Caplm Primū.

DIues. In the fyrste cō maundement as I ha­ue lerned / god sayth thus. Thou shalte ha­ue none other straun­ge goddes byfore me. Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge / noo mawmette / noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue / ne that is by­nethe in erthe / ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe. Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde / ne within thyn herte inwarde. Exodi .xx.c. Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente / bothe in the chirche and without the chirche. And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages. And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done. And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye a­yenste goddes lawe. ¶Pauper. God forbedeth not men to make ymages / For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men / as we fynde Exodi .xxxvij.c. ¶And Salomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god / the thyrde boke of kynges .vij.c. And god bad Moyses make his tabernacle & al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle / whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl. nyghtes. Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makyn­ge of ymages / but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes / & to sette theyr fayth theyr truste / theyr hope / theyr loue / and theyr byleue in them. For god wyll ha­ue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone / for in hym is al our helpe & all our saluacōn. And therfore we muste worshyppe hym & loue hym / and truste in hym aboue all thynge / & nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym. That all the worshyp that we do to ony creature be do pryncypaly for hȳ & arrected to hym. For he sayth. Gloriam meamalteri non dabo / et laudem meam sculptilibus. Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe / my blysse / my glorye to none other / ne my praysyn­ge to grauen ymages / neyther to payn­ted ymages. And in the same chapy­tre he sayth Shamfully shente myght [Page] they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages. ¶Diues. wherof ser­ue the ymages. I wolde they were brente all. ¶Pauper. They serue for thre thynges. For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon / and on his passyon / and on his lyuynge / and on other sayntes lyuyng. Also they ben ordeyned to sty­re mannes affeccyon / and his herte to deuocyon. For ofte a man is more ste­red by syght than by heryng or redyn­ge. Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people / that they may rede in ymagerye and payn­ture / that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth. De cōsecra. distinct .iij. per latū. Where we fynde that a bys­shop destroyed ymages as thou wol­deste doo / and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages. He was accu­sed to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages / but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages.

Caplm secundū.

DIues. How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture & of ymagerye. ¶Pauper. whan y ^u seest the ymage of y ^• crucyfixe / thynke on hȳ y ^• deyed on y ^• crosse for thy synne & thy sake / and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlon­de of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne / and the blood braste out on euery syde / for to destroye the hyghe syn­ne of pryde / that sheweth moost in mā nes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde. Take hede by the ymage how his armes were sprad­de abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked. And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the ap­ple ayenst goddes cōmaundement. Al­so he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes / and wycked werkes / that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes / and make an ende of thy wycked werkes. Take hede also how that his syde was opened / and his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere / and how he shedde blood and water / to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue. He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules / and water to wasshe vs from our synnes. Also he suffred this for to destroye y ^• synne of pry­de / couetyse / enuye / hate / wrathe / & malyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans. Take hede & make an ende of thy pryde / of thy false couetyse / of hate / enuy / wrathe / & malyce / and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that for­gaue his deth. Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to y ^e crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce / & make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce / & haste the for to go to goddes house & to goddes seruyce. Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente & all to torne / with tho sharpe [Page] scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede / there was no hole place on his bodye / and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust & lykyng of the flesshe / glotonye & le­cherye / whiche regne in mannes bodye & womans / & make an ende of gloto­ny & lecherye. Take hede how naked & poore he henge vpon y ^e crosse for thy synne & thy sake / & be thou not asha­med to suffre pouerte & myscheyf for his loue. And as saynt Bernard byd­deth / take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the & come at one with the. See how his armes & hondes be spradde a brode on the tree / in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the / and to take the to his mercy. See how his syde was opened / and his her­te clouen on two / in token that his herte is alwaye open to the / and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy trespasse / yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy. Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree / in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the / but abyde with the & dwel­led with the withouten ende. On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde / and than­ke thy god that he wolde do so moche for the / and worshyppe hym aboue all thynge / not the ymage / not the stocke / stone / ne tree / but hym that deyed on y ^e tree for thy synne & thy sake / soo that thou knele yf thou wylte byfore the y­mage / not to the ymage. Do thy wor­shyp afore the ymage / not to the yma­ge. Make thy prayer byfore the ymage but not to the ymage / for it seeth the not / it hereth the not / and it vnderstondeth the not. Make thyn offrynge yf thou wylte byfore the ymage / but not to the ymage. Make thy pylgrymage not to the ymage ne for the ymage / for it may not helpe the / but to hym & for hym that y ^e ymage representeth to the For yf thou doo it for the ymage / or to the ymage thou doost ydolatrye.

Caplm .iij.

DIues. Me thynketh that whā men knele byfore the ymage praye and loke on the ymage / with wepyng teeres / boūche or knocke theyr brestis with other suche contenaū ce / they do all this to the ymage / & soo weneth moche people. ¶Pauper. Yf they do it to the ymage / they synne gretely in ydolatrye ayenst reason & kynde. But as I sayd byfore / they may doo all this byfore the ymage and not to the ymage. ¶Diues. How myght they doo alle this byfore the ymage / and not worshyp the ymage. ¶Pauper. Oft thou seest that the preest in the chirche hath his booke byfore hym he kneled / he stareth / he loketh on his booke / he holdeth vp his hondes. And for grete deuocyon in case he wepeth / and maketh deuoute prayers. To whome weneste thou that the preest dooth all this worshyppe. ¶Diues. to god & not to the boke. ¶Pauper. On the same maner sholde the lewde man vse his booke / that is ymagery and paynture / not to worshyppe the yma­ge / but god in heuen and sayntes in theyr degree. And that all the worshyp that he doth byfore the ymage / he doth [Page] not to the ymage / but to hym that the ymage representeth. ¶Diues. This example is good / but knowest thou ony better. ¶Pauper. Whanne the preest sayth his masse at the aultre / comonly ther is an ymage byfore hym / & comō ­ly it is a crucyfixe / stone or tree / or por­trayed. ¶Diues. Why more a crucy­fixe than an other ymage. ¶Pauper. For euery masse syngynge is a specyall mynde makynge of Crystus passyon / & therfore he hath byfore hym a crucy­fixe to do hym to haue the more fres­she remembraūce as he ought to haue of crystus passyon. ¶Diues. The rea­son is good / saye foeth. ¶Pauper. By­fore this ymage y ^e preest sayth his masse / & maketh the hyghest prayers y ^• holy chirche can deuyse for saluacyon of the quycke & of the deed. He holdeth vp his hondes / he boweth / or ellys he kneled downe / & all the worshyp y ^t he can doo he doth. Ouermore he offred vp y ^e hyest sacrefyce & the beste offrynge that ony herte can deuyse / that is Cryste goddes sone of heuen / vnder fourme of brede and wyne. Alle this worshyp doth the preest at the masse byfore the ymage / And yet I hope that there is noo man ne woman so leude / that he wolde saye that y ^e preest syngeth his masse ne ma­keth his prayer ne doth that worshyp / ne offreth vp goddes sone Cryste hym selfe to the ymage. ¶Diues. God for­bede that ony man or woman sholde saye soo or byleue / that were errour moost of all errours. ¶Pauper. On the same maner sholde the lewde man do his worshyppe byfore the ymage / & make his prayer byfore the ymage and not to the ymage.

Caplm .iiij.

DIues. Contra. On good fry­daye ouer all in holy chirche / men crepe to the crosse & wor­shyp y ^e crosse. ¶Pauper. That is sothe but not as thou menest. The crosse y ^e we crepe to & worshyp so hyghely y ^t ty­me is cryste hȳselfe y ^t deyed on y ^e crosse that daye for our synne & our sake. As sayth Beda libro .iij. de gēma anime. For the shap of a man is a crosse. And as he henge vpon the rode he was a very crosse. He is that crosse as all doctou­res saye / to whom we praye & saye. O crux aue spes vnica. Hayle be thou crosse our only hope / encrease thou to the mekely her rightwysnesse this passyon tyme / and gyue pardon to theym that ben gylty. He is that crosse bryghter than all the sterres of the worlde as holy chirche syngeth and sayth. O crux splendidior cunctis astris mundi & [...]. ¶And as Beda sayth for asmoche as cryste was moost despysed of mankynde on good frydaye / therfore holy chir­che hath ordeyned that on the good frydaye men sholde doo hym moost wor­shyppe of all. And for this cause we doo that grete hyghe worshyppe that daye / not to the crosse that the preest holdeth in his honde / but to hym that deyed for vs alle that daye vpon the crosse. For oftentyme that crosse that the preest holdeth in his honde is fulle vnreuerenced & vnthende. Cryste hymselfe / crystus passyon / crystus deth / crystus lyuyng in erthe fulle of payne and wo / the crosse that he deyed on & euery lykenesse of the crosse is called Crystus crosse. But the lykenesse of a thynge ought not to be in as moche reuerence and worshyppe as the thyng hymselfe. [Page] And euery lorde & knyght hath a specyale token in his armes or ellys besydes his armes wherby he is knowen / & oft bereth the name of his token / & by the name of his token his dedes ben tolde of heraudes and gestours that knowe not theyr name neyther theyr persone. ¶Right so Cryste in holy wryte ofty­mes is called a crosse / for the crosse is his specyall token. And soo somtyme we speke to the crosse as to Cryste hȳ selfe. Somtyme we speke of the crosse only that he henge vpon. And soo we speke oft in holy chirche seruyce to the crosse as to Cryste hymselfe / & anone we tourne the worde oonly to y ^e crosse / that he dyed on. And so somtyme we speke to the crosse & of the crosse / as to hym & of hym y ^t the crosse betokeneth. Somtyme we speke of the crosse only as of his token / & the crosse y ^t he dyed vpon / & so one worde is referred to dyuerse thynges / & this blyndeth moche peple in theyr redyng. For they mene y ^t al y ^e prayers y ^t holy chirche maketh to y ^e crosse that he maketh theym to the tree that Cryste dyed on / or ellys to y ^e crosse in the chirche / as in y ^t anteme. O crux splendidior. And so for lewdnesse they ben deceyued / & worshypp creatures as god hȳselfe. ¶Diues. On palme son­daye atte processyon the prest draweth vp the veyle byfore the rode / & falleth downe to the groūde with all the peo­ple and sayth thryes. Aue rex noster. Hayle be thou our kynge / & so he wor­shypeth that ymage as kynge. ¶Pauper. Absit. God forbede. He speketh not to the ymage that the carpenter hath made & the peyntour peynted but yf the preest be a fole / for that stocke or stone was neuer kynge / but he speketh to hym that deyed on the crosse for vs all to hym that is kyng of all thyng.

Caplm .v.

DIues. I assente / for this is a­yenst nature reason & kynde / that man whiche is nere of kynne to god that is very man & our brother / sholde worshyp in that maner eyther stocke or stoone. For they may neyther here ne see / ne helpe themselfe And therfor who so worshyppeth ymages in this maner / dooth grete dysho­nour to man that is so noble in ordre of kynde / & moche more to god that toke mankynde & became man / & in our manhode is aboue all mankynde. ¶Pauper. Yf the kynges sone kneled to his churle or to his page & worshypped hym as his souerayne & prayed hȳ of grace / that oonly the kynge myght graūt & dyde hym the same worshyp that he sholde do his fader the kynge it were a grete dyshonour bothe to the sone & to the fader. And therfore it is repreef to gentylles to be ouer homely with boyes ayenst good norture. But moche more dyshonour do we to god & to our self also / sythen we be y ^e kynges childern of heuen / so nyghe of kynne & heyres of the kyngdom of heuen / yf we worshyp stockes or stones or ony o­ther ymages / or done theym ony seruyce / as sayth the lawe. De consec di iij. Venerabiles. ¶Diues. This is open ynough that thou sayst. For the yma­ge neyther can ne may helpe atte nede For it hath noo vertue atte all. It is noo thyng ellys but a boke or a token [Page] to the lewde people as thou saydeste fyrste to styre hem to thynke on god & on sayntes in heuen / and so to wor­shyp god ouer all thyng & sayntes in theyr degree. ¶Pauper. For this reason ben crosses made by y ^e waye / that whan folke passynge see the crosse / they sholde thynke on hȳ that deyed on the crosse / & worshypp hym aboue all thynge. And for the same reason is the crosse born byfore in processyon that all that folowe & mete with the crosse shold worshyp hym that deyed on the crosse / & thanke hym for his endeles charyte. Also the crosse is borne byfore / in token that in all our lyuynge & all our dedes we sholde haue eye & herte to hym that deyed on y ^e crosse as to our kyng / our hede / our lorde / & our leder to y ^• blysse of heuen. And therfore Salomon sayth Oculi sapientis in capite eius. The eyen of the wyse man ben alwaye in his hede / that is Ihesu cryste / whiche is hede of holy chirche & of all crysten people.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. Sythen ymagery is but a token & a booke of the lewde people / teche me yet a lytyll better to knowe this boke & to rede therin. ¶Pauper. Ymagery so­me what betokeneth in specyall / somwhat in comon & generall. In specy­all token the ymage of our lady is paynted with a childe in the lefte ar­me in token that she is moder of god & with a lylye or ellys with a rose in her right honde / in token that she is mayden withouten ende / & floure of all wymen. And so of other sayntes / whose ymages haue dyuerse sygnes in theyr hondes & other places for dyuerse vertues & martyrdoms that tho sayntes suffreddē & had in theyr lyfe The ymage of saynt Peter is payn­ted with keyes in his honde in token that Cryste betoke Saynt Peter the keyes of holy chirche / & of the kyng­dom of heuen. But yet afterwarde Cryste gaaf tho keyes to all the apostles / as y ^e gospelles wytnesse Mathei xviij. et Iohēs .xx.c. Saynt Poule is paynted with a swerde in his honde in token that he was heded with a swerde for Crystus sake / & also in token y ^e somtyme he pursued holy chir­che with y ^e swerde. Saynt Iohan the euangelyste is paynted with a coupe in his honde & an adder therin in to­ken that he dranke dedely venym / & thorugh the vertue of the crosse it lost his malyce & dyde hym none harme. & in his other honde he bereth a pal­me in token that he was a martyr / & had the palme of martyrdom / alle though he was not slayne / for yet his wyll was for to deye for goddes sake Saynt Iohan baptyst is paynted in a Cameles skynne at the payntours wyll in token that his clothyng was full harde & sharpe made of Came­les here. He bereth a lombe w ^t a crosse in his lefte honde / & his fynger of the right honde there towarde in token that he shewed goddes lombe goddes sone y ^• deyed for vs on the crosse whā he sayd to the people. Ecce agnus deiecce qui tollit peccata mūdi. See goddes lombe / see hym that dothe awaye [Page] the synnes of the worlde. Saynt Ka­theryne is paynted with a whele in the one honde / in token of the horry­ble wheles whiche the tyraūt. Maxen cius ordeyned to rente her from lyth to lyth / but the angell destroyed them and many thousandes of hethen people / and so they dyde her none harme She hath a swerde in the other hon­de / in token that her hede was smy­ten of with a swerde for Crystus sa­ke. Saynt Margarete is paynted also with a dragon vnder her feet / & with a crosse in her honde / in token that whan the dragon deuoured her / she blessyd her / and by the vertue of the crosse the dragon braste / and she camout of hym in good helth and hole. And soo forthe of dyuerse ymages of other sayntes / whiche ymages be ma­de to represente to man the vertuous lyuynge of sayntes / & the holy endynge of theyr temporall lyfe.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. What betokeneth ymagerye in generall or comon. ¶Pauper. Comonly all the apostles ben paynted bare fote in to­ken of Innocencye & of penaūce. Ne­uertheles they wente not alwaye ful­ly bare fote / but somtyme with galo­ches / a sole byneth & a fastnynge aboue the fote / of whiche galoches saynt Beda sayth in his Orygynall. The angell spake to saynt Peter sayeng. Calciate caligas tuas. Do on thy galoches or sandalynes as sayth saynt Marke in his gospell. Also the apos­tles comonly and other sayntes ben paynted with manteles in token of the vertue and pouerte whiche they hadde. For as sayth saynt Gregorye. All these worldely goodes ben noughte ellys but a clothynge to the bodye. And a man tele is a louse clothynge not faste to the bodye but louse / and lyghtly may be done awaye. Right so the goodes of this worlde was but a mantell to y ^e apostles & other sayn­tes. For they were alwaye so louse frō theyr herte y ^t they gaaf no grete tale therof / nor to lese theym. They were not faste ne clyued not to them by no false couetyse / but alwaye they were redye to forsake all for Crystus sake. ¶Diues. What betokeneth the rounde thynges paynted on theyr hedes. ¶Pauper. The blysse that they ha­ue withouten ende. Of whiche y ^e pro­phete Ysaye speketh. Leticia sempiter na super capita eo (rum) Ysaye .li. ¶Di­ues. They were not so gay in clothynge as they ben paynted. ¶Pauper. That is soth. For many of them we­re clothed in full harde clothyng and poore as saynt Poule sayth. Circuie­runt in melotis in pellibus caprinis angustiati. They wente about in broken skynnes / in shynnes of gote ne­dy anguysshed. Neuerthelesse yma­ges standyng in chirches may be consydered in two maners / eyther as they represente the astate of sayntes of whom they be ymages as they ly­ued in this lyf / & so they be to be paynted in suche maner clothynge as tho sayntes vsed whyles they lyued here. Or ellys they may be consydered as they represente the astate of endelesse [Page] blysse in whiche sayntes be now / & so they be to be paynted ryaly & solempnely / as the cherubyns y ^t represented the angellys y ^t ben in heuen were made of golde. Exodi .xxv. Nathelesse in all suche paynture an honest meane neyther to costly bycause of this con­syderacōn / ne to vyle bycause of y ^e fourmer consyderacyon me thynketh is to be kepte.

Caplm .viij.

DIues. why ben angellys paȳ ted in lykenes of yonge men sythe they be spyrytes & haue no bodyes. ¶Pauper. Ther may no payntour paynte a spyryt in his kynde. And therfore to the better representacōn they be paynted in the lykenes of a man / whiche in soule is moost accordynge to angellys kynde. And though the angell is not suche bode­ly as he is paynted / he is neuertheles suche ghoostly / and hath suche doyn­ge & beyng spyrytuell. They be paynted lyke yong men berdlesse / in token y ^t they ben endlesse & elden not / ne fe­ble not / but alwaye in one lykyng / in one astate / alwaye myghty & stronge And also they be paȳted with crulled here / in token y ^t theyr thought & ther loue is sette alwaye in right ordre / & tourne alwaye vp ayen to god / than kynge hym & worshyppynge hym in all thyng. For by the here of the hede in holy wryte is vnderstonde thought and affeccōns of the herte. Also they ben paynted with stoles aboute theyr neckes / in token that they be alwaye redy to serue god & man atte goddes byddyng. And therfor they ben called Administratorij spūs. Ad Hebre .i.c. That is to saye / spyrytes of seruyce. For they serue to god / in rulynge of mankynde & gouernaūce of this worlde. They ben paȳted fethered & with wynges / in token of lyghtnesse & de­lyuerenesse in her werkes. For in a twynclynge of an eye they may be in heuen & in erthe / here & att Rome / & at Ihrusalē. They ben paynted with wheles vnð theyr fete in token y ^t they meue & rule y ^e roūde bodyes / the wheles & the cercles in heuen / & y ^e course of the planetes as y ^e phylosophre sayth / & also in token y ^t as the whele tour­neth alwaye aboute the centre & his myddes / so the angellys doyng is al­waye about god / & alwaye ben nygh hȳ where euer they be. Also somtyme they be paynted armed w ^t spere swerde & shelde / in token y ^t they be redy to defende vs fro y ^e fendes that ben besy nyght & daye to lese vs. For but yf holy angellys holpen vs & defende vs & kepte vs lettyng y ^e fendes malyce / we myght not withstōde ne be saued. And therfor right as euery man & woman hath a wycked angell assygned to hȳ by y ^e fende to tēpte hȳ. So hath he a good angell assygned to hȳ of god / to saue hym yf he wyll folowe his rule.

Caplm .ix.

DIues. Why ben the four euā gelystes paynted in suche dy­uerse lykenes sythen they we­re men all foure. ¶Pauper. For dy­uerse maner of wrytyng & techynge. Mathewe is paynted in lykenesse of [Page] a man. For he pryncypally wrote and taught the manhode of Cryste & tolde how he bycame man. And moost specyally and moost openly wrote his genologye. Saynt Iohan that wro­te. In principio erat verbū. Is payn­ted in lykenesse of an egle / whiche of all foules fleeth hyghest / & in syght is sharpest and may see ferthest. Soo saynt Iohan spake & wrote hyghest of the godhede / and hadde more In­syght & vnderstandynge in the god­hede than the other Euangelystes. Saynt Luke is paynted in the lyke­nesse of a calfe or an oxe / bycause that he speketh moost openly of the pas­syon of Cryste that was offred vp to the fader of heuen on the Aultre of the crosse on good frydaye / as the oxe or the calfe was offred on the Aul [...]e in the Temple by the lawe for saluacyon of the people / whiche offrynge was betokenyng of Crystus passyon And for y ^t saynt Luke speketh moost openly of Crystꝰ passyon / whiche was betokened by the sacrefyce of the oxe. Therfore he is paynted & presented by the lykenesse of an oxe. Saynt Marke is paynted in lykenesse of a lyon / bycause y ^t he speketh moost openly of Crystus resurreccōn / how he ro­se from deth to lyfe. For whan y ^e lyo­nesse hath whelped they leye .iij. dayes and .iij. nyghtes deed / tylle on y ^e thyr­de daye / the lyon theyr fader cometh & maketh an hydeous crye ouer them & anone with y ^t voys & crye they quycken & waken / & in y ^t maner ryse from deth to lyfe / & for this reason is saynt Marke presented by the lykenesse of a lyon / for he spake more openly of Crystus resurreccōn. And therfore his gospell is rede on esterdaye. Also y ^u shalt vnderstande that Cryste was god & man / & preest & kyng. Mathewe spake moost openly of his māhode / & be­gan at his manhode / & therfore he is paynted in the lykenesse of a man. Saynt Iohn̄ spake moost of his god hode / & began atte his godhode. And therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an egle as I sayd fyrste. Saynt Luke spake moost of his preesthode / and therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an oxe or of a calfe. For that was the pryncypall sacrefyce that the prestes by the olde lawe offred in tō the Temple. Saynt Marke spake moost of his kyngdom / shewyng hym kyng of all thyng. And therfore he is paynte [...] in the lykenesse of a lyon / that is kyng of vnresonable bestes ¶Diues Why ben they so paynted in the four endes of the crosse ¶Pauper. In token that he that deyed on the crosse is kyng of all thynge. For the Egle is kyng of all foules. The Lyon is kyng of all wylde bestes vnresona­ble. The oxe is kyng of all tame bestes helpynge to mankynde. Man is kyng of all bestes and of all vysyble creatures that were made for hym. But Cryste is kyng of all thynge vysyble and Inuysyble. And in token therof / the four Euangelystes ben paynted aboute hym on the crosse in dyuerse lykenesse of four dyuerse kynges / in kynde as four kynges heraw­des blasynge his armes / & the grete batayle & vyctory that he dyde ayenst [Page] the fende for mākynde vpon the crosse. ¶Diues. why ben they paynted in houses in foure partyes of the house. ¶Pauper. For the same cause & for deuocōn & for knowlechynge of his hyghe lordshypp that all we haue of hym / and ayenst tempestes & wycked spyrytes that free the euāgelystes ben sette in maner of a crosse / & ben asha­med & abasshed of the crosse / & specy­ally of Crystus passyon / by the whi­che they were all dysconfyted.

Caplm .x.

DIues. Why ben ymages co­uered in Lenten from mānes syght. ¶Pauper. In token that whyle men ben in dedely synne / they may not see goddes face ne sayntes in heuen. And in tokenyng y ^t god & all the courte of heuen hyde theyr face from man & womā whyles they be in dedely synne / tyll the tyme that they wyll amende them by sorowe of herte & shryfte & satysfaccōn. ¶Di­ues. why ben they more hyd in lenten than in other tyme. ¶Pauper. The tyme of lente betokeneth the tyme of Adams synne / for the whiche we lost the syght of goddes face / & god & the courte of heuen hyd theyr faces from mankynde vnto the tyme of Crystus passyon. And in token therof dn̄ica in septuagesima whan holy chirche be­gynneth to make mynde of Adams synne / he leueth songes of myrthe / as Glia in excelsis. Te deū. & Alla. For thorugh the synne of Adam our Ioye was torned in to sorowe & wo. ¶Di­ues. I holde it well done to hyde ymages in lenten to lette men from ydo­latrye. Nathelesse ymages of comon offrynge ben selden hyd in lenten for lettynḡe of lucre. ¶Pauper. Saynt Poule sayth that couetyse & namely of prestes is cause of moche ydolatry. Auaricia est ydolo (rum) seruitꝰ. Coloc. iij. For were not couetyse tho ymages sholde be sette as lytyll by as other & as soone couered & hyde. ¶Diues. I suppose that sayntes in erthe were not arrayed so gaye with shone of syluer & with clothes of broodery rynges & broches & other Iewellys as ymages be now. And somtyme y ^u saydest that by the fete is vnderstonden mannes loue & his affeccyon. And therfor me thynketh y ^t the fete so shode in syluer shewed that the loue & the affeccōn of prestes is moche sett in golde & syluer & erthely couetyse. For suche richesses of clothynge of the ymages is but a tollynge of more offrynge / & a token to the lewde people where they sholde offre & what / for they had leuer a broche or a rynge of syluer or of golde / than a peny or a halfe peny / though the broche or the rynge be but of easy pryce. And comonly they shoe none ymages ne clothe them so richely / but yf they erne fyrste theyr shone & theyr clothes / but yf it be to tolle folke to offrynge. ¶Pauper. Leue this mater for it is odyouse to y ^• coueytouse pres­tes that wynne grete richesse by suche ymages. And therfore lete suche wordes passe at this tyme & speke we so­me thynge ellys more to purpose.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. Cryste sayth in the gospell. Dominū deum tuum adorabis. et ei solt seruies. Mathey .iiij. Thou shalte worshyppe thy lorde god / and serue hym allone / And it is of the fyrste cōmaūdemen­te as holy wryte sheweth well Deut sexto. How myght I kepe this that I sholde noo thynge worshypp ne ser­ue but god. I muste also worshyppe my kyng / my prelate / my soueraynes and serue theym as myn astate axeth and doo to them my deutees / homa­ge / & [...]ewtee. And saynt Poule sayth. Per caritatē seruite inuicem. Ad Gala .v. Serue ye togydre eche man to other by charyte. And Saynt Peter sayth. Serui subditi. estote dn̄is ves­tris. non tantum bonis et modestis. sed eciam discolis. Ye seruauntes be ye subgett to your lordes / not only to the good and to the meke / but also to the tyrauntes. And in the same place he byddeth vs worshyppe alle men. He byddeth vs also drede our god and worshyppe our kyng. ¶Pauper. As clerkes saye / ther is two maner of seruyce and of worshyp. One that lon­geth oonly to god and to noo creatu­re / and is called Latria in latyn / that is to saxe dyuyne seruyce and dyuy­ne worshyppe / for it longeth oonly to god. An other is a seruyce & a worshyp comon to god & to creatures re­sonable & vnderstandynge / that is to saye to man woman & angell / and is called Dulia in latyn. The fyrste seruyce & worshyp that is called Latria. dyuyne seruyce longeth oonly to god And in this maner seruyce speketh Cryste whanne he sayth tho wordes. Dominū deum tuum & [...]. Thou shalt worshyppe thy lorde god & serue hym allone with dyuyne seruyce and dy­uyne worshyppe. That is to saye / thou shalt doo noo Latriam / noo dy­uyne worshypp / ne dyuyne seruyce to no creature / but only to god. And therfore who soo doth ony dyuyne seruyce that is called Latria. to ony creature to ony ymage or to ony fourme or fy­gure / he doth ydolatrye. For Ydolum in latyn is called a fourme and an ymage in Englysshe. And therfore who soo doth dyuyne worshypp that is called Latria / to ony ymage he doth ydolatrye. ¶Diues. What cal­lest thou proprely Latriam / dyuyne worshyppe and seruyce that longeth oonly to god. ¶Pauper. As sayth a grete clerke Antisidorenlis in sūma sua libro .iij. Latria is a protestacyon & knowlechyng of the hygh mayeste of god that he is souerayne goodnesse souerayne wysedom / souerayne my­ghte / souerayne trouth / souerayne lar­genesse / shaper & sauer of all creatu­res / & ende of euery thynge / & all that we haue we haue of hym / & without hym we haue right nought / & nought may haue ne doo without hym / nor we ne none other creature. This knowlechynge & protestacyon is done in thre maners / by herte / by speche / & by dede. By herte that we loue hym as souerayne goodnesse / & loue hym as souerayne wysdom & souerayne trou­the y ^t may not disceyue ne be disceyued & hope & truste in hym as in souerayne myght that may best helpe at n [...]de [Page] and as souerayne largenesse & lorde that may beste yelde vs our mede / & as souorayne sauyour moost mercy­full & moost redye to forgyue vs our mysdede / by mouth & speche this knowlechyng & this seruyce is done / whā we swere by his name worshypfully & truly in thyng of charge & fle ydell othes / foule othes / false othes / & in our speche do worshyp to his holy name / & swere not by creatures / but only by his holy name. For he sayth in y ^• go­spell. Reddes domino iuramenta tua Thou shalt yelde thyn othes to thy lorde god & to no creature. Also it is done by vowes makyng / for it is not lawfull to make auowe to ony crea­ture. And therfore he sayth. Reddes dn̄o vota tua. Thou shalt also yelde thyn auowes to thy lorde god / and to no creature. And the prophete sayth. Vouete et reddite domino deo vestro. Make ye vowes / and yelde ye your vowes to your lorde god / and not to the ymages stockes ne stones Also it is done with prayer and praysyng of the mouthe. For we muste praye hym and prayse hym as souerayne myght souerayne wysdome / souerayne goodnesse / souerayne trouth / as all right­full and mercyfull / as shaper and sauer of all thyng / and lorde of all and souerayne helpe in euery nede. And in this maner may we not praye ne prayse ony creature. And therfore they y ^t make theyr prayers and theyr prasynges byfore the ymages / & saye theyr Pater noster / & theyr Aue maria / and other prayers & praysynges / vsed co­monly of holy chirche / or ony suche other / yf they do it to the ymage / and speke to the ymage they do open ydolatrye. And they be not excused all yf they vnderstande not what they saye. For theyr syght and theyr other wyt­tes and theyr Inner wytte also / she­weth well ther ought no suche pray­ers praysynges ne worshyppe for to be done to none suche ymages. For they may not here them / ne see them ne helpe them at a nede.

Caplm .xij.

ALso this protestacōn & know­lechynge is done by dede / as by offrynge / & sacrefyce ma­kynge whiche longeth oonly to god. For what man offreth or maketh sa­crefyce / he knowlecheth hym gyuer of grace / & maker of holynesse / sauyour and forgyuer of synne / and this may no creature do. Also it is sheweth by tokens of the bodye / as by knelynge / bowyng / lyftyng vp of hondes / by bū chyng of the brest / the whiche tokens may be done both to god and to resonable creatures / but otherwyse to god than to resonable creatures. For as sayth a clerke Ricardus de media villa suꝑ terciū sentencia (rum) dist .ix. q̄one vltima. Whan we knele to god / in y ^• we knowlege that we may not stan­de in vertue / in goodnesse / ne in wele but oonly by hym. Whan we falle al downe to the groūde to god / we kno­wlege that but he helde vs & kepte vs we sholde falle all to nought / & whan we holde vp our handes to hym / we knowleche that we may right noughte do without hym / & that we be alle [Page] in his power / and that he may doo without vs what he wyll / and so we put vs only in his grace. Also by that we knowleche that all that we haue of ony goodnesse / we take it of his honde & of his gyfte. Whan we bun­che our brestes / we knowleche vs gylty ayenst hym in herte and in dede. And that we haue done moche syn­ne whiche oonly god knoweth. For oonly he knoweth mannes herte and mannes wyll. Also we bunche our selfe on the breste in token of sorowe of herte for our mysdedes / and that we repente vs sore of our mysdedes. These tokens of reuerence be done also to resonable creatures / as to the angell / man and woman / but not in this maner. For whan we knele or bowe vs / or falle downe to the groūde / or hol­de vp our hondes to ony creature / we knowleche that ther is some soueraynte & some vertue in hym that we knele to / wherby he may helpe vs / not as pryncypall helper / but as seconda­rye with the helpe of god. And ther­fore these dedes of worshyp and reue­rence sholde not be done to ymages / stockes / or stones / ne to none suche o­ther. For they haue none suche vertue ne soueraynte aboue man ne woman nother right nought may helpe them at theyr nede / neyther them selfe also So that these dedes of reuerence pryncypally ought to be done to god / secō darye to angell man or woman / but in noo wyse to none other vnresona­ble creatures / ne to none suche yma­ges. And as sayth a grete clerke doc­tor Halis in sūma sua. To god men sholde knele with bothe the knees / in token that in hym is all our pryncy­pale helpe / but to man oonly with the one knee. Soo my frende ye shall vnderstande that the worshypp whiche is called Latria. shall be done oonly to god. The worshypp that is called Dulia. is comon both to god & man For we sholde worshyp man woman and angell / not for theym selfe / but pryncypally for god / for that they ben made to goddes ymage / for they ben goddes seruaūtes and goddes mynystres. For ther is no lorde / ne tyraunt / ne prelate / man nor woman so wyc­ked / but that he serued god in some thynge. And also though he be now wycked / we wote not how soone that he shall amende hym & be onr broder in to the blysse of heuen. As Saynt Austyn sayth vpon the saultre. But to the fende sholde we doo noo wor­shyppe / for he is dampned withoute an ende / and ther is noo hope of his saluacyon.

Caplm .xiij.

WE sholde worshyp man and womā / for he is made to the lykenesse of god / for his offy­ce / for the worshyppe of god / and des­pyse his synne. And therfore Saynt Peter sayth. Omnes honorate. Wor­shyppe ye all men and wymen. Honore inuicem preuenientes. Be ye besy / who soo may euery man worshyppe other. ¶Diues. Me meruaylleth mo­che why men be so besy to do the people worshyp or ymages. ¶Pauper. Couetyse of men of holy chirche and [Page] lewdenesse both of theym and of the people ben cause of suche ydolatrye. ¶Diues. I haue herde saye that many grete clerkes holden therwith / & saye that men sholde worshyp yma­ges. ¶Pauper. Worshypp is a large worde & comon to dyuyne worshypp and seruyce that is called Latria. and to worshyppe that is called Dulia. whiche longeth proprely to speke on­ly to resonable creatures. For as sayth the phylosophre quarto Ethicorum. Worshyppe is mede of vertue / and it ought not for to be done to ony creature / but that the creature haue some goodnesse of vertue morall / & of gra­ce / or ellys some offyce to lede and to brynge folke to morall vertue. ¶Di­ues. Than to the ymage stocke or stone / golde or syluer / longeth none suche worshyppe. For whan that it is so se­re & so drye and worme eten / it hath noo vertue att all / but for to brenne sooner in the fyre than a grene tree. But whan that it wext vpon the er­the / it had bertue to wexe and sprynge and to brynge forth grene leues & floures to conforte of mānes eye and fruyt to helpe of man & beest. And yet wyll noo man worshypp suche grene trees ne precyous stones ne herbys all yf they haue grete vertues and won­derfull / for they haue noo vertue mo­rall. Moche more men sholde not worshyppe se [...]e drye & worme eten trees / that haue noo vertue atte all. Saye forth what thou wylt. ¶Pauper. Also worshypp is called veneracōn that standeth in honest & syker kepyng / honeste handelynge / clene dyghtyng / in standyng / in syttynge / in place settynge. And this maner of worshypp may be done and ought to be done to eue­ry holy thynge that longeth to god & to holy chirche / as booke chalyce ves­tyment belles and ymages / in as moche as the be ournaments of holy chirche / and the lewde mennes booke But this worshyppe and veneracyon is no seruyce ne subgeccyon of hym y ^t doth it to thyng y ^t he doth it to / but it sheweth subgeccyon & seruyce of the thynges soo worshypped to hym that putteth it so in worshyppe / so kepeth it and so saued it. And in this maner the lawe called ymages venerable & worshypfull / for ther sholde no man despyse them ne defoule them / brenne them ne breke them. De consecracōe. dis. iij. Venerabiles. And for this ma­ner of veneracōn and worshyp sayth the lawe in the same place / and some doctours / that ymages booke or vestymente and chalyce may be worshyp­ped with Dulia. But they take that Dulia full largely / and full vnpro­prely. For suche worshyppe and vene­racyon is no seruyce ne subgeccyon as I sayd byfore. And proprely to speke Dulia is a worshyp that longeth on­ly to god and to resonable creatures. And pryncypally and excellently to our lady saynt Mary / & to the man­hode of Cryste / whiche worshyppe is called Yꝑdulia. proprely sayd. Also to the crosse that Cryste deyed vpon / yf that men hadde it as clerkes saye longeth Yperdulia. For all thynges that lacked lyfe / the crosse of Cryste ought moost to be worshyped / & be in moost [Page] veneracōn & reuerence. But that veneracyon is called yꝑdulia. vnproprely. Also frendes ther is worshyp that the subgette doth to his souerayne / know lechyng hym his souerayne by worde or by token / as by knelyng bowynge & suche other / & this maner worshyp is called proprely adoracyon. Other worshyp y ^t is called honoracōn / & ve­neracōn is cōuenyent bothe to the so­uerayne & to the subgette. For a lorde honoureth his seruaunt by gyftes / by promocōns in offyce & dygnyte. Also a lord worshypeth a poore man whā he setteth hȳ at his owne table / or a­boue other that ben of hygher degree than he / & yet he adoureth hym not / ne doth hym y ^e worshyp of adoracōn Nathelesse adoracōn is taken somty­me full vnproprely for comon hono­racōn & veneracōn. And for as moche as all these maners of worshyp so dyuerse ben called w ^t one name of worshyp in Englysshe tonge / & ofte y ^• la­tyn of worshyp is taken & vsed vnproprely & to comonly / therfore men fall in moche doubte & errour in redyng & not well vnderstande what they rede.

Caplm .xiiij.

DIues. This dystynccōn & declaracōn of worshypyng how it is taken & vsed in dyuerse maner / & how it is called w ^t one na­me in Englysshe / hath auoyded ma­ny argumentes & reasons whiche I thought to haue made ayenst the. I am out of doubte. I can answere ther to my selfe by thy declaracyon. But two thynges as me thynketh y ^u saydest not all trouth. ¶Pauper. Whiche be tho. ¶Diues. Thou saydest that men sholde not offre but only to god ne knele on bothe knees but oonly to god. And we see att our eye that men offre to the preest in the chirche & knele on both knees to the preest in shryfte. ¶Pauper. Men offre not the prest but oonly to god as I sayd fyrste by the hondes of the preest / for the preest is goddes mynystre ordeyned to res­ceyue thynges that ben offred to god as tythes & deuocyons & lyue therby honestly & to spende the remenaūt to nedy folke & to worshyp of god & the helpe of holy chirche. Ne men knele not in that maner to the preest / but to god byfore the preest for the reue­rence of god & of the sacramentes of holy chirche. But whan man kneled to temporall lordes prelates or prestes or ony other persone / for reuerence of his persone or of his dygnyte / he sholde knele oonly with that one knee. But as sayth Saynt Austyn de ciui­tate dei libro decimo capitulo quinto. By flaterye and ouerlowenesse of the people and ambycyon of the soueray­nes many worshyppes that longeth somtyme to god allone / ben now vsed in the worshyppynge of synfull man and woman. And though it be also do to man or to woman for the wor­shyppe of god as I sayd fyrste / it is suffrable and suffycyent.

Caplm .xv.

DIues. Thuryfycacyon & en­censyng was by olde tyme an hyghe dyuyne worshypp also [Page] And many sayntes were putte to the deth bycause they wolde not encense ymages stockes ne stones. But now clerkes encense ymages & other / prce­stes & clerkes and lewde people olso. And so as me thynketh they do ydolatrye. ¶Pauper. In euery lawe thu­ryfycacōn or encensynge hath ben an hygh dyuyne worshyp that ought not to be done to ony creature by waye of offrynge. Neuerthelesse it may be do­ne in two maners. Fyrste by waye of offrynge with conuenyent betokenynge / & so it may be done to ony creature. For in this maner it oweth not to be done but oonly of a preest & at an aultre halowed or with a superaltare halowed / soo that prestes lefully may saye there theyr masse. For by the en­censour is vnderstande mannes herte by the encense holy prayers / by the fyre charyte. And so suche encensyng & thuryfycacyon betokeneth that right as the preest offreth vp in the encen­sour encense / swete smellynge by hete of the fyre. So the preest & the people by the preest offren vp her hertes to god and her prayers quyckned by the fyre of charyte. And praye that theyr bedes and theyr prayers and deuocy­ons may be pleasaūt to hym for that endelesse charyte that he shewed to mankynde / whan he deyed for vs all vpon the crosse / whiche charyte is presented in the sacramente of the aultre For all the masse syngynge is a spe­cyall mynde makyng of Crystus passyon. And right as Cryste was mea­ne in his passyon bytwene god and mankynde. Soo is the preest in his masse saynge / and sacrefyce makyn­ge and offrynge & encensynge mea­ne bytwene god and the people. And therfore oonly a preeste sholde encen­se atte the aultre and with halowed encense / and with holy prayer sayen­ge in this wyse for hym selfe and for the people. Dirigatur oracio measicut incensum in conspectu tuo. Lor­de make my prayers goo right vp in thy syght as encense. Also thuryfyca­cyon or encense may be done only for sterynge of deuocyon and for toke­nynge. And soo it may be done to the clergye and to the people / in token that as the encense by hete of the fy­re smelleth swete / and also styeth vp to heuenwarde. Soo sholde they lyf­te vp theyr hertes with deuocōn / and make theyr prayers in charyte that they myght be pleasaunte to god. For but yf the preeste and the people ben in charyte / otherwyse theyr prayers pleaseth not god / neyther gooth not vp to god as it sholde ellys doo / and therfore is noo man worthy for to be encensed but yf he be in charyte. And whan the clergye in the quere or the people is encensed / they sholde bowe them lowe for the reuerence of god / & take it not as for worshyp done to hȳ but as sterynge to deuocōn / & as a token what deuocōn they sholde she we to god / & by bowynge them shewe lo­wenesse of deuocōn y ^t it stereth them to. For without deuocōn and lownes­se of herte our prayers gone not vp to god. But as sayth the wyse man. The prayer of hȳ that loweth hȳ in his prayer thyrleth the clowdes. The [Page] myssalle & the gospell is encensed in token that the prayers wryten therin prouffyte lytyll or nought / but yf they be made with deuocyon & in charyte And ther sholde noo man preche the gospell / but with deuocyon and for charyte / and all his spede and all his prouffyte referre vp to god / and all his prayers put in his wyll. Atte bu­ryeng of people men encense the deed bodyes / in token y ^t he deyed in chary­te / & in his deyeng he had his herte vp to god / by hope fayth charyte & deuocōn / for ellys he is not worthy to be buryed in crysten buryelles. Also in token that he shall quycken ayen & ryse vp from deth to lyfe atte daye of do­me & go vp to heuen for his charyte whiche he had by his lyfe as the en­cense styed vp by the hete of the fyre / And for the same cause is the graue encensed / in token that he shall awa­ke & ryse from deth to lyfe. Also the bodye & the graue ben encensed / in token y ^t it is pleasaūt to god y ^t holy chirche prayed for hym. But this maner of encensynge done to the clergye to the people to the deed bodyes & to the graue sholde be done with encense not halowed ne blyssed / for it is none of­frynge. And as touchynge encensyn­ge / done in the presence of ymages / as it semeth to me it is not done pro­prely to the ymages / but byfore the ymages in dyuerse sygnyfycacyons or tokenynges. For whan encensyng is done byfore a paynted ymage y ^t representeth Cryste whiche is very god & man. It semeth to me y ^• the encen­synge sygnefyed y ^t all deuocōn & cha­rytable prayer whiche is bitokened by encense / sholde pryncypally stye vp to god / & whan encensyng is done byfore ony ymage of our lady or of other sayntes / it may sygnefye y ^t the pray­ers of sayntes whiche praye for vs wretches in erthe stye vp by theyr grete charyte vnto the mayeste of god. ¶Diues. Syth encensyng is not do­ne to the people by waye of worshyp­pyng / why encense they fyrste the so­ueraynes more thanne the subgettes. ¶Pauper. For in all thyng muste be kepte ordre in doynge. And also in token that as they ben pryncypal in state & dygnyte / so sholde they be pryncypall in deuocyon & charyte / and gyue other good ensample.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. Why worshyp we god and praye to hym more in the eest than in to the weste / southe / and northe. ¶Pauper. Eest and Weste Southe and Northe / and ouer all it is lewfull and medefull to worshyp god as hym y ^t is ouer all lorde of all thynge. But for to drawe crysten people to one maner doyng / & to flee dyfformyte. Therfor holy chirche hath ordeyned y ^t men sholde in chirche & other places yf it may be welldone / worshyp god praye hym & prayse hym in the Eest / as the lawe she­weth well. Distinct xi. ecclesiastica (rum). And that for dyuerse causes. Fyrst for Cryste deyed vpon the crosse in to the weste / & therfor in our prayer we sholde tourne vs in to the eest to see how Cryste for vs henge vpon y ^• tree / & for [Page] to haue an eye to his passyon / & wor­shyp hym that deyed for vs all vpon the tree. Also to lette the people to sue the Iewes in maner of worshyppyng For atte goddes ordenaūce they wor­shyped westwarde in token that theyr lawe & theyr maner worshyppynge in theyr cerymonyes sholde soone passe and go downe & make an ende as the daye endeth & passeth awaye in to the weste. And also in token that for ony worshypp or praysynge or for prayer that they dyde / yet they sholde go downe to helle / tyll the newe lawe came whan Cryste deyed for vs alle. And for the same reason Cryst deyed westwarde / and in his deyeng sayd. Consūmatum est. That is to saye. It is ended. For in his deth the olde tes­tamente ended & wente downe as the sonne / and the daye gooth downe in the weste. And therfore we crysten people worshyp in to the eest / by techyng of the holy ghoost / in token that our lawe shall sprynge and sprede as the daye comynge as the sonne ryseth & spryngeth out of the cest / and as all the sterres ben moost bryghtest in the eest / and whan they go in to the weste all they begynne to waxe dymme & derke / so was the olde lawe full dym me and full derke. But the newe la­we is open bryght and clere. Also we worshyp Cryste moost in the eest / for he was moost despysed in the Eest / whan he on a good frydaye henge on the crosse tourned in to y ^• weste / whan the Iewes stode byfore hym & passed byfore hym with many scornes & de­spytouse wordes / with mowes / & ma­ny a Iape they sayd. Vach q ^• destruis templum dei. Tprut for the that de­stroyed goddes Temple. And for he was moost despysed in the eest of the Iewes and hethen people. Therfore crysten people worshyppe hym moost agayne in to the eest. And for he was moost despysed for vs on y ^• good fry­daye / therfore we worshyp hȳ moost on the good frydaye. And in this maner as moche as we may / we tourne all his despyte in to worshyp of hym Also we worshyp god in y ^• eest in tokē y ^t righ as the sonne ryseth vp in y ^• eest so we byleue that Cryst rose vp from deth to lyfe / and in that we worshyp hym as hym that rose from deth to lyfe / & shall lyue without ende. Also in token that we longe to come ayen to the blysse of paradyse y ^t we loste in the eest / & praye god y ^t we may with his mercy come ayen therto ¶Diues These reasons ben good. But why were than the .xxv. men blamed of god / for they worshyped eestwarde at the rysyng of the sonne / as we fynde Ezechiel .viij. ¶Pauper. Not for y ^t they worshypped god eestwarde. For Danyell & many other worshypped god eestwarde / west / south / & north / as he is worthy for to be worshyped ouer all. A solis ortu vs (que) ad occasum laudabile nomē dn̄i. From the sonne vp rysyng vnto y ^e goyng downe goddes name is praysable & worshyfull. But they were blamed for they worshyp­ped the sonne in his rysyng / & dyde dyuyne worshyppe therto in despyte of goddes Temple & of goddes lawe as many fooles yet do now a dayes worshyppynge [Page] the sonne in his rysynge / & y ^• newe mone in his fyrst shewyng ¶Diues. They worshyp hym y ^t ma­de the sonne & the mone. ¶Pauper. Yf they do so they do well / but I dre­de they do not all so. And as sayth a grete clerke Leo the pope in a sermon for asmoche as it hath a lykenesse of ydolatrye & custome of hethen people men sholde absteyne theym therfro. For the people is ful moche enclyned to folye & to ydolatrye.

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. That is soth. For the­se dayes men doo worshyp to the sonne / mone / & sterres / y ^• for to worshyp the sterres & the planetes / & the crafte of astronomye / they wyll putte out god of his maysterye / out of his kyngdom & his lordshyp / and out of his fredom / & make hym more boūde to sterres / than euer was ony kynge or ony lorde / or ony man vpon erthe. They wyll be of goddes pryue coūseyll wyll god or not / and rule his domes / his dedes / his werkes & all by theyr wyttes & by the course of the planetes / in somoche y ^t as they saye ther shall no man ne woman be hole ne seke / foule ne fayre / riche ne poore / wyse ne foole / good ne wycked / but by the werkyng of the bodyes a­boue & by theyr wyttes soo that they can telle it afore. Ther shall falle no myschyef ne welthe neyther to perso­ne ne to comunyte / but by her wyttes & by y ^• course of planetes. None hun­gre morayne ne tempeste / no sekenes­se / [...]oo warre shall falle but by theyr wyttes & by the werkynge of the bo­dyes aboue. For as they saye / the bo­dyes aboue rule all thyng here byne­the. And thus they wyl make god more thralle & of lesse power than ony kyng or lord vpon erthe. For why our lyege lorde the kyng god saue his lyf hath power & fredom of a page for to make a yoman / of a yoman a gentylman / of a gentylman a knyght / of a poore man a grete lorde without le­ue or helpe of the planetes. And yf a man trespasse ayenst hym & be taken with treasone / he is of power to doo hym to be hanged & drawen / & to take from hym & his heyres the herytage & make hym full poore. And he is of power to make his true lyegeman riche though he be right poore. This fredom & this powir hath our lyege lorde our kyng / where soo the plane­tes ben / or in what sygne / in what re­specte / or in what constellacōn or con­iunccyon / our kyng may doo all this & axe the planetes no leue / they may not lette hym / ne all the astronomers with all theyr calculacōn though they watche & stare after the sterres / tylle they lese theyr hedes may not let hȳ / ne saue oo mānes lyfe that the kyng wyll haue deed. Moche more than the kyng of heuen y ^t made sonne & mone & sterres & all thyng of nought & ru­leth gydeth & weldeth al thyng at his wyll may make riche & poore / fayre & foule / hole & seke / wyse & foole / good or wycked whom he lyketh without ony helpe of the planetes. And yf ony persone or comunyte trespasse ayenst hym / he may chastyse hym by hungre [Page] by moreyne / by sekenesse / by tempest / by swerde / by pouerte / by losse of catel & what wyse he wyll / and he may rewarde his true seruaūtes as hȳ lykith both in this worlde & in y ^• other worlde axinge the planetes no leue, ne coū seyle of astronomers.

Caplm .xviij.

PAuper. As we fynde in holy wryte. Gen̄. i.c. At the begȳ nyng of y ^e worlde whan god made all thyng of nought / the fourth daye he made sonne & mone & sterres & sette them in y ^e fyrmament to gyue lyght to the creatures here byneth / y ^t the sonne pryncypally sholde shyne & gyue lyght by daye / mone & sterres by nyght More ouer as sayth y ^e boke he made them & ordeyned them for to parte the daye from y ^e nyght / & they sholde be in tokenes & tymes dayes & yeres / y ^t by the tokens of y ^• bodyes aboue men sholde knowe y ^• daye from y ^e nyght / & one daye from an other / & wyte what daye it were & what tyme of y ^• daye / what nyght & what tyme of the nyght / what yere & what tyme of y ^• yere / what moneth & what tyme of the moneth. Also god ordeyned thē & made them y ^t by the tokens & by y ^• bodyes aboue men sholde knowe whā it were tyme to slepe & tyme to wake tyme to trauayle & tyme to reste / ty­me to halowe & tyme to labour / tyme to ete & tyme to faste / tyme to sette & tyme to sowe / tyme to ere tyme to re­pe & to mowe. And therfore Salomō sayth Ecclïastes .iij. That all thyng hath his tyme. & all thyng vnder he­uen passeth awaye by space of tyme. And so god made the fyrmament a­boue with bryght bodyes y ^t ben therin to serue mankynde / & other creatures also of lyght & tyme. Of lyght as a lanterne that may not be quenched. Of tyme as an orloge that may not fayle. God made hem to serue man and not man to serue them. He made them for man / & not man for them. He made them not to gouerne mam / but he gaaf man & woman wytte & dyscrecōn to gouerne them selfe with his grace by the lyght and wyssynge of tyme / whiche he hath of the body­es aboue / that by theyr lyght they may see to werke / and by theyr sty­rynge and by theyr course they may wyte whan it is tyme for to werke. And therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. q̄. quinto. Non licet in glosa. That the bodyes aboue ben tokens & not cau­ses of thynges here byneth. And as a lampe or an orloge ben necessarye to relygyouses by nyght where by they may ryse and rule them selfe in god­des seruyce / so serue the bodyes aboue to mankynde / that we may haue of them bodely lyght / and by theyr mo­uynge knowe our tyme for to serue our god eche man & woman in his degree. And as the lampe & y ^e orloge in the dortour rule not the relygyouses / but the relygyouses rule them by the lampe & by the orloge / & in cytees & townes men rule them by the clocke / & yet proprely to speke / the clocke ru­leth not them / but a man ruleth the clocke. Right so man & woman / beest & byrdes & other creatures rule them [Page] selfe by the bodyes aboue / & the bodyes aboue rule not theym. And therfor they sholde not be called gouernours of this worlde / for they gouerne not this worlde / they be nought ellys but Instrumentes of goddes gouernaūce For it fareth by god & the bodyes aboue / as it doth by the smyth & his grȳ dynge stone / by the wryght & his axe by the orloger & his orloge▪ ¶Diues. I praye y ^• shewe me well this. ¶Pauper. Thou seest atte thyn eye y ^t whan the smyth gryndeth a knyfe or an are or a swerde on his stone / y ^e stone doth nought but gooth about in one cour­se. And as the smyth that sytteth aboue wyll dyspose & holde / so gryndeth the stone. Yf he wyll grynde sharpe it shall grynde sharpe / yf he wyll grynde blunte and playne / it shall grynde blunte & playne / right as he wyll y ^t it grynde / so it gryndeth. Yf he take a­waye the knyfe axe or swerde / the stone gryndeth right nought / and yet it gooth about the same course as it dyde byfore. Right so it is of god & the bodyes aboue. For the planetes & the bodyes aboue gone alwaye about in one course certayne / in whiche god or deyned theym at y ^• begynnyng of the worlde / whiche course they shall kepe vnto the dome. And as god wyll that they worche / soo shall they werke / yf god wyll that they grynde sharpe / & cause mo reyne / sekenes / & tempestes hungre & warre / & suche other they shall do so / yf he wyll that they grynde playne & smothe & cause helthe of bodye / fayre weder & holsome / plente of corne & vytayles / peas & reste / they shall doo so. Right as god wyll what that they worche so they shall werke. So that god may do with the planetes what he wyll / & he may do with­out the planetes what he wyll. In what sygne / in what constellacōn / coniunccōn / or respecte that they be / they be alwaye redy to fulfyll the wyll of god.

Caplm .xix.

DIues. Sythen god may doo with the bodyes aboue what he wyll & whan he wyll / and sythen god is so free in his doynge / & not arted by the planetes ne by none other creature / how sholde ony man knowe goddes domes by the course of y ^• planetes / or deme therby / or telle what god wyll do in tyme comynge / or dyuyne of thynges that be to come ¶Pauper. Thou mayst not knowe by the axe what the wryght wyll worche ne whan. Ne thou mayst not knowe by the orloge what tyme the orlo­ger wyll sett it ne knowe the orlogers wyll. Ne thou mayst not knowe by the gryndstone what the smyth wyll grynde / ne what maner / ne whan. ¶Diues. It is soth ¶Pauper. No more maye we knowe by the bodyes aboue / ne by the course of the planet [...] what god wyll doo / ne what he wyll ordeyne of man or of woman / or of ony comunyte / londe / royalme / contre or cyte / for the planetes & the bodyes aboue be nought ellys but goddes Instrumentes / & the course of the planetes is not chaungeable ne varyable / but it is putte in certayne meouynge [Page] and steryng whiche they may not fleene chaunge / for they haue no free eleccyon in theyr doynge. But god is so­uerayne Iuge / moost rightfull / moost mercyfull / moost free to punysshe and to spare. For he is moost of myght / and no thynge may hym withstande and therfore his domes and his wer­kes be not neded ne arted by the pla­netes / but after y ^t men chaūge theyr lyuynge so chaūgeth he his domes to punysshe or spare / to wele or to wo / to heuen or to helle. He demed the synful cyte of Nynyue bycause of synne to be destroyed within .xl. dayes / but whan they repented theym & amen­ded theym & cryed after mercye / he chaūged his dome & spared the cyte / & destroyed it not as telleth Ionas the prophete / & yet the planetes chaū ­ged not her course for none amende­ment of the people. Also we fynde in holy wryte the .iiij. boke of the kyn­ges that god sende the ꝓphete Ysaye to the kyng Ezechie whan he hadde synned & badde hym made his testa­mente for he sholde deye & no lenger lyue. Anone the kyng repented hym & wepte full sore & axed mercy. And anone god badde the prophete Ysaye that yet was in the kynges halle to go ayen to the kyng & saye to hym y ^t god had accepted the repentaūce and herde his prayer / & that he sholde not deye than / but he sholde lyue .xv. yere lenger. Loo my frende how soone the dome of god was chaūged all to mercy. And though the planetes yet that tyme kepte forth theyr course / they chaunged not for all the kynges we­pynge. ¶Diues. Anone after the son­ne chaūged his course & tourned ayen in to the eest and began a newe daye. ¶Pauper. The tournynge ayen of the sonne was not cause of the mercy of god / ne of chaūgyng of domes / for god chaūged his dome byfore or the sonne tourned ayen. So the tournyng ayen of the sonne was not ellys but a token of mercy to y ^e kyng Ezechie & to all synfull wretches that wolde amende them. For right as the sonne chaūged his course after y ^• repentaū ­ce of the kyng. Right so god chaūged his sentence anone as man or womā repenteth hym of his synne and is in wyll to amende hym Therfore sayth the lawe De penitē. di.i. sufficiat. Nouit deus mutare sentenciā. si tu noue­ris emendare delictū. God can chaū ­ge his sentence & his dome anone as y ^• canste amende thy trespasse. Also it was a token to the kyng that goddes byhest to him sholde be fulfylled. But all the astronomers y ^t euer were coude not tell byfore of y ^t wonderfull token of the sonne / for it was all ayenst the comon course of kynde / & that & suche other shewe well that god is not ruled by the course of the planetes / but that god ruled the planetes & not the pla­netes hym / ne his domes ne his wer­kes. But god ruleth demeth & gouerneth all mankynde persone & comu­nyte after that they deserue / & as hȳ thynketh moost spedefull to his wor­shyppe and to the comon prouffyte of his Royalme in heuen in erthe and in helle / whoos domes and ordenaūces passe mannes wytte. And therfore [Page] Saynt Poule sayth. Quis cognouit sensum dn̄i. aut quis consiliarius eius fuit. Who sayth he hath knowen the wytte of god / or who was his coun­seyller. Forsothe not the astronomers neyther the wytches / for they ben foo­les of all fooles / and putte fertheste out of goddes counseyll / as folke that god moost hateth. Saynt Poule say­the / that domes of god ben incompre hensyble / no man may knowe them well / no man may trace his wayes. Tho ben his wonderfull domes / they ben so medled with mercy and right­fulnesse that they passe mannes wyt­te. Therfore the prophete Dauyd sayth. Vniuerse vie dn̄i misericordia et veritas. Alle the wayes of our lor­de ben mercy and trouth. Iudicia dn̄i abissus multa. The domes of god be of a grete depenesse / ye soo depe that noo mannes wytte may seke to the depenesse / ne knowe well the cause ne the reason of his wonderfull domes. And therfore suche astronomers and wytches that entermeten theym soo hyghe of goddes domes and wonder full werkes / & presume to dyuyne of thynges that ben to come and make theym wyse as yf they were goddes felawes and knewe alle his preuy counseyll / they ben fooles of al fooles ¶Diues. Therfore clerkes saye that they may noo thynge telle for certay­ne / but they may telle wherto man or woman or comunyte is enclyned by the werkynge of the bodyes aboue. Neuerthelesse as they saye / man and woman may by vertue ouercome the planetes / and soo euery wyse man is lorde and mayster of the pla [...]etes. And therfore Tholomeus the grete astronomer sayth. Quod vir sapiens dominabitur astris.

Caplm .xx.

ALso as they say by astronomy they may knowe whan men ben enclyned to warre or to peas. And whan by comon course of kynde sholde falle morayne / hongre / tempeste / drought / and suche other. but as they saye one holy prayer may chaunge euery dele. And thoughe it falle not in one cōtree it falleth in an other cōtree. ¶Pauper. Sythen they can not telle for certayne what shall befalle but all in doubte / & theyr sa­wes & theyr domes may soo lyghtly be chaunged & brought to nought / it is a grete foolye to sette ony truste to theyr tales / for so may euery foole tell what he wyll and excuse euery lesyn­ge. This maner of speche is nought ellys but a mayntenyng of lesynges and of faynnyng and of hydynge of folye and a synfull excusacōn of syn­ne / & a nette to cache with womānes soules / & a strenge to drawe men to helle / & to drawe mannes herte his loue & his truste from god. They wol­de fayne be holden wyse & nye of goddes coūseyll / but they wote not how ferre they be fonden so false. Ye shall vnderstande my frende that ther is but one sonne & one mone and other fyue planetes Saturnꝰ Iupyter Mars Venus and Mercurius / whiche with other sterres gone about all the erthe with the fyrmamente euery daye na­turelly [Page] / & soo passe all the londes / all realmes / persones / al erthe / al waters all ayre in .xxiiij. houres / that is cal­led daye naturally / from sonne rysynge to sonne rysyng / from none to no­ne. And sythen they passen all londes & all persones so euenly / & make noo more dwellynge ouer one londe than ouer an other / why sholde they more enclyne one londe than an other / or one persone more than an other to vyce or to vertue / to warre or to peas. ¶Diues. For some constellacyon or some respecte in her passynge falleth vpon one londe more than an other. And as folke ben borne vnder dyuer­se constellacōns or coniunccōns / dyuer se respectes in dyuerse sygnes & vnder dyuerse planetes / so ben they enclyned in dyuerse maner & to dyuerse thyn­ges / vyce or vertue / warre or peas / hel­the or sekenesse / pouerte or richesse / & suche other. ¶Pauper. Whan the kynges sone is borne / in the same ty­me / in the same constellacōn respecte planete and sygne / is the poore bonde mannes sone born / and yet haue they not both one inclynacōn / ne one dys­posycōn. For the kynges sone is dysposed by his herytage to be kyng after his fader. The poore bonde mannes sone is dysposed by his byrthe to be a bonde man all his lyfe as his faders haue ben byfore hym hondred yeres / that no planete myght auoyde theyr bondage / ne fro the kynges theyr dygnyte. In the same tyme & in the sa­me constellacōn & vnder the same planete & sygne that one childe is borne ben many childern borne / & yet haue they not all one inclynacōn ne one dysposycōn. For some of theym ben en­clyned to goodnesse / & some to wyc­kednesse / some to sekenesse & some to helthe / some ben full angry & some ben not so / some be wyse some be foo­les / some foule some fayre / some riche some poore / some lyuyng longe & so­me deye full soone. Ezau and Iacob had both one fader and one moder. Ysaac and Rebecca both were bygo­ten at ones / as sayth saynt Austyn / & both borne attones / and yet were they noo thynge lyke. For Iacob was a good man Ezau a shrewe. Iacob was loued of god Ezau was hated for his wyckednes. Iacob was smoth of bodye with lytyll here Ezau fulle of here as a beest. Iacob was a true symple man Ezau a rauenoure and a malycyous shrewe. Iacob was peasyble Ezau a faytour or a baratour. So thou myght well see that dyuerse inclynacōn of man & woman / stan­deth not in the planetes ne in the ty­me of the byrthe.

Caplm .xxi.

DIues. what ellys may be cause of suche dyuerse inclynacyons. ¶Pauper. For Adams synne and orygynall synne there we ben all conceyued in we ben all encly­ned to synne. And therfore god sayth Gen̄ .viij. That the wytte & thought of mannes herte is enclyned to euyll from his youth. Sensus et cogitacio cordis humani in malum prona sunt ab adolescencia sua. And therfore Salomon sayth Prouerbio (rum) .xx. That [Page] no man may saye. I am pure & clene without synne. Neuertheles all be we not lyke moche enclyned to synne ne to sekenesse / but some more some lesse & that for many dyuerse causes. So­me tyme for wycked suffraunce that childern be not chastysed in her youth For Salomon sayth Prouerbio (rum) .xxix The childe that is suffred to haue his wyll shall shame his moder & all his kynne. Somtyme for wycked company that they ben in / & wycked exam­ple of theyr elders & ylle informacōn Somtyme for mys vse in youth. For Salomon sayth Prouer .xxij. That a man in his elde goth not lyghtly fro the waye of his youth. ¶Diues. And yet it is a comon ꝓuerbe / yonge saynt olde deuyll. ¶Pauper. It is a syn­full prouerbe to drawe men to synne fro vertue / fro god to the fende. For holy wryte sayth. Bonū est homini cū portauerit iugū dn̄i ab adolescen­cia sua. Tren̄ .iij. It is fulle good sayth he to a man whan he hath borne the yok of our lorde from his you­the. And as a poete sayth. Quod no­ua testa capit inueterata sapit. Whi­che as the potte or the vessell taketh whan it is newe / suche it sauoureth whan it is olde. And therfore in holy wryte / saynt Iohan baptyst. Thoby Ieremy. Sampson. Samuell & many other ben praysed for theyr holy­nesse in theyr youthe. For comonly they that ben good & loue god in go­denesse in her youth they make a full good ende / all yf for a tyme they fall in synne & ben full veyne. God suf­freth theym to falle for a tyme / for they sholde ellys be to proude of theyr goodnesse / & haue dysdayne of other synfull wretches. Also somtyme one is enclyned more to one synne than a nother / for he was conceyued and be­goten in more synne than an other / al yf he were begoten & born in wedloc­ke / for the man & the wyf may synne togydre full greuously / eyther by mys wyll of theyr bodyes / or by intempe­raūce yf they passe maner and mesu­te / or yf they comen togydre in vnty­me / as in the tyme of sekenesse / or in holy tyme without drede or reuerence of the tyme / ne wyll not spare for the tyme. Neuerthelesse the synne is in the axer and not in the yelder. Also they may synne by wycked Intency­on / as yf they doo it for a wycked en­de / or oonly to fulfyll the luste of the flesshe / not to flee fornycacyon / ne to yelde the dethe of theyr bodye / ne to brynge forth childern to the worshyp of god / but oonly taken hede of her owne luste. Also yf they coueyte chil­dern not to the worshypp of god / but for the worlde to be grete / & to make theyr childern grete in this worlde. Also men be enclyned to synne one more than an other by excesse of mete and drynke / by myskepynge of his fyue wyttes. And for this same causes one is enclyned to bodely sekenesse more than an other. For synne oftyme is cause of bodely sekenesse. Also by mys dyetynge of the moder whyle she is with childe / or by mys dysposycyon of the fader / or of the moder / or of both / whan the childe is begoten / or by mys kepynge of the childe in the youthe. [Page] For childern in youth wyl assaye and handle well nyghe all thyng. And so oftyme they ete & drynke and receyue inwarde many vnthryfty thynges & enuenym herself & hurte themself in many wyse / y ^t but yf the good angell kepte them not they sholde perysshe. Also god smyteth them with seknesse of myschyef. Somtyme for the faders synne & the moðs / for they loue theym to moche / & wyll go to helle to make them riche and grete in this worlde. Somtyme he smyteth them with se­kenes to shewe his myght & myracle as we fynde in y ^• gospell of saynt Io­han .ix.c. Of hym that was born blynde / that the myght of god myght be shewed in hym in gyuyng hym syght Other causes ther ben ful many whiche passen mannes wytte / for we may not knowe all goddes domes. Ne the­se causes here assygned be not alway general. For sōtyme a full good man hath a full shrewed childe / some good some bad. And somtyme a full wyc­ked man hath a full good childe. For yf the childern folowed alway the fader & the moder in goodesse or in wyckednesse / all the goodnesse sholde be arected to the fader & to the moder / & not to god. And they sholde be proude both fader / moder / & childe / & comyne togydre flesshly to moche. And in the same maner al the shrewednesse sholde be arected to the fader & moder all yf it came on other behalf / & they sholde euer be sory & falle in dyspayre / & not wyll yelde to them togydre the dette of theyr bodye. And therfore god medleth so one with an other / & so modefyeth his domes that the go­de sholde not presume of hymselfe ne be to proude / but thanke god of all / ne the wycked be to sorye and so falle in dyspayre / but truste in god that so of the wycked maketh the good / & of the vnclene maketh the clene.

Caplm .xxij.

DIues. They saye that as childern be born vnder dyuerse synnes / soo ben they encly­ned and dysposed to dyuerse craftes and dyuerse astates. Yf he be borne vnder some sygne they saye that he shall be a fyssher / and vnder some a monyour / and vnder some a clerke / vnder some a man of armes. ¶Pauper. Many contrees knowe no mony ours ne moneye neyther. And many contrees ben ther that haue moneye / yet they haue no monyours. For in a full grete realme of .vi. hondred myle in length / & .ij. hondred of brede be no monyours but in one place assyg­ned by the kyng / not by the sygnes ne by the bodyes aboue. The kyng assygneth bothe the place and theym that shall make the moneye / not the bo­dyes aboue. And yf ony dooth ma­ke moneye but tho that y ^• kyng hath ordeyned / he shall be slayne as a tray toure / the sygnes neyther the planetes shall not saue his lyfe. And they that be born nyghe the see / or nyghe some grete water / gyue theym to fysshynge and theyr childern also / not for the synnes that they be born in / but for the moost oportunyte of theyr lyuyng whiche they haue by the water that [Page] is so nyghe. They that ben borne fer from the see gyue them to tylthe the londe. Somtyme to clothe makynge yf ther be plente of wulle. Some ben shepeherdes / some monyours or mo­neye quyners / some vynours / some of other craftes as the contre axeth / not after the sygnes ne the bodyes aboue Whan a man hath many childern he putteth theym to dyuerse craftes for to gete theyr lyuynge. Men of armes put theyr childern to armes. And co­monly euery man that can ought or hath ought wherby he may lyue / he putteth some of his childern in the same degree to gete theyr lyuyng. And thou mayst well see that suche dyuer syte in crafte or in lyuynge standeth more in the childes fader & his fren­des that ordeyned so for hym / than it doth in the sygnes or in the planetes. For yf they sholde abyde y ^e ordenaūce of the planetes they sholde deye for hongre / for they teche theym right nought ne ordeyne noo more for one than for an other. ¶Diues. Syth su­che Inclynacyon standeth lyryll or nought in the planetes / what is that destenye that men speke so moche of. And as they saye all thyng falleth to man & woman by destenye.

Caplm .xxiij.

¶PAuper. Foles speke as foles. For as sayth saynt Gregory in his Omely of the Epyphanye ther is no suche destenye. Absit a cordi (bus) fideliū vt aliquid esse fatū di­cant. God forbede sayth he that ony crysten man or woman sholde byleue or saye that ther were ony destenye. But god sayth he that made mānes lyfe of nought / he ruleth & gouerneth mannes lyfe & womannes after that they deserue / and as his rightwysnesse & his mercy axeth. And he sayth that man was not made for the sterres / but the sterres were made for man. ¶Diues. The gospell is ayenst the. For we fynde in the gospell y ^t anone as Cryste was borne of the mayden / his sterre appered in the Eest / in to­ken that eche man & woman is born vnder a certayne sterre & vnder a cer­tayne constellacyon the whiche is called his destenye / for all his lyuynge after folowynge is gouerned therby / as these astronomers sayen. ¶Pau­per. For to mayntene folye they saye many folye & ben not asshamed for to lye. For that sterre had no maystry ne lordshypp vpon that blessyd childe But the childe was maystre & lorde of that sterre. The sterre gouerned not the childe / but the childe gouer­ned the sterre. The childe sought not that sterre / but that sterre sought the childe. The childe serued not the sterre / but the sterre serued y ^• childe / & dyde hym full hyghe worshyp & full won­derfull seruyce / & therfore it was cal­led the childes sterre / for y ^e childe was lorde of the sterre as he was of al the other. For he was & is lorde of sonne mone & of all the sterres & of all thynge / & they may not conferme theyr le synges ne theyr false domes of astro­nomers by that sterre. For it was noo planete ne sterre of the fyrmamente / as saynt Austyn sayth & other doctors [Page] of holy chirche / and reason and other causes sheweth it full well. ¶Diues. How. ¶Pauper. For as these clerkes tellen. Minima stella fixa maior est tota terra. The leste sterre sette faste in the fyrmamente is more than all the erthe within the see & without the see / & euery planete also is more than all the erthe outake the mone & mer­cury whiche be somdele lesse than all the erthe. And therfore somtyme they lese theyr lyght that they haue of the sonne by the shadowe & the vmbre of the erthe whan it falleth right bytwene the sonne and theym. And yf that sterre had ben so moche or ony suche sterre it sholde haue ouerwhelmed all the erthe / for it wente full lowe nygh the erthe to lede & to brynge the kyn­ges in theyr waye. Also the sterres of the fyrmament & the planetes folowe the course of the fyrmament / & ryse vp in the eest & go downe in the weste euery daye naturelly. That sterre dy­de not soo / for it was aboue the erthe both nyght & daye & folowed not the course of the fyrmament / but it helde his course as the waye lede best in to the cyte of Bethleem for to bryng the kynges in theyr waye to the sonne of rightwysnesse that there roose out of that clere fyrmament y ^emayden Marye / and as the sonne from vnder the erthe. Also the sterres in the fyrma­ment shynen by nyght & not by daye That sterre shone both nyght & daye Also the sterres of the fyrmament shewe themself to all men comonly both poore & riche yonge & olde. That sterre appered not but to the thre kynges & theyr companye. Also the sterres of the fyrmamente ben perpetuell & al­waye lastynge / that lasted but a lytyl whyle twelue monethes atte moost as some clerkes saye / & some saye but xiiij. dayes or lesse. ¶Diues. What maner sterre was it than. ¶Pauper. Some clerkes tellen that is was an angell in the lykenesse of a sterre. For the kynges hadde noo knowynge of angellys / but toke all hede to the sterre. Some saye that it was the same childe that laye in the oxe stalle whi­che appered to the kynges in the lykenesse of a sterre / and soo drewe theym and ledde theym soo to hym selfe in Bethleem. And therfore holy chirche syngeth and sayth. Iacebat in pre­sepio et fulgebat in celo. He laye full lowe in the cratche and he shone full bryght aboue in heuen. But the co­mon sentence of the clerkes is that it was a newe sterre newely ordeyned of god to shewe the byrthe of Cryste. And anone as it had done the offyce that it was ordeyned for / it tourned ayen to the mater that it come fro.

Caplm .xxiiij.

DIues. How myght they knowe by the sterre that suche a childe was born / for that sterre coude not speke to theym / ne telle no suche tales. ¶Pauper. That is sothe / & therfore sayth saynt Austyn openly in a sermon that the sterre dy­de nought ellys by his apperyng but brought theym in wonder and in grete studye for to knowe what it myghte sygnefye. And whan they were atte [Page] theyr wyttes ende / and knewe well that her crafte serued them not / than god shewed theym by Inspyracōn in­warde / or ellys by an angell what it betokened and badde theym folowe the sterre. And the same sayth saynt Iohan with the gylden mouthe vp­on Mathewe. They knewe well by Balames prophecye that suche a childe sholde be born / but they knewe it not by the crafte of astronomye / ne myght knowe by theyr crafte / neyther the tyme of his byrthe ne the place / as the gospell sheweth well. ¶Diues Why sayth than Saynt Austyn and other clerkes / that the scyence of Iu­dycyall astronomye of childrens byr­the was lefull vnto the tyme of Crystus byrthe sythen they myght not by that scyence knowe his byrthe .xxvi. q̄ .iiij. igitur. But as they saye it was not lefull neyther graunted after his byrthe. ¶Pauper. Saynt Austyn sayth not that the crafte was lefull or graunted to do / ne that it was le­full to truste therin / for it was alway false and repreued of god and of phylosophres by skylle and reason. But he sayth that the scyence of the crafte was lefull and graunted of god / not the doyng y ^t by the scyence men myght repreue the crafte / and the scyence al­so / and shewe by theyr owne pryncy­palles and groūdes that the crafte is false / & that the scyence is no scyence proprely to speke / but open folye / as it was well preued in Crystus byrthe. And for it was so openly preued fals in his byrthe / therfore after his byr­the it is not lefull to vse it ne to conne it / but oonly to repreue the folye of them y ^t vse it. The doyng of the crafte was vnlefull bothe byfore and af­ter. The scyence was suffred of god bothe byfore and after for to repreue folye / as the lawe sheweth full well distinct .xxxvij. De mensa.

Caplm .xxv.

DIues. Where fyndeste thou that god defendeth the Iudy­cyall of astronomye byfore Crystus byrthe. ¶Pauper. Exodi. xx. In the fyrste cōmaundement of the fyrste table / of whiche is now our speche / where as god badde that men sholde make them no lykenesse of y ^t y ^t is in heuen. But suche astronomers make them selfe lyke asmoche as they may to god in heuen / in asmo­che as they take to theym that lōgeth oonly to god / for oonly god knoweth whan suche thynges as they make them wyse of sholde falle & how and where. And therfore god repreueth theym and sayth to theym. Nunciate que ventura sunt in futurum.et scie­mus qr dij estis vos. Ysaye .xli. Telle ye to vs thynges that ben to come after this / & than shall we knowe that ye be goddes. And therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. q̄ .iiij. igitur. That they calle them selfe dyuynes as yf they were full nygh to god and knewe all goddes counseyll / and by faynynge & falshode coniecte & telle to the people thynges that ben to come as they were full of godhode & goddes felawes. And in this maner they and all suche trespassen full hyghely ayenst the fyrste [Page] cōmaundemente. For they maken them lyke to god in heuen / and the worshypp that longeth oonly to god they take it to theym selfe. Suche presumpcōn & pryde lost angellys kynde and mankynde also. For as we fynde Ysaye .xiiij. Lucyfer sayd in his her­te that he sholde stye vp vnto heuen / & sette his seet aboue the sterres / & sytt in the mounte of the testament. And that he sholde go vp aboue the hyght of the cloudes / that is to saye aboue all angellys and be lyke to hym that is hyghest. But anone he felle downe to helle / and soo shall suche astrono­mers and wytches / but yf they amende them. For they sette theyr wyttes & theyr studye and theyr fayth soo mo­che in the sterres / that they wyll passe the sterres and all creatures and be lyke god that is hyghest. They wyll also sytte in the mount of the testamente / for they wyll be ayenst goddes la­wes & haue forth theyr domes wyll it god or not. For yf theyr crafte were true / the testamente of goddes lawe sholde serue for nought / and soo god­des lawe / holy chirche lawe / skyll and reason sholde serue for nought. For ther is noman worthy to be punysshed for a synne that he may not flee / ne worthy to be rewarded for a good dede that he may not leue. But for that man dooth well whan he myght doo amysse / he is worthy to be rewarded. And for that he dooth euyll whan he myght do well & leue his mysdede & wyll not / he is worthy moche payne. But yf he were compelled by the bo­dyes aboue to vertue or to vyce / he were neyther worthy for to haue mede ne payne. This pryde & presumpcōn lost also Adam & Eue & all mankynde. For whan the fende sayd to theym y ^t they sholde be as goddes knowynge good and euyll / they assented to hym and ete of the apple ayenst godds cō ­maūdement. For they wolde haue be as goddes and lyke god knowynge good & euyll / & haue knowen what was to come. We fynde also Deutro. xviij. That whan god ledde the chil­dern of Israell out of Egypte in to the londe of byhest / he forbode them the Iudycyall of astronomye and all maner of wytche craftes / and badde that they sholde axe no coūseyll of none suche dyuynours ne wytches. For I shall sayth he destroye the nacyons y ^t ye gone to / for they haue vsed suche craftes / and yf ye vse them I shall al­so destroye you. We fynde also Ysaye xlvij. That god repreued the people of Babylon and the Caldeis of theyr wytche craftes and of theyr astrono­mye that they trusted moost in. For of all nacōns they gaaf theym moost that tyme therto / and sayd to theym in this wyse / wydowehede and ba­raynhede shall come to the bothe in one daye for y ^e multytude of thy wyt­ches / & for y ^e hardenesse of thy charmerys. And for that thou haddest truste in suche malyce / thy connynge & thy scyence hath dysceyued the. Dysease and wo shall falle to the / and y ^u shalt not knowe fro whens it cometh. So­dayne myschyef shall fall to the / and thou mayst it not flee. Stande sayth he with thy charmers & with the multytude [Page] of thy wytches in whiche thou haste trauaylled from thy youth. Lo­ke yf they may ought helpe the eyther strengthe the ayenste thyn enemyes. Thou haste fayled and thou shalte fayle in the multytude of thy coūsey­les that thou haste taken of suche folke. Lete now sayth he thy dyuynou­res of heuen stande and saue the yf they may. They that stare so ayenst the sterres and looke after the plane­tes / and calculen & casten yeres dayes and monethes for to telle the thyn­ges that ben to come / they shall not helpe the / they can or may not helpe the. For as saynt Poule sayth. Ther is no counseyll ayenst god. Also this crafte of astronomye is repreued Sa­pienc .xiij. by the wyse Salomon / where he repreueth theym that meende and sayd that sonne mone and ster­res were goddes of this worlde / for gouernaūce longeth to none vnwytty thynge / as sonne and mone and ster­res ben / but goueruaunce longeth on­ly to wytty thynges skylfull and re­sonable and vnderstandynge / as to god that is souerayne wysedome to aungell and man. Vnwytty bodyes with theyr vertues and theyr myght & theyr kyndes or natures be nought ellys but Instrumentes of goddes go­uernaūce and also of angellys gouernaūce & of mannes also yf they can well vse them. Also suche Iudycyall of astronomy is repreued by the lawe of holy chirche .xxvi. q̄ .iiij. igit. et dis­tinct .xxxvij. legimus &c̄. qui de men­sa. Also saynt Poule repreueth suche crafte of astronomye / ad Galathas iiij. Ye kepe sayth he dayes and mo­nethes yeres and tymes as hethen people dooth. And therfore I drede me sayth he that I haue trauayled in veyne about you for to conuerte you all. And the glose in the same place re­preueth suche crafte of astronomye full harde. Suche scyence god repre­ueth as sayth saynt Poule in his py­stle .i. ad Co (rum) .i. I shall sayth god lese the wysdome of the wyse / and the slyght of the slyght / & of theym that truste so moche in theyr cōnyng / where more ouer saynt Poule sayth thus. Where is now the wyse man that let­teth & trusteth soo well by his wytte / where is now the man of lawe with all his cautelles / where is now the se­ker of nature & of the course of kynde of this worlde God sayth he hath torned y ^e wysdom of this world into folye

Caplm .xxvi.

DIues▪ Suche scyence and wysedom so for to dyuyne of thȳ ges to come whiche standeth in the wyll of god / & ofte in the free wyll of man or woman. I holde it a grete folye. Ther can none astrono­mer by his crafte tell me my thoughtes / ne what I purpose me to do in tyme comyng / ne how I shall lede my lyfe. They knowe not my coūseyl all yf they see me and speke with me How sholde they knowe goddes coū ­seyll or what he wyll doo in tyme co­myng sythen they see hym not & they speke neuer with hym. They can not telle byfore ne beware of theyr owne myshappes / how sholde they telle of [Page] other men or women / or warne theym by theyr crafte of theyr auenture. For comonly suche dyuynours of astronomye ben in grete myschyef and mys­happe as moche as other or more / and they knowe it not tylle it falle. & the more that they werke by theyr crafte the worse they spede. ¶Pau­per. That is no wonder. For the mo­re that they truste in theyr crafte / the lesse they truste in god / and the lesse they truste in god in whome is all our welthe or helpe / the worse they shall spede. And the more that they truste in theyr crafte y ^e more they truste in folye / & the more that they truste in folye the more folye and myschyef shall folowe hym. Ther wyll no wyse man wryte his counseyll & all that he thynketh to do in the yere folowynge in the roof of his halle / ne about on the walles where all men may see it & knowe it. No more wyll god wryte his coūseyll ne what he thynketh to doo in tyme comynge aboue in the fyrmamente there all fooles myght knowe his coūseyll his thoughtes & his domes. Cryste hydde many thyn­ges from his apostles & sayd to them Non est vestrū nosse tempora vel mo­menta q̄ pater posuit in sua potestate Actuū primo. It longeth not to you to knowe tymes momentes and stoū des whiche the fader of heuen hath resceyued in his power. And he sayth by the prophete. Secretū meū michi. secretū meū michi. Ysaye .xxiiij. I kepe my pryuyte to me. I kepe my pry­uyte to me. And sythen he reserued & kepte suche counseyll & pryuyte from his frendes that were so nygh of coū seylle. Moche more he reserued and kepte his counseyll from his enmyes fole synfull wretches. ¶Diues. These clerkes saye that they may by craft of astronomye lefull telle & dyuyne of drought / of rayne / of tempeste / for they falle by comon course of kynde / & therfore they may by comon course of nature knowe theym & telle them byfore. ¶Pauper. As I sayd fyrste / the course of kynde & of the planetes standeth all in the wyll of god and do therwith what he wyll / as the In­strument standeth in the werkeman­nes wyll what he wyll doo therwith. And therfore they may not knowe by theyr crafte ne by the course of the planetes as by cause / neyther of drou­ghte ne of wete ne tempeste comyng. But they may knowe by the bodyes aboue / as by tokens bothe of drought of wete / of tempeste / froste / snowe / wynde / thondre / & suche other / and so knoweth the shepeherde in the fel­de / the shypman in the see / the byrde in the ayer / the fysshe in the water / & the bestes in the wode better than all the astronomers in this londe.

Caplm .xxvij.

DIues. How may the bodyes aboue be tokenes of suche thynges & not causee. ¶Pauper. Fallynge of soote in houses is token of rayne soone comynge / and yet it is not the cause of the rayne / but the rayne is cause of the sote fallyng For whan the ayer wereth moyste / the soote by moysture of the ayer wexeth [Page] heuy and falleth downe. And soo the fallynge of the sote is token of grete moysture in the ayre. Also swetynge of water on the stoones is a token of rayne / and yet it is not cause of the rayne / but rayne and moysture of the ayre is cause of the water. Also mel­tyng of salte whan it tourneth in to water is token of rayne comyng / but not the cause. Also smoke in houses whan it passeth not redely out is to­ken of rayne / for the ayre is so thycke & heuy of moysture that the smoke may not stye vp soo redely as whan the ayre is drye & clere Also the brou­ghe or cercle about the candell lyght is token of rayne. And the blewe glowynge of the fyre is a token of the froste / but not the cause. These and suche other ben tokenes of weder co­mynge / but not the causes. For they shewe the dysposycōn of the ayre whether it is dysposed to droughte or to wete. And in the same maner the bo­dyes aboue ben tokenes of weder co­mynge. For by theyr lyght & maner of shynynge they shewe the dysposy­cōn of the ayre wete or drye froste or snowe / thondre / lyghtnyng / wynde / & suche other. And as the lyght in the lanterne sheweth dysposycōn & colour of the lanterne / & yet is not the lyght cause of suche dysposycōn ne of the colour of the lanterne. And as the lyght of the sonne or mone sheweth the dysposycōn of the glasse that it passith by whether it be whyte or blake / blewe or rede / yelowe or grene / & yet is not the sonne ne the mone cause of the colour. Right so they shewe the dysposycyon of the ayre / and yet ben they not alwaye cause of suche dysposycyon. And therfore the mone in one luna­cyon and in the same tyme sheweth in one contree grete tokenyng of ray­ne / & soo it falleth / and twenty myle thens it sheweth grete tokenynge of drought and so it falleth / and yet is it the same mone and the same lunacyon. And therfore the cause of that dyuersyte is not in the mone / but in the ayre. For the ayre in one contree is dysposed to rayne / and in the other to drought. Also in one contree it she­weth wynde and tempeste / and in another contree not soo. Some contree is full hote by shynynge of the sonne and some contree is not so hote. One daye is full hote / and the next daye after is full colde. The sonne she­weth his lyght one tyme of the daye / and an other tyme of the daye it she­weth not / whiche dyuersyte standeth not in the sonne / but in the ayre and other causes. For the sonne in hymselfe as the clerkes sayen is alwaye atte one and shyneth alwaye all lyke / it is neyther hoter ne colder. But suche dyuersyte falleth by dyuersyte of the ayre / and other dyuerse meanes & causes whiche passen mannes wytt. Some tyme suche anenture & hongre / of morayne / of tempeste / of drought / of we­te falleth by the ordenaunce of god for mannes synne / or for to shewe his myght and his worshyppe. Somty­me by werkynge of angellys good or wycked att goddes byddynge. Some tyme without meane oonly att his wyll and his byddynge. Somtyme [Page] by the werkynge of the bodyes abo­ue atte his byddynge. For as I sayd fyrste / he may doo with the planetes what he wyll / and he may doo with­out them what he wyll. And therfore by the course of the planetes may we not knowe suche aduentures as bycauses but as by tokens. For god made theym for to be tokenes to man / beest / byrde / fysshe / and other creatu­res as I sayd fyrste. And therfore we sholde take hede to them oonly as to tokenes & not to causes. Ne dyuyne by hem as by causes / for we wote not whan they ben causes of suche thyn­ges / ne whan they be none.

Caplm .xxviij.

DIues. The mone as the derkes sayen is the cause of flo­wynge and of the ebbynge of the see / for it foloweth the course of the mone. ¶Pauper. It may well be so. But I wote well that the cour­se of the mone is a token whan that the see shall ebbe and flowe / and the see kepeth his tyme of ebbynge and flowynge after the course and the ty­me of the mone in one contree sooner and in an other later. And yet euery see doth not soo / but oonly one parte of the weste see that goth about Brytayne and Irlonde / and other lon­des nygh bycause of tho. But in other ferre contrees / ne in the Grekes see is no suche ebbynge ne flowynge. So it semeth that ther be other causes of that ebbyng and that flowyng than the mone allone. But sothe it is that man and beest / byrde and fysshe / the see and the ayre / tree and grasse / and all other creatures vse and kepe theyr doynge in kynde / and werken in ty­me that god hath ordeyned to theym whiche tyme they knowe well by the course of the sonne mone and sterres. For as Salomon sayth Ecclesiastes .iij. Alle thyng hath his tyme ordey­ned of god by waye of kynde whiche tyme they knowe & kepe by the cour­se of the bodyes aboue / whiche ben tokenes to them shewynge what ty­me they sholde doo theyr kynde that they ben ordeyned to. And therfore god sayth by the prophete Ieremye. viij. The puttoke in the ayre sayth he knoweth his tyme / the turtyll and the swalowe kepe the tyme of her cō ­myng. But the people knowe not the dome of our lorde god. For now a dayes men take none hede to goddes domes / but to the domes of astrono­mers and to the course of the plane­tes. The kynde of euery creature is ordeyned by the dome of god / & what tyme he shall doo his kynde whiche tyme they knowe and fele by the course of the bodyes aboue. For as sayth the phylosophre / the bodyes here aboue mesure all thynges here bynethe as anentes tyme. And therfore sayth Dauyd. That by nyght whan the sonne is downe / than in derkenesse begynne bestes of raueyn to walke & seke theyr pray & theyr mete / whan the sonne ryseth they go ayen to her den­nes & hyde theym / than goo men out to werke tyll it be nyght / not that the sonne ne the mone cause hem to do so but only the lawe of kynde ordeyned [Page] of god techeth hem so to do & to kepe theyr kyndly tyme. In the dawynge & spryngyng of the daye byrdes begȳ ne to synge / floures to sprede & sprynge that by nyght were full close. Man byrde & beste begynne to gladde for Ioye of the lyght / & for the tyme of theyr myrthe & of theyr kyndly werkyng cometh ayen by the presence of the sonne whiche serueth theym pryncypally of lyght & of tyme. The son­ne ruleth them not proprely to speke / but kynde ruleth them in tyme by the course of the sonne & by the course of the bodyes aboue. We fynde in holy wryte Gen̄ .i. That the erthe at the byddynge of god brought forth trees grasse and herbes. Trees and herbes brought forth theyr fruyte / eche in theyr owne kynde. The thyrde daye er god made sonne mone and sterres. And badde the erthe & gaue it vertue & nature to bryng forth grasse & fruyte of many & dyuerse kynde. He gaue not the sonne ne the mone ne sterres that nature. He made theym the four­the daye to shyne & to be in tokenes of tyme to all creatures here bynethe in erthe. God gaue grasse trees & herbes dyuerse vertues & wonderfull na­ture to bud & brynge forth leues fay­re & grene in dyuerse fourme / floures fayre blossomes bryghte of dyuerse shappe & of dyuerse colours that noo man by crafte can deuyse. Also he gaue them nature to brynge forth fruyt fayre & fyne / some in the wynter & so­me in the somer. Some he ordeyned in tyme to lese theyr leues & theyr grenehede. Some to be grene wynter & somer / as lorell / boxe / holme / yue / and many moo. Whan other herbes sere and drye vp / than in the colde weder saffrone begynneth to sprynge / and with his floures bryngeth his fruyte. Suche dyuersyte in kynde in tree and in grasse / in beest fysshe and foule / vertues soo dyuerse in stoones and other thynges deuysed neuer ne made the sonne ne mone ne the sterres. But he that made sonne mone and sterres / and all thynge in kynde / he made & ordeyned / and he gouerneth & kepeth all this eche in his owne kynde / and hath assygned eche creature here by­nethe his due tyme / his nature to doo and to shewe. In one londe falleth hongre / & in an other place plente of all goodes. In one londe is plente of wyne / & in an other none. In one contree is plente of wulle good & cle­ne / & in other lytyll & full vnthende. In one contree is plente of golde & syluer & of other metalle / and in another lytyll or nought. Somtyme is morayne general / & somtyme parcyal in one contree & not in an other. So­me tyme in one towne and not in the next. Somtyme in that one syde of the strete & not in that other. Some householde it taketh vp all hole / & in the next it taketh none. Some deye in yougthe / and some in elde / some in myddell age / some well / some euyll / some with lytyll payne / & some with moche payne. How sholde men kno­we or tell all this dyuersyte by the bodyes aboue or assygne causes therto / or to suche other without nombre by the course of the planetes.

Caplm .xxix.

DIues. It passeth mannes wytte. Oonly god that ma­de all he knoweth all. They ben his domes his ordenaūce / & ther­fore me thynked grete folye that men entremete them soo hyghe of goddes domes / & namely of thynges that ben to come. But I praye the telle me yf the wonders that falle ayenst kynde in the bodyes aboue betokenen or she we ony auentures that ben to come. ¶Pauper. That falleth ayenst co­mon course of kynde betokeneth that some thynge is comyng passynge the comon course of kynde be it wele be it wo. But comonly suche wonders falle more ayenst wo than ayenst wel­the as cometes & sterres brennyng castelles in the ayre. Eclypses of y ^• son­ne or mone ayenst kynde / men in the ayre armed or fyghtynge / the rayne­bowe tourned vp so downe / mysshape thynges in theyr byrthe ayenst kynde These & suche other that falle ayenst comon course of kynde betoken that the people where they appere done a­yenst kynde / & that lorde of nature is offended with theym / & all creatures redye to punysshe them. ¶Diues. It may well be as thou sayst / for many suche haue appered within fewe yeres neuer soo many I trowe in soo lytyll whyle. And moche sorowe & wo fo­loweth after as we fele here and see. But I pray the what betokened that wonderfull comete and sterre whiche appered vpon this londe / the yere of our lorde a thousande four hondred and two from the feste of the Epy­phanye tylle two wekes after Eester that was in the myddell of Aprylle. ¶Pauper. It was an open token of the grete offence to god with the peo­ple of Englonde / and that harde wretche was comyng but yf they wolde amende them of her falshode and traytourye / periurye / murdre / myspry­de in euery degree and ouerdone / couetyse / erroures & heresye / blasphemye and ydolatrye / lechery and lesynges without shame / and other synnes many moo / not oonly preuy but open to all crystendome and sclaundre to alle crysten people. And for that men re­pente theym not ne wyll not amende theym but putte synne to synne. And by synne of falsehode / murdre / and manslaughter / trauayle for to mayn­tene theyr olde synnes / therfore ven­geaunce falleth as the sterre betoke­ned. God of his mercy smyteth not all atte ones / but lytyll and lytyll / that by the lytyll men sholde beware of the more. But allas ther ben but fewe or no man that wyll be ware or amende hym / but alwaye do worse & worse. They gyue no [...]a [...]e of goddes swerde / but euery contre is gladde of others dysease / vnnethes ony man or woman hath pyte on other / but nygh euery man is gladde of others wo. And so I drede me that god wyll make an ende of this londe / for we loue no peas / we seke no mercy. But all our lykynge is all in warre / in wo / in murdre / and in shedynge of blood / in robberye and in falsehode / & our besynesse by nyght & daye is to mayntene [Page] our synne & to offende god. And mo­re ouer they haue ordeyned a comon lawe that what man speke with the trouth ayenst theyr falshode / he shal be hanged drawen & be heded. ¶Di­ues. Thy sawes ben full soth & open atte eye. Euery state & euery degree in this londe is now gyuen to synne & besy to meyntene synne. But I praye the what saye clerkes of suche come­tes & sterres so apperynge ayenst the comon course of kynde. ¶Pauper. They saye that whan it appereth it sygnyfyeth moreyne or chaūgyng of some grete prynce / or destruccōn of so­me contre / or chaūgyng of some real­me / or grete werre or hongre or won­derfull tempest. ¶Diues. Warre hongre & tempest & moreyne we haue had grete plente / & many contrees in this realme ben destroyed & chaūged in to other lordshyp & nacyons sythen the sterre appered fyrste. And it is full lyke that in short tyme bothe the kyng & all the realme shall be chaunged & destroyed. ¶Pauper. Salomō sayth that for gyle & traytoury & dyuerse wronges & despytes done to god & to holy chirche / realmes ben chaunged from nacyon to nacōn. This mater is full heuy & dolefull. Speke we of somwhat ellys.

Caplm .xxx.

DIues. All yf it be so that the Iudycyall of astronomye be repreued of god & of holy chirche / yet experyence sheweth that ofte they telle many trouthes of thynges that ben to come & of preuy thynges that ben done. ¶Pauper. Somtyme they happen to saye suche trouthes / as the blynde man caste the staf. And somtyme they knowe suche thynges by other waye than by astronomye / & that they knowe by other waye they say that they knowe it by astronomye For they wolde fayne be holden wy­se & nerer of goddes conseyll than ony other. ¶Diues. How may they kno­we ony suche thynges on other halfe ¶Pauper. Somtyme by boke of prophecye / somtyme by coniecture of dy­uerse causes & dysposycōns that gone byfore. As yf man gyue hym to wyc­ked companye / or vse suspecte places / men that wote it wyll coniecte therof & saye that in tyme comynge it shall be his confusyon. Also yf a man mys dyete hym & ete & drynke out of me­sure / & thynge that is not conuenyent to hym men wyll saye that he shalbe seke therof. And yf a man gyue hym for to false the kynges seale or y ^• kynges moneye / than wyll they saye that he shall be hanged & drawen / & co­monly it falleth so. Also they knowe thynges that ben to come by coniec­tyng of dyuerse tales & speche in the people / as yf comon clamoure of the people be ayenst theyr kynge whan theyr kyng trusteth vpon them / it is a token that the people shal vndo hȳ or he be ware. And in this maner the se dayes the moost parte of the people ben prophetes and telle thynges that ben to come / whiche thynges they ben about to perfourme in herte worde & dede. And childern also by that they here theyr elders speke ben and haue [Page] ben ꝓphetes nygh in euery hous. Al­so they knowe suche thynges by dyscoueryng of coūseyl or knowyng of coū seyll of them that purpose suche thynges. And somtyme they be of the sa­me coūseyll & of the assente & helpynge therto. And in this maner these faytours that ben called sothe sayers & astronomers / somtyme tell thynges preuy & doo come ayen thynges that ben stolen or loste / for comonly suche ben theues or of theyr assent. And by one sothe sawe or tweyne whiche they knowe in this maner / they blynde the nyce people & make them to byleue all theyr lesynges. And therfor yf ony suche faytours dyde ony thyng come ayen that were stolen / he sholde be taken as a theef or a theues feere. And comonly suche faytours & Iapers haue maysters to haue parte of theyr wynnynge / as tauerners brewers hostlers / & nedy werkelesse men that go so gay & spende grete / whiche aspye after thynges that ben done in the cō tree / & that yet ben to be done / & telle them to the faytours to do them ha­ue a name. And ofte they that shol­de kepe moost counseyll / dyscouer coū seyll / & so that men y ^t he wende were coūseyll is no coūseyll. And comonly suche faytours be slye spekers / & slyghly can oppose the sheepherde and the plowman in y ^• felde or some olde symple folke or childern at the townes ende / and axen how it standeth amon­ge the neyghbours and in the contree about / and after that they telle theym they make them wyse as yf they knewe it by astronomye or by prophecye / or by nygromancye. And for as mo­che as they ben vnknowen / and telle sothes that men knowe / than the people weneth that they knowe all thynges / and myght knowe what they wolde / and so byleue in them tyll they ben all dysceyued. Somtyme suche faytours telle sothes not by theyr crafte but by techyng and falshode of the fende whiche is alwaye redy yf god suffred hym to seche foles for to dys­ceyue them and other by them.

Caplm .xxxi.

DIues. How may the deuyll knowe thynges that ben to come other ony preuy synne. ¶Pauper. Better than ony man. For as saynt Austyn sayth de natura demonū .xxvi.q̄.iiij. sciendū. The fende is more sotyll of wytte and ferther can see and caste than ony man. Al­so he is more lyghter and swftyer in sterynge and passynge. For he is ten folde lyghter than ony foule in his fleynge. Also he may lyghtly knowe what is done in dyuerse contrees and londes. He is soo sotyll in kynde that ther may no dore neyther walle shyt­te hym out of coūseyll / & soo he may here & see what men and women doo though it be full preuy. Also by longe experyence / for they haue lyued so longe that they can telle & caste by waye of kynde many thynges that be to come / & can do many thynges that passe mannes wytte. Also oftymes they haue leue of god for mānes synne for to do wondres / to cause hydeous tempestes / to enfecte & enuenym the ayer / [Page] and cause morayne & sekenesse / hon­gre & drought / dyscensyon & warre by destruccyon of chary [...]e / by myspry­de / couetyse / lechery / wrathe and en­uye / and suche thynges as they done and pursue them to do and haue do­ne aforne and made other to do they can not telle it byfore. Also by the sygnes of the bodye outwarde they kno­we the dysposycōn of man or woman inwarde / sygnes to helthe or to seke­nesse / to vyce or to vertue / or ofte by tokens outwarde they knowe mānes thought inwarde. But for as moche as they may not knowe it for certay­ne suche thynges / for only god kno­weth for certayne thynges that ben to come / & oftyme god letteth them of theyr malyce whan y ^• men wyll a­mende theym. Therfore the proude spyryte wyll not telle suche thynges to the people sodaynly by hym selfe / but easely by other y ^• sette theyr fayth and theyr truste in hym / as ben wyt­ches faytours astronomers / that yf theyr sawes be foūden fals / they shall haue the velonye / yf it be foūden true the fende shall haue the worshyppe. Also they may knowe the thynges y ^• is to come by boke of prophecye whi­che they vnderstande by naturell wytte better than ony man.

Caplm .xxxij.

DIues. Sothe it is that nygh euery synne be it neuer so preuy / it is done by the techyng and entysyng of the fende. And ther­fore it is wonder that ony lecherye / thefte and myschyef / murdre / lesyn­ges and other synnes may be hydde and kepte preuy sythen the fende knoweth it so well / & may knowe thyn­ges that ben soo preuy by soo many wayes as thou haste now here sayd. ¶Pauper. Full fayne wolde the fende dyscouere mannes synne and wo­mannes to brynge theym to shame & velonye / and soo to destroye charyte / and make euery man for to slee other But god of his mercy letteth hym / for he may nought do ne telle but as he hath a graūt of god. And therfore as we fynde in the gospell Math .viij. The fende myght not entre in to the swyne that wende there besydes for to drenche hem tylle he had a graūte of Cryste. Also he myght not dysease Iob / neyther in his bodye ne in his catell tyll he hadde a graūte of god. Iob .i. et .ij. And he coude not dysceyue kyng Achab with lesynges & fayte byhestes to do hym to fyght there he myght lyue in peas / yet he myght not do it tyll he hadde a graunte of god. The thyrde boke of kynges the .xxij. chapytre. He knoweth moche thynge by the suffraunce of god / but he may nought do without graūte & permys­syon or suffraūce of god. The fende is so feble & so faynt that he may no man ne woman ouercome by temptacōn but he wyll be ouercome of hym. Ne he may not dere the leste childe in the waye but he haue a graūte of god whiche somtyme graūted him power therto for the synne of fader & moder ¶Diues. Why suffreth god hym soo moche to tempte mankynde. ¶Pauper. To manyfolde or encresynge of [Page] our blysse and of our mede. For as saynt Poule sayth. Ther is noo man worthy for to haue the crowne of lyfe but he withstande the fende in ghoostly stryfe. And as he sayth in an other place / god suffreth hym not to temp­te vs but as we may well withstande yf we wyll. And yf we falle he hath ordeyned to vs remedye of penaunce / soone to ryse ayen and better to fyght yf we wyll. And all our temptacyon shall tourne vs to mede yf our wyll be to withstande it. ¶Diues. Sythen the fende knoweth so many treuthes & wote what is done / for he is at eue­ry wycked dede / me meruaylleth mo­che why he is so redye to lye & why he is so false. ¶Pauper. For he hateth god that is souerayne treuthe / & for he myght not be euen with god in so­ueraynte of treuthe / ne haue the na­me of souerayne treuthe that is god / therfore his lykyng & his trauayll is to be souerayne falshede & soueraynly false. And therfor Cryste sayth in the gospell that the fende stode neuer in treuthe / for ther is no treuthe in hym whan he speketh he speketh lesynges by waye of kynde / for he is a lyer & fader of all lesynges. Iohānes .viij. And so whether his tale be true or false / saye he sothe or false / alwaye he is felse / & alwaye a lyer.. ¶Diues. How may he say treuthe and yet lye / for yf he sayth treuthe me thynketh he lyeth not. ¶Pauper. What soo euer man or fende dooth / or speketh ayenst good conscyence and ayenst the pleasaunce of god in wyll and in Intencyon for to dysceyue man woman or childe / it is a lesynge / & he is a lyer that doth it or sayth it. And therfore the lawe sheweth well .xxij. q̄ .ij. hoies & [...]. is autē. That yf a man saye a treuthe / whiche treuthe he wened be false / yf he saye it for to dysceyue his euen crysten / in that he lyeth. And soo with a soth sawe a man or y ^e fende may lye / as yf I saye to the y ^t it were not daye to let the of thy Iourney wenyng my selfe that it were not daye all though it were as I sayd yet I lye. And in the same maner the fende telleth treuthis of thynges that ben to come / and o­ther sothes also / wenynge hym selfe that they be false. And so in his sothe sawes he lyeth / for he sayth that treu the vnwyttyngly for dysceyte and we­neth to saye false. And yf he saye ony treuthe wyttyng & wyllyng / he sayth it oonly for to dysceyue men / and for a wycked ende / and for to doo folke with one soth sawe to byleue an hon­dred lesynges / & so he is alwaye false and dysceyuable. And somtyme he is compelled by the myght of god to telle treuthes ayenst his wyll / to shame and to shenshyp of hym and all his / as we fynde in the gospell Math .viij Marce .i. Luce .iiij. et .vij. But for su­che sothe sawes is he neuer the trewer but alwaye a false lyer / for suche so­the sawes ben ayenst his wyll / and yf he may he wyll tourne hym all to dysceyte / and make men for suche so­the sawes whan they falle to byleue all his lesynges. And therfor he is called in holy wryte. Spiritus mendax. spiritus fallax. That is to saye a spyryte lyer & a spyryte dysceyuable. And [Page] therfore as the fendes hadde sayd the treuthe that Cryste compelled theym to saye / anone he put them to scylen­ce as sayth the glose in the same place for they wolde ellys vnder that sothe sawe haue tolde many lesynges.

Caplm .xxxiij.

DIues. Whan he is coniured he is so boūde by vertue of holy wordes that he must nedes saye trouthe whiche he knoweth yf it be axed hym. ¶Pauper. Suche wyt­ches & charmers. Iapers & faytours that vse suche craftes haue no power to bynde hym ne to compelle hym to telle suche sothes / ne right nought for to do ne for to tell. For he may noughte do ne telle without to haue graūte of god. And therfore suche Iapers and wytches bynde not the fende / but the fende byndeth them full harde in his seruage / and kepeth them thral­les to hym passynge all other / whose boundage is full harde to theym for to escape without a specyall grace of god. ¶Diues Contra Ofte men knowe that clerkes close hem in rynges and in other thynges & make hem to telle & to do many wondres. ¶Pau­per. The fende fayneth hym to be boūde with suche Iapers wordes for to dysceyue them & other by them / and yet is he not closed ne bounde / but he gooth abrode as he dyde byfore / and whan he is called he is somtyme redy to answere for he is full swyfte / some tyme he is not redy to answere / ne to do theyr wyll / and often though he wolde he may not / for god wyll not suffre hym. ¶Diues. Yet contra te. Men wote well that in many londes prestes and clerkes with holy coniu­racōns and holy prayers ordeyned of holy chirche catche wycked spyrytes out of men and wymen. ¶Pauper. That is soth / and not oonly good lyuers / but wycked lyuers in many londes catche fendes out of men and wymen & childern by the vertue of god­des wordes / and holy coniuracyons and holy prayers ordeyned of holy chirche / and sooner a good man or a good woman shall doo that than a wycked. Suche bynde the fende and do hym lese his power and his lord­shyp to shame and shenshyp of hym and all his. Suche seke the worshyp of god and shenshypp of the fende & helpe of mannes soule. And therfore they haue power of god to bynde hȳ and to compelle hym. But yet as the glose sayth Marce. v. suꝑ illud. Quod est tibi nomen. They that ben so tra­uaylled with the fende muste fyrst be clene shreuen as ferre as they may & knowe and telle all the maner of the fendes doynge / and of the temptacy­on that they haue eyther wakynge or slepynge / by syght / by herynge / by fe­lynge / or by ony of theyr wyttes / or by ony thought or fantasye / and dysco­uere all the fendes counseyll. But the se wytches faytours and Iapers seke the fendes worshyp and not goddes worshyp. They seke helpe of the fen­de and forsake goddes helpe / and do sacrefyce to the fende & forsake god­des sacrefyce & take the fende to ther lorde and make hym theyr god. And [Page] soo the fende hath power ouer them / not they ouer the fende.

Caplm .xxxiiij.

ANd therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. q̄ .vij. Non obseruetis. That all suche wytches and all that axe ony counseyll or helpe of them / or sette ony fayth in them / or brynge them in theyr houses / or go to theyr houses to haue helpe or coūseyll of them / and all that take hede of dysmale dayes / or vse nyce obseruaū ­ces in the newe mone / or in the newe yere as settynge of mete or of drynke by nyght on the benche / for to fede. All holde / or gobelyn. Ledynge of the ploughe about the fyre as for good begynnyng of the yere that they sholde fare the better all the yere folowyn ge / or take hede to the Iudycyall of astronomye / or to dyuynacyons / by chy­terynge of byrdes / or by fleynge of foules / or assente to ony suche nyce obseruaunces / or to dyuyne a mannes lyfe or dethe by nombres and by the spere of Pictagoras / or to make ony dyuynynge therby / or by songuary or sompnarye / the booke of dremes / or by the booke that is called the appos­tles lottes / or vse ony charmes in ga­derynge of herbes / or in hangynge of scrowes about man or woman or childe or beest for ony sekenesse with ony scrypture or fygures and caractes / but yf it be Pater noster. Aue or the Cre­de / or ony holy wordes of the gospell / or of holy wryte for deuocyon not for curyousyte / and oonly with the token of the holy crosse / and all that vsen ony maner wytchecrafte or ony mys­byleue y ^• all suche forsaken the fayth of holy chirche & theyr crystendome / and become goddes enemyes and dys please god full greuously / and falle in to dampnacyon withouten ende / but they amende theym the sooner. And therfore the lawe commaūdeth that bysshopes sholde be besye to des­troye all maner wytchecraftes. And yf they fonde ony man or woman that gaaf them to wytche crafte but they wolde amende them / they sholde chace theym out of theyr bysshoryke with open despyte .xxvi. q̄. v. episcopi. And in the same place the lawe sayth that tho wymmen y ^• whiche wene by nyght to ryde on dyuerse bestes and passe dyuerse londes & contrees and folowe a gloryous quene the whiche is called Dyana / or ellys Herodyana or ony other name / and wene that they ben in theyr seruyce bodely with moche myrthe / suche wymen ben all dysceyued & blynded with the fende whome they serue. And therfore the fende hath power for to disceyue them And that they suffre only by fantasy by dreme / & by Iapery of the fende. They wene it were so bodely & in dede & it is not so. And all tho that say or byleue that men or wymen myght by wytchecrafte be torned in to bestes or in to lykenesse of bestes or byrdes bodely ben worse than ony paynym. And they that for hate or wrath that they bere ayenst ony man or woman take away the clothes of the aultre & clothe y ^e aultre with dolefull clothyn­ge / or besette the aultre or the crosse [Page] about with thornes / and withdrawe lyght out of the chirche / or synge or do synge masse of Requiem for them that ben alyue in hope that they sholde fare the worse and the sooner deye the preest sholde be degraded / & both the preest & he that stered hym therto for to do it sholde be exyled for euer. And all maner wytches & all that by leue on wytchecraft sholde be acursed solempnely / but they wolde amende them / as the lawe sayth in the same place / & in the next chapytre folowynge et ca ^•. Si quis. As the lawe sayth there ca ^•. Contra. Yf the wytches were boūde men & wymen / they sholde be beten harde and sore. Yf they were free they shlod be punysshed in harde pryson. And by the lawe Imperyall vt ca ^•. de maleticijs nullus. et l. nemo et l. culpa. And by the lawe Canon xxvi. q̄ .v. qui diuinaciones in glosa. Suche wytches sholde be heded and brente & theyr faytours exyled / & all theyr goodes forteteth. And by the lawe of holy chirche all that byleue in theym or mayntene theym sholde do fyue yere penaūce .xxvi. q̄ .v. Non lice­at. et ca ^•. Qui diuinacōes. Also it is forboden by the lawe as wytchecrafte for to do thynges come ayen / by scrypture in boke or in tables or by astrola bye. ext. li. v. ti .xxvi. ca ^•. i. et. n ^• ¶Diues. I holde it a full good dede to take a thefe with his thefte by what crafte y ^• a man may for saluacyon of the people / & to punysshe or slee a theef by the lawe for ensample of other.

Caplm .xxxv.

PAuper. It is not lefull to o­ny man for to slee a theef a­yenst the kynges lawe & without processe of the londes lawe and without auctoryte of his lyege lorde / ne without a lawfull Iuge ordeyned of his lyege lorde / & yet is the thefe worthy to deye. ¶Diues. That is so­the. For yf euery man myght slee a thefe at his owne wyll & by his owne dome / men sholde vnd colour of thef­te slee many a true man for wrath couetyse & hate. ¶Pauꝑ Sythen men do so moche reuerence to the kynges lawes & the londes lawes to flee myschyues that sholde falle but yf the la­wes were kepte. Moche more reucrence sholde they do to goddes lawe & holy chirche lawe / & eschewe for to for­fete ther ayenst / sythen goddes lawes & holy chirche lawes ben so resonable & as good as the kynges lawes of Englonde. Neuerthelesse the kynges la­wes yf they be Iuste they be goddes lawes. And as many perylles & moo sholde falle yf men toke theues by wytchecrafte ayenst goddes lawes & holy chirche lawes / as yf they slewe them ayenst the kynges lawes and the londes lawes. ¶Diues. Shewe me that. ¶Pauper. Yf a man slee a theef not hym defendaunt ayenst the kynges lawe / he forfeteth ayenst his kynge and is worthy deth. And yf he make hym a Iustyce by his ow­ne auctoryte / though he kepe other processe of the lawe he is a traytour to his kyng. And as moche and more forfeteth he ayenst the kyng of heuen that taketh a theef with wytchecraft [Page] ayenst goddes lawes / sythen god and holy chirche hath forboden it / as do­the he that sleeth a theef ayenst the kynges lawes. And sythen he maketh the deuyll and the wytches that ben moost goddes enemyes his Iuge and werketh by theyr domes in the des­spyte of god y ^• hath forboden it hem / he is a ful hygh traytour to god. And so he doth ten folde more synne / and therfor he is worthy to be hanged more than a theef. More ouer in as mo­che as the fende is a lyer alwaye redy to lye and with lesynges dysceyueth mankynde / & bryngeth men to mur­dre & to shedyng of blood / and rather for to slee Innocentes than for to slee theues. Yf suche wytchecraftes were vsed / many Innocentes and many a good man and woman sholde be ta­ken & slayne / & theues sholde go free. For the fende is more fauourable to theues / manquellers / lecherous and to all other synfull wretches than he is to ony good man or good woman and he hath more lykynge for to slee a good man or good woman than to slee a theef. Also god sayth in the gospell that the fende hath euer ben a lyer / and stode neuer in trenthe / and that he is a manqueller / and fader of lyers and of lesynges. And therfor all thoo that gyue fayth to his tales and doo therafter as moche as is in theym / they make god false and for­sake theyr god that is souerayne treu the / and take theym to the deuyll / that is souerayne falshode / and soo they worshyppe the fende and dyspy­se god. And yf suche craftes were suf­fred euery man myght accuse other of what synne that he wolde / and saye that the fende or the wytches tolde it hym. And in this maner euery man myght kylle & slee other. And therfore for these skylles and reasons and many moo and for to flee these perylles and many other / god hath forboden all maner of wytchecrafte / for it is not done withouten helpe of the fende. But now a dayes god of his grete mercy suffreth not the fen­de but full selden for to saye sothe / for yf he suffred hym for to saye sothe / Englysshe people sholde forsake god all attones and sette theyr truste and theyr fayth all in the fende. For not­withstandynge that they fynde the fendes tales and all his craftes full false / by grete and ofte experyence / and spende full grete therabout / and lesen all that they done and myshap­pen / yet wyll they not leue nor cease for noo losse / for noo prechynge / for no shame / neyther for no punysshyng Neuerthelesse it is no grete wonder / for the fende holdeth theym full har­de bounde in his boundes as his churles and his thralles. For all suche do­ne a passynge homage sacrefyce and seruyce to the fende and forsaken god as I sayd fyrste.

Caplm .xxxvi.

DIues. Suche craftes and cō ­mracyons with holy prayers and they that done them ben holden for full good lyuers / and they gyue theym to fastynge / to penaunce dooynge / and bedes byddynge / and [Page] to many other good dedes. And ther­fore men gyue the more fayth & cre­dence to them & byleue them the bet­ter. For it is not semely that the fen­des crafte sholde be done with suche holynesse. ¶Pauper. The more ho­ly thynge & the more holy prayer that man or woman vsed in the fendes seruyce / the more worshypp and the more pleasaunce they doo to the fende / and the more despyte and offence do they to god. For the worshyppe and the prayers and the seruyce that they sholde do to god / they do it to the fende. And thynges that ben ordeyned oonly for goddes seruyce / they spende it in the deuylles seruyce. And ther­fore they that vse holy wordes of the gospell. Pater noster. Aue. or Crede / or holy prayers in theyr wytchecraf­tes / for charmes or comuracy [...]ns / and all they that vse holy water of the fonte / holy crysme / masses syngynge / fas­tynges / contynence / wullen goeynge / and suche other in theyr wytchecraf­te they make a full hyghe sacrefyce to the fende. It hath ofte ben kno­wen y ^• wytches with sayeng of theyr Pater noster / and droppynge of the holy candell in a mānes steppes that they hated hath done his feet roten of. ¶Diues. What sholde the Pater noster / and the holy candell do ther­to. ¶Pauper. Right nought. But for the wytche worshyppeth the sende so hyghely with the holy prayers / & with the holy candell / and vsed su­che holy thynges in his seruyce in despyte of god. Therfore is the fende redy to doo the wytches wylle / and to fulfyll thynges that they done it for / & so it standeth only in the deuyll & in mysbyleue of the wytche & not in the Pater noster / ne in the holy can­dell / & yet the fooles mene otherwy­se. For the fende wolde not do theyr wyll but they do hym suche hyghe sacrefyce. For whan that they lyght the candell and saye theyr Pater noster / to that intente / they do it not to god / but to the fende. And in that they for­sake god and worshypp the fende as god / and clayme the fende to theyr fader / sayeng to hym that they ought to saye only to god / as Pater noster qui es in celis & [...]. Oure fader that art in heuens halowed be thy name. And all that foloweth they saye it to the fende And therfore y ^• fende may clay me hem for his childern / & god may resonably forsake them & say to them that he sayd to the Iewes. Vos facitis opera patris vestri. vos ex patre dya­bolo estis. et desideria patris vestri vultis facere. Io .viij. Ye done sayth he the werkes of the fende your fa­der / ye ben of the fader the deuyll / & the desyres of your fader ye wyll doo And in the same maner theyr chasty te / theyr fastynge / theyr penaūce do­ynge is in as moche as they doo it to please the fende & for a wycked ende it is a seruyce & a sacrefyce to the fende. And full fewe men or wymen wyl do so moche penaunce for the loue of god / as the wytches do for the loue of the fende and to please the fende / in soo moche that somtyme they cutte theym selfe with knyues and prycke them selfe with launcettes / and so of­fre [Page] theyr flesshe and theyr blood in sacrefyce to y ^• fende / as we fynde in the thyrde boke of kynges the .xviij. cha­pytre. And therfore byleue frendes sy­then this maner of synne is so greuoꝰ so hydeous & so abhomynable in goddes syght / suffre it neuer to be do by none of your housholde / for no losse ne no thefte / for no sekenesse / for noo helthe / for no welthe / for no wo. For yf ye do it your selfe / or do it to be do­ne / or assente to the doynge / or suffre it to be done whan ye myght lette it ye be acursed & offende your god full hyghely & full greuously. For all they that do it or assente to the doynge / & sette theyr fayth therin / they forfete ayenst the fyrste cōmaundement full greuously. For in that they forsake god / and make the fende theyr god / and worshyppeh hym as god. And by what thynge y ^• they do theyr wyt­checrafte / be it fyre / be it ayer / or wa­ter / or erthe / or deed bones / or ony o­ther thynge that is in theyr mawme trye / & that they make symylytude to god as moche as in theym is & wor­shyp it as god. And therfore god for­bode in the fyrste cōmaūdement that man shode not make hym lykenesse y ^• is in heuen / that is to saye / neyther in the fyrmament / ne in the fyre / ne in the ayer. And so in that worde he forbedeth the Iudycyall astronomye / and pyromancye / that is wytchecrafte done in the fyre / and aeromancye / that is wytchecrafte done in the ayer. Also he forbedeth men to make them lykenesse of ony thynge that is in er­the. In that he forbedeth geomancy that is wytchecrafte done in the erthe And also nygromancye / that is wyt­checrafte done by deed bodyes that ben but erthe / and buryed in the er­the. Also he forbedeth men to make them symylytude of ony thynge that is in the water vnder the erthe. In whiche wordes he forbedeth ydrom ā ­cye / that is wytchecrafte done in the water. He badde that men sholde worshyppe none suche thynges as god / ne sette theyr truste ne theyr fayth ther­in. For yf they doo they make suche thynges lyke god in as moche as in them is. And not only they make su­che thynges lyke god in this maner / but also they make the fendes lyke god / whiche dwelle some in the fyre / some in the ayer / some in the water / and some in the erthe for to tempte mankynde / and ben besy nyght and daye for to lese mannes soule and womannes. ¶Diues. Shewe me some example of this maner of wytchecraftes. ¶Pauper. I am besy for to destroye wytchecrafte and not for to te­che it. But wolde god that noo man ne no woman wyste what it is / ney­ther knewe these ne none other / for ther ben all to many y ^t knowe these / & many mo therto / and practyse newe yere by yere at the fendes techynge / tylle moche of this londe is blente & shente with suche folye. For ouer mo­che wytchecrafte reygneth openly / but moche more pryuely / and name­ly amonges these olde men & wym­men / the whiche for theyr age wolde fayne be holden wyse. And than be­gyn they moost to dote and to teche [Page] theyr yonger many folyes & many nyce fantasyes that ben very wytchecraftes. And therfore bothe olde & yonge sholde axe coūseyll of wyse men of holy chirche / & wyte yf suche thynges & doynges as they teche be lefull or not lefull.

Caplm .xxxvij.

DIues. By comon sawes of clerkes god in the fyrste cō ­maundement forbedeth thre pryncypall synnes. Pryde y ^• is vnder­stand by the lykenesse aboue in heuen for there it began. And y ^• proude man & woman wolde alwaye be aboue & worlhyp his pryde as god. For y ^• proude man and woman wyll haue forth theyr proude wylles wyll god or not. And therfore Iob sayth y ^• the proude fende is kyng of all childern of pryde And as saynt Paule sayth / proude Antecryste shall haue hym as god & sytt in goddes Temple as yf he were god Also they say y ^• god forbade there the synne of couetyse / that is vnderstande by the lykenesse in erthe / for myscouetyse standeth moost in erthly thynge. And therfore saynt Poule sayth / that auaryce is seruage of mawmettes of ydolatrye. For as saynt Ierom sayth The auaryce man maketh his mo­neye & his richesses his god. Also they saye y ^• by the same cōmaūdement he forbade lecherye & glotonye / whiche ben vnderstande by y ^• lykenesse in the water vnder the erthe. For as saynt Poule sayth. Lechoures and glotones make theyr wombe and theyr bodye theyr god. For theyr moost trauayll and besynesse is to please & serue theyr wombe and theyr bely. ¶Pauper. In as moche as euery synne is ayenste the worshyppe of god / in soo mo­che as god in the fyrst cōmaūdement forbedeth all maner synne in generale. But as I sayd by the fyrste cōmaū dement / he forbade in specyaall mawmetrye / ydolatrye / wytchecrafte / sorcerye. For afterwarde he gaue the four cōmaūdement specyally ayenst pryde & vnbuxomnesse / and the sixte & the tenthe ayenst lecherye / the seuenthe & the nynthe ayenst auaryce & couetyse.

