Acts and Monuments Volume 1
But at the last, when in this matter they would no longer suffer mine excusations, but either I should consent to them, or I should ever bear their indignation, yea, their curse (as they said.) Then I seeing this, prayed them that they would give me license for to go to them that were named wise Priests, and of virtuous conversation to have their counsel, and to know of them the office & the charge of Priesthood. And hereto, my father and my mother cōscented full gladly, & gave me their blessing & good leave to go, and also money to spend in this journey. And so that I went to those Priests whom I heard to be of best name, and of most holy living, and best learned, & most wise of heavenly wisdom: and so I communed with them unto the time that I perceived by their virtuous and continual occupations, that their honest and charitable works passed their same which I heard before of them.
Wherefore Syr, by the example of the doctrine of them: and specially for the godly and innocent works which I perceived then of them, and in them: After my cunning and power, I have exercised me then and in this time, to know perfectly gods law, having a will and desire to live thereafter, which willeth that all men and women should exercise themselves faithfully there about. If than Syr, either for pleasure of thē that are neither so wise nor of so virtuous conversation to my knowledge, nor by common fame to any other men's knowledge in this land, as these men were of whom I took my counsel & information: I should now forsake thus suddenly and shortly, and vnwarned, all y t learning that I have exercised myself in this xxx. winter and more, my conscience should ever be herewith out of measure vnquieted: and as Syr I know well, that many mē & women should be there through greatly troubled & sclaundered: And as I said sir, to you before, for mine untruth and false cowardnes, many a one should be put into full great reproof, yea sir, I dread that many one (as they might thē justly) would curse me full bitterly: and sir I fear not, but the curse of God, which I should deserve herein, would bring me to a full evil end, if I continued thus. And if thorough remorse of conscience I repented me any time, returning into the way, which you do your diligence to cōstrain me now to forsake: yea sir, all the bishops of this land, with full many other Priests, would desame, me, and pursue me as a relapse: & they y t now have (though I be unworthy) some confidence in me, hereafter would never trust to me, though I could teach & live never so virtuously, more then I can or may. For if after your counsel I left utterly all my learning, I should hereby first wound & defile mine own soul, and also I should here through, give occasiō to many men and womē of full sore hurting, yea sir as it is likely to me, if I cōscented to your will: I should he rin by mine evil example in it, as far as in me were, flea many folk ghostly, y t I should never deserve for to have grace of god, to the edifying of his church, neither of myself, nor of none other man's life, and undone both before God and man.
But sir, by example chiefly of some whose names I will not now rehearse, of H. of I. P. and B. and also by the present doing of Philip Rampingtō, y t is now become B. of Lincoln: I am now learned (as many moe hereafter through God's grace shall be learned) to hate & to flee all such slander that these foresaid men chiefly have defiled, principally themselves with. And in it that in them is, they have enue nimed all the church of God, for the sclaūderous revoking at the cross of Paul's, of H.P. and of B. and how now Philip Rampingtō pursueth Christ's people. And the feigning that these men dissemble by worldly prudence, keeping thē cowardly in their preaching and communing within the bonds and terms (which without blame may be spoken and shown out to the most worldly livers) will not be unpunished of God. For to y • point of truth y t these mē shown out sometime, they will not now stretch forth their lines. But by example, each one of them as their words and their works show, busy them through their feigning, for to slander and to pursue Christ in his members, rather thē they will be pursued.
And the Archbishop said to me: These men the which thou speakest of now, were fools and heretics, whē they were counted wise men of thee and other such losels. But now they are wise men, though thou and such other deme them unwise. Nevertheless I wist never none that right said, that any while were enuenimed with your contagiousnes, that is, contaminated and spotted doctrine.
And I said to the Archbishop: Syr, I think well that these mē & such other are now wise as to this world: But as their words sounded sometime, and their works shown outwardly, it was like to move me that they had earnest of the wisdom of God, & that they should have deserved mi • le grace of God, to have saved their own souls & many other men's, if they had continued faithfully in willful poverty, & in other simple virtuous living: and specially, if they had with these foresaid virtues continued in their busy fruitful sowing of God's word: as to many mens knowledge they occupied them a season in all their wits, full busily to know the pleasant will of God, traveling all their members full busily for to do thereafter, purely and chiefly to the praising of the most holy name of god, and for grace of edification and salvation of Christian people. But woe worth false covetise, and evil counsel and tyranny, by which they and many men and womē are led blindly into an evil end.
Then the Archbishop said to me: Thou and such other Losels of thy sect, would shave your heardes full near for to have a benefice. For by Jesus, I know none more covetous shrewes then ye are, whē that ye have a benefice. For loe, I gave to John Puruay a benefice but a mile out of this Castle, and I heard more complaints about his covetousness for tithes and other misdoinges, then I did of all men that were advanced within my diocese.
And I said to the Archbishop: Sir, Puruay is neither with you now for the benefice that ye gave him, nor he holdeth faithfully with the learning that he taught and writ before time: and thus he showeth himself neither to be hot nor cold, and therefore he and his fellows, may sore droad, that if they turn not hastily to the way that they have forsaken: peradventure they be put out of the number of Christ's chosen people.
And the Archbishop said: Though Puruay be now a false harlot, I quite me to him: But come he more for such cause before me (or we part) I shall know with whom he holdeth. But I say to thee: which are these holy men and wise, of whom thou hast taken thine information?
And I said: Syr, Master John Wycliffe was holden of full many men, the greatest clearke that they knew then living, and therewith he was named a passing ruely man & an innocent in his living: and herefore, great men communed oft with him, and they loved so his learning, that they writ it, & busily enforced them to rule themselves thereafter. Therefore sir, this foresaid learning of M. John Wycliffe, is yet holden of full many men and women, the most agreeable learning unto the living and teaching of Christ & of his Apostles, and most openlie showing & declaring how the church of Christ hath been and yet should be ruled and governed. Therefore, so many men and women covet this learning and purpose, through God's grace, to cōform their living like to this learning of Wycliffe. M. John Aston taught & writ accordingly, and full busily, where and when, and to whom that he might, and he used it himself right perfectly unto his lives end. And also Philip of Rāpington while he was a Canō of Lecester. Nicholas Hereford, Dauy Gotray of Pakring Monk of Byland and a Master of Diuinitye, and John Puruay and many other which were holden right wise men & prudent, taught and writ busily this foresaid learning, & cōformed them thereto. And with all these men, I was oft right homely & communed with them long time and oft: and so before all other men I those willingly to be informed of them and by thē, and specially of wickliffe himself, as of the most virtuous and godly wise man that I heard of or knew. And therefore of him specially and of these men I took the learning that I have taught: and purpose to live thereafter (if God will) to my lives end. For though some of those mē be contrary to the learning that they taught before, I wote well that their learning was true which they taught: and therefore with the help of God I purpose to hold and to use y t learning which I heard of them, while they fate on Moses chair, & specially while that they sat on y • chair of Christ. But after y t works that they now do, I will not do with God's help. For they feyne, and hide, & contrary y t truth, which before they taught out plainly and truly. For as I know well, when some of those men have been blamed for their slanderous doing: they grant not that they have taught a miss or erred before time, but that they we • e constrained by pain to leave to tell out the soth, & thus they choose now rather to blaspheme God, then to suffer a while here persecution bodily, for sothfastnesse that Christ shed out his heart blood for.
And the Archbishop said: That learning that thou callest truth and sothfastnes, is open slander to holy church, as it is proved of holy Church. For albeit, that Wycliffe your author was a great clerk, and though that many mē held him a perfect liver: yet his doctrine is not approved of holy church, but many sentences of his learning are damned as they well worthy are. But as touching Philip of Rampington, that was first Chanon, and after Abbor of Leicester, which is now Bishop of Lincoln: I tell thee, that the day is commē, for which he fast the even. For neither he holdeth now, nor will hold, the learning that he taught, when he was a Canon of Leicester. For no bishop of this land pursueth now more sharply them that hold thy way, then he doth.
And I said: Sir full many men and women wondereth vpō him, and speaketh him mikle shame, and holdeth him for a cursed enemy of the truth.
And the Archbish. said to me: Wherefore taryest thou me thus here with such fables, wilt thou shortly (as I have said to thee) submit thee to me or no?
And I said: Sir I tell you at one word, I dare not for the dread of God submit me to you, after the tenor & sentence tharye have above rehearsed to me.
And thus as if he had be • e wroth, he said to one of his clerks. Fetch hither quickly, the certification that came to me • rō Shrewsbury under the 〈◊〉 seal witnessing the errors and heresies, which this Losel hath venunously sown there.
Then hastily the clarke took out and laid forth on a cupboard, diverse rolles and writings, among which there was a little one, which the clarke delivered to the Archbyshop. And by and by the Archbishop read this roll containing this sentence.
The third Sunday after Easter, the year of our Lord 1407. William Thorpe came unto the town of Shrewsbury, and thorough leave granted unto him to preach: He said openly in S. Chaddes church in his sermon, that the sacrament of the altar, after the consecration, was material bread. And that images, should in no wise be worshipped. And that mē should not go on pilgrimages. And that priests have no title to tithes. And that it is not lawful for to swear in any wise.
And when the Archbishop had red thus this roll, he rolled it up again, and said to me. Is this wholesome learning to be among the people?
And I said to him: Sir I am both ashamed on their behalf, and right sorrowful for them that have certified you these things thus vntruelye: for I preached never, nor taught thus privily nor apertly.
And the Archbishop said to me, I will give credence to these worshipful men which have written to me, and witnessed under their scales there among them. Though now thou deniest this, weenest thou that I will give credence to thee? Thou Losell, hast troubled the worshipful communalty of Shrewsbury, so that the Balifes and comminalty of that town have writ̄ to me, praying me that am Archbishop of Cant. primate and Chancellor of England, that I will vouchsafe to grant them: that if thou shalt be made (as thou art worthy) to suffer open iouresse for thine heresies, that thou may have thy iouresse openly there among them: So that all they whom thou and such other Losels have there perverted, may thorough fear of thy deed be reconciled again to the unity of holy Church. And also they that stand in true faith of holy Church, may thorough thy deed be more established therein. And as if this asking well pleased y • Archbishop, he said. By my thrift, this hearty prayer, and fervent request, shall be thought on.
But certaynely, nother y • prayer of the men of Shrewsbury, nor the manassing of the Archbishop made me anything afraid. But in rehearsing of this malice, and in the hearing of it, my heart greatly rejoiced, & yet doth. I thank God for the grace, that I then thought, and y • t think shall come to all the Church of God here thorough, by the special merciful doing of the Lord. And as having no dread of the malice of tyrants, by trusting steadfastly in the help of the Lord, with full purpose for to knowledge the sothfastnes, and to stand thereby after my cunning and power: I said to the Archbishop, Sir if the truth of God's word might now be accepted as it should be, I doubt not to prove by likely evidence, that they that are famed to be out of the faith of holy Church in Shrewsbury, & in other places also, are in the true faith of holy Church. For as their words found, and their works show to man's judgment (dreading and loving faithfully God) their will, their desire, there love & their business are most set to dread, to offend God, & to love for to please him in true & faithful keeping of his cōmaūdementes. And again, they that are said to be in the faith of holy Church in Shrewsbury & in other places, by open evidence of their proud, envious, malicious, covetous, lecherous, and other foul words & works: neither know, nor have will to know, nor to occupy their wits truly and effectuously in the right faith of holy Church. Wherefore all these, nor none that follow their manners, shall any time come verily in the faith of holy church, except they enforce them more truly to come in the way which now they despise. For these men and women that are now called faithful and holden just, nother know, nor will exercise thenself to know (of faythfulnes) one commandment of God.
And thus full many men and womē now, and specially mē that are named to be principal limbs of holy church, styree God to great wrath, & deserve his curse for that they call or hold them just mē, which are full unjust, as their vicious words, their great customable swearing, and their slanderous and shameful works show openly and witness. And therefore, such vicious men & unjust in their own confusion, call them unjust men & womē, which after their power and cunning busy themselves to live justly after the commandment of God. And where sir ye say, that I have distroubled the cōminalty of Shrewsbury, & many other men and women with my teaching: If it this be, it is not to be wondered of wise men, since all the communalty of y t City of Jerusalem was distroubled of Christ's own person, that was very God and man, and most prudent preacher that ever was or shall be. And also all the Sinagoge of Nazareth was moved against Christ, & so fulfilled with ire towards him for his preaching, that the men of the Sinagoge rose up and cast Christ out of their City, & led him up to the top of a moūtayn for to cast him down there headling. Also accordingly hereto, the Lord witnesseth by Moses, that he shall put dissention betwixt his people, and the people that cōtrarieth and pursueth his people. Who sir is he, that shall preach the truth of God's word to the vnfaith full people, and shall set the sothfastnes of the Gospel, and the prophecy of God almighty to be fulfilled?
And the Archbishop said to me. It followeth of these thy words, that thou and such other thinkest: that ye do right well for to preach and teach as ye do, without authority of any Bishop. For ye presume, that the Lord hath chosē you only for to preach, as faithful disciples and special followers of Christ.
And I said: Syr by authority of God's law and also of Saints and Doctors I am learned to deme, that it is every Priests office and duty for to preach busilye, freely & truly the word of God. For no doubt every Priest should purpose first in his soul, & cover to take the order of priesthood chiefly for to make known to the people the word of God, after his cunning and power: approving his words euey to be true by his virtuous works, and for this intent we suppose that Bishops & other Prelates of holy church, should chiefly take and use their prelacye, and for the same cause Bishops should give to Priests their orders. For Bishops should accept no man to Priesthood, except that he had good will and f •• l purpose, & were well disposed, and well learned to preach. Wherefore sir, by y e bidding of Christ, & by the example of his most holy living, & also by the witnessing of his holy Apostles and Prophets, we are bound under full great pain, to exercise us after our cunning and power (as every Priest is likewise charged of God) to fulfil duly the office of priesthood. We presume not here of ourselves for to be esteemed (neither in our own reputatiō nor in none other mans) faithful disciples, & special followers of Christ. But sir, as I said to you before, we deem this by authority chiefly of God's word, that it is the chief duty of every priest, to busy thē faithfully to make the law of God known to his people, & so to commune the commandment of God charitably, how that we may best, where, whē, and to whom that ever we may, is our very duty. And for the will & business that we owe of due debt to do justly our office through the stirring and special help (as we trust) of God, hoping steadfastly in his mercy: we desire to be y e faith full disciples of Christ, and we pray this gracious Lord or his holy name, that he make us able to please him with devout prayers, & charitably Priestly works, that we may obtain of him to follow him thankfully.
And the Archbishop said to me: L • ud losell, whereto makest thou such vain reasons to me? Asu •• h not Saint Paul, how should Priests preach, except they be sent? But I sent thee never to preach. For thy venomous doctrine is so known throughout England, that no Bishop will admit thee to preach by witnessing of their letters. Why thē lewd Idiot, willest thou presume to preach, since thou art not sent nor licensed of thy sovereign to preach. Sayth not S. Paul, that subjects ough to obey their soueraignes, and not only good & virtuous: but also tiraunts that are vicious?
And I said to the Archbishop: Sir, as touching your le • ter of license or other Bishops, which ye say we should have to witness that we were able to be sent for to preach: We know well that neither you sir, nor any other bishop of this land, will grant to us any such letters of license, but if we should oblige us to you, and to other bishops by vnlefull oaths, for to pass not the bonds and terms which ye sir, or other bishops will limit to us. And since in this matter your terms be some to large, & some to strait: we dare not oblige us thus to be bounden to you for to keep the terms, which you will limit to us, as you do to Friers, & such other Preachers. And therefore, though we have not your letter sir, nor letters of any other bishops writrē with ink upon parchment: we dare not therefore leave y e office of preaching (to which preaching, all Priests after their cunning and power are bound: by diverse testimonies of God's law, and great Doctors) without any mention making of Bishops letters. For as mikle as we have taken upon us the office of Priesthood (though we are unworthy thereto) we come and purpose to fulfill it with the help of God, by authority of his own law, and by witness of great doctors and Saints, accordingly hereto trusting steadfastly in the mercy of God. For that he commaūdeath us to do the office of Priesthood, he will be our sufficient letters and witness, if we by example of his holy living and teaching, specially occupy us faithfully to do our office justly: yea y t people to whom we preach (be they faithful or unfaithful) shall be our letters, that is our witness bearers: for y e truth where it is sown, may not be vnwitnessed. For all y t are converted & saved by learning of God's word, & by working thereafter: are witness bearers: that the truth and sothfastnesse which they heard and did after, is cause of their salvation. And again, all unfaithful men and women which heard the truth told out to them, and would not do thereafter: also all they that might have heard the truth, & would not hear it, because that they would not do thereafter.
All these shall bear witness against themselves, & the truth which they would not hear, or else heard it & despised to do thereafter, through their unfaithfulness, is & shall be cause of their damnation. Therefore sir, since this aforesaid witnessing of God, and of diverse Saints and Doctors, & of all the people good & evil, sufficeth to all true preachers: we think that we do not the office of Priesthood, if that we leave our preaching, because that we have not, or may not have duly Bishops letters, to witness that we are sent of them to preach. This sentence approveth Saint Paul, where he speaketh of himself, & of faithful Apostles and disciples saying thus. We need no letters of commendatiō as some preachers do, which preach for covetousness of temporal goods, and for men's praising. And where ye say Syr, that Paul biddeth subjects obey their soueraignes, that is soth, and may not be denied. But there is two manner of soueraignes, virtuous soueraignes and vicious tyrants. Therefore, to these last soueraignes, neither mē nor womē that be subject, owe to obey in two manners. To virtuous soueraignes & charitable, subjects owe to obey willfully and gladly, in hearing of their good counsel, in consenting to their charitable biddinges. and in working after their fruitful works.
This sentence Paul approveth where he saith to subjects. Be ye mindful of your soueraignes, that speak to you the word of God, & follow you the faith of thē, whose conversation you know to be virtuous. For as Paul saith, after these soueraignes, to whom subjects owe to obey in following of the manners: work besely in holy studying, how they may withstand and destroy vices, first in thenselves, and after in all their subjects, and how they may best plāt in them virtues. Also these soueraignes, make devout and fervent prayers for to purchase grace of God, that they and their subjects may over all thing, dread to offend him, and to love for to please him. Also these soueraignste whō Paul biddeth us obey, as it is said before, live so virtuously: that all they that will live well, may take of them good example, to know & to keep the commandments of God. But in this foresaid wise, subjects ought not to obey nor to be obedient to tyrants, while they are vicious tyrants, since their will, their counsel, their biddinges, and their works are so vicious, that they ought to be hated & left. And though such tyrants be maisterfull and cruel in boas • ing and manasing, in oppressions & diverse punishinges: S. Peter biddeth the servants of such tyrants, to obey meekly such tyrants, sufferings patiently their malicious cruelnes. But Peter counselleth not any servant or subject, to obey to any Lord or Prince, or sovereign in anything that is not pleasing to God.
And the Archbishop said unto me. If a sovereign bid his subject do that thing that is vicious, this sovereign herein is to blame: but the subject for his obedience, deserveth meede of God. For obedience pleaseth more to God, than any sacrifice.
And I said. Samuel the Prophet said to Saul the wicked king, that God was more pleased with y t obedience of his commandment, then with any sacrifice of beasts. But David saith, and S. Paul, and S. Gregory accordingly together, that not only they that do evil, are worthy of death and damnation: but also they that consent to evil doers. And sir, the law of holy Church teacheth in the decrees, that no servant to his Lord, nor child to the father or mother, nor wife to her husband, nor monk to his Abbot, ought to obey, except in lefull things, and lawful.
And the Archbishop said to me. All these alledgings that thou bringest forth, are not else but proud presumptuousnesse. For hereby thou inforcest thee to prove, that thou and such other are so just, that ye ought not to obey to Prelates. And thus against the learning of S. Paul that teacheth you not to preach, but if ye were sent: of your own authority, ye will go forth and preach, and do what ye lift.
And I said. Syr, presenteth not every Priest the office of the Apostles, or the office of the disciples of Christ? And the Archbishop said, yea.
And I said. Syr, as the x. chapt. of Matthew, and the last chapter of Mark witnesseth: Christ sent his Apostles for to preach. And the x. chapter of Luke witnesseth, that Christ sent his two and seventy disciples for to preach, in every place that Christ was to come to. And S. Gregory in the common law saith, that every man that goeth to priest hoode, taketh upon him the office of preaching: For as he saith, that Priest stirreth God to great wrath, of whose mouth is not heard the voice of preaching. And as other more glosses upon Ezekiel, witness: that the Prieste that preacheth not busilye to the people, shall be partaker of their damnation that perish through his default. And though the people be saved by other special grace of God then by the Priests preaching, yet the Priests, in that they are ordained to preach, and preach not, as before God, they are manslears. For as far as in them is, such Priests as preach not busily and truly, sleyeth all the people ghostly: in that they withhold from them the word of God, that is life and sustenance of men's souls. And Saint Hydore said, Priests shall be damned, for wickedness of the people, if they teach not them that are ignorant, or blame not them that are sinners. For all the work or business of Priests, standeth in preaching and teaching, that they edify all men, as well by cunning of faith, as by discipline of works, that is virtuous teaching. And as the Gospel witnesseth: Christ said in his teaching. I am borne & comē into this world, to bear witness to the truth, and he that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
Then Sir, since by the word of Christ specially, that is his voice, Priests are commanded to preach: whatsoever priest that it be, that hath not good will and full purpose to do thus, and ableth not himself after his cunning and power to do his office by the example of Christ and of his Apostles: whatsoever other thing that he doth displeaseth God. For loe, S. Gregory saith, that thing left, that a man is bound chiefly to do, whatsoever other thing that a man doth: it is unthankful to the holy ghost: and therefore saith Lincoln. The Priest that preacheth not the word of God, though he be seen to have none other default, he is Antichrist and Sathanas, a night thief, and a day thief, a sleyer of fowls, and an aungel of light turned into darkness. Wherefore Syr, these authorityes and other well considered, I deme myself damnable, if I either for pleasure or displeasure of any creature, apply me not diligently to prech the word of God. And in the same damnation I deem all those Priests, which of good purpose and will, enforce thē not busily to do thus, & also all them that have purpose or will to let any Priest of this business.
And the Archbishop said to those 3. Clerks that stood before him. Lo Syrs, this is the manner and business of this Losell and such other, to pick out such sharp sentences of holy Scripture and Doctors, to maintain their sect & lore against the ordinance of holy Church. And therefore Losell, it is thou that couetest to have again the Psalter that I made to be taken frō thee at Canterbury, to record sharp verses against us. But thou shalt never have that Psalter, nor none other book, till that I know y t thy heart & thy mouth accordfully, to be governed by holy Church.
And I said: Syr, all my will and power is, & ever shall be (I trust to God) to be governed by holy Church.
And the Archbishop asked me, what was holy Church.
And I said: Syr, I told you before, what was holy Church. But since ye ask me this demand: I call Christ and his Saints holy Church.
And the Archbishop said unto me. I wore well that Christ and his Saints are holy Church in heaven, but what is holy Church in earth?
And I said: Syr, though holy Church be everyone in charity, yet it hath two partes. The first and pricipall part, hath ouercomen perfectly all the wretchedness of this life, and reigneth joyfully in heaven with Christ. And the other part is here yet in earth, busily & continually fighting day and night against temptations of the fiend: forsaking and hating the prosperity of this world, despising and withstanding their fleshly lusts, which only are the pilgrims of Christ, wandering toward heaven by steadfast faith & grounded hope, and by perfect charity. For these heavenly pilgrims, may not, nor will not, be letted of their good purpose, by the reasō of any doctors discording from holy scripture, nor by the floods of any tribulation temporal, nor by the wind of any pride, of boast, or of manasing of any creature: For they are all fast grounded upon the sure stone Christ, hearing his word and loving it, exercising them faithfully and continually in all their wits to do thereafter.
And the Archbishop said to his Clerks. See ye not how his heart is indurate, and how he is traveled with the devil occupying him thus busily to alledgr suth sentences to maintain his errors and heresies? Certain, thus he would occupy us here all day, if we would suffer him.
One of the clerks answered, Sir, he said right now that this certification that came to you from Shrewsbury, is untruly forged against him. Therefore sir, appose you him now hear in all y t points which are certified against him, & so we shall hear of his own mouth his answers, and witness them.
And the Archb. took the certification in his hand, & looked theron a while, and then he said to me.
Loe here it is certified against thee by worthy men and faithful of Shrewsbury, that thou preachedst there openly in S. Chads church: that the Sacrament of the alter was material bread after the consecratiō, what sayst thou? was this truly preached?
