/ neyther in praynge / ne in makynge the sygnâ— of the crosse And as they yode togider they met a poore man the whiche ledde a hogge in a bande And as the hogge tourned from one syde to another / that pore man was wrothe / cryed the deuyll take the. Whan the aduocate herde this worde he had hope to departe from hym by suche occasyon and sayd vnto the deuyll Frende here that hogge is gyuen vnto the / go take hym The deuyll answerde / he is not gyuen me with hert therfore I ne maye take hym And after they passed by another towne / as a chylde wepte his moder was at the doore wrothe / sayd the deuyll take the / wherfore tormentest thou me thus with thy wepynges Than the aduocate sayd here haste thou wonne a soule / take the chylde / for it is thin Vnto whome the deuyll answerde as before She hath not giuen it me with good herte And whan they began to approche vnto the place whether they yode Then the men of the towne se them ferre of they knewe not the cause / wherfore they yede all togyder with one voyce cryenge the deuyll take the. And sayd vnto the deuyll thou arte welcome Whan the deuyl had herde this / he shoke the heed / in mockyng said vnto the aduocate Those here hathe gyuen the vnto me with al theyr hertes and therfore art thou myne And the deuyl rauysshed hym in that hour / what became of hym no man can tell The langages that whiche were spoken / the thynges the whiche were done in the waye the seruaunt of the aduocate declareth that was with hym / By this example it appereth that cursed Iuges and aduocates deye cursedly / and that the gyftes salayres that they haue taken vniustely / hathe deceyued blyÌ„ded theyr soules Also the scrypture speketh it in many places Fyrste gyftes blynde the eyes of the wyse people that whiche haue iustice to gouerne For they ne se drope in the good iuste cause of those the whiche ne gyue nothyng And loke ryght clere in the cause of those the whiche hathe made them ony gyfte Also the gyftes peruerteth the wordes of the iustyces as sayeth moyses / deuterono .xvi. Ne acciptas munera nec personaÌ„ quia munera execant oculos sapientuÌ„ et mutaÌ„t verba iustoruÌ„ And he sayeth in the boke of exode Exodi xxiii Aduersê° impiuÌ„ ne accipias munera qÌ„ execaÌ„t etiaÌ„ prudeÌ„tes et subuerteÌ„t verba iustorum Also the gyftes put outethe eyes of the Iuges / theym make dombe / take awaye correccyon as sayeth the wyse Eccle. xx Dona execaÌ„toculos iudicuÌ„ quasi iuÌ„ctê° in ore aduertit correctioneÌ„ eoruÌ„ Et gregorius dicit Non potest constaÌ„ter argui a quo accipitur Also the giftes make malediccyon to come vnto those the whiche for gyftes iustefye the yl / make theyr yll causes good / take awaye iustyce from the iuste and theyr good causes make yll VnÌ„ ysay v. Ve q i iustificatis impiuÌ„ ê“ muneribus et iusticiaÌ„ iusti aufertis ab eo IteruÌ„ in eodem capitulo Ve qui dicitis bonuÌ„ malum et masuÌ„ bonum ponentes amaruÌ„ in dulce dulce iÌ„ amaruÌ„ Et deutero .xxvii. Maledictus qui ê‘uertit iuditiuÌ„ aduene pupil li et vidue et dicet omnis populus amen He is acursed the whiche peruerteth the iugement of the man straunge / of the orphelyn / and of the wedowe And all the people shall saye amen / that is so be it IteruÌ„ deuterono .xvii. Maledictus qui accipit munera vt ê‘eutiat aiÌ„am sanguinis innocentis dicitomnis populus amen He is acursed the whiche taketh gyftes to th ende that he stryke the soule of the blode iÌ„nocent Et prouerbiorum .xvii. Qui iustificat impium et qui condemnat iustum abhominabilis vt vterque apud dominum He the whiche iustefyeth the wycked synner / and condampneth the Iuste / the one and the other is abhominable anenst god and those the whiche composeth and maketh yll lawes to th ende that they eschasen the poores in Iugement And that they make force vnto the cause of the humbles be cursed VnÌ„ ysaie .x. Ve qui coÌ„dunt leges iniquas vt opprimeÌ„t in iuditio pauperes et vim facerent cause humiliuÌ„ populi mei vt essent vidue preda eorum â–ª et populos dirumperent Also the persone the whiche taketh gyftes byndeth hymselfe anenst the gyuer / or elles vnkyndes foloweth Munera alligaÌ„t Also some cursed offycers take of two sides / as those the whiche fissheth with two nettes and flatereth with bothe partyes / and saye vnto euery of theym he hathe good ryght / they do treason / decepcyon / thefte / susurracyon / and in scrypture ben called bylyngues For theyr tongue speketh two langages And ben cursed iegitur ecclesiastici decimo octauo Sufurro et bilinguis maledictus multos enim turbauit pacem habentes Sequitur lingua tercia multos commouit et dispersit illos a gente in gentem F. ¶ Another example of a tayler named martyn the whiche stole the clothe in cuttynge the robbes lxxxi THere was a tayller named Martyn the whiche hadde of custome that whan he cutte of clothe for to make of robes / or gownes / or cotes c. that he stole euermore some what of the forsayd clothe as coloured clothes or fyne whytes And hym thoughte that he dremed in one nyght for that the he stole of clothe that the deuyl bare hyÌ„ awaye in to hell / he shewed vnto his wyfe his dreme And his wyfe the whiche wolde withdrawe hym from euyl counsaylled that he sholde neuer take none Afterwarde it happened that this taylour cut a fayre blewe in his shoppe whiche was nere vnto his wyues chambre / by a hole thorowe the wall the wyfe behelde hym euermore cuttynge And in seyng her husbande the whiche had of custome that whan he wolde stele he whysteled in lokyÌ„ge where it myght be that he myght ony thyÌ„ge stele Than the wyfe cryed martyn martyn remembre the of the deuyll And martyn seynge this stole nothynge Afterwarde came a fayre scarlet to be cutte And that wyfe as is beforsayd cryed / martyn martyn remembre the of the deuyll And he seynge so fayre clothe rubbed his sholdres euermore that woman sayd martyn martyn c. And he said / yf the deuyl sholde bere me a waye yet sholde I haue it c. G. ¶ Another example how four men of one lygnage were dampned and hanged in helle / for that that they posseded falsly an herytage lxxxi THe dyscyple recyteth in his boke sayeth that a ryche man sawe by vysyon foure men dampned tormented in helle the whiche were vnder a drye tree sawe that one of them hange the fyrste / the other the seconde / the fourth the thirde / the other abode vnder the said tree The
