and a full greuous synne in hym that dooth it in that maner for that intende but wytche crafte is it none for it is no worshyp to the fendes crafte ne the people is not styred therby to truste in the fende but rather in god ¶ Diues Is it ony wytche crafte to charme adders or other bestes byrdes with holy wordes or holy wryte or with ony other holy wordes ¶ Pauper Yf a man or woman take hede in his doynge only to the holy wordes and to the myght of god it is noo wytche crafte But yf they vse in theyr dooynge ony mysobseruauÌ„ce sette more truste therin than in holy wordes or in god than as clerkes saye it is wytche craftâ— and the effecte therof yf it falle it cometh of the fende namely in adders and serpentes For the adder was the fyrste Instrumente that the fende vsed for to dysceyue mankynde as we fynde Genesis .iij. And yet by the adder he dooth men moost truste in wytche crafte ¶ Diues Is it ony pâ—ryll to man or woman to charge his frende in his deyeng to come ayen teile hyÌ„ how he fareth ¶ Pauper It is a ful grete peryll For as saynt Poule sayth The fende oftyme maketh him lyke an angell of lyght but he may not laste in the beaute ne bryghtnes And so lyghtly the fende myght appere to hym that were alyue in the lykenesse of hym that were deed telle hym lesynges and in case make hym soo afered that he sholde lese his wytte falle in wanbyleue as it felle to one within a fewe yeres And happely he sholde telle hym that he were dampned though it were not so or telle him that he were in blysse though he were in bytter payne and soo lette hym of his almesdede and from his holy prayers and other good dedes by whiche not only that soule sholde be holpen but many other with hym Also yf he appered to hym or yf he wende that he appered to hym he sholde haue the lesse mede for his byleue than he hadde byfore for than were he techeth by experyence to knowe that the soule lyueth after the bodye Also it is not in the soules power to appere to man or woman after the deth of his bodye ne man is not able to see a soule for it is Inuysyble without a specyall myracle of god And so both he that chargeth hym to come ayen he that behoteth to come ayen tempten god And right as god wyll that euery man woman be vncertayne what tyme he shall deye for that he sholde alway be dredeful to do amys and besy to do well Right so he wyll that men be vncertayne of theyr frendes whan they ben deed in what state that they ben for that they sholde alwaye be besy to helpe theyr soules with masses syngynge almes doynge with bedes byddynge and other good dedes not oonly for helpe of hym but of other that haue lytyl helpe or none Also for encresyng of theyr owne mede For who soo that trauaylleth well for an other trauaylleth best for hym self For as saynt Poule sayth Ther shall no good dede be vnrewarded ne no wycked dede be vnpunysshid ¶ Diues Thy reason is good For yf men wyste that theyr frendes were out of payne they wolde do right nought for them so they sholde lese moche mede for that knowyng soules lese moche helpe And yf men wyste for certayne whan they sholde deye they sholde be to bolde to do amys in hope that they sholde ameÌ„de them in theyr deynge But yet notwithstandyng al thy reasons some clerkes sayen that it is lefull to men for to charge theyr frendes to come aren to shewe them her state after theyr deth For as they saye it is kyndely thynge for to desyre for to knowe or to conne For the phylosophre sayth that euery man woman by waye of kynde desyreth to knowe and to conne Omnes homines natura scire desiderant ¶ Pauper They saye sothe and not ayenst me For it is lefull to euery man and woman for to desyre to conne and to knowe But it is not lefull for to desyre to knowe in that maner ne by noo meane vnlefull not by techynge of the fende neyther by techynge of them that ben deed Caplm .xli. DIues How is it that spyrytes walke so about whan men be deed ¶ Pauper Comonly suche spyrytes ben fendes and goo soo about to sclaundre them that ben deed and for to brynge the people in to errour and bachytynge and wycked demynge that yf the people demed euyll spake euyll of them byfore theyr dethe to do them speke deme moche worse after theyr dethe soo to brynge the people full depe in synne And somtyme they gone in to the bodyes of theym that ben deed buryed bere it about to do them vylony But whan spyrytes goo in this maner they do moche harme mothe dysease Nathelesse by the leue of god the soules appere in what maner god wyl to hem that ben alyue some for to haue helpe somtyme to shewe that the soules lyue after the bodye to conferme them that ben feble in the fayth byleue not saddly that mannes soule lyued not after his deth but suche spyrytes do no harme but to tho that wyll not byleue theym that they haue suche payne or wyll not redely helpe hem at theyr axinge Caplm .xlij. DIues Is it lefull to trust in these fastynges newe founde to flee sodayne deth ¶ Pauper It is a grete foly to truste therin For as I sayd now late god wyl that man woman be vncertayne what tyme that they sholde deye in what maner For god wyll that man and woman be alwaye besye to flee synne and for to do well for drede of deth and alway redy what tyme that god wyll sende after theym And yf that men were certayne by suche fastynge that they sholde not deye sodaynly but haue tyme of repentauÌ„ce to be shreuen and houseled they sholde be the more rechelesse in theyr lyuynge and they sholde the lesse care for to doo amys in hope of amendemente in theyr dyeng And therfor god grauÌ„teth them not the ende nor the effecte that they faste for For greter sodayne deth wyste I neuer than that men had than I wyste theym haue that haue fasted suche fastes .vij. yeres about ne more dyspytefull and shame full in open punysshyng of theyr synne and ther was neuer soo moche sodayne deth so longe reygnyng in this londe as hath be sythen suche fastynge began we may not treaten god ne put hym to no lawes And therfore we sholde putte alwaye our lyfe and our deth only in his wyll prayeng to hym of his grace that he wyll ordeyn for vs bothe in lyfe and deth as it is moost to his worshyppe and helpe of our soule It is well done for to praye to god with fastyng and good dedes that he saue vs from sodayne deth
in lesynges in falshode Therfore god suffreth false shrewes for to do wondres myracles for to dysceyue the peple to holde them stylle in theyr errour I haue sayd as my thynketh saye thou forth what thou wylte Caplm .lxiij. DIues What sayste thou of theym that wyll noo solempnyte haue in theyr buryeng but be put in erthe anone and that that sholde be spente about the buryenge of theym they bydde that it sholde be gyuen to the poore folke as blynde and lame ¶ Pauper Comonly in suche preuy buryenges ben full smalle doles and but lytyll almesses gyuen And in solempne buryenges ben grete doles and moche almesses gyuen for moche poore people come than for to syke theyr almesse But whan that it is done so pryuely fewe men knowe therof and full fewe poore people come for to axe almesse for they knowe not whan ne where ne to whome they sholde axe it And therfore I byleue sykerly that some false executours that wolde kepe the goodes all to them selfe began fyrste this errour and this folye ¶ Diues And yet men holde it a grete perfeccyon now a dayes ¶ Pauper Though men burye theyr frendes pryuely or openly it is noo harme to the deed neyther to lyuynge But yf the worshyppe of god be withdrawen and the almesses of the poore nedy folke and the holy prayers and the suffragyes of holy chirche the whiche ben ordeyned for to be prayed and done for the deed folke and the quycke that haue grete nede therof But it is a grete folye and also a grete synne for to forsake solempne buryenges that ben done pryncypally for the worshyp of god and for the prouffyte of the dede folke spendynge theyr goodes to nedefull releuynge of holy chirche and for the prouffyte of the poore nedy people that ben of noo power for to helpe theym selfe for that is a custome of false executours that wolden make them selfe riche with the deed folkes goodes and dele it not to the poore folke after the deed folkes wyll as now all false executours vse by custome And so they that forsake worshypfull buryenges as I haue reherced byfore they lette the praysyng the worshyp and the sacrefyce and offerynges that sholde be done to god They doo also grete despyte to holy chirche in so moche that they forsaken the prayers and the suffragyes of the holy mynystres of holy chirche Also they offende gretely ayenst all the soules that ben in purgatory that sholde be releued by masses syngynge by the prayers and suffragyes of holy chirche whiche ben ordeyned in the buryenge of deed folke for the helpe of all crysten soules And they please the fende yâ— whiche is full besy nyght and daye for to lette goddes offyce goddes worshyppe and holy prayers Also they offende gretly ayenst man kynde ayenst god that toke mankynde of a woman in as moche as they put theyr bodyes in suche dspyte and pryue or take it of the due worshyppe For the bodye of a good man or of a good woman that is knytte to that precyoê° soule that Cryste bought so dere with his precyous blood with whiche soule it shal aryse ayen at the daye of dome and shall lyue in blysse without ende bryghter than yâ— sonne it is of a full grete dygnyte all yf it be here in grete myschyef for a tyme for Adams synne Mannes bodye is of full grere dygnyte in that that god toke our bodye of a woman allone and bycame man without parte of man and bodely in our kynde reygneth god and man aboue all creatures And therfore by waye of kynde and for worshyp of god that toke our kynde it ought for to be worshypped namely in his deth for than is ther no drede of pryde And therfore sayth the wyse man Eccle .vij. Mortuo non prohibeas graciam Withdrawe not thy grace and thy mercy from the deed That is to saye withdrawe not ne lette not the due seruyce and worshypfull Ceremonyes that longen to the bodyes ne the suffrages and prayers that longen to the soules as the glose sayth And in an other place he sayth thus Sone wepe thou for the deed man with bytter teres and grete sorowe and after his astate as right is hele his bodye despyse not his buryenge make mornynge one daye or two after his deseruynge Ecclesiasti xxxviij For by the lawe of kynde by the lawe wryten by the lawe of grace and euery tyme worshypfull sepulture after mennes power hath be due dette to mannes bodye and womannes In the lawe of kynde haue we example of Abraham Ysaac and Iacob and her wyues whiche hadde full costely buryenges As we rede in holy wryte GenÌ„ lvi And in the lawe wryten haue we example of Samuell Dauyd Salomon Iosaphat Ezechye Iosye Tobye and of the Machabeys whose buryenges were costly worshypfully In the lawe of grace that is in the newe lawe haue we example of our lorde Ihesu Cryste whiche not withstandynge how well he suffred spytefull deth for mankynde yet he wolde haue and hadde worshypful and costely sepulture and buryenge As we fynde in the gospell Iohannes .xix. Wherby as the glose sayth there he gaue men example to kepe worshypfull buryenge after the custome of the contree And therfore he coÌ„mended Marye magdaleyn that she came byfore his dethe to anoynte his bodye so precyously and so costely in to the sepulture And many sayntes were buryed worshypfully by the doynges of angellys as saynt Clement saynt Katheryne saynt Agathe and many other And saynt Poule the fyrste hermyte was buryed worshypfully and wonderly by werkynge of lyons and of wylde bestes in tokenynge that mannes bodye womaÌ„nes ought to haue worshypful sepulture for sythen angellys and wylde bestes dyde suche worshypp to mannes bodye after his deth Moche more mankynde sholde worshyppe mannes bodye after his deth and doo worshyp to his owne kynde And so men sholde releue poore folke in theyr myschyef and specyally in theyr deynge by almes gyuynge But they sholde not for that doo ony wronge by theyr lyuyng to theyr euen crysten for to make them riche for to do moche almesse at theyr endynge For as the lawe sayth ther sholde no man be made riche with wronge harme of an other Locupletari noÌ„ debes aliqis cuÌ„ alterius iniuria vel iactura Extra de regulis iuris li .vi. Caplm .lxiiij. DIues What sayste thou of theym that holde markettes and feyres in holy chirche in sanctuarye ¶ Pauper Bothe the byer and the seller and the men of holy chirche that mayntene them or suffre them whan that they myght lette it ben accursed For we fynde not that euer Cryste punysshed soo harde ony synne whyles that he wente here in erthe as he dyde byeng and sellynge in goddes house as we fynde Io .xi. On a tyme he came in to the temple of Iherusalem and there he founde men byeng sellynge oxen and sheep douues to be offred in the temple and chaungers
be ought contrarye to god and yf it be amendeth The thrydde token was that yâ— asse fell downe vnder his feet in a strayt waye and wolde not ferther bere hym This strayt waye so narowe a paas is deth where no man may flee Than welth of this worlde lykened to the asse falleth downe to grounde wyll not lenger bere man vpon this worlde Than passeth helth welth and all luste of the flesshe And therfore whan thou comest to the poynt take hede to thy waye to thy lyfe And yf it be contrarye to god amende yâ— than for euer as thou wylt flee goddes swerde Ryche s se welthe of this worlde is lykened to a Iogulours horse We fynde that on a tyme came a proude getter in to a stable founde a mynstralles horse standynge by his horse And for it was better than his he toke it and rode awaye theron and lefte his feble horse there The mynstrall perceyued that and ranne by a nygh pathe mette with hym in passynge ouer a water and cryed Flectamus genua The horse knewe well his maysters voyce as he was wont to do in playe he dyde than and kneled downe in the water Than the mynstrall sayd Leuate And anone the horse rose vp as he was taught and caste the proude getter in the water ranne ayen to his mayster This mynstral is the worlde whiche playeth with folke of this worlde as a mynstrall as a Iogulour and as a dysour His horse is rychesses of this worlde whiche oft at the voyce of this worlde playeth Flectamus genua And bryngeth them lowe to grete pouerte and forsaketh them in theyr moost nede foloweth the playe of this worlde and not the wyl of couetouse folke that wolde haue them but full often they that trauayl moost to be ryche ben moost poore namely euyll goten good soone playeth Flectamus genua with them that haue mysgoten them by myspurchace or by withholdynge of dette or by false executorye or by mycherye or robberye Therfore it is a comon prouerbe De male quesitis vix gaudet tercius heres Of euyl goten good vnneth Ioyed the thyrde heyre Caplm .vij. DIues Thy speche is not plesaunt to worldely couetouse men and yet experyence sheweth that thou sayste sothe ¶ Pauê‘ It fareth by many folke as it dooth by many a sheep For many sheep be not payed to go with theyr felowes in comon pasture but seke ther mete amonges busshes thornes brymbles to haue the better bytte tylle they ben so wycked snarled amonges brymbles and thornes that they may not go awaye Than cometh the pye or the rauene and pyketh out the one eye and afterwarde the other eye Than cometh the wolfe or an hounde or some other beest and sleeth hym Ryght so it is of couetouse folke For they wyll not lyue in playne pasture amonges theyr neyghbours ne be not payed with comon lyuynge that god hath sente to theym but outrage seke to be in hygher degre of rychesses of worshyp than theyr neyghbours ben seke theyr lyuynge amonges brymbles thornes that is to say amonges false rychesses as sayth cryste in yâ— gospell They borowe of one x.iv. of an other .xx. lb. and so forth thynke neuer to paye thus they gete moche good and lyue a mery lyfe with other mennes good Also they become executours and attourneys to some ryche man in his deynge behote hym well to be true to him But whan he is deed they kepe all to theÌ„self thus they snarle themself so in dette in false rychesses to be holden grete in this worlde yâ— they may not paye ther dett Than cometh the fende pyketh out ther ryght eye maketh them lese conscyence anent god After he pyketh out theyr lyfte eye maketh them lese shame anentes the worlde So yâ— neyther for dred of god ne for shame or speche of the worlde they cesse not to borewe ne to gete falsely other meÌ„nes good so falle depper depper in dett tyll at yâ— laste the fende sleeth them bodye soule And therfore loke that thou paye well thy dettes whyle thou may for els thou shalt not whan thou woldest For alsheep that goth moche amonge thornes leueth some of his flese in euery busshe there he goth tyll he is naked Ryght so the thornes of false rychesses suche dettes shall take thy flese fro the yâ— is to saye thy true catell yf thou ony haue soo yâ— thou shalt haue ryght nought to helpe thyselfe with tyll whan thou shalt go naked of good and haue lesse than nought Therfor sayth a grete clerke Tulliê° li.ij. de officijs That noo thynge saueth more a comonte than fayth But fayth may not be sayth he but men wyll paye theyr dettes And in the .iij. boke de officijs he sayth yâ— it is synne ayenst kynde to take awaye falsely a nother mannes good to make him ryche with an other maÌ„nes losse For that sayth he destroyeth charyte and the felaushyp of mankynde for men dare not comyne theyr good to gyder by lenynge for drede of fals couetyse ¶ Diues That is soth For I had leuer haue my good in other mennes hondes than in myne yf I wyste that they wolde truly pay it ayen But I fynde so many false so fewe true yâ— I dare not lene but to ful fewe Saye forth what thou wylt Caplm .viij. PAuper Two thynges pryncypaly sholde abate couetyse of mannes herte Vnstablenesse of this worlde drede of deth Fyrst vnstablenesse of this worlde for this worlde the welth of this worlde is lykened to four thynges full vnstable To a whele about tournynge to a shyp in the see saylynge to a floure that soone fadeth falleth to grouÌ„de and to a shadowe that awaye passeth dwelleth but a stounde Fyrste welth of this worlde is lykened to a whele about tournynge for whan the whele goth about that that is byneth anone it is aboue that yâ— is aboue anone it is byneth And that yâ— is on yâ— one syde anone it is on the other syde Ryght so it is in the whele of fortune of this worlde For now a man is byneth in his youth in his begynnynge In myddle age he is aboue in his welth and in his floures But anone the whele tourned downe ayen to greter age to pouerte to sekenesse feblenesse tyll at the laste he falleth of the whele dyeth lyeth there as a clotte of erthe by the walle Therfore in the whele of fortune is wryten this verse Regnabo regno regnaui suÌ„ sine regno Man in his youth whan he is towarde in hope of welth he sayth Regnabo I shall reygne But whan he is in his myddel age and hath the worlde at wyll and so sytteth about on the whele than he sayth in his pryde Regno Now I reygne I am all aboue But anone the whele tourneth downewarde anone cometh age
is nedefull to all For sythen I may not atteyne to the more perfeccyon I wolde as we muste kepe and holde well the lesse perfeccyon ¶ Pauper Do than as Cryste taughte that yonge riche man Serua mandata Kepe well the commauadementes Haue one god in worshyppe Take not his name in ydelnesse Halowe the holy dayes Fader and moder worshyppe and paye Slee noo man Doo no folye by no woman Loke that thou stele not And noo false wytnesse that thou bere Coueyte thou not thy neyghbours good with wronge house ne londe Desyre not his wyfe ne his childe ne his seruaunt ne his beest ne onythynge that to hym longeth ¶ These ben the .x. cōmaūdementes whiche god wrote in .ij. tables of stone toke theȳ Moyses for to teche theym to the people ¶ The thre fyrst cōmaūdementes were wryten by theym selfe in the fyrst table For tho pryncypaly teche vs how we sholde worshyp our god loue hȳ aboue all thynge therfore they ben called the thre cōmaūdementes of the fyrste table ¶ The other .vij. ben called of the seconde table for they were wryten in the seconde table And they teche vs how we sholde worshyp loue our euen crysten as our selfe And so all the .x. cōmaūdementes ben comprehended in the two cōmaūdementes of charyte ¶ Diues Whiche ben tho ¶ Pauper The fyrste is that thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thyn herte with all thy mynde with all thy myght The seconde is that thou shalte loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe that is to saye thou shalte loue hym to the same blysse that thou louest to thy selfe do to hym as thou woldest men dyde to the not do to hym but as thou woldest men dyde to the as longe as he kepeth the lawe of charyte For yf he forfete do ayenst charyte it is charyte to chastyse hym punysshe hym tyll he wyll amende hȳ for saluacōn of his soule ensample of other In these two cōmaūdementes as Cryste sayth in the gospell hangeth all the lawe and all the prophecye And therfore saynt Poule sayth that loue and charyte is fulfyllynge of alle the lawe Caplm .x. DIues Me meruaylleth moche why Cryste taught more that yonge riche man the cōmaundementes of the seconde table than of the fyrste why he taught hym more how he shold loue his neyghbour than he sholde loue his god For neyther cryste spake to hym of the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte how he sholde loue his god aboue all thyng ne how he sholde haue one god in worshyppe ne how he sholde flee periurye ne that he sholde halowe the holy dayes And yet without kepyng of these may no man be saued ¶ Pauper Whan Cryst bad hym kepe the cōmaūdementes in generall he bad hym kepe the .x. cōmaūdementes the two cōmaūdementes of charyte al goddes hestes his lawes But he specyfyed more the cōmaundementes of the seconde table than of the fyrste more the seconde cōmaundemente of charyte than the fyrste not that he was more boūde therto but for he was more enclyned bycause of youthe of richesses of lordshyp to forfet ayenst tho cōmaūdementes than ayenste the other in the fyrste table For youthe is enclyned to wrath hastynesse fyghtynge and soo to manslaughter to lecherye auoutrye to lyenge so to false wytnesse to theeft to pryde rebellyon to indygnacōn to despyte of his elder And so in many wyse offendeth his neyghbour his euen crysten And namely whan youth is vnder sette with richesse is at his owne rule without drede of punysshyng as that yonge man was For he was full riche and he was a prynce leder and ruler of the contre as sayth saynt Luke in his gospell And therfore Cryste moost souerayne leche not oonly taught hym how he sholde lyue withouten ende but moreouer he warned hym to what sekenesse he was moost dysposed to wherby he myght lese that lyfe deye withouten ende taught hym medycynes ayenst tho sekenesses whan he bad hym not slee do no lecherye no thefte bere noo false wytnesse worshyp fader moder and in his reulynge loue his neyghbour as hym selfe do to hym as he wolde men dyde to hym ¶ Diues Why specyfyed not Cryste to hym the two laste cōmaūdementes of the seconde table whiche be ayenst false couetyse ¶ Pauper For yonge folke be not soo moche enclyned to couetyse as they be to other sȳnes ¶ Diues That is sothe for couetyse reygneth moost in olde folke And so as men wexe in age so encreaseth theyr couetyse And whan all other synnes forsake man for elde and feblenesse than couetyse is moost breme Pryde is fyrste in youthe couetyse last in age Saye forth what thou wylte Caplm .xi. PAuer Euermore thou shalt vnderstonde that ther be two maner of lyues by y◠whiche man may be saued The fyrst is contemplatyfe the seconde actyfe The fyrst stondeth pryncypally in besynesse to knowe god goddes lawes and to loue hym aboue all thynge The seconde stondeth pryncypally in good dedes good rule helpe of our euen crysten The thre fyrste cōmaūdementis of the fyrst table belongeth to all but pryncypally to them that ben in contemplatyf lyfe that haue forsaken the worlde worldely besynesse for the loue of god The seuen cōmaundementes of the seconde table also longen to al. but pryncypally to theym that ben in actyfe lyfe in besynesse of the worlde The contemplatyf lyf is in ease rest of herte The actyf lyfe is in doyng traueyll besynesse of body soule And of this lyfe spake that yonge riche man whan he sayd Lord what shal I do how shal I lyue to haue the lyfe withouten ende And Cryste taught hȳ what good dedes he sholde do what mysdedes he sholde flee yf he wolde kepe well the actyfe lyfe Also thou shalt vnderstonde for this speche of cryste many suche other that cryste in y◠gospell holy wryte by example of y◠lesse preueth sheweth y◠more As whan he sayth that men sholde be saued at the daye of dome for they gaaf mete to the hungrye drynke to the thrustye moche more than sholde they be saued that gaue all that they hadde or myght haue for the loue of god hem selfe to serue god nyght and daye bodye soule and put them to the deth for his loue And they also that fede mannes soule with brede of goddes worde And syth they shal be dampned that wyll not gyue to the poore folke mete drynke for goddes sake mochemore sholde they bedāpned y◠robbe men of theyr lyfe lyuelode they y◠done lecherye auoutry manslaughter robbery and other horryble synnes And on the same maner whan Cryste specyfyed to that riche man the cōmaūdementes of the seconde table and the seconde cōmaundemente ef charyte He sheweth that sythen tho were so necessarye to haue the lyfe withouten ende Moche more the cōmaūdementes of the
fyrst table and the fyrste cōmaundemente of charyte ben necessarye to alle that wyll haue y◠lyfe withouten ende ¶ Diues Therfore wolde I fayne kepe theym better thanne I haue done but I see many doubtes therin that I can not kepe theym ¶ Pauper What doubte haste thou therin ¶ Here begynneth the fyrste cōmaundemente Caplm Primū DIues In the fyrste cōmaundement as I haue lerned god sayth thus Thou shalte haue none other straunge goddes byfore me Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge noo mawmette noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue ne that is bynethe in erthe ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde ne within thyn herte inwarde Exodi xx.c Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente bothe in the chirche and without the chirche And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye ayenste goddes lawe ¶ Pauper God forbedeth not men to make ymages For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men as we fynde Exodi xxxvij.c ¶ And Salomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god the thyrde boke of kynges vij.c And god bad Moyses make his tabernacle al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makynge of ymages but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes to sette theyr fayth theyr truste theyr hope theyr loue and theyr byleue in them For god wyll haue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone for in hym is al our helpe all our saluacōn And therfore we muste worshyppe hym loue hym and truste in hym aboue all thynge nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym That all the worshyp that we do to ony creature be do pryncypaly for hȳ arrected to hym For he sayth Gloriam meamalteri non dabo et laudem meam sculptilibus Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe my blysse my glorye to none other ne my praysynge to grauen ymages neyther to paynted ymages And in the same chapytre he sayth Shamfully shente myght they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages ¶ Diues wherof serue the ymages I wolde they were brente all ¶ Pauper They serue for thre thynges For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon and on his passyon and on his lyuynge and on other sayntes lyuyng Also they ben ordeyned to styre mannes affeccyon and his herte to deuocyon For ofte a man is more stered by syght than by heryng or redynge Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people that they may rede in ymagerye and paynture that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth De cōsecra distinct .iij. per latū Where we fynde that a bysshop destroyed ymages as thou woldeste doo and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages He was accused to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages Caplm secundū DIues How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture of ymagerye ¶ Pauper whan thou seest the ymage of y◠crucyfixe thynke on hȳ y◠deyed on y◠crosse for thy synne thy sake and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlonde of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne and the blood braste out on euery syde for to destroye the hyghe synne of pryde that sheweth moost in mānes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde Take hede by the ymage how his armes were spradde abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the apple ayenst goddes cōmaundement Also he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes and wycked werkes that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes and make an ende of thy wycked werkes Take hede also how that his syde was opened and his herte clouen in two with the sharpe spere and how he shedde blood and water to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules and water to wasshe vs from our synnes Also he suffred this for to destroye y◠synne of pryde couetyse enuye hate wrathe malyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans Take hede make an ende of thy pryde of thy false couetyse of hate enuy wrathe malyce and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that forgaue his deth Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to the crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce haste the for to go to goddes house to goddes seruyce Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente all to torne with tho sharpe scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede there was no hole place on his bodye and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust lykyng of the flesshe glotonye lecherye whiche regne in mannes bodye womans make an ende of glotony lecherye Take hede how naked poore he henge vpon the crosse for thy synne thy sake be thou not ashamed to suffre pouerte myscheyf for his loue And as saynt Bernard byddeth take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the come at one with the. See how his armes hondes be spradde a brode on the tree in token that he is redy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the and to take the to his mercy See how his syde was opened and his herte clouen on two in token that his herte is alwaye open to the and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy trespasse yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the but abyde with the dwelled with the withouten ende On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde and thanke thy god that he
