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 ...

The xxii. chapter.

DIues.

It is lefulle to any man or womā in any case to slee themsylfe.

Pau{per}.

In no case. and that for many skyllys Fyrste for by wey of kynd euery man louethe himsilf and is besy to saue himsilfe and to withstōd al thinge that wold distroy him And therfore it is synne ayens al kynde man or woman to sle him silfe / Also it is ayens charite ffor eche man is bounde to loue him / silfe and his euen cristen as hīsilf Also he doth wrōg to ye comon∣tye of mankynd / For as the phi∣losofre sayth. v^to: ethico{rum} Eue∣ry man is aparte of the comonte as euery menbre is aparte of the body. Also for mannys lyfe is an high gyfte of god youen to man to serue god / And only god may take it awey whanne he wyl. And therfore he that sleeth hym∣silfe: he synneth ayens hys god: in that that he sleeth his seruant ayens his wyl / For though god yeue a man auctorite to sle ano∣ther mā for his misdede: yet god yeueth no man auctoritye to sle hymsilfe / And therfore sayth the lawe .xxiii. q̄. v. non licet. That no man ne woman shulde sle hī∣silfe: neyther to fle myscheeffeof of this world. ne to fle other mē∣nys synne: ne for sorowe of hys owne synne that he hath don: ne for to go the soner to heuen / For if he sle himsylfe as saythe there the lawe: he gothe to endles mis∣cheeffe. And he fallethe in ouer greuous synne / And ī that he sle∣ethe hymsilfe falleth in waneho¦pe. and doth dispyte to the mercy of god as iudas dydde For after his deth he may not amend hym of that greuous sīne of māslau∣ghter And by that manslaughter he leseth hys lyfe in thys worlde and his lyfe in heuen blysse: and gothe to the dethe in helle wythe oute end / And therfore ther shuld no woman sle hirsilfe to saue hir chastitie that she be not defouled For if she be defouled by violen∣ce ayens hir wyl: she synneth not For as saint lucie seyde to the ty¦raunt paschasius ye body is not defouled but by assent of the sou¦le / But the synne is ī him that so defouleth hyr / And lesse synne it is to fal in lecherie / than man or

woman to sle himsilfe: for there is no helpe after / Nether shulde no man ne woman slee himsilfe ne mayme himsilfe for dr••d that he shuld {con}sent to synne: but trust in god that may kepe hym from consentynge: and lette occaciōs of synne And though mā or wo∣man be constreyned to synne for drede of deth: better it is & a fey∣rer that a nother sle hym: than he sle himsilfe for that is dampned in eueri lawe

Diues.

Contra te. Sampson & dyuers other slough themsilfe as we rede in holy writ

Pauper.

As seyth saynt austen de ciuitate dei. They slough thē silfe by the preuy counseyle of ye holy gooste: that wolde by ther deth do myracles / As whan sāp∣son toke the twoo pylerys of the paynyms temple whych bare vp al the temple and shook them to gidre withe his armes tylle they brosten & the temple fell doune & slough many thousandys of the hethen people that was gadrede to wondre on sampson in dispyt of god of heuen whos seruaunt sampson was.