The English works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted.Edited by F. D. Matthew.

XVI. WHY POOR PRIESTS HAVE NO BENEFICE.

THIS tract, whoever may be its author, is vigorously written. It has a special interest as a full statement and defence of the motives which led Wyclif to institute his order or company of poor priests.

As evidence in favour of Wyclif's authorship, we may notice the phrase "moo sacraments than Christ used and his apostles." In the Trialogus we find complaints that sacraments are multiplied so as to be a burden to the Church, and Confirmation and Extreme Unction are said not to have enough ground in Scripture to be necessary to salvation (Trial, book iv. chapters xi., xiv., xxv.). His doctrine of dominion is brought in on p. 247. Perhaps we may see a touch of personal feeling in the statement that a curate cannot get leave of absence to study God's law without payment. Had Wyclif found it necessary to buy leave to absent him|self from Fillingham in 1368?

On the other hand, the tone of several passages would lead us to attri|bute them to one of the poor priests rather than to Wyclif. It seems unlikely that the rector of Lutterworth would speak of a man who accepted a cure as binding himself "to o synguler place as a tey dogge," p. 252.

Copied from the Corpus MS. X. and collated with the Dublin MS. AA.

SUMMARY.

CHAP. I.	Prevalence of simony. Corruption at Rome	p. 245
	Lords keep curates in their private service	246
	Curates get office to be exempt from the ordinary.	247
II.	Poor priests dare not take office, fearing to waste the goods of the poor	248
	They may not exercise their duties freely	249
	They are scouted if they do not waste money on feasts	249
	Evils of prelates' courts	251
III.	Poor priests refuse benefices because they can do more good without them	251
	Good results which would follow the adoption of their way of life	252

Whi pore prestis han none benefice.

Capitulum primum.

Summe causes meuen summe pore prestis to resceyue not benefices; þe friste for drede of symonye, þe secunde for drede of myspendynge pore mennus goodis, þe þridde for drede of lettynge of bettre occupacion þat is more liȝt or eisy, more certeyn, & more profitable on euere side. for ȝif men schulde come to benefices be ȝift of prelatis þer is drede of symonye; for comynly þei taken the friste fruytis or oþere pensions, or holden curatis in office in here courtis or chapelis or oþere veyn offices, fer fro prestis lif tauȝt & ensaumplid of crist & his apostlis; so þat comunly siche benefices comen not frely, as crist comaundiþ, but raþere for worldly wynnynge or flaterynge or preisynge & þank of myȝtty men & lordis, & not for abilnesse of kunnynge of goddis lawe [omitted X.] & trewe techynge of þe gospel & ensaumple of holy lif. & here-fore comynly þes prelatis & resceyueris ben foulid wiþ symonye, þat is cursed heresie as goddis lawe & mannus lawe techen opynly & many seyntis. & grete merueile it is now þat, siþ seynt gregory seyþ in pleyn lawe of þe chirche & oþere bokis þat siche men as desiren benefices schulden not haue hem, but men þat fleen hem for drede of vnabilnesse of hemself & grete charge, as dide moyses, ieromye, austyn, gregory & holy seyntis; & now who can faste renne to rome & bere gold out of þe lond & paie it for deed leed & a litil writynge, & stryue & plede & curse for tiþes & oþere temperal profitis, þat ben clepid wiþ anticristis clerkis riȝttis of holy chirche, schal haue grete benefices of cure of many þousand soulis; þouȝ [þei X.] he be vnable of kunnynge of holy writt, not in wille to teche & preche his sugetis, but of cursed lif & wickid ensaumple of pride, of coueitise, glotonye, lecherie & oþere grete synnys. but þere be ony symple man þat desireþ to lyue wel & teche