Caplm .xxxviij.

DIues. It is lefull to vse lottes. ¶Pauper. Somtyme to breke stryfe in partynge & gyuynge of thynge that may not well be departed. Or whan y ^• men ben in doubte what is to do & mānes wytte fayleth / than is it lefull to vse lottes in thynges that is not ayenst the worshyp of god / soo that it be done with the reuerence of god & holy prayer by fore as the apostles dyde in chesynge of saynt Mathie the apostle / & Elya­zar in chesynge of a wyfe to Ysaac Abrahās sone Gen̄ .xxiiij And therfor Salomon sayth ꝓuer .xvi. y ^• lot [...] ben put in preuy places / & god tempreth them as he wyl. But to vse lott [...] with out nede & only for vanyte / or for dy­uynacyon / settynge fayth therin to wyte therby what shall falle / it is vn­lefull & repreued of god & holy chir­che / & yf men sette truste & fayth ther in it is a greuoꝰ sȳne. ¶Diues. Play­eng at the dyce standeth in lotte and [Page] auenture of the dyce / & yet the game is lefull. ¶Pauper. To vse that game for recreacyon & only for playe it may be suffred / soo that it be done in maner honestly / & in place & tyme cō ­uenyent / & not to moche in sesyng of tyme. But for to vse it for to wynne therby / & put thynges in auenture of dyce / it is a full grete synne & euyll goten good that men gete therwith. And therfore by the lawe yf it were a man of holy chirche that vsed suche playe he sholde be pryued of his benefyce yf that he hadde ony. And yf he had no benefyce he sholde be vnabled and dysposed therto but yf he wolde cease. And yf it were a lewde man / he sholde be acursed. distinct .xxxv. ep̄s Et extra de vita et honestate clerico (rum) ca ^0. Clerici. And therfore sayth the lawe / that noo man of holy chirche sholde be atte suche games.

Caplm .xxxix.

DIues. Sythen ther be so ma­ay maners of wytchecraftes y ^• they may not be tolde in spe­cyall. I praye the telle me in generall what is wytchecraft. ¶Pauper. Euery craft that man or woman vseth to knowe ony thyng or to do ony thyng that he may not knowe ne do by the waye of reason ne by the werkyng of kynde is wytchecrafte. And though it be do by waye of kynde / and they vse therto ony charmes or nyce obseruaū ces in the doynge / wenynge that it myght not be done without that charme / & suche obseruaunce or ellys su­che charmes oonly to blynde the peo­ple that they sholde truste in hym for his charmes and not in werkyng of kynde / it is wytchecrafte all yf he say only his Pater noster / in the doynge for to be holden a charmer / & to do y ^• people truste in hym pryncypally for charmes / all though he sayth no charmes but werketh only by kynde / yet he is a wytche & his doynge is wytche crafte. For by suche doynge he blyn­deth the people and dysceyued them / and doth them truste in wytchecrafte & so do worshyp to the fende and despyte to god. And what so euer man or woman do by waye of kynde & reason / yf he vse ony crafte of Iapery & faytrye for to blynde the people / for to do them byleue that he were a wytche and that he dyde it not by waye of kynde / but by charmes and sorcery / he is a wytche in goddes syght / and his doynge is wytchecrafte. For his crafte is to make men worshyppe the fende / in as moche as he doth the people truste in wytchecrafte / & so spen­de theyr good in the fendes seruyce / and to seke helpe of the fende & for­sake goddes helpe. And hath leuer hym selfe for to be holden a wytche and the deuylles seruaunte / than for to be holden goddes seruaunte / and leuer for to take mennes good in worshyppynge of the fende than in wor­shyppyng of god. And by the connynge & grace that god hath gyuen hym and by the myght & vertue that god hath gyuen to thynges of kynde for helpe of mannes kynde / falsely he enhaunceth the fendes crafte in des­truccyon of mankynde. ¶Diues.

[Page] Tell some example. ¶Pauper. To hele mannes woundes whyle they be fresshe and clene / blacke wulle and oyle ben full medycynable without ony charme as experyence sheweth well. But for as moche as men wene that it were nought worthe without the charme / & sette theyr fayth pryn­cypally in the charme / therfore it is to them a wytche crafte. But though a man in the doyng say his pater noster / or some holy prayer callynge the grace of god in his doynge it is noo wytche crafte but it is well done.

Caplm .xl.

DIues. What yf he saye pater noster / or other holy wordes / or some holy prayer pryuely or aperte for to do the people wene y ^t it is do by waye of myracle and for his prayer [...] his holynesse / whan he dooth it by reason & werkyng of kynde. ¶Pauper. Than is it a full gre­te ypocresye and a full greuous synne in hym that dooth it in that maner & for that intende / but wytche crafte is it none / for it is no worshyp to the fendes crafte / ne the people is not sty­red therby to truste in the fende but rather in god. ¶Diues. Is it ony wytche crafte to charme adders or o­ther bestes & byrdes with holy wordes or holy wryte or with ony other holy wordes ¶Pauper. Yf a man or wo­man take hede in his doynge only to the holy wordes and to the myght of god / it is noo wytche crafte. But yf they vse in theyr dooynge ony mys­obseruaūce & sette more truste therin than in holy wordes or in god / than as clerkes saye it is wytche craft [...] / and the effecte therof yf it falle it cometh of the fende / & namely in adders and serpentes. For the adder was the fyr­ste Instrumente that the fende vsed for to dysceyue mankynde / as we fynde Genesis .iij. And yet by the adder he dooth men moost truste in wytche crafte. ¶Diues. Is it ony p [...]ryll to man or woman to charge his frende in his deyeng to come ayen & teile hȳ how he fareth. ¶Pauper. It is a ful grete peryll. For as saynt Poule sayth The fende oftyme maketh him lyke an angell of lyght / but he may not laste in the beaute ne bryghtnes. And so lyghtly the fende myght appere to hym that were alyue in the lykenesse of hym that were deed & telle hym lesynges / and in case make hym soo a­fered that he sholde lese his wytte & falle in wanbyleue as it felle to one within a fewe yeres. And happely he sholde telle hym that he were damp­ned though it were not so / or telle him that he were in blysse though he we­re in bytter payne / and soo lette hym of his almesdede and from his holy prayers and other good dedes by whiche not only that soule sholde be hol­pen / but many other with hym. Also yf he appered to hym / or yf he wende that he appered to hym he sholde ha­ue the lesse mede for his byleue than he hadde byfore / for than were he te­cheth by experyence to knowe that the soule lyueth after the bodye. Also it is not in the soules power to appe­re to man or woman after the deth of [Page] his bodye / ne man is not able to see a soule / for it is Inuysyble without a specyall myracle of god. And so both he that chargeth hym to come ayen / & he that behoteth to come ayen temp­ten god. And right as god wyll that euery man & woman be vncertayne what tyme he shall deye / for that he sholde alway be dredeful to do amys and besy to do well. Right so he wyll that men be vncertayne of theyr frendes whan they ben deed in what sta­te that they ben / for that they sholde alwaye be besy to helpe theyr soules with masses syngynge almes doynge with bedes byddynge / and other good dedes / not oonly for helpe of hym but of other that haue lytyl helpe or none Also for encresyng of theyr owne me­de. For who soo that trauaylleth well for an other / trauaylleth best for hym self. For as saynt Poule sayth. Ther shall no good dede be vnrewarded / ne no wycked dede be vnpunysshid. ¶Diues. Thy reason is good. For yf men wyste that theyr frendes were out of payne they wolde do right nought for them / & so they sholde lese moche me­de for that knowyng / & soules lese moche helpe. And yf men wyste for cer­tayne whan they sholde deye / they sholde be to bolde to do amys in hope that they sholde amēde them in theyr deynge. But yet notwithstandyng al thy reasons / some clerkes sayen that it is lefull to men for to charge theyr frendes to come aren to shewe them her state after theyr deth. For as they saye it is kyndely thynge for to desy­re for to knowe or to conne. For the phylosophre sayth that euery man & woman by waye of kynde desyreth to knowe and to conne. Omnes homi­nes natura scire desiderant. ¶Pau­per. They saye sothe / and not ayenst me. For it is lefull to euery man and woman for to desyre to conne and to knowe. But it is not lefull for to de­syre to knowe in that maner / ne by noo meane vnlefull not by techynge of the fende / neyther by techynge of them that ben deed.

Caplm .xli.

DIues. How is it that spyry­tes walke so about whan men be deed. ¶Pauper. Comon­ly suche spyrytes ben fendes and goo soo about to sclaundre them that ben deed / and for to brynge the people in to errour and bachytynge and wyc­ked demynge / that yf the people de­med euyll & spake euyll of them byfore theyr dethe / to do them speke & de­me moche worse after theyr dethe / & soo to brynge the people full depe in synne. And somtyme they gone in to the bodyes of theym y ^t ben deed & bu­ryed & bere it about to do them vylo­ny. But whan spyrytes goo in this maner / they do moche harme & mo­the dysease. Nathelesse by the leue of god the soules appere in what maner god wyl to hem that ben alyue / some for to haue helpe / somtyme to shewe that the soules lyue after the bodye to conferme them that ben feble in the fayth & byleue not saddly that man­nes soule lyued not after his deth / but suche spyrytes do no harme but to tho [Page] that wyll not byleue theym that they haue suche payne / or wyll not redely helpe hem at theyr axinge.

Caplm .xlij.

DIues. Is it lefull to trust in these fastynges newe founde to flee sodayne deth. ¶Pauper. It is a grete foly to truste therin For as I sayd now late / god wyl that man & woman be vncertayne what tyme that they sholde deye & in what maner. For god wyll that man and woman be alwaye besye to flee synne and for to do well for drede of deth / and alway redy what tyme that god wyll sende after theym. And yf that men were certayne by suche fastynge that they sholde not deye sodaynly / but haue tyme of repentaūce / & to be shreuen and houseled / they sholde be the more rechelesse in theyr lyuynge / and they sholde the lesse care for to doo amys in hope of amendemente in theyr dyeng. And therfor god graū teth them not the ende nor the effecte that they faste for. For greter soday­ne deth wyste I neuer than that men had than. I wyste theym haue that haue fasted suche fastes .vij. yeres a­bout / ne more dyspytefull and shame full in open punysshyng of theyr synne / and ther was neuer soo moche so­dayne deth so longe reygnyng in this londe as hath be sythen suche fastynge began / we may not treaten god ne put hym to no lawes. And therfore we sholde putte alwaye our lyfe and our deth only in his wyll / prayeng to hym of his grace that he wyll ordeyn for vs bothe in lyfe and deth / as it is moost to his worshyppe and helpe of our soule. It is well done for to praye to god with fastyng and good dedes that he saue vs from sodayne deth / for all holy chirche prayeth soo. But for to sette sayth in suche nyce obser­uaūces and wene to be syker of theyr askynge for suche obseruaunces that is not lefull / for we may not knowe the wyl of god in suche thynges with out a specyall reuelacyon of god / we may praye & ought to praye / but god shall graūte as hym lyketh / & as he seeth that it is moost spedefull to vs & moost to his worshypp. And therfore Salomon sayth. Nemo sit vtrū amore an odio dignus sit. Eccle. ix. Noo man he sayth wote sykerly whether he is worthy hate or loue. And yet we hope and ought all to hope that god wyll loue vs & saue vs yf we doo our deuour. Fastyng is good yf it be done in mesure & maner & in good inten­cyon / so that men sette no mysbyleue therin / ne grounde them in no lesyn­ges ne in noo nyce obseruaūces. But in as moche as they preferre in theyr fastynge dayes of theyr owne choyse byfore tho dayes that ben ordeyned by holy chirche to faste / in soo moche they synne in presumpcyon and doo preiudice to holy chirche y ^t ordeyned suche dayes that ben moost conueny­ente to faste / as wednesdaye frydaye and satyrdaye. De conse. distinct .iij. Ieiunia & [...]. sabbato. ¶Diues. I see no grounde ne reason in suche fastynge / ne why it sholde be more medefull to faste all mondayes in the yere whan [Page] the feste of our Lady in lente falleth on the mondaye / than for to faste in worshyp of her y ^e wednesdaye frydaye or satyrdaye. For I byleue sykerly y ^t the mede of fastynge or the vertue of fastynge is not assygned ne lymyted by the lettres of the kalender ne folowe not the course of the kalender / ne chaungeth not from one daye to another daye / all yf the lettres chaunge from one daye to an other. And so as me thynketh suche fastynge is groū ­ded in some lesyng & faynyng and in some mysbyleue ful nygh wytchecrafte. ¶Pauper. Me thynketh the same For all yf the feste falle somtyme on the mondaye / somtyme on y ^e tuesday yet the deed in it selfe felle neyther on the mondaye ne on y ^e tuesdaye / but it felle on the frydaye / for than y ^e angell greted our lady & than she conceyued goddes sone lord of blysse. And .xxxiij. yere after the same tyme and the sa­me daye / that is to saye on good fry­daye about myddaye she sawe her de­re sone deynge for mankynde vpon the rode tree. And soo me thynketh y ^t it is more pleasaunt to god & to our lady & more conuenyent to faste the frydaye in the worshyp of cryste that deyed for vs all that daye / and also in worshyp of our lady that conceyued that daye her dere sone at the gretynge of the angell than to faste eyther mondaye or tuesdaye. And in as mo­che as they wene that suche faste sholde not auayll theym to thende y ^t they faste it fore / but yf they chaūge theyr faste yere by yere after the course of the kalender / & that muste be do .vij. yere durynge after other / it is a nyce fantasye and mysbyleue full nyghe wytchecrafte. For Cryste myght graū them that boon as well for fyue or for .vi. or for .viij. yere fastynge as for .vij. yere fastynge. I fonde neuer grounde wherof it cam neyther reson ne auctoryte fynde I none. Axe forth yf thou wylte somwhat ellys.

Caplm .xliij.

DIues. Is it lefull to sette ony truste or ony fayth on dremes. ¶Pauper. Ther ben two maner causes of dremes. One from inwarde / & an other from outwarde. Causes of dremes from inwarde ben thre maner. One is co­mon sterynge of mannes fantasye or womans in theyr slepe / & suche dre­mes ben but fantasyes and vanytees And therfore sayth Salomon. Vbi multa somnia. ibi multe vanitates. Eccle. v. Where as ben many dremes ther ben many vanytees / for in this maner one man shall haue moo dre­mes than some twenty other Another cause from inwarde is y ^e dysposycōn of the bodye. For whan men ben col­de of kynde / they dreme of frostes & snowe / and so by theyr dremes a wyse leche may knowe in parte the dys­posycōn of ther bodye / be it to helthe or to sekenes. The thyrde cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of y ^e soule For comonly men dremen of suche thynges as ther soules & theyr thoughte is moost in occupyed whyle y ^t they waken / eyther by studye / by loue / or by hate / by wrath / by drede / by sorowe / by [Page] care pryde or couetyse. Causes of dre­mes from outwarde ben two maner / bodely & ghoostly. Bodely is the dysposycōn of the ayer and of the place about hym / & other thynges besyde hym. And therfore in rayne weder men dreme of water & of fysshes / for ofte mānes bodye chaūgeth after the dysposycyon of the ayer & of his aby­dynge place And for these thre causes sayth the phylosophre De somno et vigilia. That leches sholde take be­de to the dremes of them that ben se­ke to knowe therby how they ben dysposed. Ghoostly causes from outwarde of dremes ben ij. maners / the one is good / for that is god by hym selfe / or ellys by angellys / & that in thre ma­ners. For some dreme so by ymagynacyon only / as dyde the kyng Pharao & Nabugodonosor. Some dreme on­ly by vnderstandynge / as dyde saynt Poule & Balaam. Some dreme bo­the by ymagynacōn & by vnderstan­dyng / as dyde saynt Iohan in apo­calyps & Danyell in his prophecye / whiche sawe wonderfull syghtes by ymagynacōn & vnderstandyng what tho syghtes betokened. But Pharao and Nabugodonosor vnderstonde not the vysyons ne the dremes that they had. The other cause of dremes from outwarde is not good as whan it falleth by Illusyon of the fende / for tho pryncypally serue to wytche crafte. Somtyme dremes come of grete be­synesse & trauayl that one hath whan he is wakyng And therfor sayth Salomon / that after besynesse folowen many dremes / for comonly men dre­me of suche thynges as they ben in occupyed whyle they wake. Somty­me dremes come of to moche absty­nance & of hongre. Somtyme it co­meth of excesse of mete or of drynke. Somtyme of myslykynge that man hath whan he is wakyng. And in as moche as the effecte of thynges is to­ken of his causes / as smoke is token of the fyre / soo suche dremes ben to­kens of causes y ^t they come of. And in this maner awyse man may telle by dremes causes of mannes dremes / & so by causes telle other preuy thyn­ges that may fall therof. For oftyme one cause bryngeth forth dyuerse effectes eche after other. ¶Diues. Telle some examples. ¶Pauper. Expery­ence sheweth that yf a man talke moche with a woman & sette his herte gretely to her by daye / & in the nyght folowyng he dremeth of her some nyce dreme / by whiche dreme yf he tol­de it to some wyse man / he wolde say that he loued moche that woman / & but he withdrewe hym from her company / it sholde tourne hym to felony And also as clerkes saye in asmoche as dremes come by waye of kynde / in soo moche it is lefull to telle what they sygnefye after the causes y ^t they come of / soo that in theyr tellynge & castyng they passe not the boūdes of kynde. Also it is lefull to telle thyn­ges that ben to come / by dremes that come by reuelacōn of god / yf man & woman haue y ^• grace to vnderstande them as Ioseph and Danyell hadde But for as moche as dremes comen in soo dyuerse maners / certayne it is [Page] full harde to knowe in what maner they come / whether by god or by kynde or by y ^• fende or by ony other waye Therfore it is full peryllous to sette ony fayth therin / as saynt Gregorye sayth li .viij. morx. suꝑ illud Iob. Terrebis me ꝑ sompnia. For somtyme by dremes the fende behoteth men grete prosperyte & moche richesses to bryn­ge them in pryde & hope of thynges that they sholde neuer haue. Somty­me by dremes he pretendeth moche aduersyte & grete dysease for to brynge folke in sorowe & drede & grete he­uynes / & yf he may to brynge them in to dyspayre / for nyce fantasyes that he bryngeth them in. And somtyme for men sette fayth in suche dremes / god suffreth suche myschyues to falle to theym as theyr dremes pretende in punysshynge of theyr synne / for that they sette in dremes ayenst the lawe of god. But prosperyte falleth them none for no suche dremyng. ¶Diues Where fyndest y ^u that god forbedth men to sette fayth in dremes.

Caplm .xliiij.

Pauper. Leuitici .xix. where as god sayth thus. Non auguria bimini. nec obseruabit sompnia. Ye shall not dyuyne ne make you wyse of preuy thynges by no wyt checrafte / & ye shall wayte after noo dremes ne take hede therto / ne sette fayth therin. Also Deut ⁰ .xviij. God forbedeth all maner wytchecraftes & charmes / & byddeth that no man sholde take hede to dremes. And in the same boke .xiij. god sayth thus Yf be so sayth he that ony man amonges you begynneth to be a soche sayer & a prophete / & saye that he had a dreme & a vysyon & telle ony wonder / whiche wonder & token falleth as he sayth / yf he styre the to mawmetrye or to o­ny wytchecrafte / here not the wordes of that prophete and of that dremer. For by hym god assayeth you / that it may be openly knowen whether ye loue hym with all your herte & soule or nay. And therfore god byddeth that suche dremers & prophetes sholde be slayne & though he were thyn owne brother by fader & by moder y ^u shol­dest not spare hym in that caas. And therfor Salomon sayth / that dremes haue also brought moche people in errour & in folye / and they that truste therin falle to nought. Eccle .xxxiiij. For all yf dremes come oftymes by waye of kynde as I sayd / yet it is ful harde to knowe whan it cometh by waye of kynde or by Illusyon of the fende. And though they come by way of kynde & though a man knowe the causes in kynde of dremes / yet it is full harde to telle certaynely what y ^t falle therof / for only god knoweth for certayne thynges that ben to come / & he may chaūge & lette the werkynge of kynde. And also though men knowe the causes of kynde that dremes come of / yet knowe they not what lettynges ben on other byhalfe by waye of kynde. ¶Diues. Telle some exāple. ¶Pauper. Whan smoke medled with fyre cometh out of an house by the wyndowe or by the louerys / men that seen it from ferre wyll saye that [Page] that house shall go on fyre. And yet ther may be soo good helpe nyghe for to quenche the fyre that y ^t house shal take but lytyll harme. And many a man by waye of kynde is dysposed to dyuerse sekenesse / but yet he may soo gouerne hym & vse suche medecynes that he shall lette that dysposycōn of kynde and not haue suche sekekesses. ¶Diues. By the same reson though a dreme come of goddes sendynge to helpe of mannes soules and in war­nynge of myschyef to come / he sholde take none hede therto / ne sette ne faythe therin / for he wote not fro whens it cometh. ¶Pauper. Without reue­lacōn of god he wote not fro whens it cometh. And therfor whan god sendeth suche dremes / he shall shewe to hym that thus dremeth / or to some other from whens it cometh / & what it betokeneth. As he dyde to the kyng Pharao by Ioseph / and to the kyng Nabugodonosor by Danyell.

Caplm .xlv.

DIues. Yf man or woman haue a dreme that styreth them to good werkes and to vertue and to flee synne and to amende his lyfe / may he not sette his fayth ther­in / and do therafter. ¶Pauper. Whether it cometh of god or of the fende / it is leful to hym for to sette his fayth therin and to do therafter. For it sty­reth hym to thynges that he is boun­den to without ony dreme And ofty­mes bothe fende and the fendes lym­mes teche well though they doo full euyll. But a man so dremynge muste be full well ware / that for suche dre­mes he take none hede to other dre­mes that styre him to vanyte or to curyosyte for to knowe thynges that be to come / or other preuy thynges / or to mysdeme of his euen crysten / or to hate / or to mysloue / or to mayte after grete prosperyte / or to drede grete ad­uersyte / or dethe of frendes / or losse of catell / and of suche other. But in as moche as they styre them to god & to goodnesse / he may folowe his dre­mes & do after them wysely & warly for ofte the fende vnder colour of holynesse desceyueth bothe man and woman. ¶Diues. Moche people hadde leuer for to dreme of the fende than of god or of his moder Marye / for as they saye, whan they dreme of the fende they fare well in the daye folowynge / but whan they dreme of god or of our lady they fare euyll afterwar­de. ¶Pauper. Suche people fare the worse for theyr mysbyleue and theyr nyce fantasye and synne full greuously / & be full euyll dysceyued by the gyle of the fende. For whan the fende seeth that a man shall haue dysease / he maketh hym in the nyght byfore to dreme of god & of our lady & of o­ther sayntes / or of men of relygyon & so to make hym to haue lesse deuocōn to god & our lady and other sayntes / and lesse affeccōn to men of relygyon bycause of his dysease that shall falle to hȳ after y ^t dreme. And so by the bodely dysease that he thynketh for to brynge in hym / he trauaylleth to brynge hym in to ghoostly dysease and in depe synne. And therfore whan men [Page] wyll be foles and sette theyr fayth to suche dremes that come so by gyle of the fende for as moche as dysease falleth to them ones or t [...]es after su­che dremes. Therfor god suffreth the fende in punysshynge of theyr synne & of theyr mysbyleue for to doo them dreme ofte of suche maner / & after to do them dysease as they byleue to ha­ue. And therfore whan men hadde suche dremes with dysease so folowyn­ge and began to haue ony fantasy or fayth therin / they sholde shryue them therof to some wyse man & telle hym the fendes gyle and they sholde fare the better. Some dreme of god and of our lady and of holy men that ha­ue faren ful wel afterwarde / for they haue no suche fantasye ne mysbyleue in dremes. And some faren full euyll after for theyr mysbyleue / & oftymes they faren full euyl whan they dreme neyther of god ne of our lady.

Caplm .xlvi.

IN the same maner. Some man hadde leuer for to mete with a froude or a frogge in the waye than to mete with a knyght or a squyre / or with ony man of rely­gyon or of holy chirche / for than they saye and byleue that they shall haue golde. For somtyme after the metyn­ge of a frogge or a tode / they haue resceyued golde / and so they falle in mysbyleue and despysen theyr euen crys­ten. For I wote well that they rescey­ue golde of men or of wymen / but not of frogges ne of todes / but it be of the deuyll in lykenesse of a frogge or a tode. And they mete with many a foule frogge & tode in the yere & yet resceyue they no golde for that metynge. And yf they resceyued ony golde / they sholde thanke god & theyr euen crysten / not the frogge ne the tode for they may nought gyue theym. And these labourers deluers & dykers that moost mete with frogges and todes ben full poore comonly. And but men paye them theyr hyre they haue lytyl or nought. Also in this maner some byleue that yf the kyte or the puttoke flee ouer the waye afore them / that they sholde fare well that daye / for somtyme they haue faren well after that they see the kyte so fleynge / and so they falle in wanbyleue and than­ke the kyte of theyr well fare and not god. But suche foles take none hede how often men mete with the kyte so fleynge / and yet they fare neuer the better. For ther is no folke that mete so ofte with y ^• kyte so fleynge as they that begge theyr mete fro dore to dore

Caplm .xlvij.

DIues. What sayest thou of theym that dyuyne by the fyrste daye of the yere / that is the fyrste kalendas of Ianuarye / & by the Crystmasse daye what y ^t shall falle in the yere folowynge. That yf it falle on the sondaye / the wynter folowynge shall be good / and the so­mer good and drye / and plente of wyne. Oxen and sheep shall well wexe and multyplye. Olde men and olde wymmen shall deye / and peas and accorde shall be made that yere also. [Page] ¶Pauper. I saye that it is open to lye and wytchecrafte / and full hyghe offence to the mageste of god. For he that made all thynge and ruleth all thynge is not bounden ne arted to the course ne lawe of the kalender. He nedeth no kalender in his gouernaunce But he gouerneth and demeth this worlde by treuthe and equyte medled with mercy / and after that men deserue he sendeth them wo and welthe / peas or warre what daye that euer y ^• kalendas of Ianuarye or Crystmasse daye falle on. In the yere of our lorde a thousande and four hondred the kalendas of Ianuarye selle on y ^• thursdaye whan as they saye sholde falle plente of all good and peas also but that yere folowynge grete hongre grete pestylence / sodayne dethe / warre felle within the londe & warre with­out / drede sorowe & care / and trybula­cyon in euery degre. The kalendas hath chaungeth sythen from daye to daye / & the yere is come aren on the thursdaye / but our dysease chaungeth not but alwaye in to worse for our synnes. For our synnes alwaye encreaseth & lesseth not. And in what daye that so euer the kalendas of Ianuarye & Crystmasse daye falleth in one londe / the same daye it falleth all a­bout / & yet foloweth it not therof that it sholde be ouer all peas yf it falle on the thursdaye or the sondaye / ne ouer all plente / ne ouer all warre / & hon­gre or pestylence / yf it felle on the sa­tyrdaye. ¶Diues. Some dyuyne by the thondrynge & make theym wyse of all the yere comynge after the mo­neth that it thondreth in. ¶Pauper That also is a grete folye and open wytchecrafte / for it is a kyndly thynge in somer tyme to thondre in May Apryll. Iuyn. Iuly. August & Sep­tembre. But in other monethes that ben in wynter is it not so kyndely to thondre as than. For whan grete thō dre in wynter falleth it is ayenst kynde & token of the grete offence to god & token of vengeaunce comynge / but yf men amende them. And so is eue­ry thynge / and namely wederynge that falleth ayenst comon course of kynde. But for to dyuyne therby in a specyall what y ^e shall falle eyther well eyther wo / peas or warre / hongre or plente / helth or sekenesse / it is vnleful For oonly goo knoweth for certayne what is to come of suche thynges / & where & whan it shall falle. And god vseth not y ^• thondre as an horn to blowe his coūseyll about the worlde.

Caplm .xlviij.

DIues. It is a comon opynyon amonge the gentyles and other also / that all the yere foloweth the dysposycyon of the .xij. dayes in Crystmasse. So that the fyrste moneth shall be suche in wedryn­ge as the fyrste daye of the .xij. dayes is / the seconde moneth as the seconde daye is / and so forth all folowynge. ¶Pauper. That opynyon is false & open folye. For it is a full kyndely thynge to haue froste and snowe all the .xij. dayes. But it were aye [...]ste kynde to haue froste & snowe all the yere folowynge. And somtyme it fal­leth [Page] that it is ful raynye weder al the xij. dayes / but it foloweth not therof that it sholde rayne and be wete we­der all the yere after. It is a ful kyndely thynge that the sonne shewe hȳ not thre dayes or four togydre in crystmasse / but it were moche ayenst kyn­de yf the sonne shewed hym not thre monethes or four togydre namely in the somer tyme. And often it falleth that in all the .xij. dayes it rayneth no rayne / but euery daye sonne shyne & ful fayre weder / but it foloweth not therof that it sholde be sonne shyne without rayne all the yere after / for than beest and man sholde be in grete peryll. At the begynnynge of the worlde the fende behyght Adam and Eue that they sholde be as god knowyng good and euyll that was to come / yf they wolde ete of the tree ayenst god­des cōmaundement / & so he brought them in to care & sorowe & in to her folye. And in the same maner these dayes he behoteth men to be as god / knowynge well and wo that is to co­me / by suche nyce fantasyes that he techeth them tylle that he bryngeth them in wo / & namely Englysshe nacyon that moost taketh hede to his lore / & moost taketh hede to wytchecrafte & to them that make them prophetes and make them wyse in suche fo­lyes ayenst the lawe of god.

Caplm .xlix.

DIues. It is not lefull to theym that it can for to ma­ke metall golde or syluer / & to multeplye golde & syluer from .xx. pounde to .xl. pounde / and so forth. ¶Pauper. Yf ony man coude do it by waye of kynde it were lefull / and full prouffytable to this londe. But I knowe well that ther is noman that can do it. For yf they coude they wol­de fyrste multeplye to theyr owne self prouffyte and make them selfe riche And comonly all theym that vse that crafte but yf they haue somwhat ellis for to take to / ben full poore and full nedy. But whan that they can or may begyle ony man of his good as they done full ofte and renne awaye with other mennes goodes / and of the ri­che men make full poore men. They behoten theym multeplycacyon / but they playe all with subtraccyon and brynge people in to grete pouerte. Ly­tyll neded our kyng for to charge the people with taxes and talyages / yf that he hadde suche folke in his Real me that coude do that crafte to ma­ke golde and syluer & so to multeplye it. But suche Iapers and faytours destroyen moche golde and syluer in destruccyon of the Realme / and blynde many a wyse man & begyle them of theyr good. For the couetouse and the false accorde soone togydre. And for asmoche as whan men haue ynoughe & ben not content therwith / ther­fore god suffreeh them to be begyled / & so for to be mocked for couetyse that they can not cesse tyll they be brought to nought or to ouer grete losse / for many a man hath be vndone by this crafte. And therfore this crafte is condempned & forfended as wytchecraft by the lawe .xxvi.q̄.v. Ep̄us.

Caplm .l.

DIues. What sayste thou of them that wyll haue no men of holy chirche / and namely men of relygyon with them on hun­tynge / for theyr byleue is also that they sholde spede the worse bycause of theyr companye. ¶Pauper. I praye to god that euyll mote they spede also oftymes as they take ony man of relygyon or of holy chirche for to go or to ryde with them on huntyng. For suche huntynge with horne and with houndes / and grete noyse is for­boden to men of holy chirche. Extra. li.iij.ti.vltimo. Ne clerici ca.i.et li.v. ti.xxiiij. De cle. venat .ca.i. et.ij.et di­stinct .xxxiiij quorundā. And Saynt Austyn sayth / that tho men of holy chirche whiche haue lykynge to see suche huntynge / they shal see our sauy­our and be full sory. Distinct .lxxxvi. Vident. ¶Diues. What sayste thou of them that whan they go on hun­tynge / or passe by the waye / yf they mete with a man of holy chirche or of relygyon / and namely with a frere they wyl leue hym on theyr lyfte honde / for by that they wene to spede the better / & the worse yf they leue hȳ on theyr right honde. ¶Pauper. I saye that suche ben of false byleue & wyt­ches peres. And but they amende thē god shall putte them from his right hond / & put theym on his lyfte honde with theym that shall be dampned at the daye of dome / and sende in to the pytte of helle without ende. I wolde that al suche were serued as one was full late. ¶Diues. How was he ser­ued. ¶Pauper. Ther came a proude gettour rydynge from London and mette wit two freres walkynge on a dyches brynke in a fote pathe for to flee the foule waye. The gettour ca­me rydynge in grete haste cryeng w ^t grete boste. On the lefte honde frere / on the lefte honde frere. The freres prayed hym ful fayre to ryde forth in his waye and kepe the horse waye / as they kepte y ^• fote waye. He wolde not but algates he wolde haue the freres on y ^e lefte honde & presced in with his horse bytwene the freres & the dyche so nygh the dyche that the freres shoue bothe horse and man in to a depe dyche. And there laye bothe horse and man tyll that other folke comyng by the waye drewe hym out. Right also without doubte but suche foles amende them and lette be suche nyce fan­tasyes / god at the daye of dome shall put theym on the lefte syde in to the pytte of helle without ende / and saye to theym in this wyse. For ye put me on your syde so scornefully / therfore I put you now on the lyfte honde with theym that shall be dampned. And yf they saye. Lorde whan dyde we put the on our lefte honde scornefully or despytously. He shall answere & saye to theym as he shall saye to other. Quod vni ex minimis meis fecistis. michi fecistis. That ye haue done to one of the leste of the myne / ye haue done it to me. And therfor go ye now on the lyfte syde in to the fyre of hel­le / there to dwelle with the fende and his angelles without ende.

Caplm .li.

DIues. Me lyste now more to wepe than ony thynge more to speke. For I wende tyll to now that the Englysshe nacyon had worshypped god passynge all y ^• other nacyons. But now I see well that it is not so. For moche of my nacyon is entryked and blente with suche fan­tasyes many mo than I can tell. And so they forfete hyghely ayenst the fyrste cōmaundement that ought moost for to be charged. For that techeth vs how that we sholde worshyp our god aboue all thynge. And ther is neyther bysshopp ne prelate ne curate ne pre­choure that wyll speke ayenst the vy­ces and errours that ben so hyghe a­yenst goddes worshyppe. And so by mysuse & sleuthe of men of holy chir­che vyce is take for vertue / and errour for treuthe / the fende is worshypped & god is despysed. Neuerthelesse as men saye / god is in no londe so well ser­ued in holy chirche / ne so moche wor­shyped in holy chirche as he is in this londe. For so many fayre chirches ne so good araye in chirches / ne so fayre seruyce as men saye is in none other londes as it is in this londe. ¶Pauper. As saynt Gregorye sayth in his Omelye / god taketh more hede to a mannes herte than to his gyfte / and more to his deuocyon than to his de­de. He taketh no grete hede sayth he how moche a man or woman gyueth or offreth in holy chirche / but he ta­keth hede of how moche deuocōn & of what herte he gyueth & offreth. And so a poore man or woman hath some tyme more thanke for the gyfte of an halfpeny / than some riche man hath for the gyfte of .xx. shelynges. Yf the makynge of chirches and the ournamentes and the seruyce in this londe were done pryncypally for deuocyon / and for the worshyp of god. I trowe this londe passed all other londes in worshyppynge of god & holy chirche. But I drede me that men do it mo­re for pompe and pryde of this worl­de to haue a name and worshyp ther­by in the contree / or for enuye that o­ne towne hath ayenst an other / not for deuocōn / but for the worshyp and the name that they see them haue by araye and ournamentes in holy chir­che / or ellys by slygh couetyse of men of holy chirche. ¶Diues. What fan­tasye haste thou that men do it not for deuocyon. ¶Pauper. For the people now a dayes is full vndeuoute to god and to holy chirche / and they lo­ue but full lytyll men of holy chirche and they ben lothe for to come in ho­ly chirche whan they be bounde to co­me thyder / and full lothe to here god­des seruyce. Late they come and soone they go awaye. Yf they ben there a lytyll whyle theym thynketh full longe They haue leuer to go to the tauer­ne than to holy chirche. Leuer to here a songe of Robynhode / or of some ry­baudrye / than for to here masse or matynes / or ony other of goddes seruyce or ony worde of god. And sythen that the people hath so lytyll deuocyon to god and to holy chirche. I can not see that they do suche coste in holy chir­che [Page] for deuocōn ne for the loue of god For they despyse god daye and nyght with theyr euyll and wycked lyuynge and theyr wycked thewys.

Caplm .lij.

DIues. Me thynketh that it were better to gyue the mo­neye to the poore folke / to the blynde and to the lame / whose soules god bought so dere / than so to spende it in solempnyte and pryde and ma­kynge of hyghe chirches / in riche ves­tymentes / in curyouse wyndowes / in grete belles / for god is not holpen therby & the poore myght be holpen ther­by full moche. ¶Pauper. Yf it be do for pryde / and not with good mesure they lese moche mede. Yf they do it of deuocyon with dyscrecōn / it is mede­full. For euery man poore and riche after his power is boūde to worshyp goddes house / so that god lorde of all be honestly and worshypfully serued. And therfore god bad in y ^• olde lāwe that his people sholde make-hym a full costly tabernacle at his owne deuyse. And he badde Salomon make hym a full costly temple / & yet with­out doubte there was many a poore man that tyme / both blynde & lame amonge goddes people. Moyses. Dauyd. Salomon. Ioas. Iosyas. Esdras Iudas machabeus / & many other bo­the in the olde lawe and in the newe ben praysed hyghely of god for ma­kynge and worshyppynge and mayntenynge of goddes house and his ser­uyce. And as we fynde in the gospell / that ther was a poore wydowe that offred to amendynge of goddes tem­ple two mytes that ben worth a fer­thynge / and she was praysed of Cryst for her offryng passyng al other that offred than moche more. And we fynde Exodi .xxx. That god badde that in the nombrynge of the people euery man sholde paye to his tabernacle an halfe sycle / that was fyue pens / & that the riche sholde gyue no more than / and the poore no lesse / in a token that that riche and poore sholde be besy to worshyp and to mayntene goddes house and goddes seruyce. God bad­de that bothe the riche & poore sholde paye alyke / in a token that the poore man sholde holde hymselfe as moche bounde to god as the riche / and the good as the wycked. The good is bounde to god for he kepte hym out of synne. The wycked is bounde to god for he kepeth hym that he perys­she not for his synne. Also god badde both riche & poore paye euen moche to his tabernacle / in a token that they ben bothe bought with one pryce of Crystus precyouse blood / & that they sholde both holde themself alyke boū den / & that they haue both alyke nede of suffrages & helpe of holy chirche. Also god badde them both gyue aly­ke in a token that he accepteth theyr gyftes both alyke / yf theyr deuocōn be alyke in theyr gyuynge that the riche man sholde not be proude of his gre­te gyfte & of his richesses / ne the poo­re falle in dyspayre for his smale gyfte and for his pouerte. Neuerthelesse who so may do moost best is bounde to helpe goddes house what it nedeth [Page] and so it is full nedeful to araye well goddes house / and mayntene and en­crease goddes seruyce. And also it is nedefull to helpe the poore folke in theyr grete nede / and somtyme more medefull than is that other. And therfore my frendes thou muste take he­de to the tyme and other cyrcumstaū ­ces. For in tyme of welthe / of peas / and of plente / whan the poore hath ynough or lyghtly may be holpen / thā pryncypally men sholde trauaylle to worshypp goddes house & to encrease and mayntene goddes seruyce. But in tyme of wo warre and hungre of pouerte and other trybulacōns / than sholde men pryncypally trauayll be­sely to theyr euen crysten / and take hede that no man ne woman perysshed for defaulte / but by besye to helpe the nedy both by gyuyng and by lenyng. In a token of this we rede .ij. Regū .vij. et .i. Paralip .vij. et .xxij. That god wolde not suffre the kyng Da­uyd to make his temple / notwithstandynge but he wolde full fayne haue made it / and brought and ordeyned full moche thynges therto. For in his tyme the londe was in grete trybula­cyon by warre within and without / by hungre & morayne / by dyscensyon & debate of them selfe. But he sayd to Dauyd y ^• Salomon his sone shol­de make hym a temple. For he sayd he shall reygne in peas and in reste / in so moche that he shall be called a kyng peasyble / for in his dayes I shal gyue peas & reste in the londe of Is­raell. And Dauyd whan he was in peas and reste and hadde dysconfyte his enemyes / than began he to ordeyn for goddes Temple and wolde haue made it. God coude him moche thanke for his good wyll / but he wolde not suffre hym for to make it / for he was not in so good reste as he hadde wente to haue ben in. For after that began a grete warre ayenst hym. As we fynde .ij. ⁰ Regum .vij. ⁰ et .viij. ⁰ And therfor god sayd to hym. Thou shalt not make to me an house. for thou haste shedde moche blood / and thou arte a man of bloodshedynge byfore me. That is to saye. I haue ordeyned the for to fyght ayenst my­ne enemyes and for to slee theym and so for to make peas. And I haue or­deyned thyn sone after the for to make me an house in peas and in reste / there I shall sette hym in by thy fyghtynge and by thy doynge.

Caplm .liij.

BVt it fareth now a dayes by moche folke as it dyde by Iudas the traytour. We fynde in the gospell Iohēe.xij. That Marye Magdaleyn anoynted the blysful fe­te of our lorde Ihesu with a precyous oynement / not for ony grete nede that Cryste hadde therof / but for the grete loue & deuocōn that she had to hym. Iudas was sorowe therof & grutched and sayd / why is this oynement thus loste. It myght haue ben solde for thre hondred pens / and be gyuen to the poore folke. But as saynt Iohan sayth in the same place. Iudas sayd not tho wordes for the loue y ^• he had­de to the poore folke / but for he was [Page] a theef and robbed Cryste and his dyscyples of moneye that was gyuen to theym. And therfore he wolde that the oynemente sholde haue be solde for thre hondred pens and gyuen to Cryste whiche loued well poore folke that he myght haue myched or deled the moneye awaye / for he bare y ^• pur­ce. And for that cause that he had not his purpose of the thre hondred pens / therfore he sholde Cryste for thre hondred pens / that was .xxx. plates and peces of syluer. For eche one of tho xxx. was worthe .x. smale pens. In the same maner / now a dayes some folke grutche for deuocyons and ne­deful coste that men done in holy chirche / and saye as Iudas sayd / that it were better to gyue it to poore folke. But many of tho gyue full lytyll tale how euyll the poore people fare / for they do full lytyl to the poore folke or to holy chirche eyther. But by ypocre­sye & symylacyon of almesdede / they withdrawen mennes deuocyon from god and holy chirche / and from poo­re folke also. And so they robbe holy chirche and the poore folke. For they done but lytyll them selfe / and lette other that wolde do. And yf they do almesse to the poore blynde & lame / they do it to haue a name & for to ex­clude or put behynde grete almesses that they ben bounden to / as to wor­shypp of holy chirche / and in case good mynystres in holy chirche / and them that trauayll holyly in goddes seruy­ce / and studye in goddes lawe nyght and daye & preche it to the people indede & worde / and haue nede of bodely almesse / of the whiche Cryste sayth in the gospell. Luce .x. That suche werke men and trauayllers ben wor­thy theyr mede And saynt Poul sayth that Cryste hath ordeyned them that teche the gospeel and goddes lawe / for to lyue by the gospell and by theyr prechynge / not lyke as beggers pas­synge by the waye / but honestly and worshypfully as goddes knyghtes / as saynt Austyn sayth suꝑ illud. p̄i. Pro­ducens fenū iumentis. And therfore they that repreue nedefull thynges as makynge of chirches / of vestymentes & bokes / and makynge of belles / they that grutchen ayenst the holy seruyce of god in holy chirche ben but fooles and in Iudas caas. For they mayntene worldely worshyp & lette goddes worshyp. Neuertheles they waste coste of all these thynges and other in holy chirche done for pryde & vayneglorye or of enuye one parysshe ayenst a no­ther / or for couetyse of the mynystres in the chirche seculer or relygyouse is gretely alwaye to be repreued.

Caplm .liiij.

DIues. God byddeth in the gospell. Mathei .vi. That whan man or woman shol­de pray they sholde go in to theyr chā bre and shytte the dore to them / & so praye the fader of heuen. ¶Pauper. In tho wordes Cryste techeth vs not oonly where we sholde praye / but he techeth vs how we sholde praye. For the chambre that we sholde entre in to praye is our herte / for in our pray­ers we sholde gadre our in wytt & our [Page] thoughtes togydre in our herte / and sette our herte oonly in god and take hede to our prayers. The dore that we sholde shytte ben our fyue wyttes outwarde to flee dystraccōn. For than we sholde kepe well our syght / our he rynge / our felynge / our tastynge / and our smellynge / that ther come no dy­straccyon in to our herte by ony of oure fyue wyttes. And he badde also in the same place / as that men in theyr prayers sholde flee ypocresye and vayne glorye. And for to flee and to esche we all this it is full spedefull to man or to woman whan they may not go to the chirche to go in to theyr chambre and so in to theyr oratorye for to saye there theyr prayers and deuocy­ons. But yf they despyse goddes house & leue goddes seruyce for suche pryue prayers they synne greuously / and lese the mede of theyr preuy prayers. And therfore the lawe byddeth that they that haue preuy oratoryes or chapelles by leue of the bysshop for to here in theyr masse & theyr seruyce / that in grete festes / as Ester. Crystmasse. Epyphanye. Ascencōn. Pentecost. and saynt Iohan baptyste / and other su­che / than they sholde go to chirche / & no preest sholde than synge in suche oratoryes or chapelles without specy­ale leue of the bysshop / and yf he dyd he sholde be put from his masse. Deconsecra. distinc .i. si quis extra. Both pryue prayers and open ben good yf they ben done in due maner and in due place and in due tyme. Prayers is good in chambres and in oratoryes but it is better in holy chirche with the comunyte / whan the tyme is of comon prayer / and whan men may wel attende therto with feruent charyte. Synguler prayer of one persone is good in a chambre & in an oratorye / but better in a chirche with euen charyte. But comon prayers of a comu­nyte in chirche is better than a synguguler prayer yf euery parte of that comunyte be in charyte For Cryst sayth in the gospell / that yf two or thre be gadred togydre in his name that is charyte / there is he in the myddes of theym / that is to saye in theyr hertes to helpe them in theyr prayer. And yf ony of you sayd he consente togydre by charyte in her prayer / what soeuer they axe it shalbe do to theym. Math xviij. And therfore sayth saynt Am­brose. suꝑ illud. ad Ro .xvi. Adiuuetis me in orðibus vestris. That whan many smale ben gadred togydre they ben full grete. And it is not possyble that the prayers of moche people in charyte sholde not spede. And therfo­re sayth the prophete Ioell ij. ^• Halo­we ye your fastynge / calle ye compa­nye to you / gadre ye the people togy­dre. And whan ye be gadred / so make you holy & clene of synne / take ye the olde folke with you / & gadre ye togy­dre the yonge childern soukyng all to prayer. For right as a voyce of a multytude is myghtyer & ferther may be herde than the voyce of one persone allone / so is the voyce & prayer of a multytude sooner herde than a voyce of one persone allone & sooner geteth grace / therfore sayth y ^• ꝓhete. Laudate dn̄m oēs gentes. et collaudate eū oēs [Page] populi. All folkes prayse ye your lor­de / and all peoples prayse ye hym to­gydre. And saynt Poule sayth ad Colocen̄ .iiij. Byddeth that men sholde gyue them to prayers and walke in praer & thankynges in that they sholde praye al togydre. ¶Diues. Moche people lye seke in theyr bedde / & mo­che in pryson / many one in the see & in many other nedefull occupacyons / and may not come to the chirche / and men dwelle in many dyuerse londes many a thousande myles bysondre / how sholde they pray and prayse god all togydre. ¶Pauper. All yf they may not come togydre all in one pla­ce ne in one chirche / yet they muste come togydre in charyte / that the mul­tytude of crysten people be of one herte & of one loue and of one fayth.

Caplm .lv.

DIues. We make many ga­drynges togydre many gene­rall processyons & prayers in comon to praye for peas / and yet ha­ue we no peas / but euery yere more warre than other / and euery yere spe­de worse than other. ¶Pauper. Yf men came togydre & made theyr prayers in lownesse / clenesse & charyte / god shall here them. For he sayth yf two or thre consente togydre in charyte / what they axe in the worshyp of god & to the helpe of theyr soules it shall be done to them of my fað But our prayers & processyons be ayenst charyte made with grete pryde. For tho yf men go in processyon for peas / & syn­ge & saye with theyr mouth. Da pacē dn̄e. Lorde gyue vs peas / yet with herte men praye all ayenst peas. For they wolde no peas haue / ne desyre no peas / but alwaye to haue warre & to shede crysten mēnes blood. For not withstandynge all the myschyef ther the people is in bycause of warre / & tho we haue the worste on euery syde yet the people sayth that it is better for to haue warre than peas / & they haue leuer to here of warre than of peas. And they saye that they may not lyue without warre. And whan god sente them worshypfull peas on euery syde they despyse peas / and slee them that made peas for that y ^t they trauayled to make peas. And the people had leuer paye grete taxes for she dynge of mannes blood than for to paye smalle taxes for to haue peas. And sythen they loue no peas / ne desyre no peas and wyll haue none peas thoughe god wyll gyue theym peas / without doubte they praye not for peas. For no man prayeth for a thynge that they wyll not haue. And so in theyr prayers and processyons they scorne god / and more prouoke hym to vengeaunce than to mercy. Also they make not theyr prayers with lownes but with grece pryde / for they wyl not be knowen of ony myschyef. They holde them selfe so stronge and so wyse that as them thynketh they haue no nede of ony helpe. And therfore though god hereth vs not in our pra­ers ne helpeth vs not it is no wonder For with our mouth we axe peas / but with our herte we axe warre / & with our mouth we say kyryeleyson. Lorde [Page] haue mercy on vs / but with our herte we praye hym for to helpe vs to slee our euen crysten that wolde fayne ly­ue in peas. And soo our prayer is all out of charyte / and our lyuynge is full synfull and full hyghely ayenst the pleasaunce of god.

Caplm .lvi.

DIues. It is a comon pro­uerbe / that a shorte prayer thyrleth heuen. Oracio bre­uis penetrat celum. And therfor sayth Cryste in the gospell. Mathei .vi. Orantes nolite multū loqui. Whan that ye praye sayth he / speke ye not moche. ¶Pauper. It is a comon prouerbe of truantes that soone be wery of theyr prayers / and haue mo­re haste to the tauerne than to holy chirche / and haue more lykynge in the worlde than in god. Neuertheles yf it be well vnderstande / the prouer­be is true good & holy. For euery thynge is called shorte whan y ^e endes bennyghe togydre. And the more ferther that y ^e endes of ony thynge is bytweyne the more lenger is the thynge. And so it fareth by prayers. For that one ende of our prayer is our herte / and that other ende is god. And therfore sayth saynt Austyn / that prayer is a styeng vp of a mannes herte to god. And in this maner the nerer a man­nes herte is to god in his prayer by loue and lownesse & deuocōn and right intencōn / y ^• more shorter is his prayer and this maner of prayer thyrleth heuen. For as holy wryte sayth / y ^e prayer of hym that loweth hȳ in his prayer thyrleth the skyes or the cloudes. For the more that a man loweth hym in his prayer / the more nygher he is to god / for than god of his mercy bo­weth downe to hȳ. And therfor sayth Cryste / that he that so loweth him selfe in his prayer he shall be hyghed vp to god. And therfore sayth saynt Iames / that god withdraweth the prou­de / and to the lowe and meke he gy­ueth his grace. And in this maner speke a man neuer so moche / as lon­ge as his herte is nyghe to god by lo­ue & lownesse / & with good intencōn and deuocyon / so longe his prayer is but shorte though he speke neuer soo moche with his mouth. And as longe as he may contynue his prayer so in deuocōn / it is lefull & medefull to speke in his prayer. But whan his spe­che begynneth to lette hym of his de­uocōn it is good to cesse of his vocall prayer that is in his owne fre wyll. But yf he be boūde therto by a vowe or confessyon / or by ordre / or by offyce / than he muste saye his bedes that he is boūde to and do his dute / and he muste saye it distynctely not to hastly ne to saftly. For yf he saye it to hastly he may lyghtly ouer scape / and yf he saye it to saftly he may falle in to grete dystraccyon and lose moche tyme / & leue therby many good dedes that he myght ellys do / and brynge hym selfe in lesynge of prayer and lettyng of deuocyon of hym selfe and of the people also that wolde here his pray­ers and his offyce.

Caplm .lvij.

DIues. Why badde than Cryste that men sholde not speke moche in theyr prayer ¶Pau­per. Cryste badde not vtterly that men sholde not speke moche in theyr pray­ers / but he badde that men sholde not speke moche in theyr prayers as he­then men do. For they wene that god sholde not here them but yf they spa­ke moche. Also he badde vs not speke moche in our prayers as ypocrytes done for to be holden holy and so gette mennes good. For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Luce .xxiij. Suche deuoure wȳdowes houses by faynynge of longe prayers. For as the glose sayth the­re / they praye lenger than other for to be holden more relygyouse and more holyer than other / and therfore theyr prayers torneth in to synne / in so moche that they may neyther well praye for them selfe ne for none other / and for suche prayers they shall the more be dampned / as Cryste sayth in the same place Mar .vij. This peple worshyppen me with theyr lyppes / but theyr herte is full ferre fro me. For god is in heuen / and theyr herte and thought is all in erthe. It is a comon prouerbe / that who so speketh vnwy­sely and vaynely / or in an euyll ma­ner / he speketh to moche. And therfor as longe as a man or womā prayeth wysely / deuoutely / and with good in­tencyon / soo longe they speke not to moche. But yf they praye vnwysely with pryde and euyll intencyon / they speke to moche though they speke neuer so lytyl. And therfore the pharyse spake to moche in his prayer / for he spake all with pryde. And Peter spa­ke to moche / for he spake vnwysely / & therfore Cryste repreued them bothe. Also they speke to moche in theyr prayers that sette theyr herte & fayth more in sownynge and saynge of the wordes than they do to god / or in the thynges that they praye for / and saye ayen and ofte ayen wenyng that god herde them not but by suche yteracy­ons tyll that they ben wery / and so leue many deuocyons that they sholde saye. And therfore sayth y ^e wyse man Non iteres verbū in oracōe tua Eccle vij. Saye no worde ayen in thy praye For suche doubte is lettynge of deuo­cyon / for suche speke ouer moche and make theyr prayers in wanbyleue. For yf mannes herte be to god warde god hereth his prayers longe byfor er he speke it with his mouth. ¶Diues. Sythen god is ouer all presente / why pray we more in holy chirche than in other places. ¶Pauper. For as mo­che as he is ouer all / therfore in euery place he ought to be worshyped. But for asmoche as we may not worshyp hȳ in due maner in euery place. Therfore is holy chirche ordeyned that men sholde fulfylle there y ^t they leue in o­ther places. And therfor in euery lawe god hath ordeyned certayne places of prayers where he wolde be worshyped in / passynge other places / and that for many causes. Fyrste for comon pray­ers and praysynge is more pleasaunt as I sayd fyrste. Also to flee errours & ydolatrye. For yf eche man or wo­man drewe him alwaye allone in his prayers / the fende sholde dysceyue h [...] ̄ [Page] by Illusyons & by Iapes / as he dooth comonly them that flee companye / & loue well to be moche solytarye. Also for to exclude slouth in goddes seruy­ce that man and woman sholde falle in. For but they were bounde to come togydre in some certayne place for to worshyppe her god and to here god­des lawe / they wolde ellys go playenge & worshyp god in no place but ful selden. And they wolde excuse theym by vnconnynge yf they dyde amys. Also holy chirche is ordeyned for co­mon prayers & goddes seruyce that eche man & woman may bere wytnes of other at the daye of dome ayenst the fende / that he dyde in that as a crysten man ought to doo and serued his god. For as saynt Poule sayth / we muste all haue wytnes of our faythe by dedes & tokenes outwarde.

Caplm .lviij.

DIues. wherto sholde we pray to god for ony thynge / for he is not chaūgeable / & he may nought gyue vs but he wyste it well byfore the begynnynge of the worlde what he sholde gyue vs. ¶Pauper. We do not praye for to chaūge his endeles ordenaūce / but for to gette to vs by prayer that he hath ordeyned without ende to graunte it vs by prayers. For sythen he is our lorde / & we may nought do / ne nothyng haue without hym therfore he wyll that we praye to hym as to our lorde / & in our prayers knowlechyng hym our lorde. And he wyll not graūte vs many thynges y ^t vs nedeth but we praye hym therfore ¶Diues. Why praye we to god with our mouth sythen he knoweth all our thoughtes / all our desyre / all our wyll & all what vs nedeth. ¶Pauper. For as I sayd fyrste / god wyll y ^t we know leche hym for our lorde / & knowleche our nede y ^t we may nothyng do / ne nothyng haue without hym / the whiche knowlechyng muste be done with the mouth. For saynt Poule sayth. Yf a man or woman wyl be saued / he must haue right byleue in herte inwarde & knowleche it outwarde with his mouthe. Ro .x. Corde em̄ credi [...] ad iusticiā ore aūt cōfessio fit ad salutē. More o­uer my frendes ye shall vnderstande that ther is two maner of prayers / one is comon / an other is synguler. Comon prayer is the prayers of the mynystres of holy chirche and of co­mon persones in holy chirche / whiche prayers they make in the name of al the people. And this maner of prayer muste be done by mouth / that the people may knowe that they praye for them. And therfore it is ordeyned by the lawe that suche prayers sholde be sayd / and somtyme songe openly with an hyghe voyce that the people may here it. But synguler prayer that is done but of one synguler persone / it may be done with herte allone with­out voyce of the mouth. Neuertheles somtyme it is good to hym y ^t prayeth to praye by mouth. And that for many causes. Fyrste to excyte his herte to more deuocyon by tokens outwar­de. And therfore as longe as a man or a woman is styred to deuocyon by speche or vocall prayer / by knelynge / [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] bowynge / fastynge / or ony other ob­seruaūce resonable / so longe it is well done to vse it in his prayer / but yf he be letred therby from deuocōn & falle therby in dystraccōn / it is better to le­ue it for a tyme than to vse it. For we fynde primo Regū .ij. That Anna spake in her herte to god with bytter teres / & yet ther herde noman her voyce. Also men praye with the voyce of the mouthe in yeldynge of dette. For man is boūden to serue god with all his myght & vertue that god hath gyuen hym / with herte worde & werke / with all his myght & all his wytte. And therfor holy chirche syngeth and sayth. Os lingua mens sensus vigor confessionē ꝑsonent. Mouthe tongue wytte & myght make knowlechynge & praysynge to god. And in this ma­ner bedes byddynge is parte of satysfaccyon for synne. Also men praye w ^t voyce of the mouth for grete deuocōn that is inwarde in herte / whiche bre­keth out by speche of the mouthe / as sayth Cryste in the gospell. Luce .vi. Ex habundancia cordis os loquitur. The mouthe sayth he speketh of su­che thynges wherof it is plente in the herte. And therfore the prophete sayth Letatū est cor meū et exultauit lingua mea. Myne herte sayth he was mery & gladde inwarde / & anone myn ton­gue made Ioye outwarde. Also men praye with voyces in speche to the more confusyon of the fende / for he may not knowe mennes deuocōn inwarde but by tokens outwarde. And the more deuocyon & loue that he seeth men to haue to god / the more is it his confusyon & payne. And therfore is he so besy now a dayes to tempte men in holy chirche to pryde / to couetyse / sleu the / glotonye / & lecherye / for to lette holy prayers in holy chirche / whiche is to hym veray confusyon & sorowe. And therfore sayth the ꝓphete of hȳ whan he hereth holy prayers & seeth men deuoute. Peccator videbit et irascetur. dentibus suis [...]emit et tabescet The synfull wretche the fende of helle shal see mennes deuocōn / & he shal be ful wroth. He shall gnasche or gnare with his teeth & be full euyll abas­shed. For the desyres of the deuylles & theyr discyples y ^• wolde lette holy prayers shall perysshe & come to nought.

Caplm .lix.

DIues. In the begynnynge of holy chirche & in the tyme of the apostles was no suche seruyce & solempnyte in holy chirche as now is. ¶Pauper. Than were but fewe crysten men / & neyther they myght ne durste make suche solemp­nyte for tyraūtrye of the hethen peo­ple. Theyr wyll was good / but they myght not / but as they myghten they dyde worshyp to god & encreased goddes seruyce. And therfor we rede in the lyfe of saynt Clement that by his prechynge and techynge within one yere were made .lxx. chirches in one lytylyle of Cerlone / notwithstandynge y ^• ther were two thousande of poore crysten men outlawed & dampned to ful harde trauayll / & myght haue be releued full well with that y ^• tho chirches costed. Than holy chirche was in his [Page] youthe & in his begynnyng / as saynt Ierom sayth in ꝓlogo suꝑ actꝰ aplo (rum) Now holy chirche is growen / and the fayth sprongen & spredde & stabled in peas fro tyraūtes. And therfore now we muste worshypp our god with all our myght & our connynge / for we haue none excusacōn as they hadde. And for to auoyde ydlenesse of prestes our faders byfore this tyme ordeyned the prayers in holy chirche to be sayd after a certayne fourme / after the custome of dyuerse contrees kepe theyr hour after the houres of the daye / as matynes atte morowe & masse after­warde / and euensonge ayenst euen so that god shall be praysed of the pres­tes at all tymes of the daye. ¶Diues Me thynketh y ^t it were better to saye goddes seruyce in holy chirche with­out note than with note & hackynge of the syllabes & wordes of our pray­ers & praysynge as as we do For who sholde telle the kyng of Englonde a tale or make his prayer to hym and made so many notes & hackynges in his tale / he sholde haue lytyll thanke. ¶Pauper. The kyng of heuen is a­boue the kyng of Englonde / & other­wyse we muste worshyp hym than y ^• kyng of Englond. For we muste worshyp hym with all our myght / & all our herte / & all our wytte / as hym y ^t is maker & lorde of all thynge / & so may we not worshyp the kyng of Englonde. It nedeth now to speke to the kyng of Englonde & to euery er­thely man dystynctly / for they knowe not the mānes herte ne his wyll. But god knoweth it longe er we speke it with our mouth. And therfore whan we synge in our prayers with clēnesse of lyfe & deuocōn of herte / we please god in as moche as we worshyh hym with our power of voyce and tongue For euery note so songe to god in the chirche or in other conuenyent places for deuocōn in our self / & to engendre deuocōn in to other is a praysynge to god. And therfore Dauyd sayth. Cantate exultate et psallite. Synge ye & make you mery outwarde / & synge ye to god craftely. Iubilate deo ois ter­ra. seruite dn̄o in leticia. Introite in conspectu eius. in exultacōe. All ye y ^t dwelle vpon the erthe / make ye her­tely Ioye to god / serue ye our lorde in gladnesse. Entre ye in to his syghte with Ioye & myrthe. For many cau­ses my frendes songe & melodye was ordeyned in holy chirche. Fyrst to the more worshyp of god. Also to the more excytacōn of deuocōn to the people Also to put awaye heuynesse & vnlustynesse / as sayth saynt Bernarde. For many man hath more lykynge for to serue god in gladnesse than in heuy­nesse. And therfor goddes seruyce sholde be sayd lyuely / dystynctly / & deuoutly with gladnesse of herte. For yf the seruyce be sayd or songe so hauenly & dedely & so drawen a longe that it lothe both the synger or sayer & the he­rer / & bryngeth folke in to heuynesse or dystraccōn / it is euyll sayd or son­ge. For that maner of syngynge is lettynge of moche goodnesse / & cause of ydlenesse & of moche foly / for it ma­keth men to withdrawe theym from goddes house & from goddes seruyce / [Page] and so wante grace. De conse. dist. v. Non mediocrit. Also we synge in ho­ly chirche to confourme vs to sayntes in heuen whiche prayse god and serue god alwaye with hyghe voyce & swe­te syngynge / as we fynde in the Apocalyps & many other places in holy wryte. And therfore sayth Dauyd. Cantate dn̄o canticū nouū. laus eius in ecclia sancto (rum). Synge ye a newe songe to our lorde / for suche is his prysynge in holy chirche of all sayntes. And therfore songe in holy chirche is good whan it is songe deuoutely in clennes of lyfe / roundely not lettynge the deuoute prayers of the people / as doth this curyouse knackynge songe of the vycyouse mynystres in the chirche / & specyally in grete & riche chir­ches. For it is ofte seen / that the syn­gers in suche places & other also ben ful proude glotons and lecherous al­so. And the melodye of suche men is no plesaunce to god / but it doth har­me to them selfe and many other.

Caplm .lx.

DIues. Why ben ther now no martyrs as ther were wonte for to be. ¶Pauper. We ha­ue now a dayes all to many martyrs in this londe. ¶Diues. How soo. ¶Pauper. For the more martyrs the more murdre and manslaughter and the more shedynge of Innocentes blode / the more vengeaunce shall falle therfore. ¶Diues. Moche people is slayne now a dayes / but yf they shol­de be martyrs I can not say. ¶Pauper. All that be slayne for the treuthe pacyently in charyte ben martyrs / in as moche as they wytnessen the treu­the & stonde therwith vnto theyr deth For martyr in latyn is a wytnesse in englysshe. It is no worshyp to ony londe or nacyons for to haue many martyrs of her owne sleynge / but it is an endles shame. And therfore the Iewes that slewe Cryste and his dyscyples / & the ꝓphetes & mad [...] martyrs with­out nombre / ben in despyte and repreue all about the worlde. And therfore Cryste sayd to them that al the rightfull blood whiche they had shedde fro the begynnynge of the worlde sholde falle vpon them / & an harde vengeaū ce therfore sholde come to them. And the Romayns that slewe Peter and many martyrs in euery londe there as they hadde lordshyp / and now they haue lost ther lordshyp & ben wretches of wretches / and bothe the cyte & the temple semeth acursed. And now Englysshe nacōn hath made many martyrs. For they spare neyther theyr owne kyng ne theyr bysshoppes / no dyg­nyte / no ordre / none astate ne degree / but indyfferently slee as them lyketh / & so vengeaūce & wretchednesse folo­weth them / & grace & worshyp hath forsaken them / it was neuer worshyp to them that they slewe saynt Tho­mas theyr bysshop & theyr fader / ne that they wolde by comon clamour & comon assent haue slayne theyr owne kyng. Martyrdom is worshypfull to theym that in charyte suffreth deth / & to theym y ^• holde with them in theyr treuthe. But it is shame & dyshoneste to theym that putte them to deth vn­rightfully. [Page] And for asmoche as the multytude of shrewes is so grete / and falshede is so myghty that the treuth is ouersette & borne downe / & true folke so martred / we sholde wepe & not be gladde for that we haue soo many martyrs / and nyght & daye crye mer­cy to lett wretche. Yf hethen people or other nacōns had made our martyrs than we myght reioyse vs of our martyrs / but in that we haue slayn them our selfe we ought to be ashamed.

Caplm .lxi.

DIues. Sythen they be mar­tyrs why doth god no myra­cle now for them as he dyde for martyrs & other sayntes in the begynnynge of holy chirche. ¶Pauper. Yf a lorde haue but a fewe seruaūtes that ben true / he wyll prayse them & magnefye them & do them worshyp / both to holde them stylle in his seruyce / & also to drawe other to his seruy­ce by ensample of them. And the sa­me dothe the maystre in the scole to the childern that lerne wel. And whan the moder hath but one childe she cheryseth the more / and kepeth hym the more godely & derely. Right so Cryst in the begynnyng of holy chirche had but fewe good dyscyples or true ser­uaūtes / & therfore he worshypped & magnefyed theym with grete myra­cles to comforte them in the fayth / & for to drawe other to the fayth. For but god had shewed than grete myracles and many / they that were in the fayth sholde haue forsaken the fayth and fewe wolde haue come to the fay­the. And it fareth by holy chirche and by y ^• fayth as it dothe by a tree / whan a tree is newely sette men water it & sette stakes & poles about to strength it ayenst the wyndes blastes and for stormes / it sholde ellys bryse it or bre­ke it and felle it a downe. But whan it is wel roted & comonly wexen than men cesse of waterynge & take awaye the stakes and the poles. Right soo whan holy chirche and crystendome was in the begynnynge Cryste wa­tred holy chirche with grete gyftes of grace & of deuocōn / and vndersette it with grete wondres & myracles whi­che he shewed that tyme ayenst the harde stormes of persecucōn that was that tyme ayenst the fayth of holy chirche. But now holy chirche is sprō gen & spredde & the fayth is stabled in mennes herte / and therfore suche myracles cesse. And yf ony suche my­racles falle in ony londe amonge ony crysten people / it is a token that some of them be not stable in the fayth / & that god is not well apayed with the people. For saynt Poule sayth that tokens & myracles ben not gyuen to folke of right byleue / but to folke of false byleue And the more myracles that men see / the lesse mede they haue for theyr fayth / as saynt Gregory sayth in his Omely. And so multytude of martyrs & of myracles preue not by the goodnesse of the heople there they ben done amonge / but rather they shewe and preue the malyce of the peo­ple whan god wolde destroye the kyngedome of Israell and of Iuda for ydolatrye & other synne that nygh al [Page] the people was fallen in / he sente his famous prophetes / as Hely & Helyzee Ysaye. Ieremye. Danyell. Ezechyell & other .xij. prophetes whiche taught the people goddes lawe / and warned theym of myschyef comynge but they wolde amende theym. And they con­fermed theyr ꝓphecy with many gre­te myracles / & yet the people was worse than euer they were byfore. Att the laste Cryste came to preche & to teche them & dyde many wondres / & heled all maner sekenesses / & sente his apo­stles also amonges theym / whiche dyde many wondrefull myracles. And yet the people was than more worser than euer they were aforne. In soo moche that they slewe not oonly the prophetes and the apostles & Crystus dyscyples / but they slewe Cryste hymselfe goddes sone of heuen & lorde of all thynge / whiche had done them so moche worshyp & done so many wondrefull cures amonges theym.

Caplm .lxij.

DIues. I trowe that yf men were now as holy as men were than / they sholde do my­racles now so well as they dyde than ¶Pauper. Though they were as holy or holyer / they sholde not do su­che myracles / for they be not now so nedefull as they were that tyme / ne it were not prouffytable to the people as I sayd right now. And I hope that they ben as holy that do no myracles as many of theym that done myracles. For suche doynge of myra­cles standeth not in the holynesse of hym that dooth the myracle / but it standeth in the callynge & in the ver­tue of goddes name to the prouffyte of other / & ofte to dampnacōn of hȳ that so calleth goddes name and doth the myracle. As sayth the glose / suꝑ illud Mathei.vij. Dn̄e nōne in noie tuo ꝓphetauimꝰ. ¶Diues. It semeth therby that shrewes and euyl wycked lyuers may do myracles. ¶Pauper. Cryste sayth so hym selfe Math .vij. For as we rede there / at the daye of dome many that shall be dampned / shall saye to Cryste. O lorde we pro­phecyed in thy name and casted out fendes and dyde many tokens & my­racles in thy name. But he shall saye to them ayen. Goo thou hens fro me ye werkers of wyckednesse. I knowe you not for none of myne. And as saynt Iohan Crysostomus sayth in tractatu. Nemo leditur nisi a semetip so. That Iudas the traytour hadde power of god for to do and dyde ma­ny grete myracles / & yet is he damp­ned. Also doynge of myracles is no syker token of goodnesse neyther of the doer ne of the people there as that they ben done / but oonly charyte and good lyuynge ben syker tokens of go­denesse. And therfore Cryste taught vs to knowe the good ꝓphetes from the wycked / not by her myracles ne by theyr prophecy / but by her good dedes & charyte. Therby sayth he men shall knowe that ye be my dyscyples yf ye haue charyte amonges you / not by myracles ne by prophecy. For Iu­das dyde myracles / and Cayphas & Balaam full cursed wretches prophecyed [Page] full truly. And saynt Iohan baptyste that was so holy dyde neuer su­che myracles by his lyfe. And therfo­re Cryste badde that we sholde take hede to mennes dedes & knowe them by theyr fruyte. ¶Diues. Ypocrytes & heretykes do many full good dedes and yet be they shrewes. ¶Pauper. Suche maner of folke haue two maner of dedes. Done pryuely / and another in aperte or openly. Theyr de­des openly ben not theyrs / but they ben clothynges of sheep vnder whiche they hele them or couer them as wulues to dysceyue good sheep. And ther­fore Cryste byddeth in the gospell y ^t we sholde beware of false prophetes / they y ^• come to vs in clothynge of shepe / for they ben inwarde wulues of raueyn. Yf theyr dedes be wycked / it is her owne clothyng wherby they may be knowen / but theyr preuy werkes & theyr preuy techynge ben theyr owne fruyte whiche comonly ben full wyc­ked. And so by that that they do & teche pryuely mē may best knowe what they ben. ¶Diues. I may well as­sente to thy speche / for so many won­dres as haue fallen in this londe with in a fewe yeres / in some mone & ster­res / in londe & water / in the ayer / y ^• we rede in no boke y ^t euer fell so many in so lytyl tyme / & as men saye ful wycked lyuers do many myracles & ꝓphecye / & yet we wante grace on euery syde / & the harde vengeaunce of god is vpon vs nyght & daye / shewyng that we haue greuously offended our god. ¶Pauper. As sayth y ^• glose suꝑ illud ij ^•. ad Thessalo .ij ^•. In signis et ꝓdigijs mendaci (bus). For as moche as the people is out of charyte and wyll not knowe the treuthe / but truste all in lesynges & in falshode. Therfore god suffreth false shrewes for to do won­dres & myracles for to dysceyue the peple & to holde them stylle in theyr er­rour. I haue sayd as my thynketh / & saye thou forth what thou wylte.

Caplm .lxiij.

DIues. What sayste thou of theym that wyll noo solemp­nyte haue in theyr buryeng / but be put in erthe anone / and that that sholde be spente about the bury­enge of theym / they bydde that it sholde be gyuen to the poore folke as blynde and lame. ¶Pauper. Comonly in suche preuy buryenges ben full smalle doles and but lytyll almesses gyuen. And in solempne buryenges ben grete doles and moche almesses gyuen / for moche poore people come than for to syke theyr almesse. But whan that it is done so pryuely fewe men knowe therof / and full fewe poore people come for to axe almesse / for they knowe not whan ne where ne to whome they sholde axe it. And ther­fore I byleue sykerly that some false executours that wolde kepe the goo­des all to them selfe began fyrste this errour and this folye. ¶Diues. And yet men holde it a grete perfeccyon now a dayes. ¶Pauper. Though men burye theyr frendes pryuely or openly / it is noo harme to the deed neyther to lyuynge. But yf the wor­shyppe of god be withdrawen / and [Page] the almesses of the poore nedy folke / and the holy prayers and the suffra­gyes of holy chirche / the whiche ben ordeyned for to be prayed and done for the deed folke and the quycke that haue grete nede therof. But it is a grete folye and also a grete synne for to forsake solempne buryenges / that ben done pryncypally for the worshyp of god and for the prouffyte of the dede folke / spendynge theyr goodes to nedefull releuynge of holy chirche / and for y ^e prouffyte of the poore nedy people that ben of noo power for to helpe theym selfe / for that is a custo­me of false executours that wolden make them selfe riche with the deed folkes goodes / and dele it not to the poore folke after the deed folkes wyll as now all false executours vse by cu­stome. And so they that forsake wor­shypfull buryenges as I haue reher­ced byfore / they lette the praysyng / the worshyp / and the sacrefyce and offe­rynges that sholde be done to god. They doo also grete despyte to holy chirche / in so moche that they forsa­ken the prayers and the suffragyes of the holy mynystres of holy chirche. Also they offende gretely ayenst all the soules that ben in purgatory that sholde be releued by masses syngynge by the prayers and suffragyes of ho­ly chirche / whiche ben ordeyned in the buryenge of deed folke for the helpe of all crysten soules. And they please the fende y ^• whiche is full besy nyght and daye for to lette goddes offyce / goddes worshyppe and holy prayers. Also they offende gretly ayenst man kynde / & ayenst god that toke man­kynde of a woman / in as moche as they put theyr bodyes in suche dspyte and pryue or take it of the due wor­shyppe. For the bodye of a good man or of a good woman that is knytte to that precyoꝰ soule that Cryste bought so dere with his precyous blood / with whiche soule it shal aryse ayen at the daye of dome / and shall lyue in blys­se without ende bryghter than y ^• son­ne / it is of a full grete dygnyte / all yf it be here in grete myschyef for a ty­me for Adams synne. Mannes bodye is of full grere dygnyte in that / that god toke our bodye of a woman allone / and bycame man without parte of man / and bodely in our kynde reygneth god and man aboue all creatu­res. And therfore by waye of kynde and for worshyp of god that toke our kynde / it ought for to be worshypped / namely in his deth / for than is ther no drede of pryde. And therfore sayth the wyse man Eccle .vij. Mortuo non prohibeas graciam. Withdrawe not thy grace and thy mercy from the deed. That is to saye / withdrawe not ne lette not the due seruyce and wor­shypfull Ceremonyes that longen to the bodyes / ne the suffrages and prayers that longen to the soules / as the glose sayth. And in an other place he sayth thus. Sone wepe thou for the deed man with bytter teres and grete sorowe / and after his astate as right is hele his bodye / despyse not his bu­ryenge / make mornynge one daye or two after his deseruynge Ecclesiasti. xxxviij. For by the lawe of kynde / by [Page] the lawe wryten / by the lawe of gra­ce / and euery tyme worshypfull sepulture after mennes power hath be due dette to mannes bodye and woman­nes. In the lawe of kynde haue we example of Abraham Ysaac and Iacob / and her wyues / whiche hadde full costely buryenges. As we rede in holy wryte Gen̄. lvi. And in the lawe wryten haue we example of Samuell. Dauyd. Salomon. Iosaphat. Eze­chye. Iosye. Tobye / and of the Machabeys / whose buryenges were costly & worshypfully. In the lawe of gra­ce / that is in the newe lawe haue we example of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / whiche not withstandynge how well he suffred spytefull deth for mankynde / yet he wolde haue and hadde worshypful and costely sepulture and bu­ryenge. As we fynde in the gospell. Iohannes .xix. Wherby as the glose sayth / there he gaue men example to kepe worshypfull buryenge after the custome of the contree. And therfore he cōmended Marye magdaleyn / that she came byfore his dethe to anoynte his bodye so precyously and so costely in to the sepulture. And many sayntes were buryed worshypfully by the do­ynges of angellys / as saynt Clement saynt Katheryne / saynt Agathe / and many other. And saynt Poule the fyrste hermyte was buryed worshypfully and wonderly by werkynge of lyons and of wylde bestes / in tokenynge y ^t mannes bodye & womānes ought to haue worshypful sepulture / for sythen angellys and wylde bestes dyde suche worshypp to mannes bodye after his deth. Moche more mankynde sholde worshyppe mannes bodye after his deth / and doo worshyp to his owne kynde. And so men sholde releue poore folke in theyr myschyef / and specyally in theyr deynge by almes gyuynge. But they sholde not for that doo ony wronge by theyr lyuyng to theyr euen crysten for to make them riche for to do moche almesse at theyr en­dynge. For as y ^e lawe sayth / ther sholde no man be made riche with wron­ge & harme of an other. Locupletari nō debes aliq ⁱs cū alterius iniuria vel iactura. Extra de regulis iuris li .vi.

Caplm .lxiiij.

DIues. What sayste thou of theym that holde markettes and feyres in holy chirche & in sanctuarye. ¶Pauper. Bothe the byer and the seller and the men of holy chirche that mayntene them or suffre them whan that they myght lette it ben accursed. For we fynde not that euer Cryste punysshed soo harde ony synne whyles that he wente here in erthe / as he dyde byeng and sellynge in goddes house as we fynde Io .xi. On a tyme he came in to the temple of Iherusalem / and there he founde men byeng & sellynge oxen and sheep & douues to be offred in the temple / and chaungers of moneye also to be offred in the temple. He was hyghely offended / and made a scourge & bette them out of the temple / and sayd to theym in this wyse. Myne house sholde be an house of prayers / and ye ha­ue made it a denne of theues. Bere [Page] ye out sayd he this marchaūdyse. Le­de hens these bestes and make ye not my fads house an house of marchaū dyse and a denne of theues. And as saynt Mathew telleth & other gospel­lers / he drewe downe her bothes / and ouertourned theyr stalles and theyr setes and shedde theyr moneye. And as saynt Marke sayth / he wolde not suffre no vessell that was not longynge to y ^• temple for to be borne through the temple. And sythen Cryste wolde not suffre thynges to be solde in the temple / that was only for the worshyp of god & helpe of the temple. Moche more he wyll not suffre thynges to be solde in the temple that longeth not to the temple / but oonly to seculers. ¶Diues. Sythen god was so offen­ded for that men solde therin y ^t that was nedefull to the temple / and for easement of them that came fro fer­re contrees / what sholde he haue done yf he had foūde them byeng & sellyn­ge thynges of seculers. Or yf he had foūde theym in bacbytynge & gloto­ny / dronkenshyp / lecherye / in songe & speche of rybaudrye / as men vse now a dayes in holy chirche. ¶Pauper. Saynt Austyn sayth / that as he tro­weth he sholde haue caste them to the pytte of helle. ¶Diues. How myght Cryste that was so poore a man haue caste out suche a multytude of people It is a wondre that they withstoden hym not. ¶Pauper. For as the glose sayth / ther came suche a lyght out of his face by waye of his godhode as lō ge as he wolde that they were all a­ferde of the syght of his face & fledde awaye. And for the same cause in ty­me of his passyon whan they came for to take hym / he sayd I am he that ye seke / twyes they wente bacwarde / & for drede felle downe to the groū ­de. ¶Diues. Why sayd he that they made his house a denne of theues. ¶Pauper. For who so is about for to begyle ony man or woman of his good / he is a theef. And in byeng and sellynge eyther of them is about for to begyle other / & in that they ben the­ues. And for that they do it in goddes house & ther caste in theyr herte how pryuely and how slyghely they may begyle her euen crysten / therfore they make goddes house a denne of the­ues. And comonly in suche feyres & markettes where so euer it be holden / there ben many theues mychers and cutte purces. ¶Diues. And I drede me that ful often by suche feyres goddes house is made a tauerne of glotones / & a bordell of lechours. For the marchaūtes and chapmen kepe there with theym theyr wyues & lēmannes both nyght & daye. ¶Pauper. And yf ony man comyne there flesshely with his wyfe or his lēmen / the chir­che & the chirche yerde also ben pollu­te. And yf it myght be preued / ther sholde noo preeste synge ne saye noo masse therin / ne bodye be buryed tyll it were recoūseylled ayen by the bys­shop. De con. di .i. Si motū. et c ^•. sig­nificasti. Et Io. in sūma sua li.iiij. ti ^•. CC.xliij. Vtrū liceat. Et durandꝰ in sn̄ia sua li.ij. ꝑ .i. di .viij. q̄ .xxxiij. ¶Diues. And what yf the prelates & the curates of y ^• place take moneye of the [Page] chapmen for the place that they ston­de in by couenaūt made byfore / is it ony symonye soo to selle the londe of the sentuary. ¶Pauper. It is sy [...]onye full grete for to selle ony groūde in the sentuarye for buryenge / as the lawe sheweth well .xiij. q̄ .ij. q̄sta. et c ^•. seq̄nti. Moche more to selle it or to lette it to hyre for marchaundyse. And therfore suche marchaundyse in holy chirche is forboden / not oonly by the gospell / but also by the comon lawe. xvi.q̄.vij. Et hec diximus. For men of holy chirche by suche symonye and takynge of thynges that they haue noo right to / they ben bycome stron­ge theues / & make the chapmen the­ues in that / that they doo them occu­pye the place in sentuarye ayenst goddes wyll lorde of y ^• place. And so they make goddes house a dwellynge and a denne of theues. ¶Diues. Sythen men of holy chirche do so moche des­pyte to god and holy chirche / though they be in despyte them selfe / it is no wonder. ¶Pauꝑ. That is soth. For god sayth in holy wryte. Pri ^•. regū.ij. Who so worshyppeth me sayth he. I shal make hym worshyfull / and they that despyse me / shall be in despyte. ¶Diues. I thanke the with alle myn herte / for that thought me some tyme noo synne / now I knowe well that it is a full greuous dedely syn­ne. For the synnes and the errours that we haue now spoken of / ben openly ayenst the worshyppe of the hyghe mageste of god / and ayenst the fyr­ste cōmaundement that moost ought to be charged. And thy reasons ben soo grete and thy speche so open / that Ignoraunce myght not excuse me ne ony thyng ellys that can reason. And yet the people by euyll custome and Ignoraunce of men of holy chirche & of them selfe also by couetyse & pry­de of the clergye is so blent that they thynke theym no synnes. And soo we goo in synne all blente with folye & wante grace. ¶Pauper. Wycked cu­stome engendred synne and not excu­seth synne. And therfore the lawe sayth that euery wycked custome it sholde be done awaye.

Caplm primū.

DIues. I praye the enfourme me now in y ^• seconde cōmaūdemente. ¶Pauper. What doubte haste thou there in. ¶Diues. In the seconde cōmaundement god byd­deth that we sholde not take his na­me in vayne / for who so doth shall be gylty & shall not passe vnpunysshed. ¶Pauper. In thre maners goddes name is taken in vayne. That is by myslyuynge / by myspeche / & by myshe rynge. Fyrste by myslyuynge / for whā man or woman is crystened / there he forsaketh the fende & all his werkes / and his lordshypp / whan his godfa­der and his godmoder answeren for hym sayeng. Abrenuncio. That is to saye. I forsake. And there he knytteth hym to Cryste / & maketh couenaunt [Page] with hym for to be his true seruaunt without ende. And there he taketh the name of Cryste vpon hym and be cometh crysten. For all crysten poeple is named after Cryste / and he is our pryncypall godfader. For crysten co­meth of Cryste / and so all crysten people bere y ^• name of Cryste vpon them And so in as moche as we ben called crysten and goddes people / in that we bere the name of god vpon vs. And therfore sayth the prophete. Tu in nobis es dn̄e et nomen sanctum tuum inuocatum est super nos. ne derelin­quas nos dn̄e deus noster. Ieremye xiiij. Lorde sayth he thou arte amon­ges vs as a lorde amonges his ser­uauntes / and thyn holy name is cal­led vpon vs / lorde our god forsake vs not. But yf it be so / that we lyue not after our name that we haue taken of Cryste / ne lyue not as crysten menne as goddes seruauntes / but forsake hym and torne ayen to the fende and lyue not as crysten folke / but as Ie­wes / sarasyns / or paynyms / or ellys worse / than take we goddes name in vayne / for our name and our lyfe ac­cordeth not. And as sayth saynt Poule / wycked crysten people with theyr wycked dedes and theyr wycked ly­uynge forsaken god. And therfore all wycked lyuers / and namely ypocry­tes that beren the name of holynesse and of Crystus seruauntes / and with that they ben the fendes seruauntes / they take goddes name in vayne / & do grete despite to goddes name. And therfor Cryste sayth to suche wycked crysten people. Per vos tota die nomē meū blasphemat in genti (bus) Ysaye. lij Et ad Ro .ij. My name is despysed by you euery daye amonge other na­cyons or hethen men For by the wyc­ked lyuynge of crysten people the na­me of Cryste is ashamed. And therfore we saye in our prayer. Sanctificet nomē tuū. Halowed & worshypped be thy name. That is to saye / graūte vs grace no thynge to do / ne wyll / ne to speke that / wherby thy name sholde be vnworshyped or ashamed in vs.

Caplm .ij.

ALso goddes name is taken in vayne by moche speche / and that in many wyse. Fyrste by namynge of goddes name in vayne / in tales tellynge / in Iapery / in scorne for in suche vanyte goddes name sholde not be named. ¶Diues. Telle so­me ensample. ¶Pauper. As yf one sayd to y ^e in scorne whan he is wroth with the / god make the a good man. And some saye of an other in scorne / that god hath forsaken him / & Iapers & dyce players comonly name goddes name in vayne in this maner / though they swere none othe. And all suche take goddes name in ydlenesse / that teche ony errours or heresyes ayenste the fayth and ayenst god / or preche or teche the treuthe oonly for couetyse / or for enuye / or for vayne glorye / and not for helthe of mannes soule / ne for worshyp of god. And therfore the prophete sayth thus. Peccatori autē dixit deus. quare tu enarras iusticias me­as. et assumis testamentū meum peros tuum. God sayth to the synfull [Page] man / why tellest thou my rightful­nesses / and takeste my testament and my lawe by thy mouth / & so ofte na­meste my name. For all tho that te­che well & speke well and wyl not do therafter / they take goddes name in vayne. Also goddes name is taken in vayne by cursynge and swerynge / as whan men or wymen in wrath or el­les in nyce myrthe saye to an other / god gyue the myschaūce / god gyue the euyll grace / euyl deth. Also it is taken in vayne oftymes by vowes makyng and that in dyuerse maner. Fyrste yf man make ony vowes to ony creatu­re. For vowes makynge is a dyuyne worshyp that ought to be done only to god and to no creature. And ther­fore the prophete sayth. Vouete et red­dite dn̄o deo vestro. Make ye your vowes to our lorde god / & yeldeth them to hym. Also it is taken in vayne whan that the people kepe not theyr vowes that ben lefull / but breke them retchelesly or wylfully / or by freylte without nede and without auctoryte of theyr soueraynes / whiche haue po­wer for to dyspense them or to chaū ­ge theyr vowes. Also yf men make vowes vnlefull ayenst charyte / and to doo ony thynge ayenst goddes lawe. As yf thou madest a vowe for to slee thyn euen crysten / or that y ^u sholdeste neuer do good to poore men / for per­auēture some poore man hath aggre­ued the. Also whan men make vowes vnwysely lyghtly without auysement and by comon custome of speche.

Caplm .iij.

DIues. And suche vowes ben made now a dayes full ma­ny. For with moche folke be they ones spoken / they ben no more thought on / for they ben so comon in theyr mouth. ¶Pauper. Therfore they synne full greuously / so takynge goddes name in vayne. For ther sholde no vowe be made but for a thynge of charyte and with a good auyse­mente. We fynde in holy wryte Iu­ducum vndecimo. That ther was a leder & a Iuge of goddes people / whose name was Iept. And whan he sholde go for to fyght ayenst goddes enemyes the people of Amon / he made his vowe to god that yf he gaue to hym y ^• vyctory of his enemyes / whan he cam home ayen what lyuyng thynge he mette fyrste of his housholde in his comynge home / he sholde slee it & offre it vp to god in sacrefyce. After this as god wolde he had the vyctory and came home with grete worshyp / whan his doughter herde these tydynges she was full gladde and toke her tymber in her honde & came in gre [...]e haste fyrste of all the housholde daū ­synge playnge & syngynge ayenst her fader for to welcome hȳ home. Whan Iept sawe his doughter so comynge ayenst hym / he bethought hym of his auowe y ^t he had made & bycame full heuy / for he had no childern but her / & he loued her full well. Alas dough­ter alas sayd he / what haste thou do­ne / why comest thou so soone ayenst me. I haue opened my mouth to god and haue made a vowe ayenst the / for I muste by my auowe slee the and [Page] offre the vp in to sacrefyce to god. But the woman his doughter yet clene mayden was so gladde of goddes worshyp & of her faders worshyp / & that goddes enemyes were so slayne / that she made lytyll sorowe or none for her deth & sayd to her fader Iept Sythen y ^u haste made suche a vowe, & god hath sente the vyctorye of his en­myes / fulfylle thy vowe / for I take the deth gladdly. But I praye the of one boone er I deye. Lete me go with other maydens my playferes & mor­ne and bewayle my maydenhode a­monges the hylles and the mountay­nes two monethes. For it was that tyme repreef to a woman to deye with­out yssue of her bodye. And Iept graū ted her bone. After two monethes / she came ayen to her fader Iept / & me­kely suffred the deth for goddes sake & for the loue of her fader. And thus my frendes byle [...]e that y ^t womās deth whiche was a clene mayden betoke­neth Crystes passyon. For right as she toke the deth wylfully for saluacōn of goddes folke / and destruccōn of god­des enemyes. So Cryste a clene mayden y ^t neuer was defouled with syn­ne / and neuer dyde amys / he suffred wylfully bytter deth for saluacyon of all mankynde & destruccōn of the fendes power. ¶Diues. Was not his vo­we lefull. ¶Pauper. It was not le­full. For by his vowe yf he had fyrste mette with a catte or an hounde co­mynge ayenst hym / he sholde haue made sacrefyce to god therof / whiche sacrefyce sholde haue ben abhomyna­cōn to god / for neyther was able to be offred in sacrefyce. And for as moche as he made his vowe so vnwysely / god suffred hȳ to falle in to that myschyef to slee an Innocent his owne dough­ter ayenst goddes lawe. For god sayth Innocentē et iustū nō occides. Thou shalt not slee the Innocent ne y ^e right full man ne woman. And so by his vowe so folysly made he dyde ful grete dedely synne / and forfeted full hy­ghely ayenst goddes lawe. And ther­fore sayth the maystre of the storyes and Iosephus also that he was a foole in his vowe makynge and wycked & ouer cruelly done in the fulfyllyn­ge. And therfore sayth the grete cler­ke Ysydorꝰ in Synonimis li.ij. et .xxij. q̄ .iiij In malis ꝓmissis rescinde fi­dem. in turpi voto muta decretū. quod incaute nouisti ne facias. impia est promissio que scelere adimpletur. In wycked byhestes cutte awaye the fayth / that is to saye / fulfyll no wyc­ked byhestes / kepe no fayth for to do amys. For in shrewed byhestes it is better to be holden false than true / for who so fulfylleth them is false to god In the vowe sayth he that is foule & vnleful chaūge thy dome / & that that thou haste not wysely auowed doo it not. For it is a wycked byheste that is fulfylled and done with synne.

Caplm .iiij.

DIues. I assente / saye forth I praye the. ¶Pauper. Al­so goddes name is taken in vayne by blasphemye and spytefull speche of god / as whan that men grutche ayenst goddes domes in sekenesse [Page] trybulacyons and dysease / and saye that god is vnrightfull and cruell or grutched ayenst his mercy whan they may not haue vengeaūce of theyr aduersaryes as they wolde haue it / and saye that god is to pacyent & to mer­cyable. And they also that fallen in wanhope / sayen that god wyll not forgyue theym theyr synne. And they also that presume to moche of god­des mercy & wyll not amende theym for they saye that god wyll forgyue it theym at the fyrste worde. Also some saye that god slepeth whan he hel­peth theym not as they wolde haue it All they that speke thus or saye ony other thynge of god & that is ayenst his worshyp & his godhode / they take goddes name in vayne by blasphemy Also goddes name is taken amys & in vayne by euyll speche of othes swetynge. For who so wyll lyghtly swere for a thynge of nought or of no charge / or customably or falsely / and wo­te well that he swereth false / or dys­pyteously / or dysceyuable / or swereth by ony creatures / or vseth ony nyce o­thes / or vnlefull othes / all these take goddes name in vayne. For there ought noo man ne woman to swere but for a treuthe of charge / and whan it nedeth for to swere to wytnesse of treuthe. And whan a man shall swe­re he shall swere by his god & by noo creature. ¶Diues. Moche folke is so brought in custome of swerynge / that vnnethe they can speke thre wordes togydre but they swere by god or by some creature / or some grete or nyce othe. ¶Pauper. As I sayd by fore wycked custome excuseth not synne but it accuseth and aggregeth synne. And therfore it is to drede y ^t they y ^t swere so customably & soo lyghtly that they synne dedely yf they swere soth or false. And therfore Salomon sayth. Iuracioni ne assuescas os tuū. & [...]. Eccle. xxiij. Lete not thy mouthe sayth he be vseth to swerynge / for many harde happes & fallynges ben in suche swe­rynge. And name not to ofte sayth he goddes name with thy mouth in swerynge / ne be not vsaunt in swerynge to medle the with sayntes names / for yf thou do thou shalte not be clere of fole swerynge / ne clere of synne. For what man sayth he y ^t swereth moche / he shalbe fulfylled with synne & shre­wednesse / & trybulacōn & dysease shal not passe fro hym and his housholde For god sayth that who so taketh his name in vayne / he shall not passe vn punysshed. Suche swerynge and des­pysynge of goddes name is so horry­ble a synne in goddes syght / that as Salomon sayth in y ^• same boke the xxvij. ca. Whan that men herde suche swerynge / the here of theyr hedes sholde aryse for drede / & they sholde stop­pe theyr eres & not here suche yrreue­rence and despyte of goddes name. Loquela multū iurās horriplicacionē capiti statuit. et irreuerencia illius obturacio aurium.

Caplm .v.

DIues. Folke now a dayes in thre maners excuse them of swerynge. Some saye that they swere so ofte for y ^• loue that they [Page] haue to god for to haue hym often in mynde. Some saye why may not I swere for I swere soth. Some saye but I swere ther wyll no man byleue me. ¶Pauper. These ben no excusacōns but greuous accusacōns & grutchyn­ges of synne. For as for y ^• fyrste poynte it is false / for suche false swerers loue not theyr god / for they kepe not his cōmaundement / and they haue hym full lytyll in mynde / and swere many horryble othes in vanyte and shrewednesse bycause of mysuse whan they thynke not on god / and therfore that excusacōn is but an open scorne & a grete blasphemynge to god. For yf thy seruaunt hadde done a thynge that thou haddest hym forboden / the ofter that he dyde it the worse thou woldeste be payed. And yf he scorned the & sayd that he dyde it for thy loue for to haue y ^• in mynde / thou woldest holde it a full grete scorne & ben mo­che more an angred with hym / namely yf thou ware his lyege lorde & his kyng. Moche more than god that is lorde & kyng of all thynges is an an­gred with them that so swere ayenste his cōmaundement / & excuse them so scornfully saynge y ^t they do it to haue god in mynde. And therfore it is for to drede y ^t they shalbe put out of mynde amonge goddes chosen people / for Cryste complayneth hym of suche folke to his fader in heuen / & sayth thus Qm̄ quē tu ꝑcussisti ꝑsecuti sūt. et suꝑ dolorē vulner [...] meo (rum) addiderūt. Fa­der in heuen sayth he for asmoche as these wycked swerers haue pursued & smyten hym with theyr wycked tongues that thou sendeste to suffre deth for saluacōn of mankynde / and put newe sorowe aboue the sorowe & the bytter paynes of my woundes that I suffred for her synne and theyr sake / therfore fader putte to them synne to synne / that is to saye / lette theym fal­le fro synne to synne / and lette them not entre in to thy rightwysnesse for to be saued. Put theym out of the bo­ke of lyfe from amonge theym that shall be in blysse without ende. Lette theym not be wryten with the right­wysse folke that shall be saued. The­se ben Crystus wordes complanynge hym to y ^• fader in heuen of suche fou­le swerers. p̄o .lxviij. ¶Diues. It se­meth herby that suche sweryng is fulgrete horryble synne & full peryllous. But what sayst y ^u of the seconde excusacōn. ¶Pauper. We ben bounde ne­uer to lye & nothyng to saye but soth. Neuerthelesse we be not boūde to saye al the sothes / ne we ought not to swere for euery soth that we speke. For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate theologie. Bothe he that forswereth hym ayenst the treuthe / & he that swereth with the treuthe without grete cause both they take goddes name in vayn For he that forswereth wyttyngly the name of souerayne treuthe y ^t is god & despyseth it / & he that swereth with out grete cause he taketh his name in ydlenesse / for he swereth without go­de cause & whan hym nedeth not / and so both lytyll or nought sette by god­des name / & so they take it in vayne.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. In how many causes is it lefull to swere. ¶Pauꝑ In .vij. cases clerkes & lew­de folke may swere lefully. Fyrste for to saue man or woman from harme of theyr bodye / and fro lesynge of his good whan y ^• treuthe can none other wyse be preued. Also for confyrmacōn of peas. Also for to kepe fayth and treuthe amonge mankynde. Also for to kepe obedyence and ordynall sub­geccyon of the subgettes to theyr so­ueraynes. Also for to saue fredom of holy chirche. Also for purgacyon and saluacyon of mannes name and of his fame. Also for assoylynge from a curse. Extra .li.i. de elect. significasti. And in euery othe men muste haue thre thynges / whiche ben treuthe / do­me / & rightwysnesse. As sayth the prophete Ieremye. iiij. For who so shall swere he muste haue treuthe in his cō scyence / that he wote wel y ^t he swereth treuthe / for yf he be not syker / but only weneth to be syker / he shal not swere y ^t it is so / but that he weneth that it is so as he sayth. Also he muste ha­ue with hym dome / that is a good & a dyscrete auysemēt er he swere / that he swere not but treurhe / and for ne­de that he to whome he swereth wyll not ellys byleue hym in thynges of charge that is prouffytable to be byleued but he swere. Also he muste haue rightwysnesse / that the thynge that he swereth for / and the maner of sweryng be rightfull honest & lefull. Ex­tra. li.ij. de iure iurando. Et si xp̄s. ¶Diues. I wolde fayne flee suche othes / but as I sayd fyrste / men wyll not bylene me but I swere. ¶Pauꝑ. Yf it be a treuthe of charge right profytable to be byleued / & men wyl not byleue the for thy symple worde / than it is leful to y ^• to swere as I haue sayd But yf it be a thyng of no charge nenedefull / swere y ^u not. For yf thou vse the to swere comonly for a thynge of nought thou synnest greuously & makest other of wanbyleue y ^t they sholde nomore byleue the for thyn othe than they do without othe / and wyse men wyl the lesse byleue the for thyn othes For comonly grete swerers & vsaunt swerers ben full false. ¶Diues. Why so. ¶Pauper. For in that they take goddes name so vayne / they ben fal­se to god in theyr swerynge. And sy­then they ben false to god in theyr swerynge / they gyue lytyll tale for to be false to man or womā in theyr swerynge / or to begyle them with othes. And therfore yf y ^u wylt that men byleue the by ye or nay / vse the to speke truly dyscretly and flee othes. And so worshyp goddes name and be true to god in byeng and sellynge / in speche and in lyuynge. And than men shol­de byleue the redely without ony othe Doo soo and speke of that than men may holde the a trewe man / & than men shall byleue the by ye & nay / better than other with theyr greter othes And yf thou be varyenge and vntrusty in thy worde and in thy dede / men wyll neyther byleue y ^• by othe neyther without othe. ¶Diues. Therfore so­me saye that Cryste forbade all ma­ner sweryng / whan hae sayd in his gospell. Ego autē dico vobis nō iurare [Page] oino. Mathei .v. I saye to you that ye swere in no wyse. ¶Pauꝑ. That is not the Englysshe of Crystus worde. But this is the Englysshe. I saye to you that ye swere not in ony ma­ner / that is to saye for no maner cau­se not lyghtly ne customably. Also he badde by tho wordes that men sholde not swere by creatures / as for wytnes neyther by heuen for it is goddes tro­ne. Ne by erthe for it is the stole vnder his fete. Ne by Ierlm for it is the cyte of the grete kyng. Ne by thyne hede / for thou canste not make one of thyn heres whyte ne blacke. Lete your worde be ye ye / nay nay. Mathei v. ¶Diues. Muste we than saye twyes ye & twyes nay. ¶Pauper. That y ^u must yf y ^u wylt be true. For the same ye that thou sayste with thy mouth / y ^u muste saye it with thyn herte / for thy mouth & thyn herte muste accorde togydre. For yf thou saye ye with thy mouth / & nay with thyn herte / y ^u arte false & doste ayenst Crystus lore. ¶Diues. Yet Contra te. Saynt Iames sayth Ante oīa frēs mei nolite iurare & [...]. Iacobi .v. Byfore all thynges my leue brethern wyll ye not swere / neyther by heuē ne by erthe / ne by ony other othe wherby it semeth that it is not lefull to swere. ¶Pauper. Saynt Iames forbedeth vs not vtterly to swere / but he byddeth that men sholde be in no wyll to swere ony othe / for men sholde not swere but for nede. ¶Diues. Yet Contra te. Cryste byddeth in the gospell Mathei .v. That our worde sholde be ye ye / nay nay. Qd autē his habundanciꝰ est. a malo est. For what is more than this in speche it is full euyll / wherby it semeth that yf men say more than ye or nay by othes swerynge they do amys. ¶Pauper. Cryste sayd not that it was euyll to saye more than ye or nay or to swere whan it nedeth. But he sayd it is full euyll that men swere & saye more than ye or nay / for it cometh of wanbyleue of hym that wyl not byleue his euen crysten but he swere. Also it cometh of falshede of the people / that moche people is so false / that vnnethe men may byleue theym without othe / or by othe ¶Diues. Where fyndeste y ^u that god badde men swere / or that it is leful for to swere. ¶Pauper. In the gospell that y ^u allegest ayenst me. Mathei. v. where Cryste sayth thus. Reddes dn̄o iuramenta tua. Thou shalt yelde to thy lorde god thyn othes. That is to saye y ^u shalt swere by hym & by none other. And therfore he sayth Deut .vi. Thou shalt drede thy lorde god & serue hym allone / & swere by his name.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. Why forbedeth Cryste men for to swere by creatures ¶Pauper. Ther is two maner of swerynge. One is takynge of wytnesse of a thynge that a man swereth by / & so it is not lefull for to swere by ony creature. For saynt Poule sayth. Hoīes ꝑ maiorē suū iurant. ad Hebre .vi. Men swere sayth he by theyr more / that is to saye by hym that is more of credence & of reuerence than they ben them selfe. But only god is more in dygnyte and more in ordre of [Page] kynde than man / for he is bothe god and man. And therfore he wyll that we take in swerynge no wytnesse but only of hym / for he is souerayne treu­the. And therfore suche maner swerynge is a dyuyne worshyp that longeth oonly to god and to no creature. For god wyll that whan men may haue no wytnesse of treuthe that is nede­full and prouffytable to be byleued / that they take hym to wytnesse and swere by hym as by souerayne treuth and by no creature. For suche maner swerynge is a dyuyne worshypp that longeth to god and to no creature. As the glose sayth Mathei. v. suꝑ illud. Non ꝑiurabis. And as saynt Austyn sayth in the same place. Who so swe­reth by ony creature / he swereth by god that made y ^t creature. And therfore Cryste badde y ^• men sholde swere by no creatures / for yf they do lyghtly they fall in double synne / both in ydolatry & in periury. Fyrste in ydolatry for the worshyp that longeth only to god / they do it to creatures. Also they falle of [...]e so in periury / for men drede lesse to lye & to forswere them whan they swere by creatures / than whan they swere by god allone.

Caplm .viij.

AN other maner swerynge is by execracyon & imprecacōn / that is whan man or woman in theyr swerynge prayeth openly or pryuely ayenst hym selfe / or ayenst o­ny thynge that he loueth / or ony other thyng but it be as he sayth. And thus some man swereth by his hede / some man by his thedame. For as saynt Austyn sayth / he that swereth soo he byndeth hym selfe & leyeth his hede & his thedame in plegge to god / & prayeth to god that he leese his hede & his thedame & neuer thryue but it be as he sayth / or but he do as he sayth or behoteth. Some swere by theyr soule / by theyr chaffre & by all the goodes that they haue / & so bynde theym to lese theyr soule / theyr chaffre / and all theyr goodes / & bynde theyr soule to the fyre of helle without ende but it be as they saye. Some swere by theyr fader & moders soules / & so as moche as they may they bynde theyr fader & moders soules to the paynes of helle without ende but it be as they saye / or but they do as they byhoten. Some in theyr swerynge praye openly ayenst themselfe / as whan they saye so helpe me god. There they forsake the hel­pe of god but it be as they saye. Som saye ellys the deuyll brenne me / god gyue me ellys myschaūce / and suche other. And of this maner swerynge is that solempne othes that men make in dome and out of dome / whan men saye / so helpe me god at the holy do­me / or ellys so helpe me god & the ho­ly dome. In this othe men forsake the helpe of god & of our lady / & of al the company of heuen at the daye of dome but it be soo as they saye. And ouer that yf they swere false they calle god to wytnesse of a thynge that is false / and sayen that god whose na­me is treuth bereth them wytnesse of a thynge that is false. And soo they lye on god & doo hym grete velonye / [Page] for he was neuer false wytnesse ne neuer shall be. For he is souerayne treu­the that not dysceyueth / ne may not be dysceyueth. And that shall these false swerers fele at the daye of do­me but they amende them. ¶Diues. Why lay men theyr hondes on the boke whan they shall swere byfore a Iuge. ¶Pauper. For that men sholde charge theyr othe the more / for whan he layeth his honde on the booke / he forsaketh all the fayth of holy chir­che / and all the holy prayers wryten in the boke but it be as he sayth. Also he forsaketh all the Ioyes of heuen wryten in the boke / and byndeth hym to all the paynes wryten in the boo­ke but it be as he sayth. And in that he layeth his honde on the booke in his swerynge / he forsaketh all the go­de dedes that euer he dyde or euer he shall doo but it be sothe that he swe­reth. For in holy wryte by the hondes ben vnderstonden werkes. And that he swereth soo with his mouth / and kysseth the booke / he forsaketh all holy prayers and good wordes that euer he spake with his mouth or euer shall speke but yf it be as he sayth / and but he swere soth. And yf he for­swere hym with his mouth / he ma­keth it vnnable to resceyue the holy sacrament of the aultre / that is Cry­ste hym selfe souerayne treuthe vnder fourme of brede.

Caplm .ix.

DIues. What sayste thou of theym that though they swe­re soth / yet in slyghe or safte wordes they dysceyue theyr euen cry­sten whiche vnderstonde theym not. ¶Pauper. Suche be forsworen. For in two maners a man may be for­sworen in swerynge soth. Fyrste yf he swere soth in begylynge wordes and slyghe for to begyle his euen crysten. For as Ysydorus sayth .xxij.q̄. quinta Quacū (que). What crafte or sayeng euer thou vsest in thy speche and in thyne othes for to dysceyue thyn euen crys­ten / god that knoweth thyn thought and thy conscyence / taketh it not as thou menest / but as he vnderstandeth it / to whom thou swerest so in dysceyte. And as he sayth thou dost double synne so swerynge / for both y ^u takest goddes name in vayne / and also thou dysceyuest thyn euen crysten. ¶Diues Telle me some example. ¶Pauper. We fynde in the lyfe of saynt Nycholas / that a Iewe lente a crysten man a grete somme of golde vnto a certayne daye / & toke no sykernesse of hym but his fayth & saynt Nycholas to borowe. The daye passed & the crysten man payed not / wherfore the Iewe chalenged his golde of y ^e crysten man byfore a Iuge / for he sayd falsely that he had payed hym. Whan the Iuge sholde sytte on the cause / the crysten man bethought hym to begyle & fay­ned hym seke & cam lenyng on a staffe byfore the Iuge / in whiche staffe he had put al the golde that he ought to the Iewe & more therto / for the staffe was holowe. As he sholde laye his honde on the boke / he toke the Iewe the staffe in his honde prayeng hym to holde it whyles he made his othe. [Page] The Iewe thought of no gyle / but toke the staffe to holde as he prayed hȳ And than the false crysten man layd his honde on the boke and made his othe in this maner. By god & saynt Nicholas & so helpe me god at the holy dome I toke the all y ^• moneye that thou chalengest and more therto / and he sayd soth / for he had taken it hym that tyme in the staffe. The Iewe was wroth & sayd to hym. Now as trewely as y ^u haste forsworen the by god & saynt Nycholas. I praye god & saynt Nycholas that was thy borowe that harde vengeaunce come to the. The crysten man toke his staff ayen of the Iewe & wente ayen homewar­de lenynge on his staffe. Ther felle su­che an heuynesse of slepe on hym y ^t he layde hym downe in the waye to sle­pe a lytyl from the cyte where he had made his othe / & layde the staffe with the golde faste besydes hym. Ther came a carte & wente vpon hym & slew hym & brake his staffe tyll the golde scatered all about. Anone the people & the Iewe also ranne for to see what was fallen. And whan they sawe the staffe broken / & the golde soo scatered about / than they knewe how gylful­ly he had sworen / & thanked god and saynt Nycholas that the treuthe was so tryed and shewed. The Iewe ga­ue that golde to the poore folke & by­came a crysten man. ¶Diues. This ensample is open. Now I see that gylefull othes ben full peryllous. Saye forth I praye the. ¶Pauper. Also a man may be forsworen sweryng soth vnwyttyngly & weneth to swere fal­se for to dysceyue his euen crysten. As yf I swore to an other that it were not daye to dysceyue hym & lette hym of his Iourney / wenynge my selfe that it were daye all thoughe it were not daye but ferre from daye / yet I were forsworen. As the lawe sheweth well xxij. q̄ .ij.c. ^• .i. Also yf a man swere a treuth with a blasphemye of goddes name. As yf he swore by goddes body herte. eyen. woūdes. or ony suche other yf he be vsed therto he is forsworen / be it soth or false that he swereth.

Caplm .x.

WHerfore my frende ye shal vnderstonde that in .vi. maners a man is forsworen. Fyrste yf he swere ayenst his cōscyence / as whā he swereth false wyttyngly though he do it for drede. Also yf he swere ony thynge vnlefull & ayenst charyte / as yf he swere to slee a man or defoule a woman with his bodye / or y ^t he shall neuer do almesse to poore men / ne co­me in his neyghbours house. Also yf man do ayenst his othe whiche is le­full though he do it for drede of deth yf the othe tourne to none euyll ende Also yf he swere treuth for dysceyte & gyle as I sayd now late. Also yf he swere vnwysely / as sayth Durandus in sūma sua. Extra. de iureiurando c. ^• Sicut. et c. ^• tua. And yf he do it with auysement or vsaūtly it is dedely synne. And he sayth there that euery othe made vnwysely is periurye. Also yf he compelle an other to swere wyttynge well that he wyll forswere hym. As the lawe sheweth well .xxij.q̄.iiij. [Page] Inter cetera. And saynt Austyn also [...] sermon that he maketh of the decollacyon of saynt Iohan baptyste / where he t [...]leth. That on a tyme a good symple true man hadde lente a certayne moneye to a false man / whiche forsoke it and sayd that he lente hym none / wherfore the true man prouoked hym to swere / knowynge well that he wolde forswere hym and soo he dyde / & the true man loste his mo­neye. And the nyght folowynge the true man thought that he stode byfore a grete Iuge / whiche sayd to hym in this wyse. Why dydeste y ^u that man swere sythen thou wyste well that he sholde forswere hym. Lorde sayd he for he denyed me my good. Than the Iuge sayd to hym. It had be bet­ter to the for to haue loste thy good / than to slee his soule that god boughte soo dere with his precyous blood. And anone he dyde hym bete full harde & sore / in soo moche that whan he awoke his backe appyred ful of woū des & all to beten full blacke & blew. But whan he repented hym & axed mercy / his synne was forgyuen hym.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. It myght well be so / for bothe toke goddes name in vayne & dyde dyspyte therto / the swerer in that that he forswo­re hym wyllyngly & wyttyngly / and he that made hym swere. For wyl­lyngly & wyttyngly he dyde hym for­swere & despyse goddes name / & so he assented to [...]eriury. And by the lawe both he that doth the synne / & he that assenteth therto ben gylty of the syn­ne and ben worthy the same payne. But I praye the what sayst thou of theym that swere so dyspytefully and horrybly by goddes bodye / herte / blood & suche other. ¶Pauper. That ma­ner swerynge is open blasphemye & grete despyte to god. And yf a man or a woman be vsed therto / swere he soth or swere he false / he synneth de­dely. For not only suche take goddes name in vayne / but also in grete de­spyte. And therfore it is forboden by the lawe .xxij.q̄ i. Si quis per capillū Ther sholde noman swere by the heere of Cryste / ne by his hede / ne by no parte of Cryste / ne vse suche blasphe mye ayenst god in ony maner wyse. And yf he dyde / but he wolde cesse and amende hym / and yf he were a man of holy chirche he sholde be de­posed and degraded. And yf he were a lewde man / he sholde be acursed and pursued by censure of holy chir­che tyll he wolde amende hym. And by the lawe Imperyall as the glose sayth there / suche foule swerers sholde be punysshed with the vttrest payne & torment saue deth. And therfore in Almayne suche folke ben punysshed shamefully & in dyuerse cōtrees. And therfore in tho contrees ben vsed none othes / but it be byfore a Iuge or ellys for grete nede. Ther is in theyr spe­che as y ^• gospell techeth / ya and nene / that ys ye or nay in Englysshe. And they kepe more treuth for ya & nene / than we doo with all our grete othes that we now vse in this londe. Of suche foule swerers speketh Saynt [Page] Poule sayeng that as moche as in theym is they do goddes sone ofte on the crosse / and make but a Iape and scorne of his passyon. Rursum crucifi­gentes sibimetipsis filiū dei et osten­tui .i. irrisioni habentes. ad Hebre .vi. For they can not speke to an vnreso­nable beste / but they all to rente Cry­ste with theyr othes / & nyght & daye repreue Cryste of his shamefull deth that he suffred for theyr synne & theyr sake. And there that they ought to take moost mater to loue hym & to worshyp hym / they take moost occasyon of vnkyndnesse to despyse hym. For had not he deyed the bytter deth and shamfull for our gylte our synne and our sake / we sholde neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes deth / & had he not wepte salte teerys with his eyen for our sake & not for his owne / we shol­de neuer ellys haue sworen by goddes eyen. And had he not be percyd to the herte & shedde his precyous herte blo­de to wasshe vs from our synnes / we sholde neuer ellis haue sworen by goddes herte / ne by goddes blood. And had he not suffred the depe woūdes & bytter paynes in his bodye and in his bones to saue vs from the paynes of helle / we sholde neuer ellys haue swo­ren by his woūdes / his bodye / his bo­nes / ne his blood. And also ayenst the endlesse loue that he shewed to vs / we shewe hym grete vnkyndnesse / and ayenst the grete worshyp that he dyde to vs & brought vs to endles worshyp we do to hym ouer grete velonye. We fynde in y ^• myracles of our lady that somtyme ther was a ryghtfull Iuge demynge / but ful gylty in suche othes swerynge. Somdele he was deuoute to our lady and grette her euery daye with a certayne Auees / wherfore our lady by nyght appyred to hym & shewed hȳ a childe all blody. The eyen were put out of y ^• hede & henge dow­ne by the chekys / the herte was rente out of the bodye / & henge a downe by the syde / & the bodye was all to corne and to wrappyd in blood. Than she sayd to hym. Thou art a Iuge gyue me now a ryghtfull dome / what is that man worthy to haue that thus hath arayed my childe. The Iuge answered and sayd. He is worthy to be hanged by the necke in the fyre of helle without ende. Than our lady answered to hym. Forsothe thou art the same man. For I hadde neuer no childe but this allone / whiche was borne of my bodye for saluacyon of all mankynde. And thou as moche as in the is haste putte out his eyen / whan thou sworest by goddes eyen / & thou rentest out his herte whan thou sworest by goddes herte / thou hast all to rente hym with thyne foule othes. And therfore amende the / or y ^u shalte haue the same dome that thou haste gyuen & shalte be hanged by the nec­ke in the fyre of helle without ende.

Caplm .xij.

DIues. What sayste thou of theym that swere by the cock in stede of god / some by god and by the holy dome / some by laken some by our lady / some by cockes bo­dye / some by theyr hode / and some by [Page] theyr tytpat & cap / and many suche other nyce othes that men vse now these dayes. ¶Pauper. Yf they swe­re ony suche othes for to begyle theyr euen crysten that vnderstande theym not / they synne dedely and ben also forsworen. And for to couple or knytte to gydre god and the holy dome in swerynge / in ernest / or in game / it is a full greuous synne / and grete des­pyte and scorne to goddes name. And yf they swere suche othes not for dys­ceyte / but for to flee gretter othes / yet they synne full greuously yf they ben vsed therto / for they do ayenst Crys­tus cōmaundement that byddeth vs swere by no creature / ne to swere but for grete nede & prouffyte & ellys not but outwarde sholde be ye ye / nay nay And yf a man be compelled to swere he shal swere by his god and by none suche nyce othes. Moreouer my fren­de whan that a man swereth by his cap / or by his hode / or by ony suche other / eyther he swereth soo by waye of wytnesse takyng or by waye of execraccyon. Yf he swere soo by waye of wytnesse takynge he dooth hymselfe foule velony / for he maketh his hode of more worshyp & of more credence than hymselfe. For as saynt Poule sayth / ther sholde noo man swere for wytnesse takynge / but by his more & by his better. And he offendeth god full hyghely / for the worshyp that longeth only to god he doth it to his ho­de. For as swerynge to bere wytnesse is a dyuyne worshyp that longeth only to god. And yf he swere by his ho­de by waye of execracyon / so that he must lese his hode but he saye soth / it is an ouer scornefull othe / for it is no grete losse a man to lese his hode for to wynne an hondred poūde ¶Diues And yet suche ben more true of theyr worde than other that swere gretter othes. ¶Pauper. Somtyme it is so. For the fende tempteth them lesse / & to the lesse synne for to holde theym stylle in y ^• gretter / & so to drawe other to the same synne y ^t they perceyue it not. For it is more synne to robbe god of his worshyp / than to robbe a man of his catell. But suche as swere by theyr hode do dyuyne worshyp to ther hode & take it from god / & make o­ther to do more worshyp to theyr ho­de than to goddes holy name. And ofte suche swerers kepe treuth in smale thynges & comon to dysceyue men in greter thyngis of more charge. And therfore I praye the vse not suche nyce othes / but lete thy worde be ye ye / nay nay / as Cryste byddeth it / so that it be sayd with mekenesse & reuerence. And yf you nede to saye more / saye ye truly / nay truly / or sykerly or soth­ly / for that maner of speche is none othe. For it is not ellys to saye / but I saye ye truly & not falsely. I saye ye sykerly & not dysceyuably / & vse none othes but y ^u be compelled by thy souerayne / or for a thyng of charge / & men shall byleue well by thy ye ye / and by thy nay nay / without ony more.

Caplm .xiij.

DIues. Is it not more synne a man for to swere by god / than by his hode. ¶Pauper [Page] It is more synne. For the holyer that a thynge is that man swereth by / the greter is the synne and the periurye / as the lawe sayth. And it is more synne a man for to forswere hym by god than by creatures / or by false goddes or mawmettes. And thou yf y ^u swere by ony othe or by ony creature that is not lefull to swere by / thou synneste greuously yf thou swere soth or swere false. But yet periury by god is more synne than by ony creature. ¶Diues Yf a man swere by his hode / is he bounden to kepe his othe. ¶Pauper He is yf his othe be lefull and spede­full / or ellys he dooth synne to synne. As the lawe sayth .xxij.q̄.i. Mouet te. ¶Diues. Is it lefull for a crysten man for to take an othe of an hethen man that swereth by his false goddes ¶Pauper. It is lefull yf he may none other sykernesse haue of hym. But it is not lefull to a crysten man for to styre hym so to swere. Example we haue of this Gen̄ .xxxi. Where Laban swore to Iacob by his false goddes. ¶Diues. Whan seruauntes ben sworen to theyr lorde that they shall be true to hym & warne hym for his harmes / ben they boūde to telle hym all the myschyues false dedes & velo­nyes that is done to the lorde in hous­holde or out of housholde yf they knowe them. ¶Pauper. Yf the lorde be fell cruell & baratoꝰ or suspecte ayenst the persone that is gylty. I trowe the seruaunt by that othe is not boūde to telle the lorde therof for to accuse the persone / for also his othe is vn [...]full. For so in kepynge of his othe he sholde brynge the lorde to greuous synne. And therfore he sholde not haue ma­de that othe at the begynnynge / for it was semely y ^t moche dysease myght come therof yf it were kepte. Nathe­lesse yf that seruaunt that soo swore knewe ony thynge berynge or takynge awaye or wastyng the lordes good that he hath in kepynge / he ought to warne his lorde therof / but yf he can the more peasybly haue it ayen / & sa­ue his lordes prouffyte. And euery ser­uaūt is boūden to warne his lorde of the harme that is done to his lorde in his offyce for good fayth and salua­cyon of his owne persone / yf it can not ellys peasybly be redressed. And yf ony other defaultes y ^t touchen not his offyce / yf he can preue them / he is boūde to telle them to his lorde yf his lorde is pacyent & resonable & not to cruell / & yf he can not preue them / he is not boūde to telle them. As the la­we sheweth full well .xxxv. q̄ .vi. Ep̄s in synodo. et .ij.q̄.i. Si peccauerit. et .q̄.vij. Plerū (que) .vi.q̄.ij. Si tm̄. For yf the seruaūt whan he made that othe thought to bynde hym to telle his lorde all the harmes that he knewe / and whan he can not preue it / than his othe is not lefull / and therfore it byn­deth not. Euery seruaunt is bounden by his othe & by his fayth to be true to his lorde & warne hym of his har­me & of his velonye in comon maner but he is not bounde for to accuse in specyall but yf he can preue it / but it be full preuely to suche one that wyll prouffyte to the persone & not harme hym ne defame hym / but only amen­de [Page] hym. For by accusynge in specyall but yf the playnt can be preued it maketh hate / fyghtynge / manslaughter dyffamacyon / and grete dysease.

Caplm .xiiij.

