spake to the knyghte of the Lyon yet by counseyll of the people he hadde the Lyon in suspecte wherfore whan he wente into his owne countre ayen Priuely while the Lyon slept he toke the water and went to the shyppe and sayled forthe And whan this Lyon a wooke and myssed his master a noon he yaue a grete rorynge and wet after him into the see and swame after him as long as he myght whanne his myght fayled him than was he drowned By this knyghte ye maye vnderstonde goddes sone of heuyn that came oute of ferre countre that was oute of heuyn into this worlde was bounde for mankynde weth this olde addre the fende to a tre of inobedience wherfore with the sharpe swerde that was his passion he loused mankynde oute of his bondes and made him free to goo where he wolde And therfore all cristen people been bounde to worshippe him and thank him for his loâ—synge and to be buxum to him all the tyme that they haue lyf and folowe sewe the lore of holy churche he shal passe through the water that is to lay through the peyn of dethe and he sâ—al coÌ„me to the ioye that euir shall laste withoute ende the whiche god brynge vs all to Amen ¶ Diuerse questiones mAny wyll aske diuerse questiones of the seruyce of thyse dayes of suche prestes as they suppose can nat make no redy aunswere But putt him to shame and do him velony and repreef wherfore I haue tylled whiche be nedefull for euery preest to knowe and if he wyll loke on it and kepe them redely in herte he may make redy aunswere so shall it be to him bothe worship and profyt ¶ Firste if a man aske why Sherethursdaye is called so ye may say that in holy churche it is called thus ¶ Cena domini Oure lordes souper day For that day he souped with his discyples openlye And after souper he yaue them his fleshe and his blood to ete and to drynke and sayd thus Accipite manducate Hoc est corpus meum Take ye this and ete it for it is myne owne body and anoon after he wissh his disciples feet shewynge what mekenesse that was in him And for the grete loue that he hadde to theym It is â—o in englysshe called sherethursdaye For in olde faders daies the peple wolde that daye shere their hedes and clyppe ther berdes and poll their hedes and so make theym honest ayenst esterday For on good fryday they do theyr bodies noon â—ase but suffre penaunce in mynde of him that that daye suffryd his passion for all mankynd On ester euyn it is tyme to here their seruyce and after seruyce make holy day It is wretyn in the lyf of a sainte that he that was so besy on the saturday bifore noon that he made a man to shaaue him at after none Thenne was the feÌ„de redy and gadred vp the herys then this holy man sawe that and coÌ„maunded him to tell why he dyd so Thenne sayd the fende thou doost no reuerence to thy holy day Therfore I wyl kepe thies herys tyll the daye of dome in grete repreef to the. Thenne anon he lefte of shauynge and tooke thies here 's from the fend and made to brenne theym in his owne honde to suffre penaunce and so abode vnshauyn tyll monday after This is sayd to al tho in repreef that worship nat the Saturday at after none Then as Iohn bylet sayth on shuthurday a man shuld do poll his here and clyppe his berde and a preest sholde shaue his crowne Soo that there sholde no thyng be bitwene god and him For herys coÌ„me of super fluyte of vaynes and humours of the stomacke and they shulde pare her nailes of hondes and feet that coÌ„me of superfluyte of fylthe without forth and shryue them and make them clene wythin the soull as withoute And thus make them clene bothe within and withoute The vayle that all this lent hathe be drawen bitwene vs and the quere betoknyth the passion that was hydde and vnknowen tyll the daies caÌ„me the whiche these daies be doone awaye and the auter openly shewyd to al the peple For these daies criste suffred his passion openly that he hadde hanging vpon the croce saynge Consummatum est It is endyd that is to saye Now the prophecy of my passion hath an end wherfore the clothes of myn autre ben take away For cristes clothes wer take fro him so was doon naked on the croce saue oure ladye his modre wounde a kirchef about him to couer his meÌ„bres The auter stone betokeneth crystis body that was drawen on the crosse as a skyn of parchement on a harowe soo that all his bonys myghte be tolde ¶ The besomes that the aulter is wasshen with betokeneth the scourges that they bete oure lordes body wyth and the thornes that he was crowned wyth The water and the wyne that it is wasshen wyth betokeneth the blode and the water that ronne downe from his woundis that was in his syde perished wyth a spere The wyne that is poored vpon the aulter on the fyue crosses betokeneth the blode that ranne downe from his pryncypall woundes of his body ¶ Also this daye is noo pax gyuen at the masse for Iudas betrayed Cryste this nyghte wyth a cosse Thus was the prophecye of his passion this daye ended wherfore this nyghte whan he hadde souped he made the sacrameÌ„te of his owne body and gaue it to his discyples to ete and drynke and began the sacramente of the masse and of the newe lawe And after souper he wysshe his discyples fete that was a maner of the newe lawe full oute For as he sayd to peter he that is wesshen and is clene of dedely synne hath noo nede to be wasshen It betokeneth thafflyction of dedely synnes Thenne yf people aske why preestes do not masse after souper as Cryste dyde It was tourned in to more honeste and more saluacion to mannys soule For as haymo telleth vpon the pystle of saynt Poule That many in the begynnynge of the feyth come to chirche on sheâ—thursdaye And those that were riche brought mete and drynke wyth hem and eten and dranke ner belyes full and thenne at night to â—en her housell and sayd that criste gaue hem ensample But whan the riche ete and dranke to moche the poure people abeydeth wythoute tyll after the ryche hath doone sore an hungred And thenne ete of the releef that they lefte And soo after the peple toke their housell where as the pystell of this daye telleth ¶ Saynt Poule rebuketh hem therof and tourneth that foule vse in to more honest clennes and holynesse that is for to saye at masse fastyng all the people to take her housell fastyng on ester euyn the pascall is made the cheef tapre in the chirche Soo is Crist cheef aboue all the sayntes in heuene The. pascall alsoo betokeneth the pylar of lyghte fyre that wente byfore moyses and the
this present world Therfor he ordeyned this present feste to be halowed in the next thursdaye after the feste of the holy Trynyte for all crysten people that wyll be sauyd muste haue sad beleue in the holy sacrameÌ„t that is goddis owne body in fourme of brede made by the vertue of crystis wordes that the prest sayth by workyng of the holy ghoste ¶ Thenne for this holy pope thoughte to drawe people to more deuocion and better wyll to this holy sacrament and to doo seruyce this daye he graunteth to all that ben worthy that be they that be verey contryte and shreuen of her synnes be in the chirche at bothe euynsonges at matyns and at masse For eche a â— dayes of pardon and for eche hour off the day xl daies of pardoÌ„â— for euery day of the vtas a C. dayes of pardoÌ„ in remission of all her synnes for euermore enduryng thenne ye shall vnderstonde that Our lord Ihesu cryste on sherethursdaye at nyght whan he had souper and wyst well in the moroweâ— that he shold suffre his passion and dethe and passe oute of this worlde vnto his fadre in heuyn He ordeyned a perpetuall memory of his passion to abyde for euir with all cristen peple in erth He tooke brede and wine and made his owne flesshe and blode and gaue it to his disciples to ete and to drynke said Accipite et manducate hoc est corpus meum Take ye this and ete it for it is myn oune flesshe and blood And this he dyd for they sholde haue mynde of him so he yaue other prestys power to make his body of brede and wyne Thus euery preeste hath power to make the sacrament be he good or badde For the sacramente may no man amende nor payre but he that is a good man and a holy lyuer helpyth greatly them that he prayeth fore And he that doth the offyce of the preest worthely and trulye shal be gladde and ioyfull that euir he was borne Foâ—â—â—re lorde hath yeuyn a preest a 〈…〉 power here in erthe that he gaue neuir to aungell in heuen that is to make his owne body in fourme of breed Therfor ye shal haue worshippe more in heuyn thanne any tong can tell or herte thynke And he that is an euyll lyuer and knoweth him selfe in dedely synne and presumeth to mynistre that worthy sacrament and wyl nat amende him he may be sure of perpetuel dampnacion with fendys of hel in euirlastinge peyne Thenne shall ye vnderstonde that he graunteth this sacrament to be vsed for euirmore in holy churche For foure causes that be nedefull to all cristen people The firste is for mannys grete helpynge The secounde for cristes passion myndynge The thridde for greate loue shewynge And the fourthe for grete mede getting Nota quod propter nouem raciones prodest homini audire missaÌ„ secunduÌ„ augustinum Saint Austyn sayth it profytteth greatly all cristen peple to here masse and in especial for ix causes â— sayth thus Quia illo die qua audieret missaÌ„ necessaria cibaria coÌ„ceduÌ„tur For that day that he heryth a masse he shall nat fayll of noo bodily fode nor no necessary thynge that shall be longynge to nor no lett shall haue in his iournaye where that he trauayleth The secounde is all venyall synnes shall be forgyue him and ydel wordes The thridde is that if aman dye it shal stonde for his housell The fourth he shall nat that day lose his sighte The fyfte all ydell othes that day shall be foryeuyn The vi that daye he shal 〈◊〉 no soden dethe The vii aslonge as he heryth the masse he shall nat wâ—â— olde The viii all all his steppes towarde and from warde the churche hâ—â— goode aungyll reknyth to his saluacion The nynthe all the while that he beholdeth the holy sacramente all wycked spirites flee from him and haue no power ouir him be he neuir so grete a synner This helpe and socour we haue of the holy goost and of the sacrament here in erthe and at oure laste ende al cristen people woll sende after the pâ—â—este to coÌ„me to him with goddes body â–ª and to resceyue it knowynge wel that he beleuyth stedfastly that it is the same flesshe and bloode that criste toke of oure lady saint mary and was born of her body very god man and after suffred passion and deth on the crosse for mankynde and leyde in tombe and rose from deth to lyue and now syttethe on his faders right hond in heuyn and shall coÌ„me ayen at the daye of dome and deme the quycke and the dede euery man after his deseruynge So with this parfite beleue al cristen peple shal be armed and made stronge to wythstonde the fendes that wyll coÌ„me and assayle at the departynge bitwene the body and the soull for thenne fendes coÌ„me besily to bringe him out of the beleue Thenne shall the sacrament that a man hath rescâ—yued in his lyf make him mighty and stronge that he shall sette all the fendes at noughte and soo ouircoÌ„me thâ—ym A nother skyll that the sacramente is broughte to a man to aske mercy of criste and remission of his synnes hauynge full truste and byleue that criste is euir redy to forgyue al theym that wyl aske mercy with a meke herte as dauid sayth Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies A contrite herte and a meke oure lorde shall neuir dispyse and that we may se by ensample whanne he hange vpon the crosse bitwene ii theuys that were men of cursed lyuynge And therfore they were ordeyned to be dede that one asked mercy with a meke hert and sayd in this wyse Domine duz veneris in regnuÌ„ tuum memento mei Lorde quod he whanne thou coÌ„myste to thy kyngdome haue mynde of me anoon at his firste asking he gaue him mercy more ouir he sayd to him thus Hodie mecum eris in paradiso This day thou shalte be with me in paradise And that other theef wolde aske no mercy in noo wyse for pryde he had in his herte and therfore he was dampned to hell Thus oure lorde Iesu cryste shedde his blood on the crosse in helthe of all mankynde So in the masse he shewyth his blood in grete socoure helpe and saluacion to all mankynde and the same flesshe and blood is shewed euery day in the masse for we sholde beleue stedfastly theron And he that beleuyth nat theron verily that it is so shall nat be sauyd at the day of dome ¶ Narracio ¶ Therfore I tell you this ensample that is in the lyf of Odo the Busshop of Caunterbury this busshop had wythe him clerkes that beleâ—yd nat parfytely in the sacrament of the auter and sayd they coude nat beleue that the bodye and blood of crist myght be mynistred in the masse Thenne was this busshop sory and prayed to god besily for her amendement And so on a day whanne he was at the
