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The Lay Folks Catechism.

The English of Archbishop Thoresby's Instruction or Catechism for the People, from the authentic copy in his register at york.

Is that a gret clerk shewes in his bokes,
[A] Et est secundo sentenciarum distinctione prima,
Of all the creatures that god made in heuen,
And in erthe, in water, or in ayre, or in ought elles,
The soueraigne cause and the skill whi that he made thaime,
Was his owen gode will and his godenesse.
Thurgh whilk godenesse, als he is all gode,
He wold that som creatures of thas that he made
Were communers of that blisse that euermor lastes.
And for no creature might come to that ilk blisse
Withouten knawing of god, als that clerk techis,
—ubi supra—
He made skillwise creatures, angel and man,
Of witt and of wisdome to knaw god al-myghten,
And, thurg thair knawing, loue him and serue him;
And so come to that bliss that thai were made to.
This maner of knawying had oure forme-fadyr
In the state of innocency that thai were made in,
And so shuld we have had, if thai had not synned,
Noght so mikell als hali saules has now in heven,
Bot mikel mare than man has now in erthe:
For our forme-fadirs synned, sais the prophet,
4

And we bere the wickednesse of thaire misdede.
—Trenorum ultimo—
For the knawing that thai had of god almighten,
Thai had it of goddes giftt at thaire begynnyng
With-outen travaile or trey or passyng of tyme;
And all the knawyng þat we have in þis world of him,
Is of heryng, and leryng and techyng of othir,
Of the lawe and þe lare þat langes till halikirke,
The whilke al creatures that loues god almighten
Awe to knawe and to kun, and lede þaire lyue aftir;
And so com to that blisse that never more blynnes.
And forthi that mikill folke now in this world
Ne is noght wele ynogh lered to knawe god almighten,
Ne loue him, ne serue him als thai suld do,
Als thaire dedis ofte sithe openly shewes,
In grete peril of thaime to lyue and to sawle,
And perauenture the defaitor in thaime,
That has thaire saules to kepe, and suld teche thame,
Als prelates, parsons, vikers, and prestes
That er halden be dette for to lere thame—
Oure fadir the Ercebishop, that god almighten saue,
That als saint Paule sais of Iesu crist,
—Paulus ad Thimotheum secundo cao.—
Will that al men be saufe and knawe god almighten,
6

And namely thas underloutes that to him langes,
Has treted and ordayned for commune profet,
Thurgh the consaile of his clergie,
That ilkane that vndir him has kepynge of saules,
Openly on Inglis opon sononndaies
Teche and preche thaim, that thai haue cure of,
The lawe and the lore to knawe god all-mighten,
That principali mai be shewed in this sex thinges:
In þe fourtene poyntes that falles to the trouthe;
20

The lawe and the lore to knawe god all-mighten,
That principali may be shewed in this sex thinges:
In the fourtene poyntes that falles to the trouthe,
In the ten comandementeȝ that god has gyven us,
In the seuen Sacrementȝ that er in hali kirke,
In seuen dedis of merci until oure euen-cristen;
In the seuen vertues that ilk man sal use,
And in the seuen dedely sinnes that man sal refuse.
And he comandes and biddes in al that he may,
That all that haues kepyng or cure undir him
Enioygne thair parochiens and thaire sugettes,
That thai here and lere this ilk sex thinges,
22

And oft sithes reherce tham til that thai kun thaime,
And sithen teche tham thair childir, if thai any haue,
What tyme so thai er of eld to lere tham.
And that parsons and vikers and al paroche prestes
Enquere diligently of thair sugettes, in the lentyn tyme,
When thai come to shrift, whethir thai kun this sex thinges,
And if it be funden that thai kun thaim noght,
That thai enȝoygne tham opon his behalue,
And of payne of penaunce for to kun tham.
And forthi that nane sal excuse tham
Thurgh unknalechyng for to kun tham,
Our fadir the Ercebisshop of his godenesse
has ordayned and bidden that thai be shewed
Openly on inglis o-monges the folk.
Wharefore onentes the first of this sex thinges,
That is, to knaw the articles that falles to the trouth,
Als gret clerkes techis and shewes in thair bokes,
Thare falles un-to the faithe fourtene poyntes
Of whilk seuen falles to goddes godhede,
and othir seuen falles to christes manhede.
The first poynt that we sal trowe of the godhede
Is to trowe stedefastly in a trew god,
24

And that nane othir is for to trowe in.
The tothir is, that the hegh fadir of heuen
Is stedefast and sothefast god almighty.
The third is, that Iesu crist goddes son of heuen
Is sothefastly god euen til his fadir.
The ferthe poynt is, that the hali gast,
That samenly comes of bothe the fadir and the son,
Is sothefastly god, and euen til tham bothe.
And though-whethir noght twa goddes the fadir and the son,
Ne thre goddes the fadir, and the son, and the haligast,
Bot thre se[r]e persons and noght bot a god.
The fift point is, that the trinite
Fadir and sone and haligast, thre persons and a god,
Is maker of heuen and of erthe and of all thinges.
The sext poynt is, that halikirk our modir
Is hali and allane thurgh-out the world,
That is communyng and felawred of al cristen folk,
That communes to-gedir in the sacrementȝ
And in othir hali thinges that falles til halikirk,
In forgyfnes of synnes, and hele of thair saules,
For withouten halikirke nis na saule hele.
26

