chyldren of Israhell whan moyses ladde theym oute of egypte in to the londe of byheft that is Iherusalem and soo they passed sauf and founde And soo vii dayes after they come all vnto the see and thanked god for her passage and in mynde herof holy chirche vseth all the Ester weke to goo a procession to the foâ—â—e that is nowe the rede see to all cristen people that ben crystened in the fonte For the water in the fonte betokenethe the rede see for blode and water is the wounde that were in cristis syde in the which the power of pharao the sede of helle is drowned and al his might lost and cristen peple saued and for the foÌ„te is halowed on Ester euen and on wytson euyn for in the begynnyng al children abode to be cristened vnto thyse two dayes and to be crystened atte the fonte halowynge But now for by cause that many in soo longe abydyng were dede wythout crystendome therfore holy chirche ordeyned nowe to cristen all tymes of the yere saue viii dayes byfore thise euyns the child shal abyde to the fonte halowyng yf it maye for perryll of deth and ellys not ¶ Thus is the pascall halowed by lyghte wyth the newe fyre and of it al other tapres and candellis ben lyghte for all holynesse and good techynge good liuing coÌ„meth of crist teching of holy chirche and lighteth hem in cristâ—s passion wyth brennynge loue and charyte Peces of enfence ben stycked in the pascall in the maner of a crosse those betokeÌ„ the fyue woundes of our lorde As bede sayth that he suffred in his body that shall be fresshe and sweâ—â— as ony ensence tyll the daye of dom to greate repreef to all that shall bee dampned that belyue not in Crystis passion and wyll not aske mercy and foâ—yeuenesse of her synnes In the fonte halowyng the prest casted water in foure partyes of the fonte for Cryste hadde his disciples goyng prechynge techyng in foure parties of cristendom in the name of the fader and the sone the holy goost And after the prest bretheth on the water for the holy gooste in makynge of the worlde was borne vpon waters ¶ For whan god for Adamis synne cursed therthe and the londe he cursed not the water wherfor it is lawfull to a man to ete in lenton that that cometh of the water After he droppeth the wex in to the water off a candell brennynge the whiche betokeneth the manhode of crist that was fullyd in water and putteth oyle and creme in the water For by the vertu of the sacrament those that ben in heuen and in erthe ben Ioyned to gyder and that was preued by crystis baptisme For there the fader of heuen spake and sayde Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui This is my well beloued sone that wyll pleyse me and the holy ghost was seen Sicut columba As a whyte doue thus was the fonte halowed two tymes in the yere ¶ Att wythsontyde and at Ester whan all the people is broughte oute of thraldom by Crystis passion fro the dangeour of the fende and at wytsontide For thenne is the holy ghoste yeuen in remyssion of all synnes ¶ Thenne from the fonte the people goon to the quere syngyng the letanye prayenge all the sayntes in heuene to praye to god to gyue to all that been Crysten to kepe that sacrament to goddis pleysaunce And the couenaunt that they haue made in her crystenyng thenne the preest goth to masse for Cryste that is hede off all holy chirche is not rysen Kyrieleyson is said for in euery prayer in especyall in the masse it is grete nede to aske helpe and socoure of god to kepe vs from all maner off temptacion that the fende putteth in vs and namely in goddis seruice Gloria in excelsis Is said for the fader of heueÌ„ hath gret ioye to be holde the peple that his sone hath boughte wyth his passion and to see hem in reste peas and charyte echone wyth other The greyle is not sayd For those that ben newe cristened been not yet parfyte to walke in grace of vertues Alleluya is said For it is gre ioye to angellis to see by crystenynge the nombre of hem restored ayen After alleluya a tracte is said hyghe songen for though by crystenynge they be wasshe from synne yet muste they traueyle besely to kepe hem from comberaunce of the fende that they falle not in dedely synne The offertorye is said for the wymmen that comen wyth oynementis to offre to crystis body They fonde hym not in his tombe Agnus dei Is said noo pax is gyuen For cryste that is hede of peas is not rysen The postcomyn is not sayde for those that ben newe crystened shold not be housled this daye but on the morowe for in olde tyme there come to crystenynge peple of grete age Thenne a short euynsonge is done for the children that were not cristned wherof gretly they were noyed wyth seknesse of colde of longe seruyce thenne is ended vnder a shorte colet all the sacramente of cristenyng is ended in the passion of Crist by the whiche all cristen people were restored tor euerlastyng blisse to the whiche god brynge vs all to Amen ¶ In die paraceues GOod frendis this daye is called good frydaye for all that Oure Lord Ihesu cryste suffred this daye tourned vs to grete ioye For this daye he suffred passion vnder pounce pylate for oure sake It is an olde sawe that a foule begnnnynge hathe a fowle endyng Nowe see howe this pylate began cursedly and ended full wretchedly For as saynt austyn saith cursed lyuyng first asketh a cursyd ende after he that forgeteth hym self here in his lyuyng is full lyke to forgete hym selfe in his last ende This pylate was a knyghtes sone that was called Tyrus that he gate hym on a woman that hyghte Pyle And this womannys fader hyghte Atte. So whan this childe was borne they sette the moders name and the grande fader after and soo by bothe names called hym pylat ¶ Thenne after whan he was thre yeres of age his moder brought hym in to the kynges courte thenne hadde the knyghte another sone nygh lyke to pylates age But for this knightes sone was in all his rule more gentyler more manfully more goodly more beloued that this pylate soo for hate and for enuye therof This pylate on a dâ—y slewe this knyghtes sone thenne was the knyghte wonder sory But yet he wolde not slee Pylate and sente hym to Rome to be there in hostage for a trybut that the knyght sholde paye to Themperour ¶ Thenne it happed that the kynge of Fraunce hadde sent his sone theder for the same cause Thenne for by cause ¶ whan Pylate sawe that he was more beloued and chereshed Therfore this pylate slewe hym TheÌ„ne for he was so cursed themperoure by counseyll of the romayns sente pylate in
saued Soo noe was in the shyp al a yere And thenne he put out a rauen for to bryng worde to knowe yf the reyne water seaced or no. he come not ayen Thenne he sent oute a douue and she come ayen and brought a braunche of olyue in her bylle And therby noe knewe well that the water was seaced in some place Thenne as god bad noe went oute toke the vnclene bestis from the clene and brente the vnclene bestis in sacryfice to god and that plysed god soo well that he gaaff hem and all that come of hem after leue to ete flesshe of all clene bestes and for to drynke wyne there as before the flode the peple ete and dranke nothing but water for therthe was soo fertyll in it selfe to fore that the people neded none other fode but suche as come of the erthe Thus may ye see and vnderstonde how grete vengeaunce god toke on all the world for synne nowe there is asmoche synne as euere there was in thoo dayes and moche more in many degres where I drede lest god wyll take vengeaunce on vs. and wolde or this tyme were not the prayers of holy chirche and good sayntes â–ª and in especyall by the prayers of oure Lady and that ye shall here by ensample of saynt domynyk as he was in his prayers he sawe our lord Ihesu Crist holdynge thre speres in his honde redy to shote hem in to this worlde for vengeaunce and all for synne Thenne com our lady knelyng before our lord and said my dere sone what wyll ye doo he said my dere moder the worlde is so full of synne of pryde couetyse lechery and other synnes that I wyll shote thyse iii. speres of vengeaunce on the people Thenne said our lady my dere sone hauer mercy on hem and abyde a whyle for I haue some true seruauÌ„tes the whiche shal preche and teche the peple to tourne hem from synne thus by prayer of our lady god spared to take vengeaunce But now the world is so full of synne and cursed liuyng of false extorcion oppression of the poure peple that they cry to god for socoure and helpe wherfore it is full lyke that we shall be smytten full soone wyth some greuous vengeaunce other wyth derth· other wyth dethe of pestilence wherfore it is nedefull for vs to praye besely to our lady that she maye praye for vs to her dere sone Oure lord Ihesu Criste to spare vs in our dayes that we mow haue grace and mercy now euer Anen Do◠〈…〉 GOod men wymen â—â—â—daye is cal◠〈…〉 in quiquagesme This worde quinquagesme 〈◊〉 a nombre of â— whiche nombre betokeneth remission and ioye â–ª For in the olde lawe euery .l. wynter oâ— maner of people that were ouirsette with seruyce of bondage whan they come to the age they were made free in grete ioye and myrthe to them wherfore this nombre begiÌ„neth this daye and endeth on Esterday shewynge that all cristen peple that be oppressed with any tribulacion or dysease here in this woâ—â—de shal be made fre and haue remission at the day of dome and be heires in the kingdome of heuyn And yet in confortynge of al cristen people euery â— wynter the pope of Rome graunteth full remission of all sinnes to all cristen people that coÌ„meth to Rome that yere And for all that may nat come thydre to haue this pardon The pope of heuyn iesu crist of his specyall grace graunteth to all cristen people full pardon of all sinnes in their laste ende So that they wyll â—epe thre thynges here in this worlde Confession contricion and satisfaction Holy shrifâ— of mouthe with contricion of hert and satisfaction in dede doyng Also he muste haue charite withoute faynynge stable feyth withoute flaterynge And withoute these thermay no man haue parâ—â—â—â—e at Rome nor elles where And therfore he that wyll be assoiled of the pope of heuin and haue clene remission ne muste be contriâ—e sorye for his synnes and shryue him clene be in purpose neuir to sinne more And they that 〈…〉 all the peyneâ— that 〈◊〉 were ordeyned â–ª for for him Take an ensample by pâ—â—ye that forsoâ—â— criste 〈…〉 grete othes but he was after 〈◊〉 and sory Et 〈…〉 And wept ful bâ—tterly and god that is ful of mercy for yaue him his trespas and made better there to him after than he dyd to fore For he sholde be in no dispayr deede ¶ Narracio ¶ we finde of a grete riche man that was so wycked in his lyf that moche people demyd him dampned to hell Soo he fell seke and felyd him selue that he shulde be dede and he â—â—thoughte him how wycked he hadde be in his leuyng and toke suche a contricion to hym and soo grete sorowe that he wept nyght â— day euir whan his synne came to his mynd And so ley vii daies and vâ— nyghâ—â—â— and shroue him clene and toke grete repentaunce to him and euir cryed god mercy So that all the peple hadde grete pyte on him and than deyed â–ª Thenne it hapned that ther was a monâ—e â—â— an abbey that dyed the same tyme. waâ— made by his abbot to come â—yen to tel him how he faryd â–ª and so he dyd and sayd to the abbot whan he was coÌ„me Sir I am come to kepe my promyse I praye you gyue me leue to go ayen for I goo to ioye Thenne saide the abboâ— was there any moo that dyed whanne thou dydyst that went to ioye but thou And he sayd ye forsoth one no mo◠〈…〉 was 〈◊〉 soâ—leâ— of suche a man 〈…〉 name Thenne saide thabbot â–ª Nowe I knowe well thou art nat my monke but soâ—â—e send is coÌ„me to teÌ„pte me For we knowe wele if any soule be in peyne he is one of tho Thenne sayd the monke full vnworthy is any man for to knowe the preuyte of goddes dome For that man hadde so grete contricion and repentaunce and wepte so bytterly for his synnes that the water of his eyen percyd through all his clothes to the grouÌ„de wherfore go thydre to morowe and whan thou fyndest it true that I say than byleue me For I goo nowe to euirlastinge ioye and blisse Then went thabbot thyder fouÌ„de as it was true as the monke had saide and there knelyd thabbot downe thankyd god and bad all the peple to be gladde that god is so mercifull and that he had the knowlege Here ye may se that the grete contricioun that this man hadde quenchyd the grete payne that was ordeyned for him Thus ye may se hou grete help it is to a mannys soule to be contrite and sory for his synnes and to drawe a man to the more contricioun â–ª those L. daies the psalme in the psaulter Miserere mei deus is more rehercid these daies than any other tyme of the yere the whiche is thus moche to saye God for thy grete mercy haue mercye on me
saw the fendis of the ayre flee awaye for drede and fere of his stronge coÌ„mynge that bifore were wounte sparynge no thynge assayl the soules that caÌ„me by theim And thenne they flewe awaye for grete fere of his coÌ„mynge Also the good aungellys caÌ„me in all the haste that they myghte to doo to oure lorde Iesu criste seruyce reuerence and worship Thus for greate woundre that the lower aungelles had of his styenge vp They askyd the hygher aungellys and sayd Quis est iste qui venit de edoz what is this nowe that coÌ„myth oute of the world with blody clothes as he were a kinge of ioye This is he that wyth deth sufferynge rede in his scourgynge seke and ded in the crosse strong in hel bodily in doynge ferfull in risynge thus hath ouircoÌ„me all his enmyes nowe is kinge of glory in heuyn Thenne oure lorde Iesu criste was styed vp into heuyn then his disciples stondynge with his modre for gret woÌ„dre of that sight and also of the melody that they herde in the ayre they loked vp into heuyn and sodenly ii auÌ„gelles clothed al in white stode by them and sayd to them in this wise Viri galilei quid statis aspicieÌ„tes in celum hic iesus qui assuÌ„ptus est a vobis c. Men of galile what stonde ye biholdâ—â—ge into heuyn It is Iesus that is styed vp from you And so he shall come at the daye of dome ayen deme al quycke and dede And therfore all cristen people lefte vp your hertes to oure lorde Iesu criste that nowe is styed vp into heuyn and sitteth at his faders righte honde and is redy to gyue mercy to al theym that wyl aske mercy with a meke herte And therfore ther is no maner of man that may excuse him selue nor haue no maner excusacion but if that he wyll him selue and aske mercy to his lorde god with a meke herte and he shall haue mercy and shal be sauyd For though a man be neuir so synful and he wyll aske mercy wyth a meke herte he wyll yeue him mercy Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies A meke and a contrite herte god shall neuir dispyse For and he wyl aske mercy and be sory for his synnes oure lord wyll take him to his mercy TheÌ„ne for to shewe his grete goodnesse and coÌ„passion that oure lorde hath on mankynd I shall tell you this ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede in the lyf of saynte Carpe howe a man of mysbyleue torned a cristen man oute of his feyth and forsoke his bileue and his cristendome wherfore this holy man carpe was sore wrothe that he fyll in grete sekenesse Anâ— whan he sholde haue prayed god for amendement He prayed god nyghte day that they might haue a bodily vengeaunce Thenne it happed at mydnight as he prayed thus sodenly the house that he ley in cleuyd in foure parties And he loked vp and sawe one hangyd so pytously that it was grete pyte to see And thenne he loked vp to heuyn and there he sawe oure lorde iesu crist with a greate multitude of aungellys sittinge in his trone And he loked vp ayen and thenne he sawe thâ—se ii men stondenge bifore an hote ouen and trymlâ—ge for drede of fendes lyke adders and woâ—mes coÌ„mynge oute of the ouyn to dâ—awe these men into the ouyn wythe theym And so many other fendes com in diuerse lykenesse to helpe that they were in to the ouyn Then was this hooly man Carpe fayne to se these two haue that vengeaunce and was wonder glaâ— therof that he loste the sight of oure â—â—de Iesu and his holy aungyllys for the herte was on these two meÌ„nys vengeaunce and was sory that it was so longe or they were putte vnto their peyne And then he rose went to him self and halpe all that euir he myghte and whanne they were into the ouyn theÌ„ne was he very glade therof And then he loked vp into heuyn and ther he sawe oure lord iesu and he sawe him ryse from his trone for greate pyte and compassion that he hadde on the ii men â—aÌ„me downe to theym and took theym oute of theyr peyne and sayd thus Carpe extende manus tuas coÌ„trame Streâ—he forthe thy hondes ayenste mâ— and sayd thus I am redy and nede were to dye ayen for mankinde rather thaÌ„ to lese them By this ensample ye may see howe â—â—y that oure lorde iesu crist is to all that wyl aske mercy and foryenesse and deserue mercy that is that euery man amend and leue his synnes and be in full wyll and purpose to sâ—ne no more And thus he shall coÌ„me to the grace and mercy of oure lorde Iesu criste that suffred for vs and all mankynde on good Fryday passion this daye styed vp to heuyn the whiche he wyll graunte vs bryng vs al therto Amen Sequitur vigilia penticostes gOode frendes as ye know wele a saturday nexte coÌ„mynge Is wytsondaye euyn And that daye ye shall faste and coÌ„me to the churche to here your seruice and make you cleene to resceyue the holy gooste that the fader of heuyn sendith amonge mankind wherfore I counseyll you and charge you if there be any of you that fall to any syn that he coÌ„me and amend him therof and I wyll be redy to doo all that longeth to me For take this in certayn In the same wyse as a man wyll nat goo to a place there as a stynkyng carreyn is but if he stoppe his nose hye him thens Right soo the holy goost fleeth from the soule that is combred with dedely synne and aungellys wyl stoppe their noses For moche more fowler stinketh dedly synne in the sight of god thanne dooth any carreyne to smell to people And as the holy gooste fleeth to theym that bideth in gode lyf and clenâ— and in parfyt loue and charite And hathe pyte and coÌ„passion of al those that been in disease or tribulation â–ª to suche the holy gooste visyteth aâ—â— coÌ„meth to And with suche as him listeth to coÌ„me to abyde and conforteth techith them in all nede But as the seruyce of this feste is more praysed thenne any other tyme For at this feste holy churche calleth to them and sayth Veni sancte spiritus Come holy goost specially to haue helpe socoure and grace and to haue part of the dole that he maketh at this tyme to all cristen people that been able to resceyue his yestes But ye shall vnderstonde that the holy gooste maketh hys dole in other wise thanne other people For they dele as it lyketh theym Butte the holy gooste delyth to all cristen people that is nedefull and spedefull to them that yefte and some more and some lesse one yefte and some another some he yeueth wysdome in holy scripture to vnderstonde holy scripture he yeuyth grace to haue greate luste and lykynge therin That is for to saye they be
