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

Capitulum 8^m.

It were to wite ouer þe falshede of euidencis þat þe fend haþ brouht in to loue hise newe ordris. al ȝif loue be good ȝif it be clene in crist, ȝit vnordinel loue groundid in falshed is noyose [page 91] to men for many enchesouns. ¶ Sixe euidencis makyþ þe fend to loue þus hise ordris. ffirst for heere habitis; þat þei ben passyngliche holy, here gurdlis & al here atier þat falliþ to hem, & ilche man loueþ kyndeliche holy|nesse of his broþer. But here shulden men wite þat holynesse is in þe soule & in noon bodiliche þing but ȝif hit springe fro þat, & ȝit it is lytil or nouȝt but ȝif it be groundid in treuþe. But men han told ofte þe cause whi þat siche atieris myȝten profite. Boþe colours & figuris ben shapen to deceyue þe folc, to suppose þat þei ben holy þat hauen siche signes wiþ|oute; but crist biddiþ þat mennus holynesse be hid fro siche signes. & so þe offys of hem, who so vndirstondiþ hem wel, is to shewe heere ypocrisie & to hyde heere synnes wiþ-inne forþ. & herfore seiþ crist of pharisees þat "þei ben [Matt. xxiii. [27.]] blaunchid sepulcris." lord, what helpiþ wydnesse of habitis of þise ordris? it semeþ þat to þise tuo bi cast of þe fend; ffirst to make hem more hidliche to breede hem grete balyes,

for many of siche ordris hauen heere balyes for heere god. Þe secunde cause of þis wydnesse is wastyng of goddis good; for alle goodis of þis world ben goodis of god þe cheef lord, & he ȝiueþ hem to hise pore men þat seruen hym treweliche. & so ilche þreed of siche cloþis þat ben tuo wast & too costliche beriþ wiþ hym a wrong boþe to god & man, & specialliche when þise cloþis ben too riche & costliche. Ȝif þise cloþis ben gurde & more large in widnesse, þei beren on hem more synne, for more ypocrisie in hem. And knottis þat bitokenen penaunce hongynge bifore fro þe bodi ben signes of ypocrisie & noon oþer holynesse; & þus widnesse of siche cloþis is an hord to hyde synnes, as gabbyngis & ypocrisie, ȝif it be not superflue. & trowyng of holynesse of hem bryngiþ in many heresies, þat þise cloþis ben more hooly þen weren þe cloþis of crist. Siþ pilat myȝte haue be dampned al ȝif he hadde dyed in cristis cloþis. & þus þise habitis of þe newe ordris bleren þe eyen of þe peple & [page 91b] hyden heere priuey robberye, & oþer good don þei but lytel; but ȝif þei verifyen iudis wordis, þat siche ben trees turned vpsodoun, for roote & inward of hem ben shewid wiþ-oute to þe world, and falsnesse of here entent is hid fro men bi þis turnyng. it shulde be knowen to cristen men þat alle siche sensible signes ben not signes of hoolynesse, but ȝif þei maken hooly|nesse in men. ¶ Þe secunde deceyte of þe fend bi whiche he bigyliþ simple men stondiþ in þis; þat siche ordris lyuen scars fro good mete, & so scarsnesse of heere foode telliþ to men þat þei ben hooly. But here men seyen to þe fend þat þise signes ben ofte false, for many of þise newe ordris liuen lustfulliche in heere foode & þat men mai see wel bi growyng & colour of here body. but þis may falle ofte tymes þat summe breþeren of þise ordris faylen ouer-meche in mete & drynk, & summe ben too wel fed bi vneuene partyng of here goodis; & so þis poynt of siche ordris stondiþ in þise two þingis, þat where rewele of apostlis was to haue alle þingis in comune & be partid to ilche as he hauede nede, þise ordris don þe contrarie; & so siþ apostlis rewele was good, spring|ynge

