ryghtfulnesse and lytyl or nought wolde do for my loue For whan I was hongrye ye wolde not fede me whan I had thurste ye gaue me noo drynke whan I was naked ye hylde me not whan I sought myne harborowe ye resceyued me not whan I was seke and in pryson ye vysyted me not And therfore wende ye hens from me in to the fyre of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende his angelles O sayth saynt Gregorye thou synfull wretche what shalt thou do flee may thou not ne hyde the may thou not yf thou appere as nedes thou must thou art but shent for there thou shalt haue all thynge ayenst the. Aboue the thou shalt haue the dredefull domesman redy to dampne the. On yâ— ryght syde thou shalt hane thy wycked werkes to accuse the. On yâ— lyfte syde the foule fendes redy to drawe yâ— to helle Byneth the thou shalt haue the endeles depnes redy to swolowe the in without the thou shalt haue all the worlde on fyre redy to brenne the within the thou shalt haue thyn owne conscyence worste of all gnawynge the fretynge the without ende Than as the wyse man sayth All creatures shall fyght ayenst vs. SapÌ„ .v. Than as the grete clerke sayth Crysostomus Heuen erthe water sonne mone nyght daye all the worlde shall stande ayenst vs in wytnes of our synnes And though alle thynge were stylle oure thoughtes our conscyence our werkes shall accuse vs stande wytnesses ayenst vs. Therfore saynt Austen in his Omelye suê“ illud Estote misericordes sayth thus Bretheren take ye hede to the mercy of god and to the harde dome of god Now is tyme of mercy after it shall be tyme of dome Now god calleth ayen that ben tourned awaye fro hym forgyueth them ther synnes that tourne ayen to hym he is full pacyent abydeth of wretche that men sholde tourne them to hym and be saued And anone as synners tourne them ayen to god he forgyueth synnes that ben passed byheteth Ioyes to comyng Now god sâ—yreth monesteth them that ben slowe to good dedes he conforteth them that ben dyseased he techeth them that be studyouse helpeth them that fyght ayenst vyces He forsaketh no man ne woman that trauayleth to doo well yf they calle to hym He gyueth to vs that we sholde gyue ayen to hym to please hym whan we haue offended hym For we haue not gyuen hym ne wherwith to queme hym but that we take of hym The tyme of mercy is ful grete I praye you brethern al lete ye not this tyme passe you but take ye it whyle ye may After this tyme shall come tyme of dome whan men shall do harde penauÌ„ce without fruyte for it shall not helpe them Than synners that had theyr welth in this worlde shall syghe saye with grete sorowe Quid nobis profuit suâ—bia â— What hath prouffyted to vs pryde what hath now holpen vs our pompe our boost our rychesses All these ben passed awaye ryght as a shadowe These ben the wordes of saynt Austen Caplm .xv. THan they yâ— shal be dampned shall saye a sawe of sorowe yâ— neuer shall haue ende Defecit gaudiuÌ„ cordis nriÌ„ vsus eÌ„ in luciuÌ„ chorus nrÌ„ cecidit corona capit nriÌ„ ve nobis quia peccauimê° The Ioye of our herte is done past awaye to sorowe care is tourned our playe the garlonde of our hede is falle to grouÌ„de that euer we dyd synne wel awaye the stouÌ„de Trenorum iiij Therfore leue frende take we to vs the tyme of mercy amende we vs whyle we may for ellys we shall not whan we wolde And the lenger the god suffereth folke to regne in theyr synne the more pacyence that he hath with theym the harder he shal smyte them but they ameÌ„de them And therfore the dome of god is lykened to a bowe for the bowe is made of .ij. thynges of a wronge tree a ryght strynge Soo the dome of god is made of two maner folke Of them that ben wronge thorugh synne lyue wronfully do moche wronge and of them that be ryght ryghtfull in lyuynge The archer shetynge in this bowe is cryste And the more yâ— the bowe is drawe abacke the harder is smyteth whan the archer louseth So the lenger yâ— cryste abydeth soo draweth his dome abake the harder he shal smyte but folke amende them And as the archer in his shetynge taketh the wronge tree in his lyfte honde the ryght strynge in his ryght honde draweth them atwynne so cryste at the dome shall set the wronge lyuers on his left honde the ryghtfull lyuers on yâ— ryght honde set the arowe in his bowe that shal be the dredfull sentence of his dome drawe the rightful from the wronge the good froÌ„ the wycked whan he shall saye to the ryghtfull Come ye with me vp in to heuens blysse without ende to the wronge lyuers he shal saye go ye hens frome downe in to helle payne without ende Of this bowe the ê“phete sayth ArcuÌ„ suuÌ„ teteÌ„dit parauit illuÌ„ God hath bente his bowe made it redy he hath arrayed or made redy ther in tacle of deth hath made his arowes hote with brennynge thynges For they that ben brente with synne shall brenne with the fyre of helle without ende Of this bowe Dauyd also sayth Dedisti metuentibus te significacoÌ„em vt fugiâ—t a facie arcus Lord thou hast gyuen a tokenynge to them yâ— drede the to flee awaye from the face of the bowe Caplm .xvi. DIues What tokenes ben tho ¶ Pauê‘ Ther is dome in specyal dome in generall that shall be in the laste daye of this worlde Dome in specyall eche man hath anone as he dyed And therfore cryst sayth NuÌ„c iudiciuÌ„ eÌ„ muÌ„di Now is dome of the worlde for anone as thou art deed thou shalt be demed eyther to heuen or to helle or to purgatorye Of this dome speketh Salomon Memor esto iudicij mei Haue mynde of my dome for suche shall be thy dome yesterdaye it felle to me to morowe it shall falle to the. Byfore this dome go many tokenes of warnynge to synfull wretches as age sekenesse feblenesse dasewynge of syght blyndnesse deefnesse rymplynge or reuelynge of skynne fadynge of coloure faylynge of mynde losse of catel of frendes by deth other ¶ Diues Whan shall yâ— daye of generall dome faile ¶ Pauper Cryste sayth in the gospell ther is none angell ne saynt in heâ—en that wote whan it shal falle But sodaynly and vnwarly it shall falle and come as a theef as deth doth to many a man that wyll not beware by tokenes byfore No more shall than man blent with synne be ware of the laste dome ne of the fyrste yâ— shall be deth no more than the men wolde be ware by the prechynge of Noe to flee the flood that drenched all
eye of worldely good than to couetyse of the flesshe for in olde folke whan al other temptacyons cesse than is temptacyon of couetyse of the eye of worldely good moost brennynge For ryght as theyr bodye by age nygheth to the erth soo theyr herte clyueth than moost to erthely thynges And therfore in the begynnynge of theyr pylgrymage in desert as to begynnynge folke god forbadde them fyrste pryncypaly couetyse of the eye in the ende of theyr pylgrymage as to folke nyghe theyr ende he forbydeth them pryncypally laste and moost openly without oft rehersynge couetyse of the eye For comonly the more that men nygh ther ende the more couetouse they ben Caplm .iij. DIues Thy reasons be good saye forth what thou wylte ¶ Pauper God in the sixth byheste forbydeth the dede of lechery of spousebreche in this byheste he forbydeth the wyll the consent of herte to lecherye to sponsebreche For as the dede of leshery is dedely synne so is the foule consent the desyre of herte dedely synne For as cryste sayth in the gospell Mathei .v. He that seeth a woman coueyteth her by desyre to do lecherye with her he hath do lecherye in his herte though he do it not in dede And therfore eche man sholde take hede besely what thoughtes entre in to his herte and yf ony thoughtes ben about to drawe the reson of his soule to consente to synne anone putte he awaye tho thoughtes myghtely let hyÌ„ thynke on the bytter paynes that cryste suffered in his syde hondes feet soo tourne his mysluste in to deuocoÌ„n of crystus passyon quenche the brennyng thoughtes of lechery with the blood the water that ranne out of crystus syde whan his herte was clouen a two with that sharpe spere thynke on that endeles loue that cryste shewed than to hym to all mankynde And so to torne his foule stynkynge loue that he begynneth to fall in shame shenshyp in to the swete clene loue of IhuÌ„ full of Ioye worship The mayster of kynde telled li .xij. that ther is a byrde in Egypt that is called a pellycane of al foules he is moost chere ouer his byrdes moost loueth them Ther is a grete enmyte bytwene him the adder wherfor the adder wayteth whan the pellycane is out of his neste to seke mete for him for his byrdes than he goth in to the neste of the pellycane styngeth his byrdes enuenemeth them sleeth them whan the pellycane cometh ayen fyndeth his byrdes thus slayn he maketh moche sorowe and mone by waye of kynde thre dayes thre nyght he morneth for deth of his byrdes And at the thyrde dayes ende he setteth hym ayen ouer his byrdes and with his bylle he smyteth hymselfe in the syde letteth his blood falle downe on the byrdes And anone as yâ— blode toucheth his byrdes anon by waye of kynde by vertue of the blood they quycken ayen rysen from deth to lyfe By this pellycane that loueth so well his byrdes is vnderstande cryste Ihesu goddes sone yâ— loueth mannes soule womans more than euer dyd yâ— pellycane his byrdes And he sayth hymselfe Similis factus suÌ„ pellicano solitudinis I am made lyke to yâ— pellycane of deserte By the byrdes I vnde Adam Eue all mankynde By the nest I vnderstande yâ— blysse of paradyse For right as byrdes be brought forth in yâ— nest so mankynde had his begynnynge was brought forth in paradyse By yâ— adder I vnderstande the fende whiche appered in yâ— lyknes of an adder to Eue stange her full euyl Adam also with his wycked fondynge slewe them both bodye soule And not only he slewe them but also he slewe al mankynde in them For yf Adam had not synned we sholde neuer haue dyed ne haue wyst of woo wherfore this pellycane Ihesu cryste seynge yâ— myscheef yâ— mankynde was fall in by gyle of yâ— fende he had ruth on mankynde for grete loue that he had to maÌ„kynde as sayÌ„t Poul sayth he auentysshed hyÌ„selfe toke flesshe blood of yâ— mayden Mary bycam man in yâ— lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t in our manhede in our kynde suffered to be taken be bouÌ„de beten forspyted dispysed byscorged at the pyler be crowned with thornes be nayled to the tree hondes feet and hanged on the crosse as a theef amonges theues be stonge to the herte with the sharpe spere so dyed bytter deth all for our gylt not for his gylt for he dyd neuer amys in worde ne in dede as saynt Peter sayth in his pystle And thus for our loue that ben to hym ful vnkynde he shed his precyous blood out of euery parte of his blysfull bodye born of the mayden And his Inner hert blood he shed so to wasshe vs fro our synnes to reyse vs fro yâ— deth of synne into yâ— lyfe of grace after fro bodely deth into yâ— lyf of endles blysse Therfore saynt Iohn sayth Dilexit nos lauit nos a pccis nâ—Ì„is i sanguie suo Apoc. i. He loued vs so moche that he wasshed vs froÌ„ our synnes with his precyous blood Loue droue hym downe fro heuen into erth loue led hyÌ„ into yâ— maydens bosom brought hym into this wycked worlde Loue bouÌ„de hyÌ„ in cradel wonde hyÌ„ in cloutes ful poore layd hyÌ„ in an oxe stalle Loue helde hyÌ„ here in sorowe care honger thryst moche trauayl .xxxij. yere more At yâ— last loue toke hyÌ„ bouÌ„de hyÌ„ set hyÌ„ at yâ— barre byfore yâ— synful Iustyce Ponce Pylate Loue layd him on the crosse nayled hyÌ„ to yâ— tree Loue led hyÌ„ to his deth cleef his hert a two And for whose loue leue frende Forsoth for loue of you of me of other synful wretches that neuer dyd hyÌ„ good but offended hym nyght day ben to hym ful vnkynde Therfor he may well saye the wordes that Salomon sayd Fortis eÌ„ vt mors dilectio Canâ— .viij. Loue is stronge as deth ye forsoth moche strenger than deth For loue led his lyfe to his deth he that neuer myght dye by waye of kynde loue made hym dye for mankynde And so sayth Salomon there Brondes of his loue ben brondes of fyre of flammes both For the loue that he shewed to mankynde and also for the loue that we ought to shewe to him For ryght as the hete of the sonne with his lyght whan he shyneth in the fyre in the house wasteth the fyre quencheth it so the loue of god and the endelesse charyte of his passyon yf it shone in maÌ„nes soule with his hete it sholde quenche waste the brondes and the fyre of lecherye brennynge in mannes soule by foule luste and wycked desyre And therfore he sayth to euery crysten soule â—one me vt signaculuÌ„ suê‘ cor tuuÌ„
theologie Bothe he that forswereth hym ayenst the treuthe he that swereth with the treuthe without grete cause both they take goddes name in vayn For he that forswereth wyttyngly the name of souerayne treuthe that is god despyseth it he that swereth with out grete cause he taketh his name in ydlenesse for he swereth without gode cause whan hym nedeth not and so both lytyll or nought sette by goddes name so they take it in vayne Caplm .vi. DIues In how many causes is it lefull to swere ¶ Pauê‘ In .vij. cases clerkes lewde folke may swere lefully Fyrste for to saue man or woman from harme of theyr bodye and fro lesynge of his good whan yâ— treuthe can none other wyse be preued Also for confyrmacoÌ„n of peas Also for to kepe fayth and treuthe amonge mankynde Also for to kepe obedyence and ordynall subgeccyon of the subgettes to theyr soueraynes Also for to saue fredom of holy chirche Also for purgacyon and saluacyon of mannes name and of his fame Also for assoylynge from a curse Extra li.i de elect significasti And in euery othe men muste haue thre thynges whiche ben treuthe dome rightwysnesse As sayth the prophete Ieremye iiij For who so shall swere he muste haue treuthe in his coÌ„scyence that he wote wel that he swereth treuthe for yf he be not syker but only weneth to be syker he shal not swere that it is so but that he weneth that it is so as he sayth Also he muste haue with hym dome that is a good a dyscrete auysemeÌ„t er he swere that he swere not but treurhe and for nede that he to whome he swereth wyll not ellys byleue hym in thynges of charge that is prouffytable to be byleued but he swere Also he muste haue rightwysnesse that the thynge that he swereth for and the maner of sweryng be rightfull honest lefull Extra li.ij. de iure iurando Et si xpÌ„s ¶ Diues I wolde fayne flee suche othes but as I sayd fyrste men wyll not bylene me but I swere ¶ Pauê‘ Yf it be a treuthe of charge right profytable to be byleued men wyl not byleue the for thy symple worde than it is leful to yâ— to swere as I haue sayd But yf it be a thyng of no charge nenedefull swere thou not For yf thou vse the to swere comonly for a thynge of nought thou synnest greuously makest other of wanbyleue that they sholde nomore byleue the for thyn othe than they do without othe and wyse men wyl the lesse byleue the for thyn othes For comonly grete swerers vsaunt swerers ben full false ¶ Diues Why so ¶ Pauper For in that they take goddes name so vayne they ben false to god in theyr swerynge And sythen they ben false to god in theyr swerynge they gyue lytyll tale for to be false to man or womaÌ„ in theyr swerynge or to begyle them with othes And therfore yf thou wylt that men byleue the by ye or nay vse the to speke truly dyscretly and flee othes And so worshyp goddes name and be true to god in byeng and sellynge in speche and in lyuynge And than men sholde byleue the redely without ony othe Doo soo and speke of that than men may holde the a trewe man than men shall byleue the by ye nay better than other with theyr greter othes And yf thou be varyenge and vntrusty in thy worde and in thy dede men wyll neyther byleue yâ— by othe neyther without othe ¶ Diues Therfore some saye that Cryste forbade all maner sweryng whan hae sayd in his gospell Ego auteÌ„ dico vobis noÌ„ iurare oino Mathei .v. I saye to you that ye swere in no wyse ¶ Pauê‘ That is not the Englysshe of Crystus worde But this is the Englysshe I saye to you that ye swere not in ony maner that is to saye for no maner cause not lyghtly ne customably Also he badde by tho wordes that men sholde not swere by creatures as for wytnes neyther by heuen for it is goddes trone Ne by erthe for it is the stole vnder his fete Ne by Ierlm for it is the cyte of the grete kyng Ne by thyne hede for thou canste not make one of thyn here 's whyte ne blacke Lete your worde be ye ye nay nay Mathei v. ¶ Diues Muste we than saye twyes ye twyes nay ¶ Pauper That thou must yf thou wylt be true For the same ye that thou sayste with thy mouth thou muste saye it with thyn herte for thy mouth thyn herte muste accorde togydre For yf thou saye ye with thy mouth nay with thyn herte thou arte false doste ayenst Crystus lore ¶ Diues Yet Contra te Saynt Iames sayth Ante oiÌ„a freÌ„s mei nolite iurare â— Iacobi .v. Byfore all thynges my leue brethern wyll ye not swere neyther by heueÌ„ ne by erthe ne by ony other othe wherby it semeth that it is not lefull to swere ¶ Pauper Saynt Iames forbedeth vs not vtterly to swere but he byddeth that men sholde be in no wyll to swere ony o the for men sholde not swere but for nede ¶ Diues Yet Contra te Cryste byddeth in the gospell Mathei .v. That our worde sholde be ye ye nay nay Qd auteÌ„ his habundanciê° est a malo est For what is more than this in speche it is full euyll wherby it semeth that yf men say more than ye or nay by othes swerynge they do amys ¶ Pauper Cryste sayd not that it was euyll to saye more than ye or nay or to swere whan it nedeth But he sayd it is full euyll that men swere saye more than ye or nay for it cometh of wanbyleue of hym that wyl not byleue his euen crysten but he swere Also it cometh of falshede of the people that moche people is so false that vnnethe men may byleue theym without othe or by othe ¶ Diues Where fyndeste thou that god badde men swere or that it is leful for to swere ¶ Pauper In the gospell that thou allegest ayenst me Mathei v. where Cryste sayth thus Reddes dnÌ„o iuramenta tua Thou shalt yelde to thy lorde god thyn othes That is to saye thou shalt swere by hym by none other And therfore he sayth Deut .vi. Thou shalt drede thy lorde god serue hym allone swere by his name Caplm .vij. DIues Why forbedeth Cryste men for to swere by creatures ¶ Pauper Ther is two maner of swerynge One is takynge of wytnesse of a thynge that a man swereth by so it is not lefull for to swere by ony creature For saynt Poule sayth HoiÌ„es ê‘ maioreÌ„ suuÌ„ iurant ad Hebre .vi. Men swere sayth he by theyr more that is to saye by hym that is more of credence of reuerence than they ben them selfe But only god is more in dygnyte and more in ordre of kynde than man for he