¶ That a mayden was rauysshed in a daūce and vyoled and after went and hanged herselfe .lxviii. F Fo. Clxii Fudus ¶ Examples of players on the feestes cōmaunded ¶ Of a player the whiche blasphemed the wombe of the gloryous virgyn Mary yll came to hym .lxii. C Fo. Cl ¶ Of a man dampned that yode to playe at the tauerne c. lxvii D Fo. Clix ¶ Of chyldren the whiche in playenge and swerynge were drowned .lxiii. B Fo. Cli ¶ Of a player blasphematour that the deuyll slewe .lxii. G Fo. Cl ¶ Another example .lxii. F Fo. Cl ¶ Of two players vnto whom there came harme .lxii. I Fo. Cli ¶ That the heed of a player was tourned that that was before behynde in swerynge and blasphemynge .lxiii. C Fo. Cli ¶ Ecclesia ¶ Examples of the chyrche ¶ That Nychanor was slayne after that he had thretened the chyrche .lxix. A Fo. Clxix ¶ That Iulyan the appostate was slayne dyuynely the whiche hadde persecuted the chyrche .lviii. A Fo. Cxiii ¶ How there came yll of a chyrche the whiche was made of vsuryes / rapynes / euyll goten goodes .lxxxvii. D. Fo. Clxxxxiii ¶ Of a knyght that was tourmented in purgatory for that he vyolated the chyrchyarde slewe a man in it .lxxvii. F Fo. Clxvi ¶ That Helyodorus was punysshed in takynge the treasours of the chyrche of Iherusalem .lxxxii. B Fo. Clxxxiii ¶ That many were dampned for that / that they posseded vniustly an herytage the whiche hadde ben taken awaye frome the holy chyrche .lxxxii. A Fo. Clxxxiii ¶ That haynours were punysshed diuynely for that / that they slewe a man within the chyrche .lxxix. B Fo. Clxxix ¶ That the kynge Ozyas became lepre in the chyrche for that / that he toke the encenser and presumed to doo the dyuyne offyce of the preestes .lxxxv. G. Fo. Clxxxix ¶ Sepulchra ¶ Examples of sepultures ¶ Of a synner that deuylles drewe out of the chyrche .lxix. B Fo. Clxii ¶ That people the whiche deye cursedly sholde not be buryed within the chyrcheyarde .lxii. G Fo. Cl ¶ That an vsurer buryed in a cloyster of a monastery kepte the monkes from slepe reste .lxix. C Fo. Clxii ¶ That the cattes cryed vpon the graue of a swerer .lxiii. C. Fo. Clii ¶ Quartum preceptum ¶ Filii ¶ Examples vpon the fourthe commaundement of god THat Absalon deyed myscheuously bycause that he warred with his fader Dauyd lxx A Fo. Clxiii ¶ That a sone the whiche defayled vnto his fader moder bare a tode .iii. yere in his face lxx B. Fo. Clxiii ¶ That yl came vnto Cham that mocked his fader Noe. lxx C Fo. Clxiiii ¶ Of two sones the whiche slewe theyr fader lxx D Fo. Clxiiii ¶ Of a sone the whiche dyde stryke his moder lxx E Fo. Clxiiii ¶ Of a chylde that the deuyll dyde bere away lxx G. Fo. Clxiiii ¶ That a good a true chylde loued his fader myght not suffre that a man dyde to hȳ ony yll lxxi A Fo. Clxiiii ¶ That the nature of byrdes techeth to remembre his frendes lxxi B Fo. Clxv ¶ Of a doughter the which nourysshed her moder with soukynge the mylke of her bre stes lxxi C Fo. Clxv ¶ Of a chylde that bote of the nose of his fader lxxi D Fo. Clxv ¶ That the kinge Salamon honoured his moder xxi H Fo. xlviii ¶ That a mannes berde grewe longe after as he hanged lxxi E Fo. Clxv ¶ Of a man the whiche was felle harde vnto his fader and his yongest sone repreued hym lxxi F Fo. Clxv Patres ¶ Example of a fader of his sone the whiche cursed eche other in helle And of a good fader and his sone the whiche blyssed eche other in heuen lxxi G Fo. Clxvi ¶ Of a fader his sone dampned for yf goten goodes lxxiii A Fo. Clxviii ¶ That a fader sholde loue god more than his owne chyldren / parentes / and frendes carnalles lxxii A Fo. Clxvii ¶ Of a fader that badde his sone to holde his fynger in the fyre tyl that he had sayd Aue maria lxxii B Fo. Clxvii ¶ That a fader sholde do good dedes why les that he lyueth without trustynge to his chyldren and heyres lxxii C. Fo. Clxvii ¶ Other examples of semblable maters thynges lxxii D. E Fo. Clxviii ¶ Another example that a man sholde doo good dedes And that a fole taught wel a wyse man lxxii F Fo. Clxviii ¶ Of a fader the whiche put an heuy malet in a coffre and toke the keyes vnto his chyldren lxxiii B Fo. Clxix ¶ That a fader was put out in his aege of his two doughters lxxiii C Fo. Clxix ¶ That a good moder loued naturally her chylde and myght not endure that he had ony harme lxxiii D Fo. Clxix ¶ That a moder cursed .x. chyldren that she had / and they trembled incōtynent were punysshed deuynely lxxiii E Fo. Clxx ¶ That i◠dyspleased vnto god that a woman aourned her doughter clothed ouer pompeously lxxiii F Fo. Clxx Correctio ¶ Examples of correccyon ¶ That softe correccyon prouffyteth more than sharpe lxxiiii A Fo. Clxx ¶ Of the softe correccyon that was doone vnto a chylde lxxiiii B Fo. Clxx ¶ That saynt Benet bette and correcked a monke that the deuyll drewe out of the chyrche whan other prayed lxv G Fo. Clvii ¶ Of the correccyon of two relygyous mē wherof the abbot correcked the one spared the other lxxiiii C Fo. Clxx ¶ That a man sholde correcke hym whan he is admonested lxxii D. Fo. Clxviii Et lxxvii E Fo. Clxxvi ¶ Of a woman dampned the whiche dyspraysed all they in that repreued her of synnes ylles ixxi H Fo. Cixvi ¶ That a man sholde drawe abacke correcke y◠synners swetely lxxiiii E. Fo. Clxxi ¶ That Ysaac the sone of Abraham was obedyent vnto his fader whan he wolde haue sacryfyed hym li. A. Fo. Cxxvii ¶ That many persones correcked them in herynge the worde of god / as it is sayd in verbum dei lv A / b / c / d. Fo. Cxxxvi ¶ That Helye correcked not well his chyldren as apperteyned lxx F Fo. Clxxiii ¶ That Absolon was in youth so yll correcked that he made warre on his owne fader Dauyd lxx A Fo. Clxxiii Caritas ¶ Examples of charyte ¶ Of a cluster of grapes the whiche was sent vnto many by charyte / and vnto the weykest lxxv A Fo. Clxxi ¶ Of the charyte loue of .ii. men that wolde deye the one for the other lxxv B. Fo. Clxxi ¶ That an holy man named Sāctulus delyuered hymselfe to be slayne for loue charyte of his neyghbour lxxv C Fo. Clxxii ¶ Another example lxxv D Fo. Clxxii ¶ That the herte of a vyrgyn was cut for the grete loue that she hadde vnto our lorde god lxxv E Fo. Clxxii ¶ Of the charyte of hym that wanne his broder that was fallen in to fornycacyon in ke kynge hym