treuely goddis lawe & dispise pride & oþere synnys, boþe of prelatis & oþere men, he [omitted AA.] schal ben holden an ypocrite, a newe techere, an heretik, & not suffred to come [page 204] to ony benefice. but ȝif ²he have² [2_2 omitted X.] ony litel pore place to lyuen a pore lif onne, he schal be so pursued & sclaundrid þat he schal be putt oute bi wiles, cautelis, fraudis & worldly violence, & enprisoned, disgratid or brent, ȝif anticristis clerkis may for ony gold & cursed lesyngis. ¶ And ȝif lordis schullen presente clerkis to benefices þei wolen haue comynly gold in grett quantite, & holden þes curatis in here worldly office, & suffren þe wolues of helle to stranglen mennus soulis, so þat þei haue moche gold & here office don for nouȝt, & here chapelis holden vp for veyn glorie or ypocrisie; & ȝit þei wolen not presente a clerk able of kunnynge & of [omitted AA.] good lif & holy ensaumple to þe peple, but a kechen clerk or a penne clerk or wis of [omitted X.] bildynge of castelis or worldly doynge, þouȝ he kunne not rede wel his sauter & knoweþ not þe comaundementis of god ne sacramentis of holy chirche. & ȝit summe lordis to colouren here symonye wole not take for hem self, but keuer|chiefs for þe lady, or a palfray, or a tonne of wyn; & whanne summe lordis wolden presente a goode man & able for loue of god & cristene soulis, þan summe ladies ben menys to haue a daunsere, a trippere on tapitis, or huntere or haukere, or a wilde pleiere of someres gamenes for flaterynge & ȝiftis goynge bitwixe, & ȝif it be for daunsynge in bedde so moche þe worse. & þus it semeþ þat boþe prelatis & lordis comynly maken a cursed anticrist & a quyk fend to be maister of cristis peple, for to leden hem [omitted X.] to helle, to sathanas here maistir, & suffre not cristis disciplis to teche cristis gospel to his children for to saue here soulis; & so þei traueilen to exile crist & his lawe out of his heritage, þat is cristene soulis, þat he bouȝte not wiþ roten gold ne siluer but wiþ his precious herte blood þat he schedde on þe crois bi most brennynge charite. but in þis presentynge of euyl curatis and holdynge

of curatis in worldly office, lettynge hem fro here gostly cure, ben þre degrees of traiterie aȝenst god & his peple. ¶ Þe friste is in prelatis & lordis þat þus holden curatis in here worldly office; for þei han here heiȝe statis in þe chirche & lordischipis for to purueie treue curatis to þe peple, & to meyntene hem in goddis lawe & ponyschen hem ȝif þei failen in here gostly cure, & bi þis þei holden here lordischipis of god. Þan ȝif þei maken euyl curatis & holden hem in here worldly office, & letten hem to lede goddis peple þe riȝtful weie to heuene, but helpen hem & constreynen hem to lede þe peple to helle ward bi wiþ-drawynge of goddis word & bi euyl ensaumple ȝeuynge, þei ben weiward traitours to god & his peple, & vikeris & procuratours of sathanas. Ȝit more traiterie is in false curatis þat ȝeuen mede [page 205] or hire to comen in-to siche worldly offices, for to spare here muk & leie it in tresor, & to gete lordischipe & mauntenaunce aȝenst ordynaries, þat þei doren not clepen hem to residence & saue here soulis, but couchen in lordis courtis, in [& X.] lustis & aise of here flech for to gete moo fatte benefices, & purposen not spedly to do here gostly office. woo is to þo lordis þat ben leed wiþ suche cursed heretikis & [omitted X.] anticristis, traitours of god & his peple, & namely traitours to lordis hem self. where lordis myȝtten not fynde in alle here lordischipe trewe worldly men to reule here houshold & worldly offices, but ȝif þei taken þer-to curatis þat ben opynly false traitours to god & his peple? where lordis ben so blyndid [byndid AA.] þat þei perceyuen not þat siche traitours, þat opynly ben false to god, þat þei wolen moche more ben false to hem? but þe most traiterie is in fals confessouris, þat schulden bi here office warne prelatis & lordis of þis grete peril, & clerkis also, þat þei holden none siche curatis in here worldly offices; for þei don not þis last þei losen lordischipe & frendischipe & ȝiftis & welfare of here stynkynge bely; & so þei sillen cristene soulis to sathanas for to haue lykyngis of here stynkynge bely, & maken prelatis &