beest as the sabbot was ordeyned for reste in the olde lawe Caplm .xi. DIues Be we bounden by this coÌ„maundement to kepe the holy dayes that holy chirche hath ordeyned in the newe lawe ¶ Pauper Yes forsoth for though the coÌ„mauÌ„dement passed in that the it was cerymonyall as anentes tyme yet it dwelleth in that it was is morall byndeth vs to flee vyces serue our god one daye more than another whiche daye is yâ— sondaye in the newe lawe by ordenauÌ„ce of god holy chirche For as yâ— gospell sayth Ma. xij DnÌ„s est emÌ„ filius hoiÌ„s et sabbati The maydens sone Cryste Ihesus is lorde of the sabbot And for as moche as it was so euyll kepte in the olde lawe soo moche blood was shedde in the sabbot Cryste hyÌ„selfe suffred so moche despyte on the sabbot therfore he was dyspleased sayd by the prophetes Ysaye .i. and Ozee .ij. That he sholde noo lenger suffre theyr sabbottes but as a lorde of the sabbottes he chauÌ„ged that reste solempnyte of theyr sabbottes in to the sondaye for the causes whiche I sayd byfore whiche daye all yf it be the .viij. daye in the fyrste ordre of dayes yet it is but the .vij. daye in obseruauÌ„ce of the coÌ„maundement For we haue now .vi. dayes for to werke in in token yâ— god in .vi. dayes made all yâ— worlde the vij daye we halowe as god badde vs in token that god the .vij. daye cessed of creacoÌ„n ordeyned reste in yâ— sondaye As saynt Poule sayth in his pystle ad Colo .ij. That openly the sabbot other festes of the olde lawe were but shadowes fygures of the newe lawe And therfore after Crystus passyon tho festes cessed noo man ought to kepe them And who so kepeth them in that he forsaketh yâ— Cryste was borne of the mayden deyed for mankynde And saynt Gregorye in his pystle ad Ro sayth That all that halowe the satyrdaye for it was so holy in the olde lawe that ben Antecrystes dyscyples For Antecryste shall do men halowe both sondaye satyrdaye Sondaye for to drawe crysten peple to his secte for he shall fayne hym deed to aryse ayen fro deth to lyf on yâ— sonday And yâ— satyrdaye to drawe the Iewes to his secte De con di.iij Peruenit Caplm .xij. DIues Why wolde god make the worlde more in the nombre of .vi. dayes than in ony other nombre of dayes ¶ Pauper For as Salomon sayth God made al thynge in nombre in weyght and in mesure He made noo thynge to moche ne to lytyll But he made euery thynge parfyghtly in his kynde and ended all his werkes in parfyghtnesse And for the nombre of .vi. is the fyrste nombre euen yâ— is parfyght therfore he made all the worlde in nombre of .vi. dayes ¶ Diues How is yâ— nombre of .vi. dayes more parfyght than another nombre ¶ Pauper For all his partes yâ— mete him yf they be taken to gydre make euen .vi. as i.ij.iij make euen .vi. these .iij. mete hym For .vi. tymes one is .vi. thryes two is .vi. twyes thre is .vi. And this parfeccoÌ„n is in no nombre within .x. but in .vi. And fro .x. to an hondred is none but xxviij And fro an hondred to a thousande is but this euen nombre four hondred four score .xvi. The next is .viij. thousande one hondred and xviij thaÌ„ no mo suche but one with in an hondred thousande And who soo wyll fynde that he muste studye After an hondred thousande ben mo suche than all the clerkes vnder the sonne can telle and mo than ony herte may thynke or tongue can telle yet is it full harde to fynde one And for that .vi. is the fyrste parfyght nombre in this maner Therfore god wolde make this worlde in the nombre of .vi. in a token that all his werkes were parfyght And therfore sayth holy wryte GenÌ„ .ij. That heuen and erthe al theyr arraye were parfyght And for the same cause god made man the .vi. daye as for a parfyght and a noble creature For the same cause in the .vi. age of the worlde he bycame man And on the â—i daye a good frydaye the .vi. hour of the daye in the .vi. age he bought mankynde ayen with his precyous blood in token yâ— all his werkes were parfyght And the same nombre of dayes god hath grauÌ„ted vs for to werke in in token yâ— all our werkes sholde be parfyght good no thynge do amys that we sholde for noo couetyse do to moche ne for no slouth do to lytyll but holde vs alwaye in a meane in euenhe de for god grauÌ„ted vs no tyme to synne Therfore wyll he that we alwaye be euen with god and with our euen crysten as sixe is alwaye euen with his partes to gydre Caplm .xiij. DIues Why bad god reste on the .vij. daye more than an other daye ¶ Pauper In token that as .vij. cometh next after yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. dayes of werkynge soo after parfyght werkes in this worlde shall folowe parfyght reste in the other worlde Also he badde reste in the .vij. daye for yâ— passeth the parfyght nombre in token yâ— he wyll that no thynge be done passynge parfeccoÌ„n And therfore all synne is comprehended in .vij. dedely synnes For as .vij. passeth yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. so euery synne passeth parfeccoÌ„n is out of parfeccoÌ„n of all good werkes Also god badde reste the .vij. daye for he wyll that men reste them than both goostly bodely Goostly from besynesse thought of the worlde Bodely from bodely trauayll For why vij is made of four thre Four betokeneth bodely thynges made of four elementes Thre betokeneth mannes soule made to the lykenesse of the holy trynyte And therfor he badde reste in the .vij. daye that men sholde than rest both bodye soule Also god bad rest in the .vij. daye in token yâ— after parfyght werkes shal folowe endeles rest both of bodye of soule For this noÌ„bre vij in asmoche as all tyme all duracoÌ„n is coÌ„prehended in .vij. dayes therfore it betokeneth endeles lastynge And therfore reste on the .vij. daye betokeneth endeles rest Also my frende god ordeyned reste in the .vij. daye in token of .vij. blysses whiche we shal haue for parfyght werkes that we do here in .vi. dayes and .vi. ages of this worlde For anentes yâ— bodye we shall haue four blysses bryghtnesse beaute without ony spotte For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Men wymen shall shyne in heuen as bryght as the sonne Also men shall haue there inpassybylyte helth of bodye without all maner sekenesse no thynge shall dere them ne dysease them Also they shal haue delyuerhede of body lightne s se without lettynge for they sholde be as lyght as thought in twynkelynge of an eye be where as they wyll Also they shall haue sotylte of bodye without
lorde god And in the newe lawe he sayth thus Deum timete regem honorificate Drede ye god and worshyppe ye your kynge .i. petri .ij. That is to say For drede of god worshyp thou thyn elder and for drede of god worshyp thou thy kynge thy souerayne and al that be in hygher degre than thou art For sythen god hath put them in degre of worshyp thou muste for drede of god worshyppe them And but thou worshyp them ellys thou offendest god Omnes honorate Worshyp ye all men women after ther astate and ther dygnyte And saynt Poule byddeth that all thynge sholde be do honestly and in ordre OiÌ„a honeste et scdm ordineÌ„ fiant .i. ad corum .xiiij. Caplm .xxiij. ALso leue frende by this commauÌ„dement we be bouÌ„de to worshyp holy angels sayntes in heuen for they be our faders in age in worshyp in cure in kepynge of vs. For they longen after vs that ther nombre ther company that was lested by the pryde of lucyfer myght be restored ayen by saluacoÌ„n of vs. And therfore nyght and daye they prayen for vs to god for helpe and grace nedefull to vs. Of these faders speketh saynt Poule in his pystle and sayth thus I knele praye for you nyght and daye the fader of our lorde Ihesu cryste of whom is named all maner of faderhede in heuen and in erthe Ex quo omnis paternitas nominat in celo et in terra ad Ephe .iij. For as the glose sayth ther dysposycyon the angellys be our faders in heuen ordeyned for vs and in erthe prelates be our faders hauynge cure and kepynge of vs. And so bothe prelates in erthe and angellys in heuen ben our faders And therfore as all these clerkes sayen Eche man woman hath two angels assygned to hym one of god an other of the fende For the fonde Sathanas att goddes suffraunce assygneth to hym a wycked angell to tempte hym and to lese hym But god of his goodnes assygneth hym a good angell to saue hym and to kepe hym Of whiche good angell cryste sayth in the gospell that they see alwaye the face of the fader in heuen for they be alwaye in his presence speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore sayth saynt Ierom vpon the same worde of cryste that angels bere our prayers and our good dedes in to heuen and kepe and defende vs ayenst the malyce and the sleyght of the fende And therfore the angell Raphaell whan he had ledde the sone of Tobye in to fer contree and saued hyÌ„ from many perylles broughte hym ayen in grete welth he sayd to Tobye whan thou praydest with bytter teres beryedeste the deed bodyes and leftest thy mete and haddest deed bodyes by daye in thyn house beryeste them by nyght for goddes sake ayenst the wyll of the wycked kynge Senacheryb Than offered I thy prayer to our lorde god Thobie .iiij. Also we rede in the fourth booke of kynges the .vi. chaptre That the prophete Helyzee was sodaynly by nyght besyeged in the Cyte of Dothaym with the oost of the kynge of Syrye In the morowe the seruaunt of Helyzee sawe the oost about the Cyte he was full sory sayd to his mayster Helyzee Alas alas alas what shal we do we be so besyeged with our ennemyes that we may not escape Than Helyzee sayd to hym Drede ye not for we haue more folke with vs than they haue with them Than Helyzee prayed to god that he wolde open the eyen of that seruaunt that he myght see what helpe Helyzee had with hym And anone he sawe the hylles about Helyzee full of horse charettes brennynge as fyre a grete people arayde to batayll that was the oost of angellys sent of god for kepynge of Helyzee through whos helpe the prophete Helyzee ledde all the oost that had besyeged hym in to the Cyte of Samarye amonges all ther enemyes for they were so blent that they wyst not whether they went They come to take Helyzee and Helyzee toke theym with helpe of angels and dyde with them what he wolde And therfor Dauyd sayth Montes in circuitu eius et dnÌ„s in circuitu ppli sui The hylles that is to saye the angellys be about the good man and the good woman to kepe them and god is about his people to saue theym And therfore saynt Cecyle sayd to her husbonde Valaryan I haue goddes angell that loueth me full well and kepeth my bodye with grete suerte that noo man shall defoule me And yf thou wyll by foule loue defoule me he shall â—lee the. And yf thou loue me with clene loue and wyll kepe my maydenhode hole clene he shall loue the as well as me And whan thou art crystened thou shalt see him Anone her husbonde Valeryan by her couÌ„seyll went and was crystened of the bysshop saynt Vrban And whan he was crystened he cam ayen fouÌ„de saynt Cecyle prayenge in closet the angell standynge besydes her with wynges fethers ful bryght his face shone glymered as the flaÌ„me of fyre He had in eyther hande a garlonde made of roses lelyes full fayre tresshe and full swete in smellynge He gaaf vnto saynt Cecyle one an other to Valeryan and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodye of soule For why sayd he I haue brought theÌ„ out of paradyse And ye shall knowe by this token for they shall alwaye be grene fresshe neyther welke ne fade ne lese ther swete sauour and no man ne woman may see them but they that loue clenne s se and chastyte as ye doo We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Agnes that whan she was but .xiij. yere of age suffered deth for the loue of god and for the loue of chastyte foâ— she wolde not assent to be wedded to the grete lordes sone of Rome for he was hethen And also for she wolde kepe her mayndenhode to cryste She was made naked ledde to the bordell house to be defouled of synfull wretches But sodaynly her here wexe soo moche that it hylled and hydde all her bodye And whan she cam to the bordell house her good angell was redy and brought her a clothe as whyte as snowe full mete to her bodye and be lapped her with so grete lyght that ther myght no man loke vpon her ne no man durste entre the place Thanne the lordes sone as ful hardy ran in to that lyght for to defoule her And anone the fende whom he wolde haue serued slough hym But saynt Agnes with her prayer to god and helpe of her good angell reysed hym from deth to lyfe to shame shenshyp of all hethen people For anone he went out of that house cryed openly that there was no god but cryste and desspysed her mawmettes and ther false byleue Also whan saynt Agace was buryed her angell in the lykenesse of a yonge man clothed in clothe of
