The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

THE FIRSTE CHAPTRE.

THE vj^e. principal gouernaunce or point to be tretid in this present v^e. partie, for which gouernaunce summe of the lay peple blamen and vndirnymen vniustli and vnworthili the clergie is this: That bothe of preestis and of lay persoones ben sectis clepid religiouns, maad to men and also to wommen forto be streiȝter to hem in eting and drinking, in speking, in wering, in going, in sleping, and in aboute walking, and in othere deedis of worldlihode and fleischlihode, than is the fredom of lawe of kinde with the settingis to of Cristis sacramentis. Al this summe of the lay peple blamen bothe for the dyuersite and nouelte so takun to be in other wise than is the comoun maner of othere men and wommen; and also thei beren an honde that the religiouns, whiche now ben had and vsid, han summe statutis and ordynauncis being aȝens charite, and therfore aȝens the lawe of God. And ferthermore, these blamers not oonli maken hem blamers, but also diffamers; for thei ascriuen and ȝeuen the fynding and the mentenaunce of alle such sectis or relegiouns to the feend and anticrist, and thei callen it to be werk of the feend; and manye mo reproues thei ȝeuen to religiouns and to therof the religiose persoones, which schame is for to reherce.

That this now rehercid blamyng and vndirnymyng is vniust and bering an hond vntreuli, for that the now rehercid vj^e. principal gouernaunce is leeful and iust, good and expedient, y schal proue bi v. principal conclusiouns, of whiche the firste is this: Holi Scrip|ture weerneth not and lettith not the now rehercid vj^e. principal gouernaunce to be take and vsid with

the comoun lawe of Crist ȝouun to Cristen men. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: If eny text or processe of Holi Scripture schulde lette and weerne the now seid vj^e. principal gouernaunce, thilk text or proces schulde be oon of these whiche schulen be spoken in the iiij. argumentis now next aftir to be mad. But so it is that noon of tho lettith and weerneth the seid vj^e. principal gouernaunce, as it schal be open bi the answeris to thilk same iiij. argumentis. Wherfore folewith that Holi Scripture weerneth not and lettith not the seid vj^e. principal gouernaunce.

The firste of these iiij. argumentis is this: It is writun, Iames the i^e. capitulum., thus: A cleene religioun and an vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir is this; to visite fadirles and modirlees children and widowis in her tribulacioun, and to kepe him silf vndefilid fro this world. Out of this text a man may argue in twei maners. In oon maner thus: Iames assigneth this gouernaunce now rehercid in his text to be a cleene religioun and an vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir; wherfore noon other gouernaunce saue this same, as bi the entent and meenyng of Iames in his now rehercid text, is a cleene religioun and vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir; and so the religiouns now had [had is added in a later hand.] and vsid in the chirche ben not cleene and vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir. In an other maner thus: What euer religion lettith and biforbarrith, ȝhe, and forbedith the religioun to be doon and vsid, which is a clene and an vnwemmed religioun anentis God and the Fadir, is an vnleeful religioun, and not worthi be [to be, MS. (first hand).] had and vsid. But so it is, that alle the religiouns now had and vsid in the chirche, in which is vow of wilful and expropriat

pouerte with the vow of obedience to the comaunde|mentis of certein devisid statutis and reulis, letten and biforebarren, ȝhe, and forbeden thilk religioun be doon and vsid, which is cleen and vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir. Forwhi thei letten and biforebarren, ȝhe, and forbeden to her religiose per|soones forto visite fadirles and moderles children and widowis in her tribulacioun, as is open ynowȝ to ech considerer. And ȝit this visiting is a cleene religioun and vnwemmed anentis God and the Fadir bi the text of Iames now alleggid. Wherfore alle tho othere now seid religiouns had and vsid in the chirche ben vn|leeful and not worthi be had and vsid.

