Abraham was at the dore of his tabnacle he lyfte vp his eyen and sawe dyuynely thre aungels in semblaunce of thre persones the whiche de noteth the fader / the sone / and the holy goost / he ranne agaynst them and worshipped them in erthe and sayd Domine sun ueni gratiam in oculis tuis ne traÌ„seas seruum tuum sed afferam pauxillum aque et laueÌ„tur pedes vestri c. Tres vidit vnuÌ„ adorauit He sawe thre persones and worshypped one onely god in trynyte ¶ Vnto the example of Abraham we shall adoure and worshyppe one onely god in trynyte ¶ Another example wryten in the .xxiiij. chapytre of Exody that our lorde sayd vn-Moyses Mounte in too the mountayne thou and Aaron / and Madab / and Abyn / and thre score auncyent men of Israell ye shall worshyp a ferre of ¶ Another example in Exody that the chyldren of Israell vnderstode that god them vesited and regarded the tourmentes that Pharaon dyde vnto theym / than they fell prostrate on the erthe and worshypped hym Vnde exodi iiiâ— AudieÌ„tes filij israel ê™ deus eos visitaret et respiceret afflictionem eorum et adorauerunt prom in terram c. ¶ An other example wryten in the fyrste chapytre of the fyrst boke of kynges that a man named Helcana departed from his cyte on the dayes establysshed too th ende that he sholde worshyp doo sacryfyce vnto god ¶ Another example wryten in the .ix. chapytre of Neemie that after that the chyldren of Israell came agayne frome the captyuyte of Babylon they separated themselfe from people strauÌ„gers / and also put them in fastynges / they cladde them in sackes / they put erthe vpon theyr heedes and worshypped theyr lorde god ¶ Another example wryten in the fyrste chapytre of Iob that whan the sayd Iob had herde the wordes of the messengers the whiche came to tell hym that his goodes were lost and his sones slayne / he lyft hym vp and fell prostrate vnto the erthe and worshypped god sayd Nudus egressus suÌ„ de vtero matris mee / nudus reuerâ—ar illuc ¶ Another example wryten in the .vi. chapytre of Danyell the whiche was commaunded of kynge Dayre that none ne sholde demaunde ony thyÌ„ge of god ne of man by .xxx. dayes / but alonely of the sayd kynge Dayre And Danyell ne dyde nothynge bowed his knees thre tymes on a daye and worshypped his lorde god ¶ Another example wryten in the seconde chapytre of the euangelyst saynt Mathewe that whan the kynges that came fro the oryent entred in to the hous founde the chylde and the vyrgyn Mary his moder they yode on theyr knees worshypped hym ¶ Another example in the .x chapytre of the gospell of saynt Iohn that a man that had be blynde from his natyuyâ— was enlumyed of Ihesus and after woâ—shypped hym ¶ Another example wryte Mathei .viij. marci .j. that whan Iesuâ— descended from the mountayne a meselâ— a lepre came to hym and worshypped him and sayd Domine si vis potest me mundare My lorde yf thou wylte thou mayâ—â— hee le me ¶ Another example wryten Mâ—thei .xxviij. that whan the appostles camâ— to our lorde after that he was rysen they woâ—shypped hym ¶ Another example writeâ— in the .iiij. chapitre of the gospelles of saynâ— Mathewe that our lorde sayd vnto Sathan as he tempted hym Thou shalt woâ—shyppe thy lorde god DnÌ„m deum tuuâ— adorabis et illi soli seruies ¶ Another exaÌ„ple wryten in the .xxij. chapytre of the Apocalyps that after that saynt Iohan haâ— seen the reuelacyons of god he fell before fete of the aungell that had shewed theyr to hym to th ende that he myght worshyp hym And the aungell sayd / kepe the froâ— doynge yt. And afterwarde foloweth woâ—shyp god Thou shalt be ryght vnnaturaâ— to dysknowlege thy god the whiche is tâ—â— creatour of the heuen and of the erthe / gâ—uerneth all the worlde and purueyeth vnto all creatures all thynges as to them be necessarye Also thou sholdest be ydolatâ— to giue vnto the ydolles and straunge goâ—des the honoure the whiche apperteyneâ— vnto the fourmer and creatoure of vs all The scryptures sayeth that the name 〈◊〉 god is louable from the oryent tyll vnto occydent Vnde psalmê° Asolis ortu vsâ— ad occasum laudabile nomeÌ„ domini ¶ A so thou sholdest be without entendemenâ— and naturall reason for too thynke that stone or a symulacre hathe puyssaunce fâ— to gyue the helthe in thy sekenesse or paradyse at the ende of thy lyfe Also force or pâ—yssaunce procedeth of the creatour as it is wryten Iohannis .j. Omnia per ipsum fata sunt / et sine ipso factum est nichil And therfore beleue in one onely god in trinyte and yf thou therin be ferme and stedfast thou shalte be worthy to doo myracles as dyde a preste the whiche entred within the fyre for to approue the faythe and was not breÌ„t Quere .lxi. B. ¶ Another example how a good man stedfast in god requyred hym that a mountayne myght be remoeued chauÌ„ged frome one place in to another for to conferme the faythe / his request was herde Quere .lxj. a. Vnto this purpose it is wryten Mathei .xxj. Amen dico vobis si habueritis fidem et non hesitaueritis et si monti huic dixeritis tolle et iactare te iÌ„ mare fiet Certaynly I say you yf it be so that ye haue had faythe without doubtynge / that haue sayd vnto this mountayne take the away and caste the in to the see / it shal be doone C. ¶ Secondly it is defended to beleue in ydolles straunge goddes / in errours / and folysshe credences .vj. IT is wryten in the auncyent testament that god defendeth al yl operacions / thoughtes / and wordes of infydelyte the whiche these ydolatres speketh / thynketh agaynst the faythe Vnde exodi .xx. c. NoÌ„ habebis deos alienos coram me NoÌ„ facies tibi sculpile neque omnem similitudinem que est in celo desuper / et que in terra / nec oiÌ„a eorum que sunt in aquis sub terra non adorabis ea neque colles That is to lay Thou shalt not haue straunge goddes before me Thou ne shalt make ydoldes ne statues ne symylytudes what so euer it be in the skye on hye as the sonne and the mone that many haue worshypped vnfaythfully / nor in other thynges the whiche ben on the erthe of the thynges the whiche ben in / waters / ne vnder the erthe Thou ne shalt worshyp those thynges ne gyue vnto theym the dyuyne honour / that is that the whiche is wryten before ¶ One onely god with all thyn herte thou shalte serue / and in hym beleue Thou shalte loue hym with all thyn herte and also thou shalt honour hym Maledyccyon cometh on those the whiche wyll not beleue in god / and the whiche maketh ydolles vnto whome they
cuÌ„ quis fit capax pÌ„cepti dei tenetur ad eiê° noticiaÌ„ et obseruantiam Et dauid dicit in psal Tu mandasti maÌ„data tua custodiri nimis Thou haste coÌ„maunde moche to kepe thy coÌ„maundementes Whan that ony temporell kynge maketh to bane proclayme / or shewe ony coÌ„maundement thorowoute his realme his subgectes moue them to obeye vnto hyÌ„ of drede to renne in paynes and doÌ„mages that they may haue for theyr inobedyeÌ„ce Also many thynges sholde moue vs to kepe the coÌ„maundements that the kynge of heuen and of erthe hath made to proclayme / and to crye ouer all the worlde ¶ The fyrste thynge the whiche sholde moue vs to kepe the coÌ„maundementes of god is for the grete goodnes in fynyte that is in hym / that is to saye that there is soo moche of goodnes in god that it is innumerable For a man ne can fynde the ende soo moche there is of goodnes in hym Of this matere is somwhat spoken in the ende of this treatyse / and howe the sayntes of heuen beholde aboue them the fayre myrrour the whiche is god quere xlvii a. Example .xlvii. b. c ¶ The seconde thynge esmouynge to kepe the coÌ„maundementes of god is for to obeye to his wyll / he is our fader celestyall the whiche hathe create our soules as it is sayd before Also it is he that whiche nouryssheth vs with his godes that he maketh to growe / and it is he the whiche hathe agayne vs bought vs by his precyous blode / and the whiche wyll that we possede his herytage in paradyse as his dere chyldren It is good reason that the chyldren obeye vnto the fader / and by that that we ben the chyldren of god we sholde obeye vnto his coÌ„maundementes The thyrde thynge the whiche moueth vs to kepe the coÌ„maundementes of god is to the ende to be in his loue and in his grace / for he loueth those the whiche kepe them in lyke wyse as it is wryten iohannes .xv. Si precepta mea seruaueritis manebit is iÌ„ dilectione mea Yf ye haue kepte my coÌ„mauÌ„dementes ye shall dwelle in my loue dyleccion IteruÌ„ in codeÌ„ capitulo Vos amici mei estis si feceritis que precipio vobis / Ye be my frendes yf ye doo that thynge the I commauÌ„de you Example by that / that abraham was obedient vnto god / he was so parfytely in his loue that he had his benediccion Quere .lxi. a. Another example by that that saynt Mor was obedyent he dyde many myracles amonge the whiche he ranne one tyme vpon the water wtoute synkynge or ylle hauynge Que. lii c. Another example by the obedyence of a relygyous / god loued so moche that a drye belet blocke that he arroused with water bare floure and fruyte Quere in the exemplayre .lii. e. God sayd in the gospell / yf ye loue me kepe my coÌ„maundementes He the whiche loueth me not / kepeth not my coÌ„maundementes vnde iohannis .xiiii. Si diligitis me mandato mea seruate Sequitur Qui non diligit me sermones meos non seruat Ony lorde or kynge ne maye loue his seruauÌ„t whan he dysobeyeth vnto his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes / no more doth god / how maye he loue ydolatres blasphematoures chyldren vnnaturall / inobedientes / murdrers / theuys / payllars / and false witnesses / whan they dysobeye vnto his wyll breke his coÌ„maundementes he ne may loue them Beholde what hate and inconuenient that there came vnto adam for a bit of an apple that he dyde agayne the commaundemente of god Quere .liiii. a. Also beholde how chore / dathan / and abyron / were punysshed for the inobedyence and murmure that they made agayne god Moyses Quere .liiii. God ne may loue hyÌ„ the whiche dysobeyeth vnto his coÌ„maundementes But he loueth hym the whiche obeyeth vnto hym We rede how god demaunded of saynt peter yf he loued hym / Petre amas me He answered thou knowest that I loue the. Tu sis quia amo te And by that that saynt peter loued god / obeyed vnto hym / our lorde Ihesu cryste sayd vnto hym in this maner of wyse pasce agnos meos pasce oues mea I shall gyue the keyes of the reame of heuen vnto the / and that that thou byndest in erthe shall be bounde in heuen c. For that that he was obedyente vnto oure lorde Ihesu cryste / god gaue vnto hym the gouernement of the chirche and the keyes of paradyse Also we sholde kepe the commaundementes of god to the ende that it wolde please hym to abyde with vs / for to kepe vs and saue vs. Vnde iohannis .xiiii. Si quis diligit me sermonem meum seruabit et pater meus diliget cum et ad cum veniemus et mansionem apud cum faciemus That is to saye / who so loueth me kepeth my wordes and my fader shall loue hym sayeth Ihesus / and vnto hym we shall come and we shal make with hym our dwellynge / and it is wryten iohaÌ„nis .xv. Manete in me et ego in vobis Dwel ye in me and I shall dwelle in you Et legitur ioh iiii Deus caritas est et qui manet in carytate in deo manet et deus in eo God is charyte and loue / and who so dwelleth in charyte / he dwelleth in god and god in hyÌ„ We rede that our lorde sayd vnto the appostles that they sholde goo to preche and to conuerte the infydeles And that they ne sholde thinke what they sholde answer vnto the tyrauntes / and that it sholde be gyuen vnto them that that they shold answer of the holy ghost the whiche abodem them as sayeth the gospell Dabitur eniÌ„ vobis in tiÌ„la hora quid loquamini Non enim vos estis quiloquimini sed spiritê° patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis So it appered that god abode in theym And who so dothe agayne the wyll of god he ne abydeth in hym c. ¶ The fourth thynge that sholde moue vs to kepe the commaundementes of god / is to th ende that the good dedes that we done be vnto hym agreable / and vnto vs vtyle and prouffytable / For yf we dysobeye vnto hym our operacyons pleaseth hym nothynge Thre thynges ben requysyte before that we may do thynge the whiche is vnto god agreable / ¶ The fyrst is the good dedes that we do be done genere bonorum That is that it procede of a good kynde or stocke as to gyue almesdedes of his owne laboure withoute doynge it of thefte or pyllery ¶ The seconde is quod sit ad laudem dei non ad vanam gloriam That is that it be done vnto the preyse of god / not vnto vayne glorye The thyrde thynge is that a man be in the estate of grace For the good dedes that a man dothe in synne is not merytoryous vnto the eternyte vnto the persone the whiche dothe it Also it is not aggreable vnto god how be it that a
left VnÌ„ aug xxvj qÌ„re .vij Non obseruetis dies qui dicuÌ„tur egyptiaci / aut kalendas Ianuarij in quibus caÌ„delle et quedam coÌ„messationes / et ad inuicem dona donantur quasi in principio boni aÌ„ni facti augurio aut reliquas menses et tempora dies ve aut annos aut lune et mensis solisque cursus hora / et qui has quascuÌ„que diuinationes aut facta / aut auguria / aut tendit / aut contendit / aut conseÌ„tit obseruationibus / aut credit / aut ad eoruÌ„ domum vadit / aut in sua domo introducit vt interroget / sciat se cristianam fidem et baptismum preuaricasse / et paganum et apostatam et dei inimicum / iram dei in eternum incurre re nisi penitentia ecclesia emeÌ„datus deo rereconsilietur ¶ Example of a relygyous man and of a woman the whiche put faythe in the songe of a cuckowe / and yll came to them Quere .lx. c. d. All maner of mysbeleuynge people sholde drede temporall punycyon and eternall dampnacyon It is wryten deuteronomie .xi. Cauete ne forte decipiatur cor vestrum recedatis a domino seruiatisque dijs alienis et adoretis eos / iratusque dominus claudat celum et pluuie noÌ„ descendant / nec terra det germen suuÌ„ ê‘eatis velociter de terra optima quam dominus daturus est vobis Beware lest by aduenture your herte be deceyued and that ye ne departe you from the lorde / and that ye serue not vnto straunge goddes / that ye ne worshyp theym for drede that your lorde be not wrothe / and that he close not the heuens / and that the rayne descende not and the erthe ne gyue his fruyte / and that ye perysshe not hastely from the londe that almighty god sholde gyue vnto you They the whiche hath broken and froyssed this commaundement sholde not dyspayre theÌ„ but they ought for to do penaunce they shall be saued how greuous so euer the synnes ben the whiche they haue commytted ¶ Example in Theophyle whiche renyed god and he was saued by penaunce Quere .lviii. b. Another example of a relygyous the whiche was apostate and harlot she was saued by penaunce Quere .cxiiij. a. Also those the whiche desyreth to be saued sholde take the condycion of the pylgrym of paradyse the whiche ben wryten after .xlv. a. b. c. Also people incredibles sholde drede to be sent in to the fyre of hell there to be breÌ„t eternally / the whiche is a tourment moost cruell as it is wryteÌ„ afterwarde qÌ„re .xlix. b. ¶ Example of a preest prynce of the ydolles the whiche is in the fyre of hell Quere .lvij. a. A. ¶ Thyrdly all the artycles of the fayth ben here commaunded to beleue in lykewyse as the chyrche beleueth and holdeth .vii. ANathasius sayth Quicunque vult saluus esse ante omÌ„ia opê° est vt teneat catholicam fidem Quam nisi quisque integram inuiolataÌ„que seruauerit absque dubio ineternum peribit Euery persone the whiche wyll be saued it is requysyte before all thynges that he holde the faythe catholyke / the whiche yf euery one ne kepe hole without doubt he shal perysshe in perdurabylyte Al good catholykes sholde beleue in one onely god in trynyte as it is sayd before And who soo beleueth in god stedfastly it behoueth that he beleue in all his operacions / as in the creacyon of heuen and of ertth and in his sanctyfycacyons / as in the holy chyrche Wherfore the artycles of the faythe ben here commaunded the whiche dothe folowe ¶ Saynt Peter sayeth Credo in vnum deum Who so wyll beleue stedfastly In the faythe of crystyente Beleue in one god alonely Thre persones in vnyte ¶ Agayne saynt Peter sayth Patremâ—â— potentem And saynt Andrewe sayeth Et in iesum christum filium eius vnâ—â—â— dominum nostrum And saynt Barthylmewe sayeth Credo in spmÌ„ sanctum VnuÌ„ crede deum personis hunc fore tâ—num Sunt pater natê° neuma sacer deus vnus That is in the fader all puyssaunt And in the holy goost also And in Iesus his dere infaunt As crysten men sholde do ¶ Also saynt Andrewe sayth Creatoreâ— celi et terre And this onely god in trynyte The heuen the erthe and the see And all other thynges made hath he For the conforte of our humanyte ¶ Saynt Mathewe sayth Sanctam ecclesiam catholicam In holy chyrche also beleue By stedfast faythe and deuocyon As nere as god grace the shall gyue Yf thou entende to haue saluacyon ¶ Agayne saynt Thomas sayth SctoÌ„ruÌ„ coÌ„munionem And saynt Symon Remissiomem peccatorum And beleue that all good crystyens Haue with the sayntes communyon Of all good dedes by the sacramentes And of theyr synnes remyssyon Saynt iude sayth Carnis resurreccioneÌ„ And whan the aungell his horne shal blowe All that ben deed shall appere Lye they in erthe neuer so lowe In body and soule enrere ¶ Saynt Mathewe sayth VitaÌ„ eternam And those the whiche hath lyued wele In to paradyse shall ascende The euyll also grete payne shall fele In hell euer withouten ende ¶ Saynt Iames the more sayth Qui coÌ„ceptus est de spiritu saÌ„c to natus ex maria virgine Beleue also by grete veryte In Ihesu crystes humanyte Conceyued of the spyryte holy And borne of the vyrgyn Mary ¶ Saynt Iohn sayth Passus sub poÌ„tio pylato crucifixus mortuê° et sepultus And saynt Thomas sayth Descendit ad in ferna After this he suffred gretely On the crosse for vs to deye And than buryed by Ioseph the good Streyght in to the helles he yood ¶ Also saynt Thomas sayth Vercia die resurrexit a mortuis And saynt Iames the lesse sayth Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei patris oiÌ„potentis On the thyrde day he dyde aryse And in to heuen ye shall vnderstande He reascended in moost goodly wyse And sytteth on his faders ryght hande ¶ Saynt Phylyp sayth Inde venturus est iudicare viuos et mortuos He hath promysed as we rede On domes day to come agayne To Iuge the quycke and the dede Some to blysse and some to payne Hec est fides catholica quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque crediderit / saluê° esse non poterit Who so his soule thynketh to saue Entendynge here after to come to blysse Parfyte faythe must he haue In one artycle he may not mysse THe persone the whiche wyll be saued ought to be stedfast / stable / and immouable in the fayth for it is the foundement vpon the whiche men edifye the other vertues for to multyply them in goodes espyrytuelles and for to mounte in to paradyse Vnd ad collocenses .i. In fide sitis fundati stabiles et immobiles Be ye founded in the faythe stable and immouable ¶ Also we rede of a wyse man the whiche edyfyed his house vpon a stedfast stone / and the