passe awaye as yâ— floure of the grasse and of the heye For whan the sonne shyneth hote on the heye it welketh dryeth his floure fadeth his beaute passeth Ryght so sayth he the ryche man welketh fadeth in his wayes yâ— is to saye in his lyuynge Iacobi .i. Also worldely welth is lykened to yâ— shadowe alwaye passyng For all our lyuynge in this worlde is but a passynge a wantynge of lyght of heuen blysse In the myddes of the daye whan the sonne is hyghest than is yâ— shadowe shortest Ryght so whan a man weneth to be but in the myddes of his lyfe is hyghest in welthe in his pryde than is his lyf shortest for than men dye sooneste in theyr moost prosperyte And yâ— nygher euen the ende of the daye the lenger is a mannes shadewe Ryght soo these worldely couetouse men the lenger that they lyue whan they ben at theyr lyues ende than they thynke moost to lyue lenger Than they purchace than they house than they begyn to plete tyll theyr lyfe passe sodaynly awaye as a shadewe at euen Therfor mannes lyfe is lykened to a slyder waye For whan a marâ—goth by a slyder waye the more that he galeth about the ferther that he loketh fro hym the sooner the harder shall he falle Bnt yf he loke wel to his feet to his waye he may kepe him on left though he fall he shall take no grete harme Ryght so it fareth by the lyfe of this worlde It is so slyder that ther myght neuer man ne woman passe by this wayt but at the laste he slydeth in to sekenesse myscheef fell downe and dyed or ellys shall come to yâ— same ende And comonly whan men loke ferthest fro them selfe and thynke to lyue lengest and begynne moost to house to purchas and purpo s e many shrewde tournes and to lyue moost in welth in delyces than they dye soonest passe awaye sodaynely as a shadowe at euen Example Cryste telleth in the gospell Luce. xij Ther was sayth cryste some tyme a ryche man hadde in a yere a plenteuous crop on his londe in so moche that he hadde not houses ynough to laye it in He thanked not god of his gyft but tourned hym to proude couetou s e thoughtes sayd to hymselfe what shall I do I haue no housynge to laye in my corn my good I shal destroye myn olde bernes garnerys and make newe lenger larger and stuffe them full of good and than shall I saye to my soule Now soule thou haste good ynough for many yeres now take thy reste now ete and drynke make feste So he thought all of his lyf in this worlde nought of the lyfe in the other worlde Anone god sayd to hym Fole this nyght fendes shall take thy soule from the to whom shall than be all the goodes that thou haste arayed gadred to gydre He myght saye that they sholde be theyrs that trauayled not therfore Caplm .x. THe clerkes that treate of kynde saye that the foxe in wynter whan he gooth to seke his pray yf he come to a frollen water he lyeth his ere downe to the yce yf he here ony water rennynge vnderneth he wyl not passe ouer there for the yce is not syker but he syketh hym an other syker waye Thus I wolde yâ— all synful couetouse men dyd whan they go about to syke theyr pray of fals couety s e of false purchace or to robbe begyle ony man of his good Than I wolde they layed theyr â—eres to the yce thought how freyle a mannes lyfe is For as the yce cometh of yâ— water tourneth ayen to yâ— water Ryght so all we came of the erthe and shall tourne ayen to the erthe and yf they wolde thus laye theyr â—ere to this yce they sholde here water reÌ„nyng They sholde here say there dyeth a pope there a kyng there a prynce there a duke there dyeth a bysshop there a knyght there a squyer They sholde here that as soone dyeth the ryche as the poore the grete as the smalle the yonge as the olde Therfore holy wrytte sayth Omnes morimur et in terram quali aqua dilabimur All we dye slyde in to the erthe as water .ij. ReguÌ„ xiiij Therfor saynt Bernarde in his medytacyon repreueth the proude couetous folke of this worlde and sayth thus Vbi sunt amatores seculi qui nobiscuÌ„ ante pauca tempora fueruÌ„t Telle me now sayth he where ben now these lordes leders these proude gettours these false couetouse men that were here with vs within a fewe yeres where be they now bycome Ther is no thynge of them lefte but asshes pouder wormes Take hede what they were what they ben They were men as thou art ete dranke as thou dost led theyr dayes in moche myrthe in a twynkelynge of an eye many of them sanke downe in to the pytte of helle where theyr flesshe is gyuen vnto wormes where theyr soule is put in to endeles payne what helpe them theyr vayne glory ther poÌ„pe theyr pryde theyr myrth theyr game glee Where is now theyr game theyr laughynge theyr boost and theyr hyghe berynge all is paste as a shadowe From grete myrth they ben fallen in to endelesse sorowe froÌ„ luste lykynge in to bytter payne froÌ„ plente in to endelesse myscheef ¶ Diues These wordes styreme so the may many other lytyll to sette by welth worshyp of this worlde But well is he that may haue helpe of his good after his deth than fynde frendes true attorneys ¶ Pauper But moche better it is that he hath grace to helpe hymselfe byfore his deth with his owne good for one peny shal profyte more byfore his deth than .xx. penys after more profyteth one candell byfore a man than .xx. behynd hyÌ„ Therfor saynt Lucye taught her moder to do almesse by her lyfe not abyde tyll after her deth sayd to her moder Here ye my couÌ„seyll It is noo gyft full plesauÌ„t to god whan man or woman gyueth thynge yâ— he may not vse hymselfe therfor yf ye wyll that god be plesed with your gyft gyue ye to hyÌ„ thynge yâ— ye may vse your selfe For yâ— ye gyue in your dyenge therfore ye gyue it for ye may not bere it with you And therfore moder whyle ye lyue haue helth of your bodye gyue to god that ye haue Caplm .xi. WHan a man wyll not do for hyÌ„self whyle he may though his executours and his attorneys do nought for hym it is no grete wouÌ„dre For eche man woman is moost holden to hymselfe But it fareth ofte by hem that dyed by theyr executours as it dyd ones by two fooles yâ— dwelled in a lordes courte The one was a foole sage that other was a naturell foole It byfell on a daye they came to gydre in to a
fyrst table and the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte ben necessarye to alle that wyll haue y◠lyfe withouten ende ¶ Diues Therfore wolde I fayne kepe theym better thanne I haue done but I see many doubtes therin that I can not kepe theym ¶ Pauper What doubte haste thou therin ¶ Here begynneth the fyrste cōmaundemente Caplm Primū DIues In the fyrste cōmaundement as I haue lerned god sayth thus Thou shalte haue none other straunge goddes byfore me Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge noo mawmette noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue ne that is bynethe in erthe ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde ne within thyn herte inwarde Exodi xx.c Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente bothe in the chirche and without the chirche And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye ayenste goddes lawe ¶ Pauper God forbedeth not men to make ymages For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men as we fynde Exodi xxxvij.c ¶ And Salomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god the thyrde boke of kynges vij.c And god bad Moyses make his tabernacle al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makynge of ymages but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes to sette theyr fayth theyr truste theyr hope theyr loue and theyr byleue in them For god wyll haue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone for in hym is al our helpe all our saluacōn And therfore we muste worshyppe hym loue hym and truste in hym aboue all thynge nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym That all the worshyp that we do to ony creature be do pryncypaly for hȳ arrected to hym For he sayth Gloriam meamalteri non dabo et laudem meam sculptilibus Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe my blysse my glorye to none other ne my praysynge to grauen ymages neyther to paynted ymages And in the same chapytre he sayth Shamfully shente myght they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages ¶ Diues wherof serue the ymages I wolde they were brente all ¶ Pauper They serue for thre thynges For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon and on his passyon and on his lyuynge and on other sayntes lyuyng Also they ben ordeyned to styre mannes affeccyon and his herte to deuocyon For ofte a man is more stered by syght than by heryng or redynge Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people that they may rede in ymagerye and paynture that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth De cōsecra distinct .iij. per latū Where we fynde that a bysshop destroyed ymages as thou woldeste doo and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages He was accused to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages Caplm secundū DIues How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture of ymagerye ¶ Pauper whan thou seest the ymage of y◠crucyfixe thynke on hȳ y◠deyed on y◠crosse for thy synne thy sake and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlonde of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne and the blood braste out on euery syde for to destroye the hyghe synne of pryde that sheweth moost in mānes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde Take hede by the ymage how his armes were spradde abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the apple ayenst goddes cōmaundement Also he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes and wycked werkes that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes and make an ende of thy wycked werkes Take hede also how that his syde was opened and his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere and how he shedde blood and water to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules and water to wasshe vs from our synnes Also he suffred this for to destroye y◠synne of pryde couetyse enuye hate wrathe malyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans Take hede make an ende of thy pryde of thy false couetyse of hate enuy wrathe malyce and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that forgaue his deth Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to the crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce haste the for to go to goddes house to goddes seruyce Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente all to torne with tho sharpe scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede there was no hole place on his bodye and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust lykyng of the flesshe glotonye lecherye whiche regne in mannes bodye womans make an ende of glotony lecherye Take hede how naked poore he henge vpon the crosse for thy synne thy sake be thou not ashamed to suffre pouerte myscheyf for his loue And as saynt Bernard byddeth take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the come at one with the. See how his armes hondes be spradde a brode on the tree in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the and to take the to his mercy See how his syde was opened and his herte clouen on two in token that his herte is alwaye open to the and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy trespasse yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the but abyde with the dwelled with the withouten ende On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde and thanke thy god that he
and poore as saynt Poule sayth Circuierunt in melotis in pellibus caprinis angustiati They wente about in broken skynnes in shynnes of gote nedy anguysshed Neuerthelesse ymages standyng in chirches may be consydered in two maners eyther as they represente the astate of sayntes of whom they be ymages as they lyued in this lyf so they be to be paynted in suche maner clothynge as tho sayntes vsed whyles they lyued here Or ellys they may be consydered as they represente the astate of endelesse blysse in whiche sayntes be now so they be to be paynted ryaly solempnely as the cherubyns that represented the angellys that ben in heuen were made of golde Exodi .xxv. Nathelesse in all suche paynture an honest meane neyther to costly bycause of this consyderacoÌ„n ne to vyle bycause of the fourmer consyderacyon me thynketh is to be kepte Caplm .viij. DIues why ben angellys payÌ„ted in lykenes of yonge men sythe they be spyrytes haue no bodyes ¶ Pauper Ther may no payntour paynte a spyryt in his kynde And therfore to the better representacoÌ„n they be paynted in the lykenes of a man whiche in soule is moost accordynge to angellys kynde And though the angell is not suche bodely as he is paynted he is neuertheles suche ghoostly and hath suche doynge beyng spyrytuell They be paynted lyke yong men berdlesse in token that they ben endlesse elden not ne feble not but alwaye in one lykyng in one astate alwaye myghty stronge And also they be payÌ„ted with crulled here in token that theyr thought ther loue is sette alwaye in right ordre tourne alwaye vp ayen to god than kynge hym worshyppynge hym in all thyng For by the here of the hede in holy wryte is vnderstonde thought and affeccoÌ„ns of the herte Also they ben paynted with stoles aboute theyr neckes in token that they be alwaye redy to serue god man atte goddes byddyng And therfor they ben called Administratorij spuÌ„s Ad Hebre i.c That is to saye spyrytes of seruyce For they serue to god in rulynge of mankynde gouernauÌ„ce of this worlde They ben payÌ„ted fethered with wynges in token of lyghtnesse delyuerenesse in her werkes For in a twynclynge of an eye they may be in heuen in erthe here att Rome at IhrusaleÌ„ They ben paynted with wheles vnð theyr fete in token that they meue rule the rouÌ„de bodyes the wheles the cercles in heuen the course of the planetes as the phylosophre sayth also in token that as the whele tourneth alwaye aboute the centre his myddes so the angellys doyng is alwaye about god alwaye ben nygh hyÌ„ where euer they be Also somtyme they be paynted armed with spere swerde shelde in token that they be redy to defende vs fro the fendes that ben besy nyght daye to lese vs. For but yf holy angellys holpen vs defende vs kepte vs lettyng the fendes malyce we myght not withstoÌ„de ne be saued And therfor right as euery man woman hath a wycked angell assygned to hyÌ„ by the fende to teÌ„pte hyÌ„ So hath he a good angell assygned to hyÌ„ of god to saue hym yf he wyll folowe his rule Caplm .ix. DIues Why ben the four euaÌ„gelystes paynted in suche dyuerse lykenes sythen they were men all foure ¶ Pauper For dyuerse maner of wrytyng techynge Mathewe is paynted in lykenesse of a man For he pryncypally wrote and taught the manhode of Cryste tolde how he bycame man And moost specyally and moost openly wrote his genologye Saynt Iohan that wrote In principio erat verbuÌ„ Is paynted in lykenesse of an egle whiche of all foules fleeth hyghest in syght is sharpest and may see ferthest Soo saynt Iohan spake wrote hyghest of the godhede and hadde more Insyght vnderstandynge in the godhede than the other Euangelystes Saynt Luke is paynted in the lykenesse of a calfe or an oxe bycause that he speketh moost openly of the passyon of Cryste that was offred vp to the fader of heuen on the Aultre of the crosse on good frydaye as the oxe or the calfe was offred on the Aulâ—e in the Temple by the lawe for saluacyon of the people whiche offrynge was betokenyng of Crystus passyon And for that saynt Luke speketh moost openly of Crystê° passyon whiche was betokened by the sacrefyce of the oxe Therfore he is paynted presented by the lykenesse of an oxe Saynt Marke is paynted in lykenesse of a lyon bycause that he speketh moost openly of Crystus resurreccoÌ„n how he rose from deth to lyfe For whan the lyonesse hath whelped they leye .iij. dayes and .iij. nyghtes deed tylle on the thyrde daye the lyon theyr fader cometh maketh an hydeous crye ouer them anone with that voys crye they quycken waken in that maner ryse from deth to lyfe for this reason is saynt Marke presented by the lykenesse of a lyon for he spake more openly of Crystus resurreccoÌ„n And therfore his gospell is rede on esterdaye Also thou shalt vnderstande that Cryste was god man preest kyng Mathewe spake moost openly of his maÌ„hode began at his manhode therfore he is paynted in the lykenesse of a man Saynt IohnÌ„ spake moost of his god hode began atte his godhode And therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an egle as I sayd fyrste Saynt Luke spake moost of his preesthode and therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an oxe or of a calfe For that was the pryncypall sacrefyce that the prestes by the olde lawe offred in toÌ„ the Temple Saynt Marke spake moost of his kyngdom shewyng hym kyng of all thyng And therfore he is paynteâ— in the lykenesse of a lyon that is kyng of vnresonable bestes ¶ Diues Why ben they so paynted in the four endes of the crosse ¶ Pauper In token that he that deyed on the crosse is kyng of all thynge For the Egle is kyng of all foules The Lyon is kyng of all wylde bestes vnresonable The oxe is kyng of all tame bestes helpynge to mankynde Man is kyng of all bestes and of all vysyble creatures that were made for hym But Cryste is kyng of all thynge vysyble and Inuysyble And in token therof the four Euangelystes ben paynted aboute hym on the crosse in dyuerse lykenesse of four dyuerse kynges in kynde as four kynges herawdes blasynge his armes the grete batayle vyctory that he dyde ayenst the fende for maÌ„kynde vpon the crosse ¶ Diues why ben they paynted in houses in foure partyes of the house ¶ Pauper For the same cause for deuocoÌ„n for knowlechynge of his hyghe lordshypp that all we haue of hym and ayenst tempestes wycked spyrytes that free the euaÌ„gelystes ben sette in maner of a crosse ben ashamed abasshed of the crosse specyally of Crystus passyon by the whiche they were all dysconfyted Caplm .x.