DIues. Whan a comunyte or a college swereth for them & theyr successours to doo or to kepe a certayne thynge in tyme co­mynge / yf theyr successours do it not / neyther kepe not theyr couenaunte / ben not theyr successours forsworen. ¶Pauper. Nay. For that othe byn­deth the persones that swore it & not theyr successours / as for periury. Ne­uerthelesse the successours ben boun­den by good fayth for to doo and for to kepe that theyr predecessours boū ­de theym to soo swerynge / yf it were lefull & yf they haue the same prouf­fytes therof that theyr predecessours hadde. Extrahe veritatis. et Ray .li. pri. ^• ti. de periurio. Item pone ¶Diues. Yf a man make an othe to an o­ther man / may not that other man y ^t he maketh it to vnbynde hym from that othe & forgyue it hym ¶Pauꝑ And yf it be soo that y ^t othe be made pryncypally in fauour of goddes worshyp / the man that he made it to can not assoyle hym ne vnbynde hȳ from that othe / ne none other may but by chaūgynge in to some better thynge / but nede or vnpower excuse hym. Yf the othe be made pryncypally in the fauour of the man that he swereth it to / that man may wel vnbynde hym fro his othe. And yf he made y ^t othe in fauour of an other man / only that other man may vnbynde hym from that othe / but ony condycōn put in the othe lette it. As I swore to the that I sholde gyue thy fader .x. shelynges y ^u myghtest not vnbynde me fro y ^t othe but thy fað myght well vnbynde me therof. ¶Diues. Whether is a man harder boūde by auowe or by an othe ¶Pauper. The auowe byndeth harder. For our auowe byndeth vs by our fayth & treuth that we owe to god to paye to hym our byhestes. Our othe bynde vs pryncypally for to be true to our euen crysten for the reuerence of goddes holy name. As sayth Iohēs in sū. con .li.i.ti.ix.q̄.xiiij. quero. ¶Diues. Yf a man or a woman haue doo ony dedely synne / of whiche he is shreuen & contryte / may he swere sykerly that he is not gylty of that synne for to auoyde sclaundre of hymselfe and of his frendes / and of other that wyll not byleue hym in that but he swere. ¶Pauper. For asmoche as he kno­weth not sykerly y ^t he is suffycyently contryte / he is not syker whether his synne is forgyuen hym or not. And therfor he sholde for no myschyef swere soo folysly. Moche more he sholde not swere it of his owne profer whan hym nedeth not to swere. In sū. con. ti .ix.q̄ .xij. [...]d de vxore. Extra li.v. pur­gacōe canonica. accepimus. ¶Diues What yf a man or woman make two othes contrarye that may not be kepte both togydre. ¶Pauper. The fyrste shall be kepte yf it be lefull. Hostriensis li.ij. Rubrica de iureiurando. S. quot comites. [...]. Item si duo. But yf a man make two auowes contra­rye [Page] that may not be kepte / the greter shal be kepte yf it be lefull / & for that other he shal do satysfaccōn by dome of his prelates. Sū. cō ti .viij.q̄.lxxxiij.

Caplm .xv.

DIues. What is auowe proprely. ¶Pauper. Auowe is by­hotynge of some good thyn­ge made to god with auysement. As Raymunde sayth. ¶Diues. Whan a man or woman in anguysshe & dysease maketh auowe to be holpen / ben they not bounden to fulfyll y ^t auowe though anguysshe & dysease brought theym therto. ¶Pauꝑ. Yes forsoth yf they thought on the cause whan they made it / & than vere in purpose to bynde theym yf they had theyr de­syre & helpe in y ^t nede / so y ^t by kepyng of theyr auowe they ben better dysposed to kepe goddes cōmaūdementes / for therto sholde all comon auowes deserue. And the wyfe that in peryl of childe beryng or of other sekenes maketh auowe all yf she ought none to make without leue of her husbonde / yet she ought not to doo ayenst that auowe by her owne dome / ne without dome of her souerayne yf she fele her holpen by the auowe. Neuerthelesse I trowe that her husbonde may vnbynde her therfro / & her confessour also / by chaūgynge in to some other good dede / and namely yf the kepynge of the auowe sholde tourne in to preiu­dyce of y ^t husbonde / or lettynge of the better dede. For wyues ought not to make grete auowes that sholde be in dysease & preiudyce of theyr husbonde Ne childern within age / sholde ma­ke none auowe without assente of theyr fader or of theyr tutour. Ne the seruaūte in preiudyce or hyndryng of his lorde or of his maystre. And yf he do / his lorde or maystre may reuoke it / and so may the fader the childes / & the husbonde the wyues. Other. auo­wes that ben not preiudyce to the husbonde the wyfe may it / as to saye certayne bedes. But of no grete pylgre­mage / ne of grete abstynence / ne of contynence / ne to gyue grete almesse / but yf her husbonde is euyll dysposed in his wyttes / or not ruled of custome by reason. For yf her husbonde haue no pyte of nedy people than she may make auowe to gyue to poore people to y ^t pleasaūce of god after her power sauynge theyr bothe astate. ¶Diues. Whether is it more medefull to do a good dede with auowe or without a­uowe. ¶Pauper. With auowe / for a vowe makynge is one of the hyghest worshyp that man may do. Quia est actus latrie. Also by auowe man me­keth hym moost to god / & gyueth to god the moost gyfte that he can gyue that is his free wyl. Also he gyueth a greter gyfte that gyueth the tree with fruyte / than he that gyueth the fruyte & reserueth to hym the tree. Also by a vowe mannes wyl is more stabled in goodnesse. Neuerthelesse for as moche as man and woman ben full frayle and chaūgeable / therfore men sholde not make auowes but fewe & with a good auysement. For brekynge of a­uowes is a grete dyshonour to god. ¶Diues. What yf a man make a [Page] vowe oonly vnder condycōn. ¶Pauper. Yf the condycōn falle or be / he is bounde / ellys not. And yf a man bynde hym by dyuerse causes / yf ther one falle he is bounden though the other fallen not. As yf I made ony auowe for to go to saynt Iames in hope to fynde there my brother / & also to ha­ue redempcōn of my synnes / though I wyste afterwarde certaynly y ^e I sholde not fynde my brother there / yet I we­re boūde to go thyder for y ^• other cau­se. ¶Diues. For how many causes is a man or woman vnboūde from his auowe. ¶Pauper. For four causes. Fyrste yf the pryncypall cause of his auowe makynge fayle. As yf a man make auowe to faste all y ^t satyrdayes to haue helth of his childe / yf the childe amende not / he is not boūde ther­to. Also yf it be made vnder condycy­on that is not ne falleth not. Also yf his souerayne vnbynde hym therof. Also yf he haue no power for to kepe it. ¶Diues. Than yf a mayden make an auowe to lyue in maydenhode all her lyfe durynge / yf she be corrupte & lese her maydēhode / she is vnboū de from her auowe / for she can no lenger lyue in maydenhode. ¶Pauper. All yf she can no lenger lyue in may­denhode / yet she is boūde to contynence all her lyfe / & to kepe her auowe in as moche as she may. And so it is of other auowes that men may not all do / for they ben boūde to do all that they may do. Moreouer ye shall vn­derstonde that some auowe is of nede as the auowe that we make in bapty me / for to forsake the fende / & to kepe the fayth of holy chirche. And other auowes of free wyll / as whan a man byndeth hym frely to do a good dede without whiche he may be saued / as fastynge / contynence / & pylgremage. Two thynges be nedefull in chaun­gynge of auowe. Rightfull cause / & auctoryte of the souerayns. In dyspen sacyon of the auowe of abstynence or suche other / it muste be taken hede to the richesses or to the pouerte of y ^• persone. For a poore man in caas ought to haue as moche dyspensacōn for a peny or for right nought / as a grete lorde for an hondred marke. Some condycōns ben vnderstonden in auo­wes though a man saye them not / as I shall do yf I lyue and yf god wyll. Other condicōns ben more specyal / as I shal vysyte saynt Thomas yf I go in to kent. By bothe maners of these condicōns yf they fayle man in excu­sed of his auowe yf it stande all in y ^t condycōn. The husbonde may not entre in to relygyon / but his wyfe make fyrste auowe of perpetuell cōtynence. Neyther the wyfe ne y ^e husbonde may make auowe of cōtynence without o­thers assente. Solempne auowe of cō tynence letteth matrymony to do or to be done. Yf it be not solempne / yf the persone wedde y ^t matrymony holdeth He muste paye the dette of his bodye to his wyfe / but he may not axe it of her. Solempne auowe is made by ta­kynge of holy ordre / or by entre in to relygyon. Though a man or woman breke his faste bycause of sekenesse / he breketh not his abstynēce. Extra li.v. de regulis iuris. qd non est licitū.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. What yf a man or woman swere a thynge in hasty­nesse / whiche othe they wol­de not haue sworen yf they had auy­sed theym. ¶Pauper. Yf theyr othe be a meane to kepe the better goddes cōmaundement / & to flee therby mo­re synne & loue god the more / they be boūde to kepe this othe / and not ellys ¶Diues. Yf childern swere to doo a thyng leful whyle they be within age may theyr fader & moder reuoke that othe. ¶Pauper. Fader and moder and his tutour may reuoke the chil­derens othes & theyr vowes as soone as they knowe therof. And so may the husbonde of his wyfe / and she is boūde to obeye his reuocacōn. But yf they go forth whan they wote therof. & reuoke it not at the begynnynge / afterwarde they may not by the lawe reuoke it / ne the fader the childes othe ne the vowe. ¶Diues. I suppose they reuoke it afterwarde. ¶Pauper. Bothe the wyfe to the husbonde / and the childe to the fader whyle he is within age ought to obeye. Auyse hym of the peryll that so reuoketh.

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. whether is periury more synne or manslaughter. ¶Pauper. Periury is more. For as saynt Poule sayth ad Hebr .vi. Men sholde swere by theyr better and theyr gretter / & of euery contrauersy / that is to saye of euery cause that is in debate to conferme the true parte / the laste ende is an othe. For euery suche cause is termyned & ended by an othe. And sythen it is so that the cause of manslaughter & of euery open synne touchynge mannes dome muste be termyned by an othe. Periurye muste be taken for a passynge synne and soo it is. For who soo forswereth hym wyttyngly he forsaketh his god & therfore periury is the gretest synne of all synnes next ydolatrye / for it is ayenst the seconde cōmaundement / & inmedyatly ayenst god / & in despyte & forsakyng of god. But manslaughter is inmedyatly ayenst man. And though man with manslaughter greued god full sore / yet he forsaketh not god ne despyseth hȳ / ne dyshonoureth hym so moche as he doth by periury. And as y ^t phylosophre sayth. In princi. ^• meta. ^• Amonges hethen men othe hath euer be worshypfull. For euery secte Iewe Sarasyn Paynym fleeth to swere falsely by his goddes name as moost inconuenyent / & yf māslaughter were more synne than periury / it were but a folye to trye the cause of manslaughter by an othe. For it is semely that he that was not aferde to do the grete synne of manslaughter / sholde lytyll drede to falle in y ^t synne of periury yf it were lesse. And thus sayth saynt Thomas in qōe d qðlibe et Io. in sū .li.i. ti. .q̄ .xxiiij. vt (rum). ¶Diues. Yf all men charged periury and false othes as y ^u dost / many man had ben hanged & drawen and slayne in otherwyse that yet lyue & fare wel. It is full harde so lyghtly to slee a man with a worde whan his lyfe may be [Page] saued with a worde / for a man costeth full moche or he come to be a man. ¶Pauper. Therfore men sholde be­syly flee periurye and false othes. For ther is no thynge that causeth so mo­che manslaughter and shedynge of blood as periury doth. ¶Diues. She we me that I praye the yf thou can. ¶Pauper. Salomon sayth Eccle .x. The kyngdome is fletted and chaū ­ged fro nacyon to nacyon for wron­ges / vnrightfulnes / and despytes do­ne to goddes name in dyuerse gyles. But periury is cause of all false do­mes and wronges / and of all vnright fulnesse / cause of gyle and of treason and of grete dyspytes that ben done to god and man. For as I sayd fyrste Euery cause muste be ended by wyt­nesses or by questes / the whiche ben sworen to saye treuth / and also by a Iuge whiche is sworen to god and to the kyng for to deme rightful domes And yf they that ben charged for to saye the treuth gyue none answere to forswere them and to lye / they shall dysceyue the Iuge / and do hym gyue a false dome. Suche periurers robbe men of theyr good / & dyshereted mo­che folke. They saue stronge theues / & slee true men. Suche robbe folke of theyr good name / suche ben false to god / to the kyng / & to prelates of ho­ly chirche. Suche ben cause that this londe is in poynte to be loste & to be chaūged to an other nacyon & in to a newe tongue. And that may not be without shedynge of moche blood & manslaughter. And so periury is cause of moche manslaughter. Also per­iurye is cause that we haue soo many theues and manquellers in this lon­de / for they hope alwaye to be saued by periury and falshode of questmongers y ^t for a lytyl good wyll forswere them. And therfore in hope of periury they ben so bolde in theyr synne to robbe slee & brenne / for though they ben taken yet they hope to scape by periury. And yf they were syker that ther wolde no man ne womā forswere hȳ to saue them / they wolde neuer be soo bolde to synne / & all other sholde be y ^• more aferde to synne / yf they wyste wel that true dome sholde passe with out periury. Suche synfull wretches as the ꝓphete Ysaye sayth .xxiij. they haue put theyr hope all in lesynges & in ꝓiury / & by lesynges falshode & periury ben they mayntened & not chasty sed. Also it is a synne ayenst kynde to saue a theef in dyspyte of god / whose name they forswere ayenst his cōmaū dement. For he byddeth that ther sholde no man take his name in vayne. Also he sayth. Non suscipies vocem mendacij. nec iunges manū vt ꝓ im­pio dicas falsū testimoniū. Exo .xxiij. Thou shalte not take the voyce of lesynges / ne Ioyne thyn honde in makynge of couenaunt to bere ony false wytnesse for the wycked man to saue them. Maleficos nō pacieris viuere. Exodi .xxij. Thou shalte not suffre wytches and open malefactours ney­ther felones a lyue / but slee theym in chastysynge of other. Slee one & sa­ue many one. Also this is a synne a­yenst kynde & ouer grete folye / a man to slee his owne soule without ende [Page] to saue a theef that neuer wolde doo hym a good tourne / but alwaye redy to robbe hȳ & perauenture to slee hȳ whan he may. It is a grete folye to offende god by periury to plese a theef a manqueller that offendeth god & al the contree Suche ben lyke the Iewes that saued Barrabam y ^• stronge theef & manqueller / & slewe swete Ihesu so­uerayne treuth that neuer dyde amys And as holy doctours tellen y ^t a man sholde rather suffre the moost dyspy­tous deth of bodye than he sholde for swere him or do ony dedely synne. Moche more he sholde not forswere hym ne do no dedely synne to saue a theues lyfe that god & londes lawe cōmaūde to slee. It felle late in this londe that a Scotte appeled an Englysshe man of hygh treason / whan he sholde fyghte byfore a Iuge in theyr cause / the Iuge as the maner is put them both to theyr othe / whan the Scotte sholde swere he sayd to the Iuge. Lorde I came not hyder to swere I cam to fyght for my chalenge was to fyght / & therto I am redy / but swere wyll I not / for I made no chalenge to swere The Iuge sayd that but yf he wolde swere that his appele was true / ellys he sholde be taken as a cōuycte and a taynt traytour / and be hanged & drawen without fyghtynge. And so he was / for he wolde not swere wyttynge wel that his appele was false / and made only for malyce as he knowleched er [...]e deyed. This man myght haue sworen / and happely haue hadde the better of his aduersarye and escaped the deth with grete worshypp in this worlde. But yet he had leuer to deye dyspytefully than for to do dyspyte to goddes name / to swere false therby / & leuer to deye bodely than to do that periury to god & slee his owne soule. For he helde it as it is a gretter syn­ne than manslaughter. And though he wolde auenge hȳ on man for ran­cour of herte / yet on god he wolde not venge hym by periury. And so god saued them both fro periury & māslau­ghter & gaue them grace to dey in charyte & make amendes to god & man.

Caplm .xviij.

DIues. Sythen periury is so grete a synne. What payne is ordeyned therto by the lawe. ¶Pauper. As the lawe sayth .xxij. q̄. .i. p̄dicandū. Asmoche penaūce sholde be enioyned for periury / as for man­slaughter & auoutry. And they sholde neuer more be taken to swere or to bere wytnesse in ony dome / but shall be forsaken in euery dome / as taynt false / & alwaye suspecte of falhode. And by londes lawes in many contrees yf they be taynt forsworē byfore a Iuge they sholde be dyshereted for euer / & theyr houses be drawen downe / theyr wodes hewen downe / theyr trees also mānes hyght aboue y ^• groūde / the stockes stonde stylle to endeles repreef of theym & of al theyr kynrede. For ther is no synne so noyous to a royalme & to euery comunyte as periury is / for y ^t is cause y ^t ther may no synne be punysshed / ne malefactours ne felones chastysed / ne wronges redressed. Men of holy chirche sholde be degraded / and [Page] lewde people accursed .xi. q̄ .i. Conspi­racionū.et c. ^• Coniuracionū. Al other synnes whan they haue done penaū ­ce for theyr fynne and ben amended / they ben by the lawe restored ayen to theyr same / so y ^• they may bere wyt­nesses in dome / & theyr othe ought to be resceyued. But periurers that ben taynt shall neuer be restored to theyr fame / ne be taken for wytnesse / ne his othe accepted in noo dome. As sayth Hosti .li.ij. Ru. de testi (bus). Si [...]s possit d. excipit. et. [...]. hoc idē. Et extra li .ij. d testibus. c. ^• ex ꝑte. et .vi. q̄. i. Quicū (que). And yf he be taynt forsworen byfore a Iuge / he is not able to be ony prelate / eyther in holy chirche / or in the se­cularyte neyther kyng ne bysshop / ab­bot ne pryour / prynce ne duke / or ony pryncypate of worshyppe. ¶Diues. Why is periurye so harde punysshed by the lawe. ¶Pauper. For the synne is ouer greuous & ouer moche haūted and for it is moost openly ayenst the substaūce of treuth and wytnesse / and moost maynteneth falshode / and let­teth moost treuth and rightwysnesse. As sayth the same clerke Hostyensis in the same place. Suche periurers may saye that is wryten Ysaye .lix. Concepimus et locuti sumus de corde verba mendacij & [...]. We haue concey­ued false contryuynges / and we ha­ue spoken of herte wordes and lesyn­ges. And therfore rightfull dome is tourned bacwarde / and rightfulnesse stode from ferre. He durste not putte forth his hede / and treuth felle dow­ne openly in the strete. He was borne downe openly / and noo man wolde helpe hym vp. Equyte sayth he ne euenhode in shyftynge and in demynge myght not entre / for treuthe is all forgeten. And he that fledde from wyckednesses was euery mānes pray ¶Diues. Now I see that periurye is a full greuous synne & full peryllous to euery comunyte / & cause of moche manslaughter & shedyng of mannes blood & lesynge of Royalmes. For as I haue redde / y ^• Royalme of Englonde for periurye & falshode was trans­lated from Brytons to Saxons. Af­terwarde it was translated for periu­rye from Saxons & Englysshe men to the Danes. Afterwarde whan Englysshe men had the kyngdome ayen by the deth of the Danes / they kepte it but two kynges tymes. Saynt Ed­warde & heraldes / & anone it was trāslated ayen for periurye vnto the Nor­mans by Wyllyam duke of Normandy / whiche slough well nyghe all the chyualrye of this londe / & chaūged the lordshyp and the prelacye of this londe nyghe all vnto the frensshe men. And what murdre & shedynge of blode fell for these periurers in these thre tymes and chaūgynges full harde to telle. And now allas newely in our dayes we ben fallen in periury in the hyghest degree / not one but nygh all. And what blood hath be shedde sy­then bycause of our periurye / no tonge can telle. And this londe by shedynge of blood is so feblysshed in euery astate that we be not of power without specyall myracle of god lenger for to withstande. And so it is full moche to drede y ^• this royalme in short tyme for [Page] our periurye shall be translated ayen to the Brytones / or ellys to some o­ther tongues. I praye the saye forth what thou wylt.

Caplm .xix.

PAuper. Furthermore I sayd that goddes name is taken in vayne by mysherynge. For yf y ^u haue lykynge to here grete othes of other men / or omy mysswerynge. Or yf thou wayte all vayne othes ne art not myspraysed whan thou hereste them / thou takest goddes name in vayne / for thou doost no worshyppe therto as thou oughtest to doo. For as Salomon sayth / a mannes heere sholde aryse for fere / & he sholde stop his eres whan he herde goddes name so despysed. And yf a man swere to y ^• sadly in goddes name & auysely / thou art boūden to byleue hȳ for worshyp of goddes holy name / but thou haue the more euydence to the contrarye. And but y ^u accepte his othe & gyue credence therto but ye knowe the contrarye ellys y ^u takest goddes name in vayne / for thou doost no due worshyp therto / but grete despyte in that that thou wylt not byleue so worshypfull a wytnesse as god is / whom he taketh to wytnesse soo swerynge. For many a symple man wolde be euyll payed yf thou forsokest hym for wytnesse of treuthe. ¶Diues. Yf I fynde a man ofte false in his othes / though I byleue hym not I do god no dyshonour. ¶Pauper. That is soth / for thou may well wote that god souerayne treuth bereth hym no wytnesse in his fasholde. And therfore do worshyp to his othe & to goddes name / and repreue his falshode and despyte that he doth to goddes holy name. Moreouer yf thou here men swere or blasphe­me goddes name / or name goddes name in vanyte / yf thou haue lykynge therin / thou takest goddes name in vayne. And but thou rebuke or repre­ue them yf y ^u haue power ouer them / and grutche ayenst theyr synfull spe­che / ellys thou takest goddes holy name in vayne by herynge. Also yf thou haue lykynge to here errours ayenst the fayth of holy chirche to consente to them / or shrewde tales / or vayne tales medled with goddes name & vn­honest speche ayenst the worshypfull name of Cryste & of crystendom / whiche speche no good crysten man ne woman ought to here / thou takest god­des name in vayne by herynge. For yf thou loue well thy god thou shol­dest not here paciently ony speche that sowneth dyshonour to his holy name For yf thou louedest well ony man or woman / thou woldest here no speche sownynge ayenste theyr name and worshyppe ne that myght be causes of theyr offence or velonye.

Caplm .xx.

ALso goddes name is taken in vayne by brekyng of couenaū te made in goddes name / and confermed by swerynge in goddes name. As whan peas and couenaut is made bytwene kynges and Royal mes / bytwene comunytees and bytwene persones / and bytwene comunyte [Page] and persone / & is confermed by swe­rynge. Than euery man & woman that knoweth it sholde flee to forfete in worde or dede ayenst the couenaūt & the peas for the reuerence of god­des holy name by whiche it was con­fermed. And all tho that wyttyngly breken suche couenauntes / or procu­ren by worde or dede or assenten thertoto / that suche couenaunt shall be bro­ken / yf the couenaunt be lefull / all yf it be not pleasaunt they take goddes name in vayne. And all tho that knowe of the couenaunt and of the othe / yf they by retcheleshede of speche or of dede ben cause of brekynge of peas and of suche couenauntes whether it touche theym or not / they take god­des holy name in vayne and do grete despyte therto / sythen the peas & the couenaunt was made in goddes holy name / and confermed also. We rede also in holy wryte Iosue .ix. That whan as Iosue and goddes people began fyrste for to conquere the lon­de of byheste / the people of Gabaon in gyle sente messagers to Iosue for to make peas with Iosue and with goddes people. The messagers in gyle dyde on olde clothes clowted / olde shone patched and all to torne. They toke hored brede in theyr scryppes / & soure wyne in theyr botels / and loded asses with olde hored brede in olde sackes and came so to Iosue / and ma­de a presaunt to hym of olde vytay­les & sayd to hym. Your name spryn­geth ferre and wyde / that ther may no kyng nor nacyon withstande you. Therfore we be come to you for sal­uacyon of our lyues for to make peas with you. Than Iosue and the peo­ple sayd to theym. Yf ye dwelle in the londe that god hath gyuen to vs / we may no peas make with you. Than Iosue axed theym what they were & from whens they cam. Syr sayd they we ben thy seuaūtes & come to the fro full ferre contrees sente fro the lordes and the leders of our londe to make peas with the. Thou may see by our arraye that we be come fro ferre. For whan we came out our clothes & our shone were newe / now they ben al to torne and al to rente. Our brede was newe baken / and now it is hored. Our botels and our wyne weren ne­we / and now our botels be nygh bru­sten and the wyne is soure / and our vytales and the presaunt that we haue brought to the ben nyghe loste for elde. And thus they lyed almoost eue­ry worde & desceyued Iosue / for they dwelleden but .xx. lytyll myle thens. Iosue toke theyr presaunt and ma­de peas with them. And he & all the prynces of goddes people swore to theym that they sholde haue theyr lyues and theyr goodes. Within a fewe dayes after Iosue cam to Gabaon / & began to fyght ayenst the cyte / anone they cam out & shewed her charter of peas. And how that Iosue & the prynces of goddes people also hadde sworen to theym to saue theyr lyues / the people wolde haue slayne theym bycause of theyr gyle. Than Iosue and the prynces sayden to the people / We may not slee them / for we haue sworen to theym in the name of our [Page] lorde. And yf we forswere vs / god shal take vengeaunce of vs. ¶Diues. I trowe that clerkes now a dayes wol­de saye that they were not bounde to kepe that othe / sythen they gate that othe of theym with soo grete begyle. ¶Pauper. Yf they auysed them wel they wolde saye as Iosue sayd. For as I fyrst sayd / a man ought to kepe his othe yf it be lefull though he made it for drede of deth. For euery othe leful ought to be kepte though it be neuer so moche ayenst herte / and that she­weth god well afterwarde. For as we fynde the seconde boke of the kynges xxi. Thre hondred yere after. Saull kyng of goddes people slewe all the Gabaonytes y ^• he myght fynde to plese his people / whiche hated alwaye y ^• Gabaonites for theyr gyle God was dyspleased with y ^• dede / & lete y ^• kyng Saull soone after slayne in batayll / & all his housholde & moche of god­des people. After in tyme of Dauyd that reygned next after Saull. Ther felle suche an hongre in the londe of Israell thre yere togydre y ^• moche of goddes people perysshed. Dauyd axed of god what the cause was of y ^• hon­gre. God sayd y ^t the deth of the Ga­baonytes whiche Saull had slayne y ^• was cause therof. Dauyd sente after the Gabaonytes that were lefte and sayd to them. I knowe well y ^t for you sake this hongre & myschyef is fallen in my realme. Axe ye amendes what ye wyll and I shall do it. Than they sayd / we axe neyther golde ne syluer / ne no mannes deth of Israell / but oonly vengeaunce on Saull and his kynrede that soo wyckedly oppressed vs and destroyed vs. We axe that eue­ry man of his kynred be slayne / and that none be lefte of his kynrede. Dauyd myght not graunte that axynge for that othe that he hadde made to Ionatas the sone of Saull to saue his kynrede. Than they axed seuen men only of the kynrede of Saull to hange them on y ^• gebettes ayenst the sonne / & so to slee them dyspyteously in punysshynge of the spyte y ^• Saull had do to goddes holy name / in y ^• he dyde ayenst the solempne couenaūtes y ^• his predecessours had made & con­fermed swerynge by goddes holy na­me / for in that Saull toke that othe & goddes holy name in vayne. As sayth the maystre of the storyes. Whan this was done the hongre cessed / & anone began rayne & plente of corne & fruyte. ¶Diues. This ensample is full good & sheweth well that euery othelefull made sholde be kepte. And that euery man & woman sholde flee to do dyshonour or spyte to goddes holy name. Also it sheweth well y ^• periury & dyspysynge of goddes holy name / is cause of shedynge of blood / of hongre / & of myschyef / and that god wyl not suffre that his holy name be dys­pysed ne taken in vayne. ¶Pauper. Therfore god sayth that euery man & woman that so taketh his holy nama in vayne. I shall doo to the as y ^u haste doo thy swerynge in dyspyte of me / & chargest not to breke couenaūt therfore thou shalte bere thy synne & haue dyspyte therfore Eze .xvi. Also he sayth thus by the prophete. Yf ye [Page] wyll not here ne sette in your herte to gyue worshypp to my name. I shall sende to you hongre and nede and myschyef. And I shall curse your blessynges / and take your myght from you that ye shall not witstande. Ma­lachye .ij. ^•

Caplm primū.

DIues. I thanke the moche. For now knowe I better than I dyde byfore how the se­conde cōmaūdement sholde be kepte / and what peryll it is to take goddes na­me in vayne. Now I praye the enfourme me in the thyrde cōmaundement. ¶Pauper. In the thyrde cōmaūde­ment god byddeth that thou sholdest bethynke the & haue well in mynde to halowe thyn holydaye. Sixe dayes thou shalte werke & do all thyn ow­ne werkes. In the .vij. daye in the sabbot / that is to saye / reste of thy lorde god. In that daye thou shalt doo no seruyle werke / neyther thou ne thy sone thy doughter ne thy seruaunte / man ne woman / ne thy beest / ne the straūgers that ben within thy yates. ¶Diues. Why badde god that the .vij. daye sholde more be halowed than the .vi. daye. ¶Pauper. For as god sayth there. In .vi. dayes he made heuen and erthe and the see and all thynge that is therin. And in the .vij. daye he rested and cessed of his werkes / and therfore he blessyd that daye and halowed it / and ordey­ned that in that daye man and beest sholde reste / and that man that daye in a specyaall sholde thanke god / for all the creatures that he made byfore in the .vi. dayes he made them to helpe and seruyce and solace of man. ¶Diues Why sayth holy wryte that god rested than the .vij. daye in soo moche as that he neuer trauaylled. For as saynt Austyn sayth / he made all thynges without trauayll / and as holy wryte sheweth Genesis pri. ^• He sayd but this one shorte worde. Fiat. and badde that it sholde be done / a­none it was done as he wolde haue it ¶Pauper. Whan holy wrytte sayth that god rested the .vij. daye / he vn­derstandeth therby that in the .vij. daye he cessed for to make newe creatures / for euery thynge was made by fore in the .vi. dayes / eyther in y ^• thynge hymselfe / as angell / lyght sonne mone and sterres eyther in his kynde and in his symplytude / as man beest fysshe foule / and grasse and trees ey­ther in his causes / as thynge gendred of corrupcōn / and thynges made by crafte. For god in his godhede was neuer in trauayll but alwaye in blys­full reste without ende. And therfore holy wrytte sayth not that he rested after his werke ne in his werke / but that he rested from euery werke that he had made / for he had no trauayll for ony werke / & he was not holpen by his werke / for he made no thynge for nede but al for loue. ¶Diues. Yet contra te. Cryste sayth in the gospell [Page] Io. Pater meus vs (que) mode operat et ego operor. My fader werketh vn­to this tyme / & I werke also. Ther­fore it semeth that god cessed not the vij. daye from euery werke. ¶Pau­per. Two maner of werkes longen to god / creacyon and gouernaunce. From the werke of creacyon he cessed the .vij. daye / and than prycypally he began the werke of gouernaunce and of kepynge / the whiche werke he contynueth and shall contynue with­out ende. And of this werke of gouernaunce speketh Cryste the wordes in the gospell / but not of the wordes of creacyon. ¶Diues. Ben ther ony mo causes why god badde the .vij. daye be halowed. ¶Pauper. Ther ben as clerkes tallen .vi. causes. Fyrste for that god the .vij. daye rested / that is to saye / he cessed fro creacyon of newe creatures. Also in tokenynge that god in the .vij. daye delyuered y ^• childern of Israell from the harde ser­uage of Egypte & ledde them thrugh the rede see drye fote in to the reste of the londe of byheste. As we rede in holy wryte Deut .v. Whiche delyueraū ­ce was a token that mankynde shol­de thrughe Crystus passyon & by his blood that he shedde vpon the rode be delyuered out of the fendes seruage / and come to the endelesse reste of the londe of lyfe. The .iij. cause is y ^t men sholde y ^e daye pryncypally gyue them to holy medytacyon & to thanke god of all his gyftes and his benefyces / and to lerne goddes lawe & to prayse god. The .iiij. cause was for to be a token that Cryste the .vij. daye shol­de reste in his graue after that he had trauayled .vi. dayes to refourme ayen mankynde that was lorne thrughe Adams synne. The .v. cause was to be a token y ^• we must al cesse from vyces & the .vij. dedely synnes yf we wyl be saued. As the ꝓphete sayth. Quiescite agere peruerse. discite bene agere. Ysaye .i. Reste ye to do amys & lerne ye to do well. The .vi. cause is to be a token of the endelesse reste that we shall haue from synne & payne in the blysse of heuen for the good werkes y ^t we doo in the .vi. dayes of our lyfe / that is to saye al the dayes of our lyf & the .vi. age of our lyfe / & for fulfyl lynge the .vi. dedes of mercy whiche Cryste nameth in the gospell. For as we rede in the apocalyps .xiiij. The holy ghoost to whom this cōmaūde­ment is applyed sayth that men after this lyf sholde rest fro theyr traueyles for theyr good werkes folowe them.

Caplm .ij.

DIues. Sythen that god bad­de that the .vij. daye sholde be halowed / why kepe we the viij. daye than / that is the sondaye / and not the .vij. daye. ¶Pauper. God in the olde lawe gaaf thre ma­ner of cōmaūdementes. For some were cerymonyall / some Iudycyall / & so­me morall. The cerymonyalles were but fygures & shadowes of thynges y ^t were to come. And therfore whan tho thynges were fulfylled that the cery­monyalles betokened / the cerymonyales cessed & vanysshed awaye / as the shadowe vanysshed awaye by lyght [Page] of the sonne. Iudycyall cōmaūdementes were in punysshynge of synne and Iustyfyeng / of whiche some cessed / so­me dwelle yet stylle. But morall cō ­maūdementes techeth vs to loue our god & our euen crysten / & to flee synne & to loue vertues / tho laste alwaye as the .x. cōmaūdementes & suche other And for asmoche as this cōmaunde­ment is cerymonyal in parte as anentes the tyme / & in parte it is moral / in asmoche as it techeth vs to worshyp our god & to reste from vyces. Ther­fore in as moche as it is morall it is kept / but in y ^• y ^• it is cerymonynal it is chaūged in to sondaye as for the bet­ter / for that y ^• it fygured & betokened is fulfylled. That was the reste of Cryste in the sepulcre in the .vij. daye after the grete trauayll that he had .vi. dayes byfore in reformacyon and redempcyon of mankynde. Also we be all boūden to worshyp god now in the newe lawe / but not in that maner ne in that tyme y ^t they were boūden in the olde lawe. ¶Diues. Why is it more chaunged in the sondaye than in to an other daye. ¶Pauper. For the grete benefyces and the grete worshypfull wondres that god shewed that daye to mankynde. For on the sondaye the worlde began / and lyght & angellys kynde was made. That daye god sente downe māna that is angellys mete to the childern of Is­raell in deserte & fedde them also .xl. yere. That daye god gaaf Moyses the lawe in the moūt Synay. That daye Cryste was borne of the mayden Mary to saue mākynde. That daye Cryst rose from deth to lyfe gyuyng vs example & hope to ryse from deth to lyf. That daye the holy goost lyghted in Crystus apostles and his dyscyples. That daye god shall come to dome / as sayth a grete clerke dockynge / suꝑ Deutro. ^• And also that daye was the fyrste daye & shalbe the laste daye that neuer shall haue ende. But it shall be a daye of endelesse blysse to theym that shall be saued. For right as Cryste rose vp from deth to lyfe on the sondaye / & neuer deyed afterward ne neuer shal deye. So shal we all in the laste sondaye y ^• shalbe y ^• laste day ryse vp from deth to lyf & neuer deye after / but lyue in blysse without ende yf we make here a good ende. This daye is soo worshypfull y ^• no bysshop may be sacred but on the sondaye / as Raymūde sayth li.i.ti. de ferijs. And right as y ^• satyrdaye was halowed in the olde lawe for the reste y ^• god made in the satyrdaye after y ^• creacōn & the werkes that he made in the fyrste vi. dayes / so holy chirche thrugh techyn­ge of the holy ghoost hath ordeyned the sondaye to be halowed for the reste that mankynde shal take after the .vi. ages of this worlde on y ^• sondaye whiche reste & sabbot shall neuer ha­ue ende. Theyr sabbot that was on the satyrdaye tourneth alwaye ayen to trauayll / but our sabbot y ^• is in the sondaye atte laste shal tourne in to endelesse reste Ioye & blysse. Sabbot in hebrewe is reste in englysshe. And euery daye in the weke is called sabbot & ferir y ^• is reste in englysshe. For euery daye we be boūde to ferie & to rest frō [Page] synne. Also all the weke is called sabbot / as there. Ie [...]unio bis in sabbato And Math .vlti. ^• The sondaye is called the fyrste daye of the sabbottes / as there. Vna sabbato (rum) / and Math .vlti. ^• it is sayd. Prima sabbati. For it is fyrste not oonly in ordre of dayes / but it is also fyrste in dygnyte. For y ^• sabbot & the reste in the solempnyte of the satyrdaye of the olde lawe is now chaū ged in to y ^• sondaye for synne of y ^• Ie­wes whiche slewe Cryste on good frydaye / & so put our lady saynt Mary & all holy chirche in sorowe & care & grete trauayll both frydaye & satyrdaye whyle Cryste laye in his graue. But for asmoche as he rose frō deth to lyf on the sondaye / & apperyd to his mod & to his dyscyples .vij. tymes y ^• daye & soo on the sondaye began the fyrste Ioye blysse & reste of the newe lawe. Therfore by goddes rightfull dome the Iewes sabbot on the satyrdaye torned them to sorowe & care and moche trauayll / & our sondaye torned vs in to grete reste and Ioye & blysse. And as the satyrdaye was halowed by the olde lawe / for god graūted that daye fyrste reste to all mankynde after his dampnacyon to perpetuell trauayll for Adams synne. So is now the son­daye halowed / for than Cryste graū ted fyrste reste Ioye & blysse to man­kynde in the newe lawe after his passyon & saluacyon of mankynde & the redempcōn / & torned the sorowe that holy chirche had on the satyrdaye by malyce of the Iewes in to reste & blysse on y ^• sondaye. And so it is fulfylled that the prophete Ieremy sayd .xxxi. Redemit dn̄s populū suū. God hath bought ayen his people with his pre­cyous blood / and hath delyuered his people out of the fendes power. God sayth I shall tourne theyr mournyn­ge in to Ioye. I shall gladde theym of theyr sorowe and conforte them. And by the prophete Ozee he sayd that he sholde make the Ioye of y ^e Iewes sabbottes and of all theyr solempnytees and of all theyr festes to cesse bycause of theyr synne Ozee .ij.

Caplm .iij.

ALso for halowynge in the sa­tyrdaye was cerymonyal. For as we fynde in dyuerse places of holy wryte / & namely Ezechielis xx. Halowynge in the satyrdaye was a specyall token gyuen to the Iewes wherby they sholde be knowen from other people / and so was circūcisyon / and many other obseruaūces & cery­monyes that god gaue theym to be knowen from other people. And ther­fore right as the circūcisyon & other obseruaūces that were bytaken them of god for a token of distynccōn from other people cessed in Crystus passyon so cessed halowynge in the satyrdaye in Crystus passyon. For though it be a morall cōmaundement to halowe the .vij. daye / yet it is not morall ne byndeth vs to halowe the .vij. daye in the satyrdaye. And therfore we rede Exodi .xxxiiij. et .xxxv. That whan Moyses had ben in the mount of Synay with god .xl. dayes & .xl. nygh­tes without mete or drynke / and spo­ken with god and there taken the la­we [Page] we of hym in two tables of stone / & two stemys and bemes of lyght rysen out of his face / as it had be two hor­nes so shynynge & so bryght / that the people was adrede of hym and durst not speke with hym / and therfore he put a veyll byfore his face whan he sholde speke to y ^e people / & telle them the lawes and the wyll of god. And whan he had soo hydde his face with the veyll. The fyrste lawe that he gaue them in goddes name was to ha­lowe the satyrdaye. And he spake no worde than of the other .ix. cōmaūdemētes / but tolde forth other obseruaū ces & cerymonyes whiche longed on­ly to the Iewes / & were but fygures & shadowes of thynges to come whiche cessed al in Crystus passyon. And soo he shewed wel that halowyng in the satyrdaye was cerymonyale / & sholde cesse with other cerymonyes in Crys­tus passyon. And therfore whan y ^• he badde them halowe the satyrdaye / he put the veyll byfore his face in token that halowynge on the satyrdaye & other cerymonyes & lawes y ^• he gaue them y ^t tyme was but a veyl helynge ghoostly vnderstandynge vnder fygures of thynges y ^• were to come. And whan tho thynges were fulfylled by the passyon of Cryste / y ^• veyl & mysty syght of fygures sholde be done a­waye & cesse. And in token therof in tyme of Crystus passyon / the veyl of the Iewes Temple to rente & cleef in two partes y ^e men myght see all the preuy thynges y ^• were in the Temple whiche were byfore hydde fro y ^• syght of the people by y ^• veyl. Also the sa­me texte of the cōmaundement she­weth full well that halowynge in the satyrdaye sholde be translated in to the sondaye / that is called the daye of the sonne. For though god cessed in the satyrdaye from makynge of thynges of newe kynde / yet in the satyr­daye he made the satyrdaye as he made eche daye byfore in the same daye. But in the sondaye next folowynge he made no newe daye in kynde / for that was the fyrste daye / and soo he rested more in the sondaye from wer­kynge than he dyde reste in the satyrdaye. Also after grete trauayll ought to be more reste. But Cryste goddes sone hadde more trauayl in recreacy­on and redempcyon of mankynde / than he hadde to make al this worl­de. For in makynge of all the worlde he hadde no trauayll / as sayth saynt Austyn / but oonly he badde it sholde be done / & it was done anone what he wolde. But in creacōn & redemp­cyon of mankynde he trauaylled soo / that he swoted blood for anguysshe / & deyed for trauayll & shedde his herte blood / & cessed not of trauayll tylle in the morowe tyde of y ^• sondaye whan he rose from deth to lyue to comforte all mankynde that wolde byleue in hȳ. And he shewed openly than that he was & is lorde of all thynge. And sayd to his apostles / that all the po­wer in heuen & in erthe was gyuen to hym in his manhode. And therfore the sondaye is called the lordes daye. Dies dn̄icus. And therfor sythen god wolde that the satyrdaye sholde be halowed in the olde lawe / for god cesse [...] [Page] than from creacyon / & so in that ma­ner began to reste / moche more he wyl that the sondaye be halowed in the newe lawe / for god cessed than from the grete trauayll of our redempcyon and of our saluacōn & creacyon.

Caplm .iiij.

WE haue also fygures of this in holy wryte Leuitici .xxiij. ^• where we fynde y ^t god badde the childern of Israel kepe pryncypaly .vij. festes in the yere / of the whiche the laste was called Festū tabernacu­lo (rum). The feste of Tabernacles. He badde theym take bowes & braūches of palme trees and of other trees the fayrest that they myght fynde & ma­ke them tabernacles & logges & dwelle therin .vij. dayes togydre / in mynde that god made them to dwelle in ta­bernacles & logges .xl. yere in deserte and there he saued them & kept them & he badde that the fyrste daye & the viij. sholde be full holy. By this feste of tabernacles y ^t came laste after the other festes of the Iewes ben vnder­standen the festes of the newe lawe / whiche came laste in the ende of the worlde after the olde lawe. For al the festes of the newe lawe ben festes of tabernacles. For whan god came for to be man / he made fyrste his tabernacle in the mayde Mary / whiche tabernacle was arrayed & dyght with the fayrest braunches and bowes of gra­ce and vertues and of good thewys / as it myght be founden in ony crea­ture / for she passed al creatures in grace and goodnesse. Of this tabernacle speketh the prophete .p̄o .xviij. In so­le posuit tabernaculū suū et ipse tan­ (quam) sponsus ꝓcedens de thalamo suo. He made his tabernacle in the sonne that was our lady mayden and mo­der bryghter than the sonne. He came out of her as an husbonde out of his chambre. An other tabernacle god made hym in our manhode and in our kynde / that was the blysfull bo­dye that whiche he toke of the may­den Mary. For as the tabernacles were made of the fayrest braunches and bowes that myght be founde / soo the bodye of Cryste was made & gadred togydre of the clenest droppes of the blood that was in our blyssed ladye saynt Marye clene mayden without spotte of synne. In this tabernacle god was born of y ^• mayden on Cryst­masse daye. In this tabernacle he was circumcyded / worshypped of the thre kynges / & dwelled with vs in er­the in our pylgrymage .xxxij. yere and more. In this tabernacle he deyed for mankynde / & rose from deth to lyfe on Ester daye / & styed vp in to heuen on holy thursdaye very god and very man / & there he sytteth on his faders right honde aboue all heuens in this tabernacle lorde & kyng of all thyn­ge. In this tabernacle he shall come ayen at the dome / to deme the quycke and the deed. And all the festes that we holde of ony sayntes / we halowe them & holde them for the good dedes that they dyde whyle they dwelled here in the tabernacle of theyr bodye / in hope to come to the endelesse tabernacle full of Ioye & blysse without ende. [Page] Of whiche tabernacle god speketh in the gospell whan he byddeth the riche men make poore men theyr frendes / that they may resceyue them in to the endelesse tabernacle / of whiche spe­keth Dauyd. Quā dilecta tabernacula tua dn̄e virtutū. concupiscit et defi­cit aia mea in atria dn̄i. Lorde of vertues how louely & how lykynge ben thy tabernacles. My soule sayth he desyreth & longeth to entre in to the halles of our lorde. And for his desy­re is delayed / he fayleth and faynteth for sorowe. And so y ^• solempnyte that euer shall laste / shall be a solempnyte of tabernacles / whan we shall dwelle in endelesse tabernacles with endlesse reste Ioye & blysse. There the fyrste daye & the .viij. daye shall be full holy / whiche daye is the sondaye. For y ^t is the fyrste daye & it is the .viij. daye & shall be the laste daye euer lastynge in Ioye and blysse. And therfor in the festes of y ^• newe lawe that ben festes of the tabernacles is y ^• sondaye pryn­cypally halowed as god badde than. For it was the fyrste daye and it is the .viij. daye / and it shal be the laste daye euer lastynge in Ioye & blysse.

Caplm .v.

DIues. Why badde god that we sholde thynke to halowe wel the holy dayes & the sab­bot. ¶Pauper. Ther is thre maner of sabbottes / that is to saye of reste or of halowynge. Scilicet pectoris. tem­poris. et eternitas. That is to saye of reste of herte / of tyme / & of endlesse restynge. By reste of herte & of thought men come to reste of tyme. And by reste of thought & of tyme / men come to endelesse reste. So without reste of herte and of thought / noo man may come to the endelesse reste that the sabbot and the holy daye betokeneth And therfore god bad vs that we sholde pryncypally trauayll to haue sab­bot & reste of herte & of thought / without whiche reste & sabbot we may not well halowe ony holy daye. And therfore Cryste sayd in the gospell / that out of the herte whan it is out of rest come euyll thoughtis / manslaughters auoutrers / lecherers / theftes / false wytnesses / & dyspyte of god Mathei .xv. whiche synnes destroye charyte and peas / and ben causes of moche vnrest in this worlde / and lette reste of tyme so that vnnethes they may be ony tyme in reste. And therfore god sayth / thynke that y ^u halowe well thyn holy daye. Bethynke the yf thou be in charyte & reste of herte with god & man And yf y ^u be styred ayenst thyn euen crysten by wrath hate or enuye / or haue ony heuy herte ayenst thy brother / go as god byddeth in the gospell & be fyrste recoūseylled to thy brother / and than come & make thyn offrynge of holy prayer of thankynge of praysynge / and of thy gyftes to god. And but thou do soo & put awaye all rancour and heuynesse of herte / ellys thyn ha­lowynge & thy sabbot is not pleasaūt to god. Also bethynke the yf y ^u be in dedely synne / and repente the and be shreuen as soone as y ^u myght in good maner / & so offre vp thy selfe to god by charyte & by sorowe of herte & make [Page] thy selfe holy / and than art thou able to halowe well the holy daye. For as longe as y ^u art in dedely synne by wyll or by dede / so longe thou ha­lowest not thyn holy daye. For thou dost seruyle werke of synne / and dost dyspyte to the holy daye / whiche is or deyned that men sholde than amen­de them and serue god more specyal­ly than in the werken daye. And as longe as man or woman is in dedely synne / they serue the deuyll and not to pleasaūce of god. Also god byddeth that men sholde bethynke theym to halowe well the holy daye. For in the holy daye namely on y ^• sondaye men sholde drawe theyr wyttes to gydre from the worlde & bethynke them yf they had ought trespassed that woke by recheleshede or by couetyse / or by lechery / or by ony other wyse / and aske god forgyuenesse. Also thynke on the good spede and benefyces that god hath sente theym that woke / or euer byfore & thanke hym therof. Than­ke hym of his endelesse mercy / and of his endelesse charyte that he shewed to mankynde. Thynke how he ma­de man to his owne lykenesse to be heyre & cytezeyn of heuen. Thynke how he made all thynge for man. Thynke what blysse he hath ordey­ned to man and woman yf they doo well / & what payne yf they do euyll.

Caplm .vi.

THerfore sayth Orygenes suꝓ Leuiticū .xxviij. On the son­daye thou sholdest doo noo worldly thynges / but oonly gyue the to god and also to ghoostly thynges. Than sayth he come to chirche / and laye thyn eres to goddes worde / thynke heuenly thynges / thynke on the lyfe that we hopen all for to haue in endelesse blysse. Thynke on the laste dome how harde that shall be and how strayte. Take than none hede to this worlde ne to thynges bysyble. But on the holy daye haue thy ghoostly eye pryncypally to thynges that ben to come & that yet ben Inuysyble. He that thus doth sayth he haloweth wel his holy daye / and he maketh the sacrefyce of his sabbot. And therfore the la­we sayth thus / we haue ordeyned that all sondayes be kepte with all ma­ner worshyp from euen to euen / and that men absteyne theym from all maner vnlefull werkes / that ther be noo markette holden on the sondaye / ne plee / ne no man dampned to deth / ne to payne / ne none othe taken so­lempnely / but yf it be for peas or for some other grete nede. Extra li.ij.ti. de ferijs. Omnes dies dn̄icos. The lawe sayth that men sholde no thyn­ge do on the sondaye / but gyue theym to god / ne do no seruyle werke. But that daye sholde be occupyed in pray synge & worshyppynge of god and in ghostly songes. De con di .iij. Ieiunia Men sholde on y ^• holy daye serue god with herte mouth and werke. With herte thynke as I haue sayd. With mouth well spekynge in prayer pray­synge and worshypynge of god / and good informacyon of theyr euen cry­sten. In werke also of dedes of almesse / in peas makynge & accordynge of [Page] neyghbours & suche other. But now alas it is fulfylled y ^t Ieremye sayd Treno (rum) pri. ^• Viderunt eam hostes et deriserūt sabbata eius. The enemyes that ben the fendes see how mannes soule and womannes was defouled with synne on the holy dayes / and scorned his holy dayes and his sab­bottes. For the holy daye was ordey­ned in confusyon of y ^• fende & in worshyp of god & for saluacōn of mānes soule. But now it is torned to shame of mānes soule / & to despyte & offence of god / & in pleasaunce of the fende. For in the sondaye reygneth more le­chery / glotony / manslaughter / robbe­ry / bacbytynge / periury / & other syn­nes / more than reygned all the weke byfore. And whan men come to chir­che / they leue byddynge of bedes and spende theyr tyme in synfull Iange­lynge / for there they caste gyle ayenst theyr euen crysten / there they holde theyr peruys of many wronges whi­che they thynke to doo. And therfore god may saye to them as he sayd to y ^• Iewes. It is wryten sayd he that myn hous shalbe called an hous of prayer & ye haue made it a denne of theues in y ^t y ^t ye contryue your gyle & falsho­de to robbe your euen crysten of his good / his right / & his fame. And therfore he sayth by the prophete Ysaye .i. My soule hateth your solempnytees & holy dayes / they ben ful heuy to me I haue trauayll to suffre them. But therfore sayth he / whan ye shal lyfte vp your hondes to me. I shall tourne myn eyen awaye from you. And also whan ye multeplye your prayers to me. I shall not here you / for your hondes be ful of blood that ye haue shed­de and full of synne. And your com­panye and your gadrynges togydre ben full wycked. Iniqui sunt cetus vestri.

Caplm .vij.

ALso my frende god badde y ^t men sholde thynke to halowe well the holy daye. For man & womā sholde so bethynke them by­fore in the werke daye & ordeyn theyr occupacōns also / y ^• they sholde not ne­de to breke y ^• holy dayes. For yf a mā nedeth to breke the holy daye / & y ^• ne­de come of his owne folye and of his mysgouernaūce byfore / he is not excused. by that nede. Moche lesse than is he excused yf that nede come of pur­pose & of couetyse. And therfore they that wyll not go ne sende to market in the werke daye to bye theyr neces­saryes / but abyde tyll on the sondaye for sparynge of tyme / they be not ex­cused though tho thynges ben nedeful to them. Men sholde studye & dyspo­se them as besely to serue god on the sondaye / as they studye byfore to tra­uayl for themselfe on the werke daye For god hath graunted .vi. dayes to man and woman for to trauayll for themselfe / & the .vij. daye he hath re­serued & kepte to his seruyce. We re­de in holy wryte Numeri .xv. That a man wente in the sabbot daye and gadred styckes. He was taken & ledde to Moyses / & he putte hym in pryson tyll he had an answere of god what he sholde doo with hym. God badde [Page] Moyses that he sholde be ledde out of goddes castels y ^t were called the dwel­lynges & tentys of goddes folke / and there the people sholde stone hym to deth. And so he was slayne pytefully for he bythought hym not byfore for to halowe the holydaye / for he myght haue gadred styckes in the daye byfore. And sythen he was soo spytefully slayne for gadrynge of styckes to make therwith his fyre y ^t was nedeful to hym. Moche more sholde they be pu­nysshed y ^• on the sondaye gadre togy­dre brondes of synnes / of couetyse / of lechery / periury / & bacbytytnge for to brenne with theyr soules in helle with out ende but they amende them ¶Diues. What calleth god seruyle werkes ¶Pauper. Euery dedely synne is seruyle werke. For as Cryste sayth in the gospell. Who so doth synne he is ser­uaūte of synne & thrall to the fende. Qui facit peccatū seruus est peccati. And suche seruyle werke god forbe­deth euery daye / but moost on the holy daye. For who so doth dedely synne on the holy daye he doth double syn­ne / for he doth y ^• synne & therto he breketh the holy daye ayenst goddes cō ­maūdement. Also seruyle werke is called euery bodely werke done pryncy­pally for temporall lucre & worldely wynnynge / as byenge & sellynge / erynge / sowynge / mowynge / repynge / and all craftes of worldely wynnynge. Also pledynge / motynge / markettes / fayres / syttynge of Iustyces & of Iu­ges / shedynge of blood and execucyon of punysshynge by the lawe / & all the werkes that sholde lette a man from goddes seruyce / and dyspose hym to couetyse or to the fendes seruyce. Ne­uertheles yf erynge & sowynge / repynge / mowynge / cartynge & suche other nedeful werkes be done purely for al­messe / & oonly for heuenly mede / and for nede of them that they ben to / in lyght holy dayes than they ben noo seruyle werkes / ne the holy daye therby is not broken. Neuerthelesse in the sondayes and grete festes suche wer­kes sholde not be done but for grete nede compelle men therto.

Caplm .viij.

DIues. why badde god y ^t both man & beest sholde reste & halowe the holy daye. ¶Pau­per. For as Salomon sayth Sap̄ .vi. et .xi. God loueth all thynge that he made / & hath cure of al thynges that he made. And therfor he ordeyned re­ste in the holy dayes / not only for his owne worshypp & for ghoostly helpe of soule / but also for bodely helpe bo­the of man & beest. But the couetyse of man were refreyned by reste on the holy daye he sholde neuer reste. But with trauayll slee hym selfe / his ser­uaūtes / his subgettes / add his bestes. And therfore both to saue man and beest & for grete prouffyt of man / god badde reste on the holy daye. For both man & beest nedeth reste after traueyl and shall be the more fressher all the weke after to trauayll yf they haue reste on the holy daye. And therfore it falleth ofte that they whiche wyll not reste on the sondaye / ben made to re­ste al y ^• weke after / eyther of sekenesse [Page] that they falle in by ouer trauayll / or by sekenes / or by feblenes of theyr seruauntes / and of theyr bestes / or ellys by deth. For oftentyme they slee theyr bestes by ouer moche trauayll / & con­tynuynge of trauayll. And therfore in the begynnynge of the worlde as whan Adam synned in the .vi. daye by etynge of an apple ayenst goddes cōmaundement / and that god hadde dampned hym and all his to perpe­tuell trauayl for his synne. After this of his grete and endelesse mercy / he tempred and slaked his harde dome / and ordeyned reste both to man and beest in the .vij. daye. And therfore sayth holy wryte Gen̄ .ij. That god fulfylled his werkes in the .vij. daye not oonly / for he made than the .vij. daye & cessed of creacōn / but also pryncypally for he shewed than fyrste mercy ayenst synne grauntynge and byddynge reste in the .vij. daye both to man & to beest whiche he dampned in the daye byfore to perpetuell trauayll for Adams synne / whiche mercy was fulfyllynge & parfeccōn of al his werkes Quia miseracōes eius suꝑ omnia oꝑa eius. For as Dauyd sayth god­des mercy is aboue all his werkes. And saynt Iames sayth. Mercy en­haūseth rightfull dome. And but god had ended his werkes in mercy in the vij. daye / & slaked his harde dome a­yenst mankynde for Adams synne / ellys his werkes had not ben complete ne parfyght / in asmoche as y ^• pryncypal creature for whom he made all thynge was loste. For whan the fy­nale cause of ony werke fayleth / that werke is not complete ne parfyght. For this mercy y ^t god shewed to man whan he ordeyned rest in the .vij. daye that was called sabbot / fygure of en­delesse reste of mankynde. Cryst sayth in the gospell. That the sabbot was made for man / not man for the sab­bot Marci .ij. But synfull man be so blent with couetyse / y ^t he tourneth his dampnacōn & his payne in to lykyn­ge / and hath leuer to trauayll to his vndoynge & vnto his dampnacyon / than to rest to his saluacōn. And hath leuer to folowe the harde sentence of god to his punysshynge / than to take his grace and his mercy to be eased / Suche ben lyke oules & backes / whi­che hate the daye & loue the nyght / lyke to the fendes of helle y ^t neuer haue recte / ne for malyce wyll seke reste.

Caplm .ix.

QOre ouer my frende we fyn­de four maner of sabbottes in holy wrytte. One sabbot of dayes that was the .vij. daye ordeyned of god for reste & ease both of man & of beest. Also we fynde a sabbot of monethes ordeyned also of god for to reste both of man and beest that was the .vij. moneth that man and beest sholde reste theym than after the grete trauaylle that they hadde done in the two monethes byfore / in whiche was theyr heruest to gadre corne / wy­ne / and oyle / and other fruyte. The vij. moneth was Septembre / as for than in that hote contree heruest was all done. Also we fynde a sabbot of yeres / that was the .vij. yere. For [Page] that yere the londe rested y ^• it myght bere the better & the more plenteuous­ly after / for that yere was noo londe sowen. Also we fynde a sabbot of sabbottes / that was the fyfth yere ordey­ned of god for reste of the londe / of beest / of man / & namely of them that were in trauayll of trybulacyon. For than outlawed men myght come a­yen home in surete. Than bounde men were made free / & dettes forgy­uen. Than men resceyued ayen theyr herytage. By the sabbot of dayes is vnderstonden reste from vyces in the lyfe actyf / that hath .vi. dayes to werke in. By the sabbot of mone is vn­derstonden reste that men haue in the lyfe contemplatyf / both from vyces & temptacōns / for that moneth was moche holy / but not all holy. Right soo they that haue the lyfe contemplatyf they haue more reste from vyces and temptacōns / than they that haue the lyfe actyfe / but ful reste haue they not in this worlde. By the sabbot of yeres whan the londe rested the .vij. yere / is vnderstonden the reste that our soules shall haue in the blysse of heuen why­les the erthe of our bodyes shall reste in the graue. By the sabbot of sab­bottes that was the .l. yere is vnder­stonden the reste without ende / that we shall haue in heuen whan we shal go ayen both bodye & soule vnto our herytage y ^t we loste thrughe Adams synne / whan all our trauayll & trybulaco n shall cesse & all our woo tourne to wele by vertue of Crystus passyon.

Caplm .x.

DIues. Sythen the sabbot of dayes was moste solempne in the olde lawe / for it was not lefull that daye to go ouer a thousande pass / ne to dyght theyr mete / & more ouer y ^t daye were offred two lam­bes passynge the comon sacrefyce that was done euery daye / sythen than the solempnyte of the sabbottes is trans­lated in the newe lawe in to the son­daye / why is not the sondaye as wor­shypfull in the newe lawe / as was the sabbot in the olde lawe. For as that was called the sabbot of our lorde / also the sondaye is called the daye of our lorde passynge all other dayes And yet we haue in the yere many dayes more solempne than is the son­daye. ¶Pauper. All the festes of the newe lawe that ben the dayes and the sabbottes of our lorde. For alle tho ben of hym selfe in hym selfe / or ellys of hym selfe in his sayntes. In the olde lawe was no feste of our lor­de but only the sabbot / whiche was halowed in mynde of the creacōn of the worlde / & in mynde y ^t god the .vij. day cessed of creacyon. And also than to thanke hym for his endelesse good­nesse that he shewed to mankynde in his creacyon whan he made all bodely & vysyble creatures to serue man / & man to serue hym here in grace & after in the blysse of heuen without ende Other festes of the olde lawe were but solēpnytees & myndes of auentu­res & prosperytes y ^• felle to the Iewes in tyme of the olde lawe. And therfor the sabbot amonges them was moost solempne. And amonges vs also the [Page] sondaye is moost solempne and holy for the grete dedes and wondres that god dyde in the sondaye. But for as moche as it cometh ofte we make it not alwaye lyke solempne / for it fal­leth the sondaye in whiche god she­wed his wondres / as Esterdaye Wyt­sondaye to be more solempne than other comon sondayes. Other festes also as Crystmasse daye & Epypha­nye daye / in as moche as they ben our lordes dayes & come but ones in the yere / therfore we make more solemp­nyte in tho dayes / than we doo co­monly on the sondaye. And so we do in many other festes / for all they be festes and dayes of our lorde. Neuer­thelesse ther is no daye so solempne in themselfe as the sondaye / for that is alwaye solempne for y ^• wondres that god dyde therin. Other dayes somty­me ben solempne / and somtyme not solempne after that the festes therin falle by chaūgynge of the yere / so that other dayes haue noo solempnyte of themselfe by custome ne by lawe / but only by fallynge of festes as the yere chaungeth. The thursdaye was so­me tyme as holy as the sondaye / for Cryste styed vp that daye to the he­uen. And than began the processyon that we vse on the sondaye / for than Cryste wente in processyon with his dyscyples out of Ierusalem in to the mounte of Olyuete / and there he sty­ed vp in the syght of theym all. And the crosse y ^• is borne byfore vs in y ^• pro­cessyon / betokeneth that Cryste deyed on the crosse / and afterwarde he aro­se ayen from deth to lyfe. And on the holy thursdaye wente he byfore his dyscyples ledyng them vnto the moū te of Olyuete. But for as moche as many newe festes comen on / and it was greuous for to kepe two dayes so lempne euery woke / therfore the so­lempnyte of the thursdayes cessed / & the processyon in mynde of Crystes ascen s;yon was translated in to the sondaye ¶Diues. Therfor me thynketh that the sondaye sholde be the more solempne. ¶Pauper. So it is / and so it ought for to be moost halowed thoughe holy chirche doo not alwaye than moost solempnyte / for that daye is ordeyned for reste in the newe lawe both to man and beest / as the sabbot was ordeyned for reste in y ^e olde lawe.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. Be we bounden by this cōmaundement to kepe the holy dayes that holy chirche hath ordeyned in the newe lawe. ¶Pauper. Yes forsoth / for though the cōmaūdement passed in that / y ^e it was cerymonyall as anentes tyme / yet it dwelleth in that it was & is morall / & byndeth vs to flee vyces & ser­ue our god one daye more than ano­ther / whiche daye is y ^• sondaye in the newe lawe by ordenaūce of god & ho­ly chirche. For as y ^• gospell sayth Ma. xij. Dn̄s est em̄ filius hoīs et sabbati. The maydens sone Cryste Ihesus is lorde of the sabbot. And for as moche as it was so euyll kepte in the olde lawe / & soo moche blood was shedde in the sabbot / & Cryste hȳselfe suffred so moche despyte on the sabbot / therfore [Page] he was dyspleased & sayd by the pro­phetes Ysaye .i. and Ozee .ij. That he sholde noo lenger suffre theyr sab­bottes / but as a lorde of the sabbottes he chaūged that reste & solempnyte of theyr sabbottes in to the sondaye / for the causes whiche I sayd byfore / whi­che daye all yf it be the .viij. daye in the fyrste ordre of dayes / yet it is but the .vij. daye in obseruaūce of the cō maundement For we haue now .vi. dayes for to werke in / in token y ^• god in .vi. dayes made all y ^• worlde / & the vij. daye we halowe as god badde vs in token y ^t god the .vij. daye cessed of creacōn & ordeyned reste in y ^• sondaye As saynt Poule sayth in his pystle / ad Colo .ij. That openly the sabbot & o­ther festes of the olde lawe were but shadowes & fygures of the newe lawe And therfore after Crystus passyon tho festes cessed & noo man ought to kepe them. And who so kepeth them in y ^t he forsaketh y ^• Cryste was borne of the mayden & deyed for mankynde And saynt Gregorye in his pystle ad Ro sayth. That all that halowe the satyrdaye / for it was so holy in the olde lawe that ben Antecrystes dyscy­ples. For Antecryste shall do men ha­lowe both sondaye & satyrdaye. Son­daye for to drawe crysten peple to his secte / for he shall fayne hym deed & to aryse ayen fro deth to lyf on y ^• sonday And y ^• satyrdaye to drawe the Iewes to his secte. De con .di.iij. Peruenit.

Caplm .xij.

DIues. Why wolde god make the worlde more in the nom­bre of .vi. dayes than in ony other nombre of dayes. ¶Pauper. For as Salomon sayth. God made al thynge in nombre in weyght and in me­sure. He made noo thynge to moche ne to lytyll. But he made euery thynge parfyghtly in his kynde / and en­ded all his werkes in parfyghtnesse. And for the nombre of .vi. is the fyrste nombre euen y ^• is parfyght / therfore he made all the worlde in nombre of .vi. dayes. ¶Diues. How is y ^• nombre of .vi. dayes more parfyght than another nombre. ¶Pauper. For all his partes y ^• mete him yf they be taken to gydre make euen .vi. as .i.ij.iij. make euen .vi. & these .iij. mete hym. For .vi. tymes one is .vi. & thryes two is .vi. & twyes thre is .vi. And this parfeccōn is in no nombre within .x. but in .vi. And fro .x. to an hondred is none but xxviij. And fro an hondred to a thou­sande is but this euen nombre four hondred four score & .xvi. The next is .viij. thousande one hondred and xviij. & thā no mo suche but one with in an hondred thousande. And who soo wyll fynde that he muste studye. After an hondred thousande ben mo suche than all the clerkes vnder the sonne can telle / and mo than ony herte may thynke or tongue can telle / & yet is it full harde to fynde one. And for that .vi. is the fyrste parfyght nombre in this maner. Therfore god wolde make this worlde in the nombre of .vi. in a token that all his werkes were parfyght. And therfore sayth holy wryte Gen̄ .ij. That heuen and erthe & al theyr arraye were parfyght [Page] And for the same cause god made man the .vi. daye as for a parfyght and a noble creature. For the same cause in the .vi. age of the worlde he bycame man. And on the . [...]i. daye a good frydaye the .vi. hour of y ^e daye in the .vi. age he bought mankynde ayen with his precyous blood in token y ^• all his werkes were parfyght. And the same nombre of dayes god hath graūted vs for to werke in / in token y ^• all our werkes sholde be parfyght & good / & no thynge do amys / that we sholde for noo couetyse do to moche / ne for no slouth do to lytyll / but hol­de vs alwaye in a meane & in euenhe de / for god graūted vs no tyme to synne Therfore wyll he that we alwaye be euen with god and with our euen crysten / as sixe is alwaye euen with his partes to gydre.

Caplm .xiij.

DIues. Why bad god reste on the .vij. daye more than an other daye. ¶Pauper In token that as .vij. cometh next after y ^• parfyght nombre of .vi. dayes of werkynge / soo after parfyght werkes in this worlde shall folowe parfyght reste in the other worlde. Also he badde reste in the .vij. daye for y ^• passeth the parfyght nombre / in token y ^• he wyll that no thynge be done passynge par­feccōn. And therfore all synne is comprehended in .vij. dedely synnes. For as .vij. passeth y ^• parfyght nombre of .vi. so euery synne passeth parfeccōn & is out of parfeccōn of all good wer­kes. Also god badde reste the .vij. daye for he wyll that men reste them than both goostly & bodely. Goostly from besynesse & thought of the worlde. Bodely from bodely trauayll. For why vij. is made of four & thre. Four betokeneth bodely thynges made of four elementes. Thre betokeneth mannes soule made to the lykenesse of the holy trynyte. And therfor he badde reste in the .vij. daye y ^t men sholde than rest both bodye & soule. Also god bad rest in the .vij. daye in token y ^• after par­fyght werkes shal folowe endeles rest both of bodye & of soule. For this nō ­bre. vij. in asmoche as all tyme & all duracōn is cōprehended in .vij. dayes therfore it betokeneth endeles lastyn­ge. And therfore reste on the .vij. daye betokeneth endeles rest. Also my frende god ordeyned reste in the .vij. daye in token of .vij. blysses whiche we shal haue for parfyght werkes y ^t we do here in .vi. dayes and .vi. ages of this worlde. For anentes y ^• bodye we shall haue four blysses / bryghtnesse & beaute without ony spotte. For as Cryste sayth in the gospell. Men & wymen shall shyne in heuen as bryght as the sonne. Also men shall haue there in­passybylyte & helth of bodye without all maner sekenesse / no thynge shall dere them ne dysease them. Also they shal haue delyuerhede of body & lightne s;se without lettynge / for they sholde be as lyght as thought & in twynke­lynge of an eye be where as they wyll Also they shall haue sotylte of bodye without ony withstandynge / for ther shal no thynge withstande them. But as the sonne passeth y ^• glasse without [Page] lettynge of the sonne / so shal they passe ouer walle & euery thynge at theyr wyll without ony dysease or ony let­tynge. And anentes the soule we shal haue the blysfull syght of goddes fa­ce / brennynge loue to god and to our euen crysten / & alwaye haue hym that we loue and what we desyre. There all our loue shall be in Ioye without woo drede and sorowe. In this worlde euery loue is medled with woo / in token of these seuen blysses that we shal haue in endelesse reste for our parfyght werkes. Therfore god badde vs reste in the .vij. daye.

Caplm .xiiij.

DIues. Why longe ought the holy daye to be kepte and halowed ¶Pauper. From e­uen to euen / as Raymonde sayth and the lawe also. Extra li .ij.ti.de ferijs. Omnes dies dominicos. And holy wryte sayth also and god hym selfe Leuitici .xxiij. A vespera vs (que) ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra. From euen to euen ye shall halowe your holy dayes. Neuerthelesse some begynne sooner to halowe after that the feste is / & after vse of the contree. Extra e. quoniā. But that men vse in the satyrdayes & vygylyes to ryn­ge holy euen at myddaye compelleth not men anone to halowe / but war­neth them of the holy daye folowyn­ge y ^• they sholde thynke theron & spede them / & so dyspose them & theyr occupaco ns that they myght halowe in due tyme. ¶Diues. Is it leful for o­ny causes in the sondaye to gadre in corn fruyte or hay. ¶Pauper. Suche nede it may be that it is excusable / as yf they may not in other dayes gadre it in for enemyes / as in tyme of war­re / yf they sholde gadre it they haue rightful cause to withstande theyr aduer s;aryes. Also yf corn or grasse be in the felde & sholde be lorne but it were dyght & gadred / it is lefull in the ho­ly dayes to saue it & kepe it / soo that goddes seruyce be not lefte therfore / But for to mowe or to repe / carre or to sowe in the sondaye. I holde it not lefull but in ful grete nede. Pryncypale festes sholde alwaye be halowed / but right grete nede compelled men for to werke / so that grete nede excu­sed them. For as the lawe sayth. Ex­tra li .v. De regulis iuris. Nede ma­keth lefull that ellys is vnlefull by the lawe / for nede hath no lawe. De con .di.i. Sicut. et di.v. Discipulos. Extra de furtis. Si quis per necessitatem Also is lefull to fysshe after the seruyce on the sondaye & other fysshe also that may not be taken but certayne ceson of the yere / for whiche fysshe men muste goo ferre in the see & longe abyde. Extra de ferijs.ca. Licet. It is lefull also to do rightfull batayles on the sondaye / and also in other holydayes for saluacyon of the comunyte Than it is lefull to saue that er they sholde all perysshe both man & beest fruyte corne & other thynges alwaye with reuerence of god and of the ho­ly daye. It is lefull than to leches to helpe the seke folke. It is leful to dyke or walle in defence of townes cas­tels & to araye men to batayll in the [Page] sondaye whan nede compelleth & pe­ryll of enemyes. Thus sayth Io. in sū.con.li.i.ti.xij.q̄.vij. Soo that in all these and suche other / nede and pyte excuseth men. Cryst helyd men in the sabbot / and repreued the Iewes that were dyspleased therwith / and sayd to them. Sythen a man taketh his circūcisyon in the sabbot / why haue ye Indygnacyon to me for y ^t I haue made a man hole in the sabbot. Io. vij. And in an other place he sayd to the Iewes who is it of you that hath a sheep & it falled in the dyche in the sabbot / that wyll not go & lyfte it vp out of the dyche. But forsoth man is better than a sheep / & therfore sayth he / it is lefull to do good dedes in the sabbot & in the holy daye. Mathe [...] .xij. An other tyme Cryste helyd a womā of an harde seknesse that had holden her xviij.yere / she wente stoupynge don warde and myght not loke vp­warde. Than the maystre of the la­we & of the Synagoge was wroth & sayd to the people. Ther ben.vi.dayes to werke in / come than and be ye he­lyd and not in the sabbot. Cryste an­swered to hym. Thou ypocryte / eche of you vnbyndeth his oxe & his asse from the maunger or cratche in the sabbot & ledeth it to the water. Moche more it is nedeful for to vnbynde this doughter of Abraham in the sabbot from the harde bounde in the whiche Sathanas had holden her bounden xviij. yere longe. And all tho ypo [...]rytes were ashamed By these examples Cryste shewed that dedes of pyte and of almesse / and namely prechynge & techynge / by whiche mannes soule is losed out of the fendes boundes / they ben medefull and nedefull in the ho­ly dayes. And he excused Dauyd by nede / that he ete of the holy loues that no lewde man sholde haue eten of by the lawe. Also he excused his discyples y ^t they gadred the eerys in the felde in the sabbot & ete the corn Ma [...].xij. For as he sayth there / god loueth better mercy & pyte / than ony sacrefyce.

Caplm .xv.

NEuerthelesse notwithstondynge all this euery man & wo­man sholde besely halowe y ^• holy daye / & not lyghtly for no smale nede breke thyn holy dayes. For god charged this cōmaundement full hy­ghely whan he sayd. Thynke that thou halowe well the holy daye. And in an other place Deu .v. He sayth Loke that you halowe wel the holy daye And in an other place of holy wrytte he sayth. Loke ye kepe wel my sabbot and my daye / for that is a token by­twene me and you. Who so defouleth that daye or dooth ony seruyle werke in that daye / he shall deye Exodi.xxi. Leuitici.xvi.et.xix. Item Iere ^• .xvij. Ezechielis .xx. et .xxij. et .xxiij. By the lawe / bochers / tauerners / & other vy­taylers may lefully dyght in the son­daye vytayles to be solde in the mon­daye / yf they myght not dyght it in the daye byfore to saue them & theyr vytayles / so that it be done pryncypaly to goddes worshyp / and for the co­mon prouffyte. Also marchaūtes that leden their marchaūdyse in y ^• sondaye [Page] and other holy dayes to fayres in fer­re contree by londe of by water ben excu s;ed yf they may not lede theym in other dayes. Also messagers / pylgry­mes / and wayfarynge men that may not well reste without grete harme / ben excused / so y ^• they do theyr dylygence to here masse & matyns yf they can For longe abydyng in a mānes Iourney is costly and peryllous. Also they that lete to hyre horse & carte / or shyp to pylgryms / & to passynge folke in the sondaye for to spede them in theyr Iourney / yf they do it pryncypaly for ease and spede of theym that so hyre them / they ben excused. But yf they do it pryncypally for lucre or for couety s;e / they be not excused. Also yf men for hastynesse doo theym shaue or do theyr horse shoe in the sondaye whan they may not well abyde / ne myght not wel do it byfore / they ben excused yf nede compelle theym therto / and not couetyse ne slouthe. Mylleners or crafte by wynde & water is lefull in the sondaye after custome of the con­tree / for so it may be doo with lytyll trauayl / but for to do it with draught of bestes in the sondaye it is not leful for it may so not be done without grete trauayl. Thus sayth Io.in sū.con. li.i.ti.xij. De ferijs et tabule iuris.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. It is not lefull men to begynne grete Iourneys in the sondaye / of longe pylgrymage or of ferre passynge. ¶Pau­per. Yf they do it of custome or with­out nede / than they synne greuously / all though they here theyr seruyce er they goo / and namely men of holy chirche that sholde in holy dayes oc­cupye theym moost in goddes seruyce and deuocōn & in techynge of goddes lawe / and gyue the people good example to halowe well the holy daye. Prechours that trauayll from towne to towne in the sondaye & in grete festes to teche the people goddes lawe ben excused & wynne moche mede. But be they ware that vnder colour of prechyng they renne not to moche about in vayne in the sondaye. ¶Diues. Is it lefull in grete holy dayes to trauayle about makynge of holy chirche / as in caryage / lyftynge of stones / gade­rynge of stones & suche other. ¶Pau­per. As for a lytyll it is lefull / but not longe to doo trauayle ne ouer grete y ^• men sholde brynge to werynesse for to lette them fro goddes seruyce. For the holy daye representeth endelesse reste and halowynge without ende. And therfore I holde it vnlefull to make grete caryages in the sondaye / or ony pryncypall feste for ony chirche ma­kynge. ¶Diues. Is it not lefull to helpe men of holy chirche in the gre­te holy dayes to housynge in caryage & other trauayll. ¶Pauper. Yf they be poore it is lefull as for a lytyll to helpe them in housyng / but yf they be riche ynoughe to paye therfore in the werke daye it is not leful to trauayll for them in the sondaye & other grete festes. ¶Diues. Is it lefull to vytaylers or other chapmen to ryde or to go fro towne to towne in the sondaye to selle vytayles or other thynges in the [Page] chirche or in the chirche yerde or at the chirche yate. ¶Pauper. Nay forsoth For ther sholde no suche markette be holden in the sondaye / ne in sentuary ne out. Extra de ferijs. Omnes dies dominicos. And therfore ben market dayes ordeyned in other dayes y ^t men sholde than bye & selle / & halowe in the sondaye. But it is lefull to vytayler to selle vytayles in theyr owne places / so that they do it pryncypally for almesse of theyr euen crysten / and for to here theyr seruyce. Auyse hem that than bye. ¶Diues. Is it lefull for to werke in the sondayes whan that euensonge is sayd and whan that the folke haue herde goddes seruyce. ¶Pauper. Nay forsoth / but grete ne de compelled them for to werke as I fyrste haue sayd / for ellys men sholde be bounden to halowe from euen to euen. And therfore whan euensonge is done at after none in the sondaye / yet is it not lefull to werke than. And also whan that euensonge is sayd in the satyrdaye at after none / yet is it lefull for to werke tylle the sonne goo downe. Neuerthelesse so lytyl the werke may be that it is no synne to doo it than. ¶Diues. How sholde men knowe how moche werke is lefull for to do in the holy daye / and what nede that excuseth man of trauaylynge in the sondaye / and in other grete festes for couetyse and wanbyleue that men truste not to god / but wene that god sholde fayle theym / and put folke in drede of nede / whan ther sholde ellys be no drede of suche nede. ¶Pauper Therfore yf they myght redely haue theyr bysshopp / they sholde axe hym coūseyll / or ellys theyr curate / or some other good wyse man. And yf the ne­de be grete & open / ther owne conscy­ence ought to excuse them / for they may than werke by auctoryte of the lawe And yf a man or woman axe coū seyll in thynges of doubte of hȳ y ^• he weneth shold gyue hȳ resonably good coūseyll / though the coūseyllour fayle in his coūseyll gyuynge / yet y ^• axer is excused / but he knowe y ^t y ^• coūseyll is not good / or ellys dyd no dylygence to knowe it / & for he loweth hym to axe coūseyll & forsaketh his owne wytte & his owne wyl he getteth grete mede

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. Whan seruaūtes tra­uayll in the sondaye by com­pellynge of theyr soueraynes ben they not excused byfore god by theyr maystres byddynge. ¶Pauper Yf they trauayll and doo theyr may­stres byddynge pryncypally for drede and for obedyence that they owe to theyr soueraynes / and not for couety­se ne for none other euyll cause / and the maner of trauayll be lefull in it selfe / than they ben excused. For as holy wrytte sayth. God loueth better obedyence than sacrefyce. But bewa­re the souerayne that compelleth his seruaūte in the sondaye or ony grete feste without grete nede. For to the soueraynes is halowyng of holy daye pryncypaly boden / for without theyr wyll theyr seruaunte ne theyr beestes comonly shall do no seruyle werkes. ¶Diues. In ryaltees as playes and [Page] daūces that are vsed in grete festes & in the sondayes / are they not lefull. ¶Pauper. In ryaltees as in playes & daunces y ^t ben done pryncypally for deuocōn honeste and myrthe to teche men to loue god the more / & for no rybaudry / ne medled with rybaudry ne lesynges ben lefull / so that the people be not letted therby from goddes ser­uyce / ne fro herynge of goddes worde & y ^t none errours be meddled in suche ryaltees & playes ayenst the fayth of holy chirche ne ayenst good lyunge. Alle other playes ben forboden bothe holy dayes & werken dayes. De con. di.iij. Irreligiosa. Et extra li.iij.ti.i. cū decorē. Where y ^e glose sayth. That for to represente in playnge at Cryst­masse Herodes & the thre kynges and other processes of the gospelles bothe than & at Ester & other tymes also it is lefull and cōmendable. ¶Diues. Than it semeth by thy speche that in holy dayes men may lefully maken myrthe. ¶Pauꝑ. God forbede ellys For as I sayd / the holy daye is ordey­ned for reste & releuynge bothe of bo­dye & of soule. And therfore in lawe of kynde / in lawe wryten / in lawe of grace / & euer from the begynnyng of the worlde the holy daye hath ben so lacyous with honeste both for soule & bodye / and for worshyp of god whos daye is that daye / solacyouse in clo­thynge in mete & drynke / in occupa­cōn / honeste with myrthe makynge. And therfore the prophete sayth. Hee dies quā fecit dn̄s. exultemus et lete­mur in ea. This is the daye y ^t god made / make we now mery & be ye gladde ¶Diues. Cōtra. Saynt Austyn saith that it were lesse synne to goo at the plough and at the carte / & carde and spynne in the sondaye / than to lede daunces. ¶Pauper. Saynt Austyn speketh of suche daunces & playes as was vsed in his tyme / whan crysten peple was moche medled with hethen people / and by olde custome & exam­ple of hethen people vsed vnhoneste daunces & playes that by olde tyme were ordeyned to styre the people to lecherye & to other synnes. And so yf daūsynge & playnge now on the ho­ly dayes styre men & wymen to pryde to lechery glotonye & sleuthe / to ouer longe wakynge on nyghtes / and to ydlenesse on the werke dayes / & other synnes / as it is right lykely y ^t they do now in our dayes than ben they vn­lefull both on the holy daye & on the werke daye. And ayenst all suche spa­ke saynt Austyn / but ayenst honeste daūces & playes done in due tyme & in good maner on the holy daye spa­ke saynt Austyn not. ¶Diues. Con­tra te. We fynde in holy wryte y ^• god badde his people tormente theyr sou­les & gyue theym to sorowe & mour­nynge on the holy dayes. Dies expiacionu erit celeberimus et vocabit sanctus affligetis (que) aias vrās in eo. Ois aia que afflicta nō fuerit die hoc peribit de populis suis. Leuitici .xxiij. Than it semeth that god wyll that men gyue them rather to mournyng in the holy daye than to myrthe or to welfare. ¶Pauper. Salomon sayth Spes que differt affligit aiam. ꝓuer. xiij. The hope the desyre & the lon­gynge [Page] that is delayde tormenteth the [...]oule. For the more that man or wo­man longeth after a thyng / the more it is dysease tyll he hath his dysease & his longynge. But now it is so that the reste the myrth the ease & the wel­fare y ^t god hath ordeyned in the holy dayes / is a token of endlesse reste Ioye myrth & welfare in the blysse of heuen that we hope to haue without ende. For there men shall halowe without ende from all maner trauayl thoughte and care. And therfore as I sayd fyrste / god wyll that we thynke on the holy daye of the reste Ioye & blysse that the holy daye betokeneth / & ha­ue it in thought / in desyre / in longyng & hope to come therto. And so tormente our soules by longynge & by soro­wynge By longynge after the ende­lesse reste / & by sorowynge y ^t for synne our desyre is so longe delayde. In this maner god wyll that euery man and woman tormente his soule in the ho­ly daye / by loue louynge to god war­de / and by sorowe for goddes offence. Not to shewe grete heuynesse outwarde / & to do bodely penaūce in ony grete holy daye. More ouer my frende god badde not that the Iewes sholde tormente theyr soules in euery holy daye / but only in one solempnyte that was called the feste of clensynge and of forgyuenesse. For that daye god for gaue the Iewes the grete synne that they dyde whan they made theym a calf of golde & syluer / and worshyp­ped that calf as god / & called it theyr god / notwithstandynge all the won­dres that god hadde sheweth them a lytyll byfore / ledynge them thrughe the rede see drye fote / & drenched kynge Pharao & all his oost / and spake to them openly by voys of angellys from aboue the mount of Synay in thondre & lyghtenynge / in fyre and smoke / and clowdes / full grymme in voyces of trompettes & of claryon ful dredefull to here. And for asmoche as that greuous synne was fyrste forgy­uen them in that daye / and they were fyrst that daye made clene from that grete synne / therfore god badde them that daye for Ioye of forgyuenesse. He badde them also that daye tormente theyr soules for sorowe of y ^t greuous synne / and for theyr vnkyndenes that they sholde haue mynde of theyr syn­nes & be ashamed therof. And also haue in mynde goddes goodnesse a­yenst theyr shrewednesse / and thanke hym therof. This daye was the tenth daye of Septembre.

Caplm .xviij.

DIues. Where fyndeste thou that god badde men make mery and to fare well in the holy daye. ¶Pauper. In the same place of holy wrytte Leuitici .xxiij. Where we fynde that god badde the children of Israell take braunches & bowes of palme trees & of the fayrest trees that they myght fynde / & make theym tabernacles and dwelle therin seuen dayes togydre euery yere ones / & there to make mery byfore theyr lorde god / in the mynde that god made theym to dwelle in tabernacles in deserte .xl. yere & there saued theym and [Page] kepe them fro wo. And Esdras the prophete sayd to goddes people. This daye is halowed to our lorde god / we­pe ye not ne mourne ye not / ete ye go­de metes & fatte / and drynke ye good drynkes / and ye that maye sende ye parte to theym that maye not / ne haue noo power wherof to dyght them mete or drynke. Be ye not sory for it is goddes holy daye. Gaudiū etenim dn̄i est fortitudo vestra. The Ioye of our lorde is your strengthe / that is to saye. God is gladde that ye be stron­ge / gladde and mery. Neemie .viij. And therfore fastynge is forboden in the sondaye. Di.xxx. Si quis tanꝙ & [...] Si quis presbiter. Where fastynge is forboden in the sondaye. And also ther sholde no fastynge be vsed mo­che from Ester to Pentecoste that is wytsontyde for Ioye of Crystus resurreccyon & of our saluacyon. Di.lxxvi. Ieiunia. Et de con.di.i. Ieiunium. ¶Diues. Where fyndest thou in holy wrytte that daunces and songes ben lefull & plesaunt to god. ¶Pauper. We fynde Exodi .xv. That whan the childern of Israell were passed the rede see drye fote / so that the water stode in eyther syde of them right vp as a walle / & god hadde drenched kyng Pharao and all his oost / than Moy­ses made a mery songe & praysynge to god / whiche songe begynneth thus in latyn. Cantemus dn̄o gloriose. em̄ magnificatus est. Than Marye the syster of Aaron toke her tymber in her honde / & all wymen that myght toke her tymbers to her hondes / and wente daunsynge and syngynge the same songe praysynge and worshyp­pynge our lorde god. We fynde also in the seconde boke of kynges in the vi. chapytre / that whan Dauyd shol­de fetche goddes hutche in to Ierusalem Dauyd & all the people of Is­raell wente therwith & played in all maner mynstralles / & songe & daūced & sprange for Ioye / & so praysed and worshyped god. But Mychol Sauls doughter and Dauydes wyfe scorned Dauyd for his daūsynge and for his spryngynge and sayd / that it was not semely to a kynge so to sprynge & daū ce as a knaaf byfore the people & by­fore her maydens. Dauyd sayd to her I shall playe & daūce byfore my lord god that hath chosen me to be a kyng & put thy fader & all thy kyn frō the crowne. I shall playe byfore my lorde god / & put me in lower degree for his loue / & ben lowe & meke in myn owne syght to please god y ^t made me kyng And for that Mychol scorned so Dauyd for his spryngynge & his daūsynge & his lowenesse / therfore god ma­de her barayne y ^t she had neuer childe as y ^• boke sayth there. Also god glad­ded his people that was in moche ca­re & trybulacyon and sayd / yet shall maydens make mery in songe & daū synge / and olde folke togydre. For I shall torne theyr care in to Ioye / and gladde them & conforte them of theyr sorowe. Ieremye .xxxi. ¶Diues. It may well be as thou sayst. For myrth & gladnesse conforteth men in goddes seruyce / and heuynesse dulleth & let­teth all maner lykynge. ¶Pauper. Therfore Dauyd sayth. Seruite dn̄o [Page] in leticia. Serue ye our lorde in myr­the and gladnesse. But two thynges my frende muste be kepte in goddes seruyce and in good lyuynge / sadnesse and gladnesse. Sadnesse in chere and in doynge. Gladnesse in herte thyn­kynge. Sadnesse without sorynesse of malyce / of wrath / hate / and of enuye And gladnesse without folye and ry­baudrye. And therfore my frende I praye you saddeth well / but baddeth not. Be alwaye gladde / but neuermore made by no folye. Alwaye sadde / alwaye gladde / so that your gladnes­se and your sadnesse be alwaye med­dled with lykynge and loue of god / and with deuocyon.

Caplm .xix.

DIues. Why ben these thre cō ­maūdementes called the cō ­maudementes of the fyrste table. ¶Pauper. For whan god ga­ue Moyses the lawe in the mount of Synay. He toke hym the .x. cōmaūdementes wryten in two tables of stone In the fyrste table were wryten the thre fyrste cōmaūdementes whiche techen vs how we sholde worshypp our god & loue hym aboue all thyng. And therfore they ben called the cōmaūdementes of the fyrst table / both for worthyne s;se of themselfe / & for they were wryten in y ^• fyrste table. In the seconde table were wryten other .vij. cōmaū dementes / that techen vs to loue our euen crysten as our selfe / & ben called the cōmaūdemētes of y ^• seconde table And so all the .x. cōmaūdementes ben cōprehended & closed in y ^• two cōmaū dement of charyte. The fyrst cōmaū dement of charyte is this / y ^e y ^u shalt loue thy lorde god with all thyn herte / with al thy soule / with al thy mynde with al thy myght. Whan he sayth y ^u shalt loue thy god with all thyn herte excludeth all maner of ydolatrye / y ^t is forboden by the fyrste cōmaūdement that no man sette his herte / ne his faythe / ne his truste in no creature more than in god / ne ayenst goddes wor­shyp. For who so loueth well an other he hath kyndely a truste & a fayth in hym. And after that he loueth / so he trusteth. And there he trusteth moost / comonly he loueth moost. And therfore god badde that y ^u sholdest loue hym with all thyn herte / y ^t is to saye with all thy fayth / soo that y ^u sette all thy fayth & thy truste in hym byfore all other / as in hym that is almyghty & may best helpe at nede. And therfore the fyrste cōmaūdement of these thre is applyed pryncypally to the fader almyghty. Also god byddeth that y ^u loue hym with all thy soule / that is to saye / as saynt Austyn sayth with all thy wyll / without contradiccōn / that thy wyll be not contrarye to his wyll but alwaye confourmed to his wyll. And in y ^t he byddeth y ^t y ^u take not his name in vayne. But as y ^u haste taken the name of Cryste / & art called crys­ten / so confourme thy wyll / thy lyfe / & thy speche to y ^• wyll of Cryste / that y ^u wyll no thynge / ne do no thynge / ne saye no thynge ayenst his wyll by thy wyll & thy wyttynge / ne make none othe ne auowe ayenst his wyll & his wor [...]hyp. And tho that thou haste made [Page] to his worshyp kepe them / and hope sykerly that yf thou fulfylle god­des wyll here in erthe / he shall fulfyll thy wyl in heuen. And loke that thou spende all thy lyfe and thy beynge to his worshyppe and in his loue. And than louest thou hȳ with all thy sou­le / in whiche pryncypally is thy lyfe and thy beynge. And therfore yf thou spende not thy lyf and thy beynge in his loue / thou louest hym not with all thy soule / and therto thou takest his name in vayne / for his name is. Qui est. That is to saye. He that is. For all thynge that is taketh his beynge of hym. And therfore yf y ^• spende thy lyfe & thy beynge in synne & vanyte / y ^u takest his name of beynge in vay­ne. Also loke that thou spende all thy wytte in his loue / that y ^u studye to knowe the treuth / that is Crystus name. For he sayth. Ego sum verytas. And so study to flee falshode & folye by helpe of Cryste goddes sone y ^t is al wytty And therfore the seconde cōmaunde­ment is applyed to y ^• seconde persone in trynyte / y ^t is the sone all wytty. Also he byddeth y ^t y ^u loue hym with alle thy mynde without forgetynge of his benefyces and his gyftes to the & to mankynde. And in that he byddeth the to kepe well the holy daye whiche is ordeyned pryncypaly that men sholde than withdrawe her thoughtes & theyr mynde from the worlde / and thynke than on god and on heuenly thynges. Than thynke on theyr ow­ne vnkyndnesse and of goddes good­nesse as I sayd fyrste. And therfore he sayth. Memento. Thynke that thou halowe well the holy dayes. that is to saye / loue god with all thy thought and with al thy mynde / that thou be in wyll no thynge to thynke ayenst his plesaunce / and that thou haue lykynge to thynke of hym by grace of the holy ghoost / to whome the thyrde commaundement is ap­plyed / without whome as saynt Poule sayth. We may thynke noo good thought. The fyrste cōmaundement is applyed to the fader almyghty that may best helpe at nede. For mawmettes & ydolatrye may not helpe. The seconde cōmaundement is applyed to the sone alwytty / whose name is treu­the & souerayne wysdome. For he knoweth all / he may not be dysceyued / & treuth sholde not be taken in vayne / but alwaye worshyped & wysely mayntened The thyrde cōmaundement is applyed to the holy ghoost / whiche is called Para [...]litus / that is to saye comforter For the holy daye is ordeyned for to comforte both the soule and the bodye / and to comforte man and be­ste. And the holy ghoost comforteth vs in sorowe and care / and he is bote of euery bale. He gyueth reste after trauayll / he is solace in dysease / & he abateth carefull thoughtes / & gyueth peas and reste in herte. And therfore the prophete sayth to hym Cogitacio hominis confitebitur tibi. et reliquie cogitaciones diem festum agent tibi. Mannes thought shall ben knowen to the his myschyues / and the reme­nauntes of his thoughtes shall make an holy daye to the in y ^• sondaye & o­ther festes. Secundū multitudinē do­lo (rum) [Page] meo (rum) in corde meo. consolacōnes tue letificauerūt animā meā. Lorde sayth he / after the multytude of soro­wes in myn herte / so thy confortes haue gladded my soule. For the holy ghoost byddeth that men sholde reste from theyr trauayles here in the holy dayes and after in endelesse blysse.

Caplm .xx.

ALso my frende / as the gospell sayth Marci .xij. Ye shall lo­ue god with all your herte / and with all your soule / with all your mynde / and with all your myght / That is to saye / as saynt Bernarde sayth. Ye muste loue hym. Dulciter / prudenter / fortiter. Swetely / wysely / myghtely. Swetely with all your herte / with all your soule / that ye haue lykynge in hym passynge all other. Wysely with all your mynde & with all your thought / that ye studye & be besye nyght & daye to do his plesaūce & to flee his offence. Also ye muste lo­ue hym myghtely & stedfastely / that neyther well ne wo departe you from his loue. And therfor sayth saynt Poule y ^t no trybulacōn hongre ne thruste / hete ne colde / lyfe ne deth / ne no crea­ture sholde departe vs from the cha­ryte in Cryste yf we loued hym as we sholde loue. Ye shal loue your god w ^t all your herte / so that ye loue nothynge but for hym & in hym. Ye shall loue hym with all your soule / so that ye spende all your wyll & all your affec­cōn in his loue. Ye shall loue hȳ with all your mynde / so that ye spende all your thoughtes in his loue. Ye shall loue hym with all your myght / soo that ye spende all your myghtes in his loue / so that ye assente to nothyn­ge / ne thynke nothynge / ne do nothynge ayenst his plesaūce / ne that sholde lette his loue / ne departe you frō his loue. The fyrst cōmaūdement techeth vs to loue hym myghtely. The seconde techeth vs to loue hym wysely. The thyrde recheth vs to loue hȳ swetely in ease & reste of herte. By the fyrste cōmaūdemēt god techeth vs fayth & right byleue. By the seconde he te­cheth vs hope. For as he sayth by the prophete. Qm̄ in me sperauit libera­bo eum. ꝓtegam eū qm̄ cognouit no­men meū. For he hoped in me I shal delyuer hym / & I shall defende hym for he hath knowen my name. Bea­tus vir cuius est nomen dn̄i spes eius. et non respexit in vanytates. et insa­nias falsas. p̄o .xxxix. Blessyd be that man whose hope is in the name of our lorde / and hath taken hede to no vanytees / ne to no false wytnesses for to forswere hym / and to take goddes name in vayne. For as saynt Poule sayth. Ther is no name in whiche we may be saued but in goddes swe­te name Ihesus. And therfore they that haue goddes name in worshyppe may haue syker hope to be saued. And tho y ^t haue it in despyte ought to be in grete drede. By the thyrde cōmaūde­ment god techeth vs charyte. For charyte and good loue is reste in euery wo & trauayll / for loue maketh tra­uayll lyght & easy / that sholde elly [...] be full vneasy. By the fyrst cōmaūdeme t of charyte we be boūde to shewe [Page] loue to god in herte / in worde / in werke And therfore god byddeth that we sholde loue hym with all our herte / with all our soule & mynde / that is to saye / with all our speche. For speche outwarde is a token of thoughtes in­warde. Also he byddeth vs loue hym with all our myghtes / that it to saye with all our werkes. And so the fyrst cōmaundement of the fyrste table te­cheth vs to loue god with all our hert The seconde techeth vs to loue hym with al our worde / & shewe hȳ loue in speche / for who so loueth an other wel he wyl speke good & worshyp of hym that he loueth & be gladde to here of his good name & speke of hym good & worshyp / and sory to here his name despysed & dyffamed. By the thyrde cōmaūdement we ben taught to she­we loue to god in dede / that is to leue our owne occupacōns on y ^e holy dayes & gyue vs pryncypally to serue god & to be occupyed with hȳ & do nothyng but for his loue & to his worshyp / or for grete nede of our selfe. For who so loueth an other wel / he wyl seke a ty­me to speke with hym & to dele with hym. And therfor god byddeth vs halowe well the holy dayes / & attende than well to hym & occupye vs with hym as with our dere loue / that ma­de vs of nought / & bought vs full dere with his precyous blood / & saueth vs & kepeth vs / & gyueth vs all that we haue of ony good & fyndeth vs al that vs nedeth & moche more. And yf we loue hym in this maner with all our myghtes & dedes & werkes / & halowe thus the holy daye & the sabbot that he hat boden vs halowe. He sholde gyue vs a sabbot & reste in heuen / as the ꝓphete Ysaye sayth / it shall be a sabbot of sabbottes / y ^• is to saye en­delesse rest betokened by temporel rest in y ^e holy daye / & moneth of monethes that is to saye endelesse myrthe beto­kened & fygured by temporell myrth in the holy daye. Ysaye .lxvi. Amen.

Caplm Primū.

DIues. As me thyn­keth now thou haste declared the cōmaun­dementes of the fyrste Table full well and parfyghtely to man­nes soule. Now I praye the for god­des sake for to perfourme that thou haste begonnen / and wyll declare to me now the commaundementes of the seconde Table / that I may the better knowe the lawes of god / and the more plesauntly serue my god / and kepe me the more peasyble in charyte with myn euen crysten. For as I haue vnderstanden / all the seuen cō ­maūdementes of the seconde Table ben knytte togydre in the seconde cō ­maūdemēt of charyte which byddeth vs loue our euen crysten as our selfe. ¶Pauper. Mankynde hath two be­gynnynges. The fyrste begynnynge and begynner is god. And the secon­de begynnynge and begynner is the [Page] fader and the moder. By the fyrste cō mau dement of the fyrste table we be caught to worshyp god aboue al thynges / as hym that is begynnynge of vs and of all creatures. By the fyrste cō ­maundement of the seconde table we be taught to worshyp fader and mo­der that ben our begynnynge next after god. And therfore he sayth in the fyrste cōmaundement of the seconde table. Honora patrem tuum et ma­trem tuam. That is to saye / wor­shyp thy fader and thy moder. By the cōmaūdementes of the fyrst table he taught vs to loue god aboue all thynge. By the cōmaundementes of the seconde table he techeth vs to lo­ue our euen crysten as our selfe. And for as moche as charyte is moost shewed by worshyppynge & helpynge of our euen crysten. Therfore he begyn­neth by techynge of worshyp y ^• ought to be done to theym that we owe by waye of charyte moost to worshyp after god & moost to helpe that is fader and moder. And therfore he sayth. Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam. Worshyp thou thy fader and thy mo­der. By whiche cōmaundement we ben bounden to helpe our bodely fa­der & moder at nede and be to theym buxom and meke / and flee theyr dys­pleasaūce / not despyse them / not an­gre them vnresonably / not banne ne warye them / ne harme them / ne scor­ne them for none age / for none vnclene s;se / for no wantenesse ne folye that they saye or do / but supporte them in theyr age & feblenesse / as they supported vs in our youthe / & holpe vs / and kepte vs in our feblenesse / whan we coude not ne myght not helpe our selfe We fynde Genesis .ix. That Noe hadde thre sones. Sem. Cham. and Iaphet. Whan the flood was done it happed that theyr fader Noe dran­ke wyne soo that he was dronke / for he knewe not the myght of the wyne For byfore the flood men dranke noo wyne ne ete noo flesshe. And whan Noe was thus dronke / his myddell sone Cham foūde hym lyggynge ba­re / so y ^t he myght see his preuy mem­bres / and anone he laughed his fader to scorne & wolde not couer his fader but wente & tolde it to his brethern in Iapynge & scornynge his fader. But his brethern wolde not see that nyce syght / but tourned theyr face frō theyr fader & caste a clothe vpon hym & couered hyw honestly. Whan Noe awo­ke and wyste what his myddell sone Cham had done to hym / he was wro­the w ^t hȳ & cursed Chanaan Chams sone & all that sholde come of hym & made hȳ thrall & boūde to Sem and Iaphet / & to theyr childern after them And thus for scornyng & vn worshyp that the sone dyde to the fader began fyrste boundage and thraldome and was confermed of god. ¶Diues. Sythen Cham dyde y ^• synne & not Cha­naan whiche was yet but a childe / why cursed Noe y ^• childe Chanaan & not Cham y ^• childes fader. ¶Pauper Noe wolde not curse Cham in his owne persone / for god hadde blessyd hym in his persone with his brethern anone after y ^• flood / & therfore he cursed Chanaan his sone / & hym in his [Page] sone / and punysshed hym in his sone and all that sholde come of hym. For it was goddes dome / that right as he hadde done shame to his fader / so his childern sholde be shame & shenshyp to hym. And as Noe hadde no Ioye of hym / so sholde he haue no Ioye of his childern. ¶Diues. The reason is good & rightfull / saye forth. ¶Pau­per. Therfore Salomon sayth. Oculum qui subsannat patrē. et despicit partum matris sue. suffodient eum corui de torrentibus et demones. Pro­uerbio (rum) .xxx. The eye that scorneth his fader / and despyseth the byrth of his moder / rauyns of the brokes / that is to saye / fendes of helle brokes shal delue out and pyke out that eye. And therfore he sayth in an other place. Honora patrē tuum et gemitus ma­tris tue ne obliuiscaris. Memento quo niam nisi per illos non fuisses. et re­tribue illis quomodo illi tibi. Eccle. vij. Worshyp thou thy fader / and for yette uot the syghynges of thy moder ne what payne she hadde whan she bare the of her bodye. Thynke that but by theym thou haddest not ben / and yelde theym and do to theym as they dyde to the. And god badde hym selfe in the olde lawe / that who soo cursed or waryed his fader or moder / he sholde be slayne. Leuitici .xx.

Caplm .ij.

DIues. Many childern wolde ful fayne see theyr fader and moder dede y ^• they myght haue her herytage & lyue at theyr owne gouernaūce. And oft whan they may not haue it by theyr good wyll ne by theyr deth / they wyll haue it by plee & by maystrye. ¶Pauper. Suche childern full late shal thryue / & they shal haue full lytyll Ioye and worshyp of her owne childern / but moche shame & shenshypp. For as Salomon sayth. He y ^• cursed his fader or his moder or dyseaseth theym / his lanterne shall be quenched in y ^• myddes of derkenesses that is to saye / eyther he shal haue no ne ayer / or yf he haue he shal be with out worshyp. For the herytage sayth he / to whiche childern hasten faste in this maner / shal want blessyng & grace of god in the laste ende. Prouer .xx. And in an other place he sayth / that who so withdraweth ony thyng from his fader & from his moder / & sayth it is noo synne / he is as wycked as a manqueller. Particeps homicidie est. Prouer .xxviij. Also we fynde in the seconde boke of kynges .xv.c ^•. That Absolon the sone of Dauyd wolde haue putte his fader Dauyd out of his kyngdom / & he droue hym out of the cyte of Ierlm barefote / for he cam so sodaynly on hym / that Dauyd was fayne to flee & saue his lyfe. Soone after Absolon gaaf batayll to his fader in the felde / but as god wolde he was ouercomen & moche of his folke slayne / both by swerde & by wylde be­stes. Than Absolon fledde rydynge on his mule bare heded. And as he rode vnder an oke / his heere that was full longe and full fayre smote vp amonges the bowes / and there it fastened so that the mule passed forth in his rennynge / but Absolon henge [Page] stylle by his heer tyll that Ioab that was chyef captayne & prynce of the oost of Dauyd came to hym & smote hym through the herte with thre spe­res / and made hym forth be stoned to deth / that was the moost dyspyteous deth in the lawe. And soo Absolon y ^• was than the fayrest man lyuynge / for haste that he had to the herytage & wronge y ^• he dyde to his fader / he loste both his herytage & his lyfe. Al­so Adony his brother wolde haue ben kyng whyles his fader Dauyd lyued and Dauyd pryued hym of the kyng­dome for euer & made Salomon that was than not .xi. yere olde kyng. And afterwarne Adony was slayne for he wolde haue ben kyng ayenst his fa­ders ordenaūce. Therfore god badde in the olde lawe Deut .xxi. That yf ther were ony vnbuxom childe y ^• wolde not obeye to his fader and moder / they sholde lede them to the rulers of the Cyte & saye to them in this wyse. Our sone is bolde & proude / he wyll not here our techyng ne our byddyng but he gyueth hym to ryot glotony & lechery / & to grete festes & fare. And god badde that all the people of the cyte or of that towne sholde slee y ^• vn­buxom childe with stones in example of all other. For whan y ^t yonge folke wexe rebelle ayenst fader & moder & gyue them to suche ryot & welfare & ydlenesse / but they ben chastysed and withstonde in the begynnynge / they shall ashame the comynte of the people / by robbery / murdre / & manslaughter / by euyll & wycked company / and make rebellyon & rysyng ayenst theyr soueraynes / and so be cause of destruccyon of the londe of the Cyte and of the comynte. Also Mathei .xv. Cryste in the gospell repreueth all tho that by ypocresye withdrawe nedefull ly­uynge from fader or moder vnder colour of goddes worshyp & holy chir­che. And he repreued tho men of holy chirche that so enfourme the childern to saye to theyr fader and moder that they may not worshyp god and holy chirche for the coste that they doo to susteyne theym selfe / & so make fader & moder to lyue in myschyef / y ^• men of holy chirche may lyue in delyces.

Caplm .iij.

NOt oonly by the cōmaunde­ment of god ben we boūden and taught to worshyp and to helpe our fader and our moder / but also by example in kynde as the maystre telleth of propretees. That whan the storke that is called Cico­nia in latyn / as she hath brought for­the her byrdes to flyght / both the male and the female ben bycomen full feble for trauayl that they had in the bredynge & bryngynge forth of theyr byrdes / & ben so feble that they may not well helpe theym selfe. For both the male and the female sytten by dyuer s;e tymes on the egges / & chaunge theyr trauaylle in bredynge of theyr byrdes / and in fetchyng of mete and drynke for them selfe & for theyr byr­des. And therfore whan the byrdes ben growen & may flee / they fetche mete to theyr fader & moder in to the neste as longe tyme as they trauayle [...] [Page] to brynge forth theyr byrdes tyll they be releuyd and may trauayle to helpe them selfe. Also he telleth that ther is a byrde that is called a Pellycane. Pellicanus. And ther is a grete ene­myte bytwene the Pellycane and the addre. The addre wayteth whan the Pellycane hath byrdes / and whan she is out of the neste to gete mete to her and to her byrdes / the addre crepeth vp in the neste and sleeth the byrdes. And whan the Pellycane cometh a­yen / and fyndeth her by [...]des slayne in this maner / she mourneth thre dayes and thre nyghtes for the deth of her byrdes. The thyrde daye she setteth her ayen ouer her byrdes / and with her bylle she smyteth her selfe in the syde / and spryngeth her blood on her byrdes. And by the vertue of her blood she rayseth them fro deth to lyfe. By the bledynge she wexeth so feble that she may not trauayle to fede her selfe. Than some of her byrdes for loue and pyte put them for to trauayle and fede theyr moder / and some care not for her / but oonly fede theym selfe. Whan the moder is a­mended and waxen stronge / tho byr­des that helpeth her she loueth & che­ryssheth them / & the other that wolde not helpe her / she beteth & bylleth and casteth them out of her company.

Caplm .iiij.

DIues. This cōmaūdement byddeth vs worshypp fader & moder / and that we may do without ony coste & with lytyl trauayle For we may ryse ayenst them / knele to them & take theyr blessynge and speke to them with reuerence & so kepe the cōmaūdement. ¶Pauper. The cōmaūdement byndeth vs not only to worshyp fad & mod with suche reue­rence doynge / but also to worshyp thē with helpe at nede. ¶Diues. Where fyndest y ^u that helpe at nede is called worshyp. ¶Pauꝑ In the fyrste pystle y ^t saynt Poule wrote to the bysshop Thymothee .v. Where he badde that he sholde worshyp very wydowes / that is to saye / he sholde susteyne theym with goodes of holy chirche. And he called there very wydowes that had no good to be susteyned with of theyr owne. And yf that she had childern / or fader or moder or wherof to lyue / he badde that she sholde lerne to rule hyr husholde and helpe fader and moder as they holpen her. And in the sa­me chapytre he byddeth that prestes & men of holy chirche that rule wel her subgettes sholde haue double worshyp of the people / that is to saye the glo­se / that the peple sholde obey to them and do them reuerence & fynde them al that theym nedeth / and namely to them that trauayle in prechynge and techynge of the gospell. ¶Diues. It is only folye whan folke for age and feblenesse may not ne can not helpe themselfe ne gouerne themselfe / than to be taken to theyr childrens gouer­uaūce of the husholde / & put themselfe in kepynge of theyr childern & ther gouernaūce. ¶Pauper. More seme­ly it is that they put theym in theyr childrens gouernaūce & kepyng than in straungers. Namely yf they ha­ue [Page] founden them good and kynde to them byfore. But for ony trust in ther childern I wolde not coūseyll theym fully to dysmytten them of her good But alwaye reserue the lordshypp to themselfe / & theyr childern in daūger And therfore Salomon sayth. Audite me magnati et om̄s populi & [...]. Eccl. xxxiij. Ye grete men & gouernours of holy chirche / & ye all people / herken now to my sawe / gyue to no man ne woman power vpon the by thy selfe. Neyther to sone ne to doughter ne to brother ne to frende / gyue not a waye to other men thy good and thy catell For hapely it may repente the / & than shalt thou praye to haue helpe of thyn owne good & thou shalt none haue. Melius est vt filij tui rogent te. ꝙ te respicere in manibus filio (rum) tuo (rum). Ec­clesiastici .xxxiij. It is better sayth he that thy childern praye the and aske helpe of the / than y ^u loke in the hon­des of thy childern for helpe. I fynde that an olde man bytoke to his sone his housholde and gaaf hym all that he hadde to kepe hym well in his age Fyrste he laye with his sone in the chambre / at the laste he was put out of the chambre & layde hym behynde the spere at y ^• halle dore / for he cought & roughed so / that his sone & his so­nes wyfe myght haue no reste by hȳ in the chambre. And whan he laye so nygh the halle dore / he hadde moche colde and called to hym his sones so­ne a lytyll childe / and badde hym go to his fader and aske of hym some clothes to kepe hym with from colde. The childe dyde the erande / & the fader toke the childe an olde sacke. Haue sayd he / & bydde hym laye this on hym. Nay fader sayd the childe / but kytte it in too & sende ye hym y ^• halfe & kepe ye to you the other halfe tylle to the tyme whan ye be olde that ye may than couer you therwith & kepe you from colde. Not longe syth this caas byfel in Colchestre. There was an olde man somdele lettred / whiche bytoke his sone in his age all y ^• hous­holde & gaaf hym all that he had for to kepe hym wel in his age. Fyrste he laye in the chambre with his sone / af­ter he was put allone in an out chambre in the yerde / and was serued full euyll both at bedde and at borde. On a daye he prayed his sones wyfe to le ne hym halfe a busshell to mete by a certayne thynge / but he wolde not tell hyr what he sholde mete. She toke hym halfe a busshell hauynge grete wondre what he sholde do therwith. He wente in to his chambre & shette the dore to hym. He toke a fewe pens & halfpens & ferthynges that he had & put them in to the craueyses of the halfbusshell / and soone after he toke hyr ayen hyr halfbusshell. She loked besely in the halfbusshell to knowe what he hadde moten therwith. And than she foūde that moneye hangynge in the craueyses & clyftes of y ^• half busshel / and she wende that he hadde moten moneye by the vessel / & wente & shewed it to hyr husbonde / and he wende the same. For his fader kepte euer a grete hutche besydes his bedde wel locked & was right heuy / but his sone myght not knowe what theri [...] [Page] was / but after this dede he hoped that therin had be moche moneye. And in hope of that moneye / he & his wyfe kepte well & honestly his fader in to his deth. Whan he was deed / he bra­ke vp the hutche / for keye founde he [...] therto. And than founde he in that hutche but erthe and stones and a betyll lyenge ouer it with a scrowe theron / in whiche was wryten in this maner. With this betyll be they beten that her childern her good shall lete [...] And gyue awaye all theyr thynge / & gone them selfe on beggynge.

Caplm .v.

DIues. Yet ꝯtra te Cryst sayth in the gospell. Qui nō odit patre suū et matrē suā. non po­test meus esse discipulus. Luce .xiij. He that hateth not his fader and his moder / he may not be my dyscyple. But that we be bounde to hate we be not bounde for to worshypp it ne to helpe it. Therfore than we be neyther boū de for to worshyppe fader ne moder / ne to helpe them at nede. ¶Pauper. Cryste sayd tho wordes whan nyghe all the worlde was hethen people and of false byleue / whan nyghe all the faders and moders were in false byleue and in dedely synne. And therfore Cryste sayd tho wordes. Not that childern sholde hate the persones of theyr faders & moders / but they shol­de hate theyr false byleue and theyr wycked lyuynge / & so we muste all yf we wyll be saued / we sholde loue eue­ry man & woman & hate theyr synne And in as moche as fader & moder withstonde vs in goddes waye / we sholde hate theyr malyce and forsake theyr wycked lyuynge & folowe god & be besye to drawe fader & moder after vs in goddes waye by good techynge and ensample. ¶Diues. Yet con­tra te. Cryste sayth in the gospell. Veni seperare hominem aduersus patrē suum et aduersus matrem suam. Mathei .x. ¶Pauper. In goddes cause and in treuthe man & woman ought to forsake fader and moder yf they withstande goddes cause / and holde ayenst the treuthe. And so Cryste ca­me for to departe man and woman fro theyr fader and moder that stode in false byleue ayenst god. Cryste ca­me not to put full hate bytwene man and his fader & moder / but for to make man and woman to forsake fader and moder for goddes sake / yf they wyll lette the fro god. And therfore he sayth in the same place. He that loueth fader and moder more than me he is not worthy to come to me / we sholde loue fader and moder and helpe them at nede / though they be he then & neuer so wycked / but we shol­de loue god more than them. And yf we may not please god and theym al­so / we sholde offende theym and please god / & alwaye loue theyr persone and hate theyr synne. And be besy to amende them by good enformacyon with loue & mekenesse and reuerence. ¶Diues. Yet contra te. Saynt Poul sayth. Non debent filij parenti (bus) the­saurizare. sed parentes filij. Scdo ad Co (rum) .xiij. Childern ought not to ga­dre togydre tresoure to theyr faders & [Page] moders / but faders & moders ought to gadre tresoure to theyr childern. Therfore than it semeth that chil­dern sholde not care for theyr fader and moder / but fader and moder sholde care for theyr chyldern. ¶Pauper Eche of them ought to care for other But more the fader and moder for the childe / than the childe for fader & moder. ¶Diues. Why so. ¶Pauper For the childe is towarde and by co­mon course of kynde is semynge len­ger to lyue than his fader and moder And his childern sholde be his faders childers childern & his moders. And so fader & moder sholde not care only for theyr owne childen / but also by waye of kynde they ought to care for theyr childers childern / & haue more affeccōn to theyr childern / than theyr childern for them / and more care for theyr childern than theyr childern for them. And therfore right as the rote in the tree by waye of kynde gyueth more moysture & vertue vp to the tree & to the croppe / than the tree or the croppe gyueth downe to the rote. Soo by waye of kynde the fader & the moder muste be more besy to helpe theyr childern & to ordeyne for them / than the childern for fader and moder that sooner by waye of kynde shall deye. Neuerthelesse right as the croppe re­fressheth the rote by moysture of dewe and of rayne & bysshadoweth the rote for the hete of the sonne / so ought the childern to refresshe fader & moder at theyr nede / & kepe theym from mys­chyef as moche as they may in good maner & kepe them well and honestely Not for to make them riche / ney­ther nourysshe them in delyces.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. whan man or woman entreth in to relygyon / he is deed ayenst the worlde. Therfore it semeth than that by his rely­gyon he is vnbounden from this commaundement And he that is not boū de to helpe his fader or moder at ne­de / for whan he is professed in relygy­on he may not gyue / for he y ^• nought haue / nought may gyue. ¶Pauper. Man and woman by this comaundement is boūde to two thynges / to re­uerence fader & moder / and to helpe them at nede. As for the reuerence the relygyouse is as moche boūde or mo­re as the seculer in tyme & place and whan and where he may do it. But as for the seconde poynte / that is to helpe theym at nede / yf his fader and moder haue not wherby to lyue / ne be of power to gete theyr lyuynge ho­nestly / the sone ought not to entre in suche relygyon there he may not hel­pe them / for yf he do he may be cause of theyr deth. But yf his fad & mod haue ynough to lyue by / he may entre in to relygyon though fader & moder forbede it hym. He shall not spare for loue / for prayer / for blessynge / ne for curse. For as saynt Austyn sayth in Epla ad Letū. This cōmaūdement byndeth there that thynges of more charge & of more prouffyte lette it not ¶Diues. Yet contra te. Yf the rely­gyouse kepe not this cōmaundement bycause of his religyon / he doth amys [Page] in takynge of his relygyon. ¶Pauꝑ That is soth. ¶Diues. I suppose y ^t he neuer after see his fader ne moder / ne do them no helpe ne reuerence / how kepeth he than this cōmaundement. ¶Pauper. Though he see them ne­uer after / ne helpe them at nede ne do to them reuerence / yf his wyl be good to helpe them at nede & to do them reuerence yf he myght come to them hȳ selfe / or by ony persone / yet he kept y ^e cōmaundement. For though this cō ­maūdement byndeth alwaye man & woman / yet it byndeth not for alway As clerkes tellen / not for euery tyme ne for euery place / ne for euery cause / but only for suche cause tyme & place whan they may do it lefully. And thꝰ bynde al cōmaūdementꝭ affyrmatyfe But cōmaundementꝭ negatyfe bynde euery tyme & for euery tyme. ¶Diues What yf fader & moder falle in mys­chyef after y ^t theyr sone is professed in relygyon / ought not her sone to forsake relygyon & helpe his fader & mod in theyr myschyef. ¶Pauper. Some clerkes tellen y ^t for as moche as he is deed ayenst the worlde by his professyon / therfore he is dyscharged fro cure of fader & moder / as he is dyscharged therof by bodely deth / & he ought not to go out of his relygyon / but dwelle styll vnder obedyence of his prelate. Neuerthelesse he ought to do his dylygence to helpe them sauynge his obe­dyence & honeste of his relygyon. In sū. con. libro .iij. ti .xxxiiij. q̄ .CC.xlix. ¶Diues. As I sayd fyrste. He that nought haue nought may gyue / but the relygyouse maketh so his profes­syon y ^t he may no thynge haue in propre How sholde he than helpe eyther fader or mod / or ony other of his kyn ¶Pauper. Yf he be a relygyoꝰ men­dycant / he may begge for his fader & moder as he dooth for hymselfe / & so releue & helpe them by mēnes almes And yf he do so / without doubte god shall sende hȳ ynough bycause of his charyte / & he shall fare the better for them both in bodye & soule. And yf he be a relygyoꝰ possessyoner endewed by temporal goodes / he may releue them in the same maner / or ellys by almes of the house whiche is endewed pryncypaly to helpe y ^e nedy / & namely fad & mod. For saynt Poule sayth y ^t who so haue no cure yf his next / he is worse than Iewes sarasynes or paynymes.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. As they saye the goo­des of holy chirche may not be dealed ne gyuen in to the vse of seculers. ¶Pauper. God for­bede ellys. For all that holy chirche hath it is gyuen to holy chirche / or ellys purchased by substaunce of temporel lordes to helpe crysten people in myschyef. And therfore holy chirches goodes ben called the goodes of the poore and of the nedy .xvi. q̄ .i. Deci­me. et ca ^o. Quin ^o. ¶Diues. These relygyou s;e possessyoners endewed in so grete richesses / saye that they be the goodes of the house. And therfore no­ne of them may gyue ony thynge of the goodes without comon assente of the couent & leue of theyr souerayne. And so me thynketh that it is ful harde [Page] to ony relygyouse possessyoner to helpe eyther fader or mod by goodes of his house. For the relygyouse may scarsely helpe themselfe by goodes of his house / he shall full euyll or may releue his fader or moder by goodes of his house. For redely he shall fynde both his prelate and his couent ayenst hym / alleggynge delapydacōn & waste and pouerte and grete nede with­out nede. For yet ther is no house that wyll saye that they haue ynoughe. ¶Pauper. A sory lorshyp is it than the lorshyp of relygyouses that may not in so grete. richesses passynge du­kes / eerles / barons / releue y ^e myschyef of theyr owne fader and moder. But sothely they shewe well that all theyr besynesses is to spare / to purchase / to begge of lordes & ladyes / and of other men londes and rentes / golde and syluer / not for helpe of the poore / but for to mayntene theyr pryde & theyr wel­fare. Saynt Benett ofte with good conscyence gaaf to the couentes good to helpe poorefolke at nede. For we rede pri ^o. li ^o. Dyalogo (rum). That ther was a good symple man dyseased / for he ought a man .xij. shellynges / and he had not wherwith to paye. He cam to saynt Benett & prayed hym of helpe Saynt Benett sayd y ^t he had nought than for to helpe hym selfe with / but come agayne to me sayd he after two dayes / & than I shall helpe the yf I may. Saynt Benett for pyte that he hadde on that man / prayde to god for helpe. And sodaynly he foūde lyggynge .xiij. shellynges on the hutche of the couent that was full of whete whiche moneye Saynt Benett toke and gaue to that sory man / & badde hym paye .xij. shellynges for his dette and .xij. pens ouer he badde hym ke­pe for his lyuynge. And without doubte yf Saynt Benett hadde hadde so moche moneye of the couent / he shol­de haue done the same with the couentes moneye without assente of the couent For we fynde in the same boke / that ther was a grete hongre in that contree that saynt Benett dwelled in And whan he sawe the folke at mys­chyef / he gaaf awaye nygh all the godes of the couent / so that ther was nothynge lefte in the couent wherby to lyue but a lytyll oyle in a glasse. And than cam a man to hym whos name was Agapitus / and prayed hym for goddes sake to gyue hym a lytyl oyle Saynt Benett badde the monke that had the oyle in kepynge / delyuer that oyle to that nedy man. The monke for nygardshyp & for that it was the couentes good wolde not delyuer it to the nedy man. For yf he gaue that awaye he sholde none leue to the co­uent. Saynt Benett was dysplaysed and badde an other monke take the vessell of glasse with the oyle and ca­ste it ought at the wyndowe for that the monke was soo vnobedyent / for the oyle whan it was caste out / it fell downe more than an hondred fote on cragges and stones / for the house sto­de vpon an hyghe hylle / and neyther the glasse brake ne the oyle spylte. Than saynt Benett badde the monkes take it as it was & gyue it to the nedy man. And than byfore all the [Page] monkes he vndername the cellerer of his pryde & of his wanbyleue. Than saynt Bernarde with his bretheren prayed to god that he wolde sende to them some oyle wherby to lyue. And anone a tonne that laye there besyde voyde / sodaynly was so full of oyle y ^• it rāne ouer in the flore. We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Gregory y ^• there came a man & axed saynt Gregory almes for goddes sake. For he hadde loste all his good on the see / & vnneth he escaped with his lyf. Saynt Gregorye y ^• was than but abbot / bad his awmener gyue hym .vi. pens. And he dyde so. The same daye he cam ayen & axed almes / & had as moche. He came ayen the thyrde daye & alledgyd grete pouerte / that he had lost moche good & gate but lytyll ayen. Saynt Gregorye had his procuratour and reuler of the couentes goodes that he sholde gyue hym his almes. He an­swerde and sayd that ther was none thynge lefte but a dysshe of syluer in whiche his moder was wonte to sen­de hym mete. Saynt Gregorye bad hym gyue the poore man y ^• dysshe / & so he dyd. This poore man was god­des angell in the lykenesse of a poore man / & for this almes god made saynte Gregory afterwarde pope of Ro­me. We fynde also in y ^• lyf of saynt Fraūcys / that he bad his brethern ta­ke y ^• clothes of our ladyes aulter & gyue them to y ^• poore folke .viij.c. ¶Diues The relygyous sayd y ^• the godes of y ^• couent ben all theyr godes in co­mon. And therfor may non of theym Iyue awaye without assent of them all. For by comon reule of the lawe that toucheth almoost be approued of all. Quod oēs tangit. ab hominibus approbari debet. And by an other reule / ther may no man gyue ony other ryght / but suche ryght as he hathe hym selfe. Nemo potest plus viris transferre in aliū quā sibi compete­re dinoscitur. And therfore sythen no persone of the couent hath ony ryght in goodes of the couentes / therfor no­ne of them maye gyue ony almes of the couentys goodes ne none other good without assent of them all / or of the more parte. For what thynge is ony monkes of the couent / it is the couentys. And what so he getteth / it is the couentys. Quia quic [...]d acqui­ritur monacho. acquirit monasterio. ¶Pauper. By suche ypocresye vn­der the colour of pouerte they mayn­tene theyr pryde & theyr auaryce / & occupye greter lordshyppes than do many dukes erles & barons to grete hyndrynge of the londe & grete dysease of the poore people. For that god or­deyned to be comon to helpe at nede or all men at nede / they saye y ^• it is theyrs & no mannes els. So y ^• foure men of relygyon in one house myght spende .xx. thousande marke by theyr wyll & by ther comon opynyon / all y ^• good sholde neyther torne to helpe of the londe ne of the poore people / but al to helpe the poore couent. ¶Diues Saye to my reasons. ¶Pauꝑ. Thy reasons be not worth. For the goodes of relygyouses sholde be more comon than other mennes goodes to helpe y ^• londe & the poore people. And therfor [Page] sayth the lawe / that comon lyfe is ne­defull to all men / & namely to them that wyl folowe the lyf of crystus dyscyples / for as y ^e ayer or the lyght of the sonne may not be departed / ne appropred to one place more than to an o­ther. So sayth he y ^• all these worldly goodes sholde be comon in nede .xij. q̄ .i. dilectissimis. And therfor they y ^t haue moost nede / haue moost ryght to goodes of the relygyouse. And y ^e lord­shyp is nomore appropred to the relygyou s;e than to the seculers. For bothe seculers & regulers sholde be holpen therby. But dyspensynge / gouernaū ­ce / and kepynge of the goodes of holy chirche is appropred to the relygyous & to other men of holy chirche. And therfore sayth holy wrytte / that in the begynnynge of holy chirche all thyn­ges were comon to the multytude of all crysten people / not only to the ap­postles / but to al crysten people. Actuū .iiij. ca et .xij. q̄ .i. dilectissimis. And therfore yf relygyouse myspende the goodes that be taken to them / & hel­pe not the nedy people / they do crystē people grete wronge / for they with­holde them her ryght / & make propre to them that ought to be comon to al It is a shame & an ouer grete abu­syon that a man of relygyon shall ryde / some with his tenth or with his twenty / some on an horse of .x. poūde in a sadell all golde begon. And for pouerte that he byndeth him to in his professyon as they saye / he may not gyue an halfpeny for goddes loue / ne helpe his fader & moder at nede with out axynge leue of his souerayne. Sythen god that is souerayne of all bad them helpe fader & moder at ne­de. For goddes byddynge is moost to charge. And saynt peter sayth. Obe­dire oportet dn̄ [...] magis ꝙ hoī (bus). Men muste obey to g [...]d more than to man And therfore god may saye to suche folke of relygyon that withholden al messe from fader & moder and from the poore people to make her house & her couent ryche / that he sayd to the maysters of the lawe & to the phary / seys that were men of relygyon that tyme. Quare transgredimini mandatu dei ꝓpter tradicionē vestrā. Why breke ye goddes cōmaundement for your statutes & your lore. Math .xv. ir. ca. ¶Diues. It is longe sythen I herde the speke of this mater / passe forth & speke more to purpose.

