Select English works of John Wyclif. Vol. 3. Miscellaneous works / edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

XXV. DE BLASPHEMIA, CONTRA FRATRES.

[The only MS. of the following tract known to exist is contained in Bodl. 647 (W). In the Catalogue of Bale it bears the title ('De Blas∣phemia, contra Fratres'), here prefixed to it. Wyclif's Latin treatise, 'De Blasphemia,' also mentioned by Bale, but without first words, and frequently quoted by Walden in the Doctrinale, is an entirely different work. I can discover in this tract no reliable indication of the date at which it was composed. Although Bale is our only authority for ascribing the authorship to Wyclif, I am disposed, from the evidence of style, language, and turn of thought, to consider it authentic.]

[PARS I.] [Some unlucky binder has cut away the greater part of the heading in the MS; it seems to have been 'Pars Prima Blasphemiae.']

HIT is seide þat thre þinges stourblen þis reume, and specialy [The prevalence of Blasphemy, especially among friars, with whom it takes three forms:] heresie, þat hafs thre parties; bot of blasphemye, þat is þo worste, is bot litel spoken. And, for wickidnesse of þis vice, þo bischopis of þo temple putten blasphemye upon Crist, to do [Ps. lxiv. 3.] him to deþ. For, as þo Psalme seis, and þo gospel beris witte∣nesse, Þei scharpid hor toungis and cried togedir, What kepe ȝe wittenesse? ȝe have herde his blasphemye. Blasphemye is in a maner sclaundring of God. And so in þre maners may mon blaspheme in God. Ffirst, when worþynesse approprid to God is unworþily putt to a pore creature. Þo secounde, when unperfeccioun is putt upon God. Þo þridde, when divynyte is denyed for God, þat mot acorde to hym for his grett

lordship. And if blasphemye be scaterid amonge mony men, nereþoles þis heresie is comynly wiþ freris. And wiþ thre blas∣pemyes þei blynden þo puple. Þo first is hor heresie of þo sacrament of þo auter. Þo secounde is blasphemye of beg∣gyng of Crist. Þo þridde is hor blasphemye of graunt of gostily helpe to hem þat wil bye or pourchasse to be Anticristis broþer.

As to þo first, we seyn, siker of oure feyth, þat þo whyte [I. Blasphemous doctrine re∣specting the Eucharist.] þing and rounde þat þo prest sacris, like to þo unsacrid oostis, and is broken and eeten, is verrely Gods body in þo fourme of bred. Ffor Crist toke bred in his hondes, blessid hit, brake hit, and bad alle his disciplis eete þerof. Ffor as he hymself seide, Þis is my body; and everiche Cristen mon is fully certeyn þat alle blasphemyes in þo world may not fals Crist. Bot here þo fals blasphemes gropen after weyes, and seyn þat bi þis þei schewe Gods body and not þat bred. Bot witte þei wil by Cristen mennis bileve, þat þes wordis of Crist ben not so naked of witte, to telle his apostils þat his body is his body, for þat knew þei first. Also, þof al Cristis shewyng were straunge to þo bred, hou shulde þese blasphemes, by virtu of þese wordes, proffe þat bred tournes to noȝt, and accident leeves wiþouten any sogett, or þat Gods body is newly þere? Also, as everiche Cristen mon moste graunt, Crist schewid wyn in þo chalis, þat he cald his blode. Lord, why shulde he not shewe by þo same skil bred, þat he toke in his honde and comaundid to eete hit? For everiche Cristen mon may wel witte, þat Crist seide not þat þo metal was his blode; ne Crist undirstode not þat accidentis were his blode, ne he schewid not his blode wiþinne his body, bothe for his wordis were þen wiþouten witte, and also þen his wordis were fals, for þo tyme þat he spake hom. Of þis may we se þat Crist was a gabber, or þis was soþ þat he seide, þis bred is my body.

And herfore Seynt Jerome, þat couthe more of holy writte [Their expla∣nation of the words of insti∣tution novel and untenable.] þen alle þo men now on lyve, for he was lenger tauȝt, wrytes þus [S. Hieron. ad Hedibiam, § 2.] . Here we, he seis; þat bred þat Crist brake, and gaf his disciplis to eete, is his owne body, ffor he hymself seis þat þis

is my body. And to dampne wordis or sentence of þis holy mon were a foolis tourne, to scorne of þo dampner; as we shulden scorne þes heretikes, þat leven Cristis wordis, and feynen wordis or sentence wiþouten auctorite. As somme seyn, þat is þo sentence of þo gospel, not þat þis bred is Cristis body, bot þat þis bred schal be Cristis body. Somme ben not payed of þis, but þat of þis bred shal be Cristis body. Þo þridde seis, þat Cristis body is not new made, ne getis not new mater þat was in þo bred; so þat not of þis bred is makid Gods body, but þat þes accidentis bitoken Gods body. Mony soche sentencis ben feyned of freris, by whom Anticristis clerkis reversen Cristis sentence. By þis mot we graunte þat þis bred þat Crist brak is verrely his body, or elles sey þat þis holy gospel is fals, or ellis uncraftily cloute to wordes of Crist. And sith everiche mon þat wiþouten auctorite of Crist puttes witte to Cristis wordes þat God askes not, is an heretike, hit is open þat soche feyners ben alle blasphemes.

Bot ageynis þis grutches Anticrist, þat þis sacrament schulde [The substance of the bread remains after consecration, contrary to what they maintain.] togedir be bred and Gods body. Bot, as he feynes, when þat Gods body bygynnes to be þere, þen bred turnes to noȝt, and accident leeves. Þes foolis shulden undirstonde þat Baptist, when he was naked, holly ceesid not to be Jon, ne non oþer þing. And so þes blasphemes passen Juwes in fooly, for Juwes knowen þat hit is bred when þei kyndely eten hit; and so þese freris and Pharisees ben madder þen Juwes and falser þen Paynims, siþ þei trowen nowþer þat hit is Gods body, ne bred, ne creature þat ever God made. Bot feythe of þo gospel techis us to trowe þat þis is verey bred after þo sacringe, for Crist hymself seis, þis bred is my body; bot what foole con not se þat ne þen hit is bred? Also þo gospel techis Cristen men to preye aftir þis iche day bred, or owne substaunce. And Austyn techis þat by þis bred Crist undirstode þis sacrament. Also þo apostlis knewen Crist by brekyng of þis bred; and þis bred was þo sacrament, as Austyn seis, wiþ þo popis lawe. And Seynt Poule, þat owver oþer knew of Gods priveytes, calles þis sacrament, bred þat we breke.

Owe, wheþer we shal se Anticrist so myghty þat he shal [They dare not publicly place their doctrine by the side of ours,] dampne Cristen men for þei graunte þo gospel! Wil I wot

þat we may amonge Saraȝens trowe and teche þis gospel wiþ∣outen any punyschyng; bot alle Cristen men shulden have freris suspecte, þat þei dar not putt out her feiþe to þo puple, and putt hit by oure feythe, and stonde þerby. And certis one of þese þree þinges semes to meete hom,—þat ouþer þei con not, or dar not, or þei travel by envye. God helpe us few Cristen men þat stonden in þis feythe, ffor leesynges and flater∣ynges of freris spreden ful wyde. And, as Crist schewid bred bifore þo sacringe, and bad hem all eete þerof, so he schewid aftir.

And as Anticrist marres men in hor wittis, so he destries [for it is con∣tradicted by the plainest evidence of sense,] virtues þat shulden cum of hom. Ffor amonge alle bodily wittis, moste certeyne of alle are gropynge and tastynge, as philoso∣phers seyn. Bot gropynge þei marren by hor foly sentence; ffor no bodily þing we knowen more certeynly þen hardenesse and sofftenesse of þis holy bred. For when hit is new baken, hit brekes in a maner, and varies in sounde fro olde baken bred; bot olde bred, in moyste tyme, brekes not þus. Bot, as philosoferes seyn, hardenesse and sofftenesse, freelnesse and towghnesse, with soche qualytees, may nowþer qualite ne quan∣tite sogetten. Ow, wheþer God, þat is treuþe, ordeyned Cristen men for to be marred in hor wittes in þo sacrament of trewht, more þen Juwes or Paynims erren in hor feythe! And so þo sacrament of þo chalis may opinly shewe, ffirst, swettenesse of wyne, and aftir sournesse, as prestis knowen wil. Lord, wheþer swettenesse and sournesse ben sogettid in figure! And here mennis innwittis mot algatis erre in knowynge and jugynge of difference of substaunce; as, if mony oostis, sacrid and un∣sacrid, were mengid togedir, a blaspheme þat knewe not þo medelynge of hom, kouthe not knowe accident fro bred, ne telle what is þis more þen a beeste. And if tonnes of wyne were sacrid byȝonde þo see, nowþer vyntyners of Englonde couthe taaste þis likoure, ne prestis myȝt synge wiþ soche accidentis. And so þes fals men mot algatis dowte wheþer alle soche men faylen in hor jugementis.