by the planetes ne by none other creature how sholde ony man knowe goddes domes by the course of yâ— planetes or deme therby or telle what god wyll do in tyme comynge or dyuyne of thynges that be to come ¶ Pauper Thou mayst not knowe by the axe what the wryght wyll worche ne whan Ne thou mayst not knowe by the orloge what tyme the orloger wyll sett it ne knowe the orlogers wyll Ne thou mayst not knowe by the gryndstone what the smyth wyll grynde ne what maner ne whan ¶ Diues It is soth ¶ Pauper No more maye we knowe by the bodyes aboue ne by the course of the planetâ— what god wyll doo ne what he wyll ordeyne of man or of woman or of ony comunyte londe royalme contre or cyte for the planetes the bodyes aboue be nought ellys but goddes Instrumentes the course of the planetes is not chaungeable ne varyable but it is putte in certayne meouynge and steryng whiche they may not fleene chaunge for they haue no free eleccyon in theyr doynge But god is souerayne Iuge moost rightfull moost mercyfull moost free to punysshe and to spare For he is moost of myght and no thynge may hym withstande and therfore his domes and his werkes be not neded ne arted by the planetes but after that men chauÌ„ge theyr lyuynge so chauÌ„geth he his domes to punysshe or spare to we le or to wo to heuen or to helle He demed the synful cyte of Nynyue bycause of synne to be destroyed within .xl. dayes but whan they repented theym amended theym cryed after mercye he chauÌ„ged his dome spared the cyte destroyed it not as telleth Ionas the prophete yet the planetes chauÌ„ged not her course for none amendement of the people Also we fynde in holy wryte the .iiij. boke of the kynges that god sende the ê“phete Ysaye to the kyng Ezechie whan he hadde synned badde hym made his testamente for he sholde deye no lenger lyue Anone the kyng repented hym wepte full sore axed mercy And anone god badde the prophete Ysaye that yet was in the kynges halle to go ayen to the kyng saye to hym that god had accepted the repentauÌ„ce and herde his prayer that he sholde not deye than but he sholde lyue .xv. yere lenger Loo my frende how soone the dome of god was chauÌ„ged all to mercy And though the planetes yet that tyme kepte forth theyr course they chaunged not for all the kynges wepynge ¶ Diues Anone after the sonne chauÌ„ged his course tourned ayen in to the eest and began a newe daye ¶ Pauper The tournynge ayen of the sonne was not cause of the mercy of god ne of chauÌ„gyng of domes for god chauÌ„ged his dome byfore or the sonne tourned ayen So the tournyng ayen of the sonne was not ellys but a token of mercy to the kyng Ezechie to all synfull wretches that wolde amende them For right as the sonne chauÌ„ged his course after yâ— repentauÌ„ce of the kyng Right so god chauÌ„ged his sentence anone as man or womaÌ„ repenteth hym of his synne and is in wyll to amende hym Therfore sayth the lawe De peniteÌ„ di.i. sufficiat Nouit deus mutare sentenciaÌ„ si tu noueris emendare delictuÌ„ God can chauÌ„ge his sentence his dome anone as yâ— canste amende thy trespasse Also it was a token to the kyng that goddes byhest to him sholde be fulfylled But all the astronomers that euer were coude not tell byfore of that wonderfull token of the sonne for it was all ayenst the comon course of kynde that suche other shewe well that god is not ruled by the course of the planetes but that god ruled the planetes not the planetes hym ne his domes ne his werkes But god ruleth demeth gouerneth all mankynde persone comunyte after that they deserue as hyÌ„ thynketh moost spedefull to his worshyppe and to the comon prouffyte of his Royalme in heuen in erthe and in helle whoo 's domes and ordenauÌ„ces passe mannes wytte And therfore Saynt Poule sayth Quis cognouit sensum dnÌ„i aut quis consiliarius eius fuit Who sayth he hath knowen the wytte of god or who was his counseyller Forsothe not the astronomers neyther the wytches for they ben fooles of all fooles and putte fertheste out of goddes counseyll as folke that god moost hateth Saynt Poule saythe that domes of god ben incompre hensyble no man may knowe them well no man may trace his wayes Tho ben his wonderfull domes they ben so medled with mercy and rightfulnesse that they passe mannes wytte Therfore the prophete Dauyd sayth Vniuerse vie dnÌ„i misericordia et veritas Alle the wayes of our lorde ben mercy and trouth Iudicia dnÌ„i abissus multa The domes of god be of a grete depenesse ye soo depe that noo mannes wytte may seke to the depenesse ne knowe well the cause ne the reason of his wonderfull domes And therfore suche astronomers and wytches that entermeten theym soo hyghe of goddes domes and wonder full werkes presume to dyuyne of thynges that ben to come and make theym wyse as yf they were goddes felawes and knewe alle his preuy counseyll they ben fooles of al fooles ¶ Diues Therfore clerkes saye that they may noo thynge telle for certayne but they may telle wherto man or woman or comunyte is enclyned by the werkynge of the bodyes aboue Neuerthelesse as they saye man and woman may by vertue ouercome the planetes and soo euery wyse man is lorde and mayster of the plaâ—â—etes And therfore Tholomeus the grete astronomer sayth Quod vir sapiens dominabitur astris Caplm .xx. ALso as they say by astronomy they may knowe whan men ben enclyned to warre or to peas And whan by comon course of kynde sholde falle morayne hongre tempeste drought and suche other but as they saye one holy prayer may chaunge euery dele And thoughe it falle not in one coÌ„tree it falleth in an other coÌ„tree ¶ Pauper Sythen they can not telle for certayne what shall befalle but all in doubte theyr sawes theyr domes may soo lyghtly be chaunged brought to nought it is a grete foolye to sette ony truste to theyr tales for so may euery foole tell what he wyll and excuse euery lesynge This maner of speche is nought ellys but a mayntenyng of lesynges and of faynnyng and of hydynge of folye and a synfull excusacoÌ„n of synne a nette to cache with womaÌ„nes soules a strenge to drawe men to helle to drawe mannes herte his loue his truste from god They wolde fayne be holden wyse nye of goddes couÌ„seyll but they wote not how ferre they be fonden so false Ye shall vnderstande my frende that ther is but one sonne one mone and other fyue planetes Saturnê° Iupyter Mars Venus and Mercurius whiche with other sterres gone about all the erthe with the fyrmamente euery daye naturelly soo
worse than other ¶ Pauper Yf men came togydre made theyr prayers in lownesse clenesse charyte god shall here them For he sayth yf two or thre consente togydre in charyte what they axe in the worshyp of god to the helpe of theyr soules it shall be done to them of my fað But our prayers processyons be ayenst charyte made with grete pryde For tho yf men go in processyon for peas synge saye with theyr mouth Da pacē dn̄e Lorde gyue vs peas yet with herte men praye all ayenst peas For they wolde no peas haue ne desyre no peas but alwaye to haue warre to shede crysten mēnes blood For not withstandynge all the myschyef ther the people is in bycause of warre tho we haue the worste on euery syde yet the people sayth that it is better for to haue warre than peas they haue leuer to here of warre than of peas And they saye that they may not lyue without warre And whan god sente them worshypfull peas on euery syde they despyse peas and slee them that made peas for that that they trauayled to make peas And the people had leuer paye grete taxes for she dynge of mannes blood than for to paye smalle taxes for to haue peas And sythen they loue no peas ne desyre no peas and wyll haue none peas thoughe god wyll gyue theym peas without doubte they praye not for peas For no man prayeth for a thynge that they wyll not haue And so in theyr prayers and processyons they scorne god and more prouoke hym to vengeaunce than to mercy Also they make not theyr prayers with lownes but with grece pryde for they wyl not be knowen of ony myschyef They holde them selfe so stronge and so wyse that as them thynketh they haue no nede of ony helpe And therfore though god hereth vs not in our praers ne helpeth vs not it is no wonder For with our mouth we axe peas but with our herte we axe warre with our mouth we say kyryeleyson Lorde haue mercy on vs but with our herte we praye hym for to helpe vs to slee our euen crysten that wolde fayne lyue in peas And soo our prayer is all out of charyte and our lyuynge is full synfull and full hyghely ayenst the pleasaunce of god Caplm .lvi. DIues It is a comon prouerbe that a shorte prayer thyrleth heuen Oracio breuis penetrat celum And therfor sayth Cryste in the gospell Mathei .vi. Orantes nolite multū loqui Whan that ye praye sayth he speke ye not moche ¶ Pauper It is a comon prouerbe of truantes that soone be wery of theyr prayers and haue more haste to the tauerne than to holy chirche and haue more lykynge in the worlde than in god Neuertheles yf it be well vnderstande the prouerbe is true good holy For euery thynge is called shorte whan the endes bennyghe togydre And the more ferther that the endes of ony thynge is bytweyne the more lenger is the thynge And so it fareth by prayers For that one ende of our prayer is our herte and that other ende is god And therfore sayth saynt Austyn that prayer is a styeng vp of a mannes herte to god And in this maner the nerer a mannes herte is to god in his prayer by loue and lownesse deuocōn and right intencōn y◠more shorter is his prayer and this maner of prayer thyrleth heuen For as holy wryte sayth the prayer of hym that loweth hȳ in his prayer thyrleth the skyes or the cloudes For the more that a man loweth hym in his prayer the more nygher he is to god for than god of his mercy boweth downe to hȳ And therfor sayth Cryste that he that so loweth him selfe in his prayer he shall be hyghed vp to god And therfore sayth saynt Iames that god withdraweth the proude and to the lowe and meke he gyueth his grace And in this maner speke a man neuer so moche as longe as his herte is nyghe to god by loue lownesse with good intencōn and deuocyon so longe his prayer is but shorte though he speke neuer soo moche with his mouth And as longe as he may contynue his prayer so in deuocōn it is lefull medefull to speke in his prayer But whan his speche begynneth to lette hym of his deuocōn it is good to cesse of his vocall prayer that is in his owne fre wyll But yf he be boūde therto by a vowe or confessyon or by ordre or by offyce than he muste saye his bedes that he is boūde to and do his dute and he muste saye it distynctely not to hastly ne to saftly For yf he saye it to hastly he may lyghtly ouer scape and yf he saye it to saftly he may falle in to grete dystraccyon and lose moche tyme leue therby many good dedes that he myght ellys do and brynge hym selfe in lesynge of prayer and lettyng of deuocyon of hym selfe and of the people also that wolde here his prayers and his offyce Caplm .lvij. DIues Why badde than Cryste that men sholde not speke moche in theyr prayer ¶ Pauper Cryste badde not vtterly that men sholde not speke moche in theyr prayers but he badde that men sholde not speke moche in theyr prayers as hethen men do For they wene that god sholde not here them but yf they spake moche Also he badde vs not speke moche in our prayers as ypocrytes done for to be holden holy and so gette mennes good For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Luce .xxiij. Suche deuoure wȳdowes houses by faynynge of longe prayers For as the glose sayth there they praye lenger than other for to be holden more relygyouse and more holyer than other and therfore theyr prayers torneth in to synne in so moche that they may neyther well praye for them selfe ne for none other and for suche prayers they shall the more be dampned as Cryste sayth in the same place Mar .vij. This peple worshyppen me with theyr lyppes but theyr herte is full ferre fro me For god is in heuen and theyr herte and thought is all in erthe It is a comon prouerbe that who so speketh vnwysely and vaynely or in an euyll maner he speketh to moche And therfor as longe as a man or womā prayeth wysely deuoutely and with good intencyon soo longe they speke not to moche But yf they praye vnwysely with pryde and euyll intencyon they speke to moche though they speke neuer so lytyl And therfore the pharyse spake to moche in his prayer for he spake all with pryde And Peter spake to moche for he spake vnwysely therfore Cryste repreued them bothe Also they speke to moche in theyr prayers that sette theyr herte fayth more in sownynge and saynge of the wordes than they do to god or in the thynges that they praye for and saye ayen and ofte ayen wenyng that god herde them not but by suche yteracyons tyll that they ben wery and
began to fyght ayenst the cyte anone they cam out shewed her charter of peas And how that Iosue the prynces of goddes people also hadde sworen to theym to saue theyr lyues the people wolde haue slayne theym bycause of theyr gyle Than Iosue and the prynces sayden to the people We may not slee them for we haue sworen to theym in the name of our lorde And yf we forswere vs god shal take vengeaunce of vs. ¶ Diues I trowe that clerkes now a dayes wolde saye that they were not bounde to kepe that othe sythen they gate that othe of theym with soo grete begyle ¶ Pauper Yf they auysed them wel they wolde saye as Iosue sayd For as I fyrst sayd a man ought to kepe his othe yf it be lefull though he made it for drede of deth For euery othe leful ought to be kepte though it be neuer so moche ayenst herte and that sheweth god well afterwarde For as we fynde the seconde boke of the kynges xxi Thre hondred yere after Saull kyng of goddes people slewe all the Gabaonytes y◠he myght fynde to plese his people whiche hated alwaye y◠Gabaonites for theyr gyle God was dyspleased with y◠dede lete y◠kyng Saull soone after slayne in batayll all his housholde moche of goddes people After in tyme of Dauyd that reygned next after Saull Ther felle suche an hongre in the londe of Israell thre yere togydre y◠moche of goddes people perysshed Dauyd axed of god what the cause was of y◠hongre God sayd that the deth of the Gabaonytes whiche Saull had slayne y◠was cause therof Dauyd sente after the Gabaonytes that were lefte and sayd to them I knowe well that for you sake this hongre myschyef is fallen in my realme Axe ye amendes what ye wyll and I shall do it Than they sayd we axe neyther golde ne syluer ne no mannes deth of Israell but oonly vengeaunce on Saull and his kynrede that soo wyckedly oppressed vs and destroyed vs. We axe that euery man of his kynred be slayne and that none be lefte of his kynrede Dauyd myght not graunte that axynge for that othe that he hadde made to Ionatas the sone of Saull to saue his kynrede Than they axed seuen men only of the kynrede of Saull to hange them on y◠gebettes ayenst the sonne so to slee them dyspyteously in punysshynge of the spyte y◠Saull had do to goddes holy name in y◠he dyde ayenst the solempne couenaūtes y◠his predecessours had made confermed swerynge by goddes holy name for in that Saull toke that othe goddes holy name in vayne As sayth the maystre of the storyes Whan this was done the hongre cessed anone began rayne plente of corne fruyte ¶ Diues This ensample is full good sheweth well that euery othelefull made sholde be kepte And that euery man woman sholde flee to do dyshonour or spyte to goddes holy name Also it sheweth well y◠periury dyspysynge of goddes holy name is cause of shedynge of blood of hongre of myschyef and that god wyl not suffre that his holy name be dyspysed ne taken in vayne ¶ Pauper Therfore god sayth that euery man woman that so taketh his holy nama in vayne I shall doo to the as thou haste doo thy swerynge in dyspyte of me chargest not to breke couenaūt therfore thou shalte bere thy synne haue dyspyte therfore Eze .xvi. Also he sayth thus by the prophete Yf ye wyll not here ne sette in your herte to gyue worshypp to my name I shall sende to you hongre and nede and myschyef And I shall curse your blessynges and take your myght from you that ye shall not witstande Malachye .ij. ◠¶ Here endeth the seconde cōmaundement and begynneth the thyrde Caplm primū DIues I thanke the moche For now knowe I better than I dyde byfore how the seconde cōmaūdement sholde be kepte and what peryll it is to take goddes name in vayne Now I praye the enfourme me in the thyrde cōmaundement ¶ Pauper In the thyrde cōmaūdement god byddeth that thou sholdest bethynke the haue well in mynde to halowe thyn holydaye Sixe dayes thou shalte werke do all thyn owne werkes In the .vij. daye in the sabbot that is to saye reste of thy lorde god In that daye thou shalt doo no seruyle werke neyther thou ne thy sone thy doughter ne thy seruaunte man ne woman ne thy beest ne the straūgers that ben within thy yates ¶ Diues Why badde god that the .vij. daye sholde more be halowed than the .vi. daye ¶ Pauper For as god sayth there In .vi. dayes he made heuen and erthe and the see and all thynge that is therin And in the .vij. daye he rested and cessed of his werkes and therfore he blessyd that daye and halowed it and ordeyned that in that daye man and beest sholde reste and that man that daye in a specyaall sholde thanke god for all the creatures that he made byfore in the .vi. dayes he made them to helpe and seruyce and solace of man ¶ Diues Why sayth holy wryte that god rested than the .vij. daye in soo moche as that he neuer trauaylled For as saynt Austyn sayth he made all thynges without trauayll and as holy wryte sheweth Genesis pri ◠He sayd but this one shorte worde Fiat and badde that it sholde be done anone it was done as he wolde haue it ¶ Pauper Whan holy wrytte sayth that god rested the .vij. daye he vnderstandeth therby that in the .vij. daye he cessed for to make newe creatures for euery thynge was made by fore in the .vi. dayes eyther in y◠thynge hymselfe as angell lyght sonne mone and sterres eyther in his kynde and in his symplytude as man beest fysshe foule and grasse and trees eyther in his causes as thynge gendred of corrupcōn and thynges made by crafte For god in his godhede was neuer in trauayll but alwaye in blysfull reste without ende And therfore holy wrytte sayth not that he rested after his werke ne in his werke but that he rested from euery werke that he had made for he had no trauayll for ony werke he was not holpen by his werke for he made no thynge for nede but al for loue ¶ Diues Yet contra te Cryste sayth in the gospell Io. Pater meus vsque mode operat et ego operor My fader werketh vnto this tyme I werke also Therfore it semeth that god cessed not the vij daye from euery werke ¶ Pauper Two maner of werkes longen to god creacyon and gouernaunce From the werke of creacyon he cessed the .vij. daye and than prycypally he began the werke of gouernaunce and of kepynge the whiche werke he contynueth and shall contynue without ende And of this werke of gouernaunce speketh Cryste the wordes in the gospell but not of the wordes of creacyon ¶ Diues Ben ther ony mo causes why god badde
