saue .viij. soules ¶ Diues Sythen eche man and woman is demed anone as he is dede wherof shall serue the generall dome ¶ Pauper That all men hethen crysten may see the ryghtfull dome of god not only in themself but in all other yâ— hethen men may see knowe theyr false byleue for whiche they ben dampned And crysten men see knowe theyr vnkyndenesse and how ryghtfully they all other ben dampned that dye in dedely synne Caplm .xvij. MAnnes dome is peruerted by foure thynges as sayth the lawe xi.qÌ„.iiij Quatuor by drede by couetyse of gyftes by hate by loue But cryste he is almyghty he dredeth noo man He is lorde of all he nedeth no mede ne gyftes He hateth noo good man ne woman and therfore he shall dampne noo good man ne good woman He loueth all maner ryght and therfore he shall do no wronge He knoweth all therfore ther shall noo false wytnesse ne slyght of men of lawe desceyue hym Euery man shall be there a true wytnesse of his owne dome for his owne conscyence shal saue hym or dampne hym And therfore leue frâ—nde be ye a true wytnesse of your self in this worlde to saue your selfe here in tyme of grace than shall ye be a true wytnesse to your selfe to saue your selfe in tyme of the dome False wytnesses in this worlde haste theyr ryghtfull doome of dampnacyon in the other worlde For they ben false wytnesses to themselfe and to the other also As sayth saynt Iohan with the gylden mouth super Matheum opere imperfecte Omelia .vi. Ther is no man able to be a true wytnesse to an other man but he be fyrste a true wytnesse to hymselfe in his owne dome Art the dome god shall axe of vs rekenynge and answerynge of the benefyces that we haue taken of hym he shall axe theym ayen in nombre in weyght and in measure He shall axe of vs how ofte we haue resceyued of his gyftes how moche we haue resceyued how we haue spente them And the lettres and the tayles of our conscyence shall answere and saye that we haue resceyued goodes of kynde that is to saye of bodye and of soule Also goodes of fortune that ben temporal goodes and temporall rychâ—sses and goodes of grace that ben vertues and connynge Than the souerayne Iuge shall axe of vs answere of his benefyces in the plurell nombre saynge Esuriui â— I hadde hongre and ye gaue me no mete I hadde thryste and ye gaue me no drynke I was naked and ye clothed me not I sought my harborowe and ye resceyued me not I was seke and in pryson ye vysyted me not ne conforted me not And sythen the dome shall be so hards to them that helpe not theyr euen crysten with theyr good at nede moche more strayt it shall be to them that robbe theyr euen crysten as to theues pylours extorcyoners manquellers lechours and to all wycked doers Than men shal gyue answere of euery ydell worde that they speke as cryste sayth in the gospell And as saynt Bernarde sayth the ryche man shal gyue answere of euery threde in his clothe of euery croÌ„me of brede in his brede skep of euery droppe of drynke of his barell in his tonne in his vessell Also cryste shal axe rekenynge by hole mesure For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Men shal there reken yelde to the lest ferthynge without forgyuene s se And suche mesure as men mete here to other shal be moten ayeâ— to them mercy for mercy harde for harde Also god shall than axe of vs rekenynge in weyght of strayt dome for all our dedes shal there be weyed by yâ— dome of god of our owne conscyence after that they weye they shal be rewarded the good in blysse the wycked in payne Than the honde of god shall wryte in the conscyence of euery man woman that shal be dampned these thre wordes Mane techel phares Whiche thre worder he wrote on the walle of thou kynges halle Balthasar to his dampnacoÌ„n Danielis â—nto Whiche vysyon appered to the kynge in tyme of the grete feest yâ— he made in despyte of god made men drynke in the vesselles of goddes temple whiche vesselles were halowed to god for Mane is to saye in englysshe God hath nombred thy kyngdome and dayes of thy reygne made an ende therof Techel is to saye thou art weyed in a balauÌ„ce and thou weyest to lytell Phares is to saye thy kyngdome is departed from the. For after the dome the lynful man may no lenger loke after the kyngdom of heuen whiche was ordeyned to hym yf he wolde haue deserued it But than he shal be departed fro yâ— kyngdom that he hath loste by his folye go to pryson of helle without ende whiche he hath deserued For than Cryste shall saye to euery man and woman Tolle quod tuuÌ„ est et vade Take that is thyne and that thou haste deserued and goo thy waye to heuen yf thou haue doo well or to helle yf thou haue doo amys and not amended the. Than all wycked crysten men shall be demed and dampned but hethen men shall be dampned not demed For as cryste sayth in the gospell He that byleueth not in cryste now he is demed Some shall be demed and saued as good crysten men comyn lyuers And some shall be saued not demed as men of perfeccoÌ„n For they shall deme other as Cryste sayth in the gospel Vos â— reliquistis omnia â— Ye that haue forsaken all worldely goodes for my sake and folowed me in pouerte and in perfeccyon ye shall sytte on .xij. setes demynge the .xij. kynredes of Israell that is to saye all that shall be demed Caplm .xviij. DIues It is a dredefull thynge to thynke on this dome ¶ Pauper It shall be more dredefull to here it to see it moost for to fele it and namely to ryche folke that haue resceyued many goodes of god not spended them ne dyspensed them to his worshyp And saynt Gregory in his Omelye sayth The more the gyftes of god come to a man the more were rekenynges answere of the gyftes Therfore saynt Iames speketh to you ryche men in this maner Agite nuÌ„c diuites â— Now ye ryche men do ye so yâ— ye may saue your selfe wepe ye wayle ye for your myscheues that shall falle to you but ye amende you Your rychesses ben roten your clothes be mothe eten your golde syluer is rusted the ruste therof shal be wytnesse ayenst you at the dome and ete your flesshe as fyre For ye kept your good so harde from the poore folke therfore you haue tresoured wrath and wretche to you in the laste dayes Iacobi .v. ¶ Diues Well is hym that is well deed ¶ Pauper And well is hym that wel lyueth For as saynt Austen sayth He that lyueth well may not euyll dye Therfore as I sayd
is nedefull to all For sythen I may not atteyne to the more perfeccyon I wolde as we muste kepe and holde well the lesse perfeccyon ¶ Pauper Do than as Cryste taughte that yonge riche man Serua mandata Kepe well the commauadementes Haue one god in worshyppe Take not his name in ydelnesse Halowe the holy dayes Fader and moder worshyppe and paye Slee noo man Doo no folye by no woman Loke that thou stele not And noo false wytnesse that thou bere Coueyte thou not thy neyghbours good with wronge house ne londe Desyre not his wyfe ne his childe ne his seruaunt ne his beest ne onythynge that to hym longeth ¶ These ben the .x. cōmaūdementes whiche god wrote in .ij. tables of stone toke theȳ Moyses for to teche theym to the people ¶ The thre fyrst cōmaūdementes were wryten by theym selfe in the fyrst table For tho pryncypaly teche vs how we sholde worshyp our god loue hȳ aboue all thynge therfore they ben called the thre cōmaūdementes of the fyrste table ¶ The other .vij. ben called of the seconde table for they were wryten in the seconde table And they teche vs how we sholde worshyp loue our euen crysten as our selfe And so all the .x. cōmaūdementes ben comprehended in the two cōmaūdementes of charyte ¶ Diues Whiche ben tho ¶ Pauper The fyrste is that thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thyn herte with all thy mynde with all thy myght The seconde is that thou shalte loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe that is to saye thou shalte loue hym to the same blysse that thou louest to thy selfe do to hym as thou woldest men dyde to the not do to hym but as thou woldest men dyde to the as longe as he kepeth the lawe of charyte For yf he forfete do ayenst charyte it is charyte to chastyse hym punysshe hym tyll he wyll amende hȳ for saluacōn of his soule ensample of other In these two cōmaūdementes as Cryste sayth in the gospell hangeth all the lawe and all the prophecye And therfore saynt Poule sayth that loue and charyte is fulfyllynge of alle the lawe Caplm .x. DIues Me meruaylleth moche why Cryste taught more that yonge riche man the cōmaundementes of the seconde table than of the fyrste why he taught hym more how he shold loue his neyghbour than he sholde loue his god For neyther cryste spake to hym of the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte how he sholde loue his god aboue all thyng ne how he sholde haue one god in worshyppe ne how he sholde flee periurye ne that he sholde halowe the holy dayes And yet without kepyng of these may no man be saued ¶ Pauper Whan Cryst bad hym kepe the cōmaūdementes in generall he bad hym kepe the .x. cōmaūdementes the two cōmaūdementes of charyte al goddes hestes his lawes But he specyfyed more the cōmaundementes of the seconde table than of the fyrste more the seconde cōmaundemente of charyte than the fyrste not that he was more boūde therto but for he was more enclyned bycause of youthe of richesses of lordshyp to forfet ayenst tho cōmaūdementes than ayenste the other in the fyrste table For youthe is enclyned to wrath hastynesse fyghtynge and soo to manslaughter to lecherye auoutrye to lyenge so to false wytnesse to theeft to pryde rebellyon to indygnacōn to despyte of his elder And so in many wyse offendeth his neyghbour his euen crysten And namely whan youth is vnder sette with richesse is at his owne rule without drede of punysshyng as that yonge man was For he was full riche and he was a prynce leder and ruler of the contre as sayth saynt Luke in his gospell And therfore Cryste moost souerayne leche not oonly taught hym how he sholde lyue withouten ende but moreouer he warned hym to what sekenesse he was moost dysposed to wherby he myght lese that lyfe deye withouten ende taught hym medycynes ayenst tho sekenesses whan he bad hym not slee do no lecherye no thefte bere noo false wytnesse worshyp fader moder and in his reulynge loue his neyghbour as hym selfe do to hym as he wolde men dyde to hym ¶ Diues Why specyfyed not Cryste to hym the two laste cōmaūdementes of the seconde table whiche be ayenst false couetyse ¶ Pauper For yonge folke be not soo moche enclyned to couetyse as they be to other sȳnes ¶ Diues That is sothe for couetyse reygneth moost in olde folke And so as men wexe in age so encreaseth theyr couetyse And whan all other synnes forsake man for elde and feblenesse than couetyse is moost breme Pryde is fyrste in youthe couetyse last in age Saye forth what thou wylte Caplm .xi. PAuer Euermore thou shalt vnderstonde that ther be two maner of lyues by y◠whiche man may be saued The fyrst is contemplatyfe the seconde actyfe The fyrst stondeth pryncypally in besynesse to knowe god goddes lawes and to loue hym aboue all thynge The seconde stondeth pryncypally in good dedes good rule helpe of our euen crysten The thre fyrste cōmaūdementis of the fyrst table belongeth to all but pryncypally to them that ben in contemplatyf lyfe that haue forsaken the worlde worldely besynesse for the loue of god The seuen cōmaundementes of the seconde table also longen to al. but pryncypally to theym that ben in actyfe lyfe in besynesse of the worlde The contemplatyf lyf is in ease rest of herte The actyf lyfe is in doyng traueyll besynesse of body soule And of this lyfe spake that yonge riche man whan he sayd Lord what shal I do how shal I lyue to haue the lyfe withouten ende And Cryste taught hȳ what good dedes he sholde do what mysdedes he sholde flee yf he wolde kepe well the actyfe lyfe Also thou shalt vnderstonde for this speche of cryste many suche other that cryste in y◠gospell holy wryte by example of y◠lesse preueth sheweth y◠more As whan he sayth that men sholde be saued at the daye of dome for they gaaf mete to the hungrye drynke to the thrustye moche more than sholde they be saued that gaue all that they hadde or myght haue for the loue of god hem selfe to serue god nyght and daye bodye soule and put them to the deth for his loue And they also that fede mannes soule with brede of goddes worde And syth they shal be dampned that wyll not gyue to the poore folke mete drynke for goddes sake mochemore sholde they bedāpned y◠robbe men of theyr lyfe lyuelode they y◠done lecherye auoutry manslaughter robbery and other horryble synnes And on the same maner whan Cryste specyfyed to that riche man the cōmaūdementes of the seconde table and the seconde cōmaundemente ef charyte He sheweth that sythen tho were so necessarye to haue the lyfe withouten ende Moche more the cōmaūdementes of the
ben lowe meke in myn owne syght to please god that made me kyng And for that Mychol scorned so Dauyd for his spryngynge his dauÌ„synge his lowenesse therfore god made her barayne that she had neuer childe as yâ— boke sayth there Also god gladded his people that was in moche care trybulacyon and sayd yet shall maydens make mery in songe dauÌ„synge and olde folke togydre For I shall torne theyr care in to Ioye and gladde them conforte them of theyr sorowe Ieremye .xxxi. ¶ Diues It may well be as thou sayst For myrth gladnesse conforteth men in goddes seruyce and heuynesse dulleth letteth all maner lykynge ¶ Pauper Therfore Dauyd sayth Seruite dnÌ„o in leticia Serue ye our lorde in myrthe and gladnesse But two thynges my frende muste be kepte in goddes seruyce and in good lyuynge sadnesse and gladnesse Sadnesse in chere and in doynge Gladnesse in herte thynkynge Sadnesse without sorynesse of malyce of wrath hate and of enuye And gladnesse without folye and rybaudrye And therfore my frende I praye you saddeth well but baddeth not Be alwaye gladde but neuermore made by no folye Alwaye sadde alwaye gladde so that your gladnesse and your sadnesse be alwaye meddled with lykynge and loue of god and with deuocyon Caplm .xix. DIues Why ben these thre coÌ„mauÌ„dementes called the coÌ„maudementes of the fyrste table ¶ Pauper For whan god gaue Moyses the lawe in the mount of Synay He toke hym the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes wryten in two tables of stone In the fyrste table were wryten the thre fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„dementes whiche techen vs how we sholde worshypp our god loue hym aboue all thyng And therfore they ben called the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the fyrst table both for worthyne s se of themselfe for they were wryten in yâ— fyrste table In the seconde table were wryten other .vij. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes that techen vs to loue our euen crysten as our selfe ben called the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes of yâ— seconde table And so all the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes ben coÌ„prehended closed in yâ— two coÌ„mauÌ„dement of charyte The fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„dement of charyte is this the thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thyn herte with al thy soule with al thy mynde with al thy myght Whan he sayth thou shalt loue thy god with all thyn herte excludeth all maner of ydolatrye that is forboden by the fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„dement that no man sette his herte ne his faythe ne his truste in no creature more than in god ne ayenst goddes worshyp For who so loueth well an other he hath kyndely a truste a fayth in hym And after that he loueth so he trusteth And there he trusteth moost comonly he loueth moost And therfore god badde that thou sholdest loue hym with all thyn herte that is to saye with all thy fayth soo that thou sette all thy fayth thy truste in hym byfore all other as in hym that is almyghty may best helpe at nede And therfore the fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„dement of these thre is applyed pryncypally to the fader almyghty Also god byddeth that thou loue hym with all thy soule that is to saye as saynt Austyn sayth with all thy wyll without contradiccoÌ„n that thy wyll be not contrarye to his wyll but alwaye confourmed to his wyll And in that he byddeth that thou take not his name in vayne But as thou haste taken the name of Cryste art called crysten so confourme thy wyll thy lyfe thy speche to yâ— wyll of Cryste that thou wyll no thynge ne do no thynge ne saye no thynge ayenst his wyll by thy wyll thy wyttynge ne make none o the ne auowe ayenst his wyll his worâ—hyp And tho that thou haste made to his worshyp kepe them and hope sykerly that yf thou fulfylle goddes wyll here in erthe he shall fulfyll thy wyl in heuen And loke that thou spende all thy lyfe and thy beynge to his worshyppe and in his loue And than louest thou hyÌ„ with all thy soule in whiche pryncypally is thy lyfe and thy beynge And therfore yf thou spende not thy lyf and thy beynge in his loue thou louest hym not with all thy soule and therto thou takest his name in vayne for his name is Qui est That is to saye He that is For all thynge that is taketh his beynge of hym And therfore yf yâ— spende thy lyfe thy beynge in synne vanyte thou takest his name of beynge in vayne Also loke that thou spende all thy wytte in his loue that thou studye to knowe the treuth that is Crystus name For he sayth Ego sum verytas And so study to flee falshode folye by helpe of Cryste goddes sone that is al wytty And therfore the seconde coÌ„maundement is applyed to yâ— seconde persone in trynyte that is the sone all wytty Also he byddeth that thou loue hym with alle thy mynde without forgetynge of his benefyces and his gyftes to the to mankynde And in that he byddeth the to kepe well the holy daye whiche is ordeyned pryncypaly that men sholde than withdrawe her thoughtes theyr mynde from the worlde and thynke than on god and on heuenly thynges Than thynke on theyr owne vnkyndnesse and of goddes goodnesse as I sayd fyrste And therfore he sayth Memento Thynke that thou halowe well the holy dayes that is to saye loue god with all thy thought and with al thy mynde that thou be in wyll no thynge to thynke ayenst his plesaunce and that thou haue lykynge to thynke of hym by grace of the holy ghoost to whome the thyrde commaundement is applyed without whome as saynt Poule sayth We may thynke noo good thought The fyrste coÌ„maundement is applyed to the fader almyghty that may best helpe at nede For mawmettes ydolatrye may not helpe The seconde coÌ„maundement is applyed to the sone alwytty whose name is treuthe souerayne wysdome For he knoweth all he may not be dysceyued treuth sholde not be taken in vayne but alwaye worshyped wysely mayntened The thyrde coÌ„maundement is applyed to the holy ghoost whiche is called Paraâ—litus that is to saye comforter For the holy daye is ordeyned for to comforte both the soule and the bodye and to comforte man and beste And the holy ghoost comforteth vs in sorowe and care and he is bote of euery bale He gyueth reste after trauayll he is solace in dysease he abateth carefull thoughtes gyueth peas and reste in herte And therfore the prophete sayth to hym Cogitacio hominis confitebitur tibi et reliquie cogitaciones diem festum agent tibi Mannes thought shall ben knowen to the his myschyues and the remenauntes of his thoughtes shall make an holy daye to the in yâ— sondaye other festes SecunduÌ„ multitudineÌ„ dolorum meorum in corde meo consolacoÌ„nes tue letificaueruÌ„t animaÌ„ meaÌ„ Lorde sayth he after the multytude of sorowes in myn herte so thy confortes haue gladded my soule For the holy ghoost byddeth that men sholde
