The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.

¶The Parsons Prologue.

BY that the Plowman had his tale ended, The sunne fro y^e south side is descended, So low, that it was not to my sight Degrees of five and twenty on hight Two a clocke it was, so as I gesse, For eleven foot, a lite more or lesse, My shadow was at that time, as there Of such feet as my length parted were In sixe feet equall of proportion: Therewith the moones exaltation, I meane Taurus, alway gan ascend, As we were entring at the thropes end: For which our Hoste, as he was wont to gie Aye in this case, this jolly companie Said in this wise, lordings everichone Now lacketh us no tale more than one: Fullfilled is my sentence and my decree. Who woll now tell us a tale, let see: Almost fulfilled is my ordinance: I pray to God so yeve him right good chance, That telleth his tale to us lustely. Sir priest (qd. he) art thou a vicary, Or art thou a Parson, say sooth by thy fay, Be what thou be, breke thou not our play. For every man, save thou, hath told his tale, Vnbokell, and shew us what is in thy male. For truly me thinketh by thy chere, Thou shouldest knit up well a great matere. Tell us a fable anon, for cockes bones. This Parson him answerd all at ones: Thou gettest fable none told of me, For Poule, that writeth to Timothe, Repreveth hem that waiven soothfastnesse, And teachen fables, and such wretchednesse. * Why should I sow draffe out of my fist, When I may sow wheat, if that me list? For which I say, if that ye list to here Morality, and of vertuous matere, And then, if ye wol yeve me audience, I would full faine at Christs reverence Done you pleasaunce lefull, as I can: But trusteth well, I am a sotherne man, I cannot jeast, rum, ram, ruf, by letter, And God wote, rime hold I but little better. And therefore if ye list, I woll not glose, I woll you tell a little tale in prose, To knit up all this feast, and make an end: And Iesu for his grace wit me send To shew you the way in this voyage Of thilke perfite glorious pilgrimage, That hight Hierusalem celestial. And if you vouchsafe, anon I shall Begin upon my tale, for which I pray Tell your advise, I cannot better say. But nathelesse, this meditation I put it aye under the correction Of clerkes, for I am not textuell, I take but the sentence, trusteth well. Therefore I make protestation, That I woll stand to correction. Vpon this word we have assented sone: For as it seemed, it was for to done, To end in some vertuous sentence, And for to yeve him space and audience: And bad our host he should to him say, That all we to tell his tale him pray. Our host had the words for us all: Sir priest (qd. he) now faire mote you befall, Say y^• what ye list, & we shall gladly here. And with that word he said in this manere. Telleth (qd. he) your meditatioun, But hasteth you, the sunne woll adoun. Beth fructuous, and that in little space, And to do well God send you his grace.

¶The Parsons Tale.

A Sermon against divers grievous Sins, and reme∣dies for the same, persuading men to penitence.

Ieremie .vi. State super vias, & videte, & interro∣gate de semitis antiquis, quae sit via bona, & ambulate in ea: & invenietis refrigerium ani∣mabus vestris.

OVR sweet Lord God of Heaven, that no man woll perish, but woll that we turne all to the knoweledge of him, and to the blisfull life that is perdurable, admonisheth us by the Pro∣phet Ieremie, that sayeth in this wise: * Stondeth upon the wayes, and seeth and asketh of old pathes: that is to saie, of olde sentences, which is the good way, and walketh in that way, and yee shall finde re∣freshing for your soules, &c. Many been the wayes espirituels that leade folke to our Lord Iesu Christ, and to the reigne of glo∣ry: Of which wayes, there is a full noble way, and full covenable, which may not faile to man ne to woman, that through sinne hath misgone fro the right way of Hierusalem celestiall: and this way is cal∣led penitence, of which, manne should glad∣ly hearken and enquire with all his hert, to wete, what is penitence, and which is cal∣led penitence, and how many manners been of actions or werkinges of penitence, and how manie speces there been of penitence, and which thinges appertain and behoove to penitence, and which thinges distourbe penitence.

Saint Ambrose saith, * That penitence is the plaining of man for the guilt that he hath done, and no more to do any thing for which him ought to playne. And some Doctours sayth, Penitence is the waymenting of man that sorroweth for his sume, and paineth him self, for he hath misdone. Penitence with certain circumstaunces, is very repentance of a man that holt himself in sorrow, & other paine for his guiltes: and for he shall be very penitent, he shall first bewaile sinnes that hee hath done, and stedfastly purpose in his heart to have shrift of mouth, and to do satisfacti∣on, and never to doe thing, for which him ought more bewayle or complaine, and con∣tinue in good works: or els his repentaunce may not availe. For as Saint Isiodor saith, * He is a yaper and a lyer, and no very repen∣taunt,

y^t e••tsoone doth thing, for which him ought repent. Weeping, and not for to stint to doe sinne, may not auaile: But nathelesse, men shall hope, that at euery time that man falleth, bee it neuer so oft, that hee may arise through pennaunce, if he haue grace: but cer∣taine, it is great doubt, for as saith saint Gre∣gorie: * Vnnethes ariseth he out of sin, y^t is charged with y^• charge of euill vsage. * And therefore repentaunt folke, that stint for to sinne, and leue sinne or sinne leaue them, holy Church holdeth them siker of their saluation. * And he that sinneth, & verely repenteth him in his last end: holy Church yet hopeth his saluation, by the great mercy of our Lord Ie∣sus Christ, for his repentaunce: but take the siker way.

And now sith I haue declared you, what thing is Penitence: now ye shall vnderstond, that there beene three actions of Penitence. The first is, that a manne be baptised after that he hath sinned. Saint Augustine sayth, * But he be penitent for his old sinnefull life, hee may not biginne the new cleane life: For certes, if he be baptised without penitence of his old guilt, he retaineth y^e marke of bap∣tisme, but not y^e grace, ne y^e remission of his sins, till hee haue very repentaunce. Another default is this, y^t men doe deadly sinne after that they haue receiued baptisme. The third default is this, y^t men fall in veniall sinnes after her baptisme, fro day to day. Thereof sayeth Saint Augustine, * That penitence of good and humble folk, is the penitence of eue∣ry day.

The speces of penitence ben three: That one of hem is solemne, another is commune, and the third is priuie. That pennaunce y^t is solemne, is in two manners: As to be put out of holy church in lent, for slaughter of children, & such manner thing. Another is when a man hath sinned openly, of which sinne the fame is openly spoken in the country: & then holy church by judgement distrayneth him for to do open pennaunce.

Common pennaunce is, y^t priests enioyn men in certaine case: as for to go perauen∣ture naked in pilgrimage, or bare foot. Priuie pennaunce is that, y^t men doe all day for pri∣uie sins, of which we shriue vs priuily, and re∣ceiue priuie pennaunce.

Now shalt thou vnderstond what is be∣houeful & necessary to very perfit penitence: & this stont on three things. * Contrition of hart, confession of mouth, & satisfaction. For which sayth saint Iohn Chrisostome: * Peni∣tence disstraineth a man to accept benignely every paine y^• him is enioined, with contri∣tion of hert, & shrift of mouth, with satisfac∣tion: & in werking of all manner humility. And this is fruitfull penitence ayenst three things, in which wee wrath our Lord Iesus Christ: this is to say, By delite in thinking, by retchlesse in speaking, and by wicked sin∣full werking. And ayenst these wicked guilts is penitence, that may be likened vnto a tree:

* The root of this tree is contrition, y^• hi∣deth him in the heart of him that is very re∣pentaunt, right as the root of the tree hideth him in the earth. Of this roote of contrition springeth a stalke, that bereth braunches and leaues of confession, and fruit of satisfaction. For which Christ sayth in his gospell: * Doth digne fruite of penitence, for by this fruite men may knowe the tree, and not by the root that is hid in the heart of manne, ne by the braunches, ne the leaues of confession. And therefore our lord Iesu Christ saith thus: By the fruit of hem shall ye knowe hem. Of this root also springeth a seede of grace, the which seed is mother of all sikernesse, & this seed is eager & hote. The grace of this seed springeth of God, through remembraunce on y^• day of doome, and on the paines of hell. Of this mat∣ter saith Salomon, * That in y^e drede of God man forletteth his sinne. The heat of this seed is y^e loue of God, and the desiring of the joy perdurable: This heat draweth the heart of man to God, & doth him hate his sinne: For soothly there is nothing that sauoureth so wel to a child, as y^e milke of his nurce, ne no∣thing is to him more abhominable than that milke, when it is meddled with other meate. Right so the sinfull man y^• loueth his sinne, him seemeth, that it is to him most sweete of any thing: but fro y^t time hee loueth sadly our lord Iesu Christ, and desireth y^e life per∣durable, there is to him nothing more abho∣minable: for soothly, The law of God is y^e loue of God. For which Dauid the prophet sayth: I haue loued thy law, and hated wickednesse: He that loueth God, keepeth his lawe & his word.

This tree saw the Prophet Daniel in spi∣rit, on y^e vision of Nabuchodonosor, when he counsayled him to doe penitence. Pennaunce is the tree of life, to hem that it receyue: & he that holdeth him in very penitence, is bles∣sed, after the sentence of Salomon. In this penitence or contrition, man shall vnderstond foure things, that is to say: What is contri∣tion, and which beene y^e causes that moove a man to contrition, & how hee should be con∣trite, and what contrition auayleth to the soule. Then is it thus, that contrition is y^• very sorrow y^t a man receiueth in his heart for his sinnes, with sad purpose to shriue him, and to doe pennaunce, & neuer more to doe sinne: And this sorrow shal be in this manner, as sayeth Saint Bernard, * It shall be heauie and greeuous, and full sharpe & poinant in heart.

First, for a man hath agilted his Lord & his Creator, and more sharpe and poinaunt, for he hath agilted his father celestiall: And yet more sharpe and poynaunt, for hee hath wrathed and agilted him that boughte him, that with his precious bloud hath deliuered vs fro the bondes of sinne, and fro y^e cruelte of the deuill, and from the paines of hell.

The causes y^t ought moue a man to con∣tricion bene fixe. First, a man shall remembre

him of his sinnes, But loke that that remem∣braunce ne bee to him no delite, by no waye, but greate shame and sorowe for his sinnes. For Iob sayth, sinfull men done werkes wor∣thie of confession. And therefore sayeth Eze∣chiell: * I woll remember me all y^e yeres of my life, in the bitternesse of my herte. And God saieth in the Apocalipse: Remember ye from whence that ye been fall, for before that time that ye sinned, ye were children of God, and limmes of the reigne of God: But for your sinne ye ben waren thral and foule, & mem∣bres of y^e fende: hate of Angels, slaunder of holye churche, and foode of the false Serpent, perpetuall matter of the fire of hell: And yet more foule and abhominable, for ye trespasse so oft times, as doeth an hounde that retur∣neth ayen to eate his owne spewing: & yet be ye fouler, for your long continuing in sinne, and your sinfull vsage, for which ye bee roted in your sinne, as a beeste in his donge. Suche manner of thoughtes make a manne to have shame of his sinne, & no delite. As God saith, by y^e Prophet Ezechiel: * Ye shall remembre you of your ways, and they shull displese you sothly. Sinnes ben the waies that lede folke to Hell.

THe second cause that ought make a man to have disdaine of sinne is this, that as saith saint Peter: * Who so doth sinne, is thrall of sinne, and sinne putteth a manne in great thraldome. And therefore saieth the prophet Ezechiell: * I went sorrowfull, in dis∣daine of my selfe. Certes, well ought a man have disdaine of sinne, and withdrawe him fro that thraldome and villany. And lo, w^t saieth Seneke in this matter, he saith thus: * Though I wist, that neither God ne manne should neuer know it, yet would I have dis∣daine for to doe sinne. And the same Seneke also sayeth: * I am borne to greater thinge, than to be thrall to my body, or for to make of my body a thrall. Ne a fouler thrall may no man ne woman make of his bodie, than for to yeue his body to sinne, all were it the fou∣lest churle, or the foulest woman that liueth, and least of value, yet is he then more foule, and more in seruitude. Euer fro the higher degree y^t man falleth, the more is he thrall, and more to God and to the world vile and abhominable. O good God, well ought man have great disdaine of sinne, sith y^t through sinne, there hee was free, he is made bond. And therefore saieth saint Augustine: * If thou hast disdaine of thy seruaunt, if hee offend or sinne, have thou then disdaine, that thou thy selfe shouldest do sinne. Take regard of thine own value, that thou ne bee too foule to thy selfe. Alas, well ought they then have dis∣daine to bee seruaunts and thralles to sinne, and sore to be ashamed of themself, that God of his endlesse goodnesse hath sette in high estate, or yeue hem witte, strength of bodye, heale, beautie, or prosperitie, and bought hem fro the death with his hert blood, that they so vnkindly ayenst his gentlenesse, quite him so villanously, to slaughter of her owne soules. Oh good God, ye women that been of great beautie, remembreth you on the prouerbe of Salomon, * He saieth he likeneth a faire wo∣man, that is a foole of her bodie, to a ring of gold that were worne on the groine of a sow: For right as a sowe wroteth in euery ordure, so wroteth she her beautie in stinking ordure of sinne.

THe third cause that ought meue a man to contrition, is dread of the day of doome, and of the horrible pains of hell. For as saint Ierome sayeth: * At euery time that me remembreth of the day of doome, I quake: For when I eate and drinke, or what so that I do, euer seemeth me y^• the trompe sowneth in mine eare: Riseth ye vp that been ded, and cometh to the judgement. O good God, muche ought a manne to drede such a judgment, there as we shall be all, * as Saint Poule sayeth, before the seat of oure Lorde Iesu Christ, whereas he shal make a generall congregation, whereas no man may bee ab∣sent, for certes there auaileth none essoyne ne excusation, and not onely, that our defaults shall be judged, but also that all our werkes shall openly be knowne. And as sayeth saint Bernard, * There ne shall no pleading auaile, ne no sleight: We shall yeue reckoning of eue∣rie idle word. There shall we haue a judge that may not bee deceiued ne corrupt, and why? For certes, all our thoughts been disco∣uered, as to him: ne for prayer ne for mede, he shall not be corrupt. And therefore saith Sa∣lomon: * The wrath of God ne woll not spare no wight, for prayer ne for yeft. And there∣fore at the day of doome there is no hope to escape. Wherfore, as saith saint Anselme: * Full great anguish shall y^e sinnefull folke haue at y^t time: There shall y^e fiers & wroth iudge sitte aboue, and vnder him the horrible pitte of hell open, to destroy him y^t must be knowe his sinnes, which sinnes openly beene shewed before God & before euery creature: And on the left side, mo Diuels than anie heart may thinke, for to hale and drawe the sinfull soules to the paine of hell: and within the hearts of folke shall be the biting consci∣ence, and without forth shall bee the world all brenning: whither shall then the wretched sinful man flie to hide him? Certes he may not hide him, he must come forth and shewe him. For certes, as saith S. Ierom, the earth shall cast him out of it, and the see also, and y^• ayre that shall be ful of thonder clappes and light∣nings. Now sothly, who so well remembreth him of these thinges, I gesse that his sinne shall not turne him in delite, but to great sor∣rowe, for drede of the paine of hell. And there∣fore saith Iob to God: * suffer lord y^t I may a while bewaile and wepe, er I goe without returning to the darke londe, couered with the derkenesse of death, to the londe of misese and of derkenesse, whereas is the shadowe of

death, where as there is none order or ordi∣naunce, but fearfull drede that ever shall last. Lo, here may you see, that Iob prayed respite a while, to bewepe and waile his trespasse: For sothely one day of respite is better than all the treasure of this world. And for as much as a man may acquite himselfe before god by pe∣nitence in this world, & not by treasure, there∣fore should he pray to God to yeue him respite a while, to bewepe & waile his trespasse: for certes, all the sorow that a man might make fro y^• beginning of the world, nis but a little thing, at regarde of the sorrow of hell. The cause why that Iob calleth hell the londe of derkenesse, understondeth that he calleth it londe or earth, for it is stable and never shall faile, & derke: For he that is in hell hath de∣faute of light materiall, for certes the derke light that shall come out of the fire that ever shall brenne, shall turn him all to pain y^e is in hell, for it sheweth him to the horrible Di∣uels that him turmenteth, covered with y^e derkenesse of death, that is to say, * That hee that is in hell, shall have defaut of y^e sight of God: for certes the sight of god is y^e life per∣durable. The derknes of death, been y^• sins that y^e wretched man hath don, which that disturb him to see y^e face of God, right as the derke cloud betwixt us and y^• sunne. Londe of misese, because y^t there been three maner of defautes ayenst three things that folke of this world have in this present life, that is to say: honours, delices, & richesse. Ayenst ho∣nour have they in hell shame and confusion: For well ye wote, that men call honour y^e re∣verence y^• man doth to man, but in hell is none honour ne reverence. For certes no more reverence shal be do there to a king, than to a knave. For which God sayth by the Prophet Ieremie: Those folke that me dispise, shal be in dispite. Honour is also called great lorde∣ship: there shall no wight serve other: but of harme and turment. Honour is also called great dignitie and highnesse, but in hell shall they be all fortroden of divels. As God saith: the horrible Devils shall goe and come upon the heddes of damned folke: and this is, for as much as the higher that they were in this present life, y^• more shall they be abated and defoiled in hell. Ayenste the richesse of this world shall they have misese of poverte, that shall be in four thinges. In defaut of trea∣sure. Of which David saith: * The rich folk that embrace & knit all her hert to treasour of this world, shall sleep in the sleeping of death, and nothing ne shull they find in her hondes of all her tresour. And moreover, y^e misease of hell shall be in defaut of meat and drinke. For God sayeth thus by Moyses: * They shall bee wasted with hunger, and the byrdes of hell shall devour hem with bitter death, and y^e gall of the Dragon shall be her drinke, and y^• venum of the Dragon her mor∣sels. Also her misease shall be in defaut of clo∣thing, for they shall be naked in bodie, as of clothing, saue the fire in which they brenne, and other filthes: and naked shall they be of soule, of all manner vertues, which that is y^e clothing of the soule, Where been than the gay robes, y^e soft shetes, and y^e small sherts? Lo, what sayth God of hem by the Prophet Esaie, * That under hem shall bee strewed moughtes, and her covertures shall bee of worms of hell. Also her misease shall be in de∣faut of friends, for he is not poor y^e hath good frends: but ther is no frend, for neither God ne no creature shall be frend to hem, and ech of hem shall hate other with deadly hate: The sonnes and the doughters shall rebell ayenst father and mother, and kinred ayenst kinred, chide, and dispise each other, both day and night, as God sayeth by the prophet Miche∣as: * And y^• loving children that whilom lo∣ved so fleshly ech other, would ech of hem eat other if they might. * For how should they love together in the paines of hell, when they ha∣ted eche other in prosperity of this life? for trust well, her fleshly love was deedly hate. As saith y^• Prophet David: Whoso that loveth wickednesse, he hateth his soul, and who so ha∣teth his own soul, certes he may love none other wight in no maner: And therefore in hel is no solace ne no frendship, but ever y^e more kinredes that ben in hell, y^• more cursinges, the more chidinges, and y^e more deadly hate there is among hem. Also they shall have de∣faut of all manner delices, for certes delices ben after the appetites of y^e five wittes: As sight, hearing, smelling, favouring, and tou∣ching. But in Hell her sight shall be full of derkenesse and of smoke, & therefore full of teares, and her hearing full of wailing and grinting of teeth: As saith Iesu Christ. Her nosthrilles shall bee full of stinking. And, as saith Esay y^e Prophet: Her savouring shall be full of bitter gall, & as touching of all her bodies, icovered with fire, that never shall quench, and with wormes that never shall die. As God sayth by y^• mouth of Esay: and for as much as they shall not wene that they may die for pain, and by death flye fro pain, that they may understond in the wordes of Iob, that saieth: There is the shadow of death. Certes a shadow hath likenesse of the thing of which it is shadowed, but shadow is not the same thing of which it is sha∣dowed: right so fareth the pain of Hell, it is like death, for y^e horrible anguish. And why? For it paineth hem ever as though they shold die anon, but certes they shall not die. For as saith saint Greg. * To wretched caitiffes shall be death without death, and end without end, and defaut without fayling, for her death shall alway live, and her end shall ever more begin, and her defaut shall not faile.