The ij^e. argument is take of the wordis and textis of Seint Poul, Coloc. ij^e. capitulum., i^e. Thim. iiij^e. capitulum., ij^e. Thim. iij^e. capitulum., Tite i^e. capitulum., and of the wordis and text of Peter, ij^e. Pet. ij^e. capitulum., and in manye othere placis, whiche textis y schal reherce here next bi and bi. First, ij^e. Pet. ij^e. capitulum. in the bigynnyng, Petir writith thus: False prophetis weren in the peple, as in ȝou schulen be maistris liers, that schulen bringe yn sectis of perdicioun, and thei denyen thilk Lord that bouȝte hem, and bringen on hem silf hasti per|dicioun; and manye schulen sue her leccheries, bi which the wey of treuthe schal be blasphemed: and thei schulen make marchaundie of ȝou in coueitise bi feyned wordis, to whiche doom now awhile ago cesith not, and the perdicioun of hem nappith not. Also i^e. Thim. iiij^e. capitulum. in the bigynnyng, Poul seith to Bischop Thimothie thus: The Spirit seith openli, that in the laste tymes summen schulen departe fro the feith, ȝeuyng tent to spiritis of errour and to techingis of deuelis, that speken leesing in ypocrisie, and han her conscience corrupt, forbeding to be weddid, to abstene fro metis whiche God made to take with doing of thankingis to feithful men and hem that han knowe the treuthe: (for ech crea|ture

of God is good, and no thing is to be cast awey, which is taken with doing of thankingis, for it is halowid bi the word of God and bi preier;) thou, putting forth these thingis to britheren, schalt be a good mynystre of Iesus Crist, nurischid with wordis of feith and of good doctrine, which thou hast gete; but eschewe thou vncouenable fablis and eeld wom|menys fablis. Also ij^e. Thim. iij^e. capitulum., in the bigyn|nyng, Poul seith to Bischop Thimothie thus: Wite thou this thing, that in the laste daies perilose tymes schulen neiȝe, and men schulen be louyng hem silf, coueitose, hiȝe of bering, proude, blasphemers, not obedient to fader and modir, vnkinde, cursid, with|oute affeccioun, withoute pees, false blamers, vn|contynent, vnmylde, withoute benignite, traitouris, ouerthwert, bollun with proude thouȝtis, bliynde louers of lustis more than of God, hauyng the liknes, of pitee, but denying the vertu of it; and eschewe thou these men. Of these thei ben that persen housis and leden wommen caitifis chargid with synnes, whiche ben led with dyuerse desiris, euermore leern|yng and neuermore perfitli comynge to the science of treuthe. And as Iannes and Mambres [Mambres is the Vulgate reading, whence the early English translations were made.] aȝenstoden Moyses, so these aȝenstonden treuthe, men corruptid in vndirstonding, reproued aboute the feith; but fer|ther thei schulen not profite, for the vnwisdom of hem schal be knowe to alle men, as hern was. But thou hast geten my teching, et cætera. Also Tite i^e. capitulum., in the myddil, Poul seith to Thimothie Bischop of Crete thus: Ther ben manye vnobedient and vein spekeris and desseyueris, moost thei that ben of circumcisioun, which it bihoueth to be reproued, whiche subuerten alle housis, teching whiche thingis it bihoueth not, and that for the loue of foul wynnyng. And oon

of hem her propre profete seide, 'Men of Crete ben 'euermore lieris, yuel beestis, of slowe wombe:' this witnessing is trewe. For what cause blame hem sore, that thei be hool in feith, not ȝeuyng tent to fablis of Iewis and to maundementis of men, which turnen awey hem fro truthe. [Written on an erasure by a later hand; the orthography is against the usage of the MS.] Also ij^e. Pet. iij^e. capitulum., soone aftir the bigynnyng, Peter seith thus: First wite ȝe this thing, that in the laste daies disseyueris schulen come, in disseit going after her owne coueitingis, seiyng, 'Where is the biheest or the 'comyng of him? for sithen the fadris dieden, alle 'thingis lasten fro the bigynnyng of creature.' But it is hid fro hem willing this thing, that heuens weren bifore, et cætera. Also Iude ij^e. [In almost all the MSS. of Wic|lif's version, (from which this and the other quotations in this para|graph are made, almost verbatim,) Jude is divided into two chapters.] capitulum., in the bigynnyng, the Apostle Iudas writith thus: Wo to hem that wenten the wey of Cayn, and that ben sched out by errour of Balaam for mede, and perischiden in the aȝenseiyng of Chore! These ben in her metis feesting to gidere to filthe, withoute drede feding hem silf; these ben cloudis withoute watir, that ben born aboute of the wyindis, heruest trees with oute fruyt, tweies deede, drawen up bi the roote, wawis of the wood see fomyng out her con|fusiouns, erring sterris, to whiche the tempest of derknesses is kept withoute eende. These ben grucch|ers, ful of pleintis, wandring aftir her desiris; and the mouth of hem spekith pride, worschiping per|soones bi cause of wynnyng. And ȝe, moost dere britheren, be myndeful of these wordis, whiche ben bifore seid of Apostlis of oure Lord Iesus Crist, whiche seiden to ȝou that in the laste tymes ther schulen come gilouris, wandring after her owne de|siris,