He is a frende alonely by name Also the sage speketh of the sayd frendes Ecclesi vi Est eniÌ„ amicus scdm tempus suuÌ„ non in die tribulationis / et est amicê° qui conuertit ad inimicitiaÌ„ / et est amicus qui odiuÌ„ et rixaÌ„ et coÌ„uitia denudabit The frendes of the purse ben cosyns as to giue or to lende / but hate and the deuyll it is to yelde agayn The frendes of operacyon fayleth not at nede and ben sory of the euyll of theyr frende and gladde of his welfare In nede a man shall se what a frende is Vnd eccle vi Amicus si permanserit / fixus / erit tibi quasi coequalis / et in domesticis tuis fiducialiter aget / sequitur amicus fidelis fortis protectio / qui autem iÌ„uenit thesauruÌ„ / amico fideli nulla est comparatio A faythfull frende is a grete and a stronge defence / he the whiche fyndeth hym fyndeth a treasour there is noo comparyson vnto a faythfull frende Also the true frende ought to helpe and remembre his frende at his nede as he sholde do vnto hymselfe Vnde ligitur nono ethicoruÌ„ Amicus se debet habere ad amicum sicut ad semetipsum God hath vs loued of worde and of operacyon togyders And in lykewyse sholde we loue our neyghboures E. ¶ Fourthly god hath vs loued parfytely more than his owne body as before it is sayd Quere G. Also ê“arfyte men putteth theyr bodyes in daunger of dethe for to saue theyr neyghboures / as dyde a man named Sanctulus Quere .lxxv. c. Another example of two men that had so grete charyte and amyte togyder that the one wolde haue deyed for to saue the other Quere lxxv b. F. ¶ Fyfthly god hath loued the saluacion of all his ennemyes the whiche wronged hym / and bette hym without that / that he defended hymselfe nor that he answered Iniury agaynst Iniury he dyde not / but yelded the good agaynst the yl / he prayed for his enmyes Vnde luce .xxii. Pater dimitte illis non enim sciunt quid faciuÌ„t Also perfite people sholde loue theyr enmyes in folowynge god / and they shall haue grete rewarde in paradyse Vn. math v. lu vi Diligite inimicos vestros benefacite hus qui oderuÌ„t vos et orate ê“ persequentibus et calumniantibus vos vt sitis filii patris vestri qr benignus est super ingratos malos That is to say Loue your enmyes / do good to them that hateth you / praye for your persecutours and dyspysers to th end that ye be the sones innytatoures of god your fader G. ¶ Questyon How may I loue those the whiche hathe bette me or made me to lose my goodes or my good renowne The answere Thou sholdest loue the euyll wyl of thy neyghbour but for the loue of god thou sholdest loue the persones and theyr saluacyon / and also yf by Iustyce thou makest them to yelde to the thy goodes and to punysshe the synne of thy neyghbour thou of tendest not For Iustyce is founded after god and vnto god / and Iustyce appertayneth to do punycyon not vnto ye. Wherfore thou ne sholdest venge the that god ne wrothe hym agaynst the. The grete lordes the whiche wyll not vnderstande for to do right and iustyce departeth it with the swerde / and is suffred of god vnto those the whiche hath good right Vn. catho Pugna ê“ patria The parfite people bereth al aduersytees pacyently dooth good agaynst yll for the loue of god Example in saynt Steuen that prayed for his enmyes that god sholde pardon theym the synne that they dyde to stone hym And to th ende that his prayer were the soner exalted he set him on his knees VnÌ„ acti vii Positis auÌ„t genibê° clamauit voce magna diceÌ„s / dnÌ„e ne statuas illis hoc petmÌ„ ¶ Example that Dauyd wept the dethe of his enmy Saul the whiche persecuted hyÌ„ Also he wept at the dethe of his frende Ionathas in lyke wyse as it is wryten in the fyrst chapytre of the seconde boke of kynges Also we rede in the .xviii. chapytre of the boke of kynges that Ionathas the sone of Saul loued Dauyd as his owne soule / on a tyme he dyspoyled hym of his gowne gaue it vnto Dauyd Also Dauyd loued hym as hymselfe Also Dauyd wept at the deth of his neyghbour Abner Vt habetur .ii. reguÌ„ iii. Also he wept at the dethe of his sone Absolon that dyde hym warre Vt habetur .ii. reguÌ„ .xviii. .xix. Also Dauyd wolde do none euyll to his enmye Saul whan he myght haue done it / in lyke wyse as is wryten in the xxvi chapytre of the fyrst boke of kynges This is an example here that we sholde loue our enmyes for the loue of god By these thyÌ„ges aforesayd it apereth how we shold loue our nyghboure H. ¶ Questyon Who is my neyghbour BY this that god commaundeth to loue his neyghbour a man may demaunde What is it that is my neyghbour The answere That is euery man woman / for we sholde loue the saluacyon of soules the we le and vtylyte of all persones / not the yll Saynt Austyn sayth ExteÌ„de caritateÌ„ per totum orbeÌ„ quia meÌ„bra christi per orbem iacent Extende charite ouer al the worlde / that is dyleccion / for the membres of Ihesu cryst lyeth by the worlde God wyll that those of scotlond / of of fraunce / of spayne be also well saued as them of Englonde yf they deserue it for all ben membres of god tendynge to saluacyon He loueth the lytell as the grete / he theÌ„ hath create and is theyr gouernour purueyour Vn. sapien vi PusilluÌ„ magnuÌ„ fecit dominus equaliter cura est illi de omnibus And therfore it behoueth to vnderstande that all ben our neyghboures / but for as moche as we ne may do almes ouer all the worlde it suffyseth to do it vnto those the whiche ben amonge vs after our power This mater is gyuen vnto vs by worde Luce .x. Homo quidem desceÌ„debat ab iherusalem in iherico qui incidit in latrones And the euangelyst sayeth that one of the maysters of the lawe demaunded of Ihesu cryst who was his neyghboure / and he answered vnto hym A man descended froÌ„ Iherusalem vnto Iheryco the whiche fel in to the handes of theues the whiche dyspoyled hym and bette hym so moche that he was replenysshed with woundes left hym as halfe deed / it befell that a preest passed by and toke none hede In lykewise a deaken passed that toke no hede After a Samarytane the whiche passed the countree founde hym and had pyte anoynted his woundes with wyne and oyle dyde bynde hym and after that put hym on his mare bare him in to a stable and gaue two pens vnto the mayster of the stable and prayed hym
