Diues [et] pauper

¶Here begynneth the fyrste cōmaun∣demente. (Book 1)

Caplm Primū.

DIues. In the fyrste cō¦maundement as I ha∣ue lerned / god sayth thus. Thou shalte ha∣ue none other straun∣ge goddes byfore me. Thou shalte make to the noo grauen thynge / noo mawmette / noo lykenesse that is in heuen aboue / ne that is by∣nethe in erthe / ne of ony thynge that is in the water vnder therthe. Thou shalt not worshyppe theym with thy bodye outwarde / ne within thyn herte inwarde. Exodi .xx.c. Soo by this me thynketh that god forbedeth makyng of ymages and worshyppyng of them and yet men doo make ymages these dayes grete plente / bothe in the chirche and without the chirche. And all men as me thynke worshyp ymages. And it is full harde to me but I do in that as all men done. And yf I worshyppe theym me thynketh I do ydolatrye a∣yenste goddes lawe. ¶Pauper. God forbedeth not men to make ymages / For he bad Moyses make ymages of two aungellys that be called cherubyn in the lykenesse of two yonge men / as we fynde Exodi .xxxvij.c. ¶And Sa¦lomon made suche and many mother to in the Temple to the worshyppe of god / the thyrde boke of kynges .vij.c. And god bad Moyses make his taber¦nacle & al that longeth therto after she ensample and the lykenesse that was shewed to hym vpon the hylle / whan he was there with god .xl. dayes and xl. nyghtes. Exodi .xxv. And therfore god forbedeth not vtterly the makyn∣ge of ymages / but he forbedeth vtterly for to make ymages for to worshyppe them as goddes / & to sette theyr fayth theyr truste / theyr hope / theyr loue / and theyr byleue in them. For god wyll ha∣ue mannes herte hole knytte to hym allone / for in hym is al our helpe & all our saluacōn. And therfore we muste worshyppe hym & loue hym / and truste in hym aboue all thynge / & nothynge worshyppe but hym or for hym. That all the worshyp that we do to ony crea¦ture be do pryncypaly for hȳ & arrected to hym. For he sayth. Gloriam meam¦alteri non dabo / et laudem meam sculptilibus. Ysaye .xlij. I shall not gyue my worshyppe / my blysse / my glorye to none other / ne my praysyn∣ge to grauen ymages / neyther to payn∣ted ymages. And in the same chapy∣tre he sayth Shamfully shente myght

they be all that sette theyr truste in to grauen ymages. ¶Diues. wherof ser∣ue the ymages. I wolde they were bren¦te all. ¶Pauper. They serue for thre thynges. For they be ordeyned to stere mannes mynde to thynke on Crystus Incarnacyon / and on his passyon / and on his lyuynge / and on other sayntes lyuyng. Also they ben ordeyned to sty∣re mannes affeccyon / and his herte to deuocyon. For ofte a man is more ste∣red by syght than by heryng or redyn∣ge. Also they be ordeyned to be a token and a booke to the lewde people / that they may rede in ymagerye and payn∣ture / that clerkes rede in the booke as the lawe sayth. De cōsecra. distinct .iij. per latū. Where we fynde that a bys∣shop destroyed ymages as thou wol∣deste doo / and forfended that no man sholde worshyp ymages. He was accu∣sed to the pope saynt Gregorye whiche blamed hym gretely for that he had so destroyed the ymages / but vtterly he praysed hym for he forfended them to worshyppe ymages.

Caplm secundū.

DIues. How sholde I rede in the boke of paynture & of yma¦gerye. ¶Pauper. whan y^u seest the ymage of y^• crucyfixe / thynke on hȳ y^• deyed on y^• crosse for thy synne & thy sake / and thanke hym for his endlesse charyte that he wolde suffre so moche for the. Take hede by the ymage how his hede was crowned with a garlon∣de of thornes tyll they wente in to the brayne / and the blood braste out on eue¦ry syde / for to destroye the hyghe syn∣ne of pryde / that sheweth moost in mā¦nes hede and womannes and make an ende of thy pryde. Take hede by the ymage how his armes were sprad∣de abrode and drawen fulle strayte vpon the tree tylle alle the veynes and all the synowes craked. And how his hondes were nayled to the crosse and stremed out blood for to destroye the synne that Adam and Eue dyde with theyr hondes whan they toke the ap∣ple ayenst goddes cōmaundement. Al∣so he suffred this to destroye the synne of wycked dedes / and wycked werkes / that men and wymen doo with theyr hondes / and make an ende of thy wyc¦ked werkes. Take hede also how that his syde was opened / and his herte clo¦uen in two with the sharpe spere / and how he shedde blood and water / to she we that yf he hadde had more blood in his bodye more he wolde haue gyuen for mannes loue. He shedde blood the raunsonne of our soules / and water to wasshe vs from our synnes. Also he suf¦fred this for to destroye y^• synne of pry∣de / couetyse / enuye / hate / wrathe / & ma¦lyce that reygne in mannes herte and womans. Take hede & make an ende of thy pryde / of thy false couetyse / of ha¦te / enuy / wrathe / & malyce / and forgyue thyn euen crysten for his loue that for∣gaue his deth. Take hede also by the ymage how his fete were nayled to y^e crosse and stremed on bothe to destroye the synne of slouth in goddes seruyce / & make an ende of slouthe in goddes seruyce / & haste the for to go to goddes house & to goddes seruyce. Take hede also by the ymage how his bodye was to rente & all to torne / with tho sharpe

scourges that fro the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the hede / there was no hole place on his bodye / and that was for to dystroye the synne of lust & lykyng of the flesshe / glotonye & le∣cherye / whiche regne in mannes bodye & womans / & make an ende of gloto∣ny & lecherye. Take hede how naked & poore he henge vpon y^e crosse for thy synne & thy sake / & be thou not asha∣med to suffre pouerte & myscheyf for his loue. And as saynt Bernard byd∣deth / take hede by the ymage how his hede is bowed downe to the all redy to kysse the & come at one with the. See how his armes & hondes be spradde a brode on the tree / in token that he is re¦dy to halse and clyppe the and kysse the / and to take the to his mercy. See how his syde was opened / and his her∣te clouen on two / in token that his her¦te is alwaye open to the / and redye to loue the and to forgyue the all thy tres¦passe / yf thou wylte amende the and axe mercy. Take hede also how his fete were nayled full harde to the tree / in token that he wyll not flee awaye from the / but abyde with the & dwel∣led with the withouten ende. On this maner I praye the rede thy booke and falle downe to the groūde / and than∣ke thy god that he wolde do so moche for the / and worshyppe hym aboue all thynge / not the ymage / not the stocke / stone / ne tree / but hym that deyed on y^e tree for thy synne & thy sake / soo that thou knele yf thou wylte byfore the y∣mage / not to the ymage. Do thy wor∣shyp afore the ymage / not to the yma∣ge. Make thy prayer byfore the ymage but not to the ymage / for it seeth the not / it hereth the not / and it vnderston¦deth the not. Make thyn offrynge yf thou wylte byfore the ymage / but not to the ymage. Make thy pylgrymage not to the ymage ne for the ymage / for it may not helpe the / but to hym & for hym that y^e ymage representeth to the For yf thou doo it for the ymage / or to the ymage thou doost ydolatrye.

Caplm .iij.

DIues. Me thynketh that whā¦men knele byfore the ymage praye and loke on the ymage / with wepyng teeres / boūche or knocke theyr brestis with other suche contenaū¦ce / they do all this to the ymage / & soo weneth moche people. ¶Pauper. Yf they do it to the ymage / they synne gre¦tely in ydolatrye ayenst reason & kyn¦de. But as I sayd byfore / they may doo all this byfore the ymage and not to the ymage. ¶Diues. How myght they doo alle this byfore the ymage / and not worshyp the ymage. ¶Pau¦per. Oft thou seest that the preest in the chirche hath his booke byfore hym he kneled / he stareth / he loketh on his booke / he holdeth vp his hondes. And for grete deuocyon in case he wepeth / and maketh deuoute prayers. To whome weneste thou that the preest dooth all this worshyppe. ¶Diues. to god & not to the boke. ¶Pauper. On the same maner sholde the lewde man vse his booke / that is ymagery and paynture / not to worshyppe the yma∣ge / but god in heuen and sayntes in theyr degree. And that all the worshyp that he doth byfore the ymage / he doth

not to the ymage / but to hym that the ymage representeth. ¶Diues. This example is good / but knowest thou ony better. ¶Pauper. Whanne the preest sayth his masse at the aultre / comonly ther is an ymage byfore hym / & comō∣ly it is a crucyfixe / stone or tree / or por∣trayed. ¶Diues. Why more a crucy∣fixe than an other ymage. ¶Pauper. For euery masse syngynge is a specyall mynde makynge of Crystus passyon / & therfore he hath byfore hym a crucy∣fixe to do hym to haue the more fres∣she remembraūce as he ought to haue of crystus passyon. ¶Diues. The rea∣son is good / saye foeth. ¶Pauper. By∣fore this ymage y^e preest sayth his mas¦se / & maketh the hyghest prayers y^• holy chirche can deuyse for saluacyon of the quycke & of the deed. He holdeth vp his hondes / he boweth / or ellys he kneled downe / & all the worshyp y^t he can doo he doth. Ouermore he offred vp y^e hyest sacrefyce & the beste offrynge that ony herte can deuyse / that is Cryste goddes sone of heuen / vnder fourme of brede and wyne. Alle this worshyp doth the preest at the masse byfore the ymage / And yet I hope that there is noo man ne woman so leude / that he wolde saye that y^e preest syngeth his masse ne ma∣keth his prayer ne doth that worshyp / ne offreth vp goddes sone Cryste hym selfe to the ymage. ¶Diues. God for∣bede that ony man or woman sholde saye soo or byleue / that were errour moost of all errours. ¶Pauper. On the same maner sholde the lewde man do his worshyppe byfore the ymage / & make his prayer byfore the ymage and not to the ymage.

Caplm .iiij.

DIues. Contra. On good fry∣daye ouer all in holy chirche / men crepe to the crosse & wor∣shyp y^e crosse. ¶Pauper. That is sothe but not as thou menest. The crosse y^e we crepe to & worshyp so hyghely y^t ty∣me is cryste hȳselfe y^t deyed on y^e crosse that daye for our synne & our sake. As sayth Beda libro .iij. de gēma anime. For the shap of a man is a crosse. And as he henge vpon the rode he was a ve¦ry crosse. He is that crosse as all doctou∣res saye / to whom we praye & saye. O crux aue spes vnica. Hayle be thou cros¦se our only hope / encrease thou to the mekely her rightwysnesse this passyon tyme / and gyue pardon to theym that ben gylty. He is that crosse bryghter than all the sterres of the worlde as ho¦ly chirche syngeth and sayth. O crux splendidior cunctis astris mundi &••. ¶And as Beda sayth for asmoche as cryste was moost despysed of mankyn¦de on good frydaye / therfore holy chir∣che hath ordeyned that on the good fry¦daye men sholde doo hym moost wor∣shyppe of all. And for this cause we doo that grete hyghe worshyppe that daye / not to the crosse that the preest holdeth in his honde / but to hym that deyed for vs alle that daye vpon the crosse. For oftentyme that crosse that the preest holdeth in his honde is fulle vnreuerenced & vnthende. Cryste hym¦selfe / crystus passyon / crystus deth / crys¦tus lyuyng in erthe fulle of payne and wo / the crosse that he deyed on & euery lykenesse of the crosse is called Crystus crosse. But the lykenesse of a thynge ought not to be in as moche reuerence and worshyppe as the thyng hymselfe.

And euery lorde & knyght hath a specy¦ale token in his armes or ellys besydes his armes wherby he is knowen / & oft bereth the name of his token / & by the name of his token his dedes ben tolde of heraudes and gestours that knowe not theyr name neyther theyr persone. ¶Right so Cryste in holy wryte ofty∣mes is called a crosse / for the crosse is his specyall token. And soo somtyme we speke to the crosse as to Cryste hȳ¦selfe. Somtyme we speke of the crosse only that he henge vpon. And soo we speke oft in holy chirche seruyce to the crosse as to Cryste hymselfe / & anone we tourne the worde oonly to y^e crosse / that he dyed on. And so somtyme we speke to the crosse & of the crosse / as to hym & of hym y^t the crosse betokeneth. Somtyme we speke of the crosse only as of his token / & the crosse y^t he dyed vpon / & so one worde is referred to dy¦uerse thynges / & this blyndeth moche peple in theyr redyng. For they mene y^t al y^e prayers y^t holy chirche maketh to y^e crosse that he maketh theym to the tree that Cryste dyed on / or ellys to y^e crosse in the chirche / as in y^t anteme. O crux splendidior. And so for lewdnesse they ben deceyued / & worshypp creatures as god hȳselfe. ¶Diues. On palme son∣daye atte processyon the prest draweth vp the veyle byfore the rode / & falleth downe to the groūde with all the peo∣ple and sayth thryes. Aue rex noster. Hayle be thou our kynge / & so he wor∣shypeth that ymage as kynge. ¶Pau¦per. Absit. God forbede. He speketh not to the ymage that the carpenter hath made & the peyntour peynted but yf the preest be a fole / for that stocke or stone was neuer kynge / but he speketh to hym that deyed on the crosse for vs all to hym that is kyng of all thyng.

Caplm .v.

DIues. I assente / for this is a∣yenst nature reason & kynde / that man whiche is nere of kynne to god that is very man & our brother / sholde worshyp in that maner eyther stocke or stoone. For they may neyther here ne see / ne helpe themselfe And therfor who so worshyppeth yma¦ges in this maner / dooth grete dysho∣nour to man that is so noble in ordre of kynde / & moche more to god that toke mankynde & became man / & in our manhode is aboue all mankynde. ¶Pauper. Yf the kynges sone kneled to his churle or to his page & worshyp¦ped hym as his souerayne & prayed hȳ of grace / that oonly the kynge myght graūt & dyde hym the same worshyp that he sholde do his fader the kynge it were a grete dyshonour bothe to the sone & to the fader. And therfore it is repreef to gentylles to be ouer homely with boyes ayenst good norture. But moche more dyshonour do we to god & to our self also / sythen we be y^e kynges childern of heuen / so nyghe of kynne & heyres of the kyngdom of heuen / yf we worshyp stockes or stones or ony o∣ther ymages / or done theym ony seruy¦ce / as sayth the lawe. De consec di iij. Venerabiles. ¶Diues. This is open ynough that thou sayst. For the yma∣ge neyther can ne may helpe atte nede For it hath noo vertue atte all. It is noo thyng ellys but a boke or a token

to the lewde people as thou saydeste fyrste to styre hem to thynke on god & on sayntes in heuen / and so to wor∣shyp god ouer all thyng & sayntes in theyr degree. ¶Pauper. For this rea¦son ben crosses made by y^e waye / that whan folke passynge see the crosse / they sholde thynke on hȳ that deyed on the crosse / & worshypp hym aboue all thynge. And for the same reason is the crosse born byfore in processyon that all that folowe & mete with the crosse shold worshyp hym that deyed on the crosse / & thanke hym for his en¦deles charyte. Also the crosse is borne byfore / in token that in all our lyuyn¦ge & all our dedes we sholde haue eye & herte to hym that deyed on y^e crosse as to our kyng / our hede / our lorde / & our leder to y^• blysse of heuen. And ther¦fore Salomon sayth Oculi sapientis in capite eius. The eyen of the wyse man ben alwaye in his hede / that is Ihesu cryste / whiche is hede of holy chirche & of all crysten people.

Caplm .vi.

DIues. Sythen ymagery is but a token & a booke of the lewde people / teche me yet a lytyll better to knowe this boke & to rede therin. ¶Pauper. Ymagery so∣me what betokeneth in specyall / som¦what in comon & generall. In specy∣all token the ymage of our lady is paynted with a childe in the lefte ar∣me in token that she is moder of god & with a lylye or ellys with a rose in her right honde / in token that she is mayden withouten ende / & floure of all wymen. And so of other sayntes / whose ymages haue dyuerse sygnes in theyr hondes & other places for dy¦uerse vertues & martyrdoms that tho sayntes suffreddē & had in theyr lyfe The ymage of saynt Peter is payn∣ted with keyes in his honde in token that Cryste betoke Saynt Peter the keyes of holy chirche / & of the kyng∣dom of heuen. But yet afterwarde Cryste gaaf tho keyes to all the apos¦tles / as y^e gospelles wytnesse Mathei xviij. et Iohēs .xx.c. Saynt Poule is paynted with a swerde in his honde in token that he was heded with a swerde for Crystus sake / & also in to¦ken y^e somtyme he pursued holy chir∣che with y^e swerde. Saynt Iohan the euangelyste is paynted with a coupe in his honde & an adder therin in to∣ken that he dranke dedely venym / & thorugh the vertue of the crosse it lost his malyce & dyde hym none harme. & in his other honde he bereth a pal∣me in token that he was a martyr / & had the palme of martyrdom / alle though he was not slayne / for yet his wyll was for to deye for goddes sake Saynt Iohan baptyst is paynted in a Cameles skynne at the payntours wyll in token that his clothyng was full harde & sharpe made of Came∣les here. He bereth a lombe w^t a crosse in his lefte honde / & his fynger of the right honde there towarde in token that he shewed goddes lombe goddes sone y^• deyed for vs on the crosse whā he sayd to the people. Ecce agnus dei¦ecce qui tollit peccata mūdi. See god¦des lombe / see hym that dothe awaye

the synnes of the worlde. Saynt Ka∣theryne is paynted with a whele in the one honde / in token of the horry∣ble wheles whiche the tyraūt. Maxen cius ordeyned to rente her from lyth to lyth / but the angell destroyed them and many thousandes of hethen peo¦ple / and so they dyde her none harme She hath a swerde in the other hon∣de / in token that her hede was smy∣ten of with a swerde for Crystus sa∣ke. Saynt Margarete is paynted also with a dragon vnder her feet / & with a crosse in her honde / in token that whan the dragon deuoured her / she blessyd her / and by the vertue of the crosse the dragon braste / and she cam¦out of hym in good helth and hole. And soo forthe of dyuerse ymages of other sayntes / whiche ymages be ma∣de to represente to man the vertuous lyuynge of sayntes / & the holy endyn¦ge of theyr temporall lyfe.

Caplm .vij.

DIues. What betokeneth yma¦gerye in generall or comon. ¶Pauper. Comonly all the apostles ben paynted bare fote in to∣ken of Innocencye & of penaūce. Ne∣uertheles they wente not alwaye ful∣ly bare fote / but somtyme with galo∣ches / a sole byneth & a fastnynge abo¦ue the fote / of whiche galoches saynt Beda sayth in his Orygynall. The angell spake to saynt Peter sayeng. Calciate caligas tuas. Do on thy ga¦loches or sandalynes as sayth saynt Marke in his gospell. Also the apos∣tles comonly and other sayntes ben paynted with manteles in token of the vertue and pouerte whiche they hadde. For as sayth saynt Gregorye. All these worldely goodes ben nough¦te ellys but a clothynge to the bodye. And a man tele is a louse clothynge not faste to the bodye but louse / and lyghtly may be done awaye. Right so the goodes of this worlde was but a mantell to y^e apostles & other sayn∣tes. For they were alwaye so louse frō theyr herte y^t they gaaf no grete tale therof / nor to lese theym. They were not faste ne clyued not to them by no false couetyse / but alwaye they were redye to forsake all for Crystus sake. ¶Diues. What betokeneth the roun¦de thynges paynted on theyr hedes. ¶Pauper. The blysse that they ha∣ue withouten ende. Of whiche y^e pro∣phete Ysaye speketh. Leticia sempiter na super capita eo{rum} Ysaye .li. ¶Di∣ues. They were not so gay in clothyn¦ge as they ben paynted. ¶Pauper. That is soth. For many of them we∣re clothed in full harde clothyng and poore as saynt Poule sayth. Circuie∣runt in melotis in pellibus caprinis angustiati. They wente about in bro¦ken skynnes / in shynnes of gote ne∣dy anguysshed. Neuerthelesse yma∣ges standyng in chirches may be con¦sydered in two maners / eyther as they represente the astate of sayntes of whom they be ymages as they ly∣ued in this lyf / & so they be to be payn¦ted in suche maner clothynge as tho sayntes vsed whyles they lyued here. Or ellys they may be consydered as they represente the astate of endelesse

blysse in whiche sayntes be now / & so they be to be paynted ryaly & solemp¦nely / as the cherubyns y^t represented the angellys y^t ben in heuen were ma¦de of golde. Exodi .xxv. Nathelesse in all suche paynture an honest meane neyther to costly bycause of this con∣syderacōn / ne to vyle bycause of y^e four¦mer consyderacyon me thynketh is to be kepte.

Caplm .viij.

DIues. why ben angellys paȳ¦ted in lykenes of yonge men sythe they be spyrytes & haue no bodyes. ¶Pauper. Ther may no payntour paynte a spyryt in his kyn¦de. And therfore to the better represen¦tacōn they be paynted in the lykenes of a man / whiche in soule is moost accordynge to angellys kynde. And though the angell is not suche bode∣ly as he is paynted / he is neuertheles suche ghoostly / and hath suche doyn∣ge & beyng spyrytuell. They be payn¦ted lyke yong men berdlesse / in token y^t they ben endlesse & elden not / ne fe∣ble not / but alwaye in one lykyng / in one astate / alwaye myghty & stronge And also they be paȳted with crulled here / in token y^t theyr thought & ther loue is sette alwaye in right ordre / & tourne alwaye vp ayen to god / than kynge hym & worshyppynge hym in all thyng. For by the here of the hede in holy wryte is vnderstonde thought and affeccōns of the herte. Also they ben paynted with stoles aboute theyr neckes / in token that they be alwaye redy to serue god & man atte goddes byddyng. And therfor they ben called Administratorij spūs. Ad Hebre .i.c. That is to saye / spyrytes of seruyce. For they serue to god / in rulynge of mankynde & gouernaūce of this worl¦de. They ben paȳted fethered & with wynges / in token of lyghtnesse & de∣lyuerenesse in her werkes. For in a twynclynge of an eye they may be in heuen & in erthe / here & att Rome / & at Ihrusalē. They ben paynted with wheles vnð theyr fete in token y^t they meue & rule y^e roūde bodyes / the whe¦les & the cercles in heuen / & y^e course of the planetes as y^e phylosophre sayth / & also in token y^t as the whele tour∣neth alwaye aboute the centre & his myddes / so the angellys doyng is al∣waye about god / & alwaye ben nygh hȳ where euer they be. Also somtyme they be paynted armed w^t spere swer¦de & shelde / in token y^t they be redy to defende vs fro y^e fendes that ben besy nyght & daye to lese vs. For but yf ho¦ly angellys holpen vs & defende vs & kepte vs lettyng y^e fendes malyce / we myght not withstōde ne be saued. And therfor right as euery man & woman hath a wycked angell assygned to hȳ by y^e fende to tēpte hȳ. So hath he a good angell assygned to hȳ of god / to saue hym yf he wyll folowe his rule.

Caplm .ix.

DIues. Why ben the four euā¦gelystes paynted in suche dy∣uerse lykenes sythen they we∣re men all foure. ¶Pauper. For dy∣uerse maner of wrytyng & techynge. Mathewe is paynted in lykenesse of

a man. For he pryncypally wrote and taught the manhode of Cryste & tol¦de how he bycame man. And moost specyally and moost openly wrote his genologye. Saynt Iohan that wro∣te. In principio erat verbū. Is payn∣ted in lykenesse of an egle / whiche of all foules fleeth hyghest / & in syght is sharpest and may see ferthest. Soo saynt Iohan spake & wrote hyghest of the godhede / and hadde more In∣syght & vnderstandynge in the god∣hede than the other Euangelystes. Saynt Luke is paynted in the lyke∣nesse of a calfe or an oxe / bycause that he speketh moost openly of the pas∣syon of Cryste that was offred vp to the fader of heuen on the Aultre of the crosse on good frydaye / as the oxe or the calfe was offred on the Aul••e in the Temple by the lawe for salua¦cyon of the people / whiche offrynge was betokenyng of Crystus passyon And for y^t saynt Luke speketh moost openly of Cryst{us} passyon / whiche was betokened by the sacrefyce of the oxe. Therfore he is paynted & presented by the lykenesse of an oxe. Saynt Marke is paynted in lykenesse of a lyon / bycause y^t he speketh moost open¦ly of Crystus resurreccōn / how he ro∣se from deth to lyfe. For whan y^e lyo∣nesse hath whelped they leye .iij. dayes and .iij. nyghtes deed / tylle on y^e thyr∣de daye / the lyon theyr fader cometh & maketh an hydeous crye ouer them & anone with y^t voys & crye they quyc¦ken & waken / & in y^t maner ryse from deth to lyfe / & for this reason is saynt Marke presented by the lykenesse of a lyon / for he spake more openly of Cry¦stus resurreccōn. And therfore his gos¦pell is rede on esterdaye. Also y^u shalt vnderstande that Cryste was god & man / & preest & kyng. Mathewe spa¦ke moost openly of his māhode / & be∣gan at his manhode / & therfore he is paynted in the lykenesse of a man. Saynt Iohn̄ spake moost of his god hode / & began atte his godhode. And therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an egle as I sayd fyrste. Saynt Lu¦ke spake moost of his preesthode / and therfore he is paynted in the lykenes of an oxe or of a calfe. For that was the pryncypall sacrefyce that the pres¦tes by the olde lawe offred in tō the Temple. Saynt Marke spake moost of his kyngdom / shewyng hym kyng of all thyng. And therfore he is payn¦te•• in the lykenesse of a lyon / that is kyng of vnresonable bestes ¶Diues Why ben they so paynted in the four endes of the crosse ¶Pauper. In to¦ken that he that deyed on the crosse is kyng of all thynge. For the Egle is kyng of all foules. The Lyon is kyng of all wylde bestes vnresona∣ble. The oxe is kyng of all tame bes¦tes helpynge to mankynde. Man is kyng of all bestes and of all vysyble creatures that were made for hym. But Cryste is kyng of all thynge vy¦syble and Inuysyble. And in token therof / the four Euangelystes ben paynted aboute hym on the crosse in dyuerse lykenesse of four dyuerse kyn¦ges / in kynde as four kynges heraw∣des blasynge his armes / & the grete batayle & vyctory that he dyde ayenst

the fende for mākynde vpon the cros¦se. ¶Diues. why ben they paynted in houses in foure partyes of the house. ¶Pauper. For the same cause & for deuocōn & for knowlechynge of his hyghe lordshypp that all we haue of hym / and ayenst tempestes & wycked spyrytes that free the euāgelystes ben sette in maner of a crosse / & ben asha∣med & abasshed of the crosse / & specy∣ally of Crystus passyon / by the whi∣che they were all dysconfyted.

Caplm .x.

