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

Capitulum 2^m.

As to cursynge, cristen men seyn trewely þat þei dreden it so moche þat þei wollen not wilfully & wityngly disserue goddis curse, neiþer for good in erþe ne in heuene; ne mannus curse in as myche as it acordiþ wiþ þe riȝtful curs of god; but þei wolle wiþ grete ioie of soule raþere suffre mannus wrongful curs þan wityngly & wilfully breke ony comaundement of god for to wynne þer-bi alle worschipis of þis world, and to kepe here body in alle likyngis neuere so longe; & raþere to suffre sclaundryng & bacbityng and prisonyng and exilid, hangyng, drawyng, quarterynge and brennynge wiþ helpe and grace of god þan to forsake þe treuþe of holy writt & lif of crist, for ellis þei weren not in charite ne in weie of saluacion. but anticristis clerkis magnyfien so myche mannus curs þat þei taken noon hede to þe dredeful curs of god; as ȝif

men were more myȝtti & riȝtful þan is almyȝtti god in trynyte. for þouȝ men breken opynly alle þe comaunde|mentis of god & lyuen in pride, coueityse, enuye, glotonye and oþer synnes, but ȝif it be lecherie, þere renneþ no mannus curs; ne for lecherie ȝif men wolen paie rente bi ȝeere & dwelle stil þer-inne als longe as hym liste; so al þe drede is turned to mannus curs and no þing to goddis curs.

¶ But ȝif a man trespas litel or nouȝt aȝenst a prelat or aȝenst þe wynnynge of clerkis, he schal be cursed & pursued þat al þe ende of his kyn may haue sorowe þerfore; ȝee, þouȝ a treuþe of holy writt & reson be seid [page 27] bi charite aȝenst þe pride, coueitise & open wrong þat prelatis don to here neiȝboris, boþe in here gostly offis & also worldly wrongis; and here-bi þei ponyschen more for here owen dispit or wrong þan for dispit of god almyȝtty. ¶ But here men musen [mowe sen X.] whi prelatis ben so redy to curse in here owne cause, siþ petir techiþ cristen men to blisse & not no werie [1 Peter ii. [23?]] ne curse; & god biddiþ vs loue oure enemyes & don good [Matt. v. [44.]] to hem þat haten vs, and to preie for men þat falsly pursuen vs. siþ he þat cu[r]seþ anoþer man for his owne vengaunce or worldly catel more þanne for to venge synne don aȝenst god & for þe helþe of þe cursed mannus soule cursiþ him-self, for he doiþ aȝenst charite, as gregori techiþ in þe popis lawe. certes men dreden þat þes prelatis ben ful of goddis curse for here symonye in [& X.] here entre, & sillynge of sacramentis & gostly officis, as ordres ȝeuynge for money, & halwynge of chirchis & auteris, & for extorcions of pore men, & meyntenynge of synful men in here synne for money, þat þei han no part of goddis blissyng and þerfore cursed fruyt spryngiþ out of a cursed tree.

¶ Lord, whi schulde curatis pronounsen here breþeren a cursed for nakid lettris of syche coueitous prelatis, enemyes of crist & his seruauntis, when þei knowe no cause bi-for god where-for þei be cursed of hym but han euydence bi spekynge & open lif of here neieȝboris þat þei ben in good

lif & in charite. Siþ crist seiþ in þe gospel þat he þat seiþ to his broþer: þou fool! wiþ-out sufficiente cause, & [Matt. v. 22.] he þat seiþ to his broþer þat haþ þe holi gost wiþ good lif & charite þat he is voide & wiþ-oute kunnynge, schal be gilti of helle, wheþer þis be charite to curse a man for sexe pans whan he may vnneþis lyue be al his traueile, & for he traueliþ not at here som[on]ynge an hundrid myle or moo or lesse & leueþ not his wif & children vngouerned. for ȝif a preste pronounse siche a man a cursed þat is blissed of god he liȝeþ vpon his broþer & beriþ fals witenesse aȝenst goddis dom. for þouȝ he apere not at here somonynge to ȝeuen hem mony at here wille, he may ben excused aȝenst god & man for many skillis. þerfor þis nakid lettre of coueitouse prelatis is no sykirnesse anemtis god to pro|nounse a cristen man for cursed, & noon obedience schulde constreyne a prest to wittenesse a falshede aȝenst his broþer and aȝenst his conscience but ȝif it be anticristis obedience, for certis god wole not constreyne a man to þis false obedyence. Lord, where anticrist & his clerkis schullen. Ȝif prelatis knowen þat þis man were cursed of god for brekyng of his hestis þei myȝten pronounse þis to þe peple to make oþere men to flee his companye as an heþene mannys. But comunly þei knowe not þis so wel as oþere pore men, [page 28] for þei taken no reward to þe hestis of god, but al to here owen lawes & customes. þe apostelis hadden [1 Cor. v. 5.] þis power when a synful man was rebel aȝenst goddis lawe to ȝeue þe fend power of his body to traueilen it, so þat þe soule were saaf. But owre prelatis han not þis power, þerfore þei feynen þat þei sleen þe soule bi þer cursyng wanne þe bodi is neuere þe werse, & þanne þei techen lordis to enprisone þe bodi aftir fourti daies a cursyng, þouȝ þe man be cursed [blessed AA.] for holdyng goddis hestis; & maken lordis to ben turmentouris of cristene men, whanne þe fendis doren not touche hem for drede of god. þis cursynge schulde be suspendid for peril on alle sidis, and trewe techynge of

cristis gospel & holy ensaumplis of prelatis lif & manasynge of purgatorie & helle and confortynge of þe blisse of heuene schulde be schewed & regne among cristene peple; and þes foure schulden maken men to flee synne & lyue wel & ende in perfit charite, & þis were best for alle parties.