The English works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted.Edited by F. D. Matthew.

IX. THREE THINGS DESTROY THIS WORLD.

THERE is nothing in this tract which can give us any certainty as to authorship or date. It should be noticed that the false confessors are friars; and that the lawyers, who are charged with gross hypocrisy, are priests.

The complaints of packing and bribing juries are worth notice.

Copied from the Corpus MS. X. and collated with the Dublin MS. AA.

SUMMARY.

False confessors are the chief cause of sin, since they excuse sins on condition of gifts to religious houses. They waste money in luxurious living, and get dis|pensation from their rule	p. 181
Wicked lawyers encourage quarrels, suborn perjury, pack juries, oppress the poor. They pretend to be religious	182
Ecclesiastical lawyers worst of all. They uphold the Civil Law above God's Law. They make divorces, and raise quarrels between man and wife	184
False merchants cheat, and teach their apprentices and servants to cheat. They are usurers	185
False confessors worst of all, since they encourage the rest	186

Þre þingis distroien þis world, false confessoures, false men of lawe, & false marchauntis.

[page 160] False confessouris ben cause of alle þe synne þat regneþ among clerkis, among lordis, amonge comunes; for þei taken þe charge to hele alle men of synne, & don not here power þer-to, but meyntenen & conforten hem þer-inne for worldly wynnynge, frendishipe & worschipe. for þei schulden teche hem here grete synnes & peynes for hem, & but ȝif men wolden leue here synnes & taken goddis word in reuerence, þei schulden leue here companye, & go to oþere to whom þei myȝten profite more, as crist tauȝte his apostlis. & þat is [Luke x. 10.] worse, þei seyn [AA inserts for þei sei.] þat þei wolen answere for men at domes day for to excuse hem ȝif þei wolen ȝefe hem or here hous to make gaye wyndowis or veyn housynge & nedles moche gold or siluer; & so þat þat schulde be delid among most nedy men bi comaundement of god þei wasten in veyn & nedles houses, & þat þing þat schulde be restorid men, for it was taken of hem bi extorsion & wronge menys, þei taken to hemself to maken festis to riche men. [X inserts as.] lordis þei resceyuen to here housynge, & letten osteleris of here offices & wynnynge, & maken iubilees þat we reden not [omitted X.] of, of [omitted X.] kyngis ne emperouris, to be þanne excused of risynge at mydnyȝt & oþere deuocions in whiche as þei seyn stondiþ perfeccion of here ordre. & þus whanne þei schulden be most perfit þei leuen here perfeccion & maken veyn cost & gret, [omitted X.] not to [page 161] fede pore men but lordis þat han no nede, to forsake þat þat sumtyme was perfeccion. & ȝif þe potestatis of here ordre dispinsen wiþ hem lawefully, þan þei maken hem more perfit in lif þan þei weren bifore, for ellis þei don hem harm in soule & peieren hem to godward, þat no creature may lesefully [leffully AA.] do; þan it were more perfeccion to leue here singuler obedience & obseruauncis, as þei don now in most perfeccion, & ellis þei

ben cursed alle þat approuen siche iubilees & dispensacions. And siþ þis dispensacion is wel don as þei seyn, þan god approueþ it for certeyn cause, but oþere cause is þer noone but þat þis man schal betere serue god wiþ-outen þes obseruaunces þan to holden hem forþ; þanne what man frere or munk schal betere serue god wiþ-outen siche obseruauncis of freris or munkis þan wiþ hem, god approueþ þat þat frere or monk leue here obseruauncis & turne to fredom of cristis gospel. But it semeþ whanne lordis heren [hiren AA.] a false confessour þei hiren an anticrist to leden hem to helle. And þus false confessouris ben þe fendis norisses [norisses, a later hand in X.] to norisse mennus soulis in synne & to brynge hem to sathanas; & þus in a maner þei sillen soulis to sathanas for a litel stynkynge drit or wombe ioie or pride & worldly worschipe, & þus þei ben traitouris to god almyȝtty, to clerkis, lordis & comeneris, & dampnen hem self.

Also false men of lawe disceyuen moche þis world, for þei tellen not sadly & trewely hou þe lawe stondiþ. But norischen pledynge & debate among men for to haue a veyn name & wynnen hem a litil worldly stynkynge muk wiþ goddis curs, & wittyngly meyntenen [in mayntenens AA.] þe fals partie bi cauelacions, & forbarien [forbarren AA.] pore men of riȝt, þat þouȝ a pore man han neuere so muche [opyn AA.] riȝt ȝit þei wole make many doseyns to forsweren hem on þe book to gete hem self þank or wynnynge. but þes ben false procuratouris of sathanas to dryue mennus soulis to helle; for ȝif þer be a trewe man in a contre he schal not come on [to AA.] his queste ȝif he may deuoyde hym, & ȝif he seie þe soþe he schal haue his [is X.] hate, sclaundrynge, loos of his catel or of his lif in þis [AA inserts wrecchid.] world; & þes laweieris þanken & flateryn & meyntenen false men & helpen hem [omitted X.] what þei may; & þus þei ben special procurators & false knyȝttis or champions of þe deuyl to meyntenen falsenesse, & distroien treuþe & knyȝttis of treuþe, equyte & charite; & herby þei geten ¹⁰hem gold¹⁰ [10_10 omitted X.] & purchasen rentis & londis of lordis &

