Here endith a compendiouse treetise dyalogue. of Diues [and] paup[er]. that is to say. the riche [and] the pore fructuously tretyng vpon the x. co[m]man̄mentes ...

Here endith the thridde p̄cepte / & begynneth the fourth. (Book 4)

¶Ca. i.

DIues.

As me thyn∣keth thou haste de∣clared the cōmaund¦mentes of ye first ta∣ble ful wele and parfitly to mā¦nes soul Now I pray ye for god¦des sake {per}fourme that thou hast begūne. and declare to me ye cō∣maundementes of the secund ta¦ble / y^t I may the betr̄ knowe god¦des lawe / and the more plesaunt¦ly serue my god / in kepe me the more peasible in charite w^t myn euencristen. For as I haue vn∣derstonde / al the seuyn cōmaūd¦mentes of the secounde table be knytte in the secounde {per}cepte of charite whiche biddeth vs loue our euēcristē as our self

Pau{per}.

Mankynde hath ii. begynnyn∣ges The firste begynnynge and begynner is god. The secounde begynnyng and begynner. is ye fader and moder By the first cō∣maundemēt of the first table we be taught to worship god aboue al thinges / as him that is begyn¦nyng of vs and of al creatures. By the firste cōmaundement of the secounde table we be taught to worship fader and moder yat been oure begynnynge next af∣ter god And therfore he saith ī ye firste cōmaundement of the se∣counde table. Honora patrem tuum et matrē tuā. That is to saye / worship thy fader and thy modre. By the preceptes of the firste table he taughte vs to loue god aboue alle thinge. By the preceptes of the secoūde table. he techith vs to loue oure euencristen as oure self. And for asmoche as charite is moost shewyd by worshipynge and hel¦pynge of oure euencristen / ther∣fore he begynneth by teching of

worship that owith to be doone to them that we owe by weye of charite moste to worshippe after god and mooste to helpe that is fader and moder And therfore he saith. Honora patrem tuū et ma¦trem tuam. Worship thou thy fader and thy moder. By which cōmaundement we ben boundē to helpe oure bodily fader & mo∣der at nede and be to theym bux¦um and meke / and fle their dis∣plesaunce. nat dispise them / nat āgre hem vnskylfully / nat bāne ne warie them / ne harme theym ne scorne them for none age / for none vnclenesse / for no wanwyt ne folye that they say or do / but supporte them ī their age and fe¦blenesse / as they supportyd vs ī oure youthe / and holpe vs. and kepte vs in oure feblenesse / whā we coude nat ne might nat help oure self. ¶We fynde Genesis ix.c. That Noe had thre sones. Sem Cham & Iaphet. Whanne the floode was doon it happyd y^t their fader noe dranke so wyne. that he was drōke / for he knewe nat the might of the wyne. For bifore the flode men dranke no wyne ne ete no flesshe. And whāne noe was thus drōke / his myddel sonne Cham fonde him liggynge bare / so that he might se his preuy membris And anon he laughed his fader to scorne / & wolde nat hile his fad{er} / but wēte and told it to his brethern iapīg and scornyng his fader But his brethern wolde nat se that nyce sight / but turned their face from their fader and cast a cloth vpon him and hiled him onestly. Whā ne noe awoke. and wiste whatt his myddel sonne Cham hadde doon to him. he was wroth with him and cursed his Canaan and al that shulde come of him / and made him thral & bonde to Sem and Iaphet / and to their childrē after them And thus for scornīg and vnworship y^• that the sonne dyd to the fader / begāne first bō¦dage and thraldom and was cō¦fermyd of god.

Diues.

Sithē Cham dyd the synne & nat cha∣naan whiche was yit but a child why cursed noe the childe chana¦an. and nat cham the childes fa¦der.

Pauper.

Noe wolde natt curse Cham in his persoone / for god hadde blessyd him in his per¦sone with his bretherne anoone after the flode And therfore he cursed his sonne / and him in his sonne / and punysshed him in his sonne / and alle that shuld come of him For it was goddes dome that right as he hadde do shame to his fader / so his children shuld be shame and shenship to hym

And as noye hadde no ioye of hī so shulde he haue no ioye of his children.

Diues.

The skylle is gode and rightful / saye forthe

Pauper.

Therfore Salomon saith. Oculum qui subsannat patrē: et despicit partum matris sue / suffodient eū corui de torrē∣tibus & demones / prouer. xxx.c The iye that scornyth his fader and dispiseth the birth of his mo¦der / rauyns of the brokes / thatt is to say. feendes of hel brokes. shal delue oute and pyke oute y^e iye. And therfore he saith in an other place. Honora patrē tuā et gemitus matris tue ne ob liuiscaris. Memento qm̄ nisi {per} illos non fuisses: et retribue illis quomodo ilu tibi. Eccle. vii.c. worship thou thy fader / and for yette nat ye sighinges of thy mo¦der. ne what peyne she had whā she bare the of her body. Thynk that but by theym thou haddest nat been / and yelde them and do to theim as they dyd to the. And god bad him self in ye olde lawe y^t who so cursed or waried his fa∣der or moder / he shuld be slayne Leuitici. xx.c.

The ii. chapter

DIues.

Manye children wolde ful fayn se their fa¦der and their moder dede / y^t they mighte haue her heritage / & lyue at their owne gouernaunce And ofte whāne they may natt haue it by their gode wyl ne by theire dethe / they wole haue it by plee. and by maistrye.

Pau{per}.

Such children fulle late shalle thryue. and they shal haue ful lytel ioy and worship of her children / but moche shame and shenshyp For as salomō saith He that cursith his fader or his moder or disesith theym / his lanterne shalbe quen¦chyd ī the myddes of derknesses. that is to say either he shal none eyre haue / or if he haue he shalle be withoutē worship For the he¦ritage saith he to whiche childrē hasten fast in this maner / shalle want blessyng and grace of god in the laste ende. Prouer. xx.c. And in a nother place he saith / y^t who so withdrawith any thyng from his fader and from his mo∣der. and saith it is noo synne / he is as wyckyd as a manqueller. Particeps homicidie ē. Prouer. xxviii.c. Also we fynde in the se¦counde boke of kinges xv.c. y^t absolon the sōne of Dauid wold haue put his fader dauid out of his kingdome / and he droue him oute of the cite of ierlm̄ barosote For he came so sodeynly on him that dauid was besy to fle. and

saue his lyf Sone after absolon yaue batayle to his fader in the felde. But as god wolde he was discounfited / and moche of his folke slayne / bothe by swerde. & by the wylde beestes.

Thanne absolon fledde ry¦dynge on his mule. discheuele. y^t is open heded And as he rode vn¦der an oke / his here that was ful longe and ful feyre smote vp a∣monges the bowes / & there faste¦nyd so that ye mule passyd forth in his rēne But absolon henge stylle by the here. tyl that Ioab. that was cheefteyne and prynce of the oste of dauid came to him and smote him through the hert with thre sperys / and dyd stoone him ful vp to the deth / that was the moste dispitouse dethe in the lawe And soo absolon that was thā ye fairest mā lyuīg / for haste that be hadde to the eritage and dyd suche wrong to his fader / he loste bothe his heritage and his lyf Also adony his brother wold haue been kinge while his fader dauid lyuyde / and dauid priued him of the kingdome for euir. & made salomon kinge / that was thāne nat xi. yere olde And after¦warde adonye was slayne for he wolde haue ben kinge ayēst his faders ordenaūce Therfore god bad ī the old lawe Deutro. xxi.c y^t if ther were any vnbuxū child & wrawe y^t wolde nat obey to his fader and moder / they shuld lede him to the rulers of the cite. and say to them in this wyse Oure sonne is stoute & proude / he wol nat here oure techyng ne our bid¦dyng / but he yeueth him to ryot glutonye and lechery / & to grete festes and fare And god bad y^t al the people of the cite or of y^t tow∣ne. shulde sle that vnbuxū child with stones / in example of alle other For whanne yonge folke. Wexe rebelle to fader and moder and yeue them to suche ryot and welfare / and ydelship / but they be chastised & withstōde ī the be∣gynnyng / they shal shēde the co¦myntee of the peple / by robbery. murdre & manslaughter / by coli¦sions & wicked cumpanyes and make rebellion & risynge ayenst their soueraynes / and so be cau∣se of destruction of the londe of the cite and of the comynte Also M^t xv.c. Criste in the gospel re¦preueth al tho that by ypocrisy. Withdrawe nedful lyuyng from fader or moder / vnder colour of goddes worship and holy chirch And he repreueth tho men of ho∣ly churche that so enfourme the children to say to their fader and moder. that they may nat wor∣ship god and holy churche for ye

coste y^t they do to susteyne theim self / and so make fader and mo∣der to lyue in myscheyf / y^t mē of holy churche may lyue in delice.

The iii. chapter.

NOt only by the precept of god ben we bounden and taught to worship and help our fader and oure moder / but alsoo by example in kynde as tellithe the maister of {pro}pirties. That whanne the stork that is clepyd Ciconia. in latyn hath brought forth her briddes to flight / both the male and the female bē wox¦en fulle feble for trauayle y^t they hadde in the bredyng and bryng¦ynge forthe of their briddes / and so feble that they may natt wele helpe theym self For bothe the male and the female sytte by dy¦uerse tymes on the eyren / & chaū¦ge their traueyle in bredynge of their briddes / and in fetchyng of mete and drynke for them self. & for their briddes. And therfore whanne the bryddes been woxē and may fle / they fetche mete to their fader & moder into the nest as longe tyme as they traueiled to brynge forth their byrdes / tyl they be releuyd and may traueyl to helpe them self. Also he tel∣lith y^t ther is a bridde that is cle∣pyd a pellicane. Pellicanus. And ther is a greate enemyte bi∣twene the pellican and the addre The addre waiteth whanne the pellican hath briddes / & whanne she is out of the neste to gete me¦te to her & to her briddes. the ad∣der crepith vp into the neste and sleeth the briddes. Whanne the pellican cometh ayen / and fyn∣dethe her briddes slayne on this maner / she mourneth three day∣es and thre nyghtes for dethe of her briddes. The thridde day she settith her ayen ouir her briddes. & with her bylle she smytethe her selfe in the syde. and spryngithe the blode on her briddes And by the vertue of the bloode she ray∣seth them fro dethe to lyf. By the bledyng she wexith so feble y^t she may nat traueyl to fede her self.

Thanne some of her briddes for loue and pitee put theym to traueyle and fede their moder / & some yeue no tale of her but on∣ly fede theym self. Whanne the moder is amendyd. and woxen stronge / tho briddes that helpyd her she loueth and cherissheth. And the other y^t wolde nat helpe her / she betith and bylleth and ca¦stith them oute of her cumpany.

The iiii. chaptre.

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Diues.

This precepte biddithe vs worship fader and moder / & y^t we may do withouten ony coste and with lityl trauaile / For we may ryse a yens theym. knele to them and take ther blessing and speke to them with reuerēce and so kepe ye cōmaūdemēt /

Pau{per}

The cōmaundement byndethe vs not only to worshipe. fader & moder with such reuerēce doing but also to worship them w^t hel∣pe at nede /

Diues.

Where findest thou that helpe at nede is cleped worship.

Pauper

In the firste pistle that seīt poule wrote to ye bubssop tymothee .v.c. where seīt poule bad that he shuld worship verrey widewis. That is to saye he shulde susteine them with go∣dis of holy church And he clepith there varrey widewis. that had no good to be susteined withe of ther owne / And if that she hadde childrē or fader or moder or whe¦reof to liue. he bad that she shuld lerne to rewle hir houshold and helpe fader & moder as they hol∣pen her / And in the same chapter he biddeth that prestis and men of holy church that rewle wel her sugettis. shuld haue double wor¦ship of the peple. That is to say the glose that the people shulde obey to them & do them reuerēce and finde them al that theym ne¦de. and namely to them that tra¦uayle in prechinge and techinge of the gospel

Diues.

It is ōly fo¦ly. Whan folke for age and feble¦nesse maye not ne can not helpe them silf ne gouerne theym silffe thāne to be take to ther childrēs gouernaunce of the howshold. & putte them silf in keping of ther children and ther gouernaunce.

Pau{per}.