And after soche errours in kyndely wittes þei make men to [The friars quarrel with the new trans∣lation of the Bible.] erre in science and vertues, as þei mot curse gramaryens þat Englishen þo gospel, þat þo apostlis knewen Crist in brekyng

of bred, for þei myght make hor scolers to trowe þat þo sacra∣ment of þo auter were bodily bred; as þo gramarien were to blame þat taught þus hir childer, þat þo hounde schynes aboven þo sonne [The friars impute to gram∣marians, who undertake the trans∣lation of the Bible, the desire, by the way in which they render this passage, to bring down the sacra∣ment of the altar to the level of common bread,—which would be like saying that the dog-star shone more brightly than the sun. Such appears to me to be the meaning of this difficult passage.] . For if gramariens shulden construe þis þus,—þo apostils knew Crist in brekynge of accydent wiþouten suggett, þen nowþer þei ne þo puple wiste what þei mente; as þis were erroure in gramer to teche, for, þis bred is nedeful to mon, þat þing is nedeful to mon. And here Anticristis clerkes maken homself perplex; hit nedes not to suen. Owe! þis blasphemye pervertis boþe logik and science of kynde. Bot moste harm in þis mater stondes in þis; þat þei perverte þo feythe of þo gospel. For þo gospel seis, þat Crist toke bred in his hondes, blessid hit, and brake hit, and gaf his disciplis, and bad hom ich one, Eete ȝe of þis; for, as he seide, þis is my body. By þo first þis, þei sey þat bred is shewid, and by þo seconde þis is al anoþer þing. And so þei blaspheme in Crist and mystaken his worde. For as [dele as.] everiche gode mon by resoun con se, þat as þo wisdome of Crist shulde first schewe bred, so schulde he aftir shewe þo same bred; ffor elles þis were a causel wiþouten any witte, Eetis alle of þis, for þis is my body.

And herfore lordis and comyns and alle trew men schulden [The laity ought to suppress their errone∣ous teaching on the Eucha∣rist, and spi∣ritually stone them as blas∣phemers.] juge þo blasphemes in hor wronge partye. Ffor so myche may prelatis erre, þat hit is worthy þo puple to juge hom, as þo bischopis of þo temple were nedid to forsake to juge Crist, þat is trewth of þo gospel. And right as a blaspheme in þo olde lawe shulde be stoned of al þo puple, so alle Cristen men shulden gostily stone blasphemes. Bot who is a Cristen mon, bot he þat trowes þat bred is Cristis body, as þo gospel seies? And so by erroures þat growen of þes blasphemes is holy Chirche lettid to profit in virtues. Ffor if mon trowid holly in þo lawe of þo gospel, and durst not cloute þerto nor drawe þerfro, þen shulden þei be mekely Cristis disciplis and fle soche blasphemes,

as vertues techen; for boþe vertues and vyces ben knyttid togedir, and þen shulde Cristis lawe be worshippid as hit is worthy, for hit suffices by hitself to reule Cristis Chirche, wiþouten þo popis lawe or any suche oþer. And as men thar not renne to Rome, ne to any one, to fecche by leeve of Crist or ellis to be made Cristis membre, so men thar not go þider for to cum to heven. Ffor, as everiche mon had a lyne streght unto heven, so haves he Crist above hym, þat wiþouten oþer prelatis sufficis to gif grace and al þat men neden. Mony þinges ben hidde here þat Cristen men may fynde, and witte wel þat of vanyte sues more vanyte.

Bot ȝitte ageyns þis sentence meefes Anticrist, and, as an [The friars rest their doctrine on the Pope, whom they declare to be infallible.] heretik departid fro treuth, he wandris unwarly unto wronge wayes. Þo first is in derkenesse of resouns of scole. Þis wil we passe owver, certeyn of oure feythe þat þei shal nevere hirte oure sentence of þo gospel, bifore þei con Porfyry, wiþ Aristotils textis. Þo secounde wey þat þei walken is trist of new witte∣nesse. Þo first wittenesse and þo moste is þo pope and his cardynals, whom þei have hyed so myche, and evened him with Crist, þat as þei sey he myght not synne in leedyng of his Chirche, so he myght not erre in articles of þo trouth. Bot blessid be God, þat schewes us in dede þat one þat men callen pope may erre in þes bothe. And one þing I sey, certen of resoun, þat no mon in þis worlde may lightlyer or grevouslyer synne, for his fote is festid at pride by hynesse of state, and þo fende temptis hym more, for hope of more harmynge bycause of his synne. And one þing is certen, þat he is not confermed, in þat þat he hyes him and varyes fro Crist. And evere þo moo of soche men ben gedird togedir, þo strenger þei ben to Anti∣crist, and þo ferrer fro Crist; as aght hundrid prestis on Baal syde were not so stronge in God as Hely hym one. And here may we se hou falsely þo fend bigiles þo Chirche wiþ his fals principle, þat if þo more part of soche men assenten to a sen∣tence, þat al holy Chirche shulde trowe hit as gospel. And so, þof þo pope and alle his cardynals determen as gospel, þat þo sacrament of þo auter is accident wiþouten sugette, neverþoles, for þei con not grounde hem on Gods lawe ne resoun, holy Chirche shulde not trowe hom, bot have hom suspect.

Lord, wheþer feythe of þo gospel gyven to Cristen men, þo [This attempt to change the ancient faith must be re∣sisted.] whoche lastid þo thousande ȝere þat Sathanas was bounden, wolde not suffice nowe when Sathanas is lowsid! Ffaythe of þo gospel seis þat heven and erþe shal passe, and chaunge fro state to state, bot þo wordes of Crist schul not þus passe. Ow! what wodenesse þen were hit, any Cristen mon to leve þo wordis of Crist, þo gospel, and trowe to fals wordis! Bot worschippid be þo lore of sothfastnesse þat mevyd þis courte to confesse þis faythe, as schewes pope Nychol [The reference is, I think, to the recantation of Berengarius, incorpo∣rated in the Acts of the council held at Rome in the year 1059 under Nicholas II, in which the former declares that he accepts the faith concerning the Eucharist prescribed to him by 'Nicholas and this holy Synod.' Concilia, ed. reg. vol. xxv. p. 591.] . And ȝitte afftir, when þis courte was fer fro þo trewthe, hit determyned not þis feyned sentence þat men holden nowe, al þof wode glosatoures had wrytten in þis mater more than þei knew of, or elles couthen grounde. And ȝitte alle þes freris þat procur for Anticrist, mot cloute to leesynge to textis and glosis. And so þo fende haves counseilde wiþ Anticrist his viker, and heght hym Gog and Magog to bigyle þo puple; and comettis þis fantasye,—þat if þei maken men to denye hor wittes and Cristis wordis boþe, þat þis sacrament is not verely bred, but þing þat þei knowen not, he schuld make hom lightly to denye afftir þat þis were Gods body, or what he wolde. And so myȝt he lightliere make hom lye by wyfes, and disuse temporal godes, or do what þei wolde, and sey þo puple shulde not trowe soche þinges, bot trowe þo sawes þat Anticrist lyes, for wittes of þo puple erren ful ofte. For we may als opunly knowe þat þis is bred, as we may knowe þo synnes of Anticrist. Bot one þing lettis, þat þen þei myȝt not wynne þo money of hor soggettis, þat þei nowe spoyle; and so, by hydynge of synne þat þei nowe selle, þei shulde not feble þes rewmes þat þei nowe bygile. Ne alle Anti∣cristis clerkis con not telle þo cause, why accydentis schulden leve wiþouten sogett, bot if hit were to sygnifie one of þese þinges,—ouþer þat soche men ben partid fro Crist, or elles þat blessynge of prelatis are verely cursynge, or elles to make þo puple to trowe þat þei passe God. Ffor houevere þei blaber here wiþ hor lippes, hor soule may not understonde what are

þese accydentis; ne God may not undirstonde an accydent wiþoute a sugett. Bot anentis þo first of þese, Austyn seis þat as mon may not be wiþouten his God, so an accydent may not be wiþouten his sugett [This dictum is taken from a treatise on the Ten Categories, falsely ascribed to St. Augustine. See his Works, vol. i. App. p. 34 (Benedict. ed. 1679).] . And if we glose Austyn, þat þis may not be by kynde, by þo same skil shulde we putt on Austyn þat he shulde denye al holy faythe, for none of þes articles may be wiþouten myracle. And so þo first and þo laste ben falsely feyned, for al þof þei be partid fro God, neþoles God fyndes hom, and puttes hom to payne.

