The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

xvij. CHAPITRE.

THE vij^e. trouthe is this: Alle bischopis and othere preestis and louȝer clerkis endewid for hem and her successouris bi mouable godis, (as chalicis, vestimentis, bokis,) and bi vnmouable godis, (as housis, feeldis, and free rentis going out of feeldis or of housis) and bi riȝtis to aske and haue tithis and offringis, grauntid and ȝouun to hem and to her successouris, stonden not in caas of the ij^e. partie of the ij^e. trouthe; but thei stonden in caas of the first parti of the ij^e. trouthe, and in caas of the vj^e. trouthe. Forwhi the blisse of heuen and the thank of God and his rewarding is al that is to be abide aftir and to be awaitid after in wey of reward and meede of ech bischop, preest, and clerk for ech werk and deede of his dignite, ordre, or office doing and executing; and ther fore no good mouable or vnmouable is ȝouun or paied to hem as for reward and meede of her officis doing and performyng. In knouleching of which thing, whanne a persoon is mad first clerk and takith his firste corown for to be therbi oon of the clergie, he seith and protestith openli thus: "The Lord is the part of myn heritage and of my labour and traueil into which y entre. Thou, Lord, art he which schalt ȝelde myn heritage to me," ["Modus faciendi tonsuras vel coronas primas et ordinandi clericos genuflectentes coram episcopo hoc modo. Sit nomen Domini benedic|tum, &c." (Then follows a prayer and a psalm). "Hic quilibet ordi|nandus per se dicat: Dominus pars hæreditatis meæ et calicis mei: tu es, qui restitues hæredi|tatem meam mihi." Maskell's Mon. Rit. Eccl. Anglic., vol. 3. pp. 147-149.] that is to seie, as for reward of my labour into which y now entre; and so the first party of this vij^e. trouthe is sufficientli opened for trewe. The ij^e. party of this vij^e. trouthe is wit|nessid bi Poul i^e. Cor. ix^e. capitulum. bi long processe and

bi an ensaumple of oxen threisching or treding out corn of the strawe and chaaf in a floor, and bi Poul i^e. Thim. v^e. capitulum.

Neuertheles thouȝ this present vij^e. trouthe muste needis be holden [beholden, MS.] for open resoun which myȝte be brouȝt therto and for textis of Scripture, (summe now bifore alleggid, and summe after soone in this present chapiter to be rehercid,) ȝit it myȝte seme that aȝens this present vij^e. trouthe Crist him silf spekith and meeneth, Luk x^e. capitulum., where he seide to hise disciplis thus: Go ȝe: lo, y sende ȝou as lambren among wolues; therfore nile ȝe bere a sachel neither scrippe neither schoon, and grete ȝe no man bi the wey. Into what hous that ȝe entren, first seie ȝe, Pees to this hous; and if a sone of pees be there, ȝoure pees schal reste on him; but if noon, it schal turne aȝen to ȝou: and dwelle ȝe in the same hous, eting and drinking tho thingis whiche ben at hem; for a werkman [Perhaps werk man, MS. (here and below), but?] is worthi his hire. Lo hou in these wordis, "a werkman is worthi his meede," Crist clepid it which prechouris and prelatis schulde take into her fynding to be meede or reward of her preching, which is a deede of cure doing. And in lijk maner, i^e. Thim. v^e. capitulum., bi like and the same wordis Poul clepith the fynding of prechouris her mede or reward. Wherfore it wolde seme that the ij^e. partie of this present vij^e. trouthe is not to be holde as for trewe; but it wolde seme that the ȝifte of temporal godis mad to preestis is in the ij^e. parti of the firste trouthe sett bifore in the xvj^e. chapiter; and therfore tho temporal godis mowen be withdrawe, if preestis performe not sufficientli the deedis of her cure. But ȝit notwithstonding these ij. now laste rehercid textis, (oon of Crist, Luk x^e. capitulum.,

and the other of Poul, i^e. Thim. v^e. capitulum.,) the vij^e. trouthe is to be holde thoruȝ hise bothe bifore seid parties. And for dew vnderstonding of Crist and of Poul in the ij. now laste rehercid textis it is to wite that this word meede or reward mai be take propirli in his dewist and verriest maner of significacioun and bitokenyng, and he may be take vnpropirly out of his dewist and veriest maner of signifiyng and bitoken|yng, as ful manye othere wordis in Holi Scripture, and eke out of Holi Scripture, ben woned to be take.