fere Grace newly therin is gyuen / and the auncyent therin is augmented By theffect of the sacrament of vnccyon well taken the venyall synnes ben forgoten / and the mortalles ben pardoned This sacrament gyueth medycine helth vnto the body and vnto the soule / perseueraunce in good operacyons / it multyplyeth and augmenteth grace goten and gyueth grace of newe / also it defendeth from the enemye Of this sacrament it is wryteÌ„ Iacobi .v. Infirmatur quis ex vobis inducat presbiteros ecclesie vt orent super eum vnguentes cum oleo sancto alleuiabir euÌ„ dominus a languoribus suis et si in peccatis sit dimittentur ei Yf ony of you be seke call for the prestes of the chyrche to th ende that they praye ouer hym in anoytinge hyÌ„ with the holy oyle and our lorde shall lyght hym of his laÌ„goures / that is of his sekenes And yf he be in synnes they ben forgyuen hym And the psalmyst in the persone of the synners sayth Miserere mei domine quoniam infirmus sum sana me domine quoniam conturbata sunt ossa mea Lorde haue mercy vpon me whiche am dyseased heleme / for all my bones ben troubled The sacrameÌ„t of ordre is of purete / clennes / scyence / prudence gyuen vnto preestes for to Instruct the people / for admynystre the sacramentes / to bynde and to vnbynde the syÌ„ners The sacrament of eucaristie that is the sacrament of the auter is god in fourme of breed and of wyne the whiche gyueth grace vnto all folke and lyfe eternal in lykewise as it is requysyte Vnde iohÌ„ .vi. Hec est panis de celo descendens / vt si quis ex ipso manducauerit non morietur Here is the brede descendynge from heuen to th ende that who so eteth of it shall not deye Iterum legitur in eodem capitulo Ego sum panis viuus qui de celo descendi / si quis manducauerit ex hoc pane viuet in eternum / panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro mundi vita That is to say I am the breed of lyfe that am descended from heuen / who so eteth of this breed worthely in suche wise deyeth shall lyue in pardurabylite / and the breed that I gyue is my flesshe for the lyfe of the worlde ¶ Example that a vyrgin sawe a preest clere / fayre / and shynynge in grete glory as he songe masse queÌ„ lxxxxiiij a. ¶ Another example that a bysshop sawe vpon an ester day some men confessed the whiche were meruaylously whyte / and the other blacke lxxxxiiij c. It is a grete thynge to receyue his creatoure in the estate of grace for it is vnto the saluacyon of the soule And those the whiche receyueth it vnworthely it is to theyr dampnacyon Vnd. j. ad corin xi Qui enim manducat et bibit indigne iudicium sibi manducat et bibit ¶ Example Iudas receyued it vnworthely too his dampnacyoÌ„ ¶ Another example / two prestes receyued theyr maker vnworthely they were punysshed dyuynely .xxxvii. E ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of a preste fornycatoure the whiche deyed sodaynly as he wolde synge masse lxxxxiii D. ¶ The sacrament of maryage is the coniunccyon of man woman for to multyply the worlde / for to auoyde synne / and for to loue and prayse god in heueÌ„ and in the erthe Some kepeth theyr maryage and they shall haue in paradyse retrybucyon / and those the whiche breketh it shall haue punycion / in lykewyse as men shall fynde by the scryptures .xxxvi. a. And by examples lxxxxj a. b. The sacramentes beforesayd bereth in them grete effecte / for without them these synners ne may be vnbounde of synÌ„e nor saued / and therfore we sholde receyue them worthely and holyly The ben sayd holy also for by theym these synners ben sanctyfied in lyke wyse as we beleue c. ¶ Example that a curate sholde not tary to adminyster the sacramentes of the chyrche whan his parysshens ben seke and call for them C. ¶ It is wryten in the ende of the fyrste boke of the dialogue of saynt Gregory that a fader of an housholde was seke nygh vnto the dethe he sent to fetche the rectour of the parysshe a worshypfull preste named Seuerus the whiche was founde occupyed in cuttynge his vyne And the messengers sayd to him that theyr mayster prayed hiÌ„ that he wolde come ryght hastely to hym to the ende that he myght pray for hym / that he myght coÌ„fesse hym / that he myght do penauÌ„ce or he deyed The whiche preste sayd to the sayd messengers Go ye before I wyl come after you / he taryed a whyle or he departed to make an ende of a lytell thynge the whiche was lefte of his operacyon whan he had ended he put hym on the waâ— to goo vnto the sayd seke man / and in the way he founde the sayd messengers the whâ—che ranne towarde hym and vnto hyÌ„ say â–ª A preste why haste thou taryed soo longe trauayle the no more for he is departed whan he herde them say so he was moch sory / and so all wepynge he came to the sayâ— body that was deed and there he fell prostrate vnto the erthe in wepynge and waâ—lynge and saynge that he was homycydâ— of the sayd deed body And as he wept thâ— soule of the sayd deed man came agayne vâ—to the sayd body And whan they the whâ—che were present sawe that of grete Ioy and admyracyon that they hadde they tâ—ke them to wepe / the whiche hym demanded where he hadde ben and how he waâ— comen agayne He answered the deuyllâ— ledde me the whiche were as men ryght â—â—deous and blacke from whome yssued oâ— of theyr mouthe and nosethrylles fyre an flambe soo that myght not endure / and a they ledde me by derke places sodaynly fayre vysyon an aungell as a fayre youâ— man came agaynst them the whiche ledâ— me vnto whome he sayd BryÌ„ge hym agaâ—ne for the preest Seuerus hath be wepth our lorde hathe gyuen hym vnto hym 〈◊〉 his teeres Than the sayd man reuyued arâ—se vp sodaynly frome the erthe / confesse hym / dyde penaunce by seuen dayes / aâ— on the .viii. daye Ioyously he departed oâ— of this worlde After this example a preâ— sholde neuer deffer too admynyster the sâ—cramentes of the chyrche to ony personâ— that theym nedeth Also a persone shoâ—â— not tary to confesse hym / to corecte / and mende tyll he be nere his dethe / whan is veray aeged / and whan he may no loâ—ger prolouge ne delaye Audi scripturâ— Legitur ecclesiastici quinto Non tardes conuerti ad dominum et ne differas de die in diem subito enim veniet ira illius in teÌ„pore vindicte disê‘det te Et eccl xvij NoÌ„ demoreris in errore impiorum ante morteÌ„ confiteri c. Et ad romanos .xiiij. Abijciamus opera tenebrarum .i. opera peccati Et ysaie
or lepres infecte corrupt not worthy to be amonge the other / pryuate from the partycypacioÌ„ of all the masses / prayers / oraysons / almes dedes / from all the other good dedes of the chyrche without power in suche estate to receyue ony of the sacramentes / ne to be buryed in holy grounde the whiche is a grete infame / to be buryed as a dombe beest / wtout solempnyte / wtout prayer / oraysons / not worthy to eÌ„habyte ne to be in holy grouÌ„de blyssed Also they ben as a membre cut separate from the body that taketh no parte of the good of that sayd body Where they ben as a bough or a braunche cut from the tree the whiche dryeth is no more worthe for nothynge than to brenne VnÌ„ io xv Ego sum vitis vos palmites / sicut palmes non potest ferre fructuÌ„ a semetipso nisi manserit in vite sic nec vos nisi in me manseritis Also a man may well speke with a lepre wtout ony synne ne daunger / the whiche thyÌ„ge a man may not do with one that is excoÌ„munyed / his company is more dauÌ„gerous than that of a serpent For as to company and habyte with a serpent a man synneth not mortally ne dampneth his soule / as he dooth with a persone excommunyed Also one excommunyed dysobeysaunt vnto god vnto the chyrche is cursed in his body / in his membres / in his goodes and fruytes and he bereth maledyccion with hym in al places / and in all stedes where he entreth and abydeth Vnderstande the scryptures go seche them in the chapytres the whiche folowe It is wryten deutero xxviii ca. Si audire nolueritis verbum domini dei tui vt custodias et facias omnia mandata eiê° / venient super te omÌ„s maledictiones iste apprehendent te Maledictus eris in ciuitate maledictus eris in agro / maledictuÌ„ horreuÌ„ tuum / et maledicte reliquie tue / maledictê° fructus ventris tui / et fructus terretue / ar menta boum tuoruÌ„ / et greges ouiuÌ„ tuarum maledictus eris ingrediens / et maledictus egrediens / mittet dominus super te famen et esuriem / increpationeÌ„ in oiÌ„a opera tua que facies dâ—nec conterat te ê‘dat te velociter propter adinuentiones tuas pessimus in quibus reliquisti me / plura alia mala ponuntur ibi c. That is to say Yf thou wylt not here the voyce of thy lorde god to th ende that thou do kepe all his coÌ„mmaundementes all these maledyccyons the whiche foloweth shall come vpon the shal take that Thou shalt be cursed in the cyte / thou shalt be cursed in the felde / thy garner shal be cursed / thy relykes shall be cursed / the fruyte of thy wombe shall be cursed / and the fruyte of thy erthe shall be cursed / the fruyte of thy kyen / shepe / and bestyall / thou shalt be cursed in goynge in / in goynge out of all places God shal sende vpon the hongre pouerte / blame / reproche in all thyn operacions that thou shalt do tyll vnto that that he putte the oute hastely for the synnes that thou hast founde / for the whiche thou haste lefte god ¶ Example how the floure of an apple tree falleth / dryeth / and leseth the beaute incontynent that it is excoÌ„munyed for a portous the whiche was in the sayd apple tree Quere lxxxix D. By this example a man sholde vnderstand that the soule of the thefe excommunicate the whiche had stolen the sayd portous was in yl poynt whan the floures toke parte of his malediccyon ¶ Another example of breed fayre whyte the whiche was incontynent blacke musty as it was excommunyed Quere lxxxix A. In shewynge the yll that is wtin the persone excommunycate Dauyd the prophete sayth in the psal Increpasti suê‘bos maledicti qui declinant a mandatis tuis thou hast blamed those that ben proude / they ben cursed the whiche declyneth from thy commaundementes And it is wryten in the seconde chapytre of the prophete Malchyas Yf thou wylt not here my commauÌ„dementes sayth god / also yf ye wyll not put in your herte that ye gyue glory vnto my name I shall sende you honger / pouerte / curse vnto your benedyccyons And it is wryten Ysaie iii. ca. Ve impio in malum Maledyccyon vnto the cursed synne in yll And it is wryten in the .x. chapytre of Iob Yf I be yll maledyccion is vnto me ¶ Example of a fader of his sone the whiche curied eche other in hell Quere in the exaÌ„plarye lxxi Also theues / coueytous / auarycyous / pyllers / false tythers / and many other people dysobeyeng vnto god ben cursed and excommunyed in lykewise as these scryptuâ—es sayen It is wryten in the seconde chapytre of the prophete Abacuch Maledyccion vnto hym the whiche assembleth cursed auaryce in to his hous / to th ende that his nest be on hy / he weneth to be delyuered from the hande of euyll And it is wryten in the .v chapytre of Ysaie Maledyccyon vnto youthe whiche assembleth hous with hous / couple felde with felde Ye sholde not enhabyte you all alone in the myddle of the erthe And it is wryten in the .xxiiii. chapytre of Ysaie Maledyccyon vnto the that pyllest / for thou shall be pylled And it is wryten in the .vi. chapytre of the gospels of saynt Luke Maledyccyon vnto you that be ryche the whiche haue in this worlde consolacion for yf ye deye in suche wyse without coÌ„trycyon amendement the ende shall be yll in desolacyon ¶ Example how the deuyl drewe the soule from the body of a cursed ryche man with an hoke Quere C. v. a. ¶ Another example how Chore. Dathan and Abiron descended into hell hosed cladde for that they murmured dysobeyed vnto god / vnto Moyses in lykewyse as it is wryten in thexamplary Quere liiii H. ¶ Another example for that that Adam dysobeyed vnto god the erthe was cursed in his operacyon Quere liiii a. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple how cayn was cursed for that / that he slewe his broder Abell and also he tythed yll Quere lxxvi a F. ¶ As vnto the fourthe thynge that speketh of persones excoÌ„munyed by sentence of ryght A man sholde vnderstande not al onely those the whiche ben denounced by the coÌ„maundemente of the bysshoppes / prelates / and Iuges ben excoÌ„munyed of the grete excommunicacion / but also in many cases after the droit canon some fall in the grete excommunycacyon Also many sentences ben wryten in droit canon the whiche hath ben ordeyned by popes and counceyloures vpon them the whiche coÌ„mytteth ony synnes determyned And the persones that whiche commytteth the synnes ben excommunyed ipso facto / but the curates sholde not put them out of the chyrche tyll that they ben declared of the Iuge
cruell vengeaunce how god the creatour had Iuged punysshed the archebysshop Vdo And recounted by ordre all the dede in lykewyse as it is before wryten / how it was done And the same day one of the chapelayns of the sayd archebisshop named Brunet whaÌ„ he had made parfayte and accomplysshed his lygacyon coÌ„mysed by the prouynce sent his seruauntes before / he was oppressed greuously to slepe He auysed a tree wel shadowed derke descended from his hors teyed faste the rayne of his brydle vnto his arme slept Whan he was in rest he sawe in vysyon a gaderyÌ„ge of horrible blacke spyrites with busynes / trompets / tympanes / speres / glayues / axes / the whiche hasted theÌ„ to come vnto the place Whan they were altogyder there was one of theÌ„ prynce most horryble of stature And they made a chayre set hym in it And wtout longe tarienge an other multytude of spyrites as grete as the other appered cryenge / mockynge / and dauncynge / wherof one came hastely cryenge Gyue place / gyue place here is our pryÌ„ce Vdo that approcheth After this saynge the satalytes of Sathan ledde vnto theyr pryÌ„ce the soule of the cursed Vdo in semblaunce corporall hauynge a chayne of fyre strayte about his necke / agaynst whome Sathan arose salued hym by wordes peasybles in yll and treason Thou arte ryght welcome O prynce aydour delatatour of our realme / here we ben redy to yelde vnto the the rewarde equyualent for thy deseruynges / also vnto all our faythfull frendes And as Vdo helde his peas Sathan sayd to the presentes Our frende is ryght wery in his cominge hyder / therfore it pleaseth vnto vs that he be chered / gyue vnto than to ete / he refused it tourned his heed And his mynysters constrayned hym vyolently to ete of todes serpentes / after they made hym to drynke of the lycoure of sulphre / yet he spake not And Sathan commaunded him saynge Suche a prince be ledde to be bayned incontynent brought agayne And there was a welle not ferre of that had a coueringe on the mouthe Whan it was vncouered flambe deuourynge lept vp vnto the heuen The whiche wasted noc all onely the trees mountaynes stones / but the water beynge nere vnto it dryed coÌ„sumed The deuyls kest the soule of the sayd Vdo wtin the layd welle / afterwarde drewe hym out the whiche was all on fyre as yron enbrased reed / bare hym vnto theyr prynce / the whiche laughed sayd Hast thou not had a softe bayne as a prynce Than Vdo sawe hiÌ„selfe daÌ„pned And begaÌ„ to blaspheme say Sathan cursed be thou / thy felawes / thy subgectioÌ„ thy reame Cursed be god that hath created me Cursed be the erthe the whiche bare me Cursed be my parents that begate me and cursed be all creatures in heuen and in erthe Than all the deuylles with theyr pryÌ„ce clapped theyr handes sayd Truly this man here is worthy too dwell with vs / for he can wel our cantycle our offyce Than be he put to our pryncypall scole of the dampned to th ende that he se / here / lerne / fele / frothensforthe neuer to yssue Scantly had he ended his wordes that the deuylles toke that cursed soule kest it and plonged in to hell with so grete shoutes