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.

XX. The kirk so|lempni|zing matri|moyn in degre for|biden er|rith.

Þis is a noþer, þat þe kirk solempniȝing matrimoyn in degre forbiden erriþ, consenting to synne, as it semiþ, and autoriȝing synne. Þis semiþ soþ bi þis: Matrimoyn of cosyns in þrid and ford degre is not forbiden, not but bi þe kirk; and so it is no synne, not but þer forbedyng; and as Poul seiþ, Were is not lawe, þer is not breking of lawe, and eft he seiþ, If I bigge ageyn þe [Ro. v^o. Gal. ij^o.] þing þat I ding doun, I mak mesilfe a trespasor; and bi þe same

resoun, if þe kirk, wiþ out oole autorite, solempniȝe matrimoyn forbidun of þe general kirk, þis kirk þat þus solempniȝiþ synniþ, ȝhe aȝen þe ordinaunce, and so aȝen God, in als mikil as it doþ aȝen Goddis wille in þat ordinaunce. And if þat mariage is maad only but in autorite of þe kirk, and neuerþeles is no very mariage, but synne vp on ilk side, in þe making and in þe holding, it semiþ þat þus þis kirk is autor of þis, and bi þus mykil þe makar at [as?] þe kirk makiþ lawis; and schuld wern men þer of, þat þei offendid not þer in, and felle in to synne. And sin þei wern not men as þei schuld, þei are cause of þe fallyng of oþer men, and þat blud schal be sout out of þer hand; as God seiþ bi þe prophet, Son of man, if [Ezek. iij^o.] þu schewe not to my peple þat þei be ware, þei schal falle in þer wickidnes, and I schal seke þer blude of þin hand. Þerfor be ware of making of mariagis, and of diuorsis, or departingis; for þis þing is soþ, þat no man may depart þe þing þat God haþ jonid, no man may joyn, but if þat God joyn bi forn; forsoþ, as þe doctor seiþ, [Doctor.] In ilk bodily mariage is vnderstond a goostly mariage, wilk þe bodily copling performiþ. And of þeis bodily weddingis are þre good þingis, os Austeyn seiþ, feiþ, entent to bring forþ barnis, and [Austeyn.] þe sacrament of mariage. And hard it were to depart þis mariage þus maad. And for þis are þe bannis askid bi fore, to warn men to fle in weddingis couetous lustis, and pride, and swilk oþer vices vnpertinent to þe mariage. And þus schuld men be warnid in wat degre þei mai not cum to gidre, and how þei schuld be feiþful, and lif honestly and holyly to gidre, in on entent to bring forþ barnes. And for þe kirk doþ not þis, and oft solempniȝiþ matri|moynis þat are maad for lust, and be þwen þeis þat knowen hem silf vnable to bring forþ frut, in þeis cases it semiþ þe kirk consentiþ to synne. And also in þeis þat are solempniȝid, and after departid, for þat þei were not jonid bi God; for dowtles ilk þing þat is not of þe feiþ is synne, as Poul seiþ. And it is but foly to sey þat ani [Ro. xiu^o.] erriþ in doing aȝen þe bidding of God, and synniþ not, for Crist

himsilf reprouiþ hem þat erren vnknowing þe scripture and þe vertu of God.