The complete works of Geoffrey Chaucer. Vol. 7. Chaucerian and other pieces / edited from numerous mauscripts by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

III. JACK UPLAND. [From C. (=printed copy in Caius Coll. library, Cambridge); I give here rejected spellings; readings marked Sp. are from Speght.]

I, JACK UPLANDE, make my mone to very god and to all true belevinge in Christ, that Antichrist and his disciples, by colour of holines, walken and deceiven Christes church by many [3. walkyn. deceauen.] fals figures, wherethrough, by Antichrist and his, many vertues been transposed to vices.

But the fellest folk that ever Antichrist found been last [6. folke. founde.] brought into the church, and in a wonder wyse; for they been of [5,6,7. bene (for been; very often).] divers sectes of Antichrist, sowen of divers countrees and kinredes. And all men knowen wel, that they ben not obedient [9. kynreddes.] to bishoppes, ne lege men to kinges; neither they tillen ne sowen, weden, ne repen woode, corn, ne gras, neither nothing [11. grasse, nether nething (sic).] that man shuld helpe but only hem-selves, hir lyves to sustein. [12. onely. her lyfes.] And these men han all maner power of god, as they sayen, [13. had; Sp. han.] in heaven and in earth, to sell heaven and hell to whom that hem lyketh; and these wrecches wete never where to been [ 15] [15. hym (for hem). wreches.] hemselves. [16. -selfes.]

And therfore, frere, if thine order and rules ben grounded on goddes law, tell thou me, Jack Upland, that I aske of thee; and [18. the.] if thou be or thinkest to be on Christes syde, kepe thy pacience.

Saynt Paul techeth, that al our dedes shuld be don in charitè, [ 20] [20. teacheth. don.] and els it is nought worth, but displesing to god and harm to [21. not; Sp. nought. dyspleasynge. harme.] oure owne soules. And for because freres chalengen to be [22. because (Sp. that).] gretest clerkes of the church, and next folowinge Christ in [23. greatest.] livinge, men shulde, for charitè, axe hem some questions, and

pray hem to grounde their answers in reson and in holy writ; for [25. reason. write.] [ 25] els their answere wolde nought be worth, be it florished never so [26. not; Sp. nought.] faire; and, as me think, men might skilfully axe thus of a frere.

1. Frere, how many orders be in erthe, and which is the [28. earthe.] perfitest order? Of what order art thou? Who made thyn [29. thyne.] order? What is thy rule? Is there ony perfiter rule than Christ [ 30] himselfe made? If Christes rule be moost perfit, why rulest [31. perfyte.] thou thee not therafter? Without more, why shall a frere be [32. the.] more punished if he breke the rule that his patron made, than if [33. break.] he breke the hestes that god himself made? [34. breake.]

2. Approveth Christ ony more religions than oon, that saynt [35. one.] [ 35] James speketh of. If he approveth no more, why hast thou left [36. speaketh. mor; Sp. more. lef; Sp. left.] his rule, and taken another? Why is a frere apostata, that leveth [37. leaueth.] his order and taketh another secte; sith there is but oon religion [38. one.] of Christ? [39. Christe.]

3. Why be ye wedded faster to your habits than a man is to his [40. abytes; Sp. habits.] [ 40] wyfe? For a man may leve his wyf for a yere or two, as many [41. leaue. wyfe. yeare.] men do; and if †ye leve your habit a quarter of a yere, ye shuld [42. you; read ye. leaue. abyte; Sp. habit. yeare.] be holden apostatas.

4. Maketh youre habit you men of religion, or no? If it [44. abyte; Sp. habit.] do, than, ever as it wereth, your religion wereth; and, after that [45. weareth (twice).] [ 45] the habit is better, is you[r] religion better. And whan ye liggen [46. the abbyte; Sp. your habit.] it besyde you, than lig ye youre religion besyde you, and ben apostatas. Why by ye you so precious clothes, sith no man [48. apostatase; Sp. apostataes. by; Sp. buy.] seketh such but for vaine glorie, as saynt Gregory saith?

5. What betokeneth youre grete hood, your scaplerye, youre [50. greate hoode.] [ 50] knotted girdel, and youre wyde cope? [51. coape.]

