|b{Speculum_Christiani
|b_A_Middle_English_Religious_Treatise_of_the_14th_Century
|b_ed._Gustav_Holmstedt
|b_(Oxford:_Oxford_University_Press,_1930)
|b_[Brit._Mus._MS._Harley_6580]
|b_pp.2-240.}



|p2


     |r[f.2r] Ieronimus: In the begynnyng of euery werk deuoutly
     sey the praer of oure lord, the pater noster, and enprynte
     the sygne of the cros, seynge: In nomine patris et filii et
     spiritus sancti. Amen.

 |r5 |r<b> A grete differens es be-twene prechynge and techynge.
         Prechynge es in a place where es clepynge to-gedyr or
         foluynge of pepyl in holy dayes in chyrches or othe[r]
     certeyn places and tymes ordeyned ther-to. And it longeth to
     hem that been ordeynede ther-to, the whych haue iurediccion and
|r10 auctorite, and to noon othyr. Techynge es that eche body may
     enforme and teche hys brothyr in euery place and in conable
     tyme, os he seeth that it be spedful. For this es a gostly almes_dede,
     to whych euery man es bounde that hath cunnynge. As
     god seyth: He ¨euyth frely gostly gudes, whych ¨e haue take
|r15 frely. Petrus Apostolus: As euery man takyth grace, soo he
     oweth to ¨eue grace. How may any man sey truly hym-self to
     loue god and to desyr hys loue, if he see the ymage of god be
     defoulede and ly in the dounge-hepe of synnes, and the moste
     precyus blode of Criste to be troden vndyr fote, the dwellynge
|r20 place of the holy gooste to be defoulede, Cristes spouse to be
     a strompet, alle-holy feyth to be caste doun, our lordes commaund_ment 
     and al hys blyssyd hede to be dyspysede or for-sake for vyle
     lustys and vices, and he rekkyth not ther-of, ne cryes ther-a¨eyns,
     bot as a fenynge man sekyth only his owne quiete? Gregorius:
|r25 |r[f.2v] God es not louyde wyth-outen / thyne neghtbor. And thy
     neghtbor es not loued wyth-outen god. Apostolus: Vndyrnyme,
     pray, rebuke the necligence and the vicyous lyvinge of thi neght_bor 
     with al suffrance and techynge. Gregorius: He hath wyth_oute 
     doute the blame of the doer of synne that reckyth not to
|r30 correcte that the whych he myght amende. Euangelium: He
     that es of god hereth goddes wordes. Crisostimus: Goddys
     worde teche¨ vnconynge men, it maketh ferde debatful men, it
     strengthe¨ travelynge men, it conforte¨ men of sympul spiryt, it



|p4


     refressche¨ grete men, and it helyth men wondede wyth synne.
     He that es made fer fro this feste, he es a-voidede of hys gud
     spirite, he es ouer-trauelede in hys wyttys, he fayleth of treuth, he
     droppeth fro feyth, and so he gos oute of al lustys of god and
 |r5 falleth at last in-to deth. Salomon: Hys praer es acursyde
     be-for god that turnes away hys ere that he may not here the
     lawe. Dominus per prophetam: They that wyl not knowe me
     schalle be vnknowen of me. Ambrosius: Thei schal be demede
     not for vnknoynge, bot as dyspisers that myght knowe if they
|r10 wolde ¨eve her diligence ther-to. Gregorius: Not to kunne es
     ignorance, not wylle to kunne es pryde. Ambrosius: Thou
     that canste not or wilt not kunne, thou synneste most greuosly.
     Ysodorus: Vnkunynge es moder of erroures and noryscher of
     vices. Paulus: Bee¨ not ¨e vnkunynge, bot vndyrstondynge,
|r15 whyche es the wylle of god. Prouerbiorum IX=o=: A seruaunt |r[f.3r]
     vndyrstondynge es acceptable to the kynge. It es impossible
     that any man schulde plese god if he can not plese hym. Al
     men be holde to knowe comonly the thynges that been of the
     feyth and natural lawes. Al men be holden to cunne tho thynges
|r20 that longen to her astate or office, wyth-oute whych cunnynge thei
     may not exercise her, et cetera. Thre maner of kyndes been of
     almes: On to ¨eue what thou may to the nedy and pore. The
     secunde to for-¨eue hem of hert that other hauen trespassed or
     hurte the. The therde to amende and teche hym that errys and
|r25 dos amys, and to lede hym a¨en in-to the way of truthe. ¨if it be
     grete to feede bodys that schal dye, it es mych more to fede soulys
     that schal neuer dye. And if it be a grete thynge to delyuer the
     body of thyn euen-cristen fro temperal deth, it es mych more to
     delyuer hys soule from euer-lastyng deth. Truly, on of the
|r30 gretest dede of mercy es to turne and conuerte synful soules to
     god. Gregorius: No sacrifyce plesyth so mych god as loue of
     soules. He es more in loue anenste god that draweth most
     soulis to loue of god. Propheta dicit: ¨if thou departe a
     precyus thyng from a foule thyng, that es to sey a cristen soule
|r35 fro the deuyl or fro the world, thou schalt [be] as my sonne.
     Iacobus: He that maketh a synner to be conuertyde from errour
     of hys wey schal saue hys soule fro deth, and coueres or excuses



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     the gretnes or the multitude of synnes. Augustinus: Hit es
     more to make |r[f.3v] rightful a wykyd, synful man than to mak heuen
     and erthe. In constitucione Lambeth dicitur: We bydde and
     commaunde that euery curat expowne and declare openly to the
 |r5 pepil by hym-selfe or be a-nothyr on a solempne day or mo eche
     quarter ones: The articles of the fayth The ten commaundmentes,
     The two preceptys of the gospel, The seuen werkys of pyte, The
     seuen dedly synnes wyth ther braunches, The seuen principal
     vertuse, and The seuen sacramentes of grace. Crisostomus:
|r10 Many be prestes be name and fewe in dede or werke. Gregorius:
     Prestes been dampned for wykydnes of the pepil if thei teche not
     hem other the vncunnynge men or reproue not synners of her
     myslyuynge. Idem in Pastoralibus: Wyked prestes been cause
     of the myschefe of the pepul. Ysaias: Ther-for my pepil es
|r15 led thralle or taken presoner, for thei had no cunnynge, et cetera.



|p8


                    Here felouys VIII tables.
     
     |r<b> The fyrste table trete¨ of al the feyth and the articles of the
          feyth, and seyth that no man owe to defoule the feyth of
     al-holy chyrche, ne consente to no-body in euyle. The secunde
 |r5 tabil trete¨ of the ten commandmentes and of two preceptes of the
     gospel, to whych eche man cristen es holden to obeye. The
     therde tabyl trete¨ of the werkys of mercy and of seuen principalle
     vertuse, and teche¨ how and what schal be do when a ryghtful
     man schal dye, and what es to be do when a wyked man schal
|r10 dye, and of general dome. The fourte tabil trete¨ of the seuen
     dedly synnes |r[f.4r] and seyth: He that slepe¨ wyth oon dedly synne
     es more hardy than he that slepe¨ wyth seuen bolde enmys that
     haue sworne hys deth to-gedyr. Also he seyth that no man
     repentaunt oweth to dyspare. For to dyspayre es the werste
|r15 synne of al. The fyfte table trete¨ that thre thynges been that
     clensyth a man fro al synne; and sex thynges been that kepen
     a man in god and preseruyn frome evyl; and thre thynges been
     that drawen a man fro synnes or vices to vertuys. Also he
     speke¨ a¨eynes presumpcyon and desperacion; and also he trete¨
|r20 of ioyes of heuen and of the paynes of helle and of conscience, et
     cetera. The sexte table trete¨ of a kynge hauynge fowre philiso_phyrs 
     in hys reame, and of the holsome doctrine of theyme. The
     seuente table trete¨ of the boke of wysdom and of maners or
     vertuys. The eght table trete¨ of two deuoute orisones and of
|r25 two ladders, that on redressynge to heuen and that othyr to helle.
     Also ther sues a gude exhortacion that speke¨ of wyth-drawynge
     of the lyue-lode of the soule, and of merchandes, of curates, of
     prestes deseruynge auters, and of closterers that seruen only god.
     Also he speketh of spyces of ydolatry, of praer, of tribulacyon, of
|r30 pacience, of temptacyon, and of gud meditacion, and that fyue
     thynges been nedful to men trauelynge in the laste ende. And
     thor es thre maner of apostasye. Also ther suen other many
     notable thynges.



|p10


     |r<b> Hit es seyde in the Crede that Athanasie made: Qui_cumque 
          vult. Who-so-euer wyl be saue, it es nedful
     be-forne al |r[f.4v] thynges that he holde the feyth of al-holy
 |r5 chyrche. Paulus: Hit es impossible any man to plese god
     wyth-outen feyth. Seneca: He holdes ryght noght that loses
     hys feyth. Iohannes tercio: He that es of vnbyleue to the
     sone schal not se euyr-lastynge lyf, bot the wreth of god a-bydes
     on hym. Feyth es foundment of the gostly temple, the whych es
|r10 of thre thynges: Of the godhede, of the manhede of Criste, and
     of the sacramentes. And of these been twelfe articles, of whych
     the fyrste es that god es on in beynge and thre in persones,
     euerlastynge wyth-oute begynnynge and wyth-outen ende, makynge
     al thynge of noght. The secunde es that the sone hath taken
|r15 flesch and manhede and [es] borne of the Virgyne Marie, veray
     god and verray man. The therde article es that Criste, the sone
     of god and of the mayden, was don on the cros and dede and
     beryde, not a-gayn hys wyl, bot wylfully for to raunson vs. The
     fowrte article es that Crist descended to helles in soule to
|r20 dyspoyle helles, hys body restynge in the sepulcre, and that he
     ros vp truly fro ded thynges. The fyfte article es that the same
     Criste, god and man, ascended to heuenes, sitte¨ at the right
     hande of the fadyr god al-myghty, fro thens to come and deme
     lyuynge men and dede. The sexte article es that baptym clensyth
|r25 frome origenal synne and ¨eueth grace heleful and sauynge. The
     seuente article es that confirmacion of the byschope confirmyth
     the holy gost in a cristen creature. The eght article of the feyth
     es that the sacramente of penaunce does |r[f.5r] a-way al synne, dedly
     and venial. The nente article es that the sacramente of the
|r30 auter confirmeth the repentawnte that he turne not a-gayn to
     synne wylfully, and it reconsile¨ and susteyne¨ hym. The tende
     article es that ordyrs graunted ¨euen power of dignites and of
     sacramentes of holy chyrche. The leuente article es that wed_locke 
     made lawfully exclude¨ dedly synne in generacion be-twene



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     man and woman. The twelfte article es that the laste anelynge
     allyghte¨ fro bodly peyne and gostly.
     |r<b> The comyn crede of the feyth es that the apostil[es] maden.
          Petrus: Credo in deum.
 |r5   Dere frendys, considere¨ that oure lorde god come doun to vs
     that we schulde not be in errour. And he ¨aue truthe to vs in
     scriptures, to whych he wolde that we leuede, wher-in we fynde
     sufficiently and verrely al thynges that be nedful to vs to helth of
     saule, that we lowe oure wyttis mekly in the scriptures. It es
|r10 wretyn: My son, seke no ferther in these thynges. the whych
     be ¨euen of oure keper and fader god almyghty be counsayle of
     maysters and docturs of the feyth. Apostolus: Bees not to wyse
     in ¨oure conseytes in hy maters. Bot bees felynge verrely truth
     in louly and in sensible materis longyng to the feyth and true
|r15 doctrine of holy-chirche. [Ecclesiastici]: It es not nedful to
     the to see wyth thyne eyn thynges that been hid fro the. Gregorius:
     That feyth hath no mede that mannys reson and witte preuyn by
     opyn knowlech. Salomon: He that goth symply forth schal |r[f.5v]
     be safe. Augustinus: Bees not to sekyr only of feyth, bot
|r20 adde ther-to right lyfe. Iacobus: Feyth es dede wyth-outen
     werkys. Ysodorus: He es blessyde that lyues wele, belevyng
     ryghtly, and kepes ryght feyth, lyuynge wele, et cetera.
     |r<b> Dere frendes, be ¨e not wyllynge to defoule feyth of holy_chyrche,
          ne consente ¨e not to any body in evyl althogh
|r25      ¨e were compellede be peyne. For suche peyne schal
     turne ¨ou to ioye, so that, as it were, a thousent buschelles of ioye
     in heuen schul be for on drope of tribulacion paciently suffyrde
     in the worlde. Euangelium: ¨e schal be blyssyd whan men
     hate ¨ou and cast ¨oure name oute of company as for euyl for



|p14


     ¨oure lyuynge and for goddys cause. Be ¨e iocunde and ioyful
     in that day. Be-holde ¨e, ¨oure mede es grete in heuen. Petrus:
     ¨ef ¨e suffyr eny thynges for rightwysnes of god, ¨e schul be
     blyssude. Iacobus: My chyldren, take ¨e it as for a grete ioy
 |r5 when ¨e falle in tribulaciouns and diuerse diseyse and tempta_cions.
     Actus Apostolorum: Apostles ¨ede ioynge from the syght
     of counseyl of the Iues for thei [were considered] worth to
     suffyr diseyse for the name of Ihesus; for the entere loue of her
     hertys was soo myghtly fixed in oure lorde. Ieronimus: What
|r10 seynte es crouned wyth-outyn trauelos victorye? As who seythe
     noon. Gregorius: He was no gud man that was not preued by
     schrewdnes of euyl men. Crisostomus super Matheum: He
     that couete¨ glorie in heuen drede¨ not aduersite in erthe.



|p16


                     [Tabula secunda.]
          In heuen |r[f.6r] schal dwelle al cristen men,
          That knowen and kepe goddes byddynge[s] ten.
     Ecclesiastici VI=o=: Haue in mynde the byddynges of god, and
 |r5 be thou most besy in hys commaundmentes. Ambrosius: They
     that haue not goddys commaundmentis in her hertys, truly, thei
     schal suffyr harde tormentes and peynes. Idem: Thou synnest
     most greuosly for thou art vnconynge or thou wilt not cunne.
     Gregorius: He troweth euele hym-selfe to be rightful that can
|r10 not the rule of hye ryghtwysnes. Ieronimus: Man wyth-outen
     knoulech of his maker es but a best. Ecclesiastis XII=o=: Drede
     god and kepe hys commandmentes; to that euery man es made,
     et cetera.
     |r<b> Be holy wyrte ther be ten commaundmentes, of whych thre
|r15      longen to god and seuen to oure euen-cristen. The fyrst
     es: Thou schalt haue no false goddes be-fore me. Thou schalt
     not preyse ne worschip hem, god seyth. In this commaundmente
     be for-boden al sorsryes, wychecraftes, al enchauntmentes and
     coniurementes wyth false inpressions of carectis and of al such
|r20 falshede and vtturly dampned, et cetera.
     |r<b> Alle maner thinges that be louyd aboue or more than god be
          seyd fals goddys. Bernardus: Eche man ordeyne¨ that
     thynge to be hys [god] that he worschepe¨ or loues byfore other
     thynges. Radulphus super Leuiticum: They that putten by-fore
|r25 and fulfille here desyre of body, loue of mony, other ellys apetyte
     of worschipe more than charite of god, they worschipen |r[f.6v] invisibily



|p18


     Maumtrye, and that ordeyne thei for her god that thei desyre
     wyth hye entent. Euangelium: No man may seruen two lordes
     contrarie, for other he schal hate on and loue a-nother, or he
     schal draw to that on and despise that other.
 |r5           Thou schalte loue god wyth herte entiere,
               Wyth al thi saule and al thy myght;
               Other god in no manere
               Thou schalt not haue be day ne nyght.
     Gregorius: No man may be thangful to god and to hys
|r10 enmys in on and that same thynge. Petrus: Of whome that
     any man es ouercome, in that he es made his seruant. Ieronimus:
     Euery man es callyde the sone of whos werke he doos, et cetera.
     |r<b> The secunde commaundment: Thou schalt not take the name
          of thy lorde god in vayne. In this commaundment al
|r15 heresyes, ydel othes, periuries, blasfemyes, vnreuerent namynge
     of god, symulacions, and ypocrisye be for-beden.
               Thyne goddes name in vayne not take,
               Nothyr for wele ne for woo;
               Dismembyr [hym] not that for thyne sake
|r20           On rode tre was made blac and bloo.



|p20


     Iacobus: Dere frendes, be-forne alle thynge be not in wyl to
     swere, nothyr be heuen, ne be erthe, ne [be] any othyr thynge
     othe for noght or in vayn, that ¨e falle not vndyr the dome of
     veniaunce here or in that othir worlde. Bernardus: It es not
 |r5 to swere, bot when grete nede constreyne¨. Isidorus: It es not
     to swere |r[f.7r] a-¨eyns the commaundmentes of god; bot if we do the
     vse of swerynge, we renne in-to the crime of periurie. Eccle_siastici 
     [XXIII=0=]: A man mych swerynge schal be filled wyth
     wykydnes, and veniaunce schal not departe frome his hows, bot
|r10 he schal be replenyschede on the werst manere or rewarde.
     Bernardus: De crucifigentibus Christum in celo deus dicit: Am
     I not wounded sore enoghe for the? Am I not turmented and
     pyned enogh for the? Leue hensforwarde to synne, so synfully
     swerynge. For the wounde of thi synne grevyth me more than
|r15 the wounde of my syde. Augustinus: If god, for that he es
     merciful, hath spared such men in here lyue, wyth- oute doute he
     schal sende hem to euyr-lastynge fyre ther to be lost, bot thei
     repente, et cetera.
     |r<b> The therde commaundmente: Haue mynde that thou halow
|r20      the haly-day. In this commaundment es boden the
     worschip of god to [be] had religiosly, to whych as wele lewde
     men as clerkys be bonden indifferently.
     
                Thyne holy day kepe thou wele soo,
                Fro wordly werkys that thou take reste;
|r25            Al thyne houshalde the same must doo,
                Both wyfe and chylde, seruaunt and beste.



|p22


     Ambrosius: Turne a-way alle thyn entente of thyn herte
     from wordly besynes and seculer lustys moste in holy-dayes, and
     take the way of commaundmentes that leden to heuen. In holy_dayes 
     es gude to a-byde in praer, dyuine seruice, and spritual
 |r5 songes; and also to prechynge, to here goddys worde, and to
     gude discipline and doctrine. God commandeth |r[f.7v] to halow the
     holy-day, bot many defoules the holiday, and in on maner thei
     halow al the weke aftur. For thei take hede to her werkys al the
     weke-dayes. and in holy-dayes thei entende to glotony and
|r10 druncschype and wordly lustes, to fayrse and to byenge and
     sellynge; thei flye fro goddes seruice and renne to the worlde and
     to her synne. Of which god plenyth by the prophete Ezechielem:
     ¨e haue dispisude my sentuaries, myn holy places, defoulede myn
     haluede dayes. Ieremias: Many hauen al for-spornede and
|r15 for-troden my perte, et cetera.
     |r<b> The fourte commaundment: Worschip thou thi fader and thi
          moder. Here be we boden to wyrschip as wele bodili os
     gostly bothe fadyr and moder. Euery man es vndirstonde to be
     worschip[ed] inwardly and [secundly] of the same commaund_ment 
|r20 for meryte of hys degre, et cetera.
               Thyne fadyr and moder thou schalt honoure,
               Not alonly wyth dewe reuerence;
               Bot in ther nede thou hem socoure,
               And kepe ay gude obedience.
|r25 Ecclesiastici III=0=: He that dredes god worschipes fadyr and



|p24


     moder and serues hem that be-gatte hym as lordes in werk and in
     word and in al pacience. Lincolniensis: A creature not hauynge
     in mynde fader and moder by dwe worschipe, he deserueth to be
     for¨ete of god, to be fonnyde, to suffyr vilany, to be turmented
 |r5 wyth werynes of lyfe, that he curse the day that he was borne in.
     Paulus: Sones, obey¨ ¨our fadyrs and ¨our moders in god, that
     es to sey what-so-euer fadyr or modyr byddes, ¨ou do oght it, if
     it be not a¨eyne |r[f.8r] the wylle of god. Augustinus: The more
     obe[d]yant that we be to oure faders and to oure gouernours, so
|r10 mych more god schal be enclinante to oure praers. Item idem:
     Wyl thou not despise the biddynges of thi soueraynes and maysters
     with any signe of pride, that thou be not put oute of the heritage of
     heuen. Bernardus: As longe as we be of the worlde, we muste
     be dettours to oure fadyrs and our moders; bot after that we
|r15 haue for-sake oure-selfe, we be mych more fre fro besynes of hem.
     Psalmus de sponsa Christi: For-¨ete thyn peple and thyn
     fadyrs hous, and the kynge schal desyre thyn fayrnes, et cetera.
     |r<b> The fyfte comaundment es: Thou schalt not sle. In this
          euery maner slaughtur es vnleful, es for-boden, which es
|r20 som-tyme to consente, som-tyme of word, som-tyme of dede, and
     som-tyme of thoght.
                Of mankynde schal thou noon slee,
                Ne harme with worde ne wyl ner dede,
                Ne suffyr noon lorne ne lost to be;
|r25            If thou wyl may, hym helpe at nede.



|p26


     A man-sleer is seide in many maners, bothe bodyly and
     gostly, as be ensaumple, be mynde, be tunge, be handes, and
     be wyth-drawynge of lyuelode. Curates and wycked maistres sle
     her subietes by euyl ensaumple. Gregorius: Prelatys be worthy
 |r5 as many dethes as thei ¨eue euyl ensaumple to her subietes.
     Radulphus in Leuitico: He that defoules or blemysche¨ his
     neghbours conscience wyth euyl conseyl or ensaumple, he slee¨
     hym-selfe gostly and his neghboure. |r[f.8v] And he that hate¨ his
     brothir es a man-sleer. Iohannes III=0=: He that hate¨ his
|r10 brothir, he slee¨ hym gostly. Also a mansleer es [the] envious
     that es turmentede for a-nothir mannys welfare. Bernardus:
     Who art thou that haste envy to a-nothyr mannys welfare? Spare
     hym or elles spare thi-selfe, for truly thou mayste not haue envy
     to-gyder and lyue. Gregorius: Envyouse men moste thynke
|r15 hou gude a thynge es charite, that makes other mennys labours
     to be oure werkys wyth-oute traueyle. Som men sle wyth tonge,
     as Iues slowen Cryste and Herode slewe Iohanne the Baptist;
     for [he] that bydde¨ doos in dede. Also fals flaterrers and
     wyked bacbiters be man-sleers. Augustinus: This es a grete
|r20 wreth of god that correccyon may not be doo and flaterynge has
     his purpose. Prouerbiorum [XVII=0=]: He that iustifie¨ a wycked
     man and he that dampnes a rightful man, both be abominable
     anenste god. Som man slee¨ wyth hande, as Kaym slew Abel.
     Also som men sleynge vnrightly, and thei that [s]leen any body
|r25 wyth venyme or poyson. Euangelium: In what mesure ¨e mete
     to a-nothir, be the same he schal mete to ¨ou, not oonly of
     temperalle thynges, bot also of desyre. Man slee¨ not mysdoers,
     bot the lawe slee¨. If the mynister of the lawe slee ony-body be
     the lawe, bot more for euyl wylle of veniaunce than for loue of
|r30 rightwysnes, he synnes greuosly. A man that wyth-drauwyth
     wylfully bodyly lyuelode from any man in tyme of grete nede, to
     whom he myght ¨eue, he es |r[f.9r] clepid a man-sleer. As es seid in
     decret: Fede the hungre; if thou fede hym not, thou haste
     slayne hym. And ther-to es wyth-drauynge of foode of saule,



|p28


     levynge of prechynge of goddes word when man es bounde thar-to.
     Ther-for seys Criste to Petyr thrys: Fed my schepe. That
     es to sey with word, wyth ensaumple, and wyth bodyli helpe, if
     thei nede. Gregorius: Prestys be dampned for wyckednes of
 |r5 the peple if thei tech not hem vncunnynge, other ellys reprofe
     hem not of ther vicyus lyuynge and synnynge, et cetera.
     |r<b> The sext commaundmente es: Thou schalt do no lechery. In
          this commaundmente be for-bode avoutries and euery
     fornicacyon and al maner of commounynge be-twen man and
|r10 woman wyth-oute wedloke; and al maner of wylful pollucyon, of
     what maner that euer it be, arne for-boden, et cetera.
              Thy wyfe in tyme thou mayst wel take,
              Bot noon other woman lawfully;
              Lecherie and synful luste for-sake,
|r15          And dred ay god where-so thou be.
     Petrus: I pray ¨ou as straungers and pylgremes to absteyne
     ¨ou fro fleschly desires that fyghten a¨eynste a mannys soule.
     Paulus: If ¨e lyue aftyr fleschly lustes, ¨e schal dye a-mys.
     Idem: The werke of the flesch be knowen to openly; whych
|r20 been these: Fornicacion, vnclennes, vnschamefulnes, lechery,
     and such other synnes fleschly. Thei that doon such synnes,
     thei |r[f.9v] felow not to haue the kyngdom of heuen. Gregorius:
     That mercy es ful of cruelte that so serue¨ the flesch that the
     soule be slayne and dede. Ieronimus: Thei that gothe aftyr
|r25 the flesch, redy to the bely and lecherie, thei be a-counted as for
     vnresonable bestys. Also knowe wel that fleschly knowlech
     by-twen husbonde and wyffe es synful and dedly when it comes
     be fleschly luste of lechery, and than passe¨ it the bounde¨ of
     honeste and of reson. It es wretyn: Who-so ha¨ a wyfe



