contamyne and dysprayse by theyr folye Some we neth to be ryght wyse and dyscrete the whiche knoweth neyther ryght ciuile nor canon and by this moyen they are alwayes fooles Suche folkes ought not to be byleued that are so ouer wenynge and vnknowynge for oftentymes they are taken for good and is al replete with vaynglorye of good wyt they are voyde and yet they repute themselfe prudent and wyse Now then the good and loyall shall haue theyr deserte and hyre And fooles peruers shall be vnwryten Wherfore I wyll gyue euery body good loos after my possybylyte and the deserte of echone By my fyccyons I shall dresse vpon the se shyppes and barges and shall furnysshe theym with cordes and toppe castelles verges and saylâ—s ores and botes in grete multytude And shal take them in dyuers countrees where as all the humaynes shall reygne good and euyl blynde seke and hole and with my propre handes shall ordre them without cessynge also longe as 〈◊〉 It is also well necessarye for me for there is â—o 〈◊〉 les innumerable that do infynyte euylles whome I 〈◊〉 not wryte all in this present booke These fooles re 〈…〉 vnto our shyppes moche impetuously in suche wyâ—e that they hurte theyr fete and legges for haâ—â— to come vntyll our shyppe Whan I thynke on theyr molestacyons theyr mestimable folyes with theyr grete euylles there is mo of them than a grete company of hony bees â—â—eynge in the feldes vpon the odyfferent floures And bryefli there is so many folysshe erroures a brode that our shyp is almoost all replete with them Of these fooles some is prentyses wyll haue the gouernynge after theyr wylles many ye shall se dyscerne and eche saynge I wyl gouerne all bothe maste sayll Some wyll be byneth in yâ— shyppe the whiche hathe but lytel delyte whan he hathe sene the peryll so daungerous but there is fewe that hathe this fere and yet they haue passed thrughe oute my shyppe The last of these rennynge fooles wyll be aboue the other and wyll drawe vp the sayll on lofte to the ende that it may entre more in to the see If that you wyll knowe what is this shyppe knowe that eche of vs hath a shyppe but yet there is one the whiche is comune and all fooles that hathe dyuers hunes and toppes goche in to dyuers countrees the whiche is replete with many sortes of fooles O you reygnynge that haue fayre faces myrre you here and red this present booke for there is not an humayne but that he maye se his fourme in this booke If that you entende totally vnto my doctry nes be you well sure that you maye acquyre the glorye eternel and eschewe the pardurable paynes of helle for you shall haue fruyte of vertues benedyccyon of god folye shall not go and fetche you and our shyppe ye wol de not seke but ye may acquyre the glorye pardurable you shal go the waye that all the crysten men watche shal acquyre vertues and holynes puttynge all euyl vy ces oute of you Consyder humayne folkes and mortall men the feates and the desyres mondaynes and ye shal knowe that the moost strongest the moost wysest the moost valyauntest go rennynge more swyfter than the hynde and theyr trace is not knowen Alas oure lyues passeth ryght sone He that is poore and hathe nothynge is holden for a foole that parauenture is without syÌ„ne Alas he is more wyser than they that haue moche goodes and be in the subgeccyon of the deuyll And he is holden for ryght wyse that hathe haboundaunce of goodes he is so replete with synne that it is a thynge inestymable ye so moche that thrugh his offence he is casten in to the fyre of helle wyse is he not but a parfyte foole The poore that is reputed for a foole at his aste ende loketh to be partycypar of the goodes of dame palas They that loue vertues without doynge outrage to ony body god shall loue them without ony faute so that he bere not a folysshe mytre and yf he were of scyence vnpuruayed So that he be replete with vertue he shall be more