this present world Therfor he ordeyned this present feste to be halowed in the next thursdaye after the feste of the holy Trynyte for all crysten people that wyll be sauyd muste haue sad beleue in the holy sacrameÌ„t that is goddis owne body in fourme of brede made by the vertue of crystis wordes that the prest sayth by workyng of the holy ghoste ¶ Thenne for this holy pope thoughte to drawe people to more deuocion and better wyll to this holy sacrament and to doo seruyce this daye he graunteth to all that ben worthy that be they that be verey contryte and shreuen of her synnes be in the chirche at bothe euynsonges at matyns and at masse For eche a â— dayes of pardon and for eche hour off the day xl daies of pardoÌ„â— for euery day of the vtas a C. dayes of pardoÌ„ in remission of all her synnes for euermore enduryng thenne ye shall vnderstonde that Our lord Ihesu cryste on sherethursdaye at nyght whan he had souper and wyst well in the moroweâ— that he shold suffre his passion and dethe and passe oute of this worlde vnto his fadre in heuyn He ordeyned a perpetuall memory of his passion to abyde for euir with all cristen peple in erth He tooke brede and wine and made his owne flesshe and blode and gaue it to his disciples to ete and to drynke said Accipite et manducate hoc est corpus meum Take ye this and ete it for it is myn oune flesshe and blood And this he dyd for they sholde haue mynde of him so he yaue other prestys power to make his body of brede and wyne Thus euery preeste hath power to make the sacrament be he good or badde For the sacramente may no man amende nor payre but he that is a good man and a holy lyuer helpyth greatly them that he prayeth fore And he that doth the offyce of the preest worthely and trulye shal be gladde and ioyfull that euir he was borne Foâ—â—â—re lorde hath yeuyn a preest a 〈…〉 power here in erthe that he gaue neuir to aungell in heuen that is to make his owne body in fourme of breed Therfor ye shal haue worshippe more in heuyn thanne any tong can tell or herte thynke And he that is an euyll lyuer and knoweth him selfe in dedely synne and presumeth to mynistre that worthy sacrament and wyl nat amende him he may be sure of perpetuel dampnacion with fendys of hel in euirlastinge peyne Thenne shall ye vnderstonde that he graunteth this sacrament to be vsed for euirmore in holy churche For foure causes that be nedefull to all cristen people The firste is for mannys grete helpynge The secounde for cristes passion myndynge The thridde for greate loue shewynge And the fourthe for grete mede getting Nota quod propter nouem raciones prodest homini audire missaÌ„ secunduÌ„ augustinum Saint Austyn sayth it profytteth greatly all cristen peple to here masse and in especial for ix causes â— sayth thus Quia illo die qua audieret missaÌ„ necessaria cibaria coÌ„ceduÌ„tur For that day that he heryth a masse he shall nat fayll of noo bodily fode nor no necessary thynge that shall be longynge to nor no lett shall haue in his iournaye where that he trauayleth The secounde is all venyall synnes shall be forgyue him and ydel wordes The thridde is that if aman dye it shal stonde for his housell The fourth he shall nat that day lose his sighte The fyfte all ydell othes that day shall be foryeuyn The vi that daye he shal 〈◊〉 no soden dethe The vii aslonge as he heryth the masse he shall nat wâ—â— olde The viii all all his steppes towarde and from warde the churche hâ—â— goode aungyll reknyth to his saluacion The nynthe all the while that he beholdeth the holy sacramente all wycked spirites flee from him and haue no power ouir him be he neuir so grete a synner This helpe and socour we haue of the holy goost and of the sacrament here in erthe and at oure laste ende al cristen people woll sende after the pâ—â—este to coÌ„me to him with goddes body â–ª and to resceyue it knowynge wel that he beleuyth stedfastly that it is the same flesshe and bloode that criste toke of oure lady saint mary and was born of her body very god man and after suffred passion and deth on the crosse for mankynde and leyde in tombe and rose from deth to lyue and now syttethe on his faders right hond in heuyn and shall coÌ„me ayen at the daye of dome and deme the quycke and the dede euery man after his deseruynge So with this parfite beleue al cristen peple shal be armed and made stronge to wythstonde the fendes that wyll coÌ„me and assayle at the departynge bitwene the body and the soull for thenne fendes coÌ„me besily to bringe him out of the beleue Thenne shall the sacrament that a man hath rescâ—yued in his lyf make him mighty and stronge that he shall sette all the fendes at noughte and soo ouircoÌ„me thâ—ym A nother skyll that the sacramente is broughte to a man to aske mercy of criste and remission of his synnes hauynge full truste and byleue that criste is euir redy to forgyue al theym that wyl aske mercy with a meke herte as dauid sayth Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies A contrite herte and a meke oure lorde shall neuir dispyse and that we may se by ensample whanne he hange vpon the crosse bitwene ii theuys that were men of cursed lyuynge And therfore they were ordeyned to be dede that one asked mercy with a meke hert and sayd in this wyse Domine duz veneris in regnuÌ„ tuum memento mei Lorde quod he whanne thou coÌ„myste to thy kyngdome haue mynde of me anoon at his firste asking he gaue him mercy more ouir he sayd to him thus Hodie mecum eris in paradiso This day thou shalte be with me in paradise And that other theef wolde aske no mercy in noo wyse for pryde he had in his herte and therfore he was dampned to hell Thus oure lorde Iesu cryste shedde his blood on the crosse in helthe of all mankynde So in the masse he shewyth his blood in grete socoure helpe and saluacion to all mankynde and the same flesshe and blood is shewed euery day in the masse for we sholde beleue stedfastly theron And he that beleuyth nat theron verily that it is so shall nat be sauyd at the day of dome ¶ Narracio ¶ Therfore I tell you this ensample that is in the lyf of Odo the Busshop of Caunterbury this busshop had wythe him clerkes that beleâ—yd nat parfytely in the sacrament of the auter and sayd they coude nat beleue that the bodye and blood of crist myght be mynistred in the masse Thenne was this busshop sory and prayed to god besily for her amendement And so on a day whanne he was at the
that he sawe our lady was wyth elysabeth vnto the tyme that Iohan was borne and was mydwyf to elysabeth toke saynt iohan from the erthe and whan neyghbours herde that elysabeth had a sone they were full glad and come thyder as the maner was that tyme. to gyue the chyld a name called it zacary after the fader But elysabeth bad calle hym Iohn But for there was none of the kynne of that name they asked zacary by synes what the chyld shold hyght Thenne he wrote to them and bad calle hym Iohan. And therwyth god losed zacaryas tonge spake redely thanked god hyghly Thus was IohaÌ„ holy or he was borne And for he wold gyue euery man syghte of grace and of good liuing he gaue hem ensample for assone as he was of couenable age he wente in to deserte was there tyll our lord come to be cristened of hym Iohannes habuit vestimenta de pilis camelorum Iohan had his cloth made of the here of the camel and a gyrdel aboute him of the same skynne Esca autem eius erat locusta et mel siluestre Forsothe his mete was leues honysocles that hath a whyte floure that growethe in trees he ete al maner of wormes that were noryshed in that deserte amonge herbes and the wormes be as grete as a mannis fynger and sucked hony off floures that be called hanysocles thaâ— poure people gadren and fry heâ— oyle to her mete Also Iohan ete 〈◊〉 rounde leues that growen in trees in that deserte And whan they be broâ—en bytwene a manniâ— hondis thei be swete as hony and he dranke water of the welle that was in the deserte there was Iohnes life in that deserte tyl that our lord was xxx wynter of age And thenne our lord and Iohan met at the water of flain Iordan And thenne iohan tolde the people of crist and said Ecce agnus dei See the lambe of god that I haue tolde you of that shall fulfyll you in the holy gost TheÌ„ne went Iohn in to the water there he baptysed crist and whan he was baptysed Ecce aperti sunt celi Heuen opened Et vidit spiritum dei descenteÌ„ sicut columba And he sawe the holy goost come downe as a doue Et vox de celo dicens And a voys from heuen spake thus Ecce filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui This is my welbeloued sone that pleseth me Here lerned iohan first to knowe thre persones in trynyte all this betokeneth two fyres The thirde fyre of bones betokeneth Iohnes marterdoÌ„ for his bones were brent and how ye shall here ¶ we rede the kyng herode had a broder that highte Phylippe and he had a fair woman to his wyf and herode louyd her 〈◊〉 And helde her vndre his wyf where Ihon repreuyd him and sayd Non licet tibi habere vxorem fratris tui It is nat laufull to the to haue thy broders wyf And therfore he putt hym in pryson and ordeyned bitwene him his wyf how Iohn might be dede with oute troublyng of the people for the comen people loued Iohn well Thenne herode ordeyned to make a grete feste to all the states of the countre for they shulde holde with him if the peple had rysen And so whan the daye was com that the feste shulde be holde and al the people were seruyd at the mete herodes wyf as couenaunt was bitwene theim tho sent her doughter into the hall for to daunce and to tomble afore the gestes And that pleased her fader so well that he swore a grete othe and saide Pete a me quod vis dabo tibi Ask of me what thou wylt and I shal gyue it the. Thenne as her modre bad her saye she saide Caput Iohannis baptiste The hede of Iohn Baptyst Then herode fayned him wrothe and sory that he hadde made suche an othe But he was glad in his hert thenne seÌ„t into pryson to smyte of Iohnes hede withoute any other dome and was brought to the damoysell Then the modre lete bury it in a pryuy place ferre from the body ¶ Thenne the next night after Iohnes disciples came and toke his body buryed it And there it laye tyll Iulyan the appostita the emperour come that waye Then he made take vp Iohnes bones to brenne them to wyndow theym in the wynde hopynge that he shuld neuer ryse ayen to lyf ¶ Thus ye may vnderstonde how holy that this man was Thenne an aungell come fro heuyn and tolde zacary of his conceyuig and was halowed in his moders woÌ„be and oure lady toke him from therth in his byrthe and an aungell brought his name fro heuyn and after he criste nyd oure lorde iesu criste this was an holy man ¶ ye shall vnderstonde thaâ— sainte Iohn the euangelyst dyed the same daye but holy churche maketh noo mencion therof For his day is holde in cristmas weke Then for these ii Iohns beholden the worthiest saintes in heuyn Thenne there were two scolars of dyuynite the one louyd Iohn Baptyst the other Iohn euaÌ„gelyst And on a day they purposed to dispute in this mater and the day was assigned but thenne the night bifore either Iohnes appered to their louers and bad theym leue ther disputacion for they were well accorded in heuyn and made no stryf And thenne on the morow bifore al the people either tolde his vision that were come to here theym dispute ¶ And thenne all the people thanked god almyghty and bothe saint Iohns of this faire miracle ¶ Alsoo there were two meselles that louyd wele thies two Iohnes And so as they were in coÌ„mynge they spake of these two saintes whiche were the gretest in heueÌ„ And soo that one saide that the one was greter thanne that other and so they begannne to fyghte Thenne there come a voys fro heuen and sayd we fyghte not in heuen and therfore fighte not ye in erthe for vs. for we ben in peas and so be ye And therwyth they were bothe hole of their sykenesse and thanked god and bothe saynt Iohannis and afterwarde they were holy men ¶ And therfore lete vs worshyppe thyse holy sayntes· that they maye praye for vs that we may come to euerlastynge blisse ¶ SctoÌ„rum Petri Pauli GOod frendes suche a daye ye shall haue the feste of saynt Peter and Poule and ye shall faste the euyn and on the morowe come vnto the chirche And worshyp god and praye to thyse two saintes that were holy appostles to praye for vs. Oure lord hath peter on the one syde poule on the other syde And he hath his woundes open and fresshe bledyng shewing to all maner of cristen people that he suffred those woundes for vs. that bee the v. welles of mercy that he suffred for vs. ¶ ye shall vnderstonde that thyse two appostles were first grete synners But for they left her synne and were sory
and contryte and synned nomore our lord toke hem in ensample to all other that wyl leue her synne they shal be saued For he that is shreuen and forsaketh his synne mercy foloweth that and doo his penaunce He shall haue meercy grace For as glad as the fader is to see the sonne rise from deth to lyfe also glad is our lord and moche gladder to see a man rise oute of dedely synne and neuer to doo it more and therfore shewyng by ensample Poule bereth a swerde to all cristen people to cut awaye the cheynes of synne wyth his sharpe swerde of confession for dedely synne byndeth a man sore to the fende therfore cut awaye the cheyne Peter is also redy to open the gates of heuen to all cristen people and to take them in that wyll forsake her synne ¶ ye shall vnderstonde the poule was first soo hye soo feerse ayenst al goddis seruauÌ„tes that there durst no precher deale wyth hym but after he lefte grete malice and there as he was ferse after he was gracious And there as he was before hye and proud of herte he was meke and lowly to all goddis seruauÌ„tes Peter also held hym self most perfyte stedfast of all cristis dyscyples wherfore he made bost by a vayn glory that he was redy to goo to dethe wyth cryst and sayd thus It behoueth me to deye wyth the· And whan cryste sey that all his discyples shold forsake hym Peter for the grete bost sayd though all men forsake hym he wold not And yet more ouer whan criste was take Peter drewe oute his swerd and smote of a seruauntes ere that hyghte malcus But soone after whan he sawe that crist was take and shold be put to deth thenne he swered and stared that he neuer knewe hym and forsoke crist But whan he herde the kocke crowe thenne he remembred of that our lord sayd to hym that or the kocke crewe iii. thou shalte forsake me Thenne Peter went forth Et fleuit amare And wept bytterly and hyd hym in a caue durst not come among his bredren for shame tyll oure lord sente to hym by name Thenne was peter euer after ashamed and sory for his trespas and there as he was a boster and vnstable of his wordes afterwarde he was trewe and stable and grounded in stablenesse of parfyght lyuyng In soo moche that crist called hym peter that is a stone in Englisshe For there as thou layest a stone there thou shalt fynde it Soo was peter soo stedfast after that nether for we le nor for woo he neuer flitered But euer stode stedfast in cristis lawe And had euer his synne in mynde and to amende that he had don amysse And was afterwarde of grete abstynence that he ete but brede and oyle wortes and full selden flesshe and wered but a syngyll kertyll with a mantell And euer as often as he herde ony man mynde Ihesus anone he began to wepe ful sore and whan he herde ony kocke crowe anone he wold ryse vp and goo and praye and suffre penaunce And he wepte many tymes so bytterly that the teeres of his eyen brente his face in soo moche that where he was he had a clothe in his bosom alwaye to wype awaye the teeres Thenne soo folowyng he was so holy that where that euer he wente and he myghte shadowe ony syke body anon they were hole ¶ Soo on a tyme he sente two of his disciples in to a ferre countrey to preche And whan they were goone two dayes iourney one of them deyed and that other tourned ayen and tolde Peter Thenne peter toke hym his stafe and bad hym goo and laye the stafe on his felow and bad hym aryse in the name of god and he rose anone and wente forth to gyder and preched Thenne were many wrothe that Peter tourned soo moche people to the ferth And put hym in to pryson and bonde hym fast wyth grete cheynes of yron tyll he was nye dede leste he soold bee stolen awaye wherfore the knyghtes woke it that he shold not escape And thus the comyn people toke Ensample of hem and make fyres in worshippe of saynt Peter and watche Thenne Criste come to peter in prysoÌ„ And thenne come an angell to Peter wyth grete lyghte as our lorde badde And anone the cheynes breke and fyll fro his hondes and fete And soo wente he to Rome was there pope xxxv yeres and tourned moche people to cristis feythe But soone after came the fendes lymme that was called SymoÌ„ magus that cowde moche of the fendes crafte and made moche people lyke in dyuerse sykenesse· Some blynde some lame some deff so that the peple what for fere and for wonder byleued in hym Thenne peter heled all those that Symon magus hadde buried And bad they shold not byleue in hym Thenne was this Symon magus wroth wyth Peter that he myghte not haue his wyll and in especyall he myghte not reyse a dede body to lyfe that Peter reysed Thenne this symon teyed a fende in lykenesse of a grete dogge there as peter sholde come to sle peter but ¶ Peter â—â—sed hym lete this dogge lose and thenne he lepte to symon and pulled hym doune vnder his fete and thenne peter bad leue and do hym noo harme of his body but all to rente his clothes So that symon wente almost naked awaye Thenne symon ordeyned all the wayes that he cowde to haue Peter dede thenne our lord appered to Peter and sayde ¶ Simon et nero contra te cogitant Symonde nero and other haue ordeyned thy deth to morowe I wyll sende to the poule my seruaunt in comforte to the and ye shall suffre marterdom to gyder for my sake and soo come to me to euerlastynge blysse Thenne peter tolde his bretheren his vysion that he had in the nyght and soo toke Clemente by the honde and set hym in his chayer and made hym pope and successour after hym Thenne on the morowe come Poule and preched the people thenne this Symon had so charmed the Emperour in suche a folishnesse that he wende that he had be goddis sone Soo this symonde magus come to the Emperour and sayde There be two men of Galyle come in this cyte that one hyght peter and that other poule that doo me soo moche dysease that I may noo lenger abyde here in erthe ¶ wherfore commaunde suche a daye al maner of people to come to capytole and there in syghte of all the people I wyl flye op to my fader in heuen And whan all the people were come to gyder Symon wente vp in to a towre of the capytoll Thenne come two fendes lyke ii angellis set on his hede a garlonde off laurel bare hym vp in to the ayre lyke as he had flowen Thenne said peter to poule broder loke vp see theÌ„ne said poule It falleth for me to pray the to coÌ„maunde anone peter said I coÌ„maunde you