of gooddis wille, þis rewele mot nede be euel & come of lawe of lucifer. Þe secunde fruyt of þis delyng stondiþ in þis poynt, þat siche etyng is priuee & hid fro oþere breþeren, & so it askiþ priuee housis & priuee seruice to performe it. & þus when holynesse shulde be hid, & lustliche foode shulde be exilid, þis delyng doiþ þe contrarie & comeþ of þe fend heere patroun. & þus þei don not oonliche in þis partyng wrong to heere owen breþeren, but to pore men wiþoute þise ordris whom þei spoylen of heere goodis. & se, when crist biddit hise disciplis to ete & dryngke þe metis þat ben in [Luke x. [7.]] folc þat thei comen to, þise ordeynen þe contrarie, þat þei haue propre foode for heere mouþ þat passiþ ofte þe [page 92] boundis of resoun. & þus when siche ordris han forsake propertee & take al in comune, þei aȝen heere owne ordre hauen heere properte in lust, & comunete in simple foode is forbeden bi here ordre, & poul meneþ to tymothe þat sich is blasfeme [[1 Tim. iv. 3.]] abstinence. ¶ Þe þridde deceyt of þise ordris is þat þei passen oþere in preyeris, boþe for tyme þei preyen & for multitude of hem. Who shulde not bye dere siche preyeris? siþ þei bryngen men swiftliche to heuene; & oþer men when þei slepen on nyȝtis hauen of hem preyeris at mydnyȝt, þat crien devowteliche on god bi clere voys, stif & clene. Here men seyen þat in þis poynt many seculers ben deceyued, for þise ordris witen not wheþer þat þei shal come to heuene, & so wheþer þat heere preyeris profiten to hem or any oþer man. hou is heere conscience brent, þat þei dar þus sille siche preyeris; & algatis siþ it is proprid to god to parte meritis as hym likiþ, & noon man may approue hise meritis but as god iugiþ þat it is worþi; & þus þis preyere of þise ordris is of a nest of blasfemye & chaffaryng of fendis preyere bi þe craft of symonye. & where þei maken hem a rewele to ryse reweleliche at mydnyȝt, þei passen crist & david & þe ordy|naunce of þe godhede [goghede MS.] ; for god vndisposiþ ofte tymes men to ryse þus at mydnyȝt, & askiþ of hem a betere lif, þat þei

putten of bi heere statute. Crist duelled in preyere al þe nyȝt, but bi hym silf wiþoute siche couentis; & so þise ordris holden not cristis rewele neþer in tyme ne in stide, for crist preyede wiþoute siche criynge, lyk to þe state of innocence, bi hym self vndir þe cope of heuene. Siche risyng may som tyme do good & ofte it doiþ yuel; & þus to ȝiue rewele wiþoute god were presumpcion of a fend, & to make a rewele þus to crie on god were a signe of blasfeme folye; as who seyde bi þe prophetis word: "crye ȝee fast, [[1] Kings xviii. [27.]] for ȝoure god slepiþ, or ellis he is in som priuee place, or ellis ocupied wiþ oþere men." [page 92b] We graunten þat criyng profitiþ som tyme, but not to make þus rewele þer-of. hit is knowen to men of resoon þat many signes ben nakid to moue men þat preyeris of þise ordris ben betere þen oþer comune lyues; for fastyng comeþ ofte in robberis, boþe in watir & in lond, meche more þen ordris taken, but biddyng of god fayliþ hem boþe; & wakyng at mydnyȝt falliþ to þeues þat robben men; & ȝif þise outlawis passen þis rewele, it is for þei robben men priueliche, & herfore þey feynen oþere causis wherby heere preyere is so good. ¶ Þe fourþe cause in ordre is holynesse of here compaynye; & as many men drawen a ship or don an oþer dede of strengþe where fewere shulden not do þis dede, so it is in craft of preyng; many men when þey ben gederid preyen more plesingliche to god þen wen þei ben scaterid in twynny, or fewe to preye god herfore. & þis þei prouen bi mannes custom; when a peple wole preye a lord, þei gederen hem hool to|gidere, & preyen [preyem MS.] mekeliche & wiþ knelyng. & þus men shapen for many massis to brynge a soule anoon to heuene [heuenene MS.] ; who wolde not procure siche helperis to preye god & shende þe fend. But [Bub MS.] here cristen men þenken þat þise wordis smacchen ofte falshede & blasfemye aȝen god, but hou sulden þei conferme preyere? It is seyd ofte hou þat þe couent of cristis apostlis passede alle oþere couentis boþe in