wyser than a grete clerke ¶ I fynde assembles of fooles by grete hepes and routes of dyuers nacyons and maners for the one is vnbraynles that wyll bere baners The other is of fyers thoughtes the whiche dothe not enploye them but alonely to assemble rychesses And bryefly for to knowe whiche is the fooles I shall name theym here vnto you Nobles clerkes preestes monkes apostates burgeyses marchauntes ryche poore of all craftes is our shyppe almoost full There is neyther rustyke olde yonge berdles stronge feble grete nor lytell haue they neuer so moche scyence yf they be fooles they haue no respyte but that they come hastely in to our shyppe Not alonely the men but also the women ladyes gentylwomen burgeyses olde and yonge dronkerdes sobre pudykes chaste wedowes and maryed women be in our shyppes with the men for in dyuers thynges me ueth dyuers folkes and pryncypally in voluptuous loue in suche wyse that they leue all good operacyons for to lyue in carnall felycyte and lubryke lyfe Mondayne fooles myrre you well in my glasse and you shal se your fautes and synnes And shall knowe euydently how foly dothe gouerne you Knowe that our entencion preten deth to none other thynge saue that we may make satysfaccyon vnto god to the ende that we be full of vertues for to leue our shyppe and mast our importable dyscorde leue synne and go out of the myre for it is that whiche putteth the soule to dethe do it sone and I shal be of youre accorde If that some fooles mocke vs bycause of our lytell wrytynges and that there is comprehended dyuers fooles in it they haue small vnderstondynges for the sens lytterall is not the substaunce of the mater Suche folkes is lyke them that thynke for to ete the almondes kyrnelles withoute brekynge of the stones for who that wyll fynde sauour therin muste breke it also who wyll fynde prouffyte in this booke oughte to reste hym on the moral sens that is couered with foly My boke satyryke I gyue vnto you for example Lordes yf it please you for to rede it yf it seme you that it is mordaunt excuse me as the auncyentes are excused the whiche haue made dyuers fayre doctrynes mordauntes The poetes haue also compyled dyuers noble bookes correckynge the vyces of the humaynes ¶ All this consydered I wyll folowe them notwithstondynge that I am not worthy But yet in maner of passe tyme I wyll speke here of fooles men and women and assygne them guaryson of vertues scyence doctryne for to make them condyscende vnto goodnes For I had neuer other wyll but for to detraye yonge bachelers out of synnes and vyces to conduyte them vnto the porte of reason and vertue Pardon me you oratours yf ony thyÌ„ge be euyll couched and you lectours
they do At the whyte freers at the graye freers at the freer austyns at the blacke freers and in euery parysshe chirche ye shall fynde alwayes grete haboundaunce of folkes that dothe nothynge but walke vp downe in deuysynge of dyuers maters and yf that the corpê° domim be lyfted vp they wyll scarsely knele downe and take of theyr cappes Alas poore fooles wheron Bernardus do ye thynke knowe ye not for a trouthe that he is the kynge of all kynges and saueour of all the worlde ye go daterynge of your seruauÌ„tes and of your housholde w e out thynkynge vpon god or his sayntes Al your vayne wordes please not to god but good prayers orysons whan that they be made iustely and with a meke and a lowe herte Wherfore leue your walkynge vp and downe in the chirche and kepe your pues in praynge dâ—â—outly vnto god or elles truely ye put your soules in greate Jeoperdy of perdycyon ¶ Of them that enclyne them voluntaryly to suffre dethe ca. xliiii ¶ Who that of his owne propre wyll Dothe hange hymselfe by ygnoraunce Or with a guy sarme dothe hym kyll Withouten shryfte or repentaunce He is a foole at eche dystaunce So to purchace dethe eternall And to be in tormentes fynall DRawe you nere vnto my doctryne