that thou owest to doo by dewte and by goddis lawe wylfully wythholdest theym For not only he that wrongfuly geteth But also he that wronfully wythholdeth are in dedely synne oute of this synne also spryngyth many shrewd braunches As mawmetrye AmbycioÌ„ Nygardshyp treson vsury symonye Raueyn theft sacrylege suche other Thyse synnes be so cursyd as I said to fore that in all thyng it contraryeth the wyll and the commaundement of god ¶ The fyrst commaundement it contraryeth when thou wythdrawest fro god ony thyng that thou sholdest worship hym wyth The second also when for a lytyl winnyng thou takest his name in veyn ¶ The thirde when by wordly besines of getyng of mony thou brekeste thyn holy dare ¶ The fourth when for couetyse thou wythdrawyst fro fader and moder bodely and goostely theyr sustenaunce or lyuelood ¶ The v. when thou sleest a man to haue his good ¶ The vi when thou doyst lechery more for good theÌ„ne for trew matremony The vii when for couetyse thou stelyste thy neyghbours good ¶ The viii when in questis and consistories thou forswerest the. and be rest fals wytnes ¶ The ix and the x. whan thou desyrest falsely thy neyghbours wyff or ony of his good Thus fals couetyse contraryeth al the commaundementis and wyll of god Therfore fle it and thynke that for all suche fals getyn goodes but thou make restytucion and amende the here or thou go hens Thou shalt be hangyd in hel with out ende mammona whiche is the deuyll of couetyse he yeueth foure commaundedementis to his seruauntis One is that thou kepe well thyn own another that thou yeue not Ne doo no almes the thirde that thou leue not to the poure for drede of lesing the fourth is that thou wythdrawe the. and thy meyne fro mete and drynke to spare thy good Of thyse four shrewd commaundementis eche man beware and fle suche couetyse and desyre of good as salamon dyd foâ— he desyred neyther ryches ne pouerte but that is nedefull to his lyuelood and accordyng to his estate and thynke though thou haue neuer soo moche thou shall leue it here for nakyd thou camest in to this world And ayen nakyd saue a ragge thou shalt goo out therof And thus al the care that thou hast here is but for an olde shete at thy goyng hens ¶ The fyfte synne is glotonye the whiche is an vnskylfull lykyng or loue that a man hath in taste or takyng of mete or drâ—nke to erly or tolate but yf sykenes or other grete nede excuse it Out of this synne spryngeth foure braunchis One is when thou etyst or drynkest to gredely In this fall tho that on the fastyng dayes wyll not abyde the houre of noon and sytte the lenger at mete and ete more at that tyme. then another tyme And ofte tyme queÌ„che theyr hunger wyth brede spyces or ouer moche drynke for drede of hunger And thus they breke vygylls ymber dayes frydayes lenten and suche other Another is when thou castis the to lyue in delytes passyng thyn estate And hast noo Ioye but when thou mayst speke of suche welfare thynkynge all best besette that thou spen ¶ dyst theron thou mayst well vse suche deynty metis and drinkys and not synne sayth saint Gregore For the syn is nether in mete ne drynke but it be appetyte and talent of the. that delytist soo moche therin The thyrd is surfete and that is when thou pomperist thy body wyth so moche mete and drink that thou mayst not brouke it but lesyst thy syght speche wytte iangelyng and bostyng wenyng to saye well and all is ayenst reason In this falle they that make ryot in rere sopers and destroye vyteyle that many a poure man myght be releuyd by The fourth is curyosite that is whaÌ„ thou canst nat holde the payed wyth easy fare but gadriste many curyous metys more to encreace thyn appetyte thenne to quenche thyn hungre In this falle they that waste goodes in etyng and drynkyng and greate festys makyng Ayenst all thyse cursyd brauÌ„chis thou must kepe abstynence in metis and drynkys For no thyng more dryueth awaye sekenes ne destroyeth lust of flesshe thenne doth mesurable takyng of mete and drynke Fyue maner of folke ben excused fro fastynge wymmen wyth chyld laborers pylgrymis childre olde folke and seke Alle thyse synne not to ete twys on the daye that is mesurable to susteyne nature and not theyr appetyte Ther is dyuerse abstynence also in dyuers personys The seke absteyneth hym for he may not ete and for medycyne The nedy where he hath not wherof the couetous for he wold not spende The gloton to ete the more after the ypocryte to be holde holy and the vertuous man to deserue mede abstenneth hym bothe for excesse of mete and lust of synne Thys shold eche man kepe to his power This same techeth saint Poule whan he saith I praye you as straungers pylgrymis that ye absteyne you from flesshely desyres that fyght ayenste the sowle And also destroye the body Thyse myscheues comyn of glotonye It ingendryth sorys bâ—yâ—gyth in sekenes· destroyeth vertues dulleth the wytte â–ª it hastyth the to deth and that that worse is for it maketh the lyke a beste for the fuller thy body is the eâ—â—tyer is thy sowle of vertu Therfore vse abstynence saith saint Austâ—n and thyse vertues shal folowe abstynenâ—â— sauyth thy mynde it sharpeth thy wytte it clensyth thy sowle dressyth thy â—yght maketh holy thy fame swagyâ—â— thy synne makyth strong thy blood norysheth thy mary destroyeth lechery renewyth thy bloode and leâ—gâ—â—yth thyn age ¶ The syxte synne is slowth And that is a greuaunce or anâ—ye of goostly dedys out of this spryngeth many shrewd braunches ¶ Oâ—â— is to drawe longe and tary the good dedes that thou sholdest doo the whiche myght tourne to the helthe of thy sowle of many other ¶ Another is a dulnesse or heuynesse of herte that letteth the to loue god And maketh the. that thou haste noo lykyng in goddys seruyce For though thou praye thyn herte is not theron The thyrd is ydelnesse the whiche is to moche vsed and that lettyth vs to begynne ony good werkys and lyghtly makyth vs to leue when we begynne where we were made of kynde to traueyle the synne of flowth holdith vs in ydelnesse and â—asâ— ayenste kynde Therfore and thou wolt be sauyd thou must flee ydelnesse for it is enemye of crysten sowlis stepmoder to goodnes and all vertues and the key of all vyces Alwaye doo somme good werkis sayth saynt Ierome that the deuyll fynde the occupyed for he is not lyghtly taken wyth temptacion that besyeth hym about good labour And Salamon sayth that he is most fooll that foloweth ydelnes for in heuyn he shall not be receyued For it is ordeyned oonly for them that haue besyed them here in vertu In erthely paradyse they shall neuer be for they were not in mannys laboure here ne in purgatory they
dede or counseill And also al tho that pryue holy churche of any righte 〈◊〉 make of holy churche any laye fee 〈◊〉 is halowed or sanctifyed And al tho that withold the rightes of any churche that is to saye Offrynges tythes reÌ„tes or fredome of holy churche lâ—te or distrouble or breke that is to saye If any man flee to churche or churchyerd who soo him oute draweth and al tho that procure or assent And all tho that purchace lettres of any lordes Courte wherfore lettynge is maade in cristen courte that processe of right may natt be determyned or endyd And all tho â–ª that the peas of the londe destrouble And all tho that blood drawe of man or of womaÌ„ in vyolence or in vylony make to be drawen in chirch or in churcheyerde wherfore the churche or the churcheyerd is enterdited or suspeÌ„â—â—â— And all tho that been ayenst the ryght of oure lorde the kynge and alsoâ— thein that susteyne warre ageynst the kynge wrongfully And all tho that are comune robbers and reâ—eâ—s or mansleers but if it be hem self defendynge tho that be ayenst the greate charâ—â—e of the kyng that is coÌ„fermyd of the court of Rome And al tho that fals wytnes bere wrongely namely in cause of matrymonye in what courte so it be or oute of courte And all tho that any false wytnes brynge forthe in right of matrymony for to destrouble man or woman or for to disherite any man of laÌ„de or tenement or any other catel And all false aduocates that for mede put forth any fals excepciones or querels through the whiche the right of matrymonye is fordoon or any other maner of right in stede of iugement And all tho that for mede or fauour or for any other encheson malicyously man or woman brynge oute of their good fame into wycked or make theym for to lese their worldly godes or honoure or putte theym wrongfully to their purgacioÌ„ of the which was 〈◊〉 â—ame bifore And all tho that maliciously distroble or lett the right presentment of any churche ther the very patrone sholde presente and all that therto procoure with word or dede or with false enqueste or with other power And all tho that maliciously despysen the maundmeÌ„t of the kynge to take a cursed man fro the tyme that he hath leyn in cursyng xl daies no remedye wyll seke And all tho that capcions distrouble wyth false iugement or false enqueste And all tho that their lyueraunce purchaâ—e ayenst the right of holy church all tho that meâ—e take for to distroble peas therâ— loue sholde be or charite Or stryf mayntene with worde or dede tyll they haue yelden agayn the mede that they toke of theym they may neuyr be assoyled And all tho that hold houses maners graunges of persones vycares or of any other man of hooly churche ayenst their wyll or their attourneys wyll And all tho that any maner godes meuable or vnmeuable awaye bere with strength or wrongefully awaye drawe or wasten of the whiche â—synge they may nat be assoiled tyll they haue made satisfaccion to whom