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 xvii. chapter.

DIues.

Fel there any ven∣geūce for lecherye of men of holy churche?

Pauper.

We fynd ī the secunde boke of kyn∣ges

vi.c^o. that there was a dekē ī the olde lawe: whos name was Oza And whanne he touched ye hutche eyther arke of god to hol¦de it vp whannd it shulde els ha¦ue falle: his right arme serid and dryed sodenly: and anon he died For as seyth the mayster of sto∣ries. y^e night he had delyd wythe his wyfe Syth thanne the dekē of ye old law was so herd punys¦hed for he touched goddes hutch y^e elles shuld haue fal for he med¦led that nyght with his wyfe mo¦che more prestys and dekens of the newe lawe be worthy moche woo: if they p̄sume to touch god¦des body or to mynestre at god∣des auter. Whanne they haue co∣monedde wythe other mennes wyues- or wythe ther concuby¦nes. And therfore the lawe byd∣deth streitly that there shulde no man ne woman here masse of ye preste which that he knoweth si∣kerly that he holdeth acōcubyne or is an open lechoure & notorye Distinc. xxxii. nullus &c. p̄t hec. And in the same law it is forbo∣de in payne of cursinge that any preste lechoure: shulde saye any masse. or any deken lechoure re∣de any gospel. or any subdeken rede any pystle in the office of ho¦ly churche / And in another place the law biddethe y^t suche notorye lechourys shulde haue no offyce in holy church ne benifice. and if they had but if they wold amēde them ·they shuld be pryued both of offyce and of benefice Distīc. xxviii. decreuimus / And if any man of holy church haunted mo¦che the place and the cumpanye of suspecte wymen. but he wold cese He shuld be deposed Destīc. lxxxi. clericus / And there shuld no straunge wymen dwell with men of holy church: but ther mo∣dris beldames auntes and god∣moders and brothers doughter. or susteris doughter. Ibm̄ c^o. cū omnibus And if there might any euyl suspecōn be of ther dwellīg to gydre or for youth. or for they be suspecte in other byhalue. thā thay shulde not dwelle with thē in housholde. but in some other place. Ex. de cohītacōne clico{rum} & mlīerū.i^o.c^o.

Diues.

Though a preste be a threwe. the sacramē¦tys that he mynystreth be not ye worse / For the goodnesse of the preste amendethe nott the sacra¦ment. Ne hys wyc∣kednesse appeyrethe theym not as the lawe shewethe well in the same place Vbi supra {pro}xi mo capitulo. vestra. Why forbid dethe thanne the lawe men to he¦re massys of synful preestys le∣¶chourys▪

& therfor ye law saith y^e fallīg fro the higher chastite y^t is voued to god is more and wors thā auou¦trye / For sythe god is offended whanne the wyfe kepethe notte feythe to hir bodely husbond: or the husbonde kepeth nott feythe to his wyfe: moche more is god offended if feythe of chastitye is not kepte to hym which was {pro}∣fered to hym frely: not axed ne∣dely. And the more freely it was made withoute compellyng. the more synne is the brekynge. xxvii. q̄. i. Nupciarū in fine .c. &c^o. impudicas. &c. sciē. Also the lawe sayth that the synne that is don īmediatly ayens god is mo∣re synne than ye synne that is do pryncipaly ayens man / And therfore seyth he: facrilege is mo¦re synne than any fornicacōn or auoutrie. xvii. q̄. iiii. sunt q.

Di∣ues.

Contrate. The lawe sayth that auoutrie is mooste of al sī∣nes .xxxii. q̄. vii. quid in omnib{us}

Pauper.

The glose answereth therto and seyth. that it is ama∣ner of spech to do wlate auoutre and shewynge that auoutrye is ful greuous / But he sayth there that manslaughter and incest: & sacrilege by brekyng of the vow of chastitye is more greuous. And also it may be take for gost¦ly auoutrye: that is whāne acris¦ten soule forsaketh the feythe of holy churche that he reseyued in his baptem: and forsaketh crist to whom he wedded hym. & tur∣neth to the fende and to false by¦leue / And euery dedly synne is goostly auoutrye

Diues.

I am answerd seye sorthe what thou wylt

Pau{per}.

Also lecherie is mo¦re synue ī men of holy church thā in wedded folke: bycause of thy persone / For men of holy church may better withstonde the flessh¦ly temptacion / than wedded mē For they owe to passe the people in kunnynge and vertue / And therfore god seyth in the gospel: that the seruante knowynge the wyl of his lorde and not doynge hys wyl shalbe harde punysshed. Also for his vnkyndnesse. For why the gretter his benefyce is & the more that hys dignytye is ye more is he boūde to god and the more is his synne if he be vnkīd And therfore holy wrytt saythe. Potentes potent tormenta paci¦entur / They that be myghty in thys worlde by welth and wor∣ship that god sendeth them: shal suffce mightely turmentys / If they be vnkynde Also for the sī∣ne repugneth more to his person both for his digīte & for ye vow of chastite y^t he made ī takyng of ¶holy ordre.

Pauper.

Not for defaute of ye sacrament. For the secrament is not the worsse for the malyce of the preeste / But therfor this law forbiddeth men to here ther mas¦ses and ther offyce: that they mi∣ght be so ashamed of ther synne and the soner amende them

Di∣ues.

Whan is a man of holy chur¦che cleped ī the lawe an open no∣torye lechoure.

Pauper.

Whan the dede sheweth so thesilfe that it may not be denyed ne excused or whanne he is aknow it bifore a iuge or conuycte therof byfore hys iuge Extra e.c^o. vestra. & c^o∣quesitum. Whāne it is thus noto¦rye and open: there shuld no mā ne wooman here ther massys ne¦ther office wetyngly / Such cler∣kes lechours. be he preeste. be he busshop. be he deken or subdekē he shulde lese his degre and not abyde in the chaunsel amonge o¦ther clerkes ī tyme of office & he shuld haue no {per}te of ye godes of holy churche. Distīc: lxxxi. si qs cū aliis capitulis sequentibus And therfore saynt Gregori bid∣dethe in the name of god: by the auctorite of saynt Peter that no preeste lechoure. ne deken ne sub¦dekene lechoure shulde entre ho∣ly churche tyl that they wolde a∣mende them / And no mā ne wo∣man sayth he: be so herdy to here ther office For why he sayth ther blessynge turneth into cursynge & ther prayer into synne For god sayth to them. I shal curse your blessyngys / And al tho sayth he that wyl not obeye to thys holy precepte. they fal ī synne of ydo∣latrye. Distinc c.lxxxii. si q sunt Therfore god seythe to wycked men of holy church: butt ye wyl here me and sett youre hertys to worshyp my name: elles I shall sende to you myscheef and curse youre blessyngys. Mlachie ii.c: