[Here begynneth the table of a book entytled the book of good maners.]

¶Here foloweth the second book the whiche speketh of thes∣tate of the people of the chyrche and of the clerkes. (Book 2)

¶Fyrst how the chyrche ought to be honoured and loued. & had in worshyp and in reuerence capitulo primo

THe chyrche is as the moder of al crysten people. & in the same is gyuen fraunchyse and lyberte / by cause it shold be the more in reuerence / For hyr spouse and hede is ihesu crist sauyour of all the world / & to this purpoos we rede in the first book of thystorye tripartyte / how Costantyn whan he was made crysten loued so moche god & the chyrche / that he dyd do ••ere in alle the places where he went a tabernacle made in the ••ourme of a chyrche / and had wyth hym preestes and clerkes whyche serued god ryght deuoutly / he bare also on his ryght syde the sygne of the crosse. for that was the baner by the whi∣che god sente hym vyctorye. & in dede he shold haue a bataylle & in his slepe the aungel shewed to hym how he shold haue vyctorye by the sygne of the crosse. Semblably we rede in the book aforesayd how themperour theodosi•• was fynably obeys∣sant to the chyrche. Not withstondyng he had be tofore moche rygorous to the chyrche. & thystorye sayth how the sayd theodo¦sius dyd do slee vij.M. men in the cyte of thessalonue. by caus•• they had stoned to deth his offy••ers. After which feat the said theodosius retorned to melane / weny••g to haue entred as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ben accnstomed in to the chyrche / ¶Thēne saynt Am¦brose came ayenst hym whych was Archebysshop of the san•• place. and sayd to hym. O Emperour goo thy waye. Fo•• in to thys chyrche thou shalt not entre / seen that thou arte 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of blood / and arte not worthy for to beholde god ne see hym ¶Thenne Theodosius obeyed hym and wepyng departed

but by cause the ••este of Crystemas approuched he sente one of hys seruauntes named Ruffyn to saynt Ambrose for to gete grace. But nothyng auaylled his requeste. And thys seeyng Theodosius cam in his propre persone to say••t Ambrose we∣pyng & requyryng pardon on his knees. & thenne saynt Am∣brose toke hym to grace. & after he dyd moche good and had many vyctoryes. by whyche it apperith how the chirche ought to be honoured / And to this purpoos recounteth valere in his iij book the xj chapytre. How Iulius Cezar defended to his people. that none shold be so hardy to do ony euyl or harme to the temples / And for thys cause he was so vyctoryous by ij yere that neuer man had vyctorye ayenst hym / But after he was many tymes dyscomfyt after he had defoilled the temple named delphyque. As recounteth Policrate in hys vj book the vij chapytre. And he sayth more ouer that chyualrye ouʒt to kepe the chyrche. to Inpugne the heretykes. to honoure the preestes / to deffende the poure. and tappease stryf and debates / Semblably Egesippus recounteth how pompeus dyd neuer harme to temples ne to chyrches / and therfor alexander was to hym moche gracyous. & pardōned to hym his mesprisyon / by whyche it is euydently shewed to vs how the chyrche ouʒt to be kept and hononred / And to this purpoos sayth vegece in his iiij book of chyualrye the iiij chapytre. how the knyghtes ought to swere loyalte. Fyrst to god. secondly to theyr prynce More ouer thou oughtest to knowe that the chyrche ought to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fraūchysed / For it is sygured by the arke of noe. in whiche ••ere saued al they that were therin as it apperyth the seuenth ••hapytre of genesis. Semblably alle ought to be free in the ••hyrche / And in dede we rede in the hystoryes of the romayns ••at one named macelizet deyed a foul deth by cause he had de••••yled the chyrche. we rede also of one named Equyla how he ••stroyed alle ytalye▪ And thēne the pope named Leon sayd ••hym that he shold leue his cruelte. The which ansuerd that ••ym semed that he sawe a fayr olde man whych helde in hys

honde a knyf wherof he was sore aferde & durst not dysobe•• And this sygnefyeth to vs. how euery creature ouʒt to dre•• the chyrche and to obeye it in al ryght and reason.