6. Why use ye al oon colour, more then other Christen men [52. one coloure.] do? What betokeneth that ye been clothed all in one maner [53. bene.] clothinge?

7. If ye saye it betokeneth love and charitè, certes, than ye be [ 55] ofte ypocrites, whan ony of you hateth other, and in that, that ye wollen be said holy by youre clothinge. [57. sayde. clotynge (!).]

8. Why may not a frere were clothing of an-other secte of [58. maye. weare clothynge.] freres, sith holines stondeth not in the clothes?

9. Why holde ye silence in one howse more than in another; [ 60] [60. Sp. om. in before another.] sith men ought over-al to speke the good and leve the evell? [61. speake. leaue.]

10. Why ete you flesh in one house more than in another, [62. eate.] if youre rule and youre order be perfit, and the patron that made it?

11. Why gette ye your dispensacions, to have it more esy? [ 65] [65. easy.] Certes, either it semeth that ye be unperfit; or he, that made it [66. ether; Sp. either. vnperfyte.] so hard that ye may not holde it. And siker, if ye holde not the [67. harde. seker; Sp. siker.] rule of youre patrons, ye be not than hir freres; and so ye lye [68. her.] upon youre-selves! [69. selfes.]

12. Why make ye you as dede men whan ye be professed; [ 70] [70. ye you; Sp. om. ye (!).] and yet ye be not dede, but more quicke beggars than ye were [70,71. deade (twice). beggers; Sp. beggars. ye; Sp. you.] before? And it semeth evell a deed man to go aboute and [72. deade.] begge.

13. Why will ye not suffer youre novices here your councels in [74. heare.] youre chapter-house, er that they been professed; if youre coun∣cels [ 75] [75. eare; Sp. ere. Sp. haue ben (C. om. haue).] been trew, and after god[d]es lawe?

14. Why make ye you so costly houses to dwell in; sith Christ did not so, and dede men shuld have but graves, as falleth to [78. Sp. falleth it to.] dede men? And yet ye have more gorgeous buildinges than [78,79. deade (twice).] [79. gorgeous buyldinges; Sp. courts.] many lordes of Englonde. For ye maye wenden through the [ 80] [80. maye; Sp. now (error for mow).] realme, and ech night, wel nigh, ligge in youre owne courtes; [81. welnygh; Sp. will (!).] and so mow but right few lordes do.

15. Why hyre ye to ferme youre limitors, gevinge therfore [83. here; Sp. heire (read hyre). geuynge.] eche yeer a certain rente; and will not suffer oon in an-others [84. yeare. certayne. one.] limitacion, right as ye were your-selves lordes of contreys? [ 85]

16. Why be ye not under youre bisshops visitacions, and liege men to oure kinge?

17. Why axe ye no letters of bretherhedes of other mens prayers, as ye desyre that other men shulde aske letters of you?

18. If youre letters be good, why graunte ye them not generally [ 90] to al maner men, for the more charité? [91. Sp. of men.]

19. Mow ye make ony man more perfit brother for your [92. perfyte. Sp. brether (!).] prayers, than god hath by oure beleve, by our baptyme and his [93. baptyme; Sp. baptisme.] owne graunte? If ye mowe, certes, than ye be above god.

20. Why make ye men beleve that your golden trentall songe [ 95] of you, to take therfore ten shillinges, or at the leest fyve [96. Sp. om. the. least.] shillinges, will bringe soules out of helle, or out of purgatorye? [97. oute.] If this be sooth, certes, ye might bring all soules out of payne. And that wolle ye nought; and than ye be out of charité.

21. Why make ye men beleve, that he that is buried in youre [ 100] habit shall never come in hell; and ye wite not of youre-selfe, [101. abyte; Sp. habit.] whether ye shall to hell, or no? And if this were sooth, ye [98,102. south; Sp. sooth.] shulde selle youre high houses, to make many habites, for to save [103. abytes.] many mens soules.

22. Why stele ye mens children for to make hem of youre [ 105] secte; sith that theft is agaynst goddes heste; and sithe youre secte is not perfit? Ye know not whether the rule that ye binde [107. wether; Sp. whether.] him to, be best for him or worst!

