the defautys and to preche goddes worde and to winne maÌ„nis soule not to robbe the folke of ther good but take ther costys in esy maner So that thei sclauÌ„dre not ther brethern ne ther sugettys ne be not greuouse to them x. qÌ„ iii. cauend Alle men and namely men of holy church moste besely fle sclaundre that they yeue no man ne woman occasyon of slaundre ne of synne butt ofte tyme lyfe the harder and absteyne them fro mani thinges leful to fle sclauÌ„dre For as saythe saint ierom super mycheam All that yeue occasion of sclauÌ„dre be gylty of altho that perisshe by the sclauÌ„dre .i. qÌ„ i. hii quosquuÌ„que Et nota pro vitando scandalo in rebus licitis ad roÌ„ xiii et p. ad corum viiio. For these causys god saith to men of holy church by the prophet osee ye be made snare to meÌ„ lokyng a fer and as a net sprede abrede on the hylle of thabor ye haue bowed down sacrifices iÌ„ to the depnes that is to say yâ— yâ— ought to be ware lokers to worche wel and warne men of perel of synne be made a snare and a net in holy church that is the hyl of thabor to take folke in sinne and drawe them to foly And so ye haue slain soulis bowed theÌ„ doun into the depnesse of dampÌ„cion and so made sacrifice to the deuel of the soulys that god toke you to kepe Osee. vo.c. Also men of holy church sle ther suget t ys gostly that mys eggyng miscounseyle and mys enformacyon bringe them in dedly synne in eresie or elles lette them from good dedys that thei wolde do so slayn good purpose and good wyl that man or woman is in in maner sleyn ther fayth wherbi they shulde lyue For the ê“phete sayth Iustus ex fide viuit The rightful maÌ„ lyueth by feyth And saint Iames saith that faythe wythoute good werkes of charite is but dede And also prayer Withoute deuocion is but ded as sey these clerkes Diues Than nyghe alle the prayers that men make be but dede For comonly in oure prayere we be destracte and thenk on other thinges And it is not possible to vs alwey to thenke on what we saye For there is no thinge so chauÌ„ge able as thought thow we theÌ„k on that we sey yit it is not in oure power withoute special gyfte of god to haue deuocioun therin Pauper Take it not so straite For it is vnderstonde thus Preyere witheoute deuocion is butte dede that is to saye Prayer made ayens deuocioun is but dede Diues Howe a yens deuocion Pauper As whanne men prey ayens the saluacion of oure soulys or other soules not for the worship of god but for ipocrisi or oÌ„li for wordly lucre Or whaÌ„ meÌ„ preye ayens charite as for to haue veÌ„geauÌ„ce of ther enemyes or for ony thing ayens goddis worshyp and in ther prayer submytt not ther wyl to the wylle of god Euery prayere that is made to the worshyp of god by weye of charite and for a good end withe purpose to plese god that preyer is made withe deuocion tho we he that preyeth be distracte and thenkethe not on his wordys perauenture vnderstondethe theÌ„ not ne hath but lytel liking ther in Nethelesse man and woman oueth to do ther deuoure to theÌ„ke on god and of that that he seiÌ„ the in his prayere TTe tenthe chapter DIues Thy speche please me seye forthe what thou wylte Pauper As I seide first al that lette man or woman of ther good dedys and good purpose and tyse them to synne and foly and brynge them in erroure or eresie by mys techyng be maÌ„sleers and lymmys of the fynde Whyche as criste sayth in the gospel is a manqueller from the begiÌ„niÌ„ge of the world For through hys mys counseyle and hys fodinge he sloughe al mankynde bothe gostli and bodely at the begynnynge of the worlde Also he sloughe himsilfe throughe pride and many thousandys aungels that assentyd to hym And yet he sesethe not to sle mannys soule by false suggestiouns and temptaciouns and that by hymsilfe whanne men se him not And suÌ„tyme visibily in the lickenesse of sum visible creature so he teÌ„pted criste eue and saint martyn mani other Sumtyme he temptethe and slethe mannis soule bi hys liÌ„mes that be wicked men wymen Also men of holy churche sle men and wymen gostli of goddes word and of gode techiÌ„g For as crist sayth NoÌ„ iÌ„solo pane viuit homo sed in omni verbo ê™ procedit de ore dei mt. iiiio. co. Man lyuethe not only in bodeli brede but moche more he lyueth in euery worde that comethe of goddes mouthe that is to saye iÌ„ the wordys of the trwe prechour For euery trwe prechoure sentte of god is cleped goddes mouthe And therfore god saythe to the ê“phete Si seperaueris preciosum a vili quasi os meum eris Iere. xvo. If thou departe precious thinge from thinge that is foule and of no pryse thou shalt be as my mouthe For it longeth to ye prechoure of goddis worde to coÌ„mende vertuis and despise vices to â—hese truthe and lette falshede to commende heuen blysse and gostly thinges and repreue pompe and pryde of thys worlde and flesshly thinges And thaÌ„ne is ye prechoure as goddes mouth and spekethe wyth goddes mouthe and hys worde is goddes worde by the whyche man and woman lyueth gostly and escapeth endles deth And therfore dauid sayth Misit verbum suum et sananauit eos et â—ripuit eos de intericionibus eorum God hath sent hys worde and hathe heled hys people from gostly sekenes and delyuered them from ther diynge whanne they shulde haue dyed throughe synne and helle payne And therfore he sayth in the gospel that who so kepeth hys worde he shal not ataste the deth withe oute ende Sythe that goddes worde is lyfe and saluacion of maÌ„nys soule alle tho that let goddes worde and lette them that haue auctorite of god and by ordre take to preche and teche that they maye not preche and teche goddys worde ne goddes lawe they be manslears gostli and gilty of as many soules as perisshe and dye gostly by such lettynge of goddes worde and namely these proude couetouse prelatys and curates that neyther kunne teche ne wyl tech ne suffre other that kuÌ„ne and wil and haue auctoryte to teche of god and of the busshop that yeuethe theym ther orders but lette theym for drede that they shulde haue the lesse of ther sugettis or els the lesse be set by or elles that ther synnes shulde be knowe by prechyng of goddes worde And therfore leuer they haue to lese the soulys that criste so dere bought thaÌ„ to here ther owne synnes openly repreued generaly among other meÌ„nys siÌ„nys As saint austen saith goddis worde owth to be worshipped as moch as cristys body And as moch synne doth he that letteth goddes word
despiseth goddis worde or taketh it retchelesly as he that despiseth goddis body or through hys neccligens letethe it falle to the ground .i. qÌ„ i. in t rogo vos There the glose shewethe that it is more profitable to here goddes worde in prechynge than to here ony messe And rather a man shulde forbere hys messe than hys sermoun For by prechynge folke be styrede to contricion and to forsake synne and the fende and to loue god godenes be illumined to know ther god and vertues from vices truthe from falshede and to forsake errours and eresies By the messe be they not so But if they come to messe in synne they goo awey in synne and shrewis they come and shrewys they wende And also the vertue of the messe stondethe princypaly in true by leue of the messe and specialy of criste that is there sacred iÌ„ the ost But that may man lerne by prechinge of goddes word and not by hering of mes And iÌ„ so moch berynge of goddes worde trwly preched is better than heringe of messe Nethelesse the messe profiteth them that be in grace to gete ye more grace and foryeuenes of venyal synne and encressing of mede and lessynge the payne of purgatory And the prest maibe so good that his prayer for reuerence of the sacrament shal gete grace of amendement of hym that he preyeth for Both be gode but goddes word owth to be more charged and more desyred thaÌ„ heringe of messe For whanne the people disspiseth goddes word loth goddes worde that is gostly fode to man that peple is but ded in goddes syght and nyghe to the yatys of hell And therfore dauid sayth Omnem escam abhominata est anima eorum et a ê“pinquaueruÌ„t vsque ad portas mortis Ther soulis haue lothid al gostly mete that is to saye al trwe preching techiÌ„g of goddis word and so they be neyghed to the yatys of dethe The eleuenth chapter ALso tho prelates and curatys be gylty of maÌ„slaughter gostly that knowe ther sugettys in dedly synne and wyl not snybbe them ne speke ayens ther synne di xliii epheseis And therfore god sayth to euery curate prelate of holy churche and to pÌ„chours of goddes worde I haue made the a daiwaite to the peple of israel that is to saye to cristen peple thou shalt here the worde of my mouth tel it theÌ„ iÌ„ my name And if I saye to the synful that he shal dye and thou telle it him not ne speke not to hym that he may amende him and turne him fro his wicked wey and lyfe that synful wretche for thy defaute shal dye in his synne And I shal seke the blood and the deth of hiÌ„ of thin hond and thou shalt answere for hys deth Ezegie iiioc Also they be called meÌ„sleers that de fraude and take awey holy churche goodes .xii. qÌ„ ii qui xpÌ„i c q i abstulerit Also that preeste is a mansleer gostly that denieth the sacrament of penaunce to man or woman in his laste ende and wyl not assoyle theym whanne they repent them and axe absolucion For so they put folke in despeire ayens ye goodnesse and mercy of god that is endles and alwey redy to al that seke mercy as long as the soule and yebody be knyt to gedre Exaumple of the thefe that henge on the right syde of crist the which for payne knowleched his synne and axed grace and gate the blysse of paradyse whanne he sayde lorde haue thou minde of me whan thou comest iÌ„to thy kingdome And a non criste rightful iuge that best knewe his herte sayde to him I seâ—â—e for sothe thys daye thou shalt be wythe me in paradise xxvi qÌ„ vi si presbit c o agnouimus where the lawe sayth that they that be so harde vp on men in ther dying do not els but put deth to deth Deth of soule to dethe of body Diues Moch folk presume so moch on the merci of god that they yeue no tale to lyue in ther synne moche of al ther life in hope to haue mercy in last ende Pauê‘ And yet if they ax mercy in due maner they shal haue mercy as the lawe sayth wel in the same place and holy writ in many places For god saythe by the prophete Ezechielis xxxiii c o That in what oure the siner sighith for his sinne and ax mercy I shal foryeue him his sinne and foryete his synne Netheles I dare not hote suche folke that they shulde haue grace stede and tyme to axe mercy as theÌ„ nedeth to axe For comonly such maner folke be desseyued by soden deth or elles in ther diynge they lese ther hedys and ther wyttys and begynne to raue Or elles they haue so moch payne in ther body and so moch besynesse withe the world that they thenke neyther of god ne of theÌ„silfe And as seith saint austen in his sermone de innocentibus Iusto dei iudicio agitur vt moriens obliuiscatur sui q duÌ„ viueret oblitê° est It is goddis rightful dome that he foryete himsilfe in his diynge that hath foryeten god in hys lyuynge As fel in englond besidys oxenford There was a tyraunt in ye cuÌ„tre that dredde not god ne had petye of man Ofte men preched him couÌ„seyled him to gode He had despite of ther wordes And sayde that if he myght haue thre wordes byfore his diyng he shulde be saued as wel as the beste man leuynge At the laste it byfel that he rode by the weye to be on aqueste byfore a iustice And he bygan to slepe hys hors stomblid he fel doune brake hys necke And in his falling he sayde with greate herte Ore vaunte a deblis that is to saye in englisshe Nowe forth to the deuyl And so he had thre wordis to his dampnacion not to his saluacion Therfore the wisman sayth De ê“piciatu pctoÌ„rum noli esse sine metu Be not wythoute drede of foryeuenesse of thy synnes ne put synne to synne ne seie not that the mercy of god is grete he shal haue mercy on the multytude of thy synnes For mercy wrathe also hastli come fro him nighe to mankynd But his wrath loketh to sinners that wyl not ameÌ„d theym and hys mercy to theym that wyl amend them Neterdas conuerti ad dominum c. Therfore lette not to turne the to god and delaye not from day to day For if thou do hys wrathe shal come sodenly and destroye the. Eccl. v o c. For suche folke that be so bolde in ther synne in hope of the merci of god do the wors by cause of his godnes they scorne god and seke veÌ„geaunce and no mercy They take hede to his mercy and not to hys rightfulnesse Dauid saythe Vniuerse vic domini misericordia et veritas Al the weyes of god and al his domes be mercy and teruthe If thou seke mercy it were ayeÌ„s hys rightfulnesse but he shewed
