Thus endeth the doctrinal of sapyence the whyche is ryght vtile and prouffytable to alle crysten men, whyche is translated out of Frenshe in to englysshe by wyllyam Caxton at westmestter [sic] fynysshed the. vij. day of may the yere of our lord, M,cccc lxxx ix Caxton me fieri fecit

¶ Of the x comaudemens of the lawe. Capitulo xiij (Book 13)

FOurthly charite she weth her in obseruyng and kepynge the ten comaundementis of the lawe the whiche god ga¦af to moises of whom saīt iohan saith. The charite of god is to kepe his comaundementes. Also sayth the holy euangelyste yf thou wylt come to the lyf perdurable that is the Joye of he∣uen kepe the comaūdementes of god The fyrst cōmaundemēt of god is this. Thou shalt not bylene ne serue neput••••thy ho¦pe ne seyth but in me & thou shalt haue none other god but me he or she that dooeth the contrarye synneth dedely and doth ay enst the fyrst commaundement. Suche ben they as adoure and worshype ydolles: and make theyr god of creatures. And not of the creatour & maker / lyke as they doo that ouermoch loue their tresour. be it gold or syluer or ony other erthely thīg and sette all theyr herte and their hope therin. that they forget of tymes god whiche hath alle gyuen it to them¶ The secōd cōmandement is this ¶ Thou shalt not take the name of god in vayn that is to saie thou shalt not swere for nought & not without good cause. this same cōmādement defēdeth god our lord in the gospell saieng that thou shalt not swere by he∣¶uen ne by

erthe ne by other creature But for good cause a man may sw¦ere without synne. as in iugement whan trouthe is deman∣ded / or out of Jugement in other good cause. and other wyse ought noman to swere. For who that swereth without rea∣son the name of our lord he periureth hym self fassly wetynge¦ly. and synneth dedely: that is to saye whan one swereth know¦yng. aduysedly. and by deliberacion. who that swereth truly to his wetyng and for nought nothyng malicyously / but lyght∣ly and without blasphemye he synneth venyally: and custome is perillous and may wel torne to dedely synne. But he that swereth horribly by our lord. by malyce and by angre synneth dedely and may not excuse hym. An oth made ayenst the cha∣ryte of god and ayenst the soule of hym that swereth ayenste another ought not to be holden ne kept, & of suche an othe one ought moche to repente and to confesse the said synne to a mā of the chyrche that is wyse and vnderstondyng. The third comaundement of god is this. Thou shalt halowe and kepe the sonday and the festes comaunded And thou shalt not wer¦ke ne doo werke / and thou shalt kepe the fro synne to thy pow¦er. yf ony thyng. be in perill to be destwied or lost not for to aby¦de tyl on the morn. as a beest to lye in a dyche or suche thyngis lyke. holy chyrche suffreth. that on the holy day be had remedye And on the sayd day of feste a man ought to entende but on the werkes of mercy and of our lord. And therfore a man ought to cesse & leue other werkes contrarie. especyally for to synne dedely. & of daūcyng. but yf it be for sōme good cause / for many euyllis & synnes comen therof. as for to be proud: & to co¦ueyte faire robes & riche Jewellis. enuye. lecherie / slouthe to doo well engendren therof. For it is tyme loste / and ther be ma¦ny disportes of the world whiche ben contrarie to the soule / sa¦ynt austyn saith that it were better to laboure therthe on the sōday than to daūce or playe vnlefull games. and yet to soo doo is dedely synne. ¶ Example. It is redde of a woman that [Exā]