and poore as saynt Poule sayth Circuierunt in melotis in pellibus caprinis angustiati They wente about in broken skynnes in shynnes of gote nedy anguysshed Neuerthelesse ymages standyng in chirches may be consydered in two maners eyther as they represente the astate of sayntes of whom they be ymages as they lyued in this lyf so they be to be paynted in suche maner clothynge as tho sayntes vsed whyles they lyued here Or ellys they may be consydered as they represente the astate of endelesse blysse in whiche sayntes be now so they be to be paynted ryaly solempnely as the cherubyns that represented the angellys that ben in heuen were made of golde Exodi .xxv. Nathelesse in all suche paynture an honest meane neyther to costly bycause of this consyderacoÌ„n ne to vyle bycause of the fourmer consyderacyon me thynketh is to be kepte Caplm .viij. DIues why ben angellys payÌ„ted in lykenes of yonge men sythe they be spyrytes haue no bodyes ¶ Pauper Ther may no payntour paynte a spyryt in his kynde And therfore to the better representacoÌ„n they be paynted in the lykenes of a man whiche in soule is moost accordynge to angellys kynde And though the angell is not suche bodely as he is paynted he is neuertheles suche ghoostly and hath suche doynge beyng spyrytuell They be paynted lyke yong men berdlesse in token that they ben endlesse elden not ne feble not but alwaye in one lykyng in one astate alwaye myghty stronge And also they be payÌ„ted with crulled here in token that theyr thought ther loue is sette alwaye in right ordre tourne alwaye vp ayen to god than kynge hym worshyppynge hym in all thyng For by the here of the hede in holy wryte is vnderstonde thought and affeccoÌ„ns of the herte Also they ben paynted with stoles aboute theyr neckes in token that they be alwaye redy to serue god man atte goddes byddyng And therfor they ben called Administratorij spuÌ„s Ad Hebre i.c That is to saye spyrytes of seruyce For they serue to god in rulynge of mankynde gouernauÌ„ce of this worlde They ben payÌ„ted fethered with wynges in token of lyghtnesse delyuerenesse in her werkes For in a twynclynge of an eye they may be in heuen in erthe here att Rome at IhrusaleÌ„ They ben paynted with wheles vnð theyr fete in token that they meue rule the rouÌ„de bodyes the wheles the cercles in heuen the course of the planetes as the phylosophre sayth also in token that as the whele tourneth alwaye aboute the centre his myddes so the angellys doyng is alwaye about god alwaye ben nygh hyÌ„ where euer they be Also somtyme they be paynted armed with spere swerde shelde in token that they be redy to defende vs fro the fendes that ben besy nyght daye to lese vs. For but yf holy angellys holpen vs defende vs kepte vs lettyng the fendes malyce we myght not withstoÌ„de ne be saued And therfor right as euery man woman hath a wycked angell assygned to hyÌ„ by the fende to teÌ„pte hyÌ„ So hath he a good angell assygned to hyÌ„ of god to saue hym yf he wyll folowe his rule Caplm .ix. DIues Why ben the four euaÌ„gelystes paynted in suche dyuerse lykenes sythen they were men all foure ¶ Pauper For dyuerse maner of wrytyng techynge Mathewe is paynted in lykenesse of a man For he pryncypally wrote and taught the manhode of Cryste tolde how he bycame man And moost specyally and moost openly wrote his genologye Saynt Iohan that wrote In principio erat verbuÌ„ Is paynted in lykenesse of an egle whiche of all foules fleeth hyghest in syght is sharpest and may see ferthest Soo saynt Iohan spake wrote hyghest of the godhede and hadde more Insyght vnderstandynge in the godhede than the other Euangelystes Saynt Luke is paynted in the lykenesse of a calfe or an oxe bycause that he speketh moost openly of the passyon of Cryste that was offred vp to the fader of heuen on the Aultre of the crosse on good frydaye as the oxe or the calfe was offred on the Aulâ—e in the Temple by the lawe for saluacyon of the people whiche offrynge was betokenyng of Crystus passyon And for that saynt Luke speketh moost openly of Crystê° passyon whiche was betokened by the sacrefyce of the oxe Therfore he is paynted presented by the lykenesse of an oxe Saynt Marke is paynted in lykenesse of a lyon bycause that he speketh moost openly of Crystus resurreccoÌ„n how he rose from deth to lyfe For whan the lyonesse hath whelped they leye .iij. dayes and .iij. nyghtes deed tylle on the thyrde daye the lyon theyr fader cometh maketh an hydeous crye ouer them anone with that voys crye they quycken waken in that maner ryse from deth to lyfe for this reason is saynt Marke presented by the lykenesse of a lyon for he spake more openly of Crystus resurreccoÌ„n And therfore his gospell is rede on esterdaye Also thou shalt vnderstande that Cryste was god man preest kyng Mathewe spake moost openly of his maÌ„hode began at his manhode therfore he is paynted in the lykenesse of a man Saynt IohnÌ„ spake moost of his god hode began atte his godhode And therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an egle as I sayd fyrste Saynt Luke spake moost of his preesthode and therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an oxe or of a calfe For that was the pryncypall sacrefyce that the prestes by the olde lawe offred in toÌ„ the Temple Saynt Marke spake moost of his kyngdom shewyng hym kyng of all thyng And therfore he is paynteâ— in the lykenesse of a lyon that is kyng of vnresonable bestes ¶ Diues Why ben they so paynted in the four endes of the crosse ¶ Pauper In token that he that deyed on the crosse is kyng of all thynge For the Egle is kyng of all foules The Lyon is kyng of all wylde bestes vnresonable The oxe is kyng of all tame bestes helpynge to mankynde Man is kyng of all bestes and of all vysyble creatures that were made for hym But Cryste is kyng of all thynge vysyble and Inuysyble And in token therof the four Euangelystes ben paynted aboute hym on the crosse in dyuerse lykenesse of four dyuerse kynges in kynde as four kynges herawdes blasynge his armes the grete batayle vyctory that he dyde ayenst the fende for maÌ„kynde vpon the crosse ¶ Diues why ben they paynted in houses in foure partyes of the house ¶ Pauper For the same cause for deuocoÌ„n for knowlechynge of his hyghe lordshypp that all we haue of hym and ayenst tempestes wycked spyrytes that free the euaÌ„gelystes ben sette in maner of a crosse ben ashamed abasshed of the crosse specyally of Crystus passyon by the whiche they were all dysconfyted Caplm .x.
knoweth so many treuthes wote what is done for he is at euery wycked dede me meruaylleth moche why he is so redye to lye why he is so false ¶ Pauper For he hateth god that is souerayne treuthe for he myght not be euen with god in soueraynte of treuthe ne haue the name of souerayne treuthe that is god therfore his lykyng his trauayll is to be souerayne falshede soueraynly false And therfor Cryste sayth in the gospell that the fende stode neuer in treuthe for ther is no treuthe in hym whan he speketh he speketh lesynges by waye of kynde for he is a lyer fader of all lesynges IohaÌ„nes .viij. And so whether his tale be true or false saye he sothe or false alwaye he is felse alwaye a lyer ¶ Diues How may he say treuthe and yet lye for yf he sayth treuthe me thynketh he lyeth not ¶ Pauper What soo euer man or fende dooth or speketh ayenst good conscyence and ayenst the pleasaunce of god in wyll and in Intencyon for to dysceyue man woman or childe it is a lesynge he is a lyer that doth it or sayth it And therfore the lawe sheweth well .xxij. qÌ„ .ij. hoies â— is auteÌ„ That yf a man saye a treuthe whiche treuthe he wened be false yf he saye it for to dysceyue his euen crysten in that he lyeth And soo with a soth sawe a man or the fende may lye as yf I saye to the that it were not daye to let the of thy Iourney wenyng my selfe that it were not daye all though it were as I sayd yet I lye And in the same maner the fende telleth treuthis of thynges that ben to come and other sothes also wenynge hym selfe that they be false And so in his sothe sawes he lyeth for he sayth that treu the vnwyttyngly for dysceyte and weneth to saye false And yf he saye ony treuthe wyttyng wyllyng he sayth it oonly for to dysceyue men and for a wycked ende and for to doo folke with one soth sawe to byleue an hondred lesynges so he is alwaye false and dysceyuable And somtyme he is compelled by the myght of god to telle treuthes ayenst his wyll to shame and to shenshyp of hym and all his as we fynde in the gospell Math .viij Marce .i. Luce .iiij. et .vij. But for suche sothe sawes is he neuer the trewer but alwaye a false lyer for suche sothe sawes ben ayenst his wyll and yf he may he wyll tourne hym all to dysceyte and make men for suche sothe sawes whan they falle to byleue all his lesynges And therfor he is called in holy wryte Spiritus mendax spiritus fallax That is to saye a spyryte lyer a spyryte dysceyuable And therfore as the fendes hadde sayd the treuthe that Cryste compelled theym to saye anone he put them to scylence as sayth the glose in the same place for they wolde ellys vnder that sothe sawe haue tolde many lesynges Caplm .xxxiij. DIues Whan he is coniured he is so bouÌ„de by vertue of holy wordes that he must nedes saye trouthe whiche he knoweth yf it be axed hym ¶ Pauper Suche wytches charmers Iapers faytours that vse suche craftes haue no power to bynde hym ne to compelle hym to telle suche sothes ne right nought for to do ne for to tell For he may noughte do ne telle without to haue grauÌ„te of god And therfore suche Iapers and wytches bynde not the fende but the fende byndeth them full harde in his seruage and kepeth them thralles to hym passynge all other whose boundage is full harde to theym for to escape without a specyall grace of god ¶ Diues Contra Ofte men knowe that clerkes close hem in rynges and in other thynges make hem to telle to do many wondres ¶ Pauper The fende fayneth hym to be bouÌ„de with suche Iapers wordes for to dysceyue them other by them and yet is he not closed ne bounde but he gooth abrode as he dyde byfore and whan he is called he is somtyme redy to answere for he is full swyfte some tyme he is not redy to answere ne to do theyr wyll and often though he wolde he may not for god wyll not suffre hym ¶ Diues Yet contra te Men wote well that in many londes prestes and clerkes with holy coniuracoÌ„ns and holy prayers ordeyned of holy chirche catche wycked spyrytes out of men and wymen ¶ Pauper That is soth and not oonly good lyuers but wycked lyuers in many londes catche fendes out of men and wymen childern by the vertue of goddes wordes and holy coniuracyons and holy prayers ordeyned of holy chirche and sooner a good man or a good woman shall doo that than a wycked Suche bynde the fende and do hym lese his power and his lordshyp to shame and shenshyp of hym and all his Suche seke the worshyp of god and shenshypp of the fende helpe of mannes soule And therfore they haue power of god to bynde hyÌ„ and to compelle hym But yet as the glose sayth Marce. v. suê‘ illud Quod est tibi nomen They that ben so trauaylled with the fende muste fyrst be clene shreuen as ferre as they may knowe and telle all the maner of the fendes doynge and of the temptacyon that they haue eyther wakynge or slepynge by syght by herynge by felynge or by ony of theyr wyttes or by ony thought or fantasye and dyscouere all the fendes counseyll But the se wytches faytours and Iapers seke the fendes worshyp and not goddes worshyp They seke helpe of the fende and forsake goddes helpe and do sacrefyce to the fende forsake goddes sacrefyce take the fende to ther lorde and make hym theyr god And soo the fende hath power ouer them not they ouer the fende Caplm .xxxiiij. ANd therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. qÌ„ .vij. Non obseruetis That all suche wytches and all that axe ony counseyll or helpe of them or sette ony fayth in them or brynge them in theyr houses or go to theyr houses to haue helpe or couÌ„seyll of them and all that take hede of dysmale dayes or vse nyce obseruauÌ„ces in the newe mone or in the newe yere as settynge of mete or of drynke by nyght on the benche for to fede All holde or gobelyn Ledynge of the ploughe about the fyre as for good begynnyng of the yere that they sholde fare the better all the yere folowyn ge or take hede to the Iudycyall of astronomye or to dyuynacyons by chyterynge of byrdes or by fleynge of foules or assente to ony suche nyce obseruaunces or to dyuyne a mannes lyfe or dethe by nombres and by the spere of Pictagoras or to make ony dyuynynge therby or by songuary or sompnarye the booke of dremes or by the booke that is called the appostles lottes or vse ony charmes in gaderynge of herbes or in hangynge of scrowes about man or woman or childe or beest for ony
for all holy chirche prayeth soo But for to sette sayth in suche nyce obseruaūces and wene to be syker of theyr askynge for suche obseruaunces that is not lefull for we may not knowe the wyl of god in suche thynges with out a specyall reuelacyon of god we may praye ought to praye but god shall graūte as hym lyketh as he seeth that it is moost spedefull to vs moost to his worshypp And therfore Salomon sayth Nemo sit vtrū amore an odio dignus sit Eccle. ix Noo man he sayth wote sykerly whether he is worthy hate or loue And yet we hope and ought all to hope that god wyll loue vs saue vs yf we doo our deuour Fastyng is good yf it be done in mesure maner in good intencyon so that men sette no mysbyleue therin ne grounde them in no lesynges ne in noo nyce obseruaūces But in as moche as they preferre in theyr fastynge dayes of theyr owne choyse byfore tho dayes that ben ordeyned by holy chirche to faste in soo moche they synne in presumpcyon and doo preiudice to holy chirche that ordeyned suche dayes that ben moost conuenyente to faste as wednesdaye frydaye and satyrdaye De conse distinct .iij. Ieiunia ◠sabbato ¶ Diues I see no grounde ne reason in suche fastynge ne why it sholde be more medefull to faste all mondayes in the yere whan the feste of our Lady in lente falleth on the mondaye than for to faste in worshyp of her the wednesdaye frydaye or satyrdaye For I byleue sykerly that the mede of fastynge or the vertue of fastynge is not assygned ne lymyted by the lettres of the kalender ne folowe not the course of the kalender ne chaungeth not from one daye to another daye all yf the lettres chaunge from one daye to an other And so as me thynketh suche fastynge is groūded in some lesyng faynyng and in some mysbyleue ful nygh wytchecrafte ¶ Pauper Me thynketh the same For all yf the feste falle somtyme on the mondaye somtyme on the tuesday yet the deed in it selfe felle neyther on the mondaye ne on the tuesdaye but it felle on the frydaye for than the angell greted our lady than she conceyued goddes sone lord of blysse And .xxxiij. yere after the same tyme and the same daye that is to saye on good frydaye about myddaye she sawe her dere sone deynge for mankynde vpon the rode tree And soo me thynketh that it is more pleasaunt to god to our lady more conuenyent to faste the frydaye in the worshyp of cryste that deyed for vs all that daye and also in worshyp of our lady that conceyued that daye her dere sone at the gretynge of the angell than to faste eyther mondaye or tuesdaye And in as moche as they wene that suche faste sholde not auayll theym to th ende that they faste it fore but yf they chaūge theyr faste yere by yere after the course of the kalender that muste be do .vij. yere durynge after other it is a nyce fantasye and mysbyleue full nyghe wytchecrafte For Cryste myght graū them that boon as well for fyue or for .vi. or for .viij. yere fastynge as for .vij. yere fastynge I fonde neuer grounde wherof it cam neyther reson ne auctoryte fynde I none Axe forth yf thou wylte somwhat ellys Caplm .xliij. DIues Is it lefull to sette ony truste or ony fayth on dremes ¶ Pauper Ther ben two maner causes of dremes One from inwarde an other from outwarde Causes of dremes from inwarde ben thre maner One is comon sterynge of mannes fantasye or womans in theyr slepe suche dremes ben but fantasyes and vanytees And therfore sayth Salomon Vbi multa somnia ibi multe vanitates Eccle. v. Where as ben many dremes ther ben many vanytees for in this maner one man shall haue moo dremes than some twenty other Another cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of the bodye For whan men ben colde of kynde they dreme of frostes snowe and so by theyr dremes a wyse leche may knowe in parte the dysposycōn of ther bodye be it to helthe or to sekenes The thyrde cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of the soule For comonly men dremen of suche thynges as ther soules theyr thoughte is moost in occupyed whyle that they waken eyther by studye by loue or by hate by wrath by drede by sorowe by care pryde or couetyse Causes of dremes from outwarde ben two maner bodely ghoostly Bodely is the dysposycōn of the ayer and of the place about hym other thynges besyde hym And therfore in rayne weder men dreme of water of fysshes for ofte mānes bodye chaūgeth after the dysposycyon of the ayer of his abydynge place And for these thre causes sayth the phylosophre De somno et vigilia That leches sholde take bede to the dremes of them that ben seke to knowe therby how they ben dysposed Ghoostly causes from outwarde of dremes ben ij maners the one is good for that is god by hym selfe or ellys by angellys that in thre maners For some dreme so by ymagynacyon only as dyde the kyng Pharao Nabugodonosor Some dreme only by vnderstandynge as dyde saynt Poule Balaam Some dreme bothe by ymagynacōn by vnderstandyng as dyde saynt Iohan in apocalyps Danyell in his prophecye whiche sawe wonderfull syghtes by ymagynacōn vnderstandyng what tho syghtes betokened But Pharao and Nabugodonosor vnderstonde not the vysyons ne the dremes that they had The other cause of dremes from outwarde is not good as whan it falleth by Illusyon of the fende for tho pryncypally serue to wytche crafte Somtyme dremes come of grete besynesse trauayl that one hath whan he is wakyng And therfor sayth Salomon that after besynesse folowen many dremes for comonly men dreme of suche thynges as they ben in occupyed whyle they wake Somtyme dremes come of to moche abstynance of hongre Somtyme it cometh of excesse of mete or of drynke Somtyme of myslykynge that man hath whan he is wakyng And in as moche as the effecte of thynges is token of his causes as smoke is token of the fyre soo suche dremes ben tokens of causes that they come of And in this maner awyse man may telle by dremes causes of mannes dremes so by causes telle other preuy thynges that may fall therof For oftyme one cause bryngeth forth dyuerse effectes eche after other ¶ Diues Telle some examples ¶ Pauper Experyence sheweth that yf a man talke moche with a woman sette his herte gretely to her by daye in the nyght folowyng he dremeth of her some nyce dreme by whiche dreme yf he tolde it to some wyse man he wolde say that he loued moche that woman but he withdrewe hym from her company it sholde tourne hym to felony And also as clerkes saye in asmoche as dremes come by waye of kynde in
enhaūseth rightfull dome And but god had ended his werkes in mercy in the vij daye slaked his harde dome ayenst mankynde for Adams synne ellys his werkes had not ben complete ne parfyght in asmoche as y◠pryncypal creature for whom he made all thynge was loste For whan the fynale cause of ony werke fayleth that werke is not complete ne parfyght For this mercy that god shewed to man whan he ordeyned rest in the .vij. daye that was called sabbot fygure of endelesse reste of mankynde Cryst sayth in the gospell That the sabbot was made for man not man for the sabbot Marci .ij. But synfull man be so blent with couetyse that he tourneth his dampnacōn his payne in to lykynge and hath leuer to trauayll to his vndoynge vnto his dampnacyon than to rest to his saluacōn And hath leuer to folowe the harde sentence of god to his punysshynge than to take his grace and his mercy to be eased Suche ben lyke oules backes whiche hate the daye loue the nyght lyke to the fendes of helle that neuer haue recte ne for malyce wyll seke reste Caplm .ix. QOre ouer my frende we fynde four maner of sabbottes in holy wrytte One sabbot of dayes that was the .vij. daye ordeyned of god for reste ease both of man of beest Also we fynde a sabbot of monethes ordeyned also of god for to reste both of man and beest that was the .vij. moneth that man and beest sholde reste theym than after the grete trauaylle that they hadde done in the two monethes byfore in whiche was theyr heruest to gadre corne wyne and oyle and other fruyte The vij moneth was Septembre as for than in that hote contree heruest was all done Also we fynde a sabbot of yeres that was the .vij. yere For that yere the londe rested y◠it myght bere the better the more plenteuously after for that yere was noo londe sowen Also we fynde a sabbot of sabbottes that was the fyfth yere ordeyned of god for reste of the londe of beest of man namely of them that were in trauayll of trybulacyon For than outlawed men myght come ayen home in surete Than bounde men were made free dettes forgyuen Than men resceyued ayen theyr herytage By the sabbot of dayes is vnderstonden reste from vyces in the lyfe actyf that hath .vi. dayes to werke in By the sabbot of mone is vnderstonden reste that men haue in the lyfe contemplatyf both from vyces temptacōns for that moneth was moche holy but not all holy Right soo they that haue the lyfe contemplatyf they haue more reste from vyces and temptacōns than they that haue the lyfe actyfe but ful reste haue they not in this worlde By the sabbot of yeres whan the londe rested the .vij. yere is vnderstonden the reste that our soules shall haue in the blysse of heuen whyles the erthe of our bodyes shall reste in the graue By the sabbot of sabbottes that was the .l. yere is vnderstonden the reste without ende that we shall haue in heuen whan we shal go ayen both bodye soule vnto our herytage that we loste thrughe Adams synne whan all our trauayll trybulaco n shall cesse all our woo tourne to wele by vertue of Crystus passyon Caplm .x. DIues Sythen the sabbot of dayes was moste solempne in the olde lawe for it was not lefull that daye to go ouer a thousande pass ne to dyght theyr mete more ouer that daye were offred two lambes passynge the comon sacrefyce that was done euery daye sythen than the solempnyte of the sabbottes is translated in the newe lawe in to the sondaye why is not the sondaye as worshypfull in the newe lawe as was the sabbot in the olde lawe For as that was called the sabbot of our lorde also the sondaye is called the daye of our lorde passynge all other dayes And yet we haue in the yere many dayes more solempne than is the sondaye ¶ Pauper All the festes of the newe lawe that ben the dayes and the sabbottes of our lorde For alle tho ben of hym selfe in hym selfe or ellys of hym selfe in his sayntes In the olde lawe was no feste of our lorde but only the sabbot whiche was halowed in mynde of the creacōn of the worlde in mynde that god the .vij. day cessed of creacyon And also than to thanke hym for his endelesse goodnesse that he shewed to mankynde in his creacyon whan he made all bodely vysyble creatures to serue man man to serue hym here in grace after in the blysse of heuen without ende Other festes of the olde lawe were but solēpnytees myndes of auentures prosperytes y◠felle to the Iewes in tyme of the olde lawe And therfor the sabbot amonges them was moost solempne And amonges vs also the sondaye is moost solempne and holy for the grete dedes and wondres that god dyde in the sondaye But for as moche as it cometh ofte we make it not alwaye lyke solempne for it falleth the sondaye in whiche god shewed his wondres as Esterdaye Wytsondaye to be more solempne than other comon sondayes Other festes also as Crystmasse daye Epyphanye daye in as moche as they ben our lordes dayes come but ones in the yere therfore we make more solempnyte in tho dayes than we doo comonly on the sondaye And so we do in many other festes for all they be festes and dayes of our lorde Neuerthelesse ther is no daye so solempne in themselfe as the sondaye for that is alwaye solempne for y◠wondres that god dyde therin Other dayes somtyme ben solempne and somtyme not solempne after that the festes therin falle by chaūgynge of the yere so that other dayes haue noo solempnyte of themselfe by custome ne by lawe but only by fallynge of festes as the yere chaungeth The thursdaye was some tyme as holy as the sondaye for Cryste styed vp that daye to the heuen And than began the processyon that we vse on the sondaye for than Cryste wente in processyon with his dyscyples out of Ierusalem in to the mounte of Olyuete and there he styed vp in the syght of theym all And the crosse y◠is borne byfore vs in y◠processyon betokeneth that Cryste deyed on the crosse and afterwarde he arose ayen from deth to lyfe And on the holy thursdaye wente he byfore his dyscyples ledyng them vnto the moūte of Olyuete But for as moche as many newe festes comen on and it was greuous for to kepe two dayes so lempne euery woke therfore the solempnyte of the thursdayes cessed the processyon in mynde of Crystes ascen s yon was translated in to the sondaye ¶ Diues Therfor me thynketh that the sondaye sholde be the more solempne ¶ Pauper So it is and so it ought for to be moost halowed thoughe holy chirche doo not alwaye than moost solempnyte for that daye is ordeyned for reste in the newe lawe both to man and