not for saluacyon of the truthe and of the people Caplm .vij. DIues Thy speche is resonable saye forth ¶ Pauper Also yf ony man or woman dye for defaute of helpe Than all that sholde haue holpe them and myght haue holpe them wyste therof and wolde not helpe theym be gylty of manslaughter And therfore sayth the lawe Pasce fame morâ—entem si non pascis occidis disâ— lxxxvi pasce That is to saye Fede hym that is in poynt to deye for hongre Yf yâ— wyll not fede hym whan thou myght thou sleest hym Moche more than they be mansleers that by extorcyon raueyne and ouerledynge by myght fraude and gyle robbe men of ther good or withholde men of ther good wherby they sholde lyue and brynge them so in thought sorowe and care and so haste her deth Therfore god sayth that suche maner folke as tyrauntes extorcyoners and false men deuoure his people as the mete of brede Deuorant plehem meam sicut escam panis And therfore he forbydeth them and sayth to theym Lysten ye prynces and lordes and leders of the people to you it longeth to knowe ryght full dome to deme what is good and what is wycked what is truthe and what is false But now ye hate good thynges and loue wyked thynges and lothe goodnesse and loue shrewednesse By vyolence and myght ye hylde men and take theyr synnes from them and take ther flesshe from the boones These ete the flesshe of my people helde awaye ther skynnes fro aboue them and breke theyr boones Mychee .iij. And so all suche be mansleers in goddes syght for they hast mannes deth by myscheef and sorowe and care that they brynge them in ¶ Diues What is vnder stande here by skynne flesshe and bones ¶ Pauper Thre thynges be nedefull to euery man and woman lynynge hylynge lyfelode and helpe of frendes in feblenes dysease By the skynne that hylleth clothe the flesshe is vnderstande clothynge housynge armure by whiche man is hyled defended fro tempestes colde and hote and enemyes many dyseases By flesshe is vnderstande mete drynke wherby the flesshe is nourysshed By the bones that bere vp the flesshe and strength the flesshe ben vnderstande mannes frendes whiche helpe hym at nede and bere him vp strength him feblenesse dysease But these tyrauÌ„tes and extorcyoners and false folke take awaye the skynne of the poore folke for they robb them of ther housynge of ther clothynge And they ete awaye ther flesshe for they take awaye ther lyuelode wherby ther flesshe sholde be susteyned For they pylle them so make them so poore that they haue neyther house ne home ne clothynge to theyr bodye ne mete ne drynke to lyue by Also they breke ther bones for they pursue ther frendes that wolde help them put them in suche drede that they dare not helpe them and ofte bete them breke ther bones and mayme them Example of this we haue in the thyrde boke of kynges where we fynde that there was a true man dwellynge besydes the paleyce of Achab that was kynge of Israell and the poore man was called Naboth And for he wolde not selle his gardeyn to the kynge at his wyll the kynge was wroth And by false dome and false wytnesse he dyd hym be stoned to deth and so by fraude manslaughter he escheted to hym the poore mannes gardeyn wherfore the kynge afterwarde was slayne And the quene Iesabell for she assented halpe to the deth of the true man and was slayne also and the houndes ete hyr flesshe and hyr bones and lycked vp hyr blood in vengeaunce of the dethe of Naboth The kynge was slayne in warre his wyfe Iesabell was cast out of hyr chambre wyndowe trode to deth with fete of horses And other two kynges of hyr alyau ce and nyghe all hyr kynrede was slayne afterwarde in vengeaunce of the deth of Naboth Achab hadde sixty sones and ten lyuynge after his deth and they were byheded in vengeaunce of the deth of Naboth .iiij. regnm .x. Caplm .viij. ALso they be gylty of manslaughter that defraude seruauntes of theyr hyre Therfore the wyse man sayth That he that taketh awaye from the seruauÌ„t his brede and his lyuelode that they haue goten in swyncke and swete is as wycked as he that sleeth his neyghbour And he that sheddeth mannes blood and he that dooth fraude to the hyred man be brethern That is to saye they be lyke in synne and worthy in lyke payne Qui effundit sanguinem et qui fraudem facit mercenario sunt tratres Ecclesiastici xxxiiij And therfore saynt Iames sayth thus to the false ryche couetouse men See ye how the hyre of your werke men and labourers that haue reped your feldes is defrauded by you and not payde cryeth to god for vengeaunce And the crye of theym is entred in to the â—eâ—es of the lordes of oostes Iabobi quinto capitulo And the wyle man sayth that who so offereth sacrefyce of the poore mannes good is lyke hym that sleeth the sone in the syght of his fader And he that defrauded the poore man of his good is a mansleer Homo sanguinis est Ecclesiastici .xxxiiij. ¶ Diues This poynt of manslaughter toucheth moche men of holy chirche For as the lawe sayth The tythes of holy chirche be trybutes of theym that be in nede To reuele theym in theyr nede And all that men of holy chirche haue it is the poore mennes goodes And theyr houses sholde be comon to all men at theyr nede They sholde be besy to resceyue pylgremys and kepe hospytalyte after theyr power xvi qÌ„.i decime et c. quam quicquid Wherfore me thynketh yf ony poore folke perysshe by ther defaute and for that that they wolde not helpe them they be gylty of manslaughter ¶ Pauper That is sothe And therfore cryste sayd thryes to saynt Peter Palce That is to saye fede my lambes and my shepe that be tho soules that cryst bought with his blood For prelates and curates of holy chirche muste fede ther sugettes by good ensamples gynynge and by helpe at nede And therfore cryste sayd twyes to saynt Peter fede my lambes but the thyrde tyme he sayd fede my shepe For as longe as they be lambes they gyue neyther mylke ne wolle but whan these be waxen shepe they gyue bothe mylke and wolle And so cryste in his wordes bad that prelates and curates of holy chirche sholde haue double cure of the poore people to fede theym goostly and also bodely with bodely helpe at nede But they be not bounde to fede the ryche folke but goostly and them that haue no nede with holy chirches goodes And of the poore folke gyue they no tale but to pylle them and haue of them and gette of theym what they may by ypocresy by fraude by drede and vyolence And therfore god vndernemeth theym by the prophete Ezechyell and sayth to theym thus Ve pastoribus israell Woo
All the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the seconde table be knyt in the seconde coÌ„mauÌ„dement of charyte Why the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of worshypynge fader moder is the fyrste of the seconde table how they sholde be worshypped also of payne that cometh to them that worshyp not fader moð Eâ—ample of Cham the sone of Noe. Ca. I. ¶ What myscheef cometh to childern that hynder fader moder for theyr good of them that ben vnburum to fader moder Example by Absolon and Adonye ca. ij ¶ By example in kynde we be taugh te to worshyp fader moð as of the storke of the pellycane ca. iij ¶ Helpe at nede is called worshyp in holy wryt that ought the childe to fað moð What peryll it is foly man or woman to dysmytte them of theyr good trust to theyr childern ca. iiij ¶ In what maner the childe ought to hate fader moder to forsake theym how fader moder sholde helpe the childe the childe theym at nede Example by the rote the croppe of a tree but the fader the moð haue more kyndely loue to theyr childern than ayenwarde ca. v ¶ In what maner men of relygyon sholde helpe fað moð at nede ca.vi ¶ The goodes of holy chirche ben the goodes of poore men and nedy How saynt Benet yaue goodes of his couent to poore men saynt FrauÌ„ces bade the same ca. vij ¶ Goodes of relygyon sholde be more comon than other mennes goodes to helpe nedy folke Of the abusyon of some proude relygyouse men and theyr ypocrytes excusynge fro gyuynge of almesse ca. viij ¶ Textis of holy wryt how childern sholde be obedyent to fader moder that good lyuynge of the childe is worshyp to fader moder and theyr euyll lyuynge is shenshyp to fader moder ca. ix ¶ MyssuffrauÌ„ce of childern in theyr youth is theyr shenshyp velonye to all theyr kynne that men sholde chastyse theyr childern teche them to serue god ca. x ¶ Euery man woman is bouÌ„de after his degree to doo his besynesse to knowe goddes lawe that he is bouÌ„de to kepe how eche man in some maner sholde teche goddes lawe how the childe sholde worshyp fader moder whan they benâ—deed ca. xi ¶ How we sholde worshyppe god as pryncypall fader moder ca. xij ¶ Onre goostly faders be to be worshyped why they ben called goostly faders what harme cometh by them that ben called curates both of them selfe to the people for they doo not theyr deuour ca. xiij ¶ Oure elders that be our faders moders in age be to be worshyped olde men yâ— ben customed in synne sholde be harde repreued ca. xiiij ¶ Kynges all soueraynes ought to be faders to theyr sugettes of them to be worshypped how why seruauÌ„tes sholde obey to theyr lordes how lordes sholde do to theyr seruauntes caplm .xv. ¶ How wycked men tyrauntes ben goddes seruauÌ„tes why god suffreth wycked folke to be in this worlde capitulum .xvi. ¶ God gyueth lordshyp power to wycked men for synne of the people to whom men ought to obeye to do them worshyp for theyr dygnyte caplm .xvij. ¶ How in what ordre men sholde obeye to theyr soueraynes in what thynges In what thynges knyghtes bouÌ„de men wyues childern eche ben bounde to obeye to theyr soueraynes in whiche thynges they ben not bouÌ„den ca. xviij ¶ In whiche thynges subgettes ben bouÌ„de to obeye to theyr prelates in whiche not though prelacy or lordshyp be occypyed ayenst the comon lawe yet it is good to obeye what a preste sholde do yf the bysshop bydde hyÌ„ curse a man whom he holdeth vngylty ca. xix ¶ In what maner offycers of yâ— kynge sholde obeye to the Iuge in mater of mennes deth In whiche thynges a relygyouse man is bouÌ„de to obeye his prelate in whiche thynges not In what maner thynges a prelate of relygyon may dyspense in some thynges not ca. xx ¶ In what thynges a clerke is bouÌ„de to obeye his bysshop how the wyf is bouÌ„de to her husbond in brekynge of her vowe Some thynges ben good of themselfe some ben euyll of them selfe some Indyfferent In whiche thynges Indyfferent standeth proprely obedyence to men that ben soueraynes ca. xxi ¶ Alle men of astate dygnyte ben called faders ought to be worshypped of lower men ce xxij ¶ Angels sayntes in heuen ben our faders be to be worshyped how angels kepe defende vs. ca. xxiij ¶ Patrones of chirches ben faders of the same chirches on thre maners by cometh a man patrone what ryght longeth to patrones also of presentacoÌ„n of persones to chirches ca. xxiiij ¶ Euery man ought to holde other his fader in some degree forâ—ther ben many maner faders so by this coÌ„maundement we be bounde to helpe all nedy folke vpon our power capitulum .xxv. ¶ Why this coÌ„mauÌ„dement is gyuen with a byheste of welfare and mede caplm .xxvi. ¶ Pryde rebellyon vnbuxuÌ„nesse of the people ayenst theyr soueraynes that they wyll entremet them determyne euery cause of the londe and of the chirche is cause of destruccyon of reames ca. xxvij ¶ The fyfthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement ¶ Vnlefull manslaughter is done by herte by mouth by dede how a bâ—â—cbyter sleeth thre at ones Ca. I. ¶ Thre maner of flaterynges in whiche is manslaughter dedly synne al so of payne of flateryng both by goddes lawe mannes ca. ij ¶ What myschef cometh of flaterynge to theym that haue lykynge in flaterynge ca. iij ¶ A musterer or whysterer is a preuy rowner a preuy lyer who is a double tonged man the flaterynge tonge is the thyrde tonge that dooth moche woo ca. iiij ¶ Flaterynge of fals ê“phetes prechours other false men destroyeth â—ytees kyngdomes Ensample by scrypture how the flaterynge tonge is a gylous tonge ca. v ¶ On thre maners maye a man be slayne vnryghtfully ca. vi ¶ Nygardes that wyll not helpe poore folke at nede also tyrauÌ„tes extorcyoners yâ— take fro men theyr shynnes theyr flesshe fro the bones be mansleers what is vnderstande by these .iij skynne flesshe bone ca. vij ¶ Men yâ— witholde seruauntes theyr hyre ben manquellers Why Cryste sayd to Peter thryes pasce fede Men of holy chirche spende a mys goodes of holy chirche wyll not helpe the poore nedy folke ben manquellers caplm .viij. ¶ All the drawe folke to synne by mys entysynge or wycked example or mys couÌ„seyll or false lore namely men of holy chirche be manquellers also all that gyue occasyon of sclauÌ„dre how prelates theyr offycers sholde hane themselfe in theyr vysytacoÌ„ns without what deuocoÌ„n prayer is dede c.ix ¶ All that let men of theyr good dedes of theyr good purpose mys techers ben mansleers as the fende is a contynuell manqueller Also men of holy chirche
all that thou haste gyue it to the poore folke and come folowe me But as sayth the gospell whan he herde these wordes he wente awaye full sory for he hadde many possessyons and moche richesses Than Cryste sayd to his dyscyples It is full harde the riche man to entre in to the kyngdom of heuens it is more easy sayd he a Camele to passe thrugh nedels eye than the riche maÌ„ to entre in the kyngdome of heuens Than his dyscyples sayd to Cryste Lorde who may than be saue Cryste answered and sayd That as anentes man it is Impossyble but to god alle thynge is possyble ¶ Diues These wordes sounde full harde to myn vnderstondynge and soone may brynge me suche other in dyspayre I praye the declare me this maner of speche yf thou can ¶ Pauper Some exposytoures of the wordes of Cryste saye that in Iherusalem was a lytyll pryue yate whiche for straytnesse was called the nedell whan the Cameles came ycharged to this yate they myght not entre but they dyde awaye theyr burdeynes and theyr packes And so by these wordes Cryste excludeth not you riche men from heuen But he techeth you how ye may entre the yates of heuen For as he sayth in the gospell The yate the waye that ledeth to lyfe blysse is full strayte and fewe passe therby And soo by this nedell is vnderstonde the entrynge in to heuens blysse By the Camele charged yâ— riche men that ben charged with the richesse of the worlde whiche charge as longe as it is faste vpon theym Soo longe they may not entre in to the blysse of heuen For Cryste sayth in the gospell Nisi quis renunciauerit omnibus que possidet non potest meus esse discipulus But a man forsake alle that he hath he maye not be my dyscyple And therfore yf thou entre in to the strayte yate of heuen thou muste vnbynde and louse thy charge 〈◊〉 richesse from the and leye it besydes the vnder fote to that thou be lorde and mayster of thy richesses and not the richesses thy mayster Caplm .vi. DIues How sholde I louse my richesses fro me ¶ Pauper As the prophete sayth Diuicie si affluant nolite cor apponere Yf richesse and welthe falle to the sette not thyn herte to moche theron Loue theym not to moche Be redy to thanke god whan he sente theym to the and as redy to thanke hym pacyently yf he take theym fro the and saye as Iob sayd Nudus egressus sum de vtero matris mee Naked cam I in to this worlde oute of my moders wombe and naked I shall go hens agayne Sythen we than haue taken goodes of richesses and of welth of goddes honde why sholde we not suffre pacyentely wo and dysease yf he sende them to vs. God gaaf me goodes and god hath taken them awaye as god wolde soo is it done blessyd be goddes name Iob primo Vnlouse soo thy richesses from the that in goddes cause thou be redye for to forsake all that thou haste rather than thou sholdeste offende thy god Soo that for noo wynnynge neyther for noo losse thou woldeste doo ony dedely synne Alwaye be redy rather to forsake thy goodes than thy god And in this maner muste euery man forsake all that he hath yf he wyll be Crystus dyscyple That is for to saye he muste withdrawe his herte and his loue from all that he hath soo that he loue noo thynge as moche as god ne in lettynge of his loue neyther of his worshyppe For who someuer that wyll be saued he muste be poore in spyryte and in wyll And therfore sayth Cryste in the gospell Beati pauperes spiritu quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum Blessyd ben they that ben poore in spyryte and in wyll For theyrs is the kyngdome of heuens Alle though this exposycyon as touchynge the morall sense be fulle true and fayre Neuerthelesse doctour de lyra bycause it hath none auctoryâ—e of holy scrypture that ther was suche a yate aâ—te Iherusalem that was called a nedell expowneth the wordes of Cryste in an other maner and sayth that Cryste speketh in that texte of riche men that sette theyr blysse theyr truste in richesse wherfore this is the menynge of the texte as lyre sayth As it is Impossyble for a Camele to passe thorugh the eye of a nedell Soo it is Impossyble for a man that setteth his truste and his blysse in richesses for to entre in to the royalme of heuens But yf he caste from hym suche inordynate loue and trustynge in richesse And that these wordes of Cryste sholde thus be vnderstonde the same doctour preueth by Crystus owne wordes in an other place Marci .x. where our lorde sayth thus How harde it is that men trustynge in richesse to entre in to the royalme of god It is easyer or lyghter that a Camele passe thorugh the eye of a nedell than a riche man for to entre in to the kyngdom of god that is to saye so trustynge in his richesses Inordynatly theym louynge Caplm .vij. DIues I assente to this exposycyon I was aferde that god hadde not loued riche men ¶ Pauper Abraham Ysaac Iacob yâ— holy patryarkes were full riche men yet god loued them full well Dauyd Ezechie Iosie were kynges of goddes people moche loued praysed of god Ioseph Danyell rulers of royalmes were of god chosen Iob Iachee Ioseph of Aromathye were full riche men now ben ful hygh in blysse For the riche men be not lacked in holy wryte for theyr richesses but for her wycked couetyse and myswyll of richesse And therfore sayth saynt Ambrose suê‘ Lucam that the faute is not in the richesse but in theym that can not vse theyr richesse in due maner And therfore sayth he that right as richesse is lettyng of vertue to wycked men so it is helpynge of vertue to good men Ne poore men be not praysed so moche in holy wryte for wantynge of richesse ne for myschyef that they ben in but for theyr good wyll theyr good loue that they haue to god Whan for his loue they forsake richesse and put them in pouerte myschyef to serue theyr god the more frely without lettyng of worldely couetyse For more shrewes fynde I none than poore beggers that haue no good that the worlde hath forsake but they not the worlde ¶ Diues Therfore me thynketh alwaye that it is better to be riche than poore For pouerte myschyef drawe many a man to robbery manslaughter lecherye other synnes many moo And therfore sayth Salomon Propter inopiam multi deliqueruÌ„t Ecclesiastes .xxviij. ¶ Pauper Some be poore nedy by theyr good wyll some ayenst theyr wyll And they that ben poore ayenst theyr wyll some haue pacyence some haue noo pacyence they bycause of myschyef they lyghtly fall in synne But neyther pouerte wylfully taken for the loue of god ne
fyrst table and the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte ben necessarye to alle that wyll haue y◠lyfe withouten ende ¶ Diues Therfore wolde I fayne kepe theym better thanne I haue done but I see many doubtes therin that I can not kepe theym ¶ Pauper What doubte haste thou therin ¶ Here begynneth the fyrste cōmaundemente Caplm Primū DIues In the fyrste cōmaundement as I haue lerned god sayth thus Thou shalte haue none other straunge goddes byfore me Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge noo mawmette noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue ne that is bynethe in erthe ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde ne within thyn herte inwarde Exodi xx.c Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente bothe in the chirche and without the chirche And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye ayenste goddes lawe ¶ Pauper God forbedeth not men to make ymages For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men as we fynde Exodi xxxvij.c ¶ And Salomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god the thyrde boke of kynges vij.c And god bad Moyses make his tabernacle al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makynge of ymages but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes to sette theyr fayth theyr truste theyr hope theyr loue and theyr byleue in them For god wyll haue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone for in hym is al our helpe all our saluacōn And therfore we muste worshyppe hym loue hym and truste in hym aboue all thynge nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym That all the worshyp that we do to ony creature be do pryncypaly for hȳ arrected to hym For he sayth Gloriam meamalteri non dabo et laudem meam sculptilibus Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe my blysse my glorye to none other ne my praysynge to grauen ymages neyther to paynted ymages And in the same chapytre he sayth Shamfully shente myght they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages ¶ Diues wherof serue the ymages I wolde they were brente all ¶ Pauper They serue for thre thynges For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon and on his passyon and on his lyuynge and on other sayntes lyuyng Also they ben ordeyned to styre mannes affeccyon and his herte to deuocyon For ofte a man is more stered by syght than by heryng or redynge Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people that they may rede in ymagerye and paynture that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth De cōsecra distinct .iij. per latū Where we fynde that a bysshop destroyed ymages as thou woldeste doo and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages He was accused to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages Caplm secundū DIues How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture of ymagerye ¶ Pauper whan thou seest the ymage of y◠crucyfixe thynke on hȳ y◠deyed on y◠crosse for thy synne thy sake and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlonde of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne and the blood braste out on euery syde for to destroye the hyghe synne of pryde that sheweth moost in mānes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde Take hede by the ymage how his armes were spradde abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the apple ayenst goddes cōmaundement Also he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes and wycked werkes that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes and make an ende of thy wycked werkes Take hede also how that his syde was opened and his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere and how he shedde blood and water to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules and water to wasshe vs from our synnes Also he suffred this for to destroye y◠synne of pryde couetyse enuye hate wrathe malyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans Take hede make an ende of thy pryde of thy false couetyse of hate enuy wrathe malyce and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that forgaue his deth Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to the crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce haste the for to go to goddes house to goddes seruyce Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente all to torne with tho sharpe scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede there was no hole place on his bodye and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust lykyng of the flesshe glotonye lecherye whiche regne in mannes bodye womans make an ende of glotony lecherye Take hede how naked poore he henge vpon the crosse for thy synne thy sake be thou not ashamed to suffre pouerte myscheyf for his loue And as saynt Bernard byddeth take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the come at one with the. See how his armes hondes be spradde a brode on the tree in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the and to take the to his mercy See how his syde was opened and his herte clouen on two in token that his herte is alwaye open to the and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy trespasse yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the but abyde with the dwelled with the withouten ende On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde and thanke thy god that he