and noyse as yf the heuen and the erthe all the mountaynes of the worlde were moeued to smyte togyder Whan the chapelayne beforesayd had seen herde the sayd thynges he dredde hugely Than the prynce of derkenes shewed hym with the fynger sayd Take hede that the clerke the whiche beholdeth vs fle not the whiche hath ben euermore defensour / messager currour of his euylles Than in lykewyse as he hath ben encreaser of his synne so lete hym be partener of the vengeaunce / therfore be he plonged in the welle with his lorde Whan he had spoken that as the deuylles wolde rauysshe hym he enforced hym to fle and awok sodaynly / his hors was so aferde that he lepte hyder and thyder ranne drawynge the meschaunt man tyl that he was vnbounde of the rayne that was about his arme And with grete dyffyculte he lepte vpon his hors came to the cyte metropolytayne And whan he knewe that his lorde was deed he approued the vysyon to be true / recouÌ„ted al the thynges the whiche vnto hym were comen in the way / all that / that he hadde seen herde So they knewe the thynge to be veritable Whan the cytezyns had seen herde this terryble thynge they drewe the carayne of the body ferre fro the cite in a place full of fylthe And for the in the sayd place bestes infernalles were by wyse counceyle the cursed body was brent the asshes casten in to a water A thyÌ„ge meruaylous men tel that al the fysshes left the place yode in to the see and were there tyl god was apeased by fastynges letanyes Ten yeres after scantely came they agayne The demonstrâ—uÌ„ce of the sayd horryble thynge appereth on the whyte pauement where the sayd Vdo was beheded For the cruour of the effusyon of the blode enharded so strongly in the stones of the pauement that it semeth that the sayd blode be of thessence of the stones the whiche ben there yet And ouer that place where the decollacyon ben alway tapytes spred And whaÌ„ they synge Te deuÌ„ laudamê° vpon a bysshop chosen he is borne vnto the sayd place there they prosterne them in orayson to the ende that the bysshop that is chosen beholde the sayd thynge / also to kepe hyÌ„ that he perysshe not as dyde the other ¶ This thynge was done of our lorde to the terrour of bisshops yll prelates to th ende that they tremble to here the terryble Iugement the cruell vengeaunce of god ¶ This example denoteth many thynges Fyrst that the sayd Vdo vsed yll the scyence the counceyle that he had of the vyrgyn Mary Also those the whiche vse yll the scyence that they haue of god beÌ„ to punyshe and synne gretely VnÌ„ iacob iiii Scienti bonuÌ„ facere non facienti pctmÌ„ eÌ„ illi Also he vsed yll of the prelature of the goodes of the chyrche that god had gyuen vnto hym He sholde be the lyght of vertues of bounte / he was the sklaunder of the people / and the example of derkenesses and of synne Also he vsed his lyfe in lecheryes and was corrupter of vyrgynyte chastyte / therfore he was worthy of punycyon Also he wolde not correke hym and yet he was warned from god And for that he was so obstynate harded in synne replete of carnall pleasaunces that he wolde not correcke hyÌ„ of good ryght he was iuged punisshed in body in soule as it is sayd This here is the example of all
hym to crye that he sholde cast strongly / that the deuylles fledde so hastely that they stroue who sholde fyrste goo forth that for haste one fell ouer another Than the sayd gardyen more strongly caste the holy water So the sykeman was delyuered of the deuylles / the whiche wende to deceyue hym for to dampne hym Vnto this purpose a man shold vnderstonde that the holy water is moche dygne prouffytable For it putteth awaye synnes venyelles / chaseth awaye the deuylles fantasyes dyabolyques / therfore many hathe of custome to haue of holy water by theyr beddes / and also to caste holywater at theyr lyenge downe / arysynge / whan they ben syke to th ende that they ben puryfyed / made clene kepte from temptacyons fantasyes dyabolyques as it is sayd Vnde dauyd in psalmo Asperges me dnÌ„e ysopo muÌ„dabor lauabis me suê‘ niueÌ„ dealbabor That is to saye O thou lorde thou shalte besprynkyl me with the holywater stykâ— I shal be made clene / thou shalt wasshe me / and I shall be more whyte than the snowe / yet agayne sayeth dauyd Thou hast in lykewyse troubled the heedes of the dragons tho ben of the deaylles in the waters IteruÌ„ psal Cotribuiasti capita drachonuÌ„ in aquis c. Item it is good to sprynkyll with holy water a woman whan she trauaylleth of chylde Also whan a man receyueth the holy water deuoutly it dysposeth the persones to deuocyon to do wele For to be short it is a grete thynge as to receyue the holy water And those that refuse it or fle it / they ne ben good catholyques / for they done in lyke wyse as dyd the deuylles that fledde from the house of the syke man for the holy water c. B. ¶ Another example how the deuyl ne myghte entre in to the mouthe of a dronkenman for a droppe of holy water that therin fell Cxviii THe dyscyple reciteth in his promptuarye sayeth that a dronke n man mette in his waye a demonyacle And the sayd dronkenman sayd vnto the deuyll entre in to me leue this man And the said deuyl answerd I may not / wherfore said the dronkenman For thou haste ben thys daye in the chirche one droppe of holywater is fallen in thy mouthe c. C. ¶ Another example that as a knyght bespryncled hym with holy water the deuyll cryed touche me not Cxviii ARnoldus recounteth in his boke sayeth that as a knyght strong in armes wolde approche vnto a place where a mayden demonyacle lay the deuyl began to crye Here is my frende come And as he was entred sayd Go ye backe lette my frende approche Thou deuyll thou arte a fole / wherfore tormentest thou this mayde innocent / come with me vnto the turneymentes And the deuyll answerd and sayd I shall go with the with good wyll / yf thou suffre me that I entre in to thy body or that I be in the sadell or brydell / or in ony partye of thy body And the knyghte had compassyon of the noble mayde / and said yf thou wylte go forth of this mayde I shall grauÌ„te the one partye of my mauÌ„tell by suche condycyon that thou hurt me not / that thou shalte departe incontynente that I shall tell the. And he promysed hyÌ„ Than he yode forth of the mayde / yode in to the oylet hole of the mauntell From that houre so moche of glorye came vnto the knyght that those that he wolde he them surmounted and wasted those that he wolde he toke And one daye as the knyght prayed longely the deuyll sayd vnto hym / thou murmurest to moche And as he spryÌ„cled hym with holy water he sayd vnto hym / take hede that thou touche me not And one tyme whan the knyght yode vnto a place where a man preched of the holy crosse the deuyl said what doest thou here The knighte answerd I wyll leue the serue god And the deuyl sayd what thynge hathe dyspleased the in me I neuer hurte the / but I haue enryched the thou arte become moche gloryous And the knyght sayd departe thou and come thou no more again to me I coÌ„maunde the in the name of ihesus Than the deuyll lefte hym the knight marked hym with the crosse / and serued Ihesu cryste two yeres beyonde the see / whan he was comen agayne he made to edefye an hospytall / in the whiche he admynystred vnto syke bodyes theyr necessytees wele defyned his dayes c. D. ¶ Another example that whan a synner obstynate had dronke of holy water / he repented hym confessed chaunged hym from yll vnto good Cxviii THe dysciple reciteth in his promptuarye that a knyght dyde many ylles and in th ende fell seke hys preest warned hym to confesse hym / to receyue the sacramentes as a good catholyque / and he ne myght enclyne hym neyther by prayers ne by menaces And reputed his wordes vayne / that he ne forced ne cared And as he demaunded of water for to drynke the preest yode to blysse the water wtout that that the seke body knewe ony thynge of it and gaue it hym to drynke Whan he had dronke incontynente by the ayde of the holy ghost he cryed vnto the preest in requyryng hym that he were confest And he confessed hym purely he was admynystred ended his dayes wele ¶ Maria. A. ¶ Examples of the vyrgyn Marye / fyrst example how the vyrgyn Marye delyuered an abbot many other from peryll of dethe for to saye this responce Felix namque Cxvâ—ii VIncent sayeth in the .xviii. booke of the myrroure hystoryall in the lxxxix chapitre That an abbot with many other were in the myddest of the see of Brytayne in so grete tempest of tyme oppressed that they all dyspeyred of lyfe / soo the some called saynt Nycholas vnto theyr ayde / the other saint Andrewe And euery of them called the saynt that moost famylyerly he called vnto his necessyte And whan the abbot sawe that none of theym called the blyssed vyrgyn marye moder of mercy that hathe puyssaunce aboue the heuen the erthe he sayd Brederne what do ye to call ony sayntes leue the moder of god that hathe puyssaunce aboue all tho sayntes the ye call I saye not that ye do yll / but cal we all with one voyce the moder of mercy Than all togyders called reclamed the blyssed vyrgyn Marye And the sayd abbot the whiche had not ete in two dayes in two nyghtes but one apple / the whiche was at lowe that he ne myght syghe / he sange with his monkes this responce Helix naÌ„que And the verse Ora ê“ populo And before that they had ended theyr songe deuocyon / there arryued a grete lyghte in the heyghte of the maste as a tapre the whiche chased awaye all the derkenesses of the nyght
vowed vyrgynyte kepte it in all estates / wherfore thou arte floure of vyrgynyte / vnto this vyrgynyte is appropryed these wordes Elores mei fructê° honoris honestatis that is to say My floures ben fruytes of honour of honeste as the floure delys the rose / the violet / thâ— gelofre The said floures haue in them foure thynges that is in the vyrgyn marye Primo they haue beaute to beholde / odour to smell / they decore them that bere them / auaylleth vnto the medecynynge c. Semblably the virgyn marye is the moost fayrest rose of all the women as sayd is Sicut liliuÌ„ Also her sone was the moost fayrest of all the men / Vnde psal Speciosê° forma pÌ„filiis hoiÌ„m She was fayre wtoute foulenes / she dyde neuer mortall synne / nor venyell VnÌ„ caÌ„t ii.i. Tota pulcra es amica mea macula noÌ„ eÌ„ in te Et alibie Pulcra facie sed pulchrior fide SecuÌ„do she had the odour of good renoÌ„mee VnÌ„ BeataÌ„ inedicent oeÌ„s generationes illud Nardê° mea dedit odoreÌ„ suauitatis c. Tertio she decoreth them that serue her / the place where is her remembraunce Quarto she is of valour apprecyable for to helpe in all necessytees c. The vyrgyns the whiche kepe vyrgynyte ben of the housholde of the vyrgyn marye / shall haue retrybucyon an hondreth double And yf they corrupt virgynyte they lese the sayd treasour / shall not be of the nombre of vyrgyns Also the vyâ—gyn marye is more fayre than the wyues For she was maryed vnto Ioseph conceyued not of him / but of the holy ghost luce i. Spiritê° sctuÌ„s suê‘ueniet iÌ„ te virtê° altissimi obuÌ„brabit tibi Also she bare the sone of god gaue hyÌ„ souke / abode vyrgyn after chyldynge / in chyldynge / before childynge Virgo ante ê‘tuÌ„ virgo iÌ„ ê‘tuÌ„ et virgo post ê‘tuÌ„ virgo iÌ„uiolata ê‘maÌ„â—isti She was the veray moder of Iheâ—us for thre thynges Prima bycause that the body of our lorde toke humanyte in the wombe of the vyrgyn marye moost pure clene Secunda he had place rest in her precyous wombe Tertia he had nourysshyng of her body / by that she is the moder of the sone of god Also she is moder of the kynge of aungelles sayntes of paradyse She is moder of the kynge of kynges the whiche gouerneth the heuen the erth RegeÌ„ q i celuÌ„ terraÌ„que regit She is moder of the lorde of lordes / of the â—uge of Iuges and mayster of all She is moder of grace of mercy VnÌ„ hymnê° Maria matur gratie matur miÌ„e c. She is moder of grace / for she encreaseth theym in goodnes that are in the estate of grace / also vnto synners / for she hathe pite compassyon and prayeth for them She â—ydeth agayne the enmye Tu nos ab hoste ê“tege And also she heâ—peth at the dethe Et hora mortis suscipe Also she is moder nouryssher of orphelyns / beggers wedowes / her sone nouryssheth all the worlde / therfore a man may say that she is blyssed amonges the women maryed / aboue all those the whiche hathe wele kepte maryage BnÌ„dictatu iâ— mulieribê° Loue we than marye / serue marye / honour we her / kepe we her feltes all good shall come vnto vs. Also the vyrgyn marye is more blyssed than the wedowes She was wedowe .xiiii. yere / she gouerned her chastely purely so that neuer man ne synned in her / neyther by sight nor otherwyse / yet was she the moost fayre woman of the worlde as sayd is She was so full of grace of bounte that the grace of her enlumyned those that behelde her so that they had no wyll to synne nor do ylle And therfore men maye saye BnÌ„dictatu iÌ„ mulieribê° .i. intur oes mulieres Et bâ—nedictê° fructê° veÌ„tris tui The fruyte of the wombe of the vyrgyn marye is right blyssed / for all goodnes of it is proceded By the sone that she bare peas was made by the inobedyence of Adam of eue Also by the fruyte the whiche is yssued oute of the wombe of the vyrgyn marye paradyse hathe be opened to all good loyal crystyeÌ„s And the yates of helle hathe be broken the holy soules taken out put in to paradyse Also by the greate myracles by the grete thynges that the sone of the vyrgin sayd dyde saynt marcelle said vnto our lorde illud luce xi Beatê° veÌ„ter qui te portauit et vbera qÌ„ suxisti The wombe and pappes of the vyrgyn marye were ryght blissed / whan they had borne gyuen souke so precyous fruyte as the sone of god / Ihesus is enterpreted sauyour redemptour of all the worlde / in lyke wyse as it is sayd / the whiche brynge vâ— vnto his blysse Amen A. ¶ Another example of hym that knewe no good but aue maria Cxx. MEn fynde by wrytynge that a maÌ„ of armes renouÌ„ced vnto all yll / made hym relygyous of the ordre of chartreux the whiche in his lyfe ne myght lerne no good thynge but these two wordes aue maria / but he said them right deuoutly of herte of mouthe togyder / of tyme he repeted them / so vsed his lyfe After his departynge there â—prange frome hys graue a fayre flourdelys whyte And on the leues of the floure was wryten in lettres of golde aue maria The people meruayled of this thynge For to be shorte it was fouÌ„de that the sayd flouredelys proceded from his mouthe / that it was for that that he had honoured the vyrgyn marye with those wordes aue maria B. ¶ Another example of hym that whiche kneled at the name of our lady Cxx. IT is wryten that there was a relygyous that loued soo moche the vyrgyn marye that whan hâ— herde her name spoken of he kneled downe / wrote it wiâ—h gold azure or yelowe At the laste he was seke / another relygyous that laye nere vnto his bedde herde on a nyghte how the vyrgyn marye with grete lyght company of aungelles came to fetche hym sayd vnto hyÌ„ for as moche as thou hast wryten my name / had it in so grete reuerence I shall make thyn to be wryten in the boke of lyf so he deyed c. C. ¶ Another example of the moder the whiâ—he taught vnto her chylde to salue the vyrgyn marye Cxx. MEn fynde by wrytynge that a goode moder taught wele her chylde / lerned hym to salue the vyrgyn marye to go euery daye on his knees to saye aue maria before her ymage that was in her chambre The sayd chylde was so accustomed loued so moche the vyrgyn marye that whan he was beten he yode to complayne hym to the sayd ymage / and also he bare often a party of his