¶How the people of the chyrche and syngulerly the prelate•• ought to lyue chastly and vertuously capitulo ••

SAynt Ierome in one of his epystles sayth that the pre¦late ought to haue no concubyne: For hys espouse is the chyrche. And therfore in the lawe of Canon. it is deffended that prelates shold holde no wymmen in theyr howses. but yf they be vnder age & out of al suspecyon. And to thys purpoos we rede of saynt austyn / how he wold not dwelle wyth hys owen syster. for tesche we suspecōn of euyl spekyng. More our•• saynt Gregory in his dyalogue the vij chapytre recyteth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a prelate named Audrien was moche tempted with a wo∣man of religyon by cause she dwellyd wyth hym. By which it apperyth that men of the chyrche ought to flee the conuers•••• on of wymmen / not onely for tesche we the synne / but also for tesche we alle euyl suspecion▪ and therfore sayth saynt Iherome in his xliij epystle. that thestate of prelacion is moche worthy And for so moche a prelate ought more to kepe hym. that h•• doo no thynge by whiche his estate be sclaundred / & the prelat is not ordeyned for to haue delyces / but also for tenseyne and gouerne the peple / and the hyer that he is enhaunced the mo•• humble he ought to be. For as saynt Austyn sayth in hys 〈◊〉〈◊〉 book of the cyte of god the xix chapytre. he is not very prela•• that secheth not but his prouffyt. and nothynge for his sub••gettis. Semblably sayth saynt Gregory in his xxj book 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hy•• moralles that the prelates been ordeyned not onely for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 receyue. but prycipally for to serue god. and for to enclyne th•• sub gettes semblably to do / & therfore sayth hughe / that non•• ought be ordeyned a prelate. but yf he be of good lyf & honnest conuersacion. and to this purpoos sayth the scripture in 〈◊〉〈◊〉

〈◊〉〈◊〉 xxviij chapytre / that the prelates ought to be made of peo∣••le shewyng example of good lyf / For the sheep ought not to ••e put to the kepyng of wulues. That is to were to them that ••••maunde not but the prouffyt of the prelacion. and not the la∣••our tha•• apperteyneth therto. but the tyme is comen the which ••saye prophecied in his thyrd chapytre / sayeng that the prynce and the prynces and the prelates ben of the condycion of chyl∣dren. the whyche wyl lyuen wythout thought. And zacharye in his xj chapytre sayth that the prelate that thynketh not of the gouernaunce of the peple is ryght as an ydolle whiche ser¦ueth of nothyng / And it is a grete abusyon whan the prelate is not dylygent to adresse and teche the people as it apperyth ••n the book of xij abusious. and hughe sayth in his book of sa¦cramentis. that the prelates beren the cooche in signefyaunce of an herdman or pastour. And the rynge that he hath on hys honde sygnefyeth that the chyrche is their espouse / & the tunyque sygnefyeth clennesse / the gyrdle chastyte. the stole pacience. and the chesuble charite / and therfor the prelates oughten to be good wyse & vertuous. & that is necessarye for their estate / as sayth saynt gregory in his pastoral the fyrst book the fyrst chapytre. But saynt bernard in spekyng of prelates in hys fourth book to Eugene the pope. sayth I meruaylle me and am abasshed for what cause many bysshops and prelates cōmytte the go∣••ernemēt of theyr people to suffragans and to other / but the ••ychesses & receytes they cōmytte not to other so that they kno∣••e not thacompt therof. And neuertheles they be more ordey∣••ed for the spirituel gouernaunce. than they be for the temporel ••oodes▪ as hughe sayth in the second book of the sacramentis / For the crowne that men of the chyrche bere sygnefyeth that xy ought to haue the hert & affection to the spiritualte / & not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the temporalte / And therfore of olde tyme the vertuous men ••ffuseden the bysshopryches. by cause they knewe wel that it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grete labour to a prelate for to doo his deuoyr & duete. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this purpoos we rede of saynt Ambrose how he reffused the