beest as the sabbot was ordeyned for reste in the olde lawe Caplm .xi. DIues Be we bounden by this coÌ„maundement to kepe the holy dayes that holy chirche hath ordeyned in the newe lawe ¶ Pauper Yes forsoth for though the coÌ„mauÌ„dement passed in that the it was cerymonyall as anentes tyme yet it dwelleth in that it was is morall byndeth vs to flee vyces serue our god one daye more than another whiche daye is yâ— sondaye in the newe lawe by ordenauÌ„ce of god holy chirche For as yâ— gospell sayth Ma. xij DnÌ„s est emÌ„ filius hoiÌ„s et sabbati The maydens sone Cryste Ihesus is lorde of the sabbot And for as moche as it was so euyll kepte in the olde lawe soo moche blood was shedde in the sabbot Cryste hyÌ„selfe suffred so moche despyte on the sabbot therfore he was dyspleased sayd by the prophetes Ysaye .i. and Ozee .ij. That he sholde noo lenger suffre theyr sabbottes but as a lorde of the sabbottes he chauÌ„ged that reste solempnyte of theyr sabbottes in to the sondaye for the causes whiche I sayd byfore whiche daye all yf it be the .viij. daye in the fyrste ordre of dayes yet it is but the .vij. daye in obseruauÌ„ce of the coÌ„maundement For we haue now .vi. dayes for to werke in in token yâ— god in .vi. dayes made all yâ— worlde the vij daye we halowe as god badde vs in token that god the .vij. daye cessed of creacoÌ„n ordeyned reste in yâ— sondaye As saynt Poule sayth in his pystle ad Colo .ij. That openly the sabbot other festes of the olde lawe were but shadowes fygures of the newe lawe And therfore after Crystus passyon tho festes cessed noo man ought to kepe them And who so kepeth them in that he forsaketh yâ— Cryste was borne of the mayden deyed for mankynde And saynt Gregorye in his pystle ad Ro sayth That all that halowe the satyrdaye for it was so holy in the olde lawe that ben Antecrystes dyscyples For Antecryste shall do men halowe both sondaye satyrdaye Sondaye for to drawe crysten peple to his secte for he shall fayne hym deed to aryse ayen fro deth to lyf on yâ— sonday And yâ— satyrdaye to drawe the Iewes to his secte De con di.iij Peruenit Caplm .xij. DIues Why wolde god make the worlde more in the nombre of .vi. dayes than in ony other nombre of dayes ¶ Pauper For as Salomon sayth God made al thynge in nombre in weyght and in mesure He made noo thynge to moche ne to lytyll But he made euery thynge parfyghtly in his kynde and ended all his werkes in parfyghtnesse And for the nombre of .vi. is the fyrste nombre euen yâ— is parfyght therfore he made all the worlde in nombre of .vi. dayes ¶ Diues How is yâ— nombre of .vi. dayes more parfyght than another nombre ¶ Pauper For all his partes yâ— mete him yf they be taken to gydre make euen .vi. as i.ij.iij make euen .vi. these .iij. mete hym For .vi. tymes one is .vi. thryes two is .vi. twyes thre is .vi. And this parfeccoÌ„n is in no nombre within .x. but in .vi. And fro .x. to an hondred is none but xxviij And fro an hondred to a thousande is but this euen nombre four hondred four score .xvi. The next is .viij. thousande one hondred and xviij thaÌ„ no mo suche but one with in an hondred thousande And who soo wyll fynde that he muste studye After an hondred thousande ben mo suche than all the clerkes vnder the sonne can telle and mo than ony herte may thynke or tongue can telle yet is it full harde to fynde one And for that .vi. is the fyrste parfyght nombre in this maner Therfore god wolde make this worlde in the nombre of .vi. in a token that all his werkes were parfyght And therfore sayth holy wryte GenÌ„ .ij. That heuen and erthe al theyr arraye were parfyght And for the same cause god made man the .vi. daye as for a parfyght and a noble creature For the same cause in the .vi. age of the worlde he bycame man And on the â—i daye a good frydaye the .vi. hour of the daye in the .vi. age he bought mankynde ayen with his precyous blood in token yâ— all his werkes were parfyght And the same nombre of dayes god hath grauÌ„ted vs for to werke in in token yâ— all our werkes sholde be parfyght good no thynge do amys that we sholde for noo couetyse do to moche ne for no slouth do to lytyll but holde vs alwaye in a meane in euenhe de for god grauÌ„ted vs no tyme to synne Therfore wyll he that we alwaye be euen with god and with our euen crysten as sixe is alwaye euen with his partes to gydre Caplm .xiij. DIues Why bad god reste on the .vij. daye more than an other daye ¶ Pauper In token that as .vij. cometh next after yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. dayes of werkynge soo after parfyght werkes in this worlde shall folowe parfyght reste in the other worlde Also he badde reste in the .vij. daye for yâ— passeth the parfyght nombre in token yâ— he wyll that no thynge be done passynge parfeccoÌ„n And therfore all synne is comprehended in .vij. dedely synnes For as .vij. passeth yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. so euery synne passeth parfeccoÌ„n is out of parfeccoÌ„n of all good werkes Also god badde reste the .vij. daye for he wyll that men reste them than both goostly bodely Goostly from besynesse thought of the worlde Bodely from bodely trauayll For why vij is made of four thre Four betokeneth bodely thynges made of four elementes Thre betokeneth mannes soule made to the lykenesse of the holy trynyte And therfor he badde reste in the .vij. daye that men sholde than rest both bodye soule Also god bad rest in the .vij. daye in token yâ— after parfyght werkes shal folowe endeles rest both of bodye of soule For this noÌ„bre vij in asmoche as all tyme all duracoÌ„n is coÌ„prehended in .vij. dayes therfore it betokeneth endeles lastynge And therfore reste on the .vij. daye betokeneth endeles rest Also my frende god ordeyned reste in the .vij. daye in token of .vij. blysses whiche we shal haue for parfyght werkes that we do here in .vi. dayes and .vi. ages of this worlde For anentes yâ— bodye we shall haue four blysses bryghtnesse beaute without ony spotte For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Men wymen shall shyne in heuen as bryght as the sonne Also men shall haue there inpassybylyte helth of bodye without all maner sekenesse no thynge shall dere them ne dysease them Also they shal haue delyuerhede of body lightne s se without lettynge for they sholde be as lyght as thought in twynkelynge of an eye be where as they wyll Also they shall haue sotylte of bodye without
not excused Also yf men for hastynesse doo theym shaue or do theyr horse shoe in the sondaye whan they may not well abyde ne myght not wel do it byfore they ben excused yf nede compelle theym therto and not couetyse ne slouthe Mylleners or crafte by wynde water is lefull in the sondaye after custome of the contree for so it may be doo with lytyll trauayl but for to do it with draught of bestes in the sondaye it is not leful for it may so not be done without grete trauayl Thus sayth Io. in suÌ„ con li. i.ti.xij De ferijs et tabule iuris Caplm .xvi. DIues It is not lefull men to begynne grete Iourneys in the sondaye of longe pylgrymage or of ferre passynge ¶ Pauper Yf they do it of custome or without nede than they synne greuously all though they here theyr seruyce er they goo and namely men of holy chirche that sholde in holy dayes occupye theym moost in goddes seruyce and deuocoÌ„n in techynge of goddes lawe and gyue the people good example to halowe well the holy daye Prechours that trauayll from towne to towne in the sondaye in grete festes to teche the people goddes lawe ben excused wynne moche mede But be they ware that vnder colour of prechyng they renne not to moche about in vayne in the sondaye ¶ Diues Is it lefull in grete holy dayes to trauayle about makynge of holy chirche as in caryage lyftynge of stones gaderynge of stones suche other ¶ Pauper As for a lytyll it is lefull but not longe to doo trauayle ne ouer grete yâ— men sholde brynge to werynesse for to lette them fro goddes seruyce For the holy daye representeth endelesse reste and halowynge without ende And therfore I holde it vnlefull to make grete caryages in the sondaye or ony pryncypall feste for ony chirche makynge ¶ Diues Is it not lefull to helpe men of holy chirche in the grete holy dayes to housynge in caryage other trauayll ¶ Pauper Yf they be poore it is lefull as for a lytyll to helpe them in housyng but yf they be riche ynoughe to paye therfore in the werke daye it is not leful to trauayll for them in the sondaye other grete festes ¶ Diues Is it lefull to vytaylers or other chapmen to ryde or to go fro towne to towne in the sondaye to selle vytayles or other thynges in the chirche or in the chirche yerde or at the chirche yate ¶ Pauper Nay forsoth For ther sholde no suche markette be holden in the sondaye ne in sentuary ne out Extra de ferijs Omnes dies dominicos And therfore ben market dayes ordeyned in other dayes that men sholde than bye selle halowe in the sondaye But it is lefull to vytayler to selle vytayles in theyr owne places so that they do it pryncypally for almesse of theyr euen crysten and for to here theyr seruyce Auyse hem that than bye ¶ Diues Is it lefull for to werke in the sondayes whan that euensonge is sayd and whan that the folke haue herde goddes seruyce ¶ Pauper Nay forsoth but grete ne de compelled them for to werke as I fyrste haue sayd for ellys men sholde be bounden to halowe from euen to euen And therfore whan euensonge is done at after none in the sondaye yet is it not lefull to werke than And also whan that euensonge is sayd in the satyrdaye at after none yet is it lefull for to werke tylle the sonne goo downe Neuerthelesse so lytyl the werke may be that it is no synne to doo it than ¶ Diues How sholde men knowe how moche werke is lefull for to do in the holy daye and what nede that excuseth man of trauaylynge in the sondaye and in other grete festes for couetyse and wanbyleue that men truste not to god but wene that god sholde fayle theym and put folke in drede of nede whan ther sholde ellys be no drede of suche nede ¶ Pauper Therfore yf they myght redely haue theyr bysshopp they sholde axe hym couÌ„seyll or ellys theyr curate or some other good wyse man And yf the nede be grete open ther owne conscyence ought to excuse them for they may than werke by auctoryte of the lawe And yf a man or woman axe couÌ„seyll in thynges of doubte of hyÌ„ yâ— he weneth shold gyue hyÌ„ resonably good couÌ„seyll though the couÌ„seyllour fayle in his couÌ„seyll gyuynge yet yâ— axer is excused but he knowe that yâ— couÌ„seyll is not good or ellys dyd no dylygence to knowe it for he loweth hym to axe couÌ„seyll forsaketh his owne wytte his owne wyl he getteth grete mede Caplm .xvij. DIues Whan seruauÌ„tes trauayll in the sondaye by compellynge of theyr soueraynes ben they not excused byfore god by theyr maystres byddynge ¶ Pauper Yf they trauayll and doo theyr maystres byddynge pryncypally for drede and for obedyence that they owe to theyr soueraynes and not for couetyse ne for none other euyll cause and the maner of trauayll be lefull in it selfe than they ben excused For as holy wrytte sayth God loueth better obedyence than sacrefyce But beware the souerayne that compelleth his seruauÌ„te in the sondaye or ony grete feste without grete nede For to the soueraynes is halowyng of holy daye pryncypaly boden for without theyr wyll theyr seruaunte ne theyr beestes comonly shall do no seruyle werkes ¶ Diues In ryaltees as playes and dauÌ„ces that are vsed in grete festes in the sondayes are they not lefull ¶ Pauper In ryaltees as in playes daunces that ben done pryncypally for deuocoÌ„n honeste and myrthe to teche men to loue god the more for no rybaudry ne medled with rybaudry ne lesynges ben lefull so that the people be not letted therby from goddes seruyce ne fro herynge of goddes worde that none errours be meddled in suche ryaltees playes ayenst the fayth of holy chirche ne ayenst good lyunge Alle other playes ben forboden bothe holy dayes werken dayes De con di iij Irreligiosa Et extra li. iij.ti.i cuÌ„ decoreÌ„ Where the glose sayth That for to represente in playnge at Crystmasse Herodes the thre kynges and other processes of the gospelles bothe than at Ester other tymes also it is lefull and coÌ„mendable ¶ Diues Than it semeth by thy speche that in holy dayes men may lefully maken myrthe ¶ Pauê‘ God forbede ellys For as I sayd the holy daye is ordeyned for reste releuynge bothe of bodye of soule And therfore in lawe of kynde in lawe wryten in lawe of grace euer from the begynnyng of the worlde the holy daye hath ben so lacyous with honeste both for soule bodye and for worshyp of god whos daye is that daye solacyouse in clothynge in mete drynke in occupacoÌ„n honeste with myrthe makynge And therfore the prophete sayth Hee dies quaÌ„ fecit dnÌ„s exultemus et letemur in ea This is
clerkes tellen not for euery tyme ne for euery place ne for euery cause but only for suche cause tyme place whan they may do it lefully And thê° bynde al coÌ„mauÌ„dementê affyrmatyfe But coÌ„maundementê negatyfe bynde euery tyme for euery tyme. ¶ Diues What yf fader moder falle in myschyef after that theyr sone is professed in relygyon ought not her sone to forsake relygyon helpe his fader mod in theyr myschyef ¶ Pauper Some clerkes tellen that for as moche as he is deed ayenst the worlde by his professyon therfore he is dyscharged fro cure of fader moder as he is dyscharged therof by bodely deth he ought not to go out of his relygyon but dwelle styll vnder obedyence of his prelate Neuerthelesse he ought to do his dylygence to helpe them sauynge his obedyence honeste of his relygyon In suÌ„ con libro .iij. ti .xxxiiij. qÌ„ CC.xlix ¶ Diues As I sayd fyrste He that nought haue nought may gyue but the relygyouse maketh so his professyon that he may no thynge haue in propre How sholde he than helpe eyther fader or mod or ony other of his kyn ¶ Pauper Yf he be a relygyoê° mendycant he may begge for his fader moder as he dooth for hymselfe so releue helpe them by meÌ„nes almes And yf he do so without doubte god shall sende hyÌ„ ynough bycause of his charyte he shall fare the better for them both in bodye soule And yf he be a relygyoê° possessyoner endewed by temporal goodes he may releue them in the same maner or ellys by almes of the house whiche is endewed pryncypaly to helpe the nedy namely fad mod For saynt Poule sayth that who so haue no cure yf his next he is worse than Iewes sarasynes or paynymes Caplm .vij. DIues As they saye the goodes of holy chirche may not be dealed ne gyuen in to the vse of seculers ¶ Pauper God forbede ellys For all that holy chirche hath it is gyuen to holy chirche or ellys purchased by substaunce of temporel lordes to helpe crysten people in myschyef And therfore holy chirches goodes ben called the goodes of the poore and of the nedy .xvi. qÌ„ .i. Decime et cao. Quino. ¶ Diues These relygyou s e possessyoners endewed in so grete richesses saye that they be the goodes of the house And therfore none of them may gyue ony thynge of the goodes without comon assente of the couent leue of theyr souerayne And so me thynketh that it is ful harde to ony relygyouse possessyoner to helpe eyther fader or mod by goodes of his house For the relygyouse may scarsely helpe themselfe by goodes of his house he shall full euyll or may releue his fader or moder by goodes of his house For redely he shall fynde both his prelate and his couent ayenst hym alleggynge delapydacoÌ„n waste and pouerte and grete nede without nede For yet ther is no house that wyll saye that they haue ynoughe ¶ Pauper A sory lorshyp is it than the lorshyp of relygyouses that may not in so grete richesses passynge dukes eerles barons releue the myschyef of theyr owne fader and moder But sothely they shewe well that all theyr besynesses is to spare to purchase to begge of lordes ladyes and of other men londes and rentes golde and syluer not for helpe of the poore but for to mayntene theyr pryde theyr welfare Saynt Benett ofte with good conscyence gaaf to the couentes good to helpe poorefolke at nede For we rede prio. lio. Dyalogorum That ther was a good symple man dyseased for he ought a man .xij. shellynges and he had not wherwith to paye He cam to saynt Benett prayed hym of helpe Saynt Benett sayd that he had nought than for to helpe hym selfe with but come agayne to me sayd he after two dayes than I shall helpe the yf I may Saynt Benett for pyte that he hadde on that man prayde to god for helpe And sodaynly he fouÌ„de lyggynge .xiij. shellynges on the hutche of the couent that was full of whete whiche moneye Saynt Benett toke and gaue to that sory man badde hym paye .xij. shellynges for his dette and .xij. pens ouer he badde hym kepe for his lyuynge And without doubte yf Saynt Benett hadde hadde so moche moneye of the couent he sholde haue done the same with the couentes moneye without assente of the couent For we fynde in the same boke that ther was a grete hongre in that contree that saynt Benett dwelled in And whan he sawe the folke at myschyef he gaaf awaye nygh all the godes of the couent so that ther was nothynge lefte in the couent wherby to lyue but a lytyll oyle in a glasse And than cam a man to hym whos name was Agapitus and prayed hym for goddes sake to gyue hym a lytyl oyle Saynt Benett badde the monke that had the oyle in kepynge delyuer that oyle to that nedy man The monke for nygardshyp for that it was the couentes good wolde not delyuer it to the nedy man For yf he gaue that awaye he sholde none leue to the couent Saynt Benett was dysplaysed and badde an other monke take the vessell of glasse with the oyle and caste it ought at the wyndowe for that the monke was soo vnobedyent for the oyle whan it was caste out it fell downe more than an hondred fote on cragges and stones for the house stode vpon an hyghe hylle and neyther the glasse brake ne the oyle spylte Than saynt Benett badde the monkes take it as it was gyue it to the nedy man And than byfore all the monkes he vndername the cellerer of his pryde of his wanbyleue Than saynt Bernarde with his bretheren prayed to god that he wolde sende to them some oyle wherby to lyue And anone a tonne that laye there besyde voyde sodaynly was so full of oyle yâ— it raÌ„ne ouer in the flore We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Gregory yâ— there came a man axed saynt Gregory almes for goddes sake For he hadde loste all his good on the see vnneth he escaped with his lyf Saynt Gregorye yâ— was than but abbot bad his awmener gyue hym .vi. pens And he dyde so The same daye he cam ayen axed almes had as moche He came ayen the thyrde daye alledgyd grete pouerte that he had lost moche good gate but lytyll ayen Saynt Gregorye had his procuratour and reuler of the couentes goodes that he sholde gyue hym his almes He answerde and sayd that ther was none thynge lefte but a dysshe of syluer in whiche his moder was wonte to sende hym mete Saynt Gregorye bad hym gyue the poore man yâ— dysshe so he dyd This poore man was goddes angell in the lykenesse of a poore man for this almes god made saynte Gregory afterwarde pope of Rome We fynde also in yâ— lyf of saynt FrauÌ„cys that he bad
Pauper That is soth For he that doth goddes byddynge god shal yelde hym his mede And it is goddes byddynge goddes wyl that they serue truly mekely theyr soueraynes And therfore sayth the glose that sythen Cryste byddeth the seruauÌ„tes serue truly yf they serue truly they serue not only man or woman but pryncypaly serue Cryste ¶ Diues Why byddeth the apostle that the seruauÌ„tes sholde obey and serue to flesshely carnale lordes ¶ Pauper For the glose sayth They muste by goddes lawe obey not only to good lordes but also to shrewes Therfore saynt Peter sayth Subiecti estote oim humane creature ê“pter dnÌ„i â— Be ye subgettes sayth he to euery man and woman that is your souerayne not for themselfe but for god Be ye subgettes to kynges to dukes to temporal lordes thynke ye that god hath ordeyned them to vengeauÌ„ce of wycked doers to praysynge of good folke For thus is the wyll of god that with your good dedes your meke seruyce ye stoppe and make styll the vnconnynge of the vnwyse folke Serue ye as free men that is to saye not only for drede of man but for drede and loue of god as for goddes seruauntes Drede ye god and worshyp ye your kyng And ye seruauntes be ye subgettes and meke in all drede to your lordes that is to saye not only in seruyle drede but also in loue drede for goddes sake Be ye subgettes for goddes sake not only to good lordes and well ruled but also to shrewes and tyrauntes Non tantuÌ„ bonis et modestis sed eciaÌ„ discolis For than is man and woman worthy thanke of god whan as they for conscyence and goddes sake suffreth pacyently dysease without gylte Yf ye be beten and buffeted for your synnes and your trespasses ye be worthy noo thanke neyther of god ne of man But yf ye doo well and with that suffre pacyently dysease vngylty than be ye worthy moche mede of god And for to do thus Cryste gaue you ensample whan he suffred pacyently bytter deth without gylte that ye sholde folowe his steppes and pacyently suffre woo without ony gylte These be the wordes of saynt Peter in his fyrste pystle ij c. 0 Here to accordeth saynt Poule in his pystle ad Romanos xiij.ca 0 where he sayth thus Euery soule that is to saye euery man and woman muste be subgette meke to the power aboue theym and to his soueraynes For theyr is no power ne lordshypp but of god and of goddes ordenaunce And therfore sayth he who so withstondeth the lordshyp and the power of his soueraynes he withstandeth goddes ordenauÌ„ce and geteth hym dampnacoÌ„n without ende For why sayth he prynces and lordes ben ordeyned of god to drede of wycked werkes not to drede of good werkes wylte thou not drede the power of thy soueraynes doo well thou shalte haue praysynge of hym For yf he be a good lorde he shall loue the the better and yf he be a shrewe thou shalt haue the more praysyng of god that thou doost well vnder a wycked souerayne as the glose sayth Thy lorde or thy kyng is goddes mynystre ordeyned of god to thy good Yf thou doo amys drede thou hym for he bereth not yâ— swerde without cause for he is goddes mynystre to venge the wrath of god in hym that dooth amys And therfore sayth he be ye subgettes meke to your soueraynes as to the nedefull ordenauÌ„ce of god not only for to flee wrath of your souerayns but also for conscyence And therfore ye gyue trybutes to your prynces and lordes for they be goddes mynystres serue therfore in defendynge gouernaunce of the people And as the glose sayth in that ye gyue theym trybute ye serue god for they be goddes mynystres Caplm .xvi. DIues Whan saynt Poule sayd tho wordes Emperours kynges nyghe all prynces and temporall lordes vpon erthe were hethen folke of false byleue how myght they be goddes mynystres or goddes seruauÌ„tes ¶ Pauper Euery creature is seruauÌ„t subget to god or with his wyll or without his wyll And therfor saynt Austyn vpon that psalme Exaudi deus oroÌ„em meaÌ„ and sayth thus Wene ye not that god suffreth wycked folke to be in this worlde without cause For euery wycked man sayth he eyther god suffreth hyÌ„ to lyue for to amende hym or ellys that good men may be amended by hym wynne mede by hym in that that they suffre his malyce pacyently trauayll for to amende hym The malyce of shrewes is a purgatory to good folke and shrewes ben goddes scourge to chastyse goddes childern whiche he had ordeyned to the kyngdome of heuen and to punysshe and purge the synnes of theym that god loueth also to punysshe other shrewes And therfor god sayd to the synfull Iewes For ye wyll not here my wordes ne kepe my lawes Therfore I shall sende after my seruauÌ„t Nabu godonosor kyng of Babylon brynge hym all his people vpon this londe and destroye this londe bycause of synne Ieremye .xxv. This Nabugo donosor kyng of Babylon was an hethen man a grete shrewe and had no loue to god ne knewe hym not for his god He was a wycked tyrauÌ„t destroyed goddes lawe and goddes people goddes temple in Ierusalem And yet god called hym his seruaunt for he was goddes yerge to chastyse shrewes and to punysshe the synnes of goddes people And as ye see that whan as the fader hath beten his childe with a yerde he casteth the yerde in to the fyre Right soo whan god hath chastysed scourged his childeren by wycked men by wycked tyrauÌ„tes that ben goddes yerde but yf the tyrauÌ„tes amende them he shall caste them in to the fyre of helle with out ende And therfore he sayth Ve assur virga furoris mei et baculus ipse est â— Woo be to the people of assur and to his kyng for they be the yerde and the staffe of my wrath I shall sende theym ayenst the false people and ayenst the people to whiche I am wroth I shal bydde hym destroye the people robbe them slee them But he weneth not so but he thynketh al of his owne myght malyce I bydde hym do my rightfulnesse Ysaye .x. Caplm .xvij. DIues Sythen it is so that all lordshyp power in erthe cometh of god me meruayleth moche why god gyueth wycked men suche grete power in this worlde ¶ Pauper The power cometh all of god but the malyce wyckednesse and wycked couetyse cometh of man ¶ Diues God knoweth theyr malyce what they wyll doo why gyueth he than suche lordshyp and power to shrewes ¶ Pauper For comon synne of the people For synfull people rebell false be not worthy to haue a good lorde mercyable benygne but for to haue cruell lordes false tyrauÌ„tes lyke the people And therfore Iob sayth Regnare facit ypocrytaÌ„ Ppter peccata populi God maketh an ypocryte a wycked
lyuer to reygne for synne of the people Iob .xxiiij. And therfore sayth holy wryte that god gaaf his people a kyng in his wrath suche as sholde dysese them Ozee .xiij. Dabo eis regem in furore meo ¶ Diues The phylosophre sayth .iiij. ethi that the wycked man is worthy noo worshyp only the good man is worthy worshypp For as he sayth there worshyp is mede of vertue And so he that is not vertuous vycyous as tyrauÌ„tes be is worthy no worshyp ¶ Pauper That is soth ¶ Diues Why byddeth than god Peter Poule as thou hast sayd yâ— men sholde do worshyp obeye not only to the good lordes but also to the wycked ¶ Pauper As I sayd fyrst We sholde obey do worshyp to them not for themself but for god for power that god hath gyuen theym And for yâ— they represent goddes ê‘sone in erth we sholde worshyp theym not theyr owne persones but for yâ— dygnyte yâ— god hath gyuen them made them our souerayus And yf they be good vertuous we sholde do them worshyp obeye to theym not only for her dygnyte but for ther vertue our owne profyte And therfore saynt Poule sayth Obedite ê‘positis vestris â— ad Hebre .xiij. Obeye ye to your prelates souerayns be ye meke subget to them For why sayth he they be full besye trauayl to saue your soules as they yâ— sholde gyue answere for your soules at the dome ¶ Diues Many of theym carefull lytyll for mannes soule They care more to gete moneye mannes good many of them be full feble lyuers ¶ Pauper Whan they be suche take none ensample of ther wycked lyuynge doo not as they doo but as they saye whan they teche well reuerence theym for theyr dygnyte and for ther ordre for so byddeth cryste in the gospell ¶ Diues I suppose that they ueyther do well ne teche well for many of them be full lewed ¶ Pauper Yet as longe as they be thy souerayns or thy curates thou shalt obeye to them in all thâ—nge resonable â—efull yâ— longeth to her offyce do them worshyppe for ther dygnyte not for ther persone but for god â–ª whos persone they presente in masses lyngynge in shryftes herynge in other sacramentes geuynge in gouernynge Caplm .xviij. DIues I suppose that my lege lorde the kynge bydde me do a thynge and my mayster or my souerayn bydde me do the contrarye or yf my curate bydde me do a thynge contrarye to my bysshoppes byddynge to whome shall I obeye ¶ Pauper In that cas yâ— shalt obey to thy kynge that is thy souerayne thy maysters souerayn also yâ— shalt obeye to thy bysshop that is thy curates prelate thyn also Yf the kynges byddynge and the bysshoppes be not ayenst goddes worshypp And yf thy kynge thy pope or thy bysshop or ony other souerayn bydde the doo ony thynge that yâ— knowest well that it is ayenst goddes worshypp ayenst his lawe thou shalt not obeye to them in that but to god yâ— is theyr souerayn thyn also And therfore sayth saynt Peter to the Iewes Obedire oportet magis deo 〈◊〉 huibus It behoueth to obeye to god more than to men Yf it be ryghtfull to here you rather than god deme ye And yâ— lawe sayth yâ— yf ony souerayn byd his suget ony thynge yâ— is contrary to god the suget shal not obeye ne do ony thyng vnryghtfull vnhonest ne yâ— sholde harme the comonte for his byddynge yf he knowe well yâ— the byddynge de not lefull .i. qÌ„ .iij. nâ— semp ¶ Diues I suppose yâ— the luget be in doubte whether it be goddes lawe or not ¶ Pauê‘ Than shall he obeye to his souerayn he is eccused but yf it be in suche thynge that he is bouÌ„de to knowe to conne As yf he byd hym ony thynge yâ— is openly ayenst goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t or ayenst the fayth or ayenst goddes lawe or lawe of holy chirche yâ— he is bouÌ„de to knowe than shall he not obeye in ony wyse to his byddyng ¶ Diues Is the suget bouÌ„de to obeye to his souerayn in all thynge lefull ¶ Pauê‘ Seruage subgeccon came to amonges mankynde for pryde other synne But as a grete clerke sayth Seneca li. iij de benefiâ—ijs This seruage went not in to all men ne in to all wymen But the better parte of man woman that is the soule is outaken from suche seruage onely mannes bodye womans is bounde to seruage of temporell lordes of ther souerayn and mannes soule womans is free so yâ— he may haue his thought his loue his wyl Inwarde as hym lyketh without leue of his souerayne And therby he offendeth not his souerayn ne pleaseth but only god that knoweth surely mannes hert But only in the dedes of the bodye the suget is bouÌ„de to obeye his souerayne ¶ Diues In whiche dedes ¶ Pauê‘ In suche as longeth to reule gouernauÌ„ce in suche thynges as he hath made hym suget in to his souerayn in suche the suget ought to obeye to his souerayn As knyght in armes is bouÌ„de to obeye his chefteyn his leder in thynges that longe to armes The bouÌ„de man to his lorde in doynge seruyle werkes in dutee of his bouÌ„dage the sone to his fader in thynge that longeth to good norture reule of his housholde the wyfe to her husbonde in thynge yâ— longe to matrymonye socyall lyuynge not in werkes of vylayn seruage And yf the wyfe obeye more than she is bouÌ„de to do more dedes of lowenesse in pleasauÌ„ce of her husbonde than she is bouÌ„de to she is more to prayse and the more he ought to loue her haue her in worshyp as his owne flesshe And yf she do it for goddes sake god shal be her mede though her husbonde be ful vnkynde But in thynges that longe to the kynge of mannes bodye man ne woman is not suget to his lord ne to his souerayn temporall but only to god For all men in thynges that longe to kynde of bodye be euen as in substauÌ„ce of the bodye in bryngynge forth of childern And therfore yâ— seruauÌ„t may wedde without leue of his lorde the sone without leue of his fader And the seruauÌ„t may kepe him chast without leue of his lorde ayenst his byddynge and the sone ayenst the byddynge of his fader and wedde ayenst his byddynge and yf it hym lyke Neuerthele s se it is good that yonge folke in suche thynges folowe the counseyll of fader moder and of theyr frendes but yf theyr couÌ„seyll be to let them from god For this reason also husbonde wyf as ayeâ—st vsyngâ— of theyr bodye be euen eche of them hath power ouer others bodye Caplm .xix. DIues Is the people bounde to obeye to the pope to theyr bysshop to theyr curate in al thynges what they wyll byd them do ¶ Pauper
