HERE are questiouns and ansueris putte þat are writun here aftir.

First, I witnes bifor God Almiȝty, and alle trewe cristunmen and wommen, and ȝowe, þat I haue not ben, nor is, nor neuer schal, of myn entent ne purpos, to sei any þing aȝen þe general feiþ; neiþer entent to bigile, or deseyue, ani man or womman, in ani vnprofitable to perpetual ȝel of soule; ne agein seying to þe wordis, ne sentence, of ani seint, seying feiþfulli. But if þei sem ani tyme to uari, onli in word, I purpos to take and vndirstond her wordis to veri and feiþful witte, and so to acorde hem to gidir, and to acord wiþ ilke of hem in ilke trowþe. Preying also ilke man to reduce me in to þe riȝt wey aftir þe gospel of our lord Jhu Crist, and wey of þe apostlis, prophetis, and doctours, if I haue gon biside þe wey, in ani þing in þeis pontis, or in ani oþer, to be put forþ heraftir; knouing, if I finali abode in error, I were to be punishid perpe|tuali.

On þat is put is þis; þat þe pope is not þe vicar of Crist nor of Petir. I knowlech to a felid and seid þus, wan he filliþ not in dede, ne in word, þe office of Petir in ȝerþ, ne doiþ not þe þing in þat office þat he is holden to do: but doþ contrarili, and so in dede he is not þe vicar of Petir in dede. And þis steriþ me to fele þus: þe apostil Poul seiþ þus; If ani man haue not þe Spirit of Crist, heRo. viijo. is not of him; þat is, as þe glose seiþ, he þat haþ not þe SpiritGlose. aftir witt or dedis, he is not of þe body of Crist. Also þus seiþ seint Jerom; Noght alle bischoppis in name ar bischoppis in dede;Jerom. þu tendꝰ to Petir, but considir Judas; þu takst vp Steuen, lok ageyn to Nicol; þe kirkis dignite makiþ not only a cristun man. Corneli centurio, ȝet vncristund, is clensid wiþ þe Hooli Goost. Daniel, ȝet a barne, jugid þe prestis. It is not liȝt to stond in þe place of Petir and Poule, and hald þe place of hem þat regnun in heuen wiþ Crist. Sonnid salt is not worþ, but þat it be cast forþ, and soilid of suynne. Also Austeyn seiþ, Nout ilk þat seiþ pes toAusteyn. ȝou, is to be hard as colver or a doue. He þat haþ not in him þe resoun of gevernauns, ne haþ not wipid a wey his defautis, ne mendid þe crime of his synnes, is more to be seid a vnschamfast hound þan a bischop. Not alle prestis ar had for prelats, for þe name makiþ not þe bischop, but þe lif. And Gregor seiþ; PoulGregor. seiþ, blam þu not an heldar man; but þis reule is þan to be kept in him, wan þe synne of þe heldar man drawiþ not be his ensaumple þe hertis of þe ȝungar in to deþ; but wan þe heldar gifiþ ensaumple to þe ȝong to deþ, þer is he to be stregun wiþ scharp blamyng, for it is writoun, Al ȝe be grynnies of þe ȝong. And eft, Waried þe barn of an vndrid ȝere. And þis is put after in decreis, Weþer þe priuilege of dignite is not to be tan a wey fromDecreis. hem to wham Austeyn, Jerom, and Gregor tak a wey þe name of þe bischop, or heldarman, þat he may be correctid of wudlowtis. Also Austeyn seiþ, He þat desiriþ bischophed, he desiriþ a goodAusteyn. werk; he wold expound what is bischophed, for is it þe nam of werk, and not of honor; it is Grek; and þer is seid a word, þat he þat is maad a prest, tak he ȝed to þe þingis þat he is maad prest to, doing þe cure of hem; scopos is locand vp on; þer for, if we wil, we mai calle bischoppis, locars up on, þat he þat lufith to be a prest not furþer to, vnderstond him not to be a bischop; þus seiþ Austeyn. But if þu sei he sekiþ ai to furþer, it be howfiþ þat it be schewid in dede; for seynt Jam seiþ, Feiþ wiþ outun werkis is deed;S. Jam. ijo. so to seke to profit is but deed, but if it be put forþ in dede after power. And as feiþ is forþfillid of þe werkis, so is also desir. And ellis desir sleþ þe soule; þerfor seiþ Crist to Petre, þrise, Simon ofJo. xxio. Jon, lufist þu me? feede my schep. þerfor as Gregor seiþ, He þatGregor. is chosun in to schepherd, he howiþ to feed wiþ word, and en|saumple, and sustinaunce of body; þan if he be conuicted not to luf, ne to do þe office of Crist, in þis he is conuict not to be his vicar. Also þus seiþ Crisostom; Sin Jhu was temptid, he ouercamCrisostom. hunger in desert, he despicid auarice in þe hille, he strak ageyn veyn glorie vp on þe temple; þat he schwe to us, þat he þat may ageynsey his wombe, and despice þe goodis of þis world, and desire not veynglorie, he howiþ to be maad Cristis vicar, and preche Cristis riȝtwisnes, and for þoo þre chimneis ich low of þe fendis blowing is sett in fire. And þus seiþ an oþer; It is wel wetun þat CristAnother. was mekist man, pure, and moost obedient to God; it is not þan inconuenient his vicar to be moost lik him in þeis þre, namly. Now deme þis fiȝting kirke, if þe pope be moost mek, reseyuing wrongis don til him; if he be purist man as to seculer lordship, moost hatyng to be enpliȝed wiþ seculer bisines; and þe þrid, if he be moost obedient to God, and to his lawe, most content of þe boundis of his lawe, not presumand to put to his lawe, ne to minys þerfro. For soþ, if þe pope do þeis befor oþer men, þan is he, by for oþer men, þe folower of Crist; ellis is verified in him þe sentence of Crist, He þat is not wiþ me, he is ageyn me. AndMatt. xijo. Crisostom seiþ, He þat desiriþ primacy in ȝerþ schal fynd confusionCrisostom. in heuen, and he schal not be countid among þe seruaunts of Crist þat tretiþ of primacy; nor no man hast to be seen more þan oþer, but þat he be seen lower þan oþer; for he is not þe ritwisare þat is more in honor, but he þat þe riȝtwisare, he is þe more. Ensaumple lediþ us to þis same þus; If a man haue an hired plowman in to serueys to dwel wiþ him, to do ani dede, and feiþfully to serue to him in to þat werk, and þat seruaunt obliche him to do so, ȝefing feiþ to þis; if he felle not aftir in dede and tyme aftir his hiȝt and couenaund, but goþ a wey þer fro, and leuiþ to wirke, and doþ contrarily directly, and in to þe harme of his maistir, it is certayn þan, þowe he be his seruaunt of dette and oblisching, naþles he is not his seruaunt in filling of werk, and so not in dede; but raþer aduersari, fals trespasor, and traytor. And þus it semiþ in þe propos. If ani chosun of God himselue, and of þe puple, in to pope, or prelate, and ordend in to vicar of Crist to his office in ȝerþe, and he hiȝt it; whan he filliþ not in dede, but doþ contrarily to his behest in degre, he semiþ not to be þe vicar of Crist in dede. And so, þowe he be his vicar vp degre and dignite, and oþer tyme in dede, wan he doþ þe dedis of þe office, þerfor þe pope ioi not, or ani prelat, or oþer in þe nam of dignite or of state, wan it is not to perpetual blis to þe soule. But al dred more lest þei geit þer of harme to þe soule, and tymung for defaut of trespase; for þi þat in swelk þe synne aggregiþ bi resoun of þe degre; for þus it is writun, Joi þu not of þe vnpitouseEcclus. xvio. sonis, if þe drede of God is not befor hem; for better is oon dredan God, þan a þowȝand vnpitouse. And better to die wiþ out barnes, þan to lef vnpitouse barnis aftir. And efte þus seiþ Crist; Joi ȝe not for spiritis are sogetis to ȝowe, but joi ȝe þat ȝor namisLuc. xo. are writun in heuen. And eft seiþ þe gospel, Makiþ worþi frutis ofMatt. iiio. penaunce, and wil ȝe not sei wiþin ȝor self we haue þe fadir Abra|ham, for God is miȝti of þe stonis to reise þe sonis of Habraham; for now is þe axe sett to þe rote of þe tree, þerfor ilk tree þat makiþ not good fruȝt, schal be kyt doun, and cast in to þe fire. And eft Jerom seiþ; It is not liȝt to stond in þe place of Petir andJerom. Poule, and hold þe chaur of hem þat regnun wiþ Crist; for þer of it is seid; þei are not þe sonis of seyntis þat holdun þer placis, but þei þat vse þer werkis. An Gregor seiþ, We þat are prestis howGregor. to ask to knowe, not of dignite of place, ne of kirkis, but of nobley of maneris; not bi clerte of citees, but bi purte of feiþ; places ne orderis makun not vs nekist God, but oþer good meritis ioynun to gidir, or ellis departen, þat is wit, as to mede merit and blis. And Crisostom seiþ; A cristun man falliþ strongli in to synne for twoCrisostom. causis, oþer for gretness of þe synne, or for heiȝt of þe dignite. Also of þe dedis of Boneface þe martir; If þe pope ben tan reklesBonef. of his and his breþer's ȝele, vnprofitable and slow in his dedis, more ouer and stille fro good, þat more noyeþ to him and alle oþer, þan he lediþ wiþ him silf going bifore to helle peple wiþ outun nowmbre, to be dongun wiþ him wiþouten ende, wiþ mani digingis. þerfor, siþ þe office of Crist [on] þe ȝerd was to liue most purist and mekly, and to preche bisili þe word of God to þe peple, and to calle hem aȝen to þe lord God, fadir of alle, and in to þe vnite and prosperite of body, and cam to serue and not be seruid, and to ȝif his lif raumsum for mani, and bi þis haþ ȝefun to vs mani good þingis, and to fille þis ordeynid Petir, seying toJoh. xxio. him, lufist me? feed my schep, and folow me, and in him he biddiþ þe same to alle successors of Petre, as als in Petir a gaf to hem power of bindyng and lowsing, and þus ordeynd him his vicar, and þus his successor; and Petir himsilf þus fillid þe office of Crist, in liuing, and in teching, and in þoling; and þis same he biddiþ to his successors, as is opun in his pistil. But þei þat do not in dede, it is clere þat in dede þei hald not, ne do, his office, ne office of Crist; and þus it semiþ þat þei are not led be þe same spirit. þerfor as be þe dedis of Crist in his persoun, and bi þe dedis þat he dide in Petre, moost goodis are comyn to vs in þis tyme, and in tyme to come, so it is to drede, þat bi þe slownes of þe pope, and of prelats succedand in his place, and bi her peruerse werkis, moost iuil comiþ to vs, boþ of synnis and of peyn, now in þis tyme, and ay to dwell wiþ vs, but if we mend.

And þus I graunt now, as oft I haue knowlechid bifor mani wit|nes, þat þe lawfulli ordenid his Cristis vicar, or wan he doþ, or biddiþ, ony þing in þe nam of Crist, as if Crist do þat bi him, þat þan he is þe vicar of Crist in dede, and þan it is to obey to him, as to Cristis vicar, and as to Jhu Crist. And so to folow after þe sentence of þe apostel seyng; Be my folowars as I am Cristis.1 Cor. xio. And eft, ȝe tok me, he seiþ, as an aungel, ȝe as Crist Jhu, for CristGal. ivo. spekiþ in me, and he þat dispiciþ our teching, dispiciþ not man, but God þat ȝaf his Holy Gost in vs, for Crist seiþ, he þat heriþ ȝow,1 Thes. ivo. heriþ me, and he þat dispiciþ ȝow dispisiþ me, þat is, wan ȝe spekLuc. xo. of my spirit. But not so wan ȝe spek of a noþer spirit. But wan þe pope goþ a wey fro Crist, and doþ þe contrari, as is be for seid, or doþ þe contrari, þan is not he Cristis vicar, ne it is not to obey ne folow him in þeis þingis. þus haue I oft seid; and, as I suppose, cordandli wiþ holi writ, and feiþful doctors, and autentik decreis. And it semiþ me, þat it be howfiþ me to sey þus, for it is knowun þat many popis han synnyd, and ben snibbid; and sum tan in heresy and deposid. And, þerfor, þei are not to be folowid sympli in al þing. Also non lyuyng in þis frel lif is simply wiþout synne, non but Crist, holi writ witnessiþ. Also ani in popehed aftir Petir is not holier, nor mor confermid in þat office, þan he, and he, aftir þe Holi Gost taking, synnid opunly in siȝt of þeGal. ijo. puple, constreyning þe gentil to be com Jewes in obseruaunce; werfor Poule aȝenstod him in þe face, and redarguid him, for he was reprouable. þan it semiþ to me, þat it is helsum to þe pope, and to prelatis, and to þe peple, and worschipful to God, þat þe peple be riȝtly enformid, how þei owe to accept þe pope as þe vicar of Crist, and how þei owe to bowe fro him; þat þe peple, deseyuid ani tyme, worschip not God and þe fend to gidir, ne ani tyme þe fend in þe sted of Crist, and þe wrathe of God com boþ on þe peple and on þe prestis.

Of cursing twey poynts.

A noþer is þis þat is put and askid, þat þo minstris of þe kirke owe not to curse and to wari.

Certs to þis I sey þei owe boþe to curse and wari, but neuer for iuil wille ne veniaunce, but for luf of ritwisnes. And raþer for þe breking of þe bidding of God, þan for worldli goodis or pride of þe world and flescli lust.

An oþer is þis þat is putte, þat þe kirke may not riȝtwisly curse a riȝtwys man. To þis I seid þus, þat in two maner of þing, is seid iust; first sympli, or after trowþ, as þat vnrytwysnes is not inne. In þe secound maner is a man seid iust, onli in name or aftir present riȝtwisnes. And þus as doctors seyn, a sentence of cursyng is seid to be ȝeuun justli, on two maners. On after trouþ, wan it is don wit just cause, juste ordre, and iust entent. A noþer, wan it is don onli up on comyn form o lawe. And þus it may be as it semiþ sum tyme, þat þow þe kirke curse iustli, as to form, a iust man, neþles it [is] not iust as to soþfastnes; as wan þer is no cause of þe fulnes of þe kirke cursing: vnriȝtwisnes of þe cause is þo syn going be for of þe obstinat, wan þe synnar wil not dewli obey ne amend riȝt. þat is þat þu dost þo dom in nam of þe kirke, feiþfully wilyng þe mendment of þe synnar, helful, to þe worschip of our Lord Jhu Crist, and due ordre procedand up þe gospel. But suppose her þat þis iust is þat is ordeynid be God to do a þing, or to suffre, to comyn, or to minister in ani maner, or ȝend in þe nam of Crist, and he willing to perform obediently and fille þe wark þat God haþ ȝeuun to do, suppose he þat þis is iust. And þan I sup|pose þe kirke mai not iustli curse him, as he may not sequester him fro þis þat God joiniþ him to do, but if God wille þat he be sequestrid; nor þe kirk may not iustli priue þe comyning of cristun men, nor taking of þe sacraments, nor part taking of good þings, wyle he is iust, not but if God wil þat it be done; nor þe kirke may not iustli punisch nor bid punische swilk on, bifor þat God bid; nor non may denounce swilk on cursid, not but in þe forme þat he is cursid; nor þe kirke mai not iustli lede ani man in to synne, nor bid do synne, ne contune þer inne, þe wilk he putt owt of comyn and harmiþ, as it semiþ bi þe speche of feiþful men; nor mai not iustli wari him, ne pray iuil to him, ne punisch him, for he will do wel and fille Godds bidding, and amend his mis. In ani swilk maner þei mai not curse ani swilk iust man.

But it semeþ me þat it spedeþ a litil to seeke þe witte and þe sawis of feiþful men, owe [how?] þei speke of cursyng, for þer is mani maner of cursyng. þe first and þe warst, and þat is dedely synne, bi þe wilk a man synning, puttiþ him self out of cominyng of feiþful men, þat is to sey, vndisposiþ himsilf to tak part of þe merits of þe kirk, as it is of ilk man deed bi synne; and þus owiþ no man to curse ani man, for God may not autorise þat actyfe cursyng; nor Crist was not þus cursid, for he synnid neuer. But passyue cursyng, þat is peyn be it self wiþ synne folowand, is iust; wilke is proper God to ȝeue, and is iust medicyn þat þo synnar owiþ for to take þankfuly, and be sory for þe cause þerof: þer is also a noþer cursing, þat is preying of iuil or effectual warying or cursyng þat is iust, departing fro comyning of feiþful men, and fro þe taking of þe sacraments. And a noþer by wilk a man cursiþ a noþer contrarily to þe lawe of Crist, and þat but only in nam or pretendid.

þerfor to spek of þe cursyng of þe kirke, [by] þe wilk þe kirk de|nounciþ opunly a synnar to be put out of comynyng, and be for|fendid him þo comyn feleschip of feiþfulmen, and taking of sacraments, þat he do þe raþer penaunce, and infect not oþer, and þat þis be ritful boþ up þe side þat is cursid and up on þe kirk side cursing, be howfiþ þe kirk to temt warly. For as þre condicouns mak martirdom faire, þat is to sai, riȝtwisnes of þe cause, charita|ble pacience of þe martir, an vnriȝtwisnes of þe persewar, and so þat cursing be riȝtwyse longen in a contrari maner; þat is to say, riȝtwisnes in the kirk cursing, cause of vnriȝtwisnes in þe man cursid, and enemy of þe obstinat. And þus it may be, þof þe kirk curse a iust man iustly, as to form of vsing of lawe; naþles it is not iustly as to þe cause of soþfastnes, nor it may not, wyle þer is no cause of vnriȝtwisnes in þe man, ne obstynacy, ne ritwisnes in þe kirk, þus doing; þat is, wile God biddiþ not þe kirk curse, þus þe vnriȝtwisnes of þe cause is synne going biforne, for wilk þe man schuld be cursid. Enemy of þe obstinat, wan þe synnar wil not dewli obey ne a mend. Riȝtwisnes of þe kirk doing execucoun is wan þe kirk a cordiþ wiþ Crist, and þe kirk aboue; of mek charitable feiþful entent, þenkyng helful correccoun of þe synnar to þe honor of God, procediþ in dewe ordre up þe gospel.

But, for to haue þe more clere and vndeceyuid knowyng of þis mater, cursing and assoling in mater of domis, and geuing of sentence in ani maner of dome, priuey or comyn, and in mater witnessing, and in materis to be don, þolid, susteynid, aprouid, confermid, canoniȝid, autenkid, or to be helpid, in ani maner of cause a geyn ani man, or for ani þing, me semiþ now spedy to sey summe þings.

First, I tak as feiþ, þat no creature mai do iustli, wele, meri|torili, perfitly, vnsinfully, effectuali, ne perseuerantli ani þing, not but if God wirk þat þing bi him, and in him; þat if he do, or pre|sume to do þis þat God wirkiþ not bi him, he synneþ, and his wark schal be in veyn, and idil, and schal not stond in profit. þis semiþ þus, Crist miȝt not, þan mikil more non oþer creater mai þat Crist miȝt not, semiþ þus; for he seiþ in the gospel, þe Sone mai not ofJo. uo. himsilf ani þing, nor nouȝt, but as he seþ þe Fadir doing; þat if he schuld do ani þing þat God schuld not bi him, schuld do vniustly. For þus he seiþ: If I bere witnes of misilf, mi wittnes is not trewe, it is Fadir þat beriþ wittnes of me; and as þe Fadir beriþ witnes of him, and biddiþ him bere witnes and speke, so he beriþ witnes and spekiþ. War for he seiþ; þe words þat I speke, I speke not of misilf, but þe Fadir dwelling in me he doþ þe dedis, and as he gaf me bidding so I spek. And so is ilk man holdun to spek, and do, and witnes, as þe Fadir giffiþ bidding to hem. And þat no creater mai do iustli ani þing, not but if Crist do it bi him, semiþ þus. Ilk power in heuen and in ȝerþe is ȝeuen to Crist. Also þe Fadir haþ ȝeuen al dome to þe Sone, and al wysdam is of þe Lord God. þerfor wiþ out Crist is no iust power, dome, ne wisdam; he haþ þe key of Dauid; he closiþ, and þan no manApoc. iij. opunniþ; he opunniþ and þan no man closiþ. If he dyng down, þan no man biggiþ vppe. If he close, þan is þer no man þat may opun, ne iustli aȝenstond him, nor no man mai sey þis schal be don, but if he bidde. And he giffiþ power, and wisdam, and seiþ: Wiþ outen me ȝee mai no þing do. And for þis seiþ Poule: WeJoh. xuo. may not of our self þenk ani þing as of ourself, but our sufficiens2 Cor. iijo. is in God; and no werkis in vs and no þing mai we aȝen þe trowþ,2 Cor. xiijo. but for þe trowþ. And for þis seiþ þe prophet: Lord, þu hast wrout al our warkis in vs. And mani swilk witnes. And so, sinIs. xxujo. no creater mai do iustli ani þing wiþ outun Crist, þan þe kirk may not, noþer general kirk, ne particuler; þe kirk in heuen, ne þe kirk sleping in purgatory, ne þe kirk fiȝting in þis world, aggregat, or gedred to gidre in on of Crist, and of al chosun to be blessid wiþ him wiþ outen ende, lepun vp to gidir in to oo spirit and con|corporel and conperseyuers and felows of þe heiȝest of Crist, and of his godly kynd. As Petre seiþ in his epistil, and Poul of Colo|censes: Weþer it be þe kirk particuler, as were two or þre are gedrid to gidir in Cristis name, and of þe kirk; or if it be a per|sone ordeynid to do ani þink in þe name of Crist and of þe kirk, he mai no þing do iustli, but in maner befor seyde, þat Crist do it bi him.

And þus is opun þat þe kirk mai not iustli curse ne bles, but as he haþ befor ordeyned to be doun, and do it be þe kirk; þe kirk mai not ellis curse iustli, þat is noþer sequester ani man fro comyning of feiþful men, ne fro part takyng of sacraments, ne for bid him ne to do ani þing, ne joyn him penaunce, ne denounce, put out of comyn, ne bid iuil to him, ne curse him in ani maner, be wat nam þat cursing be callid; þe kirk may not do it iustli, ne vnblamfully, not but in als mikil as Crist haþ ordeynid to be doun, and doiþ it bi þe kirk, and confermit it. And riȝt so of soiling; oþer wis may not þe kirk bring a man out of synne, ne forȝef þe peyn, nor man siker, ne pronounce, ne hiȝt him to be soylid, in ani maner for ani cause. Ne oþer wyse howiþ ani man to dred ani curse, not but in als mikil as it is ȝeuen vp Cristis bidding, ne oþer wise ioi of assoiling; ne reste hemsilf siker þer for. Oþer wyse ow ȝe not to drede it; þat is, ȝe ow not to drede it þat it schal greue ȝow, or noy ȝow, as at God to mak ȝow sinful, or to be punischid, nor ȝe ow not cesse, ne abstene fro ani good wark, but vp þat Crist for bediþ it him. þis sentence is clere of manifold witnes of þe feiþful opunning of holi writt, and publischid expresly and ympliȝeþly, and of þe sawis of feiþful doctours, witnessing and expounding; and of þe decreis of þe kirk conferming. In canoun it is writun þus, of þe words of þe pope Leoun; Þe priuylege ofLeoun. Petre dwelliþ were euer þe dome is ȝeuen aftir his equite, þat þe fersnes be noþer to mikil ne to litil, were no þing schal be bounde ne lowsid, not or Petre byndiþ or lowsiþ. Who euer deserue to tak þe sentence of daming, if he wele perseyuer in his wit, no man mai relesse him. And also Jerom seiþ, If ani man be put outJerom. nouȝt be riȝt dome of hem þat are abouen to þe kirk, if he went not out be forne, þat is, dide not so þat he deseruid to be put out, he is no þing hurt in þis þat he semiþ to be put out fro men be dom not riȝt. And þus it is don þat sum tyme his [he?] is wiþ inne þat is cast out, and he is wiþ out þat semiþ wiþ inne. þus seiþ he. And Gelaȝi þe pope seiþ, He þat sentence is ȝeuen aȝen do heGelazi. awey þe error and it is voyd, and if it be vniust, so mikil he owiþ to charge it þe lesse as at God and at his kirk. Wickid sentence mai greue no man, and so disire ȝe not to be assoilid þer of be wilk ȝe holdun ȝou not boundon. þus seiþ he. And Austyn seiþ,Austeyn. Vp on þe general feiþ, no man mai noi þe kynd of God, ne þe kynd of God mai not noi ani man vniustly, ne þole ani be noiȝed vniustly; he þat noiþ, as þe Apostel seiþ, schal reseyue þis þat heCol. iijo. noiþ. To þis acordiþ Rabanus and oþer doctours mani; of wilkRabanus. ȝet it is spedi to rehers summe. þer is a cursing þat is dedli synne þe wilk þe man synning puttiþ himsilf out of comoun; þat is, vn|disposiþ himsilf to tak part of merits of þe kirk, os it is of ilk ded be synne, and be swilk cursing is man waried to God. And þus no man ow to curse ani man, sin God mai not autorise þis cursing actif, for þus was neuer Crist cursid, for he synnid not. But cursing of peyn be it self folowand is iust, þe wilk longiþ to God to ȝef. þer is anoþer cursing, bi wilk þe kirk denounciþ opunly a synnar put out of comyn, and forbediþ him comyn feleschip of cristun men, and þe takyng of sacraments, þat he mend þe raþer, and smot not oþer. And of þis curse þe kirke spekiþ most famously. And þis is callid þe cursyng of þe kirk. To whas riȝtful ratifiyng, als wel on his syd þat is cursid, os on þe side of þe kirk cursing, þe kirk be houuiþ to tent to þre condicouns þat are requirid to þis lawful cursing; þat is, vnriȝtwisnes in the cause, enuy of aȝen stonder, and riȝtwisnes of þe kirke doing execucoun. þe first semiþ þat no man is þus cursid but materaly for synne. Ilk synne is vnriȝtwysnes or brynging it in, þerfor to þis lawful curse is re|quirid þe vnriȝtwisnes of þe cause; ne it is aȝen þis, but acording þat man be cursid, for þe honor of God, and profit of himsilf, and of þe peple, wiþ mani final leful leke causis os it semiþ of þe peyn of dampnid men. þe secounde circumstaunce semiþ of þis, þat to lawful cursing is requirid þrefald broþer correcting, and but he dwel obstinat to þe fourt peyn þat is dede of þe kirk; for it is a pre|scripcoun fro comyning of feiþful men; ellis þis cursing is not lawful. þe þrid circumstaunce semiþ of þis, þat is it [it is?] not possible to be put of comyn of men, but þat if it be þerfor þow a persoun prescit curse bi autorite of þe [kirk], neuer þe lesse he presupponiþ þe kirk. And þus it semiþ al onli in effect an heretik schuld vnderly þe curse of þe kirk; but it semiþ þat ilk synning to þe deþ is an heretik; as aȝen ward a heretik is he þat synniþ to þe deþ, for ilk swilk pertinatly contrarily techiþ to holi writte. And swilk curse, syn it is iust medicyn of þe gilty, schuld be tane þankfully, for he is not perid þerby, but betteryd, or ellis his malice swagid. But he schuld do a wey þer of, and take þe medicyn, schakyng a wey synne from him be absolucoun of sacra|ment, and mekly taking a noþer absolucoun of iurisdiccoun of him þat cursid, by was vertewe he myȝt comyn wiþ cristun men and tak sacraments. And þow þat medicyn be good for þe tyme, neuerþeles þe hele folowand is fare better. And bi resoun of þat prohibicoun fro comyng of feiþful men and reseyuing of sacraments, syn it is not a sacrament supposid þat is it leful to a lewyd man in þe vertew of þe kirk to curse and louse; but wan ani after þe þridde correpcoun dwelliþ inobedient, he owiþ not only to be de|nouncid a cursid, þat of sume is callid þe lesse curse; but comyn of feiþful men and takyng of sacraments owun to be defendid him; þat is callid þe more curse þan þe kirke haþ ordeyned re|sounably; þat þe kirk performe it solemply, candel slekennid, bell rogun, and þe cros turnid vp so doun. neuerþeles it intendiþ þe good of him þat is cursid charitabli, and profiȝt of þe kirk. And it semiþ be a noþer doctor to bring forþ a noþer curse, be wilk it is leful to curse þe iust man, wiþ outun his demerit, of forbeding him comyn of men, and taking of sacraments, þat he geit mede of his obedience, and þe sinnar be mad redy, or for summe oþer swilk cause. But certeyn I am þat þis curse may not be done wiþ outun resounable cause; ne þe nakyd wille of þe prelat is not inowe þerto; ne a man is not holdun for swilk curse to leef þing þat he is holdun to do bi Godds bidding. Neuerþeles he mai medulfully cesser fro summe dedis for a tyme, and deserue for obediens. And if ani can ground þis maner of cursyng I consent.