Caplm .viij.

¶PAuper. Also we be bounde to worshyp fader & moder / not only in reuerence doynge and helpynge at nede / but also in obeyng to her byddynge & her lore. For Salomon sayth. Audi patrē tuum qui ge­nuit te. et ne [...]tempnas cum sueuerit mater tua. Prouer .xxiij. Here thy fa­der that the begate / and despyse not whan thy moder is olde. That is to saye. For ony age despyse her not / but be lowe & meke to her & sette her te­chynge in herte. Iudiciū patris audite filij dilecti & [...]. Ecclesi .iij. Ye dere childern here ye the dome of your fa­der / and do ye so that ye so that ye be saued. He that worshypped his moder / he ma­keth hym a treasoure in the worlde [Page] comynge. He that worshyppeth his fader / he shall haue Ioye of his chil­dern / and he shall be herde of god in his prayer / & he shall lyue the lenger good lyf. And he that obeyeth to his fader / he shall refresshe his moder. He y ^• drede god he worshypped fad & moder And he shall serue hym y ^• begate hym / as his lorde in worde & in dede & in all pacyence worshyp thy fader sayth he / y ^• goddes blessyng may come to the / the fads blessyng sayth he maketh stable & seker the houses of her childern / & the moders curs destroyeth her houses doūne to groūde. He is ful of wycked fame y ^e forsaketh his fa­ders obedyence / & he is a cursed of god that angieth his moder & wyl not do her byddynge. All these ben Salomones wordes. Eccl .iij. And therfor god bad that childern vnbuxum to fader & mod sholde be stoned to deth. Deut xxi. We rede Ieremie .xxxv. That Ionadab bad his childern that they neuer sholde drynke wyne / ne make house / ne so we londe / ne set vyne. And for that they kepte her faders byd­dynge / god sayd to them by prophete Ieremye. For that ye haue obeyed to the cōmaūdement of Ionadab your fader & kept all his cōmaūdementes therfore y ^e kynrede of Ionadab shall not fayle / but all dayes that kynrede shall be in my syght / and I shall ha­ue an eye to them & helpe them. But the wycked people of Iuda & of Ierusalem that wolde not obeye to my cō mau dementes I shall destroye.

Caplm .ix.

THerfore saynt Poule sayth. Fili obedite parentib veitris & [...]. Ye childern sayth he obeye ye to your faders & mods / for that is ryghtfull thynge. Worshyp ye fader & mod for this is the fyrst cōmaūde­ment & byheste / that ye may be well in lyuynge longe vpon erthe. And ye faders sayth he prouoke ye not ne [...]tyre ye not your childern to wrathe vn­relonably / but nourysshed theym in good lore & in vndernamynge of our lorde god. Ad ephe .vi. Cryste goddes sone god and lorde of all thynge / be­came subgette to Mary his moder & to Ioseph his keper / geuynge vs all ensample to obeye and to be buxum and meke to fader & moder. And Saloman sayth. Audi fili mi disciplinā patris tui. My dere sone here the lore of thy fader / and forsake not the la­we of thy moder / & than thou shalt haue grace and worshyppe. Prouer .i. And as he sayth in an other place. He is a fool that scorneth his faders lore. And he that kepeth his faders vndernamynge shall be the more wyse and the more slye. Prouer .xv. Also we muste worshyp fader and moder with good lyuynge. For as Salomon sayth. Dolor patris filius stultus. The childe a fooll is sorow and shame of his fader. Confusio patris defilio indisciplinato. Of the sone that is euyll taught cometh shame & shen shpy of the fader / and his doughter a fooll & euyll taught shal lese his worshyp / and the wyse doughter shall be good herytage to her husbonde to sa­ue hym. And the doughter y ^• shendeth [Page] her husbonde is in grete despyte and shame of her fader that begate her. Eccl .xxij. The wyse sone glaodeth his fader. The sone that is a fooll in lyuyage is his moders sorowe Prouer x. Ira patris filius stultꝰ. et dolor matris q̄ genuit eum. Prouer .xvij. The fooll childe is wrathe & tene of his fader / and sorowe of his moder that begate hym.

Caplm .x.

ANd therfore Salomon sayth Virga et correpcio [...]ribuūt sapiencia . puer autē qui dimit­titur voluntati sue confundit matrē suā. Prouer .xxix. That is to saye / the yerde vndernemynge gyuen wytte & wysdome to the childe / and that chil­de that is leten haue his wyll in his youth shendeth his moder and al his kynrede. Ensample we haue in the fyrste booke of kynges / of Hely that was hyghest bysshop & preest of god­des lawe / and of his sones Ophny and Phynees. That for theyr fader vndername theym not ne chastysed them of theyr wycked tatches / for the childerns synne and for his mys suf­fraūce / god toke from hym his dyg­nyte & from all his kynrede for euer & slewe his childern & nyghe all his kynrede in batayll. And so the wyc­ked taches of his childrē vnworshypped hym & all his kynrede for euer / & brought them to endlesse shame. And his mys suffrasice was cause of theyr deth & of his shenshyp and shame to all her kynrede. The synne of his childern was pryde / letchery / lusty fa­re & glutonye & sleuth / & retchelesnes in goddes seruy [...]e & in goddes lawe. And therfor good frendes and good childern. I praye you all that ye be buxam & meke to fader & moder / and worshyp them not onely with reue­rence doynge in dede and speche / but pryncypally with your good lyuynge & your good berynge. For that is the moost worshyppe that ye may do to them / & the moost velonye yf ye doo amys. And do ye so that your faders & moders & your kynrede may haue Iope of you / & than shal ye haue Ioye of your childern. For the wyse man sayth. Qui honorat patrē suū iocūda bit in filijs suis. Eccl .iij. He that woe shyppeth his fader shall haue Ioye of his childern. And who so worshyp­peth not his fader and moder in this maner / bat dothe them wrath & tene by his myslyuynge & euyll taches / he is a cursed of god. Maledictus qui nō honorat patre suum et matrē suam. Deutro .xxvij. A cursed be that childe sayth he that worshyppeth not his fader and moder with his good lyuyn­ge / but vnworshyppeth them with his myslyuynge. For all the myscheuys of the childe tourne to velonye & sha­me to fader and moder. And all the goodnesse and al the good b [...]rynge of the childe tourne to grete worshyp of fader and moder & of all the kynr [...] ­de. A grete worshyp it is to fader and moder whan men blesse theym and prayse theym for goodnesse of theyr childern & saye / blessyd be the fader y ^• the childe begate & blessyd be the mod that hym bare. Therfore sayth the [Page] wyse man that god worshyppeth the fader in his childeren whan he seeth theym good childern. Eccl .iij. It is grete vylonye to fader & moder whan men curse theym & deprayue theym for wyckednesse of theyr childeren. And therfore the wyle man sayth. Non iocunderis in filijs impijs. Ha­ue thou noo Iope ne lykynge in thy childern yf they be shrewes and drede not god. It is better sayth he to haue one good childe / than a thousāde childern shrewes / & better to dye without than to leue after them shrewed childern Eccl .xvi. For as he sayth Sa­piencie. .iiij. All the childern that co­me of wycked folke shall be wytnes­ses of wyckednesse ayenst theyr fader and moder / whan they shall be cha­lenged of theyr wyckednesse at the dome For the fader & the moder shall answere than for theyr owne wyc­kednesse and for theyr childerns wyckedne s;se. But the wyse man sayth. Yf thou haue childern teche theym well / and bowe them & make theym symple and meke in theyr youth. Yf thou haue doughters / kepe well theyr bodyes and honestly / but shewe them no gladde chere / be not to homely with them. Eccl .vij. Whyle a trce is a smalle sprynge it maye be bowed as men wyll haue it. But whan it is full woxen it wyll not be bowed. So may the childe in the youth with a lytyll twygge be chastysed and made lowe and meke. But whan he is woxen and roted in pryde & in mysu­se of lyuynge / it is full harde to lowe hym or to amende hym. And therfor the wyse man sayth. Qui parcit vir­ge odit fil [...]ū. & qui diligit iliū instan­ter erudit. Prouer .xiij. He that spareth the yerde hateth his sone / and he that loued his sone techeth hym and cha­styseth hym besyly. Ensample we haue in kynde of the egle / whiche of all foules may see ferthest / and is mygh­tyest in syght / in soo moche that he may see & loke ayenst y ^• sonne whan it shyneth moost bryghtest without blemysshynge of the eye. And whan she hath bryddes & they be ful woxen she doth hem loke ayenst the sonne. & tho that loke well ayenst the sonne without blemysshynge of y ^e eye / them she loueth & cheryssheth. And them that wyl not ne may not loke ayenst the sonne / or blemysshe theyr eye in so kynge ayenst the sonne / she beteth them and bylleth them. And but yf they amende them / she casteth them out of the neste / & putteth theym out of her companye as for none of her bryddes Thus sholde faders and moders teche theyr childern to haue thereyr vp to god y ^• is the sonne of ryght­wysnesse / & take hede to goddes lawe by ensample of Tobye / whiche sayd to his sone. All the dayes of thy lyfe haue thou god in mynde / and bewa­re that thou assente to no synne / ne leue not goddes commaundemente. Tobie .iiij. And therfore Salomon sayth. Eccl .vi. That the wycked man that loketh not vp to the sonne of ryghtwysnesse is so blent with derkene s;se of synne / y ^• he wote not what is good neyther what is wycked. And therfore sayth he in the next chapytre [Page] wysdome with rychesses is more pro­fytable than without rychesses / & it profyteth moost to them y ^• see the son­ne / y ^• is to saye to them y ^• haue an eye to the sonne of ryghtwylnesse / that is god. For as Salomon sayth. Oculi [...]apteutis in capite eius. Eccl .ij. The eyen of the wyse man be alwaye in his hede. That is to saye in cryste y ^• is hede of holy chirche & of all thynges And Dauyd sayth. Sicut oculi ser­uo (rum) in mani (bus) dn̄o (rum) suo (rum). et sicut o­culi ancille in mani (bus) dn̄e sue. it a oculi nossri ad dn̄m deum nostrū donec misereatur nostri. As the seruauntes haue theyr eyen to the handes of ther lorde / and as the mayde in chambre hath her eyen to the handes of hyr lady. So muste we haue our eyen vp to our lorde god / tylle he wyll haue mercy on vs.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. Reason gyueth that men sholde teche ther childe­ren goddes lawe & good the­wes / & for to take hede to god y ^• ma­de vs all of nought / & bought vs so dere But now men saye that ther sholde noo leude folke entremete them of goddes lawe / ne of the gospell / ne of holy wryte / neyther to conne it ne to teche it. ¶Pauper. This is a foule errour & full peryllous to mānes soule For euery man & woman is boūde after his degree to do his besynes to knowe goddes lawe that he is boūde to kepe. And faders & moders / godfaders and godmoders be bounde to teche theyr childern goddes lawe / or el­lys do them to be taught. And therfore god sayth. Erūt vba hec & [...]. The­se wordes that I bydde the this daye sholde be in thyn herte. Thou shalt tell them & teche them to thy childern Thou shalt thynke theron syttynge in thy house amonges thy folke. And whan y ^u goste by the waye / whan thou goste to slepe / & whan y ^u aryseste thou shalt bynde them as a token in thyn hande & in thyn dede / in thyn werke they sholde be alwaye steryng byfore thyn eyen of thyn herte. Thou shalt wryte them in thy dressholde and in thy dores of thyn house / that is to say whan thou comest in / and whan thou goste out / in thyn begynnynge and in thyn endynge of euery dede / alway loke that thou ne none of thyne for­fette ayenst goddes lawe bycause of the. Deu ^• .vi. And in an other place of the same booke he sayth thus. Thou shalt teche my wordes to thy childern / to thy folke / and to thy kynne s;men. Deut ^• .iiij. And saynt Austyn sayth. That eche man in his owne housholde sholde do the offyce of the bysshop in techynge & correctynge of comon thynges. And therfore sayth the lawe. That the offyce of techyn­ge and chastysynge longeth not only to the bysshop / but to euery gouer­no [...]e after his maner & his degree. To the poore man gouernynge his poore housholde. To the ryche man gouernynge his folke. To y ^• housbon de man gouernyng his wyf. To the fader & moder gouernynge ther chil­dern. To the Iustyce gouernynge his contree. To the kynge gouernynge [Page] his people .xiij q̄ .iiij. duo. et q̄ v. nō putes And one neyghbour sholde te­che an other. For saynt Peter sayth. Euery man mynyster on to other the grace that he hath taken of god pri ^o petri. ij. ¶Diues. My fader & moder be deed / and therfore I lete me dys­charged of this commaundemente. ¶Pauper. Though they be deed / [...]et art thou boūde to doo them worshyp and to helpe theyr soules with holy prayers and almesse dedes yf thou myghtest. Also thou art bounde to worshyp them with thy good lyuyng as I sayd fyrste. For the wyse man sayth. That he that techeth well his childe / he shall be praysed & worshyp­ped in his childe amonge his kynre­de / he shal haue Ioye and worshyp in his childe. The fader of the well taught childe in some maner is deed / & in some maner is not deed. For he lefte his childe lyke after hym / for all yf the fader dye bodely / yet he lyued & is worshypped in the goodnesse of his childern. Est mortuus et quasi nō est mortuꝰ. Eccl .xxx. And in the wycked lyuynge of the childe the fader is vnworshypped & deed whyle he goth vpon erthe. Also by this cōmaunde­ment we be bounde to worshyp god­fader & godmoder.

Caplm .xij.

ALso to worshypp god that is fader of all thynge / that is called fader of mercyes / and god of all conforte. Pater misericor­diarum et deus tocius consolacionis. He is our fader / for he made vs of nought / he bought vs with his blood he fyndeth vs all that vs nedeth and moche more / he saueth vs / he kepeth vs / he ledeth vs / he fedeth vs / he me­deth vs. He is our fader by grace / for by his grace he hath made vs eyres of heuens blyss [...] / was there neuer fader soo tender ouer his childe / as god is tender ouer vs. He is to vs bothe fa­der and moder. And therfore we be bounde to loue hym and to worshyp hym aboue all thynge / as I sayd in the fyrst cōmaūdement. But he may saye to vs as that he sayd to the vn­kynde Iewes. Filius honorat patrem et seruus dominū suum timebit &c̄. The sone sayth he by waye of kynde worshyppeth his fader / and the ser­uaunt shall drede his lorde. Sythen than I am fader of all / where is my worshyppe. And sythen I am lorde of all / where is my drede. Neyther ye worshyppe me as a fader / ne drede me as a lorde. Malach .i. Nunquid nō est pater vnus omniū vestrū. Nun quid nō deus vnius creauit vos. Haue ye not sayth he al one fader / and one god made you all / why than sayth he despyse ye eche man other. That is his brother by pryde & ouerledynge and brekynde the cōmaundement of your form faders. Malach .ij. Also for tendre loue that he hath to man­kynde / he calleth hym selfe our mo­der sayenge to synfull soules. Wenest thou sayth he y ^t the moder may forgete her yonge childe y ^t she bare of hyr bodye / & haue no compassyon ne pyte theron / & though she forgete her chil­de & haue no pyte theron / yet I shall [Page] not forgete the to shewe the mercy. Ysaye .xlix. And therfore he sayth. Ego mater pulcre dilectioīs & [...]. I am moder of fayre loue / of loue drede / of knowynge of holy hope. In me is all maner grace of truthe & of lyfe. In me is all hope of lyf / of vertue / of mercy / & of al maner goodnes. Eccl .xxiiij. And thus by this cōmaūdemēt we be bounde to loue our god & wor­shyppe hym aboue all thynge as our pryncypall fader & moder. And that pryncypaly for the mercy & pyte that he sheweth to mankynde in his go­uernaūce & kepynge By the fyrst cō mau dement we be boūde to worshyp hym aboue al thynge / for he is endles myght as god & begynner & shaper of all thynge.

Caplm .xiij

ALso we be bounde by this cō ­maūdement to worshyp our ghoostly fader that hath cu­re of our soule / as pope / & our bysshop our prelate / our person / our vycary / oure curate / our confessour. And our moder that vs muste worshyppe is holy chirche. Of this maner fader & mo­der sayth Salomon. Audi fili mi disciplina patris tui. et ne dim [...]ttas le­gem matris tue. My dere sone sayth he / here the lore of thy ghoostly fader and forsake not the lawe of thy mo­der holy chirche. Prouer .i. Of these maner faders speketh also holy wryt Lorde sayth he / here before thou ma­dest chosen faders / and madest them full holy .ij. Macha .i. Prelates of ho­ly chirche be called faders. For theyr offyce is to gendre folke in ryght by­leue and to nourysshe them in good thewes & vertuous lyuynge. And therfore saynt Poule sayth. Per euāgeliū ego vos genui. By this gospell I be­gate you in cryste. Suche fads be worthy double worshyp / as saynt Poule sayth. For they be worthy to be reue­renced of theyr subgettys / & to haue theyr lyuynge. Therfore they owe to haue tythes and offerynges of theyr childern that be vnder cure. For as saynt Poule sayth in the same place. The werke man that well traueyleth is worthy his mede .i. Tymo .v. ca. But now god may say. Regnauerūt sed nō ex me. Prelates haue reygned in holy chirche / & not of me ne by my pleasaunce. I made them not. I chase them not. And therfore saynt Poule sayth / that thou men haue ten thou­sande maysters / yet they haue but fe­we faders. For prelates for the moost parte seke more ther owne profyt thā profyte of mānes soule. Oēs que sua sunt querūt. nō que Ihesu xp̄i. Suche prelates and curates be not faders of the people / but wolues of rauen that deuoure goddes people. Sicut escam panis. Of suche prelates and curates speketh Ysaye the prophete. Ipsi pastores ignorauerunt intelligenciā & [...]. Suche shepeherdes / prelates / & cura­tes knowe not goddes lawe / nete vnder s;tandyng of goddes lawe. Al they bowed a waye from goddes waye in to ther owne waye of fals conscyence from the hyghest to y ^• lowest. Ysa lvi. And for that sayd he / that the shepe­herdes / prelates / and curates of holy [Page] chirche dyde so folyshly. and wyl not seke vp our lorde god to please hym & to serue hym. Therfore they haue loste vnderstandynge & wytte to te­che the people. And so al theyr flocke is dyspercled by heresy debate dyuysy on & dyscencyon Iere ^• .x. Who sayth god bytoke the sheepherdes & prelates that thus dyspercled & al to rente the flocke of my pasture or lesewe that is crysten people. Iere ^• .xxiij. And therfore saynt Gregory in his Omely. omelia xvij. Ve signauit dn̄s. Maketh his mone & sayth thus. Praye ye to god that he wyll sende true werke men in to his corn / that is to saye / amonges his people. For ther is moche corn and moche people to be taught / but fewe werke men of prechours for to teche them and to tylle mannes soule / for though ther be folke to here / ther be fewe to saye or to teche. We see well sayth he y ^• the worlde is full of prestes But ful lytyll ony of theym werketh in goddes corn. For we take sayth he the offyce of preesthode / but we fulfyl not to do the werke of the offyce.

Caplm .xiiij.

ALso by this cōmaūdement we be boūde to worshyp our eldre y ^• be our faders in age. And therfore god sayth. Coram cano ca­pite consurge & [...]. Ryse vp sayth he by fore the whyte hered man / and wor­shyp ye the persone of olde man or woman / and drede thy lorde god. That is to saye / for drede of god worshypp thou thyn elders / and despyse them not for no age or for no feble­nesse. Leuitici .xix. And therfore saynt Poule badde the bysshop Thymothee that he sholde not vnderneme his el­dre ne olde folke to sharpely neyther to proudely / but praye them as fader to amende them / yonge men as bre­thern / olde women as moders / yonge wymen as systres in all maner chastyte .i. ad Thimo .iiij. ¶Diues. Ofte tyme olde folke be more shrewes than other & be full harde to amende they be so roted in synne. And therfore as me thynketh them nedeth to be harde vndernomen & sharply. For god sayth that y ^• childe of an hondred yere shall deye / & the synner of an hondred yere shall be cursed Ysaye .xlv. ¶Pauper. Some olde folke be vertuous & not customable to synne / suche ought to be worshypped / and yf they do somty me amys / for that that they be not customable to synne / therfore theyr pre­lates sholde the more spare them and more worshypfully speke to theym. Some olde folke be customable for to synne & wyll not amende them / & suche be worthy no worshyp / as god shewed full well by the wordes of Ysaye And therfore saynt Gregory sayth that the olde man full of synnes sholde be harde vndernomen.

Caplm .xv.

DIues. Thyn answere is re­sonable / saye forthe I praye the. ¶Pauper. Also by this cōmaundement we be boūden for to worshyp our kyng / our lyege / our so­ueraynes all. For all tho that haue gouernaunce of vs or of the comonte [Page] owe by theyr offyce & theyr dygnyte to be faders of the comonte & of ther subgettes / and be besy to saue ther subgettes / as the fader his childern. And therfore Naaman prynce of Syrye was called fader of his seruaūtes .iiij Regū .v. And Iob sayd. Pater eram pauperū. I was fader of the poore and the cause that I knewe not I traced it & sought it vp besely Iob .xxix. And therfor saynt Poule byddeth the people to do worshyppe and obey to theyr soueraynes. And he sayth thus Serui obedite dn̄is vestris carnali (bus). Ye seruaūtes obey ye to your flesshely lordes with drede and tremelynge in symplenesse of your herte / as to Cryst Serue ye them not only at the eye to please them / but as Crystus seruaūt / Do ye the wyll of god of herte with good wyll seruynge them of our lorde god / not as men. That is to saye / Serue ye them truly for the drede of god & for the loue of god. And thyn­ke ye that the seruyce that ye doo to them / ye do it to god. And he pryncy­pally shall yelde you your mede. For wote ye wel sayth he that euery good dede that man or woman doth / be he free or boūde / he shall take his mede therfore of our lorde god. And ye lor­des and soueraynes sayth he / doo ye the same to your seruaūtes / and for­gyue them your thretenynges & thynke ye & wote ye it well that god in heuen is god both of you & of your ser­uaūtes / and so ye and they haue both one lorde one god y ^t accepte noo man for his persone / but yelde eche man and woman after that he deserueth. Ad Ephe .vi. ¶Diues. By these wordes it semeth that seruaūtes for theyr true seruyce shall haue moche mede. ¶Pauper. That is soth. For he that doth goddes byddynge god shal yelde hym his mede. And it is goddes byd­dynge & goddes wyl y ^t they serue truly & mekely theyr soueraynes. And therfore sayth the glose / that sythen Cryste byddeth the seruaūtes serue truly / yf they serue truly / they serue not on­ly man or woman / but pryncypaly serue Cryste. ¶Diues. Why byddeth the apostle that the seruaūtes sholde obey and serue to flesshely & carnale lordes ¶Pauper. For the glose sayth. They muste by goddes lawe obey not only to good lordes / but also to shrewes. Therfore saynt Peter sayth. Subiec­ti estote oim humane creature ꝓpter dn̄i & [...]. Be ye subgettes sayth he to euery man and woman that is your souerayne / not for themselfe / but for god. Be ye subgettes to kynges to dukes & to temporal lordes & thynke ye that god hath ordeyned them to ven­geaūce of wycked doers & to praysynge of good folke. For thus is the wyll of god that with your good dedes & your meke seruyce ye stoppe and ma­ke styll the vnconnynge of the vnwyse folke. Serue ye as free men / that is to saye / not only for drede of man / but for drede and loue of god as for goddes seruauntes. Drede ye god / and worshyp ye your kyng. And ye seruauntes / be ye subgettes and meke in all drede to your lordes / that is to saye / not only in seruyle drede / but al­so in loue drede for goddes sake. Be [Page] ye subgettes for goddes sake / not on­ly to good lordes and well ruled / but also to shrewes and tyrauntes. Non tantū bonis et modestis. sed eciā dis­colis. For than is man and woman worthy thanke of god / whan as they for conscyence and goddes sake suf­freth pacyently dysease without gylte Yf ye be beten and buffeted for your synnes and your trespasses / ye be worthy noo thanke neyther of god ne of man. But yf ye doo well / and with that suffre pacyently dysease vngylty than be ye worthy moche mede of god. And for to do thus Cryste gaue you ensample whan he suffred pacy­ently bytter deth without gylte that ye sholde folowe his steppes and pa­cyently suffre woo without ony gylte These be the wordes of saynt Peter in his fyrste pystle. ij. c. ⁰ Here to accordeth saynt Poule in his pystle / ad Romanos .xiij.ca ⁰ where he sayth thus. Euery soule / y ^t is to saye / euery man and woman muste be subgette & me­ke to the power aboue theym and to his soueraynes. For theyr is no power ne lordshypp but of god and of god­des ordenaunce. And therfore sayth he / who so withstondeth the lordshyp and the power of his soueraynes / he withstandeth goddes ordenaūce / and geteth hym dampnacōn without en­de. For why sayth he / prynces and lor­des ben ordeyned of god to drede of wycked werkes / not to drede of good werkes / wylte thou not drede the po­wer of thy soueraynes / doo well & y ^u shalte haue praysynge of hym. For yf he be a good lorde / he shall loue the the better / and yf he be a shrewe thou shalt haue the more praysyng of god that thou doost well vnder a wycked souerayne as the glose sayth. Thy lorde or thy kyng is goddes mynystre ordeyned of god to thy good. Yf y ^u doo amys drede y ^u hym / for he bereth not y ^• swerde without cause / for he is god­des mynystre / to venge the wrath of god in hym y ^t dooth amys. And therfore sayth he / be ye subgettes & meke to your soueraynes as to the nedefull ordenaūce of god / not only for to flee wrath of your souerayns / but also for conscyence. And therfore ye gyue try­butes to your prynces and lordes / for they be goddes mynystres & serue therfore in defendynge & gouernaunce of the people. And as the glose sayth / in that ye gyue theym trybute ye serue god / for they be goddes mynystres.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. Whan saynt Poule sayd tho wordes. Emperours kynges & nyghe all prynces and temporall lordes vpon erthe we­re hethen folke & of false byleue / how myght they be goddes mynystres or goddes seruaūtes. ¶Pauper. Euery creature is seruaūt & subget to god / or with his wyll / or without his wyll. And therfor saynt Austyn vpon that psalme. Exaudi deus orōem meā / and sayth thus. Wene ye not that god suf­freth wycked folke to be in this worlde without cause. For euery wycked man sayth he / eyther god suffreth hȳ to lyue for to amende hym / or ellys that good men may be amended by [Page] hym & wynne mede by hym in that that they suffre his malyce pacyently & trauayll for to amende hym. The malyce of shrewes is a purgatory to good folke / and shrewes ben goddes scourge to chastyse goddes childern whiche he had ordeyned to the kyng­dome of heuen / and to punysshe and purge the synnes of theym that god loueth / & also to punysshe other shre­wes. And therfor god sayd to the syn­full Iewes. For ye wyll not here my wordes ne kepe my lawes. Therfore I shall sende after my seruaūt Nabu godonosor kyng of Babylon / & brynge hym & all his people vpon this londe and destroye this londe bycause of synne. Ieremye .xxv. This Nabugo donosor kyng of Babylon was an hethen man a grete shrewe / and had no loue to god ne knewe hym not for his god. He was a wycked tyraūt & destroyed goddes lawe and goddes people & goddes temple in Ierusalem And yet god called hym his seruaunt for he was goddes yerge to chastyse shrewes and to punysshe the synnes of goddes people. And as ye see that whan as the fader hath beten his childe with a yerde / he casteth the yerde in to the fyre. Right soo whan god hath chastysed & scourged his childe­ren by wycked men & by wycked ty­raūtes that ben goddes yerde / but yf the tyraūtes amende them / he shall caste them in to the fyre of helle with out ende. And therfore he sayth. Ve assur virga furoris mei et baculus ip­se est & [...]. Woo be to the people of assur and to his kyng / for they be the yerde and the staffe of my wrath. I shall sende theym ayenst the false people / and ayenst the people to whiche I am wroth. I shal bydde hym destroye the people / robbe them / & slee them. But he weneth not so / but he thynketh al of his owne myght & malyce / & I bydde hym do my rightfulnesse. Ysaye .x.

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. Sythen it is so that all lordshyp & power in erthe cometh of god / me meruay­leth moche why god gyueth wycked men suche grete power in this worlde ¶Pauper. The power cometh all of god / but the malyce & wyckednesse and wycked couetyse cometh of man ¶Diues. God knoweth theyr malyce & what they wyll doo / why gyueth he than suche lordshyp and power to shrewes. ¶Pauper. For comon syn­ne of the people. For synfull people rebell & false be not worthy to haue a good lorde mercyable & benygne / but for to haue cruell lordes / false tyraū ­tes lyke the people. And therfore Iob sayth. Regnare facit ypocrytā Ppter peccata populi. God maketh an ypocryte a wycked lyuer to reygne for synne of the people. Iob .xxiiij. And ther­fore sayth holy wryte / that god gaaf his people a kyng in his wrath suche as sholde dysese them. Ozee .xiij. Dabo eis regem in furore meo. ¶Diues The phylosophre sayth .iiij. ethi. that the wycked man is worthy noo wor­shyp / & only the good man is worthy worshypp. For as he sayth there / wor­shyp is mede of vertue. And so he that [Page] is not vertuous & vycyous as tyraū ­tes be is worthy no worshyp. ¶Pau­per. That is soth. ¶Diues. Why byddeth than god & Peter & Poule as y ^u hast sayd y ^• men sholde do worshyp & obeye not only to the good lordes / but also to the wycked. ¶Pauper. As I sayd fyrst. We sholde obey & do wor­shyp to them / not for themself / but for god & for power that god hath gyuen theym. And for y ^• they represent god­des ꝑsone in erth we sholde worshyp theym / not theyr owne persones / but for y ^• dygnyte y ^• god hath gyuen them & made them our souerayus. And yf they be good & vertuous / we sholde do them worshyp & obeye to theym / not only for her dygnyte / but for ther vertue & our owne profyte. And therfore saynt Poule sayth. Obedite ꝑpositis vestris & [...]. ad Hebre .xiij. Obeye ye to your prelates & souerayns / & be ye meke & subget to them. For why sayth he / they be full besye & trauayl to saue your soules / as they y ^• sholde gyue answere for your soules at the dome. ¶Diues. Many of theym carefull lytyll for mannes soule. They care more to gete moneye & mannes good / & many of them be full feble lyuers ¶Pauper. Whan they be suche take none ensample of ther wycked lyuynge / doo not as they doo / but as they saye whan they teche well / & re­uerence theym for theyr dygnyte and for ther ordre / for so byddeth cryste in the gospell. ¶Diues. I suppose that they ueyther do well ne teche well / for many of them be full lewed. ¶Pauper Yet as longe as they be thy souerayns or thy curates thou shalt obeye to them in all th [...]nge resonable & [...]e­full y ^• longeth to her offyce / & do them worshyppe for ther dygnyte / not for ther persone / but for god▪ whos persone they presente in masses lyngynge in shryftes herynge & in other sacra­mentes geuynge & in gouernynge.

Caplm .xviij.

DIues. I suppose that my lege lorde the kynge bydde me do a thynge / and my mayster or my souerayn bydde me do the con­trarye / or yf my curate bydde me do a thynge contrarye to my bysshoppes byddynge to whome shall I obeye. ¶Pauper. In that cas y ^• shalt obey to thy kynge that is thy souerayne & thy maysters souerayn also / & y ^• shalt obeye to thy bysshop that is thy curates prelate & thyn also. Yf the kynges byddynge and the bysshoppes be not ayenst goddes worshypp. And yf thy kynge / thy pope / or thy bysshop / or o­ny other souerayn bydde the doo ony thynge that y ^• knowest well that it is ayenst goddes worshypp & ayenst his lawe / thou shalt not obeye to them in that / but to god y ^• is theyr souerayn & thyn also. And therfore sayth saynt Peter to the Iewes. Obedire oportet magis deo [...] hui (bus). It behoueth to o­beye to god more than to men. Yf it be ryghtfull to here you rather than god / deme ye. And y ^• lawe sayth y ^• yf ony souerayn byd his suget ony thynge y ^• is contrary to god / the suget shal not obeye ne do ony thyng vnryght­full & vnhonest / ne y ^• sholde harme the [Page] comonte for his byddynge yf he kno­we well y ^• the byddynge de not lefull .i. q̄ .iij. n [...] semp. ¶Diues. I suppose y ^• the luget be in doubte whether it be goddes lawe or not ¶Pauꝑ. Than shall he obeye to his souerayn & he is eccused / but yf it be in suche thynge that he is boūde to knowe & to conne As yf he byd hym ony thynge y ^• is o­penly ayenst goddes cōmaūdemēt / or ayenst the fayth / or ayenst goddes la­we or lawe of holy chirche y ^• he is boū de to knowe / than shall he not obeye in ony wyse to his byddyng. ¶Diues Is the suget boūde to obeye to his souerayn in all thynge lefull. ¶Pauꝑ Seruage & subgeccon came to amonges mankynde for pryde & other syn­ne. But as a grete clerke sayth Se­neca li.iij. de benefi [...]ijs. This serua­ge went not in to all men ne in to all wymen. But the better parte of man & woman that is the soule is outaken from suche seruage & onely mannes bodye & womans is bounde to serua­ge of temporell lordes & of ther soue­rayn / and mannes soule & womans is free so y ^• he may haue his thought his loue / his wyl Inwarde as hym lyketh without leue of his souerayne. And therby he offendeth not his so­uerayn ne pleaseth / but only god that knoweth surely mannes hert. But only in the dedes of the bodye the su­get is boūde to obeye his souerayne. ¶Diues. In whiche dedes. ¶Pauꝑ In suche as longeth to reule & gouer­naūce & in suche thynges as he hath made hym suget in to his souerayn / in suche the suget ought to obeye to his souerayn. As knyght in armes is boūde to obeye his chefteyn & his le­der in thynges that longe to armes. The boūde man to his lorde in doynge seruyle werkes in dutee of his boū dage / the sone to his fader in thynge that longeth to good norture & reule of his housholde / the wyfe to her hus­bonde in thynge y ^• longe to matrymonye & socyall lyuynge / not in werkes of vylayn seruage. And yf the wyfe obeye more than she is boūde to / & do more dedes of lowenesse in pleasaūce of her husbonde than she is boūde to she is more to prayse and the more he ought to loue her & haue her in wor­shyp as his owne flesshe. And yf she do it for goddes sake / god shal be her mede though her husbonde be ful vnkynde But in thynges y ^t longe to the kynge of mannes bodye / man ne woman is not suget to his lord ne to his souerayn temporall / but only to god. For all men in thynges that longe to kynde of bodye be euen / as in substaū ce of the bodye in bryngynge forth of childern. And therfore y ^• seruaūt may wedde without leue of his lorde / & the sone without leue of his fader. And the seruaūt may kepe him chast without leue of his lorde & ayenst his byddynge / and the sone ayenst the byd­dynge of his fader / and wedde ayenst his byddynge and yf it hym lyke. Neuerthele s;se it is good that yonge fol­ke in suche thynges folowe the coun­seyll of fader & moder and of theyr frendes / but yf theyr coūseyll be to let them from god. For this reason also husbonde & wyf as aye [...]st vsyng [...] of [Page] theyr bodye be euen / & eche of them hath power ouer others bodye.

Caplm .xix.

DIues. Is the people bounde to obeye to the pope / to theyr bysshop / to theyr curate in al thynges what they wyll byd them do ¶Pauper. In all thynge that lon­geth to kepynge of fayth & of goddes lawe & fleynge from vyces / to whiche thynges they boūde them in ther baptem / they be bounde to obeye. And in all thynges of the whiche the gouer­naūce longeth to men of holy chirche by comon lawe grounded in goddes lawe to gouerne the people not in o­ther thynges that longe not to men of holy chirche / ne in ther precept not groūded in goddes lawe. And in the same maner clerkes be bounde to o­beye to ther prelates in thynges that longe to ther offyce groūded in god­des lawe / & relygyouse to ther prelat in thynges y ^• longe to kepynge of relygyon ¶Diues. I suppose y ^• lordshyp or prelacy be occupyed vnryghtfully by myght & falsnesse / by symonye gyle & treason / be ther sugettes bounde for to obeye to them. ¶Pauper. Yf they obey to them in thynges leful it is medefull. Netheles some clerkes saye y ^• suche caas men be not boūde to obeye / but for to flee sclaūder & the more decease. Petrus in scrip.suꝑ .ij. sent .d. vt. & sm̄. confes. li.iij. ti. ⁰xxxiij. q̄ .v. But for as moche as god gyueth oftymes the realmes & the lordshyp­pes of this worlde / & prelacy also not by mannes lawe ne mannes dome / but but by his owne preuy dome / and he is souerayn myght / lorde of lordes / & kyng of kynges / therfore it is moost sure to obeye to suche lordes and souerayns as longe as god suffreth them For god gyueth lordshyp & prelacy in this worlde / both to good & wycked. And therfore as we fynde in Danye lys ꝓphecye. God made Nabugodo­nosor the wycked tyraunt kynge and lorde of the gretest parte of this worlde And after for his pryde he toke his kyngdom fro hym / & made hym in wytt lyke a beste / that he wende to haue be a beste halfe lyon halfe oxe / and so he wente on all foure & fedde hym amonges bestes in the forest se­uen monethes / tyl he knewe that god was pryncypall lorde of euery kyng­dome / & that he gyueth kyngdom lordshyp to whom that he wyll. Daniel. iiij. And therfore god sayd to Sede­chye that was kyng of goddes people & to other kynges in the coūtre besy­de. I made erth man & beest vpon er­the in my grete myght / and I haue gyuen the lorshyp to hym that me lyketh And I haue gyuen all these londes & kyngdoms here about to Nabu godonosor my seruaūt kyng of Ba­bylon / & all nacyons shall serue hym & his sone & his sones sone / & what nacyon or kyngdome wyll not serue hym ne obeye hym. I shall destroy y ^• nacion by sworde hongre & moreyn / & who so wyll serue hym & obeye to hȳ I shall late hȳ dwelle styll in his owne londe / & therfore serue ye hym mekely & obeye ye to hym / & ye shall ly­ue & fare wel. Ieremie .xxvij. And cryst [Page] in the gospell sayth. Reddite q̄ sūt ce­saris cesa [...]i et q̄ sūt dei deo. Yelde ye to the emperour of Rome y ^t is the emperours / & yelde ye to god y ^t is goddes And yet the emperour of Rome had no ryght to the lordshyp y ^t he occupyed but only by the gyfte of god & by swerde. ¶Diues. I suppose y ^t the bysshop byd a preest curs a man / whiche man the preest holdeth vngylty & the multytude of the people also. ¶Pauper Eyther the bysshop byddeth the preest denoūce hym acursed or he byddeth hym acurse hym. Yf he byd the preest denoūce hym acursed in the bysshppes name / yf he may not well put it of. But he shall by waye of charyte excuse that man in as moche as he knoweth hym vngylty. And also ex­cuse the bysshopp / saynge that he is mys enformed / & yf he had knowen y ^• treuth he wolde not haue cursed hym And he shal coūseyll that man to suffre it lowely for helpe of his soule / & he shal enforme the bysshop as soone as he may of that mannes vngylty­nesse. But yf the bysshop byd y ^• preest acurse hym / the preest muste take he­de whether his vngyltyed is openly knowē or is in doubte / or it is certeyn but not openly knowen. Yf his vngyltyed be openly knowen / the prest shal allegge to the bysshop that he is vn­gylty & proue it by wytnesse. And yf he fayle in his proue he shall obeye to the bysshoppes byddynge though he knowe that the man is vngylty. And yf he may preue him vngylty / he shal not curse hym / though y ^• bysshop byd hym neuer so fersely. Yf it be in doubte whether he is gylty or nay / than the preest shall obeye to the bysshppes byddynge. Sm̄ pfes.li.ti xxxiij.q̄.vi. Quid si eps.

Caplm .xx.

DIues. Whan the offycers of the kyng knowe well that a man or woman is dampned to the deth vngylty / shall they obeye to the Iuge that byd them slee man or woman without gylte. ¶Pauper Yf the offycer be seker y ^• he is vngyl­ty / he shall not slee hym / but he shall obeye to god y ^• byddeth hym slee noo man ne woman vngylty. But yf he be in doubte whether he is gylty or vngylty / than he shall obeye to the Iuge & do his byddynge / & he is excused by his obedyence. Ray. li.ti.ix.de iuramē to et ꝓiurio .C.xiiij. [...]d de iudice. Ne­theles the sugettes muste beware in suche doubtes / y ^t they presume not to moche of ther owne wyt. For ful ofte a man weneth to knowe a thynge & be in certayn of his knowynge / & yet he is desceyued & it is not as he we­neth. And it is full peryllous to y ^• su­get to repugne the dome of his soue­rayn / & to repreue y ^• wyt & y ^e sentence of many wyse men / & therfore I coū ­seyl the sugettes & y ^• offycers in suche to stande to y ^• conscyence & the orde­naūce of ther souerayns / & obey with sorowe of herte hauyng pyte of mannes deth & of his dysease & no lykyng in cruelte. And therfor god bad in holy wryte y ^t men sholde folowe the sentence of ther Iuges & do ther byddynge / & who so wolde not obeye them he [Page] sholde be slayn. Deut. ^•xvi. The kynges Iustyce represent the kynges persone in full hygh degree. And therfor men must be more adred to withstande his sentence and his dome / for his dome is called goddes dome. And as Salomon sayth. Sicut diuisiones aquarx. ita cor eius in manu dn̄i & [...]. As the watres sayth he may lyghtly be departed & drawen in dyuerse partes / soo is the herte of the kynge & of Iuges & rulers in the hande of our lorde. He shall enclyne it whether he wyll. For the dome that semeth vn­ryghtful to mannes wyt / is ryghtful in goddes syght. And though the do­me be ryghtfull in goddes syght / and though the man be worthy to dye / yf the Iuge wene y ^t it be vnryghtfull & he gyueth y ^• sentence wenynge sekerly that it be vnryghtfull he synneth de­dely though his sentence be ryghtfull For as saynt Poule sayth. All y ^t is not done of fayth & of good conscyence it is synne. Yf the man be gylty / the lawe & his mysdedes sle hym. Yf he be vngylty slayne by false dome of the Iuge or by a false queste or by them that mys enformed the queste they slee hym & not the offycers / but yf he do it wetyngly ayenst the worshyp of god. Whan the falshede of the dome is openly knowen / or yf he do it with lykynge in cruelte. ¶Diues. Is the relygyouse man or woman boūde to obeye his prelate whan he byddeth hȳ do ony thyng ayenst his rule. ¶Pauper In all thynge that longeth to very obseruaūce of his rule / or is ne­defull to good & trewe kepynge of the rule / he is boūde to obeye but he haue resonable excusacyon. In other thynges that be Impertynent to the rule & to his protessyon or contrary to the rule / he is not boūde to obeye. For yf he were boūde to all suche byddynges his yere of nouycere sholde serue of nought. For his prelate myght soo a­gregge the hardenes of lyuynge in relygyon in double more than he ma­de his professyon to / & bynde hym to more penaūce without comparyson than euer he thought to bynde hym to / & put hym in an other maner ly­uynge than he made neuer his pro­fessyon to / ne knowe in the yere of his assaye in his nouycere. And by the lawe euery vowe is sette in some certeyne But yf the relygyouse were boū ­de to obeye in all thynge / his professyon were all vncertayne & vnassayed in his nouycerye. Netheles it is a gre­te perfe [...]yon to obeye in all thynges lefull after that man or woman may do sauynge theyr rule & goddes wor­shyp. And yf his prelate bydde hym do ony thynge ayenst his rule / he muste take hede whether his prelate may dyspense with that poynte of rule or nay. Yf he knowe well that he may dyspense with that / he ought to obeye his byddynge. But yf he knowe well y ^t he may not dyspense with y ^• poynt of the rule / he shall not obeye to hym in y ^t / & he shall also obeye yf he be in doubte whether he may dyspense or not. ¶Diues. Tell me some ensāple ¶Pauꝑ. In fastynge / in wakynge / in sylence kepynge / & in dyuerse obsernau ce of relygyon y ^• prelate may dys­pense [Page] / & in caas he ought to dyspense ayenst his sugett [...] wyll whan he seeth y ^• his suget may not kepe suche poyntes of his rule without vndoynge of hym selfe / or without hynderynge of other thynges that be more to goddes worshyp. And oftymes the sugettes wyll do more than they may do / and put them to more than the may per­fourme. And than ther prelate as a good fader ought to take hede therto & for saluacyon of his suget dyspense with hym & put hȳ in dyscrete gouernau ce for saluacōn of the persone / & for the worshyp of god. And the suget ought to obeye his byddyng & stande to his ordynaūce with good conscyen­ce. In some thynges the prelate may not dyspense / as in the pryncypall poyntes of euery relygyon / that is to lyue in obedyence / in pouerte & in chastyte And many other thynges ben exempt by lawes of relygyon in whiche the prelate may not dyspense. And therfore yf the prelate bydde the suget do ony thynge that is ayenst the thre pryncypall poyntes of his rule / or a­yenst suche thynges in whiche he may not dyspense / his suget ought not to obeye his byddynge.

Caplm .xxi.

DIues. Yf the bysshop byd a clerke gyue his boke to his nece or neuewe or resygne his chirche & his benefyce y ^t the bysshop may gyue it to his nece or neuewe / or to some of his kynne / is y ^• clerke boū ­de to obeye y ^t byddynge of the bysshop ¶Pauꝑ. Nay forsoth For it longeth not to the bysshop to byd suche thyn­ges. Netheles yf the clerke haue good bokes & is vnable to profyte in boke / & the bysshop byd hym leue the boke to an other clerke that is able to pro­fyte in the boke & to helpe holy chir­che he is bounde to obeye. Yf he gate tho bokes of holy chirche goodes / or by cause of holy chirche / as yf it were gyuen or byquethed hym to profyt of holy chirche. But yf the bokes be purely his owne / he is not boūde to obey that byddynge. ¶Diues What yf the husbonde byd his wyfe breke auowe that she hath made to god / as of fas­tynge / of pylgremage / cōtynence / wol warde goynge / and suche other / is she boūde to obey his byddyng. ¶Pauꝑ Ye forsoth. And but she obeyeth his byddynge in that ellys she synneth / & yf she do his byddynge only for obe­dyence she wynneth moche mede / for in y ^t she obeyeth to god which byddeth her obey to her husbonde / & so in y ^• she doth the wyll of god / though y ^• she be sory that she may not perfourme her vowe .xxxiij.q̄.v. noluit. More ouer le­ue frende ye shall vnderstande y ^t as saynt Bernarde sayth in Epl'a ademonacho Some thynges be purely good of themself / & to suche we be boū de by goddes lawe / as ten cōmaūde­mēt. Some be ful wycked of thēself / & tho we be bounde to flee by goddes lawe without ony byddynge of ony souerayne vnder god. And therfore in suche thynges standeth not proprely the vertue ne mede of obedyence to man or woman. Other thynges ther be that may be good & they may be [Page] wycked / and well do & euyll doo / and in suche thynges standeth proprely o­bedyence that men ought to ther so­uerayns. For in suche we sholde stan­de to ther wyll & to ther wytte more than to our owne. For in suche stan­deth proprely the vertue of obedyence that we owe to man for goddes sake. And the harder y ^t the cōmaūdemēt be yf it stande with reason, the more medefull is the obedyence. For the more y ^• man or woman forsaketh his owne wyll for goddes sake y ^emore is his lowene s;se / & the more is his mede.

Caplm .xxij.

ALso leue frende by this com­maūdement we be boūde to worshyp all y ^t be in hygher astate & dygnyte than we be. For all suche be called our faders in worshyp Patres honore. And therfore in holy wryt all men of worshyp be called se­nes et seniores / y ^t is senyours in fren­she. And in frenshe tōge men of worshyp & lordes be called senyours & perys / y ^t is faders in englysshe. For they be fads in worshyp & ought to be worshypped as fads by this cōmaūdemēt For comonly in men of worshyp is & ought to be sadnesse of wytte & wys­dome as in men of age / for in them is the age of wyt & wysdome / though they haue no grete age of yeres. And therfore sayth Salomon. Senectus venerabilis est non diuturna ne (que) an no (rum) numero computata. The age of worshyp standeth not in longe lyuynge ne in nombre of yeres / but it stan­deth in wytte and wysdome. For the wyttes of the wyse man ben olde and sadde / and a clene lyfe is called age of eloc. Sapie .iiij. And therfore god byddeth in the olde lawe. Honora personam senis et time dn̄m deū tuum. Leuitici .xix. Worshyp thou the perso­ne of an olde man & drede thy lorde god. And in the newe lawe he sayth thus. Deum timete regem honorifi­cate. Drede ye god and worshyppe ye your kynge .i. petri .ij. That is to say For drede of god worshyp thou thyn elder / and for drede of god worshyp thou thy kynge & thy souerayne and al that be in hygher degre than thou art. For sythen god hath put them in degre of worshyp / thou muste for dre­de of god worshyppe them. And but thou worshyp them / ellys thou offen­dest god. Omnes honorate. Worshyp ye all men & women after ther astate and ther dygnyte. And saynt Poule byddeth that all thynge sholde be do honestly and in ordre. Oīa honeste et scdm ordinē fiant .i. ad co (rum) .xiiij.

Caplm .xxiij.

ALso leue frende by this com­maūdement we be boūde to worshyp holy angels & sayntes in heuen / for they be our faders in age in worshyp in cure & in kepynge of vs. For they longen after vs y ^t ther nombre & ther company that was lested by the pryde of lucyfer myght be restored ayen by saluacōn of vs. And therfore nyght and daye they prayen for vs to god for helpe and grace ne­defull to vs. Of these faders speketh saynt Poule in his pystle and sayth [Page] thus. I knele & praye for you nyght and daye the fader of our lorde Ihesu cryste of whom is named all maner of faderhede in heuen and in erthe. Ex quo omnis paternitas nominat in celo et in terra. ad Ephe .iij. For as the glose sayth ther dysposycyon the angellys be our faders in heuen or­deyned for vs / and in erthe prelates be our faders hauynge cure and kepyn­ge of vs. And so bothe prelates in er­the and angellys in heuen ben our faders And therfore as all these cler­kes sayen. Eche man & woman hath two angels assygned to hym one of god an other of the fende. For the fonde Sathanas att goddes suffraunce assygneth to hym a wycked angell to tempte hym and to lese hym. But god of his goodnes assygneth hym a good angell to saue hym and to ke­pe hym. Of whiche good angell cry­ste sayth in the gospell / that they see alwaye the face of the fader in heuen for they be alwaye in his presence & speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore sayth saynt Ierom vpon the same worde of cryste / that angels be­re our prayers and our good dedes in to heuen / and kepe and defende vs a­yenst the malyce and the sleyght of the fende. And therfore the angell Raphaell / whan he had ledde the so­ne of Tobye in to fer contree and saued hȳ from many perylles & broughte hym ayen in grete welth / he sayd to Tobye / whan thou praydest with bytter teres & beryedeste the deed bo­dyes and leftest thy mete and haddest deed bodyes by daye in thyn house & beryeste them by nyght for goddes sake ayenst the wyll of the wycked kynge Senacheryb. Than offered I thy prayer to our lorde god. Thobie .iiij. Also we rede in the fourth booke of kynges the .vi. chaptre. That the prophete Helyzee was sodaynly by nyght besyeged in the Cyte of Dothaym with the oost of the kynge of Syrye In the morowe the seruaunt of He­lyzee sawe the oost about the Cyte & he was full sory & sayd to his mays­ter Helyzee. Alas alas alas what shal we do / we be so besyeged with our ennemyes y ^t we may not escape. Than Helyzee sayd to hym. Drede ye not / for we haue more folke with vs than they haue with them. Than Helyzee prayed to god that he wolde open the eyen of that seruaunt / that he myght see what helpe Helyzee had with hym And anone he sawe the hylles about Helyzee full of horse & charettes brennynge as fyre & a grete people aray­de to batayll / that was the oost of angellys sent of god for kepynge of Helyzee / through whos helpe the prophete Helyzee ledde all the oost that had besyeged hym in to the Cyte of Sa­marye amonges all ther enemyes / for they were so blent that they wyst not whether they went. They come to take Helyzee / and Helyzee toke theym with helpe of angels and dyde with them what he wolde. And therfor Dauyd sayth. Montes in circuitu eius et dn̄s in circuitu ppli sui. The hylles / that is to saye / the angellys be about the good man and the good woman to kepe them / and god is about his [Page] people to saue theym. And therfore saynt Cecyle sayd to her husbonde Valaryan I haue goddes angell that loueth me full well / and kepeth my bo­dye with grete suerte that noo man shall defoule me. And yf thou wyll by foule loue defoule me / he shall [...]lee the. And yf thou loue me with clene loue and wyll kepe my maydenhode hole & clene / he shall loue the as well as me. And whan thou art crystened thou shalt see him. Anone her husbonde Valeryan by her coūseyll went and was crystened of the bysshop saynt Vrban And whan he was crystened / he cam ayen & foūde saynt Cecyle pray­enge in closet / & the angell standynge besydes her with wynges & fethers ful bryght / & his face shone & glymered as the flāme of fyre. He had in eyther hande a garlonde made of roses & lelyes full fayre & tresshe and full swete in smellynge. He gaaf vnto saynt Cecyle one an other to Valeryan and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodye & of soule. For why sayd he I haue brought thē out of paradyse And ye shall knowe by this token / for they shall alwaye be grene & fresshe / & neyther welke ne fade / ne lese ther swete sauour / and no man ne woman may see them / but they that loue clenne s;se and chastyte as ye doo. We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Agnes that whan she was but .xiij. yere of age / suffered deth for the loue of god / and for the loue of chastyte / fo [...] she wolde not assent to be wedded to the grete lordes sone of Rome / for he was he­then. And also for she wolde kepe her mayndenhode to cryste. She was made naked & ledde to the bordell house to be defouled of synfull wretches. But sodaynly her here wexe soo mo­che that it hylled and hydde all her bodye. And whan she cam to the bor­dell house her good angell was redy and brought her a clothe as whyte as snowe full mete to her bodye / and be lapped her with so grete lyght y ^t ther myght no man loke vpon her / ne no man durste entre the place. Thanne the lordes sone as ful hardy ran in to that lyght for to defoule her. And a­none the fende whom he wolde haue serued / slough hym. But saynt Ag­nes with her prayer to god and helpe of her good angell reysed hym from deth to lyfe / to shame & shenshyp of all hethen people. For anone he went out of that house & cryed openly that there was no god but cryste / and des­spysed her mawmettes and ther false byleue. Also whan saynt Agace was buryed / her angell in the lykenesse of a yonge man clothed in clothe of syl­ke with an hondred yonge men al clothed in whyte / that were angels also / or ellys holy soules came to the bery­enge & layde a stone of marble vp­on her graue with a wrytynge of grete confort to all y ^• contre / & went not thens tyll all the buryenge was do / & neuer after was see ony of all that cō pany Also the good angell brake the wheles that sholde haue slayne saynt Katheryne. And whan she was deed for goddes sake y ^• angels toke her bo­dye & bare it in the erthe in to y ^• moū te of Synay & ther buryed it worshyp [Page] fully. And therfor leue frende I praye you y ^• ye haue sayntes in heuen & ho­ly angels in reuerence & deuocyon / for they be to vs fader & moder as I say­de fyrste. Worshyp ye our lady moder & mayde aboue all next after god / & than other sayntes bothe man & wo­man and holy angels as god gyueth you grace / worshyp ye them / not as god / but as our tutours defendours & kepers & our leders & gouernours vnder god & meanes bytwene god & vs that is fader of all & souerayne Iuge to queme hym and to praye for vs to gete vs grace to do well & forgyuenes of our mysdede. And therfore Dauyd sayth. Pro hac .id est ꝓmissione peccati orabit ad te oēs scūs in temꝑe oportuno Euery saynt shall praye to the lorde in behofull tyme for mercy and forgyuenesse of synne. And leue fren­de praye ye hertely to your angell as to hym y ^• is next you & hath moost cure of you & is moost besy to saue you vnder god. And yf ye wyl folowe his gouernaūce & truste in hȳ in all goodnes / & w ^t reuerence & clennes praye ye hȳ faythfully / playne you to hȳ & speke ye to hym homely to be your helpe as he is your tutour & keper assygned of god & saye ye oft that holy prayer. Angele qui meus es & [...].

Caplm .xxiiij.

DIues. Thy speche pleaseth me well & thy wordes be good and deuoute / but I parye the saye forth of this cōmaundement yf thou can more. ¶Pauper. Also by this cōmaūdement men of holy chir­che be boūde to worshyp ther patro­nes. For the patron of the chirche is fader of the chirche & of the benefyce in that that he begynneth it of noughte xvi.q̄.vij.pia in glosa. ¶Diues. For whiche thynges is a man called patron. ¶Pauper. For thre thynges For foundacyon that is gyuynge of groūde / for the fyrste dotacyon / & for makynge of the fyrste chirche. Patronum faciunt dos edificacio fundus. ¶Diues What worshyp ought men of holy chirche to do to ther patrons / & what ryght longeth to the patron. ¶Pauper. It longeth to hym for to present a persone able & gyue the chirche & the benefyce by waye of al­mes to whome he thynketh able by assent of the bysshop. Also it longeth to hym to mayntene the chirche & to kepe it fro dylapydacyon & from de­struccyon & from all maner wronges as a good fader & a good tutour & as a true aduocate to kepe & defende the chirche & the mynystres of the chir­che from all wronges & dyseases vp­on his power. And yf he fynde perso­ne vyker or curate or ony other clerke or prelate mysusynge the benefyce in whiche he is patron / he ought to a­mende them in fayre maner yf he may. And yf he may not he ought to tell the bysshop therof / or some of his offycers / to whom longeth the correc­cōn of suche defautes. And yf the bysshop do not his deuoure ne his offyceres he shal tell it to the archebysshop And but he do his deuour he shal tell it to kynge.xvi.q̄.vij filijs. And therfore men of holy chirche that be [Page] auaūc [...]d by ther patrons muste nede­ly do they. patrons worshyp & haue theym in reuerence by waye or kyn­denes / & for nede of helpe to be mayntened in ther [...]yght. And also for dre­de of th [...]r offence. For yf they mysbere them / ther patrons may depryue them of ther benefyce by assent of the bysshop / & in [...]aas ayenst the bysshoppes wyl [...]. Also it longeth to men of holy chirche to susteyne ther patrons & ther childern whan they fall to nede And yf they be taken prysoners to helpe to paye ther raūsome.xvi.q̄.vij. qcū (que).Ex.li.iij de iure patronatꝰ ca­nobis fuit. Et .x.ij. q̄ .i. aplicos & [...]. sa­cro (rum) et ibidē q̄.ij.aureu. And it lon­geth to men of holy chirche to do ther patrons worshypp / in lyttynge / in go­ynge / & put them before in syttynge in goynge .xvi q̄ vij. p [...]a mentis. And it longeth to the patron to haue the pryncypall place & sytte pryncypally in his chirche. Tabula iuris dictione pat [...]onatꝰ. And for worshyp of the patron & his ease the preest may synge two masses in one daye. Extra.li.iij. de celebracōe missa (rum) consuluisti. And whan the patron presenteth a perso­ne to the bysshop / whiche persone he wyll auaūce / the bysshop is bounde to resceyue that persone / but yf he be proued & knowen for a wycked man and vnable.xvi.q̄.vij monasteriū. Also y ^• patron may in his foūdacyon before the halowynge of the chirche reserue to hym a certayne rente by yere by assente of the bysshop to resceyue it of y ^• chirche. Ex de iure pat ^•. t. p̄terea. Et hostiensis in sū. sua li.iij. e. ti. ^• Also yf a prelate be chosen in a chirche colle­gyat / as in a [...] abbay / pryory / ha [...]try he shall by y ^• lawe be presented to [...]he patron or that he be confermed / & yf he be vnable / he may & ought to with stande the confyrmacyon. Ec.de [...]ure patronatus ca nobis fuit.et.xvi.q̄.vij filus. Also he may in his foudacyon of the chirche collegyat reserue to hȳ to be in the eleccyon of the prelate of the chirche with assent of the bysshop or of the pope by the same lawe / but he muste shewe that wryten whan he wyll vse it. Hostiensis li.iij.Ru.de iu­re patronatus. Et tabula [...]uris dictione patronatus. Et extra de iure pa­tronato nobis fuit in glosa. ¶Diues Patrons fynde full ofte ther au [...]ūces full vnkynde to them & full proude. And therfore many a patrone may saye. Filios exaltaui et enutriui.ipsi autem spreuerunt me. Ysaye primo. I haue auaūced childern & brought them vp of nought and they haue despysed me. ¶Pauper. Suche vn­kynde men of holy chirche but they amende them they shall haue goddes curse / that he gaaf to all suche in the same chaptre. Ve gēti peccatrici pplo graui iniqtate semini neꝙ filijs sceleratis Woo be to the synfull people heuy through wyckednes / to the wycked sede / to the vnkynde synfull childern. ¶Diues. Yf a chirche be destroyed / & a man do it make ayen of his coste / shall that man be called patrone of the chirche. ¶Pauper. Ye though he doo make it ayen of the same mater that it was made of byfore. And the patron that was byfore patron one­ly [Page] by makynge of the chirche or gy­uynge of the groūde leseth his ryght of the patronage. But yf he were patrone by dotacyon he leseth not his ryght of patronage. In tabula iuris patronatꝰ. Yf the patrone vary in his representacōn presentynge fyrste one & sythen an other / it standeth in y ^• do­me & wyll of the bysshop to resceyue whiche he wyll. Though the patron of layfe present a persone vnable / he leseth not his ryght of rep̄sentacōn ne ought to lese it. But yf a college pre­sent a persone vnable / in y ^• he leseth his ryght of presentacōn for that ty­me. And yf a clerke present a persone vnable he is worthy to lese his ryght of presentacyon for that tyme. Extra de electione cū in cūctis. The patron of the layfe may abyde but four mo­nethes of his presentacōn. The col­lege & the clerke patrone may abyde six monethes / & yf they passe ther ty­me by retchelesnesse or by bryge / the bysshop shall ordeyne for y ^t chirche & benefyce. Noo man ought to presente hymselfe. The patron may lefull present his sone / his neuewe / & ony of his kynne / yf they be able & power. And yf a patrone be poore & nedy / the bysshop may gyue hym that benefyce in whiche he is patron / & he may take it of his gyfte / so that y ^t gyfte come on­ly of the bysshoppes free wyl / without ony procurynge of hymselfe. Hostien sis li.iij.de iure patronatus.

Caplm .xxv.

DIues. I thanke the for thou haste tolde me more of this cō ­maūdement than euer I herde byfore But yet me meruayleth moche why y ^t god byddeth not men do almesdede to straūgers & to other folke at nede in none of all the ten cōmaūdemen­tes. For but men be bounde therto by goddes cōmaūdement. I holde it no dedely synne to leue it. Ne men sholde not be dampned for they dyde it not. ¶Pauper. By this cōmaundement p [...]yncypaly we be boūde to helpe al nedy tolke vpon our power. For by this cōmaūdement we be boūde to shewe pyte to all men. ¶Diues. Cōtra / god speketh in this comaūdement only of worshyp y ^t longeth to fader & moder. ¶Pauꝑ. That worshyp standeth in two thynges / in affeccōn of herte thȳ kynge / & in dede doynge. By affeccōn of herte we sholde loue all men & we­men w ^t drede to offende them vnskylfully By dede doyng we sholde do al men reuerence after ther degre & help them in nede as we wolde be holp ourself. And therfor saynt Peter byddeth vs worshyp al men / & saynt Poul byddeth y ^t eche man & womā do put other before in worshyp / for eche mā ought to holde w ^t others fad in some degre

Caplm .xxvi.

DIues. Why so. ¶Pauꝑ. For eche man passeth other in so­me degre of worshyp / & in y ^t he is his fad / or in beynge / or in wysdome / or in goodnes. In beyng we haue many faders. For some be fads of oure fyrst beyng as our bodely faders & moders y ^t vs begate. Some be faders in well beynge / and that in two ma­ners [Page] / for some ghoostly some bodely. In well beynge ghoostly / be our fa­ders prelates of holy chirche & al y ^t haue cure of our soules. In wel beynge bodely be our faders all that haue cure & gouernaūce of our bodye and of our lyuynge in this worlde / as kyn­ges prynces lordes & suche other. Al­so all that be elder in age & had ther beynge before vs / be our faders. Fa­ders in wysdome be prechours techers men of lawe clerkes and men of age whiche by longe experyence knowe more than theyr yonger. Faders in goodnes be all holy men / & all y ^t pas­se vs in goodnes. And for that eche man ought to deme other better than hymself / therfore eche man ought to worshyp other as fader in goodnes / but yf open malyce make hym lyke a beest & no man. And therfore saynt Poule sayth. Suꝑiores sibi inuicē ar­bitrantes. Euery man & woman de­me other his souerayn in goodnesse. Ad Philip̄ .ij. For as the glose sayth there. Though we seme souerayne to other by some goodnesse and dygnyte that is in vs openly knowen / yet ther may be some goodnesse preuely in another of lower degre / in whiche goodne s;se he is our souerayne in goddes syght. ¶Diues. Why is this cōmaū ­dement gyuen with a byhest of helth & more welfare than ony of the other cōmaūdementes. For he sayth thus / worshyp thy fader & moder that thou may lyue longe vpon erth & fare wel in the londe that thy lorde god shall gyue the. Deut ^• vi. ¶Pauꝑ. For syth god behoteth so grete mede for kepynge of this cōmaūdemēt that is moost naturall / & wherto man & woman is moost enclyned by waye of kynde / he sheweth well y ^t men sholde haue moche mede for kepynge of other cōmaū deme t y ^t be not so naturall. And by y ^• mede assygned for kepynge / god she­weth well what payne man & womā shall haue for y ^e brekyng / y ^t is to saye short lyue vpon erth & euyll fare / both here & in y ^• londe of deth / & after lese y ^t londe of lyf without ende & wende to y ^• londe of wo & of derkenes. Terrā miserie et tenebra (rum). And for y ^t this cō mau dement is pryncypall of y ^• seconde table / & in maner encludeth all six folowynge / thorfore to this cōmaūdement he knytteth the mede for the kepynge of all / & payne for brekynge of all. For after he behoteth many dyuerse medes to theym y ^t kepe his byhestes & many myscheues to theym y ^t breke them. And all they be cōprehended in this shorte byhest knyt to this cōmaū deme t. For y ^• byheste is moost cōuenyent to this cōmaūdemēt. For as saynt Poule sayth / ruth pyte & almesdede is good for al thynges & hath his mede both in this worlde & also in y ^• other worlde y ^t is comynge. ¶Diues. She­we me that. ¶Pauꝑ. For it is good reason that they lyue longe / whiche mayntene well theym that be begyn­nynge of ther lyfe / that is fader and moder. For whan the rote of the tree fayleth by defaute of the tree aboue / than the tree shal soone fayle and se­re vp. And it is not worthy that he lyue longe ne fare well that worshyp­peth not them ne helpe them by whom [Page] he lyueth & hath his lyfe & his welfare And he that worshyppeth not the begynnynge of his beynge is worthy soone to lese his beynge. And he that helpeth other with his good to lyue longe good lyfe / is worthy to haue good & good lyfe.

Caplm .xxvij.

ALso good frende ye shall vn­derstande that god sayth these wordes not onely to euery persone by hymself / but he sayd them to all the people and to euery people as to one persone / not only for wor­shyppynge of theyr flesshely fader & moder / but also for worshyppynge of ther souerayns in ther degre as I sayd before For why as longe as ony peple is burum & meke to ther souerayns / & wyll folowe her gouernaūce / & worshyp men after ther degre / and euery man be payd w ^t his owne degre & do the dute of his degre / so longe y ^• peo­ple is able to kepe y ^t londe y ⁱ god hath gyuen theym to lyue good lyfe. But whan they wyll rebelle ayenst theyr souerayns & wyll not stande to theyr ordynaūce but euery man wyll be his owne man & folowe his owne fantasyes / despyse his souerayns ther dome & gouernaūce / ne gyue no tale of goddes lawe ne of londes lawe ne of ho­ly chirche lawe / ne haue men of dtue & of dygnyte in worshyp / but for pryde haue them in despyte & be besy to worshyp themself in hynderyng of o­ther that people is able to the swerde & able to lese his londe. For as ye see at the eye in tyme of tempest / though the bowes of the tree bete themself to gydre & all to breste & fall downe as longe as y ^• rote of the tree kepeth him fast in his place & ryseth not / so longe y ^• tree shal not fall. But whan y ^• rote begyn to ryse out of his place / anone y ^• tree begyn to fall. Ryght thus it fareth by y ^• people of a londe. Though tempest of pryde / of couetyse / of enuye of lechery fa [...] sōtyme in y ^• croppe of y ^• tre [...] y ^t is to say amonge lordes & soue­rayns & grete men / yf y ^• poore people y ^t is rote of y ^• tree & of all y ^• comonte kepe them styl in lownes & do mekely ther dute to god kepynge his cōmaū ­dement & y ^• good preceptis of ther souerayns so longe is hope y ^t the people shal fare well after y ^t tempest & not be destroyed / but yf they ryse ayenst god by customable dedly synnes / & ayenst ther worldely souerayns / & wyll entecmete them of euery cause of y ^t londe & of holy chirche / & termine euery cause by ther wytt bodye & crop of y ^• tree shal falle. For it is not possyble y ^t the rote sholde be so hyghe as the crop of the tre / but y ^• tre fell. Ne y ^t the fote sholde be aboue y ^• hede / but the body felle ¶Diues. This is full soth / we see it at y ^• eye for pryde & rebellyon of y ^• poore peple is cause of destruccōn of this londe. For sythen they aresen ayenst ther souerayns was ther neuer staby­lyte in this lōde / but alwaye syth y ^• tre of y ^• peple of this lōde & y ^• realme hath stande in fallynge. ¶Pauper. Vn­buxūnesse & pryde was pryncypal cause of lesynge of londes & of realmes And pryncypally the cause of salua­cyon of realmes londes & comontees [Page] is obedyence & buxumnesse that eche man in his degree obeye to his soue­rayn & worshyp hym as fader. And therfore leue frende I praye you for goddes sake y ^t ye worshyp all your faders & moders in theyr degre / as I haue sayd. And haue ye olde folk & feble in worshyp whyle ye be in yonge age & worshyp ye the age that ye drawe to & haue no scorne of the olde folke for feblenes & vnclennes y ^t ye see them in. But thynke ye that suche ye shall be yf ye abyde theyr age / feble vnour­ne & loth to the syght. For suche as ye be now suche were they somtyme. It fareth by age of man & woman as it doth by a precyous stone y ^t is called crysolitus. This stone as the mayster sayth of kyndes in the begynnynge of the daye it shyneth bryght as ony golde / but as the daye passeth so passeth his bryghtnesse / & the nerer euen the more it fadeth / so y ^• by euen it is lyke a clot of erth. Thus fareth by man & woman in this worlde. For in theyr youth & in theyr begynnyng they be fayre rede & rody and fresshe as a rose in May full lusty to the eye But as youth passeth so passeth ther beaute. And as they olde / so they fade tyll at the laste the daye of theyr lyfe cometh to an ende / and than be they but a clot of erth full vnourne & gas­tely to the syght.

And begynneth the fyfthe Ca­pitulum Pr m si.

DIues. As me thyn­keth / thou hast enfor­med me well in these tour cōmaundemen­tes. Now I praye the for charyte that thou wylt enforme me in y ^• fyfth. ¶Pauper The fyfth cōmaūdement is this Non occides. That is to saye / y ^u shalt not slee. In whiche cōmaūdemēt god forbedeth vs all maner manslaught vnleful both bedely & goostly. He byddeth vs y ^t we slee no man ne woman vnryghtfully ayenst y ^• lawe / neyther with herte consentyng to his deth / ne by wrath & hate. For as saynt Iohn sayth. Qui odit frēm suū homicidia ē He y ^t hateth his brother is a man sleer for of wrath & hate cometh māslaughter Also by this cōmaūdement he for­bydeth betyng / fyghtyng / & maynyng prysonyng / banysshyng / outlawynge. For these & suche other be a maner of deth & dyspose to deth warde / & therfor it sholde not be do to man ne womā without grete gylt. Also he forbedeth y ^• we sle no man ne woman with our tonge / hym hynderyng & procurynge his deth / ne fauour gyuynge / ne false wytnesse berynge / ne lesynges makynge / ne by dyffamynge ne bacbytynge For bacbyters and wycked spekers be manquellers. And therfore sayth Salomon That moche folke hath falle by the sworde / but not so many as haue be slayne by the tonge. Eccl .xxviij And therfore he sayth. Prouer.xviij. That lyfe and deth be in the handes of the tonge. That is to saye in the myght of the tonge. For by handes [Page] in holy wryt is vnderstande myght & power. And therfore Dauyd sayth. Lingua eo (rum) gladiꝰ acutus. The ton­ge of y ^• Iewes & of other wycked spekers is a sharpe sworde. For y ^• Iewes slowe cryste w ^t ther tonges not with ther hondes. For they procured his de­the by false wytnesse / & by excytynge of the people. But paynyms slowe hym with theyr hondes & dyde hym on the crosse. And yet as saynt Austen sayth. The Iewes were more gylty of crystus deth / than Pylate that dampned hym to the deth / or the knyghtes that dyde hym on the crosse. For with her tonges the Iewes slo [...]e hym and were cause of his deth. And therfore sayth the lawe / that he that sleeth his brother with his honde / & he that hateth his brother / & he that bacbyteth his brother all th [...]e be mansleers. Depe di.i. homicidia (rum). The bacbyter sleeth thre attones / he sleeth hym self by his owne malyce / & hym that he­reth hym / & hym that hath lykynge in his false tales / & hym that he bac­byteth. For he maketh hym to lese his good name / & peraduenture his lyfe. He maketh hym also to lese cha­ryte / whan he knoweth his wycked speche that he hath sayd behynde hȳ & so bylesyng of charyte he leseth god y ^t is his lyfe of his soule And therfor the wyse man lykeneth the bacbyter to the adder that byteth & styngeth in stylnesse. Eccl .x. A shrewed adder is the bacbyter that sleeth thre with one breth. Therfore Salomon sayth. Ktepe ye you from bacbytynge of y ^• parted tonge. For a wycked worde sayd in preuy / shal not passe in vayne and without woo. For the moneye sayth he that lyet sleeth the soule. Sapie. i.

Caplm .ij.

DIues. Io flaterynge ony goostly maslaughter ¶Pauper In so moche as it sleeth the soule bothe of hym that flatereth & of hym that is flatered / in so moch it is goostly manslaughter. ¶Diues Is euery flaterynge goostly mansla­ughter & dedely [...]ynne. ¶Pauper. Naye. For flate [...]ynge is [...]peche of vayne pray ynge sayd to man or woman with Intencyon to please them And that may b [...] do in thre maners / as praysynge man or woman in go­denesse & in good that he hath. Or ellys pray ynge them in goodnesse and good that they haue not Or els praysynge them in threwydnesse & false­nesse / of whiche maner flaterynge speketh Dauyd & sayth. Qm̄ lauda [...] peccatur in desiderijs [...]ie sue & iniquꝰ benedice [...]. Forsothe sayth he the syn­ner is praysed in desyres of his soule & the wycked man is blessyd of folys For whan threwes haue forth theyr wyll in shrewdenesse / than the worlde prayseth them & worshyppeth theym The fyrste maner of praysynge yf it be do only to please man & not god it is synne & in case dedely synne. And therfor saynt Poule sayth / that yf he wolde only please man & not god / he were not cryste seruaūt But it be do to plese god & for a good ende it is comendable and medefull. For in good folke vertue that is praysed wexeth. [Page] Virtus lauda [...] crescit. But this ma­ner praysynge is no flaterynge. The seconde maner of praysynge yf it be do for god & for a good ende it is suf­ferable / & in cas [...]cōmendable & mede­full. But yf it be do wetyngly / onely to please man & not god / it is dedely synne. The thyrde maner of praysynge / yf it be do wyllynge & wetynge it is dedely synne. And therfor Dauyd sayd. Oleū pccōris nō ipinguet caput meū. Lorde god sayth he / lete not the oyle of the synner make fatte my he de / y ^t is to saye / lete my herte neuer haue no lykynge ne Ioye in false flate­ [...]ynge. For as saynt Austen sayth / the tonge of y ^• flaterer doth more harme than y ^t swerde of y ^• enmye pursuynge Therfor Salomon sayth it is better to be vndernomen of the wyse man / than be desceyued by flaterynge of foles Eccl .vij. This lynne of flateryng is so grete & greuous y ^t yf ony man of holy chirche were customable therin / he sholde be degraded. Also yf he were a traytour or a teller of shryfte. distinc . xlvi. clericꝰ. God gyueth curs to all false flaterers saynge in this wyse Ve q̄ consuūt puluillos sub oim cubi to manus et faciūt ceruicalia sub ca­pite vniuerse etatis ad capiendū aias Who be to theym y ^t so we smale softe pelowes vnder euery elbowe / & make pelowes vnder the hede of euery age to take y ^t soules of my people. They quyckened soules y ^t were not quycke / but depe in dedely synne / & so defou­led me before my people. For bycause of ther flaterynge they gyuen no tale of me / ne drede me / ne worshypp me. For an handfull of barly sayth he & for a gobbet of brede they slough soules that were not deed / & they quyckened soules that lyued not / makynge lesynges to my people that loued le­synges. And they conforted synners in theyr synne & in ther falsenesse / & dysconforted good folke in theyr go­denes & in theyr t [...]outh. Eze.xiij.

Caplm .iij.

DIues. This vyce of flate­rynge regneth full moche in this londe. For the people is so blent with flaterynge & lesynges / that they see not the myscheef y ^t they be in. And therfore they lyue forth in pryde & not lowe them to god ne pray to god for helpe as they sholde do / yf they knewe ther myscheefuousnesse y ^t they be in. ¶Pauper. Therfor god sayth. Popule meus q [...] te beatū dicūt. ipsi te decipiūt et viam gressuū tuo (rum) dissipant. My people they y ^• see that thou art blessyd & in welth / they dys­ceyue the & destroye the waye of thy goynge / that thou myght not forthe / ne haue noo spede in thy werkes for defaute of grace. Ysaye .iij. ¶Diues. What is vnderstande by the pelowes that god speketh of ayenst flaterers. ¶Pauper. As saynt Gregory sayth Moraliū .xviij. suꝑ illud Iob .xvij. Donec deficiam nō recedam & [...]. He that prayseth man or woman in his wycked werke / he layeth his pelowe vnder his elbowe. And he that glad­deth the herte of the synner in his synne he layeth a pelowe vnder his hede For by the hede is vnderstande y ^• her [Page] For why by suche flaterynge they reste softely & slepe in theyr synne & deye ghoostly without payne and perceyue not her owne deth And therfor Salomon sayth. That he that Ius­tefyeth the wycked man & dampned the ryghtful man / both they be abhomynable to god. Prouer .xvij. Ther­fore god lykeneth flaterers to theym that playstren & paynten walles and wowes without. For thynge that is foule they make it to seme fayre and make folke to haue lykynge in her synnes. Therfore god sayth that the synner maketh the walle of synne bytwene hym & god. But flaterers playsteren and paynten the walle of syn­ne. Eze .xiij. Also flaterers be lykened to an adder that is called dypsa whiche as the mayster of kyndes sayth▪ li. xviij. He is so lytyll that though a man trede theron he may not see it. But his venym is so vyolent that it sleeth a man or he fele it / & he deyeth without payne. Ryght so flaterynge semeth but a small synne / & yet it is full venemous & sleeth mannes soule or he fele it / and without payne bryngeth hym to endeles payne. Flaterers be lykened to an adder that is called tyrus whiche is leste of all adders / & yet his venym is not curable as sayth the mayster of kynde in the same place Ryght so flaterynge semeth but a full lytyll synne / and yet it is so venemous y ^t it wyll not lyghtly be heled. For whan a man or woman hath lykynge in flaterynge & ruleth his lyfe after flaterynge tonge / it is full har­de to that man or woman to be sa­ued. For as longe as men pra [...]sen hȳ in his synne / soo longe he is [...]olde in his synne. And yf men begynne to lacke hym / he falleth in to sorowe & dyspayre. Therfore sayth saynt Ia­mes. That the tonge is but a lytyll membre / and reyseth vp grete dysease it is a wycked thynge that hath noo reste full of dedely venym. Iacobi. iij. And the prophete Dauyd sayth. Acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentes. venenū aspidum sub labijs eo (rum). They haue sharped her tonges as addres / the venym of addres is vnder the lyppes of flaterers and wycked spekers. And yf a man doo his dedes only for to be prased and flatered of the peo­ple / flaterynge is his mede. And whan flaterynge cesseth and the wynde tourneth ayenst hym / he hath noo lenger lykynge in good dedes. And so as the gospell sayth / for that he se­keth thanke in praysynge onely of man for his good dedes & not of god Therfore all suche be lykened to the fyue maydens foles that wolde mete with theyr husbonde cryste Ihesu at the dome with lampes without oyle. That is to saye / w ^t good dedes without ghoostly myrthe and Ioye & con­scyence. For they had no Ioye in ther good dedes / but in praysynge and flaterynge of the people. And therfore cryste sayth in the gospell. They ha­ue take ther mede in this worlde / and at the dome they shall be shette out of heuen blysse from endeles mede / bothe flaterers & they that haue ly­kynge in flaterynge / and do ther de­des only for flaterynge & praysynge [Page] of the people. But the fyue wyse may dens as the gospell sayth hadden oyle in theyr lampes. That is to saye ghoostly Ioye & lykynge in her good dedes. And therfore they shall be res­ceyued of ther husbonde cryste in to y ^• blysse without ende. And as saynt Austen sayth in his sermon / by oyle is vnderstande both ghoostly praysynge and worldely praysynge and myrthe Ghoostly praysynge & ghoostly myrthes is called the oyle of y ^• holy goost But worldely prysynge and worldely myrthe is called the oyle of synners. And therfore he sayth that flaterers selle oyle to the maydens folys / that is to saye to synners as often as they flater them & prayse theym in theyr foly & in ther pryde for to haue mete or drynke or moneye or worshyp / or ony temporall lucre / & so brynge them in errour & foly and please & prayse theym in ther synne. But as Dauyd sayth. Deus dissipauit ossa eo (rum) qui hommibus placent. God hath des­troyed & shall destroye the bones of them that please men in despyte of god & desceyue men & wemen by fla­terynge / wycked tonges do moche harme and slee many soules / but the flaterynge tonge is worste of all. And therfore the wyse man sayth. Susur­to et biliguis erit maledictus a deo. Eccl .xxviij. The musterer & the double tonged man shall be acursed of god / for he troubled moche folke that haue peas. The thyrde tonge sayth he hath styred & moeued moche peo­ple out of peas & dysparpled theym fro nacyon in to nacyon.

Caplm .iiij.

DIues. What is susurro that is called a musterer. ¶Pauper It is a preuy rowner / that pryuely telleth false tales amonges the people for to make dyscencōn and debate amonges the people / and telle tales pryuely whiche he dare not telle openly ne may not auowe them. Of whiche folke saynt Poule sayth. Susurrones detractores deo odibiles. Ad Romanos .i. Suche musterers & bachyters god hateth them. For su­surro is a preuy bachyter and a preuy lyer that maketh debate amonges frendes. And as the wyse man sayth. God hateth all tho that sowen dys­corde amonges bretheren & frendes. Prouer .vi. And as he sayth in an o­ther place / suche preuy musterers de­foule ther soule / and they shall be ha­ted of all both of god & of al the courte of heuen. Eccl .xxi. And therfor god sayth. Non eris susurro nec crimina­tor in populis. Thou shalt be no musterer amonges the people to lette le­ue & peas / ne thou shalt be noo tale teller ne blabbe to defame man or woman falsely or ony synne that is pre­uy. Leuitici .xix. Suche preuy muste­rers and bachyters make dyscencyon and heuynesse in euery comonte / in e­uery husholde / in euery company. And therfore whan they be knowen for suche they sholde be put out of compa­ny / or ellys chastysed. For the wyse man sayth / whan the wood is with­drawe the fyre abateth and is quen­ched. Right soo sayth he withdrawe [Page] suche preuy musterers and bachyters and put them out of company / and chydynge and debate shall cesse. Pro­uer. xxvi. ¶Diues. What is bilinguis that thou called a double tonge man ¶Pauper. Bilinguis and the dou­ble tonged man is he that sayth one thynge with his mouth / & thynketh an other in his herte / and he that speketh good before a man / and behyn­de hym he speketh hym euyll / he that sayth a truthe one tyme / and an other tyme he forsaketh it / as he that is vnstable in speche / and now sayth one and now an other. Of suche god speketh and sayth. Os bilingue detestor Prouerbio (rum) .viij. Iwlate and lothe the mouthe that is double tonged. ¶Diues. What called the wyse man the thyrde tonge that doth so moche woo. ¶Pauper. The thyrde tonge is the flaterynge tonge whiche is the worste of all. For euery flaterer that flatereth man or woman in his syn­ne / he is a flaterer / he is a bachyter / he is a double tonged / and so he may be called in latyn trilinguis / that is tre­ble tonged in Englysshe. The flate­rer blyndeth so the folke that he fla­teret / that they take no hede to theymselfe ne to god / ne knowe not them­self & waxe so proude that they gyue no tale of ther euen crysten. Also the flaterer lacketh and bachyteth al tho that he hateth / whom he flatereth so to please hym / & hyndereth an other mannes name to enhaunce his name and so maketh dyscorde & dyscencōn Also flaterers be double tonged. For as lyghtely as they praysen man or woman / as lyghtely they wyll lacke theym yf they fayle of ther purpose and haue no lucre by ther flaterynge as they wende haue had. For comonly grete praysers be grete lackers / and as moche as they prayse man or wo­man out of mesure by flaterynge / as moche they wyll lacke hȳ or an other by bachytyng. Therfor Seneca sayth Lauda parce. vitupera perciꝰ. Prayse scarsely / but lacke more scarsely. For these reasons Salomon sayth / that the thyrde tonge hath styred moche in to pryde / and so made them falle in shame and shenshyp and dysparpled them fro nacyon to nacyon. It hath destroyed walled townes / & dolue vp the houses of grete lordes. It hath kyt awaye the myght and the vertue of people that were full stronge and made them feble. For flaterers make townes nacyons & lordes bolde to be gynne warres / plees & debate / by whi­che they come to nought. For they be so blent by flaterynge and ouerpray­synge that they knowe not themself / but wene to ouerlede all men tyll att the laste they be destroyed themselfe. Also as the wyse man sayth / the thyr de tonge hath caste stronge woman / that is to saye good weman syker & vertuous out of ther vertue / and pry­ued theym and put them from theyr trauayles. For whan a good woman hath trauayleth moche of hyr lyfe to please god & to haue a good name / cometh a false flaterer in gyle & with flaterynge wordes and fayre byhestes of matrymony / or of rychesses bryn­geth hyr to synne & dooth hyr to lese [Page] hyr good name & bryngeth hyr to shame & velony. And therfore sayth the wyse man in the same place. Ecclesi. xxviij. That who soo taketh hede to the flaterynge tonge / that is the thyr de tonge to haue lykynge therin / he shall neuer haue reste. And he shall haue no frende in whom he may reste ne truste / for flaterers be no true frendes / but all blynde as men that they may not knowe ther frendes / ne take hede to the speche of theyr frendes y ^t wolde saye theym the soche & warne theym of ther harme.

Caplm .v.

DIues. That many a good woman is deceyued & destroy de by flaterynge men knowe well. But that flaterynge destroyed cytees / lordes / houses / nacōns / & dy [...]per pled them from nacyon to nacyon I see not / but I praye the telle some en­sample. ¶Paup. As we fynde in the fourth boke of kynges & the boke of Ieremye. For the childern of Israell wolde not here y ^• wordes of Ieremye & of other true prophetes / ne do there after / but had lykynge in flaterynge of false ꝓphet whiche behyght them welth & prosperyte for to plese the people / therfore was the cyte of Ierusalē destroyed & nyghe all the cytees and castellys of the londe. The kynge se­dechye was taken & his childern slayne byfore hym / and after his eyen were put out. All the lordes & the genty­les of the londe eyther they were slayne or ellys ledde prysoners in to Ba­byloyn. The people was slayne with honger moreyn and swerde. And all tho that were lefte a lyue after y ^t the cyte of Ierusalē was taken were dys­parpled in dyuerse nacyons / & slayne in dyuerse maner / for they trusted al­waye in flaterynge of false prophetes and sloughe Ieremye & other good prophetes that sayd them the truthe and wolde haue saued them. And I dare saye that flaterynge of false prophetes & precho [...]rs / and of other spe­kers that blynde the people with ple­saunt lesynges / ne wyll not vndo to them ther wyckednesse / is pryncypall cause of destruccōn of many realmes londes people & cytees vnto this daye as we myght see at eye yf flaterynge and lesynges blent vs not. ¶Diues. Men preche these dayes ful wel ayenste synne. ¶Pauper. Some do so / but ayenst the grete synne y ^t all the londe is entryked in / & all crystendome knoweth & is open cause of our myscheef ayenst that no man precheth but ny­ghe al be about to maynten it. ¶Diues Whiche synne is that ¶Pauper Often haue I tolde the / but y ^• byleuest me not. Go ouer the see & there men shall telle it the yf y ^• axe. We fynde in the thyrde boke of kynges / y ^t the kynge of Israell whos name was Achab was styred to besyege the cyte of Ra­mathygalaad & so begynne warre a­yenst the kyng of Syrye / this Achab sent after. iiij. hondred false flaterynge ꝓphetes of his londe / whiche were wont to plese hym & to flater hym & axed them counseyll & how he sholde spede. They flatered hym all & bad hym go and fyght / and sayd that he [Page] sholde spede ryght well & take the cyte and destroye all the londe of Sy­rye. Than at the counseyll of Iose­phat the kynge of Iuda y ^t was come to helpe hym / he sent for Michee goddes ꝓphete to knowe what he wolde saye. And as he came towardes y ^• kyng / the messangere sayd to Michee the prophete. All other ꝓphetes with one mouth telle our lorde the kynge good tydynges & saye that he shall spede ryght well. I praye the saye as they saye. Than the prophete answered / what my lorde god sayth to me / that shall I speke to our lorde the kynge. And whan he came byfore the kynge he sayd to the kynge Achab. I sawe by vyson all the people of Israel dys­spar [...]led in y ^• hylles & scatered aboue as shepe without a shepeherde. Anon the kynge was wroth & sayd that he tolde hȳ neuer good ne welth. Than the prophete sayd. Here the worde of god. I sawe our lorde god syttynge on his sete / and all the oost of heuen standynge besydes hym on the ryght syde & on the lyfte syde. Than sayd our lorde god. Who shal desceyue A­chab kynge of Israell to do hym goo & fyght in Ramath [...]galaad & fall in fyght. Anone a wycked spyryte stode forth & sayd. I shall desceyue hym. Than our lorde axed hym how he sholde desceyue hym. I shall sayd he go out & be aspryte lyer in the mouth of all his false prophetes. Than our lorde god sayd. Thou shalt desceyue hym & thou shalt haue the maystrye of hym. Go forth & do as thou haste sayd. Than the kyng was more wrothe and cōmaunyed hym to prysone. The kynge lefte the counseyll of the prophete Michee & folowed the coun­seyll of his false prophetes / and went to batayle & was slayne / and his people dyscounfyted. ¶Diues. Dauyd speketh moche in his boke of the gy­lous tonge / that is called in latyn. lin gua dolosa. ¶Pauper. The gylous tonge is the flaterynge tonge. For co­monly euery gy [...]e in speche is medled with flaterynge. In gylous speche be two thynges / sleyght & flaterynge And therfor gylous speche is lykened to an anglynge of fysshe. For in the anglynge be two thynges / the hoke & the mete on the hoke. The hoke is the sleyght in speche / the mete on the hoke is flaterynge that draweth man and woman on to the deuylles hoke. Thus Adam & Eue were dysceyued with y ^• fendes speche / for slyly he axed Eue why god bad y ^t they sholde not ete of euery tree in paradyse. And whan he sawe her vnstable & doubtynge he put therto y ^• mete of flaterynge & sayd / y ^t they sholde not deye but be as goddes konwynge good & wycked And so by flaterynge the fende loste all mankynde. Fygure here of we haue in y ^• seconde boke of kynges.xx.ca. where we fynde y ^t Ioab gylously sloughe the noble prynce Amasam with a knyfe craftely made lyghtly to go out of the shethe. And whan he sholde steke hym with the knyfe he toke hym by the chynne and sayd to hym heyle my brother. And for his flaterynge & fayre wordes Amasa toke no hede to the knyfe. And in the same maner [Page] whan Iudas betrayed cryste he sayd in flaterynge & gyle Aue rabi. Heyle thou mayster.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. Thou haste well de­clared the myscheef of flate­rynge tonges. Saye forthe what y ^• wylt. ¶Pauper. Also god forbedeth vs by this cōmaūdement y ^t we slee no man ne woman by our de de hym a mys doynge or hym hur­tynge. And so by this cōmaūdement he forbedeth vs wrathe and wretche / chydynge / despysynge / smytynge / scornynge / and all suche meanes and motyues to manslaughter. ¶Diues. As thou well saydest god forbyddeth not all maner of manslaughter / but only manslaughter vnryghtfully and a­yenst the lawe. For god badde that men sholde not suffre wycked doers lyue in dysease of the people. Malifi­cos nō pacieris viuere. Exo .xxij. And also he bad y ^t we sholde slee noo manne woman ryghtfully and vngylty. Innocentē et iustum nō occides. Exo. xxiij. Therfore I praye the telle me in how many maners a man is slay­ne vnryghtfully. ¶Pauper. On thre maners. Fyrst yf he be slayn without gylte. Also yf he be slayn without or­dre and processe of lawe. Also yf he be slayn without lawfull Iustyce or­deyned of his lege lorde to whom god hath gyuen lyfe and lyme & the swerde to punysshe shrewes / as saynt Poulo sheweth well in his pystle. Ad Romanos xiij. Also yf he be slayn by enmyt / hate / and cruelte for to haue vengeaunce / not for saluacyon of the truthe and of the people.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. Thy speche is resona­ble saye forth. ¶Pauper. Also yf ony man or woman dye for defaute of helpe. Than all that sholde haue holpe them and myght haue holpe them & wyste therof and wolde not helpe theym be gylty of manslaughter. And therfore sayth the lawe. Pasce fame mor [...]entem si non pascis occidis. dis [...]. lxxxvi. pasce. That is to saye. Fede hym that is in poynt to deye for hongre. Yf y ^• wyll not fede hym whan thou myght thou sleest hym. Moche more than they be mansleers that by extorcyon / rauey­ne and ouerledynge by myght frau­de and gyle robbe men of ther good / or withholde men of ther good wherby they sholde lyue / and brynge them so in thought / sorowe / and care / and so haste her deth. Therfore god sayth that suche maner folke as tyrauntes extorcyoners and false men deuoure his people as the mete of brede. De­uorant plehem meam sicut escam panis And therfore he forbydeth them and sayth to theym. Lysten ye pryn­ces and lordes and leders of the peo­ple / to you it longeth to knowe ryght full dome to deme what is good and what is wycked / what is truthe and what is false. But now ye hate good thynges and loue wyked thynges / and lothe goodnesse and loue shre­wednesse. By vyolence and myght ye hylde men and take theyr synnes [Page] from them and take ther flesshe from the boones. These ete the flesshe of my people / & helde awaye ther skyn­nes fro aboue them and breke theyr boones. Mychee .iij. And so all suche be mansleers in goddes syght / for they hast mannes deth by myscheef / and sorowe and care that they bryn­ge them in. ¶Diues. What is vnder stande here by skynne flesshe and bo­nes. ¶Pauper. Thre thynges be nedefull to euery man and woman ly­nynge hylynge lyfelode / and helpe of frendes in feblenes & dysease. By the skynne that hylleth & clothe the fles­she is vnderstande clothynge housynge / armure by whiche man is hyled & defended fro tempestes / colde and ho­te and enemyes & many dyseases. By flesshe is vnderstande mete & drynke wherby the flesshe is nourysshed. By the bones that bere vp the flesshe and strength the flesshe ben vnderstande mannes frendes whiche helpe hym at nede / and bere him vp & strength him feblenesse & dysease. But these tyraū tes and extorcyoners and false folke take awaye the skynne of the poore folke / for they robb them of ther housynge & of ther clothynge. And they ete awaye ther flesshe / for they take awaye ther lyuelode wherby ther flesshe sholde be susteyned. For they pylle them so & make them so poore / that they haue neyther house ne home / ne clothynge to theyr bodye / ne mete ne drynke to lyue by Also they breke ther bones / for they pursue ther frendes y ^t wolde help them & put them in su­che drede that they dare not helpe them and ofte bete them & breke ther bones and mayme them. Example of this we haue in the thyrde boke of kynges / where we fynde y ^t there was a true man dwellynge besydes the paleyce of Achab that was kynge of Israell / and the poore man was called Naboth. And for he wolde not selle his gardeyn to the kynge at his wyll the kynge was wroth. And by false dome and false wytnesse he dyd hym be stoned to deth / and so by fraude & manslaughter he escheted to hym the poore mannes gardeyn / wherfore the kynge afterwarde was slayne. And the quene Iesabell for she assented & halpe to the deth of the true man / and was slayne also / and the houndes ete hyr flesshe and hyr bones and lycked vp hyr blood in vengeaunce of the dethe of Naboth. The kynge was slayne in warre / his wyfe Iesabell was cast out of hyr chambre wyndo­we & trode to deth with fete of hor­ses. And other two kynges of hyr alyau ce / and nyghe all hyr kynrede was slayne afterwarde in vengeaunce of the deth of Naboth. Achab hadde sixty sones and ten lyuynge after his deth and they were byheded in ven­geaunce of the deth of Naboth .iiij. regnm .x.

Caplm .viij.

ALso they be gylty of man­slaughter that defraude ser­uauntes of theyr hyre. Therfore the wyse man sayth. That he that taketh awaye from the seruaūt his brede and his lyuelode that they [Page] haue goten in swyncke and swete / is as wycked as he that sleeth his neyghbour. And he y ^t sheddeth man­nes blood / and he that dooth fraude to the hyred man be brethern. That is to saye / they be lyke in synne and worthy in lyke payne. Qui effundit sanguinem et qui fraudem facit mercenario sunt tratres. Ecclesiastici. xxxiiij. And therfore saynt Iames sayth thus to the false ryche couetou­se men. See ye how the hyre of your werke men and labourers that haue reped your feldes is defrauded by you and not payde cryeth to god for ven­geaunce. And the crye of theym is entred in to the [...]e [...]es of the lordes of oostes. Iabobi quinto capitulo. And the wyle man sayth / that who so of­fereth sacrefyce of the poore mannes good / is lyke hym that sleeth the sone in the syght of his fader. And he y ^t defrauded the poore man of his good is a mansleer. Homo sanguinis est. Ecclesiastici .xxxiiij. ¶Diues. This poynt of manslaughter toucheth moche men of holy chirche. For as the lawe sayth. The tythes of holy chir­che be trybutes of theym that be in nede. To reuele theym in theyr nede And all that men of holy chirche haue / it is the poore mennes goodes. And theyr houses sholde be comon to all men at theyr nede. They sholde be besy to resceyue pylgremys / and kepe hospytalyte after theyr power / xvi.q̄.i. decime. et c. (quam) quicquid. Wherfore me thynketh / yf ony poore folke perysshe by ther defaute and for that that they wolde not helpe them / they be gylty of manslaughter. ¶Pauper That is sothe. And therfore cryste sayd thryes to saynt Peter. Palce. That is to saye fede my lambes and my shepe that be tho soules that cryst bought with his blood. For prelates and curates of holy chirche muste fe­de ther sugettes by good ensamples gynynge / and by helpe at nede. And therfore cryste sayd twyes to saynt Peter / fede my lambes / but the thyrde tyme he sayd / fede my shepe. For as longe as they be lambes / they gyue neyther mylke ne wolle / but whan these be waxen shepe / they gyue bothe mylke and wolle. And so cryste in his wordes bad that prelates and cura­tes of holy chirche sholde haue double cure of the poore people to fede theym goostly and also bodely with bodely helpe at nede. But they be not bounde to fede the ryche folke but goostly and them that haue no nede with holy chirches goodes. And of the poore folke gyue they no tale / but to pylle them / and haue of them / and gette of theym what they may by ypocresy / by fraude / by drede and vyolence. And therfore god vndernemeth theym by the prophete Ezechyell and sayth to theym thus. Ve pastoribus israell. Woo be to the shepeherdes of Israell That is to saye to the prelates & curates of holy chirche / whiche sholde be shepeherdes of goddes shepe & of the soules that cryste bought so dere. Woo be to the shepeherdes / for they fede themselfe / and of the poore people gyue they noo tale / ye ete sayth he the mylke and clothed you with the wolle [Page] And that was fatte ye slowe to fede well your wombe / but ye fede not my flocke of my people that was feble / ye helped it not ne conforted not And that was sore and seke ye heled it not And that was broke ye bounde it not ayen / that was caste awaye and for­dreuen / ye fetched it not ayen / ne led­de it ayen. That was perysshed / ye sought it not but with ferenes & har­denes and by power without pyte ye commaunded to theym many grete thynges and greuous and reygned a­monges theym as Emperours / and so my shepe be scatered. For there is no shepeherde that gyueth ony tale of them. Ezechielis .xxxiiij. And in a nother place he sayth thus. Woo be to the shepeherdes that thus descate­ren and forrende the flocke of my le­sue and of my pasture. Ieremie .xxiij And therfore god accepteth not the prayer of suche men of holy chirche. For they be without charyte and full of crueltee in pyllynge of the poore people. And therfore he sayth to them Cum extenderitis manus vestras & [...] Whan ye shall lyfte vp your handes to me. I shall torne myn eyen awaye fro you / and whan ye sholde multy­plye prayes to me. I shall not here you. For your handes be full of blo­de. Ysaye .i. Vpon whiche wordes thus sayth the grete clerke Grosthede. dic­to .xxiij. An vniuste scheder of man­nes blood hath blody handes. For blood shede out is in the handes of hym that is the shedder out / as the effeccyon of the werke is in the cause. For the hande of the shedder is cause of blood shedde. So than sythen bo­dely fode is cause of blood of man­nes bodye by whiche his lyfe transyto rye is susteyned / he that withdraweth sustenaūce fro the poore in myscheef he withdraweth from the poore man his blood wherby his lyfe sholde be susteyned. And therfore god sayth that the blood of the poore folke is in the handes of theym / in whos handes the thynges be withholde vniustely. By whiche thynges or by the pryse of thoo nedy folke sholde be susteyned. Also all thoo that withholde poore men ther good / eyther by vyolence or by fraude or thefte or ony dysceyte by whiche good the poore folke sholde lyue / they haue theyr handes defouled with blood of pore folke. And in that that they fare delycately with poore mannes good / they ete & drynke the blood of the poore folke. And ther clothynge is defouled with blood of poore folke. And yf they housen and byl­den with the poore mannes good / they groūde ther housyng in the blo­de of poore men.

Caplm .ix.

ALso euery man and woman and namely men of holy chirche that drawe folke to syn­ne by mys entysyng or by wycked en samples / or by false lore / they be gyl­ty of manslaughter gostly. And therfore saynt Gregory sayth in his omelye / that men of holy chirche be gylty of as many dethes as they drawe soules to dedely synne by ther wycked ensample and ther wycked lyuynge. [Page] And therfor cryste byddeth in the gospell that ther sholde no man sclaun­dre the lewed symple folke. For who so doth it / it were better to hym that he were calle in the seewith a mylstone about his necke / with worde as the glose sayth / is specyally sayd for men of holy chirche. And therfore saynt Pou [...]e sayth to al crysten people & namely to prestes & clerkes. Ne ponatis offendiculū frī (bus) vel scandalu. That is to saye as the glose sayth. Do noo thynge y ^t may be cause of fallynge & perysshynge of your brethern / ne cau­se of sorwe & heuynes. And roma .xiiij And therfore y ^t lawe byddeth y ^t whan bysshops & offyeers go about for to vy syt [...] that they sholde do no tyraūtrye In takynge of ther costes but vysy­te with charyte and lowenes without pompe of grete araye and of grete mayne besye to amende the fautes / and to preche goddes worde & to wynne mannes soule / not to robbe the folke of ther good / but take ther costes in easy maner. So that they slaūdre not ther brethern ne ther sugettes / ne be not greuouse to them.x.q̄.iij.cauendu . All men and namely men of ho­ly chirche muste besely flee sclaundre that they gyue no man ne woman occa s;yon of sclaundre ne of synne / but oftentyme lyue to harder & absteyne them fro many thynges lefull to flee sclaundre. For as saynt Ierom sayth su [...] Micheam. All that gyue occasyon of sclaūdre be gylty of all tho y ^t perysshe by the sclaūdre.i.q̄.i.hij quoscū (que) Et nota pro vitando scandalo in re­bus licitis. ad Roma.xiij.et.i.ad co (rum). vin. For these causes god sayth to the men of holy chirche by the prophete Ozee. Ye be made snare to men lo­kynge a fer / & as a net sprede abrede on y ^• hylle of Tabor / & ye haue bowed downe sacrefyces in to y ^t depnes / y ^t is to saye / ye y ^t ought to beware lokers to werke well & warne men of peryll of synne / be made a snare & a nette in holy chirche / that is y ^• hylle of Tabor / to take folke in synne and drawe them to foly. And so ye haue slayne soules & bowed them downe in to the depnes of dampnacōn / & so made sa­crefyce to the deuyl of the soules that god toke you to kepe. Ozee .v. Also men of holy chirche slee ther sugettes goostly that mys eggynge / mys coū ­seyll & mys enformacōn brynge them in dedely synne & in heresye / or ellys lette theym from good dedes y ^t they wolde do & so slayne in good purpo­se & good wyll y ^t man or woman is in & in maner slayne ther fayth wherby they sholde lyue. For the ꝓphete sayth Iustus ex fide viuit. The ryghtfull man lyueth by fayth. And saynt Ia­mes sayth That fayth without good werkes of charyte is but deed. And also prayer without dyuocyon is but ded as these clerkes saye. ¶Diues. Than nyghe all the prayers y ^t men make be but deed. For comonly in oure prayer we be destracte and thynke on other thynges. And it is not pos­syble to vs alwaye to thynke on that what we saye. For ther is no thynge so chaūgeable as thought / & though we thȳke on what we say / yet it is not in our power without specyall gyfte [Page] of god to haue deuocyon there in. ¶Paup. Take it not so strayte. For it is vnderstande thus. Prayer with­out deuocyon is but deed. That is to saye. Prayer made ayenst deuocyon is but deed. ¶Diues. How ayenst deuocyon ¶Pauper. As whan men pray ayenst the saluacyon of our soules or other soules / and not for the worshyp of god / but for ypocresye / or only for worldely lucre. Or whan men praye ayenst charyte / as for to haue venge­aūce of ther enemyes / or for ony thynge ayenst goddes worshyp [...] & in theyr prayer submytte not ther wyll to the wyll of god. Euery prayer y ^t is made to the worshyp of god by waye of charyte & for a good ende with purpose to please god / y ^t prayer is made with deuocyon / though he that prayeth be dystracte & thynketh not on his wor­des / and peraduenture vnderstandeth them not / ne hath but lytyll lykynge therin. Nethelesse man and woman ought to do theyr deuoure to thynke on god / and of that that he sayth in his prayer.

Caplm .x.

DIues. Thy speche pleaseth me / say forth what thou wylt ¶Pauper. As I sayd fyrste all that lette man or woman of ther good dedes and good purpose & tyse them to synne and foly / and brynge them in errour or heresye by mysse te chynge be mansleers & lymmes of the fende. Whiche as cryste sayth in the gospell is a manqueller from the be­gynnynge of the worlde. For through his mysse counseyll and his fodynge he slough all mankynde both goostly and bodely at the begynnynge of the worlde. Also he sloughe hym selfe through pryde and many a thousan­des of angellys that assented to hym And yet he cesseth not to slee mannes soule by false suggestyons and temp­tacyons / and that by hymselfe and whan men see hym not. And somty­me vysybely in the lykenesse of some vysyble creature / & so he tempted cryst & Eue & saynt Martyn & many other Somtyme he tēpteth & sleeth mānes soule by his lȳmes y ^t be wycked men & wymen. Also men of holy chirche slee men & wymen goostly of goddes worde and of good techynge. For as cryste sayth. Nō in solo pane viuit homo sed in omni vbo ꝙ ꝓcedit de ore dei. Math .iiij. Man lyueth not only in bodely brede / but moche more he lyueth in euery worde that cometh of goddes mouth / that is to saye / in the wordes of the trewe prechour. For euery trewe prechour sent of god / is cal­led goddes mouth. And therfore god sayth to the prophete. Si seperaueris preciosum a vili quasi os meum eris. Ieremie .xv. Yf thou departe precy­ouse thynge from thynge that is fou­le and of noo pryse / thou shalt be as my mouth. For it longeth to the pre­chour of goddes worde to commende vertues & despyse vyces / to chese tru­the and lette falsehode / to cōmende heuen blysse & ghoostly thynges / and repreue pompe & pryde of this worl­de and flesshely thynges. And than is the prechour as goddes mouth and [Page] speketh with goddes mouth / and his worde is goddes worde / by the whi­the man and woman lyueth goostly and escapeth endeles deth. And ther­fore Dauyd sayth. Misit verbū su [...] et sanaunt eos. et eripuit eos de entericionibus eo (rum). God hath sent his worde and hath heled his people from ghoostly sekenes / and delyuered them from ther deynge whan they sholde haue deyed through synne and helle payne. And therfore he sayth in the gospell. That who so kepeth his worde / he shall not a taste the deth with­out ende. Sythen that goddes wor­de is lyfe and saluacyon of mannes soule / all tho that lette goddes wor­de / and lette them that haue auctory­te of god and by ordre take to preche and teche that they maye not preche and teche goddes worde and goddes lawe / they be mansleers ghoostly and gylty of as many soules as perysshe and deye ghoostly by suche lettynge of goddes worde / and namely these proude couetouse prelates and cura­tes that neyther can teche ne wyll te­che / ne suffre other that can and wyl and haue auctoryte to teche of god and of the bysshop that gyueth them theyr ordres / but lette theym for dre­de that they sholde haue the lesse of ther sugettes or ellys the lesse be sette by / or ellys that ther synnes sholde be knowen by prechynge of goddes worde And therfore leuer they haue to lese the soules y ^t cryste so dere bought than to here ther owne synnes open­ly repreued generally amonge other mēnes synnes. As saynt Austen sayth goddes worde ought to be worshyp­ped as moche as crystus bodye. And as moche synne dooth he that letteth goddes worde & despysed goddes worde or taketh it retchelesly as he y ^t de­spyseth goddes bodye / or through his neclygence leteth it falle to the groū ­de.i.q̄.i.int [...]trogo vos. There the glose sheweth / that it is more profytable to here goddes worde in prechynge / than to here ony masse. And rather a man sholde forbere his masse than his sermon For by prechynge folke be s [...]y­red to contrycyon and to forsake syn­ne and the fende / & to loue god and goodnes and be Illumyned to knowe ther god & vertues from vyces truth from falsehode / and to forsake erroures & heresyes. By the masse be they not so / but yf they come to masse in synne / they goo awaye in synne / and shrewes they come / and shrewes they wende. And also the vertue of y ^t masse standeth pryncypally in true byle­ue of the masse / & specyally of cryste that is there sacred in the oost. But y ^t may man lerne by prechynge of god­des worde / & not by herynge of masse And in so moche herynge of goddes worde truly preched is better than he rynge of masse. Nethelesse the masse profyteth them that be in grace to gete the more grace & fotgyuenes of ve nyall synne / & encreassynge of mede / and lesynge the payne of purgatory And the preest may be so good / that his prayer for reuecence of the sacra­ment shall gese grace of amendemēt of hȳ y ^t he prayeth for. Both be good but goddes worde ought to be mo­re [Page] charged and more desyred than he rynge of masse. For whan the people despyseth goddes worde / & loth god­des worde / y ^t is ghoostly fode to man y ^• people is but deed in goddes syght / and nyghe to the gates of helle. And therfore Dauyd sayth. Omnē escam abhominata est anima eorum. et ap­propinquauerunt vs (que) ad portas mortis Ther soules haue lothed all goostely mete / that is to saye / all trewe prechynge and techynge of goddes wor­de & so they be neyghed to the yates of deth.

Caplm .xi.

ALso tho prelates & curates be gylty of manslaughter goostely y ^t knowe ther sugettes in dedely synne / & wyll not snybbe them ne speke ayenst ther synne. di .xliij. e­pheseis. And therfor god sayth to euery curate & prelate of holy chirche, & to prechours of goddes worde. I haue made the a daye wayte to the people of Israell / y ^t is to saye to crysten peple & y ^• shalt here the worde of my mouth & tell it them in my name. And yf I saye to the synfull y ^t he shall d [...]ye & thou telle it hym not / ne speke not to hym that he may amende hym & torne hym fro his wycked waye & lyfe y ^t synfull wretche for thy defaute shall deye in his synne. And I shall seke the blood & the dethe of hym of thyn hande / & y ^• shalt answere for his deth Eze.iij. Also they called mansleers that defraude & take awaye holy chirche goodes.xij.q̄.ij.qui xp̄i & [...]. qui ab­stulerit. Also that preest is a mansle­er ghoostely that denyeth the sacra­ment of penaunce to man or woman in his laste ende and wyll not assoy­le theym whan they repent them and axe absolucyon. For so they put fol­ke in dyspayre ayenst the goodnesse and mercy of god that is endeles and alwaye redy to all that seke mercy / as longe as the soule & the bodye be knyt to gydre. Example of the theef that hynge on the ryght syde of crys­te / the whiche of payne knowleched his synne and axed grace & gate the blysse of paradyse / whan he sayd lor­de haue thou mynde of me / whan thou comest in to thy kyngdom. And anone cryste ryghtful Iuge y ^t best kne­we his herte sayd to hym. I saye the forsoth / this daye thou shat be with me in paradyse .xxvi.q̄.vi si presbiter & [...]. agnouimꝰ. Where the lawe sayth That they that be soo harde vpon men in ther deynge / doo not ellys but put deth to deth. Deth of soule to de­the of bodye ¶Diues. Moche folke presume so moche on y ^• mercy of god / that they gyue no tale to lyue in ther synne moche of all ther lyf in hope to haue mercy in y ^• last ende. ¶Pauper And yet yf they axe mercy in due maner they shall haue mercy / as y ^• lawe sayth well in y ^• same place / and holy wryte in many places. For god sayth by the prophete Ezechielis.xxxiij.ca. That in what houre y ^• synner sygeth for his synne & axe mercy I shall for­gyue hym his synne & forgete his synne Netheles I dare not behote suche folke y ^• they sholde haue grace stede & tyme to axe mercy as them nedeth [Page] to axe. For comonly suche maner fol­ke be dysceyued by sodayne deth / or elles in ther deynge they lese ther hedes & ther wyttes / & begynne to raue. Or ellys they haue soo moche payne in theyr bodye and soo moche besynesse with the worlde / that they thynke neyther of god ne of themself. And as saynt Austen sayth in his sermon de Innocenti (bus). Iusto dei iudicio agit [...] vt moriens obliuiscat [...] sui. qui dū viueret oblitus est. It is goddes ryghtfull dome that he forgete hymselfe in his deynge that hath forgeten god in his lyuynge. As fell in englonde besydes Oxenford. There was a tyraunt in the countre y ^t dredde not god ne had pyte of man. Ofte men preched hym & coūseyled hym to good. He had de­spyte of ther wordes / and sayd y ^t yf he myght haue thre wordes before his deynge / he sholde be saued as well as the best man lyuynge. At the laste it befell that he rode by the waye to be on a queste before a Iustyce. And he began to slepe / his hors stombled & he fyll downe & brake his necke. And in his fallynge he sayd with grete her­te. Ore vaunte a deblis. That is to saye in Englysshe. Now forth to the deuyll. And so he had thre wordes to his da [...]pnacyon / not to his saluacy­on. Therfor the wyse man sayth. De propiciatu pccō (rum) noli esse sine metu. Be not without drede of forgyuesse of thy synnes / ne put synne to synne / ne saye not that the mercy of god is grete / he shall haue mercy on the multytude of thy synnes / for mercy & wrathe also hastely come fro hym nyghe to mankynde. But his wrath loketh to synners y ^t wyll not amende theym & his mercy to theym y ^t wyll amen­de theym. Ne tardas conuerti ad do­minū & [...]. Therfore lette not to tour­ne the to god / & delaye not from daye to daye. For yf ye do / his wrath shall come sodaynly and destroye the. Ec­clesiastici. v. For suche folke that be so bolde in theyr synne in hope of the mercy of god & do the worse bycause of his goodnes / they scorne god & se­ke vengeaūce & no mercy. They ta­ke hede to his mercy / and not to his ryghtfulnesse. Dauyd sayth. Vniuer­se vie dn̄i misericordia et veritas. All the wayes of god and all his domes be mercy & trouth. Yf thou seke mer­cy it were ayenst his ryghtfulnesse but he shewed mercy / and but thou seke mercy ryghtfulnesse muste dampne the. Seke mercy / and mercy and his ryghtfulnesse wyll saue the / yf thou seke it in due maner.

Caplm .xij.

DIues. These wordes be good and confortable & resonable. Saye forth what thou wylt. ¶Pauper. Also he is a mansleer ghoostely / that maketh ony man or woman to forswere them. For he sle­eth his owne soule and his soule that he doeth soo forswere hym.xxij.ques­tione .v. ille. Also men slee themselfe as oftentyme as they assent to wyc­ked thoughtes in herte / & tourne them awaye fro god in whom is all our lyfe And therfor Salomon sayth. Auersio paruulo (rum) interficiet eos. Prouer.i. [Page] That the tournynge awaye of the lytyll childern slee them. For they that soone be ouercome in temptacōn and soone assent to the fende / be lykened to yonge childern y ^t be faynt & feble to withstande ony thynge. Of suche childern god sayth / y ^t a childe of an hon­dred yere shalbe acursed of god Ysa. lxv. Also they slee ther soules y ^t gydre foule lustys & vnlefull desyres in ther herte & wyll not redely put them out. Therfore the wyse man sayth. Desi­deria occidūt pigrū. Prouer.xxi. Wycked desyres sle them y ^t is slowe to put them out. And therfor Dauyd sayth Beatus [...] tenebit et allidet ꝑuulos suos ad petrā. Blessyd be he that shall holde hym with god & smyte downe his smale yonge thoughtes & desyres to the stone / that is cryste. Blessyd is he that anone as he begynneth to haue suche wycked thoughtes anone be­gynne to thynke on crystus passyon / & of goddes lawe as saynt Ierome sayth in his pystle. ad Paulā et Eu­stochiū. ¶Diues. It foloweth of thy wordes that wh [...] soo doth ony dedely synne / he is a mansleer. And so euery synne is forboden by this cōmaunde­ment. Non occides. Thou shalt not slee. Why yaue than god ten cōmaū ­dementes sythen t [...]ey be all compre­hended in one. ¶Pauper. For dulnes of mannes wyt / it nedeth to gyue mothan one to declare mannes synne / y ^t he may knowe whan he synneth / and how he may flee synne. All the lawe & all the [...]phecye as cryste sayth in the gospell hangeth in two cōmaūdementes of charyte whiche teche vs to loue our god aboue all thynge / & out euen crysten as our selfe. But yet god wolde declare tho two cōmaūdementes by ten cōmaūdementes y ^t man & woman sholde y ^• better knowe them & please hym / & the more flee his of­fence. ¶Diues. Why declared he thē more by ten cōmaūdementes than by twelue or by nyne / for he myght haue gyuen many mo whan he gaue but ten. ¶Pauper. To gyue ouermoche many was not profytable / ne to gyue ouer fewe. And therfore god gaue his byhestes in the nombre of ten / for as ten is nombre perfyght & conteyneth all nombres / soo goddes lawe is per­fyght and all is comprehended in ten byhestes that ben so knytte to gydre / & of so grete acorde / that who so tre­spaceth in one he trespaceth in alle. And therfore sayth saynt Iames in his pystle. That though a man kepe all the lawe / & he offende in one he is gylty in all. For why sayth he / god y ^• bad the do no lecherye / he bad the not slee. And therfore sayth he. Though thou do no lecherye & y ^• slee / thou breke s;te the lawe. Iacovi .i. For as saynt Austen sayth in libro de decem cordis All the ten cōmaūdementes be conteyned in the two cōmaundementes of charyte. And the two cōmaūdement of charyte be conteyned & knytte in this one cōmaūdement of kynde. O d tibi ne vis fieri. alteri nō facias. To­bie.iiij. That y ^t thou wylt not be doo to the do it not to an other. And so as saynt Austen sayth there. All the la­we is conteyned in this one cōmaūdement of kynde. That thou wylt not [Page] be do to the / do it thou not to none o­ther. And so nedes he that offendeth in one offendeth in all. And therfore Dauyd and saynt Austen also calle goddes lawe a sawtree and an harpe of ten cordys. And therfore Dauyd byddeth vs prayse god in the harpe / & in the sawtree of ten cordys. That is to saye in good kepynge of the ten cōmaundementes. Confitemini do­mino in cithara in psalterio decē cor­darum psallite illi. And yf it be so / y ^t one corde in the sawtree or in the harpe be broke / or out of tune of a corde with other cordes / all the songe that played therin shall be vnlykynge to all that here it and not pleasaūt. As the mayster of kynde telleth Li .xviij. That though the harpe be well strynged with strynges made of a shepe / and ther be one strynge that is made of a wolfe sette in the harpe / it shall make all other at dyscorde. So that they sholde not accorde whyle it is there. And it shall frete atwo all the other cordys. Right so though a man or a woman kepe well all the cōmaū dementes as to mannes syght / yf he breke one he is gylty in all in goddes syght / as saynt Iames sayth and his lyfe. Whyle he is suche it is not plea­saūt to god. And the songe of his harpe / that is his lyuynge & his conuer­sacyon is at dyscorde with god and all the courte of heuen / & as the wol­fe is alwaye contrarye and enmye to the shepe / so is he at dyscorde and en­mye to goddes shepe / that be all tho y ^• be in waye of saluacōn. And as lon­ge as y ^• kepest well the ten behestys in lownesse / so longe the strynges of shy­ne harpe be in good acorde as y ^• strynges that be made of a shepe. But yf thou folowe the maners of the wol­fe / and breke ony of goddes cōmaun­dementes by gyle / by raueyne / by ma­lyce & false couetyse / by false contry­uynge / than thou makest in thyn harpe a strynge of the wolfe / whiche shal shende the harpe of thy lyuynge and destroye it / but thou doo it awaye by sorowe of herte / shryfte of mouthe & amendes makynge.