And therefore sayth saint Iohn the Evan∣gelist, * They shall follow death, & they shall not find him, and they shall desire to die, and death shall flie from hem. And also Iob saith, That in hell is no order or rule. And all be it so, y^• God hath create all thing in right order, and nothing without order, but all things

been ordred and numbred, yet nathelesse they that been dampned been nothing in order, ne hold none order, for y^e earth ne shall bere hem no fruit. For, as the Prophet David sayth: God shall destroy y^e fruit of the earth, as for hem, ne water, ne shall yeve hem no moisture, ne the ayre no refreshing, ne fire no light. For as saith saint Basilie: * The brenning of y^• fire of this world shall God yeve in hell to hem that been dampned, but y^e light and the clearnesse shall he yeve in Heaven to his chil∣dren: right as good men yeve flesh to her chil∣dren, and bones to her hounds. And for they shall have none hope to escape, sayeth sainct Iob at last, * That there shall terrour & gresly drede dwell without end. Horrour is al∣way drede that is to come, & this drede shall alway dwell in the hearts of hem that bee dampned. And therfore have they lost all her hope for seven causes. First, for God that is her judge shall be without mercy to hem, and they may not please him, ne none of his saints, ne they may not yeve nothing for her raun∣some, ne they shall have no voice to speake to him, ne they may not fly fro pain, ne they have no goodnesse in hem y^t they may shew to deliver hem fro pain. And therefore saith Salomon: * The wicked man dyeth, and when he is dead, he shall have no hope to es∣cape fro paine. Who so then would well un∣derstond the paines, and bethinke him well that hee hath deserved those paines for his sinnes, certes he should have more talent to sighe and weepe, than for to singe and playe. For as saith Salomon, * Who so that had y^e science to know the paines that ben ordained for sinne, he would make sorowe. That sci∣ence, as saith Saint Austin, maketh a man to weiment in his heart.

THE fourth pointe that oughte make a man have contrition, is the sorowfull remembraunce of the good that hee hath left to doe heare in earthe, and also the good that he hath lost. Sothly the good werkes that hee hath lefte, either they be the good werkes that hee wrought er hee fell in deadly sinne, or else y^• good werkes that hee wrought while hee laie in sinne. Sothly the good werkes that he did before that he fell in sinne, been all mortified, astoned, & dull by oft sin∣ning. The werkes that hee did while hee lay in sin, he dead, as to y^e life perdurable in hea∣ven: then the good werkes that been mortifi∣ed by oft sinning, which he did being in cha∣rite, may not quick ayen without very peni∣tence. And of it sayth God by the mouth of Ezechiel: * If y^e rightfull man retourn ayen fro his rightwisenesse and do wickednes, shall he live? nay, for all y^• good werkes that hee hath do, ne shall neuer be in remembrance, for he shall die in his sinne. And upon y^• chap∣ter sayth saint Gregory thus, that wee shall understond this principally: * If y^• we done deadly sinne, it is for nought then to rehearse or draw into memory the good werkes that wee have wrought before: for certes in the werking of deadly sinne, there is no trust ta no good werke y^t we have doen before, that is to say, as for to have thereby the life perdu∣rable in Heaven. But nathelesse, y^e good werks quicken and come againe, and helpe and a¦vaile to have the life perdurable in Heaven, when we have contricion: but soothly y^• good werkes that men don while they be in deedly sinne, for as much as they were doen in deed¦ly sinne, they may never quicke: For certes, thing that never had life, may never quick: And nathelesse, albeit that they avail not to have the life perdurable, yet availe they to a∣bredge of y^• pain of hell, or els to get tempo∣rall richesses, or els that God woll y^• rather enlumine or light the heart of y^• sinfull man to have repentaunce, and eke they availe for to use a manne to do good werkes, that the feende have the lesse power of his soul. And thus the curteis Lord Iesu Christ, ne woll that no good work bee loste, for in somewhat it shall availe. But for as much as the good werkes that menne doen while they been in good life, been all amortised by sinne follow∣ing: and also sithe that all y^e good werkes that men doon while they bee in dedly sinne, been utterly dead, as for to have the life per∣durable, well may that manne that no good werke ne doeth, sing that new fresh song (lay tout pardu mon temps, et mon labure.) * For certes sinne bereaveth a man both goodnesse of nature, & also the goodnesse of grace. For soothly the grace of the holy ghost, fareth like fire that may not be idle, for fire faileth anon as it foreletteth his werking: and right so grace fayleth anon, as it foreletteth his wer∣king. Then leseth the sinfull man the good∣nesse of glory, that only is beheight to good men that labour and werk. Well may he be sory then, that oweth all his life to God, as long as he hath lived, and also as long as he shall live, that no goodnesse ne hath to paie with his debt to God, to whom he oweth all his life: * for trust well he shall yeve accompts as sayth Saint Bernard, of all the goodes that have been yeve him in this present life, and how he hath hem dispended, in so much that there shall not perishe an heere of his hedde, ne a moment of an houre ne shall not perishe of his time, that hee ne shall yeve of it a reckoning.

THE fifthe thinge that ought to moove a man to contricion, is remembraunce of the passion that our Lorde Iesu Christ suffe∣red for our sinnes. For as saieth saint Ber∣narde, * While that I live, I shall have re∣membraunce of the travailes, that our Lord Iesu Christ suffered in preaching, his weari∣nesse in travailing, his temptations when he fasted, his long wakings when he praied, his veares when that he wept for pite of good people: the woe, y^e shame, and the filthe that men said to him: of the foule spitting that menne spitte in his face, of the buffettes that

men yave him: of the foule mowes & of the reproves that men said to him: of the nailes with which hee was nailed to the crosse, and of all y^e remnaunt of his passion, that he suf∣fred for my sinnes, and nothing for his gilte.

And ye shall understond, y^t in mans sinne is every manner order or ordinance, tourned up so doune. For it is soth, y^t God, reason, sensualite, and the bodie of man, been ordai∣ned that eche of these four things should have lordship over that other: as thus, God should have lordship over reason, and reason over sensualite, and sensualite over the body of man. But sothly when man sinneth, all this order or ordinance, is turned up so doun. And therefore then, for as moche as reason of man, ne woll not be subject ne obeysaunt to God, that is his Lord by right, therefore leseth it the worship that it should have over sensualite, and also over the bodie of manne. And why? For sensualite rebelleth than ayenst reason: and by that way leeseth reason the lordship over sensualite, and over the body: For right as reason is rebell to God, right so is both sensualite rebell to reason, and to the body also. And certes this disordinaunce & this rebellion, our Lord Iesu Christ bought upon his precious body full deere: and herke∣neth in what wise. * For as much then as reason is rebell to God, therefore is man wor∣thy to have sorow, and to be dede. This suf∣fred our Lord Iesu Christ for manne, after that he had be betraied of his disciple, & di∣strained and bound, so that his blood brast out at every naile of his hondes, as saith S. Augustin. And ferthermore, for as much as reason of manne, woll not daunt sensualite, when it may, therefore is manne worthy to have shame: and this suffered our Lord Iesu Christ for man, when they spit in his visage. And ferthermore, for as muche then as the caitiffe body of man, is rebell both to reason & to sensualite, therefore it is worthy death: & this suffered our Lord Iesu Christ upon y^e Crosse, whereas there was no part of his bo∣dy free, without great paine and bitter pas∣sion: & all this suffred our Lord Iesu Christ that never forfaited. And therefore reaso∣nably may be said of Iesu in this maner: To much am I pained, for things that I never deserved: and to much defouled for shame that man is worthy to have. And therefore may the sinfull man well say, as sayth saint Bernard: * Accursed be the bitternesse of my sinne, for whiche there must bee suffered so much bitternesse. For certes, after the divers discordance of our wickednesse, was the pas∣sion of Iesu Christ ordained in divers things, as thus: Certes sinfull mannes soul is be∣traied of the Divell, by covetise of temporall prosperite, and scorned by deceit, when that he cheseth fleshly delices, and yet it is turmen∣ted by impatience of adversity, and bespet by servage and subjection of sinne, and at the last it is slain finally. For this disordinaunce of sinfull man, was Iesus Christ first betraid, and after that was hee bound, that came for to unbind us of sinne and of paine. Then was he bescorned, that only should have bee honoured in all things. Then was his visage that ought be desired to bee seen of all man∣kind (in which visage Angels desire to look) villainously bespet. Then was he scourged that nothing had trespassed, and finally, then was he crucified & slain. Then was accom∣plished the words of Esaie: * He was woun∣ded for our misdeeds, and defoiled for our felonies. Now sith that Iesu Christ took on him the pain of all our wickednesses, moche ought sinfull man wepe and bewaile, that for his sinnes, Gods sonne of Heaven should all this pain endure.

THE Sixt thing that should meve a man to contricion, is the hope of thre things, that is to say: forye venesse of sinne, and the gift of grace for to doe well, and the glory of Heaven with whiche God shall rewarde manne for his good deeds: And for as much as Iesu Christ, yeveth us these gifts of his largenesse, and of his Sovereigne bountie, therefore is hee called (Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum) Iesus is to say, saviour or salvati∣on, on whom men shal hope to have foryeve∣nesse of sinnes, which that is properly salva∣tion of sinnes. And therefore sayd the Angell to Ioseph, Thou shalt call his name Iesus, that shall save his people of her sinnes. And hereof saith Saint Peter: * There is none other name under Heaven, that is yeve to any man, by which a man may be saved, but onely Iesus. Nazarenus is as much for to say, as flourishing, in which a man shall hope that hee that yeveth him remission of sinnes, shall yeve him also grace well for to doe. * I was at the doore of thine herte, sayth Iesus, and called for to enter: He that openeth to me, shall have foryevenesse of his sinne. I woll enter into him by my grace, and sup with him by the good werkes that hee shall doe, which werkes been the food of the soule, and he shall suppe with me, by the great joye that I shall yeve him. Thus shall man hope for his werkes of penaunce, that GOD shall yeve him his reign, as he behight him in the Gospell. Now shall a man understonde, in which manner shall be his contricion: I say, that it shall be universall and totall, this is to say: a man shall be very repentant for all his sinnes that hee hath dooen in delite of his thought, for it is right perillous.

For there been two manner of consen∣tings that one of hem is called consenting of affection, when a man is moved to do sin, and then deliteth him longe, for to think on that sinne, & his reason apperceiveth it wel, that it is sinne ayenst the Law of God, and yet his reason refraineth not his foule delite on talent, though he see well apertly, y^t it is ayenst the reverence of God, although his reason consent not to do y^t sinne indeed: yet say some Doctours, that soche delite that

dwelleth longe is full perillous, albeit never so little. And also a man should sorrow, name∣ly for all that ever he hath desired ayenst the Law of God, with perfite consenting of his reason, for thereof is no doubte, that it is deadly sinne in consenting: for certes there is no deadly sinne, but that it is first in mans thought, and after that in his delite, and so forth into consenting, and into deed. Wher∣fore I say that many men, ne repent hem ne∣ver of such thoughts and delices, ne never shrive hem of it, but only of the deed of great sinnes outward: wherefore, I say that soche wicked delites been subtill begilers of hem that shall be dampned.

Moreover, man ought to sorowe for his wicked words, as well as for his wicked deeds: for certes the repentance of a singuler sinne, and not repentant of all his other sins: or else repent him of all his other sinnes, and not of a singuler sinne, may not availe: * For certes GOD almighty is all good, and therefore, either he foryeveth all, or else right nought. And therefore saith saint Augustin: I wote certainly, that God is enemy to eve∣ry sinner: and how then hee that observeth one sinne, shall hee have foryevenesse of those other sinnes? Nay. And moreover, contri∣cion should bee wonder sorowfull and angui∣shous: and therefore yeveth him God plainly his mercy: and therefore when my soul was anguished, and sorowful within me, then had I remembrance of God, y^t my prayer might come to him. Ferthermore, contricion must be continuall, and that manne have stedfast purpose to shrive him, and to amend him of his life. For sothly while contricion lasteth, man may ever hope to have foryevenes. And of this cometh hate of sinne, that destroyeth both sinne in himself, and also in other folke at his power. For which saith David: * They that love God, hate wickednesse: For to love GOD, is for to love that he loveth, and hate that he hateth. The last thing y^t men shall understand is this, Wherefore availeth con∣trition? I say, y^t contricion sometime delive∣reth man fro sinne: Of which David saith, I say (said David) I purposed firmely to shrive me, and thou Lord releasedest my sin. And right so as contricion availeth not with∣out sad purpose of shrift, if man have oppertu∣nity, right so little worth is shrift or satisfacti∣on without contrition. And moreover con∣tricion destroyeth the prison of hell, and ma∣keth weak and feeble all the strengths of the Devils, and restoreth the yeftes of the holy Ghost, and of all good vertues, and it clean∣seth the soule of sinne, and delivereth it fro the paine of hell, and fro the company of the Devill, and fro the servage of sinne, and re∣storeth it to all goods spirituals, and to the company and communion of holy Church. Ferthermore, it maketh him that whilome was sonne of yre, to be the sonne of Grace: And all these things been prooved by holy writ. And therefore he that would set his en∣tent to these things, he were full wise: for tru∣ly he ne should have then in all his life cou∣rage to sinne, but yeve his heart and body to serve Christ, and thereof doe him homage. For truly our Lord hath spared us so meekly in our foilies, that if he ne had pity of mans soule, a sorry song might we all sing.

Explicit prima pars poenitentiae: & incipit pars secunda.

THE second part of penitence is Confession, that is a signe of con∣tricion. Now shull yee understond what is Confession, and it ought needs bee doen or no: and which thinges be covenable to very confession.

First shalt thou understonde, that confes∣sion is very shewing of sinnes to the Priest: this is to say very, for hee must confesse him of all the conditions that belong to his sin, as ferforthe as hee can: all must bee sayed, and nothing excused ne hid, * And not a∣vaunt thee of thy good werkes. Also it is necessarie to understonde whence that sinnes springe, and howe they entere, and which they beene.

Of the spring of sins, saith Saint Poule in this wise: * That right as by one man sinne entred first into this world, and through sin death, right so the death entreth into all men that sinne: and this man was Adam, by whom sin entred into this world, when he broke the commandment of God. And ther∣fore he that first was so mighty, that hee ne shuld have died, became so that he must needs die, whether he would or no, and all his pro∣genie in this world, that in the sayed man sinned. Look that in the estate of innocency, when Adam and Eve were naked in Para∣dise, and shamed not hereof, how the serpent, wilyest of all other beasis y^• GOD made, said to the woman: Why commanded God you, that ye should not eate of every tree in Paradise: The woman answered: Of the fruit said she of trees of Paradise we feed us, but of the fruit of the middle tree of Paradise God forbode us to eate and touch, least wee should die. The Serpent sayd to the wo∣man: Nay, nay, ye shall not die of death, for sooth God wotte, that what day that ye eate thereof your eyen shall open, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good & harme. The wo∣man then saw that the tree was good to fee∣ding, and fair to the eyen, and delectable to sight, she took of the fruit of the tree and did eat, and yave to her husbond, and he eat, and anon the eyen of hem both opened: & when that they knewe that they were naked, they sowed of Figg leaves in manner of breches, to hide her members. There may ye see That deadly sin hath first suggestion of the sende, as sheweth here by the Adder: and afterward the delight of the flesh, as sheweth by Eve, & after that, consenting of reason, as sheweth here by Adam. For trust well, though so it

were, that the fende tempted Eve, that is to say, the flesh, and the flesh had delight in the beauty of the fruit defended: yet certes till that reason, that is to say, Adam consented to the eating of the fruit, yet stoode hee in the state of innocency. Of the sayd Adam tooke wee the sayd originall sinne, for of him fleshly discended bee wee all, and engendred of vile and corrupt matter: And when the soule is put in our bodies, right anon is contract ori∣ginall sinne, and that that was erst, but one∣ly pain of concupiscence, is afterward both paine and sinne: and therefore wee been all borne sonnes of wrath, and of dampnation perdurable, if it nere Baptisme that wee re∣ceive, which benimmeth us the coulpe: but forsoth the pine dwelleth with us as to temp∣tation, which pine hight concupiscence. This concupiscence when it is wrongfully disposed or ordained in man, it maketh him covet by covetise of flesh, fleshly sin by sight of his eyen, as to yerthly thinges, and also covetise of highnesse by pride of heart.