But how þat we spek of curse oiþer it þat is dedly, or peyn con|sequent þer of, or ellis warying, or it þat is sequestracoun of þe iust man fro comyn, or it be wilke þe iust man be cursid as contrari to Godds lawe, þat is but only in name or pretendand, or ani oþer, it semiþ þat noun owiþ to curse ani principali for money, for his proper cause or wrong don til him.

Þis semiþ bi ensaumpul of Crist and Moyses, and swilk oþer; and also be doctors and laws of þe kirk: for bi lawe canoun no man howiþ to curse in his owne proper cause; for vnder þe autorite of Gregor þe kirk writiþ þus; Among mani quarells a nobil man,Gregor. Ysidore, pleynid him to be cursid of þe [thy] broþer hed, and wan we lere of þe [thy] clerk þat was present for wat cause þis was don, he maad knowen for non oþer cause, but for he had greuid þee. Wilk þing noiȝiþ vs riȝt gretly, if it be so; þu schewist þee to þenk no þing of heuenly þings, but tokunist þee to haue an ȝerþli conuer|sacoun, til þu haue done cursing for venging of þi selue; þat is defendid bi holi rewlis. Werfore fro hene forþ be wel bisy abowt. And presume þu neuer to do aftur swilk þingis, for defence of þi noune iniurie; for if þu do ani swilk þing, wyte þu wel it to vengid after in þi self. Werfor þe glose of Ion seiþ, Þe bischopIon. mai not curse ani man for wrong don to him, nor mai not be iuge in his oune cause, þat is to vnderstond, namly, it is leful to no man to curse principali for his o une proper cause.

þis semiþ be ensaumple of Crist, for he wold not curse hem þat denoied to him harborow and lifelod, but reprouid his disciplisLuc. ix. askyng veniawns; and wan he was waried he waried not aȝen,1 Pet. ij. wan he was punischid, he manest not aȝen, but mekly be toke him|silf to him þat iugid him vniustly; and þe peyn of oþer synne bare, and prayed for his cruciars.

Also be ensaumple of Moyses, wan þe peple synnid in to God, he vengid it; and wan þei greuid him he þolid, and ȝaue þe cause to God.

Also it be howuiþ þo synne to be notory and greuows, for wilk cursyng schuld be done. Were þe Archedecoun seiþ, þat þe moreArchede|coun. curse is to be ȝeuun for contumacy alone; and þis he groundiþ be mani lawis. And al oþer lawis þat semen to sey, þat man how to curse for crime of vowtre, þeft, and swilk oþer; so þat vndir|stond for contumacy descendend of swilk crime. And he seiþ Lincoln to be of þe same sentence, and Innocent, seing þat man isLincoln. not to be cursid only for þe crime, if he wil amend him. And þeInnocent. sentence of Crist acordiþ in þe gospel; were cursing is groundid. Were for þe kirk seiþ, None of bischoppis priue ani man fro comyn|ing of þe kirk, wiþ outun certeyn and opun cause of synne.The kirk. And resoun is þis, for ilk cursing vniustli also cursiþ himsilf, for he synniþ dedly. And Austeyn seiþ, as is be for seid: No man maiAusteyn. noye kynd of God.

Of þe wilk semiþ þre notable conclusiouns: first, þat God mai not curse ani man ne suffur him to be noiȝed to his pering, but himsilf be first in cause; for þe curse of þe kirk takiþ not a wey riȝtfulnes ne vertu, ne inferriþ not synne, but schewiþ departing fro comyn of seynts, and defendiþ medicinable comyning wiþ þe kirk or sacraments of it. Were for seiþ Archedecoun, efter þat heArchede|coun. schewiþ þat þe keyes of þe kirk only byndun and lousun, wan þei are confermid to þe keyes of Crist, þat bynding or lousing of þe prelat is not þe cause why ani is lousid or boundun in heuin. But þus it is seid, for oft þei felow hemsilf to gidir and for þei how toDecreis. felow hemsilf to gidir, os it semiþ bi þe decreis and sentence of doctors cording to gidir, is, þat þe keyes erring noiþer bindun ne lowsoun as to God. þe þrid is þis, þat he þat vniustly cursiþ as to þe face of þe kirk, noiȝþ principali himsilf, for he misusiþ his powar. WerforDecre. þe decre seiþ, We are not dampnid wiþ out dom, wan we are cursidArchede|coun. vniustly. Archedecoun seiþ, þat he þat cursiþ his sugetis vniustly incurriþ sacrilege, for sacrilege is to file holy þing; þerfor he þat cursiþ vniustly filiþ þe holi body of þe kirk, fro wam he pulliþ out vniustly his membre. And I deme not but þat ilk curse is to be deede, for þat he is cursid vniustly, howiþ to examin him diligently after holi writte, þat he be not gilty in ani þing. Þe secounde he houiþ to drede of þe perel of him þat cursiþ vniustly. And þe þrid of harm of þe broþer þat may cum of þe forbodun of þe comunicatise doc|trineLincoln. of broþer. And þis dede Lincoln, þat he calliþ to þe popis cowrt, wan he was manifold greuid þore, he appellid stalliworþli fro þe court of Innocent þe ferþe, vn to þe barre of Crist. Neþeles it is not to deme þat ne it is leful to curse accessorily; for þat tendiþ but to men lifing actifly; syn þat execucoun of þis curse1 Cor. vio. saueriþ seculer cause, and þe Apostil biddiþ, If ȝe han seculer nedis, ordeyn þoo þat are contemptible, þat are in þe kirk, to deme. AndDecre. þis is notable to wite, in þe decre vndre autorite of þe senȝe and of seint Jerome, were after þat he schewiþ þat vnleful curse hirtiþ not him þat is notid þer wiþ, os innocents, he seiþ, mai not be condempnid wiþ þe crime of a noþer, he obiectiþ vnder þis forme, Crist seiþ, and þe Apostil: Blesse and wil ȝe not curse. Mischel was not hardi to ȝeue dome of blasfemy to þe fend, most worþiJude jo. curse, as þe Apostil seiþ, howe mykil more howe we to be clene of al cursyng. Þe fend seruid curse; but blasfemie howiþ not to go out of þe aungelis mouþ. Rede þe holde bokis, and see wilk lynage were sett in þe hille of Gariȝym to bles þe puple; and wilk in þe hille of Hebal to curse. Ruben þat filid his fadir bedde, and Zabloun þe last son of Lia, and þe sonis of þe wengis were sette in þe hille of Hebal to curse hem þat were worþi curse. And wan we are tawȝt gostly of alle storis of þe wold testament how it is to do in tyme of grace, it semiþ þat half of þe linage blessing betokyn hem þat charitabli purli for desire of hietis of Crist comyn to þe hille; þe toþer half cursing meniþ hem þat for drede of torment filling þe lawe comun to þe hille. Also þei tokun actifis and contem|platifis; þat sterun to vertewe be þer two maneris. Þe souereynes of þe kirke howun not to curse for temporal þingis; ne bisy a bowt hem, but bles and preche. Þat it is leful for to curse semiþ of þe oold stori, and of þe newe testament; but þe canoun distinguiþCanoun. þus; Cursing þat is forbidon is þis þat procediþ of wille of veniaunce or hate of þe perseware, not purli of þe luf of riȝtwisnes; and prouiþ þis of mani witts of seyntis. Þerfor it is certeyn þat iche man cursing, wiþ out stering of þe Holi Goost first cursing, or not þenkyng charitabli good of him þat is cursid, and good of þe kirk, he synniþ greuowsly; þerfor seiþ þe canoun, vnder autorite of Gre|Canoun. gori, Prestis synnen not in þat curse, in wilk þei discord not fro þe innare iuge. And after, vnder þe autorite of Austeyn, SogetsAusteyn. ben correctid of oþer prouastis wiþ correccoun comyng of charite, and for þe diuersite of synnis. But now it semiþ to men wel be haldyng þat prelats and prestis þeis daies in þe court of pleet, and þei þat persewen causis aȝen þer neybors, enfectun and warioun hem silf manifold and sinfully foilun ilk oþer. Also þat mani cursing now blowun in þe kirk are not to be dredde, not but in als mikil of þei smotte þe curse or oþer of cause on oþer side. And til is concordyng to þe first curse of God. It is semyng be þis wan it is noþer foundid in holi writt, ne in þe lif of Crist, ne of his Apostlis. But alle þings þat prelats owun to do are sufficienly groundid þer, and þan siþen þei curse not þus, it is not to drede oþer wise, þan as is seid before in þe strong autorite. Also for Crist forbediþ swilk maner of cursing, os now in case is vsid in þe kirk. As þe gospel of Luc telliþ, and absteniþ þerfro as it semiþLuc. of Scharioþ, and neuerþeles in him was more cause of cursing þan in sum þat to day are blawun in þe kirk. It valiþ not to seie þat Petre cursid Anani, and Poule þe fornicary, for þei cursid be a cursing þat mani prelats to day kan not, nor han not power to. Petre be tok Anani bi dede going be for to þe fend to be tormentid perpetuali. And Poule be toke þe fornicari to saþanas til a tyme, þat his spirit schulde be saue. But mani prelats are out of part of þis maner of cursing. Also bi þe feiþ of þe gospel no man owiþ to curse a noþer not but of charite þat he haþ to him, for of þe feiþ we owe to luf our enmies, and also for to do alle þings in charite, for mani man cursiþ now not for charite, and þerfor not feiþfully. A part prouid of þis signe, þat þei curse more souare and horribe|lare hem þat þei hatun, as it semiþ of hem þat are cursid for þei wil not ȝef money or reuerens to þe mynisteris of þe kirk. And þus it semiþ þat prelats mai mikil drede of þer cursyng hem silf, and oþer ioi of þer cursyng, and dred mikil þer blessing; for Salamon seiþ, Cursing veinli brout schal pletesuowsli descende inSalamon. to summe man; þat is as þe glose seiþ, in to him þat bringiþ itGlose. forþ. And seiþ þe salm, He lufid cursing, and it schal cum to him.Salm. cviiio. And he dede on cursyng os a cloþ, and entred as water in to his inword þings, and as oyly in to his bonis. Be it made to him a cloþe þat he is helid wiþ, and as belt þat is he ai gird wiþ. And Poul seiþ, Cursars schal not weld þo kyndam of God. And bi þe1 Cor. vio. Prophet God seiþ þus, Nowe to ȝow prestis þis sonde, if ȝe wil notMal. ijo. sett to þe hert to ȝef glory to my name, seiþ þe Lord, I schal sende hunger vn to ȝow, and I schal curse to ȝor blessing, and I schal curse to hem, for ȝe sett not to þe herte. And on þe toþer side þe salme seiþ, þei schal curse, and þu Lord schalt blesse. And so seiþSalme cviiio. Crist, ȝe schal be blessid wan men schal curse ȝow, and persewMat. uo. ȝow, and sey al iuel aȝen ȝow, and reproue ȝow, and cast out ȝoure name as iuel, liand vp on ȝow for me, and for þe gospel; ioieþ and beþ glad, for ȝor mede is plentiuous in heuen. God bring us to his. And prelats mai sore drede, þat her vniust and iuilwilly cursing be in cause whi þe puple drediþ not cursing, nor mendiþ not, but aȝenstondiþ and risiþ aȝen hem; and þis is cause of al iuil, for ilk crature wiþ God auȝt to ȝenstond falshed: for þus is writun in þe Psalme, Who schal rise to gidre wiþ me aȝenis þe iuil willid, orPsalme xciiio. Sap. uo. who schal stonde wiþ me aȝen þe wirking wickidnes. And þe wise man, Þe gelousy of him schal tak armor, and arme þe crature to venge him on þe wickid, and wiþ him al þe world schal fiȝt aȝen þe vnwitti, and þe spirit of vertu schal stond aȝen, and as a wirlwynd schal diuide hem; and wickydnes schal bring al ȝerþ to wildrenes, for cursing þe ȝerþ swelliþ, and iuil wille schal turne out þe setis of þe miȝti. And as seynt Jame seiþ, As þe welle mai not bringJac. iiio. forþ of o pitte bitter water and swete; so mai we not blesse God wiþ þe mouþ, þat we curse man made to his lekenes.

Þis is a noþer point, for I seid þat Crist was cursid. But þei toke heuely at þe worde, þerfore I preied to excuse me or spare me in termis; and neuerþeles to trewe vnderstonding me þinkiþ it mai be seid soþli, and wiþ out blame: for we schal vnderstond bi Holi Writte, and bi teching of seynts and bi resoun, and bi comyn experiens, þat in þre maners is a man seid cursid. Ffirst1o. and warst be synne, wan he cursiþ himsilf, and bi his wickid dede goþ out of comyn of holi men, and vndisposiþ him to tak part of merits of þe kirk. And þus mai not God curse ani man, ne bid ani man curse, ne a proue it, ne þus was Crist neuer cursid, for he synnid neuer. In þe secound maner is man cursid iustli, wan2o. God wordeyniþ him for þis synne to be putte to peyn, and out of comyn, and to be waried, or denouncid, or schewid, as cursid and haldun swilk. And þus is man iustli cursid and worþili, wan men curse him bi Godds biddyng, and þan þei do it medefully. And þus God cursiþ men, and þe ȝerþ, and bests, and oþer þings in mannis wark, wan he ordeyniþ þeis þings to be noyous to man, and punisch him, and not to bring forþ frut; and þus he seiþ he wille curse to her blessing, wan þei wil not kepe his bidding; for wan þei prey for plentey, and pees, and swilk oþer þings, and delitun in þeis þings, and ȝekun þer synnis þar by, he wil send hem skarnes and noiȝes, and þole hem to haue debate, and punische hem in mani wyes, and ay þe moo lusts þat þei haue here, ay þe more schal ben þer peyn. And þus he cursiþ to þer blessing. And so þis þat mani callun blessing is cursing. And aȝen ward; þus we prayen iuil and cursing to our neybor iustli, wan we desire þat discese and oþer enuyes be to hem to lette hem of iuil and to mak hem to drede synne and to do bettar. And þus we blame childre and misdoars. And þus Iob cursid his day. And Jeremy þat man þatIob 3o. callid his fadre þat a son was born to þim, and as bi ioy gladid him,Jer. 20o. for þey desirid þat þeis schuld lette men fro doing of iuil and be in a maner to stere men to be heuy of þer mysse and to desire to be heyne; for þus were good to mani a man, þat þings were in desesse to him, þat now are in mikil leking. But ȝet in þis maner of curse þat men curse man iustli for his misdede, was Crist not cursid, for he seruid not to be cursid, nor God bad not men curse him, ne þei dede not þis iustly to him. But in þe þrid maner a þing is seid3o. cursid wan men cursun man þow þei do it vniustly, or bannun him, or puttun him out of comyn, or haldun him cursid, or denounce, or schew him cursid. And þus comyn speche calliþ men cursid. And bi lawis of þe kirk men are þus cursid, and bidun to be holdun cursid, wan þei are wel good, and þe more blessid of God. And þus Crist was cursid of men, and olden cursid, and put out of comyn of men, and put to deþ as cursid man. And þus seiþ Poule,Gal. 3o. He was mad for vs þat cursid þing, þat we schuld be mad blessid in him. And þe prophet Ysaye, þat we arettid him as smitun ofYsa. 53o. God and lafte, and þus he seiþ bi þe prophet þat alle men cursun to him. But for þis is he mikil þe bettar and not þe wars. And we schuld luf him þe bettar and desire þus to be cursid wiþ þim, as Poule dede, and Moyses, and odir, as Holi Writt seiþ of hem; for Poule seiþ he desirid to be cursid of Crist for his breþer, toRo. 9, a. make hem saue. And Moises praied to forȝeue þe puple þerEx. 32o. synne, or ellis to do him out of his book; not þat þei desirid to do synne and be cursid worþily; but þat þei wold þus wiþ out desert be punischid as cursid for þe peple, to make þem saue. And þus schuld we alle if we were in charite, as me þinkiþ.

And it semiþ bi sindre resouns it mai be seid þat Crist was1o. cursid; first bi þis þat he was made man wiþ outun synne þat was cursid of God, and iustli put out of lordschip and comyn for a tyme. þe secound, for he was in his persoun þus wiþ out desert punischid,2o. as if he had ben cursid. þe þrid, for he is cursid in his membris þat3o. are oon wiþ him. After þis þat he seiþ, þis þat ȝe dede til ani of hem lest of myn good or iuil, ȝe did it to me. And þat ȝe ded not to hem ȝe ded not to me. And þis schuld maak men rad to do ani iuil to ani good man, or to curse him, or to gruch aȝen him, for it soundiþ in to Crist. And þerfor seid Moyses, ȝor grucchingEx. 16o. is aȝen þe Lord. þus as he is seid cursid þat men cursun. And as al men of a comynte berun punisching for þe defaut of two or on, þus it is be twen Crist and vs, for þus was he punischid for vs. And þus seiþ Peter þat he bare our synnes, for he bare þe peyn ofPe. 3o. hem. And þus he calliþ our synnis and our defauts his. And þus he seiþ in þe Salm, God my God loke in to me, why hast þuSalm. 22. left me, fare fro my heyle, þo wordis of my defauts. And God ȝet left neuer Crist, but ay is wiþ him, for he doþ ai þo þingis þat plesun God, os himself seiþ. But for he þolid him þus be punischid, and for he left sum membris of þe kirk at a tyme, for þis he seiþ þat he left him. And þus was Crist callid a synnar and blasfemer, and þe cursidist man in ȝerþe, for þei seid þat he was a deuowrar, and þat he blasfemid. And þus, as we sey þat man a ȝefe blasfeme or cursid, wan he is þus iugid and rettid of men, þow he be not so in soþnes, in þis maner we sey of Crist þat he was blasfem, synnar, and cursid, and þat he ȝet was not; for he blasfemid not, ne synnid, ne did no þing worþi curse; and þat Crist wold þole al þis schuld we be glad, and leren to þole wiþ him; and þan bi þat we schal be holdun of God þe more blessid, and be þe more blessid, and be so perceyuers of Cristis meritis.

An oþer is þis þat is put and askid, þat ilk prest may vse þe key in to ilk man. To þis, me þinkiþ, I may wel sey þus, syn al power is of God, and, as þe gospel seiþ, þer is no power but of God, ne man may do no þing, but if he ȝeue him þe miȝt; as Crist seiþ, ȝe may wiþ out me do no þing, þat onely a man vse his power in toJoh. 15o. ilk þing, as God werkiþ bi him, and lefiþ him to vse it vnblamfully, and no forþer, and fro þat may no man lette him. And þis is þat we sey, þat we may of riȝt so, if þer be ani vsing of power, or callid power, þat is not bi Crist, þat is no power, but fals pride, and presumid, and onli in name, and as to ȝend and effect is nowȝt. Neuerþeles, a man is seid to haue power, and leue to vse power, in many wyse, as sum bi lawe and ordre of kynd, sum bi lawe and ordre of grace, and some bi lawe and ordre made and writun. And so it is seid bi lawe þat is mad of þe kirk, þat ilk prest haþ þe same power to vse þe key in to ani man in þo poynt of deþ, as þe pope; but not ellis, not but autorite in special be ȝeuun to him of þe kirk þer to. But if it be askid, if ilk prest mai vse þe key in to ilk man, þat is to sey, to assoile him, or ellis to bind him fro grace, it semiþ opunly þat ilk prest may not asoile ilk to bring him to heuyn; for þe gospel seiþ, þat Crist in a coost of þe Jewis miȝtMatt. 13o. not do ani vertu þer, for þe vntrouþ, not but helid a few seek, þe handus leyd vpon, and he maruelid for þer vntrowþ; þan, wan Crist, þat is God Almiȝty, and of his absolut power may al þing, and no þing is vnpossible to him, nor no þing may aȝen stond him, and ȝet may not of his ordinat power ȝele þe folk for þer ontrowþ, and vndisposicoun, and vnabilite to reseyue, mich more ani oþer beneþ may not help, but after þe disposicoun of him þat receyuiþ. Al so it semiþ bi þis, þat þe pope may not bring in to grace, ne bles, him þat lastiþ in vntrowþ, and in þer synnis; os it semiþ bi Jewes and Saracenis and oþer swilk, os is witnessid, and of feiþful witnes. Also God ȝaue him no farrer power, not but asoyl hem þat wil leue þer synne, or to bynd hem and curse þat wil dure þer inne. And bi so þe same resoun none oþer prest may not excede. And if it be axid weþer ilk prest haþ as mykil power as þe pope, as a nenist God, it semiþ to me þat is foly to a ferme in þis case oiþer ȝie or nay, be for þat it mai be schewid out of Holi Writte. And so it semiþ al so to me it is foly ani prest to presume him to haue euyn power wiþ ilk oþer, be for þat he may ground him in þe feiþ; and foli it were to deme to ani man any power þat God haþ ȝeuun to him, or þe vsyng þer of; for certeyn I am, how euer ani man tak power to him, or vse power, it profiþ not, but in as myche as God ȝeuiþ it, and wirkiþ wiþ it, and confermiþ it; and certayn I am, þat þe power þat God ȝaue Petre, he ȝaue it not to him alone, ne for him alone, but he ȝaue it to þe kirk, and for þo kirk, and to edifying of al þe kirk; os he ȝeuiþ þe siȝt of þe ee, or þe act of ani membre of þe body, for help and edifying of al þe body. And Sent Jerom seiþ, Sum tyme þe prest was þat ilk þat þe bischop.Jerom. And bi for þat bats were made in religioun bi stinging of þe fend, and was seid in þe peple, I am of Petre, I of Poule, I of Apollo, I of Cephas, þe kirkis were gouernid bi þe comyn of prestis coun|seil. But after þat ilk man callid him þat he baptiȝid his, and not Crists, þan was in al þe world wordeynid þat on of þe prestis schuld be made chefe, and þe seedis of scysmis schuld be tan a wey. þer as prestis wit hem to be to þer souereynis sogets be custum of þis kirk, so knaw bischopis hem to be more of custum þan of dispensacoun of Goddis trowþ, to þer sogets, þe more þer souereyns, and in comyn þei owe to gouern þe kirk. Lo I sey bischops present, and þat þei stondun nere him, prests mai in þe autere mak þe sacrament. But for it is writun, Prestis þat1 Tim. 5. prestun wel bi þei worþi had dowble honor, most þat þei trauel in word and teching: it semiþ hem to preche, it is profit to bles, it is congrew to sacre, it cordiþ to hem to ȝeue comyn, it is necesari to hem to visit þe sek, to pray for þe vnmiȝti, and to fele of þe sacraments of God. Þerfor non of þe bischopis, enblawen wiþ enuyJerom. of þe fendis temptacoun, wraþ, if prestis ouerwile exort or monest þe peple, if þei preche in kirk, if þey blesse þe floc, for I schal sey þus to hym þat werniþ me þeis þings, he þat wil not prestus do þing þat þei are bidun of God, sey he wat is more þan Crist? or wat may be put beforn his flesch and blode? And if þe prest sacre Crist wan he blessiþ þe sacrament of God in þe auter, awiþ he not to blessiþ þe peple, þat drediþ not to sacre Crist? A ȝe vniust prestis þorow ȝor bidding þe prest of God stintiþ þe office of bless|ing, a bowt lewid men and women; he stintiþ þe wark of tong, he haþ no tryst of preching, he is dockid on ilk part, he haþ only þe name of prest, but he holdiþ not þe plente ne þe perfeccoun þat falliþ to his consecracoun. I pray ȝow prestis wat honor is þis to ȝow, þat ȝe bring in þe damage of alle þe folke? for wan worþi diligence is taken a wey fro prestis bi power, sum smiting of mis|chef rysiþ in þe flok; and ȝe geyt harme of þe Lordis patrimoyn, til ȝe alon wil be potentats in þe kirk. And for þi seyn oþer men þus, if a bischop in conferming þat he appropriþ to him silf wiþ out ground of þe Scripter, ȝeuiþ grace, whi not a simple prest þat in merit is more at God, of mor merit, gefe mor worþi sacraments? Sum tyme was no resoun, wan þe same was bischop and prest. And bi forn þat presthed was hied, or veriliar filyd cursidly bi þe world, ilk prest of Crist was callid indifferently prest and bischop, as it semiþ be þe wordis of Jerom.

