beatytude of the gospell Beati qui lugent And the rewarde foloweth Quoniam ipsi conselabuÌ„tur A. ¶ How a man sholde yelde graces and thankes vnto god of the good welthe the whiche he vnto vs hath doone with out beynge vnkynde .xvii. FYfthly for to sanctyfy the feestes we sholde goo vnto the chyrche on the sayd dayes of the feestes for to yelde thankes praysynges vnto god for the grete goodnesses that he vnto hath done the whiche ben soo many and grete that it is soo Impossyble as vntoo vs that we ne may yelde nor gyue theym agayne in ony thynge that we may doo And euery man ought for too vnderstande that god vnto hym hath doone more good and benefayte than he is worthy / ne than he hathe deserued Saynt Barnarde sayeth Agamus fratres gratias factori nostro / benefactori nostro / redemptori nostro My broder yelde we graces vnto hym the whiche hathe made vs / that is vnto god our fader celestyall Vnde mathei xxiii Vnus est pater vester qui est in celis The whiche hath created our soules of nothynge vnto his symytude Vnde gene .ix. Ad ymaginem quippe dei factus est homo And the psalmyst Ipse fecit nos noÌ„ ipse nos Yelde we graces vnto our benefactour that is vnto god the whiche maketh the cornes and the fruytes to growe and to come / all that wherof we lyue Vnde iohan .i. Omni per ipsum facta sunt / et sine ipso factum est nichil Yelde we graces vnto our redemptour / that is vnto the sone of god the whiche is borne of the vyrgyn Mary the whiche hathe suffred dethe and passyon for too redeme vs from hell where we sholde haue descended Vnde ad gal .ii. Dilexit me tradidit semet ipsuÌ„ pro me nesim ingratus de gratie God hath gyuen the thy body with all thy membres He gyueth the thyn eyen to see / thyn eeres to here / thy fete to go c. Yf thou haddest not syght ne herynge thou sholde not knowe what good it is to here and too se And yf he gyue the lyght thou sholde thanke hym all thy lyfe / he the graunteth now syght and heringe and al thy membres for nothinge without thy merytes Moreouer he gyueth the nourysshement / vestement hous / felde / cornes / oxen / kyen / shepe / and bestyall Vnde paulus in epistola and co Quid habes quod non accepisti What goode hast thou of thyn owne that thou ne hast fyrst taken of another whan thou was borne thou brought nothynge with the / the goodes cometh not of the / thou reknowlegest not the goodes here / and soo thou thankest not god Saynt Austyn sayth in the boke de ciuitate dei Quisquis beneficia dei non vidit cecus est / nec laudat ingratus est / qisquis in laudaÌ„do reluctatur insanus est He the whiche seeth not the benefaytes that god vnto hym hath doone he is blynde / and yf he prayse not god he is vnkynde / and the whiche is worse he is not hole He is seke the whiche impugneth god with his gyftes / vseth of those gyftes agaynst the honoure of god and agaynst his propre helthe / that is to vnderstande whaÌ„ he maketh folysshe lokes with his eyen / whan he bryngeth forth cursed wordes with his mouthe / and so of other membres / or whan he mysuseth the goodes / that is to vnderstande whan he taketh clothes proude and pompous / whan he eteth excessyuely / whan he drynketh vnto dronkenesse / and so of other And as oft tymes as ony abuseth in suche wyse the gyftes of god after true Iustyce / he sholde be put from that gyft / that is to vnderstande from the syght or the herynge c. And it is all for his vnkyndenes Vnde Bernardus super canti Ingratitudo inimica est anime / exmanictio meritorium virtutuÌ„ dispersio / benefactoruÌ„ perditio Suche a man the whiche is so vnkynde is indygne and vnworthy to take many gyftes of god Vnde bernardus Non est dignus daÌ„dis qui noÌ„ agit gratias de datis That maÌ„ is not worthy to haue thynges gyuen vnto hym the whiche yeldeth no thankes of the thynges gyuen / a man may knowe it in hym selfe Yf thou haddest done good vnto a persone by thre or foure tymes / and that at euery tyme he were to the vnkynde thou wolde cease to do ony more good vnto him What shalt thou than say of god the whiche hath doone good vnto the more than a thousande tymes / and thou vnto hast be euermore vnkynde without reknowlegynge the good that he to the hath done ¶ Example that the .ix. lazers that our lorde heled were vnkynde for they went not to yelde hym thankes after that they had helth He had heled x. but there was but one the whiche reknoweleged the good that he vnto hym hadde doone / the whiche retorned hym to yelde thankes Vnde luce .xvii. Nonne deceÌ„ muÌ„dati sunt / et nouem vbi sunt / non est inueÌ„tus qui reddiret et daret gloriam dei / nisi hic alienigena ¶ Another example how the man vnto whome the lorde pardoned ten thousaÌ„de talentes was vnkynde for he ne wolde pardon the small debte / and for his vnkyndenes he was betaken to the hangman and put in prysone Quere .xxvii. H. ¶ Another example contrary of a knyght the whiche pardoned hym that had slayne his fader / and god pardoned hym all his synÌ„es Quere .xxvii. I. The scryptures vs warneth to yelde graces and praysynges vnto god for to fle vnkyndenes VnÌ„ pau i. ad thessal v. In omnibê° gratias agite Yelde thankes vnto god in all the thynges that ye doo Et ad colloscenses .iij. Omne quod cuÌ„que facitis in verbo aut in opere oiÌ„a in nomine dnÌ„i nostri iesu christi facite gratias agentes deo et patri peripÌ„m In euery thynge what so euer ye do in worde or in operacyon / do all thynges in the name of our lorde Ihesu cryst in yeldynge thankes vnto god c. Et legitur .i. ad corin .x. Siue manducatis / siue aliquid aliud facitis omiÌ„a in gloriam dei facite Do ye all thynges in the glory of god yf ye ete or yf ye drynke / or yf ye doo ony other thynge All the aungelles sayntes of heuen loueth god / and yeldeth hym graces of his benefaytes / and so sholde we do Vnde apo vii Vide hostium appertum in celo / dicit btuÌ„s iohaÌ„nes ecce turba magna quaÌ„ dinumerare vt nemo poterat c. Saynt Iohan sayth in the apocalypse that he sawe the dore open in heuen / and soo grete turbes of holy persones that no man myght nombre them / and they cryed with hye voyce Salute vnto our lorde god the whiche sytteth vpon the throne / benedyccion / clerenes / and