of synfull folke and specyally to theym that wold not knowlege theyr synne here to god in dewe maner Ne were not ashamed of hym This shall be a full hard tormente The eyghte is The horryble syght off deuyllys roryng and cryeng wyth fereful and sorowful voyse wherwyth thus shall they be peyned there That here took no hed of holy ensamplys good dedys ne of techyng ne prechyng of goddis wordes and byddynges The ix is fyrye bondis wherwyth theiÌ„ shulll be bounde there hond and fote and other menbrys that here spendyn theyr menbris and lymmys in the deuyllis seruyce after the luste lykyng of theyr body Thyse ix paynes shall thyse synfull suffre there that here forsoke and lefte vnwysely the felysshyp of the ix ordres of Aungellis by theyr synfull lyuyng but they amende hem or they go hens Therfore be sory for thy synne and amend the whyles thou art here that thou mayst escape all thyse horryble paynis And reygne wyth our lord Ihesu Crist in his hygh blysse of heuen where is euer myrthe after traueyle fredom after bondage helthe after long sekenes lyf after deth perfyt loue wythout drede and euer daye wythout nyght therfore thou shalt haue seuen Ioyes in thy body and seuen in thy soule In thy body fayrnes swetenes strength fredom lust helth and Inmorâ—alite And in thy soule wysdom frendshyp accorde power worshyp surete And ioye wythout ende to the whiche he vs brynge â–ª that for vs dyed on the rood Ihesus goddis sonne ¶ On sunday that last was I Informyd you in homely wyse of the worthynes of mannis sowle what it is when it is out of synne what synne is And how it defowlyth thy sowle Of the sacrament of penaunce also how it is a salue sanatyf for all maner sores of synne when it is discretely vsyd Now by the loue of god I shall declare you the thre partyes of penaunce Contrycion confessioÌ„ and satysfaccyon how by the fulfyllyng of them your sowlys that thus haue ben woundyd wyth synne mowe be reformyd and brought ayen to grace ¶ Fyrst as for contrycion It is sayd but your hertes and not your clothys For confession also shewyth out your hertys afore the prest by open speche of mouth And for satysfaccion Doo ye worthy frutys of penaunce ¶ Thus by thyse thre thynges this holy sacrament of penaunce is preuyd For contrycion also it is sayd in the sawter I haue traueylyd in my sorowys I shall make moyste my bedde euery nyght· wyth my tearys As who saith I haue traueylyd to make satisfaccion for my synnes wyth sorowe of myn herte hauyng in mynde howe longe I haue lyued how I haue spente my tyme. what goodnes I haue lest vn doo â–ª how moche euyll I haue doo and how by my synne I haue lost the felyship of heuen and Ioyned me to the felawshyp of the fend that I am soo here in the vale of tearys full off wretchydnes And my byrthe brought forth vnto mannys synnes and sorowes and shal come to the dredefull dome and gyue a rekenyng for the left and the mooste synne that euer I dyd in worde in dede or thoughâ— not knowyng whether I shall be worthy hate or mede that I wold also be in blysse whiche I may not come to wythout greate torment sorowe ¶ This consyderyng thyn â—arys and werkis thou shalt wel knowe that thou art cause of thyn own sorowe and so for shame thou shalt falle to contricioÌ„ And wynne the grace of god it is a ryght hard herte saith saint bernard that neyther the benefettis of god may grynde ne the paynes of helle may fere Ne the ioyes of heuen may susteyne ne the temporall tormentis ne sorowe maye chastise many one there is that can not be contryte in that they know not what contricion is Therfore ye shal vnderstonde that contrycion is a sorowe off thy soule formyd by grace whiche comyth of forthynkyng of synne drede of the hygh doom wyth a stedfast purpoos to be confessyd to do satisfacion after the precepte of the chirch 〈◊〉 is also a conuersion of thyn herte from euyll to good from the deuyll to god and from vyces to vertu There be many that haue contrycyon but not perfyte as when the herte is touchyd wyth the handys of god By inspyracion to make the perfyte sorowfull for thy synne yet for hardnes off thyn herte hapely thou yeldeste the not fully But somwhat art lesse in as moche as thou begynnest to turne This is called attricion ¶ But when wylle and desyre off synne in euery parte is fully forsaken wyth full sorowe of herte Thenne it is contrycion And soo verry contrycion is the serche of siÌ„ne â—rigeen saith also that very contricion is to abhorre gay arraye and to desyre the hygher wepyng And fle laughter to spek few And to werke ryghtfully and euer to haue drede sorowe in thyn herte for thy synne for the more that thou louest a thyng the more is the sorowe whan thou lesyst it Aboue all creatures is god to be beloued Thenne it is more sorowe of his losse thenne of all other creatures when thou doost dedely synne theÌ„ lefest thou thy god therfor by gret coÌ„tricioÌ„ thou must gete him ageyn For loke how moch thou hast of grace as saith saynt Gregore so moche thou must haue of sorowe for thy synne The sowlis that are in blesse they mowe noo contricion haue By cause their Ioyes be plentuous They that be in helle sorowen but that sorowe is not formyd wyth grace The sowlis in purgatory haue sorowe formyd wyth grace yet it is not merytory in as moche as it shold haue be had here Thus in this 〈◊〉 mercy oonly helpyth 〈◊〉 â—fter not it is blamefully â—erd 〈◊〉 saynt Ieroâ—â— that can wepe â—he 〈◊〉 of his frende o◠〈◊〉 of tâ—mporall losse and can not wepe and bee sory for synne Thy contrycyon therfore must be sharp in that that thou hast offended thyn heuenly fader that bodely and gostely fedeth the in many wyse and yet must thou be sharpe in that that thou hast offended thy lord Ihesu goddis sonne of heuen that wyth his precious bloode and by his mercy delyueryd the fro the bondys of synne cruelte of fendes and bytternes of the peynes of helle And though our lord saye to the. Not euery man that sayth lord lord shall entre the kyngdom of heuen yet leue hym not but haue hym to the tauerne of contrycion and saye to hym as dauyd dyd The meke and the contryte herte lord thou shalt not despyse And thenne he shall yeue the grace here Ioye when thou goest hens ¶ The fawcon whan he hath take his praye he desyreth noo more therof but the hert And ther wyth he is content so our lord wheÌ„ he had rauÌ„sond vs oute of helle he desyred noo more but a meke and a contryte herte of vs Therfore as the fawconer or he woll yeue the herte vnto
luste ne he that hath wronge neyther But a mene that coud and myght sett it resonably after the wronge were declared The preest is ordeyned to be a mene and to sette thy peynes for the wronge that thou haste done to thy god by synne It nedyth thenne that thou shewe truly thy trespasse vnto him that he may sett the suche penaunce wherby thou maiste be able to coÌ„me to the presence of thy lorde god Also in euery dome that is reasonable ther muste be a iuge and a persone that is gyltye And the preest muste either be by preuys or els by witnes ayeÌ„st thy wyll or by wylful knoulege sithen the dome of penance is free and nat agaynst thy wyll bycause that thou goste therto wilfully thenne shal nat the processe of this dome be in promys ne in wytnesse but freely in thy propre confession And he muste be iuge that may bothe forgyue and condeÌ„ne and that is god For he only releseth synnes And so tyll he toke mankynde confession of herte suffised But after he requyred and askyd confession vocall whiche is made of man to man And for asmoche as he is nat here in forme of man Therfore he ordeyneth men to be his vycaries that thou sholdest confesse the to to whome he gaue power to bynde and to vnbynde And thus is confession nedefull by reson promyse and scripture Oure lord gaue power only to the preest to bynd and to vnbynde whanne he sayd whose synnes ye forgyue they been for yeue and whose synnes ye witholde â–ª they be witholde ¶ yet as by power vertue god losith For there is no power but of god Cryst sayth saint Austyn for vs was crucifyed by whiche and noon other synnes are forgeuyn Therfore oure lord yaue openly the holy goost to men yeuynge vndstondynge that synnes are nat foryeue through merites of men but throughe the godenes of the holy goost For whanne he arose from dethe he sayd to his disciples Taketh the holy gost and whose synnes ye forgyue they are foryâ—uen as who sayth the spiryte that is goâ— forgyueth and nat ye And so he that may forgyue by man may forgyue withoute man The sacrament of grace sayth saint Austyn god forgyueth somtyme by euyll men But grace alone he yeueth but by him selue yet remission of synnes he woâ—cheth bothe by him selue and by the holy goost And thus noman doth away synne but Criste alone ¶ Saint Ambrose and other doctoures sayn that the worde of god foryeueth synnes The preest is the iuge and yet of him selue he hath noo power but of him allone that died for oure synnes Saint Ierom sayth that the same power that Criste yaue to his appostelles after his resurrectioÌ„ The same hath al holy chirch in busshopes prestes But specially petyr and his successoures that all shold vnderstonde that who parteth him fro vnyte of the faith may neuyr be losed from synne ne entre into the blisse of heuyn The preest loseth noon verily but god tho that turnyth to penaunce Then he ministreth rightfully that ministreth of the vertue of god what hadde it profyted to Lazar that he went oute of his tombe but it hadde be said Loseth him and let him go Criste by voys raysed him for his sepulcre And so he went forth that was bounde nat 〈◊〉 myght of his feet but by vertue of 〈◊〉 that raysed him This same is nowe 〈◊〉 done in the herte of a repentant mâ—n whanne thou heryst a man repeÌ„tâ—â—â— for his synne then he begynneth 〈◊〉 lyue agayn whenne he confessyth 〈◊〉 thenne he is brought oute of his seâ—â—â—â—re but yet he is nat losed Se therâ—â—â—â— of whome and whanne he is losed Criste sayth Tho that ye haue losed in erthe shal be losed in heuyn Here take hede howe he saide tho that is to say no man except but who so be repeÌ„taunt and ask foryeuenesse by the churche he shall haue foryeuenesse yet though by the churche synne maye worthely be forgyue the dede may nat ryse but our lorde cry within forth For that is doon within vs maye natt be done of vs but of him The discyples losyd hym lyuyng whom the maister raysed fro dethe For they shold haue reased him dede they shulde haue shewyd more strength then vertue Thus holy churche hath auctorite of her spouse to lose from al maner of synne Saint Austyn saythe that seuenty tymes and seuyn wee be charged to forgyue that is to say to euery man that is repentaunt and asketh foryeuenesse yet may nat euery preest generally do this but in tyme of nede or by auctorite of the pope or of his busshop For right as a maÌ„ hath power to ete and hath nat wherof Soo it is of prestes power all they haue power yet it muste be gyuen theym of their soueraynes whanne where how moche they shall execute Ther may no man chese him a confessoure but the pope aboue without auctorite of him or elles of theym that haue power vnder hym but nedes he muste be shreuyn to his owne curate yet in certen causes by leue of his curat he may As whanne the Curate lacketh discrecion A nother whanne thou chaungest thyn householde art a vagabond or in peryll of deth or whan thou entryst into the see in so greate peryll thou maist also by that confesse the to a lay man and haue foryeuenes And they that thus here the if thou escape muste charge the that thou shewe the same to thyne owne curate Also pilgrames marchauntes and other goers aboute in diuerse countrees in the same wyse ¶ Other causes ther be that thy Curate muste sende the to fore the busshop wherto thou muste nedes obeye And be sorye that thou haste more horribly offendyd god thenne other haue The tokenes of very confession are these The first to shame whan thou shriuest the saith saint Ierom. wexe a shamyd of all the wayes that thou haste goon in syn nat for thy confession but for the fylth of synne that thou shewyst there For nat only oure lord seeth it but also the holy company of heuyn Therfore be ashamed for that maketh the soner to haue mercy of oure lorde Mary mawdeleyn shamed nat to confesse all her synnes in presence of all that were aâ—t the feste Her confession and tearis therfore brought her to blysse The seconde is mekenesse in worde lokynge chere without any sturdynesse as the publycan that thought him self vnworthy to lyfte vp his eyn to heuyn And as poul also obeyed to the callyng of our lord Soo sholdest thou to the byddynge of thy goostly fader and in no wyse tary thy shryfte for these parelles suyng ye that be yet vnshreuyn taketh gode hede vnto this lesson and se what parell ye stonde in The firste is for the vncertaynte of the lyf Scriptur saith that man knoweth nat his ende ne the tyme ne place ne how ne what maner he shall dye and all is for thou sholdest in euery
tyme and place be redy to thy deth A nother is for encreasyng of thy synne For synne that is nat anon done awaye by shryfte he draweth another to him as saith saint Austyne And so as thou encresist thy syn right so thou encresist thy peyne Another is for drede of turnynge ayen For the ferther that thou gost fro god by thy long abydyng in syn the harder it is to the after to turne agayn to thy good lyf And also in grete sekenesse thy peyn is somtyme so grete that thou must natt be very repentaunt It must also be hole nat some to one and some to a nother This is a greate spyce of ypocresye and thus vse moch people And all for they wolde be hold holy and bettre thanne they be Saint bernard sayth that ther is noo confessioun but it be in trouthe of thy mouthe profytable and clenes of thy hert if thou be seke and swete in al partes of thy body it is a token of lyf and if it be particuler it is a token of dethe Right so and thou tell all thy synnes it is token of saluacion as whan criste helyd the man that the gospel speketh of He made him nat half hole but all hole So whenne he foryeueth he foryeueth all or neuir a dele Therfore heeld oute thyne herte to fore thy lorde god as water nat as oyll left the faâ—nes abyde Or as mylke leste the whytnesse appere ne as wyne left the â—auoure abide Thou heldest oute thy hert as oyle that shryuest the of thy small synnes and leuyst the grete the farre within the. Thou heldest oute as mâ—lâ— that by coloure of excusacion makeste thy synnes whyte As adam dyd by the woman and the woman by the serpent Thou beldest it oute also as wyne that after the leuynge of thy synne thou kepyst the sauoure within the therof as whanne thou delytest the in lycherouse wordes or hast ioye to se vanyties or auantyste the of lewdnesse doon to fore and that is a synne that moost greuyth god Therfore held out thyn herte as water that neyther fatnes coloure ne sauour abyde after with al the circumstances As in what maner what place what cause what tyme. what age what state howe moche howe longe why and where and all suche that agree ¶ Thy synne also it must be naked nat made by a messangere ne lettre but with thyne owne mouth ne in gay termys but in suche wyse be it neuir so foull that thy confessoure may knowe thy menyng doo it wylfully as the theef that hynge on the crosse And nat as achor it muste also be feythfull that thou haue full hope of foryeuenes of thy synne by the mercy of god or thou goo thens accusynge thy self and noon other saynge with Iosue and Dauyd I am he that synned I am he that dyd amys nat excusing the by custome felaushyp or frailtye as some doon Do it also in good entent for no vaynglory ne drede of peyne But specially for the offense doon withoute any faynynge For dyuerse causes is confession profytable Firste for the peryll of synne that thy confessoure there shewyth the. Also for the shame that thou hast there in thy coÌ„fession whiche is a greate relece of thy payne A nother for it sheweth in thy coÌ„science a sikernesse of foryeuenes By confession also god is glorifyed and the deuyll confounded For who so vseth ofte tyme to be coÌ„fessed in what temptacion he be He shall nat be ouir coÌ„me with the deuyll Saynte Austyn saith that the oftener that thou arte confessed of thy synne in hope of foryeuenesse the lightliar saith he thou shalt haue grace and foryeuenes of thy synnes Onys a yere it â—â— spedefull to the. to make thy confession generall specially in the poynt of deth and the shame therof shal be there to the a grete parte of thy satisfaccion De satisfaccione ¶ The thridde parte of penaunce as I sayd to fore is satisfaccion This is grounded in the wordes of the prophete that where he sayd to Naman Go and wasshe the seuyn tymes in iordan and thou shal be clensed of that thou haste be defaced with spottes of synne Though it be sokyd with bytter sorowe of thyn hert and clerly rubbed with confession yet must it haue many diuerse rensynges after with satisfaccion tyll â–ª it be so clerly purgyd here or in purgatorye that it may clerely appere after in the sight of oure lorde If thy contricion be greate here thy penaunce may be the lesse there And if it be lytell thy peynes muste nedes bee the greter And soo grete it may be here that it suffiseth to thy saluacion Satisfaccion after diuerse doctoures is a puttyng away of the cause of syn nat takynge hede of their suggestiones It is also an obligacion doon of godâ— werkes to god with mekenesse lowenes of herte after the qualyte quantyte of thy synne ¶ This satisfaccion muste be do wylfully without grudgyng And it muste be plener and generall for euery synne reasonably As pryuy penaunce for pryuy synne open penaunce for opyn synne Thre principall werkys ther be of satisfacion almes prayer and fastynge These thre oure lorde fulfylled in hys passion for redempcion of oure synne Therfore what almes is and howe it sholde be doon I shall tell Almes is a lowynge of thyn hert with a wylfull compassion to them that be in nede and it is a dede of mercy by coÌ„passion of neyghboures myscheyf There be thre maner of almes One is in the contricion of thyn hert for the synne that thou offeryst thy selue with to god A nother by geuyng of bodilye treasoure with thyn honde The thrid in pyte and compassion hauyng of thy neyghboures myscheyf Temporal almes thou maist somtyme yeue of godes vntruly goten That is to say wheÌ„ thou knowest nat to whome thou shalt restore it and yet it muste be doone by counceyll of thy goostly fader and tythe nat of that thou getyst by thyft for some tyme it is chalengyd and theÌ„ne he that delyuered it shall aske it ayen And somtyme it is chaunged shall nat be askyd agayne as whan it turneth nat to the taker bicause they come by thefte or robbrye raueyn symonye or vsuâ—ye And so of theym shall noo almes be gyuen For they must be restored agayn But whanne the hauynge is chaunged and shall nat be asked agayn as gyftes of comen wymen and Iogelers or suche other Thenne shal they be gyuen in almes Also if thou fynde a thynge of any value after tyme thou haste doon thy besynes to wyâ—e duly who owyd it Thou shalt speÌ„d it in almes by counceyll of thy gostlye fader to all that haue nede Also thou shalt gyue thyn almes to gode and badde frende and ennemye if thou be of power Oure lorde sayth yeue to euery man that asketh the turn nat awaye thy face from any pore maÌ„ sayth Toby yet it is saide yeue the gode man and resceyue nat
