe thou that thou art lyke vnto the fyrste man of suche a strete nexte Whan pafuncius herde these wordes he yode to knocke at the dore of his house And the man ranne before hym as he had of custome to receyue his gestes / and wasshed his fete set hym to dyner And betwene the metes pafuncius requyred his hoost what his dedes were / what he studyed vnto what operacyons he excersysed hym in He answerde hym of thynges humbles For he loued better that his goode dedes were hydde than publysshed And the sayd pafuncius said vnto hym that it was reueled vnto hym of god that he was dygne to be in the companye of monkes / Than his thought was yet more humble sayd that he ne was culpable of fewe good dedes / but syth that the worde of god hathe be spoken vnto the from hym a man may nothynge hyde I shall tell than what I haue done amonge many the whiche ben in vsâ—ge Thyrty yeres ben now accomplysshed that I haue had consentemente with my wyfe to kepe chastyte contynence / thaâ— none of vs hathe had ado with other I haue had thre sones of her / that hath because wherfore I haue knowen her to haue lygnee I neuer cease to receyue gestes / in refusynge noo body but gyuynge them theyr necessytees I haue sytte in iugement I haue not accepted the persone of my sone agayne Iustyce The fruytes of labours of other neuer entred in to my house In all noyses I haue put peas / no persones toke neuer my seruauÌ„tes in culpe / nor my beestes neuer hurt the fruytes of another I neuer defended to laboure in my felde those that wolde sawe therin / also I neuer toke of the better for to harme the worste / nor neuer suffred the riche to ouergo the poore I haue studyed all my lyfe that I ne sholde wrathe no man Yf I haue had Iugement to do yet haue I not condampned persone but I haue studied me to make peas The instytucyon of my lyfe hathe be in these thynges by the grace gyfte of god Whan pafuÌ„cius hadde herde these wordes here he kissed his heed blyssed hym BnÌ„dicat tibi duÌ„s ex syon vt videas bona que fecisti in iherusalem Thou haste wel conuenably done these thynges beforsayd / but there faylleth one souerayne good dede / that is that thou leue all / that thou folowe the true sapyence of god / the whiche thou ne mayst come to yf thou abiecte not thyselfe deny thyself as the gospell telleth Nisi abneges temet ipsuÌ„ et tollas cruceÌ„ tuaÌ„ sequaris xpÌ„m Whan the sayd man had herde these wordes here without taryenge wtout to ordre ony of the thynges of his house folowed the man of god yode with hym in to deserte In the whiche he gaue vnto him the ordre of conuersacyon spyrytuel taught hym the excercytes of the parfyte studyentes he gaue hymselfe vnto the scyence secrete c. E. ¶ Another example that a mynstrell was semblable in meryte vnto saynt pafuncius Cxxiiii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders the one tyme saynt pafuncius requyred of god that he wolde shewe him vnto whome he were semblable in the worlde The answere was gyuen vnto hym that he was semblable vnto a mynstrel that sought his lyuynge in suche a towne Than he was abasshed of the answer in dylygence yode vnto the towne to seche the man And whan he had fouÌ„de hym he asked hyÌ„ moche what holy thynges relygyeuses he had done / how he had ledde his lyfe / He answerde that he hadde be a man synner of cursed lyfe It is not longe tyme syth that I was a thefe / haue put me to mayntene this excercitude myscheuous pafuÌ„cyus asked hym yf amonges the theftes yf he had ony good operacions He answered I ne fele me culpable of no good dede but as I was amonges the theuys there was taken a vyrgyn consecrate vnto god that my felawes wolde deflore / I put me in the medle and toke her awaye fro them / by nyght ledde her in to the strete of her house withoute hauynge ony atouchement dyshonest And in another tyme I founde a woman of honeste forme strayed in hermytage I demaunded her fro whens / or wherfor / or how she was come in to that place And
commauÌ„dement of god the whiche is wryten Exo. xx Sabbata sanctifices And therfore the dyleccyoÌ„ of god comprehendeth the thre fyrst commaundementes the whiche vs ordeyneth wel towarde the blyssed trynyte The fyrst vs ordeyneth anenst the puissaunce of god the fader the whiche is of the mageste incomprehensyble The seconde anenst god the sone the whiche is veryte and wysdom souerayne The thyrde anenst god the holy goost the whiche is bounte and loue infynyte Yf we ben well ordeyned anenst god the fader / the sone / and the holy goost the whiche is one onely god in trynyte we shall loue hym aboue all thynges / and we shall accomplysshe the thre fyrst commauÌ„dementes the whiche tendeth vnto his dyleccyon as it is sayd ¶ Also the dyleccyon of god comprehendeth the thre dyuyne vertues theologalles the whiche ben fayth / hope / and charyte with theyr braunches and dependauÌ„ces They ben sayd dyuynes for that / that they doo ordeyne dyuynely the herte of man anenst god Saynt Austyn sayth in eucheridon Fide / spe / et caritate colitur optime deus God is ryght well honoured by fayth / hope / and charite Fayth kepeth soueraynly veryte Hope souerayne hyghnes / Charyte souerayne loue And it is sayd charyte of chere / vnyte / and loue in god We se god but by faythe / and by faythe we beleue in hym and loue hym / we kepe his fyrst commaundement the whiche is VnuÌ„ credo de Also we serue god to haue the good to come / and therfore we put our trust in hym / and we abstayne vs to swere by hym vaynly / and so we kepe the seconde commaundement Ne iures vaâ—a per ipsum Also by charyte / faythe / and hope we loue / serue / and honour god / and we kepe the thyrde commaundement Sabbata sanctifices ¶ Also we loue god for thre thinges The fyrst is for the grete and infynyte goodnes the whiche we haue herde say the whiche is in hym and procedeth of hym / and therto we put faythe The seconde is for the grete good that we hope to haue of hym after our dethe The thyrde is for the grete goodnes that he hath done to vs in our creacyon and redempcyon / that he dooth cotydyally to vs of goodes that he maketh to encrease / therfore we put our charyte within hym By these thre thynges we haue faythe / hope / and charyte with god and loue hym with all herte aboue all thynges The faythe is the foundement of all vertues / for without faythe it is impossyble to please god VnÌ„ paulus ad hebreos .xi. Sine fide impossibile est placere deo B. ¶ Also we ne may be saued by good operacions without hauynge faythe Vnde ad galath ii NoÌ„ iustificatur homo ex operibus legis / nisi per fidem iesu xpÌ„i Et ad gallat iii. Iustus ex fide viuit The Iust man lyueth by faythe Also for to beleue in god after the faythe and by baptym man is saued / and by defaute of faythe baptym man is dampned VnÌ„ Marci xvi Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit saluê° erit / qui vero non crediderit condempnabitur How men ought to beleue in god in the artycles of the faythe it is wryten after in the fyrst commauÌ„dement / of faythe cometh obedyence / good desyre / and innocence / relygyon / mundycyte / confyaunce / and chastyte C. ¶ Also the synners ne may be saued without hauynge esperaunce or hope that god vnto them pardoneth theyr synnes after the artycle of the fayth the whiche is Remissionem peccatorum / and therfore they shold put theyr hope in god Cain Iudas ben daÌ„pned by defaute of hope Also we sholde hope that god shal delyuer vs from our enmyes vysybles inuysybles in lykewyse he dyde our forne faders VnÌ„pÌ„s In te sperauerunt patres nostri sperauerunt et liberasti eos IteruÌ„pÌ„s Quoniam in me sperant liberabo eum protegam euÌ„ quoniam cognouit nomen meum He hath trusted in me I shall delyuer hym / for he hath knowen my name Example whan Iob was tourmented he sayd that yf god wolde sle hym yet wolde he put his truste in hym Vnde Iob .xiii. Example that Dauyd hadde good hope whan in the name of god he slewe the proude puyssaunt man phylystyen Quere .lxxviii. Also we shold haue hope that god shall gyue vnto vs beatytude and lyfe eternall Vnde pÌ„s Beate omnes qui sperant in te domine Esperaunce is a fayre vertue of the Whiche cometh pacyence / moderaunce / contrycyon / coÌ„fessyon / ioye espyrytuall / and contemplacyon D. ¶ Also without hauynge charyte we ne may be saued / in lykewyse as saynt poule sayth .i. ad Corinthios .xiii. SiliÌ„guis hominum loquar angelorum caritatem autem non habuero factê° sum sicut es sonaÌ„s aut cimbalum timiens This mater of charyte is wryten here after .iiii. ca. Of charyte procedeth loue / pyte / grace / peas benygnyte / and debonayrte Example of charyte Quere .lxxv. A. E. ¶ Here foloweth the commaundement to loue thy neyghbour .ii. IT is wryten in the gospel of saynt Iohan that our lorde sayd vnto his dyscyples I gyue vnto you a commauÌ„dement of newe / that is that ye loue other in lykewyse as I haue loued you / all men shall knowe in that thynge that ye be my dyscyples / yf ye haue dyleccyon togyders Vnde IohÌ„ .xiii. Mandatum nouum do vobis vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos / iÌ„ hoc cognoscent omnes quia discipuli mei estis si dilectionem habueritis ad inuicem ¶ Also the gospel sayth that to loue his neyghbour as hymselfe is more greter thynges than sacryfyces Vnde Marci .xii. Diligere proximum tanquam seipsum maius est omnibê° olocaustimatibus et seruictis For to haue paradyse and to escape the paynes of hell it is requysyte that thou obey vnto god / the whiche commaundeth the thou loue thy neyghbour ¶ Whan a kynge temporall maketh to proclame ony thynge within his realme his subgectes therto obeyeth of drede to haue domage And god the whiche is kynge of kynges made to preche throughout al the worlde that we sholde loue eche other vpon payne of dampnacyon and to lese paradyse It is wryten Iohannis .xv. Hec maÌ„ do vobis vt diligatis inuicem Et legitur Mathei .xix. Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Yf thou wylt entre in to the lyfe eternall kepe the commaundementes Yf thou drede the furour of a kynge temporall the whiche is transytory / by a more greater reason thou oughtest to drede the furour of god the whiche may sende the in to damnacyon eternal F. ¶ Many thyÌ„ges ought to moeue vs to loue our neyghboure The fyrst the whiche is moost pryncypal and fynall is for to obey vnto god / the whiche coÌ„mauÌ„deth it vs. Whan a good fader gooth out of the towne he commaundeth