not in pitee. These ben whiche departen hem silf, beestli men, not hauyng spi[rit]; but ȝe, moost dere brither[en], aboue bilde you silf on ȝoure moost holy feith, and preie ȝe in the Holi Goost, and kepe ȝou silf in the loue of God, and abide ȝe the merci of oure Lord Iesus Crist into lijf euerlasting. And repreue ȝe these men that ben deemed, but saue ȝe hem, and take ȝe hem fro the fier. Also Coloc. ij^e. capitulum., Poul writith thus: Se ȝe that no man disseyue ȝou bi philsophie and vein fallace, aftir the tradicioun of men, aftir the elementis of the world, and not aftir Crist. And sumwhat aftir there thus: Therfore no man iuge ȝou in mete or in drinke or in part of feest dai or of neomenye or of Sabbatis, whiche ben schadewis of thingis to comyng; for the bodi is of Crist. Noman disseyue ȝou, willing to teche in mekenes and religioun of aungelis tho thingis whiche he hath not seen, walking veinli, bolned with witt of his fleisch, and not holding the heed, of which al the bodi bi bondis of ioinyng to gidere vndir my|nystrid and mad wexith into encresing of God. For if ȝe ben dede with Crist fro the elementis of this world, what ȝit as men lyuing to the world deemen ȝe that ȝe touche not, neither taaste, neither trete with hondis tho thingis whiche alle [alle is added in the margin by a later (?) hand.] ben into deeth bi the ilk vce, after the comaundementis and the techingis of men? Whiche han a resoun of wijsdom in vein religioun and mekenesse, and not to spare the bodi; not in honour to the ful filling of the fleisch.

Also, Math. xxiiij^e. capitulum., Crist in maner of prophecie spake of vntrewe techeris, which schulden come in the daies of the Apostlis bifore the destruccioun of Ierusalem, and seide to hise disciplis thus: Men

schulen bitake ȝou into tribulacioun and schulen slee ȝou, and ȝe schulen be in hate to al folk for mi name. And thanne manie schulen be sclaundrid and bitraie ech othere, and thei schulen hate ech othere; and manie false prophetis schulen rise and disseyue manye. Like sentence of the same vntrewe techeris is writun Mark xiij^e. capitulum., thus: Loke ȝe that no man disseyue ȝou. For manye schulen come in my name seiyng, that y am, and thei schulen disseyue manie; and whanne ȝe heere bateilis and opiniouns of bateilis drede ȝe not, for it bihoueth these thingis to be doon, but not ȝit anoon is the eende. Also Math. xxiiij^e. capitulum., Crist in maner of prophecie spake of vntrewe techeris, whiche schulden come nyȝ to the dai of doom and the eende of the world, and seide ther of to hise disciplis thus: Thanne schal be greet tribulacioun, what maner was not fro the bigynnyng of the world to now, neither schal be maad; and but if tho daies hadden be abbreggid, ech fleisch schulde not be mad saaf; but tho daies schulen be mad schort for the chosen men. Thanne if eny man seie to ȝou, 'Lo, here is Crist or there!' nyle ȝe bileeue; for false Cristis and false prophetis schulen rise, and thei schulen ȝeue grete tokenes and wondris, so that also the chosun be led into errour, if it mai be doon. Lo, y haue bifore seid to ȝou. Therfore if thei seie to ȝou, 'Lo, he is in desert!' nile ȝe go out; 'Lo, in priuy placis!' nyle ȝe trowe. For as leit gooth out of the eest and apperith into the west, so schal be also the comyng of Mannys Sone. Wher euer the bodi schal be, also the eglis schulen be gaderid thider. And anoon after the tribulacioun of tho daies the sunne schal be mad derk, and the mone schal not ȝeue liȝt, et cætera. Like sentence touching the same now seid vntrewe techeris is writun Mark xiij^e. capitulum., thus: Thilk daies of tribulacioun schulen be suche, whiche maner weren not fro the