|p30


     lauful, late hym vse hyr laufully at conable tymes, that thei may
     take the blyssynge of our lorde of bryngynge forth frute of
     chyldren. Gregorius: Eche man study so to plese hys wyfe
     that he dysplese not god, his maker, et cetera.
 |r5 |r<b> The seuente comaundment: Thou schal do no thefte. Here
          in this commaundment es for-boden al fals wynnynge, be it
     sacrilege or symonye or thefte or raueyne, vsur or fals mesure, or
     be extorsyon, by violence or gyle or deceuynge, by periurie or
     fals iugement or any other dampnable fals-hede; al be for-boden
|r10 a-nenste god and thyn euen-cristen, et cetera.
              Be thou no thefe, ne thefes fere,
              Ne nothynge wynne wyth trechery;
              Okyr ne symony come thou not nere,
              Bot conscience clere kepe ay truly.
|r15 Augustinus: Wo be to hem that lyuen so that thei augmente
     thynges to perysch, whyl thei leue euyr-lastynge thynges thei myght
     haue if thei wolde! Lincolniensis: Wo be to them that seyn:
     Do we euyl thynges that gude thynges, rychesse, |r[f.10r] welfar, and
     prosperite here come to vs; whos dampnacion es rightful. Gre_gorius: 
|r20 Wyth how grete dampnacion schal thei be [punysched]
     that stellen a-way other mennes gudes, if thei schal haue a grete
     dampnacion that couetusly and streytly and vndiscretly heelde
     and kepten ther owne gudes? Origenes: Al men that for-saken
     rightwysnesse for temperal gudes and worldly thynges sellen god
|r25 almyghty that es ryghtwysnesse. Augustinus: O dampnable



|p32


     wynnynge of the! Thou couetuse wreche! Thou getest mone
     and leseste rightwysnesse, the which man oghte not to lese for
     any price of gude vndur heuen. Euangelium: What profet man
     al-thoue he wynne al the worlde or al worldly gudes, if he be in
 |r5 perelle of dethe or suffyr grete hyndrance of his life other ellys of
     hys soule? Other ellys what chaunge schal man ¨eue for hys
     lyfe? Augustinus: If a[n]-other mannes thyng, that es syn_fully 
     goten, may be ¨olden a-¨eyn and es not, penaunce ther-for
     es not do, bot symulacion that seme¨ and es noght. Idem: Synne
|r10 es neuer for¨euen, bot if thynges falsly taken a-way be restorede,
     if it may be restorede. It es writen truly: He that make¨
     offrynge of raueyn, of vsure, or of thefte and falsly goten gude es
     lyke hym that slee¨ and offyr¨ as for sacrifice a childe be-for his
     awne fadyr, et cetera.
|r15 |r<b> The eght commaundment: Thou schalt not speke nor sey
          false wytnes a¨eyns thi neghtbur. In this commandmente
     al kynde of lyenge and fals and dysseyuant spech be for-boden,
     et cetera. |r[f.10v]
                 Thou schalt in worde be true al-so,
|r20             And fals wytnes thou schalt not bere;
                 Loke thou not lye for freende ne foo,
                 Lest thou thy saule [ful] gretly dere.
     Augustinus: Thre kyndes ther be of lesynges: On noyande
     and a-nother crafty, the therde of myrth. Item super Iohannem:
|r25 Euery lesynge seme¨ to be synne. Thei that maken lesynges
     amonge men, what do thei ellys bot putten a-wey truthe from
     hem and brynge in falsnes? Thei schettyn out Criste and leden
     in the deuyl. No cause es to lye, 22 questione 2: When thou
     lyest be-cause of meknes, if thou were not synner be-fore, thou
|r30 schalt be made a synner be lyenge. It es not leful to lye for



|p34


     any mannes delyueraunce fro euyl perel. Bot that seynt Austyn
     seys [a¨eyns lyinge]: It es leueful to hyde prudently treuth
     vndur sum maner of colour, as in perel, as Abraham dyde, and
     ¨itte lyede he not. They synnen a¨eyns this commaundment that
 |r5 hyden the truthe ther it aghte to be seyde. For a man, acusyde
     in dome and requirede of the juge of verrey truthe, in forme of
     right, dynyinge vntruly be lesynge or sparynge the truthe, he
     synnes dedly. If the iuge aske of man acusede that thynge that
     he may not vpon ordyr of ryght, the acused es not holden to
|r10 answer hym. Thomas secunda secunde questionis 68.
     |r<b> The nente commaundmente vpon the mayster of sentence III=0=:
          Thou schalt not desyre thyne |r[f.11r] neghtburs wyfe, et cetera.
              Thy neghtburs wyfe thou schalt not desyre.
              Ne other women thorow synne coueyte.
|r15          As holy chyrche doo¨ the leere,
              So thy purpose loke thou sette.
     Mathei Vo: Who-so sees a woman to desyre hyr, a-non he has
     synnede wyth hyr in hys herte. Ysodorus: We trespace not
     only in dede bot also in thoght, if we delyte vn-lefully in
|r20 theym rennynge in oure myndes. Sapiencie I=0=: Euyl thoghtes
     deperten a man fro god. Euangelium: Euyl thoughtes, man_slaughters,
     a-voutres, fornicacions, theftes, false wytnes, blasfemyes,
     and such othyr vices gone oute of the herte; and these be synnes



|p36


     that defoules a man. Ysodorus: It es not to drede if gude
     thynges and euyl thynges bothe com to a mans thoght, if the
     mynde dyscerne wele the gud fro the badde by gud vndyrstandynge
     of reson, bot rather it es for to ioye. Bernardus: It es propurte
 |r5 of deuyls to caste euyl suggestiones in mannes mynde. It longeth
     to vs not to consente to theym. Ther-fore, when euyle thoughtes
     comen to thyn mynde, be as a daungerose eter that caste¨ a-noon
     the stynkynge metes or euyl [s]auered in-to the face of hym that
     serues hym; and al-wey wyth-stonde hem in the be-gynnynge.
|r10 Ysidorus: He wyth-stande¨ wele a-noon the dede or werke that
     ¨eue¨ no consent to delectacion temptynge thy mynde, et cetera. |r[f.11v]
     |r<b> The tente commaundmente es, vpon the maister of sentence
          a-forseyde: Thou schalte not couete thi neghtburs hous,
     ne seruaunte, man ne woman, ne ox, ne asse, ne any thynges of
|r15 al his gudes.
               Hous, ne londe, ne other thynge
               Thou schalt not couete wrongfully,
               Bot kepe ay wele godes byddynge,
               And cristen feyth lufe stedfastly.
|r20 Two thynges ben nedful to the hele of mannes soule: feyth of
     holy chyrche and kepynge of goddes commaundmentes; and
     nother suffise¨ wyth-oute other. In euangelio god seys: He that
     hath the commaundmentes and kepe¨ hem, he it es that loues me.
     Gregorius: We loue god truly if we wythdrawe vs frome oure
|r25 lustes to do the commaundmentes of god. Item: Al that dreden
     the byddynge ofgod ben made the tabernacle of god. Origenes:
     Ecche man that obeye¨ to the worde of god. Crist reste¨ in hym.
     Augustinus: On prayer of a creature obedyente es herd rather
     than ten thousand prayers of a dispiser not obeynge. Idem:
|r30 He that es turnede a-way fro goddys byddynge, he es not worthi



|p38


     to receyue that he askys in prayer. Gregorius: God al-myghty
     for-sakes ofte the prayer of hym that es in diseyse and tribulacion,
     that dispise¨ the commaundmentes of god while he es in pees and
     prosperite. Idem: It es worthi euery man be straunge fro the
 |r5 benfetes of god, that wil not be sugete to his biddynge.
     Augustinus: Hou detestable es the vice contrary |r[f.12r] to obedience,
     be which aungel fel fro heuen, man fel fro paradys, Saule loste
     hys reeme, the chyldren of Israel loste bothe her peple and place.
     Bernardus: No commaundmentes ben vndo wyth-oute blame,
|r10 other ellys dispisede wyth-outen synne. Thi lorde god seyth
     to the: ¨eue me thyne hert, and it suffise¨ to me. [Bernardus]:
     No-thyng god askes of the bot thyne herte. What thynge that it
     be that thou woldeste do wyth al thyn herte and mayste not, it
     es rekenede for dede be-for god. Gregorius: The hande es
     neuer voyde wyth-oute ¨ifte if the cheste of the herte be
|r15 replenyschede wyth gude wylle. Idem: No-thynge rycher es
     offyrde to god than gude wylle. Who-so-euer has a redy wylle
     to obeye to god in al thynges, he plesi¨ god for thynges innumerable
     that neuer he schal do.
     These ten commaundmentes be contenede in the two preceptes
|r20 of the gospel, that ben to loue god and oure euen-cristen. He
     loue¨ god of charite that kepes principally wel the for-sayde com_maundmentes 
     of verre loue and not seruyle drede. Bernardus:
     Not to be led a-wey or ouercome wyth blaundyces or flaterynge,
     ne to be bygylede wyth dysseyuauntes, ne to be broke wyth harde
|r25 and stronge temptacions, al thus es to loue god wyth al thi hert,
     wyth al the saule, and al the vertu of gude wyl, of myght and
     cunnynge. Also thou owest to loue thyne euen-crysten as thy_selfe 
     to alle gude and neuer to euyl thynges. Crisostomus super
     Matheum: |r[f.12v] He that loue¨ his neghtbur, he not slee¨ hym, ne
|r30 lye¨ to hym that he loue¨, ner seys fals wytnes of hym that he
     loue¨, ne couettys thynges of hym that he loue¨, and he defoule¨
     not hys wyfe. Ryght as hate brynge¨ forth al wykydnes, so
     bringes holy loue alle gudnes. Gregorius: God es not louyde
     wyth-oute oure euen-cristen, and oure euen-cristen es not louyde
|r35 truly wyth-oute god et cetera.



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                      Tercia tabula.
             De septem operibus misericordie.
     |r<b> Seuen werkes of mercy ther been contenede in thys verse:
          Visito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo. And
 |r5 thus menes it: 1. I visette the seke. 2. I ¨eue drynke
     the thursty. 3. I fede the hungry. 4. I bye the presoner oute
     of thraldom. 5. I couer the nakede. 6. I herbere the pore man
     housles. 7. I bery the ded body. Of these god sey¨ in the
     gospel: ¨eue thyn almes, and al thynges, as thoght and dede,
|r10 may be clene to ¨ou and be non. Item: ¨eue ¨e, as he sey¨,
     gladly [and] wyth gud wyl, and wyth gud wyl and gladly ¨e
     schal be rewardede other of god or of man, and perauenture of
     bothe vpon gude gouernance, be it in bodyly gudes or gostly.
     Augustinus: Almes es an holy thynge. It multiplye¨ gudes
|r15 presente, it lesse¨ synnes, it aumentes ¨eres of lyuynge, it noble¨
     the mynde, it large¨ the termes bothe of temperal gudys and of
     gostly, and clense¨ and purifye¨ al thynges of the doers; it
     delyuers fro dethe, it ioyne¨ to angeles, it deperte¨ fro deuelles,
     and it es a myghty |r[f.13r] walle, vnable to be wonne, al a-boute the
|r20 soule. Iacobus: As water quenche¨ fyre, so almes quenche¨
     synne. Ieronimus: Almes axes heuenes, it goth be-for the
     ¨euer, it rynge¨ the gate of the kyngdam of heuen, it arere¨
     angeles to come a¨eyns vs in helpe and welcomynge of vs, it
     clepe¨ god in-to oure helpe. And know it wele, that he of whom
|r25 almes es axede moste consydere thre thynges: 1. who axes,
     2. what thynges he axe¨, 3. and wher-to he axe¨. 1. Who axes?
     God axes. For god loue¨ so mych pore men that what-so-euer
     be do to theyme for hys loue, that rekene¨ god don to hym-selfe.
     Euangelium: That ¨e haue do to on my leeste chyldren, that
|r30 haue ¨e don to me. 2. What thynges axes god? He axes not oure
     thyng, bot hys. Dauid consyderde that Paralipomenon 29o:
     Lorde, al thynges be ¨eue, and tho haue we ¨eue the whych we
     haue take of thyne hande. 3. To what thynge axes god? He



|p42


     axes not [to] ¨eue, bot to leene; ne axes only to ¨elde a¨eyn thre
     for on as of vsure, bot that ¨e schal receyue a¨eyn an honderth
     for on. For ¨oure temperalle gudes ¨euen [os] almes to the
     pore and nedy, that schul perysch here, ¨e schul receyue euer_lastynge 
 |r5 ioye and blys in heuen, and this es a noble vsure.
     Augustinus: Wreched man, whi lendest thou to vsure to man?
     Lene to god, and thou schul take a hundreth-folde ther-for more,
     and thou schalt possesse lyf euer-endurynge. Prouerbiorum 19=o=:
     He lende¨ to |r[f.13v] god that hath mercy of the pore. Glosa: Ther_fore 
|r10 to receyue a hundreth-folde. Gregorius: Pore men be not
     for to be despysude as nedy, bot thei be for to be prayede as
     patrones. Salomon: He that ¨eues to the pore schal not haue
     nede; as so sey, he schal neuer be the porer, bot rather the
     rycher. Idem: He that dispyse¨ the pore praynge of almes
|r15 schal suffyr grete nede and lake of bodyly sustynaunce. Idem:
     He that stoppe¨ hys eere to the cry of the pore, he schal cry, and
     he schal not be harde as for helpe. It es wretyn: ¨eue to
     ecche body askynge the gud, if thou may, or gude wyl. ¨eue to
     hym that axes the vnryghtly. Glosa: ¨eue not the asker that
|r20 he askes, bot that thynge that es for hys bettyr as to hys
     amendynge. Ieronimus: ¨eue to the pore, not to mych hauynge,
     not to proude. ¨eue so that necessite may be sustende, not
     multiply ryches. Luce 14: When thou makest fest, calle pore
     men, feble, haltynge and blynde men, and thou schalt be blessyde,
|r25 for thei haue not wher-of to ¨elde a¨eyne. Ecclesiastici 35o: ¨eue
     to hyeste god hys holy ¨efte. Thobie 4: Be as mercyful as thou
     may; if thou haue muche, ¨eue plentyfully; if thou haue lytel,
     study to perte that gladly. No man may excuse hym-selfe fro
     ¨euynge al-thofe he be pore, when that it plese¨ some-tyme god
|r30 so muche when a pore man ¨eues an halpeny for goddys loue, as
     it schuld plese god if a riche man schulde ¨eue [an] hundreth
     schyllynges. Euangelium: It es |r[f.14r] seyde of the pore wedowe that
     keste in-to the tresory of the temple two mytes that scho ¨aue
     more than al that kesten in-to the tresory- It es no doute that
|r35 the pore man wolde gladly bye flesch at the schamels, if he



|p44


     trowed to haue more for an halpeny or so myche [as] a ryche man
     schulde haue for an hundreth schyllynge. And ¨eue the pore
     may not ¨eue an halpeny, lete hym ¨eue a cuppe of colde water,
     and he schal not lese hys mede. Mathei X=o=: If he may not
 |r5 ¨eue that, lete hym ¨eue a worde of comfort or of gud reson.
     Ecclesiastici [15]: Make mery chere in al ¨euynge. Paulus: God
     loue¨ a glad ¨euer. Prouerbiorum 32: He that es redy to mercy
     schal be blyssede. Ieronimus: Tho thynges that been offyrde
     be not a-countede by her weyghte, bot be gud wyl of the offerer.
|r10 [Gregorius]: God wyeth the herte and not the substaunce.
     Ecclesiastici 35o: Wyl thou not offyr euyle or badde ¨iftes, god
     takes hem not. It es wretyn: He that offyr¨ of rauayne or of
     vsure or of thefte es lyke hym that slee¨ the chylde be-for hys
     fader to sacrifice. Ysidorus: He ¨eues neuer ryghtfully that
|r15 takes a-way vnrightfully. Salomon: ¨eue to the pore of thyn
     ryghtful traueylle.
     
                Septem opera misericordie spiritualia.
     |r<b> Seuen ben spiritualle werkys of mercy, contenede in thys
          verse: Consule, castiga, solare, remitte, fer, ora. Two gostly
|r20 thynges ben in this worde consule. On es to teche the vncunynge
     that he may be wyse to knowe |r[f.14v] ryghtly. The secunde es: ¨eue
     gude counseyl to hym that axes or nede¨ ther-to. The therde es:
     Chastise hym that trespasce¨ wyth scharpe reprouynge of wordys,
     reducynge to god-warde; or ellys wyth dede, constrenynge hym
|r25 ther-to be scharpe correccyon in due maner. The fowrte es:
     Conforte the sory outhe[r] be ¨efte or confortable wordes or be any
     other sensible mater that myght reioyce hys herte in gudnes.
     The fyfte es: For-¨eue thayme that trespacen to the. Marci XI:
     If ¨e for-¨eue not other men ther synnes, ¨our heuenly fadyr schal
|r30 not for-¨eue ¨ou ¨oure synnes. To for-¨eue rancor and offense es
     a werke of grete necessite. And to for¨eue the dede es a werke
     of counseyle or of hy almes-¨ifte. The sexte es: Supporte the
     infirmytes of other discretly, so that thei be not the more redy
     for to synne, bot the more feruente and redy to repente and do
|r35 penaunce and to do the betture. The seuent es: Pray whan
     thou mayste not helpe thyn euen-crestyn wyth ony of these sex



|p46


     werkys of mercy aforseyde, that in maner been vndur mannes_powere,
     praye than god for hym that he helpe. And pray not
     only for frendys, bot also for enmys, that thei may be conuertede
     the soner to plenteuos grace of better lyfe. Euangelium: Loue¨
 |r5 ¨our enmyes, doo¨ wele to thayme that han hatede ¨ow, and
     praye¨ for men pursuynge ¨ow wrongly, that ¨e may be children
     of ¨oure fader that es in heuen. Ieronimus: No praye[r] es
     more thankful to god than that the whych es prayde for the
     en*mye. |r[f.15r] He that praye¨ for hys enmye es herde worthily of
|r10 gode, for he felows werkys of mercy and of grace. Ecclesiastici 3o:
     Haue mercy of thyne owne soule, plesynge god. Augustinus:
     God pray¨ the that thou haue mercy of thyn-selfe. Than ¨eueste
     thou truly almes to thi soule whan thou deperteste frome al euyl
     for drede of god. Crisostomus: If any body myght see woundes
|r15 of hys soule as he see¨ the woundes of hys body, he schulde se
     neuer woundes so greuose and so lamentable. It longe¨ to the
     ordre of mercy that eny man haue mercy rather to hys soule than
     to the body; and rather ¨eue mercy to hym that es in more perel
     and wrechednes than to hym that es in lesse wrechednes, et cetera.
     
|r20                 Septem uirtutes principates.
     |r<b> Seuen been virtues principalle; of whych thre be callyde
          godly and hyeste, for thei sytten man in ordre to god and
     been these: Feyth, hope, and charite. And fowre be callyde
     cardynale virtues and ben these: Prudence, temperance, rightwys_nes
|r25 , and strengh. Be these virtues man es ordeynde and ruelyd
     duly to hym-selfe and to hys euen-cristen. Of the fowre virtuse
     it may be seyde that prudence es to be ryght wayre of sodeyn
     sotiltees of enmyes; and this es necessarie a-¨eyne temptynge of
     the deuyl. Temperance es wyth-standynge of vnleful mocyons;
|r30 and this [es] nedful a¨eyne temptacyon of the flesch. Rightwys_nes 
     es in ¨eldynge euery man hys due and in helpynge |r[f.15v] and
     sustenynge nedy wreches; and this es to ben had a¨eyn the sotel
     wyckednes of the worlde. Strengh es in the wythstondynge
     generaly al wyckednes; and this es nedful a¨eyne the worlde, the
|r35 flesch, and the deuyl, that thou felowe not worldly men to do
     euyl, ne that thou go not aftyr fleschly desyres, ne bowe thou not
     to the suggestions of the deuyl. Apostels wer to vs ensample



|p48


     of ryghtwysnes. Martyrs wer to vs ensample of strength. Con_fessours 
     wer to vs ensample of wysdam. Virgyns wer to vs
     ensample of temperance. And al-thoue al the seyntes forseyde
     hadden al the virtues, ¨itte ryghtwysnesse had hyeste dominacion
 |r5 in apostelles and strengh in martyrs and wysdam in confessours
     and temperance in virgyns. Rightful men been ryght blessyde
     that kepen wel this for-seyde virtues and louen and dreden god
     and louen hys lawe; and ther-for may they not do amys, bot they
     schul wel be acceptable and dere to god and to angeles. For as
|r10 the apostyl seys: God es not taker of persons, as of stature
     or semlynes or of ryches or of hye kynrede or of ony suche dis_seyuable 
     vanites, bot he that dredes god es acceptable to god in
     euery peple, in al folke. Ecclesiastici XVI: Ony man dredynge
     god es bettyr than a thousande wycked sones or chyldren.
|r15 Idem: It schal be ryght wel at the laste eende to hym that
     dredes god.
     
             How it es don when a rightwys man dye¨. |r[f.16r]
     
     |r<b> When a ryghtful man labore¨ in the laste seknes to dye, the
          gud aungel, [his] kepar, come¨ wyth multitude of angeles
|r20 and take¨ vp hys soule fro the preson of body and lede¨ hym to
     the heuenly paleyse in-to gostly peradyse wyth songe of gretteste
     and swetest melodye, wyth gret lyght and sottest sauour and
     odour. Al hys gud dedys, as it were spekyng, schal sodenly speke
     or sey than to hym: Thou hast wroght vs; we be thyn werkys;
|r25 we schul not leue the, bot we schul be al-way wyth the; we schal
     go wyth the to the dome, and thou schalt haue grete ioye wyth_oute 
     doute be-for god for vs. And thou schalt be made glade
     wyth-outen ende amonge blessed angels. Apocalypsis: The dede
     men be blessud that dyen in oure lorde. Augustinus: He may
|r30 not dye euyl that has lyuede wele, and he dye¨ vnne[th]ys wele
     that has lyued euyl. Ieronimus: He that dye¨ in this tyme es not
     [to] be sorowede or weylede for that he lakkes thys hyeght of
     lyght, bot rathe[r] [it] es to be thanked and gladede that he has
     a-scapede fro so many perelles. They be for to be wepyde in deth
|r35 or in dyinge that helle schal receyue wreches oute of this lyfe,



|p50


     and not thei the whych heuen has enclosed euer to be glad in
     ioye. For deth es the kynges keye, the which oure lorde ¨eues
     to delyuer hys frendys fro preson of the body. Also deth es
     the gate be whych the frendes of god fle fro the handys of
 |r5 enmyes vnto mercy and glorie. Augustinus: O deth and
     desiderable eende of al wykede, closure of the presente labours,
     be-gynnynge of reste! Who may be-thynke the perfites |r[f.16v] of thyne
     blessede-hedes? Apostolus: I couete to be dyssoluede be deth
     and be wyth Criste. Who suffyce¨ to nombre the dyseses and
|r10 myschefes of this lyfe? For-whi our bodyes been now seke, heuy
     and dul, feble, tormentede wyth hungur, thurst and cold, and ful
     of many other wrechednes. The bodyes of chosen creatures to
     be sauede schal be specyose and fayreste in general resurreccyon,
     schynynge as it were sone-bemes. Ther heeres schal schyne os
|r15 gold, ther bodyes schul be feyre and schaply and of so semly
     stature that it es impossible to fynde in hem ony foul thynges or
     vnhoneste. Al men dyen feble, freel, ful of passions; bot aftyr
     this lyfe the chosen creaturs schal a-rise and be stronge, stable,
     ¨onge, fayre, and immortalle. Suche es the chaunge of the gudnes
|r20 and power of god, et cetera.
     