23. Why undernime ye not your brethren, for their trespas after the lawe of the gospell; sith that underneminge is the best [ 110] that may be? But ye put them in prison ofte, whan they do after [111. maye. presonne; Sp. prison.] goddes lawe; and, by saynt Austines rule, if ony did amisse and [112. Sp. Augustines. dyd; Sp. doe.] wolde not amende him, ye should put him from you.

24. Why covete ye shrifte, and burying of other mens parishens, [114. buryenge.] and non other sacrament that falleth to Christen folke? [ 115] [115. none.]

25. Why busie ye not to here shrifte of poore folke, as well [116. heare; Sp. heare to.] as of riche lordes and ladyes; sith they mowe have more plentee [117. plentie.] of shrifte-fathers than poore folk may? [118. folke maye.]

26. Why saye ye not the gospel in houses of bedred men; as ye do in riche mens, that mowe go to churche and here the [120. heare.] [ 120] gospell?

27. Why covette †ye not to burye poore folk among you; sith [122. Both you. folke amonge.] that they ben moost holy, as ye sayn that ye ben for youre [123. sayne.] povertee? [124. pouertye.]

28. Why will ye not be at hir diriges, as ye been at riche mens; [125. her. bene.] [ 125] sith god prayseth hem more than he doth riche men? [126. Sp. other (for riche).]

29. What is thy prayer worth; sith thou wilt take therefore? For of all chapmen ye nede to be moost wyse; for drede of [128. Sp. om. of.] symonye.

30. What cause hast thou that thou wilt not preche the [ 130] [130. wylte. preache.]

gospell, as god sayeth that thou shuldest; sith it is the best lore, and also oure beleve?

31. Why be ye evell apayed that secular prestes shulde preche [133. payed; Sp. apaid. preache.] the gospel; sith god him-selfe hath boden hem? [134. gosgel (!). Sp. bodden. hym; Sp. hem.]

32. Why hate ye the gospell to be preched; sith ye be so [ 135] [135. preached.] moche holde thereto? For ye winne more by yere with In [136. yeare.] principio, than with all the rules that ever youre patrons made. And, in this, minstrels been better than ye. For they contraryen not to the mirthes that they maken; but ye contraryen the gospell [139. myrtes; Sp. mirths.] bothe in worde and dede. [ 140]

33. Frere, whan thou receivest a peny for to say a masse, whether sellest thou goddes body for that peny, or thy prayer, [142. Sp. thy; C. om. (before prayer).] or els thy travail? If thou sayest thou wolt not travaile for to saye the masse but for the peny, †than certes, if this be soth, than [144. Sp. that certes (error for than certes); C. & certes.] thou lovest to littel mede for thy soule. And if thou sellest [ 145] goddes body, other thy prayer, than it is very symony; and art become a chapman worse than Judas, that solde it for thirty pens.

34. Why wrytest thou hir names in thy tables, that yeveth thee [149. her. the.] moneye; sith god knoweth all thing? For it semeth, by thy [ 150] [150. thynge.] wryting, that god wolde not rewarde him but thou wryte him in [151. Sp. writest; Sp. om. him.] thy tables; god wolde els forgetten it. [152. Sp. forgotten (!).]

35. Why berest thou god in honde, and sclaundrest him that he [153. bearest.] begged for his mete; sith he was lord over all? For than hadde [154. meate.] he ben unwyse to have begged, and no nede therto. [ 155]

36. Frere, after what law rulest thou thee? Wher findest thou [156. the.] in goddes law that thou shuldest thus begge?

37. What maner men nedeth for to begge?

Of whom oweth suche men to begge? [159. C. Of; Sp. For.]

Why beggest thou so for thy brethren? [ 160]

If thou sayest, for they have nede; than thou doest it for the more perfeccion, or els for the leest, or els for the mene. If it be [162. perfection (but perfeccion in l. 163). least. meane (often).] the moost perfeccion of all, than shulde al thy brethren do so; and than no man neded to begge but for him-selfe, for so shuld no man begge but him neded. And if it be the leest perfeccion, why [ 165] [165. least.] lovest thou than other men more than thy-selfe? For so thou art [166. arte.]