sapyence and accion of graces / honoure / vertue / and force vnto our lorde god in secula seculoruÌ„ AmeÌ„ Also all the creatures gyueth prayse vnto the creatoure That is to vnderstande the beestes and the serpentes / the byrdes the kinges / the prynces / the Iuges / the vyrgyns / the auncyent with the yonge prayseth the name of our lorde / for his onely name is exalted Vnde psal Bestie et vniuersa pecora serpentes et volucres pennate Reges terre et omnes populi principes et omÌ„es iudices terre Iuuenes et virgines senes cuÌ„ innioribus laudent nomen dnÌ„i quia exalta tum est nomen eius solius IteruÌ„ psalmê° A solis ortu vsque ad occasum laudabile nomen domini B. ¶ Example of a good chylde the which yelded graces and praysynges vnto god in all aduersytees that came to hym ¶ We fynde by wrytynge that a chylde was soo perfyte that he sayd deo gracias in all thinges And it be befell soo that after that his fader and his moder were departed men of warre came vnto his hous / the whiche tasted of a tonne of eygre sydre / the whiche a none they brake shedde the sayd sydre / whan the chyld sawe that he sayd I yelde graces vnto god I dranke eygresydre / now I shall well drynke good water After that the men of armes brake his house and warmed them with the tymbre And whan the forsayd chylde sawe that he sayd Deo gracias I yelde graces vnto god I was wonte in fore tymes to be lodged in this grete house and now I shall make me a lytell lodge and therin I shal abyde And the sayd men of warre yode in to his gardyn and brake and pulled vp al the herbes as cooles / lekes / borage / onyons / ê‘cely / letuse c. Than the chylde sayd agayne deo gracias / ye haue broken the lekes and other herbes I yelde graces vnto god / it me behoueth to take wylde leues of the feldes / to go frye them with a lytell pot of butter that ye haue left in suche a corner And whan the men of warre sawe that they hadde done soo moche harme vnto the sayd chyldren sayd vnto themselfe / we ben ryght cursed the whiche haue doone so moche harme to this chylde the whiche is not wrothe ne neuer euyll worde vnto vs he hath sayd / and vnto vs dooth the best that he may in doynge good agaynst euyll For to make shorte they repented them and conuerted theym vnto good by his example E. ¶ To wake in contemplacyon and to do the werkes of mercy at the feestes coÌ„maunded .xvii. SYxtely to kepe the feestes gardables or that ben to be kept a man sholde employe the tyme wakynge in operacyons spyrytualles / as to occupye hymselfe in the lyfe contemplatyue the whiche belongeth vnto the dyseccyon of god / that is to serue / to honoure / and to worshyp hym as it is sayd And to thynke on thynges celestyalles and spyrytualles to mounte on heyght with god and his sayntes / and to reygne with theym eternally in the Ioyes of paradysethe whiche ben so grete that they ben infynyte and inenarrables This lyfe contemplatyue vnto vs is gyuen in fygure of the blyssed Mawdeleyne the whiche sette her oft at the foote of our sauyour redemptour Ihesus and herde his worde as it is wryten Luce .xi. Sedens secus pedes domini audiebat verba illius Another example of the contemplacion of two relygyouses the whiche were fro crystmas tyll mydsomer spekynge of god wtout enoyenge theym / they wende to haue ben there but two houres Quere lxxxxiiii b. And after that the soule hath taken her refeccyon and the body his nourysshement it is good after dyner on the sayd dayes of the feestes to take hede also to the dyleccyon of his neyghbours indygentes and nedy / as to gyue almesse to vesyte the seke / to counceyle theÌ„ that lacke counceyle / to coÌ„forte them that ben heuy / sorowfull seke / and also to doo all other werkes of mercy This lyfe actyue is gyuen vnto vs by fygure in Mary marthe hostesse of our blyssed sauyour and redemptour Ihesu cryst the whiche prepared him his meet and toke hede vnto the werkes of mercy the whiche is the lyfe actyue Also by this Marthe is vnderstande the deuocyon by the whiche we ben accoÌ„panyed by charyte with our neyghboure And by Mary magdaleyne is vnderstande the intencyon relygyous of the thought The lyfe actyue gyueth the breed corporell vnto hyÌ„ the whiche hath hoÌ„gre / and doctryne vnto the ygnouraunt and vnlerned It correcketh the synner errant / and calleth agayne the proude man vnto humylyte Also it mynystreth vnto euery one that the whiche is vnto hym expedyent The lyfe contemplatyue reteyneth the charyte of god and of his neyghbour / but it resteth it of the accyon wtoutforth / at the onely desyre of the conductour to Ioyne soo vnto hym And all hertes erthly fouled and put vnder fote is embraced to se the face of the creatour and desyreth to medle / that is to be with the cytezyns of the hye regyon enioyenge them in the beholdynge of god of the incorrupcyon eternall The lyfe actyue vnto the perturbacions of the worlde The lyfe contemplatyue the whiche extendeth to god is moost sure And therfore our lorde sayd to Martha Illud luce .x. Martha martha solicita es et turbaris erga plurima maria optimaÌ„ parteÌ„ elegit que non auferetur ab ea D. ¶ How the reuerence and sanctyfycacion of al holy thyÌ„ges is brought in this thyrde commaundement .xvii. SAynt Ysodore sayth in his boke Secundum dignitateÌ„ redde cuique honoreÌ„ Yelde honour vnto euery man after his dygnyte Many thynges ben holy wherunto we owe honoure / for theyr sanctyfycacyon is conteyned vnder this commaundement Sabbata sanctifices Of that whiche holy thynges we shall tell foure ✿ Fyrst the tyme of the dayes of the feestes commaunded sholde be sanctyfyed in lykewise as is before declared Secondly a maÌ„ sholde bere honour and reuerence vnto the holy places / as vnto the chyrches VnÌ„ psal DomuÌ„ tuaÌ„ decet sanctitudo And of good ryght a man sholde honour the chyrches / for they ben the places the whiche ben blyssed / the holy seruyce is doone therin / the body of our sauyour is therin consecrate / the whiche there resteth nyght and daye in the custode Also in the chyrche we ben baptysed / confessed / purged / and made clene of al our synnes Also we ben thyder borne after that we ben dysceased and deed It is the hous of orayson in the whiche we make our prayers and oraysons / and there ben made the good predycacyons Also the chyrche is the saufgarde of the crymynalles and for banysshed people It is the place wherto they renne the whiche them kepeth frome dethe / from euyll and punycyon Also
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