God wolde þat Anticristis clerkes, þat perverten oure byleve, [What St. Am∣brose really held on the subject;] and chargen more wordes of Ambrose þen wordes of þo gospel, wolden ȝif us leve to treuly glose Ambrose. When he seis þat aftir þo sacringe þo sacrament shulde not be holden bred, þis seynt undirstondes, as he ofte telles, þat it schulde not be trowid afftir principaly bred [See vol. i. p. 379, note.] . Ffor þis Ambrose seis þat þat þing þat was bred is nowe Gods body; and wil may we witte þat Am∣brose seis not þat bred gos to noght, as Anticrist seis. As anentis þis cursid blessynge falsely feyned, hit is knowen þat Crist curside þo fige tre more mekely þen þese men feynen þat þei blesse þis bred. Ffor ȝitte aftir Cristis cursynge was þo tre dryed, and substaunce lefft, as þo gospel seis. Bot, as þes seyn, aftir hor blessyng leves nowþer mater, ne forme, ne part of þis bred. Ffor, as þei seyn in sentense, þei blesse þis bred to noght in forme of noght. Bot schilde us fro soche blessynges of blaspheme prestis! And siþ noght þat was bifore in bred tournes into Gods body, or any oþer creature, as þei mot nedely sey, how falsely þen feyned þei þat þo bred of þo auter tournes into better! For by þo same skil hit tournes into Cristis soule, and into his Godhead. Sothe hit is þat þis bred tournes into Cristis body. Ffor, as Seint Ambrose seis, hit shal be Cristis body. And so þo substaunce of bred, offerd in [both sub∣stances remain after consecra∣tion.] þo auter, shal be turned into substaunce of Cristis owne body, and nowþer schal be broght to noght, for þei ben not contrarye. Lett we þese blasphemes take hede, how Crist, bifore þo sacrynge, bad alle eete of þis bred; bot everiche blaspheme schulde

schame þat Crist shulde bidde hom do þing contrarye to his purpose, þat were not for to do. And herefore wiþouten dowte Crist wolde þat þis bred were lastynge til it were his body, and aftir were eeten, ffor elles mot þei putt tregettrye and falsenes in Crist. And sith bodily eetyng was bidden of Crist, and þis bodily eetyng myȝt not be, bot if hit were bred, þen þis bred lastis aftir þo sacrynge. And þus Seynt Poule and oþer apos∣tils usiden suche eetynge; ffor gostily eetynge of Cristis owne body was not tauȝt by schewyng of bred, bot by brekyng of bred, as Seynt Poule seis. And oþer wittenes in þis mater is multitude of doctoures. Bot siþ Seynt Austyn forbedes þat ony man trowe hym, bot if he grounde hym in resoun, or elles in Gods lawe, myche more of alle þese doctors, siþen þo fende was loused, no mon schulde trowe hom, bot þei grounde hom þus. And myche more of oure popis wiþ alle hor cardinals. And so, þof we had an hundred of popis, and alle þo freris in þis worlde were tourned unto cardinals, ȝitte schulde we more trowe þo lawe of þo gospel þen we schulde trowe al þis mul∣titude.

II PARS BLASPHEMIAE.

Þo secounde blaspheme grounden þes freris, for þei feynen [II. Blasphem∣ous doctrine concerning begging. The writer distin∣guishes between lawful and unlawful begging.] falsely beggynge in Crist; and hereby þei peyren þo Chirche, and spoylen þo pore puple. Þei supposen sothely þat Crist was pore, for Seynt Poule seis þat Crist was made boþe pore and nedy, for þo luf of mon. And þis we graunten hom, and more þerto, þat Crist was a beggar, as þo Salme seis. Bot, for [Ps. ixix. 29.] to knowe fraudes and falsenesse of freris, moste we knowe what is beggyng, and maner of beggynge. No creature beggis bot mon-kynde one; ne nevere shulde have begged bot for his owne synne. And so begges a mon, þat askes purely, for Gods luf, helpe of any þing to releve him of his wreechidnes. And by dyversite of þingis þat we beggen of, and by maner of beggyng, may we knowe kyndes of beggynge. Everiche mon is nedid to begge of his God, for we asken of hym oure iche dayes bred, and in þat we begge of hym, as Austyn beres wittenes [S. Aug. Serm. No. LVIII. (ed. Paris, 1685).] . Bot speke we of beggyng of mon and beggyng of

temporal godes; and so somme beggen of men in worde, and somme beggen in dede. And of þoo þat beggen [in] worde, somme seyn treuly and expressely hor owne myscheffe, for to be releved as þei shulde be, and such beggynge is algatis of synne of þo puple. And somme cryen by worde aftir temporal godes in yvel maner, aftir more þen þei schulde have; and suche willeful beggynge lackes groundynge of resoun. Ffor of Crist I rede not þat evere he beggid in worde, ne he myȝt not begge more þen hym nedid. Sothely in þo olde lawe was beggynge forbeden [The reference is to Deut. xv. 4; see p. 371, note ^a.] , for hit gos oute of kynde more þen is nede; siþ bestis by kynde taken hor fode, ich one by hymself, als myche as hym nedes. And if him wante strenght, by tendernesse of ȝouthede, kynde hafs taught þo first beste to norische his owne issue. In elde þei bisye hom noȝt, siþ hor soule lastis not aftir. And so iche mon schulde, by þo wey of kynde, take þat hym nedes of temporal godes; and if hym wantid witte in kyndely power, he schulde be releved by men þat God sendes more. And so, sith beggynge is unkyndely to bestis, myche more to mon þat God lufs more, ffor God haves gyven a mon bothe powere and witte, for to begge not, bot if he be nedid by un∣kyndenesse of mon. And herfore men wischen þat yvel mot he spede þat begges on þis wyse, bot if he have nede; for slouthe of coveytouse men, þat shulden gif bifore, and helpe þo pore men, is cause of þis beggynge, or elles slouthe in covetyse of þese stronge beggers. And þus forbedes Gods lawe þat any mon be begger. And as God haves gyven men tole, to begge þus in nede, so haves he gyven men power to helpe homself as bestis; and he þat mysuses þis powere reversis Gods ordy∣naunse. And herfore techis Austyn munkes to travel; and so algatis hit is synne a mon to begge þus; for if he willefuly begge, and haves no nede, he is a schrewid begger, reproved of God. If he be nedid to begge for synne of his neghtbore, defaute is in his neghtbore, al þof he be clene; and so suche beggynge moste smake synne, ouþer in hym þat begges, or in hym þat first schulde helpe hym. Here may we se þat Crist begged not þus, siþ he had no nede, but evere was occupied in oþer better

werkes; and of Crist lerned Seynt Poule to travel wiþ his hondis, and flewȝh suche beggynge, in hym and his folowers.

Bot, for Seynt Petre expownes þo prophete, þat Judas pur∣sued [In what sense Christ begged.] Crist, mon nedy and begger, hit were for to witte hou [Acts i. 16.] Crist was a begger. Ffor hit semes þat Crist beggid, not onely in his membres, bot in his owne persone, as he was pore and nedy; and so þo moste honeste beggyng ordeyned of God, and likeste to þo state of innocense, acordid to Crist; and þat he seide in dede defaute that he was inne, and asked not in worde helpe for his myschef, not by almes of mon ne pleynynge to hom. And þis seyinge in dede, wiþouten Cristis bisynes, was þo beggynge þat þo Psalme puttes to Crist. Bot as in byinge of a hors, mon byes hym not to bye þo heer of þis hors, ne none oþer lymme, so Crist bisyed hym not for þis bodily almes, bot for to worschip his Fadir, and profite to þo puple. And ne were Gods lawe, þis speche were ful straunge, ffor men speken comynly of beggynge by mowthe, not by mevynge of voyce, bot by expresse wordes; and þus menen men þat seyn þat Crist begged not.