archebysshopryche of Melan / Not withstondyng he was ele•• by comune assent. and to thende that he shold not be constrayned to receyue the sayd benefyce. he dyd doo come in to hys hous wymmen dyssolute / wenyng by that moyen. he to be put fro•• the sayd prelacion / Neuertheles the trouthe was knowen. and he must nedes obeye. of saynt gregoire we rede also▪ that whā he was chosen to be pope. he fledde. but by the moyen of the ho∣ly ghoost he was foūden and receyued to be pope▪ Semblably we rede in a book named paradys how a noble man named marsius cutte of his fyste to the ende that he wold not be pre∣late. to whyche he was chosen / we rede also of an holy man named Annonius how he was chosen bysshop / and therfore he cutte of his ryght ere secretely. and thenne he sayd to them that had chosen hym. ye see wel that I may not be bysshop / For I am not able. the whyche ansuerd that he suffysed to them. and they had leuer to haue a good man than a fayr man. More ouer in thystorye trypertyte the iij book we rede of a religyous monke whiche was chosen & called for to be bysshop. the which demaūded delaye & tyme for taduyse hym. and prayed to god & requyred hym that he wold aledge & delyuer hym fro thys charge. And thystorye sayth that in prayeng he deyed & ren∣dred to god his spyrite / By the whyche hystoryes it appereth how prelacyon is moche payneful to them that wyl doo theyr 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And therfore noo man ought to be a prelate. but yf he be wyse. vertuous / and of right good maners and lyf /

¶How the prelates ought tenseyne & gouerne theyr subget∣tis. and to gyue almesses to the poure capitulo iij

THe prelate is as the hede whiche ought to adresse the o∣ther membres. And to thys purpoos we rede of moyses ••••w he loued ryght derely his people. and dyd grete payne to chastyse & rule them. And how be it that god promysed to hym that he shold gyue to hym more gretter people to gouerne.

Neuertheles he sayd that it suffysed hym that whiche he had And more wold he not as it apperith the xxxiij chapytre of Exode / we rede also that for the loue that he had to his peo∣ple. he desyred that euery man shold be holy and a prophete as it apperyth the xj chapytre of the book of Numeri. we rede also how he recomforted the people whan he was dyscouraged in sayeng. Abasshe ne fere you not for god shal defende you / as it is writon in exode the xiiij chapitre. Semblably helyachym ••omtyme preest of the lawe recomforted the people ayenst holo¦fernes. as it is wryton in Iudyth the iiij chapytre / ¶Saynt poul also in his epystle to thephesiens the vj chapitre saith. my frendes reconforte you in god and in his puyssauuce. By the whiche thynges it appereth how the prelates ought tenseyne & reconforte the people / To this purpoos sayth saynt austyn in his i•• book of the cyte of god. that the prelate ought to remem¦bre alleway his peple at his hert. For his offyce is for to en∣duce hem to do wel. And saynt Ambrose sayth in hys pasto∣ralles that the prelate ought tesche we al heresye and alle euyll doctryne / For the pryncipal of theyr vocacyon is for to defende the fayth in the whyche al the chyrche is fou••ded / More ouer the prelate ought to socoure the poure after his puyssaunce / for the goodes of the chyrche be the goodes of the poure peple. And to this purpoos Saynt gregory wrytyng to Nepocian sayth that the people of the chyrche ought not to take of theyr benefy¦ces nomore but to lyue onely honestly wythout pompe ne cury¦osytres / And the surplus they ought to dystrybute there. where as they see is nede and necessyte. and yf they doo otherwyse they do sacrylege. that is to say they be theues of the goodes of the chyrche / And that more is he sayth. that he that hath of hys patrymonye ynowh for to lyue wyth▪ he ouʒt to take nothyng of the goodes of the chyrche. and yf he take otherwyse it is sa∣crylege. And for so moche saynt austyn in one of his sermōs in the hermytes in spekyng of hym self sayth▪ I that am bys¦shop ought wel to take hede that the goodes of the chyrche 〈◊〉〈◊〉

not gyuen to them that been ryche. For it is the patrymonye of the poure people. And I thanke god of that he hath gyuen me grace tyl now / not to gyue ony thynge to the ryche. but o∣nely to the poure. And in dede I haue parents and kynnesmen whyche ofte demaunde of me / the sōme by flaterye. the other by menaces the goodes of my chyrche. but I shal haue consey¦ence in gyuyng to them / syth they haue wherof to lyue. By whych it appereth that the prelates ought to gyue to the poure & herof we haue example of Heliseus the prophete. the whiche dyd do dystrybute the loues of breed to the chyldren of the pro¦phetes as it is writon in the fourth book of kynges the fourth chapytre. And of Saynt Austyn hym self we rede how at his deth he made noo testament / by cause by hys lyf he had gy¦uen alle to the poure people.