And I said: Sir, I tell you truly y t I touched nothing thereof the sacrament of y e alter, but in this wise, as I will with God's grace tell you here. As I stood there in the pulpit, busiyng me to teach the commandment of God: there knilled a sacring bel, & therefore mickle people turned away hastily, and with noise ran fro towards me. And I seeing this, said to them thus: Good men ye were better to stand here still and to hear God's word. For certes the virtue & the mede of the most holy Sacrament of the alter standeth mikle more in the belief thereof y t ye ought to have in your soul, thē it doth in the outward sight thereof. And therefore, ye were better to stand still quietly to hear gods word, because that through y e hearing thereof, mē come to very true belief. And otherwise sir, I am certain I spake not there, of the worthy sacrament of the alter.
And the Archb. said to me: I believe thee not whatsoever thou sayst, since so worshipful mē have witnessed thus against thee. But since thou deniest that thou sayedst thus there, what sayst thou now? Resteth there after the consecration in the host, material bread or no?
And I said: sir I know in no place in holy Scripture where this term material bread is written: and therefore sir, whē I speak of this matter, I use not to speak of material bread.
Then the Archb. said to me: Now teachest thou men to believe in this sacrament?
And I said: Syr, as I believe myself, so I teach other men.
He said, tell out plainly thy belief thereof.
And I said with my protestation: Sir, I believe that the night before that Christ Jesus would suffer (willfully) passiō for mankind on the morne after: he took bread in his holy and most worshipful hands, lifting up his eyes, and giving thanks to God his father, blessed this bread and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying to them: Take and eat of this all you, this is my body. And that this is & ought to be all men's belief, Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul witnesseth. Other belief Sir I have none, nor will have, nor teach: for I believe, that this sufficeth in this matter. For in this belief with God's grace I purpose to live and die, knowledging as I believe and teach other men to believe that the worshipful Sacrament of the alter, is the Sacrament of Christ's flesh and his blood, in form of bread and of wine.
And the Archb. said to me. It is sooth that this Sacrament is very Christ's body in form of bread. But thou & thy sect teachest it to be substance of bread. Think you this true teaching?
And I said: Neither I, nor any other of the sect that ye damn, teach any otherwise then I have told you, nor believe otherwise to my knowing. Neuertheles sir, I ask of you for charity, that ye will tell me here plainly, how ye shall understand the text of Saint Paul, where he saith thus: This thing fele you in yourself that is in Christ Jesus, while he was in the form of god. Sir, calleth not Paul here the form of God, the substance or kind of God? Also sir, saith not the church in the hours of y e most blessed virgin accordingly hereto, where it is writ̄ thus? Thou author of health remember, that sometime thou took of y e undefiled virgins, the form of our body. Tell me for charitye therefore, whether the form of our body, be called here the kind of our body or no?
And the Archb. said to me: Wouldest thou make me to declare this text after thy purpose, since the Church now hath determined: that there abideth no substance of bread after the consecration, in the sacrament of the alter? Beleuest thou not this ordinance of the church?
And I said: Sir, whatsoever Prelates have ordained in the Church, our belief standeth ever whole. I have not heard, that the ordinance of men under belief, should be put into belief.
And the Archb. said to me: If thou hast not learned this before, learn now to know that thou art out of belief. If in this matter and other, thou beleauest not as the holy Church believeth. What say Doctors treating of this Sacrament?
And I said: Sir, S. Paul that was a great Doctor of holy Church, speaking to the people, and teaching thē in y e right belief of this most holy Sacrament: calleth it bread y t we break. And also in the Canon of the mass after the cōsecratiō: this most worthy Sacrament is called holy bread. And every priest in this land, after that he hath received this sacrament, saith in this wise: That thing that we have taken with our mouth, we pray God that we may take it w t a pure and clean mind. That is as I understand, we pray God that we may receive throw very belief, this holy sacrament worthily. And Sir, Saint Augustine saith: that thing that is seen, is bread: but that men's faith asketh to be informed of, is very Christ's body. And also, Fulgence an ententife Doctor, saith: As it were an error to say that Christ was but a substance, that is very man, and not very GGD: or to say that Christ was very God, and not very man: so is it (this Doctor saith) an error to say, that the Sacrament of the alter is but a substance: And also Sir, accordingly hereto, in the secret of the midde Mass on Christmas day, it is written thus: Idem refulsit Deus, sic terrena substantia nobis conferat quod diuinum est : which sentence sir, with the secret of the fourth fery, quatuor temporum Septembris : I pray you sir declare here openly in English.
And the Archbishop said to me, I perceive well enough where about thou art, and how the devil blindeth thee, that thou may not understand the ordinance of holy Church, nor consent thereto. But I command thee now, answer me shortly: Beleuest thou that after the consecratiō of this foresaid Sacrament: there abideth substance of bread, or not?
and I said: Sir, as I understand it is all one to grant or believe, that there dwelleth substance of bread, & to grant and to believe that this most worthy sacrament of Christ's own body is accidēt without subject. But Sir, for as mikle as your asking passeth my understanding, I dare neither deny it nor grant it, for it is school matter, about which I busied me never for to know: & therefore I committee this term accidens sine subiecto, to those Clerks which delight them so in curious and subtle sophistry, because they determine oft so difficult and strange matters, & wade and wander so in them from argument to argument, w t pro & contra, till that they wot not where they are, & understand not thenselves. But the shame that these proud Sophisters have to yield them to men, and before men, maketh thē oft fools and to be concluded shamefully before God.
And the archb. said to me: I purpose not to oblige thee to the subtle arguments of clerks, since thou art unable thereto: but I purpose to make thee obey to the determination of holy Church.
And I said: sir, by open evidence and great witness, a M. year after the incarnation of Christ, the determination which I have here before you rehearsed, was accept of holy Church as sufficient to the salvation of all them that would believe it faithfully, and work thereafter charitably. But Sir, the determination of this matter which was brought in since the fiend was loosed by Frier Thomas again, specially calling the most worshipful Sacrament of Christ's own body an accident without subject: which term, since I know not that God's law approveth it in this matter, I dare not grant, but utterly I deny to make this Friers sentence, or any such other, my belief, do with me God what thou wilt.
And the Archb. said to me: Well, well, thou shalt say otherwise or that I leave thee. But what sayest thou to this second point that is recorded against thee by worthy men of Shrewsbury, saying that thou preachedst there, that Images ought not to be worshipped in any wise.
And I said: Syr, I preached never thus, nor through gods grace I will not any time consent to think nor to say thus, neither privily nor apertly. For lo, the Lord witnesseth by Moses, that the things which he made were right good, and so then they were, and yet they are & shall be good and worshipful in their kind. And therefore, to the end that God made them to, they are all praisable and worshipful, & specially man that was made after the image & likeness of God, is full worshipful in his kind, yea this holy image that is man, God worshippeth. And herefore every man should worship other, in kind, and also for heavenly virtues that mē use charitably. And also I say, wood, tin, gold silver, or any other matter that images are made of: all these creatures are worshipful in their kind, and to the end that God made them for. But the caruing, casting, & payntyng of an imagery, made within man's hand, albeit that this doing be accept of man of highest state and dignity, & ordained of them to be a Calender to lend men, that neither can nor will be learned to know God in his word, neither by his creatures, nor by his wonderful & diverse workings: Yet this imagery ought not to be worshipped in form, nor in the likeness of man's craft. Nevertheless, that every matter the paynters paint with since it is God's creature, ought to be worshipped in the kind, and to the ende that God made and ordained it to serve man.
Then the Archbishop said to me, I grant well that nobody ought to do worship to any such images for themselves. But a crucifix ought to be worshipped for the passion of Christ that is painted therein, and so brought there through to man's mind: and thus the images of the blessed Trinity, and of the Virgin Mary Christ's mother, and other images of saints, ought to be worshipped. For loe, earthly kings and Lord's which use to send their letters ensealed with their arms, or with their privy signet to them that are with them, are worshipped of these men. For when these men receive their Lord's letters, in which they see and know the willes and biddinges of the Lord's in worship of their Lord's they do off their caps to these letters. Why not them, since in Images made with man's hand, we may read and know many diverse things of GOD, and of his Saints, shall we not worship their images?
And I said, within my foresaid protestation I say, that these worldly usages of temporal laws that ye speak now of, may be done in case without sin. But this is no similitude to worship Images made by man's hand, since that Moses, David, Solomon, Baruch, and other saints in the Bible, forbid so plainly the worshipping of such Images.
Then the archbishop said to me: Leud losell: in the old law before that Christ took mankind, was no likeness of any person of y e trinity, neither shown to man nor known of man: But now since Christ became man, it is lefull to have Images to show his manhood. Yea though many men which are right great Clerks & other also, held it an error to paint the Trinity: I say it is well done to make and to paint the Trinity in images. For it is great moving of devotion to men, to have and to behold the Trinity and other images of saints, carved, cast, & painted. For beyond the sea, are the best paynters that ever I saw. And sirs I tell you, this is their manner, and it is a good manner. Whē y t an Image maker shall carue, cast in molde, or paint any Images, he shall go to a Priest, & shriue him as clean, as if he should then die: and take penance, and make some certain vow of fasting or of praying or pilgrimages doing, praying y e Priest specially to pray for him, that he may have grace to make a fair and a devout Image.
And I said: Sir, I doubt not if these paynters that ye speak of, or any other painters understood truly the text of Moses, of David, of y • wise man, of Baruch, and of other saints and doctors: These painters should be moved to shrine thē to God w t full inward sorrow of heart, taking upon them to do right sharp penance for the sinful & vain cra • t of painting, caruing, or casting they had used: Promising God faithfully, never to do so after: knowledging openly before all men their reprouable learning. And also sir, these priests that shrine (as you do say) painters, & enioine thē to do penance, & pray for their speed, promisyng to thē help of their prayers for to be curious in their sinful crafts: sin herein more grievously, then the painters. For these priests do comfort and give them, counsel to do that thing, which of great pain, yea under y • pain of gods curse, they should utterly forbid them. For certes sir, if the wonderful working of God, & the holy living & teaching of Christ, and of his Apostles and Prophets, were made known to the people by holy living & true, and busy reaching of priests: these things (sir) were sufficient books and Kalenders to know God by, & his Saynts, without any images made with man's hand. But certes, y e vicious living of priests and their covetousness, are chief cause of this error, and all other viciousnes that raygneth among the people.
Then the Archbish. said unto me, I hold thee a vicious Priest and a cursed, and all them that are of thy sect, for all priests of holy church, & all images that move men to devotion, thou & such other go about to destroy. Losel, were i • a fair thing to come into the church and see therein none Image?
And I said: sir, they that come to y • church for to pray devoutly to the lord God, may in their inward wits be the more fervent, that all their outward wits be closed frō all outward seeing & hearing, and frō all disturbance, & lettings. And since Christ blessed thē that saw him not bodily, and have believed faithfully in him: it sufficeth then to all mē (through hearing and knowing of gods word, and to do thereafter) for to believe in God, though they see never images made with man's hand after any person of y • Trinity, or of any other saint.
And the Archb. said to me, with a fervent spirit: I say to thee Iosell that it is right well done to make and to have an image of the Trinity, Yea, what sayest thou? is it not a stirring thing to behold such an image?
And I said: Sir, ye said right now that in the old law or Christ toke mankind, no likeness of any person of y e Trinity was shown to men: wherefore sir, ye said it was not thē leful to have images, but now ye say, since Christ is becomen mā, it is leful to make & to have an image of the Trinity, & also of other saints. But sir, this thing would I learn of you: since y e father of heaven, yea & every persō of y e Trinity was without beginning God almighty, & many holy prophets that were deadly mē, were martyred violently in the old law, and also many men & women thē died Confessors: Why was it not then as leful & necessary as now to have made an Image of the father of heaven, and to have made and had other images of Martyrs, prophets, and holy Confessors, to have ben Kalenders to advise men and move thē to devotion, as ye say that images now do?
And the Archb. said: The synagogue of the Jews had not authority to approve those things as the Church of Christ hath now.
And I said: Sir: S. Gregory was a great man in the new law, & of great dignity, and as the common law witnesseth, he commended greatly a Bishop, in that he forbad utterly the Images made with mans hand should be worshipped.
And the Archb. said: Ungracious Iosell, y u sauourest no more truth then an hound. Since at the rood at y e Northdore at Londō, at our Lady at Walsingam, & many other diverse places in England, are many great & praysable miracles done: should not y e images of such holy saints and places, at the reverence of God & our lady & other saints be more worshipped then other places and images, where no miracles are done?
And I said: Sir, there is no such virtue in any imagery, that any images should herefore be worshipped, where fore I am certain that there is no miracle done of god in any place in earth, because that any images made w t man's hand should be worshipped. And herfore sir, as I preached openly at Shrewsbury & other places, I say now here before you: That nobody should trust that there were any virtue in imagery made with man's hand, and therefore nobody should vow to thē nor seek them, nor kneel to thē, nor bow to them, nor pray to them, nor offer anything to them, nor kiss them, nor ensence thē. For lo the most worthy of such images, the brazen Serpent (by Moses made, at God's bidding) the good K. Ezechie destroyed worthily & thankfully, & all because it was ensenced. Therefore sir, if men take good heed to the writing and to the learning of S. Augustine, of S. Gregory, and of Saint John Chrysostom, and of other Saints and doctors, howe they spake & write of miracles, that shall be done now in the last ende of the world: It is to dreyd, that for the vnfaythfulnesse of men & women, the Fiende hath great power, for to work many of the miracles that now are done in such places. For both men and women delight now more for to hear and know miracles, then they do know God's word, or to hear it effectuously. Wherefore, to the great confusion of all them that thus do Christ saith: The generation of adulterers requireth tokens, miracles, and wonders. Neuertheles as diverse saints say, now when the faith of god is published in Christendom, the word of God suffyseth to man's salvation, without such miracles: and thus also the word of God sufficeth to all faithful men & women, without any such images. But good sir, since the father of heaven that is God in his godhead, is y e most unknown thing that may be, and the most wonderful spirit, having in it no shape or likeness, and members of any deadly creature: in what likeness or what image may God the father be shown or painted?
And the Archb. said: as holy church hath suffered the Images of the Trinity, & all other images to be painted & shown: it sufficeth to them y t are menbers of holy church. But since thou art a rotten member, cut away from holy church: thou fauorest not the ordinance thereof. But since the day passeth, leave we this matter
ANd then he said to me: What sayest thou to the third point that is ••••• fied against thee, preaching openlie in Shreusbury, that pilgrimage is not lefull: and over this, thou saidest that those men and women that go on pilgrimages to Canterbury, to Beuerley, to Karlington, to Walsingam, and to any such other places, are accursed and made foolish, spending their goods in waste.
And I said: Sir, by this certification I am accused to you that I should teach, that no pilgrimage is lefull. But I said never thus. For I know that there be true pilgrimages and lefull, and full pleasant to God: and therefore sir, howsoever mine enemies have certified you of me, I told at Shrewsbury of two manner of pilgrimages.
And the Archbishop said to me, whom callest thou true pilgrims?
And I said: Sir, with my protestation, I call them true pilgrims traueling toward y • bliss of heaven, which in the state, degree, or order that God calleth them to, do busy them faithfully for to occupy all their wits bodelie and ghostlie, to know truly, and to keep faithfully the biddings of God, hating and fleeing all the seven deadly sins, and every branch of them: Ruling them vertuouslie (as it is said before) with all their wits, doing discretlie, willfully, and gladly, all the works of mercy, bodelie and ghostly, after their cunning and power, abling them to the gifts of the holy ghost, disposing them to receive them in their souls, and to hold therein, the right blessings of Christ: Busieng them to know and to keep, the seven principal virtues, and so then they shall obtain here through grace, for to use thankfully to God, all the conditions of charity. And then, they shall be moved with the good spirit of God, for to examine oft and diligently their conscience, that neither willfully nor wittinglie they err in any article of belief, having continually (as frailty will suffer) all their business, to dread and to flee the offense of God, and to love over all, and to seek ever to do his pleasant will. Of these pilgrims I said, whatsoever good thought that they any time think, what virtuous word that they speak, and what fruitful work that they work: Every such thought, word and work is a step numbered of God, toward him into heaven. These foresaid pilgrims of God, delight sore when they hear of Saints or of virtuous men and women, how they forsook willfully the prosperity of this life, how they withstood the suggestion of the fiend, how they restrained their fleshly lusts, how discret they were in their penance doing, how patient they were in all their adversities, how prudent they were in counseling of men and women, moving them to hate all sin, and to fly them, and to shame ever greatly thereof, and to love all virtues, and to draw to them, imagining how Christ and his followers by example of him, suffered scorns and sclaunders, and howe patiently they abode and took the wrongful manasing of tyrants: How homely they were and seruisable to poor men, to relieve and comfort them bodily and ghostly, after their power and cunning, and how devout they were in prayers, how fervent they were in heavenly desires, and how they absented them from spectacles of vain sayings and hearings, and how stable they were to let and to destroy all vices, and how laborious and joyful they were, to sow and to plant virtues. These heavenly conditions and such other, have pilgrims, or endeavor them for to have: whose pilgrimage God accepteth.
And again, I said, as their works show, the moste part of men and women that go now on pilgrimages, have not these foresaid conditions, nor loveth to busy thē faithfully for to have. For as I well know, since I have full oft assayde, examine whosoever will xx. of these pylgrimes, and he shall not find three men or women that know surely a commandment of God, nor can say their Pater noster, & Ave Maria, nor their Creed readely in any manner of language. And as I have learned & also know somewhat by experience of these same pilgrims, tellynge the cause, why that many men and women go hither and thither now on pilgrimage: It is more for the health of their bodies, then of their souls: more for to have riches and prosperity of this world, then for to be enriched with virtues in their souls: more to have here worldly & fleshly friendship, then for to have frindship of God, and of his saints in heaven. For whatsoever thing man or woman doth, the friendship of God, nor of any other Saint cannot be had, without keeping of God's commandments. Further, with my protestation, I say now as I said in Shrewsbury, though they that have fleshly willes, travel far their bodies and spend mekel money, to seek and to visit the bones or Images (as they say they do) of this Saint or of that: such pilgrimage going is neither praisable nor thankful to God nor to any saint of God, since in effect, all such pilgrims despise God and all his commandments & Saints. For y t cōmaundemēts of God they will nother know nor keep, nor conform thē to live virtuously by example of Christ and of his Saints. Wh • refore sir, I have preached and taught openly, and so I purpose all my life time to do with God's help, saying that such fond people waste blamefully God's goods in their vain pilgrimages, spending their goods upon vicious hostelars, which are oft unclean womē of their bodies: & at the least, those goods with the which they should do works of mercy after God's bidding, to poor needy men and women.
These poor men's goods and their liuelode, these runners about, offer to riche priests which have me kill more liuelode then they need. And thus those goods they wast willfully, & spend them unjustly against gods bidding upon strangers, with which, they should help and relieve, after God's will, their poor needy neighbors at home: ye & over this folly, oft times diverse men and women, of these runners thus madly hither and thither into pilgrimage: borrow hereto, other men's gooddes, ye and sometime they stealemens goods hereto, and they pay them never again. Also sir, I know well that when diverse men and women will go thus after their own wills, and fyndinge out one pilgrimage: they will ordain with them before, to have with them both men and women, that can well sing wanton songs, and some other pilgrims, will have with them bag pipes: so that every town that they come through, what with the noise of their singing, and with the sound of their piping, and with the jangling of their Canterbury bells, and with the barkyng out of dogs after them, that they make more noyce, thē if the king came there away, w t all his clarions, & many other minstrels. And if these men and women be a month out in their pilgrimage, many of them shall be an half year after, great ianglers, tale tellers, and liars.
And y • Archb. said to me: Leud Iosel, thou seest not far enough in this matter, for thou considerest not y • great travail of pilgrims: therefore, thou blamest that thing that is praysable. I say to thee, that it is right well done, that pilgrims have with them both singers and also pipers: that when one of them that goeth barefoot, striketh his to upon a stone, and hurteth him sore, & maketh him to blede: it is well done that he or his fellow begin thē a song, or else take out of his bosom a bagpipe, for to drive away w t such mirth, the hurt of his fellow. For with such solace, the travail and weariness of pilgrymes, is lightly, and merrily borne out.
And I said: sir, S. Paul teacheth men to weep with them that weep.
And the Archb. said, what ianglest thou against mens devotion? Whatsoever thou or such other say, I say that y • pilgrimage that now is used, is to thē that do it, a praysable and a good mean to come the rather to grace. But I hold thee unable to know this grace, for thou enforcest thee to let the devotion of the people: since by authority of holy scripture, men may lefully have & use such solace as y u reprouest. For David in his last Psalm, techeth mē to have diverse instruments of music for to praise therewith God:
And I said: sir, by the sentence of diverse Doctors expounding the psalms of David: that music and minstrelsie y t David & other saints of the old law spake of, ought now nother to be taken nor used by the letter, but these instruments with their music ought to be interpreted ghostly: For all those figures are called virtues and grace, with which virtues men should please god, & praise his name. For S. Paul saith: all such things befell to them in figure. Therefore sir, I understand, that the letter of this psalm of David and of such other Psalms and sentences doth slay them that take thē now literally. This sentence as I understand sir, Christ approveth himself, putting out y • minstrels, or that he would quicken the dead damsel.
And y e Archb. said to me. Lend losel, is it not lefull to us to have Organes, in y e church for to worship there withal God? And I said, ye sir, by man's ordinance: But by y e ordinance of God, a good sermon to y e people's understanding were mekil more pleasant to God.
And the Archb. said, that Organes and good delectable songs, quickened & sharpened more mens wits then should any sermon.
But I said: sir, lusty men & worldly lovers, delight and covet & travail to have all their wits quickened & sharpened w t diverse sensible solace: But all the the faithful lovers and followers of Christ, have all their delight to hear gods word, and to understand it truly, and to work thereafter faithfully and continually. For no doubt, to dread to offend God, and to love to please him in all things quickeneth and sharpeneth all the wits of Christ's chosen people: and ableth them so to grace, that they joy greatly to withdraw their ears and all their wits and members, frō all worldly delight and from all fleshly solace. For S. Jerome (as I think) saith. No body may joy with this world & reign with Christ.
And y e Archb. (as if he had ben displeased w t mine answer) said to his clerks. What guess ye that this Idiot will speak there, where he hath no dread: since he speaketh thus now here in my presence? Well, well, by God thou shalt be ordained for. And then he spake to me all angerly.
WHat sayest thou to this fourth point, that is certified against thee, preaching openly & boldly in Shrewsbury, that priests have no title to tithes.
And I said. Sir, I named there no word of tithes in my preaching. But more then a month after that I was arrested: there in prison, a man came to me into the prison, asking me what I said of tithes. And I said to him. Sir, in this town are many clerks and priests, of which some are called religious mē, though many of them be seculars. Therefore, ask ye of them this question. And this man said to me. Syr, our Prelates say, that we also are obliged to pay our tithes of all things that renew to us: and that they are accursed, that withdraw any part wittingly fro them of their tithes. And I said (sir) to that man, as w t my protestation I say now before you: that I wonder that any priest dare say, men to be accursed, without the ground of God's word, And the man said. Syr our priests say, that they curse men thus by authority of God's law. And I said Sir I know not where this sentence of cursing is authorised now in the Bible. And therefore syr, I pray you that ye will ask the most cunning clerk of this town, that ye may know where this sentence of cursing thē y t tithe not, is now writ̄ in gods law: for if it were writ̄ there, I would right gladly be learned where. But shortly this mā would not go fro me, to ask this questiō, of another body: But required me there, as I would answer before God, if in this case, that cursing of priests were lawful & approved of God? And shortly herewith came to my mind the learning of S. Peter, teaching priests specially to halowe the Lord Christ in their harts: being evermore ready (as far as in them is) to answer thorough faith and hope to thē that ask of them a reason. And this lesson Peter teacheth men to use with a meek spirit & with dread of the Lord. Wherefore sir, I said to this man in this wise. In the old law, which ended not fully, till the time that Christ rose up again from death to life: God commanded tithes to be given to the Levites, for the great business and daily travail that pertained to their office. But priests, because their travel was mekil more easy & light, then was the office of the Levites: God ordained y • priests should take for their liuelode to do their office, the tenth part of those tithes y t were given to y e Levites. But now (I said) in the new law, neither Christ nor any of his apostles took tithes of y e people nor commanded the people to pay tithes, neither to Priests nor to deacons. But Christ taught the people to do alms, that is, works of mercy, to poor needy men (of surplus, that is superfluous of their temporal goods) which they had, more then them needed reasonably to their necessary liueloode. And thus (I said) not of tithes, but of pure alms of the people, Christ lived and his Apostles: when they were so busy in preaching of the word of God to the people, y • they might not travel otherwise for to get their liueloode. But after Christ's ascension, and when the Apostles had received the holy Ghost: they trauayled with their hands, for to get their liuelode, whē that they might thus do for busy preaching. Therefore by example of himself, S. Paul teacheth all the priests of Christ for to travail with their hand, when for busy teaching of the people they might thus do. And thus, all these Priests whose priesthood God accepteth now, or will accept, or did in the Apostles time, and after their discease: will do to y e worlds end. But (as Cisterciensis telleth) in the thousand year of our Lord Jesus Christ. 211. year, one Pope the x. Gregory ordained new tithes first to be given to priests now in the new law. But Saint Paul in his time, whose trace or example all Priests of God enforce them to follow, seeing the covetousness that was among the people, desiring to destroy the soul sin through the grace of God & true virtuous living and example of himself: wrote & taught all priests for to follow him as he followed Christ, pacyently, willingly, and gladly in high poverty: Wherefore, Paul saith thus. The Lord hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel, shall live of the Gospel. But we (saith Paul) that covet and busy us to be faithful followers of Christ, use not this power. For lo (as Paul witnesseth afterward) when he was full poor and needy, preaching among the people: he was not chargeous unto them, but with his hands he trauayled not only to get his own living, but also the living of other poor and needye creatures. And since the people was never so covetous, nor so avarice (I guess) as they are now: It were good counsel that all priests toke hede to this heavenly learning of Paul following him herein willful poverty, nothing charging y e people for their bodily liueloode. But because that many Priests do contrary to Paul in this foresaid doctrine: Paul biddeth the people take hede to those priests that follow him as he had givē them example. As if Paul would say thus to the people: Accept ye none other Priests then they, that live after the form that I have taught you. For certain, in whatsoever dignity or order y • any Priest is in, if he conform him not to follow Christ & his Apostles in willful poverty, & in other heavenly virtues, and specially in true preaching of God's word: though such a one be named a Priest, yet he is no more but a priest in name, for the work of a very Priest, in such a one wanteth. This sentence approveth Augustine, Gregory, Chrysostom, & Limcolne plainly.