after his passyon saluacyon of mankynde the redempcoÌ„n torned the sorowe that holy chirche had on the satyrdaye by malyce of the Iewes in to reste blysse on yâ— sondaye And so it is fulfylled that the prophete Ieremy sayd .xxxi. Redemit dnÌ„s populuÌ„ suuÌ„ God hath bought ayen his people with his precyous blood and hath delyuered his people out of the fendes power God sayth I shall tourne theyr mournynge in to Ioye I shall gladde theym of theyr sorowe and conforte them And by the prophete Ozee he sayd that he sholde make the Ioye of the Iewes sabbottes and of all theyr solempnytees and of all theyr festes to cesse bycause of theyr synne Ozee .ij. Caplm .iij. ALso for halowynge in the satyrdaye was cerymonyal For as we fynde in dyuerse places of holy wryte namely Ezechielis xx Halowynge in the satyrdaye was a specyall token gyuen to the Iewes wherby they sholde be knowen from other people and so was circuÌ„cisyon and many other obseruauÌ„ces cerymonyes that god gaue theym to be knowen from other people And therfore right as the circuÌ„cisyon other obseruauÌ„ces that were bytaken them of god for a token of distynccoÌ„n from other people cessed in Crystus passyon so cessed halowynge in the satyrdaye in Crystus passyon For though it be a morall coÌ„maundement to halowe the .vij. daye yet it is not morall ne byndeth vs to halowe the .vij. daye in the satyrdaye And therfore we rede Exodi .xxxiiij. et .xxxv. That whan Moyses had ben in the mount of Synay with god .xl. dayes .xl. nyghtes without mete or drynke and spoken with god and there taken the lawe we of hym in two tables of stone two stemys and bemes of lyght rysen out of his face as it had be two hornes so shynynge so bryght that the people was adrede of hym and durst not speke with hym and therfore he put a veyll byfore his face whan he sholde speke to the people telle them the lawes and the wyll of god And whan he had soo hydde his face with the veyll The fyrste lawe that he gaue them in goddes name was to halowe the satyrdaye And he spake no worde than of the other .ix. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes but tolde forth other obseruauÌ„ces cerymonyes whiche longed only to the Iewes were but fygures shadowes of thynges to come whiche cessed al in Crystus passyon And soo he shewed wel that halowyng in the satyrdaye was cerymonyale sholde cesse with other cerymonyes in Crystus passyon And therfore whan yâ— he badde them halowe the satyrdaye he put the veyll byfore his face in token that halowynge on the satyrdaye other cerymonyes lawes yâ— he gaue them that tyme was but a veyl helynge ghoostly vnderstandynge vnder fygures of thynges yâ— were to come And whan tho thynges were fulfylled by the passyon of Cryste yâ— veyl mysty syght of fygures sholde be done awaye cesse And in token therof in tyme of Crystus passyon the veyl of the Iewes Temple to rente cleef in two partes the men myght see all the preuy thynges yâ— were in the Temple whiche were byfore hydde fro yâ— syght of the people by yâ— veyl Also the same texte of the coÌ„maundement sheweth full well that halowynge in the satyrdaye sholde be translated in to the sondaye that is called the daye of the sonne For though god cessed in the satyrdaye from makynge of thynges of newe kynde yet in the satyrdaye he made the satyrdaye as he made eche daye byfore in the same daye But in the sondaye next folowynge he made no newe daye in kynde for that was the fyrste daye and soo he rested more in the sondaye from werkynge than he dyde reste in the satyrdaye Also after grete trauayll ought to be more reste But Cryste goddes sone hadde more trauayl in recreacyon and redempcyon of mankynde than he hadde to make al this worlde For in makynge of all the worlde he hadde no trauayll as sayth saynt Austyn but oonly he badde it sholde be done it was done anone what he wolde But in creacoÌ„n redempcyon of mankynde he trauaylled soo that he swoted blood for anguysshe deyed for trauayll shedde his herte blood cessed not of trauayll tylle in the morowe tyde of yâ— sondaye whan he rose from deth to lyue to comforte all mankynde that wolde byleue in hyÌ„ And he shewed openly than that he was is lorde of all thynge And sayd to his apostles that all the power in heuen in erthe was gyuen to hym in his manhode And therfore the sondaye is called the lordes daye Dies dnÌ„icus And therfor sythen god wolde that the satyrdaye sholde be halowed in the olde lawe for god cesseâ— than from creacyon so in that maner began to reste moche more he wyl that the sondaye be halowed in the newe lawe for god cessed than from the grete trauayll of our redempcyon and of our saluacoÌ„n creacyon Caplm .iiij. WE haue also fygures of this in holy wryte Leuitici .xxiij. â— where we fynde that god badde the childern of Israel kepe pryncypaly .vij. festes in the yere of the whiche the laste was called FestuÌ„ tabernaculorum The feste of Tabernacles He badde theym take bowes brauÌ„ches of palme trees and of other trees the fayrest that they myght fynde make them tabernacles logges dwelle therin .vij. dayes togydre in mynde that god made them to dwelle in tabernacles logges .xl. yere in deserte and there he saued them kept them he badde that the fyrste daye the viij sholde be full holy By this feste of tabernacles that came laste after the other festes of the Iewes ben vnderstanden the festes of the newe lawe whiche came laste in the ende of the worlde after the olde lawe For al the festes of the newe lawe ben festes of tabernacles For whan god came for to be man he made fyrste his tabernacle in the mayde Mary whiche tabernacle was arrayed dyght with the fayrest braunches and bowes of grace and vertues and of good thewys as it myght be founden in ony creature for she passed al creatures in grace and goodnesse Of this tabernacle speketh the prophete pÌ„o .xviij. In sole posuit tabernaculuÌ„ suuÌ„ et ipse tanquam sponsus ê“cedens de thalamo suo He made his tabernacle in the sonne that was our lady mayden and moder bryghter than the sonne He came out of her as an husbonde out of his chambre An other tabernacle god made hym in our manhode and in our kynde that was the blysfull bodye that whiche he toke of the mayden Mary For as the tabernacles were made of the fayrest braunches and bowes that myght be founde soo the bodye of Cryste was made gadred togydre of the clenest droppes of the blood that was in our blyssed ladye saynt Marye clene mayden without spotte of synne In this tabernacle god was born of yâ— mayden on Crystmasse daye In
enhaūseth rightfull dome And but god had ended his werkes in mercy in the vij daye slaked his harde dome ayenst mankynde for Adams synne ellys his werkes had not ben complete ne parfyght in asmoche as y◠pryncypal creature for whom he made all thynge was loste For whan the fynale cause of ony werke fayleth that werke is not complete ne parfyght For this mercy that god shewed to man whan he ordeyned rest in the .vij. daye that was called sabbot fygure of endelesse reste of mankynde Cryst sayth in the gospell That the sabbot was made for man not man for the sabbot Marci .ij. But synfull man be so blent with couetyse that he tourneth his dampnacōn his payne in to lykynge and hath leuer to trauayll to his vndoynge vnto his dampnacyon than to rest to his saluacōn And hath leuer to folowe the harde sentence of god to his punysshynge than to take his grace and his mercy to be eased Suche ben lyke oules backes whiche hate the daye loue the nyght lyke to the fendes of helle that neuer haue recte ne for malyce wyll seke reste Caplm .ix. QOre ouer my frende we fynde four maner of sabbottes in holy wrytte One sabbot of dayes that was the .vij. daye ordeyned of god for reste ease both of man of beest Also we fynde a sabbot of monethes ordeyned also of god for to reste both of man and beest that was the .vij. moneth that man and beest sholde reste theym than after the grete trauaylle that they hadde done in the two monethes byfore in whiche was theyr heruest to gadre corne wyne and oyle and other fruyte The vij moneth was Septembre as for than in that hote contree heruest was all done Also we fynde a sabbot of yeres that was the .vij. yere For that yere the londe rested y◠it myght bere the better the more plenteuously after for that yere was noo londe sowen Also we fynde a sabbot of sabbottes that was the fyfth yere ordeyned of god for reste of the londe of beest of man namely of them that were in trauayll of trybulacyon For than outlawed men myght come ayen home in surete Than bounde men were made free dettes forgyuen Than men resceyued ayen theyr herytage By the sabbot of dayes is vnderstonden reste from vyces in the lyfe actyf that hath .vi. dayes to werke in By the sabbot of mone is vnderstonden reste that men haue in the lyfe contemplatyf both from vyces temptacōns for that moneth was moche holy but not all holy Right soo they that haue the lyfe contemplatyf they haue more reste from vyces and temptacōns than they that haue the lyfe actyfe but ful reste haue they not in this worlde By the sabbot of yeres whan the londe rested the .vij. yere is vnderstonden the reste that our soules shall haue in the blysse of heuen whyles the erthe of our bodyes shall reste in the graue By the sabbot of sabbottes that was the .l. yere is vnderstonden the reste without ende that we shall haue in heuen whan we shal go ayen both bodye soule vnto our herytage that we loste thrughe Adams synne whan all our trauayll trybulaco n shall cesse all our woo tourne to wele by vertue of Crystus passyon Caplm .x. DIues Sythen the sabbot of dayes was moste solempne in the olde lawe for it was not lefull that daye to go ouer a thousande pass ne to dyght theyr mete more ouer that daye were offred two lambes passynge the comon sacrefyce that was done euery daye sythen than the solempnyte of the sabbottes is translated in the newe lawe in to the sondaye why is not the sondaye as worshypfull in the newe lawe as was the sabbot in the olde lawe For as that was called the sabbot of our lorde also the sondaye is called the daye of our lorde passynge all other dayes And yet we haue in the yere many dayes more solempne than is the sondaye ¶ Pauper All the festes of the newe lawe that ben the dayes and the sabbottes of our lorde For alle tho ben of hym selfe in hym selfe or ellys of hym selfe in his sayntes In the olde lawe was no feste of our lorde but only the sabbot whiche was halowed in mynde of the creacōn of the worlde in mynde that god the .vij. day cessed of creacyon And also than to thanke hym for his endelesse goodnesse that he shewed to mankynde in his creacyon whan he made all bodely vysyble creatures to serue man man to serue hym here in grace after in the blysse of heuen without ende Other festes of the olde lawe were but solēpnytees myndes of auentures prosperytes y◠felle to the Iewes in tyme of the olde lawe And therfor the sabbot amonges them was moost solempne And amonges vs also the sondaye is moost solempne and holy for the grete dedes and wondres that god dyde in the sondaye But for as moche as it cometh ofte we make it not alwaye lyke solempne for it falleth the sondaye in whiche god shewed his wondres as Esterdaye Wytsondaye to be more solempne than other comon sondayes Other festes also as Crystmasse daye Epyphanye daye in as moche as they ben our lordes dayes come but ones in the yere therfore we make more solempnyte in tho dayes than we doo comonly on the sondaye And so we do in many other festes for all they be festes and dayes of our lorde Neuerthelesse ther is no daye so solempne in themselfe as the sondaye for that is alwaye solempne for y◠wondres that god dyde therin Other dayes somtyme ben solempne and somtyme not solempne after that the festes therin falle by chaūgynge of the yere so that other dayes haue noo solempnyte of themselfe by custome ne by lawe but only by fallynge of festes as the yere chaungeth The thursdaye was some tyme as holy as the sondaye for Cryste styed vp that daye to the heuen And than began the processyon that we vse on the sondaye for than Cryste wente in processyon with his dyscyples out of Ierusalem in to the mounte of Olyuete and there he styed vp in the syght of theym all And the crosse y◠is borne byfore vs in y◠processyon betokeneth that Cryste deyed on the crosse and afterwarde he arose ayen from deth to lyfe And on the holy thursdaye wente he byfore his dyscyples ledyng them vnto the moūte of Olyuete But for as moche as many newe festes comen on and it was greuous for to kepe two dayes so lempne euery woke therfore the solempnyte of the thursdayes cessed the processyon in mynde of Crystes ascen s yon was translated in to the sondaye ¶ Diues Therfor me thynketh that the sondaye sholde be the more solempne ¶ Pauper So it is and so it ought for to be moost halowed thoughe holy chirche doo not alwaye than moost solempnyte for that daye is ordeyned for reste in the newe lawe both to man and
Pauper That is soth For he that doth goddes byddynge god shal yelde hym his mede And it is goddes byddynge goddes wyl that they serue truly mekely theyr soueraynes And therfore sayth the glose that sythen Cryste byddeth the seruauÌ„tes serue truly yf they serue truly they serue not only man or woman but pryncypaly serue Cryste ¶ Diues Why byddeth the apostle that the seruauÌ„tes sholde obey and serue to flesshely carnale lordes ¶ Pauper For the glose sayth They muste by goddes lawe obey not only to good lordes but also to shrewes Therfore saynt Peter sayth Subiecti estote oim humane creature ê“pter dnÌ„i â— Be ye subgettes sayth he to euery man and woman that is your souerayne not for themselfe but for god Be ye subgettes to kynges to dukes to temporal lordes thynke ye that god hath ordeyned them to vengeauÌ„ce of wycked doers to praysynge of good folke For thus is the wyll of god that with your good dedes your meke seruyce ye stoppe and make styll the vnconnynge of the vnwyse folke Serue ye as free men that is to saye not only for drede of man but for drede and loue of god as for goddes seruauntes Drede ye god and worshyp ye your kyng And ye seruauntes be ye subgettes and meke in all drede to your lordes that is to saye not only in seruyle drede but also in loue drede for goddes sake Be ye subgettes for goddes sake not only to good lordes and well ruled but also to shrewes and tyrauntes Non tantuÌ„ bonis et modestis sed eciaÌ„ discolis For than is man and woman worthy thanke of god whan as they for conscyence and goddes sake suffreth pacyently dysease without gylte Yf ye be beten and buffeted for your synnes and your trespasses ye be worthy noo thanke neyther of god ne of man But yf ye doo well and with that suffre pacyently dysease vngylty than be ye worthy moche mede of god And for to do thus Cryste gaue you ensample whan he suffred pacyently bytter deth without gylte that ye sholde folowe his steppes and pacyently suffre woo without ony gylte These be the wordes of saynt Peter in his fyrste pystle ij c. 0 Here to accordeth saynt Poule in his pystle ad Romanos xiij.ca 0 where he sayth thus Euery soule that is to saye euery man and woman muste be subgette meke to the power aboue theym and to his soueraynes For theyr is no power ne lordshypp but of god and of goddes ordenaunce And therfore sayth he who so withstondeth the lordshyp and the power of his soueraynes he withstandeth goddes ordenauÌ„ce and geteth hym dampnacoÌ„n without ende For why sayth he prynces and lordes ben ordeyned of god to drede of wycked werkes not to drede of good werkes wylte thou not drede the power of thy soueraynes doo well thou shalte haue praysynge of hym For yf he be a good lorde he shall loue the the better and yf he be a shrewe thou shalt haue the more praysyng of god that thou doost well vnder a wycked souerayne as the glose sayth Thy lorde or thy kyng is goddes mynystre ordeyned of god to thy good Yf thou doo amys drede thou hym for he bereth not yâ— swerde without cause for he is goddes mynystre to venge the wrath of god in hym that dooth amys And therfore sayth he be ye subgettes meke to your soueraynes as to the nedefull ordenauÌ„ce of god not only for to flee wrath of your souerayns but also for conscyence And therfore ye gyue trybutes to your prynces and lordes for they be goddes mynystres serue therfore in defendynge gouernaunce of the people And as the glose sayth in that ye gyue theym trybute ye serue god for they be goddes mynystres Caplm .xvi. DIues Whan saynt Poule sayd tho wordes Emperours kynges nyghe all prynces and temporall lordes vpon erthe were hethen folke of false byleue how myght they be goddes mynystres or goddes seruauÌ„tes ¶ Pauper Euery creature is seruauÌ„t subget to god or with his wyll or without his wyll And therfor saynt Austyn vpon that psalme Exaudi deus oroÌ„em meaÌ„ and sayth thus Wene ye not that god suffreth wycked folke to be in this worlde without cause For euery wycked man sayth he eyther god suffreth hyÌ„ to lyue for to amende hym or ellys that good men may be amended by hym wynne mede by hym in that that they suffre his malyce pacyently trauayll for to amende hym The malyce of shrewes is a purgatory to good folke and shrewes ben goddes scourge to chastyse goddes childern whiche he had ordeyned to the kyngdome of heuen and to punysshe and purge the synnes of theym that god loueth also to punysshe other shrewes And therfor god sayd to the synfull Iewes For ye wyll not here my wordes ne kepe my lawes Therfore I shall sende after my seruauÌ„t Nabu godonosor kyng of Babylon brynge hym all his people vpon this londe and destroye this londe bycause of synne Ieremye .xxv. This Nabugo donosor kyng of Babylon was an hethen man a grete shrewe and had no loue to god ne knewe hym not for his god He was a wycked tyrauÌ„t destroyed goddes lawe and goddes people goddes temple in Ierusalem And yet god called hym his seruaunt for he was goddes yerge to chastyse shrewes and to punysshe the synnes of goddes people And as ye see that whan as the fader hath beten his childe with a yerde he casteth the yerde in to the fyre Right soo whan god hath chastysed scourged his childeren by wycked men by wycked tyrauÌ„tes that ben goddes yerde but yf the tyrauÌ„tes amende them he shall caste them in to the fyre of helle with out ende And therfore he sayth Ve assur virga furoris mei et baculus ipse est â— Woo be to the people of assur and to his kyng for they be the yerde and the staffe of my wrath I shall sende theym ayenst the false people and ayenst the people to whiche I am wroth I shal bydde hym destroye the people robbe them slee them But he weneth not so but he thynketh al of his owne myght malyce I bydde hym do my rightfulnesse Ysaye .x. Caplm .xvij. DIues Sythen it is so that all lordshyp power in erthe cometh of god me meruayleth moche why god gyueth wycked men suche grete power in this worlde ¶ Pauper The power cometh all of god but the malyce wyckednesse and wycked couetyse cometh of man ¶ Diues God knoweth theyr malyce what they wyll doo why gyueth he than suche lordshyp and power to shrewes ¶ Pauper For comon synne of the people For synfull people rebell false be not worthy to haue a good lorde mercyable benygne but for to haue cruell lordes false tyrauÌ„tes lyke the people And therfore Iob sayth Regnare facit ypocrytaÌ„ Ppter peccata populi God maketh an ypocryte a wycked