not well in charitè; sith thou shuldest seke the more perfeccion [167. charytye. sithe.] after thy power, livinge thy-selfe moost after god; and thus, leving [168. leauynge.] that imperfeccion, thou shuldest not so begge for hem. And if [169. Sp. them (for hem).] it is a good mene thus to begge as thou doest, than shuld no man [170. doeste.] [ 170] do so but they ben in this good mene; and yet such a mene, graunted to you, may never be grounded in goddes lawe; for than both lered and lewed that ben in mene degrè of this worlde [173. learned and lewd; Sp. lerid and leaud.] shuld go aboute and begge as ye do. And if all suche shuld do [174. Sp. om. suche.] so, certes, wel nigh al the world shuld go aboute and begge as [ 175] ye do: and so shulde there be ten beggers agaynst oon yever. [176. one.]

38. Why procurest thou men to yeve thee hir almes, and sayest [177. the here.] it is so meedful; and thou wilt not thy-selfe winne thee that [178. C. medefull; Sp. needful. the.] mede?

39. Why wilt thou not begge for poore bedred men, that ben [ 180] poorer than ony of youre secte, that liggen, and mow not go aboute to helpe themselves; sith we be all brethren in god, and [182. themselfes.] that bretherhed passeth ony other that ye or ony man coude [183. coulde.] make? ANd where moost nede were, there were moost perfeccion; either els ye holde hem not youre pure brethren, or worse. But [185. hym; Sp. them (read hem). C. or; Sp. but.] [ 185] than ye be imperfite in your begginge.

40. Why make ye you so many maisters among you; sith it [187. amonge.] is agaynst the techinge of Christ and his apostels? [188. teachynge.]

41. Whos ben all your riche courtes that ye han, and all your [189. Whose. rych.] riche jewels; sith ye sayen that ye han nought, in proper ne in [190. yewels; Sp. iewels. improper ne; Sp. ne in proper ne in.] [ 190] comune? If ye sayn they ben the popes, why †geder ye then, of [191. cumune; Sp. common. sayne. gether; Sp. gather.] poore men and of lordes, so much out of the kinges honde to make [192. Sp. om. of.] your pope riche? And sith ye sayen that it is greet perfeccion to [193. great.] have nought, in proper ne in comune, why be ye so fast aboute to [194. in proper ne comune; Sp. in proper be (!) in common.] make the pope (that is your †fader) riche, and putte on him imper∣feccion? [ 195] [195. father rych. put.] Sithen ye sayn that your goodes ben all his, and he shulde by reson be the moost perfit man, it semeth openlich that [197. reason. perfite.] ye ben cursed children, so to sclaunder your †fader, and make [198. father.] him imperfit. And if ye sayn that tho goodes be yours, then do [199. imperfyte. sayne. Sp. the (for tho).] ye ayenst youre rule; and if it be not ayenst your rule, than might [ 200]

ye have both plough and cart, and labour as other good men don, [201. carte. done.] and not so begge to by losengery, and ydell, as ye don. And if ye [202. lesyngery; Sp. losengery. done.] say that it is more perfeccion to begge than to travaill or worch with youre hand, why preche ye not openly, and teche all men to [204. preach. teach.] do so, sith it is the best and moost perfit lyf to helpe of her [ 205] [205. perfyte lyfe.] soules, as ye make children to begge that might have been riche [206. be; Sp. bin.] heyres?

42. Why make ye not your festes to poore men, and yeveth [208. feastes.] hem yeftes, as ye don to the riche; sith poore men han more [209. done. rych.] nede than the riche? [ 210]

43. What betokeneth that ye go tweyne and tweyne †togeder? [211. together.] If ye be out of charitè, ye accorden not in soule. [212. charitie.]

44. Why begge ye, and take salaries therto, more than other prestes; sith he that moost taketh, most charge he hath? [214. Sp. om. 2nd he.]

45. Why holde ye not saynt Fraunces rule and his testament; [ 215] sith Fraunces saith, that god shewed him this living and this rule? And certes, if it were goddes will, the pope might not fordo it; or els Fraunces was a lyar, that sayde on this wyse. And but this testament that he made accorde with goddes will, els erred he as a lyar that were out of charitè; and as the law [ 220] [220. C. as; Sp. is (!) charytie.] sayeth, he is accursed that letteth the rightfull last will of a deed [221. Sp. accursed; C. cursede. C. om. last. dead.] man lacke. And this testament is the last will of Fraunces that [222. Sp. om. lacke. least; Sp. last.] is a deed man; it seemeth therefore that all his freres ben [223. dead. C. om. therefore.] cursed.

