The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

xv. CHAPITER.

THE vij^e. principal gouernance aȝens which summe of the lay peple erren is this: That the preestis and othere clerkis preien to God and to Seintis, and thei so preien bothe for hem silf and for her neiȝboris; and thei graunten to summe othere persoones forto be partyners in sum kinde of her preiers, and of her abstinencis, of her wacchis, and of her othere gode deedis and suffrauncis. This now seid gouernaunce summe of the lay peple blamen vnwijsly, seiyng and holding that it is waast and vein forto preie to God, whilis he knowith ech mannys hertis desijr and ech mannys nede; also that it is waast and veyn forto preie to eny Seint, whilis God loueth us more than eny Seint loueth us. And, as it myȝte seme, thei holden that no man may take an other man so into his nyȝ frendschip, that therbi the other man schal fare the better bi this mannys fasting, waking, and hise othere gode deedis; but ech man schal fare weel goostli oonli bi hise owne gode deedis. Aȝens which

now rehercid vnwijs blamyng to be reproued and improued (that is to seie, to be proued vntrewe,) it is sufficientli tretid in The book filling the iiij. tablis in ther of the firste parti; and also aȝens sum therof it is notabili procedid in the firste partie of Cristen religioun, the secunde treti, the [A space is left in the MS. for the number.] chapiter. And therfore that y be not ouer long in this present book, y speke not of thilk mater in special here; lest that for lengthe which this present book schulde haue, if alle the xj. gouernauncis weren here yn tretid in special maner, the mo of the comoun peple myȝten the wors avorthi in cost of mony forto gete to hem this present book.

The viij^e. principal gouernaunce, for which [forwhich, MS.] summe of the lay peple reprouen, vndirnemen, and blamen vnwijsly the clergie is this: In the bodili chirche ben had and vsid signes of greet curiosite, preciosite, and cost; and in greet multitude and dyuersite, as bellis, baners, and suche othere, not being the grete sacra|mentis; whiche myȝten be solde and be delid to poor men or be sett into othere vsis better, than to so be had and vsid in the bodili chirche; and also this, that ymagis and crossis ben lowtid of men, and the feet of ymagis and of crossis and of relikis ben kissid of men, and to tho ymagis, crossis, and relikis it is offrid, or ellis bifore hem offrid, and toward hem ben maad longe pilgrimagis in greet cost, wher|bi, (as these blamers seien,) ydolatrie is doon, sithen thilk lowting which is to be ȝouun oonli to God is ȝouun ther yn to creaturis, that is to seie, to ymagis and to crossis and to relikis. Wherfore alle the now rehercid thingis and deedis schulden be not had and vsid in the bodili chirche of Cristen peple.

Aȝens this now rehercid chalenging, vndirnemyng, and blamying, that he is [is is interlineated in a later hand.] vniustli and vntreuli mad, serueth ful weel and sufficientli The book of worschip|ing in large lengthe, as nede of the mater so askith; and therfore who wole se how this here rehercid blamyng and chalenging is defauti and vniust, and how treuthe hath him silf in the mater of signes vsid, not being the grete sacramentis, go he into The (now named) book of worschiping, (for he is ouer greet for to be ingraffid here,) and go he in to the firste parti of Cristen religioun, the treti, the chapiter, and into the treti, the [Spaces are left for the numbers.] chapiter; and with Goddis grace he schal be fillid there with ful fair instruccioun perteynyng to the maters of this now touchid purpos.

The ix^e. principal gouernaunce for which summe of the lay peple vnwijsly and vnreuerentli blamen the clergie is this: That in the chirche ben had grete signes and sacramentis, and her vsis; as ben baptem, confermyng, hosil of Cristis bodi and blood, and othere mo; whiche sacramentis and her vsis summe of the lay peple holden to be pointis of wicche craft and blindingis, brouȝt into Cristen men bi the feend and the anticrist and hise lymes. And in special thei abhorren aboue alle othere the hiȝest and wor|thiest signe and sacrament of alle othere, the sacra|ment of the auter, the preciose bodi and blood of Crist for us hangid in the cros and for us out sched; in so miche that thei not oonli scornen it, but thei haaten it, mys callen it bi foule names, and wolen not come her thankis into the bodili chirche, whilis thilk sacrament is halewid, tretid, and vsid in the masse.

Aȝens this now rehercid mys bering of tho men and aȝens this her foul faring with hem silf and her vniust bering an hond is maad a book bi him silf clepid The book of feith and an other Of sacramentis; and also ij. othere bokis, of whiche oon is clepid The book of baptym, the other The book of eukarist, in which book sufficientli and cleerli al this now re|hercid foule and mys bering and vniust chalenging and blamyng is reproued and vnproued. And ther|fore, sithen so long a werk is seid and doon there, it is no nede forto seie ther of eny thing vnperfitli and vnfully and therfore vnsauorili here; lest perauenture for the lak and the noun hauyng at hond here of al that ouȝte be seid to gidere for strengthing of the treuthe, enemyes myȝten and wolden take colour that her parti is not so miche confoundid as it is, and that the contrarie partie to hem is not so weel proued as it is.

The x^e. principal gouernaunce aȝens which summe of the comoun peple erren is this: That the clergie in certein causis and maters swerith and makith othere persoones forto swere, and allowith weel that princis and her officers being vndir hem bothe swere and make othere men of the layfe forto swere. Certis summe of the lay peple holden this gouernaunce to be vnleeful, and aȝens the comaundement of God; and that it is vttirli vnleeful eny man forto swere. Neuertheles for as miche as this vnwijs holding is sufficientli proued to be vntrewe in The book filling the iiij. tablis, in the secunde parti, bi manye chapi|tris, therfore no thing therof here.

The xj^e. principal gouernaunce, aȝens which summe of the lay peple erren, is vsid in the lay partie and not in the clergie and is this: That men for her trespacis ben doon into her deeth. For summe of the lay partie holden that no man schulde be slein of eny other man for eny trespace, cause, or

perel; but al slauȝter vpon man is reserued to God. And also thei holden that in no wise and in no caas bateil is leeful, neither bitwixe Cristen and Cristen, neither bitwixe Cristen and hethen. And thei blamen the clergie in this, that the clergie allowith and ap|proueth these gouernauncis to be doon bi the layfe. But for as myche as aȝens al this blamyng of the xj^e. principal gouernaunce it is procedid in othere placis of my writingis, as in the book clepid The filling of the iiij. tablis, in therof the iiij^e. partie, therfore it is no neede for to make this book here therbi eny ouer greet bolk more than nede is.

And thus y eende this present book clepid The represser of ouer myche blamyng the clergie. For which [Forwhich, MS.] book, to thee, Lord God, be preising and thanking; and to alle the seid ouer myche vndir|nemers and blamers ful amendement. Amen.