crye and he shall not be herde Item sequitur prouerbiorum xxi Qui sequitur iusticiam et misericordiam inueniet vitam et gloriam Alibi vincit cuncta dare / da si vis superare Per dare regnare poteris / celosque valere B. ¶ To gyue breed and drynke ¶ Vnto the poore loke that thou gyue Bothe breed and drynke in tyme of nede Yf thou so do / veryly beleue Thou shalte be saued / be out of drede GOd wyll that thou breke and gyue thy breed vnto the poore / not the breed the whiche is moulde / infecte / or corrupt / ne breed the whiche is comen of thefte or of pyllery / but of breed the whiche is thyne / of that the whiche thou etest Vnde Ysaie lviii Frange esurienti panem tuum Et legitur prouerbiorum xxii Qui pronus est ad misericordiam benedicetur de panibus enim suis dedit pauperi He the whiche is enclyned vnto mercy shall be blyssed / of his breed he hath gyuen vnto the poore Et legitur prouerbiorum xxviii Qui dat pauperi non indigebit / qui dispicit deprecanteÌ„ sustinebit penuriam He the whiche gyueth vnto the poore shall haue no nede / he that dysprayseth the besecher shall sustayne pouerte Et legitur prouerbiorum xi Qui abscondat frumenta maledicetur in populis He the whiche hydeth his whete in tyme of famyne shall be cursed amonge the people And note wel that it is vnto the poore and indygent people that thou sholdest gyue and not vnto the ryche Vnde Luce. xiiii Cum facis conuiuium voca pauperes debiles claudos c. et non diuites ne faciat tibi retributio c. ¶ Example by this how saynt Eustace was an almesman / god wolde not that he were dampned / and hym coÌ„uerted Quere .xliii. b. ¶ Another example how that a barly lofe prouffyted moche vnto a ryche man the whiche keste it vnto a poore man by furoure QueÌ„ xliii c. ¶ Another example that the cursed Dyues brenneth and broyleth in the fyre of helle / for he hadde no pyte of the poore lazare Quere .lxxxiiij. A. ¶ Another example of a ryche man mercyfull Quere in the examplary lxxxiiij C. And of duke Durande .lxxxiiij. b Also god wyll that thou gyue drynke vnto poore folke that ben thyrsty / and thou shalte haue rewarde in paradyse / and yf thou ne gyue but one dysshe with colde water Vnde mathei x. Quicunque potum diderit vini ex minimis istis calicem aque frigide taÌ„tum in nomine discipuli Amen dico vobis non perdet mercidem suam ¶ Example of a man mercyfull the whiche was drowned as he wende to take the water for to gyue it vnto a poore man / and he yede in to paradyse or his body was colde Quere in the examplary .lv. B. C. ¶ To lodge and to clothe ¶ The poore people that lodgynge wante In to thy house receyue them gladly Yf they of clothes haue verey scante Prouyde that nedeth as semeth the sadly GOd wyll that the poore pylgrymes and people passynge by the way the whiche haue not where to lye ne to lodge / that thou gader them and brynge theym in to thy hous Vnde Ysaie .lviii. Egenos vagosque induc in domum tuam Et paulus ad hebreos xiii Hospitalitatem nolite obliuisci ¶ Example by that / that Abraham kepte hospytalyte / and that he lodged the aungelles / he had a sone the whiche had benedyccyon Genesis xviii Sara sterilis erat conceptret et peperit Ysaac Sara the wyfe of Abraham was barayne and auncyent the whiche conceyued and chylded ysaac Quere li. A. ¶ Another example Saynt Gregory sheweth in his omelye of the monday in Ester weke that there was a fader of an housholde the whiche serued by grete study vnto hospytalyte with them of his hous / he receyued euery day at his table the pylgrymes / and on a day thyder came many pylgrymes the whiche he receyued / amonge the whiche there was one whom he wolde haue wasshed as he was accustomed to serue them in humylyte / and as he ne dyde but take the lauer he ne wyst where the sayd pylgryme became whome he wolde haue serued And as he meruayled hym of the dede in that nyght god vnto hym sayd by vysyon Thou haste receyued me these other dayes in my membres and yesterday thou receyued me in my propre persone Vnto this purpose it is wryten Mathei xxv how god shall say at the Iugement Quod vni ex minimis meis fecistis michi fecistê That that ye haue done for the loue of me vnto one of my leest ye haue done it vnto myselfe And god wyll that yf thou fynde ony naked persone frosen for colde that thou couer him / and yf thou be of power that thou gyue hym a vestyment Vnde ysaie .lxviii. Cum videris nudum operi eum Et legitur luce iii. Qui habet duas tunicas det vnam non habenti ¶ Example saynt Gregory sheweth in his fyrst boke of his dyalogue that saynt Bonyface was so mercyfull that froÌ„ his chyldehode he gaue oftentymes vnto the poore his gowne and his sherte And on a tyme in the absence of his moder whan there was a derthe he gaue and dystrybuted vnto the poore people all the cornes of the garners And for as moche as the sayd moder was wrothe he prayed vnto god / and the sayd garners were replenysshed with cornes ¶ Another exaÌ„ple how saynt Martyn gaue the halfe of his mantell vnto a poore man And the nyght folowynge he sawe god amonge the aungelles couered with the sayd mantell the whiche sayd in this wyse Martinus ad huc cathecuminê° hac me veste contexit Martyn yet cathecumyn that is not baptysed but in wyll to be hath couered me in this vestement D. ¶ Of the seke and prysoners ¶ The seke and poore thou shalte vysyte And with good herte also them ayde The prysoners eke as is requysyte That lye in chaynes shrewdly arayde AFter the scryptures thou ne sholdest be slouthefull / ne take for thynge in grefe too vysyte the seke For as to ayde and conforte them a man is confermed in the dyleccyon of god and of his neyghbour Vnde ecclesiastice vii Non te pigeat visitare infirmum ex hijs enim in dilectione firmaberis ¶ Example of a Samaritan the whiche vysyted and made to heele a man the whiche was in the handes of theues Quere in the fyrst commaundement .iii. H God shall say at the Iugement I haue be seke and in pryson and thou haste vysyted me E. ¶ Example how saynt Gregory sheweth in the omelye of this gospell VideÌ„s ciuitatem fleuit super illam There was a worshypfull man a monke named Martyr the whiche by grace of vysytacyon parted from his monastery in the whiche preceded a fader spyrytual And as he yede his way he founde a mesyll or lepre in the way the whiche was