an aungel in a maÌ„nes lyknes bad him go with him SodeÌ„ly they were to gidre iÌ„ a depe valeye and in the myddes of the valey was a depe pytt ful of fyre smoderinge medlyd with pitche and brymstone ful foule stiÌ„kynge Thanne the aungel bad this man loke into this pytt He lokyd downe and there he sawe thre galowes stonding in the fire On the ferthest henge a man by the tunge on the secounde henge a man by the hondes but on the thridde henge no man Thanne the aungel axed him what he sawe and he tolde him al the soth Thanne saide the aungel He that hangith by the tuÌ„ge is thy faders fader which purchased the place that thou duellyst in by gyle of his tunge by false othes by leesynges by ê‘iurie by false wytnesses and dyd many meÌ„ forswere them and therfore is he principaly punysshed in his tuÌ„ge and haungith by his tunge in this orrible fyre and shal do withouten ende for he wolde nat make restitucion He that hangith on the secounde galowes by the hondis is thy fader whiche kept stylle by mighty hond that his fader myspurchased and wolde nat make restitucion The thridde galowes in whiche hangithe no man been ordeyned for the but if thou ameÌ„de the and make restitucion Anone the aungel passyd aweye from him and he was delyuered ayen vndre his woode syde The nexte daye after he sent after the heires of the plaace and made restitucion His wyf and his children were fulle sory and saide vnto him Allas allas nowe been we alle beggers Thanne he aunswerid said Leuer I haue that we begge in this worlde thanne to brynge you al and me into that endelesse peyne tha I sawe And better it is to vs for to lese a place in erthe to whiche we haue no right thanne to lese oure place in heuene blâ—sse wtouten ende Diues I assent wel to thy spech say forth what thou wylt The iiii chapter PAuper Many harde vengeaunces haue fallen for false couetise Giezi was smyten with foule miselrie For couetise made him to sel the helth of Naman whiche helth came only by the grace of god iiiio. â„ž. v. c. For couetise iudas solde Cryste goddes sonne for thritty penys and betrayed him after he weÌ„t henge him self tyl his bely brast And there his bely braste there the deuyl that was in him flewe oute and bare his soule with him to helle Diues Why went natt the feende oute at his mouthe Pauê‘ For his mouth hadde touchyd cristes mouthe whanne he kyssed crist in gile and sayde Hayle maister Diues Thy skyl is gode say forth what thou wylte Pauper Also for couetise an any and saphira his wif died sodeyn deth dispitouse bethe for they lyed to the holy â–ª goost forsoke their money to seint Petyr For couetise Nachor was stoned to the deth for he stale golde and clothe ayeÌ„st goddes forbode Iosue vii ¶ We fynde in the lyf of seint Barlaam yat on a tyme an archer toke a nightyngale and wolde haue slayne it God yaue speche to the nightyngale Whiche saide to the archer what shal it proufyt to the to slee me Thou maist nat fylle thy womb with me I am so lytel Saue my lawe and lett me fle and I shalle teche the thre wysdomes whiche if thou kepe wele they shal do ye moche proufyt Thanne the archer was a woundryd of her speche and hight her sykerly that he let her fle if she taughte hym the wysdomes Thanne she said besye the nat to take thinge that thou might nat take For thinge that is looste and may nat be recured ne goten ayen make no sorowe Thinge that is nat semely to be sothe leue it nat The archer lete the nightyngale fle Whanne the nightyngale was vp in the ayre she saide to the archer a feble couÌ„seyl hast thou take For thou hast lost a grete treasoure For I haue a margery stone in my woÌ„be more thanne an ostriches ey ThaÌ„ne the archer was sory and prayed the nightyngale come ayen to him hight her wele ThaÌ„ saide the nightyngale Nowe I wote wele thou art a fole and al my lore ê“fiteth the nat For thou makest moche sorowe for thou hast lost me and yit thou might nat gete me ayen Thou trauaylist to take me and thou mighte nat take me ne passe the weye that I passe by And ouir that thou leuyst that I hadde suche a preciouse stone in my body asmoche as an ostriches ey and al my body is nat half so moche Diues What is this to purpose Pauê‘ By this nightyngale that syngethe so swetly I vnderstonde Criste. goddes sonne that songe to mankynde soÌ„ges of endles loue And a nightyngale is in latyne philomena that is to saye in englisshe a swete louer as saith Catholicon And a sweter louer thaÌ„ne Cryste was ther neuir none He taughte to vs many wysdomes in which he taught vs these iii. First he badde that thou shuldest natt be besy to take thing that thou mighte nat take Whanne he bad the nat stele ne coueyte thy neighbours gode with wronge For as the lawe saith Hoc solum possumê° quod de iure possumus Only we may do that we may do laufully And therfore if thou traueil to gete thing vnlaufully that thou might nat haue by the lawe be it house or londe worship or dignytie thanne thou besiest the to gete a thinge that thou mighte nat take And therfore the wiseman saith Noli laborare vt diteris c. Trauayle thou nat to moche to be riche But putte measure and maner to thy wysdoome and to thy slight that though thou myghtest gete a thinge by sleight or by soteltie alwaye take hede to the right and to the lawe Ne erigas ocloÌ„s tuos ad opes quas habere noÌ„ poteris s. de iure c. Lift nat vp thyn iye saith Salomon to richesses that thou might natt haue rightfully For they shalle make them winges as of an egle and fle into heuene that is to sey they shal fle away from the and accuse the bifore god of thy false hede and of thy couetise Prouer xxiii Also couetouse folk doo a yenst the secouÌ„de lesson that this nightingale crist ihuÌ„s taught vâ— to kepe For whaÌ„ they lese thing by myshappe or by aduersite or by deth of wif or childreÌ„ they make so moch sorowe that they renye god falle in ful harde sekenes bothe of soule and of body But dauid the king keping this wisdome dyd natt soo but while his soÌ„ne â—ay seke as long as he was of hope to haue his life so longe he wept and fasted and prayde for his life to god But whanne the childe was dede anoÌ„ he sesed of his wepynge and ete dranke and made mery For he wyst wel that he might not gete him ayen .iio. â„ž xiio. co. Also couetise maketh men to leeue thynge that is not semely to be soth and to beleue many
forboden by the lawe canon lawe imê‘ial what peynes loÌ„ge to witches to her fautoures· ca xxxiiii ¶ It is vnleful to trust that a man is a theif or to sle him for a witche saith a ê‘sone to be a theef· ca. xxxv ¶ Wytches vsyng prayers and dedes of holynesse and hole thiÌ„ges in her wichecraftes in somoche they worship the feende the more and the more they dispise god also why wytchecraft is moost vsed amonge olde folke ca xxxvi That god forbedith al maner syn by the first ê¯mauÌ„de t c. xxxvii ¶ Hou it is lefull to vse lottes and hou nat and soo of pleiynge at the dyce ca. xxxviii ¶ What wichecrafte is and of synne to feyne witchecrafte also of feynyng of myracles by ypocrisy ca. xxxix ¶ Of charmyng of adders and how it is vnlefull and perilous to man to charge his freende to cuÌ„me ayen after his dethe and shewe him his astate ca. xl ¶ How after mennys deth suÌ„tyme feendes go feynyng them to be spirites of suche men and sumtyme the soules of dede men appere and why ca. xli ¶ Howe the newe fast clepyd oure lady fast hath no grounde neither it is of auctorite ca. xlii ¶ Diuerse causes of dremys and that it is ê‘ilouse to bileue in dremys To trust in dremys is forboden in scripture and why it is harde to knowe what dremys betoken ca. xliii xliiii ¶ Stirynges to godenesse that a man hath in his dremys may he folowe so that it be done warly and what harme cuÌ„meth to theym that had leuer dreme of he feende than of god ca. xlv ¶ Of the foly of them that had leuer mete with a tode than with a knight or with a man of religion and of theim that wene to fare better if the puttok fle ouir the wey ca. xlvi ¶ Of the folye of them the diuyne what shal falle in the yere folowyng for cristmasse day or the first day of Ianuary fallith on a suÌ„day or on a muÌ„day and so forth also of the foly of them that make them wise what shal falle in the yere suyng for it thundreth in this moneth or in this Also what foles they be that diuyne of the yerÌ„ folowyng by the xii daies in cristmasse ca. xlvii xlviii ¶ Of the foly and falshede of iapers that ben clepyd multipliers of golde and siluer and why god suffrith couetouse men to be begyled of suche feytoures ca. xlix On what maner meÌ„ of holy churche shulde be no hunters and of them that whan they mete meÌ„ of holy churche and namely frerys they putt them on the left honde ca. l. ¶ Argumentes why it is to drede the solemne makynge of churches and gode arrayng of them and that faire seruyce is done in churches of Englonde is more of pompe and pride thanne to the worship of god ca. li. Gode causes why it was boden Exodi xxxo. the riche the pore pay elyke to the tabernacle that after diuerse circuÌ„staunces suÌ„tyme it is more conuenient to make churches than to helpe pore men sumtyme ayenwarde ca. lii ¶ Howe that many that grutche ayenst making of churches thiÌ„ges longyng to churches ben lyke Iuda the gruched whan mawdeleyne anoynted crist and that waaste costes and pompe in suche thinges been to be repreuyd ca. liii ¶ Hou it is vndstoÌ„e the crist saith whaÌ„ thou shalt pÌ„y eÌ„tre thy chaÌ„bre c. hou with eueÌ„ charite betrÌ„ is to pÌ„y iÌ„ churches thaÌ„ out of churchis so the praier of many is betrÌ„ thaÌ„ of one alone ca. liiii Hou ê“cessions don for to pÌ„y for the peas be nat do with due circumstauÌ„cis gode therfore oure praier is nat herde that the people is leuer to pay taxes to haue werre than peas ca. lv ¶ Howe it is vnderstonde that short prayer thirlith heuen that suÌ„tyme it is to pray only in hert and suÌ„tyme with mouth the distincly neither to fastene to treate cause why ca. lvi ¶ Hou it is vnderstonde that Criste bad that men shuld nat speke moche in prayer and causes why principaly men shulde praye in churches ca. lvii ¶ Why meÌ„ pray to god nat withstoÌ„dyng that he is vnchauÌ„geable· of ii maner praiers one comeÌ„ another singuler â–ª and dyuers skyles why men shulde pray by mouthe ca. lviii ¶ Why in the begynnyng of holy churche was nat so grete soleÌ„pnite of diuyne seruice as nowe is in churches Also skylles why soÌ„ge melodye was ordeyned in holy churche ca lix ¶ It is a shame to a londe to haue many martires whiche the people of the same londe haue slayne and of vengeaunce cuÌ„mynge to the people that sleeth martires ca. lx ¶ Why myracles be nat nowe so comen as they were in the begynnyng of cristen feith and that the multitude of miracles signifye vnstablenesse in the feith and rather shewith that the peple is maliciouse thanne gode ca lxi ¶ Doynge of miracles is noo siker preef of holynesse of the dedis of ypocrites and why that god suffreth false men to do woundres and myracles to begile the people ca. lxii ¶ Comen solempnite of cristen buriyng is nat to be forsaken and of the dignite of mannes body and womannes ca. lxiii ¶ Feyres and markettes to be holdeÌ„ in sanctuarie is vnleful and of harmes that come therof ca lxiiii ¶ The secounde precepte ¶ In thre maners is goddes name taken in veyne crist is oure priÌ„cipal godfader for after criste we be cleped cristen men and if we lyue nat cristenly we take the name of Criste in veyne for myslyuynge ca. i. Goddes name is taken in veyne by myspeche in many maneres in scornynge in iapyng in erroneus techinge in couetous or enuyous prechyng in baÌ„nyng of wariyng in lewde vowes makiÌ„g and in breking of lefull vowes capÌ„ ii ¶ Vowes shulde be made with a gode auysement that Iept synned in his vowe makinge and that wycked vowes and wycked biheâ—tes ben to be broken ca. iii. ¶ Goddes name is taken in veyne by blasphemy by gruchyng ayens god by ouirhope and wanhope and by veyne sweryng and what harme cuÌ„meth of customable swerynge capÌ„ iiii ¶ Thre false excusacions of othes and aunsweres to the ii firste excusacions ca. v. ¶ In vii· cases it is lefulle to swere and in euery othe shulde thre thinges be kepte so aunswere to the thridde false excusacion Also true vnderstonding of textes of the newe lawe that speke of swerynge ca. vi ¶ Of ii maner sweringes of attestacion execracion and whye it is forboden to swere by creatures on the first maner ca. vii ¶ How perilous the seconÌ„de maner sweryng is what it is to say so helpe me god at the holy dome why men sweryng bifore a iuge ley their hondes on a boke and kysse it ca viii ¶ They that begyle men with their subtel othes been forsworne though they say sothe for in ii maners may a man be forsworne in
Lesyngmongers and hyders of treuthe by stylnesse whan treuth shulde be saide brekyng this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t· of thre maner stylhede wycked and synful ca. i. Of viii maner lesynges coÌ„prehendyd in thre which lesynges be dedly synne And what peryl it is for meÌ„ of holy churche to be iaê‘s or customable lyers in bourde ca· ii ¶ Aunsweris to auctorities of holy wrytt by whiche men excusen lesynges ca iii ¶ Nat al feyned dedis be lesinges but al feyned speche for disceit is lesyng what feynyng of dede is synne and what nat ca iiii ¶ Of falshede of the sayer falshede of the thing that is saide And in what maner it is syn to bileue thing that is fals It is more synne a man to prise him self falsly than to lacke or blame him self falsly Whiche ben clepyd false wytnesses by the lawe ca. v. ¶ What maner folke may nat bere wytnesse in dome by lawe By false wytnesses crist seyntes were slayne Hou false wytnesses be bounde to restitucion Flaterers and bacbiters breke this coÌ„mauÌ„dment why they be lykned to a best camelion Gode spekers that ben euyl doers breke this precept ca vi ¶ Hou in many maner false men of lawe veyne prechoures and false ben false witnesses ca. vii ¶ Alle wycked clerkes ben false wytnesses Hou the vestmentis of prestis and of busshopes betoken cristes passion and what they be token morally ca. viii ¶ What the busshopes crosse the ê‘tie therof betokeÌ„ Al false lyuers that be cristned ben false wytnesses Hou witnesses shulde haue them iÌ„ dome to bere wytnesse hou amaÌ„ shuld bere wytnesse ca. ix ¶ To whom the wytnesse shal make restitucion of mede takeÌ„ to bere wytnesse After that the cause is after the dignite of the ê‘sone ayenst whom wytnessis ben brought must be the nombre of witnesses· In what maner cases one wytnesse suffiseth whanne the wytnesse shal say in certeyne whan in doute ca. x. ¶ Of kepyng of counseyl of thing that a man knowith by pryue tellyng Many thinges required in wytnesse and of diuerse iugemeÌ„t after diuersite of wytnesses of atteyntyng of wytnesses A man may be wytnesse in dome ayenst him self but nat for him self Of wytnesse of erretikes of hethen men ca xii ¶ What penaunce longith by the lawe to false witnesses to them that procure false wytnesse and to alle that assent to false witnes Many other thinges requyred and to be consideryd in this mater of berynge wytnesse ca xii ¶ Of thre wytnesses god oure conscience eche creature· Howe we shulde deme oure self in the courte of conscieÌ„ce of a gostly qÌ„st and of mysusyng of creatures ca xiii Hou crist shal come to dome hou he shal deme c. xiiii xv ¶ Of two domes speciall and generall And of sodeyne cuÌ„mynge to the laste dome· ca. xvi ¶ Crist may nat be disceyued in his dome and what streyt rekniÌ„g shal be there And of foure diuerse peoples that shal be att that doome ca xvii ¶ Howe harde the dome shal be to riche men and to them that haue resceyued many yiftes of god ca. xviii ¶ Tho nynthe precepte· ¶ Couetise rote of al euylles is forbodeÌ„ in these laste ii preceptis· How cursed false purchasoures been ca. i. ¶ A story of naboth a nother of seint Beatrice· ayenst false purchasoures ca. ii ¶ Heires ben bounden to restore thing myspurchased of their fads A fereful story ayenst them that wole nat restore· ca iii. ¶ What veÌ„geauÌ„ce hath fal for fals couetise iÌ„ holy wryt of iii. wysdomes nedful to al meÌ„ which the nightyngale â—aught ca. iiii ¶ How the storye of Balaam is remeuyd to false coueâ—ise and that the god of couetyse is betokned by the ymage of golde· that Nabugodonosor dyd make ca. v. ¶ Whiche folk ben holpen with their gode after their deth Of iii. toknys of warnyng to riche folk by ensample of balames asse Riches of this worlde is lykned to a ioguloures horse· ca vi ¶ False borowers and false