Thanne ferther, if this word meede or reward be take in his dewist and propir maner of signifiyng, certis he bitokeneth a thing which is to be ȝouun or paid for a werk bifore doon, and is thanne first dew to be ȝouun or paied whanne the werk is doon and eendid, for which the same thing is to be ȝouun or paied, and in this maner Holi Scripture spekith of meede, Math. xx^e. capitulum., where the lord of the vyner in the eende of the day and of the werk doon in his vyner, seide to his procutour thus, Clepe thou the werkmen, and ȝeelde to hem her meede, et cætera; not withstonding that perauenture bifore in the dai thei hadden her sufficient fynding, as in mete and drinke, forto so wirche into the eende of the day. And also in this maner God spake of meede and reward to Abraham, Gen. xv^e. capitulum., thus: I am thi defender and thi meede or reward, which is hugeli greet: Also in this maner it is writun, Sapience, v^e. capitulum.: Forsothe riȝtful men schulen lyue for euer and her meede or reward [rewaward, MS.] is at the Lord. Also, Apocalips xxij^e. capitulum., God seith thus: Lo y come soone, and my reward or meede is with me forto ȝelde to ech after hise werkis, et cætera. Certis in these iiij. now bifore going textis and in manye mo than othere xl. conteyned in Holi Scripture,

(as a man mai se bi The Concordaunce [Several concordances were made from the Vulgate before Pecock's time, the most ancient being that of Antonio of Padua, composed in the early part of the thirteenth century. Cardinal Hugo's perform|ance, written about the middle of the same century, may probably be the work here intended by Pecock.] in this word merces in Latyn, meede in Englisch,) this word meede is take forto signifie and bitokene a thing ȝouun in the maner and for cause now seid; and this maner taking this word meede is his [his is added by a later hand.] propre and dew maner of taking, as al experience and famose vce ac|cording with so manye placis of Holi Scripture wolen conferme the same.

In an other maner this word meede or reward is takun vnpropirli and out of his dewist signifiying and bitokenyng; and this word meede or reward thus takun signifieth al oon with this word fynding, forto speke of such fynding as is mynystring of costis and expensis and othere necessarie or profitable thingis into that a certeyn deede be doon and executid. And sotheli in this vnpropre maner of taking reward or meede it is not spokun, as y weene, in al Scripture saue in the ij. textis bifore sett in the obieccioun, of whiche textis oon is of Crist, Luk x^e. capitulum., and the other is of Poul, i^e. Thim. v^e. capitulum. In whiche bothe textis meede or reward is takun not propirli, as it is of meede spokun in the ij^e. partie of the ij^e. trouth bi|fore in the xvj^e. chapiter of this present iij^e. partie, but vnpropirli for fynding, of which it is spokun bifore in the first partie of the secunde trouthe in the xvj^e. chapiter of this present iij^e. partie.

And that this answere is not feyned, but that he is trewe in this now laste partie may be proued. Forwhi ellis both Crist and Poul hadden meened aȝens open resoun; for open it is, that it, wherof thei speken in tho textis, is fynding to the precher into the deede of preching to be doon aftir the receyuyng of the

same finding. Also ellis Crist in the alleggid x^e. chapiter of Luk schulde haue meened aȝens him silf in the other now alleggid placis, that he with his blis schal be the reward and meede of ech good vertuose deede; and Poul also in his alleggid text, i^e. Thim. [Cor., MS. (twice).] v^e. capitulum. schulde ellis haue meened aȝens the now other seid spechis of God and of Crist; and also euer either of hem bothe schulden ellis haue meened in thilk ij. placis aȝens mo than l. othere placis of Holi Scripture, and aȝens the famose speche and meenyng of al the world fro the bigynning of the world hider to. And therfore myn answere now mad forto thus, as now is seid, ȝeue dew meenyng to the text of Crist, Luk x^e. capitulum., and to the text of Poul, i^e. Thim. [Cor., MS. (twice).] v^e. capitulum., is not feyned and lacking his sufficient colour and ground, but is euydentli ynouȝ trewe.