And the Archb. said to me. Thinkest thou this wholesome learning for to sow openly, or yet privily among the people? Certein, this doctrine contrarieth plainly y e ordynance of holy fathers which have ordained, granted, & licenced priests to be in diverse degrees, & to live by tithes & offerings of the people, and by other duties.
And I said, sir, if priests were now in measurable measure & number, and lived virtuously, & taught busilye and truly the word of God, by example of Christ & of his apostles, without tithes, offerings, & other duties that priests now challenge & take: the people would give them freely, sufficient liuelode.
And a clerk said to me. How wilt thou make this good, that the people will give freely to priests their liuelode: since that now by the law every priest cā scarcely cōstrain the people to give them their liuelode.
And I said. Sir it is now no wonder though the people grudge to give priests the liuelode that they ask: Mekil people know now, how y t priests should live, & howe that they live contrary to Christ & to his Apostles. And therefore, the people is full heavy to pay (as they do) their temporal goods to parsons and to other vicares & priests, which should be faithful dispensatours of the parishes goods: taking to thenselves no more, but a scarce living of tithes, nor of offerings, by the ordinance of the common law. For whatsoever priests take of the people (be it tithe or offering, or any other duty or service) the priests ought not to have thereof no more, but a bare living: & to depart the residue to the poor men & womē specially of the parish of whom they take this temporal living. But y e most dele of priests now wasteth their parishes goods, and spendeth them at their own will after the world, in there vain lusts: So that in few places poor mē have duly (as they should have) their own sustenāce, nother of tithes nor of offerings nor of other large wages & foundations that priests take of the people in diverse manners above y t they need for need full sustenance of meat & clothing. But the poor needy people are forsaken and left of Priests to be sustained o • y e parishens, as if the priests toke nothing of the parishers for to help the people with.
And thus sir, into over great charges of the parishens they pay their temporal goods twice where once might suffice, if priests were true dispensatours. Also sir, the parishners that pay their temporal goods (be they tithes or offerings) to priests that do not their office among them justly are parteners of every sin of those Priests: because that they sustain those priests folly in their sin, with their temporal goods. If these things be well considered, what wonder is it thē sir, if the parishners grudge against these dispensators?
Then the Archb. said to me, Thou that shouldst be judged & ruled by holy church, presumptuously thou deemest holy church to have erred in the ordinance of tithes & other duties to be paid to priests. It shall be long or thou thrive Losel, that thou despisest thy ghostly mother. How darest thou speak this (Losel) among the people? Are not tithes given to priests for to live by?
And I said: Sir S. Paul saith, that tithes were given in the old law to Levites and to Priests, that came of the linage of Leuy. But our priests he saith, came not of the linage of Leuy, but of the linage of Judah, to which Judah no tithes were promised to be given. And therefore Paul saith, since the priesthood is changed from y e generation of Leuy to the generation of Judah: It is necessary that chāging also be made of the law. So that priests live now, w t out tithes & other duty that they now claim, following Christ & his Apostles in willful poverty, as they have givē thē example. For since Christ lived (all the time of his preaching) by pure alms of the people. And by example of him, his Apostles lived in the same wise, or else by y e travail of their hands as it is said above. Every priest, whose priesthood Christ approveth, knoweth well, & confesseth in word and in work, that a disciple ought not to be above his master, but it sufficeth to a disciple to be as his master, simple, and pure, meek and patient: and by example specially of his master Christ, every Priest should rule him in all his living, & so after his cunning & power, a priest should busy him to inform and to rule, whom so ever he might charitably.
And the Archbish. said to me with a great spirit, God's curse have thou & mine for this teaching: for thou wouldest hereby, make the old law more free and perfect thē y • new law. For thou sayest, that it is leful to Levites and to priests to take tithes in the old law, and so to enjoy their priuilegies: but to us priests in the new law, thou sayest it is not lawful to take tithes. And thus thou givest Levites of the old law, more freedom than to priests of the new law.
And I said. Sir, I marvel, that ye understand this plain text of Paul thus. Ye wot well, that the Levites and priests in the old law that took tithes, were not so free nor so perfect, as Christ and his Apostles that took no tithes. And sir, there is a Doctor (I think that it is Saint Jerome) that saith thus. The priests that challenge now in the new law, tithes: Say in effect, that Christ is not become man, nor that he hath yet suffered death for man's love. Wherefore, this Doctor saith this sentence. Since tithes were the hires and wages limited to Levites and to priests of the old law for bearing about of the tabernacle, and for slayeng and fleing of beasts, and for burning of sacrifice, and for keeping of the temple, and for tromping of battle before the host of Israel, and other diverse observances that pertained to their office: Those priests that will challenge or take tithes, deny that Christ is come in the flesh, and do the priests office of the old law, for whom tithes were granted: for else (as this Doctor saith) priests take now tithes wrongfully.
And the archb. said to his clerks. Heard ye ever Losell speak thus? Certain, this is the learning of them all, that wheresoerver they come, and they may be suffered: they enforce them to expugne the freedom of holy Church.
And I said. Sir, why call you the taking of tithes, and of such other duties that priests challenge now (wrongfully) the freedom of holy church: Since neither Christ nor his apostles, challenge nor took such duties. Herefore these takings of priests now are not called justly the freedom of holy church, but all such giving and taking ought to be called and holden, the slanderous covetousness of men of the holy church.
And the archb. said to me. Why Losell, wilt not thou and other that are consedered with thee, seek out of holy scripture, & of the sense of doctors, all sharp authorities against lords, knights, and squiers, & against other secular men, as thou doest against priests.
And I said: Sir, whatsoever men or women, lords of ladies, or any other that are present in our preaching specially, or in our cōmoning after our cunning, we tell out to thē their office & their charges: But sir, since Chrysostom saith, that priests are the stomach of y e people, it is nedeful in preaching, & also in commoning, to be most busy about this priesthood: Since by the viciousnes of priests both Lord's & commons are most sinfully infected & led into the worst. And because y • the covetousness of priests & pride, & the boast that they have & make of their dignity and power: destroyeth not only the virtues of priesthood in priests thenselves, but also over this, it stirreth God to take great vengeance both upon the Lord's, & upon commons, which suffer these priests charitably.
And the Archb. said to me. Thou judgest every priest proud y • will not go arrayed as thou doest. By god I deme him to be more meek y • goeth every day in a scarlet gown, thā thou in thy thread bare blew gown. Whereby knowest thou a proud man?
And I said. Sir a proud priest may be known, when he denieth to follow Christ & his Apostles, in willful poverty and other virtues: & coveteth worldly worship, and taketh it gladly, & gathereth together with pleding, manasing, or with flattering, or w t simony any worldly goods: And most, if a priest busy him not chiefly in himself, & after in all other men, and women after his cunning & power, to withstand sin.
And the Archb. said to me. Though thou knewest a priest to have all these vices, & though thou sawest a pryest lovely lie now by a womā, knowing her fleshly: wouldst thou therefore deme this priest damnable? I say to thee y t in the turning about of thy hand, such a sinner may be verily repented.
And I said. Sir I will not damn any man for any sin that I know done or may be done, so that the sinner leaveth his sin. But by authority of holy Scripture, he that sinneth thus openly as ye show here, is damnable for doing of such a sin: and most specially, a priest y e should be example to all other for to hate & fly sin. And in how short time that ever ye say y e such a sinner may be reap̄ted: he ought not of him y e knoweth his sinning, to be judged verily repentant, without open evidence of great shame & hearty sorrow for his sin. For whosoever (and specially a priest) that useth pride, envy, covetousness, lechery, simony or any other vices: showeth not as open evidence of repentance as he hath given evil example & occasion of sinning, if he continue in any such sin as long as he may: it is likely that sin leaneth him, & he not sin. And as I understand such a one sinneth unto death, for whō nobody oweth to pray, as S. John saith.
And a Clerke said then to the Archb. Sir, the lenger that ye appose him, the worse he is: and the more ye busy you to amend him, the waywarder he is. For he is of so shrewd a kind, that he shameth not only to be himself a soul nest, but withou: shame he busyeth him to make his nest souler.
And the Archbishop said to his Clerke. Suffer a while, for I am at an ende with him, for there is another point certyfyed against him, and I will hear what he saith thereto.
And so thā he said to me. Lo it is here certified against thee, y t thou preachedst openlie at Shrewsbury, that it is not lawful to swear in any case.
And I said, Sir I preached never so openly, nor I have taught in this wise in any place. But sir, as I preached in Shrewsbury, w t my protestation I say to you now here: that by the authority of the Gospel of S. James, & by witness of diverse Saints & doctors: I have preached openlie in one place or other, that it is not leful in any cause to swear by any creature. And over this Sir, I have also preached and taught by the foresaid authorities: y e nobody should swear in any case, if that without oath in any wise he that is charged to swear might excuse him to them that have power to compel him to swear, in leful thing & lawful. But if a man may not excuse him without oth, to them that have power to compel him to swear, than he ought to swear only by God, taking him only that is southfastnesse, for to witness the southfastnes.
And then a Clarke asked me if it were not leful to a subject at the bidding of his Prelate, for to kneel down and touch the holy Gospel book, and kiss it, saying: So help me God and this holydome, for he should after his cunninge and power, do all things that his Prelate commandeth him.
And I said to them: Sirs, ye speak here full generally or largely. What if a prelate commanded his subject to do an unlawful thing, should he obey thereto?
And the Archb. said to me: A subject ought not to suppose, that his prelate will bid him do an unlawful thing. For a subject ought to think that his prelate will bid him do nothing but that he will answer for before God, that it is leful: And then, though y e bidding of the prelate be vnleful, the subject hath no peril to fulfil it, since that he thinketh & judgeth, that whatsoever thing his prelate byddeth him do, that it is leful to him for to do it.
And I said, sir I trust not thereto. But to our purpose: Sir I tell you, y t I was once in a gentlemans house, and there were then two Clerks there, a master of divinity, and a man of law, which man of law was also communing in divinity. And among other things, these men soake of oaths, & the man of law said: at the bidding of his sovereign, which had power to charge him to swear, he would lay his hand upon a book, and hear his charge: and if his charge to his understanding were vnlefull, he would hastily withdraw his hand vpō the book, taking there only God to witness, that he would fulfil that lefull charge, after his power. And the master of divinity said then to him thus. Certain, he that layeth his hand vpō a book in this wise, and maketh there a promise to do that thing that he is commanded: Is obliged thereby by boke oath, then to fulfil his charge. For no doubt, he that chargeth him to lay his hand thus upon a book (touching the book, & swearing by it, and kissing it, promisinge in this form to do this thing or that) will say and witness, that he that toucheth thus a book, and kisseth it, hath sworn upon that book. And all other mē that see that man thus do, and also all those that hear hereof, in the same wise will say and witness, that this man hath sworn upon a book. Wherefore, the master of divinity said, it was not lefull neither to give nor to take any such charge upon a book: for every book is nothing else, but diverse creatures, of which it is made of. Therefore to swear upon a book, is to swear by creatures, and this swearing is ever vnlefull. This sentence witnesseth Chrysostom plainly, blaming them greatly that bring forth a book for to swear upon, charging Clerks, that in no wise they constrayne anybody to swear, whether they think a man to swear true or false.
And the Archbishop and his Clerks, scorned me, and blamed me greatly for this saying. And the Archb. manassed me with great punishment & sharp, except I left this opinion of swearing.
And I said: Sir, this is not mine opinion, but it is the opinion of Christ our savior, & of S. James, & of Chrysostom, & other diverse saints and doctors.
Than the Archb. had a clarke read this homely of Chrysostom: which homely, this clerk held in his hand writ̄ in a roll: which roll the Archb. caused to be taken from my fellow at Caūterbury. And so then this clark read this role, til he came to a clause where Chrysostom saith, that it is sin to swear well.
And then a clark Malueren (as I guess) said to y e Archb. Sir, I pray you were of him, how he understandeth Chrysostom here, saying it to be sin to swear well.
And so the Archbish. asked me, how I understood here Chrysostom.
And certain, I was somewhat afraid to answer hereto: For I had not busied me to study about the sense thereof, but lifting up my mind to God, I prayed him of grace, And as fast as I thought how Christ said to his apostles: When for my name ye shall be brought before Judges, I shall give into your mouth, wisdom y t your adversaries shall not against say. And trusting faithfully in the word of God, I said: Sir, I know well that many men & women, have now swearing so in custom, that they know not, nor will not know, y t they do evil for to swear as they do: But they think and say, that they do well for to swear as they do, though they know well that they swear untruly. For they say, they may by their swearing (though it be false) void blame or temporal harm, which they should have, if they swear not thus. And sir, many men and women maintain strongly that they swear well, when that thing is sooth that they swear for. Also, full many men & women say now, that it is well done to swear by creatures, when they may not (as the say) otherwise be believed. And also, full many men and women now say, that it is well done to swear by God, and by our Lady, and by other saints, for to have them in mind. But since all these sayings are but excusatious, and sin: me thinketh sir, that this sense of Chrysostom may be alleged well against all such swearers: witnessing that all these sin grievously though they think themselves for to swear in this foresaid wise, well. For it is evil done and great sin, for to swear truth, when in any manner, a man may excuse himself without oath.
And the Archbishop said, that Chrysostom might be thus understand.
And then a clerk said to me: wilt thou tarry my Lord no lenger, but submit thee here mekely to the ordinance of holy Church, and lay thy hand upon a book touching the holy Gospel of GOD, promising not only with thy mouth, but also with thine heart to stand to my Lord's ordinance?
And I said: Sir have I not told you here, how that I heard a master of divinity say: that in such case it is all one to touch a book, and to swear by a book?
And the Archb. said: There is no master of divinity in England so great, y • if he hold this opinion before me, but I shall punish him as I shall do thee, except thou swear as I shall charge thee.
And I said: Sir, is not Chrysostom an ententife Doctor?
And the Archb. said, yea.
And I said: if Chrysostom proveth him worthy great blame, that bringeth forth a book to swear upon: it must needs follow, that he is more to blame that sweareth on that book.
And the Archb. said: if Chrysostom meant accordingly to the ordinance of holy church, we will accept him.
And then said a clerk to me. Is not y e word of God & God himself equipolient, that is, of one authority?
And I said, yea.
Then he said to me, why wilt thou not swear then by the Gospel of God, that is gods word, since it is all one to swear by the word of God, & by God himself.
And I said: Sir, since I may not now otherwise be believed, but by swearing: I perceive (as Agustine saith) that it is not spedeful that ye y • should be my brethren should not believe me: therefore I am ready by the word of God (as the lord commanded me by his word) to swear.
Then the Clarke said to me. Lay then thine hand upon the book, touching the holy Gospel of God and take thy charge.
And I said: Sir I understand that the holy Gospel of God may not be touched with man's hand.
And the Clearke said I fonded, and that I said not truth.
And I asked this clerk whether it were more to read y • Gospel to touch the Gospel.
And he said it was more to read the Gospel.
Then I said: Sir, by authority of S. Jerome, the gospel is not the gospel for reading of the letter, but for the belief that men have in the word of God. That it is the gospel that we believe, and not the letter that we read: for because the letter that is touched with man's hand, is not the Gospel, but y e sentence that is verily believed in mans heart, is the Gospel. For so Jerome saith. The Gospel, y t is the virtue of God's word, is not in y t leaves of the boke, but it is in the root of reason. Neither the Gospel (he saith) is in the writing above of the letters, but the Gospel is in y e marking of the sentence of scriptures. This sentence approveth S. Paul, saying thus. The kingdom of God is not in word but in virtue. And David saith: The voice of the Lord that is his word, is in virtue. And after David saith: Through the word of God y e heavens were formed, and in the spirit of his mouth is all the virtue of thē. And I pray you sir, understand ye well how David saith, then in the spirit of the mouth of y • Lord, is all the virtue of angels and of men.
And the clarke said to me. Thou wouldest make us to fond with thee. Say we not that the Gospels are written in the Mass book?
And I said. Sir, though men use to say thus, yet it is imperfect speech. For the principal part of a thing is properly the whole thing. For lo, man's soul y t may not now be seen here, nor touched w t any sensible thing, is properly man. And all the virtue of a tree is in the root thereof that may not be seen, for do away the root, & y e tree is destroyed And sir, as ye said to me right now, God & his word are of one authority: And sir, S. Jerome witnesseth, y • Christ (very God & very mā) is hid in the letter of the law: thus also sir, y • gospel is hid in the letter. For sir, as it is full likely many diverse men and womē here in the earth, touched Christ & saw him, & knew his bodily persō, which neither touched, nor saw, nor knew ghostly his godhead. Right thus sir, many men now touch & see, & write, & read y e scriptures of gods law, which neither see, touch, nor read effectually the gospel. For as the godhead of Christ (that is the virtue of God) is known by the virtue of belief, so is y e Gospel, that is, Christ's word.
And a clerk said to me. These be full misty matters and unsavory that thou showest here to us.
And I said: Sir, if ye, y t are masters, know not plainly this sentence, • e may sore dread that y e kingdom of heaven be taken from you, as it was frō the princes of priests and from the elders of the • owes.
And then a Clerke (as I guess) Malueren, said to me. Thou knowest not thine equivocations: for the kingdom of heaven hath diverse understandings. What callest thou the kingdom of heaven in this sentence, that thou showest here?
And I said: Sir, by good reason and sentence of doctors the Realm of heaven is called here, the understanding of God's word.
And a clerk said to me. From whom thinkest thou that this understanding is taken away?
And I said: Sir (by authority of Christ himself) the effectual understanding of Christ's word is taken away from all them chiefly, which are great lettered men, & presum to understand high things, & will be holden wise men & desire maistership & high state & dignity: but they will not conform them to the living and teaching of Christ & of his Apostles.
Then y e Archb. said. Well, well, thou wilt judge thy soueraignes. By God, y e king doth not his duty, but he suffer thee to be condemned.
And then another Clerke said to me. Why (on Friday that last was) counsailedst thou a man of my Lord's that he should not shriue him to no man but only to god?
And with this asking I was abashed: And then by and by I knew that I was subtly betrayed of a mā that came to me in prison on the Friday before, cōmoning with me in this matter of confession. And certain, by his words I thought, that this man came then to me, of full fervent and charitable will: But now I know he came to tempt me & to accuse me, God forgive him if it be his will. And withal mine heart when I had thought thus, I said to this clerk, Sir, I pray you that ye would fetch this man hither: and all the words as nere as I cā repeat them, which that I spake to him, on Friday in the prison. I will rehearse now here before you all, and before him.
And (as I guess) the Archbishop said then to me. They that are now here, suffice to repeat them. How saidst thou to him?
And I said: Syr, that man came and asked me in diverse things, and after his asking, I answered him (as I understood) that good was: And as he shown to me by his words, he was sory of his living in court, and right heavy for his own vicious living, and also for the viciousnes of other men, and specially of priests evil living: & herefore he said to me with a sorrowful heart (as I gessed) that he purposed fully within short time for to leave the court, and to busy him to know God's law, and to confirm all his life thereafter. And when he had said to me these words & moe other which I would rehearse and he were present, he prayed me to hear his confession. And I said to him, sir, wherefore come ye to me, to be confessed of me, ye wote well y • the Archb. putteth & holdeth me here, as one unworthy either to give or to take any sacrament of holy Church.
And he said to me. Brother I wote well, and so wote many other moe, that you and such other are wrongfully vexed, and therefore I common with you the more gladly. And I said to him. Certain I wote well that many men of this court, and specially the priests of this household would be full evil apayd both you & with me, if they wist that ye were confessed of me. And he said, that he cared not therefore, for he had full little affection in them: And as me thought, he spake these words and many other, of so good will and of so high desire, for to have known and done the pleasant will of God. And I said to him, as with my foresaid protestation I say to you now here: Syr, I counsel you, for to absent you from all evil company, and to draw you to them that love and busy them to know and to keep the precepts of God: And then the good spirit of God will move you for to occupy busily all your wits in gathering together of all your sins, as far as ye can bethink you, shaming greatly of them and sorrowing heartily for them: Yea syr, the holy Ghost will thē put in your heart a good will and a servant desire for to take and to hold a good purpose, to hate ever and to fly, (after your cunning and power) all occason of sin: and so then, wisdom shall come to you from above, lightening (with diverse beams of grace and of heavenly desire) all your wits, enforming you how ye shall trust steadfastly in the mercy of the Lord: knowledging to him only all your vicious living, praying to him ever devoutly of charitable counsel and contynuance. Hoping without dout, that if ye continue thus, busying you faithfully to know & to keep his biddings, that he will (for he only, may) forgive you all your sins. And this man said to me. Though God forgive men their sins yet it behooveth men to be assoiled of priests, & to do y e penance that they enjoin them.
And I said to him, Sir, it is all one to assoil men o • their sins, & to forgive mē their sins. Wherefore, sined it pertaineth only to God to forgive sin: It sufficeth in this case, to counsel men & women for to l • aue their sin, and to comfort them that busy them thus to do, for to hope steadfastly in the mercy of God. And again ward, Priests ought to tell sharply to customable sinners, that if they will not make an ende of their sin, but continue in diverse sin • while that they may sin, all such deserve pain without any en▪ And herefore, Priests should over busy them to live well and holyly, and to teach the people 〈◊〉 & truly the word of God, showing to all folk in open preaching and in privy counseling; that the lord God only forgiveth sin. And therefore, those priests y t take vpō thē to assoil mē of their sins, blaspheme God: since that it pertaineth only to the Lord, to assoil men of all their sins, For no doubt, a thousand year after y • Christ was man, no Priest of Christ durst take upon him to teach the people, neither privily nor apertly, that they behooved needs to come to be assailed of them, as Priests now do. But by authority of Christ's word: Priests bound indurate customable sinners, to everlasting pains, which in no time of their living, would busy thē faithfully to know the biddinges of God, nor to keep thē. And again, all they that would occupy all their wits to hate & to fly all occasion of sin, dreading over all thing, to offend God, and loving for to please him continually: to these men & women Priests shown, how the Lord assoyleth them of all their sins. And thus Christ promised to confirm in heaven, all the binding and loosing that priests by authority of his word, bind men in sin that are indurate therein, or loose thē out of sin here upon earth, that are verily repentant. And this mā hearing these words said, that he might well in conscience consent to this sentence. But he said. Is it not needful to the lay people y t cannot thus do, to go shrine them to priests▪ And I said, If a man feel himself so distroubled with any sin, y • he cannot by his own wit avoid this sin without counsel of them that are herein wiser than he. In such a case, the counsel of a good Priest is full necessary. And if a good priest fail as they do now commonly, in such a case S. Augustine saith, that a man may lawfully common and take counsel, of a virtuous secular mā. But certain, that mā or womā is overladen and too beastly, which cannot bring their own sins into their mind, busying them night and day for to hate & to forsake all their sins, doing a sigh for them after their cunning and power. And sir, full accordingly to this sentence vpō Midlentō Sūday (two year as I guess now agone) I hard a Monk of Feuersam that men called Morden, preach at Caūterbury at the cross within Christ Church Abbey, saying thus of confession. That as through the suggestiō of the feend without counsel of any other body, of themselves many men & women, can imagine and find means & ways enough to come to pride, to theft, to lechery, and other diverse vices: In contrary wise this Monk said. Since the Lord God is more ready to forgive sin than the feend is or may be of power, to move anybody to sin: than whosoever will shame and sorrow heartily for their sins, knowledging them faithfully to God, amending them after their power and cunning, without counsel of any other body than of God and himself (through the grace of God) all such men and women may find, sufficient means to come to God's mercy, and so to be clean assoiled of all their sins. This sentence I said sir to this man of yours, and the self words as near as I can guess.