lorde god And in the newe lawe he sayth thus Deum timete regem honorificate Drede ye god and worshyppe ye your kynge .i. petri .ij. That is to say For drede of god worshyp thou thyn elder and for drede of god worshyp thou thy kynge thy souerayne and al that be in hygher degre than thou art For sythen god hath put them in degre of worshyp thou muste for drede of god worshyppe them And but thou worshyp them ellys thou offendest god Omnes honorate Worshyp ye all men women after ther astate and ther dygnyte And saynt Poule byddeth that all thynge sholde be do honestly and in ordre OiÌ„a honeste et scdm ordineÌ„ fiant .i. ad corum .xiiij. Caplm .xxiij. ALso leue frende by this commauÌ„dement we be bouÌ„de to worshyp holy angels sayntes in heuen for they be our faders in age in worshyp in cure in kepynge of vs. For they longen after vs that ther nombre ther company that was lested by the pryde of lucyfer myght be restored ayen by saluacoÌ„n of vs. And therfore nyght and daye they prayen for vs to god for helpe and grace nedefull to vs. Of these faders speketh saynt Poule in his pystle and sayth thus I knele praye for you nyght and daye the fader of our lorde Ihesu cryste of whom is named all maner of faderhede in heuen and in erthe Ex quo omnis paternitas nominat in celo et in terra ad Ephe .iij. For as the glose sayth ther dysposycyon the angellys be our faders in heuen ordeyned for vs and in erthe prelates be our faders hauynge cure and kepynge of vs. And so bothe prelates in erthe and angellys in heuen ben our faders And therfore as all these clerkes sayen Eche man woman hath two angels assygned to hym one of god an other of the fende For the fonde Sathanas att goddes suffraunce assygneth to hym a wycked angell to tempte hym and to lese hym But god of his goodnes assygneth hym a good angell to saue hym and to kepe hym Of whiche good angell cryste sayth in the gospell that they see alwaye the face of the fader in heuen for they be alwaye in his presence speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore sayth saynt Ierom vpon the same worde of cryste that angels bere our prayers and our good dedes in to heuen and kepe and defende vs ayenst the malyce and the sleyght of the fende And therfore the angell Raphaell whan he had ledde the sone of Tobye in to fer contree and saued hyÌ„ from many perylles broughte hym ayen in grete welth he sayd to Tobye whan thou praydest with bytter teres beryedeste the deed bodyes and leftest thy mete and haddest deed bodyes by daye in thyn house beryeste them by nyght for goddes sake ayenst the wyll of the wycked kynge Senacheryb Than offered I thy prayer to our lorde god Thobie .iiij. Also we rede in the fourth booke of kynges the .vi. chaptre That the prophete Helyzee was sodaynly by nyght besyeged in the Cyte of Dothaym with the oost of the kynge of Syrye In the morowe the seruaunt of Helyzee sawe the oost about the Cyte he was full sory sayd to his mayster Helyzee Alas alas alas what shal we do we be so besyeged with our ennemyes that we may not escape Than Helyzee sayd to hym Drede ye not for we haue more folke with vs than they haue with them Than Helyzee prayed to god that he wolde open the eyen of that seruaunt that he myght see what helpe Helyzee had with hym And anone he sawe the hylles about Helyzee full of horse charettes brennynge as fyre a grete people arayde to batayll that was the oost of angellys sent of god for kepynge of Helyzee through whos helpe the prophete Helyzee ledde all the oost that had besyeged hym in to the Cyte of Samarye amonges all ther enemyes for they were so blent that they wyst not whether they went They come to take Helyzee and Helyzee toke theym with helpe of angels and dyde with them what he wolde And therfor Dauyd sayth Montes in circuitu eius et dnÌ„s in circuitu ppli sui The hylles that is to saye the angellys be about the good man and the good woman to kepe them and god is about his people to saue theym And therfore saynt Cecyle sayd to her husbonde Valaryan I haue goddes angell that loueth me full well and kepeth my bodye with grete suerte that noo man shall defoule me And yf thou wyll by foule loue defoule me he shall â—lee the. And yf thou loue me with clene loue and wyll kepe my maydenhode hole clene he shall loue the as well as me And whan thou art crystened thou shalt see him Anone her husbonde Valeryan by her couÌ„seyll went and was crystened of the bysshop saynt Vrban And whan he was crystened he cam ayen fouÌ„de saynt Cecyle prayenge in closet the angell standynge besydes her with wynges fethers ful bryght his face shone glymered as the flaÌ„me of fyre He had in eyther hande a garlonde made of roses lelyes full fayre tresshe and full swete in smellynge He gaaf vnto saynt Cecyle one an other to Valeryan and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodye of soule For why sayd he I haue brought theÌ„ out of paradyse And ye shall knowe by this token for they shall alwaye be grene fresshe neyther welke ne fade ne lese ther swete sauour and no man ne woman may see them but they that loue clenne s se and chastyte as ye doo We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Agnes that whan she was but .xiij. yere of age suffered deth for the loue of god and for the loue of chastyte foâ— she wolde not assent to be wedded to the grete lordes sone of Rome for he was hethen And also for she wolde kepe her mayndenhode to cryste She was made naked ledde to the bordell house to be defouled of synfull wretches But sodaynly her here wexe soo moche that it hylled and hydde all her bodye And whan she cam to the bordell house her good angell was redy and brought her a clothe as whyte as snowe full mete to her bodye and be lapped her with so grete lyght that ther myght no man loke vpon her ne no man durste entre the place Thanne the lordes sone as ful hardy ran in to that lyght for to defoule her And anone the fende whom he wolde haue serued slough hym But saynt Agnes with her prayer to god and helpe of her good angell reysed hym from deth to lyfe to shame shenshyp of all hethen people For anone he went out of that house cryed openly that there was no god but cryste and desspysed her mawmettes and ther false byleue Also whan saynt Agace was buryed her angell in the lykenesse of a yonge man clothed in clothe of
ony dedely synne For sythen thou may not please god in synne and shrewednesse therfore thou offendest thy god in thy synne and thy corrupcyon doost wronge to hym thyselfe Thou doost wronge to his grace to his gyfte thou mayst not doo wronge to thy brother but thou do wronge to god that is thy lorde his also And therfore sayth saynt Iohan in his pystle that who so sayth that he loueth god he hate his brother he is a lyer i Io iiij For in that he doth wronge pryncypaly to god and to his brother also And therfore god sayth QuicuÌ„que effuderit hamanuÌ„ sanguinem effudeâ— sanguinis eius GenÌ„ .ix. He that sheddeth out mannes blood wronfully his blood shall be shedde For why sayth he man is made to the lykenes of god And so manslaughter is open wronge doo to god in that that his seruaunt is so slayne and his ymage despysed and destroyed Therfore god sayd to the fyrste mansleer that was Caym whiche sloughe his brother Abell falsely for enuye of his owne goodnesse What hast thou doo Caym The voyce of the blood of Abell thy brother cryeth to me fro erthe and axeth vengeunce of the. And therfore thou shalt be cursed vpon erthe whiche hath opened his mouth hath take the blood of thy brother Abell of thyn honde Thou shalt trauayll in tylthe of the londe it shall gyue yâ— no fruyte Thou sqalt be 〈◊〉 derynge flemed vpon erth 〈◊〉 And the same vengeasice comonâ—â— foloweth murdre For murdre may not be hydde but nyght and daye it axeth vengeaunce The murdre shal myshappe in his doynge and be vnstable and wanderynge and odyous in his lyuynge This synne of manslaughter is so greuous in goddes syght that he coÌ„maunded in the olde lawe that yf ony man by laynge in awayte or by preuy aspyenge or by purpose kylled ony man after fled to goddes auter for socour he sholde be taken awaye thens be slayn for that deth Exo. xxi And therfore saynt Iohan sayth in the boke of goddes pryuytees that he that sleeth shall be slayne Apo. xiij For as cryste sayth in the gospell That same mesure that men mete to other shall be moten ayen to them And therfore in tyme of his passyon he sayd to Peter Put vp thy swerde for eche man that vseth swerde to shedde mannes blood without lawful power grauÌ„ted of god shall perysshe by the swerde that is to saye by swerde of bodely vengeauÌ„ce or by the swerde of goddes mouth whiche is full sharpe on euery syde punysshynge bothe bodye soule Apo.i. For comonly he that vseth the swerde or ony wepen to slee ony man or woman he sleeth fyrste hymselfe by the swerde of his owne malyce But trespasours that wyll not be amended in other maner may by Iuste dome be slayne by them that bere the swerde of temporall punysshynge as saynt Poule sayth Ad Romanos xiij Caplm .xv. DIues It semeth to moche folke that god forbydeth by his coÌ„mauÌ„dement all maner sleynge both of man and of best For he sayd generally Non occides Thou shalt not slee ¶ Paup By this worde occides in latyn he specyfyeth she weth that he forbydeth sleynge of man not of beest For occasio in latyn is in englysshe manslaughter quasi hominu cesio And therfore yâ— propre englysshe is this Non occides thou shalt not slee no man ¶ Diues Whan god sayd the sixt byhest Tu noÌ„ mechaberis That is to saye yâ— shalt do no lecherye he forbydeth all maner lecherye And whan he sayd the seuen byhestes Non furtuÌ„ facies That is thou shalt not stele he forbydeth al maner thefte both of man of beest and of all other thynges And by the same reason as me thynketh whan he bad vs not slee he forbadde vs all maner sleynge ¶ Pauper It it not the same reason ne lyke that reason For as I sayd fyrste by properte of the same worde Occides He forbydeth onely manslaughter God grauÌ„ted man power to slee bestes lyue therby GenÌ„ ix But he graunted hym neuer to do lechery with ony creature ne take ony thynge by waye of stelynge or of false couetyse ¶ Diues Contra te We fynde that Balaam rode on his asse to curse goddes peple ayenst goddes wyll An angell stode in a ryght strayght waye ayenst hym The asse sawe the angell and fledde asyde for drede of yâ— angels swerde bare Balaam ayenst the walle brosed his fote Balaam sawe not the adgell And therfore he was wroth with the asse and smote hym full harde than the asse through the myght of god vnder name Balaam his mayster sayd to hym What haue I do ayenst the why betest thou me Than Balaam sayd For thou haste well deserued it wolde god I hadde a swerde to slee the. Than the asse sayd ayen Haue I not alwaye be thy beest on whiche thou haste be wont alwaye to ryde Saye whan I dyde euer the suche dysease vnto this daye And anone god opened the eyen of Balaam than he sawe the angell standynge ayenst him with his swerde drawen And the angell sayd to Balaam why haste yâ— soo beten thyn asse For but thyn asse hadde gone out of the waye gyuen me place I sholde haue slayne the the asse sholde lyued Numeri .xxij. Sythen than it is so yâ— Balaam was blamed for he bette his asse not withstandynge that he hurte hym moche more he sholde haue be blamed yf he had slayn hym And so it semeth that it is not lefull to slee ony beest ¶ Paup It is graunted to man to slee bestes whan it is ê“fytable to hym for mete or clothynge or to auoyde noyauÌ„ce of the bestes whiche be noyouse to man And therfore god sayd to Noe and to his childern Also fysshes in the see be take to your power to your handes all thynge that styreth lyueth vp on erthe beest byrde shall be to you in mete I haue take them all to you as grene herbes out taken yâ— ye shall not ete flesshe with the blood GenÌ„ .ix And in an other place he sayth thus Yf the lyke to ete flesshe slee ete after the grace and gyfte that god hath gyuen the so that thou ete it withoute blood Deutâ— .xij. And so graunted god to man for to slee bestes fysshe foule to his prouffyte but not to slee them for cruelte ne for lykynge in vanyte and shrewednesse And therfore whan he forbadde man to ete flesshe with the blood he forbadde hym to slee bestes by waye of cruelte or forlykynge of shrewednesse And therfore he sayd Ete ye noo flesshe with the blood that is to saye with crueltee For I shall seke the blood of youre soules of the honde of all bestes that is to saye I shall take vengeaunce for all the bestes that ye haue slayne only for cruelte of soule lykynge in shrewednesse GenÌ„ ix For god that made all hath cure of all And he
shall take vengeauÌ„ce of all that mysu s e his creatures And therfore Salomon sayth that he shall arme creatures in vengeauÌ„ce of his enemyes Armabit creaturaÌ„ in vlcionem immicorum Sapie .v. And therfor men sholde haue rueth on bestes of byrdes and not harme them without cause in takynge rewarde that they be goddes creatures And therfore they that for cruelte vanyte byheded bestes and torment bestes or foule more than it is spedefull for mannes lyuynge they synne in case full greuously Caplm .xvi. DIues As thou saydeste before by this coÌ„maundement is forboden all wronful manslaughter Tell me in what case it is leful to slee ony man ¶ Pauper Somtyme manslaughter is do by hate enmyte as whan a man is slayne malycyously of his enmye Somtyme it is do for wycked couetyse to haue a mannes good Somtyme it is do by ordre of obedyence processe of lawe as whan a man is slayne by a queste by sentence of a Iuge ordynary Semtyme manslaughter is do for nede â— for helpe of the comonte for the saluacoÌ„n of them that be vngylty As whan a knyght fyghteth for his ryght for the ryght sleeth his aduersarye To slee ony man in to yâ— fyrste maners that is to saye for hate wrathe enmyte or for false couetyse is alwaye vnleful But for to slee a man the thyrde maner and the fourth that is to saye by processe of lawe with a lawfull Iuge or by lawe of armes by the handes of knyghtes or of men of armes ruled by yâ— lawe of god it is lefull whan men be gylty And therfore saynt Austen sayth lt i.de li. arbitreo Yf it be so that the knyght slee his aduersarye in ryghtfull batayil or the Iuge his of fycers slee hym that is worthy to dye me thynketh they synne not But leue frende thre thyngis be nedeful so that manslaughter sholde be leful right full Fyrste that the case by ryghtfull ordre processe of lawe that the Iustyce haue lawfull power to slee that he that shall be slayne be conuycte of his trespace Also the IntencoÌ„n of the Iuge of the pursuers of the offycers be ryghtfull that they slee hym in saluaâ—yon of the ryght for saluacoÌ„n and ensample of other not for lykynge of vengeauÌ„ce ne of cruelte not hauynge lykynge in his payne so that the cause be ryghtfull and the ordre processe the entencoÌ„n be ryghtfull Iusta causa iustus ordo iustus animus ¶ Diues Contra te Yet the gospell sayth Qd deus â—iunxit hoÌ„ noÌ„ seperet Metâ— ix Theâ—e sholde noo man departe thynge that god hath knyt togydre But god hath knyt the soule and the bodye togydre therfore than it is not lefull to ony man for to departe yâ— soule from the bodye neyther to slee man ne woman ¶ Pauper Whan the man that is gylty is slayn ryghtfully by yâ— lawe man sleeth him not but as goddes mynysters goddes offycers For yâ— lawe of god god hymselfe slee hym in that that god coÌ„mauÌ„deth suche to be slayne God is pryncypall Iuge of this deth man is but goddes offycer to do his byddynge And therfore sayth the lawe that they that slee men ryghtfully be not called mansleers For why sayth he the lawe sleeth them not they xxij.qÌ„.v si homicidiuÌ„ et in qoÌ„ibus le Caplm .xvij. DIues Sythen it is soo that trespasors lawfully maye be slayn by the byddyng of god why may not prelates of holy chirche mynystres of the aulter slee suche trespasors ne sytte in yâ— dome of maÌ„nes deth ne gyue the sentence ne gyue assystence to yâ— domesman syth in the olde lawe prestes mynystres of the aulter myght lawfully slee trespasors as we fynde in many places of holy wryt Exo. xxxij.de Leuit et Numeri xxij de Phinees l.reguÌ„.xv.de Samuele â— inâ—fecit Agag Et. iij.reguÌ„.xviij.de Helia qui interfecit sacerdotes Baal ¶ Pauper As the lawe sayth xxiij.qÌ„ viij occidit Moche thynge was lefull in yâ— olde lawe that is not leful in the newe lawe In the olde lawe yâ— swerde was grauÌ„ted to prestes mynystres of goddes aulter In the newe lawe god for byddeth theym the swerde whan he sayd to Peter in tyme of his passyon anone as he had betaken hym power to make the sacrament of the aulter Conuerte gladiuÌ„ tuuÌ„ in vaginaÌ„ â— Tourne thy swerde in to the shethe for he that smyte with the swerde shall perysshe with yâ— swerde In suche wordes god forbydeth yâ— swerde to all the mynystres of goddes aulter as yâ— lawe sayth xxiij.qÌ„.viij.de cplis cuÌ„ alijs capls sequeÌ„tibus ¶ Diues Why forbadde he them the swerd ¶ Pauper For god wolde that men of holy chirche sholde be men of peas of mercy of pyte And therfore he sayd to theym Discite a me quia mitis sum et huÌ„ilis corde Lerne ye of me for I am lowe and meke of herte Matâ— xi He bad them not lerne to playe with the swerde ne with the staffe ne lerne to fyght and shote to slee ther enemyes but he bad theym lerne to be lowe and meke of herte and to lyue in pacyence as lambes amonges wolues And he badde them loue ther enemyes and do good to them that hate them Matâ— v He hadde them shewe pacyence peas and pyte not only in worde wyl and dede but he bad them absteyne them from all tokenes of vnpacyence of vnpeas and of crueltee And for that sheddynge of blood and manslaughter is ofte token of vnpacyence and vnpeas of wrath and of cruelte in them that sleen and dysposeth them to crueltee Therfore cryste forbadde the swerde to alle the mynystres of the aulter ¶ Diues Telle me some other reason ¶ Pauper An other reason is this For the sacrament of the aulter that the prestes make by the vertu of crystus worde is a sacrament of charyte of onehede For it representeth the onehede that is bytwene cryste holy chirche And also it representeth the onehede of the soule with the bodye For as the soule quyckeneth the bodye so cryste by yâ— sacrament of the aulter quyckeneth holy chirche maÌ„nes soule Also it representeth yâ— onehede of yâ— godhede with our manhede in cryste therfore holy chirche sayth thus Nam sicut aiÌ„a racionalis et cato vnê° est hoÌ„ ita deê° et hoÌ„ vnê° est xâ—s Ryght as reasonable soule the flesshe is one man soo god and the man is one cryste and one cryste is bothe god man And therfore he that destroyeth the onehede of the soule with the bodye departeth them atweyne by manslaughter he sheweth not in hymselfe ne in his dede the sacramente of onehede of cryste with holy chirche of the godhede with the manhede in cryste But he dooth ayenst that sacrament by speracyon dyuysyon that he maketh in manslaughter and sheddynge of blood And therfore he is yrreguler vnable to make the
gladij hic Lorde lo two swerdes here redye And our lorde sayd Satis est It suffyseth it is ynough ¶ Pauper For as I sayd The appostles vnderstode not why ne to whom cryste sayd tho wordes And therfor they wende as moche folke weneth yet that cryste hadde bode theym haue bought swerdes for to fyght And therfore they answered in that maner and began to speke of swerdes of fyghtynge And than cryste was dyspleased with ther speche and badde them be stylle of suche speche Satis est It is ynough it suffyseth that ye haue spoken in this maner speche now nomore of this mater And therfore as Luke sayth in the same place they cessed of ther speche anone went with cryste in to yâ— moute of Olyuete On the same maner god sayd to Moyses as he prayed hym that he myght entre the londe of byhestes Sufficit tibi It is ynough to the that thou haste sayd speke nomore to me of this mater Deu. iij. Also god sayd to the angell that slough the people Sufficit contine manum tuam It is ynough withholde thy honde And cryste sayd to his dyscyples in tyme of his passyon whan he founde them slepynge Sufficit It is ynough that ye haue slept now awake ye And as he made an ende of her slepynge By this worde sufficit it suffyseth soo he made an ende of theyr vnkunnynge speche whan they began to speke of swerdes by this worde Satis est It is ynough that is to saye ye haue spoke ynough in this mater nomore therof For they wyste not what cryste ment nomore than they wyste what crystement whan he sayd to Iudas Quod facis fac cicius That thou doost doo it anone In suche wordes cryste vnd nam Iudas of his euyll purpose that he sholde amende hym And yet it is a custom with moche foke whan they here theyr childern or seruauÌ„tes speke vnwysely to put them to sylence and do theym be stylle with the same worde saye sone it is ynough thou haste sayd ynough ¶ Diues And many clerkes saye that whan the apostles sayd loo here two swerdes and cryste sayd ayen Satis est It is ynoughe In tho wordes cryste graunted men of holy chirche two swerdes bothe ghoostely swerde and bodely swerde ¶ Pauper They erre as the apostles dyde For they vnderstode not why ne to whom cryste sayd tho wordes For cryste grauÌ„ted neuer too clerkes the bodely swerde to shedde blood but he forbad it to theym in the same tyme whan he vndernam Peter smytynge with the swerde and badde hym put it vp his swerde in to the shethe For why sayth he who that smyteth with the swerde he shall perysshe with the swerde And so all the processe of the gospell yf men vnderstode it well sheweth that cryste hath forboden men of holy chirche yâ— bodely swerde And therfor as saynt Ambrose sayth ther armuer theyr fyghtynge sholde be bytter teeres holy prayers ¶ Diues Yet contra te Cryste sayth in the gospell Non veni paceÌ„ mittere sed gladiuÌ„ I cam not sayth he to sende peas in erth but yâ— swerde Math .x. ¶ Pauper By the swerde in that place is vnderstande the swerde of goddes worde as yâ— glose sayth By suche swerde man is departed from synne from wycked company as the gospell sheweth well there And by this swerde synne is slayn in manes soule ¶ Diues Sythen god forbad men of holy chirche the swerde and sheddynge of blood and manslaughter why slough saynt Peter Ananyam SapharyaÌ„ his wyfe for hyr false couetouse and for hyr lesynges ActuuÌ„ .v. ¶ Pauper As the lawe sayth xxiij.qÌ„.viij Petrê° He slough them not with materyall swerde but only by power that god gyue hym to do myracles with his prayers he reysed a woman from dethe to lyfe whos name was Tabyta ActuuÌ„ .ix. And with wordes of his blamynge he toke hyr lyfe from Ananyam Saphyram He prayed not for hyr deth but onely vndername them for ther synne anone they feldowne deed by the vertue of the swerde of goddes worde that Peter spake and the holy goost by Peter For as saynt Poule sayth the swerde of goddes worde full often departeth yâ— soule from the bodye And therfore the worde the cursynge vndernemynge of holy men and of men of holy chirche is moche for to drede Or cllys by suffraunce of god Anone as saynt Pater vndernam them for they repented them not yâ— fende Sathanas toke power ouer them slough them bodely as he slough them fyrst goostely by the synne of false couetyse Caplm .xxi. DIues Is it lefull in ony caas to slee ony man or woman vngylty ¶ Pauper In no caas as the lawe sayth openly xx.qÌ„.v si noÌ„ ¶ Diues I suppose that the queste dampneth a man that the Iustyce knoweth vngylty shall not yâ— Iustyce gyue the sentence dampne hym sythen the queste sayth that he is gylty ¶ Pauper God forbede For than falleth the Iustyce in manslaughter For he may by no lawe slee him that he knoweth vngylty xxiij.qÌ„.v.si non ¶ Diues What shall he do than ¶ Pauper Yf he haue noo Iuge aboue hym he shall saue hym by his playne power And yf he haue a Iuge aboue him he shall sende the man to hym tell hyÌ„ all the â—aas that he may of his playn power delyuer hym saue hym from yâ— deth or ellis seke some other waye for to saue hym But he shall not gyue the sentence of his deth Pylate trauayled full besely to saue cryste from deth for that he wyste hym vngylty moche more a crysten Iuge ought to trauayle to saue the Innocentes lyfe whom cryste bought with his blode flee false sentence Pylate myght and ought by lawe haue saued cryste But for to please the people for drede that they sholde haue accused hym to the Emperour he folowed ther wyll and put cryste to the deth and therfore afterwarde he was dampned For the false queste Pylate wolde not haue dampned hym in that that he wyst him vngylty but only for drede to please the people he dampned hym And sythen hethen lawe sledth noo man vngylty moche more crysten lawe shal slee no man vngylty But the Iuge shall do all his besynes to flee sheddynge of blood without gylte Therfore he is made Iuge to descuse the truthe to saue the vngylty to punysshe the gylty to lette malyce foly aud falsehode of the questes of the fals wytnesses Therfore god sayth thus to euery Iuge thou shalt not take the voyce of lesynges ne thou shalt not Ioye ne thyn honde to saye fals wytnesse for the wycked man That is to saye thou shalt make no couenaunt to saye fals wytnesse ne assent therto Thou shalt not folowe the peoples wyll to do ony euyl thynge or ony falsenes in dome Thou shalt not assent to the sentence of many to go awaye from the truthe Exo.