The viij^e. trouthe is this: If the lay peple ȝaue at eny tyme to her curatis and to the successouris of her curatis perpetuali this riȝt forto clayme, aske, and haue ȝeerli certein offringis to be doon and tithis going out fro her wynnyngis and renewyngis, as fyndingis of the same curatis and successouris into deedis of her cure to be doon, thilk riȝt so ȝouun to the seid curatis and her successouris is lijk to the riȝt which myȝte be ȝouun to the same curatis or to othere curatis and her successouris forto cleyme, aske, and haue ȝeerly a free rente of money going out fro certeyn housis or londis, as a fynding to the same curatis forto do the deedis of her cure. And that the paraschens so, as is now bifore seid, ȝaue, it myȝte seme weel herbi. For ellis it wolde folewe that per|souns and vikers, lyuyng oonli bi tithis and offringis, hadden no benefice; sithen a benefice is no thing ellis than a riȝt forto cleyme, aske, and haue certein fruytis or sum othir avail into his sufficient fynding forto do the deedis of his cure; for the benefice mai

not be seid to be the hous, neither the bodili chirche, neither the peple, neither the wijde cuntre of the parisch; for ech of these soortis now rehercid, except the laste, ben chaungid happili euery ȝeer; and the laste soort schulde rather be the benefice to the peple of the parisch than to him. And therfore a benefice is no thing ellis than what is now seid to be, that is to seie, a riȝt forto aske, receyue, and haue certeyn fruytis or sum othir avail into his fynding forto do summe deedis of sum certein office. Wherof folewith this present viij^e. trouthe to be firme and stable for a trouthe.

Also thus: It is to be seid that summe temporal goodis weren ȝouun to preestis being curatis into her lijflode in the first maner of the ij^e. trouthe, and that bi cause of Cristis speche, Luk x^e. capitulum., in long proces, wheryn he seith, The werkman is worthi his fynd|ing, and bi cause of Poulis speche, i^e. Thim. v^e. capitulum. and i^e. Cor. ix^e. capitulum., bi long proces. And ferthermore, sithen it was doon so aftir ward, that the maner of vncerteyn ȝeuyng at mennys deuocioun and plesaunce to preestis was chaungid into a certeinte of tithis and of offring in certein tymes, as open deede therupon schewith, and as y haue proued in The spreding of the iiij. tablis, and that for avoiding of perel and yuel, which ellis myȝte and wolde haue falle, if paraschens schulde haue be left in her owne fredom for to haue ȝouun or not ȝouun eny thing to her curat, or how miche or how litle to hem it schulde haue likid; it muste be trowid that for avoiding of lijk perel and lijk yuel it was doon, that the curat schulde be stabili endewid bi the seid tithis and offringis, so that it schulde be a ful riȝt ȝouun to him forto hem aske rere haue tho tithis and offringis and othere like paymentis, like to the riȝt of a free rente or a lyuerey going out of an abbey or citee or an other comunalte. Which perel and yuel wolde be this, that ellis, if such stable and fix endewing were not maad to the curat, hise

paraschenys myȝten and wolden him trouble with querelis, and theryn withdrawe his fynding, as ofte as he wolde bi doing of his dew cure offende hem. And certis in such aventure it were rather to truste to the conscience and discrecion of him which is in state of a reuler, than to the conscience of hem whiche ben in the state of hem that ben to be reulid. And therfore nedis cost it was doon, that the curat was stabili endewid bi suche tithis and offringis and othere suche lijk paymentis; or it ouȝte haue be so doon, if good reule hadde be seen; and therfore it is to be take now in fulfilling what was thanne left, as thouȝ it had be thanne so doon.

Also hou ellis schulde eny man be bold forto leue a craft to gete therbi his lijflode, and bicome a curat to othere; in lasse than he hadde a stable riȝt forto aske and haue his lijflode of his paraschens, and that his lijflode schulde not hange upon her plesaunce oonli; namelich sithen persoones, whiche ben nedis to be reulid of reulers, ouȝten not to be so miche trustid in so greet a cause forto not erre, neither for to be not other wise than weel avisid, that thei wolen not withdrawe vndewli what thei ouȝten paie, if thei be greued? And also how ellis myȝte bi eny discrecioun haue be ordeyned or haue be admittid of the laife suche statis in the chirch to be in subordinacioun of vndrers and ouerers, (as ben persoones of paraschens, and bischopis aboue hem, and archibischopis aboue hem, and patriarkis ouer hem, and thanne the pope hiȝest,) but if the louȝest degre, in which ben per|soones, curatis, upon which alle these othere statis ben bildid, schulden haue a stable fix endewing of lijflode, and but [Perhaps we should read but if, but see Glossary.] ech of these othere statis schulde haue her stable endewing [endewewing, MS.] in lijk maner? And therfore it was

so doon, or ouȝte haue be so doon. And so for con|tinuaunce of it what was doon, or for continuaunce of it which hath be so weel suffrid and allowid, as thouȝ it had be so ordeyned and doon, and ouȝte be now so ordeyned to be doon, (ne were that alle wijse men taken it as for doon, or as thouȝ it had be doon,) it is to be holde that the louȝer curatis, as persouns and vikers of paraschenis, ben stabili endewid in her riȝt forto aske and haue tithis and offringis and othere paymentis, how stabili a perpetual chauntry preest is endewid; so that his riȝt and benefice of lijflode hangith not upon the beneuolence of his paraschens.

