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Appendix III

Below I provide a transcription of the unique and unpublished Westminster text 5 (ff. 103v-104v).

How men schulden be pacient in tribulacioun and euer triste in goddis helpe and neuer forsake truþe, noiþer for liif ne for deeþ.

"Þe lord is my li3t," or he þat 3yueþ me li3t, "and myn helpe; whom schal I drede?" as who seie noon. "Þe lord is defendour" or mayntenour "of my liif; of whom schal I quake" for fere? As who seie of no man.[1] Vpon þis lettre seiþ seynt Austyn to | comforte cristen men in persecucioun,[2] "An erþely emperour envirouned and defendid by men of armes þat ben frele and deadly wrecchis holdiþ hym sikir fro his enemyes and bodily perelis. Mich more a cristen man" in persecucioun for truþe of Goddis lawe or good liif schulde holde hym sikir in Goddis proteccioun and drede not enemyes, siþ God hymsilf and his hooly aungelis ben wiþ Goddis seruaunt ny3t and day to teche hym, comfort hym, and strengþe hym þat no man ne feend may ouercomen hym but by his owne cowardise, for þei mowen not dye, ne be ouercomen, ne faile to helpe at nede as it is beste on alle sydes. Þerfore seiþ God by Dauiþ to a ri3tful man,[3] "I am wiþ hym in tribulacioun; I schal delyuer hym and glorifye hym." And Iesu Crist seiþ to hise apostlis,[4] "I am wiþ 3ow in alle dayes vnto þe eende of þe world." And Seynt Iame techiþ in his epistle þus,[5] "My breþeren, deme 3ee all ioye


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whanne 3ee fallen into dyuerse temptaciouns," þat is bodily persecucioun for þe truþe of Goddis lawe. And resoun schulde stire men to þis triste and ioye in God siþen God is eendeles my3ty, eendles witty, and eendeles ful of good wille. He wil best ordeyne fort'o' meyntene his truþe and his seruauntis and kan best do it, | and no creature may lette hym of his ordenaunce. Þerfore seiþ Seynt Poule,[6] "God is feiþful," or trewe, "þat schal not suffre 3ow to be temptid more þan 3ee mowe bere, but schal make purueyaunce" of grace and helpe "with temptacioun." Þerfore as Poule seiþ,[7] "Blessid be God and fadir of oure lord Iesu Crist, fadir of mercy and God of al comfort, þat comfortiþ vs in al tribulacioun." For certis as no creature may destroye God, so no creature may destroie fully his lawe. But as bi þe grete peyne and deeþ þat Crist suffride whanne Iewis gessedyn þat þei hadde fully destroied hym and his techyng, boþe he and his techyng weren more magnyfied and glorified, so whanne worldly wrecchis ful of pride, ypocrisye, and couetise wenen to stoppe most Goddis lawe, it schal be knowyn and magnifyed, and þei next confusioun as þe wickid Iewis weren. And al þe persecucioun and sclaundre þat comeþ to Goddis trewe seruauntis schal turne hem to good, as holy writ seiþ, to exercise of pacience, mekenes, and brennyng charite and hi3e blisse in heuen, maugrey alle þe feendis of helle and all þer false mynystris. Þerfore no man grucche þof God suffre his law born doun for a litil tyme, for þei boþe schul rise þe strenger and more glorious. For no creature may, ne can, ne wil ordeyne or cast for magnifiyng of his lawe and seruauntis as God doiþ. Þerfore be euery man trewe to þe deeþ, and he schal haue þe corowne of euerlastyng liif as God seiþ in þe apocalips,[8] "for all þat wil pytously lyue schullen suffre persecucioun." Explicit.