shall studye this boke the whiche is named the floure of the commaundementes of god / for that it hath ben gadered amonge the bokes as the fayre vyolettes ben gadered amonge the rude and vyle herbes thorow out the feldes in likewyse as a man may se by auctorytees holy scryptures alleged assembled for to knowe that / that god wylleth and commaundeth to th ende for to go in to lyfe eternall And in lykewyse as the hony flyes gadren the swetenes of the lytell floures for to make the waxe or hony / or in lykewyse as men gadren the creame and the swetenes of the mylke for to haue the fatte and butter for to nourysshe the body Euen so hath ben gadered the floures and swetnesses of the holy scryptures for to nourysshe spyrytually the soules with vertues and goodes spyrytualles in accomplysshynge the wyll of god for to haue saluacyon / and to escape dampnacyon This boke treateth pryncypally thre thynges The fyrst declareth that all the ten commaundementes all the holy scryptures tenden and hangen to loue god and his neyghboure / and how god defendeth in these two thynges here all synne / and all euyll wordes / thoughtes / operacyons / and he commaundeth al vertues goodes espyritualles The seconde thynge wherof this boke treateth is of the .x. commaundementes / the whiche ben declared one after another by chapitres as they ben here before in the table The thyrde declareth some thynges moeuynge for to kepe the commaundements of god / and many thynges noysauntes vnto them the which breketh them Moreouer the condycyons of the pylgryme of paradyse / and of the rewarde eternall of them the whiche well or yll haue accomplysshed these commaundementes Creatures reasonable studye ye this boke / for it is moche prouffitable vnto all people as wel clerkes as seculyers / and plante ye and rote the commauÌ„dementes in your hertes as yf they were wryten in a boke and god shall gyue vnto you paradyse the whiche is a place replenysshed with Ioyes more swete than ony mylke or hony Legitur in libri moysi Audi israel precepta domini et eain corde quasi in libro scribe / et dabo tibi terram effluentem lac et mel c. B. ¶ Here foloweth the fyrst chapytre the whiche treateth in generall that it is coÌ„maunded to loue god with all his herte / his neyghbour as hymselfe i. c. YF thou wylt do thy saluacyon benygnely thou shalt obey vnto god vnto his commaundementes / as here after thou shalt here ¶ God gyueth vnto the two commaundementes so generalles that they comprehende vnder them all that / that thou sholdest do and fle for thy saluacyon In lykewyse as sayen the holy scryptures in many places VnÌ„ Mathei .xxii. Marci .xii. Luce .x. Et deuteronomii .vi. Diliges dominum deum tuuÌ„ ex toto corde tuo / et ex tota anima tua / et ex tota meÌ„te tua / ex tota virtute tua / hoc estmaximum primum mandatum SecunduÌ„ autem simile est huic Diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum In hus duobus mandatis vniuersa lex pendet et prophete That is to say It is commaunded the that thou loue thy lorde god with all thy herte / with all thy soule / with all thy thought / and with al thy strength / that is to vnderstande more than all thynges / and aboue al thynges This here is the gretest commaundement and the fyrst For it is of the dyleccyon vnto god the whiche comprehendeth the thre fyrst commaundementes and the thre vertues theologalles / the whiche ben faythe / hope / and charyte The seconde commaundement is semblable vnto that / for is dylection the whiche gyueth them charge that thou loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe This dyleccyon comprehendeth vnder it the seuen last commaundementes / all the werkes of mercy / and the foure vertues cardynalles the whiche ben Prudence / attempraunce / Iustyce / and force In these two commauÌ„dements before sayd to loue god and his neyghbour all the lawe hangeth the prophetes ¶ For to vnderstande ryght shortly all the fayth / all the .x. commaundementes of god / and all the scryptures of the auncyent testament and of the newe / and all that / that the prophetes and sayntes of paradyse hath spoken vnto vs and wryten for the helthe of our soules / it is a thynge certayne that all tendeth and hangeth in the ende and coÌ„clusyon for to loue god and his neyghbour as it is sayd Saynt Poule sayeth ad romanos .xiii. Dilectio ê“ximi malum non operatur / plenitudo legis est dilectio The dyleccoÌ„n of thy neyghbour dooth none yll / the fulfyllynge of the lawe is dyleccyon And therfore retayne wele in thy mynde these two commaundementes and them accomplysshe from poynt to poynt / in operacyon / in worde / and in thought / thou shalte do none yll / but thou shalt accomplysshe all goodnes / and thou shalt be saued C. ¶ The seconde chapytre assygneth .v. reasons wherfore a man shold loue god with all his herte aboue all thynges IT is wryten in the .xiiii. chapytre of the gospelles of saynt Iohn that our sauyour redemptour Ihesus sayd vnto his dysciples Qui habêª mandata mea seruat eaâ—le est qui diligit me That is to saye after the exposytoure He the whiche hathe my commaundements in the ere to here them and in the herte for to thynke them / and in the mouthe for to teche theym / and in the mynde and volunte to kepe theym and to accomplysshe in operacion / he it is whiche loueth me Many 〈…〉 shold moeue vs to loue god with all our hertes obey vnto his commaundementes more soner thaÌ„ to all thynges D. ¶ Fyrst it is good reasoÌ„ to loue hym with all our herte for the goodnes infynyte the whiche is in hym and the whiche of hym procedeth / the whiche is so grete that it is innombrable That is saye that he hath soo many that a manne can finde th ende Also it is good reason to loue hym / for he hath loued vs more than all the creatures that he hath made and create in this worlde / the whiche he hath all create for to serue vs. Whan god made create the heuen and the erthe / the sonne and the moone / the sterres / the fyrmament the elementes / and all the beestes eche of them in his kynde / and all the byrdes euery of theÌ„ in his gree / he them made for his honour for to serue vs and to gouerne / and without them wene may lyue Albeit of all the creatures that he hath create in this worlde hene hath made none vnto his semblauÌ„ce and vnto his ymage to be in his company eternally but man and woman and the aungelles And for as moche as he hath loued vs more than all the operacyons that he hath create and for the goodnes infynytethe
appetyte / the dylectacyon / and the accustomauÌ„ce to swere vaynely vnlefully / as a thynge ydle / vayne / and peruers Saynt Poule the appostle knewe the commaundementes of god / and neuertheles he sware as it is wryten in his epystles Vestis est michi deus By that it is to vnderstande that swerynge is lefull necessary whan by the same a man thynketh vnto that welfare of his neyghbour after the commaundement of god the whiche sayth Diliges proximuÌ„ tuuÌ„ sicut teipÌ„m And the psalme DnÌ„e quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo aut quis requiescat in monte sancto tuo Lorde who shall dwell in thy tabernacle / or who shal rest in holy mountayne The answer Qui iurat proximo suo et non decepit eum He the whiche swereth vnto his neyghbour deceyueth hym not shal mounte in to heuen c. Also the aungell that saynt Iohan sawe standinge on the see as it is wryten in the appocalyps Teuauit manum suaÌ„ ad celum iurauit per viuenteÌ„ in secula seculorum He lyft vp his hande sware by the lyuyÌ„ge in the worldes Also our lorde sayth in the gospel Amen / amen / dico vobis Also we rede that our lorde sware in the olde testament Iurauit dnÌ„o et noÌ„ penitebit euÌ„ agayne Iurauit dnÌ„s vitateÌ„ c. Our lorde sware true yet he commaunded in the olde lawe Redde dnÌ„o iurameÌ„ta tua c. Yelde thyn othes to our lorde By these foresayd auctorytees a maÌ„ may swere wtout synÌ„e at a nede And for that god sayth in the gospell that our worde sholde be / it is so / it is not so MathÌ„ v. Sit auÌ„t sermo vrÌ„ est / est / noÌ„ / noÌ„ / qd autem his abundaÌ„tiê° malo est The answer that the affyrmacyon or negacyon that is in the hert ought to be in the mouthe / but for that malyce is so growen that they wyll not beleue by syÌ„ple worde / and therfore god hathe put to prudently Quod amplius est malo est That the whiche is more than ynough is yll / not euyll vnto those the whiche swereth for the welfare of theyr neyghbour / but yll vnto those the whiche ne wyll beleue wtout swerynge / theyr incrudylyte is soÌ„tyme of payne and of culpe / and therfore he sayeth not malum Yll vnto hym the whiche hyÌ„ vseth moche in swerynge But he sayth a malo / from the euyll of hym the whiche otherwyse beleueth not / that is of his synÌ„e ne departeth from hym the whiche is somtyme payne / and somtime payne and gylte / thaÌ„ god defendeth the othe the whiche is yll He coÌ„maundeth to speke well in saynge Sit sermo vester est / est / non / non It is soo / it is not so / and he graunteth the swerynge the whiche is necessary Also whan a man wyl not beleue the trouthe but by swerynge / he the whiche swereth in good and Iust cause synÌ„eth not / but he sholde offende yf he sware not For it sholde befall soÌ„tyme that a good man sholde lese his good and Iust cause yf veryte were not approued by good men And therfore sayth saynt Austin Quisqis meru cuiuscuÌ„que potestatis veritatem ocultatiram dei super se prouocat quia magis timet hominem quam deum Yf ony hyde veryte by the drede of puyssauÌ„ce he prouoketh the yre of god vpon hym / for he dredeth the men more than god In suche wyse to swere by necessyte is no synne as it is sayd Also albeit that god hath defended othes inutyles / neuertheles by especyall he defeÌ„deth the swerynges the whiche ben made by the creatures to th eÌ„de that man ne do honour vnto creatures the whiche apperteyneth vnto the creatour Ne honorificeÌ„tia creatoris transferetur ad creaturas Or that man beleue not that ony dyuyne thynge be in hyÌ„ wherby reuerence vnto ought to be done And therfore after that god had said in the gos tild Mat. v. NoÌ„ iurare oiÌ„no Hastely 〈◊〉 putteth after Neque per celuÌ„ qr thronê° dâ— est / neque per terraÌ„ qr scabellum peduÌ„ eiê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ neque per hiero solimam qr ciuitas est regâ—magni neque per caput tuuÌ„ quia non potâ—â—vnum capillum tuuÌ„ facere albuÌ„ vel nigri Swere thou neuer aboue all thynge / neyther by the heuen for it is the throne of gâ—â—ne by the erthe for it is the stole of his feâ—ne by Iherusalem for it is the cyte of the grâ—te kinge / ne by thy heed for thou can not maâ—â— one of thy heere 's whyte ne blacke Also 〈◊〉 rede that saynt Iames defended that noâ— sholde swere AnÌ„ oiÌ„a frÌ„es mei nolite â—â—â—re The glose sayth that he defendeth not syÌ„ sweryÌ„ge / but he defendeth the wyll to â—â—re And therfore he sayd vygylaÌ„tly noâ—â— for the affeccyon wyll sholde not draâ—â— vs to swere / but the necessyte oportum te sholde drawe vs there vnto for the heltâ— and welfare of our neyghbours And thâ— that saynt Iames putteth Nec per celuÌ„ / 〈◊〉 per terraÌ„ / nec per quodcuÌ„que aliud iuramâ—tuÌ„iurare vetat Whan nede is to swere man sholde swere by god in callynge hyâ— to wytnesse / not by the creatures as it sayd In lyke wyse as the wyne is not yâ—â— of it selfe And all be it saynt Poule defedeth men to drynke superfluously / for it cureth dronkenes lechery Nolite iÌ„eâ—â—ri vino iÌ„ quo eÌ„ luxuria Ad eph v. Also sâ—â—rynge in superfluyte is defended All the thynges beforesayd ben expounded spâ—â—ken by saynt Austyn / by Inno. by mâ—ny other .xxii. q. i. NoÌ„ eÌ„ ê¯tra deipÌ„ceptuÌ„ iiii sequeÌ„tibê° SipctmÌ„ extra e. si epÌ„s Aâ— how be it that sweryÌ„ge is defended / notâ—â—â—dynge some ben except wherby a maÌ„â—â—swere whaÌ„ nede is / that is by the euangelyst the auter wherupon the body of cryst is concrate Also by the relykes of sayntes / by 〈◊〉 holy crosse Also a man may swerein the hâ—de of the bysshop lyke as it is wryten xâ—â— q. i. Si aliqua causa ca. Habemus B. ¶ What is requysyte for to swere lefully without ony synne .xiij. THre thinges ben requysyte or that a man swere without commyttynge ony synne That is to vnderstonde / veryte / iugement / iustice Vnde Hieremye .iiij. Iurabis viuit dominus in veritate et in iudicio in iusticia Et habetur .xxii. q. i. Et iura bunt Yf these these thre thynges defayle or ony of theym it is periury / as it is wryten .xxii. q. ii Animaduertendum ¶ The fyrst thynge the whiche is requysyte or that a man may swere without synne is veryte in the conscyence / that is that a man knowe the thynge stedfastly for to be soo as he it swereth For who so sholde thynke one thynge and swere another sholde be periured Or who so sholde beleue that ony thynge were true / and
in our humayne fragylyte / for we ben so frayle vnto synne that by our selfe we may not haue helthe / and for as moche as we haue nede of the helpe prayers of sayntes we do them honour in theyr feestes to th ende that we may deserue theyr helpe The thyrde is for the encreasynge of our suerte / for by the honoure that is doone vnto sayntes in theyr solempnytees our hope suerte is encreased soo that the mortall men semblable to vs may be in suche wyse reysed in so grete honoure by theyr merytes / it is certayne that soo it it may be of vs / for the power of god is not lessed The fourthe is for the example of our folowynge / for whan the feestes of the sayntes is recorded euery yere we beÌ„ called to folowe them / so that by thexample of them we dysprayse the thynges erthly and desyre the celestyalles The fyfth is for that that the aungelles and sayntes of paradyse haue Ioye and exaltacyon whan we the whiche ben synners conuert vs vnto god Vnde luce .xv. GaudiuÌ„ erit in celo super vno peccatore penitentiaÌ„ agente c. And therfore it is reason syth that they make feest of vs in heuen that we make feest of theÌ„ in erthe The syxte is for the procuracyon of our honour / for whan we honour the sayntes we procure our honour / theyr soleÌ„pnyte is our dygnyte / whan we honoure our broder we honour our selfe Charyte maketh all thynge to be comyn / and our thynges ben celestyalles / erthly / and pardurables C. ¶ Questyon / who so sholde demaunde at what houre a maÌ„ sholde begynne to celebre the feestes The answer / regulerly men saye that from the one euensonge vnto the other euensonge the chyrche maketh solempnyte It is wryten extra de ferus de consecratione distinctione .i. capitulo Missas OmÌ„es dies dominicos a vespera in vesperam cum omni veneratione decreuimus obseruari We haue decrete to kepe in al honour all the dayes of the sondayes from the one euensonge vnto the other euensonge For to cease on them for to doo ony werke and for to make holy the feestes a man sholde consyder the qualyte / and the quantyte of the feest / what the custome is of the regyon / and of the place where a man is And after the gretenes of the feest and custome of the place a man sholde more sooner begyn / and the more late for to make an ende In lykewyse as sayth the scrypture in many places Vnde quamuis scriptuÌ„ sit a vespera in vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra verumtamen initium festorum finis iuxta eorum qualitatem et regionum consuetudines seruari debent / sicut magnitudo eorum exigit prios incipere / et tardius terminati extra e quoniam This scrypture repreueth the foly of some symple men the whiche reputeth not to be synne to labour and worke late on the saterday at nyght / and weneth that it is synne to worke erly on the monday in the mornynge Of this mater thou shalt finde many examples in the examplary D. ¶ Questyon / who so sholde demaunde wherfore is it that men make holy / and honoure some feestes more solempnely in some countrees than they of other countrees done / or that some feestes in some bysshop ryches ben kept of whome no mencyon is made in other countrees Vnto that it behoueth to answere that a man ought for to do after the custome of the regyon where as he is For it is wryten extra de ferrijs Qd in festis celebrandis vel non / vel quis dicatur esse festiuus vel non consuetudo regionis debet obseruare Dicendum est etiam cum hieronymo ê™ vnaqueque prouiÌ„cia abuÌ„dat in suo sensu distinctione .lxxvii. Vtinam in omni tempore ieiunare possemus Et augustinus interroganti RespoÌ„ Ambrosius Cum romam venio ieiuno sabbato / cum mediolanum sum non ieiunio sabbato / sic et tu quamcunque forte ecclesiam veneris eius mora serua si cuiquam noÌ„ vis esse in scaÌ„dalum nec quemquam tibi One and euery prynce haboundeth in his beynge And therfore yf thou come to Rome and that they faste there on the saterdaye faste thou also in lyke wyse as they doone And yf they haue in custome to kepe or sanctyfy ony feest kepe it with them And yf thou aryue in ony chyrche kepe theyr customes the whiche ben not agaynst god / or elles they shall sclaunder the. A. ¶ How in syxe maners men sanctyfye the feestes commauÌ„ded / the whiche maners shall be put by psalmes / and some ben necessaryes for the sanctyfycacyon of those feestes / and the other ben cerymonyalles for the augmentacion of god and of vertues .xv. FYrst men sanctyfy the feestes commaunded by abstynence / and to cease to do operacions erthly and seculers / as to goo to the plough Exodi vicesimo Non facies omne opus in eo And it is to th ende that we cease and refrayne the auaryce and couetyse of the worlde / and for to take hede and entende vnto the vtylyte prouffyte of the soules Yf on the workinge dayes we take hede for the labour of the bodyes god wyll that on the holy dayes commaunded we entende vnto the vtylyte of the soules At the begynnynge of the worlde god created spyrytuall thynges as aungelles / and corporall thynges as the beestes and the byrdes / and of these two thynges togyder he made man / that is of a thynge spyrytuall as the soule / and of a thynge corporall as the body In lykewyse we haue nede of two refeccyons That is of the refeccyon of the body the whiche we do gete on the werkynge dayes / and of the refeccyon of the soule the whiche we seche on the holy dayes How be it that euery daye we ought for to gyue refeccyon vnto the soule For it is wryten in the gospelles how that a man lyueth not onely by etynge of breed for to mayntene the body / but in euery worde the whiche procedeth frome the mouthe of god / wherby the soule is refeccyoned Vnde Mathei iiii capitulo Non iÌ„ solo pane viuit homo / sed in omni verbo quod procedit ab ore dei And therfore god hath ordeyned werkynge dayes to laboure on all holy to nourysshe the body And also commaundeth to cease of operacyons worldly on the holy dayes for to sanctyfy them and for to nouryssh the soule as before is sayd Deuteronomie .v. Obserua diem sabbati vt sanctifices deum / sex diebus operaberis et facies omnia opera tua / septimus dies non facies in eo quicquam operis c. B. ¶ A questyon to vnderstande yf a man may worke on the holy daye without commyttynge mortal synne The answer We fynde in wrytynge that in foure maners some may do worke on the holy