Caplm .xiij.

DIues. I wolde see more openly how he y ^t synneth in one synneth in all ten cōmaūde­mentes. ¶Pauper. Yf y ^t trespace in manslaughter / y ^u crespacest ayenst all ten behestys. For y ^u vnworshyppest thy god / in y ^• that y ^u brekest his cōmaūde­ment / and so defoule his ymage. Al­so y ^u takest in vayne his name / that is cryste and crysten. For thou doost not as a crysten man sholde do. Also thou halowest not from synne as god bad the by the thyrde cōmaūdement. Also thou despysest and not worshyp peste fader and moder / that be god and holy chirche / and thy bodely fa d & moder. For thy wycked tatches be shame & shenshyp to thy fader and moder. Also thou doost lecherye in y ^• that thou louest thy wycked wyll and thy malyce more than god. And for to haue thy wycked wyl perfourmed thou forsakest god and takest thy soule to the deuyl. For what thynge that man loueth more than god / with that [Page] thynge he dooth goostly lechery and fornycacyon & auoutre. Also y ^u bereste false wytnesse & lyest many lesynges to mayntene thy synne / or ellys to hyde it. Also y ^u stelest thy soule & his soule whom y ^u sleest fro god that bought hym so dere. Also whan thou sleest thou doost ayenst the nynthe and the tenthe cōmaūdement. For euery man slaughter is do for couetyse of venge­aunce / or for couetyse of erthely good or for couetyse of flesshely luste / as of mennes wyues / or of theyr childern / or of theyr seruauntes / or for couetyse of worshyp / so that yf thou slee thou forfettest ayenst all ten commaunde­mentes. And so it may be shewed of eche of all ten / that he that breketh one breketh all / & he y ^t is gylty in one dedely synne is gylty in al seuen / & in all the .x. cōmaūdemēt. And in token of this saynt Iohan sawe a woman syttynge on a rede beest full of na­mes of blasphemye / whiche beest had vij. hedes & .x. hornes Apo.xvij. By this woman is vnderstande pr [...]de & vanyte of this worlde. By y ^• rede best y ^t she sate on is vnderstande the fende & dedely synne y ^t is ful of blasphemye ayenst god. This beest had .vij. hedes & ten hornes. That is to saye .vij. de­dely synnes & brekynge of the .x. cō ­maūdementes / in token y ^t what man or woman falleth in ony dedely syn­ne openly / he falleth in all seuen pry­uely in goddes syght. And whan he breketh one cōmaūdement he breketh all. And therfore sayth saynt Iames / that he y ^t offendeth in one offendeth in all & is gylty in all. Iacobi .ij.

Caplm .xiiij.

DIues. What longeth to the ōmaundement of kynde that Saynt Austen speketh of to the loue of god / or to the cōmaunde­mentes of the fyrst table. For we may doo to god neyther good ne euyll. ¶Pauper. Soth it is that we may not do to god neyther good ne euyll. And yet as saynt Austen sayth in the same booke. De decem cordis. This cōmaundement of kynde byddeth vs to loue our god & serue hym well and truly / and kepe all his byhestes. For why all we be goddes seruaūtes. And yf y ^• haddest a seruaunt sayth saynt Austen / thou woldest that thy seruaūt serued the well and truly. I praye the than sayth he serue thou well and truly thy god / that is thy lorde and his lorde. Thou woldest that thy seruaūt were true to the and not fals / be thou not fals to god. Thou woldest that no man sholde defoule thy wyfe / de­foule thou not thy soule / that is god­des spouse ne none other soule. Thou woldest that no man sholde destroye thyn house ne defoule it / defoule thou not than goddes temple / that is eue­ry clene crysten soule. Defoule it not by lecherye ne by no dedely synne. For saynt Poule sayth / that who so defou­leth goddes temple / god shall destroye hym. Thou woldest thy seruaūt kepte well thy cōmaūdementes / and dyd not ayenst thy byddynge / kepe than thou goddes cōmaūdementes and do not ayenst his byddynge. Thou wol­dest that no man despyse thyn yma­ge [Page] paynted on a borde / despyse thou not goddes ymage by ony dedely synne For sythen thou may not please god in synne and shrewednesse / ther­fore y ^u offendest thy god in thy synne and thy corrupcyon / & doost wronge to hym thyselfe. Thou doost wronge to his grace / to his gyfte / thou mayst not doo wronge to thy brother / but y ^u do wronge to god y ^t is thy lorde & his also. And therfore sayth saynt Iohan in his pystle / that who so sayth y ^t he loueth god & he hate his brother / he is a lyer.i. Io iiij. For in that he doth wronge pryncypaly to god and to his brother also. And therfore god sayth. Quicū (que) effuderit hamanū sangui­nem. effude [...] sanguinis eius. Gen̄ .ix. He that sheddeth out mannes blood wronfully / his blood shall be shedde For why sayth he / man is made to the lykenes of god. And so manslau­ghter is open wronge doo to god in y ^t that his seruaunt is so slayne and his ymage despysed and destroyed. Therfore god sayd to the fyrste mansleer / that was Caym whiche sloughe his brother Abell falsely for enuye of his owne goodnesse. What hast thou doo Caym. The voyce of the blood of Abell thy brother cryeth to me fro er­the and axeth vengeunce of the. And therfore thou shalt be cursed vpon er­the / whiche hath opened his mouth & hath take the blood of thy brother Abell of thyn honde. Thou shalt trauayll in tylthe of the londe & it shall gyue y ^• no fruyte. Thou sqalt be [...] derynge & flemed vpon erth. [...] And the same vengeasice comon [...] foloweth murdre. For murdre may not be hydde / but nyght and daye it axeth vengeaunce. The murdre shal mys­happe in his doynge / and be vnstable and wanderynge and odyous in his lyuynge. This synne of manslaughter is so greuous in goddes syght / that he cōmaunded in the olde lawe that yf ony man by laynge in awayte or by preuy aspyenge or by purpose kyl­led ony man / & after fled to goddes auter for socour / he sholde be taken awaye thens & be slayn for that deth Exo.xxi. And therfore saynt Iohan sayth in the boke of goddes pryuytees that he y ^t sleeth shall be slayne. Apo. xiij. For as cryste sayth in the gospell That same mesure y ^t men mete to other / shall be moten ayen to them. And therfore in tyme of his passyon he sayd to Peter. Put vp thy swerde / for eche man y ^t vseth swerde to shed­de mannes blood without lawful po­wer graūted of god / shall perysshe by the swerde / that is to saye by swerde of bodely vengeaūce / or by the swer­de of goddes mouth / whiche is full sharpe on euery syde punysshynge bo­the bodye & soule. Apo.i. For comon­ly he that vseth the swerde / or ony wepen to slee ony man or woman he sleeth fyrste hymselfe by the swerde of his owne malyce. But trespasours that wyll not be amended in other maner / may by Iuste dome be slayne by them that bere the swerde of tem­porall punysshynge / as saynt Poule sayth. Ad Romanos.xiij.

Caplm .xv.

DIues. It semeth to moche folke that god forbydeth by his cōmaūdement all maner sle­ynge both of man and of best. For he sayd generally. Non occides. Thou shalt not slee. ¶Paup. By this wor­de occides in latyn he specyfyeth & she weth y ^t he forbydeth sleynge of man / & not of beest. For occasio in latyn is in englysshe manslaughter. quasi hominu cesio. And therfore y ^• propre en­glysshe is this. Non occides / y ^u shalt not slee no man. ¶Diues. Whan god sayd the sixt byhest. Tu nō mechaberis That is to saye / y ^• shalt do no le­cherye / he forbydeth all maner leche­rye. And whan he sayd the seuen by­hestes. Non furtū facies. That is y ^u shalt not stele / he forbydeth al maner thefte both of man & of beest and of all other thynges. And by the same reason as me thynketh whan he bad vs not slee / he forbadde vs all maner sleynge. ¶Pauper. It it not the sa­me reason ne lyke that reason. For as I sayd fyrste by properte of the same worde. Occides. He forbydeth onely manslaughter. God graūted man power to slee bestes & lyue therby. Gen̄ ix. But he graunted hym neuer to do lechery with ony creature / ne take o­ny thynge by waye of stelynge / or of false couetyse. ¶Diues. Contra te. We fynde that Balaam rode on his asse to curse goddes peple ayenst god­des wyll. An angell stode in a ryght strayght waye ayenst hym. The asse sawe the angell and fledde asyde for drede of y ^• angels swerde & bare Balaam ayenst the walle & brosed his fote Balaam sawe not the adgell. And therfore he was wroth with the asse and smote hym full harde / than the asse through the myght of god vnder name Balaam his mayster & sayd to hym. What haue I do ayenst the / why betest thou me. Than Balaam sayd. For thou haste well deserued it / wolde god I hadde a swerde to slee the. Than the asse sayd ayen. Haue I not alwaye be thy beest on whiche thou haste be wont alwaye to ryde. Saye whan I dyde euer the suche dy­sease vnto this daye. And anone god opened the eyen of Balaam / & than he sawe the angell standynge ayenst him with his swerde drawen. And the angell sayd to Balaam / why haste y ^• soo beten thyn asse. For but thyn asse hadde gone out of the waye & gyuen me place I sholde haue slayne the / & the asse sholde lyued. Numeri .xxij. Sythen than it is so y ^• Balaam was blamed for he bette his asse not with­standynge that he hurte hym / moche more he sholde haue be blamed yf he had slayn hym. And so it semeth y ^t it is not lefull to slee ony beest. ¶Paup It is graunted to man to slee bestes whan it is ꝓfytable to hym for mete or clothynge / or to auoyde noyaūce of the bestes whiche be noyouse to man And therfore god sayd to Noe and to his childern. Also fysshes in the see be take to your power & to your handes & all thynge that styreth & lyueth vp on erthe / beest & byrde shall be to you in mete. I haue take them all to you as grene herbes / out taken y ^• ye shall not ete flesshe with the blood. Gen̄ .ix [Page] And in an other place he sayth thus. Yf the lyke to ete flesshe / slee & ete after the grace and gyfte that god hath gyuen the / so that thou ete it withoute blood. Deut [...] .xij. And so graunted god to man for to slee bestes fysshe & foule to his prouffyte / but not to slee them for cruelte / ne for lykynge in vanyte and shrewednesse. And therfore whan he forbadde man to ete flesshe with the blood / he forbadde hym to slee bestes by waye of cruelte / or forlykynge of shrewednesse. And therfore he sayd. Ete ye noo flesshe with the blood / that is to saye / with crueltee. For I shall seke the blood of youre soules of the honde of all bestes / that is to saye. I shall take vengeaunce for all the bestes that ye haue slayne only for cruelte of soule & lykynge in shrewednesse. Gen̄.ix. For god that made all hath cure of all. And he shall take vengeaūce of all that mysu s;e his creatures. And therfore Salomon sayth / that he shall arme creatures in vengeaūce of his enemyes. Ar­mabit creaturā in vlcionem immico (rum) Sapie .v. And therfor men sholde haue rueth on bestes of byrdes and not harme them without cause in takyn­ge rewarde that they be goddes creatures And therfore they that for cru­elte & vanyte byheded bestes and tor­ment bestes or foule more than it is spedefull for mannes lyuynge / they synne in case full greuously.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. As thou saydeste before by this cōmaundement is forboden all wronful manslaughter. Tell me in what case it is leful to slee ony man. ¶Pauper. Somtyme man­slaughter is do by hate & enmyte / as whan a man is slayne malycyously of his enmye. Somtyme it is do for wycked couetyse to haue a mannes good. Somtyme it is do by ordre of obedyence & processe of lawe / as whan a man is slayne by a queste & by sen­tence of a Iuge ordynary. Semtyme manslaughter is do for nede [...] for helpe of the comonte / & for the saluacōn of them that be vngylty. As whan a knyght fyghteth for his ryght / & for the ryght sleeth his aduersarye. To slee ony man in to y ^• fyrste maners / y ^t is to saye / for hate / wrathe / & enmyte / or for false couetyse is alwaye vnleful But for to slee a man the thyrde maner and the fourth / that is to saye by processe of lawe with a lawfull Iuge or by lawe of armes by the handes of knyghtes or of men of armes ru­led by y ^• lawe of god it is lefull whan men be gylty. And therfore saynt Austen sayth lt.i.de li. arbitreo. Yf it be so y ^t the knyght slee his aduersarye in ryghtfull batayil / or the Iuge & his of fycers slee hym y ^t is worthy to dye / me thynketh they synne not. But leue frende thre thyngis be nedeful / so that manslaughter sholde be leful & right full. Fyrste that the case by ryghtfull ordre & processe of lawe / & y ^t the Iustyce haue lawfull power to slee / & y ^t he that shall be slayne be conuycte of his trespace. Also the Intencōn of the Iu­ge & of the pursuers & of the offycers be ryghtfull y ^t they slee hym in salua [...]yon [Page] of the ryght / & for saluacōn and ensample of other / not for lykynge of vengeaūce ne of cruelte not hauynge lykynge in his payne / so that the cause be ryghtfull and the ordre & pro­cesse & the entencōn be ryghtfull. Ius­ta causa. iustus ordo. iustus animus. ¶Diues. Contra te. Yet the gospell sayth. Qd deus [...]iunxit hō nō seperet Met [...].ix. The [...]e sholde noo man de­parte thynge that god hath knyt to­gydre. But god hath knyt the soule and the bodye togydre / therfore than it is not lefull to ony man for to de­parte y ^• soule from the bodye neyther to slee man ne woman. ¶Pauper. Whan the man that is gylty is slayn ryghtfully by y ^• lawe / man sleeth him not / but as goddes mynysters & god­des offycers. For y ^• lawe of god & god hymselfe slee hym in that y ^t god cō ­maūdeth suche to be slayne. God is pryncypall Iuge of this deth / & man is but goddes offycer to do his byddynge And therfore sayth the lawe that they y ^t slee men ryghtfully be not cal­led mansleers. For why sayth he the lawe sleeth them not they.xxij.q̄.v. si homicidiū et in qōi (bus) le.

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. Sythen it is soo that trespasors lawfully maye be slayn by the byddyng of god why may not prelates of holy chirche & mynystres of the aulter slee suche trespasors / ne sytte in y ^• dome of mā ­nes deth / ne gyue the sentence / ne gyue assystence to y ^• domesman syth in the olde lawe prestes & mynystres of the aulter myght lawfully slee trespasors as we fynde in many places of holy wryt. Exo.xxxij.de Leuit et Numeri. xxij de Phinees.l.regū.xv.de Samuele [...] in [...]fecit Agag. Et.iij.regū.xviij.de Helia qui interfecit sacerdotes Baal ¶Pauper. As the lawe sayth.xxiij.q̄ viij.occidit. Moche thynge was lefull in y ^• olde lawe y ^t is not leful in y ^e newe lawe. In the olde lawe y ^• swerde was graūted to prestes & mynystres of goddes aulter. In the newe lawe god for byddeth theym the swerde / whan he sayd to Peter in tyme of his passyon anone as he had betaken hym power to make the sacrament of the aulter. Conuerte gladiū tuū in vaginā & [...]. Tourne thy swerde in to the shethe / for he y ^t smyte with the swerde / shall perysshe with y ^• swerde. In suche wor­des god forbydeth y ^• swerde to all the mynystres of goddes aulter / as y ^• lawe sayth.xxiij.q̄.viij.de cplis cū alijs ca­pls sequēti (bus). ¶Diues. Why forbad­de he them the swerd. ¶Pauper. For god wolde y ^t men of holy chirche sholde be men of peas / of mercy / of pyte. And therfore he sayd to theym. Discite a me quia mitis sum et hūilis cor­de. Lerne ye of me / for I am lowe and meke of herte. Mat [...].xi. He bad them not lerne to playe with the swerde / ne with the staffe / ne lerne to fyght and shote to slee ther enemyes / but he bad theym lerne to be lowe and meke of herte and to lyue in pacyence as lambes amonges wolues. And he badde them loue ther enemyes and do good to them that hate them. Mat [...].v. He hadde them shewe pacyence peas and [Page] pyte / not only in worde wyl and dede but he bad them absteyne them from all tokenes of vnpacyence of vnpeas and of crueltee. And for that shed­dynge of blood and manslaughter is ofte token of vnpacyence and vnpeas of wrath and of cruelte in them that sleen and dysposeth them to crueltee. Therfore cryste forbadde the swerde to alle the mynystres of the aulter. ¶Diues. Telle me some other rea­son. ¶Pauper. An other reason is this. For the sacrament of the aulter that the prestes make by the vertu of crystus worde is a sacrament of cha­ryte & of onehede. For it representeth the onehede that is bytwene cryste & holy chirche. And also it representeth the onehede of the soule with the bo­dye. For as the soule quyckeneth the bodye / so cryste by y ^• sacrament of the aulter quyckeneth holy chirche & mā ­nes soule. Also it representeth y ^• one­hede of y ^• godhede with our manhede in cryste / & therfore holy chirche sayth thus. Nam sicut aīa racionalis et ca­to vnꝰ est hō.ita deꝰ et hō vnꝰ est x [...]s. Ryght as reasonable soule & the flesshe is one man / soo god and the man is one cryste / and one cryste is bothe god & man. And therfore he that de­stroyeth the onehede of the soule with the bodye & departeth them atweyne by manslaughter / he sheweth not in hymselfe ne in his dede the sacramente of onehede of cryste with holy chir­che & of the godhede with the manhede in cryste. But he dooth ayenst that sacrament by speracyon & dyuysyon that he maketh in manslaughter and sheddynge of blood. And therfore he is yrreguler & vnable to make the sacrament of the aulter. And for the same reson yf a man haue wedded two wyues & so departeth his flesshe in dyuer s;e wymen / he is yrreguler & vna­ble to the aulter. And therfore not only prestes / but dekenes and subdeke­nes in that they be astent to the preest in makynge of the sacrament muste be without suche departynge that is contrarye to the sacrament of ende­les charyte & of onehede bytwene god and holy chirche & bytwene all good crysten people y ^• is in charyte for alle they be one & come togydre in this sacrament For this reson it is not leful to men of holy chirche to shed mānes blood / ne to slee ne to mayme. The newe testament is a lawe of loue / & therfore cryste wolde y ^t the mynystres of the auter in y ^e newe testament that sholde mynystre the sacrament of his endeles loue & of his endles mercy to mankynde / that they shewe loue / mercy & pyte / & no token of cruelte. The olde testament was a lawe of drede & duresse / and nygh all the sacrefyces that the prestes made was done with shedynge of blood / not only in fygure of crystus passyon / but also in token y ^t he y ^t synned was worthy to be slayne as the beest that was slayne / that was offered for his synne. And ther­fore the swerde was graunted to pre­stes and to the mynystres of the olde lawe to punysshe rebellours whan it nedeth / and moche of theyr offyce was to shedde blood. And so by theyr offyce they were dysposed to crueltee. [Page] In soo moche that they were not a­frede to flee goddes sone ther lorde / ther souerayne / & ther god. And for that prestes of the olde lawe by cruelte slough cryste god and lorde of all. Therfore shedynge of blood & man­slaughter is forboden to prestes in the newe lawe and maketh them vnable to the aultre that shedde mannes blode or helpe therto.

Caplm .xviij.

SHeddynge of blood in men of holy chirche is so abhomynable & horryble in goddes lyght / y ^• yf ony clerke dye in batayl & fyghtyng or in playes of hethen men of whiche foloweth shedynge of blo­de & deth / as in playnge at the swerde & bokeler / at the staffe twohands wer­de hurlebat in tourmentes / in Iustes / for that clerke holy chirche shall make noo solempne masse ne solempne prayer for hym / but he sholde be buryed without solempnyte of holy chir­che. xxiij.q̄.viij. [...]cū (que) clericꝰ. And yf a man in his woodnes and rauynge slee man & woman or childe / though his woodnes passe yet he is yrreguler & vnable to goddes aulter .xv.q̄.i. si [...]s insaniens. Nethelesse yf he be prest or that caas falle hym whan his wo­denes is passed & be in hope of seker helthe he may saye his masse. Also yf a man smyte childe man or woman by waye of chastysynge & he dye of y ^• stroke / he is yrreguler .xv.q̄.i. Si [...]s nō iratꝰ et extra li.v.de homicidijs ca. p̄sbiterū. Also yf he be in doubte whether he dye of the stroke he shall ab­steyne hym from goddes aulter. Ex­tra. e.ad audiencia. Also yf a prest or clerke or ony man slee the theef that robbeth the chirche / he is yrreguler. Extra.e. significasti. Also yf clerkes fyght ayenst sarasynes & ayenst he­then men / yf they slee ony man womē or childe they be yrreguler & yf they be in doubte whether they slough or nay they sholde absteyne them fro y ^• aulter Extra.e.peticio. Also y ^• Iuge / the ad­uocate / the accessour / the offycere / the wytnesse by whiche man or woman is slayn & the wryter / & he that sayth the sentence or redeth in dome the examynacyon of the cause / or wryteth the endytement or other lettres by the whiche man or woman is slayn / he is yrreguler / though the cause & the do­me be ryghtfull. Ray.li.ij.ti.i. Yf a man be dryuen by nede to slee man or woman / yf he fledde in that nede by his owne defaute & fledde not that nede whan he myght haue fledde / he is full yrreguler. But yf it were su­che nede y ^t he myght not flee it / & the nede cam not by his defaute holy chirche suffreth him in the ordres that he hath taken to mynystre therin / but he shall take none hygher ordre. Yf ony man slee man woman or childe casuelly and by myshappe / whether his occupacyon was lefull or not le­full / yf he dydde not his besynesse to flee manslaughter he is full yrregu­ler. But yf his occupacyon were leful and he dyde his besynes to flee man­slaughter though he sawe not before all chaūges y ^t myght fall / he is not yrreguler Ray.li.ij.ti.i. with hym that [Page] sleeth man woman or childe wyllyngly with hande or with tonge is no dyspen s;acōn. Ibm̄. Yf a man smyte a woman with childe whan the childe is quycke or poyson hyr w ^t venym / yf y ^t childe be deed born / or ellys born out of tyme & dye by y ^t poyson or by that stroke / he is yrreguler. But yf the childe were not quycke / he is not yrregu­ler / but he shall be punysshed by the lawe of holy chirche as a manqueller And so shall the man that gyueth venym or ony drynke or ony other thynge to let woman y ^t she may not conceyue ne brynge forth childern. And yf y ^• woman wylfully take suche drynkes or do ony mys crafte to let hyrself or ony other from berynge of childern / she is a mansleer. Yf many men fyghte togydre / & one or mo be slayne & it is not knowen by whome of that cō ­pany all that smeten or came for to slee / or for to fyght all though they smeten not be mansleers. And alle that came to helpe mansleers though they slough not / ne had wyll to slee / but come only to conforte and to hel­pe of the sleer and all that were on the wrong syde be yrreguler. Yf man or wuman dye by defaute of the leche & by his vnkunnynge & mys medy­cyne / the leche is yrreguler. And ther­fore it is forboden men of holy chir­che to gyue ony peryllous drynkes or to borne men by surgery / or to kytte them / for often deth or mayme to­meth therof. Also they mayme them selfe without a nedefull cause / or be maymed by other men / or by ther owne foly all yf they dyde theym gelde to be chaste & so please god they be yrreguler For ther sholde no man serue at goddes aulter that had ony greate foule mayme. Yf a man withdrawe hym that wolde saue a man fro deth & yf he wyll not hymself saue fro the deth yf he may & namely yf it longe to hym of offyce / he is yrreguler. Hec Ray.li.ij.ti.i. Yf ony clerke bere ony wood or fyre or ony mater to the brennynge of ony heretyke / yf he be deed therby / or his deth hasted therby / he is yrreguler / though the pope or the bys­shop gyue pardon to all that helpen to the deth of that heretyke. In sūma confes.li.ij.ti.q̄.xxv.quid de ill. Yf a preest sende a yonge childe to water his horse / though he bydde hym beware of the water / and the childe by his sendynge drenche the preest is yrreguler for he put so the childe in auentu­re. Ibidē.q̄.xxvij. quid de presbitero. Et Hosti.li.v.Ru. de homicidio quid de presbitero. ¶Diues. And what yf the preest sende out the childe on his erande bare legged & bare foted & e­uyll clothed in froste & snowe / yf the childe dye for colde or take suche sekene s;se by that colde that he dye therof is not the preest yrreguler. ¶Pauper Yes forsoth / for he ought to do his dylygence to saue y ^t childe & to flee that peryl in whiche he myght lyghtly fall in that weder. ¶Diues And what yf ony prelate sende out wetyngly his suget bare legged & bare fote in suche weder & euyll clothed / yf he dye by y ^t colde that he taketh so by his sendynge / is not y ^t preest yrreguler. ¶Pau­per. In that y ^t he sleeth hym so by colde [Page] he is yrreguler & a manqueller.

Caplm .xix.

DIues. Saye forth what thou wylt. ¶Pauper. Prelates of holy chirche may not fyght ne slee / and yet they may styre men of armes and the people to fyght for the fayth and for the truthe of god­des lawe and of holy chirche / and though men be slayne therby / they be not yrreguler / as the lawe sheweth well .xxxiij.q̄.viij. igitur cum alijs & [...]. Yf thou goo by the waye with hym that gooth to slee ony man / though thou counseyll hym to cesse of his purpo s;e / and wyll not cesse / and thou go forth with hym to defende hym / & he slee / thou art yrreguler as Hosti. sayth li.v.Ru.de homicidio.q̄.quid si quis. Yf a clerke playne hym to y ^• Iustyce on hym y ^t robbod of his good only to haue ayen his good & not to pursue his deth / though the Iustyce slee y ^• theef the clerke is not yrreguler. Ex.e.postu lasti & [...].tua nos. S.ad vltimū. Yf a clerke helpe to take a theef or to byn­de hym to lede hym to the Iustyce / or wryte only lettre to take ony man / yf the theef be slayn or that man slayn / the clerke is yrreguler. Nethelesse he may calle to holde the theef tyl he haue his good or holde hym hymselfe / & yf he crye holde the theef or crye the­ues theues / yf it were semely to hym y ^t manslaught [...] sholde folowe therof he is yrreguler yf ony man be slayn ther by. But yf he hope therby only to haue ayen his good without manslaughter / he is not yrreguler though man­slaughter foloweth therof. Clerkes may bere wepen whan they passe by peryllouse places to afere theues / but they ought not to smyte. Yf a clerke leue ony man bowe arblast or ony other wepen to fyght with / yf ony man be slayne therwith or maymed y ^t clerke is yrreguler. Yf a clerke erre in answerynge and by his mys an­swere folowed manslaughter / yf the clerke be holde a wyse man he is yrreguler And though he be but symple lettred & he erre so in suche thynges y ^t he ought to knowe / & manslaughter come of his mys answere / he is yrre­guler. As yf a clerke saye that it is le full to slee a theef / & to slee lecherors or to ryse ayenst ther souerayns or slee them / yf men folowe his counseyll & slee / he is yrreguler. Yf a clerke bydmen stoppe the theues mouth that he crye not so to lede hym the more slyly & the more sekerly to his Iuge / yf he be slayne / the clerke is yrreguler. Yf men pursue a theef or ony other man to take hym / and they aske a clerke yf he sawe ony suche / yf he teche them or wysse theym wetynge or supposynge that they seke hym for to dysease hym / yf y ^t man be slayne the clerke is yrreguler / but yf he haue no fantasye why they seke him but good / he is not yrreguler. Though a man slee not negyue coūseyll to slee / yf he suffre we­tyngly ony thynge wherof it is semely to come manslaughter / yf therof come manslaughter / he is yrreguler. Also yf he counseyll men to take a castell to caste engyne to a towne / or to a castell or to shote in to house walled [Page] townes or castell that men dwell in / yf ony man be slayne therby he is yrreguler. Yf ony man counseyll another man to go & slee & he be slayne hymselfe / he that gaue that counseyll is yrreguler. Though preest or clerke coūseyll men to fyght for saluacyon of the contre & of the fayth / soo that he byd they not slee / he is not yrregu­ler though they slee and he byd them put hymselfe to the deth for saluacōn of the contre & for the truthe. Yf ony man wolde flee his enemyes / and another man coūseyll hym not to flee / & he vpon that he truste & abydeth and is slayne / he that gaue hym that coū ­seyll is yrreguler. But he were in ho­pe to haue saued his lyfe and that he myght haue saued his lyfe / or by po­wer or by frenshyp / & in truste therof dyde hym abyde than he is not yrre­guler. But yf he presumed to moche on hymselfe / or was retcheles in ke­kynge or gylous / than is he yrreguler Yf ony man in nede slee his aduersarye to saue his owne lyfe / yf he may not elles wel saue hymself / he synneth not / so y ^t his nede come not by his fo­lye. For yf his foly brought hym in y ^t nede / he synneth & is yrreguler. Hec in sūma [...]fesso (rum) li.ij.ti.i.

Caplm .xx.

DIues. Me meruayleth mo­che why sheddynge of blood and the swerde is so straytly forboden to men of holy chirche. For as we rede in the gospell. Cryste bad his dyscyples selle theyr clothes and bye them swerdes / whan he sayd. Qui non habet vendat tunicam suā. et emat gladium. Luce.xxij. He that hath no swerde selle his cote and bye hym a swerde. ¶Pauper. Cryste sayd tho wordes not to all his apos­tles / but to Iudas the traytoure not byddynge hym bye him a swerde / but so shewynge & saynge byfore the wycked wyll & the wycked purpose that Iudas was in to begge a swerde to come for to betray cryste & to take hym that whan the Iewes came with swerdes & staues to take hym as the go­spell sayth / he sholde haue his swerde redye to defende hymselfe yf ony of crystus dyscyples wolde smyte hym. And therfore cryste sayd not tho wordes in the plurell nombre / as to many but in the synguler / as to one Iudas alone. For he only was in purpose to betray hym / and to begge hym a swerde for drede of knockes. And by tho wordes cryste bad hym not begge a swerde / but by the wordes he vndern [...] hym of his malyce / in suche maner y ^• only Iudas sholde vnderstande it & none other of the apostles. For cryste wolde not publysshe eyther discure hȳ to y ^• apostles / but only vndernam hȳ in suche speche that only Iudas shol­de wyte that cryste knewe his wyc­ked purpose & wolde not dyscure him And so he shewed goodnes ayenst his malyce to styre hym to repentaunce. ¶Diues. Why answerde than the apostles and sayd. Domie ecce duo gladij hic. Lorde lo two swerdes here redye. And our lorde sayd. Satis est. It suffyseth / it is ynough. ¶Pau­per. For as I sayd. The appostles [Page] vnderstode not why ne to whom cry­ste sayd tho wordes. And therfor they wende as moche folke weneth yet y ^t cryste hadde bode theym haue bought swerdes for to fyght. And therfore they answered in that maner / and began to speke of swerdes & of fygh­tynge. And than cryste was dysplea­sed with ther speche and badde them be stylle of suche speche. Satis est. It is ynough / it suffyseth y ^t ye haue spo­ken in this maner speche / now nomore of this mater. And therfore as Lu­ke sayth in the same place / they cessed of ther speche anone & went with cryste in to y ^• moute of Olyuete. On the same maner god sayd to Moyses as he prayed hym y ^t he myght entre the londe of byhestes. Sufficit tibi. It is ynough to the that y ^u haste sayd / spe­ke nomore to me of this mater. Deu. iij. Also god sayd to the angell that slough the people. Sufficit. contine manum tuam. It is ynough with­holde thy honde. And cryste sayd to his dyscyples in tyme of his passyon whan he founde them slepynge. Sufficit It is ynough that ye haue slept now / awake ye. And as he made an ende of her slepynge. By this worde sufficit / it suffyseth / soo he made an ende of theyr vnkunnynge speche whan they began to speke of swer­des by this worde. Satis est. It is ynough / that is to saye / ye haue spoke ynough in this mater / nomore therof For they wyste not what cryste ment nomore than they wyste what crystement whan he sayd to Iudas. Quod facis fac cicius. That thou doost doo it anone. In suche wordes cryste vnd ­nam Iudas of his euyll purpose y ^t he sholde amende hym. And yet it is a custom w ^t moche foke whan they here theyr childern or seruaūtes speke vn­wysely to put them to sylence and do theym be stylle with the same worde / & saye / sone it is ynough / thou haste sayd ynough. ¶Diues. And many clerkes saye / that whan the apostles sayd / loo here two swerdes / and cryste sayd ayen Satis est. It is ynoughe. In tho wordes cryste graunted men of holy chirche two swerdes / bothe ghoostely swerde and bodely swerde. ¶Pauper. They erre as the apostles dyde. For they vnderstode not why ne to whom cryste sayd tho wordes. For cryste graūted neuer too clerkes the bodely swerde to shedde blood but he forbad it to theym in the same tyme whan he vndernam Peter smytynge with the swerde and badde hym put it vp his swerde in to the shethe. For why sayth he / who that smyteth with the swerde / he shall perysshe with the swerde. And so all the processe of the gospell yf men vnderstode it well / sheweth that cryste hath forboden men of holy chirche y ^• bodely swerde. And therfor as saynt Ambrose sayth / ther armuer & theyr fyghtynge sholde be bytter teeres & holy prayers. ¶Diues Yet contra te. Cryste sayth in the go­spell. Non veni pacē mittere. sed gla­diū. I cam not sayth he to sende peas in erth / but y ^• swerde Math .x. ¶Pauper By the swerde in y ^t place is vn­derstande the swerde of goddes wor­de as y ^• glose sayth. By suche swerde [Page] man is departed from synne & from wycked company / as the gospell she­weth well there. And by this swerde synne is slayn in manes soule. ¶Diues Sythen god forbad men of holy chirche the swerde and sheddynge of blood and manslaughter / why slough saynt Peter Ananyam & Sapharyā his wyfe for hyr false couetouse and for hyr lesynges. Actuū .v. ¶Pauper As the lawe sayth .xxiij.q̄.viij.Petrꝰ. He slough them not with materyall swerde / but only by power that god gyue hym to do myracles / with his prayers he reysed a woman from de­the to lyfe / whos name was Tabyta Actuū .ix. And with wordes of his blamynge he toke hyr lyfe from Ananyam & Saphyram. He prayed not for hyr deth / but onely vndername them for ther synne / & anone they feldowne deed by the vertue of the swerde of goddes worde that Peter spake and the holy goost by Peter. For as saynt Poule sayth / the swerde of goddes worde full often departeth y ^• sou­le from the bodye. And therfore the worde & the cursynge & vndernemynge of holy men and of men of holy chirche is moche for to drede. Or cl­lys by suffraunce of god. Anone as saynt Pater vndernam them / for they repented them not / y ^• fende Sathanas toke power ouer them & slough them bodely / as he slough them fyrst goos­tely by the synne of false couetyse.

Caplm .xxi.

DIues. Is it lefull in ony caas to slee ony man or woman vn­gylty. ¶Pauper. In no caas as the lawe sayth openly .xx.q̄.v. si nō. ¶Diues I suppose that the queste damp­neth a man that the Iustyce knoweth vngylty / shall not y ^• Iustyce gyue the sentence & dampne hym sythen the queste sayth that he is gylty. ¶Pauper God forbede For than falleth the Iustyce in manslaughter. For he may by no lawe slee him that he knoweth vngylty .xxiij.q̄.v.si non. ¶Diues. What shall he do than. ¶Pauper. Yf he haue noo Iuge aboue hym / he shall saue hym by his playne power. And yf he haue a Iuge aboue him / he shall sende the man to hym & tell hȳ all the [...]aas y ^t he may of his playn power delyuer hym & saue hym from y ^• deth / or ellis seke some other waye for to saue hym. But he shall not gyue the sentence of his deth. Pylate tra­uayled full besely to saue cryste from deth for that he wyste hym vngylty / moche more a crysten Iuge ought to trauayle to saue the Innocentes lyfe whom cryste bought with his blode / & flee false sentence. Pylate myght and ought by lawe haue saued cryste. But for to please the people & for drede y ^t they sholde haue accused hym to the Emperour he folowed ther wyll and put cryste to the deth / and therfore afterwarde he was dampned. For the false queste Pylate wolde not haue dampned hym in that y ^t he wyst him vngylty / but only for drede & to please the people he dampned hym. And sythen hethen lawe sledth noo man vngylty moche more crysten lawe shal slee no man vngylty. But the Iuge [Page] shall do all his besynes to flee sheddynge of blood without gylte. Ther­fore he is made Iuge to descuse y ^e tru­the to saue the vngylty / & to punysshe the gylty & to lette malyce / foly aud falsehode of the questes & of the fals wytnesses. Therfore god sayth thus to euery Iuge / thou shalt not take the voyce of lesynges / ne thou shalt not Ioye ne thyn honde to saye fals wyt­nesse for the wycked man. That is to saye / thou shalt make no couenaunt to saye fals wytnesse ne assent therto Thou shalt not folowe the peoples wyll to do ony euyl thynge or ony falsenes in dome. Thou shalt not assent to the sentence of many to go awaye from the truthe. Exo.xxiij. Therfore the lawe byddeth that the Iustyce be not to lyght ne to redy to leue / ne to redy to take vengeaunce. Di.lxxxvi. si quid. Et.xi.q̄.vi.iij. (quam)uis.Et.xvi.q̄.viij. Si quid. The ende of euery do­me shall be iusticia / y ^t is ryghtwysnes in englysshe. And ryghtwysnesse is a vertue and a stedfaste wyll alwaye to yeloe euery man & woman his ryght Extra de ver. significacione ca. fo (rum). in glosa. And therfore whan the Iu­styce dooth wronge in his sentence gyuynge / that is noo ryghtfull dome / for it endeth not in ryghtwysnesse. But more wronge may he not do to man or woman than robbe hym of his lyfe and slee hym without gylte. Therfor than what Iuge sleeth man or woman vngylty wytytngly he is no Iuge / but he is a tyraūt / and doth ayenst all lawes whiche be ordeyned to do ryght to euery man to punysshe the gylty & to saue the vngylty. And therfore sayth the lawe that he is no Iuge yf ryghtwysnesse be not in hym Non est iudex si non est in eo iusticia. xxiij.q̄.ij.iustū.

Caplm .xxij.

DIues. Is it leful to ony man or woman in ony case to slee themselfe. ¶Pauper. In no case / & y ^t for many reasons. Fyrste for by waye of kynde euery man loueth hȳself & is besy to saue hȳself & to w ^t stande al thynge that wolde destroye hym. And therfore it is synne ayenst al kynde man or woman to slee hymselfe. Also it is ayenst charyte for eche man is bounde to loue hymselfe and his euen crysten as hymselfe. Also he doth wronge to the comonte of man­kynde. For as the phylosophre sayth. v ^•o ethico (rum). Euery man is a parte of the comonte / as euery mēbre is a par­te of the bodye. Also for mannes lyfe is an hygh gyft of god gyuen to man to serue god. And only god may take it awaye whan he wyll. And therfor he that sleeth hymselfe / he synneth ayenst his god in that that he sleeth his seruaūt ayenst his wyll / for thou­ghe god gyue a man auctoryte to slee an other man for his mysdede / yet god gyueth no man auctoryte to slee hym selfe. And therfore sayth the lawe. xxiij.q̄.v.non licet. That no man ne woman sholde slee hymselfe / neyther to flee myschyfe of this worlde ne to flee other mennes synne / ne for soro­we of his one synne y ^t he hath done / ne for to go the sooner to heuen. For [Page] yf he slee hymselfe as the lawe sayth there / he gooth to endelesse myscheef. And he falleth in ouer greuous syn­ne. And in that y ^t he sleeth hymself he falleth in wanehope & dooth despyte to the mercy of god as Iudas dydde. For after his deth he may not amende hym of y ^t greuous synne of man­slaughter. And by y ^t manslaughter he sleeth his lyf in this worlde & his lyf in heuen blysse / and gooth to the deth in helle without ende. And therfore ther sholde noo woman slee hyrselfe to saue hyr chastyte that she be not defouled. For yf she be defouled by vyo ence ayenst hir wyl / she synneth not For as saynt Lucye sayth to y ^• tyraūt Pascasius / the bodye is not defouled but by assent of the soule. But y ^e syn­ne is in hym that soo defouleth hyr. And lesse synne it is to fall in lechery than man or woman to slee hymself for there is noo helpe after. Ne there sholde no man ne woman slee hym­self ne mayme hymself for drede y ^t he sholde consent to synne / but truste in god y ^t may kepe him from consentynge and lette occasyons of synne. And though man or woman be constray­ned to synne for drede of deth / better it is & a fayrer y ^t an other slee hym / than he slee hymself for y ^t is dampned in euery lawe. ¶Diues. Contra te. Sampson & dyuerse other slough thē self as we rede in holy wryt. ¶Pauꝓ As saynt Austen sayth de ciuitate dei They slough themselfe by the preuy coūseyll of the holy goost y ^t wolde by ther deth do myracles. As whan that Sampson toke the two pylers of the paynyms temple whiche bare vp all the temple and shooke them to gydre with his armes tyl they brosten & the temple fell downe and slough many thousandes of the hethen people that was gadred to wondre on Sampson in despyte of god of heuen whos ser­uaūt Sampson was.

Caplm .xxiij.

DIues. Whether is it more synne to slee the ryghtfull man or the wycked man. ¶Pauper. It is more synne to slee the ryghtfull man / for in y ^t the sleer noyeth moost hym whome he ought more to loue. Also for he doth wronge to hym that haue not deserued it and more ayenst ryghtwysnesse. Also for he pryueth & robbeth the comonte of manhode of a grete Iewell. For eue­ry good man and good woman is a welle to the comonte of mankynde. Also for he dooth more despyte to god for to all good cryste sayth. Qui vos spernit. me spernit. Who despyseth you despyseth me. ¶Diues. Contra. Yf a good man be slayn he shal soone go to heuen / But the wycked man yf he be slayne vnwarly / he shall goo to helle. And lesse synne it is to sende by sleynge a man to heuen than to helle ¶Pauꝑ. Saynt Poul sayth .i. ad co (rum) iij. That euery man & woman shall take his owne mede after y ^t his tra­uayll is. Therfore the good man soo slayn shal go to heuen for his good dedes / not for y ^• malyce of the sleer. And the wycked man so slayne shall goo [...]o helle for his owne wycked dedes / [Page] not for the wycked dedes of the sleer. And the sleer shall goo to helle bothe for the sleynge of the good and of the wycked. But he shall be depper in helle for sleynge of the good than of the wycked. For he sheweth more malyce and more aggreueth god and all the courte of heuen in sleynge of the good than of y ^• wycked. And he shall answere for all the good dedes that the good man sholde haue doo yf he had lyued lenger. And he shall be puny s;shed for the sleynge of the wycked man / for that y ^t he sleeth hym ayenst goddes lawe & letteth hym y ^t he may haue no tyme to amende hym. ¶Diues Is it lefull to ony man to slee his wyf yf he take hir in auoutre ¶Pauper To slee hyr by lawe cyuyle there lawes ordeyne man & woman that done auoutre to be slayne. It is lefull so that he do it only for loue of ryght wysnesse and of clennesse / not for ha­te ne for to be auenged on hyr. And lete hym well charge his conscyence / yf he be ought gylty in the same / ey­ther in wyll or in dede / and take hede to his owne freelte and thynke y ^t the lawe is as well ordeyned to punysshe him yf he do amys as to punysshe the woman. But ony man to slee his wyte by his owne auctoryte or do hyr be slayne without lawfull Iuge it is not lefull by all goddes lawe. And thou­ghe ony londes lawe gyue men leue to slee ther wyues in ony caas / holy chirche shall punysshe theym and en­ioyne them full harde penaūce as for mauslaughter. ¶Diues. Whether is more synne a man to slee his wyfe or to slee his fader or moder. ¶Pauꝑ. Bothe be greuous synnes & moche ayenst kynde. For the man & his wyf be one flesshe and one blood. And he ought as saynt Poule sayth to loue his wyfe as his owne bodye / and therfore he to slee hyr ayenst kynde. But yet it is more synne and more ayenst kynde to slee fader and moder / for of them man hath his begynnynge his flesshe & blood. And also yf he slee o­ny of them he forfeteth openly ayenst the cōmaūdement of god the fourth & the fyfthe. For in that he vnwor­shyppeth ouer moche his fader and his moð & falleth in cruell māslaughter / & therfor it is more synne to slee fader & moder than to slee his wyfe / as the lawe sayth in sūma [...]ffesso (rum) li. iiij.ti.ix.q̄.x.

Caplm .xxiiij.

DIues. Sythen god byddeth that no man sholde slee vn­ryghtfully. Why suffreth god so moche warre be in erthe / & so ma­ny batayles. ¶Pauꝑ. For moche fol­ke is worthy to deye & wyll not stan­de to the lawe of peas. Therfor god hath ordeyned & cōmaūded the lawe of y ^• swerde & of cheualrye to brynge them to peas with the swerde y ^• wyll not obeye the peas by lawe of charyte and reason. ¶Diues. Than it se­meth y ^• men of armes may slee menlefully that wyl not obeye to the peas & to goddes wyll. ¶Pauꝑ. That is soth. For Abraam Moyses Iosue Da­uyd Iosye Machabeis & many other were men of armes & sloughe moche [Page] folke. And yet god repreued them not but he bad them slee and halpe them in ther sleynge and in ther fyghtyn­ge. ¶Diues. I may well assent that batayll is lefull yf it be ryghtful. For god is called. Dn̄s exercituū et dn̄s labaoth. That is to saye / lorde god of oostes. ¶Pauper. Thre thynges be nedeful that batayl be ryghtfull. Iusta causa. iustus ammus. et auctoritas legittimus principis. A ryghtfull cause / a ryghtfull Intencyon / and aucto­ryte of a lawfull prynce. Fyrste it is nedefull that the cause be ryghtfull that they fyght only for the ryght & to mayntene ryght / and for saluacōn of the comonte & of them that be vn gylty and wolde haue peas. For as saynt Austen sayth. The ende of ba­tayll sholde be peas .xxiij.q̄.i. nolite. Also ther Intencyon muste be ryght­full that they fyght not for pryde to gete theym a name / ne for no false couety s;e to gete worldely good / ne for no malyce for to be venged / ne for no cruelte and lykynge to shedde blood. For yf ther Intencyon be wycked / thongh ther cause be true / they synne in mā ­slaughter. And for ther wycked In­tencyon god suffreth men to be ouer­comen in a ryghtfull cause. Also it muste be do by auctoryte of a lawfull prynce / that is prynce made by comon custome / or by comon lawe / or by co­mon assent of the comonte / or by co­mon lawfull eleccyon. For thoughe a persone gadre to him rebellors ayenst his lege lordes wyll / all though the rebellors make hym ther hede and her prynce / they may not by his auctory­te do ryghtfull batayl. But all thou­ghe au [...]toryte of a prȳce lawful be ne­defull to ryghtfull batayll that is so­lempny done by mannes lawe / yet in a ryghtfull cause at nede man may by lawe of kynde without auctoryte of ony prynce fyght & defende hȳself & his goodes ayenst wycked folke / for it is the lawe of kynde euery man to saue hymselfe & put awaye fors with fors / & myght with myght. Licitū est vim vt repellere. So y ^t his purpose be not to slee ne to rebell ayenst his soue rayne ne ayenst the lawe / but only in truthe to saue hym & his fro wycked doers. Nethelesse clerkes sholde not fyght for no worldely good / but they maye in case with fyghtynge & smy­tyng defende ther owne persone ayenste clerke & [...]wde man. And so maye the lewde man defende hymself with smytynge ayenst the clerke y ^• seketh to smyte hȳ yf he may not els sekerly saue hymself / & yf he may sekerly saue hȳself / eyther by slyght / eyther by shettynge of dore or of gate or ony other waye / he ought to saue hymself & not smyte a clerke / but wysely saue them both. But alwaye be he ware that his flyght be not cause of his deth. And syth y ^t the lewde man ought to flee the clerke yf he may in seker maner saue them both. Moche more the clerke y ^t sholde shewe pacyence & flee shedynge of blood / by his ordre ought to flee a lewde man yf he may to sa­ue hymselfe sekerly & to saue theym both. Yf the sugett be in doubte whether the cause y ^t they fyght for be true they be excused by the cōmaūdement [Page] of ther prynce for vertue of obedpen­ce / so that the sugettes haue no cause to mysdeme of her prynce by his co­mon lyuynge / but y ^• they suppose that he in all his lyuynge be ruled by rea­son & goddes lawe. But yf they be seker that the cause is false / they be not excused ne ought not to fyght. Or els yf the prynce be man out of good gouernau ce as frentyke or braynles / or els that he be in his lyuynge openly rebellynge ayest god / than the people ought not to obeye to his byddynge whan he byddeth them fyght / but yf they knowe sekerly that his cause be true. But than they muste obeye the prynce of heuen that byddeth them slee noo man ne woman vngylty. Sowdeours & other knyghtes & men of armes & other frendes of the prynce not suget to hym by obedyence / yf they fyght for him in cause that is in doubte / they be not excused from de­dely synne & man slaughter. In sūma [...]fesso.li.ij.i.v.q̄.xlv.et.xlvi. Thus leue frende haue I declared to you the fyfthe byheste that byddeth you and vs all not slee. And therfore leue frende all yf your persone be not able to fyght ne to slee / yet I praye you y ^t ye beware y ^t ye assent to no mānes deth neyther byfore ne after / but ye were seker that they were gylty & worthy to deye. For the lawe sayth / that both they that done the mysdede and they that assentten therto be worthy euen payne. Agentes et consencientes pa­ri pena puniantur. Iustefye ye noo mannes deth / but ye knowe well the cause of his deth. For I am seker that god dampneth moche manslaughter that ye & other Iustefye, and the do­me of god shall falle that he sayd to saynt Peter. He that smyteth with y ^• swerde shall perysshe with the swer­de. And he that robbeth shall be rob­beth. Ve [...] predaris nonne predaberis Ysa .xxxiij. Aldaye ye maye see what vengeaunce falleth for shedynge of mānes blood euery yere more & more Other necyons slee vs in euery syde / & robbe vs / & we haue lytyll spede or none but only to slee our owne nacōn Therfore be ye ware of goddes swerde & of mannes swerde also / and Iu­stefye ye not that god dampneth.

¶Here endeth the fyfthe cōmaunde­ment. And begynneth the sixthe. Ca­pitulum Primū.

DIues. Thy coūseyll is good. God sende vs peas & kepe vs fro y ^• swerde. Now I pray the declare me y ^• sixth cōmaūdemēt ¶Pau­per. The sixth cōmaūdement is this. Non mechaberis. That is to saye in Englysshe. Thou shalt do no leche­rye / ne medle with no thynge flesshely but onely with thy lawfull wyfe. As the glose sayth. And so by this cōmaū dement he forbydeth all spyces of le­thery. ¶Diues. How many spyces of lechery be ther. ¶Pauꝑ. Nyne. And these be they. Fornycacyon & lecherye with comon wymen / auoutry defou­lynge of maydenhode / defoulynge of chastyte auowed to god / defoulyng of [Page] them that be nyghe of kynne of affynyte or of gossyprede & sodomye that is mysuse of mannes bodye or wo­mans in lecherye ayenst kynde & pol­lucyon of mannes bodye or womans by ther owne sterynge & by themself whiche is a full horryble synne. And also synful medlynge togydre bytwene husbonde and wyfe. Formcacio­meretriciū. adulterium. Stup [...]ū. sacrilegiu . incestus. peccatū sodomiticū voluntaria in se pollucio et ꝑ se ꝓuocat. et libidinosus coitus piugalis. ¶Di­ues. In how many wayes may the husbonde synne medlynge with his wyfe. ¶Pauꝑ. In .viij. wayes. Fyrste yf he medle with hyr only to fulfyll his lustes & his lecherye takynge noo hede to god ne to y ^• honeste of matry­monye. Also yf he passe mesure in his doynge. Also yf he medle with hyr in tymes whiche holy chirche coūseyled men to cōtynence / as in holy tymes & in tyme of lente / in tyme of fastynge / and of other prayer / whiche tymes he may medle with hyr so bodely ayenst reuerence of the tyme & of god that he shall synne dedely. For Peter and Poule teche y ^t wedded folke sholde in holy tyme & in tyme of prayer absteyne them fro suche lustes y ^t ther prayer may the more gracyously be herde of god & ther herte y ^• more gyuen to god For suche luste as for the tyme dra­weth mannes herte and womannes moche fro god / and maketh them fulfle s;shely & the lesse goostly. Therfor as we rede Gen̄ .vij. In the tyme of the flood in Noes tyme for the herde trybulacyon & dredther they were in all that yere. Noe and his thre sones kepte them chaste & laye by themself and ther wyues by themselfe / so that by holy prayers and contynence they myght y ^• sooner be delyuered of that peryll and myscheef that they were in. Also yf he medled with his wyfe in holy place without nede. For in ty­me of werre though he medle w ^t his wyfe in chirche yf he dare not lye out of y ^• chirche for drede of his enemyes he is excused & the chirche is not pol­lute / or ellys it were pollute. And also yf he medle with his wyfe whan she is greate with childe nyghe the tyme of byrth. For than lyghtly he myght slee the childe. Also yf they medle to­gydre with euyll condycōn. Also yf he medle with his wyfe wetyngly in hyr comon sekenes at his owne proufre. But yf husbonde and wyfe medle to gydre flesshely without these defauct onely to brynge forth a veyne to the herte / and gete childern to goddes seruyce ellys to flee fornycacyon and le­cherye on other halfe / or to yelde the dette of ther bodye eche to other than they synne not. But than as saynt Poule sayth ther wedloke is worshypfull / and ther bedde without spot of blame. Honorabile connubiū in oī (bus) et thorus īmaculatus. Ad hebre .xiij. Vpon whiche worde sayth the grete clerke Haymo & the glose also. That it is a worshypfull wedloke whan a man weddeth his wyfe lawfully to brynge forth childern to goddes ser­uyce / & absteyneth hym fro his wyfe in due tyme. And than is ther bedde without spot of blame whan he me­dle [Page] with his wyfe lawfully and for a good ende kepe mesure and maner / than ryse they vp out of bedde with­out spot of blame.

Caplm .ij.

QAtrymonye was ordeyned of god for two causes. Fyrst p [...]ȳ cypaly in to offyce to brynge forth childern to goddes seruyce. Also in to remedye to flee fornycacōn & lecherye For the fyrste cause it was or­deyned in paradyse before Adams synne. For y ^• seconde cause it was or­deyned out of paradyse after Adams synne. Thre good thynges be pryncypaly in matrymouye. The fyrste is fayth y ^t eche of theym kepe truly his bodye to other / & medle flesshely with none other. The seconde is bryngyng forth & nourysshynge of children to y ^• worshyp of god & to goddes seruyce For ellys it were better that they were vnborne. The thyrde is y ^• sacrament whiche may not be vndo but only by deth. And therfore the ordre of wedloke is full worshypfull / for it representeth y ^• grete sacrament of vnyte & of endles loue bytwene y ^• godhede & the manhede in cryste very god and very man & bytwene cryste & holy chirche & bytwene cryste & crysten soule. And the faythfull loue y ^t ought to be bytwene husbonde & wyfe betokeneth the loue & the fayth y ^t ought to be bytwene cryste & crysten soule & bytwene cryste & holy chirche. For the hus­bonde sholde loue his wyfe with true loue. And therfore whan he weddeth hyr / he setteth a rynge on hyr fynger whiche rynge is a token of true loue that ought to be bytwene them. For they muste loue them togydre hertely and therfore it is sette in the fourthe fynger For as clerkes say fro y ^t fynger god gyueth hyr but one rynge in to­ken that they sholde loue theymsyn­gulerly togydre. For as ayenst comy­nynge of the body / the husbonde sholde loue his wyfe and none other / and the wyfe hyr husbonde & none other. The rynge is roūde about and hath none ende in token y ^t ther loue sholde be endeles / & no thynge departe them but deth alone. Also the rynge is made of golde or of syluer in token that as golde and syluer passeth all other metals in value and clennesse / so sholde ther loue passe al other loues. And the husbonde loue his wyfe passynge all other wymen / and the wyfe loue hyr husbonde passynge all other men And as golde and syluer passeth all other metals in clennes / so sholde ther loue al be set in clennes & not comon togydre / but for bryngynge forth of childern or to flee fornycacōn or to yelde the dette of ther bodyes. This loue betokeneth the loue y ^t we owe to god that is our goostly husbonde to who­me we be all wedded in onr baptem. For we sholde loue hym hertely with all our herte syngulerly / with all our soule lastyngly / with all our mynde myghtely / and with all our myghtes And therfore sayth he Deutronoꝰ .vi. Thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte / with all thy soule / with all thy mynde / and with al thy myght The husbonde betokeneth cryste / the [Page] wyfe betokeneth holy chirche & crys­ten soule whiche is goddes spouse and ought to be suget to cryste as wyfe to husbonde. Thre ornament longe pry [...] cypaly to a wyfe. A rynge on hyr fynger / a broche on hyr breste / & a garlonde on hyr hede The rynge betokeneth true loue as I haue sayd / the broche be tokeneth clennesse in herte & chastyte that she ought to haue / the garlonde betokeneth gladnesse and the dygny­te of the sacrament of wedloke. For the husbonde betokeneth cryste / & the wyfe holy chirche whiche is called quene & goddes spouse. And therfor saynt Poule sayth thus. Vi [...]i diligite vxores vestras. Ye men loue ye your wyues as cryste loued holy chirche / and put hymselfe to the deth for holy chirche. so sholde men do yf it neded for ther wyues as the glose sayth. Men sayth he ought to loue ther wyues as theyr owne bodyes. He that loueth his wyf he loueth hymselfe. Sythen than this sacrament of wedloke is soo greate and so worshypfull in cryste and ho­ly chirche / therfore euery man loue his wyfe as hymselfe. And the wyfe loue hyr husbonde and drede hym / Wymen sayth he muste be suget to ther husbondes as to ther lorde. For man is hede of woman / as cryste is he [...]e of holy chirche. And as all holy chirche is suget to cryste / so muste wymen be sugett to ther husbōdes These be y ^• wordes of saynt Poul. Ad eph .v.

Caplm .iij.

SYthen that the ordre of wedlok is soo grete and so worshypfull in cryste & holy chirche / as saynt Poule sayth without doubte they that breke it or mysuse it in luste & lykynge of the flesshe & folowe only ther luste as bestes & refreyne not themselfe by reason and by goddes lawe / they syn­ne full greuously. Therfore we fyn­de in holy wrytte. Thobie .vi. That there was a woman that hyght Sa­ra & she was wedded to seuen husbondes / & a deuyll that hyght Asmodeus slough them all eche after other the fyrste nyght or y ^t they medled W ^t hyr For they wedded hyr more for brēnȳ ge luste of y ^e flesshe / than for ony true cause of matrymonye. After the an­gell Raphaell cam to y ^e yonge Tobye & sayd to hym y ^t he sholde wedde Sara Than yonge Tobye sayd to y ^e angel I haue herde he sayd y ^t the deuyll hath power ouer al men y ^t wedde hyr & sleeth them. Than y ^e angell sayd to hȳ. I shall tell y ^e ouer whiche men the fende hath power / ouer them y ^t so take wedloke y ^t they put god from theym & fro ther mynde & gyue tente to flesshely lustes / as horse and mule y ^t haue no vnderstandynge / ouer them the deuyll hath power. But thou shalt not take hyr in suche a maner / but threnyghtes ye shall kepe you chaste and gyue you to holy prayers / & than thou shalt take thy wyfe with the drede of god pryncypaly to brynge forth chil­dern to the worshyp of god. Sythen than the deuyll hath suche power o­uer them that so mysuse ther wyues & the ordre of wedloke. Moche more power hath he ouer them y ^t breke the ordre of wedloke & take other than [Page] ther wyues. Therfore god badde in the olde lawe Deut [...] .xxij. That yf o­ny man medled w ^t an other mānes wyfe / they sholde be slayn both y ^e man & y ^e woman. And the wyfe man sayth that he y ^t doth auoutrye for myscheef of herte he shal lese his soule / & he gadreth shame & shenshyp to hymselfe / & his shame shall neuer be do awaye Prouer .vi. And there he sayth that although theeft be a greuous synne / yet in regarde of auoutre it is but a smal synne. And soo sayth the grete [...]clerke Bede & the glose also. Many myscheues falle to theym y ^t lyue in auoutrye moche sekenesse moche myshappe losse of good / vanysshynge of catell / & lytel foyson therin / sodayn pouerte euyl name & moche shame / grete hurte / & ofte maymynge and myscheuous de­the / as deth in pryson and hangynge and ofte sodayne deth / and Instruc­cyon of heyres and of theyr herpta­ge. And therfore the wyse man sayth Filij adultero (rum) & [...]. The childern of theym y ^t lyue in auoutrye shall soone be at an ende / and the yssue & the se­de that cometh of the wycked bedde shall be destroyed / & though they lyue longe they shall not be set by / & theyr laste age shall be without worshyppe Naciones in [...] (que) dire sunt consummacionis They that be mysborn moost comonly they haue an harde ende. Sap̄ .iij. And as he sayth in the next chaptre folowynge. Childeren borne in auoutrye shall gyue no deperotes / ne sette noo stable grounde / but tehy shall alwaye be in tempest of trybula cyon. Theyr braunches shall breke / and theyr rotes be plucked vp. The fruyte of theym shall be vnproufyta­ble / and they shall be ful bytter in euery mete and able to ryght nought. Sapīe .iij. In token and confyrma­cyon of this / we fynde in the lawe / y ^t the holy pope Bonyface the thyrde whiche was a martyr wrote to y ^• kynge of englonde in this maner / as it is tolde openly to the contrees / & vpbreyded to vs that be in fraūce & Italye / & hethen men repreue vs therof / that eng [...]ysshe people despyse the lawes of wedloke & gyue them to auoutrye & lecherye as dyde the folke of Sodom But wyte it well yf it be soo as men saye of theym / the people that shal be borne of suche lechery & spouse breche shall be vngentyll people and a repreue to all ther kynrede. They shall be wood in lecherye / & alwaye the people shall come to worse & worse / and at the laste be vnable to batayll / vnstable in fayth and without worshyp & not beloued of god ne of man / as it fal­leth to many other nacyons / for they wolde not knowe goddes lawe. Dis­tincōe .lvi. Si gens anglo (rum). ¶Diues. It semeth that the prophecye of that pope is now fulfylled. For what a­uoutre hath reygned in this londe many a yeres it is no coūseyll / & namely amōges these lordes which haue now brought this londe in bytter bales Some of them be slayne / some of theym yet lyue in moche woo. Goddes lawe is foryete & forboden that men sholde not knowe it ne haue it in ther mod tonge. The people is vnworthy & in despyte to al crystendom / for ther fal­sehede [Page] and ther false byleuynge / and so wood in lecherye / that the brother is not ashamed to holde openly his owne syster. They be harlottes in lyuynge / vnstable in fayth / vnable to batayll / ouercomen nyghe ouer all / hated of god & of man without gra­ce and spede nyghe in all ther doynge ¶Pauper. Example to this we fynde in the seconde boke of kynges .xij. ca. Where we fynde that whan Da­uyd had done auoutre with Barsa­bee the wyfe of y ^• noble knyght Vrye & after that treccherously that knyght slayne / god sente the ꝓphete Nathan to Dauyd & repreued hym of his synne and sayd / that swerde and debate sholde neuer passe fro his housholde & fro his kynrede. I shall sayth god reyse myscheef & dysease ayenst the of thyne owne manye / and take thy wyues and gyue them all to thy next and he shall openly lye by thy wyfe. Thou doost it preuely. I shall punysshe the openly. And soo it befell / for Absolon his owne sone droffe hym out of his owne kyngdome and laye by hys wyf in the syght of all the people And therafter was neuer stabylyte in his kyngdome. And yet the a­uoutrye of Dauyd was more punys­shed / for the childe that was begoten in auoutrye dyed soone after for the synne of the fader and of the moder. And afterwarde Aaman Dauydes sone lay by Thamar his owne syster & therfore Absolon hyr brother slou­ghe Aaman his brother in treccherye And all these myscheues felle for Dauydes synne with Barsabee. We fynde also in holy wryt. Iudicū .xx. That for defoulynge of one mannes wyfe were slayne thre score thousande and fyue thousande. It is a comon pro­uerbe in latyn. Deb [...]le fundamentū fallit opus. A feble groūde desceyueth the werke. For whan the grounde is feble and false / the werke that is setttheron shall soone fayle. But y ^• groū de and the begynnynge of euery peo­ple is lawfull wedloke & lawfull ge­neracōn in matrymonye. And yf that fayle the people shall be vnstable and vnthryfty / and that god sheweth wel in the begynnynge of the worlde / for whan men wedded vnlawfully and brake the bondes & the lawes of wedloke whiche god ordeyned at the be­gynnynge. Than god sente the grete flood and destroyed all mankynde saue Noe & his wyfe and his thre sones and ther wyues.

Caplm .iiij.

DIues. Whan gaaf god la­wes of matrymonye & what lawes gaaf he. ¶Pauper. Whan god had made Adam he put a grete slepe in Adam / & in his slepe he toke out one of his rybbes & fylled vp the place with flesshe / & of y ^t rybbe he made Eue & brought hyr to Adam. Than Adam awoke & as god Inspyred him he toke the lawes of wedloke and sayd thus. This bone is now of my bones / & this flesshe of my flesshe For this thynge man shall forsake fader & moder and take hym to his wyfe / and they shall be two in one flesshe. Gen̄ .ij. In whiche wordes / [Page] whan he sayd that man for his wyfe sholde forsake fader and moder and take hym to his wyfe / he shewed the sacrament of true loue and vnyte that ought to be bytwene husbonde and wyfe. And by the same wordes he sheweth what fayth ought to be by­twene theym. For he shall take hym to his wyfe and medle with hyr and with none other / and she with hym and with none other. And in that he sayd that they sholde be two in one flesshe / he sheweth that they sholde medle togydre pryncypally to bryn­ge forth childern to goddes worshyp. For in ther childe husbonde and wy­fe ben one flesshe and one blood. Also in that he sayd that the husbonde sholde cleue to his wyfe / he forbyd­deth fornycacyon and auoutrye. And that he sayd in the synguler nombre to his wyfe and not to his wyues / he forbyddeth bygamye that a man sholde not haue two wyues to gydre / ne one woman two husbondes to gydre And in y ^• he sayd that they shol­de be two in one flesshe / he forbadde sodomye / & also by the same wordes he sheweth that eche of theym hath power ouer others bodye & none of them may conteyne but by assent of them both. ¶Diues. Why made god woman more of the rybbe of Adam than of an other bone. ¶Pauꝑ. For the rybbe is next the herte in token y ^t god made hyr to be mānes felowe in loue & his helper. And as the rybbe is next the herte of all bones / soo sholde the wyf be next in loue of all wymen & of al men. God made not woman of the fote to be mannes thrall / ne he made hyr not of the hede to be his mayster / but of his syde & of his ryb­be to be his felowe in loue & helper at nede. But Whan Eue synned / than was woman made suget to man so y ^t the wyfe sholde be ruled by hyr hus­bond & drede hym and serue hym as felowe in loue & helper at nede / & as next solace in sorowe / not as thrall & boūde in vyleyne seruage. For y ^• hus­bonde ought to haue his wyfe in reuerence & worshyp in y ^t they be both one flesshe & one blood. ¶Diues. Why made not god woman by hyrselfe of the erthe as he dyd Adam. ¶Pauꝑ. For to encrease ther loue to gydre / & also to gyue woman mater of lowenesse. Fyrste for encreasynge of loue / for in y ^t woman is parte of mannes bodye / man muste loue hyr as his owne flesshe & blood. And also she muste loue man as hyr begynnyng & as hyr flesshe & hyr blood. Also she ought to ta­ke grete mater of lownesse / & thynke that man is hyr perfeccyon & hyr be­gynnynge & haue man in reuerence as hyr perfeccōn / as hyr pryncypal / as hyr begynnynge & hyr fyrste in ordre of kynde. God made all mankynde of one / for he wolde that all mankynde sholde be in one charyte as they came all of one.

Caplm .v.

DIues. Whether is auoutry gretter synne in the man or in the woman. ¶Pauper. Co­monly it is more synne in the man. For the hygher degre y ^• harder is the [Page] falle & the synne more greuous. Also man is more myghty by waye of kynde to withstande & hath more reason wherby he may withstande & beware of the fendes gyle. And in that he is made mayster & gouernour of womā to gouerne her in vertue & kepe hyr fro vyces. Yf he falle in vyces and in auoutre more than y ^• woman he is moche to blame & worthy to be repreued shamefully. Therfore saynt Austen in li. de decem cordis. Vndernemeth husbondes y ^t falle in auoutrye & sayth to eche of them in this maner. God sayth to the y ^u shalt do no lecherye y ^t is to saye / y ^u shalt medle with no wo­man but with the wyfe. Thou axest this of thy wyfe that she medle with none but with the. And therfore thou oughtest to be byfore thy wyfe in vertue / y ^u fallest downe vnder the fylthe of lecherye. Thou wylt y ^t thy wyfe be ouercomer of lecherye & haue y ^• may­strye of the fende / & y ^u wylt be ouerco­me as a cowarde & lye downe in lecherye And notwithstandyng that thou art hede of thy wyfe / yet thy wyfe go byfore the to god / & thou that art he­de of thy wyfe goost bacwarde to helle Man sayth he is hede of woman / & therfore in what housholde the woman lyueth better than the man in y ^• housholde hangeth the hede donewarde For syth man is hede of woman / he ought to lyue better than woman & go byfore his wyfe in all good dedes / that she may sue hyr husbonde & fo­lowe hyr hede. The hede of eche housholde is the husbonde / & y ^• wyfe is the bodye By course of kynde theder that the hede ledeth thyder sholde the bo­dye folowe. Why wolde than the he­de that is the husbonde go to lecherye & he wyll not that his bodye his wyf folowe / why wolde the man go thyd wheder he wyll not that his wyfe fo­lowe / & a lytyll after in y ^• same boke saynt Austen sayth thꝰ Daye by daye playntes be made of mānes lecherye / al though ther wyues dare not playn them of theyr husbondes. Lecherye of men is so bolde & so customable y ^• it is take now for a lawe in so moch y ^t mē tell her wyues y ^t lecherye & auoutry is lefull to men but not to wymen / thus sayth saynt Austen. ¶Diues And sō ­tyme it is herde y ^t wyues be take lyeng w ^t her seruaūt & brought to court byfore y ^• Iuge w ^t moche shame but y ^t o­ny husbōde is so brought to court by fore y ^t Iuge for he laye w ^t his wymen it is selden seen. ¶Pauꝑ. And yet as saynt Austen sayth in y ^• same boke / it is as gret synne in y ^• man as in y ^• wyf & somdel more. But forsoth sayth he it is not y ^• truth of god but y ^• shrewedne s;se of man y ^t maketh man lesse gylty than woman in y ^t same synne Men be not so oft take in auoutrye ne pu­nysshed for auoutry as wymen be / for they be lesse gylty / but for y ^t they be more gylty & more myghty to maynten ther synne / & nygh eche of them con­forted other in his synne. Men be wytne s;ses Iuges & doers to punysshe auoutrye in woman / & for they be ouerdo­ne gylty in auoutrye / therfore they trauayle nyghe all with one assent to may [...]ten theyr lecherye. In woman is selden seen auoutrye. And ther­fore [Page] it is full sclaunderous whan it falleth and harde punysshed. But in men it is soo comon that ther is vn­nethes ony sclaundre therof / wymen dare not speke ayenst the lecherye of men / and men wyll not speke to re­preue the lecherye of man / for they be so moche gylty. Synne that seldome falleth is moost sclaunderous / and yet in case lesse greuous. And synne that often falleth and is moost in vse is lesse sclaunderous & yet it is moost greuous. For the more customable and the more bolder that men be in synne / and the lesse drede and shame that men haue to ther synne / the mo­re greuous is ther synne. Therfore saynt Austen in the same place spe­keth more of this mater ayenst the lecherye of men and sayth thus. Peraduenture thy wyf hereth in the chirche by prechynge that it is not leful to the to take ony other but thy wyfe. She cometh home and grutcheth ayenst thy lecherye & sayth to the that thou doost thynges that is not lefull / for why we be both crysten. The chastyre that thou axeste of me yelde thou to me. Iowe to the fayth / and thou owest fayth to me / and both we owe fayth to cryste. Though thou descey­ue me thou desceyuest not god whoos seruauntes we be both. Thou desceyue s;te not hym that bought vs bothe / for he knoweth all. But wenest thou sayth saynt Austen that the man wyl be heled and amende hym with hyr wordes. Nay nay sayth he / but anone he shall be wroth and he shall be wode both with his wyfe and with the prechoure and curse the tyme that his wyfe came to the chirche for to here the trouthe. These be the wordes of saynt Austen in the same boke. And yet after in the same booke he sayth thus. Peraduenture thou lechour wylt excuse the and saye. I take none other mannes wyfe / but I take myn owne seruaunt. Wylt thou sayth he that thy wyfe saye to the. I take none other husbonde. I take but my seruaunt. God forbede that thy wyf sholde say soo to the. Better it is that she haue sorowe of thy synne / than folowe the or take wycked exsample of the. Thy wyfe is chaste & an holy woman and a true crysten woman. She hath so­rowe of thy lecherye / not for the fles­she but for charyte. And thy wyf wolde that thou doost not amys / not for that she dooth not amys / but for it is not spedefull to the. For yf she kepte hyr chaste & dyd not lecherye only for that y ^u sholdest do no lecherye / yf thou doost lecherye / she sholde do lecherye. But for y ^t the good woman kepeth chastyte / not onely for the fayth y ^t she ought to the / but also for the fayth that she ought to cryste. For though the man do amys / yet the woman gyueth hyr chaste to god Therfor sayth saynt Austen in the same place. Cry­ste speketh in the hertes of good wy­men within in theyr soule there ther husbonde hereth it not / for he is not worthy to here it and conforteth his doughter with suche maner wordes. Thou art euyll dyseased with wronges of thy husbonde / what hath he do to the. I praye y ^• haue pacyence be sory [Page] of his mysdede / but folowe hym not to do amys / but he must folowe the in goodnesse. For in that that he dooth amys lete hym not be thy hede to le­de the / but lete thy god be thyn hede. For yf thou folowe hym as an hede in his shrewednesse / both hede & body shall fall downe in to helle. And therfore myght not the bodye y ^t is the wyf folowe the wycked hede / but myght she holde hyr to the hede of holy chirche that is cryste. To hym the wyfe ought hyr chaste / to hym pryncypaly she muste do worshyp / for he is pryn­cypal husbonde. Be hyr husbonde present be he absent / the good woman shall alwaye kepe hyr chaste. For cryste hyr husbōde to whom pryncypaly she ought hyr chaste is neuer absent. Chaūge your lyfe ye letcherous men sayth saynt Austen there / & fro thens forwarde be ye chaste / ne saye ye not that ye may not kepe you chaste. For it is a shame to saye that man maye not do that a woman dooth / ne be so chaste as a womas is. The woman by ryght hath as freell a flesshe as y ^• man. And woman was fyrste descey­ued of the adder / your chaste wyues shewe to you that ye may be chaste yf ye wyl. These be the wordes of saynt Austen.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. Wymen may better be chaste than men / for they ha­ue moche kepynge vpon theȳ The lawe byddeth them to chastyte. Theyr husbondes be besye to kepe theym / and harde lawes be ordeyned to punysshe theym yf they de amys. ¶Pauper. To this answereth saynt Austen in the same booke and sayth thus. Moche kepynge maketh wo­man chaste / and manhode sholde make man chaste. To woman is ordeyned moche kepynge / for she is more freell / woman is ashamed for hyr husbonde to do amys. But thou art not ashamed for cryste to doo amys. Thou art more free than the wo­man / for thou art strenger and lygh­telyer / thou myghtest ouercome the flesshe and the fende yf thou wylt. Therfore god hath bytaken the to thyselfe. But a woman hath moche kepynge of hyr husbonde / dredefull lawe / good norture / grete shame / fast­nesse / and god pryncypall / and thou man haste only god aboue the. Thy wyfe fleeth lecherye for drede and for shame of the / for drede of the lawe / for good norture / and pryncypaly for god. But for all these thou kepeste not thyselfe chaste / neyther thou leueste not thy lecherye neyther for drede of god ne for goddes lawe ne for shame of the worlde / ne for shame of thy wyfe to whom thou art bounde to be true / ne thou wylt leue it for no good norture / but lyue as an harlotte and vse harlottes maners. Thou art not ashamed of thy synnes sayth saynt Austen / for so many men falle there in. The shrewednesse of man is now soo greate that men be more asha­med of chastyte than of lecherye. Manquellers / theues / periurers / false wytnesse / rauenours / and false men be abhomynable and hated amonges [Page] the people. But who soo wyll lye by his woman & be a bolde lechoure / he that is loued is praysed. And all the woundes of his soule tourne in to game And yf ony man be so herdy to saye that he is chaste and true to his wyfe. And yf it be knowe that he be suche he is ashamed to come amon­ges men that be not lyke hym in maner For they sholde Iape & scorne hȳ & saye that he is no man. For mānes shrewednes is now so grete / that ther is no man holde a man but he be o­uercome with lecherye. And he that ouercometh lecherye and kepeth hym chaste he is holde no man. These be the wordes of saynt Austen in a bo­ke de decem cordis. ¶Diues. Me meruayleth moche that saynt Austen and you also accuse man soo moche of lecherye / and put more defaute in man than in woman. ¶Pauper. Cryste dyde the same. We rede in the gospell. Io.viij. that on a tyme whan cryste satte in the temple of Ierusa­lem techynge the people his lawes. Than the scrybes & the men of lawe and the phareseys brought a woman newely taken in auoutrye / & sette hyr byfore cryste and sayd to hym all in gyle. Mayster / this woman ryght now was take in auoutrye. The la­we of Moyses byddeth vs stone all suche / but what sayest thou there to. All this they sayde in gyle / for hadde he bode them stone hyr / he hadde sayd ayenst his owne prechynge. For his prechynge and techynge was full of mercy and pyte. And yf he hadde sayd that she sholde not haue be sto­ned / than hadde he sayd ayenst Moy­ses lawe and than wolde they haue stoned hym. And therfore he sayd ne that one ne that other. But he stouped downe and wrote with his fynger in the erthe. And whan he hadde wryten a whyle / he sette hym vpryght ayen & sayd to them. Whiche of you be without synne / he caste on hyr the fyrste stone. And afterwarde he stouped downe and wrote in the erthe. And whan the accusers of the woman herde these wordes of cryste and see his wrytynge / they were ashamed and went out eche after other / and the eldeste wente out fyrste / and none of them lefte there. For as saye these clerkes / eche of theym sawe in that wrytynge all the euyll synnes that he had done of lecherye of spousebreche or of ony other synne. And eche of them wende that all other a­bout had seen his synne. And so for drede & for shame they went out / for they sawe well that they were more gylty in lecherye than the woman & more worthy to be stoned. But cryste of his goodnesse wrought soo / that eche of theym sawe there his owne synne and none other mannes / so gyuynge vs ensaumple to hydde other mennes synne / and not defame our euen crysten whyle ther synne is pre­uye. And whan they were gone out for drede and shame. Than sayd cryste to the woman / where be they that accused the. No man hath dampned the. Lorde sayth she that is soth noo man hath dampned me. Than cry­ste sayd to hyr. Ne I shall not damp­ne [Page] the. Goo & be in wyll no more to synne. ¶Diues. By y [...] lawe she was worthy to be deed / why wolde than cryste that gaue the lawe saue hyr. ¶Pauper. All though she were worthy to dye / yet hyr accusers & the people that brought hyr thyder were not worthy to dampne hyr / ne to pursue hyr to deth / for they were more gylty than the woman. And therfore sayth the glose in that place. Though the lawe byd them be slayne that be gyl­tye / yet the lawe wyll not that they sholde be slayne by them that be gyl­ty in the same synne. But he that is vngylty in the same synne shall pu­nysshe hym that is gylty. And therfore sayth the glose / that they that so accu s;ed the woman / by ryght of y ^• lawe or they muste haue lete hyr go or ellis be stoned with hyr / for they were more gylty in y ^t synne than the woman. And soo by the lawe cryste delyuered hyr ryghtfully / & saued hyr mercya­bly. Therfore sayth the lawe of holy chirche / that tho that be gylty in ony grete synne sholde not be take for ac­cusers ne wytnesses in dome / no man queller / no theues / ne wycked Iogulers robbers of chirches / rauenours / ne o­pen lechours / ne they that be in auou­trye / ne they that poyson folke / ne periurers / ne fals wytnesses / ne they that axe counseyll of wytches. All these and suche other be vnable to accuse in dome / or to bere wytnesse in dome / but yf it be for to accuse them that be the felowes and helpers in ther syn­ne .ii .q̄.r. constituimus. Et .vi.q̄.li. q̄ crimen. And saynt Ambrose sayth / that onely he is worthy to be domes­man and dampne the errours of an other that hath nought in hymselfe that is dampnable. suꝓ Beati ima­culati. Et.iij.q̄.vij.iudicet. And ther­fore the lawe putteth many a case in whiche the husbonde may not accuse his wyf of lecherye. Fyrst yf he be gylty in the same .xxxij.q̄.nichil iniquiꝰ. Also yf he gyue hir occasyon to do for nycacōn by withholdynge of dette of his bodye .xxij.q̄.vij. Si tu. Also yf she be defouled by strength & grete vyo­lence ayenst hyr wyl .xxxij.q̄.v. Ita ne Also yf she wene y ^t hyr husbonde be deed .xxxiiij q̄.i.si ꝑ bellicā And yf she be wedded to an other wenynge y ^t hyr husbonde be deed / whan he cometh home she muste forsake the seconde husbonde & go ayen to the fyrste / and but she forsaketh y ^• seconde anone as she knoweth y ^t hyr fyrste husbonde is a lyue / ellys she falleth in auoutrye / & hyr fyrste husbonde may accuse hyr & forsake hyr. Also yf she be desceyued & medle with an other wenynge y ^t it were hyr husbonde .xxxiiij.q̄.ij. in lec­tū. Also yf he knowe hyr lecherye & suffreth hyr in hyr synne / and med­dleth with hyr after that he knoweth hyr synne / or forgyueth it hyr & recoū seyll hyr to hym / than may he not accu s;e hyr .xxxij.q̄.i. Si quis vxorem. Also yf hyr husbonde put hyr to doo a mys. Extra .li.iij. ti xiij. discrecione Also yf an hethen man forsake his hethen wyfe and she be wedded to an other hethen man / and after they be both tourned to crysten fayth than is he bounde to take hyr ayen / but she [Page] felle in ony other fornycacyon. Not withstandynge that she be knowen flesshely of the seconde husbonde. Extra li.iiij. de diuorcijs. ca. gaudemus. S.si ergo.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. Is a man bounde to forsake his wyfe whan she falleth in fornycacōn ¶Pauper Eyther the fornycacōn is preuy / or it is open. Yf it be preuy & may not be preued he shall not forsake hyr o­penly / ne he is not bounde to forsake hyr preuely / as anentes the bedde. Yf hyr fornycacōn be open / eyther ther is hope of amendement or there is none hope of amendement. Yf she wyll a­mende hyr / and there be good hope of amendement he may lefull kepe hyr styll. Yf ther be none hope of amendement he ought not to kepe hyr stylle. For yf he do it semeth y ^t he consent to hyr synne. sūma [...]fes .li.iiij. ti.xxij.q̄. vi. q̄ro. ¶Diues. May a man by his owne auctoryte forsake his wyfe yf she falle in fornycacōn. ¶Pauper. As anentes hyr bed / he may forsake hyr by his owne auctoryte / but not a­nentes dwellynge togydre without auctoryte of holy chirche. And yf he forsake hyr company as anent dwellynge without auctotyte of holy chir­che / he shalbe compelled to dwelle w ^t hyr / but he may anone preue hyr for­nycacōn. Yf a man medle w ^t his wyf after that y ^t he knoweth hyr fornyca­cyon he is yrreguler / though he be cō ­cōpelled therto by holy chirche. sūma [...]fes .li.iiij. ti .xxij.q̄.viij. vtrū vir. Yf the husbonde be departed from his wyfe by auctoryte of holy chirche. He may yf he wyll entre in to relygyon without hyr leue. But whether he entre or nay / he is bounde to contynen­ce all hyr lyfe / & he may none other wyfe haue as longe as she lyueth / for only deth departeth the boūde of wedlecke ¶Diues. Contra. Yf a man wedde a woman he may entre in to relygyon or he medle with hyr / and she may take an other husbōde & yet neyther of them is deed. ¶Pauꝑ. Ther is bodely deth & goostly deth / that is entre in to relygyan. For than man or woman dyeth ayenst the worlde. Yf he medle with hyr bodely / onely bodely deth may departe them as a­yenst the boūde of wedloke. But or y ^t he medle with hir bodely / goostly deth that is entre in to relygyon may de­parte them. For tyll whan they me­dle togydre bodely / the boūde of ther wedloke is but goostly. And therfore goostly deth breketh that boūde. And for as moche leue frende as the hus­bonde is as well boūde to kepe fayth to his wyfe / as the wyfe to the hus­bonde / therfore yf the husbonde tres­passe and falle in to fornycacyon / she hath as greate accyon ayenst hym as he sholde haue ayenst his wyfe yf she dyde a mys. Quia quo ad fidem matrimonij iudican [...] ad paria.

Caplm .viij.

DIues. I may well assente that auoutrye be a full gre­uous synne both in man and in woman. But that symple forny­cacyon [Page] bytwene syngel man & syngel woman sholde be dedly synne. I may not assent therto. And comon opyny­it is / as that it is noo dedely synne. ¶Pauper. Euery synne that exclu­deth man or woman out of heuen is dedely synne / but symple fornycacōn excludeth man & woman out of he­uen but they amende theym here / therfore than symple fornycacyon is dedely synne. ¶Diues. Where fyn­dest thou that symple fornycacyon excludeth man & woman out of heuen. ¶Pauper. In the pystle of saynt Poule where he sayth / that no forny­caryes ne they y ^t do auoutrye / ne sodo mytes / ne theues / ne mawmetrers / ne glotons / ne wycked spekers / ne they y ^t lyue by rauyn / shall haue the kyng­dome of heuen .i. ad co (rum).vi. And in the chaptre next before / he byddeth y ^• men sholde not medle with suche for nycaryes and with suche wycked ly­uers not ete w ^t them ne drynke with them / for they be acursed of god and of all the company of heuen. And in an other pystle saynt Poule sayth thus. Wyte ye it well and vnderstan­de ye it that no fornycarye ne vnclene man of his bodye / ne false couetous man shall haue herytage in y ^• kyng­dome of cryste & of god. And therfor sayth he. Late ye no fornycacyon ne vnclennesse ne auaryce be named in you / ne fylth ne foly speche ne harlot­tre / but all maner honeste as it beco­meth sayntes. Ad ephe .v. And in an other place he sayth / that god shall deme fornycaryes & them that do a­uoutrye. Ad hebreos .xiij. That is to saye as the glose sayth. God shall dampne them without ende / al thou­ghe they wene not so / but sythen y ^• god gyueth no tale of flesshly synne. And therfore saynt Iohn sayth in the boke of goddes preuytees to fornycaryes & manquellers / lyers and periurers / and suche other cursed folke / theyr parte shall be in y ^• pyt wellynge & brennynge with fyre & brymstone / whiche is the seconde deth of helle Apo .xxi. And the wyse man byddeth that thou shal te not gyue thy soule to fornycaryes in ony thynge that thou lese not the and thy soule and thyn herytage in heuen. And euery woman fornycarye shall be troden vnder foot of the fen­des as derte in y ^• waye. Eccl .ix. ¶Diues Contra. Al the cōmaūdement of y ^• seconde table be gyuen of god to let wronges y ^• men sholde ellys do to ther euen crysten / but whan a syngel man medleth with a syngell woman / he doth no man ne woman ony wronge for eyther of them is in his owne po­wer. ¶Pauꝑ. Though eche of them be in his owne power / yet ech of them dooth other grete wronge / for eche of theym sleeth other by dedely synne / & eche of them sleeth hȳselfe / & eche of them doth wronge to god in y ^t y ^t they do ayenst his forbode / & slee the sou­les that he bought so dere. And both they doo wronge to ther euen crysten in that y ^t they gyue them wycked en­sample and mater of sclaūdre. ¶Diues Yet contra te. God sayth to eue­ry man & woman. Crescite et multi­plicamini. Wexe ye & be ye multyplyed Therfore than yf a syngell man [Page] medle with a syngell woman to brynge forth childern / it se [...]eth to me no synne. ¶Pauper. God sayd not tho wordes to euery man and woman / but onely to them that were wedded togydre by goddes lawe / that as they were wedded togydre to brynge forth childern / so god badde theym brynge forth childern. God sayd not tho wordes to syngell folke / but to Adam and Eue his wyfe. And vnto Noe & his wyfe / and to his sones and theyr wyues. And therfore Thobye sayd to his sone. Attendite tibi fili mi ab omni fornicacione & [...]. My sone kepe the from all maner fornycacyon / ne medle with none woman / but onely with thy wyfe. Thobie .iiij. ca. And saynt Poule sayth. Mortificate mē ­bra vestra que sunt super terrā. Slee ye your synfull membres that be vp­on erthe / slee ye fornycacyon / vnclen­nesse / lecherye. These be the membres that he byddeth vs slee / not the par­tes of our bodye as the glose sayth. And the glose sayth also. That eue­ry lyenge with a woman out of law­full wedlocke is called fornycacyon / and forboden as dedely synne. And therfore god badde in the olde lawe / that yf the prestes douhhter were ta­ken in fornycacōn / she sholde be brente Leuitici .xxi. ca. And yf ony other mannes doughter felle in to forny­cacyon in hyr faders house or she we­re wedded she sholde be stoned to deth Deut [...] .xxij. Therfore god wolde that his moder Marye sholde be wedded or he were conceyued of hyr. For yf she hadde be founde with childe out of wedlocke / the Iewes sholde haue stoned hyr without wercy. And yf it were lefull to syngell man and syn­gell woman to medle togydre & gen­dre / god hadde made matrymonye in vayne and there wolde noman knyt­te hym vndepartably to ony woman yf he myght without synne medle with what woman he wolde. Ther­fore cryste in y ^• gospell dampned symple forntcacyon and all maner leche­rye and sayth / that who so loketh on ony woman in wyl to medle with hyr out of matrymonye / he dooth lechery ayenst goddes cōmaundement & syn­neth dedely. Mathei .v. And therfore as I sayd fyrste generacyon and bryngynge forth of childern is graunted only to theym that be wedded togy­dre lawfully.

Caplm .ix.

DIues. Be all wedded folke boūde by this cōmaūdement of god. Crescite et multiplica mini. To do ther dylygence to byget childern. ¶Pauꝑ. Byfore mankynd was multyplyed / wedded folke were boūde to do ther dylygence to brynge forth childern. But now y ^t mankynd is multyplyed / the cōmaūdement byndeth them not so moche to generacōn But they be free to cōtynence & kepe them chaste yf they be both of one as­sent therto. For many reasons god or deyned y ^t man & woman sholde not medle togydre but they were wedded togydre. For by auctoryte & fornyca­cyon falleth full ofte that the brother lyeth by his syster and the fader by his [Page] doughter. And many vnlawfull wedloke is made bycause of auoutre. And he that dooth auoutrye he is a theef / and robbe the man or woman of his bodye that is better than ony worlde­ly catell. For the wyues bodye is the husbondes bodye / and his body is hyr bodye / for neyther of theym hath po­wer of his owne bodye to gyue it to ony other by flesshely luste. And he that dooth fornycacōn he robbeth cryste of his ryght both bodely & goostly And therfore saynt Poule sayth / that the lechour taketh the membre of cryste & maketh it the membre of y ^• strū ­pet with whom he medleth .i. ad co (rum) vi. Also by auoutrye be made false heyres / and true heyres truly bygoten put out of ther herytage. Also by a­uoutrye goddes lawe y ^t he made so so­lempnely in the begynnynge of the worlde fyrste of all lawes is broken. And therfore he that breketh it is an open traytour. To this accordeth the wordes of the wyse man / where he sayth that the woman whiche forsa­keth hyr husbonde & taketh an other & maketh herytage of an other ma­trymony dooth many synnes. Fyrste she is mysbyleuynge to goddes lawe / & breketh goddes lawe. Also she tres­paceth ayenst hyr husbonde. Also she dooth fornycacōn in auoutrye & ma­keth childern to hyr of an other man But hyr sones shall gyue no rotes / & ther braunches shall gyue no fruyte. She shall leue ther mynde in cursynge & hyr shame shall neuer be doo a­waye. Eccl .xxiij. And therfore sayth the glose y ^t auoutry is as dāpnable in the man as in the woman. And therfore in the same chaptre he repreueth auoutrye and fornycacōn in man ful hyghely.

Caplm .x.

DIues. Reason & holy wryt dryueth me to graūte y ^t both auoutrye & symple fornyca­cyon be full greuous synne / but more greuous is auoutrye / & fayne I wol­de kepe me fro both synnes. But wymen be the fendes snare / & so tempte me to lecherye y ^t it is ful harde to me to kepe me. Adam Sampsonem Pe­trum Dauid et Salomonem Femi­na decepit. [...]s modo tuttꝰ erit. Woman deceyued Adam Sampson Peter Dauyd & Salomon / who may than be syker fro womans gyle. ¶Pauper. Many a man hath be desceyued by wycked wymen / more by his owne foly than by dysceyte of wymen. But many more wymen haue be deceyued by malyce of men than euer were men deceyued by malyce of wymen. And therfore the woman lechour is called the snare of the fende y ^t hunteth after mānes soule. For the wyse man sayth Inueni amariorē morte mulierē & [...]. I haue foūde woman more bytterer than deth. Suche is the snare of the hunter / hyr herte is a net & hyr han­des be harde bondes. He y ^t pleseth god shall ascape hyr / but the synful man shall be take of hyr. Eccl .vij. But men be called not only y ^• snare of the fende but also they be called his net sprede abrode on the hylle of Tabor for to take many at ones. Ozee .v. [Page] Mannes malyce is called a net spred a brode on an hyghe hylle for it is o­pen & bodely done / not in a fewe but in many. And therfor whan holy wryte speketh of y ^• malyce of men / he speketh in the plurell nombre as to ma­ny. But whan he repreueth the malyce of woman he speketh in the synguler nombre as to fewe / in token y ^t ther be more shrewes of men than of wy­men / & comonly more malyce in men than in wymen / all though some wo­man be malycyous. Fyghtynge / rob­bery / manslaughter / open lechery / glotony / gyle / falsenesse / periurye / traytoury / false contryuynge / and suche other horryble synnes reygne more in man than in woman. This false excusacy on y ^t excuse so ther synne by the ma­lyce of wymen / began fyrste in Adam and loste Adam & all mankynde / for synfully he excused his synne by wo­man whan god vndernam hym of his synne & put woman in defaute. Also he putte god in defaute y ^t made woman & answered full proudely / as men do now a dayes & sayd to god. The woman that y ^u gaue to me to be my felowe yaue me of the tree & I ete therof. As who sayth. Haddest thou not gyuen hyr to be my felowe I sholde not haue synned. And so notwith­standynge y ^t he was more in defaute than y ^• woman / yet he wolde not knowelege ony defaute / but he put wo­man & god pryncypally y ^t made wo­man in defaute. ¶Diues. How was Adam more in defaute than woman ¶Pauꝑ. For to hym pryncypaly god gaue the cōmaundement y ^t he sholde not ete of that tree / & Eue knewe it not but by Adam. Woman was tempted by the fende wonderfully in the adder whiche went y ^t tyme ryght vp / and hadde a face lyke a woman. As Beda sayth & the mayster of storyes And she was dysceyued with his fay­re byhestes and his false slye speche. For he behyght hyr that they sholde not dye but be as goddes knowynge good and euyll. Adam had no temp­tacyon from outwarde but a symple worde of his wyfe that profered him the apple. For we fynde not that she sayd to hym ony desceyuable worde. And therfore sythen man was forboden of goddes mouthe / and she not but by man / and man had lesse temptacyon than woman / and therto in no thynge wolde accuse hymselfe / ne yelde hym gylty / but put defaute all in woman & in god / therfore he syn­ned more than woman / for woman yelde hyr gylty / but she axed no mer­cy. She made no suche excusacōn / but in a grete parte yelded hyr gylty / in that she sayd / the adder hath descey­ued me. For in y ^t she knowleged that she was desceyued / she knowleged y ^t she hadde do amys & vnwysely / and otherwyse than she ought to haue do And for that woman lowed hyr and knowleged hyr vnwysedom & hyr foly / therfore god put in woman that tyme an hope of our saluacōn whan he sayd to the adder I shall put enmyte bytwene the & woman / and bytwe­ne thy sede & hyr sede / and she shall breke thyn hede / that was the fende whiche was hede & leder of the adder [Page] that tyme. The sede of the fende be wycked werkes and wycked folke / to whome god sayd in the gospell. Vos ex patre dyabolo estis. Io .viij. Ye be of the fader the fende. The sede of the woman goostly be hyr good de­des / with whiche the fende and the fendes lymes haue grete enuye. And comonly wymen haue more horryby­lyte of synne than men doo. And by our lady blessyd mote she be the fen­des powrr is destroyed. Also the sede of woman is cryste born of the may­de Mary without parte of man. And so there was neuer man proprely se­de of woman but cryste allone / and alwaye is enmyte bytwene cryste and the fende and his sede. For as saynt Poule sayth. Cryste & Belyall / lyght and derkenesse may not accorde. For this reason saynt Poule sayth / that Adam was not desceyued in the fyrst pryuarycacōn / but woman was desceyued .i. ad. Thi .ij. And therfore as the glose sayth. Whan god Adam vnder­nam / he sayd not y ^t the woman had desceyued me / as y ^• woman sayd / the adder hath desceyued me / but he sayd the woman gaue me of the tree & I haue eten. And also as y ^• glose sayth there. Adam was so wyse y ^t he myght not byleue the fendes tales ne be des­ceyued in y ^t maner as y ^• woman was And for the woman was not so wyse as Adam was therfore she byleued y ^• fendes tales & so was desceyued. And the wyser y ^t Adam was the more was his synne whan he felle. But though Adam was not deceyued fro outwarde by an other / he was desceyued fro inwarde by hymselfe by preuy pryde as sayth saynt Austen de ci.li.xiiij.c [...]. xiij. Where he sayth y ^t Adam & Eue began fyrst to be wycked inwarde / by whiche preuy wyckednes they felle in open vnobedyence. For as he sayth there. Pryde is begynnynge of euery synne. Iniciū omnis peccati suꝑbia. Eccl .x. And as Salomon sayth. Contricione precedit suꝑbia. et ante ruinā exaltatur spūs. Prouer .xvi. Byfore brekynge & brysure gooth pryde / and byfore open fallynge the spryte of a man and a woman is enhaunsed by pryde. And therfore sayth saynt Au­sten in the same chaptre y ^t both Adam and Eue were wycked & desceyued by pryde / and well lete of themselfe by­fore they ete of the tree. For preuy fallynge inwarde went byfore open fallynge outwarde by inobedyence / and so Adam was desceyued and felle by pryde or Eue gaaf hym the apple / & Eue was desceyued by pryde or the serpent desceyued hyr. For as sayth saynt Austen vbi s [...]. They coueyted more excellence & hygher degre than god ordeyned them to. They bothe synned greuously / but Adam more greuously as I sayd fyrst. And therfor saynt Poule sayth / not all men dyed thrugh y ^• synne of Eue but thrugh y ^• synne of Adam. Ne god sayd not to Adam / cursed be y ^• erthe in Eues synne / ne he sayd cursed be y ^• erth in your synne. But to Adam allone he sayd / Cursed be the erthe in thy werke and in thy synne. And therfor sayth saynt Ambrose suꝑ lucā That Eue synned more by freelte and vnstabylyte and [Page] chaungeabylyte than by shrewednes Mobilitate magis animi (quam) prauita­te peccauit. Cryste becam not woman but man to saue mankynde. That as mankynde was loste by man / soo mankynde sholde be saued by man. And therfore in manhede he wolde dye for mankynde / for manhede had loste mankynde. And also he becam man and not woman to saue the or­dre of kynde. And for y ^t womans synne was lesse greuous than Adams synne / & lesse dered mankynde / & wo­man was lesse infecte in the fyrste pryuaricaco n than was man / therfor god toke his manhede only of woman w ^t out parte of man. And so in y ^t he by­cam man / he dyd gret worshyp to mā but in y ^t he toke his manhede only of woman without part of man / he dyd grete worshyp to woman / for only of womans kyn he made medycyne to y ^• synne of Adam / & to hele mankynde of y ^• harde sekenes of Adams synne.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. Thy wordes be won­derfull. But I can not saye ayenst the for drede of our lady moder & mayde that gate grace to mankynde & is our helpe in euery nede. But yet I saye as I sayd fyrste woman desceyued Sampson y ^t was soo stronge. ¶Pauper. Woman des­ceyued him not tyll he had desceyued hymselfe by lecherye & mysgouernaū ce of hymselfe. Fyrste he wedded an hethen woman ayenst goddes lawe and ayenst the wyll of his fader and moder for luste and mysloue that he hadde to hyr. After that he laye by a comon woman y ^t was hethen. And after that he toke an other hethen woman to his concubyne y ^t hyght Dali da y ^e whiche full desceyued hym and brought hym to his deth. He was fal­se to god / & wymen were false to him wymen saye that he was bysotted vp on them / & therfore they treated hym as a sot. He desceyued hymselfe and dyde full vnwysely whan he suffred a woman to bynde him amonges his ennemyes & tolde an hethen woman his couseyll / & in what thynge his ennemyes myght moost dere hym. And all though god tourned his folys de­des to y ^• worshyp of god & of goddes lawe / yet Sampson was not excused therby / for he dyde moche amys & moche foly. Also Dauyd was desceyued by his mys luste & his lecherye / not by the woman Bersabee as y ^u saydest in thy verse. For thus we rede in ho­ly wryt in the seconde boke of kynges xi. ca [...]. That on a tyme whan kynge Dauyd rose from his slepe after myd daye & romed in his soler of his pa­leyse / he sawe a fayre woman wasshe hyr in hyr soler / he knewe not the woman / ne the woman thought not on hym ne knewe not of his wycked wyl as the boke shewed there. Anone he sent after this woman / & whan she cam to hym he laye by hyr & bygate hyr with childe. And anon as he knewe that she was with childe / to hyde his synne / he sent after hyr husbonde Vrye y ^t he sholde come home & medle with his wyf y ^t the childe sholde be named to hym & not to Dauyd. And for [Page] the good knyght wolde not come home at his wyfe ne vse luste of his bo­dye whyles goddes oost lay in y ^• felde in syege of a cyte that hyght Rabath Dauyd sent hym ayen with lettres of his deth to Ioab the prynce of y ^• oost & traytourly dyd him slee. Here mygh teste y ^• see that Dauyd was ouerco­me with lecherye & desceyued by the fende or the woman came to hym. For as cryste sayth in the gospell / for who soo loketh on a woman in wyll to do amys with hyr / anone he hath do lecherye and forfetteth ayenst this cōmaūdement. Non mechaberis. Dauyd loked on that woman in wyll to do lecherye whan y ^• woman thought none enyll. He sent after hyr as after his lege woman & she wyste not why And whan she cam to hym as to hyr kynge / he lay by hyr synfully / for it was full harde to hyr to lette hym. Also Peter forsoke cryste in tyme of his passyon & ranne awaye fro cryste or ony woman spake to hym y ^t tyme & so he desceyued hymselfe / & the wo­man desceyued hym not / she dyd hyr offyce / for she was vsshere and keper at the dore / as the glose sayth & saynt Gregorye / and she sayd to hym that he was one of crystus dyscyples as she sayd soth. For she was bounde y ^t she sholde lete none of crystus dyscy­ples entre. And anone at y ^• fyrst wor­de he forsoke cryste & sayd y ^t he kne­we hym not. And not only woman dyd saynt Peter forsake cryste in this maner / but men sayd to hym y ^• same wordes / & for drede he forsoke cryste soone after & swore y ^t he knewe hym not. And therfor yf it be repreue to woman y ^t woman made saynt Peter for sake cryste / as moche repreue it is to men moche more. For all though he forsoke cryste at y ^• womans worde / yet he swore not therfor ne forswore him tyll men sayd to hym the same wor­des. Math xxvi. et Mar .xiiij. Also Salomon desceyued hymselfe or ony woman desceyued hym / for he toke to hȳ many hethen women of false byleue to haue his luste. He sought them they sought not him. He wyst wel y ^t it was ayenst goddes lawe a kynge to haue soo many wyues & concubynes as he had. For god bad y ^• kynges of his people sholde not haue many wyues / ne multeplye theym many horses in greuau ce of the people / ne multeplye to hym grete weyghtes of golde & syl­uer in dysease of the people / as holy wryt sheweth well. Deut [...] .xvij. Also it was forboden to hym and to all o­ther so to companye with hethen wymen And ayenst all this dyde Salo­mon in hyghe offence of god. Salo­mon sought the companye of hethen wymen. The wymen were stable in theyr false byleue. He was vnstable in his ryght byleue and folowed hyr false byleue / and forsoke goddes la­we in a grete parte / and worshypped false goddes. Lecherye ouercam hym longe or many of the wymen knewe hym. And soo be men ryght now a dayes ouercomen with lecherye with out womannes companye and with­out doynge of wymen. For as cryste sayth in the gospell. Who soo loketh on a woman in wyl to do amys with [Page] hyr / though she thynketh not on hym he dooth lecherye. And yf he handle hyr or smell hyr or speke to hyr or go to hyr or seke by wyses / or by sleygh­tes to haue his luste of hyr / thoughe the woman consent not to hym / and thoughe he be letteth of his wycked wyll / yet he is gylty in lecherye / and dooth ayenst this cōmaundement of god. Non mechaberis. Men lecherous gone and ryde fro towne to towne to gete wymen after theyr luste. They seke the wymen / and not the wymen theym. They caste many wyles to gete womans assent in synne. Men co­monly be werkers and begynners of lecherye / and than whether the wo­man assent or not assent / yet the man is gylty. And for oftentyme it falleth that whan men wende to be seker of the womans assent / than the woman wyll not assent for drede of god / and yf she assented byfore and hyght the man to folowe his luste and after re­penteth hyr & withdraweth hyr from his wycked companye / than shall the lecherous man dyffame all wymen / and saye that they be false and des­ceyuable. For suche lechours speken moost vylonye of wymen / for y ^t they may not haue ther foule lust of them at wyll / and for they may not defou­le them with ther bodyes / they defoule them with ther tonges / and speke of them full euyll & defame them fal­sely / and procure to them the harme that they may. Example we haue in the boke of Danyell .xiij. ca. Of the good woman Susanne and two fal­se olde prestes that were Iuges & go­uernours of the people for that yere / whiche by one assent wayted to haue this woman allone in hyr gardeyne / whan she sholde go to wasshe hyr as the maner was that tyme. And for she wolde not assent to ther wycked­nesse but cryed after helpe / anon they cryed ayenst hyr. And whan men co­me / they sayd that they founde hyr lyenge with a yonge man / and so falsely dampned hyr to deth / for that they myght not doo theyr foule luste with hyr. But at the prayer of Su­sanne god sent Danyell his prophete & toke them & conuecte them in theyr falsehode and slough theym & saued Susanne. We fynde also in the seconde boke of kynges the .xiij. ca. That Aamon the sone of Dauyd fayned hym seke and prayed his fader Da­uyd that Thamer his syster myght come & kepe hym. And whan she was come he spake to hyr for to lye by hyr but she wolde not assent. And than he oppressed hyr / & so defouled his owne syster. And anone he hated hyr more than euer he loued hyr byfore bycause that she wolde not assent to hym / and spytefully put hyr out of his cham­bre and dyde shette the dore after hyr For this dede Aamon was slayn soo­ne after of his brother Absolon.

Caplm .xij.

DIues. And yet many a wo­man wyll assent to luste of flesshe full lyghtely yf it be proufred. ¶Pauper. That is soth. But wymen be not so redy to assent as men be to proufre it. And he that [Page] profereth it & begynneth he assenteth fyrste & is more in defaute. ¶Diues Thou excusest moost wymen / & accuseste men. ¶Pauper. I accuse no good man / but lecherous men / ne I excuse no wycked woman / but good wymen that be falsely defamed of le cherye / not only in ther persones / but in ther kynde generally. For the prou­de malyce of man defameth vnreso­nably the kynde of woman. And as Adam dyd put his synne on woman & wolde not excuse his owne malyce to get mercy. ¶Diues. Salomon speketh moche euyll of wymen. ¶Pau­per. And Salomon speketh moche good of wymen. For he sayd. Mulier timens dn̄i. ipsa laudabit [...]. The wo­man y ^• dredeth god she shall be pray­sed. Salomon repreueth wycked wy­man & prayseth good wymen / and he repreueth wycked men and prayseth good men. ¶Diues. Salomon sayth Omnis malicia nequicia mulieris. Breuis est omnis malicia super ma­liciam mulieris. Eccl .xxv. The wyc­kednesse of woman is all malyce / and euery malyce is shorte aboue the ma­lyce of woman. ¶Pauper. Soth it is whan wymen gyue theym to shre­wednesse than they be full malycyouse. And whan they gyue theym to goodnesse they be full good. And therfore the wyse man in y ^• next chaptre folowynge prayseth wymen full mo­che & sayth / that blessyd is that man that hath a good woman to his wyf His yeres shal be doubled / he shal en­de his yeres in peas. A good woman is a good parte / and a good parte of theym that drede god / & she shall be gyuen to a man for his good dedes. The grace of the besy woman shall lyke hyr husbonde & make his bones fatte. Hyr dyscyplyne and hyr nortu­re is the gytte of god. And the holy woman & chaste is grace vpon grace And as the sonne shynyng lyghtneth the worlde in the heyght of the daye / so the beaute of a good woman is in confort & aray of hyr husbonde. And as golden pyleris set on syluer basys / so be syker fete on the soles of the stable woman. And endeles groūdes on a seker stone be goddes cōmaunde­ment in the herte of an holy woman Fundamenta eterna suꝑ petrā solidāmandata dei in corde mulieris sancte Eccl .xxvi. ¶Diues. Salomon sayth Vinum et mulieres a potestate faciūt sapientes. Eccl .xix. Wyne and wy­men make wyse men to dote and to forsake goddes lawe and doo amys. ¶Pauper. And yet ther is no defaute in the wyne / ne oftentymes in the woman. But defaute is in hym that vnwysely vse the wyne / and vnwysely vseth the woman & other goddes creatures Thoughe thou drynke wyne tyll thou art dronken and falleste in lecherye by thy glotonye / the wyne is not to blame / but thou that canste not or wylt not mesure thyselfe. And though thou loke on a woman & art caught in hyr beaute / & assentest to do amys / the woman in case is not to blame / ne hyr beaute not to lacke that god hath gyuen hyr. But thou art to blame that no better kepest thyn hert from wycked thoughtes. But there [Page] thou sholdest prayse god / thou thyn­kest euyll / and mysusest goddes fay­re creature in offence of god there y ^• sholdest prayse hym. And yf thou fe­leste the tempted by the syght of woman / kepe thy syght better. And yf hyr dalyaūce styre the to lecherye / flee hyr companye. For ayenst lecherye flyght is best fyght. Thou art free to go awaye fro hyr / no thynge byndeth the to doo lecherye but thy lecherous herte.

Caplm .xiij.

DIues. Womans araye styreth noche folke to doo lecherye. ¶Pauꝑ. All though in case the araye & the atyre is not to blame nomore than is hyr beaute. Yet by co­mon course of kynde both man & woman seke to be honestly arayed after ther astate & after ther degre / & after the custome of the contre y ^t they dwell in / not to tempte folke to lecherye / ne for pryde / ne for none other synne / but for honeste of mankynde & to y ^• wor­shyp of god / to whos lykenesse man & woman is made. And he is our brother / & this is the custome of good folke But yf they doo it for pryde / or to tempte folke to lecherye or for ony o­ther synne / or y ^t they toke on them atyre y ^t is not accordynge to them yf it be to costfull or to straūge in shap / or to wyde or to syde not ruled by reason / they synne ful greuously in the syght of god. And namely tho men y ^t cloth them soo shorte / that man & woman may see the forme of the shap of ther preuy membres whiche be shamefull to shewe / & the syght is grete cause of temptacyon & of wycked thoughtes. Saynt Poule bydeth y ^t wymen shol­de atyre them to honeste araye with shamefastnesse & sobrenesse / not in broydynge of ther heere / not in golde & syluer / ne in parrye ne in ouerdone clothe pri. [...] ad Thi .ij. And the same sayth saynt Peter in his fyrste pystle. iij. ca. Where he byddeth y ^• men shol­de haue ther wyues in worshyp & ke­pe them honostly. ¶Diues. Wymen now a dayes araye theym full moche ayenst the techynge of Peter & Poule & therfore I drede me that they syn­ne full greuously. ¶Pauper. Peter & Poule forbyde not vtterly suche aray But they forbyde wymen suche aray to vse in pryde / or to prouoke folke to secherye and to vse suche araye pas­synge ther astate / or for an euyll ende For we fynde that saynt Cecyle and many other holy wymen went aray­ed in clothes of golde & in ryche per­rye, & wered the hayre vnder y ^• solemp ne atyre. And Peter and Poule sayd tho wordes pryncypally for tyme of prayers / as for lente / ymbre dayes / gangedayes / frydayes / vigylyes / and in tyme of generall processyon made for nede. In suche tyme namely man & woman sholde leue all tokens and sygnes of pryde in araye. For as the glose sayth. Ther proude clothynge gette the no good of god and maketh folke to deme amys / namely yf it pas­se mesure & good maner. The pryn­cypall entencyon of saynt Poule the­re he sayth tho wordes / is to enfour­me men and wymen in prayers. For [Page] whome they sholde praye why & how and where they shall praye as sayth the glose. And he enformeth them to praye in lownesse / without pompe of clothynge & of grete araye. For I am syker / that the foule stynkynge pom­pe & pryde of araye that is now vsed in this londe in all thre partyes of the chirche. That is to laye / in the feudorys / and in clergye / and in comoners wyll not be vnuenged. But yf it be soone amended by very repentaunce and forsakynge of this synne. For fro the hygheste vnto the lowest in e­uery astate and in euery degree / and nyghe honde in euery persone is now araye passynge to mannes bodye and womans ayenst all reason and the lawe of god. ¶Diues. Sythen it is so that man is more pryncypall in ordre of kynde than is woman / & mo­re stable and myghty and of hygher dyscrecyon by cours of kynde than is woman / and sholde as thou hast well sayd be more vertuous and stable in goodnesse than woman / how maye it be that wymen kepe them ofte more chaste & be more stable in goodnesse than man. For we see that whan men take them to be ankeres and recluses within a fewe yeres comonly eyther they falle in reuerses / or heresyes / or they breke out for womans loue / or for trouble of ther lyfe / or by some gyle of y ^• fende. But of wymen ancres so inclused is seldon herde ony of the­se defaut / but holyly they begynne & holyly they ende. ¶Pauper. Men by waye of kynde is more stable than is wymen and of more dyscrecyon / but by grace wymen be oft more stable in goodnesse than be men & haue bet­ter dyscrecōn in goodnes than many a man. ¶Diues. Why so. ¶Pauper For men truste to moche in themself & truste not in god as they ought to do / wymen knowyng ther freeite truste not in themselfe / but only in god and cōmende them more to god than do men oftyme. And the wyse man sayth. Inicium sapiencie timor dn̄i. Prouer .ix. ca. psal. no. The drede of the lorde is begynnynge of wysedom For who soo dredeth god with loue drede as y ^• good childe the fader / that loue drede shall teche hym what is plesaunt to god / and what may dis­please hym. And it shall make hym besy to do his plesaunce & to leue his offence. And comonly whan men be­come ancres they doo it moro for the worlde than for god. They doo it for ypocresye to haue a name of holynes and of wysdom / or for couetyse to get good or to be out of obedyence / and at ther owne wyll / to ete & to drynke / wake and slepe whan them lyketh / and to do as theym lyketh. For ther shall no man repreue theym therof / ne wy­te whether they doo well or euyll / or whether they praye or they praye not And comonly men ancres haue mo­re dalyaunce with the worlde bothe with men and wymen than euer they had or they were ancres. And though they were lewde fooles byfore / than men holde theym wyse / and axe of them doubtes of conscyence and of thynges that be to come / of the whi­che thynges they can noo skyll. And [Page] yet what they saye / the people taketh it for a gospell / and so they desceyue many a man and many a woman. And sythen they groūde theym all in pryde / in ypocresye / and in couetyse / & truste in themselfe more than in god therfore he suffreth the tende to haue power ouer theym / and so dyseased theym and bryngeth theym to a wyc­ked ende. But wymen take oft y ^• state for no suche ende / but only for god And they seynge ther owne freelte cō mende theym to god. And therfore god kepeth them soo / that the fende may not dysease theym in suche ma­ner ne dysceyue theym. We rede in holy wryt Gen̄ .xij. et .xx. That whan Abraham cam in to straūge londes / he bad his wyfe Saray that she sholde not be aknowen that she was his wyfe / but saye that she was his syster For she was soo fayre a woman that he wyste well that men sholde couey­te hyr for hyr beaute. And yf they wende that she were his wyfe / they sholde slee hym to haue hyr at theyr wyll / for auoutrye was harder punysshed than manslaughter. And therfore to saue his lyfe Abraham sayd & bad hyr saye that she was his syster. For as doctor de lyra sayth. Abraham wyste well that she was a good wo­man / and hadde suche an angell to kepe hyr that noo man sholde haue power to defoule hyr / and so it befell. For anone she was take & led to the kynge of Egypt & kepte there in the kynges courte longe tyme. And Abraham fared well by cause of hyr. But god sent suche a sekenesse to y ^• kynge and to his wyues & to his concubynes and to all his housholde / that they hadde no myght ne lykynge to defoule hyr. Than the kynge axed his pre­stes and maysters of the lawe why that dysease felle vnto hym and to his housholde. And they by reuelacy­on of god sayden that it was for the pylgrymes wyfe. And than the kyn­ge lette hym go with worshyppe. We rede also that Abraham hadde two sones. Ysmaell of Agar his seruaunt and Ysaac of Sara his wyfe. Abra­ham loued well Ysmaell / for he was y ^• elder sone. On a tyme Sara sawe Ysmaell playe with hyr sone Ysaac not goodly / she was myspayde & sayd to Abraham that he sholde put Ys­maell & his moder Agar out of housholde / for Ysmaell sayd she sholde haue no parte of herytage with hyr so­ne Ysaac. Abraham bare full heuy of these wordes / for he loued moche Ysmaell. Than god sayd to Abra­ham. Take it not soo harde ne soo sharpely that Sara sayd to the of thy childe and of thy seruaunt Agar But in all thynges that Sara sayth to the / here hyr voyce and doo there after. And than Abraham put them out of his housholde full moche a­yenst his herte. And soo notwithstandynge that Abraham was soo nyghe god that he was called goddes fren­de / yet as than his wyfe knewe mo­re of goddes wyll than he dyde. Al­so we rede of Ysaac and Rebecca his wyfe that they hadde two sones bor­ne at ones whiche were Esau and Iacob Ysaac loued better Esau than [Page] Iacob. But Rebecca loued better Iacob than Esau / & so dyd god. And by techyng of the holy goost she begyled Ysaac & Esau also / & dyd Ysaac gy­ue his pryncypall blessynge to Iacob / there he wolde haue gyuen it to Esau and all was goddes dede and so confermed by god / that whan Ysaac wyst of that gyle / yet he durste not with­drawe his blessynge / for he sawe wel that it was goddes wyll and goddes doynge. And therfor he sayd to Esau wepynge for he was so begyled. Be­nedixi ei. et erit benedictus. I haue blessyd hym / & he shall be blessyd.

Caplm .xiiij.

DIues. I assent well that by grace a woman maye be as stable in chastyte & in good­nesse as man. And without grace neyther man ne woman maye kepe hym chaste. For the flesshe bothe of man and woman is full freell and full redye to falle. And therfore I praye the teche me some remedye a­yenste the temptacyon of lecherye. ¶Pauper. One remedye is resona­ble / abstynence from mete & drynke / and for to flee deynte metes & deyn­te drynkes / and to flee glotonye as moost begynnynge & mene to lechery And therfore glotony is forboden by this cōmaūdement as mene & waye to lecherye. And other remedye is harde lyenge / watche and trauayll that the bodye haue not to moche ease / but be well occupyed. For the wyse man sayth. That ydelshyppe hath taught moche malyce. Multam enim mali­ciam docuit dciositas. Therfor sayth he. Ryght as to the asse longeth fe­dynge / yerde and byrdeyne / soo to the seruaunt / that is to saye / to the flesshe that sholde be suget and seruaunt to the soule / longeth drede and chasty­synge / and werkes of good occupacy­on. Eccl .xxxiij. And god sayth that pryde and plente of brede / and welfa­re / and plente of rychesses / and ydel­shyppe were cause of the wyckednesse of the Sodomytes / and of there lecherye / and for they loued not poore fol­ke. Ezechi .xvi. And therfore almesdede is a grete remedye ayenst lecherye / to gete grace of chastyte / so that it be gyuen to the poore nedye that ben in myscheef / and to suche that haue not by kynde to gete ther lyuelode by trauayll of ther bodye / and yf they beg­ge they doo it without auaryce / with mekenesse and clennesse of lyuynge / to suche byddeth cryste to do almesse saynge. Date elimosinam. et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis Luce. Gy­ue ye almesse / & lo all thynges be cle­ne to you yf ye wyl amende you. And an other remedye is a man to haue mynde of his deth / & thynke how he shall wende hense with bytter payne & than all his luste shall tourne in to woo & sorowe & thynke that by man or woman neuer so fayre / so welfa­rynge / so hole / so lusty / so lykynge to the eye / so myghty / so wytty / so gret of lynage / so ryche / so grete of name or of lordshypp. Eyther by man eyther woman / be he euer so plesaūt he shall dye and tourne to erthe & asshes and wormes mete. And yf he smel now neuer [Page] so swete he shall stynke than full sowre. Therfore the wyse man sayth In omni (bus) oꝑi (bus) tuis memorare noui s;sima tua et ineternū nō peccabis. Eccl .vij. In all these werkes thyn­ke on thy laste thynges / & thou shalt not do no synne without ende. We rede y ^t in Englonde was a kynge that had a concubyne whose name was Rose. And for hyr grete beaute he called hyr Rose amoūde. Rosa mundi. That is to saye. Rose of the worlde. For hym thought y ^t she passed all wymen in beaute. It befell that she dyed & was buryed whyle the kynge was absent. And whan he cam ayen for grete loue that he had to hyr / he wol­de see the bodye in the graue. And whan the graue was opened / there sate an horryble tode vpon hyr breste by twene hyr tetys / & a foule adder by­gyrt hyr bodye about in the mydle / & she stanke so y ^t the kynge ne none o­ther myght stande to see that horry­ble syght. Than the kynge dyd shette ayen the graue / and dyde wryte these two verses vpon the graue. Hic iacet in tumba. rosa mundi nō rosa mūda Non redolet sed olet quod redolere solet That is thus to saye in englysshe Here lyeth in graue rose of the worl­de / but not clene rose. She smelleth not swete but stytketh full foule / that somtyme smelled full swete. And an other remedye ayenst lecherye is that a man & woman kepe well ther fyue wyttes / that a man kepe well his handes & his bodye from mystouchynge / his eeres fro mysherynge that he he­re no tales of lecherye / ne foule spe­che. For saynt Poule sayth. Corrūpi­unt bonos mores colloquia praua .i. ad Co (rum) .xv. Wycked speche destroyed chastyte & good thewes. Also he must kepe well his syght / takynge exam­ple of Iob whiche made a couenaūt with his eyen / that he sholde not thynke on a mayden to haue myllykyng in the thought. And the prophete Ieremye sayd y ^t his eye had robbed his soule in the woman of his cyte. Tre­no (rum) .iij. For these reasons the prophe­te sayd / y ^t deth is entred by our wyn­dowes / that is to saye / by our fyue wyttes whiche be wyndowes and wy­kettes to the soule. Ieremye .ix. And an other remedye is a man to kepe well his herte from ydell thoughtes / and from wycked thynges. For as cryste sayth in the gospell / out of the herte comen wycked thoughte [...] / man slaughter / auoutre / fornycacōn / theeft / false wytnesse / blasphemye. Mathei. xv. And therfore sayth the wyse man Omni custodia serua cor tuū. Prouer. iiij. With all kepynge kepe well thyn herte / for of the herte cometh lyfe and deth. The mayster of kyndes li.xviij Sayth that there is a best that is called taxus / that is a brok or a bawsym in Englysshe. And there is a greate enmyte bytwene the foxe and hym. The foxe is besy to put the bawsym out of his denne. And for he may not doo it by myght / he doth it by sleyght He wayteth tyll whan the bawsym is gone out of his denne / than he gooth and pysseth & maketh foule the baw­syms denne. And for y ^• bawsym hate stenche and vnclennesse / whan he co­meth [Page] and fyndeth his denne so styn­kynge & so defouled he forsaketh his denne and seketh hym an other. And than the foxe entreth / & there he bryngeth forth a shrewed brode. By the bawsym that hateth stenche and vnclenne s;se is vnderstande cryste Ihesus born of the mayde floure of clennesse By the foxe is vnderstande the fende whiche is about nyght and daye to putte cryste out of his denne / that is mannes soule & womans. For man­nes soule is goddes denne / goddes temple / goddes house / goddes dwellynge place. And for the fende may not put hym out by myght / he putteth hym out by sleyght. He maketh foule mā nes soule and womans / he putteth in ther soules foule stynkynge though­tes of lecherye / fyrste smale and after gretter. And anone as man or wo­man begynneth to haue lykynge in suche thoughtes / anone ther soule be­gynneth to stynke in goddes syght / & yf they assent to the thoughtes to do them in dede / or for to delyte theym therin. Than ther soules stynke soo foule in goddes syght that he forsa­keth tho soules and gooth out / and than the fende entreth therin. And there he bryngeth forth synne vpon synne / tyll at the laste he bryngeth theym from shame to shame / to wyc­ked deth / and to a wycked ende. Therfore saynt Austen in his sermon byd­deth vs that we sholde trauayle that our god fynde no thynge in his tem­ple / that is to saye in our soules that may offende the eyen of his mageste. But the dwellynge of our herte mo­te be voyded of vyces / and fylled with vertues / and shette to the fende and open to cryste.