the wronge is doone And all tho that anâ— maner of godes with violence or maâ—â—â—e bere oute of holy churche stedde or â—bbey or house of religyon whiche that therin is leyde or doon for warandise or socour or for to kepe and all that therto procour or 〈◊〉 and all tho that theym mayntene or susteyne And al tho that haue leyde hond on preest or clerke with malyce butt it be him selue defendynge And all tho that 〈◊〉 counceyll or helpe ayenst cristendome And all that her children wrongfully fader wyttyngly or ther children wyten on any other man with malice And all tho that werye or sle their generaciones or their children distroye with drynkes or with any other crafte And all tho that false money make and therto assent And all tho that good money clyppe or shere them to auantage to disceyue any maÌ„ with al tho that false the popes bulles or 〈◊〉 the kynges seaâ—â— And all tho that bye or sell with fals mesures or false weyghtes that is to say to bye with one and sell with a nother And all tho that false the kynges standarde them self wyttynge And all tho that any testament distrouble or therto procoure with word or with dede wherfore the dedys wyll is nat fulfilled And all tho that forswere hem self vpon the holydome wyllynge and wetyngly for mede or for hate for to to doo any man or woman to lese ther worldly godes and honoure And all rubbers and reuers openly or preuely by daye or by nyghte or any mannys goodes stele wherfore they were worthy to haue iugement And all tho that witholde any mannys goode that hath been spyred thryse in hooly churche theym selue wyttyng And all tho that distrouble the peas of holy churche or of the londe And all the kinges felones and all tho that them mayntene And all false conspiratoures and all false forswerers in assyâ—es or any other courte And all tho that any fals pleyntes putte forth ageynst the fraunchise of holychurche or of the kinge of the royalme And all tho that offrynges that are offred in holy churche or in churcheyerde or in chapel or in oratory or in any other stede with in the prouynce of Caunterbury with holden or putte away in any other place ayenst the wyll of the parson or vycary or their attourney in the parysshe that it is offeryd in And all tho that their goodes awaye yeue for drede of deth in fraud of holy churche or to forbarre their dettes payâ—â—ge And all tho that suche gyftes take or therto helpe or counceyll And al tho that let prelates or ordynaries for to holde consistory session or chapiters for to enâ—â—ere of synnes and of exces in gode amendement of mannys soul And all wyches and all that on theim leue and all heretykes that leue nat in the sacrament of the auter that is goddes owne body in flesshe and blood in fourme of brede and other sacramentes that toucheth help of mannys soul And all iogelers vsurers that is to say If any man or woman leue their catell to man or woman for any auauntâ—ge to take by couenante more or lesse 〈◊〉 their owne and if their be any suche in towne or cyte the Cyte or the. towne shold be enterdyte by the olde lawe and neither done therin masse ne â—aâ—rament vsyd tyll that he were out therof And all that witholde tythes or withdrawe their tythes wyttynglye oâ— maliciously to the harme of holy â—â—che or tythes let to be gyuen of 〈◊〉 goodes whiche be coÌ„maunded or ordeyned to be gyuen by the lawe of holy churche that is to saye of al frutes of yerdes cornes herbes that wax frutes of trees of all maner bestes that are newynge Of woll lambe and chese in tyme of yere Of swannes gees douys duckes of bees hony wax Of hay olso often as
And whan a man is sory for his synnes and sayth thus with a soroful herte god heryth his prayer and foryeueth his trespaces soo that he be neuir in full purpose to synne more butt to amende him and be in parfyt loue and charite withoute any feynynge And but he haue charite withoute feynyng 〈…〉 sample ¶ Narracio ¶ There waâ— a man thâ—â— hadde 〈…〉 and hadde founde 〈◊〉 long to â—â—le and coste him moche good So on â— daye he called his v sones â—ifore hym â–ª and saide Children I haue fouÌ„de you longe to scole and haue spent moche gode vpon you and I se no grete ê“fyt therof wherfore but ye woll among you all assoyll me a question I woll doo no more coste on you ne fynde no lengre to scole And they askyd of their fadre what the question was and it shulde be assoyled And he sayd I am olde and feble and may nat lyue longe and therfore I wolde wyte of you what thiÌ„ge wolde bring a mannes soule sonest to heuyn And anoon the eldest sone answeryd and sayd Forsothe fadre prechynge and techynge wyll bryng a soule sonest to heuyn of any thynge well quod the fadre what saysâ— thou to the secounde sone And he answeryd and saide Feyth and true byleue bringeth a soule assoâ—e to heuyn what sayst thou to the question my thyrde sone And he saide good prayers almes dedes bringeth a soule sone to heuyn what sayst thou to the mater my fourth sone And he sayde pilgramage goynge and greate penaunce suffrynge bringeth a soule soner to heuyn than any of these what sayst thou my fyfte sone And he saide forsothe fadre ther is an other thiÌ„ge that bringeth a soule soner to heuyn than all these what is that sayd the fadre Forsoth fadre sayd he charyte For 〈…〉 nat to 〈◊〉 warde For though a man pray and do â—â—mes dedes goo on pylgramage haâ—e full feyth and beleue teche and preche faste and suffre penaunce neuir soo moche trye and wepe neuir so â—oâ—de â—e oute of charite god heryth him natt And herto accordeth saint poule in his epistyll and sayth thus Si linguis hominum loquar Though I were so eloqueÌ„t as any maÌ„ or any aungell Et si habuero propheciam omnem scienciam And though I hadde all the connynge in the world and knewe the prophecy and the preuyte of god Omnem fidem vt montes traÌ„sferam And though I hadde so moche feyth that I myght meue hylles Et si distribuereÌ„ in cibos pauperum And though I dealyd all my good to pore peple for goddes sake Corpus meum vt ardeam And my body to brenne in hote fyre Caritatem autem non habeam nichill michi prodest If I haue nat charite al this profyteth nat to heuyn wardes ¶ Wherfore it is nedefull and most necessary to euery soule that wyll be sauyd to haue charite But though a maÌ„ say that he loueth god and loueth nat his eyn cristen he is deceyued For he that loueth god loueth his nyghboure in gode entente Thus muste a man be full of charite that wyll be sauyd Caritas cooperit multitudineÌ„ peccatorum For charite couerith the multitude of 〈…〉 deyeth in 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of charite shall be 〈…〉 And therfore of all 〈…〉 â—oost vertuous and moost â—â—â—ssarye to a mannyâ— soule yet we must â—aue a stable feyth withoute flaterynge and to byleue sadly aâ— holy churche techeth and to bileue faithfully in the fadre sone and holy goost the fadre full god the sone full god and the hooly goste full god And thies thre persones been but oon god that made al thinge of noghte This feyth was â—â—ste shewyd to the holy patriark Abraham in the vaâ—e of mambre Ther he sawe thre fayr meÌ„ coÌ„mynge towarde him but he worshyped but one yeuynge ensample to all cristen people to se in the spirite the fadre the sone and the holy goost thre persones and oon in godhede and worship them as one god Also ye must byleue the incarnacion of oure lorde iesu criste that oure lady conceyued in the hooly goost withoute wâ—â—me of her body in flesshe and blood as one of vs and very god and man and was dede and beried Tercia die resurrâ—â—n a mortius And on the thridde day he rose from dethe to lyue Ascendâ— ad â—eâ—os And â—â—yed vp to heuyn on holy thoursdaye Iude venturus est iudicare vâ—â—os â— morâ—â—os And shall coÌ„me ayen at the daye of dome and deme the quycke and the dede This is figured by Isaac the sone of Abraham that he gate on his wyf Sara through the holy goste whanne they were both passed age to bringe for the any frute For god saide to AbrahaÌ„ he shuld haue frute as grete 〈◊〉 multitude as were stâ—rres in the 〈◊〉 Thenne whan this child was borne he was called Isaac and whan he was fyue and twenty yere of age god said to Abraham in this wyse take thy sone Isaac go to suche an hyll as he shewyd to him and offre him in sacrifice that was to sle him as the maner was somtyme Thenne abraham had by heste of god to haue greate issue though he louyd his sone neuir somoch yet he toke him anon withoute gruchinge and went to the hyll and made his sone Isaac to bere woode to brenne hym selfe with And whan they came to the hyll toppe Abraham made an auster of wode and sette it on fyre and thenne he toke his sone Isaac and wold haue slayne him and offeryd to god TheÌ„ne anone spake an aungel to abraham and badde him leue of and take the shepe that stode therby and offer him in stede of thy sone Isaac ¶ By abraham ye may vnderstonde the fadre of heuyn and by Isaac his sone iesu criste that spared nat for no loue that he had to him But suffred the â—ewys to ley wode vpon his backe that was the croce that he shulde be doon on him selue and ladde him to the hyll of caluarye there dyd him vpon the altre of woode that was the croce that was made of foure diuerse maner of wode That was cedre cypresse olyue and palme and theron he dyed for all mankynde Thus may criste well be called Isaac that is to vnderstonde laughter for many a soul he broughte oute of hell laughing that went thidre sore wepynge Thenne lyke as this was a figure of cristes passion loÌ„ge or he was borne Right so this daye â—â—iste him self in the gospel sayd 〈◊〉 to his disciples that he shulde be betrayed Vnde Tradetur enim gentibus et illudetur et flagellabitur et conspuetur et postquam flagellauerunt eum die tercia resurge And howe he shuld be taken and beâ—en with scourges spytte vpon and after his scourgynge doon vpon the croce so sle him the thridde daye shall ryse ayen to lyf â—nd for they shulde haue the bettre byleue therto and to his wordes anoon to