for all holy chirche prayeth soo But for to sette sayth in suche nyce obseruaūces and wene to be syker of theyr askynge for suche obseruaunces that is not lefull for we may not knowe the wyl of god in suche thynges with out a specyall reuelacyon of god we may praye ought to praye but god shall graūte as hym lyketh as he seeth that it is moost spedefull to vs moost to his worshypp And therfore Salomon sayth Nemo sit vtrū amore an odio dignus sit Eccle. ix Noo man he sayth wote sykerly whether he is worthy hate or loue And yet we hope and ought all to hope that god wyll loue vs saue vs yf we doo our deuour Fastyng is good yf it be done in mesure maner in good intencyon so that men sette no mysbyleue therin ne grounde them in no lesynges ne in noo nyce obseruaūces But in as moche as they preferre in theyr fastynge dayes of theyr owne choyse byfore tho dayes that ben ordeyned by holy chirche to faste in soo moche they synne in presumpcyon and doo preiudice to holy chirche that ordeyned suche dayes that ben moost conuenyente to faste as wednesdaye frydaye and satyrdaye De conse distinct .iij. Ieiunia ◠sabbato ¶ Diues I see no grounde ne reason in suche fastynge ne why it sholde be more medefull to faste all mondayes in the yere whan the feste of our Lady in lente falleth on the mondaye than for to faste in worshyp of her the wednesdaye frydaye or satyrdaye For I byleue sykerly that the mede of fastynge or the vertue of fastynge is not assygned ne lymyted by the lettres of the kalender ne folowe not the course of the kalender ne chaungeth not from one daye to another daye all yf the lettres chaunge from one daye to an other And so as me thynketh suche fastynge is groūded in some lesyng faynyng and in some mysbyleue ful nygh wytchecrafte ¶ Pauper Me thynketh the same For all yf the feste falle somtyme on the mondaye somtyme on the tuesday yet the deed in it selfe felle neyther on the mondaye ne on the tuesdaye but it felle on the frydaye for than the angell greted our lady than she conceyued goddes sone lord of blysse And .xxxiij. yere after the same tyme and the same daye that is to saye on good frydaye about myddaye she sawe her dere sone deynge for mankynde vpon the rode tree And soo me thynketh that it is more pleasaunt to god to our lady more conuenyent to faste the frydaye in the worshyp of cryste that deyed for vs all that daye and also in worshyp of our lady that conceyued that daye her dere sone at the gretynge of the angell than to faste eyther mondaye or tuesdaye And in as moche as they wene that suche faste sholde not auayll theym to th ende that they faste it fore but yf they chaūge theyr faste yere by yere after the course of the kalender that muste be do .vij. yere durynge after other it is a nyce fantasye and mysbyleue full nyghe wytchecrafte For Cryste myght graū them that boon as well for fyue or for .vi. or for .viij. yere fastynge as for .vij. yere fastynge I fonde neuer grounde wherof it cam neyther reson ne auctoryte fynde I none Axe forth yf thou wylte somwhat ellys Caplm .xliij. DIues Is it lefull to sette ony truste or ony fayth on dremes ¶ Pauper Ther ben two maner causes of dremes One from inwarde an other from outwarde Causes of dremes from inwarde ben thre maner One is comon sterynge of mannes fantasye or womans in theyr slepe suche dremes ben but fantasyes and vanytees And therfore sayth Salomon Vbi multa somnia ibi multe vanitates Eccle. v. Where as ben many dremes ther ben many vanytees for in this maner one man shall haue moo dremes than some twenty other Another cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of the bodye For whan men ben colde of kynde they dreme of frostes snowe and so by theyr dremes a wyse leche may knowe in parte the dysposycōn of ther bodye be it to helthe or to sekenes The thyrde cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of the soule For comonly men dremen of suche thynges as ther soules theyr thoughte is moost in occupyed whyle that they waken eyther by studye by loue or by hate by wrath by drede by sorowe by care pryde or couetyse Causes of dremes from outwarde ben two maner bodely ghoostly Bodely is the dysposycōn of the ayer and of the place about hym other thynges besyde hym And therfore in rayne weder men dreme of water of fysshes for ofte mānes bodye chaūgeth after the dysposycyon of the ayer of his abydynge place And for these thre causes sayth the phylosophre De somno et vigilia That leches sholde take bede to the dremes of them that ben seke to knowe therby how they ben dysposed Ghoostly causes from outwarde of dremes ben ij maners the one is good for that is god by hym selfe or ellys by angellys that in thre maners For some dreme so by ymagynacyon only as dyde the kyng Pharao Nabugodonosor Some dreme only by vnderstandynge as dyde saynt Poule Balaam Some dreme bothe by ymagynacōn by vnderstandyng as dyde saynt Iohan in apocalyps Danyell in his prophecye whiche sawe wonderfull syghtes by ymagynacōn vnderstandyng what tho syghtes betokened But Pharao and Nabugodonosor vnderstonde not the vysyons ne the dremes that they had The other cause of dremes from outwarde is not good as whan it falleth by Illusyon of the fende for tho pryncypally serue to wytche crafte Somtyme dremes come of grete besynesse trauayl that one hath whan he is wakyng And therfor sayth Salomon that after besynesse folowen many dremes for comonly men dreme of suche thynges as they ben in occupyed whyle they wake Somtyme dremes come of to moche abstynance of hongre Somtyme it cometh of excesse of mete or of drynke Somtyme of myslykynge that man hath whan he is wakyng And in as moche as the effecte of thynges is token of his causes as smoke is token of the fyre soo suche dremes ben tokens of causes that they come of And in this maner awyse man may telle by dremes causes of mannes dremes so by causes telle other preuy thynges that may fall therof For oftyme one cause bryngeth forth dyuerse effectes eche after other ¶ Diues Telle some examples ¶ Pauper Experyence sheweth that yf a man talke moche with a woman sette his herte gretely to her by daye in the nyght folowyng he dremeth of her some nyce dreme by whiche dreme yf he tolde it to some wyse man he wolde say that he loued moche that woman but he withdrewe hym from her company it sholde tourne hym to felony And also as clerkes saye in asmoche as dremes come by waye of kynde in
ony withstandynge for ther shal no thynge withstande them But as the sonne passeth yâ— glasse without lettynge of the sonne so shal they passe ouer walle euery thynge at theyr wyll without ony dysease or ony lettynge And anentes the soule we shal haue the blysfull syght of goddes face brennynge loue to god and to our euen crysten alwaye haue hym that we loue and what we desyre There all our loue shall be in Ioye without woo drede and sorowe In this worlde euery loue is medled with woo in token of these seuen blysses that we shal haue in endelesse reste for our parfyght werkes Therfore god badde vs reste in the .vij. daye Caplm .xiiij. DIues Why longe ought the holy daye to be kepte and halowed ¶ Pauper From euen to euen as Raymonde sayth and the lawe also Extra li ij.ti.de ferijs Omnes dies dominicos And holy wryte sayth also and god hym selfe Leuitici .xxiij. A vespera vsque ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra From euen to euen ye shall halowe your holy dayes Neuerthelesse some begynne sooner to halowe after that the feste is after vse of the contree Extra e. quoniaÌ„ But that men vse in the satyrdayes vygylyes to rynge holy euen at myddaye compelleth not men anone to halowe but warneth them of the holy daye folowynge yâ— they sholde thynke theron spede them so dyspose them theyr occupaco ns that they myght halowe in due tyme. ¶ Diues Is it leful for ony causes in the sondaye to gadre in corn fruyte or hay ¶ Pauper Suche nede it may be that it is excusable as yf they may not in other dayes gadre it in for enemyes as in tyme of warre yf they sholde gadre it they haue rightful cause to withstande theyr aduer s aryes Also yf corn or grasse be in the felde sholde be lorne but it were dyght gadred it is lefull in the holy dayes to saue it kepe it soo that goddes seruyce be not lefte therfore But for to mowe or to repe carre or to sowe in the sondaye I holde it not lefull but in ful grete nede Pryncypale festes sholde alwaye be halowed but right grete nede compelled men for to werke so that grete nede excused them For as the lawe sayth Extra li .v. De regulis iuris Nede maketh lefull that ellys is vnlefull by the lawe for nede hath no lawe De con di.i Sicut et di.v. Discipulos Extra de furtis Si quis per necessitatem Also is lefull to fysshe after the seruyce on the sondaye other fysshe also that may not be taken but certayne ceson of the yere for whiche fysshe men muste goo ferre in the see longe abyde Extra de ferijs ca Licet It is lefull also to do rightfull batayles on the sondaye and also in other holydayes for saluacyon of the comunyte Than it is lefull to saue that er they sholde all perysshe both man beest fruyte corne other thynges alwaye with reuerence of god and of the holy daye It is lefull than to leches to helpe the seke folke It is leful to dyke or walle in defence of townes castels to araye men to batayll in the sondaye whan nede compelleth peryll of enemyes Thus sayth Io. in suÌ„ con.li.i.ti.xij.qÌ„.vij Soo that in all these and suche other nede and pyte excuseth men Cryst helyd men in the sabbot and repreued the Iewes that were dyspleased therwith and sayd to them Sythen a man taketh his circuÌ„cisyon in the sabbot why haue ye Indygnacyon to me for that I haue made a man hole in the sabbot Io. vij And in an other place he sayd to the Iewes who is it of you that hath a sheep it falled in the dyche in the sabbot that wyll not go lyfte it vp out of the dyche But forsoth man is better than a sheep therfore sayth he it is lefull to do good dedes in the sabbot in the holy daye Matheâ— .xij. An other tyme Cryste helyd a womaÌ„ of an harde seknesse that had holden her xviij yere she wente stoupynge don warde and myght not loke vpwarde Than the maystre of the lawe of the Synagoge was wroth sayd to the people Ther ben vi.dayes to werke in come than and be ye helyd and not in the sabbot Cryste answered to hym Thou ypocryte eche of you vnbyndeth his oxe his asse from the maunger or cratche in the sabbot ledeth it to the water Moche more it is nedeful for to vnbynde this doughter of Abraham in the sabbot from the harde bounde in the whiche Sathanas had holden her bounden xviij yere longe And all tho ypoâ—rytes were ashamed By these examples Cryste shewed that dedes of pyte and of almesse and namely prechynge techynge by whiche mannes soule is losed out of the fendes boundes they ben medefull and nedefull in the holy dayes And he excused Dauyd by nede that he ete of the holy loues that no lewde man sholde haue eten of by the lawe Also he excused his discyples that they gadred the eerys in the felde in the sabbot ete the corn Maâ—. xij For as he sayth there god loueth better mercy pyte than ony sacrefyce Caplm .xv. NEuerthelesse notwithstondynge all this euery man woman sholde besely halowe yâ— holy daye not lyghtly for no smale nede breke thyn holy dayes For god charged this coÌ„maundement full hyghely whan he sayd Thynke that thou halowe well the holy daye And in an other place Deu .v. He sayth Loke that you halowe wel the holy daye And in an other place of holy wrytte he sayth Loke ye kepe wel my sabbot and my daye for that is a token bytwene me and you Who so defouleth that daye or dooth ony seruyle werke in that daye he shall deye Exodi xxi Leuitici xvi.et.xix Item Iere â— .xvij. Ezechielis .xx. et .xxij. et .xxiij. By the lawe bochers tauerners other vytaylers may lefully dyght in the sondaye vytayles to be solde in the mondaye yf they myght not dyght it in the daye byfore to saue them theyr vytayles so that it be done pryncypaly to goddes worshyp and for the comon prouffyte Also marchauÌ„tes that leden their marchauÌ„dyse in yâ— sondaye and other holy dayes to fayres in ferre contree by londe of by water ben excu s ed yf they may not lede theym in other dayes Also messagers pylgrymes and wayfarynge men that may not well reste without grete harme ben excused so yâ— they do theyr dylygence to here masse matyns yf they can For longe abydyng in a maÌ„nes Iourney is costly and peryllous Also they that lete to hyre horse carte or shyp to pylgryms to passynge folke in the sondaye for to spede them in theyr Iourney yf they do it pryncypaly for ease and spede of theym that so hyre them they ben excused But yf they do it pryncypally for lucre or for couety s e they be
reste from theyr trauayles here in the holy dayes and after in endelesse blysse Caplm .xx. ALso my frende as the gospell sayth Marci .xij. Ye shall loue god with all your herte and with all your soule with all your mynde and with all your myght That is to saye as saynt Bernarde sayth Ye muste loue hym Dulciter prudenter fortiter Swetely wysely myghtely Swetely with all your herte with all your soule that ye haue lykynge in hym passynge all other Wysely with all your mynde with all your thought that ye studye be besye nyght daye to do his plesauÌ„ce to flee his offence Also ye muste loue hym myghtely stedfastely that neyther well ne wo departe you from his loue And therfor sayth saynt Poule that no trybulacoÌ„n hongre ne thruste hete ne colde lyfe ne deth ne no creature sholde departe vs from the charyte in Cryste yf we loued hym as we sholde loue Ye shal loue your god with all your herte so that ye loue nothynge but for hym in hym Ye shall loue hym with all your soule so that ye spende all your wyll all your affeccoÌ„n in his loue Ye shall loue hyÌ„ with all your mynde so that ye spende all your thoughtes in his loue Ye shall loue hym with all your myght soo that ye spende all your myghtes in his loue so that ye assente to nothynge ne thynke nothynge ne do nothynge ayenst his plesauÌ„ce ne that sholde lette his loue ne departe you froÌ„ his loue The fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„dement techeth vs to loue hym myghtely The seconde techeth vs to loue hym wysely The thyrde recheth vs to loue hyÌ„ swetely in ease reste of herte By the fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t god techeth vs fayth right byleue By the seconde he techeth vs hope For as he sayth by the prophete QmÌ„ in me sperauit liberabo eum ê“tegam euÌ„ qmÌ„ cognouit nomen meuÌ„ For he hoped in me I shal delyuer hym I shall defende hym for he hath knowen my name Beatus vir cuius est nomen dnÌ„i spes eius et non respexit in vanytates et insanias falsas pÌ„o .xxxix. Blessyd be that man whose hope is in the name of our lorde and hath taken hede to no vanytees ne to no false wytnesses for to forswere hym and to take goddes name in vayne For as saynt Poule sayth Ther is no name in whiche we may be saued but in goddes swete name Ihesus And therfore they that haue goddes name in worshyppe may haue syker hope to be saued And tho that haue it in despyte ought to be in grete drede By the thyrde coÌ„mauÌ„dement god techeth vs charyte For charyte and good loue is reste in euery wo trauayll for loue maketh trauayll lyght easy that sholde ellyâ— be full vneasy By the fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„deme t of charyte we be bouÌ„de to shewe loue to god in herte in worde in werke And therfore god byddeth that we sholde loue hym with all our herte with all our soule mynde that is to saye with all our speche For speche outwarde is a token of thoughtes inwarde Also he byddeth vs loue hym with all our myghtes that it to saye with all our werkes And so the fyrst coÌ„maundement of the fyrste table techeth vs to loue god with all our hert The seconde techeth vs to loue hym with al our worde shewe hyÌ„ loue in speche for who so loueth an other wel he wyl speke good worshyp of hym that he loueth be gladde to here of his good name speke of hym good worshyp and sory to here his name despysed dyffamed By the thyrde coÌ„mauÌ„dement we ben taught to shewe loue to god in dede that is to leue our owne occupacoÌ„ns on the holy dayes gyue vs pryncypally to serue god to be occupyed with hyÌ„ do nothyng but for his loue to his worshyp or for grete nede of our selfe For who so loueth an other wel he wyl seke a tyme to speke with hym to dele with hym And therfor god byddeth vs halowe well the holy dayes attende than well to hym occupye vs with hym as with our dere loue that made vs of nought bought vs full dere with his precyous blood saueth vs kepeth vs gyueth vs all that we haue of ony good fyndeth vs al that vs nedeth moche more And yf we loue hym in this maner with all our myghtes dedes werkes halowe thus the holy daye the sabbot that he hat boden vs halowe He sholde gyue vs a sabbot reste in heuen as the ê“phete Ysaye sayth it shall be a sabbot of sabbottes yâ— is to saye endelesse rest betokened by temporel rest in the holy daye moneth of monethes that is to saye endelesse myrthe betokened fygured by temporell myrth in the holy daye Ysaye .lxvi. Amen ¶ Here endeth the thyrde coÌ„maundement and begynneth the fourthe Caplm PrimuÌ„ DIues As me thynketh now thou haste declared the coÌ„maundementes of the fyrste Table full well and parfyghtely to mannes soule Now I praye the for goddes sake for to perfourme that thou haste begonnen and wyll declare to me now the commaundementes of the seconde Table that I may the better knowe the lawes of god and the more plesauntly serue my god and kepe me the more peasyble in charyte with myn euen crysten For as I haue vnderstanden all the seuen coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the seconde Table ben knytte togydre in the seconde coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of charyte which byddeth vs loue our euen crysten as our selfe ¶ Pauper Mankynde hath two begynnynges The fyrste begynnynge and begynner is god And the seconde begynnynge and begynner is the fader and the moder By the fyrste coÌ„mau dement of the fyrste table we be caught to worshyp god aboue al thynges as hym that is begynnynge of vs and of all creatures By the fyrste coÌ„maundement of the seconde table we be taught to worshyp fader and moder that ben our begynnynge next after god And therfore he sayth in the fyrste coÌ„maundement of the seconde table Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam That is to saye worshyp thy fader and thy moder By the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the fyrst table he taught vs to loue god aboue all thynge By the coÌ„maundementes of the seconde table he techeth vs to loue our euen crysten as our selfe And for as moche as charyte is moost shewed by worshyppynge helpynge of our euen crysten Therfore he begynneth by techynge of worshyp yâ— ought to be done to theym that we owe by waye of charyte moost to worshyp after god moost to helpe that is fader and moder And therfore he sayth Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam Worshyp thou thy fader and thy moder By whiche coÌ„maundement we ben bounden to helpe our bodely fader moder at nede and be to theym buxom and meke and flee theyr dyspleasauÌ„ce not despyse them not angre them vnresonably not banne ne