DIues. Why ben ymages co∣uered in Lenten from mānes syght. ¶Pauper. In token that whyle men ben in dedely synne / they may not see goddes face ne sayn¦tes in heuen. And in tokenyng y^t god & all the courte of heuen hyde theyr face from man & womā whyles they be in dedely synne / tyll the tyme that they wyll amende them by sorowe of herte & shryfte & satysfaccōn. ¶Di∣ues. why ben they more hyd in lenten than in other tyme. ¶Pauper. The tyme of lente betokeneth the tyme of Adams synne / for the whiche we lost the syght of goddes face / & god & the courte of heuen hyd theyr faces from mankynde vnto the tyme of Crystus passyon. And in token therof dn̄ica in septuagesima whan holy chirche be∣gynneth to make mynde of Adams synne / he leueth songes of myrthe / as Glia in excelsis. Te deū. & Alla. For thorugh the synne of Adam our Ioye was torned in to sorowe & wo. ¶Di∣ues. I holde it well done to hyde yma¦ges in lenten to lette men from ydo∣latrye. Nathelesse ymages of comon offrynge ben selden hyd in lenten for lettynḡe of lucre. ¶Pauper. Saynt Poule sayth that couetyse & namely of prestes is cause of moche ydolatry. Auaricia est ydolo{rum} seruit{us}. Coloc. iij. For were not couetyse tho ymages sholde be sette as lytyll by as other & as soone couered & hyde. ¶Diues. I suppose that sayntes in erthe were not arrayed so gaye with shone of syluer & with clothes of broodery rynges & broches & other Iewellys as ymages be now. And somtyme y^u saydest that by the fete is vnderstonden mannes loue & his affeccyon. And therfor me thynketh y^t the fete so shode in syluer shewed that the loue & the affeccōn of prestes is moche sett in golde & syluer & erthely couetyse. For suche richesses of clothynge of the ymages is but a tollynge of more offrynge / & a token to the lewde people where they sholde offre & what / for they had leuer a bro¦che or a rynge of syluer or of golde / than a peny or a halfe peny / though the broche or the rynge be but of easy pryce. And comonly they shoe none ymages ne clothe them so richely / but yf they erne fyrste theyr shone & theyr clothes / but yf it be to tolle folke to offrynge. ¶Pauper. Leue this mater for it is odyouse to y^• coueytouse pres∣tes that wynne grete richesse by suche ymages. And therfore lete suche wor¦des passe at this tyme & speke we so∣me thynge ellys more to purpose.

Caplm .xi.

DIues. Cryste sayth in the go¦spell. Dominū deum tuum adorabis. et ei solt seruies. Mathey .iiij. Thou shalte worshyppe thy lorde god / and serue hym allone / And it is of the fyrste cōmaūdemen∣te as holy wryte sheweth well Deut sexto. How myght I kepe this that I sholde noo thynge worshypp ne ser∣ue but god. I muste also worshyppe my kyng / my prelate / my soueraynes and serue theym as myn astate axeth and doo to them my deutees / homa∣ge / & ••ewtee. And saynt Poule sayth. Per caritatē seruite inuicem. Ad Ga¦la .v. Serue ye togydre eche man to other by charyte. And Saynt Peter sayth. Serui subditi. estote dn̄is ves∣tris. non tantum bonis et modestis. sed eciam discolis. Ye seruauntes be ye subgett to your lordes / not only to the good and to the meke / but also to the tyrauntes. And in the same place he byddeth vs worshyppe alle men. He byddeth vs also drede our god and worshyppe our kyng. ¶Pauper. As clerkes saye / ther is two maner of ser¦uyce and of worshyp. One that lon∣geth oonly to god and to noo creatu∣re / and is called Latria in latyn / that is to saxe dyuyne seruyce and dyuy∣ne worshyppe / for it longeth oonly to god. An other is a seruyce & a wor¦shyp comon to god & to creatures re∣sonable & vnderstandynge / that is to saye to man woman & angell / and is called Dulia in latyn. The fyrste ser¦uyce & worshyp that is called Latria. dyuyne seruyce longeth oonly to god And in this maner seruyce speketh Cryste whanne he sayth tho wordes. Dominū deum tuum &••. Thou shalt worshyppe thy lorde god & serue hym allone with dyuyne seruyce and dy∣uyne worshyppe. That is to saye / thou shalt doo noo Latriam / noo dy∣uyne worshypp / ne dyuyne seruyce to no creature / but only to god. And ther¦fore who soo doth ony dyuyne seruyce that is called Latria. to ony creature to ony ymage or to ony fourme or fy∣gure / he doth ydolatrye. For Ydolum in latyn is called a fourme and an ymage in Englysshe. And therfore who soo doth dyuyne worshypp that is called Latria / to ony ymage he doth ydolatrye. ¶Diues. What cal∣lest thou proprely Latriam / dyuyne worshyppe and seruyce that longeth oonly to god. ¶Pauper. As sayth a grete clerke Antisidorenlis in sūma sua libro .iij. Latria is a protestacyon & knowlechyng of the hygh mayeste of god that he is souerayne goodnesse souerayne wysedom / souerayne my∣ghte / souerayne trouth / souerayne lar∣genesse / shaper & sauer of all creatu∣res / & ende of euery thynge / & all that we haue we haue of hym / & without hym we haue right nought / & nought may haue ne doo without hym / nor we ne none other creature. This kno¦wlechynge & protestacyon is done in thre maners / by herte / by speche / & by dede. By herte that we loue hym as souerayne goodnesse / & loue hym as souerayne wysdom & souerayne trou∣the y^t may not disceyue ne be disceyued & hope & truste in hym as in soueray¦ne myght that may best helpe at n••de

and as souerayne largenesse & lorde that may beste yelde vs our mede / & as souorayne sauyour moost mercy∣full & moost redye to forgyue vs our mysdede / by mouth & speche this kno¦wlechyng & this seruyce is done / whā we swere by his name worshypfully & truly in thyng of charge & fle ydell othes / foule othes / false othes / & in our speche do worshyp to his holy name / & swere not by creatures / but only by his holy name. For he sayth in y^• go∣spell. Reddes domino iuramenta tua Thou shalt yelde thyn othes to thy lorde god & to no creature. Also it is done by vowes makyng / for it is not lawfull to make auowe to ony crea∣ture. And therfore he sayth. Reddes dn̄o vota tua. Thou shalt also yelde thyn auowes to thy lorde god / and to no creature. And the prophete sayth. Vouete et reddite domino deo vestro. Make ye vowes / and yelde ye your vowes to your lorde god / and not to the ymages stockes ne stones Also it is done with prayer and praysyng of the mouthe. For we muste praye hym and prayse hym as souerayne myght souerayne wysdome / souerayne good¦nesse / souerayne trouth / as all right∣full and mercyfull / as shaper and sa¦uer of all thyng / and lorde of all and souerayne helpe in euery nede. And in this maner may we not praye ne pray¦se ony creature. And therfore they y^t make theyr prayers and theyr prasyn¦ges byfore the ymages / & saye theyr Pater noster / & theyr Aue maria / and other prayers & praysynges / vsed co∣monly of holy chirche / or ony suche other / yf they do it to the ymage / and speke to the ymage they do open ydo¦latrye. And they be not excused all yf they vnderstande not what they saye. For theyr syght and theyr other wyt∣tes and theyr Inner wytte also / she∣weth well ther ought no suche pray∣ers praysynges ne worshyppe for to be done to none suche ymages. For they may not here them / ne see them ne helpe them at a nede.

Caplm .xij.

ALso this protestacōn & know∣lechynge is done by dede / as by offrynge / & sacrefyce ma∣kynge whiche longeth oonly to god. For what man offreth or maketh sa∣crefyce / he knowlecheth hym gyuer of grace / & maker of holynesse / sauyour and forgyuer of synne / and this may no creature do. Also it is sheweth by tokens of the bodye / as by knelynge / bowyng / lyftyng vp of hondes / by bū¦chyng of the brest / the whiche tokens may be done both to god and to reso¦nable creatures / but otherwyse to god than to resonable creatures. For as sayth a clerke Ricardus de media vil¦la su{per} terciū sentencia{rum} dist .ix. q̄one vltima. Whan we knele to god / in y^• we knowlege that we may not stan∣de in vertue / in goodnesse / ne in wele but oonly by hym. Whan we falle al downe to the groūde to god / we kno∣wlege that but he helde vs & kepte vs we sholde falle all to nought / & whan we holde vp our handes to hym / we knowleche that we may right nough¦te do without hym / & that we be alle

in his power / and that he may doo without vs what he wyll / and so we put vs only in his grace. Also by that we knowleche that all that we haue of ony goodnesse / we take it of his honde & of his gyfte. Whan we bun∣che our brestes / we knowleche vs gyl¦ty ayenst hym in herte and in dede. And that we haue done moche syn∣ne whiche oonly god knoweth. For oonly he knoweth mannes herte and mannes wyll. Also we bunche our sel¦fe on the breste in token of sorowe of herte for our mysdedes / and that we repente vs sore of our mysdedes. The¦se tokens of reuerence be done also to resonable creatures / as to the angell / man and woman / but not in this ma¦ner. For whan we knele or bowe vs / or falle downe to the groūde / or hol∣de vp our hondes to ony creature / we knowleche that ther is some souerayn¦te & some vertue in hym that we kne¦le to / wherby he may helpe vs / not as pryncypall helper / but as seconda∣rye with the helpe of god. And ther∣fore these dedes of worshyp and reue∣rence sholde not be done to ymages / stockes / or stones / ne to none suche o∣ther. For they haue none suche vertue ne soueraynte aboue man ne woman nother right nought may helpe them at theyr nede / neyther them selfe also So that these dedes of reuerence pryn¦cypally ought to be done to god / secō¦darye to angell man or woman / but in noo wyse to none other vnresona∣ble creatures / ne to none suche yma∣ges. And as sayth a grete clerke doc∣tor Halis in sūma sua. To god men sholde knele with bothe the knees / in token that in hym is all our pryncy∣pale helpe / but to man oonly with the one knee. Soo my frende ye shall vn¦derstande that the worshypp whiche is called Latria. shall be done oonly to god. The worshypp that is called Dulia. is comon both to god & man For we sholde worshyp man woman and angell / not for theym selfe / but pryncypally for god / for that they ben made to goddes ymage / for they ben goddes seruaūtes and goddes mynys¦tres. For ther is no lorde / ne tyraunt / ne prelate / man nor woman so wyc∣ked / but that he serued god in some thynge. And also though he be now wycked / we wote not how soone that he shall amende hym & be onr broder in to the blysse of heuen. As Saynt Austyn sayth vpon the saultre. But to the fende sholde we doo noo wor∣shyppe / for he is dampned withoute an ende / and ther is noo hope of his saluacyon.

Caplm .xiij.

WE sholde worshyp man and womā / for he is made to the lykenesse of god / for his offy∣ce / for the worshyppe of god / and des∣pyse his synne. And therfore Saynt Peter sayth. Omnes honorate. Wor∣shyppe ye all men and wymen. Hono¦re inuicem preuenientes. Be ye besy / who soo may euery man worshyppe other. ¶Diues. Me meruaylleth mo∣che why men be so besy to do the peo¦ple worshyp or ymages. ¶Pauper. Couetyse of men of holy chirche and

lewdenesse both of theym and of the people ben cause of suche ydolatrye. ¶Diues. I haue herde saye that ma¦ny grete clerkes holden therwith / & saye that men sholde worshyp yma∣ges. ¶Pauper. Worshypp is a large worde & comon to dyuyne worshypp and seruyce that is called Latria. and to worshyppe that is called Dulia. whiche longeth proprely to speke on∣ly to resonable creatures. For as sayth the phylosophre quarto Ethicorum. Worshyppe is mede of vertue / and it ought not for to be done to ony cre¦ature / but that the creature haue some goodnesse of vertue morall / & of gra∣ce / or ellys some offyce to lede and to brynge folke to morall vertue. ¶Di∣ues. Than to the ymage stocke or sto¦ne / golde or syluer / longeth none suche worshyppe. For whan that it is so se∣re & so drye and worme eten / it hath noo vertue att all / but for to brenne sooner in the fyre than a grene tree. But whan that it wext vpon the er∣the / it had bertue to wexe and spryn¦ge and to brynge forth grene leues & floures to conforte of mānes eye and fruyt to helpe of man & beest. And yet wyll noo man worshypp suche grene trees ne precyous stones ne herbys all yf they haue grete vertues and won∣derfull / for they haue noo vertue mo∣rall. Moche more men sholde not wor¦shyppe se••e drye & worme eten trees / that haue noo vertue atte all. Saye forth what thou wylt. ¶Pauper. Al¦so worshypp is called veneracōn that standeth in honest & syker kepyng / ho¦neste handelynge / clene dyghtyng / in standyng / in syttynge / in place settyn¦ge. And this maner of worshypp may be done and ought to be done to eue∣ry holy thynge that longeth to god & to holy chirche / as booke chalyce ves∣tyment belles and ymages / in as mo¦che as the be ournaments of holy chirche / and the lewde mennes booke But this worshyppe and veneracyon is no seruyce ne subgeccyon of hym y^t doth it to thyng y^t he doth it to / but it sheweth subgeccyon & seruyce of the thynges soo worshypped to hym that putteth it so in worshyppe / so kepeth it and so saued it. And in this maner the lawe called ymages venerable & worshypfull / for ther sholde no man despyse them ne defoule them / brenne them ne breke them. De consecracōe. dis. iij. Venerabiles. And for this ma∣ner of veneracōn and worshyp sayth the lawe in the same place / and some doctours / that ymages booke or vesty¦mente and chalyce may be worshyp∣ped with Dulia. But they take that Dulia full largely / and full vnpro∣prely. For suche worshyppe and vene∣racyon is no seruyce ne subgeccyon as I sayd byfore. And proprely to speke Dulia is a worshyp that longeth on∣ly to god and to resonable creatures. And pryncypally and excellently to our lady saynt Mary / & to the man∣hode of Cryste / whiche worshyppe is called Y{per}dulia. proprely sayd. Also to the crosse that Cryste deyed vpon / yf that men hadde it as clerkes saye lon¦geth Yperdulia. For all thynges that lacked lyfe / the crosse of Cryste ought moost to be worshyped / & be in moost

veneracōn & reuerence. But that vene¦racyon is called y{per}dulia. vnproprely. Also frendes ther is worshyp that the subgette doth to his souerayne / know lechyng hym his souerayne by worde or by token / as by knelyng bowynge & suche other / & this maner worshyp is called proprely adoracyon. Other worshyp y^t is called honoracōn / & ve∣neracōn is cōuenyent bothe to the so∣uerayne & to the subgette. For a lorde honoureth his seruaunt by gyftes / by promocōns in offyce & dygnyte. Also a lord worshypeth a poore man whā he setteth hȳ at his owne table / or a∣boue other that ben of hygher degree than he / & yet he adoureth hym not / ne doth hym y^e worshyp of adoracōn Nathelesse adoracōn is taken somty∣me full vnproprely for comon hono∣racōn & veneracōn. And for as moche as all these maners of worshyp so dy¦uerse ben called w^t one name of wor¦shyp in Englysshe tonge / & ofte y^• la∣tyn of worshyp is taken & vsed vnpro¦prely & to comonly / therfore men fall in moche doubte & errour in redyng & not well vnderstande what they rede.

Caplm .xiiij.

DIues. This dystynccōn & de¦claracōn of worshypyng how it is taken & vsed in dyuerse maner / & how it is called w^t one na∣me in Englysshe / hath auoyded ma∣ny argumentes & reasons whiche I thought to haue made ayenst the. I am out of doubte. I can answere ther to my selfe by thy declaracyon. But two thynges as me thynketh y^u saydest not all trouth. ¶Pauper. Whiche be tho. ¶Diues. Thou saydest that men sholde not offre but only to god ne knele on bothe knees but oonly to god. And we see att our eye that men offre to the preest in the chirche & kne¦le on both knees to the preest in shryf¦te. ¶Pauper. Men offre not the prest but oonly to god as I sayd fyrste by the hondes of the preest / for the preest is goddes mynystre ordeyned to res∣ceyue thynges that ben offred to god as tythes & deuocyons & lyue therby honestly & to spende the remenaūt to nedy folke & to worshyp of god & the helpe of holy chirche. Ne men knele not in that maner to the preest / but to god byfore the preest for the reue∣rence of god & of the sacramentes of holy chirche. But whan man kneled to temporall lordes prelates or prestes or ony other persone / for reuerence of his persone or of his dygnyte / he shol¦de knele oonly with that one knee. But as sayth Saynt Austyn de ciui∣tate dei libro decimo capitulo quinto. By flaterye and ouerlowenesse of the people and ambycyon of the soueray∣nes many worshyppes that longeth somtyme to god allone / ben now vsed in the worshyppynge of synfull man and woman. And though it be also do to man or to woman for the wor∣shyppe of god as I sayd fyrste / it is suffrable and suffycyent.

Caplm .xv.

DIues. Thuryfycacyon & en∣censyng was by olde tyme an hyghe dyuyne worshypp also

And many sayntes were putte to the deth bycause they wolde not encense ymages stockes ne stones. But now clerkes encense ymages & other / prce∣stes & clerkes and lewde people olso. And so as me thynketh they do ydola¦trye. ¶Pauper. In euery lawe thu∣ryfycacōn or encensynge hath ben an hygh dyuyne worshyp that ought not to be done to ony creature by waye of offrynge. Neuerthelesse it may be do∣ne in two maners. Fyrste by waye of offrynge with conuenyent betokenyn¦ge / & so it may be done to ony creatu¦re. For in this maner it oweth not to be done but oonly of a preest & at an aultre halowed or with a superaltare halowed / soo that prestes lefully may saye there theyr masse. For by the en∣censour is vnderstande mannes herte by the encense holy prayers / by the fy¦re charyte. And so suche encensyng & thuryfycacyon betokeneth that right as the preest offreth vp in the encen∣sour encense / swete smellynge by hete of the fyre. So the preest & the people by the preest offren vp her hertes to god and her prayers quyckned by the fyre of charyte. And praye that theyr bedes and theyr prayers and deuocy∣ons may be pleasaūt to hym for that endelesse charyte that he shewed to mankynde / whan he deyed for vs all vpon the crosse / whiche charyte is pre¦sented in the sacramente of the aultre For all the masse syngynge is a spe∣cyall mynde makyng of Crystus pas¦syon. And right as Cryste was mea∣ne in his passyon bytwene god and mankynde. Soo is the preest in his masse saynge / and sacrefyce makyn∣ge and offrynge & encensynge mea∣ne bytwene god and the people. And therfore oonly a preeste sholde encen∣se atte the aultre and with halowed encense / and with holy prayer sayen∣ge in this wyse for hym selfe and for the people. Dirigatur oracio mea¦sicut incensum in conspectu tuo. Lor∣de make my prayers goo right vp in thy syght as encense. Also thuryfyca∣cyon or encense may be done only for sterynge of deuocyon and for toke∣nynge. And soo it may be done to the clergye and to the people / in token that as the encense by hete of the fy∣re smelleth swete / and also styeth vp to heuenwarde. Soo sholde they lyf∣te vp theyr hertes with deuocōn / and make theyr prayers in charyte that they myght be pleasaunte to god. For but yf the preeste and the people ben in charyte / otherwyse theyr prayers pleaseth not god / neyther gooth not vp to god as it sholde ellys doo / and therfore is noo man worthy for to be encensed but yf he be in charyte. And whan the clergye in the quere or the people is encensed / they sholde bowe them lowe for the reuerence of god / & take it not as for worshyp done to hȳ but as sterynge to deuocōn / & as a to¦ken what deuocōn they sholde she we to god / & by bowynge them shewe lo∣wenesse of deuocōn y^t it stereth them to. For without deuocōn and lownes∣se of herte our prayers gone not vp to god. But as sayth the wyse man. The prayer of hȳ that loweth hȳ in his prayer thyrleth the clowdes. The

myssalle & the gospell is encensed in token that the prayers wryten therin prouffyte lytyll or nought / but yf they be made with deuocyon & in charyte And ther sholde noo man preche the gospell / but with deuocyon and for charyte / and all his spede and all his prouffyte referre vp to god / and all his prayers put in his wyll. Atte bu∣ryeng of people men encense the deed bodyes / in token y^t he deyed in chary∣te / & in his deyeng he had his herte vp to god / by hope fayth charyte & deuo¦cōn / for ellys he is not worthy to be buryed in crysten buryelles. Also in to¦ken that he shall quycken ayen & ryse vp from deth to lyfe atte daye of do∣me & go vp to heuen for his charyte whiche he had by his lyfe as the en∣cense styed vp by the hete of the fyre / And for the same cause is the graue encensed / in token that he shall awa∣ke & ryse from deth to lyfe. Also the bodye & the graue ben encensed / in to¦ken y^t it is pleasaūt to god y^t holy chir¦che prayed for hym. But this maner of encensynge done to the clergye to the people to the deed bodyes & to the graue sholde be done with encense not halowed ne blyssed / for it is none of∣frynge. And as touchynge encensyn∣ge / done in the presence of ymages / as it semeth to me it is not done pro∣prely to the ymages / but byfore the ymages in dyuerse sygnyfycacyons or tokenynges. For whan encensyng is done byfore a paynted ymage y^t re¦presenteth Cryste whiche is very god & man. It semeth to me y^• the encen∣synge sygnefyed y^t all deuocōn & cha∣rytable prayer whiche is bitokened by encense / sholde pryncypally stye vp to god / & whan encensyng is done byfo¦re ony ymage of our lady or of other sayntes / it may sygnefye y^t the pray∣ers of sayntes whiche praye for vs wretches in erthe stye vp by theyr gre¦te charyte vnto the mayeste of god. ¶Diues. Syth encensyng is not do∣ne to the people by waye of worshyp∣pyng / why encense they fyrste the so∣ueraynes more thanne the subgettes. ¶Pauper. For in all thyng muste be kepte ordre in doynge. And also in to¦ken that as they ben pryncypal in sta¦te & dygnyte / so sholde they be pryncy¦pall in deuocyon & charyte / and gyue other good ensample.

Caplm .xvi.

DIues. Why worshyp we god and praye to hym more in the eest than in to the weste / southe / and northe. ¶Pauper. Eest and Weste Southe and Northe / and ouer all it is lewfull and medefull to worshyp god as hym y^t is ouer all lor¦de of all thynge. But for to drawe crysten people to one maner doyng / & to flee dyfformyte. Therfor holy chir¦che hath ordeyned y^t men sholde in chir¦che & other places yf it may be well¦done / worshyp god praye hym & pray¦se hym in the Eest / as the lawe she∣weth well. Distinct xi. ecclesiastica{rum}. And that for dyuerse causes. Fyrst for Cryste deyed vpon the crosse in to the weste / & therfor in our prayer we shol¦de tourne vs in to the eest to see how Cryste for vs henge vpon y^• tree / & for

to haue an eye to his passyon / & wor∣shyp hym that deyed for vs all vpon the tree. Also to lette the people to sue the Iewes in maner of worshyppyng For atte goddes ordenaūce they wor∣shyped westwarde in token that theyr lawe & theyr maner worshyppynge in theyr cerymonyes sholde soone pas¦se and go downe & make an ende as the daye endeth & passeth awaye in to the weste. And also in token that for ony worshypp or praysynge or for prayer that they dyde / yet they sholde go downe to helle / tyll the newe lawe came whan Cryste deyed for vs alle. And for the same reason Cryst deyed westwarde / and in his deyeng sayd. Consūmatum est. That is to saye. It is ended. For in his deth the olde tes∣tamente ended & wente downe as the sonne / and the daye gooth downe in the weste. And therfore we crysten peo¦ple worshyp in to the eest / by techyng of the holy ghoost / in token that our lawe shall sprynge and sprede as the daye comynge as the sonne ryseth & spryngeth out of the cest / and as all the sterres ben moost bryghtest in the eest / and whan they go in to the weste all they begynne to waxe dymme & derke / so was the olde lawe full dym me and full derke. But the newe la∣we is open bryght and clere. Also we worshyp Cryste moost in the eest / for he was moost despysed in the Eest / whan he on a good frydaye henge on the crosse tourned in to y^• weste / whan the Iewes stode byfore hym & passed byfore hym with many scornes & de∣spytouse wordes / with mowes / & ma∣ny a Iape they sayd. Vach q^• destruis templum dei. Tprut for the that de∣stroyed goddes Temple. And for he was moost despysed in the eest of the Iewes and hethen people. Therfore crysten people worshyppe hym moost agayne in to the eest. And for he was moost despysed for vs on y^• good fry∣daye / therfore we worshyp hȳ moost on the good frydaye. And in this ma¦ner as moche as we may / we tourne all his despyte in to worshyp of hym Also we worshyp god in y^• eest in tokē y^t righ as the sonne ryseth vp in y^• eest so we byleue that Cryst rose vp from deth to lyfe / and in that we worshyp hym as hym that rose from deth to lyfe / & shall lyue without ende. Also in token that we longe to come ayen to the blysse of paradyse y^t we loste in the eest / & praye god y^t we may with his mercy come ayen therto ¶Diues These reasons ben good. But why were than the .xxv. men blamed of god / for they worshyped eestwarde at the rysyng of the sonne / as we fynde Ezechiel .viij. ¶Pauper. Not for y^t they worshypped god eestwarde. For Danyell & many other worshypped god eestwarde / west / south / & north / as he is worthy for to be worshyped ouer all. A solis ortu vs{que} ad occasum lau¦dabile nomē dn̄i. From the sonne vp rysyng vnto y^e goyng downe goddes name is praysable & worshyfull. But they were blamed for they worshyp∣ped the sonne in his rysyng / & dyde dy¦uyne worshyppe therto in despyte of goddes Temple & of goddes lawe as many fooles yet do now a dayes wor¦shyppynge

the sonne in his rysynge / & y^• newe mone in his fyrst shewyng ¶Diues. They worshyp hym y^t ma∣de the sonne & the mone. ¶Pauper. Yf they do so they do well / but I dre∣de they do not all so. And as sayth a grete clerke Leo the pope in a sermon for asmoche as it hath a lykenesse of ydolatrye & custome of hethen people men sholde absteyne theym therfro. For the people is ful moche enclyned to folye & to ydolatrye.

Caplm .xvij.

DIues. That is soth. For the∣se dayes men doo worshyp to the sonne / mone / & sterres / y^• for to worshyp the sterres & the plane¦tes / & the crafte of astronomye / they wyll putte out god of his maysterye / out of his kyngdom & his lordshyp / and out of his fredom / & make hym more boūde to sterres / than euer was ony kynge or ony lorde / or ony man vpon erthe. They wyll be of goddes pryue coūseyll wyll god or not / and rule his domes / his dedes / his werkes & all by theyr wyttes & by the course of the planetes / in somoche y^t as they saye ther shall no man ne woman be hole ne seke / foule ne fayre / riche ne poore / wyse ne foole / good ne wycked / but by the werkyng of the bodyes a∣boue & by theyr wyttes soo that they can telle it afore. Ther shall falle no myschyef ne welthe neyther to perso∣ne ne to comunyte / but by her wyttes & by y^• course of planetes. None hun∣gre morayne ne tempeste / no sekenes∣se / ••oo warre shall falle but by theyr wyttes & by the werkynge of the bo∣dyes aboue. For as they saye / the bo∣dyes aboue rule all thyng here byne∣the. And thus they wyl make god mo¦re thralle & of lesse power than ony kyng or lord vpon erthe. For why our lyege lorde the kyng god saue his lyf hath power & fredom of a page for to make a yoman / of a yoman a gen¦tylman / of a gentylman a knyght / of a poore man a grete lorde without le∣ue or helpe of the planetes. And yf a man trespasse ayenst hym & be taken with treasone / he is of power to doo hym to be hanged & drawen / & to ta¦ke from hym & his heyres the heryta¦ge & make hym full poore. And he is of power to make his true lyegeman riche though he be right poore. This fredom & this powir hath our lyege lorde our kyng / where soo the plane∣tes ben / or in what sygne / in what re∣specte / or in what constellacōn or con∣iunccyon / our kyng may doo all this & axe the planetes no leue / they may not lette hym / ne all the astronomers with all theyr calculacōn though they watche & stare after the sterres / tylle they lese theyr hedes may not let hȳ / ne saue oo mānes lyfe that the kyng wyll haue deed. Moche more than the kyng of heuen y^t made sonne & mone & sterres & all thyng of nought & ru∣leth gydeth & weldeth al thyng at his wyll may make riche & poore / fayre & foule / hole & seke / wyse & foole / good or wycked whom he lyketh without ony helpe of the planetes. And yf ony persone or comunyte trespasse ayenst hym / he may chastyse hym by hungre

by moreyne / by sekenesse / by tempest / by swerde / by pouerte / by losse of catel & what wyse he wyll / and he may re¦warde his true seruaūtes as hȳ lykith both in this worlde & in y^• other worl¦de axinge the planetes no leue, ne coū¦seyle of astronomers.