An oþer is þis, þat ilk prest is holdun to preche. þis haue I seid of þe wordis of Gregor, Austeyn, and oþer. And þis steriþ me to seye þus, for ilk man is olden to do þing þat Crist enioyniþ him to do. And it semiþ bi witnes of seyntis, þat Crist enioyniþ ilk prest to preche, and þan he is boundun þer to. And þis semiþ bi þe gospel þat seiþ þus. After þat Crist had ordeynid his apostlis, andLuc. 10. sent hem to preche; after he assignid seuenty and two disciplis, and sent hem be forn his face, two and two, in to ilk place and cite widir he was to com, and bad hem preche þe kyndum of God; vpon wilk seiþ an expositor þus. Crist sent his two and seuenty disciplis, and ȝaue power to performe it. And sin it is prouable þat þei were not prests, for þan had þei ben bischopis, and apostlis, but þei were dekunis, lowar þan prestis, as Steuyn, and silk oþer þat is redd of in apostlis dedis, it semiþ þat Crist, sending hem to þis office, sendiþ in his ordeyning al oþer heiar, as prestis, to þe office; to þe same soundun þe wordis of þe prelat ordening dekunnis. Were fore in þe fourt book of sentence, þe fowr and twenti distinc|Mag. sent. lio. 4. 24 d. coun, þus is writun; To þe decoun it perteniþ [to] stond niȝe þe prest, and minister to him all þings þat are don in þo sacraments of Crist, to bere þe crose, to preche þe gospel, and þe pistil; for as þe olde Testament to þe redars, so is bedun to dekunnis to prech þe newe. And þis same seiþ Seint Ysidor, as it is put in þe decrees.Ysidor. For þi seiþ Seint Gregori, Poule seiþ to Thimoþe, þat þe prest beGregor. in past. c. 5. and dt. 43. miȝti to exort in al doctrin, and argu hem þat aȝen seyn þe feiþ. þer for is seid bi þe prophet Malachie, þe lippis of þe prest schalMal. 2o. kepe sciens, and men schal ask þe law of his mowþe, for he is þe aungel of þe Lord of hostis, þer for þe Lord monestiþ be þe prophet Ysaie seing, Crie, cese not, vphauns þi vois os a trompe. WhoYsaie 58o. þat niyþ to prest hed he takiþ þe office of a criar, þat he go criing for þe goming of þe iuge þat ferfulli folowiþ. Werfor þe prest, going in and out, dieþ if he go wiþ out þe sound of preching. But here sum glosun and seyn, þat preching is her vnderstonden reding at þe messe, and þat Gregori spak þis of curats; but swelk men be howuen tak hede, þat bi þis are not curats excusid þat prechun not; and it folowiþ not þer of þat simple prestis are excusid bi þis, for he spak to curats, and be þei ware þat þei knitt not falsly a wey þe witt fro þe lecture, and bere fals witnes vpon seynts, and diseyue simple prestis bi þer fraudis, wening þus to be excusid; for God seiþ bi Ysaie, þi fadir þe first synnid, and þin enterpretors hanYsa. 43o. brokyn þe lawe aȝenis me. And tak þei ȝed how Gregor seiþ to presthod; he seiþ not to cure. And þei þat seyn þis preching is takun for reding, take þei ȝede to preche, for in a langwag vnknowun ilk man and womman mai rede, and mani are for bodun to prech. And if ilk man mai prech it, it were but foly to go to þe hordres to geit more iarche. And also take þey ȝed how to preche; þe holde Testament was bodun dekunis, weþer not in tong þat þe peple vnderstode; for soþ to preche is in siche maner to a monest good þingis, as Crist bad his disciplis do, wan he sent hem to preche, þer for be þei ware þat þus wenun to excuse prestis, for Austeyn seiþ þus, fewe are þe prestus þat prechun iustli þe WordAusteyn. of God, but many are stille dampnably, sum of vnkunning, þat refuse to be tauȝt, oiþer of neligens, þat despice Goddis Word, but noiþer þei nor þei mai be excusid of þe syn of þer stilnes; sin þei how not to be prests þat can not preche, ne þei to be stille þat can, þow þei be not curatis. And þus seiþ Crisostum, it semiþ þatCrisost. God enioniþ to doctors and dekunis þe minstri of presthed, and of dekunhed, þat are riȝtful, and it semiþ þat men han ordeynid hem þat are vniust, and not curatis. And so of þe þing issewe is knowun who is ordeynid of God, and who of man; he þat doþ wel his minstri, þat semiþ þat he is ordeynid of God, and he þat doþ it not wel, is ordeynid of man, þe wilk soþli as to God, is neiþer dekun ne prest. þerfor seiþ Isidor, kunne þer prestis Holi Writt,Isidor. and þe canouns, and þat al þer wark be in preching, and in doc|trin, and edify þei alle men, as wel of sciens of þe feiþ as in dis|ciplyn of dedis, þerfor þe prestis, but þei make opun al trowþ in þe peple, þei schal ȝeue resoun at þe day of dome; as God seiþ bi þe prophet, Lo I haue sett þe a be holdar to þe hows of Israel, ifEzech. 3o þou sey not to þe wickid man, þat he go fro his wickid weies and lefe he schal dye in his synnis, and I schal seek his blod of þin hond. And for soþ prestis schal be dampnid for wickidnes of þe peple, if þei lere hem not wan þei are vnkunand, nor snyb hem not wanne þei synne. And as it cordiþ to argu þe synnar, so it falliþ to not do veniaunce to þe iust man. Þis seiþ Seynt Isedor. And þus it semiþ þat þei are boundun her to vnder þe peyn of dedly synne and dampning to helle. And for obieccouns and sophims þat men may mak and obiect, it semiþ to me þat þei are bounde þus; ilk man taking presthed, he takiþ him mater to mak him holy, body and soule and spirit, and so to be holy and halow oþer, be en|saumple of lyuing, word of teching, and ministring of sacraments, after þe sentence of Poule, in þe ordening of prestis, seyng þus,2 Tim. io. Wil þu not tak reclesly þe grace of God þat is in þee bi þe putting vp on of my honds. And þus he seiþ to Titus, For þis I left þe atAd Titum io. Crete, þat þu mend þingis þat wantun, and ordeyn bi syȝt prestis, as I haue ordeynyd þee, and disposid to þe; if ani is man wiþ out wif of synne, hauing feiþful sones, not in accusing of lechery, or not soget, for þe bischop be howuiþ be wiþ out crime, as a dis|pensar of God, nor proud, ne wraþful, ne ȝeuin to drink, ne strikar, ne coueytous of foul wynning, but to holde hospital, and to be bening, sobur, just, holy, chast, biclipping þe feiþful word þat is after doctrin, þat he be miȝti to exort or monest in his doc|trin, and snib hem þat aȝen seyn þe soþe. Also dekunis to be1 Tim. iijo. chast, not dowble tongid, not ȝeuun to mikil to drink, ne fowlow|ing fowle wynning, hauing þe priuey witt of þe feiþ in a pure con|sciens; and first be þei prouid, and so, hauing no crime, minister þei; be þei þe man of a wife, þat goueren wel þer sonis and þer housis, and þat ministreþ wel, schal geit him a good decre in mikil trist in þe feiþ þat is in Ihu Crist. And be þu ensaumple of feiþful1 Tim. ivo. men in word, in leuing, in charite, in feiþ, in chastite; take to reding, and to exorting, and to theching, and to be stonding in hem; þenk þeis þingis oft, be þu in þeis þings, þat þi going forþ be made opun. And doing þeis þings, þu schalt mak þi seluen sane, and hem þat herun þe. And prestis þat prestun wel be þei hade worþi dowble1 Tim. vo. honor, and most þei þat trauelun in word and in dede, teching. þus it semiþ þat þei are bound to hold þis forme of liue in hemsilue, and ai to be redy to ken oþer and to minister to hem. And were euer bi oportunite, or conpetent acordauns, to be redi to fil it in dede, wiþ out dispensacoun, and wiþ out excusacoun, but if our Lord Ihu Crist despens wiþ hem, and excuse hem, or for bed hem. For no man sett a noþer ground þan it þat is sett, þat is Crist Ihu,1 Cor. xio. þat haþ þe key of Dauiþ, and he closiþ, and þan no man opuniþ, heApoc. iijo. opuniþ, and þan no man sperriþ, neþer is no man worþi to opun þe lasing of his scho; þat is þus to vnderstond: as no man is worþi to opun þe priueite of his incarnacoun, ne to fynd þe resoun of al his warkis, so is no man worþi to mak a letter or title of his to go by vnfillid, ne to put more þer to, ne to draw þer fro, ne to chaunge it, noiþer to lowse þat he byndiþ, ne to bynd þat he lowsiþ, befor þat he ȝeuiþ þe key, and kenniþ to opun and to steyke; þerfor tent þei so, and here þei al þing þat niȝeþ to presthed, and alle þat admitten oþer þerto, and þat enforcyn to excuse hem fro dede of preching, and to excuse hem in pride of lif, worldly coueiteis, coueiteis of een, and coueiteis of flesche, tent þei to þeis þingis be for seid. And to þoo þat God seiþ bi þe profet, son ofEze. xlivo. man, putt to hert, and see wiþ þin een, and here wiþ þin heris, alle þings þat I spek to þe, of al cerimoynis of þe house of þe Lord, and of lawis þer of, and þu schalt sett þin hert in þe weyes of þe temple, bi al þe issewis of þe sanctuari; and þu schalt sey to þe house of Israel stering me to wraþ, þeis þings seiþ þe Lord God; sufficiþ to ȝow al ȝor felonies hous of Israel; for þat he bring in alien sonis vncircumsicid in hert, and vncircumsicid in flesch, þat þei be in my sanctuari, and fyle myn house, and ȝe offer my lofis, mi gres, and my blod; my couanant ȝe dissoluen in al ȝor felonyes, and han not kepid þe biddings of mi sanctuari, and han put kepars of my sanctuari obseruaunce to ȝor silf; þeis þings seiþ þe Lord God, Ilk alien kynd and vncircumsisid in hert, and vncircumsisid in flesch, schal not go in to my sanctuari, ilk alien son þat is in medil of þe hous of Israels sonis. But and þe leuits, þat han gon a wey fro me in error of þe sonis of Israel, and haþ errid fro me after þer idols, and haþ born þer wickidnes, þei schal be in my sanctuari huschers, and portars of þe ȝatis of þe house, and minis|tres of þe hous; þei schal sle þe bernt offrings and offrings of vic|tories of þe peple, and þei schal stond in þer siȝt þat þei minister to hem; for þi þat þei ministred to hem [in] þe siȝt of þer idols, þei are mad in þe house of Israel in to offens of wickidnesse, aftir I haue liftid vp my hand vp on hem, seiþ þe Lord God, and þei schal bere þer wickidnes, and schal not niȝe to me, þat þei vse presthed to me, ne nye to al my sanctuari, bi þe sancta sanctorum, but þei schal bere her confusioun, and her felonyes þat þei haue done; and I schal ȝeue hem portars of þe hous of Iuda, and al ministery þer of, and al þings þat ben don þer in. But þe prestis and þe leuits, sonis of Sadok, þat han kepit þe cerymonis of my sanctuari, wan þe sonis of Israel errid fro me, þei schal niȝe to me, þat þei minister to me, and stond in my siȝt, þat þei offre my grece to me, and my blod, seiþ þe Lord God. Þei schal go in to my sanctuari, and þei schal to mi bord niȝe, þat þei minister to me and kepe mi cery|moynis. Certeynli þo hous of God her is tane þe congregacounMoral. of feiþful men, in onhed of spirit wiþ Crist, þat is þe general kirk, and gostly body of Crist, þat is foundid in feiþ, reisid in hope of lif, and couerid wiþ charite, and ful mad in good werkis; þat haþ for þe ground, þe feiþ of Crist, þat is þe ston vp on wilk þe kirk is groundid; hope for þe fowre walls, hoping al iuel to turne to joy to seynts, be vertu of Crists pascoun, and al þings to cum in to blis, be vertu of þe first geyting of Crist to vs al þing a boue us frutfully, and to vse al þing be neþ man blessidly; of þe wilk grouiþ charite heling al þe bigging. To þe bigging of þis þe prest howiþ to trauel, and to be bisi, to ding doun of þe contrari; þe cerymoynis and þe lawis of þis hous are þe biddingis and þe conseyl of þe gospel, ȝeuun be Crist and his Apostls, and ensaumplied be life, to þe wilk þe prest schuld put to þe hert, þat is þe strengþ of his luf, and wiþ þe eeris and een of his hert, he schuld vnderstond hem, and kepe hem in himsilf, and ken þe peple to kepe al þingis þat Crist haþ comoundid. But alien sonis vncircumsicid in hert and flesch, are þei þat serue not Crist in spirit, ne in fleschly dedis gostly. For þei enter not to þe lif bi þe maner of Crist in meknes, pouert, paciens, and labour, and oþer vertuus dedis: but þei enter for to lif in prid of þe world, and worldly riches, and lustis of þe flesch, and þerfor þey are alien, and wiþ swilk cursidnes þei polewt þe hous, for þei leede mani in to synne, and sterun God in to wraþ, and causun þat God is holdun vniust. And þus þei vndo þe couenaunt; wil þei kepe not þe office of presthed in þat maner þat Crist bad, but þey putt þe kepars of þe obseruaunce to hemsilf. Wen þei welun þat þei kepe more specialy þe þings, and þe biddingis enioynid of men, and streytar þan biddingis and þingis enioynid of God; and namly, wan þey putt kepars to gedre temporal þings to hem, after þer decre, [rather] þan to gedre souls to Ihu Crist. But here wat folowiþ. Sich alien and vncircumsisid schal not enter in to þe sanctuary, for as þe Lord forbediþ swilk to be ministris, so he storiþ hem her þat þei schal not accept grace, wil þei are swilk, ne schal not minister grace to þe puple, but swilk þat han gon a wey fro God in to error and ignoraunce, and swilk idolatrie, worschiping man aȝen Goddis bidding, and doing oþer iuel: þei schal bere þer wickidnes, as þei han synnid, so schal þei be punischid, and þei schal be huscheris and portars; for as þei opunid synnis to þe peple and brout hem ine, so schal þei enduce hem in to peyn, and þus schal þei scle þe brent offrendis. But prestis and leuits, þe sonis of Sadok, þat han kepid þe cerymoynis of þe sanctuari, þei schal niȝe to minister to me; but swilk be prestis of Crist, þat entren be him in spirit, soule, and dede, and kennen þe peple to kepe his comaundments, and schal niȝe in to grace, and at þe last in to ioy. And as þei opunid þe wey of trowþ to þe peple, so schal þei bring hem to ioi, syne and wrechednes slayn. Þus we vnderstond; and wan þis comiþ þat is now seid, þan schal we wit it; þerfor schuld bischopis dred to ordeyn vnwis prestis, and ioi to seek þe good, for Jerom seiþ, þat þe vnwise soneJerom. is schemschip to þe modir, and þe wise sone glori of þe fadir; þerfor glory þe bischop, wan he haþ chosun wise prestis, for þe cause of ruyn of þo peple are iuil prestis.

An oþer is þis, If ani ȝere þe messe of a prest þat leuiþ in lechery, and knowiþ him to be swilk, [he] synniþ dedely. To þis I sey þus; I rehersid oft þe word of seynt Poule, þat forbediþ us to1 Cor. vio. tak meit or comyn wiþ þeis manslears, for sworn men, cursars, drunksum men, rauenors, fornicarers, and swilk oþer; for þey þat do swilk þings, schal not haue þe kyndum of God, for þei are worþi þe deþ; not onli þei þat done, but and þei þat consentun wiþ þe doars, or þei þat wirkun wiþ, or defendun, or ȝeuen conseyl or confort, and þat autoryse it, ne helpun not to a mend, ne reproue it not, as þei schuld. Al so I rehersid þe decre of þe kirk, biddingDecre. þat no man here þe messe of þe prest þat he wot dowtles haþ a concubyn, or a womman suspect preueyli browt vndre. Þan seyd ani þus to me, But wat if I wot not him swilk, what syn haue I þan? I answerid, frend perchauns þu hawtist to wete and enquire; wan þu dost not, how wilt þu be excusid? And to þis I led him be sensible ensaumple. And wan he tok it heuily, and wold not vnderstond, I ȝaf him þis ensaumple; ȝif þu cum til a frend, and he sett rawe meyt be for þe, and sey it is rostod i now, or sodyn, if þu heyt it, and tak þi deþ, how art þu þan not dede? And þus it semiþ in mani casis, it mai be susteynid þat it is soþ, þow it be not in ilk case. Namli sin Crist seiþ, He þat knowiþ his lordisLuc. xiio. wille, and maad him not redy to do þer after, schal be dongun wiþ mani dingings, and he þat cnowiþ not, and dede þings worþi betings, schal be dongun wiþ few dingings. And as Austeyn seiþ, Not ilkAusteyn. vnkuning schal be excusid of synne, but he mai be excusid þat fond not wat for to lere. But he mai not be excusid þat fond what he miȝt lere, and ȝaf not wark þer to; and þerfor we pray God for ȝeue vs our ignoraunce. And þer for men schuld not tak þis word ouer egirly, þer for prestis flee fornicacioun, not onli for hemsilf, but also for all oþer, þat þei make hem not to synne dedly; for þe gretnes of þe synne in prestis, ouer þe synne in oþer men, is schewid be many resouns; and for it is mikil greuowsare þan simple fornicacoun bi thwex an onlepy man, and an onlepi womman, and it is grettar þan spouse brokun of seculer men bodily, and neuer þe lese boþ thwo are dedly synne. And þat it be þe more semiþ bi þis; for ai þe heiar degre, þe sarrar is þe falle, but presthed is heiar degre þan bodili matrimoyn, and þus þe prest in doing fornicacoun doþ sacrile, and brekiþ his wow; for bi þe vertu of his degre, he made þe vow of chastite. Also þe gretnes of þis synne is schewid bi þe lawis and peynis þat are made þer aȝen; for þus is writun in þe decreis, Þe prest or dekun þat is tan in fornicacoun, þeft, orDecreis, mansleyng, or forswering, be he deposid. And eft, If ani areDist. 81. prestis, dekunis, or sodekunis, þat liþ in þe sin of fornicacoun, weIbid. c. si qui. forbede him in almiȝti Goddis behalue, and bi autorite of Peter and Poule, þe entre of þe kirk, til þey repent and amende; and if þei last in þer synne, þat noon of ȝow presewme to here þer office, for þer blessing is turnid in to cursing, and þer prayor in to synne; as God seiþ bi þe profiȝt, I schal curse to ȝour blessing; and whoMal. ijo. so wil not obey to þis helsum bidding, he synniþ in þe synne of ydolatrie, as Samuel witnessiþ, and seynt Gregor enformiþ;1 Reg. xvo. synne of wichcraft is to not obey, and þe felowny of ydolatrie toGregor. not wel assent. And eft þus, Bidding we comaund, þat no manDist. 32. here þe messe of þat prest þat he wot dowtles þat haþ a concubyn, or a womman suspect brout in vndir. Werfor in þe holy seyn is ordeynid þis capitul, vnder þe peyn; seying: If ani of prestis, dekunis, or sodekunis, after þe ordinaunce of þe good memorie of our predecessor seynt Leoun, and pope Nicol, of þe chastite of clerk, hold concubyn opunly, or leuiþ not heer þat he holdiþ; vpon almiȝti Goddis half, and bi autorite of Peter and Poule, princis of postlis, we bid him, and aȝen sey him, þat [he] syng no messe, ne rede no gospel, ne pistil, at þe messe, ne dwel not wiþ prestis, ne tak no part of þe kirk. And as þe decretals declarun, in þre manerisDecretals. is þis callid notory; Oiþer wat it is lawfuly conuictid bi witnesses, or bi his oune cnowleching, or ellis bi þe dede þat mai not be weypid a wey, as þe dwelling to gidre of þe man and þe womman, and þe bringing forþ of barnis. And eft þe decre seiþ, If ani bischop, orDecre. ani of prestis, or dekunis, consent to fornicacoun, or to crime of incest in his parische, for price or prayour, or amendiþ not þat is done bi þe autorite of his office, be he suspendid. And eft writiþDecretal. þe pope to þe bischop, We bid to þi broþerhed, þat þu steer bisili þe clerkis of þi jurisdiccoun, þat are wiþ in þe ordre of sodeken, or a boue, þat han concubins, þat þei moue hem fro hem, and reseyue hem no more aȝen; and if þei wernid hold hem stille, suspend hem fro office; and þei suspendid if þei wel dwel stille in þer iuel, do þey bisines to moue hem fro office for euer. And as þe doctor seiþ,Doctor. Þis schal be heuen wiþ deposing. And forsoþ seiþ the pope, We wel þat þe bischops þat are necligent in þis, vndir go þe same peyn. And eft þe decre biddiþ, Receyuiþ no wey þe office of him þat ȝeeDecre. wot lieþ in synne of fornicacoun, and of symonye, and als mikil as ȝee mai, forbediþ swilk fro holi ministres; for it is nedeful, for þow þe sacraments han þe dignite of þer vertu, neuerþeles þey noy þus mikil boþ to þe ministring, and to þe receyuing hem, aȝen þe ordi|naunce, þat boþ þe ministring and to [? þe] receyuer vnworþily are wiþ hem verrey idolatrers; þer for sacraments are forbidun to be reyciuid of þe handis of such prestis, þat wan such prestis see hem dispicid of þe peple, þei be þe licliare callid to penaunce, and þus seyn we to our prestis bi þeis witnes, and oþer moo do þus oft idolatrie, and are vnfeiþful, and þus in mani oþer crimes, what wondir if we be wounded in ilk sid, in many peynful wrechidnes.

A noþer poynt putt is þis: he þat cursiþ ani man, or denounciþ him cursid, wan he is not cursid, he brekiþ Goddis binding, beriþ fals witnes aȝen his neȝbore. Þis schewiþ it self soþ, and oþer resouns prouun it wele. And for soþ, as he liȝþ þat seiþ aȝen mend, as wan he wot how a þing is if he denay and afferm in þe contrari; or ells he þat presumiþ and weniþ to wete verily of a þing, and properli denaiþ þat, and affermiþ þe contrari, wening him to liȝe in þis, so liȝþ he þat chargid to afferm of a þing os it is aftur witing, and he affermiþ aȝen þe soþe, and a þing os it is, for in þis he seiþ aȝen God, and so aȝen his mynde; for þe trouþ of his mynd affermiþ not to him þe þing to be but os it is; for þe toþer is fals presumpcoun. And þus wan he affermiþ him to wite þing þat he wot not, he affermiþ aȝen his mynd, and namly wan þe þing is nowt, for he mai not wet but þing þat is, for if he wene to wit þing þat is not, þat is but fals presumcoun; and for þis seiþ Crist in sentence, if I denoy þis þat is, I schuld be lik ȝow a lier. On þis schuld here witnes hang þat þei witnes not aȝens God, nor be not disseyuid hemsilf, nor disseyue non oþer men.

Þis is a noþer: it is a taking of dampnacoun þat a man lede his lif in pouert. Certs þis is contrari to þis, þat noon is Cristis dis|ciple but if he forsak al þing for him. Alas he þat puttiþ forþ þis þing noiþer drediþ ne schamiþ to lette, ne sclaunder oþer men. Alas þat oiþer throwiþ his lesings aȝen þe bidding of God, wer to bring þei forþ suche þings, siþ Crist ledde his bodili lyfe in most heyest pouert, as diuers doctors declaren. And he was riche, he was mad nedy for vs, pore and helples, as þe psalm seiþ on him,Psal. xxxixo. þat we bi his pouert schuld be mad riche. Pore he was, for he had2 Cor. viiio. Matt. viiio. Jame. iio. Matt. vo. not were to hied his heuid, and he chase þe pore in þis world, þat are riche in þe feiþ, as Jame seiþ. And þe pore he blessid, as þe gospel seiþ, and his apostlis led þe porest lif; and þus he reprouid þe rych, and seid many iuel to cum to hem, and neuerles to sum pouert is not only a þing of saluacoun, but also of dampnacoun. Þerfor hem see pore men þat þei grucche not aȝen God, but be glad of þer pornes; for þus seiþ þe psalm, Lord, good is to me for þuPsal. cxviiio. hast lowid me, þat I lere þi riȝtwisnes. And ilk man see þat he bring not him self synfully in to pouert, nor bide not synfully þer in. And se hem religious, þat þei feyn not falsly pouert, nor mak þei not heyet voyd, þat þei purchas hem not peyn but meed. And see þei þat þei oblesche no man to þer maner of pouert, but þat God haþ callid þer to. And alle prelats and prestis vse þei hemsilf in wat pouert þei schuld folow Crist; for þei schuld folow Crist as holi doctors declaren, boþ Jerom, Ambrose, and oþer. And for þe clerar declaring of þis mater we schal vnderstond þat pouert is a forme, a þing þat is seid pore, or litil, or haldun litil in sum maner. And þus sum are gostly pore, and sum bodily; sum vertuously, and sum vicously, or synfully; and sum peynfully; and ilk on of hem in syndry degrees and maners. Gostly pouert is sum tyme wan a þing haþ litil of sum spirit; and þus was Crist most pore, for he had lest of þe spirit of prid, or oþer sinful spirits, ȝhe lesse þan euer had ani oþer man; for al had sum synne but he; and lest he coueited of þis world, boþ of hienes of lif, coueitise of flesche, lest of lordschep, lest of honour worldly, or worldly serueyse. And litil he tuk or coueytid of þis worlds goodis, or worldly seruice, for he tuk of hem but in comyn, as þei weren holden to do seruice to him, in þe performing of þe wark þat God ȝaue him to do. But and wan men wold haue reeft him to haue maad him kyng, he fled it; and ouer þis he porid him self ouer alle oþer; more alle oþer miȝt for taking hede to his kynd and degre þat he is of, and to traueyl þat he toke, and þe seruice þat he dede, and to þe sorow þat he þolid. Was þer neuer creature so pore, ne þat porid him so mich; for ouer hem alle he chesid to be maad þe lowist, as it semiþ to him þat beholdiþ. And as be titil of þis world, and of worlds lawe, he was moost pore, for he cleymyd no þing be þat titil, nor no þing to be proper to him, ne wold he not be iuge in þer þings, nor wan men wold not ȝeue him, he sowt no veniaunce vp on hem, but went his wey to oþer place. And þis techiþ his pouert. And his pouert was bi þis mikil þe more, as he is þe richist þing þat mai be, and grattist Lord; for his is God, þat is al riches; and in him he is riche gostly in mercy, riȝtwisnes, and pees, power, science, and al gostly þingis. And rich is seid, as he þat chefly haþ a þing; and Crist is rich, for he haþ chefly and richli alle þingis, and gouerniþ, and lediþ ouer alle oþer creaturis. And bi þis we mai see, how alle þings are his most properly; and to holdyn of him, and bi his lawe, and his seruice to be don to him þer for. And bi þe state of innocence he is verray Lord, for man was maad to lord in alle creaturis, and forfetid not þat wyche synniþ not; and Crist kepid ai þat state, so he had titil to be Lord; and bi þus mikil ouer Adam, as God is aboue man. And þus is opun, how Crist is at onis boþ richist and porist. And for þis seiþ doctors, þat to defend þe contrary pertinatly is heresy, contrary to þe feiþ. And þus he tauȝt his disciplis, to flee synful pouert, and to folow him in medful pouert; forbad hem to flee prid, and al fals coueyteis, and veyn glory, and to be mek and suget, and seruiciable, obedient and buxum to ilk man, and to hold hem paied of fode and helyng, and bisily to labor þer fore; and þole deseyce of body in wantyng, and taking a wey, wiþ out ani euynes, or sekeng to do veniaunce aȝen; and who þat wold be þe more, to be minister and seruaunt to alle, and nowt glad to mikil of þer power, or witte, or oþer þings, but glad in þis, if God haue chosun hem to grace, and ȝeue þe þank til him for alle þingis. Þus he tawt hem to do, and fle prid, and oþer synnes, þat maken man pore synfully; to ocupie oþer mennis þingis synfully, and þus to be rich, and falsly holde ryches. And so many wyse to renne in to þe wrat of God. And þus doctors declaren þe apostols so louid Crist in heyest pouert; and Jerom and oþer seynts kennun how þat prestis now schuld folow Crist in pouert. Þus seiþ Jerom,Jerom. It be howuiþ vs clerks to not mishews þe sygnes of our cleregye, for alle þe tokenis of clerks, crien and presenten vertewes to be in hem; þe croun crieþ pouerte; þe cloþing honeste of soule; þe state purte; þe honoring, chastite; þe professioun, religioun; þe office, deuocoun; þe stody, contemplacoun. And þerfor but if we schyn in þeis vertues, þe croun lieþ, þe cloþing, þe honoring, þe professioun, þe office, þe stody, þe contemplacoun. And þer for be þeis we are but peyntid clerks and lied clerkis. And if God schal tyne alle þoo þat spek lesyng, and þat are lesing, and not only hare clerks dampnid, for þei spek lesing, but also for þei luf it moost, and putten hemsilf for it to þe deþ. And eft, þe clerk þat seruiþ to Crists kirke, first schuld interpret þe calling of his nam, and enforce to be þat he is seid; for a clerk in our speche is seid sort, and þer for are men seid clerkis, for þei are of þe Lordis sort, or for þe Lord is þer part; and for he is þe Lordis part, or haþ þe Lord his part, he haut to haue him silk þat he haue þe Lord, and be had of þe Lord. He þat haþ þe Lord, and is had of þe Lord, and seiþ wiþ þe prophet, Mi part þe Lord, may no þing haue wiþPsal. xvo. out þe Lord; þat if he haue ani þing bi syd þe Lord, þe Lord schal not be his part; as if he haue gold, or siluer, or diuerse instru|ments, or possessouns, wiþ þer parts, þe Lord denaieþ not to be his part. If I am þe part of þe Lord, seiþ Jero, and a litil cord of his heritage, I take not part wiþ oþer linagis, but, as a decoun and prest, I life on tiþis, seruing þe auter, I am susteynd of offryng of þe auter; and fode and heling hauing, wiþ hem I schal be content,1 Tim. vio. and nakyd I schal folowe þe nakid cros. And Bernard seiþ, It isBernard. iust þat he þat seruiþ þe auter lif þer of, noiþer to do lechery ne prid, nor be richid, noiþer in clerked of pore to be maad riche, ne gloriouse of þe vnnoble, big not to him of þe goodis of þe kirk large palayce, nor gedre not baggis to gidre, nor wast not þe goodis in vanite, nor in superfluite, bere him not hiȝe of þe facultees of þe kirk, nor gif not to wenddingis his coseynis nor his childre. It is grauntid to þe if þu serue wel þe auter to lif þer of, not to do lechery, nor to be gilt bridils, peyntid sadels, ne siluern sporis, nor perpulid aray, ffor soþ wat þu holdist to þe of þe auter ouer necesary liflod and simple aray, it is not þin, it is þeft and sacrilege. Þis seiþ he.