             How it es when a wyckede lyeth in dyinge.
     
     |r<b> When the wycked man lyth in hys laste ende to dye, deueles
          clusters to-gyders, comen wyth greteste noyse, horrible of
     syght, ferdful of apperynge and doynge, that casten oute a-noon
|r25 the synful soule fro the body wyth grete turmentes and cruelly
     drawen it to the cloystre of helle. Bernardus: The wycked
     man es sodenly rauesched in-to deth. The soule es depertede
     fro the body wyth gret drede, wyth gret dolours; for the horrible
     places schal appere than sodenly of peynes, the cloude gret and
|r30 derke, the blac schadow of derknes, the gastfulnes of wrechednes 3
     and |r[f.17r] of confusion, the tremlynge of anguysch, the drede of
     tribulacion, the sorow of ferde-ful vysion, the feer of quauerynge
     dwellynge, wheyr that schal be weylynge of wepynge creaturs,
     grystynge of teeth, fretynge of wormys venemose, clamour of
|r35 sorwynge, wepynge of sorwynge men, and voyce of cr[e]atures
     clamerynge and criynge: Wo, wo, wo to vs, moste wreches,



|p52


     chyldren of Eue! Then al hys werkes, as it wer spekynge, schal
     sey to hym: Thou hast wroght vs; we ben thi werkes; we schal
     not forsake the; we schul euer be wyth the; we schal go wyth
     the to the doom, that vtturly thou be confoundyde for vs and
 |r5 euerlastyngly be turmented amonge deueles or fendes. Also
     creaturs of god schal crye and seye: Go we destroye hym, for he
     was al¨euen to euyl, to prouoke the wreth and veniaunce of oure
     lorde god to hym-selfe. Erthe schal crye in hys maner: Whi
     suffyr I hym or susteyne so wyckede a creature? Water schal
|r10 crye: Whi strangle I hym not? The eyre schal crye: Why fayle
     I hym not? The fyre: Why brenne I hym not? The wycked
     beest schal crye: Whi al to-rente I hym not? The stoon: Whi
     stone I hym not? And helle schal crie: Why deuoure I hym
     not? It es no doute that al thynges schal be armede a¨eyns
|r15 wycked men, for thei haue doon a-¨eyns al thynges, thei haue
     dyspisude god and his commandmentes, thei haue wrethude
     manyfolde angels, thei haue dishonourde seyntes and ther feestes,
     thei haue [doon] wronge gladly to men, thei haue made |r[f.17v] lower
     creaturs to seruen in euyl and in gyle of the deuyl, the whych
|r20 thei ought to haue ordeynde to the plesaunce of ther maker. It
     suffisede not oonly to them-selfe to do wronge to god, bot also
     thei prouokede ofte other men to do wronge to god. Thei haue
     strangled boldly gude conscience; thei haue slayne wyttyngly
     verrey treuth and rightfulnes; thei haue exilede fer fro hem holy
|r25 charite and heleful techynge; thei haue had the correccyon of
     god and of holychyrche in gret hate; the[i] haue louede her
     owne wyl and worldly vanyte a-boue god and hys command_mentes.
     Ther-for no woundur thoue god seye in the laste day
     of dom: ¨e cursed, goos fro me in-to euer-lastynge fyre, which es
|r30 made to the deuyl and to hys angels, et cetera.
     
                        De generali iudicio.
     |r<b> Sophonye, the prophete, prophecied of the last day of doom,
          hou ferdful it schal be to wyckyd men, that schal come as
     a theef in the nyght, seynge thus: That day schal be day of
|r35 wreth, day of tribulacion and of anguysch, day of duble sorow
     and wrechednes, day of derknes and of blacnes, day of wailynge



|p54


     and of cry, day of cloudes and of tempestes, day of trumpe and
     of gastful sounde. Crisostomus: Vertues of heuen schal be
     mouede: the synnes accusynge schal be on the ryght syde,
     innumerable fendes scha[l] be on the lefte syde, the gastful
 |r5 cloude of helle schal be vndurneth, the iuge excitede to wreth
     schal be a-boue, the gylty conscience schal brenne wyth-in, wher
     vnneth a ryghtful man schal be sauede. |r[f.18r] Ysaie XXIIII=0=: The
     mone schal wex rede, the sone schal lose his light and be con_foundede.
     Glosa: The sone seyng them that haue vsude his
|r10 lighte, that no-thynge haue doon worthi the gudnes of god.
     Euery man schal ¨elde vp a streyte a-cownte and reson be-for
     god of al thynges that he has doon or spoken; be whych helpes.
     bi what meryte, and by what entente he has comen to any state or
     degre; hou he has entrede, hou he has lyuede, hou he has perse_uerede; 
|r15 what he has lernede, what he has taught, and in what doc_trine 
     he has continuede. Bernardus: As on lytul her schal not
     perisch of thi hede, so on momente schal not [be] lost of thi tyme.
     Tullius: The conscience of the synner schal be enserchede, and
     the letters of the synnes schal be seen wyth open herte, which be
|r20 wryten wyth an iryn poyntel. Gregorius: Our lord schal apper
     than myldly to gud men and rightful, and to wycked men and
     vnrightful l1e schal apper ryght dredful. Then schal god a-venge
     or schew moste ferdfuly hys wreth a¨eyns synners and trespascers
     of hys commandmentes. Propheta: When I schal tak tyme,
|r25 I schal deme rygh[t]fulnes. Deuteronomii XXXII=0=: If my
     power take doom, I schal ¨eue veniance to my enmys, and I schal
     ¨elde hem that haue hatede me. I schal dyppe myn arues in
     blode, and my swerde schal deuoure men fleschly lyuynge.
     Psalmus: As fyre that brenne¨ wod, and as lyghtnynge brennynge
|r30 hylles, so schal thou pursue |r[f.18v] hem, that es to sey thyn enmys, in
     thy tempeste. Crisostomus: Richesse schal not pray than for
     rych men, and sones or chyldren schal not pray for fadyr and
     moder, and angels schal not speke a worde for men, as thei wer
     woned, for nature or kynde of the dome receyue¨ no mercy.
|r35 Sapiencie Vo: Ryghtful men schal myghtyly stande to-gedre in
     grete stedfastnes a¨eyns hem that haue anguyshede and troble[de]
     hem cruelly, and ¨eyns hem that falsly haue take a-way here true



|p56


     labours and her truly goten gudes. Gregorius: They schal
     come than juges for god that be demede now here vnrightfully
     for god. Augustinus: Wycked men had leuer suffre al manere
     of turmentry than for [to] see the face of the wrethyde
 |r5 domysman. Apocalypsis VI=0=: Wycked men schal sey to hylles
     and stones: Falles ¨e on vs and hydde vs fro the face of the Iuge
     syttynge of the hye trone, and fro the ire of the lambe. If these
     thynges be dredful to here, hou myche more ferdful es it to suffre
     these! Augustinus: Lete the soule doo for hym-selfe as longe
|r10 os the place of mercy es, for-why ther schal be the place of
     ryghtwysnese. Gregorius: ¨e dere brether, sette ¨e that day
     be-for ¨our gostly een, and what-so-euere seme¨ now gr[e]uose and
     heuy, it es bot ryght a lyghte thynge in comperyson of that! It
     es better truly to haue premedytacyon, a gude be-for-thynkynge,
|r15 than to haue the lordschyppe of alle the worlde.



|p58


                       Quarta tabula.
               De septem peccatis mortalibus.
                         Superbia.
                |r[f.19r] |r<b> Who-so wyl haue helle,
 |r5            Do he moste as I hym telle.
                I boste and bragge ay wyth the beste.
                To maynten synne I am ful preste.
                Myn awne wyl I wylle haue ay,
                Thoue god and gud men al bydde nay.
|r10 Bernardus: Pryde es be-gynnynge of al synne and cause of al
     vndoynge. Augustinus: Pryde made angel the deuyl. Meknes
     made [god man]. Pride make¨ the commaundmente of god to bee
     dyspysede. Mekenes make¨ it to be kepede. Bernardus: Euery
     proude man es intollerable, for hys clothynge es to ouere mych,
|r15 hys goynge es proude, hys haterel vp-raysede, then proude loken
     and scorneful. He stryue¨ of hyer place; he boste¨ hys wreched_nes 
     and hys dedys; he kepe¨ not reuerence in hys seruyce.
     Augustinus: Whom-so-euere thou seeste to be proude, dout
     thou hym not to be the deuyl chylde, he es so. Be-thynke often
|r20 a¨eyns pryde what thou haste be, who thou art, and what thou
     schalte be aftyr deth. Bernardus: Man es not ellys bot stynkynge
     slyme, a sac of vyle ord[u]re and wormes mete. Idem: If thou
     schulde consydre besyly what gos oute by the mouthe, what be



|p60


     the nose therlles, and what be other open places of the body,
     thou saw neuer a viler donghepe. Worschyps be not ¨euen to
     the for the, bot for gostly lucre that myght come ther-of. The
     outwarde gudes and temperalle be not kyndly thyne; bot ryches
 |r5 ben of the erthe, and thei be taken of the erthe. Gregorius:
     He that es proude of virtues slee¨ not |r[f.19v] hym-selfe wyth swerde
     bot wyth medycyn. Idem: He that es proude of conynge that
     he has, he es made blynde of that thynge of whych he awe to
     haue lyght and ther-of to be lyghthede, et cetera.
     
|r10                          Inuidia.
               |r<b> I am ful sory in myn herte
     
                   For other mens hele and querte.
     
                   I banne and bacbyte wyckedly,
     
                   And hyndre al that I may sykerly.
     
|r15 Seneca: Als many ioyes as ben [of] blessede men, so many
     sorwes ben of enviose men. Ieronimus: The enviose man wenes
     that thynge wyth-draw fro hym that es ¨euen to prasynge of other.
     The enviouse man labours wyth stody to put sum spot of blame
     in his neghtbur. Ecclesiastici IX=o=: The enviose man peruerte¨
|r20 and turne¨ gude thynges in-to euyl and pute¨ sum spote of
     sclaundyr in gude men. Bernardus: O, who art thou that hast
     enuye of other menes hele? Spare hym, or elles at hardeste
     spare thi-selfe, for truly thou mayste not bothe haue enuye and
     lyue. Gregorius: He that es dyuidede fro felyschype of hys
|r25 brethyr be flaume of envye es dyuidede and priuede fro godes
     charite. Idem: Enuyose men moste thynke how grete a gud es
     charite, that make¨ other mennes gud werkes to be ours wyth_outen 
     trauele. Apostolus: Bacbyters ben hateful to god.
     Ieronimus: A bacbyter and the glade herer bothe bere the deuyl
|r30 in tunge. Bernardus: The tunge of a bacbyter es. as it wer,
     a thre-egged swerde that slee¨ thre soules wyth oon stroke.



|p62


     Ieronimus: Be not in wyl to be a presumptuose iuge or to be
     a] bolde |r[f.20r] and ensercher of other mennes lyfe. Bernardus: God
     loue¨ that soule that wyl considre it-selfe wyth-outen cessynge.
     Seneca: That make¨ only men werste that no man be-holde¨
 |r5 wele hys owne lyfe.
                                Ira.
             |r<b> I chide and fyght and manas faste.
     
                 Al my fomen I wyl doune caste.
     
                 Mercy of hem wil I none haue,
     
|r10             Bot veniaunce stronge, so god me saue.
     
     Ieronimus: Wreth of man werke¨ noght ryghtfulnes of god,
     whyche troble¨ so the mynde that it seme¨ to be pure wodne¨ or
     madnes. Bernardus: Hatful wreth es the gate of al vices.
     Right as a boore rynnes of wodnes a-¨eyns a swerde, so renne¨
|r15 an ireful man to synne. Ther-for a man so wrethede es to be
     flede, as a woode hounde or ellys as a cruel lyon broken louse.
     Bot note wele here that, when a man wyl not do euyl that the
     flesche couete¨, ne has delectacyon in thoughtes of synne, bot
     wyth-stande¨ hem, hauynge hem at dyspyte, than be thei
|r20 purgacion and a coroune of his soule. Wreth dyscretly taken for
     chastisynge of wickednes es not forboden. Augustinus: No man
     of hoole wytte reproue¨ any other to be wroth to his brothire that
     he be correctede. He es not wroth to hys brothyr that es wroth
     for the vice of hys brothyr. Psalmus: Be ¨e meuede dyscretly
|r25 in wreth for synne, and be ¨e not in wyl to synne in wreth.
     Gregorius: Wyth-outen doute he has the gylte of the doynge
     that recke¨ not to amende that thynge that [he] myghte correcte,
     et cetera.



|p64


                             Accidia.
             |r[f.20v] |r<b> Me thynke¨ ful heuy of goddes seruyce.
                 Gudnes to wyrke wyl I no wyse.
                 Idelnes and slepe I loue beste,
 |r5             For in hem I fynde moste reste.
     Salomon: He that felowes ydelnes es moste foole. The ydel
     man or sleuthful may be schot on euery syde, for hys mouthe
     hungre¨ for defaute of mete, his tonge variable wordes, his handes
     vile werkes, his herte wyrschipes, his here tydynges, his een
|r10 vanites. The ydel man schal not ioye in heuen wyth seyntes, bot
     he schal sorow wyth-outen ende in helle wyth wyckede men.
     Apostolus: He that trauels not, lete hym not ete. He oughe to
     traueyle in goddes seruyse that wyl eten of godes gudes. I=0=b:
     Man es borne to labour and traueyle, as byrde es made to flee.
|r15 Ieronimus: Do thou alwey somwhate of gude werkes that the
     deuyl fynde the wele occupyede. Gregorius: No man sleuth in
     the way of this lyfe that he lese not the blessede place in euere_lastynge 
     cuntrey of heuen. Ieronimus: Holy men fallen in
     synne if the[i] be negligent. Truly, it es a greuouse sleuthe to do
|r20 negligently that thynge that any man es be-holde to do. It es
     more greuouse sleuth to leuen it vtturly vndon for sleuth. Bot
     it es moste greuose sleuth to lette and wyth-drawe other fro gude
     dedes, and that thei may not suffre wyth gude wyl other mennes
     gude werkes. If any suche be, that god forbede, thei be moste
|r25 wreches and deuyls chyldren, et cetera.
     



|p66


                              Auaricia.
              |r[f.21r] |r<b> I couete ay and wyles [oft] caste,
     
                  Hou that I may be ryche in haste.
     
                  Ful faste I holde al that I wynne,
     
 |r5              Al-thoue my parte be leeste ther-inne.
     
     Paulus: Couetyse es rote of al euyl thynges. Idem: They
     that wyl be made ryche fallen in-to many temptacions and in-to
     the deueles trappes and many euyl desyres, that drowne a man
     in-to wyckede deth. Ieronimus: Rychesses to many men hauen
|r10 gendrede deth. Gregorius: He es made a tabernacle of deuels
     that laburs in this worlde for ryches and wyrschipes, and afture
     that he has goten hem, ¨eue¨ hym-selfe to lychory, that lychory
     may waste al that couetyse gadrede to-gyder. Ieronimus: Wo
     to hym that bygges his house not in ryghtwysnes! Robertus
|r15 Lincolniensis: Wo to hem that seyen: Do we euyl thynges that
     gude thynges may come to vs! Of suche men the dampnacion
     es ryghtful. Gregorius: Wyth hou grete dampnacion schal thei
     be smyten that stellen a-waye other menes gudes, if thei schal be
     smyten wyth a grete dampnacion that haue holde streytly and
|r20 vndiscretly here awne gudes! Ambrosius: He that lyue¨ wele in
     gude ensample ¨euynge enformes the lyfe of the soule, and nother
     he axes or sekes ryches, ne wyrschypes. Gregorius: Auaryce
     es not quenchede wyth thynges desyrede, bot rather it es morede
     and encrecede, as fyre when it take¨ moo brondes. Idem: When
|r25 other vices wexen olde wyth vs, oonly couetyse wexes ¨onge in
     olde men. |r[f.21v] Seneca: The couetus man doo¨ nothynge of gudnes,
     bot when he dye¨. Ysidorus: It happe¨ ful selde that thei go
     to reste that haue rychesse. Gregorius: He that loue¨ worldly



|p68


     gudes falle¨ to peyne of drede and of sorow, wyl he nyl he.
     Ambrosius: A man pore in money and ryche in conscience
     slepe¨ more sykyrly in strawe or in chaffe [than] the ryche man
     of worldly gudes in purpil, et cetera.
     
 |r5                           Gula.
             |r<b> I loue my wombe a-boue al thynges.
     
                 Hym m[o]ste to plese es my lykynges.
     
                 I haue no reste nyght ne day,
     
                 Tyl he be serued to hys pay.
     
|r10 Paulus: God of glotons es her wombe. Ieronimus: Thei
     that goon aft-yr lustes of her flesch, redy to the wombe and to
     lechery, be a-countede as vnresonable bestes. Gregorius: When
     glotony ha¨ the maystre, al vertues be cast doun by lechery and
     veynglory. Bernardus: Glotony and droncschype ben the
|r15 deuel cuppe or gret temptacion of deuelryes. Augustinus:
     Druncschype bere¨ awey the mynde, it dispole¨ the wytte, it
     corrupte¨ the blode, it destroye¨ the nature, it lese¨ grace and
     brynge¨ his felowers to dampnacion. Ysaias: Wo to ¨ow that
     be myghty to drynke and stronge men to menge druncschyp!
|r20 Ieronimus: He that es dronken es dede and beryde. Paulus:
     Go thou not aftyr thyn fleschly desyres. Idem: Thei that be
     Crystes seruauntes hauen crucifyede and chastisede her flesch
     a¨eyns vices and euyl desyres. Ieronimus: Nothynge es
     more gloriouse than to vencose |r[f.22r] the flesch, and nothynge es
|r25 more foule, ne werse than to be ouercomen of the flesche.
     Cassiodorus: Wo to that flesch that has not been maystrede
     and ouercomen in this worlde! Salomon: Wyl thou not be
     in feestes of synners, ne in here juncryes that ¨euen flesch



|p70


     to ete. Ecclesiastes: As fysch be take wyth an hooke. and as
     byrdes be caught wyth panter, gren, snare, or trappe, so men
     vn-auysed be tak in euyl tyme, et cetera.
     
                               Luxuria.
 |r5            |r<b> I loue ful luste and lechery.
     
                    Fornicacyon and a-voutrye.
     
                    Fro synful luste I wyl not fle,
     
                    Thoue I in helle for it ay be.
     
     Paulus: Be ¨e not [in] wyl to do fornicacyon; for nouther
|r10 a-voutres, ne softe delytable lyuers, ne sodomytes, oppressers and
     defoulers of menchyldre schal possesse the kyngdome of god.
     Salomon: Fornicacion and lechery make¨ wyse men foule¨.
     Ieronimus: Lechery es hateful to god and enmy to virtues.
     Gregorius: Wheri lechery occupye¨ any mans mynde, it suffye¨
|r15 not to thynke any gud thynges. Augustinus: Berkynge of
     houndes, louynge of oxon plese¨ more gode than prayer of
     lechours. Noes flude was made for synne of lechery, that
     dystroyede al lyuely thynge of the erthe. Ieronimus: Take
     flyght a-¨eyns temptacion oflechery if thou wylt haue the victorye.
|r20 Idem: No-thynge es so vnholsome and made as a man to bynde
     hym-selfe to euerlastynge turmente and peyne for a lytel delecta_cton.
     Augustinus: O, hou lytel es the houre of the werke of
     lechery |r[f.22v] be whych euerlastynge iyfe es loste! Glosa [super]
     Iohannem: Euery man drede¨ deth of the body, fewe dreden
|r25 deth of saule. Augustinus: As bodyly  deth perte¨ the soule fro
     the body, so dedly synne deperte¨ the soule fro very lyfe, which



|p72


     es god. O, what es that vnsely soule that es forsaken of god
     almyghty and es occupyede of the deuel? It es voyde of lyghte
     and es fillede wyth derkenes; it es drawen oute of swetnes and
     es druncken wyth byternes; it lese¨ lyfe and fynde¨ deth.
 |r5 Crisostomus: Who-so myghte se the wondes of the soule as he
     see¨ the wondes of the body, he schulde neuer se so greuose
     wondes and so lamentable and sorowful. Augustinus: A roten
     dogge stynke¨ more tollerable to men than a synful soule to god.
     Idem: He es more hardy that slepe¨ wyth oon dedly synne, than
|r10 he that slepe¨ wyth seuen enmys that hauen sworne to-gedre on
     the sacrament his deth. Thei that be in dedly synne ben as at
     helle gate. Propheta: Thei haue come ryght ney vn-to the gates
     of deth. Canon: He that dye¨, not repentaunt, in dedly synne,
     he dye¨ for al and euer, and he schal euer be tormentede and
|r15 al-wey ful of wyckednes, schal be peynede wyth-outen charite.
     Augustinus: No man dyspeyer of for¨euenes of his synne, when
     thei deserue for¨euenes that slowen Criste. Despeyer es wers
     than al synne. Ysidorus: He that dyspeyrs of for¨euenes falle¨
     more of dispeyre than of any other gylte. Ieronimus: Iudas
|r20 offended more god in that he henge hym-selfe, than in |r[f.23r] that
     synne that he be-trayede Cryste. Therfor in verray confessyon
     knowleche ¨oure synnes and doo¨ penaunce, [and] the kyngdom 
     of heuens schal come nere ¨ou. Augustinus: The kyngdom of
     heuens es schette to no man, bot to hym that schete¨ oute hym_selfe. 
|r25 Idem: As a sparcle in the mydel of the see, so es al tl1e
     wyckednes of man to goddys mercy, et cetera.



|p74


|r                       Quinta tabula.
              |r<b> My dere frendes, I ¨ou pray,
     
                  Foure thynges in herte bere a-way.
     
     On es what thynges file¨ men. A-nother es what thynge make¨
 |r5 them clene. The therde [es] what thynge kepe¨ hem in clennes.
     The fourte es that ther wyl to goddes wyl thei redres. As to the
     fyrste wytte ¨e wele: thre thynges [foule] a man; the whyche ben



|p76


     these: the synnes of herte, of mouth, and of dede. Gregorius:
     Venyal synne lette¨ the lyght of a man, and dedly synne make¨
     hym al derke. Ecclesiastici XIX=o=: He that recke¨ not of a lytel
     defaute, be lytel and lytel he schal falle in grettere, et cetera.
     
 |r5                       Peccata cordis.
     |r<b> These ben the synnes of the herte: Erroure; heresye; synful
          study; not leuynge in the articles of the feyth stedfastly;
     in foule thoghtes taryinge wylfully; euyl delyte; assent in
     synne; desyre of euyle; wycked wylle; euyl supposynge;
|r10 veniaunce couetynge; hatrede; wreth; enuye; joye of other
     mennes euyl-fare; sory of ther welfare; no pite of hem that



|p78


     be in peyne of pouerte; |r[f.23v] despite of pore or synful men; to
     ryche men for here [rychesse]; vnconable ioye or loue; ypocrisye;
     loue to flatere and plese men; drede more to dysplese hem than
     god; wronge intencion; synful couetynge of dignite, of benifice,
 |r5 worschyp or office, rychesse or any other thynge; veyn glory of
     godes or of eny hape; schame of pore kyn; pryde of rych men or
     gentylle; joye of euyl dede; schame of gude dede; sory for that



|p80


     he dyde [no] more euyl or that he dyde not the synne that he
     myghte haue doon; peyn of penaunce; vnstable of gude purpose;
     loth to for-sake synne; lyste not [to] here goddes worde, no tente
     to the callynge of the holy goste; lothe to serue god and to do gud
 |r5 dedes; and wyl not be obedyent to the byddynge and to the
     ordinaunce of god and of holy chirche; obstynaci in euyl;
     ouerhope and wanhope.



|p82


     Of thes vices god seith [in] Euangelio: Wyckede thoghtes,
     manslaughters, fornicacions, auoutryes, thefte, false wytnes goone
     out of the herte. These ben synnes that foulen a man.
     Ysidorus: We trespace not oonly in werke, bot also in thoghte,
 |r5 if we delyte vnleuefully in hem rynnynge in oure mynde. Idem:
     It es not [to] drede if gude thynges and euel bothe comen to
     mynde, bot more to ioye if the mynde discerne the gud fro the
     badde by vndyrstandynge of reson. Bernardus: It es the pro_purte 
     of deueles to brynge to mynde euyl suggestions; it longe¨
|r10 to vs not [to] consente to them. As many temptacions os
     a man for Criste ouer*come¨, |r[f.24r] so many precyous stonys bye¨ he
     to hys immortale croune. Ther-for when wyckede thoghtes be
     offrede to thi mynde, be as a daungerou¨ etere that caste¨ anon
     in-to the face of the seruitor the stynkynge metes or not wele
|r15 dight metes. Ysidorus: He wyth-stande¨ sone the dede that
     ¨eues not consente to delectacion sotilly temptynge. Note
     wele here that [in] procedynge of vices seuen maner wyse es
     knowen. Firste es suggestion of the deuyl. Bot the nuryschynge
     of synne es not the synne, bot occasion of synne. Aftyrwarde it
|r20 es mouede sensually or fleschly of suggestion or any other wyse,
     and than es made the fyrste styrynge of synne. The secunde es
     in delectacyon, the therde es in consente, the fourte es in dede,
     the fyfte es in custome, the sexte es in gloriacion and obstinacy,
     the seuente in dispeyer.
|r25                         Peccata oris.
     |r<b> These ben synnes of mouth: Outrage or vnleuefull tastynge,
          etynge, or drynkynge; ydel ianglynge; wordes of harlotrye



|p84


     spekynge; godes holy name in veyne takynge; lesynges; false
     [behotynges]; vayn swerynge; for-swerynge; sclaundrynge;
     scornynge; bannynge; bacbytynge; discorde sowynge; false
     demynge; wronge vpbreydynge; pryuete or counseyl folyly dis_couerynge; 
 |r5 chydynge; manaschynge; bostynge; false wytnes 
     berynge; euel counseyl ¨euynge; flaterynge; euele dedes
     praysynge; gud dedes peruertynge; Cryste or hys worde or any



|p86


     of hys seruauntes scorn[ynge], sclaundr[ynge], or dispis[ynge];
     vnskylfulle |r[f.24v] pletynge; vayn arguynge; foly laughynge; scorneful
     blerynge; proude and presumptuose spekynge; nyce and ioly
     chauntynge; or to synge more for praysynge of men then of god.
 |r5 Dauid: Prohibe, et cetera. For-bede thou and wyth-drawe thi
     tunge frome euyl and thi lyppe¨, that thei speke no gyle. Ryght
     as thou cheseste thynge that thou etteste, so chese thou what thou
     spekeste, that it be gude and able, for deth and lyue ben in
     power of tunge. Salomon: He that kepe¨ hys mouth and hys
|r10 tunge kepe¨ hys lyfe and hys soule fro anguysche. Ieronimus:
     Be not presumptuose and a bolde demere or to besy ensercher
     of other mennes lyfe. Bernardus: God loue¨ that soule that
     wyl consydre¨ hym-selfe wyth-oute cessynge. Seneca: That
     thynge only make¨ men werste that no man see¨ hys oune lyfe.
|r15 Crisostomus: Wylt thou be holy: be streyte and rygoros a-boute 
     thyn oune lyfe and be mylde a-boute other mennes lyfe, et cetera.
     
