The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

v. CHAPITER.

THE iij^e. principal conclusion is this: It is not vn|leeful ymagis to be had and vsid as rememoratijf signes. This conclusioun y proue thus: What euer gouernaunce neither Holi Scripture, neither doom of resoun, neither mennys iust positijf lawe weerneth, is not vnleeful; but so it is, that for to haue and vse ymagis as mynding signes is not weerned bi Holi Scripture, as is open bi the firste principal conclusioun; neither it is weerned bi doom of resoun, as it is open bi the ij^e. principal conclusioun; neither it is weerned bi eny mennys iust positijf lawe, as it is open ynow to alle men. Wherfore this iij^e. principal conclusioun is needis trewe, that it is not vnleeful ymagis to be had and vsid as rememoratijf signes of God, and of his benefetis of Seintis, and of her conuersacioun.

The iiij^e. principal conclusion is this: It is leeful, in the maner of leefulnes spokun bifore in the firste chapiter of this ij^e. partie in the x^e. reule or sup|posicioun, that ymagis be had and vsid as reme|moratijf signes in the maner now last bifore spokun. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: What euer gouernaunce is not vnleeful, is leeful in this maner of leefulnes, as it is open bi the now seid x^e. reule or supposicioun: but so it is, that the now seid hauyng and vsing of ymagis is not vnleeful, as it is open ynouȝ bi the iij^e. next bifore going prin|cipal conclusioun. Wherfore needis folewith that this present iiij^e. conclusioun is trewe.

The v^e. principal conclusioun is this: Holi Scripture bothe in the Oold Testament and in the Newe al|lowith [allowith and approueth, MS. (first hand).] to haue and vse ymagis as rememoratijf signes in the maner now laste bifore seid. That this conclusioun is trewe, it is open ynouȝ bi it what is bifore argued in the ij^e. chapiter in the iij. firste principal argumentis to the first principal conclusioun. Wherfore this v^e. principal conclusioun is to be holde for trewe.

Also, Matheu xxvj^e. capitulum., Crist allowid and approued the deede of Marie Magdalen, in that that sche vsid the oynement as a seable and a smelleable rememo|ratijf signe, and in that that sche vsid the dede [the dede is interlineated by an early but later hand.] of anoynting [an oynting, MS.] as a seable rememoratijf signe. Forwhi he seide: What ben ȝe greuose to this womman? Sche hath wrouȝt a good werk into me. Where euer this gospel schal be prechid in al the world, it schal be seid that sche dide it into mynde of him. [This blundering translation of "dicetur et quod hæc fecit in memo|riam ejus," (…), Vulg., occurs in both forms of Wiclif's version, from which this citation is mostly taken.] And so it is open that Crist allowid and approued the vce of the seid oynement, in that that it was vsid as a seable or smelleable rememoratijf signe. And sithen this is approued of Crist, certis [certis is added by a later hand.] bi lijk skile othere seable signes as ymagis, and othere smelleable signes as encensis, ben ther yn and ther bi allowid and approued of Crist. And so bi Holi Scripture of the Newe Testament the vce of sensible rememoratijf signes ben allowid. [allowid and approved, MS. (first hand).]

Also an [in other, MS. (first hand).] other vnsoilable proof for this v^e. principal conclusioun is sett bifore in the firste parti of this

present book, the [xix^e.] [A space left in the MS. for the number. See p. 110.] chapiter, where bi setting [bisetting, MS.] bifore of iij. reulis and bi iiij. conclusiouns drawun out from hem this v^e. principal conclusioun is vn|doutabili proued bi this meene; that whanne euere Holi Scripture biddith, counseilith, or allowith eny eende, he ther yn and ther bi biddith, counseilith, or allowith, or approueth ech meene profitable into the same eende. Se there who so wole the proof mad there in his lengthe and forme.

Also noman [The last three letters are written on an erasure in a later hand. The word is also sometimes written disjunctim.] may seye nay, but that Crist ordeyned in the newe lawe visible sacramentis to be take and vsid as seable rememoratijf signes of Crist, and of his passioun and deeth, and of his holi lijf, as it schal be proued in The book of Sacramentis and in The bookis [book, MS. (first hand).] of Baptim and of Eukarist. Wherfore Holi Scripture of the Newe Testament witnessith thus miche in this purpos, that forto haue and vse seable rememoratijf signes is leeful, expedient, and profitable; for ellis the sacramentis of Crist weren vnleeful, vnexpedient, and vnprofitable. And thanne her of ferther thus: If and whanne it is leeful and expe|dient forto haue and vse eny seable rememoratijf signes being lasse lijk to the thingis signified, it is leeful and expedient forto make, haue, and vse signes being more like to the same thingis signified. Forwhi the likenes of a signe to his significat, (that is to seie, to the thing signified bi him,) wole helpe the signe forto signifie and forto make remembraunce the bettir upon the thing signified; but so it is, that ymagis graued, coruun, or ȝut ben more lijk to Crist and to his passioun, than ben the sacramentis whiche Crist ordeyned; thouȝ Crist hem ordeyned, (being so vnlike

