Here begynneth the boke called the Pype, or tonne, of the lyfe of perfection The reason or cause wherof dothe playnely appere in the processe.

¶Of the reason why religious persones done drynke with bothe the handes. The .xxix. Chapitre.

YEt shall we set forthe a thyrde example of ceremonies whiche I haue often ty∣mes herde reproued / and mocked / as a mere and playne supersticion / whiche is this: Religious persones done cōme¦ly (whan they drynke) holde the cuppe in bothe the handes.* 1.1 Here vpon they done (after theyr maner) rayle / and gest / saynge: that monkes (so done they call all religious persones) done loue well drynke / & bycause they wolde be sure to haue a full draught they ordeyne theyr boles so great and large: y^t they can nat lyfte a bole with the tone hand / and therfore they take bothe the handes. [Answere.] Here you maye se good christianes: howe these heretikes done ascribe y^e lar¦genes of the boles vnto glotony. And me thynke (if they had bene charitable {per}sones) they myght (by as good reason (haue ascribed it vnto good liberalite / that whan they shulde gyue drynke vnto straūgers or vnto poore folkes: they wolde gyue it thankfully liberally / and charitably. [Obiection.] Why than (saye they) what nede you to take bothe y^e handes vnto a lytell smale cuppe or measer / whan it maye easely be lyfte vp with one hande. We shall fyrst answere (accor∣dynge vnto our {pro}myse) lyke vnto lyke / and so wyll I aske this question of them. [Answere.] Why some of thē done (whan theyr lord{is} or souereynes done drynke) hold the couer of the cuppe vnder theyr chynne? If they saye it apperteynethe vnto honoure: I wyll saye a∣gayne / that so in lyke maner this ceremonie dothe apperteyne vnto religion. And yet wyll I aske thē an other question. Why done they (whan they serue theyr souereynes of meate or sauce in a smale dysshe or saucer) bere the seruice in bothe the hādes / where

the tone hande were sufficient there vnto? If they say it is the custome and good maner of nurture▪ I wyll answere in lyke wyse / and saye the other cere∣monie•• is the custome and good maner of religion but some persones haue aunswered me / that bothe those obseruaunces ben done: lest any lycour shuld fal vpon theyr souereines clothes / or vpon the table and be loste. This aunswere dothe somewhat incline and leyne to reason. For in dede the olde fa∣thers / had conscience to lose or spyl any thynge that might come vnto the conforte of the poore / and they wolde say that the crome of bread in the baskette: or the droppe of drynke in the tobbe:* 1.2 shal accuse the ne¦gligēt persones / if they be lost. We rede in the cola∣cion of the olde fathers / of great punisshemēte done for losynge onely by negligence / of .iii. graynes of Otemele / and we haue sene some persones ī beryng of a cuppe curiously: haue caste all byfore theyr so∣uereynes / & so playde byfore you be it layde / where if bothe the hand{is} had ben diligētely put there vnto al myght haue ben safe / but let this be for lyke vnto lyke. For we done take a better foūdacion & groūde of the gospell / and of the actes & examples of our sa∣uiour. For whan he brake bread:* 1.3 he toke it euer in bothe the hand{is} & wolde lose nat one croume / as we haue ī the gospel of Matthewe / in Marke / ī Luke / & in Iohan ī diuerse places. In so moche he cōmaū∣ded his disciples (whan they had fed the people) to gather the offalles & leyuinge in baskettes that no∣thynge shulde perysshe or be loste. And also in his maundy at the laste souper / in the cōsecracion of his holy sacred body / and blode / he toke the breade / and after the cuppe / in sacras ac uenerabiles manus suas.

in his holy sacred and worshypfull handes.* 1.4 In per¦petuall remembraunce wherof we done alway take the cuppe in both the handes / wherfore let all good deuoute christianes: and specially all religious per¦sones take and applie all vnto the best / and what so euer these blasphemous and blaterynge heretikes done say / let them thynke alwaye the ceremonies of holy religion were nat ordened by the reuerente fa∣thers & holy saint{is} w^tout good reasō & sure groūde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The hereti.
• * 1.2

  Cassianus.
• * 1.3

  Matth. 16. C. Marci. 6. F. 8. A. 14, E. Luce. 9. B. 22. B. 24. E Io. 6. Matth. 26. C.
• * 1.4

  Marci. 14. C. Luce. 27. B. 24. E. Io. 6. C.