haunted the daunces / and moche gladly daunced and songe. & arrayed her self merueyllously of ryche and fayre clothing and Jewellys. It happed that thenes wold fayn haue robbed her of her robes and Joyaulx. But the deuyl keyte her alway. & sa¦yd to the theues: how be ye so hardy to wylle to robbe her for ye knowe wel she is proprely oures. For she hath made vs to wynne moo wymen. than haue doon alle oure other famyllye For she admonesteth and encorageth alle other to daunce and to doo many synnes by her vestymentes. And in thus sayeng the deuyl bete strongly the thenes. ¶ Example. Seynt grego [Exā] rye recounteth in his dyalogue that our lady appered in a vys•• on to a mayde that had sette her loue in a relygyous man na¦med probas. whiche tolde it hym of his suster / to whome our lady shewed a companye of ryght fayre virgynes lyke to her eage. clad in white And in ryght shynyng habytes. whan she saw them she had moche grete desire to be Joyned and put in theyr companye: but she durst not Thenne the glorious vir¦gyne marye moder of mercy demaunded her yf she wold be wyth the vyrgynes that she sawe come wyth her. and she sa¦yd ye our swete lady demaunded her yf she myght kepe her fro dauncyng. and she ansuerd ye. Thenne she comaūded that she shold kepe her fro than forthon / fro light thynges / fro alle play∣es & yong voluptuosytees. & af the. xxx. day after she sholde com wyth the virgines that she had seen. whā the vision was depar¦ted the maide chaūged her condicions so wel that there were ne¦yther disporte ne lawhinges ne cōpanie of other maidens that she wold ensiewe ne folowe. For whiche cause her fader & mo¦der were strongly admerueilled & demaūded her wherfore she was so styll / & she recoūted to them her aduysyon that she hade seen. whiche was trewe. For on the tenthe day a feuer or seke¦nes toke her. And on the: xxx: day thende of her lyf approched ¶ And thenne she sawe the sayde moder of mercy come to her with the virgines afore sayde whyche called her swetely. And she ansuered. lady loo I come. and wyth that wys she rendred

her spyryte. And her soule went wyth the virgines in to Joye perdurable. ¶ Now hast thou herde how the danncyng des∣plaised to our lord: and plaised moche to the deuyl. Thou maist wel dannce whan thou maryest ony of thy chyldren or of the neces of thy parentes. and the day of thy feste for gladnesse & for Joye. but in no wyse doo it not for Jolinesse ne for synne: ¶ Example. The holy scrypture saith that the kyng dauyd [Exā] whan he dyde do bringe the arke of the olde testament fro one place to another / made grete Joye and daunced wyth dyuer∣se Instrumentes of musyke. Ye yonge maydens. yf it behoueth you to goo to ony feste or playe: put your self alleway in goode companye And kepe you welle fro gooing in ony place secrete for oftymes there cometh therof ouer moche euyll ¶ For Amon whyche was sone of kynge Dauyd whan he had hys suster named Thamar. secretly in hys Chambre he defoylled her by force: The whyche thyng he had not doon yf they had ben in goode companye. thus sayth the holy scriptu¦re. Item holy chirche ordeyneth and comaundeth. that euery cristen creature here masse alle hole vnto the benediccion of the preest on the sondayes. for the beste of the masse is fro the prefa∣ce vnto the ende of the masse. all they that doo not soo yf they ha¦ue not grete empesshement and lettyng. synne moche gryuous∣ly. and lese the prouffyt of the masse / whyche is so grete that it may not be comprysed. ¶ The fourth commaundement of our lord is this: thou shalt honoure & worship thy fader & mo∣der and thon shalt lyue the more longe on the erthe. ¶ This commaūdement admonesteth vs that we kepe vs fro angrīg of fader and of moder to our wytyng and of alle hys power for who that dooth the contrarye. and helpeth them not of hys power in their necessite: he sinneth dedely. & falleth in meschief in this world or in that other: and this comādement was su∣che in the old lawe that who someuer cursed fader or moder he was pnt to deth / Exāple. the holy scripture saith that absalon [Exā]

