The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

vj. CHAPITER.

FOR answere to the ij^e. semyng skile may serue sufficientli al what is bifore seid and writun in the [iv^e. parti the iij^e. chapiter] [A space left in the MS. for the references.] in iustifiyng the iiij^e. [ij ^e., MS.] principal gouernaunce; and that fro thilk place which biginneth thus, If eny wole pretende that riȝt doom of resoun, et cætera, into the eende of the same chapi|ter there. [See p. 432. This seems to be the place referred to.] Neuertheles sumwhat more y schal sette therto here, namelich for this, that the Gospel [Math.

v^e. capitulum.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] is brouȝte in forto enforce this secunde semyng skile. And therfore y seie therto thus: In twey maners out of a gouernaunce mai come yuel as it is seid before in the [iij^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] chapiter of the [iv^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] parti of this book, that is to seie, in oon maner as fro the cause of the yuel, and in an other maner as fro an occasioun of the yuel oonli. [See pp. 428-433.] Certis whanne euer synne cometh fro and bi eny gouernaunce in the first maner, thanne thilk gouernaunce is vnleeful and to be cast awey; and of [a] gouernaunce out, fro, and bi which cometh synne in to a persoon in this firste maner meened Crist in the place of the Gospel now alleggid [Math. v^e. capitulum.]; [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] and not of a gouernaunce out, fro, and bi which cometh synne to a persoon in the ij^e. maner oonli. Ferthermore, whanne euer the sclaundre (that is to seie, the synne,) cometh into a persoon out, fro, and bi a gouernaunce in the firste maner, it is alwey trewe that to the persoon sclaundrid (that is to seie, prouokid and putt into synne) the sclaundre (that is to seie, the synne) is ȝouun, and is not oonli of him and bi his side acceptid and takun withoute ȝeuyng. And whanne euer out, fro, and bi eny gouernaunce sclaundre (that is to seie, synne) cometh in the ij^e. maner, than it is trewe that the sclandre (that is to seie, the synne) is not ȝouun to the persoon, but it is of him takun and acceptid withoute therof to him maad eny ȝeuyng. And sithen it is so, that al the greet and notable synne, that cometh fro, out, and bi religiouns now had and vsid in the chirche, cometh fro hem into the persoones of hem in the secunde now seid maner oonli and not in the firste, therfore the sentence of the Gospel of [Math. v^e. capitulum.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] alleggid bifore in the argument fallith not vpon these reli|giouns, that thei for such sclaundring of persoones be

kutt awey. Forwhi the sclaundris of tho persoones ben sclaundris acceptid and takun into hem bi hem silf and her owne freelnes, and ben not ȝouun to hem bi tho religiouns.

Neuertheles, thouȝ this be trewe what is now bifore seid, that whanne sclaundre (that is to seie, synne) cometh into a persoon bi a gouernance aftir the ij^e. maner oonli, thilk gouernaunce hath no wijt or deser|uyng or riȝt forto be leid awey, but the freelnes of the persoon ouȝte bi riȝt be fouȝt aȝens and be leid awey, ȝit in this maner wolde be had this special consideracioun and therupon folewingli this now to be ȝouun tempering moderacioun. Whanne synne cometh into a persoon bi a gouernaunce and in the ij^e. maner oonli, and this person so ofte fallith into thilk synne, whanne he holdith thilk gouernaunce, that the synne is as it were vnscapeable and vnavoidable of him; and herwith it is so, that the same gouernaunce is not to him comaundid of God and bi his lawe, and therfore is not necessarie for his saluacioun, certis thanne it is to be aspied weel bothe bi resoun and bi sure assay and experience, whether it be esier and surer and lasse peyne and bateil for to fiȝte aȝens his freelnes and hise lustis and ouercome it with the holding of the seid gouernaunce, or ellis aȝenward it is esier, surer, and lasse peyne and lasse bateil forto forgo [for go, MS.] at al and lacke the seid gouernaunce, than for to fiȝte and ouercome the lustis of his freelnes. If it be sureli founde bi cleer sure resoun or bi sufficient assay that the persoon is disposid in the first of these ij. now seid disposiciouns, it is not good reule that he caste awey fro him the seid gouernaunce, namelich if thilk gouernaunce be myche profitable to him in othere goostli sidis and stondith to him in miche

goostli stide; but the good reule were for to caste awey the lustis and othere passiouns of his freelnes, and lete the gouernauncis be had. And aȝenward, if it be sureli founde bi cleer and sure resoun or bi sufficient assay of experience, that the persoon is dis|posid in the ij^e. now seid disposicioun, sotheli thanne, thouȝ this gouernaunce deserueth not bi his wijt to be kut awey, ȝit alloweable reule it were forto kutte awey thilk seide gouernaunce, thouȝ he be ful profit|able in goostli maner in othere sides into good not being of comaundement, and so that bi the kuttyng awey of thilk gouernaunce cometh not in the ij^e. maner more synne to the persoon than cometh in [the] ij^e. maner bi the holding of the same gouernaunce, and ellis not. Forwhi a litil synne is more to be eschewid [eschewewid, MS.] and to be fled, than is a ful greet goostli good, which is not of Goddis comaundement, to be pursewid and folewid that it be had; and the gretter synne is euer more [euermore, MS.] to be fled and eschewid than the lasse synne.