Caplm .xviij.

PAuper. As we fynde in holy wryte. Gen̄. i.c. At the begȳ¦nyng of y^e worlde whan god made all thyng of nought / the fourth daye he made sonne & mone & sterres & sette them in y^e fyrmament to gyue lyght to the creatures here byneth / y^t the sonne pryncypally sholde shyne & gyue lyght by daye / mone & sterres by nyght More ouer as sayth y^e boke he made them & ordeyned them for to parte the daye from y^e nyght / & they sholde be in tokenes & tymes dayes & yeres / y^t by the tokens of y^• bodyes abo¦ue men sholde knowe y^• daye from y^e nyght / & one daye from an other / & wyte what daye it were & what tyme of y^• daye / what nyght & what tyme of the nyght / what yere & what tyme of y^• yere / what moneth & what tyme of the moneth. Also god ordeyned thē & made them y^t by the tokens & by y^• bodyes aboue men sholde knowe whā it were tyme to slepe & tyme to wake tyme to trauayle & tyme to reste / ty∣me to halowe & tyme to labour / tyme to ete & tyme to faste / tyme to sette & tyme to sowe / tyme to ere tyme to re∣pe & to mowe. And therfore Salomō sayth Ecclïastes .iij. That all thyng hath his tyme. & all thyng vnder he∣uen passeth awaye by space of tyme. And so god made the fyrmament a∣boue with bryght bodyes y^t ben therin to serue mankynde / & other creatures also of lyght & tyme. Of lyght as a lanterne that may not be quenched. Of tyme as an orloge that may not fayle. God made hem to serue man and not man to serue them. He made them for man / & not man for them. He made them not to gouerne mam / but he gaaf man & woman wytte & dyscrecōn to gouerne them selfe with his grace by the lyght and wyssynge of tyme / whiche he hath of the body∣es aboue / that by theyr lyght they may see to werke / and by theyr sty∣rynge and by theyr course they may wyte whan it is tyme for to werke. And therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. q̄. quinto. Non licet in glosa. That the bodyes aboue ben tokens & not cau∣ses of thynges here byneth. And as a lampe or an orloge ben necessarye to relygyouses by nyght where by they may ryse and rule them selfe in god∣des seruyce / so serue the bodyes aboue to mankynde / that we may haue of them bodely lyght / and by theyr mo∣uynge knowe our tyme for to serue our god eche man & woman in his de¦gree. And as the lampe & y^e orloge in the dortour rule not the relygyouses / but the relygyouses rule them by the lampe & by the orloge / & in cytees & townes men rule them by the clocke / & yet proprely to speke / the clocke ru∣leth not them / but a man ruleth the clocke. Right so man & woman / beest & byrdes & other creatures rule them

selfe by the bodyes aboue / & the body¦es aboue rule not theym. And therfor they sholde not be called gouernours of this worlde / for they gouerne not this worlde / they be nought ellys but Instrumentes of goddes gouernaūce For it fareth by god & the bodyes abo¦ue / as it doth by the smyth & his grȳ¦dynge stone / by the wryght & his axe by the orloger & his orloge▪ ¶Diues. I praye y^• shewe me well this. ¶Pau¦per. Thou seest atte thyn eye y^t whan the smyth gryndeth a knyfe or an are or a swerde on his stone / y^e stone doth nought but gooth about in one cour∣se. And as the smyth that sytteth abo¦ue wyll dyspose & holde / so gryndeth the stone. Yf he wyll grynde sharpe it shall grynde sharpe / yf he wyll gryn¦de blunte and playne / it shall grynde blunte & playne / right as he wyll y^t it grynde / so it gryndeth. Yf he take a∣waye the knyfe axe or swerde / the sto¦ne gryndeth right nought / and yet it gooth about the same course as it dy¦de byfore. Right so it is of god & the bodyes aboue. For the planetes & the bodyes aboue gone alwaye about in one course certayne / in whiche god or deyned theym at y^• begynnyng of the worlde / whiche course they shall kepe vnto the dome. And as god wyll that they worche / soo shall they werke / yf god wyll that they grynde sharpe / & cause mo reyne / sekenes / & tempestes hungre & warre / & suche other they shall do so / yf he wyll that they gryn¦de playne & smothe & cause helthe of bodye / fayre weder & holsome / plente of corne & vytayles / peas & reste / they shall doo so. Right as god wyll what that they worche so they shall werke. So that god may do with the plane¦tes what he wyll / & he may do with∣out the planetes what he wyll. In what sygne / in what constellacōn / con¦iunccōn / or respecte that they be / they be alwaye redy to fulfyll the wyll of god.

Caplm .xix.

DIues. Sythen god may doo with the bodyes aboue what he wyll & whan he wyll / and sythen god is so free in his doynge / & not arted by the planetes ne by none other creature / how sholde ony man knowe goddes domes by the course of y^• planetes / or deme therby / or telle what god wyll do in tyme comynge / or dyuyne of thynges that be to come ¶Pauper. Thou mayst not knowe by the axe what the wryght wyll wor¦che ne whan. Ne thou mayst not kno¦we by the orloge what tyme the orlo∣ger wyll sett it ne knowe the orlogers wyll. Ne thou mayst not knowe by the gryndstone what the smyth wyll grynde / ne what maner / ne whan. ¶Diues. It is soth ¶Pauper. No more maye we knowe by the bodyes aboue / ne by the course of the planet•• what god wyll doo / ne what he wyll ordeyne of man or of woman / or of ony comunyte / londe / royalme / contre or cyte / for the planetes & the bodyes aboue be nought ellys but goddes In¦strumentes / & the course of the plane¦tes is not chaungeable ne varyable / but it is putte in certayne meouynge

and steryng whiche they may not flee¦ne chaunge / for they haue no free elec¦cyon in theyr doynge. But god is so∣uerayne Iuge / moost rightfull / moost mercyfull / moost free to punysshe and to spare. For he is moost of myght / and no thynge may hym withstande and therfore his domes and his wer∣kes be not neded ne arted by the pla∣netes / but after y^t men chaūge theyr lyuynge so chaūgeth he his domes to punysshe or spare / to wele or to wo / to heuen or to helle. He demed the synful cyte of Nynyue bycause of synne to be destroyed within .xl. dayes / but whan they repented theym & amen∣ded theym & cryed after mercye / he chaūged his dome & spared the cyte / & destroyed it not as telleth Ionas the prophete / & yet the planetes chaū∣ged not her course for none amende∣ment of the people. Also we fynde in holy wryte the .iiij. boke of the kyn∣ges that god sende the {pro}phete Ysaye to the kyng Ezechie whan he hadde synned & badde hym made his testa∣mente for he sholde deye & no lenger lyue. Anone the kyng repented hym & wepte full sore & axed mercy. And anone god badde the prophete Ysaye that yet was in the kynges halle to go ayen to the kyng & saye to hym y^t god had accepted the repentaūce and herde his prayer / & that he sholde not deye than / but he sholde lyue .xv. yere lenger. Loo my frende how soone the dome of god was chaūged all to mer¦cy. And though the planetes yet that tyme kepte forth theyr course / they chaunged not for all the kynges we∣pynge. ¶Diues. Anone after the son∣ne chaūged his course & tourned ayen in to the eest and began a newe daye. ¶Pauper. The tournynge ayen of the sonne was not cause of the mercy of god / ne of chaūgyng of domes / for god chaūged his dome byfore or the sonne tourned ayen. So the tournyng ayen of the sonne was not ellys but a token of mercy to y^e kyng Ezechie & to all synfull wretches that wolde amende them. For right as the sonne chaūged his course after y^• repentaū∣ce of the kyng. Right so god chaūged his sentence anone as man or womā repenteth hym of his synne and is in wyll to amende hym Therfore sayth the lawe De penitē. di.i. sufficiat. No¦uit deus mutare sentenciā. si tu noue∣ris emendare delictū. God can chaū∣ge his sentence & his dome anone as y^• canste amende thy trespasse. Also it was a token to the kyng that goddes byhest to him sholde be fulfylled. But all the astronomers y^t euer were coude not tell byfore of y^t wonderfull token of the sonne / for it was all ayenst the comon course of kynde / & that & suche other shewe well that god is not ruled by the course of the planetes / but that god ruled the planetes & not the pla∣netes hym / ne his domes ne his wer∣kes. But god ruleth demeth & gouer¦neth all mankynde persone & comu∣nyte after that they deserue / & as hȳ thynketh moost spedefull to his wor∣shyppe and to the comon prouffyte of his Royalme in heuen in erthe and in helle / whoos domes and ordenaūces passe mannes wytte. And therfore

Saynt Poule sayth. Quis cognouit sensum dn̄i. aut quis consiliarius eius fuit. Who sayth he hath knowen the wytte of god / or who was his coun∣seyller. Forsothe not the astronomers neyther the wytches / for they ben foo∣les of all fooles / and putte fertheste out of goddes counseyll / as folke that god moost hateth. Saynt Poule say∣the / that domes of god ben incompre hensyble / no man may knowe them well / no man may trace his wayes. Tho ben his wonderfull domes / they ben so medled with mercy and right∣fulnesse that they passe mannes wyt∣te. Therfore the prophete Dauyd sayth. Vniuerse vie dn̄i misericordia et veritas. Alle the wayes of our lor∣de ben mercy and trouth. Iudicia dn̄i abissus multa. The domes of god be of a grete depenesse / ye soo depe that noo mannes wytte may seke to the depenesse / ne knowe well the cause ne the reason of his wonderfull domes. And therfore suche astronomers and wytches that entermeten theym soo hyghe of goddes domes and wonder full werkes / & presume to dyuyne of thynges that ben to come and make theym wyse as yf they were goddes felawes and knewe alle his preuy counseyll / they ben fooles of al fooles ¶Diues. Therfore clerkes saye that they may noo thynge telle for certay∣ne / but they may telle wherto man or woman or comunyte is enclyned by the werkynge of the bodyes aboue. Neuerthelesse as they saye / man and woman may by vertue ouercome the planetes / and soo euery wyse man is lorde and mayster of the pla••••etes. And therfore Tholomeus the grete astronomer sayth. Quod vir sapiens dominabitur astris.

Caplm .xx.

ALso as they say by astronomy they may knowe whan men ben enclyned to warre or to peas. And whan by comon course of kynde sholde falle morayne / hongre / tempeste / drought / and suche other. but as they saye one holy prayer may chaunge euery dele. And thoughe it falle not in one cōtree it falleth in an other cōtree. ¶Pauper. Sythen they can not telle for certayne what shall befalle but all in doubte / & theyr sa∣wes & theyr domes may soo lyghtly be chaunged & brought to nought / it is a grete foolye to sette ony truste to theyr tales / for so may euery foole tell what he wyll and excuse euery lesyn∣ge. This maner of speche is nought ellys but a mayntenyng of lesynges and of faynnyng and of hydynge of folye and a synfull excusacōn of syn∣ne / & a nette to cache with womānes soules / & a strenge to drawe men to helle / & to drawe mannes herte his lo¦ue & his truste from god. They wol∣de fayne be holden wyse & nye of god¦des coūseyll / but they wote not how ferre they be fonden so false. Ye shall vnderstande my frende that ther is but one sonne & one mone and other fyue planetes Saturn{us} Iupyter Mars Venus and Mercurius / whiche with other sterres gone about all the erthe with the fyrmamente euery daye na∣turelly

/ & soo passe all the londes / all realmes / persones / al erthe / al waters all ayre in .xxiiij. houres / that is cal∣led daye naturally / from sonne rysyn¦ge to sonne rysyng / from none to no∣ne. And sythen they passen all londes & all persones so euenly / & make noo more dwellynge ouer one londe than ouer an other / why sholde they more enclyne one londe than an other / or one persone more than an other to vy¦ce or to vertue / to warre or to peas. ¶Diues. For some constellacyon or some respecte in her passynge falleth vpon one londe more than an other. And as folke ben borne vnder dyuer∣se constellacōns or coniunccōns / dyuer se respectes in dyuerse sygnes & vnder dyuerse planetes / so ben they enclyned in dyuerse maner & to dyuerse thyn∣ges / vyce or vertue / warre or peas / hel∣the or sekenesse / pouerte or richesse / & suche other. ¶Pauper. Whan the kynges sone is borne / in the same ty∣me / in the same constellacōn respecte planete and sygne / is the poore bonde mannes sone born / and yet haue they not both one inclynacōn / ne one dys∣posycōn. For the kynges sone is dyspo¦sed by his herytage to be kyng after his fader. The poore bonde mannes sone is dysposed by his byrthe to be a bonde man all his lyfe as his faders haue ben byfore hym hondred yeres / that no planete myght auoyde theyr bondage / ne fro the kynges theyr dyg¦nyte. In the same tyme & in the sa∣me constellacōn & vnder the same pla¦nete & sygne that one childe is borne ben many childern borne / & yet haue they not all one inclynacōn ne one dy¦sposycōn. For some of theym ben en∣clyned to goodnesse / & some to wyc∣kednesse / some to sekenesse & some to helthe / some ben full angry & some ben not so / some be wyse some be foo∣les / some foule some fayre / some riche some poore / some lyuyng longe & so∣me deye full soone. Ezau and Iacob had both one fader and one moder. Ysaac and Rebecca both were bygo∣ten at ones / as sayth saynt Austyn / & both borne attones / and yet were they noo thynge lyke. For Iacob was a good man Ezau a shrewe. Iacob was loued of god Ezau was hated for his wyckednes. Iacob was smoth of bodye with lytyll here Ezau fulle of here as a beest. Iacob was a true symple man Ezau a rauenoure and a malycyous shrewe. Iacob was pea¦syble Ezau a faytour or a baratour. So thou myght well see that dyuerse inclynacōn of man & woman / stan∣deth not in the planetes ne in the ty∣me of the byrthe.

Caplm .xxi.

DIues. what ellys may be cau¦se of suche dyuerse inclynacy¦ons. ¶Pauper. For Adams synne and orygynall synne there we ben all conceyued in we ben all encly∣ned to synne. And therfore god sayth Gen̄ .viij. That the wytte & thought of mannes herte is enclyned to euyll from his youth. Sensus et cogitacio cordis humani in malum prona sunt ab adolescencia sua. And therfore Sa¦lomon sayth Prouerbio{rum} .xx. That

no man may saye. I am pure & clene without synne. Neuertheles all be we not lyke moche enclyned to synne ne to sekenesse / but some more some lesse & that for many dyuerse causes. So∣me tyme for wycked suffraunce that childern be not chastysed in her youth For Salomon sayth Prouerbio{rum} .xxix The childe that is suffred to haue his wyll shall shame his moder & all his kynne. Somtyme for wycked compa¦ny that they ben in / & wycked exam∣ple of theyr elders & ylle informacōn Somtyme for mys vse in youth. For Salomon sayth Prouer .xxij. That a man in his elde goth not lyghtly fro the waye of his youth. ¶Diues. And yet it is a comon {pro}uerbe / yonge saynt olde deuyll. ¶Pauper. It is a syn∣full prouerbe to drawe men to synne fro vertue / fro god to the fende. For holy wryte sayth. Bonū est homini cū portauerit iugū dn̄i ab adolescen∣cia sua. Tren̄ .iij. It is fulle good sayth he to a man whan he hath bor¦ne the yok of our lorde from his you∣the. And as a poete sayth. Quod no∣ua testa capit inueterata sapit. Whi∣che as the potte or the vessell taketh whan it is newe / suche it sauoureth whan it is olde. And therfore in holy wryte / saynt Iohan baptyst. Thoby Ieremy. Sampson. Samuell & ma¦ny other ben praysed for theyr holy∣nesse in theyr youthe. For comonly they that ben good & loue god in go∣denesse in her youth they make a full good ende / all yf for a tyme they fall in synne & ben full veyne. God suf∣freth theym to falle for a tyme / for they sholde ellys be to proude of theyr goodnesse / & haue dysdayne of other synfull wretches. Also somtyme one is enclyned more to one synne than a nother / for he was conceyued and be∣goten in more synne than an other / al yf he were begoten & born in wedloc∣ke / for the man & the wyf may synne togydre full greuously / eyther by mys wyll of theyr bodyes / or by intempe∣raūce yf they passe maner and mesu∣te / or yf they comen togydre in vnty∣me / as in the tyme of sekenesse / or in holy tyme without drede or reuerence of the tyme / ne wyll not spare for the tyme. Neuerthelesse the synne is in the axer and not in the yelder. Also they may synne by wycked Intency∣on / as yf they doo it for a wycked en∣de / or oonly to fulfyll the luste of the flesshe / not to flee fornycacyon / ne to yelde the dethe of theyr bodye / ne to brynge forth childern to the worshyp of god / but oonly taken hede of her owne luste. Also yf they coueyte chil∣dern not to the worshypp of god / but for the worlde to be grete / & to make theyr childern grete in this worlde. Al¦so men be enclyned to synne one more than an other by excesse of mete and drynke / by myskepynge of his fyue wyttes. And for this same causes one is enclyned to bodely sekenesse more than an other. For synne oftyme is cause of bodely sekenesse. Also by mys dyetynge of the moder whyle she is with childe / or by mys dysposycyon of the fader / or of the moder / or of both / whan the childe is begoten / or by mys kepynge of the childe in the youthe.

For childern in youth wyl assaye and handle well nyghe all thyng. And so oftyme they ete & drynke and receyue inwarde many vnthryfty thynges & enuenym herself & hurte themself in many wyse / y^t but yf the good angell kepte them not they sholde perysshe. Also god smyteth them with seknesse of myschyef. Somtyme for the faders synne & the moðs / for they loue theym to moche / & wyll go to helle to make them riche and grete in this worlde. Somtyme he smyteth them with se∣kenes to shewe his myght & myracle as we fynde in y^• gospell of saynt Io∣han .ix.c. Of hym that was born blyn¦de / that the myght of god myght be shewed in hym in gyuyng hym syght Other causes ther ben ful many whi¦che passen mannes wytte / for we may not knowe all goddes domes. Ne the∣se causes here assygned be not alway general. For sōtyme a full good man hath a full shrewed childe / some good some bad. And somtyme a full wyc∣ked man hath a full good childe. For yf the childern folowed alway the fa¦der & the moder in goodesse or in wyc¦kednesse / all the goodnesse sholde be arected to the fader & to the moder / & not to god. And they sholde be proude both fader / moder / & childe / & comyne togydre flesshly to moche. And in the same maner al the shrewednesse shol¦de be arected to the fader & moder all yf it came on other behalf / & they shol¦de euer be sory & falle in dyspayre / & not wyll yelde to them togydre the dette of theyr bodye. And therfore god medleth so one with an other / & so modefyeth his domes that the go∣de sholde not presume of hymselfe ne be to proude / but thanke god of all / ne the wycked be to sorye and so falle in dyspayre / but truste in god that so of the wycked maketh the good / & of the vnclene maketh the clene.

Caplm .xxij.

DIues. They saye that as childern be born vnder dyuer¦se synnes / soo ben they encly∣ned and dysposed to dyuerse craftes and dyuerse astates. Yf he be borne vnder some sygne they saye that he shall be a fyssher / and vnder some a monyour / and vnder some a clerke / vnder some a man of armes. ¶Pau¦per. Many contrees knowe no mony ours ne moneye neyther. And many contrees ben ther that haue moneye / yet they haue no monyours. For in a full grete realme of .vi. hondred my¦le in length / & .ij. hondred of brede be no monyours but in one place assyg∣ned by the kyng / not by the sygnes ne by the bodyes aboue. The kyng assyg¦neth bothe the place and theym that shall make the moneye / not the bo∣dyes aboue. And yf ony dooth ma∣ke moneye but tho that y^• kyng hath ordeyned / he shall be slayne as a tray toure / the sygnes neyther the planetes shall not saue his lyfe. And they that be born nyghe the see / or nyghe some grete water / gyue theym to fysshynge and theyr childern also / not for the synnes that they be born in / but for the moost oportunyte of theyr lyuyng whiche they haue by the water that

is so nyghe. They that ben borne fer from the see gyue them to tylthe the londe. Somtyme to clothe makynge yf ther be plente of wulle. Some ben shepeherdes / some monyours or mo∣neye quyners / some vynours / some of other craftes as the contre axeth / not after the sygnes ne the bodyes aboue Whan a man hath many childern he putteth theym to dyuerse craftes for to gete theyr lyuynge. Men of armes put theyr childern to armes. And co∣monly euery man that can ought or hath ought wherby he may lyue / he putteth some of his childern in the sa¦me degree to gete theyr lyuyng. And thou mayst well see that suche dyuer syte in crafte or in lyuynge standeth more in the childes fader & his fren∣des that ordeyned so for hym / than it doth in the sygnes or in the planetes. For yf they sholde abyde y^e ordenaūce of the planetes they sholde deye for hongre / for they teche theym right nought ne ordeyne noo more for one than for an other. ¶Diues. Syth su∣che Inclynacyon standeth lyryll or nought in the planetes / what is that destenye that men speke so moche of. And as they saye all thyng falleth to man & woman by destenye.

Caplm .xxiij.

¶PAuper. Foles speke as foles. For as sayth saynt Gregory in his Omely of the Epypha¦nye ther is no suche destenye. Absit a cordi{bus} fideliū vt aliquid esse fatū di∣cant. God forbede sayth he that ony crysten man or woman sholde byleue or saye that ther were ony destenye. But god sayth he that made mānes lyfe of nought / he ruleth & gouerneth mannes lyfe & womannes after that they deserue / and as his rightwysnesse & his mercy axeth. And he sayth that man was not made for the sterres / but the sterres were made for man. ¶Diues. The gospell is ayenst the. For we fynde in the gospell y^t anone as Cryste was borne of the mayden / his sterre appered in the Eest / in to∣ken that eche man & woman is born vnder a certayne sterre & vnder a cer∣tayne constellacyon the whiche is cal¦led his destenye / for all his lyuynge after folowynge is gouerned therby / as these astronomers sayen. ¶Pau∣per. For to mayntene folye they saye many folye & ben not asshamed for to lye. For that sterre had no maystry ne lordshypp vpon that blessyd childe But the childe was maystre & lorde of that sterre. The sterre gouerned not the childe / but the childe gouer∣ned the sterre. The childe sought not that sterre / but that sterre sought the childe. The childe serued not the ster¦re / but the sterre serued y^• childe / & dyde hym full hyghe worshyp & full won∣derfull seruyce / & therfore it was cal∣led the childes sterre / for y^e childe was lorde of the sterre as he was of al the other. For he was & is lorde of sonne mone & of all the sterres & of all thyn¦ge / & they may not conferme theyr le synges ne theyr false domes of astro∣nomers by that sterre. For it was noo planete ne sterre of the fyrmamente / as saynt Austyn sayth & other doctors

of holy chirche / and reason and other causes sheweth it full well. ¶Diues. How. ¶Pauper. For as these clerkes tellen. Minima stella fixa maior est tota terra. The leste sterre sette faste in the fyrmamente is more than all the erthe within the see & without the see / & euery planete also is more than all the erthe outake the mone & mer∣cury whiche be somdele lesse than all the erthe. And therfore somtyme they lese theyr lyght that they haue of the sonne by the shadowe & the vmbre of the erthe whan it falleth right bytwe¦ne the sonne and theym. And yf that sterre had ben so moche or ony suche sterre it sholde haue ouerwhelmed all the erthe / for it wente full lowe nygh the erthe to lede & to brynge the kyn∣ges in theyr waye. Also the sterres of the fyrmament & the planetes folowe the course of the fyrmament / & ryse vp in the eest & go downe in the weste euery daye naturelly. That sterre dy∣de not soo / for it was aboue the erthe both nyght & daye & folowed not the course of the fyrmament / but it helde his course as the waye lede best in to the cyte of Bethleem for to bryng the kynges in theyr waye to the sonne of rightwysnesse that there roose out of that clere fyrmament y^emayden Ma¦rye / and as the sonne from vnder the erthe. Also the sterres in the fyrma∣ment shynen by nyght & not by daye That sterre shone both nyght & daye Also the sterres of the fyrmament she¦we themself to all men comonly both poore & riche yonge & olde. That ster¦re appered not but to the thre kynges & theyr companye. Also the sterres of the fyrmamente ben perpetuell & al∣waye lastynge / that lasted but a lytyl whyle twelue monethes atte moost as some clerkes saye / & some saye but xiiij. dayes or lesse. ¶Diues. What maner sterre was it than. ¶Pauper. Some clerkes tellen that is was an angell in the lykenesse of a sterre. For the kynges hadde noo knowynge of angellys / but toke all hede to the ster¦re. Some saye that it was the same childe that laye in the oxe stalle whi∣che appered to the kynges in the lyke¦nesse of a sterre / and soo drewe theym and ledde theym soo to hym selfe in Bethleem. And therfore holy chirche syngeth and sayth. Iacebat in pre∣sepio et fulgebat in celo. He laye full lowe in the cratche and he shone full bryght aboue in heuen. But the co∣mon sentence of the clerkes is that it was a newe sterre newely ordeyned of god to shewe the byrthe of Cryste. And anone as it had done the offyce that it was ordeyned for / it tourned ayen to the mater that it come fro.

Caplm .xxiiij.

DIues. How myght they kno¦we by the sterre that suche a childe was born / for that ster¦re coude not speke to theym / ne telle no suche tales. ¶Pauper. That is sothe / & therfore sayth saynt Austyn openly in a sermon that the sterre dy∣de nought ellys by his apperyng but brought theym in wonder and in gre¦te studye for to knowe what it mygh¦te sygnefye. And whan they were atte

theyr wyttes ende / and knewe well that her crafte serued them not / than god shewed theym by Inspyracōn in∣warde / or ellys by an angell what it betokened and badde theym folowe the sterre. And the same sayth saynt Iohan with the gylden mouthe vp∣on Mathewe. They knewe well by Balames prophecye that suche a chil¦de sholde be born / but they knewe it not by the crafte of astronomye / ne myght knowe by theyr crafte / neyther the tyme of his byrthe ne the place / as the gospell sheweth well. ¶Diues Why sayth than Saynt Austyn and other clerkes / that the scyence of Iu∣dycyall astronomye of childrens byr∣the was lefull vnto the tyme of Crys¦tus byrthe sythen they myght not by that scyence knowe his byrthe .xxvi. q̄ .iiij. igitur. But as they saye it was not lefull neyther graunted after his byrthe. ¶Pauper. Saynt Austyn sayth not that the crafte was lefull or graunted to do / ne that it was le∣full to truste therin / for it was alway false and repreued of god and of phy¦losophres by skylle and reason. But he sayth that the scyence of the crafte was lefull and graunted of god / not the doyng y^t by the scyence men myght repreue the crafte / and the scyence al∣so / and shewe by theyr owne pryncy∣palles and groūdes that the crafte is false / & that the scyence is no scyence proprely to speke / but open folye / as it was well preued in Crystus byrthe. And for it was so openly preued fals in his byrthe / therfore after his byr∣the it is not lefull to vse it ne to conne it / but oonly to repreue the folye of them y^t vse it. The doyng of the craf¦te was vnlefull bothe byfore and af∣ter. The scyence was suffred of god bothe byfore and after for to repreue folye / as the lawe sheweth full well distinct .xxxvij. De mensa.

Caplm .xxv.