                           Peccata operis.
     |r<b> These be synnes of dedes: Ydolatrye; nygromancy; trechery;
          sorsrye; tyrauntrye; manslaughter; sacrilege; symonye;



|p88


     apostasye; glotonye; lecherye; drunkschype; false endytynge;
     wronge presonynge; foly fyghtynge or any man synfully hurtynge
     or hyndrynge in hys body or in hys catel or in hys name; thefte;
     raueyn; extorsyon; vsure; disceyt; vsynge false weghtes or fals
 |r5 mesures; sellynge of ryghte; lettynge of goddes seruyce or of
     gudnes; brekynge of voves; myspendynge of holy-dayes; wastynge



|p90


     of tyme; hauntynge of veyn places; |r[f.25r] japes or foule songes; dis_honurynge 
     of fadyr and moder bodyli and gostly; ensaumple of
     euyl lyuynge; newe gyses vpbryngynge; rebellion a-¨ens goddes
     lawe or his byddynges; stordynes a-¨ens goddes ¨erde or his cor_reccyon; 
 |r5 synne [or] any false q[u]arelle wytyngly and wylfully
     mayntenynge; goddes precyouse body in dedly synne receyuynge;



|p92


     any ¨iftes of god bodyly or gostly dispendynge viciously; to wyth_holde 
     fro the body resonable sustenaunce or to ¨eue it outragely;
     to synne in syght, in herynge, in snellynge, in tastynge, in
     touchynge, in bekenynge, or in ¨iftes folyli ¨euynge; to synne
 |r5 bodly or gostly; to reherce not the circumstance of synne, as
     tyme, place, maner, nombre, person, duellynge, for [these] make



|p94


     the synne more or lesse. Also other many synnes ther be of
     omyssion, that es of leuynge gud dedes vn-doon whiche we
     schulde do; not ofte louynge, praysynge, or thankynge god of
     hys ¨eftes; not ¨euynge tente to gud praeres, bot rablynge on
 |r5 hem, and recke not so thei be seyde negligently; not kepynge
     oure wyl to goddes byddynges and wyl; [not doynge] al the gud



|p96


     dedes that we do in gud entente, as by-cause to plese god and
     come to his blysse; not dysposeynge vs to receyue grace, and if
     we receyue grace, we vse it not as we schulde do; not sone for
     goddes sake and charyte, for-¨euynge hem that vs has greuede;
 |r5 not stondynge strongly a¨ens temptacion; not pesynge hem that 



|p98


     ben at bate; not techynge hem that ben vncunnynge; |r[f.25v] not
     amendynge hem that ben amys; not kepynge trouth to god and
     to oure euen-crysten to oure power; not ¨eldynge a gud dede for
     a-nother if we may; not comforte hem that be in sorow, seknes,
 |r5 or pouerte, or in penaunce; not amendynge vs of oure synnes



|p100


     hastyly, bot leuynge in hem presumptuosly in traste of mercy,
     et cetera.
     
                      Contra presumpcionem.
     
     A¨eyns presumpcyon es redde Ecclesiastici Vo: Caste thou
 |r5 not synne vp-on synne and seye the mercy of god es grete.
     Gregorius: When a wrechede man es slyde in a greuose synne,
     the deuel tempte¨ hym that he repente not, ne be confessyon
     knowleche hys synne. He affirme¨ that the synne es bot lyghte
     and lytel in hys herte; he preche¨ mercy and behotes longe space
|r10 of life; he ¨eues suggestyon to a-byde lenger in synne, that he
     may lede hym in-to contempte of god and in-to dispeyer and lese
     hym-selfe body and soule. Ecclesiastici II=o=: The moste cursede
     be-heste ha¨ loste many man. Gregorius: He presume¨ in veyn
     of hope that wil not drede god in hys werkes. Augustinus: He
|r15 that wyl not abstene when he may, it es cast to hym, magre in
     hys teethe, not to may when he wolde. Crisostomus: Ryght as
     a schype in tempeste es hurlede vp and doune when al hys
     gouernaile es broken and fallen in despeyre in poynte to be loste,
     so man doo¨ not that he wolde, hot that the deuyl wille, when he
|r20 ha¨ loste the grace of god. Augustinus: A synner es smyten
     wyth this punyschemente that in lis dyenge he for¨etes |r[f.26r] hym_selfe,
     that whil he lyuede ha¨ for-¨ette god. Bernardus: The
     lengar that god a-byde¨ vs her in sparynge vs that we may be
     amendyde, so myche more streytly schal he deme vs if we be
|r25 negligent to amende. Augustinus: He es more hardy that
     slepe¨ wyth on dedly synne, than he that slepe¨ amonge seuen
     enmys that on the sacramente be sworne to-gyder of hys deth.
     God has behette to men truly repentaunt for¨euenes; he behote¨
|r30 not to-morowne day. Euangelium: Be ¨e redy, the mayden son
     schal com that houre that ¨e wene not, et cetera.



|p102


     Hec tria sequencia lauant christianum ab omni peccato.
     |r<b> As to the secunde wete ¨e wele that thre thynges maken a man
          clene. On es sorow of herte, and hym be-houe¨ to be in
     wyl to synne no more. Gregorius: The senten¨ of the curate
 |r5 moste assoile hem whych al-myghty god visite¨ be hys grace.
     Augustinus: He that wepe¨ other synnes that he do ¨itte other
     mo synnes, outher he wote not what he doo¨, or ellys he dyssimyle¨
     or recke¨ not to do penaunce.
     Anothyr es scrifte of mouthe, and that be-houes to be hasty
|r10 and nakyde and wyth-outen depertynge.
     Bernardus: Vigyl or wakes be put bifor to vs to that that we
     moste wake if we haue slept in any synne or negligence; lete vs
     wele occupye bi-for the helpe and the beneuolence of seyntes in
     verray confessyon. Ysidorus: If synne be opynde be confession
|r15 truly, of a grete |r[f.26v] synne es made a litul; and if the synne be
     hidde, of a litel synne es made a grete synne. Augustinus:
     Confession of al synnes es begynnynge of gude werkes and make¨
     trewe conaunte wyth god. Ther-for sey to oon preste hauynge
     power al thyn synnes, that god hyd them in the dome be-for



|p104


     thousantes. If thou couere and hyd here thyn synnes, thei schal
     be made nakede and opyn to thyn confusion in sight of al men.
     The therde es satisfaccyon, which es fastynge, prayer, and
     almes-dede. Ysidorus: O penaunce, that art more precyus than
 |r5 golde! Deth es destroyde be the, the deuyl es fled, lyf es founde,
     god es nere by grace, helle es schette, heuen es opyn. Idem:
     Al synne be sacramente of penaunce take¨ helth of the wounde.
     Augustinus: Penaunce gete¨ life to the ded man and delyuere¨
     fro deth at the laste ende; bot not so that he fele not peyne, bot
|r10 if the contricion be so gret that it suffice¨ as to the punyschynge
     of the synne, et cetera.
     |r<b> As to the thride, what thyng kepe¨ men in clennes, ther be sex
          thynges. On es besy thoght of deth and of perell[es] and
     paynes that sodenly synne draweth a man in. Ecclesiastici VII=o=:



|p106


     Haue in mynde the laste thynges, that es to sey deth and rewarde
     of synne and suche other dredful thinges, and thou schalt neuer
     synne. The herte of wyse men es ther whore sorines es.
     A-nother es: Fle fro wyckede company, for such as a man
 |r5 drawyth hym to, suche schal he be or worse. Augustinus: It es
     nedful that thou felowe the steppes |r[f.27r] of hem of which thou wylt
     haue felyschipe. Crisostomus: No-thynge es so noyant as euyl
     felischype. Better es to haue hate of euyl men than ther
     felischipe.
|r10 The thirde es temperance and discrecion in mete and drynke.
     Glosa super Matheum: In Cristes batelle fyrste fyght a¨eyns
     glotony, for bot that be refrenyde firste, al traueyl es in veyn
     a¨eyns othir vices. Gregorius: Be glotony oure firste forne_fadyr
     [s] wer dede, wher-for ther successours oghten to drede
|r15 most that vice, that it passe not in-to the eyres as general
     seknes.
     The fourte es honeste ocupacion and profitable. Ieronimus:
     Do alway sumwhat of gud thynges, that the fende fynde the wel
     ocupied. Augustinus: He es not taken lyghtly wyth temptacion
|r20 that entende¨ to gude exercise.



|p108


     The fyfte es besynes to kepe thi fyue wyttes fro al wickede
     thynges: thi een fro seynge; thi erys fro bacbytynge and wycked
     herynge; thi nose and thimouthe fro vnleful smellynge, tastynge,
     and spekynge; thi handes, thi feete, and al thi lymes of thi body
 |r5 fro synful touchynge and werkynge. Ecciesiastici XXXVI=o=:
     Wher the hegge es not, that es to sey, wher kepynge of the wyttes
     es not, the possession or gude schal be borne away, distrued, or
     deuourede. Propheta: Deth entres be the wyndowes, that es to
     sey be the fyue bodyly wyttes.
|r10 The sexte es ofte and gladly to here or to rede [godes] wordes
     or holy scripture. Gregorius: The sermon of god es mete to



|p110


     myndes. As the flesch es nuryschede wyth |r[f.27v] fleschly metes, so
     the inwarde man, the soule, es nuryschede and fede wyth godes
     wordes. Ieronimus: Loue thou holy scripturs, and thou schalt
     not loue the vices of the flesche, et cetera.
 |r5           Thre thynges drawen a man to vertu.
     |r<b> As to the fourte thynge, what drawyth a man to ordeyn his wyl
          to godes wil, [thre] thynges ther be. On [es] ensample
     of holy men and women that louede god and his lawe and wysyly
     faught and strongly stode bothe day and nyght a¨eyns temptynge
|r10 of the deuyl, of the worlde, and of the flesch; and if we felowe



|p112 tham here in erthe, sikurly we schal be in ioye wyth hem in
     heuen. Paulus: For as ¨e be felaws of passyons, so [¨e] schal
     be felawes of comforte in Criste Ihesu, oure lorde.
     Anothir es the grete gudnes and mercy of al-myghty god that
 |r5 dispise¨ noon, bot gladly and wyth ioyful chere receyue¨ al that
     wil for-sake here synne and ¨eue hem to penaunce and mekly
     come to his mercy.
                         Agayne dyspayre.
     Euangelium: I wil not the deth of a synnere, bot that he be
|r10 turnede more that he lyue. Item: I haue not comen to callen
     ryghtful men bot synners to penaunce. Ieronimus: Wolde god
     that the synner wer turnede to penaunce as sone as god es redy
     to [chaunge] the sentence of dampnacion or of veniaunce
     ordeynede for synne. God spekynge in many naners calle¨



|p114


     synners to penaunce by comforte of benfetes, be techynge of
     preceptes, be visitacion of ensample, be inspira*cyon |r[f.28r] of counseyl,
     be nouelte of miracles, be streytnes of pu[n]yschment. Apostolus
     in uoce domini: By-holde, I stonde at the dore and knocke.
 |r5 If any man here my voyce and opende to me the gate, I schal
     entre to hym. Augustinus: The kyngedome of heuens es to no
     man schette, bot to hym that schettes oute hym-selfe. Idem:
     As a sparke of fyre es in myddel of the see, so [ es] al synne
     and wyckednes of man to the mercy of god. Idem: No man
|r10 despeyre of for¨euenes of synne, sith thei deserueden for¨euenes
     that slewen Cryste. Ysidorus: He that dispeyre¨ for¨euenes of
     synne falle¨ more of his dispeyre than of othir gilte. Ieronimus:
     Iudas offendede more god in that that he hange hym-selfe than
     in that that he be-trayede Cryste. Ysidorus: If we wyl be
|r15 conuerted thorgh true penaunce, we haue praynge for vs ay
     redy: oure lady, godes moder, the chirche of god, and al seyntes.
     |r<b> The thyrde es oft and inderly thynke on the wondyrful blis
          of the hye kyngedome of heuen and also on the dredful and
     horrible payne of the depe pitte of helle, the which be more than



|p116


     tonge may telle or eyre may here or ee may see or hert may
     thynke. For it es so that in heuen myght no man lyue for
     myche ioy and blis, wer not the gudnes and the myght of god
     that wil that al his frendys that louede hym and his lawe and wil
 |r5 kepyn his biddynges in erthe and flee |r[f.28v] his forbiddynges, haue
     myght and strengh to last in such wondurful ioye and blis wyth_outen 
     ende. In helle myght no man lyue for myche sorow and



|p118


     woo, wer not the rightfulnesse and myght of god that wil that
     his enmys that hated hym and his lawe and wold not kepe his
     biddynges, haue myght and strength to last in such horrible peyne
     and wo wyth-outen ende.
     
 |r5                    DE gaudiis celi.
     
     Augustinus: What thynge so-euer be desirede honestly schal
     be in heuen: lyue and hele, plente and glory, worschipe and pees
     and al gude thynges euer wyth-outen ende. Paulus: Ee has not
     seen, ne ere herde, ne it may not come here in-to mannes herte
|r10 to comprehende tho thynges that god has ordeynnede to men
     louynge hym. Euangelium: Rightful men schal schyne as the
     sone in the reame of here fadyr. [Anselmus]: The heuenly
     croune schal enueyron that day the hedes of men obeyinge, and
     the glorie of paciente creaturs schal schyne wyth schynynge
|r15 vntellable. Psalmus: I haue seyde: ¨e be goddes and al sones
     and children of hye god. Augustinus: What tonge may seye,



|p120


     what witte may thynke, or what mynde may esteme hou many
     ioyes ben to haue al-way god presente, al-way to see hym, al-way
     to sitte be-for hym in worschipe? Whos fayrnes angels merueylen,
     at whos commandynges dede men risen to lyfe, whos light derknes
 |r5 so the sonne that it has no light in his syght, whos face if al men
     that ben in preson of |r[f.29r] helle schulde see, thei schulde fele no
     peyne, no sorowe, no heuynes. Augustinus: Euery cytesyn in
     the cuntre of heuen schal haue seuen ioyes in body and seuen in
     soule. In body he schal haue fayrnes, swyftnes, strength, fredame,
|r10 likynge, helth, vndedelynes. And thes be in the soule: wisdome,
     frenschipe, oon acorde, power, worschipe, sikirnes, and ioye
     wyth-outen ende.
                          De penis inferni.
     Gregorius: Fire vnquenchable, colde insuperable, worme
|r15 vndedly, stynke vnsuffrable, derknes thik to be felede, scorges of
     deueles betynge, gastful syght of fendes, despeyr of al gude thynges
     schal be in helle. Ieronimus: Hungur and thurste wyth-outen
     ende es in helle. Augustinus: Mo teres schal be wepud in helle
     than drops of water ben in the see. Bernardus: No-thynge
|r20 schal be herde in helle bot wepynge and sorowynge, mornynge
     and weylynge, sorynesse and gristynge of tethe. No-thynge schal
     be seen in helle bot venemose wormes and brennynge faces of
     tormentours and the werste wondreles of deuelryes. Iob: Noon
     ordre bot euer-lastynge fere a-byde¨ in helle. Augustinus: If
|r25 I wyste my fader in helle, I schuld not pray more for hym than
     for the deuyl, et cetera.
                       De consciencia.
     Ysidorus: Wylt thou neuer be sory, lyue wel. A clere con_science 
     suffre¨ softly and esily sorynes. Gud lyue has euer ioye.
|r30 A gud conscience es token of relygion and figure |r[f.29v] of saluacion,
     feelde of blyssynges, orcherde of delites, ioye of angels, cheste of
     true conaunte and feyth, kynges tresoure, halle of god, a dwellynge



|p122


     place of the holy goste. Crisostomus: As a fayre face es made
     gracyus in mennys syght, so a clen conscience es fayre in the
     sight of god. Apostolus: Oure ioye es the witnes of oure con_science.
     He that has gud conscience schal loke hardily in-to
 |r5 god at the day of dome, and he that has not gud conscience
     schal falle confoundyde and schente. Many men seke science,
     and few men seke conscience. Bernardus: Stody thou and
     knowe thi-selfe, for thou art better and myche more to be praysede
     if thou knowe thyn-selfe than if thou knewe the curses of sterres
|r10 or planetes, the vertues of herbes, complexions of men, kyndes of
     bestes, then and thou haddeste conynge of alle heuenly thynges
     and erthly, et cetera.
     |r<b> Deer frende, by-holde, thou haste now gud and euyl be-for
          the, light and derknes, day and nyght, thou may chese
|r15 what thou wylt. Seneca: If thou wylt al thynges be sugette to
     the, make thi-selfe sugette to reson. Ecclesiastici IIII=o=: Sey not
     a-¨eyns the worde of treuth [in] eny maner. Iohannis VIlI: ¨e
     schal knowe trouth, and truth schal delyuer ¨ow. If any man
     nede¨ wysdom, lete hym aske of god and of spiritual wys men.
|r20 Ecclesiastici I: Al wysdome es of god, oure lorde, and alwey has
     ben wyth hym and es euer wyth-outen ende. To whom be
     worschipe, |r[f.30r] prasynge, vertu, and glorie be worldes of worldes
     wyth-outen ende. Amen.



|p124


                        Sexta tabula.
     |r<b> It es red that ther was som-tyme a kynge that had foure
          philisophyrs in his reame, in which fellen many myscheffys
     and myshapys and many defautes in the peple. The kynge,
 |r5 seynge hym-selfe wonded or hurte wyth no dedly synne, wondred
     gretly and enserchyde besyli of the seyd philosofres be what
     cause tho myshaps fellen [more] in the peple in his tyme than
     in tymes of predescessours.
     The fyrste philisofre seyde: Myght es ryght. Ysaie LIX:
|r10 True dome es turned bakwarde, and ryghtwysnes stod a-fere.
     Truth has fallen in the stretes, and equite myght not entre.
     Origenes: Al that for-saken ryghtwysnesse for temperalle and
     worldly thynges, thei sellen god, that es heye rightwysnesse.
     Light es nyght. Euangelium: Wo to that man be whome
|r15 sclaundre comes! Sclaundre come¨ be hym that enuenome¨
     outhir be euyl ensample. Gregorius: Prelates ben worthi so
     many dethes or veniaunce¨ as thei ¨eue ensample of euyl and of
     perdicion to here subiettes. Radulphus super Leuiticum: He
     that enfecte¨ or peruerte¨ the conscience of his neghtbure be any
|r20 entycynge or euyl ensample slee¨ gostly hym-selfe and his
     neghtbure. Leuiticus: Drede thou god that thyn brothyr may
     lyue by the on erthe, that es to sey, |r[f.30v] lyue thou so that thi brothir
     may haue lyue and not deth be thyn ensample. Fyght es
     flight. Augustinus: To do wele, as so sey in thyn owne person,
|r25 and not to forbede vnleful thynges in other, es consent of erroure.
     Gregorius: Wyth-outen doute he has the gylte and synne of
     a synnere that recke¨ not to amende that thynge that he myght
     correc[t]e. Apostolus: He that recke¨ not of his awen men¨e
     and most of his housholdmene, denye¨ the feyth, and he es worse



|p126


     than a paynym oute of feyth. Gregorius: For Hely, ouercome
     of fals pyte, wold not chastise his sonnes trespassynge; ther-for
     he smote hym-selfe and his sones with cruel dampnacion anemt
     [him] that es rightful and streyt iuge. Idem: Prestes curates
 |r5 be dampnede for wyckednes of the peple if thei teche not hem
     that be vnconynge, or elles reproue not hem synnynge.
     |r<b> The secunde philisofre seyde: On es two. Euangelium:
          Euery kyngedome hauynge dyuision in hym-selfe schal be
     desolate and forsaken. Gregorius: Men discordynge no sacrifyce
|r10 of gud dede offre[n] to god as longe as thei discorden fro charite
     of here euen-cristenes. Augustinus: If charite be a-way or lacke,
     other vertues or any gud thynges ben had in vayn. Ambrosius:
     As no man may come ryght theder that he purpose¨ to goo
     wyth-outen a wey, so men may not go wyth-outen charite, that es
|r15 seyde the trewe wey, so bot erre and goo a-mys. Frende es foo.
     That may be vndyrstonde when grete worldly men, and namly |r[f.31r]
     myghty and ryche men, strangle the true pees or rightwysnesse or
     holy chirche, in suche mysdoers a¨en which ¨e aughten myghtily
     to stande and fighte for true pees and right of al-holy chirche,
|r20 principally for goddes cause. Wele es woo. It es wreten
     truly that god putte palsi or quakynge of hede vpon Kaym; in
     token wher-of euery riche, couetouse man has a tremlynge hede
     that has a quauerynge and a dredynge mynde that he leue [or]
     for-goo his money. Seneca: A riche, couetouse man dredes
|r25 theues or wey-lyers and other men. He sees a strangar man
     than he, and he wenes he wer a thefe or a rauenour. He sees
     a poore man and suppose he wer a robber. [The more that he
     has plente of abundance and richesse] the more fuller es he of
     wrechednes. Gregorius: He that loues worldly gudes fale¨ to
|r30 payn of drede and sorow, wil he nyl he. Seneca: An auerouse 
     man doos nothynge wele [or] of gud thynge, bot when he dyes,
     et cetera.



|p128


     |r<b> The therde philisofre seyde: Luste has leue. Gregorius:
          No-thynge so cutte¨ a-wey vertu as bodyly luste. [Ber_nardus:] 
     To ette more lauausly, to drynke more sauerly, to be
     clade fayrer, to lye softer, to pray schortlyer, to wake more
 |r5 skarsly, be-for god es nothynge more foule, ne vile. Temperalle
     lustes leden here felowers to euerlastynge byternes. Ieronimus:
     Thei that goon aftyr fleschly lustes, redy to the wombe |r[f.31v] ioye and
     lechery, ben a-counted as vnresonable bestes. Gregorius: That
     mercy es fulle of cruelte that serue¨ so the flesch that the soule
|r10 be slayne. Paulus: If ¨e lyue fleschly, ¨e schul dye. Ieronimus:
     No-thynge es more foule than to be ouercomen of the flesch, and
     nothynge es more gloriouse than for to ouercome the flesch.
     Thef es refe. Augustinus: Wo to hem that lyuen that thei
     encrece and gadre thynges to perysch here wher-of thei lese
|r15 thynges euerlastynge! Ieremias: Wo to hym that bylde¨ his
     house not in ryghtwysnesse! Abacuc: Wo to hym that gadre¨
     to-gedre not his awne! Lincolniensis: Wo to hem that seyn:
     Do we euyl thynges that gud thynges may come! Of which
     dampnacion es rightful. Pride has leue. Psalmus: Thei haue
|r20  wrethide god in here neu-fyndynge of wrechednes, and fallynge
     in destruccion es multipliede in hem. Bernardus: God sparede
     not the proude angel that seyde not, ne ded, bot only [he]
     thoght pride, al-thoue he wer the sotel printe or toke[n] of god, ful
     conynge and perfite in fayrnes. O thou pouder and asches! Sal
|r25 god spar the or no that enhanseste thyn-selfe be pryde of herte,
     be spekynge of mouthe, be [by-] hauynge and be wyrkynge? And
     so be foure manere es pride of man: of herte, of mouth, of dede,
     and of by-hauynge or habite. Augustinus: To be proude a¨eyn
     god es to ouer-passe hys biddynge. Psalmus: He schal not
|r30 abyde or dwelle in myddes of myn hous that make¨ pride,
     et cetera.



