The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

viij. CHAPITER.

THE ij^e. principal conclusioun is this: Doom of cleerli in kinde disposid resoun werneth not and let|tith not the seid thridde principal gouernaunce sett in the bigynnyng of the firste chapiter of this present iij^e. partie. That this conclusion is trewe y proue thus: If eny such now seid doom of resoun schulde weerne and lette the seid iij^e. principal gouernaunce, thilk doom of resoun schulde be oon of these domes now suyngli to be rehercid. But so it is, that noon of hem so weerneth and lettith; but ech of hem is as semyng colour oonli and not a very prouyng doom, as in processe suyng schal be schewid. Wherfore doom of cleerli disposid resoun in kinde weerneth not and lettith not the seid iij^e. principal gouernaunce.

The ij^e. premisse of this argument schal be proued bi long processe thus. The firste semyng colour in doom of resoun is this: Aftir the sentence of Crist, (Math. vij^e. capitulum. and Luk vj^e. capitulum.,) Such is the tre, which is the fruyt of the same tree; so that bi the fruyt of the tree the same tree is knowun, whether he be good or bad. But so it is, that the fruyt of the chirchis riche endewing is synne of pride, of glotenye, of sy|monye, and so forth of manye othere. Wherfore the tree of hem is nauȝt, which is the seid riche endewing.

The ij^e. semyng [colour] is this: If riche endewing hadde be profitable to the clergie and to al the hool chirche of God, Crist him silf bi his owne persoon

hadde endewid richeli the clergie of the chirche in hise daies, and hadde bede that aftir his passing out of this lijf men schulden make suche endewingis. But Christ not so endewid his chirche in hise daies, nei|ther bede the clergie aftir hise daies in this lijf forto be richeli endewid. Forwhi therof is no mensioun in al the Newe Testament. Wherfore such riche en|dewing of the clergie is not profitable to the clergie, neither to the other partie of the chirche.

The first premisse of this argument muste needis be grauntid, as it wolde seeme. Forwhi Crist loued his chirche and the clergie therof more than eny creature of this world can loue the chirche and the clergie; and the proof of loue is execucioun of werk and of deede; it seemeth folewe, that sithen othere persoones for loue which thei hadden to the clergie endewiden the clergie, miche rather Crist for loue wolde haue endewid the clergie, or wolde haue mad special ordinaunce therfore bi deede, or at the leest bi word, if he hadde knowe that such riche endew|ing hadde be to his clergie necessarie or profitable. And so the firste premysse of this ij^e. argument semeth to be trewe. The ij^e. premysse of the argu|ment is also openli trewe. Wherfore the conclusioun concludid bi tho ij. premyssis in the same argument is also trewe.

The iij^e. is this: Seint Ierom in writing the lijf of Malk the monk seith, that sithen the chirche wexid in dignitees, he decrecid in vertues. And an other cronicler seith in sentence thus: Eer the clergie of the

chirche was endewid with vnmouable possessiouns the clerkis weren holi and deuoute and goostli, and bi ensaumpling of so holi conuersacioun turneden miche of the world into trewe feith and vertuose conuersa|cioun; and thanne also the clerkis weren redi forto putte her lijfis for witnessing of trouthe and for the goostli helthe of her neiȝboris. And aȝenward aftir in tyme that the clergie of the chirche was endewid with vnmovable godis, the clergie decrecid in holi lyuyng and in alle necessarie gouernauncis to the helthe of the chirche, which bi fore the seid endew|ing thei hadden; and vicis grewen into the clergie miche thickir than bifore, as pride, ambicioun, veir glorie, glotenie, leccherie, coueitise, and speciali sy|monie; and suche othere. Wherfore it seemeth that thilk endewing was yuel doon.

The iiij^e. is this: It is fablid to be trewe, that whanne greet Constantyne the Emperour was baptisid of Siluester Pope, and hadde endewid Siluester Pope with greet plente of londis of the empire, a voice of an aungel was herd in the eir seiyng thus: "In this dai venom is hildid into the chirche of God."

Wherfore the seid endewing bi immovable godis to the clergie is vnvertuose and yuel.