Now as to speake of the first covetise, that is concupiscence, after the law of our mem∣bers, that were lawfully made, and by right∣full judgment of God, I say, * For as much as man is not obeisant to God, that is his Lorde, therefore is the flesh to him disobei∣saunt through concupiscence, whiche is cal∣led nourishing of sinne, and occasion of sinne. Therefore, all the while that a manne hath within him the pine of concupiscence, it is im∣possible, but he bee tempted sometime, and moved in his flesh to sin. And this thing may not faile as long as he liveth. It may well wax feeble by vertue of Baptisme, and by the grace of God through penitence, but fully ne shall it never quench, that hee ne shall some∣time be mooved in himself, but if he were all refrained by sicknesse, or by malice of sorcery, or cold drinks. For lo, what saith S. Poule: the flesh coveteth ayenst the spirite, and the spirite ayenst the flesh: they been so contrary and so striven, that a manne may not alway do as he would. The same S. Poule, after his great Pennance, in water and in lond: in water by night and by day, in great peril, and in great paine: in londe, famine and thurst, cold and clothlesse, and ones stoned almost to death: Yet (said he) alas, I caitiffe manne, who shall deliver me fro the prison of my cai∣tiffe body? And saint Ierom, when hee long time had dwelled in desert, whereas hee had no company but of wilde beastes, where as hee had no meate, but herbes, and water to drinke, ne no bed, but the naked earth, where∣fore his flesh was blacke, as an Ethyopian for heat, and nie destroyed for cold: Yet (said he) that the brenning of lechery boyled in all his body. Wherefore I wot well that they bee deceived that say, they be not tempted in her bodies. Witnes S. Iames that saith, * That every wight is tempted in his owne conscience, y^• is to say: That ech of us hath matter and occasion, to be tempted of the no∣rishing of sinne, that is in his body. And ther∣fore saith saint Iohn the Evangelist: If wee say that we been without sinne, wee deceive our selfe, and truth is not in us. Now shall ye understond, how sin waxeth and increaseth in man. The first thing is the same nourish∣ing of sinne, of which I spake before, the flesh∣ly concupiscence: and after that, commeth suggestion of the Devill, this is to say, y^e De∣vils belous, with which he bloweth in man, the fire of concupisence: & after that, a man bethinketh him whether hee woll doe or no that thing to which he is tempted. And then if a man withstond and weive the first inti∣sing of his flesh, and of the fiend, then it is no sinne: and if so be he doe not, then feeleth he anon a flame of delight, and then it is good to beware and keep him well, or els he woll fall anone to consenting of sinne, and then woll he do it, if hee may have time and place. And of this matter sayth Moyses by the De∣vill, in this manner: The fiend sayth, I woll chace and pursue man by wicked suggestion, and I woll take him by mooving and ••••irring of sinne, and I woll depart my prise of my preie by deliberation, and my lust shall be ac∣complished in delight, I woll draw my swerd in consenting. For certes, right as a swerde departeth a thing in two peeces, right so con∣senting departeth God fro manne, and then woll I slea him with my honde in deede of sinne: thus sayth the fiend. For certes, then is a man all dead in soule, and thus is sinne accomplished with temptation, by delite and consenting: and then is the sin actuall. For∣sooth sinne is in two maners, either it is veni∣all, or deadly sin. * Sothly, when man loveth any creature, more than Iesu Christ our Creatour, then it is deadly sin: and veniall sin it is, if a man love Iesu Christ lesse than him ought. Forsooth the deed of this veniall sin is full perillous, for it minisheth the love that man should have to God, more & more. And therefore if a man charge himselfe with many such veniall sins, certes, but if so be y^t he sometime discharge him of hem by shrift, they may full lightly minish in him all the love that he hath to Iesu Christ: and in this wise skippeth veniall sinne into deadly sinne. For certes, the more that a man chargeth his soule with veniall sinnes, the more hee is en∣clined to fall into deadly sin. And therefore let us not be negligent, to charge us of veni∣all sinnes. For the Proverb saith, * That ma∣ny small make a great. Hearken this ensam∣ple: A great wave of the sea commeth some∣time with so great a violence, y^t it drouneth the shippe. And the same harme dooth some∣time the small drops of water, that entereth through a little creveis into the timber, and into the bottom of the ship, if men be so neg∣ligent, that they discharge hem not by times. And therefore although there be a difference betwixt these two causes of drowning, al∣gates the ship is drouned. Right so fareth it sometime of deadly sin, and of annoious ve∣niall

sinnes, when they multiplie in man so greatly, that those worldly thinges that hee loueth, through which hee sinneth venially, is as great in his heart as y^e loue of God, or more: & therefore the loue of euery thing y^t is not beset in God, ne done principally for Gods sake, although that a man loue it lesse than God, yet is it veniall sinne; and deadly sin, when the loue of any thing weigheth in the heart of man, as much as y^e loue of God, or more. Deadly sinne, as saith saint Augu∣stine, is, * When a man turneth his heart fro God, whiche that is very soueraigne bounty, that may not chaunge, and yeueth his heart to thing that may chaunge and flit: and cer∣tes, that is euerie thing saue God of heauen. For sooth is, y^t if a man yeue his loue, which that he oweth to God with all his heart, vn∣to a creature, certes, as much of loue as he yeueth to the same creature, so muche he bi∣reaueth fro God, and therefore doth he sinne: for he that is debitour to God, ne yeldeth not to God all his debt, y^t is to say, all the loue of his heart. Nowe sith man vnderstondeth generallye which is veniall sinne, then it is couenable to tell specially of sin, which that many a man, peraduenture, deemeth hem no sinnes, and shriueth him not of the same things, and yet nathelesse they be sins sooth∣ly, as these Clerkes write, this is to say: * At euery tyme that manne eateth or drinketh more than sufficeth to the sustenance of his body, in certain he doth sinne: and also when he speaketh more than it needeth, it is sinne.

Also when he hearkeneth not benignely the complainte of the poore: Also when hee is in heale of bodie, and woll not fast when other folk fast, without cause reasonable: Also when he sleepeth more than needeth, or when he co∣meth perchance to late to the Church, or to o∣ther werkes of charitie: Also when he vseth his wife without soueraigne desire of engen∣drure, to the honour of God, or for the entent to yeeld to his wife debte of his bodie. Also when he woll not visite the sicke, or the priso∣ner, if he may. Also if he loue wife or child, or other worldly thing, more than reason requi∣reth. Also if he flatter or blandise more than him ought for any necessitie. Also if he minish or withdrawe the almose of the poore. Also if he apparaile his meat more deliciously than need is, or eat too hastily by lickorousnes. Al∣so, if he talke vanities at Church, or at Gods seruice, or that he be a talker of idle words, of folly or villanie, for he shall yeeld accompts of it at the day of doome. Also, when hee be∣highteth or assureth to doe thinges that hee maie not perfourme. Also, when that hee by lightnesse or folly, missayeth or scorneth his neighbour. Also, when he hath any wicked suspection of thing, that hee ne wote of soth∣fastnesse. These things and mo without num∣ber be sinnes, as sayth S. Augustine. Nowe shall men vnderstonde, that all be it so that none earthly manne may eschewe all veniall sins, yet may he refrain hem, by the brenning loue that he hath to our Lord Iesu Christ, and by prayers and confession, and other good workes, so that it shall be but little grief. For as saith S. Augustine: * If a man loue God in such manner, that all that euer he doth is the loue of God, or for the loue of God verily, for he brenneth in the loue of God: looke how much that one droppe of water, which doth fall into a great furnace full of fire, annoieth or greueth the brenning of the fire: in like manner annoieth or greueth a venial sin, vn∣to that man which is stedfast and perfite in the loue of our Sauiour Iesu Christ. Ferther∣more, men may also refraine and put awaie veniall sinne, by commening and receiuing worthely y^e body of our Sauiour Iesu Christ. Also, by taking of holy water, by almosedeed, by generall confession of Confite or at Masse, and at Complin, and by blessings of Bishops and Priests, and by other good workes.

De septem peccatis mortalibus, & de eorum de∣pendentiis, circumstantiis, & speciebus.

NOw it is expedient to tell whiche been the seauen deadly sinnes, that is to say, chiefetaines of sinnes. All they ren in o lees, but in diuers manners.

Now been they called seauen sinnes, for as much as they bee chiefe, and springe of all o∣ther sinnes. Of the roote of these seauen sins, then is Pride the generall root of all harms. For of this roote springeth certaine braun∣ches: as Ire, Enuie, Accidie or Slouth, Aua∣rice or Couetise, (to common vnderstonding) Gluttonie, and Lecherie: and each of these chief sinnes haue her braunches and twigs, as it shall bee declared in her Chapiters fol∣lowing. And though so bee that no manne can vtterly tell the number of twigges, and of the harmes that come of Pride, yet woll I shew a part of hem, as ye shall vnderstond. There is inobedience, auaunting, ipocrisie, dispite, errogance, impudence, swelling of hert, insolence, elation, impatience, strife, con∣tumacie, presumption, irreuerence, pertina∣cie, vaineglorie, and many other twigs that I cannot declare. Inobedience, is he that dis∣obeyeth for dispite, the commaundements of God, to his soueraignes, and to his ghostly father. Auaunter, is he that boasteth of the harme or of the bounty y^• he hath done. Ipo∣crite, is he that hideth to shew him such as he is, and sheweth him to seme such as he is not. Dispitous, is he that hath disdain of his nei∣bour, that is to saie, of his euin Christen, or hath dispite to do that him ought to do. Er∣rogance, is hee that thinketh that hee hath those bounties in him that hee hath not, or weneth that hee shoulde haue hem by his de∣serts, or else that he deemeth, he is that he is not. Impudent, is he that for his pride, hath no shame of his pride ne sinne. Swelling of heart, is when man rejoyceth him of harme

that he hath done. Insolence, is he that dis∣piseth in his judgement all other folke, as in regarde of his value, of his cunning, of his speaking, and of his bering. Elation, is when hee ne may neither suffer to haue maister ne fellowe. Impatience, is he that woll not be taught, ne rebuked of his vice, and by strife denyeth truth wittingly, and defendeth his folly. Contumacie, is he that through his in∣dignation, is ayenst euerie aucthoritie or power of hem y^• been his Soueraines. Pre∣sumption, is when a manne vndertaketh an emprise that him ought not to do, or els that he may not doe, and this is called surquidie. Irreuerence, is when man doth not honour there as him ought to do, and looke to be re∣uerenced. Pertinacie, is when men defende her folly, and trust too much on her own wit. Vaineglorie, is for to haue pomp, & delight in his temporall highnesse, and glorye him in worldly estates. Iangling, is when men speak too muche before folke, and clappeth as a mill, and take no keepe what they say.

And yet there is a priuie spece of pride, that waiteth first to bee salewed, or he woll salew, all be he lesse worthye than that other is. And also he waiteth or desireth to sit, or else to go aboue him in the way, or kisse paxe, to be en∣cenced, or go to offring before his neighbour, and suche semblable thinges, ayenst his due∣tie peraduenture, but that hee hath his heart and his entent in suche a proude desire to be magnified and honoured before the people.

Now ben there two maner of prides. One of hem is within the heart of a man, and that other is without. Of whiche foresayd things soothly, and mo than I haue sayd, appertaine to pride, that is in the heart of man, and other speces of pride been without: but nathelesse, that one of these speces of pride, is signe of that other, right as the gaye leuesell at the Tauerne, is signe of the wine that is in the Seller. And this is in many thinges: as in speeche and countenaunce, and outragious arraye of clothing: for certes, if there had ben no sinne in clothing, Christ would not so sone haue noted and spoken of the clothing of the rich menne in the Gospell. And as S. Greg. saith, * That precious cloathing is culpable for the dearth of it, and for his softnesse, and for his straungenesse and disguising: and for the superfluitie, or for the inordinate scantnes of it. Alas, may not a man see as in our daies, the sinnefull costlewe arraie of clothing, and namely in too much superfluitie, or else in too disordinate scantnesse.

As to the firste sin in superfluity of cloath∣inge, suche that maketh it so deare, to the harme of the people, not onely the coste of en∣broudering, the disguised endenting, or bar∣ring, ounding, paling, winding, or bending, and semblable wast of cloth in vanitie: but there is also the costlewe Furring in her gounes, so much pounsing of chesell to make holes, so muche dagging of Sheres, with the superfluitie in length of the foresaide gounes, trayling in y^e dong and in y^e myre, on horse and also on foot, as well of manne as of woman: that all that trayling is verely (as in effect) wasted, consumed, thredbare, and rot∣ten with doung, rather than it is yeue to the poore, to great dammage of the foresaid pore folke, and that in sundrie wise: this is to say, that the more the cloth is wasted, the more must it cost to the poore people for the scarce∣nesse. And moreouer, if so be that they would yeue suche pounsed and dagged clothing to the poore people, it is not conuenient to were for her estate, ne sufficient to her necessitie, to keepe hem fro the distemperaunce of the fir∣mament. Vpon that other side, to speake of the horrible disordinate scantnesse of clothing, as been these cutted sloppes or hanselines, that through her shortenesse couer not the shameful members of man, to wicked entent. Alas, some of hem shew the bosse of her shape, and the horrible swole members that semeth like the maladie of Hernia, in the wrap∣ping of her hosen, and also the buttocks of hem fare as it were the hinder parte of a she Ape in the full of the moone. And moreouer the wretched swoln members that they shew throughe disguising, in departing of her ho∣sen, in white and redde, seemeth that half her shamefull priuy members were flaine. And if so be that they departe her hosen in other co∣lours, as is white and blewe, or white and blacke, or blacke & redde, and so forth: Then seemeth it as by variaunce of colour that the halfe part of her priue members ben corrupt by the fire of saint Anthonie, or by canker, or other suche mischaunce. Of the hinder parte of the buttockes it is full horrible for to see, for certes in that partie of her bodie there as they purge her stinking ordure, that foul par∣tie shew they to the people proudly in dispite of honestie, which honestie that Iesu Christe and his freends obserued to shew in her life. Now as to the outragious arraie of women, God wot, y^t though the visages of some of hem seem full chast and debonaire, yet noti∣fie in her aray or attire, licorousnes and pride: I say not that honestie in clothing of man or woman is vncouenable, but certes the super∣fluitie of disordinate quantitie of clothing is reprouable. Also the sinne of ornament or of apparaile, is in things that appertaine to ri∣ding, as in companie, delicate horses that ben holden for delight, y^• been so faire, fatte, and costlewe, and also in many a nice knaue, that is sustained because of hem, in curious har∣neis, as in saddles, cropers, peitrels, and bri∣dles couered with precious clothing, and rich barres of plates of gould and of siluer. For which God saith by Zacharie the Prophet, I woll confounde the riders of suche horses. These folke take little regarde of y^e riding of Goddes sonne of heauen, and of his harneis, when he rode vpon the Asse, and had none o∣ther harneis but the poore clothes of his dis∣ciples

ne we read not that euer hee rode on other beest. I speak this for y^e sinne of super∣fluitie, and not for reasonable honeste, when reason it requireth. And moreouer, certes pride is greatly notified in holding of great meine, when they been of little profite or of right no profite, & namely when that meine is felonous and dammageous to the people by hardinesse of high lordship, or by way of offices. For certes, such Lordes sell then her lordshippe to the Deuil of Hell, when they sustain the wickednesse of her meine. Or else, when these folke of low degree, as those that keep hostleries, susteine thefte of her hostel∣lers, and that is in many manner of deceits: those maner of folk been y^e flyes that follow the honie, or else the hounds that follow the caraine. Suche foresayde folke strangle spi∣rituelly her lordeships: For suche, thus saith David the Prophet: * Wicked death might come on those lordeshippes, and God yeve that they might descend into hell, all downe, all downe: For in her houses been iniquities and shrewdnesse, and not God of heaven. And certes, till they done amendment, right as God yaue his blessing to Pharao by the seruice of Ioseph, and to Laban by the seruice of Iacob: Right to God will yeue his curse to such lordeshippes as sustaine the wicked∣nesse of her seruaunts, but they come to a∣mendment. Pride of the table appeareth also full oft: for certes, riche menne bee called to feasts, and poore folke been put away and re∣buked. And also in excesse of diuers meates and drinkes, and namely such manner bake meates and dishe meates brenning of wilde fire, peinted and castelled with paper and semblable wast, so that it is abusion to think. And also in too great preciousnesse of vessell, and curiositie of minstralcie, by which a man is sterred more to delices of lecherye, if so bee that he sette his hearte the lesse vppon oure Lord Iesu Christ, certainely it is a sinne. And certainely the delices myght bee so great in this case, that a manne might lightly fall by hem into deadly sinne. The especes that sourde of pride, soothly when they sourde of malice imagined, auysed, and forecaste, or els of vsage, ben deadly sinne, it is no doubt. And when they sourde by freelte vnauised soden∣ly, and sodaynely withdraw ayen, all be they greuous sinnes, I gesse that they be not dead∣ly. Nowe might menne aske, whereof that pride sourdeth and springeth. I say that som∣time it springeth of y^e goods of nature, some∣time of the goodes of fortune, and sometime of the goodes of grace. Certes the goodes of nature stondeth onely in goodes of bodye, or goodes of the soule. Certes, goodes of body ben hele of body, strength, deliuernesse, beau∣ty, gentrie, franchise. Goodes of nature of the soule, ben good with sharpe vnderstonding, subtill engine, vertue naturall, good memory. Goodes of fortune, be riches, hie degrees of lordships, praysinges of the people. Goodes of grace, ben science, power to suffice spiritu∣ell trauaile, benigne, vertuous contempla∣tion, vnderstonding of temptation, and sem∣blable thinges: of which foresayd goods, cer∣tes it is a full great folly, a manne to haue pride in any of hem all. Now, as for to speak of goods of nature, God wote that sometime we haue hem in nature as much to our da∣mage as to our profite. As to speake of hele of body, truely it passeth full lightly, and also it is full oft occasion of sicknesse of the soul: for God wote, * The flesh is a great enemy to the soul: and therfore the more that the body is whole, the more we be in peril to fall. Also for to haue pride in his strength of body, it is an hie folly: for certes y^e flesh coueteth ayenst the spirite: and the more strong that the flesh is, the sorrier may the soule be. And ouer all, this strength of body and worldly hardinesse causeth full ofte many man to perill & mis∣chaunce. And also to have pride of gentry, is right great folly: * For oft time the gentry of the body taketh away the gentry of the soule: and also we been all of o father and mother: & all we ben of o nature, rotten and corrupt, both rich and poore. Forsooth o man∣ner gentry is for to praise, that apparelleth mannes courage: wit, vertue, and morality, maketh him Christs child. * For trust well, That ouer what man that sinne hath may∣stry, he is a very churle to sinne.