And siþ freris beggen on þis wyse by autorite of Crist, hit [The begging of the friars is of a totally differ∣ent kind.] semes þat þei conseyven þat Crist begge þus. Bot Seynt Richart of Armawhe proves on feir maner, þat were an heresye to putt upon Crist suche maner of beggynge, and mayntene hit stifly. For feyth nedes us to trowe, þat al þat Crist did, he did hit on þo beste maner wiþouten defaute; bot what nede of pro∣fite shulde mefe þis Lord, for to begge þus wiþouten any cause? Nede drof him not þerto, siþ Crist hungred nevere bot when he chees to hungre so, and ȝif ensaumple of penaunce. Bot Lord! what profit were hit Crist to begge þus, siþ he myght mefe men to gif hym when hym nedid, wiþouten any bisynes of askyng of hom? And sith þis were algatis þo better to Crist and to þo puple, what shulde mefe þo blasphemes to lye þus on Crist? Also, siþ Crist did ever more þo beste, what shulde mefe hym to ocupye his mouthe wiþ suche beggynge? Certis, siþ Crist ches to be unchargeaunte to þo puple, ne gif non occasioun of ava∣rise to oþer, þei shulden fle þis doynge, and occupye hom bet∣ter,—specially siþ he forfended to begge in his lawe. Also, siþ freris seyn þat beggynge groundes hom, and puttes hom in hyer

degre of al þis Chirche, why wolde not Crist byfore þo comynge of freris teche þis beggynge, to profite of his spouse? Hit semes þat he shulde not bid, to lousyng of þo fende. Bot, as Seynt Hildegar seis in hir prophesye, þis beggynge abode þis peri∣louse tyme, when fals ypocritis disseyven þo puple [St. Hildegardis was abbess of the convent of St. Robert on the Nahe near Bingen. She lived to the age of 82, dying in the year 1180. The passage here alluded to is probably contained in the Eleventh Vision of the third book of Scivias, the name which she gave to the book of her Visions; for this par∣ticular vision deals with the state of things existing in the Church in her own time, and to exist after her death. But the work not being in∣dexed, I have been unable to light on the passage. See the Liber 3 virorum et 3 virginum, Paris, 1513.] . Also, siþ þo gospel is ful of dedes of Crist, and sufficyent in treuthe to governe Cristis Churche, if þis beggynge of freris were taken of Cristis lif, sumwhere in þo gospel shulde hit be groundid. Bot þo gospel leves hit, þat holdes al treuthe. And so þo blas∣pheme freris, to grounde hor ordir, putten Crist out of state of innocense, and putten folie in his werkes, siþ he wrot unwarly. Mony fayre resoun makis þis holy bishop to convicte in þis fals∣nesse of freris.

Bot siþ freris were heretikes and blasphemes in Crist, bot if [The friars say that Christ begged water of the Sama∣ritan woman; it would be well if they begged nothing else.] þei groundid þis beggynge in lawe of þo gospel, þei bisien hom ful faste to seke hom a grounde. Þo first and þo myghtiest resoun of freris to prove beggyng in Crist, stondes in þis; Crist askid þo womman watir to drinke, and ȝitte he was an alien, for he was a Samaritan; myche more wolde he be homely to his owne kyn. Bot here þo blynde blasphemes mosten lerne hor logik. Ffor lewid men wot wel, þat hit sues not, þof þo Lord aske of his owne þinge þat hym nedes, þen he moste begge þat þing of his servaunt. And so, if Crist bad þo wom∣mon gif hym a drinke, neverþoles he beggid not þis drinke of þo wommon. And wolde God þat soche freris beggid noȝt bot water, or elles oþer elementis, þate by kynde shulden be comyne! And, for freris may not feyne oþer drinke bot water of þo welle þat Crist shulde aske, þei feyne falsely þat Crist asked watir to drinke. Bot hit is not semely þat he wolde þen drinke watir, siþ he sende his disciplis to towne to bye meete, and a fastynge mon lufs litel suche drinke. Also þo

gospel telles not þat Crist askid water, ne þat he dranke water when þat hit was drawen. And so it semes þat feynyng of freris expownes þis gospel as heretikes done. Bot hit is more semely, siþ þo welle was depe, and Crist loved þo womman in shewynge of myraclis, þat he shulde make þis water by myracle springe up, and sithen drinke þerof if he had nede. And herfore olde sentence is acordyng wiþ þo gospel, þat Crist spake here of spiritual eetynge and drinkynge; for when his disciplis bad him eete, he seyde he had mete to eete þat þei knewen not. And so when þis wommon by devocioun of feyth ȝaf Crist hir hert, þen he dranke wiþ hir. Lord, wheþer God begge of mon when he askes his wille, or Crist beggid of þis wommon when he mevid hir hert, and gaf hir water of lif, and filled hir for evere!

Bot ȝitte þo freris fablen of beggynge of Crist, and seyn he [They also say that He begged of Zaccheus; but He rather commanded him.] beggid of ȝachee boþe meete and house. Bot here þo ydiotes faylen in discrevynge of beggynge. Ffor if a bayle aske rent to þo lord, he begges not þis rent of þo lordis tenaunte. Ne if a mon aske his dette of anoþer, he begges not þis of hym, for dyversite of titel. Miche more Crist, þat was boþe God and mon, and had by state of innocense lord [an error probably for lordship.] of al þis worlde, þof he asked of his owne, as a lord shulde, þinges of his ser∣vauntis þat he had myster of and nede, he beggid not, bot nedid his servauntis thorw mercy. And lefe loke þo wordes þat Crist seyde to Zachee, wheþer þei sowned beggynge or lordship in Crist. Zachee, hyinge cum doune of þo tre, for I mot þis day dwelle in þin house. A riche mon wolde þenke spyte of a begger, þat bad him hastily cum doune fro a sight þat hym liked, and seide þat he moste herberow þis begger; ffor suche a mon wolde sey sone to suche a begger,—Begger, ȝitte myghtes þou aske wheþer þat I wolde. Bot þo gospel techis þat Crist did mercy unto þis riche mon, and begged not of hym.

Ȝitte þo foles blabur to prove þat Crist beggid, siþ he sende [Replies to other similar arguments of the friars.] his disciplis to Jerusalem, to fett him an asse and hir foole for to ryde on. Bot þis blyndenesse of þo blasphemes gos þo same waye, ffor þei blabur heresye þat God asked not. And

siþ þere is no beggynge of soche comyne bestis, þo freris shulden schame to forge suche beggynge; specialy siþ þo Lord bad his disciplis, þat if ony mon seide owght unto hom, þei [corrected; þe, W.] schulden sey þat þo Lord had myster of hom. Þei schulden lerne, þat name of Lord, taken by hymself, sygnifies God, Lord of all lordes. And, for hit were to streyte to lordship of Crist to be a special lord of Jude or Jerusalem, þerfore he bad þat þei schulde calle him Lorde. Bot ȝitte þo freris casten out oþer blynde resouns, þat Crist beggid a house, to eete inne his maundye, ffor, as þo gospel seis, he had none of his owne, and so he toke almes bothe of men and of wymmen; why schulde we not sey þat ne Crist was a begger? Bot here we seyn to freris, as þo Psalme seis, þat Crist was to geder bothe riche and pore, and herfore he ordeyned þo apostils to sey þat he was Lord of alle lordes; and ȝitte had he myster. And so Crist was moste pore mon þat evere was oute, and þerto most riche mon, and also moste curteyse. And so in al his povert he beggid not by voyce, bot meved folk to gif him, for more mede of hom. And so, þof Crist toke bodily almes, nevereþoles he gaf better ageyne gostily almes, and beggid nevere on þis maner þat þo freris feynen. And so he bad, as verrey Lord, to go to þo cyte, and sey to sum myghty mon by þis token, þat, Þo mayster seis, I make Paske wiþ ȝe. And at þis lordely worde of þis maister, þis burgeys of þo cyte schewed hom a grett house strewid. Lord, wheþer þis menes beggynge of Crist! Bot þes blynde blasphemes con not depart beggynge fro povert, for boþe acorden sumwhat.

