The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

x. CHAPITER.

THE xiij^e. argument is this: To what euer thing men preien deuoutli that it saue hem, or to do hem what thei knowen weel no persoon may do to hem saue God, the same thing thei taken for her God. But so it is, that to the crosse, which is a creature, men (both preestis and othere lay men) preien de|uoutli, that he schulde saue hem and kepe hem and make Crist plesid with hem which henge in him, and forto do what mannis power sufficith not forto do to hem. Wherfore alle tho men in thilk while taken a creature to be her God.

The ij^e. premisse of this argument is open bi what is red and sungun in the ympne Vexilla Regis pro|deunt

sungun in the Passion Weke in Lent. For ther yn aftir that long speche is mad to the cros, which is not other than a creature, and whiche spechis mowe not be trewe saue as seid to a creature oonli, it is seid thus: O cros, the oon hope in this tyme of passioun, encrece thou riȝtwisnes to piteful men and ȝeue forȝeuenes to gilti men. [

"O crux, ave spes unica!Hoc passionis tempore,Piis adauge gratiam,Reisque dele crimina."

These are the concluding words of the hymn beginning "Vexilla Regis prodeunt," which is still retained in the Roman Breviary for the Eve of Passion Sunday. The Salisbury Breviary, (Lond. 1555), which Pe|cock follows, badly reads:

"Auge piis justitiam,Reisque dona veniam."

] Wherfore the ij^e. pre|misse in this principal xiij^e. argument is trewe.

Also in the Feest of the Crossis Fynding at the first euensong, whanne this response: O crux, viride lignum, et cætera, is sungun, aftir that manye spechis ben mad to the cros being a creature, (and whiche spechis mowe not be verified but as seide to a pure creature,) it is seid in the prose forth with therto fol|ewing thus: Thou, which barist the Lord, make the patroun (that is to seie, Crist) forto be to vs inclin|able or boweable or redi to heere us: and thou stok, which were [weren, MS. (first hand).] worthi to bere [be, MS.] the price of the world, ȝeue and graunte to this peple of Crist the beneficie of the crosse. [The Salisbury Breviary, May 3, (Lond. 1555) has the 'response' "O crux viride lignum, quia super te pependit Salvator, Rex Israel," &c., followed by the prose:

"Crux fidelis, terras cœlisMiro nectens fœdere:"

which ends thus:

"Nobis pronum fac patronum,Quem tulisti Dominum;Salve lignum vitæ, dignumFerre mundi pretium!Confer isti plebi ChristiCrucis beneficium."

] Wherfore the seid ij^e. premysse in this present principal xiij^e. argument is trewe.

Also in the anteme: O crux splendidior, et cætera, sungun at the ij^e. euensong in the same feeste, it is seid thus: O sweete stok, bering sweete nailis and

sweete birthens, saue this present cumpanie gaderid to gidere now this dai in to thi preisingis. ["O crux splendidior cunctis astris, mundo celebris, hominibus multum amabilis, sanctior univer|sis! quæ sola fuisti digna portare talentum mundi: dulce lignum, dulces clavos, dulcia ferens pon|dera! salva præsentem catervam in tuis hodie laudibus congrega|tam."—Id. It occurs also in the Roman Breviary, May 3.] In which speche is open ynouȝ that to the creature is preied forto do what he may not do, but what oonli God mai do. Wherfore the ij^e. premisse in the xiij^e. argu|ment is trewe.

Also in the anteme Crux fidelis et cætera, which is sungun at the ij^e. euensong in the Feeste of the Crossis Hiȝing, it is seid in lijk wise thus: O sweete stok, bering sweete nailis and bering sweete birthens, (that is to seie, the bodi of Crist and hise parties,) be thou to us a ward aȝens the dartis of the enemy: [This hymn occurs in the Salis|bury Breviary, Sept. 14, but the last and most important part is not found in it, nor in Mone's Lat. Hymn., vol. i. p. 131. It begins thus:

"Crux fidelis, inter omnesArbor una nobilis,Nulla silva talem profertFronde, flore, germine;Dulce lignum, dulces clavos,Dulce pondus sustinens."

In another hymn, however, be|ginning "O lignum venerabile," (Mone, l. c. p. 138,) we have:

"Contra Satanæ jaculumSis mihi, crux, obstaculum."

