The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

vij. CHAPITER.

THE ensaumpling of the pouerte chosun bi hem, of whom it is writen Acts ij^e. capitulum. in the eende and Acts iiij^e. capitulum. in the eende, was an ensaumpling of counseil and not of comaundement; and it was doon bi the multitude of the lay peple, as weel as of clerkis; and therfore her deede ensaumplith to lay peple now being, as weel as to clerkis. And so open it is, that if thilk ensaumpling schulde be comaunde|ment to hem to whom it was ensaumplid, thanne comaundement were that alle lay folkis schulden [schulde, MS. (first hand).] lyue in the same pouerte in which thei lyueden, and and no layman vndir peyne of dampnable synne schulde haue eny good in propre lordschip, and that whether thilk good were movable or vnmouable. And therfore thilk ensaumpling was vndir counseil oonli; and to al the lay peple, as weel as to clerkis; and so thilk ensaumpling gooth no thing forto weerne bi maundement the seid endewing of preestis; neither bi counceil, but if the preestis were now in lijk caas and condicioun and alle circumstancis, in whiche thei at thilk tyme and in thilk place weren. [wer, MS. (first hand) appa|rently.]

For the more cleering that the ensampling of thilk Cristen multitude in the tyme of the Apostlis at Ierusalem, of which multitude it is spokun bifore in the bigynnyng of the vj^e. chapiter, makith no boond or comaundement that preestis or clerkis of the newe lawe lyue withoute endewing of vnmovable posses|siouns, y procede thus: Thilk seid Cristen multitude lyuede thanne so in her pouerte as bi comaundement

of Goddis lawe therto hem comaunding and binding, or ellis thei lyueden thanne so in her pouerte bi her fre wil forto so lyue or not so lyue.

If thou seie that thei lyueden so, for that Goddis lawe therto hem bonde bi comaundement, and ȝit thei weren [were, MS. (first hand), and so below, p. 318. l. 1.] lay persoones; thanne, sithen oon and the same was and is the lawe of God to hem and alle othere lay men and wommen, it folewith that alle othere lay men of Corinthe, of Philippis, of Thessalo|nie, and of ech citee and cuntre, whom Poul had conuertid, were bounden aftir her conuersioun forto lyue in lijk pouerte, as weel as the seid Cristen mul|titude in Ierusalem lyued. Which openli is vntrewe. Forwhi Poul suffride alle hem whiche he conuertid forto haue alle her godis aftir her conuersioun, whiche thei hadden bifore her conuersioun; and he askid of hem, that thei schulden of her ricchessis and of her habundaunce in godis sende sum almes to poor men in Ierusalem, as it is open ofte in hise epistlis. Wher|fore vntrewe it is, that the seid Cristen multitude in Ierusalem lyueden in her seid pouerte bi comaunde|ment of Goddis lawe.

And aȝenward, if thou wolde seie that thei so lyueden bi fre wil forto so lyue or not so lyue with|out comaundement of Goddis lawe; thanne folewith ther of, that to the same or lijk maner of lyuyng noon othere Cristen men weren thanne or ben now bounde; no more than thei weren thanne to thilk poor maner of lyuyng bounde. And so the seid ensaumpling of thilk Cristen multitude in Ierusalem bindith no man.

Also thilk multitude weren lay persoones. Wher|fore if her gouernaunce in lyuyng poorli schulde binde bi ensaumpling, it schulde binde lay men and lay

wommen, as thei weren. Which is now bifore proued to be untrewe.

Also anoon aftir that thilk seid Cristen multitude biganne in Ierusalem, so greet persecucioun was maad vpon hem and upon the dekenes and the Apostilis, that alle the Cristen persoones whiche weren in Ieru|salem fledden out of Ierusalem, and weren disperclid abrode into othere dyuerse coostis and cuntrees, excepte oonli the Apostilis; as herof open storie is had, Acts viij^e. capitulum. in the bigynnyng. And sithen this or such othere lijk persecucioun thilk multitude awaitid and abode aftir forto to hem and upon hem come, and lijk troubelose tyme was in Ierusalem al the while Peter and Poul lyueden; it muste nedis ligge in open doom of resoun that folie hadde be to al thilk Cristen mul|titude, (thoruȝ al such tyme lyuyng in Ierusalem,) forto haue storid and tresourid to hem eny grete pos|sessiouns to be holde of hem in lordschip, and to be take to othere into ferme, and forto receyue ther of rent; bisidis the oonli housis and gardeyns, whiche weren necessarie for hem silf and her meyne forto in hem dwelle bi daies and nyȝtis. And therfore, thouȝ it hadde be folie to hem forto so kepe with hem gretter possessiouns than tho now seid, and that for the circumstaunce of thilk thanne being troubelose and perilose tyme; ȝit ther of folewith not bi ensaum|pling [bi eny ensaumpling, MS. (first hand).] therof, that it schulde be folie or that it was folie to othere Cristen multitudis, (dwelling in othere cuntrees out of so troubelose persecuciouns,) forto holde gretter possessiouns than tho in which thei in her owne persoones with her children and necessarie meyne dwellen or dwelliden. And so the ensaumpling of the seide Cristen multitude in Ierusalem bindith noon other Cristen into lijk maner of poor lyuyng; neither