Bot se we wheþer þes newe sectis seyn soþ upon Crist, þat [They profess to imitate Christ in life, but falsely.] þei suen hym in lif bifore alle oþer men; bot hit semes nay. Ffirst, when þei sey þat þei ben pore as Crist, þo fend hafs clothid hom in a cope to bringe in more deceyte. Certis þei have feele rentis, bot Crist had nevere one. Crist was her∣berowid in symple houses of oþer comyne men; þese freris have in propur [As their own.] houses of coste. Crist þat was al wyse had bot twelve disciplis; þese founed freris rekken nevere how

mony þei have. And, for Crist chees his disciplis, and gedrid hom of mony, þo freris steelen lesse childer wiþoute discre∣cioun; herfore þei have Scarioths moo þen apostils. Bot loke how þese freris kepen þo lawe of þo gospel. Crist wolde þat nowþer he ne his were chargeaunt to þo puple; þese freris loken how myche þei may gete of godes of þo comynes, to carye to hor castel. Ffor by þis entent þei make hom a cyte, as Caym, to carye to. Bot ouþer Seynt Poule seide fals of [Gen. iv. 17.] propurtees of charite, þat hit sekes not his owne gode, but godes of comynes, or elles þese freris reversen þo rewles of charite.

I rede not þat Crist wiþ alle his apostlis toke more of þo [Christ gave to the people more than He received from them; the friars take all, and give nothing.] comynnes þen he gaf ageyne. Ffor in his two feestis þat he maked by myracle, he fed þo puple in als myche as he and his apostils token of þo puple; and spiritual giftes þat Crist ȝaf þo puple was wiþouten mesure better þen hor ȝiftes. If freris, in more spense of housyng and mete, in clothyng, in juwels, chargen more þo puple þen Crist wiþ his apostils, how suen þei Crist in þis maner of lyvynge? And so hit were al one to grounde soche ordiris of beggers, and grounde Anticristis clerkis and blasphemes of Crist. Ow! siþ Seynt Richarde, bishop of Armawh, proves ageyne freris by mony feyre resouns þat þei faylen opunly fro Cristis religion; and harmen þo Chirche and þo comynes bothe; how ben oure bishops and freris now knyttid togedir, bot as Herowde and Pilate were made fals frendes? And þis knotte lastid not, for hit was yvel groundid in hate of Crist, and of his lawe; so hit semes here. And harmyng of þo puple may we sone se; siþ heven lokes lesse to fruyt of þo erthe, monnes strength is lesse, here lyve is shortere, þo tyme is lesse sesounable, and charite withdrawen. What shulde mefe Anticrist to double þo rentis of þo pore puple in suche yvel tyme? Ffor byfore þat freris comen by cautel of þo fende, þo puple gaf no more rente for so myche to hor lordes. And al þinge acountid, þei gyven nowe to þo ordiris wel nyhe als myche as þei did to hor lordes. And so frutis of worldes godes faylen in þo grounde. And siþ yvel partynge of soche godes is cause of discencioun, þo fende hafs caste þis snare for to bryge men, ffor charite is exiled, and envye is kyndelid. And þis semes þo caste of þo fende of helle, þat he

schal destrye lordes and hor tenauntes, and leve none in þo world bot Anticrist clerkes. And so, in þis þat freris ben chargeaunt to þo puple, þei suen hor mayster Anticrist, and not Jesus Crist.

Þo secounde waye þat þei go fro Crist and his lawe is wed∣dyng [Nor do they imitate Christ in their inordi∣nate attach∣ment to their several Orders.] of hor newe ordiris, and dyversen fro Cristis lawe. Men may opunly se hou freris tellen more by hor newe ordir and hor ordynaunse, þen þei do by Cristis lawe, or profit of his Chirche. Ffor þis þei suen scharplyer, and punyschen herfore; and þis privey horedame makes myche harme. As Crist biddes, undertake thryes oure broþer, and at þo fourt tyme forsake hom as hethen men. Bot þese private ordiris bidden al þo con∣trarye; for he þat sues þis gospel is holdun sclaunderer of his breþeren, destroyer of hor house, and of hor newe religioun. Ffor oft sithe he shulde telle apertely þo fautes of his brether, and oft fle hom as cursed men þat his reule ageyne-seis. Ffor oft his gode brethere ben putt into prisoun, and moste schrewis of oþer have leve to go aboute, and use frely hor malice as procuratoures of þo fende. And sith hit is al one to luf a lord and his lawe, ofte tyme þei luf more hor ordir þen Crist. And in mony caas fredom of þo gospel moste be forsaken for hor newe tradiciouns.

Bot ȝitte þo blasphemes blaburen ageyne þis sentense, þat [When they ground their right to alms on the spiritual services they render, they prove too much.] bothe resoun and holy writte acorden togeder, þat whoso edifyes þo puple shal lif on þo puple; bot siþ freris in lif and worde edifyen moste þo puple, hit semes þei schulde first take almes of þo puple. Bot wayte we whydir þo blasphemes drawen. Þis resoun meenes þat no maner of comynes schulde gif tem∣poral godes to lordis or persouns, bifore þo freris were served of þat at þei craven. Bot hit were al one to holde upon þis sentense, and destrye þo ordiris þat Crist made, and mayntene his enemyes. And þus bigan Anticrist to reverse Crist, not mending defautes þat were in Cristis ordir, bot makyng newe ordiris and sectis, as he wolde passe Crist. Bot feyth and kynde techis us, þat ordir of Crist is better, and þat he ordeyned his Chirche as beste wolde be, nouþer to myche ne to litel, bot in gode mesure. Bot þo bastarde braunchis of þo newe ordiris spronge in wiþoute auctorite of God. Ow! what wise mon

wolde make a hye house, and putte tymbre bynethe, and stoories aboven? or elles above more hevye þinge þen þo foundement wolde bere? Þo foundement of þo Chirche ben comyners and laboreres; bot if moo ordiris and sectis ben clotirde on hom þen schulde by resoun hele hom wiþ charite, defaute is in ordy∣naunce of maker of þo Chirche. And so soth hit is, if freris travel more to profite of þo Chirche þen oþer men done, þei schulden upon resoun be susteyned of þat Chirche, if þei come to þis werke by autorite of God. Bot Seynt Poule techis þat soche schulde not be heyve to þo puple þat þei techen, bot lyve on litel, as foules. Bot þese raveyners robben þo puple, and done not hor devere. And so resoun wolde aske þat noumbre of prestis schulden stonde in mesure, and travel in hor offis; and if þei were ydel, or elles to monye, withdrawe of hor sus∣tynaunce, and spende on oþer maner þo tresor of God, and not norische his enemyes. Bot howevere þese blasphemes bosten þat þei travel more to profite of þo Chirche þen done oþer prestis, one þinge men knowen, þat sith þei comen in hafs þo Chirche payred in everiche membre.

How blessidful were þo Chirche to renne aftir Crist, if it were [Had Christians only been con∣tent with the law and teach∣ing of Christ, no prelates, monks, canons, nor friars would have been needed;] onely payed of þo ordynaunce of hym, and broght up no newe lawes, ne no newe sectis, bot amendid mysdoeris by Cristis owne lawe, and bringe hom ageyne to þo lyve þat Crist hymself ordeyned! And þen þo dowynge of þo emperoure had nouþer comen in, ne his prelatis had not blasphemed þus ageynes Gods lawe, ne þese private religiouse schulde nouþer on þis wyse have stourblid Cristis Chirche, ne pervertid his ordir. Ffor chaunouns, munkes, and freris schulden noȝt þen have stonden in sted, bot few pore prestis schulde have sufficid to þo Chirche by pure Cristis lawe. Bot here cryes Anticrist þat by þis blaspheme holy Chirche schulde perishe, and Crist be un∣worshipped; ȝe, and seintes in heven, patrouns of þo ordiris, schulden be sclaundrid of hor moste gloriouse werkes. Bot wolde God þat Anticrist wolde gedir his wittes, and witte þat hit were better to hye Cristis ordenaunce, þen ordynaunce of Benett or Domynik or Fraunces. Ffor we owe to trowe þat Crist myght not fayle, nouþer in ordenaunce ne lawe sufficient for his Chirche; and whosoevere reverses þis sentense blasphemes

in Crist. Here may we se þat þei take fals, for þus þo Chirche schulde be saved and Crist more worshippid, þo fendes host owvercomen, and Cristendome confortid. Ffor multitude of cowardes harmes Cristis batel, ffor þei knowen nowþer his armes, ne his feghtyng. As aneyntis þo patrouns schulde we wil trowe, [not that the founders of Orders were not holy men;] þat þei did not poynt devyse as oure Jesus did; and herfore erroure in secte of hom brynges men to more. Ne bere not to hevye þat þo seyntis errid. Ffor Seynt Jon seis þat if we seyn we synnen not, we deceyve oureself, and passen oute of treuthe. And so, siþ þoo seyntis diden not þo beste in foundyng of þoo ordiris, bot synned venyaly, hit were a gret folye to sue hom in þis erroure, and leve þo ordynaunce of Crist þat may not be amendid. And herfore Poul durste not, ne none oþer apostil, founde newe sectis bysyde þo ordir of Crist. Bot þre þinges of þis sentence may we suppose, þat þei keppid þo ordiris better þen þei nowe ben, so þat þes newe ordiris ben ofte newe made. Also þo seyntis wolde not þat hor sect were weddid wiþ hor tradiciouns, and laft Cristis lawe. And þo þridde we supposen, þat þo seyntis sorowed in tyme of hor deth, ffor alle soche erroures. And so, for oþer godes þat þei did ofte, suppose we þat þei ben nowe in heven, and so we dampnen not þo seyntis, but putt Crist byfore.