DIues. Where fyndeste thou that god defendeth the Iudy∣cyall of astronomye byfore Crystus byrthe. ¶Pauper. Exodi. xx. In the fyrste cōmaundement of the fyrste table / of whiche is now our speche / where as god badde that men sholde make them no lykenesse of y^t y^t is in heuen. But suche astronomers make them selfe lyke asmoche as they may to god in heuen / in asmo∣che as they take to theym that lōgeth oonly to god / for oonly god knoweth whan suche thynges as they make them wyse of sholde falle & how and where. And therfore god repreueth theym and sayth to theym. Nunciate que ventura sunt in futurum.et scie∣mus qr dij estis vos. Ysaye .xli. Telle ye to vs thynges that ben to come af¦ter this / & than shall we knowe that ye be goddes. And therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. q̄ .iiij. igitur. That they calle them selfe dyuynes as yf they were full nygh to god and knewe all goddes counseyll / and by faynynge & falshode coniecte & telle to the people thynges that ben to come as they we¦re full of godhode & goddes felawes. And in this maner they and all suche trespassen full hyghely ayenst the fyr¦ste

cōmaundemente. For they maken them lyke to god in heuen / and the worshypp that longeth oonly to god they take it to theym selfe. Suche pre¦sumpcōn & pryde lost angellys kynde and mankynde also. For as we fynde Ysaye .xiiij. Lucyfer sayd in his her∣te that he sholde stye vp vnto heuen / & sette his seet aboue the sterres / & sytt in the mounte of the testament. And that he sholde go vp aboue the hyght of the cloudes / that is to saye aboue all angellys and be lyke to hym that is hyghest. But anone he felle downe to helle / and soo shall suche astrono∣mers and wytches / but yf they amen¦de them. For they sette theyr wyttes & theyr studye and theyr fayth soo mo∣che in the sterres / that they wyll passe the sterres and all creatures and be ly¦ke god that is hyghest. They wyll al¦so sytte in the mount of the testamen¦te / for they wyll be ayenst goddes la∣wes & haue forth theyr domes wyll it god or not. For yf theyr crafte were true / the testamente of goddes lawe sholde serue for nought / and soo god∣des lawe / holy chirche lawe / skyll and reason sholde serue for nought. For ther is noman worthy to be punysshed for a synne that he may not flee / ne worthy to be rewarded for a good de¦de that he may not leue. But for that man dooth well whan he myght doo amysse / he is worthy to be rewarded. And for that he dooth euyll whan he myght do well & leue his mysdede & wyll not / he is worthy moche payne. But yf he were compelled by the bo∣dyes aboue to vertue or to vyce / he we¦re neyther worthy for to haue mede ne payne. This pryde & presumpcōn lost also Adam & Eue & all mankynde. For whan the fende sayd to theym y^t they sholde be as goddes knowynge good and euyll / they assented to hym and ete of the apple ayenst godds cō∣maūdement. For they wolde haue be as goddes and lyke god knowynge good & euyll / & haue knowen what was to come. We fynde also Deutro. xviij. That whan god ledde the chil∣dern of Israell out of Egypte in to the londe of byhest / he forbode them the Iudycyall of astronomye and all maner of wytche craftes / and badde that they sholde axe no coūseyll of no¦ne suche dyuynours ne wytches. For I shall sayth he destroye the nacyons y^t ye gone to / for they haue vsed suche craftes / and yf ye vse them I shall al∣so destroye you. We fynde also Ysaye xlvij. That god repreued the people of Babylon and the Caldeis of theyr wytche craftes and of theyr astrono∣mye that they trusted moost in. For of all nacōns they gaaf theym moost that tyme therto / and sayd to theym in this wyse / wydowehede and ba∣raynhede shall come to the bothe in one daye for y^e multytude of thy wyt∣ches / & for y^e hardenesse of thy charme¦rys. And for that thou haddest truste in suche malyce / thy connynge & thy scyence hath dysceyued the. Dysease and wo shall falle to the / and y^u shalt not knowe fro whens it cometh. So∣dayne myschyef shall fall to the / and thou mayst it not flee. Stande sayth he with thy charmers & with the mul¦tytude

of thy wytches in whiche thou haste trauaylled from thy youth. Lo∣ke yf they may ought helpe the eyther strengthe the ayenste thyn enemyes. Thou haste fayled and thou shalte fayle in the multytude of thy coūsey∣les that thou haste taken of suche fol¦ke. Lete now sayth he thy dyuynou∣res of heuen stande and saue the yf they may. They that stare so ayenst the sterres and looke after the plane∣tes / and calculen & casten yeres dayes and monethes for to telle the thyn∣ges that ben to come / they shall not helpe the / they can or may not helpe the. For as saynt Poule sayth. Ther is no counseyll ayenst god. Also this crafte of astronomye is repreued Sa∣pienc .xiij. by the wyse Salomon / whe¦re he repreueth theym that meende and sayd that sonne mone and ster∣res were goddes of this worlde / for gouernaūce longeth to none vnwytty thynge / as sonne and mone and ster∣res ben / but goueruaunce longeth on∣ly to wytty thynges skylfull and re∣sonable and vnderstandynge / as to god that is souerayne wysedome to aungell and man. Vnwytty bodyes with theyr vertues and theyr myght & theyr kyndes or natures be nought ellys but Instrumentes of goddes go∣uernaūce and also of angellys gouer¦naūce & of mannes also yf they can well vse them. Also suche Iudycyall of astronomy is repreued by the lawe of holy chirche .xxvi. q̄ .iiij. igit. et dis∣tinct .xxxvij. legimus &c̄. qui de men∣sa. Also saynt Poule repreueth suche crafte of astronomye / ad Galathas iiij. Ye kepe sayth he dayes and mo∣nethes yeres and tymes as hethen peo¦ple dooth. And therfore I drede me sayth he that I haue trauayled in vey¦ne about you for to conuerte you all. And the glose in the same place re∣preueth suche crafte of astronomye full harde. Suche scyence god repre∣ueth as sayth saynt Poule in his py∣stle .i. ad Co{rum} .i. I shall sayth god lese the wysdome of the wyse / and the slyght of the slyght / & of theym that truste so moche in theyr cōnyng / whe¦re more ouer saynt Poule sayth thus. Where is now the wyse man that let∣teth & trusteth soo well by his wytte / where is now the man of lawe with all his cautelles / where is now the se∣ker of nature & of the course of kynde of this worlde God sayth he hath tor¦ned y^e wysdom of this world into folye

Caplm .xxvi.

DIues▪ Suche scyence and wy¦sedom so for to dyuyne of thȳ¦ges to come whiche standeth in the wyll of god / & ofte in the free wyll of man or woman. I holde it a grete folye. Ther can none astrono∣mer by his crafte tell me my though¦tes / ne what I purpose me to do in ty¦me comyng / ne how I shall lede my lyfe. They knowe not my coūseyl all yf they see me and speke with me How sholde they knowe goddes coū∣seyll or what he wyll doo in tyme co∣myng sythen they see hym not & they speke neuer with hym. They can not telle byfore ne beware of theyr owne myshappes / how sholde they telle of

other men or women / or warne theym by theyr crafte of theyr auenture. For comonly suche dyuynours of astrono¦mye ben in grete myschyef and mys∣happe as moche as other or more / and they knowe it not tylle it falle. & the more that they werke by theyr crafte the worse they spede. ¶Pau∣per. That is no wonder. For the mo∣re that they truste in theyr crafte / the lesse they truste in god / and the lesse they truste in god in whome is all our welthe or helpe / the worse they shall spede. And the more that they truste in theyr crafte y^e more they trus¦te in folye / & the more that they truste in folye the more folye and myschyef shall folowe hym. Ther wyll no wy¦se man wryte his counseyll & all that he thynketh to do in the yere folowyn¦ge in the roof of his halle / ne about on the walles where all men may see it & knowe it. No more wyll god wry¦te his coūseyll ne what he thynketh to doo in tyme comynge aboue in the fyrmamente there all fooles myght knowe his coūseyll his thoughtes & his domes. Cryste hydde many thyn∣ges from his apostles & sayd to them Non est vestrū nosse tempora vel mo∣menta q̄ pater posuit in sua potestate Actuū primo. It longeth not to you to knowe tymes momentes and stoū¦des whiche the fader of heuen hath resceyued in his power. And he sayth by the prophete. Secretū meū michi. secretū meū michi. Ysaye .xxiiij. I ke¦pe my pryuyte to me. I kepe my pry∣uyte to me. And sythen he reserued & kepte suche counseyll & pryuyte from his frendes that were so nygh of coū¦seylle. Moche more he reserued and kepte his counseyll from his enmyes fole synfull wretches. ¶Diues. The¦se clerkes saye that they may by craft of astronomye lefull telle & dyuyne of drought / of rayne / of tempeste / for they falle by comon course of kynde / & therfore they may by comon course of nature knowe theym & telle them byfore. ¶Pauper. As I sayd fyrste / the course of kynde & of the planetes standeth all in the wyll of god and do therwith what he wyll / as the In∣strument standeth in the werkeman∣nes wyll what he wyll doo therwith. And therfore they may not knowe by theyr crafte ne by the course of the planetes as by cause / neyther of drou∣ghte ne of wete ne tempeste comyng. But they may knowe by the bodyes aboue / as by tokens bothe of drought of wete / of tempeste / froste / snowe / wynde / thondre / & suche other / and so knoweth the shepeherde in the fel∣de / the shypman in the see / the byrde in the ayer / the fysshe in the water / & the bestes in the wode better than all the astronomers in this londe.

Caplm .xxvij.

DIues. How may the bodyes aboue be tokenes of suche thynges & not causee. ¶Pau¦per. Fallynge of soote in houses is to¦ken of rayne soone comynge / and yet it is not the cause of the rayne / but the rayne is cause of the sote fallyng For whan the ayer wereth moyste / the soote by moysture of the ayer wexeth

heuy and falleth downe. And soo the fallynge of the sote is token of grete moysture in the ayre. Also swetynge of water on the stoones is a token of rayne / and yet it is not cause of the rayne / but rayne and moysture of the ayre is cause of the water. Also mel∣tyng of salte whan it tourneth in to water is token of rayne comyng / but not the cause. Also smoke in houses whan it passeth not redely out is to∣ken of rayne / for the ayre is so thycke & heuy of moysture that the smoke may not stye vp soo redely as whan the ayre is drye & clere Also the brou∣ghe or cercle about the candell lyght is token of rayne. And the blewe glo¦wynge of the fyre is a token of the froste / but not the cause. These and suche other ben tokenes of weder co∣mynge / but not the causes. For they shewe the dysposycōn of the ayre whe¦ther it is dysposed to droughte or to wete. And in the same maner the bo∣dyes aboue ben tokenes of weder co∣mynge. For by theyr lyght & maner of shynynge they shewe the dysposy∣cōn of the ayre wete or drye froste or snowe / thondre / lyghtnyng / wynde / & suche other. And as the lyght in the lanterne sheweth dysposycōn & colour of the lanterne / & yet is not the lyght cause of suche dysposycōn ne of the co¦lour of the lanterne. And as the lyght of the sonne or mone sheweth the dys¦posycōn of the glasse that it passith by whether it be whyte or blake / blewe or rede / yelowe or grene / & yet is not the sonne ne the mone cause of the co¦lour. Right so they shewe the dysposy¦cyon of the ayre / and yet ben they not alwaye cause of suche dysposycyon. And therfore the mone in one luna∣cyon and in the same tyme sheweth in one contree grete tokenyng of ray∣ne / & soo it falleth / and twenty myle thens it sheweth grete tokenynge of drought and so it falleth / and yet is it the same mone and the same luna¦cyon. And therfore the cause of that dyuersyte is not in the mone / but in the ayre. For the ayre in one contree is dysposed to rayne / and in the other to drought. Also in one contree it she∣weth wynde and tempeste / and in an¦other contree not soo. Some contree is full hote by shynynge of the sonne and some contree is not so hote. One daye is full hote / and the next daye after is full colde. The sonne she∣weth his lyght one tyme of the daye / and an other tyme of the daye it she∣weth not / whiche dyuersyte standeth not in the sonne / but in the ayre and other causes. For the sonne in hymsel¦fe as the clerkes sayen is alwaye atte one and shyneth alwaye all lyke / it is neyther hoter ne colder. But suche dy¦uersyte falleth by dyuersyte of the ay¦re / and other dyuerse meanes & causes whiche passen mannes wytt. Some tyme suche anenture & hongre / of mo¦rayne / of tempeste / of drought / of we∣te falleth by the ordenaunce of god for mannes synne / or for to shewe his myght and his worshyppe. Somty∣me by werkynge of angellys good or wycked att goddes byddynge. Some tyme without meane oonly att his wyll and his byddynge. Somtyme

by the werkynge of the bodyes abo∣ue atte his byddynge. For as I sayd fyrste / he may doo with the planetes what he wyll / and he may doo with∣out them what he wyll. And therfore by the course of the planetes may we not knowe suche aduentures as by¦causes but as by tokens. For god ma¦de theym for to be tokenes to man / beest / byrde / fysshe / and other creatu∣res as I sayd fyrste. And therfore we sholde take hede to them oonly as to tokenes & not to causes. Ne dyuyne by hem as by causes / for we wote not whan they ben causes of suche thyn∣ges / ne whan they be none.

Caplm .xxviij.

DIues. The mone as the der¦kes sayen is the cause of flo∣wynge and of the ebbynge of the see / for it foloweth the course of the mone. ¶Pauper. It may well be so. But I wote well that the cour∣se of the mone is a token whan that the see shall ebbe and flowe / and the see kepeth his tyme of ebbynge and flowynge after the course and the ty∣me of the mone in one contree sooner and in an other later. And yet euery see doth not soo / but oonly one parte of the weste see that goth about Bry¦tayne and Irlonde / and other lon∣des nygh bycause of tho. But in other ferre contrees / ne in the Grekes see is no suche ebbynge ne flowynge. So it semeth that ther be other causes of that ebbyng and that flowyng than the mone allone. But sothe it is that man and beest / byrde and fysshe / the see and the ayre / tree and grasse / and all other creatures vse and kepe theyr doynge in kynde / and werken in ty∣me that god hath ordeyned to theym whiche tyme they knowe well by the course of the sonne mone and sterres. For as Salomon sayth Ecclesiastes .iij. Alle thyng hath his tyme ordey∣ned of god by waye of kynde whiche tyme they knowe & kepe by the cour∣se of the bodyes aboue / whiche ben tokenes to them shewynge what ty∣me they sholde doo theyr kynde that they ben ordeyned to. And therfore god sayth by the prophete Ieremye. viij. The puttoke in the ayre sayth he knoweth his tyme / the turtyll and the swalowe kepe the tyme of her cō∣myng. But the people knowe not the dome of our lorde god. For now a dayes men take none hede to goddes domes / but to the domes of astrono∣mers and to the course of the plane∣tes. The kynde of euery creature is ordeyned by the dome of god / & what tyme he shall doo his kynde whiche tyme they knowe and fele by the cour¦se of the bodyes aboue. For as sayth the phylosophre / the bodyes here abo¦ue mesure all thynges here bynethe as anentes tyme. And therfore sayth Dauyd. That by nyght whan the sonne is downe / than in derkenesse be¦gynne bestes of raueyn to walke & se¦ke theyr pray & theyr mete / whan the sonne ryseth they go ayen to her den∣nes & hyde theym / than goo men out to werke tyll it be nyght / not that the sonne ne the mone cause hem to do so but only the lawe of kynde ordeyned

of god techeth hem so to do & to kepe theyr kyndly tyme. In the dawynge & spryngyng of the daye byrdes begȳ¦ne to synge / floures to sprede & spryn¦ge that by nyght were full close. Man byrde & beste begynne to gladde for Ioye of the lyght / & for the tyme of theyr myrthe & of theyr kyndly wer¦kyng cometh ayen by the presence of the sonne whiche serueth theym pryn¦cypally of lyght & of tyme. The son∣ne ruleth them not proprely to speke / but kynde ruleth them in tyme by the course of the sonne & by the course of the bodyes aboue. We fynde in holy wryte Gen̄ .i. That the erthe at the byddynge of god brought forth trees grasse and herbes. Trees and herbes brought forth theyr fruyte / eche in theyr owne kynde. The thyrde daye er god made sonne mone and sterres. And badde the erthe & gaue it vertue & nature to bryng forth grasse & fruy¦te of many & dyuerse kynde. He gaue not the sonne ne the mone ne sterres that nature. He made theym the four∣the daye to shyne & to be in tokenes of tyme to all creatures here bynethe in erthe. God gaue grasse trees & her¦bes dyuerse vertues & wonderfull na∣ture to bud & brynge forth leues fay∣re & grene in dyuerse fourme / floures fayre blossomes bryghte of dyuerse shappe & of dyuerse colours that noo man by crafte can deuyse. Also he ga¦ue them nature to brynge forth fruyt fayre & fyne / some in the wynter & so∣me in the somer. Some he ordeyned in tyme to lese theyr leues & theyr gre¦nehede. Some to be grene wynter & somer / as lorell / boxe / holme / yue / and many moo. Whan other herbes sere and drye vp / than in the colde weder saffrone begynneth to sprynge / and with his floures bryngeth his fruyte. Suche dyuersyte in kynde in tree and in grasse / in beest fysshe and foule / ver¦tues soo dyuerse in stoones and other thynges deuysed neuer ne made the sonne ne mone ne the sterres. But he that made sonne mone and sterres / and all thynge in kynde / he made & ordeyned / and he gouerneth & kepeth all this eche in his owne kynde / and hath assygned eche creature here by∣nethe his due tyme / his nature to doo and to shewe. In one londe falleth hongre / & in an other place plente of all goodes. In one londe is plente of wyne / & in an other none. In one contree is plente of wulle good & cle∣ne / & in other lytyll & full vnthende. In one contree is plente of golde & syluer & of other metalle / and in an¦other lytyll or nought. Somtyme is morayne general / & somtyme parcyal in one contree & not in an other. So∣me tyme in one towne and not in the next. Somtyme in that one syde of the strete & not in that other. Some householde it taketh vp all hole / & in the next it taketh none. Some deye in yougthe / and some in elde / some in myddell age / some well / some euyll / some with lytyll payne / & some with moche payne. How sholde men kno∣we or tell all this dyuersyte by the bo¦dyes aboue or assygne causes therto / or to suche other without nombre by the course of the planetes.

Caplm .xxix.

DIues. It passeth mannes wytte. Oonly god that ma∣de all he knoweth all. They ben his domes his ordenaūce / & ther∣fore me thynked grete folye that men entremete them soo hyghe of goddes domes / & namely of thynges that ben to come. But I praye the telle me yf the wonders that falle ayenst kynde in the bodyes aboue betokenen or she we ony auentures that ben to come. ¶Pauper. That falleth ayenst co∣mon course of kynde betokeneth that some thynge is comyng passynge the comon course of kynde be it wele be it wo. But comonly suche wonders falle more ayenst wo than ayenst wel∣the as cometes & sterres brennyng cas¦telles in the ayre. Eclypses of y^• son∣ne or mone ayenst kynde / men in the ayre armed or fyghtynge / the rayne∣bowe tourned vp so downe / mysshape thynges in theyr byrthe ayenst kynde These & suche other that falle ayenst comon course of kynde betoken that the people where they appere done a∣yenst kynde / & that lorde of nature is offended with theym / & all creatures redye to punysshe them. ¶Diues. It may well be as thou sayst / for many suche haue appered within fewe yeres neuer soo many I trowe in soo lytyll whyle. And moche sorowe & wo fo∣loweth after as we fele here and see. But I pray the what betokened that wonderfull comete and sterre whiche appered vpon this londe / the yere of our lorde a thousande four hondred and two from the feste of the Epy∣phanye tylle two wekes after Eester that was in the myddell of Aprylle. ¶Pauper. It was an open token of the grete offence to god with the peo∣ple of Englonde / and that harde wretche was comyng but yf they wol¦de amende them of her falshode and traytourye / periurye / murdre / myspry∣de in euery degree and ouerdone / coue¦tyse / erroures & heresye / blasphemye and ydolatrye / lechery and lesynges without shame / and other synnes ma¦ny moo / not oonly preuy but open to all crystendome and sclaundre to alle crysten people. And for that men re∣pente theym not ne wyll not amende theym but putte synne to synne. And by synne of falsehode / murdre / and manslaughter / trauayle for to mayn∣tene theyr olde synnes / therfore ven∣geaunce falleth as the sterre betoke∣ned. God of his mercy smyteth not all atte ones / but lytyll and lytyll / that by the lytyll men sholde beware of the more. But allas ther ben but fewe or no man that wyll be ware or amende hym / but alwaye do worse & worse. They gyue no ••a••e of goddes swerde / but euery contre is gladde of others dysease / vnnethes ony man or woman hath pyte on other / but nygh euery man is gladde of others wo. And so I drede me that god wyll ma¦ke an ende of this londe / for we loue no peas / we seke no mercy. But all our lykynge is all in warre / in wo / in murdre / and in shedynge of blood / in robberye and in falsehode / & our besy¦nesse by nyght & daye is to mayntene

our synne & to offende god. And mo∣re ouer they haue ordeyned a comon lawe that what man speke with the trouth ayenst theyr falshode / he shal be hanged drawen & be heded. ¶Di∣ues. Thy sawes ben full soth & open atte eye. Euery state & euery degree in this londe is now gyuen to synne & besy to meyntene synne. But I praye the what saye clerkes of suche come∣tes & sterres so apperynge ayenst the comon course of kynde. ¶Pauper. They saye that whan it appereth it sygnyfyeth moreyne or chaūgyng of some grete prynce / or destruccōn of so∣me contre / or chaūgyng of some real∣me / or grete werre or hongre or won∣derfull tempest. ¶Diues. Warre hon¦gre & tempest & moreyne we haue had grete plente / & many contrees in this realme ben destroyed & chaūged in to other lordshyp & nacyons sythen the sterre appered fyrste. And it is full ly¦ke that in short tyme bothe the kyng & all the realme shall be chaunged & destroyed. ¶Pauper. Salomō sayth that for gyle & traytoury & dyuerse wronges & despytes done to god & to holy chirche / realmes ben chaunged from nacyon to nacōn. This mater is full heuy & dolefull. Speke we of somwhat ellys.

Caplm .xxx.

DIues. All yf it be so that the Iudycyall of astronomye be repreued of god & of holy chir¦che / yet experyence sheweth that ofte they telle many trouthes of thynges that ben to come & of preuy thynges that ben done. ¶Pauper. Somtyme they happen to saye suche trouthes / as the blynde man caste the staf. And somtyme they knowe suche thynges by other waye than by astronomye / & that they knowe by other waye they say that they knowe it by astronomye For they wolde fayne be holden wy∣se & nerer of goddes conseyll than ony other. ¶Diues. How may they kno∣we ony suche thynges on other halfe ¶Pauper. Somtyme by boke of pro¦phecye / somtyme by coniecture of dy∣uerse causes & dysposycōns that gone byfore. As yf man gyue hym to wyc∣ked companye / or vse suspecte places / men that wote it wyll coniecte therof & saye that in tyme comynge it shall be his confusyon. Also yf a man mys dyete hym & ete & drynke out of me∣sure / & thynge that is not conuenyent to hym men wyll saye that he shalbe seke therof. And yf a man gyue hym for to false the kynges seale or y^• kyn¦ges moneye / than wyll they saye that he shall be hanged & drawen / & co∣monly it falleth so. Also they knowe thynges that ben to come by coniec∣tyng of dyuerse tales & speche in the people / as yf comon clamoure of the people be ayenst theyr kynge whan theyr kyng trusteth vpon them / it is a token that the people shal vndo hȳ or he be ware. And in this maner the se dayes the moost parte of the people ben prophetes and telle thynges that ben to come / whiche thynges they ben about to perfourme in herte worde & dede. And childern also by that they here theyr elders speke ben and haue

ben {pro}phetes nygh in euery hous. Al∣so they knowe suche thynges by dysco¦ueryng of coūseyl or knowyng of coū¦seyll of them that purpose suche thyn¦ges. And somtyme they be of the sa∣me coūseyll & of the assente & helpyn¦ge therto. And in this maner these faytours that ben called sothe sayers & astronomers / somtyme tell thynges preuy & doo come ayen thynges that ben stolen or loste / for comonly suche ben theues or of theyr assent. And by one sothe sawe or tweyne whiche they knowe in this maner / they blynde the nyce people & make them to byleue all theyr lesynges. And therfor yf ony suche faytours dyde ony thyng come ayen that were stolen / he sholde be ta¦ken as a theef or a theues feere. And comonly suche faytours & Iapers ha¦ue maysters to haue parte of theyr wynnynge / as tauerners brewers hos¦tlers / & nedy werkelesse men that go so gay & spende grete / whiche aspye after thynges that ben done in the cō¦tree / & that yet ben to be done / & telle them to the faytours to do them ha∣ue a name. And ofte they that shol∣de kepe moost counseyll / dyscouer coū¦seyll / & so that men y^t he wende were coūseyll is no coūseyll. And comonly suche faytours be slye spekers / & slygh¦ly can oppose the sheepherde and the plowman in y^• felde or some olde sym¦ple folke or childern at the townes en¦de / and axen how it standeth amon∣ge the neyghbours and in the contree about / and after that they telle theym they make them wyse as yf they kne¦we it by astronomye or by prophecye / or by nygromancye. And for as mo∣che as they ben vnknowen / and telle sothes that men knowe / than the peo¦ple weneth that they knowe all thyn¦ges / and myght knowe what they wolde / and so byleue in them tyll they ben all dysceyued. Somtyme suche faytours telle sothes not by theyr craf¦te but by techyng and falshode of the fende whiche is alwaye redy yf god suffred hym to seche foles for to dys∣ceyue them and other by them.

Caplm .xxxi.

DIues. How may the deuyll knowe thynges that ben to come other ony preuy synne. ¶Pauper. Better than ony man. For as saynt Austyn sayth de natura demonū .xxvi.q̄.iiij. sciendū. The fen¦de is more sotyll of wytte and ferther can see and caste than ony man. Al∣so he is more lyghter and swftyer in sterynge and passynge. For he is ten folde lyghter than ony foule in his fleynge. Also he may lyghtly knowe what is done in dyuerse contrees and londes. He is soo sotyll in kynde that ther may no dore neyther walle shyt∣te hym out of coūseyll / & soo he may here & see what men and women doo though it be full preuy. Also by longe experyence / for they haue lyued so lon¦ge that they can telle & caste by waye of kynde many thynges that be to co¦me / & can do many thynges that pas¦se mannes wytte. Also oftymes they haue leue of god for mānes synne for to do wondres / to cause hydeous tem¦pestes / to enfecte & enuenym the ayer /

and cause morayne & sekenesse / hon∣gre & drought / dyscensyon & warre by destruccyon of chary••e / by myspry∣de / couetyse / lechery / wrathe and en∣uye / and suche thynges as they done and pursue them to do and haue do∣ne aforne and made other to do they can not telle it byfore. Also by the syg¦nes of the bodye outwarde they kno∣we the dysposycōn of man or woman inwarde / sygnes to helthe or to seke∣nesse / to vyce or to vertue / or ofte by tokens outwarde they knowe mānes thought inwarde. But for as moche as they may not knowe it for certay∣ne suche thynges / for only god kno∣weth for certayne thynges that ben to come / & oftyme god letteth them of theyr malyce whan y^• men wyll a∣mende theym. Therfore the proude spyryte wyll not telle suche thynges to the people sodaynly by hym selfe / but easely by other y^• sette theyr fayth and theyr truste in hym / as ben wyt∣ches faytours astronomers / that yf theyr sawes be foūden fals / they shall haue the velonye / yf it be foūden true the fende shall haue the worshyppe. Also they may knowe the thynges y^• is to come by boke of prophecye whi∣che they vnderstande by naturell wyt¦te better than ony man.

Caplm .xxxij.