vnto theyr moders the whiche wept / morouer made to gyue vnto them gyftes And the nyght folowynge he sawe saynt Peter the whiche sayd vnto hym that he sholde call the pope Syluester and that by hym he sholde be conuerted / baptysed heled of his lepry and meselry And in lykewyse was it done as it appereth in the sayd legende ¶ Another example It is wryten in the legende of saynt Eustace how the cause of his conuercyon was for the almesdedes that he dyde The begynnȳge of the lyfe of saynt Eustace was that he was an ydolatre and synner / but he was a grete gyuer of almesse full of pyte of mercy / and for the good dedes that he dyde god wolde not that he were dampned / but gaue hȳ grace to conuert hym / to correcte and to amende / appered vnto hym the whiche sholde be to longe to tell / and for an ende conclusyon he is holy and saued c. C. ¶ Another example It is wryten in the legende of saynt Iohan thalmosyner of the conuersyon of the riche man chaunger and exposytour named Peter / the whiche in the begynnynge of his lyfe was ryght cruel vnto poore people and chased them out of his hous with grete yre and Indygnacyon And on a time the poore men complayned them togyders that neuer in theyr lyfe they myght not haue so moche as one onely almesdede of hym The one of them sayd What wyll ye gyue and I this daye may gete ony almesse of hym Than they made couenaunt with him / he yode vnto the hous for to demaunde almesse And whan the sayd ryche man came sawe the sayd poore man before his gate he coude fynde no stones to cast at hym / so as one of his seruauntes passed by the whiche bare barly loues to his hous he toke one of those loues and smote the sayd poore man by grete wodenes Than the pore man toke vp the lofe and so ranne vnto his neyghbours vnto whome he shewed the almesse that he hadde goten of his hande And two dayes after the sayd ryche mā was seke to the dethe sawe in vysyon that he was in Iugement blacke men put his ylles in balaunce / on the other parte of the sayd balaunce some other clad in whyte / the one of them sayd We haue but one barly lofe that he gaue vnto god by constraynt two dayes passed And whan they had put the sayd brede within the sayd balaunce it semed vnto hym that the balaunces were egalles / thā they sayd vnto the sayd ryche man Multyplye this barly lofe or these blacke men shall take the and than he awoke sayd Alas yf one barlylofe that I kest by wodenes hath so moche auayled me / how moche auayleth the almesdedes the whiche ben giuen lyberally c. For to make short the sayd ryche man conuerted hym was a ryght grete gyuer of almesses after and a veray good man ¶ Another example of another ryche man the whiche serued the deuyll about .xl. yeres / and for goynge to here a predycacion he conuerted hym and was saued As it is wryten in the examplary Quere lvi K. ¶ Another example by that that a man dyspayred had serued saynt Domynycke / he appered vnto hym / conforted hym / and put hym in the waye of saluacyon / as it is wryten in the Legende of the sayd saynt ¶ Another example of a man that was sētencyed Iuged vnto dampnacyon / and was delyuered at the request of the vyrgin Marye / as it is wryten in her myracles ¶ Another example of a fayre mayden pōpeously arayed and cladde vpon a sondaye after that she was wery of daunsynge the deuyll wolde haue taken and borne her away in body and in soule / and she began to crye for helpe of the vyrgyn Mary / for her moder had lerned her to serue her / and she was delyuered from the deuyll / as it is wry in thexamplary Quere lxviii c. d. ¶ A questyon What deference is there betwene the good dedes the whiche ben done in deedly synne / and those the whiche ben done in the estate of grace The answere There is grete deference / for the one is ryght lyuely merytoryous for to haue the rewarde eternall in paradyse It is that the whiche is done in thestate of grace without synne The other the whiche is doone in mortall synne is a good dede / deed and without rewarde eternall / for it is done without grace charyte Also synne is a venym so mortall vnto the soule that it mortyfyeth all goodnes spyrytuall / and departeth god his loue and his grace / wherby the synner loseth his rewarde eternal But the good dedes that he dooth in mortal synne serueth hȳ / for there ben the .v. retrybucions beforesayd ¶ For to vnderstande well this mater the persones the whiche shall be saued at the day of Iugement shall haue meryte and rewarde eternall that they haue done in the worlde in thestate of grace And yf they had commytted ony mortall synnes after doo penaunce all those good dedes that they haue done in thestate of grace in precedinge the sayd synnes come agayne vnto theym in theyr good valour by the penaunce And of those good dedes the whiche ben comen agayne in conualescence ben saued and they shall haue rewarde eternalle in paradyse And not of those the whiche they haue doone in mortall synne / for that / that whan they were done they were deed by synne as it is sayd / by that the meryte eternall is lost Vnde sctūs thomas Nullus pōt mereri nisi mediante gratia vt dictū est quere .xlv. b. Vn̄ versus Illa remiscūt que mortificata fuerunt Viuere nō possunt q̄ mortua nata sūt That is to say that those good dedes reuyueth in god cōualescence by penaunce / the whiche haue ben mortyfyed by synne But those good dedes the whiche were done in synne may not lyue / that is reuerte in conualescence after penaunce to haue rewarde eternall It foloweth than that the good dede that is done in the estate of grace is better than the other deed And therfore those the whiche dyfferreth to confesse them in lentē or in other tymes ben to be reprehended to do a good dede in synne Also a man sholde vnderstande that noo good dede is loste / but the one good dede is moche better than another c. A ¶ The thynge mouynge for to kepe the cōmaundementes of god Ca. xliiii ¶ Those that lerne ne wyll The cōmaundementes lawe to kepe And in euery poynt them fulfyll In hell shall lye ryght depe IN that aege that an enfant is capable of the cōmaundements of god he is holden to lerne theym / for that that he sholde kepe hym that he breke them not vpon the payne of dampnacyon Vn̄ legitur in secundo libro sententiarū distī xvii Statī enī