fore theym he made a blynde man to se that cryed and sayd Iesu fili dauid miserere mei Iesu the sone of dauyd haue mercy of me Thenne said our lorde to him what woldest thou that I shulde do to the. he sayd Domine vt videam Lorde yeue me sighte Thenne sayd oure lorde thy feyth hath sauyd the And anone he hadde his sight and thanked god So muste euery cristen man that wyll haue pardone of god he muste haue contricion full of herte with shrift of mouthe and satisfaction in dede being in hole charite withoute feynyng and in stable feyth withoute flaterynge And to fiere you more to the faythe I wyll tel you this ensample folowynge ¶ Narracio ¶ There was somtym a bisshop in Englonde that highte by name grosthede and was busshoppe of Lincoln was holden the greteste clerke in Englonde or in the worlde And whome he leâ— his deth heâ— there came to him a grete multitude of fendes disputed with him of the feythe Insomoche that they had nygh tornyd him oute of the byleue and putte him into dispaire Thenne was oure lady redy and saide to hym My seruaunte bileuest thou nat in holy church as it techith And anone he cried and sayd yes gracious lady I byleue as holy churche techith me And anone went the fendes awaye and he gaue vp the goost to euirlasting 〈◊〉 To the whiche blisse brynge vs 〈◊〉 â—hat boughte vs with his precious blode Amen ¶ Dominica prima quadragesime GOde men and wymen this day is called in holy churche the firste sonday in quadragesme A nombre of .xl. for from this daye vnto Esterdaye been xl daies And for bicause that euery man synneth more or lesse for to make satisfaction for trespase all cristen people ben bounde by the lawe of god and holy churche to faste thies xl daies saue tho that lawe dispeÌ„seth with for reasonable cause ChildreÌ„ that been within age wymmen that be with childe Olde people that been myghtlesse to faste labourynge people as pilgrames and seke people Those the lawâ— dispenseth with vpon their conscience Thenne for cause that sondaye is noo daye of penaunce therfore ye shal begynne your fast on asshewednesday That day ye muste coÌ„me to holy churche and take asshes of the prestes hondes and thynke on the wordes well that he sayth ouer youre hedes â–ª 〈…〉 Memento homo quod câ—tis eâ— et in cinerem reuerteris Haue mynde man of asshes that thou arte coÌ„me of and to asshes thou shall turne ayen ¶ Thenne been there diuerse sâ—ylles why ye shall faste these fourty daies One is as the gospell tellythe this day thus Ductus est iesus in desertuÌ„ vt temptaretur a dyabolo How the holy goost bad oure iesu cryste goo into deserte bitwene ierusalem and â—herico to be tempted â–ª of the feâ—de â–ª and was there xl daies fastinge and xl nyghtes for youre sake shewyâ—ge â–ª to all cristen people the vertue and the mede that coÌ„meth of fastinge the wâ—iche been expressyd in the preface of the masse that is sayd in holy churche the xl daies that is thus Qui corporali ieâ—unio viciâ— coÌ„prinus mentem eleuas virtuteÌ„ largiris That holy fasting thrustâ—th downe vices and lyfteth vp the thought of a maÌ„ to vertues and to largenesse of all godenesse and geuyth grete mede in â—euen that shall laste euir â–ª and gete graâ—â—â—â—re in erthe For as clerkes telle the â—pyâ—eâ— of a fastinge man shall slee an â—ddâ—r bodily Thenne moche more it â—â—eeth the might of the olde adder that is the fend of hell that come to eue in paradise in lykenesse of an addre and tempted â—et to glotony vayne glory and couetyse Right so the fende came to criste in syâ—nesse of a man left he hadde be knowen and tempted criste as sayth the gospel Cum ieiunasset quadragiÌ„ta diebus et quadraginta noctibus postea esuriit ¶ whanne criste had fasted fourty dayes and and fourty nyghtes Thenne by kynde of manhode he hungred TheÌ„ne came the fende to him and shewyd him stones and sayd thus Si filius dei es dic vt lapides isti panes fiant If thou be goddes sone of heuyn make these stones brede For right as eue was rauysshed whan she sawe the apell by temptation of the fende to ete therof The same wyse he went to haue made criste to ete of the brede For glotony is nat only in maÌ„nys mete but in the foule luste and appetite of a man Thenne saide criste anoon to him in this wyse Non ex solo pane viuit homo sed de omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei 〈◊〉 lyueth nat only by brede but by 〈◊〉 worde that coÌ„myth fro the mouth of god Thenne the fende toke him and sett him vpon the high pynacle of the teÌ„ple and said If thou be goddes sonne â—â—nge thy selue downe without mannys helpe or harme that I may know the for goddes sone Then said our lord Non temptabis dnÌ„m deuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Thou shalt nat tempte thy lorde god yet he came ayen the thridde tyme. Assumpsit euz diabolus in moÌ„tem excelsum et ostendit ei omnia regna mundi He tooke him and sette him on a hyghe hyll and shewyd him all the kyngdomes and the richesse of the worlde and sayd to him on this wyse Hec omnia tibi dabo si cadenâ— adoraueris me All this I shall gyue the if thou wyll falle downe and worshippe me Than saide oure lorde god vnto him thus Vade sathanas scriptuÌ„ est eniz dominum deum tuum adorabis et ei soli seruies Goo sathanas it is wreten thou shall worship thy lorde god and only him serue Theâ—â—â— he lefte him and wente his waye 〈◊〉 Angeli accesserunt ad iesuÌ„ ministrabant ei Than angellys came and brought him fode For the fende is mooste besy these xl daies to tempte peple to thre synnes to pryde couetyse and gloteny ¶ It is nedefull to haue thre remedyes ayenst them That is ayenst glotony abstinence ayenst pryde mekenesse and ayenst couetyse largenes Ayenst glotony we must faste that is nat to ete bifore tyme and at mete ete nat gredely nomore thaÌ„ a nother tyme and to faste bothe daye nyghte as criste dyd But there is moche people wyll sytt and drynke bothe daye and nyghte and fyll their bodyes with foule lust of gloteny Also ye muste faste from all maner of flesshe mete and white mete For Ierom sayth egges is almoost flesshe and mylke blod And whan ye go to youre mete take ensample by holy churche whan the preste goth to masse that is goddes worde howe he at his begynning boweth doune his knees and byddeth all other doo the same in the myddes of the masse at th end of the masse bowe down your hedes to god And therfore whan ye go to your mete so worship god with a pater noster and an Aue. that sent you the fode and make a
to a contree that was called pounce where the people of that contrey where so cursed that they slewe ony that come to bee thyr mayster ouer hem Soo whan this pylate come thyder he applied hym to her maners soo what wyth whyles and sotyltye he ouercome hem and had the maystrye gate his name and was called pylate of poâ—â—ceâ— and had grete domynacion and power Thenne the kynge of Iherusalem sent after him and made him lyeuftenaunt vnder hym of the londe of Iury. And for pylate lyked well â—â—office preuely he sente to themperour and had his offyce confermed of hym vnwetynge to the kynge herode Kynge that tyme. wherfore whan kynge herode herde what he hadde done he was soo wrothe that they were enmyes vnto the tyme that oure Lorde Ihesu crist was take and thenne they become frendis ayen and fylle bothe in to one aseÌ„t of Cristis deth Thenne it happed afterward that themperour fylle syke sent after criste for to hele hym For it was tolde hym that cryste heled all tho that euer wolde come to hym of all maner of sykenesse what soo euer sykenesse it had soo bee But thenne had pylate done hym to deth or the messager come Thenne whan themperoure vnderstode that he sent for pylate and made hym come to hym ¶ And whan pylate herde this he was sore aferd take on Cristis cote And soo whan he come to rome to themperour all those that were in preseÌ„ce made pilate good chere all the whyle that he had on cristis â—â—te And themperour swore byfore that he shold be ded Thenne toke of the cote and anone as the cote was off Themperour was sore wrothe wythe Pylate that he putte hym in to a prysoÌ„ tyll he had take counseyll what dethe he shold deye on Thenne as soone as pylate wist and vnderstod that he sholde be dede he toke his owne knyfe and slewe hym self wyth all And whan the Emperour herde therof and vnderstode that he had sleyn hym self And thenne anone he made to bynde a grete stone aboute pylats necke and to caste hym in a water that is called Tyber Thenne whan he was cast therin the fendes made suche a noyse there about that all the Cite of Rome was sore afreyd ¶ Thenne whan Emperour sawe this he made to take hym vp agayn and thenne was he caste in to a water that was betwyx two hie hilles and soo longe tyme after there was in the water many horryble syghtes seen aboute that cursed man Thus Oure Lorde Ihesu Cryste suffred passion and dethe for all mankynde and fyrst whan he was take they dyde buffete hym and stryped hym naked and bete hym wyth scourgis ¶ A vertice capitis vsque ad plantas pedumnon fuit in eo sanitas ¶ That from the hyest place of his hede to the sole of the fete was noo thynge lefte hole on hym but all raw And after made a crowne off thornes and set it on his hede and bete it doune wyth stauis of reede that it perisshed his brayne And whan they had peyned hym soo they lad hym foâ—h all blody Ad montem caluarie To the monte of caluary to th ende off dethe yet wymmen of the Cyte whan they see hym soo fowle fayre wyth all to lougged and all to drawe for very pyte they wepte vpon hym ¶ Thenne sayde our lord to hem Nolite flere super me sed super vos et filios vestros ¶ ye wymmen of Iherusalem wepe ye not for me but vpon you and your children· For there shall dayes come in the whiche ye shall blisse the wombes that were bareyne and the pappes that neuer gaue souke Thus oure Lord preched byfore the vengeaunce that fille after vpon Iherusalem The which prophecye Iheremye the prophete spak of that is redde in holy chirche thyse thre dayes at tenebras the which was soo horryble of many dyuerse myscheues and in especiall off hongre deyde in the stretes Thenne was there a woman was come of grete birthe Tthat for houngre toke her owne chyld that was fedde wyth her pappes and slewe it and parte it in two partyes and than rosted halfe And thother halfe she kepte tyll on the morowe ¶ Thenne as the people come by the strete they had sauour of the roste and anone they come in to haue hadde part therof and whan they sawe the moder roste her owne chylde and sone they were heuy and foule dissmayed and wold not ete therof But wente theyr waye forthe ayen Thenne toke the moder of that child and ete theroff and sayd in this maner wyse This is myn owne sone and myn owne chyld that I bare of my body and fedde it wyth my pappes but I wyll rather ete hit than deye for houngre Therfore I tell you this to shewe you somwhat of the vengeaunce that fyll on Iherusalem after the dethe of oure Lord Ihesu Criste ¶ Thenne they ladde hym to the mouÌ„te of Caluarye And there they streyned hym soo on the Crosse that euery bone of his body myght be knowen one from another And nayled hym honde and fote to the crosse and they lyfte vp the Crosse and the body to gyder And wyth a grete peyce they leâ—e the crosse and the body falle doune to gyder in to the mortesse that all the body dasshed and his bonys craked and his ioyntes brast and veynes and al wouÌ„des brake out of blode Sydes armes legges fete and hondes soo that there was no blode in hym yet they toke a clothe while the blod was hote wouÌ„de it a bout his body tyl the blode was cold theÌ„ne they drew away the cloth pulled away the flesshe fro the bonis this was a grete pyte And soo whan he shold deye he began as IohaÌ„ bellet sayth Deê° meê° respice in me And soo saide al the verses siâ—â—ng tyll he caÌ„me vnto the verse In te dneÌ„ spaui And soo atte this verse ¶ In manus tuas domine coÌ„mando spiritum meum redemisti me domine deê° veritatis· ¶ There he gaue vp the spirite This is a grete ensample that our lorde Ihesu Crist gaue to al cristen that euery maÌ„ shold haue in mynde thise verses And he that can hem say and yf he say hem euery daye he shall not deye no maner myscheuous nor vengeable deth TheÌ„ne after this passion we saye orysons and knelyng at euery oryson saue atte that oryson that is said for the Iewes at that oryson holy chirche kneleth not for by cause iewes in scorne knelynge thre tymes to crist whan they scourged hym Thenne thyse orysons holy chirche prayeth for all maner of people For Iewes sarasyns cysmatiâ—s heretykis But not for crysten people for whyle ony man or woman stondeth a cursed â—he is damned byfore god And dampned shall be at his deth But he repente hym and amende hym whyle he lyueth in this present world ¶ Si scirem pro certo quod pater meus esset iÌ„ inferno