executours ben lykned to shepe that go from their felowes And that no thing saueth more a comyntie thaÌ„ feithfulnesse keping of true biheest ca. vii ¶ Two thinges shuld abate couetise of maÌ„neâ— hert This worlde is lykned to iiii thinges ful vnstable to a whele to a ship to a rose to a shadowe also to sliderweye ca. viii ix ¶ Mynde of deth shuld let fals couetise by ensaÌ„ple of the foxe Almesse do bifore deth is moche betrÌ„ thaÌ„ almesse done after ca. x. ¶ Ensamples ayeÌ„st false executoures ca. xi ¶ A parable of thre freendis and howe almesdede is the best frend whanne other frendes fayle ca. xii ¶ To whome men shulde do almesse and how feestis shuld be made to riche men Also what ordre shulde be kepte in yeuynge of almesse And of the diuersite of pore meÌ„ to whom almesse is to be youen ca xiii ¶ Men ben diuersly pore ayens their wyl And to al is almesse to be youen why crist shal clepe pore wycked people his bretherne at domes day And howe Crist shal thanke men at the dome for almesse done to the gode and to the wycked And howe goddes mercy and pyte shal be shewyd that day ca xiiii ¶ All pore and nedy must be holpeÌ„ by almesse but priÌ„cipaly wilful pore Also nedy prechoures ca xv ¶ In yeuyng of almesse a man shulde take hede to x thinges in what cases a man shalle rather yeue to one pore man thanne to another And that a riche man shulde take Crist as one of his children Also they that wole nat forsake synne do nat almesse plesaunt to god ca. xvi ¶ The tenthe precepte ¶ What maner couetise is forboden in the nynthe pÌ„cept and what in the tenthe Assent to dedly synne is dedely synne why the x. coÌ„maundementes that forbede the dede of lechery and of theft stoÌ„de bifore the commaundementes that forbede wycked wyll of lechery and thefte ca. i· ¶ Cause of diuersite why the ii last preceptis been transposed exodi xxo. and Deutro· quinto· ca ii ¶ Mynde of cristis passion is remedy ayenst temptacions of lechery· Ensample by the pellicane Of the loue of Crist. and howe it quenchith vnclene loue· ca. iii· ¶ Dyuerse remedies ayenst lechery and remouyng of occasions Ensample by ii holy wymen ca. iiii ¶ A man shulde rule his flesshe as a knighte dothe his horse· And of gostly sadyl brydel and spores· ca. v· ¶ Howe a cristen man is lyke a bridde that is clepyd a bernak How euery cristeÌ„ maÌ„ is a knight with what armure he shuld be armyd As moche as a man kepith goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dmeÌ„tes so moch he is in goddes sight no more· Alle that breke goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dmentis been acursed by the grete sentence of god ca. vi· vii ¶ Of mischeuys and curses temporel and endlesse that shall come to the brekers of goddes lawe Comen mischeyf fallith nat
beautie ne brightnesse And so lightly the feend might appere to him that were alyue in the lyknesse of him that were dede and telle hym lesynges and in case make him so aferyd that he shulde lese his wytte and falle iÌ„ wanbileue as felle to one with in a fewe yeres And happely he shulde telle him that he were daÌ„nyd thoughe it were nat so Or telle him that he were in blysse though he were in byttre peyne and soo lete him of his almesdede and from holy prayer and other gode dedes by which nat on lye that soule shulde be holpen but many other withe him Also if he aperyd to him or if he weÌ„de that he appered to him he shulde haue the lesse mede for his byleue thanne he hadde bifore For thanne were he cachyd by exê‘ience to knowe that the soule lyueth after the body Also it is nat in the soules power to appere to man or woman after the deth of his body ne man is nat able to se a soule for it is inuisible withouteÌ„ special myracle of god And so bothe he that chargith hym to come ayen and he that hotith to come ayen tempten god And right as god wol that euery maÌ„ and woman be vncerteyn what tyme he shal dye for that alway he shuld be dredeful to do amys and besy to do wele Right so he wole that men be vncerteyn of their freÌ„des whan they ben dede in what state that they been for that they shulde alway be besy to helpe ther soules with messes syngynge almes doynge with bedys byddyng and other gode dedes nat only for help of hiÌ„ but of other that haue lytel helpe or none Also for encresyng of their owne mede For who so trauayleth wel for a nother trauaylith beste for him self For as saythe seynt poule ther shal noo gode dede be vnyoldeÌ„ ne no wyckyd dede be vnpunysshed Diues Thy skylle is gode For if men wyst that their frendes were out of peyne they wold do right noght for them And so they shulde lese moche mede for that knowyng soules lese moche helpe And if men wyst for certayn whan thei shulde dye they shuld be to bold to do amys in hope that they shuld amende them in their diynge But yit nat withstondynge alle thy skylles somme clerkes sayne that it is lefulle to men to charge theire frendes to coÌ„me ayen and shewe them her state after their dethe For as they say it is kyndely thynge for to desire to knowe or to kuÌ„ne For the philosopher saith that euery maÌ„ and womaÌ„ by wey of kynde desireth to knowe and to kuÌ„ne Omnes hoiÌ„es natura scire desiderant Pauper They say sothe and nat ayenst me For it is leful to euery manand woman to desire to cuÌ„ne and to knowe But it is nat leful for to desire to knowe on that maner ne by no mene vnleful nat by teching of the feende ne by techynge of them that been dede The xli chaptre DIues Howe is it that spirytes walke soo aboute Whanne men be dede Pauper Comonly suche spirites ben fendes and go so aboute to sclaundre them that been dede for to brynge the people into errour bacbityng and wicked demyng that if the peple demyd euyl and spake euyl of them bifore theire dethe to do them speke and deme moche worse aftre their deth so to brynge the peple ful depe in synne And suÌ„tyme they gone iÌ„to the bodies of heym that ben dede and buried and bere it about to do them vilony But whanne spirites goo on this maner they do moche harme and moche disese Natheles by the leue of god the soules appere iÌ„ what maner god wole to hem that ben alyue suÌ„tyme for to haue help sumtyme to shewe that the soulis lyue after the body to conferme them that been feble in the feyth and bileue nat sadly that mannes soul lyueth after his deth But suche spirytes do no harme but to tho that wole natt leue theym that they haue suche peyne or wole nat redily helpe hem at their axynge The xlii chapter DIues Is it leful to trust iÌ„ these fastiÌ„ges new fouÌ„d to fle sodeyne dethe Pauper It is a grete foly to trust therin For as I sayde nowe late god wole that man woman be vncerteyne what tyme they shulde dye and in what maner For god wole that man and womaÌ„ be alway besy to fle synne and to do wele for drede of deth and alwaye redy what tyme god wole sende aftre theym And yf men were certayne by suche fastynge that they shuld nat die sodeynly but haue tyme of repeÌ„taunce and to be shreuyne and houselyde they shulde be the. more rechelesse in their lyuynge and the lesse tale yeue for to doo amys in hope of amendemente in their diyng And therfore god grauntyth them nat the ende ne the effecte that they fast for For more sodeyn deth wyste I neuir that men hadde thanne I wyste theym haue that haue fastyd suche fastes vii yere about ne more dispytefulle and shamefulle in open punysshyng of their syn â—nd was their neuir soo moche sodeyn deth so longe reignynge in this londe as hath be sithe suche fastynge beganne we may nat arte god ne putte him to no lawes And therfore we shulde putte alle oure lyf and our deth only in his wylle praynge to hiÌ„ of his grace that he wole ordeyn for vs bothe in lyf and deth as it is mooste to his worshyp and helpe of oure soule It is wele done tor pray to god with fastyng and gode dedys that he saue vs from sodeyne deth for alle holy churche prayeth soo But for to set feyth in suche nyce obseruauÌ„ces and wene to be syker of their axynge for suche obseruaunces that is nat lefulle for we may nat knowe the wyl of god in suche thinges wtout special reuelacioÌ„ of god We may praye and owe to praye but god shal graunt as him liketh and as he seeth that it is mooste spedeful to vs and most to his worshyp And therfore salomon sayth Nemo sit vtruÌ„ amore an odio dignus sit Eccle. ix c No man he saith wote sykerly whether he is worthy hate or loue And yit we hope owe alle to hope that god wold loue vs and saue vs if we do our deuour Fastyng is gode if it be done in mesure maner with gode iÌ„teÌ„cion so that men sett no mysbyleue therin ne grounde them in no lesynges ne in no nyce obseruauÌ„ces But in asmoche as they preferre in their fastynge dayes of their owne choyce bifore tho daies that been ordeyned by holy churche to faste in somoche they synne in presumption do pÌ„iudice to holy churche that ordeyned suche daies that been moste coÌ„uenyeÌ„t to faste as wednesday fridaye and saturday De coÌ„se distinc iii. ieiunia c. sabbato Diues I se no grounde ne reason in suche fastynge ne whye it shuld be more medeful to fast alle mondayes in
if thei do some tyme amisse for that yâ— they be not customable to synne therfore ther prelatis shulde the more spare them and mor worshipfully speke to theÌ„ Som olde folke be customable to siÌ„ne and wyl not amende them and such be worthy no worshyp as god sheweth wel by the wordys of ysaie And therfore saint gregori sayth that the olde man â—ole shuld be harde vnder nomaÌ„ The xv chapter DIues Thy answer is skilful say forth I praye the Pauper Also by thys precepte we be bounde to worshype oure kynge oure lege oure souereins alle For al tho that haue gouernaunce of vs or of the comontie owe by ther office and ther dignite to be faders of the comontie of ther sugettys And be besy to saue ther sugettys as the fader hys children And therfore naa man prynce of syrye was cleped fader of hys seruantys .iiii. â„ž. v. c. And iob sayde Pater eraÌ„ pauperum I was fader of the pore and ye cause that I knew not I traced it and sought it vp besyly iob xxix.c And therfore saynt poule byddeth the peple do worship and obey to ther souereyns And he sayth thus Serui obedite dnÌ„is vestris carnalibus ye seruantes obey ye to your flesly lordes with drede and trimelyng in simplenesse of youre herte as to crist Serue ye theÌ„ not only at ye iye to plese them but as crystys seruantis do ye the wyll of god of hert wythe gode willferuynge them of oure lorde god Not as men That is to saye serue ye them truly for ye drede of god and for the loue of god And thenke ye that the seruyce that ye do to them ye do it to god And he principaly shall yeld you youre mede For wete ye well sayth he that euery goode dede that man or woman doth be he free be he bond he shal take his mede therfore of oure lorde god And ye lordes souereins sayth he do ye the same to youre seruantis and foryeue them your thretnynges and thenke ye and wete ye it wel that god iÌ„ heuin is god both of you and of youre seruantys and soo ye and they haue bothe oon lord oon god that accept no man for hys persone but yelde eche man and woman after he deserueth Ad eph vio.c. Diues By these wordes it semeth that seruantys for her true seruice shal haue moch mede Pauper That is soth For he that doth goddes byddiÌ„g god shal yeld him hys mede And it is godges biddynge and goddes wyl that they serue truly lowly ther souereyns And therfore sayth the glose That sythe crist biddethe the seruantes serue truly if they serue truly they serue not only maÌ„ ne womaÌ„ but priÌ„cipaly they serue criste Diues Why byddeth the apostle that the seruantes shuld obeye and serue to flesly and carnal lordes Pauper For the glose sayth Them most by goddes lawe obeye not only to good lordes but also to shrewys Therfore saynt Peter sayth Subiecti estote oiÌ„m humane creature ê“pter dmÌ„ c. Be ye sugettis sayth he to euery man woman that is youre souereyn not for them sylfe but for god Be ye sugettis to kynges to dukes to temporal lordes theÌ„k ye thatodg hathe ordeyned them to veniaunce of wicked doers to preysinge of good folke For thus is the wyl of god that with youre good dedys and youre meke seruice ye stoppe make styll the vnkunnynge of the vnwise folke Serue ye as fre men that is to saye not only for drede of man But for drede and loue of god as goddes seruantes Drede ye god and worshyp ye your kynge And ye seruantes be ye sugettis and meke in al drede to youre lordes that is to saye not only in seruyle drede but also in loue drede for goddes sake Be ye sugettis for goddes sake not only to gode lordis and wel reuled but also to shrewys and tyrauntis Non tantuÌ„ bonis modestis sed eciaÌ„ discolis For than ne is man and woman worthy thanke of god Whanne for consciens and goddes sake he suffereth paciently disese wythe oute gylt If ye be beten and bofeted for youre synne and youre trespase ye be worthy no thank neyther of god ne of man But if ye do wel and with that suffre paciently disese vngyltly Than be ye worthi moche mede of god And for to do thê° criste yaue you ensaumple whanne he suffered pacieÌ„tly bitter deth withuot gilt that ye shulde folowe hys steppes and paciently suffre woo with oute gylt Theyse be the wordes of saint peter in hys first pistle iio.c. Here to accordethe saynt poule in his pystle Ad romÌ„nos xiiio.c. Where he sayth thus Euery soule that is to say euery maÌ„ and woman moste be suget and meke to the power aboue theym and to hys souereyns For there is no power ne lordshype but of god and of goddes ordinaunce And therfore saythe he Whoo so withstondeth the lorship and the power of his souereyn he wythstondeth goddes ordinauÌ„ce and getthe him dampnacion wytheoute end For why sayth he princes lordes be ordeyned of god to drede of wycked werke not to drede of gode werke wolt thou not drede the power of thy souereyn Do wel and thou shalt haue preysing of him For if he be a gode lorde he shall loue the the better And if he be a shrewe thou shalt haue the more preisiÌ„g of god that thou doest wel vnder a wycked souereyn as saythe the glose Thy kyng thy lord is godges ministre ordeyned of god to thy good If thou do amys drede thou For he beryth not the swerd without cause For he is goddes mynistre to venge the wrath of god in hym that doth amys And therfore sayth he be ye sugettys and meke to your souereyns as to the nedful ordinaunce of god not only for to fle wrath of your souereyns but also for conscieÌ„s And therfore ye yeue tributes to youre princes and lordes-for they be goddes mynestres and serue therfore in defendyng and gouernaunce of the people And as the glose sayth in that ye yeuen them tribute ye serue god for they be goddes mynistres The xvi chapter DIues Whanne saint poule sayde tho wordes emê‘ours kynges and nyghe al prynces and temporal lordes vpon erth were hethen and of false by leue bou might they be goddes minystres or goddes seruÌ„antys Pauê‘ Eueri creature is suget and seruant to god or wyth hys wylle or wythe oute hys wyl And therfore saynt austen vp yâ— psalme Exoudi deus oracioneÌ„ meam sayth thus wene ye not that god suffereth wicked folke to be in thys worlde with oute cause For euery wicked man sayth he eyther god suffereth hym to lyue for to amende him or elles that good men maye be amended by hym and wynne mede by him in that that they suffre hys malyce paciently and trauayle for to amende him The malyce of shrewys is purgatorie to gode folke and shrewys be goddes scourge to