The seuent article that us awe to trow
Is uprisyng of flesh, and lyfe withouten end,
For when that dede has sondred our bodies and oure saules
For a certeyne tyme, als our kynde askes,
Unto when that god sal deme the quick and the dede
Than our saules sal turne ogayn til our bodies,
And we, thas ilke, and naneothir than we er now,
Sothefastly sal rise up in bodi and in saule
That neuermare sal sondir fra that tyme forthe,
Bot samen, if we wele do whiles we er here,
Wend with god to that blis that euermare lastes,
And als if we ivel do, til endeles payne.
Thare er othir seuen poyntes of cristes manhede
That er nedefull to trowe til al that er cristen.
The first is, that Iesu crist, goddes sone of heuen,
Was sothefastely consayued of the maiden mari,
And toke flesh and blode, and bicome man
Thurgh might and strenth of the haligast
Withouten ony merryng of hir modirhede,
Withouten ony mynnyng of hir maidenhede.
That othir poynt, that we sal trow
That he, god and man bathe in a person,
28

Was sothefastly born of that blissed maiden,
Godde, geten of his fadir before ony tyme,
And man borne of his modir and brought forthe in tyme.
The third poynt that we sal trowe is cristes passion,
That he tholed bodily for synfulman kynd,
Howe he was traised with his disciple, and taken with Iues,
Beten with skourges that no skyn held,
Nailed and (on) the rode, and corouned with thornes,
And many othir hard paynes, and died atte last.
The ferthe article is, that when he was dede,
And his bodi tane doune, and wonden, and doluen
Yit, to whiles that his bodi lai in the graue,
The saule with the godhede went untill hell,
And heried it, and toke oute thas that wer his,
Als Adam and Eue, and othir forme-fadirs
Whilke he in his forloke wold that wer saued.
The fift poynt is, that on the third day
Aftir that he died, he ras fra dede un-to lyue,
Sothefast god, and man in bodi and in saule,
For als he died in sekenesse of our manhede,
Als he ras thurgh strenthe of his godhede,
And so destrueyd our dede thurgh his dieyng,
And whikend us un-to lyf thurgh his risyng.
30

The sext poynt is, that we sal trowe,
That the fourtied day aftir that he ras
Thurgh strenth of him-self he stegh in-till heuen,
Where our kynd is now in his blissed person,
Noght anely euen no mete to his angels,
Bot hegher crouned kyng aboue all angels,
That before-tyme was lesse than kynd of angels.
The seuend poynt is, that right als he died,
And aftirward ras and stegh in-till heuen,
Right swa sal he cum opon the last day.
Bathe forto deme the quick and the dede;
Whare all the folk that euer was, or is, or sall be,
Sal sothefastly be shewed and sene befor him,
And ilkman answer of his owen dedis
And be dampned or saued whethir-sum he deserves,
For als his rightwisenesse is now menged with mercy,
So sal it than be withouten merci.
The secund thyng of the sex to knawe god almighten
Is the ten comandementȝ, that he has gyuen us,
Of the whilk ten, the thre that er first
Augh us haly to hald onentes our god,
and the seuen that er aftir, onentes our euen cristen.
32

The first commandement charges us and techis
That we leue ne loute nane fals goddes,
34

And in this commandement is forboden us
Alkyns mysbileues, and al mawmetries,
Al fals enchaunmentez, and al sorceries,
All fals charmes, and all witchecraftes;
All fals coniurisons, and al wicked craftes,
That men of mysbyleue traistes opon,
Or hopes ony help in, withouten god almighten.
36

The secund commandement biddes us noght take
In ydelship, ne in vayne the name of our god,
So that we trow noght in his name, bot that is stedefast;
That we swere noght be his name but behouely;
And that we neuen noght his name but worshipfully.
38

The third is, that we sal hald and halowe our haliday,
The Sononday, and all othir that falles to the yhere,
That er ordayned to halowe thurgh halikirk,
40

In whilk daies all folk lered and lawed
Awe to gyf tham godely to goddes seruice
To here it and say it aftir thair state is
In worship of god almighten and of his gode halowes,
42

Noght than for to tent to tary with the world,
Ne lyue in lykyng ne lust that the flesh yernes,
Bot gladly to serue god in clennesse of life.
The ferthe biddes us to do worship to fadir and to modir,
Noght only to fleshli fadir and modir
That getes and fosters us forthe in this world,
44

Bot til our gastly fadirs that has hede of us,
And techis us how to lif til hele of our saules.
And til our gastly modir, that is halikirke
To be buxom thar-to and saue the right of it,
For it is modir til all that cristenly lyfes,
And alswa til ilk man that worshipfull is,
for to do worship aftir that it is.
46

The fifth biddes us that we sla naman,
That is at say, bodili ne gastly nouthir,
For als mony we sla, in that at we mai,
Als we sklaundir or bacbite or falsly defames,
Or fandes for to confound tham that noght serues,
Or withdrawes lyuelade fra tham that nede haues,
If we be of haueing for to help tham.
48

The sext commandement forbedes us to syn
Or forto foly fleshli with any woman
Outhir sib or fremned, wedded, or unwedded,
Or any fleshly knawyng or deid haf with any,
othir than the sacrement of matermoyne escuse,
And the lawe and the lare of halikirke teches.
50

The seuent comandement biddes us noght stele;
In whilk is forboden robbyng and reuyng,
All wrangwise takyng or withhaldyng,
Or hiding or helyng of othir men godes
Ogayne thaire wit, and thaire will that has right to tham.
52

The aughtand biddes us we sall bere
No fals wittenes ogayne our euen-cristen;
In whilk is forboden al maner of lesyng,
Fals conspiracie, and forsweryng.
Whare-thurgh our euen-cristen mai lese thair catell,
Faith, favour, or fame, or any thing elles,
Whethir it be in gasteli or bodili godes.
54

The neynd is, that we noght yerne our neghtebur house;
In whilk is forboden all urangwise couatise
Of land, or of lithe, or of ought elles,
That mai noght be lifted ne raised fro the ground,
Als thing that is stedefast, and mai not be stirred.
The tend and the last is, that we yerne noght
The wife of our neghtebur, ne of our euen-cristen,
Ne his maiden, ne his knaue, his ox nor his asse:
In whilk is forboden us to yerne or to take
Ony thing that may be stirred of othir men godes,
56