How the people of the chyrche oughten to preche and to say the trouthe of the fayth capitulo iiij

By predycacion the chyrche is susteyned and the fayth en∣haunced and the people conuerted / And herof we haue many examples. how of Aawn the whiche prechyd somtyme to the people the word of god. And therfore the peple byleued in god and put them to serue god as it is wryton in Exode the iiij chapytre. Semblably we rede in the book of the actes of thappostles the fourth chapytre how the chyrche was multe¦plyed & made grete by the predycacion of thappostles. & in dede Saynt Poul & saynt bernabe by theyr predycacyon conuerted many as it apperyth in the sayd book the xiij chapytre / And therfore the peple of the chyrche / and syngulerly the relygyous ought to preche the trouthe / And to this purpoos we rede in the second book of thystorye tripartyte the viij chapytre / how a good man by his predycacyon conuerted many mescreaunts to whome he sayd▪ my frendes be ye not curyous of worldly so••n••es and humayne / the whyche conteyne but fallaces and

••auytees but haue ye hert to the fayth and to the holy gospell the whyche conteyneth nothynge but trouthe. But thou shalt say. that thou art noo clerke for to preche▪ To that I ansuer to the & say that yf thou art good in thyn affection. the holy ghoost shal admynystre to the good wordes & prouffytable. And to this purpoos we rede in the book aforesayd how somtyme a ryght grete phylosopher whyche was a mescreant dysputed ayenst our fayth. And that seyng an olde good man whyche knewe no ••ettre cam to hym for to conuerte hym / And the ho¦ly ghoost admynystred to hym suche wordes that he conuerted to the fayth the sayd phylosopher. And therfore sayth the scryp¦ture that the word of the prechour of veryte & trouthe: is the word of the holy ghoost. Trouthe it is that the predycacion is moche prouffytable whan the prechour is of good lyf as saith saynt Gregory in his morallis in the xxx book. And yf the p••••¦dycaciou prouffyteth nothyng. it is for the deffaulte of the pre∣chour whyche is of euyl lyf▪ or of the herar whyche hath none affection. Neuertheles as sayth Ihesu Cryst in the gospel. the word of god ought to be prechyd. For it may not be al loste lyke as the seed whyche is throwen in the waye / the whyche yf it brynge forth noo fruyt. atte leste the byrdes of heuen e•••• it who caused the cyte of Nynyue to be conuerted but the predyca¦cyon of Ionas the prophete. as it apperyth in the thyrd chapy¦tre of Ionas. who conuerted ynde but the predicacion of saynt Thomas / who conuerted Samarye but the predycacyon of Saynt Phylippe. But somme there be lyke vnto the Iewes whyche stopped their ••rys whan saynt Stephen prechyd / and other mocked Saynt Poul whan he preched as it apperith in the book of the actes of thappostles. They be of the condycyon of the serpent the whyche is named aspis / the whiche stoppeth his eerys to thende that he may here nothyng / And who that drynketh of his venym he slepeth and so slepyng dyeth. Ma∣ny in lyke wyse whych wyl not here trouthe deye in their sy••••e wythout hauyng ••uy repentaunce. More ouer me semeth that