is god / and the saynt that ye doo requyre prayeth vnto god for you / and god heleth you in exaltynge the request and intercessyon of the sayd saynt In lykewyse all the good puyssauÌ„ce that all the sayntes of paradyse haue god it vnto theym hathe gyuen And therfore we sholde praye god in orayson in reknowlegynge our fragylyte that of our selfe we may nothynge doo / and that all procedeth of hym Fourthely god wyll that we hym requyre in orayson for too doo hym honoure For orayson is a sacryfyce the whiche is moche agreable vnto god Also the encense the whiche is put within the fyre casteth a good odour and a smoke the whiche mounteth on heyght vnto god In lyke maner orayson enbrased vpon the coles of deuocyon casteth a smoke and a swete odoure the whiche mounteth vp before god / the whiche vnto hym is moche agreable And therfore sayeth the psalmyst Dirigatur domine oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo We rede thobie duodecimo That Thobye was moche deuout the whiche occupyed hym selfe to do the werkes of mercy And on a tyme the aungell of god appered vnto hym vnto whome he sayd Whan thou prayest god in orayson with teeres / and whan thou buryest the deed bodyes I present thyn orayson before god Also we rede Actuum decimo / how Cornelius was on a tyme about the houre of noone in orayson the whiche made his request vnto god And incontynent an aungell of god in lykenes of a fayre yonge man clothed in whyte appered vnto hyÌ„ vnto whome he sayd Thyn orayson is exalted / and thyn almesdedes ben remembred before god We ought for to serue god in orayson for to doo hym honoure and sacryfyce the whiche vnto hyÌ„ is agreabled / and vnto vs vtyle and prouffytable Also as a noble man sholde do honour vnto the kynge on his knees the whiche is called homage / in reknowlegynge that he holdeth his sygnourye of hym / and that he is seruaunt obeyssaunte vnto hym In lykewyse we ought to do to god in orayson Or in lykewyse as the seruaunt is bounde for to serue his mayster / in semblable maner ben we bounde vnto god the whiche is our mayster Or in lykewyse as euery maÌ„ sholde bere and pay his rente and his trybute vnto the lorde of whome he holdeth In lyke maner sholde we doo honour vnto god of our bodyes and of our goodes vnto our power C. ¶ A questyon / how sholde a man make orayson vnto god for to haue that the whiche is necessary Answer Hym behoueth to say his pater noster / for he requireth of god that all euylles and synnes ben put awaye and that he haue vnto body and vnto soule al goodes temporalles and spyrytualles the whiche ben necessaryes and vtyles / Our lorde made the pater noster and sayd vnto his dyscyples that they sholde saye it whan they wolde pray vnto almighty god In lykewyse as it is wryten in the gospelles Mathey sexto / et Luce vndecimo ¶ Here after foloweth the orayson domynycall or pater noster the whiche our lorde taught to his dyscyples / and the requestes and fruytfull petycyons conteyned in the same Our fader that art in heueÌ„ sanctified be thy name thy kingdom come to vs / thy wyl be done in erth as in heuen / our dayly brede gyue vs to day forgyue vs our dette as we forgyue our detts lede vs not in to teÌ„ptacoÌ„n but delyuer vs froÌ„ euyl ameÌ„ PAter noster qui es in celis ¶ Our fader celestyall almyghty Lorde / god / and creatour Syttynge in heuen potencyally Exalte me thy seruytour Sanctificetur nomen tuum ¶ Thy name be euer sanctyfyed In our fayth catholyke Aboue all praysed and gloryfyed Without errour dyabolyke Adueniat regnum tuum ¶ More ouer lorde we the requyre That we may come and haue saluacyon Vnto thy kyngdome and empyre In the ende and conclusyon Fiat voluÌ„tas tua sicut in celo iÌ„ terra ¶ Thy wyll be also done Of vs in erthe truely As is of thy sayntes echone In heuen ryght Ioyously PaneÌ„ nrÌ„m cotidianuÌ„da nobis hodie ¶ Gyue vs lorde our dayly fode Of soule and of body eke Amende vs all and make vs gode In spyryte also to be meke Et dimitte nobis debita nrÌ„a sicut etc. ¶ Pardon vs lorde our synÌ„es trespaÌ„ces As we forgyue our offences and dettes Louse vs also out of the deuylles laces And kepe vs from fallynge in his nettes Et ne nos inducas in temptationeÌ„ And suffre vs lorde not to be ledde In euyll thoughtes and temptacyon Wakynge / ne slepynge lyenge in bedde By the deuylles persuacyon Sed libera nos a malo ¶ Delyuer vs from all yll Of body and soule also Gyue vs grace yf it be thy wyll To ouercome our mortall fo Amen ¶ Amen / amen for charyte Graunt vs lorde our petycyon Thy blyssed face for to se And of thy goodheed the fruycyon ¶ Explicit ¶ The requestes that a man maketh vnto god in saynge the pater noster THe petycyon of Sanctificetur nomen tuum taketh away pryde and putteth in vs the vertue of humylyte / and requyreth the gyft of drede / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati pauperes spuÌ„ And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipÌ„o rum est regnum celorum The petycyon of Adueniat regnum tuuÌ„ taketh away enuy / and putteth in vs the vertue of charyte / it requyreth the gyft of pyte / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati mites And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram The petycyon of Fiat voluntas tua sicut in celo in terra taketh away yre and putteth in vs the vertue of pacyence / and requyreth the gyfte of scyence / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati pacifici And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam filij dei vocabuntur The petycyon of Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie taketh away slouthe / and putteth in vs the vertue of dylygence / requyreth the gyft of strength and the beatytude of the gospel Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iusticiaÌ„ And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi saturabuntur The petycyon of Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimê° debitoribus nostris taketh away auaryce / and putteth in vs the vertue of largesse / requireth the gyft of counceyle / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati misericordes And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur The petycyon of Et ne nos inducas in temptationeÌ„ taketh awaye glotony / and putteth in vs the vertue of abstynence / and requyreth the gyft of entendement / and the beatytude of the gospell Beati mundo corde And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi deum videbunt The petycyon of sed libera nos a malo taketh away lechery / and putteth in vs the vertue of chastyte / and requyreth the gyft of sapyence / and the
indygence Thou haste the eyen of thy soule blynded Legitur in libro sapientie Malicia eorum excecauit eos For thou coÌ„syderest not that god the punyssheth for that thou werkest and labourest to repe the sayd corne on the daye of the feest commaunded Vel sic Or after that the sayd corne shall be rype / reped / bounde / and engrauÌ„ged the fyre shall take within it / and enbrase it with flambe and smoke tyll it be all brente and consumed in to asshes Veniet super te maium et nescies ortum eiê° vt supra ¶ Example of a man the whiche caryed his corne on the daye of the feest / and the fyre brente all vp Quere in the examplarye .lxiiij. E. Vel sic Or peraduenture aâ—â—â—r that thou hast laboured on the feest there shall come soo grete drought that thy sayd corne ne may growe / or soo grete waters that it shall be drouned / or suche tempest of hayle weder that it shall be shroÌ„ken and wasted / thou shalte not apperceyue wherfore it shall procede vnto the as it is sayd These thynges here ben wryten in many places in scryptures Vnde deutero xi Cauete ne forte decipiatur cor vestrum et recedatis a dnÌ„o ira tusque dominê° claudat celum et pluuie non desceÌ„dant / nec terra det germen suum c. Beware lest peraduenture your herte be deceyued and that ye ne departe you from god / that he wrothe hym not ayenst you that he ne close the heuen and that the raynes ne descende / and that the erthe ne gyue the bryngynge forthe of fruyte Et leui xxvi Si non feceritis oiÌ„a maÌ„data mea si spreueritis leges meas vesitabo vos velociter in egestate et ardore frustra feretis sementeÌ„ que ab hostibê° deuorabitur ponam facieÌ„ meam contra vos c. Yf ye haue not done all my commaundements / and yf ye haue dyspysed my lawes I shall vesyte you hastely in pouerte and brennynge / ye shall bere for nought your corne and your sede the whiche shall be deuoured of ennemyes / I shall set my face ayenst you c. Thou marchaunt the whiche sanctyfyest not the feestes after the commaundement of god sabbata sanctifices he shall permette that an euyl thefe or a knaue shall by thy marchauÌ„dyse the whiche shall deceyue and begyle the and also shall not paye the well / or thou shalte lenne it hym vnto credence / and peraduenture shall cost the in processe and debate the value of the debt / where god the wolde haue sent a good marchaunt the whiche sholde bye well and paye well / but he wyll not do that vnto the / but he wyll do it vnto hyÌ„ the whiche hath sanctyfyed the feestes Also he the whiche wyll bye marchaundyse leue the sanctyfycacyon of the feest for to renne thyder is often tymes begyled and deceyued by fraude and falshede For yf he bye oxen / kyen / shepe / or hors they shall be peraduenture seke or deye of moreyne c. by the whiche he shall lese all suche thyÌ„g he shall not apperceyue that it vnto hym procedeth for the euyll sanctyfycacion of the feest Veniet super te maluÌ„ nescies ortuÌ„ eiê° vt supra ¶ Example in the byble how the sellers on the feest daye were reproued and made cease Quere .lxiiii. n. Also crafty people and werkers with theyr armes the whiche lyueth by the payne of theyr werkes oft tymes breketh the feestes for to gete or wynne a thyÌ„ge of nought / as an halfpeny or a ferdynge And also god vnto them sendeth some sekenes / for the whiche they muse and may do nothynge after in more thaÌ„ xv dayes and putteth that / that they haue in medycynes Suche people apperceyue not that god them punyssheth for brekynge of the sayd feestes / and how that god suffreth men of warre to pylle them for theyr synnes / ete theyr hennes / theyr bacon c For one peny that they wynne on the sayd feest they lese mo than .xx. Also the punycion of this worlde is nothinge in regarde of that of hell the whiche is eternall / in the whiche euery man shall be punysshed after his deseruynge Vnde psalmista Tu reddis vnicuique iuxta opera sua Thou shalt yelde vnto euery persone after his operacyons ¶ Example of two cordweners / the one that whiche kept the feest and yode to the seruyce of the chyrche habouÌ„ded in goodes / and the other ceased not to werke and was pore Quere in the examplarye / and many other examples c. B. ¶ Of slouthe that god defendeth .xix. THe wyse man sayeth in his prouerbes O ye slouthfull people go vnto the ampte or pysmyre and consyder his wayes and lerne wysdome / the whiche ampte prepareth his meet in somer / assembleth in heruest that that he wyll eate in wynter How be it that he ne hath leder / ne coÌ„maunder / ne prynce Vnde prouerbioruÌ„ .vi. Vade ad formicam o piger coÌ„sidera vias eiê° et disce sapientiam que cum non habeat ducem / nec preceptorem nec principem parat in estate cibum sibi / et congregat in misse quod comedat c. That is to vnderstande Labour ye in somer / that is do good operacyons whyles that thou arte lyuynge / and that thou hast the tyme / the place / and the oportunyte / and assemble in the fayre vertues to th ende that in wynter that is after thy dethe thou haue to eete / that is to be refeccyoned in the glory of god Vnde psalmista Saciabor cuÌ„ apparuerit gloria tua The prophete Ysaie sayth that the seruauntes of god the whiche haue well laboured in this worlde shall haue to drynke and to ete That is they shall be refeccyoned with the glory of god / and the cursed slouthfull persones shall haue hongre thyrste Vnde Ysaie .lxv. Ecce serui mei comedent et vos esurietis / ecce serui mei bibent et vos sitietis c. Also the dampned shall crye Illud Iheremie .viii. capitu Transsijt messis sinita est estas et nos saluati non sumê° The heruestis past somer is ended and wene ben saued ¶ Man reasonable it is defeÌ„ded the bi this commaundement that thou be not slouthfull to go vnto the seruyce of the chyrche / and to sanctyfy and kepe the festes in lykewyse as they ben commaunded Yf thou hast ben heuy to sanctyfy them / or to do the good espyrytual the whiche is dyuyne what good dede so euer it be vnto the whiche thou were holden of necessyte / that is to vnderstande yf by consentynge of reason thy body hath domynacyon and lorde shyppe of thy soule in suche maner that it hath in hate and in dyspleasaunce the dyuyne goodes / and that he hath eschewed left to do it and to accomplysshe it in suche wyse as it was
commaunded It is here agaynst charyte and mortall synne Quia accidia secundum sanctum thomam est tristicia de spirituali bono in quantum est diuinum ad quod quis de necessitate tenetur Slouthe is to haue trystesse of spyrytuall goodnes in as moche as it is dyuyne whervnto some is holden of necessyte To tary / to withdrawe or to fle the goynge to euensonge / masse / matyns / predycacyons / processyons and all other seruyces Yf he sancyfy not well and honour god and his sayntes in theyr solempnitees And by this ben reproued the slouthfull late comers / neglygentes / people not carynge / forgetefull / ydle / weyke in spyryte / soft / tendre / ennoyfull / sluggardes / and dyffaylers / in so moche that they ne wyll obey to serue god his sayntes after the commaundement the whiche vnto theym is gyuen ¶ Example how that god reproued the ydle people the whiche ne dyde no good operacyon Vnde mathei .xx. Quid hic statis tota die ociosi ite in vineam meam Also those the whiche ben ydle and slouthfull to go vnto seruyce of the solempnytees ben to be reproued as these beforesayd Legitur luc .xii. Ille seruus q i cognouit voluntatē dn̄i sui / et nō se p̄parauit et non facit scdm voluntatē eius vapulabit mltis That seruaūt that knoweth the wyl of his mayster or lorde prepareth not hymselfe / ne dooth after his wyll shall be moche beten Also they shall be sent in to the fyre of hell Wherof it is wryten luce iii et math vii Oīs arbor que nō facit fructū bonū excidetur in ignem mittetur That is to saye Euery tree / that is euery persone the whiche ne maketh good fruyte that is good operacyons shall be cut and sente into the fyre of hell / wherof it is spoken after Quere .xlix. b. A tree the whiche bereth no fruyte ne dooth but occupye the erthe wherin it is / and therfore men cutteth it brenneth it In lykewyse shall the slouthfull be the whiche dooth noo good dede shall be taken out of this worlde and sent vnto the fyre of hel / in the whiche they shall be cōstreyned to abyde eternally / and so to holde thē wyl they or not without euer to haue ayde ne socoures C. ¶ Example of a relygyous that wolde doo no goodnesses It is wryten in the dyalogue of saynt Gregory of a frere the whiche came vnto a relygyon more by necessyte thā by wyl vnto whome it was grefe whā men spake vnto hym of his helthe / he ne wolde do ne here the good / and to all goodnes flouthfull he was to do it Whan he was seke and at the dethe all his brethren came thyder / and as he laboured at the laste ende he cryed and sayd vnto his bredren Departe you / go you hēs for I am gyuen to a dragon for to deuour me / that whiche ne may englout me for your presence / my heed is now plunged in his mouthe / gyue hym place to swalowe me / and that he tourment me no more / and that he do that thynge that he sholde do Yf I be gyuen vnto hym for to be deuoured / wherfore shall I suffre to tary for you Than the bredren vnto hym sayd Broder what thinge is that / that thou spekest / make the token of the crosse He answered I wolde make it but I may not for the scales of this dragon Than his sayd brethren fell flatte vnto the erthe in orayson and wepynge for the ayde and delyueraunce of hym / by theyr prayers he was delyuered He thanked thē and correcked hymselfe / for he was no more slouthful but prompte and dylygent vnto all goodnesse / and after ended well his dayes / and yf he had not correcked hymselfe he had be dampned and put from paradyse ¶ Another example of a man that whiche was dampned for that he wolde do no good dede D. ¶ We fynde by wrytynge how a holy man beynge in deuocyon herde by the permyssyon dyuine the voyce of a soule the whiche cryed horrybly alas / alas / alas / and that sayd holy man hym demaunded what he was / he answered I am a soule dampned and he agayne demaūded / what hast thou doone wherfore thou arte dampned He answered for that / that I was slouthfull to doo good operacions / sayd not the good that I knewe / nor I yode not vnto the chyrche in time and place / and dyde not the good that I was holden to doo / and therfore I am dampned By this example men sholde vnderstande that it suffyseth not to declyne frome euyll for to be saued / but with that it behoueth to doo good dedes Vnde psalmista Declina a malo et fac bonum The sayd man was not dampned for the theftes / ne fornycacyons c. but for that that he loste the tyme of grace without doynge of good dedes / and without confessyng hȳ after his dethe he myght neuer confesse hym ne do good operacyons / for he hadde loste the tyme of grace / and also he was not in the place where he myght doo it Nichil preciosus tempore / sed heu hodie nichil vilius ¶ Another example of a preest the whiche taryed too mynyster the sacramentes vnto his parysshen the whiche departed deyed This example is wryten here before in the fyrst commaundement / quere .viii. c Dylygence is agaynst the synne of slouthe for good seruauntes sholde be prompt and dylygent to serue god and his sayntes in lykewyse as it is declared here before .xvi. A and they shall be praysed / and shall haue grete rewarde in lykewyse as it is wryten in the chapytre of sacrylege Quere in the .vi commaundement .xxx. C. A. ¶ Here foloweth the fourth commaundement of god the whiche treateth that we sholde loue our faders .xx. ¶ Faders and moders thou shalt honour And them socoure in necessyte To helpe thy neyghbour in euery houre Be thou dylygent in all equyte THis commaundement is wryten / Exo. xx ca. Math. xix Marc. vii Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam Honour thy fader and thy moder or euyll shall come vnto the / in lykewyse as it is comen vnto many Quere in thexam .lxx. b d. And it is wryten Math. xxii Et adroma xiii Diliges proximum tuum sicut teip̄m Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy self in lykewyse as it is wryten here before quere .ii. f. g. h. ¶ For to declare this commaundement it behoueth to se and knowe many thynges ¶ And fyrst B. ¶ Whiche ben the faders that we sholde honour .xx. VEnerare patris Honour thi faders Foure pryncypall faders there ben vnto whom honour is due That is to vnderstande Our fader creatour / he the whiche hath engendred vs / the fader spyrytuall / and the fader temporal ¶ The fader fyrst that we sholde honour is god