DIues. Sothe it is that nygh euery synne be it neuer so pre¦uy / it is done by the techyng and entysyng of the fende. And ther∣fore it is wonder that ony lecherye / thefte and myschyef / murdre / lesyn∣ges and other synnes may be hydde and kepte preuy sythen the fende kno¦weth it so well / & may knowe thyn∣ges that ben soo preuy by soo many wayes as thou haste now here sayd. ¶Pauper. Full fayne wolde the fen¦de dyscouere mannes synne and wo∣mannes to brynge theym to shame & velonye / and soo to destroye charyte / and make euery man for to slee other But god of his mercy letteth hym / for he may nought do ne telle but as he hath a graūt of god. And therfore as we fynde in the gospell Math .viij. The fende myght not entre in to the swyne that wende there besydes for to drenche hem tylle he had a graūte of Cryste. Also he myght not dysease Iob / neyther in his bodye ne in his catell tyll he hadde a graūte of god. Iob .i. et .ij. And he coude not dyscey¦ue kyng Achab with lesynges & fayte byhestes to do hym to fyght there he myght lyue in peas / yet he myght not do it tyll he hadde a graunte of god. The thyrde boke of kynges the .xxij. chapytre. He knoweth moche thynge by the suffraunce of god / but he may nought do without graūte & permys∣syon or suffraūce of god. The fende is so feble & so faynt that he may no man ne woman ouercome by tempta¦cōn but he wyll be ouercome of hym. Ne he may not dere the leste childe in the waye but he haue a graūte of god whiche somtyme graūted him power therto for the synne of fader & moder ¶Diues. Why suffreth god hym soo moche to tempte mankynde. ¶Pau¦per. To manyfolde or encresynge of

our blysse and of our mede. For as saynt Poule sayth. Ther is noo man worthy for to haue the crowne of lyfe but he withstande the fende in ghoos¦tly stryfe. And as he sayth in an other place / god suffreth hym not to temp∣te vs but as we may well withstande yf we wyll. And yf we falle he hath ordeyned to vs remedye of penaunce / soone to ryse ayen and better to fyght yf we wyll. And all our temptacyon shall tourne vs to mede yf our wyll be to withstande it. ¶Diues. Sythen the fende knoweth so many treuthes & wote what is done / for he is at eue∣ry wycked dede / me meruaylleth mo∣che why he is so redye to lye & why he is so false. ¶Pauper. For he hateth god that is souerayne treuthe / & for he myght not be euen with god in so∣ueraynte of treuthe / ne haue the na∣me of souerayne treuthe that is god / therfore his lykyng & his trauayll is to be souerayne falshede & soueraynly false. And therfor Cryste sayth in the gospell that the fende stode neuer in treuthe / for ther is no treuthe in hym whan he speketh he speketh lesynges by waye of kynde / for he is a lyer & fader of all lesynges. Iohānes .viij. And so whether his tale be true or fal¦se / saye he sothe or false / alwaye he is felse / & alwaye a lyer.. ¶Diues. How may he say treuthe and yet lye / for yf he sayth treuthe me thynketh he lyeth not. ¶Pauper. What soo euer man or fende dooth / or speketh ayenst good conscyence and ayenst the pleasaunce of god in wyll and in Intencyon for to dysceyue man woman or childe / it is a lesynge / & he is a lyer that doth it or sayth it. And therfore the lawe sheweth well .xxij. q̄ .ij. hoies &••. is autē. That yf a man saye a treuthe / whiche treuthe he wened be false / yf he saye it for to dysceyue his euen cry¦sten / in that he lyeth. And soo with a soth sawe a man or y^e fende may lye / as yf I saye to the y^t it were not daye to let the of thy Iourney wenyng my selfe that it were not daye all though it were as I sayd yet I lye. And in the same maner the fende telleth treuthis of thynges that ben to come / and o∣ther sothes also / wenynge hym selfe that they be false. And so in his sothe sawes he lyeth / for he sayth that treu the vnwyttyngly for dysceyte and we∣neth to saye false. And yf he saye ony treuthe wyttyng & wyllyng / he sayth it oonly for to dysceyue men / and for a wycked ende / and for to doo folke with one soth sawe to byleue an hon∣dred lesynges / & so he is alwaye false and dysceyuable. And somtyme he is compelled by the myght of god to tel¦le treuthes ayenst his wyll / to shame and to shenshyp of hym and all his / as we fynde in the gospell Math .viij Marce .i. Luce .iiij. et .vij. But for su∣che sothe sawes is he neuer the trewer but alwaye a false lyer / for suche so∣the sawes ben ayenst his wyll / and yf he may he wyll tourne hym all to dysceyte / and make men for suche so∣the sawes whan they falle to byleue all his lesynges. And therfor he is cal¦led in holy wryte. Spiritus mendax. spiritus fallax. That is to saye a spy¦ryte lyer & a spyryte dysceyuable. And

therfore as the fendes hadde sayd the treuthe that Cryste compelled theym to saye / anone he put them to scylen∣ce as sayth the glose in the same place for they wolde ellys vnder that sothe sawe haue tolde many lesynges.

Caplm .xxxiij.

DIues. Whan he is coniured he is so boūde by vertue of ho¦ly wordes that he must nedes saye trouthe whiche he knoweth yf it be axed hym. ¶Pauper. Suche wyt∣ches & charmers. Iapers & faytours that vse suche craftes haue no power to bynde hym ne to compelle hym to telle suche sothes / ne right nought for to do ne for to tell. For he may nough¦te do ne telle without to haue graūte of god. And therfore suche Iapers and wytches bynde not the fende / but the fende byndeth them full harde in his seruage / and kepeth them thral∣les to hym passynge all other / whose boundage is full harde to theym for to escape without a specyall grace of god. ¶Diues Contra Ofte men kno¦we that clerkes close hem in rynges and in other thynges & make hem to telle & to do many wondres. ¶Pau∣per. The fende fayneth hym to be boūde with suche Iapers wordes for to dysceyue them & other by them / and yet is he not closed ne bounde / but he gooth abrode as he dyde byfore / and whan he is called he is somtyme redy to answere for he is full swyfte / some tyme he is not redy to answere / ne to do theyr wyll / and often though he wolde he may not / for god wyll not suffre hym. ¶Diues. Yet contra te. Men wote well that in many londes prestes and clerkes with holy coniu∣racōns and holy prayers ordeyned of holy chirche catche wycked spyrytes out of men and wymen. ¶Pauper. That is soth / and not oonly good ly¦uers / but wycked lyuers in many lon¦des catche fendes out of men and wy¦men & childern by the vertue of god∣des wordes / and holy coniuracyons and holy prayers ordeyned of holy chirche / and sooner a good man or a good woman shall doo that than a wycked. Suche bynde the fende and do hym lese his power and his lord∣shyp to shame and shenshyp of hym and all his. Suche seke the worshyp of god and shenshypp of the fende & helpe of mannes soule. And therfore they haue power of god to bynde hȳ and to compelle hym. But yet as the glose sayth Marce. v. su{per} illud. Quod est tibi nomen. They that ben so tra∣uaylled with the fende muste fyrst be clene shreuen as ferre as they may & knowe and telle all the maner of the fendes doynge / and of the temptacy∣on that they haue eyther wakynge or slepynge / by syght / by herynge / by fe∣lynge / or by ony of theyr wyttes / or by ony thought or fantasye / and dysco∣uere all the fendes counseyll. But the se wytches faytours and Iapers seke the fendes worshyp and not goddes worshyp. They seke helpe of the fen∣de and forsake goddes helpe / and do sacrefyce to the fende & forsake god∣des sacrefyce & take the fende to ther lorde and make hym theyr god. And

soo the fende hath power ouer them / not they ouer the fende.

Caplm .xxxiiij.

ANd therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. q̄ .vij. Non obseruetis. That all suche wytches and all that axe ony counseyll or helpe of them / or sette ony fayth in them / or brynge them in theyr houses / or go to theyr houses to haue helpe or coūseyll of them / and all that take hede of dysmale dayes / or vse nyce obseruaū∣ces in the newe mone / or in the newe yere as settynge of mete or of drynke by nyght on the benche / for to fede. All holde / or gobelyn. Ledynge of the ploughe about the fyre as for good begynnyng of the yere that they shol¦de fare the better all the yere folowyn ge / or take hede to the Iudycyall of as¦tronomye / or to dyuynacyons / by chy∣terynge of byrdes / or by fleynge of foules / or assente to ony suche nyce obseruaunces / or to dyuyne a mannes lyfe or dethe by nombres and by the spere of Pictagoras / or to make ony dyuynynge therby / or by songuary or sompnarye / the booke of dremes / or by the booke that is called the appos∣tles lottes / or vse ony charmes in ga∣derynge of herbes / or in hangynge of scrowes about man or woman or chil¦de or beest for ony sekenesse with ony scrypture or fygures and caractes / but yf it be Pater noster. Aue or the Cre∣de / or ony holy wordes of the gospell / or of holy wryte for deuocyon not for curyousyte / and oonly with the token of the holy crosse / and all that vsen ony maner wytchecrafte or ony mys∣byleue y^• all suche forsaken the fayth of holy chirche & theyr crystendome / and become goddes enemyes and dys please god full greuously / and falle in to dampnacyon withouten ende / but they amende theym the sooner. And therfore the lawe commaūdeth that bysshopes sholde be besye to des∣troye all maner wytchecraftes. And yf they fonde ony man or woman that gaaf them to wytche crafte but they wolde amende them / they sholde chace theym out of theyr bysshoryke with open despyte .xxvi. q̄. v. episcopi. And in the same place the lawe sayth that tho wymmen y^• whiche wene by nyght to ryde on dyuerse bestes and passe dyuerse londes & contrees and folowe a gloryous quene the whiche is called Dyana / or ellys Herodyana or ony other name / and wene that they ben in theyr seruyce bodely with moche myrthe / suche wymen ben all dysceyued & blynded with the fende whome they serue. And therfore the fende hath power for to disceyue them And that they suffre only by fantasy by dreme / & by Iapery of the fende. They wene it were so bodely & in de¦de & it is not so. And all tho that say or byleue that men or wymen myght by wytchecrafte be torned in to bestes or in to lykenesse of bestes or byrdes bodely ben worse than ony paynym. And they that for hate or wrath that they bere ayenst ony man or woman take away the clothes of the aultre & clothe y^e aultre with dolefull clothyn∣ge / or besette the aultre or the crosse

about with thornes / and withdrawe lyght out of the chirche / or synge or do synge masse of Requiem for them that ben alyue in hope that they shol¦de fare the worse and the sooner deye the preest sholde be degraded / & both the preest & he that stered hym therto for to do it sholde be exyled for euer. And all maner wytches & all that by leue on wytchecraft sholde be acursed solempnely / but they wolde amende them / as the lawe sayth in the same place / & in the next chapytre folowyn¦ge et ca^•. Si quis. As the lawe sayth there ca^•. Contra. Yf the wytches we¦re boūde men & wymen / they sholde be beten harde and sore. Yf they were free they shlod be punysshed in harde pryson. And by the lawe Imperyall vt ca^•. de maleticijs nullus. et l. nemo et l. culpa. And by the lawe Canon xxvi. q̄ .v. qui diuinaciones in glosa. Suche wytches sholde be heded and brente & theyr faytours exyled / & all theyr goodes forteteth. And by the la¦we of holy chirche all that byleue in theym or mayntene theym sholde do fyue yere penaūce .xxvi. q̄ .v. Non lice∣at. et ca^•. Qui diuinacōes. Also it is forboden by the lawe as wytchecrafte for to do thynges come ayen / by scryp¦ture in boke or in tables or by astrola bye. ext. li. v. ti .xxvi. ca^•. i. et. n^• ¶Di¦ues. I holde it a full good dede to ta¦ke a thefe with his thefte by what craf¦te y^• a man may for saluacyon of the people / & to punysshe or slee a theef by the lawe for ensample of other.

Caplm .xxxv.

PAuper. It is not lefull to o∣ny man for to slee a theef a∣yenst the kynges lawe & with¦out processe of the londes lawe and without auctoryte of his lyege lorde / ne without a lawfull Iuge ordeyned of his lyege lorde / & yet is the thefe worthy to deye. ¶Diues. That is so∣the. For yf euery man myght slee a thefe at his owne wyll & by his owne dome / men sholde vnd colour of thef∣te slee many a true man for wrath co¦uetyse & hate. ¶Pau{per} Sythen men do so moche reuerence to the kynges lawes & the londes lawes to flee mys¦chyues that sholde falle but yf the la∣wes were kepte. Moche more reucren¦ce sholde they do to goddes lawe & ho¦ly chirche lawe / & eschewe for to for∣fete ther ayenst / sythen goddes lawes & holy chirche lawes ben so resonable & as good as the kynges lawes of En¦glonde. Neuerthelesse the kynges la∣wes yf they be Iuste they be goddes lawes. And as many perylles & moo sholde falle yf men toke theues by wytchecrafte ayenst goddes lawes & holy chirche lawes / as yf they slewe them ayenst the kynges lawes and the londes lawes. ¶Diues. Shewe me that. ¶Pauper. Yf a man slee a theef not hym defendaunt ayenst the kynges lawe / he forfeteth ayenst his kynge and is worthy deth. And yf he make hym a Iustyce by his ow∣ne auctoryte / though he kepe other pro¦cesse of the lawe he is a traytour to his kyng. And as moche and more forfeteth he ayenst the kyng of heuen that taketh a theef with wytchecraft

ayenst goddes lawes / sythen god and holy chirche hath forboden it / as do∣the he that sleeth a theef ayenst the kynges lawes. And sythen he maketh the deuyll and the wytches that ben moost goddes enemyes his Iuge and werketh by theyr domes in the des∣spyte of god y^• hath forboden it hem / he is a ful hygh traytour to god. And so he doth ten folde more synne / and therfor he is worthy to be hanged mo¦re than a theef. More ouer in as mo∣che as the fende is a lyer alwaye redy to lye and with lesynges dysceyueth mankynde / & bryngeth men to mur∣dre & to shedyng of blood / and rather for to slee Innocentes than for to slee theues. Yf suche wytchecraftes were vsed / many Innocentes and many a good man and woman sholde be ta∣ken & slayne / & theues sholde go free. For the fende is more fauourable to theues / manquellers / lecherous and to all other synfull wretches than he is to ony good man or good woman and he hath more lykynge for to slee a good man or good woman than to slee a theef. Also god sayth in the gos¦pell that the fende hath euer ben a lyer / and stode neuer in trenthe / and that he is a manqueller / and fader of lyers and of lesynges. And therfor all thoo that gyue fayth to his tales and doo therafter as moche as is in theym / they make god false and for∣sake theyr god that is souerayne treu the / and take theym to the deuyll / that is souerayne falshode / and soo they worshyppe the fende and dyspy∣se god. And yf suche craftes were suf∣fred euery man myght accuse other of what synne that he wolde / and saye that the fende or the wytches tol¦de it hym. And in this maner euery man myght kylle & slee other. And therfore for these skylles and reasons and many moo and for to flee these perylles and many other / god hath forboden all maner of wytchecrafte / for it is not done withouten helpe of the fende. But now a dayes god of his grete mercy suffreth not the fen∣de but full selden for to saye sothe / for yf he suffred hym for to saye sothe / Englysshe people sholde forsake god all attones and sette theyr truste and theyr fayth all in the fende. For not∣withstandynge that they fynde the fendes tales and all his craftes full false / by grete and ofte experyence / and spende full grete therabout / and lesen all that they done and myshap∣pen / yet wyll they not leue nor cease for noo losse / for noo prechynge / for no shame / neyther for no punysshyng Neuerthelesse it is no grete wonder / for the fende holdeth theym full har∣de bounde in his boundes as his chur¦les and his thralles. For all suche do∣ne a passynge homage sacrefyce and seruyce to the fende and forsaken god as I sayd fyrste.

Caplm .xxxvi.

DIues. Suche craftes and cō∣mracyons with holy prayers and they that done them ben holden for full good lyuers / and they gyue theym to fastynge / to penaunce dooynge / and bedes byddynge / and

to many other good dedes. And ther∣fore men gyue the more fayth & cre∣dence to them & byleue them the bet∣ter. For it is not semely that the fen∣des crafte sholde be done with suche holynesse. ¶Pauper. The more ho∣ly thynge & the more holy prayer that man or woman vsed in the fendes ser¦uyce / the more worshypp and the mo¦re pleasaunce they doo to the fende / and the more despyte and offence do they to god. For the worshyppe and the prayers and the seruyce that they sholde do to god / they do it to the fen¦de. And thynges that ben ordeyned oonly for goddes seruyce / they spende it in the deuylles seruyce. And ther∣fore they that vse holy wordes of the gospell. Pater noster. Aue. or Crede / or holy prayers in theyr wytchecraf∣tes / for charmes or comuracy••ns / and all they that vse holy water of the fon¦te / holy crysme / masses syngynge / fas∣tynges / contynence / wullen goeynge / and suche other in theyr wytchecraf∣te they make a full hyghe sacrefyce to the fende. It hath ofte ben kno∣wen y^• wytches with sayeng of theyr Pater noster / and droppynge of the holy candell in a mānes steppes that they hated hath done his feet roten of. ¶Diues. What sholde the Pater noster / and the holy candell do ther∣to. ¶Pauper. Right nought. But for the wytche worshyppeth the sende so hyghely with the holy prayers / & with the holy candell / and vsed su∣che holy thynges in his seruyce in des¦pyte of god. Therfore is the fende redy to doo the wytches wylle / and to fulfyll thynges that they done it for / & so it standeth only in the deuyll & in mysbyleue of the wytche & not in the Pater noster / ne in the holy can∣dell / & yet the fooles mene otherwy∣se. For the fende wolde not do theyr wyll but they do hym suche hyghe sa¦crefyce. For whan that they lyght the candell and saye theyr Pater noster / to that intente / they do it not to god / but to the fende. And in that they for∣sake god and worshypp the fende as god / and clayme the fende to theyr fa¦der / sayeng to hym that they ought to saye only to god / as Pater noster qui es in celis &••. Oure fader that art in heuens halowed be thy name. And all that foloweth they saye it to the fende And therfore y^• fende may clay me hem for his childern / & god may resonably forsake them & say to them that he sayd to the Iewes. Vos facitis opera patris vestri. vos ex patre dya∣bolo estis. et desideria patris vestri vultis facere. Io .viij. Ye done sayth he the werkes of the fende your fa∣der / ye ben of the fader the deuyll / & the desyres of your fader ye wyll doo And in the same maner theyr chasty te / theyr fastynge / theyr penaūce do∣ynge is in as moche as they doo it to please the fende & for a wycked ende it is a seruyce & a sacrefyce to the fen¦de. And full fewe men or wymen wyl do so moche penaunce for the loue of god / as the wytches do for the loue of the fende and to please the fende / in soo moche that somtyme they cutte theym selfe with knyues and prycke them selfe with launcettes / and so of∣fre

theyr flesshe and theyr blood in sa¦crefyce to y^• fende / as we fynde in the thyrde boke of kynges the .xviij. cha∣pytre. And therfore byleue frendes sy∣then this maner of synne is so greuo{us} so hydeous & so abhomynable in god¦des syght / suffre it neuer to be do by none of your housholde / for no losse ne no thefte / for no sekenesse / for noo helthe / for no welthe / for no wo. For yf ye do it your selfe / or do it to be do∣ne / or assente to the doynge / or suffre it to be done whan ye myght lette it ye be acursed & offende your god full hyghely & full greuously. For all they that do it or assente to the doynge / & sette theyr fayth therin / they forfete ayenst the fyrste cōmaundement full greuously. For in that they forsake god / and make the fende theyr god / and worshyppeh hym as god. And by what thynge y^• they do theyr wyt∣checrafte / be it fyre / be it ayer / or wa∣ter / or erthe / or deed bones / or ony o∣ther thynge that is in theyr mawme trye / & that they make symylytude to god as moche as in theym is & wor∣shyp it as god. And therfore god for∣bode in the fyrste cōmaūdement that man shode not make hym lykenesse y^• is in heuen / that is to saye / neyther in the fyrmament / ne in the fyre / ne in the ayer. And so in that worde he forbedeth the Iudycyall astronomye / and pyromancye / that is wytchecraf¦te done in the fyre / and aeromancye / that is wytchecrafte done in the ayer. Also he forbedeth men to make them lykenesse of ony thynge that is in er∣the. In that he forbedeth geomancy that is wytchecrafte done in the erthe And also nygromancye / that is wyt∣checrafte done by deed bodyes that ben but erthe / and buryed in the er∣the. Also he forbedeth men to make them symylytude of ony thynge that is in the water vnder the erthe. In whiche wordes he forbedeth ydrom ā∣cye / that is wytchecrafte done in the water. He badde that men sholde wor¦shyppe none suche thynges as god / ne sette theyr truste ne theyr fayth ther∣in. For yf they doo they make suche thynges lyke god in as moche as in them is. And not only they make su∣che thynges lyke god in this maner / but also they make the fendes lyke god / whiche dwelle some in the fyre / some in the ayer / some in the water / and some in the erthe for to tempte mankynde / and ben besy nyght and daye for to lese mannes soule and wo¦mannes. ¶Diues. Shewe me some example of this maner of wytchecraf¦tes. ¶Pauper. I am besy for to des¦troye wytchecrafte and not for to te∣che it. But wolde god that noo man ne no woman wyste what it is / ney∣ther knewe these ne none other / for ther ben all to many y^t knowe these / & many mo therto / and practyse newe yere by yere at the fendes techynge / tylle moche of this londe is blente & shente with suche folye. For ouer mo∣che wytchecrafte reygneth openly / but moche more pryuely / and name∣ly amonges these olde men & wym∣men / the whiche for theyr age wolde fayne be holden wyse. And than be∣gyn they moost to dote and to teche

theyr yonger many folyes & many ny¦ce fantasyes that ben very wytchecraf¦tes. And therfore bothe olde & yonge sholde axe coūseyll of wyse men of ho¦ly chirche / & wyte yf suche thynges & doynges as they teche be lefull or not lefull.

Caplm .xxxvij.

DIues. By comon sawes of clerkes god in the fyrste cō∣maundement forbedeth thre pryncypall synnes. Pryde y^• is vnder∣stand by the lykenesse aboue in heuen for there it began. And y^• proude man & woman wolde alwaye be aboue & worlhyp his pryde as god. For y^• prou¦de man and woman wyll haue forth theyr proude wylles wyll god or not. And therfore Iob sayth y^• the proude fende is kyng of all childern of pryde And as saynt Paule sayth / proude An¦tecryste shall haue hym as god & sytt in goddes Temple as yf he were god Also they say y^• god forbade there the synne of couetyse / that is vnderstande by the lykenesse in erthe / for myscoue¦tyse standeth moost in erthly thynge. And therfore saynt Poule sayth / that auaryce is seruage of mawmettes of ydolatrye. For as saynt Ierom sayth The auaryce man maketh his mo∣neye & his richesses his god. Also they saye y^• by the same cōmaūdement he forbade lecherye & glotonye / whiche ben vnderstande by y^• lykenesse in the water vnder the erthe. For as saynt Poule sayth. Lechoures and glotones make theyr wombe and theyr bodye theyr god. For theyr moost trauayll and besynesse is to please & serue theyr wombe and theyr bely. ¶Pauper. In as moche as euery synne is ayen¦ste the worshyppe of god / in soo mo∣che as god in the fyrst cōmaūdement forbedeth all maner synne in genera¦le. But as I sayd by the fyrste cōmaū¦dement / he forbade in specyaall maw¦metrye / ydolatrye / wytchecrafte / sorce¦rye. For afterwarde he gaue the four cōmaūdement specyally ayenst pryde & vnbuxomnesse / and the sixte & the tenthe ayenst lecherye / the seuenthe & the nynthe ayenst auaryce & couetyse.

Caplm .xxxviij.

DIues. It is lefull to vse lot¦tes. ¶Pauper. Somtyme to breke stryfe in partynge & gy¦uynge of thynge that may not well be departed. Or whan y^• men ben in doubte what is to do & mānes wytte fayleth / than is it lefull to vse lottes in thynges that is not ayenst the wor¦shyp of god / soo that it be done with the reuerence of god & holy prayer by fore as the apostles dyde in chesynge of saynt Mathie the apostle / & Elya∣zar in chesynge of a wyfe to Ysaac Abrahās sone Gen̄ .xxiiij And therfor Salomon sayth {pro}uer .xvi. y^• lot•• ben put in preuy places / & god tempreth them as he wyl. But to vse lott•• with out nede & only for vanyte / or for dy∣uynacyon / settynge fayth therin to wyte therby what shall falle / it is vn∣lefull & repreued of god & holy chir∣che / & yf men sette truste & fayth ther in it is a greuo{us} sȳne. ¶Diues. Play∣eng at the dyce standeth in lotte and

auenture of the dyce / & yet the game is lefull. ¶Pauper. To vse that ga¦me for recreacyon & only for playe it may be suffred / soo that it be done in maner honestly / & in place & tyme cō∣uenyent / & not to moche in sesyng of tyme. But for to vse it for to wynne therby / & put thynges in auenture of dyce / it is a full grete synne & euyll goten good that men gete therwith. And therfore by the lawe yf it were a man of holy chirche that vsed suche playe he sholde be pryued of his bene¦fyce yf that he hadde ony. And yf he had no benefyce he sholde be vnabled and dysposed therto but yf he wolde cease. And yf it were a lewde man / he sholde be acursed. distinct .xxxv. ep̄s Et extra de vita et honestate clerico{rum} ca^0. Clerici. And therfore sayth the lawe / that noo man of holy chirche sholde be atte suche games.

Caplm .xxxix.

DIues. Sythen ther be so ma∣ay maners of wytchecraftes y^• they may not be tolde in spe∣cyall. I praye the telle me in generall what is wytchecraft. ¶Pauper. Eue¦ry craft that man or woman vseth to knowe ony thyng or to do ony thyng that he may not knowe ne do by the waye of reason ne by the werkyng of kynde is wytchecrafte. And though it be do by waye of kynde / and they vse therto ony charmes or nyce obseruaū¦ces in the doynge / wenynge that it myght not be done without that char¦me / & suche obseruaunce or ellys su∣che charmes oonly to blynde the peo∣ple that they sholde truste in hym for his charmes and not in werkyng of kynde / it is wytchecrafte all yf he say only his Pater noster / in the doynge for to be holden a charmer / & to do y^• people truste in hym pryncypally for charmes / all though he sayth no char¦mes but werketh only by kynde / yet he is a wytche & his doynge is wytche crafte. For by suche doynge he blyn∣deth the people and dysceyued them / and doth them truste in wytchecrafte & so do worshyp to the fende and des¦pyte to god. And what so euer man or woman do by waye of kynde & rea¦son / yf he vse ony crafte of Iapery & faytrye for to blynde the people / for to do them byleue that he were a wytche and that he dyde it not by waye of kynde / but by charmes and sorcery / he is a wytche in goddes syght / and his doynge is wytchecrafte. For his crafte is to make men worshyppe the fende / in as moche as he doth the peo¦ple truste in wytchecrafte / & so spen∣de theyr good in the fendes seruyce / and to seke helpe of the fende & for∣sake goddes helpe. And hath leuer hym selfe for to be holden a wytche and the deuylles seruaunte / than for to be holden goddes seruaunte / and leuer for to take mennes good in wor¦shyppynge of the fende than in wor∣shyppyng of god. And by the connyn¦ge & grace that god hath gyuen hym and by the myght & vertue that god hath gyuen to thynges of kynde for helpe of mannes kynde / falsely he enhaunceth the fendes crafte in des∣truccyon of mankynde. ¶Diues.

Tell some example. ¶Pauper. To hele mannes woundes whyle they be fresshe and clene / blacke wulle and oyle ben full medycynable without ony charme as experyence sheweth well. But for as moche as men wene that it were nought worthe without the charme / & sette theyr fayth pryn∣cypally in the charme / therfore it is to them a wytche crafte. But though a man in the doyng say his pater nos¦ter / or some holy prayer callynge the grace of god in his doynge it is noo wytche crafte but it is well done.

Caplm .xl.