More semely it is that they putte them in her childrens gouernaunce and keping than ī straungeris Namely if they ha∣ue founde them good and kinde to them bifore But for any trust in ther children I wold not coun¦sci••e them fully dysmytten them of her good / But alwey reserue the lorship to them silf. and ther children in daūgere / And therfor salamon sayth / Audite me mag¦nati and omnes ppli &c. Eccle. xxxiii. ye grete men and gouer∣nouris of holy churche and ye al people liste now to my saw yeue to no man ne woman power vp on the by thy self Neithir to sōne ne to doughti ne to brother ne to frend yeue not awey to other mē thy good and thy catell For hap¦pely it may repent the. and thān shalt thoupreye to haue helpe of thine owne good and thou shalt noon haue. Melius est vt filii tui te rogēt {quam}te respiccre in ma∣nus

filiorū tuo{rum} Eccl. xxxiii.c. It is better sayth he that thi chyl¦dren pray the and axe helpe of the: than thou loke īto ye hādes of thy children for helpe. I fynd that an olde man bitoke to hys sonne hys houshold and yaue hī al that he hadd to kepe him wel in his age / Firste he lay with his sōne in the chaumbre. at the last he was put oute of the chaūbree & layde him bihynde the spere at ye haldore For he cowght & row ghide so: his sonne and his sōnes wyf might no rest haue by hym in the chanmbre / And whan he lay so nigh the halle dore he had moch colde and clepyd to hī hys sonnes sonne a litel childe: and badde him goo to hys fader: and axe of him some cloth to kepe hī with from colde / The childe ded the erande: and the fader toke ye childe an olde sacke / Haue sayd he: and bidde hym lay this on hī Nay fader sayde the childe. butt kytte it in too. and sende ye him the halfe: and kepe ye to you ye other halfe: tyl to the time whan ye be olde that ye may thāne hil you therwithe and kepe you fro colde / Not longe syth thys caas bifel in colchestre There was an olde man sumdel lettred: which bitoke his sonne in his age al ye housholde / and yaue him al that he hadd for to kepe hī wel in his age First he lay in chaumbre wi¦the his sonne / after he was putt aloone: in an oute chaumbre in the yerde: and was seruede fulle cudl both at bedde and at boord On a daye he prayde his sonnes wyf to lene hym half a busshel to mete by a certeyn thynge / Butt he wold not tel hir what he shuld mete / She toke hī half abusshel hauyng greate wondre what he shulde doo therwith / He wentte into his chaumbre and shett the dore to hym / He toke a sewe pēs and halfpens & ferthingys / that he hadde: and put them into the craueises of the half busshel And sone aft he toke hir a yen hir half busshel / She loked besily in the halfe busshel: to knowe what he hadde mote therby / And thanne she foonde that money hanging in the crauises and cliftes of the halfe busshel: and she wend that he hadde mote money by the ves¦sel: And went & she wide it to hir husbond / and he wende the same For his fader kept eú a gret hut¦che besidis his bedde wel lockid Right heuy it was. but his sōne might not wete what was therin But after this dede he hopi••e y^t ther hadd be therein moch mony And in hope of that money He & his wyf kepte well and onestly

hys fader in to hys dethe. Whāne he was dede: he brake vp the hutche for keie fonde he non therto. And thanne fonde he in y^t hutche but erthe and stones and a betyllyinge ouer it with a scr∣owe theron in the wich was wre∣ten in this maner / whith this be til be they beten that her children her good shal letyn: and yeue a∣way al ther thinge & goon them self on beggynge.

Capitulū .v.

DIues

yet contrate. Crist sayth in the gospel. Qui non odit patrem suum et matrē suam-non potest meus esse disci¦pulus. Luce .xiii.c. He that ha∣tith not his fader and his moder he may not be my disciple / But that we be bounde to hate we be not bounde to worship ne to hel¦pe / Therfore thanne we be ney¦ther bounde to worship fader ne moder: ne to helpe them at nede

Pauper.

Crist sayde tho wor∣des whanne nighe al the worlde was hethen and of false bileue: whanne nighe al the faders and moders were in false bileue and in deedly synne / And therfore cri¦ste sayde tho wordes. Not that childrē shuld hate the {per}sōs of yer faders & moders But they shuld hate their false bileue / and theyr wicked liuynge. and so vs mus∣te al if we wyl be saued / we shul¦de loue euery man and woman and hate their synne / And in as moche as fader and moder with stonde vs in goddes weye: we sh¦ulde hate ther maleice and forsa¦ke ther wicked liuynge and fo∣lowe godd and be besy to drawe fader and moder after vs in god¦des weye by good techynge and ensaumple /

Diues.

yet contra¦te Crist sayth in the gospel. De∣ni seperare hominem aduers{us} pa¦trem suum et aduersus matrem suam m^t .x.c.

Pauper.

In god∣des cause and in truth man and woman owthe to forsake fader and moder if they wythestonde goddes cause / and holde a yens the truthe / And so Crist cam for to departe man and woman fro ther fader and moder: that stode in false bileue a yens god / Criste cam not to put ful hate bitwene man and his fader and moder: But for to make man & woman to forsake fader and moder for goddes sake: If they wyl let thē from godde / And therfore he say∣the in the same place. He that lo¦ueth fader and moder more than me he is not worthy to come to me / we shuld loue fader and mo¦der and helpe them at nede / thou

they be hethen and neuir so wic∣ked but we shulde loue god mo∣re than them And if we may not please godd and theym also: we shulde offende thyem and please god: and alwey loue ther person and hate ther synne / And be bisy to a mende them by good enfor∣macyon with loue & lownes and reuerence.

Diues.

yet contra te Seint poule saith. Non debent filii parentibus the saurizare sed parentes filiis .ii. ad co{rum} .xiii^•.c: Children owe not to tresoure ne to gadre to gidre to ther faders & moders: but faders and moders owe to tresure and gadre to ther children. Therfore thanne it se∣meth that children shulde not ca¦re for ther fader and moder: but fader and moder shulde care for ther children

Pauper.

Erhe of them owe to care for other / But more the fader and moder for ye childe: thanne the childe for fa∣def and moder

Diues.

Why soo

Pau{per}.

For the child is toward and by comon course of kynde is semynge lenger to lyue thane his fader or moder / And his chl∣dren shulde be his fadris childrē children and his moders / And so fadere and moder care not only for ther owne children: but also by wey of kynd: they care for yer children children: & haue effectiō mor̄ to ther childrē: than ther chil¦dren for them / And more care for ther children: than ther children for them / And therfore right as the rote in the tree by wey of kyn¦de yeueth more moysture & ver∣tue vp to the tree and to the crop¦pe / Thanne the tree or the crope yeueth doune to the rote: soo by wey of kynde the fader and the moder moste be more besie to hel¦pe ther children: and to ordeyne for theym. Thanne the children for fader & moder that sooner by wey of kind shuld dye / Netheles right as the crop refresshithe the rote by moysture of dewe and of reyne and bisshadewth the roote fro the hete of the sonne: so owth the children refresshe ther fader & ther moder in ther nede: and ke∣pe them from messhefe as moche as they may in good maner and kepe them wel and onestly / Not for to make them riche: ne noris¦she them in deliciis.

The sixte chapter.

DIues.

Whāne man or wo∣man entrethe into the reli¦gion: he is dede a yenste the worl¦de / Therfore thanne it semethe that bihis religion he is vnb••ū¦de from this pecept / And he that is not bounde to helpe his fader

or moder at nede / For whan he is professed in religion he maye not yeue / For he y^t nought haue nought may yeue.

Pau{per}.

Mā and woman by thys precepte is boūd to two thingis: to reuerēce fader and moder and to helpe th∣em at nede / As for the reuerence the religiouse is as moche boun∣de or more as ye seculere in time and place whanne and where he may doo it. But as for ye secunde poynte that is to helppe theym at nede if hys fader & mo∣der haue not wherby to lyue: ne be of power to gete ther liuynge onestly-the sonne owthe not to entre such religion: there he may not helpe thē for if he do he may be cause of ther deth: But if hys fader and moder haue enoughe to liue by: he may entre religion thowe fader and moder forbede it him: He shall not spare for lo∣ue: prayer: for blessynge / ne for cursse / For as saint austen sayth in eplā ad letum. This precepte byndethe there that thynges of more charge & more profyte lett it not.

Diues.

yet contra te. If the religiouse kepe not this pre∣cepte bi cause of his religion: he dede a mysse in takynge of his re¦ligion

Pauper.

That is sothe.

Diues.

I suppose y^t he se neuer aft{er} his fader ne moder: ne do thē no helpe ne reuerence: Houe ke∣peth he thanne thys precepte:

Pau{per}.

Thow he se thē neuer af¦ter: ne helpe theym at nede ne do to theym reuerence: if his wil be good to helpe them at nede: & to do them reuerence if he might co¦me to them hym silfe: or by mene {per}sone: yet he kepe the p̄cept / For thow this p̄cepte byndeth alwey man and woman: yet it byndeth not for alweye. as say these cler∣kes nat for eūy tyme ne for eue∣ry place: ne for euery cause. butt only for suche cause: tyme & pla¦ce whanne they may do it leful∣ly / And thus bynde al preceptis affirmatiue / But preceptys ne∣gatiue binde euery tyme and for euery tyme /

Diues.

What if fa∣der and moder falle in mischeefe after y^t ther sone is professed in re¦ligion: owe not her sonne to for∣sake religion. and helpe his fa∣dar and moder in ther mischeefe.

Pauper.

Some clerkes seye y^t for as moch as he is dede a yenst the worlde by hys profession th∣erfor he is dischargyd fro cure of fader and moder. as he is dischar¦gyd therof by bodely deth / And he owe not to goo oute of hys re¦ligion: but dwel styl vnder obbe¦diens of his prelate / Netheles he owe to do his deuor to helpe thē sauynge his obedience and ones¦tee

of his religion. In sū. cō. li^o. iii^o. ti^o. xxxiiii. q. CC. xlix.

Diues.

As I sayde firste. He y^e nought haue nought may yeue. but the religiouse maketh so his profession y^t he may no thing ha¦ue in propre / Hou shuld he than helpe either fader or moder: or o∣ny other of his kyn

Pauper.

If he be a religious mendinaūt: he may begge for his fader and mo¦der as he doth for him silfe: and so releue and helpe them by men¦nys almes / And if he do so: with oute doute god shall sende hym enoughe by cause of his charyte And he shal fare the bettre for th∣em bothe in body and soule / And if he be a religious possessionere endewyd by temporall godes he may releue them in the same ma¦ner. Or elles by almes of the hou¦se. Which is endewed principhly to helpe the nidy. and namely fa¦der and moder / For seint poule sayth that who so haue not cure of hys next: he is wors than iew sarseyn or paynym.

The seuenthe chapter.

DIues.

As thei say the go∣des of holy churche maye not be aliened: ne youen in God to the vse of seculeris.

Pauper.

for bede elles / For all that holy church hathe. it is youen to holy churche. or ellis purchasyd by substance of temporel lordes to helpe cristen people in mische∣efe / And therfore holy churchys goodes ben cleped the goodes of the pore and of the nedy .xvi. q. ī. decime et c^o. qui^o.

Diues.

The¦se religiouse possessioners endew¦ed in so grete richessys: saye that they be the goodes of the house: And therfore noon of them may yeue ony thing of the goodes wi¦oute comon assent of the couent And leue of ther souerayne / And so me thinketh that it is full har¦de to ony religious possessionere to helpe ether fader or moder by goodes of hys house / For the re∣ligiouse may scarsely help them sylfe by goodes of hys house: he shal ful euyl or may releue fader or moder by goodes of his house For redely he shall fynde bothe hys prelate and his couent ayēs hym: alegginge dilapidacion & wast and pouertie and greate ne¦de withe oute nede / For yet ther is no house that wyl saye y^t they

haue enoughe.

Pauper.

A sory lordship is thanne the lordshipp of religeouse that may nat in so greate richessys passynge dukes cerlis barons. releue the mysshef of theyr owne fader and moder. But sothely they shewe wel that al ther besinesse is to spare to pur¦chase to begge of lordes and la∣dies. and of other men londes & rentys gold and siluer. Not for help of the pore: but for to mayn¦teyn ther pride and ther lust fare Saynt benette ofte wythe goo∣de consience yaue to the couen∣tys gode to folke ī mischefe For we rede p^o. li^o. dialogo{rum}. That there was a good simple man di¦sesid for he ought a man twelue shillinges: and he had not wher¦with to paye / He cam to seint be¦net and prayd him of help Seīt benet sayde that he hadde noght thanne wherwith to helpe hym. But come a yen sayde he to me: after too dayes: and thāne I sh∣al helpe the if I may / Seint be∣net for petie that he hdde on that man praide to god for help / And sodynly be foond ligging thret∣tene shyllinges on the hutche of the couent that was full of whe¦te / whiche money seint benet to∣ke & yaue to that sory man / and bad him paye twelue shillinges for his det / And twelue pens oū he bad him kepe for his liuynge And withe oute doute if seint be¦nette hadde hadde so moche mo∣ney of the couent: He shulde ha∣ue do the same with the couents money with out assent of the co∣uent / For we fynde in the same boke that there was a grete hun¦gre in that cuntre y^e seint benette dwelled in / And whanne he saw folke at mysshefe: he yaue a way nigh al the godes of the couentt so that therere was no thing left in the couent wherby to liue but a litel oyle in a glasse / Ther cam a man to hym whos name was agapitus: And prayde him for goddes sake to yeue him alytyll oyle / Seiut benet bad the monk that hadde the oyle in kepynge: deliuer that oyl to that nedi mā The monke for negardship and for that it was the couentys go∣de wolde not delyuer it to the ne¦dy man / For if he yaue that a wey ther shuld noon leeue to ye couentt / Seint benet was mys∣payde: and badde another mon¦ke take the vessel of glas withe the oyle and caste it oute at the windowe: for y^t the monke was so vnobediēt for the oyle / whan it was caste oute: it felle doune more than an hundred foote on cragges and stones For the hou ¶se stoode vpon

an hygh hyl / & nether ye glas bra¦ke ne the oyle spylt. Thānee sit benet bad the monkes take it as it was / and yeue it to ye nede mā And thanne bifore al the mon∣kes he vndername the cellerer of hys pride and of his wanebileue Thanne saint benett withe hys brethern prayde to godd that he wold sende them some oyle wher¦by to leue / And anon a tūne that laye there besyde voyde sodenly was so ful of oyle that it ranne o¦uer in the flore / we reden also in the lyf of saint gregory that the re cam a man & axide saint gre∣gory almes for goddis sake For he hadde lost al hys good on the see: and onneth he escaped with lif Saint gregori that was than but abbot: bad his awmener ye∣ue hym sixe pens / And he did so The same day he cam ayen: and axide almesse: and hadde as mo¦che / He cam ayen the thyrde day and aleggide greate pouertye: y^t he hadde lost moche goode: and gate but litel a yen Seint grego¦ry bad hys {pro}curatour & rewler of the couentis godes that he shuld yeue hym his almsse / He answer¦de and sayde that there was non thinge lefte: but adisshe of siluer in which his moder was wontt to sende hym mete / Saynt gre∣gory bad hym yeue the poreman that disshe / And so he dede This pore man was goddes aungel: ī ye lekenes of a pore man / & for thys almesse god made seint gre¦ry afterward pope of Rome / we fynde also ī the lyf of saint fraū∣ces That he bad hys brethren ta¦ke the clothes of our ladies ault. & yeue thē to ye pore folk .viii.c.