longe yâ— people is able to kepe that londe y i god hath gyuen theym to lyue good lyfe But whan they wyll rebelle ayenst theyr souerayns wyll not stande to theyr ordynauÌ„ce but euery man wyll be his owne man folowe his owne fantasyes despyse his souerayns ther dome gouernauÌ„ce ne gyue no tale of goddes lawe ne of londes lawe ne of holy chirche lawe ne haue men of dtue of dygnyte in worshyp but for pryde haue them in despyte be besy to worshyp themself in hynderyng of other that people is able to the swerde able to lese his londe For as ye see at the eye in tyme of tempest though the bowes of the tree bete themself to gydre all to breste fall downe as longe as yâ— rote of the tree kepeth him fast in his place ryseth not so longe yâ— tree shal not fall But whan yâ— rote begyn to ryse out of his place anone yâ— tree begyn to fall Ryght thus it fareth by yâ— people of a londe Though tempest of pryde of couetyse of enuye of lechery faâ— soÌ„tyme in yâ— croppe of yâ— treâ— that is to say amonge lordes souerayns grete men yf yâ— poore people that is rote of yâ— tree of all yâ— comonte kepe them styl in lownes do mekely ther dute to god kepynge his coÌ„mauÌ„dement yâ— good preceptis of ther souerayns so longe is hope that the people shal fare well after that tempest not be destroyed but yf they ryse ayenst god by customable dedly synnes ayenst ther worldely souerayns wyll entecmete them of euery cause of that londe of holy chirche termine euery cause by ther wytt bodye crop of yâ— tree shal falle For it is not possyble that the rote sholde be so hyghe as the crop of the tre but yâ— tre fell Ne that the fote sholde be aboue yâ— hede but the body felle ¶ Diues This is full soth we see it at yâ— eye for pryde rebellyon of yâ— poore peple is cause of destruccoÌ„n of this londe For sythen they aresen ayenst ther souerayns was ther neuer stabylyte in this loÌ„de but alwaye syth yâ— tre of yâ— peple of this loÌ„de yâ— realme hath stande in fallynge ¶ Pauper VnbuxuÌ„nesse pryde was pryncypal cause of lesynge of londes of realmes And pryncypally the cause of saluacyon of realmes londes comontees is obedyence buxumnesse that eche man in his degree obeye to his souerayn worshyp hym as fader And therfore leue frende I praye you for goddes sake that ye worshyp all your faders moders in theyr degre as I haue sayd And haue ye olde folk feble in worshyp whyle ye be in yonge age worshyp ye the age that ye drawe to haue no scorne of the olde folke for feblenes vnclennes that ye see them in But thynke ye that suche ye shall be yf ye abyde theyr age feble vnourne loth to the syght For suche as ye be now suche were they somtyme It fareth by age of man woman as it doth by a precyous stone that is called crysolitus This stone as the mayster sayth of kyndes in the begynnynge of the daye it shyneth bryght as ony golde but as the daye passeth so passeth his bryghtnesse the nerer euen the more it fadeth so yâ— by euen it is lyke a clot of erth Thus fareth by man woman in this worlde For in theyr youth in theyr begynnyng they be fayre rede rody and fresshe as a rose in May full lusty to the eye But as youth passeth so passeth ther beaute And as they olde so they fade tyll at the laste the daye of theyr lyfe cometh to an ende and than be they but a clot of erth full vnourne gastely to the syght ¶ Here endeth the fourth coÌ„maundement And begynneth the fyfthe Capitulum Pr m si DIues As me thynketh thou hast enformed me well in these tour coÌ„maundementes Now I praye the for charyte that thou wylt enforme me in yâ— fyfth ¶ Pauper The fyfth coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this Non occides That is to saye thou shalt not slee In whiche coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t god forbedeth vs all maner manslaught vnleful both bedely goostly He byddeth vs that we slee no man ne woman vnryghtfully ayenst yâ— lawe neyther with herte consentyng to his deth ne by wrath hate For as saynt Iohn sayth Qui odit freÌ„m suuÌ„ homicidia eÌ„ He that hateth his brother is a man sleer for of wrath hate cometh maÌ„slaughter Also by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement he forbydeth betyng fyghtyng maynyng prysonyng banysshyng outlawynge For these suche other be a maner of deth dyspose to deth warde therfor it sholde not be do to man ne womaÌ„ without grete gylt Also he forbedeth yâ— we sle no man ne woman with our tonge hym hynderyng procurynge his deth ne fauour gyuynge ne false wytnesse berynge ne lesynges makynge ne by dyffamynge ne bacbytynge For bacbyters and wycked spekers be manquellers And therfore sayth Salomon That moche folke hath falle by the sworde but not so many as haue be slayne by the tonge Eccl .xxviij And therfore he sayth Prouer. xviij That lyfe and deth be in the handes of the tonge That is to saye in the myght of the tonge For by handes in holy wryt is vnderstande myght power And therfore Dauyd sayth Lingua eorum gladiê° acutus The tonge of yâ— Iewes of other wycked spekers is a sharpe sworde For yâ— Iewes slowe cryste with ther tonges not with ther hondes For they procured his dethe by false wytnesse by excytynge of the people But paynyms slowe hym with theyr hondes dyde hym on the crosse And yet as saynt Austen sayth The Iewes were more gylty of crystus deth than Pylate that dampned hym to the deth or the knyghtes that dyde hym on the crosse For with her tonges the Iewes sloâ—e hym and were cause of his deth And therfore sayth the lawe that he that sleeth his brother with his honde he that hateth his brother he that bacbyteth his brother all thâ—e be mansleers Depe di.i. homicidiarum The bacbyter sleeth thre attones he sleeth hym self by his owne malyce hym that hereth hym hym that hath lykynge in his false tales hym that he bacbyteth For he maketh hym to lese his good name peraduenture his lyfe He maketh hym also to lese charyte whan he knoweth his wycked speche that he hath sayd behynde hyÌ„ so bylesyng of charyte he leseth god that is his lyfe of his soule And therfor the wyse man lykeneth the bacbyter to the adder that byteth styngeth in stylnesse Eccl .x. A shrewed adder is the bacbyter that sleeth thre with one breth Therfore Salomon sayth Ktepe ye you from bacbytynge of yâ— parted tonge For a wycked worde sayd in preuy shal not passe in vayne and without woo For the moneye sayth he that lyet
husbonde that dyed for hyr loue By this poore woman that was soo fayre is vnderstande mannes soule womans whiche is made to the lykenesse of god But it was made full poore through the synne of Adam By the kynges sone is vnderstande cryste goddes sone which loued so moche mannes soule that as saynt Poule sayth he auentysshed hymself and dysparyched hymselfe in to the lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t maryed to hym our kynde mannes soule and lyued here two and thrytty wynter more in moche woo to wynne the loue of mannes soule and faught ayenst the fende the flesshe the worde that be alwaye besye to lese mannes soule And alwaye he hadde the maystrye by myght of the godhede But on go de frydaye he cam in soo fell a fyght with that tyrauÌ„t the fende of helle that though he had that maystrye yet he was so forwouÌ„ded that by waye of manhode whiche he toke of that mayde nedely he muste dye And than he sent home a letter of loue to his spouse maÌ„nes soule saynge as that knyght sayd Cerne cicatrices â— Beholde my wouÌ„des and haue them in thy thought for all the goodes that be thyn with my blood I haue them bought For why all the Ioye blys that we sholde haue in heuen and all the grace and goodnesse that we haue here in erthe all haue we by vertue of crystus passyon For but he wolde haue dyed for our sake els sholde we haue layne in helle payne with out ende By this sharte full of wouÌ„des and so blodye I vnderstande his blysfull bodye For as mannes bodye is clad in his sharte so that godhede was clothed in the blysfull bodye of cryste whiche bodye was all blody so full of wouÌ„des that as sayth that ê“phete Ysa i Fro the sole of the fote to the toppe of the hede there was no hole place in his body Therfor leue frende I pray you hange ye this sharte in a preuy place of your chambre That is to saye Sette ye crystus passyon entyrely in your herte And whan the fende the worlde or the flesshe or ony wycked man or woman begynneth for to tempte you to synne anone wende ye to your herte and loke ye on this sharte Thynke how that blysfull bodye was borne of the mayde Mary without synne and sorowe and neuer dyde amys Thynke how it was forrent and for tourne byspetted for our synne and our sake and not for his owne gylte And yf ye do so thynke entyrely on crystus passyon ye shall lyghtely ouercome euery temptacyon and haue the better pacyence in trybulacyon Wherfore an holy man sayth thus Reminiscens sacrati sanguinis queÌ„ effudit amator hominis effunden do lacrimas Non est locus ingratitudini vbi torrens tante dulcedinis at tingit animas â— Whan I thynke on crystus blood that he shedde vpon the rode I lete teres smert What man may be vnkynde that crystus blood hath in mynde entyrely in his herte Swete Ihesu cryste what is thy gylt that thou thus for me art spylt floure of vnlothfulnes I am a theef thou dyeste I am gylty thou obeyest all my wyckednes Why gauest thou so moche for thyne what wynnest yâ— with thyne harde payne ryche in blysse aboue Loue thyne herte soo depe hath sought that payne of deth letteth me nouht to wynne mannes loue An other remedye ayenst lecherye is redynge dalyauÌ„ce of holy wryt of holy mennes lyues And therfore saynt Ierom sayth ad rusticuÌ„ monachum Ama scienciam scripturarum et carnis vicia noÌ„ amabis Loue connynge of holy wryt and of goddes lawe and thou shalt not loue vyces of the flesshe And therfore god sayth Non videbit me homo et viuet Exodi xxxiij Ther shall no man see me by deuocyon and lyue flesshely For noothynge sleeth soo moche the luste of the flesshe as deuocyon and thynke on god and to studye goddes lawe And an other remedy is to thynke on helle payne For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate theologie In helle shall be ouerdone hete of fyre gnastynge of teeth for colde for payne derkenesse smoke bytter wepynge without ende Rorynge and belewynge of foule fendes wepynge and weylynge â–ª sobbynge and syghynge of synfull soules and endeles repreue of ther synnes endles drede endles thyrste stenche lyght thondre worme of conscyence bondes pryson drede shame wantynge of the blysfull syght of goddes face and woo without ony hope of ony welthe There men shall seke deth not fynde it wysshe that they neuer hadde be borne And as saynt Bernarde sayth in his medytacoÌ„ns There shall be herde we pynge gnastyng of teeth roryng of fendes hydeous thondre There that syght shal be foule wormes todes adders horryble faces of the fendes mysshape thynges There wycked wormes shall gnawe the herte rotes there shall be sorowe syghynge and horryble drede There synfull wretches shall brenne in the fyre without ende In ther bodye they shall be tourmented by fyre in ther soule by worme of conscyence There shall be deth without deth for alwaye they shall be in deynge and in vtter payne and may not dye but alwaye lyue in deynge There smellynge shall be fylled with horryble stenche for there shall be no hope But whan they be in these paynes ten hondred yeres yet ther payne in newe all to begynne And therfore yf loue of god mede in heuen styreth vs not to flee lecherye and all other synnes lette vs flee lecherye all other synnes for drede of endelesse payne Caplm .xvi. ANd an nother remedy ayenst lechery is to thynke of that harde vengeauÌ„ces that god hath take for lecherye Fyrst take hede what vengeauÌ„ce god hath take for symple fornycacoÌ„n We fynde in holy wryt GenÌ„ .xxxiiij. That Dyua that doughter of Iacob went fro home to see that wymen of that contre to see ther atyre Than Sychem that sone of Emor prynce of that contre wente defouled this Dyua by myght And not withstandyng his besynes for to haue wedded hyr yet he was slayne for his lechery his fader all the men of that cyte that cyte destroyed We rede also in holy wryt Numeri .xxv. For that the childeren of Israell dyde lecherye wâ— the wymen of Moab god was offended bad Moyses take that prynces of his people hange theym vpon Iebetes for they were assentynge to the synne bad euery man slee his neyghbour that was gylty in that synne For by lecherye they felle in to ydolatrye And so for that lecherye were slayn that tyme .xxiiij. thousande Than Phynees the sone of Eleazar sawe one of that childern of Israell by one of the wymen to venge his synne he toke his swerde roof them both togydre in to the erthe throughe theyr preuy membres And god was so moche plesed with his dede that he grauÌ„ted to hym to his childern after hym the
londe shall mysfare Therfore Dauyd sayth that wyckednesse hath beseged that cyte yâ— comynte by daye and by nyght aboue the walles trauayle vnryght moche wronge is in yâ— cyte gyle vsure fayleth not from the streâ—es of that cyte Die ac 〈◊〉 circuÌ„dabit eaÌ„ suê‘ muros eiê° iniâ—â—◠〈◊〉 For suche vsurye gyle false othes in byenge sellynge the prophete Zacharye sayth yâ— he sawe a boke fleynge in the ayer that was â—x cubytes longe and .x. in brede And he axed the angell of god what it myght be yâ— angel sayd to hym it is the curse of god yâ— gooth to the houses of theues to mennes houses that forswere theym by the name of god Zacharie .v. And therfore Salomon sayth yâ— who so gadreth tresours with a lyenge tonge he is vayne euyll herted and he shall stumble to the snares of deth Raueyners robberers of wycked men shal drawe theym downe to helle for they wolde do no ryghtfull dome Prouer. xxi To suche god gyueth his curse Wâ—â— he sayth be to you that Ioyne house to house and couple felde to felde saye of ryght that is wronge of wronge yâ— is ryght put lyght in to derknesse derknesse in to lyght bytter in to swete swete in to bytter Ysaye v For these false men of lawe and slyght couetouse folke be a mannes cause euer so good but they haue moneye to stande with hym they shal saye that it is a wycked cause And be it euer so clere in ryght they shal say it is full derke they can see none helpe therin And be it neuer so derke yâ— no man can see ryght therin for moneye they shal say yâ— it is clere ynough And be it euer so syker or easy to pnrsue swete in it selfe they shal say it is a bytter cause vnsauery to dele with but they haue moneye be it euer so peryloê° bytter for moneye they shal saye that it is syker ynough He that robbeth his euen crysten of ony good he doth ayenst .iij. lawes Fyrste ayetst yâ— lawe of kynde that sayth thus That thou hatest to be done to the do thou it not to an other Also he dooth ayenst lawe wryten Non furtuÌ„ facies That byddeth thou shalt do no theft Also he doth ayenst the lawe of grace for charyte yâ— is pryncypall byhest of the lawe of grace byddeth yâ— men sholde gyue to other of theyr good not take froÌ„ theÌ„ wâ—ongfully We fynde in holy wryt Iosue vi.et.vij.ca That Achor stale golde syluer cloth ayenst the byhest of god he his wyfe his childern all his bestes were stoned to the deth fyrste and afterwarde brente with all his other good that he had .xxxvi. men slayne with enemyes for yâ— theft of Achor that so stale ayenst goddes byheste And god sayd tyll whan his thefte was punysshed the people sholde neuer haue spede in batayle ne in other Iourneye ¶ Diues It is than lytell wondre that our folke spede euyll these dayes in warre vpon theyr enemyes for they go more to robbe to pyle than to fyght for ony ryght ¶ Pauper For that synne many other they spede full euyll For they be so blent with synne that the lyght of grace by whiche they sholde be wyssed in ther dedes is hyde awaye fro them so they wandre forth amonge theyr enemyes as blynde bestes for they sene no myscheef tyll they falle there in For as the wyse man sayth Obcecauit eos malicia eorum SapÌ„ .ij. Ther malyce hath made theym blynde A grete clerke telleth Solinus de mirabilibus mundi That in the londe of Sardynye is a welle of the whiche welle yf a true man drynke his syght shall amende But yf a theef drynke therof though his syght be byfore neuer so clere he shall wexe blynde By this welle I vnderstande plentee of worldely goodes of rychesses the god sendeth amonges mankynde whiche goodes rychesses comen of the erth and newen yere by yere as water in the welle and al true folke that drynken of this welle that is to saye that comen truly to theyr good and rychesses of this worlde and spenden them well to the worshyp of god and profyte of theyr euen crysten they haue more lyght of grace to see what is to doo and what may please god And they that falsely come to goodes of this worlde by theeft by gyle vsure by fals othes they wexen blynde for they lese the lyght of grace be blent with ther malyce Therfore saynt Ambrose suê‘ LucaÌ„ sayth That in the tyche s ses is no blame but the blame the defaute is in theym that can not wel vse theyr rychesses And as rychesses sayth he is lettynge of vertue to shrewes is helpe of vertue to good folke yâ— can ben in wyll to vse well her rychesses ¶ Diues I drede me that nyghe all our nacyon hath soo dronken of this welle of Sardynye yâ— they ben goostly blynde For yf I take hede what theeft of symonye regneth in the clergye what theft of vsure regneth pryncypaly amonge marchau tes ryche folke what theeft of raueyne extorcyon regneth amonge the lordes grete men what mycherye robberye amonge the poore comons that be alwaye enclyned to slee to robbe Me thynketh that moche of our nacoÌ„n is gylty in theft ouerdone moche blent with false couetyse ¶ Pauper Therfore god sayth thus A minimo vsque ad maximuÌ„ omnes sequunt auariciaÌ„ A ppha vsque ad sacerdote cuncti faciunt mendaciuÌ„ et ideo corruent Fro the leste to yâ— moost all they folowen auaryce and false couetyse From the prophete to the preest all they make lesynges and do gyle falsehede therfore they shall falle and I shall gyue theyr wymen to straungers and theyr londes and theyr feldes to other heyres Ieremie viij And by the prophete Ysaye god vndernameth the gouernoures of the people bothe in temporalyte and in spyrytualyte and sayth thus Principes tui infideles socij furum et cetera Thy prynces ben false and felowes of theues All they louen gyftes folowe medes yeldynge ayen For they demed not after the ryght but after yâ— men myght paye Ysa .i. Si videbas furem currebas cuÌ„ eo et cuÌ„ adulteris porcionen â— Yf thou see a theef thou ranne with hym to helpe hym as false Iuges in temporalte done these dayes And with lechoures and auouteres thou puttedeste thy parte as Iuges in spyrytualte done these dayes ¶ Here endeth the seuenth coÌ„maundement And begynneth the eyght Capitulum PrimuÌ„ DIues It is full moche to drede that gyle and falsehede shal vndo this londe as thou sayest but god of his mercy he doo bote I thanke the with all myne herte for thou haste well enfourmed me in kepynge of the seuenth coÌ„maundement Now I praye the for charyte that thou