] which speche can not be dressid treuli saue to a creature, and for that he is a creature; and ȝit of the same creature it is askid, that he do what he mai not do, and what oonli God mai do. And so eftsoone the seid ij^e. premysse is schewid to be trewe.

Also in the prose clepid a sequence, [Beginning "Laudes crucis at|tollamus."] which is sun|gun in the Feeste of the Crossis Hiȝing, aftir that manye spechis there ben mad to the cros, it is seid toward the eende in a vers therof thus: O Cristen medicyn, saue thou hool men, and hele thou sike men! And what mannis myȝte mai not, be it doon

in thi name. [

"Medicina Christiana,Salva sanos, ægros sana:Quod non valet vis humana,Fit in tuo nomine."

Missal. ad consuet. Eccl. Saresb., Sept. xiv. (Ed. Paris. 1513.)] In which speche it is likeli the maker of the prose meene and entende forto speke to the same thing to which he spak in the vers next going bifore there; and sithen in the vers next bifore going he spekith to a pure creature, (forwhi he seith there thus, O signe of victorie, noon such among stockis, et cætera,) [

"O crux, signum triumphale,Mundi vera salus, vale!Inter ligna nullum tale,Fronde, flore, germine."

] it folewith that in this present vers, O Cristen medicyn, he spekith to the same pure creature. And so the seid ij^e. premysse of the xiij^e. argument is trewe. And so it what the xiij^e. argument concludith finali muste needis be trewe.

The xiiij^e. argument is this: Anentis what euer thing men beren hem silf and gouerne hem silf as thei wolden bere hem and gouerne hem, if thilk thing were God hem silf, and namelich whilis anentis God him silf (if he were there visibili present) thei couthen not do or make meker or louȝer or deuouter submis|sion, saluting, and seruice than thei doon to thilk thing,—thanne and for thilk while thei maken or holden and taken thilk thing as for her verri God. But so it is, that bifore these daies and in these daies men beren and gouerne hem silf anentis a crosse in this now seid maner, as now anoon aftir schal be schewid. Wherfore tho whilis men maken thilk crosse her God.

That the ij^e. premisse of this xiiij^e. argument is trewe mai be argued thus: In eeldir daies, whanne processioun was mad in the Palme-Sundai bifore masse, the eukarist was not brouȝt forth, that the processioun of the clerkis and of the lay peple schulde

meete with him; but a baar vncouered crosse was brouȝt forth aȝens the processioun, that the proces|sioun schulde meete aȝens it, as y haue red in dy|uerse oolde ordinalis of cathedrale chirchis and of mo|nasteries in Ynglond: [In the York Missal (in Dominic. Palm.) printed at Paris in 1533, occurs this rubric: "Deinde, cum ante tentorium processio ordinata fuerit, diaconus, accepta benedictione a prælato, cum presbytero et sub|diacono, et crucifero et ceroferariis, in medio stans, legat Evangelium S. Matth. xxi.: 'In illo tempore, cum appropinquasset,' &c." The adora|tion of the Host occurs later in the service.] thouȝ in latir daies and name|lich in summe chirchis the eukarist is born forth, and the processioun meetith with the eukarist born in a chest among relikis, and in manie placis he is born in a coupe ordeyned therto. [The Salisbury Missal (Paris, 1513,) agrees very nearly with Pecock's account; we have there the following rubric (in Dominic. Palm.):—"Dum distribuuntur rami (palmarum sc.) præparetur fere|trum cum reliquiis, in quo Corpus Christi in pyxide dependeat; . . . . lumen deferatur in laterna proce|dente cum cruce denudata et duobus vexillis præcedentibus." Various anthems accompany these rites, partly taken from Matth. xxi., after which follows the Gospel as before: "Cum appropinquasset Jesus." (Matth. xxi.) The an|thems with the notes are given at length in the "Processionale ad usum insign. Eccl. Sarum." (Paris, 1530.)] Thanne thus: In tho daies and in tho placis whanne and where the processioun mette in Palmesunday with the nakid crosse or with the chest of rilikis withoute the eukarist, summe of the clerkis weren ordeyned forto stonde bifore the seid crosse and forto turne hem toward the processioun and seie in singing to al the clergie and peple thus: O Sion mysti douȝter, lo, the King mylde and meke sitting vpon beestis cometh to thee; whom the lesson of prophetis hath bifore spokun: This is he which cometh fro Edom, in clothis died with blood, ful comeli in his garnement, passing forth in vertues, and not in horsis of bateil, neither in hiȝe touris. [Pecock badly reads turribus.] This is he which as an innocent lomb is bitraied to

the deeth, which is deeth to deeth, and a bitte to helle, ȝeuyng power to lyue bi his deeth, as blessid pro|phetis sumtyme sungun in prophecie. [

"Finito evangelio, tres clerici de secunda forma exeuntes ex eadem processione, habitu non mutato, con|versi ad populum, stantes ante mag|nam crucem ex parte occidentali, simul cantent hunc versum hoc modo.

