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.

¶Why religious persones (after a defaulte cōmit∣ted) done touche the grounde. The .iiii. example. The .xxx. Chapitre.

YEt one ceremonie mo shal we set forth / where at (as I haue bothe herde & sene my selfe byfore I entred religion) they done laghe and mocke. That is to say whan any religious {per}sone in syngyng or readynge doth make defaulte in the quere: than the custome is and the ordinaunce also: that y^e same persone forthwithe after the defaulte:* 1.1 shall stoupe downe / and to touche the grounde with a fynger / wherat they done laughe and done ascribe it vnto a folysshe supersticion / saynge: that the persone dyd thā fetche good lucke at the groūde: to spede better y^e nexte tyme / & some haue I sene spitte therat & say / fye on y^e folyshe maner / done (as they saye) without ryme or reason. [Answere.] Where vnto some what to answere thē after our custome & {pro}myse: we wyll aske of thē: If (by chaūce) a seruing mā at his souereines borde or table: fortune to cast downe a dysshe of potage or a messe of sauce: why dothe he forthw^t knele downe vpon the groūde. Syr say they: we done y^t to aske

{per}don or forgiuenes for y^e default. For we haue herd in youthe of our teachers / y^t the wyse Seneke sayd. Qui sponte fatetur facinus: accipitur tan{quam} non reus. The {per}sone y^t wylfully doth knowelege his default is accoūted as giltles. And contrarie: he y^t is about to excuse or coloure his defaulte is (amōge vs) takē & iuged as a double trespasser. For ones he dyd the offence: whiche natwithstandynge was byfore the excuse were made: ascribed vnto chaunce or negli∣gencie. But the excuse is euer takē for worse thā the offence / & ascribed vnto very pryde. Nowe let thē in the name of god: thynke & iuge the same ī religious {per}sones. For trouthe it is / y^t theyr stoupynge downe & touchynge the groūde: dothe (amonge thē) openly cōfesse y^e default. And y^e styfe contēpt of y^e ceremonie dothe argue (amonge thē) a stouburne stomake & a proude herte. Natwithstandynge yet done we take this ceremonie of a more hyghe auctorite / as groū∣ded in scripture.* 1.2 For we done rede y^t our lorde said vnto our fyrste father Adā / after y^t he had offended. Terra es, et in terrā ibis. Thou arte yerth & īto yerth shalt thou passe. In remēbraūce wherof religious {per}sones done forthw^t after theyr default / in knowle∣gynge y^e same stoupe (as we sayd before) & touche y^e groūde. For the wyse mā sayth.* 1.3 Memento finis: et in eternum non peccabis. Remēbre thy laste ende (mā) & thou shalte neuer do amysse. And yet forthermore we haue of y^e gospell / y^e whan a certeyn womā was faūde ī adultry / & presēted vnto our sauiour & vnto hym accused / & his iugemēt requyred by the cruell Iues there vpon moste extremely:* 1.4 he fyrste stouped downe and touched the grounde and wrote therin w^t his fynger / & after reysyng hym selfe / he cōfoūded pardons 〈…〉〈…〉

the malicious accusers / and rendred the woman as gylteles / wherby religious persones done take mo∣nicion nat onely to knowlege there owne defaultes mekely: but also to byware howe they done accuse any other {per}sones for any defaulte / thoughe it seme very euident.* 1.5 For the wyse man sayth. Iustus in prin¦cipio, accusator est sui. The Iuste and ryghtuous {per}∣sone: dothe in the begynnynge byfore he procede in any iugemente: fyrste accuse hym selfe. For it apper¦teyneth vnto a perfecte persone: to ascribe euery de∣faulte vnto hym selfe / let this nowe content you as for answere vnto the heretikes for our ceremonies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The hereti.
• * 1.2

  Genesis. 3.
• * 1.3

  Eccl. 7. D.
• * 1.4

  Io. 8. B.
• * 1.5

  Prouer. 18.