46. Why wil ye not touche no coined money with the crosse, [ 225] ne with the kinges heed, as ye don other jewels both of golde and [226. hedde. done.] silver? Certes, if ye despyse the crosse or the kinges heed, than [227. heade.] ye be worthy to be despysed of god and the kinge. And sith ye will receyve money in your hertes and not with youre handes, it [229. receaue.] seemeth that ye holde more holinesse in your hondes than in your [ 230] hertes; and than be ye false to god. [229,231. hartes (twice).] [231. Sp. om. ye.]

47. Why have ye exempt you fro our kinges lawes and visitinge [232. exempte.] of our bishoppes more than other Christen men that liven in this realme, if ye be not gilty of traitory to our realme, or trespassers [234. gyltye. traytery. trespasers.] to oure bishoppes? But ye will have the kinges lawes for trespas [ 235] [235. Sp. your (for oure). Sp. the trespasse (for trespas).] don to you; and ye wil have power of other bishops more than [236. done.]

other prestes; and also have leave to prison youre brethren as lordes in youre courtes, more than other folkes han that ben the kinges lege men.

48. Why shal some secte of you freres paye eche yere a certaine [240. eche yeare; Sp. ech a yere.] [ 240] to hir generall provinciall or minister, or els to hir soverains, but-if [241. her (twice).] he stele a certain number of children, as some men sayn? And [242. steale. certayne. sayne.] certes, if this be soth, than be ye constrayned, upon certaine payne, to do thefte, agaynst goddes commaundement, non furtum facies. [ 245]

49. Why be ye so hardy, to graunte, by letters of fraternitè, to men and women, that they shall have part and merit of all your [247. merite.] good dedes; and ye witen never whether god be apayed with [248. whyther; Sp. whether. payde; Sp. apayed.] youre dedes because of youre sinne? Also ye witen never whether [249. weten; Sp. witten.] that man or woman be in state to be saved or damned; than shall [ 250] he have no merit in heven for his owne dedes, ne for none other [251. meryte. heauen.] mans. And all were it so, that he shuld have part of youre good [252. man (for mans, s having dropped out); Sp. mans.] dedes; yet shulde he have no more than god would geve him, [253. ye (for he); Sp. he.] after that he were worthy; and so much shall eche man have of goddes yefte, withoute youre limitacion. But if ye will saye that [ 255] ye ben goddes felowes, and that he may not do without youre [256. folowes: Sp. fellowes. maye.] assent, than be ye blasphemers to god.

50. What betokeneth that ye have ordeined, that when such [258. tokeneth; Sp. betokeneth.] oon as ye have mad youre brother or sister, and hath a letter of [259. one. made.] your sele, that letter †mot be brought in youre holy chapter and [260. seale. mought (read mot).] [ 260] there be red; or els ye will not praye for him? But and ye willen [261. redde; Sp. rad. Sp. And but.] not praye specially for all other that weren not mad youre brethren [262. Sp. om. 1st not. specyally; Sp. especially. made.] or sistren, than were ye not in right charitè; for that ought to be commune, and namely in goostly thinges. [264. commne (!). goostely; Sp. ghostly.]

51. Frere, what charitè is this—to overcharge the people by [ 265] mighty begginge, under colour of prechinge or praying or masses [266. myghtie. coloure. preachynge. prayeng.] singing? Sith holy writ biddeth not thus, but even the contrary; [267. write.] for al such goostly dedes shulde be don freely, as god yeveth hem [268. done frely.] freely. [269. frely.]

52. Frere, what charitè is this—to begyle children or they [ 270] commen to discrecion, and binde hem to youre orders, that been [271. him; Sp. hem.]

not grounded in goddes lawe, against hir frendes wil? Sithen by [272. her.] this foly ben many apostatas, both in will and dede, and many ben apostatas in hir will during all hir lyfe, that wolde gladly be discharged if they wist how; and so, many ben apostatas that [ 275] [273-275. apostatase; Sp. apostataes.] shulden in other states have ben trewe men.