An oþer poynt putt is þis: Fastingis are not necesary, wil man absteniþ him fro oþer synne. And as to þis I sey þus, þat fasting generaly is not onli in forbering of meit and drink, but in forbering of iuel, and al iuel spite, and in doing of good dedis. Þis semiþ þus bi þe scripture; for þus seiþ þe prophet, Halow ȝorJoel iio. fasting. Wat is it, seiþ Gregory, to halow fasting, but to schewGregory. due or worþi abstinens of flesch, wiþ oþer good verteuis ioined þer to; do a wey prid, wraþ, strif, and oþer vices; for in veyn þu foilist þi flesch wiþ abstinens, if þi soule be not refreynid fro synnis. And as sum fastingis are but of ordinaunce of þe lawe, so bi þe lawe are mani excusid þer of; as wymmen wiþ childe, and waxit folk, wold, and ȝong, sek, and feble. And þe pore are excusid bi þe lawe. And neuerþeles fasting is mikil profitable boþ to grace and to blis; for þus we sey to God, by bodyli fasting þu berist doun vices, liftist up þe mynd, and ȝefyst vertu and medis. And eft þus, þe clere fairnes of fasting is schewid to þe world heuenly, þat Crist, autor of al þing, abstening richid. By þis Moyses, dere to God, was makid ȝeuar of þe lawe; þis liftid up Hely bi þe aire in a chare of fire; for þis Daniel, ouercomer of lyowns, saw misteris of priui þingis; bi þis Ion, þe inward frend of þe Spows, was clere; þise are opun in þe stories. God graunt in vs to folow þeis ensaum|plis of abstinence.

An oþer poynt putt is þis, þat þe prest is not holden to his horis canoniȝid, not but if he be to syng. To þis I answere þus, I denoy me not to haue seid þis, for perel falling in forme of lawe; for if it were witnessid aȝenis me, þof it wer fals, if I denoyed, I schuld be condempnid as gilty. Ne I graunt not þat I seyd it, þat I lie not on mysilf, for I wot not þat I seid it, and mannis mynd is sclendre. If I haue fautid, I aske forȝeunes, and I wel mend. But o þing I wot wel, if prestis are bounde to þer horis bi þe lawe þat hem silf han maad, þei howen be bound be þe charge þat Crist haþ ȝeuen hem. And if þei haue streit conscience to faile in þis þat hemself haþ bound hem to, þei schuld haue mikil more to faile in þis þat Crist haþ bound hem to, if þei lofid and trostid him aboue þe wark of þer hondis. But if þei haue bounden hemself, þer as he maad hem free, and setten mikil bi þer oun tradicouns, and litil bi his, and puttyn his bidding to forþfil þer, and folowen wickid coueitis and oþer iuel, þan schal þis be verified in hem þat Crist seiþ in his gospel, Þe Holi Goost wan he comiþ schal find þis worldJoh. xvjo. of dome; and eft, Whi brek ȝe þe biddings of God, to kepe ȝor own tradicouns? ypocritis, wel is prophecied of ȝow, þis peple honoriþMat. xvo. me wiþ þer lippis, but þer hert is far fro me. In veyn þei honor me, teching þe biddings and þe maundments of men; leuing þe biddingis of God, for to kepe þer oune tradicouns. And eft, Wo worþ ȝow þat tiȝen mynt, aneis, and comyn, and ilke herbe, and leuen þe sadder þings of þe lawe, dome, feiþ, and mercy; þeis þings howen to be done, and þoo not be left. Blind foolis, clensing forþ þe knatt, but swelowyng þe camely. And for soþ, as AmbrosAmbros. seiþ, Till þu lefe þis þat þu art bodun bi þo bidding of Crist, what þing þat þu werkyst is vnþankful to þe Holi Goost. And mani prestis in þer horis byddyn hem self Goddis curse, for þus þei sey, Lord, þu hast blamid þe prowd, cursid bi þei þat bowen doun fro þiPs. cxviiio. biddings.

An oþer poynt is putt þus; in þe sacrament of þe auter, aftir þe consecracoun, dwellyþ þe substaunce of þe brede. And þis is soþe, for þe body of Crist [which] is þe bred þat he ȝaf for þe lif of þe world dwelliþ þer ine, and þerfor þis substaunce of bred dwelliþ þer ine. And in þis mater I remembre þat I haue spokyn and rehersid þe wordis of þe apostil, and oþer doctors, þat þei speke on þis1 Cor. xo. mater; for Poule seiþ, Þe brede þat we breken is þe part taken of þe body of Crist. And Austeyn seiþ, Þis þing þat is seen is breed,Austeyn. and þat þat þe feiþ askeþ to be enformid þe bred is þe body of Crist. And þe decre, and oþer doctors mani, a corde. And syn þer wordisDecre. are canoniȝed, and approuid of holi kirk, oiþer be houiþ to graunt þer wordis, or to denay þe canoniȝing and aprouing of þe kirk; and þat semiþ not good. Þer for I sey as þeis seyncts doun, and trowe as holi kirk trowiþ, and techiþ; þat þe sacred host is verreyli þe body of Crist, for Crist seiþ soo; and þus seiþ Poule, Breþer, fle1 Cor. xo. fro worschipping of idols; I speke to ȝow as to wyse men, demiþ þis þing þat I sey; þe cuppe of blessing þat we blesse, is not it þe comining of Crists blood? and bred þat we brek, is it not þe part taken of þe body of þe Lord? for we mani are oo body, and a life þat alle taken part of oo lofe, and of oo cuppe; forsoþ, I tok þis of1 Cor. xio. þe Lord, þat I be tok to ȝow; for þe Lord Ihu, in þe niȝt þat he was betrayed, tok bred, and blessid, and brake, and ȝaf his disciplis, and seid, Take and eete all of þis; þis is my body þat schal be trayed for ȝow, do þis in my conmemoracoun. Also he tuke þe cuppe, after þat he sopid, seying, Þis cuppe is a newe testament in my blod; do þis, als oft as ȝe schal take it, in to my conmemoracoun; for als oft as ȝe schal ete þis bred, and drink þe cuppe of þe Lord, ȝe schal schew þe deþ of þe Lord, til þat he cumme. And so, who þat schal ete þis brede, and dring þis cuppe vnworþily, he schal be gylty of þe body and blood of þe Lord. Þerfor man proue him selue, and so ete he of þis bred, and drink of þis cuppe, for wo þat etiþ and drinkiþ vnworþily, etiþ and drinkiþ dome to hymsilf, not deming wisely þe body of þe Lord. And upon þis seiþ AmbroseAmbrose. þus, It is a gostly medicyn, and memory of raunsom, bi wilk we deserue greiter þingis, to wilk we are tauȝt to niȝt; not but drery of þe niȝt of oure synnes, of þis þat in þe niȝt he was be tan for our synnis, wan his sowle was drery to þe deþ. And also in þe mynd of þe same deþ, he ȝaf his disciplis þis bred, and þe cuppe of þe new testament, and monest to take it, and ete it, doutles to be made like to him, and innewid in to him; he meniþ as mani as wil be in vnite of his body þat is þe kirk. And þis mete is prophita|ble to vs dwelling in þis vnite, boþ to body and to sowle; ffor þe flesch of Crist was peynid for the hele of our body, and his blod was ȝeuen out for þe ȝele of our soule, but profitiþ not to hem þat are out of vnite; werfor þe apostel seiþ, He þat etiþ or drinkiþ1 Cor. xio. vnworþily, þat is, oiþer wiþ out deuocoun, or oþer wyse þan it is of þe Lord ordeynd, or dwelling in þe filliþ of synne, he schal be gilty of þe body and blod of þe Lord; þat is, he schal ȝeue peyn for þe deþ of Crist, as if he had slayn him, and he drawiþ spot of good þing to an iuel. And Austeyn seiþ, We sey þis þing þe body andAusteyn. þe blod of Crist, þe wilk tan of þe ȝerþ fro þe frutis, and halowd bi gostly praiors, we tak ritli to gostli ȝele, in to memory of þe Lordis passioun; þe wilk, wan it is browt be handis of man to þat inuisible spice, is halowid not but bi þe Spirit of God wirking inuisibily; for God wirkiþ al þingis þat are done in þis wirk bi bodily styrings. Þis is þat we sey, and in all maneris striue to proue þe sacrifice of þe kirk to stond to gidre in two þingis, and to be maad in two þingis to gidre: þat is, þe visible spicis of elements, and inuisible flesch and blod of our Lord Ihu Crist; sacrament and þing of þe sacrament, þat is þe body of Crist; as þe persoun of Crist stondiþ to gidre of God and man, for he is verrey God and man; for ilk þing conteniþ in it silf þe trowþ and þe nature of þoo þings þat it is maad of; þis þing þat is seen is breed, and þe cuppe þat þe ȝeen schewen; but þis þat þe feiþ askiþ to be enformid þe bred is þe body of Crist. Also þe decre seiþ, I Beringary concent to þe holiDecre. kirk of Rome, and as þe apostil seiþ, I cnowlech of mowþ and hert, me to hold þe same feiþ of þe sacrament of þe Lordis bord, þe worschipful sir Nicol pope in heys holi seyneȝ, he haþ be tane me of autorite of þe gospel, and of þe apostil, and haþ fermid to me þe bred and wyne, þat are putt in þe auter, to be after þe consecra|coun not onli sacrament, but verrey body and blod of our Lord Ihu Crist sencibly, not onli in sacrament, but in trowþ to be tretid; wiþ handis of þe prest to be brokyn, and wiþ þe teþ of feiþful men. And mani oþer seingis of doctors a corden to þis.

An oþer poynt is þis; kirks are not to be worschippid, nor sergs to be multiplied þer in. I wot wat I seid. Wil þu offir a candil þat þu geyt merit and grace; ȝeue to þe pore, þat he may see go to his bedde, or to do sum good werk; or to wold womman, þat scho spynne, or teese her wolle, or do sum good wark. And þat þis be þe profitabler, concorden all feiþful doctors, and cristen men. And oft þu reproue hem þat drawen a wey help fro þe pore to bigge deade warkis. In Ysay þus is writun; Refresch þe pore, andIsaye. þat is my refresching, seiþ þe Lord God. And Seint Jerom seiþ,Jerom. Mani biggen wall, and drawen a wey pilars of kirk, þe marblis shinen, þe bondis schinen wiþ gold, þe auter is vmbeset wiþ stonis, but of þe ministris of Crist is no chesing. No man sett aȝen me þe riche temple in þe iewes, þe bord, þe lanternis, censars, pannis, cuppis, mortars, and oþer forgid wiþ gold, ffor þeis were þan aprouid of þe Lord, wan prestis slow þe offringis, and bests blod was re|missioun of synnis; þow alle þeis went bifor in figer; þei writun for us in to wom þe ȝendis of þis world are comyn. But now wan þe Lord haþ halowid þe pouert of his hows, bere we þe cros, and kownt we gold as cley. To reue ani þing fro a frend is þeft; to defraude þe kirke is sacrilege; to haue tane þing to be ȝeuen to þe pore and mani hungry, and to reseue it, is vile or fals drede, or of opunyst felony; to wiþ drawe ani þing þer of, it passiþ þe cruelte of all robbars. Hector Thebanus a man sum tyme richist, wen he went to vse philosophie at Athenis, he kest a wey a gret peise of gold; he gessid þat he miȝt not haue to gidre, riches and vertu; we stoffid and farsid wiþ gold, folowen pore Crist; and a color of takyng of almis, we chouche a boue our mikil riches, how may we trewly depart oþer mennis þingis, þat dredfully reseruen our owne. Þe fulle womb disputiþ litly of fastyng. Vp on þe wilk seiþ William de Seynt Amour, Swilk maner of men bigging þusWilliam de Seynt Amour. biggings semen to turne bred in to stones; þat is to sey, þe bred of þe pore, þat is almis beggid, in to hepis of stonis, þat is in to stonen howsis costlew and superflew; and þerfor þey semen werrar þan þe fend, þat askid stonis to be turnid in to bred. Wer for JeromJerom. kenniþ wel simple men seying, Gif no þing to no man, ouer liflod and opun necessaries; þat howndis ete not þe bred of children; forsoþ, he seiþ, þe sowle of þe trewe man is þe temple of Crist; honor it, cloþ it, gif it ȝeftis, and tak vp Crist in it. Wat profit is it þe wallis to schine wiþ precious stonis, and Crist to diȝe in þe pore man for hunger. Also þus seiþ Crisostom, Men bigging þeCrisostom. memoryes of martres, and honoring kirkis, semen to do a good dede: but and if þey kepe oþer riȝtfulnes of God; if þe pore ioi of þer goodis; if þey mak not oþer mennis goodis here bi violence or bi fraude; who so is vnwyse þat he vnderstondiþ not, for þei mak þer biggings, not to þe glory of God, but to mannes dome. And vniustly þei bigge memories were pore men, þoling violence of hem, crien aȝen hem; for martirs ioien not þat þei are honorid so of þe money of swilk pore men greten; what riȝtfulnes is þis to ȝef ȝeftis to þe dead, and spoyle þe quek; taken of þe blod of wrecchis, and offre to God? Þis is not to offre to God, but to wylen to mak God felow of þis violence, þat if he tak gladly money þat is offrid to him of synne, he consent to synne. Wel þu bigge þe howse of God? ȝef to þe feiþful pore werof þey may lif, and þu hast biggid a resounable howse of God. Men dwellen in biggings, but God dwelliþ in holy men; þerfor wat men are þey þat spoylen men, and makyn biggings of marters? þey aray þe dwell|ings of men, and disturblun þe habitacouns of God. Ihu ȝed in to þe biggings of þe temple, and sowt þe holines of þe temple, but wan he fond in þe temple þe properte of þe temple, he went out; for þe bigging stod þat man had reysid, but þe holines þat God had ordeynid was fallen; þe temple of man is biggid of stonis of faire composicoun, but þe temple of God is þe congregacoun of men leuing religiously. A man deliþ [in] þe bigging of wallis, but God in þe conuersacoun of seynts. Þe prophet seiþ, Lord, I haueDauid, Ps. xxvo. louid þe fairnes. Wilk fairnes? Not þis þat diuersite of schining marbles maken, but þis þat þe barianns of gracis of louing me makiþ; þat fairnes delitiþ þe flesch, but þis quekeniþ þe soule; þat for a tym desceyuiþ and iapiþ þe ȝee, but þis biggiþ þe vnder|stonding perpetual. Þis seiþ he. Þerfor it semiþ good, spedi, and meritori, þat þe kirk be honorid, neuerþeles not to mikil nor super|flue, ne curiously, nor proudly, for glory of þe world, noiþer in biggings, noiþer in liȝts, noiþer in instruments, nor minstris ne|cessarijs in to vse þer of; but honestly and mesurabli honorid and kepid in alle þings, and mikil honestliar þan it is nowe in mani placis; and specialy þat feyris nor markets had no place in þe kirk, in solempne tymis, wan men schuld tent to preyers and to Goddis seruys; and þat in silk tyme men tent not to idil talis, foul spechis, harlotries, bakbityngis, or conuenticlis, purposing iuel, as þeft, or manslawt, or swilk oþer; so no synnis were vsid in þe kirk; þat þe house of God be not maad a den of þefis. Þus schuld þe kirk be honorid; but in þe quek gostly kirk, þat is þe congrega|coun of cristun men, auȝte honestly to be honorid, first in vertuis, and vertuis dedis, good maneris, and ritful warks, clensid of alle crimis and dedis forbeden hem in holi writt, and feiþful doctors, and ordinaunce of þe kirk; and þus schuld God haue a gloriouse kirk, þat is now pollutid and fylid wiþ many vnleful þings. Wheþer is it not writun in þe lawe of þe kirk þus? Forsoþ it is an horribleDecretal. þing þat in sum kirkes is witnessid marchaundis to haue place; so þat ani þing be askid for bischoppis, abbots, or oþer personis, to be putt in þer segis, or prestis to be induyd, or inled in kirks, or for sepulturis, or exequies, diriges of þe dead, or blessingis of wed|dings, or oþer sacraments. And sum demen to be leful, for þei deme not þe lawe of þe dede for to harme by cause of long custom, not takyng heed þat synnis are so mikil greuowsare, euer þe lengar þei hold bound þe vncely sowle; þerfor we forbede more strengliare þat þeis þings be no more do þus; so no þing be askid for personis of þe kirk to be browt in to þer segis, nor for presthed to be institut, nor for dead to be byried, nor weddings to be blessid, nor oþer sacraments. And if ani presume aȝen þis, know he him to haue porcoun wiþ Gieȝi. And als after þe decre, in an oþer place: NoDecre. man presume to ȝeue for ani custom, noiþer to þe taking of symonyently, þat is to sey, for coueytise, for his labour tak ani þing, for who þat selliþ eiþer of þis þings wiþ wilk þo comiþ not forþ, he leuiþ noiþer vnsold. And schame it is þat a man be con|streynid to ȝeue his money for nowt. Of silk þings is þe kirk to be purgid, for mani causis: forsoþ as Symon Magus, bicause of coueytise, wold haue bowt of þe apostel his power, þat he schuld þe Holy Goost receyue to hele hem þat he put þe handis to, þat he miȝt haue gotun money of þe selling of signis; as þe decreDecre Saluator. Saluator witnissiþ. And þerfor he was reprouid of Petre, for he demid to possede þe ȝeft of God bi money, and þerfor he had no part in þat þing. It semiþ þat prestis are nowe in þe same chapi|ter, takyng goostly grace or ordres þat þei geyt þer of superfleu riches, prid of world, and lust of flesch, and þey þat minstren to oþer in þat entent, þat þei habunde in þer þings. And it semiþ þat lewid men hiring prestis, in þat entent, deming to by þe goostly þings so, or þat þei eke riches to hem, or þer oþer þings befor seyd, are greuid in þe same synne. And þus it semiþ to sume, þat wat euer clerk takiþ priate, religioun, bischophed, or dignite of þe kirk, þat he life lustili, or habunde after hienes of þe world, or to lord in þat maner þat Crist forbediþ his disciplis to lord in, he synniþ deadly. And þat þe parentis of swilk a clerk are [or?] worldly frends helping him to ani artis or sciens, prelats promouing, or secular lordis procuring þat þat clerk lord in þat maner, þei synnun deadly;The Ca|noun Sunt quidam. þis is opun bi þe canoun, i. q. i. Sunt quidam. Of silk þings be howuiþ þe kirk to be clensid.

An oþer poynt is her putt, þat prestis to sing may not first mak couenaunt wiþ out symonie. Of þis mater þus seyn feiþful doctors of diuinite, and doctors in lawe of þe kirk, þus: A prest weþer he be beneficid or not, he howiþ not to sett to hire his gostly warks; nor it is not leful to him to reseyue ani þing of couenaunt to a day or ȝere for Goddis seruyce to be seid; for wo þat selliþ ani of þo þings wiþ wilk þe toþer comt not, he leuiþ noiþer vnsold, as þe decre seiþ; þis bi Ihoun. Neuerþeles he may sett to hire hisDecre. bodily werks; þat is, he may astreyn himsilf a ȝer to dwel wiþ a man to serue him, as writ, or teche children; and þus he may lefuly, sauid his ordre; so þat he outtak fro his generalite, boþ in mynde and in worde, his goostly warks, wilk he may graunt frely wiþ out couenaunt or price, after þe wille of God. And þus þe couenaunts how to be seuerythly, þat þe goostly þings be done frely. But for þe synne of symonye may vnnese or neuer be fled in swilk þings, þerfor conduct prestis are reprouid of þe lawe, after Hostiensis, and Innocent; and eft Hostiensis seiþ of hem þat ȝeuenHostiensis. Innocent. a peney, or peyneyes, to prestis, for to do aniuersaries, or to syng a messe of þe Holi Gost, or swilk maner, or for to syng trentaylis, in alle swilk casis, to tak or ȝef temporal þing for goostly þing, of forþword, or certeyn couenaunt, it is symonye. Weþer it be ȝeuen for þe sacrament, weþer for þe office. After þis word for notiþ or takiþ appreciacoun. Þis seiþ he. Þerfor ilk man see why he takiþ þe money, þat is to sey, what he doþ þerfor. And ilk man see why aȝenne, for what cause principaly. And see after for he ȝeue for Goddis mede, lok how God biddiþ. If he ȝeue it for labor, lok what it is. And if he gif it for sustinaunce, lok what mede it is. Sum men seyn þus, þat symonie is a studiouse wille to by or selle, or on ani maner to haue goostly power, or þe office þer of, for temporal price, in entent of chaunging to gidre þe toon for þe toþer, as it semiþ bi holy writt, and bi þe lawe, for SymonAct. uiijo. Magus seyng þe apostil ȝeuing þe Holy Goost bi leying vpon his handis, offrid him money to bye þe gostly power, þat þei schuld tak þe Holy Goost þat he schuld putt hands to; but Peter seid to him, þi money be wiþ þe in to perdicoun, for þu gessest to haue þe gift of God for money. And in þe lawe it is seid, þat Symon wold haue bout þe Holi Gost in þat entent, þat of selling of synnis þat schuld be do bi him, he schuld wyn money. And þus of him it takiþ þe name of symonye. And þerfor þei þat sellen gostly þings, and þei þat bien hem, so folowing Symon are callid Symon|ients. And þus seiþ Parisiensis in his bok; Prestis singing forParisiensis. money sellen Crist, and are werrer þan Judas in þeis fiue points. Judas sold him onis dedly, and not glorified, for þritty penies, wen he trowid him not God, but a deadly man walking in ȝerþe; and after, he repentid, and browt aȝen þe penis. But þei selle him vndeadly, and glorified, and ofte and for lesse price, wan þei trowen him God, regning in heuen vndedly, and til þey cum to penaunce þei restore not þe money. Þus he seiþ. And Jerom seiþ þus;Jerom. Als oft of men are seid singing for menis fauor, and temporel wynning, or hope of ani temporel profet, soþly Crist is sold and be trayd, and wen þe body and blod of Crist is tretid wiþ foul hands, and polutid conciens, Crist is trayd and crucified. And AmbroseAmbrose. seiþ; He [þat] ȝetiþ and drynkiþ þis sacrament wiþ out deuocoun, or oþerwise þan it is ordeynid of þe Lord, synging messe, or dwelling in lust of synning, he schal be gilty of body and of blod of Crist, and schal ȝeue peynis for deþ of Crist, as if he had slayn him, and he schal draw spott of good þing iuel tane. Þis seiþ he, and more afterword.

Þis is a noþer poynt, þat þe pope, cardinalis, bischopis, and oþer prelats be neþe, are disciplis of anticrist, and sellars of merit. I wot what I haue rehersid þe wordis of doctors þat spekin on þis mater. Crist seid to þe Jewis, ȝe ben of þe fader þe fend, and wel do þe desir of ȝor fader, for he was manslear fro þe biginning. And so to þe propos, Whas doctrine any folowiþ, his disciple he is. And Crist seiþ, he þat is not wiþ me, he is aȝenis me. And soþly myMatt. xijo. warks a cordyn not to þe warks of Sathanas, for I a cord in no þing wiþ him, but al vtterly we are contrari; for I mak beningne wyl saue sowlis; he prowd, enuious, couetous, to tyn hem; I gedre to gidre vertuys wiþ my preching; he scateriþ and departiþ fro þe vnite of þe kirk. Þis seiþ þe glose. Þerfor who þat vsiþ swilk werksGlose. is disciple of anticrist, and anticrist. For Jon seiþ in his epistle,1 Jo. iio. Sonnis is it þo last hour, and as ȝe han herd for anticrist comiþ, now are many anticristis maade, werfor we wot þat is it þe last hour. Ilk spirit þat vndoþ Ihu Crist is not of God, and þis is anticrist,Ibid. iuo. of wom ȝe han herde þat he comiþ, and now he is in þe world. Wer þe glose; os Austeyn seiþ: Ilk man axe her his conciens weþerAusteyn. he be anticrist. Ilk one contrary to Crist is anticrist, and þe tung a lone is not to be axid, but þe lif. Poul seiþ, Þei witness hem toTit. io. know God, but in dedis þey denay. Als many as þe kirk haþ for sworn men, fraudars, misdoars, sortylogers, spousbrekars, drunk|unsum men, vsurers, and who euer is contrari to þe doctrin, and to þe word of God, he is anticrist. If þu luf synnis, be [þu] wiþ in, be þu wiþ out, and if þu be contrari to Crist, be þu wiþ in, be þu wiþ out, þu art anticrist, be þu wiþ in, be þu wiþ out, þu art caff. Þis seiþ Austeyn. And þus seiþ Lincoln, in a sermoun: ÞeLincolne. office of prelacy passiþ alle oþer in charge, syn þe principale and þe finale wark of Crist þat he cam for in to þis world is þe quiking of soulis; and þe proper wark of Sathanas, and moost entent of him, [who] is a manslear fro þe biginning, as [is?] sleyng and mortifying of sowlis: werfor scheperds, clepid þe persoun of þe verrey schep|herd Ihu Crist, nouȝt schewing þe gospel, þof þei ekid not oþer malice ouer, þey are anticrists, and Sathanas transfigurid in to an aungel of liȝt; þeuys priuey and opun slears and traytors of þe schep, makyng þe hous of prayors a den of þeuis. Also þey ȝekun al kynd of brekyng of law, þat now þer is not opun what þing þe Lord hem a towere. And þat I passe ouer schortly, wiþ al kynd of syn, felony, and abhominacoun, and new aduencouns. And in þer aduencouns þey are filid as þe prophet seiþ to God, and to þe court of heuen are þey moost abominable, and hateful maade; for bi hem þe nam of God is blasfemid in alle folk. Wen þe lesynd of þe herd is a bok of þe schepe, and þei are opunly maistris of alle iuelis; how are þey not heretyks? namly sin, þe word of dede, is more effectuos in werkyng þen þe word of þe mouþ. And wen þei of þer office are gederers of euerlastyng lif, how euen þey are þus misusing þis generatif strengþe, are þei not, a cordantly to þe wordis of þe prophets, werr, and abhominabler þan carnal sodomits? namly wan þe misusing of þe better vertu is werr, and more abho|minable. And þus þeis scheperds are, of office, liȝt and sun of þe world, liȝtning and quickning it; but aȝenword, wan þei mak and ȝetten out for liȝt þickest derknes, and so lifly ȝet corrumping cold and blakning, opunly are traytors of þis world. But wo is þe formar and original cause, wel, and biginning of þis þus gret iuel, I drede ungly to sey, tremel and quake. Neuerþeles I dar not hold it stille, þat I falle not in to þis woo þat þe prophet seiþ, Woo toIsa. ujo. me for I haue be stille, for I am a man pollutid in lippis. Þe cause, welle, and biginning of þis iuel is þe court of Rome; not only for it scateriþ not his þings, and purgiþ not his abhomina|couns, wen it a lone myth, þis moost and heiast is haldun þer to; but þus mikil þe more þat it silf bi his prouisiouns, dispensacouns, and ȝeuing of pastoral curis, ordeyniþ in þe een of þe sun, swilk as are towchid bifore, hyrdis, ȝa traytors of þis world, þat it peruey to þe temporal lif of sum man, it haþ be taken to þe deuowring or swelluing of alle bestis of þe feld, þat is to al þe fendis to ay lasting deþ many þowȝandis; for þe wilk lest of alle to be quicknid ȝend|lesly, þe Son of God wold be condempnid to fowlist deþ; for [he] þat ȝeuiþ þe cur of sowlis til an vnmiȝty, or vnkunning, or not weling to kepe, is gilty of alle þoo, þof ani schape; as he þat ȝeuiþ þe gouerning of a schip til an vnwitti, vnkunning, or not willing goueren it, is gilty of þe schip and alle þings content þer in; and he þat lettiþ not silk ȝeuing wen he is holden a may, is strenid bi þe same gilt. A how bitter luf and vauncing ganging and koward, þat he reys his luf at a moment a boue a veyn þing, and kast him|silf down in to þe vtterist murkenes. Þis seiþ he. Also þus seiþ Odo: Prelats not preching are raþer Pilats þan prelatis, spoilarsOdo. not biholdars, herodians of Heroud, not heyris of Crist, prelats wiþ þer stafis and oþer ornaments are statuit ymagis, ful of kaff, wiþ a bow to sley þe fowlis, and as a nap in þe rof, so a sole in þe heyre of honoris. If I were, he seiþ, of þe noumbre of bischoppis, I were of þe noumbre of men to be dampnid. Þis seiþ he. Þe gospel seiþ, þat Ihu cam in to þe coostis of Cesarie of Philip, andMatt. xvio. he axid his disciplis, seying, Wham sey men to be þe sone of man? And þei seid, Sum Jon baptist, sum Hely, sum Jeremie, or oon of þe prophetis; þan he seid to hem, Wham sey ȝe me to be? Peter ansuerid and seid, Þu art Crist, þo sone of quik God. Ihu an|suerid and seid to him, Blessid be þu Peter, dowue sone, for flesch nor blod schewid not þis to þe, but my Fadre. And I sey to þe, þu art Peter, and on þis ston I schal bigge my kirk, and þe ȝats of helle schal not be miȝty aȝen þe; and I schal ȝeue to þe keys of þe kyndom of heuen, and what þing þu bindest up on ȝerþ schal be bounden in heuen, and what þu lowsist vp on ȝerþe, schal be lowsid in heuen. And þan he bad hem þei schuld not sey to ani man þat he was Crist. And he be gan to schew to hem þat it be houid him to go to Jerusalem, and þole many þings of þe olde men, scribis, and princis of prestis, and to be slayn, and rise aȝen þe þrid day. And Peter tok him be side, and be gan to blam him, and seid, Lord, God schild þis fro þe, þis schal not be to þe, be merciful to þisilf. And he turnid and seid to Peter, Go o bak after me Sathanas, and þu art sclaunder to me, for þu sauerist not þing þat is of God, but of men. Now þan, weþer ani folowing Peter in þis office of prelacye, is blessiddar or perfitar þan Peter, þerfor if Peter after his blessing, and silk behiȝt, is seid of Crist Sathan, whi not þei þat are in to sclaunder to God, and lesser saueren þings þat are of God, and more þings þat are of men, syn þis is writun to our lore. And howe þe name of God is sclaundrid and blasfemid bi iuel prelatis and techers, it is opun oft in þe scripture. Poul seiþ, Þu þat prechist to not steyl, stelist? þu þatRom. ijo. biddist do no lechery, dost lechery? þu þat wlatis idols, dost sacrilege? þu gloris in þe lawe, wnworscippist God be breging of þe lawe? þe name of God is blasfemid bi ȝow among þe folk. And after, þe prophete; Þei filid me to my peple for a lumpe ofEzek. xiijo. bred, and a handful of barly, þat þey slee sowl þat diȝe not, quiken sowl þat lyuen not, lying to my peple, trowing to lesing. And Parisiensis seiþ, Wan any auerous or couetous is canoniȝid in þeParisiens. kirk, or maad cheef, þan may þe oþer chanouns of þe chirche sey, our moder haþ gotun to vs a moldewarp for a broþer. And wan a bacbitar is canoniȝid, þan haþ þat kirk gendrid a serpent. And wan an vndiscret is maad bischop in þe kirk, þan is an hornid asse born þer in. And Odo seiþ þus, Þey are byars and sellars in þeOdo. temple, þat wenun winning to be pite, and byen to selle þe derar. We se now alle þe lif of þe kirk bryn to defend dignite to mul|tipli possessiouns, al is ȝeuen to honor, no þing to holynesse; wer for it is seid, triacle is turnid in to venyn, and þis þat was foundun to remedie, is foundun to deþ. But and of þe riches of clerkis þat þei misuse, þe Lord bad þe sonis of Leuy þat þei schuld haue no part a mong þe sonis of Israel. But þei dispicing, folouun worldly wynning, þe auteris of Crist are maad þe bordis of chaungis bi couetous men, for messis þey syng for money, þei putt out for money, and swilk messis þey sing as þei hope moost wynning, in þey are sellars of dowuis, for þei selle spiritual þingis. And þof þey crie not wiþ þe mowþ, neuerþeles in dedis þei sey wiþ Judas, Wat wil ȝe ȝeue me, and I gif him to ȝow? Þus crien monkis, and oþer religious, selling þer habits and suffragijs, and prestis singing for money; þe walle of þe kirk þat schuld be þe hird is brokin; swyn and houndis are gone and filun þe kirk; doumb doggis, prelats corrupt, þat may not bark, and onclen suyn, fyling oþer, lyfing bestly, are sett in þe kirk. What more abhominacoun of desolacoun in holi place þan þat a swyn do vpon þe holy vestiment, and sing Goddis holy office? houndis and woluis roryn þe psalmis, os were woluis criyng ilk to oþer; þe lioun of prid haþ lordid þe clergy, disposing al þing at his list; þe serpent of enuyȝe hissiþ, þat bakbitiþ to al and enflaumiþ þe grete; þe hound of wrechfulnes grenniþ wiþ his teþ; þe feldhasser of dyerynes laboriþ to swernes; þe wolue of rauyn opuniþ his chekis, þat multiplien messis and gospells for offring; þe bere of glotonie romist a bout, þat singiþ wiþ hie voys, for to fille þe wombe; þe swyn of vnclennes drowniþ himself in þe mig of lecherie; þe tood of gile hauing mani pursis schal minister to alle. And wen þe riche man dieþ, þe processioun of bestis is maad; þan in figeris was depeyntid in þe walle, and þe swyn and þe wolf and oþer bests berun þe cros and þe sergis, and ryngun þe bellis; sir Beringary þe bere syngiþ þe messe; þe lioun wiþ oþer bestis schal be best fed, but ȝer þe more þat þey þole, ai þe more schal þe fendis torment. Þis seiþ Odo.

