The Lay Folks' Catechism, or the English and Latin versions of Archbishop Thoresby's Instruction for the People Together with a Wycliffite adaptation of the same, and the corresponding canons of the council of Lambeth. With introduction, notes, glossary, and index, by the late Thomas Frederick Simmons ... and Henry Edward Nolloth |
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Septem virtutes. |
 | The Lay Folks' Catechism, or the English and Latin versions of Archbishop Thoresby's Instruction for the People |  |
Septem virtutes.
The fyfte þyng of þe sex to know god almyȝty
is þe .vij. vertues þat holy writ techys.
Of whiche seuen þre þe (sic) fyrste þat be souerayne vertues
we owe for to haue toward god almyȝty.
And þe oþer foure techyn vs so for to lyue ;
is þe .vij. vertues þat holy writ techys.
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we owe for to haue toward god almyȝty.
And þe oþer foure techyn vs so for to lyue ;
þat yt be lykynge to god and to man.
The furste vertu is Feyþ.
wher-by we trowe only in god. þat alle þyngys made
with alle þe artyclys ; þat y be-fore seyde.
And þis is nedful to alle þat tristyly lyuys.
For trewthe is begynnyge of alle gode werkys./
But noþer trewthe withoute good werke/
ne good werk with-outyn trewthe may plese god almyȝty.
The secund vertu is Hope.
þat is a sikyr bydyng of gostly good
þorwȝ godis goodnesse ; and oure owne good dedys.
For to come to þat blysse þat neuer schal haue ende.
Not only in trust of goddis goodnesse ;
ne al only in trust of oure good dedys.
but in trust of hem bothe ; whan þey be bothe to-gydyr.
For neyþer schal we falle so far in wanhope /
þat we ne schal truste to haue þat blysse. yf we wel do.
Ne we schal nat truste so fer in þe mercy of god:
þat we leue goode dedys vn-don.
For with oute goode dedys ; we come neuer into heuyn.
and but we holde specialy þe byddyng of god
wher-by we trowe only in god. þat alle þyngys made
with alle þe artyclys ; þat y be-fore seyde.
And þis is nedful to alle þat tristyly lyuys.
For trewthe is begynnyge of alle gode werkys./
But noþer trewthe withoute good werke/
ne good werk with-outyn trewthe may plese god almyȝty.
The secund vertu is Hope.
þat is a sikyr bydyng of gostly good
þorwȝ godis goodnesse ; and oure owne good dedys.
For to come to þat blysse þat neuer schal haue ende.
Not only in trust of goddis goodnesse ;
ne al only in trust of oure good dedys.
but in trust of hem bothe ; whan þey be bothe to-gydyr.
For neyþer schal we falle so far in wanhope /
þat we ne schal truste to haue þat blysse. yf we wel do.
Ne we schal nat truste so fer in þe mercy of god:
þat we leue goode dedys vn-don.
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and but we holde specialy þe byddyng of god
þe þyrde vertu is Charite. þe whiche ys fulnesse of loue
to god almyȝty and to oure euyn-cristyn./
To god almyȝty as for hym-self.
and to oure euyn-cristyn for god almyȝty.
For þat on may not be louyd ; withoutyn þat oþer.
to god almyȝty and to oure euyn-cristyn./
To god almyȝty as for hym-self.
and to oure euyn-cristyn for god almyȝty.
For þat on may not be louyd ; withoutyn þat oþer.
For as Seynt Jon seyþ in his Pystyl.
þat comaundement we haue of god.
þat who-so euer louys god ; lovys his euyn cristyn.
For ho þat louyþ nat his broþer whom he may se;
how schold he loue god. whom he seys nat.
For ho þat louyþ nat his broþer whom he may se;
how schold he loue god. whom he seys nat.
The ferthe vertu ys Ryȝtwysnesse.
þat is to ȝelde to alle men þat. þat we owe hem.
and for to do. to eche man ; þat vs owe.