53. Frere, what charitè is this—to make so mony freres in every countrey, to the charge of the people? Sith persounes [278. personnes.] and vicares alone, ye, secular prestes alone, ye, monkes and chanons alone, with bishops above hem, were y-nough to the [ 280] [280. him; Sp. them.] church, to do prestes office. And to adde mo than y-nough is a foul errour, and greet charge to the people; and this is openly [282. foule. greate.] against goddes will, that ordeined all thinges to be don in weight, [283. done.] nomber, and mesure. And Christ himself was apayed with twelve [284. measure. payd; Sp. apaied.] apostles and a few disciples, to preche and do prestes office to all [ 285] [285. preache.] the hole world; than was it better don than it is now at this tyme [286. Sp. whole. Sp. om. 2nd it.] by a thousand deel. And right so as foure fingers with a thumbe [287. deal; Sp. dele.] in a mannes hande, helpeth a man to worche, and double nomber of fingers in one hond shuld lette him more; and the more [289. let. Sp. and so the (om. so).] nomber that there were, passing the mesure of goddes ordinaunce, [ 290] [290. measure.] the more were a man letted to worke: right so, as it semeth, it is of these newe orders that ben added to the church, without grounde of holy writ and goddes ordinaunce. [293. wryte.]

54. Frere, what charitè is this—to lye to the people, and saye that ye folowe Christ in povertè more than other men don? [ 295] [295. pouertye. done.] And yet, in curious and costly howsinge, and fyne and precious clothing, and delicious and lykinge fedinge, and in tresoure and [297. treasoure.] jewels and riche ornamentes, freres passen lordes and other riche [298. rych.] worldly men; and soonest they shuld bringe hir cause aboute, [299. wordly; Sp. worldly. bring her.] be it never so costly, though goddes lawe be put abacke. [ 300] [300. costely. abake; Sp. abacke.]

55. Frere, what charitè is this—to † gader up the bokes of holy [301. gather (read gader).] writ and putte hem in tresory, and so emprisoune hem from [302. wryte. put. emprysonne.] secular prestes and curates; and by this cautel lette hem to [303. let. him; Sp. hem.] preche the gospell freely to the people without worldly mede; and [304. preache. frely. wordely; Sp. worldly.] also to defame good prestes of heresy, and lyen on hem openly, [ 305]

for to lette hem to shew goddes lawe, by the holy gospell, to the [306. let.] Christen people?

56. Frere, what charitè is this—to fayn so much holines in [308. fayn.] your bodily clothing, that ye clepe your habit, that many blinde [309. bodely.] foles desyren to dye therin more than in an-other? And also, [ 310] that a frere that leveth his habit (late founden of men), may not [309,311. abyte; Sp. habit.] [311. leaueth.] be assoiled till he take it again, but is an apostata, as ye sayn, [312. Sp. om. an. sayne.] and cursed of god and man both? The frere beleveth treuth and pacience, chastitè, mekenesse, and sobrietè; yet for the more part of his lyfe he may soone be assoiled of his prior; and if he [311,315. maye.] [315. parte.] [ 315] bringe hoom to his house much good by yere, be it never so [316. home. by yeare; Sp. by the yeare.] falsly begged and pilled of the poore and nedy people in courtes [317. courtes &; Sp. countries (perhaps better).] aboute, he shal be hold[en] a noble frere! O lord, whether this [318. C. Sp. hold (for holden).] be charitè!

57. Frere, what charitè is this—to prese upon a riche man, [320. Both prease.] [ 320] and to entyce him to be buried among you from his parish-church, and to suche riche men geve letters of fraternitè confirmed by youre generall sele, and therby to bere him in honde that he [323. seale. beare.] shall have part of all your masses, matins, prechinges, fastinges, [324. parte. preachynges.] wakinges, and all other good dedes don by your brethren of youre [325. done.] [ 325] order (both whyles he liveth and after that he is deed), and yet [326. dead.] ye witen never whether youre dedes be acceptable to god, ne whether that man that hath that letter be able by good living to receive ony part of youre dedes? And yet a poore man, that ye [329. receaue.] wite wel or supposen in certain to have no good of, ye ne geve [330. certaine.] [ 330] no such letters, though he be a better man to god than suche [331. no; Sp. to (!).] a riche man; nevertheles, this poore man doth not recche therof. [332. rych. reche; Sp. retch.] For, as men supposen, suche letters and many other that freres behesten to men, be full of false deceites of freres, out of reson [334. behesten; Sp. behoten. reason; Sp. all reason.] and god[d]es lawe and Christen mens faith. [ 335]