masse and had made the fraction he sawe the blood droppe fro the oste in the chalyce Thenne he made a signe vnto theym that beleuyd natt to coÌ„me nere him and to see And whan they sawe his fyngers blody the blode ran from the oste into the chalyce anoon for grete fere they cryed sayd O thou blessed man that hast this grace to holde cristes body in thy hondes that droppeth blood in the chalice we beleue verily therupon and we beseche the verily to pray to him for vs that thou haste in thy hondes that he take no vengeaunce on vs for oure misbileue and we cry mekely mercy And anon the ost turnyd into the fourme of brede as it was bifore And thenne they were parfyte men of bileue euir after A nother skyll is that the sacrament is made in the aulter to make a man by often syght therof the soner haue mynde on cristes passion and to haue it in mynde for it is the beste defence ayenst the teÌ„ptacion of the fende For sainte Austyne sayth the mynde of cristes passion putteth awaye all temptaciones the power of all wycked spirites And for this cause rodes and ymages been sett on hye in the churches for as sone as a man coÌ„meth into the churche he sholde se it and haue it in his mynde and thinke on cristes passion wherfore croces other ymages be ful necessary nedefull what someuir these lollers saye For and it had nat be full profytable holy faders wold haue distroyed them many yeres a goon For right as the people do worshippe to the kinges seall nat for loue of the seale but for reuereÌ„ce of the kinge that it coÌ„meth fro Soo rodes and ymages be sette for the kynges seal of heuyn and other saintes in the same wise For ymages been lewed people bokes And as Iohn Bellet sayeth ther been many thousandes of peo that can nat ymagine in their hertes howe criste was don on the crosse but as they se by ymages in the churches and in other places there as they been And for to haue the bettre mynde of cristes passion I shall tell you this ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was a cristen man of EngloÌ„de that went into the holy londe and 〈…〉 red an hethen man to be his guide and as he caÌ„me vnto a faire forest and sawe many faire thinges â–ª but this cristened man maruayled gretly that herd no noys of birdes therof he had gret meruayll and saide to this hethen man I meruayll moche that there is no songe of birdes in this wode Then sayd this hethen man This is the weke that ye call passion weke that your greate prophete dyed in wherfore on sonday ytâ—aâ—te was that ye call palme sonday all the foules of this wode dyed for sorowe all this weke shall lye as dede But on sonday nexte coÌ„mynge that ye call esterday they quycken ayen all the yere after they make melody whrefore 〈◊〉 vp in to the trees and see and thenne he sawe euery bowe of the trees lye full of byrdes as flatte as they had be sprede on the crosse ¶ Thenne sithe byrdes haue mynde of cristes passion and make suche mornynge and sorowe Moche more cause hath mankynde that was broughte from euirlastinge dampnacion to euirlasting saluacion by his passion ¶ The thridde cause is why the sacrament is vsed in the alter For a maÌ„ sholde by the sight therof thynke on oure lorde Iesu criste fader of heuyn that hathe but one sone that he louyth passing all thynge but he spared nat to sende him downe into this worlde to suffrer passion and deth to shede his precious blode for mankynde to bye him out of the fendes bondes and to wryte a charter with his owne preciouse blood of fredome for euirmore to all mankynd So that a man forfayte nat his charter by dedely synne But he that louyth god wyll kepe his charter for god asketh a man but loue wher he sayth thê° Da michi cor tuuÌ„ et sufficit michi et cetera Sone gyue me thy herte and it is enoughe for me Thenne take hede of this ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was an erle of venys that was called sir Ambright that louyd the sacrament in the Auter passinge well dyd it all the worshippe and reuerence that he coude and myght So whanne he leye seke and shold be dede he might nat resceyue the sacramente for castinge thenne was he sory and made dole and thenne he lete make clene his right side and to couer it with a fayre clothe of fendyll and leyde goddes body theren and sayd thus to the oste Lorde thou knowest that I loue the with all my herte and wolde fayn resceyue the with my mouthe and I durst And for I may nat I lay the on that place that is nexte to myn herte and so I shewe the all the loue of myn herte that I can or maye wherfore I besech the good lorde haue mercy on me and euyn therwith in sight of all the peple that were aboute him his syde openyd and the oste wente in there to his syde thenne it closed ayen and so anoon after he dyed and departyd oute of this worlde ¶ Soo lete vs loue the sacramente in oure lyf and doo it reuerence â–ª and worshyp and thenne at oure laste ende whanne we shall dye and passe oute of this worlde it woll socour vs and bringe vs to euirlastinge blisse Thus the sacramente is vsed for grete mede gettynge to all that beleue therin For though it haue the lykenesse of brede and the taste it is flesshe and semyth brede it is quycke and semyth dede ye must byleue verily that it is goddes blessed body that tooke flesshe and blood of the virgyn mary and after died on the crosse and rose fro deth to lyue and styed vp into heuyn and nowe sytteth on his faders right honde shall coÌ„me ayen at the day of dome to deme the quycke and the dede And he that resceyueth it here and beleuyth verilye theruppon shall haue euirlastinge lyf in the kyngdom of heuyn as the gospel sayth Qui manducat hunc paneÌ„ viuet in eternum who so etyth of this brede shall lyue euyr and neuir be dede And he that resceyueth it and beleueth nat thus Reus erit in iudicio At the daye of dome he shall be dampned into euirlastinge peyne Augustinus iÌ„ persona cristi Manducas me non mutabis me inte sed tu mutaberis in me Saint Austyn sayth in the persone of criste Ete me but I shal nat turne and chaunge into the but thou shal turne chaunge into me ¶ we rede that ther was a iewe that wente with a cristen man a felowe of his into a churche of cristen people and herde masse Et post missam dixit Iudeus And after masse sayde the Iewe thus Si ego tantum edissem quaÌ„tuÌ„ comedisti non esuriem vt puto in tribus
diebus ¶ If I hadde eten asmoche as thou haste eten I sholde nat be a hungred as I trowe in thre daies And then said the cristen man to the iewe Vere nichil comedi Forsothe saide the cristen man to the iewe I ete no maner mete this daye TheÌ„ne saide the iewe Ego vidi te comedere puerum pulcerimum qualem sacerdos eleuauit ad altare I sawe the ete a child the which the preste helde vp at the aulter Et tunc venit pulcerimus homo habeÌ„s multos pueros iÌ„ gremio suo Thenne caÌ„me there a faire man that had many children in his lappe Et dedit vnicuique vestruÌ„ vnnÌ„ puerum taleÌ„ qualem sacerdos comedit And he gaue eche cristen man a childe suche as the preest ete yet to sharp youre bileue the more to this hooly sacrament I shewe you this ensample ¶ we rede in sainte Gregoryes tyme. There was a woman that hight Lacyna and she made brede for the pope other prestes to singe with for to housell with the peple Also the pope caÌ„me to this woman with her housel sayd take here goddes body Thenne this woman smyled and laughed Thenne the pope withdrewe his honde and laid the oste vpon the Aulter and turned to this woman Lacyua and sayd to her why smylest thou whan thou sholdest resceiue cristes body And she sayd why callest thou that cristes body that I made with myn owne hondes Thenne was gregory the pope sory for her misbeleue bad all the people pray to god to shewe some myracle for this womannys helpe And whanne they hadde prayed longe Gregory went to the autre ayen and founde thoste turnyd into rede flesshe and bloode bledynge and he shewyd it to this woman Thenne she cryed and sayd Nowe lorde I crye the mercy I byleue that thou art very god and man and goddes sone of heuyn in fourme of brede Thenne badde Gregory the people to pray agayn that it sholde turne ayen to bredes lykenesse and it dyd and with the same ofte he housled this woman Lacyua ¶ And therfore lete vs doo all the worshyp that we may to the sacrameÌ„te be nat in mysbeleue ¶ Also we fynde that in Deuonshyre beside exbridge was a woman ley seke and was nygh dede and sente after a holy persone aboute mydnyght to haue her rightes Thenne this man in all haste that he myght arose and went to the churche and toke goddes body in a boxe of yuery and put it into his bosome and went forth toward this womaÌ„ And as he went through a foreste in a fayre mede that was his next way It happed that his boxe fell oute of his bosome to the grounde And he wente forth and wyst it nat and caÌ„me to this woman and herde her confession And then he asked her if she wold be housted she said ye syre theÌ„ne he put his hoÌ„de in his bosom sought the boxe whaÌ„ he founde it not he was full sory and sadde and sayd dame I wyl goo after goddis body and come anone ayen to you and soo went forth sore wepynge for his symplenesse and soo as he com to a welow tree he made ther of a rode stryped hym self naked bete hym self that the blode ranne doune by his sydes and said thus to hym self O thou symple man why hast thou loste thy lord god thy maker thy saucour creature And whan he had thus beten him self he dyd on his clothes and wente forth And thenne he was ware of a pyâ—ar of fyre that lasted from erthe to â—â—uen and he was all astonyed therof yâ—â—he blessed hym and wente therto there lay the sacrament fallen oute off the boxe to the grasse and the pylour shone as bryght as ony sonne and lasted from goddis body to heuen And all the â—estis of the foreste were come aboute goddis body and stode in compasse rounde aboute it and all kneled on iiii knees saue on blacke horse that kneled but on that one knee thenne saide he yf thou be ony best that may speke I charge the in goddis name here present in fourme of brede tel me why thou knelest but on thy one knee Thenne said he I am a fende of helle and wyll not knele and I myghte but I am made ayenst my wyll For it is writon that euery knelyng of heuen of erthe shall be to the worshyp to the lord god why art thou lyke an horse he said to make the people to stele me at suche a towne was on haÌ„ged for me at suche a toune a nother Thenne sayd this holy person I commaunde the by goddis flesshe and his blode that thou goo in to wyldernesse and be there as thou shalt neuer dysease crysten people more And anone he wente his waye he myght noo lenger abyde And theÌ„ne this man went forth to this woman and dyde her ryghtes By the whiche she was saued and went to euerlastyng saluacion To the whiche brynge vs to he that for vs shed his