And the Archbishop said. Holy Church approveth not this learning.
And I said. Sir, holy Church of which Christ is head in heaven and in earth, must needs approve this sentence. For loe, hereby all men & women may, if they will, be sufficiently taught to know & to keep the commandments of God, & to hate & to fly continually all occasion of sin, and to love and to seek virtues busily, & to believe in God stably, and to trust in his mercy steadfastly, & so to come to perfect charity & continue therein perseuerantly. And more the Lord asketh not of any man here now in this life. And certain, since Jesus Christ died upon the cross, willfully to make men free: Men of the Church are to bold and to busy, to make men thrall, binding thē under y e pain of endless curse (as they say) to do many obseruaunces and ordynaunces, which neither the living nor teaching of Christ nor of his Apostles approveth.
And a Clerke said thē to me: Thou showest plainly here thy deceit, which thou hast learned of them that travel to sow people among y e wheat. But I counsel thee to go away clean frō this learning, & submit thee lowly to my lord, and thou shall find him yet to be gracious to there.
And as fast then, another Clerke said to me: How wast thou so bold at Paul's Cross in London, to stand there hard with thy upper bound̄ about thine head, and to reprove in his Sermon the worthy clerk Alkerton, drawing away all that thou mightest: yea, & the same day at afternoon, thou meeting the worthy Doctor in Watlyng street, calledst him false flatterer and hypocrite.
And I said: Sir, I think certainly that there was no man nor womā that hated verily sin, & loved virtues (heauing y e Sermō of the clerk at Oxford, and also Alkersons Sermon) but they said, or might justly say, that Alkerton reproved that clerk untruly, and slandered him wrongfully and uncharitably. For no doubt, If the living & teaching of Christ chiefly and of his Apostles be true, nobody that loveth God and his law, will blame any sentence that the clerk then preached there: since by authority of God's word, & by approved Saints & Doctors, & by opē reason, this Clerke approved all things clearly that he preached there.
And a Clerke of the Archbishops said to me, his Sermon was false, and that he showeth openly, since he dare not stand forth and defend his preaching that he thē preached there.
And I said: Sir, I think that he purposeth to stand steadfastly thereby, or else he scaundereth foully himself, and also many other that have great trust that he will stand by the truth of the Gospel. For I wote well, this Sermon is written both in Latin and English, and many men have it & they set great price thereby. And sir, If ye were present with y • Archbishop at Lambeth when this Clarke appeared and was at his answer before the Archbishop, ye wote well that this Clerke denied not there his Sermon, but two days he maintained it before the Archbishop and his Clerks.
And then the Archbishop or one of his Clerks said (I wote not which of them) that harlot shall be met with, for that Sermon. For no man but he and thou, and such other false harlots, praiseth any such preaching.
And then the Arbhb. said. Your cursed sect is busy, and it ioyeth right greatly to contrary & to destroy y e privilege and freedom of holy Church.
And I said: Sir, I know no men that travel so busily as this sect doth (which you reprove) to make rest and peace in holy church. For pride, covetousness, and simony, which distrouble most holy Church: this sect hateth & fleeth, and trauayleth busilye to move all other men in like manner, unto meekness and willful poverty, and charity, and free ministering of the Sacraments: this sect loveth & useth, and is full busy to move all other folks thus to do. For these virtues, owe all menbers of holy church, to their head Christ.
Then a Clerke said to the Archbishop: Sir, it is far days, and ye have far to ride to night: therefore make an end with him, for he will none make. But the more sir, that ye busy you for to draw him toward you, y e more cōtumax he is made, and the farther fro you.
And then Malueren said to me: William, kneel down, and pray my Lord of grace, & leave all thy phantasies, and become a child of holy church.
And I said: Sir, I have prayed the Archbishop oft, and yet I pray him for the love of Christ, that he will leave his indignation that he hath against me: and that he will suffer me after my cunning & power, for to do mine office of priesthood, as I am charged of god to do it. For I covet naught else, but to serve my God to his pleasing in y e state that I stand in, and have taken me to.
And y • Archbishop said to me: If of good heart thou wilt submit thee now here meekly, to be ruled from this time forth by my counsel, obeying mekely and willfully to mine ordinance, thou shalt find it most profitable & best to thee for to do thus. Therefore tarry thou me no lenger, grant to do this y t I have said to thee now here shortly, or deny it utterly.
And I said to the Archbishop: Sir, owe we to believe that Jesus Christ was and is, very God and very man?
And the Archbishop said Yea.
And I said: Sir, owe we to believe that all Christ's living and his teaching is true in every point?
And he said, yea.
And I said: Syr, owe we to believe, that the living of the Apostles, and the teaching of Christ, and all the Prophets, are true which are written in the Bible, for the health and salvation of good people?
And he said yea.
And I said: Syr, owe all Christian men & women after their cunning and power, for to conform all their living, to the teaching specially of Christ, and also to the teaching and living of his Apostles and of Prophets, in all things that are pleasant to God, and edification of his Church?
And he said, yea.
And I said: Syr ought the doctrine, the bidding, or the counsel of anybody, to be accepted or obeyed unto: except this doctrine, these biddings, or this counsel, may be granted and affirmed by Christ's living and his teaching specially, or by the living and teaching of his Apostles & Prophets?
And y • Archbishop said to me: Other doctrine ought not to be accepted, nor we owe not to obey to any man's bidding or counsel, except we can perceive that his bidding or counsel, accordeth with the life and teaching of Christ, and of his Apostles and Prophets.
And I said: Syr, is not all the learning, and biddings and counsels of holy Church, means and healefull remedies, to know and to withstand the privy suggestions, and the aperte temptations ot the fiende? and also ways and healeful remedies, to slay pride and all other deadly sins, and the branches of them, and souereign means to purchase grace, for to withstand and overcome all the fleshly lusts and mouinges?
And the Archbishop said yea.
And I said: Syr, whatsoever thing ye or any other body bid or counsel me to do, accordingly to this forsayd learning, after my cunning & power, through the help of god, I will meekly with all my heart obey thereto.
And the archbishop said to me: Submit thee than now here meekly and willfully, to the ordinance of holy church, which I shall show to thee.
And I said: sir, accordingly as I have here now before you rehearsed, I will now be ready to obey full gladly to Christ the head of the holy Church, & to the learning and biddinges, and counsels of every pleasing member of him.
Thē the archbishop striking with his hand fiercely vpō a cupborde, spake to me with a great spirit saying: By Jesus, but if thou leave such additions, obliging thee now here without any exceptiō to mine ordinance (or that I go out of this place) I shall make thee as sure, as any thief that is in the prison of Lantern. Advise thee now what thou wilt do. And then as if he had been angered, he went fro the cupborde where he stood, to a window.
And then Malueren and another Clerke came nearer me, and they spake to me many words full pleasantly: and an oath while they manassed me, and counseled full busily to submit me, or else they said I should not escape punishing over measure: For they said, I should be degraded, cursed, and burned, & so then damned. But now they said, thou mayst eschew all these mischiefs, if thou wilt submit thee willfully & meekly to this worthy prelate, that hath cure of thy soul. And for the pity of Christ (said they) bethink thee, howe great Clerks the Bishop of Lincoln, Hereford, and Purney were, and yet are, and also B. that is a well understanding man. Which also have forsaken & revoked, all the learning and opinions, that thou and such other hold. Wherefore, since each of them is mikle wiser thē thou art, we counsel thee for the best: that by the example of these four Clerks, thou follow them submitting thee as they did.
And one of the Bishops Clerks said then there, that he heard Nicoll Hereford say: that since he forsook & revoked all the learning & Lolards opinions, he hath had mikle greater favor and more delight to hold against them, then ever he had to hold with them, while he held with them.
And therefore Malueren said to me: I understand and thou wilt take thee to a Priest, and shriue thee clean, forsake all such opinions, & take the penance of my Lord here, for the holding & teaching of them: within short time, thou shalt be greatly comforted in this doing.
And I said to the Clerks, that thus busily counseled me to follow these foresaid men: Sirs, if these mē of whom ye counsel me to take example, had forsakē benefices of temporal profit, & of worldly worship, so that chey had absēted them, and eschewed from all occasions of covetousness & of fleshly lusts, and had taken upon them simple living, & willful poverty: they had herein given good example to me and to many other, to have followed thē. But now, since all these four men, have slanderously and shamefully done the contrary, consenting to receive and to have and to hold temporal benefices, living now more worldly & more fleshly then they did before, conforming them to the manners of this world: I forsake them herein, and in all their foresaid slanderous doing. For I purpose with the help of God (into remissio of my sins, and of my • oule cursed living) to hate and to flee privily and apertly, to follow these men, teaching and counseling whom so ever that I may, for to flee & eschew the way that they have chosen to go in, which will lead them to the worst end, (if in convenient time they repent them not) verily forsaking and revoking openlie the flaunder that they have put, and every day yet put, to Christ's Church. For certain, so open blasphemy and slander as they have spoken and done, in their revoking & forsaking of the truth, ought not nor may not privily be amended, duly. Wherefore sirs, I pray you that you busy not for to move me to follow these mē, in revoking and forsaking the truth, and sothfastnes as they have done, and yet do: wherein, by open evidence they stir God to great wroth, and not only against themselves, but also against all thē that favor them, or consent to them herein, or that communeth with them, except it be for their amendment. For where as these mē first were pursued of enemies, now they have obliged them by oath for to slander and pursue Christ in his members. Wherefore (as I trust steadfastly in y e goodness of God) the worldly covetousness, and the lusty living and the sliding from the truth of these runnagates: shall be to me and to many other men and women, an example & an evidence, to stand more stiffly by the truth of Christ.
For certain, right many men and women, do mark and abhor the foulnes and cowardnes of these foresaid untrue men, how that they are overcome & stopped with benefices, and withdrawn from the truth of God's word, forsaking utterly to suffer therefore bodily persecution. For by this unfaithful doing and apostasye of them (specially that are great lettered men) and have knowledged openly the truth: and now, either for pleasure or displeasure of tyrants, have taken hire and temporal wages to forsake the truth and to hold against it, slandering and pursuing them that covet to follow Christ in the way of righteousness, many men and womē therefore are now moved. But many mo thorough the grace of God, shall be moved hereby for to learn the truth of God, and to do thereafter, and to stand boldly thereby.
Then the Archbishop said to his clerks. Busye you no lenger about him, for he and other such as he is, are cōsedered together, that they will not swear to be obedient, & to submit them to prelates of holy church. For now since I stood here, his fellow also sent me word that he will not swear, and that this fellow counseled him that he should not swear to me. And losell, in that thing that in thee is, thou hast busied thee to lose this young man, but blessed be God, thou shalt not have thy purpose of him. For he hath forsaken all thy learning, submitting him to be buxum & obedient to the ordinance of holy church, and weepeth full bitterly, and curseth thee full heartily for the venomous teaching which thou hast shown to him, counseling him to do thereafter.
And for thy false counseling of many other & him, thou hast great cause to be right sory. For long time thou hast busied thee to pervert whomsoever thou mightest. Therefore, as many deaths thou art worthy of, as thou hast given evil counsels. And therefore by Jesus, thou shalt go thither, where Nicoll Harford & Thom. Puruay were harbered. And I undertake, or this day viii. days, thou shalt be right glad for to do what thing that ever I did thee to do. And Losell, I shall assay, if I can make thee there as sorrowful (as it was told me) thou wast glad of my last going out of England. By S. Thomas, I shall turn thy joy into sorrow.
And I said: Syr there can nobody prove lawfully that I joyed ever, of the manner of your going out of this land.
But Syr, to say the soth, I was joyful when ye were gone: for the bishop of London in whole prison ye left me, found in me no cause for to hold me lenger in his prisō, but at the request of my friends, he delivered me to them, asking of me no manner of submitting.
Then the archbishop said to me. Wherefore that I yede out of England, is unknown to thee: But be this thing well known to thee, that God (as I wote well) hath called me again, and brought me into this land, for to destroy thee and the false sect that thou art of: as by God, I shall pursue you so narrowly, that I shall not leave a slip of you in this land.
And I said to the archbishop: Syr, the holy Prophette Jeremiah said to the false Prophet Anany. When the word that is the prophecy of a Prophet, is known or fulfilled: then it shall be known, that the Lord sent the Prophet in truth.
And the Archbishop (as if he had not been pleased with my saying) turned him awayward hither and thither, and said. By GOD, I shall set upon thy shinnes a pair of pearls, that thou shalt be glad to change thy voice.
These and many moe wondrous and conuicious words, were spoken to me, manassing me and all other of the same sect, for to be punished and destroyed unto the uttermost.
And the Archbishop called then to him a Clerke, and rowned with him: and that Clerk went forth, and soon he brought in the Constable of Saltwoode Castle, and the Archbishop rowned a good while with him: And then the Constable went forth, and then came in diverse seculars, & they scorned me on every side, & manassed me greatly. And some counseled the Archbishop to burn me by and by, & some other counseled him to drown me in the Sea, for it is near hand there.
And a Clerke standing beside me, there kneeled down to y • Archbishop, praying him that he would deliver me to him, for to say Martins with him: & he would undertake: that within three days I should not resist anything that were commanded me to do of my Prelate.
And the archbishop said, that he would ordayn for me himself.
And then after, came again the Constable and spake privily to the Archbishop: And the archbishop commanded the Constable to lead me forth thence with him, & so he did. And when we were gone forth thence, we were sent after again. And whē I came in again before the archbishop: a Clerke bad me kneel down and ask grace, and submit me lowly, and I should find it for the best.
And I said thē to the archbishop. Syr, as I have said to you diverse times today, I will willfully & lowlye obey and submit me to be ordained ever after the cunning and power, to God & to his law, and to every member of holy Church, as far forth as I can perceive that these members accord with their head Christ, and will teach me, rule me, or chastise me by authority, specially of God's law.
And the archbishop said. I wist well he would not without such additions submit him.
And then I was rebuked, scorned & manassed on every side: and yet after this, diverse persons cried upon me to kneel down and submit me, but I stood still and spake no word. And then there was spoken of me and to me many great words, & I stood and heard them manasse curse and scorn me: but I said nothing.
Then a while after, y e archbishop said to me. Wilt thou not submit thee to the ordinance of holy Church?
And I said: Syr, I will full gladly submit me, as I have shown you before.
And then the Archbishop bad the Constable, to have me forth thence in haste.
And so then I was led forth, and brought into a foul dishonest prison, where I came never before. But thanked be God, when all mē were gone forth then from me, & had sparred fast the prison door after them: By and by after, I therein by myself, busied me to think on God, & to thank him of his goodness. And I was then greatly comforted in all my wits, not only for that I was then delivered for a time from the sight, from the hearing, from the presence, from the scorning, and from the manassing of mine enemies: but much more I rejoiced in the Lord, because that through his grace he kept me so, both among the flattering specially, and among the manassing of mine adversaries, that without heaviness and anguish of my conscience, I passed away from them. For as a tree laid upon another tree, ouerwharte or Cross wise, so was the Archbishop and his three Clerks always contrary to me, and I to them.
Now good God for thine holy name, and to the praising of the most blessed name: make us one together, if it be thy will (by authority of thy word, that is true perfect charity) and else not. And that it may thus be, all that this writing read or hear, pray heartily to the lord God, that he for his great goodness that cannot be with tongue expressed, grant to us and to all other, which in the same wise, and for the same cause specially, or for any other cause be at dystaūce, to be knit & made one in true faith, in steadfast hope, and in perfect charity. Amen.
Besides this examinatiō here above described, came another treatise also to our hands of the same W. Thorn, under the name and title of his testament: which rather by the matter and handling thereof, might seme to be counted a complaint of vicious Priests: which treatise or Testament, in this place we thought not mere to be left out.
MAthew an Apostle of Christ, and his Gospeller, witnesseth truly in the holy Gospel, the most holy living and the most wholesome teaching of Christ. He rehearseth how that Christ likeneth thē that hear his words and keep thē, to a wise mā that buildeth his house upon a stone, that is a stable and a • ad ground. This house is man's soul in whom Christ delighteth to dwell, if it be grounded, that is stablished faithfully in his living & in his true teaching, adourned or made fair with diverse virtues, which Christ used and taught without any meddling of any error, as are chiefly the conditions of charity.
This foresaid stone is Christ, upon which every faithful soul must be built, since upon none other ground then upon Christ's living and his teaching, nobody may make any building or housing, wherein Christ will come and dwell. This sentence witnesseth S. Paul to the Corinthians, showing to them that nobody may set any other ground then is set, that is, Christ's living and teaching. And because that all men and women should give all their business here in this life, to build them virtuously upon this sure foundation: S. Paul knowledging the servant desire, and the good will of the people of Ephesye, wrote to them comfortablye saying: Now ye are not strangers, guests, nor yet comelinges, but ye are the Citizens and of the household of God, built above upon the foundement of the Apostles and Prophets. In which foundement, every building that is built or made thorough the grace of God, it increaseth or groweth into an holy temple, that is: Every body that is grounded or built faithfully in the teaching and living of Christ, is there through, made the holy temple of God.
This is the stable ground and steadfast stone Christ, which is the sure corner stone, fast joining & holding mightily together, two walls. For through Christ Jesus, mean or middle person of the Trinitye: the Father of heaven is pitious or mercifully joined and made one together to mankind. And through dread to offend God, and servant love to please him, mē be inseparably made one to God and defended surely under his protection. Also, this foresaid stone Christ, was figured by the square stones of which the temple of God, was made. For as a square stone, wheresoever it is cast or laid, it abideth and lieth stably: so Christ and every faithful member of his Church by example of him, abideth and dwelleth stably in true faith, and in all other heavenly virtues in all aduersityes that they suffer in this valley of tears.
For loe, when these foresaid square stones were hewn and wrought for to be laid in the walls or pillars of God's temple, none noise or stroke of the workman was heard. Certain this silence in working of this stone, figu • eth Christ chiefly and his faithful members, which by example of him, have been and yet are, and ever to the worlds end shall be so meek and patient in every adversity, that no sound nor yet any grudging shall any time be perceived in them.
Nevertheless, this chief and most worshipful corner stone which only is ground of all virtues, proud beggars repriued: but this despite and reproof, Christ suffered most meekly in his own person, for to give example of all meekness and patience to all his faithful followers. Certain, this world is now so full of proud beggars which are named Priests: but the very office of working of Priesthood which Christ approveth true, and accepteth, is far from the multitude of Priests that now reign in this world.
For from the highest Priest to the lowest all (as who say) study, that is, they imagine and travel busilye, how they may please this world and their flesh. This sentence and many such other dependeth upon them, if it be well considered, other God the father of heaven hath deceived all mankind by the living specially and teaching of Jesus Christ, and by the living and teaching of his Apostles and Prophets: or else all the Popes that have been, since I had any knowledge or discretion, with all the College of Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops, Monks, Canons, and Friers, with all the contagious flock of the communalty of Priesthood, which have (all my life time and mikle lenger) reigned and yet reign, & increase damnably from sin into sin: have been and yet be proud, obstinate heretics, covetous simoners, and defouled adulterers in the ministering of the Sacraments, and specially in the ministering of the Sacrament of the alter. For as their works showeth whereto Christ biddeth us take heed: the highest Priests and Prelates of this Priesthood, challenge and occupy vnlefull, temporal Lordships. And for temporal favor and meed, they sell & give benefices to unworthy and unable persons, yea these simoners sell sin, suffering men and women in every degree and estate, to lie, and continue, from year to yere, in diverse vices slaūderously. And thus by evil example of high priests in the church, lower Priests under them are not only suffered, but they are maintained to sell full dear (to the people for temporal meed) all the Sacraments.
And thus all this foresaid Priesthoode, is blown so high and borne up in pride and vain glory of their estate and dignity & so blinded with worldly covetousness: That they disdain to follow Christ in very meekness and willful poverty, living holylye and preaching God's word truly, freely and continually, taking their livelihood at the free will of the people of their pure alms, where and when they suffice not for their true and busy preaching to get their sustenance with their hands. To this true sentence grounded on Christ's own living and teaching of his Apostles, these foresaid worldly & fleshly Priests will not consent effectually. But as their works and also their words show: boldly and vnshamefastly these forenamed Priests and Prelates, covet, and enforce them mightily and busily, that all holy scripture were expounded and drawn accordingly to their manners, and to their ungrounded usages and findinges. For they will not (since they hold it but folly and madness) conform their manners to the pure and simple living of Christ and his Apostles, nor they will not follow freely their learning. Wherefore, all the Emperors and Kings, and all other Lord's and Ladies, and all the common people in every degree and state, which have before time known or might have known, and also all they that now yet know or might know this foresaid witness of Priesthood, and would not nor yet will, enforce them after their cunning and power, to withstand charitably the foresaid enemies and traitors of Christ, and of his church: all these strive with Antichrist against Jesus. And they shall hear the indignation of God almighty without end, if in convenient time they amend them not, and repent them verily, doing therefore due mourning and sorrow, after their cunning & power. For through presumtuousnesse and negligence of Priests & Prelates (not of the Church of Christ, but occupying their prelacye vnduely in the Church) and also flattering and false covetousness of other diverse named Priests: Lousengers and lounderers, are wrongfully made and named Heremites, and have leave to defraud poor and needy creatures of their liuelode, and to live by their false winning and begging, in sloth and in other diverse vices. And also of these Prelates, these coker noses, are suffered to live in pride and hipocrisy, and to defoule themselves both bodelye and ghostly. Also by the suffering and counsel of these foresaid Prelates and of other Priests, are made both vain brotherhoodes and sisterhoodes, full of pride and envy, which are full contrary to the brotherhood of Christ, since they are cause of mickle dissetion, and they multiply and sustain it uncharitably: for in lustye eating and drinking, unmeasurably and out of time, they exercise themselves. Also this vain confederacy of brotherhoodes, is permitted to be of one clothing, and to hold together.
And in all these ungrounded and vnlefull doings, priests are parteners and great medlers and counselors. And over this viciousness, Heremites and Pardoners, Ankers, and strange beggars, are licensed and admitted of Prelates and Priests, for to beguile the people with flatteringes and leasinges slanderously against all good reason and true believe, and so to increase diverse vices in themselves, and also among all them that accept them or consent to them.
And thus, the viciousness of these foresaid named Priests & Prelates, have been long time, and yet is, and shall because of wars both within the Realm and without. And in the same wise, these unable Priests have been, and yet are, and shall be chief cause of pestilence of men, and morein of beasts, and of barrenness of the earth, and of all other mischiefs, to the time that Lord's and commons able them through grace, for to know and to keep the commandments of God, enforcing them than faithfully and charitably by one assent, for to redress and make one this foresaid Priesthood, to the willful, poor, meek, and innocent living and teaching, specially of Christ and his Apostles.
Therefore, all they that know or might know, the viciousnes that reigneth now cursedly in these Priests and in their learning, if they suffice not to understand this contagious viciousness: let them pray to the Lord heartily for the health of his Church, abstaining them prudently from these indurate enemies of Christ and of his people, and from all their Sacraments, since to them all that know them or may know, they are but fleshly deeds and false: as S. Cyprian witnesseth in the first question of decrees, and in the first cause. Ca. Si quis inquit. For as this Saint and great Doctor witnesseth there, that not only vicious Priests, but also all they that favor them or consent to them in their viciousness: shall together perish with them, if they amend them not duly, as all they perished that cōscented to Dathan and Abiron. For nothing were more confusion to these foresaid vicious Priests, than to eschew them prudently in all their vnlefull Sacraments, while they continue in their sinful living slanderously, as they have long time done and yet do. And nobody need to be afraid (though death did follow by one wise or other) for to die out of this world without taking of any Sacrament of these foresaid Christ's enemies: since Christ will not fail, for to minister himself all Iefull & healfull Sacraments and necessary at all time (and specially at end) to all them that are in true faith, in steadfast hope, and in perfect charity.