counseilith eny other Cristen into lijk maner of lyuyng, whiche othere Cristen be not in lijk circum|staunce of perilose persecucioun, in which the seid Cristen multitude in Ierusalem thanne in the tyme of Apostlis weren.

Ferthermore, tho persoones of whiche Poul spekith, Hebr. xj^e. capitulum., (and of which the processe is alleggid bifore in the vj^e. chapiter of this present iij^e. partie,) were religiose men, forsaking miche of worldlihode and of fleischlihode [fleischli hode, MS. (without hy|phen, but with one a little below).] ; as weren [were, MS. (first hand).] the sones of Ionadab the sone of Recab, whiche "dranken no wijn, neithir bildiden housis, neither sewen sedis, neither plaun|tiden vynes, neither hadden vynes, but dwelliden in tabernacles thoruȝ alle her daies;" [See Jerem. xxxv. 6, 7.] whom and whos conuersacion God comendith, Ieremye xxxv^e. capitulum., where he seith to hem thus: For that ȝe obeieden to the comaundement of Ionadab ȝoure fader, and kepten alle hise comaundementis, and diden alle thingis whiche he comaundid to ȝou, a man of the genera|cioun of Ionadab sone of Recab schal not faile stond|ing in my siȝt in alle daies. And sithen these men weren Iewis in the tyme of the old lawe, and weren lay men and not preestis neither dekenys of the lawe, it is open that her ensaumpling was no comaundement. Forwhi, if it hadde be comaundement, it schulde haue be comaundement to lay persoones, as thei hem silf were; and thanne it wolde folewe, that it hadde not be leeful eny Iew forto haue had eny vnmouable possessioun, which is pleinli aȝens Goddis owne allow|aunce thoruȝ the v. bokis of Moyses, and in the book of Iosue in manye chapitris. And therfore needis the ensaumpling of thilk folk in al her abstinence, as weel fro myche fleischlihode as weel as fro myche

worldlihode, was oonli vndir counseil; and ȝit to alle tho oonli whiche were nedid, or ellis weel disposid for|to lyue in thilk maner. And so thilk ensaumpling of tho persoones weerneth not the endewing of preestis in these daies doon and had bi vnmouable godis. And here y make an eende of Scripture storial en|saumpling, which is the iij^e. soort of Scripture in the particioun of Scripture bifore sett in the iiij^e. chapiter.

That mannys lawe forbedith not and weerneth not the seid endewing nedith not to proue; for open it is ynouȝ to ech leerned man, that mannys lawe graunt|ith and meynteneth suche endewingis at fulle. And therfore no more of this membre for to sette it in this book.

Writingis of Doctouris in greet plente and noumbre myȝten be brouȝt into witnessing of this present purpos, and greet multitude of her writingis myȝten be brouȝte sownyng into the contrarie [into contrarie, MS. (first hand).] ; but for as miche as her feelingis and her writingis neither binden neither vnbinden in eny mater more or ferther or other wise than thei taken [Probably we should read ben taken.] out of lawe of kinde or of Holi Scripture or of mannis lawe, neither to hem it is to trowe ferther or more than thei kunne hem grounde in eny of these now spoken groundis or fun|damentis, (as is proued in the book clepid Iust ap|prising of Doctouris;) therfore forto bringe forth here the writingis of Doctouris for this present purpos or aȝens it, y forbere. Ech of hem seide and wroot, as he trowid for the tyme to be trewe; thouȝ ful ofte thei seemen among hem to discorde, and ful ofte re|dili thei discorden. Thus miche, fro the bigynnyng of the iiij^e. chapiter in this present iij^e. partie hidir to, is ynouȝ for proof of the firste principal conclu|sioun

in his ij_e. partie, that Holi Scripture of the Newe Testament lettith not the iij^e. principal gouer|naunce rehercid bifore in the firste chapiter of this present iij^e. partie.