58. Frere, what charitè is this—to be confessoures of lordes and ladyes, and to other mighty men, and not amend hem in hir [337. laydes (for ladyes). her.] living; but rather, as it semeth, to be the bolder to pille hir poore [338. pyl her.] tenauntes and to live in lechery, and there to dwelle in your office of [339. dwel.] confessour, for winning of worldly goodes, and to be holden grete [ 340] [340. greate.]

by colour of suche goostly offices? This seemeth rather pryde [341. coloure.] of freres than charitè of god.

59. Frere, what charitè is this—to sayn that who-so liveth after youre order, liveth most parfitly, and next foloweth the [344. mooste perfytely.] state of aposteles in povertè and penaunce; and yet the wysest [ 345] [345. wyseste.] and gretest clerkes of you wende, or sende, or procure to the [346. greatest clarkes.] court of Rome to be mad cardinales or bishoppes or the popes [347. made.] chapelayns, and to be assoiled of the vowe of povertè and [348. chappelaynes. povertye.] obedience to your ministers; in the which, as ye sayn, standeth moost perfeccion and merite of youre orders? And thus ye faren [ 350] as Pharisees, that sayen oon, and do another to the contrarye. [351. one.]

60. Why name ye more the patron of youre order in youre Confiteor, whan ye beginne masse, than other saintes, as apostels, or marters, that holy churche holde[th] more glorious than hem, [354. hol (for holy); Sp. holy. holde; Sp. hold (read holdeth). them.] and clepe hem youre patrons and youre avowries? [ 355]

61. Frere, whet[h]er was saint Fraunces, in making of his rule that he sette thyne order in, a fole and lyar, or els wyse and trew? If [357. set.] ye sayn that he was not a fole but wyse; ne a lyar, but trew; why [358. sayne.] shewe ye the contrary by youre doing, whan by youre suggestion to [359. shew.] the pope ye said that Fraunces rule was mad so hard that ye might [ 360] [360. C. that Fraunces rule was made so harde; Sp. that your rule that Francis made was so hard. C. might; Sp. mow.] not live to holde it without declaracion and dispensacion of the pope? And so, by youre dede, ye lete your patron a fole, that made a rule so hard that no man may wel kepe [it]; and eke youre [363. harde. maye. Supply it.] dede proveth him a lyar, where he sayeth in his rule, that he took [364. toke.] and lerned it of the holy gooste. For how might ye, for shame, [ 365] [365. learned.] praye the pope to undo that the holy goost biddeth, as whan ye [366. Sp. om. to. C. byddeth; Sp. bit. Sp. when; C. om.] prayed him to dispense with the hardnesse of your order?

62. Frere, which of the foure orders of freres is best, to a man that knoweth not which is the beste, but wolde fain enter into the [369. fayne.] beste and none other? If thou sayest that thyn is the best, than [ 370] [370. thyne.] sayest thou that noon of the other is as good as thyn; and in this [371. none. thyne.] eche frere in the three other orders wolle say that thou lyest; for in the selve maner eche other frere woll say that his order is [373. C. selfe; Sp. self same.] beste. And thus to eche of the foure orders ben the other three [372,374. thre.] contrary in this poynte; in the which if ony say sooth, that is oon [ 375] [375. one.]

aloon; for there may but oon be the beste of foure. So foloweth [376. alone. one.] it, that if ech of these orders answered to this question as thou doest, three were false and but oon trew; and yet no man shulde [378. thre. one.] wite who that were. And thus it semeth, that the moost part of freres ben or shulde be lyars in this poynt, and they shulde [ 380] answere therto. If †ye say that an-other ordre of the freres is [381. Both you; read ye.] better than thyn or as good; why toke ye not rather therto as to [382. thine.] the better, whan thou mightest have chosen at the beginning? And eke, why shuldest thou be an apostata, to leve thyn order [384. apostate; Sp. apostate. leaue.] and take thee to that that is better? And so, why goest thou not [385. the.] [ 385] from thyn order into that?

