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

XIII. HOW SATAN AND HIS CHILDREN, ETC.

THE tiresome series of antitheses between Christ and the fiend with which this tract begins are in Wyclif's worst manner, if indeed they are his.

The characteristic point of this tract is its insistence on the hardships of imprisonment for debt, on the cruelty of those who inflict it unjustly, (pp. 211 and 214), and on the folly of those who fall into it through drunkenness (p. 217). I do not remember any other tract in which this point is pressed so much.

Whoever the author was, he knew the poor and felt for them; notice, among other things, his description of the bed-rid poor as couching on muck or dust (p. 211), and his complaint that the aged poor had to drink water and fell into fevers. (Did he look upon wine as a febrifuge?)

Copied from the Corpus MS. X. and collated with the Dublin MS. AA., where the first chapter and part of the second are wanting.

SUMMARY.

CHAP. I.	The works of bodily mercy are enumerated, and the perversions of them prevalent among bad priests, etc.	p. 210
II.	Contains a similar list of contrasts as to the works of spiritual mercy	212
III.	The temptations offered us by the five senses are enumerated and contrasted with the right use of the senses.	216

Hou sathanas & his children turnen werkis of mercy vpsodom & disceyuen men þer-inne & in here fyue wittis.

Capitulum primum.

[page 179] First crist comaundiþ men of power to fede hungry pore men; þe fend & his techen to make costy festis & waste many goodis on lordis & riche men & to suffre pore men sterue & perische for hunger & oþere myscheuys; ȝe, men þat feynen hem ful of charite & religion gadren propre goodis to hem seluen & festen delicatly lordis & ladies & riche men & suffre here pore breþren begge for meschef & fare ful harde. crist comaundiþ to ȝeue drynk to þrusty men & wymmen; þe fend & his techen to purueye heiȝ wyn & spised ale & strong for riche men & lordis to make hem dronken & chide & fiȝtte & forȝete god & his lawe, & to suffre pore þat han nouȝt of here owene & may not labore for febilnesse or sikenesse & blyndenesse drynke water & falle in feueris or ellis perische. crist comaundiþ to cloþe nakyd men & wymmen whanne þei han noȝt of here owene; þer-to þe fend & his techen to ȝeue costly cloþis & manye to riche men & mynstralis or shaualdours for worldly name, & suffre pore men haue nakid sidis & schakynge lippis & hondis for cold þat woo is hem wiþ þe lif. Ȝe, prelatis & men of singuler religion, þat taken þe charge to ben procuratouris & dis|penderis of pore mennus liflode, cloþen fatte horsis & gaie sadlis & bridlis & mytris & croceris wiþ gold & siluer & precious stonys & suffren pore men & children perische for cold; & ȝit þes prelatis & newe religious comen in staat of cristis pouert & his apostlis, & techen & crien þat what euere þei han is pore mennus goode. ȝit riche men cloþen [closen MS.] dede stockis & stonys wiþ precious cloþis, wiþ gold & siluer & perlis & gaynesse to þe world, & suffren pore men goo sore a cold & at moche meschefe. Crist techiþ to herbwre pore men þat han non houses ne peny to peye for here innys; þe