entred into the chirche herde preche that euery creature is taught to fle sȳne to loue god / by this prechynge he was edefyed And in beholdynge the creatures he sayd to hymselfe Suche a creature serueth vnto god obeyeth vnto hym The water in rennynge the byrdes in syngynge the herbes in rysynge vppe and growynge and in lyke wyse of other creatures And he sawe a toode one tyme and said / the creatoure myght haue create me as this tode yf he had wolde / I offende him contynuelly by synnes and am vnkynde For he hathe made me and create vnto his ymage for to haue beatytude and me hathe redemed by his passyō c. For to be shorte he conuerted hym and dyde penaunce / and was suffycyently instructe of a holy man and perseuered louably in the seruyce of god c. C. ¶ Another example That to here the worde of god it is prouffytable albeit that a man holde it not IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that a frere sayd vnto a goode fader abbot I haue axed questyons oftymes that they wolde tel me ammonycyon for the helthe of my soule And of all that that they tell me I reteyne nothynge The auncyente sayd vnto the frere I haue two vesselles voyde goo fetche me one and wasshe it with water / and afterwarde caste it and put the sayd potte in his place And the sayd frere dyde so one tyme two tymes / and the aūcyente sayd vnto hym Brynge me the two vesselles heder / whan that he hadde broughte them the auncyente sayd vnto hym / Whiche of the two pottes is moost moyst and also clene The frere sayd vnto hym It is that wherin I haue put my water that I haue wasshed Than the auncyent sayd vnto hym Sone in lyke wyse is it of the soule the whiche hereth often the worde of god / albeit that he reteyne nothynge of the thynges that he axeth / notwithstondynge he is more clene than he the whiche demaūdeth nothynge and also hereth not ony thynge D. ¶ Another example how some freres slepte in herynge the worde of god and in herynge the ydell wordes they were moche wakynge Ca. lvi IT is wryten in the lyfe of the faders that an aūcyent the whiche set him in hermytage for to pray vnto god that he wolde gyue hȳ grace that he slepte not whan men sholde speke of spyrytuell thynges And whan men sholde speke of detraccyon or of hate that he myght slepe incontynente that the ere 's ne token the venyme of that synne He sayd that the deuyll studyed hȳ to admoneste these men in ydell wordes for to impugne doctryne and thynge spyrytuell And he tolde this example Whan I spake some tyme vnto some freres of the vtylyte of soules / they slepte so profoūdely that they ne myght meue the eye lyd of theyr eyes And I wolde shewe that it was a thynge dyabolyke And I yode to speke thynges ydell And they were incontynent wakynge and enioyed theym and I toke me to wayle and to saye I spake tyll vnto nowe of thynges celestyall / and all your eyes were holden by grefe to slepe whan an ydell worde hathe be brought forth / ye haue be all prompte and redy to here For the whiche thynge I praye you ryght dere brethern that ye knowe that it is the werke of the cursed deuyll / take hede to your selfe and kepe you from slepynge whan ye do or here ony thynge spyrytuell c. By this example a man may vnderstonde that the deuyll bryngeth a slepe his seruauntes of drede that they ne here the worde of god / and that they ne sholde leue theyr synnes And also he waketh thēfor to here ylle / to th ende that they fall in to synne and dampnacyon c. E. ¶ Another example agayne those the whiche fleeth the sermons lvi IT is wryten that as saynt martyn yode frome towne to towne prechinge and doynge myracles one Cayment impotente fledde euermore before hym from towne to towne / and from cyte to cyte / and fered that he sholde hele hym / of drede that he ne loste to gete and to demaunde his liuynge In lyke wyse the rauysshers / the the uys / the lechoures / and synners fleeth the sermons and they ne wyll here them / of drede leste that they leue theyr synnes / they ne amende them c. F. ¶ Another example how the case of a prechoure was borne at the dethe / how Ihesu cryste ayded hym and chased awaye the deuylles lvi SOme maysters hathe wryten this the whiche foloweth howe the dyscyple recyteth in his prōtuarye and sayth that it was cōmaunded vnto a relygious preest of the ordre of the prechers that he sholde go to preche agayn the sarazyns / the crosse he theder yode and so deyed And he appered vnto one of his compaygnons the whiche axed hym of his estate He answered in this It semed me that my payne was to longe And whan that I deyed I ne sawe by me but the deuylles the which began to saye vnto me Thou keptest neuer wele thy professyon ne the obedyence that thou hast promysed vnto thyn abbot And also thou ne preched neuer vnto ony clerely thy lorde god And as the sayd deuylles preposed agaynst me dyuers thynges in the sayd manere and that there ne was persone the whiche answerde for me Ihesu cryste came and sayd Come after me / for thou haste preched me And incontynent all the company of deuylles departed as a smoke I folowed Ihesu cryste in to glorye and I ne felte ony other pain excepte the sayd fere c. G. ¶ Another example how he the whiche precheth the worde of god shal haue grete rewarde in heuen MEn fynde by wrytynge in some bokes / also the dyscyple it recyteth in his promptuarye that as a good preest precher approched vnto his dethe one of his good frendes made hym swere in our lorde that he sholde come to certefy hym of his estate .xxx. dayes after his dethe After that he was deed the said preest appered vnto hym as he had requyred hȳ in a meruayllous fayre chapel al replenysshed with ouches of golde that is to saye of Iewelles ryche / noble good and precyous / amonges the whiche there was one vpon the brest dyffered / was more fayr without comparyson than the other And as he enquyred of his estate / he sayd vnto hym that it was wele After he hym demaunded wherfore he was so cladde He answered I haue this vestyment for the grete zele and loue that I haue had vnto my neyghbours And as many as I haue conuerted of synners there are in my vesture of ouches And I haue receyued the ouche that thou seest on my brest / for that that I haue conuerted a synner of whom no man had ony hope of helthe And he asked hym of the estate of those the whiche haue cure and charge of soule and of people