many ben angry whan in prechyng their synnes ben repreuyd And thenne they wene that men speke of them syngulerly. the whyche otherwhyle ben deceyued / For the holy ghoost admy∣nystreth ofte to the prechours many thynges which they haue not thought tofore / And to this purpoos recyteth saynt Aus∣tyn in his vj book of confessyons. how on a tyme he preched / And to his sermon came by aduenture one named Alippius the whiche was a player of dyse and moche enclyned to vayn occupacions. Thenne Saynt Austyn began to preche ayenst suche vanytres / & that seyng Alippius he supposed that Saynt Austyn had spoken of hym onely. And after the sermon he de∣maunded of saynt Austyn wherfore he had soo spoken ayenst hym. the whyche ansuerd. that the holy ghoost had doon it. for he knewe not ne wyst not that he was suche one / And the••ne the sayd Alippius repented hym and lefte alle vanytres / ¶ Semblably also saynt austyn by suche a maner conuerted a manichean by the wordes that he sayd at the table. by whych it appereth. how it is moche prouffytable to here the trouthe and prechyng of the word of god.

¶How men of the chyrche ought to estudye and to lerne sin¦gulerly the holy scrypture capitulo v

FOr to estudye is a thynge moche prouffytable and coue¦nable to men of the chyrche. And Aristipus ansuerd to one whyche demaunded what it auaylled to studye. That a man by his estudye lyued the more surely. and coude the better eschewe many Inconuenyencis / And therfore Boece in hys book of the dysciplyne of soolers sayth / that noo man may be∣come a mayster / but yf he haue science & vertues / & for that cause the auncient men alleway studyed. as recoūteth valere in his viij book the vij chapytre. & in dede thou mayst see how a man beyng clerke is moche eased in estudyeng beyng allone For he wote wel wherin he may occupye hym self / But the

ygnoraunt that can not vnderstonde what he redeth / wote not what to doo. but yf he be in companye to here vanyt••es and lewde langages as men ygnoraunt. the whyche repute them self half lost yf they fynde not suche as they may speke to and holde them fel•• wshyp at all tymes. But a clerke that can she dye is ryght Ioyous & at his ease whan he is solytarye and out of suche companye that ben ydle & ygnoraunt / & therfore a man ought to lerne sōme thynge & syngulerly in his yongthe for the rodde boweth whyle it is grene. And certeyn a man hath gladly playsyr in suche thynges as he hath ben accusto∣med in his yongthe: Trouthe it is that thou oughtest pryncy∣pally and fyrst estudye in holy scrypture & in that whyche is necessarye to thy saluacyon. For as sayth Saynt Austyn in the second book de doctrina xp̄iana. Alle the good & weel that is in other sciences. shal one fynde fyrst & princypally in diuiny be or theologye / whyche is the moder of alle wytte and of alle knowleche / And therfore thou oughtest to despyse all scyences whyche ben contrarye to holy scrypture. For as auerrois saith vpon the thyrd book of methaphisyque. They that ben accusto¦med to here & to lerne fables ben moche enclyned to lerne fal senes for trouthe. & they wene that there is nothynge but that in whyche they be nourysshed. Aud I am moche abasshed of many! folke of the chyrche / the whyche ben ydle and lerue noo¦thynge. For whyche cause they be founden in many Inconne¦nyences. For a man naturally wold be occupyed / & whan he knoweth not what to do by cause of ygnoraūce / thēne he em∣ployeth hym in playes dysordynat & in many synnes. & alle this cometh oftymes by cause of ygnoraūce. More ouer a mā ought to be wel aduysed that the vnderstōdyng whych is gy¦uen to hym to employe it wel / by whyche he knoweth the dyfference bytwene hym & beeflys. be not euyll bestowed re¦employed. Thēne it is a grete shame whā a man that may amende hym / nourissheth hym in ignoraūce. and maynteneth hym as a brute beest Thou mayst say to me that all may not

〈◊〉〈◊〉 derkes / And to that I ausuere the. that they whiche eusie∣•••• the lyf Actyf / maye by that manere escuse them / But as to men of the chyrhe. me semeth that they may not well excuse them / For they haue tyme and season ynough for to estudye and to gete connyng and scyence. And yf they emp∣loyed the tyme for to studye / the whiche they employe in vany¦tres. they shold be clerkes And shold haue more Ioye and playfir in theyr estudye / than they haue in vanytees / the whyche they mayntene / And of this mater / thou mayst see the fyrst boke / m whiche thou shalt fynde many thynges whiche ben to this same purpoos /