fend & his techen to herberwe riche men & lordis wiþ gret cost & deyitte for worldly worschipe, & suffre pore men wander in stormys & slepe wiþ þe swyn, & many tymes suffre not hem come wiþ-inne here ȝatis, & to fynde many excusacions & coloure þis doynge. ȝe, ypocritis of priuat religion maken grete houses & costy & gaely peyntid [page 180] more þan kyngis & lordis bi sotil beggynge & confessions & trentalis & meyntenynge of synne, [and] herberewe lordis & riche men & namely ladies, & suffre pore men lie wiþ-outen or geten houslewth at pore men or ellis perische for wedris & cold. ¶ Crist techiþ to visite sike men & counforte hem & helpe hem of sustenaunce; þe fend & his techen to visiten riche men, lordis & ladies in here prosperite & lykynge to be holden kynde & curteis, & to counforte eche oþer in synne & to haue lustis of glotonye, lecherie & oþere schrewidnessis, but of pore men þat ben beddrede & couchen in muk or dust is litel þouȝt on or noȝt. ¶ Ȝit ypocritis of feyned religion visiten not fadirles children & modirles & widewis in here tribu|lacion & kepe not hem self vnbleckid fro þis world, as seynt iame techiþ: but visete oft riche men & wymmen, & namely [James i. 27.] riche widewis, for to gete worldly muk by false disceitis & carien it home to caymes castelis & anticristis couent & sathanas children & marteris of glotonye. ¶ Crist techeþ to visite men in prison & helpe to delyuere hem in good manere & counforte hem bi almes ȝeuynge; þe fend & his presonen pore men for dette whanne þei ben not at power to paie, & traueile nyȝt & day & lyuen ful harde, & to lyue wiþ trewþe & susteynen [sustevnem MS.] wif & children, & on hem is no mercy. ȝit feyned religious men pursuen pore prestis to prison & to brennynge bi many cursed lesyngis & sclaundrynge priue & apert, for as mochel as þei prechen trewly & frely cristis gospel & goddis hestis & reprouen here ypocrisie, symonye, coueitise & oþere disceitis; & ȝit þes ypocritis blenden lordis & prelatis to enprisone siche pore prestis techynge þe treuþe bi comaunde|ment & ensaumple of crist & his apostlis, not-wiþstondynge

þat lordis & prelatis ben charged vp peyne of dampnacion to helpe hem & meyntene þis treuþe & prechouris of it. ¶ It is holden a werk of mercy to birie dede men after þe techynge of goddis lawe; þe fend techiþ worldly riche men, clerkis & religious, to make solempnyte whanne riche men ben dede wiþ dirige & messis & wax & rengynge & grete festis, but whanne pore men ben dede vnneþe wole ony man berie hem or seie derige or masse. Ȝit feyned religious wolen come to riche mennus dirige in grete multitude & stire hem to be biried in here chirche, & stryuen & fiȝtten for þe dede careyne for loue of offrynge & worldly honour, but pore men schullen not lie among hem þouȝ þei axen it neuere so faste for charite. & þus in stede of werkis of bodely mercy & charite is comen in ypocrisie of worldly name & coueitise & norischynge [page 181] of synne & sotil excusynge þer-of, & euyl is clepid good & good euyl.

Capitulum 2^m.

Werkis of mercy ben worse turned vpsodoun. crist seiþ it is a souereyn werk of mercy & charite to teche vnlernyd men þe riȝtte weie to heuene, þat is þe gospel & goddis comaundementis; þe fend & his seyn it is grete charite to teche ȝonge men & oþere sotil craftis & nedeles & queynte sleiȝtis to disceyue schepische men of worldly goodis & make hem self riche & bostful & proude. & þe fend bi sotil menys of ypocrisie & symonye stireþ lordis & myȝtty men to make an ydiot & fool curatour of cristene soulis, þat neiþer may ne kan ne wole, for his opyn synne & worldly lif & ignoraunce of holy writt & necligence & worldly vanyte & drede of worldly shame & loos, teche hem goddis lawe, ne suffre oþere to teche hem frely & trewely wiþ-outen flaterynge for drede last his owene falsnesse be knowen; & ȝit þes cursed auaunsynge is clepid charite to helpe þus a pore man. But an ydiot & a lecherous wrecche schal be sett to kepe þe soulis for litel pris, & þe more lorel goo on haukynge & huntyng,