As robes or richesse, or othir catell
That we have no gode title, ne no right to.
For what thing so we gete, or tas on othir wise,
We mai noght be assoiled of the trespas,
Bot if we make assethe in that at we may
To tham that we harmed, withaldand thair godes.
And in cas that we have thurgh fals athes,
Als in assizes or othir enquestes
Wittandly and willfalli gere our euen cristen
Lese thaire patrimoyne, or thair heritage,
Or falsly be desesed of land or of lithe,
Or fals diuorce be made, or any man dampned,
Of all we do, that we may, unto the party,
Yit may we noght be assoiled of our false athe,
Bot of our bisshop or him that has his power,
For swilk cas is riuely reserved til him seluen.
60

This ten Comandementȝ that I haue nowe rekend
Er umbilouked in twa of the godspell,
Luce xo. capo.
The tane is we love god ouer al thinges,
The tothir that we love our euen-cristen als we do oure selven.
For god augh us to love halye with hert,
With al our might, with al our thought, with word and with deid:
Our euen-cristen alswa augh us to loue
Un-to that ilk gode that we loue us selven,
That is, that thai welefare in bodi and in saule,
And cum to that ilk blisse that we think to.
Who-so dos this twa fulfilles the othir.
The third thing of the sex that I first touched
Is the seuen sacrementz that halikirk gifes
62

Thurgh prelates and othir prests that has the power.
Of whilk seuen, the first fyve ilk a cristen man
Augh lawfully to take aftir his eld is;
And twa lies in thair wille that ressayves tham,
The first sacrement of seuen is our baptisme,
That we take the first tyme that we becum cristen,
In whilk bathe the first syn that we er born with,
And alkyn othir syn, is wasshen oway,
that we er filed with ar we take it;
And the trouthe of halikirk is taken thare-in
Withouten whilk na synfulman saule may be saued.
And to this sacrement falles foure thinges,
If it sal rightly be taken als halikirk techis:
Ane is right saying and shap of the wordes
That him augh for to sai, that gyffes this sacrement
That er thise: I baptize the in the name
Of the fadir & the son, & the hali gast.
Another is, that it be done anely in water,
For nanothir licour is leuefull tharfore.
64

The third is, that he that gyffes this sacrement
Be in wit and in will for to gyff it.
And the ferthe is, that he that takes it
Be nouthir of lered, ne of lawed, baptized before;
For if the prest be in were of him that sal take it,
Whethir he be baptized or he be noght,
Than sall he sai the wordes opon this wise—
If thou be noght baptized, I baptize the
In the name of the fadir and the son and the haligast.
The secund sacrement is confermyng
That the bisshop gives to tham that er baptized,
That giffes thurgh his power to tham that tas it
The grace and the giftes of the haligast
To make tham mare stalworth than thai ware before
To stand ogaynes the fend, and dedely syn,
That nane has power to do bot bisshop allane
That has the state and the stede of cristes apostels.
The third sacrement is cald penaunce,
That is sothefast forthinking we have of our syn
66

Withouten will or thoght to turne ogayne to it.
And this behoues haue thre thinges if it be stedefast:
Ane is sorow of our hert that we have synned;
Anothir is open shrift of our mouth how we haf synned,
And the third is rightwise amendes makyng for that we haf synned.
This thre, with gode will to forsake our syn,
Clenses us and wasshes us of alkyn synnes.
The ferthe is the sacrement of the auter,
Cristes owen bodi in likeness of brede,
Als hale as he toke it of that blessed maiden;
Whilk ilk man and woman, that of eld is,
Aught forto resceyve anes in the yhere,
That is at sai, at paskes, als hali kirke uses,
When thai er clensed of syn thurgh penaunce,
Of payne of doyng out of hali kirke.
Bot if thai forbere it be skilwise cause,
That aught to be knawen to thaim that sal gif it,
For he that takes it worthili, takes his salvation,
And who-so unworthili, takes his dampnation.
68

The fift sacrement is the last enoynting
With oyle that is halowed and handeled of prest
To tham that he wate er of skillwise elde,
And that he seis sikerly in peril of dede,
In lightenes and alegeaunce of their sekenesse,
If god wil that thai turne ogayne until hele,
And als in forgyuenesse of venyale synnes,
And in lessyne of payne, if thai passe hethen.
The sext sacrement of halikirke is Ordir,
That giffes power to tham that rightwisely tas it
For to serve in halikirk aftir thair state is,
And to tham that takes the ordir of prest
For to serue and for to minister sacrementȝ of halikyrk, that to tham falles
Aftir the state that thai haue, and thair degree askes.
The sevent sacrement is Matirmonye,
That is, a lawefull festenyng betwix man and woman,
At thair bother assent for to lyve samen
Withouten ony lousyng to thair life lastes,
In remedi of syn, and getyng of grace,
If it be taken in gode attent and clennesse of lif.
70

The ferthe thing of the sex to knaw god almighten,
That us behoues fulfill in al that we mai,
Is the seuen dedis of merci until our euen-cristen
That god sal reherce us opon the dai of dome,
and wit how we haf done tham here in this lyfe,
Als saint matheu mas mynde in his godspell.
—xxvo. capitulo.—
Of whilk the first is to fede tham that er hungry.
That othir, for to gif tham drynk that er thirsty.
The third, for to clethe tham that er clatheless.
The ferthe is to herber tham that er houselesse.
The fifte, for visite tham that ligges in sekenesse.
The sext, is to help tham that in prison er.
The sevent, to bery dede men that has mister.
Thise er the seuen bodily dedis of merci
That ilk man augh to do that is mighty.
Unde versus , vestio, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo.
74