pyllowe vnder hys elbowe And he that gladdeth ye herte of the synner in hys synne he leyth a pelowe vnder his hede For by the hede is vnderstonde the herte For why by such flateringe they reste softly and slepe iÌ„ ther synne and dye gostly wythe oute payne and perseyue not her owne deth And therfore salomoÌ„ sayth that he that iustifithe the wicked man and dampneth the rightful man both thei be abhominable to god ê“uer .xviio.c. Therfore god lycknethe flaterers to them that playstren palten wallis and wowys with out For thinge that is foule thei make it to seme fayre and make folke to haue lyking iÌ„ ther synnes Therfore god sayth that the sinner maketh the wal of synne bytwene hym and god But flaterers playsteren and paynten the wal of synne Eze. xiii o c. Al so flaterers be lickened to an adder that is cleped dipsa which as the master of kindes sayth li o xviii o he is so litel that thow a man trede theron he mai not se it But hys veniÌ„ is so violent that it sleethe a maÌ„ he fele it he deth with oute payne Right to flateringe semeth but a smal synne and yet it is ful venemous and sleth maÌ„nys soule or he fele it And with oute payne bringeth him to endles payne Flaterers be lykened to an adder that is cleped tyrus Whiche is leest of al edders and yet his venym is not curable as sayth the mayster of kynd in the same place Right so flaterynge semeth but a ful lytyl synne and yet it is so venemous that it wyl not be lightly helyd For whaÌ„ne man or woman hath lykinge in flateringe and rewlethe hys lyfe after flateryng tunge it is full harde to that man or woman to be saued For as longe as men preysen him in his synne so songe he is bolde in hys synne And if men begynne to lacke him he falleth into sorowe and dispeyre Therfore saint iames sayth that the tunge is but a lityl membre and reyseth vp grate desese it is a wickid thing that hath no rest ful of dedly venym iac iii.c And the prophete dauid saythe Acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentes venenum aspidum subsabiis eorum They haue sharped ther tungys as addris the vnym of addyrs is vnder the lyppes of flaterers and wicked spekers And if a man do his dedys only for to be preysed flatered of the people flaterynge is hys mede And whanne flaterynge ceseth and the wynde turnethe a yens him he hath no lenger likiÌ„g in good dedys and so as the gospel saythe for that he seketh thaÌ„ke in preysinge only of man for hys good dedys and not of god therfore al suche be lyckened to the fyue maydens folys the wolde mete with ther husbond criste iesu at the dome with lampis withouten oyle That is to say with good dedis with oute gostli merthe and ioye and conscience For they hadde no ioy in ther goode dedys but in preysing and flateringe of the people And therfor criste sayth in the gospel they haue take ther mede in this worlde and at the dome they shal be shet oute of heuen blisse from endles mede bothe flaterers and they the haue lykynge in flaterynge and do ther dedys only for flateryng and preysing of the people But the fiue wys maydens as sayth the gospel hadden oyle iÌ„ ther lauÌ„pis that is to say gostly ioy and lykiÌ„g iÌ„ ther good dedys And therfore they shal be receyued of ther hushoÌ„d crist into the blesse wyth outen ende And as saint austen saith in hys sermon bi oyle is vnderstonde both gostly praysyng ¶ and worldly praysynge and myrthe Gostly preysyng gostly myrthes is cleped the oile of the holy gooste But worldly preysing and worldly merthe is cleped the oyle of synners And therfore he saythe that flaterers selle oyle to the maydens folys that is to saye to synners as ofte as they flater theym and preyse them in ther foly and in ther pryde for to haue mete or drinke or money or worship or any temporal lucre so bringe theÌ„ in errour foly plese praise theim in ther synne But as dauid sayth Deus dissipauit ossa eorum qui hominibus placent God hath dystroyed and shal distroye ye bonys of them that plese men in dyspite of god and disseyue men and Wemen by flateringe wycked tunges do moch harme and sle many soules but the flateriÌ„g tunge is worste of al And therfore the wyse man sayth Susurro et bilignis erit maledictus a deo Ecle .xxviii. The musterer and the double tungedman shal be accursed of god For be troubleth moche folke that haue pes The thyrde thunge sayth he hath stired and moued moch peple oute of pees disparlid theym fronacion into nacion The fourthe chapter DIues What is susurro that is cleped a musterer Pauê‘ It is a preuey towner that pryuely telleth false tales a mongis the people for to make discencion and debate a mongis the people and telle tales preuely whyche he dare not tel opeÌ„ly ne may not a vowe them Of whych folke saint poule saythe Susurrones detractores deo odibiles Ad roÌ„ i.c. Such musterers and bacbyters god hateth them For susurro is a preuy bacbiter a preuy lyer that maketh debate amoÌ„ges frendes And as the wyse man sayth God hateth al tho yâ— sowen discord a mongis bretherne and frendes ê“uer vi.c And as he sayth in a nother place such preuy musterers defoule ther soule and thei shal be hated of ol bothe of god of al the courte of heuen Eccle. xxi And therfore god sayth Non eris susurro nec criminator in populis Thou shalt be no musterer a moÌ„gis thâ— people to lette loue and pees ne thou shalt be no tale teller ne blabbe to defame man or woman falsly or ony synne that is preui Leuitici xix c Soche preuy musterers and bacbyters make discencion and heuinesse in euery comonte in euery housholde in euery cumpany And therfore whanne they be knowe for such they shulde be put oute of cumpany or elles chastised For the wyse man sayth whaÌ„ne the wode is withdrawe the fyre abateth and is quenched Right so sayth he withdrawe such preuy musterers and bacbiters and put them oute of cumpany and chidinge and debate shal cese Prouer. xxvi c Diues What ie bilignis that thou clepest a double tuÌ„ged man Pauper Biliguis and ye double tuÌ„ged man is he that say the one with hys mouwthe and thenketh another in hys herte he that sphekethe good byfore a man and bihynde hym he speketh him euyl he that sayth a truthe one tyme and another tyme he forsakethe it he that is vnstable in speche and nowe saythe one and nowe another Of such god speketh and sayth Os biliÌ„gue detestor prouerbiorum iiio.c. Iwlate and lothe the mouthe that is double tunged Diues What clepethe the wyse man the thyrd tunge that dothe so moche woo Pauper The third tunge is
also that it is a worshipful wedlok whaÌ„ne man weddeth his wife lawfully to bryng forth chyldren to goddes seruice absteyneth hym fro his wyfe in dwe tymes And thanne is ther bed wythoute spot of blame whanne he medle with his wif lawfully and for a good end kepe mesure and maner thanne ryse they vp oute of bed with oute spott of blame The sedunde chapte MAtrymony wae ordeyned of god for ii causes Firste pryncypaly into office to bryng forth children to goddes seruice Also into remedie to fle fornicacion and lecherye For the fyrste cause it was ordeyned iÌ„ paradise byfore adams synne For the ii cause it was ordeyned oute of ê‘adise after adams synne Thre goode thynges be pryncipaly in matrimonye The firste is feyth that eche of them kepe truly hys body to other and medle flesshly wyth non other The secunde is brynginge forth and norysshiÌ„ge of children to the worship of god and to goddes seruice For elles it were better that they were vnborne The third is the sacrameÌ„t which may not be vndo but only by deth And therfore the ordre of wedlok is fulworshipful for it representeth the gret sacrameÌ„t of vnyte of endles loue bytwene ye godhed ye maÌ„hede iÌ„ criste verry god verry man bitwene criste and holy churche and bytwene crist and cristeÌ„ soule And the feythful loue that owethe to be bytwene husboÌ„d wyfe bytokeneth the loue and the feythe the oweth to be bitwene crist cristeÌ„ soule and bytwene crist and holy church For the husbond shulde loue his wyfe wyth true loue And therfore whaÌ„ne he weddeth hir he setteth a rynge on hir fynger which rynge is token of true loue that owethe to be bytwene them For they moste loue them to gedre hertely And therfore it is sette in the forthe fynger For as clerkes sey fro that fynger go yeueth hir but one rynge iÌ„ token that they shulde loue theym syngulerly to gedre For as ayens comyniÌ„ge of ther body the husbond shulde loue his wyfe non other and the wyfe hir husbond and non other The riÌ„g is rouÌ„de aboute and hath non ende in token that ther loue shulde be endles and no thynge depart theim but deth alone Also the rynge is made of golde or of syluer in token that as gold and syluer pas al other metals in value and cleÌ„nesse so shulde ther loue passe al other loues And the husbond loue his wife passyng al other wymen And the wyfe loue hir husbond passynge al other men And as gold and syluer passe al other metals in clennes so shulde ther loue al be set iÌ„ cleÌ„nes not comoÌ„ to gedre but for bryngyng forth of children or to flee fornicacion or to yelde the dette of ther bodyes Thys loue bitokeneth the loue that we owe to god that is oure goostly husbonde too whoom we be all weddedde in oure baptem For we shulde loue him hertely with al oure herte syngulerly wythe al oure soule lastingly wythe al oure mynde myghtely wythe al oure myghtys And therfore he saythe Deutro vio. Thou shalte loue thy lorde god with althy hert with al thy soul with al thy mynde with al thy might The husboÌ„d betokeneth crist ye wyf betokeneth holy church and cristeÌ„ soul which is goddes spouse oweth to be suget to cryst as wyfe to husbond Thre ornameÌ„tys longe pryncipaly to a wyfe Arynge on hir fynger a broch on hir brest agarlond on hir hede The riÌ„ge betokenethe true loue as I haue seyd The broch bytokeneth clennesse in herte chastitye that she oweth to haue The garlonde bytokeneth gladnesse and the dignitye of the sacrameÌ„t of wedlok For the husbond bytokeneth crist and the wyfe holy church which is cleped quene goddes spouse And therfore seiÌ„t poule sayth thus Viri diligite vxores vestras ye men loue ye youre wyues as criste loued holy church and put himsilfe to the deth for holy church So shulde men do if it neded for ther wyues as saythe glose Men saythe he owe to loue ther wyues as ther owne bodyes He that loueth his wyfe he loueth himsilfe Sythe thanne thys sacrament of wedlok is so greate and so worshypful in crist and holy church ther-fore euery man loue his wyfe as himsilfe And the wyfe loue hyr husbond and drede him wymen saith he most be suget to ther husbondys as to ther lorde For maÌ„ is hede of woman as criste is hede of holy churche And as al holy church is suget to crist so most wymeÌ„ be sugettis to ther husboÌ„ddys These be the wordys of seiÌ„t poule Ad eph quinto The thirde chapter Syth that the ordre of wedlok is so greate so worshipful in criste holy church as saynt poul saith without doute they that breke it or misuse it in lust and lykyng of the flesshe and folowe only ther lust as bestes and refreyne not themsilfe by reson by goddes lawe they synne ful greuously Therfore we fynd in holy wrytte tobie .vio. co. That there was a woman that hyght sara and she was wedded to vii husbondys and adeuel the hyght asmodeus slough them al ech after other the firste night or that they medled wlth hyr For they wedded hir more for breÌ„niÌ„ge luste of ye flessh than for any true cause of matrymonye After the aungel raphael cam to yonge Tobie seid to hiÌ„ that he shuld wedde sara ThaÌ„ yong tobie seyde to the auÌ„gel I haue hard he seyde that ye deuel hath power ouÌ„ al men that wed hir and slethe them ThaÌ„ the auÌ„gel seyde to hiÌ„ I shal tel ye ouer whiche men the fend hath power ouer them that so take wedloke that they putte god from theym fro ther mynde yeue tente to flesshely lustys as hors and mule that haue no vnderstondynge Ouer them the deuel hath power Butte thou shalt not take hir in suche maner but three nyghtys ye shal kepe you chast and yeue you to holy prayere and thanne thou shalt take thy wyfe wythe the dred of god priÌ„cypaly to briÌ„g forthe children to the worship of god Sythe thaÌ„ne the deuyl hathe such power ouer them that so misuse ther wyues and the ordre of wedlok Moche more power hathe he ouer them that breke ye ordre of wedlok take other thaÌ„ ther wyues Therfore god bad in the olde law Deuto. xxii that if ani maÌ„ medil with another maÌ„nis wyf they shal be slayn both ye maÌ„ the womaÌ„ And the wyse man seyth that he that dothe auoutrye for myschefe of herte he shal lese hys soule he gadereth shame and shenship to himsylfe hys shame shal neuÌ„ be do awey ProuÌ„ vio. And there he saythe that al thoughe theft be greuous synne yit iÌ„ regard of auoutrye it is but a smal synne And so saith ye greate clerke bede and the glose allso Many myscheues falle to them that lyue iÌ„ auotrie moch sikenesse moch myshappe losse of good wanysshyng of cateyl and lytel foyson therin