The v^e. semyng skile is this: It is not semeli, honeste, conuenient, and according, that bischopis and abbotis (whiche schulden be grete sterers to the lay partie into deedis of pitee, and schulde be bridelis or refreynyng meenys to the lay parti fro deedis of cruelte and of vnpitee, and that bi deede in ensaum|pling and bi word in preching, counceiling, and ex|orting) schulden do and vse deedis strecching and disposing and abling into the grettist vnpitee and grettist cruelnes that mai be; but so doon summe bischopis and abbotis bi sum of her temperal vnmou|able endewing. Forwhi bi summe of her endewingis summe bischopis and abbotis han and holden courtis, in whiche iugementis ben ȝouun in her name, aucto|rite, and power into hangement and into deeth. And forto do, ȝeue, or assigne thilk deeth vsuali and customabili is oon of the grettist dedis of vnpitee and cruelnes that is, and disposith also into gretter vnpitee and cruelnes, and lettith a man forto haue and kepe with him pitee and mercifulnes. Wherfore at the leest, if not al riche vnmouable endewing, ȝit thilk maner of endewing is not to be mad to bischopis and abbotis.

If eny man wole be aboute forto excuse the bi|schop or abbot fro the inconuenience which this ar|gument is aboute forto bringe into him, and that bi this that he not iugith into deeth, but an other man

vndir him and in his absence; certis this excuse is no sufficient excuse. Forwhi what euer is doon in an othir mannis name, power, stide, and auctorite, (him it witing and not weerning) is doon of him; and he therof is the doer, as into this point, that he therbi be iust or vniust, riȝtful or vnriȝtful, preisable or dispreisable, doing honestli or doing vnhonestli. And therfore if iugementis of deeth be doon in the seid courtis in name and auctorite of the bischop or abbot, al is oon (into the now rehercid effectis) as thouȝ tho bischopis or abbotis diden it in her owne persoones. For ellis Pilat hadde be excusable of Cristis deeth, bi cause he lefte him to the hondis of othere men doing amys in his name. Also ellis it schulde be seid that the king iugith no man into deeth, neither sleeth eny man, neither executith iuge|ment of deeth; bi cause he so euermore dooth bi hise officers doing in his name: which is fals and vntrewe. For no iugement of deeth may come iustli saue fro him and bi him, for he is the mynystre of God or|deyned therto bi God, as Poul seith, Rom. xiij^e. capitulum. And therfore this afore sett answere is not worth.

For answere and assoiling to these semyng skilis and colouris, and first for answere to the first of hem y graunte weel that "such is the tree which is the fruyt of the tree;" that is to seie, if the fruyt of a tree be badde, the tree is badde; and if the fruyt of a tree is good, the tree is good. Forwhi the tree is not oonli an occasioun of the fruyt, but he is the cause of his fruyt making and wirching into the fruyt that it be brouȝt forth. But certis so is it not bitwixe ricchessis and the synnes whiche comen fro out and bi tho ricchessis. For tho ricchessis ben not causis of tho synnes, but ben oonli occasiouns of tho synnes; and that oonli to the freel and culpable wil

of men, which is the verri cause wirching tho synnes. And therfore, bitwixe the hauyng, bi which a tree hath him silf anentis his fruyt, and the hauyng, bi which ricches hath him silf anentis the synnes com|yng fro, out, and bi him, is a greet dyuersite. Cer|tis, if the synnes comyng forth fro and bi ricches weren causid of the ricches, and the ricches were cause of tho synnes and made tho synnes, as the tree makith the fruyt, the now first mad skile and argument schulde procede weel, and schulde proue sufficientli his entent. But sithen it is so, that ricchessis ben not causis of the vicis whiche comen fro and bi hem, but the freel wil of the man which vsith tho ricchessis is the making cause of tho synnes, and the ricches is not more than an occasioun of hem oonli, therfore the firste argument and skile is not worth. What difference is bitwixe a cause of a thing and an occasioun of the same thing schal be tauȝt aftir in the iiij^e. parti of this present book the iij^e. chapiter, where more is seid perteynyng to this present answere.