Now been there generall signes of gen∣tlenesse: as eschewing of vice and ribaudrye, and seruage of sinne: in word, in werke, and continuance & vsing of vertue, courtesie, and cleanenesse, and to bee liberall: that is to say, large by measure: for that that passeth mea∣sure, is folly and sin: Another is to remember him of bounty, that he of other folk hath re∣ceiued: Another is to be benigne to his good subjects. Wherefore saith Senecke: * There is nothing more couenable to a manne of high estate, than debonairtie and pity. And therefore these flies that men call bees, when they make her king, they chese one that hath no pricke wherewith he may sting.

Another is, manne to haue a noble heart and a dilligent, to attaine to the high vertu∣ous things. Now certes, a manne to haue pride in y^• goods of grace, is also an outragi∣ous folly: for those gifts of grace that should haue tourned him to goodnesse, and to medi∣cine, tourneth him to venome and confusion, as saith saint Gregorie. Certes also, who so hath pride in the goodnesse of fortune, he is a full great foole: For sometime is a manne a great lord by the morne, that is a caitiffe and a wretche or it bee night: and sometime the riches of a man is cause of his death. Some∣time the delices of a manne is cause of gree∣uous maladie, through which he dieth. Cer∣tes, the commendation of y^e people is some∣time full false and brotell for to trust. This day they praise, to morrow they blame. God wote, desire to haue commendation of the

people, hath caused death to manie a busie manne. Now sith that so is, that yee have vnderstond what is pride, and which bee the speces of it, and whence it sourdeth & spring∣eth: now yee shall vnderstond which is the remedie ayenst it. Humility or meekenesse is the remedy ayenst pride, that is a vertue, tho∣row which a manne hath very knowledge of himselfe, and holdeth of himselfe nor price ne daintie, as in regard of his desertes, consi∣dering euer his freelte. Now been there three manner of humilities: As humility in heart, another humility is in mouth, and the third is in works. The humility in hert is in foure manners: That one is, when a man holdeth himselfe as nought worth before God of heauen. The second is, when he despiseth none other man. The third is, when hee ne recketh nat though men holde him nought worth. And the fourth is, when he is not sorry of his humiliation. Also the humility of mouth is in four things. In a temperate speech, in humility of speech, & when he con∣fesseth with his own mouth, that he is such as him thinketh that he is in his heart: Ano∣ther is, when he praiseth the bounty of ano∣ther man & nothing thereof minisheth. Humi∣litie also in werke, is in four maners. The first is, when he putteth other men before him, the second is, to these the lowest place ouer al, the third is, gladly to assent to good counsail, the fourth is, to stond gladly to the award of his souereigns, or of him that is in hier degre: Certain this is great werke of humilitie.

¶De Invidia.

AFter pride woll I speak of the foul sin of Enuye, which that is after the worde of the Philosopher, sorowe of other mens prosperitie. And after the worde of Saint Augustine: * It is the sorow of other mens weal, and the ioy of other mens harme. This foule sinne is platly ayenst the holy Ghost: All be it so, that euerie sinne is ayenst the holy Ghoste, Yet nathe∣lesse, for as much as bountie appertaineth properly to the holy Ghost, and Enuy com∣eth properly of malice, therefore it is pro∣perly ayenst the bountie of the holye Ghost. Now hath malice two speces, that is to say, hardnes of hart in wickednes, or else the flesh of a manne is so blind, that he consi∣dreth not that he is in sinne, or recketh not that he is in sinne, which is the hardinesse of the Diuell. That other spece of En∣uie is, when that a man dennieth trouth, when he knoweth that it is trouth, and also when he repenteth the grace that god hath yeue to his neighbour: and all this is by Enuie. Certes, then is Enuie the worst sin that is, for soothly all other sins be some∣time onely ayenst a special vertue: but cer∣tes, enuy is ayenst all vertues and all good∣nesse. For it is sory ayenst all the bounties of her neighbour, and in this manner it is di∣uers from all other sins. Alas: * For there ne is any sin that it ne hath some delight in it self, saue only Enuy, that euer hath in it self anguish & sorrow. The speces of Enuy ben these: there is first sorrow of other mennes goodnesse and of her prosperitie, and prospe∣ritie is kindly matter of joy: Then is enuy a sinne ayenst kind. The second spece of En∣uy, is ioy of other mennes harme, and that is properly like to y^e Diuell, that euer reioy∣seth him of mannes harme. Of these two backbiting or detracting hath certain speces, as thus: Some manne praiseth his neigh∣bor by a wicked entent, for he maketh al∣way a wicked knot at the last end: alway he maketh a but at the last end, that is digne of more blame, than is worth all the praising. The second spece is, that if a man be good, or doth or sayth a thing to good intent, y^e back∣biter woll turn all that goodnesse vp so doun, to his shrewd entent. The third is, to amo∣nish the bountie of his Neyghbour. The fourth spece of backbiting is this, that if menne speak goodnesse of a manne, then wol the backbiter say: Perfay such a manne is yet better than he, in dispraising of him that menne prayse. The fifth spece is this, for to consent gladly and herk gladly to the harm that men speak of other folk: This sinne is full great, & aye encreaseth after the wicked entent of y^e backbiter. After backbiting com∣meth grutching or murmuration, and some∣time it springeth of impatience ayenst God, and sometime ayenst manne. Ayenst God it is when a man grutcheth ayenst y^e pain of hel, or ayenst pouertie, or losse of cattel, or ayenst rain or tempest, or els grutcheth that shrews haue prosperitie, or else for that good menne haue aduersitie: and all these things should menne suffer patiently, for they come by the rightful judgment and ordinaunce of God. Sometime cometh grutching of auarice, as Iudas grutched ayenst Maudelein, when she annointed the head of our Lord Iesu Christ with her precious oyntment. This manner murmuring is such as when man grutcheth of goodnesse that himself doth, or that other folk doen of her own cattel. Sometime com∣eth murmure of pride, as when Simon the Pharisee grutched ayenst Maudelein when she approched to Iesu Christ and wept at his feet for her sins. And sometime it sourdeth of Enuie, when men discouer a mans harm that was priuy, or beareth him on hond thing that is false. Murmure also is ofte among servaunts that grutch when her souereigns bid hem do lefull thinges, and for as much as they dare not openly withsaye the com∣maundment of her souereigns, yet wol they say harme and grutche and murmure priue∣ly for very spight: which words they call the diuels Pater noster, though so be that the diuel had neuer Pater noster, but that lewd

folke yeueth it such a name. Sometime it co∣meth of yre or priuie hate, that norisheth ran∣cour in y^e heart, as afterward I shall declare. Then cometh also bitternesse of heart, tho∣row which bitternesse, euery good deed of his neighbor semeth to him bitter and unsauery. Then cometh discord y^t vnbindeth all ma∣ner of friendship. Then commeth scorning of his neighbour, all doe he neuer so well. Then commeth accusing, as when a man seeketh occasion to annoy his neighbor, which is like the craft of the diuel, that waiteth both daye and night to accuse vs all. Then cometh ma∣lignity, through which a manne annoieth his neighbour priuily if he may, and if he maye not, algate his wicked will shall not let, as for to brenne his house priuily, or enpoison or s••ea his beastes, and semblable things. Now woll I speak of the remedie ayenst this foul sin of enuie. First is the loue of God principally, and louing of his neighbour as himselfe: for sooth∣ly that one ne may not be without that other. And trust well that in the name of thy neigh∣bour thou shalt understand the name of thy brother, for certes all we haue one father fleshly, and one mother, that is to say, Adam and Eue: and also one father spirituel, that is God of heauen. Thy neighbor art thou bound for to loue, and will him all goodnesse, and therefore sayth God: Loue thy neighbor as thy self, that is to say, to saluation both of life and soul. And moreouer thou shalt loue him in word and in benig••e admonish∣ing and chastising, and comfort him in his noyaunces, and praye for him withal thy heart. And in deede thou shalt loue him in such wise that thou shalt do to him in charitie, as thou woldest that it were don to thine own person: and therefore thou ne shalt do him no damage in wicked worde, ne harm in his body, ne in his cattel, ne in his soul, by enti∣sing of wicked ensample. Thou shalt not de∣sire his wife, ne none of his things. Vnder∣stond also that in the name of neighbour, is comprehended his enemy: Certes man shal loue his enemy by the commandment of god, and soothly thy friend thou shalt loue in God. I say thine enemy, shalt thou loue for Gods sake, by his commandment: for if it were reason that man should hate his enemy, for∣soth God nold not receiue vs to his loue that been his enemyes. Ayenst three manner of wrongs that his enemy doth to him, he shall do three things as thus: ayenst hate and rancour of heart, he shall loue him in heart: Ayenst chiding & wicked words, he shall pray for his enemy: Ayenst wicked deeds, he shal do him bounty. For Christ sayth: Loue your enemies, & pray for hem that speke you harm, and for hem that chase & pursue you: and do bounty to hem that hate you. Lo, thus com∣maundeth vs our Lord Iesu Christ to do to our enemies: forsooth nature driueth vs to loue our freends, & perfay our enemies haue more need of loue than our freends, & they that more need haue, certes to hem shall men do goodnesse. And certes in that deed haue we remembraunce of the loue of Iesus Christe y^• died for his enemies: And in as much as that loue is more greuous to perfourm, so much is the more great the merit, and ther∣fore the louing of our enemy hath confoun∣ded the diuels venim: * For right as the de∣uil is confounded by humilitie, right so is he wounded to the death by the loue of our ene∣mie: certes then is loue the medicine that ca∣steth out the venim of enuie fro mans heart. The speces of this place shall be more largely declared in her chapters following.

¶De Ira.

AFter Enuy woll I discriue the sinne of Ire: for soothly who so hath Enuy up∣on his Neighbour, anon he woll commonly find him a matter of wrath in word or in deed, ayenst him to whom he hath Enuie: And as well commeth Ire of Pride as of Enuie, for soothly he that is proud or enui∣ous is lightly wroth.

This sin of Ire, after the disriuing of S. Austin, is wicked will to be auenged by word or by deed. * Ire, after the Philosopher, is the feruent blood of man iquicked in his heart, through which he would harm to him that he hateth: for certes the hart of man by es∣chausing and moouing of his blood, waxeth so troubled, y^t it is out of all manner iudg∣ment of reason. But ye shall vnderstond that * Ire is in two manners, that one of hem is good, & that other is wicked. The good ire is by jealousie of goodnes through which a man is wroth with wickednesse, and ayenst wickednesse. And therefore saith a wise man, that yre is bet than play. This ire is with debonairte, and it is wrath without bitter∣nesse: not wroth ayenst the man, but wroth with the misdeed of the manne. As saith the Prophet Dauid: Irascimini, & nolite peccare. Now understond that wicked Ire is in two manners, that is to say, sodain yre or hasty yre without auisement & consenting of rea∣son: The meaning and the sence of this is, that y^e reason of a manne ne consent not to that sodain yre, and then it is venial. Ano∣ther yre is ful wicked, that cometh of felony of heart, auised and cast before with wicked will to do vengeaunce, & thereto his reason consenteth: and soothly this is deadly sinne. This yre is so displeasant to God, y^t it trou∣bleth his house, & chaseth the holy ghost out of mans soul, and wasteth and destroyeth that likenesse of God, that is to say, y^e vertue that is in mans soul, and putteth in him the likenesse of the deuill, and taketh the man fro God that is his rightful Lord. This is a ful great pleasaunce to the deuil, for it is y^e deuils forance that is eschaused with y^• fire of hell: For certes right so as fire is more mightie to destroy earthly things, than any other Ele∣ment,

right so ire is mightie to destroie all spiritual things. Look how that fire of small coles that been almost dead under ashen, wol reuiue or quick ayen when they ben touchen with brimstone, right so yre woll euermore quick ayen, when it is touched by the pride that is couered in mans heart. For certes fire ne may not come out of nothing, but if it were first in the same thing naturally: as fire is drawn out of flints with steele. And right so as pride is many times matter of yre, right so is rancour norice and keeper of Ire. There is a manner tree, as sayth saint Isodore, that when a man maketh a fire of the said tree, and couer the coals of it with ashen, soothly the fire of it will last a yeer or more: And right so fareth it of rancour, when it is ones conceiued in y^• hearts of some men, certes it woll last peraduenture from one Easter day until another Easter day, or more. But certes the same man is full ferre from the mercie of God all that while.

In this foresaid deuils fournace there forge three shrewes: Pride, that aye bloweth and encreaseth the fire, by chiding and wicked words: Then stondeth Enuy, & holdeth hot yron in the fire vpon y^• heart of man, with a payre of long tongs of long rancour: And then stondeth the sin of Contumelie or strife and cheste, and battereth and forgeth by vi∣lainous repreuings. Certes this cursed sin annoyeth both to the man himself, and also his Neighbour. For soothly almost all the harm or damage that any man doth to his Neighbor cometh of wrath: for certes, out∣ragious wrathe doth all that euer the foule fend willeth or commandeth him: for he ne spareth neither our Lord Iesu Christ, neither his sweet mother. And in his outragious an∣ger and yre, alas, alas, full many and diuers at that time, feleth in his heart full wickedly, both of Christ, and also of all his hallowes: Is not this a cursed vice? Yes certes. Alas it taketh fro man his wit & his reason, and all his debonaire life spirituel, that should keep his soul. Certes it withdraweth also Goddes due lordship (& that is mans soul) and the loue of his Neighbors. It striueth also all day ayenst trouth, it reaueth him the quiet of his heart, and subverteth his soul.

Of Ire cometh these stinking engendrures, First, Hate, that is old wrath: Discord, tho∣row which a manne forsaketh his old friend that he hath loued full long: and then com∣meth War, & euery manner of wrong that a man doth to his neighbour in body or in cattel. Of this cursed sin of yre commeth also manslaughter. And understond well that homicide (that is, manslaughter) is in diuers wise.

Some manner of homicide is spirituell, and some is bodily. Spirituell manslaugh∣ter is in vi. things. First by hate, as sayth Saint Iohn: * He that hateth his brother, is an homicide. Homicide is also by backbiting, of which backbiting, sayth Salomon, that they haue two swerds, with which they slay her neighbours: * For soothly as wicked is to take fro him his good name as his life. Ho∣micide is also in yeuing of wicked counsail by fraud, as for to yeue counsayle to areise wrongful customs and talages. Of which, sayth Salomon: * A Lion roring, & a Bear hungrie, be like to the cruel Lords, in with∣holding or abridging of the shepe or the hire of the wages of Seruaunts, or else in vsu∣rie, or in withdrawing of the Alms of poore, folke. For whiche the wise manne sayeth: * Feedeth him that almost dyeth for honger, for soothly but if you feed him you slay him. And all these ben deadly sins. Bodily man∣slaughter is when thou sleest him with thy tongue: Another manner is, when thou com∣maundest to slea a man, or else yeuest coun∣sail to slea a man. Mauslaughter indeed is in four manners. That one is by law, right as a Iustice dampueth him that his culpable to the death: But let the Iustice beware that he doe it rightfully, and that he do it not for delight to spill blood, but for keeping of right∣wisenesse. Another homicide is done for ne∣cessitie, as when a man slayeth another in his defence, and that he ne may none otherwise escape, without slaughter of his aduersarie, he doth sin, and he shall bear pennaunce as for deadly sin. Also if a man by case or ad∣uenture shoot an arrow or cast a stone, with which he slaieth a man, he is an homicide. And if a woman by negligence ouerlyeth her child in her sleeping, it is homicide & deadly sin. Also when a man disturbleth conception of a child, & maketh a woman either barren by drinking of venemous herbes, through which she may not conceiue, or slaieth a child by drinks, or else putteth certain material things in her secret places to slaie the child, or else doth unkindly sin, by which a man or woman sheddeth her nature in manner or in a place there as a child may not be con∣ceiued. Or else if so be that a woman hath conceiued, and hurteth her self, and by that mishap the childe is slain, yet it is homicide. What say we of those women that murde∣ren her children for because of eschewing of worldly shame? Certes, it is an horrible homicide. Homicide is also, if a manne ap∣proche to a woman by desire of letchery, thorow which y^e child is perished: or els smi∣teth a woman wittingly, through which she leseth her child: All these been homicides, & horrible deadly sinnes. Yet come there of ire mo sinnes, as well in worde, as in thought and deede. As he that arreteth upon God, or blameth God of the thing of which he is himself guilty, or despiseth God & all his hal∣lows, as done the cursed hasardors in diuers countries: This cursed sin done they, when they fele in her hert full wickedly of God & of his halowes. Also when they treat unre∣uerently the sacrament of the aulter, that sin

is so great, y^• vnneth it may be releaced, but that the mercy of God passeth all his werks, it is so great, and he so benign. Then com∣meth of Ire an atterly anger, when a man is sharply amonested in his shrift to leaue his sin: Then woll he be angrie, and aunswere hokerly and angerly, or defend or excuse his sin by unstedfastnesse of his fleshe, or else he did it for to hold companie with his fellows, or els he sayth the fiend enticed him, or els he doth it for his youth, or els his complex∣ion is so courageous that he may not for∣bear, or els it is his destinie he sayth unto a certain age, or els he sayth it cometh him of gentlenesse of his auncestors, and semblable things. All these manner of folke so wrappe hem in her sins, that they ne woll not deli∣ver hemself: For soothly, No wight that ex∣cuseth himself wilfully of his sinne, may not be deliuered of his sin, till that he meekly beknoweth his sin. After this then com∣meth swearing, that is expresse ayenste the commandment of God: & this befalleth of∣ten of Anger & of Ire. God sayeth: * Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine or in idle. Also our Lord Iesu Christ sayeth by the word of Saint Mathew: Ne shal ye not swere in all manner, nether by hea∣uen, for it is Gods trone: ne by yearth, for it is the bence of his feet: ne by Hierusalem, for it is y^• city of a great King: ne by thine head, for thou mayest not make an hayre neyther white ne black: but say by your word, yea, yea, nay, nay: and what that is more, it is of euil. Thus sayeth Christ. For Christs sake sweare not so sinnefully in dismembring of Christ, By soul, heart, bones, and body: for certes it seemeth, that ye thinke that the cur∣sed Iewes ne dismembred not ynough y^• pre∣cious person of Christ, but ye dismember him more. And if so be that the law compell you to swear, then ruleth you after y^• law of god in your swearing, as sayeth Ieremie. iiii. cap. * Thou shalt keep three conditions, Thou shalt swear in trouth, in doome, and in right∣wisenes: this is to say, thou shalt swear sooth. For euery lesing is ayenst Christ, for Christ is very trouth. * And think well this, That eue∣ry great swearer, not compelled lawfully to swear, y^• plague shal not depart fro his hous, while he useth such unleful swearing. Thou shalt swear also in dome, when thou art con∣strained by thy doms man to witnes trouth: Also thou shalt not swear for enuie, neyther for fauour, neither for mede or reward, but only for rightwisenesse, & for declaring of it to the honour and worship of God, & to the ayding & help of thine euin Christen. And therefore euery man that taketh Gods name in idle, or falsely sweareth with his mouth, or els taketh on him the name of Christ, to be called a Christen man, & liueth ayenst Christs liuing and his teaching: all they take Gods name in idle. Look also what sayth saint Pe∣ter: Actuum iiii. capitu. Non est aliud nomen sub coelo, &c. There is none other name (sayth saint Peter) under heauen yeue to men, in which they may be saued, that is to say, but the name of Iesu Christ. Take heed eke how precious is the name of Iesu Christ, as sayth S. Poule, ad Philipenses. ii. In nomine Jesu, &c. * That in the name of Iesu euery knee of heauenly creatures, earthly, & of hell, should bow: for it is so high and so worshipful, that the cursed fiend in hell should tremble to hear it named. Then seemeth it, that men that swear so horribly by his blessed name, that they despise it more boldly than the cursed Iews, or els the diuel, that trembleth when he heareth his name.