flame A nother by terys For righte as a fyre dryueth oute moysture fro wete wode Soo deuocion bringeth oute tearys of thyn eyn in prayer ¶ wele is him that hath suche plentye of tearys for he is disposed to grace But there be somme that haue greate plentye of tearys fro daye to daye in prayer deuoutly redynge or spekynge And yet wyll nat leue their synne ne trauayll to withstonde their temptacions ne knowe ne kepe the preceptes of oure lorde Suche teares be nat accepte for due sacrifyce bifore oure lorde If thou be full contryte sayth aldrede and trusteste in the mercy of god confessed and in wyll to do thy penaunce and nat in wyll to turne ageyn to thy synne Thenne saith he suche teares please god and wasshe awaye thy synnes and more turment the deuyll as sayth saynt Bernarde thenne all other kyndes of turmentes may doo Sithen deuocion muste be in euery prayer yet the tyme therof shulde be principally vsed in the tyme of the masse and for foure causes Oone is for the presence of oure lorde god that is there nat onlye by his godhode but also by his manhode that he tooke for the loue of mannys soull The secounde is for the multitude of aungelles that ther been euermore present to yelde worshyp to almyghty god The thrydde is for grete profyt and spede that the body and soull haue by vertue of the sacrament bothe to theym that been present and specially to theym that worthely receyue hym The fourthe is for the wonderfull worshyp that is there yeuen to man that throughe the vertue of wordes sayd of man the presence of oure lorde is hadde and the innumerable nombre of aungelles so many that no tonge can tell ne herte thynke Deuocion also sholde be vsed in tyme of seruyce that thou art bouÌ„d to saye But soÌ„me for vnconnyng say their seruyce the more hastely for theyr pryuy prayer that they haue deuocion to the deuocion is lytell or nought wâ—rth Se nowe therfore how thy soull may be refourmyd and broughte agayn to god Thy soule hath mynde reason wyll mynde for it sholde reste in god reason for thou shold knowe god and wyll for thou sholde loue god But by synne thy mynde is vnstable thy reson blynde and thy wyll croked and all is for thou forsakest thy god ¶ The reformacion therfore of thy mynde is to brynge agayn thy hert that was trauayled with veyn thoughtes by prayer redynge and often thynkynge of god As of his incarnacion passion innumerable benefetys and gracious yeftes Hauyng grete sorowe for thy greate vnkyndnesse that thou alway shewedyst him The reformacion of thy reason is to byleue sadly in the fayth of holy churche Oure lorde for oure greate comforte hath yeuen vs knowlege in scripture where we may fynde all that is necessary spedefull to oure soull he le nat to folowe therin oure naturall wyll But to submytte oure wytte to the rules of feyth after the vnderstondyng of holy doctoures And soo gostly to be clensed by the sacrament of penaunce The reformacion of thy wyll also is to withstoÌ„de vyces with a gode wyll truly and feythfully encreace and abyde in vertues For god without any curiosite of wyll that there be no double desyre ne none affeccion plesynge to the Butt suche as is accordynge with the wyll of god ¶ Thus than coÌ„sidred the worthynesse of thy soull the horroure of thy synne wherwith thy soul is thus wounded Take this salue of penaunce with these thre plasters Contricion coÌ„fession and satisfaccion And bynde them sadly to thy sore with the bondes of hope and drede hope to haue foryeuenes of thy synne hope of grace to lyue well after And hope of glorye withoute ende to reigne perpetually in heuyns blysse Drede also of the peynes of hell if thou dispayre of his mercy For to hym it is propre to haue mercy and to spare Soo that for euery synne as saith saint Austyn ther is an absolucion be it neuir so greate For what myght be greter or worse thenne to sle our lord Iesu Crist right as the iewes dyd yet there were somme of theim after that beleuyd â— now be sauyd Petyr and mary mawdleyn and many other also after they hadde synned they were with the salue of coÌ„tricion maâ—â— hole and nowe be in blys Therfore be thy synnes neuir so many ne so grete dispeyre the nat but say alwey with Dauid Haue mercy on me lord after thy greate mercy Do away lorde my wyckydnesse Man hathe synned saith saint Austyn And crist hath redemyd And so at oure lorde as saith the prophete is mercy and plentuous redempcion And he shall redeme israell from all his wyckednesse Israell is asmoche to saye as he that seeth god He seeth god thenne that lâ—thyth 〈◊〉 synne And by contricoÌ„n and by confession and penaunce doyng is conuerted to him ¶ That ye may thenne thus be conuerted and â—o penance for youre synnes graunte he you and me that dâ—ed for vs on the rode tre Amen ¶ The generall sentence gOde men and wymen I doo you to vnderstonde that we that haue cure of youre soules be commanded of oure ordynaries and by the constituciones and the lawe of holy churche to shewe to you foure tymes by the yere in eche a quarter of the yere onys whan the people is mooste plenary â—â— holy church the articles of the sentence of cursynge So that nought for oure defaut no man ne woman fal therin And if any be therin fallen he may be through the helpe of god almyghtye and all holy churche with shryfte and penaunce makyng good for his syn vp ryse and him amende wherfore I do you to vnderstonde that cursyng is suche a vengeaunce takynge that it departeth a man fro the blysse of heuyn fro housell shryfte and all the sacramentes of holy church betâ—keth him to the deuyll and to the peynes of hell withoute ende but if he haue grace of him to amende But therfore see that no man nor woman say that I curse hem for it longith nat to me but to shew the poyntes and the articles of the sentence of cursynge For I do you well to wy◠¶ who so doth agaynst any of 〈◊〉 poyntes that I shall you shewe he is accursed in the dede doynge of the daye archebusshoppe and busshop and of aâ—â— holy churche And that god almyghtye gyue you grace for to kepe you oute of cursynge Lysten and here and I shall throughe the help of god fader almyghty to you thenne tell and shewe By the auctoryte of god the sonne and the holy goste and his gloryous modre and mayden oure lady saint Mary and the blessed appostelles Petyr and Poule and all the apposteles marters confessoures virgynes and all the halowes of god I â—â—nounce and shewe for accursed al tho that fraunchyse of holy church breke or distrouble or are ayenst the peas or the state of holy chirch or therto asseÌ„t with
SAM PEPYS CAR ET IAC ANGL REGIB A SECRETIS ADMIRALIAE Mens cujusque is est Quisque ¶ The helpe and grace of almighty god thrugh the besechinge of his blessed mo 〈…〉 saynt mary be with vs at oure begynnynge help vs and spede vs here in oure lyuynge and bringe vs vnto the blisse that neuir shalle haue endynge Amen Myn owne simple vnderstondinge I fele wele how it fareth by other that been in the same degree and haue charge of soules and holden to teche their parisshyns of all the principal festys that come in the yere shewynge vnto theym what the hooly saintes suffred and dyd for goddes sake and for his loue So that they sholde haue the more deuocion in good saintes with the bettre wyll come vnto the churche â–ª to serue god and pray his holy saintes of their help But for many excuse theÌ„ for defaute of bokes and also by symplenesse of connynge Therfore in help of suche this tretyse is drawen oute of Legenda aurea that he that lyst to studye therin he shal fynd redy therin of all the principall festes of the yere of echone a shorte sermon nedefull for hiÌ„ to teche and for other to serue And for this treatise speketh of all the high festys of the yere I woll and praye that it be called festiuall the whiche begynneth at the firste sonday of the Aduent in worship of god and all his sayntes that ben wretyn therin ¶ Incipit liber qui vocatur festialis GOde men and wemen this day is called the first sonday in aduent wherfore holy church maketh mencion of the coÌ„mynge of criste goddes sone into this world 〈…〉 maÌ„kinde oute of the deuylles bondage â–ª to bringe all well doers into the blisse that euir shall last And also of his other coÌ„mynge that shall be at the daye of dome whan he shall coÌ„me to deme all wacked doers into the peyne of hel for euir But the firste coÌ„mynge of â—huÌ„ Criste into this worlde brought ioye and blisse with him Therfore holy churche vsed songes of myrth as alleluya and other And for the second coÌ„mynge of criste shall be soo cruell that no tonge may tell Therfore holy churche seyth downe songes of melodye as Te deum Gloria in excelsis â–ª and weddinge For after that daye shall 〈◊〉 be weddinge more in to 〈…〉 ynge of veÌ„geaunce that coÌ„meth after Then after the the first coÌ„myng of crist into this worlde sainte Austyn sayth there been there thinges ryf in this worlde that ben 〈◊〉 the trauayll and deth This is the testamente that Adam oure forme fadre made to all his ofsprynge after him that is to be borne in sekenesse and for to lyue in trauayll and for to dye in drede But criste he came to be oure socoure of this testamente and was borne and trauayled and deyed he was borne to bringe men oute of sekenesse into euirlastinge helthe he trauayled to bryng man to euir lastinge reste he deyed to brynge man to euirlastinge lyf This was the cause of the firste coÌ„mynge of criste into this worlde wherfore h 〈…〉 wyll escape the dome that he shall coÌ„me to in the secounde coÌ„myng he must ley downe all maner of pryde of herte and knowe him selue a wreche of erth and holde meknesse in his hert he must trauayle his body in good werkes and gete truly his lyuelode with trauayll of his body and putte awaye all ydelnesse For he that woll nat trauayl his body in good werkes â–ª as sainte beinÌ„ sayth he shall trauayll euir with fendes in hel and for drede of dâ—th he muste make him euir redy to god whan he woll fende for him that is to say shryue 〈◊〉 â—ene of all his synnes and nat 〈…〉 yere to yere but assone as he 〈…〉 ryse vp and mekely tak◠〈…〉 fadre then shall 〈…〉 come haue gret worship 〈…〉 a knight she wyth his woū◠〈…〉 had in batayll in moche 〈…〉 to him Right so the synnes 〈…〉 hath doon and is shreuyn of 〈…〉 his penaunce shal be moche wâ—â—ship to him and grete coÌ„fusion to 〈…〉 And that he hath nat shryu◠〈◊〉 â—halbe shewyd openly to al the worlde in grete shamâ— to him This is sayd for the firste coÌ„mynge of crist in to this worlde Vnde DnÌ„s veniet ad iudicium· The coÌ„mynge of criste is to the dome Tunc videbunt filium hominis venientem in nubibus cum potestate magna et maiestate And these coÌ„mynges shal be so cruell that fyftene daies afore shall coÌ„me tokens of grete drede So that therby the people may knowe that sone after coÌ„myth the dome Secundum IeronimuÌ„ As Ierom sayth The firste day the water shall ryse vpon the see and it shall be higher than any hyll by xl cubytes The secounde day the see shal fal downe so lowe that vnnethe it may be seâ—â— The thridde daye all the fysshe and bestes in the see shall make suche a crye and a rorynge that no tonge may tell it but god him selue The fourthe daye the see and waters shall brenne· The v day all trees â–ª and herbes shall swete blood and al maner of foules shal coÌ„me to gidder and nother ete nor drynk for drede of the dome that is coÌ„mynge The vi day all grete bildinges castel sys toures steples and houses shal fal downe and brenne tyll the sonne ryse ayen The vii day all stones and rockes shall bete to gydre that eche shall breke other with an horrible noyse whiche shal be herde into heuyn The eyghte day the erthe shall quake so that there may no man stonde theron but shall fall downe The ix day the peple shal goo oute of their dennys goo as they were myndlesse and noone speke to other The tenth day hylles and erth shal be euyn and playn The xi day al graues and tombes shall open and the bodies shall stonde vpon them The tuelthe day sterres shall fall from heuyn shotynge oute brennynge bemys a dredefull signe to see The xiii day they shall deye that beren lyf The xiiii day heuyn and erthe shall brenne The xv day heuyn and erthe shal be made new and all people shal aryse in the age af xxx wynter and coÌ„me to the dome Dominus veniet ad iudicium cum multitudine angelorum ¶ Thenne shall come to the dome our lord Ihesu Criste very god and man wyth his angelis And shewe his wouÌ„dis fresshe bledyng as thaâ— daye he deyed on the crosse wyth all the instrumeÌ„tes of his passion ¶ The spere croune scourges nailes hamer pynsones and the garland of thornes to shewe what he suffred in his passion for mankynd Thenne maye they be sory and ferde that haue sworne by his passion or wouÌ„dis or by ony membre of his body that shall be a grete represse to theym But they amende theym in this worlde or they deye Thenne wyll our lorde gretely thanke theym that haue doo mercy in this worlde for his sake to theyr euyn crysten And
wyll saye thus to theym Venite benedicti patris mei Come ye my faderis blissed children receyue ye the kyngdom of heuen that is ordeyned to you and soo reherse to theym the vii werkes of mercy whan I was hungry ye gaaf me mete Sitiui et dedistis michi bibere whan I was thursty ye gaue me drynke and whan I was herberles ye herbered and soo forth all the werkes off mercy For whan ye gaf ony thynge in my name it was to me Thenne shall our lorde rebuke the riche people that wold not doo for his loue nor forgyue noo trespasse for his sake And saye to theym ¶ Discedite a me maledicti in ignem eternum Goo ye cursed people in to euerlastinge peyne of helle For whan I was a hungred ye gaue me noo mete c. ThaÌ„ maye they be full sory and woo that euer our lorde Ihesu Criste shall thus rebuke theym For ther shall noman of lawe to plete nor for golde nor syluer nor other yeftes to helpe For than shall nother mayster nor lordeshyp helpe but all be sette besyde but right as a man hath done soo shall he haue And ther shall be dyuerse accusers bothe aboue hym and benethe hym and on euery syde aboue hym shall be our lord Ihesu Criste his domes man Iratus est furor domini in populo suo wythout mercy to theym that dede no mercy and so accuse theym of the â—â—st thought that euer was amys On the right syde his angell tellyâ—◠〈◊〉 where whan and how ofte he â—yde amys On that other syde fendes chalengynge hym theyres as by ryght for his wycked dedes Vnder hym â—elle redy if he be founde in synne that daye they shall be peyned and in peyn wythout ende That daye poure people shall â—â—â—te wyth cryste at the dome And done the ryche people for the grete wrongâ—s that they dyde to them and they myghte gete none amendes tyll the daye off dome Thenne they shall haue theyâ— wylle of the ryche people For whan the ryche done the pore wronge they can doo nomore But praye to god to quyte theym at the daye of dome And soo he wyll for god sayth thus Michi vindictâ—m et ego retribuam ¶ Put all to me â–ª and I yelde euery man after his deseruynge Therfore whyle ye ben here make ye amendes for your wyckednesse And maâ—e them youre frendes that shal be your domes men at the day of dome And truste nat to them that shall coÌ„me after you leste ye be begyled And drede the payne of hell that neuir shall haue ende ¶ Narracio ¶ Saint Bede tellith howe there was an husbond man in Englond that fyl seke and ley dede from the euyn tyll on the morowe Thenne he rose and departed his godes in foure parties all his owne parte he gaue to pore meÌ„ and wente and was a monke in an Abbey that was nigh the water syde into the whiche water he went euery nyghte wâ—â—â—n neuir so colde and stode therin longe and suffred grete penaunce And whan he was asked why he dyd so to suffre that grete penaunce he sayde to 〈◊〉 we a greter payn that he had seen â—nd he wolde eâ—e but barly brede drinke water all his lyf after and tolde ii religiouse men the peynes that he hadde seen And they were so grete that he coude nat tell them openly He sayd that an aungell ladde him into a place there that oon syde was so colde that noo tongue myght tell the peyne therof And the other was so hoote that no man myghte tell the peyne therof And soules were caste oute of that one into that other that was a grete payne to them And the aungell shewyd him the fyre that came oute of hell that was so hoote and so ferre as him thought he mighte se it he thought it brente him and in the leaâ—â—e therof he sawe soules boile vp and downe cryenge and waylinge for woâ— Also he herde fendes crye caste out hote â—ede and brymstone to make their peines greter and so they tormentyd the soules in peyne Nowe lorde for thy grete mercy haue mercy on vs and kepe vs fro tho peines and bryng vs to the blis of heuyn that neuir shall haue endyng Amen ¶ Dominica in septuagesima GOod men wymen this daye is called in holy churche the soÌ„day in septuagesme for cause that holy churche is modre of all cristen people she taketh good hede to the children as a good modre oweth to doo and forasmoche as she seeth him full sory sek in synne and many of them wounded to the dethe with the swerde of synne the whiche synne hath caughte all this yere to fore and namely this cristeâ—â—asse tyme that was ordeyned in holy churche for grete solempnyte For euery maÌ„ shulde be besy to serue god with al his power bicause that criste him self shewyd that daye swetnesse of loue to al cristen people For man he was that tyme and in the same flesshe and bloode as one of vs and layde in a cradyl more pourely than any of vs and was cristenyd in water as one of vs And also he came to a weddynge for to clense it from synne and to make vs holy and bretherne to him and heires to the kyngdome of heueyn ¶ For these causes all cristen people owen to be full gladde in their soules as in the tyme makinge solempnite and myrthe and making them bothe clene in body and soule from all maner of synnes And groÌ„dynge them in grete sadnesse of loue to god and to all cristen people doynge greate almes to theym that haue nede ¶ But nowe the more harme is for that high and solempne feste is torned into fylthe synne and grete sekenesse to the soule as pryde by diuerse wyse in clothynge and in many diuerse guyseâ— vsynge into grete couetyse and into lechery that suythe alwaye glotony in slewth in goddes seruyce as â—apes and vanyte syngynge rebaudrye spekynge For vanyte causeth moche slouthe for emonge suche people he is moost worthy that mooste of harlatry can speke Thus these solempne and hygh festys that were ordeyned to grete worshippe of god and of our lady and al the saintes in â—â—uyn now been torned into greate offence to god ¶ wherfore oure mâ—dre holy churche seynge her children in suche dispayre as a moodre full of compassion sory in heâ—â—â— her for theym This day leyeth downe alleluya and other songes of myrth and melody and taketh Tractus that been songes of mornynge Also for this holy sacrament of weddynge is moche defoyled by vanyte of synne Therfore it is leyd downe thesâ— daies and in aduente For many that been nowe wedded yeuyth theym all to luste and lykynge of the bodyes of flesshely luste of this worlde And thinketh full lytell of the dethe that is full greuouse that coÌ„meth so sone after but as it is redde by greate clerkes It is more spedefull to 〈◊〉 soule to 〈…〉 an house there as is a 〈◊〉 and