lordis & curatis to lyue in synne & traiterie aȝenst god & his peple. & so aȝenst þe hire þat lordis ȝeuen here confessouris þei disceyuen hem in here soulis helþe, & meyntenen hem in cursed traiterie of god & his peple, & þus almost al þe world goþ [aboute has been inserted in X. but crossed out.] to helle for þis cursed symonye & false confes|sours. for comynly prelatis, lordis & curatis ben enuenymed wiþ þis heresie of symonye, & neuere don verey repentaunce & satisfaccion þer-fore; for whanne þei han a fat benefice geten by symonye þei forsaken it not, as þei ben bounden bi here owene lawe, but wittyngly vsen forþ þat symonye, & lyuen in riot, coueitise, pride, & don not here office neiþer in good ensaumple ne trewe techynge. & þus anticristis clerkis, enemyes of crist & his peple, bi money & flaterynge & fleschly loue gedrynge to hem ledynge of þe peple, & forbarre trewe prestis to teche hem goddis lawe; & þerfore þe blynde lediþ þe blynde & boþe partis rennen in-to synne, & ful many to helle. & it is huge wonder þat god of his riȝtwisnesse dis|troieþ not þe housis of prelatis & lordis & curatis, as sodom & gomor, for þis heresie, extorsions & oþere cursednesses þat þei haunten, & for drede of þis synne & many moo summe pore wrecchis resceyue no benefices in þis world.

Capitulum 2^m.

Ȝit þouȝ pore prestis myȝtten frely geten presentacion of lordis to haue benefices wiþ cure of soulis, þei dreden for [of X.] myspendynge of poore mennus goodis; & þis is more drede þan [page 206] þe first as [omitted X.] anemtis here owene personys. for prestis owen to holde hem paied wiþ fode & hilynge, as seynt poul [1 Tim. vi. [8].] techiþ; & ȝif þei han more it is pore mennus goode, as here owene lawe & ierom & goddis lawe seyn, & þei ben kepers þer-of & procuratours of pore men. But for institucion & induccion he schal ȝeue moche of þis god þat is pore mennus to bischopis officers, archdekenes & officialis þat ben to riche,

& not frely comen þer-to. [of X.] And whanne bischopis & here officeris comen & feynen to visite, þouȝ þei norischen men in open synne for annuel rente, & don not here office but sillen soulis to sathanas for money, wrecchid curatis ben nedid to festen hem richely & ȝeue procuracie & synage; ȝe, aȝenst goddis lawe & mannus & reson & aȝenst here conscience. & also þei schullen not be suffrid to teche treuly goddis lawe to here owene sugetis & warne hem of false prophetis, & disceyuen [disseyuen AA. Perhaps it should be disseruen. If not we must read "that" for "and" just before.] hem boþe in bileue & techynge & good lif & erþely goodis, as crist doþe in þe gospel, & comaundiþ curatis to do þe same vp peyne of here dampnacion; for þanne þei mosten crie to þe peple þe grete synnys of prelatis & oþere newe feyned religious, as god biddiþ; but þei demen þat siche sadde reprouyngis of synne is enuye, sclaundrynge of prelatis, & distroiynge of holy chirche. & þei schullen not be suffrid to do scharp execucion of goddis lawe aȝenst here sugetis, ben þei neuere so opynly cursed of god & sclaundris of cristene religion, ȝif þe heiȝe clerkis of anticrist han ȝiftis & pensions bi ȝere to sufre cursed men in opyn avoutrie & oþere synnys. for whanne þei ben falsly amendid bi officialis & denes no man be hardy to waken hem out of here lustis of synne, for þat schulde distroie iurdiccioun & wynnynge of [for X.] prelatis, & þis cursed extorsion is clepid bi ypocrisie þe grete almes of anti|cristis clerkis [omitted X.] ; but here-by þei maken large kechenes, holden fatte hors & houndis & haukis & strompetis gaiely arraied, & suffren pore men to sterue for myschief, & ȝit suffren & constreinen hem to goo þe brode weie to helle. ¶ Also many tymes here patrons & oþere getteris of countre & ydel schaueldouris willen loke to be festid of siche curatis, & ellis maken hem lese þat litel þing þat þei & pore men schulden lyue bi; so þat þei schullen not spende þe dymes & offryngis after good conscience & goddis lawe but waste