Now certes, sith y^• swearing (but if it be lawfully done) is so highly defended: much more is forswearing falsely, and yet needlesse.

What say we also of hem that delight hem in swearing, and hold it a gentery or a manly deed to swear great othes? And what of hem that of very usage ne cease not to swear great othes, all be the cause not worth a straw? Certes, this is horrible sin. Swea∣ring suddainly is also a great sin. But let us go now to that horrible sin, swearing of adiuration and conjuration, as done these false Enchauntours or Nigromanters in Basins full of water, or in a bright swerd, in a Circle, in a fire, or in the shoulder bone of a sheep? I cannot say, but that they doe cursedly and damnably ayenst Christ, and all the faith of holy church.

What say we of hem that beleeue on De∣uinales, as by flight or by noise of birds or of beasts, or by sorte, by Geomancie, by dreams, by chirking of dores, or cracking of houses, by gnawing of rats, & such manner wretch∣ednesse? Certes, all these things been de∣fended by God and holy church, for which they been accursed, till they come to amend∣ment, that on such filth set her beleeue. Charms for wounds, or maladie of men, or of beasts, if they take any effect, it may be per∣aduenture y^• God suffereth it, for folk should yeue the more faith & reuerence to his name.

Now woll I speak of leasings, which ge∣nerally is false signifiaunce of word in entent, to deceiue his euin Christien. Some leasing is, of which there commeth none aduantage to no wight: and some leasing turneth to the profite and ease of a man, and to the dammage of another man. Another leasing is, for to saue his life or his cattel, which commeth of delight for to lie, in which de∣light, they woll forge a long tale, and paint it with all circumstances, where all the tale of the ground is false. Some leasing com∣meth, for he woll sustain his words: Some leasing commeth of retchlesnesse without auisement, and semblable things.

Let us now touch the vice of Flatterie, which ne cometh not gladly, but for dread, or for couetise. Flatterie is generally wrong∣ful praising. Flatterers been the deuils nou∣rices,

that nourish his children with milk of losengerie: forsooth Salomon sayth, That Flatterie is worse than detraction: for some∣time detraction maketh an hautein man be the more humble, for he dreadeth detra∣ction, but certes flattery maketh a man to enhaunce his heart and his countenaunce. Flatterers be the Deuils enchauntours, for they make a man to wene himself be like that he is not like. Those be like to Iudas, that betray a man, to sell him to his Ene∣my. Flatterers been the deuils Chapleins, that ever sing Placebo. I reckon flattery in the vices of ire: for oft time if a man be wroth with another, then woll he flatter some wight, to sustain him in his quarrel.

Speak we now of such cursing as cometh of irous hart. Malison generally may be said, euery manner power of harm: such cursing bereaueth man fro the reign of God, as sayth S. Poule. And oft time such cur∣sing wrongfully, returneth ayen to him that curseth, as a bird that turneth again to his own neast. * And ouer all thing, men ought eschew to curse her children, & yeue to the deuil her engendrure, as ferre forth as in hem is: certes, it is great peril & great sin.

Let us then speak of Chiding & Reproch, which beene full great woundes in mannes heart, for they unsow the seams of friendship in mans heart: For certes, Vnneth may a man plainly be accorded with him, that him openly hath reuiled and repreued, & disclaun∣dred: This is a full ghostly sin, as Christ sayth in the Gospel. And take heed now, that he that repreueth his neighbour, either he re∣preueth him by some harm of pain, that hee hath upon his bodie, as Mesell, crooked, har∣lot, or by some sin that he doth. Now if yee repreue him by harm of pain, then turneth the repreue to Iesu Christ: for pain is send by the rightwise sond of God, & by his suffe∣raunce, be it meselrie, maim, or maladie: & if he repreue him uncharitably of sinne, as thou holour, thou dronkelewe harlot, & so foorth: then pertaineth that to the reioycing of the deuil, which euer hath ioy that men doen sin. And certes, chiding may not come but of villanous heart, for after the haboun∣dance of the heart speaketh the mouth full oft. And ye shall understond, that look by any way, when any man shall chastise or correct another, that he beware from chiding or re∣preuing: for truly but he beware, he may ful lightly quicken the fire of anger & of wrath, which he should quench: and peraduenture, slaeth him, which he might chastise with be∣nignity. For as saith Salomon: * The amia∣ble tong is the tree of life, y^• is to say, of life spirituel. And soothly, a dissolute tong slaeth the spirits of him that repreueth, and also of him which is repreued. Lo, what sayeth saint Augustine: * There is nothing so like the deuiis child, as he which oft chideth. A ser∣uant of God behoueth not to chide. And though that chiding be a villanous thing betwixt all maner folk, yet it is certes most uncouenable between a man and his wife, for there is neuer rest. And therefore saieth Salomon: * An house that is uncouered & drooping, and a chiding wife, ben alike.

A man, which is in a dropping hous in ma∣ny places, though he eschew the dropping in o place, it droppeth on him in another place: So fareth it by a chiding wife, if she chide him not in one place, she wol chide him in another: And therefore. * Better & greatly more pleasant is a morsel or little gobbet of bread with ioy, than an house silled full of delices with chiding and gnerring, sayeth Salomon. Saint Poule sayth: O ye wo∣men, beth ye subiect to your husbands, as you behoueth and ought in God. And ye men loue your wiues. Ad Colonicences. iii.

Afterward speak we of Scorning, which is a wicked sin, and namely, when he scorn∣eth a man for his good werks: For certes, such scorners fare like the foul tode, that may not endure to smell the sweet sauour of the vine, when it flourisheth. These scor∣ners been parting fellows with the deuil, for they haue ioy when the deuil winneth, and sorrow if he leseth. They been aduersa∣ries of Iesu Christ, for they hate that he lo∣ueth, that is to say, saluation of soul.

Speak we now of wicked counsail, the which is a Traitour, for he deceiueth him that trusteth in him: Vt Achitophel ad Sa∣lomonem. But nathelesse, yet is his wicked counsail first ayenst himself: for as sayth the wise man: * Euery false liuing hath this pro∣perty in himselfe, that he y^• woll annoy ano∣ther man, he annoyeth first himself. And men shall understond, that man shall not take his counsail of false folk, ne of angry folk, or greuous folk, ne of folk that loue specially too much worldly folk, namely, in counsailing of Souls.

Now commeth the sin of hem that sow and make discord among folk, which is a sin that Christ hateth utterly, & no wonder is: for he died for to make concord. And more shame do they to Christ, than did they that him crucified: * For God loueth better, that friendship be amongs folk, than he did his own body, which that he gaue for vnitie. Therefore ben they likened to the deuil, that euer be about to make discord. Now cometh the sin of Double tongue, such as speake fair before folk, and wickedly behind: or else they make semblaunt, as though they spake of good entention, or els in game and play, and yet they speak of wicked entent.

Now commeth bewraying of counsayle, through which a man is defamed: certes un∣neth may he restore the dammage. Now com∣meth menace, y^• is an open folly: for he that oft menaceth, he threateth more than he may perform full oft time. Now commeth idle words, that is, without profite of him that

speaketh the words, & also of him that hear∣keneth the words: Or els idle wordes been those that been needlesse, or without entent of natural profite. And albeit that idle words be sometime venial sinne, yet should menne doubt hem, for we shall yeue reckoning of hem before God. Now cometh iangling, that may not be without sinne: & as sayth Sa∣lomon, It is a sign of apert folly. And there∣fore a Philosopher saied, when men asked him how that he should please the people, he answered: * Do many good werkes, and speak few vanities. After this cometh the sin of yaperies, that been the deuils Apes, for they make folk to laugh at her yaperie, as folk do at the gaudes of an Ape: which yapes defendeth saint Poule. Look how that vertuous words and holy, comfort hem that trauail in the seruice of Christ, right so com∣forteth the villainous words and knacks of yapers, hem that trauail in the seruice of the deuil. These ben the sins of the tongue, that come of ire, and of other sins.

¶The remedie ayenst Ire.

THe remedy ayenst Ire, is a vertue that men call mansuetude, that is, Debo∣nairtie: and also another vertue, that men clepe patience or sufferaunce.

Debonairtie withdraweth and refraineth the stirrings and moouings of mans cou∣rage in heart, in such manner, that they ne skip not out by Anger ne Ire. Suffe∣raunce, suffereth sweetly all the annoyances and wronges that menne done to man out∣ward. Saint Ierome sayeth this of debo∣nairte, That it dooth no harme to no wight, ne sayeth: ne for no harme that men doe ne say, he ne chafeth ayenst reason. This vertue sometime commeth of nature: for as sayeth the Philosopher: A manne is a quicke thinge by nature, debonaire, and treatable to goodnesse: but when debonair∣ty is enformed of grace, then it is the more worth.

Patience is another remedy ayenst ire, & is a vertue y^• suffereth sweetly euery mans goodnesse, and is not wroth for no harm that is done to him. The Philosopher sayth, That patience is the vertue that suffreth debonair∣ly, all the outrages of aduersity, and euery wicked word. This vertue maketh a man like to God, and maketh him Gods owne childe: as sayeth Christ. This vertue dis∣comfiteth thine enemies. And therefore say∣eth the Wise man: If thou would vanquish thine enemie, learn to suffer. And thou shalt understond, that a man suffereth four man∣ner of greeuances in outward things, ayenst the which four, he must haue four manner of patiences.

The first greeuaunce is of wicked words, which suffereth Iesus Christ, without grut∣ching, full patiently, when the Iews despi∣sed him full oft. Suffet thou therefore pati∣ently, for the Wiseman sayth: * If thou striue with a foole, though the fool be wroth, or though he laugh, alway thou shalt haue no reste.

That other greeuaunce outward, is to haue dommage of thy cattel: There ayenst suffered Christ full patiently, when he was despoyled of all that he had in this life, and that was but his clothes. The third gree∣uaunce, is a man to haue harme in his bo∣dy: that suffred Christ full patiently in all his passion. The fourth greeuaunce, is in outragious labour in werks: wherefore I say, that folk that make her seruaunts to trauaile too greeuously, or out of time, as in holy days, soothly they doe great sinne. Here ayenst suffred Christ full patiently, & taught us patience, when he bare upon his blessed shoulders the crosse, upon which he should suffer despitous death. Here may men learn to be patient, for certes, not only Chri∣sten be patient for loue of Iesu Christ, and for reward of the blessed life that is perdurable, but certes the old Painems, that neuer were Christened, commended and used the vertue of patience.

* A Phylosopher upon a time, that would haue beate his disciple for his great trespace, for which he was moued, and brought a rod to beat the childe, and when this child sawe the rod, he sayd to his mayster: what think ye to do? I woll beat thee sayed the mayster for thy correction: Forsooth, sayed the child, ye ought first correct your selfe, that haue lost all your patience, for the offence of a child. Forsooth sayd the mayster all weeping, thou sayest sooth: haue thou the rodde my deare child, and correct me for mine impatience. Of patience commeth obedience, through which a man is obedient to Christ, and to all hem to which he ought be obedient in Christ. And understand well, that obedience is perfite, when that a man dooth gladly and hastely, with good heart entirely, all that he should doe. Obedience generally, is to perform the doctrine of God, and of his soueraignes, to which him ought to be obeysaunt in all rightwisenesse.

¶De Accidia.

AFter the sinnes of Enuy and Ire, now woll I speake of the sinne of Accidie: tor Enuy blindeth the heart of a man, and Ire troubleth a man, & Accidie maketh him heauy, thoughtful, and pensife. Enuy & Ire maken bitternesse in heart, which birternesse is mother of Accidie, and taketh fro him the loue of all goodnes, then is accidie the anguish of trouble of heart. And S. Augustine sayth: It is annoy of goodnesse & annoy of harme. Certes this is a damnable sinne, for it dooth wrong to Iesu Christ, in as much as it be∣nummeth the seruice y^• men ought to do to

Christ, as sayth Salomon: but Accidie doth no such diligence. He doth all thing with an∣noy, and with wrawnesse, slacknesse, and ex∣cusation, with idlenesse & unlust. For which the book sayth: * Accursed be he that doth the seruice of God negligently. Then is Ac∣cidie enemy to euery estate of man. For certes the estate of man is in three manners: Either it is in the estate of innocency, as was the estate of Adam, before that he fell into sin, in which estate he was hold to work, as in praising and lauding God. Another estate is the estate of sinful men: in which estate men ben holden to labour in praying to God for amendment of her sins, & that he would grant hem to rise out of her sins.

Another estate is the estate of grace, in which estate he is holden to works of peni∣tence: and certes, to all these thinges is accidie contrary, for he loueth no businesse at all. Now certes, this foul sin accidie, is also a full great enemy to the liuelode of the body: * For it ne hath no purueiaunce ayenst temporel necessity, for it forsloweth, forslogeth, and destroieth all goods tempo∣rel by retchlesnesse.

The fourth thing is, that Accidie is like hem that been in the paine of hell, because of her sloth and heauines: for they that be damned, ben so bound, that they may ney∣ther well doe ne think. Of accidie cometh first, that a man is annoied and encombred to do any goodnes, and maketh that God hath abhomination of such accidie, as sayth Saint Iohn.

Now commeth Sloth, that woll not suf∣fer no hardnesse ne pennance: for soothly, s••oth is so tender and so delicate, as sayeth Salomon, that he woll suffer no hardnesse ne pennaunce, and therefore he marreth all that he doth. Ayenst this rotten sin of acci∣die and sloth, should men exercise hemselfe, and use hem to do good workes: and man∣ly and vertuously catch courage to do, thinking that our Lord Iesu Christ quiteth euery good deed, be it neuer so lite. Vsage of labour is a great thing. For it maketh, as sayeth S. Bernard, the labourer to haue strong armes and hard senewes: and sloth maketh heeuy, feeble, and tender. Then commeth dread to beginne to worke any good workes. For certes, * He that enclineth to sin, him thinketh it is so great an emprise for to undertake the works of goodnesse, and casteth in his heart, that the circumstances of goodnesse been so greeuous and weighty for to suffer, that he dare not undertake to doe workes of goodnesse, as sayeth Saint Gregorie.

Now commeth wanhope, y^• is, dispair of the mercy of God, y^• commeth sometime of too much outragious sorow, & sometime of too much dread, imagining that he hath doe so much sinne, that it woll not auayle him, tho he woud repent him, and forsake sinne: through which despair or dread, he abandon∣neth all his heart to euery manner sinne, as sayth Saint Augustine. Which dampnable sinne, if it continue unto his end, it is called sinning in the holy ghost. This horrible sin is so perillous, that he y^t is despaired, there nis no fellonie, ne no sinne, that he doubteth for to do, as sheweth well by Iudas. Cer∣tes, aboue all sinnes then is this sinne most displeasaunt to Christ, and most ad∣uersarie.

Sothly, he y^t dispaireth him, is like to the coward champion recreaunt, that flieth with∣out need. Alas, alas, needlesse is he recreant, & needlesse despaired. Certes. * The mercy of God is euer ready to y^• penitent person, & is aboue all his werks. Alas, cannot a man bethink him on y^• Gospel of S. Luke .xv. Whereas Christ sayeth, * That as well shall there be ioy in heauen upon a sinful manne that doeth penitence, as upon xcix. rightful men that need no penitence. Look further in the same Gospel, the ioy & the feast of the good man that had lost his sonne, when his sonne was retourned with repentaunce to his father. Can they not remember hem al∣so, that (as sayth Saint Luke, Chapi. xx.) How that the theefe that was hanged beside Iesu Christ, sayd: Lord remember me, when thou commest into thy reign. Forsooth said Christ, I say to thee, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Certes, there is none so horrible sinne in manne, that ne may in his life be destroyed by penitence, through vertue of the passion and of the death of Christ. Alas, what need men then to be despaired, sith that his mercy is so ready and large? Ask and haue.

Then cometh Sompnolence, that is slug∣gie, slumbring, which maketh a man heauie, and dull in body and in soul, and this sinne commeth of sloth: And certes, the time that by way of reason man should not sleep, is by the morrow, but if there were cause reaso∣nable. For soothly, the morrow tide is most couenable, a man to say his prayers, and for to thank God, and to honour God, and to yeue almose to the poor that commeth first in the name of Iesu Christ.

Lo, what sayeth Salomon? Who so woll by the morow awake to seek me, he shall find me. Then commeth negligence or retchles∣nes that recketh of nothing. And though y^• ignorance be mother of all harms, certes, negligence is the norice. Negligence ne doth no force, when he shall do a thing, whe∣ther he do it well or euil.

The remedie of these two sinnes is, as sayth the Wise man: * That he that dread∣eth God, spareth not to do that he ought to do: and he that loueth God, he woll doe dilligence to please God by his werkes, and abandon himselfe, with all his might, well for to doe. Then cometh idlenesse, that is the yate of all harms. An idle manne is

like to a place that hath no wals, the deuil may enter on euery side, or shoot at him that is discouerte, by temptation on euery side. This idlenesse is the thorruke of all wicked and villainous thoughts, and of all ordure. Certes, the heauen is yeue to hem that will labour, and not to idle folk. Also Dauid sayeth, * That they ne be not in the labour of men, ne they shall not be whipped with men, that is to say, in Purgatorie. Cer∣tes, then seemeth it they shall be torment∣ed with the deuils in hell, but if they do pennaunce.