Thare er of merci allso seuen gasteli dedis
That us augh to do to tham that has nede til us:
Ane is to consaile and wisse tham that er will.
A nothir is to withdrawe tham that will wirk ill.
The third is to solace tham that er sorowfull.
The ferthe is to pray for tham that er sinful.
The fifte is to be tholemode when men misdos us.
The sext gladly to forgyf when men has greued us.
76

The seuent, when men askes us for to her tham,
if we can mare than thai for to lere tham.
Unde versus, Consule, castiga, solare, remitte, fer, ora,
Instrue si poteris: sic cristo carus haberis.
Thise til our neghtebors er ful nedefull,
And to tham that dos tham wondir medefull,
For he sal find merci that mercifull is,
And man withouten merci of merci sal misse.
The fifte thing of the sex to knaw god Almighten
Is the seuen vertues that haliwrit techis,
78

Of whilk seuen the thre first, that er heued thewes,
Teches us how to haue us unto god almighten,
And the four techis us swa for to lyf
Bathe onentes our self and our euen-cristen
That it be bathe likand to god and to man.
The firste vertue is trouthe, whar thurgh we trow
Anely in a God, that made al thinges,
With al the othir articles I touched before;
And this is nedefull til all that cristen lifes,
For trouthe is beginyng of al gode werkes:
For nouthir is trouth worth withouten gode werkes,
Ne ne werk withouten trouth mai pai god almighten.
The tothir gode thewe and vertue is hope,
That is a siker abyding of gastely gode
Thurgh goddes godeness, and our godedis,
For to come to that blisse that never mare blinnes
Not anely in traiste of goddes godeness
Ne alanely in traist of our godededis,
Bot in traist of tham when thai er bathe samen.
For nouthir sal we fall so ferr in al wanhope
That we ne sall traist to have blisse if we wele do,
Ne we ne sal noght come so ferre in-til our hope
That we sal traist so mikel of goddes godeness,
80

That we sal hope to have blisse withouten gode dedis.
The third vertu or thew is charite,
The whilk is a dere loue that us augh to haue
Unto god almighten and all our euen-cristen
Unto god almighten al for him-selven,
And al our euen-cristen for god almighten
For the tane may nought be loued withouten the tothir,
For als that saint Iohan sais in his epistell
—cao. iiijto.—
That comandement, he sais, we have of god almighten,
That wha-soeuer loues god, loues his euen cristen;
For he that loues noght his brothir, wham he mai se,
how suld he loue god almighten that he seis noght.
The ferthe vertu or thewe is rightwisenesse,
That is to yheld to al men that we augh tham,
For to do til ilk man that us augh to do,
For to worship tham that er worthi,
84

For to helpe the pouer that er nedy,
For to do gile ne wrang unto naman,
bot for to do that skill is unto ilkman.
The fift vertu or thew sleghe or sleghness
—prudencia—
That wisses us to be war with wathes of the world,
for it kennes us to knaw the gode fra the yvel,
And als-so to sundir the tane fra the tothir,
and for to leue that is yvel, and take to the gode;
and of twa gode thinges to chese the better.
The sext vertu is strength or stalworthnesse,
Noght anely of bodi, but of hert and of will,
86

Euenly to sofir the wele and the wa,
Welthe or wandreth, whethir so betides,
And that our hert be noght to hegh for no welefare,
Ne ouer mikel undir for nane yvel fare,
But saffely for to stand ogaynes our faes,
Whethir thai be bodili or thai be gastely,
So that na foule fandyng make us to fall,
Or be fals in our faithe ogayne god almighten.
The seuent vertu and the laste is methe or methefulnsse,—temperancia—
That hedis us fra outrage, and haldes us in euen
Lettes fole lykynges and lustes of the flesch,
And yhemes us fro yernynges of worldely godes,
And kepes us in clennesse of bodi and of saule:
For methe is mesur and met of al that we do,
If we lyff skillwisely als the lawe techis.
The sext thing and the last of thas I first touchid
Is the seuen heued synnes or dedely synnes,
That ilkman augh for to knawe to fle and forhoue,
For man mai noght fle tham bot he knawe tham,
Pride, enuy, wrath, and glotony, covatis and slauth, and licheri.
88

And forthi er thai cald seuen heued synnes,
For that al othir comes of tham,
And forthi er thai cald dedli synnes,
For thai gastely sla ilk mannes saule,
That er hanked in al or in any of tham.
Wharefore the wise man biddes in his boke,
—Ecclesiast. xxio.—
Als fra the face of the neddir, fand to fle syn,
For als the venyme of the nedder slaes mannes bodi,
Swa the venyme of syn slaes mannes saule.
The first of this seven synnes is pride,
That is, a likand heghnesse of a mannes hert
Of office, or hegh state, or othir nobillay,
That he outhir has of kynd or of grace,
Or that he hopes that he has mare than a nothir.
And of this syn comes mani sere spices,
Bost, and auantyng, and unbuxumnesse,
Despite, and ypocrisie, and unshamefulnesse,
And othir that er oft sithe sene omang proude men.
The secund dedeli syn is hatten enuy,
That is a sorowe and a site of the welefare,
And ioy of the yuel fare of our euen-cristen;
Of whilk syn many spices springes and spredes.
Ane is hatered to speke or here ought be spoken
That may soune un-to gode to tham that we hate:
Anothir is false iuggeyng or dome of thair dedis,
90