patroun & in rewele, & ȝit oon of hem was scarioth; hou many scariothis ben in þise couentis? & felowship of siche pseudoes lettiþ oþer men to preye, for hou shulde þat man preye wel þat haþ enuye to his broþer & stondiþ in queer wiþ hym, oþer next hym or a syde? siþ siche daliaunce wole gregge his ire, & vnable hym to haue ouȝt of god. & þus þei faren ofte as don doggis in a poke; oon drawiþ forþ an-oþer aȝen; but hou shulde sich drawyng helpe to drawe þe ship of holy chirche bi fisshis þat ben þus deepe in watir? many of hem wolden drawe betere ȝif þei stooden hem self al one. & þis blasfeme lickenesse, [page 93] þat comunes preyen þus to lordis, telliþ openliche þis heresye þat þise newe ordris hauen here; for god for his grettnesse is in ilche place of þis world, & redy to helpe men soonere in what place þat þei lyuen betere. & þus as freris lyues techen, it were good to many men þat ben closid in þise ordris þat þei disporteden hem in þe world. for siche auentyng many times fordoiþ enuye, ire & lust, & þise þre synnes ofte tymes letten þise men to preye deuoteliche; & þus it is open heresie too trowe þat þristyng of ordris in oon cloystre or in oon hous helpiþ þat god heeriþ hem betere, al ȝif þei liuen worse or ellis not betere to goddis pay. for al þing is present to god, & sich þristyng helpiþ not to hym, but ȝif it make men worse, for the synne of oon persone bi siche þristyng fouliþ more hise broþere. Lord, siþ disciplis of crist aftir þat he was went to heuene weren scaterid in mony cuntres, & weren not þrungen in siche couentis, what wit shulde moue þise ordris aftir to gedere hem þus aȝen skile? certis a fool may wel see þat þis resoun failiþ fouliche, & crist gederede tuelue apostlis, þerfore antecrist shal gedre moo; god reyneþ in þis ordre, þerfore antecrist shulde ȝette in wallis. god wole þat men quiken þis erþe, & ben spred aboute in vertu of god, & þis tauȝten cristis apostlis fro þat þei weren quikid of crist heere maistre; [[2 Tim. iii. 7.]] but þise ordris wolen euere be disciplis & neuere come to knowyng of treuþe. & þus þei moten neede be euer pun|yshid as disciplis of antecrist, but ȝif þei lernen som tyme

to go out of þise newe ordris, siþ þei letten cristis lawe to rennue & double profyt of hooly chirche. ¶ Þe fifþe deceyt of þise pseudoes stondiþ falsliche in þis feynyng, þat þei maken a newe craft to preye & to loue god, & so þis newe craft is betere þen al þe ordre þat crist haþ makyd; & þus þei hauen special preyeris makid of newe bi þe pope þat ben betere þen þe pater noster, for more pardoun falliþ to hem. þise wordis may moue men þat wolen [page 93b] folyliche trowe to hem, but ion biddiþ men to assaye spiritis, wheþere þei ben on goddis [[1] John iv. [1.]] syde. & þus men ben not wiþ god, þat holden wiþ man more þen wiþ crist. Oure bileue techiþ us þat crist is boþe god & man, & so he is al myȝty, al witty, & al ful of good wille. & þus noon pope ne oþer prelat haueþ witt ne power but of crist, in as meche as he sewiþ crist bifore oþere of hise felowis; & so it is a feyned power, a feyned wit, & feyned good, al þat is not shewid in dede, in trewe sewyng of crist. & þus what man þat euere seiþ þat he makiþ betere preyere þen crist, & ordeyneþ þer-to more pardoun, blasfemeþ as antecrist; & þus þe old maner was betere to preye & to plese god þen ony newe preyer mai be, hou euere antecrist speke here. Shewe men bi goddis lawe or resoun þe good|nesse of siche preyeris, & þat þei plesen so meche to god as þei ben feyned of þis nouelrie; & ellis men shulden not trowe to hem, but have hem suspect bi maner of lif. Wel I wott þe fend may feyne sich goodnesse of hise preyeris & heyȝnesse of his power, for men mai not see it; & herfore he mai pursewe men but ȝif þey graunten þis excellence, but noon man shulde trowe þis but if God tawȝte it as bileeue. And here is weye to antecrist, to pursewe cristen men for þei holden hem in þe boundis þat crist haþ ȝiuen to bileeue. Cristen men trowen þis, þat ȝif þise preyeris weren so goode, crist wolde haue shewid hem bifore, when hise vikeris & his peple weren betere, & þus þei ben foolis þat trowen þis goodnesse of þise newe preyeris; for þe pater noster is þe best preyere þat ony pope or man kon ordeyne. for who shulde autorise þat god shulde more be payed of ony preyere?