blode vpon the rode tree Amen De festo sciÌ„ Andree appostoli GOod men wymmen suche a daye ye shall haue saynt andrewis daye and ye shall fast the euen and come to god and to al holy chirche and worship this holy saynt that daye for iii specyall vertues One is for his greate holynesse in his doynge The seconde for his good lyuyng The thirde for his greate passyon suffryng ¶ He was a man of holy lyuyng for whan he vnderstode and herde of saynt Iohan the Baptist that he was preching in deserte Anone he lefte all his worldly occupacion and wente to hym and was his diciple and soo after on a daye as cryst come walkynge by the way saint iohaÌ„ baptist sawe hym walking he said to his disciyples Ecce agnus dei qui tollit peccata mundi ¶ See the lambe of god that shal do awaye the synne of al the worlde And whan Saynt Andrewe herde that anone he leete saynt Iohan baptiste and sewed Criste And whanne he herde criste preche It pleased him so well that anon he weÌ„t and fett Petyr his broder to here cryste preche Thenne they caste grete loue to god and sone after as they wer in the see of galile fisshinge criste caÌ„me and called them and anon they left fysshiÌ„ge shyppe nette and all that they had and sued crist euir after were wyth him tyll he styed vp to heuyn ¶ Narracio ¶ Thenne after that saint Andrewe prechyd amonge the people then on a day as he prechyd It happed soo there was a man emong the peple that was called nycoll that hadde lyued many wynters in lechery but yet by the grace of god he thoughte to amende his lyue And whanne he herde that the word of god was of so grete vertue that it sholde putte awaye all temptaciones of synne he lete write a gospell and bare with him whersoeuir he weÌ„t with the vertue therof he
absteyned him selue fro synne But yet on a daye by teÌ„ptacion of the fende he forgate him self and went agayn to a brodellys house as he was vsed to do bifore And whaÌ„ he caÌ„me thidre and the wymen lokyd vpon him they cryed oute on him and sayde O thou old sely man what dost thou here go home ayen For we se soo many maruayles on the that we maye nat haue to doo with the. Thenne this nycoll bethought him that he had the gospell vpon him and anoon he went to saint Andrewe and tolde him all the caas prayed sainte Andrewe to pray for him that his soule might be sauyd Thenne saint Andrewe wolde neuir ete nor drynke tyll he wyste whether nicoll sholde be sauyd or no Then saint Andrewe fastyd fyue daies brede and water and praied besily night and day Thenne caÌ„me a voyce sayd As thou haste fastyd and prayed make Nycol to do the same and thenne he shal be saued TheÌ„ne saint Andrewe bad nycol faste fyue daies brede water praye besily vnto god and so he dyd And thenne come a voyce to saint Andrewe agayn and sayd Thy prayers and thy fastinge hath made Nycoll that was loste founde ayen and he shal be saued ¶ Narracio ¶ Also a nother myracle that 〈…〉 yonge man come to sainte Andrewe in a tyme and saide priuely to him Sir my modre hath be longe aboute me â— I sholde lye with her and for I wold nat doo her wyll she hath accused me to the busshop and sayâ—â— that I wolde haue doon that sinfull dede with her wherfore I wote well that I shall be dede and yet I hadde leuyt dye â—e sclaundre my modre so foule therfore I beseke you pray for me that I may take my deth pacieÌ„tly to the saluacion of my soule Thenne sayd sainte Andrewe go forth to thy dome and I shal go with the. and so therwith the peple come and feâ—e him bifore the busshoppe And whanne his modre accused hym He saide noo thinge but helde his peas â–ª Thenne saide saint Andrewe InnoceÌ„s saÌ„guis enis sure causa dampnabitur This cursed woman for lust of her body wrongfully is aboute to dampne her own childe to deth vengeaunce wil come to the thenne sayd she loo syre iustice euer syth that he myght not haue his wyll he hathe drawen to this man for counseyll â— socour Thenne the Iustyce commaunded to cast this yonge man in to the water to drowne hym and to put saint andrewe in pryson tyll he were aduysed what deth he sholde deye Thenne saynt andrew prayed besely vnto god for helpe and socour And thenne anone come a grete thondre and made all the people so aferde that they were feyne to fette saynt andrewe oute of the pryson And euyn therwyth come a lyghtenyng of fyre brenned the moder of the yonge man in syght of all the people ¶ And thus was this man saued and the iustice by this grete myracle tourned to the cristen feyth and moche people wyth him and euer after belyued in god saynte andrewe Therby ye may see that he was holy in lyuyng Also he was gret in miracles wyrchyng for oon day as he went by the see syde he saw a drowned man caste oute of the water theÌ„ne andrewe prayed to god to rere hym ayen to lyfe and anone this man rose thenne andrew asked hym where that he was drowned and he sayd we were x. men to gyder and herde of an holy man that hyght andrew and we were commyng to here his preching And as we were in the see there come a gret tempest and drowned vs all to gyder But wolde god that we had be cast to londe togyder that we myght haue be reysed to lyfe to gyder ayen Thenne saynt andrewe prayed god that al the bodyes myghte come togyder and soo they dyde and were cast vp in dyuerse contreys Thenne saynt Andrewe made and ordeyned to gader theym all to gyder Thenne he kneled downe and prayed god longe for theym tyll they were reysed all to lyfe Thenne saint andrewe made them all to knele doune and thanked god and preched them and taught theym the crysten feyth crystened theym all And whan they were stedfaste in the feith he sent them home to her owne countrey wyth moche ioye to theym And many other myracles he dyde that were to longe to tel thus ye maye see that he was myghty in myracles werkynge that reysed soo many men to lyfe Also he suffred grete passion for cristis sake For whan he was in the cyte of pateas there he tourned to the feyth the wyfe of egeas And this egeas was a grete man and made moche people to doo sacrifyce offryng to mawmentis But for saint andrewe repreued hym therof Anone he made to take hym and wolde haue made hym to doo sacryfyce but he wolde not and stedfastely bode ayenste hym and preued by many ensamples by cause that he and all the people sholde worshyppe god and not the fendes of helle Thenne was Egeas wode for wrothe And made men to take Andrewe and strype hym naked and bete hym with scourges that al his body ranne on blode ¶ And thenne made to bynde hym honde and fote and made to doo him ¶ on a Crosse For he shold peyne theron longe or he deyed But whan andrewe come to the place there the cros was he kneled doune and said thus Salue crux qui in corpore cristi dedicata es Holy be thou crosse that arte halowed and made holy by the precious body of our lord Ihesu criste I desyre to clyppe the to me wherfore take me to the. For I yelde me to my mayster ihesu criste that dyed on the crosse And thenne Andrewe stode vp and dyde off his clothes and gaue them to the tourmentours and bad theym doo as they were charged to doo of the Iustice Thenne they bounde hym to the crosse honde and fote and his hede downewardis And streyned hym Soo that the blode brast oute atte euery knot of the ropes and soo he henge there thre dayes alyue prechyng to the people soo there come to the prechynge many thousandes of people· and for pyte that they hadde of hym they bad Egeas take hym doune or they wolde sle hym Thenne for fere of the people Egeas come to take hym doune Thenne saint andrew ayenst stode hym sayd Quid tu venisti ad me egeas ¶ what comest thou to me Egeas wyte thou well that thou shalt haue noo myght to take me doune For on this crosse wyll I deye and euyn therwith Hiis enim dictis splendor niuis circuiens eum quasi per mediam horam A grete lyghte come aboute hym that there noo man myght see hym in space of halfe an houre and more Thenne sayd saynt andrewe Obsecro te dnÌ„e miserere mei I beseke the lord haue mercy on me â— so in that lyght he gaaf vp the
ben cristen peple be well ware lest ye be disceyued by any false sorcery as by taking couÌ„ seyll of a man a fore a nother In byenge or sellinge or lenynge In the whyche haue some diuerse opyniones And if they be well shreuyn they be worthy for to haue grete penauÌ„ce for their mysbeleue for that coÌ„meth of the fende and nat of god This day is called the circumcision of oure lorde For as holy churche tellith this day he was circumcised and bledde his blode for our sake For whanne the flesshe was cutt he bledde faste and was full sore for he was but yong and tendre and but viii daies olde and therfore he bled the more Thenne ye shall vnderstond that he bledde v tymes for vs. Quinque enim vicibus sanguinem suum ê“ nobis effudit The first tyme that he shedde his blode was as this daye whanne he was circumcised A nother was for fere of his passion For right as a child wepyth for fere whanne he seeth the rodde hathe noo harme Soo the flesshe of our lord swete bloode for drede of astroÌ„ger passion that was coÌ„mynge The thryd tyme was in his flagellacion whanne he was beten with scourges â–ª soo that all his body ranne on rede blode The iiii tyme was whanne he was nayled hoÌ„de and fote on the crose The v. tyme was whanne that longius perryd his herte with a spere the water the blode come oute of his woundes and then they tooke vp the crosse with the bodye and lyfte it vp on hye and sodenly they lete the crosse fall downe in the morter se that all the senouse veynes and io 〈…〉 tes brake and blode and water come oute of euery wounde this he suffred for vs Thenne sithe criste was circumcised and shedde his bloode for vs that was withoute synne and circumcision is for synne remedye help why wold he be circumcysed that dyd no synne Sanctus augustinud dicit ê“pteer quatuor causas Saint Austyn sayth it was for foure causes The firste was for to make a sethe with the iewys For elles they wold and might haue saide that he had natt been of their lawe wherfore they wold nat resceyue him nor consente to his techinge this was to desceyue the fende For right as the fend disceyued Adam and eue so all mankynde was daÌ„pned so it fel to crist to desceyue the fend where through all mankynde mighte be sauyd Than whan the fende sawe that he was circuÌ„cised as an other childe child for yf he had knowe hym verely that he had come to haue boughte man kynde he wold neuer haue tysed the iewes to haue put hym to deth And this was the cause that our lady was wedded to Ioseph for to dysceyue the fende for the fende sholde wene that Ioseph had ben his fader and not conceyued of the holy goost The third cause why he was circumcysed that was in confermynge of the olde lawe in greate comforte to the olde faders that were of the olde testament For and yf he had be cristened and not circumcysed it had be a grete discomforte to al that were before thâ—â—carnaciouÌ„ of our lord Ihesu criste The fourth cause of his circumcysion was for our lorde wyste well that there wolde come heretykes after that wold haue sayd that Criste â—ad a body of the erthly fantasye and not of flesshe and blode as one of vs haue for a body of thayre may not blede And therfore to put awaye