But yet some mad fools say (for to eschew slander) they will be shriven once in the year, and communed of their proper Priests, though they know them defouled with slanderous vices. No doubt, but all they that thus do or consent privily or apertly to such doing, are culpable of great sin: since S. Paul witnesseth, that not only they that do evil, are worthy of death and damnation, but also they that consent to evil doers. Also (as their slaūderous works witness) these aforesaid vicious Priests, despise and cast from them heavenly cunning, that is given of the holy ghost Wherefore, the Lord throweth all such despisers from him, that they use nor do any Priesthood to him.
No doubt than, all they that wittingly or willfully, take or consent that any other body should take any Sacrament of any such named Priest, sinneth openly and damnably against all the Trinity, and are unable to any Sacrament of health.
And that this foresaid sentence is altogether true, into remission of all my sinful living, trusting steadfastly in the mercy of God, I offer to him my soul.
And to prove also the foresaid sentence true with the help of God, I purposefully for to suffer meekly and gladly my most wretched body to be tormented, where God will, of whom he will, and when he will, and as long as he will, and what temporal pain he will and death, to the praising of his name, and to the edification of his Church.
And I that am most unworthy and wretched caytife, shall now through the special grace of God, make to him pleasant sacrifice with my most sinful and unworthy body. Beseechyng heartily all folk that read or hear this end of my purposed Testament, that through the grace of GOD, they dispose verily and virtuously all their wits, and able in like manner all their members for to understand truly, and to keep faithfully, charitably, and continually all the commandments of God, and so than to pray devoutly to all the blessed Trinity, that I may have grace with wisdom and prudence from above, to end my life here in this foresaid truth and for this cause, in true faith and steadfast hope, and perfect charity. Amen.
What was the ende of this good man and blessed servant of God Williā Thorpe, I find as yet in no story specified. By all conjectures it is to be thought, that the archbishop Thomas Arundull being so hard an adversary against those men, would not let him go. Much less it is to be supposed, that he would ever retract his sentence and opinion, which he so valiantly maintained before the bishop, neither doth it seem that he had any such recanting spirit. Agayne, neither is it found, that he was burned. Wherefore it remaineth most like to be true, that he being committed to some straight prison (according as the Archbyshop in his examination before, did threaten him) there (as Thorpe confesseth himself) was so straightly kept, that either he was secretly made away, or else there he died by sickness.
The like end also I find to happen to John Aston, another good folower of Wycliffe, who for the same doctrine of the sacrament was condemned by the Bishops, And because he would not recant, he was committed to perpetual prison, wherein the good man continued till his death. An. 1382.
John Puruey.
FUrthermore, in the said examinatiō of Williā Thorpe, mention was made (as ye heard) of John Puruey, of whom also something we touched before: promising of the said John Puruey, more particularly to entreat in order and process of time. Of this Puruey, Tho. Walden writeth thus in his second tome, John Puruey saith he, was the Library of Lollordes, and gloser upon Wycliffe. He said, that the worshipping of Abrahā was but a salutatiō. And in his third Tome, he saith: this John Puruey with Harford a doctor of divinity, were grievously tormented, and punished in the prison of Saltwood, and at y e length recanted at Paul's cross at London (Tho. Arundel being then Archb. of Canterbury.) Afterward again, he was emprisoned under Henry Chicheley Archb. of Canterbury, in the year of our Lord 1421. Thus much writeth Walden. The works of this man which he wrote, were gathered by Richard Lauingame his adversary, which I think worthy to be remembered. First, as touching the Sacrament of the last supper, the Sacrament of penance, the Sacrament of orders, the power of the keys, the preaching of y e Gospel, of Mariages, of Uowes, of possessions, of the punishing and correcting of the Clergy, of the laws and decrees of the Church, of the state and condition of the Pope and the clergy: Of all these generally, he left diverse monuments gravely and exactly written, part whereof, here in the end of his story we thought to exhibit, being translated out of Latin into English.
The articles which he taught, and afterward was forced to recant at Paul's cross, were these hereafter following.
1. That in the Sacrament of the alter after the consecration, there is not, neither can be, any accident without the subject: But there verily remaineth the same substance and the very visible and incorruptible bread, & likewise y e very same wine the which before the consecration were set upon the alter to be consecrate of the Priest: likewise as when a Pagan or infidel is baptized, he is spiritually converted into a member of Christ through grace, and yet remaineth the very same man which he before was in his proper nature and substance.
2. Auricular confession or private penance, is a certain whispering, destroying the liberty of the Gospel & newly brought in by the Pope and the Clergye, to entangle the consciences of mē in sin, & to draw their souls into hell.
3. Every lay man being holy, and predestinate unto ever lasting life (albeit he be a lay man) yet is he a true Priest before God.
4. That diverse Prelates and other of the Clergy, do live wickedly contrary to the doctrine and example of Christ & his Apostles. Therefore they which so live, have not the keys neither of y e kingdom of heaven, neither yet of hell: neither ought any Christian to esteem his censure anymore, then as a thing of no force. Yea albeit the pope should peradventure interdite the realm, yet could he not hurt, but rather profit us, for so much as thereby we should be dismissed from the observation of his laws, and from saying of service according to the custom of the Church.
5. If any man do make an oath or vow, to keep perpetual chastity, or do anything else whereunto God hath not appointed him, giving him grace to perform his purpose: the same vow or oath, is unreasonable and indiscreet, neither can any Prelate compel him to keep the same, except he will do contrary unto God's ordinance. But he ought to commit him, unto the governance of the holy ghost & of his own conscience: for so much as every man which will not fulfill his vow or oath, cannot do it for that cause.
6. Whosoever taketh upon him the office of priesthood, although he have not the charge of souls committed unto him according to the custom of the Church: Not only they may, but ought to preach the Gospel freely unto the people otherwise he is a thief, excommunicated of God, and of the holy Church.
7. That Innocentius the third Pope, and 600. bishops, and a thousand other Prelates, with all the rest of the clergy, which together with the same Pope agreed and determined: that in the sacrament of the alter, after the conversion of the bread and wine into the body & blood of Christ, that the acesdentes of the said bread and wine do remain there, without any proper subject of the same: the which also ordained, that all Christians ought to confess their sins once a year unto a proper priest, & to receive the reverent Sacrament at Easter, & made certain other laws at the same time: All they saith he, in so doing were fools and Blockeheades, Heretics, Blasphemers and Seducers of Christian people. Wherefore, we ought not to believe their determinations, or of their successors, neither ought we to obey their laws or ordinances, except they be plainly grounded upon the holy Scripture, or upon some reasō which cannot be impugned.
Other Articles drawn out of Purueyes books more at large by Ry. Lauingham.
AS touching the Sacrament of thanks giving, he saith: That that chap. of repentance and remission: Omnis vtriusque sexus, wherein it is ordained that every faithful mā ought once every year at the least, that is to say, at Easter to receive the Sacrament of Eucharist: is a beastly thing, heretical and blasphemous.
Item, that Innocenius the 3. Pope, was the head of Antichrist, who after the letting loose of Satan, invented a new article of our saith, and a certain feigned verity touching the Sacrament of the alter: That is to say, that the Sacrament of the alter is an accidēt without a substance, or else an heap of accidences without a substance. But Christ and his Apostles do teach manifestly, that the Sacrament of the alter is bread, and the body of Christ together after the manner that he spake: And in that he calleth it bread, he would have the people to understand as they ought with reason, that it is very and substaunciall bread, and no false nor sayned bread.
And although Innocētius that Antichrist doth allege, that in the council at Lions where this matter was decided were 600. Bishops with him, and 1000. Prelates, which were in one opiniō of this determination: Al those notwithstanding he talleth. fools according to that saying of Eccl. Of footes there are an infinite number. And so in like manner he calleth them false Christ's & false prophets; of whom Christ speaketh the 24. of Matthew: Many false Christ's and false Prophets shall arise and deceive many: And therefore, every Christian man ought to believe firmly that the sacrament of the alter is very bread in deed, and no false nor sayned bread, And although it be very bread in deed, yet notwithstanding, it is the very body of Christ in y e sort he spake and called it his body: and so it is very bread, and the very body of Christ. And as Christ concerning his humanity, was both visible and passable, and by his Divinity was invisible and unpassible: So likewise, this sacrament in that it is very bread, may be seen with the corporal eye, and may also abide corruption. But although a man may see that Sacrament, yet notwithstanding, cannot the body of Christ in that Sacrament be seen with the corporal eye, although it be the body of Christ in that manner he spake it: For that notwithstanding, the body of Christ is now incorruptible in heavē. So the Sacrament of the cup is very wine, & the very blood of Christ, according as his manner of speaking was. Also Innocentius, 3, with a great multitude of his secular Clerks, made a certain new determination: that the Sacrament of the alter is an accidence without a substance, whereas, neither Jesus Christ nor any of his Apostles, taught this saith (but openly and manifestly to the contrary) neither yet the holy Doctors, for the space of a thousand years & more, taught this faith openly.
Therefore, when Antichrist or any of his shauelinges doth ask of thee that art a simple Christian, whether that this Sacrament be the very body of Christ or not: affirm thou it manifestly so to be. And if he ask of thee whether it be material bread, or what other bread else: say thou, that it is such bread as Christ understood and meant by his proper word: and such bread, as the holy ghost meant in S. Paul when he called that to be very bread which he brake, and wade thou no further herein. If he ask thee, how this bread is the body of Christ: Say thou, as Christ understood the same to be his body which is both omnipotent and true, & in whom is no untruth. Say thou also, as the holy Doctors do say, that the terrestrial matter or substance, may be converted into Christ, as the Pagan or infidel may be Baptized: and herby spiritually to be converted and to be a member of Christ, and so after a certain manner to become Christ, and yet the same man to remain still in his proper nature. For so doth S. Augustine grant, that a sinner forsaking his sin and being made one spirit with God by faith, grace, and charity: may be converted into God, and to be after a manner, God: as both David, and S. John do testify, and yet to be the same person in substance and nature, and in soul and virtue to be altered & changed. But yet, men of more knowledge and reasō, may more plainly convince the falsity of Antichrist both in this matter and in others, by the gift of the holy Ghost working in thē. Notwithstanding, if those that be simple men will humbly hold and keep the manifest and apparaunt words of the holy scripture, & the plain sense and meaning of the holy ghost, and proceed no farther, but humbly to commit that unto y e spirit of God which passeth their understanding: Then may they safely offer themselves to death, as true Martyrs of Jesus Christ.
As touching the Sacrament of penance: That chapter Omnis vtriusque sexus, by which a certain new found auricular confession was ordained: is full of hipocrisye, heresy: covetousness, pride, & blasphemy he saith, and reproveth the same chapter verbatim, and that by the sentences of the same process. Also, that the penance and pains limited by the Canons, be unreasonable and unjust, for the austerity and rigorousnes which they contain, more then are taxed by God's law. He also doth exemplify, of the solemn and public denial of penitentes to be received into orders, according to the decree of the general Council Distinctione 50. cap Ex poenitentibus. Also of the sevenfold penitence of a priest committing fornication, according to the chapter. Praes biter Distinct. 82. And farther showeth, another example of the penitence of Priests according to that chater. Qui praes biterum &c. Whereas the decretal of the general Counsel saith, that such a one ought to remain continuing his life, in the wars, and not to mary. And how Innocentius 3. brought in a new found confession: whereby, the Priests do oppress the simple lay men. And that many other things they do, compelling them to confess themselves to blind and ignorant Priests, in whom is nothing else then pride and covetousness, having such in contempt as are learned and wise. Also, that the Decretal of Innocentius 3. touching the foresaid auricular or vocal confession: was brought in and invented, to intricate & entangle men's consciences with sin, & to draw thē down to hell. And furthermore, that such manner of confession, destroyeth the Evangelical liberty, and doth let men to inquire after, & to retayn, the wise counsel & doctrine of such as be gods priests: which know faithfully how to observe his precepts and commandments, & which would willingly teach the people, the right way to heavē. For which abuse, all Christian men and spicially all Englishmē, ought to exciayne against such wicked laws.
As touching the Sacrament of order he saith: That all good Christians, are predestinate and be ordained of God, & made true Priests to offer Christ in themselves, and to Christ, themselves: as also to teach and preach the Gospel to their neighbors, as well in word as in example of living. But the worldly shavelings do more magnify the naked & bare signs of priesthood (invented by sinful men) then the true & perfect priesthood of God, grounded by a true & lively saith, annexed with good works. Also, if it were needful to have such shauelinges, God knoweth how, & can make when it pleaseth him, priests (without man's working & sinful signs, that is to say, without either sacraments or characters) to be known & discerned of the people, by their virtuous life and example, and by their true preaching of y e law of God for so made he the first made priests & elders before the law of Moses: and so made he Moses a priest before Aaron, & before the ceremonies of the law, without man's operation at all: And even so hath God made all such as are predestinate, to be his priests. But such as be true Christians, receive none such as Priests, but unless they follow Christ and his apostles, neither do they believe that they make the sacrament of the auitar (which they affirm to be God's body) when it pleaseth thē: least happily God be not with them, forasmuch as that they do this thing for covetousness sake, or else to brag of their own power And therefore such as be simple men, will worship that Sacrament in this doubtfulness, with a silent conditiō, that is, if it be made by God's authority, and to have their deuotiō to the body of Christ in heaven. Also, that as such be elders, if they be God's priests, be Bishops, Prelates, and Curates of their Christian brethren, whom they may lead to heavē by the example of their holy conuersariō, and by preaching of the gospel although they make no sacrifice to that Antichrist of Rome for their confirmation: neither be they dedicated to the world by secular divine things, and by consuming the livings of the poor: as be those secular bishops, prelates & curates. Also, that although there were no pope according as the custom of the church is: yet Christ which is the hed of his church, doth ordain such a Pope as pleaseth him: and that is, whomsoever is most humble & lowly and best doth the office of a true Priest, although he be unknown to y e world. And although there were no such proud bishop above all the rest, as the church doth use: yet all the priests might well govern the church by common asient, as once they did, before such worldly pride crept in amongst the Bishops, &c. And admit that no such Priests were according to the accustomed use now of receiving of order & torsure, by such a mytred Byshoppe and his tonsure: yet: Christ knoweth both how to make and choose such as shall well please him, both in conversation of life, & sincere preaching of the Gospel, in ministering to his people all necessary sacraments. And every holy man which is a minister of Christ, although he be not shaven, is a true Priest ordained of God, although no mitred Bishoppe ever lay his character upon him: So, that the Pope and Prelates, do make more estimation of their Characters (as tonsures & crowns by them invented) then of the true and perfect priesthood ordained of God: whereas, all those that are predostinate, are true Priests made of him.
As touching the authority of the keys and censures, no Christian man ought to esteem Satan (whom men call the pope) and his unjust censures: more then the hissing of a serpent, or the blast of Lucifer. Also, that no man ought to trust or put confidence in the false indulgences of covetous Priests, which indulgences do draw away the hope which men ought to repose in God, to a sort of sinful men, and do rob the poor of such alms as is given to them: Such Priests be manifest betrayers of Christ and of the whole Church, and be Satan's own stuardes to beguyle christen souls by their hipocrisy and feigned pardons. Also, forasmuch as those prelates and clergy men live so execrable a life, contrary to the gospel of Christ, and examples of his Apostles, & teach not truly the gospel, but only lies and the traditions of sinful wicked men: It appeareth most manifestly that they have not the keys of the kingdom of heaven, but rather the keys of hell. And they may be right well assured, that God never gave unto them authority to make & establish so many ceremonies & traditions, which be contrary to the liberty of the Gospel, and are blocks in christen men's ways, that they can neither know nor observe the same his Gospel, in liberty of conscience, and so attain a ready way to heaven.
Also, that all manner of religious men, notwithstanding the chapter Religiosi, touching the privileges in the Clementines: may lawfully minister all sacraments to the that are worthy the same. Forasmuch as the same is a work of charity, which only the will and ordinance of the pope and his sautors in this case is to hinder and set. Item, if the Pope shall interdict this our realm: that cannot hurt us, but much profit us: Because that thereby he should separate us from all his wicked laws, and frō the charges of sustaining of so many thousand shavelings, which with small deuotiō or none at all, patter and charter a new solid song seoundum vsum Sarum. So that not whatsoever y e pope in his general counsel hindeth in earth, is bound of God in heaven: either for that he hindeth unreasonably, and cōtradictorily doth against himself, or else for that he hath forsaken the judgment of God.
As touching the preaching of the Gospel: whoseuer receiveth or taketh vpō him y e office of a priest or of a bishop and dischargeth not the same by the example of his good conversation and faithful preaching of the Gospel: is a thief, excommunicate of God, and of holy church. And further if the curates preach not the word of God, they shall be damned, and if they know not how to preach, they ought to resign their benefices: So that those prelates which preach not the Gospel of Christ (although they could excuse themselves from the doing of any other evil) are dead in themselves, are Antichrists, and Satan's trāffigured into angels of light, might thieves, manquellers by day night, & betrayers of Christ his people.
Concerning the sacrament of Matrimony: Notwithstanding any spiritual kindred or gossopry, a man and woman may lawfully mary together by the law of god, without any dispensatiō papistical. And in y e same place he saith that if our realm do admit one not borne in matrimony or illegitimate to the imperial crown, so that he doth well discharge the office of a king: God maketh him a king, and by consequence doth reject another king or heir of y e kingdom, being borne in matrimony and legitimate: So, for such spiritual kindred there ought no diuorse to be made. Also notwithstanding the Cap. Si inter de sponsalibus : If any man shall make any contract with any woman by y t words of the future tense, by an oth taken: & afterwards shall with another woman make the like contract by the words of the present tense: that then the second contract standeth. Also, it a man make any contract with a womā by the words of the future tense, vpō his oth taken: & maketh afterwards the like contract with another not altering the words and hath carnal copulation upon the same: the first contract maketh the matrimony good, and not the second. Also, if a man before witness assure himself to a woman by a contract made in the present tense, & hath children by the same woman: & afterward the same man marrieth another woman, with the like words in the present tense, before witness: Although the first witnesses be dead, or else by bribes corrupt, and y e second bring his witnesses before the judge to prove the second contract: the first contract yet standeth in force, although the Pope (allowing the second contract) doth compel them to live in adultery against y e conmaundement of God. Also, he condemneth the decretal of the restitution of things stolen Cap. Literas tuas : which wrileth, that a man and woman having carnal copulation in the degree of consanguinity forbid̄, and hath no witness hereof: If the woman will depart from the man she shall be compelled by the censures, to remain with him, and to yield her debt. Also, in case where a man hath made contract with two women, with one secretly having no witness, and wich the other openly having witness: Then were is better to acknowledge the insufficiency of the law, and to suffer men to be ruled by their own consciences, then by the censures to compel them, to committee and live in adultery.
As touching the keeping and making of vows: That vow or oath is beastly, and is without all discretion made: which to perform and keep a man hath no power but by grace given him of God. Because that some such there be, whom god doth not accept to persevere in the state of chastity and perpetual virginity: and such a one cannot keep his vow, although he make the same. Also that everyone making a vow of continencye or chastitye, when making the same he shall not be accepted of God: doth very vndiscretly, and as one without all reason maketh the same, whē he is not able of himself without y e gift of God to fulfil his promise: according to that saying of the wise mā. cap. 8. No man hath the gift of continency, unless that God give it unto him. For otherwise, if god help not such a one to perform the vow or oath which he hath made and sakē: No prelate can compel him, unless he do contrary to God's ordinance: but he ought to commit himself to the government of God's holy spirit, and his own conscience.
For the possessions of the Church: In another treatise it is declared, how the king, the Lord's and commons may without any charge at all, keep 15. garrisons, & find 15000. soldiers, (having sufficient lands and revenues to live upon) out of the temporalties gotten into the hands of the clergy & feigned religious men: which never do that, which pertaineth to the office of curates to do, nor yet to secular lords. And moreover, the king may have every yere 20000 pound to come freely into his cofers and above. Also, may find or sustain 15. Colleges more: and 15000. priests and clerks, with sufficient living: and a 100. hospitals for the sick & every house to have one hundredth marks in lands. And all this may they take of the foresaid temporaltyes, without any charge to the realm: whereunto, the king, the Lord's, and the commons are to be invited. For otherwise there seemeth to hang over our heads, a great and marvelous alteratiō of this realm, unless the same be put in execution. Also, if the secular Priests and sayned religious, which be simoniackes and heretics, which sayne themselves to say mass, and yet say none at all, according to the Canons, which to their purpose the bring and allege. 1. q 3. Audiuimus. & cap. Pudenda. & cap. Schisma : By which chap. such priests and religious do not make the Sacrament of the alter: That then all Christians, especially all the soūders of such Abbeys and indowers of bishoprickes, priories, and chaunteries: ought to amend this fault and treason committed against their predecessors, by taking from them such secular dominions which are the maintenance of all their sins. And also, that Christian Lord's & princes are bound to take away from the clergy, such secular dominion as noseleth & nourisheth them in heuesies: & ought to reduce them unto the simple and poor life of Christ Jesus, and his Apostles.
And further, that all Christian Princes (if they will amend the maledictiō and blasphemy of the name of God) ought to take away their temporalities frō that shaven generation, which most of all doth nourish them in such malediction: And so in likewise, the fat tithes from Churches appropriate to rich monks & other religions feigned by manifest lying, & other unlawful means, likewise ought to debar their gold to the proud Priest of Rome, which doth poison all Christendom with Simony and heresy. Further, that it is a great abomination that Bishops, monks, and other prelates, be so great Lord's in this world, where as Christ with his Apostles, and disciples, never took upon thē secular dominion, neither did they appropriate unto them churches as these men do: but led a poor life, & gave a good testimony of their priesthood. And therefore, all Christians ought to the uttermost of their power and strength to swear that they will reduce such shavelings, to the humility and poverty of Christ and his Apostles: And whosoever thus doth not, consenteth to their heresy. Also, that these two chapiters of the immunitye of Churches, are to be condemned, that is, cap. Non minus, and cap. Aduersus. Because they do decree, that temporal Lord's may neither require tallages nor tenths, of any Ecclesiastical persons.
Now to the correction of the clergy: By the law of god and by reason, the king and all other Christians may take revenge of Italy, and of all the false Priests and Clerks within the same, and to reduce them unto the humble ordinance of Jesus Christ. Also, that the law of Sylvester the Pope, which is declared in 2. q. 5. cap. Praesul, and cap. Nullam, is contrary to the law of Christ & either testament. And that proud and ambitious Sylvester by this law, so defended two Cardinals which were not to be defended by the law of Christ: that by no means they might be convinced, although they were both vicious & evil. And although christ sustained and suffered the judgment of unjust temporal judges: Our mitred prelates in these days, so magnify themselves beyond christ and his Apostles, that they refuse and will none of such judgments. Also, that those decretals of accusations cap. Quādo & Qualiter. Which do prohibit that any clerks should be brought before a secular judge to receive judgment: do contain both heresy, blasphemy, and error, and bringeth great gain and commodity to Antechristes cofers.
Furthermore, that all Christian kings and Lord's, ought to exclayme against the Pope and those that be his sautors, and banish them out of their lands, till such time as they will obey God, and his Gospel, Kings and other ministers of God's justice. Also, that bishops and their favorers, that say it appertaineth not to kings and secular Lord's (but unto them and their Officials) to punish adultery and fornicatiō: do fall into manifest treason against the king, and heresy against the scripture. Also, that it appertaineth to the king, to have the order both of priests & bishops, as these kings Solomon and Jehoshaphat had.
Furthermore, that chapter Nullus iudicium de foro conpetenti, by the which secular judges are forbidden without the Bishops commandment to condemn any Clerk to death: Is manifestly against the holy scripture, declaring that kings have power over clerks & priests to punish thē for their deserved crimes. Also that the decree of Boniface de poenis in 6. cap. foelicis, made against the persecutors, strikers, and imprisoners of Cardinals, as contrary both to the holy scripture & to all reason. Also, that by the law of God and reason a secular Lord may lawfully take a Cardinal & put him in prison for committing the crime of open sunony, adultery, & manifest blasphemy. Also y t the chapier Si Papa dist. 40. which saith that the Pope ought to be judged of none, unless he be deuius a fide, is contrary to y e gospel which saith: If thy brother sin against thee correct him. Also where as S. Gregory and S. Augustine called themselves the servants of God's servants: this proud bishop of Rome which will not be judged by his subjects (which be in very deed his Lord's, if they be just & good men) doth destroy the order of God's law, and all humility, and doth extol himself above God and his Apostles. Also, that Christian kings ought, not only to judge this proud bishop of Rome, but also to depose him, by the example that Cestrensis lib. 6. cap. 8. declareth, of Otho the Emperor, which deposed John the xii. and did institute Leo in his place. And further, he maketh an exhortation to the Princes to judge the Church of Rome, which he calleth the great and cursed strompet, of whom S. John writeth in the Apocalypse, chap. 17.