Then commeth the sinne that men call Tarditas, as when a man is so latered, or tarrying or he woll tourn to God: and cer∣tes, that is a great folly. He is like him that falleth in the ditch, and woll not arise. And this vice commeth of false hope, that he thinketh he shall liue long, but that hope fayleth full oft.

Then commeth Lochesse, that is, he that when he beginneth any good work, anone he woll leaue and stint it, as done they that haue any person to gouern, and ne take of him no more heed, anon as they find any contrary or any annoy. These ben the new sheepheards, that let their sheepe wittingly goe ren to the Wolfe, that is in the breres, or do not force of her own gouernaunce. Of this commeth pouerte and destruction, both of spirituel and temporel things. Then commeth a manner coldnesse, that freeseth the hart of man. Then commeth undeuo∣tion, through which a man is so blont, and as sayeth S. Bernard, hath such langour in his soul, that he may neyther read ne sing in holy church, ne hear ne think of no deuotion, ne trauail with his honds in no good work, that it nis to him unsauory and all apalled. Then wexeth the slow and slom∣bry, and soon woll be wroth, and soon is en∣clined to hate and enuy. Then commeth the sinne of worldly sorrow, such as is called Tristitia, that staeth a man, as sayth Saint Poule. For certes, such sorrow worketh the death of the soul and body also, for thereof commeth, that a man is annoyed of his own life. Wherefore such sorrow shorteth full oft the life of man, ere that his time is come, by way of kind.

Remedium contra peccatum Accidiae.

AYenst this horrible sinne of Accidie, and the braunches of the same, there is a vertue y^t is called Fortitudo, or strength, through which a man despiseth annoyous things: this vertue is so mightie and so rigorous, that it dare withstond migh∣tily, and wisely keep himselfe fro perils that been wicked, and wrastle ayenst the assaults of the deuill, for it enchaunceth and enforceth the soule, right as Acci∣die abateth & maketh it feeble: for this fortitude may endure by long sufferaunce the trauails that ben couenable.

This vertue hath many speces, the first is called Magnanimitie, that is to say, great courage. For certes, there beho∣ueth great courage ayenst Accidie, least that it ne swallow the soule by the sin of sorrow, or destroy it by wanhope. Certes, this vertue maketh folke under∣take hard and greeuous thinges by her own will, wisely and reasonably. And for as much as the deuill fighteth ayenst a manne more by subtilty and sleight than by strength, therefore shall a man with∣stand him by wit, reason and discretion. Then are there the vertues of fayth, and hope in God and in his saints, to follow and accomplish the good workes, in the which he purposeth fermely to continue. Then commeth suretie or sikernesse, and that is when a manne ne doubteth no trauail in time comming, of the good workes that he hath begun. Then com∣meth Magnificence, that is to say, when a man doeth and performeth great works of goodnesse, that he hath begun, and that is the end why that menne should doe good workes. For in the accomplishing of good workes, lyeth the great guerdon. Then is there Constaunce, that is stable∣nes of courage, and this should be in heart by stedfast faith, and in mouth, in bearing, in chere, and in deed. And there been mo speciall remedies ayenst Accidie, in diuers works: as in consideration of the paines of hell, the ioyes of heauen, and in trust of the grace of the holy ghost, that will yeue him might to performe his good entent.

¶De Avaricia.

AFter Accidie woll I speak of Auarice, and of Couetise. Of which sin Saint Poule sayth: * The root of all harmes is Couetise. Ad Timoth .vi. For soothly, when the heart of man is confounded in it self and troubled, and that the soul hath lost the comfort of God, then seketh he an sole sol∣lace of worldly things.

Auarice, after the description of S. Au∣gustine, is a licorousnesse in heart to haue earthly things. Some other folke say, that Auarice is for to purchase many yearthly things, and nothing to yeue to hem that haue need. And understand, that auarice standeth not only in land ne cattel, but sometime in science and glory, and in eue∣ry manner of outragious things, is Aua∣rice. And Couetise is this:

Couetise, is for to couet such things that thou hast not. And Auarice is, to withhold and keep such things as thou hast, without right. Soothly, this auarice is a sin that is full dampnable, for all holy writ curseth it, and speaketh ayenst y^t vice, for it doth wrong

to Iesu Christ: for it taketh fro him, the loue that men to him owe, and tourneth it backward ayenst all reason, & maketh that the auaricious man hath more hope in his cattel than in Iesu Christ, and doth more obseruaunce in keeping of his treasour, than he doth in the seruice of Iesu Christ. And therefore sayeth Saint Poule. Ad Ephesios quinto: * That an auaricious man is the thraldom of Idolatrie.

What difference is there betwixt an Ido∣later and an auaricious man? But that an Idolaster, peraduenture ne hath not but a Maumet, or two, and the auaricious man hath many: For certes, euery Florein in his cofer, is his Maumet. And certes, the sin of Maumetrie, is the first that God de∣fended, as in the x. commaundment it bea∣reth witnesse, in Exodi. Capi. xx. Thou shalt haue no false goddes before me, ne thou shalt make to thee no grauen thing. Thus is an auaricious man that loueth his treasure be∣fore God, an Idolaster. And through this cursed sin of auarice and couetise, commeth these hard Lordships, through which they ben strained by tallages, customs, and cariages, more than her dutie or reason is: or else take they of her bondmen amerciaments, which might more reasonably be called extortions, than merciamentes. Of which amercia∣ments, or raunsoming of bondmen, some Lords stewards say, that it is rightful, for as much as a churl hath no temporel thing, that it ne is his Lords, as they say. But certes, these Lordships do wrong, that be∣reaue their bondmen things that they neuer yaue hem. Augustinus de Ciuitate dei. Li∣bro .ix. Sooth is, * That the condition of thraldom, and the first cause of thraldom was for sin.

Thus may ye see, that the offence deser∣ued thraldome, but not nature. Wherefore these Lords ne should not much glorifie hem in her Lordships, sith that they by natural condition, been not Lords ouer thrals, but for that thraldome came first by the desert of sin. And more ouer, there as the Law sayth, That temporal goods of bondfolk been the goods of her Lord: yea, that is for to understond, the goods of the Emperour, to defend hem in her right, but not to rob hem ne reue hem. Therefore sayeth Seneca: * Thy prudence should liue benignely with the thrals. Those that thou callest thy thrals, been Gods people: and for humble people been Christs friends, they been contuberni∣al with the Lords.

* Think also, that of such seed as churls spring, of such seed spring Lords: As well may y^• churl be saued, as the Lord. The same death that taketh the churl, such death taketh the Lord. Wherefore I rede, do right so with the churle, as thou wouldst y^t thy Lord did with thee, if thou were in his plight. * Euery sinful man is a churl to sin: I rede the Lord certes, y^t thou werk in such wise with thy churls, that they rather loue thee than dread thee. I wote well, that there is degree aboue degree, as reason is, and skill is, that men do her deuoir, there as it is due. But certes, extortions, and despight of your underlings, is damnable.

And furthermore understand well, that these Conquerors or Tyrants make full oft thrals of hem that been born of as royal blood as been they that hem conquere. This name of Thraldome was neuer erst know, till that Noe saied, that his son Cham should be thral to his brethren for his sin. What say we then of hem that pill and doe extortions to holy Church: Certes, the swerd that men yeue first to a knight when he is new dubbed, signifieth, that he should defend ho∣ly Church, and not robbe and pill it: and who so doeth, is traitour to Christ. And as saith S. Augustine, * They been the deuils Wolues, that strangle the sheepe of Iesu Christ, and done worse than Wolues: for soothly, when the Wolfe hath full his womb, he stinteth to strangle sheep: But soothly, the pillours and destroyers of holy Church goods, ne doe not so, for they ne stint neuer to pill. Now as I haue saied, sith so is, that sin was first cause of thraldome, then is it thus, that at the time that all this world was in sin, then was all this world in thral∣dome, and in subjection: but certes, sith the time of grace came, God ordained, that some folk should be more high in estate and in degree, and some folk more low, and that ech should be serued in his estate.

And therefore in some countries there they be thrals, when they haue tourned hem to their fayth, they make her thrals free out of the thraldome: & therefore, certes the Lord oweth to his man, that the man oweth to the Lord. The Pope calleth himself seruaunt to the seruants of God, but for, as the estate of holy Church ne might not haue been, ne the common profite might not haue be kept, ne peace ne rest in earth, but if God had or∣dained, that some man haue higher degre, & some men lower: therefore was soueraignty ordained to keep, maintain, and defend her underlings and her subiects in reason, as fer forth as it lyeth in her power, and not to destroy ne confound hem. Wherefore I say, that those lords that been like wolues, that deuoure the possessions or the cattel of poor folks wrongfully, without mercy or measure, they shall receiue by the same measure that they haue measured to poor folk, y^• measure of Iesu Christ, but it be amended. Now com∣meth deceit betwixt marchaunt and mar∣chaunt. And thou shalt understond, y^t mar∣chaundise is in two manners, that one is bo∣dily, & that other is ghostly: that one is ho∣nest and leful, & that other is dishonest and unleful. The bodily marchaundise that is leful and honest, is this: that there as God

hath ordained, that a reigne or a countrey is suffisaunt to himselfe, then it is honest and lefull, that of haboundance of this countrey menne helpe another countrey that is needy: And therefore there must be marchaunts to bring fro one countrey to that other, her mar∣chaundise. That other marchaundise that menne haunten with fraude, and trecherie, and deceit, with leasinges and false othes, is right cursed and dampnable. Espirituell Marchaundise is properly Simonie, that is, ententiue desire to buy any thing espirituell, that is, a thing which appertayneth to the sanctuarie of God, and to cure of the soule. This desire, if so be that a manne do his di∣ligence to perfourme it, all be it that his de∣sire ne take none effect, yet it is to him a deadly sin: & if he be ordered, he is irregular. Certes Simonie is called of Simon magus, that would haue bought for temporel cattel the yest that God had yeue by the Holy-ghost to Saint Peter, and to the Apostles: And therefore vnderstond, that he that selleth and he that buyeth things espirituell, ben called Simoniackes, be it by cattell, be it by procuring, or by fleshly praier of his frends, fleshly frends, or espirituell frends, fleshly in two manners, as by kinred or other frends: Soothly, if they pray for him that is not wor∣thy and able, it is Simonie, if he take the be∣nefice: and if he be worthy and able, there is none. That other manner is, when man or woman prayeth for folke to auaunce hem on∣ly, for wicked fleshly affection which they haue vnto the persons, and that is foul Simonie. But certes, in seruice, for which menne yeuen things espirituell vnto her seruaunts, it must be vnderstond, that y^• seruice must be honest, or els not, & also, that it be without bargain∣ing, and that the person be able. For (as saith Saint Damasen:) * All the sinnes of the world, at regard of this sinne, are as thing of nought, for it is the greatest sinne that may be after the sin of Lucifer and of Antichrist: For by this sinne God forleseth the Church and the Soule, which hee bought with his precious blood, by hem y^t yeue Churches to hem that been not worthy, for they are put in theeues honds, that steale the soules of Iesu Christ, and destroy his patrimonie. By such vnworthy Priests and Curates, haue leaud menne lesse reuerence of the Sacraments of holy Church: & such yeuers of Churches put the children of Christ out, & put in y^• Church the Diuels owne sonnes: they sell the soules that Lambs should keep, to the Wolf, which strangleth hem: and therfore shall they neuer haue part of the pasture of Lambes, that is, the blisse of Heauen. Now cometh hasardry, with his apertenaunces, at tables and rafles, of which cometh deceit, false oths, chidings, and all rauenous blasphemings, & renyings of God, and hate of his neyghbours, wast of goods, mispending of time, and sometime manslaughter. Certes, hasardours ne mow not bee without greate sinne. Of Auarice commeth also leasinges, theft, false witnesse, and false othes: and ye shall vnderstond, that these bee great sinnes, and expresse ayenst the commaundements of God, as I haue sayd. False witnesse is in word, and also in deede: In worde, as for to bereaue thy neighbours good name by thy false witnesse, or bereaue him his cattell or his heritage, by thy false witnessing, when thou for ire, or for meede, or for enuie, bearest false witnesse, or accu∣sest him, or excuseth thy self falsely. Ware ye questmongers and notaries: certes, for false witnessing, was Susan in full great sorrowe and paine, and many another mo. The sinne of theft is also expresse ayenst Gods hest, and in two manners (corporell, and spirituell) the temporell theft is: As, for to take thy neigh∣bours cattell ayenst his will, be it by force or by sleight, be it by mette or by measure: by stealing also of false enditements vpon him, and in borrowing of thy neighbours cattell, in entent neuer to pay it ayen, and sembla∣ble things. Espirituell theft is sacrilege, that is to say, hurting of holy things sacred to Christ in two manners, by reason of the holy place, as Churches or Churchyards: For which euery villainous sinne that men done in such places, may be called sacrilege, or euery violence in the semblable places. Also they that withdrawe falsely the rightes that long to holy Church and pleasing. And gene∣rally sacriledge is to reue holy thing fro holy place, or vnholy thing, out of holy place, or holy thing out of vnholy place.

Revelatio contra peccatum Avaritiae.

NOw shall ye vnderstond, that releeuing of Auarice, is misericorde and pitty largely taken. And men might aske, why that misericorde and pitty are releeuing of Auarice: Certes, the auaricious man shew∣eth no pitty ne misericorde to the needfull man.

For he delighteth him in the keping of his treasure, & not in the rescuing ne releeuing of his euin Christen. And therefore speake I first of misericorde. Then is misericorde (as saith the Phylosopher) a vertue, by which the courage of man is stirred by the misease of him that is diseased. Vpon which miseri∣corde followeth pity, in performing and fulfil∣ing of charitable workes of mercie, helping & comforting him that is miseased. And cer∣tes, these things moue and stir a man to mi∣sericorde of Iesu Christ, that he yaue himselfe for our offence, and suffered death for miseri∣corde, and foryaue vs our original sins, and thereby released vs fro the pains of hell, and minished y^• pains of purgatory by penitence, and yeueth grace well to do, and at last, the blisse of heauen. The speces of misericorde ben for to lene, and also for to yeue, for to foryeue and release, and for to haue pity in heart, and

compassion of the mischeef of his euin Chri∣sten, and also to chastise there as need is. Another manner of remedy ayenst Auarice, is reasonable largesse: but soothly, here behoo∣ueth the consideration of that grace of Iesu Christ, and of the temporell goodes, and also of the goodes perdurable that Iesu Christ yaue to vs, and to haue remembrance of the death which he shall receiue, he knoweth not when, where, ne who: and also that he shall forgo all that he hath, saue onely that which he hath expended in good werkes.

But for as much as some folk ben vnmea∣surable, men ought for to auoyd and eschewe foolish largesse, the whiche some people call waste.

Certes, he that is foole large, yeueth not his cattell, but he leseth his cattell. Soothly, what thing that he yeueth for vaine-glory, as to minstrels, and to folke that beare his re∣nome in the world, he hath sinne thereof, and none almesse: certes, * He leseth foule his good, that he ne seeketh with the yeft of his good nothing but sinne. He is like to an horse that seeketh rather to drink drouy or trou∣bled water, than for to drink water of the cleare well. To hem appertainen the said cursing that Christ shall yeue at the day of doome to hem that shall be damned.

¶Sequitur de Gula.

AFter Auarice cometh Glotenie, which is expresse ayenst the commandement of God. Glotenie, is vnmeasurable appetite to eate or to drinke, or els to do ynough to the vnmeasurable appetite and disordained couetise to eat or to drink. This sinne cor∣rupteth all this world, as is well shewed in the sinne of Adam and of Eue. Looke also what saith saint Poul of glotenie. * Many (saith he) gone, of which I haue often said to you, and now I say it weeping, that been the enemies of the crosse of Christ, of which the end is death, and of which her womb is her God and her glory, in confusion of hem that so deuour earthly thinges.

He that is vsed to this sin of Glotenie, he ne may no sin withstond, he must be in ser∣uage of all vices, for it is the Deuils hourd, there he hideth and resteth him. This sinne hath many speces: The first is dronkennesse, * That is the horrible sepulture of mans rea∣son: and therefore when a manne is dronke, he hath lost his reason: And this is deadly sinne. But soothly, when that a man is not wont to strong drinke, and peraduenture ne knoweth not the strength of the drinke, or hath feeblesse in his head, or hath trauayled, through which he drinketh the more, all be he suddainely caught with drinke, it is no dead∣ly sinne, but veniall. The second spece of glo∣tenie is, that the spirit of a manne wexeth all troubled, for dronkennesse bireaueth him the discretion of his wit.

The third manner spece of Glotonie, is when a man deuoureth his meat, and hath not rightfull manner of eating. The fourth is, when through the great abundance of his meat, the humours in his body been distem∣pered. The fifth is, foryetfulnesse by too much drinking, for which sometime a man forget∣teth ere the morning what he did on the euening before.

In other manner been distinct the speces of glotonie, after S. Gregorie. The first is, for to eat before time to eat. The second is, when a man giueth him to delicate meat or drink. The third is, when men take too much ouer measure. The fourth is, curiositie, with great entent to make and appareill his meat. The fift is, for to eat too greedily.

These ben the fiue fingers of the deuils hond, by which he draweth folke to sinne.

¶The Remedie ayenst Glotenie.

AYenst Glotenie, the remedie is absti∣nence, as saith Galiene: but that I hold not meritorious, if he do it for the heale of his body. Saint Augustine woll that absti∣nence be done for vertue, and with patience. Abstinence (saith he) is little worth, but if a man haue good will thereto, and but if he be enforced by patience and charitie, and that men do it for Gods sake, and in hope to haue blisse in heauen.

The fellowes of abstinence bee attempe∣raunce, that holdeth the meane in all things. Also Shame, that escheweth all dishonestie. Suffisaunce, that seeketh no rich meates ne drinkes, ne doth not force of outragious ap∣paireling of meat. Measure also, that re∣straineth by reason the vnmeasurable appe∣tite of eating. Sobernesse also, that restrayn∣eth the outrage of drinke. Sparing also, that restrayneth the delicate ease, to sit long at meat, wherefore some folke standen of her owne will when they eate, because they woll eate at lesse leasure.

¶De Luxutia.