Caplm .xv.

AN other remedye ayenst the temptacōn of lecherye is deuo cyon & mynde of crystus passyon. For as saynt Gregorye sayth. There is none so harde temptacyon / but that man sholde ouercome easely ynough yf he thought entyrely on crystus passyon. We fynde in gestys that on a tyme a grete kynges sone loued well a poore woman. For though she was poore yet she was fayre and plesaunt in berynge. The kynges sone toke hyr to his paramoure and wed­ded hyr. Wherfore his fader and ny­ghe all his kynne was myspayde. For them thought y ^t he was moche dyspe­rached by hyr / wherfor he seynge that his kynrede bare so heuy of his ma­ryage / he went in to fer londes & gaf hym to armes / and what he myght wynne with his swerde he sent it ho­me to his wyfe sauynge his worshyp & his lyuynge. In euery Iourney he had the better of his enmyes / & so his name began to sprynge fer and wyde At y ^t last he came in so harde a fyght all though he had the maystrye / yet he was soo wounded that nedes he muste dye. Than he sente home his sharte full of woundes and of holes and all forbleded to his wyfe with a lettre vnder his seale saynge in this wyse. Cerne cicatrices. veteris vestigia pugne. Quesiui ꝓprio sanguine quic­ [...]d habes. Beholde my woundes and [Page] haue theym in thy thought. For all the goodes that be thyn with my blode I haue theym bought. And whan this woman sawe this sharte & redde the letter / she felle downe in swowne And whan she was releued she henge vp this sharte in a preuy place of hyr chambre / & whan euer ony man cam to hyr to speke of weddyng or of flesshely luste / she wente in to hyr cham­bre and loked on his sharte / and came out ayen styffe & stedfaste in hyr hus­bondes loue that was deed & denyed them ther axynge saynge in this maner Whyle I haue his blood in my mynde / that was to me so good and kynde. Shall I neuer husbonde ta­ke / but hym that dyed for my sake. And thus she kepte hyr in clennesse and chastyte all hyr lyfe for loue of hyr husbonde that dyed for hyr loue. By this poore woman that was soo fayre is vnderstande mannes soule & womans whiche is made to the lyke­nesse of god. But it was made full poore through the synne of Adam. By the kynges sone is vnderstande cryste goddes sone which loued so moche mannes soule / that as saynt Poule sayth / he auentysshed hymself and dysparyched hymselfe in to the lyke­nesse of a seruaūt / & maryed to hym our kynde & mannes soule and lyued here two and thrytty wynter & more in moche woo to wynne the loue of mannes soule and faught ayenst the fende / the flesshe & the worde that be alwaye besye to lese mannes soule. And alwaye he hadde the maystrye by myght of the godhede. But on go de frydaye he cam in soo fell a fyght with y ^t tyraūt the fende of helle that though he had y ^t maystrye / yet he was so forwoūded y ^t by waye of manhode whiche he toke of y ^t mayde nedely he muste dye. And than he sent home a letter of loue to his spouse mānes soule saynge as y ^t knyght sayd. Cerne cicatrices & [...]. Beholde my woūdes and haue them in thy thought / for all the goodes y ^t be thyn with my blood I haue them bought. For why all the Ioye & blys that we sholde haue in heuen and all the grace and goodnesse that we haue here in erthe all haue we by vertue of crystus passyon. For but he wolde haue dyed for our sake els sholde we haue layne in helle payne with out ende. By this sharte full of woū des and so blodye I vnderstande his blysfull bodye. For as mannes bodye is clad in his sharte / so y ^t godhede was clothed in the blysfull bodye of cryste whiche bodye was all blody & so full of woūdes / y ^t as sayth y ^t ꝓphete Ysa.i. Fro the sole of the fote to the toppe of the hede there was no hole place in his body. Therfor leue frende I pray you hange ye this sharte in a preuy place of your chambre. That is to saye. Sette ye crystus passyon entyre­ly in your herte. And whan the fende the worlde or the flesshe / or ony wyc­ked man or woman begynneth for to tempte you to synne / anone wende ye to your herte and loke ye on this sharte Thynke how that blysfull bodye was borne of the mayde Mary with­out synne and sorowe and neuer dy­de amys. Thynke how it was for­rent [Page] and for tourne / byspetted for our synne and our sake / and not for his owne gylte. And yf ye do so & thynke entyrely on crystus passyon / ye shall lyghtely ouercome euery temptacyon and haue the better pacyence in trybulacyon Wherfore an holy man sayth thus. Reminiscens sacrati sanguinis quē effudit amator hominis. effunden do lacrimas. Non est locus ingratitudini . vbi torrens tante dulcedinis at tingit animas & [...]. Whan I thynke on crystus blood that he shedde vpon the rode I lete teres smert. What man may be vnkynde that crystus blood hath in mynde entyrely in his herte. Swete Ihesu cryste what is thy gylt that thou thus for me art spylt flou­re of vnlothfulnes. I am a theef & thou dyeste I am gylty & thou obeyest all my wyckednes. Why gauest thou so moche for thyne what wynnest y ^• with thyne harde payne ryche in blysse aboue. Loue thyne herte soo depe hath sought that payne of deth let­teth me nouht to wynne mannes lo­ue. An other remedye ayenst lecherye is redynge & dalyaūce of holy wryt & of holy mennes lyues. And therfore saynt Ierom sayth ad rusticū mona­chum. Ama scienciam scriptura (rum) et carnis vicia nō amabis. Loue connynge of holy wryt and of goddes lawe / and thou shalt not loue vyces of the flesshe. And therfore god sayth. Non videbit me homo et viuet. Exodi. xxxiij. Ther shall no man see me by deuocyon and lyue flesshely. For noothynge sleeth soo moche the luste of the flesshe as deuocyon / and thynke on god and to studye goddes lawe. And an other remedy is to thynke on helle payne. For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate theologie. In helle shall be ouerdone hete of fyre & gnastynge of teeth for colde & for payne / derkenesse & smoke & bytter wepyn­ge without ende. Rorynge and bele­wynge of foule fendes / wepynge and weylynge▪ sobbynge and syghynge of synfull soules / and endeles repreue of ther synnes / endles drede / endles thyr­ste / stenche / lyght / thondre / & worme of conscyence / bondes / pryson / drede / shame / wantynge of the blysfull syght of goddes face / and woo without o­ny hope of ony welthe. There men shall seke deth & not fynde it / & wys­she that they neuer hadde be borne. And as saynt Bernarde sayth in his medytacōns. There shall be herde we pynge & gnastyng of teeth / roryng of fendes & hydeous thondre. There y ^t syght shal be foule / wormes / todes / adders / & horryble faces of the fendes & mysshape thynges. There wycked wormes shall gnawe the herte rotes / there shall be sorowe & syghynge and horryble drede. There synfull wret­ches shall brenne in the fyre without ende. In ther bodye they shall be tourmented by fyre / & in ther soule by worme of conscyence. There shall be deth without deth / for alwaye they shall be in deynge and in vtter payne and may not dye / but alwaye lyue in deynge There smellynge shall be fylled with horryble stenche / for there shall be no hope. But whan they be in the­se paynes ten hondred yeres / yet ther [Page] payne in newe all to begynne. And therfore yf loue of god & mede in he­uen styreth vs not to flee lecherye and all other synnes / lette vs flee lecherye & all other synnes for drede of ende­lesse payne.

Caplm .xvi.

ANd an nother remedy ayenst lechery is to thynke of y ^t harde vengeaūces y ^t god hath take for lecherye. Fyrst take hede what vengeaūce god hath take for symple fornycacōn. We fynde in holy wryt. Gen̄ .xxxiiij. That Dyua y ^t doughter of Iacob went fro home to see y ^t wy­men of that contre & to see ther atyre Than Sychem y ^t sone of Emor prynce of y ^t contre wente & defouled this Dyua by myght. And not withstan­dyng his besynes for to haue wedded hyr / yet he was slayne for his lechery & his fader & all the men of y ^t cyte / & that cyte destroyed. We rede also in holy wryt Numeri .xxv. For y ^t the childeren of Israell dyde lecherye w [...] the wymen of Moab / god was offended / & bad Moyses take y ^t prynces of his people & hange theym vpon Iebetes / for they were assentynge to the syn­ne / & bad euery man slee his neygh­bour that was gylty in y ^t synne. For by lecherye they felle in to ydolatrye. And so for y ^t lecherye were slayn that tyme .xxiiij. thousande. Than Phy­nees the sone of Eleazar sawe one of y ^t childern of Israell by one of the wymen / & to venge his synne he toke his swerde & roof them both togydre in to the erthe throughe theyr preuy membres. And god was so moche plesed with his dede / that he graūted to hym & to his childern after hym the dygnyte of preesthode without ende. For but he had do that dede god sholde ellys haue destroyed the people. Also for auoutrye & vnlawfull wedloke all mankynde was destroyed in tyme of Noes flood saue .viij. soules. Gen̄. vi. And for defoulynge of one man­nes wyfe were slayne thre score thou­sande & fyue thousande & all a con­tre / and a grete cyte destroyed at the byddynge of god. Iudicū .xix. et .xx. Also Dauyd for auoutrye was dre­uen out of his kyngdom / and he & al his housholde & all his kynrede were afterwarde full harde punysshed for his lecherye .ij. Re .xi. et .xij. And by the olde lawe both man and woman sholde be slayne yf they were take in auoutrye. We rede that Iudas the so­ne of Iacob hadde thre sones by one woman. Her Onam & Selam. But Her y ^t was the eldest sone was a shre­we & mysused his owne wyfe / wher­fore god was wrothe with hym and slough hym with sodayne deth / for he vsed his wyfe in luste & wolde not by gete childern of hyr / but dyde so y ^t she sholde not conceyue. Gen̄ .xxxviij. Also for lecherye seuen husbondes of Sara that was afterwarde the wyfe of yonge Thobye were slayne of y ^t ten­de for ther foule luste. Thobie .vi. Also for lecherye of them y ^t be of kynre de & of affynyte / god hath take har­de wrath / as whan Aamon lay by his syster Thamer / he was slayne of his broder Absolon. And Loth the broder [Page] of Abraham by dronkenshyp lay by his owne two doughters & bygate of them two childern Moab & Amon / whiche childern & the people that ca­me of theym were alwaye enemyes to goddes folke & acursed of god. Also Iacob cursed his sone Ruben for he laye with one of his wyues. Also for the foule synne of Sodome fyue fayre cytees Sodom & Gomor & o­ther thre cytees were destroyed in ty­me of Abraham. For god rayned vpon them fyre & brymstone from abo­ue. And the erthe shoke so & trembled that they sonke downe in to helle house / londe / man & childe / and beest & all that they had. There was no thyng saued but Loth & his two doughters his wyfe myght haue be saued / but for that she loked ayen to the cyte a­yenst the angels byddynge / whan she herde the sorowfull crye of them that perysshed / therfore she tourned in to a salt stone. For the angell bad them streytly y ^t they sholde not loke ayen. And all y ^t contre whiche was byfore lykened to paradyse for fayrenesse & plente of the contre / tourned in to a foule stynkynge podell y ^t lasteth in to this daye / & is called the deed see. For ther may noo thynge lyue therin for fylth & stenche in vengeaūce of y ^t stynkynge lecherye. Gen̄ .xij. ¶Diues. Me meruayleth moche y ^t god toke so general wrath to slee man & woman and childe. For I am syker ther were many childern full yonge & vngylty in that synne. Also we fynde not that wymen were than gylty in that syn­ne. The boke sayth that all the peo­ple of men fro the childe male to the olde cam to do y ^t synne / but of wymen speketh he not that ony cam therto. ¶Pauper. Though woman vse not y ^t synne / yet they were gylty in y ^t that they forsoke not ther husbondes that were gylty. For sodomye is moost suffycyent cause of dyuorce bytwene husbonde & wyfe whan it is openly vsed And syth they wolde not forsake ther husbondes in y ^t horryble synne / in maner they assented to ther synne / & soo ryghtfully they perysshed in synne with them. Of the childern vngylty the mayster of storyes sayth / that god slough them for ther best. For yf they hadde lyued forth in to myghty age they sholde haue folowed the lechery of ther faders / and so it was better to theym to dye or they were gylty / than to haue lyued lenger & dyed gylty and go to helle without ende.

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. Fell there ony venge­aunce for lechery of men of holy chirche. ¶Pauper. We fynde in the seconde boke of kynges vi.ca. That ther was a deken in y ^• olde lawe whos name was Oza. And whan he touched y ^t hutche eyther arke of god to holde it vp whan it sholde els haue falle / his ryght arme seryd & dryed sodaynly / & anone he dyed. For as the mayster of storyes sayth. That nyght he had deled w ^t his wyf. Syth than the deken of the olde lawe was so hard punysshed for he touched goddes hutche y ^t els sholde haue falle / for he medled y ^t nyght with his wyfe / moche [Page] more prestes & dekens of the ne­we lawe be worthy moche wo yf they presume to touche goddes bodye or to mynystre at goddes aulter whan as they haue comoned with other men­nes wyues / or with ther concubynes. And therfore the lawe byddeth strey­tely that there sholde no man ne wo­man here masse of the preest whiche that he knoweth sykerly that he holdeth a concubyne / or is an open leche­rour and notorye. Distinc .xxxij. nul­lus & [...]. preter hec. And in the same lawe it is forboden in payne of cursyn­ge that ony preest lechour sholde laye ony masse / or ony deken lechour rede ony gospell / or ony subdeken rede ony pystle in the offyce of holy chirche. And in an other place the lawe byd­deth that suche notorye lechours sholde haue no offyce in holy chirche ne benefyce / & yf they had but yf they wolde amēde them / they sholde be pryued both of offyce & of benefyce. Distinc. xxviij. decreuimus. And yf ony man of holy chirche hoūted moche the place and the companye of suspecte wy­men but he wolde cesse / he sholde be deposed. Distinc lxxxi. clericus. And there sholde no straūge wymen dwelle with men of holy chirche / but thermoders beldames auntes and god­moders and brothers doughters / or sy­sters doughter. Ihidē ca.cū omnibus And yf there myght ony euyll suspeccyon be of ther dwellynge togydre or for youth / or for they be suspecte in o­ther byhalue / than they sholde not dwelle with them in housholde / but in some other place. Ex. de cohitacōe clerico abrum; et mulierū .i. capitulo. ¶Diues Though a preest be a shrewe / the sacramentes that he mynystreth be not the worse. For the goodnesse of y ^• prest amendeth not the sacrament. Ne his wyckednesse appereth theym not / as the lawe sheweth well in the same place. Vbi supra ꝓximo caplo. vestra. ¶Pauper. Why forbydeth than the lawe men to here masses of synfull prestes lechours The lawe sayth that fallynge fro the hygher chastyte that is voued to god is more & wors than auoutrye. For sythen god is offended whan the wyfe kepeth not fayth to hyr bodely husbonde / or the husbonde kepeth not fayth to his wyfe / moche more is god offended yf fayth of cha­styte is not kepte to hym whiche was prouffered to hym frely / not axed ne­dely. And the more freely it was ma­de without compellynge / the morer synne is the brekynge .xxvi.q̄.i. Nup­clarum in fine ca. et ca. impudicas. et ca. scien. Also the lawe sayth that the synne that is done inmedyatly a­yenst god is more synne than the synne that is do pryncypally ayenst man And therfore sayth he / sacrylege is more synne than ony fornycacyon or auoutrye .xvij.q̄.iiij. sunt [...]. ¶Diues. Contra te. The lawe sayth that a­uoutrye is moost of all synnes .xxxij. q̄.vij. [...]d in omni (bus). ¶Pauper. The glose answereth therto & sayth / that it is a maner of speche to doo wlate auoutrye and shewynge that auou­trye is full greuous. But he sayth there / that manslaughter and Inceste and sacrylege by brekynge of y ^• vowe [Page] of chastyte is more greuous. And al­so it may be take for goostly auoutre That is whan a crysten soule forsa­keth the fayth of holy chirche that he resceyued in his baptem / & forsaketh cryste to whom he wedded hym and tourneth to the fende & to false byle­ue. And euery dedely synne is goostly auoutrye. ¶Diues. I am answered saye forth what y ^• wylt. ¶Pauper. Also lecherye is more synne in men of holy chirche than in wedded folke bycause of the persone. For men of holy chirche may better withstande the flesshely temptacyon than wedded men / for they ought to passe the peo­ple in connynge & vertue. And therfore god sayth in the gospell. That the seruaūt knowynge the wyl of his lorde & not doynge his wyl shall be harde punysshed. Also for his vnkynde­nesse / for why / the gretter his benefy­ce is & the more that his dygnyte is / the more is he boūde to god & the more is his synne yf he be vnkynde. And therfore holy wryt sayth. Potentes potenter tormenta pacient [...]. They that be myghty in this worlde by welth & worshyp that god sendeth them / shall suffre myghty tourmentes / yf they be vnkynde. Also for the synne repug­neth more to his persone / both for his dygnyte and for the vowe of his cha­styte that he made in takynge of ho­ly ordre. Not for defaute of the sacra­ment. For the sacrament is not the worse for the malyce of the preeste. But therfore this lawe forbyddeth men to here ther masses and ther of­fyce / that they myght so be ashamed of ther synne and the sooner amen­de theym. ¶Diues. Whan is a man of holy chirche called in the lawe an open notorye lechoure. ¶Pauper. Whan the dede sheweth so themselfe that it may not be denyed ne excused or whan he is aknowen it for a Iuge or conuycte therof byfore his Iuge. Extra e. ca. vestra. et ca. quesitum. Whan it is thus notorye and open there sholde no man ne woman here theyr masses ne theyr offyce wetyng­ly. Suche clerkes lechours / be he pres­te / be he bysshop / be he deken or subdeken / he sholde lese his degre and not abyde in the chaūsell amonges other clerkes in tyme of offyce / & he sholde haue noo parte of the goodes of holy chirche. Distinc .lxxxi.si [...]s cū alijs capitulis sequenti (bus). And therfor saynt Gregory byddeth in the name of god by the auctoryte of saynt Peter that no preest lechoure / ne deken ne subde­ken lechour sholde entre holy chirche tyll that they wolde amende theym. And no man ne woman sayth he be so herdy to here theyr offyce. For why he sayth theyr blessynge tourneth in to cursynge / & theyr prayer in to syn­ne. For god sayth to them. I shall curse your blessynges. And all tho sayth he that wyll not obeye to this holy cō maundement / they falle in synne of ydolatrye. Distinc .lxxxij.si qui sunt. Therfore god sayth to wycked men of holy chirche / but ye wyll here me & set your hertes to worshyp my name / ellys I shall sende to you myscheef and curse your blessynges. Malachie scdo caplo.

Caplm .xviij.

DIues. Whether is lecherye more synne in wedded folke / or in men of holy chirche. ¶Pauper. In lecherye be many de­grees as I sayd before. For auoutrye is more synne than is symple fornycacyon But inceste that is lechery with theym that be nyghe of kynne / is more than auoutrye. And sacrylege that is lecherye in theym that haue auo­wed chastyte as in men of holy chir­che / and in men of relygyon also / is more than auoutrye. Hec lū. [...]fes. li. iij.ti.xxxiiij.q̄. CC. pri. [...]quero. Where he sayth that sacrylege and brekyn­ge of the vowe of chastyte / is more than auoutrye. And also his synne is more greuous / for it is more sclaunderous and noyous to the people / for his wycked ensample. And therfor saynt Gregorye sayth that they shall an­swere for as many soules as perysshe by theyr wycked ensample. For whan the hede and the leder falleth / the bo­dye lyghtly shall falle. And more dyscomforte it is to an oost yf they see theyr chefteyne flee / and tourne the backe / than though they see twenty other symple men tourne the backe & flee / and more confort to the enmyes And soo it is of men of holy chirche that sholde be leders of crysten people For they tourne the backe to god and flee out of goddes oost as oft as they falle in dedely synne. Also it is more greuous in men of holy chirche / for they may better flee lecherye than mē of the worlde. For it nedeth not them not moche dele with wymen / ne with the worlde / ne it longeth not to theym But it longeth to theym to flee the company of wymen and euery occa­syon of synne. Vide in sū. confes. li.iij.ti.xxxiiij.q̄.CC.ij. For these rea­sons clerkes that the studyous thyn­kynge of lecherye defouleth as mo­che a clerke as doth the dede of auou­trye of the lewde man. Tantū coin­quinat clericū studiosa [...]cupiscencia. quantū laicū adulterij culpa. sicut dr in tractatu. Qui bene presunt.

Caplm .xix.

DIues. Why be men yrreguler for bygamye. ¶Pauper. For many causes. Fyrst for dygnyte & honeste of holy ordre / & of the sacramentes of holy chirche. Also to she we token and example of contynence and of chastyte. Distinc .xxxij. posuis­ti. For he that shall preche contynen­ce & chastyte / muste shewe contynen­ce and chastyte in hymselfe. Also for ther is not full sacrament of matry­monye. And he that shall mynystre the sacramentes of holy chirche / must haue noo defaute in ony sacrament. Wherfore thou shalt vnderstande as I sayd fyrste. The sacrament of matrymonye betokeneth the vnyte and the knot bytwene cryste and holy chirche / as bytwene one husbonde & one wyfe mayden without spot. As saynt Poule sayth / and that is betokened by the coniunccyon and knyttynge to gydre bodely of husbonde and wyfe in matrymonye. Also y ^t bodely knyt­tynge to gydre in matrymonye beto­keneth [Page] the vnyte and the knot bytwene the godhede and the manhede in the chambre of the mayde Marye / whiche knot and vnyte and matry­monye began in tyme of patryarkes and prophetes / and it was made se­ker and stable in the tyme of grace in the byrthe of cryste and his passyon. But it shall be full endeth and made parfyght in heuen blysse. And therfor layth laynt An [...]en in questionibus Orosij. That as god made woman of the ryb of Adam slepyng & of his syde / soo out of the syde of cryste sle­pynge vpon the crosse ranne blood & water / whiche be the sacramentes of our redempcōn / by whiche sacramen­tes holy chirche is fourmed & wedded to cryste as Eue to Adam. Also ma­trymonye betokeneth the vnyte & the knot bytwene cryste & crysten soule / and that pryncypaly for the goostely knot that is bytwene the husbonde & wyfe in assent of ther wylles. For as moche than as he that is in bygamye is not only one husbonde to one clene wyf / as cryste is one husbonde to one holy chirche mayden. Or the wyfe is not only wyfe bodely to one husbon­de / but the husbonde hath departed his flesshe in two wyues / or the wyfe departed hyr flesshe in two men / therfore ther is defaute in that sacramēt of matrymonye. For it sygnefyeth not perfyghtly the vnyte bytwene cryste & holy chirche. And in many ma­ner man falleth in bygamye & so in yrregularyte. Fyrste yf he haue two wyues lawfully one after an other & knoweth them flesshly. Also yf he haue two to gydre or mo / as one by the lawe openly & by dome of holy chir­che / and an other by lawe of conscyence & knowe them flesshely. Also yf he haue two on y ^t maner one after a no­ther & knoweth theym flesshly. Also yf he haue wedded a wedowe corrup­te. Also yf he wedde ony woman cor­rupte of an other man / where he knoweth hyr corrupte or knoweth it not. Also yf he knewe flesshely his owne wyfe after that she is knowe of a no­ther / whether he knoweth it or kno­weth it not. Also yf ony man of holy chirche or professed in relygyon wed­de a woman & medle with hyr / be she mayde or corrupte / he is yrreguler. Versus. Si ducas inducam. vel quā corruperit alter. Vnam post aliā. bi­nas (que) simul tua coniunx. Cognita si fuerit. bigamie lege teneris. Et si pollicitam. violasti virginitatem. In all these cases man is yrreguler. ¶Diues. Though the man be not mayde whan he weddeth a mayde / is he not yrreguler for his owne corrupco n / why is he than yrreguler for cor­rupcōn of the woman. For it semeth that his owne corrupcyon sholde ra­ther make hym yrreguler / than the corrupcōn of the woman. ¶Pauper In the coniunccyon of cryste to holy chirche is vnyte and onehede in both partes. And therfor yf eyther man or woman in matrymonye hath depar­ted his flesshe byfore / there is a defaute in that matrymonye / as anentes that sacrament. For ther matrymo­nye betokeneth not parfyghtely the matrymonye bytwene cryste & holy [Page] chirche. But more onehede and clen­nesse is nedefull in the woman than in the man. For in the man it is nede full y ^t he haue wedded no woman by fore flesshely but one / but it nedeth not y ^t he be a mayde / but in the wo­man it is nedeful y ^t she be not corrupt byfore of ony other man. ¶Diues. By what reason. ¶Pauper. For the corrupcyon of matrymonye causeth not yrregularyte in hym that is cor­rupte / but it causeth yrregularyte in the other y ^t is knytte to hym. For that dede of corrupcyon falleth not than on him that dyd the dede / but on him that is knyt to hym in matrymonye. And therfore ryght as the man is not yrreguler for he is corrupte hymself whan he weddeth / but for he weddeth a woman corrupt / ryght soo yf woman were able to holy ordre / she sholde be yrreguler / not for that she is corrupt / but for that she knytteth hyr to a man corrupt / but she had be corrupt byfore in other matrymonye. An other reason may be this. For the knot and vnyte made bytwene cryste and holy chirche / and bytwene the godhede and the manhede / it is one and ones made for euer. Therfore it is betokened by the bodely knyttyn­ge to gydre of the fyrst matrymonye But whan man passeth to the seconde wyfe and weddeth also bodely / or yf she be corrupt / than gooth he from vnyte to pluralyte. Therfore the se­conde matrymonye may not fygure parfyghtly the coniunccyon of cryste to holy chirche / ne of the godhede to the manhede / whiche coniunccyon is one / & but ones done for euer / and not chaūgeable. For there the thynge be­tokened is but one / the thynhe betokenynge that thynge muste be one. And the thynge betokened & y ^e thynge be­tokenynge y ^t thynge muste be lyke. Also more clennesse is nedeful to the woman to saue the sacramēt of matry­mony than in y ^• man / for the woman betokeneth holy chirche wedded to cryste / whiche as saynt Poule sayth must be clene mayde without spot. Also the woman betokeneth manhede of cry­ste that he toke of the mayde Marye without parte of man. Also the wo­man betokeneth crysten soule whiche muste be without corrupcōn of synne yf it shall be crystus spouse. For these resons / to saue the sacrament of ma­trymonye / y ^• woman must be mayden ¶Diues. I suppose a man had de­fouled a mayden / & after that he wedded hyr / is he yrreguler for he weddeth that woman so corrupte. ¶Pauper. Some clerkes saye ye and some nay But y ^t moost comon opynyon is that he is not yrreguler / for he departed not his flesshe in to an other wyfe / so that the mayden be not defouled of a no­ther. ¶Diues. Saynt Poule sayth. Oportet presbite (rum) eē vniꝰ vxoris vi (rum) [...]. ad Thi .iij. It behoueth a preest to be husbonde of one wyfe. And so it semeth y ^t euery preest muste haue a wyf or ellys he may be no preest / & so thersholde noo preeste dwelle mayden. ¶Pauper. The wordes of saynt Poule be thus to vnderstande. That there may noo man be preest y ^t hath had two wyues bodely. For than is he [Page] bygamus. ¶Diues. What yf a man wene to wedde a mayde & he fynde hyr corrupt. ¶Pauꝑ. He is yrreguler And yf he wedde a mayde & she me­dle after with ony other man / & hyr husbonde medle with hyr after y ^t she is knowen of an other / thoughe the husbonde wyte it not / yet he is yrreguler And yf a man accuse his wyfe of auoutrye & he medle with hyr after / y ^t by his one axynge or by his wyues axynge he is yrreguler / be she gylty be she not gylty. And by comon opyny­on thoughe he be compelled by holy chirche to yelde to hyr the det of his bodye / yf he yelde it he is yrreguler. Yf a man wedde a mayden / & she dye a mayden / & after that he wedde another mayden & knowe hyr flesshely or yf he knowe the fyrste & not the seconde / in this case he is not yrreguler for he departeth not his flesshe in two wyues / ne his wyfe in two men. And yf he wedde a wedowe mayde / he is not yrreguler. Yf a man hath made a contracte with a woman & after weddeth an other & knoweth hyr flesshly yf he knowe not the fyrste flesshely / he is not yrreguler. But yf he be compelled by holy chirche to go ayen to y ^t fyrste / anone as he yeldeth hyr the de [...] of his body he is yrreguler. Yf a man haue two wyues byfore his baptem / or one byfore / & on other after bodely he is yrreguler. He y ^t is bygamus shal haue no Ioye of ony preuylege y ^t lon­geth to the clergye / & be suget to other seculer Iuges as other lewde men. And vpon payne of cursynge he shal bere no tonsure / ne vse clothynge that longeth to clergye. In s [...]. conf.li.iij ti. de bigame.

Caplm .xx.

WHan wymen be delyuered of ther childern they may entre holy chirche to thanke theyr god what tyme they wyll or may / the lawe letteth them not. And by the same reason men of holy chirche maye synge byfore them in ther oratorye & honeste place yf they haue leue. Ex­tra li.iij.ti. de purgacione post partū. And therfore they that calle theym hethen wymen for the tyme that they lye in be folys & synne in case ful greuou s;ly. ¶Diues. May a man gyue his wyfe leue to medle with an other man / or the wyfe gyue the husbonde leue to medle with an other woman. ¶Pauper. Nay. For neyther may gyue other leue to do dedely synne ayenste the cōmaūdement of god. Nō me­chaberis. Ne the pope hymselfe may gyue them leue. ¶Diues Contra We rede Gen̄ .xvi. That Sara the wyfe of Abraham gaaf Abraham leue to medle with Agar hyr seruaūt to gete on hyr a childe & so he dyd / for he be­gate on hyr Ysmaell. ¶Pauper To this clerkes saye y ^t Abraham was ex­cused. For it was the maner amonges the good peple of god y ^t tyme that yf the wyfe were bareyne / by ther bothe assent y ^t husbonde myght take hym a secondarye wyfe / not for luste / but only to multeplye goddes people. And so Abraham by assent of his wyfe & by the preuy leue of god / not for luste / but for to haue a childe to goddes wor­shyp [Page] toke Agar to his wyfe. And so she was his secondarye wyfe / & Sara the cheef wyfe. And also so had Ia­cob foure wyues lefully not for luste. but for to multeplye goddes people / and for token of thynges that were to come. And that was do by auctoryte of dyspensacyon of god / whiche is aboue al lawes. But though god dyspen s;ed with Abraham & Sara to do in that maner / or with Iacob to haue many wyues to gydre / for fygure & resons that god knewe / yet men may not take now this tyme example therof to do the same. For the reasons a­fore sayd be fulfylled. And the lawe sayth. Priuilegiu pauco (rum) nō facit le­gem communē .xxv.q̄.i.ca. vltimo ꝓ­pe finem. The preuylege of a fewe maketh no comon lawe. And therfor Ysaac the sone of Abraham hadde neuer but one wyfe that was Rebecca / of whiche he bygate but two childern at one tyme as sayth saynt Austen. And he medled neuer with other woman for desyre of childern / ne for lus­te of his flesshe. And so by his conty­nence he sheweth y ^t his faders doyn­ge was but a specyall preuylege graū ted of god to hym / & therfore in that he toke non example therof. For that Abraham dyde / he dyde it by specyal dyspensacyon of god / & in fygure of thynges to come. For by his seruaunt Agar / and his sone Ysmael is vnderstande the olde testament and the Iewes and all that lyuen after the flesfhe & in dedely synne. By Sara and hyr sone Ysaac is stnderstande the newe testament & folke of the newe lawe that is crysten people that lyuen goostly out of dedely synne. And that Abraham at the byddyng of god droue out eyther put out of housholde his seruaunt and his childe whan Sara had born hyr sone Ysaac / betokeneth that in tyme of grace whan the newe testament that is the newe lawe and crysten people beganne / than the olde lawe sholde be put awaye / and the Iewes put from the housholde of he­uen / but they wolde be conuerted. And also that all that lyuen after the flesshe and in dedely synne / shall be put out of goddes housholde / but they a­mende theym.

Caplm .xxi.

DIues. I haue often herde sayd that fendes in mannes lykenesse haue layen by wy­men and made theym with childe. and that is wonderfull to me. For the fende is but a spyryte / and hath neyther flesshe ne bone / ne ony thyn­ge of mankynde wherby y ^t he sholde gendre with woman. ¶Pauper: The fende by suffraunce of god may sadde the ayer and make hym a bo­dye of the ayer in what lykenesse god suffreth hym / in so moche y ^t as sayth saynt Poule. He transfygureth hymselfe in to an angell of lyght. Moche more than he may transfygure hym in to lykenesse of man or woman by suffraūce of god / for mannes synne & womans. And the fendes that tempt folke to lecherye be moost besye to ap­pere in mannes lykenesse & womans to do lecherye with folke & so brynge [Page] them to lecherye. And in speche of folke they be called eluys. But in latyn whan they appere in mānes lykenes they be called Incubi. And whan they appere in lykenes of wymen / they be called Succubi. And for they haue no mater ne sede of themselfe to gendre therfore they gendre and take the su­perfluyte of the mater & sede of man that passeth from man slepynge and other tymes / & with that mater they medle with wymen. Also they gadre mater and sede of woman / and with that medle with man in womans ly­kenesse. And of suche medlynge as god suffereth comen somtyme good childern / somtyme wycked / somtyme well shapen / somtyme euyll shapen. But nedes one muste be man or wo­man / for fende with fende may not gendre. Suche fendes be moost besye to shende wymen. And therfore it is peryllous to wymen that desyren moche mannes companye / to be ouermoche solytarye without honest compa­nye. And suche foule spyrytes do therlecherye in this maner / not only with man and woman / but also with vn­resonable bestes / and appere to them in lykenesse of bestes / as a bole to ky­ne / and as a ram to shepe. And so by the fendes doynge come many of these mysshape thynges that be borne both of wymen & of bestes / as a calfe with an adders tayle / a childe with an adders hede / a childe borne of a shepe with wolle in the necke. All the­se haue fallen in our dayes.

Caplm .xxij.

DIues. It maye be well as y ^• sayest / but I praye the telle me what is goostly fornyca­cōn / gostly auoutre / & lechery. ¶Pauper All thre be take for one / and pryncypally it is called ydolatrye / whan man or woman withdraweth his loue and his truste fro god and setteth it more in creatures than in god / and the worshyp that longeth to the god­hede dooth it to creatures / thankynge creatures of the benefyces that onely god may doo. And soo the worshyp y ^t longeth onely to god / they gyue it to creatures / stocke or stone / man or wo­man / or to ymages made with man­nes hondes / that neyther may see / he­re / ne helpe at nede. Whan man or woman is crystened / his soule is wedded to cryste by ryght byleue and tre­we loue and charyte that he behoteth there to god to kepe his byhestes and to forsake the fende. But after whan he forsaketh god & goddes byhestes / and tourneth him to the fende by his owne fyndynges of mys lustes & le­ueth the loue of cryste for the loue of ony creature than he doth goostly le­cherye with the fende. And therfore sayth Dauyd / y ^t they haue do fornycaco n in ther owne fyndynges. And on this maner all flesshely thought & al mys luste & vnryghtfull doynge & vnleful couetyse in that it withdraweth the loue of man or of woman fro god it is called goostly fornycacōn and a­uoutrye. And thus euery dedely syn­ne is called goostly auoutrye & goostely fornycacyon / but pryncypaly ydolatrye & forsakynge of the fayth. Also [Page] false prechynge / & false exposycōn of holy wryt is called spyrytuell forny­cacyon. As they that preche pryncypaly to please the people and to gete a name / or to gete temporall good. Of suche sayth laynt Poule. That they put goddes worde in auoutrye. Adul­terantes verbū dei.ij.ad Co (rum).iiij. For there the sholde vse it to the worshyp of god / and to the proufyte of man­nes soule they vse it to ther owne worshyp and to ther owne worldely proufyte and to pleasaunce of the fende / and harme of mannes soule. Also false couetyse is called goostly fornycacy on. Therfore saynt Iames sayth to false couetyse men. Adulteriū nescitis quia amicicia huius mundi inimici­cia est deo. Iacobi .iiij. Ye auouterers and lechours / wyte ye not that frend­shyp of this worlde is enmye to god. Therfore in the boke of goddes pre­uytees / couetyse & pompe of this worlde / and couetous and proude people is called the cyte of Babylon / that is to saye the cyte of shenshyp. And it is lykened to a comon woman / with whi­che kynges prynces lordes marchaū ­tes & all couetouse folke haue doo le­cherye / and it is called moder of for­nycacyons and of abhomyncyons. For as saynt Poule sayth. Couetyse is rote of all wyckednesses. And therfo­re god byddeth there that his people sholde go out of the cyte of Babylon That is to saye / forsake synfull companye / & forsake luste of the flesshe & pompe and couetyse of this worlde that maketh men to forsake god and doo goostly lecherye with the fende. wende ye out sayth god fro this wycked Babylon / & forsake this wycked comon woman of luste & of false co­uetyse that desceyueth all this worlde For in one daye shal come all hyr destruccyon / & that shall be endeles deth wepynge & hongre without ende / and there shall be brennynge fyre & smo­der without ende. And than all y ^t ha­ue do goostly lecherye & lyued in delyces & false couetyse shall wepe & says Ve ve. alas alas. Apo.xvij.et.xviij.

Caplm .xxiij.

DIues. All though thy speche de resonable / yet in one thyn­ge clerkes holde ayenst the in that that thou sayst that the synne of Adam was more than the synne of Eue. And they argue thus ayenst the God ryghtfull Iuge punysshed Eue hard for hyr synne than he dyd Adam for his synne / but y ^t sholde not god haue do / but for hyr sȳne was more gre­uous than y ^• synne of Adam / therfore the synne of Eue was more greuous than Adams synne. ¶Pauꝑ. This argument is grounded in two false maximis. Fyrste that euery punys­shynge and vengeaunce assygned of god for mannes synne and womans is assygned after y ^t the synne is more or lesse. And this maxime & groūde is false / wherfor thou shalt vnderstande that god punysshe some synne in this worlde / and some in the other worlde some bothe here & there. In the o­ther worlde he punyssheth euery syn­ne after that it is more greuous / or lesse greuous. But in this worlde he [Page] dooth not alwaye so. But oft in this worlde he punyssheth the lesse synne harder than he doth the more synne. Therfore in the olde lawe auoutrye was punysshed as harde or hard than manslaughter / & yet manslaughter is more greuous synne than auoutrye / & god toke more temporall vengeūce in this worlde for lecherye / than euer he dyd for ydolatrye / & yet ydolatrye is gretter synne than lechery / for it is in medyat ayenst god & ayenst y ^• fyrst cō maundement of the fyrste table. And manslaughter is harder punysshed in this world than periurye / & yet ꝑiurye is gretter synne / as I sayd in y ^• secon­de cōmaūdement. And synnes in symple poore folk be harder punysshed in this worlde / than synnes of the grete men. Yf a poore man stele an horse / he shal be hanged. But yf a lorde by raueyn & extorcyons robbe a man of all y ^• he hath / he shall not be hanged ne lytyll or nought punysshed in this worlde. Dauyd dyde auoutre & man slaughter / for whiche synne he was worthy to be slayne by comon lawe of god / & yet god wolde not haue hȳ slayn / but yf a poore man had do tho synnes / he sholde haue be slayne. A symple man went & gadred styckes in the sabot / & god had Moyses stone hȳ to deth. Salomon Ieroboam Acham dyd grete ydolatrye / & drough moche of the people to ydolatrye / & yet were they not slayn / therfore the smaller synnes god punysshed in this worlde y ^t the soules be punysshed in this worlde so y ^t the soules of the synners may be saued yf they take it pacyently / & comonly he punysshed hard poore folke in this worlde than the ryche folke as by comon lawe. For the synne of grete men / as in y ^• same spyce of syn­ne is more greuous than is the synne of the poore man. And therfore god reserueth the greuous synnes and the synnes of grete folke for to punysshe them in the other worlde / or in helle or in purgatorye. There may no temporall payne be full punysshynge for dedely synne saue contrycyon allone. And therfore god punyssheth not al­waye folke in this worlde after the quātyte of ther synne / but as he seeth it moost nedefull & spedefull to y ^• people and to his worshyp. For only god knoweth the greuoushede of dedely synne. For oft y ^t y ^t semeth moost gre­uoꝰ in mannes syght / is lesse greuous in goddes syght / & ayenwarde. Therfore god melureth not alwaye pay­ne after the quantyte of the synne. But oft he punyssheth in this worl­de them that be lesse gylty / as moche as theym that be more gylty. And in tyme of the flood of Noe / & in the pery s;shynge of Sodom and Gomor / and many other tymes he punysshed wymen childern and bestes that we­re not gylty in the synnes for whiche that vengeaunce felle. And oft he sendeth sykenes & dysease to good men / in punysshyng of ther synnes in this worlde / and suffereth shrewes to ha­ue ther wyll / and lytyll or nought puny s;sheth them in this worlde. And as the lyon is chastysed by betynge of the whelpe / so oftyme god punyssheth & chastyseth ful harde in this worlde [Page] them that be lesse gylty / to warne thē that be more gylty that they sholde amende them. Therfore cryste sayd to the Iewes / wene ye y ^t tho men whiche Py [...]at slough for theyr rebellyon were gretter synners than other folke of the contre. Nay forsoth. But I say to you forsoth / but ye amende you / ye shall perysshe all. And wene ye sayth cryste that the .xviij. men vpon whi­che felle the toure of Syloa in Ierlm and slough them / wene ye that they passed in synne all the men of Ieru­salem. Nay forsoth. But I say to you but ye amende you / ye shall perysshe all to gydre. Luce.xiij. And so the pu­nysshynge of tho men so slayne was a warnynge to them that were mo­re synfull that they sholde amende theym. And soo thou myghtest well see that thy reason is nought worthy / god punysshed Eue harder in this worlde than he dyde Adam / therfore hyr synne was more than the synne of Adam.

Caplm .xxiiij.

ALso the seconde maxime and grounde in whiche thou say­ste that god punysshed Eue harder than Adam may resonably be denyed. For in punysshynge of Adam god gaf his curse and sayd. Cursed be the erthe in thy werke & in thy synne He sayd not cursed be the erthe in thy werke of Eue / ne he sayd not / cursed be the erthe in your werke / as for comon synne of them bothe / but he sayd only to Adam. Cursed be y ^• erth in thy werke. In punysshynge also of the serpent he gaf his curse & sayd Thou shalt be cursed amonges alle thynge lyuynge vpon erthe. Also god cursed Caym whan he punysshed hȳ for sleynge of his brother Abell. But whan god punysshed woman / he ga­ue not his curse. And we rede not that euer god gaue his curse to ony wo­man openly in specyaall. Ne god re­preued not Eue so moche as he dyde Adam. And so the grete repreue & blamynge & the curse y ^t god gaue in pu­nysshyng of Adam more than he dyd in punysshyng of Eue / shewyng well y ^t the synne of Adam was more gre­uous than was the synne of Eue / & y ^t there was more ob [...]tynacy in Adam than was in Eue. For cursyng is not gyuen of god ne of holy chirche / but for obstynacy. As I sayd fyrst Adam answered full obstynatly. God bla­med Adam prȳcypaly for brekyng of his cōmaundement & sayd to hym y ^t brekynge of his cōmaūdement was cause of his nakednesse & of his so­dayne myscheef / and notwithstange the techynge and the styrynge of god he wolde not be aknowen of his syn­ne / but put his synne on god / and ex­cused hym by Eue / and soo put synne to synne in excusacyon of his synne. Whan god punysshed Adam he cur­sed the erthe for his synne / whiche curse tourned to woo & trauayle of hym & of all mankynde whiche we maye not flee. And therfore ha sayd to A­dam / thou shalt ete of the erth in trauayle and sorowe all the dayes of thy lyfe. I shall brynge the forth brerys & thornes / & thou shalt ete herbes of the [Page] erthe. Also in punysshynge of Adam god gaf the sentence of deth vpon hȳ & all mankynde for his synne. And therfor god sayd to Adam / y ^u shalt ete thy brede in swynke & swete of thy face tyll y ^u tourne ayen in to the erthe. For erthe y ^u art / & in to erthe ayen thou shalt wende. Sythen than god for the synne of Adam gaf so greuously his curse / and blamed so harde Adam of his synne / and for his synne dampned hym and all mankynde / and pu­nysshed all erthely creatures for his synne & dampned hym and all man kynde to perpetuel trauayle whan he sayd. Thou shalt ete thy mete with trauayle & sorowe al the dayes of thy lyfe. And also for the synne of Adam he gaf sentence of deth to hym and to all mankynde that is moost of all paynes / it foloweth that god punys­shed harder Adam for his synne / than he dyde Eue for hyr synne. For why in punysshynge of Eue god repreued hyr not so moche as he dyde Adam. & he gaf than no curse ne payne perpetuell saue subieccyon. I shall sayd god multeplye thy myscheues & thy conceyuynges / & in sorowe y ^u shalt be­re thy childern / and y ^u shalt be vnder power of man & he shall be thy lor­de. God sayd not to woman. I shall multeplye thy myscheues all dayes of thy lyfe. For she may kepe hyr chaste yf she wyll and flee myscheef and payne of childern byrthe. And that god made woman suget to man for the synne of Eue / it was noo newe thynge to woman. For as saynt Au­sten sayth suꝑ Gen̄.li.xi.ca.xiiij. Wo­man was suget to man byfore by or­dre of kynde / but that subieccōn was only by loue and charyte / but for hyr synne she was made suget / not only by loue / but also by nede & bondage of honeste seruyle werkes to obeye to man and be vnder his gouernaunce. Byfore hyr synne she was sugette to man only by loue / but after hyr syn­ne she was made suget to man / not only by loue but by drede & by nede. For she muste drede man & she hath nede of his helpe. For y ^t was the pry­de of Adam & of Eue / that they desyred to haue noo souerayne ne gouer­nour but god allone as clerkes saye. And therfore y ^e fende in gyle behyght them y ^t they desyred saynge to Eue yf ye ete of y ^e tree y ^t god hath forbode you ye shall be as goddes knowynge go­de & euyll / that is to saye / ye shall ne­de noo souerayne ne gouernour to te­che you ne to gouerne you but god / & for that they desyred it lyghtely they byleued it. For as the mayster of sto­ryes sayth. A thynge that is desyred / lyghtly it is byleued. And therfor god ryghtfull Iuge punysshed them bo­the in subieccyon of drede and of ne­de / and of harde seruage. He made woman suget to man / and afterwar­de he made man suget and thrall to man for the synne of Adam as sayth saynt Austen suꝑ Gen̄.v. sup. More than euer he made woman suget to man. For the synne of Eue as sayth saynt Austen suꝑ Gen̄.v.s. For thou­ghe woman be in thraldome to temporell lordes as be men / y ^t is not for y ^e synne of Eue / but pryncypaly for the [Page] synne of Adam. The subieccōn y ^t woman is put in for y ^• synne of Eue / is the subieccōn y ^t the wyfe ought to hyr husbonde. And all the soueraynte and lordshyp that ony man hath here in this worlde / eyther ouer man or wo­man / it is medled with moche woo & grete sorowe & care. For euery soue­rayne in this worlde muste care for his sugettes yf he be wyse. And in hygher degree that he be of lordshyp & of dygnyte / in the hygher degre is he of peryll / of drede / of sorowe / & care in punysshyng of Adams synne. And so both lordshyp in this worlde & subiecco n be punysshed of Adams synne And yf sugettes can haue pacyence with theyr degre / they be in more sy­kernes both of bodye & of soule / & in more gladnes of herte than be the souerayns And so punysshed god Adam as moche in maner / in that he made hym lorde & gouernour of woman as he punysshed Eue whan he made hyr suget to Adam. For in that god bonde man to haue cure of woman in hyr myscheef to saue hyr and to kepe hyr that was by comon so faynte / so feble & freell / and so myschyuous by cause of hyr synne.

Caplm .xxv.

DIues. Yet clerkes argue a­yenst the & say y ^t woman synned more greuously than A­dam / for she put hyrself in sȳne & hyr husbonde Adam / but Adam put only hȳselfe in synne. ¶Pauper This reson is nought. For as I sayd fyrst A­dam was shent with preuy pryde and welth of hȳselfe & fell in to synne or Eue pro [...]ced hym y ^• apple. Also sayth saynt Austen de ci.dei.li.xiiij.ca.xi. Adam wyste well y ^t it was a greuous synne / but Eue was so desceyued that she wende y ^t it had be no synne. And therfore the synne that she dyd by Ignorau ce & desceyte of the fende excu­seth not / ne lesseth not the synne of Adam y ^t he dyd wyllynge & wyttyngly Adam was hyr souerayne & shol­de haue gouerned them both and not obeye to the voyce of his wyfe ayenst the voyce of god that forbadde hym the tree. Example / yf a symple man be vnconnynge / and by desceyte of so­me shrewe do a foly wenynge not to do amys / and he come to his prelate or his bysshop & counseyll hym to do the same / and his prelate or his bys­shop do the same wetynge well that he doth amys / and that it is a greuouse synne / euery man wyll deme that the bysshop and his prelate synneth more greuously than the symple man that wende not to do amys. And thus nyghe all circumstaūces tha [...] aggreggen ony synne aggregged the synne of Adam more than y ^• synne of Eue For he was souerayne and parfyght more in kynde / wyser and myghtyer to withstande the fendes fodynge / and with lesse temptacōn fell in syn­ne & brake goddes cōmaūdement wi­tyngly / but Eue by desceyte of the adder synned by Ignoraunce. As sayth saynt Austen vbi su [...] ꝓxīo. et Ysydorꝰ de sū [...] bono li.ij. Eue yelde hyr cul­pable. Adam dyde not so. Eue wende not haue synned. Adam wetyngly [Page] synned in hope of forgyuenesse. As saynt Austen sayth & the mayster of sentence li.ij.di.xxij. And so Adam sȳ ned in hope & presumpcōn ayenst the holy goost / & this is a ful greuous synne as cryste sheweth in y ^• gospell. M [...] xij. Quicū (que) dixerit verbu [...]tra spiritum sanctū nō remitte [...] ei & [...]. Where the glose sayth. That they y ^t synne by Ignoraūce may lyghtly haue for­gyuenesse / but he y ^t dooth it wetyngly ayenst the mageste of god ayenst his conscyence / he is worthy noo forgyue­nesse. Also Adam was more obstynat than Eue was. ¶Diues. Shewe me that. ¶Pauper. For god blamed hȳ fyrst of all / & declared to hym his synne / & god abode of punysshynge tyll he had vndernomen Eue / and after Eue the fende in the adder / & fyrste he punysshed the adder / & than Eue that Adam sholde haue beware and axed mercy. And so god blamed hym fyrst & punysshed hȳ last / so gyuyng him respyte to repentaūce. But for al this Adam repented hym not / ne wol de axe mercy ne lowe him. Fyrste god punysshed hym fro fer in y ^• adder in that y ^t he cursed the adder y ^t was his suget & made the adder enmye to his wyfe & to hyr sede / y ^t is to saye to ther childern y ^t she sholde get of Adam / & so god made the adder that was byfore suget & meke to hym rebell & ene­mye to his loue y ^t was his wyf & to al y ^t sholde come of them two / yet Adam stode obstynat. Than god punysshed Eue his wyf his loue his helpe / & so punysshed hȳ in Eue / for yf he loued hyr so moche as clerkes say / it sholde haue be to hym ful grete payne to see his wyf his loue so punysshed. For as clerkes saye / the grete loue y ^t he had to Eue made hym to breke y ^• cōmaū dement of god. And yet now a dayes it is full grete payne to kynde folke trewe in loue to see ther loue & theyr frendes in sorowe and dysease. Also god punysshed Adam & Eue in that y ^t he punysshed hyr with myscheues of sykenesse / freelte & feblenesse. For in soo moche god toke from hym his helpe that was woman made to be mannes helpe. But the more feble that god made hyr for synne / the lesse she myght helpe man. Also god pu­nysshed theym both anone as Adam ete of the tree / & made them so naked & soo vnhoneste that they were asha­med of themselfe / whiche payne felle not to Adam ne to Eue tyll Adam had ete of y ^• apple. And notwithstan­dynge all this / yet Adam stode obsty­nate & axed no mercy ne knowleged no synne. And than god ryghtfull Iuge punysshed hym full harde both in this worlde & in the other worlde / and punysshed all mankynde for his synne. As saynt Poule sayth and saynt Austen and other doctoures. God punysshed Adam and man­kynde full harde for his synne / whan he toke moche of his lordshyp a waye from hym and made nyghe all crea­tures rebelle to hym / & brought hym soo lowe in ordre of kynde / y ^t though by way of kynde man byfore Adams synne passeth woman in vertue and perfeccnn of kynde. Now after Ada­mes synne woman ofte tyme passeth [Page] many men in vertue and in dyscrecy on / and in other gyftes bothe of kynde and of grace. And byfore the syn­ne of Adam / man was soo soueray­ne to woman / that woman sholde not haue be his souerayne. But now for Adams synne oftentymes man is suget to woman as to his lady by bondage and thraldome / by harde seruage / by nede and drede / and ought more seruage and subieccyon to wo­man for Adams synne / than dooth woman to man for the synne of Eue For god made woman for the synne of Eue only suget to hyr husbonde in seruyce of honeste werkes as felowe not as chorle in werkes of worldly bondage. Also man for the synne of Adam is ordeyned to many more pe­rylles bothe on londe and on water / and to warre and to woo / and besy­nesse of this worlde / and to moche trauayle and to many perylles more than woman is ordeyned to. ¶Di­ues. I haue wondre that ony clerke sholde holde ayenst the in this ma­ter of Adams synne. ¶Pauper. Clerkes speke oft by opynyon in this mater and other maters also / and not alwaye afferme that they saye to the vttermoste / but put it in the do­me of other clerkes yf they can saye better. And soo doo I now at this ty­me / yf ony clerke can saye more skyl­fully reasons.

Capitulum Primū.

DIues. I thanke the for thou hast well de­clared to me the sixth cōmaūdement. Now I praye the enfourme y ^u me in the seuenthe cōmaundement. ¶Pauper. The se­uenth cōmaūdement is this. Non furtum facies. That is to saye. Thou shalt do no theeft / neyther in wyll / ne in dede as the glose sayth. And so by this cōmaundement is forboden all maner mys takynge & all maner false with holdynge & withdrawynge of other mennes good ayenst ther wyll / & all the menes that lede to theeft be also forboden by this cōmaūdement / as false weyghtes / false mesures / fals othes / gylous speche / gyle in crafte / & gyle in chafayre / false werkmanshyp & faynt labour in labourers that ta­ken grete hyre & do lytyll therfore. Also raueyns extorcyoners / false with­holdynge of det & of mennes hyres / & fals withholdyng of mannes right & womans / & lettynge of ther ryght. All these be forboden by this cōmaū ­dement. And so by this cōmaūdemēt is forboden all maner theeft both bo­dely & goostly. ¶Diues. What is bodely theeft. ¶Pauper. As sayth Reymu de .li.ij.ti.de furtis. Bodely theeft is a gylous & vnlefull treatynge and vsynge of an other mānes good me­uable ayenst the wyl of the lorde that ought the thynge to gette the thynge in themselfe to his auaūtage / or to haue the vse of the thynge for a tyme or [Page] for to hyde it for a tyme & denye the possessyon though he thynke to make restytucyon. And thus some is open theeft / & some is preuy theeft. Open theft is whan the theef is taken with his pelfere or conuycte by trewe wyt­nesse of theeft / & suche theeft is pu­nysshed by londes lawe and by holy chirches lawe. Some is do so preuely that the theef may not be take ther­with ne conuycte. And suche may not be punysshed openly by no lawe / but only preuely by lawe of conscyence in the dome of his confessour whiche is boūde to coūseylle & to saue his name & his fame. And as the lawe sayth / euery vnlefull vsynge & takynge of other mannes good meuable or not meuable / is theeft .xiiij.q̄.v. penale. et xxxij.q̄.iiij meretrices. For as the la­we sayth there / god that forbyddeth theeft forbyddeth raueyne.

Caplm .ij.

ALso leue frende ye shal vnderstande that as holy wryt wytne s;seth / there is theeft & rob­berye of mannes name & womans / & that is called bacbytynge & defamynge / through whiche man & woman le seth his good name. And therfore the wyse man sayth. Ne appelleris susur to in vita tua. Eccl .v. Be thou not called a musterer ne preuy bacbyter in thy lyfe / be y ^u not take false in thy tonge that y ^u be not shent for to y ^t theeft that stele a mannes good name / ther to is ordeyned moche shame & moche payne & full wycked dampnacyon is to the double tonged man & woman and to musterers & preuy bachyters is hate & enmyte and despyte. Eccl .v. For this maner of theeft is full grete & greuous. For as Salomon sayth. Melius est nomē bonū (quam) diuicie multe et suꝑ aurū & argentū gracia bona A good name is better than many rychesses / & good grace of good loue passeth golde and syluer. Prouer.xxij. For the beste Iewell & moost ryches­ses that man or woman may haue vpon erthe / is to haue a good name & loue & grace amonges his neyghbours & in the contre. And therfore bacby­ters lesyngmongers and wycked spe­kers y ^t robbe man or woman of ther good name & brynge them in wycked name & fame / they be the worst the­ues vpon the erthe / & they may not be assoyled of this theeft but they do ther deuoure vpon ther power / to re­store man or woman ther good name & fame / that they haue wyckedly robbed of theym. And therfore sayth the lawe / that they y ^t with bacbytynge destroye the good name & the good lyf & the good thewes of other folke be worse theues than be they that robbe men of ther goodes and of ther [...] vi.q̄.i. de [...]iores. And in the next chaptre / the lawe sayth / that bacbytynge is a full grete wyckednesse. For who so bacbyteth his brother he is a man­sleer / and there shall no suche theef ne mansleer haue parte in the kyngdom of heuen. And therfor the lawe sayth in an other place that it profyteth not as anentes mede in heuen a man to faste or to praye or to doe other good dedes of relygyon but his thoughtes [Page] be withdrawen fro wyckednesse and his tonge fro bachytynge. De condi­ci .v. nichil em̄ ꝓde [...]t. And not only he is gylty in bachytynge y ^t speketh e­uyll of his euen crysten but also tho y ^t gladly here suche wycked speche and shrewde tales of ther euen crysten .vi. q̄ .i. e [...] merito .xxi.q̄.iij. nō solum. And therfor y ^• wyse man sayth / put awaye fro the y ^• wycked mouth / & put awaye fer fro the lyppes bachytynge. Proū. iiij. Hegge thyn eeres with thornes / & here not the wycked tonge / and ma­ke dores to thy mouth / and lockes to thyn eeres. Eccl .xxviij. Thynke that he wyll speke of the as euyll behynde the / as he dooth of an other behynde hym. Thynke what wo & myscheef cometh of bachytynge & wycked ton­ges / and shewe hym noo good chere / but shewe hym by thy contenaūce & thy chere y ^t his speche pleaseth the not & anone he shall cesse & be ashamed of his malyce. For y ^• wyse man sayth Ryght as the northen wynde destroy de & scatereth the rayne & y ^• cloudes / so the heuy face of the herer destroyed the bachytynge tonge. Prouer .xxv. The childeren of Israell bacbyte [...] goddes doynge / & lacked the londe of byheste whan they sholde haue en­tred & god was offended with them / & badde them goo ayen bacwarde in to deser [...]e and there he helde them .xl. yere tylle they were deed euer ychone that came out of Egypte / saue two men Iosue and Caleph. For they two spake good of the londe of byheste / & helde with god. And so the childe­ren of the people that came out of Egypt entred the londe of byheste / & not y ^• fads saue Iosue & Caleph / & y ^• for ther bacbytynge. Nume .xiiij. Also Mary the syster of Moyses bacbyted hyr brother Moyses & spake euyll of hym / & anone she was a foule lepre & myght not be heled tyll Moyses prayde to god for hyr. Numeri .xij.

Caplm .iij.

ALso there is theeft of wordes of whiche theeft god speketh by the prophete Ieremi .xxiij. Where god vndernemeth false ꝓphe­tes and false prechours whiche stale awaye his wordes fro the people and tolde not the truth as god badd them but only sayd suche thynges that shal please the people & soo desceyue the people with lesynges and with false myracles / as men doo now a dayes faynynge myracles of ymages as men do now a dayes to maynten ydolatrye for lucre of offrynge and false myracles of wycked lyuers / & saye y ^t god doth myracles for them / and so blynden the people in falsenesse. And so they gyue the worshyp of myracles doynge to ymages y ^t man hath ma­de / and to wycked lyuers goddes ene­myes whiche myracles only god may do / and so robbe god of his worshyp. And in that they withdrawe goddes worde & the truthe to goddes lawe y ^t longeth to men of holy chirche to te­che / & to the people to can & to kno­we. And so they desceyue the people in y ^t they be theues of goddes worde / and shall be punysshed full harde of god for suche theeft of goddes worde [Page] For god sayth to euery prelate curate & prechour. Speculatorem dedi te do­min israell &c. I haue made the a daye wayte to the housholde of Isra­ell and to my people / and y ^u shalt here my worde of my mouth / and shewe it & telle it in my name to theym. Yf I saye to the wycked man y ^• he shall dye for his wyckednesse. And y ^• tellest hym not but hydest my worde / & spe­keste not to hym that he may tourne hym from his wyckednesse & leue it / that wycked man shall dye in his wyckednesse / & I shall seke the blood & the deth of hym of thyn honde / y ^t is to saye / y ^u shalt answere for his deth. Eccl .iij. Also they be theues of god­des wordes that preche goddes wor­des to theyr owne worldely auanta­ge / not to the worshyppe of god / ne to proufyte of mannes soule. Also they be theues of goddes wordes that alleggen goddes wordes & holy wryt falsely to mayntene errours & heresyes / or synne or shrewednesse.

Caplm .iiij.

ALso there is a theeft of worl­dely good. Of suche theeft Iob sayth. Agrū nō suū de­metūt. They repe other mennes fel­des & make vyntage of ther mennes wyues / & take mennes clothynge fro them & late them naked in the colde wynter / & robbe moderlesse childern & poore wedowes by myght & spoyle & robbed the poore people. The theef sayth / he ryseth vp in the morowe & sleeth the nedy & y ^• poore / & by nyght he steleth as a mycher. Sed deꝰ inul­tū abire nō pati [...]. Iob .xxiiij. ¶Diues How many spyces be ther of theeft. ¶Pauper. Full many. For somtyme a thynge is stolen preuely without we tynge of the lorde or of the keper and ayenst ther wyll / & it is called myche rye / somtyme it is do openly by myght & vyolence wetynge the lorde & the keper ayenst ther wyll / & that is proprely rapina raueyn. Somtyme it is do wetynge the lorde or the keper and a parte ayenst ther wyll / but not all a­yenst ther wyll vnder certayn condy­cōn of wynnynge / not lefull in the taker / & than it is called vsura / gouel or vsure in englysshe. Also al maner vnryghtfull occupyenge of ony thynge lordshyppe or ony other auer in this worlde / is called theeft. And therfore saynt Austen sayth thus. The thyn­ge y ^t man or woman hath by the lawe y ^t is his by the lawe & none other mā nes And man hath by the lawe y ^t he hath ryghtfully & he hath y ^t ryghtfully y ^t he hath well. And therfore sayth he / euery thynge that is mys had is o­ther mennes / & euery man hath his good amys that vseth his good amys In epla ad Macedoniū. Also with­holdynge of almesse from the poore nedy folke is theeft in goddes syght. For the couetous ryche men withdrawe fro the poore folke y ^t longeth to them / & myspende the poore mennes good wherby they sholde be susteyned And therfore the wyse man sayth. Sone defraude thou not the almesse of the poore man / ne torne not awaye thyne eyen fro the poore / ne despyse not the hongry soule / ne tene ne an­gre [Page] thou not the poore in his myscheue Tourment thou not the herte of the nedy / ne delaye thou not the gyf­te from hym that is in anguysshe. Caste not awaye the prayer of hym that is dyseased / ne tourne thou not thy face awaye fro the helplese for wrath / ne gyue y ^u not hym that axeth the good none occasyon to curse the behynde the. For yf the poore man curse the in bytternesse of soule / his prayer shall be herde. For he that made hym shall here hym. And therfor make the plesaunt in speche to the con­gregacōn of poore folke / & bowe thyn eere to the poore without heuynesse / and yelde thy dette & answere peasa­ble thynges & mekenesse / not to arunt them ne rebuke them ne chyde them but onely thou haue the more open cause. Eccl .iiij. Therfore saynt Pou­le sayth / that god loued a gladde gy­uer. ¶Diues. By the lawe of kynde and by goddes lawe all thynge is co­mon. And therfore sayth the lawe .xij q̄ .i. dilectissimis. Ryght as the ayer ne the lyght of the sonne may not be departed by lordshyppes ne apropred more to one persone than to an other ne to one college more than to a no­ther / no more sholde other thynges y ^t be gyuen comonly to helpe of man­kynde be departed by lordshyppes / ne apropred more to one than to an other but al thynges sholde be comon. And therfore we rede Actuū .iiij. That in the begynnynge of holy chirche all thynges were comon to the multytu­de of crysten people. And ayenst lawe of kynde is no dyspensacōn. Distinc. xiij .S. i. Why bad god than that men sholde not stele syth all thynge is comon to good men. ¶Pauper. By goddes lawe all thynge is comon to good men. For as saynt Austen sayth Oia sūt iusto (rum). All thyngis be y ^• right full mennes. But as y ^• lawe sayth .xij q̄ .i. dilectissimis Dyuysyon & properte of lordshyp is made amonges man­kynde by wyckednesse of false couetyse both of ryche & of poore. For the ryche drawe to themselfe y ^t longeth to other. For why all y ^t the ryche man hath passynge his honeste lyuynge after the degre of his dyspensacōn / it is other mennes & not his. And he shall gyue full harde rekenynge therof at the daye of dome whan god shal say to hym. Redde racionē villicacō [...]s tue Yelde acounte of thy balye. For ryche men & lordes in this worlde be god­des balyfes and goddes reues to or­deyne for the poore folke & to sustey­ne them. And therfore sayth saynt Poule. Habentes alimēta et (qui) (bus) tegamur hijs [...]tenti simus. Yf we haue nedeful lyuelode & helynge, be we payde therwith & coueyte we no more. Also poore folke be not payed with suf­fycyent lyuynge but couete more than theym nedeth. And for couetyse more than for nede take thynges ayen the lordes wyll in hynderynge of hym & of other that be more nedy & sholde be holpe therby. And therfor god for­bade all maner theeft y ^t men sholde take no thynge for ony mys couetyse ayenst the lordes wyll.

Caplm .v.

DIues. Sythen all thynge is comon by goddes lawe & by lawe of kynde / how may ony [...] be lord of ony thyng more than an other man. ¶Pauper. There is lordshyp of kynde / & there is lordshyp of this worlde groūded only in coue­se / & there is lordshyp of dyspensacōn & of gouernaūce / & so Ioseph the sone of Iacob was called lorde of Egypt. Gen̄ .xlv. The fyrste lordshyp is co­mon to euery good man & woman. For kynde made all men euen in lordshyp. And in token therof / both lorde & seruaūt / free & boūde / ryche & poore come in to this worlde naked & poore and go hens naked & poore. Nought they brynge w ^t them but wepyng sob bynge & sorowe. And bere no thynge w ^t them but ther good dedes or wyc­ked. The lordshyp of this worlde is suffrable & worshypfull. For as saynt Poule sayth. Omnis potestas a deo ē Euery power & lordshyp in this worlde cometh of god. And therfore he byddeth that euery man and woman sholde be suget & meke to y ^• lordshyp aboue them. For though the couetyse and wyckednesse that lordes & ryche men groūde theym in be of themselfe yet the lordshyp & power is of goddes gyfte. As saynt Austen sayth / & ther­fore it muste be worshypped. The lordshyp that is only of dyspensacōn cōmytted by a souerayne is medefull worshypfull & cōmendable. Also ther is thre maner of propertees and properhede One is that kynde gyueth / as man to lye. And euery man hath his owne herte / his owne soule / & his owne wyll for to do well or euyll / and this properte is nedeful. An other properte ther is / y ^t cometh only of couetyse / by whiche couetyse folke saye / this is myne & this is thyne. And so they propren to themselfe by couetyse y ^t is comon by kynde. And this propertee so groūded in couetyse is dampnable & synfull. The thyrde is dyspensacōn For one man hath moche thynge in his dyspensacyon and gouernaunce / that an other man hath nought to do of. And this dyspensacōn cometh so­me tyme of goddes gyfte / as whan he sente one man more ryches in this worlde than an other. Somtyme it cometh by ordynaūce & gyfte of lor­des & of soueraynes here in erthe. As whan lordes and prelates cōmytte to ther suget [...] gouernaūce of ther goo­des of ther places & benefyces. And this dyspensacōn yf it be well do it is full medeful. ¶Diues. But as saynt Poule sayth. It is a questyon who is foūde trewe amonge suche dyspen­sours. For nygh al seke ther owne profyte / but not the worshyp of Ihesu cryste. ¶Pauper. Many be full false / & yet sythen dyspensacyon of worldely goodes is so cōmytted to theym / in y ^t they haue lorshyp of ther propre dys­pensacōn ordeyned of god / & be cal­led propre lordes of ther ꝓpre dyspensacyon / not for ther false couetyse / ne for no properhede y ^t they chalenge by false couetyse. For in that be they no lordes but tyraūtes and rauynours. And so though they haue propre lordshyp of dyspensacōn of worldely goo­des more than the poore people / they [Page] haue yet nomore lordshyp by waye of kynde than the poore man / ne non o­ther lordshyp than the poore man / but only of dyspensacōn. And so though the ryche folke haue more lordshyp of propre dyspensacyon than the poore / yet the lordshyp of kynde in nedefull thynges standeth styll comon to ryche and poore. But for synne it is not so fre as it was byfor y ^• synne of Adam For god wyl not y ^t the poore folke take ony thynge without leue of the propre dyspensatour y ^t is called lorde therof / & therfore god sayd. Non furtū facies Thou shalt do no theeft / y ^t is to saye / y ^u shalt nought take without thy lordes leue. ¶Diues. This is won­derfull to me y ^t the poore man is as grete a lorde by waye of kynde as the ryche / & yet may he nought take with out his leue. ¶Pauper. It is more wonder y ^t the good poore man is lor­de of all thynge nedefull to hym by waye of kynde / & y ^t synfull ryche man is lorde of ryght nought by waye of kynde / for he is goddes traytour. And yet god wyll y ^t the poore take ryght nought of the good y ^t the ryche man hath in his dyspensacōn without leue ¶Diues. That is to me more wondful / tell me how this may be ¶Pauꝑ Thou myght see at eye y ^t the kynges heyre aparant & other heyres of grete lordshyppes / not withstandynge that they be heyres & lordes of al / yet shal they not entre the offyce of ther offy­cers / ne take ony thynge ayenst / ne bere ayenst without leue. And yf they do they shall be harde vndernomen / & in case bete of ther mayster & of ther tutour For fredom in youth is cause of pryde & of many other vyces. Ryght so god seynge y ^t mankynde whiche is lorde of all erthly goodes & ordeyned to regne in heuen blysse. Yf he hadde his fredom in vse of erthely thynges he sholde falle in pryde & many vy­ces as Adam dyd whyle he was free. Therfore he hath put mankynde & namely the poore people vnder y ^t go­uernaūce of the ryche folke / & of ther lordes whiche be ther tutours & dys­pensatours of goodes of this worlde to saluacōn of the poore people. And therfore sayth saynt Poule. Quanto tempore heres peruulus est nichil de­fert a seruo cū sit dn̄s omniū. sed subtutoribus et auctoribus est vs (que) ad prefinitu tempus a patre. ad Gala .iiij. As longe as the heyre is yonge and lytyll / ther is no dyfference bytwene hym & a seruaūt sythen ther is a lor­de of all / but he is vnder tutour & gouernour vnto a certayne tyme ordey­ned of the fader. And therfore sythen the ryche folke ben tutours & dyspensatours of these worldely goodes or­deyned of god to saluacōn of the poore people / god wyll that no man take of the goodes that ben commytted to them without theyr wyll & theyr leue And yf ony man take therof ayenst theyr wyll & ayenst goddes ordenaū ­ce / he doth theeft ayenst this cōmaū ­dement. Non furtū facies Thou shalt do no theeft.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. Is it lefull in ony case to stele & take ony thynge ayenst [Page] the lordes wyll. ¶Pauper. Stelynge sowneth comonly theeft & robbery / & somtyme it sowneth preuely takynge without wyttynge of the lorde. And so it may be done in four cases with out synne. For nede / for almesse / for ryght / for happe of fyndynge. Fyrste for nede & myscheef / for yf ony man or woman for myscheef of hongre or of thryste / or of colde or of ony other myscheef / whiche myscheef he may not flee to saue his lyfe / but he take thynges ayenst the lordes wyll. Yf he take ony thynge so in peryll of deth / or in grete myscheef nede excuseth hȳ fro synne & fro theeft yf he do it only for nede and not for couetyse. And he ought to enfourme his conscyence & thynke y ^t yf the lorde of y ^e thynge knewe his myschef he sholde not be myspayed / & than doth he no theeft / for in the laste nede al thynge is comon. Also for the lorde is boūde to helpe him at y ^t nede / & also for nede hath no lawe Example we haue in y ^e gospell where we fynde y ^t the dyscyples of cryste for hongre toke eres in the felde & gnyd­ded theym & ete the corn for hongre. The pharysees were asclaūdred therof & sayd to cryste y ^t his dyscyples dyd thynge y ^t was not leful. And than cryste excused them for nede of hongre & sayd that they were vngylty & Inno­centes in y ^t And he put them example of Dauyd that ete for nede of the holy loues in goddes tabernacle / whiche loues only prestes sholde ete by the lawe Math .xij. For it is a generall ru­le in the lawe / that nede hath no lawe ¶Diues. Is that man y ^tso taketh for nede boūde to restytucōn. ¶Pauper Nay. And yet for more sykernesse & to put hym in drede of stelynge his confessour shal gyue hym somdele penau ce for that doynge. Also by waye of almesse the wyfe may take of her lordes good in whiche she hath dyspē sacōn / as in mete drynke & clothes / & gyue almesse mesurable to the nedy / & thynke that hyr husbonde sholde be pleased w ^t hyr gyft yf he sawe y ^t myscheef of y ^e poore / & yf he somtyme for­byde his wyf to do almesse / she shall not full cesse from almesse dyscretely done. For husbondes make oft suche Inibycōns to theyr wyues to tempre ther gyuyng not fully to let hem. And yf she see y ^t hyr husbonde be sclaūdred and wroth with her gyuynge / though his wrath be vnresonable / she muste tempre y ^e more hir gyuynge / but whan she may wel som what gyue for them both w ^t good conscyence. Natheles yf she see hym gretly agreued for hyr gyuynge / & he forbede vtterly hyr to gyue almesse / than it is good y ^t she obey to his byddynge & be sory y ^t she may not gyue / & be alwaye in wyll to gyue yf she durste / & so wynne her mede by wyl alone as she dyde byfore by wyl & dede. ¶Diues. Yf the wyfe haue good in propre by hyrself. Bona ꝑa­fernalia. may she not gyue therof w ^t out hyr husbondes wyll. ¶Pauper. She may gyue / & she is boūde to gyue & he ought not to lette hyr. ¶Diues I suppose that the husbonde forbede his wyfe vtterly to do almesse of his good / & she see a man or woman in vtter myscheef / may she not than [Page] gyue them almesse and helpe theym. ¶Pauper. In y ^t nede she is boūde to gyue & shall gyue / & thynke y ^t hyr husbonde sawe that nede he sholde not be myspayed. We rede in the fyrste boke of kynges .xxvi. ca. That ther was a grete nygard & an angry shrewe whose name was Naball. He had a good woman wyse & fayre to his wyf whose name was Abygaell. That tyme Dauyd fled the persecucōn of kynge Saul / & lyued in deserte with .vi. hondred men w ^t hym as outlawes. And for myscheef he sent .x. men to this ryche Naball praynge hym of some al­messe in mete & drynke. But this Naball despysed Dauyd & his messangeres & called them theues & outlawes & flemyd men / & wolde no good gyue hem / notwithstandynge y ^t they had saued his good & his bestes all y ^• tyme that they were in deserte. Whan Dauyd herde these tydynges he was wro­the / & came with .iiij. hondred men to slee Naball & all that longed to hym It happened y ^t a seruaūt of Naball tolde his wyfe Abygaell how Dauyd had sent messangers to Naball / and how he had despysed theym. Anone Abygaell without wyttynge of Naball charged asses with brede & wyne with soden flesshe of fyue shepe / fyg­ges and reysens & other vytales gre­te plente & sent to Dauyd by hyr seruau tes / and she folowed after & hap­pened to mete Dauyd in his comynge Than Dauyd repreued hyr hus­bonde Naball of his vnkyndenesse / & sayd he sholde slee hym and all that longd to hym. Than y ^t good woman Abygaell felle downe to groūde and worshypped Dauyd and prayed hym of audyence. Than she axed mercy for hyr husbonde Naball and excused hyrselfe that she wyste not of his messangers whan they were there & prayde Dauyd that he sholde not so ven­ge hymselfe and taught hym moche goodnesse / & prophecyed to hym mo­che welth & prayed hym that he wol­de accepte hyr presaunt / & so he dyde. Than Dauyd sayd to hyr. Blessyd be our lorde god y ^t sent the this daye to me / & blessyd be thy speche & bles­syd be y ^u that this daye haste letted me fro sheddynge of blood to venge my­selfe. And than Dauyd tourned ayen in to deserte / & she came home ayen & foūde hyr husbonde Naball at sou­per solemply. But that nyght she spake nought to hym of that mater for he was full dronken. But in the morowe whan he was sobre she tolde hȳ what she had do to saue his lyf. And anone his herte dyed for sorowe / and he wexe heuy as a stone / & within ten dayes he dyed a wycked deth / & than Dauyd wedded his wyfe Abygaell. Also yf man or woman stele awaye mannes swerde whan he is wood to lette hym of manslaughter of hym­selfe or of other / he doth no theeft ne synne. Also by cause of ryghtwysnes man may take awaye other mennes goodes ayenst ther wyll / as in ryght­ful batayle / so that they y ^t fyght ryght fully ayenst the vnryghtful take ther goodes not for couetyse / but for ryghtfulne s;se to shewe y ^t they haue occupy­ed tho goodes wrongfully. But yf [Page] they talke ther goodes for euyll coue­tyse they do rauayne though the dede be ryghtfull in themselfe.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. Yf a thynge be loste & he that fyndeth it kepeth it styll is it theeft. ¶Pauper. He that fyndeth it is boūde to restytuco n yf he may wete to whome it lon­geth. And therfore he shall do men to wyte of the fyndynge by open speche in towne strete & in chirche that he y ^t ought it may chalenge it. And yf no man chalenge it / he y ^t founde it may by auctoryte of a wyse confessour ke­pe it stylle yf he be poore & nedy and praye for hym that ought it / or ellys gyue it to other nedy that they maye praye for hym y ^t ought it & soo make restytucōn. Therfore sayth saynt Austen in Omelia. Yf y ^u haste foūde ony thynge & not made restytucōn / that thynge y ^u hast stolen. For he sayth / god taketh more hede to the herte than to the honde. And therfor theeft is done in a smale thynge as well as in a grete For god charged not the thynge y ^t is stolen / but the wycked wyll of the steler / as saynt Austen sayth & saynt Gregory. And therfore yf childern in ther youth stele pynnes or apples or ony other smale thynges / anone as it is perceyued they sholde be harde chasty s;ed in the begynnynge. For the phylo s;ophre sayth. Principijs obsta. With stande the begynnynge of vyces & of mycherye. For whan childern in yon­ge begynnen to haue lykynge in my­cherye / though the thynge be small in value theyr synne is not the lesse / ne the synne of them that suffre theym Therfore it is goddes dome y ^t whan they be not chastysed in ther youthe for suche mycherye / afterwarde they stele gretter thynges & be hanged to shame & shenshyp of all ther kynne. And therfore as Boecius de discipli­na scolariū telleth. Whan a mannes sone of Rome sholde be hanged / he prayed his fader to kysse hym / & he bote of his faders nose saynge to him Thynke well fader on this token & chastyse better thy childern / for had­deste thou chastysed me in my youth. I sholde not haue be hanged. Ther­fore the wyse man sayth. Qui parcit virge odit filiū suū &c̄. He that spa­reth the yerde hateth his sone. And he loueth his sone that chastyseth hȳ and techeth hym besely. Prouer .xiij. We rede that on a tyme a poore man was tempted to ete goos flesshe / but he durste not stele for drede of han­gynge. On a daye he mette with the fende & he bad hym stele a goos & ete ynough at ones / & he dyd so. And soo­ne after he stale an oxe & was take & ledde to the galowes. And than the fende mette with hym & sayd to hym wheder awaye. Than the theef sayd to the fende / woo worth the wycked wyght for y ^u haste brought me to this ende. Than sayd the fende blame me not / for thou myghtest see by the byll that it was no goos.

Caplm .viij.

DIues. I suppose that a man [Page] haue borowed a thynge / and he that lent it hym taketh it awaye fro hym preuely ayenst his wyll & ayenst y ^• couenau t of the lenynge / doth that man theft so takyng away his owne good ¶Pauper. He doth theefth. For it is not for y ^t tyme fully his owne good / as Raymūde sayth li.ij. ti. de furtis. And yf lord or lady / or ony other man betake his seruaūt or his offycer ony thynge to kepe / & he take it away fro hym without his wetynge for false couety s;e or for malyce to endaūgere the seruaūt / he doth theft. For though the thynge be his owne / yet it is not frely his owne as longe as the seruaūt by his assent hath kepynge & dyspensa­cōn therof. ¶Diues. I suppose a mā weneth to take his owne good whan he taketh an other mānes good ayēst his wyll / or yf he take his owne good vnlefully wenynge y ^t it were lefull so to take it / dooth he ony theeft in this case. ¶Pauper. Nay / for all though in case he do vnlefully / yet in this case he doth no theft ne dedely synne / & yet he is boūde to restytucōn. Theeft encludeth alwaye gyle & falsenes w ^t out whiche is no theft. And yf a man take of an other mannes good with out his wyttynge / yf he haue a Iuste cause to wene y ^t he sholde not be mys­payed tho he wyste it than doth he no theft ne synne / & yf he take an other mānes good wenynge y ^t it be not his wyll tho it be his wyl y ^t he take it / yet he doth theft & dedly synne in goddes syght / but he is not boūde to restytu­cōn whan he knoweth y ^t it is y ^t lordes wyll / ne the lorde may not axe restytuco n syth it was his wyl. Yf a man or woman by mys eggynge take awaye an other mānes seruaūt he doth theft Yf a man selle or bye man or woman y ^t is fre / or gyuet hym or taketh hym of gyft ayenst-hys wyl / he doth theft as sayth Raymū .vbi su [...]. Yf a man or woman be take prysoner in tyme of ryghtfull batayl he is not fre. And therfor his mayster may gyue him or selle hym by lawe of armes / but wa [...]e hȳ of lawe of conscyence & of charyte ¶Diues. Yf a man haue hyred or borowed an hors or ony other thynge in a certayn place & for a certayn tyme & he passe y ^t place or his tyme ayenst his wyll that ought y ^t thynge doth he theeft. ¶Pauper. Yf he do so of purpo s;e & for couetyse or some euyll cau­se he doth theft. But yf there falle a sodayne case whan he cometh to that place that he hyred it to / & he knewe not of that case whan he hyred that thynge / & he muste nedes perfourme that case or ellys falle in grete har­me / than he may take that horse or o­ther thynge ferther & lenger without theeft / so that he may truly paye for that that he passeth in the fyrste couenau t. ¶Diues. And what yf a man lene awaye an other mannes good without assent of hym / whiche good he lent him to his vse. ¶Pauper. He doth theft / but he haue Iuste cause to wene y ^t the lorde of y ^t thynge shal not be myspayd. For in y ^t lenynge he vseth an other mānes good ayenst his wyl for lucre & wynnynge of frendshyp. And yf a man lene an other ony thynge vpon a wed / and he vsed that wed [Page] without leue of hym that ought it / he doth theeft / but it be for saluacōn of the thyng. For yf he vse it for sparyng of his owne good for lucre or for fals couetyse ayenst his wyll y ^t ought it / he doth theft as sayth y ^• same clerke. Yf a thyng stolen perysshe / though y ^• the­fe haue no ꝓfyte therby / yet is he boū de to restytucyon / & he muste yelde as good or better than it was whan he toke it. And he is boūde to make restytuco n both of y ^t thynge & of y ^• profyte y ^t cam therof to hȳ / & for y ^t profyte that sholde haue come therof to y ^• lorde in the tyme y ^t he occupyed it ayenst his wyl. And yf he haue amended y ^• thynge y ^t he stale / he may not axe it ayen ne withholde his expenses / & he shal make restytucōn after y ^• the thynge was worth whan he stale it or better. Yf y ^• theef profre the lorde in couenable tyme & place y ^• stolen thynge / & the lord wyll not receyue it / yf the thyng after y ^t by myshap perysshe / the lorde hath none accyon ayenst the theef for y ^• lettynge of restytucōn ne for the profyte that myght haue come therof after that he profred it to hym / but for the tyme byfore. Yf a man haue stolen a thynge he is boūde not only by resty­tucōn of y ^t thynge / but also of the va­lue of the vse. ¶Diues. Yf a man or woman bye in open market a thynge stolen / wenynge that it were not sto­len / whan he knoweth the sothe / may he axe the pryce of y ^t thynge of hym that ought it or withdrawe it tyll he haue payed hȳ as moche as he payde therfore. ¶Pauꝑ. Reymūde & other clerkes saye nay. And therfor beware an other tyme / both for losse of his & also for suspeccōn of theft / for lyghtly for beggȳg of stolen thyng he myght be take as a theef. Nethelesse he may ryghtfully axe his payment of hym that solde it to hym whan he hath restored it to the lorde of y ^t thynge / & yf he spent ony thynge in amendement of y ^t thyng whyle it was in his kepynge / he may with good fayth axe that of hym that ought the thynge with­out restorynge of the profyte y ^t he had of y ^t thynge byfore he wyst that it was stolen. But whan he knoweth y ^t it is stolen & other mennes / & he kepeth it stylle for couetyse or ony other vnleful cause / he is boūde to restytucōn fro y ^t tyme as longe as he kepeth it of the profyte to the lorde. Yf the thynge pery s;she whyle he kepe it not knowyng y ^t it was stolen by good fayth / he is boūde to restytucōn. And yf he solde it awaye or gaue it or he knowe of y ^• stelynge he is not boūde to restytucōn of y ^• thynge / but of y ^• profyte yf he be amended therby / & this is good lawe of conscyence. Yf a man stele of a ry­che negard or an vsurer ony thyng to do almes / he doth theeft. Quia nō sūt faciēda mala vt veniāt bona .xxxij.q̄. iiij. sicut nō sūt. For as saynt Austen sayth. All though he gyue in almesse all y ^t he hath taken in stelynge / he is not excused of theft / for he putteth synne to synne. Fyrst he steleth / & in y ^t gyueth it awaye he maketh hymself vnable to make restytucōn. And though a man purchase moche good falsely & do almesse of that mysgoten good / he is not excused of rauayne.

[Page] yf the seller be moche amended by y ^t sellynge / and the byer moche apeyred ¶Diues. It is harde to knowe what is y ^• ryght value of a thynge. ¶Pauper The ryght value & the Iulte pryse of a thynge is after that the comon market gooth y ^t tyme. And so a thynge is as moche worth as it may be solde by comon market. Tanti valet quanti vendi potest. Hec sm̄ .con. li.ij. ti.viij.q̄.i.et.q̄.ix. Yf a man or a wo­man selle a thynge for good & he knowe a defaute therin / by whiche defaute the byer is desceyued / he doth gyle & theeft. Also & yf the byer begyle so the seller. And therfore god sayd to the false Iewes. Argentū tuū versū ē in scoriā. et vinū tuū mixtū est aqua. Thy syluer is tourned in to drosse of syluer & in to false metall / and thy wyne is medled with water. Ysai [...] .i. And therfor they y ^t begyle folke with false moneye wyttyngly / do grete synne & peryllous theeft. Also yf he selle wyttynly by false mesure / & by false weyghtes. And therfore god sayth / thou shalt not haue dyuerse weygh­tes more & lesse / to bye by the more / & to selle by the lesse. Ne y ^u shalt not haue a more busshell and a lesse busshell ne none other false dyuerse mesures. But thou shalt haue Iuste weyght & true / and euen busshell & true / that y ^u may lyue longe in the londe that god shall gyue the. God hateth that man that dooth suche gyle / and he hateth all maner of vnryghtfulnesse. Deu­tro .xxv. Also yf a man or woman selle a seke thynge for an hole thynge wyttyngly to begyle the byer / he doth theeft / & is boūde to restytucōn. And though he knowe not y ^t defaute whan he selleth it / whan he knoweth y ^t defaute / he is boūde to make some recō ­pensacion / as sayth the same clerke in the same booke & place .q̄.xi. Also yf the seller selle a better thynge than he weneth to selle in grete dammage of hymselfe / as yf he selle golde for laton / or yf he selle a good thynge for a smale pryse wenynge y ^t it were lytyll worth / yf he be moche harmed therby the byer is boūde to restytucōn or recō pen s;acōn. ¶Diues. Is the seller holden to telle the byer the defautes of a thynge y ^t he selleth. ¶Pauper. Yf the defau [...] be preuy & peryllous / he is holden to telle them to the byer & selle y ^t thynge better chepe. For yf he selle an haltynge horse for a swyft horse / & a ruynous house for a stronge house / it is peryllous & harme to the byer / & he is bounde to restytucyon. But yf the defaute be open / and though it may not serue the seller / it may serue the byer / than it nedeth not the seller to telle the defautes / but he is bounde to selle it for the lesse pryce. ¶Diues. Maye a man selle a thynge a derrer than he bought it. ¶Pauper. Ellys myght no man lyue by his marchaū ­dyse ne by his craft. He must take vp his costes & susteyne hym and his by mesure and worshyppe god and holy chirche / and helpe the poore nedy af­ter his astate. And for this ende it is lefull and nedeful to the chapman & to the werkman to selle thynge der­rer than he bought it. And therfore saynt Poule sayth that noman is holden [Page] to trauayle on his owne costes for the comunyte / neyther in knyghthode ne in chapmanhode ne in werkman­shyp. And they that with false othes / & lesynges & llye speche begyle folke in byeng & sellynge synne greuously / & be holden to restytucōn yf they be­gyle so folke wyttyngly. ¶Diues. Yf two persones betake the thyrde persone a thynge to kepe by couenaūt that he shall not delyuer it but to theym both to gydre / is he boūde to kepe co­uenaūt. ¶Pauꝑ. Ye torsoth. ¶Di­ues. And what yf he delyuer it to one of them in absence of the other / and without his wyttynge. ¶Pauper. He doth amys / & yet neyther of hem hath lawfull accyon ayenst hym for to compelle hym to yelde it. For he y ^t resceyued it ayen hath none accyon to hym / for he toke it hym ayen. And y ^t other hath none accyon ayenst hym / for he is not bounde to hym without the other y ^t made the couenaunt with hym & hath resceyueth it ayen. Thus la [...]t [...] Hostiensis in sū .li.iij. Rub. de deposito. S.icui detur .v. si vero.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. May not a man doo almesse of euyll goten good. ¶Pauper. Salomon sayth Immolantis ex iniquo. oblacio est maculata. The offerynge of hym y ^t offereth of euyll goten good / is spot­ted & foule in goddes syght. And he y ^t offereth sacrefyce of the poore man­nes good / is lyke hym that sleeth the sone in the syght of the fader. And god y ^t is hyghest approueth not the gyftes of the wycked men / ne taketh hede to theyr offerynge. Ecc [...] [...] And therfore Salomon sayth. [...] deum de tua substancia. Worshyp thy lorde god with thyne owne [...] not of other mennes good. Prou [...] .iij And Tobye sayd. Ex substancia t [...]a fac elemosinā. Of thyne owne good do almesse. Tobie .iiij. ¶Diues. Contra God byddeth in the gospell that men sholde make theym frendes in the blysse of heuen of rychesses of wyckedne s;se. Facite vobis amicos de mā ­mona iniquitatis. Therfor it semeth that it is lefull to do almesse of euyll goten goodes. ¶Pauper. In thre maners a thynge may be euyll goten For somtyme it is so mys goten that it muste be yolden ayen to hym that ought it / as in theeft / raueyne / & vii­rye yf he may be founde. And soo of mys goten good men sholde do none almesse / but yelde it ayen. Also a thynge is mys goten whan both gyuynge and takynge of the thynge is ayenst goddes lawe / & both the gyuer & the taker lese theyr ryght / as in symonye And therfore neyther they may doo plesaūt almesse of that good so mys goten. Also a thynge is mys goten / whan the dede & the crafte that it is goten by is so vnlefull that the taker may kepe it stylle lefully / but the gy­uer may not axe it ayen / as thynge goten by lecherye & by synfull Iape­ry of yrregulers / of mynstralles / wytches / and suche other / whiche maner wynnynge is called foule wynnynge that is Turpe lucrū in latine. And of suche euyll goten good they may [Page] do none almesse. But they sholde make non open offrynge at the aultre ne sacrefyce of so mys goten good. And therfore god sayth. Non offefres mercede ꝓstibuli in domo dnī dei tui. [...]a abominacio ē apnd deū. Thou shalt not offre the mede of the woman a comon lechour in the house of thy lorde god. Deutro.xxiij. And offycers of kynges prynces lordes and ladyes of bysshoppes & prelates that take gyftes of men by comon custome or by proufre y ^• they sholde mayntene them & gyue them fauour in theyr causes / they may do almes of goodes so go­ten / all though it be full ofte euyll goten xiiij.q̄.v.nō sane. For to suche cryste badde that they sholde make them frendes in heuen of rychesses of wyc­kednesse / that is to saye of rychesses so mys goten. For he that taketh it hath no ryght therto. ¶Diues. Why praysed cryste in the gospell the false bayly that so forgaue men theyr det / in fraude of his lorde to haue thanke of hem & helpe at nede. For he forgaf one y ^• halfdele his deth / an other the fyfth parte of his deth. ¶Pauper. Cryste praysed not the false baylye / but cryste sayth that his lorde praysed hym not for his fraude / but for his slyght that he dyde in helpe of hym­selfe / ne cryste telleth not that parable in the gospell / that men sholde take example of his fraude to helpe themselfe by fraude of robberye of other mēnes good / but to teche men to make theym frendes by dedes of mercy & of almesse / and forgyue other men theyr dettes as they wyll that god for gyue them ther dettes & make them frendes in heuen w ^t rychesses of this worlde. ¶Diues. Why called cryste rychesses of this worlde rychesses of wyckednesse. ¶Pauper. For they ben to moche fo [...]ke occasyon of mo­che wyckednesse / & moche dysease of hate / wrath / enuye / of debate of plee & of grete dyscensyon. And it is full harde to gete them or to kepe them without synne & grete dysease. And therfore saynt Poule sayth that they that coueyte to be ryche in this worl­de / falle in the fendes snare. And the wyse man sayth. Yf thou be ryche in this worlde / y ^• shalt not be vngylty ne clene from synne. Also leue frende ye shall vnderstande that wyckednesse in holy wrytte is taken not only for synne / but also for payne & dysease & myscheues of this worlde. And soo goodes of this worlde ben called ry­chesses of wyckednesse / that is to say of payne & dysease and of myscheef. For they brynge men in to payne trauayle & moche dysease / for men haue moche trauayle in gettynge / moche drede in kepynge / & moche sorowe in the lesynge. Diues diuicias nō ogre­gat abs (que) labore. Non tenet abs (que) me to nec deserit abs (que) dolore. They be­hote sykernesse & brynge folke in to grete peryll / grete drede / and in grete enmyte. They behote a man to haue his luste & lykynge & brynge hym in endelesse hongre. For as Salomon sayth. The couetous man hath neuer ynough. Auarus nō implet (ur) pecunia. But alwaye coueyteth more & more. Also they byhote a man ease & reste & [Page] brynge hym in moche trauaylle / for nyghe all the trauayle of this worlde is to gete good. An other cause ther is why they ben called rychesses of wyc­kednesse. For the lawe sayth.x.q̄.i. di­lectissimis. By waye of kynde al men ben euen in lordshyppes & rychesses / but by wyckednesse of false couetyse in the people men ben vneuen in ry­chesse. For some haue moche / some lytyll / some ben ryche some ben poore / & god hath gyuen more rychesse to one man in dyspensacōn & gouernaunce / than to many other. And that is to refrayne the wyckednesse of false couety s;e in the people. And for wyckednes is cause that one man is rycher than an other / therfore they be called rychesses of wyckednesse. For ne hadde be the wyckednesse of Adams synne / & of false couetyse of mannes herte / els all men sholde haue ben euen ryche. But now they ben vneuen in ryches­se for synne and shrewednesse. And therfore goodes of this worlde ben called rychesses of vneuenesse and of wyckednesse. Iniquitatis .i. nō equi­tatis. And therfore all the rychesses that one man hath passynge another it is rychesses of vneuenesse. For in that he is vneuen with his euen cry­sten / therfore they ben called ryches­ses of vneuenesse. Therfore god byd­deth the ryche men that ben but his bayllyes and his reues in this worl­de make frendes of the poore folke / both by gyuynge and forgyuynge / as that bayllye dyd / and be not to harde to theyr sugettes / but mercyable and forgyue hem theyr dettes whiche they ought to god & to them. For god is so grete a lorde & so ryche that ther may no man do hym fraude of his good / ne hyndre ne lese his lordshyppe.

Caplm .xij.

DIues. In the fyfth cōmaū ­dement thou saydest that ry­che men y ^• wyll not helpe the poore folke be mansleers. Here thou sayest y ^• they be theues / & so it semeth that that they do ayenst both cōmaū ­dementes. ¶Pauper. In y ^• the poore man may dye for the ryche man with holdeth his good from hym / in y ^• the ryche man is a mansleer & doth ayenste this cōmaūdement. Non occides. y ^u shalt not slee. And in y ^• he witheldeth his good from the poore man in his nede he is a theef & dooth ayenst this cōmaundement. Non furtū facies. y ^u shalt do no theeft. For all y ^• the ryche man hath passynge his nedefull ly­uynge after the astate of his dyspen­sacōn / it is the poore mānes. And therfore sayth saynt Ambrose / y ^• it is noo lesse synne to the ryche man for to denye y ^• poore man helpe at nede whan he may helpe hym of his habondaū ­ce / than it is to robbe a man of his good. The brede sayth he y ^t y ^u with­holdest in superfluyte is the poore folkes y ^t haue hongre. And the waste clothynge y ^t y ^u shettest vp in superfluyte is the poore wedowes. And the mo­neye y ^t y ^u hydest in the erthe in waste is the raunsome of the prysoners and of myscheuous folke for to delyuere them out of pryson and out of boun­des / and helpe them out of woo. And [Page] therfore sayth he / wytte thou it well / that of as many goodes y ^u art theef & rauenour as thou myghtest gyue to helpe of the poore folke yf thou gyue them not. Noo man sholde saye ony thynge his owne that is comon to al ¶Diues. I assent well to thy wor­des that ryche men sholde gyue al­messe of theyr habondaūce sauynge the astate of theyr dyspensacōn / and that is full harde to doo. For moche thynge is nedefull to the ryche man more than to the poore bycause of his astate of dyspensacōn. For mo thyn­ges ben nedefull to a kynge than to an erle / and mo to an erle than to a symple knyght / and soo it is of other astates. To kynges prynces and lor­des is nedefull to haue treasoure to wage men of armes in defence of the Realme / and to wage theyr offy­cers in gouernaunce of the Realme and of ther lordshyppe. And therfore an Emperour sayd. Qui omni (bus) pree s;t. omnibus indiget. He that is lor­de by dyspensacyon of all thynge in this worlde / hath nede of all thynge. And soo the more lordshyppe in this worlde / the more nede. ¶Pauper. Therfor of suche thynges so nedeful to man after the astate of his dyspensacōn / he is not boūde to gyue the poore but in grete nede. But of other superfluyte that is not nedefull to hym in that degre / he is boūde to gyue / for alwaye y ^• comon profyte ought to be charged more / than the profyte of one persone. ¶Diues. It semeth by thy wordes that men of holy chirche whiche spende the goodes of holy thirche in wycked vse / as in pompe / pryde / glotonye / lecherye / & in other vanytees be theues / for they witholde poore men­nes good and spende it in mysuse a­yenst the wyll of god & of poore folke ¶Pauper. That is soth. For saynt Ierom sayth / that all y ^t clercles haue of holy chirche goodes / it is the poore mennes / & for helpe of the poore fol­ke prȳcypaly holy chirche is endowed To them that haue the benefyces & the goodes of holy chirche / it longeth pryncypally to gyue almesse & to ha­ue cure of the poore people. Therfore saynt Bernarde in Epystola ad Eugeniu sayth thus. The naked cry / & the hongrye playne them & saye the bysshoppes what doth golde in your brydels / it may not put a waye coldene hongre fro the brydell. It is our y ^t ye so spende in pompe & vanytee / ye take it from vs cruelly and spende it vaynely. And in an other pystle that he wrote to a chanon he sayd thus. Yf thou serue wel goddes aulter it is graūted to the to lyue by the aulter / not to bye theyr brydelles syluered or ouergylt. For what thou kepeste for thy selfe of the aulter passynge thyn honeste nedefull lyuynge / it is raueyn it is theeft / it is sacrylege. Therfore these men of holy chirche that boode ther shone with boocles of syluer and vse grete syluer harneys in theyr gytdelles & knyues / and men of relygyon monkes and chanones and suche o­ther that vse grete ouches of syluer & golde on theyr copes to fastene theyr hodes ayenst the wynde / and ryde on hyghe horses with sadels harneysed [Page] with golde & syluer more pompously than lordes / be stronge theues and do grete sacrylege so spendynge the goodes of holy chirche in vanyte & pryde in luste of the flesshe / by whiche good the poore folke sholde lyue. A lady of a thousande marke by yere can pynne her hode ayenst the wynde w ^t a smale pynne of laton .xij. for a peny. But a monke that is bounden to po­uerte by his professyon wyll haue anouche / or a broche of golde and syluer in value of a noble or moche more. ¶Diues. Be not suche men of holy chirche soo myspendynge the poore mennes goodes bounde to restytucōn. ¶Pauper. Yf they haue wherof to make restytucyon / they ben bounden to restytucyon / as sayth Dockynge super Deutro.v.ca. Quia non dimit titur peccatum donec restituatur ab­latum. And therfore saynt Austen in epistola ad Macedonium sayth thus. Yf an other mannes good be not yolden ayen whan it may be yolden / he that stale it doth noo verry penaunce / but he fayneth penaunce. For yf he do verry penaunce he muste do resty­tucyon to his power. ¶Diues. And what sayest thou of tho clerkes that spende holy chirche goodes on theyr kynnesmen & wymen / and other ry­che folke for to be mayntened / & for to haue a name & for to be worshyp­ped in this worlde. ¶Pauꝑ. Yf they gyue theyr kynnesmen & theyr fren­des to releue theym of theyr nede / it is well done and the ordre of charyte axeth it. But yf they gyue the goodes of holy chirche to make theym ryche and grete in this worlde of the poore mennes good / it is raueyne theeft and sacrylege. Also to gyue ryche folke mesurably to mayntene them ryght­fully in holy chirche / it is well done. But to gyue them holy chirche goo­des to be worshypped & to haue a na­me of pompe it is euyll done / and it is sacrylege & theeft so to spende the goodes of holy chirche y ^t ben the poore mēnes goodes. ¶Diues. What sayste y ^u of theym that spende the goodes of holy chirche in theyr owne nedefull vse / and doo not theyr duyte ne serue not therfore. ¶Pauper. The same clerke Dockynge in the same place sayth that they ben theues. For the goodes of holy chirche & the benefy­ces ben gyuen to them that they shol­de trauayle and serue holy chirche in techynge prechynge and sacramentes gyuynge / and in besy gouernaunce. And but they do so / they be not wor­thy to haue benefyces of holy chirche ne to lyue by holy chirche goodes And therfore saynt Poule sayth. Qui non laborat / non manducet. He that tra­uayleth not / sholde not etc. And yf y ^t they take holy chirche goodes and trauayll not therfore as they ben boun­den they ben theues. For yf a labou­rer toke moneye to trauayll in the felde & he trauayled not therfore / but he yaue it ayen / he sholde be holden a theef. And therfore saynt Poule sayd Qui episcopatum desiderat. bonum opus desiderat. He that desyreth a bysshopryche / he desyreth a good werke. Prima ad Thimoth .iij. For as the glose sayth / in that that he desyreth [Page] a bysshopryche / he desyreth a werke / not a dygnyte. He desyreth trauayll / not ease & reste / not to wexe in to pry­de / but for to come from pryde to more lowenesse / to be seruaunt and my­nyster to all his subgettes of whiche he hath cure / or ellys they be not wor­thy to lyue by the goodes of holy chirche For the benefyces of holy chirche be not gyuen them for to goo playe theym / but for to trauayl about theyr cure. ¶Diues. They haue theyr vy­kers and theyr parysshe prestes vnder theym. ¶Pauper. The vyker and the parysshe preest shall answere for that that they resceyue / and the per­sone for that y ^t he resceyueth. And he that more resceyueth more is bounde. And the benefyces of holy chirche be not gyuen to clerkes that they sholde betake to other men the cure. But for they sholde haue pryncypal cure them selfe. For ellys the lewde man and woman myght haue the benefyces of holy chirche / as the same clerke sayth. And he sayth that persones whiche absent themself fro theyr chirches onely for ease or for couetyse / or for luste of theyr flesshe / & so spende the goodes of holy chirche / they ben theues. Nathelesse as he sayth they may absent them from ther chirches for a tyme by leue of theyr soueray­nes that may gyue them leue for so­me good cause / as for lernynge or for helpe of theyr chirches. Also they y ^t resceyue the benefyces of holy chir­che & be vnable in that tyme whan they resceyue them to serue holy chirche / or to haue cure of that benefyce / they ben theues. But whan they falle in age and in feblenesse after y ^t they haue truly trauayled / or after that the benefyce is gyuen them they may le­fully lyue by theyr benefyces / but yf they haue suffycyent patrymonye to be susteyned with. Also they that ap­propre to them goodes of holy chirche be theues & do sacrylege as sayth the same clerke Dockynge in the same place. For clerkes in theyr bgynnyn­ge saye. Dn̄s pars hereditatis mee. Our lorde god is parte of myne herytage For as saynt Ierom sayth ad Nepocianū. He must be parte of god & haue god to his parte / and so haue hym in his lyuynge / that he haue god with hym & that god haue hym. And sythen he sayth god is my parte / he ought no thynge to haue but our lord god. And yf he haue golde syluer possessyons & suche other rychesses / our lorde dysdeyneth to be his parte with these partes. And yf I be parte of our lorde. I take no parte ne worldelynesse amonges other folkes / but lyue by the tythes and am susteyned by seruyce of the aulter that I serue. And soo I shall be payed with mete and drynke & clothes / and so folowe naked of worldely good hym that hanged na­ked for me on the rode.xij.q̄.i. clericꝰ. And therfore he byddeth there y ^t eue­ry clerke sholde take hede to his na­me what it sygnefyeth / and trauayll to be suche as his name sygnefyeth. Quia cleros greci dr sors latine. For clerke in greke & in latyne / is lott and parte in Englysshe. For euery clerke sholde be the lotte & the parte of oure [Page] lorde god / and in that they ben ordeyned goddes seruyce passynge the co­mon people. Therfor they ben called clerkes. Clerici / that is to saye / chosen by lotte. For they ben kynges & go­uernours of holy chirche. And in to­ken therof they bere the crowne on theyr hede by shauynge awaye of ther heere. For the shauynge awaye of theyr heere sygnefyeth & betokeneth doynge awaye of temporall goodes and wylfull pouerte / by whiche they ben kynges in heuen. Ibidem ca. duo. And therfore sayth the lawe there. ca. Res ecclesie. That thynges of holy chirche ben not hadde as propre but as comon and ought to be spente in the vse that they be gyuen to. For all that thou clerke haste more than suf­fyseth the to thy nedeful lyuynge / but thou gyue it and spende it in good vse thou withholdest vyolently as a theef. Distinctione .xlvij. Sicut. And yf clerkes haue patrymonye suffycy­entely of theyr owne to lyue by / yf they waste the goodes of holy chirche that ben ordeyned for poore folke / they do theeft and sacrylege .xvi.q̄.i. in fine.

Caplm .xiij.

DIues. What is proprely sa­crylege. ¶Pauper. Sacrile­giū est sacre rei violacio. vel eiusdē vsurpacō. Vnde sacrilegiū quasi sacrilediū id est sacrū ledens. Sa­crylege is defoulynge of holy thynge or mys vsynge & mys takynge of ho­ly thynge. ¶Diues. In how many maners is sacrylege done. ¶Pauper Somtyme sacrylege is done for the persone that is despysed & mysboden As whan a clerke or a relygyouse is beten or smyten in despyte. Somty­me sacrylege is done bycause of the place / as whan chirche or chircheyer­de is pollute by blood shedynge / or o­ny holy place is reued of his fredom Also sacrylege is done bycause of a thynge that is stolen or mysused / and that in thre maners. Or for that ho­ly thynge is taken out of holy place / or a thynge not holy out of holy place / or an holy thynge out of noo holy place .xvij.q̄.iiij. quisquis. ¶Diues. Than it semeth that they that with holde ther tythes fro god & holy chir­che doo theeft▪ ¶Pauper. So sayth the lawe .xvi.q̄.vij. decimas. For the tythes of holy chirche ben the auowes of crysten people / raumsome of syn­nes and patrymonye helpe and hery­tage of the poore people and trybutes of the nedy soules .xvi.q̄.i. quia iuxta. et ca. decime. Where the lawe sayth that tythes be dette to god. And all that withholden them falsely / they do sacrylege and robbe the poore fol­ke of theyr goodes. And he that with holdeth his tythes wrongefully shall answere at the dome for as many soules as perysshe for hongre and mys­cheef in that parysshe where he dwelleth And he that wyll not paye his tythes shall myspede / and his good shall vanysshe / and he shall haue se­kenesse and sodayne pouerte. Ibidem ca. Reuerfimini. And yf he paye his tythes truly he shall haue helth of bodye / and the more plente of good / and [Page] grace of god / & forgyuenesse of synne and the kyngdom of heuen. As sayth the lawe. Ibidem ca. decune. Et Raymundus in summa sua li.i.ti.de de­cunis. And therfore the lawe sayth there that god axeth not the tythes for gyfte ne for nede / but for worshyp that we sholde knowlege hym oure lorde and gy [...]er of all good. He axeth of vs the tenthe parte for our profyte not for his pfyt. It is a synne to paye late / but moche more synne it is neuer to paye. Ibidem.x.ca. ¶Diues. Of what thynge is a man boūde to tythe ¶Pauper. Of corn in heruest / of wyne in wendage / of fruyte / of bestyall / of gardeyne / of yerde / of medowe / of venery of hyues / of fysshynge / of wyn de mylle / & of watermylle.xvi.q̄.viij. Quicū (que) et ca. sequenti. Extra. li.iij. ti.xxx. pastoralis. And as Raymunde sayth. Tythes ought to be gyuen of all the fruytes of the erthe. Of apples of trees / of herbes of pastures / of bes­tes / of wolle / of mylke / of hey / of fys­shyng / of fermes / of mylles / of bathes of fyllynge places / of mynes of syluer and of other metal / of quarerys of stone / of marchaūdyse / of crafte and of other goodes / and also of tyme li.i.ti. xij. And as Hostiensis sayth libro.iij. eodem titulo. Of euery thynge ryght fully goten a man sholde tythe / and of his seruyce and of his knyghtshyp ¶Diues. Moche thynge is well go­ten & with lytyll auauntage of them that gete it / and ofte with grete losse and therfore me thynketh it is vnre­sonable that a man sholde tythe his shaffare and his crafte or his seruyce or his trauayll there his wynnynge is lytyll or nought. ¶Pauper. Ther ben two maner tythes. Some come of the erthe / as corne wyne bestyalle that is brought forth by the londe / & suche tythes ben called prediales in latyne Some tythes come only of the persone / as by marchaundyse / and by werkemanshyppe / and suche tythes ben called personales in latyne. And in suche tythes that ben personales / and comen of marchaundyse / or of crafte / or of suche other trauaylle / a man shall accompte his expenses / & loke whether he is encreased or not / And tythe his wynnynge and his fre encreases. In paynge of tythes pre­diales that come of the londe / he shal not acounte expenses / but frely paye the tythe neyther worste ne beste / but as they come to honde without chose Extra li.iij.e.ti. pastoralis. et ca. cum homines. Nathelesse yf a man for deuocyon gyue the beste to god / it is prysable and well done. ¶Diues. Shol­de men tythe of all thynge that ne­weth. ¶Pauper. Thynges that ben taxed in the lawe men sholde tythe / not al thynge that neweth / for moche thynge neweth that is not profytable And though it be profytable / yet it is not worshypfull / as hoūdes and cat­tes. ¶Diues. I suppose a man co­me by free gyfte or by successyon and by herytage to grete lordshyp and moche rychesses / or take frely grete gyf­tes is he boūden to gyue y ^etenth par­te of that herytage or of tho gyftes to holy chirche. ¶Pauper. Nay / for so all possessyons and lordshyppes shol­de [Page] falle to holy chirche. Extra e. pa­storalis in glosa. And yf a ryche man gaue a poore man .x. pens to bye hym with a clothe or paye his dettes / or els to his lyuynge / he sholde paye the ty­the to the preest & that were ayenst reason. For yf all free gyftes sholde betythed holy chirche sholde be to ryche & the people to poore / for so he myght axe the tenthe parte nyghe of euery testament.

Caplm .xiiij.

DIues. To what chirche shal man paye his tythes ¶Pauper Tythes personales as of marchaundyse & of crafte man shall paye to his parysshe chirche there he dwelleth and taketh his sacramentes and hereth his seruyce. But tythes prediales sholde be payed to the chir­che / to whiche maner & the londe longeth to / but custome be in the contra­rye / as sayth sūma conf. Tythes prediales sholde be gyuen anone in the begynnynge / but tythes personales may abyde tyll the ende of the yere for the more auaūtage of the chirche ¶Diues. How sholde the tythes be spente. ¶Pauper. The tythes & the goodes of holy chirche sholde be departed in four partes after that the par­tyes haue nede & be worthy. One to the bysshop yf hym nede. An other to the mynystres of the chirche. The .iij. to poore folke. The .iiij. to amende­ment & makynge of the chirche yf it nede.xij.q̄.iiij. quatuor. Where the glose concludeth & sayth y ^t clerkes shol­de be compelled to reparacyon of the chirche & not the lewde people .x.q̄.i. decernimus. But as sayth Guydo in Rosario' in that men muste take hede to custome of the contree & what the parte is that longeth to the chirche. ¶Diues. I suppose that the curate of the chirche waste the goodes of holy chirche in synne & in lecherye / & be an open theef or an open lechour or mansleer so y ^t his myslyuynge is s [...]laū derous and notorye / sholde men paye theyr tythes to suche wycked lyuers. ¶Pauper. Hostiensis sayth / y ^t yf the preest or curate of the chirche myspende holy chirche goodes / or be a notory lechoure / the lewde man is not boun­de to gyue hym his tythes. But he shal gyue them to his souerayne next aboue hym whiche is bounde to spende them in profyte of the chirche or of the poore parysshens. ¶Diues. The lawe is ayenst hym. Extra li.iij.ti. de decimis ca. tua nos. Where the lawe sayth that for wyckednesse of the myny s;tres of holy chirche / men sholde not withdrawe theyr tythes frō them ¶Pauꝑ. Hostiensis answereth ther­to and sayth that as longe as theyr synne is preuy / men sholde not with­drawe theyr tythes / and soo meneth that lawe. But whan theyr synne is open and notorye / than men sholde not paye to them but to ther souerayne Thus sayth Hostiensis in sū. sua. li.iij. Rubrica de decimis. S. et quare in fine. And he alledgeth many la­wes for hym & many lawes ben for hym y ^t he alledgeth not. For the grete clerke Gracianus in the decrees y ^t is cheef boke of lawe canon sayth y ^t the [Page] clerke notorye lechour sholde haue no parte in the goodes of holy chirche. distinct .lxxxi. Si quis amodo cū alijs caplis sequentibus. And there sayth the glose that to whom it is forboden to do offyce in holy chirche / to hym is forboden and Interdyte his benefyce But as the lawe sayth there. To all suche notorye lechours / preestes / deke­nes / subdekenes / ben forboden the of­fyces of holy chirche that they shol­de do no offyces in holy chirche / and the people is forboden to here theyr offyce. Therfore than theyr benefyce is forbodem them tyll they amende hem. Ibidē. Siqui sunt presbitert. Vpon whiche lawe sayth Guydo in Rosario. That yf prestes be foūde suche open lechours and malefactours / ther subgettes may of theyr owne aucto­ryte put them from theyr offyce / and not abyde sentence ne dome of theyr souerayne / all though the bysshop were fauorable to suffre suche wycked lyuers. For why sayth he / suche be su­spended by the pope and by the lawe ¶ [...]iues. This sentence is wonder­full and not pleasaunt to men of ho­ly chirche / and yet as me thynketh it is reason. For yf ony man ought me dette and payed it to myne enemye to strength hym in his malyce ayenst me / wyttynge well that he sholde robbe me therof & not paye it me / he dyd moche ayenst me and robbed me cru­elly of my good. And so as me thyn­keth do they that paye tythes & due­tees that longe to god & holy chirche & to poore folke / & paye them to su­che wycked lyuers & open enemyes to god / for they ben loste for euer. Or yf he kepte them stylle or payed them to his souerayne / as Hostiensis sayth / than were they saue and holy chirche and the poore people myght be hol­pen therby. ¶Pauper. It is lefull so to kepe them & not ayenst the lawe that they alledge ayenst hostiensis & ayenst other clerkes & ayenst the co­mon lawe / for y ^• lawe acordeth with all other clerkes yf it be well vnder­stande. For these ben the wordes of the lawe. Pretextu nequicie clerico (rum) nequiunt eas .s. decimas nisi quibus de mandato diuino debent suo arbi­trio errogare. Extra libro .iij. de deci­mis. ca. tua nobis. That is to saye in Englysshe. Lewde men may not vnder colour of wyckednes of clerkes gyue by theyr owne dome the tythes but to theym that they ben dette to by the cōmaundement of god. For it is not lefull to gyue awaye an nother mannes good without the wyll of the lorde of the good as y ^e lawe sayth there. These wordes be not ayenste Hostiensis / for Hostiensis speketh of clerkes open lechours and open wyc­ked lyuers. This lawe speketh of clerkes whos synne is preuy / and of hem that ben defamed falsely by malyce of the people / and he byddeth there that they sholde be gyuen them ayen. Also this lawe sayth that it sholde not be gyuen but to them that it longeth to by the cōmaundement of god. But by the cōmaundement of god they longe not to suche wyc­ked lyuers / therfore they sholde not be gyuen to them. Also thoughe the [Page] lewde man withholde his tythes and his duetees fro suche wycked men in holy chirche and paye them to his so­rayne / or ellys kepeth them stylle for profyte of holy chirche / in that he gy­ueth them not awaye but kepeth them saue to profyte of holy. chirche. And that lawe men alledge ayenst Hosti­ensis .s. tua nobis / speketh ayenst the lewde men that gyue awaye tythes of holy chirche and dyspende them as them lyketh / and gyue them awaye to whom that they wyll / and this is not lefull without auctoryte of the bysshop. Yf the bysshop or ony house of relygyon resceyue so many tythes in a parysshe by olde custome / that the curate of the chirche may not lyue hone s;tely by his benefyce / than a certayne porcōn of the tythes may be gyuen to y ^t curate for to lyue by / not withstandynge the olde custome. Extra li .iij. de prebendis. ca. extirpande. Where the lawe sayth / that he y ^t hath cure of a parysshe sholde serue it hymselfe & not by an other / but nede of other cu­re compelle hym therfo.

Caplm .xv.

DIues. Shall holy chirche axe tythes personales of Iewes y ^t dwelle amonges crysten peo­ple. ¶Pauper. Nay / for they be not of holy chirche / & they take not sacramentes of holy chirche ne seruyce of the curate. Yf a man gylously selle a porcyon of corne or it be tythed / both the byer and the seller ben bounde to tythe it. The seller for his gyle & for he hath the value of the tythe. And he that byeth it is bounden for that corne passeth to hym with charge of the tythe. And soo holy chirche may axe the tythe of whether of them y ^• he wyll. But yf he gete it of the one of theym / he may not axe it of the other But yf the byer thought noo gyle in his byenge yf he payed the tythe after that he bought it / the seller is boūnde to make hym resty [...]ucōn. And yf the byer & the seller wyst wel that it was not tythed / they muste both do penaū ce as for theeft. And yf the byer payethe tythe / the seller is boūde to restytuco n but the byer bought it to suche a pryce y ^t he may yet wel saue his owne Yf the corn be stolen or it be tythed / & y ^• lorde of y ^e corn were to slowe in the tythynge & tythed not after the custome of y ^• place but delayed it / holy chirche may axe of hym the tythe of the corn soo stolen. But yf it be taken a­waye within y ^• tyme of due tythynge he is not boūde to restytucōn of the tythes Hec Raymūdus li .i. de decimis. ¶Diues. Is a man boūde by the cō mau dement of god to paye all his tythes bothe prediales and personales. ¶Pauper. As Innocencius the pope the thyrde. Extra e. in aliqui (bus) / and Raymūde also saye. All y ^• tythes must be payed y ^t ben taxed by goddes lawe Leuitici vltimo. And all other tythes both prediales & personales after cu­stome of the contre longe approued. For consuetude or custome in lawe posytyue that is mannes lawe is exposytour & termynour of the lawe. Con­suctudo approbata est optima legum interpres. Extra li.i.ti. quarto.cū di­lectus. [Page] Et consuetudo est altera lex. But ther may no consuetude or custome be kept ayenst goddes lawe / ne a­yenst lawe of kynde. ¶Diues. Why bad god y ^t men sholde paye more the tenth part than an other part ¶Pauper For .x. is nombre so parfyght y ^• it conteyneth all nombre. For all nom­bres after .x. ben made of ten & nom­bres within ten. And nyne is nombre vnparfyght / & all nombres within .x. ben vnparfyght in regarde of .x. And therfore god bad y ^t men sholde gyue hym the tenth parte / & to kepe them­selfe nyne partes / in token that al our parfeccōn cometh of god & to hym it muste be arretted by prysynge & than kynge / & all our Imparfeccōn cometh of our selfe. And therfore we withholde nyne partes to our selfe / & gyue to god the tenth parte / so knowlechynge that all our parfeccōn & goodnesse cometh of hym / and all our Imperfec­cyon cometh of our selfe. And in to­ken that he is our lorde & lorde of all & all that we haue cometh from hym as all our nombres ben conteyneth in ten / & come of ten.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. Is symonye ony spy­ce of theeft. ¶Pauper. It is theeft & sacrylege in y ^t y ^t a man treateth & occupyeth vnryghtful thynge that is not his. Of suche the­ues speketh cryste in the gospell. Qui nō intrat ꝓ ostiū in ouile. sed ascendit al [...]unde. hic fur est et latro. Io .x. He that entreth not in the folde of holy chirche by the dore that is cryste / and taketh not his benefyce frely by waye of almesse for crystus sake but by sy­monye / he is a theef and a mycher. And all that so come in to the benefyces of holy chirche by symonye / they ben mychers & theues. ¶Diues What is symonye. ¶Pauper. Symonye is a studyous couetyse & wyll to bye or selle thynge spirytuell / or thynge an­nexed or knyt to spirytuel thynge. For as the phylosophre sayth / not only he y ^t steleth preuely is a mycher / but also he that wyll stele preuely is a mycher & a theef. But here thou shalt vnderstande that some thynges be forboden for they be symonyent / as byenge and sellynge of the sacramentes of holy chirche / in whiche wyll allone with­out dede maketh a man gylty in sy­monye. Some thynges ben symony­ent only for they ben forboden by ho­ly chirche. As yf a clerke resygne his chirche in couenaūt y ^• it shal be gyuen to his neuewe or to some of his kynne suche wyll without dede maketh not a man symonyent ne gyltye in symonye as anentes holy chirche / but yf it be done only for profyte of the perso­ne and not for profyte of holy chirche he is gylty byfore god. And yf he re­sygne it frely in couenaunt & in wyll that it shall be gyuen to hym that is more able to profyte to mannes sou­le than he is hymselfe / in that resyg­nynge he doth no symonye. ¶Diues Wherof came the name of symonye. ¶Pauper. Of Symon magus a grete wytche. For he profred to saynt Peter a grete some of money to haue grace of the holy goost to make men hole [Page] of sekenesses / & to do wondres and to make the holy goost to lyght in men & wymen as saynt Peter dyde. But saynt Peter forsoke his moneye and sayd to hym. Thy moneye be stylle with the in perdycyon & perysshynge of dampnacōn / for thou wenest to gete the gyft of god with it. Actuū .iiij. And therfore all that bye ony thyng spirytuel or ony thynge knytte to spyrytuell thynge ben called proprely sy­monientes. And they that selle it ben called Giezites. Giezite in latyn for Giezi the seruaūt of Helyzee the prophete toke mede of the grete lord Naman for that god had made hym ho­le of his lepre by the prophete Helyzee that was his mayster. And so he sel­de falsely the gyfte of god in as mo­che as was in hym ayenst the wyll of god & of the prophete Helyzee. And therfore he was lepre & all his kynne after hym .iiij. Regū .v. Nathelesse comonly both byer & seller of spirytuel thynge ben called symonientes. For Symon magus dyd that was in him to bye the grace of the holy goost / & was in purpose & wyll to selle it forth to other for moneye and for gyftes. ¶Diues. In how many maners is symonye done. ¶Pauper. In thre maners as thynge spirytuel is boughte & solde by thre maner gyftes. For somtyme it is bought by gyft of honde / somtyme by gyfte of seruyce / somtyme by gyfte of tonge. Gyft of the honde is called money & other rychesses / gyft of seruyce is called theyr ser­uyce gyuē not in due maner ne ryghtfully to haue a thynge spirytuel / gyft of tonge is fauour flateryng & prayer y ^t men make themselfe or by other so to haue spirytuell thynges. Also in resceyuynge of holy ordre is do symonye somtyme only on his syde y ^t maketh ordres. As whan some frende of him y ^t shall be ordred gyueth y ^• bysshop so­me gyft without the wetynge of him y ^t shalbe ordred. Somtyme it is done only on his syde y ^t shall be ordred / as yf he gyue ony gyftes to ony of y ^• bysshopes offycers to speke for hym y ^t he may be ordred / & of whiche gyfte the bysshop knoweth not. Somtyme it is done of both the partes / as whan the one gyueth & the other taketh. So­me tyme it is done and yet in neyther parte / as yf a frende of hym y ^t shall be ordred gyue or behote ony thynge to y ^• bysshoppes offycers to helpe hym iu that cause / & neyther he ne the bys­shop knowtth of tho gyftes. And in these maners may also be done symonye in gyuynge of benefyces of holy chirche. Yf ony man gyue ony gyfte for me or praye for me that I may be ordred or resceyue benefyce / yf I saye ayenst & assent not therto his gyfte / ne his byheste / ne his prayer letteth not fro myne ordres ne fro myne be­nefyce / but yf I assente therto byfore or after payenge the moneye y ^t he be­hyght I falle in symonye / & though it be neuer so preuy I must resygne. And yf myne enemye gyue or behote gyft for my promocōn in wyll so to let me by symonye / & it be not myne assent / his dede letteth me not. Extra li .iiij. de symonia ca. sicut tuis litteris. Yf ony frende gyue ony gyft me vnwyt­tynge [Page] for my promocyon / & after that I wyste therof or I were called of the bysshop to my promocōn / & I wyste it well that I sholde not be called but for y ^t gyfte I sholde not resceyue that promocōn. Hec sū. conf.li.i.ti.i.