men shulde not medle wyth such fornicaries and with suche wycked lyuers not ete wyth them ne driÌ„ke with them for they be acursid of god and of al the company of heuen And iÌ„ another pystle saiÌ„t poule sayth thus Wyte ye it wel and vnderstond ye it that no fornicarie ne vncleene man of hys body ne fals couetous maÌ„ shal haue eritage in the kyngedome of criste and of god And therfor seythe he Late ye no fornicacoÌ„n ne vnclennesse ne auarice be named in you ne filth ne foly spech ne harlottre but al maner oneste as it bicometh sayntis Ad ephe vo. And in another place he saythe that god shalle deme fornicaries and them that do auoutrye Ad hebre .xiiio. That is to seye as seyth the glose God shal dampne them withoute ende although they wene not so but sith that god yeueth no tale of flesshly synne And therfore saiÌ„t Iohn sayth in the boke of goddes preuitees to fornicaries and manquellers liers and periureris and such other cursed folke ther part shal be iÌ„ ye pit wellyng and brennynge with fier and brymstone Whych is the secunde deth of hell Apo· xxio. co. And the wyse man biddeth that thou shalt not yeue thy soule too fornicaries in any thyng that thou lese not the and thy soule and thyn eritage in heuen And euery woman fornica tye shal be troden vnder foot of the fendis as drit iÌ„ye wey Eccle. ix c. Diues Contra Al the pÌ„ceptys of the secunde table be youen of god to lette wrongys that meÌ„ shulde elles do to ther euen cristeÌ„ But whaÌ„ne a seÌ„gle maÌ„ medleth with a sengle woman he dothe no man ne woman any wronge For eyther of them is in his own power Pauper Though ech of theym be in hys owne power yit ech of them doth other gret wroÌ„g For ech of theym slethe other by dedly synne and ech of them sleeth himsylfe and ech of them doth wrong to god in that they do ayens hys forbode and slee the soules that he bought soo dere And both they do wronge to ther euen cristeÌ„ in that they yeue theÌ„ wicked ensaumple and mater of sclaundre Diues yit Contra te God seyth to euery man and woman Crescite et multiplicamini Wexe ye and be ye multiplyed Therfore thanne if a syngle maÌ„ medle with a syngle wooman to brynge forth children it semeth to me no synne Pauper God sayde notte tho wordes to euery man and woman butte only to them that were wedded to gidre by goddes lawe that as they were wedded to gydre to bryng forthe children so god badde theym brynge forth children God sayde not tho wordys to sengle folke but to adam and eue his wife And vn to Noe and hys wyfe and to hys sonnes and ther wyues And therfore Tobie sayde to hys soÌ„ne Attendite tibi fili mi ab omni fornicacoÌ„ne cetera My soÌ„ne kepe the fro al ma-ner fornicacioun ne medle with non wooman but only wyth thy wife Tobie quarto capitulo And saynt poule sayth Mortificate membra vestra que sunt suê‘ terram Sle ye youre synful membrys that be open etthe Slee ye fornicacion vnclennesse lecherye These be the membrys that he byddethe vs sle not the ê‘tyes of oure body as the glose saythe And the glose saythe also That euery liynge with a woman oute of lawful wedlok is cleped fornicacion and forbode as dedly synne And therfore god badd in the olde lawe that if the preestes doughtir were take in fornicacion she shulde be brent Leuytici xxio. c o And if any other maÌ„nys doughtir fel into fornicacion in hir faders house or she were wedded she shulde be stoned to deth Deu. xxii c Therfore god wold that his moder marie shuld be wedded or he were conseyued of hyr For if she hadde be founde with childe oute of wedlok the iewys shulde haue stoned hir withoute mercy And if it were leful to syngle man and syngle wooman to medle to gydre gendre god had made matrymony in vayne and there wolde no man knytte hym vndepartably to any wooman if he might withoute synne medle with what wooman he wolde Therfore crist in the gospel daÌ„pnethe symple fornicacion and al maner lecherye and saythe that who so lokethe on any woman in wyl to medle with hir oute of matrymonye he doth lecherye ayens goddes commaundementt and synneth dedly Mat. vo. co. And therfore as I seyde firste generacion and bryngynge forthe of chyldren is graunted only to theym that be wedded too gydre lawfully The nynth chapter DIues Be al wedded folk bounde by thys precept of god Crescite et multiplicamini to do ther diligence to byget children Pauper Byfore mankiÌ„d was multiplyed wedded folke were bounde to do ther deligence to brynge forth children Butte nowe that mankynde is multiplyed the precept byndeth them not so moch to generacion But they be fre to contineÌ„ce and kepe them chast if they be both of one assent therto For many skyllys god ordeyned that man and woman shulde nott medle to gydre but they were wedded to gydre For by auoutrye and fornicacion falleth ful oft that ye brother lyeth by hys sustre and the fader by his doughter And manye an vnlawfulle wedlok is made by cause of anoutrie And he that doth auoutrye he is a thefe and robbe the man or woman of his bodye that is better thaÌ„ any worldly catel For the wyues bodye is the husbondis body and his body is hir body For neyther of theim hath power of his owne body to yeue it to any other by flesshly luste And he that doth fornicacion he robbeth crist of his right both bodely and goostlye And therfore saynt poule sayth that the lechoure taketh the membre of criste maketh it ye membre of ye struÌ„pet with whom he medleth .i. ad corum vi o Also by auoutrye be made false eyris and true eirys truly bigote put oute of ther eriatcte Also by auoutrye goddes lawe that he made so solempnely in the begynnynge of the worde fyrste of al lawes is broken And therfor he that breketh it is an opeÌ„ traitoure To this accordeth ye wordes of the wyse man where he seyth that the woman which forsaketh hir husbonde and take another and maketh eritage of another matrimony doth many synnes First she is misbileuynge to goddis law and brekethe goddes lawe Also she trespaseth ayens hir husbond Also she doth fornicacion in auoutry and maketh childreÌ„ to hir of another maÌ„ But hir soÌ„nes shal yeue no rotis and ther braunches shal yeue no frute She shal leeue ther mynde in cursynge and hir shame shalle neuer be do a wey Eccle. xx iii.c And therfor seith ye glose that auoutry is as daÌ„nable in the man as iÌ„ the woman And therfore in the same chapter he repreueth auoutrie fornicacoÌ„n iÌ„ maÌ„ ful highly The tenth chapter DIues Reson holy wryt dryueth me to graunte that both auoutrye symple fornicacoÌ„n be ful greuous sinne but
shulde haue noo parte of eritage wythe my sonne isaac Abraham bare ful heuy of theise wordes for he loued moche ysmael Thanne god sayde to Abraham Thake it nott so harde ne so sharpely that sara sayde to the of thy chylde and of thy seruant agar Butte in alle thynge that sara saythe too the here by r voyce and do therafter And thanne abraham putt them oute housholde Full moche ayens herte And so nott withstoÌ„ding that abraham was so nyghe god that he was cleped goddes frende yit as for thanne hys wyfe knewe more of goddis wyl than dyd he Also we rede of Isaac and rebecca his wife that they hadde two sonnes borne at onns which were Esau and Iacob ysaac loued better Esau thaÌ„ Iacob But Rebecca loued betrÌ„ Iacob â—han esau and so did god And by techyng of the holy gost she begyled ysaac and esau also and dyd ysaac yeue hys pryncypal blessynge to Iacob there he wolde haue youen it to Esau al was goddys dede and so confermed by god that whanne ysaac wyste of gyle yit he durst not withdrawe hys blessynge For he sawe wel that it was goddes wil and goddes doynge And therfor he sayde to esau wepynge for he was so begyled Benedixi ei et erit benedictus I haue blessed hiÌ„ and he shal be blessed The xiiii chapter DIues I assent wele that by grace a wooman may be as stable in chastitye in goodnesse as a man And without grace neyther man ne woman may kepe hym chaste For the flesshe bothe of man and woman is ful freel and ful redy to falle And therfore I pray the tech me some remedie ayens the temptacoÌ„n of of lecherye Pauper One remedye is resonable abstynece from mete and drynke and for to flee deynte metys and deynte drynkes and to flee gloteny as most bygynnynge mene to lecherye And therfore glotenie is forbode by thys coÌ„maundement as mene and wey to lecherye Another remedye is harde liynge watche and trauayle that the body haue not to moche ese but be wel ocupyed For the wyse man saythe that idylshyp hathe taughte moche malyce Multam enim maliciam do cuit ociositas Therfore sayth he Ryght as to the asse longethe fedynge yerde and birdeyn so to the seruaunt that is to seye to the flesshe that shuld be sugett and seruant to the soule longeth drede and chastisyng and werke of good ocupacioun Eccle. xxxiiiâ— And god saythe the pryde and plentye of brede and welfare and plentye of rychessys and idelshyâ—e Were cause of the wyckednesse of Sodemitys of there lecherye and for they loued not pore folke Ezechi xvi câ— And therfore almesdede is a grete remedye ayens lecherye to gete grace of chastytie so that it be youen to the pore nedye that is in myscheffe and to such that haue not bykynd to get ther lyuelo de by traueyle of ther bodye and if they begge they do it with oute auarice with mekenesse clennesse of lyuynge to such bid deth criste do almesse seiynge Date elimosinaâ— et ecce omiÌ„a munda sunt vobis Luce yeue ye almes and lo al thiÌ„ges be clene to you if ye wyl ameÌ„d you another remedye is a man to haue mynde of his dethe and thenke hou he shal wende hense Wyth bitter payne and thaÌ„ne al hys luste shal turne into wo and so rewe and thenke that by maÌ„ or wooman neuer so fayre soo wel farynge so hole so lusty so lykynge to the iye so myghty so witty so grete of lynage so rych so grete of name or of lordshyp Eyther by man eyther woman he euer so plesauÌ„te shal die and turne to erthe and aisshis wormes mete And if he smel now neuer so swete he shal stiÌ„k than ful sowre Therfore the wyse man seythe In omnibus oê‘ibus tuis memorare nouissima tua iÌ„eter num non peccabis Eccle. viiâ— c. In al these werkes thenk on thy last thynges and thou shalt not do no synne withoute ende we rede that in englonde was a kiÌ„g that had aconcâ—byne Who 's name was rose And for hyr greate bewte he cleped hir rose amouÌ„de Rosa mundi that is to saye rose of the worlde For him thought that she passed al wymen iÌ„ bewtye It bifel that she died was buried whyle the kynge was absent And whanne he cam ayen for grete loue that he had to hyr he wolde se the body in the graue And whanne the graue was opeÌ„ned there sate an orrible tode vpon hir breste bytwene hir teetys and afoule adder bigirt hir body aboute in the midle And she staÌ„ke so that the kyng ne non other might stonde to se that orryble sight Thanne the kynge dyde shette ayen the graue and dyde wryte these two veersis vpon ye graue Hic iacet in tuÌ„ba rosa muÌ„di non rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quod redolere solet That is thus to sey iÌ„ englissh Here lyethe in graue rose of the worlde but not clene rose She smelleth not swete but stynketh ful foule that sumtyme smelled ful swete And another remedye ayens lecherye is that a man and womaÌ„ kepe wel ther fyne wyttes that a man kepe wel his hoÌ„dys and his body from mys touchynge hys â—erys fro misherynge that he he re noo tales of lecherye ne foule spech For saynt poule saythe CorruÌ„piunt bonos more 's colloquia praua .i. ad corum xvo. Wycked spech destroyeth chastytye good thewys Also he most kepe wel hys sight takynge exauÌ„ple of Iob which made acouenannt with his iyen that he shulde not thenke on amaydeÌ„ to haue mys lykiÌ„g iÌ„ the thought And ye ê“phete Ieremye sayde that hys iye had robbed his soule in the womaÌ„ of his cetye trenorum iiio. For theyse skyllys the prophete sayde that deth is entred by oure windouys that is to saye by oure fyue wyttys whych be wyndouys â–ª and wikettys to the soule Ieremye ix o co. And another remedye is a maÌ„ to kepe wele hys herte from idel thoughtys and from wyckedd thynges For as criste saythe in the gospel oute of the heâ—â— cowycked thoughtys maÌ„slaught auoutrye fornichcion theâ—â—â—â—â—s wytnesse blasphemye Mxvo. And therfore seyth the wysman Omni custodia serua cor tuum ê“u iiii o co. With al kepyng kepe wel thyn herte For of the herte cometh lyffe and deth The maysttr of kyndys lio. xviii Seyth that there is abest that is cleped taxus that is a brok or a bawsym iÌ„glysshe And there is a greate enenmytye bytwene the fox and hiÌ„ The foxe is besy to put the bawsym oute of hys denne And for he may notte do it by might he doth it by sleyght He waytethe whaÌ„ne ye bausiÌ„ is gon out of his denne tahn he goth and pisseth maketh foule the bawsonys den And for the bawsym hath stench and vnclennesse whanne he comethe and fyndeth hys denne so stenkyng and so defouled he for soke hys denne and seketh hym another And thanne
there In the other worlde he punyssheth euery synne after that it is more greuous or lesse greuous But in this worlde he doth not alwey so But oft ī this world he punyssheth the les synne harder than he doth the more synne Therfore in the old lawe auoutre was punysshed as hard or harder than manslaughter yit māslaughter is more gruous synne than auoutrie And god toke more temporal vēgeaunce in this world for lecherie than euer he dyd for ydolatrie And yit ydolatrie is gretter synne than lecherie for it is īmediat ayens god ayens the first precept of the first table And manslaughter is harder punysshed in thys worde thā periurie And yit periurie is gretter synne as I sayde in the secūde cōmaundement And synnes in symple pore folk be harder punisshed in this worlde than synnes of the gret mē If a pore mā stele an horse he shal be hanged But if a lorde by raueyn and extorsions robbe a man of al that he hath he shal not be hanged ne lityl or nought punisshed in this world Dauid did auoutre and manslaughter for which synnes he was worthi to be slayne by comon lawe of god yit god wold not haue him slain but if apore man had do tho synnes he shulde haue be slayne A symple mā went gadered styckes ī the sabot god bad moyses stone him to deth Salomon Ieroboā achaz did gret ydolatrie and drough mech of ye peple to idolatre yit were they no slayn therfor the smaler synnes god punissheth ī this world that ye soules punyssheth ī this world that ye soulis of the synners maye be saued if they cun take it ī pacience And comonly he punisshith harder pore folk in this world than he do rich folk as by comon law For the synne of greate men as in ye same spyce of synne is more greuous than is the synne of ye pore man And therfore god reseruethe the greuous synnes and ye synnes of greate folke to punisshe them in the other world or in helle or in purgatorye There may no temporal payne be full punysshynge for dedly synne saue contricion alone And therfor god punissheth no alwey folk in this worlde after the quantite of ther synne but as he seth it most nedful and spedful to the people and to hys worshype For only god knoweth the greuoushed of dedly synne For oft that that semeth mooste greuous in mānys sight is lesse greuous in goddes sight and ayenward Therfore god mesureth not alwey peyne after the quantitye of the synne But ofte he punysshethe in thys worlde them that be lesse gyltye as moche as theym that be more gyltye As in tyme of the