|p130


     |r[f.32r] |r<b> The fourte philosofre seyde: Wyl es rede. [Psalmus:]
          He wolde not vnderstonde that he schulde do wil. Pro_uerbiorum 
     [XII=o=]: The wey of a fole es ryght in hys syght. He
     that es wyse heres counseyl. Sapiencie I=o=: Wysdom schal not
 |r5 entre in-to an euyl wyllyde soule, ne it schal not dwelle in
     a body subiete to synne. Witte es quede. Paulus: Tyme
     schal be when thei schal not susteyne holsum techynge, bot thei
     schal a-bowe to here desyres, and thei schul gadre hem maystres
     flaterynge in her eres, and thei schul turne a-wey her herynge fro
|r10 truthe, and thei schal be turnede to fables. Augustinus: What_so
     -euer vertu bydde¨ thought of wycked men, it es venome; and
     what-so-euer the fende entyce¨ es mete to thought of wycked
     men. Crisostomus: The worde of god es scornede of euyl
     men, as Criste was scornede sumtyme of Iues. God es dede.
|r15 Psalmus: Al vanite es euery man lyynge. that es to sey: euery
     man lyuynge sensually and not to god es al naner of vanite.
     Augustinus: As hodyly deth perte¨ soule fro body, so dedly
     synne perte¨ the fro verrey lyfe that es god. And note welle that
     as longe as man es in dedly synne, al his gude werkes ben dede,
|r20 for thei wer don in dedly synne, and ther-for thei auayle not to
     haue euerlastynge life. Nertheles thei schal auaile to oon of thre
     thynges: Outhir to lesse the payn in helle, or elles that god the
     soner touche and lyghtne here hertes to repentance, or to haue
     prosperite in here lyfe in this worlde. Gregorius: Gude |r[f.32v] and
|r25 rychesse be ¨euen to wyckede men that thei desiren in [her lyfe],
     as to seke men, desperate of lyfe, al that thei desiren es not
     denyede. Item: God werkes don in dedly synne schal auaile to
     othir thynges, as to the vse of gud werkes. Also it es to be-leue
     that the fende has not so mych powere in hem as he schulde haue
|r30 if thei dede al-wey euyl, et cetera.



|p132


                           Septima tabula.
     
              |r<b> I pray ¨ou alle, my frendys dere,
                  Sumwhat of boke of wysdom lere,
                  Hou he speke¨ to al maner men,
 |r5              That other schuld rule, teche or ken,
                  Othir bodili or gostly.
                  To hem he speke¨ specially.
                  He calle¨ euery man a kynge,
                  That here has cure or gouernynge.
|r10              He bidde¨ hem loue god and his lawe,
                  And teche it othir men to kepe and knawe.



|p134


                  And ther-aboute euer thei must be bese.
                  And thei schal in heuen crounede be
                  And haue more worschipe and honour
                  Than euer had kynge or emperoure.
 |r5 Gregorius: No sacrifice¨ plese¨ so myche god as true loue of
     soule. Idem: He es more in loue anenste god that drawes moo
     to the loue of god. If [hit] be myche to fede bodyes that schal
     dye, it es myche more to fede soules to lyue wyth-outen ende.
                  Bot if thei her seke dignite,
|r10              Worschipe, welth or welfare bodile, 
                  And godes lawe fro hem wythdrawe,
                  [Whom] thei schulde it [do to] kepe and knawe,
                  In grete peyne schal thei be



|p136


                  For here state and dignite,
                  That thei had thorou goddes grace,
                  And sythen to hym vnkynde was.
     Apostolus: He that takes no kepe of hys thynges and most of
 |r5 hys owne housholde denye¨ fayth, and he es werse than any
     vnfeythful man. Gregorius: Wyth-*outen |r[f.33r] doute he has gylte
     of the doer of euyl that recke¨ not to amende that thynge that
     he may correcte. Bernardus: I, ferynge the multitude of my
     wyckednesse, haue drede to reproue trespaces of othyr men. And
|r10 ther-for I haue ben auctor of deth, for I haue not put oute
     venome that I myght haue put a-way, cryinge ther a-¨eyns.
                  Som of god take here noon awe,
                  And that thei schal aftyr-warde knawe,
                  When thei in helle stronge paynes fele,
|r15              When tyme of mercy passe¨ theme euery dele.
     Paulus: He that es vnwys in gylte, he schal be wys in peyne.
     Gregorius: Wycked men knowe neuer here gilte or synne bot
     in peyne.



|p138


                 And some ther ben that gyfe hem mekyl
                 To the worlde that es fals and fikel.
                 On it there loue most thei sette;
                 Ant it the loue of god most wyl lette.
 |r5             It schewyth to them many a thynge,
                 That to the flesch es grete lykynge.
                 He byddes [them] wyrke and felowe his wyl,
                 And al ther wyl he schal fulfille.
                 Many hym felowe and do ful [ille],
|r10             Ther[fore] ofte thei falle in grete perrylle.
                 He leddes hem forth wyth wrench and wyles,



|p140


                 Bot at the laste he hem begyles.
                 To the fende he es true seruaun [d]e,
                 For he brynges his frendes in-to [his] hande.
                 He teche¨ his frendes many a thynge
 |r5             A¨eyns godes law and his biddynge.
                 Who-so ther-for his frende wil be,
                 Enmy to god ordaynde es he.
     Apostolus: He that wil be frende of this worlde es ordeynde
     ful enmy to god.
|r10             This worlde we may wele know and ken
                 By the maner of worldly |r[f.33v] men.
                 Som be to besy bothe nyght and day



|p142


                 Aboute the worlde soon to passe a-way.
                 To wynne his worschyp and his welth thei traueylle faste,
                 Bot heuen to wynne thei haue no haste.
     Gregorius: Wo to ¨ou that more labore¨ to haue temperal
 |r5 gudes bi-for gostly and godly gudes, stronge to go the wey of
     worlde and feble to assaile the wey of commaundmentes of god!
                 To maynten syn som kan grete skylle,
                 And wronge prefe ryght for ¨eftes they wylle.
                 Ther-for this worlde holdes them ful wyse,
|r10             For moche thei can of his quantyse. 
     Lincolniensis: Do we euyl thynges that gude thynges may
     come to vs! Whos dampnacion es ryghtful. Augustinus: O
     wynnynges dampnable! Thou fyndeste money, and thou leseste
     ryght-wysnesse, that man awes [not] to wyl for to lese for any
|r15 price vndyre heuen.



|p144


                 Som men maken ioy in her foly,
                 In glotony, pryde and lychory,
                 And felow al her fleschly lust,
                 And ther-aboute do ofte grete cost;
 |r5             For so ther flesch haue there welfayre,
                 For ther soules haue thei no kare.
     Ieronimus: Thei that goon after ther fleschly lustes, redy to
     wombe ioye and to lechery, ben a-countede as vnresonable
     bestes. Gregorius: The fende vexe¨ not myche hem that he
|r10 knowes to be his be ryght [i]nheritance. Ieronimus: The more
     plenty of delytes and lusty lyuynge ther be here amonge men, so
     myche more scarcete, wrechednes, turmentes, and payne schal be
     in helle amonge deueles to hem. Apocalypsis: |r[f.34r] As mych as he
     has magnifyede and glorifyede hym-selfe in delytes, so mych
|r15 turmente and weylynge ¨eue ¨e to hym and lete hys myschefe and
     wrechednes be afture hys lusty lyuynge and ioye here.
                Som often despysen godes byddynge and lawe



|p146


                And alle holy menes techynges and sawe
                Wyth lawghynge and scornynge and frowarde doynge;
                And thys wyl haue a foule endynge.
                Leue it wele, wythouten lye.
 |r5            God hath sworne so schalle it be.
                Suche men be not reulede aftyr skylle.
                A whyle god suffre¨ hem to hauen her wylle.
                Bot aftur he wyl on hem sende
                Stronge veniance, bot thei amende.
|r10 Propheta: I haue callede to sorow and wepynge and loo! ioye
     and gladnes. I haue sworn in my-selfe: This wyckednes schal



|p148


     not be for¨euen. Ysaias: Wo to ¨ou that seis gud thynges to
     ben euyl thynges and euyl thynges to be gude! Crisostomus:
     Godes worde es scornede of wycked men as Criste was scornede
     of the Iues.
 |r5            He may be callede bothe wytty and wys,
                That worldly maners can wele dyspise,
                And felow hem noght in nothynge,
                That be a¨eyns godys lawe and byddynge,
                Bot euyr to gude god has hys eye,
|r10            [And] aftur his biddynge reulede wyl be.
     Propheta: On whom schal my spyrte reste, bot on a meke
     and contrite spiryte and kepynge my wordes? Gregorius: Al
     that dreden godes preceptes be made the tabernacle [or] dwellynge_place 
     of god. Origenes: Euery man that obey¨ the worde,
|r15 Criste reste¨ in hym.



|p150


                 Worldly wysdome |r[f.34v] es bot foly
                 Be-for god and his seruauntes holy.
     Paulus:     Wysdome of this worlde es bot foly a-for god.
                 His ryches riche and worschype grete
 |r5             Es bot fauntome and dysseyte,
                 Wher-wyth he has many man defylede,
                 And at the laste hem by-gylede.
     Apostolus: Al that es in the worlde, or it es fleschly desyre,
     outher concupiscence [or] couetyse of een [or] syght, or ellys
|r10 pride of lyfe.
                 In the worlde what ellys se we
                 [But wrechidnesse and vanite.
                 A place it is of grete gylerie,]
                 Of treson, discorde and tirannye,



|p152


                 Of trauele, trayne and vilanye,
                 Of peyne, of synne and of folye,
                 Of scornynge and sclaundrynge wyckedly,
                 Of chydynge of mote and fyghtynge folyly,
 |r5             Of bannynge and bacbytynge pryuely,
                 Of flaterynge and fals feynynge sotilley.
                    [Septem mortalia peccata.]
                 Of pryde, of enuy and foule lechery,
                 Of sleuth, of wreth and myche glotony,
|r10             Of fals couetyse and wynnynge synfully,
                 Of okyr and heresye, of sacrilege and symony.



|p154


                     [Contra dei precepta.]
                 Of false goddes worschypynge ful vnwysely,
                 Of vayn swerynge and false and ofte and hydously,
                 Of holy dayes myspendynge in synne and vanite,
 |r5             Of fadyr and modyr dyshonurynge gostly and bodyly,
                 Of hyndrynge, of mans-sleynge in soule and body,
                 Of foule luste and lechory pryuely and openly,
                 Of thefte and of raueyn wyth extorcion plenty,
                 Of fals wyttnes berynge wytyngly and wylfully,
|r10             Of othir mennes thynge desyrynge thorowe synne and trechery,



|p156


                Of godes byddynges ofte brekynge won*durboldly. |r[f.35r]
                A place it es of temptynge, of grete oppressyon,
                Of stynke and of fylth and mych corrupcyon.
                A grete fole, me thynke, certeyn es he,
 |r5            That make¨ his heuen in suche cuntre.
                For al the ryches and welth of this lande
                Schal turne al to erthe and muke stynkande.
                The wys man in sothe wyl not sette his herte
                On thynge that may not longe stonde in querte.



|p158


                Bot on the ende he has ofte hys mynde,
                And no-thynge sette be-for that schulde be be-hynde,
                Leste he for fleschly luste, vanite and synne
                Lese heuen blys and helle peyn wynne.
 |r5 Ecclesiastici VII=o=: O son, haue in mynde thyn laste thynges:
     deth and that longes ther-to, and thou schalt not synne wyth-outen
     ende! He seyth plurelly laste thinges, [that is] haue thou [in]
     mynde what schal falle of thi thynges [or] thi gudes, of thi
     body, and of thi saule. Psalmus: If ryches felow to ¨ow, wylles
|r10 not seyte ¨oure hertes to mych ther-to. It es wretyn: Better
     es to haue a gude avisemente [or] a premedytacion than lord_schippe 
     [or] dominacion of al the worlde.



|p160


                           Octaua tabula.
                    A prayer to the sacramente.
     |r<b> Hayle, moste benigne Ihesu Cryste of Na¨areth, borne
          kynge of Iues, son of the fader, maydens son, lombe of
 |r5 god, holy hooste, sacred verrey flesche, hele of the
     worlde, welle of pyte! Pater noster. Aue Maria.
     Hayl, moste swete Ihesu Cryste of Na¨areth, kynge of Iues,
     bryghtnes of the fader, prynce of pees, gate of heuen, brede |r[f.35v] oflyfe,
     maydens byrth, vessel of clennes! Pater noster. Aue Maria.
|r10 Hayl, most buxum Ihesu Criste of Na¨areth, kynge of Iues,
     praysynge of angels, glorye of seyntes, visyon of pees, the hoole
     godhede, verrey man, floure and frute of the moder mayden!
     Pater noster. Aue Maria.
     Hayl, most mylde Ihesu Criste of Na¨areth, kynge of Iues, lyght
|r15 of heuen, price of the worlde, oure ioye, brede of angels, myrth
     of herte, kynge and spouse of maydenhede! Pater noster.
     Aue Maria.
     Hayl, moste of pite, moste meke Ihesu Criste of Na¨areth,
     kynge of Iues, wey of swetnes, hyeste truth, oure mede, true
|r20 charite, welle of loue, pees and swetnes, oure reste, lyfe euer_endurynge
     ! Pater noster. Aue Maria.
     
               A prayer to our lady seynt Mary.
             |r<b> Mary moder, wele thou be!
                  Mary [mayden], thynk on me!
|r25         Mayden and moder was neuer noon
             To-gedyr, lady, bot thou a-lone.
             Swete Mary, mayden clene,



|p162


             Schylde me fro al schame and tene.
             And oute of synne, lady, schelde thou
             And oute of dette, for charite.
             Lady, for thi ioyes fyue,
 |r5         Gete me grace in this lyue
             To knowe and kepe ouer al thynge
             Cristen fayth and goddes biddynge,
             And truly wynne al that es nede
             To me and myn cloythe and feede.
|r10         Helpe me, lady, and al myn.
             Schilde me, lady, fro helle pyne.
             Schilde me, lady, fro vilany
             And fro al wyckede company.
             Schilde me, lady, fro euyl schame
|r15         And fro al wyckede fame.



|p164


             Swete Mary, mayden |r[f.36r] mylde,
             Fro the feende thou me schilde.
             That the fende me not dere,
             Swete lady, thou me were.
 |r5         Bothe be day and by nyghte
             Helpe me, lady, with al thi myght.
             For my frendes,lady, I pray the,
             That thei may sauede be
             Bothe in soule and in lyfe,
|r10         Lady, for thi ioyes fyfe.
             For my fomen I pray also,
             That thei may here so do:
             Lete theme not in wreth dye,



|p166


             Swete lady, I the praye.
             And tlei that ben in dedly synne,
             Lete them neuer dye ther-in.
             Swete lady, thou hem rede
 |r5         For to amende ther mysdede.
             Pray for me, lady, to heuen kynge,
             He graunte me scrifte and gud endynge;
             Ihesu, for thi swete grace,
             In heuen blys to haue a place.
|r10         Lady, as I truste in the,
             Thes prayers graunte thou me,
             And I schal, lady, whil I lyue



|p168


             Grete the wyth auees fyue,
             A pater noster and an crede,
             To helpe [me, lady,] at al my nede.
             Swete lady, ful of wynne,
 |r5         Ful of grace and god wyth-inne,
             As thou art floure of thy kynne,
             Do my folyes for to blynne.
             And schilde me oute of dedly synne,
             That I be neuer take ther-inne. Amen.



|p170


                 Subtraccio uictus anime.
     |r<b> Defaute or lettynge of prechyng or techynge of goddes worde
          when any man be holden ther-to, it es wyth-drawynge of
     the soules fode. Euangelium: God seyde thryes to Peter: Fede
 |r5 my schepe, that es to say wyth worde, wyth ensample, and wyth
     helpe of temperalle gudes tler nede es. E¨echiel: Lo! I schal
     require my floc of the |r[f.36v] curate herdman. Ysaias: Crye, that
     thou cesse not [to] enhance thi voyce as a trumpe, and scheu
     to my peple here synnes! Gregorius: A preste curate out_goynge 
|r10 and enterynge dye¨ if soun [or] voys be not herd of
     hym, for if sounynge of prechynge or techynge be not herd of
     hym, he prouoke¨ the wreth of the euer-lastynge iuge a¨eyns
     hym-selfe. Item: Curates be dampnede for wyckednes of peple
     if outher thei teche not hem vn-konnynge or thei reproue not
|r15 hem synnynge. Idem: We lyuen [of] that offrynge of true
     cristen men that thei offren. If we eten and holde vs stille, we
     eten wyth-outen doute [here synnes]. Osee: Curates eten the
     synnes of my peple. Whi be thei seyde prestes to ete the synnes
     of the peple, bot for thei norysch and suffre¨ the synnes of
|r20 trespacers, that thei leue not temperalle wages? Thei dar not or
     wil not seye, and thei drede or for summe prosperite, that thei
     lese it not, or for aduersite, that thei falle not in it, or for
     couetise, for thei wyllen haue that thei laue not. Gregorius:
     O bretherne, take¨ of hou gret dampnacion it be to take frute of
|r25 trauel wyth-outen trauele, and hou greuous it be to ete synnes
     and no-thynge to do a¨eyns synnes! Crisostomus: He es
     a marchaunde that holde¨ place, office, or dignite of cure, and
     seke¨ not wynnytge of soules. Thei be marchaunt¨ that taken
     cure of soule not for thei couete to gouerne and kepe the chirche
|r30 in ryghtwysnes and holynes, bot for thei [couete] to be made
     rych and be honourde in |r[f.37r] worldly worschipe be-for other.
     Ther-for thei fallen in-to the trappe and temptacion of the deuyl.
     Marchaunt¨ recke not of helth of the schepe, bot that thei haue
     mylke and wolle. Thei gapen aftur erthly profites, thei ioyen of
|r35 honour of prelacy, the[i] be fede wyth temperalle lucrys, thei



|p172


     reioycen of hye reuerence that men do to hem. These ben the
     medes of marchauntes, for whiche thei laboure principally. God
     thretes such vnsely wreches by the prophete, seynge: Wo
     gretteste! That es to sey: he thretes destruccyon and veniable
 |r5 deth to hem. Gregorius: He may not stonde longe wyth-oute
     of whome true religiose presthode es slayne wyth-inne. When
     a braunche of the vyn es kutte of, it may not florysch and bere
     frute, bot it muste bowe. Paulus: When men schul seye: pees
     es now and sikernes, than schal com on hem a-noon soden deth.
|r10 Gregorius: No man noyes more in the chyrch than he that,
     doyng wyckedly, has name or ordure of holynes. He that
     wytyngly ¨eues to such wycked men cure of soule pursues more
     cruelly Criste than ded Herode or the crucifiers. Sothly, nothynge
     es more abomynable and hatful to god than leesynge of soules,
|r15 et cetera.
               Hec tria sunt necessaria pastoribus.
     |r<b> Thre thynges be nedful to curates: Lyght, syght, and salt, that
          es wysdom. Lyght that thei schyne or lyghten. Euangelium:
     ¨our lyght muste schyne so be-for men that thei may see ¨oure
|r20 gud dedes, et cetera. Syght of ee that thai may see. E¨echiel: |r[f.37v]
     I haue made the an ouer-seer to the hous of Israel. Salt or
     wysdom that thei may make sauery the hertes or myndes of ther
     subiettes be her prechynge. If the curate has not lyght, he
     [e]ntretes Cristes body wyth perel, and he es vnworthi his office.
|r25 If he fayle syght of discrecyon, than es he blynde ledynge the
     blynde man, and both schal fallen in-to the dyche. If he haue
     no salt, sauer of prechynge, than es the peple fastynge, and thei
     schal fayle in the way. Also if the curate es not lyght, he schal
     lede in other, bot he schal entre [not hym-self]. If he es not
|r30 salt or sauery in wysdom, he es an hounde a-boute the floc of
     god, bot he dryue¨ not a-wey the wolfe wyth berkynge of
     prechynge. If he haue not the ee of dyscrecyon, he lose¨ and
     bynde¨ vnworthili. Lincolniensis: The dede of charge of curates
     es not oonly in mynistracion of sacramentes and in seynges of
|r35 houres and syngynge of masses, bot also in verrey doctrine of
     truth of lyfe and in ferful dampnacion of vices and in herde



|p174


|r    correpcion of viciouse men and scharpe and streyte chastysmente
     when it es nede. Also the werke of curates es in fedynge of
     hungry, in drynke ¨euynge to thursty, in couerynge of naked
     men, in herberynge of pore gestes, in visitacion of seke men and
 |r5 of presoners and moste of her oune paryschenges, whose temperalle
     gudes ben of the chyrch. Be ensample of suche werkes the peple
     awe¨ to be taught, et cetera.

                            Presthode. |r[f.38r]
     |r<b> Moste dere bretherne, knowe¨ ¨e wele that as gold es more
|r10      preciose than al other metal, so es prestehode more
     excellent than al other diuine office¨ and dignites. Prelates ben
     heuenes sterres of god, mount of testament, clere cloudes of
     heuen, the sides and stronge wardes of the north. Prelates ben
     heuens, for thei conteyn the priue thyge of god. Psalmus:
|r15 Heuens tellen ioye  of god. Prelates ben sterres of god. God
     seye¨ of hem: ¨e be light of the worlde. Prelates be clere
     cloudes of heuen, for thei waterne the mendes of faythful men be
     swete dewe of prechynge. Of which it es seyde: Who ben
     these that flyen as cloudes? Prelates be sydes of the north, for
|r20 thei be ney to synners that be colde in synnes. Prelates be the
     mounte of testament, for an hille es vndirstande heght of connynge
     of ayther testament, olde and newe. Euangelium: He that heres
     ¨ou heres me, and he that dispise¨ ¨ou despise¨ me. Apostolus:
     ¨e prelates be an chosen kynde or kynrede, a ryal presthode, holy
|r25 folke, peple of true gettynge or purchace. It longe¨ subiettes
     duly to worschipe ¨ou, bot it longe¨ not to ¨ou to aske it or desyre
     it. Paulus ad Tymotheum: Prestes that goueren wel muste
     ben had in double worschipe, temperally and gostly. The prestes
     muste be had most in worschip that trauellen in worde and in
|r30 doctrine. Crisostomus: He that honours the preste of Cryste
     worschipes Criste, and [he] that eniure¨ the preste of Cryste dos
     wronge to Criste.