all suche errours Crist was circuncysed bled in his cuttynge of his flesshe the whiche flesshe was cut from his membre And an angell after broghte it to kyng Charles for the most precious relyke in the world And for the gretteste worshyp that he coude doo therto broughte it to rome to a chirche that is called Sancta sanctorum For thyse iiii causes Crist was cercuÌ„cysed This daye also it is called the vtas of the natiuyte that is the viii daye of our lordis birthe in grete tokenynge to all vs that be goddis seruauntes to thinke on thise viii dayes that foloweÌ„ the byrth The first day is to thynk inwardely on the sede that we were conceyued of that is fowle and abomynable in it self â–ª that a man or a woman be they neuer soo fayre that and they sawe the mater they wold be ashamed of hem self to thynke that euer he were conceyued of that sowle thynge The second daye is to thinke how greuous he peyneth his moder in his byrth in so moche that it is a grete miracle of god that she may haue her lyf The thirde day is to thynke how feble and how wretched he is borne for all the bestes of kynde some what they caÌ„ helpe them self saue oonly mankynde he nother maye ne can helpe hym self f in noo degree but deye anone But he had not helpe and socour of other The iiii day is to bâ—thynk howe moche parell and drede he lyueth here fore in euery place deth folowth hymand is euer redy to fall on him what tyme ne where noo man knoweth But oonly god hym self Incertus eÌ„ locê° in quo mors te expectat ¶ It is incerteyn the place there as deth abydeth the. ¶ The v daye is for to thynke howe horryble deth is whan he cometh for in shorte space tyme he maketh a man to stynke that all the best frendes that he hath ben auysed to put hym in erth And hyde hym there ¶ The vi daye is to thynke how rew full is the departyng of the body and the soule that may not be departed tyl the herte in the body breke for drede off the syghtes that the saule shal see that for greate fere the herte breketh O mors quam amara est memoria tua O thou deth howe byttre is it to thynke vpon whan thou arte coÌ„mynge to any man The vii is to thynke howe dredefull is the dome that he shall go to anoon and howe streight his iugemente shall be Thenne he that wyll thinke on these vii daies besily on the viii day I hope he shal be circumcised that is he shal be cutt away fro the lust of his flesshe and of synne and soo do depart from this worldis likynge And thus coÌ„meth the viii daye that is the vtas of cryste that is the ioye of blisse that neuir shal haue ende To the whiche god brynge vs all In die Epiphanie GOode frendes this daye is called the xii daye but it is xiii daye of cristes byrth the whiche day holy church calleth it Epiphania domini that is to saye the shewyng of our lord Iesu criste very god and man For this daye he was shewyd very god man by thre offringes by his cristnyng and also by tornynge of the water into wyne The xiii day of his birthe by offringe of the thre kinges that same daye xxx wynter and xiii daies after hys byrthe He was cristned in the water of flome Iordane And that same
to gyue to theym that had nede Then blessed Laurence folowed his master and saide Sancte pater noli me derelinquere Holy fader forsake nat me for I haue dealyd all the tresoure that thou tookest to me wherfore go nat thou to thy passion assone but let me goo with the as we haue seruyd god to gydder So lete vs suffre deth to gyddre Then said the pope I wyll goo to fore and thow shall come after and suffre more penaÌ„ce then I may For I am olde and thou arte yonge and mayste suffre more thaÌ„ I. and therfore make the redy for ther is grete turment ordeyned for the TheÌ„ were there some that herde LaureÌ„ce speke of treasoure Thenne the Emperouâ— sente after Laurence and sayd Ostende michi thesauros eccleÌ„ Shewe me the tresoure of the churche or els thou shalte be putt to suche a torment that thou shal be fayne to deliuer it Thenne how pope Sixtê° and saint Laurence come to this treasour ye shal here ¶ we rede that there was a hooly man that hight origines that coÌ„uerted Philyp the Emperoure Thenne the Realme of Fraunce was rebell ayenste the emperoure of Rome Thenne the emperoure sent a knight of his into Fraunce with moche people to ouircome fraunce This knyght was called decyus and in shorte tyme he made frauÌ„ce subgettes to the Emperoure as they were bifore Then whanne this emperoure phylip herde that Decyus hadde doon so well to grete worshyp to Decius and to thanke him for his iourney The emperoure toke with him a fewe men and rode oute of Rome ayenst decius to welcome hym home Thenne decius sawe that the Emperoure dyd him so greate worship he thoughte it hadde be for drede and nat for loue thought to be emperoure him selue And so in the nyght nexte after as the Emperoure lay in his bedde slepynge Decius slew him and toke all his people to Rome with him Thenne whanne the Romaynes the senatoures herde therof what for drede and what for loue they made Decius Emperoure Thenne whanne Philippes sone herde tel that his fader was dede in this wyse he was aferde that decius wolde haue slayne him and tooke all his faders tresoure to holy churche and bare it to pope Sixtus and to Laurence praynge hem if so were that Decius slewe him they shold dele this treasoure to holy churche and â—o pore people that hadde nede Thenne decius made to slee philyps sone for fere left he wolde auenge his faders deth whanne he hadde come to mannys state And this was the tresoure that pope Sixtus and Laurence hadde and for this tresoure they put LaureÌ„ce into prison Then was there a man that hyght Lucellê° in prison that by grete weping had loste his sighte then Laurence made him to se agayn and cristned hym wherfore many blynde men wymen come to Laurence and hadde ther sight Thenne the Emperoure sent to LaureÌ„ce to deliuer the treasoure Then he praied him of thre daies respyte and theÌ„ne he wolde shewe him the treasoure Soo thies thre daies Laurence was lete out of prison and went and gadred all the pore people to gyder that he coude fynd blynde lame or croked and the thridde daye he broughte them bifore the Emperoure to his palys and saide Lo here is euirlastinge tresoure this wyll neuir fayll for it wyll endure for euer in heuyn Soo shewyd Laurence ayenste couetise largenesse for he delyd for goddes sake all that he hadde and myghte haue spent it invanyte and he had wolde Also in turmeÌ„t of his passion he shewyd loue and swetnesse Thenne themperoure coÌ„maunded to brynge forthe all maner of turmentry scourges nayles stones salte pyche brymstone breÌ„nyng coles yron shaftes barres of yron gredirens and coÌ„manded al shold be spent vpon Laurence but if he wold shewe the treasoure forsake his god And to doo sacrifice to mawmentes Thenne saide Laurence thou vnblessed man these metes and drynkes haue I euir desired For right as swete metes and drynkes please thy bodye So these turmentes please my soule and maken me stronge and myghty to suffre passyon for my lordes sake Thenne was themperour â—â—â—th and commaunded to bete hym wyth scourges full of knottis and leue not tyll the blode ranne downe on euery syde and thenne they layd cheynes off yron brennynge to his sydes that brenned the flesshe fro the bones and euer laurence thanked god hertely Thenne was decius wode for woo said though thou wyth thy wytche crafte scornest my tourmentis yet thou sholdest not scorne me And thenne he commauÌ„ded ayen to bete hym wyth whippes and knottes of lede tyll the bones were bare Thenne laurence helde vp his hede and prayed to god thenne came a voyce fro heuen and sayd thou muste suffre moo tourmentis and passion for loue of me This decius herde it hym self and thou shal come in to grete ioye and blysse Thenne sayde decius to the people ye may here all how the fendes come and comforte hym goo and bete hym ayen wyth scourges Thenne was there a knyghte of the emperours that hyght Romanus that sawe an angell wyth a shete of sylke come and wype laurence sydes Thenne he forsoke the emperour become the dysciple of saynt LaureÌ„ce And laurence anone crystened hym Thenne decius made to smyte of Romanus hede thenne deciê° dyd make a grete fyre and set a gred-yren theron to rost laurence and thrested hym downe wyth fyre forkes TheÌ„ne laurence loked vpon themperour sayd thou wretche that syde that is â—osted ynough ete therof whyle that other syde rosteth I drede not thy tormentes and caste his eyen vp to god and sayd Lorde Ihesu criste take my spyrite and so he yelde vp the goâ—â— Thenne the tourmentours wente her waye and lefte the body lyeng there Thenne come cristen people and toke the body and beryed it wyth grete lamentacion Thus Laurence shewed mekenesse ayenst malyce and largenes ayenst couetyse ayenst passyon loue swetenesse for the gret loue that he had to god â–ª made hym sett noughte by all his tourmentis that were doo to his body ¶ Saynt gregory telleth how there was a preste that hyghte staculus and was besy to amende a chirche of saint Laurence that was dystroyed wyth loÌ„bardes but he wanted brede to his werke men and made moche sorowe therfore· and he prayed to god and to saint Laurence besely of helpe And thenne he loked in to an ouen and foude it ful of new white brede But he wente it wold haue serued hem for a weke it fonde hem ynough all the tyme that his werke was a makyng ¶ We fynd that there was an emperour that wâ—â— a cursed man of lyuyng And whan he was dede there come a legion of feÌ„des to fetche hym and as they come by an holy hermites celle they made a grete noyse thermyte had grete merueyll therof and opened a wyndowe spake to one of hem that come behynde
