of synnes sayeth saynt Poule in thys wyse that ryght as by one man syn entred fyrst into this worlde and through syn deth ryght so the deth entreth into all men that synne and this man was Adam by whom synne entred into this world wheÌ„ he brake the commaundement of God And therfore he that fyrst was so mighty that he ne shuld haue dyed becam so that he must nedes dye whether he wolde or no and all his progeny in this worlde that in the sayd man synned Loke that in the state of innocency wheÌ„ Adam and Eue were naked in paradyse shamed not therof how the serpent wylyest of all other beastes that god made sayde to the woman why commaunded god you y t ye shulde not eate of euery tree in paradyse The woman answered Of the frute sayde she of the trees of paradyse we fede vs but of the frute of the mydle tre of paradyse god forbod vs to eat touche lest we shuld dye The serpent sayd to the woman Nay nay ye shall not dye of death forsoth god wotte that what daye that ye eat therof your eyeÌ„ shall open and ye shal be as goddes knowing good and harme The woman thaÌ„ saw that the tree was good to fedyng and fayr to the eyen and delectable to syght she toke of the frute of the tree and ate yaue to her husbonde and he ate and anon the eyen of hem both opened And whaÌ„ that they knew that they wer naked they sowed of fyggeleues in maner of breches to hyde her meÌ„bres There maye ye se that deedly syn hath fyrst suggestion of the fende as sheweth here by the adder and afterwarde the delyte of the flesh as sheweth by Eue and after that consentyng of reason as sheweth here by AdaÌ„ For trust wel though so it were that y e fend tempted Eue that is to say the flesh and the fleshe had delyte in the beautye of the frute defended yet certes tyll that reason that is to say Adam consented to the eatyng of the frute yet stode he in the state of innocencie Of the sayd Adam toke we the sayde original syn of hym fleshly discended be we all engendred of vyle and corrupte mater And whan the soule is put in oure bodyes right anon is contract original syn and that that was erst but onely payne of concupiscencie is afterward both payne and syn and therfore we bene all borne sonnes of wrath and of dampnatioÌ„ perdurable if it nere baptym that we receyue whiche benymmeth vs the coulpe but forsoth the pyne dwelleth wyth vs as to temptation which pyne hyght concupyscence This concupiscence whan it is wrongfully disposed or ordayned in man it maketh hym coueyte by couetysye of flesshe fleshly synne by syght of his eyen as to erthlye thynges and also couetyse of hyghnesse by pryde of herte Now as to speake of the first couetise that is concupiscence after the lawe of our membres that were lawfully made and by rightful iudgement of God I saye for as moche as man is not obeysaunte to God that is his Lorde therfore is the flesh to hym disobeysaunt through concupiscence whiche is called noryshing of synne and occasyon of synne Therfore all the whyle that a man hath within him the pyne of concupyscence it is impossyble but he be teÌ„pted somtyme moued in his fleshe to syn And this thynge may not fayle as long as he lyueth It may wel waxe feble by vertue of baptim and by the grace of god through penitence but fully ne shall it neuer quenche that he ne shall somtyme be moued in him self but if he wer al refrayned by sycknesse or by malyce of sorcery or colde drynkes For lo what sayth s Poule the flesh coueteth ayenst the spyryte and the spyrite ayenst the flesh they bene so contrary so stryuen that a man maye not alway do as he wold The same saynt poul after his greate penaunce in water and in londe in water by night by day in greate peryl and in great pyne In londe famyne thurst colde and clothlesse ones sloned almost to deth Yet sayde he alas I caytyfe man who shall delyuer me fro the prison of my caytyfe body And saynt Ierom wheÌ„ he longe â—yme had dwelled in desert where as he had no companye but of wylde beastes where as he had no meate but herbes water to drink ne bed but the naked erth wherfore his flesshe was blacke as an Ethiopien for hete and nye distroyed for colde Yet sayd â—e that the brennyng of lechery boyled in al his body wherfore I wot well that they be disceyued that saye they be not tempted in â—â— bodyes wytnesse saynt Iames y t sayeth that euerye wyght is tempted in hys owne conscieÌ„ce that is to say that eche of vs hath mater and occasion to be tempted of the norishing of syn that is in his body And therfore sayth saynt Iohn the euangelist yf we say that we ben without synne we disceyue our self and truthe is not in vs. Now shall ye vnderstonde how syn wexeth and encreaeth in man The first thing is the same noryshing of syn of which I spoke before the fleshlye coÌ„cupiscence and after that coÌ„meth suggestyon of the deuil this is to say the deuyls belous with which he bloweth in