An oþer poynt þat is putt is þis, þat þer is no pope ne Cristis vicar, but an holy man. Þis may þus be prouid; for him be howuiþ to be halowid wiþ þe sacrament of baptem, and of presthed, and of dignite. And oft is bidun to prestis in þe lawe to be holy and halow oþer; and for hoyle of halowing of þe Lord is vp on hem. Also þus prayiþ Crist for alle his, Fader, halow hem in trowþ,Joh. xuijo. þi word is trowþ, as þu hast send [me] in to þe world, so haue I send hem in þe world, and for hem I halow myself, þat þei be halowid in trowþ. And þus is hadde in decreis; Lo it aperiþ how þeiDecrt. schal schap þe perel of þe charge, þat þey be þolid to minister prestly oþer sacraments, for þey are remeuid fro þis not only for heresy, or oþer ilk gretter syn, but also for negligens. In wilk þingis bysily it is to not, þat þe sacrament of presthed befor oþer, more worþily, and wiþ cure, is to be ȝeuen and tane; for but if it be so ȝeuen and tane, it schal fuyle to be rate or ferme, os it is not perfitly done. Oþer sacramentis are ȝeuen to ilk man for himsilf, and silk þey are to ilk man as þei are tane wiþ hart and concience; but þis is not only ȝeuen for hem silf but for oþer, and þerfor is nede it be tane wiþ verrey hart and clene concience for him self, and as to oþer, not only wiþ out ilk synne, but also wiþ out ilk name of fame, for schunder of breþer, to was profit presthed is ȝeuen, not only þat men prest, or be boun, but þat þey prophet. þis þe decre. Lo it semiþ þat he is not liȝtly nor profiȝtly Crists pope ne his vicar but if he be holi, ellis whi is he callid holiest fadir? Jerom seiþ,Jerom. Þei þat ordeyn of þer assessory in to prestis, and putten hem þer lif in to sclaundre of þe peple, þei are gilty of þe vnfeiþfulnes of hem þat are sclaundred. For soþ þei are chosun to þis to be prestis to þe peple, as þei ordeynid befor to dignite, so þey hauȝt to schine be for in holines, ellis whi are þei preferrid to oþer þat passun in grace of meritis. And þerfor seiþ þe pope Symachus, HeSymachus. is to be countid most vile, þat is befor in dignite, but if he pre|celle in sciens and holines. Þe Lord seiþ bi þe prophet, for þu hastOsee iuo. putt a wey sciens, I schal put þe a wey þat þu vse not presthed to me. Þe dede of þe bischop houwiþ to passe a boue þe lif of þe peple, as þe lif of þe ȝerd transcendiþ þe lif of þe schep, as Gregori seiþ.Gregori. And Bernard seiþ to pope Eugeni, Þi felawis bischops lere þei atBernard. þe to haue not wiþ hem childer so curhid, nor ȝeng men kembid or compert; certeyn it semiþ not chapletid men to ren among þe mytrid vncorteysly; þof þu desire to be prest, or be befor to hem þat þu coueitist not to profiȝt to, ouer proudly in coueiting subieccoun of hem, of þe wilk þu hernist not þere ȝele.

An oþer poynt is þis; a prest assoiling a feyner synniþ deadly. Soþly me semiþ þat he synniþ, for if he soile him neligently, þow God asoyle him not, me semiþ he synniþ greuously, weþer a presum, as autor, to assoile him, and bring him out of sin of peyn, or to mak him fre þerof; wheþer he denounce him so as a minster, or he hiȝt him þat God doþ so; weþer he do it of luf, or hat, or drede, or oþer vniust or vnordinat cause; weþer he do it vnwysly, reclesly, or bi error, or be vniust ordre or maner, and wen þe cause perteniþ not to him, for he schuld send him to his soueren. And þus wyle he reformiþ not þis man to lefe þis syne, nor to mak a mendis þerfor, as he schuld, and ellis telle him þat he mai not asoyle him, he synniþ, and namli, wan þe man trestiþ of þis absolu|coun, wening him siker, and contuniþ forþ, and mendiþ not, os he schuld, if þe prest refusid him as he auȝt, for þan he wold schame, and dred, and mend. And in þis defaut is be gilid, and þe prest beriþ fals witnes, and seiþ him to wit and do þing þat he noiþer wot nor doþ, and refiþ God his regaly, and makiþ þe man to tryst in lesing, and so do sacrifice to þe fend. Of swilk prestis God pleyniþ þus bi þe prophet Ezechiel, Who worþ þeis þat sewenEzech. xijjo. cursing vnder þe hewow of iwan, and maken pilleworþis vnder þe hedis of ilk age, for to tak soulis; and wan þei tuk þe soulis of mi peple, þei quikynd þer soulis, and foilid me to mi peple, for an hanful of barly, and on gobeþ of bred, þat schuld sle soulis þat dien not, and quiken soulis þat lyuen [not]; lying to my peple, trowing to lesingis; þerfor seiþ þe Lord, lo I to ȝor cursing be wilk ȝe tak soulis fleing, and I schal reue hem fro ȝor armis, and þe souls þat ȝe tak I schal to fliȝt; and I schal reue ȝor quyschinis, and liuer my peple fro ȝour hand, þei schal no more be in ȝour handis to robbe; and ȝe schal wit for I be Lord. For þat ȝe lyingly han maad þe hertis of þe iust man to be euy, wam I euid not, and han comfortid þe hert of þe vnpitous, þat he turnid not from his iuel wey and lyue, þerfor he schal no lengar see veyn þingis nor deueyn lesing. And vpon þis seiþ Gregor þus, Oft it falliþ þat he haldiþGregor. þe sted of a iuge, to wam þe lif a cordiþ not. And is don oft þat oþer he dampniþ þe vnworþi, or louse oþer þat are bound; and oft he folowiþ his steringis, and not þe meritis of causis in sugetis to be lousid or bound. And þus is don þat he priue himsilf power of bynding and lowsing, þat vsiþ it after his lustis, and not after meritis of sugetis. Oft is don þat þe hirid be sterid aȝen his neȝ|bor bi hat or grace, and þerfor þei may not iuge ritly of þer sugetis þat in þer causis folawen hat or grace; werfor rit is seid bi þeEzek. xiijo. prophet, þey quikid soulis þat liuid not, and slen þe soulis þat died not; forsoþ he sleþ him þat dieþ not, þat dampniþ þe iust man; and he enforciþ to quiken him þat liuiþ not, þat enforciþ to asoyle fro torment him þat dwelliþ in his gilt. Þerfor þe causis are to be peysid, and þan power of bynding and soiling is to be vsid; þerfor it is to see wat synne went be forn, and wat forþinging folowiþ after þe synne; þat þe sentens of þe chepherd asoile þeis þat Almiȝty God visitiþ bi for bi grace of compunccoun. For þan is þe asoiling of þe president verrey, wen it folowiþ þe dome of þe innar juge. Þat þei reysing of Laȝar fowr daies dead tokuniþ wel and schewiþ, for first þe Lord reysid and sterid and quiknid þe dead man, seying, Laȝar cum forþe, and after he þat was boundenJoh. xio. ȝed out, and was lowsid of þe disciplis, as is writun, wan he was gon out þat was bound wiþ bondis, þan seid Ihu to his disciplis, Vnbyndiþ him, and lat him go. Lo þe disciplis lowsid him liuing, wam dead þe maister had reisid; for if þe disciplis had lowsid him dead, þei schuld schew more stynk þan vertewe. Of wilk consi|deracoun it is to see, þat we owe to lowse bi autorite of herd wam we know our autor to haue quicknid be grace resing. And so þe dead man cum out, þe synnar knowleche his synne; þe disciplis lowse þe comar out, for þe schepherdis of þe kirk owe to moue to him þe penaunce þat he deseruiþ, þat lettid not for schame to knowleche þat he dede. Þis haue we seid schortly of þe wordre of lowsing, þat schepherdis of þe kirk ow to bind and lowse vnder gret moderacoun. Þis seiþ Gregor. And þus seiþ Bede; Now isBede. þis office committid in bischopis and prestis of þe kirk, þat þe causis of þe synnars knowen, þei doing mercy assoyle hem fro þe dred of perpetual deþ, wen þei able and verrey repentaunt; and þat he schewe hem to be bound wiþ ai lasting tormentis, þat he knawiþ to stond touȝly in þer synnis þat þei han don. And to þis acorden mani oþer seingis of doctors and decreis of þe kirk; þerfor be þei ware þat asoylun feynars þat God forbediþ to asoyle for harmis þat folowen; for þus seiþ God bi þe prophet Eȝechiel, AEzech. xiuo. man of þe house of Israel, þat haþ sett his vnclennes in his hert, and haþ set of his wickidnes aȝens his face, and comiþ to þe prophet, asking me bi him, I þe Lord schal ansuere to him in þe multitude of his vnclennes, þat þe hous of Israel be tan in þer hert, in wilk þei han gon a wey fro me, in al þer idols. Þerfor be ȝe turnid, and departiþ fro alle ȝour idols, and turniþ awey ȝour facis fro al ȝour folthis; for þe man wat euer he be þat be alienid fro me, and sett his idols in his hert, and þe sclaunder of his wickidnesse aȝen his face, and cum to þe prophet þat he aske me bi him, I þe Lord schal answere him bi my self, and I schal sett mi face vp on þat man, and mak him in to prouerb and ensaumple, and schal scater him fro þe middis of my peple; and þe prophet wan he schal erre in speche of word, I þe Lord haue ben fro him, and he schal bere his wickydnes; after þe wickydnes of þe ascar schal be þe wickidnes of þe prophet; and I schal streke out my hand on him, and do him a wey fro þe middis of mi peple; þat þe house of Israel erre no more fro me, but be mi peple, and I þer God; and þat þei be no more polutid in all þer trespasses. By þis man is vnderstondyn feynar þat is fals, and lufiþ his synne, and seiþ he wel forsak it and lieþ, and cumiþ to þe prest to be asoylid, and to ask mercy. But wan þe prest erriþ, and behytiþ suelk an absolucoun aȝen þe bid|ding of God, he schal bere þe wickidnes wiþ þe synnar; for þi þat he is cause þat þe synnar contuniþ in his iuel, and mendiþ nout, os he schuld, if þe prest putt him be syd til þat he be mendid. To þis sentens acordiþ Seynt Ambrose, as is put in decreis, wer heAmbrose. seiþ þus; If ani man be mouid bi prayors of sonis, or teris of þe wif, and wen him to be soylid, to wam þe affeccoun of steyling biddiþ ȝet, schal he not be tak innocentis to distruccoun, þat ben fre þat þenkun to distroy many? Forsoþ if he lay doun þe suerd, or lousiþ þe bondis, he opuniþ þe distroyingis. Wy pulliþ he not a wey, in þe mekist wey þat he may, faculte of steyling, þat miȝt not bow þe wille? Also bi twix two, þat is þe accuser and þe gilty, striuing of euen perel of þe hed, þe ton if he had not prouid, þe toþer if he were conuictid of þe accusing, if þe iuge folow not þis þat is of riȝtfulnes, but haþ mercy of þe toþer, oiþer he schal dampne þe prouar, or til he fauor þe accusar, þat miȝt not proue, schal iuge þe vngilty; þis mai not be seid iust mercy. In þat kirk wer ani owe to do mercy, and how most to be holden in þe forme of riȝtfulnes, þat non draw a wey fro þe comyn of feiþfulmen, get wrongly, of þe liȝtnes of þe prest, comyn wiþ schort ter and dred|ful, a tyme þat he ow to axe wiþ mo tymis and plentiuous teris. Weþer not wan he forȝeuiþ þe vnworþy, he prouociþ al to þe smit of falling; liȝtnes of ȝeuing ȝeuiþ kyndling of trespassing. Þis seiþ Ambrose. Þe prest may wit þat he haþ not power to soyl, but as God ȝeuiþ him bidding; but God seiþ þus, If þi broþer synne,Matt. xuiijo. blame him; and if he leue his synne, leue þu to blam him, and if [he] wil not leue his syn, proced forþ aȝen him bifor witness. And if he wyl not her ȝowe, be he þan to þe as a heþen or publi|can. And wam þat ȝe þus bynd, schal be bound, and wam þat ȝe bring out of synne, þe peyn schal be forȝeuen hem. He biddiþ not here to curse him þat synniþ not, nor to asoyle him þat bidiþ in synne; but aȝenword to asoile him þat leuiþ his synne, and put him out of cumpany þat lastiþ in his synne.

An noþer is þis, þat mariage mad in þrid and ferd degre, aȝen þe ordinaunce of þe kirk, is rate and stable. And to þis I haue seid, þat it is so confermid þat it mai not be departid; þe man to wed ani oþer woman, wyle þat sche lyuiþ, nor scho to be weddid to ani oþer man. And þis semiþ me prouable þus; weþ þe lefe or conferming of þe kirk, swilk mariage is rate, þan it is rate or stable; and þe kirk miȝt not ratifie it, but if it be first ratified of God; and if it be ratified of God, þan þe kirk mai not depart it, for no man may depart þe þing þat God haþ joinid. And as men seyn þe ratifying of þe pope, or of þe kirk, is a chaunging þat God haþ ordeynd to be don, and if þis mariage were aȝen þe bidding of God, þan þe conferming of þe kirk were not worþ, nor þei miȝt not ȝeue leue þer to; for þei mai not ȝeue leue to breke þe bidding of God, nor leeue a man to lyue in ani degre aȝen þe bidding of God, nor charge him þer to. Now þe decre seiþ þus; Þe weddingDecre. of prestis, or of cosynis in þe þrid or ferd degre, is not forfendid bi þe autorite of þe oolde lawe, nor bi þe autorite of þe gospel, nor of þe epistil, but it is only defendid bi law of þe kirk. And after seiþ þe decre, þow þe apostil addid sum þingis counseyling, þatDecre. were [not] found in bidding of þe gospel diffinid, þerfor [neiþer] þey are putt a wey of þe toþer apostols as foly or superflu; so and þe kirk, after þe statutis of þe apostil, haþ addid sum þingis of counseil of perfeccoun, os of continence of prestis, and of making of goostly misteris, of þe synging of officis, þat no wey are to be put a wey, but to be tan wiþ diligent worschip; þerfor þe wed|dingis of cosyns, þow þei be not found for bidyn bi þe gospel, nor bi þe pistel, neuerþeles þei are to be fled, for þei are forbydun bi þe ordinaunce of þe kirke. Þis seiþ þe decre. And so I graunt þat it is good to kep fro hem, but neuerþeles me semiþ þat þei mai not be departid, wen þei are maad, not but in swilk degre os God leeuiþ not to bide to gidre, and þat is no matrimone. But in þis þe decre seiþ, þeis þat are found weddid in þeis degrees, and wiþDecre. in schort tyme done, be þei departid; ȝet þe decre leeuiþ not a man to wed an oþer, nor þe woman noiþer, wil þey two lyuen. And so if þe kirk wil not suffur þis man and woman dwel to gidre, what may þey do, but eiþer dwel stille bi hem silue, til þei may fynd better grace, and tak þe certayn and leue þe vncerteyn, þat þei synne not aȝen God, and abid til þei be formid wiþ holy writ, how hem is best to do? And if ani sey matrimoyn to be leful in þeis degreis, spekiþ aȝen þe Fadre and Sone and Holy Goost, be þu ware; for þe pope and þe kirk seiþ þat it is leful wen þei leefe it, solempniȝe it, confermiþ and approuiþ it.

Þis is a noþer, þat þe kirk solempniȝing matrimoyn in degre forbiden erriþ, consenting to synne, as it semiþ, and autoriȝing synne. Þis semiþ soþ bi þis: Matrimoyn of cosyns in þrid and ford degre is not forbiden, not but bi þe kirk; and so it is no synne, not but þer forbedyng; and as Poul seiþ, Were is not lawe, þer is not breking of lawe, and eft he seiþ, If I bigge ageyn þeRo. vo. Gal. ijo. þing þat I ding doun, I mak mesilfe a trespasor; and bi þe same resoun, if þe kirk, wiþ out oole autorite, solempniȝe matrimoyn forbidun of þe general kirk, þis kirk þat þus solempniȝiþ synniþ, ȝhe aȝen þe ordinaunce, and so aȝen God, in als mikil as it doþ aȝen Goddis wille in þat ordinaunce. And if þat mariage is maad only but in autorite of þe kirk, and neuerþeles is no very mariage, but synne vp on ilk side, in þe making and in þe holding, it semiþ þat þus þis kirk is autor of þis, and bi þus mykil þe makar at [as?] þe kirk makiþ lawis; and schuld wern men þer of, þat þei offendid not þer in, and felle in to synne. And sin þei wern not men as þei schuld, þei are cause of þe fallyng of oþer men, and þat blud schal be sout out of þer hand; as God seiþ bi þe prophet, Son of man, ifEzek. iijo. þu schewe not to my peple þat þei be ware, þei schal falle in þer wickidnes, and I schal seke þer blude of þin hand. Þerfor be ware of making of mariagis, and of diuorsis, or departingis; for þis þing is soþ, þat no man may depart þe þing þat God haþ jonid, no man may joyn, but if þat God joyn bi forn; forsoþ, as þe doctor seiþ,Doctor. In ilk bodily mariage is vnderstond a goostly mariage, wilk þe bodily copling performiþ. And of þeis bodily weddingis are þre good þingis, os Austeyn seiþ, feiþ, entent to bring forþ barnis, andAusteyn. þe sacrament of mariage. And hard it were to depart þis mariage þus maad. And for þis are þe bannis askid bi fore, to warn men to fle in weddingis couetous lustis, and pride, and swilk oþer vices vnpertinent to þe mariage. And þus schuld men be warnid in wat degre þei mai not cum to gidre, and how þei schuld be feiþful, and lif honestly and holyly to gidre, in on entent to bring forþ barnes. And for þe kirk doþ not þis, and oft solempniȝiþ matri|moynis þat are maad for lust, and be þwen þeis þat knowen hem silf vnable to bring forþ frut, in þeis cases it semiþ þe kirk consentiþ to synne. And also in þeis þat are solempniȝid, and after departid, for þat þei were not jonid bi God; for dowtles ilk þing þat is not of þe feiþ is synne, as Poul seiþ. And it is but foly to sey þat aniRo. xiuo. erriþ in doing aȝen þe bidding of God, and synniþ not, for Crist himsilf reprouiþ hem þat erren vnknowing þe scripture and þe vertu of God.