so deformed and replenysshed with woundes and sores of the sekenes elephantyne as he myght be / he wolde go in to his hospytall / but he ne myght soo moche do / he was so wery / and intended to go the way of the sayd Martyr monke And the man of god hadde pyte and compassyon of the sayd wery mesyll and thought to helpe and socoure hym in his nede / he toke his owne mantell and spredde it on the erthe and wrapped the sayd lepre in it and lyfte hym vpon his sholders and bare hym and whan he approched nygh to the gates of the sayd monastery the fader spyrytuall of the sayd monastery began to crye with an hygh voyce vnto his seruauÌ„tes Renne ye renne ye and open the gates of the chyrche for broder Martyr is comen the which bereth god on his sholdres And whan he aryued at the gate he the whiche he hadde thought to be a lepre lepte frome his backe in the fourme of our sauyour and redemptour Ihesu cryst the whiche was god and man mounted in to heuen before the sayd frere Martyr in saynge Martyr thou hast hadde no shame of me vpon the erthe / and I shall haue no shame in heuen of the. And whan the holy man was entred in to the chirche the fader of the monastery hym demauÌ„ded sayenge Broder Martyr where is he that thou barest ryght now He answered Yf I had knowen hym I sholde haue holden hym by the fete Than Martyr tolde the case / and sayd that as he bare hym he felte no weyght c. F. ¶ Another example how saynt Elyzabeth serued a mesyll foure dayes ¶ Men fynde in wrytynge that in an hospytall the whiche saynt Elyzabeth hadde do to be made there came a mesyll or lepre so foule / horryble and lothely to beholde that the chamberers and seruauntes of the sayd hospytall had horrour and ne wolde mynyster serue hym of suche necessytes as were requysyte And whan saynt Elyzabeth sawe that he was in suche wyse dyspised of other she came vnto hym for to mynyster his necessytees in all humylyte and dylygence She wasshed his heed / bathed him / and bare hym vpon her sholdres / and made hym to rest in her lappe / and she dyde hym this seruyce foure dayes and than the sayd seke man departed The fyfth day as saynt Elyzabeth was makinge her deuout oraysons our sauyour Ihesu cryst appered vnto her and sayd I am Ihesu cryst the sone of the vyrgyn Mary / vnto whome thou hast mynystred at suche dayes And for as moche as thou haste purueyed me in fourme of a lepre thou shall haue with me eternall lyfe and Ioye c. G. ¶ Another example of a seke body the whiche was vysyted of an aungell It is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that an ancyent man solytary was seke by the space of thyrty dayes the whiche hadde neuer a persone that hym vysyted / nor the whiche vnto hym dyde ony seruyce in his sekenesse the whiche he bare paciently And after the sayd .xxx. dayes god vnto hym sent an aungell the whiche vnto hym admynystred by seuen dayes his necessytees / for no persone hym vysyted And after that some freres remembred theym of the sayd man the whâ—â— sayd togyders Suche one our broder cometh no more forthe lete vs god vysyte hyÌ„ lest peraduenture he be seke / and they arose incontynent and wente towarde hym And whan they came to knocke at the dore the aungell of god departed from hym / and the sayd seke man began to crye with an hye voyce in the sayd hous Go hens bredren / goo hens / and in wepynge they yode and toke the dore of the hokes and entred vnto him / and than they demaunded hym wherfore he hadde in suche wyse cryed / he vnto them answered For I haue laboured by .xxx. dayes in sekenesse and noo maner of persone hath vysyted me / and here these seuen dayes god hath sent an aungell the whiche hath minystred vnto me my necessytees / and whan ye were comen vnto the dore he departed fro me And whan he hadde sayd these wordes he deyed / and all they praysed our lorde god c. ¶ Another example how many freres gaue a clustre of grapes vnto the moost weykest Quere in the examplarye .lxxv. A. ¶ Another example of a curate the whiche vysyted a ryche man at his dethe / and wolde not vesyte a poore woman wydowe the whiche deyed .cv. A. ¶ Another example of a curate the whiche taryed to longe or wente to mynyster the sacramentes to his parysshen the whiche deyed Quere before .viii. C. ¶ Another example how two men became lepres for that / that they hadde horroure and dyspysed lepres Quere in the examplarye lxxxiiij E. H. ¶ To bury the deed ¶ The deed bodyes that lye aboue the grounde Hauyng not wherof in erthe to be brought To bury them all crysten men ben bounde Specyally those that of theÌ„selfe haue nought IN scriptures we rede that the good man Thobye left his dyner and ranne for to haue the bodyes of them that hadde ben slayne and by nyght entered buryed them agaynst the wyll of the kynge / for he fered and loued more god than the kynge c. Also we rede Eccclesiastice .xliii. Corpora saÌ„ctorum in pace sepulta sunt / et viuent noiÌ„a eorum in eternum That is to say The bodyes of those that ben holy ben buryed in peas / and the names of them lyueth in perdurabylyte I. ¶ To counceyle and to conforte ¶ Confort them that ben confortlesse And counceyle them that no counceyle haue Of suche good dedes thou do not cesse Yf thou thynke thy soule to saue A Grete werke of mercy it is as too gyue good counceyle vnto those the whiche haue synned folyed / or gone out of the way or the whiche haue many doubtes and dyffycultees The wyse man sayeth that helthe shall be in the thynge where as ben many counceyles Vnde prouerbiorum .xi. .xxiiii. Salus erit vbi sunt multa consilia A man sholde take the counceyle of god and of the good men and not of the euyl Vnde thobie quarto Consilium semper a sapientie perquire The euyll people ne counceyleth but euyll and synne / therfore take not theyr counceyle Vnde ecclesiastice .xxxvii. A consiliario malo serua animam tuam ¶ Example / euyll came vnto Theophyle to take the counceyle of a sorcyer / for he made hym to renounce vnto god and vnto the vyrgyn Mary Quere .lviii. b Also euyll came vnto Amon the whiche defloured and had to do flesshely with his syster Thamar by the counceyle of Ionadab for he was slayne after Quere in thexamplary lxxxxi C. ¶ Another example how euyll came vnto the kynge Ochozyas for sendynge too seke counceyle at the deuyll / for he deyed myscheuously / and his messengers were brente with the fyre celestyall Quere in thexamplary ad numerum
in rekenyÌ„ge fyue or syxe sheuys of corne begyleth god of the halfe shefe / or agayne those the whiche paye nothynge of the newe fruytz eten in somer / as peres / ploÌ„mes / benes / pesen c.. It is writen eccle xxxv Bono animo redde gloriam deo et minuas primicias manuum tuaruÌ„ Yelde glorye vnto god by courage and mynysshe not the fyrst fruyte of the labours of thy handes The seconde is that a man sholde paye ioyousli without heuynes ne without hauing grutche therin agayne those vnto whome it semeth that they lese that that they gyue to the dysme / as yf they sholde caste it downe the water they offendeth gretely Audi scrypturas eccle xxxv In omni dato hylarem fac vultum tuum et in exultatione sanctifica decimas tuas Make thy vysage ioyous in euery gyfte / sanctyfye thy dysmes in exultacyon Et legitur ii ad co ix Hilarem enim datorem diligit deus / That is to saye that god loueth the gyuer ioyous ysodorus sayeth Qui cuÌ„ tristitia largitur remuneratioÌ„is noÌ„ ê‘cipit fructuÌ„ He the whiche gyueth enlargeth with heuines ne apperceyueth the fruyte of remuneracyon Also a man ne sholde let lese the dysmes nor the thynge that apperteyneth to god For it is wryten exo xiii Pruâ—â—◠〈◊〉 truguÌ„ tre tue deteres iÌ„ domuÌ„ dei tui 〈◊〉 fyrste cornes fruytes of the erthe y◠〈◊〉 bere them in to the house of thy lorde 〈◊〉 The thyrde condycyon that a man she 〈◊〉 haue for to paye wele his dysmes is that a man sholde paye of the best and not oâ— the worste / or that the whiche falleth vnto the tenth agayne those the whiche gyuen the corne eten troden or full of drake / or agayÌ„ those the whiche taketh for themselfe the good appelles and gyueth the yll / they offende gretely Audi scripturas Legitur numeri xviii OiÌ„a que aftertis ex decimis in donaria separabitis optima et electa erunt All those thynges the whiche ye offre in dismes and in gyftes ye shal depart the beste and they shall be chose agreables vnto god et legitur leui xxvii Quicqid decimum venerit sanctificabitur dnÌ„o noÌ„ elegitur bonuÌ„ nec maluÌ„ nec altero commutabitur Si quis mutauerit quod mutatum est et ê“ quo mutatuÌ„ est sanctifica domino Hec precepit dnÌ„s moysi What thynge so euer it be that cometh the tenth shall be sanctyfyed vnto the lorde / the good nor the yll be not chosen it shal not be chaunged in to another Yf ony chaunge it the thyÌ„ge the whiche is chaunged / and wherfore it is chaunged / santefye it vnto our lorde Our lorde hathe coÌ„mauÌ„ded these thynges here vnto moyse Et legitur eccle xxxv Noli afferre munera praua non enim suscipi et illa deus Offre thou not yll gyftes god ne shall take them Et legitur iuce .xi. Ve vobis phariseis qui decimatis mentam rutaÌ„ et oeÌ„ olus pÌ„teritis iuditiuÌ„ et caritateÌ„ dei Woo be to you pharysyens the whiche dysme the lytell yll herbes trespasse the charyte of god The fourth condycyon is that a man sholde paye without taryenge / nor to drawe backe tyll that a man be somoned / cyted or warned It is offence to tary to gyue vnto god that whiche apperteyneth vnto hym / or lende vnto hymselfe his dysmes tyll vnto another yere wtout spekyng vnto the curate It is wryten exodi xxii Decimas tuas pÌ„mitias noÌ„ tardabis of terre Thou sholdest not tary to offre thy dysmes / thy fyrst cornes fruyte C. ¶ We haue example in Cayn Abell of those that wele or yll paye theyr dysmes FroÌ„ the begynnynge of the worlde god coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto oure forne faders that they sholde paye the tenth of theyr fruytes And for as moche as they had not vnto whom to pay it god coÌ„maunded that they sholde brenne it that they sholde make smoke the whiche sholde mounte in to heuen for to do vnto god honoure sacryfyce by obedyence / in reknowlegynge that the sayd goodes cometh of god Cayn Abel that were Adams sones made it But Abels was good for he dysmed we le / and there his smoke mounted in to the heuen and pleased god Cayn was wycked dysmed ylle / wherfore his smoke yede downewarde towarde the erth it pleased not to god Also his lande fructefyed not wele in fruytes labours and bare thystylles / drake / and darnell / thornes c. And for asmoche as Abell was gode and obedyent loued of god / that his lande fructefyed wele and that al goodes came vnto hym / cayn had enuye vpon hyÌ„ and slewe hym was accursed Vnde ge iiii Respexit dnÌ„s ad abelle et ad munera eius ad cayn autem et ad munera eius noÌ„ respexit Sequitur Nunc maledictê° eris super terram cuÌ„ operatus fueris eam noÌ„ dabit fructus suos vagus et ê“fugus eris super terram God loked vpon Abell and vpon his gyftes / for he made them we le / And he loked not vpon Cayn / nor vpon his goodes / for he gaue of the worste / and god sayd vnto hym Thou shalte be nowe accursed aboue the erthe whan thou shalt laboure it ne shall gyue her fruyte Also ye be cursed in dysmes and fyrste cornes and fruytes ¶ For ye haue frauded me of my parte that I haue witholden for myselfe Vnde michee iii. In dicimis primitus vos maledicti estis c. Glosa Quia fran dastis me parte mea The gyftes of god for to paye wele the dysmes ¶ Those the whiche paye wele the dysmes haue pryncypally .iiii. gyftes of god The fyrst habouÌ„daunce of fruytes / laboures and worldly goodes as sayeth the scryptures in many places Vnde malachie .iii. Inferet omneÌ„ decimam in horeuÌ„ meum et sit cibus iÌ„ domo mea probate me super hoc dicit dnÌ„s si non aparuero vobis catharactas celi et effundero vobis benedictioneÌ„ vsque ad abuÌ„ dantiam et increpabo pro vobis deuorantem Glosa Vermen vel virium aeris sequitur et non corrumpet fructuÌ„ terre vestre nec erit sterilis vinea in agro dicit dominus That is to saye bere al dysme into my garnier that that is to ete in my house / prouue me of this thynge sayeth god Yf I open not to you the thynges of heuen and yf I shedde not benedyccyon tyl vnto haboundaunce And I shal blame for you the deuourynge worme and vice of the ayre And he shal not corrupte the fruyte of your lande And the vyne shall not be barayne in the felde sayeth our lorde Example of a lorde the whiche payed wele his dysmes his vyne bare of fruyte two tymes in one yere quere in the exemplayre .lxxxiii. b. Et legitur
leuitici .xxvi. Dabo vobis pluuias temporibus suis et terra gignet getmen suum / et pomis arbores / replebuntur et cetera I shall gyue you of raynes in theyr tymes and whan they haue nede sayeth our lorde Ihesu cryste And I shall make the erthe for to fructefye and engendre his buddes and his floures And also the trees shall be replenysshed with apples c Et legitur deuterono .xi. Dabit pluuias terre vestre temporinam et serotinam vel colligatis frumentum et vinum et oleum fenum ex agris ad pascenda iumenta / et vt ipsi comedatis et saturenimi Moyses sayd vnto the chyldren of Israhell c. God shall gyue raynes couenables in tyme vnto your lande / to th ende that ye gadre whete wyne oyle / haye from the feldes to pasture with your marys / to the ende that ye ete and be fedde Et legitur prouerbiorum .iii. Honora dnÌ„m de tua substantia de primiciis omniuÌ„ fruguÌ„ tuaruÌ„ da pauberi implebuntur horea tua saturitate et vino torcularia redundabunt That is to saye Honoure god of thy substaunce of the newes of all thy cornes and fruytes / gyue vnto the poore and thy graynes shal be fylled of haboundaunce / the pressers shall redounde of wyne E. ¶ Example in iob that whiche was true / obedyente / pacyent / and beloued of god / for he dysmed right faythfully Also after that he had be prouued god sent vnto him haboundaunce of al goodes It is wryten iob xlii that he posseded .xiiii. thousande shepe syx thousande camellys / two thousan couple of oxen / a thousande of asses c. Also Ioachin saynt Anne that payed well theyr dysmes departed theyr goodes in thre partyes / habouÌ„ded in goodes as it is wryten in the legende of saynt Anne and vnto the contrary Those that paye yll theyr dysmes ben punysshed by maledyccyon of famyne and pouerte / as it is sayd of cayn Legitur deutero xii Cauete ne forte de cipiatur cor vestruÌ„ recedatis a dnÌ„o c. Sequitur iratusque dnÌ„s claudat celuÌ„ et pluuie noÌ„ descendaÌ„t nec tra det germenÌ„ suuÌ„ pereatisque velocit de tra optima c. Beware leste parauenture your herte be dysteyned / that ye departe not from god that he be not wrothe close the heuen / that the raynes dyscende not / that the erth ne gyue his sede / and that ye perysshe not hastely from the lande ryght good beste for the defaute to dysme wele to obeye vnto god The seconde good that those haue the whiche we le paye theyr dysmes / is helthe of body / wherof speketh saynt Austyn saynge Si decimaÌ„ bene dederis non soluÌ„ abondaÌ„tiaÌ„ fructuuÌ„ sed etiaÌ„ sanitatem corporis ê¯sequeris Yf thou haue wele payed thy dysme thou shalte not alonely haue haboundauÌ„ce of fruytes / but with that helth of body Also whan thou haste done an almesdede / helth the more sooner shall come to the. Vnde ysaie lviii CuÌ„ feceris elunosinaÌ„ sanitas tua citius orietur And vnto the contrary those that yll dysmeth god vnto them sendeth sekenesse / as of the goute / of the heed / of the stomacke / of the axes c. The thyrde gyfte that those haue that paye wele theyr dysmes / is that god vnto them pardonneth theyr synnes after true confessyon Legitur prouer x. Vniuersa delicta operuit caritas Charyte couereth all synnes Et legitur .i. petri iiii AnteoiÌ„a inutuaÌ„ in vobismeipsis caritateÌ„ continuaÌ„ habentes qia caritas cooperit multitudineÌ„ peccatoruÌ„ The .iiii. gyfte is to possede the realme of paradyse the grete godes and ioyes that there ben Of these two last gyftes speketh saynt Austyn sayeth Qui primuÌ„ desiderat habere aut peccatoruÌ„ indulgentiaÌ„ ê“mereri decimam et de nouem