they myghte not deye in paradyse ne suffre no penaunce ther fore he dâ—of hem naked oute in to this worlde that is full wretched wepynge and waylynge full sore syghynge to goo gete her mete wyth 〈◊〉 laboure and trauaylle and deye at the last Than pâ—aid adam our lorde sore wepyng be shold not take grete vengeauÌ„ce vpon theym but haue merry on theym and pyâ—e for they were begyled by enuy and malyce of the fende and by Innocensie off theym self that they wyste not what they dyde Thenne had our lorde â—uâ—â—e on them for they were bothe naked he clothede theym in pâ—â—â—heâ— badde theym goo laboure and traueyle for theyr lyuynge ¶ And sayd to Eue In dolore paries filios In sorowe and woo thou shalt bere thy chyldren And toke adam instrumeÌ„tes to laboure wyth and lefte them there ¶ By this ye shall vnderstonde take ensample to laboure besely For and Adam and eue had laboured besely the fende had neuer ouercome them For the fende desyreth no more whan he wolde tempte a man but for to fynde hym ydle ¶ And therfore knowe ye well that it is a riche salue agaynste synne for to laboure besyly ¶ The thirde is to chastyse the body discretely Vnde paulus Castigo corpus meum et in seruitutem redigo I shall castyse my body and dresse it in seruyce of soule for mannys flessh is so wylde and so lusty to synne that it wylle not with noo waye leue his luste to serue god but yf it be chastysed with penaunce For it muste be chastysed soÌ„tyme wyth peyne Thus dyde Adam Eue in ensample that all other that shal come after hem shold do the same for many yeres before her dethe eyther off theym stode in water a nyghtes vp to the chyn one ferre from another to suffre penaunce tyll her flesshe was as grene as grasse for colde Thenne com the fende to eue also bryghte as an angell and said that god hath sente hym from heuen and bad her goo to Adam and say that god hadde sent hym from heuyn and badde her go to Adam and saye to hym that god badde hym leue his penaunce for his trespasse was forâ—yue and Eue dyde soo but Adam wyst well that it come from the fende and not from god He sayd to eue whaÌ„ god droue vs oute of paradyse for oure synne and had compassion on vs for we wepte sore on hym and prayed hym mekely of mercy he setted vs here to penaunce to our lyues ende and therfore goo agayn for the more penaunce that we doo the more shal be our mede And therfore goo agayn and do penaunce in goddis name yet the fende come ayen the second tyme and said to eue god of his grace hath take reward to your penaunce that ye suffre hath forgyue you ¶ Thenne went eue to adam and tolde hym soo Thenne said Adam I wote well that he that hath said so to the is our enmye for oure penaunce greueth more hym than vs. he wolde haue vs to leue of and soo to lese oure mede But doo we forth our penaunce to oure lyues ende For god taketh none hede to the begynnynge of a thing but to the endyng yet the fend came ayen the thirde tyme to Eue and said ¶ Goo thou to adam and saye to hym that he began foule and wel fouler wylle ende for fyrste he trespassed by innocencie and disceyte of the fende And nowe he synneth by good delyberacion and wyll Not doo as god byddeth hym wherfore youre trespas is worthy dampnacion ¶ Thenne was eue a ferde and tolde adam soo Thenne Adam siked sore and wepte and sayd to her vnauysed won in god made the of one of my rybbes for to helpe me and comforte me· And nowe by tycinge of the fende thou arte besy to combre me agayn ¶ But thinke howe oure firste synne stanke in the ¶ syght off god that all our ofspryng shall be enfect and haue repreef therof in to the worldis ende wherfore though we might doo also moche penaunce as all our ofspring myght doo· yet it were to lytill to quyte our lorde god for oure trespas But god of his special grace aloweth a good wylle Thenne went eue ayen to her penaunce as Adam bad and than said adam god wylle sende vs the oyle of mercy whaÌ„ tyme of mercy is And soo adam and eue dyde their penaunce to theyr lyues ende ¶ And whaÌ„ Adam had lyued ix hundred yeres And xxx and hadde xxx sones and xxx doughters they deyde and were bothe buried togydere adam and eue Thus ye may see well that adam and eue were full hoolyor they deyed and thoughte on deth full inwardly and laboured full besely chastysed her flesshe full resonably soo muste we doo that come of theym that wylle come to the ioye of paradyse in tokenyng here of this sondaye is called the sonday in septuagesme a noÌ„bre of lxx The whiche nombre begynneth this daye and endeth on ester euyn soo holy chirche is mornyng from this daye tyll ester euyn than she taketh coÌ„forte ayen in partye of one alleluya wyth a tracte for it is not yet in fulle myghte tyll saterday in ester weke the whiche is called Dominica in albis Than she leyeth doun the tracte and grayell and syngeth double alleluya techyng all crysten men to labour and do penaunce truly tyll the saterdaye that is to a mannys lyues ende that is tyll the soule goo to rest yet is not the soule in full rest tyll the sâ—terdaye in albis that is tyll the daye of 〈◊〉 whan the body and the soule shall come togyder and be clothed in albis that is in white seuen tymes whetter than the sonne and than they shalle synge double alleluya that is to say lord make vs saaf in euerlastyng blisse To the whiche brynge vs he that for vs al deyed on the rode tree Amen Dominica ¶ ly â—Ood men and wymmen thâ—s daye is called the sonday in seâ—agesme that is the nombre ofâ— lx the whiche nombre holy chirche techeth euery man and woman to thynke how short our lyf is now in our dayes for somtyme people â—uâ—â—dâ—y â—â—yeres and more And now iii. score oâ— iiii score is a longe lyffâ— But the grace off god and his mercy and goodnesse is so moche that yf we wyll doo our besynes and dyligence to serue god and plese hym he wyll gyue vs asmoche ioye and blysse in heyen as he gaf to adam and eue that lyued soo longe But he that wyll haue ioye and blysse muste doo thre thynges One is he muste â—â—te synne namely and suffre tribulaâ—ioÌ„ mekely And do almys dedes wylfully Than for our dayes ben shoâ—â— we muste the more trybulacion suffre mekely And wyth paciente herte an not grâ—â—chynge and disease cometh of speciall grace For it is remedye for synnes he◠¶ re in this worlde for penaunce oâ— elles for grete encreasing to his Ioye in a nother world wherfore
hym for clerenes Abscondit moyses faciem suā ¶ Thenne moyses hyde his face wyth a kerchiff thenne in that one leef were wryten the thre cōmaundemētes that longen to god and those ben thyse ¶ The first thou shalt worshippe thy god and loue hym aboue all thinge For thou shall directe all maner thynge to goddis wyll byfore thyne owne And sue his and not thyn owne wylle ¶ The seconde cōmaundemente is this Thou shalt not take his name in veyne that is for to saye thou shall not bee called goddis childe as crysten man And s◠fende For thenne that name is to the but vayn ¶ Also thou shall not swere by god Nor by noo parte off his body not by noo thynge that he made but in forderynge of the trouthe And yet whan thou arte constreyned therto ¶ The thirde commaundemente is thou shall kepe thyne holy daye that is for to saye thou shall be erly vp and late downe to serue god on the holy daye as thou arte on the werkedaye to thyne owne werke as besy shall thou be on the hooly daye to serue god ¶ The fourthe commaundemente is thou shall worshippe thy fader and thi moder that brought the in to this worlde Also thy godfader and thy godmoder that made the a crysten man And thy fader vnder god that hath cure and charge of thy soule ¶ The fyfthe is thou shall sle no man nother wyth tonge nor wyth thy honde nor wyth euyll ensample The sixte thou shall stele no mannes godes The vii is thou shalt doo no lechery The viii is thou shall bere noo false wytnesse The nynthe thou shall nat coueyte thy nyghboures godes ne no thing that longeth to him that is his ayenst his wyll The tenthe thou shall nat desire thy neyghboures wyf ne coūseyll her in noo waye to do euyll that sholde be harme or vilonye to her husbonge Thies been the x cōmaundmentes the whiche euery cristen man woman is bonde to kepe Thus was moyses a figure and a token of criste Moyses camme bifore and yaue the lawe and Criste came after and gaaf grace and mercy ¶ For in that same maner as moyses fette the people oute off Egypte thrughe the rede see forth to the hylle of Sinay in the same wyse Crist whan he came by his prechynge and myracles doyng He fette the people out of dernesse of synne and of all euyl lyuyng thorugh the water of baptysme to the hylle of vertuous lyuyng ¶ And therfore he that wyll shryue hym clene And leue his fowle lyuing and kepe the commaundementis of god that he made couenaunte to kepe in his cristning thēne shal he be encreased hygher thā ony hyl in erth that is in heuen But he that wyll do thus he muste be fedde wyth fyue loues two fysshes ¶ we rede this daye in holy chirche in the gospell How Criste fedde fyue thousand people wyth fyue looues and two fysshes The fyrste loff of the fyue is contricion for synne The seconde is shryfte of mouth The thirde is satisfaction for the trespasse ¶ The fourth is not to tourne ayen to his synne For he that is ofte aferde shall doo well The fyfthe is perseueraunce in good lyuynge And the two fysshes ben good orysons and almesdedes For thyse be norysshed in waters that is wepynge teres in deuocion thyse two fysshes geten of god what they wylle ¶ Narracio ¶ It is wreten that somtyme was a man that was called pyers and was a ryche man But he was soo harde that there was noo begger that myght gete 〈◊〉 of hym Thenne on ◠tyme it happed so that many beggers satte to gyder in a place and spake off this Pyers how they myghte gete noo good of hym ¶ Thenne spake one off theym as a mayster and sayde what wylle ye ley wyth me that I shall not gete noo good of hym Soo they made a wager thenne wente this man forth and came to Pyers place and set hym doune in the porche at the halle dore there abode tyll pyers came and anone as he sawe Pyers he spake soo horryble to pyers that for grete angre as his seruauntes came by hym wyth a basket of brede he toke a loof And wyth all his myghte he caste it atte the beggers hede and smote hym on the brest and sayd stoppe thy mouth there wyth that the deuylle stoppe the. And anone the begger caught the loofe and ranne his waye to his felowes and shewed his loof And soo he gate his wager ¶ Thenne the next nyghte after it happed soo that this Pyers was shryuen and brought to his bedde ▪ and soo deyed And anone fendes came to take his soule But thenne was our lady redy and bad them brynge the sowle to her And soo they dyde thenne was there noo thynge to helpe the soule But only that lof that he cast to the begger thenne sayde the fendys he gaaf that ayenste his wylle therfore by ryght it sholde not helpe hym ¶ Thenne wente oure Lady to her sone prayenge hym to graunte the soule to goo to the body ayent to loke yf he ¶ wolde amende 〈◊〉 Thenne our lorde badde vere the soule ayen to the body And whan the soule was wyth the body anone he satte vp and gaaf a great syghynge and called to hym all his seruauntes and tolde hem at how hard a dome he was at And he had be dampned hadde not that lof be that he cast at the begger ¶ Therfore anone he made to selle his good and deled it to poure people fore goddis sake And whan he hadde done soo he made hym selfe an heremyte after was an holy man ¶ Here by ye maye well wyte how grete is almesdede and preyers that made a man so preuy wyth god and soo syker ayenst the dome ¶ For all that haue done almysdede for goddis sake shall bee saued yf they be oute of dedely synne ¶ we fynde that a vowtry that is for a man to take another mannys wyfe or a woman another mā than her husbonde it is a greuous sinne And that ye shall here by ensample ¶ Narracio There was somtyme a man that made charcoles in a wode and whan he had made a grete fyre he leye down therby all nyght and soo aboute mydnyght there came a woman rennynge afore a man on a blacke horse as faste as he myght ryde and hunted her abowte wyth a naked swerde all aboute the fyre And so at last this man slewe this woman and hew her all to peces and cast her in to the fyre and rode ayen wyth all his myght Soo whan this man sawe this done many nyghtes thenne he went to his lord and told hym all this mater Thenne was the lorde a bolde knyght and sai◠I will wyte what all this mente and 〈…〉 thyder the nyght after and fonde it as the man had tolde Thenne the knyght asked the spiryte why he dyde so thenne saide he was suche
noÌ„ oraâ—eÌ„ pro illo nisi vt pro diabolo ¶ If I wyst for trouth that my fader were dampned in to helle I wolde neuer pray for hym but as for the deuyl of hell for there is noo prayer of holy chirche that helpeth a dampned man thenne after thyse orysons the crosse is broughte forth to the whiche all cristeÌ„ people shold worshyp this day in worship of hym that this daye deyed on the crosse And pray our lord to forgyue vs our trespace as Criste prayde to his fader of heuen to foryeue hem that dyde hym on the crosse ¶ Narracio ¶ There was a knight somtyme and that was a grete lorde and he hadde a worthy man vnto his sone And soo it happâ—â— that another knyght and his man fell atte debate and soo this knight â—lewe hym wherfore the fader off this man that was dede gadered a grete multytude of people and pursued that othere knyghte where someuer he wente to haue slayn hym nyghte and daye soo that he myght haue noo reste but euer he dyde flee for fere of his lyf ¶ Thenne it happed on a good friday this knyght sawe all cristen people go to the chirche And he bethoughte hym that Cryste deyed that daye on the crosse for all mankynde and put hym only on the mercy of almyghty god and wente to the chirche wyth other people to serue god and whan he was in the chirche anone this other knyghte hadde worde and come wyth moche peple in to the chirche and his swerde drawen in his honde for to sle hym and whan this other knighte sawe that and wiste well that had trespaced to hym fyll downe to the grouÌ„de wyth his armes sprad abrode as our lord Ihesu Crist spradde his armes on the crosse said ¶ For his loue that this daye spradde his armes on the Crosse and suffred passion and deyed for the and me and all mankynde haue thou mercy on me And forgyue me thy sones dethe ¶ Thenne this knyghte thought it hadde be to horrible a thinge to smyte hym ¶ whyle that he leye soo and cryed hym mercy soo meâ—ely and anone he put vp his swerde and said to him Now for his loue that this daye deyed on the crosse for the â—ne and all mankynde I foryeue the and to ve hym vp and kysâ—â— hym and anone wente to doo worship to the Crosse knelyng And whan this knighte wolde haue kyssed the fete of the crosse the ymage loseth his armes fro the crosse And beclpped the knighte aboute the necke and kyssed hym and spake thus that all the people herde I foryeue the as thou hast foryeuen for the loue off me ¶ And thus all cristen people sholde doo thenne they shold haue mercy and grace of god and blisse euerlastinge Amen ¶ In die paâ—he GOode frendis ye shall knowe well that this daye is called in many places goddis sondai ye knowe well that it is the maner in euery place of worship at this daye to do the fyre out of the alle and the blacke wynter brondis and all thing that is foule wyth smoke shall be doone awaye and there the fyre was shall bee gayly arayed wyth fayre floures and strewed wyth grene risshes all aboute shewyng a gret ensample to all crysteÌ„ people ¶ Lyke as they make clene her houses to the syghte of the peple in the same wyse ye shold clense your soules dâ—yng awaye the fowle brennyng sinne of lechery put all thyse awaye and cast out all thy smoke dust and strewe in your soules floures of feyth charite and thus make youre soules 〈◊〉 to receyue your lord god at the fest of ester Deponentes omneÌ„ maliciaâ— And put awaye all malyâ—e all sorowe for ryght as ye wyll suffâ—e no thinge in your house that stynketh and sauoureth euyll wherwyth ye may bee deceyued Ryght soo Cryst whan he cometh in to your hous of your soules and he fynde there ony stynke of wrathe enuy or ony other dedely synne â–ª hee wyll not abyde there But anone he goth his waye then cometh the fende in and bydeth there thenne may that soule be sory that is so forsakeÌ„ of god and betaken to the fend thus it is wâ—th those that ben in wrathe and enuy or in ony dedely synne and wylle not forgyue to hem that hath trespassed to hem for noo prayer he shall noo forgyuenesse haue for our lorde saith thus Dimittite et dinuttemiâ— Forgyue ye ye shall haue forgyuenesse And therfore euery Crysten man and woman shold serche well her conscience and make hem able to receyue her sauyor Ihesu crist very god maÌ„ ¶ Narracio ¶ There was somtyme an holy bysshop that prayed ofte besely to god that he myght haue grace to see and knowe whiche were worthy to receyue that holy sacramente and come to goddis borde thenne on a tyme as he shold housel the people He sawe some come wyth her faces as rede as blode and blode droppe oute of her mouthâ—â— And some her faces were as blacke as any pitâ—he and some were fayre and redde and lusty to be holde and some as brighte as ony snowe Thenne amonge all other he sawe two comyn wymmen came and their faces shone and bryght as the sonne than had the bysshop grete merueyll of that sight and pâ—eyed to god to gyue hym reuelacion to wyâ—e what all this betokened theÌ„ne ther came to hym an angel said those that haue blody faces and blode droppâ—th out of her mouthis be enuyous peple and wrathfull and wyl not ameÌ„de hem therof and euer they been bacbytyng and slaundrynge her neyghbours And ben euer redy to swere othes therfore her mouthes shall drop blacke blode tyll they come to amendement And those that hauen blacke faces as pytche ben lecherous and wyll not leue her synne and ben grete· synners in many degrees and wyll not amende hem They that haue theyr faces whyte as ony snowe those be they that haue doon greate synne and ben shryuen therof And ben sory for her synnes for the weping of her eyen had wasshed her soules and made hem clene soo they ben in clene lyfe and truly labour for her lyuynge ¶ And those two comyn wymmen that shyne so bryght passyng al other they were gret synners and were sore aferde whan they came to chirche and toke a greate repentaunce in her hertes that they made a vow to god preyeng hym hertely to take noo vengeaunce on hem And they wolde forsake her synne and neuer doo amysse more wherfore god of his grete gracâ— and 〈…〉 â—oâ—gâ—â—ue them her trespas and all her synnes and the sorowe of her hertes hath soo wasshen her soules that they shyne bryghter than all other and thenne the angell wenâ—â— his waye and the bisshop kneled downe and thanked god for his reuelacion and therfore take ensample by thyse two comen wymmen and be sory for your sinnes and repente you in your hertes and purpose neuyr to