sone of the kyng dauyd made grete werre ayenst his fader. It happed on a day that the bataylle shold assemble for to fyghte And whan they assembled Absalon whyche fledde vpon a mule passed vnder a tree bare heded. And he had moche heer on his hede: whiche toke the braunche of a tree. and the mule ran¦ne strongly▪ and he abode hangyng by his heer on a braunche of the tree And he that ranne after hym slew•• hym with a spere. And wold not that ony harme shold be doon to the other of hys partye / by cause he poursiewed his fader. ¶ Another Example. It is redde that in normandye there was a man [Exā] and a woman moche ryche & hadde but one sone. whom they maryed rychely. and gaaf to hym the most parte of theyr ha∣uoyr and good in hope whan they were olde he shold gouerne them. The sone was moche ryche for he kepte hys good and despended it not. It happed that the fader and moder were olde and myght not wynne ony thyng. The fader sayd to hys sone / I and thy moder ben olde. and may not lyue longe. wherfore we wyl come and duelle with the. & take that we haue. The sone to whom it playsed nothyng sayd to hym. I shal speke to my wyf therof / and yf she wyll I wyll well / he spak therof to hys wyf▪ the whyche ansuered to hym that she had no nede of a maystre ne maistresse. & after he cam & tolde it to his fader. the whyche went fro hym moche sorouful and angry▪ hyt happed that the day of a grete feste the fader had nothyng arayed ne made redy to ete. and came to hys sone whiche was thenne at hys table and had y nowe redy for his dyner▪ but whan he herd hys fader come he made hyde all the mete▪ hys fader come to hym and sayde. Fayre sone I & thy moder haue nothyng now to ete. wherfore gyue to vs som w¦hat. The sone ansuered we haue nothyng but br••de and win yf it please you b••••k your fast with vs. The fader whiche knewe wel the contrarie retorned sore wepyng. and anone as he was out of the hous. the sone dyde do bringe forth the mete

But whan he supposed to haue take the beste piece ••here came a grete tode •• toke hym by the ouer lyppe in suche wyse that whā he wold ete. he muste with that one hand lyste vp the ••••de. and wyth that other he put the mete in hys mouth. he sente for a preste for to confesse hym / and recounted to hym all the fayt. The preste bad hym that he shold goo to the archibysshop whi¦che was a wyse man. and dyscret for to gyue to hym penaūce competent. to thende that he shold gyue exāple to other / Thar chebysshop sayd to hym that he muste goo to the pope: and that he shold in alle places that he came shewe hys maladye and tel¦le the cause. he cam to the pope and told hym all the tronthe whi¦che helde it doon for a myracle▪ and assoylled hym and bad hym to crie mercy to hys fader and moder. And fro than forthon he shold doo to them the beste that he wyght. And thus thenne the tode teparted fro hym. and he amended hym. Item they do•• ay¦enst comaundement that bere no•• worshyp ne honour to theyr fader and moder ghostly: & to theyr prelates. curates. and may∣stres of our lord. and they that selle or bye in the chyrche. or do∣on other thyng that ought to be doon. For it is the hons ofgod in the whiche ought noo thyng to be doon but to seme god hys moder and hys sayntes. ¶ Example. It is redde that con¦stantyn [Exā] the grete emperour of rome sayd thus yf I sawe a pre¦ste synne / I shold couere hym wyth my mantel to thende that noo persone shold see hym ne knowe hys synne for the sklan∣dre and deshonour that myght happen thys is ayenst them that dyscoueren the synnes of theyr faders goostly. as dyd the euyl Cayn whyche dyscouered hys fader Noe for to see his mem¦bres naturel. For whyche ca••se hys fader made hym bonde to hys bretheren and alle hys lygne. & ••oo thenne forthon began seruytude / as witnesseth scripture: The fyfeth comaundement is. Thou shalt do•• noon homycyde / that is to saye. thoushalt¦sle noman. In thys commandemaunt god defended the that