theyr lecheryes lxxxxi b. Many other examples of aduoutrye shall be fouÌ„de in the exemplayre and by the table the whiche is all alonge The punycyon of those the whiche dydde breke theyr maryage and wedlocke in the auncyent and olde testamente was that they were stoned put vnto deth incontynent the whiche sholde be a thynge ryght cruell yf it sholde be vsed as nowe a dayes For many sholde be punysshed the whiche ben a lyue Legitur leui xx deutero xxii Si me chatus qis fuerit cuÌ„ vxore alteriê° et adulte riuÌ„ ê“petrauerit cuÌ„ coÌ„iuge ê“ximi sui morte morientur mechus adultera Those and they that haue broken theyr maryages by lecherye sholde haue contrycyon make coÌ„fession sacramentally do penauÌ„ce they shall haue grace mercye ¶ Example of a woman aduoultres that was saued by makyÌ„ge coÌ„fessyoÌ„ sacramental Que. lxxxxii b ¶ Another example how dauid the prophete that coÌ„mytted auoutrye with the wyfe of vrie was sauid by repentauÌ„ce He reknowleged his defaute sayd peccaui In lykewyse as it is wryten in the .xii. cha of the boke of kynges c. ¶ Of thynges meritoryous of offences lecherous that a man coÌ„mytteth with his owne wyfe Ca. xxxvi SAynt poule sayeth in his epystylles Satagitevt ê“ bona opera certaÌ„ faciatis vocationeÌ„ vestraÌ„ Procure ye that ye make your vocacyon certayne by gode operacyons Maryage is certayne vocacyon whan it is kepte holyly / clenly / and honestly And it is dampnacyon whan peple the whiche ben knytte vnyed in maryage ne kepeth the honeste the chastyte the whiche apperteyneth vnto the sayd holy sacrament The dede of maryage may be merytoryous in .iii. maners Fyrst whaÌ„ the pryncypall cause of that is for to conceyue lygnee Secondly whan it is for to yelde the deuoyre of the sacrament the one with the other Thyrdly whan it is by good dyscrecyon to eschewe synne in hymselfe or in other In this laste manere yf they therin haue no meryte yet may he do it without synne Some tyme the dede of maryage is alonely venyel synne as whan ouer the thre maners beforsayd a man secheth the pleasaunce of his sensualyte / how be it in suche conscyence that the man ne wyll excede the termes of honeste of maryage somtyme there is mortall synne many maners A metrifiour sayeth QuiÌ„que modis peccatiÌ„ vxoreÌ„ maritus abutens TeÌ„pore mente loco / coÌ„ditione / modo The husbande abusynge hym with his wyfe synneth in fyue maners That is to vnderstonde by tyme / by mynde / by place / by condycyoÌ„ bi the maner Bi this worde here tempore is to vnderstonde that in the tyme that his wyf is seke / feble / and weyke / a man sholde absteyne from the operacyon of maryage / the woman sholde excuse her / for it sholde be grete syÌ„ne in lykewyse as it is wryten leui xx ¶ Also it is to absteyne him in the tyme of fastynges for to take awaye the pleasures of the body / for to gete anenst god more grace vertues ¶ Also in the tyme of the feestes solempnelles for to santyfye honoure the sayd feestes the better ¶ Also in tyme that the woman is layed in chyldbedde or redy to chylde This worde mente denoteth that whan the thought concupyscence is carnall lecherous / that it is out of the boundes of maryage / that is that the man sholde accede also wyllyngly promptly vnto a harlot yf he holde her as he dothe his wyfe / the synne is grete for the thought is ylle in all maneres where it is out of mariage This worde loco denotethe whan a man knoweth his party in place holy / as in the chirche / or chircheyarde / it is synne for the holynes of the place Also conditione / for to knowe it by condycyoÌ„ of vnhoneste as openly before the people or by condycyon vnlefull It is a grete offence Also this worde / modo / denoteth that a man ne sholde knowe his party in other maner than nature it techeth for it is grete synne vnÌ„ au Vsus q i est ê¯tra naturam execrabiliter fit in meritrice sed execrabilius fit iÌ„ vxore .xxx. q. v. adulteri The vsage that is agayne nature is done execrablye in the harlot / but it is done more execrably in his owne wife E. ¶ Examples men rede in thobye .vi. of the wyfe vnto lytel thobye that was meruaylous fayre maryed vnto .vii. husbandes successyuely The whiche the deuyll strangled all seuen the fyrst nyght that they were layde togyder / for that that the sayd husbandes acceded with her / not vnder the entencyon of the honeste of maryage / but for to accomplysshe the voluptuolyte of their bodyes as they vse somwhyle to doo with a harlot The lytell Thobye dyde not so by the counsayll of the aungell raphaell / and therfore the deuyll slewe hym not vnÌ„ tho vi Illa mulier tradita eÌ„ septeÌ„viris mortui suÌ„t sed et hoc odiui qia demon occidit illos c. F. ¶ Another example saynt Gregorye sheweth in the fyrste boke of the dyalogue that a woman in Catane of newe maryed was conuayed with other women to goo vnto the dedycacyon of the chirche of saynt Sebastian / the nyght that she sholde go in the mornynge she was pricked with the flesshe that she ne myght holde her froÌ„ her husbande And in the mornynge she hadde more greate shame of men than of god yode theder And anone as she was entred in to the oratorye where the relyques of saynt Sebastyan were / the deuyll toke her began to tourmente her before all that there were Than the preest of the chirche toke the couerture from the alter couerde her / anone the deuyll assaylled the preest / than the frendes of that woman sayd vnto the enchauntours that they sholde enchaunt the deuyll by theyr enchauÌ„tementes / but anone as they enchaunted by the iugement of god a legion of enemyes .vi. M.vi C.lxvi deuylles entred in to the woman tormented her asprely And an holy man named Fortunate heled her by his prayers G. ¶ Another example saint gregorye telleth in his dialogue how a woman lefully was knowen of her owne husbande at saterdaye at nyght / whan she accompanyed with the other at the processyon of the sondaye the deuyll entred in to her tourmented her strongly before all the people By this example it is to note that in holy tymes a man sholde absteyne hym somtyme from thyÌ„ges lefull ¶ Also a man sholde vnderstonde that maryage is one of the .vii holy sacramentes / for as moche as it is holy he sholde drawe hym honestly holyly / accede on his partye in good entencyon Those they the whiche done the contrary sholde drede to lese paradyse and the rewarde that the good shall haue the whiche haue kepte the sayncete of the