be without penaunce or sorowe and contrycyon for his lynne And all that were assentynge to false wytnesse to periurye sholde do the same penauÌ„ce IbideÌ„ The wordes of wytnesse sholde be taken to the beste vnderstandynge mooste benygne Extra li. ij.ti de testibus ca. cuÌ„ tu The wytnesse that ayensayth hymselfe is of no credence Extra li. ij ti.de ê“bacionibs ca. licet Men sholde stande to the fyrst speche that man or woman sayth in his cause yf he varye an other tyme e. ti per tuas Yf the wytnesse by dystraccoÌ„n saye amys it is leful to hym anone to ameÌ„de his speche but yf he abyde with an Interuall though he chauÌ„ge his worde amende it he shall not be accept ne herde Extra li. ij.ti de testibus cogendis ca. preterea Wytnesse in dome sholde not be herde ayenst hym that is absent but he were obstynate and wolde not come Extra de testibus ca. ij He that sayth fyrste the treuth muste be taken for one wytnesse e.ti. in omni Yf a man haue sworne to the partye not to bere wytnesse of the treuth with the other partye his othe is vnlefull And therfore not withstandynge his othe he may bere wytnesse of the treuth e Intumauit Noo man shall bere wytnesse to an other in his cause yf he haue the same cause or ony lyke that to spede for hymselfe For suche a persone is suspecte that he wolde do fauoure to an other mannes cause to haue hym fauorable to hym in his cause e.ti. personas Noo mannes wytnesse shall be resceyued in dome in preiudyce of an other but yf he swere though the wytnesse be a man of relygyon e ti nuê“ The honeste the worshyp of the wytnesses is more to charge than the multytude e ti in nostra For to dyscusse yrre gularyte of bygamye both lewde maÌ„ lewde woman maye be taken for wytnesse e ti tam is Seke folke and poore folke may not be compelled to come byfore the Iuge to bere wytnes But the Iuge may sende to them wyse men to wyt of them the trenth e ti si â— Euery man woman sholde hate false wytnesse for god hateth false wytnesse as Salomon sayth Deus odit testem fallacem Prouer .vi. Aud euery lyer is a false wytnesse full of gyle And the sodayne wytnesse dysposeth ordeyneth a tonge of lyenge For he yâ— is redy to bere wytnesse byfore he be auysed he dyspeseth hyÌ„ to lye Prouer .xij. But as Salomon sayth The false wytnesse shall not be vnpunysshed and he that speketh lesynges shall perysshe Prouer .xix. Ferthermore leue frende ye shall vnderstande that ther ben thre maner of wytnesses Caplm .xiij. THer is a wytnesse aboue vs yâ— knoweth all and may not be dysceyued that is god that seeth all and he shall at the daye of dome be to vs both Iuge wytnesse Ego sum iuder et testis I am Iuge and wytnesse sayth our lorde god Ieremie .xxix. And Iob sayth In heuen is my wytnesse and he that knoweth all my couÌ„seyll is aboue in hyghe And ther is a wytnesse within vs that is our conscyence For as saynt Poule sayth Oure Ioye is wytnesse of our conscyence And ther is a wytnesse without vs yâ— is our neyghbour all creatures yâ— shall bere wytnesse ayenst vs at the dome byfore the hyghe Iuge but we amende vs by tyme deme wel our selfe For Moyses sayd Testem inuoco celuÌ„ et terraÌ„ I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse yâ— yf ye make to you ony lykenesse or ymage to worshyp it and breke goddes lawe ye shall soone perysshe Deutro .iiij. And in an other place he sayth thus I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse that I haue sette byfore you lyfe and dethe good and euyll blessynge and curse And therfore chese the lyfe that ye may lyue and loue your lorde god and obeye to his voyce and clyue to hym by fayth and loue for he is your lyfe and lengthe of your dayes And your herte be tourned awaye from hym and ye wyll not here his lawes but worshyppe false goddes I saye to you byfore that ye shall soone perysshe Deutro .xxx. And therfore leue frende yf we wyll be syker at the last dome come sykerly byfore our souerayne Iuge that knoweth all we muste deme well our selfe in this worlde For saynt Poule sayth That yf we demed well our selfe dyscussed well our lyfe we sholde not be dampned Pri â— ad Corum .xi. ¶ Diues How sholde we deme our selfe ¶ Pauper As the glose sayth there Thou shalt be thyne owne domesman Thy seete shall be thyne herte and set thy selfe gylty byfore thy selfe domesman Thy thought thy conscyence shall be thy two wytnesses for to accuse the Thy tourmentours sholde be drede and sorowe that in maner sholde she we thy blood by wepynge of salt teeres whan by wytnesse of thyne owne conscyence and of thy thought thou haste demed thy selfe gylty and not worthy for to come to goddes borde ne to heuens blysse And there sayth the glose That sekenesse feblenesse and sodayne deth falle comonly after Eester amonges the people For men in Eester resceyue vnworthely goddes flesse his blood Ideo multi infirmi et imbecilles et dormiunt multi s per morteÌ„ Prima ad Corum .xi. But for euery man is fauourable to hymselfe and to his owne cause therfore thou shalt haue with the two assessours by whose couÌ„seyll thou shalt deme thy selfe and tho shall be treuthe and reasone Take with the treuthe that thou make no false excusacyon of thy synne Ne lye thou not for to excuse thyselfe ne for to excuse thyselfe falsely ne to greuously but as thyne other assessour reason wyll accorde And yf tho two wytnesses yâ— is to saye thy thought and thy conscyence suffyse not to bere wytnesse ne to ful enfourme the of thy synfull lyf Take to the the thrydde wytnesse that is thy fayth And soo lete thy dome stande in wytnesse of two or of thre And fayth sayth thus Fides sine operibus mortua est Fayth without good werkes is deed For alle though you byleue as a crysten man but thou lyue as a crystin man ellys thou art deed in soule and worthy to dye without ende Fayth that fayleth in worde and in thought is deed and helpeth not to blysse And anone conscyence and mynde shall accorde to hym and saye thus He that vseth amys his free wyll that he dye it is reson without remedye sauynge goddes mercy And take hede that thy clergy may not saue the. For holy wryt and clergye saye Anima peccatoris morâ—etur The soule of the synner shall dye Also thy clergy may not saue the yf thou be in dedely synne For thou art bygamus and twyus wedded Fyrste to cryste in thy baptym after to the fende by assent to synne And so thou art wydowe fro cryste wedded to an other wydowe that is the fende forsaken of god
for his pryde to whom he was wedded at the begynnynge of the worlde Ne truste thou not in thy dome on a good contree For yf the quest comyn of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes whiche thou hast broken of the two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of charyte ayenst whiche thou haste offended of the .xij. artycles of the fayth ayenst whiche thou haste erred of the .vij. dedes of mercy whiche thou haste not fulfylled of thy fyue wyttes whiche thou haste myspended and the foure cardynall vertues ayenst whiche thou haste trespassed this solempne queste of .xl. true wytnesses shal dampne the as a man queller of thyne owne soule And as a theef traytour thou haste robbed thyne owne lorde of his good For robberye is called al maner mystreatynge of an other mannes good ayenst his wyll And thou haste robbed cryste of that precyous soule that he bought with his dere blood and mysused and myspente his creatures ayenst his wyll For as saynt Gregorye sayth in his Omelye All thynge that we take of god to vse of good lyuynge we tourne it in to vse of wycked lyuynge Quicquid ad vsum recipimus vite in vsuque conuertâ—mus culpe For the helthe of bodye that sent vs. we spende it in synne and in wyckednesse fayre weder in vayne occupacyon of pryde and of couetyse peas in vayne sykernesse plentee of vytayles in glutonye lecherye And so this solempne queste of fourty wolde dampne the for gylty Therfore ther is none other remedye but truly deme thyself yelde the gylty take the to the mercy of god punysshe thy selfe by drede sorowe of herte put the in the dome of goddes Iuge that is thy confessour make amendes after his dome by his assent For god ayenst whom thou haste so hyghly offended wyll stande to his ryghtfull dome accepte suche satysfaccoÌ„n as he assygneth the by yâ— lawe of god to do yf thou do it with good wyll Caplm .xiiij. THus deme thou thyselfe and than shalt thou be syker at the dredefull dome whan cryste our brother verry god and verry man shall come downe to deme the quycke and the deed And as saynt Poule sayth He shall come downe with the voyce of a trumpe that is to saye with the voyce of angelles and of archangelles the whiche shall crye and saye Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Ryse ye vp that ben deed and come ye te the dome And anone in a twynkelynge of an eye we shall all awake of the longe slepe and ryse vp come to the dome Pope prynce Emperour kynge Lorde and lady free and bounde ryche and poore grete and smalle all they shall awake and ryse vp bodye and soule ayen knytte togydre That voyce shall be so hydeous so dredefull sterne that heuen and erthe shall begynne to quake The stones shall ryue and all the deed aryse from deth to lyf eche man woman to answere for hymselfe no man per attourney Now our Iuge Cryste is a lombe mercyfull meke than he shall be as a lyon dredefull sterne And the lyon with his crye abassheth all other bestes and maketh theym to stande stylle saue his owne whelpes whiche with his crye he reyseth fro deth to lyfe So the voyce of cryste at the daye of dome shall arere vs all from deth to lyfe whiche voyce shall be full dredefull to them yâ— lyue bestely take none hede to god ne to his lawe Them it shall arrest make them stande stylle as prysoners on the erth abyde theyr Iuge For they shall so be charged with synne that they shall not wende vp ayenst cryste as the good shall wende vp mette with cryste For to them yâ— ben goddes childern that voyce shall be full swete ful lykynge to here make them soo lyght that they shall wende vp mete with cryste in the ayre as saynt Poule sayth To his childern Cryste shall saye Venite â— Come ye my faders blessyd childern and take ye the kyngdome of heuen that was ordeyned to you byfore the begynnynge of the worlde But to these bestyal folke wycked lyuers to the proude to the couetouse to the enuyouse to lechoures glotons to vengeable folke his voyce shall be full dredeful fnll bytter whan he shall saye to them Discedite a me maledicti â— Wende ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches in to the fyre of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende his angellys And so he shall sende them to sory place to sory companye without ony remedye Was ther neuer thondblaste so dredefull as his voyce than shall be to theym yâ— shall be dampned And was ther neuer songe so mery ne melodye so lykyng as his voyce shal be than to all that shal be saued And therfore deme well thy selfe here that thou be not dampned there Stande here to the sawe of the grete queste of true wytnesses whiche I haue nempned to the and deme thy selfe therafter And be true domesman of thyselfe or els thou shalt haue the same queste ayenst the at the dredefull dome And therto all angelles and archangelles and all the sayntes in heuen and all creatures shall than bere wytnesse ayenst the and axe vengeaunce on the Than as sayth Iohn Crysostom suê‘ illud Plangent se omnes tribus terre â— The angelles shal brynge forth the crosse the spere the nayle the scourges the garlonde of thornes with whiche cryste suffered his passyon Than shall cryste sytte on hyghe to deme the quycke the deed he shall departe the gooe from the wycked sette the good on the ryght syde the wycked on the lyfte syde He shal torne hym to the wycked on the lyfte syde shewe theym the crosse the spere the nayles the scourges the garlonde of thornes his wouÌ„des al fresshe whiche he suffered for all mankynde and saye to the wycked on this wyse Ecce miseri et ingrati quanta ê“ vobis sustinui propter vos homo factus sum â— See ye vnkynde cursed wretches what I suffered for your sake For whan I was god and kynge of kynges lorde of lordes neuer had wyste of woo for your sake I becam man for your sake I suffered to be beten and bounde to be spateled and despysed to be nayled to the crosse crowned with thornes stongen to the herte with a spere and was slayne dyspytous deth as ye may see to bye you from endeles deth Where is the rauÌ„som of my blood where be the soules that I bought so dere where is the seruyce that ye sholde haue done to me where is the loue that ye sholde haue shewed to me I loued you aboue al creatures I loued you more than I dyde myne owne worshyppe For why for your loue I putte myselfe to sorowe and care And ye loued more a lytyll mucke and a lytyl luste of â—he flesshe than ye dyd me or my
sekenesse feblenesse losse of catell and aduersyte than he may saye Regnaui I haue reygned somtyme I was a man But whan he lyeth on deynge he may saye Sum sine regno I am without kyngdome My reygne my kyngdome my welth is done Also in the whele of fortune yâ— is in the one syde anone it is in the other syde For they that ben this daye a maÌ„nes frendes stande on his syde to helpe hym the next daye they shall be his enemyes stande ayenst hym with his aduersarye Of this whele speketh Dauyd In circuitu impij ambulant Wycked couetouse folke go about as a whele Posuisti eos vt rotaÌ„ et sicut stipulaÌ„ ante facieÌ„ venti Lorde sayth he thou haste put them as a whele a stoble byfore the face of the wynde For as the stoble whyle the wynde bloweth wauereth fleeth aboue in the ayer now hyghe now lowe but anone as the wynde passeth it falleth adowne to the erth lyeth there stylle Ryght so the proude couetouse folke wauere in this worlde in welth and worshyppe now hygher now lower And as the stoble the strawe in his flyght kepeth no certayne waye so kepe they no waye of goddes lawe tyll at the laste the wynde passeth out of theyr bodye they falle downe in to ther graue many of them in to the pytte of helle Also this worlde is lykened to a shyp in the see saylynge For be the shyp euer so grete of hym selfe haue the wynde with hym all at wyll bere he his sayle neuer soo hyghe go he neuer soo yerne be he passed ther is no token where he went Ryght so be a man neuer so grete in this worlde haue the wynde of meÌ„nes mouth neuer so wel with hym to bere his name to prayse him to flater hym though his naâ—e sprynge neuer so wyde bere hym neuer so hygh in pryde or be he so solempne so myghty yâ— no man dare quycche ayenst him ne do be he deed passed out of this worlde soone he is foryeten Men shal fynde no token of hym within a fewe yeres Vnnethes shall he fynde one frende that wyl do synge a masse for his soule Goo to the chircheyerde and thou shalt knowe by the bodyes the ryche from the poore the fayre from the foule the wyse from the foles the free fro the bouÌ„de But all they torne there to erth asshes to wormes mete to stenche vnclennesse All these grete kynges yâ— were somtyme so grete of name where ben they all bycomen Alexander Iulius cesar Nabugodono sor Octauyan Arthur kyng Charles all suche other where ben they bycomen Therfore they may saye yâ— is wryten in the boke of wysdom Quid nobis ê“fuit suê‘bia â— What profyted to vs our grete pryde what halpe vs our pompe our grete rychesses All is passed awaye as a shadowe as a shyp that passeth the wawes of the see of whiche be it passed men may fynde no token Sap. v. Mannes lyf may well be lykened to a shyp whiche is streyt narowe at both endes but in the myddes it is wyde large Ryght so is mannes lyfe for his byrth his begynnynge is full strayt ful narowe For he cometh into this worlde naked poore wepynge walynge vnmyghty vnwytty nought may ne can helpe hymselfe with moche trauayle is brought forth tyll by lytell lytel he cometh to maÌ„nes age There the shyp of his lyf is somdele wyde large for in his myddell age he hath moost his myght his wytte his wyl But anone the shyp of this lyfe draweth to an other strayt ende Anone cometh age feblenesse seknesse aduersyte losse of catell pouerte at the laste deth maketh a full strayt ende whan he dyeth with bytter payne in moche drede moche sorowe and gooth hens naked poore ryght as he cam bereth nought with him but his good dedes wycked Of these two strayt endes sayth Iob thus Nudus egâ—essê° snm de vtero matris mee et nudus reuertar illuc Naked I cam out of my moders wombe naked I shall tourne ayen in to the erthe moder of all And yf a man wyll styre well a shyp or a bote he may not stande in yâ— myddes of the shyp ne in the former ende but he muste stande in yâ— laste ende there he may styre the shyp as he wyl Ryght so he yâ— wyll styre well yâ— shyp of his lyf in this worlde he may not stande in yâ— myddes of his shyp not set his thought his herte in welth that he hath in his myddel age ne he shal not stonde in yâ— former ende not set his herte ne his thought in his byrthe ne in his begynnynge to thynke moche of his kynrede ne of alyauÌ„ce to styre him to pryde But he must stonde in the laste ende of his shyp of his lyfe thynke on his deth and on his laste ende And how myscheuously how perylously he shall wende hens and how wheder ne whan wote he neuer And in that maner he shall beste styre the shyp of his lyfe to the syker hauen of heuen blysse Therfore the wyse man sayth Memorare nouissimatua et in eternuÌ„ non peccabis Thynke Inwardly of thy laste thynges of thyne ende thou shalt neuer do synne Eccl vij In the begynnynge of euery dede thynke on the ende what ende it may haue what may falle therof Caplm .ix. ALso welthe of this worlde is lykned to a floure that soone fadeth falleth to the grouÌ„de For as the roso floure is fayre to the syght swere in smellynge softe in handelynge so welth of this worlde is fayre to the syght of man lykynge in the hauynge But ryght as the rose wexeth alwaye amonges the chornes and he that gadreth roses but he be more ware shal lyghtly hurte hym and prycke hym Ryght so welth and rychesses of this worlde wexeth all amonges thornes of harde trauayle of thonght of bâ—ysynesse and of many peryls both bodely and goostely For a man hath moche trauayle in the getynge moche drede in the kepynge moche bytter sorowe in the lesynge Diues diuicias noÌ„â—gregat absque labore Non tenet absque metu nee deserit absque dolore Whan a man hath trauayled all his lyfe tyme to gadre good and to haue welth worshyppe in this worlde it wyll soone welke tade falle awaye as the rose Sodaynly cometh moreyn his beestes dye cometh aduersyte losse of catel and at laste deth taketh awaye euery dele And who so wyll be besy to gadre the rose of worldely weth of rychesses but he be ryght ware he shall hurte hym both bodely goostly And therfore saynt Poule sayth that they that coueyte to be riche in this worlde they falle in the fendes snare in to full harde temptacyons For these causes saynt Iames sayth yâ— the ryche man shall