Diues.

the religeouse saye that the godes of the couent ben alle theyre goodes in comon. And therfore may non of theym yeue oute awey withoute assentte of them al: For by comon rewle of the lawe: that toucheth al moste be approued of al / Quod omēs tangit: ab hominib{us} approbari debet. And by a nother rewle. the¦re may noo man yeue any other right: but such right as he hathe hym self / Nemo potest plus vi∣ris transferre in alium qm̄ sibi cō¦petere dinoscitur / And therfore sith no persone of the couent ha∣th any right in godis of the couē¦tys: therfore non of them maye yeue any almes of the couentys godes ne non other goode withe oute assent of them all: or of the more parte / For what thinge is any monckes of the couent: it is the couentis / And what so he get¦teth. it is the couentys. Quia qc quid adquiritur monacho: ad quiritur monasterio.

Pauper.

Bi such ipocrise vnder the color of poute they mainteyn ther pri¦de & ther auarice: & occupye gret¦ter lordshipys than do many du¦kes eerlis and barons to greate hindrynge of the londe and gret disease of the pore people / For y^e god ordeined to be comon to hel¦pe at nede all men at nede: they say that it is thers and no mānis els / So that foure men of religi¦on in one house myghte spende xx. thousend marke bi ther wil & by ther comon opinyon / al that good shuld neythir turne to help of the lond ne of the pore people but all to helpe the pore couent

Diues.

Say to my skillys.

Pau{per}.

Thy skillys be not wor¦the / For the godes of religiouse shulde be more comō than other mennes godis: to helpe the lond and the pore peple / And therfore sayth ye law: y^t comō lyf is nede∣ful to al men / & namely to them that wyl folowe the lif of cristes desiples / For as the eyre: or the light of the sonne may not be de¦perted: ne approprid to one pla¦ce more thā to a noyer / So saith he shulde al these worldly godes be comon in nede .xii. q̄. i. dilec∣tissimis / And therfore they y^• ha∣ue most nede: haue moste right to godes of the rereligeouse And the lorship is no more aproprid to the religiouse than to the secu¦leris / Fr bothe seculers and regulers shulde be holpen therby But dispensinge gouernaunce: And kepynge of the goodys of holy churche: is a {pro}prid to the re¦ligeouse and to other men of ho∣ly churche / And therfore saythe holy writt that in the begynyng of holy church al thinges were co¦mon to the multitude of al cristē people nat only to the apostlys: but to al cristen people. Actu∣um. quartum. capitulū. &. xii. q̄. i. dilectissimis. And ther∣fore if religeouse mispēde the go¦des that be taken to them. & help not the nedy peple: they do cristē peple grete wronge For they wi¦thhold them her right: and make {pro}pre to them y^t owthe be comon to al It is a shame and an ouer greate abusion: y^t aman of reli∣gion shal ride with his tenth sū∣me or with his twenty sūme on an hors of ten pounde in a sadel al gold bigon And for pouertye that he byndeth him to in his {pro}∣fession as they saye he maye not yeue an halfpeny for goddys lo¦ue ne helpe his fader and moder at nede withouten axyng leeue of hys souereyn / Syth god that is souereyn of al bad them helpe fader & moder at nede / For god∣dis biddīg is most to charge And

seint peter sayth / Obedire opor∣tet domino magis {quam} hominibus Men muste obeye to god more than to man / And therfore god may saye to such folke of religi∣on that witholden almesse from fader & moder & from the pore pe¦ple to make her house & her couēt riche. y^t he sayde to the maisters of the lawe and to the phariseys that were men of religion that ti¦me Quare transgredimini man¦datum dei {pro}pr tradicionem ves∣tram why breke ye goddes com∣maundenent for youre statutys and youre lore m^t. xv.ix.c.

Di∣ues.

It is long sithe I harde the speke of this matter. passe forth & speke more to purpos

Pau{per}.

Also we be bounde to worshipe fader and moder / nat only in re∣uerence doing and helping at ne¦de but also in obeiyng to her bid¦dyng and her lore / For salomon sayth / Audi patrem tuum qui ge¦nuit te / et ne cōtēpnas cum seu∣uerit mar̄ tua {pro}v. xxiii.c. Here thy fader that the begat & dispise not whanne thy moder is olde. That is to saye / For any age di¦spice hir nat / but be low and me∣ke to hir and set hir teching ī hert Iudicium patris audite filii di∣lecti &c. Eccl. iii.c. ye dere chil∣dren here ye the dome of your fa¦der: and do ye so that ye be saued He that worshipth his moder: he maketh hī a tresoure in ye worl∣de comynge / He that worship¦th his fader: he shal haue ioye of hys children / And he shal be hard of god in hys praier: and he shal liue the lenger good lyf / And he that obeith to his fader: he shal refressh his moder / He that drede god: he worshipe fader & mader And he shal serue hī that bigate hī as his lorde ī worde & in dede and in al paciēce worship thy fa¦der sayth he: that goddes blessīg mai comto ye The fadirs blessīg sayth he makethe stable & seker ye housis of her children: and the modris curs distroith her housis doūe to grounde He is ful of wic¦kide fame that: forsakethe hys fadris obedience / And he is a cur¦sed of god y^t angrethe his moder & wyl not do hir biddīg / Al these ben salomonis wordis eccle. iii.c And therfore god bad that chil∣dren vnbuxum to fader and mo¦der shuld be stoned to deth deut. xxi. We reden ieremie xxxv.c. That ionadab bad his children that they shuld neuer drīke wyn¦ne make house ne sowe londe ne set vine / And for that they kepte her fadris bidding: god seyde to them by the {pro}phete ieremye / For that ye haue obeide to the p̄cept of ionadab your fader and kept al his cōmaundemētis: therfore ye kīred of ionadab shal not fail

his cōmaundemētes. Therfore the kynrede of Ionadab shalle nat fayle / but al daies that kyn¦red shalbe in my sight / & I shalle haue iye to them and helpe them But the wicked people of iuda. and of ierlm̄ that wold nat obey to my cōmaundmentes I shalle distroye. Therfore seint poule saith Filii obedite parentib{us} ve¦stris. &c. ye children saith he o∣beye ye to your faders & moders for that is rightful thinge. Wor¦ship ye fader and moder for this is the first cōmaundment and bi¦heste / that ye may be wele in ly∣uynge longe vpon erthe And ye faders saith he prouoke ye natt. ne styre ye nat youre children to wrathe vnskylfully / but norys∣sheth them in gode lore and ī vn¦dernamynge of oure lorde god. Ad ephe. vi.c. Criste goddes sonne god and lorde of al thing bicame subgett to mary his mo∣der & to ioseph his keper / yeuyng vs al ensample to obeye and to be buxum & meke to fader & mo¦der And salomon saith. Audi fili mi disciplinam patris tui. My dere sōne here ye lore of thy fader / & forsake nat the the lawe of thy moder / & thāne thou shalt haue grace and worshyppe. Prouer. i.c. And as he saith in a nother place. He is a fole y^e scor∣neth his faders lore. And he that kepith his faders vndernamyng shalbe the more wise and the mo¦re slye. Prouer. xv.c. Also vs muste worship fader and moder with gode lyuynge For as salo¦mon saith. Dolor patris filius stult{us}. The childe fole is sorowe and shame of his fader. Confu∣sio patris de filio indisciplinato Of the sōne euil taught cūmeth shame and shenship of the fader. and his doughter fole & euyl tau¦ghte shal lese his worship / & the wyse doughter shalbe gode heri∣tage to her husbōde to saue him. And the doughter that shendith her husbonde is in grete despyte and shame of her fader. that bi∣gat her Eccle. xxii.c. The wise sōne gladith his fader The sōne y^t is a fole in lyuynge is his mo∣ders sorowe Prouer. x.c. Ira pa¦tris filius stult{us}: et dolor mrīs q̄ genuit eū. {pro}uer. xvii.c. The fo¦le childe is wrathe & tene of his fader / and sorowe of his moder. that bigatte him.

The x. chapter.

And therfore salomō saith. Virga et correptio tribu∣unt sapīam / puer aūt qui dimit titur voluntati sue confūdit ma¦trē suā. {pro}uer. xxix.c. That is to say The yerde vndernymyng yeuen wytte and wysdome to

the childe / and that childe y^t is le¦ten haue his wylle in his youthe shendith his moder & al his kyn¦rede. Example we haue in the first boke of kinges. of hely that was highest busshop and preest. of goddes lawe / and of his son∣nes ophny and phynees. That for their fader vndirnam theym nat ne chastised hem of their wic¦ked tatches / for the children syn and for his mys sufferaūce. god toke from him his dignyte. & frō al his kynrede for euyr / & slewe his children and nigh al his kyn¦rede in batayl. And so the wyc∣ked taches of his childrē vnwor¦shipyd him and alle his kynrede for euir / & brought them to ende lesse shame And his mys sufferā¦ce was cause of their deth and of his shenship and shame to al her kynrede. The synne of his chil∣dren was pride letchery lusty fa¦re and glutonye / and sleuth & re¦chlesnesse in goddes seruyce and in goddes lawe And therfore go¦de frendes & gode childrē I pray you alle that ye be buxū & meke to fader and moder / & worshipe them nat only with reuerence do¦yng in dede and speche / but prin¦cipaly with youre gode lyuyng. & youre gode berynge. For that is the most worship that ye may do to them / and the moste velo∣nye if ye do amys And do ye so y^t youre faders and moders & your kynred may haue ioye of you / & than shal ye haue ioye of youre children. For the wise man saith Qui honorat prēm suū io cūda∣bitur in filiis suis Eccle. iii.c. He y^e worshipeth his fader shalle haue ioye of his children. And who so worshipeth nat his fader & moder in this maner / but doth them wrath and tene by his mis¦lyuynge and euyl taches / he is a cursyd of god Maledictus qui non honorat patrē suū et matrē suā. Deutro. xxvii.c. Acursyd be that childe saith he that wor∣shipeth nat his fader and moder with his gode lyuynge / but vn∣worshipeth them with his mysly¦uynge. For al the myscheuys of the childe turne to vilonye & sha¦me of fader & moder. And al the godenesse and al the gode berīg of the childe / turne to grete wor¦ship of fader and moder / and of al the kynrede A grete worship. is to fader and moder whāne mē blesse them and pryse theym for godenesse of their children & say. blessyd be ye fader that the child begatt / & blessyd be the moder y^t him bare Therfore saith the wy¦seman that god worshypeth the fader in his children. Whanne he seeth theym gode children.

