The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

xj. CHAPITER.

THESE xv. ben the argumentis which the repungners aȝens the firste and ij^e. afore tretid gouernauncis maken aȝens the clergie holding with the same gover|nauncis. And if these argumentis mowe be cleerli assoilid, sotheli alle tho repugners ben openli ouer|throwe: and if these xv. argumentis mowe not be cleerli assoilid, thanne thei letten the firste and ij^e. principal conclusiouns bifore sett of ymagis, and the firste and ij^e. conclusiouns bifore sett of pilgrymagis. But that these xv. argumentis mowe cleerli be assoilid, y schal now next here aftir withoute eny doute make open.

And firste, as for answere and assoiling to the firste argument, y procede thus. The firste argument and his strengthe hangith here vpon, that Holi Scripture and othere deuoute writingis red and herd schulden be sufficient wey and meene into al profite into which ymagis and pilgrimagis seruen. And if this be denied and be proued vntrewe, thanne the firste argument lackith al his strengthe. And that al such seid wri|tingis (not oonli for that nowhere nyȝ alle men kun|nen rede hem, but also thouȝ alle men, wommen, and children couthen rede hem) at the beste sufficen not

into al the good and profite, into whiche mowen suf|fice bothe togidere tho writingis and vsing of ymagis and pilgrimagis doing, y proue thus: Mankinde in this lijf is so freel, that forto make into him sufficient remembraunce of thingis to be profitabli of him re|membrid he nedith not oonli heereable rememoratijf signes, (as ben Holi Scripture and othere deuoute writingis,) but he nedith also therwith and ther to seable rememoratijf signes; as experience wole weel schewe, that thouȝ mankinde take al the avauntage whiche he may forto plucke him vpward and forto holde him upward in good thouȝtis, (bi seable signes of ymagis and picturis as eke bi heereable signes of writingis,) al is litil ynouȝ. And also, if heereable re|memoratijf signes hadden be sufficient to Cristen men into al her nedeful goostli remembrauncingis, wherto schulde Crist haue ȝeue to Cristen men vndir co|maundement seable rememoratijf signes, as ben hise sacramentis of the Newe Testament? Alle men muste needis graunte, that but if Cristen men hadden had neede to seable rememoratijf signes ouer and with heereable signes of writingis, which also Crist prouidid to us, ellis he wolde not haue bounden Cristen men forto vse seable rememoratijf signes, whiche ben the seid sacramentis. Wherfore folewith that writingis, whiche ben heereable rememoratijf signes to Cristen men, sufficen not into al the remembrauncing which is nedeful to Cristen men; and so it wherbi the firste argument schulde take al his strengthe is take awey.

Perauenture summen wolen answere here and seie that so manye kindis of seable rememoratijf signes and tho oonli, which Crist him silf in special assigned Cristen men to haue and vse, Cristen men ouȝten haue

and vse, and no mo; neither othere seable rememora|tijf signes; (and tho ben the sacramentis whiche he wole to be had and vsid, with the hereable rememora|tijf signes of deuoute writingis;) and wole not that eny seable rememoratijf signes of mannys fynding schulde be take into vce. That this answere is a feyned and forgid thing bi pure volunte withoute eny for him sufficient evidence, y proue thus: Bi lijk wise it myȝte, ȝhe, and schulde be seid, that oonli tho heere|able signes which Crist him silf ordeyned and assigned and purueied to Cristen peple, as ben the bokis of the Bible, schulde be take into vce of Cristen men forto be to hem heereable rememoratijf signes; and so no deuoute writing mad bi man schulde be take of eny Cristen man to be an heereable rememoratijf signe: which is nedis vntrewe. Forwhi thanne the passiouns of Seintis and her holy lyues and conuer|saciouns and the deedis of eldir holi men schulden not be write, that we myȝten or schulden therbi re|membre us upon thingis passid so necessarie of us to be remembrid. And therfore vntrewe it is that Crist in this that he ȝaue to us these seable rememoratijf signes, he excludid fro oure hauyng and vsing alle othere seable rememoratijf signes.

Also thus: Bi this that Crist wolde us vse seable rememoratijf signes, we mowe holde that the vce of seable rememoratijf signes is leeful and expedient; and herewith Crist restreyned not us fro vce of eny othere seable rememoratijf signes. Forwhi nowhere it can be founde, that he seide we schulden vce noon othere seable signes into rememoracioun than the sacramentis. Wherfore forto vse alle othere maners of seable signes into rememoracioun and re|membraunce,

whiche doom of resoun forbedith not, it is in oure liberte forto vse. Also ellis we schulden holde us silf in a bondage aȝens oure liberte, of which bondage we han no ground neither sufficient euydence; and ȝit al such bondage the seid repugners holden to be aȝens the fredom of the Gospel and of the newe lawe; and so bi this answere thei schulden be contrarie to hem silf.