Lord, siþ Poule presumed not to founde [corrected; founded, W.] soche sectis, why [but they erred in founding new sects, and their followers now, departing from their rules, get deeper into error.] schulde foles and ydiotes take þis upon hom? Specialy siþ folye were to one unwyse to take a flok of Gods folke, þat lastid bot for his lif; myche more an ydiot schulde not gif a reule to alle his sect, lastynge for evere, whiche reule were not expressid in Gods lawe. And so þes sectis sclaunderen hor owne patrouns, amendynge hor defautes, and passynge fro hor ordiris. And so al þof þese newe ordiris profiten to Cristis Chirche, neverþoles not so myche as fendes in helle. Ffor þei made meryte of Crist, and mony oþer merytis, byfore þat freris comen. And so, if þei wil be purgid, turne þei to Cristis ordire, and þen thar hom not aske confermynge of þo pope.

III PARS.—OF LETTRIS OF FFRATERNITE.

Nowe of þo thridde blaspheme is for to speke, for freris [III. Blasphe∣mous pretence of sharing the merits of their Order with other men by letters of fraternity.] founden hor ordires fully in leesynges. Þei feynen first, þat Crist beggid as þei, and herby þei lyve by leesynge upon lees∣ynge; and for to spoyle more þo puple, þei feynen hom a powere to graunt men gostily helpe more þen þei have of Gods lawe, or elles may þei helpe homself. Þei graunten letters of bretherhed under hor comyne seele, þat hor breþer schal have part of alle hor gode dedes, bothe in lif and in deth, and rekkenen mony werkes. Bot first may men se, hou þis maner of doynge savers heresye in proude ypocrites. For þes gostily suffrages þei sellen in a maner, siþ þei graunten not comynly, bot þere þei hope wynnynge. And more booste of þo fende herde we nevere, sith quantite of merytes is hydde fro seyntis, and chaffers wiþ soche þinges, unknowen to þo partyes, were presomptuose foly upon bothe sides. Also, sith þei supposen þat hor naked graunte is als myche worthe as graunte wiþ hor lettres, þen hor lettres serven of noght bot for to jape þo pepul. And in þis þei suen not Crist, as þei falsely feynen, for he grauntid nevere soche lettres of þing þat he gaf; and þus þei passen þo apostels, bot in ypocrisye. Also þis charite of freris schulde strecche to alle gode men; and siþ hit is als myche worthe by graunte as by letter, þen introduccioun of soche lettres serven of noght bot if it be to bleere mennis eyne wiþ threde, and wiþ gaye wrytynge. Also, siþ Cristen men wot wil þat no man aftir his deth shal have part of meryt but if he go to heven, and, as freris seyn, þei may graunt iche Cristen mon part of hor meryt aftir his deth, þen may þei graunt iche Cristen mon for to be saved; and so hom fayles charite, if any of hom∣self or elles any Cristen mon be dampned in helle. Also, men of þo gospel schulden do prively hor almes, so þat hor lift honde wiste not what hor right honde did. Bot þese freris seyn þat þis is a passynge gostily almes; þen þei schulde do hit prively, and not conferme hit opunly by hor charteres. And mony þenken þat þes two þinges mefen hom; ffirst to feyne hor holynesse, makynge trompe bifore hom, as ypocrites done, and spoylen

pore mennes godes by maner of rentis, and to be confedrid with hom as wiþ hor owne breþeren. Also hit were inogh to freris to have breþerhed of þo puple, þat ben comynly better þen þo freris, þof þei come not unkyndely to spoyle hor breþren; ffor þei haf no skil to selle þo letters þat ne by þo same skil þei shulde begge soche lettres of oþer men, whom þei schulde suppose to be better þen þei. And if þei did þus, þei did as þei wolden þat men did to hom; and þis is þo lawe of gospel and kynde. Also, þese freris wot not wheþer þei shal be saved, or wheþer þei ben now viserde devels, as Schariot was; and if þei ben suche, þei graunten not part of hor merytes to men þat shal not be saved. And herfore hit is a fendis presumpcioun to selle þus hor merytes þat þei knowen noȝt, ffor þo gospel biddes, þat as þei take frely, so schulde þei frely gif to oþer. Ffor hit were no kyndenesse þus to venyme hor gift, as þo Pharisee venymde his dedes, for a privey boste þat he made to God. Also þei wot not wheþer hor breþren þat þei chaffere with shal evere be saved. Bot no mon schulde deceyve his broþer in bodily chaffer; myche more þes freris shulde not deceyve þo puple of þing þat þei knowen not.

And, certis, þer is no witte in þo wordes þat trewauntis [It is folly, and not charity, to presume that such merits exist.] casten oute in þis mater, þat evere þo better part schulde be supposed; and þus men schulde suppose þes freris to be saved, and by merytes of hom þo puple to be also. Bot certis þere is no werse worde to grounde þes freris. For bi þis resoun iche mon shulde suppose þat he shulde cum to heven withouten helpe of freris. Also Hildegar seis, þat þes cursed sectis schal be destryed and dampned in helle, for hor ypocrisie and deceyte of þo puple. Þen þis schulde be supposid, sith hit semes soth, for þat God demes is evere þo better. And so schulde men sup∣pose þat soche ypocrites ben deppere in helle þen any oþer men. And if men schulde holde hor pees in þing þat [þei] [supplied conjecturally.] knowen not, why boosten þese freris so boldely of privetees of God? Also þes founed freris taken on hom a þing þat is pro∣pred to God, as partyng of blis, þat aungels in heven presumed nevere; and so þes synful wrecches byheten here in erthe, þat

hengis onely in wille and jugement of God, as þof þei wolde bowe hym, as maysters of his conseile. And if þei feynen þat þei graunten al þis upon condicioun, þen þei siker not hor bre∣þeren of partynge of hor merytes, more þen þei myȝt siker Sathanas of þo blis of heven. Ffor wil we wot, if God wil, þus shal hit be, þof alle þes freris were dampned in helle.

Also no mon shulde ȝif occasioun to his broþer for to be [Immoral con∣sequence of the practice.] deceyved in salvacioun [corrected: savacioun, W.] of his soule. Bot mony, for sikernesse of meryte of þese freris, ben to negligent in hor owne werkes, and dreden not to do injurye to hor breþer. Ffor siþ þei may be asoyled lightly of freris, and after have ful part with hom in þo blis of heven, who wolde drede to do his wille for a litel money? And þis is þo welle wherwiþ þo fende blyndes þo puple, and gendres wronges in þis worlde, and moves hem to feght. And so þis folye of freris unables homself, and eke þo puple þat chaffaren wiþ hom. And þus þei make hom pertyners of hor peyne in helle, ffor more folye in chaffere suffred God nevere. To bye a catte in þo sakke is bot litel charge: to bye chirchis by symonye semes sumwhat siker: bot for to bye þus heven and broþerhed of Crist, hit semes chaffere of Lucifer, and withouten grounde.

Owe! wolde God þat þese freris, þat ben so bolde to graunte [Pretended miracles al∣leged by the friars.] by letter and comyne seele þinges þat þei knowen not, dursten graunte hor byleve, what is þo sacred oost. Bot þese apostatas stirten abak where þei shulden go forth. And so wolde God þat þo crabbis made by myracle, if þei myght, alle hor leesyngis withouten any sugett, for þen shulden þei not noye us as þei nowe do. Ffor comynly þese blasphemes, when hom wantes answers, and wil blynde þo puple, þei feynen on God miracles þat he nevere did. For if men aske hor groundynge, þei stonde stille as foles, or tellen straunge tales noȝt to þo purpose; as wycches feyned of dede men þat þei myght not quicken, [þat þei] [supplied.] were translate to felowschippe and dwellynge wiþ gods. Bot þo craffte of hor leesynge moste þei nede haunte, for elles þei myght not be mayntened wiþin holy Chirche. But wolde God þat þei lyed not þus upon Crist, and feyned hym to do

myracles of hor accidentis þat he nevere did, ne profiten to men, ne no mon may se hom, ne where þei ben groundid.