DIues. What yf he saye pater noster / or other holy wordes / or some holy prayer pryuely or aperte for to do the people wene y^t it is do by waye of myracle and for his prayer •• his holynesse / whan he dooth it by reason & werkyng of kyn¦de. ¶Pauper. Than is it a full gre∣te ypocresye and a full greuous synne in hym that dooth it in that maner & for that intende / but wytche crafte is it none / for it is no worshyp to the fendes crafte / ne the people is not sty∣red therby to truste in the fende but rather in god. ¶Diues. Is it ony wytche crafte to charme adders or o∣ther bestes & byrdes with holy wordes or holy wryte or with ony other holy wordes ¶Pauper. Yf a man or wo∣man take hede in his doynge only to the holy wordes and to the myght of god / it is noo wytche crafte. But yf they vse in theyr dooynge ony mys∣obseruaūce & sette more truste therin than in holy wordes or in god / than as clerkes saye it is wytche craft•• / and the effecte therof yf it falle it cometh of the fende / & namely in adders and serpentes. For the adder was the fyr∣ste Instrumente that the fende vsed for to dysceyue mankynde / as we fyn¦de Genesis .iij. And yet by the adder he dooth men moost truste in wytche crafte. ¶Diues. Is it ony p••ryll to man or woman to charge his frende in his deyeng to come ayen & teile hȳ how he fareth. ¶Pauper. It is a ful grete peryll. For as saynt Poule sayth The fende oftyme maketh him lyke an angell of lyght / but he may not laste in the beaute ne bryghtnes. And so lyghtly the fende myght appere to hym that were alyue in the lykenesse of hym that were deed & telle hym le¦synges / and in case make hym soo a∣fered that he sholde lese his wytte & falle in wanbyleue as it felle to one within a fewe yeres. And happely he sholde telle hym that he were damp∣ned though it were not so / or telle him that he were in blysse though he we∣re in bytter payne / and soo lette hym of his almesdede and from his holy prayers and other good dedes by whi¦che not only that soule sholde be hol∣pen / but many other with hym. Also yf he appered to hym / or yf he wende that he appered to hym he sholde ha∣ue the lesse mede for his byleue than he hadde byfore / for than were he te∣cheth by experyence to knowe that the soule lyueth after the bodye. Also it is not in the soules power to appe∣re to man or woman after the deth of

his bodye / ne man is not able to see a soule / for it is Inuysyble without a spe¦cyall myracle of god. And so both he that chargeth hym to come ayen / & he that behoteth to come ayen temp∣ten god. And right as god wyll that euery man & woman be vncertayne what tyme he shall deye / for that he sholde alway be dredeful to do amys and besy to do well. Right so he wyll that men be vncertayne of theyr fren¦des whan they ben deed in what sta∣te that they ben / for that they sholde alwaye be besy to helpe theyr soules with masses syngynge almes doynge with bedes byddynge / and other good dedes / not oonly for helpe of hym but of other that haue lytyl helpe or none Also for encresyng of theyr owne me∣de. For who soo that trauaylleth well for an other / trauaylleth best for hym self. For as saynt Poule sayth. Ther shall no good dede be vnrewarded / ne no wycked dede be vnpunysshid. ¶Di¦ues. Thy reason is good. For yf men wyste that theyr frendes were out of payne they wolde do right nought for them / & so they sholde lese moche me∣de for that knowyng / & soules lese mo¦che helpe. And yf men wyste for cer∣tayne whan they sholde deye / they sholde be to bolde to do amys in hope that they sholde amēde them in theyr deynge. But yet notwithstandyng al thy reasons / some clerkes sayen that it is lefull to men for to charge theyr frendes to come aren to shewe them her state after theyr deth. For as they saye it is kyndely thynge for to desy∣re for to knowe or to conne. For the phylosophre sayth that euery man & woman by waye of kynde desyreth to knowe and to conne. Omnes homi∣nes natura scire desiderant. ¶Pau∣per. They saye sothe / and not ayenst me. For it is lefull to euery man and woman for to desyre to conne and to knowe. But it is not lefull for to de∣syre to knowe in that maner / ne by noo meane vnlefull not by techynge of the fende / neyther by techynge of them that ben deed.

Caplm .xli.

DIues. How is it that spyry∣tes walke so about whan men be deed. ¶Pauper. Comon∣ly suche spyrytes ben fendes and goo soo about to sclaundre them that ben deed / and for to brynge the people in to errour and bachytynge and wyc∣ked demynge / that yf the people de∣med euyll & spake euyll of them byfo¦re theyr dethe / to do them speke & de∣me moche worse after theyr dethe / & soo to brynge the people full depe in synne. And somtyme they gone in to the bodyes of theym y^t ben deed & bu∣ryed & bere it about to do them vylo∣ny. But whan spyrytes goo in this maner / they do moche harme & mo∣the dysease. Nathelesse by the leue of god the soules appere in what maner god wyl to hem that ben alyue / some for to haue helpe / somtyme to shewe that the soules lyue after the bodye to conferme them that ben feble in the fayth & byleue not saddly that man∣nes soule lyued not after his deth / but suche spyrytes do no harme but to tho

that wyll not byleue theym that they haue suche payne / or wyll not redely helpe hem at theyr axinge.

Caplm .xlij.

DIues. Is it lefull to trust in these fastynges newe founde to flee sodayne deth. ¶Pau¦per. It is a grete foly to truste therin For as I sayd now late / god wyl that man & woman be vncertayne what tyme that they sholde deye & in what maner. For god wyll that man and woman be alwaye besye to flee synne and for to do well for drede of deth / and alway redy what tyme that god wyll sende after theym. And yf that men were certayne by suche fastynge that they sholde not deye sodaynly / but haue tyme of repentaūce / & to be shreuen and houseled / they sholde be the more rechelesse in theyr lyuynge / and they sholde the lesse care for to doo amys in hope of amendemente in theyr dyeng. And therfor god graū¦teth them not the ende nor the effecte that they faste for. For greter soday∣ne deth wyste I neuer than that men had than. I wyste theym haue that haue fasted suche fastes .vij. yeres a∣bout / ne more dyspytefull and shame full in open punysshyng of theyr syn¦ne / and ther was neuer soo moche so∣dayne deth so longe reygnyng in this londe as hath be sythen suche fastyn¦ge began / we may not treaten god ne put hym to no lawes. And therfore we sholde putte alwaye our lyfe and our deth only in his wyll / prayeng to hym of his grace that he wyll ordeyn for vs bothe in lyfe and deth / as it is moost to his worshyppe and helpe of our soule. It is well done for to praye to god with fastyng and good dedes that he saue vs from sodayne deth / for all holy chirche prayeth soo. But for to sette sayth in suche nyce obser∣uaūces and wene to be syker of theyr askynge for suche obseruaunces that is not lefull / for we may not knowe the wyl of god in suche thynges with out a specyall reuelacyon of god / we may praye & ought to praye / but god shall graūte as hym lyketh / & as he seeth that it is moost spedefull to vs & moost to his worshypp. And therfore Salomon sayth. Nemo sit vtrū amo¦re an odio dignus sit. Eccle. ix. Noo man he sayth wote sykerly whether he is worthy hate or loue. And yet we hope and ought all to hope that god wyll loue vs & saue vs yf we doo our deuour. Fastyng is good yf it be done in mesure & maner & in good inten∣cyon / so that men sette no mysbyleue therin / ne grounde them in no lesyn∣ges ne in noo nyce obseruaūces. But in as moche as they preferre in theyr fastynge dayes of theyr owne choyse byfore tho dayes that ben ordeyned by holy chirche to faste / in soo moche they synne in presumpcyon and doo preiudice to holy chirche y^t ordeyned suche dayes that ben moost conueny∣ente to faste / as wednesdaye frydaye and satyrdaye. De conse. distinct .iij. Ieiunia &••. sabbato. ¶Diues. I see no grounde ne reason in suche fastynge / ne why it sholde be more medefull to faste all mondayes in the yere whan

the feste of our Lady in lente falleth on the mondaye / than for to faste in worshyp of her y^e wednesdaye frydaye or satyrdaye. For I byleue sykerly y^t the mede of fastynge or the vertue of fastynge is not assygned ne lymyted by the lettres of the kalender ne folo¦we not the course of the kalender / ne chaungeth not from one daye to an¦other daye / all yf the lettres chaunge from one daye to an other. And so as me thynketh suche fastynge is groū∣ded in some lesyng & faynyng and in some mysbyleue ful nygh wytchecraf¦te. ¶Pauper. Me thynketh the same For all yf the feste falle somtyme on the mondaye / somtyme on y^e tuesday yet the deed in it selfe felle neyther on the mondaye ne on y^e tuesdaye / but it felle on the frydaye / for than y^e angell greted our lady & than she conceyued goddes sone lord of blysse. And .xxxiij. yere after the same tyme and the sa∣me daye / that is to saye on good fry∣daye about myddaye she sawe her de∣re sone deynge for mankynde vpon the rode tree. And soo me thynketh y^t it is more pleasaunt to god & to our lady & more conuenyent to faste the frydaye in the worshyp of cryste that deyed for vs all that daye / and also in worshyp of our lady that conceyued that daye her dere sone at the gretyn¦ge of the angell than to faste eyther mondaye or tuesdaye. And in as mo∣che as they wene that suche faste shol¦de not auayll theym to thende y^t they faste it fore / but yf they chaūge theyr faste yere by yere after the course of the kalender / & that muste be do .vij. yere durynge after other / it is a nyce fantasye and mysbyleue full nyghe wytchecrafte. For Cryste myght graū them that boon as well for fyue or for .vi. or for .viij. yere fastynge as for .vij. yere fastynge. I fonde neuer grounde wherof it cam neyther reson ne auctoryte fynde I none. Axe forth yf thou wylte somwhat ellys.

Caplm .xliij.

DIues. Is it lefull to sette ony truste or ony fayth on dremes. ¶Pauper. Ther ben two maner causes of dremes. One from inwarde / & an other from outwarde. Causes of dremes from inwarde ben thre maner. One is co∣mon sterynge of mannes fantasye or womans in theyr slepe / & suche dre∣mes ben but fantasyes and vanytees And therfore sayth Salomon. Vbi multa somnia. ibi multe vanitates. Eccle. v. Where as ben many dremes ther ben many vanytees / for in this maner one man shall haue moo dre∣mes than some twenty other Another cause from inwarde is y^e dysposycōn of the bodye. For whan men ben col∣de of kynde / they dreme of frostes & snowe / and so by theyr dremes a wy¦se leche may knowe in parte the dys∣posycōn of ther bodye / be it to helthe or to sekenes. The thyrde cause from inwarde is the dysposycōn of y^e soule For comonly men dremen of suche thynges as ther soules & theyr though¦te is moost in occupyed whyle y^t they waken / eyther by studye / by loue / or by hate / by wrath / by drede / by sorowe / by

care pryde or couetyse. Causes of dre∣mes from outwarde ben two maner / bodely & ghoostly. Bodely is the dys¦posycōn of the ayer and of the place about hym / & other thynges besyde hym. And therfore in rayne weder men dreme of water & of fysshes / for ofte mānes bodye chaūgeth after the dysposycyon of the ayer & of his aby∣dynge place And for these thre causes sayth the phylosophre De somno et vigilia. That leches sholde take be∣de to the dremes of them that ben se∣ke to knowe therby how they ben dys¦posed. Ghoostly causes from outwar¦de of dremes ben ij. maners / the one is good / for that is god by hym selfe / or ellys by angellys / & that in thre ma∣ners. For some dreme so by ymagyna¦cyon only / as dyde the kyng Pharao & Nabugodonosor. Some dreme on∣ly by vnderstandynge / as dyde saynt Poule & Balaam. Some dreme bo∣the by ymagynacōn & by vnderstan∣dyng / as dyde saynt Iohan in apo∣calyps & Danyell in his prophecye / whiche sawe wonderfull syghtes by ymagynacōn & vnderstandyng what tho syghtes betokened. But Pharao and Nabugodonosor vnderstonde not the vysyons ne the dremes that they had. The other cause of dremes from outwarde is not good as whan it fal¦leth by Illusyon of the fende / for tho pryncypally serue to wytche crafte. Somtyme dremes come of grete be∣synesse & trauayl that one hath whan he is wakyng And therfor sayth Sa¦lomon / that after besynesse folowen many dremes / for comonly men dre∣me of suche thynges as they ben in occupyed whyle they wake. Somty∣me dremes come of to moche absty∣nance & of hongre. Somtyme it co∣meth of excesse of mete or of drynke. Somtyme of myslykynge that man hath whan he is wakyng. And in as moche as the effecte of thynges is to∣ken of his causes / as smoke is token of the fyre / soo suche dremes ben to∣kens of causes y^t they come of. And in this maner awyse man may telle by dremes causes of mannes dremes / & so by causes telle other preuy thyn∣ges that may fall therof. For oftyme one cause bryngeth forth dyuerse effec¦tes eche after other. ¶Diues. Telle some examples. ¶Pauper. Expery∣ence sheweth that yf a man talke mo¦che with a woman & sette his herte gretely to her by daye / & in the nyght folowyng he dremeth of her some ny¦ce dreme / by whiche dreme yf he tol∣de it to some wyse man / he wolde say that he loued moche that woman / & but he withdrewe hym from her com¦pany / it sholde tourne hym to felony And also as clerkes saye in asmoche as dremes come by waye of kynde / in soo moche it is lefull to telle what they sygnefye after the causes y^t they come of / soo that in theyr tellynge & castyng they passe not the boūdes of kynde. Also it is lefull to telle thyn∣ges that ben to come / by dremes that come by reuelacōn of god / yf man & woman haue y^• grace to vnderstande them as Ioseph and Danyell hadde But for as moche as dremes comen in soo dyuerse maners / certayne it is

full harde to knowe in what maner they come / whether by god or by kyn¦de or by y^• fende or by ony other waye Therfore it is full peryllous to sette ony fayth therin / as saynt Gregorye sayth li .viij. morx. su{per} illud Iob. Ter¦rebis me {per} sompnia. For somtyme by dremes the fende behoteth men grete prosperyte & moche richesses to bryn∣ge them in pryde & hope of thynges that they sholde neuer haue. Somty∣me by dremes he pretendeth moche aduersyte & grete dysease for to bryn¦ge folke in sorowe & drede & grete he∣uynes / & yf he may to brynge them in to dyspayre / for nyce fantasyes that he bryngeth them in. And somtyme for men sette fayth in suche dremes / god suffreth suche myschyues to falle to theym as theyr dremes pretende in punysshynge of theyr synne / for that they sette in dremes ayenst the lawe of god. But prosperyte falleth them none for no suche dremyng. ¶Diues Where fyndest y^u that god forbedth men to sette fayth in dremes.

Caplm .xliiij.

Pauper. Leuitici .xix. where as god sayth thus. Non auguria bimini. nec obseruabit somp¦nia. Ye shall not dyuyne ne make you wyse of preuy thynges by no wyt checrafte / & ye shall wayte after noo dremes ne take hede therto / ne sette fayth therin. Also Deut⁰ .xviij. God forbedeth all maner wytchecraftes & charmes / & byddeth that no man shol¦de take hede to dremes. And in the sa¦me boke .xiij. god sayth thus Yf be so sayth he that ony man amonges you begynneth to be a soche sayer & a pro¦phete / & saye that he had a dreme & a vysyon & telle ony wonder / whiche wonder & token falleth as he sayth / yf he styre the to mawmetrye or to o∣ny wytchecrafte / here not the wordes of that prophete and of that dremer. For by hym god assayeth you / that it may be openly knowen whether ye lo¦ue hym with all your herte & soule or nay. And therfore god byddeth that suche dremers & prophetes sholde be slayne & though he were thyn owne brother by fader & by moder y^u shol∣dest not spare hym in that caas. And therfor Salomon sayth / that dremes haue also brought moche people in errour & in folye / and they that truste therin falle to nought. Eccle .xxxiiij. For all yf dremes come oftymes by waye of kynde as I sayd / yet it is ful harde to knowe whan it cometh by waye of kynde or by Illusyon of the fende. And though they come by way of kynde & though a man knowe the causes in kynde of dremes / yet it is full harde to telle certaynely what y^t falle therof / for only god knoweth for certayne thynges that ben to come / & he may chaūge & lette the werkynge of kynde. And also though men kno¦we the causes of kynde that dremes come of / yet knowe they not what let¦tynges ben on other byhalfe by waye of kynde. ¶Diues. Telle some exāple. ¶Pauper. Whan smoke medled with fyre cometh out of an house by the wyndowe or by the louerys / men that seen it from ferre wyll saye that

that house shall go on fyre. And yet ther may be soo good helpe nyghe for to quenche the fyre that y^t house shal take but lytyll harme. And many a man by waye of kynde is dysposed to dyuerse sekenesse / but yet he may soo gouerne hym & vse suche medecynes that he shall lette that dysposycōn of kynde and not haue suche sekekesses. ¶Diues. By the same reson though a dreme come of goddes sendynge to helpe of mannes soules and in war∣nynge of myschyef to come / he sholde take none hede therto / ne sette ne fay¦the therin / for he wote not fro whens it cometh. ¶Pauper. Without reue∣lacōn of god he wote not fro whens it cometh. And therfor whan god sen¦deth suche dremes / he shall shewe to hym that thus dremeth / or to some other from whens it cometh / & what it betokeneth. As he dyde to the kyng Pharao by Ioseph / and to the kyng Nabugodonosor by Danyell.

Caplm .xlv.

DIues. Yf man or woman ha¦ue a dreme that styreth them to good werkes and to vertue and to flee synne and to amende his lyfe / may he not sette his fayth ther∣in / and do therafter. ¶Pauper. Whe¦ther it cometh of god or of the fende / it is leful to hym for to sette his fayth therin and to do therafter. For it sty∣reth hym to thynges that he is boun∣den to without ony dreme And ofty∣mes bothe fende and the fendes lym∣mes teche well though they doo full euyll. But a man so dremynge muste be full well ware / that for suche dre∣mes he take none hede to other dre∣mes that styre him to vanyte or to cu¦ryosyte for to knowe thynges that be to come / or other preuy thynges / or to mysdeme of his euen crysten / or to ha¦te / or to mysloue / or to mayte after grete prosperyte / or to drede grete ad∣uersyte / or dethe of frendes / or losse of catell / and of suche other. But in as moche as they styre them to god & to goodnesse / he may folowe his dre∣mes & do after them wysely & warly for ofte the fende vnder colour of ho¦lynesse desceyueth bothe man and wo¦man. ¶Diues. Moche people hadde leuer for to dreme of the fende than of god or of his moder Marye / for as they saye, whan they dreme of the fen¦de they fare well in the daye folowyn¦ge / but whan they dreme of god or of our lady they fare euyll afterwar∣de. ¶Pauper. Suche people fare the worse for theyr mysbyleue and theyr nyce fantasye and synne full greuous¦ly / & be full euyll dysceyued by the gy¦le of the fende. For whan the fende seeth that a man shall haue dysease / he maketh hym in the nyght byfore to dreme of god & of our lady & of o∣ther sayntes / or of men of relygyon & so to make hym to haue lesse deuocōn to god & our lady and other sayntes / and lesse affeccōn to men of relygyon bycause of his dysease that shall falle to hȳ after y^t dreme. And so by the bo¦dely dysease that he thynketh for to brynge in hym / he trauaylleth to bryn¦ge hym in to ghoostly dysease and in depe synne. And therfore whan men

wyll be foles and sette theyr fayth to suche dremes that come so by gyle of the fende for as moche as dysease fal¦leth to them ones or t••••es after su∣che dremes. Therfor god suffreth the fende in punysshynge of theyr synne & of theyr mysbyleue for to doo them dreme ofte of suche maner / & after to do them dysease as they byleue to ha∣ue. And therfore whan men hadde su¦che dremes with dysease so folowyn∣ge and began to haue ony fantasy or fayth therin / they sholde shryue them therof to some wyse man & telle hym the fendes gyle and they sholde fare the better. Some dreme of god and of our lady and of holy men that ha∣ue faren ful wel afterwarde / for they haue no suche fantasye ne mysbyleue in dremes. And some faren full euyll after for theyr mysbyleue / & oftymes they faren full euyl whan they dreme neyther of god ne of our lady.

Caplm .xlvi.

IN the same maner. Some man hadde leuer for to mete with a froude or a frogge in the waye than to mete with a knyght or a squyre / or with ony man of rely∣gyon or of holy chirche / for than they saye and byleue that they shall haue golde. For somtyme after the metyn∣ge of a frogge or a tode / they haue res¦ceyued golde / and so they falle in mys¦byleue and despysen theyr euen crys∣ten. For I wote well that they rescey∣ue golde of men or of wymen / but not of frogges ne of todes / but it be of the deuyll in lykenesse of a frogge or a tode. And they mete with many a foule frogge & tode in the yere & yet resceyue they no golde for that metyn¦ge. And yf they resceyued ony golde / they sholde thanke god & theyr euen crysten / not the frogge ne the tode for they may nought gyue theym. And these labourers deluers & dykers that moost mete with frogges and todes ben full poore comonly. And but men paye them theyr hyre they haue lytyl or nought. Also in this maner some byleue that yf the kyte or the puttoke flee ouer the waye afore them / that they sholde fare well that daye / for somtyme they haue faren well after that they see the kyte so fleynge / and so they falle in wanbyleue and than∣ke the kyte of theyr well fare and not god. But suche foles take none hede how often men mete with the kyte so fleynge / and yet they fare neuer the better. For ther is no folke that mete so ofte with y^• kyte so fleynge as they that begge theyr mete fro dore to dore

Caplm .xlvij.

DIues. What sayest thou of theym that dyuyne by the fyr¦ste daye of the yere / that is the fyrste kalendas of Ianuarye / & by the Crystmasse daye what y^t shall falle in the yere folowynge. That yf it falle on the sondaye / the wynter folowynge shall be good / and the so∣mer good and drye / and plente of wy¦ne. Oxen and sheep shall well wexe and multyplye. Olde men and olde wymmen shall deye / and peas and accorde shall be made that yere also.

¶Pauper. I saye that it is open to lye and wytchecrafte / and full hyghe offence to the mageste of god. For he that made all thynge and ruleth all thynge is not bounden ne arted to the course ne lawe of the kalender. He ne¦deth no kalender in his gouernaunce But he gouerneth and demeth this worlde by treuthe and equyte medled with mercy / and after that men deser¦ue he sendeth them wo and welthe / peas or warre what daye that euer y^• kalendas of Ianuarye or Crystmas¦se daye falle on. In the yere of our lorde a thousande and four hondred the kalendas of Ianuarye selle on y^• thursdaye whan as they saye sholde falle plente of all good and peas also but that yere folowynge grete hongre grete pestylence / sodayne dethe / warre felle within the londe & warre with∣out / drede sorowe & care / and trybula∣cyon in euery degre. The kalendas hath chaungeth sythen from daye to daye / & the yere is come aren on the thursdaye / but our dysease chaungeth not but alwaye in to worse for our synnes. For our synnes alwaye encrea¦seth & lesseth not. And in what daye that so euer the kalendas of Ianua¦rye & Crystmasse daye falleth in one londe / the same daye it falleth all a∣bout / & yet foloweth it not therof that it sholde be ouer all peas yf it falle on the thursdaye or the sondaye / ne ouer all plente / ne ouer all warre / & hon∣gre or pestylence / yf it felle on the sa∣tyrdaye. ¶Diues. Some dyuyne by the thondrynge & make theym wyse of all the yere comynge after the mo∣neth that it thondreth in. ¶Pauper That also is a grete folye and open wytchecrafte / for it is a kyndly thyn¦ge in somer tyme to thondre in May Apryll. Iuyn. Iuly. August & Sep∣tembre. But in other monethes that ben in wynter is it not so kyndely to thondre as than. For whan grete thō¦dre in wynter falleth it is ayenst kyn¦de & token of the grete offence to god & token of vengeaunce comynge / but yf men amende them. And so is eue∣ry thynge / and namely wederynge that falleth ayenst comon course of kynde. But for to dyuyne therby in a specyall what y^e shall falle eyther well eyther wo / peas or warre / hongre or plente / helth or sekenesse / it is vnleful For oonly goo knoweth for certayne what is to come of suche thynges / & where & whan it shall falle. And god vseth not y^• thondre as an horn to blo¦we his coūseyll about the worlde.

Caplm .xlviij.

DIues. It is a comon opyny¦on amonge the gentyles and other also / that all the yere foloweth the dysposycyon of the .xij. dayes in Crystmasse. So that the fyr¦ste moneth shall be suche in wedryn∣ge as the fyrste daye of the .xij. dayes is / the seconde moneth as the seconde daye is / and so forth all folowynge. ¶Pauper. That opynyon is false & open folye. For it is a full kyndely thynge to haue froste and snowe all the .xij. dayes. But it were aye••ste kynde to haue froste & snowe all the yere folowynge. And somtyme it fal∣leth

that it is ful raynye weder al the xij. dayes / but it foloweth not therof that it sholde rayne and be wete we∣der all the yere after. It is a ful kyn¦dely thynge that the sonne shewe hȳ not thre dayes or four togydre in cryst¦masse / but it were moche ayenst kyn∣de yf the sonne shewed hym not thre monethes or four togydre namely in the somer tyme. And often it falleth that in all the .xij. dayes it rayneth no rayne / but euery daye sonne shyne & ful fayre weder / but it foloweth not therof that it sholde be sonne shyne without rayne all the yere after / for than beest and man sholde be in grete peryll. At the begynnynge of the worl¦de the fende behyght Adam and Eue that they sholde be as god knowyng good and euyll that was to come / yf they wolde ete of the tree ayenst god∣des cōmaundement / & so he brought them in to care & sorowe & in to her folye. And in the same maner these dayes he behoteth men to be as god / knowynge well and wo that is to co∣me / by suche nyce fantasyes that he techeth them tylle that he bryngeth them in wo / & namely Englysshe na¦cyon that moost taketh hede to his lo¦re / & moost taketh hede to wytchecraf¦te & to them that make them prophe¦tes and make them wyse in suche fo∣lyes ayenst the lawe of god.

Caplm .xlix.

DIues. It is not lefull to theym that it can for to ma∣ke metall golde or syluer / & to multeplye golde & syluer from .xx. pounde to .xl. pounde / and so forth. ¶Pauper. Yf ony man coude do it by waye of kynde it were lefull / and full prouffytable to this londe. But I knowe well that ther is noman that can do it. For yf they coude they wol∣de fyrste multeplye to theyr owne self prouffyte and make them selfe riche And comonly all theym that vse that crafte but yf they haue somwhat ellis for to take to / ben full poore and full nedy. But whan that they can or may begyle ony man of his good as they done full ofte and renne awaye with other mennes goodes / and of the ri∣che men make full poore men. They behoten theym multeplycacyon / but they playe all with subtraccyon and brynge people in to grete pouerte. Ly∣tyll neded our kyng for to charge the people with taxes and talyages / yf that he hadde suche folke in his Real me that coude do that crafte to ma∣ke golde and syluer & so to multeplye it. But suche Iapers and faytours destroyen moche golde and syluer in destruccyon of the Realme / and blyn¦de many a wyse man & begyle them of theyr good. For the couetouse and the false accorde soone togydre. And for asmoche as whan men haue ynou¦ghe & ben not content therwith / ther∣fore god suffreeh them to be begyled / & so for to be mocked for couetyse that they can not cesse tyll they be brought to nought or to ouer grete losse / for many a man hath be vndone by this crafte. And therfore this crafte is con¦dempned & forfended as wytchecraft by the lawe .xxvi.q̄.v. Ep̄us.

Caplm .l.