example a man sholde vnderstonde that this chylde was accused before god of the deuyl of so lytel a thyÌ„ge as is an halfpeny / by a more grete reason shall be accused those the whiche stele a grete thynge And yf he had so grete punycyon for so lytell offence / so shal they haue that do the grete offences And by that that god hym coÌ„maunded restytucyon so sholde those do the whiche hathe taken fro other / or elles they may not be saued For it is wryten in droit NoÌ„ dimittur pctmÌ„ nisi restituatur ablatuÌ„ xiiii q. vi c. Sires and saynt Thomas sayth secuÌ„da secuÌ„de q. lxii articulo .viii. Who so euer letteth iniustely another neyghbour in the vsage of the thynge the whiche vnto hym apperteyneth he trespasseth the coÌ„maundement of charite A. ¶ Another example how churle was punysshed of the deuyll for that that he had stolen a lytell of a hedge in the felde from his neyghboure lxxxi IT is wryten in the dyalogue cesaruÌ„ that a carle was in the dethe bedde the deuyll came vnto hym the whiche helde a lytell of a hedge al in fyre / the whiche enforced hyÌ„ to put it in his mouthe Than the sayd carle forgote not his synne And vnderstode that the deuyll dyde vnto hym soche payne for a lytell of a hedge that he had taken stolen in the felde from his neyghboure / had put it in his felde vnto hymselfe And for that that the deuyll was euermore before his face in what place so euer he tourned hym was constrayned to restore the sayd lytell hedge / called his frendes sente theym to promytte to restore the sayd lytell to requyre pardon / vnto whome the mayster of the sayd lytell sayd I shal not pardon hym yet / let hym be wele tormented And agayne the sayd deuyll helde the sayd lytel hedge embrased / him tormented as before And agayne sente messengers but they ne might haue pardoÌ„ thyrdly in wepynge sente them I vnhappy I ne maye dye ne lyue / retorne ye to demauÌ„de pardon Than the other him pardoned the deuyl departed incoÌ„tynent By this example a man sholde vnderstonde that all maner of theues that steleth or wasteth the goodes of theyr neyghbours iniustely shal be punysshed in this world or in the other Syth that the deuyll tormented soo thys man for so lytell a thynge as is a lytell of hedge By a more stronger reason he shall torment those the whiche do the grete theftes This lytell of a hedge was not worth no greate thynge But it was a grete thyÌ„ge as to take it wyttyngly from his neighboure theuysshely agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god wherfore he was digne of punycyon c. B. ¶ Another example of a seruaunt the whiche toke stole frome his maister fyggues lxxxi THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye sermons sayeth that the body of saynt Thomas is reuerently kepte / where god vnto hym hathe gyuen suche grace that he is yet entere hole And whan the tyme cometh to admynystre vnto the people one sytteth in a chayer reuerently Whan the hostyes are consecrate the preest putteth them in saynt Thomas haÌ„de / the whiche admynystreth the people And yf ony of those that receyueth theyr creatour be in ony synne the sayd saynt thomas with draweth his hande / shall not be admynystred tyl he be in the state of grace The scrypture speketh of a seruauÌ„t that stole fygges from his mayster eate them wtout the knowlege of his mayster / confessed him not of it So he came to be admynystred as the other dyde And the sayd saynt thomas withdrewe his hande and wolde not suffre hym to receyue it Then the seruauÌ„t be thought hym of the sayd theft was coÌ„fessed / after that was admynystred of the sayd sayÌ„t Thomas was no more repulsed And by this all theft is to fle be it grete or lytell For for that man is put out of the company of god C. ¶ Another example of a baylye iuge thefe the whiche toke gyftes iniustely and corructe Iustyce lxxxi THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye sayeth that a baylye made a weddynge vnto his sone / a man that whiche had a grete cause before hym gaue vnto hym an oxe / prayed hym that he wolde do for hym in his cause And whan his aduersarye herde it spoken / he sent a fayr cowe vnto the wyfe of the sayd baylye and prayed her to speke for hym The whiche dyde so moche ayenst the said baylye that he promysed that he wolde doo for hym that had sente the cowe And whan they were in iugement that the said baylye ne spake for hym the whiche had gyuen the oxe / he sayd / oxe speke Than the baylye answered The oxe may not speke / for the cowe wyl not suffre it c. The cause of suche iuges the whiche corrupteth iustyce by gyftes promesses fauours shal be dyscussed iuged before god the whiche is souerain Iuge / the whiche is not acceptour of persones / in lyke wyse as sayeth the holy scrypture NoÌ„ eniÌ„ eÌ„ acceptio ê‘sonaruÌ„ apud deum And in the sayd iugement of god euery man shal be punysshed after that / that he hathe deserued as the fals Iuges and those the whiche wyÌ„ne theyr causes falsly And those the whiche possede herytages yll begoten / witholde them without restitucyon Tu reddes cuique iuxta opera sua / vt dicit psal Also god ne shal spare in Iugement the grete lordes / ne prayer ne golde ne syluer / ne contrycyon ne wrathe ne shall doo nothynge in lyke wyse as sayeth the scrypture VnÌ„ ê“uer vi zelê° furor viri noÌ„ parcet dnÌ„s iÌ„ die viÌ„dicte nec acquiescet cuiusquampÌ„cibê° nec suscipieth ê“redeÌ„ptio ne dona plurima c. D. ¶ Another example how the kyng of perse made to fle an yll Iuge corrupte by gyftes c. lxxxi THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye that the kynge of perse repreued a iuge for gyuyng fals iugement and for his iniustyce made hym to be flayne to put his skynne vpon a stole And made to sytte vpon the said stole his sone the iuges the whiche came after hym to th ende that they sholde remembre them of the sayd yll Iuge And that they sholde drede to Iuge vniustely c. E. ¶ Another example how the deuyl bare away in body and in soule a thefe couetous aduocate THe dyscyple recyteth in his sermoÌ„ that there was an aduocate chief of dyuers townes / auarycyous withoute mercy that made of greuous exacions in his subgectes / came one daye as he yode in a towne for an exaccyon the deuyll assocyated with hym in the waye in lykenes of a man And of horroure of the wordes that they spake togider he vnderstode that it was the deuyl dredde to go with hym / but in no manere he ne myght departe