                    Foure maners of preste¨. |r[f.38v]
     |r<b> Foure maners or kyndes be founden of presthode. Fyrste
|r35      kynde felowes glotony. Secunde kynde swes lechory.
     Therde kynde swes couetyse or veynglorye. Fourte kynde of



|p176


     preste¨ felowe¨ ryghtwysnes. Kynge Dary slough preste¨ of
     glotony that priuely and thefly stalen a-way sacrifie¨ be smale
     dores. Thei seyden ther god ete hem. Danyel dampnede
     preste[s] of lychory that, flaterynge wyth fals vnpunyschemente,
 |r5 couetede to oppresse Susan, doghter of Israel. The erthe has
     swolwede be veniance of god prestes of couetyse or veynglory:
     Dathan and Abiron that, profecyenge of her awen spiryte and
     disseuynge the peple of god, wolden be a-boue al other. And
     thei purposed and laboured to a-rette to hem-selfe worschyp
|r10 and grace be veynglory. The fourte: Ihesus glorifiede and
     praysede prestes of ryghtwysnes, as Aaron and Elea¨ar and such
     outher lyke them, that openly knowlechede hem-selfe to loue the
     ryghtwysnes of god be lyuynge, be gude fame and gude doctrine.
     It suffyse¨ not only to prestes to schewe swete wordes, seynge
|r15 euery day Psalmum Benedicam dominum: I schal blesse god
     in al tyme and alwey his prasynge in my mouth, et cetera;
     Psalmum Quam dulcia faucibus, et cetera: How swete a-bouen
     hony be thyn commaundmentes [or] thi lawe in my cheekes to
     my mouthe; Psalmum In uia mandatorum, et cetera: I haue
|r20 delytte in wey of thi commaundmentes as in al rychesse; Psalmum |r[f.39r]
     Dilexi mandata tua: I haue louede thi commaundmentes
     a-boue golde and precyouse stone; Paratus sum et non sum
     turbatus: I am redy and not troblede that I may kepe thyn com_mandmentes;
     Iniquitatem odio habui: I haue had at hate
|r25 wyckednes. I haue louede thi lawe. These wordes and outher
     [be lyke] fayre leues; bot god cursede the figtre, for he fonde no
     frute ther-in bot only leues. It longe¨ an ypocryte to haue holy
     wordes and not to haue holy dedes. Basilius: God wil not
     hym-selfe only to be louede wyth wordes bot wyth clene herte
|r30 and ryghtful werkes. Dere bretherne, be we ware that we be not
     of hem of which apostle speke¨ pro[phe]cyenge: It schal falle
     in the laste dayes: Men louynge schul be hem-selfe, couetose ot
     mony, hy, of herte proude, not obeyciaunte to faders and moders,
     not holdynge hoolsum doctrine, louers of her oune wyl more
|r35 than of god, hauynge a spice or aliknes of pite, deny[i]nge verey
     truth, whom god schal curse in ende. Who that desyre¨ to take



|p178


     the sacramente [or] Cristes body, if he affecte to be fede wyth
     swetnes of frute of Criste, he muste go to hym wyth these thre
     vertues: wyth true contricion of synnes, wyth wyl to do no more
     euyl, and wyth stedfaste purpos of perseuerance in gud werkes
 |r5 and in al other gude thynges to his power. Euery preste for soth
     owe to considre: that thynge that he schal receyue in the auter
     es moste excellent seynt of seyntes and a sprynge [or] begynnynge
     of al holynes, very god |r[f.39v] that made heuen and erthe, and very
     man that henge on cros for vs; and ther-for the preste muste go
|r10 to that body holily and deuoutly with grete reuerence and drede,
     as mych as he may, and be war on al wyse that he take it not in
     dedly synne. For as seynt Ambrose seyth: He that receyue¨
     vn-worthily Criste es the same as if he slowe hym. Augustinus:
     They synne more that be-takes Criste to synners [or] membyrs
|r15 of wyckednes than thei that be-trayede hym to the lues, crucifyers.
     As Iudas betrayede Criste to his enmys, so the mynister of the
     sacramente or the receyuer vnworthi, in as mych as in hym es,
     be-take[¨] hym to deueles, whil he putte¨ [hym] in a place that
     es vnder power of fendes. Apostolus: He that ete¨ and drynke¨
|r20 the holy sacrament of Cristes body, flesch, and blode vnworthili,
     he receyue¨ to hym-selfe the dome of dampnacion. When the
     messe werke¨ the dome of dampnacion to the preste syngynge
     the messe vnworthili, hou may his prayer profette other men to
     helth? Gregorius: It es to drede more when such men
|r25 vnworthi be ordeynde to pray in places, that thei prouoke the
     wreth of gode, for when an vnworthi man es sent or put to pray,
     the wil of the wrethede es stirede to worse thynges. Augustinus:
     Better es to leue witurly gostly thynges than to entre for to touche
     vnworthily or vnclenly. [De ecclesiasticis officiis]: God
|r30 alowe¨ not gret besynes of seruyce¨ bot deuocion of myndes.
     God schal not rewarde prestes vpon many messes syngynge, bot
     vpon clennes of her handes werkes. |r[f.40r] Psalmus: God schal rewarde
     me vpon clennes of my handes and my dedes. Ther-for awe we
     to sewe Ioseph, as [Theophilus] seie¨: When we take Cristes



|p180


     body, we muste receyue it wyth a clene kerchief, that es to sey
     wyth pure and clere conscience, chaste body, and clene herte.
     A man that, knowynge his gilte, him-selfe gylty in synne, wil
     abstene hym-selfe fro the auter, that es receyuynge of that holy
 |r5 sacramente, for clensynge of hym-selfe and the reuerence of that
     lorde, wyth prayers, fastynges, and almesdedes, he schal not drede
     to haue communynge of heuenly feste euerlastynge, et cetera.
     |r<b> Uestimentes ordeynde to prestes techen vs hou a preste awe
          to be arayede inwardly [or] in soule that so honestly es
|r10 arayde with-oute. Firste the preste that es to synge masse
     wasche¨ his hondes in token that he owe¨ to be waschen fro al
     gostly vnclennes to go to that holy sacramente. He doo¨ ouer
     aftyrwarde halowede vestimentes, of which firste es the amyte, for
     it heyle¨ or couere¨ the hede, and it be-tokennes feyth, that owe
|r15 to be hadde by-for al thynges to couere the hede [or] vndyr_standynge,
     to ouercome it that it leue not to mych on reson
     natural in these thynges that longen to feyth, bot veryly to leue
     of hool doctrine of the chirch. The aube that es next do on
     be-tokene¨ nuynge of lyfe that Criste had and taught to be
|r20 felowede. The gyrdel be-token¨ conscience that Criste com_mande
     ¨ prestes seynge: Tucke¨ vp ¨oure reynes, or ellys ¨oure |r[f.40v]
     reyne¨ musten be tuckede vp, wher lechery reyne¨ moste, in
     token of chastite and clene lyuynge. The maniple or phanone
     in the lefte hande be-tokene¨ pacyence in aduersite, that es
|r25 betokende by the lyfte syde. The stoole strenynge the breste in
     maner of the cros be-tokene¨ that he owe¨ not to be schamede of
     the cros of Criste, bot to be redy to saffre maliciose wrongys for
     hys loue, or elles the stole that es putte in the necke be-tocken¨
     obedyence, for Criste was made obeynge vn-to the deth. The
|r30 chesipule or planete callyde, that es a-boune othyr vestimentes,
     be-token¨ charite, that es excellente a-boune othyr vertuys. The
     couerynge of feete represente¨ incarnacion of Cryste. As by
     Psalmum, seyde in persone of the sone: I schal strech oute my
     couerynge of fete, that es to seye mannes nature or kynde of man.
|r35 Wher-of the preste, when he represente¨ Criste, he awe [not] to do
     messe bare-fette.



|p182


     Maner also of araynge to the mystery of this holy sacrament
     es touchede Exodi XII=o= thus of the pasche lombe: ¨e schal not
     ete of hym eny thynge rawe, ne sothen in water, bot rostede only
     be fyre. He ete¨ the lombe truly rostede wyth fyre that has in
 |r5 mynde besily Cristes passyon, whos figure es this holy sacramente,
     so that the fyre brenne in hys meditacion. Swete brede wyth_outen 
     soure dowgh es necessarys wyth letuse¨ of the felde. God
     werkes wyth-outen synne ben vndyrstonde in this |r[f.41r] brede, as ben
     almesdedes, prayers, and such other that muste be do be-for
|r10 re[cey]uynge of this sacramente of Cristes body. Sorow and
     biternes ben vndyrstonde in lettuse, that owe to be in the mynister
     of this holy sacrament.
     Effecte of this sacrament es of many vertuys to hym that
     receyue¨ it worthly. For it reioyces the mynde. It encrece¨
|r15 vertues a¨ens vices. It doo¨ a-wey venyal synnes. It ioyne¨
     more stronge the menbres to the hede, that es gude cristen men
     to Criste. Vnde versus: Roborat, augmentat hoc sacramentum,
     delet et vnit. It es expounde nexte be-for. Hugo secundum
     Thomam de Ueritatibus: The body of Cryste es medecyn to
|r20 seke men, dyete to pilgreme¨. It comforte¨ feble. It delite¨
     stronge men. It hele¨ langoure. It kepe¨ helth. Man es made
     more buxum to correpcion by Cristes body, more pacyent to
     labure, more brynnynge in loue, wyser to warnes, redyer to
     obeyssaunce, more deuote to doynge of thankes.
     
|r25          De claustralibus soli deo militantibus.
     |r<b> The cloysterere that es vndyr obedyence and other mennes
          powere seyth per aventour: Me semeth it were better to
     lede a worldly lyfe, where dedes of mercy myghte be done and
     vsede, than to be closede here in pouerte fro the worlde and fro
|r30 myn awen wyl. To whom may be answerde thus: It es better to
     haue mercy and compassyon vndyr other pore wreches |r[f.41v] lyuynge
     than for to mowe ¨eue to pore men al the worlde. It es more
     trauelose to for-sake thyn awne selfe, that es thy wyl, than al thyn
     gudes. That thynge that thou arte es better wyth-outen com_peryson 
|r35 than that that thou haste, wher-of it es prouede that,



|p184


     if thou ¨eue thi-selfe, thou ¨eues more than al the worlde.
     Ieronimus: He has ¨euen al thynge to god that has offerde hym_selfe 
     to god. Is it not better to be callede god than godes
     seruaunt¨? Bot god calle¨ hym-selfe that man that suffre¨
 |r5 paciently, the streyte wrech lyuynge of pouerte, seynge: ¨e
     haue do to me that thynge that ¨e dede to the leste of myne.
     Also it es better to deme than to be demede. Pore men schal
     iuge ryche men, as god sei¨: ¨e that hauen for-sake al thynges
     and felowe me, ¨e schal sitte on iudicial seetes demynge, et cetera.
|r10 Also [it] es better to haue heuen in possessyon than in behotynge.
     God sey¨: Pore men in spyrte be blessede, for the kyngdome
     of heuens es of hem. He sey¨ not in the texte: Thei schal haue
     it, bot: It es of hem. That es to sey: Thei be so sure ther-of as if
     thei wer ther-inne. Also god seys: ¨e ben thei that haue abyden
|r15 wyth me in my temptacyons, and I dispose to ¨ou as my fader has
     disposed to me the kyngedome of heuen. Glosa [Iohannis] I=o=:
     Haue no disdeygne thoue wyckede men florysch in prosperite in
     the worlde if ¨e suffre. For it es not the worthynes of cristen
     men to be exaltede in temperalle gudes, bot rather to be depressede
|r20 and holde |r[f.42r] lowe. Bernardus: If thou wylt haue seruyse or
     helpe of angels, fle solace of the worlde and wyth-stande
     temptacions of the feende. Prosper XII=o=: It es spedful to the
     chirche to haue rychesse and facultes to be possessed and oure
     oune facultes to be despisede for loue of perfeccyon. Ieronimus:
|r25 When men writen a¨eyns vices, he that es wroth es accusere of
     hym-selfe. It es better to vs to be corrected be oure-selfe or to
     be reproued be frendes of oure vices than be destruede or deposed
     be enmys or herytykes. Seneca: Vices of frende owe to be
     broken. I loue hym not, bot that I offend hym a¨eyns them.
|r30 Whether I schal profyte or not, I wot not. I haue leuere fren_schip 
     or lucly hape fayle me than feyth. Augustinus: I aske to
     be chastysede of al, to be amendyde of al, and I trowe hym only
     to be my frend be whos tunge or doctrine I wype a-wey synful
     spottes of my mynde be-for the apperynge of the streyte, ryghtful



|p186


     ruge. Salomon: Soden deth schal falle vnto that man that
     despise¨ wyth a proude herte an[d] harde hatrel a man chas_tysynge 
     or reprouynge hym for his better. Crisostomus: He es
     not gud that may reproue euyl thynge; bot he that es reprouyde
 |r5 in euyle and take¨ reprouynge in gud maner es gude, et cetera.
     |r<b> Many be spices of ydolatre. Sum es worschipynge of
          deuelryes; an-other es worschip of sonne, of mone, of
     planetes sterres; therd of elementes; fourte of men; fyfte of
     vnresonable bestes; sexte of ymages or of other werkes of |r[f.42v]
|r10 other mannes hande; seuente of tyme or of perte¨ of it. And
     also ydolatre es of thynges. And it es to weten that ydolatry es
     a grete synne. It take¨ awey worschip fro god and ¨eues it to
     a creature that es not worthi to take it, and he make¨ creatures
     lyke as god. The synne of ydolatry es so mych contrariouse to
|r15 god and despisable, as myche as the creature that es so maade
     equale to god es vile and vn-werthi to hym. No doute es bot
     that thei don ydolatre that ¨euen to ydoles that thynge that owe¨
     to be ¨euen to god only. Glosa super Mathei []: Thi lord
     god thou schalt worschipe, and thou schalte serue hym only.
|r20 Latria in latyn es commune subieccyon of fre seruise and
     worschipe owght to god. Dulia es subieccyon of seruise and
     worschip doon to man and to eny other. Note here wele: that
     worschiping that Moyses forfendede to be do was worschypinge
     of latria, that longe¨ oonly to god, and not of dulia, that longe¨ to
|r25 other thynges. Moyses forbeed grauynge[s] and similitudes of
     false goddes to be worschiped and prayede to, seying: Thou schalt
     not praye to [hem], ne worschipen. Nertheles his entent was
     not to for-bede vtturly that no si[mi]litude or grauynge
     schulde be made, syth he dede the contrary, as in cherybym
|r30 Exodi XXVo. Ther-for it es not for-boden man to make ymages
     and portrature to suche an ende and entencion as Bede wytnesses
     in exponynge of Salamons temple, of whych he may haue mynde
     of his lorde god, and that he |r[f.43r] thynke hym to be had in mynde.
     For this es not drawynge to ydolatry, bot rather reuokynge fro
|r35 ydolatry. Bot to make ymages bi cause to worschipe hem only,



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     it es forbedden vtturly. Sapiencie XIVo: That ydol [or] fals
     god that es made bi handes es cursede, and he that made the
     ydol es cursede. Augustinus: Socrates was slayn for he wolde
     not worschipe ydoles, for thei wer oonly werkes of man, and seide
 |r5 that he schulde rather worschipe flesch that es werke of kynde,
     syth the cause es more worthi than es effecte. It es mych a-gayne
     reson that a man schulde worschype his handwerkes. It es
     a wondur foly to assume hym god that man knowes wyth-outen
     wisdame and gudnes. Isayas: I schal not ¨eue to grauen
|r10 ymages my glorye. Psalmus: Alle be thei confoundede and
     schent that worschipen grauen ymages as god, and thei that ioyen
     in here false goddes. Also be thei made lyke her goddes that
     maken hem and al that trusten in hem. Ambrosius: How grete
     es the folye of hem anemste whom an ymage es more worthi than
|r15 verry truthe or may more than truthe. Sapiencie XIII=o=: He
     schame¨ not to speken wyth hym that es wyth-outen lyfe or soule,
     and he pray¨ a seeke thynge or feble for helth and a dede thynge
     for lyf. He calle¨ entierly helpe and aske¨ for wey-goynge of
     hym that may not go ne moue. Ieronimus: Spiryte of lyfe es
|r20 not in ydoles. Thei be in vayn and a werk worthi scorne. Thei
     be schewyde worthi scornynge that be in |r[f.43v] kynde of ydolatre.
     Radulphus super Leuiticum: As [the] grauen ymage es not to
     be worschiped for hym-selfe as it wer god, ryght so a ded man es
     not to be worschipede in eny ymage. Seyntes of god and gud
|r25 spirytes be to be worsch[i]ped and prayed to mych, and he that
     honoure¨ hem honoure¨ god. Nertheles seyntes be not to be
     worschiped fully as goddes, bot as moste holy seruant¨ of god,
     most hy and myghty. By her helpe many benfetes may come to
     vs, and hope of helpe may be put in hem; bot we may not
|r30 a-counte hem autours of helth, bot prayers and getters ther-of_Propheta:
     I schal not ¨eue to an-nother my glorye, for seyntes
     and discrete men a-schamen that worschipe of god schulde be
     ¨euen to hem. Thei be displesude and offendede when worschep
     es don to hem or to any other thynge that es to be don only to
|r35 god. So grete [diseyse] and iniurye of the lorde may not plese



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     hem. Ther-for god es to be worschiped a-bouen al thynges and
     to be louede and drede; of whom al gud thynges proceden, and
     whych only make¨ merueyles and myracles, et cetera.
                 Of thre kyndes of prayer.
 |r5 |r<b> Thre kyndes ben of prayers. Summe ther ben that prayen
          wyth oonly lyppes; of which oure lorde speke¨ by the pro_phete:
     This peple worschipen me wyth lyppes, bot the herte of
     hem is fer fro me. Gregorius: What profite¨ noyse of lyppes
     wher the herte is doume? Ysidorus: The mynde is fer fro god
|r10 that is occupyede wyth thynkynge of the worlde in prayer. |r[f.44r] To
     be in besy prayers a-bydynge helpe¨ mych to stedfastnes of herte
     to be had and to synge deuoutly psalmodye. Mathei VI=o=: Wylle¨
     ¨e not praynge speke many thynges. Gregorius: The more we
     be temptede wyth greuouse truble of fleschly thoghtes, so mych
|r15 more we owe to entende bysily to prayer. It longe¨ to lyfte vp
     the hartes wyth the handes to god. Other ther ben that prayen
     wyth lippes and hert bothe. Iohannis IIII: True praynge men
     or wyrschipers schul pray and wyrschipe the fader in spyrite and
     in trouthe. Ysidorus: Then pray we truly when we thynke of
|r20 non other thynge. Ricardus Hampulle: He praye¨ deuoutly
     that has not his [herte] rennynge abowte in erthly thynges, bot
     lyftede vp to god in heuenly thynges. For no prayer is so pro_fitable,
     no prayer is so worthi as the bysi praer of a rightful man.
     Glosa super Numer[os]: On seynte is more worthi in praynge
|r25 than in-numerable synners batellynge. Ysidorus: Alle thynges
     profitabule to vs be ¨euen bi bysy prayers, and al thynges noyant

     wyth-outen doute be dryuen a-wey. The therde ben thei that
     prayen wyth herte oonly. Mathei VI=o=: When thow schalte pray,
     go in-to thi chambyr, thyn couch, and whil thi dore is clos, pray
|r30 god thi fader. Ysidorus: A feruente prayer is not of lippe¨ bot
     of hertes. For it is more to praye |r[f.44v] wyth herte than wyth
     mouth. Regum I=o=: Anne spake in the herte, and the voys was
     not herde. A trewe askynge or prayer is not in voys of mouthe,
     bot in thoghte of herte. This erande is do more with inwarde
|r35 sorowes and compunccyons than wyth voices outwarde, more
     wyth wepynge than with outwarde askynge.



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     Ysidorus: Prayer is lettede two maners that no man may
     geten that he aske¨. That is: If any man 1. do ¨et wyckede
     thynges, 2. or for-¨eues not the dette to hem that trespac¨ to hym.
     God spek¨ of the fyrste impedimente be Ysaie: For ¨oure
 |r5 handes werkes be ful of synne, ther-for I schal not here ¨ou
     mercyably. Prouerbiorum XV: God es fer fro wyckede men,
     and he schal here mercyably prayers of rightful men. Augustinus:
     He that is turnede fro the commandmentes of god deserue¨ not
     to haue that he aske¨ in prayer. Idem: On prayer of a creature
|r10 obedyent is soner herde than ten thousande prayers of a dispiser.
     Ysidorus: If we do that god bidde¨, with-outen doute we haue
     that we aske. Anastasius sey¨ of the secunde letynge: If thou
     for¨eueste not wronge that es do to the, thou makeste not for
     thi-selfe prayer, bot thou bryngeste on thi-selfe a-cursynge.
|r15 Ysidorus: As no leche-crafte or medicyn profite¨ in a wounde
     if ¨itte yren be ther-in, so prayer of any man profite¨ nothynge
     to hym in whos mynde the sore a-byde¨ or hate in herte.
     Augustinus: |r[f.45r] If charite fayle, al other thynges be had in vayn.
     Crisostomus super Matheum: Thou takest not for¨euenes, bot
|r20 if thou for-¨eue be-for. Marci XI: If ¨e for-¨eue not other, ¨our
     heuenly fadyr schal not for-¨eue ¨oure synnes. To for-¨eue
     rancour and offens is of necessite. To for-¨eue the dede or
     accion and the amendes ther-of is werkes of counseyl and of
     plenteuos fre ¨ifte.
|r25 |r<b> Of tribulacion god sey¨: I seye truly truthe to ¨ow: for ¨e
          schal sorow and wepe, the worlde schal ioye. ¨e schal be
     sory, bot ¨oure sorynes schal be turnede to ioye. Paulus: It
     be-houe¨ ¨ou to entre the kyngedame of heuens by many tribula_cions.
     Gregorius: Tribulacion is gate of kyngdam of heuens.
|r30 This is the gate of oure lorde; ryghtfulle men schul entre in it.
     Idem: As the flesch is noryschede wyth softe thynges, so the
     soule is norischede wyth harde thynges. Petrus Rauennas de
     La¨aro: As many woundes as La¨are had, so many mouthes
     had he cryinge to god; ther the mouthe es stylle, tribulacion
|r35 crye¨. Ieronimus: The more we be turmentede in this worlde
     wyth pouerte, wyth power of enmys, or wyth cruelte of seknesse,



|p194


     the more mede we schul haue in heuen aftyr a-counte ¨olde vp.
     God suffre¨ not tribulacion to com to hys seruauntes bot for her
     profite. He sei¨: I reproue and chastise hem that I loue.
     Psatmus: I am wyth hym in tribulacion. I schal delyuer hym,
 |r5 and I schal make him ioyful. Propheta: My childe, |r[f.45v] wyl thou
     not drede if thou go be fyre. His flamme schal not noye the; it
     schal clen¨e thyn soule fro fleschly vnclennes and make it able to
     receyue gostly fyre of loue of god, and it be-houe¨ that to be do
     fyrste. Gregorius: God make¨ to hys chosen seruauntes a scharpe
|r10 wey, that thei for-¨ette not tho thynges that be in the cuntre of
     heuen while thei delyten a lytel in this worlde. Idem: Euyle
     thynges that turmente vs here compellen vs to go to god.
     Bernardus: God is wroth wyth hym that he scorge¨ not synnynge.
     Augustinus: He that schal not deserue to be scorgede in this
|r15 worlde schal be turmented in helle. Truly, god scorgynge
     meruelosly and helthfully caste¨ doun a synnere whiche he has
     knowen fro by-gynnynge to be sauede to hys glorye, that he that
     fel doun wickede [and] seek may ryse a¨eyn gud and hool. God
     make¨ in this castyngedoun of the proude meke, of the enuyose
|r20 and ireful charitable, of vnryghteful and couetose ryghtful and
     large, [of] gloton discrete, of lycherose chaaste, of a lyere true,
     of a wyckede man holy louere of heuenly commandmentes, and
     of a dampnable man man to be saued. Where thei be not caste
     doun ynogh that so be made of chyldren loste the eyres of god?
|r25 Augustinus: If thou haste knowen wel the promisses of the
     fader, drede thou not to be beten, for the betynge or scorgynge
     with-*in |r[f.46r] or wyth-oute glorifye¨ the hye makere. It compelle¨ hym
     that wyl not to do wel, it teche¨ the vnkunnynge, it kepe¨ vertu,
     it defende¨ infirmite, it styre¨ vp the dul and sleuthful man, it
|r30 meke¨ the proude man, it purche¨ the repentaunte, it croune¨ the
     innocente. If thou suffre harme, vyleny, or wronge, thenke
     a-noon of the apostle, seynge: Bee¨ not ¨e ¨eldynge euyl for
     euyl, ne cursede for cursede, bot euen contrarye-wyse. Blesse¨
     alwey and doo¨ wel. Salomon: Sey not: I schal ¨elde euyl for
|r35 euyl, bot a-byde oure lorde, and he schal delyuere the. Ysidorus:
     It is a grete vertu if thou hurteste not hym of whom thou art
     hurte. It is a grete strengh if thou hurte for-¨eue. It [is] a grete