Fyrst ; for to ȝeld to god seruyse þat we be-heet hym whan we tok cristyndom
and to kepe his comaundementys be-fore alle oþer thyngys.
And study we al oure herte ; to do aftyr his counseyl.
and so to plese hym. and fulfylle his wyl.
in al þat euer we mowe. for to haue þank of hym.
and to gete of hym oure mede. for þat ys souerayne ryȝtwisnesse.
And aftyrward to worschype ham þat be worthy.
þat is þo þat loue god. and leue good lyf ; aftyr goddys lawe.
Not worschipe men for here worldly rychesse. as þe fals world doþ ;
for þey be mysdoers. sotel. and slyhtful dys seyuers.
Ne worschipe not men for here fayre cloþes. ne for here qweynte schappis
þat sum men vsen. and sey þe cloþis make hem holy.
þat is to ȝelde to alle men þat. þat we owe hem.
and for to do. to eche man ; þat vs owe.
Fyrst ; for to ȝeld to god seruyse þat we be-heet hym whan we tok cristyndom
and to kepe his comaundementys be-fore alle oþer thyngys.
And study we al oure herte ; to do aftyr his counseyl.
and so to plese hym. and fulfylle his wyl.
in al þat euer we mowe. for to haue þank of hym.
and to gete of hym oure mede. for þat ys souerayne ryȝtwisnesse.
And aftyrward to worschype ham þat be worthy.
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Not worschipe men for here worldly rychesse. as þe fals world doþ ;
for þey be mysdoers. sotel. and slyhtful dys seyuers.
Ne worschipe not men for here fayre cloþes. ne for here qweynte schappis
þat sum men vsen. and sey þe cloþis make hem holy.
And forþermore þey make sum men beleue þat who so euer deys
in here abyte of hire ordre ; þat he schal neuer go to helle.
And sum men þynke þat þis is a ful parlows heresy.
For to make men to trowe in fals thyngys.
þat may not helpe hem to here saluacioun.
For þan myȝt a man synne how-euer hym lyst.
and leue so in dedly synne tyl hys endyng day.
and neuer forthynk his synne. ne make satisfaccion
of goodys þat he haþ stole of oþer mennys.
but kast on suche a cope and dye þer-yn.
and þan his synnys schul be forȝeue hym ; as fro þe peyne of helle
But þis lernyng is aȝen ryȝtwisnesse. seþyn ryȝtwys god techys þe contrary.
For god and alle his seyntys. and oure beleue techis vs ;
Þat who-so-euer brekys godys comandementys wilfully.
and leuyþ in pride. and in lecchery. and stelys his neyȝebours goodys ;
And haþ no repentaunce for þese synnys in his laste ende ;
ne makys no satisfaccion yf he may
of þe stole goodys neþer in dede. ne in wyl. ne in thoȝt ;
Þat he mot verilyche go to helle./ euery (euer) with-oute ende.
Þow he deyde in alle þe abytys and alle þe vestimentys in cristyndom
Ȝe ; þow he hadde vp-on hym in his deþ ; þe cloþ þat crist weryd
here in erthe in his manhed þat be resun was neuer worldly cloþ so holy
in here abyte of hire ordre ; þat he schal neuer go to helle.
And sum men þynke þat þis is a ful parlows heresy.
For to make men to trowe in fals thyngys.
þat may not helpe hem to here saluacioun.
For þan myȝt a man synne how-euer hym lyst.
and leue so in dedly synne tyl hys endyng day.
and neuer forthynk his synne. ne make satisfaccion
of goodys þat he haþ stole of oþer mennys.
but kast on suche a cope and dye þer-yn.
and þan his synnys schul be forȝeue hym ; as fro þe peyne of helle
But þis lernyng is aȝen ryȝtwisnesse. seþyn ryȝtwys god techys þe contrary.
For god and alle his seyntys. and oure beleue techis vs ;
Þat who-so-euer brekys godys comandementys wilfully.
and leuyþ in pride. and in lecchery. and stelys his neyȝebours goodys ;
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ne makys no satisfaccion yf he may
of þe stole goodys neþer in dede. ne in wyl. ne in thoȝt ;
Þat he mot verilyche go to helle./ euery (euer) with-oute ende.