xxiij Therfore the lawe byddeth that the Iustyce be not to lyght ne to redy to leue ne to redy to take vengeaunce Di. lxxxvi si quid Et. xi.qÌ„.vi.iij.quamuis Et. xvi.qÌ„.viij Si quid The ende of euery dome shall be iusticia that is ryghtwysnes in englysshe And ryghtwysnesse is a vertue and a stedfaste wyll alwaye to yeloe euery man woman his ryght Extra de ver significacione ca. forum in glosa And therfore whan the Iustyce dooth wronge in his sentence gyuynge that is noo ryghtfull dome for it endeth not in ryghtwysnesse But more wronge may he not do to man or woman than robbe hym of his lyfe and slee hym without gylte Therfor than what Iuge sleeth man or woman vngylty wytytngly he is no Iuge but he is a tyrauÌ„t and doth ayenst all lawes whiche be ordeyned to do ryght to euery man to punysshe the gylty to saue the vngylty And therfore sayth the lawe that he is no Iuge yf ryghtwysnesse be not in hym Non est iudex si non est in eo iusticia xxiij qÌ„.ij.iustuÌ„ Caplm .xxij. DIues Is it leful to ony man or woman in ony case to slee themselfe ¶ Pauper In no case that for many reasons Fyrste for by waye of kynde euery man loueth hyÌ„self is besy to saue hyÌ„self to with stande al thynge that wolde destroye hym And therfore it is synne ayenst al kynde man or woman to slee hymselfe Also it is ayenst charyte for eche man is bounde to loue hymselfe and his euen crysten as hymselfe Also he doth wronge to the comonte of mankynde For as the phylosophre sayth v â—o ethicorum Euery man is a parte of the comonte as euery meÌ„bre is a parte of the bodye Also for mannes lyfe is an hygh gyft of god gyuen to man to serue god And only god may take it awaye whan he wyll And therfor he that sleeth hymselfe he synneth ayenst his god in that that he sleeth his seruauÌ„t ayenst his wyll for thoughe god gyue a man auctoryte to slee an other man for his mysdede yet god gyueth no man auctoryte to slee hym selfe And therfore sayth the lawe xxiij qÌ„.v.non licet That no man ne woman sholde slee hymselfe neyther to flee myschyfe of this worlde ne to flee other mennes synne ne for sorowe of his one synne that he hath done ne for to go the sooner to heuen For yf he slee hymselfe as the lawe sayth there he gooth to endelesse myscheef And he falleth in ouer greuous synne And in that that he sleeth hymself he falleth in wanehope dooth despyte to the mercy of god as Iudas dydde For after his deth he may not amende hym of that greuous synne of manslaughter And by that manslaughter he sleeth his lyf in this worlde his lyf in heuen blysse and gooth to the deth in helle without ende And therfore ther sholde noo woman slee hyrselfe to saue hyr chastyte that she be not defouled For yf she be defouled by vyo ence ayenst hir wyl she synneth not For as saynt Lucye sayth to yâ— tyrauÌ„t Pascasius the bodye is not defouled but by assent of the soule But the synne is in hym that soo defouleth hyr And lesse synne it is to fall in lechery than man or woman to slee hymself for there is noo helpe after Ne there sholde no man ne woman slee hymself ne mayme hymself for drede that he sholde consent to synne but truste in god that may kepe him from consentynge and lette occasyons of synne And though man or woman be constrayned to synne for drede of deth better it is a fayrer that an other slee hym than he slee hymself for that is dampned in euery lawe ¶ Diues Contra te Sampson dyuerse other slough theÌ„ self as we rede in holy wryt ¶ Pauê“ As saynt Austen sayth de ciuitate dei They slough themselfe by the preuy couÌ„seyll of the holy goost that wolde by ther deth do myracles As whan that Sampson toke the two pylers of the paynyms temple whiche bare vp all the temple and shooke them to gydre with his armes tyl they brosten the temple fell downe and slough many thousandes of the hethen people that was gadred to wondre on Sampson in despyte of god of heuen whos seruauÌ„t Sampson was Caplm .xxiij. DIues Whether is it more synne to slee the ryghtfull man or the wycked man ¶ Pauper It is more synne to slee the ryghtfull man for in that the sleer noyeth moost hym whome he ought more to loue Also for he doth wronge to hym that haue not deserued it and more ayenst ryghtwysnesse Also for he pryueth robbeth the comonte of manhode of a grete Iewell For euery good man and good woman is a welle to the comonte of mankynde Also for he dooth more despyte to god for to all good cryste sayth Qui vos spernit me spernit Who despyseth you despyseth me ¶ Diues Contra. Yf a good man be slayn he shal soone go to heuen But the wycked man yf he be slayne vnwarly he shall goo to helle And lesse synne it is to sende by sleynge a man to heuen than to helle ¶ Pauê‘ Saynt Poul sayth .i. ad corum iij. That euery man woman shall take his owne mede after that his trauayll is Therfore the good man soo slayn shal go to heuen for his good dedes not for yâ— malyce of the sleer And the wycked man so slayne shall goo â—o helle for his owne wycked dedes not for the wycked dedes of the sleer And the sleer shall goo to helle bothe for the sleynge of the good and of the wycked But he shall be depper in helle for sleynge of the good than of the wycked For he sheweth more malyce and more aggreueth god and all the courte of heuen in sleynge of the good than of yâ— wycked And he shall answere for all the good dedes that the good man sholde haue doo yf he had lyued lenger And he shall be puny s shed for the sleynge of the wycked man for that that he sleeth hym ayenst goddes lawe letteth hym that he may haue no tyme to amende hym ¶ Diues Is it lefull to ony man to slee his wyf yf he take hir in auoutre ¶ Pauper To slee hyr by lawe cyuyle there lawes ordeyne man woman that done auoutre to be slayne It is lefull so that he do it only for loue of ryght wysnesse and of clennesse not for hate ne for to be auenged on hyr And lete hym well charge his conscyence yf he be ought gylty in the same eyther in wyll or in dede and take hede to his owne freelte and thynke that the lawe is as well ordeyned to punysshe him yf he do amys as to punysshe the woman But ony man to slee his wyte by his owne auctoryte or do hyr be slayne without lawfull Iuge it is not lefull by all goddes lawe And thoughe ony londes lawe gyue men leue to slee
of mannes swerde also and Iustefye ye not that god dampneth ¶ Here endeth the fyfthe coÌ„maundement And begynneth the sixthe Capitulum PrimuÌ„ DIues Thy couÌ„seyll is good God sende vs peas kepe vs fro yâ— swerde Now I pray the declare me yâ— sixth coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t ¶ Pauper The sixth coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this Non mechaberis That is to saye in Englysshe Thou shalt do no lecherye ne medle with no thynge flesshely but onely with thy lawfull wyfe As the glose sayth And so by this coÌ„mauÌ„dement he forbydeth all spyces of lethery ¶ Diues How many spyces of lechery be ther. ¶ Pauê‘ Nyne And these be they Fornycacyon lecherye with comon wymen auoutry defoulynge of maydenhode defoulynge of chastyte auowed to god defoulyng of them that be nyghe of kynne of affynyte or of gossyprede sodomye that is mysuse of mannes bodye or womans in lecherye ayenst kynde pollucyon of mannes bodye or womans by ther owne sterynge by themself whiche is a full horryble synne And also synful medlynge togydre bytwene husbonde and wyfe FormcaciomeretriciuÌ„ adulterium Stupâ—uÌ„ sacrilegiu incestus peccatuÌ„ sodomiticuÌ„ voluntaria in se pollucio et ê‘ se ê“uocat et libidinosus coitus piugalis ¶ Diues In how many wayes may the husbonde synne medlynge with his wyfe ¶ Pauê‘ In .viij. wayes Fyrste yf he medle with hyr only to fulfyll his lustes his lecherye takynge noo hede to god ne to yâ— honeste of matrymonye Also yf he passe mesure in his doynge Also yf he medle with hyr in tymes whiche holy chirche couÌ„seyled men to coÌ„tynence as in holy tymes in tyme of lente in tyme of fastynge and of other prayer whiche tymes he may medle with hyr so bodely ayenst reuerence of the tyme of god that he shall synne dedely For Peter and Poule teche that wedded folke sholde in holy tyme in tyme of prayer absteyne them fro suche lustes that ther prayer may the more gracyously be herde of god ther herte yâ— more gyuen to god For suche luste as for the tyme draweth mannes herte and womannes moche fro god and maketh them fulfle s shely the lesse goostly Therfor as we rede GenÌ„ .vij. In the tyme of the flood in Noes tyme for the herde trybulacyon dredther they were in all that yere Noe and his thre sones kepte them chaste laye by themself and ther wyues by themselfe so that by holy prayers and contynence they myght yâ— sooner be delyuered of that peryll and myscheef that they were in Also yf he medled with his wyfe in holy place without nede For in tyme of werre though he medle with his wyfe in chirche yf he dare not lye out of yâ— chirche for drede of his enemyes he is excused the chirche is not pollute or ellys it were pollute And also yf he medle with his wyfe whan she is greate with childe nyghe the tyme of byrth For than lyghtly he myght slee the childe Also yf they medle togydre with euyll condycoÌ„n Also yf he medle with his wyfe wetyngly in hyr comon sekenes at his owne proufre But yf husbonde and wyfe medle to gydre flesshely without these defauct onely to brynge forth a veyne to the herte and gete childern to goddes seruyce ellys to flee fornycacyon and lecherye on other halfe or to yelde the dette of ther bodye eche to other than they synne not But than as saynt Poule sayth ther wedloke is worshypfull and ther bedde without spot of blame Honorabile connubiuÌ„ in oiÌ„buset thorus iÌ„maculatus Ad hebre .xiij. Vpon whiche worde sayth the grete clerke Haymo the glose also That it is a worshypfull wedloke whan a man weddeth his wyfe lawfully to brynge forth childern to goddes seruyce absteyneth hym fro his wyfe in due tyme. And than is ther bedde without spot of blame whan he medle with his wyfe lawfully and for a good ende kepe mesure and maner than ryse they vp out of bedde without spot of blame Caplm .ij. QAtrymonye was ordeyned of god for two causes Fyrst pâ—yÌ„cypaly in to offyce to brynge forth childern to goddes seruyce Also in to remedye to flee fornycacoÌ„n lecherye For the fyrste cause it was ordeyned in paradyse before Adams synne For yâ— seconde cause it was ordeyned out of paradyse after Adams synne Thre good thynges be pryncypaly in matrymouye The fyrste is fayth that eche of theym kepe truly his bodye to other medle flesshely with none other The seconde is bryngyng forth nourysshynge of children to yâ— worshyp of god to goddes seruyce For ellys it were better that they were vnborne The thyrde is yâ— sacrament whiche may not be vndo but only by deth And therfore the ordre of wedloke is full worshypfull for it representeth yâ— grete sacrament of vnyte of endles loue bytwene yâ— godhede the manhede in cryste very god and very man bytwene cryste holy chirche bytwene cryste crysten soule And the faythfull loue that ought to be bytwene husbonde wyfe betokeneth the loue the fayth that ought to be bytwene cryste crysten soule bytwene cryste holy chirche For the husbonde sholde loue his wyfe with true loue And therfore whan he weddeth hyr he setteth a rynge on hyr fynger whiche rynge is a token of true loue that ought to be bytwene them For they muste loue them togydre hertely and therfore it is sette in the fourthe fynger For as clerkes say fro that fynger god gyueth hyr but one rynge in token that they sholde loue theymsyngulerly togydre For as ayenst comynynge of the body the husbonde sholde loue his wyfe and none other and the wyfe hyr husbonde none other The rynge is rouÌ„de about and hath none ende in token that ther loue sholde be endeles no thynge departe them but deth alone Also the rynge is made of golde or of syluer in token that as golde and syluer passeth all other metals in value and clennesse so sholde ther loue passe al other loues And the husbonde loue his wyfe passynge all other wymen and the wyfe loue hyr husbonde passynge all other men And as golde and syluer passeth all other metals in clennes so sholde ther loue al be set in clennes not comon togydre but for bryngynge forth of childern or to flee fornycacoÌ„n or to yelde the dette of ther bodyes This loue betokeneth the loue that we owe to god that is our goostly husbonde to whome we be all wedded in onr baptem For we sholde loue hym hertely with all our herte syngulerly with all our soule lastyngly with all our mynde myghtely and with all our myghtes And therfore sayth he Deutronoê° .vi. Thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte with all thy soule with all thy mynde and with al thy myght The husbonde betokeneth cryste the wyfe betokeneth holy chirche crysten soule whiche is goddes spouse and ought to be suget to cryste as wyfe to husbonde Thre
husbonde that dyed for hyr loue By this poore woman that was soo fayre is vnderstande mannes soule womans whiche is made to the lykenesse of god But it was made full poore through the synne of Adam By the kynges sone is vnderstande cryste goddes sone which loued so moche mannes soule that as saynt Poule sayth he auentysshed hymself and dysparyched hymselfe in to the lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t maryed to hym our kynde mannes soule and lyued here two and thrytty wynter more in moche woo to wynne the loue of mannes soule and faught ayenst the fende the flesshe the worde that be alwaye besye to lese mannes soule And alwaye he hadde the maystrye by myght of the godhede But on go de frydaye he cam in soo fell a fyght with that tyrauÌ„t the fende of helle that though he had that maystrye yet he was so forwouÌ„ded that by waye of manhode whiche he toke of that mayde nedely he muste dye And than he sent home a letter of loue to his spouse maÌ„nes soule saynge as that knyght sayd Cerne cicatrices â— Beholde my wouÌ„des and haue them in thy thought for all the goodes that be thyn with my blood I haue them bought For why all the Ioye blys that we sholde haue in heuen and all the grace and goodnesse that we haue here in erthe all haue we by vertue of crystus passyon For but he wolde haue dyed for our sake els sholde we haue layne in helle payne with out ende By this sharte full of wouÌ„des and so blodye I vnderstande his blysfull bodye For as mannes bodye is clad in his sharte so that godhede was clothed in the blysfull bodye of cryste whiche bodye was all blody so full of wouÌ„des that as sayth that ê“phete Ysa i Fro the sole of the fote to the toppe of the hede there was no hole place in his body Therfor leue frende I pray you hange ye this sharte in a preuy place of your chambre That is to saye Sette ye crystus passyon entyrely in your herte And whan the fende the worlde or the flesshe or ony wycked man or woman begynneth for to tempte you to synne anone wende ye to your herte and loke ye on this sharte Thynke how that blysfull bodye was borne of the mayde Mary without synne and sorowe and neuer dyde amys Thynke how it was forrent and for tourne byspetted for our synne and our sake and not for his owne gylte And yf ye do so thynke entyrely on crystus passyon ye shall lyghtely ouercome euery temptacyon and haue the better pacyence in trybulacyon Wherfore an holy man sayth thus Reminiscens sacrati sanguinis queÌ„ effudit amator hominis effunden do lacrimas Non est locus ingratitudini vbi torrens tante dulcedinis at tingit animas â— Whan I thynke on crystus blood that he shedde vpon the rode I lete teres smert What man may be vnkynde that crystus blood hath in mynde entyrely in his herte Swete Ihesu cryste what is thy gylt that thou thus for me art spylt floure of vnlothfulnes I am a theef thou dyeste I am gylty thou obeyest all my wyckednes Why gauest thou so moche for thyne what wynnest yâ— with thyne harde payne ryche in blysse aboue Loue thyne herte soo depe hath sought that payne of deth letteth me nouht to wynne mannes loue An other remedye ayenst lecherye is redynge dalyauÌ„ce of holy wryt of holy mennes lyues And therfore saynt Ierom sayth ad rusticuÌ„ monachum Ama scienciam scripturarum et carnis vicia noÌ„ amabis Loue connynge of holy wryt and of goddes lawe and thou shalt not loue vyces of the flesshe And therfore god sayth Non videbit me homo et viuet Exodi xxxiij Ther shall no man see me by deuocyon and lyue flesshely For noothynge sleeth soo moche the luste of the flesshe as deuocyon and thynke on god and to studye goddes lawe And an other remedy is to thynke on helle payne For as sayth saynt Thomas de veritate theologie In helle shall be ouerdone hete of fyre gnastynge of teeth for colde for payne derkenesse smoke bytter wepynge without ende Rorynge and belewynge of foule fendes wepynge and weylynge â–ª sobbynge and syghynge of synfull soules and endeles repreue of ther synnes endles drede endles thyrste stenche lyght thondre worme of conscyence bondes pryson drede shame wantynge of the blysfull syght of goddes face and woo without ony hope of ony welthe There men shall seke deth not fynde it wysshe that they neuer hadde be borne And as saynt Bernarde sayth in his medytacoÌ„ns There shall be herde we pynge gnastyng of teeth roryng of fendes hydeous thondre There that syght shal be foule wormes todes adders horryble faces of the fendes mysshape thynges There wycked wormes shall gnawe the herte rotes there shall be sorowe syghynge and horryble drede There synfull wretches shall brenne in the fyre without ende In ther bodye they shall be tourmented by fyre in ther soule by worme of conscyence There shall be deth without deth for alwaye they shall be in deynge and in vtter payne and may not dye but alwaye lyue in deynge There smellynge shall be fylled with horryble stenche for there shall be no hope But whan they be in these paynes ten hondred yeres yet ther payne in newe all to begynne And therfore yf loue of god mede in heuen styreth vs not to flee lecherye and all other synnes lette vs flee lecherye all other synnes for drede of endelesse payne Caplm .xvi. ANd an nother remedy ayenst lechery is to thynke of that harde vengeauÌ„ces that god hath take for lecherye Fyrst take hede what vengeauÌ„ce god hath take for symple fornycacoÌ„n We fynde in holy wryt GenÌ„ .xxxiiij. That Dyua that doughter of Iacob went fro home to see that wymen of that contre to see ther atyre Than Sychem that sone of Emor prynce of that contre wente defouled this Dyua by myght And not withstandyng his besynes for to haue wedded hyr yet he was slayne for his lechery his fader all the men of that cyte that cyte destroyed We rede also in holy wryt Numeri .xxv. For that the childeren of Israell dyde lecherye wâ— the wymen of Moab god was offended bad Moyses take that prynces of his people hange theym vpon Iebetes for they were assentynge to the synne bad euery man slee his neyghbour that was gylty in that synne For by lecherye they felle in to ydolatrye And so for that lecherye were slayn that tyme .xxiiij. thousande Than Phynees the sone of Eleazar sawe one of that childern of Israell by one of the wymen to venge his synne he toke his swerde roof them both togydre in to the erthe throughe theyr preuy membres And god was so moche plesed with his dede that he grauÌ„ted to hym to his childern after hym the
that the .xviij. men vpon whiche felle the toure of Syloa in Ierlm and slough them wene ye that they passed in synne all the men of Ierusalem Nay forsoth But I say to you but ye amende you ye shall perysshe all to gydre Luce. xiij And so the punysshynge of tho men so slayne was a warnynge to them that were more synfull that they sholde amende theym And soo thou myghtest well see that thy reason is nought worthy god punysshed Eue harder in this worlde than he dyde Adam therfore hyr synne was more than the synne of Adam Caplm .xxiiij. ALso the seconde maxime and grounde in whiche thou sayste that god punysshed Eue harder than Adam may resonably be denyed For in punysshynge of Adam god gaf his curse and sayd Cursed be the erthe in thy werke in thy synne He sayd not cursed be the erthe in thy werke of Eue ne he sayd not cursed be the erthe in your werke as for comon synne of them bothe but he sayd only to Adam Cursed be yâ— erth in thy werke In punysshynge also of the serpent he gaf his curse sayd Thou shalt be cursed amonges alle thynge lyuynge vpon erthe Also god cursed Caym whan he punysshed hyÌ„ for sleynge of his brother Abell But whan god punysshed woman he gaue not his curse And we rede not that euer god gaue his curse to ony woman openly in specyaall Ne god repreued not Eue so moche as he dyde Adam And so the grete repreue blamynge the curse that god gaue in punysshyng of Adam more than he dyd in punysshyng of Eue shewyng well that the synne of Adam was more greuous than was the synne of Eue that there was more obâ—tynacy in Adam than was in Eue. For cursyng is not gyuen of god ne of holy chirche but for obstynacy As I sayd fyrst Adam answered full obstynatly God blamed Adam pryÌ„cypaly for brekyng of his coÌ„maundement sayd to hym that brekynge of his coÌ„mauÌ„dement was cause of his nakednesse of his sodayne myscheef and notwithstange the techynge and the styrynge of god he wolde not be aknowen of his synne but put his synne on god and excused hym by Eue and soo put synne to synne in excusacyon of his synne Whan god punysshed Adam he cursed the erthe for his synne whiche curse tourned to woo trauayle of hym of all mankynde whiche we maye not flee And therfore ha sayd to Adam thou shalt ete of the erth in trauayle and sorowe all the dayes of thy lyfe I shall brynge the forth brerys thornes thou shalt ete herbes of the erthe Also in punysshynge of Adam god gaf the sentence of deth vpon hyÌ„ all mankynde for his synne And therfor god sayd to Adam thou shalt ete thy brede in swynke swete of thy face tyll thou tourne ayen in to the erthe For erthe thou art in to erthe ayen thou shalt wende Sythen than god for the synne of Adam gaf so greuously his curse and blamed so harde Adam of his synne and for his synne dampned hym and all mankynde and punysshed all erthely creatures for his synne dampned hym and all man kynde to perpetuel trauayle whan he sayd Thou shalt ete thy mete with trauayle sorowe al the dayes of thy lyfe And also for the synne of Adam he gaf sentence of deth to hym and to all mankynde that is moost of all paynes it foloweth that god punysshed harder Adam for his synne than he dyde Eue for hyr synne For why in punysshynge of Eue god repreued hyr not so moche as he dyde Adam he gaf than no curse ne payne perpetuell saue subieccyon I shall sayd god multeplye thy myscheues thy conceyuynges in sorowe thou shalt bere thy childern and thou shalt be vnder power of man he shall be thy lorde God sayd not to woman I shall multeplye thy myscheues all dayes of thy lyfe For she may kepe hyr chaste yf she wyll and flee myscheef and payne of childern byrthe And that god made woman suget to man for the synne of Eue it was noo newe thynge to woman For as saynt Austen sayth suê‘ GenÌ„ li.xi.ca.xiiij Woman was suget to man byfore by ordre of kynde but that subieccoÌ„n was only by loue and charyte but for hyr synne she was made suget not only by loue but also by nede bondage of honeste seruyle werkes to obeye to man and be vnder his gouernaunce Byfore hyr synne she was sugette to man only by loue but after hyr synne she was made suget to man not only by loue but by drede by nede For she muste drede man she hath nede of his helpe For that was the pryde of Adam of Eue that they desyred to haue noo souerayne ne gouernour but god allone as clerkes saye And therfore the fende in gyle behyght them that they desyred saynge to Eue yf ye ete of the tree that god hath forbode you ye shall be as goddes knowynge gode euyll that is to saye ye shall nede noo souerayne ne gouernour to teche you ne to gouerne you but god for that they desyred it lyghtely they byleued it For as the mayster of storyes sayth A thynge that is desyred lyghtly it is byleued And therfor god ryghtfull Iuge punysshed them bothe in subieccyon of drede and of nede and of harde seruage He made woman suget to man and afterwarde he made man suget and thrall to man for the synne of Adam as sayth saynt Austen suê‘ GenÌ„ v sup More than euer he made woman suget to man For the synne of Eue as sayth saynt Austen suê‘ GenÌ„ v.s For thoughe woman be in thraldome to temporell lordes as be men that is not for the synne of Eue but pryncypaly for the synne of Adam The subieccoÌ„n that woman is put in for yâ— synne of Eue is the subieccoÌ„n that the wyfe ought to hyr husbonde And all the soueraynte and lordshyp that ony man hath here in this worlde eyther ouer man or woman it is medled with moche woo grete sorowe care For euery souerayne in this worlde muste care for his sugettes yf he be wyse And in hygher degree that he be of lordshyp of dygnyte in the hygher degre is he of peryll of drede of sorowe care in punysshyng of Adams synne And so both lordshyp in this worlde subiecco n be punysshed of Adams synne And yf sugettes can haue pacyence with theyr degre they be in more sykernes both of bodye of soule in more gladnes of herte than be the souerayns And so punysshed god Adam as moche in maner in that he made hym lorde gouernour of woman as he punysshed Eue whan he made hyr suget to Adam For in that god bonde man to haue cure of woman in hyr myscheef to saue hyr and to kepe hyr that was by comon so faynte so feble freell and so myschyuous by cause of hyr synne Caplm .xxv. DIues Yet clerkes