And ay turne until yuel that thai do to gode;
The third is bacbityng, to sai behynd tham
That we wil noght auow ne say befor tham,
Whare noght anely he that spekes the yuel,
Bot he that heres it be spoken, is for to blame,
For war thar no herer, thar wer no bacbiter.
The third dedely syn or heued syn is wrath,
That is, a wiked stirryng or bolnyng of hert
Whare-thurgh a man wilnesse for to take wrake
Or wickedly to venge him opon his euen-cristen,
And of this syn comes striuyng, and flityng,
With mony fals and mony foule wordes;
Sklaundir, for to fordo a mannes gode fame,
Feghtyng, and felony and oft mannes slaughter,
And many ma than now is nede to be neuened.
The ferthe dedeli syn is glotony,
That is ane unskilwise likyng, or loue,
In taste, or in takyng of mete and of drynk;
And this trespas dos men opon sere wise.
Ane is ouer areli or ouer late, or ouer oftt sithes
For to ete or to drynk, bot if nede ger it;
Anothir is for to lyue ouer delicately;
The third is for to ete or drink ouer mikel;
The ferthe is ouer hastily to ete or to drynk;
The fift is to compas upon what wise
We may gete deliciouse metes and drynkes,
92

For to fill the likyngs and lustes of the flesh,
Othir than we may godely lede our lyve with.
Unde versus, Prepropere, laute, nimis, ardenter, studiose.
The fift dedely syn is covatise, that is a urang-wise wilnyng
Or yernyng to hafe any kyns gode that us augh noght,
and this is principaly done opon twyn wise:
Ane is wrangwisely to gete any thing
That oure likyng or oure loue lightes opon,
Als be sacrilege, or be symonie,
Stalthe, falshede, or oker, or othir gilery,
Whilk this worldis men is wont for to use,
That castes thaire conandnesse so unto couatise
That thai ne reck whethir it be bi right, or bi wrang,
Bot at thai mai gete that at thaire hert yhernes.
Anothir is wrangwisely to hald that is geten;
That is when we will noght do to god almighten,
Ne til halikirk, ne til our euen-cristen,
That us augh for to do bi dett and by lawe,
Bot anely haldes that we have, for ese of us selven;
Whare noght anely he that wrangwisely getes,
Bot he that wrangwisely haldes, falles in the syn.
The sext dedely syn is slauthe or slawnes,
94

That is ane hertly anger or anoye til us
Of any gastely gode that we sal do,
And of this syn comes sum sere speces;
Ane is latsumnesse or lite to draw opon lenthe
Any gode dede that we sal do,
That mai turne us til help or hele of our saules.
Anothir is a dulnesse or heuynesse of hert
That lettes us for to luf our lord god almighten,
Or any likyng to haue in his seruice.
The third is yde[l]ship that ouer mikel is haunted,
That makes men lathe to begyn any godededis,
And lightely dos us to leue when ought is begunnen,
And thar ar we er kyndely borne for to swink
Als the foughel is kindly born for to flegh,
Job. vto. cao.
It haldes us euermare in ese ogaynes our kynd,
For idelnesse is enmy to cristen man saule
Stepmodir and stameryng ogayne gode thewes,
And witter wissyng and wai till alkyns vices.
The seuent dedely syn is lecheri,
That is a foule likyng or lust of the flesch;
And of this syn comes many sere spices.
Ane is fornication, a fleshly syn
Betwix ane aynlepi man, and ane aynlepi woman,
That forthi that it is ogaynes the lawe
And the leue, and the lare that hali kirk haldes,
It is dedely syn to tham that dos it.
An other is auoutry, that is spousebrek,
Whether it be bodily or it be gastely,
96

That greuouser and gretter is than that othir.
The third is incest, that is when a man synnes
Fleshly with any of his sib frend,
Or any othir that is of his affinite,
Gastely or bodili, whethir so it be.
Othir spices many ma springes of this syn,
That ouer mikel er knawen and kennd in the werld,
With tham that ledis thair lifs als thaire flesch yhernes.
This er the sex thinges that I have spoken of,
That the lawe of halikirk lies mast in
That ye er al halden to knawe, and to kun,
If ye sal knawe god almighten, and cum un-to his blisse:
98

And for to gif yhou better will for to kun tham,
Our fadir the ercebisshop grauntes of his grace
Fourti daies of pardon til al that kunnes tham,
Or dos thair gode diligence for to kun tham,
And ratifies als-so that othir men gifes,
So mikel couaites he the hele of yhour saules,
For if ye kunnandly knaw this ilk sex thinges
Thurgh thaim sal ye kun knawe god almighten,
Wham, als saint Iohn saies in his godspel,
Conandly for to knawe swilk als he is,
It is endeles life and lastand blisse,
To whilk blisse he bring us [,that bought us].
amen.
3

The Lay Folks Catechism.

A Wycliffite Adaptation of the Catechism, with latin rubrics, put forth under the name of Archbishop Thoresby, from the lambeth ms., no. 408; and additions [ within brackets ] from york minster ms., xvi. l. 12.

Mandatum domini Johannis de Thoresby. Eborum Archiepiscopi Rectoribus. Vicarijs tocius prouincie sue ad predicandum parochianos illorum & predictus dominus Johannis concessit omnibus adiscentibus istud mandatum .xl. dies indulgencie.

Thema. Attendite popule meus Inclinate aurem vestram in verba oris mei.//

[_]

In the original text, the Latin rubric is counted as lines 1–8.

As a gret clerk tellys and schewys in his bokys.
Of alle þe creaturis þat god made in heuyn
and in erthe in water and in eyre. or in ouȝt ellys.
þe souerayne cause and þe skyle why he made hem
Was his owne god wyl and his goo[d]nesse.
thorw þe whiche godnesse. as he ys al good.
he wolde þat sum creaturis of þo þat he made
were commeneris of þat blys þat euyr lastys.
And for no creature miȝt come to þat blys
withoute knowynge of god as þe clerk techys.
he made skylful creaturis as angelys and man
of wit and of wisdom to know god almyȝty.
and thorwȝ his knowynge loue hym and serue hym
and so come to þat blysse / þat þey were made to.
This maner of knowynge had oure former faderys
in þe stat of innocence. þat þey were mad yn.
þat we schuld haue had ; yf þey had not synned.
But not so-mokyl as holy sowlys haue now in heuen.
but mochyl more þen any man has now in erthe.
For oure former faderis synned says þe prophete.
5