the deuyll yode his waye fro that place c. C. ¶ Another example how a man sholde not pray for an vsurer deed lxxxvii MEn fynde by wrytinge this that whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in the boke of his promptuary and sayeth that a preste prayed for his fader the whiche had ben an vsurer / and in syngȳge his hādes trembled And saynt Bernarde prayed god that he wolde shewe what the sygnyfyed And an aungell appered to him and sayd It is grete foly to pray for an vsurer the whiche is dampned And the blyssed saynt Bernarde defended vnto the preste that he sholde synge nomore for his fader / And after that he hadde ceased to pray for his sayd fader his handes ceased and trembled no more D. ¶ Another example what became of a chyrche the whiche was made of vsuries extorcyons lxxxvii THe dysciple recyteth in his promptuary that after that a mā had do make a chyrche of vsuryes extorcyons he made the bysshop to come for to dedycate it And as the bysshop accompanyed with his clerkes dyde dedycate it he sawe behynde the auter the deuyl in habyte of a bysshop beynge in a chayre the whiche sayd vnto the bysshop Wherfore consecratest thou my chyrche Cease the. This chyrche apperteyneth vnto me of good ryght / for is is edyfyed of vsuryes rapynes Than as the bysshop the clerkes fledde the deuyll dystroyed the sayd chyrche with grete daūsynge An almesdede or ony thynge that a man gyueth vnto god or vnto his chirche / or vnto ony of his sayntes of paradyse sholde be of good acquysycyon of good berynge wtout beynge made of thefte extorcyon or vsury c. or it shal not be agreable vnto god He wyll not that a man take away the goodes fro ony for to brynge them vnto hym As the scrypture sayth in many places Vn̄ eccl xxxiii Dona iniquorū nō a probat altissimus / nec recipit oblationē īi quorum Et michee ca. i Intulistis de rapinis claudum et languidū munus / nō quid suscipiam dn̄o debile qr rex magnus ego sum dicit dn̄s c. E. ¶ Another example of an vsurer that wolde not restore lxxxvii IT is wryten in the boke of the gyft of drede how a preste gaue warninge of thre thȳges vnto an vsurer that deyed The fyrst was that he sholde repent hym The secōde that he sholde confesse hym The thyrde that he sholde make full restytucion after his puyssaunce And the sayd vsurer sayd I am content to do the two fyrst thynges / but the thyrde how sholde I do it / for there sholde nothynge be left vnto me / ne vnto my chyldren And the preste sayd Without these .iii thynges thou mayst not be saued / as sayth the sages the scryptures And he answered I wyll proue yf it be true / for I wyll nothynge restore And so he deyed cursedly / dred more the pouerte temporall than dampnacyon eternall F. ¶ Another example of an vsurer the confessed hym / made restytucyon in the ende of his dayes lxxxvii MEn fynde in wrytynge this the whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in his promptuary and sayth that an vsurer fell in grete sekenes the whiche was warned by his frendes to confesse hȳ and to receyue all the sacramentes And he sayd What shall it serue me that haue soo moche deferred to confesse and amende And the frēdes sayd A man sholde euermore cōfesse hym / for peraduenture god shall gyue you his grace And the confessour was called / vnto whom the vsurer sayd My fader espyrytuall I wyll confesse me with good wyll But I haue commytted so many synnes / and therin am so bewrapped that I can not tell how I may escape Vnto whome the confessour sayd Dyspayre ye not / but confesse you / for confessyon wel made hath suche vertue that all synnes there ben pardoned Than he confessed hym / god gaue vnto hym suche grace that he repented hym wepte so strongely his synnes that with payne myght he speke by force of wepinge He made an entyer confessyon / restored the sayd vsuryes and thynges yl goten after the counceyle of the confessour / and ended well his lyfe and his dayes ¶ Restitucio A. ¶ Examples of restytucyon And fyrst example of a man named Fryderyke tormented in purgatory for that he had not restored yll goten godes lxxxviii MEn fynde by wrytinge this that whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in the boke of his promptuary and sayeth that after that a knyght was deed he appered vnto a citezyn his neyghbour in suche maner that smoke flambe yssued fro his nosethrylles / he was couered with shepe skȳnes / bare a plotte of erthe vpon his sholdres Vnto whome the cytezyn sayd Ar ye Fryderyke And he sayd / ye Fro whens come ye / what betokeneth the thynges that I se He answered I am in grete paynes for that I haue taken away shepe skynnes from a wydowe the whiche I fele now brennȳge Also I haue drawen vnto me iniustly the party of a felde that weyeth sore / bruseth my sholders But yf my chyldrē restore my paynes shall be lyght / so he departed And whā the sones of the sayd knyght herde these wordes of theyr fader they loued better that he sholde abyde in payne than restore the sayd thynges ¶ This example denoteth that the sayd Fryderycke had contrycyon confessyon / but he dyde no satysfaccōn And therfor he was in purgatory And by that / that the sayd chyldren wold not restore it is to note that one ought not to tary for his parents too do good after his dethe / but do it hȳselfe B. ¶ Another example of a childe that was in the paynes of purgatory / for that he restored not money borowed lxxxviii MEn fynde by wrytynge this that whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in his promptuary sayth that a duchesses sone of .ix. yere olde was seke shrone hym deyed And after his dethe he appered to his moder / sayd that he was in grete payne in purgatory for that that he had not payed the debtes borowed of the seruauntes of his sayd moder for to go play And that at his dethe he remembred not to pay them or make to be payed And the sayd chylde requyred his moder that she wolde paye the sayd debtes / that his payne sholde haue ende so that they be payed The whiche sayd that with good wyll she wolde pay theym And she made inquysycyon of the sayd seruauntes And made them al to be payde the whiche had sende to her sayd sone And incontinent that they were all payed the chylde appered to his moder agayne in grete clerete Vnto whome he sayd that he was delyuered from payne put in grete felycyte c. ¶ By this example a man sholde vnderstāde that him behoueth to be pure clene for to go in to paradyse Whan the