lunatyke fooles that hangeth and sleeth yourself that seketh occasyon for to dystroye yourselfe Ecclesia iii. Mathei vii bothe body soule vnderstonde this that I shall saye vnto you He is a fole that prayeth god with ioyned handes the knees bowed to that Luce. vi Juuenaliâ— Persius erthe betynge with his handes vpon his brest saynge God eternall pardone me my folye to the ende that I may gete scyence purge my conscyence He thynketh and ymagyneth yf that he shall leue his gowne and his folysshe hode but that notwithstandynge he holdeth it alwayes He weneth to haue made a synguler prayer to god the whiche seeth hym and all that he asketh is not vttred vnto hym Euer this foole prayeth And his herte Mathei xx Marci x. can not tell what he demaundeth of god After he letteth hymselfe fall in to the welle of his owne voluntary wyll And then he cryeth murdre I drowne myself and that they sholde socoure hym hastely And whan he is at the botome of the water he prayeth sayntes and sayntesses that they wolde gyue hym socoure and haue mynde on hym saynge I requyre you sende me a corde for to drawe me out of this daunger This fole that wolde as Ad ro viii Horatius empedocles saye yf that he myght escape out of that dauÌ„ger by his grete folye deyeth there for lacke of socoure and dampneth bothe his body and his soule Empedocle of euyl renowne suffred dethe by his folye of the whiche thynge he had grete wronge Then yf this foole cast hymself in to the fyre with a pyteous crye for to kylle hymselfe he dothe a ryght grete foly But after that the moost daunger is yf that he be not casten in to the pyt of hell He the whiche casteth hymselfe in to the mouÌ„tayne of aethnas the whiche is all on a flambynge fyre parauenture by dyscomforte in all he hathe loste his wytte He knoweth well that he is blynde by inconstaunce bycause that he hathe done many merytoryous dedes and wyll assaye our lorde Ihesu cryste He hathe his herte full of rygour for to haue wyll to tempte the creatour for the scrypture telleth vs that we sholde not tempte hym the poore fole brenneth hymselfe thus and his souâ—e gothe in to hell There is dyuerse fooles the whiche foloweth this baner praynge god nyght and daye and neuer dyde merytoryous dede for they dyde euer dysprayse hym and yet they demaunde of god that they myght haue paradyse ê“uet xxviii Eccle. iii. â—t xxv and grete rychesses good yeres and plenteuous bothe of whete wyne and other fruytes honour in this worlde and that fortune may be fauourable to them For to praye in this maner of wyse it is no grete sygne or vertue for atter that maner of fourme to desyre godes folkes go not to paradyse for soo sholde none praye It is wryten in scrypture that and one prayed ten yere so h 〈…〉 Esaye 〈◊〉 â—uce xx shoâ—de not obtayne his prayer And they do more hurt 〈…〉 to theyr soules than good that prayeth after that maner of fourme ¶ Of the felycyte and payne to come of the delytes perpetuall ca. xlv◠¶ Dyuerse fooles do drawe the carte Full of vyces bothe daye and houre And wyll not ones to god reuerte They be so hote on theyr laboure Dommagynge euer theyr neyghboure That it is pyte for to se How enuyous they to them be COme out of woddes and of vyllages folysshe â—arters and laboure this chapytre where as ê“uer xiiiâ— pÌ„s xxxi et xci sapien xiii ê“uerbi v. Eccle. ii Eccle. xii xâ— Treno â—iii ye shall fynde good erthe that bereth odyfferous fruyte and floure of good doctryne The fole that breketh his body by incessyfe laboure in tyllynge of his erthe I can not put in oblyuyon And al the other fooles deyeth by theyr grete laboure and payn in this lyfe terryen for they be euylly condycyoned and in vyces take grete payne And this payne and laboure rendreth deth to them for theyr guerdon And thus god seeth that the mortall men wyll not knowe hym neyther his holy and blessyd sayntes be they confessours or martyrs vyrgyns