and we bere þe wykkydnesse of þair mysdedys.
for knowing þat þey hadde of god almyȝthy ;
þey hadde yt of goddys gyfte at þare begynnynge
withowte travayl or tray or passynge of tyme.
And al þe knawynge þat we haue in þis werld of hym
ys of herynge and larnynge. and wyssynge of othyr.
of þe lawe and þe lore þat longys at holy chyrche.
þe whyche alle creaturis þat loue god almyȝty
owe to knowe and lede here lyf þeraftyr.
and so come to þat blys þat neuer schal haue ende.
and for þat now mekyl folk in this world.
ys not wel lernyd to knowe god almyȝty.
ne loue hym ne serue hym. as þey schold do.
as þayr dedys often tyme opunly schewys
in gret perel of þaym to lyf and to sowle.
and paraventure þe cawse may be in ham ;
þat han here sowlys to kepe. and schulde teche þaym.
as prelatys. persons. and vycars. and oþer prestys.
þat haue take þat offyce. and ar holdyn be dette to lere þaym.
And no prestts may be excusid ffor be trew dette þey holdyng to teche þaym
And þerfore oure fadyr þe archiepyschop wylle þat alle men knowe god
and be saf. for Seynt Poul. seys of god ;
þat iesu wylle þat alle men be saf and know god almyȝty.
7

and namely þe vndirlynges þat to hym longys.
and þerfore he has tretyd and ordeynyd for þe comyn profyt
thorowȝ þo conseyl of hys clergy
þat euerych þat vndyr hym has kepyng of sowlys
opunly on englysch vpon sundays
preche and teche ham ; þat þey haue cure of.
þe lawe and þe lore to knowe god almyȝty and hys werkys.

Pater noster. qui es in celis.

We schull be-leue þat þis pater noster.
þat crist hym self techis to alle cristyn men.
passys oþer prayers in these thre thyngis.
In auctorite. In sotylte. and profyt to his chyrche.
Hyt passis in auctorite. For crist hym self boþe god and man ;
made yt and tauȝt hyt: for cristyn men to vse hyt.
And he ys most of auctorite as oure be-leue techis vs.
And here-fore þe gospel of Mathew. seys þat crist bad vs pray thus.

MT.6o.


Hyt passys also in sotylte. For we schulle vndyrstonde.
þat in þese vij askyngkys are conteyned
alle þe poyntys of þis world in þe whiche is ony wyt
And so schortly to comprehend so moche wyt in playn wordys
8

ys a sotylte of god passyng þe wyt of man.
The þrydde we schulle suppose þat no prayer in þe world
is more profitable to man sythen þat crist hym self schal here al.
The fyrst askynge of þis pater noster stondis in þese wordis
Our fadyr þat art in heuyn: halwyd be þy name.
In whyche wordys. we mow lerne þat men worthy to be herd ;
must be knyt in charite. and meknese of herte.
sythen al þe holyte (sic) trinite ys fadyr of vs alle
and holy chyrche is modyr. we schulde loue as breþern.
And sethen god ys so hyȝ in heuyn a-boue al his angelys.
and we be so low in erthe. wrappid with many myscheuys./
we schulde be resoun be meke and buxum to þis lord
and mekely pray to oure fadyr þatt halwyd be his name.
So as his name ys halowyd nedlych in hym-self ;
so be hys name halwyd. and stedfast in oure sowle.
For whan oure sowle was mad to lyknesse of þe trinte:
goddis hyȝ name was prentyd þeryn.
The secunde askynge of þis prayer. stondys in these wordys.
Thy reme come to þe, in-to þe blysse of heuyn.
In so as þe furste askynge. answerys to þe fadyr ;
so þe secunde askynge a[n]swerys to þe sone.
For he ys þat nobyl man. þat com down in-to erthe
to gete hym a Reme. and aftyr to turne aȝen.
The Reme of þis fadyr ys callyd Holy chyrche.
9

þat at þe day of dome schal go hennys in-to heuyn
The thrydde askynge. seyth þus Be thy wylle don.
as yt ys fully don in hevyn ; so be yt don in erthe.
And þis thrydde askynge. answeris to þe holy gost
ffor he ys good loue of þe ffadyr. and of þe sone.
And al-thaw þese askyngys most nedelynge be fulfyllyd ;
natheles mannys sowle ys lyfte vp with charite
with desyre heyȝed with god. and þat ys a prayer
Thus we seye blyssyd be god. and oþer thyngys þat nedis mot be
And þese thre askyngys ; arn to þe holy Trinite.
And þerfore we schape oure wordys only to god.
The secunde part of þis prayer conteynes foure askyngys.
Furst we preye oure fadyr þus
Fadyr oure eche day bred gyf vs to day.
And þis may be wel vndirstonde ; on þre manerys.
as seynt Austyn seyþ be wit of god almyȝthy.
Furst we aske oure bodely fode ; for to serue oure fadyr.
aftyr we aske þe sacrament to haue mende of oure Fadyr.
And aftyrward we aske goddys word to fede with oure sowle.
And for we haue nede of alle þese yche day ;
þerfore crist callys hem oure eche day bred.
and for we schulde be trewe ; and ete oure owne bred ;
[And not in wrong ete our neeghboris breed]
þerfore crist techis vs to aske of hym oure bred.
And for crist wolde þat oure hope were freschyd in hym ;
oure thogth and oure mynde. and alle oure desyre ;
10