DIues. What sayste thou of them that wyll haue no men of holy chirche / and namely men of relygyon with them on hun∣tynge / for theyr byleue is also that they sholde spede the worse bycause of theyr companye. ¶Pauper. I praye to god that euyll mote they spe¦de also oftymes as they take ony man of relygyon or of holy chirche for to go or to ryde with them on huntyng. For suche huntynge with horne and with houndes / and grete noyse is for∣boden to men of holy chirche. Extra. li.iij.ti.vltimo. Ne clerici ca.i.et li.v. ti.xxiiij. De cle. venat .ca.i. et.ij.et di∣stinct .xxxiiij quorundā. And Saynt Austyn sayth / that tho men of holy chirche whiche haue lykynge to see su¦che huntynge / they shal see our sauy∣our and be full sory. Distinct .lxxxvi. Vident. ¶Diues. What sayste thou of them that whan they go on hun∣tynge / or passe by the waye / yf they mete with a man of holy chirche or of relygyon / and namely with a frere they wyl leue hym on theyr lyfte hon¦de / for by that they wene to spede the better / & the worse yf they leue hȳ on theyr right honde. ¶Pauper. I saye that suche ben of false byleue & wyt∣ches peres. And but they amende thē god shall putte them from his right hond / & put theym on his lyfte honde with theym that shall be dampned at the daye of dome / and sende in to the pytte of helle without ende. I wolde that al suche were serued as one was full late. ¶Diues. How was he ser∣ued. ¶Pauper. Ther came a proude gettour rydynge from London and mette wit two freres walkynge on a dyches brynke in a fote pathe for to flee the foule waye. The gettour ca∣me rydynge in grete haste cryeng w^t grete boste. On the lefte honde frere / on the lefte honde frere. The freres prayed hym ful fayre to ryde forth in his waye and kepe the horse waye / as they kepte y^• fote waye. He wolde not but algates he wolde haue the freres on y^e lefte honde & presced in with his horse bytwene the freres & the dyche so nygh the dyche that the freres sho¦ue bothe horse and man in to a depe dyche. And there laye bothe horse and man tyll that other folke comyng by the waye drewe hym out. Right also without doubte but suche foles amen¦de them and lette be suche nyce fan∣tasyes / god at the daye of dome shall put theym on the lefte syde in to the pytte of helle without ende / and saye to theym in this wyse. For ye put me on your syde so scornefully / therfore I put you now on the lyfte honde with theym that shall be dampned. And yf they saye. Lorde whan dyde we put the on our lefte honde scornefully or despytously. He shall answere & saye to theym as he shall saye to other. Quod vni ex minimis meis fecistis. michi fecistis. That ye haue done to one of the leste of the myne / ye haue done it to me. And therfor go ye now on the lyfte syde in to the fyre of hel∣le / there to dwelle with the fende and his angelles without ende.

Caplm .li.

DIues. Me lyste now more to wepe than ony thynge more to speke. For I wende tyll to now that the Englysshe nacyon had worshypped god passynge all y^• other nacyons. But now I see well that it is not so. For moche of my nacyon is entryked and blente with suche fan∣tasyes many mo than I can tell. And so they forfete hyghely ayenst the fyr¦ste cōmaundement that ought moost for to be charged. For that techeth vs how that we sholde worshyp our god aboue all thynge. And ther is neyther bysshopp ne prelate ne curate ne pre∣choure that wyll speke ayenst the vy∣ces and errours that ben so hyghe a∣yenst goddes worshyppe. And so by mysuse & sleuthe of men of holy chir∣che vyce is take for vertue / and errour for treuthe / the fende is worshypped & god is despysed. Neuerthelesse as men saye / god is in no londe so well ser∣ued in holy chirche / ne so moche wor∣shyped in holy chirche as he is in this londe. For so many fayre chirches ne so good araye in chirches / ne so fayre seruyce as men saye is in none other londes as it is in this londe. ¶Pau¦per. As saynt Gregorye sayth in his Omelye / god taketh more hede to a mannes herte than to his gyfte / and more to his deuocyon than to his de∣de. He taketh no grete hede sayth he how moche a man or woman gyueth or offreth in holy chirche / but he ta∣keth hede of how moche deuocōn & of what herte he gyueth & offreth. And so a poore man or woman hath some tyme more thanke for the gyfte of an halfpeny / than some riche man hath for the gyfte of .xx. shelynges. Yf the makynge of chirches and the ourna¦mentes and the seruyce in this londe were done pryncypally for deuocyon / and for the worshyp of god. I trowe this londe passed all other londes in worshyppynge of god & holy chirche. But I drede me that men do it mo∣re for pompe and pryde of this worl∣de to haue a name and worshyp ther∣by in the contree / or for enuye that o∣ne towne hath ayenst an other / not for deuocōn / but for the worshyp and the name that they see them haue by araye and ournamentes in holy chir∣che / or ellys by slygh couetyse of men of holy chirche. ¶Diues. What fan∣tasye haste thou that men do it not for deuocyon. ¶Pauper. For the peo¦ple now a dayes is full vndeuoute to god and to holy chirche / and they lo∣ue but full lytyll men of holy chirche and they ben lothe for to come in ho∣ly chirche whan they be bounde to co∣me thyder / and full lothe to here god∣des seruyce. Late they come and soone they go awaye. Yf they ben there a ly¦tyll whyle theym thynketh full longe They haue leuer to go to the tauer∣ne than to holy chirche. Leuer to here a songe of Robynhode / or of some ry∣baudrye / than for to here masse or ma¦tynes / or ony other of goddes seruyce or ony worde of god. And sythen that the people hath so lytyll deuocyon to god and to holy chirche. I can not see that they do suche coste in holy chir∣che

for deuocōn ne for the loue of god For they despyse god daye and nyght with theyr euyll and wycked lyuynge and theyr wycked thewys.

Caplm .lij.

DIues. Me thynketh that it were better to gyue the mo∣neye to the poore folke / to the blynde and to the lame / whose soules god bought so dere / than so to spende it in solempnyte and pryde and ma∣kynge of hyghe chirches / in riche ves∣tymentes / in curyouse wyndowes / in grete belles / for god is not holpen ther¦by & the poore myght be holpen ther∣by full moche. ¶Pauper. Yf it be do for pryde / and not with good mesure they lese moche mede. Yf they do it of deuocyon with dyscrecōn / it is mede∣full. For euery man poore and riche after his power is boūde to worshyp goddes house / so that god lorde of all be honestly and worshypfully serued. And therfore god bad in y^• olde lāwe that his people sholde make-hym a full costly tabernacle at his owne de¦uyse. And he badde Salomon make hym a full costly temple / & yet with∣out doubte there was many a poore man that tyme / both blynde & lame amonge goddes people. Moyses. Da¦uyd. Salomon. Ioas. Iosyas. Esdras Iudas machabeus / & many other bo∣the in the olde lawe and in the newe ben praysed hyghely of god for ma∣kynge and worshyppynge and mayn¦tenynge of goddes house and his ser∣uyce. And as we fynde in the gospell / that ther was a poore wydowe that offred to amendynge of goddes tem∣ple two mytes that ben worth a fer∣thynge / and she was praysed of Cryst for her offryng passyng al other that offred than moche more. And we fyn¦de Exodi .xxx. That god badde that in the nombrynge of the people euery man sholde paye to his tabernacle an halfe sycle / that was fyue pens / & that the riche sholde gyue no more than / and the poore no lesse / in a token that that riche and poore sholde be besy to worshyp and to mayntene goddes house and goddes seruyce. God bad∣de that bothe the riche & poore sholde paye alyke / in a token that the poore man sholde holde hymselfe as moche bounde to god as the riche / and the good as the wycked. The good is bounde to god for he kepte hym out of synne. The wycked is bounde to god for he kepeth hym that he perys∣she not for his synne. Also god badde both riche & poore paye euen moche to his tabernacle / in a token that they ben bothe bought with one pryce of Crystus precyouse blood / & that they sholde both holde themself alyke boū¦den / & that they haue both alyke nede of suffrages & helpe of holy chirche. Also god badde them both gyue aly∣ke in a token that he accepteth theyr gyftes both alyke / yf theyr deuocōn be alyke in theyr gyuynge that the riche man sholde not be proude of his gre∣te gyfte & of his richesses / ne the poo∣re falle in dyspayre for his smale gyf¦te and for his pouerte. Neuerthelesse who so may do moost best is bounde to helpe goddes house what it nedeth

and so it is full nedeful to araye well goddes house / and mayntene and en∣crease goddes seruyce. And also it is nedefull to helpe the poore folke in theyr grete nede / and somtyme more medefull than is that other. And ther¦fore my frendes thou muste take he∣de to the tyme and other cyrcumstaū∣ces. For in tyme of welthe / of peas / and of plente / whan the poore hath ynough or lyghtly may be holpen / thā pryncypally men sholde trauaylle to worshypp goddes house & to encrease and mayntene goddes seruyce. But in tyme of wo warre and hungre of pouerte and other trybulacōns / than sholde men pryncypally trauayll be∣sely to theyr euen crysten / and take he¦de that no man ne woman perysshed for defaulte / but by besye to helpe the nedy both by gyuyng and by lenyng. In a token of this we rede .ij. Regū .vij. et .i. Paralip .vij. et .xxij. That god wolde not suffre the kyng Da∣uyd to make his temple / notwithstan¦dynge but he wolde full fayne haue made it / and brought and ordeyned full moche thynges therto. For in his tyme the londe was in grete trybula∣cyon by warre within and without / by hungre & morayne / by dyscensyon & debate of them selfe. But he sayd to Dauyd y^• Salomon his sone shol∣de make hym a temple. For he sayd he shall reygne in peas and in reste / in so moche that he shall be called a kyng peasyble / for in his dayes I shal gyue peas & reste in the londe of Is∣raell. And Dauyd whan he was in peas and reste and hadde dysconfyte his enemyes / than began he to ordeyn for goddes Temple and wolde haue made it. God coude him moche than¦ke for his good wyll / but he wolde not suffre hym for to make it / for he was not in so good reste as he hadde wente to haue ben in. For after that began a grete warre ayenst hym. As we fynde .ij.⁰ Regum .vij.⁰ et .viij.⁰ And therfor god sayd to hym. Thou shalt not make to me an house. for thou haste shedde moche blood / and thou arte a man of bloodshedynge byfore me. That is to saye. I haue ordeyned the for to fyght ayenst my∣ne enemyes and for to slee theym and so for to make peas. And I haue or∣deyned thyn sone after the for to ma¦ke me an house in peas and in reste / there I shall sette hym in by thy fygh¦tynge and by thy doynge.

Caplm .liij.

BVt it fareth now a dayes by moche folke as it dyde by Iu¦das the traytour. We fynde in the gospell Iohēe.xij. That Marye Magdaleyn anoynted the blysful fe∣te of our lorde Ihesu with a precyous oynement / not for ony grete nede that Cryste hadde therof / but for the grete loue & deuocōn that she had to hym. Iudas was sorowe therof & grutched and sayd / why is this oynement thus loste. It myght haue ben solde for thre hondred pens / and be gyuen to the poore folke. But as saynt Iohan sayth in the same place. Iudas sayd not tho wordes for the loue y^• he had∣de to the poore folke / but for he was

a theef and robbed Cryste and his dy¦scyples of moneye that was gyuen to theym. And therfore he wolde that the oynemente sholde haue be solde for thre hondred pens and gyuen to Cryste whiche loued well poore folke that he myght haue myched or deled the moneye awaye / for he bare y^• pur∣ce. And for that cause that he had not his purpose of the thre hondred pens / therfore he sholde Cryste for thre hon¦dred pens / that was .xxx. plates and peces of syluer. For eche one of tho xxx. was worthe .x. smale pens. In the same maner / now a dayes some folke grutche for deuocyons and ne∣deful coste that men done in holy chir¦che / and saye as Iudas sayd / that it were better to gyue it to poore folke. But many of tho gyue full lytyll ta¦le how euyll the poore people fare / for they do full lytyl to the poore folke or to holy chirche eyther. But by ypocre∣sye & symylacyon of almesdede / they withdrawen mennes deuocyon from god and holy chirche / and from poo∣re folke also. And so they robbe holy chirche and the poore folke. For they done but lytyll them selfe / and lette other that wolde do. And yf they do almesse to the poore blynde & lame / they do it to haue a name & for to ex∣clude or put behynde grete almesses that they ben bounden to / as to wor∣shypp of holy chirche / and in case good mynystres in holy chirche / and them that trauayll holyly in goddes seruy∣ce / and studye in goddes lawe nyght and daye & preche it to the people in¦dede & worde / and haue nede of bode¦ly almesse / of the whiche Cryste sayth in the gospell. Luce .x. That suche werke men and trauayllers ben wor∣thy theyr mede And saynt Poul sayth that Cryste hath ordeyned them that teche the gospeel and goddes lawe / for to lyue by the gospell and by theyr prechynge / not lyke as beggers pas∣synge by the waye / but honestly and worshypfully as goddes knyghtes / as saynt Austyn sayth su{per} illud. p̄i. Pro∣ducens fenū iumentis. And therfore they that repreue nedefull thynges as makynge of chirches / of vestymentes & bokes / and makynge of belles / they that grutchen ayenst the holy seruyce of god in holy chirche ben but fooles and in Iudas caas. For they maynte¦ne worldely worshyp & lette goddes worshyp. Neuertheles they waste coste of all these thynges and other in holy chirche done for pryde & vayneglorye or of enuye one parysshe ayenst a no∣ther / or for couetyse of the mynystres in the chirche seculer or relygyouse is gretely alwaye to be repreued.

Caplm .liiij.

DIues. God byddeth in the gospell. Mathei .vi. That whan man or woman shol∣de pray they sholde go in to theyr chā¦bre and shytte the dore to them / & so praye the fader of heuen. ¶Pauper. In tho wordes Cryste techeth vs not oonly where we sholde praye / but he techeth vs how we sholde praye. For the chambre that we sholde entre in to praye is our herte / for in our pray∣ers we sholde gadre our in wytt & our

thoughtes togydre in our herte / and sette our herte oonly in god and take hede to our prayers. The dore that we sholde shytte ben our fyue wyttes outwarde to flee dystraccōn. For than we sholde kepe well our syght / our he rynge / our felynge / our tastynge / and our smellynge / that ther come no dy∣straccyon in to our herte by ony of ou¦re fyue wyttes. And he badde also in the same place / as that men in theyr prayers sholde flee ypocresye and vay¦ne glorye. And for to flee and to esche we all this it is full spedefull to man or to woman whan they may not go to the chirche to go in to theyr cham¦bre and so in to theyr oratorye for to saye there theyr prayers and deuocy∣ons. But yf they despyse goddes hou¦se & leue goddes seruyce for suche pry¦ue prayers they synne greuously / and lese the mede of theyr preuy prayers. And therfore the lawe byddeth that they that haue preuy oratoryes or cha¦pelles by leue of the bysshop for to he¦re in theyr masse & theyr seruyce / that in grete festes / as Ester. Crystmasse. Epyphanye. Ascencōn. Pentecost. and saynt Iohan baptyste / and other su∣che / than they sholde go to chirche / & no preest sholde than synge in suche oratoryes or chapelles without specy∣ale leue of the bysshop / and yf he dyd he sholde be put from his masse. De¦consecra. distinc .i. si quis extra. Both pryue prayers and open ben good yf they ben done in due maner and in due place and in due tyme. Prayers is good in chambres and in oratoryes but it is better in holy chirche with the comunyte / whan the tyme is of co¦mon prayer / and whan men may wel attende therto with feruent charyte. Synguler prayer of one persone is good in a chambre & in an oratorye / but better in a chirche with euen cha¦ryte. But comon prayers of a comu∣nyte in chirche is better than a syngu¦guler prayer yf euery parte of that co¦munyte be in charyte For Cryst sayth in the gospell / that yf two or thre be gadred togydre in his name that is charyte / there is he in the myddes of theym / that is to saye in theyr hertes to helpe them in theyr prayer. And yf ony of you sayd he consente togydre by charyte in her prayer / what soeuer they axe it shalbe do to theym. Math xviij. And therfore sayth saynt Am∣brose. su{per} illud. ad Ro .xvi. Adiuuetis me in orðibus vestris. That whan many smale ben gadred togydre they ben full grete. And it is not possyble that the prayers of moche people in charyte sholde not spede. And therfo∣re sayth the prophete Ioell ij.^• Halo∣we ye your fastynge / calle ye compa∣nye to you / gadre ye the people togy∣dre. And whan ye be gadred / so make you holy & clene of synne / take ye the olde folke with you / & gadre ye togy∣dre the yonge childern soukyng all to prayer. For right as a voyce of a mul¦tytude is myghtyer & ferther may be herde than the voyce of one persone allone / so is the voyce & prayer of a multytude sooner herde than a voyce of one persone allone & sooner geteth grace / therfore sayth y^• {pro}hete. Laudate dn̄m oēs gentes. et collaudate eū oēs

populi. All folkes prayse ye your lor∣de / and all peoples prayse ye hym to∣gydre. And saynt Poule sayth ad Co¦locen̄ .iiij. Byddeth that men sholde gyue them to prayers and walke in praer & thankynges in that they shol¦de praye al togydre. ¶Diues. Moche people lye seke in theyr bedde / & mo∣che in pryson / many one in the see & in many other nedefull occupacyons / and may not come to the chirche / and men dwelle in many dyuerse londes many a thousande myles bysondre / how sholde they pray and prayse god all togydre. ¶Pauper. All yf they may not come togydre all in one pla∣ce ne in one chirche / yet they muste co¦me togydre in charyte / that the mul∣tytude of crysten people be of one her¦te & of one loue and of one fayth.

Caplm .lv.

DIues. We make many ga∣drynges togydre many gene∣rall processyons & prayers in comon to praye for peas / and yet ha∣ue we no peas / but euery yere more warre than other / and euery yere spe∣de worse than other. ¶Pauper. Yf men came togydre & made theyr pray¦ers in lownesse / clenesse & charyte / god shall here them. For he sayth yf two or thre consente togydre in charyte / what they axe in the worshyp of god & to the helpe of theyr soules it shall be done to them of my fað But our prayers & processyons be ayenst chary¦te made with grete pryde. For tho yf men go in processyon for peas / & syn∣ge & saye with theyr mouth. Da pacē dn̄e. Lorde gyue vs peas / yet with herte men praye all ayenst peas. For they wolde no peas haue / ne desyre no peas / but alwaye to haue warre & to shede crysten mēnes blood. For not withstandynge all the myschyef ther the people is in bycause of warre / & tho we haue the worste on euery syde yet the people sayth that it is better for to haue warre than peas / & they haue leuer to here of warre than of peas. And they saye that they may not lyue without warre. And whan god sente them worshypfull peas on euery syde they despyse peas / and slee them that made peas for that y^t they trauayled to make peas. And the peo¦ple had leuer paye grete taxes for she dynge of mannes blood than for to paye smalle taxes for to haue peas. And sythen they loue no peas / ne desy¦re no peas and wyll haue none peas thoughe god wyll gyue theym peas / without doubte they praye not for peas. For no man prayeth for a thyn¦ge that they wyll not haue. And so in theyr prayers and processyons they scorne god / and more prouoke hym to vengeaunce than to mercy. Also they make not theyr prayers with lownes but with grece pryde / for they wyl not be knowen of ony myschyef. They holde them selfe so stronge and so wy¦se that as them thynketh they haue no nede of ony helpe. And therfore though god hereth vs not in our pra∣ers ne helpeth vs not it is no wonder For with our mouth we axe peas / but with our herte we axe warre / & with our mouth we say kyryeleyson. Lorde

haue mercy on vs / but with our herte we praye hym for to helpe vs to slee our euen crysten that wolde fayne ly∣ue in peas. And soo our prayer is all out of charyte / and our lyuynge is full synfull and full hyghely ayenst the pleasaunce of god.

Caplm .lvi.

DIues. It is a comon pro∣uerbe / that a shorte prayer thyrleth heuen. Oracio bre∣uis penetrat celum. And therfor sayth Cryste in the gospell. Mathei .vi. Orantes nolite multū loqui. Whan that ye praye sayth he / speke ye not moche. ¶Pauper. It is a comon prouerbe of truantes that soone be wery of theyr prayers / and haue mo∣re haste to the tauerne than to holy chirche / and haue more lykynge in the worlde than in god. Neuertheles yf it be well vnderstande / the prouer∣be is true good & holy. For euery thyn¦ge is called shorte whan y^e endes ben¦nyghe togydre. And the more ferther that y^e endes of ony thynge is bytwey¦ne the more lenger is the thynge. And so it fareth by prayers. For that one ende of our prayer is our herte / and that other ende is god. And therfore sayth saynt Austyn / that prayer is a styeng vp of a mannes herte to god. And in this maner the nerer a man∣nes herte is to god in his prayer by lo¦ue and lownesse & deuocōn and right intencōn / y^• more shorter is his prayer and this maner of prayer thyrleth he¦uen. For as holy wryte sayth / y^e prayer of hym that loweth hȳ in his prayer thyrleth the skyes or the cloudes. For the more that a man loweth hym in his prayer / the more nygher he is to god / for than god of his mercy bo∣weth downe to hȳ. And therfor sayth Cryste / that he that so loweth him sel¦fe in his prayer he shall be hyghed vp to god. And therfore sayth saynt Ia¦mes / that god withdraweth the prou∣de / and to the lowe and meke he gy∣ueth his grace. And in this maner speke a man neuer so moche / as lon∣ge as his herte is nyghe to god by lo∣ue & lownesse / & with good intencōn and deuocyon / so longe his prayer is but shorte though he speke neuer soo moche with his mouth. And as longe as he may contynue his prayer so in deuocōn / it is lefull & medefull to spe¦ke in his prayer. But whan his spe∣che begynneth to lette hym of his de∣uocōn it is good to cesse of his vocall prayer that is in his owne fre wyll. But yf he be boūde therto by a vowe or confessyon / or by ordre / or by offyce / than he muste saye his bedes that he is boūde to and do his dute / and he muste saye it distynctely not to hastly ne to saftly. For yf he saye it to hastly he may lyghtly ouer scape / and yf he saye it to saftly he may falle in to gre¦te dystraccyon and lose moche tyme / & leue therby many good dedes that he myght ellys do / and brynge hym selfe in lesynge of prayer and lettyng of deuocyon of hym selfe and of the people also that wolde here his pray∣ers and his offyce.

Caplm .lvij.

DIues. Why badde than Crys¦te that men sholde not speke moche in theyr prayer ¶Pau∣per. Cryste badde not vtterly that men sholde not speke moche in theyr pray∣ers / but he badde that men sholde not speke moche in theyr prayers as he∣then men do. For they wene that god sholde not here them but yf they spa∣ke moche. Also he badde vs not speke moche in our prayers as ypocrytes do¦ne for to be holden holy and so gette mennes good. For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Luce .xxiij. Suche deuoure wȳdowes houses by faynynge of lon¦ge prayers. For as the glose sayth the∣re / they praye lenger than other for to be holden more relygyouse and more holyer than other / and therfore theyr prayers torneth in to synne / in so mo¦che that they may neyther well praye for them selfe ne for none other / and for suche prayers they shall the more be dampned / as Cryste sayth in the same place Mar .vij. This peple wor¦shyppen me with theyr lyppes / but theyr herte is full ferre fro me. For god is in heuen / and theyr herte and thought is all in erthe. It is a comon prouerbe / that who so speketh vnwy∣sely and vaynely / or in an euyll ma∣ner / he speketh to moche. And therfor as longe as a man or womā prayeth wysely / deuoutely / and with good in∣tencyon / soo longe they speke not to moche. But yf they praye vnwysely with pryde and euyll intencyon / they speke to moche though they speke ne¦uer so lytyl. And therfore the pharyse spake to moche in his prayer / for he spake all with pryde. And Peter spa∣ke to moche / for he spake vnwysely / & therfore Cryste repreued them bothe. Also they speke to moche in theyr prayers that sette theyr herte & fayth more in sownynge and saynge of the wordes than they do to god / or in the thynges that they praye for / and saye ayen and ofte ayen wenyng that god herde them not but by suche yteracy∣ons tyll that they ben wery / and so le¦ue many deuocyons that they sholde saye. And therfore sayth y^e wyse man Non iteres verbū in oracōe tua Eccle vij. Saye no worde ayen in thy praye For suche doubte is lettynge of deuo∣cyon / for suche speke ouer moche and make theyr prayers in wanbyleue. For yf mannes herte be to god warde god hereth his prayers longe byfor er he speke it with his mouth. ¶Diues. Sythen god is ouer all presente / why pray we more in holy chirche than in other places. ¶Pauper. For as mo∣che as he is ouer all / therfore in euery place he ought to be worshyped. But for asmoche as we may not worshyp hȳ in due maner in euery place. Ther¦fore is holy chirche ordeyned that men sholde fulfylle there y^t they leue in o∣ther places. And therfor in euery lawe god hath ordeyned certayne places of prayers where he wolde be worshyped in / passynge other places / and that for many causes. Fyrste for comon pray∣ers and praysynge is more pleasaunt as I sayd fyrste. Also to flee errours & ydolatrye. For yf eche man or wo∣man drewe him alwaye allone in his prayers / the fende sholde dysceyue h••̄

by Illusyons & by Iapes / as he dooth comonly them that flee companye / & loue well to be moche solytarye. Also for to exclude slouth in goddes seruy∣ce that man and woman sholde falle in. For but they were bounde to come togydre in some certayne place for to worshyppe her god and to here god∣des lawe / they wolde ellys go playen¦ge & worshyp god in no place but ful selden. And they wolde excuse theym by vnconnynge yf they dyde amys. Also holy chirche is ordeyned for co∣mon prayers & goddes seruyce that eche man & woman may bere wytnes of other at the daye of dome ayenst the fende / that he dyde in that as a crysten man ought to doo and serued his god. For as saynt Poule sayth / we muste all haue wytnes of our fay¦the by dedes & tokenes outwarde.

Caplm .lviij.

DIues. wherto sholde we pray to god for ony thynge / for he is not chaūgeable / & he may nought gyue vs but he wyste it well byfore the begynnynge of the worlde what he sholde gyue vs. ¶Pauper. We do not praye for to chaūge his en¦deles ordenaūce / but for to gette to vs by prayer that he hath ordeyned with¦out ende to graunte it vs by prayers. For sythen he is our lorde / & we may nought do / ne nothyng haue without hym therfore he wyll that we praye to hym as to our lorde / & in our prayers knowlechyng hym our lorde. And he wyll not graūte vs many thynges y^t vs nedeth but we praye hym therfore ¶Diues. Why praye we to god with our mouth sythen he knoweth all our thoughtes / all our desyre / all our wyll & all what vs nedeth. ¶Pauper. For as I sayd fyrste / god wyll y^t we know leche hym for our lorde / & knowleche our nede y^t we may nothyng do / ne no¦thyng haue without hym / the whiche knowlechyng muste be done with the mouth. For saynt Poule sayth. Yf a man or woman wyl be saued / he must haue right byleue in herte inwarde & knowleche it outwarde with his mou¦the. Ro .x. Corde em̄ credi•• ad iusticiā¦ore aūt cōfessio fit ad salutē. More o∣uer my frendes ye shall vnderstande that ther is two maner of prayers / one is comon / an other is synguler. Comon prayer is the prayers of the mynystres of holy chirche and of co∣mon persones in holy chirche / whiche prayers they make in the name of al the people. And this maner of prayer muste be done by mouth / that the peo¦ple may knowe that they praye for them. And therfore it is ordeyned by the lawe that suche prayers sholde be sayd / and somtyme songe openly with an hyghe voyce that the people may here it. But synguler prayer that is done but of one synguler persone / it may be done with herte allone with∣out voyce of the mouth. Neuertheles somtyme it is good to hym y^t prayeth to praye by mouth. And that for ma¦ny causes. Fyrste to excyte his herte to more deuocyon by tokens outwar∣de. And therfore as longe as a man or a woman is styred to deuocyon by speche or vocall prayer / by knelynge /

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bowynge / fastynge / or ony other ob∣seruaūce resonable / so longe it is well done to vse it in his prayer / but yf he be letred therby from deuocōn & falle therby in dystraccōn / it is better to le∣ue it for a tyme than to vse it. For we fynde primo Regū .ij. That Anna spake in her herte to god with bytter teres / & yet ther herde noman her voy¦ce. Also men praye with the voyce of the mouthe in yeldynge of dette. For man is boūden to serue god with all his myght & vertue that god hath gy¦uen hym / with herte worde & werke / with all his myght & all his wytte. And therfor holy chirche syngeth and sayth. Os lingua mens sensus vigor confessionē {per}sonent. Mouthe tongue wytte & myght make knowlechynge & praysynge to god. And in this ma∣ner bedes byddynge is parte of satys¦faccyon for synne. Also men praye w^t voyce of the mouth for grete deuocōn that is inwarde in herte / whiche bre∣keth out by speche of the mouthe / as sayth Cryste in the gospell. Luce .vi. Ex habundancia cordis os loquitur. The mouthe sayth he speketh of su∣che thynges wherof it is plente in the herte. And therfore the prophete sayth Letatū est cor meū et exultauit lingua mea. Myne herte sayth he was mery & gladde inwarde / & anone myn ton∣gue made Ioye outwarde. Also men praye with voyces in speche to the mo¦re confusyon of the fende / for he may not knowe mennes deuocōn inwarde but by tokens outwarde. And the mo¦re deuocyon & loue that he seeth men to haue to god / the more is it his con¦fusyon & payne. And therfore is he so besy now a dayes to tempte men in holy chirche to pryde / to couetyse / sleu the / glotonye / & lecherye / for to lette holy prayers in holy chirche / whiche is to hym veray confusyon & sorowe. And therfore sayth the {pro}phete of hȳ whan he hereth holy prayers & seeth men deuoute. Peccator videbit et iras¦cetur. dentibus suis ••••emit et tabescet The synfull wretche the fende of hel¦le shal see mennes deuocōn / & he shal be ful wroth. He shall gnasche or gna¦re with his teeth & be full euyll abas∣shed. For the desyres of the deuylles & theyr discyples y^• wolde lette holy pray¦ers shall perysshe & come to nought.