"En rex venit mansuetus tibi, Sion filia mystica, humilis sedens super animalia, quem venturum jam prædixit lectio prophetica."

Various rubrics are prefixed to the remaining parts of the anthem, which proceeds thus:

"Salve quem Jesum testatur plebs HebræorumObvia cum palmis, tibi clamans verba salutis.

"Hic est qui de Edom venit tinctis Bosra vestibus, in stola sua formo|sus, gradiens virtutibus, non in equis bellicosis, nec in altis curribus.

"Salve, lux mundi, Rex regum, gloria cœli,Cui manet imperium, laus, et decus, hic et in ævum.

"Hic est ille qui ut agnus insons morti traditur, mors mortis, inferni morsus, morte donans vivere, ut quondam beati vates prompserunt prophetice.

"Salve nostra salus, pax vera, redemptio, virtus,Ultro qui mortis pro nobis jura subisti."

Processionale Sarisb., fol. lv. lvi. The parts here printed as prose may have been meant for a kind of barbarous verse, which is perhaps a little corrupted.

] And thanne, this [this is added by a later hand.] thus seid and sungun fro the clerkis in the crossis bihalue to the preestis and lay peple in the processioun, the preestis and peple fillen doun kneling with alle the knees to the grounde, seiyng or singing or in bothe maners toward the seid discouered crosse thus: Heil thou, whom the peple of Hebrees meeting witnessith to be Iesus, and crien to thee wordis of helth! Heil liȝt of the world, King of kingis, glorie of heuen, to whom abidith or longith empire, preising, and worschip, here and for euere! Heil oure helthe, very pees, redempcioun, and vertu, which with thi fre wil hast goon vndir for us the lawis of deeth. [These words occur in the anthem just quoted. They are to be sung by the chorus: "in prostratione deosculando terram prosequatur resurgendo."—Id. It does not ap|pear distinctly, from the rubrics, whether the Host was then borne in the procession or not; pro|bably it was, as the bier with the relics certainly was. The same words, however, may have been used in either case in different ages.] And

open it is that to Crist him silf (if he had be there present) thei myȝten not haue mad more lowȝli knou|leching that he was her God, than thei at thilk tymes and placis maden to the baar crosse or to the chest of relikis in which the eukarist was not. Wherfore thoruȝ alle tho daies and placis in whiche the euka|rist was not borne aȝens the processioun in Palme|sunday, al the peple of the processioun bare hem silf and gouerned hem silf anentis the crosse, euen as thei wolden haue bore and gouerned hem silf anentis Crist him silf, if he had be visibili present. And so the ij^e. premysse of this present xiiij^e. argument is trewe.

Also in an othir place of the same processioun, in the daies and placis whanne and where the eukarist came not forth into processioun, children whiche weren [were, MS. (first hand).] sett on hiȝe sungen toward the crosse and seiden these versis here folewing, Glorie, preising, and honour be to thee, King Crist! Aȝenbier! to whom children|nys worschiping songe Osanna, the myilde song. An other vers thus: Thou art King of Israel and the noble child of Dauid! Blessid King, which camest in the name of the Lord! An other vers thus: Alle the cumpenye in hiȝe placis preiseth thee, ech deedli man and alle creaturis. An other vers thus: The peple of Hebrees came with palmes meeting to thee, and lo we ben at thee with preier, good wil, and ympne! Aftir eche of these versis the queer of preestis and of clerkis stonding in processioun binethe bi the crosse singen the firste verse: Glorie, preising, and honor, et cætera. [

"Finito regressu (cruciferi, presbyteri, &c.) pueri in altum seu ostium ecclesiæ canant versum:

"Gloria, laus, et honor tibi sit, Rex Christe, Redemptor,Cui puerile decus prompsit Osanna pium."