thou shalt ••lé no man but by good J••styce. & that thou t••re non hate ne ran••our to ony other. For the scripture sayth he that hateth his brother is an homycyde: Also that thou desyre not the deth of an other for ony euyll cause. hate longe kepte. holden and roted in the herte is dedely synne: But Jre and indygna∣cion that passeth lyghtly without parfyght will and consentīg to greue another is not dedely synne. Ayenst thys commannde∣ment synneth he that doeth or purchaseth shame or dommage to ony other wrongfully. or is in connseyll or helpyng to hurte and grieue another for to aduenge hym. ¶ They that in necessite socoure not the poure / after theyr power shall be pugnis¦shed as homycydes. yf by theyr defaulte they deye. And he that doeth hys flesshly synne. or ony other euyl werke that a man may not engendre ne woman conceyue / ought to haue penaū¦ce as an homycyde / thys saith the lawe Canon. ¶ The. vj commaundement is this Thou shalt do•• noo fornycacyon. In thys commaundementis deffended alle the synne of lecherie and alle flesshly cōpanye of wymen. but yf it be thy wedded wyf. And a man ought to kepe hym well fro goyng to C••∣myn wymmen. For it is right grete synne by cause they spa∣re none fader ne brother. Cosyn ne kynnesman: Saynt poule sayth that we be not only to our self but to god that hath rede¦med vs. ¶ Item he saith that we be the temple of the holy ghoost. ••f thou haue abandonned thy body to the synne of le∣cherye. thou hast taken it away fro Jhesu criste▪ and hast put it in thādes of the ••ende of helle. and thou hast made of the mona¦stery of the holy ghoost. the sygnagoge of the deuyl. And therfore admonesteth saynt poul them that wyl not absteyne them fro synne. that they marye them. For it is better for them to be ma¦ryed: than to be brent / ¶ Example / It is said that in vitis pa¦trum [Exā] it is wreton that a pylgrym deyde in a wode: Our lorde sente an angel vnto an hermite for to burye hym / And as th••y

b••ried hym ••hermyte stopped his nosethrylles for the st••nche of the body. And there cam rydyng a yong man whyche was mo¦che lecherous whyche passed by them vpon a fayre hors sad∣led wyth a sadle gylt. And thys yong man had on hys heed a chapellet of flowres. And anon the angel stopped hys nose for the comyng of the yong man / & nothyng for the stenche of the dede corps / And the hermyte demaunded of the angel why he abhorred more the yong man than the dede body. The angel an••••ered to hym that the flessh of enery good & holy man shal be of ryght good odour to fore god: but men fele it not by cau∣se they be nourrisshed in sinne whiche is swete to them and wel smellyng▪ but the synne of a lecherous man is moche foule and horrible in the sight of god and of hys angellys / The vij com∣mandement is thys. Thou shal do•• no thefte / This comman¦dement defendeth vs to take ouy other thynge what someuer it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and to reteyne it wihout rayson. In this commandemēt is defended rapyne. vsure / and. deceyte. as for to d••••eyue ano∣ther for to haue hys. and for to bye thyng that is wel know∣en / is euyl taken: He that doeth ayenst this commandemēt is bounden to rendre and restore agayn alle that he hath euyl go∣ten / yf he wote to whom. & yf he wote not to whom he oughte to do•• after the coūseyll of holy chyrche. For otherwise he shold [Exā] synne dedely ¶ Example. We rede of a preste whiche had a paresshen that was an vsurier. And neuer wold restore ony thyng at his deth / And whan he whas dede the preste wolde not bnrye hym in the chyrche yerd by cause that after the coun∣seyl of old saintes and deuoute men. the vsuriers ought not to be leyed in place halowed yf they yelded not agayn to theyr po∣wer alle that they had receyued by vsure of other men but as ••saye the prophete saith in hys xiiij chapytre / the vsurer ought to haue sepulture of an asse / and ought not to be put ne bury¦ed emong them whos bodyes re••••eth in pease / It happed that the frendes of this vsurer debated strongly ayenst thys preeste