& it is al oon to seye þat a preyere is betere, & þat it plesiþ god more; but who mai do þis but god? for god oonliche mai ȝiue grace & more accepte men to mede; & þus trowe we not in þise preyeris, siþ hem wantiþ ground. & þus ȝif lif [page 94] of þise newe ordris be more medeful þen mannes lif was woned, it mot neede be grauntid of god, for newe ordinaunce is but fantym here; & þus siþ good lif of men þat ben wandrynge in þis weye is betere preyere to god, ȝif it plese more to god. What lif þat plesiþ more to god is betere preiere to god; as lif of a trewe plow man or ellis of a trewe heerde is betere preyere to god þen preyere of any ordre þat god loueþ lesse, blabere þei neuere so meche wiþ lippis. as it is likeliche þat baptist preyede betere bi hym silf in desert þen ony persone of þise newe ordris, for hise lippis ben lesse worþ; & þus betere lif helpiþ more to soulis þen massis or þise newe preyeris. Þe sixte deceyte of ypocritis, þat bigyliþ men in þis matere, is þat þei liuen honestliche in chirche, in hous, & in gardyn, & in alle ornamentis þat fallen to worship of god; who shulde not loue sich a sect, boþe bi kynde & bi resoun? Here men þenken þat þe fend vsiþ hise ypocrisie, & contrarieliche to crist moueþ men bi sensible signes. it is good & resonable men to haue chirchis in mesure, & in numbre, & in weyhte, aftir þe hooly trinitee; but þenne it is nedeful þat þei be makyd bi iust dispensis, & to profit of þe lond in which þei ben makid inne, & not do wrong to old chirchis bi weye of heere newe fyndyng; & so alle housis & placis shulden be shapen bi lore of crist. But somme men þenken þat freris bildyng failiþ in alle þise þre poyntis. It is comuneliche makid bi slyh robbyngis of þe fend, so þat it is al oon to see bildyngis of þise newe ordris, & to see a fendis holde, makid of robberye of pore men; & so when men loken on heere castelis þei hauen matere to wepe, boþe þise ordris & seculeris, but specialliche þe pore peple. for ȝif we loken to cristis lif, he forsok sich bildyng, [Luke xix. [41.]] & lokyng on þe citee, þat he seyde was aȝen þe apostlis, he wepte þer upon for greet synne þat it hoordede. & when

crist wente out of þe temple [page 94b] & sat in þe mount aȝen it, hise disciplis for wondryng þer-of & to see his wit þer-of askeden [Matt. xxiv. [2.]] wheþer he sau alle þise wondirful byldyngis. & crist an|suerede to hise apostlis, & tolde hem hou hym likede herof: "Soþeliche i seye to ȝou, tyme shal come soone heraftir þat noon stoon shal be left here on an-oþer, þat it ne shal be destryed;" and so it fel soone aftir, when ierusalem was destryed. Þre þyngis shulden moue men to be glad of sich byldyng: On, for it turneþ a-wey fro þe state of innocence; & herfore crist & baptist & oþere seyntis makeden noon siche. Þe secunde cause þat shulde moue to be glad of siche byld|yng is, þat god seyþ bi poul: "we hauen not here a [Heb. xiii. [14.]] duellynge citee, but we seken heuen to come." & non drede siche housyng makiþ many to loue þis world, & to duelle in lustis þer-of, & leue loue of þe oþere worlde. Þe þridde cause þat men shulden haue to loke on siche byldyng is þat þei shulden þenke on þe pore peple; hou ofte þat þei ben spoylid bi suttil fraudis of þe fend bifore þat siche housis weren bildid, þat ben but an heep of wrongis. Þise þre causis shulden not ȝiue matere of ioye to men of resoun, but raþere matere of sorowe to telle hasty destriyng of hem. men may see ouer wheþer þise patrouns vseden þise housis in sich mesure, & leften in heere rewlis aftir þat heere disciplis shulden bilde þus; & siþ þe contrarie is soþ, to whiche þise ordris ben streytliche sworen, it semeþ þat þe fend shapiþ a disport to hise clerkis to serue hym inne. & so ȝif men chargen mesure, þise placis & bildyng of hem passen mesure þat god haþ tauȝt, & so þei ben agen goddis power. & ȝif we taken heede to þe noumbre of siche castel of þe fend, þey ben aȝen wisdom of crist, siþ he approuede not siche housis. for siþ in tyme of more wisdom þer weren chirchis & housis ynowe, what wisdom [page 95] is it to multiplie þise, & destrye hoolyere old placis? certis iniuries ben don to parisshe chirchis bi siche newe chirchis of ordris; & ȝif þus wrongis of a place shulden lette men to herye god þere, siche placis of newe ordris shulden be fled as fendis holetis. And ȝif we