distroien verrey heieris, & þis distroieþ moche [AA inserts of.] oure lond. for hou schulde riȝt be among suche men, þat þis day han but here penye & anoon purchasen rentis & londis to be peris wiþ knyttis or barons. Certis falsnesse avaunseþ hem, & þerfore þei maken sacrifice to þe fend. lord, hou schal god here hem in here moste nede, siþ þei wolen not here a pore man, haue [page 162] he neuere so grete riȝt. certis siþ men schullen be dampnyd for defaute of werkis of mercy, moche more þei þat wolen not opene here mouþ to speke o word for treuþe & goddis loue; but moche more schullen þei be dampnyd for extorcions & false plees þat þei meyntenen wittyngly, or whanne þei owe to witte it, aȝenst trewe partie; but most þei schullen be depe dampnyd for here grete ypocrisie, for þei maken it so holy boþe in word & signes, as knockynge on here brest, knelynge & seiynge of matynes & euensong, & herynge of massis, & many oþere deuocions to coloure here falsnesse, þat symple men supposen no more riȝtwisnesse in ony man þat leueth in herþe. but ȝit iurrouris in questis wolen forsweren hem wittyngly for here dyner & a noble, & þat so custumablice þat þouȝ a man haue neuere so opyn riȝt to a lordischipe anemptis mannys lawe & also goddis, þat many questis wolen wittyngly swere þat it is not his for a litel money; & so þei sillen crist þat is treuþe, as iudas dide, for a litel money, & þei ben so esely assoiled, but falsly of false confessouris for a litel part here wicked catel, þat þei maken no conscience for þis cursed periurie but ben endurid or hardid þer-inne as fendis of helle. & þus lordis & oþere men ben nedid for þis falsnesse to holden hem at fees & oþere grete costis, for ellis. wiþ here wiles & falnesse þei wolen dryue lordis & gentil men out of here housis, heritage & alle here goodis; & bi þis falsnesse a fewe pore wrecchis myȝten [omitted X.] conqueren in-to here owene hondis [housis AA.] in schort tyme almost al þe lordischipe þat may be sold on ony [only X.] resonable manere. & þouȝ it be bouȝt opynly aȝenst þe lawe, ȝit bi cauellacions þes lawieris holden it forþ, þat þe riȝtful heir may as wel bien a straunge [stronge X.] lordischipe as geten his

owene. ¶ Also falsse laweieris maken lordis & oþere men to meyntenen false causis & do wrongis to here neiȝeboris, whanne þe lordis wenen þat it is soþ, & so priuely maken lordis [Some pages are wanting here in AA. containing all the rest of the tract except six lines at the end.] dampnable for here wrong meyntenynge.

But of laweiris of þe consistorie or chapitris is more synne & ypocrisie to schewe. for þei tarien men in here courtis þouȝ þe riȝt neuere so pleyn, þat men ben ful [weary] of here peyneful lif so þei ben hurlid abouten; for ȝif a trewe man be falsly sclaundride & come among hem it is liȝttere to make a fyn for moche money þan to purge hym, be it neuere so opyn knowen; for ellis he schal be hurlid fro contre to contre, fro day to day, þat he schal be cotumax & cursed, & þanne stonde at here wille, or ellis for traueile & cost be ful [weary] of his lif. ¶ And þouȝ a man be neuere so cursed, ȝif he wole paie an annuel rente to þes lawieris & to [page 163] þe cursed court or to bischopis almes, he schal baþe hym in his synne as longe as he wole þus paie; & ȝif þere be ony good bischop þat wole chace þe fendis of lecherie or vsurie & siche moo, anoon coueitous laweieris wiþ here gnackis & iapis, delaies, excusacions & fals appelis, letten þe bischop to ponysche þis synne. & cursed|nesse of þis synne regneþ forþ bi a ȝeer, hauynge þe apel in þe heiȝere court, & sumtyme as long as þis cursed man lyueþ; & also whanne a trewe prest wolde bi goode conscience & bi forme of þe gospel distroie synne, þan lawieris maken procees bi sotilte & cauyllacions of lawe cyuyle, þat is moche heþene mennus lawe, & not accepten the forme of þe gospel, as ȝif þe gospel were not so good as paynymes lawe. & þus þei seyn þe gospel is not ynowȝ to reule holy chirche by, but synful mennus lawis ful of errour ben more nedful þan þe gospel þer-to. & þus þei seyn in dede þat crist was a fool & out of charite; for siþ he tauȝte not þe beste lawe for to reule cristene mennys soulis bi, as þei seyn, he was out of charite; for he myȝtte & coude ȝeue þe beste, & siþ he demyd þat þe gospel was þe beste, & it is not þe beste as þei seyn,