flode of Noe and in the perisshyng of sodom and gomorre and many other tymes he punisshed wymen children and bestis that were not giltye in the synnes for whyche that vengaunce fel And ofte he sendeth sikenes and dysese to gode men in punysshynge of ther synnes in thys worlde and suffereth shrewes to haue ther wyll lytyl or nought punyssheth thē ī thys worlde And as the lyon is chastised by betyng of the whelp so ofte tyme god punissheth and chastiseth ful hard in this world them that be lesse gyltye to warne them that be more giltye that they shulde amend them Therfore crist said to the iewes wene ye that tho men which pylat slough for ther rebellion were gretter sīners than other folke of the cuntre Nay forsoth But I saye to you forsoth but ye amend you ye shal perissh alle And wyne ye saythe crist that the eightene mē vpon which fel the tour of syloa in Ierlm̄ and slough them wene ye that they passed in synne alle the men of Ierusalem Naye forsoth But I say to you but ye amend you ye shal perisshe alle to gydre Luce. xiiio. And so the punysshyng of tho men soo slayne was a warning to them that were more synfulle that they shulde a mande theym And so thou mighteste we le see that thy ¶ skylle is nought worthy god punysshed eue harder ī this worlde than he dyd adam therfor hir synne was more than the synne of Adam The xxiiii chapter ALso the secunde maxyme and ground ī whych thou sayst that god punysshed eue harder than adā may skylfullye be denyed For in punysshīg of adam god yaue his curse and sayde Cursed be the erth in thy werke in thy synne He sayd not cursed be the erth in thy werke of eue ne he sayde not cursed be the erth in youre werke as for comon synne of them bothe but he sayd only to adam Cursed be theerth in thy wrke In punysshynge also of the serpent he yaue hys curs sayd Thou shalt be cursed amōges al thynge lyuynge vpon erthe Also god cursed caym whan he punysshed hym for sleynge of hys brother Abel But whanne god punysshed woman he yaue not hys curse And we rede not that euer god yaue hys cursse to any woman openly ī special Ne god repreued not eue so moche as he dyd adam And so the gret rep̄efe blamīg the curs that god yaue in punysshyng of adam more than he dyd in punisshing of eue sheweyng wel that the synne of adā was more greuous than was ye synne of eue and that there was more obstynacye in adam than was eue For cursyng is not youen of god ne of holy church but for obstinacie As I sayde fyrste adam answerde full obstynatly God blamed adam pryncypaly for brekynge of hys cōmaundement and sayde to hym that brekyng of his cōmaundemēt was cause of his nakednesse of hys sodeyn myschefe and not wythstondynge the techynge and the styrynge of god he wolde not be aknowe of his senne but put his synne on god and excused hym by eue and so put synne to sinne in excusacion of his synne Whanne god punisshed adam he cursed the erth for his synne whiche curse turned to woo and traueyle of him of all mankynde which we may not fle And therfore he sayd to adam thou shalt ete of the erth in trauaile sorow alle the dayes of thy lyfe I shal brīg the forth breris and thornes and thou shalt ete erbis of the erthe Also in punysshīge of adam god yaue the sētence of deth vpon hī al mākīde for his synne therfor god siad to adam thou shalt ete thi bred ī swīk swet of thy face til thou torne ayen into the erthe For erthe thou arte ¶ and into erthe ayen thou shalt wende Syth thanne god for synne of adam yaue soo greuously hys curse and blamed so harde adam of his synne and for his synne dampned hym and all mankynde and punisshed al erthely creaturis for his sīne dāpned him and al mankynd to pertuel traueyle whanne he sayde thou shalt ete thy mete with traueyle and sorowe al the daies of thy lyfe And also for the synne of adam he yaue sentēce of deth to him and to al mankynd that is moste of al peynes
wickednesse For who so bacbytethe hys brother he is a mansleer and there shal no such thefe ne mansleer haue part iÌ„ ye kyngdome of heue And therfore the law sayth in another place that it ê“fyteeth not as anentys mede in heuen a maÌ„ to fast or prey or do other gode dedis of relegion but his thoughtys be withdrawe fro wickednesse and his tunge fro bacbitiÌ„g De condici v. nichil enim ê“dest not only he is giltie iÌ„ bacbitiÌ„ge that speketh euyl of his eueÌ„ cristeÌ„ but also tho that gladly here suche wicked spech and shrewed tales of ther euen cristen vi qÌ„ i. ex merito .xxi. qÌ„ .iii. noÌ„ soluÌ„ And therfore the wyse man sayth put awey fro the the wicked mouthe and put awey fer fro the lyppys bacbytynge ê“uÌ„ iiii Hegge thynrerys with thornes and here not the wycked tunge and make dorys to thy mouth and lockys to thyn eerys Eccle. xxviii TheÌ„ke that he wyl speke of the as euyl bihynd the as he doth of another bihynde him TheÌ„ke what woo and myschefe comethe of bacbytynge and wycked tunges and shewe him no gode chere but shewe him by thy countinance and thy chere that hys spech plesethe the not And anon he shal cese and be ashamed of hys malyce For the wyse man sayth Right as the northe wynde destroieth and scatereth the rayne and the cloudys soo the heuy face of the herer destroyeth the tâ—ng bacbityng ê“uÌ„ xxvo. The children of israel bacbited goddes doyng and lacked the londe of byheste whaÌ„ne they shuld haue entred god was offended with them and bad them wend ayen bacward into desert and there he held theÌ„ fourty yere tyl they were dede euery chone that cam oute of egipte saue two meÌ„ Iosue and Caleph For they two spake good of the lond of byhest and held with god And soo the children of the peple that caÌ„ oute of egipt entred the lond of bihest and not the faders saue Iosue Laleph And that for ther bacbitynge Numeri xiiii Also marie the sustre of Moyses bacbyted hir brother moyses and spakeuil of hiÌ„ anon she was afoul lepre might notte be heled til moises prayd to god for hir numÌ„ i. vii.c The third chapter ALso there is theft of wordys Of which thefte god speketh by the prophet Ieremie xxiiio. co. Where god vndernimethe false ê“phetis and fals pÌ„chourys which stale awey his wordis fro the peple and told not the truthe as god bad them butte only sayde such thynges that shal please the peple and so deseyued the peple with lesynges and with false myracles as men do these dayis feynyng myracles of ymagis as men do these daies to maynteyn ydolatrie for lucre of offerynge false myracles of wicked lyuers and sey that god dothe myracles for them and so blynd the peple in falsnesse And so they yeue the worshyp of myracles doynge to ymagis that man hath made to wicked lyuers goddes enemyes Which miraclis only god may do so robbe god of his worship And in that they withdraw goddes worde and the trewethe the goddes lawe that longeth to meÌ„ of holy church to tech. and to the peple to cun and to knowe And so they deseyue the peple in that they be theues of goddes worde and shal be punisshed ful hard of god for such theft of goddes worde For god sayth to euery pÌ„late curate and prechourer SpeculatoreÌ„ dedi te domui israel cetera I haue made the a day wayte to the houshold of israel and to my peple thou shalt here my worde of my mouth and shew it and tel it in my name to theim If I sey to the wycked man that he shall dye for his wickednesse And thou tellest him not butt hydeste my word and spekeste not to hiÌ„ that he may turne him from hys wickednes and leue it that wicked maÌ„ shal dye iÌ„ his wickednes and I shal seke the blod and the deth of him of thin hond that is to say thou shalt answere for his deth Ezech. iiio. co. Also they be theues of goddes wordes that pÌ„che goddes wordes to ther owne wordly auantage not to ye worship of god ne to profyt of mannys soule Also they be theues of goddes wordis that eleggen goddes wordes and holy writ falsly to maynteyn errours and eresies or synne or shrewdnesse The fourth chapter ALso there is atheft of wordly good Of suche thefte Iob sayth AgruÌ„ noÌ„ suuÌ„ demetuÌ„t They repe other mennys feldys make vintage of ther mennys wynes take mennys clothiÌ„ge fro them and late them naked iÌ„ the colde wynter and robbe moderles childreÌ„ pore widowis by might and spoyle and robbe the pore peple The thefe saythe he riseth vp in the morwe sleth the nedy and the pore and by night he steleth as a mycher Sêª deus iÌ„ultuÌ„ abire noÌ„ patit iob xxiiii c Diues Hou many spices be of theft Pauper Full many For sum tyme a thing is stolne pÌ„uely withoute wetyng of the lorde or of the keper and ayens ther wyll it is cleped mycherie SuÌ„tyme it is do openly by might and violence wetyng the lord the keper ayens ther wyll and that is ê“pirly rapina raueyn SuÌ„tyme it is do wetyng the lord or the keper and aparte ayens the wyll but not all ayens ther wyl vnder certeyn coÌ„dicion of wynniÌ„ge not leful in the taker and thaÌ„ne it is cleped vsura gouel or vsure in englyssh Also al maner vnrightful occupiyng of any thiÌ„ge lordship or any other auer iÌ„ thys world is cleped theft And therfore saynt austeÌ„ saith thus The thyng that man or woman hath by the lawe that is his by ye law and non other mannys And maÌ„ hath by ye law that he hath rightfully and he hath that rightfully that he hathe we le And therfore sayth he euery thyng that is mis had is other mennys and euery man hathe his goode amys that vseth his gode amys In eplaÌ„ ad macedoniuÌ„ Also witholdyng of almes from the pore nedy folke is theft in goodes syght For the couetous rich men withdraw fro the pore folk that longeth to theÌ„ and misspende the pore mennys good wherby they shulde be susteyned And therfore the wis maÌ„ sayth Sone defraude thou not the almes of the pore maÌ„ ne turne not awey thin iyen fro the pore ne despyse not the huÌ„gry soule ne tene ne angre thou nott the pore in his mischeffe Torment thou not the hert of the nedy ne delay thou not the yift from him that is in angwyssh Cast not awey the preyer of him that is desesed ne turne thou not thy face awey fro the helplese for wrath ne yeue thou not him that axeth the goode non occasion to curse the byhynd the For if the pore man curse the iÌ„ bytternes of soule hys prayer shal be harde For he that made hym shal here hym And therfore make the plesaunt in speche to the congregacion of pore folk
weÌ„d vp mete with criste in the ayre as saith seint poule To his children Crist shal say Venite c Come ye my faders blessyd children take ye the kingedome of heuen that was ordeined to you before the begynnyng of ye worlde But to these bestial folke wycked lyuers to the proude to the couetouse to the enuiouse to lechouris glotouÌ„s and to veÌ„geable folke his voice shal be ful dredful and ful bitter whanne he shal saye to them Discedite a me maledicti etc. Wende ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches into the fier of helle withouten ende there to dwelle with the fende and hys aungelis And so he shal send theÌ„ to sory place and to sory cuÌ„pany withoute any remedie was ther neuer thunderblast so dredful as his voice thanne shal be to theim that shal be dampned And was there neuer songe so mery ne me lodie so likyng as his voice shal be thaÌ„ne to al that shal be saued And therfore deme welle thy silfe here that thou be not dampned there Stond here to the saw of ye greate queste of treue witnesses Wich I haue nempned to the and demethisylfe therafter And be treue domesman of thisylfe or els thou shalt haue the same qÌ„st ayens the at the dredful dome And therto alle aungelis and archaungelis and al the seyntes in heuen and alle creaturis shal thaÌ„ bere witnesse ayens the and axe vegeaunce on the Thanne as sayth Iohn crisostom super illud Plangent se omnes tribus tre et c. The aungelis shal bryng forth the crosse the spere the nayles the scourges and the garloÌ„d of thornes with which criste suffered his passion Thanne shal crist sit on high to deme ye qcke the dede he shal departe the gode from the wycked and sette the gode on the right syde the wycked on the liftesyde He shal turne hiÌ„ to the wicked on the liftsyde and shewe theym the crosse the spere the nayles the scourges and the garlond of thornes and his wouÌ„des alle fresshe which he suffered for alle mankynde and saye to the wicked on this wyse Ecce miseri et ingrati quanta ê“vobis sustinui ê“pter vos homo factus sum c. Se ye vnkynde cursed wretches what I suffered for your sake For whaÌ„ I was god kynge of kynges and lord of lordes and neuer had wyst of woo for youre sake I bicam man for youre sake I suffered to be beten and bounde be spateled and despised be nailed to the crosse crowned with thornes stongen to the harte with a spere and was slayne dispitous deth as ye maye see to bye you from endles deth Where is the rauÌ„som of my blode where be the soules that I bought so dere where is the seruice that ye shulde haue don to me where is the loue that ye shuld haue shewed to me I loued you aboue alle creaturis I loued you more than I dyd myn owne worshyp Forwhy for youre loue I putte misylfe to sorowe and care And ye loued more a lytel mucke and a lityl luste of the flesshe than ye dyd me or my rightfulnesse and lityl or nought wolde do for my loue For whaÌ„ne I was hungry ye wolde not fede me whanne I hadde thurst ye yaue me no dâ—â—h whanne I was naked ye hilde me nat whanne I sought myne harborowe ye resceyued me nott whanne I was seke and in preson ye visited me not And therfore wende ye hens from me into the fier of helle without end there to dwelle with the fende and hys aungelis O. sayth seynt Gregori thou synful wretch what shalt thou do fle may thou not ne hyde the may thou not and if thou apere as nedys thou moste thou art but sheÌ„t for yerÌ„ thou shalt haue al thyng ayens the Aboue ye thou shalt haue the dredfulle domesman redy to dampne the On the right syde thou shalt haue the wicked werkes to accuse the On the lyft side the foule fendes redy to drawe the to helle Byneth the thou shalt haue ye endles depnes redy to swolow the in withouteÌ„ the thou shalt haue al the worlde on fier redy to brenne the within the thou shalt haue thyn own coÌ„science worst of al gnawyng the and fretynge the withouten ende Thanne as sayth the wyse man Alle creaturis shal feight ayens vs SapÌ„ vo. Thanne as saythe the greate clerke Crisostomus heueÌ„ erth water soÌ„ne mone night and day al ye world shal stond ayens vs in witnesse of oure synnes And though al thing wer stil oure thoughtis and oure conscience and oure werkes shal accuse vs and stonde witnessis ayens vs Therfore seynt austen in his omelie suê‘ illud Estote misericodes sayth thus Brethern take ye hede to the mercy of god and to the harde dome of god Nowe is tyme of mercy after it shal be tyme of dome Nowe god clepeth ayen that been turned a weye fro him and foryeueth theÌ„ ther synnes that turne ayen to him and he is ful pacient and abidethe of wrech that men shulde turne theÌ„ to him and be saued And anon as siÌ„ners turne them ayen to god he foryeuethe synnes that been passed bihetith ioyes to comiÌ„g Now god stireth and monestith theÌ„ that been slaw to gode dediâ— he confortith them that been diseasyd he techith them that be studiouse and helpith them that fighte ayeÌ„st vices He forsaketh no maÌ„ne womaÌ„ that traueyleth to doo wele if they clepe to him He yeueth to vs that we shulde yeue ayen to him to please him whaÌ„ne we haue offendyd him For we haue nat youeÌ„ him ne wherwith to queme him butt that we take of him The tyme of mercy is ful grete I pray you bretherne alle lete ye natt this tyme passe you but take ye it while ye may After this tym shal cuÌ„me tym of dome whanne men shal doo harde penaunce withouten fruyte for itt shal nat helpe them ThaÌ„ne synners that had their welth in this worlde shal sigh and say with grete sorowe Quid nobis profuit suê‘bia c. What hath profited to vs pride what hath nowe holpeÌ„ vs oure pompe oure boost oure richesses Al thies ben passed awey right as a shadowe These been the wordes of seint austyn The xv chapter THaÌ„ne they that shal be daÌ„ned shal say a sawe of sorowe that neuir shal haue ende De fecit gaudiuÌ„ cordis nti versus eÌ„ in luctuÌ„ chorus nt cecidit corona capitis nostri ve nobis quia peccauimus The ioye of oure hert is done and past away to sorowe care is turned oure pleye the garlonde of oure hede is falle to grounde that euir we dyd syn welaway the stounde Trenorum quarto Therfore leue frende take we to vs the tyme of mercy amende we vs while we may for elles we shal nat whaÌ„ne we wold And the leÌ„ger that god suffrith folk to reigne in their synne the more pacience that he hath with theym the