moraliuÌ„ sayth thus Os qd mentit occidit aiÌ„am The mouth yâ— lyeth sleeth the soule And the prophete sayth Lorde thou shalt lese all that speke lesynges And therfore sayth he men of perfecco n muste with all besynesse flee lesynges in so moche that for saluacoÌ„n of ony maÌ„nes lyfe they sholde not lye to helpe an others bodye in harmynge of theyr owne soule And therfore god sayth Non menciemini et noÌ„ decipiet vnusquisque ê“ximuÌ„ suuÌ„ Leuitici .xix. Lye ye not and no man desceyue his neyghbour Caplm .iij. DIues Contra. We rede in holy wryt Exodi .i. that Pharo assygned to the wymen of Israel two mydwyues Sephora and Phua badde them slee all the childern males kepe the wymen But they for the drede of god for pyte dyd not so but saued both male female with a lesynge excused them to the kynge sayd that wymen of Israell coude better helpe themselfe than wymen of Egypte had childeren or they come to them And as holy wryt sayth there therfor god gaue them house and londe ¶ Pauper Not for the lesynge but for they dred god for the drede of god they saued the childern Therfor god gaue them house londe not for the lesynge so sayth holy wryt Nathelesse some clerkes saye that for her lesynge god chauÌ„ged the endlesse mede yâ— they had ellys be worthy in to temporell mede of house londe ¶ Diues Yet coÌ„trate We fynde in the gospell that after that cryste was rysen from deth to lyfe he wente with two of his dyscyples Cleophas an other in the lyknesse of a pylgryme spake with them of his deth and of his passyon but they knewe hym not And at euen whan they came to the castell of Emaus he fayned him to go ferther And yet at theyr prayer he went in with theym But faynyng as saynt Austen sayth is a maner of lesynge therfore not euery maner of lesynge is synne ¶ Pauper It semed to theyr syght that cryste hadde fayned not by false faynynge Inwarde in dede as he shewed outwarde for he was fer fro ther fayth And therfore he shewed hym outwarde as a strauÌ„ger a pylgryme passynge for they knewe hym not ne byleued not in hym stedfastly Also by that doynge he shewed that he sholde passe forth bodely out of this worlde goo aboue all heuens ¶ Diues We fynde GenÌ„ .xxvij. That Iacob in desceyte of his fader that was blynde in fraude of his brother Esau sayd to Ysaac his fader to haue his blyssynge I am Esau thy fyrste sone that was false and yet god approued his dede Therfore than it semeth yâ— euery lesynge is synne ¶ Pauper That Iacob dyd was fygure prophecye of thynge yâ— sholde falle And for yâ— prophecye is done in dede therfore it was no lesynge For thoughe he were not his fyrste sone in byrthe yet he was his fyrste sone in dygnyte by ordynauÌ„ce of god yâ— ordeyned that the people comynge of Iacob sholde be souerayne to the people comynge of Esau And that the grete byhest of crystus byrth made to Abraham and Ysaac sholde be fulfylled in Iacob not in Esan as theyr fader wende that it sholde haue be And though Esau were the fyrste sone pryncypall to Ysaac by the dome of Ysaac yet was Iacob his fyrste sone his pryncypal sone by the dome of god And though he were not Esau bodely in persone yet he was Esau in dygnyte ¶ Diues Contra. His fader Ysaac sayd that he came gylefully toke his blessynge ¶ Pauper Ysaac sayd as he wende but not as it was For he knewe not than the wyll of god in yâ— doynge for it was no gyle ne falsenesse in Iacob For it was not the dede ne the speche of Iacob but it was the dede yâ— speche of the holy goost yâ— wrought in hyÌ„ spake in hym And therfore cryste sayd to his dyscyples It ben not ye that speke but the holy goost of your fader in heuen speketh in you And so he spake in Iacob Rebeca his mod that couÌ„seyled hym so to gete his faders blessynge Caplm .iiij. DIues Saynt Austen sayth that lesynge lyenge is not only in fayned speche but also in fayned dedes ¶ Pauper Saynt Austen sayth not that all fayned dedes ben lesynges synne but he sayth that all fayned speche in falsehede is lesynge synne For man hath more free myght to gouerne his speche than to gouerne his dedes for alwaye a man may speke as he wyll but he may not alwaye do as he wyll And the phylosophre sayth prio. periarminias that speche is token of thoughtes in the hert For it is ordeyned that man by his speche sholde shewe thynge to be or not to be as he feleth and thynketh in his hert And therfore cryste sayth in the gosspell Sit sermo vester est est non non Be your speche ye ye nay nay That as it is in the herte soo it be in the mouthe that ye of the mouthe be ye of the herte and nay of the mouthe be nay of the herte so that the mouthe the hert muste alwaye accorde For as saynt Austen sayth in libro â—tra men daciuÌ„ The mouth bereth wytnesse to the herte And therfore yf man or woman saye otherwyse than it is in his herte he bereth false wytnesse ayenst his hert ayenst hymselfe doth ayenst the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god yâ— byddeth hyÌ„ saye no false wytnesse ayenst his neyghbour ne ayenst his next yâ— is his owne hert his soule An other reson is this for dede is not ordeyned pryncypaly to be wytnes to yâ— thought of maÌ„nes hert but it is ordeyned to yâ— profyt of the doer to yâ— profyt of his neyghbour to the worshyp of god And therfor whan faynynge in dede is profytable to the doer to his euen crysten and to the worshyp of god it is lefull in case full medefull And therfore Dauyd whan he was amonges his enemyes in peryl of deth medefully fayned hym to be wood so to saue his lyfe to the worshyp of god the profyte of his nacyon and of his frendes and of his enemyes that sholde ellys haue fallen in manslaughter Pri â— reguÌ„ .xxi. But speche is ordeyned of god pryncypaly for to be true wytne s se of thought in herte And therfor who so sayth otherwyse than it is in his herte in his conseyence he synneth for he mysused his speche ayenst the ordre of kynde ordeyned of god ¶ Diues Sythen faynynge of dede is not alwaye synne as faynynge of speche telle me whan it is synne and whan not ¶ Pauper Faynynge in dede is done somtyme by slyght for a good ende As we rede in the fourthe booke of kynges iiij ReguÌ„ .x. That Ieu the kynge of Israell dyd calle to gydre al the prestes of the false mawmet Baall in to a certayne daye
Eritis michi testes in ierusalem â— Ye shall be wytnesses to me in Ierusalem and in all Iurye and in Samarye and in euery londe to the laste ende of the erthe Actuum .i. And therfore prechours sholde auyse theym well that they preched no falsehede ne saye no thynge for certayne that is in doubte to them that they hyde not the treuth yâ— sholde be sayd and that theyr lyfe theyr techynge accorde with the techynge the lyfe of cryste For yf they teche otherwyse than cryste taught and lyue not as cryste lyued they ben false wytnesses to cryste Cryste taught chastyte coÌ„mended pouerte lownesse And therfore yf the prechour of goddes worde be a lechour and a carnal man proude of herte couetous he is not true wytnesse of cryste And yf he repreue in his dedes pouerte chastyte saye that cryste was not poore for mannes sake he lyeth vpon cryste and he is to hym ouerdone false wytnesse For Cryste sayd that foxes hadde theyr dennes and the byrdes her nestes but the maydens sone hadde not where he myght reste his hede Mathei .viij. And saynt Poule sayth that Cryste bycame man nedy for vs in this worlde to makâ— vs ryche with his myschefe Propter nos egenus factus est cuÌ„ esset diues vt illius inopia diuites essetis .ij. Corum .viij. Caplm .viij. ALso al mynystres of holy chirche and namely men of relygyon sholde be wytnesses of cryste to edyfycacyon of the people of theyr neyghbours yâ— ben all men wymen And therfore men of holy chirche ben betokened by galaad that is to saye an hope of wytnesse For al theyr lyuynge in hert in worde in werke in clothynge sholde bere wytnes to cryste ¶ Diues How sholde men of holy chirche bere wytnesse in clothynge to cryste ¶ Pauê‘ For in clothynge they sholde shewe sadnesse hone s te lownesse as nygh folowers of cryste wytnesses that taught sadnesse ayenst vanyte honeste ayenst glotony lecherye lownesse ayenst pryde pouerte ayenst couetyse And therfore the outclothynge of men of holy chirche and namely of men of relygyon sholde not be to strayte ne to shorte to shewe the shap of theyr body for pryde and vanyte to tempte wymen ne to precyouse ayenst pouerte ne ouerdo ne feble ayenst theyr degree honeste of holy chirche ne to syde ne wyde ayenst measure ¶ Diues Of this mater thou spakest byfore I coueyte no more to here therof For as thou sothely saydest men of holy chirche namely men of relygyon passe in grete arraye pompe temporall lordes ¶ Pauper Also as oft as the preest syngeth his masse he representeth the persone of cryste that dyed for vs all vpon the tree And by his clothynge by his masse syngynge he hereth wytne s se of crystus passyon sheweth that all that he doth in saynge of his masse he doth it in mynde of crystê° passyon yf he haue no mynde of crystus paslyon after that his clothynge sheweth that he sholde be he is a false wytnesse in disceyte of his neyghbour Therfore saynt Gregorye sayth that noo man doth more harme in holy chirche than he that hath a name and ordre of holynesse and lyueth wyckedly Nemo amplius nocet in ecclesia ê™ qui peruerse agens nomen et ordineÌ„ sanctitatis habet ¶ Diues What betokeneth the clothynge of the prest at masse ¶ Pauper The amyt on his hede at the begynnynge betokeneth the cloth that crystus face was hyled with in tyme of his passyon whan the Iewes hyled his face bobbed hym and badde hym arede who that smote hym The longe aube betokeneth the whyte cloth that Herode cladde cryste with in scorne as he hadde ben a fole The fanon the stole the gyrdell betoken the bouÌ„des whiche cryste was bouÌ„den with as a theef in tyme of his passyon The fanon betokneth bouÌ„des of his hondes The stole the rope that he was led with to his deth The gyrdell the bouÌ„des that he was bouÌ„de with to the pyler and to the crosse The chesyble betokeneth the cloth of purpure in whiche the knyghtes clothed hym in scorne kneled to hym sayd in scorne Hayle thou kynge of Iewes The bysshop passynge other preestes hath a mytre a crosse The mytre on his hede betokeneth the crowne of thornes the cryste bare on his hede for mannes sake And therfore the mytre hath two sharpe hornes in token of .ij. sharpe thornes The two tonges that hange downe on the mytre betoken the stremes of blood that ranne downe fro crystus hede by pryckynge of the crowne of thornes The crosse that the bysshop bereth in his honde betokeneth the rede spere that the knyghtes tourmentours put in the honde of cryste in scorne for a ceptre And the Archebysshoppes crosse betokeneth the crosse that cryste dyed vpon for vs all The bysshoppes gloues at masse in his hondes betoken the nayles in crystes hondes the sandalyes on his feet at masse betoken yâ— nayles in crystes feet Yf it be so than that men of holy chirche hauyng these tokens of crystes passyon in theyr masse saynge haue no deuocoÌ„n in crystes passyon ne mynde of his passyon they bere false wytnesse for it is not with them Inwarde as the tokens shewe outwdrde Also the amyt betokeneth the basynet of helthe that is hope of the lyfe yâ— is to come forsakynge of erthely thynges The longe aube betokeneth chastyte of bodye soule The gyrdell fanon and stole betoken the coÌ„maundementes and the counseyles of Cryste in the gospell by the whiche men of relygyon of holy chirche ben bounden passynge other to serue god The â—hesyble betokeneth the holy cloth of cryste without seme all wonne in one whiche betokeneth parfyght charyte The mytre on the bysshopes hede with yâ— hornes betokeneth coÌ„nynge of two testamentes olde newe whiche connynge he ought to haue to teche with two tonges with tonge of dede with tonge of speche shewe them both in dede by good example gyuynge in speche well techynge yâ— betokeneth the two tonges hangyng behynde on the mytre And the same betoken the two tonges hangyng behynde on the aube on the prestes sholder For euery preest sholde conne goddes lawe and preche it with tonge of dede good example with tonge of speche These two tonges hange hygher on the bysshop than on the symple preest in token yâ— the bysshop is more hyghly bouÌ„de to yâ— tonges of good example gode techynge than the symple preest ¶ Diues It is a comon sawe yâ— tho two tonges on the prestes sholdre betoken that this londe hath ben twyes renegate peruerted ¶ Pauper That is false For syth this londe toke fyrste the fayth yâ— people was neuer renegat But the people of this londe was slayne nygh all vp for the fayth tyll ther was no crysten man to dwelle therin but only hethen people yâ—
for his pryde to whom he was wedded at the begynnynge of the worlde Ne truste thou not in thy dome on a good contree For yf the quest comyn of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes whiche thou hast broken of the two coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of charyte ayenst whiche thou haste offended of the .xij. artycles of the fayth ayenst whiche thou haste erred of the .vij. dedes of mercy whiche thou haste not fulfylled of thy fyue wyttes whiche thou haste myspended and the foure cardynall vertues ayenst whiche thou haste trespassed this solempne queste of .xl. true wytnesses shal dampne the as a man queller of thyne owne soule And as a theef traytour thou haste robbed thyne owne lorde of his good For robberye is called al maner mystreatynge of an other mannes good ayenst his wyll And thou haste robbed cryste of that precyous soule that he bought with his dere blood and mysused and myspente his creatures ayenst his wyll For as saynt Gregorye sayth in his Omelye All thynge that we take of god to vse of good lyuynge we tourne it in to vse of wycked lyuynge Quicquid ad vsum recipimus vite in vsuque conuertâ—mus culpe For the helthe of bodye that sent vs. we spende it in synne and in wyckednesse fayre weder in vayne occupacyon of pryde and of couetyse peas in vayne sykernesse plentee of vytayles in glutonye lecherye And so this solempne queste of fourty wolde dampne the for gylty Therfore ther is none other remedye but truly deme thyself yelde the gylty take the to the mercy of god punysshe thy selfe by drede sorowe of herte put the in the dome of goddes Iuge that is thy confessour make amendes after his dome by his assent For god ayenst whom thou haste so hyghly offended wyll stande to his ryghtfull dome accepte suche satysfaccoÌ„n as he assygneth the by yâ— lawe of god to do yf thou do it with good wyll Caplm .xiiij. THus deme thou thyselfe and than shalt thou be syker at the dredefull dome whan cryste our brother verry god and verry man shall come downe to deme the quycke and the deed And as saynt Poule sayth He shall come downe with the voyce of a trumpe that is to saye with the voyce of angelles and of archangelles the whiche shall crye and saye Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Ryse ye vp that ben deed and come ye te the dome And anone in a twynkelynge of an eye we shall all awake of the longe slepe and ryse vp come to the dome Pope prynce Emperour kynge Lorde and lady free and bounde ryche and poore grete and smalle all they shall awake and ryse vp bodye and soule ayen knytte togydre That voyce shall be so hydeous so dredefull sterne that heuen and erthe shall begynne to quake The stones shall ryue and all the deed aryse from deth to lyf eche man woman to answere for hymselfe no man per attourney Now our Iuge Cryste is a lombe mercyfull meke than he shall be as a lyon dredefull sterne And the lyon with his crye abassheth all other bestes and maketh theym to stande stylle saue his owne whelpes whiche with his crye he reyseth fro deth to lyfe So the voyce of cryste at the daye of dome shall arere vs all from deth to lyfe whiche voyce shall be full dredefull to them yâ— lyue bestely take none hede to god ne to his lawe Them it shall arrest make them stande stylle as prysoners on the erth abyde theyr Iuge For they shall so be charged with synne that they shall not wende vp ayenst cryste as the good shall wende vp mette with cryste For to them yâ— ben goddes childern that voyce shall be full swete ful lykynge to here make them soo lyght that they shall wende vp mete with cryste in the ayre as saynt Poule sayth To his childern Cryste shall saye Venite â— Come ye my faders blessyd childern and take ye the kyngdome of heuen that was ordeyned to you byfore the begynnynge of the worlde But to these bestyal folke wycked lyuers to the proude to the couetouse to the enuyouse to lechoures glotons to vengeable folke his voyce shall be full dredeful fnll bytter whan he shall saye to them Discedite a me maledicti â— Wende ye hens fro me ye cursed wretches in to the fyre of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende his angellys And so he shall sende them to sory place to sory companye without ony remedye Was ther neuer thondblaste so dredefull as his voyce than shall be to theym yâ— shall be dampned And was ther neuer songe so mery ne melodye so lykyng as his voyce shal be than to all that shal be saued And therfore deme well thy selfe here that thou be not dampned there Stande here to the sawe of the grete queste of true wytnesses whiche I haue nempned to the and deme thy selfe therafter And be true domesman of thyselfe or els thou shalt haue the same queste ayenst the at the dredefull dome And therto all angelles and archangelles and all the sayntes in heuen and all creatures shall than bere wytnesse ayenst the and axe vengeaunce on the Than as sayth Iohn Crysostom suê‘ illud Plangent se omnes tribus terre â— The angelles shal brynge forth the crosse the spere the nayle the scourges the garlonde of thornes with whiche cryste suffered his passyon Than shall cryste sytte on hyghe to deme the quycke the deed he shall departe the gooe from the wycked sette the good on the ryght syde the wycked on the lyfte syde He shal torne hym to the wycked on the lyfte syde shewe theym the crosse the spere the nayles the scourges the garlonde of thornes his wouÌ„des al fresshe whiche he suffered for all mankynde and saye to the wycked on this wyse Ecce miseri et ingrati quanta ê“ vobis sustinui propter vos homo factus sum â— See ye vnkynde cursed wretches what I suffered for your sake For whan I was god and kynge of kynges lorde of lordes neuer had wyste of woo for your sake I becam man for your sake I suffered to be beten and bounde to be spateled and despysed to be nayled to the crosse crowned with thornes stongen to the herte with a spere and was slayne dyspytous deth as ye may see to bye you from endeles deth Where is the rauÌ„som of my blood where be the soules that I bought so dere where is the seruyce that ye sholde haue done to me where is the loue that ye sholde haue shewed to me I loued you aboue al creatures I loued you more than I dyde myne owne worshyppe For why for your loue I putte myselfe to sorowe and care And ye loued more a lytyll mucke and a lytyl luste of â—he flesshe than ye dyd me or my
saue .viij. soules ¶ Diues Sythen eche man and woman is demed anone as he is dede wherof shall serue the generall dome ¶ Pauper That all men hethen crysten may see the ryghtfull dome of god not only in themself but in all other yâ— hethen men may see knowe theyr false byleue for whiche they ben dampned And crysten men see knowe theyr vnkyndenesse and how ryghtfully they all other ben dampned that dye in dedely synne Caplm .xvij. MAnnes dome is peruerted by foure thynges as sayth the lawe xi.qÌ„.iiij Quatuor by drede by couetyse of gyftes by hate by loue But cryste he is almyghty he dredeth noo man He is lorde of all he nedeth no mede ne gyftes He hateth noo good man ne woman and therfore he shall dampne noo good man ne good woman He loueth all maner ryght and therfore he shall do no wronge He knoweth all therfore ther shall noo false wytnesse ne slyght of men of lawe desceyue hym Euery man shall be there a true wytnesse of his owne dome for his owne conscyence shal saue hym or dampne hym And therfore leue frâ—nde be ye a true wytnesse of your self in this worlde to saue your selfe here in tyme of grace than shall ye be a true wytnesse to your selfe to saue your selfe in tyme of the dome False wytnesses in this worlde haste theyr ryghtfull doome of dampnacyon in the other worlde For they ben false wytnesses to themselfe and to the other also As sayth saynt Iohan with the gylden mouth super Matheum opere imperfecte Omelia .vi. Ther is no man able to be a true wytnesse to an other man but he be fyrste a true wytnesse to hymselfe in his owne dome Art the dome god shall axe of vs rekenynge and answerynge of the benefyces that we haue taken of hym he shall axe theym ayen in nombre in weyght and in measure He shall axe of vs how ofte we haue resceyued of his gyftes how moche we haue resceyued how we haue spente them And the lettres and the tayles of our conscyence shall answere and saye that we haue resceyued goodes of kynde that is to saye of bodye and of soule Also goodes of fortune that ben temporal goodes and temporall rychâ—sses and goodes of grace that ben vertues and connynge Than the souerayne Iuge shall axe of vs answere of his benefyces in the plurell nombre saynge Esuriui â— I hadde hongre and ye gaue me no mete I hadde thryste and ye gaue me no drynke I was naked and ye clothed me not I sought my harborowe and ye resceyued me not I was seke and in pryson ye vysyted me not ne conforted me not And sythen the dome shall be so hards to them that helpe not theyr euen crysten with theyr good at nede moche more strayt it shall be to them that robbe theyr euen crysten as to theues pylours extorcyoners manquellers lechours and to all wycked doers Than men shal gyue answere of euery ydell worde that they speke as cryste sayth in the gospell And as saynt Bernarde sayth the ryche man shal gyue answere of euery threde in his clothe of euery croÌ„me of brede in his brede skep of euery droppe of drynke of his barell in his tonne in his vessell Also cryste shal axe rekenynge by hole mesure For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Men shal there reken yelde to the lest ferthynge without forgyuene s se And suche mesure as men mete here to other shal be moten ayeâ— to them mercy for mercy harde for harde Also god shall than axe of vs rekenynge in weyght of strayt dome for all our dedes shal there be weyed by yâ— dome of god of our owne conscyence after that they weye they shal be rewarded the good in blysse the wycked in payne Than the honde of god shall wryte in the conscyence of euery man woman that shal be dampned these thre wordes Mane techel phares Whiche thre worder he wrote on the walle of thou kynges halle Balthasar to his dampnacoÌ„n Danielis â—nto Whiche vysyon appered to the kynge in tyme of the grete feest yâ— he made in despyte of god made men drynke in the vesselles of goddes temple whiche vesselles were halowed to god for Mane is to saye in englysshe God hath nombred thy kyngdome and dayes of thy reygne made an ende therof Techel is to saye thou art weyed in a balauÌ„ce and thou weyest to lytell Phares is to saye thy kyngdome is departed from the. For after the dome the lynful man may no lenger loke after the kyngdom of heuen whiche was ordeyned to hym yf he wolde haue deserued it But than he shal be departed fro yâ— kyngdom that he hath loste by his folye go to pryson of helle without ende whiche he hath deserued For than Cryste shall saye to euery man and woman Tolle quod tuuÌ„ est et vade Take that is thyne and that thou haste deserued and goo thy waye to heuen yf thou haue doo well or to helle yf thou haue doo amys and not amended the. Than all wycked crysten men shall be demed and dampned but hethen men shall be dampned not demed For as cryste sayth in the gospell He that byleueth not in cryste now he is demed Some shall be demed and saued as good crysten men comyn lyuers And some shall be saued not demed as men of perfeccoÌ„n For they shall deme other as Cryste sayth in the gospel Vos â— reliquistis omnia â— Ye that haue forsaken all worldely goodes for my sake and folowed me in pouerte and in perfeccyon ye shall sytte on .xij. setes demynge the .xij. kynredes of Israell that is to saye all that shall be demed Caplm .xviij. DIues It is a dredefull thynge to thynke on this dome ¶ Pauper It shall be more dredefull to here it to see it moost for to fele it and namely to ryche folke that haue resceyued many goodes of god not spended them ne dyspensed them to his worshyp And saynt Gregory in his Omelye sayth The more the gyftes of god come to a man the more were rekenynges answere of the gyftes Therfore saynt Iames speketh to you ryche men in this maner Agite nuÌ„c diuites â— Now ye ryche men do ye so yâ— ye may saue your selfe wepe ye wayle ye for your myscheues that shall falle to you but ye amende you Your rychesses ben roten your clothes be mothe eten your golde syluer is rusted the ruste therof shal be wytnesse ayenst you at the dome and ete your flesshe as fyre For ye kept your good so harde from the poore folke therfore you haue tresoured wrath and wretche to you in the laste dayes Iacobi .v. ¶ Diues Well is hym that is well deed ¶ Pauper And well is hym that wel lyueth For as saynt Austen sayth He that lyueth well may not euyll dye Therfore as I sayd