An oþer poynt is þis; þat law canoun is contrary to Goddis lawe, and þat decretistis, as to þat part of wysdam þat þei haue of þe worldis wisdam, are Egipciens. And þat bi sciens of canoun holy writ is blasfemid, ȝhe God himsilf, þat is þe lawe ȝefar. And þat it were nede þis sciens as kaf for gret part to be clensid out of þe chirche. In þeis þingis I knowleche þat I haue rehersid þe seyngis of doctoris, Parisiens and oþer. Of þe wilk on seiþ þus,Parisiens. þe lawe to be contrary to þe gospel moraly, wan it is not wiþ it to help to þe perfeccoun of þing þat þe gospel schewiþ and biddiþ to be done, but in ani maner is þer aȝen, in ani tyme, for ani cause letting or troubling, or tarying after þe sentence of Crist, þat seiþ,Matt. xijo. he þat is not wiþ me, he is aȝens me, and he þat gedreþ not wiþ me, he sckateriþ a brod. And so, syn þe law of þe gospel is cha|rite, riȝtfulnes, trouþ, euenhed, mercy, clennes, and pes of God, were þat ani law in ani maner helpiþ not þis, but to strif and debat, to wrong, prid, and lust, and to swilk oþer, dowtles it is aȝen þe lawe of God. Goddis law is riȝt ordeynd be God alone, explanid bi Crist in word and dede, as law of þe gospel; and þus law of þe gospel is callid multitud of trewþis þat Crist haþ tawt, namli, to rewle his peple; law canoun is callid law ordeynid of prelats of þe kirk, and pronounce to constreyn rebell bi holy rewl, and it may be vnderstondyn as þei ben contrari to þe lawe of þe gospel, as are many decretal epistlis, and generaly alle þe tradicouns of þe dowing of þe kirk fro þe tyme of Constantyn; or as þey comoun to þe law of þe gospel os articlis of þe feiþ, in holy seynoȝis and counseils, for os man is þe same in cloþis and deedis, bringing in knowing, so þe sam is þe law or trowþ of þe gospel inpliȝed or opunid bi þe kirk after ward, oþer wise, but not contrari, explanit. As it semiþ bi þe feiþ þat we trowe nor þe lawe canoun takiþ not inpungning of þe law of God as to þis part, but as to þe toþer part, is comonning mikil wiþ law cyuil, and þus it gedreþ in itsilf two lawes, and of þis commixtioun of þe vsing of þeis two lawis þus is diuersly sown gret seed of discord in þe kirk of God. CrisostomCrisostom. seiþ, Mannis law haþ bodily wynningis to cum, but Crist behetiþ goostly þingis to cum; at fleschly men ar ay present þingis putt befor þingis to cum, and bodili þingis to gostly þingis; þis seiþ he. And þus as þe flesche and þe spirit are contrari, so þeis twey lawis, namly, wil þe fleschly þingis lettun þe spirit. Werfor þe doctor Parisiens seiþ, Aduocatis in þer office geytun hem ay last|Parisiens. ing deþ; þat semiþ to be figerid in Goddis lawe; were Sichem, þat is interpretid a foul, louyd Dyna, þat is interpretid cause, by was occasioun he was slayn after. Notably is Sichem callid þe son of Emor, þat is interpretid an asse, for men hard as assis, þat miȝt not profit in oþer sciens, were wont to heer decrees and decretals. Þe loue of Goddis lawe, and þe condicouns of sciens of decres schuld streyn men fro þis office. Ofþe loue of Goddis lawe GregorGregor. seiþ, he þat louiþ a kyng he louiþ his lawe. In þe Salme, his eeSalme xo. ledis asken reson of men; ee lydis þat sum tyme are opun, and sum tyme clos, tokeniþ holy writ, þat is derk to sum, and opun to sum, þat axen þo sonis men weþer þey louen God. A tokyn of Goddis luf is wan ani stodieþ gladly in holy writ; holy writ is mikil dispicid for þe sciens of decrees. Werfor scho may sey þat Sara seid to Abraam, Þu dost vneuenly aȝens me, I hau ȝeuen mynGen. xujo. handmayd in þi bosum, and scho seing þat sche haþ conseyuid haþ me to despit; þe wench of holy writ is sciens of decrees, þat haþ holy writ to despit, for þe frut of wynning þat folowiþ þer of; and in Goddis lawe is figerid þe supprising þat þe sciens of wynning doþ in holy writ, be þe play in þe wilk Ismael oppressid Isaac; warfor as God bad bi Sara, Kast out þe wench and her son, soGen. xxjo. haply it were need þis sciens in gret part to be excludid fro þe kirk; not only is holi writ despisid bi þat sciens, and blasfemid, but God himsilf þat is þe law ȝeuar, þat semiþ figerid in Goddis lawe, wer it is red, þat þe son of a woman of Israel, þat scho bar ofLev. xxiuo. a man of Egipt, stroue wiþ a man of Israel and blasfemid God of Israel; þus in þe decretistis, þat are Israelitis in party, os to þe part of sciens þat þey han tane of Godis lawe, and Egipcians as to þe part þat þey haue of worldly wysdam, þei blasfemen God of Israel, wil þey calle þe lawe þat he ȝaf kafe, as vnprophitable, wen he seiþ himsilf, I þi Lord God toching þe profitable þingis; þerfor þei areIsa. xluiijo. raþer chaffe of wilk þe gospel seiþ, I schal brenne þe chaffe wiþMatt. iijo. fire vnslekable; þe prophet seiþ, He þat haþ a dreme, telle it as aJer. xxiiio. dreme, and he þat haþ my wordis, telle he my wordis verryli; wat is þe chaf to þe corn, seiþ þe Lord? And Austeyn seiþ, If þu folowAusteyn. chaf þu schalt be chaf. And Odo seiþ, Jeroboam was dampnid, forOdo. he held þe peple abak by two kalfis þat þei worschipid not God in Ierlm; þeis two kalfis are lawis and decrees, bi wilk clerkis are haldun doun, þat þey sacrificy not to God in þe siȝt of holi writ; þis seiþ he. And þus seiþ an oþer, Men occupied in mannis lawis,An other. and putting be hend þe helful lawe of Goddis comaundmentis, schuld tak hed how in þis same þei ren in þe curse of God; for in þe Salm it is writun, Cursid be þei þat bowen doun fro þi bid|Salm. cxuiijo. dingis. God biddiþ vs do dedis of kynd, and alle moralls are goostly dedis, or dedis of maneris bi þe lawe of maneris. And God haþ ȝeuen to vs þe newe lawe, compendiosar and more com|plet and more profitablar þan ani oþer lawe; more ful, for þer is not þat mai be put to mak it perfitar or compendiosar, for it is in a word of charite profitablar, for non oþer law profitiþ, not but in as miche as it meue to þis. And here rehersiþ Austeyn, speking ofAusteyn. þe multitude of tradicouns of þe kirk, þat seiþ þus: Sum supprise wiþ seruil chargis our religioun þat our Lord Ihu Crist wold to be fre, in so wast halowing of sacramentis, so þat þe condicoun of Jewis is more suffurable, þat is sogetid not to mannis tradicoun, but to Goddis ordinaunce. But wat trow we þis seynt to cry þis day, if he liuid, aȝennis þe multitude of lawis of þe kirk incorporat and extriuagaunt, wat aȝen batails, aȝen reseruacouns, aȝen furst frutis, and oþer spolingis of goodis of þe kirk; I trow he schuld sey, þis reprouid Crist to þe phariseis, wiþ more ȝhe ful of raneyn. And þis seiþ an oþer, þat þe sciens of aduoketis is detestable semiþAn other. bi þis, þat in many þings it is contrari to þe law of God. For þe law seiþ, þat it is leful to þeis þat maken couenaunt to gidre, to disseile eiþer oþer, wil þei passe not þe midil of iuste price; but Goddis law seiþ, þu schal do no þing ȝeuelfuly to þi neȝbor in his nedis to be releuid, and þat no man bigyle his broþer in no caas. Efter þe lawe to him þat brekiþ seiþ, to him þat brekiþ feiþ, feiþ schal be brokun to him; þe gospel aȝen þis biddiþ do wel to þin enemy. Eft an oþer witti in þat sam law seiþ þus: It is to seeAn other. how now lawis of þe seculer clerkis are contrari to holy writ, and to hold lawis of seyntis, and general counseils of hold holy clerkis. First in this. Þo gospel biddiþ al men ȝeld to þe emperor þingis þat are his, and to God þo þingis þat are Goddis, and Crist obeyedMatt.xxijo. to princes of þe world vndirgoing þe dede; and so ded þe apostlis and seyntis. But now new law techiþ þat no prest nor clerk ow to soget to no seculer lord. Þe secound. Crist payid tribut for him and for Petre, and Ambrose acordiþ þat feldis of þe kirk payAmbrose. tribut. But nowe newe lawe techiþ þat wiþ out consent of þe bischop of Rome þei schal pay no tributis nor taliagis. Þe þrid. Crist seiþ in þe gospel to his disciplis, þe kyngs of folk lorden vpLuc. xxijo. on hem, and þei þat vsun power upon hem are callid ȝefars of benefices, but ȝe not so; but he þat wil a mong ȝow be þe more, be he as þe minister. And Austeyn, Gregor, Ciprian, Jerom, andAusteyn. Gregor. Ciprian. Jerom. Isidor. Isidir, kennen, as is put in þe law, þat it perteniþ to seculer princes to punisch þeis þat synnen opunly. But nowe clerkis bi þer new lawis chalungen to hem þat only it perteniþ to hem to punisch symony, heresy, vsur, auoutry, and periury. Þe fourt. Þe apostil seiþ, we hauing fode and hyling hald vs payed. And bi þe sawis1 Tim. ujo. of Jerom, Ambrose, and Bernard, clerkis how to be content ofJerom. Ambrose. Bernard. liflod, and haue al þingis in comyn. But now bi new lawis, clerkis propriun to hemsilf temporal þingis as seclereis, and not only to liflod and hyling, but to lust and worldly hynes. Werfor it folowiþ, þat oiþer þeis seyntis bar fals wittnes, or þat swilk lawis, bi wilk þis maner of hauing is defendir, ar contrari to hem, and to holy writ; or ellis þat clerkis now are fals witnes aȝen þer lawis, and þefis, and refars, and fals intrewsars. Þe fifth. Þe apostil seiþ, no man halding bi kniȝthed to God, inpliȝeþ him to worldly2 Tim. ijo. bisines; and doctors a cordyn, as is put in þe law. But now al most is no worldly bysines þat ministres of þe auter are not inplied in, as is opun in þer dedis; werof it folowiþ þat þei lif contrari to holy writ, and to þe decrees of hold fadres; and if þei haue ani law defending hem in þis, þan is þe law contrari as þer lif is; if þey haue not, þan þei lif vnlawfuly in þis. Þe sixst. Þe apostil seiþ, no man tak honor to him, but if he be callid of God. AndHeb. vo. after þe decrees of senctis, as is opun in canoun, as it schal be ȝeuen to him þat is callid and forsakiþ, so it schal be naytid him þat offreþ himsilf. But now new lawis kennen þat he þat most offriþ him, and most persewiþ wiþ ȝeftis of hand, tunge, or seruise, he schal be preferrid to þe holiar and abler, bi vertu of a ded bulle. Þe seuynt. God biddiþ þu schalt not do þeft, nor coueyt þe goodis of þi neiȝbor, but ȝeld to ilk man þat is his; and of þe de|Exod. xxo. crees of seyntis, if þu haue foundun ani þing and not restorid it, þu hast reft it. And eft, synnis are so mykil þe greuowsar as þey hold and schuld lengar bynd. But now new lawis kennyn prescrip|coun, þat if ani be in possessioun of oþer mennis þingis by a cercle of ȝeris, he schal ioi it as his oune, as is brokyn of Goddis bidding mak riȝt. Þe heyt. Crist biddiþ in þe gospel to his vicar, turn þe swerd in to þe scheþ; and wordis of doctors and decrees acordynJoh. xuiijo. þat prestis how not to vse þe bodily swerd wiþ þer oune hand, and mani peynis are enioinid in new lawis for breking of þis. But þis not aȝenstonding, þei han founden a new ordinaunce and indul|gencis and remissiouns, if þei sle cristun men wiþ þer oune handis. Þe nynt. Þe apostil seiþ, þe bischop be howuiþ to haue good wit|nes of þeis þat are wiþ out; and Jerom techiþ þat in chesing of þe1 Tim. iijo. prestis requiriþ þe assent of þe peple. But now bi new lawis þeJerom. peple schal not wit þer of. Þe tente. It is seid to prelatis, ȝe are liȝt of þe world, and eft, snybbe þe synnar be for alle; andMatt. uo. after þe decrees of seyntis, and of þe kirk, he þat correctiþ not, schal be gilty as he þat ded þe dede. But now lawis ȝeuen leef to tak money for gret synnis, and þat non schal let hem to contune in synne for þat feynid correccoun. Þe elleuynt. It is seid to prestis, Frely ȝe han tan, frely ȝeuiþ; and to þis acordiþ mani decresMatt. xo. of þe kirk, and doctors, wiþ mani peynis. But now are found new constitucouns of procuracies and customis and oþer expensis, so þat noiþer sacrament, nor benefice, nor ministry, is ȝeuun nor tan frely after Cristis bidding; but oueral goþ symonie priualy or apert. Þe twelft. Þe prophet seiþ to prelatis, Crie, cese not, hie þi voyce as a troump, and schew to my peple þer synnis; cursidIsa. luiijo. be he þat forbediþ his suerd fro blod, þat is his tong, and his traueyl fro correccoun of synne; and doctors cordyn, and hold decres. But now new law kenniþ priuilegies and exempcouns fro iust correccouns of faiþful prelatis and curatis, so þat þey may not reise Sathanas out of his nest, nor hele þe seek. Vp on þis Lincoln crieþ out opon þe pope and seiþ, þat prelatis may not beLincoln. excusid, no but þei happily wil lay al þe synne on þe pope. xiij. Þe Lord biddiþe kepe matrimony vndefoylid, and do non aduowtry; but now new lawis kennen þat þe man and þe woman han bi twex hem drawen to gidre verray matrimony, þat if þe man after tret wiþ a noþer woman, and lye bi her, if þe first woman may not proue her contract, þan þe secound schal be his wif, bi resoun of avowter, and he schal be cursid but if he tak to her as to his wif. And ȝet schal be enioynid bi þe law, in þe sacrament of schrift, vnder þe peyn of dedly synne, to tak þe first and touch not þe secound; experiens of dede prouiþ þat it is þus, and þus him be howuiþ to be cursid, but if he tak boþe, and cursid if he tak oiþer þe ton or þe toþer. Þe fourtent. God biddiþ þu shalt not sey fals witnes aȝen þi neyȝbor, nor lye, nor forsuere þe, nor deme vniustly, nor aȝen sey þe trowþ in no maner; and mani lawis of þe kirk and sawis of doctors de|claryn þis, and enioynen mani peynis for þe trespassors her of. But now clerkis practisyn bi þer new lawis þat a iuge schal witnes bi his dome, þat an oþer mannis þing is myn, and aȝenword myn a oþer mannis, for þe fals witnes of two or of þre aȝen þe trowþ, and if [? ȝif] þe sentens to sle þe innocent and curse þe giltles, ȝa þow he wit þat it is fals. Also if a man be falsly accusid bi two witnessis, if he deney it þat he is accusid of, and graunt þe soþ, þan he schal be condempnid þer of as gilty. Þe xvj. [xv]. Goddis law biddiþ help þe supprissid, jugiþ to þe fadirles, defendiþ þe wydow, and how temporal lordis ow to þole no wrong be don; and mani doctors and lawis and resoun acordyn to þis. But now crien clerkis bi þer new lawis, þat if a man be cursid fourty dayes, þow he be cursid wrongly, and þat þan temporal lordis schal, bi þe bischops signifying or bidding, put him in to prisoun, til he suget him to þer dome, þow it be vniust. Þe xvij. [xvj]. If þat a man wed in to wif in þe face of þe kirk a cosyn of his, þe wilk God forbediþ him to towch, and after þis cosynage is knowen to him, but it may not be known formably bi proue after þe court of plete, ȝef þe woman after axe þe fleschly det, þow it be aȝen þe bidding of God to pay it, he schal be cursid, but if he tret her as his wif. And if he do it, he brekiþ þe bidding of God, and in þis cas he schal not be cursid bi her dome, or ellis he schal dwel cursid þe daies of his lif, efter þe process of þe new decretal wiþ Jon Andrewe. And þis inconuenient mai not be voydid wt mani moo oþer. Þe xviij. [xvij]. Þe apostil seiþ, Ilk þing þat is not of þe feiþ is synne. And þe lawe acordiþ, þat he þat doþ aȝenRo. xiuo. conciens biggiþ to helle. And þis not aȝenstonding þen schal man do þing aȝen his consciens, and curse him but if he obey, and þis is contrari in itsilf and to God boþe, þan þei sey þat a man schal raþer þole þer sentence þan do aȝen his consciens; but war profit wer þat if God curse al þat þei curse, for þan God schuld curse þis man. And it is iuel seid to bid man lett not to his wil for þe curse of God. After þey sey þat wat þing þo bindiþ in ȝerþ or þe kirk, it schal be confermid in heuen; and ȝet þei sey þey ȝef mani sentens þat bindun not anenst God. Þe xix. [xviii.] Eft þe apostil biddiþ men stond, and not be holden aȝen wiþ þe ȝok of seruage,Gal. vo. for law bringiþ no man to profit, not but þat þing þat is maad opun in þe lawe, but he þat sekiþ to be iustified in þe law is fallen fro Crist, for man be howuiþ be iustified of þe feiþ and grace and goodnes of Crist; in þis þat he frely and wilfully trowiþ in to Cristis teching, and felliþ his bidding. But now men seyn hem iust, if þey do þe law after þer wit; an þow þat þei do þing þat is aȝen Crist, and aȝen consciens, þe law schal excuse him, and is inow for him. Also þe pope seiþ in his lawe, þat þer are two lawis, as law of þe spirit, and law maad of men; and who þat is led be þe law of þe spirit is fre, and is not worþi þat he be dreuen vnder maad lawe, and þerfor go he fre bi oure autorite. But now are men lettid oftun bi maad lawis, rewlis, and constitucouns, to wirk after þe spirit, or to do þe merciful dedis or riȝtfulnes frely, bi autorite of Crist; þis is oft prouid many tymys bi deed, os boþ in religious, and oþer, wen it is not leful to hem to do þe dedis of mercy, noiþer bodily, nor gostly, if þer ouer man bid hem be stille, and lefe alle þeis or ani oþer lawis, rewl, or customis, wat euer þei be, wan þei ar not wiþ þo gospel in ani maner substauns formid or vsyng in to perfeccoun of fredum of þe gospel, but are in ani maner, ani tyme, for ani þing, letting, or trobling, or tarieng any þing þat gospel biddiþ, or counseyliþ to be don; in þis þei are aȝen Goddis law, and aȝenis God, aftur þe sentence of Crist befor seid, He þat is not wiþ me, he is aȝen me.

An oþer point is her put þus and axid, þat ilk man is holden to do þing þat is þe better. And me þinkiþ þat ilk man is holden to do þe better; and for þe clerar vnderstonding of þis, I suppose, þat as Goddis byddyng and comyn speche boþe, and as men vnder|stondyn þat bettar or best is seid by þre resouns, or moo, or ellis vp on þre maneris, as sum þing is seid better, or best, þan an oþer in his kynd, form, and vertu; and þus is God seid þe best ouer alle oþer; and þus gostly createris are seid better þan oþer; and þus bi diuers resouns is on seid better þan an oþer. In þe secounde maner is on seid better þan an oþer, for þe maner and þe forme; and þus of þis is oft o þing seid better þan an oþer. And þus if two men do a þing, þe ton is oft seid to do better þan þe toþer. And þus is a man of harmis seid better þan an oþer, and a prest better þan an oþer, and a religious man better þan an oþer, and a housbond better þan an oþer, for he can better, and doþ better þan þe toþer. In þe þrid maner is a þing seid better þan an oþer, in þis, as it helpiþ better by sum wey and mene to þe ȝend of a þing, þan an oþer doþ. And þus sum tyme a þing þat is seid to be warst to sum man, is bi an oþer resoun sed best for sum aȝenword. And þus seknes, and foul weder, and pouert is to sum men best, wan þei are menis to him to kepe Goddis biddingis, and to geyt blis; and so þei are better to him þan riches, or fair wedur, or hele, wen he schuld tak occasioun by hem to do synne, and displece God, and deserue peyn. And þus aȝenword wan þeis þingis are to man in to cause and help to plese God, þan are þei þe better to him. And þus þow it be better in heuen to seyntis to not traueyl, nor be peynid, as we are here, neuerþeles it is better as for þis tyme; for þus seiþ Poule, forsoþ I am constreynid of two þingis, hauing desirPhil. io. to be dissoluid, and be wiþ Crist, mikil better, certis to dwel in flesche is profit necessary for ȝow. Also men seyn, þow contem|platif lif be þe fairar, actif lif is þe profitabler; and al þing as Crist did it so it was best, for he did ay þe best, and all þingis wiþ out defaut. And it is not to sey of alle þe warkis of God, þis is wars þan þat, and if any þing þat Crist dede miȝt haue be don better, þan were not he best and wisest, nor þe miȝtyest; and þis were grete synne to sey; þerfor þe best þing þat ani man may do is to do þat he biddiþ and counseyliþ to do, and to þat ende þat he biddiþ and steriþ; and þis is generaly ilk man holdyn to do, vndre gret peyn, ȝhe boþ of synne, and of punisching, and better þing may no man do, nor in better maner, nor to better ende. For þus is writun in Goddis law, No þing is better þan to drede God andEcclus. xxiijo. kepe his biddingis, nor þing more helfular þan lok in his biddyngis. And eft þus, Dred God and kep his biddingis, þat is ilk man. AndEccles.xijo. Poul seiþ, Noiþer prepuce nor circumcicoun is out, nor out worþ,Gal. uo. not but keping of þe biddingis of God; and ani þing schal not profit to hem but in þis þat God biddiþ him, or counseyliþ him to do it, and as he doþ it for þat bidding and counseyl; and þus is bidun in þe gospel, If þu wil enter in to lif kep Goddis biddingis,Matt. xixo. þat are þeis, þu schalt luf þi Lord God wiþ al þin hart, in al þin soul, of al þi mynd, and þi neȝbor as þi silf; and þis is more þan alle brend offryngis and sacrifice, for in þis hangiþ al þe law and prophetis. An syn þis is bidding of God, man is holden generaly for to do þis, for ellis he may not be saue, as Poule prouiþ, for no penaunce, ne purnes, ne chastite, ne oþer þing þat he may do. And wiþ out swilk oþer dedis many han comyn to heuen. AlsoHeb. xiijo. þus seiþ Poule, þat it is better to stable þe hert in grace þan in meytis, þat han not profitid to hem þat gon in hem. Also þus is writun, Obedience is better þan slayn offring, and for to assent is1 Sam. xvo. better þan for to offer þe fatnes of schep; for it is os þe synne of wychis to repungne, and as þe synne of idolatrie to not assent; and to obey to Cristis biddingis is man euer holden, and not ay to offer. And many moo witnes are how a man is holdun to do þe best. Al so þus seiþ Jerom, He erriþ not menly þat of two goodJerom. þingis puttiþ þe lesse good be fore, and leuiþ þe better; and of þis it semiþ þat he is holdun to do þe better.

An oþer is þis; þat ymagis of seyntis are not to be worschipid. Þis haue I seid, and to sey þis steriþ me, þat God seiþ in his com|aundment, þu schalt not mak þe a grauyn þing, noiþer in ilk liknes þat is in heuen a bouen, ne þat is in ȝerþ be neþ, ne of þingis þatExod xxo. are in wateris vnder þe ȝerþ; þu schalt not lowt, ne worschip hem. And Gregor seiþ þus, If ani wil mak an ymage, as for a bok tulGregor. him, forbed him not, but to worschip þe ymage almaner wittirly forbeed þu him; but þi broþerhed stere bisily þis, þat men tak of þe siȝt of þe þing þe more compunccoun, and be kesed in þe wor|schiping of þe Trinite a lone, for on is to honor þe þing, a noþer is to se þer by wat is to be honorid. And for þis seiþ a noþer, IfAnother. ymagis be worschipid, not bi vicary worschip, but by þe same worschip of God, doutles it is idolatrie; for noiþer þe stok, noiþer þe craft of man is to be worschipid so. It is certeyn bi witnes of holy writ, and of seyntis, and of experiens, þat we awe not to arett swelk þingis, or þingis formid of mannis craft, heyar nor euen to man in kynd, wam God haþ maad to his ymage and similitude; ne we owe not to rett hem more lek to Crist, or to seyntis, in form or representacoun, þan man, ne worþiar ne holyar gostly; ne we howe not to hope ne trist in hem more, ne luf hem better, ne ȝef hem moo þingis, ne grace. God biddiþ vs honor man many fold, and for many causes; and it is not were he biddiþ so worschip þer ymagis, but his forbeding to worschip hem is opunly found. And many veniaunces are schorid to her worschipars, for þus is writun in holy writ, Wat profitiþ a grauen þing? for his feynar haþ hopidHab. ijo. in his feynid þingis, þat he schuld mak doumb simulacre. Wo to him þat seiþ to a tre, be sterid, and a stil ston, arise; weþer it schal not ken sciens? Lo it is helid wiþ gold, and ilk spirit is not in þe bowell. And eft, þe trees polist of forgars, and engilt, andBar. ujo. siluerid, is fals, and may not speke; þey are bout in ilk price, and in hem is no spirit. Wiþ [out] feet þey are born in schuldres, schewing to men þer on nobeley; þey schal be confoundid þat worschipun hem. If þei fal vn to þe ȝerþ, þey schal not rise of hem silf: if ani sett hem vp, þey schal not stand. And if þei þole ani iuel or good of ani, þei schal not quit; þey may not ordeyn a king, ne do a wey, ne ȝef riches, ne quit iuel. If ani vow a vow to hem, and quit it not, þey schal not ax it; þei schal not liuer a man fro deþ, ne pulle a wey þe feble fro þe miȝtiare; þei restore not þe blind to þe syȝt, ne liuer man fro need; þey schal not haue mercy of þe wydowe, ne do wel to þe faderles; þei han no feling; þei are forgid of forgers, and of goldsmiþis; þei schal not ellis be, not but os þe prestis wel; þey schal lefe fals þingis, and repreue þo þat are to cum after; þey reyse not a king to regioun, þey schal not ȝeue reyn to men; þey schal not deme dome, ne liuer þe regioun fro wrong, for þey may no þing; þey schal noiþer curse kyngis, ne blesse; þei schal not schew tokunis in heuen, ne schyn os þe sunne, ne ȝef liȝt as þe mone; after þei schal be rotun, and schal be repreue in þe regioun. Better is þe iust man þat haþ no simulacre, for he schal be far fro repreuis. Þus seiþ þe prophet Baruc. AndBaruc. þe wise man seiþ, Þei are vnblessid, and her trist a mong þe ded,Sap. xiijo. þat han callid goddis þe werk of mannis handis, gold, siluer, and fynding of craft. Or if þe carpenter hew doun of þe wode a tre, and graue it diligently, and forg it, and mak a dwelling for it, setting it in a wal, festining it wiþ irne þat it fal not, loking to it, witing þat it may not help it silf, it is an ymage. And of his substauns, and of his sonis, and of his weddingis making a vow he enquiriþ. He schamiþ not to spek wiþ it, þat is wiþ out sowle: and for hele he prayeþ þe seek, and for lif þe dede, and incalliþ in to help it þat is vnprofitable; and for jurney axiþ of it þat is vnprofitable in all þingis. Blessid þe tre þat riȝtfulnes is don by; but þis þat is maadSap. xiuo. an idol bi hand, is cursid, and he þat maad it. Þerfor respice schal not be idols of nacouns; for þe createris of God are maad in to hate, and foundingis to þe soul of men, and to fot trappis in to feet of vnwyse men. For þe multitude browȝt to bi þe spice of þe warke, now þei ȝeue to hold os God þat bi forn was honored as a man. And þis haþ ben þe desseit of mannis lif; for men deser|uing oiþer to affeccoun, oiþer to kyngis, þey han ȝeuen þe incom|municable name to trees and to stonis; and it sufficied hem not han errid about þe sciens of God, but lyuing in bateyl of vnkun|ning, þus many and gret iuel þey calle pees; forsoþ oiþer sacrify|ing þer sonis, or making merk sacrifices, or hauing warks ful of wodnes, þey kepe noiþer clene lif, ne wedding, but on sleþ an oþer bi enemy [? envy], and vowtrand, or doing a vowtri, drying, and al oþer mengid to gidre, blud, mansleyng, þeft, feyning, corrupcoun, vnfeiþfulnes, trouby, periury, noys, wasting of þe goodis of God, filyng of soulis, chaunging of berþe, vnstedfastnes of wedding, vnkynd lechery, and vnchastite, Þe worschiping of cursid idols is þe bikynning, cause, and ende of all iuel; for wil þey joyen, oiþer þei wax wode, or prophecyen fals þingis, or lyuen vniustly, or for sweren hem sone. Wil þei trist in þe idol þat is wiþ out soule, swering iuel, þey wen hem not be noyed; þer for boþ schal cum worþly to hem, for iuel þei felid of God, tenting to idols. And vniustly þei sware in idol, dispicing riȝtfulnes.