weyn aryht dispensis bi lore of þe hooly goost, þer is neyþer stoon ne tree in alle siche newe ordris placis þat it ne is groundid bi wrong, & temporid bi robbyng of pore men. & þus siche bildyngis makyn pride, & not comfort of goddis prisounneris, for þei ben not fed bi þis, but robbid of goodis þat þei shulden haue; & þis is not lore of þe hooli goost, but techyng of þe kyng of pride. & þus ornamentis þat þise freris ordris vsen ben toolis to bigyle þe peple, & to feede heere bodiliche eye, & robbe þe eye of heere soule, as somme of þise newe ordris hauen costy encenseris to encense beddis of men & of wymmen & to spoyle hem. Þus þei assoylen men þat weren longe deed byfore; & soulis of siche men ben in helle as somme men supposen; & þise blynde men þat assoylen þus kunnen not teche þe contrarie of þis. & þus þey doon þis for monee, & not for deuocioun, but ȝif siche blynde blasfemyes be clepid deuocioun of freris. Þus ornamentis of ypocritis harmen þe peple þat þei duellen wiþ, & al heere lif doiþ harm to men boþe to body & to soule. & þus fendis children bygilen men bi þing þat hem semeþ good, & maken hem trow þat it profitiþ, but ȝit it doiþ meche harm. & siþ alle lyues of siche men ben ful of þe fendis deceytis, men sufficen not to telle heere gylis, but bi þis men may knowe somme. And here ben somme men moued to trowe þat crist spekiþ in his lawe of sich maner of ypocritis, to teche his peple to fle hem. for siþ crist is veree god, [good MS.] & knowiþ [page 95b] clereliche al þing to come, alle þise deceytis ben present to hym; what shulde lette hym to telle hem? Certis charite of Crist shulde neede hym to warne men here. & þus resoun moueþ men to suppose þat crist telliþ of gilis of þe pope, [Matt. xxiv.] & aftir of gilis of þise new sectis, for alle þise ben lemes of antecrist. whi shulde not crist telle here of hem? and þus þenken somme þat it were a medeful dede & good preyere to god to aȝenstonde þise new sectis, & clenese cristis ordi|naunce fro sich errours þat ben brouȝt inne. Lordis, clerkis

& comunes shulden helpe here for mede of crist, & oldnesse of þise errours shulde not moue to leue hem, siþ god is myȝty ynou to helpe & destrye hem alle. Þis entent hauen meke men bi grace & bileeue of crist, þat his ordinaunce was and is best, and oþer contrarie ordinaunce is euel; & bileeue techiþ þat [he] mai not fayle to helpe men þat trauelen wel here. Examine þou wel þe grounde an þe resoun of newe men, þat seyen þey holden þe lawe and þe ordinaunce of crist, & we trauelen to destrye hem. for certis ȝif we erreden here in wit or wille bi fals lore, we wolden mekeliche a-noon turne to treuþe when it were tauȝt. Amen.

Explicit tractatus de pseudo freris.