bigynnyng of creature whiche God hath made til now, neither schulen be; and but the Lord hadde abreggid tho daies al fleisch hadde not be saaf; but for the chosen, whiche he cheese, the Lord hath mad schort tho daies. And than if eny man seie to ȝou 'Lo, here is Crist! lo, there!' bileeue ȝe not. For false Cristis and false prophetis schulen rise, and schulen ȝeue tokenes and wondris to disseyue, if it mai be doon, ȝhe, hem that ben chosen. Therfore take ȝe kepe; lo y haue bifore seide to ȝou alle thingis. But in tho daies aftir thilk tribulacioun the sunne schal be maad derk, and the moone schal not ȝeue hir liȝt, et cætera.

The iij^e. argument is thoruȝ weel nyȝ ech word the same and oon with the firste semyng skile sett bifore in the iiij^e. party of this book, the viij^e. chapiter. Which argument gooth up [on] ij. longe processis in Holi Scripture, of whiche the oon is writun Math. xv^e. capitulum., and the other is writun Mark vij^e. [x ^e., MS.] capitulum.; and therfore who wole se this iij^e. argument, as he mai be mad aȝens the vj^e. principal gouernaunce, turne he thidir and he schal it there se.

The iiij^e. argument into the iustifiyng is this: The holi maide and religiose nunne Seint Hildegart, visitid with the spirit of prophecie, wroot manie prophecies whiche weren examyned and approued in a general counceil holdun at Treuer undir Pope Eugeny the [Thridde], [A space left in the MS. for the number.] at which counseil Seint Bernard was pre|sent, as it is writun in famose cronicles. [See Coleti, Concil. tom. 12, p. 1675, s. ann. 1148 A.D., and Al|beric. Chron. ad ann. 1141, (cited by Fabric. Bibl. Lat. Med. et Inf. Æt. vol. 3, p. 771).] And among the prophecies and reuelaciouns spokun bi the seid holi maide Seint Hildegart sche spekith that aftir hir daies schulde rise iiij. ordris of beggers; and not oonli

of the persoones whiche schulden lyue in tho iiij. ordris sche seith yuel; that is to seie, "that thei schulden [schulden is added in the margin by a later hand.] be flaterers, [flateres, MS.] and enviers, and ypocritis, and bacbiters;" but also of the ordre sche seith, meenyng it to be yuel. For sche seith, "that of wijse and trewe men this ordre schal be cursid;" as thouȝ sche schulde therbi meene, that the ordre schulde be worthi be cursid. And ferthirmore sche seith, "that for her synful and gileful lyuyng the comoun peplis hertis schulden falle awey fro hem, and thei schulden falle and ceese and that her ordre schulde be [be is interlineated in a later hand.] alto broke for her bigilingis, and her wickidnessis." ["Insurgent gentes quæ comedent peccata populi, tenentes ordinem mendicum, ambulantes sine rubore, invenientes nova mala, ut à sapien|tibus et Christi fidelibus ordo per|versus maledicatur. Sed diabolus radicabit in eis quatuor vitia, scilicet adulationem, ut cis largius detur: invidiam, quando datur aliis et non sibi: hypocrisim, ut placeant per simulationem: et detractionem, ut se ipsos commendent, et alios vitu|perent . . . . Populus vero de die in diem durior erit, et expertus erit seductiones eorum et cessabit dare. . . . . Sic ordo vester contritus est propter seductiones et iniquitates vestras." S. Hildegard. Prophet. cited by Fabric. Bibl. Lat. Med. et Inf. Æt. vol. 3, pp. 774-776. q. v.] Wherfore tho iiij. ordris or religiouns or beggeris ben badde and not gode, neither worth be had and vsid in the chirche.