Caplm .lix.

DIues. In the begynnynge of holy chirche & in the tyme of the apostles was no suche seruyce & solempnyte in holy chirche as now is. ¶Pauper. Than were but fewe crysten men / & neyther they myght ne durste make suche solemp∣nyte for tyraūtrye of the hethen peo∣ple. Theyr wyll was good / but they myght not / but as they myghten they dyde worshyp to god & encreased god¦des seruyce. And therfor we rede in the lyfe of saynt Clement that by his pre¦chynge and techynge within one yere were made .lxx. chirches in one lytyl¦yle of Cerlone / notwithstandynge y^• ther were two thousande of poore cry¦sten men outlawed & dampned to ful harde trauayll / & myght haue be rele¦ued full well with that y^• tho chirches costed. Than holy chirche was in his

youthe & in his begynnyng / as saynt Ierom sayth in {pro}logo su{per} act{us} aplo{rum} Now holy chirche is growen / and the fayth sprongen & spredde & stabled in peas fro tyraūtes. And therfore now we muste worshypp our god with all our myght & our connynge / for we haue none excusacōn as they hadde. And for to auoyde ydlenesse of prestes our faders byfore this tyme ordeyned the prayers in holy chirche to be sayd after a certayne fourme / after the cus¦tome of dyuerse contrees kepe theyr hour after the houres of the daye / as matynes atte morowe & masse after∣warde / and euensonge ayenst euen so that god shall be praysed of the pres∣tes at all tymes of the daye. ¶Diues Me thynketh y^t it were better to saye goddes seruyce in holy chirche with∣out note than with note & hackynge of the syllabes & wordes of our pray∣ers & praysynge as as we do For who sholde telle the kyng of Englonde a tale or make his prayer to hym and made so many notes & hackynges in his tale / he sholde haue lytyll thanke. ¶Pauper. The kyng of heuen is a∣boue the kyng of Englonde / & other∣wyse we muste worshyp hym than y^• kyng of Englond. For we muste wor¦shyp hym with all our myght / & all our herte / & all our wytte / as hym y^t is maker & lorde of all thynge / & so may we not worshyp the kyng of En¦glonde. It nedeth now to speke to the kyng of Englonde & to euery er∣thely man dystynctly / for they knowe not the mānes herte ne his wyll. But god knoweth it longe er we speke it with our mouth. And therfore whan we synge in our prayers with clēnesse of lyfe & deuocōn of herte / we please god in as moche as we worshyh hym with our power of voyce and tongue For euery note so songe to god in the chirche or in other conuenyent places for deuocōn in our self / & to engendre deuocōn in to other is a praysynge to god. And therfore Dauyd sayth. Can¦tate exultate et psallite. Synge ye & make you mery outwarde / & synge ye to god craftely. Iubilate deo ois ter∣ra. seruite dn̄o in leticia. Introite in conspectu eius. in exultacōe. All ye y^t dwelle vpon the erthe / make ye her∣tely Ioye to god / serue ye our lorde in gladnesse. Entre ye in to his syghte with Ioye & myrthe. For many cau∣ses my frendes songe & melodye was ordeyned in holy chirche. Fyrst to the more worshyp of god. Also to the mo¦re excytacōn of deuocōn to the people Also to put awaye heuynesse & vnlus¦tynesse / as sayth saynt Bernarde. For many man hath more lykynge for to serue god in gladnesse than in heuy∣nesse. And therfor goddes seruyce shol¦de be sayd lyuely / dystynctly / & deuou¦tly with gladnesse of herte. For yf the seruyce be sayd or songe so hauenly & dedely & so drawen a longe that it lo¦the both the synger or sayer & the he∣rer / & bryngeth folke in to heuynesse or dystraccōn / it is euyll sayd or son∣ge. For that maner of syngynge is let¦tynge of moche goodnesse / & cause of ydlenesse & of moche foly / for it ma∣keth men to withdrawe theym from goddes house & from goddes seruyce /

and so wante grace. De conse. dist. v. Non mediocrit. Also we synge in ho∣ly chirche to confourme vs to sayntes in heuen whiche prayse god and serue god alwaye with hyghe voyce & swe∣te syngynge / as we fynde in the Apo¦calyps & many other places in holy wryte. And therfore sayth Dauyd. Cantate dn̄o canticū nouū. laus eius in ecclia sancto{rum}. Synge ye a newe songe to our lorde / for suche is his pry¦synge in holy chirche of all sayntes. And therfore songe in holy chirche is good whan it is songe deuoutely in clennes of lyfe / roundely not lettynge the deuoute prayers of the people / as doth this curyouse knackynge songe of the vycyouse mynystres in the chir¦che / & specyally in grete & riche chir∣ches. For it is ofte seen / that the syn∣gers in suche places & other also ben ful proude glotons and lecherous al∣so. And the melodye of suche men is no plesaunce to god / but it doth har∣me to them selfe and many other.

Caplm .lx.

DIues. Why ben ther now no martyrs as ther were wonte for to be. ¶Pauper. We ha∣ue now a dayes all to many martyrs in this londe. ¶Diues. How soo. ¶Pauper. For the more martyrs the more murdre and manslaughter and the more shedynge of Innocentes blo¦de / the more vengeaunce shall falle therfore. ¶Diues. Moche people is slayne now a dayes / but yf they shol∣de be martyrs I can not say. ¶Pau¦per. All that be slayne for the treuthe pacyently in charyte ben martyrs / in as moche as they wytnessen the treu∣the & stonde therwith vnto theyr deth For martyr in latyn is a wytnesse in englysshe. It is no worshyp to ony lon¦de or nacyons for to haue many mar¦tyrs of her owne sleynge / but it is an endles shame. And therfore the Iewes that slewe Cryste and his dyscyples / & the {pro}phetes & mad•• martyrs with∣out nombre / ben in despyte and repre¦ue all about the worlde. And therfore Cryste sayd to them that al the right¦full blood whiche they had shedde fro the begynnynge of the worlde sholde falle vpon them / & an harde vengeaū¦ce therfore sholde come to them. And the Romayns that slewe Peter and many martyrs in euery londe there as they hadde lordshyp / and now they haue lost ther lordshyp & ben wretches of wretches / and bothe the cyte & the temple semeth acursed. And now En¦glysshe nacōn hath made many mar¦tyrs. For they spare neyther theyr ow¦ne kyng ne theyr bysshoppes / no dyg∣nyte / no ordre / none astate ne degree / but indyfferently slee as them lyketh / & so vengeaūce & wretchednesse folo∣weth them / & grace & worshyp hath forsaken them / it was neuer worshyp to them that they slewe saynt Tho∣mas theyr bysshop & theyr fader / ne that they wolde by comon clamour & comon assent haue slayne theyr owne kyng. Martyrdom is worshypfull to theym that in charyte suffreth deth / & to theym y^• holde with them in theyr treuthe. But it is shame & dyshoneste to theym that putte them to deth vn∣rightfully.

And for asmoche as the multytude of shrewes is so grete / and falshede is so myghty that the treuth is ouersette & borne downe / & true fol¦ke so martred / we sholde wepe & not be gladde for that we haue soo many martyrs / and nyght & daye crye mer∣cy to lett wretche. Yf hethen people or other nacōns had made our martyrs than we myght reioyse vs of our mar¦tyrs / but in that we haue slayn them our selfe we ought to be ashamed.

Caplm .lxi.

DIues. Sythen they be mar∣tyrs why doth god no myra∣cle now for them as he dyde for martyrs & other sayntes in the be¦gynnynge of holy chirche. ¶Pauper. Yf a lorde haue but a fewe seruaūtes that ben true / he wyll prayse them & magnefye them & do them worshyp / both to holde them stylle in his seruy¦ce / & also to drawe other to his seruy∣ce by ensample of them. And the sa∣me dothe the maystre in the scole to the childern that lerne wel. And whan the moder hath but one childe she che¦ryseth the more / and kepeth hym the more godely & derely. Right so Cryst in the begynnyng of holy chirche had but fewe good dyscyples or true ser∣uaūtes / & therfore he worshypped & magnefyed theym with grete myra∣cles to comforte them in the fayth / & for to drawe other to the fayth. For but god had shewed than grete myra¦cles and many / they that were in the fayth sholde haue forsaken the fayth and fewe wolde haue come to the fay∣the. And it fareth by holy chirche and by y^• fayth as it dothe by a tree / whan a tree is newely sette men water it & sette stakes & poles about to strength it ayenst the wyndes blastes and for stormes / it sholde ellys bryse it or bre∣ke it and felle it a downe. But whan it is wel roted & comonly wexen than men cesse of waterynge & take awaye the stakes and the poles. Right soo whan holy chirche and crystendome was in the begynnynge Cryste wa∣tred holy chirche with grete gyftes of grace & of deuocōn / and vndersette it with grete wondres & myracles whi∣che he shewed that tyme ayenst the harde stormes of persecucōn that was that tyme ayenst the fayth of holy chirche. But now holy chirche is sprō¦gen & spredde & the fayth is stabled in mennes herte / and therfore suche myracles cesse. And yf ony suche my∣racles falle in ony londe amonge ony crysten people / it is a token that some of them be not stable in the fayth / & that god is not well apayed with the people. For saynt Poule sayth that to¦kens & myracles ben not gyuen to fol¦ke of right byleue / but to folke of fal¦se byleue And the more myracles that men see / the lesse mede they haue for theyr fayth / as saynt Gregory sayth in his Omely. And so multytude of martyrs & of myracles preue not by the goodnesse of the heople there they ben done amonge / but rather they she¦we and preue the malyce of the peo∣ple whan god wolde destroye the kyn¦gedome of Israell and of Iuda for ydolatrye & other synne that nygh al

the people was fallen in / he sente his famous prophetes / as Hely & Helyzee Ysaye. Ieremye. Danyell. Ezechyell & other .xij. prophetes whiche taught the people goddes lawe / and warned theym of myschyef comynge but they wolde amende theym. And they con∣fermed theyr {pro}phecy with many gre∣te myracles / & yet the people was wor¦se than euer they were byfore. Att the laste Cryste came to preche & to teche them & dyde many wondres / & heled all maner sekenesses / & sente his apo∣stles also amonges theym / whiche dy¦de many wondrefull myracles. And yet the people was than more worser than euer they were aforne. In soo moche that they slewe not oonly the prophetes and the apostles & Crystus dyscyples / but they slewe Cryste hym¦selfe goddes sone of heuen & lorde of all thynge / whiche had done them so moche worshyp & done so many won¦drefull cures amonges theym.

Caplm .lxij.

DIues. I trowe that yf men were now as holy as men we¦re than / they sholde do my∣racles now so well as they dyde than ¶Pauper. Though they were as holy or holyer / they sholde not do su∣che myracles / for they be not now so nedefull as they were that tyme / ne it were not prouffytable to the people as I sayd right now. And I hope that they ben as holy that do no my¦racles as many of theym that done myracles. For suche doynge of myra∣cles standeth not in the holynesse of hym that dooth the myracle / but it standeth in the callynge & in the ver∣tue of goddes name to the prouffyte of other / & ofte to dampnacōn of hȳ that so calleth goddes name and doth the myracle. As sayth the glose / su{per} illud Mathei.vij. Dn̄e nōne in noie tuo {pro}phetauim{us}. ¶Diues. It semeth therby that shrewes and euyl wycked lyuers may do myracles. ¶Pauper. Cryste sayth so hym selfe Math .vij. For as we rede there / at the daye of dome many that shall be dampned / shall saye to Cryste. O lorde we pro∣phecyed in thy name and casted out fendes and dyde many tokens & my∣racles in thy name. But he shall saye to them ayen. Goo thou hens fro me ye werkers of wyckednesse. I knowe you not for none of myne. And as saynt Iohan Crysostomus sayth in tractatu. Nemo leditur nisi a semetip so. That Iudas the traytour hadde power of god for to do and dyde ma∣ny grete myracles / & yet is he damp∣ned. Also doynge of myracles is no syker token of goodnesse neyther of the doer ne of the people there as that they ben done / but oonly charyte and good lyuynge ben syker tokens of go∣denesse. And therfore Cryste taught vs to knowe the good {pro}phetes from the wycked / not by her myracles ne by theyr prophecy / but by her good de¦des & charyte. Therby sayth he men shall knowe that ye be my dyscyples yf ye haue charyte amonges you / not by myracles ne by prophecy. For Iu∣das dyde myracles / and Cayphas & Balaam full cursed wretches prophe¦cyed

full truly. And saynt Iohan bap¦tyste that was so holy dyde neuer su∣che myracles by his lyfe. And therfo∣re Cryste badde that we sholde take hede to mennes dedes & knowe them by theyr fruyte. ¶Diues. Ypocrytes & heretykes do many full good dedes and yet be they shrewes. ¶Pauper. Suche maner of folke haue two ma¦ner of dedes. Done pryuely / and an¦other in aperte or openly. Theyr de∣des openly ben not theyrs / but they ben clothynges of sheep vnder whiche they hele them or couer them as wul¦ues to dysceyue good sheep. And ther∣fore Cryste byddeth in the gospell y^t we sholde beware of false prophetes / they y^• come to vs in clothynge of she¦pe / for they ben inwarde wulues of ra¦ueyn. Yf theyr dedes be wycked / it is her owne clothyng wherby they may be knowen / but theyr preuy werkes & theyr preuy techynge ben theyr owne fruyte whiche comonly ben full wyc∣ked. And so by that that they do & te¦che pryuely mē may best knowe what they ben. ¶Diues. I may well as∣sente to thy speche / for so many won∣dres as haue fallen in this londe with in a fewe yeres / in some mone & ster∣res / in londe & water / in the ayer / y^• we rede in no boke y^t euer fell so many in so lytyl tyme / & as men saye ful wyc¦ked lyuers do many myracles & {pro}phe¦cye / & yet we wante grace on euery sy¦de / & the harde vengeaunce of god is vpon vs nyght & daye / shewyng that we haue greuously offended our god. ¶Pauper. As sayth y^• glose su{per} illud ij^•. ad Thessalo .ij^•. In signis et {pro}di¦gijs mendaci{bus}. For as moche as the people is out of charyte and wyll not knowe the treuthe / but truste all in le¦synges & in falshode. Therfore god suffreth false shrewes for to do won∣dres & myracles for to dysceyue the pe¦ple & to holde them stylle in theyr er∣rour. I haue sayd as my thynketh / & saye thou forth what thou wylte.

Caplm .lxiij.

DIues. What sayste thou of theym that wyll noo solemp∣nyte haue in theyr buryeng / but be put in erthe anone / and that that sholde be spente about the bury∣enge of theym / they bydde that it sholde be gyuen to the poore folke as blynde and lame. ¶Pauper. Comon¦ly in suche preuy buryenges ben full smalle doles and but lytyll almesses gyuen. And in solempne buryenges ben grete doles and moche almesses gyuen / for moche poore people come than for to syke theyr almesse. But whan that it is done so pryuely fewe men knowe therof / and full fewe poo¦re people come for to axe almesse / for they knowe not whan ne where ne to whome they sholde axe it. And ther∣fore I byleue sykerly that some false executours that wolde kepe the goo∣des all to them selfe began fyrste this errour and this folye. ¶Diues. And yet men holde it a grete perfeccyon now a dayes. ¶Pauper. Though men burye theyr frendes pryuely or openly / it is noo harme to the deed neyther to lyuynge. But yf the wor∣shyppe of god be withdrawen / and

the almesses of the poore nedy folke / and the holy prayers and the suffra∣gyes of holy chirche / the whiche ben ordeyned for to be prayed and done for the deed folke and the quycke that haue grete nede therof. But it is a grete folye and also a grete synne for to forsake solempne buryenges / that ben done pryncypally for the worshyp of god and for the prouffyte of the de¦de folke / spendynge theyr goodes to nedefull releuynge of holy chirche / and for y^e prouffyte of the poore nedy people that ben of noo power for to helpe theym selfe / for that is a custo∣me of false executours that wolden make them selfe riche with the deed folkes goodes / and dele it not to the poore folke after the deed folkes wyll as now all false executours vse by cu∣stome. And so they that forsake wor∣shypfull buryenges as I haue reher∣ced byfore / they lette the praysyng / the worshyp / and the sacrefyce and offe∣rynges that sholde be done to god. They doo also grete despyte to holy chirche / in so moche that they forsa∣ken the prayers and the suffragyes of the holy mynystres of holy chirche. Also they offende gretely ayenst all the soules that ben in purgatory that sholde be releued by masses syngynge by the prayers and suffragyes of ho∣ly chirche / whiche ben ordeyned in the buryenge of deed folke for the helpe of all crysten soules. And they please the fende y^• whiche is full besy nyght and daye for to lette goddes offyce / goddes worshyppe and holy prayers. Also they offende gretly ayenst man kynde / & ayenst god that toke man∣kynde of a woman / in as moche as they put theyr bodyes in suche dspyte and pryue or take it of the due wor∣shyppe. For the bodye of a good man or of a good woman that is knytte to that precyo{us} soule that Cryste bought so dere with his precyous blood / with whiche soule it shal aryse ayen at the daye of dome / and shall lyue in blys∣se without ende bryghter than y^• son∣ne / it is of a full grete dygnyte / all yf it be here in grete myschyef for a ty∣me for Adams synne. Mannes bodye is of full grere dygnyte in that / that god toke our bodye of a woman allo¦ne / and bycame man without parte of man / and bodely in our kynde reyg¦neth god and man aboue all creatu∣res. And therfore by waye of kynde and for worshyp of god that toke our kynde / it ought for to be worshypped / namely in his deth / for than is ther no drede of pryde. And therfore sayth the wyse man Eccle .vij. Mortuo non prohibeas graciam. Withdrawe not thy grace and thy mercy from the deed. That is to saye / withdrawe not ne lette not the due seruyce and wor∣shypfull Ceremonyes that longen to the bodyes / ne the suffrages and pray¦ers that longen to the soules / as the glose sayth. And in an other place he sayth thus. Sone wepe thou for the deed man with bytter teres and grete sorowe / and after his astate as right is hele his bodye / despyse not his bu∣ryenge / make mornynge one daye or two after his deseruynge Ecclesiasti. xxxviij. For by the lawe of kynde / by

the lawe wryten / by the lawe of gra∣ce / and euery tyme worshypfull sepul¦ture after mennes power hath be due dette to mannes bodye and woman∣nes. In the lawe of kynde haue we example of Abraham Ysaac and Ia¦cob / and her wyues / whiche hadde full costely buryenges. As we rede in holy wryte Gen̄. lvi. And in the lawe wry¦ten haue we example of Samuell. Dauyd. Salomon. Iosaphat. Eze∣chye. Iosye. Tobye / and of the Ma¦chabeys / whose buryenges were costly & worshypfully. In the lawe of gra∣ce / that is in the newe lawe haue we example of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / whiche not withstandynge how well he suffred spytefull deth for mankyn¦de / yet he wolde haue and hadde wor¦shypful and costely sepulture and bu∣ryenge. As we fynde in the gospell. Iohannes .xix. Wherby as the glose sayth / there he gaue men example to kepe worshypfull buryenge after the custome of the contree. And therfore he cōmended Marye magdaleyn / that she came byfore his dethe to anoynte his bodye so precyously and so costely in to the sepulture. And many sayntes were buryed worshypfully by the do∣ynges of angellys / as saynt Clement saynt Katheryne / saynt Agathe / and many other. And saynt Poule the fyr¦ste hermyte was buryed worshypfully and wonderly by werkynge of lyons and of wylde bestes / in tokenynge y^t mannes bodye & womānes ought to haue worshypful sepulture / for sythen angellys and wylde bestes dyde suche worshypp to mannes bodye after his deth. Moche more mankynde sholde worshyppe mannes bodye after his deth / and doo worshyp to his owne kynde. And so men sholde releue poo¦re folke in theyr myschyef / and specy¦ally in theyr deynge by almes gyuyn¦ge. But they sholde not for that doo ony wronge by theyr lyuyng to theyr euen crysten for to make them riche for to do moche almesse at theyr en∣dynge. For as y^e lawe sayth / ther shol¦de no man be made riche with wron∣ge & harme of an other. Locupletari nō debes aliqⁱs cū alterius iniuria vel iactura. Extra de regulis iuris li .vi.

Caplm .lxiiij.

DIues. What sayste thou of theym that holde markettes and feyres in holy chirche & in sanctuarye. ¶Pauper. Bothe the byer and the seller and the men of ho¦ly chirche that mayntene them or suf¦fre them whan that they myght lette it ben accursed. For we fynde not that euer Cryste punysshed soo harde ony synne whyles that he wente here in erthe / as he dyde byeng and sellynge in goddes house as we fynde Io .xi. On a tyme he came in to the temple of Iherusalem / and there he founde men byeng & sellynge oxen and sheep & douues to be offred in the temple / and chaungers of moneye also to be offred in the temple. He was hyghely offended / and made a scourge & bette them out of the temple / and sayd to theym in this wyse. Myne house shol¦de be an house of prayers / and ye ha∣ue made it a denne of theues. Bere

ye out sayd he this marchaūdyse. Le∣de hens these bestes and make ye not my fads house an house of marchaū¦dyse and a denne of theues. And as saynt Mathew telleth & other gospel∣lers / he drewe downe her bothes / and ouertourned theyr stalles and theyr setes and shedde theyr moneye. And as saynt Marke sayth / he wolde not suffre no vessell that was not longyn¦ge to y^• temple for to be borne through the temple. And sythen Cryste wolde not suffre thynges to be solde in the temple / that was only for the worshyp of god & helpe of the temple. Moche more he wyll not suffre thynges to be solde in the temple that longeth not to the temple / but oonly to seculers. ¶Diues. Sythen god was so offen∣ded for that men solde therin y^t that was nedefull to the temple / and for easement of them that came fro fer∣re contrees / what sholde he haue done yf he had foūde them byeng & sellyn∣ge thynges of seculers. Or yf he had foūde theym in bacbytynge & gloto∣ny / dronkenshyp / lecherye / in songe & speche of rybaudrye / as men vse now a dayes in holy chirche. ¶Pauper. Saynt Austyn sayth / that as he tro∣weth he sholde haue caste them to the pytte of helle. ¶Diues. How myght Cryste that was so poore a man haue caste out suche a multytude of people It is a wondre that they withstoden hym not. ¶Pauper. For as the glose sayth / ther came suche a lyght out of his face by waye of his godhode as lō¦ge as he wolde that they were all a∣ferde of the syght of his face & fledde awaye. And for the same cause in ty∣me of his passyon whan they came for to take hym / he sayd I am he that ye seke / twyes they wente bacwarde / & for drede felle downe to the groū∣de. ¶Diues. Why sayd he that they made his house a denne of theues. ¶Pauper. For who so is about for to begyle ony man or woman of his good / he is a theef. And in byeng and sellynge eyther of them is about for to begyle other / & in that they ben the∣ues. And for that they do it in goddes house & ther caste in theyr herte how pryuely and how slyghely they may begyle her euen crysten / therfore they make goddes house a denne of the∣ues. And comonly in suche feyres & markettes where so euer it be holden / there ben many theues mychers and cutte purces. ¶Diues. And I drede me that ful often by suche feyres god¦des house is made a tauerne of gloto¦nes / & a bordell of lechours. For the marchaūtes and chapmen kepe there with theym theyr wyues & lēmannes both nyght & daye. ¶Pauper. And yf ony man comyne there flesshely with his wyfe or his lēmen / the chir∣che & the chirche yerde also ben pollu∣te. And yf it myght be preued / ther sholde noo preeste synge ne saye noo masse therin / ne bodye be buryed tyll it were recoūseylled ayen by the bys∣shop. De con. di .i. Si motū. et c^•. sig∣nificasti. Et Io. in sūma sua li.iiij. ti^•. CC.xliij. Vtrū liceat. Et durand{us} in sn̄ia sua li.ij. {per} .i. di .viij. q̄ .xxxiij. ¶Di¦ues. And what yf the prelates & the curates of y^• place take moneye of the

chapmen for the place that they ston∣de in by couenaūt made byfore / is it ony symonye soo to selle the londe of the sentuary. ¶Pauper. It is sy••o¦nye full grete for to selle ony groūde in the sentuarye for buryenge / as the lawe sheweth well .xiij. q̄ .ij. q̄sta. et c^•. seq̄nti. Moche more to selle it or to let¦te it to hyre for marchaundyse. And therfore suche marchaundyse in holy chirche is forboden / not oonly by the gospell / but also by the comon lawe. xvi.q̄.vij. Et hec diximus. For men of holy chirche by suche symonye and takynge of thynges that they haue noo right to / they ben bycome stron∣ge theues / & make the chapmen the∣ues in that / that they doo them occu∣pye the place in sentuarye ayenst god¦des wyll lorde of y^• place. And so they make goddes house a dwellynge and a denne of theues. ¶Diues. Sythen men of holy chirche do so moche des∣pyte to god and holy chirche / though they be in despyte them selfe / it is no wonder. ¶Pau{per}. That is soth. For god sayth in holy wryte. Pri^•. regū.ij. Who so worshyppeth me sayth he. I shal make hym worshyfull / and they that despyse me / shall be in despyte. ¶Diues. I thanke the with alle myn herte / for that thought me some tyme noo synne / now I knowe well that it is a full greuous dedely syn∣ne. For the synnes and the errours that we haue now spoken of / ben open¦ly ayenst the worshyppe of the hyghe mageste of god / and ayenst the fyr∣ste cōmaundement that moost ought to be charged. And thy reasons ben soo grete and thy speche so open / that Ignoraunce myght not excuse me ne ony thyng ellys that can reason. And yet the people by euyll custome and Ignoraunce of men of holy chirche & of them selfe also by couetyse & pry∣de of the clergye is so blent that they thynke theym no synnes. And soo we goo in synne all blente with folye & wante grace. ¶Pauper. Wycked cu∣stome engendred synne and not excu∣seth synne. And therfore the lawe sayth that euery wycked custome it sholde be done awaye.