fader moder to lyue in myschyef yâ— men of holy chirche may lyue in delyces Caplm .iij. NOt oonly by the coÌ„maundement of god ben we bouÌ„den and taught to worshyp and to helpe our fader and our moder but also by example in kynde as the maystre telleth of propretees That whan the storke that is called Ciconia in latyn as she hath brought forthe her byrdes to flyght both the male and the female ben bycomen full feble for trauayl that they had in the bredynge bryngynge forth of theyr byrdes ben so feble that they may not well helpe theym selfe For both the male and the female sytten by dyuer s e tymes on the egges chaunge theyr trauaylle in bredynge of theyr byrdes and in fetchyng of mete and drynke for them selfe for theyr byrdes And therfore whan the byrdes ben growen may flee they fetche mete to theyr fader moder in to the neste as longe tyme as they trauayleâ— to brynge forth theyr byrdes tyll they be releuyd and may trauayle to helpe them selfe Also he telleth that ther is a byrde that is called a Pellycane Pellicanus And ther is a grete enemyte bytwene the Pellycane and the addre The addre wayteth whan the Pellycane hath byrdes and whan she is out of the neste to gete mete to her and to her byrdes the addre crepeth vp in the neste and sleeth the byrdes And whan the Pellycane cometh ayen and fyndeth her byâ—des slayne in this maner she mourneth thre dayes and thre nyghtes for the deth of her byrdes The thyrde daye she setteth her ayen ouer her byrdes and with her bylle she smyteth her selfe in the syde and spryngeth her blood on her byrdes And by the vertue of her blood she rayseth them fro deth to lyfe By the bledynge she wexeth so feble that she may not trauayle to fede her selfe Than some of her byrdes for loue and pyte put them for to trauayle and fede theyr moder and some care not for her but oonly fede theym selfe Whan the moder is amended and waxen stronge tho byrdes that helpeth her she loueth cheryssheth them the other that wolde not helpe her she beteth bylleth and casteth them out of her company Caplm .iiij. DIues This coÌ„mauÌ„dement byddeth vs worshypp fader moder and that we may do without ony coste with lytyl trauayle For we may ryse ayenst them knele to them take theyr blessynge and speke to them with reuerence so kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dement ¶ Pauper The coÌ„mauÌ„dement byndeth vs not only to worshyp fad mod with suche reuerence doynge but also to worshyp theÌ„ with helpe at nede ¶ Diues Where fyndest thou that helpe at nede is called worshyp ¶ Pauê‘ In the fyrste pystle that saynt Poule wrote to the bysshop Thymothee .v. Where he badde that he sholde worshyp very wydowes that is to saye he sholde susteyne theym with goodes of holy chirche And he called there very wydowes that had no good to be susteyned with of theyr owne And yf that she had childern or fader or moder or wherof to lyue he badde that she sholde lerne to rule hyr husholde and helpe fader and moder as they holpen her And in the same chapytre he byddeth that prestes men of holy chirche that rule wel her subgettes sholde haue double worshyp of the people that is to saye the glose that the peple sholde obey to them and do them reuerence fynde them al that theym nedeth and namely to them that trauayle in prechynge and techynge of the gospell ¶ Diues It is only folye whan folke for age and feblenesse may not ne can not helpe themselfe ne gouerne themselfe than to be taken to theyr childrens goueruauÌ„ce of the husholde put themselfe in kepynge of theyr childern ther gouernauÌ„ce ¶ Pauper More semely it is that they put theym in theyr childrens gouernauÌ„ce kepyng than in straungers Namely yf they haue founden them good and kynde to them byfore But for ony trust in ther childern I wolde not couÌ„seyll theym fully to dysmytten them of her good But alwaye reserue the lordshypp to themselfe theyr childern in dauÌ„ger And therfore Salomon sayth Audite me magnati et omÌ„s populi â— Eccl. xxxiij Ye grete men gouernours of holy chirche ye all people herken now to my sawe gyue to no man ne woman power vpon the by thy selfe Neyther to sone ne to doughter ne to brother ne to frende gyue not a waye to other men thy good and thy catell For hapely it may repente the than shalt thou praye to haue helpe of thyn owne good thou shalt none haue Melius est vt filij tui rogent te ê™ te respicere in manibus filiorum tuorum Ecclesiastici .xxxiij. It is better sayth he that thy childern praye the and aske helpe of the than thou loke in the hondes of thy childern for helpe I fynde that an olde man bytoke to his sone his housholde and gaaf hym all that he hadde to kepe hym well in his age Fyrste he laye with his sone in the chambre at the laste he was put out of the chambre layde hym behynde the spere at yâ— halle dore for he cought roughed so that his sone his sones wyfe myght haue no reste by hyÌ„ in the chambre And whan he laye so nygh the halle dore he hadde moche colde and called to hym his sones sone a lytyll childe and badde hym go to his fader and aske of hym some clothes to kepe hym with from colde The childe dyde the erande the fader toke the childe an olde sacke Haue sayd he bydde hym laye this on hym Nay fader sayd the childe but kytte it in too sende ye hym yâ— halfe kepe ye to you the other halfe tylle to the tyme whan ye be olde that ye may than couer you therwith kepe you from colde Not longe syth this caas byfel in Colchestre There was an olde man somdele lettred whiche bytoke his sone in his age all yâ— housholde gaaf hym all that he had for to kepe hym wel in his age Fyrste he laye in the chambre with his sone after he was put allone in an out chambre in the yerde and was serued full euyll both at bedde and at borde On a daye he prayed his sones wyfe to le ne hym halfe a busshell to mete by a certayne thynge but he wolde not tell hyr what he sholde mete She toke hym halfe a busshell hauynge grete wondre what he sholde do therwith He wente in to his chambre shette the dore to hym He toke a fewe pens halfpens ferthynges that he had put them in to the craueyses of the halfbusshell and soone after he toke hyr ayen hyr halfbusshell She loked besely in the halfbusshell to knowe what he hadde moten therwith And than she fouÌ„de that moneye hangynge in the craueyses clyftes of yâ— half busshel and she
wende that he hadde moten moneye by the vessel wente shewed it to hyr husbonde and he wende the same For his fader kepte euer a grete hutche besydes his bedde wel locked was right heuy but his sone myght not knowe what theriâ— was but after this dede he hoped that therin had be moche moneye And in hope of that moneye he his wyfe kepte well honestly his fader in to his deth Whan he was deed he brake vp the hutche for keye founde he 〈◊〉 therto And than founde he in that hutche but erthe and stones and a betyll lyenge ouer it with a scrowe theron in whiche was wryten in this maner With this betyll be they beten that her childern her good shall leteâ— And gyue awaye all theyr thynge gone them selfe on beggynge Caplm .v. DIues Yet ê¯tra te Cryst sayth in the gospell Qui noÌ„ odit patre suuÌ„ et matreÌ„ suaÌ„ non potest meus esse discipulus Luce .xiij. He that hateth not his fader and his moder he may not be my dyscyple But that we be bounde to hate we be not bounde for to worshypp it ne to helpe it Therfore than we be neyther bouÌ„de for to worshyppe fader ne moder ne to helpe them at nede ¶ Pauper Cryste sayd tho wordes whan nyghe all the worlde was hethen people and of false byleue whan nyghe all the faders and moders were in false byleue and in dedely synne And therfore Cryste sayd tho wordes Not that childern sholde hate the persones of theyr faders moders but they sholde hate theyr false byleue and theyr wycked lyuynge so we muste all yf we wyll be saued we sholde loue euery man woman hate theyr synne And in as moche as fader moder withstonde vs in goddes waye we sholde hate theyr malyce and forsake theyr wycked lyuynge folowe god be besye to drawe fader moder after vs in goddes waye by good techynge and ensample ¶ Diues Yet contra te Cryste sayth in the gospell Veni seperare hominem aduersus patreÌ„ suum et aduersus matrem suam Mathei .x. ¶ Pauper In goddes cause and in treuthe man woman ought to forsake fader and moder yf they withstande goddes cause and holde ayenst the treuthe And so Cryste came for to departe man and woman fro theyr fader and moder that stode in false byleue ayenst god Cryste came not to put full hate bytwene man and his fader moder but for to make man and woman to forsake fader and moder for goddes sake yf they wyll lette the fro god And therfore he sayth in the same place He that loueth fader and moder more than me he is not worthy to come to me we sholde loue fader and moder and helpe them at nede though they be he then neuer so wycked but we sholde loue god more than them And yf we may not please god and theym also we sholde offende theym and please god alwaye loue theyr persone and hate theyr synne And be besy to amende them by good enformacyon with loue mekenesse and reuerence ¶ Diues Yet contra te Saynt Poul sayth Non debent filij parentibus thesaurizare sed parentes filij Scdo ad Corum .xiij. Childern ought not to gadre togydre tresoure to theyr faders moders but faders moders ought to gadre tresoure to theyr childern Therfore than it semeth that childern sholde not care for theyr fader and moder but fader and moder sholde care for theyr chyldern ¶ Pauper Eche of them ought to care for other But more the fader and moder for the childe than the childe for fader moder ¶ Diues Why so ¶ Pauper For the childe is towarde and by comon course of kynde is semynge lenger to lyue than his fader and moder And his childern sholde be his faders childers childern his moders And so fader moder sholde not care only for theyr owne childen but also by waye of kynde they ought to care for theyr childers childern haue more affeccoÌ„n to theyr childern than theyr childern for them and more care for theyr childern than theyr childern for them And therfore right as the rote in the tree by waye of kynde gyueth more moysture vertue vp to the tree to the croppe than the tree or the croppe gyueth downe to the rote Soo by waye of kynde the fader the moder muste be more besy to helpe theyr childern to ordeyne for them than the childern for fader and moder that sooner by waye of kynde shall deye Neuerthelesse right as the croppe refressheth the rote by moysture of dewe and of rayne bysshadoweth the rote for the hete of the sonne so ought the childern to refresshe fader moder at theyr nede kepe theym from myschyef as moche as they may in good maner kepe them well and honestely Not for to make them riche neyther nourysshe them in delyces Caplm .vi. DIues whan man or woman entreth in to relygyon he is deed ayenst the worlde Therfore it semeth than that by his relygyon he is vnbounden from this commaundement And he that is not bouÌ„de to helpe his fader or moder at nede for whan he is professed in relygyon he may not gyue for he yâ— nought haue nought may gyue ¶ Pauper Man and woman by this comaundement is bouÌ„de to two thynges to reuerence fader moder and to helpe them at nede As for the reuerence the relygyouse is as moche bouÌ„de or more as the seculer in tyme place and whan and where he may do it But as for the seconde poynte that is to helpe theym at nede yf his fader and moder haue not wherby to lyue ne be of power to gete theyr lyuynge honestly the sone ought not to entre in suche relygyon there he may not helpe them for yf he do he may be cause of theyr deth But yf his fad mod haue ynough to lyue by he may entre in to relygyon though fader moder forbede it hym He shall not spare for loue for prayer for blessynge ne for curse For as saynt Austyn sayth in Epla ad LetuÌ„ This coÌ„mauÌ„dement byndeth there that thynges of more charge of more prouffyte lette it not ¶ Diues Yet contra te Yf the relygyouse kepe not this coÌ„maundement bycause of his religyon he doth amys in takynge of his relygyon ¶ Pauê‘ That is soth ¶ Diues I suppose that he neuer after see his fader ne moder ne do them no helpe ne reuerence how kepeth he than this coÌ„maundement ¶ Pauper Though he see them neuer after ne helpe them at nede ne do to them reuerence yf his wyl be good to helpe them at nede to do them reuerence yf he myght come to them hyÌ„selfe or by ony persone yet he kept the coÌ„maundement For though this coÌ„mauÌ„dement byndeth alwaye man woman yet it byndeth not for alway As
with derkene s se of synne yâ— he wote not what is good neyther what is wycked And therfore sayth he in the next chapytre wysdome with rychesses is more profytable than without rychesses it profyteth moost to them yâ— see the sonne yâ— is to saye to them yâ— haue an eye to the sonne of ryghtwylnesse that is god For as Salomon sayth Oculi â—apteutis in capite eius Eccl .ij. The eyen of the wyse man be alwaye in his hede That is to saye in cryste yâ— is hede of holy chirche of all thynges And Dauyd sayth Sicut oculi seruorum in manibus dnÌ„orum suorum et sicut oculi ancille in manibus dnÌ„e sue it a oculi nossri ad dnÌ„m deum nostruÌ„ donec misereatur nostri As the seruauntes haue theyr eyen to the handes of ther lorde and as the mayde in chambre hath her eyen to the handes of hyr lady So muste we haue our eyen vp to our lorde god tylle he wyll haue mercy on vs. Caplm .xi. DIues Reason gyueth that men sholde teche ther childeren goddes lawe good thewes for to take hede to god yâ— made vs all of nought bought vs so dere But now men saye that ther sholde noo leude folke entremete them of goddes lawe ne of the gospell ne of holy wryte neyther to conne it ne to teche it ¶ Pauper This is a foule errour full peryllous to maÌ„nes soule For euery man woman is bouÌ„de after his degree to do his besynes to knowe goddes lawe that he is bouÌ„de to kepe And faders moders godfaders and godmoders be bounde to teche theyr childern goddes lawe or ellys do them to be taught And therfore god sayth EruÌ„t vba hec â— These wordes that I bydde the this daye sholde be in thyn herte Thou shalt tell them teche them to thy childern Thou shalt thynke theron syttynge in thy house amonges thy folke And whan thou goste by the waye whan thou goste to slepe whan thou aryseste thou shalt bynde them as a token in thyn hande in thyn dede in thyn werke they sholde be alwaye steryng byfore thyn eyen of thyn herte Thou shalt wryte them in thy dressholde and in thy dores of thyn house that is to say whan thou comest in and whan thou goste out in thyn begynnynge and in thyn endynge of euery dede alway loke that thou ne none of thyne forfette ayenst goddes lawe bycause of the. Deu â— .vi. And in an other place of the same booke he sayth thus Thou shalt teche my wordes to thy childern to thy folke and to thy kynne s men Deut â— .iiij. And saynt Austyn sayth That eche man in his owne housholde sholde do the offyce of the bysshop in techynge correctynge of comon thynges And therfore sayth the lawe That the offyce of techynge and chastysynge longeth not only to the bysshop but to euery gouernoâ—â—e after his maner his degree To the poore man gouernynge his poore housholde To the ryche man gouernynge his folke To yâ— housbon de man gouernyng his wyf To the fader moder gouernynge ther childern To the Iustyce gouernynge his contree To the kynge gouernynge his people .xiij qÌ„ .iiij. duo et qÌ„ v. noÌ„ putes And one neyghbour sholde teche an other For saynt Peter sayth Euery man mynyster on to other the grace that he hath taken of god pri o petri ij ¶ Diues My fader moder be deed and therfore I lete me dyscharged of this commaundemente ¶ Pauper Though they be deed â—et art thou bouÌ„de to doo them worshyp and to helpe theyr soules with holy prayers and almesse dedes yf thou myghtest Also thou art bounde to worshyp them with thy good lyuyng as I sayd fyrste For the wyse man sayth That he that techeth well his childe he shall be praysed worshypped in his childe amonge his kynrede he shal haue Ioye and worshyp in his childe The fader of the well taught childe in some maner is deed in some maner is not deed For he lefte his childe lyke after hym for all yf the fader dye bodely yet he lyued is worshypped in the goodnesse of his childern Est mortuus et quasi noÌ„ est mortuê° Eccl .xxx. And in the wycked lyuynge of the childe the fader is vnworshypped deed whyle he goth vpon erthe Also by this coÌ„maundement we be bounde to worshyp godfader godmoder Caplm .xij. ALso to worshypp god that is fader of all thynge that is called fader of mercyes and god of all conforte Pater misericordiarum et deus tocius consolacionis He is our fader for he made vs of nought he bought vs with his blood he fyndeth vs all that vs nedeth and moche more he saueth vs he kepeth vs he ledeth vs he fedeth vs he medeth vs. He is our fader by grace for by his grace he hath made vs eyres of heuens blyssâ— was there neuer fader soo tender ouer his childe as god is tender ouer vs. He is to vs bothe fader and moder And therfore we be bounde to loue hym and to worshyp hym aboue all thynge as I sayd in the fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„dement But he may saye to vs as that he sayd to the vnkynde Iewes Filius honorat patrem et seruus dominuÌ„ suum timebit cÌ„ The sone sayth he by waye of kynde worshyppeth his fader and the seruaunt shall drede his lorde Sythen than I am fader of all where is my worshyppe And sythen I am lorde of all where is my drede Neyther ye worshyppe me as a fader ne drede me as a lorde Malach .i. Nunquid noÌ„ est pater vnus omniuÌ„ vestruÌ„ Nun quid noÌ„ deus vnius creauit vos Haue ye not sayth he al one fader and one god made you all why than sayth he despyse ye eche man other That is his brother by pryde ouerledynge and brekynde the coÌ„maundement of your form faders Malach .ij. Also for tendre loue that he hath to mankynde he calleth hym selfe our moder sayenge to synfull soules Wenest thou sayth he that the moder may forgete her yonge childe that she bare of hyr bodye haue no compassyon ne pyte theron though she forgete her childe haue no pyte theron yet I shall not forgete the to shewe the mercy Ysaye .xlix. And therfore he sayth Ego mater pulcre dilectioiÌ„s â— I am moder of fayre loue of loue drede of knowynge of holy hope In me is all maner grace of truthe of lyfe In me is all hope of lyf of vertue of mercy of al maner goodnes Eccl .xxiiij. And thus by this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t we be bounde to loue our god worshyppe hym aboue all thynge as our pryncypall fader moder And that pryncypaly for the mercy pyte that he sheweth to mankynde in his gouernauÌ„ce kepynge By the fyrst coÌ„mau dement we be bouÌ„de to worshyp hym aboue al thynge for he is endles myght as god begynner
lorde god And in the newe lawe he sayth thus Deum timete regem honorificate Drede ye god and worshyppe ye your kynge .i. petri .ij. That is to say For drede of god worshyp thou thyn elder and for drede of god worshyp thou thy kynge thy souerayne and al that be in hygher degre than thou art For sythen god hath put them in degre of worshyp thou muste for drede of god worshyppe them And but thou worshyp them ellys thou offendest god Omnes honorate Worshyp ye all men women after ther astate and ther dygnyte And saynt Poule byddeth that all thynge sholde be do honestly and in ordre OiÌ„a honeste et scdm ordineÌ„ fiant .i. ad corum .xiiij. Caplm .xxiij. ALso leue frende by this commauÌ„dement we be bouÌ„de to worshyp holy angels sayntes in heuen for they be our faders in age in worshyp in cure in kepynge of vs. For they longen after vs that ther nombre ther company that was lested by the pryde of lucyfer myght be restored ayen by saluacoÌ„n of vs. And therfore nyght and daye they prayen for vs to god for helpe and grace nedefull to vs. Of these faders speketh saynt Poule in his pystle and sayth thus I knele praye for you nyght and daye the fader of our lorde Ihesu cryste of whom is named all maner of faderhede in heuen and in erthe Ex quo omnis paternitas nominat in celo et in terra ad Ephe .iij. For as the glose sayth ther dysposycyon the angellys be our faders in heuen ordeyned for vs and in erthe prelates be our faders hauynge cure and kepynge of vs. And so bothe prelates in erthe and angellys in heuen ben our faders And therfore as all these clerkes sayen Eche man woman hath two angels assygned to hym one of god an other of the fende For the fonde Sathanas att goddes suffraunce assygneth to hym a wycked angell to tempte hym and to lese hym But god of his goodnes assygneth hym a good angell to saue hym and to kepe hym Of whiche good angell cryste sayth in the gospell that they see alwaye the face of the fader in heuen for they be alwaye in his presence speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore sayth saynt Ierom vpon the same worde of cryste that angels bere our prayers and our good dedes in to heuen and kepe and defende vs ayenst the malyce and the sleyght of the fende And therfore the angell Raphaell whan he had ledde the sone of Tobye in to fer contree and saued hyÌ„ from many perylles broughte hym ayen in grete welth he sayd to Tobye whan thou praydest with bytter teres beryedeste the deed bodyes and leftest thy mete and haddest deed bodyes by daye in thyn house beryeste them by nyght for goddes sake ayenst the wyll of the wycked kynge Senacheryb Than offered I thy prayer to our lorde god Thobie .iiij. Also we rede in the fourth booke of kynges the .vi. chaptre That the prophete Helyzee was sodaynly by nyght besyeged in the Cyte of Dothaym with the oost of the kynge of Syrye In the morowe the seruaunt of Helyzee sawe the oost about the Cyte he was full sory sayd to his mayster Helyzee Alas alas alas what shal we do we be so besyeged with our ennemyes that we may not escape Than Helyzee sayd to hym Drede ye not for we haue more folke with vs than they haue with them Than Helyzee prayed to god that he wolde open the eyen of that seruaunt that he myght see what helpe Helyzee had with hym And anone he sawe the hylles about Helyzee full of horse charettes brennynge as fyre a grete people arayde to batayll that was the oost of angellys sent of god for kepynge of Helyzee through whos helpe the prophete Helyzee ledde all the oost that had besyeged hym in to the Cyte of Samarye amonges all ther enemyes for they were so blent that they wyst not whether they went They come to take Helyzee and Helyzee toke theym with helpe of angels and dyde with them what he wolde And therfor Dauyd sayth Montes in circuitu eius et dnÌ„s in circuitu ppli sui The hylles that is to saye the angellys be about the good man and the good woman to kepe them and god is about his people to saue theym And therfore saynt Cecyle sayd to her husbonde Valaryan I haue goddes angell that loueth me full well and kepeth my bodye with grete suerte that noo man shall defoule me And yf thou wyll by foule loue defoule me he shall â—lee the. And yf thou loue me with clene loue and wyll kepe my maydenhode hole clene he shall loue the as well as me And whan thou art crystened thou shalt see him Anone her husbonde Valeryan by her couÌ„seyll went and was crystened of the bysshop saynt Vrban And whan he was crystened he cam ayen fouÌ„de saynt Cecyle prayenge in closet the angell standynge besydes her with wynges fethers ful bryght his face shone glymered as the flaÌ„me of fyre He had in eyther hande a garlonde made of roses lelyes full fayre tresshe and full swete in smellynge He gaaf vnto saynt Cecyle one an other to Valeryan and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodye of soule For why sayd he I haue brought theÌ„ out of paradyse And ye shall knowe by this token for they shall alwaye be grene fresshe neyther welke ne fade ne lese ther swete sauour and no man ne woman may see them but they that loue clenne s se and chastyte as ye doo We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Agnes that whan she was but .xiij. yere of age suffered deth for the loue of god and for the loue of chastyte foâ— she wolde not assent to be wedded to the grete lordes sone of Rome for he was hethen And also for she wolde kepe her mayndenhode to cryste She was made naked ledde to the bordell house to be defouled of synfull wretches But sodaynly her here wexe soo moche that it hylled and hydde all her bodye And whan she cam to the bordell house her good angell was redy and brought her a clothe as whyte as snowe full mete to her bodye and be lapped her with so grete lyght that ther myght no man loke vpon her ne no man durste entre the place Thanne the lordes sone as ful hardy ran in to that lyght for to defoule her And anone the fende whom he wolde haue serued slough hym But saynt Agnes with her prayer to god and helpe of her good angell reysed hym from deth to lyfe to shame shenshyp of all hethen people For anone he went out of that house cryed openly that there was no god but cryste and desspysed her mawmettes and ther false byleue Also whan saynt Agace was buryed her angell in the lykenesse of a yonge man clothed in clothe of