harder he shal smyt them but they amende them And therfore the doome of god is lykned to a bowe For the bowe is made of ii thinges Of a wronge tree and a right strynge So the dome of god is made of ii maner folke Of them that ben wronge throughe synne and lyue wronfully and do moche wronge of them that be right rightful in lyuynge The archer shetiÌ„g in this bowe is crist And the more that ye bowe is drawe abak the harder it smyteth whaÌ„ the archer lousith So the lenger that Crist abideth so draweth his dome abake the harder he shalle smyte but folk amende them And as the archer in his shetinge taketh the wronge tre in his lifte honde and the righte strynge in his right hoÌ„de and drawith them atwynne so Crist at the doome shal sett the wrong lyuers on his left hoÌ„de the rightful lyuers on his right honde sette the arowe in his bowe that shal be the dredful seÌ„tence of his dome drawe the rightful from the wronge the gode from the wycked whanne he shal say to the rightful Come ye with me vp into heuene blisse Withouten ende and to the wroÌ„g lyuers he shal say Wende ye heÌ„s fro me downe into helle peyn with outen ende Of this bowe the ê“phete saith Arcum suuÌ„ tetendit parauit illuÌ„ God hath bent his bowe and made it redye and he hath arrayed or made redy therin tacle of dethe and hathe maade his arowes hote with brennynge thinges For they that ben brente with synne shal brenne with the fyre of helle withouten ende Of this bowe dauid also saith Dedisti metueÌ„tibus te significationeÌ„ vt fugiant a facie arcus Lord thou hast yeuen a tokenynge to them that drede the to fle awaye from the face of the bowe The xvi chapter DIues What tokenes ben tho Pauê‘ Ther is dome in special and dome in generall that shalle be in the laste day of this worlde Dome in special ech maÌ„ hath anone as he dyeth And therfore crist saith Nunc iudiciuÌ„ est mundi Nowe is dome of the worlde for anon as thou art dede thou shalt be demyd either to heuene or to helle or to purgatorye Of this dome spekith Salomon Memor esto iudicii mei Haue mynde of my dome for suche shal be thy dome yisterday it felle to me to morowe it shal fal to the Bifore this dome goo many tokenes of warnynge to synful wretches as age seknesse feblenesse dasewyng of sight blindenesse deefnesse rymplynge or ryuelyng of skynne fadynge of coloure failyng of mynde losse of catel of freÌ„des by deth other Diues Whanne shal that daye of general dome falle Pauper as Criste saith in the gospel ther is none aungel ne saint in heuene that wote whanne it shal fall But sodeynly vnwarly it shal falle and come as a theif and as deth doth to many a man that wole nat be ware by tokenes bifore No more shal men thanne blent with synne be ware of the last dome ne of the first that shal be deth no more thanne the men wold beware by the prechinge of Noe to fle the flode that drenchid al saue viii soules Diues Sithen eche man and woman is demyd anon as he is dede wherof shall serue the general doome Pauper That al men hethen and cristen may se the rightfulle dome of god nat only in theym self but in al other that hetheÌ„ meÌ„ may se and knowe their false bileue for whiche they been dampnyd And cristen men se and knowe their vnkyndnesse and howe rightfully they and alle other be dampned that die in dedly synne The xvii chapter MAnnes dome is ê‘uerted by iiii thinges as saith the lawe xi qÌ„ iiii Quatuor by drede by couetise of yiftes by hate by lowe But crist he is almighty he dredith no man He is lorde of al he nedith no mede ne yiftes He hatith no gode man ne woman and therfore he shal dampne no gode man ne gode woman He loueth al maner right and therfore he shal do no wronge He knowith al and therforÌ„ ther shal no fals witnes ne slight of meÌ„ of lawe disceyue him Euery man shal be ther a true wytnesse of his owne dome for his owne conscience shal saue him or dampne hiÌ„ And therfore leue freende be ye a true wytnesse of your self in this world to saue your self here in tyme of grace and thanne shal ye be a true wytnesse to youre selfe to saue youre self in tyme of the dome False wytnesses in this worlde haste their rightful doome of dampnacioun in the other worlde For they been false witnesses to them selfe to the other also As saith seynt Iohn with the gilden mouthe super Matheum opere imperfecto Omelia vi Ther is no man able to be a true wytnesse to a nother man but he be firste a true wytnesse to hym selfe in his owne dome At the doome god shalle axe of vs reknynge and aunswerynge of the benefices that we haue taken of him he shalle axe them ayen in nombre in weight and measure He shalle axe of vs how ofte we haue resceiued of his yiftes howe moch we haue resceyued how we haue speÌ„t them And the lettres and the tayles of oure conscience shal aunswerÌ„ and say that we haue resceyued goodes of kynde that is to say of body and of soule Alsoo godes of fortune that ben temporal godes and temporal richesses and godes of grace that ben vertues and cuÌ„nynge Thanne the soueraigne iuge shalle axe of vs aunswere of his benefices in the plurel nombre saynge Esurâ—â—â— c. I hadde hungre and ye yaue me no mete I hadde thriste and ye yaue me no drynk I was nakyd and ye clothed me nat I sought my herborowe and ye resceyued me nat I was seke and iÌ„ prisone and ye visited me nat ne comforted me nat And sithen the dome shal be so hard to them yat helpe nat their euen cristen withe their gode at nede moche moore streit it shal be to them that robbe their euen cristen as to theuys pilours extorcioners and maÌ„quellers lechoures and to al wycked doers Thanne men shal yeue auÌ„swere of euery ydel worde that they speke as crist saith in the gospel And as seynt Bernarde saith the riche man shal yeue aunswere of euery threde in his clothe of euery cruÌ„me of brede iÌ„ his brede skep of euery droppe of drynke of his barel and in his tuÌ„ne in his vessel Also Criste shalle axe rekniÌ„g by hole mesure For as Criste saith in the gospel men shal therÌ„ reken and yeld to the lest ferthiÌ„g withouten foryeuenesse And suche measure as men mete here to other shal be moten ayen to them mercy for mercy harde for harde Also god shal thanne axe of vs. reknyng in weight of strayt doome for al oure dedes shal there be weyed by the dome of god and of onre owne conscience and after that they wey they shal be
pauyd with ful white clene stone and alway in the stretis is songe alleluya Which song coude neuir clerke we le declare ne expowne to the vtterest for the ioy the myrth the melody gladnes that is there may no tunge telle ne herte thynke ne honde wryte ne wytte deuyse declare In this citee seint Iohn sawe no teÌ„ple for almighty and goddes lombe crist Ihesus verrey god maÌ„ he is the temple of this cite This cite as seith seint Iohn nedith neither suÌ„ne ne mone For the brightnesse of god wel of light the suÌ„ne of rightfulnesse illumyneth this cyte The loÌ„be crist ihesus is the laÌ„terne the light of this cite Alle nacions peoples shal go in the light of this cyte brynge theire nobley their blisse their worship into this cite The yates of this cite shal neuir be shytt Ther shal be no nighte but alway day alwey somer and neuir wynter In to this cite shall come noo foule thinge no false lier no forswerer ne none that doth abhomiÌ„acion of dedly synne Ther shal no maÌ„ entre but they that ben writen in the booke of lyf and in the lyf of the lombe criste Iesus that boughte vs so dere with his blode· The xii chapter ANd as saith a grete clerke Doctor de lyra by the xii pÌ„ciouse stones on whiche this cite is groundyd in which stones the names of the xii apostles be writen ben vndstonde the xii articles of the feith Whiche the xii apostles gaderyd into one crede in whiche xii articles al oure saluacion is sett groundyd And therfore seint poule saithe Fide statis ye stonde in faith for oure feith is grounde of oure saluacion By the twelue yatis ben vndstonde the x. coÌ„maundmentes the ii pÌ„ceptes of chariâ—e Of whiche yatis crist saith Si vis ad vitaÌ„ ingredi serua maÌ„data Mt xix If thou wylt entre into the lyf of this blisfull cite there no man dieth keepe thou the coÌ„maundementes This scripture is wretyn in euery yate of this citee in token that into this cite cuÌ„methe no man ne womaÌ„ but the kepers of goddes coÌ„maundementis For the coÌ„maundementes ben the yates of heuene by whiche vs must entre and they ben also the weye ledyng to the yate of heuene And therfore dauid saide Viam mandatoruÌ„ tuorum cucurri cuÌ„ dilatasti cor meuÌ„ pÌ„o Cxviii I ran the weye of thy coÌ„mauÌ„dmeÌ„tes whan thou madest myne herte large by charite For whan meÌ„ be to strait at the breest by false couetise and nygardship they may natt we le renne in the weye of goddes hestes For false couetise byndethe them so streit at the hert that they haue no likynge in goddes heestes Therfore dauid said Deduc me dnÌ„e in semita mandatoruÌ„ tuoruÌ„ qr ipÌ„am volui Inclina cor meuÌ„deus in testimonia tua et non in auariciaÌ„ pÌ„o Cxviii Lorde lede thou me in the pathe of thy commauÌ„demeÌ„tes for it is my desire my wyll to go that wey Bowe myne herte into thy witnessingis into thy coÌ„maundmeÌ„tes nat into auarice couetise Thus leue frende holy wrytt holy men declare the blisse of heuene by thiÌ„ges visible that we may see at iye so to lede vs into knowynge of the blisse that we may se with oure bodily iye while we lyue iÌ„ the loÌ„de of dethe Butt leue freende byleue ye it forsothe that ther is an hundryd thousaÌ„de thousaÌ„d folde more blisse than any tunge may telle or any hert thynke The xiii chapter DIues If men hadde sadde feith to haue such blisse for their gode dedes ther wolde noo maÌ„ ne womaÌ„ do amys for drede to lese that blisse Pauper It farith by folke borne in prisone of the wycked worlde as it dothe by a childe borne in the depe derk pytt of the prison whan it fallith a woman with childe be put iÌ„ prisone The moder that knowithe the welfare that she had oute of pryson is in moch sorowe care and longith ful moche to be oute of prisone ayen in her welfare Butt the childe borne in the myscheyf of the prisone and neuir had knowyng of better fare yeueth lytel tale of the myscheif in prison But aslonge as he hath his moder with him his sustenaunce though it be fulfeble he maketh no sorow ne care He loÌ„gith after no better fare for he knowith no better For if his moder telle him of the ioye and welfare oute of prisone of the suÌ„ne mone of the sterres of the faire floures spryngynge vpon erth of the briddes syngiÌ„g of myrthe of melodye of rich arraye of lordes of ladies welth that is oute of prison alle hir tale is but a dreme to the childe he bileuyth it nat and therfore he longith nat therafter and wole natt for al this blisse the welefare that she spekith of forsake his modre ne the feble fare that he hath with her and that is for he bileueth it nat And yit it is as the modre tellith the childe But were the child onys out of prison and sawe the welthe myrthe and the welfare whiche his moder told him of he wold be ful sory for to weÌ„de ayeÌ„ to prison there to lyue with his moder For al his lyf in prison that was firste likinge ynough to hiÌ„ shuld than be full bytter and he shulde neuir haue ioye ne rest in hert tyl he came ayen to that welefare that he saw out of prison Right thus folke of this world borne brougâ—t forth in sorowe and care and moche trauayle in the prisone of this worlde they haue so moche loue and likynge to theire erthly moder and to ther cuÌ„pany that is to say in erth in erthely thiÌ„ges for erth is moder of alle that they haue no likyng in heuenly thinges ne longe nat therafter And yit their gostly moder holy churche ther gostly fader god hiÌ„self fader of al tellith them of the blisse of heuen It is to theÌ„ butt a dreme as is the moders tale to her childe in prisoÌ„ and they haue no sad feith therin And though it be so as our moder holy church tellith vs though the childe bileue nat that suche welfare be out of prisone the welfare is neuir the lesse though erthly couetouse meÌ„ haue no likiÌ„g but in erth in erthly thinges bileue nat that suche blisse be in heuen yit ther is suche blisse neuir the lesse for their fals bileue But had they onys sene and assayed a lytel of that blisse all the ioye and likyng that they haue in this world in erthly thinges shuld be to theÌ„ ful grete bytternes ful of sorow care Example we haue of seiÌ„t petyr Whom Criste ledde vpon the hylle of Thabor With seynt Iohn Iames. there he shewid them but a litel of the blisse of his manhode His face shone as bright as the suÌ„ne his clothes were white as snowe Moyses Hely aperyd with hiÌ„ iÌ„ grete blisse maiestie ThaÌ„ petir saide to our lorde ihuÌ„ Lord it is gode to vs to be herÌ„ Mak we herÌ„ iii. tabernacles one to ye another to moises anoyer to hely let vs al duel herÌ„ Luce ix And â—â—ioÌ„ iÌ„ sight of litel blisse he foryat al the blis of this world He cared neither for mete driÌ„k ne clothing For hiÌ„ thought he miÈt haue lyued withouteÌ„ ende by the blisful sight with that cuÌ„pany Also whan seint poule was rauysshed into heuene hadde seen the vision of god afterwarde al his lif in this worlde was to hiÌ„ a peyne so moche he longyd ayeÌ„ to that blisse And therfore he saide Infelix ego quis me liberabit de morte corporis huius Ro. vii I an vnsely man who shal deliuer me fro the deth of this body I coueit to be departed the soule from the body be withouteÌ„ ende with crist Moyses was with god in the mouÌ„t of synay xl daies and xl nightes metelesse and drynkles fedde by the speche of god and by his pÌ„sence and yitt sawe he butt lytel of this blisse For he was nat able to see his blisse ne no maÌ„ liuyng in this worlde as god saide to hiÌ„ that tyme Butt leue frende after oure deth if we kepe wele goddes coÌ„maundmentes amende oure mysdedes by oure lyf we shal see his grete blisse which neither Petir ne poule ne moyses might se iÌ„ erthe And we shal be siker of that blisse withouteÌ„ ende which blisse as seint poule saith that none erthly iye may se ne ere here ne hert thiÌ„ke ne wytte compÌ„hende In this blisse leue frend I hope to se you and duelle with you in the highe cite of ierusaleÌ„ in the kiÌ„ges court of heuene To whiche blisse he bring vs that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen Here endith a compendiouse treetise dyalogue of Diues pauê‘ that is to say the riche the pore fructuously tretyng vpon the x. coÌ„mauÌ„dmentes fynisshed the v. day of Iuyl the yere of oure lord god M. CCCC.lxxxxiii Emprentyd by me Richarde Pynson at the temple barre of london Deo gracias