soo moche whiche gaaf hym but a shete to be buryed in I vnderstaÌ„de the worlde whiche worldely men loue so moche yâ— for loue therof they trauayle nyght daye put them in peryl of bodye soule oft lese them selfe both bodye soule And yet at the last ende vnnethes gyueth it to them a shete to be buryed in For many of them whan they dye haue lesse than nought And yf they haue ought yet theyr executours wyll saye yâ— they haue nought that they owe more than they haue By the seconde frende that went with hym to the yate I vnderstande a mannes wyfe his childern his bodely frendes And a womannes husbonde her childern her bodely frendes whiche whan they ben deed shall go with them on waye to the yate brynge them to theyr graue per auenture stande and wepe on them But be man or woman deed doluen vnder claye he is soone forgeten out of mynde passed awaye Be the belles ronge and the masses songe he is soone forgeten Vnnethes shall he fynde one frende that wyll synge for hym one masse vnnethes in the yere By the thrydde frende whiche he loued soo lytell and whiche halpe hym at his nede I vnderstande almesdede whiche the worldely couetouse men loue full lytyll And yet at the dredeful dome whan they shall stande at the barre byfore the souerayne Iuge Cryste Ihesn than almesse dede shall be the beste frende that they shall haue For that shall speke for theym and praye for theym and saue theym yf they shall be saued And therfore Salomon sayth Conclude elemosmam in sinu pauperis et ipsa pro te exorabit ab omni malo Ecclesiastici .xxix. Therfore leue frende doo ye as Tobye taught his sone Ex substancia tua fac elemosinam Doo almesse of thy good and of thy catell and nyll thou tourne awaye thy face from ony poore man and as thou myght be thou mercyable Yf thou haue moche gyue thou moche But and yf thou haue but lytell studye thou to gyue lytell with good wyll For than thou tresourest to the a grete gyft in the daye of nede For almesse delyuered soules from euery synne from deth and suffered not the soule to go in to derkenesse Thobie .iiij. Caplm .xiij. DIues To whom shal I do myn almesse ¶ Pauper Doo as Cryste byddeth in the gospell Omni petenti te tribue Gyue to euery nedy that axeth the yf thou myght Luce .vi. ¶ Diues Contra. Cryste in yâ— gospell Luce .xiiij. sayth thus Whan thou makest a feest nyll thou calle therto thy frendes thy neyghbours thy cosyns and ryche men but calle thou poore men feble blynde halt by whiche wordes it semeth to me yâ— I sholde do none almesse but to poore yâ— ben feble blynde and lame ¶ Pauê‘ Cryste fordydeth not men to byd ther frendes ther neyghbours ryche men to the feest But he bad heÌ„ yâ— they sholde not only byd theyr frendes yâ— ryche but also poore folke nedy teble Also he bad that men sholde not byd the ryche folke theyr frendes to feest with no wycked emencoÌ„n in hope of false wynnynge for pompe for glotonye for lecherye or to gete them a grete worldely name but pryncypaly for to nourysshe peas charyte in token that feest is made with good entencoÌ„n both to ryche poore ben plesauÌ„t to god cryste called vs al ryche poore to yâ— endelesse feest And cryste hymself though he were poore in our manhede he was not feble blynde ne halt whan yâ— pharise to whom he sayd tho wordes bad him to mete ne whan he was at the brydales with his mod in the chane of galyle ne whan Mary magdaleyn her syster Martha Zacheus made him grete festes yet they were praysed of cryste for ther dedes all that fedde cryste his apostles his dyscyples whan they went about the worlde prechynge techynge ben praysed And yet the apostles and his dyscyples were stronge men neyther blynde ne lame And cryste hymselfe fedde his dyscyples neyther blynde ne lame And somtyme he â—ed foure thousande of men somtyme fyue thousande that folowed hym fro contre to contre to here his prechyng to see wouÌ„dres that he dyd and yet were they not blynde ne lamâ— For as the gospell sayth he made them hole of theyr bodely seknesse or that he fedde them Luce .ix. et Math .xiiij. Also tho two dyscyples that toke cryste to herborowe in the lykenesse of a pylgryme on â—ester daye at euen ben praysed yet was he neuer blynde ne lame Also Abraham Loth many other holy men resceyued angels in the lykenesse of worshypfull men neyther blynde ne lame to mete herborowe And saynt Peter resceyued knyghtes and worshypfull men to mete to herborowe whiche came to hym on message from the grete lorde Cornely as we rede in holy wrytt ActuuÌ„ .x. And all these ben praysed of god had moche thanke of god for theyr almesdede Therfore I sayd fyrst Cryste bad that men sholde do almesse to al that nede both frende foo And the apostle byddeth yf thyne enemye haue hongre fede hym yf he haue thurste gyue him drynke The charyte of crysten fayth outaketh no persone man ne woman ne state ne degree ne secte hethen ne crysten froÌ„ almesdede whaÌ„ they had nede but we must haue pyte on all helpe all at our power Nathelesse we muste kepe ordre in gyuynge takynge hede to the cause and to the maner of nede in theym that we gyue almesse to For why some be poore by theyr wylle and some ayenst theyr wyll And they that ben poore by theyr wyll some ben poore for the loue of god some for the loue of the worlde They that ben poore for the loue of god muste be holpen passyng other for theyr pouerte is medefull parfyght vertuous They that ben poore wylfully not for god but for the worlde as the Romaynes were as these dayes moche folke dysmytte them of theyr owne good and take it to ther childeren to make them grete in this worlde and moche folke take so moche hede to other mennes proufyte that they take none hede to them selfe and so falle in pouerte in nede suche poore folke muste pryncypaly be holpen of them to whom theyr goodes profyted rather helpe them than other yâ— ben poore ayenst theyr wyll but they shall not be put byfore them that be poore for the loue of god but the nede be the more Caplm .xiiij. OF them that ben poore ayenst theyr wyll some ben poore by fortune by mysauentures as they to whom fortune serueth not at theyr wyll ne god multeplyeth not theyr good as they wolde and that that they haue they lese by mysauentures and by the dome of god And some ben poore onely for synne for the loue of synne as they that waste theyr good in lecherye
honde tylle yâ— fynde hym to whome thou muste gyue Gyue thou to euery man yâ— axeth the but moche rather more gyue to goddes seruauÌ„tâ— to yâ— knyght of cryste though he axe not Hec augustinê° et ponit in glosa suê‘ illud pÌ„i Producens fenuÌ„ iumentis And therfore sayth the lawe that who so wyll not gyue almesse to men that folowe the lyfe of the apostles in pouerte to the poore prechoures for theyr nedefull vse he dampneth hymselfe .xvi. qÌ„ .i. aplicis For as the apostle sayth it is due dette to yâ— poore prechour of goddes worde to lyue by his prechynge Therfor RaymuÌ„dde hospitalitate ordinand sayth that some axe almesse of dette some only for nede to susteyne the bodye They that axe almesse of dette eyther they be knowen for suche or not knowen for suche Yf they be knowen for suche they muste nedes be holpen Yf they be not knowen they shall be examyned wysely whether it be as they saye For it were grete peryll to lette them yf it be so For in that they gyue goostely thynges bodely thynges be due dett to them as saynt Poul sayth and the lawe .xlij. dist quiescamus And yf they axe only for sustenaunce of the bodye eyther thou myght gyue all for stede tyme eyther thou myght not gyue all Yf thou mayst gyue all thou owest to gyue all after the nede that they pretende after theyr astate well ruled Take exsample of Abraham and Loth whiche resceyued folke Indyfferently to hospytalyte so they resceyued angels And yf they had put some awaye peraduenture they sholde haue put awaye angeles for men As sayth Crysostom suê‘ eplam ad Hebre. Therfore he sayth that god shal not yelde the thy mede for the good lyfe of them whiche thou resceyuest but for thy good wyll for the worshyp yâ— thou dost to them for goddes sake for thy mercy thy goodnesse And therfore the lawe sayth that men ought to gyue theyr almesse to cursed folke to synfull folke be they neuer so wycked .xi. qÌ„ .iij. qmÌ„ multos et di lxxxvi pasce â— noÌ„ satis in fine But they do the worse for that they ben syker of theyr lyuelode For as saynt Austen sayth yf the synner do yâ— worse for mennes almesse it is better to withdrawe it from him than to gyue it hym .v. qÌ„ .v. noÌ„â—nis Nathelesse yf he be in vtter nede he muste be holpen di lxxxvi pasce Caplm .xvi. ANd in case whan thou mygh not helpe all thou muste take hede to ten thynges To fayth cause place tyme maner nede nyghenesse of bloode of affynyte age feblenesse nobley Fyr c take hede to fayth for in caas thou shalt put a crysten man byfore an hethen man Also take hede to the cause of his nede whether he is come to nede for goddes cause or by cause of synne Take hede also to yâ— place as whan yâ— ryght full man is tourmented in pryson for dette helpe hym yf thou may For sythen we be bouÌ„de to helpe all yf we may moche more we be bouÌ„den to helpe the ryghtfull man woman Also take hede to the tyme for yf he gete no thynge of the in tyme of his trybulacyon in tyme of peryll whan he is led to his deth vnryghtfully but thou settest more by thy moneye than thou doost by his lyfe it is no lyght synne Also take hede to the maner of gyuynge that thou gyue soo one daye that thou may gyue an other daye so to one that thou may gyue to an other but thou wylt forsake the worlde all at ones for goddes sake for perfeccoÌ„n Also take hede to nede gyue them after that they haue nede Also take hede to nyghenesse of bloode and of affynyte for by waye of kynde they muste be holpen rather than straungers yf the nede of both be euen Also take hede to age for olde folke muste be put byfore yonge folke Also take hede to the feblenesse for blynde lame other feble folke must be holpen rather than hole folke in euen nede Also take hede to the nobley of the persone namely to them that with out synne ben fallen to pouerte myscheef for comonly suche ben shamefaste to axe dist .lxxxvi. Non latis Et eadem dicit Ambro .li. de officijs Vnde vsus Causa fidem tempus sanguis locus ac modus etas Debilis ingenius vericuÌ„dus factus egenus Hijs bona ê‘sonis prudens erogare teneris And saynt Austen accordeth therto in de doctrina xpiana li. i. ca .x. ¶ Diues I suppose that I mette with two poore men strauÌ„gers alyke nedy both they axe I haue nought yâ— I may gyue but only to the one of them ¶ Pauê‘ Saynt Austen in the same place byddeth yâ— thou sholdest than gyue it by lot ¶ Diues I assent saye forth what thou wylt ¶ Pauper Also in thy gyuynge thou muste take hede to the holynesse to the profytablenesse the nyghenes of the persone yâ— nedeth helpe For to the holyer man to hym yâ— is or hath ben more profytable to the comonte yf he nede thou shalt gyue rather better than to a persone nyghe of kynne or of affynyte not so holy ne so profytable but thou haue the more specyall cure of hym but he be in the greter nede Also to them yâ— be poore for crystus sake to the poore prechours that preche pryncypally for the worshyp of god helpe of mannes soule puttynge awaye all spyces of false couetyse thou shalt gyue them that is nedefull to them after yâ— tyme after thy power as to dyscyples of cryste But to other poore folke yâ— ben poore ayenst theyr wyll whiche the worlde hath forsaken not they the worlde it suffyseth to gyue of thy relyf honeste holsome for it is synne to gyue deyntees to suche poore comon beggers whan they ben not conuenyent to them As the lawe sayth di .xxv. vuuÌ„ S. multi et di .xli. Non cogant Of other poore men speketh saynt Austen in a sermone of clerkes lyfe sayth thus Yf the riche man haue but one childe we ne he yâ— cryste be his other childe yf he haue two childern wene he that cryst be yâ— thyrde Yf he haue ten make cryste the enleuenth that is to saye gyue he to cryste yâ— he sholde spende on the enleuenth .xiiij. qÌ„ .ij. si â—s trascit And thus leue frende ye may see that riche men whiche be goddes reues goddes bayles owe to ordeyne for them that ben poore for goddes loue wylfully haue forsaken the worlde for his sake that they haue no nede But to comon beggers to nedy folke whiche the worlde hath forsaken it suffyseth so to helpe them to gyue them yâ— they perysshe not Also leue freÌ„de as saynt Austen sayth in the boke of the Cyte of god li .xxi. ca .xxvi. They that wyl not amende ther lyf
ne forsake theyr grete synnes done no plesauÌ„t almesse For why sayth he almesse sholde be done to gette forgyuenesse of synnes that be paste not to gette leue to dwelle stylle in synne to do a mys ¶ Here endeth the nynthe coÌ„maundement And begynneth the tenthe Capitulum PrimuÌ„ DIues Me thynketh thy speche resonable good proufitable wel confermed by grete auctoryte I thanke the for thy wordes thy good enfoâ—â—aeyon in the nynthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement Now I praye the enfourme me in the tenthe coÌ„maundement ¶ Pauper The tenthe commauÌ„dement is this Non deâ—â—derabis vxorem ê“ximi tui noÌ„ seruuÌ„ noÌ„ ancillam noÌ„ boueÌ„ noÌ„ asinuÌ„ nec oÌ„nia que illius sunt Exodi .xx. Thou shalt not desyre thy neyghbours wyfe not his seruauÌ„t not his mayden not his oxe not his asse ne no thynge that to him longeth In the nynthe commauÌ„dement god forbydeth couetyse of an other mannes good not mouable In this laste he forbydeth all maner false couetyse of an other mannes good mouable Also in the nynthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement he forbydeth couetyse of the eye In this laste pryncypall he forbydeth couetyse of the flesshe And therfore sayth saynt Austen that the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dement is this allone thou shalt not desyre thy neyghbours wyfe And all yâ— foloweth after whan he sayth not his sernauÌ„t not his oxe ne his asse ne no thynge yâ— to hym longeth it is of the .ix. coÌ„mauÌ„dement And it is also a newe forbedynge of all maner mys couetyse both of thynge mouable not mouable both of couetyse of the eye of the flesshe And therfore yf a man dyscoueyte an other mannes seruau t or his wyfe or his childe as for possessyon seruyce it is ayenst the nynthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement pryncypally ayenst couetyse of the eye And yf he coueyte theym for mysluste of the flesshe than it is ayenst the tenthe commauÌ„dement ¶ Diues I hope that not euery myscouetyse is dedely synne ayenst goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement For couetyse both of the eye of the flesshe falleth lyghtly in mannes herte And it is not in our power alwayes to flee thought of fals couetyse For as sa yt Poule sayth the flesshe coueyteth alwaye ayenst yâ— spiryte ¶ Pauê‘ God forbydeth not suche couetyse yâ— is not in our power to flee but he forbydeth all maner myscouetyse with assent to perfourme it longe lykynge therin And therfore though men do not in dede theyr fals coretyse yf they be in wyll to do it in dede yf they myght or durste for drede of the worlde than they synne dedely ayenst goddes byheste ¶ Diues Syth it is so yâ— fals couety s e with assent wyll to perfourme it is dedely synne ayenst goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement And as saynt Poule sayth it is rote begynnyng of euery euyll Radix oiÌ„m malorum est cupiditas Sythen wycked wyll gooth byfore wycked dede why putteth not god yâ— forbedynge of false couetyse of wycked wyll in yâ— ordre of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes byfore the forbedynge of the dede of lechery of theft syth couetyse euyll wyll is begynnynge of both For wycked wyll gooth byfore euery synne in so moche yâ— ne were not wycked wyll there sholde noo synne be ¶ Pauper God gaue the tenthe coÌ„mauÌ„dement to the people as souerayne techer as souerayne leche And euery techynge must begynne at thynges that ben moost easy to knowe euery cure leche crafte bothe of bodye of soule muste begynne there the sekenesse is felte moost-greuous And for as moche as the vnwyse people hath more knowynge that mysde de was synne than myswylle felte them more aggreued by mysdede thaÌ„ myswylle therfore god forbedeth fyrste the dede of false couetyse after he forbedeth the wyll the assent to myscouetyse ¶ Diues Yet contra te God forbedeth no thynge but synne synne of dede of wyll is all one For synne begynneth at euyll wyll endeth in euyll dede As we rede in the seconde boke of kynges of kyng Dauyd Fyrste he desyred the fayre woman Bersabee that was wyfe to the true knyght Vrye and fro that wycked desyre he felle in to auoutrye and from auoutrye in to glotonye from glotonye in to false traytorye from traytorye in to murdre and manslaughter blasphemye and to despysynge of godded hygh mageste wherfore god punysshed hym ful harde for the childe soo mys goten dyed soone after the byrthe And his sone Absolon laye openly by his wyues in syght of the people droue hym out of his kyngdome His other sone Amon laye by his owne syster Thamar And therfore Absolon her brother and his slewe hym Bnd Salomon his sone slewe his brother Adony so Dauyd had lytel Ioye of his childern bycause of his auoutrye And was ther neuer after stabylyte in his kyngdome for that auoutrye murder other synnes that came al of his wycked desyre euyll wyl for that he so mysdesyred an other mannes wyfe ayenst that byhest of god whan he sayth Non desiderabis vxoreÌ„ ê“ximi tui Thou shalt not desyre thy neyghboures wyfe ¶ Pauê‘ Whan wycked dede is knyt to wycked wyl it is one synne both ben forboden by the same coÌ„mauÌ„dement in whiche he forbedeth lecherye theft But whan the wyll the assent be not done in dede than the synne standeth only in euyl wyl suche synne pryncypaly is forboden by these two laste coÌ„mauÌ„dementes in whiche god sheweth openly that euyll wyll without the dede is dedely synne Caplm .ij. DIues Whan god gaue the coÌ„mau dementes in the mouÌ„te of Synay to Moyses Ther he forbade fyrste couetyse of the eye But whan Moyses rehersed ayen the lawe to the childern of Israell whan they sholde entre in to yâ— londe of byheste there Moyses forbad fyrste couety s e of flesshe putteth it byfore as we rede Deut â— .v. what was cause of this dyuersyte ¶ Pauê‘ Whan god gaf them yâ— lawe in the mouÌ„t of Synay they were in desert in grete myscheef therfore they were more enclyned to robberye than to lecherye And therfore god for that tyme forbydeth theÌ„ fyrst couetyse of yâ— eye than couetyse of yâ— flesshe But whan Moyses reherced ayen the lawe to theym in his laste dayes they were at the entre of yâ— londe of byheste in a full plentouoê° coÌ„tre where they were more endyned to lecherye for welfare than to robberye for mysfare And therfor Moyses for that tyme forbade them fyrst couetyse of the flesshe than couetyse of the eye of rychesse An other cause leue frende is this For all the pylgrymage of the childern of Israel .xl. yere in desert betokeneth our pylgrymage here in this worlde from our begynnynge vnto our endynge In token than that man woman in his youth in his begynnynge is sooner tempted to couetyse of the eye of worldely good than couetyse of the flesshe in his endynge in his age latter tempted to couetyse of the
eye of worldely good than to couetyse of the flesshe for in olde folke whan al other temptacyons cesse than is temptacyon of couetyse of the eye of worldely good moost brennynge For ryght as theyr bodye by age nygheth to the erth soo theyr herte clyueth than moost to erthely thynges And therfore in the begynnynge of theyr pylgrymage in desert as to begynnynge folke god forbadde them fyrste pryncypaly couetyse of the eye in the ende of theyr pylgrymage as to folke nyghe theyr ende he forbydeth them pryncypally laste and moost openly without oft rehersynge couetyse of the eye For comonly the more that men nygh ther ende the more couetouse they ben Caplm .iij. DIues Thy reasons be good saye forth what thou wylte ¶ Pauper God in the sixth byheste forbydeth the dede of lechery of spousebreche in this byheste he forbydeth the wyll the consent of herte to lecherye to sponsebreche For as the dede of leshery is dedely synne so is the foule consent the desyre of herte dedely synne For as cryste sayth in the gospell Mathei .v. He that seeth a woman coueyteth her by desyre to do lecherye with her he hath do lecherye in his herte though he do it not in dede And therfore eche man sholde take hede besely what thoughtes entre in to his herte and yf ony thoughtes ben about to drawe the reson of his soule to consente to synne anone putte he awaye tho thoughtes myghtely let hyÌ„ thynke on the bytter paynes that cryste suffered in his syde hondes feet soo tourne his mysluste in to deuocoÌ„n of crystus passyon quenche the brennyng thoughtes of lechery with the blood the water that ranne out of crystus syde whan his herte was clouen a two with that sharpe spere thynke on that endeles loue that cryste shewed than to hym to all mankynde And so to torne his foule stynkynge loue that he begynneth to fall in shame shenshyp in to the swete clene loue of IhuÌ„ full of Ioye worship The mayster of kynde telled li .xij. that ther is a byrde in Egypt that is called a pellycane of al foules he is moost chere ouer his byrdes moost loueth them Ther is a grete enmyte bytwene him the adder wherfor the adder wayteth whan the pellycane is out of his neste to seke mete for him for his byrdes than he goth in to the neste of the pellycane styngeth his byrdes enuenemeth them sleeth them whan the pellycane cometh ayen fyndeth his byrdes thus slayn he maketh moche sorowe and mone by waye of kynde thre dayes thre nyght he morneth for deth of his byrdes And at the thyrde dayes ende he setteth hym ayen ouer his byrdes and with his bylle he smyteth hymselfe in the syde letteth his blood falle downe on the byrdes And anone as yâ— blode toucheth his byrdes anon by waye of kynde by vertue of the blood they quycken ayen rysen from deth to lyfe By this pellycane that loueth so well his byrdes is vnderstande cryste Ihesu goddes sone yâ— loueth mannes soule womans more than euer dyd yâ— pellycane his byrdes And he sayth hymselfe Similis factus suÌ„ pellicano solitudinis I am made lyke to yâ— pellycane of deserte By the byrdes I vnde Adam Eue all mankynde By the nest I vnderstande yâ— blysse of paradyse For right as byrdes be brought forth in yâ— nest so mankynde had his begynnynge was brought forth in paradyse By yâ— adder I vnderstande the fende whiche appered in yâ— lyknes of an adder to Eue stange her full euyl Adam also with his wycked fondynge slewe them both bodye soule And not only he slewe them but also he slewe al mankynde in them For yf Adam had not synned we sholde neuer haue dyed ne haue wyst of woo wherfore this pellycane Ihesu cryste seynge yâ— myscheef yâ— mankynde was fall in by gyle of yâ— fende he had ruth on mankynde for grete loue that he had to maÌ„kynde as sayÌ„t Poul sayth he auentysshed hyÌ„selfe toke flesshe blood of yâ— mayden Mary bycam man in yâ— lykenesse of a seruauÌ„t in our manhede in our kynde suffered to be taken be bouÌ„de beten forspyted dispysed byscorged at the pyler be crowned with thornes be nayled to the tree hondes feet and hanged on the crosse as a theef amonges theues be stonge to the herte with the sharpe spere so dyed bytter deth all for our gylt not for his gylt for he dyd neuer amys in worde ne in dede as saynt Peter sayth in his pystle And thus for our loue that ben to hym ful vnkynde he shed his precyous blood out of euery parte of his blysfull bodye born of the mayden And his Inner hert blood he shed so to wasshe vs fro our synnes to reyse vs fro yâ— deth of synne into yâ— lyfe of grace after fro bodely deth into yâ— lyf of endles blysse Therfore saynt Iohn sayth Dilexit nos lauit nos a pccis nâ—Ì„is i sanguie suo Apoc. i. He loued vs so moche that he wasshed vs froÌ„ our synnes with his precyous blood Loue droue hym downe fro heuen into erth loue led hyÌ„ into yâ— maydens bosom brought hym into this wycked worlde Loue bouÌ„de hyÌ„ in cradel wonde hyÌ„ in cloutes ful poore layd hyÌ„ in an oxe stalle Loue helde hyÌ„ here in sorowe care honger thryst moche trauayl .xxxij. yere more At yâ— last loue toke hyÌ„ bouÌ„de hyÌ„ set hyÌ„ at yâ— barre byfore yâ— synful Iustyce Ponce Pylate Loue layd him on the crosse nayled hyÌ„ to yâ— tree Loue led hyÌ„ to his deth cleef his hert a two And for whose loue leue frende Forsoth for loue of you of me of other synful wretches that neuer dyd hyÌ„ good but offended hym nyght day ben to hym ful vnkynde Therfor he may well saye the wordes that Salomon sayd Fortis eÌ„ vt mors dilectio Canâ— .viij. Loue is stronge as deth ye forsoth moche strenger than deth For loue led his lyfe to his deth he that neuer myght dye by waye of kynde loue made hym dye for mankynde And so sayth Salomon there Brondes of his loue ben brondes of fyre of flammes both For the loue that he shewed to mankynde and also for the loue that we ought to shewe to him For ryght as the hete of the sonne with his lyght whan he shyneth in the fyre in the house wasteth the fyre quencheth it so the loue of god and the endelesse charyte of his passyon yf it shone in maÌ„nes soule with his hete it sholde quenche waste the brondes and the fyre of lecherye brennynge in mannes soule by foule luste and wycked desyre And therfore he sayth to euery crysten soule â—one me vt signaculuÌ„ suê‘ cor tuuÌ„