maÌ„ the fire of coÌ„cupiscence and after that a maÌ„ bethinketh him wheder he wyll do or no y e thing to which he is teÌ„pted And then yf a man withstoÌ„d weyue the first entisyng of his fleshe of the fende thaÌ„ it is no syn yf so be he do not thaÌ„ feleth he anon a flame of deâ—â—te thaÌ„ it is good to beware kepe him well or els he wyll fall anon to coÌ„sentynge of syn than wyll he do it yf he maye haue tyme place And of this mater sayth Moses by the deuyll in this maner y e feÌ„d sayth I wyll chace pursue man by wycked suggestyon I wyll take hym by mouyng and steryng of syn I woll depart my pryse of my praye by delyberation and my lust shal be accoÌ„plyshed in delyte I wyll drawe my sworde in consentynge For certes ryght as a swerde departeth a thynge in two peces ryght so coÌ„sentyng departeth god fro man than wyl I sle hym with my hond in dede of syn thus sayth the fende For certes than is a man all deed in soule thus is syn accoÌ„plyshed with temptation by delyte consentyng than is the syn actual Forsoth syn is in two maners eyther it is venyall or deedly syn Sothlye whan man loueth any creature more then Iesu Chryste our creatour than it is deedly synne venyall synn it is yf man loue Iesu chryst lesse thaÌ„ him ought Forsoth the dede of this venyal syn is ful perylous for it mynissheth the loue that man shuld haue to god more and more And therfore yf a man charge hym selfe with manye suche venyall synnes certes but if so be
but God made woman of the rybbe of Adam for woman shulde be felowe vnto man Man shulde beare hym to hys wyfe in fayth ▪ in trouth and in loue as sayth saynt Paule that a man shulde loue hys wyfe as Christ loueth holye churche that loued it so well that he dyed for it so shulde a man for hys wyfe yf it were nede Nowe howe that a woman shulde be subiecte to her husbande that telleth saynte Peter fyrst in obedience And also as sayth the decree A womā that is a wyfe as long as she is a wyfe she hath none auctoritye to swere ne beare witnes without leaue of her husbande y t is her Lorde alwaye he shulde be so by reason She shulde also serue hym in al honestye be attēpperate of her array I woll well that they shulde set her entent to please her husbādes but not be queintise of her araye S. Ierom sayeth wiues y t be apparelled in sylke and precious purple ne mowe nat clothe hem in Iesu Christe Saynt Greg. sayeth also that no wyghte seketh precious aray but only for vaynglory to be honoured the more of the people It is great foly a woman to haue great araye outwarde and in her selfe be foule inwarde A wyfe shulde also be mesurable in lokynge in bearyng and in laughing and discrete in al her wordes and her dedes and aboue all worldelye thynges she shulde loue her husbande wyth al her herte and to hym be true of her bodye So shulde an husbande be to hys wyfe For sythe that all the body is the husbandes so shuld her hert be or els there is betwixte hem two as in that no perfyte mariage Than shall men vnderstande that for thre thynges a man and hys wyfe fleshly may assemble The first is for th entent of engendrure of chyldren to the seruice of god for certes that is the cause finall of matrimony Another cause is to yelde ech of hem to other y e dettes of her bodyes for neyther of hem hath power of ther owne bodyes The thyrde is to eschew lechery and vyllanye The fourthe is forsoth deedlye synne As to the fyrste is meritorye the seconde also for as sayeth the decre that she hath meryte of chastite that yeldeth to her husbande the dette of her body yee thought it be ayenst her lykynge and the luste of her herte The thyrde maner is venyall synne and truelye scarscely may anye of these be wythout venyal synne for the corruption and for the delyte The fourth maner is for to vnderstand if they assemble only for amorous loue and for none of the forsayde causes but for to accomplyshe the brennynge delyte they recke not howe ofte sothlye it is deedly sinne and y t wyth sorowe some folke woll payne hem more to do then to her appetyte suffiseth The seconde maner of chastitye is for to be a clene wydowe and eschew the enbrasynges of a man and desyre the enbrasynge of Iesu Christe These bene those that haue bene wyues and haue forgote her husbandes and also women that haue done lecherye and bene receyued by penitence And certes yf that a wyfe coulde kepe her all chaste by licence of her husbande so that she yeue neuer none occasion that he offende it were to her a greate meryte Thys maner of woman that obserueth chastitie in clothynge in countenaunce abstinent in eatinge drinkyng in spekyng and in dede she is the vessel or the boxe of the blessed Maudelayne y e fulfylleth holy church of good ordour The thyrde maner of chastitie is virginitie and it behoueth that she be holye in herte clene of body than is she spouse of Iesu Christe and she is the life of aungels