& serue in lordis courtis, in worldly offices, & þe deuyl drawiþ wiþ his helpis alle þat he may to helle & þis is clepid mercy & charite; but þis deuelis charite puttiþ oute charite & loue of god & bryngiþ in loue of money & synne & hate of vertues & cristene soulis. crist seiþ it is werk of mercy to conseile at perti hou a man schal best lyue in þis or þis special poynt. þe fend & his seyn it is mercy & charite to conseile men to holde forþ craftis þat þei vsen aȝenst here conscience & excusen hem bi almes, as masse syngynge & makynge of nedles houses & costy. & whanne clerkis schullen conseile lordis & oþere men hou þei may best serue god & saue here soulis in here a-staat, þis conseil is turned in-to worldly wisdom as bildynge of castellis & arraiynge of housholde in lond of pees & of werre. & whanne it [is] reserued to þe holy gost to ȝeue vtterly conseil in special poyntis þat ben not expresly comaundid ne forboden in holy writt, worldly clerkis ful of pride, symonye, coueitise & oþere synnys ȝeuen fulbut conseil aȝenst þe holy gost & aȝenst þe helþe of þe soule for here owene pride & coueitise; & þus conseil of þe holy gost & profit of soulis [AA begins here, the first part of the tract being lost.] is putt bihynde & conseil of þe world & þe fleisch & of sathanas is putt forþ. god biddiþ þat lordis & souereyns schulden in resonable manere chastise here sugetis, seruauntis & children whanne þei trespassen opynly in word or dede aȝenst goddis comaundementis; þe fend & his techen þat suggettis & seruauntis ben cruely beten, pyned, prisoned & sumtyme hangid & drawen for worldly trespas & defaute of here [page 182] seruyce doynge, & vnreuerence aȝenst worldly souereyns, but of trespas & dispit of god & his lawe no charge but mirþe [myȝþe X.] & liynge & iapynge. worldly prelatis of anticrist seyn þat lordis schullen chastise here sugetis of worldly causes, but not of lecherie ne pride ne forswerynge, be it neuere so opyn, for þat longeþ to iurdiccion of prelatis; neþeles ȝif þei han money of þes lecherous þeues þei schullen lie in here cursed synne fro ȝeer to ȝeer, ȝe be al here lif ȝif

þei paien moche & redily. clerkis seyn þat lordis ben cursed ȝif þei chastisen hem, þouȝ þei ben neuere so foule lecherous & neuere so cursed heretikis, for symonye & coueitise & meyntenynge of synne & robbynge [robben AA.] pore tenauntis bi extor|cions for anticristis correccions & veyn halwynge of chirchis & auteris & oþere iapis. ¶ lord, soone & esely schulde synne be hurlid oute of lond ȝif lordis wolden in al here wille, al here witt & power dispise synne & synful wrecchis, & preise & meyntene vertue & vertuous men; & certis þei ben holden her-to vp peyne of dampnacion, for ellis þei failen in mercy & charite. god techiþ it is mercy to counforten men fallen in myschif & disese. Þe [omitted X.] fend & his techen þat it is almes to pursuen men [omitted X.] to prisonynge & exilynge whanne þei ben brouȝt doun bi sodeyne loos, as brennynge & robbynge, for riche men beren hem on honde þat it is for here synne & mysreulynge of hem self, & ellis oþere broþelis wolden renne awey wiþ riche mennus good, & þer-fore þei schulden be seet in strong prison til þei perische for hungur & myschef & dispeiren & grucchen aȝenst god; & þus for loue of rotyn dritt þei don þat is in hem to dampne many soulis. ȝit worldly clerkis cursen for dymes & offryngis, þouȝ men ben ful pore & þei don no þing here offis, & veyn religious cessen not to begge & craue of pore men, þouȝ here rente be bihynde & here werk [wrek X.] bestis in distresse & wif & childe hungry & nakyd, & so þei bryngen hem in-to more myschif & counforten hem not but bi lesyngis & [of X.] fals grauntynge of gostly helpe, þat is not in here power but only in goddis [goode X.] delynge. ¶ God techiþ þat it is mercy to forȝeue trespasis & wrongis don aȝenst men hem self & algatis rancor & ewil wille of herte; þe fend & his seyn þat it is manlynesse & riȝtwisnesse & almes to betyn gadlyngis & be vengid on hem þat don hem wrong, for ellis þeues & lorellis wolden ouerrenne hem & here sugetis wolder not drede hem; but comynly þis chastysynge is don bi pride, coueitise & out of charite. & þouȝ lordis & grete men wynnen