sacrament of the aulter And for the same reson yf a man haue wedded two wyues so departeth his flesshe in dyuer s e wymen he is yrreguler vnable to the aulter And therfore not only prestes but dekenes and subdekenes in that they be astent to the preest in makynge of the sacrament muste be without suche departynge that is contrarye to the sacrament of endeles charyte of onehede bytwene god and holy chirche bytwene all good crysten people yâ— is in charyte for alle they be one come togydre in this sacrament For this reson it is not leful to men of holy chirche to shed maÌ„nes blood ne to slee ne to mayme The newe testament is a lawe of loue therfore cryste wolde that the mynystres of the auter in the newe testament that sholde mynystre the sacrament of his endeles loue of his endles mercy to mankynde that they shewe loue mercy pyte no token of cruelte The olde testament was a lawe of drede duresse and nygh all the sacrefyces that the prestes made was done with shedynge of blood not only in fygure of crystus passyon but also in token that he that synned was worthy to be slayne as the beest that was slayne that was offered for his synne And therfore the swerde was graunted to prestes and to the mynystres of the olde lawe to punysshe rebellours whan it nedeth and moche of theyr offyce was to shedde blood And so by theyr offyce they were dysposed to crueltee In soo moche that they were not afrede to flee goddes sone ther lorde ther souerayne ther god And for that prestes of the olde lawe by cruelte slough cryste god and lorde of all Therfore shedynge of blood manslaughter is forboden to prestes in the newe lawe and maketh them vnable to the aultre that shedde mannes blode or helpe therto Caplm .xviij. SHeddynge of blood in men of holy chirche is so abhomynable horryble in goddes lyght yâ— yf ony clerke dye in batayl fyghtyng or in playes of hethen men of whiche foloweth shedynge of blode deth as in playnge at the swerde bokeler at the staffe twohands werde hurlebat in tourmentes in Iustes for that clerke holy chirche shall make noo solempne masse ne solempne prayer for hym but he sholde be buryed without solempnyte of holy chirche xxiij qÌ„.viij.â—cuÌ„que clericê° And yf a man in his woodnes and rauynge slee man woman or childe though his woodnes passe yet he is yrreguler vnable to goddes aulter xv.qÌ„.i siâ—s insaniens Nethelesse yf he be prest or that caas falle hym whan his wodenes is passed be in hope of seker helthe he may saye his masse Also yf a man smyte childe man or woman by waye of chastysynge he dye of yâ— stroke he is yrreguler xv.qÌ„.i Si â—s noÌ„ iratê° et extra li. v.de homicidijs ca. pÌ„sbiteruÌ„ Also yf he be in doubte whether he dye of the stroke he shall absteyne hym from goddes aulter Extra e. ad audiencia Also yf a prest or clerke or ony man slee the theef that robbeth the chirche he is yrreguler Extra e significasti Also yf clerkes fyght ayenst sarasynes ayenst hethen men yf they slee ony man womeÌ„ or childe they be yrreguler yf they be in doubte whether they slough or nay they sholde absteyne them fro yâ— aulter Extra e.peticio Also yâ— Iuge the aduocate the accessour the offycere the wytnesse by whiche man or woman is slayn the wryter he that sayth the sentence or redeth in dome the examynacyon of the cause or wryteth the endytement or other lettres by the whiche man or woman is slayn he is yrreguler though the cause the dome be ryghtfull Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf a man be dryuen by nede to slee man or woman yf he fledde in that nede by his owne defaute fledde not that nede whan he myght haue fledde he is full yrreguler But yf it were suche nede that he myght not flee it the nede cam not by his defaute holy chirche suffreth him in the ordres that he hath taken to mynystre therin but he shall take none hygher ordre Yf ony man slee man woman or childe casuelly and by myshappe whether his occupacyon was lefull or not lefull yf he dydde not his besynesse to flee manslaughter he is full yrreguler But yf his occupacyon were leful and he dyde his besynes to flee manslaughter though he sawe not before all chauÌ„ges that myght fall he is not yrreguler Ray. li.ij.ti.i with hym that sleeth man woman or childe wyllyngly with hande or with tonge is no dyspen s acoÌ„n IbmÌ„ Yf a man smyte a woman with childe whan the childe is quycke or poyson hyr with venym yf that childe be deed born or ellys born out of tyme dye by that poyson or by that stroke he is yrreguler But yf the childe were not quycke he is not yrreguler but he shall be punysshed by the lawe of holy chirche as a manqueller And so shall the man that gyueth venym or ony drynke or ony other thynge to let woman that she may not conceyue ne brynge forth childern And yf yâ— woman wylfully take suche drynkes or do ony mys crafte to let hyrself or ony other from berynge of childern she is a mansleer Yf many men fyghte togydre one or mo be slayne it is not knowen by whome of that coÌ„pany all that smeten or came for to slee or for to fyght all though they smeten not be mansleers And alle that came to helpe mansleers though they slough not ne had wyll to slee but come only to conforte and to helpe of the sleer and all that were on the wrong syde be yrreguler Yf man or wuman dye by defaute of the leche by his vnkunnynge mys medycyne the leche is yrreguler And therfore it is forboden men of holy chirche to gyue ony peryllous drynkes or to borne men by surgery or to kytte them for often deth or mayme tometh therof Also they mayme them selfe without a nedefull cause or be maymed by other men or by ther owne foly all yf they dyde theym gelde to be chaste so please god they be yrreguler For ther sholde no man serue at goddes aulter that had ony greate foule mayme Yf a man withdrawe hym that wolde saue a man fro deth yf he wyll not hymself saue fro the deth yf he may namely yf it longe to hym of offyce he is yrreguler Hec Ray. li.ij.ti.i Yf ony clerke bere ony wood or fyre or ony mater to the brennynge of ony heretyke yf he be deed therby or his deth hasted therby he is yrreguler though the pope or the bysshop gyue pardon to all that helpen to the deth of that heretyke In suÌ„ma confes li.ij.ti.qÌ„.xxv.quid de ill Yf a preest sende a yonge childe to water his horse though he bydde hym beware of the water and the childe by his sendynge drenche the preest is
of mannes swerde also and Iustefye ye not that god dampneth ¶ Here endeth the fyfthe coÌ„maundement And begynneth the sixthe Capitulum PrimuÌ„ DIues Thy couÌ„seyll is good God sende vs peas kepe vs fro yâ— swerde Now I pray the declare me yâ— sixth coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t ¶ Pauper The sixth coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this Non mechaberis That is to saye in Englysshe Thou shalt do no lecherye ne medle with no thynge flesshely but onely with thy lawfull wyfe As the glose sayth And so by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement he forbydeth all spyces of lethery ¶ Diues How many spyces of lechery be ther. ¶ Pauê‘ Nyne And these be they Fornycacyon lecherye with comon wymen auoutry defoulynge of maydenhode defoulynge of chastyte auowed to god defoulyng of them that be nyghe of kynne of affynyte or of gossyprede sodomye that is mysuse of mannes bodye or womans in lecherye ayenst kynde pollucyon of mannes bodye or womans by ther owne sterynge by themself whiche is a full horryble synne And also synful medlynge togydre bytwene husbonde and wyfe FormcaciomeretriciuÌ„ adulterium Stupâ—uÌ„ sacrilegiu incestus peccatuÌ„ sodomiticuÌ„ voluntaria in se pollucio et ê‘ se ê“uocat et libidinosus coitus piugalis ¶ Diues In how many wayes may the husbonde synne medlynge with his wyfe ¶ Pauê‘ In .viij. wayes Fyrste yf he medle with hyr only to fulfyll his lustes his lecherye takynge noo hede to god ne to yâ— honeste of matrymonye Also yf he passe mesure in his doynge Also yf he medle with hyr in tymes whiche holy chirche couÌ„seyled men to coÌ„tynence as in holy tymes in tyme of lente in tyme of fastynge and of other prayer whiche tymes he may medle with hyr so bodely ayenst reuerence of the tyme of god that he shall synne dedely For Peter and Poule teche that wedded folke sholde in holy tyme in tyme of prayer absteyne them fro suche lustes that ther prayer may the more gracyously be herde of god ther herte yâ— more gyuen to god For suche luste as for the tyme draweth mannes herte and womannes moche fro god and maketh them fulfle s shely the lesse goostly Therfor as we rede GenÌ„ .vij. In the tyme of the flood in Noes tyme for the herde trybulacyon dredther they were in all that yere Noe and his thre sones kepte them chaste laye by themself and ther wyues by themselfe so that by holy prayers and contynence they myght yâ— sooner be delyuered of that peryll and myscheef that they were in Also yf he medled with his wyfe in holy place without nede For in tyme of werre though he medle with his wyfe in chirche yf he dare not lye out of yâ— chirche for drede of his enemyes he is excused the chirche is not pollute or ellys it were pollute And also yf he medle with his wyfe whan she is greate with childe nyghe the tyme of byrth For than lyghtly he myght slee the childe Also yf they medle togydre with euyll condycoÌ„n Also yf he medle with his wyfe wetyngly in hyr comon sekenes at his owne proufre But yf husbonde and wyfe medle to gydre flesshely without these defauct onely to brynge forth a veyne to the herte and gete childern to goddes seruyce ellys to flee fornycacyon and lecherye on other halfe or to yelde the dette of ther bodye eche to other than they synne not But than as saynt Poule sayth ther wedloke is worshypfull and ther bedde without spot of blame Honorabile connubiuÌ„ in oiÌ„buset thorus iÌ„maculatus Ad hebre .xiij. Vpon whiche worde sayth the grete clerke Haymo the glose also That it is a worshypfull wedloke whan a man weddeth his wyfe lawfully to brynge forth childern to goddes seruyce absteyneth hym fro his wyfe in due tyme. And than is ther bedde without spot of blame whan he medle with his wyfe lawfully and for a good ende kepe mesure and maner than ryse they vp out of bedde without spot of blame Caplm .ij. QAtrymonye was ordeyned of god for two causes Fyrst pâ—yÌ„cypaly in to offyce to brynge forth childern to goddes seruyce Also in to remedye to flee fornycacoÌ„n lecherye For the fyrste cause it was ordeyned in paradyse before Adams synne For yâ— seconde cause it was ordeyned out of paradyse after Adams synne Thre good thynges be pryncypaly in matrymouye The fyrste is fayth that eche of theym kepe truly his bodye to other medle flesshely with none other The seconde is bryngyng forth nourysshynge of children to yâ— worshyp of god to goddes seruyce For ellys it were better that they were vnborne The thyrde is yâ— sacrament whiche may not be vndo but only by deth And therfore the ordre of wedloke is full worshypfull for it representeth yâ— grete sacrament of vnyte of endles loue bytwene yâ— godhede the manhede in cryste very god and very man bytwene cryste holy chirche bytwene cryste crysten soule And the faythfull loue that ought to be bytwene husbonde wyfe betokeneth the loue the fayth that ought to be bytwene cryste crysten soule bytwene cryste holy chirche For the husbonde sholde loue his wyfe with true loue And therfore whan he weddeth hyr he setteth a rynge on hyr fynger whiche rynge is a token of true loue that ought to be bytwene them For they muste loue them togydre hertely and therfore it is sette in the fourthe fynger For as clerkes say fro that fynger god gyueth hyr but one rynge in token that they sholde loue theymsyngulerly togydre For as ayenst comynynge of the body the husbonde sholde loue his wyfe and none other and the wyfe hyr husbonde none other The rynge is rouÌ„de about and hath none ende in token that ther loue sholde be endeles no thynge departe them but deth alone Also the rynge is made of golde or of syluer in token that as golde and syluer passeth all other metals in value and clennesse so sholde ther loue passe al other loues And the husbonde loue his wyfe passynge all other wymen and the wyfe loue hyr husbonde passynge all other men And as golde and syluer passeth all other metals in clennes so sholde ther loue al be set in clennes not comon togydre but for bryngynge forth of childern or to flee fornycacoÌ„n or to yelde the dette of ther bodyes This loue betokeneth the loue that we owe to god that is our goostly husbonde to whome we be all wedded in onr baptem For we sholde loue hym hertely with all our herte syngulerly with all our soule lastyngly with all our mynde myghtely and with all our myghtes And therfore sayth he Deutronoê° .vi. Thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte with all thy soule with all thy mynde and with al thy myght The husbonde betokeneth cryste the wyfe betokeneth holy chirche crysten soule whiche is goddes spouse and ought to be suget to cryste as wyfe to husbonde Thre
the openly And soo it befell for Absolon his owne sone droffe hym out of his owne kyngdome and laye by hys wyf in the syght of all the people And therafter was neuer stabylyte in his kyngdome And yet the auoutrye of Dauyd was more punysshed for the childe that was begoten in auoutrye dyed soone after for the synne of the fader and of the moder And afterwarde Aaman Dauydes sone lay by Thamar his owne syster therfore Absolon hyr brother sloughe Aaman his brother in treccherye And all these myscheues felle for Dauydes synne with Barsabee We fynde also in holy wryt IudicuÌ„ .xx. That for defoulynge of one mannes wyfe were slayne thre score thousande and fyue thousande It is a comon prouerbe in latyn Debâ—le fundamentuÌ„ fallit opus A feble grouÌ„de desceyueth the werke For whan the grounde is feble and false the werke that is setttheron shall soone fayle But yâ— grouÌ„de and the begynnynge of euery people is lawfull wedloke lawfull generacoÌ„n in matrymonye And yf that fayle the people shall be vnstable and vnthryfty and that god sheweth wel in the begynnynge of the worlde for whan men wedded vnlawfully and brake the bondes the lawes of wedloke whiche god ordeyned at the begynnynge Than god sente the grete flood and destroyed all mankynde saue Noe his wyfe and his thre sones and ther wyues Caplm .iiij. DIues Whan gaaf god lawes of matrymonye what lawes gaaf he ¶ Pauper Whan god had made Adam he put a grete slepe in Adam in his slepe he toke out one of his rybbes fylled vp the place with flesshe of that rybbe he made Eue brought hyr to Adam Than Adam awoke as god Inspyred him he toke the lawes of wedloke and sayd thus This bone is now of my bones this flesshe of my flesshe For this thynge man shall forsake fader moder and take hym to his wyfe and they shall be two in one flesshe GenÌ„ .ij. In whiche wordes whan he sayd that man for his wyfe sholde forsake fader and moder and take hym to his wyfe he shewed the sacrament of true loue and vnyte that ought to be bytwene husbonde and wyfe And by the same wordes he sheweth what fayth ought to be bytwene theym For he shall take hym to his wyfe and medle with hyr and with none other and she with hym and with none other And in that he sayd that they sholde be two in one flesshe he sheweth that they sholde medle togydre pryncypally to brynge forth childern to goddes worshyp For in ther childe husbonde and wyfe ben one flesshe and one blood Also in that he sayd that the husbonde sholde cleue to his wyfe he forbyddeth fornycacyon and auoutrye And that he sayd in the synguler nombre to his wyfe and not to his wyues he forbyddeth bygamye that a man sholde not haue two wyues to gydre ne one woman two husbondes to gydre And in yâ— he sayd that they sholde be two in one flesshe he forbadde sodomye also by the same wordes he sheweth that eche of theym hath power ouer others bodye none of them may conteyne but by assent of them both ¶ Diues Why made god woman more of the rybbe of Adam than of an other bone ¶ Pauê‘ For the rybbe is next the herte in token that god made hyr to be maÌ„nes felowe in loue his helper And as the rybbe is next the herte of all bones soo sholde the wyf be next in loue of all wymen of al men God made not woman of the fote to be mannes thrall ne he made hyr not of the hede to be his mayster but of his syde of his rybbe to be his felowe in loue helper at nede But Whan Eue synned than was woman made suget to man so that the wyfe sholde be ruled by hyr husbond drede hym and serue hym as felowe in loue helper at nede as next solace in sorowe not as thrall bouÌ„de in vyleyne seruage For yâ— husbonde ought to haue his wyfe in reuerence worshyp in that they be both one flesshe one blood ¶ Diues Why made not god woman by hyrselfe of the erthe as he dyd Adam ¶ Pauê‘ For to encrease ther loue to gydre also to gyue woman mater of lowenesse Fyrste for encreasynge of loue for in that woman is parte of mannes bodye man muste loue hyr as his owne flesshe blood And also she muste loue man as hyr begynnyng as hyr flesshe hyr blood Also she ought to take grete mater of lownesse thynke that man is hyr perfeccyon hyr begynnynge haue man in reuerence as hyr perfeccoÌ„n as hyr pryncypal as hyr begynnynge hyr fyrste in ordre of kynde God made all mankynde of one for he wolde that all mankynde sholde be in one charyte as they came all of one Caplm .v. DIues Whether is auoutry gretter synne in the man or in the woman ¶ Pauper Comonly it is more synne in the man For the hygher degre yâ— harder is the falle the synne more greuous Also man is more myghty by waye of kynde to withstande hath more reason wherby he may withstande beware of the fendes gyle And in that he is made mayster gouernour of womaÌ„ to gouerne her in vertue kepe hyr fro vyces Yf he falle in vyces and in auoutre more than yâ— woman he is moche to blame worthy to be repreued shamefully Therfore saynt Austen in li. de decem cordis Vndernemeth husbondes that falle in auoutrye sayth to eche of them in this maner God sayth to the thou shalt do no lecherye that is to saye thou shalt medle with no woman but with the wyfe Thou axest this of thy wyfe that she medle with none but with the. And therfore thou oughtest to be byfore thy wyfe in vertue thou fallest downe vnder the fylthe of lecherye Thou wylt that thy wyfe be ouercomer of lecherye haue yâ— maystrye of the fende thou wylt be ouercome as a cowarde lye downe in lecherye And notwithstandyng that thou art hede of thy wyfe yet thy wyfe go byfore the to god thou that art hede of thy wyfe goost bacwarde to helle Man sayth he is hede of woman therfore in what housholde the woman lyueth better than the man in yâ— housholde hangeth the hede donewarde For syth man is hede of woman he ought to lyue better than woman go byfore his wyfe in all good dedes that she may sue hyr husbonde folowe hyr hede The hede of eche housholde is the husbonde yâ— wyfe is the bodye By course of kynde theder that the hede ledeth thyder sholde the bodye folowe Why wolde than the hede that is the husbonde go to lecherye he wyll not that his bodye his wyf folowe why wolde the man go thyd wheder he wyll not that his wyfe folowe a lytyll after in yâ— same boke saynt Austen