Chorus cum genuflexione dicat:

"Gloria, laus, et honor tibi sit."

Pueri:

"Israel es tu Rex, Davidis et in|clyta proles,Nomine qui in Domini, Rex benedicte, venis."

Chorus:

"Gloria, laus."

Pueri:

"Cœtus in excelsis te laudat cœlitus omnis,Et mortalis homo, et cuncta creata simul."

Chorus:

"Gloria, laus."

Pueri:

"Plebs Hebræa tibi cum palmis obvia venit,Cum prece, voto, hymnis, ad|sumus ecce tibi."

Chorus:

"Gloria, laus, et honor."

Missal. ad usum Eccl. Ebor. (Domi|nic. in ram. Palm.) Paris, 1533. The Host had been a little before carried into the church; whether it was afterward borne in the procession does not appear from the rubrics.

] Wherebi it is open that the ij^e. premysse in the xiiij^e. argument is trewe.

Also in an other place of the same processioun it was and is ȝit kept and vsid in manye chirchis, that the principal crucifix of the chirche schal be disco|uered and schewid baar and nakid to al the peple of the [peple of the is added in the margin by a later (?) hand.] processioun. And in the while the crucifix is in discoueryng the principal preest with the queer schal falle doun to grounde at the leest vpon alle the knees and schal singe thus: Heil oure King, the sone of Dauid! Aȝenbier of the world! Whom prophetis bifore spaken Sauiour to come to the hous of Israel! Sotheli thee into an hoolsum sacrifice the Fadir sende into the world, whom alle holi men fro the bigynnyng of the world aboden! And now, Osanna to the sone of Dauid! Blessid be he which cometh in the name of the Lord! Osanna in hiȝe thingis! ["In egressu processionis præ|latus, ter flexis genibus ante crucem discoopertam, adoret, dicens can|tando, Ave Rex. Et chorus idem re|petat: Ave, Rex noster, fili David, Redemptor mundi, quem prophetæ prædicaverunt Salvatorem domui Israel esse venturum, te enim ad salutarem victimam Pater misit in mundum; quem expectabant omnes sancti ab origine mundi: et nune Osanna filio David: benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini: Osanna in excelsis."—Missal. ad usum Eccl. Ebor. (Dominic. in ram. Palm.) Paris, 1533.] Also whilis the hool queer of preestis and

clerkis singen thus, al the lay peple in the proces|sioun knelen doun and knocken her brestis and summe fallen so doun that her brestis and mouthis touchen the grounde. And more compunccioun, more deuocioun, and louȝer submissioun thei myȝten not neither couthen araie forto bisette vpon Crist him silf, if he were in stide of the crosse so discouered. Wher|fore the secunde premysse of this present xiiij^e. argu|ment is trewe.

The xv^e. argument is this: To what euer thing men offren in louȝist wise, comyng toward it bi creping, and whos feet thei kissen in deuoutist maner thei kunnen, thilk thing thei taken for her soue|reynest and hiȝest Lord. Forwhi ellis it wolde folewe that ther yn thei diden vnaccordingli and vnsemeli, and so therfore reprouabili and in such wise that it were worthi be forbodun. But so it is, that to the crosse in Good Fridai men comen in louȝest wise creping on alle her knees, and to this crosse in so lowȝe and deuout maner thei offren, and the feet of thilk crosse thei in deuoutist maner kissen. Wher|fore thei [Without doubt either this or the following thei should be can|celled.] in these deedis the same crosse for her worthiest Lord thei taken; or ellis thei ouȝten not so creepe, offre, and kisse, and ouȝten be weerned forto so do.

Miche neede is forto assoile these thre laste prin|cipal argumentis, that is to seie, the xiij^e., [thrittenthe, MS. (later hand, and on an erasure).] xiiij^e., and xv^e., for upon the deedis and gouernauncis of whiche these thre laste principal argumentis maken mensioun alle the seid wijters han greet abhomina|cioun; and thei ben out of eese, whanne thai seen tho dedis and gouernauncis doon; and whanne thei musten nedis for drede do tho deedis and gover|nauncis,

as othere men hem doon. For certis thei weenen that al the world couthe not saue tho deedis, as thei ben so doon of othere men, fro ydolatrie. And therfore mich neede is forto se how these thre laste principal argumentis and semyng euidencis mowe at the fulle be assoilid.