to thende that he shold be buryed in the chyrcheyerd / whauthe preste saw that he myght not endure for them he made his pra¦er to our lord / and after said to them. leie the dede bodi vpon an asse. and late vs see the wyll of god. And to what place he shal bere it. be it in the chyrche or in the chyrcheyerd I shal burie hit Thenne whan they had leyd the dede body on the asse / he went neither to the chyrche ne to the chyrcheyerd. but went and bare the body strayt to the galowes where as the theuys hange. and there lete it falle doun and after retorned home at whyche pla¦ce it was buryed: ¶ The viij commandemaūt is thys. Thou shalt bere no fals wytnes / In thys comandement isdefen∣ded to the that thou saye nothyng ayēst trouthe for to hurte ony other ne for to lye. For in a good persone ought nothyng to be but trouthe: who that periureth hym self wetyngly he breketh the comandement and synneth dedely. Thenne who for to de∣lyuer a man fro deth forswereth hym self he synneth dedely For to doo ony good dede what someuer it be non ought to pariure hym self. and in lyke wyse none ought to synne dede∣ly. The is comaundement is this▪ Thou shalt not desire ne co¦ueyte auother mans wyf That is to saye▪ thou oughtest not to hane aduisemēt ne desire to haue flessly companie with ano¦sher mans wyf / For the consent withont more shold be dedely ynne after the sentence of the gospel whiche saith / who seeth a woman and coueyteth her in hys herte. he thenne synneth hym self. that is to saie whan the consentemeut is expressed and for thought. For the wyll parfait: is reputed for the dede▪ and yf this thought come to the. and thou consentest not ne delytest the rin but it dysplaiseth the that is not dedely synne. but thou may¦ste haue therby meryte. by cause thou ouercomest the deuyl whi¦che entiseth the. the difference of this comandement fro the vj a foresaid is that the vj comandement defendeth the dede with¦out forth / & this defendeth the consentig withinforth. yf the se∣me that thou doo ony sinne in slepyng yf to fore thy sleping or

after thou woldest for nothing haue doon it / but it desplayseth the / and is not by thy faulte happed / thou synnest not. This co∣mandement defendeth alle desyres and consentyng to haue flesshly companye to another mans wyf and other woman whateuer she be / but yf it be to thy wedded wyf. It defendeth the euyll signes without forth. whiche may drawe folk to syn¦ne as be euyll wordes and dyshoneste. and also alle foulle gro¦pynges & touchynges. Alas that this comandement is euyll kept. wherof comen many harmes / In these dayes is not ret¦ched to require wedded wymmen / and to styre and cause them to synne / wherof folowen many peryllis. for many of them ha¦ue chyldren. whiche ben not theyr housbondes. And thus be he rytiers of them that they be nothyng of kynne ne sibbe to. and the right ful heyres ben desherited. and faders and moders be dāp¦ned cruelly. And of this sinne the cristen men setten lasse therby than doo the paynems or sarasyns. ¶ Example. The holy [Exā] scrypture sayth that whan Abraham wold passe the royame of egypte. by cause he knewe well that the egypciens were leche¦rous. he said to his wyf. that she shold saie that she was his su¦ster by cause she was fayre▪ and specially for they shold slee him and take her away / whan they were in the cyte where the king was she was anon taken and ledde vnto the kynge. but whā he knewe that she was wyf to abraham. how wel that he w∣as a paynem he was moche angri. And he neuer touched her. bnt blamed moche abraham of that he sayd she was hys suster and was his wyf. and made to. lede them out of his royame and gaaf. to them many yeftes. Example. we rede in holy scri¦pture of the wyf of putyphar whiche was mayster of the Chy¦ualrie of the kyng of egypte whiche had bought Joseth that w¦han she sawe Joseph by cause he was so fayre a yong man she wold haue made hym to haue leyen by her oftymes by force. And in thende she had him in her chambre: & toke him by the mātel & wold haue enforced him to haue sinned with hir. but

he lefte his mantel whychè she heldé fasté and fledde away fro hyr sayeng / I shal neuer doo that vylonnye to my mayster. w∣hiche hath delyuèred to me for to gouerne alle that he hath. re¦serued her wold god that alle the seruantes were also trewe to theyr maystres as he was. and alle wymen better to theyr hous¦bondes than she was. The. x. comandement is this. thou shalt not coueyte thyng that longeth to thyn neyghbour▪ This comā¦dement defendeth the all manere wyll to haue ony others ga∣od wrongfulli: ayēst this comādemt doon the ryche men whā they knowe that theyr poure neyghbours haue gardyns or len¦des or other thinges nyhe to them anon they wyll haue it & they yf will not deliuer it to them at theyr wyll / they menace them or hurte or diffame them & therfore it is cominly said who that hath a good neyghbour hath good morow. in this comande∣ment is defended enuye at other mannes wele or good or at his grace or welfare. this is an euyll couetise. & whan the con∣sente is acerteined and concluded in his thought it is dedeli sin¦ne. but whan the thought cometh and no consent gyuen therto it is venial synne.