psal no. The drede of the lorde is begynnynge of wysedom For who soo dredeth god with loue drede as y◠good childe the fader that loue drede shall teche hym what is plesaunt to god and what may displease hym And it shall make hym besy to do his plesaunce to leue his offence And comonly whan men become ancres they doo it moro for the worlde than for god They doo it for ypocresye to haue a name of holynes and of wysdom or for couetyse to get good or to be out of obedyence and at ther owne wyll to ete to drynke wake and slepe whan them lyketh and to do as theym lyketh For ther shall no man repreue theym therof ne wyte whether they doo well or euyll or whether they praye or they praye not And comonly men ancres haue more dalyaunce with the worlde bothe with men and wymen than euer they had or they were ancres And though they were lewde fooles byfore than men holde theym wyse and axe of them doubtes of conscyence and of thynges that be to come of the whiche thynges they can noo skyll And yet what they saye the people taketh it for a gospell and so they desceyue many a man and many a woman And sythen they groūde theym all in pryde in ypocresye and in couetyse truste in themselfe more than in god therfore he suffreth the tende to haue power ouer theym and so dyseased theym and bryngeth theym to a wycked ende But wymen take oft y◠state for no suche ende but only for god And they seynge ther owne freelte cōmende theym to god And therfore god kepeth them soo that the fende may not dysease theym in suche maner ne dysceyue theym We rede in holy wryt Gen̄ .xij. et .xx. That whan Abraham cam in to straūge londes he bad his wyfe Saray that she sholde not be aknowen that she was his wyfe but saye that she was his syster For she was soo fayre a woman that he wyste well that men sholde coueyte hyr for hyr beaute And yf they wende that she were his wyfe they sholde slee hym to haue hyr at theyr wyll for auoutrye was harder punysshed than manslaughter And therfore to saue his lyfe Abraham sayd bad hyr saye that she was his syster For as doctor de lyra sayth Abraham wyste well that she was a good woman and hadde suche an angell to kepe hyr that noo man sholde haue power to defoule hyr and so it befell For anone she was take led to the kynge of Egypt kepte there in the kynges courte longe tyme. And Abraham fared well by cause of hyr But god sent suche a sekenesse to y◠kynge and to his wyues to his concubynes and to all his housholde that they hadde no myght ne lykynge to defoule hyr Than the kynge axed his prestes and maysters of the lawe why that dysease felle vnto hym and to his housholde And they by reuelacyon of god sayden that it was for the pylgrymes wyfe And than the kynge lette hym go with worshyppe We rede also that Abraham hadde two sones Ysmaell of Agar his seruaunt and Ysaac of Sara his wyfe Abraham loued well Ysmaell for he was y◠elder sone On a tyme Sara sawe Ysmaell playe with hyr sone Ysaac not goodly she was myspayde sayd to Abraham that he sholde put Ysmaell his moder Agar out of housholde for Ysmaell sayd she sholde haue no parte of herytage with hyr sone Ysaac Abraham bare full heuy of these wordes for he loued moche Ysmaell Than god sayd to Abraham Take it not soo harde ne soo sharpely that Sara sayd to the of thy childe and of thy seruaunt Agar But in all thynges that Sara sayth to the here hyr voyce and doo there after And than Abraham put them out of his housholde full moche ayenst his herte And soo notwithstandynge that Abraham was soo nyghe god that he was called goddes frende yet as than his wyfe knewe more of goddes wyll than he dyde Also we rede of Ysaac and Rebecca his wyfe that they hadde two sones borne at ones whiche were Esau and Iacob Ysaac loued better Esau than Iacob But Rebecca loued better Iacob than Esau so dyd god And by techyng of the holy goost she begyled Ysaac Esau also dyd Ysaac gyue his pryncypall blessynge to Iacob there he wolde haue gyuen it to Esau and all was goddes dede and so confermed by god that whan Ysaac wyst of that gyle yet he durste not withdrawe his blessynge for he sawe wel that it was goddes wyll and goddes doynge And therfor he sayd to Esau wepynge for he was so begyled Benedixi ei et erit benedictus I haue blessyd hym he shall be blessyd Caplm .xiiij. DIues I assent well that by grace a woman maye be as stable in chastyte in goodnesse as man And without grace neyther man ne woman maye kepe hym chaste For the flesshe bothe of man and woman is full freell and full redye to falle And therfore I praye the teche me some remedye ayenste the temptacyon of lecherye ¶ Pauper One remedye is resonable abstynence from mete drynke and for to flee deynte metes deynte drynkes and to flee glotonye as moost begynnynge mene to lechery And therfore glotony is forboden by this cōmaūdement as mene waye to lecherye And other remedye is harde lyenge watche and trauayll that the bodye haue not to moche ease but be well occupyed For the wyse man sayth That ydelshyppe hath taught moche malyce Multam enim maliciam docuit dciositas Therfor sayth he Ryght as to the asse longeth fedynge yerde and byrdeyne soo to the seruaunt that is to saye to the flesshe that sholde be suget and seruaunt to the soule longeth drede and chastysynge and werkes of good occupacyon Eccl .xxxiij. And god sayth that pryde and plente of brede and welfare and plente of rychesses and ydelshyppe were cause of the wyckednesse of the Sodomytes and of there lecherye and for they loued not poore folke Ezechi .xvi. And therfore almesdede is a grete remedye ayenst lecherye to gete grace of chastyte so that it be gyuen to the poore nedye that ben in myscheef and to suche that haue not by kynde to gete ther lyuelode by trauayll of ther bodye and yf they begge they doo it without auaryce with mekenesse and clennesse of lyuynge to suche byddeth cryste to do almesse saynge Date elimosinam et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis Luce. Gyue ye almesse lo all thynges be clene to you yf ye wyl amende you And an other remedye is a man to haue mynde of his deth thynke how he shall wende hense with bytter payne than all his luste shall tourne in to woo sorowe thynke that by man or woman neuer so fayre so welfarynge so hole so lusty so lykynge to the eye so myghty so wytty so gret of lynage so ryche so grete of name or of lordshypp Eyther by
husbonde that dyed for hyr loue By this poore woman that was soo fayre is vnderstande mannes soule womans whiche is made to the lykenesse of god But it was made full poore through the synne of Adam By the kynges sone is vnderstande cryste goddes sone which loued so moche mannes soule that as saynt Poule sayth he auentysshed hymself and dysparyched hymselfe in to the lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t maryed to hym our kynde mannes soule and lyued here two and thrytty wynter more in moche woo to wynne the loue of mannes soule and faught ayenst the fende the flesshe the worde that be alwaye besye to lese mannes soule And alwaye he hadde the maystrye by myght of the godhede But on go de frydaye he cam in soo fell a fyght with that tyrauÌ„t the fende of helle that though he had that maystrye yet he was so forwouÌ„ded that by waye of manhode whiche he toke of that mayde nedely he muste dye And than he sent home a letter of loue to his spouse maÌ„nes soule saynge as that knyght sayd Cerne cicatrices â— Beholde my wouÌ„des and haue them in thy thought for all the goodes that be thyn with my blood I haue them bought For why all the Ioye blys that we sholde haue in heuen and all the grace and goodnesse that we haue here in erthe all haue we by vertue of crystus passyon For but he wolde haue dyed for our sake els sholde we haue layne in helle payne with out ende By this sharte full of wouÌ„des and so blodye I vnderstande his blysfull bodye For as mannes bodye is clad in his sharte so that godhede was clothed in the blysfull bodye of cryste whiche bodye was all blody so full of wouÌ„des that as sayth that ê“phete Ysa i Fro the sole of the fote to the toppe of the hede there was no hole place in his body Therfor leue frende I pray you hange ye this sharte in a preuy place of your chambre That is to saye Sette ye crystus passyon entyrely in your herte And whan the fende the worlde or the flesshe or ony wycked man or woman begynneth for to tempte you to synne anone wende ye to your herte and loke ye on this sharte Thynke how that blysfull bodye was borne of the mayde Mary without synne and sorowe and neuer dyde amys Thynke how it was forrent and for tourne byspetted for our synne and our sake and not for his owne gylte And yf ye do so thynke entyrely on crystus passyon ye shall lyghtely ouercome euery temptacyon and haue the better pacyence in trybulacyon Wherfore an holy man sayth thus Reminiscens sacrati sanguinis queÌ„ effudit amator hominis effunden do lacrimas Non est locus ingratitudini vbi torrens tante dulcedinis at tingit animas â— Whan I thynke on crystus blood that he shedde vpon the rode I lete teres smert What man may be vnkynde that crystus blood hath in mynde entyrely in his herte Swete Ihesu cryste what is thy gylt that thou thus for me art spylt floure of vnlothfulnes I am a theef thou dyeste I am gylty thou obeyest all my wyckednes Why gauest thou so moche for thyne what wynnest yâ— with thyne harde payne ryche in blysse aboue Loue thyne herte soo depe hath sought that payne of deth letteth me nouht to wynne mannes loue An other remedye ayenst lecherye is redynge dalyauÌ„ce of holy wryt of holy mennes lyues And therfore saynt Ierom sayth ad rusticuÌ„ monachum Ama scienciam scripturarum et carnis vicia noÌ„ amabis Loue connynge of holy wryt and of goddes lawe and thou shalt not loue vyces of the flesshe And therfore god sayth Non videbit me homo et viuet Exodi xxxiij Ther shall no man see me by deuocyon and lyue flesshely For noothynge sleeth soo moche the luste of the flesshe as deuocyon and thynke on god and to studye goddes lawe And an other remedy is to thynke on helle payne For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate theologie In helle shall be ouerdone hete of fyre gnastynge of teeth for colde for payne derkenesse smoke bytter wepynge without ende Rorynge and belewynge of foule fendes wepynge and weylynge â–ª sobbynge and syghynge of synfull soules and endeles repreue of ther synnes endles drede endles thyrste stenche lyght thondre worme of conscyence bondes pryson drede shame wantynge of the blysfull syght of goddes face and woo without ony hope of ony welthe There men shall seke deth not fynde it wysshe that they neuer hadde be borne And as saynt Bernarde sayth in his medytacoÌ„ns There shall be herde we pynge gnastyng of teeth roryng of fendes hydeous thondre There that syght shal be foule wormes todes adders horryble faces of the fendes mysshape thynges There wycked wormes shall gnawe the herte rotes there shall be sorowe syghynge and horryble drede There synfull wretches shall brenne in the fyre without ende In ther bodye they shall be tourmented by fyre in ther soule by worme of conscyence There shall be deth without deth for alwaye they shall be in deynge and in vtter payne and may not dye but alwaye lyue in deynge There smellynge shall be fylled with horryble stenche for there shall be no hope But whan they be in these paynes ten hondred yeres yet ther payne in newe all to begynne And therfore yf loue of god mede in heuen styreth vs not to flee lecherye and all other synnes lette vs flee lecherye all other synnes for drede of endelesse payne Caplm .xvi. ANd an nother remedy ayenst lechery is to thynke of that harde vengeauÌ„ces that god hath take for lecherye Fyrst take hede what vengeauÌ„ce god hath take for symple fornycacoÌ„n We fynde in holy wryt GenÌ„ .xxxiiij. That Dyua that doughter of Iacob went fro home to see that wymen of that contre to see ther atyre Than Sychem that sone of Emor prynce of that contre wente defouled this Dyua by myght And not withstandyng his besynes for to haue wedded hyr yet he was slayne for his lechery his fader all the men of that cyte that cyte destroyed We rede also in holy wryt Numeri .xxv. For that the childeren of Israell dyde lecherye wâ— the wymen of Moab god was offended bad Moyses take that prynces of his people hange theym vpon Iebetes for they were assentynge to the synne bad euery man slee his neyghbour that was gylty in that synne For by lecherye they felle in to ydolatrye And so for that lecherye were slayn that tyme .xxiiij. thousande Than Phynees the sone of Eleazar sawe one of that childern of Israell by one of the wymen to venge his synne he toke his swerde roof them both togydre in to the erthe throughe theyr preuy membres And god was so moche plesed with his dede that he grauÌ„ted to hym to his childern after hym the
argue ayenst the say that woman synned more greuously than Adam for she put hyrself in syÌ„ne hyr husbonde Adam but Adam put only hyÌ„selfe in synne ¶ Pauper This reson is nought For as I sayd fyrst Adam was shent with preuy pryde and welth of hyÌ„selfe fell in to synne or Eue proâ—ced hym yâ— apple Also sayth saynt Austen de ci dei.li.xiiij.ca.xi Adam wyste well that it was a greuous synne but Eue was so desceyued that she wende that it had be no synne And therfore the synne that she dyd by Ignorau ce desceyte of the fende excuseth not ne lesseth not the synne of Adam that he dyd wyllynge wyttyngly Adam was hyr souerayne sholde haue gouerned them both and not obeye to the voyce of his wyfe ayenst the voyce of god that forbadde hym the tree Example yf a symple man be vnconnynge and by desceyte of some shrewe do a foly wenynge not to do amys and he come to his prelate or his bysshop counseyll hym to do the same and his prelate or his bysshop do the same wetynge well that he doth amys and that it is a greuouse synne euery man wyll deme that the bysshop and his prelate synneth more greuously than the symple man that wende not to do amys And thus nyghe all circumstauÌ„ces thaâ— aggreggen ony synne aggregged the synne of Adam more than yâ— synne of Eue For he was souerayne and parfyght more in kynde wyser and myghtyer to withstande the fendes fodynge and with lesse temptacoÌ„n fell in synne brake goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement wityngly but Eue by desceyte of the adder synned by Ignoraunce As sayth saynt Austen vbi suâ— ê“xiÌ„o et Ysydorê° de suÌ„â— bono li.ij. Eue yelde hyr culpable Adam dyde not so Eue wende not haue synned Adam wetyngly synned in hope of forgyuenesse As saynt Austen sayth the mayster of sentence li. ij.di.xxij And so Adam syÌ„ned in hope presumpcoÌ„n ayenst the holy goost this is a ful greuous synne as cryste sheweth in yâ— gospell Mâ— xij QuicuÌ„que dixerit verbu â—tra spiritum sanctuÌ„ noÌ„ remitteâ— ei â— Where the glose sayth That they that synne by IgnorauÌ„ce may lyghtly haue forgyuenesse but he that dooth it wetyngly ayenst the mageste of god ayenst his conscyence he is worthy noo forgyuenesse Also Adam was more obstynat than Eue was ¶ Diues Shewe me that ¶ Pauper For god blamed hyÌ„ fyrst of all declared to hym his synne god abode of punysshynge tyll he had vndernomen Eue and after Eue the fende in the adder fyrste he punysshed the adder than Eue that Adam sholde haue beware and axed mercy And so god blamed hym fyrst punysshed hyÌ„ last so gyuyng him respyte to repentauÌ„ce But for al this Adam repented hym not ne wol de axe mercy ne lowe him Fyrste god punysshed hym fro fer in yâ— adder in that that he cursed the adder that was his suget made the adder enmye to his wyfe to hyr sede that is to saye to ther childern that she sholde get of Adam so god made the adder that was byfore suget meke to hym rebell enemye to his loue that was his wyf to al that sholde come of them two yet Adam stode obstynat Than god punysshed Eue his wyf his loue his helpe so punysshed hyÌ„ in Eue for yf he loued hyr so moche as clerkes say it sholde haue be to hym ful grete payne to see his wyf his loue so punysshed For as clerkes saye the grete loue that he had to Eue made hym to breke yâ— coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god And yet now a dayes it is full grete payne to kynde folke trewe in loue to see ther loue theyr frendes in sorowe and dysease Also god punysshed Adam Eue in that that he punysshed hyr with myscheues of sykenesse freelte feblenesse For in soo moche god toke from hym his helpe that was woman made to be mannes helpe But the more feble that god made hyr for synne the lesse she myght helpe man Also god punysshed theym both anone as Adam ete of the tree made them so naked soo vnhoneste that they were ashamed of themselfe whiche payne felle not to Adam ne to Eue tyll Adam had ete of yâ— apple And notwithstandynge all this yet Adam stode obstynate axed no mercy ne knowleged no synne And than god ryghtfull Iuge punysshed hym full harde both in this worlde in the other worlde and punysshed all mankynde for his synne As saynt Poule sayth and saynt Austen and other doctoures God punysshed Adam and mankynde full harde for his synne whan he toke moche of his lordshyp a waye from hym and made nyghe all creatures rebelle to hym brought hym soo lowe in ordre of kynde that though by way of kynde man byfore Adams synne passeth woman in vertue and perfeccnn of kynde Now after Adames synne woman ofte tyme passeth many men in vertue and in dyscrecy on and in other gyftes bothe of kynde and of grace And byfore the synne of Adam man was soo souerayne to woman that woman sholde not haue be his souerayne But now for Adams synne oftentymes man is suget to woman as to his lady by bondage and thraldome by harde seruage by nede and drede and ought more seruage and subieccyon to woman for Adams synne than dooth woman to man for the synne of Eue For god made woman for the synne of Eue only suget to hyr husbonde in seruyce of honeste werkes as felowe not as chorle in werkes of worldly bondage Also man for the synne of Adam is ordeyned to many more perylles bothe on londe and on water and to warre and to woo and besynesse of this worlde and to moche trauayle and to many perylles more than woman is ordeyned to ¶ Diues I haue wondre that ony clerke sholde holde ayenst the in this mater of Adams synne ¶ Pauper Clerkes speke oft by opynyon in this mater and other maters also and not alwaye afferme that they saye to the vttermoste but put it in the dome of other clerkes yf they can saye better And soo doo I now at this tyme yf ony clerke can saye more skylfully reasons ¶ Here endeth the sixthe commaundement And begynneth the seuenthe commaundement Capitulum PrimuÌ„ DIues I thanke the for thou hast well declared to me the sixth coÌ„mauÌ„dement Now I praye the enfourme thou me in the seuenthe coÌ„maundement ¶ Pauper The seuenth coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this Non furtum facies That is to saye Thou shalt do no theeft neyther in wyll ne in dede as the glose sayth And so by this coÌ„maundement is forboden all maner mys takynge all maner false with holdynge withdrawynge of other mennes good ayenst ther wyll all the menes that lede to theeft be also forboden by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement as false weyghtes false mesures fals othes gylous speche gyle in crafte gyle in chafayre false werkmanshyp faynt