she is the pray synge of thys worlde she is as these martyrs in regaly she hath in her y t tonge maye not tell ne herte thynke Virginitie bare our Lorde Iesu Christe and virgyn was hym selfe Another remedy ayenst lechery is speciallye to withdrawe suche thynges as yeue occasyon to that vylanye as ease eatynge and drinkyng For certes whan the potte boylleth stronglye the best remedy is to wyth draw the fyre Slepyng longe in great quiete is also a great nouryce to lecherye Another remedy ayenst lechery is that a man or a woman eschew the company of hem by whiche he douteth to be tēpted For all be it so that the dede is withstande yet is there great temptation Sothly a whyte walle all thoughe it ne brenne not fullye by stickyng of the candell yet is the wal blacke of the flame Ful oft tyme I rede that no mā trust in hys owne perfection but he be stronger than Sampson or holyer than Daniel or wyser than Salomon Nowe after that I haue declared you as I can the seuyn deedly sinnes and some of her braūches wyth her remedies Sothly yf I coulde I wolde tel you the ten commaundementes but so hye doctrine I put to diuines Nathlesse I hope to God they ben touched in this treatise eche of hem ¶ Sequitur secunda pars penitentie NOwe for asmuche as the seconde parte of penitence stont in confession of mouth as I be gan in the fyrste chap I saye saynte Austen sayeth Sinne is euery worde and euery dede and all that men coniecte agaynst the lawe of Iesu Christe and thys is for to synne in hert in mouth and in dede by the fyne wyttes which ben syght hearyng smellyng tastyng or sauour felynge Nowe it is good to vnderstande that that agredgeth muche euery sinne Thou shalt consider what thou art that doste the syn whether thou be male or female yonge or olde gentyll or thrall free or seruaunt hole or sicke wedded or single ordred or vnordred wyse or fole clerke or seculer yf she be of thy kynrede bodilye or gostly or no yf any of thy kynred haue synned wyth her or no many mo thynges Another circumstaunce is this whether it be done in fornicacion or in aduoutry or no in maner of homiced or no horrible great synnes or smal how long thou hast cōtinued in synne The thyrde circumstaunce is the place there thou hast done synne wheder in other mennes houses or in thyne owne in felde in church or in churchyarde in church dedecate or no. For yf the churche be halowed man or woman spyl his kinde within that place by way of sinne or wicked tēptation the churche is enterdited the preest that dyd such a villany the terme of all hys life he shulde no more synge masse and if he did he shulde do deedly synne at euery tyme y t he so songe masse The fourth circūstaūce is by which mediatours or by which messēgers or for enticement or for cōsentment to beare cōpany with felowshyp For manye a wretche for to beare cōpanye wol go to the dyuel of heel wherfore they that egge or cōsent to the sinne ben parteners of the sinne of the temptation of the synner The fyfth circumstaunce is howe many times that he hath
and wordes as stones stones out throw wherfore my couÌ„sayle is euer more openlye and apertelye in what place thou syt countreplete therrours and meaninges in as farre as thou hem wystyst false and leaue for no wyghte to make hem be knowe in euery bodyes eare and be alwaye paciente and vse Iacobes wordes what so euer menne of the clappen I shall sustayne my ladyes wrathe whyche I haue deserued so longe as my Margaryte hathe rightwysed my cause And certes quod she I wytnesse my selfe yf thou thus conuerted soroweste in good meanynge in thyne herte wolte from all vanytie parfytelye departe in consolatioun of al good plesaunce of that Margaryte whiche that thou desyreste after wyl thyne herte in a maner of a mothers pytie shull fully accepte the in to grace For ryghte as thou rentest clothes in open syght so openlye to sowe hem at hys worshyppe wythouten reprofe commended Also ryght as thou were ensample of muche folde erroure ryghte so thou muste be ensample of manyfolde correction so good sauoure to forgoynge all erroure distroyeng causeth dilygent loue with many playted praysinges to folowe and than shal all the fyrst errours make the folowynge worshyppes to seme hugely encreased blacke and whyte sette togyder euerye for other more semeth and so dothe euery thynges contrary in kynde But infame that gothe alwaye to fore and praysynge worshyppe by any cause folowing after maketh to ryse thylke honoure in double of welth and that queÌ„cheth the spotte of the fyrst enfame why wenist I saye these thynges in hyndrynge of thy name Naye naye god woâ—te but for pure encreasing worship thy ryghtwysnesse to coÌ„mende thy trouth to seme the more â–ª wost not wel thy selfe that thou in fourme of makynge passeth not AdaÌ„ that ete of the apple Thou passeth not the stedstastnesse of Noe y e eatynge of the grape