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     ioye if thou spare hym whom thou myghtest disese. Gregorius:
     I trow vertu of pacience be more than sygnes [or] miracles.
     Idem: We may be martres wyth-outen ire or flaume if we kepe 
     truly pacience in soule. Ieronimus: He is not a wrech a-nemste
 |r5 cristen men that suffre¨, bot he that make¨ debate and strife. 
     Crisostomus: It es to haue compassyon and not to haue wreth
     to a wranglynge man, for the deuyl has  hym [in] possessyon.
     [He] that doo¨ wronge and wyl not do satisfaccyon, he is ded
     gostly. And therfor wyl thou not do cruelnes vn-to thyn brothyr
|r10 ded, bot rather haue compassyon to hym. Spare thy enmy, |r[f.46v] and 
     god schal spare the. Thou hast offendede more god an hundreth_folde 
     than thyn enmy has offendede the. God seys to the:
     For-¨eue thou, and god schal for-¨eue the. Gregorius: Al-myghty
     god suffre¨ the aduersaryes of hys chosen chyldren to encrece
|r15 temperally, that the lyfe of gud men may be clensede and
     puryfyede by feernes and cruelnes or wodnes of wyckede men.
     Crisostomus super Matheum: Wyckede men may not noye holy
     men when thei wyllen, bot when god ¨eues hem tyme of
     dysesynge or of noyance, wher-by he prouide¨ to his seyntes
|r20 a croune. Salomon: He that es a fole schal serue the wyse
     man. Bernardus: The proude and cruel smyth vnwyttynge
     make¨ to hem croune¨ euerlastynge.
     If thou be dryuen oute of the cuntre, out of hoom, thenke in
     thy mynde that we haue not oure cuntre endurynge here, bot we
|r25 seke the cuntre euerlastynge. Why trowest thou to lese here
     cuntre or hoom that art a pilgreme in al the erthe? Considre
     also that it es of more meryte to leue or lese pacyently tho
     thynges that thou hast if thei be taken a-wey by strengh, than for
     [to] ¨eue hem to pore men; for it is vertu seelder had for to
|r30 suffyr wronges wyth euyn wyl gladly than for to do wylfully gud
     dedes. Ad Hebreos X=o=: ¨e taken wyth ioye the raueyn [or]
     mystakynge a-wey of ¨oure gudes, knowynge ¨oure-selfe to haue
     a better substance and a-bydynge euer.
     If thou haue falle in grete bodily seeknes and greuose, |r[f.47r] by the



|p198


     postle worde to suffre paciently aduersites is of more meryte than
     to laboure in other gud werkes ryght bysily. Gregorius: Thenke
     often [that] it be-houes vs to be brennyde in this lyfe wyth fyre
     of goddes loue or elles to be turmentede aftyr this lyf wyth fyre of
 |r5 purgatory or of helle. Chese whethyr we wyllen, we schal not
     ascape that on of hem. The face of god schal neuer be seen of
     any man til he haue satisfyede or payed by payne [or] suffrynge
     the leste ferthynge of venyal synnes. It be-houes euery man to
     be as clene bi-for the entre of paradys as he was in his innocencye
|r10 of baptyme. Thenk also that the moste greuose peyne of this
     worlde is lesse than the leste payne of purgatory. As seys
     seynte Austyn: Also considre that oon day here in this
     worlde of helefulle penaunce may putte a-way al the payne of on
     ¨ere in purgatorye. Propheta: I haue ¨euen to the a day for oon
|r15 ¨ere. [Augustinus:] If thou wilte be clensede, accuse thyn_selfe 
     in peyne and prayse the ryghtwysnesse of god. Whil thou
     arte in tribulacion, thenke that we be enmys of god; we haue
     offendede god in synnynge. Therfor he fyght¨ a¨eyns vs for we
     be-gynne to fyght. Or he wolde haue pees, seynge: Turne the
|r20 or be ¨e turnede to me, and I schal turne or be turnede to ¨ou.
     Bot knowe¨ ¨e wel here that ther be many so froward and
     vnpaciente that thei wil not take correccion of god, ne of men.
     Ther-for |r[f.47v] it is euyl here, and wyth-outen ende schal be euyl to
     summe men of hem, for thei wil not be correctede. Such men
|r25 be seyde to turne golde in-to copur, preciose stonys in-to fen,
     corn in-to chaffe, wynne in-to water, hony in-to galle, day in-to
     nyghte, ioye in-to sorowe. Alle thynges to such myslyuers that
     thei werken be turnede in-to euyl. Salomon: Wycked men
     byen derrere helle than ryghtful men heuen. Psalmus: Folke
|r30 [be] wyth-outen consel and wyth-oute wysdam. Wolde god thei
     sauereden wysdam and that thei myghten wel puruey the laste
     thynges! Gregorius: Al goddes smytynge and chastysynge,
     outher it is a purgacion of this lyfe, or elles it is bygynnynge of
     peyne to come aftur this lyfe. Idem: The aduersites of this
|r35 worlde bryngyn men to euerlastynge aduersites if thei be not



|p200


     a-mendyde by theme. Augustinus: Euery wycked man lyues
     ther-for, or that he be corre[c]tede, or ellys that gud men be
     pryued by hym, et cetera.
                           De paciencia.
     |r<b> Fyue thynges ben in which suffrance or pacience is preuede.
 |r5      Fyrste is bodyly hurte. Secunde is temperal nede or
     takynge a-way of gudes or of other losse. Thyrde is a-peyrynge
     of honoure or wyrschype. Fourth is dissensyon or wyth-drawynge
     of frendes. Fyfth is eny trouble of pesablenes of the mynde.
|r10 Sum-tyme we suffre of oure neghtburs persecucions and harmes,
     dampna*cyons |r[f.48r] and stryfes. Sum-tyme we suffre of oure olde enmy
     temptynge. Sum-tyme we suffre scorgynge of god. Euangelium:
     Pesyble men be blessude for thei schal be callede sones of god.
     Gregorius: I trowe the vertu of pacyence be more than sygnes
|r15 or myracles. Crisostomus: He is a perfyte disciple of Cryste
     that suffre¨ here al thynges or is redy to suffre al thynges here.
     Augustinus: He that has be more suffrynge to wronge schal be
     more myghty in the reame of heuens. Salomon: He that is
     pacyent is gouernede wyth myche wysdam, and he that is
|r20 vnsuffrynge [or] inpacyent prayse¨ and enhanse¨ hys foly.
     Bernardus: O brether, we be putte in thys worlde as in a felde
     of batel or of fyghtynge, and he that take¨ not here sorowes or
     betynges or tribulacions schal apere in tyme to come wyth-outen
     ioye. Grete confusyon schal be to hem at the day of doome
|r25 that nothynge wolde suffre for Cryste, that suffyrde for hem so
     many turmentes and paynes, et cetera.
                        De temptacione diaboli.
     |r<b> Paulus: God is feythful that suffre¨ not ¨ou to be temptede
          more or a-bouen that thynge that ¨e may wyth-stande, bot
|r30 he make¨ a warnynge power ofwythstandynge with the temptacion,
     that ¨e may sustene ¨ou and ouercome it. Augustinus: No man
     may be bygylede of the feende, bot he that wil ¨euen assent of
     hys wyl. Ieronimus: Power of the feende is not in his euyl
     boldnes and braggynge, bot in thi wyl. The feende |r[f.48v] temptes vs



|p202


     that we ¨eue hym oure wepyn wyth whych he schulde sle vs. He
     tempt¨ the herte to sch[re]ude thoghtes, the tunge to speke
     euyle thynges, the handes and other menbres to werken euyl
     dedes. For the wyl of the fende is alwey wycked, bot his power
 |r5 is neuer vnryghtful. He has wil of hym-selfe, bot he has power
     of god. Gregorius: The enmy es not to be drede that may not
     ouercome, bot hym that wyl be ouercome. Ysidorus: The
     fende fyre¨ noght the noryschynge of concupiscence, bot where
     he see¨ fyrste delectacion of schreude thoght; the whych as we
|r10 despise, the feende flee¨ away from vs wyth-outen doute confused.
     Iacobus: Wyth-stande ¨e the feende. and he schal fle fro ¨ou.
     Versus: Hostis non ledit, nisi cum temptatus obedit. The enmy
     hurte¨ not, bot when he that is temptide obeye¨ to hym. He is
     a lyon noyant if he abyde, and if he be not obeyede, he flee¨
|r15 a-way as a flye. Gregorius: Al sotyle entycynge of temptacyons
     be turned to an holy man in-to encrece of vertues. Hou many
     temptacions eny man ouercome¨ for Criste, he gete¨ hym so
     many preciose stones to hys euerlyuynge coroune. Ysidorus:
     It is profetable to goddes seruant aftyr the conuersyon fro the
|r20 worlde to god to be temptede, that he mak redy hys soule to
     vertues from sleuthe of necligence. Salomon: Sone, when thou
     comest to seruyce of god, make redy thi soule to temptacion.
     Wondur no man if a spiritual man be tempted |r[f.49r] gostly and
     synglerly, gude wylle abydynge. He is nether caste oute fro
|r25 hope, ne fro feyth, ne fro charyte, bot he is strenghed hool in al
     vertue. Euangelium: Lo! the feende has askede ¨ou that he
     myghte trouble and tosse ¨ou. As corne is rydelde, a man is so
     rydelde that is examyned inwardly and perfythly. By power
     ¨euen of god to the feende [bothe] Iob was preuede, [that] he
|r30 schulde apere ryghtful, and Peter was temptede, that he schulde
     not presume of hym-selfe, and Poule was beten and boffeted, that
     he schulde not enhaunce hym-selfe. Augustinus: The moste
     greuos temptacion is not to be temptyde [in] eny wyse.
     Gregorius: The deuyle recke¨ [not] to vexen hem which he
|r35 fele¨ hym-selfe to haue in possessyon. Psalmus: O lorde, preue
     me and tempte me! Brenne or fyre my reynes and my herte in



|p204


     thi loue! Bernardus: Lorde, I pray the that thou drawe me
     aftyr the. Crisostomus: They that be sones of god ben bap_tysede 
     in the worlde in temptacions. Paulus: Alle that wyllen
     lyue mekly in Cryste schulne suffre persecucion.
     
 |r5                    A gude meditacyone.
     |r<b> Thenke often of wyckede men now beryede in helle, that
          louede the worlde and here flesch a-bouen god and his com_mandmentes 
     whil thei lyueden. Considre besyli what thei ben
     and what thei were. Thei haue eten and drunken and laughede
|r10 as thou, and thei ledde here dayes in lustes, lykynges, and vanites,
     and the[i] descendyd to helle in a poynte. Here flesch is put
     heere to wormes, and.here soule is put ther |r[f.49v] to helle fyre. What
     profited hem worldly powere, pompe of peple, manly worthynes,
     gret houshalde, veyn glorye, schort gladnes, connynge, booste,
|r15 large conscience, false rychesse, worschipes and reuerences,
     plesance, flaterynge, fayreste dwellynge places, possession of many
     landes, getynge of prebendes, gadrynge of rychesse, dere and
     delyciouse metes, delycate drynke, lykynge of flesch, superfluyte
     of metes, curiosite of clothynge, feyrnes of hosen and schone,
|r20 propure wil? Wher these thynges mowen delyuer the wrechede
     soule fro vnquenchable flaumys of fyre and fro the deuorynge
     mouth of that cursede dragon? Wher is now laughynge and here
     pley? Where is the booste? Where is the proudnes of so grete
     gladnes? Hou grete a sorynes is aftyr so gret a lustynes, so
|r25 greuos wrechednes is of that ydel ioyfulnes. Thei haue fallen
     in-to a grete myscheuos fal and euerlastynge deth. Augustinus:
     Ioy of worldly men is as ioye of frentyk men, for thei feelen
     rather deth than here seknes. Gregorius: He goo¨ as by a mery
     medewe to hange hym-selfe that goo¨ to dye by prosperite of the
|r30 worlde. Innocencius: Men ben wonte to desyr moste thre
     thynges. Ryches, lykynge[s], and worschyps. Rychesse engendren
     couetyse andauaryce; lykynge[s] engendren glotony andlechery;
     worschipes norischen pryde and booste. Augustinus: Contynuel
     hele of body and plenty of gudes be tokens of euerlastynge
|r35 dampnacion. Gregorius: Contynuel happes of temperalle gudes
     be token of dampnacion to come.
     



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                   Fyue thynges ben nedful.
     |r[f.50r] |r<b> When any man schal passe oute of this lyfe, fyue thynges be
     necessarye to hym, wyth which his soule schal go surely
     fro the body. Fyrst is that he repente and sorow for al his
 |r5 synnes and wicked thynges ydoon and of gude thynges lefte, that
     he myghte haue doon and dede not. Secunde is that he be in
     sure purpos of abstynynge hym-selfe fro al synnes if he haue
     grace to lyue longe. Thyrde is that he confesse nakedly and
     openly al his synnes, that is to wyten hou ofte, in hou many
|r10 maneres, and what he has synnede, or at leste the synnes that he
     remembry may or reduce to mynde by askynge of the confessour;
     and if deth haste hym and he may not, the confessour muste
     warne hym that he be sory that he may not be schryuen, and
     that he wolde fayne if he myghte. Fourth is that he be in ful
|r15 purpos to satisfye aftyr the counsel of the chirche if he lyue.
     Fyfte is that he haue stronge hope of the mercy of god that
     seyde: I come not to calle ryghtful men bot synners to
     penaunce. Item: I wyl not deth of a synnere, bot that he be
     conuertede and lyue. When this is do, lete brynge the sacra_mente 
|r20 of Criste¨ body to hym, and aftyr the general confessyon
     seyde, lete hym feythfully receyue the sacramente, and at laste
     be he anoyntede in the name of oure lorde. Also the seke
     muste be examynede in the artycle of the feyth conteynede in
     the Credo, and that in his oune langage that he knowe¨ better.
|r25 And if he be ny deth and may not speke, be it to hym seyde that
     he byleue tho thynges |r[f.50v] that holy chyrch; and articles of the 
     fayth be rehercede in hys eere, and moste the articles of the
     trinite of persones, of incarnacion of the [sone] and the deth,
     of the resurreccyon of flesch to the lyfe of ioye; and herte hym
|r30 moste to hope by ensample of hym that heenge on the ryght
     syde of Cryste in the cros knowlechynge. Be he ryght ware of
     dispeire, that is worse than eny othere synne. Ieronimus: Iudas
     offended god more in that that he henge hym-selfe than in that
     that he be-trayede Criste, et cetera.



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                          A¨ens presumpcyon.
     |r<b> Avgustinus: He may not dye euyle that has lyuede wel, and
          he vnnethis dye¨ wel that has lyuede euyle. Gregorius:
     He is fer of and straunge ynowe fro feyth that abyde¨ tyme of
 |r5 olde age to do penaunce. It is to drede that he falle in-to
     dome of dampnacion whyl he hope¨ mercy. God that by-heghte
     for¨euenes to men repentaunte truly promytte¨ not to-morne day.
     Also it es ryght hard any man to gete that thynge in hys laste
     ende that he myghte not optene bi hys lyfe. Augustinus: Drede
|r10 of deth cleyme¨ to hym al the soule that it lyke¨ hym not to
     thynke of synnes. Idem: A synnere is smyten wyth that blyndnes
     and punyschynge that he dyinge for-¨ette hym-selfe, that whyl he
     lyuede for¨ate god. Gregorius: He that falle¨ wylynge and
     wyttynge in-to blame often and synne, sumtyme not wylynge he
|r15 schal falle |r[f.51r] in-to payne. Bernardus: Hou mych lengare that
     god abyde¨ vs that we amende vs, so mych the streyter schal hee
     deme vs if we do rechlesly. Gregorius: Wyckede men wolde
     lyuen wyth-outen ende if thei myght, that thei myghte synne
     wyth-outen ende. Ther-for it longe¨ to the grete ryght-wysnesse
|r20 of the Iuge that neuer thei faile turmentes that neuer wolde leue
     synne whyl thei lyuede.
     Augustinus: A wycked thynge is to synne and worse to abyde
     ther-inne and worste to wyte god his gylte, defendynge or
     excusynge hym-selfe. Gregorius: The soume or the nombre of
|r25 synne is encrecede whil it is defended. Origenes: O, if we
     myghte know how a soule stynke¨ and is woundede by euery
     dedly synne vn-to the deth, for soth we schulde wyth-stonde
     synne. Idem: As men made and out of mynde felen not when
     thei be wounded, for thei faylen here wyttes, so we made os
|r30 madde men wyth couetyse of the worlde fele not when we be
     wounded in soule. Ecclesiastes: The nombre of foyles es
     endle¨.
                          Of apostasye.
     |r<b> Ambrosius: Thre maners be of apostasye: of for-sakynge of
|r35      feyth, of inobedyence, of irregularyte. When greuos payne
     is putte to hem that kepe not byddynge of here prelates and kaste



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     a-wey here clothes of relygyon, hou myche more peyne owgh to
     be do to hem that casten a-way the feyth of Cryste and kepen
     not |r[f.51v] commandmentes that were wryten wyth the fyngar of god?
     Petrus Apostolus: It be-houe¨ to obey more to god than to
 |r5 man. Bernardus: Excusacion of obedience to man is in vayn
     where trespace is do a¨ens god. Idem: To do euyl al-thogh any
     prelate bydde, it is not obedyence, bot rather inobedyence.
     Gregorius: Euyl thynge owe¨ ne to be do bi obedyence; nerthe_les 
     gud thynge that is to do owe¨ to be lefte sum-tyme bi
|r10 obedyence. Augustinus: The maner of obedyence is so to be
     taken that thou consente not to gud men in euyl, ne sey not
     a¨ens euyle men in gude thynge. So it is to obeye to god that
     his commaundmentes be not lefte for eny others byddynges con_trarye 
     to goddes byddynge: XI questionis III capitulo Non
|r15 semper tum in aliis. Mathei XIX=o=: If thou wylt entre to lyfe,
     kepe the commandmentes. Basilius: Thynke [of] god fyrste
     in euery werke that thou thenkeste to do, and if it be ryghte bi-for
     god, do it; if it be fonde euyl, put it a-wey fro thi soule or thi
     mynde. No-thynge is more holsome than to attende alwey to
|r20 commandmentes of god. Propheta: Be [I] not schente when
     I schal be-holde in al thi commandmentes. Gregorius: Whyl
     men entende bisily to goddes commandmentes, wyth-outen doute
     thei knowen in hem-selfe what thynge in hem plese¨ or dis_plese
     ¨ the heuenly man. Ysidorus: Goddes worde is lyght to
|r25 feithful men, and it wexe¨ derke a maner to wickede ad proude
     men. Boecius: Wyckede men may not lyften vp to the clere
     lyght here een wonede to derknes. Thei be lyke byrdes whos
     syght the |r[f.52r] nyght lyghtens and the day blyndes. Salomon:
     Fooles may not louen  bot tho thynges that plesen hem.
|r30 Crisostomus: No man may fele sauere of gode thynges as longe
     as he delyte¨ in euyl thynges. As longe as euyl delyte¨ hym,
     gude may not delyte. Euangelium: Why calle ¨e me lord!
     lorde! and ¨e do not as I seye? Crisostomus: Thei that seyn
     to Criste only lorde! lorde! and doon not the wyl of det of god,



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     thei ben wyckede. Euangelium: Whi trespace ¨e a¨ens the
     commandment of god for ¨our techynge and custome of mennes
     doctrine? Bernardus: It plese¨ not god what-so-euer thou offre,
     if that thynge be lefte that thou arte holden to do. Ambrosius:
 |r5 When that thynge is vndo that thou art holden to do, what-so-euer
     elles thou doost is vnthankful to the holy goste. Bernardus:
     O gret euyl of oune wyl that mak¨ thi gude thynges euyl to the!
     Idem: What hate¨ god, or what punysches he saue propur wil?
     Nothynge schal brenne in helle bot selfe wil. Iohannes in
|r10 Epistola: This is charite of god that we kepe his command.
     mentes, and [his] commandmentes be not greuose. Ieronimus:
     No-thynge is harde to louynge men, no trauel is harde. Loue
     we Criste, and al heuy thynges schal seme lyghte. Leo Papa:
     No-thynge is hard to meke men, no-thynge is scharpe to mylde
|r15 men, for grace ¨eues helpe. Augustinus: God aske¨ nothynge
     other of vs bot gud wil. Gude wil suffye¨ thogh power of
     werkynge faile. Thou mayst not perysche in eny wyse wyth gud
     wil, and thou mayste not be saued wyth-outen gud wil. Gregorius:
     Nothynge is offerd more rych to god than gude wil, |r[f.52v] to whos
|r20 commendacion in the gospel the angel seide to the schepherdes:
     Glorye to god in hy heuens and in erthe pees to men of gud wil.
     Seneca: A grete parte of gudnes is to wil to be made gude.
     Ciprianus: When many thynges be boden in lawe, whych apostle
     witnesse¨ mowen not be fulfillede, then gud wil is asked that is in
|r25 oure doome and which may suffyse and haue mede. Therfor
     Iohn sey¨: Be he cursed that sei¨ god commanded thynges
     impossible. God deme¨ not of dedes bot of wyl. Augustinus:
     No holy man and ryghtful man faile¨ synne or is wyth-oute synne.
     Nertheles of that he leue¨ not to be ryghtful or holy when he
|r30 holde¨ so holynes in affecte and wil. Crisostomus super
     Matheum: Gude purpos excuse¨ euyl dede, and euyl purpos
     dampne¨ gud dede. Ysidorus: Vices stryuen sumtyme wyth
     vertues to profyte, that the mynde be styrede and reysed to god
     by that stryuynge or wil be distreynd fro pride. It is wryten:
|r35 Thou hast coueted wisdam; kepe commandmentes, and god schal
     ¨eue to the wysdam. Crisostomus: Me come¨ bi werkes of



|p214


     ryght-wysnesse to the knowynge of god. Also: It is impossible
     to hem that goon not by wey of ryghtwysnesse that thei knowe
     Criste, thogh it seme thei knowe Criste. Thei be ryghtful that
     fulfylle goddes byddynges wyth-oute quereles. Thei be perfyte to
 |r5 whome the preceptes suffise not, bot thei do more than com_mandmentes 
     or more than is boden, as martires, relygiose, and
     virgyns. Gregorius: Gude that we do is of god and of vs. [Of
     god] by grace of god commynge bi-fore; of vs |r[f.53r] bi fre wil
     folwynge. Crisostomus: As erth floryches not, ne bere¨ frute. bot
|r10 it take reyn, ne reyn make¨ frute wyth-oute [erthe] ryght so
     nether grace wyth-oute wil werke¨ eny thynge, ne wil may do
     [eny thynge] wyth-oute grace; and god is euer redy to do gud
     thynges, bot he is for-boden or letted by malyce of man, et cetera.
     
                   Septem modis laxantur peccata.
|r15 |r<b> Synnes be releced or wyth-draw seuen maner wyse. Fyrst
          maner be baptyme. Secunde be martyrdam. Thyrde
     maner by confessyon and penaunce. Psalmus: I schal aknow_leche
     [] myn vnryghtwysnes to our lord, and thou hast for¨eue
     the wyckydnes of my synne. Fourte maner by teres. Euangelium:
|r20 Blessede be thei that sorowen, for thei schal be comfortede.
     Fyfte maner by almesdede; for as water quenche¨ fyre, so almes
     quenche¨ synne. Sexte maner by for¨euenes to men synnynge
     a¨ens vs. Seuente maner by werkes of charyte. As it is seyde:
     Cheryte couere¨ the multitude of synnes.
     
|r25                       De lacrimis.
     |r<b> Crisostomus: No man come¨ any tyme [to god] bot
          wepynge. Ieronimus: prayer queme¨ god, bot the tere
     constreyne¨; prayer softe¨, the tere compelle¨. Bernardus: Teres
     of penaunce be wyne of angels, for in hem is odoure of lyfe,
|r30 sauour of grace, taste of indulgence. Ysidorus: Teres of



|p216


     penaunce be reckenede a-nenyste god for baptym. Bernardus:
     Teres of a synnere turmente¨ more the deuyl than alle |r[f.53v] kynde of
     turmentryes. Augustinus: We brynge no[t] in-to fendes more
     bittere sorowes or peynes than when we sorow oure synnes in
 |r5 repentynge and confessynge. Cassi[o]dorus: If thou wilt kunne
     what is to lyue wele, lerne thou, I schal teche. Versus: Ores,
     ieiunes, vigiles, des, sic bene viues. Praye thou, faste thou, wake
     thou, ¨eue thou almesdede, gude wil, gud worde, and gud werke
     to thi powere. Ieronimus: Fastynge[s] owen to be gouerned
|r10 that thei feble not to mych the stomake. Idem: He make¨
     sacrifie¨ of raueyne that chastise his body out of mesure or wyth
     to mych scarcite of mete or drynke or of slepe. Ysidorus: What
     thynge so thou do of gude thynge wyth-outen discrecion, it is
     vice. For a uertu indiscretly don is acounted for a vice.
|r15 Bernardus: No-thynge profite¨ to bere an emty wombe two days
     or thre if fastynge be peysede by fulsumnes. What is it elles to
     faste so than for to ¨euen two halfpens for on peny? Ieronimus:
     ¨eue thou to pore men that thynge that thou schuldest ete if thou
     fasted not, that thi fastynge be fulsumnes of the soule and not
|r20 lucre to the pouche or to purse. Gregorius: Ecch man faste¨
     not to god, bot to hym-selfe, if he ¨eue not to werkes of mercy
     that he wyth-drawes fro the wombe for the tyme, bot he kepe¨ it
     to be spended aftyrward to the bely. Holy men seyn often that
     a faster is holden to do almesdedes of that thynge that he wyth_drawes 
|r25 fro his body; and thei vndyrstande it of consel and not
     of biddynge, bot if it be of ryche men when thei seen here brothire
     hauynge nede. |r[f.54r] Fastynge is in thre maners, that is to seye fro
     synne, fro mete, fro temperal ioye. Gregorius: Abstinence is
     than ryght clere anenyste god when the wil or mynde faste¨.
|r30 How diuerse men hauen diuerse entencions when thei fasten.
     Versus: Abstinet eger, egens, cupidus, gula, simia, uirtus. The
     seeke man faste¨ for he may not ete or ellys for medycyn. The



|p218


     nedy man faste¨ for he has not wher-of to ete. The couetos man
     faste¨ that he spende not. The gloton faste¨ to be hungry
     and aftyr to ete more gredyly. The ape, that is the [ypocrite],
     faste¨ to be praysede ther-of. Vertu, that is the uertuose man,
 |r5 faste¨ to haue euerlastynge lyfe.
     
                       Contra uanam gloriam.
     