hem on suche myȝtty & riche men & ydel, & ellis, for traueile, cost & enemyte & dispisynge þat þei schullen suffre & on þe toþer side for drede of conscience, hem is betre to forsake al þan to holde it forþ. ¶ Also eche good day comynly þes smale curatis schullen haue letteris fro here ordynaries to summone [page 207] & to curse pore men for nouȝt but for coueitise of anticristis clerkis; & but ȝif þei somonen & cursen hem, þouȝ þei knowe no cause whi anemtis god & his lawe, þei ben hurlid & somnyd fro day to day, fro fer place to ferþere, or cursed ¹or lese here benefices or profitis¹ [1_1 omitted AA.] þer-of; for elles as prelatis feynen þei [þer AA.] bi here rebelte schulden soone distroie prelatis iurisdiction, power & wynnynge. ¶ Also whanne pore prestis first holy of lif & deuout in here preieris ben benefised, but ȝif þei ben worldly & bisy aboute þe world to make grete festis to riche personys & vikeris & riche men & costy & gaily arraied, as [& X.] here staat axiþ bi fals dom of þe world, þei schullen be hatid & hayned doune as houndis, & eche man redi to peiere hem in name & worldly goodis. & so many cursed disceitis haþ anti|crist brouȝt vp bi his worldly clerkis to make curatis to [omitted X.] myspende pore mennus goodis & not don [omitted X.] trewely here office, or ellis to forsaken al & late anticristis clerkis, as lordis of þis world, ȝe more cruely þan oþere tirauntis, robbe þe pore peple bi feyned sensures & teche þe fendis lore boþe bi open prechynge & ensaumple of here cursid lif. ¶ Also ȝif siche curatis ben stired to gone lerne goddis lawe & teche here parischenys þe gospel, comynly þei schullen gete no leue of bischopis but for gold; & whanne þei schullen most profite in here lernynge þan schulle þei be clepid hom at þe prelatis wille, & ȝif þei schullen haue ony heiȝe sacramentis or poyntis of þe heiȝe prelatis, comynly þei schulle bie hem wiþ pore mennus goodis wiþ hook or wiþ crok; & so þere is ful gret peril of euyl spendynge of þos goodis, boþe aȝenst heiȝe prelatis, anemtis riche men of contre, as patrones, persones & oþere gettouris of contre, & here owene kyn for fame of þe

world & for schame & euyl demynge of men. & certis it is gret wonder þat god suffriþ so longe þis synne vnponyschid opynly, namely of prelatis courtis þat ben dennys of þeues & larderis of helle; & so of here officeris þat ben sotil in malice & coueitise; & of lordis & myȝtty men, þat schulden distroie þis wrong & oþere & meyntenen treuþe & goddis seruauntis, & now meyntenen anticristis falsenesse & his clerkis for part of þe wynnynge. & hou symple prestis durren take siche benefices, but ȝif þei weren myȝtty of kunnynge & goode lif & herty to aȝenstonde þes wrongis & moo þan [þat X.] we may now touche for þe multitude of hem & sotil colourynge bi ypocrisie. but certis god suffriþ siche ypocritis & tirauntis to haue name of prelatis for grete synnys of þe peple & vnworþinesse þer-of, þat eche part lede oþer [open X.] to helle bi blyndnes of þe fend; & þis is a þousand fold more vengaunce þan ȝif god distroie bodely boþe partis & alle here goodis [page 208] & erþe þer-wiþ, as he dide bi sodom & gomor; for þe lengere þat þei lyuen þus in synne, þe grettere peynes schullen þei haue in helle but ȝif þei amenden hem. & þis drede & many moo maken summe pore prestis to resceyuen non benefices.

Capitulum 3^m.

But ȝit þouȝ pore prestis myȝtten haue frely presentacion of lordis, & ben holpen bi meyntenynge of kyngis & helpe of goode comyns fro extorsions of prelatis & oþere myspendynge of þes goodes, þat is ful hard in þis grete regnynge of anti|cristis clerkis; ȝit þei dreden sore þat bi þis singuler cure ordeyned of synful men þei schulden be lettid fro betre occupacion & fro more profit of holy chirche, & þis is þe moste drede of alle as anemtis here personys. for þei han cure & charge at þe fulle of god to helpe here breþeren to heuene ward, boþe bi techynge, preiynge & ensaumple ȝeuynge; & it semeþ þat þei schullen most esily fulfille þis bi general cure of charite, as dide crist & his apostlis, þouȝ þei bynden hem