Confirmacioun herto is this: Therfore it is in oure fre liberte forto vse othere heereable signes allowe|able bi resoun into oure remembraunce making thanne the writingis of the Bible, bi cause that it is not founde ouȝwhere in Holi Scripture neither in doom of resoun, that it is forbodun to us forto vse the othere writingis dyuerse fro Holi Scripture which Crist pro|uidid to us. Wherfore, bi lijk skile, by cause it is not founde ouȝwhere in Holi Scripture neither in doom of reson, that it is to us forbode vse othere seable signes into oure remembring than ben the sacramentis whiche Crist ȝaue to us, (as therto helpen ful weel the firste and ij^e. principal conclusiouns of ymagis bifore sett in the ij^e., iij^e., and iiij^e. chapitris of this present ij^e. partie,) it folewith that it is leeful to us forto vse othere seable signes into oure remem|braunce than tho sacramentis ben.

Also thus: What euer is not forbodun to be vsid is leeful ynouȝ to be vsid: but so it is, that forto vse othere seable signes than the sacramentis is not more forbodun than forto vse othere heereable signes than Holi Scripture; ȝhe, and nouȝwhere it is forbodun such seid seable signes dyuerse fro Cristis sacramentis be vsid, as it is proued bifore bi the now spokun firste and ij^e. principal conclusiouns of ymagis. Wher|fore needis folewith that we ben fre with oute synne for to vse hem.

Also thus: Thouȝ heereable signes availen to Cristen men into manye pointis and godis of remembrauncing into whiche seable signes not so myche availen, ȝit aȝenward seable signes availen to Cristen men (whether thei ben lettrid or not lettrid) into manye greet availis of remembrauncing, into whiche not availen or not so soone and so myche and so weel availen heereable signes, that is to seie writingis upon the same maters, as anoon aftir schal be proued. Wherfore folewith that thouȝ writingis availen bi sum|wey more into remembrauncing than ymagis and pilgrimagis availen, ȝit the vsis of ymagis and of pilgrimagis ouȝten to be not leid aside or awey, but ouȝten be take in to vce with the vce of writingis, that the hool profite of remembring which mai come bi hem both to gidere be not lost and vnhad, but that bothe to gidere profitis be had.

That riȝt synguler avauntagis of remembring comen bi ymagis and pilgrimagis which not comen or not so weel and so soone comen bi writingis, I proue thus: If a man wolde be remembrid on the passioun of Seint Petir or of Seint Poul or of the holi lijf of Seint Nicholas, certis thouȝ he couthe rede in a book the storie therof, ȝit he schulde rede vj. or vij. or mo leevis in the book, eer he schulde bringe into knowing or into remembraunce so myche as he may knowe and remembre ther of in a litil and myche lasse while bi siȝt of the iȝe in biholding an ymage coruen with purtenancis sett aboute him, or in bi|holding a storie openli ther of purtreied or peintid in the wal or in a clooth. As that this is trewe y comytte me to the doom of experience and of assay, and to the experience of this point,—that the iȝe siȝt schewith and bringith into the ymaginacioun and into the mynde withynne in the heed of a man myche mater and long mater sooner, and with lasse labour and traueil and peine, than the heering of the eere

dooth. And if this now seid is trewe of a man which can rede in bokis stories writun, that myche sooner and in schortir tyme and with lasse labour and pein in his brayn he schal come into remembraunce of a long storie bi siȝt, than bi the heering of othere mennys reding or bi heering of his owne reding; miche rather this is trewe of alle tho persoones whiche kunnen not rede in bokis, namelich sithen thei schulen not fynde men so redi for to rede a dosen leeuys of a book to hem, as thei schulen fynde redy the wallis of a chirche peintid or a clooth steyned or ymagis sprad abrood in dyuerse placis of the chirche.

Also, in biholding bi siȝt of iȝe upon manye dyuerse stories or ymagis in the chirche a man schal in a litil while be remembrid now upon the passioun of Seint Laurence, and now anoon aftir upon the passioun of Seint Steuen, now anoon aftir vpon the passioun of Petir, and so forth of manye chaungis. And if in thilk while in the chirche were not ymagis and picturis, he schulde not bi reding in a book in xx^ti. sithis lenger tyme come into so miche remembraunce, and namelich of so manye dyuerse passiouns to be rad; namelich sithen the reder schal not fynde writingis of alle tho passiouns saue in dyuerse bokis, or at the leste in dyuerse placis of oon book; and eer oon of tho writingis schulde be ouer rad perfitli, a gretter tyme schulde be spend than in the perfit ouer seing of alle tho seid passiouns.