ê‘tibus claÌ„ dare studeat pauperibus q i vero non dat punitur iÌ„ oppositis He the whiche desyreth to haue rewarde or to deserue to haue pardon of his synnes paye hys dysme and studye to gyue vnto the poore of the nynthe partyes of thy goodes that with hym abydeth And those that gyue not as it is sayd / god punyssheth them by the opposyte That those whiche wyl not pay well theyr dysmes haue not haboundauÌ„ce of goods / helthe of body / ne remyssyon of theyr synnes And also they ne shall possede paradyse yf they deye impenytentes after the remedye that vnto it apperteyneth Many examples of those the whiche paye wele theyr dysmes shall be founde in the exemplayre Quere lxxxiii a. A. ¶ Of vsurye the whiche god defendethe Ca. xxxii IT is wryten in the .xxv. chapitre of the boke of leuytes PecuniaÌ„ tuaÌ„ noÌ„ dabis ad vsuraÌ„ / frugum suê‘habuÌ„dantiaÌ„ noÌ„ exiges ego do minê° vester Our lorde made tel to the chyldren of Israhel by his seruaunt Moyses Thou shalt not gyue thy money vnto vsurye / thou shalt not axe superhabouÌ„dauÌ„ce of cornes c. For to vnderstonde wele the mater of vsurye / a man shold knowe that vsurye is somtyme manyfest somtyme hydde / wrapped / dyuers contractz that is defended by this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t For god wyll not that a man sell the tyme that he hathe gyuen in coÌ„munalte That is to saye the whan a man lendeth ony thynge god defendeth that he take ought ouer for dylacyon of tyme. For in suche manere a man selleth the tyme / wherfore he is an vsurer For without labourynge they wyll haue prouffyte / whiche is agayne the wyll of god as he sayed by his prophete Dauyd Labores manuuÌ„ tuaruÌ„ qia maÌ„ducabis Thou shalte laboure with thy handes / for thou shalt ete Syth it is true that god defendeth vsurye the scrypture speketh in many places Fyrste it is wryten deute .xxiii. Non feueraberis fratri tuo ad vsuraÌ„ pecuniaÌ„ ne fruges nec quaÌ„libet aliaÌ„ reÌ„ Thou shalte not lende vnto thy broder money to vsurye / ne of cornes / ne of ony other thynge And it foloweth in the sayd chapytre / Fratri auÌ„t tuo absque vsura id quod indiget coÌ„modabis vt benedicat tibi dnÌ„s deus tuus in oiÌ„ tempore c. Thou shalte lende vnto thy broder wtout vsurye that thynge wherof he hathe nede / to th ende that thy lorde god blysse the in all tymes God wyll that men lende eche other by charyte / not for hope of ony gayne or retrybucyon Vsury manyfest is whan a man lendeth corne / wyne / golde or syluer pryÌ„cypally for to haue ony prouffyte exprest by the partyes or alonely in hope Canon dicit ê™ vsura est vbi ampliê° requiritur quaÌ„ datur quicqid illius sit sed si non recipit speÌ„ habeat recipiendi vsura est The droit canon sayeth Vsurye is whan a man demauÌ„deth more thaÌ„ a man ne gyueth what
fouler Vnde psamista Anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium / laqueus contritus est et nos liberati sumus G. ¶ Syxtely Inobedyence noyeth for it sleeth the soule spyrytually of the dethe of gylte xliii QVi odit fratrum suum homicida est Primo Iohannis iii. capitu He the whiche synneth mortally is he the whiche hath his broder or his neyghbour in desyryÌ„ge the euyll of his body or of his goodes he synneth mortally and sleeth spyritually his owne soule of dethe of gylte For he separateth god the whiche is the lyfe of the soule / and mortifyeth grace and the vertues and the good esperytuall of hym / in lykewyse as it is declared in the fyfthe commaundement Non sis occisor And also in the synne of hatred Quere xxvii C. H. ¶ Seuenthly inobedyence noyeth / for it maketh to curse and to excommunicate the persones the whiche dysobey vnto the commaundementes of god xliiii VE vobis viri impii qui dereliqistis legem dei altissimi / si mortui fueritis in maledictione erit pars vestra Ecclesiastice xli That is to say O ye meÌ„ ryght cursed the whiche haue left the ryght hygh god / maledyccion be vnto you / that shall haue ben deed your partye shall be maledyccion c. This mater shal be declared here after Quere xlviii B. I. ¶ Eyghtly inobedieÌ„ce noyeth / for it pryueth from paradyse xliiii SI vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandara Mathei xix Yf thou wylte entre in to the lyfe eternall kepe thou the commauÌ„demeÌ„ts of god Yf thou breke one or many by deâ—ectacyon and delyberacyon that thou in suche wyse deye impenytent thou shalt be put from paradyse / from the vysyon of god / from the swete amyte felawshyp of aungels / from all sayntes / from all heuenly thinges spyrytualles from on hye as shall be herde here after by scryptures / reasons / lettynges / examples Fyrst god hathe made to crye and to proclayme all about the worlde that all his commaundementes to kepe vpon payne to be put from paradise VnÌ„ psal Tu mandasti maÌ„data tua custoditi nimis And that the thynges the whiche procedeth from his mouthe shal be accomplysshed wtout that there lacke ony thynge / wtout tryfle or mockery VnÌ„ psal Que ê“ceduÌ„t de labus meis noÌ„ faciaÌ„ irrita Whan a kynge temporall maketh too proclayme or to shewe his sayenge or commauÌ„dement echone therto obeyeth for drede of payne and domage And god the whiche is kynge of heuen of erthe commaundeth that that thou kepe his commaundementes in lykewyse as sayth the scryptures VnÌ„ leuiti xix xx xxv Custodite oiÌ„a precepta mea et vniuersa iudicia mea facite ea / ego dominê° qui sctiÌ„tico vos Et legitur deuturono xiii DnÌ„m deuÌ„ vrÌ„m seqiminiet ipÌ„m timete / et mandata illiê° custodite / audite voceÌ„ eius ipsi seruietis et ipÌ„i adherebitê Iterum deu vâ— Custodi precepta dnÌ„i dei tui / vt vn sit tibi et tiliis tuis post te Kepe the commaundementes of thy lorde god to th ende that thou be well to the and to thy chyldren after the. Yf a seruaunt dysobey vnto his mayster and that he be of cursed gouernauÌ„ce he putteth hym oute of his hous In lykewyse dooth god / he putteth from paradyse them the whi dysobeyeth his commaundementes Also a kynge temporall for banyssheth frome his realme them the whiche dysobeyeth vnto his commaundements / so dooth god from the realme of paradyse Also for the cryme and synne of some man he is hanged and loseth his lyfe / his goodes herytages that beÌ„ coÌ„fysked at the prynces wyll Also by synne man is pryued fro paradyse ¶ Example that in Cayn that slewe his broder Abellis pryued fro heuen for he brake gods coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t NoÌ„ sis occisor lxxvi a. After writyÌ„ge synÌ„es mortelles and all inobedyences done ayeÌ„st god putteth man woman fro paradyse Or legitur iob xxxvi Deus noÌ„ soluat implos Et legitur ysaie xxvi Tolatur impius ne videat gloriam dei Et psal Non habitabit iuxta te malignus neque permanebat iniusti anÌ„ oculos tuos Thou art in mortall synne vnobedyent vnto god I put the case than it foloweth that thou shalte be put from paradyse yf thou deye in suche wyse Impenitent Also those the whiche renneth in the indygnacyon in the hatred of god for theyr cursed lyfe shall be put from paradyse yf that they deye without makynge appoyntemet Man and woman renneth in his hate and Indygnacyon by inobedyence and mortal synne as sayth the scryptures VnÌ„ psal Odisti omnes qui operaÌ„tur iniquitateÌ„ Et eccle xii Altissimus odio habet peccatores Et sapien xiiii Odio sunt deo impius et impietas eius Than it foloweth wel that man woman shall be put from paradyse yf they remedy not vnto theyr case before theyr dethe Also paradyse is a place pure and clene and therin entreth nothynge that is soyled by synne As it is wryten appocali xxi NoÌ„ intrabit iÌ„ regnuÌ„ celorum aliquid coinquina tum faciens abhominationeÌ„ et mendatiuÌ„ Thou arte soyled and spotted with sinne I put the case for thou hast coÌ„mytted it ThaÌ„ shalte thou not go in to paradyse The solucyon of all the layd argument is suche / that it is true that all mortall synnes that man coÌ„mytteth putteth hym from paradyse yf he wyll not do penaunce / in lykewyse as it is writen Luce. xiii Nisi penitentiaÌ„ egeritis oeÌ„s simul peribitis But yf he repent hym / correcke / and ameÌ„de whyles that he lyueth in this worlde and that he do penaunce he shall be saued and shall go in to paradyse As it is wryten ysaie lv Derelinquat impius viam suam vir iniquis cogitationes suas et reuertatur ad dominum et miserebitur eiê° c. ¶ Example after that Adam and Eue had biten of the apple and broken the commaundement of god they were put out of paradyse terrestre and pryued from paradyse celestyal / they and theyr lygnage tyll vnto the tyme that the sone of god agayn bought by his passyon the sayd Adam the whiche dyde penaunce / and all those the whiche had well lyued Of the inobedyence of Adam quere liiii A. Fyue thyÌ„ges letteth to mounte in to paradyse The fyrst is for that / that a man is in the Indygnacyon of god by mortall synne The seconde is for that that the synne mortall is a lyne the whiche holdeth the persone that it commytteth as it is sayd here before The thyrde is for that that mortal synne maketh the soule seke deed of the dethe of gylte as it is sayd / and a persone seke may not clymbe hye ne go at his pleasure c. The fourth thinge the whiche letteth to mounte in to paradyse is for that that the mortall
ende that the symple people the whiche knowe no laten them may vnderstonde And yf ony saye that there are of examples the whiche ne ben holy scryptures I confesse it wele But I saye that they ben vysyons or myracles that some persones credybles hathe sene ryally / or knowen by experyence the whiche hath be put in wrytynge For asmoche as they haue consonance to approue the holy scryptures c. And for that that many examples ben put in the booke of the dyscyple it is not for to alegge it as holy personne / or holy scrypture / but for that / that it was a greate clerke the whiche founde the sayd examples in bookes the whiche we haue not studyed c. ¶ Obedientia A. ¶ Examples of those the whiche hathe obeyed to the wyll of god and of theyr superyours And fyrst example how AbrahaÌ„ was obedyent vnto god Ca. li. IT is wryten in the .xvii. chapytre of gene how Abraham was obedyent vnto god whan he hyÌ„ commaunded the cyrcumsycion the whiche was a thynge moche harde and cruell Also he was obedyente whan god sayd vnto hym that he shold leue his frendes and his countree Egredere deterra tua et de cognatione tua c For his obedyence god appered vnto him in an euenynge and sayd vnto hym It is I that hathe made the heuen and the erthe c. I am appered vnto the for that / that thou dredest my name And therfore I shall gyue the benedyccyon and vnto thy lynce Agayne god sayd vnto hym Beholde the erthe on the one syde and on the other I shall gyue the all the countrees that thou beholdest vnto the and vnto thy lygnee / More ouer god said vnto hym Beholde the sterres of the skye nombre them Than Abraham sayd that there were soo many that he ne myght nombre them And god sayd vnto hym In lyke wyse shall be thy sede vpon the erthe Of the and of thy wyfe shall come forthe a sone the whiche shal haue my benedyccyon and those of his lygnee Abraham and his wyfe Sarra were auncyent / that wende lytell to haue had lygnee bycause of theyr aege After that the said Abraham hadde a sone named ysaac the whiche he loued so moche that he nese hym halfe / for that that he had but hym legytyme / and for that that he had hym in his aege Also for that that god vnto hym hadde promysed benedyccyon More ouer for that that he was of greate beaute and full of bouÌ„te Also it is wryten in the .xvii. chapytre of genese how god wolde assaye Abraham and he appered vnto hym and sayd vnto hym Abraham thou ne mayste haue no mo chyldren I haue gyuen the one the whiche thou louest moche I wyll that thou go in to a mouÌ„tayne that I shall shewe the and that thou make vnto me sacrefyce of thy sone The manere to make sacrefyce in that tyme there was that they had a lambe or a gote and dyde cut his throte and brente hym / the whiche thynge was coÌ„maunded vnto Abraham Than Abraham wolde obeye vnto god albeit that in his herte he was ryght pyteous to slee his sone for the loue that he hadde vnto hym And he toke hym and his asse and two of his seruauntes and so yede vnto the sayd place that god vnto hym had coÌ„maunded How be it that they had the space of thre dayes Iourney to walke Whan they came vnto the fote of the sayd mountayne / the sayd Abraham lefte his asse and hys two seruauntes and yede he and his sone And toke a burden of wodde / a swerde of fyre And in goynge vp the sayd mountayne Ysaac demaunded of his fader where the sayd sacrefyce was He answered that god sholde prouyde And whan they were at the place Abraham sayd vnto his sone in wepynge that god hym hadde coÌ„maunded that he sholde make sacrefyce of hym Than the sone the whiche was good and benyngne answered in wyllynge to obeye vnto god and vnto his sayd fader ¶ My swete and amiable fader it is reason that I submytte me and obeye vnto you / and that the wyll of god be accomplysshed / Than they began for to wepÌ„e And Ysaac sayd vnto his fader Alas my fader wherfore had ye not tolde me / to th ende that I had sayd farewell my moder I pray you my fader that ye recoÌ„maunde me vnto her / And also I praye you that ye bynde me / for that that I am yonge and stronge and that ye be auncyent and feble / to th ende that whaÌ„ ye shall come for to sleeme that I ne doo vnto you thynge the whiche is not good / Than Abraham with grete teres bounde his handes And lefte hym on hye vppon the fagotte of byllettes / drewe his swerde for to stryke of his heed And whan he had lyfte vp his stroke for to stryke the aungell cryed and sayd Abraham / abraham stryke not thy chylde / nowe god knoweth that thou dredest him And Abraham cast his syghte asyde and sawe a lambe by hyÌ„ amonge the thornes the whiche was teyde by the hornes in the sayd thornes He thanked god with grete ioy c. And toke the sayd lambe and made sacrefice in steed of his sone / in lyke wyse as it is writen in gene .xxii. ca. This example oughte to moue vs for to obeye vnto god and vnto fader / and vnto moder Yf Abraham were obedyent vnto so cruell a coÌ„maundement as to slee his chylde / by more stronge reason we sholde obeye vnto thynges the whiche ben light to do c. Obedyence is certayne lyfe and waye for to go vnto lyfe eternell And also as Adam was forclosed from the realme of paradyse by inobence In lyke wyse Abraham hathe had beatytude and lyfe eternell by obedyence Also obedyence is the laddre by the whiche men mouuÌ„t on hye in to paradyse / in lyke wyse as men maye se by fygure For it is wryten howe Iacob sawe in his slepe a laddre the whiche touched the heuen with the one ende / by the whiche the aungelles ascended and dyscended Ihesus was there intremedled Vnde gene .xxviii. Iacob vâ—dit in soÌ„nis scalam stantem super terram atm cacumen illius tangens celum angelos quo que dei ascendentes et descendentes per eaÌ„ et dominus innixum scale dicentem sibi ego sum deus Abraham c. This laddre is obedyence For withoute obeynge vnto the commaundementes of god a man ne maye mounte in to paradyse as sayeth the gospell Vnde mathei .xix. Si vis ad vitaÌ„ ingredi serua mandata That is to saye / Yt thou wylte entre in to lyfe eternell kepe the coÌ„maundementes of our lorde Ihesu cryste The staues of this laddre ben the ten commaundementes / vnto the whiche a man sholde obeye redely without dylacyon deuoutly without dysdeyne / wyllyngly without contradyccyon / ioyously without heuynes / vertuously without