But þu sey aȝen, þat þes, and oþer swilk, are seid of idols þat vnfeiþful men worschipid as þer god, and in wilk þei worschipid deuel, and þat forgid to þe liknes of no þing; for þe apostil seiþ, An idol is no þing in þe world; þey are not seid of ymagis brout1 Cor. uiijo. in bi þe kirk. For þe decre seiþ, Cristun men callen not worscipfulDecre. ymagis goddis, ne seruen not to hem as to goddis, ne put not hope of help in hem, ne abidiþ not in hem þe dome of help to cum, but þei worschip hem to þe memory and record of raþer men, but þei serue not hem wiþ Goddis worschip, ne any creature; þus seiþ þe decre. Forsoþ þe decre seiþ wel, acording holi writ, þat cristun men serue not to hem, ne to ani creature, bi Goddis worschip; þat is þei how not to serue to hem; ne verrey cristun men don not; þerfor þei þat don are not verrey cristun. And it is to note, þat in diueris maners a man haþ a god. First alle we han God Almiȝti, þat is God to alle, and autor of lif, and ȝefar of alle goodis. Þe secound, he haþ god þis þat he moost lufiþ, and wer in he tristiþ, as in God; and þus mani han mani goddis, þat þei sett in þer affeccoun bifor God Almiȝti, and to serue þeym raþer, and wam þei more worschip; os it semiþ of dedis, and of sawis of þe scrip|ture, and of seyntis. And in diuers maner doþ man idolatre; first wan he settiþ in his affeccoun ani þing bi for God; þe secunde, of vndu ordre and cause: and þus on þre wise; first, ȝeuing to þe creature þing onli to God du; þe secound, honoring God vn|honestly; þe þrid, honoring þe creature for God, and vnhonestly. And þus man doþ idolatre in hert synning; for als mani idols haþ a man, as he haþ dedly synnis. Also of his gold and siluer a man makiþ an idol, wan he worschipiþ it a boun God, for þe apostil seiþ,Col. iijo. þat auarice is seruice of idolis. And þus man hoping ouermikil or tristing in a ymage, or making oþer to trist þer in, þat he may coueytously geyt þer good, forsoþ he makiþ to him þer of an idol, and þus in maner doþ as foul idolatre as eþen men. And þis may not be noyed to be don, for many trowen þat ymage to be God, and many trowen Goddis vertu sogetly to be þer in, and þus þey are more affect to o ymage þan to an oþer; þat doutles is idolatre, as trewe men seyn. And þus mani erren, and þis were to be mendid. For þus seiþ Austeyn, Vtterly þei han deseruid to erre,Austeyn. þat han sowt Crist and his Apostlis, not in holy boks, but in peyn|tid walls. Also Clement seiþ, If we wil verreyly worschip GoddisClement. ymage, doing wel to a man, honor þe verey ymage of God in him. In ilk man forsoþ is þe ymage of God, but þe similitud of God is not in alle, but were þe sowle is beninge, and to mynd pure. Þerfor if ȝe wil verily worschip þe ymage of God, we opun to ȝow þis þat is verrey, þat ȝe do wel to a man þat is maad to þe ymage of God, and ȝeue him honor and reuerens; ȝeuit meyt to þe hungry, drink to þe þristy, cloþis to þe nakid, minstring to þe seek, herbarow to þe straunger, and necessarijs to þe prisouner. And þis is þat schal be gessid verrily done; þeis gon so myche in to þe honor of God, þat he þat doþ not þeis þingis, if he may, schal be trowid to do despit to þe ymage of God. Wat honor of God is þis, to ren a bout bi tre, and stone, and formis, and honor as God veyn figeris, and wiþ out soule, and despice man, in wam is verily þe ymage of God. But and beþ certeyn, þat if ani do mansleing, spowsbrekyng, or ani þing of wrong to man, in þis þing þe ymage of God is sylid; þis seiþ Clement. Þerfor now, as Poule biddiþ, fle we for worschiping of idols; for1 Cor. xo. now is God maad man, and perid haþ a man, and schewid to us al þingis of his godhed þat are to lif, and to pite, and we are maad on wiþ Crist, and his body, and his membris, and quiknid of his spirit; þat we schuld do no idolatre, ne worschip no þing for no iuel ende; þat we schuld mak now no dead ymagis, ne idolis of our self, þat we do wan we are wiþ out þe spirit of Crist, and lif in pride, lechery, and fals coueytis, and swilk oþer synnis; þan are we foul idols and foul fendis ymagis, as Crisostom merkiþ wel. And ifCrisost. we worschip and luf þeis þingis, and oþer men for hem, doutles we are foul, doing idolatrie; and þus we do wiþ oþer createris wan we honor hem aȝen Goddis bidding, and a mis, and for foul ende, as Austeyn declariþ. And þus we schuld flee idolatrie þat we do wiþAusteyn. men, þat honor we mikyl more þan Ihu Crist; for wan a man is sett to do þe office of God, and haþ not in him þe vertu of God, ne wit, ne wil, ne dede, wat is he but ymage and idol maad of men. As Bernard seiþ, A kynge vnwise is but a nape in þe house rofe;Bernard. and þus it is of prestis, prelatis, and of oþer religioun, in þe same maner. Wil þu hast habit and schauin croun, and oþer signis wiþ out vertu and lif of spirit, and wiþ out þe dede; þu art but peyntid and lied ymage, as Jerom witnessiþ wel, and idols and similacris.Jerom. Archedeacoun seiþ, As þe heþun men had sex kyndis of similacris,Archedea|coun. cleyen, treen, brasun, stonun, silueren, and golden, so han lordis now sex kyndis of prelatis. Cleyen similacris are fleschli prelatis, of þe wilk þe Salme seiþ, I schal do hem awey as þe cley of þeSalme xuiijo. stretis. Treen similacris are prelatis rude in þer doctrin, and on|sensible of wit. Jerom seiþ, Þe tre is woundun in siluer, þei areJerom. seid to be maad in to prelatis, for þei are tan vp wiþ out mater of dignite, bering vp in her schuldres þat are not but in opynioun. Brasyn prelatis are þei þat han worldli eloquence; of wilk þe apostil seiþ, I am maad as bras sounning, or as þe cymbal tynking.1 Cor. xiijo. Stonen prelatis are þey endurid in temporal þingis bi þe affeccounis of men þat þey brek bi seculer power. Silueryn are þey þat seyn wiþ þer maister to þe persewars of Crist in his membris, Wat wil ȝe ȝeue vs and we schal betray him to ȝow? Goldun prelatis are þey þat are maad only for nobelay of kyn; þus seiþ he. In swilk men schuld idolatre be fled, for þei schuld desir no worschip, obediens, ne seruice, but as God biddiþ hem; so þat in hem God be honorid, seruid, and obeyed, and neuer bid but his biddingis; nor put not his bidding be hynd, for keping of her, for þus doyng þei don werst idolatri, and taken to hem þe honor þat God schuld haue, and putten him out. And þus men schuld obey hem, and trust and serue, os God biddiþ, and no farþer; þat þei do not ido|latrie wiþ hem, if þei obey to þer biddingis aȝen Goddis biddingis, or trust to þer wordis, if þey be not wordis of God.

Þis is an oþer point; þat þe gospel writun is not to be worschipid. As to þis I haue rehersid þe sentens of Crisostom, were he seiþ þus: Sum wil schew hem holiar þan oþer, þei bind to gidre þe part of an hem, or of heris of seyntis, and hangen vp hem. O vnpite!Crisost. þei weling schew more holines in þer cloþes, þan in þe body of Crist; þat he þat ȝet þe body of Crist was not helid, schuld be sauid bi þe holines of þe hem of his cloþ, þat he depering in þe mercy of God, trust in þe cloþis of men. And þe same sentens he haþ aȝen hem þat han þe gospel writun hanging a bout þe neke for ȝele. Wan þei han hirid it in þe kirk and are not ȝelid, and axiþ weþer is þe gospel in leuis of wordis, or in vertu. If it were in þe leuis, þu hangist it resounably, but now it is not in þe leuis of þe parchemyn, but in þe vertu; and bi hering þu art not ȝelid, þerfor in veyn þu hangist þe leuis a bout þi neke. And JeromJerom. seiþ, Wene we not þe gospel to be in wordis of writingis, but in wit, not in ouer face, but in þe merowe, not in þe leuis of wordis, but in rot of resoun; þus seiþ he. But worschiping is tan on mani maner wis; I suppose þat we how not to honor þe gospel þus, þat is to sey, þe henk, or þe parchemyn, and þe figeris; wening werk|yng to be gostly in hem, or þe spirit of God, or þe godhed; noiþer þat swilk writing bi hem silf drif a wey fendis, or seknes, or kep fro harmis, as sum not vndirstonding wel gostly þingis demun; þow we, taking ȝed to þe þing, may after agre worschip such þingis writun, as men seeng þe letter or selle of a lord, may bow him, or do of his hod; and to þis sentens I suppose Austeyn toAusteyn. cord. If he comend hem þat worschipun þe gospel writun or oþer writingis, not for þei rettid hem in hem self holiar or vertuosar, or more effectual, þan oþer, but for þe honor and reuerens þat þei haue finaly in þe þing takun bi hem. But if þu sey, bi þe towching of Cristis body mani were helid, and bi þe towching of his cloþis, as þe gospel schewiþ, and þe apostle sent sudarijs to put on men schaking wiþ fendis, and þei were dryuen a wey. And it is seid, þat a woman maad an ymage of Crist, and an herbe bi touching þer of reyceyuid þe vertu of heling, þer for man may tryst in swilk þingis. And to þis I seid þus, bi sentens of doctors, þat Crist is more excellent and vertuosar þan oþer createris; þe se|cound, þei þat were helid were not helid sympli bi þe touching, but for þe trust þat þei strechid finaly in to God. And for þis seiþ Crist, Þi feiþ haþ maad þe saue. And eft seiþ þe bok, þat noiþerMarc. uo. herb ne plaster helid hem, but þe word of God, þat heliþ al þing; and mani touchid and were not helid, noiþer to body nor to soule. To þe þrid it is seid, þat suilk þingis were first þolid, and miraclis for rude men, and hem to be confermid in þe feiþ. But now þe opun is opun, it is veyn and supersticion to þe peple to haue swilk þingis. Þus seiþ Crisostom, Sum miraclis are of God, and sum ofChrisos|tom. þe fend, for it is to kum power to be ȝeuen to þe fend to do signis not of good part, þer for we how to seek if it be necessary after þe tyme or not. If Crist dede miraclis for þe conferming of þe vn|feiþful, it is opun, wan non is vnfeiþful, it is no nede to do miraclis; þerfor he þat doþ an vnprofitable signe is a fals profit, for he doþ not to edifie oþer in þe feiþ, but þat he boost him silf in his dede. Þus seiþ Bede, and rehersiþ Gregor, Þe tokunnis of miraclis, in þeBede. beginning of þe kirk, were only necessary þat sche schuld growe to þe feiþ, norischid wiþ miraclis, as we watteren plantis til þey han ben rotid, and þan we cesser to watter.

Þeis are oþer two poyntis. On þat charmis on no maner are leful. An oþer, þat it is supersticious to hang wordis at þe nek. As to þeis I haue seid þus; In þe law of God is þus writun, WanDeut. xuiijo. þu cumyst in to þe lond þat þi Lord God schal ȝeue þe, be war þat þu wil not folow þe abhominacoun of þe folk þat þer be, ne be þer not found in þe þat compasiþ his sone or dowter, drawing bi þe fire, ne þat askiþ ariolers, nor dremis, ne chitering of briddis, ne þat þer be wiche, ne enchaunter, þat is chermar in our spech, ne þat axe counseil of hem þat han iuel sperits, noiþer at diuinar, ne seek of dead þingis þe trowþ; for þe Lord wlatiþ of þeis þingis, and of þeis maner of felonies he schal do þeis folk a wey in þi entry; þu schalt be perfit, and wiþ out spot wiþ þi Lord God. And eft, Bow þuLev. xixo. not to þer wicchis, ne axe no þing of þer ariolers, þat ȝe be not polut be hem. ȝe schal not a wat dremis, ne diuyn bi criing of briddis, ne clip þe hed in to round, ne schaf þe hed, ne calle vp on þe dead; ȝe schal not prik ȝor flesch, ne mak to ȝow ani figeris, ne stigmes, þat are woundis. But if þey sey to ȝow, seek of Phi|Isa. viijo. toneris and of diuineris, þat gnasten wiþ þer teþ in her chauntingis, weþer not a peple schal seek visioun of her God, for þe quek and þe dead? Þerfor goþ more to þe lawe and to þe witnes, þat if þei sey not after þis woord, morow liȝt schal not be to hem. Also þus writiþ Austeyn, and is put in decrees, Feiþful prestis ammonestAusteyn. þe peple, þat þei wit þer wichecraftis and enchauntingis to may do no þing of remedy to ani seknes of man, ne of best, noiþer to best langering, halting, or sare, or doing to lech ani þing, but þat þei are panteris of þe wold enemye, bi wilk þe fals fend enforciþ to deceywe mankynd. If ani clerk vse þeis þingis be he degradid, and þe lewid man þat vse þeis þingis be cursid. And eft þus, AAusteyn. waytiþ not þeis Egipcian daies, þat we call dysmal, ne kalendis of Janiuer, in wilk sum seyingis, and comessacouns, and ȝeftis, are ȝeuyn to gidre, as in to begynning of good ȝere, ne monþis, ne tymys, ne ȝeris, ne dayes, ne course of þe sunne, ne þe mone, for ȝe þat a waytun þeis or ani oþer diuiningis, desteneys of auguris, or tenten to hem, or consenten to þe waytars vnprofitably, and wiþ out cause, he howiþ more to his dampnacoun þan to his saluacoun; or þei þat seek bi noumbre of lettres, or of þe men [moon?], and figer of nigramauncy, þe lif or deþ of þe seek, or welþ or disess to cum, or þei þat tentun to dremis writun, and falsly tytlid in Daniel's name, or canelis þat are callid of þe holy apostolis, or chitering of briddus, or sich oþer, for hous to be maad, or weddingis to be couplid, or in gedering of herbis, seiþ ani charme but þe pater noster, or þe crede, or puttiþ ani strowis wiþ figeris writun on men for any infirmite, or vp on bestis, or tenden to wiche falsnes in hailes or tempestis, þey þat trowen to swilk þingis, or gon to þe hous of hem, wite þei hem to haue brokyn þe cristun feiþ, and þe baptem, and to be paynims and apostatais, þat is goyng o bak, and to be þe enemyes of God, and greuowsly to haue incurrid his wraþ, be [but?] if þei mend bi þe penaunce of þe kirk be recounsilid; for þe apostil seiþ, Weþer het ȝe or drynk or do ani oþer þing, do all1 Cor. xo. þingis in þe name of our Lord Ihu Crist, in wam we lifin, are sterid, and ben. Þeis sawis and sich oþer like are trowþ endles, and bidun to us to be kepid wiþ out dispensacoun boþ of God and of þe kirk; as þe decre seiþ, þat þow no þing of iuel be schewid toDecre. be in swilk þingis, neuerþeles ȝet þei are defendid of þe kirk to feiþful men, þat þei go not aȝen vnder þe spice of diuining to þe wold worschipping of idols. And þus þei are bidun to vs to kepe þat we how not to rette þeis þingis in to God til vs, noiþer þis to cause in vs goostly vertues ne maners, noiþer þei may ȝeue til vs grace ne hele, but if we kepe Cristis biddingis; ne þei may not harme vs, if we do his biddingis, for non aduersite schal noy vs, if wickidnes lord not in vs. And if we do his biddingis, al þingis schal obey to vs, os þei are maad to serue vs, and to be soget and boner to vs, and we how not to vse þeis on ani maner, not but as God biddiþ, and counseiliþ vs; þerfor þis semiþ helful, if ani be vexid wiþ seeknes, or greuid wiþ vniust neiȝbor, or on ani oþer seid greuid in ani maner, þat he say wiþ Job to God, How manyJob. xiijo. wickidnes haue I and synnis, schewe me my felownies and my defaultis, þat I wit wat me lackiþ, and þat I mend my sarow, and haue mend þe þingis þat I haue misdon, oþer be vnkunning, or infirmite, or be maleyce, and tak þeis disessis for mending and mercy of God, and mikil less þan I haue deseruid; and tak þan swilk medicynis os God haþ maad, and bidun, and desseyue not veynly himsilf, ne incur not more indignacoun, for it is certeyn þat God haþ don many veniaunce for þeis felownies, and al are writun to our disciplin, correccoun, and warning. And who þat nediþ ani wisdam, or help for ani þing, axe of God, as seynt JameJac. io. seiþ, and al þat is spedful schal plentiuowsly be ȝeuun to him. But neuerþeles, as comyn spech techiþ vs, and Goddis lawe, and clerkis charmis are callid in diuers maner. And þeis þingis may be vsid in syndre maner, þerfor it semiþ to me spedy to clere sum wat þis maner; þerfor I suppose her, þat charmis and enchaunt|mentis for bidun þat þe it are þat are brout in bi fendis curst, and bi stering of fendis, aȝen þe bidding of God, and also be mannis vanite and foly, wiþ out ground of God Almiȝti, and in wilk men trystun of help wiþ outun him, and oftun aȝen as ȝeþun and vn|feiþful don; þus we callid charmers þo þat wil bi þer curst haue a þing þow it plece not God. And þis schewiþ what is a charme, weþer it be charme maad or writun, or þe wirking of þe charmar. And enchauntors are þoo þat in callun fendis to ken hem þingis, or to telle hem þingis be for, or to help hem, weþer þei do it bi preyor, or bi sacrifice offrid to hem, or bi ani oþer vnleful maner. And swilk we callen phitoners. Also ariolers þoo þat maken placis to here God, or wenun to bow God to do for þe place, as Balaam þat sowt to curse þe peple aȝen Goddis bidding: and wan he miȝt not curse hem in o place, he sout to curse hem in a noþer, and went þat God wold haue bowed tul hem. And ruspiceris are þoo þat loken to horis or tymis, are goddis or oþer gouernoris, or wen þat þei may bowe God to do þing in on houre, þat he wil not do in an oþer. An augurreris we calle þoo þat tentun to þe garring and fliyng of briddus, as if þei brout good or harme, or God be led oþer wise þer bi, to do oþer wyse þan as is iust, and good, and merciful, and trewe. And dremridars we calle þoo þat tentun to dremis, os if þey drem bi original and principal cause of God; or iuil or good bi led bi þe drem to do veynly, or vniustly, or to be chongid. Nigramauncers are þei þat bi figeris or markyngis vp on þe dead body of best or of man, þus enforciþ to geit wityng, or to wirk, or þus to bow God. And on þis maner God forbediþ to clep þe hed in to round, or to schaf þe berd, or to mak þus ani figeris on þe dead, os to geit ani þing þer by, but if God wel, or ellis to bow him or chong him þer bi; þus we callen þe magis, þoo þat calculun bi þe sternis þingis to cum, wening as þei were Goddis gouernours, chef of þis world, or ellis þat God may be chaungid, and led bi hem. And þus are callid geomanceris, þat werkun bi þe ȝerþ. And idromauncers, þat þus wirkun bi þe watir. Ayero|mauncers þat wirkun bi þe eyre. Piromauncers þat wirkun bi þe fire. And spices are content vnder þeis maney, as doctors declarun wel; Austeyn, Gregor, Basil, and Isidor, Crisostom, Lincoln, and oþer. And holy writ in many places dampniþ þeis þingis. And þus sortilegers þat settun þer curst finaly in þe cauil, and wenun þat þis lediþ or bowiþ ani þing finali to profit ende. And þus AusteynAusteyn. seiþ, þat þer are þowsand spices of veyn supersticoun, þat is, þing veynly ordeynid, and veynly vsid, and veynly þat men atristun in, and all silk þingis are forbidun ȝe in þis, þat þu schalt not tak his name in veyn. And syn God haþ forfendid þeis þingis, and holi doctoris boþ and þe kirk, as is oft declarid, it is veyn and supersti|coun, and þe kind of idolatrie to vse such þingis aȝen þus mani biddingis, autoritees, witnes and counseilis, be for þat man may proue bi holy writ, and wittnes of seyntis, for þis is soþ, þat is not contrari to himsilf, ne holy writt contrary to itsilf, ne feiþful doc|toris contrary her to, þat seyn to us how þeis þingis are iuel. And if men sey þat swilk þingis are spedeful, for God haþ ȝeuun vertu in herbe, in word, and in ston, and men seen oft at ee þat swilk þingis help, it is soþ þat God haþ ȝeuen vertu in all þingis, þat he haþ maad and ordeynid how þei schal be vsid, and in to wat ende. And so how ilk man to vse hem as he ordeyniþ, but not aȝen his ordinauns, ne wiþ out. And so þis ȝeuiþ not proue, þat þei profit hangid a bout þe nek; bi for þei men fyndun writun and bidun. And þan men seyn swilk þingis help; þis is no certeyn wiþ outen bettar proue, or grounde; for as doctors declarun wel, sum tyme men wen to see a þing wan þei see it not, os is schewid bi jogulors, dremers, and rafars. And sum tyme man is holpun bi treyst þat he haþ in o þing, or bi dred entrid, and not bi þat þing as phisek techiþ and experiens. And sum tyme men wenun to be helpid, whan he is mikile more hendrid. And wan þe fend haþ men in daunger, sum tyme he deseiuiþ hem tul þey do him sacrifice, and þan he cessiþ to harme hem, or fendiþ hem ouer wyl. And þus þei are seid to help. But wan þis is lokid feiþfuly, þey are wel more hendrid þan helpid, wyl þei are brout in to mis trowþ, and hopiþ to haue helpe wiþ out God. As þe decre declariþ wel: AndDecre. if þei sey it be semiþ bi holy writ þat enchauntmentis are good, for þe Salm seiþ þus, Synnars are alienid fro þe wombe, þei haue erridSalm. luiio. fro þe wombe, þei spek fals þingis; wodnes to hem vp on þe simi|litude of þe serpent, os of def heddir stuppend her ȝeris, þat he here not þe voyce of þe enchaunter, and of þe venyn maker, en|chaunting wisly. To þis we sey þat God bi his ensaumpel re|prouiþ synnars þat stoppun her ȝeris, and wil not here his word, ne cast out þe wold venyn, and be helid, and reseyue vertu to ȝele oþer. It folowiþ not of þis, wiþ out more ground, þat he approuiþ her charm forbydun. For in holy writ he enformiþ men and prestis bi similitudis, and ȝet he forbediþ men to vse hem; as he seiþ, þe oxe knowiþ his weldar, and þe as þe crib of his lord; leding vs biIsa. io. hem to know our God, and reprouing vs if we know him not. And neuerþeles be biddiþ vs, Wel ȝe not be maad as hors or mule; inSalm. xxxio. wam is not vnderstonding. And þe apostil seiþ, Wil ȝe not be1 Cor. xiuo. maad barnes in wit, but in malice be ȝe litil. Þerfor seek ȝe a pleynar ground, þat wil stable þeis charmis, þat men usen amis. But God for his endles mercy kepe fro þe malice of þer charmis, and charmers, and coniurars, wichis, sortilegeris, and oþer þat are put in þe general sentens and cursing of þe kirk, fro all þat wirkun bi fendis curst, or veynli wiþ out God, and to wickid ende, and namly fro hem þat enforcen to charme in to iuel dedis, or not to obey to Cristis gospel, ne to þe teching of þe apostlis, and prophetis, and feiþful doctors. Ne þat we schuld know it, ne lif þer after, seying þat we may not understond it, ne þe holy doctoris þat han expound it, wilk þe kirk haþ canoniȝid, but wil led us after oþer dremis, and her ymaginacouns, blouing veynly wiþ fleschli wit, tul þei hold not Crist þe hed, ne go after him, ne sett in him þer ground; but can sey þat wordis of holy writt, and þat are canoniȝed of al holy kirk, soundun not wel, and wel lede vs bi a kirk þat þey seyn erriþ oft, and disseyuiþ and is deseyuid, begiliþ and is bigilid. God Almiȝty kepe vs fro þe malice of þer charmis, and fro þer supersticiositeis, vanites, errors, and desseytis; þat we noþer be disseyuid bi hem, ne disseue oþer men, ne bow not fro Crist tul a noþer, ne hold gospel oþer þan is; for þer is non oþer. And comfort he vs in þe power of his vertu, and in himsilf; and cloþ he vs in his armor, þat we may aȝenstond þe sautis of þe fend; forEph. uio. to vs is no wrestling aȝen þe flesch and þe blud; but aȝen princis and powers, aȝen reulers of þis world, of þeis merknes, aȝen gostlynes of wrechidnes, in heuenly þingis; þerfor tak we þe armor of God, þat we ma aȝenstond in iuel day, and stand perfit in all þingis; gird þe lendis in trowþ, cloþid þe habarioun of rit|fulnes, þe feet schod in þe making redy of Cristis gospel of pes, taking þe scheld of þe feiþ, in þe wilk we may sleckun all þe firun dartis of the enemy. And þe helm of hel, and þe swerd of þe Spirit, þat is þe word of God; in ilk tyme preying, and biseking in spirit, and wakyng þer in ilk tyme, þat we may wet how it is to lif, and to answere to ilk, and to ȝeue resoun of þat feiþ and hop þat is in vs. Þus be comfortid in þe Lord. For now is no wrest|ling to vs aȝen flesch and blud, noiþer to do fleschly batayl, noiþer to sle mennis bodies, nor ȝet to stryfe for fleschly þingis, þat are but after þe flesch. Our wrestling is not only, ne principaly, aȝen þeis þingis, but aȝen princis and powers, rewlars of þis world of þeis merknes, þei are not only fendis and swilk wickid speritis, but þei are also wickid men þat ledun þis world in blindnes, and error, and foli, and malice, and lettun hem to know Crist, and behetun hem grace, wan þey mak hem sikir, ne wit not for þei schal haue it. Wyl þei hemsilf lyuen in þer corrupcoun, wot not how þei may mak hemsilf sikir; þey are rewlars of þe world of þeis derknes, for þei hiȝt men assoyling, wan þei wit not if it be, and þey led boþ himsilf and þeis þat þey assoyl in blindnes, and desseyue boþ. And þus wan þei condemp vniustly a iust man on many sidis, þei led men in blindnes, and þus wan þei erre are desseyuid and dis|seiuen, all þis is in mirknes. And ȝet þey deny to men þe undir|stonding of þe gospel, and seyn men may not undirstond it, and þei graunt þat þei undirstond it not, and þei wel bi deneris. And þus þey may not deme but þat þei lede þis world in mirknes. But it is scham to hem to sey þus, þat ere kirk erriþ, sin he and his kirk is o persone, and also if þe kirk err, men may be in dout of her dedis, wan scho erriþ, and wan not; and were it vnsikir to trow to her canoniȝing, approuing, or afferming, or autoriȝing bifor þat þei proue hem bi sikirar ground; þerfor as God ordeynid men to strif aȝen þeis princis, þat all be drifun in to þe seruice of Crist, and groundid and formid bi him. And oþer goostly þingis of schrewdnes in heuenly þingis, þat are þei þat feynun in ypocrisy and color þingis þat þei tak and understond misser, as boþ holy mennis lif, and oþer vertuous werkis, þat men mis vndirstonden now, and turnen al in to pride and coueteys, and vndir lustis. And þus turnen sacramentis þat are gostly þingis, for gostly þing don, vse þei more in fleschlynes þan in to gostlynes, as in to couey|teis of þe flesch and þe world. Aȝen þeis þingis bihoue men to wrestil in þo maner, as Crist himsilf ded and his apostlis. And þerfor it behouiþ to tak þe armor of Crist, and gird our lindis in his trowþ, þat our affeccoun and al our lif and wark be led bi him, for he is þe first trowþ. And þan we be cloþid þe habarioun of riȝtwisnes, to held to ilk man, þat we howe bi his lawe to frend and fo, to suffreyn and suget, and þat we deme non man, but as God biddiþ; for who is he þat seiþ þis þing schal be don, and þe Lord comaund not, but Balaam seid he miȝt not spek, but þat þe LordNum. xxiiio. put in his mouþ, and þerfor wan he wold haue cursid hem in anger, he blessid hem; and mak ȝor feet to be shod in arayng of þe gospel of pees, þat al our wark and our wille be to mak pees; andEph. vio. take we þe helme of ȝele, þat is good hope, and þe swerd of þe Spirit, þat is Goddis worde, boþ to strik wiþ, and to vndirnem misdoars, and to defend hem of. But if þei sei may we not vndir|stond, appily þei wot not, for God may ȝeue vndirstonding to wam he will. And if þei suppose hem to han, and of God, so may God delen it til an oþer, and þerfor may þe first wit if þei sey þei haue not, þan are þe foolis to deme men. And þan dar I wel sey, þei vndirstond not þeis men, þat þei wet weþer þei sey wel or iuel. If þei sei we can not, or we vndirstond amis, pray we hem, for Ihu sak, to enform us, bi þe trowþ of holy writt, and trowþ brout out bi resoun, þat may not fayle, and bi sensible trowþ, and be we euer more redy to be mendid bi þe trouþ of Crist, for we are not so sikir þat we be wiþ out faut, error, and vnkunning. Þerfor þat we may cum out, and cum to þe knowing of trowþ, and lif þer after, euer pray we to Ihu Crist.