to him and to his passion,) for fauour into us, that we schulde haue bi his ordinaunce signes and sacramentis, into whos geting we myȝten not allegge forto excuse us bi labour to gete hem and make hem into the werk of her sacramental vsing. Wherfore folewith, sithen bi Holi Scripture it is leeful and expedient for|to haue and vse the seable sacramentis, whiche Crist made as seable ymagis of Crist and of his passioun and deeth, it is ther yn impliedli bi Holi Scripture leeful and expedient for to haue seable ymagis graued, coruun, and ȝut of Cristis persoon, figurid lijk to his persoon, with purtenauncis of his passioun and deeth, forto make us remembre upon him and his passioun and deeth. And in this wise mai be proued this pre|sent v^e. conclusioun, that Holy Scripture wele [This word has been partly erased and retouched by a later (?) hand. The orthography is against the common usage of the MS.] allow|ith [allowith and approueth, MS. (first hand).] impliedli and priueli forto haue and vse ymagis of Crist and of Seintis figurid bi grauyng aftir hem.

Confirmacioun herto is this: Who euer counseilith, allowith, or approueth the lasse doing meene into an eende; in that he counseilith, allowith, or approueth the more doing meene into the same eende, et cætera.

The vj^e. principal conclusioun is this: Sufficient doom of weel disposid resoun allowith and approueth to haue and vse ymagis as rememoratijf signes in the maner after bifore seid. That this conclusioun is trewe y proue bi these folewing argumentis, of whiche the firste is this. Sufficient doom of resoun allowith and approueth us forto make and haue for us silf and for othere men ymagis of men and wommen, that tho men and wommen be therbi the oftir thouȝt upon, and therfore be therbi the more loued and the better serued, and that the more be doon and suffrid of us and of othere biholders, for as miche as we bithenken

tho persoones or the ensaumpling of the persoones so representid bi the ymagis, and that the more be doon and suffrid for her sake of us silf and of othere men seing the same ymagis with vs. Wherfore, bi like skile, sufficient doom of reson allowith and approueth forto make and haue for us silf and for othere men also with us ymagis of God and of holi Seintis for ententis and deedis and werkis to be therbi for her sake doon, lijk to the deedis and werkis whiche ben now bifore rehercid for the sake of creaturis to be doon.

Also thus: Whanne euer it is so, that we han in greet charge to performe and do eny dede or gouer|naunce, and we ben freel and redi to forȝete and to lete slippe out of mynde thilk deede or gouernaunce, it lijth in the doom of resoun ful weel that we take to us sum seable rememoratijf or mynding signes and tokenes forto therbi remembre us silf upon the deede or gouernaunce being to vs of so greet charge. For whi thus bi doom of resoun men doon anentis worldli deedis of charge, wher ynne lijth oonli worldli wynnyng or ascaping of worldli punysching; but so it is, that ech man hath in ful greet charge to loue God and drede God, that he mai therbi be hertid and strengthid in wil forto serue God; and he hath nede forto ofte thinke vpon tho thingis and meenis, whiche schulden stire him forto loue God and drede God, and forto haue wil to serue God and forto thenke vpon tho pointis in whiche he schulde serue to God. And ȝit forto so ofte remembre we ben ful freel and forȝeteful. Wherfore resoun wole weel iuge, allowe, and approue forto take, haue, and vse alle maners of suche deedis and thingis, whiche schulden remembre us myche upon the dignitees, benefetis, and punyschingis of God, and upon the pointis of his lawe. And among alle tho maners of thingis and deedis ben seable re|memoratijf thingis and deedis, as ben ymagis and the seid vsis of hem. Wherfore it folewith that doom of

resoun iugith, allowith, and approueth that ymagis be had and vsid into the entent and [and added by a later hand.] in the maner bifore seid.