þerfore he byddys vs aske þis mete of hym to day
The secunde part of þis askyngge (askynge of þis part) sewyþ in þese wordys.
For-ȝeue vs oure dettys ; as we do to oure dettours.
These dettys þat we owe to god ; ar seruyse þat we owe to hym.
And as ofte tymes as we fayle ; we renne in-to dette of peyne.
and but god for-ȝeue vs þis dette of synne ;
we be nat worthy to haue auȝt of oure fadyr.
And for god wyl þat we loue oure breþeryn.
he knyttys to a condicioun vndyr whyche ; we aske þis bone.
þat he schulde forȝeue vs oure dettys; as we forȝeue oure dettowrys.
So þat ȝif we be vn-mercyful to men þat be oure dettours
trist we to oure fadyr þat he wyl punysche vs.
And so we praye oure hyȝe iuge aȝens oure owyn hed.
But vndirstonde we. þat we mowe lefully
aske of oure broþern dette of erthelyche thyngys.
but þis askynge mot be in resoun and charite.
And þan yt [is] for charite and loue and profyt to oure neyȝebore.
and here we mot fle bothe rancour and hate.
and envye to oure [neyȝbore] with oþer schrewde castys
The thrydde askynge of þis part swyt in these wordys.
Oure Fadyr lede vs nat in temptacioun.//
Soþ yt ys þat crist was temptyd. and god temptys man for loue.
11

But hard it ys and greuous peyne to be lad in temptacioun.
For whan man of his foly. in-to myre of synne fallys.
Ryȝt jugement of god wol make hym synke deppyr./
And herfore we pray hym our fadyr
þat he lede vs nat in-to þis hardnesse of synne
lest we come neuer owt.
And herfore þe laste askynge sewyþ in þese wordis.
But gracius fadyr delyuere vs fro euyl.
The worst þynge in þis world is wykkydnesse of synne.
Sytthe a man for noþynge schulde wylle to do synne ;
sythen for al þis world. ne nogtȝ þer-yn schuld ony man do synne.
But sythen sum synnes be moche werse þan sum ;
In þis last askynge we pray delyueraunce of þe werste synne.
The werst synne ys þe deuelys synne
þat man deyes yn withoute repentaunce.
þat euyr schal be punyschyd. and þat callys þe gospel ;
synne aȝenst þe holy gost.
God for his grete mercy ; kepe vs fro þis euyl.
And þan schulen we haue euer-lastyngge fredam.
Amen.

Aue Maria.

Men gretyþ comunly oure lady goddys moder
and we suppose þat þis gretynge sauys many a man
For we take as be-leue. þat sche ys blyssyd in heuyn.
And crist wyl do at hyr prayynge among al oþyr seyntys.
And þow we trow þat noþer crist ne sche
wil do for man but yt be resonable.
12

and men þat ben worthy to be holpyn.
And so mow men triste to be holpyn fully in suche prayer.
In þre partyes comunlyche þis gretynge ys dyuydyd.
The furst part contenys þe wordys of Gabriel. whan he seyde to þis lady.
Heyl ful of grace ; god is with the.
The secunde part of þis gretynge buth wordys
þat Elysabeth spake to hyr whan sche sayde.
Blyssyd be þou amonge wommen. and blyssyd be þe fruyt of þy wombe.
The þrydde part has two wordys clowtyd for deuocyoun. Maria. and Iesus./
Furst men seyn. Heyl Marie þat gabryel lefte in his gretynge
to teche vs þat he was homly and knowyn with þis lady.
and þerfore wold he not nempne þis name of marie.
The secunde word ys Iesvs. addyd to elyȝabethis wordys
and þis word lefte þe gospel here. to teche þat marye hadde but on child.
and þis child was iesus. þat is sauiour of man-kynde.
But þis fyl longe [aftyr] þat oure lady was gret þus.
The furste word. þat is aue. reuersys þe name of Eua
to teche vs þat oure lady contraryyd Eue in levynge.
For ryȝth as Adam and Eue were cause of dampnynge of man-kynde ;
So iesus and Marie ben cawse of mannys saluacioun.
The secunde word of þe angel seys. oure lady was ful of grace.
And man may be ful of grace on thre maneris be godys lawe.
13

Furst of hym-self. as crist was þe furst qwyk welle of grace.
for of hym spronge grace to alle men aftyr hym.
Our lady was ful of grace as a stronde ful of watyr
[And] gaf grace plenteous boþe to oþer men and wommen.
Seynt Steuyn was ful of grace þat sufficyd to his lyf for to bryng hym to blysse.
and so be many oþer seyntys. and so god ys with alle creaturis.
But specialy with men þat schul be sauyd.
But more specialy with þe chaumbyr of his manhed þat was oure lady marie.
But bothe þe Angel and Elyzabeth seyde þat oure lady is blyssid
a-mong alle wommen þat be for genderyng of seche a child.
And so þe be-gynnynge and þe endynge schuld be blessynge of iesu.
Þat is froyt of þe wombe of oure lady seynt Marie.
The þridde part of þis gretynge addis two wordys to þe gospel
þat ben Maria and iesus and two devowt wordis.
But for it ys hard to men to grounde hem leue. to adde þis.
sythe godis lawe seys þat men schulde nat vp-on gret peyne.
adde to goddys word.
Hit ys seyd þat þe pope gefys gret pardoun to men þat addys þese wordys.
and be þe same skyle þat men schuld triste to eny pardoun ;
men schuld triste to þis pardoun. be yt four score dayes or more.
And as þe pope may ȝeue þis pardoun be addyngge of þese two wordys.
14