Also ful ofte, whanne a man cometh to chirche and wole be remembrid vpon suche now seid thingis, his heed is feeble for labour or studie bifore had or for sikenes or for age; and certis if he schulde be aboute forto remembre him vpon suche seid thingis, and that bi calling in to mynde what he hath bifore thilk

day red or herd red in book, or herd prechid, or seen peinted, it schal be to him miche gretter labour for to laboure so in his brayn bi taking mynde and for to withinneforth calle into mynde without siȝt of the iȝe withouteforth vpon ymagis what he bifore knewe and thouȝte vpon, than it schulde be to him if he biholde bi iȝe siȝt upon ymagis or other peinting ac|cording to his labour. And aȝenward, bi biholding upon ymagis or upon such peinting his witt schal be dressid and lad forthe euener and more stabili and with myche lasse peyne and labour, than forto wrastle withinneforth in his owne ymaginaciouns withoute leding withouteforth had bi biholding upon ymagis; as experience vndoutabili wole schewe, and as men woned forto haunte daili contemplacioun wolen bere witnes herto upon perel of her soule. Wherfore, thouȝ for noon other commodite than for this now seid, the vce of ymages were so profitable, certis the vce of hem were weel worthi be meyntened.

Also here with al into the open siȝt of ymagis in open chirchis alle peple (men and wommen and children) mowe come whanne euere thei wolen in ech tyme of the day, but so mowe thei not come in to the vce of bokis to be delyuered to hem neither to be red bifore hem; and therfore as forto soone and ofte come into remembraunce of a long mater bi ech oon persoon, and also as forto make that the mo persoones come into remembraunce of a mater, ymagis and picturis seruen in a specialer maner than bokis doon, thouȝ in an other maner ful substanciali bokis seruen bettir into remembrauncing of tho same materis than ymagis and picturis doon; and ther fore thouȝ writingis seruen weel into remembrauncing

upon the bifore seid thingis; ȝit not at the ful, forwhi the bokis han not the avail of remembrauncing now seid whiche ymagis han.

Confirmacioun into this purpos mai be this: Whanne the dai of Seint Kateryn schal be come, marke who so wole in his mynde alle the bokis whiche ben in Londoun writun upon Seint Kateryn's lijf and passiouns, and y dare weel seie that thouȝ ther were x. thousind mo bokis writun in Londoun in thilk day of the same Seintis lijf and passioun, thei schulden not so moche turne the citee into mynde of the holi famose lijf of Seint Kateryn and of her dignitee in which sche now is, as dooth in ech ȝeer the going of peple in pilgrimage to the College of Seint Kateryn bisidis London, as y dare putte this into iugement of whom euer hath seen the pilgrimage doon in the vigil of Seint Kateryn bi persoones of London to the seid College. Wherfore riȝt greet special commoditees and profitis into remembraunce making ymagis and pilgrimagis han and doon, whiche writingis not so han and doon.

Another confirmacioun into this same purpos is this: In Londoun sumtyme was a bischop whos name was Gravyseende, and which lijth now buried in the chirche of Seint Poul at London in the plein pament of the chirche weel binethe the myddis of the chirche. This bischop whanne he was Chaunceler of Ynglond dide grete benefetis to the citee of Londoun, and ordeyned therfore that the meir and the aldir men of Londoun with manye mo notable persoones of craftis in Londoun schulden at dyuerse tymes in the ȝeer come openli to the chirche of Poulis, and stonde in euereither side of his sepulcre bi ij. longe rewis, and

seie De profundis for his soul. Now, thouȝ it so had be that this bischop hadde not intendid this to be doon for him into this eende, that his greet benefeting whiche he dide to London schulde be had and con|tynued in mynde of the citezeins; but that he en|tendid oonli this, that preiers ther bi schulden ȝeerli be mad the sikirer for his soul, (as dout is to me, whether he entendid these bothe effectes or the oon of hem oonli:) ȝit treuthe is, that if the seid bischop wolde haue ordeyned xx. thousand bokis to be writun of his seid benefeting, and wolde haue ordeyned hem be spred abrode in dyuerse placis of the cite, and forto haue be cheyned in tho dyuerse placis of the cite, that of the peple who so wolde myȝte rede ther in the seid benefeting, thilk multitude of bokis schulden not haue contynued so myche and so weel into this day the mynde of thilk bischopis benefeting, as the seid solempne ȝeerli goyng bi ij. tymes in ech ȝeer (doon bi the meir and aldir men of Londoun) hath do and schal do in ech ȝeer to come. Wherfore needis it is trewe, that writing mai not conteyne and comprehende in him al the avail which the siȝt and the biholding of the iȝen mai ȝeue and is redi forto ȝeue. And so bi al this, what is now seid, answerid, and proued aȝens the firste argument, it is open that the firste argument procedith not into his entent.

Notes

• the is interlineated by a later(?) hand.
• schulde, MS. (first hand).
• whiche is added by a later(?) hand.
• so is interlineated by a later(?) hand.
• schulde, MS. (first hand).
• schulde, MS. (first hand), appa|rently.
• be, MS. (first hand).
• the chirche, MS. (first hand).
• the book, MS. (first hand).
• ymage, MS. (first hand).
• to be, MS. (first hand).
• to come, MS.; but the to has been erased.
• schal come, MS. (first hand, which however has inserted the sign of omission).
• Stephen Gravesend was Bishop of London from A.D. 1319-1338.
• Sein Poulis, MS. (first hand).
• to be, MS. (first hand).