     Euangelium: Take ¨e hede that ¨e do not ¨our ryghtwysnesse
     bi-for men that thei see ¨ou, as in that entente to be praysede of
     hem. Crisostomus: He goo¨ emty to god that seke¨ in the
|r10 worlde mede of his werkes. Ieremias: The marchaunt of the
     worlde may not take mede of Cryste. Apperynge of werkes is
     not for-boden, bot the entente of veyn glorye. For god com_mande
     ¨: So schyne ¨our lyght of gude entent bi-for men that
     thei se ¨oure gude werkes [and]  that thei may glorifye ¨our fader
|r15 that is in heuens. Gregorius: The ded muste be don so in
     open knowlech that the entente abyde in secrete, as it wer hydde
     or knowen fro veyn glory. Thyn werk schal be [such] as thyn
     entent were. Crisostomus: That thynge that is do for god is
     ¨eue to god and taken of god; and that thynge that is do |r[f.54v] [for]
|r20 men is spillyde, that is hopede no profyte of bot wrechednes
     and synne. Gregorius: He despise¨ gretly al hys godes that
     leues mannes praysynge to suffise to hys rewarde or mede of the
     godes. Paulus: Be thou ensample of cristen men in woorde,
     in conuersacion, in charite. in feyth. ¨eue thi-selfe in al thynges
|r25 ensample of gud werkes. Bernardus: No consel I deme better
     than if thou stodye to teche thi brother bi ensample tho thynges
     that be-houe¨ to be do and tho that be-houes not to be do.
     Gregorius: Thei that refusen her lyfe to be knowen of other
     men be lyghtede to hem-selfe, bot thei be not to other men in
|r30 ensample of lyghte of gud werkes. Such men be not lyke Iob
     that seyde: I was ee to the blynde and foote to the halte or
     lame. Ecch man of vs owe¨ to warne and tech his brothire in-to
     ryght wey in chirch, in hous or hoome, outher wyth worde or wyth
     writynge or wyth gud ensample. Man owe¨ [to] god drede and
|r35 loue, to his prelate obedyence and reuerence, to his neghtbor helpe
     and consel, to hys subiecte techynge and kepynge, to hym-selfe
     soburnes and holynes, to the fende hys synnes, for thei be his
     perpetuel peynes et cetera.



|p220


          Peccata Britonum et causa deposicionis eorum.
     |r<b> Negligence of prelates. Raueyne or extorsyon of grete men.
          Couetyse of iuges. False wodnes of for-sworne men,
     disgysede and lewde. Oute of reule araymente of clothynge, |r[f.55r] of
 |r5 tyres, and of other vnthrifty aray, both of men and wymen.
     A-cursede and vn-spekable lechery. Al maner opyn synne and
     knowen crye¨ veniance to god, bot namly foure: Fals wyth_holdynge 
     of wages or dew dettes of seruantes or of eny other, the
     synne of sodomyte, manslaughter, fals extorsion and oppressyon
|r10 of innocente folke. Allas! allas! how many veniance be cryinge
     now be-for god!
                           De decimis.
     |r<b> Of tythes god sey¨ be the prophete: Brynge al tythynge
          in-to my berne, that mete be in my hous, and preue ¨e me
|r15 in these thynges. Item: Thou schalt not tarye to offyr to me
     the fyrste frutes of thi floure and of thi wyne-presse; if thou ¨eue
     slauly it is synne. Bot hou mych worse is it not [to] ¨eue!
     Augustinus: ¨eue thou tythes, or elles thou schalt falle in-to the
     tenth parte of angels that felle fro heuen in-to helle. Propheta:
|r20 For ¨e haue not ¨eue to me tythes and fyrste frutes, therfor be ¨e
     acursed in hungur and scarcenes. Augustinus: Tythis be tributes
     of nedy soules. If thou ¨eue tythe, [thou] schalt not receyue
     only plenty of frutes, bot also thou schalt haue hele of body and
     of soule. And when thou mayste haue both erthly ¨eftes and
|r25 heuenly in ¨euynge tythes, why be-gyles thou thi-selfe fro this
     double benyson be couetyse or auarice? God is al-wey redy to
     do wel, bot he [is] forboden by malyce of man. For he that
     desyres to gete hym outher mede or to deserue for¨euenes of
     synnes ¨elde or pay tythes. |r[f.55v] Also stodie he to do or make almes_dede 
|r30 of the neyne pertes. Euangelium: ¨eue ¨e and it schal be
     ¨eue to ¨ou! Item: ¨eue ¨e frely that thynge that ¨e haue
     take frely! Paulus: God loue¨ a fre and an glad ¨euere.
     Ecclesiastici XXXV: ¨eue to god hieste vpon his ¨ifte. It is
     writen: Thou schalt ¨eue to the wicked man many thynges that
|r35 thou wilt not ¨eue to the preste. Item: The kynge[s] tresurye or
     the purse of exaccyon or of othere maner of couetise take¨ that



|p222


     Criste takes note. Bernardus: A grete abusion, and ouer-mych
     grete, it is that the vile worme wil be rych, for whom god of
     oostes and lord of mageste was so pore. Nertheles, whi take¨
     thou the byrden, whi takest thou the purse and packes of the
 |r5 traytour? Not so wicked man, not so schalt thou entre. The
     nedel ee or the hole of it is streyte and receyue¨ not such packes.
     Augustinus: He that entende¨ to mych to erthly thynges or
     gudes and thenkes not [of] euerlastynge gudes schal faile bothe
     in tyme to come. Idem: Nedful thynges schal neuer faile, bot
|r10 if thou desyre ouermych thynges. Crisostomus: Do wel and
     werk thou ryghtwisnes that thou haue hope to god, and thou
     schalt not dispeire in erthe. Augustinus: He is blessed that
     has al thynges that he wil, and he wil not any thynge that be-seme¨
     not. Iesus filius Sirac: That man is ful blessed that is founden
|r15 wyth-oute spote of synne and that has not goon a-way aftyr golde
     bi couetise and has [not] hopede in tresore of money. Dauid:
     I was ¨onge and I haue achede. I haue not seen an ryghtful
     man forsaken, nere his sede askynge brede. He seie¨ |r[f.56r] con_trarye 
     of a wicked man: I haue seen a wicked man lifte vp and
|r20 enhauncede as cedre tre of Liban, and lo! a litel aftyr he was
     not. I soght hym, and his place was not founde. It is trew that
     oure lady seyth: God has lefte or forsaken idel or veyn rych
     men. Salomon: He that trastes in ryches schal falle. Quedam
     glosa: He that hope¨ or traste¨ in ryches, or he dye¨ and he
|r25 leue¨ hem here, or [elles] al his gudys peryschen whil he lyue¨,
     and he faile¨ and falle¨ in his hope. Dauid: If rychesse
     habunden and flowen to ¨ou, wil ¨e not sette ¨our herte ther-to.
     Ecclesiastici IX=o=: Nothynge is worse than to loue money.
     Augustinus: Loue of erthly thynges quenche¨ loue of heuenly
|r30 thynges. In Vitis patrum: He that loue¨ syluere schal not se
     kunnynge, and he that gadre¨ it to-gedre schal be made derke.
     Augustinus: Wyth-holde thou to the nedful thynges, and ¨eue tho
     thynges that ben superflue or to mych. Petrus Rauennas:
     O man, if thou schalte abyden here, ley vp here tho thynges that
|r35 be thyne; and if thou schalt go hens, whi leueste thou hem here



|p224


     be-hynde the? As so sey: spende thi gudes or thou go in dedes
     of charite and mercy. Bernardus: If gudes of the worlde be
     ¨oure, take hem wyth ¨ou. Ambrosius: Tho be not gudes of
     man that man may not bere wyth hym. Ieronimus: Nothynge
 |r5 caste¨ doun so vndyrstondynge as glotony and drunkschipe.
     Isayas: Wo to ¨ou that be myghty to drynke and strounge men
     [to encrece drunkschipes]! Augustinus: Who-so-euer be prone
     [or] al-wey fallynge to drynke, or he that wil in his feste or mete
     require or charge [others] bi ydel wordes vsede or |r[f.56v] othes to
|r10 eten or to drynken, he schal be gylty in doome for that and for
     hem. For better it were to hym to bete or to wounde here flesch
     of here bodyes wyth a swerde than for to sle here soule bi
     glotonye and drunkschype. Note¨ wel it is seyde that the deuyl
     has two handes wyth whych he cache¨ often men, that is to sey
|r15 wyth glotonye and lechery. Fiue fyngers in the hand of glotony
     be fyue spices of glotony, that be noted in the verse: Pre_propere,
     laute, nimis, ardenter, studiose. This menes thus: In
     etynge and drynkynge bi-for dewe, as to erly; or in vndue tyme,
     [os] to ofte and moste in fastynge days. Also to delycatly or
|r20 delyciously in delytynge of swete saueres. And to mych: more
     than is competent to helth of body, or wher-of the herte or the
     witte be distoorblede and a-greued; as it schewe¨ in drunkleu
     men as to the drynke and to glotons as to mete. And wyth to
     mych desyre in ouermych etynge or deuorynge, as it schewe¨ in
|r25 summe that hasten ouermych and deuoure gredyly mete and
     drynke for vnmesurable appetyte and out of rule. And wyth to
     mych and to costlew araynge or dyghtenge of metes and drynkes
     for gret luste of glotonye to ben excitede.
     Ieronimus: It is ryght harde, ¨e impossible, that thou ioye
|r30 here in this worlde and that thou regne wyth Criste, that thou fille
     here thi wombe and ther thi mynde, and that thou appere oueral,
     in both places, gloryos and ioyful. Ierome affirme¨ hem to be
     scoorners and blasfemes despisers of god [that sey that thei may
     not contene them, for thei putte to god] ignorance, vnknoynge, |r[f.57r]



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     vnryghtwysnese, and wykednese. For or thou wilt lyue chaste
     and thou mayste not, or elles thou mayste and wilt not. If thou
     wilt of al thyn herte lyue chaste and thou mayst not, god is vntrue
     that suffere¨ the to be tempted a-boue thi myght; and if thou
 |r5 mayste lyue chaste and wilt not, thou art inexcusable. For if
     [thou] oughteste to wynne a thousande marke or a castel or
     a cyte, or elles if thou knew that thou schuldeste lese anon aftyr
     thy synne thyn hande or any other menbre, or if thou sawe a bed
     fired dyght to the, in which [thou] muste lye when thou ryseste
|r10 from a womans bede, as sone as thou myghtest thou woldeste
     contene the and lyue chaste. Seneca: Leue thou excusacions;
     no man synnes a¨ens his wil. Questio: I aske of the hou eny
     man is seyn to dye a¨ens his wil that loue¨ pereles of deth and
     gladly falle¨ in-to hem. For many ther ben that louen not synne;
|r15 nertheles thei folowen [what] be callede steppis of synne, as thei
     that gladly receyuen suspecte familierites be cleppinges and
     wanton spech, kyssynge, ¨iftes, festes, letters of loue, and such
     other thynges that ¨euen wey to fleschly loue; and such men
     happen to fallen in perel often. For it is writen: He that
|r20 loue¨ perel schal perych in it. Gregorius: As erth is consumede
     litel and litel whan water flue¨, ryght so a stronge mynde is sopen
     vp bi vice softly vndurcrepynge. Crisostomus: It be-houe¨ to
     do a-wey such a gud dede that engendre¨ euyl thynge, or to me
     or to an othyre. |r[f.57v] Loue of god owe¨ to haue dominacion in
|r25 men, not fleschly loue. Genesis: God sey¨ to Adam: For thou
     haste obeyde the voyce of thi wif more than myn, cursed be the
     erth in thi werke. Psalmus: Thou has loste or dampned al hem
     that trespacen in lychery wyth-outen the. Also: I aske of the
     lou eny mans hows be brent a¨ens his wil, sen he putte¨ ther-to
|r30 wilfully fire wyth his oune handes. He putte¨ to fire wyth his
     handes in the hous of the body that take¨ mete and drynke
     nureschynge to lechery. Wher he ware to be scorned or not that
     sette his oune hous on fire if he seyde that the brenynge of it
     schulde displese hym? So the[i] be to be scornede that seyn



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     that thei wil lyue chaste, and setten on fire here oune bodyes
     wyth such metes and drynkes. A fisch tempere¨ or wyth-drawes
     hym-selfe fro mete if he see the fysches hoke. A byrde abstene¨
 |r5 fro his mete if it see a snare, trappe, or grene. A wreched man
     may not tempere hym-selfe fro mete of a litel luste by drede.
     For the fire is not so grete bot it muste faile if the brondes be
     wyth-drawen; no castel is so stronge bot that it may [be] wonne 
     if vitel mowe be wyth-drawen fro it.
     
|r10           These ben leefful causes of matrymonye.
     
     Chastite: when thei drawen to-giddere not lecherosly, bot
     thei ben brought to-gedre bisily of other men, bot thei lyuen
     to-gedre chastly. Children: whan thei drawe to-gedre bi-cause
     of gettynge of children. Honeste: when thei drawen to-gydre
|r15 [in] wedloke, that thei do not lechery. Pees: |r[f.58r] when thei do
     matrimonye, that pees be reformede or conformede by a-lye and
     affinite be-twyn pertyes.
     
          These thynges letten fro dwe of wedloke to be askede.
     
     Incest is as if oon of hem that ben wedded be fleschly cosyn
|r20 of that other. Holi place: as chyrch or chyrche¨erde. Holi
     thynges: as it is [ny by] sacramente of the auter or ny by
     relykes. Holi tyme and solenne dayes. State: as when the
     wyfe is in chylde berynge or childebede or in the houre of hire
     priuyte. Cause: as when only cause of lechery is to be fulfilled
|r25 in fleschly luste. It is red in Toby that a deuyl that was
     named Asmodeus slough seuen men spousede to Sare, Ragueles
     doughter, a-noon as thei enterde to hire, for that thei drede not
     god and thei had [not] gud intencion.
     Euangelium: My hous schal be callede an hous of prayere.
|r30 Augustinus: No man do any thynge in hous of prayer, bot that
     thinge whar-to it was made and whar-of it has the name. Idem:
     In whych man owe¨ not to bye and selle, bot only to entende to
     prayers. Apostolus: God schal forlese or sle hym that defoule¨
     goddes temple. Augustinus: As ofte as songe delite¨ me more
|r35 than the thynge that is songen, so often I knoulech me that I



|p230


     haue synne greuosly. Gregorius: When a plesant voyce is soght
     in syngynge, sobur lyfe is forsaken. Bernardus: Whil the syngar
     plese¨ the pepul wyth swetnes of voyces, he wrethis god wyth
     schreude maners. God aske¨ not brekeynge of voyce bot clennes
 |r5 of hert. Ieronimus: |r[f.58v] Mete of deuyle is songe and curiose dittys
     and derk makynge of poetes. Idem: Pompe of rethorike
     wordes is vanite of worldly wysdam. Idem: Al pompe and mak_ynge 
     or peyntynge of wordes and ydel argumentes of worldly philo_sophy 
     be turnede euyn in-to noght. Ieronimus: Or a clerke is
|r10 more honeste than other men, or elles he is noted of vnhoneste by
     other. A preste owe to be holy, deperted or disseuerede fro synnes,
     a gouernour and not a rauenour, a true stuard or dispensour and
     not a wastour, piteuos in doome, rightful in consel, true in worde,
     meke in company, paciente in aduersite, benygne and mylde in
|r15 prosperite, rych in vertues, a knyght stronge in gud dedes, sobure
     in quere, chaste in herte, wyse in confessyon, sekyr in prechynge.
              These be tokens of the loue of god in man.
     Fyrst is when eny man gladly and fayn thenke¨ of god.
     Secunde is when eny man spekes blythly of god or wyth god.
|r20 Therd is when any man here¨ gladly [and] desirosly godes
     wordes and kepe¨ hem in mynde. Luce II=o=: Mary kepede al
     these [wordes] in here mynde. Fourte is when a man gladly
     obeye¨ to wordes and preceptes of god. Euangelium: ¨e be my
     frendes if ¨e do tho thynges that I bid ¨ou. Fyfte is [when] a
|r25 man is abydynge gladly in godes hous. Luce II=o=: It [is] seyde
     that the prophetesse Anne ¨ede not fro the temple. Sexte is
     when any man ¨eues gladly for god. Crisostomus: He is
     a perfyte dysciple of Cryste |r[f.59r] that suffre¨ here al thynges or is redy
     to suffre. The seuente is when a man as wery wythdrawe¨ fro
|r30 besynes and loue of the worlde. Gregorius: The more eny man
     ryse¨ feruently in-to loue of god, the more he schal wythdrawe
     fro worldly curys and bysynes. The eghten is when eny man
     doo¨ grete worschipe to godes mynisteres. Mathei X=o=: He that
     worschipe¨ goddes mynistres worschipe¨ god. The nente is when
|r35 eny man loue¨ tho thynges that plesen god, and hat¨ tho thynges
     that god hate¨, et cetera.



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              Hou uertu is turned in-to vice.
     
     |r<b> Beholde hou vertu is turnede in vice. To lyue scarcely and
          to gouerne the and to be contente wyth fewe thynges is
     callede nygardrye and couetyse, as he durste not vse tho thynges
 |r5 that he has. Silence is a-countede heuynes and sorynes. Sad_nes 
     is a-countede bytternes. Gud ¨ele or loue of ryghtwysnes
     is a-countede euyl, hardy, or presumptyous dome. Reste of
     deuocion and of holy contemplacion is called sleuth of body.
     Chastysynge of flesch is demed vndiscrecyon. Symplenes is
|r10 leued foly. Drede is trowed fonnede conscience. To fle comyn
     and opyn company is seyd singularite. To be ware and voyde
     synne is demed ypocrisye.
     
          And euyn contrary-wyse hou vices be trowede vertues.
     
     Dissolucion in felyschipe is trowede myrth. Curyosite of
|r15 clothynge and of othere temperal thynges is taken for honeste.
     Co*uetyse |r[f.59v] is called true puruyance of purchacynge. Wast
     ouerspens is called largys and fredam of hert, and so of other
     vices, et cetera.
                            Of flaterynge.
     
|r20 |r<b> Paulus: If I plesede ¨et men, I were not seruante of Cryste.
          Gregorius: It is ryght grete foly if we seke to plese hem that
     we knowen displese god. Salomon: Peples schul curse hym
     that sei¨ to the wyked man: thou art ryghtful. Augustinus: This
     is a grete wreth of god that correccyon faile¨ and [flaterynge] is
|r25 preste. Idem: A flaterere is enmy of al uertu, and of hym that
     he speke¨ to he sette¨ or stykke¨ as it were a nayl in the ee.
     Batel be euer to be had wyth vices and pees wyth gud thynges.
     Augustinus: Wil owe¨ to haue pees, necessite owe to haue batel.
     Gregorius: If we be commaunded to loue oure neghtbore as
|r30 oure-selfe, we moste be wroth wyth here defautes as wyth oure
     oune vices. Augustinus: This is perfyte charite that eny man
     be redy to dye for brethern. If a brenynge cole be put a-monge
     dede coles, outher it is quenchyde or it [quekyth] hem. So holy



|p234


     men and perfyte, brenynge in fyre of charite, offren hem-selfe to
     deth that thei may quyken men dede in synnes.
     |r<b> Crisostomus: Chastise thou not as a[n] enmy askynge
          veniance, bot as a leche ordenynge medecyn. Pro_uerbiorum 
 |r5 XVII=o=: Chastysmente in mesure of a wys man
     profite¨ more than a hundreth lasches anenste a fole. Ambrosius:
     A frendly chasty*synge |r[f.60r] profite¨ myche more than a troublose
     chastysmente. Gregorius: That worde is taken gladly that is
     seyde wyth compassyon of herte. Ysidorus: He that is not
|r10 a-mendide bi esy or faire wordes, it is nede that he be reprouyde
     more scharply and streytly. Tho thynges ar to be caste a-wey
     wyth sorowe that mowe not be sauede. Augustinus: As thei
     ben better that loue amende¨, ryght so many ben better that
     drede correcte¨. Ysidorus: Synnes doon openly be not to be
|r15 purchede priuely. Thei that openly trespacen schul openly be
     reprouyd and chastisede, that, while thei ben heled by opyn
     rebukynge, thei that trespace, suynge hem in leudnes, may be
     amended. Bernardus: Thou schalt not be innocent or vngylti
     if thou punysch [hym] that perauenture wer to be sparede, or if
|r20 thou spare hym that were to be punyschede. Augustinus: If
     thou a-lone knewe that thi brothire synnede and thou reproue
     hym be-for al men, thou art not a mendere [or] a correctour, bot
     a traytour [or] an opyn sclaunderere.
     Note wel here that there ben fowre spices of bacbytynge,
|r25 sclaundre, or of detraccyon. On maner is when eny man putte¨
     a false cause or querel to an-other man. Secunde maner when
     he encrece¨ synne wyth his wordes. Therd maner when he
     reuelet[h] [or] opene¨ vnwarly priuy thynge. Fourte maner
     when he sei¨ wyth euyl intencione that thynge that is gude, or he
|r30 denye¨ or hyde¨ or peruerte¨ [or] ouerturne¨ maliciosly the
     gudnes of a-nothir man. Ieronimus: The bacbiter and the fayn
     herere bothe bere the deuyl in tunge. Gregorius: He that
     is fed wyth bacbitynge of other is filled wyth flesch of othere,
     alienede. |r[f.60v]



|p236


                         Of iustises.
     |r<b> Seid it is in the psalme of iustises and iuges that owen to
          deme: The sones or children of men, deme ¨e ryghtfully!
     Ieronimus: Euyn dome is where that persones be not considrede
 |r5 and fauorede, bot the dedes truly discussyd. It es writen:
     God schal ¨elde eche man aftyr his werke. If we be iuges, we
     owen to deme iustily and hardyly. Iustly that we oppresse not
     the pore man vnryghtfully. And hardyly that we drede not
     vnwarly the myghty [and] rych man. Iuges ben ordeyned to
|r10 do rygour and veniaunce on wyckede men, and to praysynge and
     defens of gude men. Therfor no prince owe¨ to putte foles and
     vngudly or cruel men to be iuges. For a fole can not ryghtfulnes
     for dulnes and sleuth. The vngudly man subuerte¨ [or] ouer_turne
     ¨ truth be couetyse that he has. And wicked iuges outher
|r15 differren or turne amys doomes by-cause of couetyse when thei
     deme not ryght the cause, bot thei considre ¨eftes. Bot wo to
     hem that iustifien [or] make ryghtful the wicked man for ¨iftes,
     and putten awey fro hem ryghtwysnesse! Knowe wel that mannes
     doome is peruerted by foure maners: bi drede, bi couetyse, bi
|r20 hate, and bi loue. Bi dred whil we feren to speke truth for
     drede of eny powere. Bi couetise whil we be rauysched wyth
     mede of eny ¨ifte. Bi hate whil we casten vs to be enmy a¨eyns
     eche man. Bi loue whil we entende to ¨eue or to profite to |r[f.61r]
     frendys and neghtbors more than ryght. Equite is defoulede
|r25 often, and innocencye is hirte often. Seneca: A gude man
     schal do that thynge that he suppose him-selfe to do honestly,
     al-thoue he took a-wey for tyme money; ¨e, if it were ryght
     trauelos, he schal do it; ¨e, al-thoue he do a-wey luste or powere.
     Of no-thynge he schal be ferd from honeste; by no-thynge schal
|r30 he be enclynede to vnleueful and foule thynge. Ieronimus:
     Cristes knyght goo¨ bi gud loos and euyl fame of the ryght syde
     and of the lefte syde. He is not proude of praysynge, ne he is
     broken by blamynge. He swelles not of riches, he is not schent
     wyth pouerte; he despise¨ mery thynges and sory thynges.



|p238


     Gregorius: That thynge is ryght gude that a ryghtful ¨eues
     when [he] a¨eynseys euyl-doers wyth fre opyn voyce; bot euyl_wyllede 
     men doon wycked thynges for gud thynges when thei
     hyndren ryghtful men, for thei kepen defens of ryghtwysnes
 |r5 a¨eyns them. Augustinus: Truly, ¨e be not more innocent if ¨e
     suffre ¨ouer brethire to perrysch, which ¨e may correcte in
     schewynge here defautes. Bernardus: It is to be-ware holsumly
     that thou wyth-draw not, outher for fer of sleuth or wyth lesse
     discrete meknes bi dampnable silence, the worde that myght
|r10 profette to many. Sertenly he is acursede that hide¨ whete in
     the peple. Augustinus: Thou despiseste thi brothers sore or
     wounde, |r[f.61v] thou seeste hym perysch, and thou reckest not; thou
     art worse in helynge or hydynge than he in synnynge. Idem:
     He that chastise¨ not hym that erres, he schal be demed of
|r15 necgligence; and he that praye¨ not priuyly for hym schal be
     condempnede of wickednes and of noyance. It is red in the
     boke of seynte Bride: Be-war of that worde that many men
     seyn: It suffye¨ me if I may helpe myn owne soule. If I be
     gud. what is that to [me] hou othere men lyuen ? Ther-for seys
|r20 Gregorius: Wyth-outen doute he has the gylt of hym that doos
     trespace that recke¨ not correcte that thynge that he may amende.
     Augustinus: To do wel and not to for-bede vnleueful thynges is
     consente of errour. Paulus: Tyme schal be when thei schal
     not holden holsum doctrine. Sapiencie I=o=: Wisdam schal not
|r25 entre in-to an euyl wyllede soule, and it schal not abyde in
     a body subiette to synnes. Augustinus: What-so-euer vertu
     byde, it is venom to thoght of euyl men; and what-so-euere the
     deuyl entyce¨ to that thoght, it is his mete. Crisostomus: Goddes
     worde is scornede of wicked men, as Criste was scornede of Iues.
|r30 Gregorius: Know thou most certeynly that no man may bothe
     plese god and wicked men. Augustinus: A feers hert is sterede
     a-noon to stryfe and to chidynge when he is touched wyth the
     hande of chastysmente.



|p240


     Grete meryte is to hym, and he schal haue myche mede in
     tyme to come, that wryte¨ or doo¨ to write holsom doctrine for
     that entente that he may lyue holily ther-by, and also that other
     men mowe be edifyede ther*-by. |r[f.62r] Knowe that certenly, that thou
 |r5 schalt haue so many medes bi-forne other as many soules as be
     sauede by the. Gregorius: He is more in loue aneniste god
     that drawe¨ mo men to the loue of god. It is red in the lyfe of
     seynt Bride that frendes of god owen not to be wery in godes
     seruice; bot labours that the wicked man be amendede and the
|r10 gude may come to more perfyte thynges. For who-so-euer ha¨
     wil to soune in al mennes eerys that Criste Ihesus wer truly goddes
     [sone], and desyre wyth gud seele in doynge what he may to true
     conuersyon of other, althoue none or fewe be conuertede, nerthe_les
     he schal  haue the same mede as if al were turnede and
|r15 conuertede to god. Ther-for it is not to be cessed althoue feue
     or none receyuen the worde of god. Gregorius: No sacrifise
     plese¨ so god as seele [or] loue of soules. A in E in quod
     Rogerus.
     Explicit liber de Speculo Christiani quod Byrde, et
     sequuntur nunc oraciones de saluatore nostro.