Balaam is wryteÌ„ in the byble in the .xxii. .xxiii. chapytre of the boke of nombres In the begynnynge of his lyfe he was good prophecyed the comynge of our redempcyon For he sayd that a sterre sholde go out of Iacob Orietur stella ex iacob / the whiche denoteth the blyssed vyrgyn Mary c. Also he had suche gyft of god that those that he blyssed were blyst / and those that he cursed were curst And for that the Balaac made warre with the chyldren of ysrael / and that he might not surmount them he sent to seche the prophete Balaam for to curse the sayd people of ysraell And for the grete honours and rychesses that the kyÌ„ge Balaac made to offre hym / he was peruerted ouercome so strongly that he demaunded of god by two tymes that he myght go to curse the sayd people And god not so accorded For his request was vniust yll in two maners Primo For that he wolde curse the people the good had blyssed Secundo for to to haue golde / syluer / and honoures worldly Vnde marci xxii dicit dnÌ„s Noâ— ire cum eis / neque maledicas populo qr bnÌ„dictus est And after that Balaam had excused him to the messagers of the kinge / he was yet so gretely desyred ouercome for worldly honours that he lept vpon his asse for to goo speke with the kynge But the asse yode backewarde wolde not go his way / yede ouerthwarte the feldes drewe him amonge breres thornes He bette hym / but for nothynge he wolde go forwarde And by the vertue of god the asse spake hym demauÌ„ded Wherfore smytest thou me He answered Thou hast deserued it / thou mockest with me And Balaam aduysed the aungell the helde a swerde all naked Than Balaam worshypped hym vpon the erthe hastely And the auÌ„gell hym demaunded wherfore he hadde beten thyrdely his asse I am come for to persecute the. And yf thyn asse had not gone backe agaynst thy wyl I had slayne the / he had lyued And Balaam sayd I haue synned I knewe not that thou was agaynst me And yf it dysplease the that I thyder go I shall retorne And the aungell sayd vnto hym Go with these messagers / and kepe the that thou speke nothynge but that that I shall coÌ„maundethe Than Balaam yode And whaÌ„ he was in the cyte the kynge sent vnto hyÌ„ gyftes prynces / was receyued in grete honoure For to be shorte Balaam made to edyfy by thre tymes auters / in thre places for to do sacryfyce to god of lambes bulles to knowe yf god sholde consent more soner in one place than in another for to curse the people of Israell But god that is not varyable consented nomore in one place than in another Afterwarde for to obey to the kinge Balaam counceyled hyÌ„ how he sholde make to commyt fornycacyon in the men of armes of ysraell wherby god sholde be wrothe with them ryght cruelly punysshe them And the maner of the counceyle was that they prepayre all the fayre maydens of the cyte assyeged of the ysraelytes / that those fayre women sholde holde them at theyr dores / theyr ydols by them And that whan the cyte were take the meÌ„ of armes wolde go to the fayre women And so god wrothed ayeÌ„st theÌ„ The yll couÌ„cell of the sayd Balaam was done the synne accoÌ„plysshed And god the creatour wrothed hym agaynst the sayd chyldren of ysrael in suche maner that fyre celestyall descended vpon them the whiche breÌ„ned .xxiii. M. In lykewyse as expoundeth Haymo vpon the wordes of saynt Poule the whiche ben wryten .i. ad coriÌ„ x. Neque fornicemur sicut quidam eorum fornicati sunt et cecideruÌ„t vno die viginti tria milia And yet of the aboue sayd chyldren there was yet a thousande of the prynces the whiche were hanged by the commaundemeÌ„t of god of Moyses as it is wryten numeri .xxv. And the Ire of god was appeased by that the one of the chyldren of Ysraell named Fynees rose vp and slewe in the zele of god of Iustyce a man and a womaÌ„ in coÌ„myttynge fornycicaon c. All this sayd punycyon and this synne was by the counceyle of the cursed prophete BalaaÌ„ the whiche requyred of god that he myght deye as the Iuste men Vnde numeri .xxiii. Moriatur aiÌ„a mea morte iustoruÌ„ / et fiant nouissima mea horuÌ„ similia He wolde deye well / but he wolde not lyue well And therfore his request was not Iuste for to haue well wtout deseruynge it .. ¶ Stuprum A. ¶ Examples of deflouringe of vyrgyns And fyrst Example how a vyrgyn was corrupt of a yonge man / by malyce imposed the synne vpon saynt Machaire that was pacyent lxxxxi IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders how the deuyll tempted a vyrgin the whiche was defloured And whan she was grete her frendes asked her of whome she had conâ—eyued And she answered This solytarye hath slept with me And her frendes men of the strete toke Machayre / hanged pottes kettilles about his necke / ledde him betynge through the stretes And so moche they Iniuryed hym / bette oppressed that he was in lykewyse as halfe deed / he bare all pacyently And a seculer man that had mynystred vnto hym his necessytees was also rebuked in saynge vnto hym Thou sayd that he was an holy man / he hathe defloured our doughter For to be shorte they wolde not leue to bete the sayd Machayre tyll that the sayd man had pledged that he sholde nourysshe the doughter And after that he was pledged Machayre sayd vnto hymselfe I fynde a woman it behoueth me to nourysshe her And he put hyÌ„selfe to werke nyght and day made baskettes And the pryce that they were solde for he made to be born vnto the sayd woman / he bare all pacyeÌ„tly And whan the sayd woman sholde chylde she was sore seke / so longly to trauayle that it was meruayle And she was demaunded the cause wherfore she chylded not She answered It is for that / that I falsely hath imposed the synne vnto the solytary the whiche is innocent / suche a yonge man hath commytted the dede Whan the man pledge of Machayre herde the case he bare tydynges that the woman myght not childe for the false cryme that she had imposed that all the people came vnto hym to crye hym mercy to do penaunce Whan Machayre herde these tydyÌ„ges here to fle vain glory he abode not tyll the people came vnto hym for to gloryfye hym / he fledde in to another place solytarye c. ¶ By the sayd doughter the whiche was punysshed for that that she had imposed the sayd synne by lyenge vpon saynt Machayre is for to vnderstonde that lyers and yll sayers shall be punysshed of god And that theyr lesynges shall be dyscouered and shewed