maye she bee called a castel For right as al maner of people fle in to a castell bothe olde and yonge for drede of enmyes In so moche that the lest childe that can crye or speke that is aferde of ony thynge anone cryeth lady lady for socour and helpe For she is socour and helpe both to yonge and to olde lesse and more in sikenesse and in helthe The holy goost is capiteyn of this castell and his knyghtes ben holy angellis that goon wyth our lady bothe nyghte and daye ¶ In this castelle ben two susters Martha and mary mawdeleyne ¶ Martha recepit illum iÌ„ domum suam ¶ Martha receyued hym in to her hous and was besy to serue hym the other sat styll had grete lust to here hym speke By thyse two susters I vnderstonde two maner of lyuyng of the people that one is actyff and that other contemplatyff Martha betokeneth actyff that is besynesse in the worlde But that sholde be for cristis sake that is to take pour peple in to his house and to gyue hem mete and drynke cloth herborugh vysite them that be in pryson coÌ„forte the syke blynde and lame and to berye the dede By that other I â—nderstonde the contemplatyf lyf â— is to the peple of holy chirche that sholde voyde in all that they may This worldis besynessee and gyue him to all spirituell occupacion and though they doo thus yet there be couetous peple of this world that saye that it is al lost that men of holy chirche haue for it semeth to them they do no good but euer complayn on hem and saye they doo no good ¶ Saint austyn saith that all the world is holy chirche and thyse worldly peple hateth men of holy chirche But yet god answereth for them is her aduocat so wyl at all tyme whyle they lyue in rest peas wythin hem self But now see how our Lady satysfyeth bothe thyse lyues she was first martha for there as martha was besy to receyue cryst in her hous Oure lady receyued hym in to her body and therin he was ix monethes and she fedde hym after come pour and naked in to this world and she gaue him mete drynke of her pappes and soo fedde hym and whan he was naked she clothed hym noryshed hym and whan he was syke by kinde of youth she heled hym And whan he was bouÌ„de honde fote in his cradell as in pryson she come to hym knbounde hym toke him and heled his sores with the mylke of her pappes And whan he was dede she holpe to bery hym in his tombe and thus she fulfylled the office of Martha Perfourmynge the vii werkys of mercy And yet she was many times troubled in her herte whaÌ„ she must bere hiÌ„ fro couÌ„trey to couÌ„trey that was full of maâ—mentes and there as she knewe no man And whan that she saw him taken and stryped naked beten with scourges that all his bodye ranne with stremys of blode nayled on the crosse and soo done to dethe that was a grete trouble Thus was our lady actyf For as the gospell telleth she gaue so grete delit to her sones wordes that she bare in her herte al the lyf and techynge of criste In somoche that she taughte the iiii euangelistes Marcke mathewe Luke and Iohn moche of the that they wrote And nameley saynte Luke For he wrote moche of the manhode of criste and so fulfylled thoffice of mary for it was for the beste whan her sone ascendyd into heuyn she left al her besines gaue her to coÌ„teÌ„placion til her sone fet her out of this world Thus euery man that can vnderstande maye see that this gospell is coÌ„uenient to be red for it toucheth the lyfe off our lady Thenne for this daye is th ende of her lyf in this world therfore holy chirche redeth this gospell in ensample to all cristen people to perfourme the same lyuyng in as moche as they maye and as god wyll gyue hem grace to serue our lady I shal shewe you an ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde of a clerke that loued our lady well for he rad of her bewte he had grete lust to se her and prayed besely that he myghte ones see her or that he deyed Thenne at the last come there an angell said to hym for thou ferâ—â—â—te our lady so wel thou shall haue thy prayer but one thynge I telle the. yf thou see her in this world thou shal lese thy syght for the greate clerenesse of her I wyl wel soo that I maye see her thenne said the angel come to suche a place and thou shalt see her Thenne he was gladde thoughte that he wolde hyde his one eye and loke wyth that other Soo whan he come to the place he layed hâ—s honde ouer that one eye and sawe her wyth that other eye so come our lady he sawe her and she wente away anone and he was blinde on the one eye and sawe wyth that other Thenne the syght lyked hym so wel that he wold feyne see her ayen and prayed nyghte and daye that he myght see her ayen thenne sayd thangell yf thou see her ayen thou shall lyfe thy syghte of that other eye and he sayde I wyll well though I had a thousand eyen theÌ„ne come to suche place and thou shall see her so whan he came he sawe her TheÌ„ne said our lady my gode seruauÌ„t whaÌ„ thou sawe me first thou lost one of thâ— eyen how wylt thou doo nowe whan thou hast lost the other eye Thenne sayd our lady for thou haste so grete lykyng to me thou shalt haue thy syght wyth both thyn eyen ayen as well as thou euer haddest before â–ª beter and soo he hadde ¶ Thenne he serued our lady euer afther to his lyues ende and wente to euerlastynge blysse To whiche god brynge vs all Amen ¶ De sancto Bartholomeo â—Ood frendes suche a daye ye shall haue the feste of saynt Barthylmew goddis own appostle ye shall faste the eâ—en come to chirche and here youre seruyce in the worshyp of god and saynt barthylmewe ¶ ye shall vnderstonde the barthylmewe is as moche to saye as Filius suspendentis nie That is to saye the sone hangyng vpoÌ„ me or vpon waters Tenne ye shall vnderstonde that god is he that hangyth vpon the waters in two wayes The firste is whan he hangyth vpon the clowdes in the firmament tyll he seeth tyme to lete hem downe Another waye he hangeth vpoÌ„ the water whan a man or a woman is sory for his sinnes and wepyng sore fore his trespas bytterly Thenne god taketh his teres and hangeth them on the hye hylle off heuen where all the sayntes in heuen may haue them in syghte in grete ioye to all sayntes and to all the angelys that ben in heuen whan they may see man or woman that hath doo amysse in many trespasses to
flockys of thy sheep and drouys off thy bestys in thy bernys and in thy celers in thy goyng in â–ª in thy goyng oute and in all thy werkis of thy handys Soo that euery man shall see that the name of god is callyd vpon the. and they shull drede the. I shall gyue rayne in tyme sayth he the erthe shall brynge forth his sede And trees shall bee replete wyth fruyte thou shalt haue peas in thy cuntree and thou shalt slepe And noo man shall fere the. All thyse blyssynges shull take the. yf thou lerne and kepe his commaundementis Therfore haue mynde in the preceptys of god and in his byddynges bee ye moost besy For yf thou kepe them they shull kepe the and brynge the to blysse that neuer shall haue ende which he vs graunte that wyth his blode bought vs Ihesus Cryste Amen ¶ De septem sacramentis THe fourth thynge that thou sholdest knowe god by is the seuen sacramentis of holi chirche whiche be mynystred to the people of persones and prestis that haue power therto of the whiche fyue the first that is baptesme confirmacion shryft howsyll and anoyntyng Are euery man and woman hold to doo in pein of cursyng incerteyn tyme as the lawe yeueth The other two may no man take as ordre and wedlocke but att his own wyll Thyse sacrameÌ„tis toke their begynniÌ„g off the gracious wellâ— of the syde off our lord Ihesu criste in his passyon For ryght as out of adamys syde while he slepte was takyn out a rybbe that eue was made of ryght soo atte the deth of oure lord there ranne oute of his syde bothe blood and water by the vertu of whiche passion the sacramentis of holy chirche toke fyrst theyr strentgh and theyr begynnyng ¶ The fyrst sacrament is baptime in whiche oryginall synne that we be born in all other synnes that we be defowled wyth they be wasshen a waye thorow the passyon of crist and therwyth is be taken vs the feyth and byleue of holy chirche wythout whiche there may no man be saned Therfore it is coÌ„maunded that euery crysten woman that felyth her quyck wyth child to kepe her fro heuyng and shouyng greate traueyle and fallyng and all other mischeuys that sholde myschyeue the chyldys lyff and so be lost body and soule And that eche woman byfor her traueyle of chyld come to chirche and take shryft and housyl for peryll of dethe that myght falle in the byrthe Also the mydwyf tho that be about the chyld yf it be in parel of dethe sholde cristen it on this wyse I crysten the in the name of the fader and the sonne and the holy gooste And thenne sprynge the childe wyth water that thou foryete not thyse wordes I crysten the. and yf it be crystened in the maner at home It shall not be crystened eftsone at chirche For that were a grete peryll as to nayle god eftsones on the rood And yf it lyue after this crystenynge at home brynge it to the chirche and there it shall haue all the hooll seruyse that it lackyth In tyme of peryll of dethe fader and moder maye Crysten theyr own children wythout harmyng of theyr spousehode Godfaders and godmoders ben borowys to fore god for theyr godchildren And therfore they ben bounde to teche hem to loue ryghtwysnes charyte and chastyte to kepe theym from dedely sinne and specyally to teche theym the coÌ„maundementis and belyue A man and his wyff shold not fonge at ones to a child atte the fonte stone ¶ Ne they that fongith it there shall not fonge it atte the confermynge but at nede ¶ Fader ne moder notyse ne none other shold suffre noo yonge chylde by theym a bedde whyles they slepe ne presse theym to faste in cradell ne suffre theym lye slepyng ne wakynge wyth oute a keper ¶ There is goostely kynrede thorowe fongyng of chyldre atte the fountfâ—on on ix wyse ¶ One is betwyne the childe and the godfaders Another betwyxt the chyldren of the godfaders another bâ—wyxt the chyld and the wyff of the godfaders flesshely knowen tofore Another betwyxt the godfader and the fader of hym that is cristened ¶ Another betwyxt 〈…〉 hym pardone 〈…〉 â—re ¶ And wyth this accordâ—th saint gregore where he saith thus â—e saith thou makest neuer satysfacâ—ion for thy synne But yf thou fere of thy synne euery body woll desyre pardon but fewe or none woll do that they shold haue pardon for but through trust and colour of that pardon They doo many a cursed synne and doo sinne vpon trust therof other ony good dede it is a grete synne of pryde For be thou neuer soo full of good vertues vnkyndnes to thy god maye dystroye all tho vertues More vnkyndnes thou mayst not shewe Thenne for to displease god wylfully Therfore fle suche vnkyndenesse And thynke that the more acceptable thou arte to god thorow thy good lyuyng the more culpable thou shalt be yf thou retorne ayen to synne It is aslyder hoope saith saynte Austyn whan a man synneth vpon trust to be saued He that soo dothe he neyther dredeth ne loueth god Soo that it is more proffytable to holde thy self f feble and lowe Thenne to be holde strong and for feblenes falle and be lost Therfore take hede what goodnes god puteth in the. and thanke hym and praye hym of contynaunce And doo noo synnne vpon truste off pardon or of ony other good dedys ¶ The fourth is the holy sacramente of the auter The whiche is cristis own body his flesshe and blode in fourme of brede The same that was born off the virgyn marye and doon on the rode This is made thorow vertu of goddis worde of preestis that haue power whiche 〈◊〉 neyther aungell ne aâ—chaungell hâ—dde But oonly man 〈◊〉 mynde of hym self this sacramente is euery man and woman bounde by the lawe oncâ— a yere as aâ—â—e eâ—ter yâ— he be fourtene yere of age And haue discrecion to receyue it when they be wyth shryfte and penaunce made clene of theyr synnes And ellys to be put out of the chirche and of cristen beryellys But yf it be for sykenesse or for some other resonable cause whiche cause he must certyfye his curate of For he that vnworthely receyueth this sacrament he receiueth his dampnacioÌ„ Also as often as ony man seeth that body at masse or borne aboute to the seke he shall deuoutly knele doun and saye his pater noster or sum other gode prayer in worshyp of his souereyn lorde Also ye shall vnderstonde that the drinke that ye receyue in the chalyce after your howsell is noo sacrament But wyne or water to brynge the sacrament the lyghtlyer in to thy body But in fourme of brede it is hole goddis body in flesshe and in blode Therfore thou shalt take it in as holy as thou mayste left ony parte abyde in thy teeth For in the left parte is hole goddis body that daye thou