Bot ageyne þis arguen þese Anticrist clerkes, and feynen þat [Their argu∣ments replied to.] þei have verey lordship of hor medeful dedes, as fer forthe as ony mon haves lordship of temporale godes. Bot by suche lordshippe hit is leveful to graunte men temporal godes at þo wille of þo Lord; þen by þo same skil hit is leveful to freris to graunte men hor merytes, or partis of hom. And þus þese apes arguen by wey of likenes, and done more harme to men þen þof þei cutted hor throtes. Ffor herby þei myght bye mennis synnes, and laye hor soules in wedde, þat oþer mennis soules shulde be saved, ȝe, þof God wil þo reverse. Bot for to falle to þo answere. Byleve techis us þat no mon may levefully chaunge any godes, bot if he have leve of þo cheff lorde. Nevereþoles summe godes ben more nyghe God, as vertues, þat may not be gyven of none bot of God, ne nouþer mon ne fende may dysuse vertues. Bot ȝitte go we nerre to þese ypocrites, and telle hom þat merytes and delynge of merytis ben dyverse in hor kynde, as þei con knowe hit. Ffor as gyvynge of vertues and gyvynge of grace ben appropred to God, so delynge of merytes; for in þo same mesure þat God approves merytes, deles he þo merytes to whom þat hym likes. Bot merytes of men ben dedis or lyves, þat God of his grace acceptis to mede. Bot ȝitte þes blasphemes blabur hereageyne; and seyntes in heven gyven foure maner of mede, and so erthely men schulden dele hor merytes. Bot certis þes apis travelen in veyne as þei did ever, for seyntis in heven gyven hor blis, as none of us in erthe hafs powere to gyve. And ȝitte suche gyvynge and delynge dy∣versen; for seyntes gyfen accydentaly blisse, when þei be objectis to glade oþer seyntes; bot God hymself deles, as he acceptis seyntes. Ne God bisyes hym not makynge soche doole, ffor lette a mon able hymself, and þo dole is done. Bot Lucifer wolde be like to God. Þese blasphemes wol refe God his owne stede, and dele merytes of men after hor wille.

Ȝitte forþermore, þese ydiotes scharpen hor tounges, and seyn [They are more reckless in their grants than the Popes themselves.] þat popis graunten pardouns, and merytes of seyntis þat nowe ben in heven; and sith freris have fully and frely powere of popis, why may þei not dele hor propir desertis? Bot loke

now þat þese ypocritis wolden here passe popis. For popis graunten no pardoun to men bot if þei be byfore verrely con∣tritte [See vol. i. p. 136, note b.] , bot þese freris in hor lettres speken of no contricioun. And right as þei passen Crist in multitude of coventes, so þei passen þo popis in grauntyng of suffrages. Bot I counseile þat iche mon trayste fully in God and in his owne gode dedis, by whoche he shal be saved, and tryste not to myche to popis ne freris, for hor graunte avayles of noght, bot in als myche as hit is confermed to þo Chirche aboven.

And hereonne wolde I þat men þoght, þat taken as bileve þat [Against exag∣gerated lan∣guage about the immunity of Popes and Cardinals from error.] þo pope wiþ his cardynals may not erre, in þinges þat towches þo byleve of Cristis comyne Chirche. Comyne byleve seis, þat nouþer men in erthe, ne seyntis in heven, may do owght ap∣proved of God, bot if God hymself do hyt bifore. Bot who wot þat by ordynaunce of God þus myche penaunce is done for his synne? or þat þus myche pardoun is ordeyned of God? or þat þus longe tyme shal cum bifore þo day of dome? And þus hit is of a hundred dedis of popis, þat boþe hor cardynals and hor chirche approven. And siþ in mony soche caas þei con∣traryen Gods wille, hit semes of hor dedis, and of right byleve, þat þei reversen oft tyme þat Cristen men shulden trowe; ffor ofte tyme þei feynen hom to do by hor powere, and nouþer þei wot wheþer hit be so, or Cristen men shulden trowe hit. And wil I wot þat Cristis worde, seyde unto Petir, Whatevere þou byndes upon erthe schal be bownden in heven, and whatevere þou lesis upon erthe shal be lesid in heven, was seyde to Petir, and successouris of him þat verrely suen Crist and Petir in maners, ne erres noȝt in byndynge ne lesynge of men fro þo right jugynge of þo Chirche aboven. Lord, wheþer þis be by∣leve, þat þis pope dos go amonge alle þo articles of þo trowthe þat evere Crist taught? Þis is none of hom, ne ordeyned to be trowed. For þen were þo pope conformed, and nedely most þei be blessid, bothe in erthe and in heven, be he nevere so schrewid. And so hor bulles ben not gospel, bot ofte tyme fals, þat fayles nevere of Cristen byleve. And herfore triste we to þo rightwysenes of oure owne werkes, and laste we in þo faythe of þo lawe of Crist, for al suche fals feynynge moste

nedely perische. Bot as þo witte of þis word,—Þis is my body,—is mony weyes chaungid as Anticrist wil, so þo witte of þes wordes seide unto Petir. So þat lawe of þo emperoure, and chesyng of heretikes, neden Crist to gif suche powere to his traytoure. Bot as hungre of one and dronkenesse of an∣oþer techis þat Poule undirstode bodily fode, so worldly lif of emperoure prelatis techen þat þei ben not þo same þat Crist spake to.

Bot if þese freris with hor preyers deceyven þo Chirche, and [His mass is the best who leads the best life.] maken þo puple to trowe þat one masse of hor is better to God þen oþer of comyne prestis,—(and herof serven hor sygnes, and hor feyned varyaunce [The variations in the singing of the mass, which the different religious orders were, and still are, authorized to use.] , to schewe hor ypocrisye to þo lewid folke; and herby men seyn þat one frere takes mony grete salaryes of dyverse men togider for one tyme, bot hom unwittynge, ffor hor speciale preyeris þat þei slepen inne ben, as þei sey, better þen oþer comyne preyers; bot herfore thorw defaute of right byleve þo fende deceyves þo Chirche by soche fals procuratours)—We shulde understonde, þat whoso lifs bet∣ter, he preyes more profitably to iche Cristen mon. And þus Seynt Poule biddes men preye wiþouten lettynge. And so þat prest þat lyves better synges better masse; for masse and þo ooste ben dyverse þinges, siþ ellis freris myght not feyne of hor massis þat þei ben better þen masse of a fende. Scarioth was a fende, as Crist hymself seis, and, as freris seyn, soche prestis syngen right. And herbi may we se what preste singes beste; for Crist songe beste of alle by generale preyer; and certis þo beste helpe þat men myght gete by preyere were to dresse Cristis Chirche aftir his owne ordenance. And þus specialte of preyere blyndes mony men. Ffor generale preyere is better þan speciale, siþ it comes of more large charite, and is abowte better and more comyne profite.

And herfore Crist taught us moste generaly to praye. Bot [General prayer is better than special.] profitable applyinge is appropred to God, as he moste part merytes aftir þat men ben worthy. And so hit falles oft tymes, þat a fer straunge mon had more mede of foundynge of abbeyes and chauntryes þen he þat haves founded hom, for he is more

worthy. And þis fayth shulde move men to sue Crist, and coveyte noght private suffrages, but more procure treuly aftir comyne profite. And so specialte in preyere is noþing worþ, bot in als myche as hit scharpes to preye for generale þinges; as, when a man preyes for a certeyne persone, his entent shulde be more principaly for þo comyne Chirche. As, when men preyen for one persone, for he is profitable helpe to holy Chirche, men preyen more principaly for þat holy Chirche. And þus ypocrisye of freris unables hom to God, sith þei schulde prively lyve hor holy lif, and bothe by worde and sygnes schewe hor lownes, and þen were þo servyse of masse and oþer doynge more profitable to men þen hit nowe is. Bot þo sacrament þat is sacrid in þo masse is nouþer better for one prest ne for oþer. For in his kynde hit is bred, noght mendid bi þo prest, and in þat þat hit is Gods body, hit is ilike gode, whosoevere sacres hit.

