Diues [et] pauper

Caplm .xij.

DIues. What sayste thou of theym that swere by the cock in stede of god / some by god and by the holy dome / some by laken some by our lady / some by cockes bo∣dye / some by theyr hode / and some by

theyr tytpat & cap / and many suche other nyce othes that men vse now these dayes. ¶Pauper. Yf they swe∣re ony suche othes for to begyle theyr euen crysten that vnderstande theym not / they synne dedely and ben also forsworen. And for to couple or knytte to gydre god and the holy dome in swerynge / in ernest / or in game / it is a full greuous synne / and grete des∣pyte and scorne to goddes name. And yf they swere suche othes not for dys∣ceyte / but for to flee gretter othes / yet they synne full greuously yf they ben vsed therto / for they do ayenst Crys∣tus cōmaundement that byddeth vs swere by no creature / ne to swere but for grete nede & prouffyte & ellys not but outwarde sholde be ye ye / nay nay And yf a man be compelled to swere he shal swere by his god and by none suche nyce othes. Moreouer my fren∣de whan that a man swereth by his cap / or by his hode / or by ony suche other / eyther he swereth soo by waye of wytnesse takyng or by waye of exe¦craccyon. Yf he swere soo by waye of wytnesse takynge he dooth hymselfe foule velony / for he maketh his hode of more worshyp & of more credence than hymselfe. For as saynt Poule sayth / ther sholde noo man swere for wytnesse takynge / but by his more & by his better. And he offendeth god full hyghely / for the worshyp that lon¦geth only to god he doth it to his ho∣de. For as swerynge to bere wytnesse is a dyuyne worshyp that longeth on¦ly to god. And yf he swere by his ho∣de by waye of execracyon / so that he must lese his hode but he saye soth / it is an ouer scornefull othe / for it is no grete losse a man to lese his hode for to wynne an hondred poūde ¶Diues And yet suche ben more true of theyr worde than other that swere gretter othes. ¶Pauper. Somtyme it is so. For the fende tempteth them lesse / & to the lesse synne for to holde theym stylle in y^• gretter / & so to drawe other to the same synne y^t they perceyue it not. For it is more synne to robbe god of his worshyp / than to robbe a man of his catell. But suche as swere by theyr hode do dyuyne worshyp to ther hode & take it from god / & make o∣ther to do more worshyp to theyr ho∣de than to goddes holy name. And ofte suche swerers kepe treuth in sma¦le thynges & comon to dysceyue men in greter thyngis of more charge. And therfore I praye the vse not suche nyce othes / but lete thy worde be ye ye / nay nay / as Cryste byddeth it / so that it be sayd with mekenesse & reuerence. And yf you nede to saye more / saye ye truly / nay truly / or sykerly or soth∣ly / for that maner of speche is none othe. For it is not ellys to saye / but I saye ye truly & not falsely. I saye ye sykerly & not dysceyuably / & vse none othes but y^u be compelled by thy soue¦rayne / or for a thyng of charge / & men shall byleue well by thy ye ye / and by thy nay nay / without ony more.