Þow he deyde in alle þe abytys and alle þe vestimentys in cristyndom
Ȝe ; þow he hadde vp-on hym in his deþ ; þe cloþ þat crist weryd
here in erthe in his manhed þat be resun was neuer worldly cloþ so holy
And furþer more ho-so-euer had synnyd in alle þese wyse.
and lefte his synne with ful repentaunce
and perfyt wylle neuermore to synne eft-sonys dedly
with satisfaccion to his euyn-cristyn ; as is trew god /
he most saue hym þorwȝ his ryȝtwysnesse. and his mercy.
For on þis wyse stondys ful remyssion of synne.
and þerfore ho-so-euer behotys eny man to come to heuyn
thorwȝ forȝeuenesse of synne but on þis wyse
he is vnryȝtwys and fals in his seyynge.
For yf he sey he schal not come in helle
and he deye in here abyte of here ordre ;
þan most he wel wyte ; þat he schuld to heuyn at þe day of dom.
and holy wryt seyþ. þat noman wot
whydyr he may be worþy to haue hate or loue of god.
And holy wryt may nat be fals ; þan ys he fals þat þus techys ;
þat who-euer deyes in here abyte schal neuer go to helle.
But trew men and meke men þynke
yt were more tokyn of holynesse
to dey withouten ony cloþynge ; or ellys in a pore cloþynge
to schew oþer ensample. whiche þey schul be.
and to schew hem meknesse and porenesse to stoppe pride.
and þat we com bare in-to þis world and bare schul we passe
But yf we be cloþyd in oure sowle with vertues and holy lyuynge
And þerfore ryȝtwisnesse wyl not þat we worschipe men. for here cloþynge.
but only for here fayre vertues. and here clene lyf.
for to helpe þat pore þat be nedy. and to amend synful men
as þe gospel seys. to do wrong to no man.
but to do þat skyl is to eche man.
and lefte his synne with ful repentaunce
and perfyt wylle neuermore to synne eft-sonys dedly
with satisfaccion to his euyn-cristyn ; as is trew god /
he most saue hym þorwȝ his ryȝtwysnesse. and his mercy.
For on þis wyse stondys ful remyssion of synne.
and þerfore ho-so-euer behotys eny man to come to heuyn
thorwȝ forȝeuenesse of synne but on þis wyse
he is vnryȝtwys and fals in his seyynge.
For yf he sey he schal not come in helle
and he deye in here abyte of here ordre ;
þan most he wel wyte ; þat he schuld to heuyn at þe day of dom.
and holy wryt seyþ. þat noman wot
whydyr he may be worþy to haue hate or loue of god.
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þat who-euer deyes in here abyte schal neuer go to helle.
But trew men and meke men þynke
yt were more tokyn of holynesse
to dey withouten ony cloþynge ; or ellys in a pore cloþynge
to schew oþer ensample. whiche þey schul be.
and to schew hem meknesse and porenesse to stoppe pride.
and þat we com bare in-to þis world and bare schul we passe
But yf we be cloþyd in oure sowle with vertues and holy lyuynge
And þerfore ryȝtwisnesse wyl not þat we worschipe men. for here cloþynge.
but only for here fayre vertues. and here clene lyf.
for to helpe þat pore þat be nedy. and to amend synful men
as þe gospel seys. to do wrong to no man.
but to do þat skyl is to eche man.
The v. vertu ys warnesse. and sleyȝte.
in god to know þe goode fro þe yuyl.
and to depart hem in two.
and for to hate þe euyl ; and loue þe goode.
and of two goode þyngys to chese þe bettyr.
and to depart hem in two.
and for to hate þe euyl ; and loue þe goode.
and of two goode þyngys to chese þe bettyr.
| The Lay Folks' Catechism, or the English and Latin versions of Archbishop Thoresby's Instruction for the People | |