herby worldly name & temperal goodis, þei lesen charite & here soule þat ben worþi a þousand [page 183] fold betre þan alle erþely tresour. ¶ God seiþ it is mercy & charite to suffre men mekely & wisly whanne þei ben out of reson as wroþ & malencolious; þe fend & his seyn þat þis is [omitted X.] couwardise & leesynge of worldly name & boldynge of euyl doeris; & þerfore for o schrewed word a man mot quyte anoþer or moo, & so of euyl dedis comeþ hate & strif, & fiȝttynge & pledynge be reised & witt & reson & charite exilid, & many men perischid in bodi & soule. god comaundiþ vs to loue oure enemys of oure herte & doo good to men þat hatiþ [haten AA.] vs & preie for men þat pursuen vs wrongfully & falsly; þe deuyl & his seyn þat it is riȝtful to hate oure enemys & don heuyl & harm to hem þat haten vs & falsly pursuen vs, & axe vengaunce of oure enemys & false pursueris, for ellis we schullen norische oure enemys in here synne & ouerrenne vs & distroie vs, oure wifis & children & goodis, & þerfore we willen defende vs þe while þat we may. trewe men seyn to þe fend & his disciplis þat ȝif we kepen goddis hestis oure god wole fiȝten for vs & maken oure enemys afferd, & bi oure goode pacience & charite & herty preiynge for oure enemys [synnys AA.] þei schulden be goddis grace cesse of here wrong & turne to pees & charite; & þis is liȝttere & betere þan to conquere al þe erþe bi dynt of swerid. & ȝif oure enemys ben endurid in synne, as was pharaoo, oure godde wolde ordeyne þe beste for vs boþe for body & soule ȝif we kepen mekenesse, pacience & charite; & siþ werris comen to men for synnys let men leue here cursed synne & god of mercy & pees wole ȝeue vs reste & pees of alle erþely enemyes. bi þes cautelis & many moo the fend & his disciplis distroien werkis of mercy & fallen in-to loos of þingis þat þei coueiten mochel & in-to endelis myschefes þat þei wolen to askape, for þei wolen not be reulid bi goddis lawe & reson but bi hire wille, & þer-fore alle þingis schal turne aȝenst hem at þe laste.

Capitulum 3^m.

Ȝit þe fend disceyueþ men bi here fyue wittis & makeþ hem menys to synne where þei schulden be menys to vertue & [in X.] good gouernale of men: first he [þei X.] stiriþ men to seen vanyte of þis world & setten here herte þer-onne & forȝeten god & his werkis; also he stiriþ men to see faire wymmen, & bryngiþ mynde of hem & greet likynge of lecherie in-to mennus hertis til þei consenten to synne & fulfillen it in dede. ¶ Also whanne men seen lordischipis of þis world & precious iuelis & gold & siluer, faire hors & scheep & oþere goodis, þe fend stireþ hem to desire hem vnskilfully & sette more here herte on hem þan on vertues & blisse of heuene; & þanne þei fallen in-to pride & coueitise & oþere synnys. but men schulden see [page 184] goddis werkis, as heuene & erþe, & goddis creaturis & herbi knowen þe myȝt, þe wytt & good|nesse of þe lord þat made alle þingis of not, & drede hym ouer alle þingis & loue him ouer alle creaturis. ¶ Whanne men schulden here goddis comaundementis & poyntis of charite & riȝtwisnesse & treuþe, þe fend stiriþ hem to heren foul speche of leccherie, of bacbytynge of neiȝeboris & lesyngis for to haue mynde & likynge of synne & to stire men to hate & enuye & pledynge & fiȝttynge, so þat meke|nesse & pacience & charite schullen be lost & cursednesse of synne regneþ, þat vnneþe can ony man kepe his tonge fro fals & veyn swerynge & schrewid spekynge boþe of lecherie & false spekyngis. ¶ Whanne men schullen in spirit smelle þe swettenesse & þe holynesse of ihū crist & his lif, & smelle bi bodily witt þe swettenesse & good odour of herbis & spicis & trees & oþere creaturis, to loue god & serue god & herie hym for his goodnesse, þe fend stiriþ men to sette here lust in smellynge of lekerous metis & drynkis & [omitted X.] to take ouer|mochil of hem, til þei lesen here wittis & forȝeten god & his seruyce & fallen in lecherie & slepen as hooggis, & chiden & fiȝtten as woode houndis, & sweren herte & bonys, & cursen