And thus myche her of as now; for more of sclaun|dris is tauȝt in The book of Cristen religion the [Spaces are left in the MS. for the references.] party the [Spaces are left in the MS. for the references.] trety the [Spaces are left in the MS. for the references.] chapiter.

For to turne now aȝen into the mater of reli|giouns; thouȝ it be sufficientli now bifore answerid to the ij^e. semyng skile mad aȝens tho religiouns, ȝit into gretter [the gretter, MS. (first hand).] strengthing and enforcing of the same mad answere and into the more clering of this treuthe, that the seid religiouns ben not to be kutte awey fro the chirche, y sette thus miche more here at this tyme: Thouȝ it were so, that no more excuse were to the seid religiouns forto defende hem fro kutting awey than which is bifore seid; (that out, fro, and bi

hem no synne cometh in the first seid maner, but in the ij^e. seid maner oonli; and therfore thei deseruen not to be kutt awey, namelich sithen thei ben meenis into greet goostly goodis:)—ȝit more therto forto ex|cuse mai be sett thus: that gretter synne wolde come fro, bi, and out of the kuttingis awey of tho reli|giouns than cometh now fro, bi, and out of the hau|yngis and holdingis of the same religiouns, and gretter synne is lettid bi the being and holding of tho reli|giouns than is al the synne bi hem comyng; and therfore thei ouȝten miche rather be menteyned than be leid asyde. That this is trewe, what is now seid, y proue thus: [That is trewe what y proue thus. MS. (first hand).] Take me alle the [alle religiose, MS. (first hand).] religiose men of Englond, whiche ben now and han ben in religioun in Englond this thritti ȝeeris and mo now eendid, in whiche xxx^ti. ȝeeris hath be contynuel greet werre bi|twixe Englond and Fraunce; and lete se what schulde haue worthe of the men in these ȝeeris, if thei had|den not be mad religiose. Lete se how thei schulden haue lyued, and what maner men thei schulden haue be. Whether not thei schulden haue be, as weelnyȝ alle othere men ben and han be in this xxxiiij^e. wyn|ter in Englond; and therfore thei schulden haue be or gileful artificers, or vnpiteful questmongers and for|sworen iurers, or sowdiers wagid into Fraunce forto make miche morther of blood, ȝhe, and of soulis, bothe in her owne side and in the Frensch side? Who can seie nay herto, but that riȝt likeli and as it were vnscapabili these yuelis and many mo schulden haue bifalle to tho persoones, if thei hadden not be religiose? And noman can fynde aȝenward that tho persoones, whilis thei han lyued in religioun, han be gilti of so miche synne, how miche synne is now re|hercid; and of which thei schulden haue be gilti, if

thei hadden not be religiose. Thanne folewith needis, that the religiouns in Englond han be [ben, MS. (first hand).] ful noble and ful profitable heggis and wardis thoruȝ out these xxxiiij. ȝeeris for to close and kepe and hegge yn and werne so manye persoones fro so miche gretter synnes into whiche ellis, if tho religiouns hadden not be, tho persoones schulden haue falle and haue be gilti. And sotheli this skile (as me semeth) ouȝte move ech man ful miche forto holde with suche reli|giouns, if he be wijs for to considere how synful it is weelnyȝ alle persoons lyuyng out of religioun; and into how comberose a plijt the world is brouȝt, that tho synnes (as it were) mowen not be lefte; and how that religiose persoones schulden be of lijk badde con|dicioun, if thei weren not in religioun, and that in religioun thei ben not of so badde condicion, thouȝ thei ben men and not aungels and kunnen not lyue without al synne; and that the synne comyng into hem, whilis thei ben in religioun, cometh not into hem bi the religioun as bi the firste maner of com|yng bifore tauȝt in the same chapiter, but bi the ij^e. maner of comyng oonli. And no more as now and here [now here, MS. (first hand), per|haps rightly.] as for answere to the ij^e. semyng skile.

Here myȝte be askid what ouȝte be doon bi religiose prelatis and bi bischopis and the pope to and aboute religiose persoones, whiche in a symplenes camen into religioun and aftirward han growen into greet notabil abilnes forto stonde into miche gretter stide of al the chirche and of al the lawe of God than forto be tied to close and cloistrose obseruauncis of summe maners of religiouns, and what ouȝte be desirid and askid bi tho same religiose persoones to be doon to and aboute hem silf? That is to seie, whether thei schulden stire and pursue forto be lousid of such en|closing

and for to be take into the werkis of so greet excellence, (into which thei ben so miche abler than other, or into which ouer fewe or noon ben able;) or ellis, whether thei schulen desire and caste, ȝhe, and be constreyned to abide for better for wors per|petuali in the same bondage, in to which it happid hem in her ȝongthe or in her seid abilte not best knowun and of hem aspied to entre; in lijk maner as it is with men, whiche bi ȝongthe or bi hastynes or bi vnsufficient knowing and assaiyng of certein wommenys maners han take hem into her wyues, muste holde hem to the same wyues for better for wors, how euer myche better lijf thei couthen lyue with othere wommen to be take of the newe into her wyues than with these now takun into her wyues? But al this is not myche perteynyng to this present book, and therfore no thing into assoiling of this dout schal be seid here. Sumwhat therof is seid in The book of Cristen religioun, the firste parti, the [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] treti the [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] chapiter; but more and in better wise y hope schal be sett in The book of lessouns to be rad perauenture in the chaier of scolis.