Eccle. iii.c. It is grete vilonye to fader and moder whanne mē curse them and deprayue theym for wyckednesse of their childrē And therfore the wise mā saithe. Non iocunderis in filiis impiis Haue thou no ioye ne likyng in thy children if they be shrewys & drede nat god It is better sayth he to haue one gode childe / than a thousande children shrewys / & better to dye withoutē / thāne to leue after them shrewyd childrē. Eccle. xvi. c. For as he saythe. Sapīe. iiii. c. Alle the children y^t come of wycked folke shalle be wytnesses of wyckednesse ayēst their fader and moder / whanne they shalbe chalengyde of theire wyckydnesse at the dome For the fader and the moder shal aū¦swere thāne for their owne wyc¦kednesse / and for their children wyckednesse But the wise man saith / if thou haue children tech theym wele / and bowe them and make them souple and meke in their youthe. If thou haue dou∣ghters. kepe wele their bodies & honestly / but shewe them no gla¦de chere / be nat to homely withe them Eccle. vii.c. While a tree is a smalle sprynge it may be bo¦wyd as men wole haue it Butt whanne it is ful woxen / it wole nat be bowyd So may the child in the youghe w^t a lytel twygge be chastised and made lowe and meke But whāne he is woxen & rotyd in pride and mysuse of ly∣uynge / it is ful harde to lowe hī or to amende him. And therfore the wise man sayth. Qui parcit virge odit filiū: et qui diligit il∣lū instāter erudit Prouer. xiii.c. He that sparith the yerde hatith his sonne / and he that loueth his sonne techith him and chastifeth him bisily. Example we haue in kynde of the egle. Which of al foules may se ferthest / and is mi¦ghtiest in sight / in somoche that he may se & loke ayenst the sōne whanne it shyneth moste bright without blemysshyng of the iye. And whanne she hath briddes & they be ful woxen / she doth hem loke ayenst the sonne And tho y^e loke wele ayenst the sonne with oute blemysshynge of iye / them she loueth and cherissheth. And them that wole nat ne may nat loke ayenst the sōne / or blemissh their iye in lokynge ayenste the sōne / she betith them and bylleth them. And but if they amende them / she castith them out of the neste / and putteth theim oute of her cumpany as for noon of her briddes. Thus shulde faders and moders teche their children. to haue their iye vp to god / that

is sonne of rightwisnesse: & take hede to goddes lawe by exaum∣ple of tobie: whiche sayde to his sonne / Al the dayes of thy lyf ha¦ue thou god in mynde: & be wa∣re that thou assentte to no synne ne leue not goddys cōmaunde∣ment. Tobie. iiii.c. And therfor salomon sayth. Eccle. vi. That the wicked man that loketh not vp to the sunne of rightwisnesse is so blent with derkenesse of sin¦ne / that he woot not what is go¦de: ne what is wicked / And ther¦fore sayth he in the next chapter wisdom with richessis is more {pro}¦fitable than with oute richessys: & it profith most to them that se¦the sunne. that is to say to them that haue iye to the sūne of right wisnesse. that is god / For as sa∣lomon sayth. Ocu•• sapientis in capite eius. Eccle. ii^o. The iyen of the wise man be alwey in hys hede. That is to say in crist that is hede of holy churche and of al thingis / And dauid sayth. Sic^t oculi seruorum in manibus dn̄o rum fuorum et sicut oculi ancil∣le in manibus domine sue: ita o culi nostri ad dominum deū nos¦trum donec misereatur nostri. As the seruantys haue ther iyen to the handes of ther lorde: and as the mayde in chaumbre hath hyriyen to the handys of hyr la∣dy: So muste vs haue oure iyen vp to oure lorde god til he wyll haue mercy on vs.

The eleuenth chapter

DIues.

Reson yeueth that men shuld teche ther chil∣dren goddes lawe: & gode thew∣is / and for to take hede to god y^t made vs al of nought / and bou∣ght vs so dere. But no we men saye that there shulde no lewed folke entirmete them of goddes lawe: ne of the gospel: ne of ho∣ly writ: nether to kun it ne to te∣che it.

Pauper.

This is afoule enour and ful perilous to man∣nys soule / For euery man & wo∣man is bounde aftir his degre to do his besines to knowe goddis lawe that he is bounde to kepe. And faders and moders godfa∣dres and godmodres be bounde to tech ther children goddes law or elles do them be taught / And therfore god sayth. Erunt ••ba hec. &c. These wordes y^t I bid ye thys daye shulde be in thy herte. Thou shalt tell them and teche them to thy children / Thou sha∣lt thēk theron sittīge ī thy house amougys thy folke: And whan thou goest by the way. Whan th¦ou goest to slepe. & whan thou a risest thou shalt bynde them as a

token in thy hande in thy dede: ī thy werke they shulde be alwey styrring byfore thy iyen of thyn herte / Thou shalt wryte theym in thy thressheolde and in thy do¦rys of thyn house that is to saye whanne thou comest in: and wh¦anne thou goest oute. ī thi begin¦nynge and ī the ending of euery dede / alwey loke y^t thou ne noon of thyne forfette a yens goddes lawe by cause of the. Deut^o. vi. c. And in another place of the sa¦me boke he saythe thus / Thou shalt teche my wordis to thy chil¦dren: to thy folke. and to thy kin¦nesmen. Deut^o: iiii.c. And saint austen sayth that ech man in his owne hon shold shuld do the offi∣ce of the busshoppe in techynge: and correctinge of comon thyn∣ges / And therfore sayth the lawe That the office of techinge and chastisinge longeth not only to the busshop: but to euery gouer∣noure after his maner / & his de∣gree. To the pore man gouning hys pore housolde / To the riche man gouernīg his folke / To ye husbondman gouernynge hys wyf. To the fader and mo∣der gouerninge ther children To the iustice gouernynge hys cun∣tre. To the kynge gouernynge hys people .xiii. q̄. iiii. duo. & q̄. v. nō putes. And oon neighbore shulde teche another / For saint Peter sayth. Euery man mines∣tre on to other the grace that he: hath taken of god .i. petri ii^o.c.

Diues.

My fader and moder be dede: And therfore I lete me dischargid of this commaunde∣ment.

Pauper.

Thow they be dede: yet art thou bounde to doo them worship and to helpe ther soules withe hooly prayers and almesse dedys if thou myghteste Also thou art bound to worship them with thy good lyuinge: as I sayde firste / For the wisman sayth That he that techeth well hys child: he shal be praysed and worsshiped in hys childe amon∣gis hys kynred he shal haue ioy and worsship in hys childe / The fader of the well taught childe ī some maner is dede: & ī some ma¦ner is not dede. For he lefte hys chylde lyke after hym / For all if the fader dye bodely: yet he lyue and is worsshipped in the good∣nesse of his children / Est mortu¦us et quasinon ē mortu{us}. Eccl. xxx.c. And in the wickyd lyuīg of the childe: the fader is vnwor∣shiped and dede. Whyle he gothe vpon erth / Also by thys cōmaū∣dement we be bound to worship godfader and godmoder.

The xii. chapter.

ALso to worship god: that is fader of al thynge that is cleped fader of mercyes: and god of al conforte. Pater mīa{rum}. et deus tocius consolacionis. He is oure fader for he made vs of nought. he bought vs wythe his blod he findeth vs al that vs nedeth and moch more: he saue∣th vs. he kepeth vs. he ledeth vs he fedethe vs: he medeth vs. He is our fader by grace / For by his grace he hath made vs eyrys of heuen blisse / was there neuer fa∣der so tendre ouer his childe: as god is tēdre ouer vs / He is to vs bothe fader and moder / And ther¦fore we be bounde to loue hym. and to worship him aboue al thī¦ge. as I sayde in the firste com∣maundement: But he maye say to vs as that he sayde to the vn∣kynde iewis / Filius honorat pa¦trem: et seruus dominum suum timebit. &c. The sonne sayth he by wey of kynde worshipith his fader / and the seruant shal dre∣de his lorde. Syth thanne I am fader of al. Where is my worship And sythe I am lorde of al whe¦re is my drede: Neyther ye wor∣shyp me as a fader: ne drede me as a lorde Malach. i.c. Nunqd non est pater vn{us} omniū vestrū Nunquid non deus vnius crea∣uit vos: Haue ye not sayth he al oon fader. & oon god made you all / why thanne sayth he despise ye ech man other. That is hys brother by pryde and ouerledīge and brekynge the cōmaūdemēt of youre formfadris: Malach. ii:c. Also for ten••re loue y^t he hath to mākynd: he clepc••h hymsylfe oure moder saiyng to sin••ul sou¦le: wenest thou sayth he: that ye moder may foryete hir yong chil¦de that she bare of hir body: and haue no reuthe ne petye theron: And thou she foryete hir childe & haue no petye theron: yet I shal not foryete the to shewe the mer¦cy. ysa. xlix^o.c. And therfore he sayth. Ego mater pulcre dilecci onis &c. I am moder of fayre lo∣ue. of loue drede. of knowynge of holy hope. In me is al maner grace of truthe & of lyf / In me is al hope of lyfe of vertu of mercy alof al maner goodnesse Eccle. xxiiii.c. And thus by this precep¦te we be bounde to loue our god and worship him aboue al thyn¦ge as oure principal fader & mo∣der / And that principaly for the mercy and pety that he shewthe to mankinde ī his gouernaunce & keping By the first cōmaūde∣ment we be boande to worshyp him aboue al thing for he is end¦les might as god & beginner and shaper of alle thynge.

The xiii. chapter

ALso we be bounde by this cōmaūdemēt to worship oure gostly fader that hath cure of oure soule: as pope. and oure busshop oure prelate. oure {per}son. oure vecary. oure curate. our cō¦fessoure / And oure moder that vs muste worshipe is holy churche. Of this maner fader and moder sayth salomon / Audi fili mi dis∣ciplinam patris tui: et ne dimit∣tas legē matris tue. Mi dere son sayth he here the lore of thy gost∣ly fader: and forsake not the law of thy moder holy church. {pro}ū. i.c. Of these maner faders spekethe also holy wryt / Lorde saythe he here byfore thou madest choson faders. and madest them ful ho∣ly .ii^o. macha. .i.c. Prelates of ho¦ly churche be cleped faders / For ther offyce is to gendre folke in right byleue: and to norishe thē in good thewys: and vertuous liuynge / And therfore saint pou∣le sayth / Per euangelin̄ ego vos genui. By this gospel I begate you in crist / Such faders be wor¦thy double worship: as saīt pou¦le saythe / For they be worthy to be reuerenced of ther sutgettis: & to haue ther liuynge / Therfore they owe to haue tithes and offe¦ringys of ther chyldren: that be vnder cure / For as saint pou∣le sayth in the same place / The werkeman that wel traueilethe io worthy hys mede .i. tymo .v.c. But now god may say. Regna∣uerunt {sed} non ex me. Prelatys haue reygned in holy churche: & not of me ne by my plesaunce I made them not I chase thē not And therfore saint poule saythe that thow men haue ten thousēd maisters yet they haue but fewe faders / For prelatis for the most part seke mor̄ ther own {pro}fyt thā profyt of mannys soule. Omēs que sua sunt querūt nō que Iesu cristi / Such prelates and cura∣tis be not fadirs of the peple: but wolues of rauyn that deuoure goddes peple. Sicut escā panis Of such prelatis & curatis speke ysaie the prophete. Ip̄i pastores ignoraueuerūt ītelligēciam. &c. Such shepeherdis prelates and curates knowe not goddis lawe ne the vnderstonding of goddes lawe / Al they bowed awey from goddes wey īto ther own wey of false confience from the higheste to the lowest. ysaie. lvi.r. And for that sayde he. that the shepeher∣dis prelates and curates of holy churche dede soo folyly: & wyll not seke vp oure lord god to ple¦ase hym and to serue hym / Ther¦fore they haue lost vnderstōdīg

and wit to teche the people / And so al ther flocke is disperplid by eresie debate diuisōn & discēcion Ieremie .x.c. who saythe god by toke the shepherdes & p̄lates y^t th¦us disparplen and al forrende ye flocke of my pasture or lesewe y^t is cristen people. ieremie .xxiii.c. And therfore saint gregori in his omelie. omē .xvii. Ve signauit dominus. Maketh his mone & sayth thus Praye ye to god that he wyl send trewe werkemen in∣to his corn. That is to say amō∣gis his people / For ther is moch corn and moch people to be tau∣ght / But fewe werkemen of pre¦chours to teche them and to tyll mannys soule. For thowe there be folke to hyre / There be fewe to seye or to teche / we se wel say¦th he that the world is ful of pres¦tes / But ful lytel ony of theym worchethe in goddes corn / For we take saythe he the offyce of presthode: but we fulfyl not to do the werke of the offyce.

The xiiii. chapter.

ALso by this precept we be bounde to worshyp oure eldre. that be oure faders in age And therfore god sayth. Coram can•• capite consurge. &c. Ryse vp sayth he byfore the whythe∣ryd man: and worship you the {per}¦sone of old man or woman: and drede thy lorde god / That is to say For drede of god worshype thou thyn elders: and despyse thē not for no age forno febilnes¦se. leuitici .xix.c. And therfore saint poule bad the busshop ty∣mothie that he shulde not vnder nyme hys eldre ne olde folke to shrapely ne to proudly: but prai them as faders to amende them. yonge men as brethern. olde wo¦men as moders. yonge wemen as systers in al maner chastytye i. adtimo .iiii.c.

Diues.

Oft ty∣me olde folke be more sherewys than other and be ful harde to a mende thei be so roted ī sīne And therfore as me thinketh them ne deth to be harde vndernoman & sharply / For god saithe. y^t ye chil¦de of an hundered yere shall dye and the synner of an hundred ye¦re shalbe cursed. ysa. xlv.