& warien & prechen opynly cursed lesyngis, & ȝeuen en|saumple of synne as cruel fendis of helle. for bi þis doynge þei blasphemen god & styren men to synne more spedly þan don many þousand fendis bi hem self. whanne men schulden taste & take mete & drynk in resonable mesure to sustene here lif & labore, & þer-fore þank god & serue hym mekely & wilfully & loue hym hertly, þe fend stiriþ men to sewe here owene lustis of flesch, to walwe in glotonye & drounke|nesse as swyn in þe feen, þat þer is neiþer witt ne reson in hem, ne myȝt to goo on þe erþe sumtyme; & to fulfille þis stynkynge glotonye & dronkenes þei seken many stretis & tauernes to seke lekerous morselis & swete drynkis, & borowen oþer mennus catel & payen not aȝen many tymes; for hereby þei wasten here owene goodis & oþer mennus & comen to pouert & ben casten in prison til þei steruen. & bi þis glotonye & dronkenesse þei wasten here owen bodi & wittis & fallen in-to sikenesse [drynkenssis AA.] on many maneris & lesen worldly catel & myȝttis of þe soule, as vnderstondynge, mynde & reson, & geten peynes of helle in bodi & soule, but ȝif þei amende hem trewely in þis world. & þe fend techiþ glotonys & dronkelewe men to excuse þis wast on þis manere: "God made alle goode mete & drynke couenable for men schulden spende it & lyue þer-by;" but þei taken non hede of þe mesure ne hou falsly þei lyuen aȝenst goddis lawe, & hou crist & his seyntis tauȝten & vseden abstynence & penaunce, & hou cristene men schulden conquere heuene bi brekynge [page 185] of fleschly lustis, as crist techiþ in þe gospel, & hou crist & poul & petir comaunden vs þat we schullen not [1 Peter ii. ll.] fille þe desiris of oure flesch, but as gestis or comelyngis & pilgrimes absteynen hem [In AA. 'hem' has been cancelled by underdotting. It should have been corrected to 'us.'] fro fleschly desires þat fiȝtten aȝenst þe soule. & certis þe lesse þat a man spende boþe of mete & drynk & cloþe & alle oþere necessaries, so þat he be strong to serue god & do his labour aftir þe staat þat god settiþ him

inne, so moche þe betre boþe for body & soule & alle oþere men. but hou euere we excusen vs we wasten nedeles moche goode boþe in mete & drynk & cloþis, werbi pore men schulden be holpen & we betre serue god & lesse bisi aboute þe body & more bisy aboute god & helþe of oure soulis bi lesse cost & spendynge ȝif we holden goode mesure. ¶ Þe fend disceyueþ men & wymmen bi touchynge of membris ordeyned for genderure of mankynde, & bi kissyng & clippyng is þe fier of lecherie kyndlid & norischid in herte til þe dede sue, & many tymes long custome in [&X.] þis cursed synne. þerfore seiþ þe wise man, he þat handliþ pich schal be foulid þer-of: [Ecclus. xiii. 1.] þat is men handlynge wymmen & kyssynge hem schullen be blickid wiþ lust of lecherie, oþer in herte oþer in body or ellis in boþe. þerfore ierom & seyntis seyn þat fleynge fro suche companye & abstynence & saad traueile is best medecyne aȝenst lecherie; but þis weiward dalliaunce wiþ wymmen is so comyn þat vnneþe can ony man kepe hym clene, or sengle or weddid or men of ordre of [and AA.] religion. And þus it is verrifyed þat god seiþ by Jeromye; deþ haþ entrid by ȝoure [Jeremiah ix. 21.] wyndowis, þat ben fyue wittes. bi þes queyntises & many moo þe fend disceyueþ men & of instrumentis or [of X.] menys & armu[r]e of vertue he makiþ instrumentis or menys & armour of synne. God graunte vs grace to haue mynde on þe peynes þat crist suffrede in his [omitted X.] herte, in his hondis & feet, in his heed, in his siȝtte, & herynge, spekynge, smellynge, & tastynge, & in eche place of his bodi fro þe heued to þe sole of þe foot, & to spende alle þe myȝttis of soule & bodi & oure fyue wittis trewely in his seruyce, to seke his worschipe in [& X.] alle þingis & distroie synne & falsnesse boþe in oure self & oþere men, & to holde & meyntene vertuous lif & riȝtwis|nesse & pees & charite. Amen.