The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

x. CHAPITER.

THE xiij^e. principal conclusioun or trouthe is this: Thei that wolen aske and seie, thus, "Where fyndist thou it groundid in Holi Scripture?" as thouȝ ellis it is not worthi to be take for trewe, whanne euere eny gouernance or trouthe sufficientli grondid in lawe of kinde and in moral philsophi is affermed and mynys|trid to hem, (as ben many of tho xj. gouernauncis and treuthis whiche schulen be tretid aftir in this present book: whiche ben setting vp of ymagis in hiȝe placis of the bodili chirche, pilgrimages doon priueli, and pilgrimages doon openli bi lay men and bi preestis and bischopis vnto the memorialis or

mynde placis of seintis, and the endewing of preestis bi rentis and bi vnmoueable possessiouns, and suche othere) asken tho whilis in lijk maner vnresonabili and lijk vnskilfulli and lijk reprouabili, as if thei wolden aske and seie thus,—"Where findist thou it grondid in Holi Scripture?" whanne a treuth and a conclusioun of grammer is affermed and seid to hem: or ellis thus, "Where findist thou it groundid in tailour craft?" whanne that a point or a treuthe and a con|clusioun of sadeler craft is affermed, seid, and mynistrid to hem: or ellis thus, "Where fyndist thou it groundid in bocheri?" whanne a point or a treuthe and conclu|sioun of masonrie is affermed and seid and mynystrid to hem.

This present xiij^e. conclusioun mai be proued thus: Euen as grammer and dyuynyte ben ij. dyuerse facul|tees and kunnyngis, and therfore ben vnmedlid, and ech of hem hath his propre to him boundis and markis, how fer and no ferther he schal strecche him|silf vpon maters, treuthis, and conclusions, and not to entirmete neither entermeene with eny other facultees boundis; and euen as sadelarie and talarie ben ij. dyuerse facultees and kunnyngis, and therfore ben vnmedlid, and ech of hem hath his propre to him boundis and markis, how fer and no ferther he schal strecche him silf forth vpon maters, treuthis, and con|clusions, and not entircomune with eny other craft or faculte in conclusiouns and treuthis: so it is that the faculte of the seid moral philsophie and the faculte of pure dyvynite or the Holi Scripture ben ij. dyuerse facultees, ech of hem hauyng his propre to him boundis and markis, and ech of hem having his propre to him treuthis and conclusiouns to be groundid in him, as the bifore sett six firste conclusiouns schewen.

Wherfore folewith that he vnresonabili and reprouabili askith, which askith where a treuthe of moral phil|sophi is groundid in pure divynyte or in Holi Scrip|ture, and wole not ellis trowe it to be trewe; lijk as he schulde vnresonabili and reprouabili aske, if he askid of a treuthe in masonry, where it is groundid in carpentrie; and wolde not ellis trowe it be trewe, but if it were groundid in carpentrie.

No man obiecte here aȝens me to be aboute forto falsifie this present xiij^e. conclusioun; and that, foras|miche as sporiers in Londoun gilden her sporis whiche thei maken, and cutelers in Londoun gilden her knyfis whiche thei maken, as thouȝ therfore sporiorie and cutellerie entermeeneden and enterfereden with gold|smyth craft, and that these craftis kepten not to hem silf her propre and seuerel to hem silf boundis and markis. For certis thouȝ the sporier and the cuteler be leerned in thilk point of goldsmyth craft which is gilding, and therefore thei vsen thilk point and deede and trouthe of goldsmyth craft, ȝit thilk point of gilding is not of her craft, but oonli of goldsmyth craft: and so the craftis ben vnmedlid, thouȝ oon werkman be leerned in hem bothe and vse hem bothe, riȝt as if oon man had lernid the al hool craft of goldsmythi and the al hool craft of cutleri, and wolde holde schoppis of bothe, and wirche sumwhile the oon craft and sumwhile the other craft. Ȝit herfore tho craftis in thilk man ben not the lasse dyuerse, ne neuer the lasse kepen her seueralte in boundis and markis as in hem silf, thouȝ oon man be leerned in hem bothe and can wirche hem bothe and hath hem bothe. Ȝit it is impossible the oon of tho craftis forto entre and entermete with the trouthis of the othere, thouȝ oon man can wirche in hem bothe: for

thanne tho ij. craftis weren not ij. dyuerse craftis not subordynat. And thus ouȝte be avoidid this obiec|cioun, riȝt as thouȝ a man were a knyȝt and a preest; ȝit knyȝthode in thilk man is as fer a twynne fro preesthode in the same man, (as bi her bothe naturis and beingis, thouȝ not yn place or persoon,) as ben knyȝthode in oon persoon and preesthode in an other persoon.