Confirmacioun herto is this: If a marchant or eny other man haue myche nede forto bithenke upon a certeine erand, it is weel allowid and approued in resoun that he take and vse sum seable rememoratijf signe and tokene forto mynde and remembre him upon the same erand; and it is weel allowid and approued bi resoun that he make a ring of a rische and putte it on his fynger, or that he write sum seable cros or mark [mark, MS.] or carect with cole or chalk in the wal of his chaumbre or hal, or that he hange up bifore his siȝt sum hood or girdil or staf or such other thing, or that he make a knot on his girdil or on his tipet, as alle men wolen herto consente. And if resoun schulde not as weel and as soone or miche more allowe and approue that a man make and vse seable rememoratijf signes (as ymagis and othere seable thingis or deedis,) into this eende, that he therbi the oftir thenke on Goddis worthinesse, Goddis benefetis, and hise punyschingis, and on vertues of hise lawis, ouermiche wondir it were. Wherfore resoun it to be doon allowith and approueth. And thus myche is ynouȝ for proof of the vj^e. principal conclusioun.

Who euer wole se more proof for this present vj^e. principal conclusioun, rede he in The book of worschip|ing in the first parti, the vij^e. and viij^e. chapiters; and there he schal fynde profis for this present vj^e. con|clusioun, whiche profis he schal not, (as y weene,) assoile.

The vij^e. principal conclusioun is this: It is leeful in properist maner of speking and taking leeful, (as it is take bifore in the ix^e. reule or supposicioun sett bifore

in the first chapiter,) that ymagis be had and vsid in the maner ofte bifore seid. That this conclusioun is is trewe, y proue thus: What euer gouernaunce Holi Writt allowith and approueth, and doom of weel dis|posid in kinde reson allowith and approueth, is leeful in propre maner of taking leefulnes; but so it is, that forto haue and vse ymagis in the maner now seid is allowid and approued bi Holi Scripture, as is open bi the v^e. principal bifore goyng conclusioun, and is al|lowid and approued bi doom of clenli disposid resoun in kinde, as it is open bi the vj^e. principal bifore going conclusioun. Wherfore this present vij^e. prin|cipal conclusioun is trewe, that it is leeful in propre maner taking leefulnes, (wherof it is spokun bifore in the first chapiter of this ij^e. partie, in the ix^e. reule,) that ymagis be had and vsid as rememoratijf signes of God, and of hise benefetis, and of his holi lijf and passioun, and of Seintis and of her holi conuersacioun.

The viij^e. principal conclusioun schal be this: It is a point of Goddis moral lawe and of his plesaunt seruice for to haue and vse and sette up ymagis of God and of Seintis into vce of remembring therbi the better God, his passioun, and his othere benefetis, holi Seintis, and her holy lyues, and her suffringis. That this conclusioun is trewe y wole proue thus: What euer gouernaunce doom of kindly weel disposid resoun biddith to be doon, or counseilith to be doon, or al|lowith and approueth to be doon, (namelich if Holi Scripture it not weerneth and lettith, and if Holi Scripture it allowith and approueth,) God biddith the same to be doon, or counseilith the same to be doon, or allowith and approueth the same to be doon as a point of his moral lawe and seruice, as it is suffici|ently bifore proued in the firste parti of this present

book, and in the firste parti of the book clepid The iust apprising of Holi Scripture; but so it is, that resoun biddith or counseilith or allowith and approueth ymagis to be had and to be vsid in the maner oft bifore seid, as it is open by the vij. next bifore going principal conclusiouns; ȝhe, and Holi Scripture the same allowith, [allowith and approueth, MS. (first hand).] as it is open bi the v^e. next bifore going conclusion. Wherfore to haue and vse ymagis in the maner now seid is approued and al|lowid of God as for a point of his moral lawe and of his plesaunt seruice.

The ix^e. principal conclusioun is this: It is not synne a man bi hise werkis forto ensaumple to othere men, that thei haue and vse ymagis in the maner bifore tauȝt; and that thei do as he dooth, if he do in the maner bifore tauȝt; but it is a merytorie and a weel doon dede for to it [it is interlineated, perhaps by a later hand.] so ensaumple. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: It is not synne a man bi hise werkis forto ensaumple to othere men, that thei do a deede and a point of Goddis moral lawe and of his plesaunt seruice; but it is a mery|torie deede for to it ensaumple to othere. And her|with so it is, that forto vse ymagis in the maner bifore tauȝt is a deede of Goddis moral lawe and of his plesaunt seruice, as it is proued weel bi the next bifore going conclusioun. Wherfore it is not synne a man forto ȝiue ensaumple to othere men that thei vse ymagis in the maner bifore tauȝt, as bokis to hem; but it is a merytorie deede forto ȝeue thilk ensaumple. And so this present ix^e. conclusioun is to be holde trewe.