tourne ayen to synne and thenne truste vereyly ye shall haue grace mercy and socour to euerlastyng ioye and blysse wherfor thinke for certeyne though ye make it glosyng wyth wordes for to disceyue your goostly fader and saye that ye be in charyte and bee not ye begyle your self and truste truly ye shall not begyle god that seeth euery corner af your hertes ¶ And therfore dysceyue not yoâ—â—e owne soules for the loue of god And be also besy and redy to make your soules clene to the syghte of god as ye ben to make your houses to the syght of man and as ye wolde araye you in your best clothes that ye haue ayenst the comynge of your best frendis soo sholde ye araye you now to receyue your beste frende that is your maker our Lord Ihesu Criste that this tyme suffred passion and dethe to brynge vs to euerlastiÌ„ge lyf ¶ This daye is called also a passyng daye and in especiall for two causes One is for this daye all cristen people in reuerence of god sholde forgyue all theym that haue trespaced to hem and be in parâ—â—â—e loue and charyte to all 〈…〉 sholde be amendyd with the salâ—â— that â—â—â—eth al soâ—â— that is chaâ—â—e Câ—ritus cooperit multitudineÌ„ peccatorum Charite coueryth the multitude of synnes It is also a passinge day For this day shold al goddes châ—ldren passe out of euyll lyuynge into good lyuynge oute of vyces into vertues oute of pryde into mekenesse oute of couetyse in largenesse out of slouthe into holynes oute of enuye into loue and charite ouâ—e of wrathe into mercy oute of glotony into abstinence oute of lechery in to chastite out of the fendes clawes into goddes armes and of his grete enmye make his dere frende And he that passeth thus is worthy to coÌ„me to a good feste the whiche oure lorde Iesu maketh this daye to all the people It is called also goddes sonday For this day goddys sone rose from deth to lyue and so gladdeth all his seruauntes with hys vp rysinge wherfore all holy churche maketh myrthe and melody this daye and singeth thus Hec est dies quam fecit dominus exultemus et letemur iÌ„ ea This is the daye that oure lorde made ioye we and gladde we in that with al oure bertes for the fadre of heuyn with all his aungellyâ— maketh so grete melody of the vprysynge of his sone that he maâ— to daye a passinge grete fest and byâ—â—â—th all cristen people thertâ— aswell those that ben in heuyn as thâ—se that been in erthe and they shall be full welcome that coÌ„me to this feeste 〈…〉 that is a gâ—de clothynge that is in loue and charite And also euyll shal those be that shal coÌ„me in the fendes leuerye clothed in wrathâ— and enuye For as the gospell telleth these shall be caste in pryson of hell And thenne while other laughe and maâ—e mery they shall wepe and be sory and whâ—le some ete and drynâ— at goddes borde they shall grynne wythe their teeth and saye Ve ve ve quante suÌ„t tenebre wo. wo. wo. many derknesse been here For they shall thynk that they may fele the derknesse it is so derke and the peynes of hell shal be so hard for wormes shall gnawe them for they ete her eyen cristen here in this lif in erth with false baâ—bytynge and sâ—laundrynge ¶ wherfore I charge you in goddes name that noon of you coÌ„me thus to goddes borde but if ye be in parfyte loue and charite and be clene shreuyn and in full purpose to leue your synnes For and I wyst in certayn whiche were oute of charite and in dedely synne I must by the lawe of holy churche with a loude voyce say thus to theym in audience of all the people I gyf the nat thy housyll to thy saluacion bâ—â—â—e to thy dampnacion tyll thou coÌ„me to amendmente And therfore euery cristen man and woman sholde serche wel his conscience and make him able to reâ—â—â—ue his sauyour Iesu criste to the heâ—â—â—e of his soule that she may coÌ„me after this fynall lyf to euirlustinge ioye Amen gOode frendes theâ—e thre daies that is to saye Monday Tuysday and and wenesdaye ye shall faste and go in procession man woman and seruantes for al we be synners and haue nede to pray to god for helpe grace and mercy for they may nat excuse therin fro the procession that may laâ—fully be there Than he that withdraweth him self fro the coÌ„maundment of holy churche wylfully he synneth full greuouslye Firste he synneth in pryde for he is vnbuâ—um Also he synneth in slouthe that knoweth him selue in synne and wyll nat do his diligence to coÌ„me out therof right as he withdrawyth him fro peple that be gadred to serue god Right so wyll god putt him from all the company of heuyn and from all the prayers that be doon in holy churche tyll he come to amendement Therfore all cristen people come only to gidder pray these thre daies to all the sayntes in heuyn to pray to god for vs For we haue synned many tymes in the yere ayeÌ„ste the coÌ„maundment of god And therfore these thre daies we shall faste and pray to god of mercy and remission of oure synnes and put awaye al the power of the fende and kepe vs from al myscheuous peryl and dredys that fal this tyme of the yere more than any other tyme For in this tyme many grete thundres and lightnynge and as Lyncolnyence saith Ther were fendes that fleteryn in the ayr for fere of the blast of thundrynge whan that criste coÌ„me to hell gates whan he dispoyled hell And so yet whanne they here the thunder in the ayre they been so agast therof that they fallen downe and then go they nat vp ayen tyll they haue don some cursed dedes For than they 〈…〉 tempestes in the see and drawe downe shippes and make debate emonge the people and make one to slee a nother and tende fyre and brenne houses and drawe downe steples and trees and cause wymmen to ouirlye their children and make people to hange theym selue and drowne them self in wanhope and in dispayre and do many cursed dedys And for to putte awaye all suche myscheuys the power of the fende Holy church hathe ordeyned that al cristen peple shal faste and goo in processioun these thre daies and pray to god and to oure lady and to all the saintes of heuyn of helpe and socoure ¶ wherfore in these processiones belles be ronge baners be spleyed the crosse coÌ„myth after the people suyth after For right as a kinge whanne he goth to a battayl his troÌ„pettes goon to fore Thenne the baners and thenne coÌ„meth the king and his oft folowynge So in this processioun the bellys been goddes trompettes the baners coÌ„me after Thenne coÌ„meth the croce in cristes lyknesse as kinge of cristen people and all sewe him and with her good prayers chace awaye the fendys that they
masse and had made the fraction he sawe the blood droppe fro the oste in the chalyce Thenne he made a signe vnto theym that beleuyd natt to coÌ„me nere him and to see And whan they sawe his fyngers blody the blode ran from the oste into the chalyce anoon for grete fere they cryed sayd O thou blessed man that hast this grace to holde cristes body in thy hondes that droppeth blood in the chalice we beleue verily therupon and we beseche the verily to pray to him for vs that thou haste in thy hondes that he take no vengeaunce on vs for oure misbileue and we cry mekely mercy And anon the ost turnyd into the fourme of brede as it was bifore And thenne they were parfyte men of bileue euir after A nother skyll is that the sacrament is made in the aulter to make a man by often syght therof the soner haue mynde on cristes passion and to haue it in mynde for it is the beste defence ayenst the teÌ„ptacion of the fende For sainte Austyne sayth the mynde of cristes passion putteth awaye all temptaciones the power of all wycked spirites And for this cause rodes and ymages been sett on hye in the churches for as sone as a man coÌ„meth into the churche he sholde se it and haue it in his mynde and thinke on cristes passion wherfore croces other ymages be ful necessary nedefull what someuir these lollers saye For and it had nat be full profytable holy faders wold haue distroyed them many yeres a goon For right as the people do worshippe to the kinges seall nat for loue of the seale but for reuereÌ„ce of the kinge that it coÌ„meth fro Soo rodes and ymages be sette for the kynges seal of heuyn and other saintes in the same wise For ymages been lewed people bokes And as Iohn Bellet sayeth ther been many thousandes of peo that can nat ymagine in their hertes howe criste was don on the crosse but as they se by ymages in the churches and in other places there as they been And for to haue the bettre mynde of cristes passion I shall tell you this ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was a cristen man of EngloÌ„de that went into the holy londe and 〈…〉 red an hethen man to be his guide and as he caÌ„me vnto a faire forest and sawe many faire thinges â–ª but this cristened man maruayled gretly that herd no noys of birdes therof he had gret meruayll and saide to this hethen man I meruayll moche that there is no songe of birdes in this wode Then sayd this hethen man This is the weke that ye call passion weke that your greate prophete dyed in wherfore on sonday ytâ—aâ—te was that ye call palme sonday all the foules of this wode dyed for sorowe all this weke shall lye as dede But on sonday nexte coÌ„mynge that ye call esterday they quycken ayen all the yere after they make melody whrefore 〈◊〉 vp in to the trees and see and thenne he sawe euery bowe of the trees lye full of byrdes as flatte as they had be sprede on the crosse ¶ Thenne sithe byrdes haue mynde of cristes passion and make suche mornynge and sorowe Moche more cause hath mankynde that was broughte from euirlastinge dampnacion to euirlasting saluacion by his passion ¶ The thridde cause is why the sacrament is vsed in the alter For a maÌ„ sholde by the sight therof thynke on oure lorde Iesu criste fader of heuyn that hathe but one sone that he louyth passing all thynge but he spared nat to sende him downe into this worlde to suffrer passion and deth to shede his precious blode for mankynde to bye him out of the fendes bondes and to wryte a charter with his owne preciouse blood of fredome for euirmore to all mankynd So that a man forfayte nat his charter by dedely synne But he that louyth god wyll kepe his charter for god asketh a man but loue wher he sayth thê° Da michi cor tuuÌ„ et sufficit michi et cetera Sone gyue me thy herte and it is enoughe for me Thenne take hede of this ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was an erle of venys that was called sir Ambright that louyd the sacrament in the Auter passinge well dyd it all the worshippe and reuerence that he coude and myght So whanne he leye seke and shold be dede he might nat resceyue the sacramente for castinge thenne was he sory and made dole and thenne he lete make clene his right side and to couer it with a fayre clothe of fendyll and leyde goddes body theren and sayd thus to the oste Lorde thou knowest that I loue the with all my herte and wolde fayn resceyue the with my mouthe and I durst And for I may nat I lay the on that place that is nexte to myn herte and so I shewe the all the loue of myn herte that I can or maye wherfore I besech the good lorde haue mercy on me and euyn therwith in sight of all the peple that were aboute him his syde openyd and the oste wente in there to his syde thenne it closed ayen and so anoon after he dyed and departyd oute of this worlde ¶ Soo lete vs loue the sacramente in oure lyf and doo it reuerence â–ª and worshyp and thenne at oure laste ende whanne we shall dye and passe oute of this worlde it woll socour vs and bringe vs to euirlastinge blisse Thus the sacramente is vsed for grete mede gettynge to all that beleue therin For though it haue the lykenesse of brede and the taste it is flesshe and semyth brede it is quycke and semyth dede ye must byleue verily that it is goddes blessed body that tooke flesshe and blood of the virgyn mary and after died on the crosse and rose fro deth to lyue and styed vp into heuyn and nowe sytteth on his faders right honde shall coÌ„me ayen at the day of dome to deme the quycke and the dede And he that resceyueth it here and beleuyth verilye theruppon shall haue euirlastinge lyf in the kyngdom of heuyn as the gospel sayth Qui manducat hunc paneÌ„ viuet in eternum who so etyth of this brede shall lyue euyr and neuir be dede And he that resceyueth it and beleueth nat thus Reus erit in iudicio At the daye of dome he shall be dampned into euirlastinge peyne Augustinus iÌ„ persona cristi Manducas me non mutabis me inte sed tu mutaberis in me Saint Austyn sayth in the persone of criste Ete me but I shal nat turne and chaunge into the but thou shal turne chaunge into me ¶ we rede that ther was a iewe that wente with a cristen man a felowe of his into a churche of cristen people and herde masse Et post missam dixit Iudeus And after masse sayde the Iewe thus Si ego tantum edissem quaÌ„tuÌ„ comedisti non esuriem vt puto in tribus
diebus ¶ If I hadde eten asmoche as thou haste eten I sholde nat be a hungred as I trowe in thre daies And then said the cristen man to the iewe Vere nichil comedi Forsothe saide the cristen man to the iewe I ete no maner mete this daye TheÌ„ne saide the iewe Ego vidi te comedere puerum pulcerimum qualem sacerdos eleuauit ad altare I sawe the ete a child the which the preste helde vp at the aulter Et tunc venit pulcerimus homo habeÌ„s multos pueros iÌ„ gremio suo Thenne caÌ„me there a faire man that had many children in his lappe Et dedit vnicuique vestruÌ„ vnnÌ„ puerum taleÌ„ qualem sacerdos comedit And he gaue eche cristen man a childe suche as the preest ete yet to sharp youre bileue the more to this hooly sacrament I shewe you this ensample ¶ we rede in sainte Gregoryes tyme. There was a woman that hight Lacyna and she made brede for the pope other prestes to singe with for to housell with the peple Also the pope caÌ„me to this woman with her housel sayd take here goddes body Thenne this woman smyled and laughed Thenne the pope withdrewe his honde and laid the oste vpon the Aulter and turned to this woman Lacyua and sayd to her why smylest thou whan thou sholdest resceiue cristes body And she sayd why callest thou that cristes body that I made with myn owne hondes Thenne was gregory the pope sory for her misbeleue bad all the people pray to god to shewe some myracle for this womannys helpe And whanne they hadde prayed longe Gregory went to the autre ayen and founde thoste turnyd into rede flesshe and bloode bledynge and he shewyd it to this woman Thenne she cryed and sayd Nowe lorde I crye the mercy I byleue that thou art very god and man and goddes sone of heuyn in fourme of brede Thenne badde Gregory the people to pray agayn that it sholde turne ayen to bredes lykenesse and it dyd and with the same ofte he housled this woman Lacyua ¶ And therfore lete vs doo all the worshyp that we may to the sacrameÌ„te be nat in mysbeleue ¶ Also we fynde that in Deuonshyre beside exbridge was a woman ley seke and was nygh dede and sente after a holy persone aboute mydnyght to haue her rightes Thenne this man in all haste that he myght arose and went to the churche and toke goddes body in a boxe of yuery and put it into his bosome and went forth toward this womaÌ„ And as he went through a foreste in a fayre mede that was his next way It happed that his boxe fell oute of his bosome to the grounde And he wente forth and wyst it nat and caÌ„me to this woman and herde her confession And then he asked her if she wold be housted she said ye syre theÌ„ne he put his hoÌ„de in his bosom sought the boxe whaÌ„ he founde it not he was full sory and sadde and sayd dame I wyl goo after goddis body and come anone ayen to you and soo went forth sore wepynge for his symplenesse and soo as he com to a welow tree he made ther of a rode stryped hym self naked bete hym self that the blode ranne doune by his sydes and said thus to hym self O thou symple man why hast thou loste thy lord god thy maker thy saucour creature And whan he had thus beten him self he dyd on his clothes and wente forth And thenne he was ware of a pyâ—ar of fyre that lasted from erthe to â—â—uen and he was all astonyed therof yâ—â—he blessed hym and wente therto there lay the sacrament fallen oute off the boxe to the grasse and the pylour shone as bryght as ony sonne and lasted from goddis body to heuen And all the â—estis of the foreste were come aboute goddis body and stode in compasse rounde aboute it and all kneled on iiii knees saue on blacke horse that kneled but on that one knee thenne saide he yf thou be ony best that may speke I charge the in goddis name here present in fourme of brede tel me why thou knelest but on thy one knee Thenne said he I am a fende of helle and wyll not knele and I myghte but I am made ayenst my wyll For it is writon that euery knelyng of heuen of erthe shall be to the worshyp to the lord god why art thou lyke an horse he said to make the people to stele me at suche a towne was on haÌ„ged for me at suche a toune a nother Thenne sayd this holy person I commaunde the by goddis flesshe and his blode that thou goo in to wyldernesse and be there as thou shalt neuer dysease crysten people more And anone he wente his waye he myght noo lenger abyde And theÌ„ne this man went forth to this woman and dyde her ryghtes By the whiche she was saued and went to euerlastyng saluacion To the whiche brynge vs to he that for vs shed his blode vpon the rode tree Amen De festo sciÌ„ Andree appostoli GOod men wymmen suche a daye ye shall haue saynt andrewis daye and ye shall fast the euen and come to god and to al holy chirche and worship this holy saynt that daye for iii specyall vertues One is for his greate holynesse in his doynge The seconde for his good lyuyng The thirde for his greate passyon suffryng ¶ He was a man of holy lyuyng for whan he vnderstode and herde of saynt Iohan the Baptist that he was preching in deserte Anone he lefte all his worldly occupacion and wente to hym and was his diciple and soo after on a daye as cryst come walkynge by the way saint iohaÌ„ baptist sawe hym walking he said to his disciyples Ecce agnus dei qui tollit peccata mundi ¶ See the lambe of god that shal do awaye the synne of al the worlde And whan Saynt Andrewe herde that anone he leete saynt Iohan baptiste and sewed Criste And whanne he herde criste preche It pleased him so well that anon he weÌ„t and fett Petyr his broder to here cryste preche Thenne they caste grete loue to god and sone after as they wer in the see of galile fisshinge criste caÌ„me and called them and anon they left fysshiÌ„ge shyppe nette and all that they had and sued crist euir after were wyth him tyll he styed vp to heuyn ¶ Narracio ¶ Thenne after that saint Andrewe prechyd amonge the people then on a day as he prechyd It happed soo there was a man emong the peple that was called nycoll that hadde lyued many wynters in lechery but yet by the grace of god he thoughte to amende his lyue And whanne he herde that the word of god was of so grete vertue that it sholde putte awaye all temptaciones of synne he lete write a gospell and bare with him whersoeuir he weÌ„t with the vertue therof he