wyues or wydowes nor wyll not be of his perfyte and true seruauntes nor of his welbeloued frendes but euer prospereth in theyr voluptuous volentees and wyll not obserue and kepe his commauÌ„dementes wherfore he sendeth theym maladyes and sodayne dethe or mortalyte Now well that god almyghty wyll and ordeyneth that yf man wyll not be statued 〈◊〉 he watche to lyue wel after the true rule of laboure in al ceasons It foloweth not for all that in this worlde that they passe the tyme without doynge ony good dedes for al theyr labourynge For yf they drawe the charettes by Sapien. xix enuye couetyse to haue goodes yet euery body ought to knowe that we be but suffred here for a certayne space and yf that we commytte ony synne we shall be greuously punysshed in helle wout euer departynge from thens Poore lunatyke yf that thou wylte wynne the realme Uirgi vi en Seneca Mathei vii Pro. ii â— iiii Uirgilius Eccle. xxxiii Luce. xii of paradyse thou muste not folowe suche a waye the waye to helle is playne and is not dyffycyle for to fynde for there is dyuerse the whiche impetrethit and that ha steth them theder warde for the grete euylles that be in this worlde these same shewe the waye for to go theder and they be so grete a multytude that the one letteth an other and yet it is ryght large but that notwithstandyÌ„ ge it is all full for the grete nombre of fooles that gothe theder is all
x. Johel ii Nume xv Thobie iiii not well women that for your pleasures carnalles draweth men vnto your loues Knowe for a certaynte that god shall punysshe you greuously for your pryde insacyable lecherye Thynke amonge you grete synners of the infynyte Joyes of paradyse And in lyke wyse of the inestymable paynes and tormentes of helle And consyder that Lucyfer the whiche was the fayrest aungell of Job xli Esaie xiiii Nume xvi â—s cv paradyse by his pryde is the vglyest deuyll in helle and all proude folkes shall be punysshed so bothe men women As Dathan and Abyron the whiche wolde vsurpe the sacrefyce the ensence the dyuyne offyce by theyr pryde for the whiche god punysshed them well For they were swalowed quycke in to the erthe And in the same wyse shall our lorde Ihesu cryste do with the proude men and women ¶ Of vsurers and feneratours ca. lxxxix ¶ All you the whiche ben vsurers That take of men theyr hole substaunce And also you that be synners Lyuynge euer in grete bobaunce Leue your vyle synnes and perturbaunce Or elles ye shall be put in thrall And haue tormentes perpetuall USurers abhomynable come and lenne some moneye by vsurye vpon my chapytre studye therupon and ye shal see what prouf ê“uer xâ— Luce. vi Inno. in c. i. de vsu. Bal. i auÌ„t ad hec L 〈◊〉 ti xiiii q. â—iii pet totuÌ„ fyte ye may haue by your vsuryes you be lefte behynde yet for to speke of the whiche is the vylest company that I spake yet of And yf that ye wyll knowe what they be knowe for certaynte that they be vsurers that be full of lyes They ought to be punysshed and delyuered vnto cruell dethe for theyr studye c. i. de emp. et ven Eccle. xlii Esaie xxxiii Azech xiii Ebacuc ii xiiii q. iiii ca. uonuÌ„ et c. se. ec c. pe is not but for to dyspoyle the poore people of theyr goodes without hauinge ony pyte Of suche folkes there is many bothe burgeyses and lytell lordes of smal vyllages They fere not god his vengeaunce nor the offence that they do in destroyenge the poore folkes how well that it is not greuous for to saye I saye that the Jewes is more charytable more iuste and more verytable thaÌ„ they be for all that they kepe grete vsuryes more than the crysten men and be better in theyr lawe They be Math. xxiii Leui. xxv Deutr. xxiii Exodi xxii Hiere v. Luce. xix pÌ„s lxxi Eccâ— xxvii no rauysshers of goodes as the crystyens is We dysprayse god euery day And yf we chase the Jewes out of our countrees they knowe not our entencyon nor to what ende we entende Certaynly