Lastly, touching the laws and determinations of the church: Christians have reasonable excuses and causes to repel the statutes of the pope and of his shavelings, which be not expressly grounded in the holy scriptures, or else upon reason inevitable. Also he saith that that law which is set forth of consecration distinctione. 2. cap. Seculares & cap. Omnis homo, & cap. Et si non frequentius, & cap. In coena domini: That such secular men as do not receive the sacrament ot the alter at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide, are not to be counted amongst the number of Christians, nor are to be esteemed as Christians: whereby it followeth, that all Clerks and lay men that observe not the same, it seemeth they go strait to hell. But if this law be of no force, for that the custom and use in receiving is contrary to the same: then may we bless such rebellion & disobedience to the pope and his law, for otherwise we should flee to hell without any stay or let. Whereby we may conclude, that all Christians ought well to practice this school of disobedience against y e Pope and all his laws (not founded upon the holy scripture) which do let men to clime to heaven by the keeping of charity, and the liberty of the Gospel. Also, that Christian men have great cause to refuse the laws and statutes of these worldly clerks, which y e people call the papal laws and bishoplike statutes, for the covetousness and voluptuousness of them: without the which, the church & congregation of God might safely run towards heavē by y e sweet yoke of the Lord, as it did 1000. years before the said laws were prescribed and sent to the Universities, and withdrew mē from studiyng of y e holy scripture, for the desire of benefices and worldly goods. Also that simple men do reverently receive the sentences of the Doctors and other laws, so far forth as they be expressly grounded upon the holy scripture or good reason. Also, that where as the Popes laws, & laws of his ministers & clerks be both contrary to them selves, and have not their foundation neither upon y e scripture, nor yet upon reason: simple mē ought to bid thē farewell. Also, that when all the apostles faith failed thē in the time of the Lord's passiō, faith thē rested in the blessed virgin: much more might that proud priest of Rome with all his rabble easily err in the faith, and yet is the Christian faith preserved whole and safe, in the faithful members of Christ, which are his true Church: But the Pope and all his rablement, cannot prove that they be any part of this Church. Also, that the Pope with all his fautours, may as well be deceived by a lying spirit, as was Ahab and all his prophets: and that one true prophet, as was Micah may have the verity shown unto him contra concilium, Also, that all good Christians ought to cast from them the Popes laws, saying: Let us break their bands in sonder, and let us cast from our necks those heavy yonkes of theirs. Also, that where these prelates do burn one good book, for one error perhaps contained in the same: they ought to burn all the books of the Canon law, for the manifold heresies contained in them.
And thus much out of a certain old written book in parthment borrowed ouce of I.B. which book containing diverse ancient records of the university: seemeth to belong sometimes to the library of the University, bearing the year of the compiling thereof. 1296. Which computation if it be true, then was it written of him or that he recanted before Thomas Arundell Archbishop at Saltwood, where he was imprisoned. Whereunto I thought also to annex, a certain godly and most fruitful Sermon, of like antiquity, preached at Paul's cross much about the same time, learned clerk, as I find in one old monument, named R. Wimbeldon. Albeit among the ancient registers and records belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury: I have an old worn copy of the said Sermon, written in very old English, and almost half consumed with age: purposing the said autor beer of bearing also the foresaid name. The true copy of which Sermon, in his own speech wherein it was first spoken and preached at the cross, on the Sunday of Quinquagesima, and after exhibited to the Archbishop of Canterbury (being then as it seemeth William Courtney) here followeth.
A Sermon no less godly then learned, preached at Paul's Cross on the Sunday of Quinquagesima. ann. 1389. by R. Wimbeldon.
Luce & • i.
My dere friends, ye shullen vnderstond: that Christ autor and doctor of truth, in his book of the Gospel (likening the kingdom of heaven to anhousholder) saith on this manner. Like is the kingdom of heaven to an housholding man, that went out first on the morrow to hire workmen into his vine. Also, about the third, sixth, nienth and enleuente hours he went out, and found men stonding idel. And said to them. Go ye into min vineyerde, and that right is, I wille give you. Whan the day was agoo, he clepid his stuward and high to give echē man a penny.
The spiritual vnderstonding of this householder, is our Lord Jesus Christ that is head of the household of holy Church. And thus clepith men in diuerce hours of the day, that is in diuerce agees of the werld. As in time of law of kind, he cleped by enspiryng, Abel, Ennok, Noah, and Abraham. In time of the old law, Moses, David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. And in time of grace, Apostles Martyrs, and Confessors and Virgines. Also he cleped men in diverse agees, some on childhode, as John the Baptist: some on state of wexing, as John the Evangelist: some in state of manhood, as Peter and Andrew: and some in old agee as Gamaliel, and Joseph of Arimathie. And all these he clepeth to travail in his vine, that is the Church, and that in diverse manner. For right as ye seeth, that in tilling of the material vine there ben diverse labors, for some kutten awey the void branches, some maken forkis and rails to beren up the vine, and some diggen away the old earth fro the rote, and leyn there fatter. And all this offices ben so necessary to the vine, that if any of them fail, it shall harm greatly, other destroy the vine: For but if the vine be kutte, she shall wax wild, but if she be railed she shall be ouergo with netles and wedis. And but if the rote be fatted with donge, she for feblenes should wax baraine.
Right so in the Church beth needful thes three offices, priesthood, knythode, and laborers. To priests it falleth, to kut away the void branches of sins with the swerd of her tongue. To knighthode it falleth to letten wrongs, and thefftes to ben done, and to maintain Goddis law, and them that ben teachers thereof, and also to keep the londe from enemies of other londes. And to laborers it falleth, to travail bodelich, and with there sore sweet, geten out of the earth bodillech lifelode for hem, and other parties. And these states beth also needful to the Church, that none may well ben without other, for if priesthood lacked, the people for default of knowing of God's law, should wax wild in vices, and deyen gostely. And if the knithod laked, and men to rulin the puple by law and hardiness, thieves and enemies shulden so encres that no man should live in peace. And if the laborers were naught, both knights and priests must bicome acre men and herdis: and else, they should for defaute of bodily sustenance deye. And therefore saith clerk Auicenne, that every unreasonable best if he have that that kind hath ordained for him: as kind hath ordained it: he is suffisaunce to live by himself without any help of other of the same kind. As if there were but one horse other one sheep in the world, yet if he had grass and corn as kind hath ordained for such beasts, he should live well I now. But if there ne were but O man in the world, though he had all that good that is therein, yet for defaut he should deie, or his life should be worse tha if he were naught, & the cause is this for that thing that kind ordeineth for a man's sustenance, without other arraieng than it hath of kind, accordeth naught to him. As though a man have corn as it cometh from the earth, yet it is no meat according to him, unto it be by man's craft, changed into bread: and though he have flesh other fish, yet while it is raw as kind ordained it, till it be by man's travail sodden, roasted, or baken, it cordit not to man's lifelode. And right so, wolle that the sheep beareth mot by man's diverse craftis and travails be changed or it be able do cloth any man: and certis O man by himself; should never do all these labors. And therefore saith this clerk, it is need that some be acre men, some bakers, some makers of cloth, and some marchaunts to fetch that, that on londe fetteth from another there it is plenty.
And certis this should be a cause why, every state should love other. And men of o craft should nor despise ne hate men of none other craft, since they be so needful euerich to other. And oft thelke crafts that ben most dishonest, might worst ben forbore: and o thing I dare well say that he that is neither travailing in this world, on studieng, on prayers, on preaching, for help of the people as it falleth to prists, neither ruling the people, maintaining ne defending fro enemies as it falleth to knights, neither traueling on the earth, in diverse crafts, as it falleth to laborers: Whan the day of rokening cometh that is, the end of this life, right as he lived here withouten travail, so he shall there lack the reward of the pense, that is, the endless joy of heaven. And as he was here living after none state ne order, so he shall be put than in that place that no order is in, but everlasting horror and sorrow, that is in hell. Herfore, eueriche man se to what state God hath cleped him, and dwell he therein by travail according to his degree. Thou that art a laborer or a crafty man, do this truelly. If thou art a servant or a bond man, be suget and low in drede of displeasing of thy Lord: If thou art a marchaunt, disceiue naught thy brother in chaffering. If thou art a knight or a Lord, defend the poor man and needy fro hands that will harm them. If thou art a Justice or a Judge, go not on the right hand by favor, neither on the left hand, to punish any man for hate. If thou art a priest, vndernine, pray, and repreue, in all manner patience and doctrine. Vnderuime the like that ben negligent, pray for the like that been obedient, reprove though that ben vnobedient to God. So every man travail in his degree. For whan the even is come, that is, the end of this world: than every man shall take reward, good or evil, after that he hath traualled here.
The words that I have taken to make of my sermon, be thus much to say. Yelde reconing of thy bayly. Christ author of pitye and lover of the salvation of his people, in the process of this gospel enfourmeth every man what is his baylye, by manner of a parable of a bayly that he speaketh of, to array him to answer of the goods that God hath taken him, when the day of straight reconing shall be come, that is the day of dome. And so I at this time throw the help of God, following him that is so great a master of authority, because that I know nothing that should more draw away man's unreasonable love fro the passing joy of this world, then the mind of the dreadful reconing. As much as suffice, I shall show you how ye shall dispose you to avoid the vengeance of God, when there shall be time of so straight doom, that we shall give reconing of every idle word that we have ispoken. For than it shall be said to us, and we shall not flee it: Yelde reconing of thy bayly.
But for forther process of this first party of this sermon, ye shall wete: that there shall be three bay life's that shall be cleped to this straight reconing. Twaine to answer for them self and for other, that been priests that have cure of men's souls, & temporal mē that have gouernayle of people: and the third baylyf shall account only for himself, and that is every Christian man, of that he hath received of God. And every of these shall answer to three questions: To the first question, how hast thou entered? The second, how hast thou ruled: And to the third, how hast thou lived? And if thou canst well assoil these three questions, was there never none earthly Lord that ever so well rewarded his servant without comparison, as thy Lord God shall reward thee, that is with bliss, and joy, and life that ever shall last. But on that other side, and thou wilt now be recheles of thine own welfare, and take none heed of this reconing: If that day take thee suddenly, so that thou pass hence in deadly sin (as thou worst never what shall fall thee) all the tongues that ever were, or ever shall be, mow not tell the sorrow and woe that thou shalt ever be in, and suffer. Therefore, the desire of so great joy, and the dread of so great pain, though love ne dread of God were not in thine heart: yet should that make thee afeard to sin, for to think that thou shalt give reconing of thy bayly. Therefore as I say to thee, the first question that shall be proposed to the first bayly, that is a prelat other a Curat of men's souls, is this: How hast thou entered? Math. xxij. Friend, how entredst thou hither? Who brought thee in to this office? Truth or Simony? God or the Devil? Grace or money? The flesh or the spirit? Give thou thy reconing if thou canst. If thou canst not, I rede that thou tarry for to learn. For up hap ere night thou shalt be cleped. And if thou stand dumb for vnkunning, or else for confusion of thy conscience: thou fall into the sentence that anon followeth: Bind his hands and his feet, and cast him in to the utter ward of darkness, there shall be weeping and grenning of teethe. Therefore I rede thee, that thou advise thee how thou shalt answer to this question. How hast thou entered? whether by cleeping, or by thine own procuring: for that thou wouldest travail in God's gospel, other for thou wouldest be richly arrayed? Answer now to thy own conscience as thou shalt answer to God, thou that hast take now the order of priest, whether thou be curate or none: who stirred thee to take upon thee so high an estate? Whether for thou wouldest live as a priest ought to do studying of God's law to preach, and most heartily to pray for the people: or for to live a delicious life, upon other men's travail, and thyself travail naught. Why also setten men their sons either their cousins to school? Whereto, but for to get them great advancements, or to make them the better to know howe they shoulden serve God? This men may see openly, by the sciences that they set them to. Why I pray you, put men their sons to the law civil, or to the kings court to write letters & writs: rather thā to Philosophy or Divinity, but for the hope that these occupations should be ever means, to make them great in the world. I hope that there will no man say, that they ne should better learn the rule of good living in the book of God's law, than in any books of man's worldly wisdom? But certes now it is so the, that John Chrysostom saith Mothers be loving to the bodies of their children, but the soul they despise, they desire them to well fare in this world, but they take none hede what they shall suffer in the tother: Some or deinen fees for their children, but none ordain them to godward: The lust of their bodies they wol deer by, but the health of their soul the reke naught of. If they see them poor or sick, they sorrow and sigheth, but though they see them sin, they sorrow not. And in this they show that they brought forth the bodies but not the souls. And if we take heed truly, what abominations be scattered and spread abroad in holy church nowadays among priests: we shul well wit, that they come not all to the fold of Christ by Christ's clepping for to profit: but by other ways to get them worldly wealth, and this is the cause of lesing of souls, that Christ bought so dear, and of many errors among the people: and therefore, it is iwrit in the book of mourning, where the prophet speaketh thus to God. Tre 1. The enemy hath put his hand to all things desyrable to him: for he hath let lawles folk enter into the sanctuary, of the which thou hadst commanded, that they should not enter into the church: This enemy is Sathanas, as his name sowneth, that hath put his hand to all that him liketh. What sin I pray you will the fiend have sow on men, that nis now yvsed? In what plenty is now pride, envy, wrath and covetise? Whan were they so great as they be now, and so of all other sins. And why trowest thou? But for there be a lawles people entered into thy sanctuary, that neither keep in hemselfe the law of God, ne konne teachen other: And to every such, saith God by the prophet, Ose 4. For that thou hast put away cunning: I shall put thee away that thou shall use no priesthood to me. Lo that God expressly here in holy writ, forbiddeth men to take the state of pristhoode on them, but they have cunning, that needeth them. Thou than that canst neither rule thyself ne other, after the law of God, beware how thou wilt answer to God, at his dreadful dome, when he shall say to thee, that which I took to my theme.
Yeld the reckoning of thy baily, how thou hast entered.
The second question, that every curate and prelate of holy Chirch shall answer to, is this. How hast thou ruled? That is to say, the souls of thy suggets, and the goods of poor men: Geue now thine acounte. First, how thou hast governed gods folk that were take thee to keep: Whether art thou an heard or an hired man? that dost all for love of bodelich hi e? As a father, or as a Wolf, that eaten his sheep and keepeth them naught? Say whom thou hast turned from his cursed living, by thy devout preaching, Whome hast thou taught the law of God that was erst vncunning: Ther shall ben heard a grievous accusing of fatherless children, and a hard aledging, that priests have liueden by their wages, and not done away their sins. Yelde also rekoning how thou hast ruled and spended the goods of poor men. Harke what S. Bernard saith. Dreade clerks, dread the ministers of the Church, the which ben in the place of saints, that they do so wickedly, naught holding them apayd with such wages that were sufficient to them: That overplus that needy men should be sustained by, they be not ashamed to wast in the house of their pride and leachery, and withholden to themselfe wickedly and cursedly that which should be the lifeloode of poor men. With double wickedness truly they sin. First, for they reeuen other men's goods, and faith they misuse holy things in their vanities and in their filthes. Every such Bayly therefore beware, for anon, to the last far thing he shall reckon with Christ. Trowest thou not then, that thou ne shalt be disallowed of God of that thou hast mispended in in feeding of fat Palfreys, of hounds, of Haukes, and if it so be that is worst of all, on lecherous women? Hear what is said of such. They had led their days in wealths. And in a point they been gone down into hell: Think therefore I rede thee, that thou shalt yield reckoning of thy bayly.
The third question that this baily shall answer to, is this: How hast thou lived? What light of holiness hast thou shown in thy living to the people, or what mirror hast thou ben of holiness to them? Geue now thy reconing, how thou hast lived, as a priest, or as a lewd man as a man or as a beast. That is to wonder truly how the life of priests is changed They be clothen as knights, they speaken as dishonestly as carels, other of winning as Marchaunts: They riden as princes, and all that is thus spended, is of the goods of poor men, and of Christ's heretage. Therefore saith an holy doctor: The clay of Egypt was tough and stinking, and meddled with blood. The slates were hard to be undo, for they were baked with fire of covetise, and with the light of lust. In this trauayleth riche men, in this they wake, a waiting poor men. In these travaileth prelates, that ben to much blent with to much shining of riches, that make them houses like churches in greatness, that with diverse pointries, coloren their chambers, that with diverse clothinges of colors, make images gay: but the poor mā for default of clothes beggeth; and with an empty womb crieth at the door: And if I shall the foth say, saith this doctor, oft time poor men be robbed for to clothe the trees and stones: Of such speaketh the Prophet. Howe art thou here? or as who art thou? Here thou art occupying the place of Peter and of Poule, or of Thomas or of Martin: But how, as Judas among the Apostles, as Simon Magus among the disciples, as a candle now queinte that stincheth all the house in steed of a light lantern, as a smoke that blindeth men's eyen, in place of clean fire. If thou contrary thus the form of living that Christ and his disciples left to priests: Lo what saith the prophet Ieremye. They have entered, and they have had and naught ben obedient. They haven with false title or with their false and corrupt intention, had poor men's goods to their misusing, and they have not be obedient to the law of God in their owen living. Therefore it is writ, that the hardest dome shall fall on such. An hard dome, for they have misentred An harder dome, for they have misruled. And the hardest dome, for they have so cursedlie lived. Think therefore I rede, how thou wilt give reckoning of thy bayly.
The second Bailiff, that accounteth at this dome for himself and also for other, is he: that keeping hath of any communite, as kings, princes, Maiers, and Shireues, and iustices. And these shull also answer to the same three questions. The first question, how hast thou hentred, that is to say, into thine office: Other for help of the people to destroy falshed and forthren truth? other for desire of winning or worldly worship? If thou take such an office, more for thine own worldly profit, than for help of the comunite, thou art a tirant as the pholosopher seith. For it is to fear least there been too many that desiren such states, that they may the rather oppress the like that they hateth, and take gifts to spare to punish the like, that haven trespassed, and so maketh them parteners of their sins. And many such, when they ben so high, they reck naught that they beeth poor men's brethren: but they wene to pass them in kind, as they passeth in worldly worship, that is but wind: of which God faith by the prophet, they haven reigned, but naught of me, they have been princes but I know naught. So we read of Roboam, that was the son of king Solomon, what time he was first king, the people of Israel come to him, and said: Thy father in his last days, put on us great charge. We pray thee some deal make it lighter, and we willen serve thee. And the king took counsel of the old wise men, and they counsailden to answer them fair, and that should be for the best. But he left these old wise mennis counsel, and did after the counsel of children that were his playferen, and said to the people, when they came again: My left finger, is greater then my fathers riegge. My father grieved you somewhat, but I will echen more thereto. And the people heard this, and rebeleden to him, and took them another king and fithe, the kingdom came never whole again. And therefore it is good, that every ruler of cominalties, that they be not lad by follies, ne by none other ear rowner, that he ne have an eygh of love to the comontie that he hath to rule. For were ye well be he never so high, that he shall come afore his higher, to yield reconing of his bayly.
The second question is: How hast thou ruled the people, and the office that thou haddest to govern? Thou that hast been a Judge in causes of poor men, how hast thou kept this hest of God? Thou shalt not take heed to the person of a poor man, to be to him the harder for his poverty, ne thou shalt not behold a rich man's semblance, to spare or to favor him in his wrong for his riches. O Lord, what abusion is there among officers of both laws, nowadays: If a great man pleadeth with a poor man, to have ought that he holdeth, every officer shall be ready to hye all that he may, that the rich man might have such an end as he desired. But if a poor man plead with a rich man, than there shall be so many delays, that though the poor man's right be open to all the Country, for pure faute of spending, he shall be glad to cease. Shriues and Bailiffs willen return poor men's writs, with tarde Genit, but gif they feelen meede in their hands. And yet I hear sale, men that haven seyen both laws, that ilke court that is cleeped Christ's court, is much more cursed. Therefore it is writ: gifts they taken out of men's bosoms, to overturn the right way of dome. But it is to dread the word of Christ: In what dome ye deem, ye should be demed when ye come to yield a reconing of your bayly.
The third question is: Howe hast thou lived, thou that deemest and punishest other men for their trespass. A great doctor saith: thee behooveth to flee the wickedness of other men, that thou chastieest them for their trespass. For if thyself do vnlawfullich in deeming other men, thou damnest thyself, scythe thou doest that thou damnest. And Poul saith: why teachest thou naught thyself, that thou teachest other? Why stealest thou, that teachest naught other men to steal? Saint Gregory saith: He shall not take gouernaile of other, that cannot go before them in good living. And when any man stand before him in dome, he must take heed to fore what Judge he shall stand him self, to take his dome after his deeds. But it is to dread, that many fareth as the twe false priests that woulden have damned to death holy Susan, for she would not assent to their leacherie. Of the which it is writ: they turned away their eyen, for they would not see heaven, ne have mind of rightful domes. So it happeth often, they that were more worthy to be hanged, damneth them that be less worthy, as a clarcke telleth of Socrates the Philosopher, saith he, upon a day a man asked of him why he laughed. And he said: for I see great thieves leaden a little thief to hanging. I pray thee, whether is he a greater thief that bynimeth a man his house and his land from him and from his heirs for evermore, other he that for making of great need, stealeth a sheep or a calf. Whether trow we naught, that it happeth such extortioners to be other while Judges, and demeth men thus: But I read thee that thus deemest other, think on that dome thou shalt come to, to yield the rekening of thine bayly.
