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

Capitulum 5^m.

See now where þei failen in werkis of gostly mercy. first ȝif þei techen opynly fablys, cronyklis and lesyngis and leuen cristis gospel and þe maundementis of god, and ȝit don þei þis principaly for worldly wynnynge, frendschipe or veyn name þei don aȝenst þe chifwerk of gostly mercy; nameliche ȝif þei techen þat here singuler preiere is betere þan þe pater noster þat crist made him self, and þat preiynge bi lippis is plesaunt to god þouȝ mennus lif þat preien be cursed of god for brekynge of his hestis and defaute of charite.

¶ Ȝif þei counseilen men to be bysi a-boute worldliche richessis more þan a-boute here soule helþe and þe blisse of heuene, and conseilen men more to taken vengaunce bi open werre of here breþren þan to suffren paciently wrongys and

haue mercy on oþer neiȝeboris; þei don foule [page 14] aȝenst þe secunde werk of gostly mercy, to dampnacion of many men boþ of body and soule. Ȝif þei conseilen men to leue þe fredom of cristis ordre and take here singuler ordre maad of synful men, seiynge þat it is þe beste for hem vp peril of here soule; þei don aȝenst þe charite for loue of here owne worschipe or wynnynge and blasphemen aȝenst god, makynge hem self as witti as þe holy gost. siþ it is reseruyd only to þe holy gost to ȝeuen ful conseil of þingis þat [ben] not expresly comaundyd ne defendid in holy writt, and þei taken þis þinge vpon hem whanne þei ensuren to men þat it is best for hem to be men of priuat religion. and also þei conseilen sumtyme euene aȝenst þe sterynge of þe holy gost, and maken men dispeire dampnyd for schrewidnesse of þis ordre and of men þer-inne, for þer-by þei lasten more and ben more hardid in synne and ypocrisie.

¶ Ȝif þei chastisen not here breþeren for grete synnes, so þat þei be preue, but ouerscharply ponyschen hem for smale synnes þat ben open and make hem seme vnholy to þe world; þei failen foule in werkis of charite and ben false ypocritis. and ȝif þei chastisen not here breþren for opyn sweryng veynly and pride and inpacience and false coueitynge of þer neiȝeboris goodis, but for litil trespasynge aȝenst here owne statutis or customys; þei failen in dwe chastisynge of synne, for þei chargen not dispit or trespas don aȝenst god, but aȝenst here owen worldly worschipe and name of holynesse.

¶ Ȝif þei conforten not pore men in here myschif boþe of soule and body but suffren hem perische for dispeir or defaute of bodily goodis, but raþere visiten hem in here prosperite for worldly muk; þei failen fully in werkis of charite and mercy to here breþeren. ¶ Ȝif þei gon gladly and faste to lordis housis and ladies þat ben gloriously araied, and deynen not to come in pore mennus houses for stynk and oþere filþe; hou suen þei charite? siþ crist sparid not to visyte pore men in a foul stynkynge stable and cold, and in þe colde greue and in helle, and in many foule weies in þis world, boþe in

gret hungur and þrist and gret werynesse and cold and muche sclaundrynge and cursynge aud oþere peynes ynowe. ¶ Ȝif þei wolen not forȝeue litel trespace don aȝenst hem self or feyned seyntis of here singuler secte but moste cruelly [page 15] pursuen men þerfore; þei forsaken pacience and mekenesse and ensaumple of cristis lif. and men dreden þat enuye, rancour and euyl wille dwelliþ lengest amonges hem of alle oþere men, be þei lordis, be þei prelatis, þouȝ þei ben men of armys; but where is falsere holynesse, and so foulere ypocrisie? for þouȝ a man speke aȝenst a lord, clerk or prelat he schal sonere be reconsilid be weie of mekenesse þan to newe feyned religions; for þei wolen pursue to deþ or open schame, and ȝit vndir colour of holynesse.

¶ Ȝif þei soone lesen pacience and bringgyn men out of pacience þat speken aȝenst here ypocrisie and euyl dedis; hou don þei werkis of mercy, siþ þei schulde be here meke|nesse and pacience bryngyn oþere in-to reste and pees of body and soule. Ȝif þei profren gentil men and oþere to fiȝte wiþ hem whanne þei reprouen hem of here opyn wyckyd dedis, hou ben þei ensaumple of crist and his apostelis to saue oþere men in reste and charite? it semeþ þei ben fendis children to stryue aȝenst þe treuþe, and meyntene syn and brynge oþer men to helle bi procurynge of fiȝt and lesynge of pacience and charite.

¶ Ȝif þei cursen and warien and pursuen here enemyes and axen vengaunce of god aȝenst hem; hou suen þei charite of crist þat biddiþ men to loue here enemyes, and don good to men þat haten vs, and to preie for hem þat falsly chalengen vs and falsly and wickidly pursuen vs? ȝif þei don þus and welle werse aȝenst þe hestis of god and werkis of mercy boþe bodily and gostly, þei ben foule ypocritis and not worþi but to be putt out fro cristen men and defoulid, and not worþi to be putt in þe erþe, þat is to haue þe leste office in þe chirche.