Canâ— .viij. Set me as a token vpon thyn herte And saynt Poul sayth SpuÌ„ aÌ„bulate desideria carnis noÌ„ ê‘ficietâ— ad Gala v. â— Go ye with the holy goost that is called welle of goostly fyre ye shal not do the desyre of yâ— flesshe for deuocoÌ„n mynde of crystus passyon is the best remedy ayenst temptacoÌ„n of lechery Caplm .iiij. ALso it is a good remedye to a man to thynke on his deth on his freelte on the bytter paynes of helle euer lastynge of the hygh offence of god of the endeles Ioyes that they lese yf they assent to lecherye Therfore Salomon sayth Memorare nouissima tua in eternuÌ„ noÌ„ peccabis Eccl .vij. Thynke on thy laste thynges thou shalt neuer doo synne Eche man woman sholde beware that neyther by nyce contenauÌ„ce ne by foly speche ne by nyce araye of body they styre ony man or womaÌ„ to lecherye And though resonable arraye honeste be coÌ„mended both in man woman after theyr astate ruled by goddaes lawe reason so they muste be well ware that by suche arraye they falle not in pryde ne in lecherye ne styre other to lecherye wyllynge wetynge We rede in vitas patrum that ther was an holy woman whose name was Alexandre and she was a full fayre woman and whan she herde saye that a man was fallen in to harde temptacoÌ„n of lecherye bycau s e of her beaute she closed herself in an house wolde neuer see man after ne come out of that house but toke her lyuynge in to her by a smalle wyked Men axed her why she dyde so And she saye that she hadde leuer to shytte herselfe all quyck in the graue than to harme ony soule that god made to his lykenesse bought soo dere with his precyous blood We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Bryde that a man wolde haue wedded her for her beaute she prayed god that he wolde sen do her some blemysshynge of her face wherby that mannes temptacyon myght cese Anone her one eye braste out of her hede wherfore her fader made her a nuÌ„ne as a woman vnable to the worlde And whaÌ„ she was made a nuÌ„ne had forsaken the worlde anone she had her eye her syght ayen Thus sholde wymen besely kepe theÌ„ in chastyte clennesse maydens in chastyte of maydenhode wydowes in chastyte of wydowehode wyues in chastyte of wedloke kepe ther bodye truly to theyr husbondes so yâ— husboÌ„des truly to theyr wyues Forsoth it is a dedely synne a man to desyre an other mannes wyfe or his mayden or his doughter to flesshely luste Moche more is it dedely synne to oppresse theÌ„ defoule them lye by them Caplm .v. DIues Saynt Poule sayth that the flesshe desyreth couey s eth alwaye ayenst yâ— soule And it is full harde to withstande his lustes his desyres ¶ Pauper Therfore man sholde gouerne chastyse his bodye as a good man of armes gouerneth chastysed his horse For as Iob sayth All our lyuynge vpon erth is knyghthode fyghtyng ayenst yâ— fende yâ— worlde yâ— flesshe Iob vij And in this batayle our bodye is our horse whiche we muste chastyse rule as a knyght dooth his horse For yf yâ— horse be to proude euyl tached he may lyghtly lese his mayster becau s e of his deth And yf he be tame to his mayster well tached it shall do hym worshyp helpe him at nede in case saue his lyfe Thre thynges ben nedeful to the knyght to rule wel his horse He muste haue a brydel sadel two spores By the brydel I vnder s tande abstynence trauayle by the whiche the flesshe muste be refrayned fro his lustes his euyll tacches whan he begynneth to wexe proude wynsynge kykyng ayenst his mayster that is the soule And yf he be ouer proude to rebell to his mayster he muste haue a sharpe brydel of sharpe abstynence of harde trauayle And yf he be meke tretable gyue hym a smothe brydel of easy abstynence of comon trauayle The raynes of thy brydel sholde be two partes of temporau ce that is to saye neyther to moch ne to lytel knyt togydre in a knot of gode discrecoÌ„n And than thyn 〈◊〉 shal go ryght forth in the waye 〈◊〉 lyfe bere the to heuenly blysse 〈◊〉 â—hou gyue thy flesshe to moche meâ—â— drynke ease it wyll be thy mayâ—ter slee the. And yf thou gyue it to lytell it shall be to feble fayle the at nede let the of thy Iourneye The sadell of thyn horse shall be pacyence mekenesse that thou be pacyente in adnersyte in sekenesse that thou folowe not the grutchynges yâ— sterynges of thy flesshe The steroppes of thy sadell sholde be lowenesse sadnesse Lowenesse ayenst pryde sadnesse ayenst the worlde the flesshe That thou be not to sory for no wo ne to gladde for no wele ne for no welfare Sytte sadely in thy sadell kepe well thy steroppes for no pryde ne for no wrathe for no sekenesse for no aduersyte let not thy horse caste 〈◊〉 downe out of yâ— sadel of pacyence but than syt faste by the vertue of goostly strength kepe thy soule in the sadel of pacyence as cryste byddeth in the gospell whan he sayth In paciencia vraÌ„ possidebiâ—â— aiÌ„as vraÌ„s Ye shall kepe your soules in your pacyence And as the sadell maketh an horse semely plesauÌ„t to the syght so pacyence maketh a man plesauÌ„t to the syght of god of men maketh them haue loue in euery coÌ„pany where they ben And wrath Inpacyence hastynes maketh a maÌ„ vnplesauÌ„t without loue Of this sadel god spake to Caym whan he was wroth with his brother Abel why sayd god art thou wroth why is thy face thy there so fallen for he was fallen out of the sadell of pacyence Yf thou do well thou shalt resceyue of me good mede yf thou do euyll anone thy synne cometh at yâ— yate to be punysshed But the desyre of synne shal be vnder the and in thy power as the horse vnder the knyght and thou shalt be lorde therof yf thou wylt GenÌ„ iiij But Caym by mysgouernauÌ„ce of his hors felle out of his sadel of pacyence into manslaughter of his brod for he wolde not kepe hyÌ„ in yâ— sadel of pacyence ne refrayne the wycked desyre of his flesshe therfore god cursed hyÌ„ fyrst of all men Therfore leue frende kepe you well in the sadel of pacyence let no angre ne losse of catell ne deth of frendes none aduersyte no trybula cyon no sekenesse vnsadel you of pacyence But sytte ye fast as Iob dyd saye ye as he sayd whan he hadde loste all his good all his childern were slayne hymselfe smyten with harde sekenesse and horryble foule than he sayd thus Yf we
and no more as sayth saynt Ansten de ci li.xx.ca.iiij For as he sayth ther is noâ— man ought but the keper of goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For as he sayth who so is not keper of goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t he is nought for he is not reformed ayen to the lykenesse of treuth that he was made after but dwelleth styll in the lykenesse of vanyte that he was not made to Therfore Dauyd sayd Maledicti qui declinaÌ„t a mandatis tuis Cursed be they that bowe awaye fro thy coÌ„mauÌ„dementes wyll not kepe them We rede in holy wryte Deut â— .xxvij. That god bad yâ— childern of Israel that whan they came newely in to yâ— londe of byhes e vi kynredes of Iacob that is to say Symeon Leui. Iuda Ysachar Ioseph Beniamyn sholde stande on yâ— hylle of Garizym there to thanke god to blesse all the kepers of goddes lawe And ayenst them sholde stande other vi kynredes of Iacob that is to saye Ruben Gad. Aser Zabulon Dan. and Neptilym on yâ— hylle that hyght Ebal curse with hygh voyce all yâ— breke goddes byhestes saye in this wyse Cursed be that man woman yâ— maketh ony grauen ymage yâ— is abhomynacoÌ„n to god werke of yâ— hondes of men of crafte to worshyp it outwarde with his body setteth it in preuy place that is to saye in his hert to set his fayth his trust therin so to worshyp it with his hert Inwarde at goddes byddynge all the peple sholde answere saye amen So mote it be Cursed be he that not worshyppeth fader mod amen sayd the people Cursed be he that flytteth the boundes the doles or termes of his neyghbour putteth hym out of his ryght amen sayd all the people Cursed be he that maketh the blynde to wyl or to erre in his waye amen sayd al yâ— people Cursed be he that peruerteth the ryghtful dome of the comelynge and of the strauÌ„ger and of the faderlesse childe of the moderlesse childe and of the wydowe amen sayd all the peple Cursed be he that lyeth by his faders wyfe or by ony of his nygh kynrede or of nygh affynyte amen sayd al the people Cursed be he that medleth flesshely with ony vnresonable beest amen sayd all the people Cursed be he that lyeth by his neyghbours wyf amen sayd all the people Cursed be he that pryuely sleeth murdreth his neyghbour amen sayd all the people Cursed be he that taketh gyftes to slee hym that is not gylty amen sayd al the people Cursed be he that dwelleth not in the wordes of goddes lawe ne dooth them not in dede amen sayd all the people This is the hygh curse the solempne sentence whiche god gyueth to all tho yâ— wyl not kepe his byhestes lawe what curse myscheef sholde falle to them yâ— wyttyngly or wyllynge breke his byhestes he sheweth in the same booke the next chaptre where he sayth thus Caplm .viij. YF thou wylt not here the voyce of thy lorde god to kepe and to do all his commaundementes his lawes all these curses and myscheues shall falle to the and take Thou shalt be cursed in cyte in towne in felde thy berne thy garner and thy seller shall be cursed and that yâ— leueth the ouer the yere shall be cursed The fruyte of thy bodye shall be cursed the fruyce of thy londe shall be cursed thy bestes thy shepe shall be cursed Thou shalt be cursed whan yâ— comest in whan yâ— goest out God shall sende vpon the hongre myscheef myshap and blame to all thy werkes that yâ— doost â—He shall smyte the with pestylence tyll he shall waste the destroye the. He shall smyte the with harde feuers both colde hote and with venemous ayer God shall make heuen the ayer aboue the brasen the erthe byneth the yreny that is to saye bareyne for defaute of rayne For thy rayne shall be powder asshes and myldewe to destroye the. God shal take the in to thy enemyes hondes thou shalt fall byfore thyn enemyes Thou shalt go ayenst them by one waye flee awaye by seuen wayes and bryddes bestes shall ete thy bodye in the felde God shal smyte the with sekenesse that may not beheled God shall smyte the with wodenesse blyndenesse of wytte and so bysot the that yâ— shalt not wyt what is for to do ne can no â—ede ne couÌ„seyl Thou shalt house other shall dwelle therin Thou shalt tylle and other shall in that thou tyllest Thyn oxe thy asse thy horse thy shepe thy bestes shall be take fro the and thy wyf thy childern ledde awaye prysoners God shall smyte the with sekenesse vncurable from the sole of thy feet vnto the top of the hede that is to say god shal punysshe the peple that wyl not toÌ„ne ne kepe his lawes from the lowest astate to the hyghest And but thou wylt kepe his lawes amende the he shall lede the thy kynge yâ— thou shalt make vpon the prysoners in to ferre contree that thou neuer knewe ne thy faders byfore the. All these curses and many mo therto whiche be wryten in the same place shall take the and pursue the tyll thou be destroyed For thou herdest not the voyce of thy lorde god ne kepest not his byhestes his lawes that he bad the kepe And at the daye of dome he shall gyue to all tho that despyse his lawes his endelesse curse bytterest of all whan he shal saye to them Discedite a me maledicti in igneÌ„ eternuÌ„ â–ª Math .xxv. Go ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches in to yâ— fyre of helleâ— there to dwelle with the fende his angels without ende ¶ Diues That laste curse is moost for to drede for other curses of temporall myscheef falle as soone to the good as to the wycked ¶ Pauper Temporall myscheef somtyme falleth to a persone in specyall somtyme to comonte in generall In specyall it falleth somtyme for synne somtyme without synne to encreasynge of a mannes mede But than that myscheâ—f is no curse but a louetyk of god But comon myscheef falleth not to the comonte but for synne of the comonte And of sâ—che comon myscheues that sholde falle to the people yf they despysed goddes byhestes speketh god in that plale And suche comon myscheues yâ— falle to the comonte for comon synne be called curses ¶ Diues Why were tho six kynredes of Iacob so assygned of god to curse the brekers of goddes lawe the other six assygned to blesse the kepers of goddes lawe ¶ Pauper Them that were moost vngentyll of byrth god assygned to curse for al tho six sones of Iacob were borne of the secondarye wyues that were but seruauÌ„tes to his chyfe wyues Lya Rachell saaf Ruben whiche loste his worshyp for that he laye by his faders secondary wyf that hyght Bala The other six hynâ—redes were born gentyll of byrth for they were born of the
woman do a mys for drede to lese yâ— blysse ¶ Pauper It fareth by folke born in pryson of the wycked worlde as it doth by a childe born in the depe derke pytte of the pryson whan it falleth a woman with childe be put in pryson The moder that knoweth the welfare yâ— she had out of pryson is in moche sorowe care and longeth full moche to be out of pryson ayen in her welfare But the childe born in the myscheef of the pryson and neuer hadde knowynge of better fare gyueth lytell tale of that myscheue in pryson But aslonge as he hath his moder with hym his sustenauÌ„ce though it be full feble he maketh no sorowe ne care he longeth after no better fare for he knoweth no better For yf his moder tells hym of yâ— Ioye welfare out of pryson of the sonne mone of the sterres of yâ— fayre floures spryngynge vpon erthe of the byrdes syngynge of myrthe of melodye of ryche arraye of lordes of ladyes welth that is out of pryson all hyr tale is but a dreme to the childe he byleueth it not therfore he longeth not therafter wyll not for all this blysse the welfare that she speketh of forsake his moder ne the feble fare that he hath with her that is for he byleueth it not yet it is as the moder telleth the childe But were the childe ones out of pryson and sawe the welth myrth the welfare whiche his moder tolde hym of he wolde be full sory for to go ayen to pryson there to lyue with his moder For all his lyfe in pryson that was fyrst lykynge ynough to hyÌ„ sholde than be full bytter he sholde neuer haue Ioye ne reste in herte tyll he came ayen to that welfare that he sawe out of pryson Ryght thus folke of this worlde borne and brought forth in sorowe care moche trauayl in the pryson of this worlde they haue so moche loue lykynge to theyr erthly moder to ther coÌ„panye that is to saye in erth in erthely thynges for erth is moder of al that they haue no lykynge in heuenly thynges ne longe not therafter And yet theyr gostly moder holy chirche ther goostly fader and god him selfe fader of all telleth them of the blysse of heuen It is to them but a dreme as is the moders tale to her childe in pryson they haue noo sad fayth therin And though it be so as our mod holy chirche telleth vs thoughe the childe byleue not that suche welfare be out of pryson the welfare is neuer the lesse though erthely couetouse men haue no lykynge but in erth in erthly thynges byleue not yâ— suche blysse be in heuen yet ther is suche blysse and neuer the lesse for theyr false byleue But had they ones sene assayed a lytell of that blysse al the Ioye lykynge that they haue in this worlde in erthly thynges sholde be to them full grete bytternesse full of sorowe care Example we haue of saynt Peter whom Cryste ledde vpon the hylle of Thabor with saynt Iohn saynt Iames and there he shewed them but a lytell of the blysse of his manhode His face shone as bryght as the sonne his clothes were whyte as snowe Moyses and Hely appered with hym in grete blysse magestee Than Peter sayd to our lorde Ihesu Lorde it is good to vs to be here Make we here thre tabernacles one to the an other to Moyses an other to Hely and let vs all dwelle here Luce .ix. And anone in syght of lytel blysse he forgat al the blysse of this worlde He cared neyther for mete drynke ne clothynge for hym thought he myght haue lyued without ende by the blysfull syght with that company Also whan saynt Poule was rauysshed in to heuen had seen yâ— vysyon of god afterwarde all his lyf in this worlde was to him a payne so moche he longed ayen to that blysse And therfore he sayd Infelix ego quis me liberabit demorte corê‘is huiê° Ro. vij I an vnsely man who shall delyuer me fro yâ— deth of this body I coueyte to be departed the soule from the bodye be without ende with cryste Moyses was with god in the mouÌ„t of Synay .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes metelesse drynkeles fedd by the speche of god by his presence yet sawe he but lytell of this blysse For he was not able to see his blysse ne noman lyuynge in this worlde as god sayd to hym yâ— tyme. But leue frende after our deth yf we kepe well goddes commaundementes and amende our mysdedes by our lyfe we shal see his grete blysse whiche neither Peter ne Poule ne Moyses myght see in erthe And we shal be syker of that blysse without ende Whiche blysse as saynt Poule sayth yâ— none erthely eye may see ne ere here ne herte thynke ne wytte comprehende In this blysse leue frende I hope to see you dwelle with you in the hyghe cyte of Ierusalem in the kynges courte of heuen To whiche blysse he brynge vs that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen ¶ Here endeth a co 〈…〉 treatyse dyalogue of Diues and Pauper That is to saye the ryche the poore fructuously treatynge vpon the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes fynysshed the .iij. daye of Decembre The yere of our lorde god M. CCCC.lxxxxvi Eâ—prentyd by me Wyken de worde at Westmonstre ¶ Deo gracias W· C·