AFter Glotenie commeth Letcherie, for these two sins been so nigh cousins, that oft time they woll not depart. God wot this sin is full displeasant to God, he forsaid himselfe: Do no letcherie. And therefore he putteth great paines ayenst this sin.

For in the old law, if a woman thrall were take in this sin, she should be beat with staues to death. And if she were a gentlewoman, she should be slaine with stones. And if she were a bishops doughter, she should be brent by Gods commaundement.

Moreouer, by the sin of Lechery God drowned all the world, and after that he brent fiue cities with thunder and lightning, and sanke hem into hell.

Now let vs speak then of the said stink∣ing sin of Lecherie, that men call auoutrie of wedded folk, that is to say, if that one of hem ben wedded, or els both. Saint Iohn saith, That auouterers shall be in hell in a stacke bre••ning of fire and of brimstone, for the stenche of her ordure: certes, the breaking of this sacrament is an horrible thing: it was made of God himself in Paradise, and con∣firmed by Iesus Christ, as witnesseth Saint Mathew in the Gospell: * A man shall leue father and mother, and take him to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.

This Sacrament betokeneth the knit∣ting together of Christ and holye Church. And not onely that God forbade auoutrie indeede, but also he commaunded, That thou shouldest not couet thy neighbours wife.

In this heste (saith Saint Augustine) is forbode all manner couetise to do Letcherie. Lo, what saith Saint Mathew in the Gos∣pell, * That who so seeth a woman, to coue∣tise of his lust, he hath done Lecherie with her in his heart. Here may ye see, that not onely the deed of this sinne is forboden, but also the desire to that sin. This cursed sin an∣noyeth greeuously hem that it haunt: and first to her soule, for he obligeth it to sin, and to pain of death, which is perdurable: then of the body annoyeth it greeuously also, for it drieth him and wasteth, and shenteth him, and of his blood he maketh sacrifice to the fiend of hell: It wasteth his cattell and his substaunce. And certes, if it be a foule thing, a man to waste his cattell on women: yet it is a fouler thing, when that for such ordure, women dispend vpon men her cattell and her substaunce. * This sin, as saith the Pro∣phet, taketh from man and woman her good fame and her honour, and it is full delectable and pleasant to the deuill: for thereby win∣neth he the more part of this wretched world. And right as a Marchant delighteth him most in that chaffare which he hath most aduauntage and profite of, right so delight∣eth the fiend in this ordure.

This is that other hond of the deuil, with fiue fingers, to catch the people to his villa∣nie. The first is the foolish looking of the foo∣lish woman and of the foolish man, that s••aeth right as the Basilicocke or Cocatrice steeth folke by venim of his sight: for the couetise of y^• eyen followeth the couetise of the heart. The second finger is the villainous touching in wicked manner. And therefore saith Sa∣lomon: * That who so toucheth & handleth a woman, he fareth as the man that hande∣leth the Scorpion, which stingeth and soden∣ly sleeth through his enueniming, or as who so that toucheth warme pitch blemisheth his fingers. The third is foule words, which fareth like fire, which right anone brenneth the heart. The fourth finger is the kissing: And truely he were a great foole that would kisse the mouthe of a brenning ouen or of a fournace. And more fooles ben they that kisse in villainy, for that mouth is the mouth of hell, and namely these old dotardes holours, which woll kisse and flicker, and busie hem∣selfe tho they may nought do. Certes they been like to hounds: For an hound when he cometh nye to the roser, or by other benches, thoughe so bee that he maye not pisse, yet woll he heaue vp his leg and make a coun∣tenaunce to pisse. And for that manie man weeneth that hee maye not sinne for no lico∣rousnesse that he doth with his wife, true∣ly that opinion is false: * God wote a man maye slee himselfe with his owne knife, and make himselfe drunke with his owne tunne. Certes be it wife, be it childe, or any worldly thing y^t he loueth before God, it is his mau∣mette, and he is an idolaster. * A man should loue his wife by discretion, patiently and at∣temperately, and then is shee as though it were his suster. The fifth finger of y^e Diuels hond, is the stinking deed of lecherie. Truly the fiue fingers of gluttonie the Diuel put∣teth into the womb of a man: And with his fiue fingers of lecherie hee grypeth him by the reins, for to throw him into the furnace of Hell, there as they shall haue the fire and the wormes that euer shall last, and weping and wayling, and sharpe hunger and thurst, grimnesse of Diuels, which shall all to tread hem withouten end. Of lechery, as I sayd, sourdeth and springeth diuers speces: as for∣nication, that is between man and woman which bee not married, and is deadly sinne, and ayenst nature. All that is enemie and di∣struction to nature, is ayenst nature. Perfay the reason of a man telleth him well also that it is deadly sinne, for as much as God forbad lecherie. And Saint Paule yeueth hem the reigne that nis dewe to no wight but to hem that done deadly sinne. Another sinne of le∣cherie is, to bereaue a maids maidenhead, for he y^• so doth, certes he casteth a mayden out of y^• highest degre that is in this present life, and bereaueth her that precious fruicte that the boke calleth the hundreth fruits, I ne can saye it none otherwise in English, but in Latine it hight (Centesimus fructus:) Certes he that so doth, is y^• cause of many damages and villanies, mo than any man can recken: right as he is cause of many damages some∣time that beastes do in the field, that breake the hedge or y^e closure, through which he de∣stroyeth that may not be restored: For certes no more may maydenhead be restored, than an arme that is smitte fro the bodie, may re∣turne ayen and waxe: She may haue mercy, this wote I well, if that she haue will to do penitence, but neuer shall it be that she nas corrupt. And all be it so that I haue spoke somewhat of auoutrie, also it is good to shew the perilles that long to auoutrie, for to es∣chew that foul sinne. Auoutrie in latine, is for to say, approaching of another mannes

bedde, through whiche those that sometime were one flesh, abandone her bodies to other persons. Of this sinne, as sayeth the wise man, follow many harmes: First breaking of fayth, and certes in fayth is the key of christendome: and when that fayth is broke and lost, soothly christendom stont veine and without fruit. This sinne also is theft, for theft generally is to reaue a wight his things ayenst his will. * Certes, this is the foulest theft that may be, when that a woman steal∣eth her body from her husbond, and yeueth it to her holour to defoyle her: and stealeth her soule fro Christ, and yeueth it to the Deuill: This is a fouler thefte than for to breake a Church and steal away the chalice, for these auouterers break the temple of God spiritu∣ally, and steal the vessell of grace, that is the bodie and the soule: For which Christe shall destroy hem, as saith saint Poule. Sothly of this theft doubted greatly Ioseph, when that his Lordes wife prayed him of villainy, when he sayde: Lo my Lady, how my Lord hath take to me vnder my warde, all that he hath in this world, ne nothing of his things is out of my power, but onely ye that be his wife: and how should I then doe this wick∣ednesse, and sin so horrible ayenst God, and ayenst my Lord, God it forbede. Alas, all too little is suche trouth nowe found. The third harm is the silth, through which they breake the commaundement of God, and de∣foyle the auter of matrimonie, that is Christ. For certes, in so much as the Sacrament of marriage is so noble & so digne, so much is it greater sin for to break it: For God made mariage in Paradise in the estate of innocen∣cie, to multiplie mankinde in the seruice of God, and therefore is the breaking therof the more greeuous, of which breaking come false heirs oft time, that wrongfully occupie folks heritages: and therefore woll Christ put hem out of the reign of heauen, that is heritage to good folk. Of this breaking commeth also oft time, that folk vnware wed or sinne with her own kinrede: and namely these harlots, that haunt brodels of these foul women, that may be likened to a commune gong, whereas men purge her ordure. What say we also of putours, that liue by the horrible sinne of pu∣trie, and constrain women to yeue to hem a certain rent of her bodely puterie, yea, some∣time of his own wife or his childe, as done these bauds: Certes, these been cursed sins. Vnderstond also, that aduoutrie is set gladly in the ten commaundements between theft and manslaughter, for it is the greatest theft that may be, for it is theft of body & of soul, and it is like an homicide, for it kerueth atwo and breaketh atwo hem that first were made of one flesh. And therefore by the old law of God they should be slaine, but nathelesse, by the law of Iesu Christ, that is, law of pity, when he said to the woman that was found in auoutrie, and should haue bee slayne with stones, after the will of the Iewes, as was her law: Go, said Iesu Christ, and haue no more will to do sin. Soothly, the vengeance of auoutrie is awarded to the pains of Hell, but if so be that it be disturbed by penitence. Yet been there mo speces of this cursed sin, as when that one of hem is religious, or els both, or of folk that ben entred into order, as sub-Deacon, Deacon, or Priest, or Hospitali∣ers: & euer the higher that he is in order, the greater is the sin. The things that greatly agredge her sin, is the breaking of her auow of chastity, when they receiued the order. And moreouer, sooth is that holy order is cheefe of all the treasorie of God, and his especiall sign and mark of chastity, to shew that they beene joyned to chastity, which is the most precious life that is: and these ordered folk ben specially titled to God, and of the special meine of God: for which when they done deadly sinne, they been the traitors of God and of his people, for they liue of the people. Priestes been Angels, as by the dignitie of her mysterie: but forsooth Saint Poul saith, That Sathanas transfourmeth him in an Angell of light. Soothly, the Priest that haunteth deadly sinne, he may be likened to the Angel of darkenesse, transformed into the Angell of light. He seemeth Angell of light, but forsooth he is Angel of darknesse. Such Priests be the sonnes of Hely, as sheweth in the book of Kings, that they were the sons of Beliall, that is, the Diuell. Beliall is to say, without judge, and so fare they, hem thinketh they be free, and haue no judge, no more than hath a free Bull, y^t taketh which Cow that him liketh in the town. So fare they by women, for right as one free Bull is ynough for all a town, right so is a wicked Priest corruption ynough for all a parish, or for all a countrey: These Priests, as sayth the booke, ne cannot minister the mystery of Priesthood to the people, ne they knowe not God, they ne held hem not apayed, as saith the book, of sodden flesh that was to hem of∣fered, but they took by force y^• flesh that was raw. Certes, so these shrews ne held hem not apayed of rosted and sodde flesh, with which the people fedde hem in great reuerence, but they woll haue raw flesh of folkes wiues and her doughters: and certes, these women that consent to her harlottrie, done great wrong to Christ and to holy Church, all Hallowes, and all Soules, for they bireaue all these, hem that should worship Christe and holye Church, and pray for Christian Souls: and therefore haue such Priests, & her lemmans also that consent to her lecherie, the cursing of all the court Christian, till they come to a∣mendment. The third spece of auoutrie, is sometime betwixt a manne and his wife, and that is, when they take no regard in her as∣sembling, but onely to her fleshly delight, as saith Saint Ierom, and ne reckon of nothing but that they ben assembled because they ben

married, all is good ynough, as they thinke: but in such folke hath the Diuell power, as said the Angel Raphael to Tobie, for in her assembling, they put Iesu Christ out of her heart, and yeue hemselfe to all ordure. The fourth spece is, the assembly of hem that ben of one affinity, or else of hem with which her fathers or her kinred have dealed in the sin of lechery: This sinne maketh hem like to houndes, that take no kepe to kinrede. And certes, parentele is in two manners: either ghostly or fleshly: ghostly, as for to deal with his godsib, for right so as he that engendreth a child, is his fleshly father, right so is his Godfather his father espirituell: for which a woman may in no lesse sinne assemble with her Godsib, than with her owne fleshly fa∣ther. The fifth spece is, that abhominable sinne, of which abhominable sinne no man vnneth ought speake ne write, nathelesse it is openly rehearsed in holy writ. This cur∣sed sin doen men and women in diverse en∣tent and in divers manner: But though that holy writ speake of horrible sinne, certes, ho∣ly writ may not be defoyled, no more than the sunne that shineth on the dunghill. Another sinne appertaineth to lechery, that commeth sleeping, and this sin commeth often to hem that been maidens, and also to hem that be corrupt, and this sinne men call Pollution, that commeth of three manners: Sometime of languishing of body, for the humours been too rank and habundant in the body of man, sometime of infirmity, for feblenes of y^e ver∣tue retentife, as physicke maketh mention: Sometime for surfet of meat and drink, and sometime of villainous thoughts that been enclosed in mannes mind when he goeth to sleepe, which may not be without sinne, for whiche men must keepe hem wisely, or else may men sin full greevously.

¶Remedium contra peccatum Luxuriae.

NOw cometh the remedy ayenst lechery, and that is, general chastite and con∣tinence, that restrain all disordinate mevings that come of fleshly talents. And euer the greater merite shall he have that most re∣straineth the wicked chausinges of the or∣dour of this sin, and this is in two manners: That is to say, chastite in mariage, & cha∣stite in widdowhood. Now shalt thou vnder∣stonde that matrimony is leful assembling of man and woman that receiuen by vertue of this Sacrament the bonde through whiche they may not be departed in all her life, y^t is to say, while that they live both. This, as saith the book, is a full great sacrament, God made it (as I have said) in paradise, & wold himselfe be borne in mariage: and for to hal∣low mariage, he was at a wedding, whereas he tourned water into wine, which was the first miracle that he wrought in earth be∣fore his disciples. True effecte of marriage clenseth fornication, and replenisheth holy Church of good linage, for that is the end of mariage, and chaungeth deadly sin into ve∣niall sin between hem that been wedded, and maketh the hearts as one of hem that been wedded, as well as the bodies.

Very mariage was established by God, ere that sinne began, when natural lawe was in his right point in Paradice. And it was or∣dained, that o man should haue but o wo∣man, and o woman but o man, as sayeth saint Augustine, by many reasons.

First, for mariage is figured betwixt Christ and holy Church.

Another is, for a man is head of a woman, alway by ordinaunce it should be so. For if a woman had moe men than one, then should she haue moe heads than one, and that were a right horrible sinne before God, and also a woman mighte not please so many folke at ones: and also there should neuer be rest ne quiet among hem, for each of hem would aske her owne right. And furthermore, no manne should know his own engendrure, ne who should haue his heritage, and the wo∣man should be the lesse beloued.

Now cometh how that a man should bere him with his wife, and namely in two things, that is to say, in sufferaunce and reuerence, as shewed Christ when he first made woman. For he ne made her of the head of Adam, for she should not claim to great lordshippe, * For there as the woman hath the maistry, she maketh too much variaunce: there need no mo ensamples of this, the experience all day ought inough suffice.

Also certes, God ne made not woman of the foot of Adam, for she should not be hold too lowe, for she cannot patiently suffer: but God made woman of the rib of Adam, for woman should be fellow unto man.

Man should bear him to his wife in faith, in trouth, and in loue, (as sayth saint Poul) that a man shold loue his wife, as Christ lo∣veth holy Church, that loued it so wel that he dyed for it: so should a man for his wife, if it were neede.

Now how that a woman should be subiect to her husband: that telleth saint Peter, first in obedience. And also as sayth the Decree: * A woman that is a wife, as long as she is a wife, she hath none authority to swear ne bear witnesse, without leaue of her husband, that is her Lord, alway he should be so by reason. She should also serue him in all honestie, and be attemperate of her array.

I woll well that they should set her entent to please her husbonds, but not by queintise of her array. Saint Ierom sayth: Wiues that be apparelled in like and precious pur∣ple, ne mow not cloth hem in Iesu Christ. S. Gregorie sayth also: y^t no wight seeketh precious aray, but only for vainglory to be ho∣noured the more of the people. It is a great folly, a woman to haue great aray outward, and in her self be foul inward. A wife should also be measurable in looking, in bearing, and in laughing, and discreet in all her wordes

and her deeds, and above all worldly things she should loue her husbonde with all her heart, and to him be true of her body: so should an husbond be to his wife: For sith that all the body is the husbonds, so should her heart be, or els there is betwixt hem two, as in that, no perfit mariage. Then shall men understond, that for three things a man and his wife fleshly may assemble. The first is, for the entent of engendrure of children, to the service of God, for certes, that is the cause final of matrimony. Another cause is, to yeeld each of hem to other the debts of her bodies; for neither of hem hath power over her owne bodies. The third is, for to eschew lechery and villany. The fourth is for sooth deadly sinne. As to the first, is me∣ritorie: the second also, for as saith the De∣cree, That she hath merit of chastitie, that yeeldeth to her husbond the debt of her body, yea though it be ayenst her liking, & the lust of her heart. The third manner is venial sin, & truly, scarcely may any of these be with∣out venial sin, for the corruption and for y^• delight. The fourth maner is for to under∣stond, if they assemble onely for amorous love, & for none of the foresaid causes, but for to accomplish their brenning delight, they recke not how oft, soothly it is deadly sin: & that with sorrow, some folke woll paine hem more to do than to her appetite suffiseth.

The second manner of chastity is, for to be a clean widow, & eschew the embracings of a man, & desire the embracing of Iesu Christ. These ben those that have ben wives, & have forgot her husbonds, & also women y^t have done lechery, & been received by penitence. And certes, if that a wife could kepe her all chast, by licence of her husband, so y^• she yeve never none occasion y^t he offend, it were to her a great merit. This manner of women, that observeth chastity in clothing & in coun∣tenance, abstinent in eating and drinking, in speaking, and in dead, she is the vessel or the bore of the blessed Magdelain, y^t fulfilleth holy Church of good odour. The third maner of chastitie is virginity, & it behooveth that she be holy in heart, & clean of body, then is she spouse of Iesu Christ, & she is the life of Angels: she is the praising of this world, and she is as these martyrs in egallity: she hath in her that tongue may not tell, ne heart think. Virginity bare our Lord Iesu Christ, and virgin was himselfe.

Another remedy against lechery is, speci∣ally to withdraw such things as yeve occasi∣on to that villany: as ease, eating, and drinking: for certes, when the pot boyleth strongly, the best remedy is to withdraw the fire. Sleping long in great quiet, is also a great nourice to Lechery.

Another remedy ayenst lechery is, That a man or a woman eschew the company of hem by which he doubteth to be tempted: For al be it so, that the deed is withstond, yet is there great temptation. Soothly, a white wall, although it ne bren not fully, by stick∣ing of the candle, yet is the wall black of the flame. Full oft time I rede, that no man trust in his own perfection, but he be strong∣er than Sampson, or holier than Daniel, or wiser than Salomon.

Now after that I have declared you as I can, the seven deadly sinnes, and some of her braunches, with her remedies. Soothly, if I could, I would tell you the ten commaunde∣ments, but so high doctrine I put to Di∣vines. Nathelesse, I hope to God they ben touched in this treatise each of hem.