of themselfe yet the lordshyp power is of goddes gyfte As saynt Austen sayth therfore it muste be worshypped The lordshyp that is only of dyspensacoÌ„n coÌ„mytted by a souerayne is medefull worshypfull coÌ„mendable Also ther is thre maner of propertees and properhede One is that kynde gyueth as man to lye And euery man hath his owne herte his owne soule his owne wyll for to do well or euyll and this properte is nedeful An other properte ther is that cometh only of couetyse by whiche couetyse folke saye this is myne this is thyne And so they propren to themselfe by couetyse that is comon by kynde And this propertee so grouÌ„ded in couetyse is dampnable synfull The thyrde is dyspensacoÌ„n For one man hath moche thynge in his dyspensacyon and gouernaunce that an other man hath nought to do of And this dyspensacoÌ„n cometh some tyme of goddes gyfte as whan he sente one man more ryches in this worlde than an other Somtyme it cometh by ordynauÌ„ce gyfte of lordes of soueraynes here in erthe As whan lordes and prelates coÌ„mytte to ther sugetâ— gouernauÌ„ce of ther goodes of ther places benefyces And this dyspensacoÌ„n yf it be well do it is full medeful ¶ Diues But as saynt Poule sayth It is a questyon who is fouÌ„de trewe amonge suche dyspensours For nygh al seke ther owne profyte but not the worshyp of Ihesu cryste ¶ Pauper Many be full false yet sythen dyspensacyon of worldely goodes is so coÌ„mytted to theym in that they haue lorshyp of ther propre dyspensacoÌ„n ordeyned of god be called propre lordes of ther ê“pre dyspensacyon not for ther false couetyse ne for no properhede that they chalenge by false couetyse For in that be they no lordes but tyrauÌ„tes and rauynours And so though they haue propre lordshyp of dyspensacoÌ„n of worldely goodes more than the poore people they haue yet nomore lordshyp by waye of kynde than the poore man ne non other lordshyp than the poore man but only of dyspensacoÌ„n And so though the ryche folke haue more lordshyp of propre dyspensacyon than the poore yet the lordshyp of kynde in nedefull thynges standeth styll comon to ryche and poore But for synne it is not so fre as it was byfor yâ— synne of Adam For god wyl not that the poore folke take ony thynge without leue of the propre dyspensatour that is called lorde therof therfore god sayd Non furtuÌ„ facies Thou shalt do no theeft that is to saye thou shalt nought take without thy lordes leue ¶ Diues This is wonderfull to me that the poore man is as grete a lorde by waye of kynde as the ryche yet may he nought take with out his leue ¶ Pauper It is more wonder that the good poore man is lorde of all thynge nedefull to hym by waye of kynde that synfull ryche man is lorde of ryght nought by waye of kynde for he is goddes traytour And yet god wyll that the poore take ryght nought of the good that the ryche man hath in his dyspensacoÌ„n without leue ¶ Diues That is to me more wondful tell me how this may be ¶ Pauê‘ Thou myght see at eye that the kynges heyre aparant other heyres of grete lordshyppes not withstandynge that they be heyres lordes of al yet shal they not entre the offyce of ther offycers ne take ony thynge ayenst ne bere ayenst without leue And yf they do they shall be harde vndernomen in case bete of ther mayster of ther tutour For fredom in youth is cause of pryde of many other vyces Ryght so god seynge that mankynde whiche is lorde of all erthly goodes ordeyned to regne in heuen blysse Yf he hadde his fredom in vse of erthely thynges he sholde falle in pryde many vyces as Adam dyd whyle he was free Therfore he hath put mankynde namely the poore people vnder that gouernauÌ„ce of the ryche folke of ther lordes whiche be ther tutours dyspensatours of goodes of this worlde to saluacoÌ„n of the poore people And therfore sayth saynt Poule Quanto tempore heres peruulus est nichil defert a seruo cuÌ„ sit dnÌ„s omniuÌ„ sed subtutoribus et auctoribus est vsque ad prefinitu tempus a patre ad Gala .iiij. As longe as the heyre is yonge and lytyll ther is no dyfference bytwene hym a seruauÌ„t sythen ther is a lorde of all but he is vnder tutour gouernour vnto a certayne tyme ordeyned of the fader And therfore sythen the ryche folke ben tutours dyspensatours of these worldely goodes ordeyned of god to saluacoÌ„n of the poore people god wyll that no man take of the goodes that ben commytted to them without theyr wyll theyr leue And yf ony man take therof ayenst theyr wyll ayenst goddes ordenauÌ„ce he doth theeft ayenst this coÌ„mauÌ„dement Non furtuÌ„ facies Thou shalt do no theeft Caplm .vi. DIues Is it lefull in ony case to stele take ony thynge ayenst the lordes wyll ¶ Pauper Stelynge sowneth comonly theeft robbery somtyme it sowneth preuely takynge without wyttynge of the lorde And so it may be done in four cases with out synne For nede for almesse for ryght for happe of fyndynge Fyrste for nede myscheef for yf ony man or woman for myscheef of hongre or of thryste or of colde or of ony other myscheef whiche myscheef he may not flee to saue his lyfe but he take thynges ayenst the lordes wyll Yf he take ony thynge so in peryll of deth or in grete myscheef nede excuseth hyÌ„ fro synne fro theeft yf he do it only for nede and not for couetyse And he ought to enfourme his conscyence thynke that yf the lorde of the thynge knewe his myschef he sholde not be myspayed than doth he no theeft for in the laste nede al thynge is comon Also for the lorde is bouÌ„de to helpe him at that nede also for nede hath no lawe Example we haue in the gospell where we fynde that the dyscyples of cryste for hongre toke ere 's in the felde gnydded theym ete the corn for hongre The pharysees were asclauÌ„dred therof sayd to cryste that his dyscyples dyd thynge that was not leful And than cryste excused them for nede of hongre sayd that they were vngylty Innocentes in that And he put them example of Dauyd that ete for nede of the holy loues in goddes tabernacle whiche loues only prestes sholde ete by the lawe Math .xij. For it is a generall rule in the lawe that nede hath no lawe ¶ Diues Is that man ytso taketh for nede bouÌ„de to restytucoÌ„n ¶ Pauper Nay And yet for more sykernesse to put hym in drede of stelynge his confessour shal gyue hym somdele penau ce for that doynge Also by waye of almesse the wyfe may take of her lordes good in whiche she hath dyspeÌ„sacoÌ„n as in mete drynke
for his pryde to whom he was wedded at the begynnynge of the worlde Ne truste thou not in thy dome on a good contree For yf the quest comyn of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes whiche thou hast broken of the two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of charyte ayenst whiche thou haste offended of the .xij. artycles of the fayth ayenst whiche thou haste erred of the .vij. dedes of mercy whiche thou haste not fulfylled of thy fyue wyttes whiche thou haste myspended and the foure cardynall vertues ayenst whiche thou haste trespassed this solempne queste of .xl. true wytnesses shal dampne the as a man queller of thyne owne soule And as a theef traytour thou haste robbed thyne owne lorde of his good For robberye is called al maner mystreatynge of an other mannes good ayenst his wyll And thou haste robbed cryste of that precyous soule that he bought with his dere blood and mysused and myspente his creatures ayenst his wyll For as saynt Gregorye sayth in his Omelye All thynge that we take of god to vse of good lyuynge we tourne it in to vse of wycked lyuynge Quicquid ad vsum recipimus vite in vsuque conuertâ—mus culpe For the helthe of bodye that sent vs. we spende it in synne and in wyckednesse fayre weder in vayne occupacyon of pryde and of couetyse peas in vayne sykernesse plentee of vytayles in glutonye lecherye And so this solempne queste of fourty wolde dampne the for gylty Therfore ther is none other remedye but truly deme thyself yelde the gylty take the to the mercy of god punysshe thy selfe by drede sorowe of herte put the in the dome of goddes Iuge that is thy confessour make amendes after his dome by his assent For god ayenst whom thou haste so hyghly offended wyll stande to his ryghtfull dome accepte suche satysfaccoÌ„n as he assygneth the by yâ— lawe of god to do yf thou do it with good wyll Caplm .xiiij. THus deme thou thyselfe and than shalt thou be syker at the dredefull dome whan cryste our brother verry god and verry man shall come downe to deme the quycke and the deed And as saynt Poule sayth He shall come downe with the voyce of a trumpe that is to saye with the voyce of angelles and of archangelles the whiche shall crye and saye Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Ryse ye vp that ben deed and come ye te the dome And anone in a twynkelynge of an eye we shall all awake of the longe slepe and ryse vp come to the dome Pope prynce Emperour kynge Lorde and lady free and bounde ryche and poore grete and smalle all they shall awake and ryse vp bodye and soule ayen knytte togydre That voyce shall be so hydeous so dredefull sterne that heuen and erthe shall begynne to quake The stones shall ryue and all the deed aryse from deth to lyf eche man woman to answere for hymselfe no man per attourney Now our Iuge Cryste is a lombe mercyfull meke than he shall be as a lyon dredefull sterne And the lyon with his crye abassheth all other bestes and maketh theym to stande stylle saue his owne whelpes whiche with his crye he reyseth fro deth to lyfe So the voyce of cryste at the daye of dome shall arere vs all from deth to lyfe whiche voyce shall be full dredefull to them yâ— lyue bestely take none hede to god ne to his lawe Them it shall arrest make them stande stylle as prysoners on the erth abyde theyr Iuge For they shall so be charged with synne that they shall not wende vp ayenst cryste as the good shall wende vp mette with cryste For to them yâ— ben goddes childern that voyce shall be full swete ful lykynge to here make them soo lyght that they shall wende vp mete with cryste in the ayre as saynt Poule sayth To his childern Cryste shall saye Venite â— Come ye my faders blessyd childern and take ye the kyngdome of heuen that was ordeyned to you byfore the begynnynge of the worlde But to these bestyal folke wycked lyuers to the proude to the couetouse to the enuyouse to lechoures glotons to vengeable folke his voyce shall be full dredeful fnll bytter whan he shall saye to them Discedite a me maledicti â— Wende ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches in to the fyre of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende his angellys And so he shall sende them to sory place to sory companye without ony remedye Was ther neuer thondblaste so dredefull as his voyce than shall be to theym yâ— shall be dampned And was ther neuer songe so mery ne melodye so lykyng as his voyce shal be than to all that shal be saued And therfore deme well thy selfe here that thou be not dampned there Stande here to the sawe of the grete queste of true wytnesses whiche I haue nempned to the and deme thy selfe therafter And be true domesman of thyselfe or els thou shalt haue the same queste ayenst the at the dredefull dome And therto all angelles and archangelles and all the sayntes in heuen and all creatures shall than bere wytnesse ayenst the and axe vengeaunce on the Than as sayth Iohn Crysostom suê‘ illud Plangent se omnes tribus terre â— The angelles shal brynge forth the crosse the spere the nayle the scourges the garlonde of thornes with whiche cryste suffered his passyon Than shall cryste sytte on hyghe to deme the quycke the deed he shall departe the gooe from the wycked sette the good on the ryght syde the wycked on the lyfte syde He shal torne hym to the wycked on the lyfte syde shewe theym the crosse the spere the nayles the scourges the garlonde of thornes his wouÌ„des al fresshe whiche he suffered for all mankynde and saye to the wycked on this wyse Ecce miseri et ingrati quanta ê“ vobis sustinui propter vos homo factus sum â— See ye vnkynde cursed wretches what I suffered for your sake For whan I was god and kynge of kynges lorde of lordes neuer had wyste of woo for your sake I becam man for your sake I suffered to be beten and bounde to be spateled and despysed to be nayled to the crosse crowned with thornes stongen to the herte with a spere and was slayne dyspytous deth as ye may see to bye you from endeles deth Where is the rauÌ„som of my blood where be the soules that I bought so dere where is the seruyce that ye sholde haue done to me where is the loue that ye sholde haue shewed to me I loued you aboue al creatures I loued you more than I dyde myne owne worshyppe For why for your loue I putte myselfe to sorowe and care And ye loued more a lytyll mucke and a lytyl luste of â—he flesshe than ye dyd me or my
eye of worldely good than to couetyse of the flesshe for in olde folke whan al other temptacyons cesse than is temptacyon of couetyse of the eye of worldely good moost brennynge For ryght as theyr bodye by age nygheth to the erth soo theyr herte clyueth than moost to erthely thynges And therfore in the begynnynge of theyr pylgrymage in desert as to begynnynge folke god forbadde them fyrste pryncypaly couetyse of the eye in the ende of theyr pylgrymage as to folke nyghe theyr ende he forbydeth them pryncypally laste and moost openly without oft rehersynge couetyse of the eye For comonly the more that men nygh ther ende the more couetouse they ben Caplm .iij. DIues Thy reasons be good saye forth what thou wylte ¶ Pauper God in the sixth byheste forbydeth the dede of lechery of spousebreche in this byheste he forbydeth the wyll the consent of herte to lecherye to sponsebreche For as the dede of leshery is dedely synne so is the foule consent the desyre of herte dedely synne For as cryste sayth in the gospell Mathei .v. He that seeth a woman coueyteth her by desyre to do lecherye with her he hath do lecherye in his herte though he do it not in dede And therfore eche man sholde take hede besely what thoughtes entre in to his herte and yf ony thoughtes ben about to drawe the reson of his soule to consente to synne anone putte he awaye tho thoughtes myghtely let hyÌ„ thynke on the bytter paynes that cryste suffered in his syde hondes feet soo tourne his mysluste in to deuocoÌ„n of crystus passyon quenche the brennyng thoughtes of lechery with the blood the water that ranne out of crystus syde whan his herte was clouen a two with that sharpe spere thynke on that endeles loue that cryste shewed than to hym to all mankynde And so to torne his foule stynkynge loue that he begynneth to fall in shame shenshyp in to the swete clene loue of IhuÌ„ full of Ioye worship The mayster of kynde telled li .xij. that ther is a byrde in Egypt that is called a pellycane of al foules he is moost chere ouer his byrdes moost loueth them Ther is a grete enmyte bytwene him the adder wherfor the adder wayteth whan the pellycane is out of his neste to seke mete for him for his byrdes than he goth in to the neste of the pellycane styngeth his byrdes enuenemeth them sleeth them whan the pellycane cometh ayen fyndeth his byrdes thus slayn he maketh moche sorowe and mone by waye of kynde thre dayes thre nyght he morneth for deth of his byrdes And at the thyrde dayes ende he setteth hym ayen ouer his byrdes and with his bylle he smyteth hymselfe in the syde letteth his blood falle downe on the byrdes And anone as yâ— blode toucheth his byrdes anon by waye of kynde by vertue of the blood they quycken ayen rysen from deth to lyfe By this pellycane that loueth so well his byrdes is vnderstande cryste Ihesu goddes sone yâ— loueth mannes soule womans more than euer dyd yâ— pellycane his byrdes And he sayth hymselfe Similis factus suÌ„ pellicano solitudinis I am made lyke to yâ— pellycane of deserte By the byrdes I vnde Adam Eue all mankynde By the nest I vnderstande yâ— blysse of paradyse For right as byrdes be brought forth in yâ— nest so mankynde had his begynnynge was brought forth in paradyse By yâ— adder I vnderstande the fende whiche appered in yâ— lyknes of an adder to Eue stange her full euyl Adam also with his wycked fondynge slewe them both bodye soule And not only he slewe them but also he slewe al mankynde in them For yf Adam had not synned we sholde neuer haue dyed ne haue wyst of woo wherfore this pellycane Ihesu cryste seynge yâ— myscheef yâ— mankynde was fall in by gyle of yâ— fende he had ruth on mankynde for grete loue that he had to maÌ„kynde as sayÌ„t Poul sayth he auentysshed hyÌ„selfe toke flesshe blood of yâ— mayden Mary bycam man in yâ— lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t in our manhede in our kynde suffered to be taken be bouÌ„de beten forspyted dispysed byscorged at the pyler be crowned with thornes be nayled to the tree hondes feet and hanged on the crosse as a theef amonges theues be stonge to the herte with the sharpe spere so dyed bytter deth all for our gylt not for his gylt for he dyd neuer amys in worde ne in dede as saynt Peter sayth in his pystle And thus for our loue that ben to hym ful vnkynde he shed his precyous blood out of euery parte of his blysfull bodye born of the mayden And his Inner hert blood he shed so to wasshe vs fro our synnes to reyse vs fro yâ— deth of synne into yâ— lyfe of grace after fro bodely deth into yâ— lyf of endles blysse Therfore saynt Iohn sayth Dilexit nos lauit nos a pccis nâ—Ì„is i sanguie suo Apoc. i. He loued vs so moche that he wasshed vs froÌ„ our synnes with his precyous blood Loue droue hym downe fro heuen into erth loue led hyÌ„ into yâ— maydens bosom brought hym into this wycked worlde Loue bouÌ„de hyÌ„ in cradel wonde hyÌ„ in cloutes ful poore layd hyÌ„ in an oxe stalle Loue helde hyÌ„ here in sorowe care honger thryst moche trauayl .xxxij. yere more At yâ— last loue toke hyÌ„ bouÌ„de hyÌ„ set hyÌ„ at yâ— barre byfore yâ— synful Iustyce Ponce Pylate Loue layd him on the crosse nayled hyÌ„ to yâ— tree Loue led hyÌ„ to his deth cleef his hert a two And for whose loue leue frende Forsoth for loue of you of me of other synful wretches that neuer dyd hyÌ„ good but offended hym nyght day ben to hym ful vnkynde Therfor he may well saye the wordes that Salomon sayd Fortis eÌ„ vt mors dilectio Canâ— .viij. Loue is stronge as deth ye forsoth moche strenger than deth For loue led his lyfe to his deth he that neuer myght dye by waye of kynde loue made hym dye for mankynde And so sayth Salomon there Brondes of his loue ben brondes of fyre of flammes both For the loue that he shewed to mankynde and also for the loue that we ought to shewe to him For ryght as the hete of the sonne with his lyght whan he shyneth in the fyre in the house wasteth the fyre quencheth it so the loue of god and the endelesse charyte of his passyon yf it shone in maÌ„nes soule with his hete it sholde quenche waste the brondes and the fyre of lecherye brennynge in mannes soule by foule luste and wycked desyre And therfore he sayth to euery crysten soule â—one me vt signaculuÌ„ suê‘ cor tuuÌ„
none homage but good loue good herte that we loue hym with Ioye myrth gladnesse He gyueth vs all that he axeth of vs. Gyue thy selfe to this blysse thou shalt haue this blysse other pryce axeth he none For this blysse may not be bought but with loue and charyte In this cyte shall euery man woman haue so grete lordshyp yâ— al they shall haue place ynough without enuye al be kynges quenes of as moche as they desyre Ther shall be no pletynge for no lordshyd for no londe Ther shall be none enuye but euery man woman glad of others welfare Ther shal be no wo no dysease but endelesse Ioye welth endelesse helth In herynge swete songe melodye in syght endeles fayrnesse in tastynge smellynge endelesse swetene s se in felynge endelesse lykynge without woo Caplm .xi. OF this cyte speketh saynt Iohan in the boke of goddes preuytees .xxi. ca. and sayth thus The angell ledde me in spiryte by vysyon in to an full hygh hylle a full grete there he shewed me the holy cyte of Ierusalem ordeyned of god hauynge the bryghtnesse the beaute of god The lyght of this cyte was lyke the precyous stone Iâ—spis crystel whiche stone betokeneth cryste sonne of ryghtwysnesse whiche sayth in the gospell Ego suÌ„ lux muÌ„di Io .viij. I am lyght of yâ— worlde This cyte had a walle â—ull hygh it had .xij. yates eche yate .xij. angelles redye porters to lede in all good soules in the yates were wryten all the names of the xij kynredes of Israel that is to saye of all that shall be saued be able to see god in his face For the names of al that shall be saued ben regystred in yâ— boke of lyfe in heuen redy wryten in the yates of heuen ayenst our comynge in token yâ— we shall be welcome syker of our blysse yf we do â—ur deuour This cyte stode in square and it had thre yates in to the cest thre in yâ— north thre in the south thre in to the west in token yâ— out of foure partes of the worlde that is to saye out of euery parte of the worlde soules entre in to heuen blysse of yonge olde ryche poore by the fayth of the holy trynyte that is betokened by the thre yaâ—es Yonge folke ben vnderstande by the eest there the daye begynneth Olde folke by the weste there the daye endeth Ryche folke by the south Poore folke by the north for that coÌ„tâ—â— is moost sharpe bareyne The walle of the cyte was set grouÌ„ded on .xij. precyoê° stones The fyrste was Iaspis the .ij. Saphirus the .iij. Calcidoniê° the .iiij Smaragdus the .v. Sardenix the .vi. Sardinus the .vij. Crisolitus the .viij Berillus the .ix. Topasius the .x. Crisopassus the .xi. Iacinctê° the .xij. Amati s tus And in tho stones were wryten the names of the .xij. apostles and of goddes lombe And all the walle was made of precyous stones the yates made of Saphires Smaragdes as Tobye sayth in his boke .xiij. ca. And as saynt Iohn sayth euery yate was as a Margaryte or Margery stone The stretes of the cyte were clene golde as clere as glasse as Tobye sayth yâ— stretes of this cyte were paued with ful whyte clene stone always in the siretes is songe alleluya whiche songe coude neuer clerke well declare ne expowne to the vtterest for the Ioye the myrth the melodye gladnesse that is there may noo tonge telle ne herte thynke ne honde wryte ne wytte deuyse declare In this cyte saynt Iohn sawe no temple for almyghty goddes lombe cryste Ihesus verry god man he is the temple of this cyte This cyte as sayth saynt Iohn nedeth neyther sonne ne mone For the bryghtnesse of god welle of lyght the sonne of ryghtfulnesse Illumyneth this cyte The lombe cryste Ihesus is the lanterne the lyght of this cyte All nacyons peoples shall goâ— in the lyght of this cyte and brynge theyr nobley theyr blysse theyr worshyp in to this cyte The yates of this cyte shall neuer be shytte Ther shal be no nyght but alwaye daye alwaye somer neuer wynter In to this cyte shall come noo foule thynge no false lyer no forswerer ne none that dooth abhomynacoÌ„n of dedely synne Ther shall no man entre but they that ben wryten in the boke of lyf in the lyf of the lombe cryste Ihesus that bought vs so dere with his blood Caplm .xij. ANd as sayd a grete clerke doctor de Lyra by the .xij. precyoê° stones on whiche this cyte is grounded in whiche stones the names of the .xij. apostles be wryten ben vnderstande the .xij. artycles of the fayth whiche the .xij. apostles gadred in to one crede in whiche .xij. artycles all our saluacyon is set grounded And therfore saynt Poule sayth Fide statis â–ª Stande ye in fayth for oure fayth is grouÌ„de of our saluacoÌ„n By the .xij. yates ben vnderstande the ten coÌ„masidemente the two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of charyte Of whiche yates cryste sayth Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Math .xix. Yf thou wylt entre in to the lyfe of this blysful cyte there noman dyeth kepe thou the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes This scrypture is wryten in euery yate of this cyte in token that in to this cyte cometh noo man ne woman bâ—t yâ— kepers of goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes ben the yates of heuen by whiche we muste entre and they ben also the waye ledynge to the yate of heuen And therfore Dauyd sayth Viam mandatoabrum tuoabrum cucurri cuÌ„ di latasti cor meuÌ„ pÌ„o C .xviij. I ranne the waye of the commaundementes whan thou madest myne â—rrte large by charyte For whan men be to strayte at the brest by false couetyse nygardshyp they may not well renne in the waye of goddes byhestes For fals couetyse byndeth theym soo strayt at the herte that they haue noo lykynge in goddes byhestes Therfor Dauyd sayd Deduc me dnÌ„e in semita maÌ„da toabrum tuoabrum qr ipÌ„am volui Inclina cormeu deus in testimonia tua aet noÌ„ in auariciaÌ„ pÌ„o C .xviij. Lorde lede thou me in the pathe of thy coÌ„mauÌ„dementes for it is my desyre my wyll to goo that waye Bowe myne herte in to thy wytnessynges in to thy coÌ„mauÌ„deme tâ— not in to auaryce couetyse Thus leue frende holy wrytt holy men declare yâ— blysse of heuen by thynges vysyble that we may see at eye so to lede vs in to knowynge of the blysse that we may see with our bodely eye whyle we lyue in the londe of deth But leue frende byleue ye it forsoth yâ— ther is an hondred thousande thousande folde more blysse than ony tonge may telle or ony herte thynke Caplm .xiij. DIues Yf men hadde sadde fayth to haue suche blysse for theyr good dedes ther wolde no man ne