haue taken good thynges of goddes honde why sholde not we suffre wyked thynges and paynfull of his sond God yaue and god hath taken awaye as god wyll so it is done blessyd be our lordes name Iob. i.et.ij.ca Thus sytte ye sadely in the sadell of pacyence rule ye your horse by the brydell of abstynence by the reynes of temperauÌ„ce yf your horse be so dulle in goddes way pryke hym with two spores that ben diede of helle payne loue of god of heuen blysse And so with drede loue compelle ye your hors to hye him forth in goddes waye Let not your horse yâ— is your flesshe be to carnalle by ease welfare ne to feble for mysfaâ—e ouertrauayle Caplm .vi. THe mayster of kynde li. iiij de qualitate elementari telleth that ther is a byrde that is called a bernake This byrde wexeth out of a tree ouer the water But as longe as it hanged on the tree it is deed but anon as it louseth from yâ— tree falleth downe in to the water anone it quykeneth swymmeth forthe This byrde sayth he hath lytell flesse lesse blood By this tree I vnderstande mankynde that came al of Adam Eue as the tree his brauÌ„ches come al of yâ— rote byneth By this byrde I vnderstande euery man woman whiche whan they be fyrst born of theyr moder they be deed by orygynal synne of Adam not able to the lyf of grace ne of blysse For as saynt Poule sayth we ben all born childern of wrath of deth But anone as we falle in to yâ—â—onâ—stone in yâ— water of baptyme ben baptysed anon we resceyue yâ— lyâ— of grace be able to yâ— lyf of heuen blysse yf we kepe vs besely from the blood of synne from yâ— carnalyte of the bodye desytes of yâ— flesshe For saynt Peter byddeth vs. Abstinete vos a carnalibus desiderijs que militaÌ„t aduersus aiÌ„am .i. Petri .ij. Absteyne ye you from flesshely desyres that fyght ayenst the soule But for as moche as Iob sayth that all mannes lyf vpon erth is knyghthode fyghtyng ayenst goostly enemyes Milicia eÌ„ vi ta hoiÌ„s suê‘ terraÌ„ Iob .vij. Therfore it is nedefull to euery crysten man to gouerne wel the horse of his bodye as I haue sayd But more ouer as saynt Poule sayth He mnste arme hyÌ„ with goostley armure ayenst the dyntes the dartes of the fendes temptacyon For as saynt Poule sayth ad Eph. vi All our fyghtynge is ayenst the wycked spyrytes of derkenesses whiche be prynces powers and gouernours of synfull men Therfore he sayth Arme ye you in the armure of god that ye may withstande the busshement the slyghtes of the deuyll stande parfyght in al thynges Stande ye sayth he in treuth and gyrde ye your lendes with the gyrdel of chastyte do ye on the habergeon of ryght fulnesse shoe ye your feet in dyghtynge of yâ— gospell of peas And in all thynges take ye to you the shelde of fayth with whiche ye may quenche al the brennynge dartes of yâ— wycked fende And take ye you yâ— basynÌ„et of helth the swerde of the holy goost that is goddes worde whiche as he sayth in another place is sharper than ony two egged swerde ad Hebre .iiij. And by almaner prayers besechynge praye ye euery tyme alwaye in spiryte wake ye alwaye in him in all maner besynesse And thus saynt Poule by the lykenesse of bodely armure techeth vs goostly armure techeth vs well to arme our lendes by the vertue of chastyte whan he byddeth vs gyrde well our lendes And than he byddeth vs do on the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse in defence both of bodye soule yâ— we do ryght to all yelde to god to euery creature that longeth to hym both to our soueraynes to our felowes to our sugettes to theym that ben byfore vs paste out of this worlde by almesse gyuynge and yeldynge of dettes for them that ben deed and to theym that ben behynde vs to come by sauynge of theyr ryght of theyr due herytage And thus arme we vs behynde byfore in euery syde with the habergeon of ryghtfulnesse And ryght as in the habergeon euery rynge accordeth with other is knytt with other So sholde all our ryghtfulnes accorde to gydre so be knytt to gydre that we do ryght to all soo that we do no man ne woman wronge For yf we do so moche ryght fauour to one that it be hyndrynge to an others ryght than yâ— rynges in our habergeâ— of ryghtfulnes accorde not ne be well knytt to gydre But ther is an hole wherby the fende may hurte our soule Also he byddeth vs arme our feet our legges with legge harneys that is goostly pouerte that we withdrawe our hertes our affeccyons from erthely thynges not set our loue to moche in erthly thynges ne in worldely goodes not to stryue not to plete for noo worldely goodes but yâ— more nede compell vs therto but seke to lyue in peas with all men yf it may be And thus arme vs with goostly poueâ—te our legges our feet that is to saye our loue our affeccoÌ„ns ayenst the temptacyons of false couetyse And therfore he byddeth vs shoe our feet in to yâ— dyghtynge of the gospell of peas For euery crysten man woman ought to haue gostly pouerte whiche cryst taught in the gospell to forther the gospell of cryste that is the gospell of peas in wyll dede to his power to teche it yf he can And yf he can not helpe forther them that can in techynge of the gospell of goddes lawe helpe theÌ„ with his good to theyr nedefull sustenaunce yf he may they haue nede Also he byddeth vs take to vs the shelde of fayth for as the shelde is a tryangle hath thre corners in whiche tryangle yf fro yâ— myddes be drawen thre lynes in to the thre corners ther sholde be thre tryangles whiche thre be but one tryangle and yet none of them is other And therfore he sayth that fayth of the holy trynyte is lykened to a shelde for ther ben thre persones in yâ— holy trynyte the fader the sone the holy goost eche of them is god and none of theym is ether though they ben al thre but one god in mageste This shelde of fayth of the holy trynyte we muste take to vs in goostly fyght byleue in the holy trynyte and set all our fayth al our truste in one god in trynyte praye to the fader almyghty that he sende vs myght to the sone alwyâ—â— that he graunte vs wytte wysedâ—me to the holy goost all gracyous ful of mercy that he grauÌ„te vs grace so that we may haue myght wytte and grace to withstande all goostly enemyes Also he byddeth vs to take to vs the balynet of
helth of saluacyon as sayth the glose hope to haue the maystrye of our enemyes by the helpe of god and heuen blysse to our mede for our fyghtynge and for our trauayle For ther wyll no man put hym to laufull fyght but in hope to haue the maystrye mede for his trauayle And as the basynet well arayed is clene furbusshed from ruste made slyke and smothe that shot may soone glyde of it is hyghest of all armure goynge gaderynge vpwarde in to a smalle poynte so muste our hope our trust pryncypaly go vp to god and not set our hope ne our truste to moche in mannes myght ne in erthely helpe whiche is but ruste wastynge the basynet of hope that we owe to god Therfore sayth the prophete Ieremye Cursed be the man that trusteth in man in flesshely myght letteth his herte go awaye fro god And blyssed be that man whiche setteth his hope his truste in our lorde god Ieremie xvij Also saynt Poule byddeth that we sholde take with vs rerebras and vanbras gloues of plaâ—e that is tâ— saye good occupacyons besynesse in good werkes And therfor he byddeth vs wake in all maner besynesse of gode werkes For as the wyse man sayth Eccl .xxxiij. Ydelshyp slouth is cause of moche wyckednesse For an ydel man lustles is lyke a man hondeles wepenles amonge his enemyes lyke a man in batayll with naked armes hondes whiche for nakednesse for defaute of armure leseth bothe arme honde Also we muste do aboue the Iacke or the acton of charyte For as the Iacke is softe nesshe and by his softenesse nesshenesse softeth feynteth all strokes that cometh there ayenst soo charyte softeth feynteth all the dentees of the fendes temptacoÌ„n Therfor saynt Poule sayth that charyte suffreth all thynge pacyently maketh euery trauayle softe and bereth al thynge easely Omnia suffertoi a sustinet .i. ad Corum .xiiij. And therfore sayth the glose there that charyte pacyence benygnyte with compassyon of others myscheef ben the pryncypall armure yâ— longeth to crysten people This Iacke of charyte is betokened by the cloth of cryste without seme all wonne aboue in to one whiche in tyme of his passyon the knyghtes wolde not kyt but kepte it hole cast lott who sholde haue it hole In token that euery good knyght of god sholde be besy to arme hym with the cloth the Iacke the armure of charyte trauayle to saue peas and vnyte make no dyuysyon For the ende of euery batayle sholde be peas and to yâ— ende for none other men of armes sholde trauayle fyght as saynt Austen sayth Thus leue frende I prayr you that ye arme you in goostly armure as goddes good knyght For though ye be not able to bodely batayl ye be yet able to goostly fyght In that that ye be crysten ye be crystus knyght ordeyned to fyght in this gostly batayle yf ye wyll be saued And therfore aâ—me ye you well as I haâ—â— now sayd and gyrde ye you with the swerde of goddes worde by whiche ye sholde defende you from all goostly enemyes For as the swerde perseth kytteth maketh separacoÌ„n so goddes worde prechynge techynge redynge of goddes worde of goddes lawe perseth maÌ„nes herte womans maketh separacoÌ„n bytwene synfull soules theyr synne departeth atwynne wycked company maketh separacoÌ„n of mannes herte from erthely couetyse Therfore cryste sayth that he cam not to make synful peas but to sende swerde of separacyon in erthe to destroye wyked peas yâ— men haue in theyr synne Therfore leue frende as goddes good knyght gyde ye you with this swerde of goddes worde that is to saye fastne ye it wel in your herte by herynge redynge by techynge by dede doynge and than take ye to you the spere of crystus passyon thynke how he was smyten to the herte for your sake with that sharpe spere his syde opened his herte clouen a two to shewe you how moche he loued you And than he shedde out his herte blood water in token that yf he hadde had moâ—â— blood more he wolde haue shedde for your loue Moreouer ye shall vnderstande yâ— in bodely fyght a man must chese hym a good grouÌ„de a playne place to fyght in For it is not good ryghtynge in myres ne amonge corn in slydre waye pytty grouÌ„de ne in stoble grouÌ„de And therfor saynt Poul by â— deth vs stande in treuthe equyte that in all our doynge we loke to our grouÌ„de our cause be true rightful clerâ—e clene make no stryfe in vncertayne Also a wyse knyght in his fyght wyll take with him yâ— hylle the sonne wynde yf he may so muste we in gostly fyght take with vs yâ— hylle of holy lyuynge yâ— we may saye with yâ— apostle NraÌ„â—uersacoÌ„ in celis eÌ„ Our lyuynge conuersacoÌ„n is in heuens in heuenly thynges And therfor sayÌ„t Poul byddeth vs stande perfyte in al thynges Also we muste take with vs in our fyght the sonne yâ— lyght of goddes grace the â–ª wynde of holy prayer And therfore saynt Poul byddeth vs praye in euery tyme alwaye by all maner prayer besechynge in yâ— holy goost that is to saye with the grace of the holy goost In this maner leue frende arme ye you in goostly armure dyspo s e ye you to gostly batayl ayenst al goostly enemyes gouerne ye well your horse of your bodye as I haue sayd Lete it not be to feble by ouerdone abstynense tranayll ne to wylde by ouerdone rest by glotony by lâ—Ì„chery by wycked desyres of yâ— flesshe euyl wylles for in caas suche wycked wylles desyres ben dedly synne in goddes syght ayenst this last coÌ„mauÌ„dement Therfore Dauyd sayth that god preued knoweth maÌ„nes herte his lendes that is to saye god knoweth maÌ„nes wyl his lust For he knoweth more verely yâ— thought of meÌ„nes hert wymeÌ„s than ony man may knowe yâ— others werkes He seeth knoweth al thynge therfore suche as man or woman is in hert in soule in wyl suche he is byfore god that knoweth both bodye and soule Caplm .vij. NOw leue frende I haue in parte declared you the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes by whiche ye muste gouerne your lyfe yf ye wyll be saued For cryste sayth to eche man woman Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Math .xix. Yf yâ— wylt entre euerlastynge lyfe kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes And therfor do ye as Salomon sayth DeuÌ„ time et mandata eius obserua hoc est ois homo Eccl vltimo Drede ye god kepe his coÌ„maundementes this is euery man woman For as moche as man or woman pleseth god by kepynge of his byhestes so moche is he in goddes syght And as moche as man or woman is in goddes syhht so moche he is
woman do a mys for drede to lese yâ— blysse ¶ Pauper It fareth by folke born in pryson of the wycked worlde as it doth by a childe born in the depe derke pytte of the pryson whan it falleth a woman with childe be put in pryson The moder that knoweth the welfare yâ— she had out of pryson is in moche sorowe care and longeth full moche to be out of pryson ayen in her welfare But the childe born in the myscheef of the pryson and neuer hadde knowynge of better fare gyueth lytell tale of that myscheue in pryson But aslonge as he hath his moder with hym his sustenauÌ„ce though it be full feble he maketh no sorowe ne care he longeth after no better fare for he knoweth no better For yf his moder tells hym of yâ— Ioye welfare out of pryson of the sonne mone of the sterres of yâ— fayre floures spryngynge vpon erthe of the byrdes syngynge of myrthe of melodye of ryche arraye of lordes of ladyes welth that is out of pryson all hyr tale is but a dreme to the childe he byleueth it not therfore he longeth not therafter wyll not for all this blysse the welfare that she speketh of forsake his moder ne the feble fare that he hath with her that is for he byleueth it not yet it is as the moder telleth the childe But were the childe ones out of pryson and sawe the welth myrth the welfare whiche his moder tolde hym of he wolde be full sory for to go ayen to pryson there to lyue with his moder For all his lyfe in pryson that was fyrst lykynge ynough to hyÌ„ sholde than be full bytter he sholde neuer haue Ioye ne reste in herte tyll he came ayen to that welfare that he sawe out of pryson Ryght thus folke of this worlde borne and brought forth in sorowe care moche trauayl in the pryson of this worlde they haue so moche loue lykynge to theyr erthly moder to ther coÌ„panye that is to saye in erth in erthely thynges for erth is moder of al that they haue no lykynge in heuenly thynges ne longe not therafter And yet theyr gostly moder holy chirche ther goostly fader and god him selfe fader of all telleth them of the blysse of heuen It is to them but a dreme as is the moders tale to her childe in pryson they haue noo sad fayth therin And though it be so as our mod holy chirche telleth vs thoughe the childe byleue not that suche welfare be out of pryson the welfare is neuer the lesse though erthely couetouse men haue no lykynge but in erth in erthly thynges byleue not yâ— suche blysse be in heuen yet ther is suche blysse and neuer the lesse for theyr false byleue But had they ones sene assayed a lytell of that blysse al the Ioye lykynge that they haue in this worlde in erthly thynges sholde be to them full grete bytternesse full of sorowe care Example we haue of saynt Peter whom Cryste ledde vpon the hylle of Thabor with saynt Iohn saynt Iames and there he shewed them but a lytell of the blysse of his manhode His face shone as bryght as the sonne his clothes were whyte as snowe Moyses and Hely appered with hym in grete blysse magestee Than Peter sayd to our lorde Ihesu Lorde it is good to vs to be here Make we here thre tabernacles one to the an other to Moyses an other to Hely and let vs all dwelle here Luce .ix. And anone in syght of lytel blysse he forgat al the blysse of this worlde He cared neyther for mete drynke ne clothynge for hym thought he myght haue lyued without ende by the blysfull syght with that company Also whan saynt Poule was rauysshed in to heuen had seen yâ— vysyon of god afterwarde all his lyf in this worlde was to him a payne so moche he longed ayen to that blysse And therfore he sayd Infelix ego quis me liberabit demorte corê‘is huiê° Ro. vij I an vnsely man who shall delyuer me fro yâ— deth of this body I coueyte to be departed the soule from the bodye be without ende with cryste Moyses was with god in the mouÌ„t of Synay .xl. dayes and xl nyghtes metelesse drynkeles fedd by the speche of god by his presence yet sawe he but lytell of this blysse For he was not able to see his blysse ne noman lyuynge in this worlde as god sayd to hym yâ— tyme. But leue frende after our deth yf we kepe well goddes commaundementes and amende our mysdedes by our lyfe we shal see his grete blysse whiche neither Peter ne Poule ne Moyses myght see in erthe And we shal be syker of that blysse without ende Whiche blysse as saynt Poule sayth yâ— none erthely eye may see ne ere here ne herte thynke ne wytte comprehende In this blysse leue frende I hope to see you dwelle with you in the hyghe cyte of Ierusalem in the kynges courte of heuen To whiche blysse he brynge vs that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen ¶ Here endeth a co 〈…〉 treatyse dyalogue of Diues and Pauper That is to saye the ryche the poore fructuously treatynge vpon the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes fynysshed the .iij. daye of Decembre The yere of our lorde god M. CCCC.lxxxxvi Eâ—prentyd by me Wyken de worde at Westmonstre ¶ Deo gracias W· C·
ony withstandynge for ther shal no thynge withstande them But as the sonne passeth yâ— glasse without lettynge of the sonne so shal they passe ouer walle euery thynge at theyr wyll without ony dysease or ony lettynge And anentes the soule we shal haue the blysfull syght of goddes face brennynge loue to god and to our euen crysten alwaye haue hym that we loue and what we desyre There all our loue shall be in Ioye without woo drede and sorowe In this worlde euery loue is medled with woo in token of these seuen blysses that we shal haue in endelesse reste for our parfyght werkes Therfore god badde vs reste in the .vij. daye Caplm .xiiij. DIues Why longe ought the holy daye to be kepte and halowed ¶ Pauper From euen to euen as Raymonde sayth and the lawe also Extra li ij.ti.de ferijs Omnes dies dominicos And holy wryte sayth also and god hym selfe Leuitici .xxiij. A vespera vsque ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra From euen to euen ye shall halowe your holy dayes Neuerthelesse some begynne sooner to halowe after that the feste is after vse of the contree Extra e. quoniaÌ„ But that men vse in the satyrdayes vygylyes to rynge holy euen at myddaye compelleth not men anone to halowe but warneth them of the holy daye folowynge yâ— they sholde thynke theron spede them so dyspose them theyr occupaco ns that they myght halowe in due tyme. ¶ Diues Is it leful for ony causes in the sondaye to gadre in corn fruyte or hay ¶ Pauper Suche nede it may be that it is excusable as yf they may not in other dayes gadre it in for enemyes as in tyme of warre yf they sholde gadre it they haue rightful cause to withstande theyr aduer s aryes Also yf corn or grasse be in the felde sholde be lorne but it were dyght gadred it is lefull in the holy dayes to saue it kepe it soo that goddes seruyce be not lefte therfore But for to mowe or to repe carre or to sowe in the sondaye I holde it not lefull but in ful grete nede Pryncypale festes sholde alwaye be halowed but right grete nede compelled men for to werke so that grete nede excused them For as the lawe sayth Extra li .v. De regulis iuris Nede maketh lefull that ellys is vnlefull by the lawe for nede hath no lawe De con di.i Sicut et di.v. Discipulos Extra de furtis Si quis per necessitatem Also is lefull to fysshe after the seruyce on the sondaye other fysshe also that may not be taken but certayne ceson of the yere for whiche fysshe men muste goo ferre in the see longe abyde Extra de ferijs ca Licet It is lefull also to do rightfull batayles on the sondaye and also in other holydayes for saluacyon of the comunyte Than it is lefull to saue that er they sholde all perysshe both man beest fruyte corne other thynges alwaye with reuerence of god and of the holy daye It is lefull than to leches to helpe the seke folke It is leful to dyke or walle in defence of townes castels to araye men to batayll in the sondaye whan nede compelleth peryll of enemyes Thus sayth Io. in suÌ„ con.li.i.ti.xij.qÌ„.vij Soo that in all these and suche other nede and pyte excuseth men Cryst helyd men in the sabbot and repreued the Iewes that were dyspleased therwith and sayd to them Sythen a man taketh his circuÌ„cisyon in the sabbot why haue ye Indygnacyon to me for that I haue made a man hole in the sabbot Io. vij And in an other place he sayd to the Iewes who is it of you that hath a sheep it falled in the dyche in the sabbot that wyll not go lyfte it vp out of the dyche But forsoth man is better than a sheep therfore sayth he it is lefull to do good dedes in the sabbot in the holy daye Matheâ— .xij. An other tyme Cryste helyd a womaÌ„ of an harde seknesse that had holden her xviij yere she wente stoupynge don warde and myght not loke vpwarde Than the maystre of the lawe of the Synagoge was wroth sayd to the people Ther ben vi.dayes to werke in come than and be ye helyd and not in the sabbot Cryste answered to hym Thou ypocryte eche of you vnbyndeth his oxe his asse from the maunger or cratche in the sabbot ledeth it to the water Moche more it is nedeful for to vnbynde this doughter of Abraham in the sabbot from the harde bounde in the whiche Sathanas had holden her bounden xviij yere longe And all tho ypoâ—rytes were ashamed By these examples Cryste shewed that dedes of pyte and of almesse and namely prechynge techynge by whiche mannes soule is losed out of the fendes boundes they ben medefull and nedefull in the holy dayes And he excused Dauyd by nede that he ete of the holy loues that no lewde man sholde haue eten of by the lawe Also he excused his discyples that they gadred the eerys in the felde in the sabbot ete the corn Maâ—. xij For as he sayth there god loueth better mercy pyte than ony sacrefyce Caplm .xv. NEuerthelesse notwithstondynge all this euery man woman sholde besely halowe yâ— holy daye not lyghtly for no smale nede breke thyn holy dayes For god charged this coÌ„maundement full hyghely whan he sayd Thynke that thou halowe well the holy daye And in an other place Deu .v. He sayth Loke that you halowe wel the holy daye And in an other place of holy wrytte he sayth Loke ye kepe wel my sabbot and my daye for that is a token bytwene me and you Who so defouleth that daye or dooth ony seruyle werke in that daye he shall deye Exodi xxi Leuitici xvi.et.xix Item Iere â— .xvij. Ezechielis .xx. et .xxij. et .xxiij. By the lawe bochers tauerners other vytaylers may lefully dyght in the sondaye vytayles to be solde in the mondaye yf they myght not dyght it in the daye byfore to saue them theyr vytayles so that it be done pryncypaly to goddes worshyp and for the comon prouffyte Also marchauÌ„tes that leden their marchauÌ„dyse in yâ— sondaye and other holy dayes to fayres in ferre contree by londe of by water ben excu s ed yf they may not lede theym in other dayes Also messagers pylgrymes and wayfarynge men that may not well reste without grete harme ben excused so yâ— they do theyr dylygence to here masse matyns yf they can For longe abydyng in a maÌ„nes Iourney is costly and peryllous Also they that lete to hyre horse carte or shyp to pylgryms to passynge folke in the sondaye for to spede them in theyr Iourney yf they do it pryncypaly for ease and spede of theym that so hyre them they ben excused But yf they do it pryncypally for lucre or for couety s e they be