absteyned him selue fro synne But yet on a daye by teÌ„ptacion of the fende he forgate him self and went agayn to a brodellys house as he was vsed to do bifore And whaÌ„ he caÌ„me thidre and the wymen lokyd vpon him they cryed oute on him and sayde O thou old sely man what dost thou here go home ayen For we se soo many maruayles on the that we maye nat haue to doo with the. Thenne this nycoll bethought him that he had the gospell vpon him and anoon he went to saint Andrewe and tolde him all the caas prayed sainte Andrewe to pray for him that his soule might be sauyd Thenne saint Andrewe wolde neuir ete nor drynke tyll he wyste whether nicoll sholde be sauyd or no Then saint Andrewe fastyd fyue daies brede and water and praied besily night and day Thenne caÌ„me a voyce sayd As thou haste fastyd and prayed make Nycol to do the same and thenne he shal be saued TheÌ„ne saint Andrewe bad nycol faste fyue daies brede water praye besily vnto god and so he dyd And thenne come a voyce to saint Andrewe agayn and sayd Thy prayers and thy fastinge hath made Nycoll that was loste founde ayen and he shal be saued ¶ Narracio ¶ Also a nother myracle that 〈…〉 yonge man come to sainte Andrewe in a tyme and saide priuely to him Sir my modre hath be longe aboute me â— I sholde lye with her and for I wold nat doo her wyll she hath accused me to the busshop and sayâ—â— that I wolde haue doon that sinfull dede with her wherfore I wote well that I shall be dede and yet I hadde leuyt dye â—e sclaundre my modre so foule therfore I beseke you pray for me that I may take my deth pacieÌ„tly to the saluacion of my soule Thenne sayd sainte Andrewe go forth to thy dome and I shal go with the. and so therwith the peple come and feâ—e him bifore the busshoppe And whanne his modre accused hym He saide noo thinge but helde his peas â–ª Thenne saide saint Andrewe InnoceÌ„s saÌ„guis enis sure causa dampnabitur This cursed woman for lust of her body wrongfully is aboute to dampne her own childe to deth vengeaunce wil come to the thenne sayd she loo syre iustice euer syth that he myght not haue his wyll he hathe drawen to this man for counseyll â— socour Thenne the Iustyce commaunded to cast this yonge man in to the water to drowne hym and to put saint andrewe in pryson tyll he were aduysed what deth he sholde deye Thenne saynt andrew prayed besely vnto god for helpe and socour And thenne anone come a grete thondre and made all the people so aferde that they were feyne to fette saynt andrewe oute of the pryson And euyn therwyth come a lyghtenyng of fyre brenned the moder of the yonge man in syght of all the people ¶ And thus was this man saued and the iustice by this grete myracle tourned to the cristen feyth and moche people wyth him and euer after belyued in god saynte andrewe Therby ye may see that he was holy in lyuyng Also he was gret in miracles wyrchyng for oon day as he went by the see syde he saw a drowned man caste oute of the water theÌ„ne andrewe prayed to god to rere hym ayen to lyfe and anone this man rose thenne andrew asked hym where that he was drowned and he sayd we were x. men to gyder and herde of an holy man that hyght andrew and we were commyng to here his preching And as we were in the see there come a gret tempest and drowned vs all to gyder But wolde god that we had be cast to londe togyder that we myght haue be reysed to lyfe to gyder ayen Thenne saynt andrewe prayed god that al the bodyes myghte come togyder and soo they dyde and were cast vp in dyuerse contreys Thenne saynt Andrewe made and ordeyned to gader theym all to gyder Thenne he kneled downe and prayed god longe for theym tyll they were reysed all to lyfe Thenne saint andrewe made them all to knele doune and thanked god and preched them and taught theym the crysten feyth crystened theym all And whan they were stedfaste in the feith he sent them home to her owne countrey wyth moche ioye to theym And many other myracles he dyde that were to longe to tel thus ye maye see that he was myghty in myracles werkynge that reysed soo many men to lyfe Also he suffred grete passion for cristis sake For whan he was in the cyte of pateas there he tourned to the feyth the wyfe of egeas And this egeas was a grete man and made moche people to doo sacrifyce offryng to mawmentis But for saint andrewe repreued hym therof Anone he made to take hym and wolde haue made hym to doo sacryfyce but he wolde not and stedfastely bode ayenste hym and preued by many ensamples by cause that he and all the people sholde worshyppe god and not the fendes of helle Thenne was Egeas wode for wrothe And made men to take Andrewe and strype hym naked and bete hym with scourges that al his body ranne on blode ¶ And thenne made to bynde hym honde and fote and made to doo him ¶ on a Crosse For he shold peyne theron longe or he deyed But whan andrewe come to the place there the cros was he kneled doune and said thus Salue crux qui in corpore cristi dedicata es Holy be thou crosse that arte halowed and made holy by the precious body of our lord Ihesu criste I desyre to clyppe the to me wherfore take me to the. For I yelde me to my mayster ihesu criste that dyed on the crosse And thenne Andrewe stode vp and dyde off his clothes and gaue them to the tourmentours and bad theym doo as they were charged to doo of the Iustice Thenne they bounde hym to the crosse honde and fote and his hede downewardis And streyned hym Soo that the blode brast oute atte euery knot of the ropes and soo he henge there thre dayes alyue prechyng to the people soo there come to the prechynge many thousandes of people· and for pyte that they hadde of hym they bad Egeas take hym doune or they wolde sle hym Thenne for fere of the people Egeas come to take hym doune Thenne saint andrew ayenst stode hym sayd Quid tu venisti ad me egeas ¶ what comest thou to me Egeas wyte thou well that thou shalt haue noo myght to take me doune For on this crosse wyll I deye and euyn therwith Hiis enim dictis splendor niuis circuiens eum quasi per mediam horam A grete lyghte come aboute hym that there noo man myght see hym in space of halfe an houre and more Thenne sayd saynt andrewe Obsecro te dnÌ„e miserere mei I beseke the lord haue mercy on me â— so in that lyght he gaaf vp the
into pryson thenne he wepte sore And with that hee fyll aslepe and whanne he awoke he was in his faders churche ¶ De concepcione beate marie virginis gOode men and wymen suche a daye ye shall haue the Concepcion of oure lady the whiche day feste holy churche maketh mynde meÌ„cion of the conception of oure lady for thre speciall causes The firste is for her fader holynesse The secounde for her moders godnesse And the thrid for her mekenesse She hadde a fader that was called Ioachim that was so holy a man that whan he was but xv yere of age he departed all his godes in to thre partes And one parte he dealed to wydowes and to faderlesse children The secounde parte he gaue to pore nedy The thridde parte he kepte to him selue and to his householde And whan he was xxxii yere of age for the grete godenesse of anne he weddyd her And whan they were wedded they were to gydder xxii yere In the whiche tyme. anne neuir displeased him with no maner thinge nother night nor daye For she was so gentyll to him and they were bothe good and holy yet god sente theym no frute of their bodies but were barrâ—yn wherfore they made a vowe to god that if he wolde sende theim a childe they wold offre it vnto him vp to the temple for to serue god both nyghte and daye ¶ Thenne on a daye as Ioachim wente with his nyghboures to the temple to doo his offrynges The busshop that highte Isachar rebuked him openly bifore all the people said Ioachym it falleth nat for the that art barrayne and hast no frute to do offriÌ„ges with other people that god hath seÌ„te frute in Ierusalem Thenne was ioachim sore dismayde and astonyed with this rebuke Thenne he went hoome wepynge and tooke his shepeherd preuely with his shepe and wente forth in to a ferre countrey amonge monteyns and hylles and purposed to haue ben there all his lyf and neuir more to coÌ„me home to Anne his wyf ¶ Than whanne Ioachim was gon Anne was sory and prayed to god and said Lorde that me is woo I am barreyne and I may haue no frute And nowe more ouir my husbonde is gone away from me and I know nat whether he is gone Lorde haue mercy on me TheÌ„ne as she prayed thus an aungell coÌ„me doune and comforted her and saide Anne be of good comforte for thou shalt haue a childe in thyn olde age there was neuir noon suche ne neuir shal be ¶ Thenne was Anne aferd of this angellys wordes and of the sight of hym and laye alwaye in her prayers as she hadde be dede Thenne went the same aungell to Ioachim saide these wordes and badde Ioachim take a lambe and offre it in sacrifice to god and soo he dyd whan he had don so fro mydday to euensong tyme he ley on the groÌ„de in his prayers thankynge god with al his hert TheÌ„ne on the morow as the aungell badde he wente homwarde to anne his wyf with his shepe whan he caÌ„me nygh home the aungell caÌ„me to anne and badde her goo to the yate that was called the golden yate and abyde her husbonde there tyll he coÌ„me Thenne was she glad toke 〈◊〉 maydynes with her and went to the gate there she mette with Ioachim and said Lord I thanke for I was a wedowe now I am a wyf I was barrayn and nowe I shall bere a childe I was wo and wepinge and nowe I shall be in ioye likynge And soone after anne conceyued oure lady and whan she was borne she was called Mary as the auÌ„gell badde bifore Thanne after that she was wenyd she was brought to the teÌ„ple and lefte there emong other virgynes to serue god bothe nyght and day Thenne was she so meke emonge all other virgynes in all her lyuynge that all virgynes called her quene of virgynes Soo she is mekest of al the saintes that be in heuyn and moost redyest to helpe all theym that call to her in any nede ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede in holy wrytte a myracle of oure lady There was a lordes man that hadde gadred moche good of his lordes for he was his 〈◊〉 gadred went to bere it to his lothe Thenne was ther theuys that sette for to robbe hym â–ª by the waye in the wode there as he muste nedes goo through Soo whanne be come into the wode he bethoughte hym that he hadde not saide our lady saulter as he was wonte to do and he knelyd doune and began to saye Then come our lady lyke a fair mayden and set a garlonde on his hede and at eche Aue maria she sette a rose in the garlond that was soo brighte that all the woode shone therof and whan he had done he kyssed the erthe and wente his waye Thenne come the theues and toke hym and ladde hym to her mayster the whiche had seen all thyse doynges Thenne sayd to hym what woman was that that set the garlonde on the hede and he sayd syre for sothe I see ne woman ne garlonde thenne sayde the mayster thefe I wote well thou arte a lordys man and hast moche good wyth the But I wolde fayn wyte what womaÌ„ that it was that come to the. and why thou knelest downe And he sayd whaÌ„ I see you I was aferde And also I bethoughte me that I hadde not sayde oure lady faulter and kneled doune to say it prayng our lady to helpe me at my nede Thenne sayd he for her loue goo thy waye and praye to her for vs And soo he went his waye sauf and founde by helpe and socour of our dere lady ¶ But now ye shall here how this fest was first founde There was a kynge in Englonde that hyght wyllyam conquerour he sente thabbot off Ramsey to the kynge of denmarke on his message And whan he come in to the see there come a tempest and a derkenesse that he and all that were wyth hym wende to haue be drowned And euery man prayed besely vnto god to our lady for socour and helpe And other dyuerse sayntes and this abbot prâ—yed to god and to our lady full deuoutly Thenne come to theym a fayr woman and sayd to theym yf ye wyl haue the concepcioÌ„ of our lady in worshyp that is ii daye after saynt nycolas day she wyll be redy to helpe â— socour you at this tyme. And thenne this abbot sayd ye wyth good wyll I wyst what shold be the seruyce off of the fest Thenne sayde she the same that is in my Natiuyte â—auâ— torne the natyuite in to my concepcion and thabbot said it shold be done with full good wyll Thenne anone the teÌ„peste ceased and all was well And they sayled forth and thabbot dyd his message and come ayen sauf and souÌ„de and spedde well in euery degre and whan he come home he tolde the kyng this vision the kyng made hym preche it in
towarde Rome TheÌ„ saide Vaspasian I am gladde therof for I haue herd say that there be many grete leches in that countre wherfore I wolde well that thou coudest hele me and if thou doo nat hele me thou shall be dede Then aunsweryd he and said I am no leche my selue but he that he lyth all seke and reyseth the dede to lyue he may hele the and if it be his wyl who is that saide Vaspasian Sir said he iesu of Nazereth that the Iewes slewe And if thou wyl beleue in him thou shalte haue all that thou wyll desyre and be hole Then said vaspasian I beleue verily as thou saifte that he maye hele me that reyseth men from dethe to lyf and anon with that worde he was hole then was he gladde that he was hole Then anoon he sente a man to the Emperoure of Rome and gate licenâ—e and leue to distroye the cyte of Ierusalem And he gadred a grete multitude of people and Tytus that was his oune sone with him and wente to Ierusalem Thenne in the mene whyle that he besegyd the cyte the emperour dyed thenne he was chosen Emperoure and turned ayen to Rome and lefte Tytus his sone there to distroye the cyte Then tytus laye so sore to the cyte that he 〈◊〉 famysshed theym In somoche that they ete their shone and their botes and the fader tooke mete fro the sone and the sone from the fader and either toke it from others mouth the husbond fro the wyf the wyf fro the husbonde TheÌ„ emonge all other there was a woman of grete birthe and was come of gentyll bloodde and haddde a yonge childe and for hungre she sayd My dere child I haue suffred more peyne for the thaÌ„ than euyr thou dedyste for me wherfore it is more reason that I ease my hungre on the thanne though I dyed and thou also so toke her childe and slewe it and rosiyd halue of it and kepte half tyll on the morowe And so as the flesshe rosiyd the sauour went into the cytee â–ª And whanne the people felte the sauoure they wened there hadde be pleÌ„tye of mete and come to haue had part And theÌ„ne this woman wold haue hid it but they saide they wolde see whatt mete she hadde and thenne she brought it forthe and shewyd it and sayd Loo here I haue rosiyd myn owne childe here is the other half ayenst to morowe Thenne the people were agreuyd therof and all amased of that sight weÌ„t sorth leuynge the woman etyng of her child Thenne hungre encreased so gretely that there dyed within the cytee so thicke that they caste the bodies ouir the walles oute of the cyte into dyches and so fylled the dyches full of dede bodyes and the stynche smote forthe into the countre and enfectyd the people gretly ¶ Thenne so at the laste greate â—ede made theym to yelde vp the cytee Thenne Tytus went in with his oste and right as the iewes solde criste for xxx pens Soo in lyke wyse he solde xxx iewes for one peny and turned the cyte vp syde downe In somoche that they lefte nat a stone stondyng vpon an other But distroied it to the vttermost parte Lo thus may ye see thoughe god almyghtye abyde and suffre longe he smyteth sore at the last and taketh greate vengeaunce on theym that be lusty to shedde cristen mennes blode ¶ wherfore euery cristen man and woman amende him selue praynge to this holy appostyll to be mediatoure bitwene god and theym that they may haue veâ—y repentaunce in theire hertes here with shryfte of mouthe and satisfactyon in dede doyng that we may coÌ„me to the blisse that neuir shall haue ending Amen De inuencione sancte crucis gOode frendes suche a daye ye shall haue the Inuencion of the holy crosse But ye shall nat faste the euyn but coÌ„me to god and to holye churche as cristen people shulde doo in worshyp of him that dyed on the crosse Thenne ye shall vnderstond why it is called thus Inuencio sancte crucis The fyndyng of the holy crose the whiche was founde in this wyse as I shal tell you whan Adam oure firste fad was seke for age and wolde fayne haf be oute of this worlde Adam sent Seeth his sone to the aungell of paradise praynge the aungell to sende hym the oyll of mercy to anoynte his bodye therwith whan he were dede Thenne wente Seeth to paradise and saide his message to the aungell Then aunswered the aungell and saide that he myghte nat haue it tyll the yeres be fulfilled But haue this branche of the tree that thy fader synned in and sette it on his graue and whanne it berythe frute thenne shall he haue mercy and not erst Thenne toke sech this braunche and come home and founde his fader dede Thenne he sette this braunche on his faders graue as the aungell badde him doo the whiche branche growyd there tyll Salamon was kinge and he made to fel it downe for it was faire to the werke of the temple butt it wolde nat accorde with the werk of his temple Salamon made to caste it doune to the erthe And was hydde there Vnto the tyme. that the busshoppe of the temple lete make a wayre in the same place there as the tree laye to wasshe in shepe that were offred to the temple Then whanne this wayre was made they called it in their langage Probatica piscina To the water come an aungell certeyn tymes fro heuyn and dyd warshippe to the tree that laye in the grounde of the wayre and meuyd the water And what man or woman that com to the water next after the aungel was made hole of what sekenesse that euir they hadde by vertue of the tre and soo endured many wynters to the tym that criste was taken and sholde be done on the crosse Thenne this tree by the ordenance of god swaÌ„me vpon the water And whanne the iewes haddde none other tree redy to make the crosse of for greate haste that they hadde they toke the same tree and made therof a crose and so dyd oure lord theron And theÌ„ the tre bare the blessyd frute cristes body of the whiche welleth the oyll of mercy to Adam and eue all other of ther ofsprynge But whanne criste was dede and was take down of the crosse for eâ—â—ye that the iewes hadde to hym they tooke the crosse and two other croces yâ— the theuys were hanged in either syde of criste and buried theym depe in ther the. for cristen people shulde nat wytte where they were dâ—dâ— for to doo it worshippe And there â— laye a yere and more vnto the tyme that Elyn the Empâ—ce modre of Constantyne gadred grete people to fight with Maxencius â—â—te a greate water ouir the whiche water laye a greate bridge for desceyte of coÌ„stantyne Maxencius lete make a tray hopynge for to haue disceyued constantyne that he shulde haue fallen into the