feblenes ne weykenes / perseuerauntly withoute ceasynge ne ennoye Also obedyence is the keye the whiche openeth paradise / and inobedience is that that shytteth it Saynt poule sayeth of those the whiche ne wyll obeye Illud ad thessal .iii. Si quis non obedierit verbo nostro per epistolam hunc notate et ne commiseamini cum eo vt confundatur That is to say Yf there be ony that wyll not obeye vnto our worde by epystyll note ye hym / and acompany ye not with hym / to the ende that he be confounded / For to be shorte / obedyence is requysyte of necessyte of helthe And therfore it is in suche wyse dyffynyed after mayster Hyonde foliot Obedientia est salus omnium fidelium genitrix omnium virtutum inueÌ„trix regni celorum virtus celos aperiens et hominem in de eleuans cohabitatrix angelorum cibus omnium sanctorum ex hac enim letati sunt et per hanc ad perfectionem venerunt The whiche is as moche for to saye Obedyence is the helthe of all those that be faythfull / the engendresse of all vertues / the fynderesse of the realme of heuens / the vertue openynge the heuens lyftynge vp man from the erthe / the dweller or nere enhabytaunt of aungelles / the vyande of all sayntes / by her they ben gyuen souke / and by her they ben come vnto perfeccyon Without obedyence noo man maye haue saluacion nor escape dampnacyon And therfore yf thou wylte haue of good not to haue none ylle / it behoueth that thou be obedient vnto the coÌ„maundementes of god and of the superyoures in thynges the whiche ben after god good maneres as was Abraham and as hathe be the sayntes of paradyse B. ¶ Another example of a monke the whiche caste his sone in to a brennynge ouen by obedyence / yet was he not brende li. IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders how a seculer man renounced the worlde and made hym a monke And afterwarde by leue he yede to seche a lytell sone that he had lefte in a cyte / and bare hym vnto the monastery And the abbot toke hym betwene his armes and kyssed hym After sayd vnto his fader Louest thou this childe he answered ye After the abbot demauÌ„ded loueste thou hym And the fader yet answered hym ye After the abbot sayd vnto hyÌ„ Yf thou loue hym take hym and caste him in to this brennynge fyre At the houre they were at the ouen where men make brede and the ouen was enbrased with fyre / and the fader caste hym within the ouen And incontynent the sayd ouen was in lyke wyse as it hadde be roused with water and the fyre ne dyde no hurte vnto the chylde In that dede he gate glorye in that tyme / as dyde Abraham the pÌ„atryarke by the grete fayth that he hadde in god and obedyence vnto his abbot C. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of Noe. li. IT is wryten the .vii. chapytre of genese that Noe was obedyent vnto god in all thynges that he hym commaunded Facit noe omnia que mandauerat ei dnÌ„s And for that that he was a good man Iuste and obedyent he ne was taken in the deluge with the ylle For god hym coÌ„maunded that he sholde make an arche in the whiche he sholde entre hymself / his wyfe / his thre sones / and theyr wyues And they were saued and preserued from the grete haboundaunce of waters the whiche drowned al the worlde D. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of Ioseph li. YT is wryten in the .xxxvii. chapytre of genese how Ioyeth was prepared to obeye vnto his fader whan he wolde sende hym vnto his brederne the whiche kest him in to an olde cysterne and solde hym vnto straunge people In the ende and conclusyon for that that he was a good man Iuste and chaste not wyllynge to coÌ„mytte lecherye with the wyfe of Pharaon the whiche requyred hym and that he was obedyent vnto god and vnto his sayd fader he had domynacion aboue his brederne Albeit that he was the yongest E. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of yonge Thobie li. IT is writen in the .v. chapitre of the boke of Thobye that after that the yonge Thobye had be we le instructe of his fader that he ne sholde coÌ„mytte mortall synne / that in his lyfe he sholde do many almesdedes and good operacyons / more ouer that he hym had coÌ„maunded that he sholde go in to a place ferre from his worldly besynesses The good chylde answerde illud thobie v.c. OiÌ„a quecuÌ„que precepisti pater faciam That is to saye fader I shall do all thynges that thou coÌ„maundest me By his obedyence the auÌ„gell was assocyate with hym / and ledde hym vnto the place where his fader had sente hym after broughte hym agayne withoute hauynge ony ylle A. ¶ Another example of matathias lii IT is wryten in the .ii. cha of the fyrst of Machabees that a man of the lygnee of Israhell named Matathias was so obedyent vnto god in kepynge the lawe of his faders that the messagers of the kynge of Anthyoche ne myghte make hym to do sacrefyce vnto the ydolles to leue hys lawe Vnto the whiche messengers he answered Et si oeÌ„s geÌ„res regi anthioco obediuÌ„t discedaÌ„t vnusqsque a seruitute legis patruÌ„ suoruÌ„ coÌ„sentiaÌ„t maÌ„datis eius ego et filii mei fratres met obediemê° legi patruÌ„ nostroruÌ„ That is to saye yf the people of Anthyoche leue the lawe of theyr faders to obey vnto the kynge / yet I my sones my brederne shall obeye vnto the lawe of our faders This matathias was so wrothe to se the people erre goo agaynst the lawe of god that he slewe the messenger of the kyng of Anthyoche as he constrayned the people to do sacrefyce / dyde caste horrybly a Iewe vpon the aulter as he sacryfyced Afterwarde dystroyed the ydoles and fledde he and his chyldren in to the mountaynes called with them all those that had zele of the lawe persecuted the synners / This matathias the whiche loued god obeyed vnto his coÌ„maundemente more soner than vnto the coÌ„maundement of a teÌ„porall kynge he is to looue / to prayse / and to loue For a man sholde kepe the lawe the coÌ„maundementes of god as it is sayd and to persecute the synnes / and those the whiche them commytte B. ¶ Another example of the obedyence of our lorde Ihesus and of his appostylles Capitulo lii IT is wryten in the .ii. chapitre of the gospelles of saynt luke that our lorde Ihesus was cyrcumcysed wolde be presented in the temple with oblacyons in shewynge that he wolde obeye vnto the lawe / And whan he had .xxii. yeres it is wryten that he was submytte obeyssaunt vnto the parentes VnÌ„luce .ii. Erat subditis illis Also it is wryten that he was obedyente vnto god tyl vnto the dethe for
/ as the curates the whiche haue parysshynges He answered ryght fewe shall be saued For they walke in the large waye the whiche ledeth vnto helle And shewe euyl examples vnto theyr subgectes they be so moche habandoned in couetyse that they care not of soules so that they haue the godes of theyr subgectes And enioyneth that is yet more peryllous / that / that they sholde conuerte vnto the vsage of the poores / they dyspende it with vyle persones Whan he hadde spoken these wordes he departed / These curates and those the whiche haue cure of soules sholde wele note this example For grete rewarde foloweth vnto those the whiche we le shewe vnto theyr paroyssyeÌ„s And also dampnacyon vnto those the whiche vse yll of the offyce and charges that they haue c. H. ¶ Another example how the deuyll ne myght strangle a knyght / for that / that he salued the vyrgyn Marye euery daye / for the good wyll that he had to here a predycacyon he was saued lvi THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye this the whiche foloweth / the whiche is also wryten in other bookes and sayeth That there was a knyght lorde of a castell whoo had vnder hym many tyrauntes And this sayd knyght dyspoylled all the goers by withoute mercye / but he had of custome that euery daye he salued the vyrgyn Marye And one day there passed therby an holy monke that the said knyght coÌ„maunded he were dyspoyled / the holy man prayed the pyllers that they wolde brynge hym vnto theyr mayster that he had a secrete thynge to tell to hym whan he was ledde he prayed the lorde that he wolde make al his seruauntes to come forthe to the ende that they sholde here a predycacion And he commaunded that they sholde come al. Whan it was done he said They ne ben all here there wanteth one some sayd the chamberer defayleth / he was made to come The holy man sayd It is this here that I demaunded And he said vnto hym I the adiure and coÌ„maunde that in the name of the fader / of the sone / and of the holy ghost that thou tell what thou arte / and wherfore thou arte heder come He answered Alas I am constrayned to declare my secrete I am not a man but a deuyll / and I haue dwelled with this knyghte .xiiii. yeres / for our prynce sent me hether for to loke the daye that this vnhappy sayd not the salutacyon accustomed to the ende that I sholde strangle hym For I haue the puyssauÌ„ce of god for the synnes that he hathe coÌ„myted / to the ende that he were our compaygnon in helle / whan the knyghte herde these wordes he was abasshed And he fell prostrate at the fete of the sayd monke / requyred hym pardon And amended his lyfe in to better It is a grete thynge to here a predycacyon and to serue the vyrgyn Marye And in lyke wyse as the deuyll of helle fleeth / and renneth from the predycacyon / bycause that he wolde not fynde hymself there / denote that those that flee the sermons foloweth the deuyll of hell And as now there are many of his party the whiche ne wyll here predycacyon I. ¶ Another example how men shal forgete the coÌ„maundementes of god in the laste or latter generacyon IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that one tyme the holy faders asseÌ„bled them togyder prophetyzed of the last generacyon Amongest whome one pryncypall named querimus sayd We accomplysshe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god And these other faders shall aske it in demaundynge And those that shall come after vs what shall they do He answered and said vnto them They shal accomplysshe parauenture the halfe of the coÌ„maundements and shall requyre the good eternell And the faders demaunded after these people where shal become these other In answerynge he sayd The men of that generacyon shall not haue the operacyon of that / that god wylleth that be do And they shal forgete the coÌ„maundementes of god Also in that tyme synne aboue shall habounde / charyte shall were colde / and grete temptacyon shall come vpon them / but those the whiche shal be in bounte proued they shal be better / more blyssed proued than we and or our faders K. ¶ Another example of a ryche man the whiche serued the deuyll .xl. yere And in a sâ—â—mon repented hym LEgitur in dyalogo cesarii It is wryten that a ryche man puyssaunt full of vyces cursydnesses was in suche estate .xl. yeres And afterwarde repented hym in a sermon / confessed hym / chauÌ„ged his lyfe / entred in to relygyon / prouffyted so gretely that he was in the grace of god / that he made reuelacyon of the houre of his dethe And whan he was seke he sayd vnto his frendes that he sholde deye the thyrde daye so he dyde c. By these examples beforsayd it appereth that all godenes / all saluacyon / benedyccyon procedeth to here to kepe the worde of god / therfore it is wryten in the gospell luce xi Beati q audiuÌ„t vbuÌ„ dei custodiuÌ„t illd ¶ Primum preceptum Idolotria ¶ Example vpon the fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„demente of god NoÌ„ adorabis deos alienos fyrst A. ¶ Another example of a preest prynce of the ydoles of the people that brente in the fyre of helle / and how these without byleue shall be founde there WE fynde in the lyfe of faders that a good abbot named machaire fouÌ„de in his waye in the deserte a hede drye of a man deed / whome he coÌ„iured demaunded hym what he was / he answered I am the prynce of the prestes of Ydoles of the people the enhabyted in thys place here And the abbot asked hym of the payne that he endured / in wayllyng on hye he said QuaÌ„tuÌ„ distat celuÌ„ a tra taÌ„tuÌ„ ignis altê° eÌ„ iÌ„ quo medio positi sumê° That is to saye / that of asmoche as there is of dystauÌ„ce from heuen vnto erthe of asmoche is the fyre of hell grete in the myddest wherof we ben put whan the holy Machayre herd this worde he began to wepe saye Ve hoiÌ„ il li q maÌ„data dei traÌ„sgressê° eÌ„ Malediccion is vnto that man the whiche hathe transgressed the coÌ„maundementes of god And he asked him agayne yf there were more grete payne / he answerde yes And that the iewes were more strongly brent tormented / lower than they / for that that they had gretter knowlege of god of the faith than they haue had And after sayd that yll cristen men women the whiche lyue in syÌ„ne mortall ben yet more bas brent tormented / For as moche that of certayn scyence they offende god had more grete knowlege of hym of the fayth than the Iewes paynemes the whiche offended by ygnoraunce enfermete vnstedfastnes And therfore they ben in the botome of helle
clerke was delyuered and a thefe conuerted hym Cxii IT is writen in the promptuary of the dyscyple that there was a clerke lecherous and vycyous the whiche as he wolde go to commyt his synne it befell that as he passed by a forest wherin there was hydde a thefe the whiche spared no persone but that he slewe hyÌ„ or dyspoyled him And whan the sayd thefe herde hym passe he sayd What arte thou that passest here by The clerke answered I am the poore seruaunt of Ihesu cryst for drede that he ne knewe what to answere Than the sayd thefe sayd I demaunde the what thou arte The clerke answered I am the indygne seruaunt of Ihesu cryst The thefe demaunded hym thyrdly / what arte thou And the clerke sayd agayne I am the vnprouffytable seruaunt of Ihesu cryst And the thefe thought vnto hym selfe / of whome arte thou seruaunte / and he sayd vnto the clerke For the loue of Ihesus goo thou in peas And the thefe in mummelynge sayd vnto hymselfe Ihesus Ihesus Ihesus And by the vertue power of the holy name Ihesus the thefe was conuerted And after that he neuer commytted theft ne homycyde In the mornynge he yode to confessyon and sayd that for heryng the name Ihesus he was conuerted / and the clerke in the namynge of Ihesus was preserued The whiche sayd blyssed be the name of Ihesus / for by the name of hym I shall absteyne me from synne F. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple how a relygyous was heled of the feuers by the vertue of the name Ihesus Cxii MEn fynde by wrytinge this that whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in the boke of his promptuary and sayeth that a frere mynour had herde many myracles of the name of Ihesus And as this sayd relygyous was tourmented of the euyll of feuers he wrote this name Ihesus within the water after dranke it incontynent the feuer left hym This thyng happened in Irlonde G. ¶ Another example how by the name of Ihesus a woman pardoned vnto her ennemyes Cxii IT is wryten in the boke of gyftes that a woman ne myght be apeased And her husbaÌ„de wrote in her forhede the name of Ihesus / in contynent she forgaue all H. ¶ Another example the one wolde not pardon for the loue of Ihesus Cxii THe dyscyple reciteth in his promptuary that there was a maÌ„ obstynate vnto whome men sayd on a tyme. Pardon thy rancoures / enmytees for the loue of Iesus He answered Neyther for god ne for the deuyll I ne may pardon them though that I sholde entre in to helle perpetually And a frere approched vnto hym with deuocion and wrote in his forhede with his fynger Ihesus nazarenus / and incontynent the synner began to wepe sayd For the loue of Ihesus I pardon all I. ¶ Another example how the temptacioÌ„ of the deuyll was taken away with the token of the crosse / in â—amynge the blyssed Ihesus Cix THe dyscyple recyteth in his sermons this the whiche foloweth the whiche is also wryten in other bokes sayth that the deuyll tempted a man his wyfe so terrybly that they wolde hange themself to th ende that they sholde euade the miseryes of this worlde And as they were heuy of theyr temptacyons of the deuyll that they ne myght slepe ne ete the one demaunded of the other the causes of theyr heuynesses And they sayd eche to other that they wolde hange theÌ„selfe And after that they appoynted theyr cordes for to hange them the woman counceyled her husbonde that they sholde drynke of good wyne that they had before theyr dethe to th ende that they myght deye the easelyer And so they agreed / as they wolde drynke made the sygne of the crosse in the name of Ihesus The deuyll fledde the temptacyons were taken awaye After contrycyon they dyde penaunce / and well they ended theyr dayes K ¶ Another example that in namynge the name of Ihesus the deuyll is repelled his temptacyons persuacions taken a way Cxii MEn fynde by wrytynge that the deuyll tempted often tymes a man the whiche by the counceyle of sages yode in orayson cal ed the name of Ihesus as soone as had perceyued the temptacion and sayd O swete Ihesu haue mercy on me helpe me forthwith the deuyll departed the temptacyon left hym L. ¶ Another example of a noble man the whiche pardoned the homycyde of his broder And the crucyfyx enclyned his heed in the chyrche Cxii THe dyscyple recyteth in his boke that it is wryten that a man slewe the broder of a noble man afterwarde fledde and left the countre And it befell that as the noble man yode through the countree with grete company of people wtout thynkynge on the sayd dede met in a felde the homycyde the whiche had slayne his broder He drewe his swerde hastely for to sle hym And the sayd homycyde fell prostrate vnto the erthe and cryed Right noble man haue mercy on me for the loue of Ihesus the whiche is pyteable hath redemed the worlde by his dethe Hastely the sayd noble man toke him to wepe and withdrewe his hande his swerde without strykynge hym And as he was reproued of his taryeng and foly of the people agayne he stretched out his hande for to smyte hym the whiche was prostrate / and the culpable demaunded pardon and remissyon of his mysdede in the name of Ihesus And secondly he withdrewe his handes Thyrdly he was blamed of his people for that he had not slayne hym And the vnhappy dredynge that dethe humbly requyred pardon agayne And the noble man of warre nobler of herte sayd I pardon the the dethe of my brodeâ— And without tarienge he herde rynge to a masse that day entred in to the chyrche And the tymes he bowed his knees before the crucyfyxe And an holy man that was in the chyrche sawe that the crucyfyxe enclyned the heed humbly at euery of the sayd times that the sayd noble man bowed the knees ThaÌ„ he that had seen alonely the sayd thinge called drewe asyde the sayd noble man and demaunded him what he was I am borne in the londe / and sayd a noble knyght And the holy man sayd Dere frende hyde thou nothynge fro me Wherin trustest thou moost to haue deserued vnto the dyuyne mercy Than the knyght sayd I am a synner and haue gyuen me to the worlde / and nothynge is aduysed in me but that suche a case happened me this day And he it vnto hym declared Also the holy man tolde vnto hym that that he had seen / exhorted hym to be pyteous / mercifull / and good Her Guillermê° dicit M. ¶ Another example how Ihesu cryst wolde not pardon one deed tyll that he had demaunded pardon of his broder that he had offended Cxii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that the prouyncyall of the prouyÌ„ce of Rome of the ordre of prechers admonested the treers that