That ricches is not cause of eny synne mai be proued thus: Thou canst not seie whi and wherfore ricches schulde be cause of synne, saue for that fro, out, and bi ricches synne cometh. Weel thanne, y therto seie aȝen thus: Fro, out, and bi ricches comen ful manye and ful grete vertuose deedis, as ful grete and huge almesful and piteful deedis, summe perpe|tuel, summe for a tyme to dure; wherfore thou ouȝtist graunte that ricches is cause of vertu and of good, as it is cause of synne and of yuel. And so ricches schulde in lijk and euen maner be cause of ij. contrarie effectis, which is not to be grauntid,

saue of a causer bi liberte and fredom, as is free wil; and such is not ricches. Wherfore he is not cause of synne, but an occasioun of synne oonli.

And thanne ferther: If this were to be holde trewe, that for this that ricches is occasioun of al the synne which out, fro, and bi him cometh, ricches were badde and ouȝte not be had; but that the hauying of it were viciose and vnleeful, and that for this that yuel cometh ther fro and ther bi:—certis thanne for lijk skile, sithen fro and bi the greet ricches in which the aungel Lucifer was sett and putt, came his synne and the synne of manie othere aungelis and her per|petuel dampnacioun, it wolde folewe that thilk riching of the aungel was vicioseli doon of God; and so God ther yn was viciose. And sithen this folewith not, as ech man muste needis graunte, it folewith that ech man muste also lijk weel graunte, that thouȝ out and fro and bi temperal ricches (as out, fro, and bi an oc|casioun oonli) cometh myche synne and other yuel, therof folewith not neithir is concludid and proued the hauying of the same ricches to be yuel.

Also thus: Other wise cometh not yuel and good out, fro, and bi ricchessis which preestis and other men holden and vsen, than as out, fro, and bi her tungis comen forth bothe yuel spechis and gode spechis, preisingis to God and dispreisingis to God, profitable teching to the vnkunnyng and vnprofitable speche to the vnkunnyng, and so forth of manye miche neces|sarie deedis doable bi mennys tungis and of manye ful wickid and ful miche noiose deedis comyng forth bi mennys tungis. Forwhi tungis be not but the in|strumentis of the fre wil, bi and with which the free wil of man wirchith sumwhile good sumwhile yuel; and so richessis ben not but instrumentis of and to the fre wil, bi which the free wil of the vsers

wirchith in sumtyme good and in sumtyme yuel. And so bothe the tungis of preestis and ricchessis of preestis ben instrumentis and occasiouns of ful miche good and of ful miche yuel.

What schal therfore be doon to her tungis? Schulen thei be kutt of, for that thei ben founde occasions of yuel? Certis, nay; for thanne bi thilk kutting of schulde also ther with be kutt of alle the godis, whiche bi tho tungis mowe also be doon and had. Wherfore, bi lijk resoun and skile, neither ben ricchessis to be kutt awey fro preestis, for that of the ricchessis com|eth yuel; sithen in thilk kutting awey schulden be kutt awey alle the goodis, whiche schulden come and whiche mowen come bi vce of the same ricchessis. What thanne is to be doon anentis the vicis of the tunge? Certis the freelnes of the wil is to be kutt awei and to be leid aside with greet bateil, greet scole, and greet craft; and the tungis ben to be lete stonde stille. And if this be trewe, certis so bi lijk forme and for lijk skile anentis the vicis comyng forth among preestis bi her ricchessis, the freel wil is to be curid and to be leid aside, and the ricchessis ben to be holden; namelich for, thouȝ oon of hem vse tho ricchessis vicioseli, summe succes|souris to him schulen vse hem vertuoseli. And God forbede that the vice of this preest now lyuyng schulde hindre the vertues of gode men after him in tyme comyng!

To this same sentence ful weel accordith Seint Austyn in a long proces so cleerli, so sweeteli, and so resonabili, that noman may berke or bite theraȝens; which proces is writun in the iij^e. parti of hise ser|mouns, the xxxiij^e. sermoun, and is this in wordis now folewing. Scripture preisith him which myȝte haue trespacid and not trespacid, which "wente not after

