The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

THE FIRST CHAPITER.

THRE trowingis or opiniouns ben causis and groundis of manie and of weel nyȝ alle the errouris whiche manie of the lay partie holden, and bi which hold|ing thei vniustly and ouermyche wijten and blamen the clergie and alle her othere neiȝbouris of the lay side, which not holden tho same errouris accordingly with hem, and therfore it is miche nede forto first ȝeue bisynes to vnroote and ouerturne tho thre trow|ingis, holdingis, or opiniouns, bifore the improuyng of othere; sithen if tho thre be sufficiently improued, that is to seie, if it be sufficientli proued that tho thre ben nouȝt and vntrewe and badde, alle the othere vntrewe opiniouns and holdingis bildid vpon hem or upon eny of hem muste needis therbi take her fal, and lacke it wherbi thei miȝten in eny colour or semyng be mentened, holde, and supportid.

The firste of these thre trowingis, holdingis, or opiniouns is this: That no gouernaunce is to be holde of Cristen men the seruice or the lawe of God, saue it which is groundid in Holi Scripture of the Newe Testament, as summe of the bifore seid men holden; or namelich, saue it which is groundid in the Newe Testament or in the Oold, and is not bi the Newe Testament reuokid, as summe othere of hem holden. In this trowing and holding thei ben so kete and so smert and so wantoun, that whanne euer eny

clerk affermeth to hem eny gouernaunce being con|trarie to her witt or plesaunce, thouȝ it ligge ful open and ful sureli in doom of resoun, and ther fore sureli in moral lawe of kinde, which is lawe of God, forto be doon; ȝit thei anoon asken "Where groundist thou it in the Newe Testament?" or "Where groundist thou it in Holi Scripture in such place which is not bi the Newe Testament re|uokid?" And if thei heere not where so in Holi Scripture it is witnessid, thei it dispisen and not re|ceyuen as a gouernaunce of Goddis seruice and of Goddis moral lawe. This opinioun thei weenen to be groundid, Mat. xxij^e. capitulum., where Crist seide to the Sa|duceis thus: Ȝe erren, not knowing Scripturis, nei|ther the vertu or strengthe of God. In the resur|rectioun forsothe thei schulen not wedde neither be weddid, but thei schulen be as aungelis of God in heuen. Han not ȝe rad of the resurrectioun of dede men, that it is seid to us of God, I am God of Abraham, God of Ysaac, God of Iacob, et cætera. Also thei weenen this opinioun be groundid, Iohun v^e. capitulum., where Crist seide to the Iewis thus: Serche ȝe Scripturis, for ȝe trowen ȝou forto haue euerlasting lijf in hem, and thei ben whiche beren witnes of me.

The secunde trowing or opinyoun is this: That what euer Cristen man or womman be meke in spirit and willi forto vndirstonde treuli and dewli Holi Scripture, schal without fail and defaut fynde the trewe vndir|stonding of Holi Scripture in what euer place he or sche schal rede and studie, thouȝ it be in the Apo|calips or ouȝwhere ellis: and the more meke he or sche be, the sooner he or sche schal come into the verry trewe and dew vndirstonding of it, which in Holi Scripture he or sche redith and studieth. This ij^e. opinioun thei wenen to be groundid in Holi Scripture, Ysaie lxvj^e. capitulum. in the bigynnyng, where God seith thus: To whom schal y biholde but to a litle pore man,

broken in herte, and trembling at mi wordis? And also Iames the iiij^e. capitulum., and i^e. Petre v^e. capitulum., where it is seid thus: God aȝenstondith proude men, and he ȝeueth grace to meke men. Also Ysaie lvij^e. capitulum. where it is seid, that God dwelling in euerlastingte dwellith with a meke and a contrite spirit, that he quykee the spirit of meke men and that he quykee the herte of contrite men. And in othere dyuerise placis of Scrip|ture mensioun is mad that God ȝeueth goode thingis to meke men more thanne if thei were not so meke.

The iij^e. trowing or opinioun is this: Whanne euere a persoon hath founde the vndirstonding of Holi Scrip|ture into which he schal come bi the wey now bifore seid of the ij^e. opinioun, he or sche ouȝte bowe awey her heering, her reeding, and her vndirstonding fro al resonyng and fro al arguyng or prouyng which eny clerk can or wole or mai make bi eny maner euydence of resoun or of Scripture, and namelich of resoun into the contrarie, thouȝ the mater be such that it passith not the boondis neither the capacite of resoun forto entermete therwith and forto iuge and ȝeue kunnyng ther upon; which trowing and opi|nioun to holde and fulfille thei wenen hem be bede bi Poul, Colocens. ij^e. capitulum., where he seith thus: Y seie to ȝou these thingis, that no man bigile ȝou in heiȝte of spechis. And soone after there, Poul seith thus: Se ȝe that no man bigile ȝou bi philsophi and veyn falsnes aftir the tradiciouns of men and after the elementis of the world, and not aftir Crist. Also i^e. Cor. i^e. capitulum., weelnyȝ thoruȝ al the chapiter, Poul meeneth that Cristen bileeuers ouȝten not recche of wisdom such as wise worldli men vsen and setten miche therbi.