The third Baylife that shall be cleped to this dreadful a count shall be every Christian man, that shall give rekening to his Lord God, for goods that he hath had of his. And here I will speak but of the first question, that is this: How enterest thou, And here by the way, ye that have goten any, worldly good, other take by extortion, by rauayne, by usury, other by disceit: Woe shall be to him at this dreadful day as Saint Agustine saith. If he be cast into the fire that hath naught given of his own good: where trowest thou shall he be castin, that hath reued other men's from them. And if he shulle brenne with the send that hath naught clothed the naked, where trowest shall he brenne that hath made him naked that was erst clothed. But as Saint Gregory saith, two things maketh men to live thus by rauaine of other neighbors, that they desire heynes and drede poverty, and what vengeance falleth of this sin of covetise, I may see by figure in holy writ, whan the Angel said to Prophet Zechariah. Rear up thine eyen, and see what is that goeth out. And the Prophet said what is it? Then the Angel said, this is the pot going out, this is the eize of hem on all the earth, And there was a weihgt of lede I bore, and there was a woman sitting in the middle of this potte. And the Angel said, this is impiety: And he took her, and cast her into the middle of this pot, and he took the gobette of leed and caste it into the pots mouth. And the Prophet lift up his eye, and he saw two women coming out, and spirits in her wing is like two kytes other gledes: and they are rid up this pot between heaven and the earth, and than the Prophet spake to the Angel, whider wol these bear this pot? And he said, into the lond of Sennaar: This pot is covetise. For right as a pot hath a wide open mouth, so covetise gapeth after worldly good: and right as the licour in the pot, profiteth naught to the pot, but to men that draweth and drinketh thereof: so wordly good often, profiteth not to churlles, but to other that cometh after, as it is written. He that hath money, shall have no fruit of it. And this covetise is the eye of covetous men: for they ben blind to see how they should see to go to heaven, but to winning of worldly things they see many ways, like to owls, and nightcrowes, that seen better by night than by day. The gobbet of lead, is the syn of obstination. The woman that sat in the pot, is vnpittie, as the Angel said, that followeth unrighteousness and avarice. For through avarice, a man leeseth the pity that he should have of the mischief of his soul. For oft time, men leese the life of their soul, by deadly sin that they do to have worldly winning: and also they leese the pity that they should have of their body, putting them selves to many great bodelye trauayls and perils both by sea, and land, and all maketh covetise. This pot is stopped with the gobbet of lead, when vnpitie is thus by sin of obstination closed in covetise, that he may not go out of the chinches heart by penance. For as Job saith: when he is fulfilled, he shall be stopped. The two women that bare up this pot, are pride and lust of flesh, that be cleped in holy writ the twey daughtren of the water Lethe, crying: bring, bring. And they had wings: the first wing is grace spiritual, as cunning, wisdom, and counsel, with such other many For which gifts many men wexe proud. The second wing is bodily grace, as strength, fairehood, gentrie, and many other such, whereof men wexe proud. The wings of the second woman that is fleshly desire, both glotony and sloth. Of glotonie speaketh S. Gregory: when the womb is fulfilled, the pricks of leacherie beth meued. And of sloth S. Augustine saith: Lot the while he dwelled in business among shrewes in Sodom, he was a good man. But when he was in the hill slow, for sykkernes, he in his drunkenness lay by his daughtren. And these women had wings like Kytes, that with a crying voice seecheth their meat, as Bartholomeus saith. And thus fareth covetise of men. Witnessing Saint Augustine, what is the greedynes of fleshly desire. In as much as the ravenous fishes have sometime measure, yet when they hunger, they rapin, and when they fulfill, they spare: But only covetise of men may not be fulfilled. For ever he taketh, and never hath enough. Neither he dreadeth God, neither shame of men. He ne spareth his father, ne knoweth his mother, ne accordeth with his brethren, neither keepeth truth with his friend. He ouerpresseth widows and fatherless children. Freemen he maketh bond, and bringeth forth false witness, and occupieth dead men's things, as he shoulden never die. What manhood is this, saith this doctor, thus to leese life and grace, and get death of soul? Win gold, and leese heaven? And herefore saith the Prophet, have travail in the midst, and leave unrighteousness. Also Innocent speaking of the harms that come of couetoise, saith thus: O how many men hath covetise deceived and spilled? When covetise Balaam would for gifts that the king proffered him, have cursed God's people, his own Ass reproved him, and hurt his foot against a wall. Achor was stoned to death, for covetise made him steal gold and clothes, against the commandment of God. Giesy was smit with mesilrie, for he sold Naaman's heal, that came of God's grace. Judas for covetise sold Christ, and afterward hoong himself. An any and Zaphira his wife were dead sodainlie, for they forsoken to give Peter their money that they had. And covetise maketh also that rich men eat the poor, as beasts done their lesous holding them low. This may we see all day, in deed I dread. For if a ritche man have a field, and a poor man have in the midst or in the side thereof one acre, and a riche man have all a street saveth O house, that some poor brother of his oweth, he ceaseth never till he get it out of the poor man's hand, either by prayer, or by bying, or by pursuing of disceit. Thus fared it by king Ahab, that through his false Queens gin slow the poor man Naboth, for that he would not sell him his vyneyard that was nye to the Kings palace. Upon which process, thus saith Saint Ambrose: How far will ye ritche men stretch your covetise? Wyll ye dwell alone upon the earth, and have no poor man with you? Why put ye out your fellow by kind, and challenge to yourself the possession come by kind? In commune to all rich and poor the earth was made, Why will ye ritche challenge proper right herein? Kynde knoweth no riches, that bringeth forth all men poor. For we be not got with rich clothes, ne borne with gold ne with silver. Naked he bringeth them to this world, needy of meat and of drink and clothing. Naked the earth taketh us, as she naked brought us hither. She cannot close with us our possession in sepulcher, for kind maketh no difference be • ween poor and rich, in coming hither, ne in going hence. All in o manner he bringeth forth, all in o manner he closeth in grave. Who so will make difference of poor and rytch, abide till they have a little while leyne in the grave. Than open and look among dead bones who was rich, and who was poor, but if it be thus that mo clothes rotteth with the ritche, then with the poor: and that harmeth to them that beth on live, and profytte not to them that been dead: Thus saith the Doctor of such extortion as it is writ. Other men's fields they repeth, and fro the vine of him that the harm oppressed, they pluck away the grapes: they leueth men naked, and taketh away her clothis that hath naught wherewith to hell them in cold, and liften up this pot bytwene heaven and earth. For covetous men nother haueth charity to there brethren upon earth, neither to God in heaven: and they bare this pot into the lond of Sennaar, that is to say, into the lond of Stenche, that is hell, for there shall be stench, in stead of sweet smelling as I say saith. Beware I rede, that ye naught have to do with this pot, no with the woman therein: and on all manner that ye be naught wed did to her for than ye must be both one. This is the like foul lecherous woman: the kings and marchauntis of the earth have done leachery, and of her virtue they haueth be made riche, whose damnation is written in the book of priuities in these words. In o day, shall come all this vengeaunces of her death, weeping and hunger and fire shall brenne her, for strong is God that shall venge him on her, and than shulleth weep and howl up on her the king • of the earth, that haueth done lechery with her, and haueth liu ••• delices when they shull see the smoke of her brenning, stonding aferre weeping and weyling and saying. Alas alas, the like great city that was clothed with bis and purpre, and brasile, and ouergilte with gold and precious stones and pearl. For in one hour all these great riches shall be destroyed, than shall they sey that shall be damned with her. We have erred fro the way of truth and rightwisnes, light have not shined to us, and the son of vnderstonding have not resen to us: we have be made weery in euerich way of wickedness and of lust, and have gone hard ways, but the ways of God we knew naught: what hath pride profited to us, or the boast of riches what hath it brought to us? All this is as a shadow of death, and we mow now show no token of holiness: in our wickedness we be wasted away. Think therefore I read, that thou shalt yield rekening of thy bayly.
IN which second part with the help of God I will show first, who shall clepe us to this recKenyng. Afterward, to fore what judge we shall reckyn: and last what punishyng shall be do to them that ben found false servants and wicked, and what reward shall be give to them that be found good and true. For the first ye shall wetoen that there shall be twey domes. The first doom anon after the departing of body and of soul, an this shall be special. And of this rekenyng or doom speaketh the Gospel of Luke. The second reckenyng or doom shall be anon after the general resurrection, & shall be universal. And of this is to speak̄ in the Gospel. To the first every man shall be cleped after other, as the wolrde passeth. To the secunde shall comeo togedre in the stroke of an eye all mankind. To the first, men shall be cleped with three sumners other Sergeauntes: the firstlis sickness, the second is age, and the third is death: the first warneth, the second thretneth, and the third taketh. This is a kyndly order, but otherwise it faileth, for sum we seeth dieth that never wist what was sickness ne age, as children that ben suddenly slain. And sum, ye the most part that deyeth now a days deyeth, byfore her kind agee of deeth: therefore I say, that the first that clepeth to this special reckoning is sickness, that followeth all mankind, so that every man hath it: and sum is sickness that sum men haueth but naught all. Yet the first sickness is double, for sum is withinne in the mightes of the soul, and sum is without in feblenes of the body that needis mo be stroyed, whan time by hem self is cause of corruption as Philosophy saith, that thereby feblenes and sickness. And so may we see hereby, though that a man shut out of the house of his heart all manner of wordly and fleshly thoughts, yet vnneth shall a man for ought that he can do, think on God only, the space of o Pater noster, but that some other thing that is passing, entereth into the soul, and draweth her from contemplation. But O Lord God, what seekenes is this, an heuie burden on the sons of Adam, that on fowl moock and fen of the world we may think long ynow. But on that the soul should most delectation have by kind, mow we naught think so little a space, but if the cokle enter among the whete. Of this seekenes speaketh Poule, where he saith. I see a law in my limbs fighting agenes the law of my sprite, and taking me into the law of sin. So that it fares by us, as by a man that would look ageyns the sun, and may naught do it long for nothing. And forsooth that is for no default that is in the sun, for she is most clear in her self, and so by reason best should be seyn, but it is for feblenes of man's eye. Ryght so, sith Adam our first fader was put out of Paradyse, all his offpring have ben thus sick, as the Prophet seyth. Our fadres have eat a bitter grape, and the teeth of the children be wexe an edge. The second sickness, that is commune to all mankind, commyth of feblenes of the body: as hunger and thorst, cold and heat, sorrow & werines, and many other as Job. 18. saith. A man that is ibore of a woman, living a little while, is fulfilled with many miseases. Yet there is other sickness that cometh to some men, but not to all, as Lepvr, Palsy, Fever, Dropsy, Blindnes, and many other, as it was seyden to the people of Israel, in holy writ. But thou keep the commandments that be writ in this book, God shall echen the sickness of thee and of thy seed, great sickness and long abiding. Yet ye shall vnderstond, that God sendeth other while, such sickness to good men, and other while to shrewes. To good men God doth it for two causes, and that is sooth. Of sickness I wol to be vnderstond also, of all manner of tribulations. The first cause, for they should always ever know, that they have none perfection of them self, but of God only, and to echen their meekness. And thus saith Poule, least the greatness of revelations rere me up into pride, is given a prick of my flesh, the Angel of Sathanas to smite me on the neck, wherefore I have thrice prayed God, that he should go fro me, and he answered me: My grace is suffisant to thee for virtue is fulfilled in sickness, where on thus sayn the gloss. The fend axing Job to be tempted, was herd of God, and naught the Apostle axing his temptation to be removed. God herd him that should be damned, and he herd naught him, that he should save. For oft the sick mā axit many things of the leche, that he wol not give him, & that is for to make him whole of sickness. Also God sendeth Saints oft sickness & po •• ution, to give us sinful wretches example of patience: For if he suffer his Saints to have such tribulation in this world, and they thankin him thereof, much more wretchis that God sendeth not the hundred aparty of their sorrow, shulden bear it meekly since we have diserued a thousand so much as they haueth. Whereof, Toby that one day whan he was weary of byrying of poor men, the which shulden have ley vnburyed, and have be etene of houndis, and fowls, as caraynes, of other unreasonable bestes, whan for werynesse he had leide him to rest, through Goddis sufferance the swallows that bredden above on his house, maden ordure into his eyen, and he wexet blind. Thus it is writ of this temptation for soth▪ Therefore God suffered to come to him, that to them that come after, should be given ensample of patience, as by the temptation of holy Job. For since from his childhod, evermore he drede God, and ever kept his hestes: He was not aggrieved ayenst God that the misthiefe of blindness fell to him: but unmovable dwelled in the dread of God, thanking him all the days of his life. Lo that holy writ saith expressly, that God suffered this holy man to have that sickness, to give them that should come after him ensample of patience. Also other while, God sendeth syckenes and tribulation to wicked men, and for two causes. First for that they should the rather dread God, and leave their sin. As it is writ: their sickness hath been multiplied, and after they have hyed to Godward. For we see oft men in sickness know their God, that never would have turned to him while they had been whole. Also God sendeth them sickness oft to agast other men, lest they follow their sin. As the sickness of king Antioch, whom God smote with such a sickness, that worms fell out of his body while he lived, in so farforth, that he stank so foul, that his friends were so wearye of it, that they might not suffer it. And at the last, when he himself might not suffer his own stench, then he began to know himself, and said: It is rightful, to be subject to God, and a deadly man not to hold himself only even with God, and the story saith he asked mercy of God, and made a vow to God, that he would make the City of Jerusalem free, and the Jews to make them as free as the men of Athens: and that he would honor God's temple with precious ary, and multiply the holy vessels, and find of his own rent and spenses pertaining to the sacrifice. And he would become a Jew, and go over all the lond to preach God's might. And yet God gafe him not such mercy as he desired. And I trow certain that it was for good. In as much as God knew he would not afterward hold his covenant, or else for he axket it too late. What mede was it for him to forsake his wickedness whan he was vnmightie to do good or evil. Neuertheles, I trow he was not dampened, in as much as he had such repentance, for repentance in this life come never too late if it be true. But by this vengeance that God took on this king, should men see, what it is to be vnobedient to God. And also it is to take heed, that whan ever sickness cometh, ever it showeth, that he that suffereth this deadly, shall needs die For though he may skape of his sickness, yet he may not skape death. And so thou must needs come give rekening of thy bayly. The second somnour that shall clepe thee to this particular doom, is elde or age. And the condition of him is this, though that he tarie with thee, he will not leave thee, till he bring thee to the third, that is death. But there be many that though they have this somnour with them, they take none hede, though they see there he are hore, her back crook, her breth stynke, her teeth fail, her yen derk, her visage riuely, her crene wexit heuy to her. What meneth all this, but that age sunneth to the dome.
But what more madhead may be than a man to be cleped, and draw to so dreadful a reckenyng there, where but he answer well he forfeteth both body and soul to damnation forever. If seeing a little worldly merth on the way, he thinketh so mekill theron, that he forgetteth who draweth him, or whether he draweth. So doth he that is smiten with age and liketh so on the false world is wealth, that he forgetteth whether he is away: Herefore saith an holy Doctor, that among all abusions of the world most is of an old man that is obstinate: for he thinketh not on his out going of this world, ne of passing into the life that is to come: he heareth messengers of death, and he leueth hem not, and the cause is this, for the threfold cord that such an old mā is bounden with, is hard to breke. This cord is custom, that is of three plightes, that is, of idel thought, dishonest speech, and wicked deed: the which if they groweth in a man from the childhood into man's age, they maketh a treble cord to bind the old man on custom of sin. Herefore saith Isaiah break the bonds of sin. Think herefore whosoever that thou be that art thus sumned, that thou might not scape that thou ne shalt yield the rekenyng of thy baily.
The third somner to this reckenyng, is death. And the condition of him is, that whan ever he come, first, other the second, other the last hour he ne spareth, neither power, ne yougth, ne he dreadeth no thretning, ne he ne taketh hede of no prayer ne of no gift, ne he granteth no respite, but withouten delay he bringeth forth to the dome. Herefore seyth Saint Agustine. Well ought every man drede the day of his death. For in what state a man's last day findeth him, whan he dieth out of this world, in the same state he bringeth him to his dome. Herfore seyth the wise man. Son, think on thy last day, and thou shalt never sin. Therefore I rede that thou think, that thou shalt give reconing of thy bayly. I said also, that there shall be another doom, to the which all men shall come together, and this shall be universal. And right as to the other dome, every man shall be cleped with these three sumnours: so to this dome all this world shall be cleped with three general clepers. And right as the other three messengers tell a man's end, so these tell the end of the world. The first cleper is the worldly sickness, the second cleper is feblenes, and the third is the ende. The sickness of the world thou shalt know by charity a cooling. His elde and febles thou shalt know by tokens fulfilling, and his end thou shalt know by Antichrists pursuing. First I said, thou shalt know the worlds sickness by charity a cooling. Clerks that treat of kind sayne: that a body is sick, when his bodily heat is to lite, or when his vnkindely heat is too much. Sythe then all mankind is one body, whose kindly heat is charity (that is love to God and to our neighbors) unkindly heat is lustful love to other creatures. When therefore thou seest that the love of men to Godwa • de and to their neighbor is little and faint, and the love of worldly things and lusts of the flesh is great and fervent: then wit thou well, that unkindly heat is too great, and kindly heat is too little. That this be acknowlich of this sickness, I may prove by authority of Christ. For he himself gave them as a sign of the drawing to the ende of the world: For that wickedness shall be in plente, charity shall acoole. Therefore whan thou seest charity this little in the world and wickedness increase, know well, that this world passeth and his wealth, and that this somner is come. And thus seyth Seint Poule, Wit ye well, that in the last days shall come perilous times, and there shall be men loving them self, that is to say, their bodies, covetous by pride, vnobedient to father and mother, vnkynd fellons, withouten affection, withouten peace, blamers, incontinent, vnmylde, withonten benignity, traitors, rebels, swelling, lovers of lusts more then of God, having a lykenes of piety, and denying the virtue thereof. And these flee thou. If thou seest the people busied with such conditions, wit thou well that the first sumnour warneth all the world, that the day of reconing draweth toward.
The second Sumnour, that warneth all the world, is elde or age of the world and his feblenes, and showeth tokens fulfillyng. But I know well, that we be naught suffisaunt to know the times other the whiles that the fader in trinity hath put on his own power, to show certainly the day, year, other hour of this dome, since this knowleche was hid fro the priuey Apostles of Christ, and fro Christ's manhood as to show it to us. Natheles, we enough by authority of holy writ, with reasons, and expositions of Saints, well and openly show, that this day of wrath is nygh: But yet least any man sey in his hert as it is written of solie baylies, that they shall seien, my Lord, that is, tarrieth to come to the dome, and upon hope hereof he taketh to smite servants and hynen of God, eat and drink and make him dronk: I shall show that this day is at the hond, howe ny nevertheless, can I not seie ne whole For if Poule said now for a thousand and three hundred year, and passed moe: we ben the like, into whom the endis of the world ben come, much rather may we seie the same that been so much near the end than he was. Also S. Chrysostom saith: thou seest over all darkness, and thou doutest that the day is go, first on the valeyes is darkness whan the day draweth downward: whan therefore thou seest the valeies I derked, why doutest thou whether it be nigh even, but if thou see the sun so low that derknesse is upon the hills, thou wolt seie doutles, that it is night. Right so, if thou see first in the seculers and the lewd christen men beginneth derknesses of sins and to have the maistrie, it is token that this world endeth. But whan thou seest priests that ben put on the high top of spiritual dignities, that shulden be as hills abouen the commune people in perfect living, that derknesse of sins hath taken them, who douteth that the world nis at the end. And also Abbot Ioochim in exposition of Ieremye, seyeth: Fro the year of our Lord 1200. all times beth suspect to me, and we ben passed on this suspecte time nigh 200. year. Also maiden Hyldegare in the book of her prophecy the third party, the xi. vision, the vii. chapter, meueth this reason. Ryght as on seven days God made the world, so in 7000. year the world shall pass. And right as in the sixth day man was made and fourmed: so in 6000. years he was brought ageine and reformed. And as in the seventh day the world was full made, and God left off his working, right so its the 7000. year, the number of them that shullen be saved shall be fulfilled, and rest shall be to Seintes full in body and soul. If that it be so as it seemeth to follow of this maidens words, that 7000. in passing of the world accordeth to seven days in his making it, see what lacketh that these 7000. years ne beth fulfilled. For if we reken the number of years fro the nativity of Christ, to the years fro the beginning of the world, to Christ, and thou wolt follow Austyne, Bede, and Orosie, and most probable doctors treating of this matter, are passed now almost, six thousand and six hundred as it is open in a book that is cleped Speculum iudiciale So it suweth, that this last day is more than a half a go, if we shulden give credence to this maidens reasun: But if we shull lene to the Gospel, than we shall find in the Gospel of Matthew, that the Disciples axiden of Christ three questions First, what time the City of Jerusalem should be destroyed. The second, what token of his coming to the doom. And the third, what sign of the ending of the world. And Christ gave them no certain time of these things when they shoulden fall, but he gave them tokens, by which they might know when they drew nigh, and so as to the first question of the destruction of Jerusalem, he said: when the Romaines come to besiege that City, then soon after she shall be destroyed.
And as to the second and the third, he gave many tokens, that is to say: that Realm shall rise against Realm, and people against people, and pestilences and earthquakinges, the which we have seen in our days. But the last token that he gave, was this: when ye seen the abomination of elengnesse said of Daniel the Prophet, standing on the Sanctuary: then who so readeth, understand. Upon which text, thus argueth a Doctor in a book that he maketh of the end of the world. If the words of Daniel haven authority (as God saith that they haven) it sufficeth of the number of the years of the ende of the world, that Daniel hath written. Now Daniel in the twelfth chapter, speaking of this abomination, putteth between the ceasing of the busy sacrifice of the Jews, the which fell, when by Titus and Vespasianus, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the people of Jews were disparkled into all the world. And this abomination that Doctors sayne, shall be in the great Antichrists days. 1290. Now proveth this Doctor, that a day must be taken for a year, both by authority of holy writ in the same place, and in other, and also by reason: So it seemeth to this clerk, that the great Antichrist should come in the 1400. year fro the birth of Christ, the which number of years is now fulfilled, not fully twelve years and a half lacking. And this reason put not I as to show any certain time of his coming, sithe I have not that knowledge: but to show that he is nye, but how nygh I wot never. But take we heed to the fourth part of the second vision of Saint John, put in the book of Revelations, in the which under the opening of the seven seals, is declared the state of the Church, from the time of Christ into the end of the world. The opening of the four first seals, show the state of the Church, fro the time of Christ, to the time of Antichrist and his foregoers, the which is shown in the opening of the other three seals. The opening of the first seal, telleth the state of the Church in the time of the preaching of Christ and of his Apostles. For the first, that is, the Lyon, gave his voice, that betokeneth the preachers of Christ's resurrection and his ascension. For then yede out a white horse, and he that sat upon him, had a bow in his hand, and he yede out overcoming to overcome. By this white hors we understand, the clean life and conversation that these preachers haden: and by the bow, their true teaching, pricking sorrow in men's hearts for their sins withouten flattering. And they wenten out of Jewry that they come of, ouercommyng some of the Jews, and maken them to leave the trust that they hadden in the old law, and to believe in Jesus Christ, and shown his teaching. And they wenten out to overcome the Paynemes, showing to them that their Images were no God's, but men's works, vnmighty to save them self, or any other, drawing them to the belief of Jesus Christ God and man. In the opening of the second seal, there cried the second beast, that is, a calf, that was a beast wonted to be slain, and offered to God in the old law. Thys showeth the state of the Church in the time of Martyrs, that for their steadfast preaching of God's true law, shed their blood, that is signified by the red hors that went out at this seal opening: and this estate began at Nero the cursed Emperor, and dured into the time of Constantine the great, that endowed the Church. For in this time, many of Christ's servants, and namely the leaders of God's flock were slain. For of xxij. Bishops of Rome that were between Peter and Sylvester the first, I read but of four, but that they weren Martys for the law of Christ. And also in the time of Dioclesian the Emperor, the persecution of the Christian men was so great, that in xxx. days weren slain xxij. thousand men and women in diverse counties, for the law of God.
The opening of the third seal, telleth the state of the Church in time of Heretikis that beth figured by the black hors, for false under standing of holy write: for than cried the third beest that is a man, for at that time was it need to preach the mistery of Christ's incarnation, and his passion ayenst these erretikis that feliden mis of these pointis: how Christ took verreyly man's kind of our Lady, him being God as he was bifore, and his moder being maiden byfore and after. The opening of the fourth scale, telleth the state of the Church in time of ypocritis, that beth signified by the pale hors, that beth signs of penance with outfoorth to blind the people. And he that sat upon this hors his name was death, for they shulle flee gostly them that they leden, and teacheth to trust upon other thing than God: and hell followeth him, for hell receiveth the like that these disteineth. At that time shall it need, that the fourth beast that is the Egle make his cry, that flieth highest of fowls to rear up God's Gospel: and to preise that law above other, least men's wit, and their traditions ouergone and treden down the law of God, by enforming of these ypocritis, and this is the last state, that is, other shall be in the Church, bifore the coming of the great Antichrist. The opening of the fifth seal, telleth the state of the Church that than shall follow, and the desire that lovers of Goddis law shulleth have after the end of this world to be delivered of this woe. The opening of the sixth seal telleth the state of the Church, in time of Antichristis times, the which state ye may know to be in the Church whan ye seth fulfilled, that Saint John Prophecieth to fall on the opening of this, where he saith thus: After this I saw four Angels stonding upon four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth that they blown naught upon the earth, ne upon the sea, ne upon eny tree. These four Angels beth the number of all the Devils ministers, that on that time shulleth in the pleasance of their Lord Antichrist, stop the four windis that beth the four Gospels to be preached, and so let the breath of the grace of the holy Ghost to fall upon men morning for sin, and calling them to amendment, and to other that wolden increase in virtues, other upon perfect men. What is there after this to fall, but that the mystery of the seventh seal be shown, that he come in his own person. That Jesus Christ shall slee with the spirit of his mouth, whan the fiend shall show the utmost persecution, that he and his seruauntis may do to Christis limbs, and that shall be the third warning that the world shall have to come to this dreadful dome.
In all this matter have I naught seid of myself, but of other Doctors that beth proved. I said also in my second principal part, that it were to wete tofore what Judge we shull reken. Wherefore we shulleth wite, that God him self shall here this rekening, he that seeth all our dedis, and all our thoughts fro the beginning of our life to the end, and he shall show there the hid things of our hert opening to all the world the rightfulnes of his dome. So that with the might of God, every man's dedis to all the world shall be shown, and so it seemeth by the words of Seint John, in the book of preuites, there he seith thus. I saw deed men litel and great, stondyng in the sight of the throne, and books weren opened: and another book was opened that was of life, and deed men weren judged after the things that weren written in the books after their worchings. These books beth men's consciences that now beth closed. But than they shulleth be opened to all the world to reden therein both dedis and thoughts. But the book of life, is Christ's living and doctrine, that is now hid to men that shulleth be damned through their own malice, that demeth men to serve the world, rather than God: In the first book shall be writ all that we haueth do, in that other book, shall be write that we shulden have do, and than shulle deed men, be demyd of the like things that ben written in the bokis: For if the dedis that we haven do, the which ben written in the bookis of our conscience, be according to the book of Christ's teaching and his living, the which is the book of life, we shulle be saved, and else we shulle be damned, for the dome shall be given after our workis. Look therefore now what thing is written in the book of thy conscience, while thou art here: and if thou findest ought contrary to Christis life, other to his teaching, with the knite of penance and repentance, scrape it away and write it better, evermore hertly thynkyng that thou shalt yield rekening of thy bayly.