gold," Ecclesiastici xxxj ^e. capitulum. The gold schulde go aftir thee, not thou aftir the gold. Sotheli no thing that is mad of God is yuel. Be not thou yuel, for for|sothe the gold is good. Lo, y proue thus: Lete me putte gold bitwixe a good man and an yuel man. Lete the yuel man take it; anoon poor and louȝe men ben oppressid, iugis ben corruptid, lawis ben peruertid, gouernauncis and policies ben disturblid. But whi is this? What is the verri cause of this? Certis, for that an yuel man toke the gold. Lete a good man take the gold; anoon poor men ben fed, nakid men ben clothid, oppressid men ben delyuered, prisoneris ben out bouȝt. Lo hou grete godis comen of the gold which a good man takith; and how grete yuelis of the gold which an yuel man takith. Wherto therfore ȝe at sumwhilis brouȝt into wraththe seien, "O wolde God thilk gold were not had"? Be thou not yuel; loue thou not the gold. If thou art yuel, thou goost aftir the gold; if thou art good, the goold goith aftir thee. What is this, that the gold goith after thee? Certis, thou ledist and art not led; for thou hast the possessioun and art not had in possessioun. Thus seith Austin there. And ferthermore sumwhat aftir there Austyn seith thus: No thingis maken and

ben causis of gode maners and of gode vertues, saue gode loues. Lete not gold be take awey fro mennys hauyng; but lete the gold abide and be had, that thou proue mennys hauyng. Whi? Lete mennys tungis be kutt awey, for that bi hem summen blasphemen God; and where schulen we thanne haue preisers of God? What dooth a tunge, he that singith weel or spekith weel knowith weel; and a ful good instrument he is. Ȝeue thou a good wil to the good tunge, and thanne gode thingis ben spokun; men being in discord ben brouȝt into accord, men discoumfortid ben coumfortid, leccherose men ben chid and blamed, wrathful men ben re|freyned, God is preisid, Crist is commendid, the wil is heet and inflamyd into loue, but into godli loue not into manli loue, spiritual loue not fleischli loue. These goodis dooth the tunge, but whi and bi what wirching cause? For good is the wil which vsith the tunge. Ȝeue thou an yuel man to the tunge, and thanne schulen be blasphemers, chiders, chalengers, and [informers]. Alle these yuelis comen fro the tunge, for that the yuel man vsith the tunge. Be not therfore takun awey thingis fro thingis, but be at and be sett to good vce to thingis. Thus seith Austyn there.

Lete oonli good men and weel proued men in vertues be takun in to preesthode and into pre|lacie, wherynne ben riche possessiouns; and without dout miche more good schal come bi the hauyng of tho riche possessiouns, than schulde come if thei were not had. But alle the cause, whi yuel cometh fro and bi tho riche possessiouns had in prelacie, is for that vertuose men and weel proued men in leernyng and in lyuyng ben not chosun and takun into prelacies; but sumwhile children, sumwhile men wantounli brouȝt up in court, sumwhile vnleerned men for her greet blood and her hiȝe birthe; ȝhe, into the dampnacioun of hem whiche so chesen and takun, as it is ful miche to drede. Lete therfore this that is verry cause of the yuel be take awey, and lete it abie which is gilti: lete not it be take awey, which profrith him silf redi into good and of which schal come good, whanne it schal come into gode mennys hondis: lete not it abie which trespacith not. And thanne is doon, what ouȝte here ynne be doon; and ellis it is doon, which ouȝte not be doon. And thus myche is ynouȝ for answere to the i^e. semyng skile.