¶Sequitur secunda pars Poenitentiae.

NOw for as much as the second part of penitence stont in confession of mouth, as I began in the first chap. I say S. Augu∣stine saith: Sin is every word and every deed, and all that men conject against the law of Iesu Christ, and this is for to sinne in heart, in mouth, and in deed, by the fiue wits, which ben sight, hearing, smelling, tast∣ing or savour, and feeling. Now is it good to vnderstand, that that agregeth much eve∣ry sinne. Thou shalt consider what thou art that doest the sinne, whether thou be male or female, young or old, gentle or thrall, free or seruaunt, whole or sick, wedded or single, or∣dred or vnordred, wise or foole, clerke or secu∣ler, if she be of thy kindred bodily or ghostly or no, if any of thy kindred have sinned with her or no, and many mo things.

Another circumstaunce is this, Whether it be doen in fornication, or in advoutry, or no, in manner of homicide or no, horrible great sinnes, or small, and how long thou hast continued in sinne. The third circum∣staunce is, the place there thou hast done sin, whether in other mennes houses, or in thine own, in field, in church, or in churchyard, in church dedicate, or no. For if the church be hallowed, and man or woman spili his kinde within that place, by way of sinne or wicked temptation, the church is enterdicted, and the Priest that did such a villany, the tearme of all his life he should no more sing Masse: and if he did, he should do deadly sin, at eve∣ry time that he so sung Masse. The fourth circumstaunce is, by whiche mediatours or by which messengers, or for enticement, or for consentment, to beare companie with fellow∣shippe. * For many a wretch for to bear com∣panie, woll goe to the Diuel of hell. Where∣fore, they that egge or consent to the sin, ben partners of the sinne, and of the temptation of the sinner. The fifth circumstaunce is, how many times that he hath sinned, if it be in his minde, and how oft he hath fallen. For hee that oft falleth in sin, he dispiseth the mercy of God, and encreaseth his sin, and is unkind to Christe, and hee waxeth the more feeble to withstand sin, and sinneth the more lightly,

and the latter riseth, & is more slow to shriue him, and namely to him that is his confessor. For which that folke when they fall ayen to her old follies, either they leaue their old con∣fessor, or else they depart her shrift in diuers partes: But soothly suche departed shrift deserueth no mercie of God for her sins. The sixt circumstance is, why that a man sinneth as by temptation: and of himselfe procure that temptation, or by the exciting of other folk, or if he sinne with a woman by force or by her assent, or if the woman, maugre her head, haue be aforced or none. This shall she tell, wheder it were for couetise of pouerty, or if it were by her procurement or no, & such other things. The seventh circumstance is, in what manner he hath doe his sinne, or how that she hath suffered that folke have doe to her. And the same shall the man tell plainly, with all the circumstaunces, and wheder he hath sinned with common bordell women or non, or doen his sin in holy times or non, in fasting time or non, or before his shrift, or af∣ter his latter shrift, and hath peradventure broke thereby his penance enjoyned, by whose helpe or whose counsaile, by sorcery or craft, all must be told, and all these things after as they be great or smale, and grudge y^• consci∣ence of man or woman. And eke the Priest that is thy judge, may the better be advised of his judgement in yeuing of penaunce, and that is after thy contrition. For understond well that after time that a man hath defoy∣led his baptime by sinne, if he woll come to saluation there is none other way but by pennaunce, shrifte, & satisfaction, and name∣ly by they two, if there be a confessour to whom he may shriue him, and the third if he have life to performe it. Then shall a man loke and consider, that if he woll make a true and a profitable confession, there must be four conditions. First it must be in sorrow∣fulnesse of hert, as saith the King Ezechiell to God, * I woll remember me all the years of my life in bitternesse of my heart. This condition of bitternesse hath fiue signes: The first is, that confession must be shamefast, not for to cover ne hide her sinne, for he hath of∣fended his Lord God and defoyled his soule. And hereof saith S. Augustin: * The heart travaileth for shame of his sinne, and for he hath great shamefastnesse he is worthy to haue great mercy of God: which was the confession of the Publican, that would not heave up his eyen to heaven for he had offen∣ded God of heaven: for which shamefastnesse he had anon the mercy of God. And thereof saith saint Augustine: That such shamefull folk be next foryeuenesse and mercy.

Another signe is, humility in confession: of which sayth saint Peter, * Humbleth you vn∣der the might of GOD: the hond of God is strong inconfession, for therby God foryeueth thee thy sinnes, for he alone hath the power. And this humility shall be in hert, and in out∣ward signes: For right as he hath humility to God in his hert, right so should he humble his body outward to the priest, that sitteth in Gods stead. For which in no manner, sith that Christ is soueraigne, and the priest mean and mediatour betwixt Christ & the sinner, and the sinner is lost by way of reason, then should not the sinner sitte as hye as his con∣fessour, but kneel before him or at his feet, but if sicknesse cause it: For he shall not take heed who sitteth there, but in whose place he sitteth. A manne that hath trespassed to a Lord, and commeth to ask mercy and make his accord, and sitteth him down by him, men would hould him outragious, and not worthy so soone for to have remission of his trespasse.

The third signe is, how thy shrifte should be full of teares if thou may, and if thou may not weepe with thy bodily eyen, then weepe in thine heart, which was the confes∣sion of saint Peter. For after that he had forsake Iesus Christ, he went out and wept full bitterly.

The fourth signe is, that thou ne lette not for shame to shew thy confession: Such was the confession of Magdalein, that ne spared for no shame of hein that were at the feast, to go to our Lord Iesu Christ & beknow to him her sinnes. The fifth signe is, that a manne or a woman be obeysaunt to receive the pen∣naunce y^t hem is injoyned. For certes Iesu Christ, for the offences of man, was obedient to death. The second condition of very con∣fession is, that it be hastily done. For certes, if a man had a deadly wound, euer the len∣ger that he taryeth to heale himself, the more would it corrupt and haste him to his death, and also the wound would be y^• worse for to hele. And right so fareth sinne, that longe time is in a man unshewed. Certes a man ought hastely shew his sins for manie cau∣ses, as for dread of death, that commeth oft sodainely, and no certain what time it shall be, ne in what place, and also the drenching of o sinne draweth in another: and also the lenger that he tarrieth, the farther is he fro Christ. And if he abide to his last day, scarce∣ly may he shriue him or remember him of his sins, or repent for the greeuous maladie of his death. * And for as much as he ne hath in his life hearkened Iesu Christ when he hath spoken, he shall crie to Iesus Christ at his last daie, and scarcely woll he hearken him. And understonde that this condition muste haue foure thinges.

Thy shrift must be prouided before, and ad∣uised, for wicked hast doth not profit, if a man shrive him of his sins: be it of Pride, or en∣uye, and so forth with the speces and circum∣staunces of sin. And that hee haue compre∣hended in his minde the number and great∣nesse of his sins, and how long he hath lyen in sinne. And also that he hath be contrite for his sins, and in stedfast purpose (by the

grace of God) neuer ayen to fall to sin. And also that he dread and counterfaite himself that he fly the occasion of sinne, to whiche he is inclined. Also thou shalt shriue thee of all thy sinnes to o manne, and not part to o manne, and part to another: That is to vnderstond, in entent to depart thy confession for shame or dread, for it is but strangling of thy soul. * For certes, Iesus Christ is entierly all good, in him is none imperfection, and therefore either he foryeueth all perfectly, or els neuer a deal. I say not that if you be as∣signed to thy penitencer for certain sin, that thou art bounde to shewe him all the reme∣naunt of thy sinnes, of which thou haste be shriuen of thy curat, but if it like to thee of thy humility, this is no part of thy shrift. Ne I say not, there as I speak of division of confession, that if thou haue licence to shriue thee liketh, and by licence of thy Curate, that thou ne maist well shriue thee to him of all thy sins. Let no sin be vntold as ferre as thou hast remembraunce. And when thou shalt be shriuen to thy Curat, tell him all thy sinnes that thou hast do sith thou were last shriuen. This is no wicked entent of diuisi∣on of shrift.

Also the very shrift asketh certaine condi∣tions. First that thou shriue thee by thy free will, not constrained for shame of folke, sick∣nesse, ne such other things: For it is reason that he that trespasseth by his free will, that by his free will he confesse his trespasse, and that none other man tell his sin but himself: ne he shall not nay, ne deny his sin, ne wrath him ayenst the Priest for admonishing him to leaue his sin. The second condition is, that thy shrift be lawfull, that is to say, that thou shriuest thee. And also the Priest that heareth thy confession be verely in the fayth of holy Church, and that a man ne be not dispeired of the mercie of Iesu Christ, as Cain or Iu∣das. And also a man must accuse himself of his own trespasse & not another, but he shall blame and wite himselfe and his owne ma∣lice of his sinne, and none other: But nathe∣lesse, if that another man be occasion or en∣ticer of his sinne, or the estate of a person be such by which his sin is agredged, or else that he may not plainly shriue him, but he tell the person with which he hath sined, then may he tell, so that his entent ne be not to backbite the person, but onely to declare his confession.

Thou ne shalt not also make no leasinges in thy confession for humilitie, peraduenture, to say that thou hast committed & done such sinnes, as of which that thou ne were neuer giltie. For saint Augustine saith, if that thou because of thine humilitie, makest lesings on thy self, though thou were not in sin before, yet art thou then in sinne through thy lea∣sing. Thou must also shew thy sinne, by thine own proper mouth, but thou be dombe, and not by no Letter: sor thou that hast done the sinne, shalt haue the shame therefore. Thou shalt not eke paint thy confession with fayr subtill wordes, to couer the more thy sinne: for then begilest thou thy self, & not the priest: thou must tell it plain, be it neuer so foul ne horrible. Thou shalt also shriue thee to a priest that is discreet to counsail thee: and also thou shalt not shriue thee for vaine glo∣rie, ne for ypocrisie, ne for no cause, but only for the loue & fear of Iesus Christ, and heal of thy soul. Thou shalt not also ren to the priest sodainly, to tell him lightly thy sin, as who saith, to tell a yape or a tale, but auisedly and with good deuotion: and generally shriue thee oft: if thou oft fall, oft arise by confessi∣on. And though thou shriue the ofter than ones of the sin which thou hast be shriuen of, it is the more merite: And as saith saint Au∣gustine, Thou shalt haue the more lightly for∣yeuenesse and grace of God, both of sinne and pain. And certes ones a yere at least it is lawfull to be houseled, for surely ones a year all things renouellen.

Now haue I told you of very confession, that is the second part of penitence.

Explicit secunda pars penitentiae: Et sequitur tertia pars.

THe third part of penitence is Satisfacti∣on, and that stont most generally in almose deed and holy pain. Now been there three manner of almose. Contrition of heart, where a man offreth himself to God: Another is, to haue pitie of defaute of his neighbour: And the third is, in giuing of good counsell, ghostly and bodily, where as men haue need, and namely in sustenaunce of mans foode. And take kepe that a man hath need of these things generally, he hath need of food, of clo∣thing, and of herborow, he hath need of chari∣table counsail, visiting in prison, in sicknesse, and sepulture of his body. And if thou maist not visit the needfull in prison in thy person, visit hem with thy message and yefts. These ben generally the almose and workes of cha∣ritie, of hem that haue temporell riches, or discretion in counsailing. Of these workes shalt thou hear at the day of dome.

These almose shalt thou do of thine own proper things, and hastely and priuely if thou maist: but nathelesse, if thou maist not do it priuily, thou shalt not forbear to do almose, though men see it, so that it be not to doe for thank of the world, but only for thank of Iesu Christ. For as witnesseth faint Ma∣thew Capi. v. A Citie may not be hid that is set on a mountain, ne men light not a lan∣tern, to put it vnder a bushell, but set it vpon a candlestick, to yeue light to menne in the house: * Right so shull your light, light before menne, that they may see your good works, and glorifie our Father that is in heauen.

Now as to speak of bodyly pain, it stont in praiers, waking, fasting, vertuous tea∣ching of orisons. And ye shall understond, y^• orisons or prayers, is to say, a pitous will of heart, that setteth it in God, & expresseth by word outward to remeeue harms, and haue things spirituel and perdurable, and some∣time temporel things. Of which Orisons, certes in the orison of the Paternoster, hath Iesus Christ enclosed most things. Certes it is priuiledged of three things in this dignity, for which it is more digne than any other prayer, For that Iesu Christ himselfe made it, and it is short, for it shold be learned the more lightly, and to hold it the more easie in heart, and help himselfe the ofter in this Orison: and for a man should be the lesse weary to say it, and not excuse him to learn it, it is so short and easie: and for it comprehendeth in it selfe, all good prayers. The exposition of this holie prayer, that is so excellent and digne, I referre to the Mai∣ster of Theologie, saue thus much woll I say, * That when thou prayest that God should foryeue thee thine offences as thou foryeuest hem that haue offended thee, be well ware that thou be not out of charitie. This holy Orison aminisheth also venial sin, and therefore it apperteineth specially to pe∣nitence.

This prayer must be truely sayed, and in perfect fayth, and that men pray to God or∣dinately, discreetly, and deuoutly: and al∣way a manne shall put his will, to be subiect to the will of God. This Orison must also be sayd with great humblenesse, and ful pure and honestly, and not to the annoyaunce of any man or woman. It must also be conti∣nued with the works of charitie. It auail∣eth also ayenst the vices of the soul: for as sayth S. Irom, * By fasting been saued the vices of the flesh, and by prayer the vices of the soule.

After this thou shalt understond, that bo∣dyly prayer stont in waking. For Iesu Christ sayeth: wake ye and pray, that ye ne enter into wicked temptaion. Ye shull understond also, that fasting stont in three things: in for∣bearing of bodyly meat and drink, in for∣bearing of worldly iollitye, and in forbear∣ing of deadly sinne: this is to saye, that a man shall keep him fro deadly sinne with all his might.

And thou shalt understond also, that God ordayned fasting, and to fasting partayneth foure thinges. Largenesse to poore folke: gladnesse of heart spirituel: not to be an∣grie ne annoyed, ne grutch for he fasteth: and also reasonable hour to eate by measure, that is to saye, a man shall not eat in un∣time, ne sit the longer at the table, for he fasteth.

Then shalt thou understond, that bodyly pain stont in discipline, or teaching by word or writing, or by ensample. Also in wearing of heer or stamin, or of harbergeons on her naked flesh for Christes sake, and that such maner penaunces, ne make not thine heart bitter or angrie, ne annoyed of thy selfe, for better is to cast away thine heer, than to cast away the sweetnesse of Iesus Christ. And therefore sayeth saint Poule: clothe you, as they that been chosen of God in heart, of misericorde, debonairte, suffraunce, and such manner of clothing, of whiche Ie∣su Christ is more pleased than with the heers or herbergeons.

Then is discipline also, in knocking of thy breast, in scourging with roddes, in kneel∣ing, in tribulation, in suffring patiently wrongs that been doen to thee, and also in patient suffring of sicknesse, or lesing of worldly goodes, or cattel, or wife, child, or other frends.

Then shalt thou nnderstond, which things disturbe pennaunce, and that is in foure manners, drrade, shame, hope, and wan∣hope, that is, desperation. And for to speak first of dreade, for which he weneth that he may suffer no penaunce. There ayenst is remedie, for to think that bodyly penaunce, is but short and little at regard of the pain of hell, that is so cruel and so long, that it lasteth without end.

Now ayenst the shame that a man hath to shriue him, and namely these Ipocrites, that would be hold so perfect, that they haue no need to shriue hem: Ayenst that shame would a man think, that by way of reason, that he that hath not be ashamed to do foul things, certes him ought not be ashamed, for to doe faire thinges, and that is confes∣sions. A man should also think, that God seeth and knoweth al his thoughts, and all his werks: to him maie nothing be hid ne couered. Men should also remember hem of the shame that is to come at the daye of dome, to hem that be not penitent, and shriuen in this present life: for all the crea∣tures in yearth and in hell shall see apertly, all that they hidde in this world.

Now for to speak of the hope of hem, that been so negligent and slowe to shriue hem: that stondeth in two manners. That one is, that he hopeth for to liue long, and for to purchase much riches for his delight, and then he woll shriue him: And as he sayeth, him semeth then timely ynough to come to shrift: * Another is, of surquidrie that he hath in Christes mercie. Ayenst the first vice, he shall thenk that our life is in no sik∣ernesse, and also that all the riches in this worlde been in aduenture, and passe as a shadow on the wall. And as sayeth saint Gregorie, That it appartayneth to the great righteousnes of God, that neuer shall the paine stinte of hem, that neuer would with∣drewe hem from sinne her thankes, but euer continued in sinne: for that perpetual will to do sinne, shall they haue perpetual pain.

Wanhope, is in two manners. The first wanhope is in the mercie of God: That other is, that they think that they ne might not long perseuer in goodnes.

The first wanhope commeth of that, he demeth that he hath sinned so greatly and so oft, and so long lyen in sinne, that he shall not be saued. * Certes ayenst that cur∣sed wanhope should he thinke, that the Pas∣sion of Iesu Christ is more stronge for to unbinde, than sinne is strong for to binde. Ayenst the second wanhope he shall thinke, * That as often as he falleth, he may rise againe by penitence: and though he neuer so longe hath lyen in sinne, the mercie of Christ is alway ready to receiue him to mer∣cie. Ayenst the Wanhope that he deemeth he should not longe perseuer in goodnesse, he shall think, * That the feeblenesse of the deuil, maye nothing doe, but if men woll suffer him: and also he shall haue strength of the help of Iesu Christ, and of all holy Church, and the protection of Angels, if him list.

Then shall men understonde, what is the fruite of penaunce, and after the wordes of Iesu Christ, It is an endlesse blisse of hea∣uen: There ioye hath neuer ende, no con∣trarie of woe ne greuaunce: there all harms ben passed of this present life, there as is the sikernesse fro the pain of hell, there as is the blisful companie, that rejoyce hem euer∣mo, euerich of others ioye: there as the body of man that sometime was foule and darke, is more clere than the Sunne: there as the body that sometime was sicke, freile, and feble, and mortal, is immortall, and so strong and hole, that there ne may nothing appeire it: there as is neither hunger, thurste, ne colde, but euery soule replenished with the sight of the perfite knowing of God. This blisfull raigne may men purchase by pouertie espirituel, and the glorie by lowlines, the plentie of ioy by hun∣ger and thurst, and the rest by trauaile, and the life by death and mortification of sinne: to which life he us bring, that bought us with his precious blood. Amen.