An oþer is put and is askid þus; þat þe vowe of religioun is aȝen Cristis gospel. To þis I haue seid þus, þat þe name of religioun is takun in mani maneris; os sum tyme for þe trowþ þat rewliþ a man to serue duly his makar. And sum tym for þe act and þe state procedyng of þis religioun. And þe þrid, materialy, for þe personis þus enclinid. And þus þe keping of Cristis lawe is callid religioun, bi holy writ, and holy doctors. In þe secound maner are religious callid þoo þat departun from oþer puple bi sectis foundun, and bi tradicouns, and oþer sensible ritis. And in þis maner wer þer þre sectis among þe Jury, Phariseis, and Esseis, and Saduceis. Eft it be howuiþ to not, þat to a wowe is a resonable creature to obey him to his souereyn, to kep sum hard þing þat is sensible, or vnsible, a bout þing ay lasting or temporel, wise or vnwyse; wise, wan it is acording to God, efter his lawe to þe worschip of God, and profiȝt of þe vowar; vnwise, wan it is only about temporal þingis, or vnhonest, or vnprofitable to soule hele; werfor it be howuiþ þe vowar be in fredam, hauing feruor to do plesing Goddis þingis, þat are to soule hele; and þat he entend to fulfil, ellis he synniþ in vowing, and so his vow is synne; as if it be more for lust of flesch, pride of world, or to geit temporel riches, or in to harm of ani man, or swilk oþer, þan for honor and worschip of God. Þerfor it is seid þus, four þingis are requirid to ilk vowe þat oblischiþ: first, principaly, þat it be maad to God, sin it is þe worschipful dede only to be ȝeuen to God. Þe secound, þat is bi þingis only good and profitable to hele of soule, and not iuel þing, nor of filþ, nor vnleful, ne noyes to ani man, ne letting of ani maundment of God, or counseil of Crist, efter þe decre of Isidor,Isidor. seing þus: In iuel hiȝtis, kut þe filling a wey of þing þat is hiȝt. In fowl vowe, chaunge þi decret, and do not þis þat þu hast vowid unwarly. Þe þrid, þat it be made wiþ deliberacoun, þat þe purpos or entent be not misrewlid, for if it be foly, or vniust, or vndiscret, or letting þing more profitable, it is not to be kepid, but vtterly to be brokin, after þis þat Ecclesiastes seiþ, An vnprofitable and aEccles. uo. foul hiȝt displeciþ God. And as he is seid vnfeiþful þat doþ not þis þat he hiȝt, so is he þat doþ not of þe feiþ, þat is of þe ground of God, or not of good in witt or ordre, for ilk þing þat is not ofRom. xiuo. þe feiþ is synne. And in a oþer place it is seid, þo vowis of foolis are to be broken. And wilk þei are Hugo declariþ, in his book ofHugo. sacramentis, seying þus, Þo fowl wowis vndirstond al þat are iuel of hem silf, or ellis þof þei be good, þei are not ordinat. Or wan more iuel is of hem þan good is in hem. Þe fourt requirid to a vow is, þat it be wilful. Þan if þe vowe of religioun is circum|staunsid, þan it is plesing to God, and wiþ þe gospel; ellis if it be contrarili be gunne, led, or contenid, who doutiþ þat ne it is synne? Þerfor iuge religiouse men in þer consciens, if þei ground hem þus in her vowis, and ilk feiþful man loking in holy writt, and þe lif of Crist and his apostlis, and her dedis, after þingis þat are seid semyn to be contrary. Certeynly if þe vow of religious men, or of ani man, is not wiþ þe gospel, to þe perfeccoun of þe fredam þer of, but in ani maner letting or trobling or tariing þing þat þe gospel biddiþ, or counseiliþ, þan certeynly al so it is aȝen þe gospel; after þe sentens of Crist, þat seiþ, He þat is not wiþ me, he is aȝen me,Luc. xio. and he þat gedreþ not wiþ me, he scateriþ. As if ani person obeyed him wiþ wickid stering, or onordinatly, to do ani þing þat is forbedun bi þe law of God, or to lef þing þat God biddiþ do, as sum wil mak her awowe þat þei wil not do þe dedis of mercy, oiþer þat þey wil not ehyt flesch, tul þei be vengid of sum man, but if he ouer tak, þei wille oþer mak a vow to fast, or to go pilgrimage, for to do þer lechery, or veniaunce of sum man. Also þoo þat byndun hem to kepe ani staat or degre, or rewle more for cause of hiȝnes of þe world, or worldly riches, or lust of flesch, or to do ani þing, oiþer bi her causis, or ellis wan he is lettid bi þe vow to do þe ded þat God wold him to do, as þus his vowe is aȝen þe gospel. And ilk þat vowiþ ani þing to do in any maner for ani cause, wiþ out mening of þe Holy Gost to do so, he synniþ in þat vowing; þerfor if religious vowen in þis maner, doutles þer vow is synne, and aȝen þe gospel; as if possessioneris to kep þe religioun of monk, or chanouns, more to be partiners of temporal goodis, and to lif in delitis, and hiȝnes of þe world, þan to lif in wilful pouert, dewe obediens, and chastite. Who doutiþ þat ne as þus þey synne aȝen þe gospel? And if þei do not þat þei hiȝt, it is þe more aȝen þe gospel, and þe biddingis of God, seying, Wan þu hast vowid a vowEccles. uo. to þe Lord, þu schalt not mak it void, but fil þis þat þu hast hiȝt, for an vnfeiþful man and a foole hiȝt displeciþ God; as if freris obeyid hem þat þei beg, for al þer tyme is in begging, þat is aȝen þe gospel, as it is seid in oþer placis, or wan þey obey hem to absteyn from meytis, aȝen Cristis fredam, þat biddiþ his disciplisLuc. xo. eyte swilk as men settun to hem. If þey bynd hem in þe con|trary, þat þey be not in fredam to do þus, but if Crist had for bedun it hem, ellis it is aȝen þe gospel, for swilk are reprouid of þe apostil seying þus, Þe spirit seiþ opunly, þat in þe last tyme1 Thi. iuo. sum schal depart fro þe feiþ, tenting to spiritis of error, and to kening of fendis, speking lesing in ypocrisy, and hauing þer con|sciens iren brondit; forbeding men to be weddid, and abstening fro metis, þat God haþ maad to be tan of feiþfulmen, and þoo þat knowun þe soþ, wiþ doing of gracis, for it is halowid wiþ þe word of God and by prayoris; for ilk creater of God is good, and no þing to be castun a wey, þat is hawid bi þe doing of grace. And neuerþeles þe meyt comendiþ vs not to God, nor filiþ vs not, but frely it may be tan, and frely left. Also if þei vow hem to hold an abit, or oþer ritis, and God behitiþ no meed for þe keping, but raþer reproue, as he dede sum tyme þe Phariseis, doutles þat is aȝen þe gospel. It semiþ þus, wan it is not groundid þere, and is wiþ out med aylasting; for þis is pleinly aȝen þe gospel bidding, Þu schalt not tak þe name of þi Lord God in veyn, and þis bidding he brekiþ þat doþ ani þing wiþ out God ordeyning it, or þat lefiþ his bidding, or doþ ani þing for wilk he is not to be medid in blisses for euer. And if religiouse men bindun þus to be obedient, and puttun þer will under mannis will, more þan under þe will of God, so þat it behowuiþ to do þe will of man, be it hout worþ or nout, and wat þat God biddiþ hem do þey may not do it, if þer ouer|man bid hem cerse, or to do þe contrari, certis þis is aȝen þe gospel; and þat we axe in our pr. nr. Our fader þat art in heuen,Luc. ujo. þi wyl be it don, in ȝerþ as it is in heuen. And þus wan religiouse men are lettun bi þer vow fro þer preching of Goddis word, and fro filling of þe dedis of mercy, and fro riȝtwisnes manifold, as þei knowlech, and are nedid bi al þer tyme to comyn wiþ þer breþer, þow þei be symonientis and synnars, þat God forbediþ tak meyt wiþ, or hald felischip wiþ; it is certeyn þat in swilk casis her vow is aȝen þe gospel. And wan þe vow of religious is to wilful bodily pouert, and obediens, and chastite, to be kepid, but now our religious lifiþ and flowiþ among all men most in delitis, and ha|bundiþ in worldly riches, and takiþ to hem worldly honoris: certeynly oiþer þey han feynidly and falsly a noþer vow aȝen þeNota. gospel, or ellis þey brek þer vow. And weþer it be so or so, þe toon or þe toþer, þe vow is aȝen þe gospel, and dampnable; werfor Prosper, in his book of contemplatif lif, seiþ þus, It is to sarow heProsper. seiþ, þat þer sum in þeis daies þat wel be ooneris, but in express maneris þei kast no þing a wey, þei chaunge not þe mynde but þe cloþ, þei are þat forsakun þe world only in word, but not in werk, þei lifen worldly, and hidun þer bicis wiþ a veyn hiȝt of better lif, and mantel it wiþ a name of ymaginid religioun, þey tak for vertu, þe opiniun of vertu, þey wil be seen a mong men dredy and just, þei diuerse fro þe puple, not in mynd, but in cloþ, not in lifing, but in habit only, in liknes, but not in effect, þei study to be seen gret, but not to be, þei preeche gret þingis but þei do hem not, þei accuse vices, but þey do not a wey, þei ben in wordis, but þei do not in dedis. In opun þei feyn hem to be displecid of þingis þat þei don in hid; þei knowlech to know and luf God, but in dedis þey deney. In habite and lifing þei han þe form of pite, but þei deney þe vertu þer of. And for þis þei disseyue þe moo, for þei transfiger hem in to an aungel of liȝt, and wiþ face and tonsur pretendun a schadowe peyntid of religioun. Werfor it is don þat þei are maad desseyuable ypocritis, and lurkyng woluis of ref under a schepis flees; of wam it is seid bi þe prophet, Þe dred ofPs. xxxuo. God is not bi forn þer een. Alien sonis han liȝed to me, alien sonis han ȝeldid and crokid fro þi pathis, arett þu þer lifing damp|nacoun, þat lufun þe maner of þe world for þe cloyster, and dispice for Crist a fewe facultes, and couetun moo aȝen Crist, and inword coueyteis restiþ or lurkiþ under dispicyng of temporal þingis. Of þeis seiþ Bernard to Eugeny þe pope, Þei are þat suffur not to beBernard. vnder lowtid, þei kan not be abouen, þei are vnfeiþful to þer soue|reyns, vneuyn to þer lowar, vnschamful to axe, bolde to denay, vnrestful tul þei tak, vnkynd wan þei han tane, þei ken þer tongis for to spek gret þingis, wan þei do but litil þingis; þei are largist bihiȝtars, and scarsist geuars; glosandist flaterars, and bitandist bacbitars; simplist glosars, and warst willid traytoris. And Lin|Lincoln. coln seiþ þus, A cloystrer of priuat ordre, and specialy a frere wandring voyd in the world, is a ded careyn, gon out of þe graue, woundun in dedly cloþis, schaken of þe fend a mong men: þei are tokunid bi þe wif of Loth, þat, after þe going out of Sodom, lokingGen. xixo. aȝen, was turnid in to an image of salt. An image haþ þe similitud of a man, but not þe trowþ. So swilk similitudis of religious efter habit, and ypocrit signis, and neuerþeles not hauing þe vertu of Cristis religioun; werfor þe messangeris of Saul, seking Dauid in1 Reg. xixo. þe bed, fond a simulacre and geyt skinnis. And Peter and JonJoh. xxo. seking þe graue, fond but a sudary. And of wilk seiþ þe Lord, NoLuc. ixo. man leying hand to þe plowe, and loking aȝen, is able to þe kyn|dam of God. And þe epistil of Jude, Erring sternis, to þe wamJude. wirlwynd of mirknes is kepid vn to wiþ outen ende; þus seiþ he. Weþer þe vow of religioun is not veyn, Seynt Jam seiþ, If ani wen hem to be religious, not refreyning his tong, but disseyuing his hert, his religioun is veyn. Religioun clene at God, and at þe Fader, is þis, to visite þe fadirles and madirles, and wydowis, in þer tribula|coun, and kep hem silf vnfilid of þis world.

Þis is a noþer, Þat religious men are bounde to bodily warks; þat semiþ soþ bi þis. In þe state of innocens God sett man in paradis of delite, leking þat he schuld wirk and kep it. In to þis stat of synne God kest man out of paradise in to þe ȝerþ, þat he schuldGen. io. wirk þe ȝerþ þat he was tane of, and seid to him, In swot of þi chereGen. iiio. þu schalt eyt þi brede, tul þu turn aȝen in to þe ȝerþ þat þu art tan of. Also in þe comaundement, þu schalt wirk six dayes and do þiExod. xxo. wark. Also þus biddiþ þe apostil, He þat stale steyle he not, butEph. iuo. more wirk he wiþ his handis þing þat is god, þat he haue wer of to ȝef to him þat nediþ. And eft he seiþ, Breþern, we warn ȝow,2 Thes. ult. in þe name of our Lord Ihu Crist, þat ȝe wiþ draw ȝow fro ilk broþer going inordinatly, and not after þe ordre þat þei han tane of vs; for ȝe wot wel it be howuiþ to folow vs, for we han not ben inquiet among ȝow, ne etun ani mannis bred for nouȝt, but wirk|ing in trauel, and werynes, boþ day and niȝt, þat we schuld greue none of ȝow. And þis we did, not os if we had no power, but þat we schuld ȝef to ȝow a forme to folow vs; for [wan] we were at ȝow, þis we wernid ȝow, þat if any wold not wirk, þat he eyt not; for we han hard sum a mong ȝow to lif inquiet, no þing doing, but leding þer lif curiously, and we warn ȝow in þe Lord, þat þei þat are swilk, wiþ stilnes wirking, eyt þer bred. And her seiþ Austeyn,Austeyn. in his book of warkis of monkis, Þe apostil wrowt wiþ his handis þingis able to mannis vse honestly, as þe warkis of carpenteris han hem, werkis of sewars, and of feld telars, and like to þeis. Pa|triarkis fed bestis; þe grekis had hem þat we callen pagaynis, her most honorable philosophurs, sowtars. In þe kirk, þis ilk, iustar man, to wam þe blessid maydun Mari was spowsid, þat bar Crist, was a carpenter. If þe patriarkis, þat were þe nobliar of þe Jewis, herdid bestis; philosophurs, þat were of þe bettar of pagaynis, wer sowtars; Joseph, þat was of þe bettar of cristun, was a carpenter; Poule, after þat he was apostil, mad tabernaclis; if all þeis wrout bodily, þat þei schuld not be constreynid to axe þer necessarijs, or to begge, þat is þe same, of wat professioun, or sect, or law, coueit þei to be, þat, aȝen so mani ensaumplis of seyntis, schamun not to beg? And in þe decre is þis notid, þat bi þe saumple of þeDecre. apostle, clerkis may lefuly labor honestly wiþ þer handis, wil þey lefe not Goddis þat is more profitable. And eft Austeyn seiþ, Wat doAusteyn. þey þat wil not wirk bodily? I desire to wit to wat þing þey tent? Þei sey to prayor, salmis, and redingis, and to þe word of God, þat is preching, forsoþ, he seiþ, an holy lif. But if we schal not be callid fro þeis þingis, we schal not eyt, ne meytis ar not to be mad redy, ilk day þat þey be tan. But if ned of mannis infirmite con|streyn þe seruaundis of God to þeis þingis, in certeyn interuallis of tyme, why ordeyn we not sum partis of tyme to kepe þe apos|tlis bidding of wirkyng bodily? Sunnar is þe prayor hard of o buxum man, þan tenþowzand of a dispicer; þey seyn hem to tent to lessoun, fynd þey not þer þat þe apostil biddiþ, wat ouerþwartnes is þis to wil not obey to þe lesson? Wil þey tent þer to, and þat þe lessun be rad þe lengar to wil not to do þis þat is red? Who wot not ilk man to profit so mikil þe sunnar as he doþ sunnar þe good þat he rediþ? Also in þe rewle of Seynt Frauncis is red:Ffrauncis. Freris lif þey first of þe labor of þer handis, þe secound of þing frely ȝeuun; and wan þeis suffice not, haue þey lefe to axe. And in þe rewle of Seynt Benet; Idilnes is enemy to þe soule. AndBenet. þerfor in certeyn tymis how þe breþern to be occupied in þe trauel of her handis. And eft certeyn horis in Goddis lessen, fro pasch tul þe kalendis of Octobre, goyng vtterly fro þe first hor tul almost þe fourt, traueil þis þat is necessary fro þe fourt tul þe sixte, tent þei to þe lessoun. And if ned, or pouert of þe place, axe þat þei be occupied to gedre frutis, be þei not euy, for þan are þey verely monkis, if þey lif of þe labor of þer handis, os our fadres and þe apostlis; þis þere. Now þan ilk man ley to his hert to þeis sawis, and oþer, þat he see and understond, and after þe plesing of God perform and fille in dede; schak a wey idilnes, vanite, curiosite, and superfluite, glotany, and lust, and swernes, and oþer þingis þat bringyn in nede. And reyse he dissolut handis, and dresser riȝt weies to his feet, and comfort tremeling knees, in to þe wirkyng of good þingis. Snyb he þe idul, solace hem of litul hert, and beSap. iijo. pesful to all to þe hert, ffor gloriouse is þe frut of good labors; for þe Psalme seiþ, For þu schalt ete þe labor of þi handis, þu artPsalm. cxxuijo. blessid, and wel schal be to þe. In þis tyme bi grace, and in tyme to cum bi glory, wan þe Lord schal bid calle þe warke men, and pay hem þer mede, mikil glory and honor for þer good warkis; and þan he þat wyl not now wirk, schal not be punischid wiþ men, but warst of all oþer, for he brekiþ Goddis bidding, and steyliþ aȝen þe Lordis leue þis þat he eytiþ. And so he schal be put wiþ þefis. And for his idilnes wan alle þing schal be ȝeuen to rest, þan his trauel schal be gynne in sarow.

Þis is an oþer; þat it is not leful to religious to beg. To þis I sey þus; þow it be leful to ilk man to beg in nede, neuerþeles it is [not] leful to ani man wiþ oute nede of releue and iust nede dispicing riȝtfulnes; noiþer to gedre him mikil worldly riches, noiþer wasting his tyme in idilnes, noiþer þat he wast himsilf and his goodis, and oþer mennis, in lustis, and in oþer veyn curiositeis. And for þe declaring of þis mater, I suppose first, þat begging is tane in diueris maneris, as gostly or bodily; and sum tyme ver|tuously, and sum tyme synfully, and sum tyme peynfully. Þer for þat to beg understond is sum nedy man to aske, be syde þe titul of worldly dett, helpe for his releue schewing be signe or bi tokun or be expresse voyce. And þus it semiþ þat Crist in manhod, as alle kyngis and princis lifyng, are nedid to beg of God al miȝty. And þus all begging of God gostly godis for relef of hem, and of her breþern, to be releuid of þer synnis, peynis, and wrechidnes, in case þei beg medfuly. Also þus man leuyng occupacoun about temporal þingis, and necessariis of lif, for wark mere profitable and more gostly, and helful to soule, and þerfor it nediþ to beg. And to swilk wit, as doctors seyn, is þis verrified of Crist, þat þe Salm seiþ, I am beggar and pore, and nedy, and helples, and swilk oþer; ffor he taking our kynd, was mad nedy and helples for vs, and þus he beggid gostly goodis for vs of þe Fadir. And þus, as it semiþ to sum of þe sawis of Seynt Bernard. Wan Ihu was of twelf ȝereBernard. age, he dwellid still in Jerusalem after his parentis, þat he schewyng beggid his liflod fro dore to dore in Jerusalem, for þat he goyng in þe cite, schewid his ned to be releuid of þer defaut þat hauȝt to haue releuid him, so miȝt oþer; ffor far is þis fro hem þat beggun wiþ out nede, or wen þey miȝt oþer wise be susteynid, or for lust, or for oþer vndu caus beggen baldly. Wylful begging of stalworþ men is forfendid to ilk cristun man of þe apostil of Crist, and of God himsilf, of Salomon it is vggid, and many fold reprouid of holy doctoris; so þat þe almes of þe pore schal not be ȝeuen to hem þat are sufficient and miȝty to traueyl, for þei þat are swilk ask almis vniustly, despicyng þe bidding of þe apostul, seyng,Poule. Wirkiþ wiþ ȝoure handis, as we haue bedun ȝow. And desiriþ no þing of no man. And if ani obey not to our word, bi þe epistil, þat is to sey, þat he absten him fro begging, wan he may wiþ bodily traueyl geyt his lyfyng, lok þat ȝe be not men kyd wiþ him, þat he be counfoundid, and cast out fro alle, wexe schamid, tul he soget2 Thess.ult. him to þe biddingis of þe apostil. And syn no man how to cast out fro comyning of cristun men, but for dedly synne, it folowiþ þat he synniþ dedly, þat wilfully, and witingly, bindiþ him to swilk a staat contening traueil, þat he beg for euer. And it semiþ þat oon þus endurid, is not in þe staat of men to be sauid. Also Salamon seiþ, Lord ȝeue me not begrye ne riches, but only neces|Prou. xxxo. sariis to my lifing; þat appily I be not greuid to denay God, or constreyin be nede to steyle, or forsuer þe name of my Lord God; þat is, as þe Glose seiþ, þat I falle not in to forgeyting of euerGlose. lasting, for nede, or scarnes of passing þingis. Also þus seiþ God in his law, Vtterly a nedy man begging be þer not among ȝow.Deut. xuo. As if he sey þus, Sufferiþ not in ȝour defaut ani to fal in to so gret defaut þat he be nedid to beg. And bi þe same, No man bring himsilf vniustly vn to swilk stat. And wiþ ned it is iust þat he beg. And þus seiþ Austeyn vp on þis word þat Crist seiþ, GifAusteyn. to ilk askyng þe. If þu gif not þat he askiþ, þu schalt ȝeue bettar, whan þu iustly amendist him þat askiþ vniustly. And Crist biddiþ,Luc. xijo. Selle þat ȝe haue and ȝeue almis, þat is, as þe Glose seiþ, þat ȝorGlose. þingis left after warkis wiþ ȝor handis, þat ȝe haue wer of to lif. Also Austeyn seiþ, Bred is tan a wey more profitable to þe hungri,Austeyn. if he siker of lifing despice ritfulnes; þat is, bred brokun to þe hungry þat he desseyuid tent to riȝtwisnes. Also Jerom seiþ, ÞeiJerom. þat sufficy to hemsilf, or to be susteynid bi þe goodis of parentis, and namly, but if þei clerkis, if þei tak gylfuly under color of nede, þis þat is dewe to þe pore, doutles þei do sacrilege, and bi misusing of swilk þingis þei eyte and dring dome to hemsilf. Also ProsperProsper. seiþ, Þei þat han her owne, if þei wil ani þing be don to hem, þei tak not wiþ out gret synne þat þe pore man schuld lif of. As ȝeld in almis schal be putt be fore, þat þei only take pore mennis meytis, þat may not labor ne suffice not. Eft Austeyn seiþ, Wan we mayAusteyn. labor, we how not begging tempt God; þat as þus þat we may of his gift. And sin we lif þer of, we lif of him gifyng, for he haþ ȝeuen þat we may. Also þe begging of clerkis is schenschip ofJerom. bischops; ffor þus seiþ Jerom, Now syn coueyteis haþ waxen in þe kirk, as in þe empyr of Rome, lawis gon a wey fro þe prest, and visioun from þe prophet, al bi power of bischopis name þat þei chalang unlefuly to hem wiþ out þe kirk. Also þei dryue in to þer vsis al þat is of dekunis, ne þei chalang not þis only þat is ascriuid, but þei tak a vey all þingis fro alle men; þe vnblessid clerk beggiþ in þe strete, and boundun vnder seruil werk he askiþ almes opunly of ilk man. And of þis is he þe more dispicid of all, þat he wrechidly desolat is gessid to be fallun iustly to þis wrechidnes þo bischopis a lon lowen to ȝeftis. Alon he vsiþ ministry. Alon he chalangiþ to him all þingis. Alon he assoyliþ oþer partyes. Alon he sleþ all. And for coueytis of prestis oft risun hatis; þer for are bischopis accusid of clerkis; þer of þe biginning of strif; þer of þe cause of detraccoun; þer of is maad þe beginning of synne. For soþ, if ilk man in þis world is bidun to haue sum þing, þat he be content only wiþ possessioun, and tak not oþer mennis þingis, noiþer þe feld, noiþer þe wyne of þe pore, nor his wayn, nor his money, nor his frutis, how mikil more he þat is prest to þe kirk of God howiþ in al þing to kep riȝtwisnes, þat he chalang only þis to him þat [he] knowiþ to be of his riȝt, and ref not oþer mennis þingis, ne touche; feel he him euyn wiþ oþer. Also, in þe story of Seynt Clement is found, þat PetirClement. blamid Clementis modir begging, and seid sche schuld wirk wiþ her handis. And also þat Clement Pope hadde writun be nam all þe nedy folk of þe cuntrees, and he þolid not hem to be soget vn to begry, þat þe clensing of baptem had halowid. Also bi lawe cyuil it is not leful to a miȝty body to beg; þerfor be þey war þeis vniust beggars, and ilk man se to wam he ȝeue almis, wat maner and whi, and wherof; for þus biddiþ Crist, Wan þu makist a meytLuc. xixo. or sopar, calle þu not þi riche frendis, neybors, ne cosynis, þat þei bid not þe aȝen and reward be maad to þe. But calle þe pore, blynd, crokid, and feble, þat han not werof to quit þe, and þu schalt be blessid, and it schal be quit þee in þe rising aȝen of riȝtfulmen, for þey may not. And God seiþ bi þe wise man, If þu schalt doEccli. xijo. wel, wit to wam, and þer schal be mikil grace in þi goodis. Do wel to þe iust man, and þu schalt fynd reward of God, þow þu fynd not of him. ȝeue to þe mercyful and reseyue not þe synnar; ȝef to þe good, and to þe mek do wel, and ȝef not to þe vnpitous; forbede þi louis to be ȝeuen to him, þat he be not miȝtiar in hem þan þu. For þu schalt fynd double iuel in all goodis, þat þu dost to him; ffor God haþ synnars to hate, and he schal ȝeld veniaunce to þe wickid. And þus is also bedun, Wil þu not do almis of oker and vsur; þat is, do not swilk defautis to do almis þerof, ne hald ȝow not clen þerof, but if we mak oþer dew satisfaccoun; ffor þe decre seiþ, Þe offring of wickid þing is filid, for God approuiþ notDecre. þe gestis of wickid men, nor he lokiþ not in to þe offring of þeEccli. xxxiuo. vnpitous. Nor he schal not be merciful to synnis, in þe multitud of þer sacrifice. Bred of þe nedy is þe lif of þe pore; he þat de|fraudiþ him, he is a man slear; he þat schediþ blud, and he þat doþ fraud to þe hirid hyne are breþer. Perchauns sum man þinkiþ it, are mani riche men auarous and couetous, I haue no synne if I tak it fro hem, and gif it to þe pore; I may geyt mede of þis, þat þei do no good of. But þis þout is sterid to him bi sleyt of þe fend, for if a man gef al þat he took, þis is not to be wenid almis, if þis be ȝeuen or despendid to þe pore þat is getun of leful þingis. ffor he þat takiþ iuel in þis entent þat he ȝeuiþ wel, he is moreGregor. greuid þan helpid; þerfor þat we tak no þing vnder color to do almis wiþ synne, þe scripture for bediþ, seying, Offringis of wickid|Prov. xxjo.men are abhominable, þat are offrid of felonie; he þat offriþ sacrificeEccli. xxxiuo. of þe substaunce of þe pore, os he þat sleþ þe sone in þe siȝt of þe fadre. And wat þat is offrid in felony in þe sacrifice of God it softiþ not, but steriþ his wraþe. It semiþ wel þat þeis vniust beggars, and namly þe ministers of þe kirk, brekyn þe bidding of God; ffor he biddiþ þus, Vtterly a nedy man and beggar be not aDeut. xuo. mong ȝowe; þat is to sey, Þoliþ not in ȝour defaut ani fal in to so gret nede, þat he be nedid to beg. And bi þe same ne man schuld blamfuly bi idulnes, bi rechlesnes, noþer bi wast, noiþer bi foly, bring him silf to swilk nede. And if he dede, men schuld not ȝeue to him þat he askiþ, as is befor seid. And for Salamon seiþ, ÞeProv. xxo. slowman wold not in winter here for þe cold; þerfor he schal beg in þe somer, and þer schal not be ȝeuen to him. And if he beg wiþ out nede, he doþ vniustly; for to beg, is þe creater to schew be word or wark or tokun is defaut wanting, and nediþ to be releuid, and ask bi side þe titil of worldly dede, sum þing to be releuid by; of þis need þan if he noiþer want, ne haue nede to be releuid, he doþ vniustly þat brekiþ Goddis bidding, liȝeþ, and beriþ falswitnes; ffor he affermiþ þat ned is þer, wan it is not; and þus he is a þef, and fraudful reuar. Also it semiþ þat þei put wrong un to God, or to þe peple, or to boþe; ffor þus is seid in Goddis lawe, Þe wark|man is worþi of his meed, and his hyre. And eft, who þat warkiþMatt. xo. ani þing to þe, pay him his hyre a none. But wan þeis ministerisTobit. iuo. of þe wark han don þer office, if God or þe peple wil not pay hem þer hire, þan is God or þe peple vniust, if God schuld pay and doþ not, he doþ þan aȝen his oune law. If þe pepul schuld pay, and doþ not, þan þe peple brekiþ þe bidding of God. But if þeis men beggars are not sent of God, to do þis office, or doþ not þis dede trewly, or ellis nediþ not to beg. And ellis þe peple is redy to quit hem þer seruice. But of þis wil þei not be payid, but gredyly gon abowt to geyt al þat þey may, þan þei do uniustly, and silun God and þe peple. And þus may þei dred in þis, lest þei be childre of iudas gostly in maneris, and þe synful begging be despi|tously kast on hem, os is prayid in þe Salme, Wandring bi his sones borne, and beg þey, cast out of þer dwellingis. For dred of þis schuld þeis meny be aferd to beg as þei do, wyting wel þat Crist beggid not, but if he nediþ, ne seyntis noiþer. And if þei dede, þei repentid þer of and amendid; and so I rede þeis beggars do bi tyme, and come to Crist. Amen, Amen.