demauÌ„ded what he was he answered I am the frere the whiche appered yesterdaye vnto the. And he him demaunded how it was with hyÌ„ He answered wele by the grace of god Thou haste demauÌ„ded me of god and he hathe gyuen me vnto the. And I am delyuered frome purgatorye I yelde the graces louynges and I go with the felysshyp of sayntes / forthwith he departed c. ¶ Another example is wryten in dialogo cesarii of a man the whiche sholde be in purgatorye two thousande yeres was delyuered in two yeres by the suffrages / masses / and good operacyons of a bysshop / of other good men ¶ Perditio bonorum Y. ¶ Example that in lyke wise as water departeth frome the pot perced or broken In lyke wyse dothe the vertues of a man by mortall synne Cii IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that that a good fader named arreneê° wolde se the operacyons of the worlde / as he was in his oratorye he herde a voyce the whiche sayd vnto hym Arreneê° go by the countree to the ende that thou behold the operacyons of the worlde And whan he was gone forthe of his oratorye he saw a man the whiche drewe water of a welle and put it in a vessell perced holed from the whiche it ranne incontinent And therin ne abode nothynge And the sayd arreneus passed ferthermore sawe a man the whiche made and assembled a burden of wodde / and whan he had made it he assayed to lyfte it to lye it on his sholdres / but for that that he ne myght lyft it and that he founde it moche heuy he yode yet to assemble of wodde / put it yet within that burden or fagot / and made it in suche wyse two or thre tymes / and the lesse myght lyfte it on his sholdres Afterwarde the said arreneê° yode ferthermore and sawe two yonge men vpon two horses before the gate of the cyte the whiche bare before them alonge logge ouerthwarte / and wende to entre in to the cyte by the sayd gate / but they ne myght for the sayd logge / for they ne obeyde the one vnto the other for to entre within And after that the aungell came vnto the sayd arreneus / vnto whome he demaunded what he had sene And he answered as it sayd is of the man the which drewe of water And the aungell expounded vnto hym the sayd thynges / and said vnto hym By the man the whiche drewe of water is to vnderstonde that the man the whiche dothe almesdedes good operacyons in mortall synne / anone it departeth from hym for the synne as dothe the water from the vessell perced And the seconde man the whiche thou haste sene the whiche assembled of wodde / that is to say that the man the whiche assembleth and coÌ„mytteth syÌ„ne vpon synne ne may mouÌ„t in heyght for the weyght of the synnes and by those the whiche ne myght entre in to the cyte that bare the wodde ouerthwart ben vnderstonde proude people hatefull the whiche ne wyll humble them to concorde togyders ne shall entre in to the cyte of paradyse This exaÌ„ple denoteth thre thynges The fyrste that mortall syn chaseth awaye the good operacyons frome the persones The seconde is that synne is of itselfe so heuy that it letteth to mounte in to paradyse maketh to fall in to the pyt of helle as dyde sathan the whiche fell from paradyse VnÌ„ luce x. VidebaÌ„ sathanaÌ„ sicut fulgur de celo cadenteÌ„ And that that a man putteth yet more wodde in his burden yet the more heuy he fyndeth it and more yll to lyfte vpon his sholdres denoteth that whan a man coÌ„mytteth syÌ„ne vpon synne And more shyftly a man falleth in basse / and the lesse a man mouÌ„teth in paradyse The thyrde is that hatred discorde the whiche is betwene neyghbours letteth to entre in to the cyte of paradyse ¶ Finis iniquorum est peccatum z. ¶ Examples that mortall synne is a lyne by the whiche the deuyll holdeth the synners And fyrste how the deuylles helde a man bounde with a chayne and ledde him with grete ioye Cii A Doctour named Vyrydarias sayeth in a sermon this the whiche foloweth how the dyscyple recyteth in his booke / and sayeth that god gaue vnto an hermyte this gyft to knowe the hertes of men the whiche came one tyme vnto the chirche where the preest confessed And the sayd hermyte sawe that the men entred in to the sayd chirche blacke horryble / the whiche were accompanyed with deuylles the whiche were ioyous And the auÌ„gels the whiche them kepte were sory seperate ferof And as they retourned from confessyon than the deuylles were sory and departed from them / and the aungels were ioyous the whiche approched And amonge the other the sayd hermyte sawe a man the whiche was bouÌ„de by the necke with a chayne that the deuylles ledde with grete ioye And his aungell folowed ferre of And this sayd man yode vnto confessyon as the other / but he came agayne more blacker than before And the deuylles bounde him more strongly than he was And whaÌ„ the said hermyte sawe that approched vnto the sayd man / tolde vnto hym that that he had sene And the sayd synner had grete drede and sayd I haue offended god in many maners And also I haue hydde a grete synne He retourned vnto confessyoÌ„ came agayne clere / the deuylles were sory the aungelles ioyous So by trewe confessyon repentauÌ„câ— he was vnbounde of his synnes of the deuylles / was assocyate with the good c. ¶ Another example that a man beynge in mortall synne is so bouÌ„de that he maye not do no good operacyon the whiche vnto hym is merytoryous Cii THe dyscyple recyteth in his promptuarye and sayth that as mayster thomas theologycyen sholde deye he beynge in his bedde he sawe the deuyll fast by hym / vnto whome he sayd / What doest thou here blody beest Tell me what thynge it is the whiche noyeth you moost And as he helde his peas he adioygned sayd I coniure the by the god lyuyng the whiche shall come to iuge the quycke the deed that thou tel me the trouthe And the deuyl answered and sayd There is nothynge the whiche taketh awaye so moche our force as contrycyon confessyon oftentymes made For whan a man is in mortal syÌ„ne all his membres ben so bounde that he ne maye moue hym for to do good operacyoÌ„ the whiche vnto hym is merytoryous / whan he confesseth his synnes he is afterwarde franc mouable vnbounde for to do all good operacyons This example denoteth two thynges The fyrste is that by mortall synne a man is terrybly bouÌ„de with the handes of the deuyll The seconde is that by confessyon a man is vnbouÌ„de as it is sayd c. r. Another example how the deuyll lyeth out his snares for to deceyue vs.