not to o synguler place as a tey dogge, & bi þis þei may most sikirly saue hem self & helpe here breþeren; for now þei ben free to flee fro o cite to a noþer whanne þei ben pursued of [Matthew x. 23.] anticristis clerkis, as biddiþ crist in þe gospel. Also nowe þei may best wiþ-oute chalyngynge of men goo & dwelle among þe peple where þei schullen most profite, & in couen|able tyme come & goo aftir stirynge of þe holy gost, & not be bounden bi synful mennus iurdiccion fro þe betre doynge. ¶ Also now þei suen crist & his apostlis neer, in þus takynge almes wilfully & frely of þe peple þat þei techen, þanne in takynge dymes & offryngis bi customes þat synful men ordeynen & vsen now in þe tyme of grace. ¶ Also þis is more medeful in boþe sidis as þei vnderstonden bi cristis lif & his apostlis; for þus þe peple ȝeueþ hem almes more wilfully & deuoutly, & þei taken it more mekely & ben more besy to lerne, kepe & teche goddis lawe, & so it is þe betre for boþe sidis. ¶ Also bi þis manere myȝtte & schulde þe peple ȝeue frely here almes to trewe prestis þat trewely kepten here ordre & frely & opynly tauȝten þe gospel, & wiþ-drawen it fro wickede prestis, & not be constreyned to paie here tiþes & offringis to open cursed men & [X inserts not.] meyntene hem in here opyn cursednesse; & þus schulde symonye, coueitise & ydelnesse of worldly clerkis be leid doun, & holynesse & trewe techynge & knowynge of goddis lawe be brouȝt in, boþe in clerkis & lewid men. ¶ Also þus schulde stryuynge, pledynge & cursynge for dymes & offryngis & hate & discord among prestis & lewid men be endid, & vnyte, pees & charite meyntened & kept. ¶ Also þes benefices bi þis cours þat men vsen nowe bryngiþ in worldlynesse & nedeles bisynesse aboute worldly officis, þat crist & his apostlis wolden neuere [page 209] take vpon hem; & ȝit þei weren more myȝtty, more witti, & more brennynge in charite to god & to þe peple, boþe to lyue þe best manere in hem self & [omitted AA.] to teche oþere men. ¶ Also coueitise & worldly bisynesse [sikirnesse X.] of clerkis & occasion of coueitise & worldlynesse of þe peple

schulden be don awey, & cristis pouert & his apostlis bi ensaumple of pore lif of clerkis & triste in god & desirynge of heuenely blisse schulde regne in cristene peple. ¶Also þan schulde prestis studie holy writt & be deuout in here preieris, & not be taried wiþ newe offices, as newe songis & moo sacramentis þan [þat X.] crist vsede & his apostlis, þat tauȝten vs alle treuþe & spedly sauynge of cristene peple. ¶Also mochil blasphemye of prelatis & oþere men of feyned obedience & nedles sweryngis maad to worldly prelatis schulden þan cessen, & souereyn obedience to god & his lawe & eschewynge of nedles oþes & forswerynge schulde regne among cristene men. ¶Also þan schulde men eschewe comynly alle þe perilis seid bifore in þe first chapitre & þe secunde & many þousand mo, & lyue in clennesse & sikernesse of conscience. ¶Also þan schulde prestis be bisy to syke [seke AA.] goddis worschipe & sauynge of mennus soulis, & not here owene worldly glorie & wynnynge of worldly drit. ¶Also þan schulden prestis lyue lich to angels, [an angel X.] as þei ben angelis of offices, where þei lyuen now as swyn in fleschly lustis, & turnen aȝen to here formere synnes as houndis to here sp[e]wynge, for habundaunce of worldly goodis & ydelnesse in here gostly office & ouere moche bisynesse aboute þis wrecchid lif. for þes dredes & many þousand mo, & for to be more lich to cristis lif & his apostlis, & for to profite more to here owene soules & oþere mennus, summe pore prestis þenken wiþ goddis helpe [omitted X.] to traueile aboute where þei schulden most profiten by euydence þat god ȝeueþ hem, þe while þei han tyme & litel bodily strengþe & ȝouþe. neþeles þei dampnen not curatis þat don wel here office, so þat þei kepen liberte of þe gospel, & dwellen where þei schullen most profite, & þat þei techen trewly & stabely goddis lawe aȝenst false prophetis & cursed fendis lymes. Crist for his endeles mercy helpe his prestis & comyn peple to be war of anticristis disceitis, & goo euene þe riȝtte weie to heuene. Amen, ihū for þin endeles charite.