Pau¦per.

Some olde folke be vertu∣ouse and not customable to fine Suche owe to be worshipped: & if thei do some tyme amisse: for that y^• they be not customable to synne / therfore ther prelatis shul¦de the more spare them and mor worshipfully speke to thē Som olde folke be customable to sīne and wyl not amende them: and such be worthy no worshyp: as god sheweth wel by the wordys of ysaie. And therfore saint

gregori sayth that the olde man ••ole shuld be harde vnder nomā

The xv. chapter.

DIues.

Thy answer is skil¦ful: say forth I praye the

Pauper.

Also by thys precepte we be bounde to worshype oure kynge. oure lege. oure souereins alle / For al tho that haue gouer¦naunce of vs or of the comontie owe by ther office and ther digni¦te: to be faders of the comontie & of ther sugettys / And be besy to saue ther sugettys: as the fader hys children / And therfore naa / man prynce of syrye was cleped fader of hys seruantys .iiii. ℞. v. c. And iob sayde. Pater erā pau¦perum. I was fader of the pore and ye cause that I knew not I traced it and sought it vp besyly iob .xxix.c.. And therfore saynt poule byddeth the peple do wor∣ship and obey to ther souereyns. And he sayth thus. Serui obedi¦te dn̄is vestris carnali{bus}. ye ser∣uantes obey ye to your flesly lor¦des with drede and trimelyng in simplenesse of youre herte: as to crist / Serue ye thē not only at ye iye to plese them: but as crystys seruantis: do ye the wyll of god of hert wythe gode willferuynge them of oure lorde god. Not as men. That is to saye: serue ye them truly for ye drede of god and for the loue of god And then¦ke ye that the seruyce that ye do to them: ye do it to god. And he principaly shall yeld you youre mede / For wete ye well sayth he that euery goode dede that man or woman doth: be he free be he bond: he shal take his mede ther∣fore of oure lorde god / And ye lordes & souereins sayth he do ye the same to youre seruantis: and foryeue them your thretnynges and thenke ye and wete ye it wel y^t god ī heuin is god both of you and of youre seruantys. and soo ye and they haue bothe oon lord oon god that accept no man for hys persone. but yelde eche man and woman after he deserueth. Ad eph. vi^o.c.

Diues.

By these wordes it semeth that seruantys for her true seruice: shal haue mo¦ch mede.

Pauper.

That is soth For he that doth goddes byddīg god shal yeld him hys mede / And it is godges biddynge and god∣des wyl: that they serue truly & lowly ther souereyns / And ther∣fore sayth the glose: That sythe crist biddethe the seruantes serue truly: if they serue truly: they ser¦ue not only mā ne womā but prī¦cipaly they serue criste /

Diues.

Why byddeth the apostle that the seruantes shuld obeye and serue to flesly and carnal lordes

Pau¦per.

For the glose sayth: Them most by goddes lawe obeye not

only to good lordes: but also to shrewys / Therfore saynt Peter sayth Subiecti estote oīm huma¦ne creature {pro}pter dm̄ &c. Be ye sugettis sayth he to euery man & woman that is youre souereyn not for them sylfe: but for god. Be ye sugettis to kynges to du∣kes & to temporal lordes & thēk ye thatodg hathe ordeyned them to veniaunce of wicked doers & to preysinge of good folke / For thus is the wyl of god that with youre good dedys and youre me¦ke seruice ye stoppe & make styll the vnkunnynge of the vnwise folke / Serue ye as fre men: that is to saye: not only for drede of. man: But for drede and loue of god as goddes seruantes / Dre∣de ye god. and worshyp ye your kynge. And ye seruantes be ye sugettis and meke in al drede to youre lordes that is to saye not only in seruyle drede. but also in loue drede for goddes sake / Be ye sugettis for goddes sake: not only to gode lordis and wel reu¦led: but also to shrewys and ty∣rauntis. Non tantū bonis & mo¦destis {sed} eciā discolis / For than / ne is man and woman worthy thanke of god. Whanne for con∣sciens and goddes sake he suffe∣reth paciently disese wythe oute gylt / If ye be beten and bo∣feted for youre synne and youre trespase: ye be worthy no thank neyther of god ne of man / But if ye do wel. and with that suffre paciently disese vngyltly Than be ye worthi moche mede of god And for to do th{us} criste yaue you ensaumple whanne he suffered paciētly bitter deth withuot gilt that ye shulde folowe hys step∣pes and paciently suffre woo wi¦th oute gylt / Theyse be the wor∣des of saint peter in hys first pist¦le. ii^o.c. Here to accordethe saynt poule in his pystle. Ad rom̄nos. xiii^o.c. Where he sayth thus Eue¦ry soule. that is to say. euery mā and woman moste be suget and meke to the power aboue theym and to hys souereyns. For there is no power ne lordshype but of god and of goddes ordinaunce: And therfore saythe he. Whoo so withstondeth the lorship and the power of his souereyn: he wyth∣stondeth goddes ordinaūce and getthe him dampnacion wythe∣oute end / For why sayth he prin¦ces & lordes be ordeyned of god to drede of wycked werke: not to drede of gode werke / wolt th∣ou not drede the power of thy so¦uereyn? Do wel and thou shalt haue preysing of him / For if he be a gode lorde: he shall loue the the better / And if he be a shrewe thou shalt haue the more preisīg of god y^t thou doest wel vnder a

wycked souereyn as saythe the glose / Thy kyng thy lord is god¦ges ministre ordeyned of god to thy good If thou do amys drede thou For he beryth not the swerd without cause For he is goddes mynistre: to venge the wrath of god in hym that doth amys And therfore sayth he. be ye sugettys and meke to your souereyns as to the nedful ordinaunce of god not only for to fle wrath of your souereyns: but also for consciēs And therfore ye yeue tributes to youre princes and lordes-for th¦ey be goddes mynestres and ser∣ue therfore in defendyng and go¦uernaunce of the people / And as the glose sayth. in that ye yeuen them tribute ye serue god: for th¦ey be goddes mynistres.

The xvi. chapter

DIues.

Whanne saint pou¦le sayde tho wordes: em{per}¦ours kynges and nyghe al pryn¦ces and temporal lordes vpon erth were hethen and of false by / leue: bou might they be goddes minystres or goddes serūantys?

Pau{per}.

Eueri creature is suget and seruant to god: or wyth hys wylle: or wythe oute hys wyl. And therfore saynt austen vp y^• psalme. Exoudi deus oracionē meam. sayth thus wene ye not y^t god suffereth wicked folke to be in thys worlde with oute cause? For euery wicked man sayth he eyther god suffereth hym to lyue for to amende him. or elles that good men maye be amended by hym. and wynne mede by him in that that they suffre hys malyce paciently: and trauayle for to a¦mende him / The malyce of shre∣wys is purgatorie to gode folke and shrewys be goddes scourge: to chastyse goddes children why¦ch he had ordeyned to the kyng∣dome of heuen. and to punysshe and purge the synnes of theim y^t god loueth. and also to punyssh other shrewys / And therfore god sayde to the synful iewys For ye wil not here my wordes ne kepe my lawys: Therfore I shal send aft{er} my seruant nabugodonosor kynge of babyloyne: and bryng him & al his peple vpon this lon¦de: and distroy this londe bi cau¦se of synne. Iereīe. xxv.c. Thys nabugodonosor kynge of baby∣loyne was an hethen man a fyn shrewe and had noo loue to god ne knewe hym for hys god / He was a wicked tyraunt & destroi¦ed goddes lawe and goddes pe∣ple and goddes temple in ierlm̄. And yet god cleped hym his ser∣uant / For he was goddes yerde

to chastise shrewys and to punis¦she the synnes of goddes people And as ye se that whanne the fa¦der hath beten his childe withe a yerde he castith the yerde into ye fire: right so whan god hath chas¦tysed and scourged his chyldren by wycked men and by wycked tyrauntes that be goddes yerde. but if the tirauntes amend them he shal cast them into the fyre of helle with outē end / And therfor he sayth. Ve assur virga furoris mei et baculus ipse ē &c. Woo be to the people of assur and to hys kynge: for they be the yerde and the staf of my wrath:

I shalle sende theym a yens the false peple And ayenste the peple to which I am wroth I shal byd him distroy the peple: robbe thē. & sle them / But he weneth not so but he witethe it al to hys owne myght. & he dothe of malyce & I bid hī do my rightfulnes ysa. x.c

The xvii. chapter.

DIues.

Syth it is so that al lordship and power ī er¦th cometh of god: me merueleth moche why god yeueth wycked men such power in thys worlde?

Pauper.

The power comethe of god: but the malyce & wicked¦nesse & wycked couetise comethe of man.

Diues.

God knowith ther maleice and what they wyll do. Why yeueth he than such lord¦ship and power to shrewis

Pau¦per.

For comon synne of the pe∣ple / For synful people rebel and false is worthy to haue no good lord merciable ne benygne But for to haue cruel lordes false ty∣rauntes lyke the peple / And ther¦fore iob sayth. Regnare facit y∣pocritam {pro}pter pctā pplī. God maketh an ypocrite a wicked ly¦uer to regne for synne of people. iob. xxiiii^o.c. And therfore say the holy wryt that god yaue his people a kynge in hys wrat such as shulde disese them. Osee. xiii. Dabo eis regem in furore meo.

Diues.

The phylosofre saythe iiii^o: ethi. that the wicked man is worthy no worship: and only ye goode man is worthy worshyp / For as he sayth there / worship is mede of vertue / And so he that is not vertuous and vicious as ty¦raūtys be: is worthy no worship

Pauper

y^t is soth

Diues.

Why byddeth than god & peter & poul as thou hast sayd y^t mē shuld do worship & obey not ōly to ye go¦de lordes but also to the wycked

Pau{per}.

As I sayde first we shul¦de obey & do worship to them not for themsilfe but for god and for power y^t god hath youen theym And for that they represent god¦des {per}sone in erthe we shulde wor¦shype theym not ther owne per∣sonnes

but for the dignitie y^t god hath youen them and made thiē oure souereins And they be gode and vertuous we shuld do them worship and obeye to theym not only for her dignite: but for ther vertu and oure owne {pro}fyt / And the rfore saint poule sayth. Obe¦dite prepositis vrīs. &c. ad hebr. xiii.c. Obey ye to youre prelatis and souereyns and be ye meke & suget to them: For why sayth he they be ful besy and traueil to sa¦ue youre soulis. as thei that shul¦de yeue answere for your soulys at the dome.

Diues.

Many of theym care ful lytel for mannys soule / They care more to get mo¦ney and mannys good / And ma¦ny of them be ful febyl lyuers.

Pauper.

Whanne they be suche take no ensaumple of ther wyc∣ked lyuyng. do not as they doo. but as thei sey whanne they tech wel. and reuerence theim for ther dignite and for ther ordre. for so bedeth criste in the gospel.

Di∣ues.

I suppose that thei neyther do wel ne teche wel: for many of them be ful lewed /

Pauper.

yet as longe as they be thy soue∣reyns or thy curates thou shaltt obey to them in al thing resona∣ble and leful that longeth to her office. and do them worshyp for ther dignite. not for ther persone but for god. Whos persone they present in messis singing in shres¦tis hering and in other sacramen¦tis yeuyng and in gouernynge.

The xviii. chapter.

DIues.

I suppose that my lege lorde the king bydde me do athynge. and my mayster or my souereyn bydde me do the contrary or if my curate byd me do athing cōtrary to my bisshop¦pis byding to whom shal I obey

Pauper.

In that cas tou shalt obey to thy kyng that is thy so∣uereyn. and thy maystyrs soue∣reyn also. and thou shalt obey to thy busshop that is thy curatys prelate and thyn also. if the kyn¦ges bidding and the busshoppys be not ayens goddes worshyppe And if thy kyng thy pope: or thy busshope: or any other souereyn byd the do any thynge that thou knowist wel that it is ayēs god∣des worship and ayens hys law thou shalt not obey to thē ī y^• but to god y^t is ther souereyn: & thin also. And therfore sayth saint pe¦ter to the iewis Obedire oportet mag{is} deo qm̄ hoī{bus} It bihoueth to obey to god more thā to men: If it be rightful to her̄ you rath∣er thā: god: deme ye. and ye lawe

sayth that if oni souereyn bid his suget ony thing that is contrary to god: the suget shal not obeye ne do ony thing vnrightful and vnonest: ne that shuld harme ye comontye for hys biddinde if he knowe wel that the biddinge be not leful .i. q̄. iii. nō sem{per}

Diues.

I suppose that the sugette be in dout whether it be goddes lawe or nay.

Pau{per}.

Than shal he o∣bey to hys souereyn: and he is ex¦cused / but if it be in such thinge y^t he is bounde to knowe & to kun As if he byd him ony thing y^t is o¦penly ayens goddes cōmaunde∣ment or ayens the feyth. or ayēs goddes lawe or lawe of holy ch∣urch / that he is bound to knowe thanne shal not he obeye in ony wyse to hys bdidīge.