Also I said principally that it were to witen, what reward shall be give on that doom, to wise servants and good, and what to false servants and wicked. For the which it is to wite, that our Lord Jesus Christ, shall come to the dome here into this world, in the same body that he took of our Lady, having thereon the wound is that he suffered for our again bieng. And all that ever shullen be saved, taking again their bodies clyuing to their head Christ, shull be ravished metyng him in the air as Paul saith: They that shall be damned lain upon the earth, as in a tonne of wyne the dreggis dwellen byneth and the cliere wyne houeth above. Than shall Christ axe rekenyng of the deeds of mercy, reprouyng false Christian men for the leuyng of them, rehearsing the deeds of the same, and other truth is by the which his true servants than followed him: than shulle thike false servants go with the devil, whom they have served in the earth, then swallowyng into the endless fire. And rightful men shullen go into everlasting life, than shall be fulfilled that is written, in the book of priuitees. Woe, woe, woe, to hem that dwellen in the earth. Woe to the paynyme that gafe that worship to dead Images wrought of man's hands, and to other creatures that he should have gone to GOD that him wrought: Woe to the Jew that trusteth so muchil in the old law, than shall he see Mary's son deemyng the world whō he despised and set on the Cross: Woe to the false Christian man that knew the will of his Lord, and fulfilled it naught.
Also woe for sin of thinking to thee, that thou hast shyt out the meine of God, that is mind of his Passion, holy contemplation, of his goodness and memory of his benefits, fro the chaumber of thine heart: and hast made it an house of swyn and a den of thieves, by unclean thoughts and delites. As thou here hast sperd God out of thine hert, so he shall spere thee out of heaven: Thou hast herberwid the meine of the fiend, and with them in hell thou shall thou shalt ever abide: woe also for sin of speech, for thou might naught open they foul and stynkyng mouth with the which thou hast spoken vnhonesty, cursyng, fraud, deceit, leasinges, forswearyng, scornyng, and backebityng, to praise God in the felowshyp of Saints. For loving is naught comynlych, in mouths of sinners. For in the which gif thou haddest kept thy mouth clean, thou shouldest have songen in felowshyp of Angels this blessed song: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Domenus Deus omnipotence. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty. Than yellyng and weeping thou shalt cry in company of devils. Ve, Ge, Ge, quante sunt tenebrae. Woe, woe, woe, how great beth these darkness, woe also for sin of deed. Thou hast been proud, thy pride shall be drawn to hell, as Isaiah saith, or thou hast been brent with envy of the devil. Envy entered into the world, and they shoulden folowen him that ben on his side, as Solomon saith. Or thou hast be stirred with wrath, and euerich man that beareth wrath to his brethren, is gilty in dome, as Christ in the Gospel saith of Matthew. Or thou hast be slow to good deeds, myssawe shall come to thee as a wayfaring man, and thy pouert as a man iarmed, as the book of Proverbs saith. Or thou hast haunted lechery, glotonye, or covetise. That forsooth wete ye, that euerych auouterer, or unclean man, that is a gloton, other chynch, shall never have heritage in the Realm of Christ and of God, as Poule saith. But fire, brimstone, and the spirit of tempests, that is, the fiend of hell, shulen be a party of their pain, as it is written in the Psaulter, when these damned men be in this woe, they shulen sing this reufull song that is ywritten in the book of mourning. The joy of our heart is a go, our quier is turned into woe, the crown of our head is fallen us fro. Alas for sin that we have do. But joy and joy, and joy to them that be saved. Joy in God, joy in them self, joy in other that ben saved. Also joy for their travail is brought to so gracious an end. Joy, for they scaped the pain of hell, joy fore their bliss that they han in the sight of God, Cui sit honor & gloria, in secula seculorum, Amen.
And thus much concerning this worthy and fruitful Sermon, which as by the auncienines of the phrase seemeth to be preached much about the time of John Wicklesse: so I thought here, by the occasion of William Thorpes examination, best to place the same: for the apt coherence both of the spirit, and of the matter. Especially having before our eyes, the public utility of the Reader, to whom by the studious reading thereof, might rise plentiful matter of true Christian information, both of the wholesome fearing of God, and of the right guiding of every Christian man's life.
Wherevnto I thought good to anexe further in our story, after the examination of William Thorpe, and the martyrdom of William Sawtrey, and of John Badby thus described (as ye have heard) which was about the year 1409. By the way here is to be considered, at least to be admonished, that all this while the schism in the church of Rome did yet continue, and so endured till the council of Constance, which was in whole, the space of xxix. years. The origin whereof (as was said page. 000.) first began at Urbanus. 5. which Urbanus being dead, an. 1389. next followed Pope Boniface the 9. who sat 14. years. He in selling his pardons was so impudent and so past shame, that he brought the keys of Peter (as saith Platina) in contempt. After him succeeded Innocentius. 7. and sat 2. years: who being dead, the Cardinals consulting together, and seeing the foul enormity and inconvenience growing upon this contentious schism in their Church of Rome (minding to provide some remedy for the same, after the best devise they could) in their conclaue where they were assembled for a new election of the Pope, took this order, promising among themselves with solemn vow made to God, to Mary the blessed virgins, to Peter and Paul, and to all the blessed company of saints: That if any of them within the college or without the college, should be called to that high place of Apostolical preeminence: he should effectuously renounce the jurisdiction and title of his Popedom, if or whensoever the contrary Pope for the time being, would in like manner renounce his place and title, and his Cardinals in like manner to condescend to the other Cardinals of Rome. So that both these two colleges of Cardinals agreeing together: one chief bishop might be chosen and takē out of them both, to be made the true Pope. Provided moreover, that none should seek any releasement or absolution from the said promise, vow, and bond, once passed among them: Unto all which things furthermore, everyone subscribed with his hand. These things thus prefixed and ratified upon the same, they proceeded to y e election. In which was chosen Gregorius the xii. who the same day of his election, in the presence of all the cardinals: confirmed the vow, sacrament and promise made, subscribing the same with his hand in form as followeth. And I Gregory, this day being the last of November, in the year of our Lord 1407. chosen and elected for bishop of Rome: do swear, vow, and promise, & confirm all the premisses above contained. &c. Thys being done, shortly after he was crowned, being of the age of 80. years. As the time thus passed, the people and Cardinals were in great expectation, waiting when the Pope according to his oath would give over, with the other pope also. And not long after, the matter began in deed between the two Popes to be attempted, by letters from one to another: assigning both day and place, where and whē they should meet together: but yet no effect did follow.
This so passing on, great murmuring was among the Cardinals, to see their holy perjured father, so to neglect his oath, and vow aforenamed. In so much, that at length, diverse of them did forsake the Pope, as being perjured (as no less he was) sending moreover to kings and princes of other lands, for their counsel and assistance therein, to appease the schism. Amongest the rest, Cardinal Bituriensis was sent to the king of England: who publishing diverse propositions and conclusions (remaining in the registers of Thomas Arundell) disputeth, that the pope ought to be subject to laws and councils. Then K. Henry (moved to write to Gregory the pope) directeth his letter here under ensuing, which was the year of our Lord. 1409. The contents of the letter be these.
The letter of king Henry the fourth, to Pope Gregory 12.
MOst blessed father, if the discrete providence of the Apostolic sea, would call to mind, with what great pearils the universal world hath ben damnified hitherto, under pretence of this present schism: and especially would consider, what slaughter of Christian people to the number of two hundred thousand (as they say) hath been through the occasion of war raised up in diverse quarters of the world, and now of late, to the number of thirty M. soldiers which have been slain through the dissention moved about the Bishopric of Leodium, between two set up, one by the authority of one Pope, the other by the authority of the other Pope, fighting in campe for the title of that Bishoprike: Certes ye would lament in spirit, & be fore grieved in mind for the same. So that, with good conscience you would relinquish rather the honor of the sea Apostolic, then to suffer such horrible bloodshed hereafter to ensue, under the cloak of dissimulation, following herein the example of the true mother in the book of kings: who pleading before Solomon for the right of her child, rather would depart from the child, then the child should be parted by the sword. And although it may be vehemently suspected by the new creation of 9. Cardinals, by you last made contrary to your oath (as other men do say) that you do but little heed or care for ceasing the schism: Yet far be it from the hearing and noting of the world, that your circumspect seat should ever be noted & distained with such an inconstancy of mind: whereby the last error may be worse, then the first. Ex Chron. D. Albani. part. 2.
King Henry the 4. to the Cardinals.
ANd to the Cardinals likewise, the said King directeth another letter with these contents here following: We desiring to show what zeal we have had and have, to the reformation of peace of the Church: by the consent of the states of the Realm, have directed to the Bishop of Rome our letters after the tenoure of the copy herewith in these presents enclosed, to be executed effectually. Wherefore, we seriously beseech your reverend college, that if it chance the said Gregory to be present at the council of Pise, and to render up his Popedom, according to your desire, and his own oath: you then so ordain for his state totally, that chiefly God may be pleased thereby, and that both the said Gregory, and also we which love intierly his honor and commodity, may have cause to give you worthily condign thanks for the same. Ibid.
This being done in the yere of our Lord 1409. afterward in the yere next following, an. 1410. the Cardinals of both the Popes, to wit of Gregorius, and Benedictus: By common advise assembled together at the city of Pise, for the reformation of unity and peace in the Church. To the which assembly, a great multitude of Prelates and bishops being convented, a new Pope was chosen, named Alexander 5. But to this election, neither Gregorius, nor Benedictus did fully agree. Whereby there were 3. Popes together in the Romaine church (that is to understand) not 3. crowns upon one Popes head, but 3. heads in one Popish church together. This Alexander being newly made pope, scarcely had well warmed his triple crown: but straight giveth out full remission, not of a few, but of all manner of sins whatsoever: to all them that conferred anything to the monastery of • . Bartlemew by Smithfeld resorting to the said church any of these days following: to wit, on Maundy thursday, good Friday, Easter even, the feast of the Annunciation, from the first evensong to the latter. But this Pope which was so liberal in giving remission of many years to other, was not able to give one yere of life to himself: for within the same yere he died. In whose stead stepped up Pope John 23.
In the time of this Alexander, great stir began in the country of Bohemia, by the occasion of the books of John Wycliffe, which then coming to the hands of I. Hus, and of other both men & women, especially of the lay sort, and artificers, began there to do much good. In so much, that diverse of them not only men, but women also, partly by reading of those books translated into their tongue, partly, by the setting forward of John Hus, a notable learned man, and a singular preacher at that time in the vniuersitye of Prague: were in short time so ripe in judgment, and prompt in the scriptures, y t they began to move questions, yea and to reason with the Priests, touching matters of the Scriptures.
By reason whereof, complaint was brought to the said Pope Alexander the fifth, who caused eftsoons the forenamed John Hus to be cited up to Rome. But when he came not at the Popes citation, then the said Pope Alexander addressed his letters to the Archbyshop of Suinco. Wherein he straightly charged him to prohibit and forbid, by the authority Apostolical, all manner of preachings or sermons to be made to the people, but only in Cathedral Churches or Colleges, or Parish churches, or in Monasteries, or else in their Churchyardes. And that the articles of Wycliffe, should in no case of any person of what state, condition or degree so ever, be suffered to be hold̄, taught, or defended, either privily or apertlye. Commaunding moreover and charging the said Archbyshop, that with four Bachelers of Divinity, and two Doctors of the Canon law joined unto him: would proceed upon the same, and so provide that no person in churches, schools, or any other place, should teach, defend, or approve any of the foresaid Articles. So that who so ever should attempt the contrary, should be accounted an heretic. And unless he shall revoke solemnly and publicly the said articles, and shall forever abjure the books wherein the foresaid articles be contained, so that they may be utterly abolished out from the eyes of the faithful: the same to be apprehended and imprisoned, all appellation set apart, the help also of the secular arm being called thereunto, if need shall require. &c. These were the contents of this mighty & fierce bull of Pope Alexander.
Against the which bull on the other side John Hus justly complaining, excepteth again and objecteth many things, as appeareth in his boke entitled De Ecclesia. cap. 18. Where he declareth this mandate of the pope to stand directly against the doings and sayings both of Christ and of his Apostles: Considering, how Christ himself preached to the people, both in the sea, in the desert, in fields, in houses, in synagoges, in villages: and the Apostles also in all places did the same, the Lord mightily working in them. He declared moreover, the said mandate or bul of the pope to redound unto the great detriment of the church, in binding the word of God, that it might not have his free passage. Also, the same to be preiudicial unto chapels newly erected for the word of God to be preached in them. Wherefore (saith he) from this commandment or mandate of Pope Alexander, I did appeal unto the said Alexander, being better informed and advised. And as I was persecuting my appeal, the Lord Pope (saith John Hus) immediately died.
Then the Archbishop of Suinco aforesaid, to whom this present bul was directed, whē he saw the process, bulls and mandates of the bishop of Rome, to be thus contemned of John Hus, and his fellows, neither having any hope of redress in winceslaus the king: which seemed to neglect the matter, went out of his country into Hungary, to complain unto Sigismonde king of Hungary, and brother to the said Winceslaus. But this quarreling Archbyshop, whether before (as the Bohemians say) or after (as Sylvius saith) that he had spoken with Sigismond: immediately there (by the just judgment of God) died in Hungary, as the story saith for sorrow. Whereby a little more liberty and quiet was given by the Lord unto his Gospel, newly beginning to take rote among the Bohemians. Albeit, this tranquility there, did not long continue without trouble and persecution, neither could it in those furious days and reign of Antichrist. For after this Alexander aforesaid succeeded Pope John 23. Who likewise playing his parte in this tragedy, bent all his might and main to disturb the Bohemians, as more hereafter (Christ willing) shall be declared in further process of our history, coming to the yere of our Lord. 1413.
Thus the poor Christians (as ye see) like to the seely Israelites under the tyranny of Pharaoh, were infested and oppressed in every place, but especially here in England: and y t so much the more here, because that the king not like to Winceslaus, went full and whole with the pope and his prelates against the Gospellers.
By reason whereof, the kingdom of the Pope and his members here in this realm began to be so strong, y t none durst stir or once mute against them. The Bishops having the king so full on their side, armed moreover with laws, statutes, punishments, imprisonments, sword, fire and fagot: reigned and ruled as they listed, as kings and princes within thenselves. So strong were they of power, that no human force was able to stand against them: so exalted in pride and puffed up in glory, that they thought all things to be subject to their reverent majesties. What so ever they set forth or decreed, it must of all men be received and obeyed.
And such was their superstitious blindness and curious vanity, that whatsoever toy came once in their fantasye: it was straightways determined and stablished for a law of all men to be observed, were it never so frivolous or superstitious. As well appeareth by Thomas Arundell Archb. of Cant. and other, who having now a little laisure from slaying and killing the innocent people, Martyrs and Confessors of the Lord, & having now brought their enemies (as they thought) under feet: began to set up themselves, and to invent new customs, as the guise is of the Popes church, ever to intrude into y e church of God, some ceremony or custom of their own making, whereby the Church of Christ hath been hitherto exceedingly pestered. So likewise this Thom. Arundel, thinking the church yet not sufficiently stuffed with ceremonies and vain traditions of men: bringeth in a new found gaud, commonly called the tolling of Aues, in honor of our Lady, with certain Aues to be said, and days of pardon to be given for the same. For the ratification whereof, under the pretence of the kings request, he directed his mandate to the Bishop of London, well stuffed with words of I dolatry, as by the reading thereof may appear, in form of terms as followeth.
* A mandate of Tho. Arundel directed to the Bishop of London, to warn men to say certain prayers at the tolling of the Aues, or ringing of Curphew.
THomas, &c. To the right reverend our brother, the Lord Robert by the grace of God bishop of London, greeting. &c. While we lift our eyes round about us, and behold attentively with circumspect consideration, how the most high word that was in the beginning with God, chose to him an holy and immaculate virgin of the kingly stock: in whose womb he took true flesh by inspirall inspiration, that the merciful goodness of the son of God that was vncreate, might abolish the sentence of condemnation, which all the posterity of mankind that was created, had by sin incurred. Amongst other labors in the vine of the Lord of Sabaoth, we song to God our savior with great joy in him: carefully thinking, that though all the people of the Christian religion did extol with voices of praises so worthy a virgin, by whō we received the beginnings of our redemptiō, by whom the holy day first shined to us, which gave us hope of salvation. And although all the same people were drawn to reverence her, which being a happy virgin, conceived the son of God, the king of heaven, the redeemer and savior of all nations, ministering light to the people that were miserably drowned in the darkness of death: We truly as the servants of her own inheritance, and such as are written of, to be of her peculiar dower, as we are by every man's confession acknowledged to be: we I say, ought more watchfully then any others, to show the endeavours of our devotion in praising her. Who being hitherto merciful to us, yea being even cowardes, would that our power being, as it were spread abroad everywhere through all the coasts of the world, should with a victorious arm, fear all foreine nations. That our power being on all sides so defended with the buckler of her protection, did subdue unto our victorious standards, and made subject unto us, nations both near at hand and far off.
Likewise our happy estate (all the time that we have passed since the beginning of our lives) may be well attributed only to the help of her medicine: to whom also we may worthily ascribe now of late in these our times under the mighty government of our most Christian king, our deliverance from the ravening wolves, and the mouths of cruel beasts: which had prepared against our banquets, a mess of meat mingled full of gall, and hated us unjustly, secretly lying in wait for us, in recompense of the good will that we shown to them. Wherefore, that she being on high sitting before the throne of the heavenly majesty, the defendresse & patronesse of us all, being magnified with all men's praises: may more plentifully exhibit to us the sons of adoption the teates of her grace, in all those things that we shall have to do. At the request of the special devotion of our Lord the king himself, we command your brotherhode, straightly enjoining you: that you command the subjects of your city and diocese, and of all other suffragans, to worship our Lady Mary the mother of God, and our patronesse and protectresse, evermore in all adversity: with such like kind of prayer and accustomed manner of ringing, as the deuotiō of Christ's faithful people is wont to worship her at the ringing of coure le feu. And when before day in the morning ye shall cause them to ring, that with like manner of prayer & ringing, she be everywhere honored devoutly by the aforesaid our and your suffragans and their subjects as well religious as secular, in your and their monasteries and collegiate churches: That we so humbly calling upon the mercy of the heavenly father, the right hand of the heavenly piety, may mercifully come to the help the protection & defense of the same our Lord the king, who for the happy remedy of quietness, and for our succor from tempestuous floods, is ready to apply his hands to work, and his eyes with all his whole desire to watching. We therefore coveting more earnestly to stir up the minds of all faithful people to so devout an exercise of God. &c. We grant by these presents, to all and every man. &c. that shall say the Lord's prayer and the salvation of the Angel five times at the morning peal with a devout mind, totiens quotiens, (how oft so ever) 40 days of pardon by these presents.
Geuen under our seal in our manor of Lambeth the 10. day of February, Anno nostrae trans. 9.
Ex. Regist. Thom. Arundel.
By this frivolous and barbarous constitution w t many other of like sort heaped into the church by the papists: appeareth the proper nature and condition of this catholic generation. Who being thenselves not greatly exercised nor experienced in any serious cogitation of spiritual matter (as seemeth) take upon them to govern the spiritual church of Christ, whereof in deed they have no skill or very little. And therefore according to their unskillful handling, they lead and rule the church after such outward sights and ceremonies, seemly perhaps to their own gross affection: but not agreeing (nay rather clean contrary) to the right nature & condition, of the spiritual house and kingdom of the Lord. And like as in their inventions they swerve utterly from the right handling of all spiritual government: so in their manners & form of life likewise, they do resemble little or no part almost, of such as are and ought to be, true pastors and ministers of the mystical body of Christ.
Examples hereof are plenty and plain, in these Romaine Prelates to be noted: who so well considering the humble state and lowly spirit which ought to be in pastoral leaders of the church, will compare the same with the usual pomp of these glorious potestates.
As for example, what can be more convenient for a true pastor ecclesiastical, then humility of heart and spirit, according to the example of the head bishop himself? So, what greater show of arrogācy and pride could there be, then in this: whom I have oft named before. Th. Arundel, archb. of Cant. who passing by the high streat of London, did not only look and wait for the ringing of the belles, for a triumph of his coming, but took great snuff and did suspende all such Churches in London (not only with the steeple and bells, but also with the organs) so many as did not receive his coming with the noise of bells: according as out of his own registers may appear, y e words whereof written to his own Somner, I have hereto annexed in his own form as followeth.
A Commission directed to the Somner, to suspende certain churches of London, because they rong not their bells, at the presence of my Lord the Archb. of Canterbury.
THomas by the permission of God, &c. To our well beloved Thom. Wilton our Somner sworn, health, grace, and blessing. The comeliness of our holy Church of Canterb. over which we bear rule: deserveth and requireth, that while we pass through the province, of the same our Church (having our cross carried before us) every parish church in their turns, ought & are bounden in token of special reverence that they bear to us, to rynge their bells. Which notwithstanding, ye on Tuesday last past, when we betwixt 8. and 9. of the clock before dinner, passed openly on foot as it were, through the midst of the city of London, with our cross carried before us: Divers churches whose names are here beneath noted, shown towards us willingly (though they certainly knew of our coming) vnreuerence rather then reverence, and the duty that they owe to our church of Canterb. ringing not at all at our coming. Wherefore, we being willing to revenge this injury, for the honor of our spouse as we are boūden: command you, that by our authority, you put all those churches under our interditement, suspēding God's holy organs and instruments in the same Which we also suspend by the tenor of these presents, till the ministers of the aforesaid Churches be able hereafter to attain of us the benefit of more plentiful grace. Geuen. &c.
What great reason was in this, why this Archb. either should thus look for the ringing of the belles, or why he should be so displeased with not ringing, I do not see. Belike his mind in the mean time was greatly occupied w t some great muse, as feling of God's fear, with repentance and remembrance of his sins, with zealous care and solicitude for his flock, with the earnest meditation of the passion & life of our savior, who in this world was so despised: or else was set upon some grave study, while he so waited for the ringing of the bells, which are wont to be so noisome to all students. And why were not the truēpetters also shent as well, because they did not sound before his person? But and though the bells did not clatter in the sreples, and therefore his thunderbolt should have fallen upon the steples which had deserved: why should the body of the church therefore be suspended? At least, the poor Organes (me thinketh) had some part of wrong to be put to silence in the quier, because the bells rang not in the tower.
Of the like matter also we read in the said registers, falling between the B. of Worcester, and the priorie of the same town, for not ringing at the bishops coming into the church. Wherupon much suit and contention was between them, till at length the Archb. of Cant. took up the matter, moderating it, as in the said registers, fol. 441. appeareth to be seen as followeth.
VNiuersis. &c. Thomas &c. where as there happened variance lately between our reverend brother the Lord B. of Worcester on the one partye, and the religious and discrete men the Prior and convent of the same church on the one partye, for not ringing of bells at the coming of our said brother to his foresaid church, at length the parties (considering the great inconvenience that might come thereof) at our instance and request did agree on this manner: that as often as it shall happen our reverend brother to go to his aforesaid church, either to celebrate orders, or to visit his church in the head or in the inferiors, or to make cream and oil in the same church: also in the feast of the Assumption of the blessed virgin Mary, which is the chiefest feast in the Abbey aforesaid: then the Prior and the convent, and their successors for the time being, shall ring solemnly against his coming, or shall cause to be ronge solemnly without all contradiction, or any reclaiming hereafter to be made against the same. Which agrement that it may be more firmly kept, we let you all understand by these presents, sealed with our seal. Geuen at our palace of Canterb. 12. July, the 10. year of our government.
The like stir for bel ringing and for processyons had almost happened between the Archb. of Can. successor to this Tho. Arundel, named Hen. Chichly on the one party, and the abbey of S. Albons on the other party, had not the abbot in time submitting himself to the Archb. so provided, that the ringing of their bells at his coming, might not redounde to any derogation of their liberties. Whereunto the Archb. granted by these his letters as followeth.
HEnry &c. to the religious men, the Abbot and Convent of the Monastery of S. Albons in the diocese of Lincoln, health. &c. When as of late there happened a matter of variance between us, and you the Abbot & Convent, by reason of not giving reverence to us, being due to our province of Cant. that is, for not ringing the bells and meeting us with processions when we passed by diverse places of our province as well due of common custom as of old use, and for the prerogative of the Church of Canterb. as also being due of everyone being within the compass of this our said province, when and as often as we shall pass by their places: at length your Lord Abbot (coming personally to us) did grant both for you and the Convent aforesaye, to do and to give of your gentleness all reverence and honor, with such reverence be the to us and our church of Cant. as often as we pass by your monastery, or the places nigh or adjoining thereto, or shall hereafter go by: So that it might not be preiudicial to your exemption and nothing be attempted to the violating of your privilege: and that it might not be challenged for duty hereafter. Wherefore, we desiring to keep you from damage, let you understand by these presents, that it is not our intent to derogate your exemptions or privilege whatsoever herein: nor by any means to be prejudicial to you by these your reverences or other duties, whatsoever you have or shall grant to us of your devotion and liberality, both by you, and in places under your dominion. In witness where of. &c.