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. May no thynge be gyuen lefully for spirytuel thynge ¶Pauper. Yes / for both gyft of honde of tonge & of seruyce / may be gyuen for spyrytuell thynge. Gyft of honde may be gyuen for spyrytuell thynge in fyue cases as sayth Raymū. Fyrst yf it be gyuen frely for deuocōn & for reuerence of y ^• sacramēt & of spirytuel thyng without ony co­uenaūt or ony axynge of y ^• taker But for to gyue ony thyng by waye of couenau t or byeng or sellyng / or of chaū gyng it is not leful. And yf it be doubte whether y ^• gyft be gyuē by couenaūt or by euyll entencōn / men muste take hede to y ^• astaste of y ^• gyuer & of y ^• ta­ker whether the ryche gyue y ^• poore or the poore to y ^e ryche / or ryche to ryche. Also to the quantyte of y ^e theeft / whether it be of grete pryce or of lytel pryce Also to the tyme of y ^• gyuyng / whether in tyme of nede or in other tyme And so by these circūstaūces deme in what maner it was gyuē. The seconde case is / whan men gyue frely to o­ny man of holy chirche ony thyng for spirytual dedes as for certayn sayeng & syngynge to whiche he is not boūde The .iij. case is whan it is gyuen to clerkes for spirytuel dedes to y ^• which they ben bounde of offyce. For ther is no man boūde to trauayl for nought ne y ^• curate serue y ^e chirche for nought ne the prechour to trauayl for nought And therfore saynt Poule sayth that they that serue the aulter shall lyue by the aulter. And so god hath ordey­ned y ^t they y ^t preche the gospel shal lyue by the gospell. Prima ad co (rum) .ix. Natheles the more frely y ^t a man precheth y ^e more is his mede. And thou­ghe he axe not the people is boūde to gyue him frely as saynt Austen sayth suꝑ illud Producens fenū iumentis. The .iiij. case is to haue lyf without ende & forgyuenes of synne. Therfor Danyell sayd to the kyng Nabugo­donosor. Pccā tua elemosinis redime. Dan̄ .iiij. Bye ayen thy synnes with almesse / not that we may bye heuen / ne forgyuenesse of synne but by al­messe doynge we may deserue to ha­ue forgyuenesse of synne and heuens blysse / & so byenge is taken for deser­uynge. The .v. case is whan a man for to haue peas byeth awaye y ^• wronge that he suffreth in spirytuell ryght whan he is syker y ^t his cause is ryghtfull Extra de symonia ca. Dilecto filio.

Caplm .xviij.

DIues. What payne is ordey­ned ayenst symonye ¶ꝓauꝑ Yf a clerke be a symonyēt in takȳg of his ordre / he is suspended of his ordre both anentes hymselfe & a­nentes other so y ^t he may not do exce­cucōn of his ordre. And whether his symonye be preuy or aperte he is sus­pended. And yf he be conuycte byfore [Page] his Iuge shall be deposed & vnabled to euery worshyp & lese the moneye y ^t he payed therfore. And he y ^t ordred hȳ wyttyngly by symonye / or gaf him benefyce by symonye / or he y ^t resceyueth ony benefyce by symonye / or is mene therto / though theyr synne be preuy yet they be suspended / as anent them selfe. And yf it be open / they ben sus­pended both anentes themself & anentes other. And he y ^t taketh his benefyce with symonye / he muste resygne & make restytucyon of all the profyte y ^t he hath take therof / & for the profyt y ^t myght haue be taken therof for his tyme For it is a general rule in y ^e lawe y ^t who so occupyeth ony thynge with out ryghtfull tytle / he is boūden to restytucōn of all y ^e harmes & of al pro­fyte y ^t cam therof / or myght haue co­me therof for y ^t tyme sauynge his expen s;es y ^t he spent in profyt & saluacōn of y ^t thynge. And both clerke & lewed man y ^t doth symonye / he is acursed in y ^e dede / & yf it may be preued y ^t lewde man sholde be acursed openly in holy chirche. Prima .q̄.i. reꝑiunt. ¶Diues. Yf the offycer of y ^e bysshop axe of custome ony gyft in makynge of ordres in sacrynge of bysshopes / in blessynge of abbottes / yf they y ^t sholde be ordred or blyssed or sacred gyue theym suche gyftes for custome y ^t they allege / is it symonye. ¶Pauper. Yf he gyue it pryncypaly for suche custome and for theyr axynge it is symonye / but yf he gyue it frely / not for ther axynge ne for custom ne by couenaūt / it is no symonye But moost syker it is y ^t he gyue none than ne for than / for it is lyke symonye. And saynt Poule byddeth y ^t men sholde absteyne them from e­uery wycked lykenesse. Also they y ^t gyue or take ony thynge by waye of custome or of couenaūt for blessynge of weddynges / for sepultures / for diriges for creame or oyle / or for ony sacramēt in whiche is gyuen grace he doth sy­monye. Yf ony curate or parysshe pre­ste for gyftes / for prayer / for loue / for frendshyp hyde an open synne of his parysshen obstynat in synne or recoū seyll hȳ y ^t wyll not amende hȳ / or for hate and enmyte wyl not recounseyll hym that wyll amende hym / or for hate or loue or gyft or prayer putteth ony man or woman from y ^e sacramē tes of holy chirche / he doth symonye. Yf a preest be boūden of offyce to say a masse or dirige / & suche other pray­ers & he axe moneye therfore / he doth symonye / but yf he be not boūde therto of offyce / & he hath not his nedeful lyuynge he may take money for his trauayle & lette his trauayle to hyre by dayes and yeres / as annuelers do­ne / as Raymunde sayth. Et extra ne prelati. vices suas. et ca. vltimo. But yf he haue suffycyent lyuynge and he be not boūde to saye that masse or di­rige / than he shall saye it frely / or el­les not saye it. For elles it semeth that he dooth it pryncypally for co­uetyse. Yf a preest haue sayd a masse yf he saye an other masse that daye for moneye or for to haue thanke of the worlde / he doth symonye. De con. di.i.sufficit.

Caplm .xix.

DIues. Yf relygyouse or secu­ler clerkes in auaūsement of theyr kynnesmen make couenau t to gydre & saye. Assent thou to auaūsynge of my neuewe and I shall assent the auaunsynge of thy neuewe Or ellys one sayth that as longe as I lyue shall ther no grace of ony auaū sement passe whyle I may lette it / but I haue this grace for hym y ^• I praye for / do these symonye. ¶Pauper. It is symonye. For the lawe sayth. Abut dnis ꝑactio. cesset omnis conuencio .i. q̄.ij.qiii pro. In spyrytuell thynges euery couenaut sholde be awaye / eue­ry conuencyon cesse. Yf the curate wyll not burye the deed bodye / ne suffre it to be buryed / but in couenaunt that he shall haue his bedde or his beste clothe / or some other thynge he doth symonye / all though it be custo­me to paye that he axeth. And therfor he sholde frely burye the deed & blesse them that ben nedy / and so absteyne hym fro euery spyce of symonye / and afterwarde compelle them to paye & kepe good customes / yf y ^t they myght well do it for pouerte. Extra e. ad a­postolicam. Yf a preest wyll not bap­tyse but he haue moneye therfore / he doth symonye. And rather the lewed man or woman sholde baptyse the childe than gyue moneye therfore. And yf he were of age that sholde be baptysed / and there were no man ne woman but the preest / though he we­re in pe [...]yll of deth / he sholde rather dye without baptyme of water than he sholde be baptysed by symonye. For in that case the baptym of the holy goost suffyseth to hym. Euery man & woman may baptyse for nede. Yf ony patrone gyue a benefyce in coue­naunt / that he that resceyueth it shal helpe hym temporally and his also / it is symonye. Extra e. nemo. And yf he gyue it to some of his kynne soo to magnefye hym selfe / and to be the more myghty worldely by auaūsyn­ge of his kynrede / it is symonye. And yf a patrone selle a patronage by the selfe / or selle the maner y ^t is annexed therto the more derer for the patronage / he doth symonye. As sayth Petrus tarentmus suꝑ quartū sentē. distinct. xxv. And therfore he sayth that choppynge of chirches without auctoryte of y ^e bysshop is symony. And he sayth there also that ryght of patronage may not be solde / but it passeth forth with byenge of the londe that it lon­geth to. Yf prechours or pardonysters or other folke that goo for almesse / praye the parysshe preest or the cura­te to procure them some good in theyr parysshe in couenaūt y ^t the preest or y ^e curate shal haue a certayn parte ther of / it is symonye as anentes the preest for both do symonye / & also they doo sacrylege & theeft / in that y ^t they de­fraude men of theyr good & put it not in the almesse that they gyue it to / & bothe the preest & the pardonyster be boūde to restytucyon.

Caplm .xx.

IF a man or woman gyue moneye to be resceyued in to house of relygyon / and so in relygyon in couenaūt that he or she shall [Page] gyue a certayn moneye to y ^• house it is symonye though it be comon custome so to gyue. Nathelesse yf he be resceyued frely as the lawe wyll / he doth no symonye. Extra e. sicut ꝓ certo et ca. in tantū. ca. veniens.ca.audiuimꝰ.ca. Iacobus. Nathelesse yf the house be poore & ouercharged with y ^• persone so cladde / they may afterwarde praye y ^e frendes of y ^t persone of some almesse in releuynge of the house and of that charge. Yf a man or a woman gyue moneye to prestes ryche or poore / for trentall / for annuell / for yeredaye / or for to saye masse of the holy goost or other masses / or to gyue money to clerkes for saynge of psalters or of dyry­ges / or to poore men in couenaunt of certayn prayers / with entencyon so to bye theyr prayers he dooth symonye. scom glosam Willi.et vt habet in sū. con.li.i.ti.i.q̄.xlij. And yet as he sayth there / it is lefull to take & to gyue moneye & other temporall thynges / for suche spyrytuell thynge & for prayer by waye of deuocōn & of free gyft / so to excyte deuocyon & loue of persones the more to praye for them. And in this maner men may gyue to colleges certayn moneye to kepe ther yereday not by waye of couenaunt of byenge & of sellynge / but soo to styre theym frely to graūt them theyr axyuge by waye of more charyte & more deuocyon / for suche spyrytuell thynge maye not be solde. And therfore men sholde gyue theyr good frely to men of holy chirche by waye of almesse / and they sholde take it frely by waye of almes And the gyuer with his gyfte of cha­ryte may axe certayn prayers of them that he gyueth to / & yf they graūted hym they ben bounden to kepe theyr graunt. Therfore sayth saynt Austen that the apostles toke frely theyr ly­uynge of them that they preched fre­ly to. And as grete synne it is the preste to selle his prayer / as the prechour to selle his prechynge. Cryste badde in y ^• gospel y ^t men sholde make them frendes of the rychesses of this worl­de that they myght resceyue them in to endelesse tabernacles / y ^t is to saye / that they myght so praye for hem y ^t they myght be resceyued in to blysse. And thus muste all men of holy chirche take theyr lyuynge yf they wyl be ciene out of symonye. For they maye not selle ther offyce y ^t they do in holy chirche / ne theyr prayer / but by fre gyftes take theyr suffycyent lyuelode. Extra ne prelati vices suas.ca.qm̄ enor­mis. ¶Diues. Contra. It is ordey­ned by constytucyon synodalle what moneye a parysshe preest & what an annuler sholde take. ¶Pauꝑ. That is not for his offyce / but it is done to lett the false couetyse of men of holy chirche / to put in certayn how moche is suffycyent to theyr lyuynge y ^t they sholde no more axe / ne men no more gyue theym. But yf it be not suffycyent they maye take more by leue of theyr prelates. And y ^• taxynge is not ordeyned by the gyuer of the moneye but by the prelates of holy chirche / both anentes symonye & ayenst false couetyse of theyr clerkes.

Caplm .xxi.

DIues. It semeth by thy wordes / that they y ^t synge the golden trentall go full nygh sy­monye. For they make wonderfull couenau t of ther syngynge. ¶Pauper Leue frende y ^u shalt vnderstande that couenaūt makynge maketh oft symonye that sholde ellys make no symo­nye. As yf the gyuer axe what it is worth to synge many masses / & the preest answereth twenty shellynges or ten shellynges or a noble. Or yf the gyuer saye / syr what wylt y ^• take to synge it / & the preest answere & saye / no lesse than twenty shellynges / or ten shellynges / & thus bargeyne & broke about the syngynge of the masse / y ^t may not be solde ne bought / as men do in byenge & sellynge of an horse / than they falle both in cursed symo­nye. Also yf the gyuer saye to the pre­ste in his bargeynynge / that he shall synge for certayne soules and for no mo / & he behoteth hym so / than ben they both accursed for that foule sy­monye. And also for it is ayenst cha­ryte / for the preest is boūden to synge for all crysten. And for the moo he prayeth in specyall by waye of charyte / the more he pleaseth god / & the more ben the soules holpen for whiche he taketh his sellarye. And in that he byndeth hym to saye specyall masses in certayne tyme. He muste in case leue the masse of the daye y ^• he is boū ­den to yf he be a curate & so doth sy­monye / as Raymūde sayth & other clerkes. Also he dooth in that ayenst the ordenaūce of holy chirche. Extra li.iij.de celebra.miss.ca.ij. Where it is boden that ther sholde noo man leue masse of the daye for other specyall masses. As of the trynyte / our lady / or other / not for it is euyll to here or to saye suche specyall masses / but for it is euyll to leue masses of the daye for suche specyall masses / as the glose sayth. Neuerthelesse yf a man wyll here suche specyall masses in reueren­ce of the trynyte or of our lady / it is well done soo that he leue not masse of the daye for suche masses ¶Diues Than me thynketh y ^• curates that ben boūden to saye masse of the daye to the parysshe / or in case masse of Requiem / may not well synge suche golden trentalles. ¶Pauper. That is soth / ne no preest that hath suffycyent lyuynge by other salarye. And ther­fore it is forboden the synodales of englonde / that ony persone or vyker sholde make couenaunt with his pa­rysshe preest / that he sholde besydes his salarye take annuell or trentalle / or ony suche other / that they calle vantages Inhibimꝰ districtius. But they shall gyue to ther parysshe preest suffycyent salarye wherby they may ly­ue without suche false couetyse. And in the constytucōn of Lambeth the seconde chaptre / it is boden that noo preest shall bynde hym to suche specy all masses / by the whiche they myght be letted y ^t they myght not serue the chirche of lawfull seruyce of the daye as they be boūde. ¶Diues. Sythen than it is soo that masse of the daye is as good as suche specyall masses / and that it is as good or better to he­re and saye masse of the daye as suche [Page] specyall masses / me thȳketh that by suche maner syngynge of golden trentales soules ben moche desceyued. ¶Pauper. That is so [...]h. For tho .xxx masses as they axe / as they saye must be in doynge all a yere nerehande / there they myght haue .xxx. masses as helply to the soule out of payne with in .xxx. dayes. For in suche syngynge is done moche symonye / moche ypo­cresye / & moche folye. For some pree­stes faytours telle the people that but the masses be sayd in thre dayes pryncypally of tho feestes / that is to saye / in the festes & in two dayes next folowynge / ellys the soules be not holpen by tho masses. And so yf y ^• preest felle seke tho thre dayes so that he myght not synge / all though he had songe al the other masses / that trentale myght not be done that yere by theyr opyny­on. And soo in case he sholde happen to be in syngynge of one trentale .x. yere or .xx. yere there as he myght eue­ry yere synge his annuel. Also yf our ladyes daye in lente falle on goodfry daye he may than not synge tho thre masses. Also some prestes behyght to faste brede & water / & to were the here euery daye whan they shal synge ony of tho masses for tho soules. And soo they muste faste brede & water & we­re the heere on Crystmasdaye. Eester daye / & nyghe all the hyghe feestes of the yere. Also they saye that they mu­ste haue a specyal Oryson that is not of the myssale / ne approued of holy chirche / but oft repreued / or ellys as they saye y ^• masses be lytyl or nought to profyte of the soules. And thus by faytrye & ypocresye many fole prestes behyght more & bynde theym to mo­re for .x. shellynges / than a good preest wolde do for .x. marke. ¶Diues. And they saye that saynt Gregorye ordey­ned that maner of syngynge to haue his moder out of purgatorye. And therfore they calle it saynt Gregoryes trentale. ¶Pauꝑ They lye on saynt Gregorye. For his moder was a full holy woman as we fynde in his lyfe And we fynde not that saynt Gre­gorye dyd ony preest synge in that maner for ony soule. But we fynde li .iiij dyalogo (rum). That whan saynt Gregorye knewe by reuelacyon that one of his monkes was in harde payne of purgatorye / for he had be a propryetarye vnto y ^• tyme of his deynge. saynt Gregorye badde one of his monkes whiche he lete a good man synge for hym .xxx. masses daye by daye. And in the .xxx. daye the deed monke appered to the same monke & thanked hȳ for vnto this tyme sayd he I haue be in harde payne / but now I am delyuered And saynt Gregorye telleth also li.iiij. dyalogo (rum). That a soule appe­red to a preest & prayed hym that he wolde haue mynde of him in his masse. And he songe for hym .vij. dayes by & by and so the soule was delyue­red. For better it is to delyuer a soule out of payne within .vij. dayes or .xxx than so to let hym longer in payne al the yere whan he myght be holpen within .xxx. dayes. And so wolde eue­ry man & woman that is in bodely dysease & in pryson. And he were noo good frende that lete his frende lyue [Page] in pryson all a yere whan he myght haue hym out within .vij. dayes or w ^t in .xxx. dayes.

Caplm .xxij.

DIues. And so it may be that the fende founde vp the gol­den trentall so to longe sou­les in theyr payne there as they shol­de the sooner be delyuered. ¶Pauper Therfore saynt Gregorye .iij.et.iiij. dyalogo (rum) / sheweth by many an example that it is beste to synge for the soules daye by daye yf the preest be well dysposed to synge so. And he sheweth there that lettynge of ony daye syn­gynge is grete dysease to the soules / for they desyre full moche to be dely­uered out of theyr payn. But the people by faytre of couetous clerkes is so blent / that they haue leuer to gyue xx. shellynges to forlonge the soules in payne all a yere / than to gyue .xx. shellynges or .x. to haue them out with in a moneth or moche lesse tyme But leue frende better it were to gyue .xx. shellynges to helpe them in haste w ^t the worshyp of god & of holy chirche than to gyue .xx. shellynges late to helpe them & that with offence of god & preiudyce of holy chirche. And bet­ter it is to haue four score masses songe to gydre daye by daye for .xx. shel­lynges / than to haue .xxx masses songe in the longe yere for .xx. shellynges For why / ye may for .xx. shellynges do synge a quarter of an annuell & doo the soules haue parte not only of .xxx masses / but of as many masses as be pens in .xx. shellynges. For though ye gyue a thousande poūde for a masse / the preest may not appropre y ^• masse to ony soule / but only praye for hym after that he is boūden / and he muste put his prayer in the wyll of god & in his plesaūce / for in case the soule that he prayeth for is dampned. And per­auenture a poore man that no preest thynketh on in specyall / that dyed in more charyte than he that the preest prayeth fore in specyall / shall rather be holpen by the masse of the preest / than he for whom he prayeth in specyal Moreouer leue frende vnderstande that prayer is a grete gracyous gyfte of god. For as the clerkes saye / holy prayer is a styenge vp of manes & womannes herte to god. Oracio est ascensus mentis in deum. And that may noo man haue without specyall gyfte of god. For cryste sayth in the gospell / that there cometh no man to hym / but the fader of heuen drawe hym by Inwarde goostely mocyon y ^t is Inwarde deuocyon. And without this Inwarde deuocyon the prayer of mouth is ryght nought worth. And therfore it is good some tyme to gyue almesse to a good preest whiche hath nede of almesse to meue hym to pray for you that ye may haue the grace of god & swetnesse in him by y ^• prayer of the preest & your almesse. Natheles ye shal not gyue hym almesse to constrayne hym to certayne prayer after your deuyse so to let hym of his deuoco n. Ne ye shal not gyue hym almesse with Intencōn to let hym to praye for whom y ^t he wyll after y ^t his deuocyon is & after y ^t god gyueth hȳ grace. For [Page] alwaye the preest muste be more free to praye than ye may be to gyue / ne ye may not with your gyfte constrayne hym ne let hym to praye for whom y ^t he wyll praye. For all though the pre­ste be arted by the lawe of his takyn­ge / ther may though noo lawe arte hym of his prayer but that he shall alwaye be free to praye for whome y ^t he wyll / & as his deuocyon is for all crysten / and for the co [...]ersyon of all hethen folke. And therfore leue fren­de ye shall gyue freely to the preeste what you [...]yketh so to e [...]cyte his deuocyon to p [...]aye for you & the more to haue you in loue & mynde in his preyers / not to lese his charyte to praye for other. For the mo that he prayeth fore by waye of charyte / the more profyte it is to you & to your frendes soules that he syngeth fore.

Caplm .xxiij.

DIues. Thy speche semeth tone full resonable / but I pray the yf relygyouse or seculer clerkes selle ony gr [...]ūde of santuarye in chirche or chircheyerde to buryeng of deed bodyes / is it symony. ¶Pauper Neyther the offyce of buryenge ne the groūde of sant [...]arye may be sol­de to buryenge without symonye iij. q̄.ij.et ca. postꝙ. et in sūma conf.li.i. ti.xvi.q̄.i. Moche more than it is sy­monye to selle the groūde of santua­rye in chirche or in chircheyerde to chapmen to sette on theyr bothes & theyr stalles for to make goddes house an house of marchaūdyse & a den­ne of theues ayenst the lore of cryste. And yf the colleges or curates selle the ryngynge of theyr belles at bury­ynges or at dyryges / so that they wyll not suffre theyr belles be rongen but they haue a certayn moneye therfore it is symonye / & to selle the offyce of ryngynge is symonye. Nathelesse the ryngers may take for theyr trauayle. And he y ^• hath the offyce of ryngyn­ge frely gyuen to hym may let y ^• offyce to hyre without symonye / in sūma conf li.i. [...]i.i. ¶Diues. It semeth by thy speche y ^• clerkes charged somty­me moche y ^• vyce of symony. ¶Pauper It muste be charged / for it is a synne that god p [...]nyssheth ful harde For as Ierom Austen & Gregory say symonye of the prestes of the olde la­we was one of the pryncypall causes why god destroyed the cyte & the temple of Ierusalem & the kyngdom of Iewes. ¶Diues. Is it symonye yf c [...]lleges of relygyous or of seculers abbot or pryour selle out theyr house ly­ueraūce. ¶Pauper. Many clerkes saye that it is no symonye / but it is a full vnsyker marchaūdyse. And I dare saye y ^t it is sacrylege & theeft full nyghe symonye. For why the goodes of holy chirche soo well endowed ben gyuen to helpe of the poore & to kepe hospytalyte not to selle them ayen to ryche men to maynten then in vnlust & in bodely ease / but that the clerkes that serue y ^• chirche shall lyue therby. & to spende the remenaūt in hospytalyte & in almesse to the poore people. And soo the goodes of that colleges ben not here but as dyspensours / for they ben the poore mennes to whom [Page] and for whom tho were gyuen. And by suche lyueraunce the colleges be brought to pouerte / and the poore & the seke that sholde be holpen ther­by ben defrauded & robbed of theyr ryght. And persones ben made ryche and the comonte ouer poore / and charyte is exyled out of the congregacy­on. For whan the moneye is payed / the relygyouse that solde the lyue­raū [...]e desyreth the deth of the byer. And comonly suche lyueraūces ben solde in hope that the byer shal soone dye / or in hope that in his endynge he shall gyue to theym all his good or moche therof passynge his couenaūt. And soo sellynge of suche lyueraūces is ferre from charyte / and depe groū ded in false couetyse / & it is theeft & sacrylege in that y ^• they soo mynystre the goodes of the poore folke & selle theym awaye / by whiche goodes the poore folke sholde be holpen / and soo both the byer & the seller do sacrylege For these causes & many moo sellyn­ge & byenge of suche lyueraūces ben vtterly forboden by the lawes of ho­ly chirche in constitucioni (bus) octo bon̄ ca. volentes.

Caplm .xxiiij.

DIues. Is vsurye and gonell ony spyce of theeft. ¶ꝓauꝓ In case it is ful grete theeft ¶Diues. What is proprely vsurye. ¶Pauper. Vsurye is a wynnynge axed by couenaūt of lenynge & for lenynge / as Raymūde sayth li.ij. [...].ti. And it is done moost comonly in thȳ ges of nombre / of weyght / & of mesu­re / as in moneye y ^• is tolde / or metall or other thynge y ^• is weyed / or in corn oyle / wyne that is mesured. ¶Diues. How many spyces ben ther of vsurye ¶Pauper. Raymūde sayth y ^t ther ben two spyces of vsurye / one is spy­rytuell & ryghtfull of whiche Cryste speketh in the gospell. Luce.xix. Quare nō dedisti pecuniā meā ad mensā & [...]. Why gaue y ^• not my moneye to y ^• borde / y ^• is to saye / my grace & my gyftes to profyte of other men by open cō munycaco n. And so spyrytuel vsurye is called multiplycacōn of the gyftes of god / & of the graces y ^t god hath gyuen to man or woman / not to hyde them but to comyne them forth to profyte of other. And so with the grace & the gyfte y ^• god hath gyuen to man for a lytel trauayle to wynne an hondred folde mede in heuen. An other vsurye is bodely vsure & vnryghtfull that cometh of false couetyse by co­uenaūt of lenynge. For yf wynnyn­ge come frely to the lener for his le­nynge without couenaūt / so that his entencyon were not corrupte in his lenynge / but that he lente pryncypally for charyte & not pryncypaly for worldely wynnynge it is none vsurye all though he hope to haue & so haue a­uantage by his lenynge. But yf he lent it pryncypaly in hope of worldly wynnynge whether he lent it w ^t couenaūt or without couenaūt of wynnynge for his false couetous entencyon he doth vsurye & is an vsurer. Therfore cryste sayth in the gospell. Date mu­tuū nichil inde sꝑantes. Luce .vi. Yeue ye your lone hopynge noo wynnynge [Page] therof / that is to saye / as sayth the glose. Do ye it pryncypaly for god & not for man / but hope ye pryncypally to haue your mede of god y ^tbyddeth you leue. And than whether the borower paye or not paye god shall yelde you your mede. ¶Diues. May the lener axe no thynge of y ^e borower for his lenynge ¶Pauper. Noo moneye ne thynge y ^t may be mesured by moneye neyther mete ne drynke ne clothe / ne gyft of honde of tonge ne of seruyce But other thynge y ^t may not be me­sured by moneye he may axe / as loue & charyte / good wyll & good frend­shyp for his lenynge. ¶Diues. Why is vsurye holden soo grete a synne. ¶Pauper. For the vsurer selleth to­gydre the thynge y ^t he leneth & the vse of the thynge. And therfore vsure co­meth of y ^e sellynge of y ^e vse. The vsu­rer selleth the thynge y ^t he leneth in y ^t that he taketh more ouer for the vse of the thynge. Wherfore thou shalt vnderstande that many thynges ther be that may not be vsed without wa­ste & destruccyon of the thynge / as mete and drynke & suche other / and in suche the vse maye not be departed from the thynge. But nedes he that graunteth the thynge graunteth the vse of the thynge / & they may not be solde a sondre. And in suche thynges yf the seller take for the vse he selleth that thynge twyes / and selleth thyn­ge that nought is. For the vse of that thynge is full waste therof / & for su­che sellynge of the vse it is called vsurye For the vsurer selleth the thynge in it selfe & the vse ouer. Some thynges there be in whiche the vse is not full destruccyon of the thynge / as vse of an house is the dwellynge or occu­pacōn therof / & in suche the lordshyp of the thynge may be graūted with­out y ^e vse & y ^e vse without the lordshyp And so a man may take his house y ^t he leteth to hyre ayen to hym & ouer take for the vse of the house. But as the phylosophre sayth .viij. Politico (rum). y ^e vse of moneye is chaūgynge of one for an other to helpe & ease of the co­monte whiche chaūgynge is destruc­cōn of the moneye & wastynge in maner In that he that chaūgeth it for other thynge so spent it awaye. And therfore it is vnlefull for to take ony thynge for the vse that ought to be comon to all as it is ordeyned to helpe & ease of all. And therfore it suffyseth that the lener take ayen the euen va­lue / & yf he take more ouer for the vse he doth vsure & he is boūde to restytuco n. ¶Diues. Contra. God gaaf le­ue to the Iewes to take vsure of other nacōns. ¶Pauper. That was to flee the more euyll / for els they wolde ha­ue taken vsurye of theyr brethern for couetyse / & that god forbadde them & graunted to them to take vsure of o­ther nacyons about them & amonge them both to spare theyr owne nacōn & also to gete so ayen in parte y ^t lon­ged to them by y ^e graūt of god. For al y ^• londe there about enhabyte w ^t the hethen people longed to y ^e Iewes by y ^e graūt of god / & wrongfully y ^e hethen peple withelde moche londe fro them

Caplm .xxv.

IF lordes of mylles lene mo­neye to bakers or to other folke in couenaūt that they shal not grynde but at theyr mylles they do vsurye & so let theym y ^t they may not grynde frely where they wyl / & yf they be harmed therby / the leners be boūden to make restytucōn. But yf they be not harmed therby they be not boūde to restytucōn but for that they let them of theyr fredom somdele they be boūden. And the same is of chapmen that selle to creaunce to let the byer from other chapmen / or by­cause of her lenynge selle to them more derer than to other. Suche sellers ben boūden to restytucyon in that the byer be harmed & hyndred. Yf the lener or ony other man wyll not gyue to his dettour lenger tyme of paymēt whan he may not kepe his daye as­sygned but he haue some gyft though he axe no gyft openly he doth vsure. And yf a chapmen selle the more de­rer for the lenynge of his pryce than he sholde selle yf he payed anone / he doth vsure & he is boūden to restytu­cyon. Extra li.e.ti. consuluit. Yf the borower vpon vsure fayle of his daye of payment / he y ^• is his borowe may paye that moneye with y ^• vsure to the lener / & do his dettour for whome he is borowe paye to hym ayen that moneye with the vsure. For it is to the borowe none vsure / for he wynneth nought therby / but so fleeth mysche­ue that sholde elles falle to hym. Yf a man be compelled to borowe mo­neye with vsure for falsehede of his dettour that wyl not paye him at his terme / that false dettour is bounden to make restytucyon / not only of his det but also of the vsure that he was compelled to paye for his falsehede / or els delyuer hym out of daūger yf it be yet to paye. Extra li.iij.de fideius­sori (bus). ca.ꝑuenit. et ca. constitutus. Yf a man or woman lene .x. shellynges at Eester or in other tyme to rescey­ue as many busshelles of whete at myghelmasse / & the whete be better for y ^t tyme than is the moneye / & it be in doubte reasonably whether y ^• whete shall be more worthe or lesse in tyme of payment it is none vsure. But yf it were semely that it sholde be more worthe in tyme of payment & he lent the moneye in hope of y ^• lucre he dyd vsure. Extra e. ti. nauiganti.et in sū ma conf.li.ij.ti.vij. Yf the seller selle a thynge for the more pryce by cause that he abydeth of his paye he dooth vsure. And yf the byer bye a thynge for lesse than it is worth for that he payeth byfore or the thynge bought may be taken to hym / he doth vsure. ibidem in sūma conf. Yf a man lene syluer or wyne to haue ayen the same quantyte in certayn tyme only in ho­pe y ^t the same quantyte shall be more worth in tyme of paymēt he doth vsure / & yf the dettour wyl paye hym his det byfore that tyme to flee his owne harme / & he wyll not take it of hym to the tyme assygned of the payment so to wynne by his lenynge he dooth vsurye. Yf a man lene moneye to resceyue a certayn tyme corn wyne or o­ther thynge [...]herfore he shall take as moche as cometh therto in tyme of [Page] payment & no more. Yf a man lene moneye to resceyue other maner mo­neye therfor in certayn tyme to wyn­ne therby & soo charge his dettour he doth vsurye. Yf a man selle a thynge for certayn pryce as the market goth in tyme of y ^• sellynge in couenaūt y ^• yf it be better worth byfore cester that he shal paye so moche more / & though it be lesse worth he shall paye no lesse / he doth vsurye. Yf the byer bye horse or other bestis for lesse pryce than they be worth in tyme of byenge to resceyue theym after in certayn tyme of feyre it is vsure / but he wene sykerly that it sholde be than only so moche worth or lesse worth / but yf he wene that they sholde be that tyme more worth it is vsurye.

Caplm .xxvi.

YF a man let his horse / his oxe or cowe to hyre in couenaūt that y [...] the beste dye or appeyre / he that hyreth it shall stande to that losse & to halfe wynnynge yf it amende he doth vsurye. For it is not semely that he sholde haue as moche profyte by the amendement of the beste as he sholde haue harme by the deth. Na­thelesse though he that letteth it to hyre make suche couenaūt with hym y ^• hyreth it to do hym be the more besy to saue the beste he doth no synne / yf his purpose be not to take though the beste perysshe without his defaute. But yf he do it for gyle or couetyse / he doth vsurye. And therfor it is good to flee suche couenauntes. For alle though his entencyon be good / yet the maner of the couenaunt semeth wycked & sclaunderous to folke that knowe not his entencyon. Nathelesse he that hyreth a thynge may lefully ta­ke to hym the peryll & the myscheef of that thynge y ^• he hyreth yf he wyl Yf a man betake his beest to a poore man to hyre or to kepe in couenaunt vtterly y ^• yf it dye it shall dye to the poore man & lyue to hym for he wyll haue as good therfor it is wycked vsurye Suche vsurers ben the fendes charmours / for to suche folke theyr shepe / ne theyr bestes shall neuer dye. Yf men in tyme of plente bye in cor­ne or other nedefull thynges / pryncy­pally to selle theym forth more derer in tyme of derthe and of nede / it is synne. But yf it be do pryncypaly for comon profyte and for saluacyon of the contree it is medefull. For Ioseph gouernour of Egypt dyde so to saue the people in tyme of hongre. Gen̄. xlvij. Also a man maye do so for his owne psofyt to flee myscheef comyng by waye of prouydence / & though he selle forth in tyme of nede to helpe of other as the market goth he doth no synne in y ^t / but yf he witholde it & wyl not selle forth in tyme of nede thyng y ^• he hath passyng his lyuyng / but ke­peth stylle in hope of more derth / he synneth greuously. And therfore Sa­lomon sayth. Qui abscondit frumentu maledicet in populis. Bn̄dictio dnī suꝑ caput vendenciū. Prouerbio (rum) .xi. He that hydeth whete in tyme of hongre shall be accursed amonges the people. And y ^• blessynge of god vpon the hede of them that selle forth. Al­so [Page] it may be done by comon ryght of marchaundyse they to wynne therby ther true lyuynge / soo that they cause no derthe by ther byenge. And name­ly they may bye so lefully y ^• haue not wherby to lyue but suche marchaūdyse. But yf they do it only of auaryce & to compelle men to bye men at ther lykynge & as dere as they wyll / than they synne greuously / and namely couetou s;e clerkes that haue ynough els wherby to lyue. For to clerkes it is not graunted suche marchaundyse. Yf a clerke bye a beest or an other thynge / and by his husbondrye or by craft lefull to hym it be amended or put in better degree than it was byfore he maye selle it forthe lefully for more than he bought it to. For suche doyn­ge is called proprely crafte and not marchaundyse.xxiiij.q̄.iij. canonū glosa. et de con.di.v. nunꝙ. Yf a man le­ne olde corne to haue therfore newe corne at the heruest / and wyll not ta­ke olde corne for olde corne / as good for as good whan the borower maye paye it / he doth vsurye as Raymunde sayth Et sūma confes. vbi supra. But yf it be done pryncypally to saue his owne good that els sholde perysshe / or pryncypaly for helpe of his neyghboure he dooth none vsurye. By goddes lawe all vsurye is dampned. By em­perours lawe & by mannes lawe so­me tyme it is suffreth not for that it is good ne lefull but for to flee y ^• more euyll / for ofte men sholde perysshe but they myght borowe vpon vsurye. For elles the couetous ryche men wyl not lene to the nedefull / and so the lawe of man ryghtfully suffereth it for a good ende. But the couetouse man dooth it vnryghtfully & for a wycked ende. And therfor holy chirche dampneth them y ^• lene vpon vsurye but not in them that borowe for nede / or for a good cause vpon vsurye whan he may not els borowe. But yf they borowe for a wycked cause / as for playe at y ^• dyce / or to spende it in glotonye lecherye or pryde / or in other wycked vse / they synne greuously. And though it be lefull to borowe for a good ende vpon vsurye / yet it is not leful to lene vpon vsurye / ne to counseyll ony to borowe vpon vsurye. As it is lefull to a crysten man to take an hethen man that swereth by his fals god. And yet it is not lefull to the crysten man for to axe of hym y ^• othe ne to styre hym therto. For why othe & swerynge is a dyuyne worshyp that longeth only to verry god. Also notaryes that make Instrumentes vpon couenaūtes of v­surye ben forsworne. For whan they be made notaryes / they make an othe that they shall neuer make Instru­mentes vpon couenanutes of vsurye. And soo yf they make ony suche In­strumentes they ben forsworne / & they may neuer after bere wytnesse in ony cause / ne make Instrumentes in ony cause. For they ben made therby of wycked name / and vnable to euery of fyce worshypfull in the lawe & to e­uery dygnyte. And y [...] ony prelate vn­der wrytte to suche couenaūt or sette his seale therto wyttyngly is gylty of vsurye though he haue no wynnynge therby. Hec in sūma confes.

Caplm .xxvij.

DIues. What payne is ordey­ned in the lawe for vsurers. ¶Pauper. All vsurers by the lawe ben bounden to restytucyon And yf they ben open vsurers / they ben accursed by the lawe in thre thynges For they sholde not be houseled / ne holy chirche shall not take ther of ferynge ne resceyue them to crysten buryenge but they amende them by­fore theyr deth. And what preest elles taketh her offryng & buryed them / he shall make restytucōn of y ^• he taketh to the bysshoppe in helpe of the poore folke. And he is worthy to be suspen­ded of his offyce & of his masse. Ex­tra e.ti. quia in omni (bus). Yf the vsurer may not make restytucyon he muste axe forgyuenesse of theym that he is dettour to yf he wyll be saued. And not only the vsurer / but also his heyre is bounden to restytucyon / & he may be compelled by the lawe to restytu­cyon. Extra e.ti.tu nos. And yf other men be boūden to hym for vsurye he may no restytucyon axe tyll he haue made restytucyon to other that he is bounde to for vsurye. Extra e.ti.quia frustra. ¶Diues. Wherby sholde men knowe an open vsurer. ¶ au­per. If he kepe open stacyon or open shoppe to lene or to chaunge for vsu­rye. Or yf he knowlege it byfore a Iuge in dome / or be conuycte by wyt­nesse / or yf he bere the name of an vsurer with dedes openly done accordynge to that name. It a clerke be an vsurer or an heyre to an vsurer / but he wyll make restytucōn he shall be suspended / & but he wyll amende hym he shall be deposed. And yf he be soo Incorrygyble y ^• his bysshop may not amende hym / he shall be chastysed by seculer honde. Extra.li.ij.ti.de iudi­cijs. ca.cū non ab homine. The cler­ke shall make restytucyon of his ow­ne good yf he haue wherof and not of goodes of holy chirche but yf he haue ought spent of suche vsurye to profyte of holy chirche. If a prelate res­ceyue offerynge of the vsurer / some clerkes saye that he shall take it a­yen to the vsurer in repreef of his synne Some saye that he shall take it to the bysshoppe whiche shall take it ayen to the vsurer. And yf that vsu­rer may not be founden / the bysshop shall gyue it to the poore folke. If the borower swere that he shall paye the vsurer and not axe it ayen / he mus [...]e paye it to saue his othe / and he shall not axe it ayen. But he may make denuncyacōn to prelates of holy chirche of that vs [...]rye / that the vsurer may be compelled by lawes of holy chirche to amende hym / and so to make restytucyon. And yf he swere y ^• he shall neuer bewraye him to holy chirche of that vsurye / he is not boū ­den to that othe. For it is ayenst the saluacyon of his euen crysten and a­yenst the cōmaundement of god. If the vsurer bye an horse or londe without moneye of his vsurer and gyue it to an other / he that resceyueth that gyfte is boūden to make restytucyon yf he wyste that it was soo bought and gyuen. Extra e.cū tu. Seruaūtes [Page] and labourers that serue vsurers in honeste thynges / maye lefully take theyr hyre of theym. But yf they serue theym in thynges not nedefull ne lefull / they may not take theyr hyre of the vsurer. Yf the seruaunt borowe moneye vpon vsurye without byd­dynge of his mayster / though he bo­rowe it for the nedes of his mayster / or ony man borowe moneye vpon vsurye for the nedes of an other without his byddynge / he that so boroweth is bounden to restytucyon yf the vsurer wolde lene without vsure freely. He that coūseylleth hym not to lene but vpon vsure is boūde to restytucōn / for he letteth the proufyte of his neygh­bour. Yf a Iewe lene to a crysten man vpon vsurye he synneth. And he may be compelled by prelates & by lordes to make restytucōn. Extra e. post miserabilē. And it is not lefull to ony crysten man or woman to take vsu­rye of ony man crysten or hethen. No lorde / no college / no man sholde suf­fre vsurers dwelle in theyr lordshyp / ne lete theym to hyre to dwelle in. But within thre monethes that they knowe of theyr vsurye / they sholde put theym out / and neuer resceyue suche vsurers more after. And yf bys­shop or archebysshop doo the contra­rye they ben suspended. And they that ben of lesse degree ben accursed yf they doo the contrarye. And colleges and comontees falle in to Interdyte. and yf they stande stylle in theyr malyce one moneth all theyr londes ben Interdyted. And lewde people that suffre suche vsurers to dwelle in to theyr lordshyp or in theyr houses sholde be compelled by censure of holy chirche to put them out s [...]dm Grego. decimū. et consiliū Lugdunense ti. de vsuris ca. vsura (rum). Hec in summa confe s;. li.ij.ti.codem. Also yf a man selle a thynge for moche lesse than it is worthe in couenaunt to haue it ayen what tyme that he wyll paye the pryce that it is worthe / it is vsurye. For the byer getteth ayen all that he pay­de and as moche therto / as yf a man selle a thynge for .x. shellynges that is well worth .xx. shellynges / he shal haue it ayen for so the byer wynneth by vsure .x. shellynges ouer that he payed fyrste.

Caplm .xxviij.

BVt suche reasons and many other that ben not wryten here / the false vsurers cursed of god begyle & robbe the poore peo­ple ayenst the cōmaundement of god there he sayth thus. Yf thou lene to my poore people / y ^u shalt not therfore mysbede hym ne trauayll hym y ^• more therfore / ne ouerpresse hym with vsurye. Exodi.xxij. Yf thy brod sayth he be nedy poore or feble / take none vsure of hym / take noo more than thou gaue / drede thy god that thy poore brother may lyue with the. Thou shalt not lene thy moneye to vsurye / ne axe of hym ouer habondaūce. Take no more than thou lentest. Thus sayth god Leuitici .xxv. Non fenera­bis fratri tuo & [...]. Thou shalt not lene to thy brother by vsurye neyther mo­neye ne corn ne ony other thynge / but [Page] lene it to hym without vsurye that thy lorde god may blesse the in euery werke that y ^u haste done. Deut.xxiij. For who so leneth to his euen crysten without vsurye he shall spede the better And they that lene with vsurye / shall spede the worse. And in what londe vsurye is vsed openly that lon­de shall mysfare. Therfore Dauyd sayth / that wyckednesse hath beseged that cyte & y ^• comynte by daye and by nyght aboue the walles / & trauayle & vnryght & moche wronge is in y ^• cyte & gyle & vsure fayleth not from the stre [...]es of that cyte. Die ac [...] cir­cūdabit eā suꝑ muros eiꝰ ini [...] [...] For suche vsurye & gyle & false othes in byenge & sellynge the prophete Zacharye sayth y ^• he sawe a boke fleyn­ge in the ayer y ^t was . [...]x. cubytes longe and .x. in brede. And he axed the an­gell of god what it myght be / & y ^• angel sayd to hym / it is the curse of god y ^• gooth to the houses of theues / & to mennes houses y ^t forswere theym by the name of god. Zacharie .v. And therfore Salomon sayth / y ^• who so gadreth tresours with a lyenge tonge / he is vayne & euyll herted / and he shall stumble to the snares of deth. Raueyners & robberers of wycked men shal drawe theym downe to helle for they wolde do no ryghtfull dome. Prouer. xxi. To suche god gyueth his curse. W [...] he sayth be to you that Ioyne house to house / and couple felde to felde / & saye of ryght that is wronge / & of wronge y ^• is ryght / & put lyght in to derknesse / & derknesse in to lyght bytter in to swete / & swete in to bytter Ysaye.v. For these false men of lawe and slyght couetouse folke be a mannes cause euer so good but they haue moneye to stande with hym they shal saye that it is a wycked cause. And be it euer so clere in ryght / they shal say it is full derke / they can see none helpe therin. And be it neuer so derke y ^• no man can see ryght therin / for mo­neye they shal say y ^• it is clere ynough And be it euer so syker or easy to pnrsue & swete in it selfe / they shal say it is a bytter cause & vnsauery to dele w ^t but they haue moneye / & be it euer so peryloꝰ & bytter for moneye they shal saye y ^t it is syker ynough. He that robbeth his euen crysten of ony good he doth ayenst .iij. lawes. Fyrste ayetst y ^• lawe of kynde y ^t sayth thus. That y ^u hatest to be done to the / do y ^u it not to an other. Also he dooth ayenst lawe wryten. Non furtū facies. That byddeth / y ^u shalt do no theft. Also he doth ayenst the lawe of grace / for charyte y ^• is pryncypall byhest of the lawe of grace byddeth y ^• men sholde gyue to other of theyr good & not take frō thē w [...]ongfully. We fynde in holy wryt. Iosue .vi.et.vij.ca. That Achor stale golde syluer & cloth ayenst the byhest of god / he & his wyfe his childern & all his bestes were stoned to the deth fyrste / and afterwarde brente with all his other good y ^t he had & .xxxvi. men slayne with enemyes for y ^• theft of Achor that so stale ayenst goddes byheste. And god sayd tyll whan his thefte was punysshed the people sholde neuer haue spede in batayle ne in other Iourneye. ¶Diues. It is than [Page] lytell wondre that our folke spede e­uyll these dayes in warre vpon theyr enemyes / for they go more to robbe & to pyle than to fyght for ony ryght. ¶Pauper For that synne & many other they spede full euyll. For they be so blent with synne y ^t the lyght of grace by whiche they sholde be wyssed in ther dedes is hyde awaye fro them & so they wandre forth amonge theyr enemyes as blynde bestes / & for they sene no myscheef tyll they falle there in. For as the wyse man sayth. Obce­cauit eos malicia eo (rum). Sap̄ .ij. Ther malyce hath made theym blynde. A grete clerke telleth Solinus de mira­bilibus mundi. That in the londe of Sardynye is a welle / of the whiche welle yf a true man drynke his syght shall amende. But yf a theef drynke therof / though his syght be byfore ne­uer so clere he shall wexe blynde. By this welle I vnderstande plentee of worldely goodes & of rychesses y ^e god sendeth amonges mankynde / whiche goodes & rychesses comen of the erth and newen yere by yere as water in the welle / and al true folke that drynken of this welle / that is to saye / that comen truly to theyr good and rychesses of this worlde / and spenden them well to the worshyp of god and pro­fyte of theyr euen crysten / they haue more lyght of grace to see what is to doo and what may please god. And they that falsely come to goodes of this worlde by theeft / by gyle & vsure & by fals othes they wexen blynde / for they lese the lyght of grace & be blent w ^t ther malyce. Therfore saynt Am­brose suꝑ Lucā sayth. That in the tyche s;ses is no blame / but the blame & the defaute is in theym that can not wel vse theyr rychesses. And as rychesses sayth / he is lettynge of vertue to shrewes / & is helpe of vertue to good folke y ^• can & ben in wyll to vse well her rychesses. ¶Diues. I drede me that nyghe all our nacyon hath soo dronken of this welle of Sardynye y ^• they ben goostly blynde. For yf I ta­ke hede what theeft of symonye reg­neth in the clergye / what theft of vsure regneth pryncypaly amonge marchau tes & ryche folke / what theeft of raueyne & extorcyon regneth amonge the lordes & grete men / what myche­rye & robberye amonge the poore co­mons that be alwaye enclyned to slee & to robbe. Me thynketh that moche of our nacōn is gylty in theft & ouer­done moche blent with false couetyse ¶Pauper Therfore god sayth thus A minimo vs (que) ad maximū omnes sequunt auariciā. A ppha vs (que) ad sacerdote cuncti faciunt mendaciū. et ideo corruent. Fro the leste to y ^• moost all they folowen auaryce and false couetyse. From the prophete to the preest all they make lesynges and do gyle & falsehede / & therfore they shall falle / and I shall gyue theyr wymen to straungers / and theyr londes and theyr feldes to other heyres. Iere­mie. viij. And by the prophete Ysaye god vndernameth the gouernoures of the people / bothe in temporalyte and in spyrytualyte and sayth thus. Principes tui infideles socij furum et cetera. Thy prynces ben false and felowes [Page] of theues. All they louen gyf­tes & folowe medes & yeldynge ayen. For they demed not after the ryght / but after y ^• men myght paye. Ysa .i. Si videbas furem currebas cū eo et cū adulteris porcionen & [...]. Yf thou see a theef thou ranne with hym to hel­pe hym / as false Iuges in temporal­te done these dayes. And with lechoures and auouteres thou puttedeste thy parte as Iuges in spyrytualte do­ne these dayes.

¶Here endeth the seuenth cōmaun­dement. And begynneth the eyght. Capitulum Primū.

DIues. It is full moche to drede that gy­le and falsehede shal vndo this londe as y ^u sayest but god of his mercy he doo bote. I thanke the with all myne herte / for thou haste well enfourmed me in ke­pynge of the seuenth cōmaundement Now I praye the for charyte that y ^u wylt enfourme me in the eyght commau dement. ¶Pauper The eyght commaundement is this. Non lo­queris contra proximū tuum falsum testimoniū. That is to saye. Thou shalt speke noo false wytnesse ayenst thy neyghbour. In wordes as sayth saynt Austen and saynt Thomas de veritate theologie libro quinto. God forbyddeth all maner lesynges and hydynge of treuthe whan it sholde be sayd. For as the lawe sayth. Qui tacet consentire videtur. He that is styll and wyll not saye the treuthe whan he sholde saye it / he semeth y ^• he consenteth to falsenesse. And soo by his stylnesse he wytnesseth with falsenesse ayenst treuthe & ayenst his neyghbour & synneth dedely with his tonge for that he wyll not vse it to wytnesse the treuthe whan he sholde. And therfore sayth saynt Austen that bothe he that hydeth the treuth & he y ^• lyeth ayenst the treuth ben gylty a­yenst this cōmaūdement. For why he that is stylle wyll not proufyte to his euen crysten / & he that lyeth desyreth to harme his euen crysten. In epla ad Casulanū. For man and woman is boūden by this cōmaūdement not to harme his neyghbour with his tonge And therfore Iohn Crysostome sayth that not only he is a traytour to the treuthe that lyeth ayenst the treuthe / but also he that sayth not frely the treuthe y ^• he ought to saye / or not fre­ly defendeth y ^• treuth whiche he ought to mayntene and defende. And so all tho that by styllenesse enforce theym not to knowe the treuthe y ^t they kno­we and wyll not be aknowen in due tyme / they be lyers & false wytnesses. Nathelesse leue frende ye shall vnderstande that ther is thre maner of stylne s;se. One is anentes god / an other a­nentes our euen crysten / the thyrde a­nentes our selfe. The fyrste is wyc­ked whan we cesse from due praysynge of god & thankynge for his benefyces The seconde is wycked whan we cesse from due maner of techynge and vndernemynge of our euen cry­sten. The thyrde is wycked in .ij. maners [Page] Fyrste yf a man or woman for drede or shame / or for pryde wyll not saye thynge y ^• he sholde saye to play­ne hym of his myscheef / & to seke helpe of soule by shryf [...] or good coūseyll or of bodye by other helpe & by good coūseyll / but gnawynge & fretynge hymselfe Inwarde & wyll not playne hym outwarde to them y ^• wolde con­forte hym / and speketh so moche In­warde without conforte tyl he falleth in wanehope & shendeth hymselfe by angre & Inwarde sorowe. Therfore sayth saynt Gregory li .viij. moraliū That moche folke whan they haue wronge / suffren moche the more dys­ease Inwarde / for they wyll not spe­ke it outwarde. For why sayth he. Yf they sayd peasably theyr dysease out­warde with theyr tonge / sorowe & dysea s;e sholde passe out of theyr herte & out of theyr conscyence. Si illatas inquit molestias lingua tranquilie diceret a consciencia dolor [...]maneret. Somtyme men be stylle in desceyte of other / that they may the more bo­dely accuse other.

Caplm .ij.

DIues. How many maner ben there of lesynges. ¶ꝓauper Saynt Austen li. de menda­cō putteth .vij. maner of lesynges whiche ben comprehended in thre. Quia ōne mendaciū. vel ē ꝑniciosū. vel officio s;ū. vel iocosū. For euery lesynge or it is suche y ^• it doth harme / & than it is called in latyne ꝑniciosū / that is to saye wycked in Englysshe. Or it is suche that it doth good & none har­me / & that is called in latyn officiosū that is profytable in Englysshe. Or it is suche y ^• it dooth neyther good ne harme / & that is called in latyn [...]oco­sum / that is bourdfull in Englysshe / as whan men make lesynges only to make folke mery. The fyrste maner that is called ꝑniciosū and wycked is alwaye dedely synne. But the two o­ther maner of lesynges ben venyall synne to the comon people. But to men of holy chirche & to relygyouse and to all that sholde be folke of per­feccōn they ben dedely synne yf they ben done by auysement or by custome as saynt Austen sayth. The fyrst maner of lesynges is done in fyue ma­ners. Fyrste yf ony man saye preche or teche ony thynge ayenst y ^e fayth of holy chirche / the .ij. is whan the lesynge harmeth some & profyteth to none as lesynges of bacbytynge & fals wytne s;se of synne y ^• comon lawe punys­shed / the .iij. is y ^• so profyteth to one & harmeth to an other / as fals wytnesse in cause of dette or of herytage / or of suche other / the .iiij. is whan the lesynge is made without profyt & without cause / saue only for lykynge to lye & to desceyue & for custome of lesynges the .v. is whan the lesynge is made only for to please / as flaterynge. Alle these maner of lesynges ben forboden by this cōmaundement to all mener folke as dedely synne. The lesynge of flaterynge maye be done in thre maners / in praysynge a man in thynge that he hath more than he is wor­thy to be praysed / or praysyng hym in a thynge y ^• he hath not / or praysynge [Page] hym & flaterynge hȳ in his synne & shrewednesse & in his folye. And this maner of flateryng yf it be done wyttyngly it is dedely synne. The secōde maner of lesynge y ^• is called Officio sū & profytable / it is done in .iij. ma­ners. Fyrste for saluacōn of catel that sholde ellys be loste wyckedly by theues yf they wyste where it were. Also for saluacōn of man or of woman in nocent that is sought of his enemyes Also to saue man or womā fro synne as yf a syngle woman saye y ^• she is a wyfe / to kepe her clene from theym that wolde defoule her. Suche maner of lesynges that so auayle & profyte / & also lesynges bourdfull ben venyal synnes to y ^e comon people / but to men of perfeccōn they ben dedly synne / namely lesynges bourdfully whan they ben in customable vse. For it falleth not to men of holy chirche & of rely­gyon to be Iapers ne lyers / but it fal­leth to them pryncypally to flee ydell wordes. For cryste sayth in the gospel that men shall gyue answere at y ^• do me for euery ydell worde y ^• they saye But suche lesynges bourdful in men of perfeccōn tourne lyghtly to lesyn­ges ꝑnycyous & wycked. For they do harme to theym y ^• here them / in y ^t y ^t they be asclaūdred of theyr vanyte & of theyr lesynges. For them thynketh & soth it is that men of holy chirche & of perfeccyon sholde not be Iapers ne lyers ne vayne / but sadde in chere in worde & dede. Therfore the mays­ter of sentence li .iij. distinct .xxxviij. sayth openly y ^t suche maner lesynges ben venyal synnes to them that be of vnperfyte state / & dedly synne to them that be of perfyte state. And saynt Austyn li ^• [...]tra mendaciū sayth y ^t teruth sholde not be corrupte for ony temporall profyte. And no man ne woman shall be led to endlesse helth with hel­pe of lesynges / for euery lesynge & falsehede is ayenst cryste that is soueray ne truth. And saynt Gregory li .xviij moraliū sayth thus. Os qd mentit occidit aīam. The mouth y ^• lyeth sleeth the soule. And the prophete sayth. Lorde y ^u shalt lese all that speke lesynges And therfore sayth he men of perfecco n muste with all besynesse flee lesynges / in so moche y ^t for saluacōn of ony mānes lyfe they sholde not lye to helpe an others bodye in harmynge of theyr owne soule. And therfore god sayth. Non menciemini et nō decipiet vnusquis (que) ꝓximū suū. Leuitici .xix. Lye ye not and no man desceyue his neyghbour.

Caplm .iij.

DIues. Contra. We rede in holy wryt Exodi .i. that Pharo assygned to the wymen of Israel two mydwyues Sephora and Phua / & badde them slee all the chil­dern males & kepe the wymen. But they for the drede of god & for pyte dyd not so but saued both male & fe­male & with a lesynge excused them to the kynge & sayd / that wymen of Israell coude better helpe themselfe than wymen of Egypte & had chil­deren or they come to them. And as holy wryt sayth there / therfor god gaue them house and londe. ¶Pauper [Page] Not for the lesynge but for they dred god / & for the drede of god they saued the childern. Therfor god gaue them house & londe / & not for the lesynge / & so sayth holy wryt. Nathelesse some clerkes saye that for her lesynge god chaūged the endlesse mede y ^• they had ellys be worthy in to temporell mede of house & londe. ¶Diues. Yet cōtrate We fynde in the gospell that after y ^t cryste was rysen from deth to lyfe / he wente with two of his dyscyples Cleophas & an other in the lyknesse of a pylgryme & spake with them of his deth and of his passyon / but they knewe hym not. And at euen whan they came to y ^e castell of Emaus / he fayned him to go ferther. And yet at theyr prayer he went in with theym. But faynyng as saynt Austen sayth is a maner of lesynge / therfore not e­uery maner of lesynge is synne. ¶Pauper It semed to theyr syght that cryste hadde fayned / not by false faynynge Inwarde in dede as he shewed outwarde / for he was fer fro ther fayth. And therfore he shewed hym outwarde as a straūger & a pylgry­me passynge / for they knewe hym not ne byleued not in hym stedfastly. Al­so by y ^t doynge he shewed that he sholde passe forth bodely out of this worlde & goo aboue all heuens. ¶Diues. We fynde Gen̄ .xxvij. That Iacob in desceyte of his fader y ^t was blynde & in fraude of his brother Esau sayd to Ysaac his fader to haue his blys­synge. I am Esau thy fyrste sone / & that was false / and yet god approued his dede. Therfore than it semeth y ^• euery lesynge is synne. ¶Pauper That Iacob dyd was fygure & pro­phecye of thynge y ^• sholde falle. And for y ^• prophecye is done in dede / ther­fore it was no lesynge. For thoughe he were not his fyrste sone in byrthe / yet he was his fyrste sone in dygnyte by ordynaūce of god y ^• ordeyned / that the people comynge of Iacob sholde be souerayne to the people comynge of Esau. And that the grete byhest of crystus byrth made to Abraham and Ysaac sholde be fulfylled in Iacob & not in Esan as theyr fader wende y ^t it sholde haue be. And though Esau were the fyrste sone & pryncypall to Ysaac by the dome of Ysaac / yet was Iacob his fyrste sone & his pryncypal sone by the dome of god. And though he were not Esau bodely in persone / yet he was Esau in dygnyte ¶Diues Contra. His fader Ysaac sayd y ^t he came gylefully & toke his blessynge. ¶Pauper Ysaac sayd as he wende / but not as it was. For he knewe not than the wyll of god in y ^• doynge / for it was no gyle ne falsenesse in Iacob For it was not the dede ne the speche of Iacob / but it was the dede & y ^• spe­che of the holy goost y ^• wrought in hȳ & spake in hym. And therfore cryste sayd to his dyscyples. It ben not ye that speke / but the holy goost of your fader in heuen speketh in you. And so he spake in Iacob & Rebeca his mod that coūseyled hym so to gete his faders blessynge.

Caplm .iiij.

DIues. Saynt Austen sayth that [Page] lesynge & lyenge is not only in fay­ned speche but also in fayned dedes. ¶Pauper Saynt Austen sayth not that all fayned dedes ben lesynges & synne / but he sayth that all fayned speche in falsehede is lesynge & synne For man hath more free myght to gouerne his speche than to gouerne his dedes / for alwaye a man may speke as he wyll / but he may not alwaye do as he wyll. And the phylosophre sayth. pri ^o. periarminias. that speche is token of thoughtes in the hert. For it is ordeyned that man by his speche sholde shewe thynge to be or not to be as he feleth and thynketh in his hert. And therfore cryste sayth in the gos­spell. Sit sermo vester est est. non non Be your speche ye ye / nay nay. That as it is in the herte / soo it be in the mouthe / that ye of the mouthe be ye of the herte / and nay of the mouthe be nay of the herte / so y ^t the mouthe & the hert muste alwaye accorde. For as saynt Austen sayth in libro [...]tra men daciū. The mouth bereth wytnesse to the herte And therfore yf man or wo­man saye otherwyse than it is in his herte / he bereth false wytnesse ayenst his hert & ayenst hymselfe & doth a­yenst the cōmaūdement of god y ^• byd­deth hȳ saye no false wytnesse ayenst his neyghbour ne ayenst his next / y ^• is his owne hert & his soule. An other reson is this / for dede is not ordeyned pryncypaly to be wytnes to y ^• thought of mānes hert / but it is ordeyned to y ^• profyt of the doer & to y ^• profyt of his neyghbour & to the worshyp of god. And therfor whan faynynge in dede is profytable to the doer & to his euen crysten and to the worshyp of god / it is lefull & in case full medefull. And therfore Dauyd whan he was amonges his enemyes in peryl of deth / me­defully fayned hym to be wood / so to saue his lyfe to the worshyp of god & the profyte of his nacyon and of his frendes and of his enemyes that sholde ellys haue fallen in manslaughter Pri ^•. regū .xxi. But speche is ordeyned of god pryncypaly for to be true wytne s;se of thought in herte. And therfor who so sayth otherwyse than it is in his herte & in his conseyence he syn­neth / for he mysused his speche ayenst the ordre of kynde ordeyned of god. ¶Diues. Sythen faynynge of dede is not alwaye synne / as faynynge of speche / telle me whan it is synne and whan not. ¶Pauper Faynynge in dede is done somtyme by slyght for a good ende. As we rede in the fourthe booke of kynges. iiij. Regū .x. That Ieu the kynge of Israell dyd calle to gydre al the prestes of the false mawmet Baall in to a certayne daye / as though he wolde haue made a grete solempnyte & worshyp to Baall / and dyd clothe all the false prestes in one certayne clothe y ^• he gaue theym / that by the clothynge men sholde knowe them from other. And whan they were all gadred togydre in theyr temple to worshyp Baall / the kyng Ieu bad men of armes go and slee them all / and so they dyd. Also Iosue leder of goddes people fayned flyght to dys­ceyue goddes enemyes. Iosue .viij. Suche faynynge so that it be do without [Page] lesynge of the mouth is lefull and in case medefull. Also ther is faynynge for good techynge. And so cryste fay­ned hym to go ferther to styre his dyscyples to hospytalyte. Also ther is faynynge of sygnyfycacyon / & so Iacob as by mannes dome fayned hym to be Esau. But in goddes [...]ome it was no faynynge of falsehede / but fygure shewed by holy goost that spake in hym & wrought in hym. Also ther is faynynge of falsenesse & of double­nesse for to dysceyue / & suche is in ypocrytes and false folke. A [...]d all suche faynȳge is lesynge & forboden of god by this cōmaūdement.

Caplm .v.

DIues. Is it ony synne to byleue a thynge that is false. ¶Pauper There is falsehede of the sayer / & falsehede of y ^e thynge that is sayd. Falsehede of y ^e sayer somtyme is pernycyous & wycked / & to byleue lyghtly / suche falsehede it is dedely synne & dampnable. Somty­me falsehede of the sayer is profyta­ble as touchynge worldely thynges & not noyous as to the worlde / & somtyme it is neyther profytable ne noyous to the worlde / as lesynges made only for bourde y ^t harmeth no man worldely ne ꝓfyteth. And to byleue tho two maner of falsehedes it is venyall synne Also ther is repronable falsehede of a thynge y ^t is sayd. And eyther that thynge longeth to the nedefulnesse of our salutacyon as be artycles of the fayth & to byleue suche falsehede it is dedely synue / or it longeth not to the nedefulnesse of our saluacōn & to by­leue suche falsehede lyghtly it is veny all synne or ellys noo synne / as sayth Dockynge suꝑ Deutron ^•. Nathelesse ther sholde no wyse man be to hasty to byleue thynges of charge that sholde eyther be grete prosperyte or grete aduersyte. For the wyse man sayth. Qui cito credit leuis ē corde. He that soone byleueth is lyght of herte & vnstable. Eccl .xix. And therfore sayth he / byleue not euery worde that men telle the. Ibidem. The foole symple man sayth he byleueth euery worde / but the wyse man taketh hede to his paas / & goth ne byleueth not chaūg [...]ably after mēnes speche ne after lesynges but after the lawe of god that is not chaūgeable. Prouer .xiiij. et Eccl. xxxiij. ¶Diues. Sythen it is so that a man may synne berynge false wytne s;se of hymselfe / whether synneth he more praysynge hymselfe falsely / or lackynge hymself falsely. ¶ꝓauper Bothe ben foly / & in case grete synne For Caton sayth. Nō te collaudes necte culpaueris ip̄e. Prayse y ^u not thyself ne lacke y ^u not thyself. And Salomon sayth. Laudet te alienꝰ. et nō os tuū. Extraneꝰ et nō labia tua. Let an o­ther man prayse the & not thyn owne mouth / straungers & not thy lyppes. Prou .xxvij. And therfor by comon o­pynyon of clerkes it is more synne a man to prayse hȳself falsely by auaū tement than it is to lacke hȳself falsely For auaūtemēt cometh of pryde y ^t is worst of all synnes / but lackyng of hȳself may come of lownesse medefully For euery man of hȳselfe is more [Page] to lacke than to prayse. And therfore sayth y ^• prophete. Omnis homo men dax. Euery man & woman of hȳself is false & a lyer. And Salomon sayth y ^t no man wote whether he is worthy loue or hate of god. And so no man wote what he is worth in goddes syghte / & as moche as he is worth in god­des syght so moche he is worth & noo more. Therfore sayth Arystotle .iiij. Ethico (rum). That y ^e auaūter of hȳselfe is worse than the lacker of hymselfe. Iactator vituperabilior ē ꝙ vitupator Et idē dicit Ricardus de media villa super sentencias li .iij. di .xxviij. q̄ .iiij. ¶Diues. Whiche ben called by the lawe false wytnesses. ¶Pauꝑ They that ben brought to bere wytnesse & ben sworne to saye the sothe and doo ayenst theyr othe / saynge false or hy­dynge the treuth & thynge that shol­de be sayd / or transpose thynges that sholde be sayd. Or a man saye a thynge for certayn that he is not syker of though it be treuth y ^t he sayth. And also he is false wytnesse that swereth a treuth w ^t slyght speche for dysceyte. Suche maner folke saynt Austen ly­keneth to Iudas / & moche folke sayth he these dayes despyse the deed of Iudas / & yet they do the same y ^t he dyd / or ellys worse. For why sayth he. Alle tho that for mede bere false wytnesse they selle cryste y ^t is souerayne treuth for mede. Et ē suꝑ illud Math. Quid vultis michi dare et ego eum vobis tradam. But suche false wytnesses be worse than was Iudas. For he solde cryste for thrytty pens. But many false wytnesse selle cryste for moche lesse / & somtyme for nought onely to shewe malyce or to be venged. Iudas made restytucyon of the moneye that he toke to betraye cryste & wolde not reioyse it. But false wytnesses these dayes make no restytucōn but lyue by suche false synfull lucre. Iudas byle­ued not y ^• cryste sholde ryse fro deth to lyue & deme the quycke & the deed. But we byleue that he rose from de­the to lyue & shall come to deme all mankynde verry god & verry man. And therfore crysten men false wyt­nesses ben more to blame than was Iudas.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. May all maner men bere wytnesse in ony dome. ¶Pauper Nay. For bounde seruaūtes sholde bere no wytnesse in causes of theyr lordes / neyther ayenst them ne with them / but in as moche as the cause toucheth other of his seruau tes .iiij. q̄ .iij. S. criminali. v. Item serui. Ne wymen sholde bere no wyt­nesse of preef in causes of felonye / but in matrymonye and in causes of purgacyon of wymens euyll name / they may bere wytnesse of preef. And wymen may accuse in causes of felo­nye. Also no yonge folke within .xiiij yere / ne foles / ne beggers / ne ful poore folke / ne hethen men / ne crysten men openly loosed of falsehede / or ones teynt false & forsworen / ne open wyc­ked lyuers & of euyll name / none of these is able to bere wytnesse in dome byfore a Iuge .v. Condicio sexus etas discrecio fama. Et fortuna fides in [Page] testibus ista require. By false wytnesses the Iewes slewe saynt Steuen / & by false wytnesses they slewe Cryste and by false wytnesse the true man Naboth / & by false wytnesse they wolde haue slayne the holy woman Su­sanna / but god saued her & brought the false wytnesses to the same deth / that she sholde haue had yf her wyt­nesse had ben true / and that was the lawe that tyme / and yet it is in ma­ny londes And yf they dysheryte ony man or woman / or doo hym lese onythynge by false wytnesse / they ben bounden to restytucyon. Also bacby­ters forfet ayenst this cōmaūdement [...]hiche by malyce bacbyten them that ben good / and by lesynges dyffame [...]ym. Also flaterers y ^t falsely prayse them y ^• be wycked / so to fauour them in theyr synne. And so both the bac­byter bacbytynge the good man / and the flaterer praysynge y ^• wycked man haue goddes curse / that he gyueth to all suche thus saynge. Ve qui dicunt bonū malū. et malū bonū. Wo be so all them that saye the good wycked / & wycked good. Ysaye .v. And name­ly they that ben nyghe to lordes & to grete men and ben theyr gouernours or ther counseyllours or confessours and to please them & to flater theym be it neuer so false / and take none he de to god ne to treuthe / but onely to please / and saye nay or ye / not after the treuth is / but after the lorde wyll haue it and soo harden hym & blyn­den hym in his folye. Suche flaterers be lykeneth to a beest y ^t is called Ca­m [...]lyon / whiche beest chaūgeth his coloure after the thynges y ^• be besydes hym / now whyte / now blacke / now rede / now grene / now blewe / now yelo­we. Ryght so suche flaterers chaūge theyr speche after y ^t they hope best to please ther lordes & other men. For now they speke good of a man why le the lorde is his frende. And yf he falle enemye to hym / anone they speke hym harme & velonye so to please the lorde & other also that ben y ^• mā ­nes enemyes. In presence of his frendes they speke a man good thoughe they wyll hym no good / and in presence of his enemyes they speke hym e­uyll. And as the fane of the steple torned after the wynde / soo torne flate­rers & bacbyters theyr speche as companye speketh that they ben in. The mosell and the face of the Camelyon is lyke a swyne and an ape. For eue­ [...]y flaterer is a bacbyter. And as a swyne hath more lykynge to lye in a foule slough than in a fayre grene / & with wrotynge of his snoute defou­leth the place there he gooth / so hath the bacbyter more lykynge to speke of other mennes defautes & of theyr vnhonestes & synne / than to speke of theyr goodnesse & honeste and wysely speche wrotynge vpon theyr defautes to appere & defoule theyr good name And in that he is a flaterer he is lyke the ape / that what he seeth other men do he wyll do the same. For flaterers rule theyr tonge not after the treuth / but after the pleasaunce & speche of other men. But this beest Camelyon though it be fayre whyle it is a lyue / yet as soone as it is deed it is ful foule [Page] / as sayth the mayster of kynde. Ryght so suche flaterers & fayre spekers y ^e speke well & doo full euyll / all though they seme fayre & worshypful in this worlde / in the other worlde after theyr deth they shall be full foule & fendes felowes in helle payne / but they amende them. And all y ^• speke well & do not therafter forfet ayenst this cōmaūdement. For they denye by theyr dedes the treuth y ^t they saye w ^t theyr mouth. Of suche saynt Poule sayth / y ^• with theyr mouth they know­lege themself to knowe god / but with ther dedes they denye it. Confitent se nosse deū factis autē negant. Tite .i. And therfore god warneth folke of suche false wytnesses that speken the treuth with theyr mouth & d [...]nye it in dede / & sayth thus. Omnia quecū (que) dicerint nobis facite. scdm vero ope­ra eo (rum) nolite facere. Math .xxiij. Alle thynge that they bydde you do / do ye it. But do ye not after theyr wycked werkes.

Caplm .vij.

ALso these men of lawe that for mede mayntene falsehe­de ayenst the t [...]uthe / or for mede hyde the [...]euth that they shol­de mayntene / or [...]or mede withdrawe them to suffre or lette falsehede haue his forth / they forfet ayenst this commau dement whiche forbedeth al maner falsehede. I rede on a tyme there were two men of lawe dwellynge in owne towne. The one at euen came home from the assyse / & y ^• other ared hym what he had wonne y ^t daye. And he sayd .xx marke & that he had right moche trauayle therfore. Ye sayd the other / and I haue wonne as moche & more to be at home and not to tra­uayle. Suche men of lawe and batte­res of lawe that haue noo conscyence may well saye that is wryten in the boke of Ysaye the prophete. Concipi­mus et locuti sumus de corde verba mendacij & [...]. We haue conceyued by studye & by good enformacyon kno­wynge of the treuth / and of our ow­ne herte & of our contryuynge we haue spoken wordes of lesynge & of fal­sehede. And therfore ryghtfull dome is tourned bacwarde / & ryghtfulnesse stode from ferre & myght not nyghe treuth felle downe in y ^• strete / & equy­te myght not entre / the treuth is all forgeten. And he y ^• went awaye fro wycked thynge & wolde haue lyued in pea [...] & treuth / he was open pray to false men. Qui recessit a malo prede patuit Ysaye .lix. But wolde god that they wolde amende theym / and saye that is wryten the same chaptre. Lor­de god our synnes ben multeplyed by fore the / and our synnes answere to vs for our grete synnes ben with vs and accuse vs. We knowe our wyt­nesses / for we haue synned and lyed falsely ayenst our lorde god. We tourned vs awaye and wolde not go af­ter our god to folowe hym in treuth / but spake ayenst hym falsehede / and passynge of goddes lawe for to en­daunger the symple folke. Also pre­chours of goddes worde y ^t preche mo­re for wynnynge of worldely good / than for wynnynge of mannes soule [Page] and seke more theyr owne worshypp than goddes worshyppe in theyr pre­chynge and preche not the treuth / ne wyl saye men theyr sothes in repreuȳ ge of theyr synnes / they ben false wytne s;ses & do ayenst this cōmaūdement For yf they hyde treuth in fauour of synners & wyl not preche ayenst theyr vyces. Or yf they preche fallehede & errour to shewe theyr wyt by curyoust speche / or preche hygh maters not profytable to the people / not helpely to mannes soule / all suche prechours ben called false wytnesses. Also they that preche soo harde ayenst the mercy of god that they brynge folke in wane­hope. And also they that preche so moche of the mercy of god & so lytell of his ryghtwysnesse / that they make folke to bolde in synne / suche prechoures ben false wytnesses of cryste. For all his mercy is medled with ryght­wysnesse / and all his ryghtwysnesse is medled with mercy. Therfore Dauyd sayth. Vniuerse vie dnī mia et veritas Alle the wayes & the domes of our lorde god ben mercy and treuthe. Deus iustus et misericors. God is ryghtfull and he is mercyable to all that wyll amende them. All prechoures of goddes worde sholde be wytnesses of Cryste that is souerayne treu­the. And therfore cryste sayth to his dyscyples. Eritis michi testes in ierusalem & [...]. Ye shall be wytnesses to me in Ierusalem and in all Iurye / and in Samarye / and in euery londe to the laste ende of the erthe. Actuum .i. And therfore prechours sholde auyse theym well that they preched no fal­sehede / ne saye no thynge for certayne that is in doubte to them / & that they hyde not the treuth y ^• sholde be sayd / and that theyr lyfe & theyr techynge accorde with the techynge & the lyfe of cryste. For yf they teche otherwyse than cryste taught / and lyue not as cryste lyued they ben false wytnesses to cryste. Cryste taught chastyte & cō ­mended pouerte & lownesse. And therfore yf the prechour of goddes worde be a lechour and a carnal man prou­de of herte & couetous / he is not true wytnesse of cryste. And yf he repreue in his dedes pouerte & chastyte & saye that cryste was not poore for mannes sake / he lyeth vpon cryste / and he is to hym ouerdone false wytnesse. For Cryste sayd that foxes hadde theyr dennes / and the byrdes her nestes / but the maydens sone hadde not where he myght reste his hede. Mathei .viij. And saynt Poule sayth / that Cryste bycame man nedy for vs in this worlde to mak [...] vs ryche with his mysche­fe. Propter nos egenus factus est .cū esset diues. vt illius inopia diuites es­setis .ij. Co (rum) .viij.

Caplm .viij.

ALso al mynystres of holy chirche / and namely men of relygyon sholde be wytnesses of cryste to edyfycacyon of the people & of theyr neyghbours / y ^• ben all men & wymen. And therfore men of holy chirche ben betokened by galaad / that is to saye an hope of wytnesse. For al theyr lyuynge in hert in worde in werke & in clothynge sholde bere wytnes [Page] to cryste. ¶Diues. How sholde men of holy chirche bere wytnesse in clo­thynge to cryste. ¶Pauꝑ. For in clo­thynge they sholde shewe sadnesse hone s;te & lownesse / as nygh folowers of cryste / & wytnesses y ^t taught sadnesse ayenst vanyte / honeste ayenst glotony & lecherye / lownesse ayenst pryde / & pouerte ayenst couetyse. And therfore the outclothynge of men of holy chirche / and namely of men of relygyon sholde not be to strayte ne to shorte to shewe the shap of theyr body / for pryde and vanyte & to tempte wymen / ne to precyouse ayenst pouerte / ne o­uerdo ne feble ayenst theyr degree / & honeste of holy chirche / ne to syde ne wyde ayenst measure. ¶Diues. Of this mater thou spakest byfore. I co­ueyte no more to here therof. For as y ^u sothely saydest men of holy chirche & namely men of relygyon passe in grete arraye & pompe temporall lordes. ¶Pauper Also as oft as the preest syngeth his masse / he representeth the persone of cryste y ^t dyed for vs all vpon the tree. And by his clothynge & by his masse syngynge he hereth wytne s;se of crystus passyon / & sheweth y ^t all y ^t he doth in saynge of his masse / he doth it in mynde of crystꝰ passyon & yf he haue no mynde of crystus paslyon after that his clothynge sheweth that he sholde be / he is a false wytnesse in disceyte of his neyghbour Therfore saynt Gregorye sayth that noo man doth more harme in holy chir­che / than he that hath a name and ordre of holynesse and lyueth wyckedly Nemo amplius nocet in ecclesia. ꝙ qui peruerse agens nomen et ordi­nē sanctitatis habet. ¶Diues. What betokeneth the clothynge of the prest at masse. ¶Pauper The amyt on his hede at the begynnynge betoke­neth y ^e cloth y ^t crystus face was hyled with in tyme of his passyon whan the Iewes hyled his face & bobbed hym / and badde hym arede who that smote hym. The longe aube betokeneth the whyte cloth that Herode cladde cryste with in scorne as he hadde ben a fole. The fanon the stole & the gyrdell betoken the boūdes whiche cryste was boūden with as a theef in tyme of his passyon The fanon betokneth boūdes of his hondes. The stole the rope y ^t he was led w ^t to his deth. The gyrdell the boūdes that he was boū ­de with to the pyler and to the crosse. The chesyble betokeneth the cloth of purpure in whiche the knyghtes clo­thed hym in scorne / & kneled to hym & sayd in scorne. Hayle thou kynge of Iewes. The bysshop passynge o­ther preestes hath a mytre & a crosse. The mytre on his hede betokeneth y ^e crowne of thornes y ^e cryste bare on his hede for mannes sake. And therfore the mytre hath two sharpe hornes in token of .ij .sharpe thornes. The two tonges y ^t hange downe on the mytre betoken the stremes of blood y ^t ranne downe fro crystus hede by pryckynge of the crowne of thornes. The crosse that the bysshop bereth in his honde / betokeneth the rede spere y ^t the knyghtes tourmentours put in the honde of cryste in scorne for a ceptre. And the Archebysshoppes crosse betokeneth [Page] the crosse that cryste dyed vpon for vs all. The bysshoppes gloues at masse in his hondes / betoken the nayles in crystes hondes / & the sandalyes on his feet at masse betoken y ^• nayles in crystes feet. Yf it be so than y ^t men of holy chirche hauyng these tokens of crystes passyon in theyr masse saynge / & haue no deuocōn in crystes passyon ne mynde of his passyon they bere false wytnesse / for it is not with them In­warde as the tokens shewe outwdrde Also the amyt betokeneth y ^e basynet of helthe that is hope of the lyfe y ^• is to come / & forsakynge of erthely thynges The longe aube betokeneth chastyte of bodye & soule. The gyrdell fanon and stole betoken the cōmaundementes and the counseyles of Cryste in the gospell / by the whiche men of relygyon & of holy chirche ben bounden passynge other to serue god. The [...]hesyble betokeneth the holy cloth of cryste without seme all wonne in one whiche betokeneth parfyght charyte. The mytre on the bysshopes hede w ^t y ^• hornes betokeneth cōnynge of two testamentes olde & newe whiche con­nynge he ought to haue & to teche w ^t two tonges / w ^t tonge of dede & with tonge of speche & shewe them both in dede by good example gyuynge / & in speche well techynge / & y ^• betokeneth the two tonges hangyng behynde on the mytre. And the same betoken the two tonges hangyng behynde on the aube on the prestes sholder. For euery preest sholde conne goddes lawe and preche it with tonge of dede & good example / & w ^t tonge of speche These two tonges hange hygher on the bysshop than on the symple preest in to­ken y ^• the bysshop is more hyghly boū de to y ^• tonges of good example & gode techynge than the symple preest. ¶Diues. It is a comon sawe y ^• tho two tonges on y ^e prestes sholdre beto­ken y ^t this londe hath ben twyes renegate & peruerted. ¶Pauper That is false. For syth this londe toke fyrste the fayth / y ^• people was neuer renegat But y ^e people of this londe was slayne nygh all vp for the fayth tyll ther was no crysten man to dwelle therin but only hethen people y ^• hath slayne crysten people / & by y ^e swerde kept this londe y ^• they wanne of crysten people Therfor Beda de officio diuino sayh y ^• it betokeneth two tonges y ^• men of holy chirche ought to haue as I haue sayd / & therfor they ben called tonges Also y ^• prestes crowne betokeneth the crowne of thornes on crystes hede & the dygnyte of the presthode. And his sha [...]ynge as the lawe sayth / betoke­neth pouerte in soule / & forsakynge of worldely goodes.

Caplm .ix.

DIues. What betokeneth the bysshoppes crosse in maner of lyuynge. ¶Pauper As sayth a grete clerke Beda li .i. de diu [...] no officio. The bysshops crosse is called a shepherdes staff / to styre the bysshop to lownesse / & to thynke on the cure and on the besynesse & the char­ge that he taketh vpon hym whan he is made bysshop. He bereth no ceptre of worldely dygnyte to styre hym to [Page] pryde / ne bereth no swerde that is token of cruelte / but he bereth a shepherdes staff / not to slee ne to smyte / but for to saue his sheep / y ^• ben his suget [...] spyrytually / whiche staff aboue is croked in maner of an hoke / to drawe a­yen y ^t wolde not come / or ellys go a­waye. For the bysshop sholde pryncy­paly trauayle to drawe synful men & wymen with fayrenesse by good wordes and by good example to the mer­cy of god / and not to be fers [...]ne felle to the synfull. And therfore as Be­da sayth / aboue on the hoke of the crosse is wryten thus about. Cum iratus fueris misericordie recordaberis. Whan thou shalt be wroth thou shalt thynke on mercy. In the roūde knott byneth the hoke is wryten. homo. that is to saye / a man / to do the bysshoppe thynke y ^• he is but a man as an other is / and not be proude of his dygnyte. Byneth besyde y ^• pyke of yron is wryten parce / that is to saye spare. For he muste spare his sugettes & shewe grace to them as he wyll haue grace of god. And in token therof the pyke of the crosse sholde not be sharpe but blunt. For the deme of y ^• bysshop sholde not be to sharpe / but alwaye me­dled with mercy. The staf of the crosse is ryght and not wronge / in token that the bysshop sholde deme ryght­fully & gouerne his sugettes in ryght and equyte / and do no man wronge. Vnde versus. Contrahe per primum. medio rege.parce per ymum. By the­se tokenes outwarde bysshoppes and pre [...]es wytnesse themselfe to be suche In warde as the tokenes shewe. But yf they be not suche / they be false wytne s;ses to cryste and to crystus lore in dāmage of theyr euen crysten / for by ypocrely they desceyue the people. For sothe it is a lesynge ony man know­lege hymselfe a bysshop / preest / or cler­ke or man of relygyon / & werke con­trarye thynges to his order / & ayenst the tokenes that he bereth of holynes It is a lesynge ony man or woman to saye hym crysten / and do not ne lyue not therafter as a crysten man or woman / but perauenture worse than a Iewe sarasyne or panyme. Ther­fore sayth saynt Iohn in his epystle / that who soo sayth that he knoweth god & kepeth not his cōmaūdemen­tes he is a lyer / there is noo fayth in hym. Prima Iohis .ij. And he y ^t sayth that he loueth god & hate his brother he is a lyer. Io .iiij. And so euery wycked lyuer is a lyer. And therfor saynt Ambrose sayth in this maner. Bre­theren flee ye lesynges. For all they that louen lesynges / ben the childeren of the fende. For as cryste sayth in the gospell / all suche haue the fende to ther fader / whiche hath euer be a lyer & fader of lesynges / and neuer stode in treuth / but with a lesynge loste all mankynde as cryste hymself sayth in the gospell. Io .viij. And yet in to this daye vnnethes he bryngeth ony man or woman to synne but w ^t lesynges. And so w ^t lesynges he sleeth mannes soule & womans / and euer hath be a cruel mansleer & a false lyer / as cryste sayth in y ^• same gospel. ¶Diues Telle me I praye the how wytnesses sholde haue them in dome for to be true [Page] wytnesses. ¶ꝓauper The wytnesses in dome & the Iuge also sholde be In dyfferent to both partyes & saye the treuth for both partyes. And the Iuge may not by y ^• lawe take mede to deme truly / ne the wytnesse may not by the lawe take mede to bere true wytnesse Moche more than the wytnesse ought to take no mede to bere fals wytnesse ne the Iuge to gyue vnryghtfull do­me .xiiij .q̄ .v. Non sane. Nethelesse the wytnesse may lefully take his costes of hym y ^• bryngeth hym to wytnesse. And yf a man see y ^• his neyghbour sholde falle in his treuth and lese his ryght for defaut of wytnes / yf he knowe the treuth & may bere wytnesse in the cause / but he bere wytnesse & saye the treuth for saluacōn of his neygh­bour / els he synneth greuously though he be not brought to bere wytnes And in y ^• case men of holy chirche may & owen to bere wytnesse / soo y ^• it be not in cause of blood ne of greuous syn­ne. And yf a man take mede for his wytnesse he is boūde to restytucōn.

Caplm .x.

DIues. To whome shall he make restytucōn. ¶ꝓauper Yf he toke mede to bere fals wytnes / though he bere true wytnesse or no wytnesse / he shall make restytuco n / not to hym y ^• gaue it / for he is not worthy to haue it ayen syth he gaf it for falsehede and for synne. But he shall make restytucōn to hym ayens whom he toke it to do hym wronge. And in the same maner shall make restytucōn yf he toke mede not to be­re wytnesse / but for to be stylle & not saye the treuth. And yf the wytnesse take mede to saye the treuth / he shall make restytucōn to hym y ^• gaue it to hym in helpe of his right. For it was lefull to hȳ so to gyue / but it was not lefull to the wytnesse so to take. And yf it be in doubte for what ende the gyfte was gyuen / than he shall ma­ke restytucōn and gyue it the poore folke by the dome of holy chirche. Hec Raymundus li .ij .ti .de testi (bus). ¶Diues How many wytnesses be nedeful in dome. ¶Pauper After that the cause is soo muste be the nombre of y ^• wytnesses. And after the persone or the persones that ben ayenst whome the wytnesses ben brought. For ayenst bysshoppes & prestes and ayenst men of holy chirche & ayenst persones of temporall dygnyte muste be brought more wytnesses & of more worshyppe than ayenst symple folke. ¶Diues. Why so. ¶Pauꝑ. For there sholde no man be in dygnyte / neyther spirytual ne temporal / but true folke to whoos treuth men sholde gyue more credence than to speche of symple folke whiche knowē not wel what is treuth ne fals what is profytable to the comonte / ne what is noyous / & ofte full lytyll dredynge god. Also persones in dygny­te in that they be soueraynes & Iuges & gouernours of the people for theyr ryghtfull domes / & somtyme for vn­ryghtfull geten them moche hate of the people / and without gylte and for ther good dede / and so they haue many aduersaryes. For it is not in the power of the gouernour to please all. [Page] But nedes eyther he muste offende god / or ellys men that dreden not god And therfore the Iuge shall not lyghtly byleue a fewe wytnesses ayenst su­the persones. Also yf persones of dygnyte myght lyghtly be dampned by y ^• symple folke / the people sholde be to holde ayenst ther soueraynes & lytyll let by them / & so dygnyte both spyry­tuall & temporall sholde be in despyte & come to nought. And therfor some tyme it is better to suffre a sh [...]ewde prelate or a curate & a shrewde man to regne / than lyghtly at the requeste of y ^• people to depose hym / but his synne be well open & well sclaūderous & noyous. ¶Diues. Is ther ony caas in whiche it is lefull to stande to one wytnesse. ¶Pauper In y ^• is no pre­iuoyce to an other / it is leful to stande to one wytnesse / as yf it be in doubte whether a childe be crystened / or a chirche halowed or an aultre / or vestymēt halowed. Also by assent of both par­tyes men may stande to the wytnesse of one. Also men may stande to y ^• wytne s;se of the preest seynge y ^• his parys­shen is amended yf the synne be not open. Vt dicit hostiensis ī sūma li .ij. Ru. de testi (bus). S. quotus est numerus Also the wytnesse shall saye for cer­taynte y ^• he knoweth for certayne / & saye in doubte thynge that is to hym in doubte ¶Diues. Ofce a man we­neth to be syker of thynge & he is desceyued ¶Pauper Yf he do his de­uoure to knowe the treuth / though he be desceyued so saynge ayenst treuth / he synneth not dedely / for it is not his wyll to bere false wytnesse.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. Is a man bounde to kepe counseyll of a thynge y ^• he knoweth by preuy tellyn­ge. ¶Pauꝑ. That a man knoweth only by shryft he is bounde to kepe it preuy and noo wytnesse here therof. For he knoweth it only as goddes preuy mynyster. But yf he knewe it not onely by shryfte / but by other waye than by this tellynge that is shreuen to hym therof / yf it be suche that it be grete harme of the comynte / or of ony persone / than he is boūde to telle out for saluacyon of his euen crysten sauynge as moche as he may the per­sone that tolde it hym / soo that he beware of more harme by his tellynge Yf it be suche that it be not to harme of the comynte / ne to grete harme of ony persone yf he haue boūde hym to coūseyll he shal not be it aknowe for no byddynge of his souerayne. For it is a lawe of kynde to kepe counseyll that man knoweth by coūseyl / yf the kepynge of coūseyl be not ayenst charyte For ayenst charyte may no man be bounden neyther by byheste ne by othe. And for to dyscouer counseyll y ^• is tolde theym for counseyll whan he may lefully kepe it counseyll / it is a falsehede. And therfor the wyse man sayth. That who soo dyscouereth the preuytees of his frende he leseth fayth Ecclesiastici vicesimo septimo. For that is the maner of false frendes / that whan they tourne to enemytee / than to telle the preuytees of theyr frendes to shende them. As sayth the [Page] wyse man. Ecclesiastici sexto. Wyt­nesses muste accorde in the thynge & in the person / the place and in the de­gree / and in the tyme. Yf one wytnesse stande ayenst many wytnesses / his wytnesse is nought but he be wryten with them in ony Instrument. Yf the wytnesses contrarye amonges them­selfe / the Iuge shall deme after the more partye / but the lesse partye passe the other partye in worshyp & dygnyte & in good name. Or ellys yf theyr wytnesse be more semely to the treuth and that they preue better theyr wordes than the other partye but y ^• must stande in dyscrecōn of y ^e Iuge. They y ^• shall atteynt other wytnesses muste be mo in nombre & of more worshyp & of better name than the other were Yf wytnesses ben euen in both par­tyes in nombre & in dygnyte / the Iuge shall delyuer hym y ^• standeth for gyl­ty / for mercy muste be pryncypall vertue in the Iuge. And therfore sayth saynt Iames y ^• mercy enhaūseth the dome. Hec in sū.conf. li. ij. ti. de testi (bus) Also ther is wytnesse of dede & by de­de withouten wytnesse of worde / as whan y ^• dede sheweth the selfe. Dist. xxviij priusꝙ. Ther may no man be Iuge and wytnesse and accuser togy­der in the same cause / but in case the Iuge may be wytnesse of treuth to excu s;e .iiij. q̄ .iiij. Nullus vnꝙ. In euery dome muste be foure maner persones a Iuge / accuser / defendour / and wyt­nesse. Ibidem. In cause of felonye of a grete synne sholde no man be wyt­nesse ayenst the gylty that had borne wytnesse ayenst hym byfore in ony dome / for it is a token of enemyte .iiij. q̄ iij. testes. S. Item in criminali. The wytnesses sholde be worshypful / true and sadde. Ibidem. Suche folke sholde be wytnesses in dome that knowe beste the treuthe .xxxv. q̄ .vi. S. i. By wytnesse of one shall no man ne wo­man be dampned / but his trespasse be so open that the dede sheweth the selfe .iij. q̄ .iij. testes. Et Deutro .xix. et Numeri .xxxv. No man is suffycy­ente wytnesse in his owne cause .xv. questione tercia. sane in fine. Item quarta questione tercia testes .s. Item in criminali. Post me. Euery man may be wytnesse in dome ayenst hymselfe / but not for hymselfe. quarta questione secunda. S. i. The defendour may forsake wytnesses that ben his enemyes. quarta questione tercia.tes­tes. Noman may be compelled by the lawe to bere wytnesse ayenst his ow­ne kynnesman / ne ayenst ony of his nyghe alyaūce. Ibidem. An heretyke & an hethen man may bere wytnesse ayenst an other heretyke & ayenst an other hethen man in helpe of a cry­sten man. But ayenst a crysten man sholde they bere no wytnesse .xxiiij. q̄. .i. mirantur.

Caplm .xij.

HE that is vnable to be a pre­ste sholde bere no wytnesse a­yenst a preest in cause of felo­nye and of grete synne .ij. q̄ .vij. ipsi apostoli. He that bereth false wytnes­se forsaketh cryste souerayne treuth. xi. qōe .iij. abijt. Yf prestes or dekenes [Page] be taken with false wytnesse be­rynge / they sholde be thre yere suspended from theyr offyce & do harde pe­naūc. v. q̄ .vi. quis in fine. Euery false wytnesse sholde do .vij. yere penaunce xxij.q̄.v.si q ⁱs. And by the lawe he is vnable to euery offyce & laful dede of ony worshyp worthy to lese his goodes and to be beten & harde chastysed & punysshed / and the same payne is he worthy that bryngeth men wyttyng­ly to bere false wytnesse .xxij.q̄.v.si qs se. And as the lawe sayth there / he sholde faste .xl. dayes in brede & water and .vij. yere folowynge do harde pe­naunce / & neuer after be without pe­naunce or sorowe and contrycyon for his lynne. And all that were assentynge to false wytnesse & to periurye sholde do the same penaūce. Ibidē. The wordes of wytnesse sholde be taken to the beste vnderstandynge & mooste benygne. Extra li.ij.ti. de testibus ca. cū tu. The wytnesse that ayensayth hymselfe is of no credence. Extra li. ij.ti.de ꝓbacionibs ca.licet. Men sholde stande to the fyrst speche that man or woman sayth in his cause yf he varye an other tyme e. ti. per tuas. Yf the wytnesse by dystraccōn saye a­mys / it is leful to hym anone to amē de his speche / but yf he abyde w ^t an Interuall / though he chaūge his worde & amende it / he shall not be accept ne herde. Extra li.ij.ti. de testibus co­gendis ca. preterea. Wytnesse in dome sholde not be herde ayenst hym that is absent / but he were obstynate and wolde not come. Extra de testi (bus) ca.ij He that sayth fyrste the treuth muste be taken for one wytnesse e.ti. in om­ni. Yf a man haue sworne to the partye not to bere wytnesse of the treuth with the other partye / his othe is vnlefull And therfore not withstandynge his othe he may bere wytnesse of the treuth.e. Intumauit. Noo man shall bere wytnesse to an other in his cause yf he haue the same cause / or o­ny lyke that to spede for hymselfe. For suche a persone is suspecte that he wolde do fauoure to an other mannes cause to haue hym fauorable to hym in his cause e.ti. personas. Noo mannes wytnesse shall be resceyued in dome in preiudyce of an other / but yf he swere though the wytnesse be a man of relygyon e .ti nuꝓ. The ho­neste & the worshyp of the wytnesses is more to charge than the multytu­de e .ti .in nostra. For to dyscusse yrre gularyte of bygamye / both lewde mā & lewde woman maye be taken for wytnesse e .ti .tam is. Seke folke and poore folke may not be compelled to come byfore y ^e Iuge & to bere wytnes But the Iuge may sende to them wyse men to wyt of them the trenth e .ti. si [...]. Euery man & woman sholde hate false wytnesse / for god hateth false wytnesse as Salomon sayth. Deus odit testem fallacem. Prouer .vi. Aud euery lyer is a false wytnesse & full of gyle. And the sodayne wytnesse dysposeth & ordeyneth a tonge of lyenge. For he y ^• is redy to bere wytnesse byfore he be auysed he dyspeseth hȳ to lye Prouer .xij. But as Salomon sayth. The false wytnesse shall not be vn­punysshed / and he that speketh lesynges [Page] shall perysshe. Prouer .xix. Fer­thermore leue frende ye shall vnder­stande that ther ben thre maner of wytnesses.

Caplm .xiij.

THer is a wytnesse aboue vs y ^• knoweth all and may not be dysceyued / that is god that seeth all / and he shall at the daye of dome be to vs both Iuge & wytnesse. Ego sum iuder et testis. I am Iuge and wytnesse sayth our lorde god. Ieremie .xxix. And Iob sayth. In he­uen is my wytnesse / and he that kno­weth all my coūseyll is aboue in hy­ghe. And ther is a wytnesse within vs that is our conscyence. For as saynt Poule sayth. Oure Ioye is wytnesse of our conscyence. And ther is a wyt­nesse without vs / & y ^• is our neyghbour & all creatures y ^• shall bere wytnesse ayenst vs at the dome byfore y ^e hyghe Iuge but we amende vs by tyme & deme wel our selfe. For Moyses sayd Testem inuoco celū et terrā. I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse / y ^• yf ye make to you ony lykenesse / or ymage to worshyp it and breke goddes lawe ye shall soone perysshe. Deutro .iiij. And in an other place he sayth thus. I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse that I haue sette byfore you lyfe and dethe / good and euyll / blessynge and curse. And therfore chese the lyfe that ye may lyue and loue your lorde god and obeye to his voyce / and clyue to hym by fayth and loue / for he is your lyfe and lengthe of your dayes. And your herte be tourned awaye from / hym and ye wyll not here his lawes but worshyppe false goddes. I saye to you byfore that ye shall soone pe­rysshe. Deutro .xxx. And therfore leue frende / yf we wyll be syker at the last dome & come sykerly byfore our souerayne Iuge that knoweth all / we muste deme well our selfe in this worlde. For saynt Poule sayth. That yf we demed well our selfe & dyscussed well our lyfe / we sholde not be dampned. Pri ^•. ad Co (rum) .xi. ¶Diues. How shol­de we deme our selfe. ¶Pauper As the glose sayth there. Thou shalt be thyne owne domesman. Thy seete shall be thyne herte / and set thy selfe gylty byfore thy selfe domesman. Thy thought & thy conscyence shall be thy two wytnesses for to accuse the Thy tourmentours sholde be drede and sorowe / that in maner sholde she we thy blood by wepynge of salt tee­res whan by wytnesse of thyne owne conscyence and of thy thought / thou haste demed thy selfe gylty and not worthy for to come to goddes borde / ne to heuens blysse. And there sayth the glose. That sekenesse / feblenesse / and sodayne deth falle comonly af­ter Eester amonges the people. For men in Eester resceyue vnworthely goddes flesse & his blood. Ideo mul­ti infirmi et imbecilles et dormiunt multi .s. per mortē. Prima ad Co (rum) .xi. But for euery man is fauourable to hymselfe and to his owne cause / therfore thou shalt haue with the two as­sessours by whose coūseyll thou shalt deme thy selfe / and tho shall be treu­the and reasone. Take with the [Page] treuthe that thou make no false excusacyon of thy synne. Ne lye thou not for to excuse thyselfe ne for to excu­se thyselfe falsely ne to greuously / but as thyne other assessour reason wyll accorde. And yf tho two wytnesses / y ^• is to saye / thy thought and thy conscyence suffyse not to bere wytnesse / ne to ful enfourme the of thy synfull lyf Take to the / the thrydde wytnesse / that is thy fayth. And soo lete thy dome stande in wytnesse of two or of thre. And fayth sayth thus. Fides si­ne operibus mortua est. Fayth with­out good werkes is deed. For alle though you byleue as a crysten man / but thou lyue as a crystin man / ellys thou art deed in soule and worthy to dye without ende. Fayth that fayleth in worde and in thought is deed and helpeth not to blysse. And anone conscyence and mynde shall accorde to hym and saye thus. He that vseth a­mys his free wyll that he dye it is reson without remedye sauynge goddes mercy. And take hede that thy clergy may not saue the. For holy wryt and clergye saye. Anima peccatoris mor [...]etur The soule of the synner shall dye. Also thy clergy may not saue the yf thou be in dedely synne. For thou art bygamus and twyus wedded. Fyrste to cryste in thy baptym / & after to the fende by assent to synne. And so y ^u art wydowe fro cryste wedded to an other wydowe that is the fende forsaken of god for his pryde to whom he was wedded at the begynnynge of y ^e worlde. Ne truste y ^u not in thy dome on a good contree. For yf the quest comyn of the .x. cōmaūdementes whi­che thou hast broken / & of the two cō ­maūdementes of charyte ayenst whiche y ^u haste offended / & of the .xij. ar­tycles of the fayth ayenst whiche y ^u haste erred / & of the .vij. dedes of mercy whiche y ^u haste not fulfylled / & of thy fyue wyttes whiche y ^u haste mys­pended / and the foure cardynall vertues ayenst whiche thou haste trespassed / this solempne queste of .xl. true wytnesses shal dampne the as a man queller of thyne owne soule. And as a theef traytour thou haste robbed thyne owne lorde of his good. For robberye is called al maner mystrea­tynge of an other mannes good a­yenst his wyll. And thou haste rob­bed cryste of that precyous soule that he bought with his dere blood / and mysused and myspente his creatures ayenst his wyll. For as saynt Gre­gorye sayth in his Omelye. All thynge that we take of god to vse of good lyuynge / we tourne it in to vse of wycked lyuynge. Quicquid ad vsum re­cipimus vite. in vsu (que) conuert [...]mus culpe. For the helthe of bodye that sent vs. we spende it in synne and in wyckednesse / fayre weder in vayne occupacyon of pryde and of couetyse / peas in vayne sykernesse plentee of vytayles in glutonye & lecherye. And so this solempne queste of fourty wolde dampne the for gylty. Therfore ther is none other remedye but truly deme thyself & yelde the gylty & take the to y ^e mercy of god & punysshe thy selfe by drede & sorowe of herte & put the in the dome of goddes Iuge / that [Page] is thy confessour & make amendes after his dome & by his assent. For god ayenst whom y ^u haste so hyghly offended wyll stande to his ryghtfull do­me / & accepte suche satysfaccōn as he assygneth the by y ^• lawe of god to do yf thou do it with good wyll.

Caplm .xiiij.

THus deme thou thyselfe / and than shalt thou be syker at the dredefull dome whan cryste our brother verry god and verry man shall come downe to deme the quycke and the deed. And as saynt Poule sayth. He shall come downe with the voyce of a trumpe / that is to saye / with the voyce of angelles and of archangelles / the whiche shall crye and saye. Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium. Ryse ye vp that ben deed / and come ye te the dome. And anone in a twynkelynge of an eye we shall all awake of the longe slepe and ryse vp & come to the dome. Pope & pryn­ce. Emperour & kynge. Lorde and lady / free and bounde / ryche and poore grete and smalle / all they shall awa­ke and ryse vp bodye and soule ayen knytte togydre. That voyce shall be so hydeous so dredefull & sterne / that heuen and erthe shall begynne to quake The stones shall ryue / and all the deed aryse from deth to lyf eche man & woman to answere for hymselfe / no man per attourney. Now our Iuge Cryste is a lombe mercyfull & meke / than he shall be as a lyon dredefull & sterne. And the lyon with his crye a­bassheth all other bestes and maketh theym to stande stylle saue his owne whelpes / whiche with his crye he rey­seth fro deth to lyfe. So the voyce of cryste at the daye of dome shall arere vs all from deth to lyfe / whiche voyce shall be full dredefull to them y ^• lyue bestely & take none hede to god ne to his lawe. Them it shall arrest & make them stande stylle as prysoners on the erth & abyde theyr Iuge For they shall so be charged with synne that they shall not wende vp ayenst cryste as the good shall wende vp & mette with cryste. For to them y ^• ben goddes childern that voyce shall be full swe­te & ful lykynge to here & make them soo lyght that they shall wende vp & mete with cryste in the ayre / as saynt Poule sayth. To his childern Cryste shall saye. Venite & [...]. Come ye my faders blessyd childern and take ye the kyngdome of heuen that was ordey­ned to you byfore the begynnynge of the worlde. But to these bestyal folke & wycked lyuers / to the proude / to the couetouse / to the enuyouse / & to lechoures / glotons / & to vengeable folke / his voyce shall be full dredeful & fnll bytter whan he shall saye to them. Dis­cedite a me maledicti & [...]. Wende ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches in to the fyre of helle without ende / there to dwelle with the fende & his angellys And so he shall sende them to so­ry place & to sory companye without ony remedye. Was ther neuer thond­blaste so dredefull as his voyce than shall be to theym y ^• shall be dampned And was ther neuer songe so mery ne melodye so lykyng as his voyce shal [Page] be than to all that shalbe saued. And therfore deme well thy selfe here that thou be not dampned there. Stande here to the sawe of the grete queste of true wytnesses whiche I haue nemp­ned to the and deme thy selfe theraf­ter. And be true domesman of thyselfe or els y ^u shalt haue the same queste ayenst the at the dredefull dome. And therto all angelles and archangelles and all the sayntes in heuen and all creatures shall than bere wytnesse a­yenst the and axe vengeaunce on the Than as sayth Iohn Crysostom suꝑ illud. Plangent se omnes tribus ter­re & [...]. The angelles shal brynge forth the crosse / the spere / the nayle / y ^e scour­ges / & the garlonde of thornes / with whiche cryste suffered his passyon. Than shall cryste sytte on hyghe to deme the quycke & the deed / he shall departe the gooe from the wycked & sette the good on the ryght syde / & the wycked on the lyfte syde. He shal tor­ne hym to the wycked on the lyfte sy­de & shewe theym the crosse / the spere the nayles / the scourges / & the garlonde of thornes / & his woūdes al fresshe whiche he suffered for all mankynde and saye to the wycked on this wyse. Ecce miseri et ingrati quanta ꝓ vo­bis sustinui propter vos homo factus sum & [...]. See ye vnkynde cursed wret­ches what I suffered for your sake. For whan I was god and kynge of kynges & lorde of lordes & neuer had wyste of woo for your sake I becam man for your sake. I suffered to be beten and bounde / to be spateled and despysed / to be nayled to y ^e crosse crowned with thornes / stongen to the her­te with a spere / and was slayne dys­pytous deth as ye may see to bye you from endeles deth. Where is the raū ­som of my blood / where be the soules that I bought so dere / where is the seruyce that ye sholde haue done to me / where is the loue y ^t ye sholde haue shewed to me. I loued you aboue al creatures I loued you more than I dyde myne owne worshyppe. For why / for your loue I putte myselfe to sorowe and care. And ye loued more a lytyll mucke and a lytyl luste of [...]he flesshe than ye dyd me or my ryghtfulnesse / and lytyl or nought wolde do for my loue. For whan I was hongrye ye wolde not fede me / whan I had thurste ye gaue me noo drynke / whan I was naked ye hylde me not / whan I sought myne harborowe ye resceyued me not / whan I was seke and in pryson ye vysyted me not. And therfore wende ye hens from me in to the fy­re of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende & his angelles. O sayth saynt Gregorye thou synfull wretche what shalt thou do / flee may thou not / ne hyde the may y ^u not / & yf thou appere as nedes thou must thou art but shent / for there thou shalt ha­ue all thynge ayenst the. Aboue the thou shalt haue the dredefull domes­man redy to dampne the. On y ^• ryght syde thou shalt hane thy wycked werkes to accuse the. On y ^• lyfte syde the foule fendes redy to drawe y ^• to helle Byneth the y ^u shalt haue the endeles depnes redy to swolowe the in / with­out the thou shalt haue all the worlde [Page] on fyre redy to brenne the / within the thou shalt haue thyn owne conscyence worste of all / gnawynge the & fre­tynge the without ende. Than as the wyse man sayth. All creatures shall fyght ayenst vs. Sap̄ .v. Than as the grete clerke sayth Crysostomus. He­uen erthe water sonne mone nyght & daye & all the worlde shall stande a­yenst vs in wytnes of our synnes And though alle thynge were stylle / oure thoughtes & our conscyence & our werkes shall accuse vs & stande wytnes­ses ayenst vs. Therfore saynt Austen in his Omelye suꝓ illud Estote misericordes sayth thus. Bretheren take ye hede to the mercy of god / and to the harde dome of god. Now is tyme of mercy / after it shall be tyme of dome Now god calleth ayen that ben tourned awaye fro hym & forgyueth them ther synnes that tourne ayen to hym / & he is full pacyent & abydeth of wretche y ^t men sholde tourne them to hym and be saued. And anone as synners tourne them ayen to god he forgyueth synnes y ^t ben passed & by­heteth Ioyes to comyng. Now god s [...]yreth & monesteth them y ^t ben slowe to good dedes / he conforteth them that ben dyseased / he techeth them that be studyouse / & helpeth them that fyght ayenst vyces. He forsaketh no man ne woman that trauayleth to doo well yf they calle to hym. He gyueth to vs that we sholde gyue ayen to hym to please hym whan we haue offended hym. For we haue not gyuen hym ne wherwith to queme hym but y ^t we take of hym. The tyme of mercy is ful grete. I praye you brethern al lete ye not this tyme passe you / but take ye it whyle ye may. After this tyme shall come tyme of dome whan men shall do harde penaūce without fruyte / for it shall not helpe them. Than synners that had theyr welth in this worlde shall syghe & saye with grete sorowe. Quid nobis profuit su [...]bia & [...] What hath prouffyted to vs pryde / what hath now holpen vs our pom­pe / our boost / our rychesses. All these ben passed awaye ryght as a shado­we. These ben the wordes of saynt Austen.

Caplm .xv.

THan they y ^• shal be dampned shall saye a sawe of sorowe y ^• neuer shall haue ende. De­fecit gaudiū cordis nrī vsus ē in luciū chorus nr̄. cecidit corona capit nrī ve nobis quia peccauimꝰ. The Ioye of our herte is done & past awaye to sorowe & care is tourned our playe / the garlonde of our hede is falle to groū de / that euer we dyd synne wel awaye the stoūde. Treno (rum).iiij. Therfore le­ue frende take we to vs the tyme of mercy & amende we vs whyle we may for ellys we shall not whan we wolde And the lenger y ^e god suffereth folke to regne in theyr synne / & the more pacyence y ^t he hath with theym / the harder he shal smyte them but they amē de them. And therfore y ^e dome of god is lykened to a bowe / for the bowe is made of .ij. thynges / of a wronge tree & a ryght strynge. Soo the dome of god is made of two maner folke. Of [Page] them that ben wronge thorugh synne & lyue wronfully & do moche wron­ge / and of them that be ryght & ryghtfull in lyuynge. The archer shetynge in this bowe is cryste. And the more y ^• the bowe is drawe abacke / the harder is smyteth whan the archer louseth. So the lenger y ^• cryste abydeth / & soo draweth his dome abake / the harder he shal smyte but folke amende them And as the archer in his shetynge taketh the wronge tree in his lyfte honde / & the ryght strynge in his ryght honde & draweth them atwynne / so cryste at the dome shall set the wronge lyuers on his left honde / the ryghtfull lyuers on y ^• ryght honde / & set the arowe in his bowe / y ^t shalbe the dred­full sentence of his dome / & drawe y ^e rightful from y ^e wronge / the good frō the wycked / whan he shall saye to the ryghtfull. Come ye w ^t me vp in to heuens blysse without ende / & to y ^e wronge lyuers he shal saye / go ye hens frome downe in to helle payne without ende. Of this bowe the ꝓphete sayth Arcū suū tetēdit & parauit illū. God hath bente his bowe & made it redy / & he hath arrayed or made redy ther in tacle of deth / & hath made his arowes hote with brennynge thynges. For they y ^t ben brente w ^t synne shall brenne with the fyre of helle without ende Of this bowe Dauyd also sayth Dedisti metuenti (bus) te significacōem. vt fugi [...]t a facie arcus. Lord y ^u hast gyuen a tokenynge to them y ^• drede the to flee awaye from y ^e face of y ^e bowe.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. What tokenes ben tho ¶Pauꝑ. Ther is dome in specyal / & dome in generall / that shall be in the laste daye of this worlde. Dome in specyall eche man hath anone as he dyed. And therfore cryst sayth. Nūc iudiciū ē mūdi. Now is dome of the worlde / for anone as y ^u art deed y ^u shalt be demed eyther to heuen or to helle or to purgatorye. Of this dome speketh Salomon. Memor esto iudicij mei. Haue mynde of my dome / for suche shall be thy dome / yesterdaye it felle to me / to morowe it shall falle to the. Byfore this dome go many tokenes of warnynge to synfull wretches / as age / sekenesse / feble­nesse / dasewynge of syght / blyndnesse deefnesse rymplynge or reuelynge of skynne / fadynge of coloure / faylynge of mynde / losse of catel of frendes by deth & other. ¶Diues. Whan shall y ^• daye of generall dome faile. ¶Pauper Cryste sayth in the gospell ther is none angell ne saynt in he [...]en that wote whan it shal falle. But sodaynly and vnwarly it shall falle / and come as a theef & as deth doth to ma­ny a man y ^t wyll not beware by tokenes byfore. No more shall than man blent with synne be ware of the laste dome ne of the fyrste y ^• shall be deth no more than the men wolde be wa­re by the prechynge of Noe to flee the flood that drenched all saue .viij. soules ¶Diues. Sythen eche man and woman is demed anone as he is de­de / wherof shall serue the generall dome. ¶Pauper That all men he­then & crysten may see the ryghtfull [Page] dome of god / not only in themself but in all other / y ^• hethen men may see & knowe theyr false byleue for whiche they ben dampned. And crysten men see & knowe theyr vnkyndenesse / and how ryghtfully they & all other ben dampned that dye in dedely synne.

Caplm .xvij.

MAnnes dome is peruerted by foure thynges as sayth the lawe .xi.q̄.iiij. Quatuor / by drede / by couetyse of gyftes / by hate / by loue. But cryste he is almyghty / he dredeth noo man. He is lorde of all / he nedeth no mede ne gyftes. He ha­teth noo good man ne woman / and therfore he shall dampne noo good man ne good woman. He loueth all maner ryght / and therfore he shall do no wronge. He knoweth all / & therfore ther shall noo false wytnesse ne slyght of men of lawe desceyue hym. Euery man shall be there a true wyt­nesse of his owne dome / for his owne conscyence shal saue hym or dampne hym. And therfore leue fr [...]nde be ye a true wytnesse of your self in this worlde to saue your selfe here in tyme of grace / & than shall ye be a true wyt­nesse to your selfe / to saue your selfe / in tyme of the dome. False wytnesses in this worlde haste theyr ryghtfull doome of dampnacyon in the other worlde. For they ben false wytnesses to themselfe and to the other also. As sayth saynt Iohan with the gyl­den mouth super Matheum opere imperfecte Omelia .vi. Ther is no man able to be a true wytnesse to an other man but he be fyrste a true wytnesse to hymselfe in his owne dome. Art the dome god shall axe of vs reke­nynge and answerynge of the bene­fyces that we haue taken of hym / he shall axe theym ayen / in nombre / in weyght and in measure. He shall axe of vs how ofte we haue resceyued of his gyftes / how moche we haue resceyued & how we haue spente them. And the lettres and the tayles of our con­scyence shall answere and saye that we haue resceyued goodes of kynde / that is to saye of bodye and of soule. Also goodes of fortune that ben temporal goodes and temporall rych [...]sses and goodes of grace that ben vertues and connynge. Than the soueray­ne Iuge shall axe of vs answere of his benefyces in the plurell nombre saynge. Esuriui & [...]. I hadde hon­gre and ye gaue me no mete. I hadde thryste and ye gaue me no drynke. I was naked and ye clothed me not. I sought my harborowe and ye rescey­ued me not. I was seke and in pryson & ye vysyted me not ne conforted me not. And sythen the dome shall be so hards to them y ^t helpe not theyr euen crysten with theyr good at nede / mo­che more strayt it shall be to them y ^t robbe theyr euen crysten / as to theues / pylours / extorcyoners / & manquellers / lechours / and to all wycked doers. Than men shal gyue answere of euery ydell worde y ^t they speke / as cryste sayth in y ^e gospell. And as saynt Bernarde sayth / the ryche man shal gyue answere of euery threde in his clothe / of euery crōme of brede in his brede [Page] skep / of euery droppe of drynke of his barell & in his tonne & in his vessell. Also cryste shal axe rekenynge by hole mesure. For as Cryste sayth in the gospell. Men shal there reken & yelde to the lest ferthynge without forgyuene s;se. And suche mesure as men me­te here to other shalbe moten aye [...] to them / mercy for mercy / harde for har­de. Also god shall than axe of vs rekenynge in weyght of strayt dome / for all our dedes shal there be weyed by y ^• dome of god & of our owne conscyence & after that they weye they shal be rewarded / the good in blysse the wyc­ked in payne. Than y ^e honde of god shall wryte in the conscyence of eue­ry man & woman that shal be dampned these thre wordes. Mane techel phares. Whiche thre worder he wrote on the walle of y ^u kynges halle Bal­thasar to his dampnacōn. Danielis. [...]nto. Whiche vysyon appered to the kynge in tyme of the grete feest y ^• he made in despyte of god / & made men drynke in the vesselles of goddes temple / whiche vesselles were halowed to god / for Mane is to saye in englysshe God hath nombred thy kyngdome and dayes of thy reygne & made an ende therof. Techel is to saye / thou art weyed in a balaūce / and y ^u weyest to lytell. Phares is to saye / thy kyng­dome is departed from the. For after the dome the lynful man may no lenger loke after the kyngdom of heuen whiche was ordeyned to hym yf he wolde haue deserued it. But than he shal be departed fro y ^• kyngdom that he hath loste by his folye & go to pry­son of helle without ende whiche he hath deserued. For than Cryste shall saye to euery man and woman. Tolle quod tuū est et vade. Take that is thyne / and that thou haste deserued and goo thy waye to heuen / yf thou haue doo well or to helle yf thou ha­ue doo amys and not amended the. Than all wycked crysten men shall be demed and dampned / but hethen men shall be dampned & not demed. For as cryste sayth in the gospell. He that byleueth not in cryste now / he is demed. Some shall be demed and sa­ued / as good crysten men comyn ly­uers. And some shall be saued & not demed / as men of perfeccōn. For they shall deme other as Cryste sayth in the gospel. Vos [...] reliquistis omnia & [...] Ye that haue forsaken all worldely goodes for my sake / and folowed me in pouerte and in perfeccyon / ye shall sytte on .xij. setes demynge the .xij. kynredes of Israell / that is to saye / all that shall be demed.

Caplm .xviij.

DIues. It is a dredefull thynge to thynke on this dome. ¶Pauper It shall be more dredefull to here it & to see it / & moost for to fele it / and namely to ryche folke that haue resceyued many goodes of god & not spended them ne dyspensed them to his worshyp. And saynt Gregory in his Omelye sayth. The more y ^e gyftes of god come to a man the more were rekenynges & answere of the gyftes. Therfore saynt Iames speketh to you ryche men in this ma­ner. [Page] Agite nūc diuites & [...]. Now ye ry­che men do ye so y ^• ye may saue your selfe / wepe ye & wayle ye for your myscheues that shall falle to you but ye amende you. Your rychesses ben roten your clothes be mothe eten / your gol­de & syluer is rusted & the ruste ther­of shal be wytnesse ayenst you at the dome and ete your flesshe as fyre. For ye kept your good so harde from the poore folke / therfore you haue tresou­red wrath and wretche to you in the laste dayes. Iacobi .v. ¶Diues. Well is hym that is well deed. ¶Pauper And well is hym that wel lyueth. For as saynt Austen sayth. He that lyueth well may not euyll dye. Therfore as I sayd fyrste. Deme well to thy selfe & of thy selfe. For as Salomon sayth The true wytnesse delyuereth soules of woo both in his owne and in ma­ny other. Prouer .xiiij. And as the prophete sayth. Seke ye vp our lorde god with almesse dede whyle he may be founde / calle ye hym whyle he is ny­ghe. Now he is hyghe now he called vs to his mercy. Now he may be foū de benygne and bonour to all. But after the dome and after our deth / he shall be felle and fyers to vs / but we amende vs. Than shall we fynde no mercy but that we deserue by our lyf And therfore leue frende doo ye as saynt Poule sayth. Dum tempus habemus operemur bonum ad omnes. Whyle we haue tyme werke we good to all. And the wyse man sayth what good thyne honde may do / do it bese­ly whyle y ^u myght. For ther shall be no werkynge reason ne connynge / ne wysdome after thy deth to wynne the mede. Eccl .ix. Therfore cryste sayth in the gospell / that ther shall come a nyght whan no man shall werke to wynne hym mede. The daye is our lyfe / the nyght is our deth / for be we deed we may no more werke to wyn­ne mede ne to amende vs.

Capitulum Primū.