become dronke Thou passeth not the chastyte of Lothe that laye by hys doughter Eke the nobley of Abraham whoÌ„ god reproued by hys pryde Also Dauides mekenesse whyche for a woman made Vrye be slawe What also Hector of Troye in whome no defaute myght be founde yet is he reproued that he ne hadde wyth manhode not suffered the warre begonne ne Parys to haue wente into Grece by whome ganne all the sorowe for trewly hym lacketh no venyme of pryue consentynge whyche that openlye leaueth a wronge to wythsaye Lo eke an olde prouerbe amoÌ„ges many other he that is styll semeth as he graunted Now by these ensamples thou myght fully vnderstonde that these thynges ben wryte to your lernynge in ryghtwysenesse of tho persones as thus To euery wyght hys defaute coÌ„mitted made goodnesse afterwardes done be the more in reuereÌ„ce and in open she wynge for ensample is it not songe in holye church Lo howe necessary was AdaÌ„s synne Dauyd the kynge gat SalomoÌ„ the kynge of her that was Vries wyfe Truly for reprofe is none of these thinges wrytte Right so tho I reherce thy before dede I repreue y t neuer the more ne for no vyllany of the are they rehersed but for worshyppe so tâ—â—u contynue well here after and for profyte of thy selfe I rede thou on hem thynke Then sayd I ryght thus Lady of vnyte and accorde enuye and wrathe lurken there thou comest in place ye weteÌ„ well your selue and so done many other that whyle I adminystred the offyce of coÌ„men doynge as in rulynge of the stablyshmentes amoÌ„ges the people I defouled neuer my conscience for no maner dede but euer by wytte and by counsayle of the wysest the maters were drawen to theyr ryght endes And thus trewlye for you ladye I haue desyred suche cure and certes in youre seruyce was I not ydell as ferre as suche doynge of my cure stretcheth That is a thynge quod she that may draweÌ„ many hertes of noble and voyce of coÌ„mune in to glorye and fame is not but wretched and fyckle Alas that mankynde coueyteth in so leude a wyse to be rewarded of any good dede sith glorye of fame in this worlde is not but hyndrynge of glorye in tyme coÌ„mynge And certes quod she yet at the hardest such fame in to heauen is not the erthe but a centre to the cercle of heuen And prycke is woÌ„der lytell in respecte of al y e cercle and yet in al this prycke may no name be borne in maner of peersyng for many obstacles as waters and wyldernesse and straunge langages and not onely names of men ben stylled and holden oute of knowlegynge by these obstacles but also cyties realmes of prosperite ben letted to be know and theyr reason hyndred so that they mow not ben parfytly in mennes proper vnderstandynge Howe shulde then the name of a synguler londenoys passe the gloryous name of London whyche by many it is commended and by many it is lacked and in many mo places in erthe not knowen then knowen for in many countrees lytel is London in knowyng or in speche and yet among one maner of people may not suche fame in goodnesse come for as many as praysen comenly as many lacken Fye then on suche maner fame slepe and suffre hym that knoweth preuyte of hertes to dele suche fame in thylke place there nothynge ayenst a sothe shal neyther speake ne dare appere by atturney ne by other maner Howe many great named and many greate in worthynesse losed han be tofore thys tyme that now out of memorie are slydden and clenely forgetten for defaute of wrytynges and yet scriptures for great elde so ben defased y t no perpetualte maye in hem ben iuged But yf thou wolte make comparison to euer what ioy mayst thou haue in erthlye name it is a fayre lykenesse a pees or one grayne of wheate to a thousand shyppes ful of corne charged What nombre is betwene the one and thother and yet mowe both they be nombred and ende in rekenyng haue But trewly all that maye be nombred is nothyng to recken as to thylke that maye not be nombred for ofte thynges ended is made comparyson as one lytel another great but in thinges to haue an ende and another no ende suche comparyson maye not be founden wherfore in heauen to ben losed wyth God hath none ende but endlesse endureth and thou canste nothynge done aryght but thou desyre the rumoure therof be healed and in euerye wyghtes eare and that dureth but a prycke in respect of the other And so thou sekest rewarde of folkes smale wordes and of vayne praysynges Trewly therin thou lesest the guerdon of vertue and lesest the greatest valoure of conscience and vphap they renome euerlastyng Therfore boldely renome of fame of the erthe shuld be hated and fame after deth shulde be desyred of werkes of vertue asketh guerdoning and the soule causeth al vertue TheÌ„ the soule delyuered out of prisone of erthe is most worthy suche guerdone amonge to haue in the euerlastynge fame not the body that causeth all mannes yuels OF tweye thynges arte thou answered as me