Diues.

Is the suget boūde to obey to his so¦uereyn in al thing leful.

Pau{per}.

Seruage and subiection came ī amongys mankynge for pryde and other synne / But as sayth a greate clerke. seneca .li^o.iii^o. de beneficiis. This seruage wentt not into al men ne in al wemen: But the better parti of man and woman that is the soule is oute takyn from such seruage & only mānis body and womās is boū∣de to seruage of tenmporall lor∣des and of ther souereyn. & man¦nys soule and womans is fre so that he maye haue hys thought hys loue. his wyl inward as him lyke. With oute leue of his soue∣reyn / And therby he offēdeth not hys souereyn ne pleseth▪ but on∣ly god y^t knowth suerly mannys herte / But only in the dedis of ye body the suget is bounde to obei hys souereyn.

Diues.

In which dedys?

Pau{per}.

In suche as lon¦ge to rewle and gouernaūce and in such thinges as he hath made hym suget into hys souereyn: in such the suget owthe to obeye to hys souereyn / As knyght in ar∣mes is bound to obeye hys chef∣teyn & hys leder in thynges that longe to armes / The bond man to hys lorde ī doing seruyle wor¦kes in dutie of his bondage: the sonne to his fader: in thing that longeth to good norture & rewle of his houshold: the wif to hir hus¦bōd: ī thing y^t lōge to matrimony & social liuing / not in werkes of vileyn siruage / And if the wif o∣bey more than she is bounde to. And do more dedis of lownesse ī plesaunce of hir husbonde than she is bounde to: she is more to prayse. and the more he owth to loue hir & haue hir in worship as his owne flesshe / And if she do it for goddes sake: god shal be hir mede thowe hir husbound be ful vnkinde. But in thinges that

longe to the kyng of mannis bo¦dy: man ne woman is not suget to hys lorde ne to hys souereyn temporal. but only to god / For al men in thinges that longe to kynde of body be euen: as ī sub¦staunce of the body: in bringing forth of childrē / And therfore the seruaunt may wedde withoute leue of his lorde. and the sonne withoute leue of his fader / And the seruant may kepe hym chast withoute leue of his lorde and a yens hys byddynge. and the son a yens tye byddyng of hys fader and wedde a yens his byddynge and if him like. Netheles it is go¦de that yonge folke in such thin¦ges folow the counseile of fader and moder and of ther frendes: but if ther counseile be to let thē from god / For this skil also hus¦bond and wif as ayens vsing of ther body be euen and eche of thē hath power ouer others body.

The xix. chapter.

DIues.

Is the people boun¦de to obey to the Pope to ther busshop to ther curate in all thingis what they wyl byd them do?

Pauper.

In al thinge that longeth to keping of feythe and of goddes lawe: and fleing from vicys to which thingis they boū¦de them in ther baptem: they be bound to obey / And in al thīgis of the which the gouernaūce lon¦geth to men of holy church by co¦mon lawe grounded in goddes lawe to gouern the people not ī other thinges that long not too men of holy churche: ne in ther preceptis not grounded in god∣des lawe / And ī the same maner clerkes be bound to obey to ther prelates in thinyes that long to ther offyce grounded in goddes lawe & religious to ther prelates ī thinges that long to kepyng of religion /

Diues.

I suppose y^t lordship or prelaci be occupyed vnrightfully by might and fals¦nesse. by symonye gyle and tresō be ther sugettis bounde for to o∣bey to them?

Pau{per}.

If they o∣bey to them in thingis leful it is medeful / Netheles some clerkis sai that such cas men be not boū¦de to obey: but for to fle slaūder and the more desese. Petrus in scrip. su{per} ii. sent. d. vt. & sm̄. con∣fes .li^o iii. ti^o. xxxiii. q̄. v. But for as moche as god yeuethe oft ty∣mes the realmes and ye lordship¦pis of this worlde: and prelacye also not by mannys lawe ne mā¦nys dome. but by his owne pre∣uy dome and he is souerayn mi∣ght lorde of lordes & kīg of kīg∣ges therfor it is most sure to obei

to such lordes and souereyns as longe as god sufferith them For god yeueth lordship and prelaci in thys worlde: bothe to good & wycked / And therfore as we fyn¦de in danielys prophicie: god ma¦de nabugodonosor the wycked tyraunt kynge and lorde of the greate part of thys worlde: And after for hys pryde he toke hys kyngdome fro him: and made hī in wyt lyke a beste. that he wend to haue be a beste halfe lyon half oxe. and so he went on all foure and fedde him amongis bestes ī the forest seuen monethis tyl he knew y^t god was prīcypal lorde of euery kīgdome & y^t he yeuethe kīgdom lordshyp to whom y^t he wyl danielys .iiii^o.c. And therfor god sayde to sedechye that was kyng of goddes peple: and to o∣ther kynges in the cuntre besyde I made erth man and beste vp∣on erth in my greate might: and I haue youen the lordship to hī that me lyketh / And I haue yo∣uen al these londes & kingdoms here a boute to nabugodonosor my seruant kyng of babiloyn: & al nacyons chulen serue hī & his sōne & his sōnes sōne / & what na¦cion or kingdome wil not serue him ne obey him: I shal distroy y^e nacion by swerd hūgre & moreyn & who so wyl serue hī & obey to hī I shal late him dwel styll in hys owne londe / And therfore serue ye him mekely & obey ye to hym & ye shal liue & fare wel. ieremie. xxvii.c. And crist in the gospel sayde. Reddite que sunt cesaris cesari: et que sunt dei deo. yelde ye to the em{per}our of Rome: that is the emperours and yelde ye to god that is goddes / And yet the em{per}oure of rome had no right to ye lordship that he occupied: but onli bi the yeft of god & by swerd

Diues.

I suppose that the bus∣shop byd a prest curs a man whi¦ch man the prest holdeth vngilti and the multitude of the people also.

Pauper.

Eyther the bus∣shop biddeth the brest denounce him a cursed. or he bideth him a curse hym / If he byd the preste denounce him acursed in the bus¦shoppis name. if he may not wel put it of / But he shal by wey of charite excuse that man ī as mo¦ch as he knowth him vngilty. And also excuse the busshop: say¦ing that he is mys enformed: & if he had konwe the trewth: he wol¦de not haue cursed him / And he shal coūsel that man to suffre it lowly for helpe of his soule And he shal enfourme the busshop as sone as he may of that mannys vngyltynes / But if the busshop byd the preste acurse hī the prest

moste take hede whether his vn∣giltyede is opēly knowen or is ī doute: or it is certeyn but not o∣penly knowen / If his vngylty¦ede be openly knowen: the prest shal alegge to ye busshop that he is vngilty and proue it by wyt∣nesse And if he faile ī his profe he shal obey to the busshoppis byd¦dynge thowe he knowe that the man is vngilty / And if he maye preue hym vngilty: he shall not curse him. thow the busshop byd him neuer so fersly If it be ī dout whether he is gilty or nay: Thā the prest shal obey to the busshop¦pys byddynge. Sm̄. {con}f. li. ti. xxxiii. q̄. vi. Quid si episcopus.

The xx. chapter.

DIues.

Whan the officerys of the kynge knowe well that a man or woman is damp∣ned to the dethe vngyltly: shall they obey to the iuge that bydde themsle man or woman withou¦te gylt?

Pauper.

If the officer be seker y^t he is vngilty: he shall not sle him: but he shal obeye to god that biddeth him sle no man ne woman vngilty / But if he be ī doute whether he is gilty or vn¦gilty: thanne he shal obey to the iuge & do his biddind / And he is excused by his obediens. Kay. li. ti. ix. de iuramento & periurio. C.xiiii. quid de iudice. Netheles ye sugettis moste beware in suche doutis. y^t they p̄sume not to mo∣ch of ther owne wyt / For ful oft a man weneth to know a thing & be in certeyn of his knowinge and yet he is deseyued: & it is not as he weneth / And it is fulpere∣lous to the suget to repugne the dome of his souereyn: & to rep̄ue ye wit & the setēce of many wyse men / And therfore I counseyle the sugettis & the offyiceris ī such thinges to stond to ye consiens & the ordinance of ther souereyns & obey withe sorowe of herte ha∣uing pety of mānis deth & of his disese & no lyking in cruelte And therfore god bad in holy writ: y^t men shuld folow the sentence of ther iugis & do ther bydding And who so wolde not obey them. he shuld be slayn. deut^o. xvi^o.c. The kynges iustice representhe the kynges persone in fulhighe degree / And therfore men moste be more adred to withstond hys sentence and hys dome / For his dome is cleped goddes dome: & as salomon sayth / Sicut diuisi¦ones aqua{rum} it a cor eius in ma∣nu dn̄i. &c. As the watris saith he may lightly be de{per}ted & drawen in diuerse perties: so is the herte of the king & of iuges: & rewlers

in the honde of oure lorde / He sh¦al encline it wheder he wyl / For the dome that semethe vnryght / full to mannys wyt: is rightfull in goddes sight / And thowe the dome be rightful in goddis sight and thowe the man be worthi to dye. if ye iuge wene that it be vn¦rightful & he yeueth the sentence wenynge sekerly / that it be vn∣rightful: he senneth dedly. thow his sentence be rightful / For as saint poule sayth All that is not done of feyth and of good consi¦ence it is synne / If the man be gilty: the law and his mysdedis slee hym / If he be vngyltly slay¦ne by fals dome of the iuge or ••i a false queste or by them y^• myse enformed the queste they sle him & not the officerys. but if he do it wetingly a yens the worship of god: whanne the falshede of the dome is openly knowen. or if he do it withe lykynge in crueltye.

Diues.

Is the religious man or woman bounde to obey hys pre¦late: whanne he byddeth hym to ony thing ayens his rewle

Pau¦per.

In al thynge that longethe to very obseruance of hys rewle or is nedeful to good & trewe ke¦pynge of the rewle: he is bound to obeye. but he haue resonable excusacion / In other thyngys that be īpertinent to the rewle & to hys profession or contrarie to the rewle: he is not bound to o∣bey / For if he were bounde to al such byndyngis: his yeer of no∣uycere shulde serue of nought. For hys prelate might so agreg∣ge the hardnes of lyuynge in reli¦gion in double more than he ma¦de hys profession to. and bynde hym to more penaunce without comparison than euer he thou∣ght to bynde hym to: and put hī ī another maner lyuyng. that he made neuer hys profession to: ne knowe in the yere of hys assaye ī hys nouycery / And by the lawe euery vowe is sette in some cer∣teyn / But if the religious were bounde to obey in al thynge: his profession were al vncertein and vnassayed in his nouycery / Ne∣theles it is a greate perfection to obey in alle thingys leful after y^e man or woman may do sauyng hys rewle and goddes worshyp And if hys prelate byd hym doo ony thynge ayens hys rewle: he most take hede whether hys pre∣late may dispens with y^e point of rewle or nay / If he knowe wel y^t he may dispēs with y^t: he owth to obey his biddīg. But if he know wel y^t he may not dispens with y^e poīt of the rewle: he shal not obei to him ī that: & he shal also obey if he be in doute whether he may

dispense or not

Diues.

Tel me some exaumple

Pau{per}.

In fas∣tynge in wakynge: in silence ke¦ping / & in diuerse obseruāce of re¦ligion: the prelate may dispense & ī cas he owth to dispens ayens his sugettis wyl: whan he seethe that his sugett may not kepe su¦che poyntis of his rewle with ou¦te vndoinge of him silfe or with¦oute hinderinge of other thingis that be more to goddes worship And ofte tymes the sugettis wyl do more than they may do: and put them to more than they mai perfourme / And than ther prela∣te as a good fader ouwthe to ta∣ke hede therto: and for saluacōn of hys suget dispēce with hym & put hī ī discrete goūnāce for sal∣uacion of the persone. and for ye worship of god / And the sugette owth to obey his biddyng & stōd to hys ordinaunce: withe good conciens / In some thynges the prelate may not dispence: as in the princiapal poītis of euery re¦ligion. that is to lyue in obeiden¦ce: in pouerte and ī chastite / And many other thingis ben exempt by lawis of religion in which ye prelate may not dispence / And therfore if the prelate byd the su∣get do ony thīge that is ayens ye thre principal pointis of his rew¦le or a yens such thingis ī which he may not dispence: hys sugett owth not to obey hys biddynge

The xxi. chapter.

DIues.

If the busshop byd a clerke yeue hys boke to his nece or neuewe or resigne his church / & his benefice that ye bus¦shope may yeue it to hys nece or neue we: or to some of his kyn: is that clerke bound to obey y^e byd∣dynge of the busshop:

Pauper.

Nay forsoth / For it longeth not to the busshop to bidde such thin¦ges / Netheles if the clerke haue gode bokes and is vnable to {pro}∣fite in boke / and the busshop bid¦de him lene the boke to a nother clerke that is able to profyte in boke and to helpe holy churche: he is bound to obeye / If he gate tho bokes of holy churche godis or by cause of holy churche: as if it were youyn or biquethid hī to profit of holy churche: But if ye bokes be puerly his owne: he is not bound to obey that biddyng

Diues.