63. Frere, is there ony perfiter rule of religion than Christ, goddes sone, gave in his gospell to his brethren, or than that [388. sonne.] religion that saynt James in his epistle maketh mencion of? If †ye saye 'yes,' than puttest thou on Christ, that is wysdom of [390. Both you; read ye. wysdome.] [ 390] god the †fader, uncunning, unpower, or evil will. For eyther [391. father vncunyng. Sp. om. eyther.] than he coude not make his rule so good as an-other did his, [392,397. coulde (twice).] (and so he hadde be uncunning, that he might not make his rule [393. Sp. had he.] so good as another man might, and so were he unmighty and not god); or he wolde not make his rule so perfit as an-other did his [395. perfyte.] [ 395] (and so had he ben evill-willed, namely to himselfe!) For if he might, and coude, and wold[e] have mad a rule perfit without [397. made. perfyte.] defaute, and did not, he was not goddes sone almighty. For if [398. defate; Sp. default. sonne.] ony other rule be perfiter than Christes, than must Christes rule lacke of that perfeccion by as much as the other were more [ 400] perfiter; and so were defaute, and Christ had failed in makinge [401. weren.] of his rule. But to putte ony defaute or failinge in god, is [402. put.] blasphemy. If thou saye that Christes rule and that religion that saynt James maketh mencion of, is the perfitest; why holdest [404. C. that saynt; Sp. which saint. the perfytest; Sp. perfectest.] thou not than thilke rule without more? And why clepest thou [405. Sp. om. than.] [ 405] thee rather of saynt Frances or saynt Dominiks rule or religion or [406. the (read thee).] order, than of Christes rule or Christes order?

64. Frere, canst thou assigne ony defaute in Christes rule of [408. Sp. any default or (!) assigne.] the gospell, with the whiche he taught al men sikerly to be saved, [409. sekerly; Sp. sikerly.] if they kepte it to hir endinge? If thou saye it was to hard, [410. her. harde.] [ 410] than sayest thou that Christ lyed; for he saide of his rule: 'My

yoke is softe, and my burthen light.' If thou saye Christes rule was to light, that may be assigned for no defaute, for the better may it be kept. If thou sayst that there is no defaute in Christes rule of the gospell, sith Christ him-selfe saith it is light and esy: [ 415] [415. easye.] what nede was it to patrons of freres to adde more therto, and so [416. mor; Sp. more.] to make an harder religion, to save freres, than was the religion that Christes apostels and his disciples helden and weren saved [418. that; Sp. of (!).] by; but-if they wolden that her freres saten above the apostels in heven, for the harder religion that they kepen here? And so [ 420] wolde they sitten in heven above Christ himselfe for the moo and [420, 421. heauen (twice).] [421. Christe.] strait observaunces; than so shulde they be better than Christ himselfe, with misc[h]aunce!

Go now forth, and frayne youre clerkes, [424. frayen (for frayne); Sp. fraine.] And grounde you in goddes lawe, and geve Jack answere. [ 425] [425. C. ye in; Sp. ye you in (read you in).] And whan ye han assoiled me that I have said, sadly in treuth, [426. sayde. Read—And whan ye han soiled that I saide, sadly in treuthe.] I shall soill thee of thyn order, and save thee to heven! [427. soyll the. thyne. order; Sp. orders. the; Sp. thee. heauen.]

If freres cunne not or mow not excuse hem of these questions [428. C. cunne; Sp. kun.] asked of hem, it semeth that they be horrible gilty against god and hir even-Christen; for which gyltes and defautes it were [ 430] [430. her.] worthy that the order that they calle hir order were for-don. And [431. her. fordone.] it is wonder that men susteyne hem or sufer hem live in suche [432. hem lyue; Sp. hir live.] maner. For holy writ biddeth that thou do well to the meke, [433. wryte.] and geve not to the wicked, but forbid to geve hem breed, lest [434. bread leste.] they be mad thereby mightier through you. Finis. [ 435] [435. made. Sp. om. Finis.]

¶ Prynted for Jhon Gough.

Cum Priuilegio Regali.