In this wise bi these xiij. bifore going conclusions is vnrootid and uppluckid, and sufficientli rebukid and proued for vntrewe, the firste of the iij. opiniouns spoken and sett forth in the bigynnyng of this present book in the first chapiter. And also bi these same xiij. conclusiouns and her proofis ben weel adauntid the wanton and vnkunnyng bering of hem whiche wolen not allowe eny gouernaunce to be the lawe and seruice of God, inlasse than it be grondid in Holi Scripture; as thouȝ thei schulden preise and worschipe ther yn God the more and plese God the more, that thei apprisen so miche Holi Scripture. For wite thei weel with oute eny doute that God is neither preisid, neither worschipid, neither plesid bi vntrouthe or bi lesing. If eny man make of Holi Scripture and apprise it, euen as treuthe is and no more than truthe is, God is ther yn plesid; and if eny man wole make of Holi Scripture or of eny creature in heuene or in erthe more than treuthe is that he be maad of and be apprisid, God is ther yn displesid.

And ferther thus: If eny man be feerd lest he trespace to God if he make ouer litle of Holi Scrip|ture, which is the outward writing of the Oold Testa|ment and of the Newe, y aske whi is he not afeerd lest he make ouer litle and apprise ouer litle the inward Scripture of the bifore spoken lawe of kinde writen bi God him silf in mannis soule, whanne he

made mannis soule to his ymage and liknes? Of which inward Scripture Poul spekith, Romans ij^e. capitulum., and Ieremye in his xxxj^e. chapiter; and Poul takith the same processe, Hebr. viij^e. capitulum. For certis this in|ward book or Scripture of lawe of kinde is more necessarie to Cristen men, and is more worthi than is the outward Bible and the kunnyng ther of, as fer as thei bothe treten of the more parti of Goddis lawe to man, as mai be taken bi the vij^e. conclusioun and his proof, and bi the x^e. conclusion and his proof.

And more proof therto ech man may se at ful, if he wole rede and studie in the book clepid The iust apprising of Holi Scripture, which book if eny man wole wijsli reede and perfitli vndirstonde with this proces now afore going fro the bigynnyng of this book hidir to, y wole leie myn arme to be smyte of, but that he schal consente in his witt withinforth, wole he nyle he, amagrey his heed, that alle these now bifore going xiij. conclusiouns ben trewe, and that the firste of the iij. opinions sett bifore in the bigynnyng of this book is vntrewe.

The textis bifore alleggid in the firste chapiter of this book, Mat. xxij^e. capitulum. and Iohun v^e. capitulum., which the holders of the now seid first opinioun weenen grounden thilk same opinioun, goon not therto. For|whi, if the processis forth and afore tho textis ligging be weel and diligentli considerid, it schal be open to ech such reeder and considerer, that tho ij. textis seruen and remytten or senden into othere Scripturis of prophecie whiche grounden feith: the oon of hem remittith or sendith into Scripture of prophecie, which schulde grounde feith of the laste resurreccioun; and the other sendith into Scripture of prophecie, which schulde grounde feith of Cristis incarnacioun. And sithen neuer neither of hem remyttith or sendith into other Scripture, whiche schulde speke of maters being in lawe of kinde and in moral philsophie

to be groundid ther yn, therfore neuer neither of tho ij. textis, the oon Mat. xxij^e. capitulum. and the other Iohun v^e. capitulum. alleggid bifore in the firste chapiter, where the firste opinioun is sett, serueth neither forto grounde neither forto verrifie the seid firste opinioun. And thouȝ the lay peple wolden holde that eche treuthe and conclusioun and article of catholik feith is groundid in Holi Scripture, so that ellis he is not to be take for catholik feith, y wolde not make me miche bisi forto seie ther aȝens.

Notes

• to inserted, perhaps wrongly, by a later hand.
• The MS. originally had to me, but the to is scraped out.
• lernid interlineated in a later (?) hand.
• bigod, MS.