be with you They promysed hym and dyde so / And the deuyll letted so the byars that in all the yere they solde as nothynge And afterwarde sayd to theyr curate whan they came agayne vnto him that the obedyence hadde ben vnto them ryght doÌ„mageous / for that that they had nothynge solde And the sayd preest them coÌ„fermed in the fayth / and sayd vnto them Perseuer ye in suche maner that for none aduersyte ne pouerte ne swere ye / nor lye and god shall blysse you And so they promysed to do it And incontynente god appesed theyr temptacion solde more than all the other / in shorte tyme they were moche ryche c. This example denoteth that the deuylles ben wrothe whan ony wtdrawe them fro synne as to swere It is here to be vnderstonde that by that that the deuyll letteth the marchauÌ„tes to sell / yf ony be ferme in the fayth for to resyst we le / the deuyll is vaynquysshed he departeth as he dyde whan the sayd marchauntes byleued theyr curate / and swere not ne lye more for pouerte the whiche vnto them may come In lyke wyse sholde these marchauÌ„tes withdrawe them from swerynge and we le shall come vnto them / bothe temporelly and spyrytuelly L. ¶ Another example how a bysshoppe was tormented in purgatorye for that that he had herde detraccyons of his clerke THe disciple recyteth in his sermoÌ„s that a bisshop was borne in to purgatorye to do penaunce / he was gretely tormented of the stynche of his clerke beyÌ„ge in helle the whiche mounted tyll vnto hym for that that he herde somtyme his detraccyons / had not hym ynoughe egrely corrected / how be it that of other thynges the said bysshop had be good This example denoteth that punycyon foloweth vnto theym the whiche hereth with good wyll detraccyons and yll wordes Quia ageÌ„tes coÌ„seÌ„tieÌ„tes pari pena punientur c M. ¶ Another example that yll came vnto kynge Roboam the whiche gaue answer proude vnto the chyldren of Israhel / and byleued the folysshe couÌ„sayll of yonge men IT is wryten in the .xii. chapytre of the thyrde boke of kyÌ„ges that after the dethe of kynge salamon the people of Israhell came vnto Roboam the sone of the sayd Salamon for to constytute hym kyng And the sayd people made vnto hyÌ„ a requeste in saynge Thy fader vs hathe gretely kept vnder gyuen vs grete charges / now dymynysshe vs a lytell of the said charges and we shall serue the. Than the sayd Roboam sayd vnto them that on the thyrde daye he sholde gyue them answer / And fyrste he counsaylled with the aâ—â—cyentes wyse counsayllers of salamon / that whiche sayd vnto hym Yf thou obeye at this daye vnto the people / that thou accorde vnto theyr petycyon / that thou speke swete wordes vnto them they shal serue the in all tymes Afterwarde the sayd Roboam counsayled hym with yong men the whiche had be nourysshed with hym / the whiche counsaylled hym that he shold saye vnto the people My lytell fynger is more grete than the backe of my fader / my fader hathe bet them with staues / I shall put to aboue that shall flayle you wyth scorpyons Than whan the thyrde day came he lefte the couÌ„sayll of the auncyentes wyse / and gaue vnto the people a proude answer of yonge men folysshe couÌ„sayllers And for this proude answer the people of the two lygnees of Israhell was moued in ire / made another kynge named Hierobam And of the sayd people of Israhell ne abode with Roboam but the people of the lygnee of iuda and of beniamin warre was betwene the sayd Roboam and Hierobam in al theyr lyues Also it appereth as for to byleue the false counsayll of yonge men the whiche were proude / the sayd Roboam was not lorde of his people and had warre all his lyfe c. N. ¶ Another example of an erle replenysshed with many synnes that the deuyll bare awaye lxxxxix THe dyscyple reciteth in his promptuary that in a solempnyte as the abbot of Clugny many other were in the palays of an erle / a man not knowen on horsbacke entred sodaynly in to the palays before them all / the whiche coÌ„maunded the sayd erle that he sholde ryse vp folowe hym for he had to speke with hym The erle ne wolde resyste rose hym vp yode vnto the dore of the palays / wher at he founde an horse redy for to lepe on / then the erle lepte vpon his backe / he that was come toke the rayne of the brydell lyfte hyÌ„ vp in to the ayre before them all and bare hym awaye And the sayd erle cryed myserably Succurrite ciues succurrite He byleued in the cytezyns of the towne that they sholde socoure him / but they ne myght for anone he was ronne out of theyr syght / borne awaye of deuylles in body and soule / was no more afterwarde sene ne fouÌ„de Yf the deuylles lyfte hym in to the ayre it was for to make hym fal alowe and for to punysshe hym in helle for his synnes O. ¶ Another example of a woman impacyent that the deuyll bare awaye lxxxxix IT is wryten in the dialogue cesarii of a woman impacyent in her yre / as she was troubled put her fete in a bacyÌ„ afterwarde lepte out bakwarde / sayd I lepe in suche wyse from the puyssaunce of god in to the puyssaunce of the deuyl / incontynent the deuyll toke her bare her awaye thorowe the ayre in the syght of many the whiche were presente neuer after was she sene c. P. ¶ Another example of a man the whiche condampned hymselfe vnto the deuyl for his impacyence lxxxxix THe dysciple reciteth in his sermoÌ„s that an archedeken his dyspencer â—â—â—oue as they yode vnto rome for the dyspence of the goodes of fortune And the sayd dyspencer was impacyent and commaunded hymself vnto the deuyll / and in that iourneye as he past the water the deuyl drowned hyÌ„ And wtin a lytel tyme after his dethe he appered vnto a chanoyne his frende vnto whome he tolde all the case before sayd / that he was in grete paynes and tormentes for his impacyence / also for that that he was coÌ„maunded vnto the deuyll Q. ¶ Another example of a clerke impacyent that wrathed hyÌ„ agayne god lxxxxix THe disciple reciteth in his sermoÌ„s that a clerke was foure yere seke and in his sekenes was impacyente / and sayd vnto god Thou hast taken my body I shall take the soule shall gyue it vnto the deuyll And in his impacyence sayd Deuyll take my soule And it was done forthwith by the dyuyne Iugement of god NonuÌ„pÌ„ceptuÌ„ et decimuÌ„ cogitatio mala A. ¶ Examples of yll thoughtes / fyrste how a woman a greate gyuer of almesse was dampned for the delyberacyon of wyll to coÌ„myt lecherye C.