What if the husbond bid hys wyfe breke a vowe that she hath made to god: as of fastyng of pilgrimage. continence. Wol∣ward goyng and such other: I•• she bound to obey his byddynge

Pau{per}.

ye forsothe / And but she obeythe hys bidynge in that ells

she synneth / And if she do his bid¦dyng only for obedience: she wī. neth moche mede. for in that she obeyth to god which biddeth hyr obey to hys husbond / And so in y^t she doth the wil of god: thowe y^• she be sory that she may not per∣fourme hyr vowe xxxiii. q. v. no suit More ouer leue frēd ye shal vnderstonde that as sayth saynt bernard ī eplā ade mdch. Sūme thinges be puerly good of the sil¦fe: and to suche we be bound by goddes lawe. as ten cōmaūdmē¦tys / Sūme be ful wicked of the silf / and tho we be bounde to fle by goddes lawe wythouten any bydding of any souereyn vnder god / And therfore in such thyn∣ges stondeth not properly the v{er}∣tue ne mede of obedience to man or woman / Other thinges there be that maye be goode and they may be wicked. and wel do and euyl do. and ī such thinges ston∣dethe properly obedience: y^t men owe to ther souereyns: For in su¦ch we shulde stonde to ther wyll and to ther wyt more than to ou¦re owne / For in such stondeth {pro}¦perly the vertue of obedience: y^t we owe to man for goddes sake And the hatder that the precepte be: if it stond with reson: the mo¦re medeful is the obedience / For the more y^t man or woman forsa¦keth his owne wyl for goddes sa¦ke the more is his lownesse. and the more is his mede.

The xxii. chapter.

ALso leue frend by thys cō¦maundement we be boūd to worship alle that be in higher state & dignite than we be / For al such be cleped our fadirs ī wor¦ship Patres honore / And therfor ī holy wryt al men of worship be cleped senes et seniores. that is senyours in french / And in fren∣che tung mene of worshype and lordes be cleped senyours. & pe∣ris that is faders ī englisshe / For they be faders in worshyp & ow∣en to be worshyped as faders by thys cōmaundement For comō¦ly in men of worshyppee is and owth to be sadnesse of wytt and wysdome as in men of age / For in them is the age of wyt & wis∣dome: Thow they haue no gre∣ate age of yerys / And therfore sayth salomon. Senectus vene¦rabilis est non diuturna ne{que} an norum numero cōputata. The age of worship stondith not ī lon¦ge lyuyng ne in noumbre of ye∣rys: but it stondeth in wytte and wysdome / For the wittys of the wysman ben old and sadde: and a clene life is cleped age of elde. Sapīe. iiii^o.c. And therfore god byddeth in old lawe. Honora {per}∣sonam senis et time dominum

deum tuum. Leuitici. xix. Wor∣shyp thou the persone of an olde man & drede thy lorde god / And in the newe lawe he sayth thus. Deum timete regem honorifica¦te / Drede ye god and worship ye youre kynge .i. petri ii^o.c. That is to saye for drede of god wor∣ship thou thyn eldre and for dre∣de of god worship thou thy king and thy souereyn and all that be in hygher degre than thou art. For syth god hath put them ī de∣gre of worshyp: thou moste for drede of god worship them / And but thou worship them: elles th∣ou offendeste god / And therfore saint peter sayth / Omnes hono∣rate. Worship ye al men and we∣men after ther state and ther dig∣nite And saint poul biddeth that al thinge shulde be do onestly & ī ordre. Omīa honeste et scdm̄ or∣dinem fiant .i. ad co{rum}. xiiii.

The xxiii. chapter

ALso leue frende by this cō¦maundement we be bon̄d to worship holy aungels & sain∣tes in heuen: for they be oure fa∣ders in age in worship in cure & ī kepynge of vs / For they longen after vs that ther noumbre and ther cumpany that was lessed by the pryde of lucifer myght be re∣stored ayen by saluacion of vs. And therfore nyght and day thei prayen for vs to god for helpe & grace nedful to vs. Of these fa∣ders spekethe saint poule in hys piste: and sayth thus I knele & praye for you nyght and day ye fader of oure lorde Iesu criste of whom is named al maner of fa∣derhede in heuen and in erth Ex¦quo omīs paternitas nominar̄ ī celo et in terra. ad eph. iii^o.c. For as the glose sayth ther disposici∣on the aungels be oure faders in heuen ordeyned for vs and in er¦the p̄latis be oure faders hauing cure & kepynge of vs / And so bo¦th prelatis in erthe and aungels in heuen ben oure faders / And therfore as saye al these clerkes Ech man and woman hath two aungels assignyd to him of god oon another of the fende / For ye fende sathanas at goddes suffe∣raūce assigneth to him a wicked aungel to tempte him and to le∣se him / But god of his goodnes assigneth him a good aungel to saue hym and to kepe hym / Of which good aungel criste sayth in the gospel. that they se alwey the face of the fader in heuen: for they be alweye in his presence & speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore saythe saynt ierom vp on the same worde of criste y^e aungels bere oure prayer & oure good dedis into heuen and kepe and defend vs ayens the malice and the sleyght of the fende And

therfore the aūgel raphael whā∣ne he had led the sōne of tobie in to fer cuntre and sauid him from many perelys and brought hym ayen in greate welth: he sayde to thobie / whanne thou preydyste with bytter terys and beriediste the dede bodies & leftest thi mete & haddeste dede bodyes by daye in thyn house and be••ieiste them by night for goddes sake ayens the wyl of the wicked king sena¦cherib: Thanne offered I thy p̄i¦er to oure lorde god. tobie. iiii^o.c. Also we rede ī the fourth boke of kynges the vi. chapter. That ye propheete helesiee was sodenly by nyght byseged in the cetye of dothaym with the ost of the kyn¦ge of sirie In the morowe the ser¦uaunt of helisee sawe the oste a∣boute the cety and he was ful so¦ry: and sayde to his mayster heli¦see Alas alas alas what shal we do: we be so byseged wythe oure enemys that we may nat escape Than heūse sayd to hī Drede ye not For we haue more folke wi¦th vs thanne they haue with thē Thanne helisee prayde to god y^t he wold open the iyen of that ser¦uant-that he myght se what hel¦pe helisee had with him / And a∣non he sawe the hillys aboute he¦lise ful of hors and charettys brē¦nyng as fyer and a greate peple arayed to bateil that was the ost of aungeles sent of god in to ke∣ping of helyse through whos hel¦pe the prophete helise ledde al ye oste that byseged him into the ce¦ty of samarie amongys alle ther enemys / For they were so blentt that they wyst not whether they went / They come to take helise and helisee toke them wyth hel∣pe of aungels: and dyd with thē what he wolde / And therfore da¦uid sayth. Monte in circuitu ••i{us} et dn̄s in circuitu pplī sui. The hyllys: that is to say aungels be aboute the gode man and the go¦de woman to kepe thē / and god is aboute his peple to saue them And therfor saint Cecīle sayd to hir husbonde valerian / I haue goddes aungel that louethe me fulwel and kepeth my body wi∣th greate cheerte that no man sh∣al defoule me / And if thou wyll by foule loue defoule me: he shal sle the / And if thou loue me with clene loue and wil kepe my mai¦denhode hool and clene▪ he shall loue the as wel as me / And whā∣ne thou art cristened: thou shalt se him / Anon hir husbond valeri¦an by hir counsel went and was cristened of the busshop saint vr∣ban. And whan he was cristened he cam ayen & fond saynt cecily praīg ī closet: & the aūgel stōdīg bisidys hir with wingis & fethers fulbright and his faceshon and

glymered as the flame of fyre He hade in eyther hande a garlonde made of rosys and lelyes ful fay¦re and fressh and fulswete ī smel¦ling / He yaue vnto saynt cecile one another to valerian and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodi & of soule / For why sayd he. I haue brought them oute of paradise / And ye shal knowe by this token / For they shal alwey be grene and fresshe and neyther welke ne fade: ne lese ther swete sauore-and no man ne woman may se them: but they that loue clennesse and chastyte: as ye do we rede also in the lyfe of saynt agnes y^t whāne she was but thret¦tene yere of age: suffered deth for the loue of god: and for the loue of chastite. for the wolde not as∣sent to be wedded to the grete lor¦des sōne of rome: for he was he∣then / And also for she wolde ke¦pe hir maydenhode to crist / She was made naked and led to the bordel house: to be defouled of synful wretchis / But sodēly hir here wey so moche: that it hilled and hidde al hir body / And whā∣ne she came to the bordell house hir good aungel was redy: and brought hir a clothe as whyte as snowe ful mete to hir body: and bylapped hir with so grete lyght that there might no mā loke vp∣on hir: ne no man durst entreye place / Thanne the lordis sonne as fole hardy ran into that light for to defoule hir / And anon the fende whom he wolde haue ser∣ued him: slough him / But saynt agnes with hir praier to god and help of hir gode aūgel reysed him from dethe to life. to shame and shenship of al hethen peple / For anon he went oute of that house and cried openly that there was no god but crist: and despised her mawmētys and ther fals byleue Also whanne saynt agace was beryed hir aungel in the liknesse of a yonge man clothed in cloth of silke with an hundred yonge men al clothed in white: that we¦re aungels also or els holy sou∣lys: came to the beriyng and say¦de astone of marble vpon hir gra¦ue with a writyng of grete con∣fort to al the contre: & went not thens tyl al the beriynge was do and neuer after was se any of al that cumpany / Also the good aū¦gel brake the whelis that shulde haue slayne saint kateryne And whāne she was dede for goddes sake the aūgels toke hir body & bare it ī the erth into ye moūte of synai and there beried it worship fully / And therfore leue frend I pray you y^t ye haue saintes in he∣uen and holi aūgels ī reuernece

and deuocion: for they be to vs fader and moder as I sayde first worship ye oure ladi moder and mayde aboue al: next after god and thanne other sayntes bothe man and woman and holy aun∣gels: as god yeuethe you grace. Whorship ye theym: not as god but as oure tuters defondours & kepers and oure leders and go∣uernouris vnder god and menis betwene vs and god that is fa∣der of al and soueren iuge to que me him & to praye for vs to gete vs grace to do wel & foryeuenes of oure mysdede And therfore da¦uid sayth Pro hac. id est {pro} missio¦ne pccī orabit ad te oim̄s scūs in tempore oportuno / Euery saint shal pray to the lorde in byhoful tyme for mercy and foryeuenesse of sine / And leue frend p̄y ye her∣tely to youre aungel as to hym y^t is next you and hath moste cure of you and is moste besy to saue you vnder god And if ye wyl fo∣lowe his gouernaunce and trust ī him ī al goodnes & w^t reuerēce & clēnes p̄y ye hī faitfully pleine you to hī & speke ye to hī homely to be youre helpe as he is youre tuter and keper assigned of god and say ye oft that holy prayer / Angele qui meus es &c.

The xxiiii. chapter /

DIues.

Thy speche pleseth me wel and thy wordis be goode and deuoute: but I pray the say forthe of thys cōmaunde¦ment if thou can more.

Pau{per}.

Also by this cōmaūdement men of holy church be bound to wor∣ship ther patrones / For the pa∣trone of the church is fader of ye church and of the benefice ī that that he begynnethe it of nought xvi. q̄. vii.. pia in glosa.

Diues.

For which thingys is a man cle¦ped patron.

Pauper.

For thre thinges / For fundacion that is yeuyng of ground: for the firste dotacion: and for makyng of ye firste church. Patronum faciūt dos edificacio fundus.

Diues.

What worship owe men of holy churche to do to ther patrones: & what right longeth to ye patron

Pauper.