sayth xxiii qÌ„ viii petrê° He slowe theÌ„ not wythe material swerde but only by power that god yaue hiÌ„ to do myraclys wythe hys praiers he reysed a woman from deth to lyfe whos name was thabita auctuum ix.c And wythe wordys of hys blamynge he toke hir lyfe from ananye and safira He prayde not for hyr dethe but only vnder name them for ther siÌ„ne and a non they fel doun dede by the vertue of the swerde of goddys worde that peter spake and the holy gooste by peter For as saynt poule saythe the swerd of goddes worde ful ofte departeth the soule from the body And therfore the worde and the cursynge and vndernymynge of holy meÌ„ and of men of holy churche is moche for to drede Or elles by sufferaunce of god anon as seiÌ„t petyr vndernam them for thei repented them not the fende sathanas toke power ouer them And slowe theim bodely as he slowe theym fyrste goostly by the siÌ„ne of false couetyse The xxi chapter DIues Is it leful iÌ„ oni caâ— to sle oni maÌ„ or womaÌ„ vngylty Pauper In no case as the lawe saythe openly .xx. qÌ„ v. si non Diues I suppose that ye queste dampnethe a man that ye iustice knowethe vngylty shal not the iustice yeue the sentence and dampne hym sythe the queste saythe that he is gylty Pauper God forbede For thaÌ„ne fallethe the iustice iÌ„ manslaughter For he maye by no lawe sle hym that he knowethe vngilty xxiii qÌ„ v. si non Diues What shal he do thanne Pauper If he haue no iuge aboue hym he shal saue hiÌ„ by his playn power And if he haue a iuge aboue hym he shal seÌ„d the man to him tel him al the case that he may of his playn power deliuer him and saue hym from the dethe or elles seke sum other weye for to saue him But he shall not yeue the sentence of hys deth Pylat traueyled ful besyly to saue criste from deth for that he wyste him vngylty moch more a cristen iuge oweth to trauayle to saue the innocentys lyf whom crist bought with his blode and flee false sentence Pylat might and ought by lawe haue saued criste But for to plese the peple and for dred that they shulde haue accused hym to the emperoure he folowed ther wylle and put criste to the deth and therfor afterwarde he was daÌ„pned For the false queste pilate wolde not haue dampned hym in that that he wyste him vngylty but only for drede and to plese the people he dampnede him And sythe hethen lawe sleethe no man vngilty moche more cristen lawe shal sle no man vngylty But the iuge shal do al hys besynesse to flee shedding of blode withoute gylt Therfore he is made iuge to descuse the truthe to saue the vngilty and to punyssh the gylty and to lette malyce foly and falshed of the questys of the false wytnessys Therfore god seyth thus to euery iuge thou shalt not take the voyce of lesiÌ„ges ne thou shlat nof ioy ne thyn hond to sey false wytnes for the wycked maÌ„ that is to saye thou shalt make no couenaunt to saye false wytnesse ne assent therto Thou shat not folowe the peples wyl to do any euyl thinge or any falsnesse in dome Thou shalt not assent to the sentence of many to go aweye from the truth Exo. xxiii c Therfor the lawe biddeth that the iustice be not to light ne to redy to leue ne to redy to take vengeaunce Di. lxxxvi si quid Et xi qÌ„ vi.iii. quaÌ„uis Et xvi qÌ„ viii si quid The ende of euery dome shal be iusticia That is riyhtwisnesse in englisshe And rightwisnesse is a vertue and a stedfaste wyl alwey to yelde euery man woman his right Extra de v. significacione co. forum in glosa And therfore whanne the iustice doth wronge in his sentence yeuynge that is no rightful dome for it endeth not in rightwysnes But more wrong may he not do to man or woman thanne robbe him of his lyfe and slee him with oute gylt Therfor thanne what iuge sleeth man or woman vngilty wytingly he is no iuge but he is a tyraunt and doth ayens al lawes whyche be ordeyned to do right to euery man to punissh the gilty and to saue the vngilty And therfore seyth the lawe that he is no iuge if rightwysnesse be not in him Non est iudex si non est in eo iusticia xxiii qÌ„ ii iustuÌ„ The xxii chapter DIues It is lefulle to any man or womaÌ„ in any case to slee themsylfe Pauê‘ In no case and that for many skyllys Fyrste for by wey of kynd euery man louethe himsilf and is besy to saue himsilfe and to withstoÌ„d al thinge that wold distroy him And therfore it is synne ayens al kynde man or woman to sle him silfe Also it is ayens charite ffor eche man is bounde to loue him silfe and his euen cristen as hiÌ„silf Also he doth wroÌ„g to ye comontye of mankynd For as the philosofre sayth vto ethicorum Euery man is aparte of the comonte as euery menbre is aparte of the body Also for mannys lyfe is an high gyfte of god youen to man to serue god And only god may take it awey whanne he wyl And therfore he that sleeth hymsilfe he synneth ayens hys god in that that he sleeth his seruant ayens his wyl For though god yeue a man auctorite to sle another maÌ„ for his misdede yet god yeueth no man auctoritye to sle hymsilfe And therfore sayth the lawe .xxiii. qÌ„ v. non licet That no man ne woman shulde sle hiÌ„silfe neyther to fle myscheeffeof of this world ne to fle other meÌ„nys synne ne for sorowe of hys owne synne that he hath don ne for to go the soner to heuen For if he sle himsylfe as saythe there the lawe he gothe to endles mischeeffe And he fallethe in ouer greuous synne And iÌ„ that he sleethe hymsilfe falleth in wanehope and doth dispyte to the mercy of god as iudas dydde For after his deth he may not amend hym of that greuous siÌ„ne of maÌ„slaughter And by that manslaughter he leseth hys lyfe in thys worlde and his lyfe in heuen blysse and gothe to the dethe in helle wythe oute end And therfore ther shuld no woman sle hirsilfe to saue hir chastitie that she be not defouled For if she be defouled by violence ayens hir wyl she synneth not For as saint lucie seyde to the tyraunt paschasius ye body is not defouled but by assent of the soule But the synne is iÌ„ him that so defouleth hyr And lesse synne it is to fal in lecherie than man or woman to sle himsilfe for there is no helpe after Nether shulde no man ne woman slee himsilfe ne mayme himsilfe for drâ—d that he shuld ê¯sent to synne but trust in god that may kepe hym from consentynge and lette occacioÌ„s of synne And though maÌ„ or woman be constreyned to synne for drede of
deth better it is a feyrer that a nother sle hym than he sle himsilfe for that is dampned in eueri lawe Diues Contra te Sampson dyuers other slough themsilfe as we rede in holy writ Pauper As seyth saynt austen de ciuitate dei They slough theÌ„ silfe by the preuy counseyle of ye holy gooste that wolde by ther deth do myracles As whan saÌ„pson toke the twoo pylerys of the paynyms temple whych bare vp al the temple and shook them to gidre withe his armes tylle they brosten the temple fell doune slough many thousandys of the hethen people that was gadrede to wondre on sampson in dispyt of god of heuen whos seruaunt sampson was The xxiii chapter DIues Whether is it more synne to slee the rightfulman or awycked man Pauê‘ It is more synne to sle the rightfulman for in that the sleer noyeth most hiÌ„ whom he oughtmore to loue Also for he doeth wronge to him that haue not deserued it and more ayens rightwisnesse Also for he pryueth and robbeth the comontye of manhode of agreate iewel For euery gode maÌ„ and gode woman is awelle to ye comontye of mankynd Also for he doth more dispyte to god for to al good criste seyth Qui vos spernit me spernit who despisith you despisithe me Diues Contra If a good man be slayne he shal sone go to heuen Butte the wicked manne if he be slayn vnwarly he shal goo too helle And lesse synne it is to send be sleiÌ„g a man to heuen than to hel Pauper Saynt poul seyth .i. ad corum iiio. that euery maÌ„ woman shal thake his owne mede after that his traueyle is Therfore the gode man so slayn shal go to heuen for his good dedys notte for the malyce of the sleer And the wicked man so slayne shalle goo to helle for his owne wicked dedys not for the wycked dedys of the sleer And the sleer shal go to hel both for the sleynge of the good and of the wicked But he shal be depper in helle for sleyng of the good than of the wycked For he shewethe more malyce more aggreuethe god and al the courte of heuen in sleynge of the good than of the wicked And he shal answere for al the good dedys that the good man shuld haue do if he had lyued lenger And he shal be punysshed for the sleinge of the wicked man for that he sleeth hym ayens goddes law and letteth hym that he may haue no tyme to amende hym Diues Is it leful to any man to sle his wyfe if he take hir iÌ„ auoutre Pauper To sle hir by lawe cyuyle there lawis ordeyne man woman that don auoutrye to be slayne It is leful so that he doo it only for loue of rightwysnesse and of clennesse not for hate ne for to be auenged on hir And lete him wel charge his consciens if he be ought gylty iÌ„ the same eyther iÌ„ wyl or in dede and take hede to his own freelte and thenke that the law is aswel ordeyned to punuyssh hym if he do amys as to punyssh the woman But any man to sle hys wyfe by his owne auctorite or doo hir be slayne withoute lawful iuge it is not leful by alle goddes lawe And though any londys saw yeue men leue to slee ther wyues in any case holy churche shalle punysshe theym and enioyne them ful harde penaunce as for manslaught Diues Whether is more synne a man to sle his wyfe or to sle hys fader or moder Pauper Bothe be greuous synnes moche ayens kynde For the maÌ„ and hys wyfe be one flesshe and one blode And he oweth as saythe saynt poule loue his wyfe as hys owne body And therfore he to sle hir ayens kynde Butt yet it is more synne and more ayeÌ„s kynd to sle fader and moder for of them man hath his begynniÌ„g his flesshe blode And also if he sle any of theÌ„ he forfetteth opeÌ„ly ayens the coÌ„maundementys of god the fourthe and the fifte For in that he vnworshyppethe ouer moche his fader and hys moder and fallethe iÌ„ cruel manslaughter and therfore it is more synne to slee fader and moder than to sle his wyfe as seyth the lawe in smÌ„ coÌ„fessorum .lio. iiiio. tio. ix qÌ„ x. The xxiiii chapter DIues Sythe god byddethe that no man shulde slee vnrightfully why suffereth gâ—d soo moche werre be in erthe so many bateyles Pauê‘ For moch folke is worthy to die and wyl not stonde to the lawe of pees Therfore god hath ordeyned and coÌ„mauÌ„ded the lawe of swerde and of cheualrye to bryng theÌ„ to pees with the swerde that wyl not obeye to the pees by lawe of charitye and reson Diues ThaÌ„ it semeth that meÌ„ of armes maysle men lefully that wyl not obey to the pees and too goddes wyl Pauper That is soth For Abraam moyses iosue dauid iosie machabeis and many other were men of armes and slowghe moche folke And yit god repreued them not but he badde them sle and halpe them in ther sleyng and in ther fyghtyng Diues I may wel assent that bateyle is leful if it be rightfull For god is cleped Dominus exercituum dominê° sabaoth That is to sey lorde god of ostys Pauê‘ Thre thynges be nedful that bateyle be rightful Iusta causa iustus animus et auctoritas legitum principis a rightful cause arightful intencion and auctoritie of a lawful prynce Fyrste it is nedful that ye cause be rightful that they fight only for the right and to maynteyne right and for saluacion of the comontye and of them that be vngiltye and wold haue pees For as seyth synt austen the ende of bateyle shulde be pees .xxiii. qÌ„ i. nolite Also ther intencon most be rightful that thei fight not for pryde to gete theim aname ne for no false couetyse to gete worldly good ne for noo malyce for to be vengede ne for no crueltye and lykynge to shed blode For if ther intencioun be wycked thoughe ther cause be true they synne in manslaughter And for ther wycked intenci on god suffereth men to be ouercoÌ„me in a rightful cause Also it most be do by auctorite of a lawfull prynce that is prynce made by comon custom or by comon lawe or by comon assentt of the comontye or by comon lawful election For though aperson gadre to him rebellys ayens hys lege lordes wyl al thoughe the rebellis make him ther hed and her prynce they may not by his auctorite do rightful bateyle But al though auctorite of a priÌ„ce lawful be nedful to rightful batayle that is solemply don by mannis lawe yit iÌ„ a rightful cause at nede man may by lawe of kynd with oute auctorite of any priÌ„ce fight and defende hymsilfe and hys godis ayens wycked folke For it is the lawe of kynd euery man to saue himsilfe and putte awey fo rs with fo rs and might with might LicituÌ„ eÌ„ vim