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
bysshop herde the sayd thynge sawe the hede to be taken vnto the body dredde called the clergy buryed hym honourably / not as a thefe but as a martyr the whiche endured the dethe for his synnes After that the sayd dede was knowen al the men of the prouyÌ„ce fasted the saterdaye in the honour of the vyrgyn marye G. ¶ Another example how a thefe beheded ne myght deye wtout confessyon for that that he had fasted the saterdayes in the honour of the gloryous vyrgyn marye Cxx. IT is wryten in the promptuarye of the myracles of our lady that a thefe the whiche pylled a poore woman he founde that she fasted the saterday from her enfance / demaunded her the cause / She answerde that those the whiche fast the saterdayes in the honour of the blyssed vyrgyn marye ne sholde deye wtoute true penauÌ„ce And the said thefe toke this thynge agreably fasted them In th ende he had the heed stryken of / the whiche cryed confessyon confessyon / those the whiche present were meruaylled gote him a preest for to confesse hym After that the heed had be put agayne vnto the body that he had made true confessyon he sayd I had this gyfte of grace to confesse me by the gloryous vyrgyn marye for the whiche I fasted the saterdayes The deuylles were about me but they ne myght nothynge do vnto me for the presence of the vyrgyn Marye ben fledde for the holy confessyon WhaÌ„ he had spoken these wordes he deyed c. H. ¶ Another example how the vyrgyn marye ayded vnto a thefe in his dethe bycause he had fasted on the saterdaye cxx IT is wryten in the promptuary oâ— the dyscyple that ther was a grete thefe that neuer had done good dede / but onely that he had faste a saterday and made to synge a masse to th ende that the vyrgyn marye sholde conuerte hym before his dethe And the sayd masse faste were so moche agreable vnto the vyrgyn mâ—rye that she appered vnto the sayd thefe vnto whome she sayd I haue prayed my sone Ihesu cryste for the that thou sholdest conuerte the and also repente the of thy synnes He hathe gyuen vnto the suche grace that before thy dethe thou shalte speke fyue wordes that shall delyuer thy synnes Afterward this thefe was taken holden in bandes / on the thyrde daye was ledde to be hanged / in the way god gaue vnto hym grete contrycyon / in that true contrycyoÌ„ he sayd the .v. wordes folowynge Deus ê“pitius esto michi peccatori that is to say God be mercyfull vnto me synner I. ¶ Another example how a thefe hanged myght not deye wtout receyuynge of his ryghtes thrughe our lady Cxx. IT is wryten in the promptuary of the myracles of oure lady / that there was a thef that fasted only brede and water the vygylles of the feestes of oure lady / And whan he yode in theft he saluted her prayed her that he ne sholde deye in mortall synne And it befel that he was taken and hanged / but he ne might deye by thre dayes He called those that whiche passed by prayed theym that they wolde brynge a preest vnto hym / that whiche came with the Iuge with the people / he was vnhanged / vnto whom he said that the vyrgyn marye susteyned hym on the gybet / so was lette go / lyued after holyly c. K. ¶ Another example how a thefe was brused myght not deye without confession / for he hadde fasted the vygyles of our lady Cxx. IT is wryten in the promptuary of the myracles of our lady that thre bredern were dysheryted of a knyght castyllan And after that they watched the wayes in the nexte woddes dyde many ylles And that knyght toke two that he made to hange The thyrde dredde confessed hym vnto a relygyous the whiche warned hym to cease of doynge yll He answerde I ne maye cease tyl that I haue stryken the knight with swerde or arowe that hath slayÌ„ my bredern More ouer he sayd he wolde fast brede water the foure euens of our lady / to th ende he deyed not without confessyon The relygyous sayd that it was wel done to faste / but it shold not prouffyte yf he ceased not his syÌ„ne He yode forth and after was taken of the knyght that broke al his membres And as he was ful of wouÌ„des he sayd he shold not deye tyll he were confessed receyued his creâ—tour Than whan he had his ryghtes he deyed c. A. ¶ Another exaÌ„ple of a monke dyspenser the whiche was dronke vnto whom the enemye appered for to slee hym / And the vyrgyn marye kepte hym Cxxi IT is wryten in the promptuary in the myracles of our lady that in an abbaye there was a dyspenser the loued perfytely the vyrgyn marye Soo it happened one tyme that he was so dronke that he reled in the cloystre ne myght fynde the way to the chirche Than the deuyl came vnto hym in lykenes of an horryble bolle whiche wolde haue stryken hym with his hornes / but a ryght fayre damoysell put her bytwene them holdyÌ„ge a rodde in her hande / rebuked hym put hym forth ryght strongly for that that he wolde doo ylle vnto her seruaunt / hym coÌ„maunded that he sholde go his waye Than he departed the vyrgyn And the said monke put him selfe in the waye agayne for to go vnto the chirche And the enmye appered vnto hyÌ„ in semblaunce of a dogge enraged that wolde lepe in his face And the fayre vyrgyn came yet agayne put her betwene them the whiche deuyll fledde all confused / and the monke entred in to the monastery Than the enmye came in semblaunce of a lyon enraged the whiche wolde deuoure hym / but the blyssed vyrgyn forgate not her frende came before that the enmye greued hyÌ„ stroke him harde with her rodde / commaunded hym to come no more agayne And the enmye departed all confused / the vyrgyn toke the monke by the hande ledde hym in to the dortour layde him in hys bedde / put his pelowe vnder hys heed / made the token of the crosse vpon hym And whan the monke awoke he was wele Our lady coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym that he sholde confesse him accoÌ„plysshe his penauÌ„ce And that afterwarde he sholde kepe him from fallynge agayne in to synne And the monke her demauÌ„ded what she was / she answerde I am the moder of Ihesu crist And whan he herde that he fell vnto her fete yelded vnto her graces / she mouÌ„ted in to heuen B. ¶ Another example how the vyrgyne Marye delyuered frome dampnacyon a clerke lecherous Cxxi THe dysciple reciteth in the myracles of our lady that there was a vicious clerke that had alonely this goode dede that he sayd deuoutly the matyns of our lady And one daye as he passed thorowe a