angelis of sathanas that ye lete that man goo doune that al the peple may see whom thei haue worshyped Thenne symond felle doune all to brast theÌ„ne was themperour wroth and made to lede peter poul forth And dyde peter on a crosse and his hed downwarde and so put hym to dethe poule for he was a gentylman born For the more worshyp they smote off his hede Thenne the peple sawe angellis stondyng on the crosse there as peter henge wyth crownes And whan poules hede was smytte of there come out fayr plente of mylke after blode Thenne in the nyghte after come cristeÌ„ peple and layd her bodyes to gyder in a graue· there they lay tyl cristeÌ„ feyth was more open in rome TheÌ„ne wolde they haue bore eyther body to his chirche but they cowde not knowe eyther bones fro other Thenne come there a vois fro heuen said the more bones be of the precher and the lesse of the fyssher So after whan the cristen feyth come in to this londe kynge ethelbert lete make a grete chirche at westmynstre in worship of Saynt Peter and another in london of saynt poule And soo on a daye whan the chirche of saynt Peter shold be halowed in the nyghte afore was a man fysshyng ¶ in the tamyse vnder westmynâ— And 〈…〉 â—em reuesshed had vp the 〈…〉 grete dred and quakyng and there they fonde a lityll wryting here lyeth and restech Thomas archebysshop of caunterbury Primat of Englonde and the popes legate sleyn for the ryght of holy chirche the fyfthe daye of cristmasse Thenne for grete deuoâ—ion that they had of that syght· all cryed saynt Thomas And thenne they toke the hede to the Archebysshop to kysse and so they kyssed it all And thenne they behelde his woundes and sayd they were vngracious that wounded the thus And soo layd hym in shryne and couered it wyth cloth of golde and sette torches aboute it brennyng and the people to wake it al nyght Thenne on the morowe come all the states of this londe And bare the shryne to the place there as it is nowe wyth all the reuerence and worshippe that they cowde And there it is wyth worshyp Amen De sancta maria magdalena GOod frendes suche a daye ye shall haue the feste of Mary magdaleyn that was so holy that our lord Ihesu crist loued her best of all wymmen nexte his own moder wherfore ye shall come to god and to holy chirche and praye to that holy woman that she wyll praye to oure lord for vs. that we maye haue grace for she was the first in tyme of grace that dyde penaunce for she had loste grace by fleshly luste so she is made a myrrour to all other synners that wyl forsake synne and do penaunce they shal haue grace the whiche was lost by sinne She had a fader that was a grete lorde and nye of the kynges blode and had a grete lordshyp in IherusaleÌ„ the whiche he gaue to lazarus his sonne and he gaue mary the castelle of mawdeleyne wyth al the lordshyp longyng therto of the whiche castell she had her name and was called mary mawdeleyn for she was lady ther of Thenne as many bokes sayen Saynt Iohan euangeliste wedded her And our lord bad hym goo wyth hym and kepâ— his virgynyte and soo he dyde and was clene virgyn And mawdelayne wâ—â—t forth and gaue her all to synne In so moche she lost the name of mawdeleâ—n and was called the synfull woman â–ª But it was often seen that our lord made of the grettest sinner the holâ—â—st afterwardes And so whaÌ„ our lord sawe tyme he gaue this womaÌ„ grace to â—â—owe her self to haue repentaunce for her synnes Thenne whan mary herde the crist was at a mannis house that was called Symon the pharise she toke a boxe wyth oyntement suche as the people vsed the tyme for hete of the sonne went thyder but she durst not for shame go tofore hym herde hym speke thenne she toke a greate sorowe in her herte and wept tenderly and wyth the teres of her eyeÌ„ she wasshed cristis feâ—e And wyth the here 's of her hede she weped hem and wyth all the loue of her herte she â—ysshed hem anoynted hem but no worde she spake that ony man mighte here but softely in her herte she cryed mercy and made a vowe to him that she wolde neuer trespasse more Thenne our lord had pyte on her and cast oute of her vii fendes and forgaue her all her synnes in heryng of all that there were thenne she toke suche a loue to crist that she lefte all her lordshypâ— of mawdeleyn wyth all other goodes and sued hym forth wyth grete loue that in his passion there as his disciples fled from hym she lefte hym neuer tyll she wyth helpe of other had layed hym in his tombe and whan no man durste goo thyder for fere of the knyghtes that kepeth hym she spared not Cum tenebre essent It was derke in the dawynge she toke wyth her swete bawmes to anoynte Crystis body wyth this she shewed loue bothe in wyll and in dede wherfore cryst in his lyfe for her loue heled Martha her suster of the rede flyxe that she had vii yere to fore and payned her full sore ¶ Et resuscitauit Lazarum a mortuis ¶ And reysed Lazar her broder from dethe to lyfe that had lyen iiii dayes stynkynge in his graue and whan our lord rose from deth to lyfe he appered to her and suffred her to touche hym kyssed his fete Thenne whan it was knowen to the iewes that cryst shewed her so many tokenes of loue before all other Thenne whan criste was styed vp to heuen· the iewes toke Mary and Martha her suster lazarus maxencius and many other and put them in a shyp that was old 〈…〉 â—aâ—e drowned them but g◠〈…〉 soo for all thing at his wyll and brought them sauf to a londe â–ª called Marcyle And there they rested vnder a baâ—â—e that was nye the temple Thenne mary sawe moche people comyng toward the temple to do sacryfice to her mawmettes And the lord of the countrey come wyth hem But mawdeleyn was gracious and wyth her gracious wordes tourned hym ayen Thenne this lorde had grete luste to here her speke and sayd thus to her that yf god that thou spekest of be so gracious and so grete of power as thou sayste praye to him that I may haue a chylde by my wyff that is bareyne and thenne wyl I byleue in hym Thenne mary said she wold and wythin short tyme after the lady conceyued and was wyth chyld Thenne this lord anone after ordeyned to goo to Iherusalem to Peter to wyte of hym wheder mawdeleyns prechinge were true or no. and vytayled his ship and made hym redy Thenne come his lady prayenge hym that she myght goo wyth hym Soo wyth grete prayer the lord graunted her
suffred mekely and threspaced neuir for we sholde mekely suffre that moche haue trespaced He was also crucified for we shold chastise our fleshe by penaunce in withstondyng syn he was beried in token that we shold hyde oure gode dedys fro preysynge vaynglorye of the world to haue miÌ„de that erthe is oure heritage by kynde of oure bodily flesshe The v. is Descendit ad inferna tercia die resurrexit a mortuis I byleue that he went downe to hell the thridde day arose from deth to lyue Cryste thus bodily deed laye in the sepulcre withoute the soule tyll the iii. daye that he arose the godhode nat partyd fro the body He wente downe to hell deliuered the holy soules that wer there through vertue of the godhode the thridde day arose fro deth to lyfe in tokenynge that the light of his deth hathe distroyed oure double deth and that we shall aryse fro goostly deth by iii. maner of mediâ—â—â—es contricion confession and satisfaction The vi is Ascendiâ— ad erlos seder ad dexteram dei patris omnipoteÌ„tis I byleue that he styed vp into heuyn and sett him there on his faders righte honde Thus Criste appering to his disciples after his resurrection 〈◊〉 wythe theym in tokenynge that he was very man as he was to fore And so to stye into heuyn and highed mankynd aboue all aungelles openyng heuyn gate to shewe man the way and to pray for mankynde The seuynth is In de ventuâ—us est iudicare viuos et mortuos I beleue that he is to come to deme the quycke and the dede This criste iesu very god and man shall come to the dome and deme all mankynde quycke dede good and euyll after theyr dedes There shall some coÌ„me to the dome nat be demyd as hethen men For they synne withoute lawe And therfore withoute lawe they muste perysshe Somme also shal be demyd and damned as false cristen men that beleue in Iesu criste withoute loue gode werkes There shall subgettes accuse their euyll curates that wolde nat repreue theym of their synnes ne teche them the commaundmentes of god Also chyldreÌ„ vnchastised shal there repreue ther faders and moders that wold nat chastice theym of their wantonesse There shall the pore accuse the riche that wolde nat helpe theym in their myschief AmeÌ„de all this therfore whyles thou art here and haue mynde how sodenly his veÌ„geaunce falleth and as how he findeth the he shall deme the The viii is Credo in spiritum sanctum I byleue in the holy gooste the thrydde persone of the trinyte The holy gooste also withoute begynnynge or endyng and euyn in wytte myght and godenes with the fader and the sonne and al iii be oon god almyghty The lx is Sanctam ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ sanctorum communionem I byleue in holy chirche and in comunyon of sayntes holy churche throghe oute the worlde is holy and one to all cristen men that in in the sacramentes of the church dele and coÌ„moneth to giddre Therfore it is forboden that in the churche ne in the churche yerde be neyther rumoure ne stryf daunsyng drynkynges ne non inhonest myrthes ne occasion of synne shold nat be yeue ther where as forgeuenesse sholde be asked Holy churche is parted in thre One is in this worlde of theym that sholde be sauyd by the mercy of god â–ª and thys is euyr fightynge agaynste these thre ennemyes the worlde the flesshe the deuyll And a nother is in purgatorye of soules that abide there the grete mercy of god The thridde is criste of heueÌ„ hede of all other with his saintes whyche is free fro all maner descensiones These thre shall be one after the daye of dome ioynynge with Iesu their hede in the blysse that neuyr shall haue ende Comonynge sayntes whan eche of these thre parties helpen other They in heuyn helpen the other two with prayer And they in erth helpen them in purgatory with theyr praier and almes And these two helpe hem in heuyn whan their ioye and blysse is encreased And thus eche coÌ„muneth with other The x. is Remissionem peccatorum I byleue forgyuenesse of synnes they that amende their lyf here and doo very penaunce wyllyng to leue their sinnes and ende in charite shall haf forgyuenesse of all their synnes For criste by his deth and passion of his fader gate vs forgyuenes he him selue by his godhede also forgyueth all originall and actuell synne of oure baptym The xi article Carnis resurrectionem I byleue rysynge of bodye All mankynde at the daye of dome shall ryse from dethe to lyf in body and soule to gydder and after that neuyr be departed And thenne they that haue endyd in dedely synne shuld goo in body and soule to the euirlastynge peyne of hell without mercy And they that haue well lyued and endyd in charite and oute of dedely synne shall weÌ„de in body soule to gyddre to blys for euirmore Of thys blysse speketh sainte Mathewe in the laste artycle The xii is Et vitam eternam Amen I byleue in euirlastynge lyf ¶ Thies been the articles of the feythe the whiche but euery man truly sadly byleue may nat be sauyd For withoute feyth it is impossible to plese god Decem precepta domini ¶ The thridde thynge that thou sholde knowe god by be his x. commaundementes whiche he wrote in the ii tables of stoon and tooke theym to moyses to teche his people promysynge to hem that wolde kepe theym his blessynge welthe and welfare And to them that wolde nat his curse grete sorowe and myscheif ¶ A man asked of Criste what he myght do to haue euirlastynge lyf And he aunsweryd and sayde if thou wyll entre euirlastynge lyf kepe the coÌ„maundementes This preuyth if thou kepe his coÌ„maundmentes thou fulfyllest the lawe of god shalte haue euirlastinge lyf ¶ The firste is he coÌ„maundeth that thou haue no god but hâ—m Ne that thou worshyp serue ne yeue thy truste to none other creature ymage ne thynge grauen but only to him In this is forboden â–ª mawmetry false enchauntemeÌ„tes wychecraftes false charmes and dremys â–ª and mysbeleuys that any man or woman hopyth helpe in withoute almyghtye god In this ye synne dedely that for sekenesse or losse of godes put your fayth or byleue that ye sholde haue in youre lorde god by the deuylles mynystres false wytches the whiche bryng many a soull to the deuyll For they byleue more in the wyches wordes thaÌ„ in the wordes of scripture that the preest techyth theym Al suche â–ª haue goddes curse at the leest iiii tymes a yere in the greate sentence And euery day in oure pryme As for ymages ¶ Also ye shall vndyrstonde that as clerkes see in her bokes how they shold lyue and doo soo sholde lewde men lerne by ymages whome they sholde worshyp and folowe in lyuyng to do goddes worshyp to ymages euery man is forboden ¶ Therfore firste whenne thou
And whan a man is sory for his synnes and sayth thus with a soroful herte god heryth his prayer and foryeueth his trespaces soo that he be neuir in full purpose to synne more butt to amende him and be in parfyt loue and charite withoute any feynynge And but he haue charite withoute feynyng 〈…〉 sample ¶ Narracio ¶ There waâ— a man thâ—â— hadde 〈…〉 and hadde founde 〈◊〉 long to â—â—le and coste him moche good So on â— daye he called his v sones â—ifore hym â–ª and saide Children I haue fouÌ„de you longe to scole and haue spent moche gode vpon you and I se no grete ê“fyt therof wherfore but ye woll among you all assoyll me a question I woll doo no more coste on you ne fynde no lengre to scole And they askyd of their fadre what the question was and it shulde be assoyled And he sayd I am olde and feble and may nat lyue longe and therfore I wolde wyte of you what thiÌ„ge wolde bring a mannes soule sonest to heuyn And anoon the eldest sone answeryd and sayd Forsothe fadre prechynge and techynge wyll bryng a soule sonest to heuyn of any thynge well quod the fadre what saysâ— thou to the secounde sone And he answeryd and saide Feyth and true byleue bringeth a soule assoâ—e to heuyn what sayst thou to the question my thyrde sone And he saide good prayers almes dedes bringeth a soule sone to heuyn what sayst thou to the mater my fourth sone And he sayde pilgramage goynge and greate penaunce suffrynge bringeth a soule soner to heuyn than any of these what sayst thou my fyfte sone And he saide forsothe fadre ther is an other thiÌ„ge that bringeth a soule soner to heuyn than all these what is that sayd the fadre Forsoth fadre sayd he charyte For 〈…〉 nat to 〈◊〉 warde For though a man pray and do â—â—mes dedes goo on pylgramage haâ—e full feyth and beleue teche and preche faste and suffre penaunce neuir soo moche trye and wepe neuir so â—oâ—de â—e oute of charite god heryth him natt And herto accordeth saint poule in his epistyll and sayth thus Si linguis hominum loquar Though I were so eloqueÌ„t as any maÌ„ or any aungell Et si habuero propheciam omnem scienciam And though I hadde all the connynge in the world and knewe the prophecy and the preuyte of god Omnem fidem vt montes traÌ„sferam And though I hadde so moche feyth that I myght meue hylles Et si distribuereÌ„ in cibos pauperum And though I dealyd all my good to pore peple for goddes sake Corpus meum vt ardeam And my body to brenne in hote fyre Caritatem autem non habeam nichill michi prodest If I haue nat charite al this profyteth nat to heuyn wardes ¶ Wherfore it is nedefull and most necessary to euery soule that wyll be sauyd to haue charite But though a maÌ„ say that he loueth god and loueth nat his eyn cristen he is deceyued For he that loueth god loueth his nyghboure in gode entente Thus muste a man be full of charite that wyll be sauyd Caritas cooperit multitudineÌ„ peccatorum For charite couerith the multitude of 〈…〉 deyeth in 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of charite shall be 〈…〉 And therfore of all 〈…〉 â—oost vertuous and moost â—â—â—ssarye to a mannyâ— soule yet we must â—aue a stable feyth withoute flaterynge and to byleue sadly aâ— holy churche techeth and to bileue faithfully in the fadre sone and holy goost the fadre full god the sone full god and the hooly goste full god And thies thre persones been but oon god that made al thinge of noghte This feyth was â—â—ste shewyd to the holy patriark Abraham in the vaâ—e of mambre Ther he sawe thre fayr meÌ„ coÌ„mynge towarde him but he worshyped but one yeuynge ensample to all cristen people to se in the spirite the fadre the sone and the holy goost thre persones and oon in godhede and worship them as one god Also ye must byleue the incarnacion of oure lorde iesu criste that oure lady conceyued in the hooly goost withoute wâ—â—me of her body in flesshe and blood as one of vs and very god and man and was dede and beried Tercia die resurrâ—â—n a mortius And on the thridde day he rose from dethe to lyue Ascendâ— ad â—eâ—os And â—â—yed vp to heuyn on holy thoursdaye Iude venturus est iudicare vâ—â—os â— morâ—â—os And shall coÌ„me ayen at the daye of dome and deme the quycke and the dede This is figured by Isaac the sone of Abraham that he gate on his wyf Sara through the holy goste whanne they were both passed age to bringe for the any frute For god saide to AbrahaÌ„ he shuld haue frute as grete 〈◊〉 multitude as were stâ—rres in the 〈◊〉 Thenne whan this child was borne he was called Isaac and whan he was fyue and twenty yere of age god said to Abraham in this wyse take thy sone Isaac go to suche an hyll as he shewyd to him and offre him in sacrifice that was to sle him as the maner was somtyme Thenne abraham had by heste of god to haue greate issue though he louyd his sone neuir somoch yet he toke him anon withoute gruchinge and went to the hyll and made his sone Isaac to bere woode to brenne hym selfe with And whan they came to the hyll toppe Abraham made an auster of wode and sette it on fyre and thenne he toke his sone Isaac and wold haue slayne him and offeryd to god TheÌ„ne anone spake an aungel to abraham and badde him leue of and take the shepe that stode therby and offer him in stede of thy sone Isaac ¶ By abraham ye may vnderstonde the fadre of heuyn and by Isaac his sone iesu criste that spared nat for no loue that he had to him But suffred the â—ewys to ley wode vpon his backe that was the croce that he shulde be doon on him selue and ladde him to the hyll of caluarye there dyd him vpon the altre of woode that was the croce that was made of foure diuerse maner of wode That was cedre cypresse olyue and palme and theron he dyed for all mankynde Thus may criste well be called Isaac that is to vnderstonde laughter for many a soul he broughte oute of hell laughing that went thidre sore wepynge Thenne lyke as this was a figure of cristes passion loÌ„ge or he was borne Right so this daye â—â—iste him self in the gospel sayd 〈◊〉 to his disciples that he shulde be betrayed Vnde Tradetur enim gentibus et illudetur et flagellabitur et conspuetur et postquam flagellauerunt eum die tercia resurge And howe he shuld be taken and beâ—en with scourges spytte vpon and after his scourgynge doon vpon the croce so sle him the thridde daye shall ryse ayen to lyf â—nd for they shulde haue the bettre byleue therto and to his wordes anoon to