Notes

• This is not an exact quotation. See Matth. vii. 20; Luke vi. 44.
• Perhaps sithen should be in|serted.
• "Scribere disposui . . . . . ab adventu Salvatoris usque ad nos|tram ætatem, id est, ab apostolis usque ad nostri temporis fæcem, quomodo et per quos Christi ecclesia nata sit et adulta, persecutionibus creverit, et martyriis coronata sit; et postquam ad Christianos principes venerit, potentia quidem et divitiis major sed virtutibus minor facta sit." S. Hieron. Vit. Malch. Mon. (Op. tom. ii. p. 41. Ed. Vallars.)
• The following passage of Nico|laus de Clamengiis (written about A.D. 1414) agrees substantially with this extract, yet it can hardly be the place intended to be quoted:— "Nemo est, ut opinor, qui non satis audierit et mente teneat, quantum Christi ecclesiæ minis|tri, viri utique probata virtute clarissimi omnique tempore laude merito celebrandi, terrenam opu|lentiam contempserint. . . . Ubi vero, ut fere assolet, paululum ex divitiis rerumque secundarum af|fluentia luxus et insolentia in ecclesiam subiere, tepescere sen|sim cœpit religio, virtus hebes|cere, solvi disciplina. . . . Sed ut pompis et luxui res subesset, avaritia crebrescere," &c. De cor|rupt. Eccl. stat. in Brown. Fasc. Append. pp. 555, 556. He goes on to enlarge on the "simoniaca pravi|tas" a little afterwards, see p. 559.
• "Anno III^e.XV. Constantinus baptizatur a Sancto Silvestro, et tunc ditavit ecclesiam Romanam libertatibus, prædiis, et possessioni|bus, et dedit sedem suam imperialem Sancto Petro et suis successoribus. Et illo tempore Diabolus in aere volando clamavit, Hodie venenum ecclesiis Dei infusum est." Sprot. Chron. p. 43. (Ed. Hearne.) "Nar|rant chronica quod in dotatione ecclesiæ, vox audita est in aere angelica tunc temporis, sic dicen|tis, Hodie effusum est venenum in ecclesia sancta Dei." Wicl. Dial. lib. iv. c. 18. "The angel said full sothe, when the church was dowed, that this day is venym shed into the church." Id. Of clerks pos|sess., MS. cited in Lewis' Life of Wicl. p. 122. See also The vision of Piers Plowman, v. 10,659, sqq. vol. 2. p. 325. (Wright's Ed.), where it is said, that—

  "An aungel men herdenAn heigh at Rome crye,Dos ecclesiæ this dayHath ydronke venym."
• not, MS. (first hand).
• is cause, MS. (first hand).
• bihim, MS.
• Weel is added (by a later hand?) in the margin.
• aȝens, MS. (first hand).
• bi, MS.
• to fre, MS. (first hand).
• holde, MS. (first hand).
• of gold, MS. (first hand).
• "Ipsum laudavit Scriptura, Qui potuit transgredi, et non est transgressus; qui post aurum non abiit. (Eccli. xxxi. 8). Post te debet ire aurum, non tu post aurum. Nam bonum est aurum. Non enim aliquid mali creavit Deus. Tu noli esse malus; et bonum est aurum. Ecce aurum pono inter bonum hominem et malum. Tollat malus; inopes opprimuntur, judices cor|rumpuntur, leges pervertuntur, res humanæ perturbantur. Quare hoc? Quia aurum tulit malus. Tollat bonus; pauperes pascuntur, nudi vestiuntur, oppressi liberantur, cap|tivi redimuntur. Quanta bona de auro, quod habet bonus! quanta mala de auro, quod habet malus! Ut quid dicitis aliquando stoma|chati, O si non esset ipsum aurum? Tu noli amare aurum. Si malus es, is post aurum: si bonus es, it post te. Quid est, it post te? Tu ducis, non duceris; quia possides, non possideris." S. August. Serm. cccxi. c. 9. (Op. tom. v. pp. 873, 874. Ed. Benedict. Antv. 1700).
• A space left vacant in the MS.
• "Non faciunt bonos mores, nisi boni amores. Tollatur aurum de rebus humanis; immo adsit aurum, ut probet res humanas. Præci|datur lingua humana propter Dei blasphematores, et unde erunt Dei laudatores? Quid tibi fecit lingua? Sit qui bene cantet, et bonum est organum. Da mentem bonam ad linguam: bona dicuntur, discordes concordantur, lugentes consolantur, luxuriosi corripiuntur, iracundi re|frænantur, Deus laudatur, Christus commendatur, mens ad amorem inflammatur; sed divinum, non hu|manum; spiritalem, non carnalem. Hæc bona facit lingua. Quare? Quia bona est mens quæ utitur lingua. Da malum hominem ad linguam: erunt blasphematores, li|tigatores, calumniatores, delatores. Omnia mala de lingua, quia malus est, qui utitur lingua. Non tol|lantur res de rebus humanis: sint res et adsit usus rerum bonarum." S. August. u.s. c. 11.
• The six following words are added in the margin by a later hand.