And here knowe we mony þinges, byneþe oure byleve, þat we [On the right posture of mind in which to receive cer∣tain state∣ments.] shulde graunte hom, ne denye hom, ne dowte hom; bot sup∣pose hom, gesse hom, or hope hom. As if a mon asked me wheþer þis bred were Gods body, I wolde nouþer byleve þat, ne dowte hit, ne denye hit, bot suppose þat hit were so, bot if I had contrarye evydence,—as, if I had evydence þat þo prest were not sacred of God, or þat God wolde not wirke wiþ hym for his yvel lyvynge. And so evere worshippe Gods body in heven, and þo sacrament of þo auter upon a stille condicioun. And so what þing þat a mon myght more medefuly do, and have more medefully mynde on þo body of Crist, schulde he do, and in caas leve heryng of masse. Bot for þo more part, heryng of masses scharpes men, and moves men to haf medeful mynde of Crist. And so if þo pope asked me wheþer I were ordeyned to be saved, or predestynate, I wolde sey þat I hoped so, but I wolde not swere hit, ne ferme hit wiþouten condicioun, þof he grettly punyscht me; ne denye hit, ne doute hit, wolde I no wey.

And so, if prelates opposed me, what were þo sacrament of [On the right way of answer∣ing inquisito∣rial questions.] þo auter in his kynde,—I wolde sey þat hit were bred, þo same þat was byfore; ffor þus teches þo gospel þat we shulden bileve. And if þou aske forþer, wheþer hit be substaunse of material bred, nouþer wolde I graunte hit, ne doute hit, ne denye hit, byfore audytorie þat I trowed schulde be harmed þerby, bot

sith [perhaps we should read sey.] þat I supposid or reputid þat hit is so. And þes prelatis þat wolde wrynge oute anoþer absolute answere, faylen bothe in logik and divinyte, and schewen hom unable to examyne of heresye. Ffor it falles to soche men to teche þo bileve by suf∣ficyent foundynge, and eschewe erroures. As, for no mon con grounde accydent wiþouten sugette, no mon schulde aferme þat þis were þo sacrament. And, for fewe prelates knowen accydentis and sugettis, men schulden bywar to bringe þis in Cristen mennis byleve. Bot accydente wiþouten sugette now∣þer knowes mon ne God, as Austin teches and resoun proves. Bot þo fende haves blyndid þus Anticrist in þis matir, þat he contraryes to hymself, and knowes not hys erroure; as he seis þat þis sacrament is an accydente withouten sugette, or elles þat in þis sacrament is suche an accydente. And ȝitte he con∣traryes hymself, þat quantite and qualite sugetten oþer accy∣dentis, and everiche part þereof. Also iche part of þis accy∣dente hafs Crist and Cristis body, and so none of þese accydentis is wiþouten sugette.

And so, if þese thre poyntes of blaspheme and thre kyndes [Recapitula∣tion. How the first species of blasphemy should be met.] of heresye were fully declared, nouþer prelates ne freris þat nowe bisye hom þus schulde clerely excuse hom, þat ne þei ben suche. Ffor þei undirstonde omys þis pointe of þo gospel,—When þou art cald to heven reste in þo laste place, and kepe þe in mekenesse wiþouten ypocrisye. And so hit is likely þat alle þo bishopes of Rome þis thre hundred ȝere and more were fully heretikes, ffor þei undirstonden not þis þat Poule teches, When we have fode and hyllynge, be we payed of þis. Þere ben mony heresyes of folis in þis mater, and fole wordis shulden be lafte, and not to longe tretid. Make we an ende of þis mater, and speke we of oþer þinges. Ffor somme folis þer be þat will be payrid in yvel, and noþing amendid, by devoute wordes. Bot geder we þes þre partyes of þis synne of blas∣pheme, and make we þese fautours of þis grett synne, and make hom as blasphemes in Crist and his seyntes. And as anentis þo first, þat is, þo sacred ooste, no mon schulde here hom, ne grete hom, ne suffer hom þat denye þo gospel, in þis or in oþer

matir. And, for freris and oþer religious ben suspect in þis heresye, men schulden not comyne wiþ hom bifore þei schewid þo fayth by sufficyent wittenes, and with a wyse asker. Ow! sith everiche parishe chirche hafs mony sacred oostis as medi∣cyne to þo soule for seke parischens, he were a schrewid leche þat wolde not telle his sugettis of what kinde were þo medycyne þat he gyves hom. And so, if we loved oure feyth and Cristis lawe, as we shulden luf if we wil be saved, we schulde not slepe þus in þis cause, bot warly wake. Bot negligence of Gods cause shewes þat we hate God. And cautels of blasphemes þat perverten oure fayth schulden be schaken awey by scharp dy∣vynes. For þes folis leeven þo letter of þo gospel, and seyn þat we schulde not aske what þing þat is, bot trowe þat þere is verey Gods body. Bot þo gospel telles not what þing is þere, but seis þat þis brede is Cristis owne body. For wil we witten þat in iche knotte of a stree is better þing þen Gods body, for þo holy Trinyte. And siþ we worschippen not soche sensible strees, and worschippen þis sacrament, resoun schulde dryve us þat hit is better þing þen oþer comyne bodyes. Bot wil I wot þat freris seyn þat hit is werse þen venyme. Alle men schulden thriste oute þis roten of oure faythe.

As to þo secounde blaspheme, of beggyng of þes freris, [The second blasphemy.] everiche Cristen mon þat lufs Jesus Crist schulde crye out on hom þat seyn Crist begged þus, siþ þat hit is blasphemye ageyns oure God. Alle we sey þat we luf Crist moste of alle þinge, bot negligense in oure dedes wittenes þo contrarye. And I am certayne, at þo day of dome schal þo sothe be proved. Who wolde not sey þat he were fals to his erthly lord, þat herde him be sclaundred and opunly despised, and ȝitte wolde nowþer reverse hit, ne have sorowe in his hert? Ow! how shal men be saved, þat loven better erthely þing þen þei luf oure God and oure Lord Jesus Crist?

And to þo þridde blaspheme, of lettres of freris, he loves [The third blas∣phemy: letters of fraternity should be done away with, and the laity cease to support the friars.] nowþer God ne his even Cristen þat ageynestondes not þis heresye. For þei blaspheme in God, and desseyven þo puple, and harmen homself where þei myght ellis be gode. Bot sith we schulde sue Crist in maner of oure lyvynge, and Crist spake scharply ageyns þes Pharisees, we mot nedely scharp oure

tounges ageyns þese freris; ffor þo erroures þat þei have ben so longe rootid inne wil not elles be avoydid, ne oþer men excusid. But siþ Crist keppid charite to þese Pharisees, he were not a trewe mon, ne suer of Crist, þat wolde not speke þus ageyns erroures of freris. Ow! if knyghtes and comynes, and alle Cristen men, wakid to þis resoun and did hit in dede, siþ no mon schulde susteyne blasphemes of Crist, and siþ þis secte of beggers blasphemes in God, alle men schulden lette hom of hor cursed werkes. And more esy lettynge con I not se bot þat iche Cristen mon gif hom no bodily gode, bifore þei schewid wrytten þat Crist begged so; for ellis þei are suspect of opun blasphemye. And siþ no mon schulde gif þo freris gode, bifore þis cause were descided bytwene wyse men, God schulde or∣deyne his servauntis to stonde for þo treuthe. And, for ech Cristen mon schulde destrie blasphemes, þei schulde seke þis oute þat regnes in freris. Þei sey þat God haves byheght hom þat þei schal do myracles wiþoute any nowmbre in sacring of þo ooste. Bot certis þese myracles may þei not teche, as þei may not profit to þo Chirche of Crist. As anentis hor chaffere by lettres of fraternyte, schulden myghty men aske hom groundynge of hor sentense; and so of hor ordiris, þat þei þus preyse, and seyn þat þei passe þo ordir þat Crist gaf. And so þei preyse hor patrounes, and putten Crist byhynde. Lord, who herde evere a more blaspheme, þen þat ydiotes seyn hor patrounes schulden passe Crist! Wil I wot þat Seynt Poule, for reverense of Crist, durst not grounde soche ordiris as þo folis did. Ne grucche we not þat þes patrounes ben cald þus ydiotes. For holy wrytte calles disciplis of Crist ydiotes [In Acts iv. 13, the Vulgate has idiotae, and the Wycliffite versions ydiotis.] ; and byleve teches us þat þei ben nowe seyntes. Bot of holynesse of þese patrounes may trowe who so wil, for byleve nedes not to trowe þat þei ben seyntis; bot I suppose þat þei did mony foly werkes by blynde∣nesse of yprocrisye, and after were purgid, and so þei ben now in heven, as God vouchessafe. And so iche Cristen mon, if he wil be saved, most hold stiffly wiþ þo lawe of Criste.