DIues. God sende vs grace to do as y ^u sayst I thanke the for this enformacōn / for I hope it shall do profyte. Now I praye the y ^• y ^u wylt enforme me in the .ix. cōmaun­dement. ¶Pauꝑ. The .ix. cōmaūdement is this. Nō ocupisces domū ꝓxi­mi tui. Exo .xx. Thou shalt not coueyte thy neyghbours good w ^t wronge / house ne londe. In the .viij. cōmaūdementes byfore god forbedeth all wycked werkes. In these two laste he forbedeth all wycked wylles & consente to synne. For of wycked wyll cometh euyll dede. And therfore cryste sayth in y ^e gospell / y ^t out of the herte cometh all maner synne / for without wyll & assente of the herte is no synne done. De corde exiunt cogitaciones male / homicidia / adulteria / fornicaciones / furta / falsa testimonia / blasphemie / Mathei .xv. Therfore saynt Poule sayth / that couetyse is rote of all euyl And therfore god forbedeth all wyc­ked couetyse both of the worlde and [Page] of the flesshe. Couetyse of the worlde is called couetyse of the eye in other mennes good. Couetyse of the flesshe is called wylle to lecherye and to glotonye And ryght as a wycked wede is clene clensed out of a londe whan the rote is drawen a waye / and tylle whan the rote is drawen vp the lon­de is not clene clensed ne well weded And bodely sekenesse is not well cu­red ne helyd tylle the rote of the seke­nesse be thus destroyed. Ryght so mā nes soule & womans may not be cle­ne clensyd of synne / ne goddes lawe may not be kept / tylle couetyse of the herte whiche is rote of all maner syn­ne & of all goostely sekenesse be dra­wen out of the londe of mannes hert & destroyed. And therfore whan god had gyuen .viij. cōmaundementes by whiche men shold flee al wycked werkes / he put therto other .ij. cōmaunde­mentes ayenst false couetyse / byddynge y ^• men sholde put wycked couetyse out of herte / for false couetyse is pryncypall letter of kepynge of goddes lawe & rote of al wyckednesse. Therfor in this cōmaūdement god forbedeth pryncypaly false worldely couetyse / & specyally of thynges not mouable by themselfe whan he byddeth y ^t y ^u shalt not coueyte thy neyghbours good w ^t wronge house ne londe. In the .vij. cō mau demēt god forbedeth the dede of all wrongfull takynge whan he byd­deth the not stele. In this byheste he forbedeth all maner wrongful desyre & mys couetyse of ony mannes good of house / of londe / of golde / of syluer / of cloth / of corne / & of all suche other thynges that may not styre themselfe This cōmaūdement is princypaly a­yenst false purchasours / y ^t for false couety s;e ben besy to begyle & w ^t falsehede to robbe men of house & of londe & put theym out of theyr herytage. To suche false purchasours god gy­ueth his curse and sayth thus. Ve qui cogitatis inutile et operamini malum in cubilibus vestris & [...]. Woo be to you that thynke vnprouffytable thynge / and werke wyckēd thynge in your beddes in the morowe whan ye may not slepe. For than they caste gyle and falsehede ayenst theyr euen crys­ten. They haue coueyted other men­nes f [...]ldes sayth he / and by myght take them awaye from them / & robbe them of theyr houses / & falsly chalenge the man & his house & his heryta­ge. For often they chalenge men for boūde / and so entre in to theyr house and londe & haue all theyr herytage with goddes curse. Michee .ij. Also god gyueth them his curse by the prophete Ysaye there he sayth thus. Ve qui coniungitis domum domui. et a­grum agro copulatis & [...]. Woo be to you that falsely Ioyne house to hou­se / and couple felde to felde to the en­de of the place y ^t ye may saye / all this is myne & no man hath ought within me. Wene ye sayth god that ye allone shall dwelle vpon erthe. This false couetyse sayth he sowneth in myne eeres. And therfor many a fayre hou­se and grete shall be forsaken / and no man ne woman dwelle therin. Ysaye [...]nto. And thus the wyse man sayth. Non attingas terminos paruulor (rum) & [...] [Page] Touche not the boūdes of the small poore folke to reue theym of theyr ryght / & entre thou not in to the felde of faderles childern to put them out of theyr herytage. For almyghty god that is ther nyghe frende shall ma­ke theyr full greuous and full harde ayenst the. Prouer .xxiij.

Caplm .ij.

WE fynde in holy wrytte the thyrde booke of kynges .xxi. ca. That ther was a kyng of Israell that hyght Achab / and there was a man dwellynge by hym that hyght Naboth that had a fayre vyne­yerde y ^t laye nyghe the kynges paleys and therfore the kyng desyred gretly to haue it / and sayd to Naboth / gyue me thy vyneyerde / and I shall gyue the a better therfore / or ellys asmoche moneye as it is worth Than Naboth sayd / god forbede that I sholde chaū ­ge my faders herytage. I wyll neuer chaunge it ne selle it. Than the kynge was wroth and for malancoly layde hym on his bedde and wolde not ete ne drynke. The quene Iesabell his wyfe come to hym and axed what hym ayled. The kyng sayd that he had spoken to Naboth to haue his vyneyerde / and he wolde not graunte it hym. Than Iesabell the quene sayd. Bt of good conforte and take me thy rynge and I shall gyue to the the vyneyerde. Than she wrote let­tres in the kynges name to the pryn­cypales of the cyte vnder the kynges sygnet. And badde them gadre theyr courte to gydre & make a solempne fastynge so to blynde the people with ypocresye & badde them ordeyne two false wytnesses / whiche sholde accuse Naboth & saye y ^t he spake euyl of god & of the kyng & so dampne hym as gylty & stone hym to the deth / & soo they dyd. For it was the lawe y ^t who so spake euyll of god or of the kyng / or cursed them he sholde be slayne. Whan Iesabell had tydynges y ^t Na­both was slayne / she came to the kynge & badde hym ryse vp and be mery & take the vyneyerde to hym for Na­both was deed. And anone the kyng rose & went in to the vyneyerde & to­ke it to hym. Than at y ^t byddynge of god. Ely the prophete met w ^t hym & sayd to hym in goddes name. Thou hast slayne & y ^u hast y ^t y ^u coueytest / but I telle the it forsoth in the same place there y ^t hoūdes haue lycked vp the blood of Naboth / hoūdes shall lycke vp thy blood / & hoūdes shall ete thy wyfe Iesabell / and hoūdes and bryd­des shall ete thy bodye / and god shall destroye thyne housholde and slee all thy kynrede and thyn alyaunce / and soone after it fell so. And thus of false couetyse came periurye / false wyt­nesse / murder & manslaughter / and destruccyon of the kyngdom. We re­de also in the passyon of saynt Bea­tryce / y ^t there was a false couetouse man whos name was Lucres. And he coueyted moche y ^• place of saynt Beatryce And for couetyse to haue y ^• pla­ce he accused her to an hethen Iuge / y ^t she was a crysten woman. And soo by his accusacōn she was slayne. For she wolde not forsake cryste ne crystes [Page] lawe. Whan she was thus deed. Lu­cres entred in to her place to haue it in possessyon. And for Ioye of the place he made therin a grete feest to his frendes. And whan he was moost mery & Ioconde in the myddes of the feste / a yonge soukynge childe that was there in his moders arme sayd all a­lowde y ^t all men myght here it. Audilu [...]eci Here now Lucres. Thou hast s [...]ne / & thou haste entred falsely in to this place and haste it at thy wyll. But now thou art gyuen in to the myght & in to possessyon of thy moost m [...]. And anone in tyme of the feest [...]fore all his frendes and his gest [...] fende entred within hym / & thre houres togydre so fortrauayled hym & soo rent hym byfore them all tyll he slewe hym / & for his false couety s;e bare his soule to helle. Here thou myght see what peryll it is to purchace ony thynge amys by false couetyse And therfor yf y ^u haue purchaced ony thynge falsely / or yf y ^u occupye ony thynge mys purchaced loke y ^t y ^u make restytucōn for saluacyon of thy selfe and of thyne heres. For it is a comon prouerbe De male quesitis vix gaudet tercius heres. Of euyl goten good the thyrde heyre vnneth hath Ioye.

Caplm .iij.

DIues. Yf I hadde ought purchaced a mys my selfe. I holde me bounden to restytucy­on / but of my former faders purcha­ce haue I nought to doo / whether it were ryghtfull or not ryghtfull. But that they lefte to me I wyll kepe it as the good man Naboth dyde of whom thou spake full late. ¶ꝓau­per. Naboth wolde haue kepte uylle his faders herytage that longeth to hym by ryght and by dyscente of he­rytage. But yf thou kepe ony thynge wyttyngly that thy former faders purcha s;ed falsely / in that y ^• kepest not thy faders herytage as Naboth dyde / but thou kepest other mennes herytage / to whiche neyther y ^• ne thy fader had ryght. And therfore but thou make restytucyon y ^u shalt rewe it and all thyne heyres / as Achab dyd and his heyres / whiche loste not onely y ^• they had mysgoten of Naboth by murder & by gyle / but therto they loste theyr lyfe / theyr worshyp / and theyr herytage for euer. I rede that ther was a grete man whiche dyd moche almesse & for his almesse god wolde haue hȳ saued. It byfell in an euenynge he ro­med allone vnder his wood syde by his place / ther cam an angel in a mā nes lykenesse & bad hym go w ^t hym. Sodaynly they were togydre in a de­pe valey / & in the myddes of the valey was a depe pytt ful of fyre smoderynge medled with pytche & brymstone / full foule stynkynge. Than the an­gell badde this man loke in to this pytt. He loked downe / & there he sawe thre galowes standynge in the fyre. On the ferthest henge a man by the tonge / on the seconde henge a man by the hondes / but on the thyrde henge no man. Than the angell axed hym what he sawe / and he tolde hym all the soth. Than sayd the angell. He y ^• hangeth by the tonge y ^• is thy faders [Page] fader whiche purchased the place that thou dwellest in by gyle of his tonge by false othes / by lesynges / by periu­rye / by false wytnesses / and dyd many a men forswere them / and therfore is he pryncypally punysshed in his ton­ge / and hangeth by his tonge in this horryble fyre and shall doo without ende / for he wolde not make restytu­cyon. He that hangeth on the seconde galowes by the hondes is thy fader / whiche kepte stylle by myghty honde that his fader amys purchased and wolde not make restytucyon. The thyrde galowe in whiche hangeth no man ben ordeyned for the but yf thou amende the and make restytucyon. Anone the aungell passeth awaye from hym / and he was delyuered a­yen vnder his wood syde. The next daye after he sente after the heyres of the place and made restytucyon. His wyfe and his childern were full sory and sayd vnto hym. Allas allas now ben we all beggers. Than he answered and sayd. Leuer I haue that we begge in this worlde / than for to brynge you all and me in to that en­delesse payne that I sawe. And better it is to vs for to lese a place in erthe to whiche we haue no ryght / than to lese our place in heuen blysse without ende. ¶Diues. I assente well to thy speche / saye forth what thou wylt.

Caplm .iiij.

PAuper. Many harde vengeaū ces haue fallen for false couety s;e. Giezi was smyten with foule myselrye. For couetyse made hym to selle the helthe of Naman / whiche helthe came only by the gra­ce of god .iiij. Regū .v. For couetyse Iudas solde Cryste goddes sone for thrytty pens and betrayed hym / and after he went & henge hymselfe tylle his bely brast. And there his bely brast there the deuyll that was in hym fle­we out and bare his soule with hym to helle. ¶Diues. Why went not the fende out of his mouth. ¶Pauper For his mouth hadde touched crystes mouth / whan he kyssed cryste in gyle and sayd. Hayle mayster. ¶Diues. Thy reason is good / saye forth what thou wylt. ¶Pauper Also for coue­tyse Ananya dnd Saphyra his wyfe dyed sodayne deth & despytouse deth for they lyed to y ^• holy goost / & forsoke theyr moneye to saynt Peter. For co­uetyse Nachor was stoned to deth / for he stalle golde & clothe ayenst goddes forbode. Iosue .vij. We fynde in the lyfe of saynt Barlaam that on a ty­me an archor toke an nyghtyngale & wolde haue slayne it. God gaue spe­che to the nyghtyngale whiche sayd to the archer / what shall it profyte to the to slee me. Thou mayst not fylle thy wombe with me I am soo lytell. Saue my lyfe and lett me flee and I shall teche the thre wysedomes whi­che yf y ^u kepe them well they shall do the moche proufyte. Than the archer was a woūdred of her speche and be­hyght her sykerly to let her flee yf she taught hym the wysedomes. Than she sayd besye the not to take a thynge that y ^u myght not take. For a thynge that is lost & may not be recouered [Page] ne goten ayen make no sorowe. Thȳ ge that is not semely to be soth byle­ue it not. The archer lete the nygh­tyngale flee. Whan the nyghtyngale was vp in the ayer / she sayd to the archer a feble coūseyll haste thou take. For y ^u haste loste a grete tresour / for I haue a Margery stone in my wom­be more than an ostriches egge Than the archer was sory and prayed the nyghtyngale come ayen to hym and hyght her well. Than sayd the nyghtyngale Now I wote well thou art a fole & all my lore profyteth the not For thou makest moche sorowe / for thou haste loste me / and yet y ^u myght not gete me ayen. Thou trauayleste to take me / and thou myght not take me / ne passe the waye that I passe by. And ouer that y ^u byleuest that I had suche a precyous stone in my body as moche as an ostryches egge / & all my bodye is not halfe so moche. ¶Diues What is this to purpose. ¶Pauper By this nyghtyngale y ^t syngeth soo swetely I vnderstande Cryste goddes sone that songe to mankynde songes of endeles loue. And a nyghtyngale is in latyn Philomena / that is to saye in Englysshe a swete louer / as Catho­lycon sayth. And a sweter louer than cryste was ther neuer none. He taughte to vs many wysdomes / in whiche he taught vs these thre. Fyrste he bad that thou sholdest not be besye to ta­ke thynge that thou myght not take / whan he bad the not stele / ne coueyte thy neyghbours good with wronge. For as the lawe sayth. Hoc solū possumus quod de iure possumus. Onely we may do that we may do lawfully And therfore yf thou trauayll to ge­te thynge vnlaufully y ^t y ^u myght not haue by the lawe / be it house or lon­de / worshyp or dygnyte / than y ^u besyest the to gete a thynge that thou myght not take. And therfore the wyseman sayth. Noli laborare vt diteris & [...]. Trauayll thou not to moche to be ryche / but put measure and maner to thy wysedome and to thy slyght / that though y ^u myghtest gete a thynge by sleyght or by sotyltee / alwaye take hede to the ryght and to the lawe. Ne erigas oculos tuos ad opes quas ha­bere nō poteris.s.de iure & [...]. Lyfte not vp thyne eye sayth Salomon to ry­chesses that y ^u myght not haue ryght­fully. For they shall make them wynges as of an egle & flee in to heuen / that is to saye / they shall flee awaye from the & accuse y ^• byfore god of thy falsehede and of thy couetyse. Prouer xxiij. Also couetouse folke doo ayenst the seconde lesson / that this nyghtyn­gale cryste Ihesus taught vs to kepe. For whan they lese thynge by mys­happe or by aduersyte / or by deth of wyfe or childern they make so moche sorowe y ^t they renye god / & fall in full harde sekenesse both of soule & of bo­dye. But Dauyd the kyng kepynge this wysdome dyd not so / but whyle his sone laye seke / as longe as he was of hope to haue his lyfe / so longe he wept & fasted & prayed for his lyfe to god. But whan the childe was deed anone he cessed of his wepynge and ete and dranke and made mery. For he wyste well that he myght not gete [Page] hym eyen .ij. Regū .xij. Also couetyse maketh men to leue thynge that is not semely to be soth / & to byleue ma­ny stronge lesynges. For thynge that is moche desyred is soone byleued / as y ^t mayster of storyes sayth. And for as moche as couetouse folke desyren to haue moche thynge y ^t they haue noo ryght to / therfore they byleue many falle tales and assenten to falsehede. For the couetouse & the false accorden soone to gydre. For yf a false man come & telle the couetouse man a false tale of wynnynge / or telleth hym that he hath ryght to a thynge / he byleueth hym soone be it neuer so false. But therfor this nyghtyngale blessyd Ihesus sayd. Qui cito credit leuis est cor­de & [...]. He that soone byleueth is lyght of herte and full chaungeable from vertue to vyce / from treuth to false­nesse / from charyte to couetyse. Et minorabi . And he that soone byleueth shall be lessed in worshyp & lytyll set by. For soone byleuynge of lesynges bryngeth people to moche folye This maketh men to begynne playes & bryges & one neyghbour to hate an other the hnsbonde to hāte his wyfe / y ^• wyf hyr husbonde / the fader his sone / the sone his fad / the moder hyr doughter y ^• brother his syster / this hath brought Englonde in bytter balys. Therfore the wyse man sayth. Non omni ver­bo credas. Byleue not euery worde. Eccl.xiiij. He y ^t byleueth soone lesyn­ges / his worde & his loue & his fayth wawe [...] about as the wynde. Therfore the grete clerke Seneca sayth in his epistle / that noo wyse man byle­ueth ony newe tales lyghtly.

Caplm .v.

ALso we rede in holy wryt. Numeri .xxij. That Balaam the false prophete wolde ha­ue cursed goddes people for couetyse of the gyftes whiche Balaa [...] kyng of Moab profered him / notwithstandynge y ^t god forbad it hym & badde hym not come there / wherfor as he rode to the kyng Balaa [...] / his asse y ^t he rode on vndername hym & hurte his fote ayenst a walle. For the asse sawe an angel standynge w ^t a swerde drawen ayenst hym in the waye / & therfor the asse fledde out of y ^t waye in to y ^t felde Balaam was wroth & smote his asse full harde w ^t a staffe / for he bare him so out of the waye. And y ^• asse cam in a strayt waye bytwene two walles / & there he sawe also the angell ayenst hym / & for dred he fledde a syde & bare Balaam ayenst y ^• walle & hurte his fote ayenst y ^• walle. Than Balaam bette the asse full euyll. Soone after y ^• angell stode ayenst hym in so strayt a waye / y ^t the asse myght not flee on ony syde / but felle downe and wolde no ferther / than efte he smote the asse God opened the asses mouthe and he sayd to Balaam / what haue I do ayenst the / why betest thou me now the thyrde tyme. I haue alwaye be thy beest / and thou haste alwaye ro­den on me / & I serued the neuer thus tyll now. Than god opened the eyen of Balaam & he sawe y ^• angell standynge ayenst hym with a naked swerde / whiche repreued hym of his false [Page] couetyse and of his wycked purpose / and for that he bete his asse without gylte and sayd / that but the asse had gone out of the waye / he sholde ellys haue slayne hym / for his waye was ayenst the plesaūce of god. ¶Diues. What betokeneth this tale. ¶Pauꝑ Balaam is to saye in englysshe a de­uourer of the people and troubelour of the folke. Interpretat [...] deuorans ppl'm et turbans gentem. And ther­fore Balaam betokeneth false couetyse of this worlde whiche deuoureth y ^• poore people and troubled euery na­cyon. For nyghe all the debate in this worlde is for myne and thyne. And therfore sayd a phylosopher. Tolle duo verba meū et tuum. et totus mundus erit in pace. Put out of this worlde two wordes myne and thyne / and all the worlde shall be in peas. Ba­laam fyrst in his prophecye worshypped goddes people and prophecyed to them moche prosperyte as he was cō ­pelled by y ^• myght of god to saye But at the laste with his shrewde coūseyll that he gaue to Balaac to haue his gyftes / he desceyued goddes people & brought theym to lecherye & to ydolatrye and so to offende god / wherfore foure and twenty thousande of god­des people were slayne / and all the prynces of the people were hanged vpon gebettes ayenst the sonne at the byddynge of god. Ryght so couetyse of this worlde fyrste putteth men in hope of grete prosperyte / & byheteth them welth & worshyp. See sayth couety s;e / suche a clerke is there y ^• may spende so moche by yere / and yet he was but a poore mānes sone as thou art / be of good herte / for suche as he is thou myght be. And soo couetyse putteth example of knyghtes / of marchauntes / of prelates / of lordes / and of ladyes. Yf thou haue rychesse sayth couety s;e / thou may do moche almesse & haue many preestes to praye for the out of purgatory. But beware for by suche byhestes the fende & worldely couety s;e ben about to desceyue the and to brynge the in glotonye & lecherye and ydolatrye / as Balaam brought goddes people to shenshyp. He wolde make the to truste more in thy good than in thy god For what thynge that man or woman loueth moost & set­teth his herte moost therin / that is his god / as saynt Ierom sayth. Therfor saynt Poule sayth. That auaryce is seruage of mawnetrye. For golde is god to y ^• couetouse man to whom he doth moost worshyp / whiche fals god is betokened by the ymage of golde y ^• was .xl. cubytes in hyght and .vi. in brede whiche the kyng Nabugodono sor reysed vp in the felde of Durayn / and compelled all men to worshyp it And who so wolde not worshyp it / he dyd put theym in an ouen ful of fyre in token y ^• who so worshypeth not in this worlde the false god of golde & of false couetyse / and gyueth no tale of this worlde and wyll not obeye to false couetyse to serue it with gyle falsehede & periurye / but lyue in treuth & in charyte / that man shal haue moche woo in this worlde And therfor saynt Poule sayth that they y ^t wyll lyue mekely and goodly in cryste shall suffre [Page] moche trybulacyon in this worlde. Therfor saynt Gregory sayth This worlde is a forneys and an ouen to trye in goddes childern by anguysshe and try [...]ulacyon. Beware of the by­hestes of couetyse / for fayre byhestes make sottes blythe. He wyll so entry­ke the in dette & in synne / that it shal be full harde to the for to escape and so to brynge the to dye in dedly synne And yf thou dye in dedely synne / all the golde vnder the cope of heuen / though it were thyne / ne all the prees­tes vnder sonne maye not helpe the. Therfor saynt Poule sayth. Qui vo lunt diuites fieri incidūt in temptacō nes et in laqueū dyaboli & [...]. They y ^• coueyte to be ryche in this worlde fall in to harde temptacōns and in to the fendes snare / & in to wycked desyres & vnprouffytable & full noyous whi­che drenche men in to y ^• deth of helle & brynge them to perdycōn. For why fayth he. Rote of all euyll is couetyse Prima ad Thi .vi.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. I wene that all men myght be holpen with her ryche s;ses after her deth ¶Pauper It is not so. But only they shall be holpen with theyr good after theyr deth that deserue it by theyr lyfe to be holpen with theyr rychesses after ther deth / as they that doo almesse after theyr astate / and spende well the goo­des that god hath sente to theym / and paye well theyr dettes / and doo suche other good dedes / and kepe wel theym from dedely synne to theyr lyues ende or namely than Thus sayth saynt Austen in glosa prima ad thessalo. quarto suꝑ illud. Nolumus vos ignorare de dormientibus. And ther­fore beware and take hede to thre warnynges and tokenes that god gaue to Balaam to flee the swerde. Fyrste his asse went out of his waye. Af­ter that he hurte his fote and dysea­sed all his bodye. At the laste he felle downe vnder hym and wolde no fer­ther bere hym. By the asse I vnder­stande welth of this worlde that standeth pryncypaly in rychesses & in bo­dely helth / whiche bereth a man vp in this worlde as the asse bare Balaam But beware / for ryght as the asse is a full dulle beest / & whan a man hath moost nede and moost haste in his Iourney / than he wyll not go but at his owne luste and so desceyueth his mayster. Ryght so worldely welth desceyueth them that truste therin / & fayleth them at nede. This asse of worldely welth fyrst goth out of the waye that is whan god sendeth a man ad­uersyte / and his causes & his trauayle goth not forth as he wolde ne as he wende they sholde do / but whan he we neth to wynne he leseth / & spedeth not as he wende to spede. And there he weneth to fynde frendes / he fyndeth enemyes. And in caas yf he wyll passe the see the wynde is ayenst hym & dryueth hym out of his waye. And yf he plete / some slyght putteth hym out of his purpose / & that he wende to spede in a moneth he shall not spede in a yere / and perauenture neuer brynge his cause in to the right waye there he [Page] wolde haue it. Whan this asse gothe out of the waye / take hede to thy waye and to thy purpose / and yf thy waye and purpose be ayenst the plea­saūce of god / as was the waye of Balaam than wende ayen and cesse of thyn euyll purpose. And yf it de not ayenst the pleasaunce of god / dyspose the to pacyence and thanke god of al and take hede what the angell sayd to Balaam. But the asse sayd he / ne hadde gone out of the waye I hadde slayne the. For but the welthe of the worlde wente some tyme oute of the waye by aduersyte and by sekenesse / ellys it sholde be cause to moche fol­ke of dethe / bothe bodely and goostly For yf man hadde alwaye his welthe and his wyll in this worlde / he shol­de gyue noo tale of god / ne of man. The seconde token was that he hur­te his fote and so dyseased his bodye / that is whan god sendeth man seke­nesse and casteth hym downe in his bedde / and maketh hym so feble that his feet may not bere hym / than ta­ke thou hede to thy waye and to thy lyfe / yf it be ought contrarye to god / and yf it be amendeth. The thrydde token was that y ^• asse fell downe vn­der his feet in a strayt waye / and wolde not ferther bere hym. This strayt waye & so narowe a paas is deth where no man may flee. Than welth of this worlde lykened to the asse falleth downe to grounde & wyll not lenger bere man vpon this worlde. Than passeth helth & welth and all luste of the flesshe. And therfore whan thou comest to the poynt / take hede to thy waye & to thy lyfe. And yf it be con­trarye to god amende y ^• than for euer as thou wylt flee goddes swerde. Ryche s;se & welthe of this worlde is lykened to a Iogulours horse. We fynde that on a tyme came a proude getter in to a stable & founde a mynstralles horse standynge by his horse. And for it was better than his / he toke it and rode awaye theron and lefte his fe­ble horse there. The mynstrall perceyued that / and ranne by a nygh pathe & mette with hym in passynge ouer a water and cryed. Flectamus genua. The horse knewe well his maysters voyce / as he was wont to do in playe he dyde than / and kneled downe in the water. Than the mynstrall sayd Leuate. And anone the horse rose vp as he was taught and caste the proude getter in the water / & ranne ayen to his mayster. This mynstral is the worlde whiche playeth with folke of this worlde as a mynstrall as a Io­gulour and as a dysour. His horse is rychesses of this worlde / whiche oft at the voyce of this worlde playeth. Flectamus genua. And bryngeth them lowe & to grete pouerte and forsaketh them in theyr moost nede / & foloweth the playe of this worlde and not the wyl of couetouse folke that wolde haue them / but full often they that tra­uayl moost to be ryche ben moost poore / & namely euyll goten good soone playeth. Flectamus genua with them that haue mysgoten them by myspurchace / or by withholdynge of dette / or by false executorye / or by mycherye or robberye. Therfore it is a comon prouerbe [Page] De male quesitis vix gaudet tercius heres. Of euyl goten good vnneth Ioyed the thyrde heyre.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. Thy speche is not plesaunt to worldely couetouse men / and yet experyence she­weth that thou sayste sothe. ¶Pauꝑ It fareth by many folke as it dooth by many a sheep. For many sheep be not payed to go with theyr felowes in comon pasture / but seke ther mete a­monges busshes thornes & brymbles to haue the better bytte / tylle they ben so wycked & snarled amonges brym­bles and thornes that they may not go awaye. Than cometh the pye or the rauene and pyketh out the one eye / and afterwarde the other eye. Than cometh the wolfe or an houn­de or some other beest and sleeth hym Ryght so it is of couetouse folke. For they wyll not lyue in playne pasture amonges theyr neyghbours / ne be not payed with comon lyuynge that god hath sente to theym / but outrage & seke to be in hygher degre of rychesses & of worshyp than theyr neygh­bours ben / & seke theyr lyuynge amonges brymbles & thornes / that is to say amonges false rychesses / as sayth cryste in y ^• gospell. They borowe of one x.iv. of an other .xx. lb. and so forth & thynke neuer to paye / & thus they ge­te moche good and lyue a mery lyfe with other mennes good. Also they become executours and attourneys to some ryche man in his deynge / & be­hote hym well to be true to him. But whan he is deed they kepe all to thē ­self / & thus they snarle themself so in dette & in false rychesses to be holden grete in this worlde / y ^• they may not paye ther dett. Than cometh the fende & pyketh out ther ryght eye & maketh them lese conscyence anent god After he pyketh out theyr lyfte eye / & maketh them lese shame anentes the worlde. So y ^• neyther for dred of god ne for shame or speche of the worlde / they cesse not to borewe ne to gete falsely other mēnes good / & so falle depper & depper in dett / tyll at y ^• laste the fende sleeth them bodye & soule. And therfore loke y ^t y ^u paye well thy dettes whyle y ^u may / for els y ^u shalt not whan y ^u woldest. For alsheep that goth mo­che amonge thornes leueth some of his flese in euery busshe there he goth tyll he is naked. Ryght so the thornes of false rychesses & suche dettes shall take thy flese fro the / y ^• is to saye / thy true catell yf y ^u ony haue / soo y ^• thou shalt haue ryght nought to helpe thyselfe with / tyll whan y ^u shalt go naked of good and haue lesse than nought. Therfor sayth a grete clerke Tulliꝰ li.ij. de officijs. That noo thynge sa­ueth more a comonte than fayth But fayth may not be sayth he but men wyll paye theyr dettes. And in the .iij. boke de officijs he sayth / y ^• it is synne ayenst kynde to take awaye falsely a nother mannes good / & to make him ryche with an other mānes losse. For that sayth he destroyeth charyte and the felaushyp of mankynde / for men dare not comyne theyr good to gyder by lenynge for drede of fals couetyse [Page] ¶Diues. That is soth. For I had leuer haue my good in other mennes hondes than in myne / yf I wyste that they wolde truly pay it ayen. But I fynde so many false & so fewe true y ^• I dare not lene but to ful fewe. Saye forth what thou wylt.

Caplm .viij.

PAuper. Two thynges pryn­cypaly sholde abate couetyse of mannes herte. Vnstable­nesse of this worlde & drede of deth. Fyrst vnstablenesse of this worlde / for this worlde & the welth of this worl­de is lykened to four thynges full vnstable. To a whele about tournynge / to a shyp in the see saylynge / to a floure that soone fadeth & falleth to groū de / and to a shadowe that awaye passeth & dwelleth but a stounde. Fyrste welth of this worlde is lykened to a whele about tournynge / for whan the whele goth about / that y ^t is byneth / a­none it is aboue / & that y ^• is aboue / a­none it is byneth. And that y ^• is on y ^• one syde / anone it is on the other syde Ryght so it is in the whele of fortune of this worlde. For now a man is by­neth in his youth & in his begynnynge In myddle age he is aboue in his welth and in his floures. But anone the whele tourned downe ayen to greter age / to pouerte / to sekenesse & fe­blenesse / tyll at the laste he falleth of the whele & dyeth / & lyeth there as a clotte of erthe by the walle. Therfore in the whele of fortune is wryten this verse. Regnabo regno regnaui .sū si­ne regno. Man in his youth whan he is towarde in hope of welth / he sayth Regnabo. I shall reygne. But whan he is in his myddel age and hath the worlde at wyll / and so sytteth about on the whele / than he sayth in his pryde Regno. Now I reygne. I am all aboue. But anone the whele tourneth downewarde / anone cometh age / se­kenesse / feblenesse / losse of catell / and aduersyte / than he may saye. Regna­ui. I haue reygned / somtyme I was a man. But whan he lyeth on deyn­ge he may saye. Sum sine regno. I am without kyngdome. My reygne my kyngdome / my welth is done. Al­so in the whele of fortune / y ^• is in the one syde / anone it is in the other syde For they that ben this daye a mānes frendes & stande on his syde to helpe hym / the next daye they shall be his enemyes & stande ayenst hym w ^t his aduersarye. Of this whele speketh Dauyd. In circuitu impij ambulant Wycked couetouse folke go about as a whele. Posuisti eos vt rotā. et sicut stipulā ante faciē venti. Lorde sayth he thou haste put them as a whele & a stoble byfore the face of the wynde. For as the stoble whyle the wynde bloweth wauereth & fleeth aboue in the ayer / now hyghe / now lowe / but ano­ne as the wynde passeth it falleth a­downe to the erth & lyeth there stylle Ryght so the proude couetouse folke wauere in this worlde in welth and worshyppe / now hygher / now lower. And as the stoble & the strawe in his flyght kepeth no certayne waye / so kepe they no waye of goddes lawe / tyll at the laste the wynde passeth out of [Page] theyr bodye & they falle downe in to ther graue / & many of them in to the pytte of helle. Also this worlde is ly­kened to a shyp in the see saylynge. For be the shyp euer so grete of hym selfe & haue the wynde with hym all at wyll / & bere he his sayle neuer soo hyghe / & go he neuer soo yerne / be he passed ther is no token where he went Ryght so be a man neuer so grete in this worlde / & haue the wynde of mē ­nes mouth neuer so wel w ^t hym to bere his name / to prayse him & to flater hym / though his na [...]e sprynge neuer so wyde & bere hym neuer so hygh in pryde / or be he so solempne & so myghty / y ^• no man dare quycche ayenst him ne do / be he deed & passed out of this worlde / soone he is foryeten. Men shal fynde no token of hym within a fe­we yeres. Vnnethes shall he fynde o­ne frende that wyl do synge a masse for his soule. Goo to the chircheyerde and y ^u shalt knowe by the bodyes the ryche from the poore / the fayre from the foule / the wyse from the foles / the free fro the boūde. But all they torne there to erth & asshes / to wormes mete to stenche & vnclennesse. All these grete kynges y ^• were somtyme so grete of name where ben they all bycomen. Alexander. Iulius cesar. Nabugodono sor. Octauyan. Arthur. kyng Charles & all suche other / where ben they by­comen. Therfore they may saye y ^• is wryten in the boke of wysdom. Quid nobis ꝓfuit suꝑbia & [...]. What profyted to vs our grete pryde / what halpe vs our pompe & our grete rychesses. All is passed awaye as a shadowe / & as a shyp y ^t passeth the wawes of the see / of whiche be it passed men may fyn­de no token. Sap. v. Mannes lyf may well be lykened to a shyp whiche is streyt & narowe at both endes / but in the myddes it is wyde & large. Ryght so is mannes lyfe / for his byrth & his begynnynge is full strayt & ful naro­we. For he cometh into this worlde naked & poore / wepynge & walynge / vn­myghty / vnwytty / & nought may ne can helpe hymselfe / & with moche trauayle is brought forth / tyll by lytell & lytel he cometh to mānes age. There the shyp of his lyf is somdele wyde & large / for in his myddell age he hath moost his myght / his wytte & his wyl But anone the shyp of this lyfe dra­weth to an other strayt ende. Anone cometh age / feblenesse / seknesse / aduersyte / losse of catell / & pouerte / & at the laste deth maketh a full strayt ende / whan he dyeth w ^t bytter payne in moche drede & moche sorowe and gooth hens naked & poore ryght as he cam & bereth nought w ^t him but his good dedes & wycked. Of these two strayt endes sayth Iob thus. Nudus eg [...]essꝰ snm de vtero matris mee. et nudus reuertar illuc. Naked I cam out of my moders wombe / & naked I shall tourne ayen in to the erthe moder of all. And yf a man wyll styre well a shyp or a bote / he may not stande in y ^• myddes of the shyp / ne in the former ende but he muste stande in y ^• laste ende / & there he may styre the shyp as he wyl Ryght so he y ^• wyll styre well y ^• shyp of his lyf in this worlde / he may not stande in y ^• myddes of his shyp not set [Page] his thought & his herte in welth that he hath in his myddel age / ne he shal not stonde in y ^• former ende not set his herte ne his thought in his byrthe ne in his begynnynge to thynke moche of his kynrede / ne of alyaūce to styre him to pryde. But he must stonde in y ^e laste ende of his shyp & of his lyfe & thynke on his deth / and on his laste ende. And how myscheuously & how perylously he shall wende hens / and how wheder ne whan wote he neuer. And in that maner he shall beste sty­re the shyp of his lyfe to the syker hauen of heuen blysse. Therfore the wyse man sayth. Memorare nouissimatua et in eternū non peccabis. Thynke Inwardly of thy laste thynges & of thyne ende / & thou shalt neuer do synne. Eccl.vij. In the begynnynge of euery dede thynke on the ende what ende it may haue & what may falle therof.

Caplm .ix.

ALso welthe of this worlde is lykned to a floure that soone fadeth & falleth to the groū ­de. For as the roso floure is fayre to the syght / swere in smellynge / softe in handelynge / so welth of this worlde is fayre to the syght of man & lykynge in the hauynge. But ryght as the rose wexeth alwaye amonges the chornes / and he that gadreth roses but he be more ware shal lyghtly hurte hym and prycke hym. Ryght so welth and rychesses of this worlde wexeth all a­monges thornes of harde trauayle of thonght of b [...]ysynesse and of many peryls / both bodely and goostely. For a man hath moche trauayle in the ge­tynge / moche drede in the kepynge / moche bytter sorowe in the lesynge. Diues diuicias nō [...]gregat abs (que) la­bore. Non tenet abs (que) metu nee dese­rit abs (que) dolore. Whan a man hath trauayled all his lyfe tyme to gadre good / and to haue welth & worshyppe in this worlde / it wyll soone welke tade & falle awaye as the rose Sodaynly cometh moreyn & his beestes dye / cometh aduersyte & losse of catel / and at laste deth taketh awaye euery dele And who so wyll be besy to gadre the rose of worldely weth & of rychesses / but he be ryght ware he shall hurte hym both bodely & goostly. And therfore saynt Poule sayth that they that coueyte to be riche in this worlde / they falle in the fendes snare & in to full harde temptacyons. For these causes saynt Iames sayth y ^• the ryche man shall passe awaye as y ^• floure of the grasse and of the heye. For whan the sonne shyneth hote on the heye it welketh & dryeth & his floure fadeth / & his beaute passeth. Ryght so sayth he the ryche man welketh & fadeth in his wayes / y ^• is to saye in his lyuynge Iacobi .i. Also worldely welth is lyke­ned to y ^• shadowe alwaye passyng For all our lyuynge in this worlde is but a passynge & a wantynge of lyght of heuen blysse. In the myddes of the daye whan the sonne is hyghest / than is y ^• shadowe shortest. Ryght so whan a man weneth to be but in the myd­des of his lyfe / & is hyghest in welthe & in his pryde / than is his lyf shortest [Page] for than men dye sooneste in theyr moost prosperyte. And y ^• nygher euen & the ende of the daye the lenger is a mannes shadewe. Ryght soo these worldely couetouse men the lenger y ^t they lyue & whan they ben at theyr lyues ende / than they thynke moost to lyue lenger. Than they purchace / than they house / than they begyn to plete tyll theyr lyfe passe sodaynly a­waye as a shadewe at euen Therfor mannes lyfe is lykened to a slyder waye. For whan a mar [...]goth by a slyder waye / the more that he galeth a­bout & the ferther that he loketh fro hym the sooner & the harder shall he falle. Bnt yf he loke wel to his feet & to his waye / he may kepe him on left & though he fall he shall take no grete harme. Ryght so it fareth by the lyfe of this worlde. It is so slyder y ^t ther myght neuer man ne woman passe by this wayt / but at the laste he sly­deth in to sekenesse & myscheef & fell downe and dyed / or ellys shall come to y ^• same ende. And comonly whan men loke ferthest fro them selfe and thynke to lyue lengest / and begynne moost to house & to purchas / and purpo s;e many shrewde tournes / and to lyue moost in welth & in delyces / than they dye soonest & passe awaye sodaynely as a shadowe at euen. Example Cryste telleth in the gospell Luce.xij. Ther was sayth cryste some tyme a ryche man & hadde in a yere a plen­teuous crop on his londe / in so moche that he hadde not houses ynough to laye it in. He thanked not god of his gyft / but tourned hym to proude couetou s;e thoughtes / & sayd to hymselfe / what shall I do I haue no housynge to laye in my corn & my good. I shal destroye myn olde bernes & garnerys and make newe lenger & larger / and stuffe them full of good / and than shall I saye to my soule. Now soule thou haste good ynough for many yeres / now take thy reste / now ete and drynke & make feste. So he thought all of his lyf in this worlde / & nought of the lyfe in the other worlde. Anone god sayd to hym. Fole this nyght fendes shall take thy soule from the / to whom shall than be all the goodes that thou haste arayed & gadred to gydre. He myght saye that they sholde be theyrs that trauayled not ther­fore.

Caplm .x.

THe clerkes that treate of kynde saye y ^t the foxe in wynter whan he gooth to seke his pray / yf he come to a frollen water / he lyeth his ere downe to the yce / & yf he here ony water rennynge vnderneth / he wyl not passe ouer there / for the yce is not syker / but he syketh hym an o­ther syker waye. Thus I wolde y ^• all synful couetouse men dyd whan they go about to syke theyr pray of fals couety s;e / of false purchace / or to robbe & begyle ony man of his good. Than I wolde they layed theyr [...]eres to the yce & thought how freyle a mannes lyfe is. For as the yce cometh of y ^• water & tourneth ayen to y ^• water. Ryght so all we came of the erthe / and shall tourne ayen to the erthe / and yf they [Page] wolde thus laye theyr [...]ere to this yce they sholde here water rēnyng. They sholde here say / there dyeth a pope / there a kyng / there a prynce / there a duke there dyeth a bysshop / there a knyght there a squyer. They sholde here that as soone dyeth the ryche as the poo­re / the grete as the smalle / the yonge as the olde. Therfore holy wrytte sayth. Omnes morimur. et in terram quali aqua dilabimur. All we dye & slyde in to the erthe as water .ij. Regū xiiij. Therfor saynt Bernarde in his medytacyon repreueth the proude co­uetous folke of this worlde and sayth thus. Vbi sunt amatores seculi. qui nobiscū ante pauca tempora fuerūt. Telle me now sayth he / where ben now these lordes & leders / these prou­de gettours / & these false couetouse men that were here with vs within a fewe yeres where be they now byco­me. Ther is no thynge of them lefte but asshes pouder & wormes. Take hede what they were & what they ben They were men as y ^u art / ete & dran­ke as y ^u dost / & led theyr dayes in moche myrthe / & in a twynkelynge of an eye many of them sanke downe in to the pytte of helle / where theyr flesshe is gyuen vnto wormes / & where theyr soule is put in to endeles payne / what helpe them theyr vayne glory / ther pō pe / theyr pryde / theyr myrth / theyr ga­me & glee. Where is now theyr game & theyr laughynge / theyr boost and theyr hyghe berynge / all is paste as a shadowe. From grete myrth they ben fallen in to endelesse sorowe / frō luste & lykynge in to bytter payne / frō plente in to endelesse myscheef. ¶Diues. These wordes styreme & so the may many other lytyll to sette by welth & worshyp of this worlde. But well is he y ^t may haue helpe of his good af­ter his deth / & than fynde frendes & true attorneys. ¶Pauper But mo­che better it is that he hath grace to helpe hymselfe byfore his deth with his owne good / for one peny shal profyte more byfore his deth than .xx. pe­nys after / & more profyteth one can­dell byfore a man than .xx. behynd hȳ Therfor saynt Lucye taught her moder to do almesse by her lyfe / & not a­byde tyll after her deth / & sayd to her moder. Here ye my coūseyll. It is noo gyft full plesaūt to god whan man or woman gyueth thynge y ^• he may not vse hymselfe / therfor yf ye wyll y ^t god be plesed w ^t your gyft / gyue ye to hȳ thynge y ^• ye may vse your selfe. For y ^• ye gyue in your dyenge therfore ye gyue it / for ye may not bere it with you And therfore moder whyle ye lyue & haue helth of your bodye gyue to god that ye haue.

Caplm .xi.

WHan a man wyll not do for hȳself whyle he may / though his executours and his attor­neys do nought for hym it is no gre­te woūdre. For eche man & woman is moost holden to hymselfe. But it fa­reth ofte by hem that dyed & by theyr executours / as it dyd ones by two fooles y ^• dwelled in a lordes courte. The one was a foole sage / that other was a naturell foole. It byfell on a daye [Page] they came to gydre in to a kabehouse whan folke were at the ouen / and the ouen was glowynge hote. Than sayde the foole sage to the natural foole whether the ouen be now hote as it semeth / wyll we assaye sayd the other ye sayd the foole sage / but whiche of vs shall go in to the ouen fyrste for to assaye. Than sayd the naturell foole I shall goo in / and thou shalte haue a bolle full of water and stande at the ouens mouth. And yf I fele hete and I crye caste caste / anone caste the water after me and quenche the fyre about me. It shall be done sayd the other foole. Than the naturell foole toke the foole sage a bolle full of water in his honde / and he wente and crepte in to the ouen / and anone as he was in he beganne to brenne. And anone he cryed caste caste. Whan the other foole sawe his foly he laughed so enterely at his foly that vnnethes he myght stonde on his fete. Than the foole in the ouen cryed caste man caste I brenne to deth. Than the o­ther foole answered / brēne y ^u yf brenne wylt / dye yf thou dye wylt. I laugh so that I may not caste. And so the foole brent to deth in y ^e ouen. By tho two fooles I vnderstaude men y ^• dye & theyr false executours / for both ben they fooles. For the executours ben grete fooles in that / that they bynde theym to helle payne for theyr false­hede. But they that dye ben more fooles in that that they truste more to o­ther men than to themself. For whan they shall crepe in to purgatorye / that is hoter than ony ouen / than they take to theyr executours a bolle full of water in theyr honde / that is to saye golde and syluer and other rychesses for to do almesse for them / and by al­mesdede / by masses syngynge / & holy prayers refresshe them in theyr pay­nes / & kele the fyre about theym. But comonly whan they haue this bolle of water in theyr honde / & haue the goodes at theyr wyll / they laugh so & make so mery and fare so well with the goodes of the deed / that they may no thynge cast after them / for they be full loth to forgo ony of the goodes. And therwhyles y ^• synfull soule lyeth in purgatory & suffreth ful moche wo & cryeth after helpe nyght & daye sayenge in this maner. Miseremini mei miseremini mei. saltē vos amici mei. qr manꝰ dnī tetigit me. Iob .xix. Haue ye mercy on me haue ye mercy on me namely ye my frendes / for y ^• honde of god full harde hath touched me. And whan they fynde no helpe of them y ^• sholde helpe them they axe vengeaūce on them nyght & daye. A grete clerke Turpinꝰ de gest [...] Karoli telleth y ^t the kyng Charles had w ^t hym a knyght in his oost a man of good conscyence & whan he sholde dye he called to hȳ his neuewe praynge hym y ^t whan he were deed he shold selle his horse and his harneys & do almesse / and do synge thrytty masses for his loue. He be­hyght hym well but lasted hym full euyll / & kept it stylle to his owne vse and dyd not as he badde hym doo. Whan the thrytty dayes were passed in y ^• nyght folowynge / the knyght apperyd in slepe to his neuewe / & axed [Page] hym why he had not done as he bad hym do. Than he excused him by dyuer s;e besynesses y ^• he fayned not that hadde. And he axed his eme how he fared. And than he answered & sayd I shall telle the how I fare / and how thou shalt fare. Alle these thrytty dayes I haue ben in purgatorye and suffred ful moche woo and payne for defaute of helpe. But now thanke be god I am passed purgatorye and goo vp to heuens blysse without en­de. But for thou woldest not helpe me as I badde the / therfore as this daye mydmorowe thou shalt dye and goo to helle without ende. On the next daye folowynge as he rode in y ^• oost on y ^• same horse & tolde these dremes to his felowes as for a Iape / at mydmorowe came sodaynly a blake skye with thondre & lyghtnynge and grete nombre of fendes in lykenesse of rauens & rokes & hent hym vp fro the horse in the myddes of the oost & flewe awaye with hym / so that they sawe no more of hym tyll they came foure dayes Iourney thens amonges the moūtes of Nauerne. There they founde hym all to rent and drawen lyth from lyth / but his soule was drawen to helle. By his cote armure they knewe well that it was y ^• same man ¶Diues. Be a man deed he fyndeth fewe frendes.

Caplm .xij.

PAuper. I rede in vita Barla am y ^• ther was a ryche man whiche had iij. frendes. The fyrste frende & the seconde he loued with all his herte / but the thyrde frende he loued lytell or nought. This man felle in suche a daunger ayenst his kyng y ^t a [...] his good was forfetted & eschetyd to y ^e kyng & hymselfe we­ned to haue ben slayn. Than he wente to his fyrste frende y ^t he loued soo moche praynge hym of helpe / & y ^t he wolde go to the kyng & speke for hȳ & saue his lyfe yf he myght. Than he answerd & sayd. Fare well faue I knowe the not. I haue other felowes & frendes ynough with whom I ha­ue my myrtes & solace. Nathelesse yf thou be slayne I shall gyue the a she­te to burye the in. Than he went to the seconde frende that he loued soo moche praynge hym also of helpe. And he excused hym & sayd. I praye the haue me excused / for I am so be­sye that I may not atende to the But yet for olde felaushyp I shall go with the on waye to the yate. Than went he to the thyrde frende that he loued so lytel & prayed hym of helpe & sayd Leue frende I am ashamed to speke to the for I haue ben to the ful vnkynde & lytell loue shewed to the. But I praye the haue reuth on me / & for goddes sake helpe me in this nede. And than he answered hym and sayd. Le­ue frende welcome be thou / and be of good comforte / for I am thy frende and wyll be thy frende / and to helpe the that I may do / thou shalt fynde me redy. And anone he went & dyde so and spake to the kyng that he sa­ued [...] lyfe / & delyuered hym out of all his daunger. ¶Diues. So it fa­reth these dayes / as longe as a man is [Page] in welth so longe he shall haue fren­des ynough to take of him what they may and to flater hym and to please hym. But yf he begynne to go done­warde / than fyndeth he fewe frendes and many enemyes. Therfore sayth the wyse man. Tempore felici multi numerantur amici. Cum fortuna pe­rit nullus amicus erit. In tyme of welth a man shall fynde frendes y­nough. But whan rychesses & hap is gone / he shal fynde fewe frendes & fele fone. Saye forth thy tale. ¶Pauꝑ By this ryche man I vnderstande e­uery man y ^t hath rychesses & goodes of this worlde. By his fyrste frende y ^• he loued soo moche whiche gaaf hym but a shete to be buryed in I vnderstā de the worlde / whiche worldely men loue so moche / y ^• for loue therof they trauayle nyght & daye & put them in peryl of bodye & soule / & oft lese them selfe both bodye & soule. And yet at y ^e last ende vnnethes gyueth it to them a shete to be buryed in. For many of them whan they dye haue lesse than nought. And yf they haue ought / yet theyr executours wyll saye y ^• they ha­ue nought / & y ^t they owe more than they haue. By the seconde frende that went with hym to the yate I vnder­stande a mannes wyfe / his childern & his bodely frendes. And a womannes husbonde / her childern / & her bodely frendes / whiche whan they ben deed / shall go with them on waye to the yate & brynge them to theyr graue / & per auenture stande and wepe on them. But be man or woman deed & dol­uen vnder claye / he is soone forgeten & out of mynde passed awaye. Be the belles ronge and the masses songe he is soone forgeten. Vnnethes shall he fynde one frende that wyll synge for hym one masse vnnethes in the yere. By the thrydde frende whiche he lo­ued soo lytell and whiche halpe hym at his nede I vnderstande almesdede whiche the worldely couetouse men loue full lytyll. And yet at the dredeful dome whan they shall stande at the barre byfore the souerayne Iuge Cryste Ihesn / than almesse dede shall be the beste frende that they shall haue. For that shall speke for theym and praye for theym and saue theym yf they shall be saued. And therfore Salomon sayth. Conclude elemosmam in sinu pauperis. et ipsa pro te exora­bit ab omni malo. Ecclesiastici .xxix. Therfore leue frende doo ye as To­bye taught his sone. Ex substancia tua fac elemosinam. Doo almesse of thy good and of thy catell / and nyll thou tourne awaye thy face from ony poore man / and as y ^u myght be thou mercyable. Yf thou haue moche gyue thou moche. But and yf thou haue but lytell studye thou to gyue lytell with good wyll. For than thou tre­sourest to the a grete gyft in the daye of nede. For almesse delyuered soules from euery synne & from deth / and suffered not the soule to go in to der­kenesse. Thobie .iiij.

Caplm .xiij.

DIues. To whom shal I do myn almesse. ¶Pauper Doo as Cryste byddeth in the gospell. Omni [Page] petenti te tribue. Gyue to euery nedy that axeth the yf y ^u myght. Luce .vi. ¶Diues. Contra. Cryste in y ^• gospell Luce .xiiij. sayth thus. Whan y ^u makest a feest nyll y ^u calle therto thy frendes thy neyghbours / thy cosyns and ryche men / but calle y ^u poore men / feble / blynde & halt / by whiche wordes it semeth to me y ^• I sholde do none almesse but to poore y ^• ben feble blynde and lame ¶Pauꝑ. Cryste fordydeth not men to byd ther frendes & ther neyghbours & ryche men to y ^e feest. But he bad hē y ^• they sholde not only byd theyr frendes & y ^• ryche / but also poore folke nedy & teble. Also he bad y ^t men sholde not byd y ^e ryche folke & theyr frendes to feest w ^t no wycked emencōn in hope of false wynnynge / for pompe / for glotonye / for lecherye / or to gete them a grete worldely name / but pryncypa­ly for to nourysshe peas & charyte / & in token y ^t feest is made w ^t good en­tencōn both to ryche & poore ben ple­saūt to god / cryste called vs al ryche & poore to y ^• endelesse feest. And cryste hymself though he were poore in our manhede / he was not feble blynde ne halt whan y ^• pharise to whom he sayd tho wordes bad him to mete / ne whan he was at the brydales with his mod in the chane of galyle / ne whan Ma­ry magdaleyn & her syster Martha & Zacheus made him grete festes & yet they were praysed of cryste for ther dedes / & all that fedde cryste & his apo­stles & his dyscyples whan they went about the worlde prechynge & techynge ben praysed. And yet the apostles and his dyscyples were stronge men / neyther blynde ne lame. And cryste hymselfe fedde his dyscyples neyther blynde ne lame. And somtyme he [...]ed foure thousande of men / somtyme fyue thousande that folowed hym fro contre to contre to here his prechyng & to see woūdres that he dyd / and yet were they not blynde ne lam [...]. For as the gospell sayth he made them hole of theyr bodely seknesse or y ^t he fedde them Luce .ix. et Math .xiiij. Also tho two dyscyples y ^t toke cryste to herbo­rowe in y ^e lykenesse of a pylgryme on [...]ester daye at euen ben praysed & yet was he neuer blynde ne lame. Also Abraham & Loth & many other holy men resceyued angels in the lykenesse of worshypfull men neyther blynde ne lame to mete & herborowe. And saynt Peter resceyued knyghtes and worshypfull men to mete & to herbo­rowe whiche came to hym on messa­ge from y ^e grete lorde Cornely / as we rede in holy wrytt. Actuū .x. And all these ben praysed of god / & had mo­che thanke of god for theyr almesde­de. Therfore I sayd fyrst. Cryste bad that men sholde do almesse to al that nede both frende & foo. And the apo­stle byddeth / yf thyne enemye haue hongre fede hym / yf he haue thurste gyue him drynke. The charyte of crysten fayth outaketh no persone man ne woman ne state ne degree / ne secte hethen ne crysten frō almesdede whā they had nede / but we must haue pyte on all & helpe all at our power. Na­thelesse we muste kepe ordre in gyuynge & takynge hede to the cause and to the maner of nede in theym that [Page] we gyue almesse to. For why some be poore by theyr wylle and some ayenst theyr wyll. And they that ben poore by theyr wyll some ben poore for the loue of god / & some for the loue of the worlde. They that ben poore for the loue of god muste be holpen passyng other / for theyr pouerte is medefull / parfyght & vertuous. They that ben poore wylfully not for god / but for y ^e worlde / as the Romaynes were / & as these dayes moche folke dysmytte them of theyr owne good and take it to ther childeren to make them grete in this worlde / and moche folke take so moche hede to other mennes prou­fyte / that they take none hede to them selfe / and so falle in pouerte & in ne­de / suche poore folke muste pryncypa­ly be holpen of them to whom theyr goodes profyted / & rather helpe them than other y ^• ben poore ayenst theyr wyll / but they shall not be put byfore them that be poore for the loue of god but the nede be the more.

Caplm .xiiij.

OF them that ben poore ayenst theyr wyll / some ben poore by fortune / by mysauentures / as they to whom fortune serueth not at theyr wyll / ne god multeplyeth not theyr good as they wolde / and that that they haue they lese by mysauen­tures / and by the dome of god. And some ben poore onely for synne & for the loue of synne / as they that waste theyr good in lecherye & glotonye / in pryde & pletynge & in mysuse at the dyce / in ryot & in vanyte. Suche poo­re folke ben laste in the ordre of al­messe doynge / but theyr nede be the more. And nathelesse yf they haue pacyence with theyr pouerte they shall haue mede for theyr pacyence yf they repente them for theyr mysdedes And in y ^• same maner some ben feble / blynde & lame for goddes cause & for goddes loue. Some ayenst theyr wyll by course of kynde. Some ayenst theyr wyl for loue of synne / as theues / fyghters / baratours / whiche in fyght & barett lese theyr eyen / theyr feet / theyr hō des / & ofte ben punysshed by the lawe God forbede y ^• suche poore folke blynde & lame sholde be put in y ^• ordre of almes doynge byfore them y ^• be poore & feble by vertue & for goddes sake Suche shal be holpen not to lust of theyr flesshe ne to do them worshyp / but on­ly to saue theyr kynde tylle the dome of god passe vpon them by processe of lawe & by goddes mynystres ¶Diues Moche folke thynke y ^• it is none al­messe to do good to suche folke. ꝓauper Yes forsoth. For god wyll y ^• men helpe them / and at the dome he shall saye. I was in pryson & ye vysyted me & y ^• ye dyd to the leste of myne ye dyd it to me. ¶Diues. Saynt Austen de [...]bis dnī sermone .xxxv. sayth / y ^• god shal saye y ^• wordes to theym y ^• be poore in spyryte & lowe of herte / & y ^• su­che ben called the brethern of cryste & leste for lownesse by whiche they sette leste by themselfe. ¶Pauper They ben no folke poore in spyryt / but they y ^• be poore for goddes sake. And saynt Austen sheweth there so y ^• god shal accept more the almesse that is done to [Page] them that ben poore for goddes sake than to them y ^• ben poore ayenst theyr wyll & for synne sake / whiche conclu­syon al though it be soth / yet me thynketh y ^t cryste shall saye tho wordes for the almesse y ^t he hath done to all maner poore men bothe parfyght & vn­parfyght. For than he shall yelde mede for euery good dede. For why wyc­ked doers & synful poore men ben called the leste of goddes menye / for they be leste sett by in the courte of heuen. And therfore he sayth in the gospell that who so breketh one of his lest cō mau demētes & techeth other by wor­de or by euyll example so to breke his cōmaūdementes he shall be called lest in the kyngdom of heuen. God shal shewe at the dome grete pyte & mo­che mercy / what thynge y ^t is done for his sake to his enemyes & to his leste seruaūtes moost vnworthy / he shal accept it & rewarde it as it were done to his owne persone & saye I thanke you for that ye dyde to the leste of myne / ye dyd it to me. ¶Diues. Why shall he calle them brethern y ^• be leste wor­thye / & many of theym to whom the almesse was done shall be dampned. ¶Pauper Er he shall gyue the sen­tence of dampnacōn he shall calle al men brethern for lykenesse of kynde. For in y ^• he is man he is brother to vs all by lykenesse of kynde / but not by grace ne by blysse / but only to them y ^• ben in grace. Than the meke Iuge shall calle al men brethern to confort of them that shall be saued / & to gre­te dysconfort to them y ^• shall be dampned / whan they shall see the meke Iuge not forgete the brotherhede ne ly­kenesse in kynde whiche he hath with them / and yet catched & in maner cō pelled by his ryghtfulnesse to damp­ne theym. Grete mater shall they haue than to syghe & sorowe whan they shall knowe theyr synnes so greuous & so grete / & theyr vnkyndenesse soo moche / that ther owne brother so me­ke a Iuge muste dampne them. ¶Diues This opynyon is more pleasaūt to ryche men & to other synfull wret­ches y ^• hope than to be holpen by al­mesdede. For in many countrees ben but fewe poore folke in spyryte / ne by theyr wyll. Fewe y ^• forsaken the worlde for goddes sake / but many ther be that the worlde hath forsaken / many y ^• for synne sake ben full poore / & many for theyr mysdedes lye bounde in pryson in grete pouerte / hongre / colde & bytter paynes. And to suche folke in many contrees men doo moost co­monly theyr almesse in hope to be thā ked & rewarded therfore att the laste dome. ¶Pauper They shal be thanked & be meded therfore as I sayd fyrste / & sythen cryste ryghtful Iuge shal than thanke men for theyr almesse y ^• they dyd for his loue to his enemyes & wycked doers as many suche ben / moche more he shal thanke them for theyr almesse y ^t they dyd to his fren­des & to his true seruaūt [...]. And sythen they shal be dampned that wolde not gyue to his enemyes at nede for his sake / moche sooner shall they be dāp­ned y ^e wolde not helpe his frendes & his true seruaūtes at nede for his sa­ke / that put themselfe for his loue to [Page] pouerte & moche trauayle for helpe of mannes soule. And yf it be so plesaūt & medefull to gyue almesse to suche poore folke forsakynge the worlde / of whiche many neyther shall be rescey­ued in to endlesse tabnacles of blysse / neyther shall resceyue in to that blysse moche more it is plesaūt to god & me rytorye to helpe them y ^t ben poore in spyryte & in wyll for the loue of god. For as cryste sayth in the gospell / the kyngdom of heuen is theyrs / & it is graunted to theym to resceyue folke that haue holpen them in to endelesse tabernacles.

Caplm .xv.

ANd therfore leue frende wytt ye it wel y ^t yf man or woman haue more wyl to gyue to thē that ben poore ayenst theyr wyl & for the loue of synne / than for to gyue to them y ^t ben poore for goddes sake & for goddes cause / they synne greuous­ly & lese the mede of theyr almesse in that they put goddes enemyes byfore his frendes / & vyce byfore vertue. And therfore ye shall releue all the poore & nedy as ye maye / but pryncypally them y ^• ben nedy & poore for goddes sake & by waye of vertue. For yf ye leue by false opynyon the more almesse for the lesse / whan ye may do both in good maner / ye lese both mede for the more & for the lesse. Therfore saynt Austen sayth thus. Thou shalt not do to y ^• poore prechour of goddes worde as y ^u dost to the begger passynge by the waye. To the begger y ^u gyuest / for cryste byddeth the that y ^u gyue to eche that axeth the. But to the poore pre­chour y ^u oughtest to gyue though he axe the not. And therfor loke that the poore prechour goddes knyght nede not to axe the. For yf he nede to axe for thy defaute / & thy defaute and thy lacchesse / he sheweth the dampnable or he axe. And ryght as it is sayd of the begger that seketh the / gyue y ^u euery man that axeth the / so it is sayd of hym y ^• y ^u oughtest to seke. Let thyne almesse swete in thyne honde tylle y ^• fynde hym to whome y ^u muste gyue. Gyue y ^u to euery man y ^• axeth the / but moche rather & more gyue to goddes seruaūt [...] / to y ^• knyght of cryste though he axe not. Hec augustinꝰ. et ponit in glosa suꝑ illud p̄i. Producens fenū iumentis And therfore sayth the lawe that who so wyll not gyue almesse to men y ^t folowe the lyfe of the apostles in pouerte & to the poore prechoures for theyr nedefull vse / he dampneth hymselfe .xvi. q̄ .i. aplicis. For as the apostle sayth / it is due dette to y ^• poo­re prechour of goddes worde to lyue by his prechynge. Therfor Raymūdde hospitalitate ordinand. sayth / that some axe almesse of dette / some only for nede to susteyne the bodye. They that axe almesse of dette eyther they be knowen for suche / or not knowen for suche. Yf they be knowen for suche they muste nedes be holpen. Yf they be not knowen / they shall be examyned wysely whether it be as they saye. For it were grete peryll to lette them yf it be so. For in that they gyue goostely thynges / bodely thynges be due dett to them / as saynt Poul sayth [Page] and the lawe .xlij. dist. quiescamus. And yf they axe only for sustenaunce of the bodye / eyther y ^u myght gyue all for stede & tyme / eyther y ^u myght not gyue all. Yf y ^u mayst gyue all y ^u owest to gyue all after the nede that they pretende & after theyr astate well ru­led Take exsample of Abraham and Loth whiche resceyued folke Indyfferently to hospytalyte / & so they resceyued angels. And yf they had put so­me awaye / peraduenture they sholde haue put awaye angeles for men. As sayth Crysostom suꝑ eplam ad Hebre. Therfore he sayth that god shal not yelde the thy mede for the good lyfe of them whiche y ^u resceyuest / but for thy good wyll / & for the worshyp y ^• y ^u dost to them for goddes sake / for thy mercy & thy goodnesse. And therfore the lawe sayth / y ^t men ought to gyue theyr almesse to cursed folke & to synfull folke be they neuer so wycked .xi. q̄ .iij. qm̄ multos. et di. lxxxvi. pasce & [...]. nō satis in fine. But they do the worse for y ^t they ben syker of theyr lyuelode For as saynt Austen sayth / yf the synner do y ^• worse for mennes almesse it is better to withdrawe it from him than to gyue it hym .v. q̄ .v. nō [...]nis. Nathelesse yf he be in vtter nede / he muste be holpen di. lxxxvi. pasce.

Caplm .xvi.

ANd in case whan y ^u mygh not helpe all / thou muste take hede to ten thynges. To fayth / cause / place / tyme / maner / nede / nyghenesse of bloode & of affynyte / age / feblenesse / nobley. Fyr &c take hede to fayth / for in caas thou shalt put a crysten man byfore an hethen man Also take hede to the cause of his nede / whether he is come to nede for goddes cause / or by cause of synne. Take hede also to y ^• place / as whan y ^• ryght full man is tourmented in pryson for dette & helpe hym yf thou may. For sythen we be boūde to helpe all yf we may / moche more we be boūden to helpe the ryghtfull man & woman. Also take hede to the tyme / for yf he gete no thynge of the in tyme of his trybulacyon & in tyme of peryll whan he is led to his deth vnryghtfully / but y ^u settest more by thy moneye than thou doost by his lyfe / it is no lyght synne Also take hede to the maner of gy­uynge / that y ^u gyue soo one daye that thou may gyue an other daye / & so to one that y ^u may gyue to an other / but thou wylt forsake the worlde all at ones for goddes sake & for perfeccōn. Also take hede to nede & gyue them after that they haue nede. Also take hede to nyghenesse of bloode and of affynyte / for by waye of kynde they muste be holpen rather than straun­gers yf the nede of both be euen. Also take hede to age / for olde folke muste be put byfore yonge folke. Also take hede to the feblenesse / for blynde & lame & other feble folke must be holpen rather than hole folke in euen nede. Also take hede to y ^e nobley of the persone / namely to them y ^t w ^t out synne ben fallen to pouerte & myscheef / for comonly suche ben shamefaste to axe dist .lxxxvi. Non latis. Et eadem di­cit Ambro .li. de officijs. Vnde vsus. [Page] Causa. fidem. tempus. sanguis. locus. ac modus etas. Debilis ingenius. ve­ricūdus factus egenus. Hijs bona ꝑsonis prudens erogare teneris. And saynt Austen accordeth therto in. de doctrina xpiana li. i. ca .x. ¶Diues. I suppose y ^t I mette w ^t two poore men straūgers alyke nedy both they axe / & I haue nought y ^• I may gyue but only to the one of them. ¶Pauꝑ. Saynt Austen in the same place byddeth y ^• y ^u sholdest than gyue it by lot. ¶Diues I assent / saye forth what thou wylt. ¶Pauper Also in thy gyuynge y ^u muste take hede to the holynesse & to the profytablenesse & the nyghenes of the persone y ^• nedeth helpe. For to the holyer man & to hym y ^• is or hath ben more profytable to the comonte yf he nede thou shalt gyue rather & better than to a persone nyghe of kynne or of affynyte not so holy ne so profytable / but y ^u haue the more specyall cure of hym / & but he be in the greter nede Also to them y ^• be poore for crystus sake & to the poore prechours y ^t preche pryncypally for the worshyp of god & helpe of mannes soule / puttynge a­waye all spyces of false couetyse / y ^u shalt gyue them that is nedefull to them after y ^• tyme & after thy power as to dyscyples of cryste. But to other poore folke y ^• ben poore ayenst theyr wyll whiche the worlde hath forsa­ken / not they the worlde / it suffyseth to gyue of thy relyf honeste & holso­me / for it is synne to gyue deyntees to suche poore comon beggers whan they ben not conuenyent to them. As the lawe sayth di .xxv. vuū. S. multi et di .xli. Non cogant. Of other poo­re men speketh saynt Austen in a sermone of clerkes lyfe & sayth thus. Yf the riche man haue but one childe / we ne he y ^• cryste be his other childe / yf he haue two childern / wene he that cryst be y ^• thyrde. Yf he haue ten make cryste the enleuenth / that is to saye / gyue he to cryste y ^• he sholde spende on the enleuenth .xiiij. q̄ .ij. si [...]s trascit. And thus leue frende ye may see that riche men whiche be goddes reues & goddes bayles owe to ordeyne for them that ben poore for goddes loue & wylfully haue forsaken the worlde for his sa­ke that they haue no nede. But to comon beggers & to nedy folke whiche the worlde hath forsaken / it suffyseth so to helpe them & to gyue them y ^• they perysshe not. Also leue frēde as saynt Austen sayth in the boke of the Cyte of god li .xxi. ca .xxvi. They that wyl not amende ther lyf / ne forsake theyr grete synnes done no plesaūt almesse For why sayth he / almesse sholde be done to gette forgyuenesse of synnes y ^t be paste / not to gette leue to dwelle stylle in synne & to do a mys.

Capitulum Primū.

DIues. Me thynketh thy speche resonable good & proufitable / & wel confermed by grete auctoryte. I thanke the for thy wordes & thy good enfo [...]aeyon in the nynthe [Page] cōmaūdement. Now I praye the en­fourme me in the tenthe cōmaunde­ment. ¶Pauper The tenthe com­maūdement is this. Non de [...]derabis vxorem ꝓximi tui. nō seruū. nō ancil­lam. nō bouē. nō asinū. nec ōnia que illius sunt. Exodi .xx. Thou shalt not desyre thy neyghbours wyfe / not his seruaūt / not his mayden / not his oxe / not his asse / ne no thynge that to him longeth. In the nynthe commaūde­ment god forbydeth couetyse of an o­ther mannes good not mouable. In this laste he forbydeth all maner false couetyse of an other mannes good mouable. Also in the nynthe cōmaū ­dement he forbydeth couetyse of y ^e eye In this laste pryncypall he forbydeth couetyse of the flesshe. And therfore sayth saynt Austen that the .x. cōmaū dement is this allone / y ^u shalt not de­syre thy neyghbours wyfe. And all y ^• foloweth after whan he sayth / not his sernaūt / not his oxe ne his asse / ne no thynge y ^• to hym longeth / it is of the .ix. cōmaūdement. And it is also a newe forbedynge of all maner mys couetyse / both of thynge mouable & not mouable / both of couetyse of the eye & of the flesshe. And therfore yf a man dyscoueyte an other mannes seruau t / or his wyfe / or his childe / as for possessyon & seruyce / it is ayenst the nynthe cōmaūdement / & pryncypally ayenst couetyse of the eye. And yf he coueyte theym for mysluste of the flesshe / than it is ayenst the tenthe com­maūdement. ¶Diues. I hope that not euery myscouetyse is dedely synne ayenst goddes cōmaūdement. For co­uetyse both of the eye & of the flesshe falleth lyghtly in mannes herte. And it is not in our power alwayes to flee thought of fals couetyse. For as sayt Poule sayth / the flesshe coueyteth al­waye ayenst y ^• spiryte. ¶Pauꝑ God forbydeth not suche couetyse y ^• is not in our power to flee / but he forbydeth all maner myscouetyse with assent to perfourme it & longe lykynge therin And therfore though men do not in dede theyr fals coretyse / yf they be in wyll to do it in dede yf they myght or durste for drede of the worlde / than they synne dedely ayenst goddes by­heste. ¶Diues. Syth it is so y ^• fals couety s;e with assent & wyll to perfour­me / it is dedely synne & ayenst goddes cōmaūdement. And as saynt Poule sayth / it is rote & begynnyng of euery euyll. Radix oīm malo (rum) est cupiditas Sythen wycked wyll gooth byfore wycked dede / why putteth not god y ^• forbedynge of false couetyse & of wycked wyll in y ^• ordre of the .x. cōmaūdementes byfore the forbedynge of the dede of lechery & of theft / syth couety­se & euyll wyll is begynnynge of both For wycked wyll gooth byfore euery synne / in so moche y ^• ne were not wycked wyll there sholde noo synne be. ¶Pauper God gaue the tenthe cō ­maūdement to the people as souerayne techer & as souerayne leche. And euery techynge must begynne at thynges that ben moost easy to knowe / & euery cure & leche crafte bothe of bo­dye & of soule muste begynne there the sekenesse is felte moost-greuous. And for as moche as the vnwyse people [Page] hath more knowynge that mysde de was synne than myswylle / & felte them more aggreued by mysdede thā myswylle / therfore god forbedeth fyrste the dede of false couetyse / & after he forbedeth the wyll & the assent to myscouetyse. ¶Diues. Yet contra te. God forbedeth no thynge but synne & synne of dede & of wyll is all one. For synne begynneth at euyll wyll & endeth in euyll dede. As we rede in the seconde boke of kynges / of kyng Dauyd. Fyrste he desyred the fayre woman Bersabee that was wyfe to the true knyght Vrye / and fro that wycked desyre he felle in to auoutrye and from auoutrye in to glotonye / & from glotonye in to false traytorye / & from traytorye in to murdre and manslaughter & blasphemye / and to despysynge of godded hygh mageste / wherfore god punysshed hym ful harde / for the childe soo mys goten dyed soone after the byrthe. And his sone Absolon laye openly by his wyues in syght of the people & droue hym out of his kyngdome. His other sone A­mon laye by his owne syster Tha­mar. And therfore Absolon her bro­ther and his slewe hym. Bnd Salo­mon his sone slewe his brother Ado­ny / & so Dauyd had lytel Ioye of his childern bycause of his auoutrye And was ther neuer after stabylyte in his kyngdome for y ^t auoutrye & murder & other synnes y ^t came al of his wycked desyre & euyll wyl / for y ^t he so mysde­syred an other mannes wyfe ayenst y ^t byhest of god whan he sayth. Non desiderabis vxorē ꝓximi tui Thou shalt not desyre thy neyghboures wyfe. ¶Pauꝑ Whan wycked dede is knyt to wycked wyl it is one synne / & both ben forboden by the same cōmaūde­ment in whiche he forbedeth lecherye & theft. But whan the wyll & the assent be not done in dede / than the synne standeth only in euyl wyl / & suche synne pryncypaly is forboden by these two laste cōmaūdementes / in whiche god sheweth openly that euyll wyll without the dede is dedely synne.

Caplm .ij.

DIues. Whan god gaue the cō mau dementes in the moūte of Synay to Moyses. Ther he forbade fyrste couetyse of the eye. But whan Moyses rehersed ayen the lawe to the childern of Israell whan they sholde entre in to y ^• londe of by­heste there Moyses forbad fyrste couety s;e of flesshe & putteth it byfore / as we rede Deut ^• .v. what was cause of this dyuersyte. ¶Pauꝑ. Whan god gaf them y ^• lawe in the moūt of Sy­nay they were in desert in grete mys­cheef / & therfore they were more enclyned to robberye than to lecherye. And therfore god for y ^t tyme forbydeth thē fyrst couetyse of y ^• eye & than couety­se of y ^• flesshe. But whan Moyses reherced ayen the lawe to theym in his laste dayes / they were at the entre of y ^• londe of byheste in a full plentouoꝰ cōtre / where they were more endyned to lecherye for welfare than to robbe­rye for mysfare. And therfor Moyses for y ^t tyme forbade them fyrst couetyse of the flesshe & than couetyse of the [Page] eye & of rychesse. An other cause leue frende is this. For all the pylgryma­ge of the childern of Israel .xl. yere in desert betokeneth our pylgrymage here in this worlde from our begynnynge vnto our endynge. In token than y ^t man & woman in his youth & in his begynnynge is sooner tempted to co­uetyse of the eye & of worldely good / than couetyse of the flesshe / & in his endynge & in his age latter tempted to couetyse of the eye & of worldely good / than to couetyse of the flesshe for in olde folke whan al other temptacyons cesse / than is temptacyon of couetyse of the eye & of worldely good moost brennynge. For ryght as theyr bodye by age nygheth to the erth / soo theyr herte clyueth than moost to er­thely thynges. And therfore in the begynnynge of theyr pylgrymage in desert as to begynnynge folke / god forbadde them fyrste & pryncypaly co­uetyse of the eye & in the ende of theyr pylgrymage / as to folke nyghe theyr ende / he forbydeth them pryncypally & laste / and moost openly without oft rehersynge couetyse of the eye. For comonly the more that men nygh ther ende the more couetouse they ben.

Caplm .iij.

DIues. Thy reasons be good saye forth what thou wylte. ¶Pauper God in the sixth byheste forbydeth the dede of lechery & of spousebreche / & in this byheste he forbydeth the wyll & the consent of herte to lecherye & to sponsebreche For as the dede of leshery is dedely synne so is the foule consent & the desyre of herte dedely synne. For as cryste sayth in the gospell. Mathei .v. He that seeth a woman & coueyteth her by desyre to do lecherye with her / he hath do lecherye in his herte though he do it not in dede. And therfore eche man sholde take hede besely what thoughtes entre in to his herte / and yf ony thoughtes ben about to drawe the re­son of his soule to consente to synne / anone putte he awaye tho thoughtes myghtely / & let hȳ thynke on the byt­ter paynes that cryste suffered in his syde / hondes & feet / & soo tourne his mysluste in to deuocōn of crystus passyon / & quenche the brennyng thoughtes of lechery with the blood & the water y ^t ranne out of crystus syde whan his herte was clouen a two with that sharpe spere / & thynke on y ^t endeles loue that cryste shewed than to hym & to all mankynde. And so to torne his foule stynkynge loue y ^t he begynneth to fall in shame & shenshyp in to the swete clene loue of Ihū full of Ioye & worship The mayster of kynde telled li .xij. y ^t ther is a byrde in Egypt y ^t is called a pellycane / & of al foules he is moost chere ouer his byrdes & moost loueth them. Ther is a grete enmyte bytwene him & the adder / wherfor the adder wayteth whan the pellycane is out of his neste to seke mete for him & for his byrdes / & than he goth in to the neste of the pellycane / & styngeth his byrdes & enuenemeth them & sle­eth them / whan the pellycane cometh ayen & fyndeth his byrdes thus slayn he maketh moche sorowe and mone / [Page] & by waye of kynde thre dayes & thre nyght he morneth for deth of his byrdes And at the thyrde dayes ende he setteth hym ayen ouer his byrdes and with his bylle he smyteth hymselfe in the syde & letteth his blood falle downe on the byrdes. And anone as y ^• blode toucheth his byrdes / anon by waye of kynde & by vertue of y ^e blood they quycken ayen & rysen from deth to lyfe. By this pellycane that loueth so well his byrdes is vnderstande cryste Ihesu goddes sone y ^• loueth mannes soule & womans more than euer dyd y ^• pellycane his byrdes. And he sayth hymselfe. Similis factus sū pellicano solitudinis. I am made lyke to y ^• pel­lycane of deserte. By the byrdes I vnde Adam Eue & all mankynde. By the nest I vnderstande y ^• blysse of pa­radyse For right as byrdes be brought forth in y ^• nest / so mankynde had his begynnynge & was brought forth in paradyse. By y ^• adder I vnderstande the fende whiche appered in y ^• lyknes of an adder to Eue & stange her full euyl & Adam also w ^t his wycked fondynge & slewe them both bodye & soule And not only he slewe them but also he slewe al mankynde in them For yf Adam had not synned we sholde neuer haue dyed ne haue wyst of woo wherfore this pellycane Ihesu cryste seynge y ^• myscheef y ^• mankynde was fall in by gyle of y ^• fende / he had ruth on mankynde / & for grete loue that he had to mākynde / as saȳt Poul sayth he auentysshed hȳselfe & toke flesshe & blood of y ^• mayden Mary & bycam man in y ^• lykenesse of a seruaūt & in our manhede & in our kynde suffered to be taken & be boūde & beten / forspyted / dispysed / byscorged at the pyler / be crowned with thornes / be nayled to the tree hondes & feet / and hanged on the crosse as a theef amonges theues & be stonge to the herte with the sharpe spere / & so dyed bytter deth all for our gylt & not for his gylt / for he dyd neuer amys in worde / ne in dede / as saynt Peter sayth in his pystle. And thus for our loue y ^t ben to hym ful vnkynde / he shed his precyous blood out of euery parte of his blysfull bodye born of the mayden. And his Inner hert blood he shed so to wasshe vs fro our synnes / & to reyse vs fro y ^• deth of synne into y ^• lyfe of grace / & after fro bodely deth into y ^• lyf of endles blysse Therfore saynt Iohn sayth. Dilexit nos & lauit nos a pccis n [...] ̄is i sanguie suo. Apoc. i. He loued vs so moche y ^t he wasshed vs frō our synnes w ^t his precyous blood. Loue droue hym downe fro heuen into erth / loue led hȳ into y ^• maydens bosom & brought hym into this wycked worlde. Loue boūde hȳ in cradel & wonde hȳ in cloutes ful poore & layd hȳ in an oxe stalle. Loue helde hȳ here in sorowe & care honger & thryst & moche trauayl .xxxij. yere & more. At y ^• last loue toke hȳ & boūde hȳ & set hȳ at y ^• barre byfore y ^• synful Iustyce Ponce Pylate. Loue layd him on the crosse & nayled hȳ to y ^• tree. Loue led hȳ to his deth & cleef his hert a two. And for whose loue leue frende. Forsoth for loue of you & of me & of other synful wretches y ^t neuer dyd hȳ good but offended hym nyght & day [Page] & ben to hym ful vnkynde. Therfor he may well saye the wordes that Salomon sayd. Fortis ē vt mors dilectio. Can [...] .viij. Loue is stronge as deth / ye forsoth moche strenger than deth. For loue led his lyfe to his deth / & he that neuer myght dye by waye of kynde / loue made hym dye for mankynde. And so sayth Salomon there. Brondes of his loue ben brondes of fyre & of flammes both. For the loue that he shewed to mankynde / and also for the loue that we ought to shewe to him. For ryght as the hete of the sonne with his lyght whan he shyneth in the fyre in the house / wasteth the fyre & quencheth it / so the loue of god and the endelesse charyte of his pas­syon yf it shone in mānes soule with his hete it sholde quenche & waste the brondes and the fyre of lecherye brennynge in mannes soule by foule luste and wycked desyre. And therfore he sayth to euery crysten soule. [...]one me vt signaculū suꝑ cor tuū. Can [...] .viij. Set me as a token vpon thyn herte. And saynt Poul sayth. Spū ābulate & desideria carnis nō ꝑficiet [...]. ad Gala v. [...] Go ye with the holy goost y ^t is called welle of goostly fyre / & ye shal not do the desyre of y ^• flesshe / for deuocōn & mynde of crystus passyon is the best remedy ayenst temptacōn of lechery.

Caplm .iiij.

ALso it is a good remedye to a man to thynke on his deth & on his freelte & on the bytter paynes of helle euer lastynge / & of the hygh offence of god & of the endeles Ioyes that they lese yf they assent to lecherye. Therfore Salomon sayth. Memorare nouissima tua & in eternū nō peccabis. Eccl .vij. Thynke on thy laste thynges & y ^u shalt neuer doo synne. Eche man & woman sholde beware that neyther by nyce contenaū ­ce ne by foly speche / ne by nyce araye of body they styre ony man or womā to lecherye. And though resonable arraye & honeste be cōmended both in man & woman after theyr astate ru­led by goddaes lawe & reason / & so they muste be well ware that by suche ar­raye they falle not in pryde ne in le­cherye / ne styre other to lecherye wyl­lynge & wetynge. We rede in vitas patrum / that ther was an holy woman whose name was Alexandre / and she was a full fayre woman / and whan she herde saye that a man was fallen in to harde temptacōn of lecherye bycau s;e of her beaute / she closed herself in an house & wolde neuer see man after ne come out of y ^t house / but toke her lyuynge in to her by a smalle wyked Men axed her why she dyde so. And she saye that she hadde leuer to shytte herselfe all quyck in the graue than to harme ony soule that god made to his lykenesse & bought soo dere with his precyous blood. We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Bryde / y ^t a man wolde haue wedded her for her beau­te / & she prayed god that he wolde sen do her some blemysshynge of her fa­ce / wherby that mannes temptacyon myght cese. Anone her one eye braste out of her hede / wherfore her fader made her a nūne as a woman vnable [Page] to the worlde. And whā she was made a nūne & had forsaken the worlde / a­none she had her eye & her syght ayen Thus sholde wymen besely kepe thē in chastyte & clennesse / maydens in chastyte of maydenhode / wydowes in chastyte of wydowehode / wyues in chastyte of wedloke / & kepe ther bodye truly to theyr husbondes / & so y ^• husbō des truly to theyr wyues. Forsoth it is a dedely synne a man to desyre an o­ther mannes wyfe or his mayden or his doughter to flesshely luste. Moche more is it dedely synne to oppresse thē & defoule them & lye by them.

Caplm .v.

DIues. Saynt Poule sayth / that the flesshe desyreth & couey s;eth alwaye ayenst y ^• sou­le. And it is full harde to withstande his lustes & his desyres. ¶Pauper Therfore man sholde gouerne & chastyse his bodye / as a good man of ar­mes gouerneth & chastysed his horse. For as Iob sayth. All our lyuynge vpon erth is knyghthode & fyghtyng a­yenst y ^• fende y ^• worlde & y ^• flesshe. Iob vij. And in this batayle our bodye is our horse whiche we muste chastyse & rule as a knyght dooth his horse. For yf y ^• horse be to proude & euyl tached he may lyghtly lese his mayster & becau s;e of his deth. And yf he be tame to his mayster & well tached / it shall do hym worshyp & helpe him at nede & in case saue his lyfe. Thre thynges ben nedeful to the knyght to rule wel his horse. He muste haue a brydel & sadel & two spores. By the brydel I vnder s;tande abstynence & trauayle / by the whiche the flesshe muste be refrayned fro his lustes & his euyll tacches whan he begynneth to wexe proude & wynsynge & kykyng ayenst his may­ster y ^t is the soule. And yf he be ouer proude & to rebell to his mayster / he muste haue a sharpe brydel of sharpe abstynence & of harde trauayle. And yf he be meke & tretable / gyue hym a smothe brydel of easy abstynence & of comon trauayle. The raynes of thy brydel sholde be two partes of temporau ce / y ^t is to saye / neyther to moch ne to lytel knyt togydre in a knot of go­de discrecōn. And than thyn [...] shal go ryght forth in the waye [...] lyfe & bere the to heuenly blysse. [...] [...]hou gyue thy flesshe to moche me [...] drynke & ease / it wyll be thy may [...]ter & slee the. And yf thou gyue it to lytell / it shall be to feble & fayle the at nede & let the of thy Iourneye. The sadell of thyn horse shall be pacyence & me­kenesse / that thou be pacyente in ad­nersyte & in sekenesse / y ^t y ^u folowe not the grutchynges & y ^• sterynges of thy flesshe. The steroppes of thy sadell sholde be lowenesse & sadnesse. Lowe­nesse ayenst pryde sadnesse ayenst the worlde & the flesshe. That thou be not to sory for no wo / ne to gladde for no wele ne for no welfare. Sytte sa­dely in thy sadell & kepe well thy ste­roppes / & for no pryde ne for no wra­the / for no sekenesse / for no aduersyte / let not thy horse caste [...] downe out of y ^• sadel of pacyence / but than syt faste by the vertue of goostly strength / & kepe thy soule in the sadel of pacyence / [Page] as cryste byddeth in the gospell whan he sayth. In paciencia vrā possidebi [...] aīas vrās. Ye shall kepe your soules in your pacyence. And as the sadell maketh an horse semely & plesaūt to the syght / so pacyence maketh a man plesaūt to the syght of god & of men & maketh them haue loue in euery cō pany where they ben. And wrath & Inpacyence & hastynes maketh a mā vnplesaūt & without loue. Of this sadel god spake to Caym whan he was wroth w ^t his brother Abel / why sayd god art y ^u wroth & why is thy face & thy there so fallen / for he was fallen out of the sadell of pacyence. Yf y ^u do well y ^u shalt resceyue of me good me­de / & yf y ^u do euyll anone thy synne cometh at y ^• yate to be punysshed. But the desyre of synne shal be vnder the and in thy power / as the horse vnder the knyght / and thou shalt be lorde therof yf thou wylt. Gen̄. iiij. But Caym by mysgouernaūce of his hors felle out of his sadel of pacyence into manslaughter of his brod / for he wolde not kepe hȳ in y ^• sadel of pacyence ne refrayne the wycked desyre of his flesshe / & therfore god cursed hȳ fyrst of all men. Therfore leue frende ke­pe you well in the sadel of pacyence / & let no angre / ne losse of catell / ne deth of frendes / none aduersyte / no trybula cyon / no sekenesse vnsadel you of pa­cyence. But sytte ye fast as Iob dyd / & saye ye as he sayd whan he hadde loste all his good / & all his childern were slayne / & hymselfe smyten with harde sekenesse and horryble & foule / than he sayd thus. Yf we haue taken good thynges of goddes honde / why sholde not we suffre wyked thynges and paynfull of his sond. God yaue and god hath taken awaye / as god wyll so it is done / blessyd be our lor­des name. Iob.i.et.ij.ca. Thus sytte ye sadely in the sadell of pacyence / & rule ye your horse by the brydell of abstynence / & by the reynes of temperaū ce / & yf your horse be so dulle in god­des way / pryke hym with two spores that ben diede of helle payne / & loue of god & of heuen blysse. And so with drede & loue compelle ye your hors to hye him forth in goddes waye. Let not your horse y ^• is your flesshe be to car­nalle by ease & welfare / ne to feble for mysfa [...]e & ouertrauayle.

Caplm .vi.

THe mayster of kynde li.iiij. de qualitate elementari. tel­leth that ther is a byrde that is called a bernake. This byrde wex­eth out of a tree ouer the water. But as longe as it hanged on the tree / it is deed / but anon as it louseth from y ^• tree & falleth downe in to the water / anone it quykeneth & swymmeth for­the. This byrde sayth he hath lytell flesse & lesse blood. By this tree I vn­derstande mankynde that came al of Adam & Eue / as the tree & his braū ­ches come al of y ^• rote byneth By this byrde I vnderstande euery man & woman whiche whan they be fyrst born of theyr moder they be deed by orygynal synne of Adam & not able to the lyf of grace ne of blysse. For as saynt Poule sayth / we ben all born childern [Page] of wrath & of deth. But anone as we falle in to y ^• [...]on [...]stone & in y ^• water of baptyme & ben baptysed / anon we resceyue y ^• ly [...] / of grace / & be able to y ^• lyf of heuen blysse / yf we kepe vs besely from the blood of synne / & from y ^• carnalyte of the bodye & desytes of y ^• flesshe. For saynt Peter byddeth vs. Ab­stinete vos a carnali (bus) desiderijs que militāt aduersus aīam .i. Petri .ij. Ab­steyne ye you from flesshely desyres y ^t fyght ayenst the soule. But for as moche as Iob sayth that all mannes lyf vpon erth is knyghthode & fyghtyng ayenst goostly enemyes. Milicia ē vi ta hoīs suꝑ terrā. Iob .vij. Therfore it is nedefull to euery crysten man to gouerne wel the horse of his bodye as I haue sayd. But more ouer as saynt Poule sayth. He mnste arme hȳ with goostley armure ayenst the dyntes & the dartes of the fendes temptacyon For as saynt Poule sayth ad Eph. vi. All our fyghtynge is ayenst the wyc­ked spyrytes of derkenesses / whiche be prynces & powers and gouernours of synfull men. Therfore he sayth. Arme ye you in the armure of god that ye may withstande the busshe­ment & the slyghtes of the deuyll / & stande parfyght in al thynges. Stande ye sayth he in treuth / and gyrde ye your lendes with the gyrdel of chastyte / & do ye on the habergeon of ryght fulnesse / & shoe ye your feet in dygh­tynge of y ^• gospell of peas. And in all thynges take ye to you the shelde of fayth with whiche ye may quenche al the brennynge dartes of y ^• wycked fende And take ye you y ^• basyn̄et of helth & the swerde of the holy goost / that is goddes worde / whiche as he sayth in another place is sharper than ony two egged swerde. ad Hebre .iiij. And by almaner prayers & besechynge praye ye euery tyme & alwaye in spiryte / & wake ye alwaye in him in all maner besynesse. And thus saynt Poule by the lykenesse of bodely armure techeth vs goostly armure / & techeth vs well to arme our lendes by the vertue of cha­styte / whan he byddeth vs gyrde well our lendes. And than he byddeth vs do on the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse in defence both of bodye & soule / y ^• we do ryght to all & yelde to god & to e­uery creature y ^t longeth to hym / both to our soueraynes & to our felowes & to our sugettes / & to theym that ben byfore vs paste out of this worlde / by almesse gyuynge / and yeldynge of dettes for them that ben deed / and to theym that ben behynde vs to come by sauynge of theyr ryght & of theyr due herytage. And thus arme we vs behynde & byfore & in euery syde with the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse. And ryght as in the habergeon euery ryn­ge accordeth w ^t other & is knytt with other. So sholde all our ryghtfulnes accorde to gydre & so be knytt to gy­dre y ^t we do ryght to all / soo y ^t we do no man ne woman wronge. For yf we do so moche ryght & fauour to o­ne that it be hyndrynge to an others ryght / than y ^• rynges in our haberge [...] of ryghtfulnes accorde not ne be well knytt to gydre. But ther is an hole wherby the fende may hurte our sou­le. Also he byddeth vs arme our feet [Page] & our legges with legge harneys that is goostly pouerte y ^t we withdrawe our hertes & our affeccyons from erthely thynges / & not set our loue to moche in erthly thynges / ne in worldely goo­des / not to stryue / not to plete for noo worldely goodes / but y ^• more nede compell vs therto / but seke to lyue in peas with all men yf it may be. And thus arme vs with goostly poue [...]te our legges & our feet that is to saye / our loue & our affeccōns ayenst the temptacy­ons of false couetyse. And therfore he byddeth vs shoe our feet in to y ^• dyghtynge of the gospell of peas. For eue­ry crysten man & woman ought to haue gostly pouerte whiche cryst taught in the gospell / & to forther the gospell of cryste / that is the gospell of peas in wyll & dede to his power / & to teche it yf he can. And yf he can not / helpe & forther them y ^t can in techynge of the gospell & of goddes lawe / & helpe thē with his good to theyr nedefull sustenaunce yf he may & they haue nede. Also he byddeth vs take to vs the shelde of fayth / for as the shelde is a try­angle & hath thre corners / in whiche tryangle yf fro y ^• myddes be drawen thre lynes in to the thre corners / ther sholde be thre tryangles / whiche thre be but one tryangle / and yet none of them is other. And therfore he sayth / that fayth of the holy trynyte is lykened to a shelde / for ther ben thre per­sones in y ^• holy trynyte / the fader / the sone / & the holy goost / & eche of them is god / and none of theym is ether / & though they ben al thre but one god in mageste. This shelde of fayth of the holy trynyte we muste take to vs in goostly fyght & byleue in the holy trynyte / and set all our fayth & al our truste in one god in trynyte / & praye to the fader almyghty / that he sende vs myght to the sone alwy [...] / that he graunte vs wytte & wysed [...]me to the holy goost all gracyous & ful of mercy / that he graūte vs grace so that we may haue myght wytte and grace to withstande all goostly enemyes. Also he byddeth vs to take to vs the baly­net of helth & of saluacyon / as sayth the glose / hope to haue the maystrye of our enemyes by the helpe of god / and heuen blysse to our mede for our fyghtynge and for our trauayle. For ther wyll no man put hym to laufull fyght / but in hope to haue the may­strye & mede for his trauayle. And as the basynet well arayed is clene fur­busshed from ruste / & made slyke and smothe that shot may soone glyde of & it is hyghest of all armure goynge & gaderynge vpwarde in to a smalle poynte / so muste our hope & our trust pryncypaly go vp to god / and not set our hope ne our truste to moche in mannes myght ne in erthely helpe / whiche is but ruste wastynge the ba­synet of hope y ^t we owe to god. Therfore sayth the prophete Ieremye. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man & in flesshely myght / & letteth his herte go awaye fro god. And blyssed be that man / whiche setteth his hope & his truste in our lorde god. Ieremie. xvij. Also saynt Poule byddeth that we sholde take with vs rerebras and vanbras & gloues of pla [...]e / that is t [...] [Page] saye good occupacyons & besynesse in good werkes. And therfor he byddeth vs wake in all maner besynesse of gode werkes For as the wyse man sayth Eccl .xxxiij. Ydelshyp & slouth is cause of moche wyckednesse. For an ydel man & lustles is lyke a man hondeles & wepenles amonge his enemyes / & lyke a man in batayll with naked armes & hondes / whiche for nakednesse & for defaute of armure leseth bothe arme & honde. Also we muste do abo­ue the Iacke or the acton of charyte. For as the Iacke is softe & nesshe and by his softenesse & nesshenesse softeth & feynteth all strokes y ^t cometh there ayenst / soo charyte softeth & feynteth all the dentees of the fendes tempta­cōn. Therfor saynt Poule sayth / that charyte suffreth all thynge pacyently & maketh euery trauayle softe and bereth al thynge easely. Omnia suffertoi a sustinet .i. ad Co (rum) .xiiij. And ther­fore sayth the glose there / that chary­te & pacyence & benygnyte with com­passyon of others myscheef ben the pryncypall armure y ^• longeth to cry­sten people. This Iacke of charyte is betokened by the cloth of cryste with­out seme all wonne aboue in to one / whiche in tyme of his passyon the knyghtes wolde not kyt / but kepte it hole & cast lott who sholde haue it hole In token y ^t euery good knyght of god sholde be besy to arme hym with the cloth & the Iacke & the armure of charyte / & trauayle to saue peas and vnyte / & make no dyuysyon. For the ende of euery batayle sholde be peas / and to y ^• ende & for none other men of armes sholde trauayle & fyght / as saynt Austen sayth. Thus leue fren­de I prayr you y ^t ye arme you in goo­stly armure as goddes good knyght. For though ye be not able to bodely batayl / ye be yet able to goostly fyght In that y ^t ye be crysten ye be crystus knyght ordeyned to fyght in this go­stly batayle yf ye wyll be saued. And therfore a [...]me ye you well as I ha [...] now sayd / and gyrde ye you with the swerde of goddes worde / by whiche ye sholde defende you from all goostly enemyes. For as the swerde perseth / kytteth / & maketh separacōn / so god­des worde / & prechynge techynge & redynge of goddes worde & of goddes lawe perseth mānes herte & womans & maketh separacōn bytwene synfull soules & theyr synne / & departeth a­twynne wycked company & maketh separacōn of mannes herte from er­thely couetyse. Therfore cryste sayth that he cam not to make synful peas but to sende swerde of separacyon in erthe to destroye wyked peas y ^• men haue in theyr synne. Therfore leue frende as goddes good knyght gyde ye you with this swerde of goddes worde / that is to saye / fastne ye it wel in your herte by herynge & redynge / by techynge & by dede doynge / and than take ye to you the spere of cry­stus passyon / & thynke how he was smyten to the herte for your sake w ^t that sharpe spere / & his syde opened & his herte clouen a two to shewe you how moche he loued you. And than he shedde out his herte blood & water in token that yf he hadde had mo [...] [Page] blood more he wolde haue shedde for your loue. Moreouer ye shall vnder­stande y ^• in bodely fyght a man must chese hym a good groūde & a playne place to fyght in. For it is not good ryghtynge in myres ne amonge corn in slydre waye & pytty groūde / ne in stoble groūde. And therfor saynt Poul by [...] deth vs stande in treuthe & equyte that in all our doynge we loke to our groūde & our cause be true & rightful cler [...]e & clene & make no stryfe in vn­certayne. Also a wyse knyght in his fyght wyll take w ^t him y ^• hylle & the sonne & wynde yf he may / & so muste we in gostly fyght take w ^t vs y ^• hylle of holy lyuynge y ^• we may saye w ^t y ^• apostle. Nrā [...]uersacō in celis ē. Our lyuynge & conuersacōn is in heuens & in heuenly thynges. And therfor saȳt Poul byddeth vs stande perfyte in al thynges. Also we muste take w ^t vs in our fyght the sonne & y ^• lyght of goddes grace / & the▪ wynde of holy prayer And therfore saynt Poul byddeth vs praye in euery tyme & alwaye / by all maner prayer & besechynge in y ^• holy goost / y ^t is to saye w ^t the grace of the holy goost. In this maner leue frende arme ye you in goostly armure / & dyspo s;e ye you to gostly batayl ayenst al goostly enemyes / & gouerne ye well your horse of your bodye as I haue sayd. Lete it not be to feble by ouerdone abstynense & tranayll / ne to wylde by ouerdone rest / by glotony / by l [...] ̄chery by wycked desyres of y ^• flesshe & euyl wylles / for in caas suche wycked wyl­les & desyres ben dedly synne in god­des syght & ayenst this last cōmaūdement Therfore Dauyd sayth that god preued & knoweth mānes herte & his lendes / y ^t is to saye / god knoweth mānes wyl & his lust For he knoweth more verely y ^• thought of mēnes hert & wymēs / than ony man may knowe y ^• others werkes. He seeth & knoweth al thynge / & therfore suche as man or woman is in hert & in soule & in wyl suche he is byfore god that knoweth both bodye and soule.

Caplm .vij.

NOw leue frende I haue in par­te declared you the .x. cōmaūde­mentes / by whiche ye muste gouerne your lyfe yf ye wyll be saued. For cryste sayth to eche man & woman. Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Math .xix. Yf y ^• wylt entre euerlastynge lyfe / kepe goddes cōmaūdementes And therfor do ye as Salomon sayth Deū time et mandata eius obserua. hoc est ois homo. Eccl. vltimo. Drede ye god & kepe his cōmaundementes / this is euery man & woman. For as moche as man or woman pleseth god by kepynge of his byhestes / so moche is he in goddes syght. And as moche as man or woman is in goddes syhht so moche he is and no more / as sayth saynt Ansten de ci.li.xx.ca.iiij. For as he sayth / ther is no [...] man ought but the keper of goddes cōmaūdementes For as he sayth / who so is not keper of goddes cōmaūdemēt he is nought for he is not reformed ayen to the ly­kenesse of treuth y ^t he was made af­ter / but dwelleth styll in the lykenesse of vanyte that he was not made to. [Page] Therfore Dauyd sayd. Maledicti qui declināt a mandatis tuis. Cursed be they y ^t bowe awaye fro thy cōmaūdementes & wyll not kepe them. We rede in holy wryte. Deut ^• .xxvij. That god bad y ^• childern of Israel y ^t whan they came newely in to y ^• londe of by­hes e . vi. kynredes of Iacob / y ^t is to say Symeon. Leui. Iuda. Ysachar. Ioseph & Beniamyn sholde stande on y ^• hylle of Garizym there to thanke god & to blesse all the kepers of goddes lawe. And ayenst them sholde stande other vi. kynredes of Iacob / y ^t is to saye. Ruben Gad. Aser. Zabulon. Dan. and Neptilym. on y ^• hylle y ^t hyght Ebal & curse w ^t hygh voyce all y ^• breke god­des byhestes & saye in this wyse. Cursed be y ^t man & woman y ^• maketh ony grauen ymage y ^• is abhomynacōn to god werke of y ^• hondes of men of crafte to worshyp it outwarde w ^t his body & setteth it in preuy place / y ^t is to saye in his hert to set his fayth & his trust therin / so to worshyp it with his hert Inwarde / & at goddes byddynge all the peple sholde answere & saye amen So mote it be. Cursed be he that not worshyppeth fader & mod / amen sayd the people. Cursed be he y ^t flytteth the boundes & the doles or termes of his neyghbour / & putteth hym out of his ryght / amen sayd all the people. Cur­sed be he y ^t maketh the blynde to wyl or to erre in his waye / amen sayd al y ^• people. Cursed be he y ^t peruerteth the ryghtful dome of the comelynge and of the straūger and of the faderlesse childe & of the moderlesse childe / and of the wydowe / amen sayd all the peple Cursed be he that lyeth by his faders wyfe / or by ony of his nygh kynrede / or of nygh affynyte / amen sayd al the people. Cursed be he y ^t medleth flesshely with ony vnresonable beest / amen sayd all the people. Cursed be he that lyeth by his neyghbours wyf / amen sayd all the people. Cursed be he that pryuely sleeth & murdreth his neyghbour / amen sayd all the people Cursed be he y ^t taketh gyftes to slee hym y ^t is not gylty / amen sayd al the people. Cursed be he y ^t dwelleth not in the wordes of goddes lawe / ne dooth them not in dede / amen sayd all the people. This is the hygh curse & the solempne sentence whiche god gyueth to all tho y ^• wyl not kepe his byhestes & lawe / & what curse & myscheef sholde falle to them y ^• wyttyngly or wyl­lynge breke his byhestes / he sheweth in the same booke the next chaptre where he sayth thus.

Caplm .viij.

YF thou wylt not here the voy­ce of thy lorde god to kepe and to do all his commaundemen­tes & his lawes / all these curses and myscheues shall falle to the and take Thou shalt be cursed in cyte / in tow­ne in felde / thy berne thy garner and thy seller shall be cursed / and that y ^• leueth the ouer the yere shall be cur­sed. The fruyte of thy bodye shall be cursed / & the fruyce of thy londe shall be cursed / thy bestes thy shepe shall be cursed. Thou shalt be cursed whan y ^• comest in & whan y ^• goest out. God shall sende vpon the hongre & mys­cheef [Page] & myshap and blame to all thy werkes that y ^• doost [...]He shall smyte the with pestylence tyll he shall waste the & destroye the. He shall smyte the with harde feuers both colde & hote / and with venemous ayer. God shall make heuen & the ayer aboue the brasen / & the erthe byneth the yreny / that is to saye / bareyne for defaute of ray­ne. For thy rayne shall be powder & asshes and myldewe to destroye the. God shal take the in to thy enemyes hondes / & thou shalt fall byfore thyn enemyes. Thou shalt go ayenst them by one waye / & flee awaye by seuen wayes / and bryddes & bestes shall ete thy bodye in the felde. God shal smyte the with sekenesse that may not beheled God shall smyte the with wo­denesse & blyndenesse of wytte / and so bysot the that y ^• shalt not wyt what is for to do / ne can no [...]ede ne coūseyl Thou shalt house & other shall dwelle therin. Thou shalt tylle and other shall in that thou tyllest. Thyn oxe / thy asse / thy horse / thy shepe / & thy be­stes shall be take fro the / and thy wyf & thy childern ledde awaye prysoners God shall smyte the with sekenesse vncurable from the sole of thy feet vnto the top of the hede / that is to say god shal punysshe the peple that wyl not tōne / ne kepe his lawes from the lowest astate to the hyghest. And but thou wylt kepe his lawes & amende the / he shall lede the & thy kynge y ^• y ^u shalt make vpon the prysoners in to ferre contree that y ^u neuer knewe ne thy faders byfore the. All these curses and many mo therto whiche be wry­ten in the same place shall take the / and pursue the tyll thou be destroyed For thou herdest not the voyce of thy lorde god / ne kepest not his byhestes & his lawes that he bad the kepe. And at the daye of dome he shall gyue to all tho that despyse his lawes his en­delesse curse bytterest of all / whan he shal saye to them. Discedite a me maledicti in ignē eternū ▪ Math .xxv. Go ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches in to y ^• fyre of helle [...] there to dwelle with the fende & his angels without ende. ¶Diues. That laste curse is moost for to drede / for other curses of tem­porall myscheef falle as soone to the good as to the wycked. ¶Pauper. Temporall myscheef somtyme fal­leth to a persone in specyall / somtyme to comonte in generall. In specyall it falleth somtyme for synne / somtyme without synne / to encreasynge of a mannes mede. But than y ^t mysche [...]f is no curse but a louetyk of god. But comon myscheef falleth not to the comonte / but for synne of the comonte. And of s [...]che comon myscheues that sholde falle to the people / yf they des­pysed goddes byhestes speketh god in that plale. And suche comon mysche­ues y ^• falle to the comonte for comon synne be called curses. ¶Diues Why were tho six kynredes of Iacob so as­sygned of god to curse the brekers of goddes lawe / & the other six assygned to blesse the kepers of goddes lawe. ¶Pauper. Them that were moost vngentyll of byrth god assygned to curse / for al tho six sones of Iacob were borne of the secondarye wyues that [Page] were but seruaūtes to his chyfe wyues Lya & Rachell / saaf Ruben / whiche loste his worshyp for y ^t he laye by his faders secondary wyf that hyght Bala The other six hyn [...]redes were born gentyll of byrth / for they were born of the pryncypall & more gentyll wyues Lya & Rachell / foure of Lya / & two of Rachell. And therfore god ordey­ned theym to blesse / in token that no man sholde be chosen to preesthode / but he were gentyll by wantynge of cursed condycōns. And also in token that it is more kyndely to worshyp­full persones as all prestes sholde be to blesse than to curse. And therfore bysshoppes & other prestes sholde not curse but for a ful greuous open syn­ne & for grete nede. Therfore saynt Po [...]le sayth to men of perfeccyon as all prestes sholde be. Benedicite. et nolite maledicere. Blesse ye & be ye not in wyll ne redy to curse but for grete nede / & that it be done in charyte to worshyp. For cursynge in the selfe is a dede of Imperfeccōn. And therfore god chose them that were moost Im­perfyte & leste worshypfull of byrthe to pronoūce the curse / & the moost perfyte & worshypful in byrth to pronoū ce his blessynge to the kepers of his lawe / whiche sayd thus in goddes name to the people.

Caplm .ix.

IF thou here the voyce of thy lorde god / to conne & to kepe all his byhestes that I bydde the kepe / thy lorde god shal make the hygher than all nacyons that dwelle vpon erthe. And all these blessynges shall come to the & take the / so that y ^u kepe goddes byhestes y ^u shalt be bles­syd in cyte in towne & in felde. The fruyte of thy bodye / the fruyte of thy londe / the fruyte of thy beeestes shal be blessyd / thy berne / thy garner / thy seller shall be blessyd / & all thy leuynges shall be blessyd. Thou shalt be blessyd comynge in and goynge out. God shall make thyn enemyes that ryse ayenst the to falle in fyght byfore the. They shal come ayenst the by one waye / & they shall flee awaye by seuen wayes. God shall gyue his blessynge prosperyte and spede to all thy werkes so that y ^u kepe goddes byhestis & go in his wayes & in his lawes / y ^• al people on erth shal see & knowe that the name of our lorde is called on the & they shall drede the & worshyp the / and our lorde god shal make the plenteuous in all goodes. God shal vndo his beste tresour aboue from heuen & gyue the rayne in tyme. Thou shalt lene to other nacyons / & y ^u shalt haue no nede to borowe of other nacyons. God shall make the in to the hede & not in to the tayle. For he shal put the alwaye aboue & not byneth / so that y ^• kepe his byhestes & his lawes. And at the daye of dome he shall gyue to all the kepers of his lawes his endelesse blessynge of euer lastynge Ioye / & say to them in this wyse. Venite benedicti patri [...] mei. possidete paratū vobis regnu a [...]stitucōe mūdi. Math .xxv. Co­me ye with me ye blessyd childern of my faders / & take ye in possessyon the kyngdome of heuen arayed & ordey­ned [Page] to you from the settynge or ma­kynge of the worlde. In whiche kyngdome as sayth saynt Austen shall be lyght without derkenesse / endelesse Ioye without heuynesse / endelesse lyf without wo / endelesse myrthe & glad­nesse w ^t the blysfull companye of angels apostles & all sayntes. There he sayth is lyght of lyght well bryght shynynge. There is y ^e cyte of sayntes y ^t is called Ierusalem of heuen The [...] is y ^• grete couent of martyres & of holy prophetes & patryarkes Abraham Ysaac & Iacob & of al sayntes The [...] is no sorowe ne heuynesse after Ioye There shall be no nyght / none age / no feblenesse. There is charyte with­out ende & euerlastynge peas / no debate no dyscensyon. There euery man & woman hath y ^t he loueth & what he desyreth. There is all loue without wo & without sorowe & care. There shall we be angeles peres & felowes in blysse w ^t the hygh potestates Che rubyn & Seraphyn / & with all y ^• nyne ordres of angels. There shal be mā ­na our heuenly fode without corrup­cyon. There shall be angeles lyfe / & shortly to saye / there shall be sowne no sorowe / no dysease / none euyll / and what may be thought of ony good­nesse there it shall be founde.

Caplm .x.

THe kyngdom of heuen is called in holy wrytte a cyte sette on a full hygh hylle in staby­lyte & [...]sekernesse without drede and without peryll / for there maye none enemye / noo peryll / noo dysease nyghtherto It standeth so hygh and in so grete welthe / for men haue in this cyte what euer they desyre. There is nought to seke from without / it ne­deth no helpe from without. But all muste seke helpe from within this cyte Therfor sayth Ysaye the prophete lx.ca. Helth & sanacōn occupy the walles of this cyte kepe theym & defende them and praysynge of god / without ceasynge occupyeth the yates & so ke­peth hem y ^t ther may no sorowe entre In this cyte sayth he shalt y ^u not nede to haue y ^• sonne to shyne to y ^• by dayene the lyght of the mone shal not shyne to the by nyght / but thy lorde god cryst Ihesus y ^t bought the so dere shal be lyght without ende / & thy god shal be thy Ioye / there thy sonne shall ne­uer go downe / & thy more shal neuer wayne / for thy lorde god shall be thy lyght without ende / & y ^• dayes of thy sorowe here in this worlde there shall be ended / for god there shall wype a­waye the teres from the eyen of his sayntes. Ther shalbe no wepynge no cryeng / no hongre / no thrust / no sorow for all y ^• wo & dyseases y ^• were byfore ben all past from them that come to this cyte. All y ^e people of this cyte shal be good & ryghtful / there shal no shrewe / no bryger / no lechour / no wycked lyuer entre in to this cyte The [...] euery man & woman shall shyne as bryght as y ^• sonne / & whan many sonnes ben gadred to gydre in companye w ^t the hygh sonne of ryghtfulnes cryst Ihesus whiche sayth in y ^e gospell. Ego sū lux mūdi. Io .viij. I am lyght of the worlde / there shall be a fayre compa­ny [Page] / a blysfull company. God brynge vs therto. Than y ^• sonne shall be .vij. tymes brygh [...]er than it is now / & the mone as bryght as the sonne is now. Than the sonne shal stande in y ^e eest alwaye styll / & the mone in y ^• west al­waye shynynge without wanyng So y ^t synful soules dampned to helle vnd therth shall no confort haue neyther by sonne ne by mone. In this kyngdome in this cyte is no wynde / no storme no tempest / no thondre / no lyghtnyng no rayne / hayl / frost ne snowe / no hete no colde Ther be no skyes no cloudes to let our lyght / but alwaye mery so­mer / alwaye bryght daye. In this cyte al men & wymen ben free. The kyng of this cyte axeth no presaūtes ne gyftes of man ne of woman / but theyr hertes & theyr loue & y ^t they fare well He putteth no man ne woman there to trauayle / but he wyl y ^t all be in rest in peas & in ease. And what ony man or woman there desyreth to haue / he gyueth it to them anone. He axeth no rente / no trybute / no seruyce / none ho­mage / but good loue & good herte / & that we loue hym with Ioye & myrth & gladnesse. He gyueth vs all that he axeth of vs. Gyue thy selfe to this blysse / & y ^u shalt haue this blysse / other pryce axeth he none. For this blysse may not be bought but with loue and charyte. In this cyte shall euery man & woman haue so grete lordshyp y ^• al they shall haue place ynough with­out enuye / & al be kynges & quenes of as moche as they desyre. Ther shall be no pletynge for no lordshyd / for no londe. Ther shall be none enuye / but euery man & woman glad of others welfare. Ther shal be no wo no dys­ease / but endelesse Ioye & welth / & en­delesse helth. In herynge swete songe & melodye / in syght endeles fayrnesse in tastynge & smellynge endelesse swetene s;se / in felynge endelesse lykynge without woo.

Caplm .xi.

OF this cyte speketh saynt Io­han in the boke of goddes pre­uytees .xxi. ca. and sayth thus. The angell ledde me in spiryte by vysyon in to an full hygh hylle & a full grete / & there he shewed me the holy cyte of Ierusalem ordeyned of god / & hauynge the bryghtnesse & the beaute of god. The lyght of this cyte was lyke the precyous stone I [...]spis & crystel whiche stone betokeneth cryste sonne of ryghtwysnesse / whiche sayth in the gospell. Ego sū lux mūdi. Io .viij. I am lyght of y ^• worlde. This cyte had a walle [...]ull hygh / & it had .xij. yates / & eche yate .xij. angelles redye porters to lede in all good soules / & in the ya­tes were wryten all the names of the xij. kynredes of Israel / that is to saye of all y ^t shall be saued & be able to see god in his face For the names of al y ^t shall be saued ben regystred in y ^• boke of lyfe in heuen & redy wryten in the yates of heuen ayenst our comynge / in token y ^• we shall be welcome & sy­ker of our blysse yf we do [...]ur deuour This cyte stode in square and it had thre yates in to the cest / thre in y ^• north thre in the south / & thre in to the west in token y ^• out of foure partes of the [Page] worlde / that is to saye / out of euery parte of the worlde soules entre in to heuen blysse of yonge & olde / ryche & poore by the fayth of the holy tryny­te that is betokened by the thre ya [...]es Yonge folke ben vnderstande by the eest there the daye begynneth. Olde folke by the weste there the daye en­deth. Ryche folke by the south. Poore folke by the north / for y ^t cōt [...] is moost sharpe & bareyne. The walle of the cyte was set & groūded on .xij. precyoꝰ stones. The fyrste was Iaspis / the .ij. Saphirus / the .iij. Calcidoniꝰ / the .iiij Smaragdus / the .v. Sardenix / the .vi. Sardinus / the .vij. Crisolitus / the .viij Berillus / the .ix. Topasius / the .x. Crisopassus / the .xi. Iacinctꝰ / the .xij. Amati s;tus. And in tho stones were wryten the names of the .xij. apostles and of goddes lombe. And all the walle was made of precyous stones / & the yates made of Saphires & Smaragdes as Tobye sayth in his boke .xiij. ca. And as saynt Iohn sayth / euery yate was as a Margaryte or Margery stone. The stretes of y ^e cyte were clene golde as clere as glasse / & as Tobye sayth y ^• stretes of this cyte were paued w ^t ful whyte clene stone / & always in the siretes is songe alleluya / whiche songe coude neuer clerke well declare ne ex­powne to the vtterest / for the Ioye the myrth / the melodye / & gladnesse that is there may noo tonge telle / ne herte thynke / ne honde wryte / ne wyt­te deuyse & declare. In this cyte saynt Iohn sawe no temple / for almyghty & goddes lombe cryste Ihesus verry god & man he is the temple of this cyte This cyte as sayth saynt Iohn ne­deth neyther sonne ne mone. For the bryghtnesse of god welle of lyght & the sonne of ryghtfulnesse Illumy­neth this cyte. The lombe cryste Ihesus is the lanterne & the lyght of this cyte. All nacyons & peoples shall go [...] in the lyght of this cyte / and brynge theyr nobley / theyr blysse / theyr wor­shyp in to this cyte. The yates of this cyte shall neuer be shytte. Ther shal be no nyght but alwaye daye / alwaye somer & neuer wynter. In to this cyte shall come noo foule thynge / no false lyer / no forswerer / ne none that dooth abhomynacōn of dedely synne Ther shall no man entre but they that ben wryten in the boke of lyf & in the lyf of the lombe cryste Ihesus y ^t bought vs so dere with his blood.

Caplm .xij.

ANd as sayd a grete clerke doctor de Lyra by the .xij. precyoꝰ stones / on whiche this cyte is grounded / in whiche stones the na­mes of the .xij. apostles be wryten ben vnderstande the .xij. artycles of the fayth / whiche the .xij. apostles gadred in to one crede / in whiche .xij. artycles all our saluacyon is set & grounded. And therfore saynt Poule sayth. Fide statis▪ Stande ye in fayth / for oure fayth is groūde of our saluacōn. By the .xij. yates ben vnderstande the ten cōmasidemente / & the two cōmaūde­mentes of charyte. Of whiche yates cryste sayth. Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata. Math .xix. Yf thou wylt entre in to the lyfe of this blys­ful [Page] cyte there noman dyeth / kepe thou the cōmaūdementes. This scrypture is wryten in euery yate of this cyte / in token that in to this cyte cometh noo man ne woman b [...]t y ^• kepers of god­des cōmaūdementes. For the cōmaū ­dementes ben the yates of heuen / by whiche we muste entre / and they ben also the waye ledynge to the yate of heuen. And therfore Dauyd sayth. Viam mandatoabrum tuoabrum cucurri. cū di latasti cor meū. p̄o. C .xviij. I ranne the waye of the commaundementes whan thou madest myne [...]rrte large by charyte. For whan men be to strayte at the brest by false couetyse & ny­gardshyp / they may not well renne in the waye of goddes byhestes. For fals couetyse byndeth theym soo strayt at the herte that they haue noo lykynge in goddes byhestes. Therfor Dauyd sayd. Deduc me dn̄e in semita māda toabrum tuoabrum. qr ip̄am volui. Inclina cormeu deus in testimonia tua aet nō in auariciā. p̄o. C .xviij. Lorde lede y ^u me in the pathe of thy cōmaūdementes / for it is my desyre & my wyll to goo that waye. Bowe myne herte in to thy wytnessynges & in to thy cōmaū deme t [...] / & not in to auaryce & couetyse Thus leue frende holy wrytt & holy men declare y ^• blysse of heuen by thynges vysyble y ^t we may see at eye / so to lede vs in to knowynge of the blysse y ^t we may see w ^t our bodely eye whyle we lyue in the londe of deth. But le­ue frende byleue ye it forsoth y ^• ther is an hondred thousande thousande folde more blysse than ony tonge may telle / or ony herte thynke.

Caplm .xiij.

DIues. Yf men hadde sadde fayth to haue suche blysse for theyr good dedes / ther wolde no man ne woman do a mys for drede to lese y ^• blysse. ¶Pauper. It fa­reth by folke born in pryson of y ^e wycked worlde as it doth by a childe born in the depe derke pytte of the pryson / whan it falleth a woman with chil­de be put in pryson. The moder that knoweth the welfare y ^• she had out of pryson is in moche sorowe & care and longeth full moche to be out of pry­son ayen in her welfare. But the childe born in the myscheef of the pryson and neuer hadde knowynge of better fare gyueth lytell tale of that myscheue in pryson. But aslonge as he hath his moder with hym & his sustenaū ­ce though it be full feble / he maketh no sorowe ne care / he longeth after no better fare / for he knoweth no better. For yf his moder tells hym of y ^• Ioye & welfare out of pryson / of the sonne mone & of the sterres of y ^• fayre flou­res spryngynge vpon erthe / of the byrdes syngynge / of myrthe / of melodye of ryche arraye / of lordes / of ladyes / & welth y ^t is out of pryson / all hyr ta­le is but a dreme to the childe / he byleueth it not / & therfore he longeth not therafter / & wyll not for all this blys­se & the welfare that she speketh of forsake his moder ne the feble fare y ^t he hath with her / & that is for he by­leueth it not / & yet it is as the moder telleth the childe. But were the chil­de ones out of pryson and sawe the [Page] welth & myrth & the welfare whiche his moder tolde hym of / he wolde be full sory for to go ayen to pryson the­re to lyue with his moder. For all his lyfe in pryson that was fyrst lykynge ynough to hȳ sholde than be full bytter / & he sholde neuer haue Ioye ne reste in herte tyll he came ayen to y ^t welfare y ^t he sawe out of pryson. Ryght thus folke of this worlde borne and brought forth in sorowe & care & moche trauayl in the pryson of this worlde / they haue so moche loue & lykyn­ge to theyr erthly moder & to ther cō panye / that is to saye / in erth & in er­thely thynges / for erth is moder of al that they haue no lykynge in heuen­ly thynges / ne longe not therafter. And yet theyr gostly moder holy chirche & ther goostly fader and god him selfe fader of all telleth them of the blysse of heuen. It is to them but a dreme / as is the moders tale to her childe in pryson / & they haue noo sad fayth therin. And though it be so as our mod holy chirche telleth vs thou­ghe the childe byleue not that suche welfare be out of pryson / the welfare is neuer the lesse / & though erthely co­uetouse men haue no lykynge but in erth & in erthly thynges byleue not y ^• suche blysse be in heuen yet ther is su­che blysse and neuer the lesse for theyr false byleue. But had they ones sene & assayed a lytell of that blysse / al the Ioye & lykynge y ^t they haue in this worlde & in erthly thynges sholde be to them full grete bytternesse full of sorowe & care. Example we haue of saynt Peter whom Cryste ledde vpon the hylle of Thabor with saynt Iohn & saynt Iames / and there he shewed them but a lytell of the blysse of his manhode. His face shone as bryght as the sonne / his clothes were whyte as snowe. Moyses and Hely appered with hym in grete blysse & magestee. Than Peter sayd to our lorde Ihesu Lorde it is good to vs to be here. Make we here thre tabernacles / one to the an other to Moyses / & an other to Hely / and let vs all dwelle here. Luce .ix. And anone in syght of lytel blysse he forgat al the blysse of this worlde. He cared neyther for mete drynke ne clo­thynge / for hym thought he myght haue lyued without ende by the blys­full syght & with that company. Also whan saynt Poule was rauysshed in to heuen & had seen y ^• vysyon of god afterwarde all his lyf in this worlde was to him a payne / so moche he longed ayen to y ^t blysse. And therfore he sayd. Infelix ego quis me liberabit demorte corꝑis huiꝰ . Ro.vij. I an vnsely man who shall delyuer me fro y ^• deth of this body I coueyte to be departed the soule from the bodye & be without ende with cryste. Moyses was w ^t god in the moūt of Synay .xl. dayes. and xl. nyghtes metelesse & drynkeles fedd by the speche of god & by his pre­sence / & yet sawe he but lytell of this blysse. For he was not able to see his blysse / ne noman lyuynge in this worlde / as god sayd to hym y ^• tyme. But leue frende after our deth yf we kepe well goddes commaundementes and amende our mysdedes by our lyfe / we shal see his grete blysse whiche neither [Page] Peter ne Poule ne Moyses myght see in erthe. And we shalbe syker of that blysse without ende. Whiche blysse as saynt Poule sayth y ^• none erthely eye may see / ne ere here / ne herte thynke / ne wytte comprehende. In this blysse leue frende I hope to see you & dwelle with you in the hyghe cyte of Ierusalem in the kynges courte of heuen. To whiche blysse he brynge vs / that for vs dyed on the rode tree. Amen.