¶ Diues What fantasye haste thou that men do it not for deuocyon ¶ Pauper For the people now a dayes is full vndeuoute to god and to holy chirche and they loue but full lytyll men of holy chirche and they ben lothe for to come in holy chirche whan they be bounde to come thyder and full lothe to here goddes seruyce Late they come and soone they go awaye Yf they ben there a lytyll whyle theym thynketh full longe They haue leuer to go to the tauerne than to holy chirche Leuer to here a songe of Robynhode or of some rybaudrye than for to here masse or matynes or ony other of goddes seruyce or ony worde of god And sythen that the people hath so lytyll deuocyon to god and to holy chirche I can not see that they do suche coste in holy chirche for deuocōn ne for the loue of god For they despyse god daye and nyght with theyr euyll and wycked lyuynge and theyr wycked thewys Caplm .lij. DIues Me thynketh that it were better to gyue the moneye to the poore folke to the blynde and to the lame whose soules god bought so dere than so to spende it in solempnyte and pryde and makynge of hyghe chirches in riche vestymentes in curyouse wyndowes in grete belles for god is not holpen therby the poore myght be holpen therby full moche ¶ Pauper Yf it be do for pryde and not with good mesure they lese moche mede Yf they do it of deuocyon with dyscrecōn it is medefull For euery man poore and riche after his power is boūde to worshyp goddes house so that god lorde of all be honestly and worshypfully serued And therfore god bad in y◠olde lāwe that his people sholde make-hym a full costly tabernacle at his owne deuyse And he badde Salomon make hym a full costly temple yet without doubte there was many a poore man that tyme both blynde lame amonge goddes people Moyses Dauyd Salomon Ioas. Iosyas Esdras Iudas machabeus many other bothe in the olde lawe and in the newe ben praysed hyghely of god for makynge and worshyppynge and mayntenynge of goddes house and his seruyce And as we fynde in the gospell that ther was a poore wydowe that offred to amendynge of goddes temple two mytes that ben worth a ferthynge and she was praysed of Cryst for her offryng passyng al other that offred than moche more And we fynde Exodi .xxx. That god badde that in the nombrynge of the people euery man sholde paye to his tabernacle an halfe sycle that was fyue pens that the riche sholde gyue no more than and the poore no lesse in a token that that riche and poore sholde be besy to worshyp and to mayntene goddes house and goddes seruyce God badde that bothe the riche poore sholde paye alyke in a token that the poore man sholde holde hymselfe as moche bounde to god as the riche and the good as the wycked The good is bounde to god for he kepte hym out of synne The wycked is bounde to god for he kepeth hym that he perysshe not for his synne Also god badde both riche poore paye euen moche to his tabernacle in a token that they ben bothe bought with one pryce of Crystus precyouse blood that they sholde both holde themself alyke boūden that they haue both alyke nede of suffrages helpe of holy chirche Also god badde them both gyue alyke in a token that he accepteth theyr gyftes both alyke yf theyr deuocōn be alyke in theyr gyuynge that the riche man sholde not be proude of his grete gyfte of his richesses ne the poore falle in dyspayre for his smale gyfte and for his pouerte Neuerthelesse who so may do moost best is bounde to helpe goddes house what it nedeth and so it is full nedeful to araye well goddes house and mayntene and encrease goddes seruyce And also it is nedefull to helpe the poore folke in theyr grete nede and somtyme more medefull than is that other And therfore my frendes thou muste take hede to the tyme and other cyrcumstaūces For in tyme of welthe of peas and of plente whan the poore hath ynough or lyghtly may be holpen thā pryncypally men sholde trauaylle to worshypp goddes house to encrease and mayntene goddes seruyce But in tyme of wo warre and hungre of pouerte and other trybulacōns than sholde men pryncypally trauayll besely to theyr euen crysten and take hede that no man ne woman perysshed for defaulte but by besye to helpe the nedy both by gyuyng and by lenyng In a token of this we rede .ij. Regū .vij. et .i. Paralip .vij. et .xxij. That god wolde not suffre the kyng Dauyd to make his temple notwithstandynge but he wolde full fayne haue made it and brought and ordeyned full moche thynges therto For in his tyme the londe was in grete trybulacyon by warre within and without by hungre morayne by dyscensyon debate of them selfe But he sayd to Dauyd y◠Salomon his sone sholde make hym a temple For he sayd he shall reygne in peas and in reste in so moche that he shall be called a kyng peasyble for in his dayes I shal gyue peas reste in the londe of Israell And Dauyd whan he was in peas and reste and hadde dysconfyte his enemyes than began he to ordeyn for goddes Temple and wolde haue made it God coude him moche thanke for his good wyll but he wolde not suffre hym for to make it for he was not in so good reste as he hadde wente to haue ben in For after that began a grete warre ayenst hym As we fynde .ij. 0 Regum .vij. 0 et .viij. 0 And therfor god sayd to hym Thou shalt not make to me an house for thou haste shedde moche blood and thou arte a man of bloodshedynge byfore me That is to saye I haue ordeyned the for to fyght ayenst myne enemyes and for to slee theym and so for to make peas And I haue ordeyned thyn sone after the for to make me an house in peas and in reste there I shall sette hym in by thy fyghtynge and by thy doynge Caplm .liij. BVt it fareth now a dayes by moche folke as it dyde by Iudas the traytour We fynde in the gospell Iohēe xij That Marye Magdaleyn anoynted the blysful fete of our lorde Ihesu with a precyous oynement not for ony grete nede that Cryste hadde therof but for the grete loue deuocōn that she had to hym Iudas was sorowe therof grutched and sayd why is this oynement thus loste It myght haue ben solde for thre hondred pens and be gyuen to the poore folke But as saynt Iohan sayth in the same place Iudas sayd not tho wordes for the loue y◠he hadde to the poore folke but for he was a theef and robbed Cryste and his dyscyples of moneye that was gyuen to theym And therfore he wolde that the oynemente sholde haue be solde for thre hondred pens
and gyuen to Cryste whiche loued well poore folke that he myght haue myched or deled the moneye awaye for he bare yâ— purce And for that cause that he had not his purpose of the thre hondred pens therfore he sholde Cryste for thre hondred pens that was .xxx. plates and peces of syluer For eche one of tho xxx was worthe .x. smale pens In the same maner now a dayes some folke grutche for deuocyons and nedeful coste that men done in holy chirche and saye as Iudas sayd that it were better to gyue it to poore folke But many of tho gyue full lytyll tale how euyll the poore people fare for they do full lytyl to the poore folke or to holy chirche eyther But by ypocresye symylacyon of almesdede they withdrawen mennes deuocyon from god and holy chirche and from poore folke also And so they robbe holy chirche and the poore folke For they done but lytyll them selfe and lette other that wolde do And yf they do almesse to the poore blynde lame they do it to haue a name for to exclude or put behynde grete almesses that they ben bounden to as to worshypp of holy chirche and in case good mynystres in holy chirche and them that trauayll holyly in goddes seruyce and studye in goddes lawe nyght and daye preche it to the people indede worde and haue nede of bodely almesse of the whiche Cryste sayth in the gospell Luce .x. That suche werke men and trauayllers ben worthy theyr mede And saynt Poul sayth that Cryste hath ordeyned them that teche the gospeel and goddes lawe for to lyue by the gospell and by theyr prechynge not lyke as beggers passynge by the waye but honestly and worshypfully as goddes knyghtes as saynt Austyn sayth suê‘ illud pÌ„i Producens fenuÌ„ iumentis And therfore they that repreue nedefull thynges as makynge of chirches of vestymentes bokes and makynge of belles they that grutchen ayenst the holy seruyce of god in holy chirche ben but fooles and in Iudas caas For they mayntene worldely worshyp lette goddes worshyp Neuertheles they waste coste of all these thynges and other in holy chirche done for pryde vayneglorye or of enuye one parysshe ayenst a nother or for couetyse of the mynystres in the chirche seculer or relygyouse is gretely alwaye to be repreued Caplm .liiij. DIues God byddeth in the gospell Mathei .vi. That whan man or woman sholde pray they sholde go in to theyr chaÌ„bre and shytte the dore to them so praye the fader of heuen ¶ Pauper In tho wordes Cryste techeth vs not oonly where we sholde praye but he techeth vs how we sholde praye For the chambre that we sholde entre in to praye is our herte for in our prayers we sholde gadre our in wytt our thoughtes togydre in our herte and sette our herte oonly in god and take hede to our prayers The dore that we sholde shytte ben our fyue wyttes outwarde to flee dystraccoÌ„n For than we sholde kepe well our syght our he rynge our felynge our tastynge and our smellynge that ther come no dystraccyon in to our herte by ony of oure fyue wyttes And he badde also in the same place as that men in theyr prayers sholde flee ypocresye and vayne glorye And for to flee and to esche we all this it is full spedefull to man or to woman whan they may not go to the chirche to go in to theyr chambre and so in to theyr oratorye for to saye there theyr prayers and deuocyons But yf they despyse goddes house leue goddes seruyce for suche pryue prayers they synne greuously and lese the mede of theyr preuy prayers And therfore the lawe byddeth that they that haue preuy oratoryes or chapelles by leue of the bysshop for to here in theyr masse theyr seruyce that in grete festes as Ester Crystmasse Epyphanye AscencoÌ„n Pentecost and saynt Iohan baptyste and other suche than they sholde go to chirche no preest sholde than synge in suche oratoryes or chapelles without specyale leue of the bysshop and yf he dyd he sholde be put from his masse Deconsecra distinc .i. si quis extra Both pryue prayers and open ben good yf they ben done in due maner and in due place and in due tyme. Prayers is good in chambres and in oratoryes but it is better in holy chirche with the comunyte whan the tyme is of comon prayer and whan men may wel attende therto with feruent charyte Synguler prayer of one persone is good in a chambre in an oratorye but better in a chirche with euen charyte But comon prayers of a comunyte in chirche is better than a synguguler prayer yf euery parte of that comunyte be in charyte For Cryst sayth in the gospell that yf two or thre be gadred togydre in his name that is charyte there is he in the myddes of theym that is to saye in theyr hertes to helpe them in theyr prayer And yf ony of you sayd he consente togydre by charyte in her prayer what soeuer they axe it shal be do to theym Math xviij And therfore sayth saynt Ambrose suê‘ illud ad Ro .xvi. Adiuuetis me in orðibus vestris That whan many smale ben gadred togydre they ben full grete And it is not possyble that the prayers of moche people in charyte sholde not spede And therfore sayth the prophete Ioell ij â— Halowe ye your fastynge calle ye companye to you gadre ye the people togydre And whan ye be gadred so make you holy clene of synne take ye the olde folke with you gadre ye togydre the yonge childern soukyng all to prayer For right as a voyce of a multytude is myghtyer ferther may be herde than the voyce of one persone allone so is the voyce prayer of a multytude sooner herde than a voyce of one persone allone sooner geteth grace therfore sayth yâ— ê“hete Laudate dnÌ„m oeÌ„s gentes et collaudate euÌ„ oeÌ„s populi All folkes prayse ye your lorde and all peoples prayse ye hym togydre And saynt Poule sayth ad ColocenÌ„ .iiij. Byddeth that men sholde gyue them to prayers and walke in praer thankynges in that they sholde praye al togydre ¶ Diues Moche people lye seke in theyr bedde moche in pryson many one in the see in many other nedefull occupacyons and may not come to the chirche and men dwelle in many dyuerse londes many a thousande myles bysondre how sholde they pray and prayse god all togydre ¶ Pauper All yf they may not come togydre all in one place ne in one chirche yet they muste come togydre in charyte that the multytude of crysten people be of one herte of one loue and of one fayth Caplm .lv. DIues We make many gadrynges togydre many generall processyons prayers in comon to praye for peas and yet haue we no peas but euery yere more warre than other and euery yere spede
man eyther woman be he euer so plesauÌ„t he shall dye and tourne to erthe asshes and wormes mete And yf he smel now neuer so swete he shall stynke than full sowre Therfore the wyse man sayth In omnibus oê‘ibus tuis memorare noui s sima tua et ineternuÌ„ noÌ„ peccabis Eccl .vij. In all these werkes thynke on thy laste thynges thou shalt not do no synne without ende We rede that in Englonde was a kynge that had a concubyne whose name was Rose And for hyr grete beaute he called hyr Rose amouÌ„de Rosa mundi That is to saye Rose of the worlde For hym thought that she passed all wymen in beaute It befell that she dyed was buryed whyle the kynge was absent And whan he cam ayen for grete loue that he had to hyr he wolde see the bodye in the graue And whan the graue was opened there sate an horryble tode vpon hyr breste by twene hyr tetys a foule adder bygyrt hyr bodye about in the mydle she stanke so that the kynge ne none other myght stande to see that horryble syght Than the kynge dyd shette ayen the graue and dyde wryte these two verses vpon the graue Hic iacet in tumba rosa mundi noÌ„ rosa muÌ„da Non redolet sed olet quod redolere solet That is thus to saye in englysshe Here lyeth in graue rose of the worlde but not clene rose She smelleth not swete but stytketh full foule that somtyme smelled full swete And an other remedye ayenst lecherye is that a man woman kepe well ther fyue wyttes that a man kepe well his handes his bodye from mystouchynge his eeres fro mysherynge that he here no tales of lecherye ne foule speche For saynt Poule sayth CorruÌ„piunt bonos more 's colloquia praua .i. ad Corum .xv. Wycked speche destroyed chastyte good thewes Also he must kepe well his syght takynge example of Iob whiche made a couenauÌ„t with his eyen that he sholde not thynke on a mayden to haue myllykyng in the thought And the prophete Ieremye sayd that his eye had robbed his soule in the woman of his cyte Trenorum .iij. For these reasons the prophete sayd that deth is entred by our wyndowes that is to saye by our fyue wyttes whiche be wyndowes and wykettes to the soule Ieremye .ix. And an other remedye is a man to kepe well his herte from ydell thoughtes and from wycked thynges For as cryste sayth in the gospell out of the herte comen wycked thoughteâ— man slaughter auoutre fornycacoÌ„n theeft false wytnesse blasphemye Mathei xv And therfore sayth the wyse man Omni custodia serua cor tuuÌ„ Prouer. iiij With all kepynge kepe well thyn herte for of the herte cometh lyfe and deth The mayster of kyndes li. xviij Sayth that there is a best that is called taxus that is a brok or a bawsym in Englysshe And there is a greate enmyte bytwene the foxe and hym The foxe is besy to put the bawsym out of his denne And for he may not doo it by myght he doth it by sleyght He wayteth tyll whan the bawsym is gone out of his denne than he gooth and pysseth maketh foule the bawsyms denne And for yâ— bawsym hate stenche and vnclennesse whan he cometh and fyndeth his denne so stynkynge so defouled he forsaketh his denne and seketh hym an other And than the foxe entreth there he bryngeth forth a shrewed brode By the bawsym that hateth stenche and vnclenne s se is vnderstande cryste Ihesus born of the mayde floure of clennesse By the foxe is vnderstande the fende whiche is about nyght and daye to putte cryste out of his denne that is mannes soule womans For mannes soule is goddes denne goddes temple goddes house goddes dwellynge place And for the fende may not put hym out by myght he putteth hym out by sleyght He maketh foule maÌ„nes soule and womans he putteth in ther soules foule stynkynge thoughtes of lecherye fyrste smale and after gretter And anone as man or woman begynneth to haue lykynge in suche thoughtes anone ther soule begynneth to stynke in goddes syght yf they assent to the thoughtes to do them in dede or for to delyte theym therin Than ther soules stynke soo foule in goddes syght that he forsaketh tho soules and gooth out and than the fende entreth therin And there he bryngeth forth synne vpon synne tyll at the laste he bryngeth theym from shame to shame to wycked deth and to a wycked ende Therfore saynt Austen in his sermon byddeth vs that we sholde trauayle that our god fynde no thynge in his temple that is to saye in our soules that may offende the eyen of his mageste But the dwellynge of our herte mote be voyded of vyces and fylled with vertues and shette to the fende and open to cryste Caplm .xv. AN other remedye ayenst the temptacoÌ„n of lecherye is deuo cyon mynde of crystus passyon For as saynt Gregorye sayth There is none so harde temptacyon but that man sholde ouercome easely ynough yf he thought entyrely on crystus passyon We fynde in gestys that on a tyme a grete kynges sone loued well a poore woman For though she was poore yet she was fayre and plesaunt in berynge The kynges sone toke hyr to his paramoure and wedded hyr Wherfore his fader and nyghe all his kynne was myspayde For them thought that he was moche dysperached by hyr wherfor he seynge that his kynrede bare so heuy of his maryage he went in to fer londes gaf hym to armes and what he myght wynne with his swerde he sent it home to his wyfe sauynge his worshyp his lyuynge In euery Iourney he had the better of his enmyes so his name began to sprynge fer and wyde At that last he came in so harde a fyght all though he had the maystrye yet he was soo wounded that nedes he muste dye Than he sente home his sharte full of woundes and of holes and all forbleded to his wyfe with a lettre vnder his seale saynge in this wyse Cerne cicatrices veteris vestigia pugne Quesiui ê“prio sanguine quicâ—d habes Beholde my woundes and haue theym in thy thought For all the goodes that be thyn with my blode I haue theym bought And whan this woman sawe this sharte redde the letter she felle downe in swowne And whan she was releued she henge vp this sharte in a preuy place of hyr chambre whan euer ony man cam to hyr to speke of weddyng or of flesshely luste she wente in to hyr chambre and loked on his sharte and came out ayen styffe stedfaste in hyr husbondes loue that was deed denyed them ther axynge saynge in this maner Whyle I haue his blood in my mynde that was to me so good and kynde Shall I neuer husbonde take but hym that dyed for my sake And thus she kepte hyr in clennesse and chastyte all hyr lyfe for loue of hyr