And certis ferther forto seie, it were neuere wijs policie and reule, that the reulers lijflode schulde hange upon her wittis and willis, whiche schulden be bi him reulid or conceilid or detectid; and that bothe for it is to presume, that for the more parti her wittis and willis schulden be infirmer than ben hise, and also for freelnes thei wolden grucche ofter than thei schulden aȝens hise correpciouns and reulingis, as experience ofte in suche maters schewith. And therfore this present viij^e. trouthe and it what he presupposith is to be holde for trewe, and namelich to be vsid as for trewe; thouȝ special writingis of eldist ordinauncis of men in the Newe Testament kun not be founde, that so it was in eny tyme doon.

The ix^e. trouthe is this: Alle the peple of the lay parti, whiche wolden compleyne or holde hem wrongid of preestis or othere clerkis for the deedis not doon bi tho preestis or clerkis, into whiche deedis to be doon tho preestis and clerkis receyueden her fynding of the same peple in lay party, stoonden in caas of the firste trouthe, as it is open ynouȝ to se; and therfore thei mowe not eny punysching or eny re|streyne sette to preestis or clerkis for the vndoing of

the deedis of cure, but the lay peple ouȝten com|pleyne hem to the iugis of the preestis and clerkis so trespacing and wronging, and proue her complaint to be trewe, and the other parti ouȝte be callid into answere forto wite whether thei kunnen excuse hem or no; and if the preestis and clerkis ben founde in the defaut, than first tho iugis ouȝten do therto dew and iust remedie. Forwhi, but if remedie of this wronging schulde be do in this wey, ellis no wey were forto make remedie to this wronging; sithen thilk remediyng muste outhir be doon bi hem that ben wrongid, which is aȝens the firste trouthe, or bi othere persoones ordeyned for to be ther yn iugis; and but if the bothe parties schulden be herd at fulle leysers, oon for to accuse, the other forto defende, ellis vnsufferable myscheuys of hasty domes wolde ofte falle. And therfore this ix^e. trouthe is algatis to be holde.

The x^e. trouthe is this: The remedie which is iust and dew to be sett upon preestis and clerkis, tres|pacing and wronging the lay peple in caas of the ix^e. trouthe, muste needis be othere punyschingis than putting tho preestis and clerkis out of her possessioun had upon her endewingis and fyndingis, [and fyndingis is added in the margin by a later hand, which has made erasures in the text.] bifore seid in the vj^e., vij^e., and viij^e. trouthis, hem abiding stille in her afore had dignitees or officis. For whi, if these preestis and clerkis thus trespacing schulden or myȝten iustli be punischid bi the seid putting out of riȝt and possessioun, hem abiding stille in her dignitees or officis, this deede and processe of punysching schulde be mad and doon aȝens the bifore going here v^e. and vj^e. trouthis, as folewith weel bi strengthe of the vj^e. trouthe; and wrong schulde be doon in thilk pun|ysching to the successouris of tho preestis and clerkis

now lyuyng, [lylyuing, MS.] whiche successouris not ȝit han so tres|pacid, that thei schulden be punyschid or vnpossessid in her procutour or attorney occupiyng now tho godis and the possessioun of tho godis in his and her names to gidere.

And therfore folewith her of the xj^e. trouthe: That the iugis of these now seid preestis and clerkis, thus trespacing and wronging, ouȝte punysche tho preestis and clerkis bi payment of money, or bi open schame and peyne, or bi remouyng hem fro her had dignitees and officis, so that othere persoones worthi therto be putt yn forto succede to hem and forto continue the riȝt and the possessioun in her owne names and in her successouris names, that the successouris be not oonys vnpossessid for the perel and the wrong bifore sett in the vj^e. trouthe; which perel and wrong schulde ellis bifalle to the seid successouris. And so bi al the processe bigunne bifore at the xvj^e. chapiter of this iij^e. partie and continued hidir to it is open that tho ij. opiniouns, conclusiouns, and holdingis there in the bigynnyng of the xvj^e. chapiter rehercid, ben errouris and vntreuthis, if it what is presupposid to the vj^e. trouthe be trewe.