shal haue grete dolour at theyr dethe whan they shall se and knowe theyr damnacyon and perdycyon eternell c. B. ¶ Another example how a ryche sone deyed impenytent the whiche sayd that his iugemente was made / and that he sawe the deuylles Cv. THe dyscyple recyteth in his sermons that there was a yonge man the whiche lyft hym vp agaynst god agaynst his owne helthe the whiche cōmytted many euylles in saynge / in playnge / in cōmyttynge lechery / in lyuynge after the voluptuosytees of his body Afterwarde he fel in to a greuous sekenes / as he laye and that men apperceyued in hym no contrycyō his cousyn that satte by hym sayd to hȳ Thou art sore seke prepayre the vnto god by true contrycyon / confessyon / in receyuynge the sacramentes / call hym the whiche hathe suffred for the on the crosse that he wyll pardon the thy synnes And he answered in dispayrynge hȳ What tellest thou me of cōfession to receyue the sacramēts I neuer in my lyfe receyued god verytably / but I haue al way lyued ayenst god / and also I haue called god in yre Than am I now left of him so that I neuer may fynde grace / for I am setenced eternally vnto the fyre pardurable / vnto the dethe eternall And I am now in the puyssaunce of all the deuylles / afterwarde sayd Seest thou this grete garner of wheet / I tell the that there are mo deuylles assembled about me that there ben cornes in the sayd garner Than he deyed yelded his soule to the deuyls the whiche caryed hym C. ¶ Another example of a monke ypocrite that eate in secrete fayned to fast / the infernall dragon choked him Cv IT is wryten in the dyalogue of saynt Gregory that a monke was by estymacyon a good relygyous For men wened that he was replete with vertues and good maners but in th ende he shewed that he was none suche Whan his bredren wende that he had fasted he eate secretely also shewed wtoutforthe other than he was within Whan it came vnto his dethe his bredren of his relygyon came thyder wenynge that he had sayd good wordes salutaryes / but he toke him to tremble to be in grete confusyon and to say Whan I was with you that ye wende that I fasted I eate secretely / I am now gyuen vnto a dragon for to deuour me the whiche byndeth my knees fete with his tayle / putteth his heed in my mouthe draweth my spyrite out And after that he had spoken these wordes he deyed / the dragon gaue hym neyther tyme ne space to do penaūce God suffred that this thynge was manyfestly shewed to th ende that al ypocrytes fayntyues knowe that they shal be dampned yf they correct them not in tyme in place ¶ Iudicia dei A. ¶ Example how a monke requyred of god that he myght se his Iugementes / the whiche sawe them knewe theym that they were Iust harde to knowe Cvi IT is writen in the lyfe of the faders that a monke solytary of the partyes of egypt requyred of god too shewe hym his Iugements And for as moche as he contynued to beseche god to se this thynge / god sent vnto hym an aungell in semblaunce of an aūcyent fader the whiche sayd to hym Come go we se the holy faders requyre we them the holy worde theyr benedyccyon And after that they had sore laboured walked they came to knocke at the dore of an holy fader the whiche receyued them benygnely and after orayson wasshed theyr fete / them refeccyoned gaue of that that he had charytably And in the mornynge in grete Ioye gaue them lycence And whan they departed the aungel toke hydde a platter wherin they had eaten bare it away And the monke began to murmure agaynst the aūgell wherfore he had taken the platter of so good a man the whiche had done to them so moch goodnes And as they walked the sone of the good man came after thē to demaund the sayd platter And the aungell slewe hȳ Whan the sayd monke sawe that he was sory sayd Maledyccyon is with me that suche a thynge is done vnto so good a man It suffysed not to take from hym his platter / but more his sone hath be slayne And after that they had walked yet thre dayes they came to the dore of an auncyent the whiche had two dyscyples strake at the dore And the auncyent sent one of his dyscyples demaūdynge them what they wolde what they were They answered / we ben of laboure wolde haue thy benedyccyon / to here thy worde And the sayd auncyent sente theym worde that he myght not entende that they sholde go theyr wayes And they hym prayed that he wolde lodge them to passe that nyght for they were weri And he sent vnto them that they shold go theyr way / asked why they helde thē not in theyr place that they sholde go as vacabondes And they prayed hym agayne that he wolde lodge them for the nyght alonely And sayd it is nyght and that they dredde to be deuoured of euyl beestes And he commaunded his dyscyple that he sholde put them in the stable And in the euen tyde they ne myght haue no lyght ne other thynge of the sayd mayster But one of the dyscyples bare vnto them a lytel breed and water / and prayed theym that they sholde say nothynge vnto his mayster And they abode so all the nyght And whan the mornynge came the aungell of god sayd vnto the sayd dyscyples Pray ye vnto your mayster that he gyue vs orayson / and that we haue a gyfte to gyue hym And whan that he herde that he sholde haue a gyft he descēded And the sayd aungell gaue vnto hym the platter that he had taken of the good mā And whan he had taken it he retorned in to his chambre shytte the doore vnto hym And whan the sayd monke sawe that he was indygne towarde hym that yode with him knewe not that he was an aungell / vnto whom he sayd Departe thou fro me / for I shall goo no more with the. Thou hast taken the platter of a good man the whiche hath done vnto vs so moche of goodnes hast gyuen it vnto so yl a man And morouer thou hast slayne the sonne of the good man that dyde to vs so moche charyte And the aungell answered Thou hast prayed god that he wolde shewe the his Iugementes / and he hath sent me to shewe them the. The platter that I haue taken from the good man was not comen of good inquysycyon / and it was not conuenable that soo good an holy man had in his hous ony euyll thynge But that the whiche is comen of euyll is comen to him that is vnto his ruyne And I haue slayne the sone of the good