it is to our vsurye alonely not vnto that of the Jewes thus we be without vertues and expulsed from god O holy crysten men how that it is an vndyscrete paccyon and a spere more sharper than stele To do so vnto your crysten brederen you be as horryble wulues famysshed that holdeth the poore shepe By auaryce you commyt vsurye fraudulously xiiii q. iiii nec hoc et c. se. et c. quicunque be enraged by grete hete you desyre derthenes of whete and corne to the ende that you may sell your prouysyon you desyre another mannes euyll and truely the euyll shall fall vpon yourselfe It had ben better that you had neuer ben borne than to commyt suche extorcyons In dyuers thynges you thynke that ye coÌ„myt none vsurye and excuse yourselfe But god at the daye of Jugemente shall accuse you ¶ Of the vayne hope to haue succede â—ca lxxxx ¶ Who trusteth to haue successyon Of others goodes and rychesse Makynge therfore prouysyon Not thynkynge on dethes hardynesse He is a foole voyde of sagesse For to desyre other mennes dethe Eyther for rychesse londe or hethe SLepe no more fooles that desyreth the dethe of your frendes to haue the successyon and â—e coÌ„ces pÌ„beÌ„ c. ii et c. ne ca â—tande eo â—i li. vi l. stipulatio ff de ver ob l. quidaÌ„ ff de dona Eccâ—ie xxxi Treno v. Esaie xxx i. thimo vi ê“uer xx Eccle. xliiii Hiere xxii Sapien. iii. Eccle. vi ê“uer x. Osâ—e ix ê“uer xii â—amê° de quo Juuenalis Absolon 〈◊〉 Reg. xviii Hiere viii pÌ„s xxxvi Eccle. iiii ê“uer xxviii Ecclesi x. pÌ„s liiii come and se the testament where as is lefte you many fayre doctrynes Ha what is he that may suffre this foole that hathe his mynde lyght as wynde the whiche desyreth the dethe of another for his goodes He is a fole so to desyre his frendes deth but god gyueth theÌ„ no power therto nor excepteth not theyr prayers For oftentymes we se the contrary that they dye before theyr frendes Alas is it not grete furoure to the to desyre ony mannes deth for temporall goodes For deth foloweth the fote for fote be thou neuer so grete at the laste thou shalte be deceyued It is sene often that the sone deyeth afore his fader It is than grete fo ly to truste in the dethe of another man Kynge Pryam for all his aege sawe all his chyldren deye before hym Wherfore he deyed almoost as he wente In lyke wyse whan Absolon sawe the sceptre of his fader kynge Dauyd he desyred it gretely But all sodaynly dethe smote hym with his darte and he wolde not haue thought but that he sholde haue lyued after his fader The dedes of dethe be not all the sureste for they be to obscure derke Lyuynge folkes be not so folysshe to put your truste in thynges caducke and transytorye but truste euer to lyue with the sayntes of heuen in Joye perdurable and not in the thynges mondaynes ¶ Of them that obserueth not the sondayes and other feestes ca. lxxxxi ¶ Who that kepeth not the sondayes And holy festes canonysed But occupyeth them in playes Is a grete fole predestyned And shall be from god expulsed But yf that he kepe them truely In seruynge god reuerently AWaken you out of your dremes fo 〈…〉 he lu natyke fooles the whiche haloweth 〈…〉 nor kepeth not the sondayes nor the ot 〈…〉 sayntes ero xx 〈◊〉 xxxi Leuiti xxvi Johan xvii Deu. v. dayesmen women come 〈◊〉 this chapytre parauenture it shall 〈…〉 se you for to obserue them as ye be bounde for to do â—nd coÌ„maunded of our moder holy chirche Alas I aduertem my remembraunce the vyces opprobryous of the humaynes I am ryght sore abasshed how that they haue theyr hertes so affusked in vyle synnes ¶ For they haue theyr corporall bodyes enuyronned with obscurnes tenebrous walkynge in dyuers quarters oure of the hye waye And holdeth not the playne and perfyte waye that Hier. xvii De fer ci i. 〈◊〉 vltimo L. e. t. l. ois our lorde Ihesu cryste hathe demonstred them of good fayth He gyueth his ensygnementes and artycles hys doctryne and hye grace vnto euery