An apology for Lollard doctrines, attributed to Wicliffe. Now first printed from a manuscript in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. With an introduction and notes by James Henthorn Todd.

XIX. Ma|riage mad in third degre.

An noþer is þis, þat mariage mad in þrid and ferd degre, aȝen þe ordinaunce of þe kirk, is rate and stable. And to þis I haue seid, þat it is so confermid þat it mai not be departid; þe man to wed ani oþer woman, wyle þat sche lyuiþ, nor scho to be weddid to ani oþer man. And þis semiþ me prouable þus; weþ þe lefe or conferming of þe kirk, swilk mariage is rate, þan it is rate or stable; and þe kirk miȝt not ratifie it, but if it be first ratified of God; and if it be ratified of God, þan þe kirk mai not depart it, for no man may depart þe þing þat God haþ joinid. And as men seyn þe ratifying of þe pope, or of þe kirk, is a chaunging þat God haþ ordeynd to be don, and if þis mariage were aȝen þe bidding of God, þan þe conferming of þe kirk were not worþ, nor þei miȝt not ȝeue leue þer to; for þei mai not ȝeue leue to breke þe bidding of God, nor leeue a man to lyue in ani degre aȝen þe bidding of God, nor charge him þer to. Now þe decre seiþ þus; Þe wedding [Decre.] of prestis, or of cosynis in þe þrid or ferd degre, is not forfendid bi þe autorite of þe oolde lawe, nor bi þe autorite of þe gospel, nor

of þe epistil, but it is only defendid bi law of þe kirk. And after seiþ þe decre, þow þe apostil addid sum þingis counseyling, þat [Decre.] were [not] found in bidding of þe gospel diffinid, þerfor [neiþer] þey are putt a wey of þe toþer apostols as foly or superflu; so and þe kirk, after þe statutis of þe apostil, haþ addid sum þingis of counseil of perfeccoun, os of continence of prestis, and of making of goostly misteris, of þe synging of officis, þat no wey are to be put a wey, but to be tan wiþ diligent worschip; þerfor þe wed|dingis of cosyns, þow þei be not found for bidyn bi þe gospel, nor bi þe pistel, neuerþeles þei are to be fled, for þei are forbydun bi þe ordinaunce of þe kirke. Þis seiþ þe decre. And so I graunt þat it is good to kep fro hem, but neuerþeles me semiþ þat þei mai not be departid, wen þei are maad, not but in swilk degre os God leeuiþ not to bide to gidre, and þat is no matrimone. But in þis þe decre seiþ, þeis þat are found weddid in þeis degrees, and wiþ [Decre.] in schort tyme done, be þei departid; ȝet þe decre leeuiþ not a man to wed an oþer, nor þe woman noiþer, wil þey two lyuen. And so if þe kirk wil not suffur þis man and woman dwel to gidre, what may þey do, but eiþer dwel stille bi hem silue, til þei may fynd better grace, and tak þe certayn and leue þe vncerteyn, þat þei synne not aȝen God, and abid til þei be formid wiþ holy writ, how hem is best to do? And if ani sey matrimoyn to be leful in þeis degreis, spekiþ aȝen þe Fadre and Sone and Holy Goost, be þu ware; for þe pope and þe kirk seiþ þat it is leful wen þei leefe it, solempniȝe it, confermiþ and approuiþ it.