þan þei seyn þat crist was a fool. & so þei putten þe gospel bihynde & dispisen it & magnyfien paynymes lawes & oþere synful mennys lawes for þe beste, & seyn in dede þat paynymes & oþere synful men, þat in caas be dampnyd deuelis, weren wisere & betre þan ihū crist, siþ þei ȝeuen betre lawes & more nedful for holy chirche þan euere dide ihū crist; & herefore þei reulyn clerkis bi þes worldly wronge lawis, & maken oure clerkis worldly & to forsake holy writt, for it dampneþ pride & coueitise clerkis & techeþ mekenesse & to flee coueitise & oþere synnes. But paynymes lawe & worldly clerkis lawe meyntene pride, coueitise, extorcions & oþere synnes, & þer-fore þei ben studied of worldly clerkis, & goddis owene wordis ben dispised. ¶ Also þei maken men to forsweren hem & norischen hem þerinne, & maken men to charge more þe peny þan þe trewe conscience & maundementis of god, & þer-to maken dyuors bi false witnesse & oþere cautelis, & so reisen debatis & enemytes bitwene weddid men & here wiwes bi many priue menys of anticrist. & ȝit þe fend techeþ hem to make orible peynes of here owene wille for smale synnys, to make men for fere to paye moche money to hem; & riche men & myȝtti ben not ponyschid bi here lawis, be here synne neuere so opyn, but pore men ben ponyschid, ȝe þouȝ þei ben trewe & clene, but ȝif þei paien to anticrist aftir his wille. & þus [page 164] þes courtis ben courtis of wrong & falsnesse & not cristis but þe fendis, to exile treuþe & charite & holy writt & to meyntene falsnesse & synne & magnifien synful mennys lawis more þan þe gospel.

¶ Also false marchauntis bryngen vp & susteynen moche synne to distroie þe world; for þei lyuen comynly bi falsnesse as bi false swerynge, false mesure & false weitis, & techen þis falsnesse to ȝonge prentis, & preisen hym most þat foulest raymeþ alle þe membris of crist falsly, & most sotilly can bigilen þe peple, & ȝif ony seruaunt of here wole do treuþe & drede synne he is holden but a fool & vnþrifty & schal neuere be man; & ȝit þes false marchauntis bien gret chep & sillen out of cours dere & bringen fro heþene men, & oþere

cursed men þat han name of cristene men, many newe gises of pride & worldly vanyte, & magnyfien hem aboue þe cloudis; where-fore þe lordis & oþere men ben drawen fro þinkynge of god & heuenely þingis, & setten here wittis & likyngis in þes newe vanytees & fantom of worldly glorie. & þe moste of here wynnynge stondiþ in fals vsure, so moche þat þei han enuenymed almost alle clerkis, alle lordis, & alle oþere men wiþ þis cursed vsure; summe bi doynge of vsure, summe bi consentynge þer-to & for meyntenynge þer-of, & so þei bringen cursyngis to alle men comynly of oure lond. & ȝit þei lyuen in glotonye, dronkenesse & lecherie as hoggis, & in coueitise, ydelnesse, pride, enuye & wraþþe as fendis; & þis cursed lif þei techen in word & dede to oþere pore men as sathanas procuratouris & cursed heretikis. but ȝit false con|fessouris þat leden hem & reulen hem in þis cursed lif, & wolen not tellen hem þe soþe for drede of lesynge of here frendischipe & worldly wynnynge but conforten hem in þis synful lif & vndertaken for here synnes at domes day, don most cursed synne of alle. for þei techen þes foolis to make gret cost of wast houses of freris or of oþere veyn religion, or to holde proude & worldly prestis, or to founde a college of worldly clerkis or religious aȝenst goddis lawe, & þer-bi to be sauyd þouȝ þei dwellen stille in here synne & maken no restitucion to men þat þei han disceyued, & þouȝ þei don not here almes to pore men & nedy þat ben bedered & mowe not helpe hem self, but suffren hem to perische for myschief. & þus lordis & riche men hiren false confessouris wiþ grete spensis þat leden hem faste to helle; & þe comune peple is constreyned bi anticristis lawis to meyntene wiþ tiþis & offryngis false curatis & confessouris, þat disceyuen hem in techynge of goddis lawe & norischen hem in synne & so leden hem to helle. And þus bi þes men [many X.] falsnesse regneþ, & treuþe & vertuous lif ben distroied, & so þes þre fals men distroien þis world boþe in soule & in [omitted X.] worldly goodis.