It longeth to him for to present a persone able and ye∣ue the church and the benefice by wey of almes to whom he then∣keth able by assent of ye busshop Also it longeth to hī to mainten ye church and to kepe it fro dila¦pidacion and from destruccōn & from al maner wrongys as a go¦de fader & a gode tutoure & as a true aduoket to kepe & defēd the church and the mynystrys of the churche from al wrongis and di¦sesys vp on hys power / And if he fynde person veker or curate or ony other clerke or prelate mys∣usynge the benefice ī which he is

patroun: he owthe to amende them in fayre maner if he maye And if he may not be owth to tel the busshop therof: or summe of his officeris. to whom longethe the correction of such defautys: And if the busshop do not his de∣uoure ne his officeris: he shal tel it to the archebusshop And but he do hys deuour he shal tel it to ye kynge: xvi. q̄. vii. filiis And ther¦fore men of holy churche that be auaūced by ther patrouns most nedely do ther patroūs worshyp and haue theym in reuerence by weye of kyndnesse: and for nede of helpe to be mayntened in ther right / And also for drede of ther offens / For if they misbere them ther patroūs may depryue them of ther benefice by assentt of the busshop: and in case ayens the busshoppis wyl / Also it longeth to men of holy churh to susteyne ther patrūs & ther chidren whan∣ne they falle to nede / And if they be taken prisoners to help to pai ther raunsome. xvi. q̄ .vii^o q̄cū{que} Ex. li^o iii^o. de iure patronat{us} .c. nobis fuit Et xii. q̄ i. aplicos &c. sacrorum. et ibidem q̄ .ii. aureū. And it longethe to men of holy church to do ther patrones wor∣ship ī sittinge in goinge: and put them by fore in sitting in goinge xvi. q̄. vii. pia mentis / And it lō¦geth to ye patron to haue ye prī∣cipal place and sytt principaly ī hys church. Tabula iuris: dicci one patronat{us} / And for worship of the patron: & his ese the preste may singe two messys ī one day Extra. li^o.iii^o de celebracōe mis∣sa{rum} cōsuluisti And whan the pa∣tron presentethe a persone to the busshop: whiche {per}sone he wyl a∣uaunce: the busshop is boūde to reseyue that persone: but if he be proued & know for a wicked mā and vnable xvi. q̄. vii. monaste∣riū / Also the patron may in hys fundacion byfore the halowyng of the church reserue to him a cer∣teyn rente by yere by assent of ye busshop to reseyue it of the chur∣che. Ex. de iure pat^o. t. p̄tea. Et hostiensis ī sm̄ sua li^o. in. c. ti^o. Also if a p̄late be chosin in a chur¦che collegiat: as in an abbey pⁱo∣ry chauntry: he shal by the lawe be p̄sented to the patron: or that he be confermed and if he be vna¦ble: he may & owth to withstond the confirmacion. Ex. de iure patronatus. c^o. nobis fuit & xvi. q̄. vii. filiis. Also he maye in hys fundacion of the church collegi∣at reserue to him to be in the ellec¦cion of the p̄late of the church wi¦th assent of the busshop or of the pope by the same lawe: but he moste shewe that writen whāne he wil vse it / Hostiensis li^o.iii^o. Ru. de iure parōāt{us} / Et tabula

iuris diccione prōnat{us} Et extra de iuro patronato nobis fuit in glosa

Diues.

Patroūs fynd ful oft ther auaūces ful vnkynde to them and ful prowde / And ther∣fore many a patroun maye saye Filios exaltaui et enutriui: ipsi autē spreuerunt me. ysaie. i^o.c^o: I haue auaunsed chyldren and brought them vp of nought and they haue despiced me.

Pau{per}.

Such vnkind men of holy chur¦ch but thei amēd thē thei shal ha¦ue goddes cursse: that he yaue to al suche in the same chapter. Ve genti peccatrici pplō graui iniq∣tate: semini neqm̄ filiis scelera∣tis / woo be to the synful people heuy through wickednes. to ye wicked sede. to the vnkynd syn∣ful children.

Diues.

If a church be destroied: and a man do it ma¦ke ayen of his cost: shal that mā be cleped patroun of the churche

Pauper.

ye thowe he do make it ayen of the same mater that it was made of by fore / And the pa¦tron that was byfore patron on¦ly by makynge of the churche or yeuyng of the grounde leseth his right of the patronage But if he were patron bi dotacōn he leseth not hys right of patronage. In tabula iuris patronatus. If the patron vary in his representaci∣on presenting first one and sythe another: it stondeth in the dome and the wyl of the busshop to re∣seyue which he wyl / Thowe the patron of laife present a persone vnable: he leseth not his right of representacion ne owth to lese it But if a college present a perso∣ne vnable: in that he lesethe hys right of presentacion for that ty¦me / And if a clarke present aper¦sone vnable he is worthy to lese his right of presentacion for y^e ty¦me. Extra de eleccione. cū ī cūc¦tis / The patron of ye laife mai abyde but foure monethis of his presentacion / The college and the clerke patron mai abyde six monethis: and if they passe ther tyme by retcheleshede or by bry∣ge: the busshop shal ordeyn for y^e churche and benefice / No man owthe to present himsilfe / The patron maye lefully present his sonne: hys neuewe. and ony of his kyn: if they be able & power: And if apatron be pore and nedi the busshop may yeue hym that benefice in whiche he is patron: and he may take it of his yeft: so that yefte come only of the bus∣shopys free wyl: with oute ony {pro}curinge of hymsylfe: Hostien∣sis li^o.iii^o de iure patronatus.

The xxv. chapter.

DIues.

I thāk ye for thou hast told me more of thys cōmaūdemēt than euer I harde bifore / But yet me meruelethe

moch why y^e god biddeth not mē do almesdede to straūgerys & to other folke at nede ī non of al ye ten cōmaundementys / For but men be bounde therto by goddes cōmaūdemēt: I holde it no ded¦ly synne to leue it: Ne men shuld not be dampned for they dede it not

Pau{per}.

By thys cōmaūde∣ment prīcipaly we be bounde to helpe alle nedy folke vpon oure power / For by thys precepte we be bound to shewe pety to al mē

Diues.

Contra God speketh in this cōmaūdmēt ōly of worship y^t lōgeth to fader & moder

Pau∣per.

That worship stondethe in two thingys: ī affection of herte thenkīge: & in dede doynge / By affectōn of herte we shulde loue al men & wemē w^t drede to offēd them vnskilfuly By dede doing we shuld do al men reuerence aft{er} ther degre: & helpe theym in nede as we wolde be holpe oure silfe: And therfore saint peter biddeth vs worshyp al men / And saynt poul biddeth y^t ech man & womān shuld put other bifore ī worshyp for ech man owth to holde wyth other his fader ī sū degre.

The xxvi. chapter:

DIues.

Why so?

Pauper.

For ech man passith other ī some degre of worship / & in that he is his fader / Or in beynge or ī wisdome: or ī goodnes / In be¦inge we haue many faders / For sūme be faders of oure first beīg as oure bodely faders & moders: y^t vs bigate / Sūme be faders in wel beyng: and that in two ma∣ners: for sūme gostly sūme bode¦ly / In wel being gostly: be oure faders p̄lates of holy church and al that haue cure of oure soulys. In wel beinge bodely be oure fa¦ders al that haue cure and gouer¦naūce of oure body and of oure liuing in thys worlde as kinges princes: lordes and suche other: Also al that be elder in age & had ther beinge byfore vs: be oure fa¦ders / Faders in wisdome be pre∣chours techers: men of lawe cler∣kys and men of age: whyche by long experiēce knowe more thā ther yonger / Faders in goodnes be al holy men: and al that passe vs in goodnes / And for that ech man owth to deme other: better than himsilfe: therfore eche man owe to worship other as fader in goodnes: but if open malyce ma¦ke him lyke a beste and noman. And therfore saynt poule saythe Su{per}iores sibi īuicē arbitrantes Euery man and woman deme other his souereyn in goodnesse. Ad philip̄ .ii^o.c. / For as the glose sayth there: Thowe we seme so∣ueren

to other by some goodnes and dignyte that is in vs opēly knowen: yet ther mai be sū good¦nesse preuely in a nother of low∣er degre: in which goodnes he is oure souereyn in goddes syght^o. /

Diues.

Why is this cōmaunde∣ment youen with a biheste of hel¦th and welfare more than any of the other cōmaūdemētis / For he sayth thus: worshyp thy fader & moder: that thou may lyue long vpon erthe & fare wel in the lond that thy lorde god shal yeue the. Deut^o. vi.c.

Pauper.

For sythe god hoteth so grete mede for ke∣ping of this p̄cept: that is moste natural: and wherto man & wo∣man is moste enclined biwey of kynde: he shewthe wel that men shuld haue moch mede for kepīg of other p̄ceptis that be not so na¦tural / And by the mede assygned for kepīg: god sheweth wel what peine man & womā shal haue for the breking: y^t is to saye short ly∣fe vpon erth. & euyl fare: both he¦re and in lond of deth: and after lese the lond of life without end and wende to the londe of woo & of derkenes / Terrā miserie et te∣nebra{rum}. And for that this p̄cepte is principal of the secunde table and in maner includeth al six fo¦lowing. therfore to this cōmaū∣dement he knitteth the mede for the keping of al: and payne for brekīg of al For after he hoteth many diuerse medys to theym y^t kepe hys hestys: & many mysche¦ues to them that breke thē / And al they be cōp̄hended ī thys short bihest knit to this cōmaūdemēt For the biheste is moste cōueni∣ent to this cōmaūdemēt / For as saint poule sayth: ruth pety and almesdede is good for al thīgys and hath hys mede both in thys worlde & also ī the tother world that is comyng

Diues.

Shewe me that.

Pau{per}.

For it is good reson that they lyue longe: why∣th maynteyn wel theym that be beginnynge of ther lyfe: that is fader and moder / For whanne the rote of the tre faylethe by de∣faute of the tre aboue thanne ye tre shal sone fayle and sere vp. And it is not worthy that he liue lōg ne farewel that worshipeth not them ne helpe them: by whō he lyueth: and hath his lyfe and hys welfare / And he that wor∣shipeth not the begynning of his his beynge: is worthisone to lese hys beinge / And he that helpeth other withe hys good to lyue longe good life: is worthy to haue good and good lyfe.

The xxvii. chapter:

Also leue frend ye shal vn∣derstonde y^t god sayth the∣se wordys not only to euery per∣sone by himsilfe: but he sayd thē to al the peple & to euery people as to one {per}sone not onli for wor¦shiping of ther fleshly fader and moder: but also for worshiping of ther souereyins ī ther degre as I sayd bifore / For why as lōge as any peple is buxū & meke to ther souereyns: & wyl folowe her gode gouernaunce. and worship men after ther degre: & euery mā be payde w^t his owne degre & do the dute of his degre: so lōge the peple is able to kepe y^t lond that god hath youen them to lyue go de lyfe / But whanne they wyll rebelle ayens ther souereins and wyl not stond to ther ordinaūce but euery man wyl be hys owne man: and folowe hys owne fan∣tasies: despice hys souereīs ther dome & gouernaūce: ne yeue no tale of goddis lawe ne of londis lawe ne of holy chyrchys law: ne haue men of v̄tue & of dignyte ī worship: but for pryde haue thē in despite and be besi to worship thēsilfe ī hindering of other that peple is able to the swerde: & a∣ble to lese his londe / For as ye se at the iye ī tyme of tēpest: thow the bowys of the tre bete thēsilfe togydre & altobrest & full doune as long as ye rote of y^e tre kepeth him fast in hys place and ryseth not: so lōg ye tre shal not fal But whā the rote beginne to rise oute of his place: anon the tre begyn to fal / Right thus it fareth by ye peple of a lond / Thow tempest of pride of couetise: of enuie: of lechery fal sūtime ī the croppe of the tre: y^t is to say a mongis lor∣des & souereins & the grete mē. if the pore peple y^t is rote of the tre & of al the comonte kepe thē styl ī lownes: & do mekely ther dwte to god kepīge hys cōmaūdemē∣tys & the good preceptys of ther souereins: so lōge is hope y^t ye pe¦ple shall fare wel after y^e tēpeste & not be destroied / But if they ri∣se ayens god by customable ded¦ly synnes: & ayens ther worldly souereins: & wil entermete them of euery cause of that londe & of holy church: & termine eūy cause by ther wyt body & crop of y^e tree shal falle / For it is not possyble that the rote shuld be so highe as the crop of the tre: but the tre fell Ne y^t the fote shuld be aboue the hede: but the body felle

Diues.

This is ful soth we se it at ye iye For p̄de & rebellion of ye pore pe¦ple is cause of destruccōn of this lōd / For sythe they aresen ayens ther souereīs: was there neu{er} sta∣bilite ī this lōd: but alwey syth̄e ye tre of ye peple of this lōd & the realme: hathe stond in fallynge

Pauper.

Vnbuxūnesse & pride was principal cause of lesing of londys and of realmys / And prī¦cipaly the cause of saluacion of realmes londys and comontees is obedience and buxūnesse: y^t e∣che man in his degre obey to his souereyn & worship hī as fader / & therfore leue frende I pray you for goddes sake that ye worship al youre faders and moders: in ther degre: as I haue sayde And haue ye old folke & feble ī wor∣ship: while ye be in yonge age: & worship ye the age that ye draw to and haue no scorne of the old folke for feblenes and vnclēnes that ye se them in / But thenk ye that suche shall ye be if ye abyde ther age: feble vnourne and loth to the syght / For suche as ye be nowe: such were they sūtime It fareth bi age of man and womā as it doth by a precyous stone y^t is cleped crisolitus / Thys stone as saythe the mayster of kīdes ī the begynnyng of the day it shy∣neth bright as any gold / But as the day passeth so passeth his bri∣ghtnesse / And the nyer euen the more it fadeth: so that bi euen it is like a clot of erth / Thus it fa∣reth by man and woman in this world / For in ther youthe and ī ther begynnynge they be fayre: rede and rody and fresshe as rose in may: ful lusty to the iye But as youthe passeth so passeth ther bewte / And as they olde: so they fade: tyl at the laste the daye of ther lyfe cometh to an ende / And than be theye but a clott of erthe ful vnourne & gastly to the sight