so may he adde oþer mo. and with-drawe as hym-self lykys.
and so turne godys lawe ; in-to lawe of antecrist.
Oþer men moste graunt þis way. or say þat þis was
furst [a] defawte kept to þe pope to amende.
And herfore thynkys men þat þe wordys of þe gospel
were wysly set in þe gospel with-owte varyynge.
And many men thynkys ouer [ ; ] ȝif suche pardoun myȝt be grauntyd lyȝtlyche
with lasse travayle yt schuld be grauntyd generaly
to men þat devowtly sey þese names.
And so myȝt pardoun be gotun to sey yche day a lady sawter ;
[ȝhe.] ten þowsand ȝer in on ȝere./
Trust we to þe wordys of þe gospel. and worschipe we Marie with al our myȝt.
Amen.
Hyt ys soþ. þat beleue is ground of alle vertues.
and þerfore eche cristyn man schulde be sad in beleue.
Ther be þre credys in þe chirche.
Crede of þe apostelys. and Crede of þe chyrche.
and Crede of attanasy. þat was a gret doctour.
But of þe fyrste Crede schulde cristyn men speke.
For yt is more comyn and more schortyr þan eny oþer.
Ne bysy we vs nat what þe apostyl made.
ne what party of þis holy Crede. and whan þe apostelys gaderyd yt.
For oure beleue techis vs þat god ordeynyd hyt al.
and bad þat men schuld cun hyt and teche yt to oþer
And ȝif prelatys faylyn in þis Crist seyde þat stonys schulde crye
15

and secler lordys schuld in defawte of prelatys
lerne and preche þe law of god in here modyr tonge.
Ne study we nat how many partyes ben in þis holy crede.
For soþ it is ; þat alle þese partyes ben contenyd in thre.
And herfore men seyn þrys ; þat þey trow in god./
Fyrst þey trow in þe Fadyr. for he ys [þe] fyrst persone.
Aftyr þey trow in Iesu crist. be dyuers artyclys.
and sytthe þey trow in þe holy gost.
And eche on of þese thre partyes contenys many partyclys (artycles).
But we schul wele wyte ; þat þese thre thyngys ben wel sotel and diuers.
Trow in god. and [trow] to god.
and trow god þat ys þe leste.
þat man levys in god ; þat cleuys to him be charite.
and þus eche man þat ys in hed synne. is owt of his beleue.
That man trowys to god. þat beleuyþ
þat he is trewe and ryȝtful in al þyng þat he seyþ.
And þus do vnkende men þat trow not in hym.
That man trowys god ; þat trowys þat he ys.
and so do deuelys þat trow not in hym.
The fyrst part of þis Crede ; conteynys þre artyculys.
Furst þat men schulde trow in þe fyrst person
þat ys þe fadyr of heuyn and power of god.
and so schulde men trowe þat he is al-myȝty.
So if he wyl auȝt be don ; he dos hit whan hym lykys.
and so þe thridde artycule stondys in þis.
þat he made of noȝt boþe heuyn and erthe.
and ȝit schul men trow þat al-myȝty ys comen to þre personys.
Al-myȝty ys þe fadyr. Al-myȝty ys þe sone.
16

And al-myȝty ys þe holy gost. ȝit schul not men trowe.
þat þese ben thre almyȝty goddys / but on god almyȝty./
The secunde part of þis Crede. be-gynnys at iesu crist.
and towchis xiiij. artyculis þat stondis in ordre.
Furst men schuld trow in goddys word. or his sone.
Aftyr men schuld trow. þat he becom man
stondynge his godhed þat he myȝt not lese.
The thridde tyme we schuld trow. þat þe fadyr of heuyn
has but on suche sone euyn with hym in kende.
and þis ys Iesus oure lord. be godhed and be manhed.
sythen he made vs of noȝt. and bowȝt vs fro synne.
The iiij articule of þis parte seys þat crist was conseyuyd of þe holy gost.
nat as oþer men gete childryn be kynde.
Sethyn þis person ys no man ; but þe holy gost./
þe whyche ys lyf [loue] be sum propyrte.
and most tokyn of lyf [loue] ; þat god wold schewe to man was.
þat he wold take oure kende. and be-come oure broþer./
and þerfore we beleue þat oure lord iesu ;
was conseyuyd of þe holy gost. with-owte mannys genderynge.
The fyfte tyme we schuld be-leue. þat oure lord iesu
was born of þe virgyn Marie. as of his owne modyr.
þat was euer virgine with-owte knowynge of man.
al-þow crist tok of hire / matere of hys body./
and seþyn sche norischyd hym withynne as oþer childyr ar norschid.
But he went owt of here body be myracle. as he was formyd.
17

The vj tyme we schul trowe þat. aftyr. xxxij. ȝer ;
he suffrid hard passioun vndir pounce pilate.
for to by man-kynd and mayntene trewthe.
and so he was don on þe cros. and aftyr ded and beryyd.
sethen his sowle went to helle and tok owt þe sowlys
þat he ordeynyd to saue ; be-fore þis world was made.
and sethyn vp-on þe thrydde day his sowle com to his body
and qwykyd hyt as be-forn. And ros owt of þe sepulcre.
and sethyn whan he hadde efte tyme. schewyd to his disciplis his resurreccioun.
he steyȝ vp to heuyn as þey saw opunly.
and þer he syttys now in best sete þat may acorde to man.
an þat ys callyd þe ryȝt syde of god þe fadyr.
and at þe laste he schal come doun here to man.
and jugge sum to blysse. and oþer to helle
for euer-more to be þere withoutyn dwellynge here.
The thrydde part of þis Crede be-gynnys at þe holy gost.
in wham we schul trow sethyn þat he ys god.
And .vj. artyculis ben knyt to þis part of þe Crede.
Furst we schul trow. þat þer ys general chirche
of angelys and seyntys in heuyn. and of alle þat schul be sauyd.
and þis aftyr þe day of dom. schal be with-outen synne.
with here spowse in endles ioye. and iche on haue Ioye of oþer.
And noman here in erthe ; ys parte of þis chirche.
but if he come to heuyn be his holy lyuynge.
18

and þus men lakkys knowynge. wheþer þey ben partyes of holy chirche.
For þey schuld nat boste of heynes in here prelacy ;
But þey mot leue aftyr crist ; ȝyf þey schul be sauyd.
For þus techis oure be-leue. how-euer antecrist werke./
And so þis chirche. has þre statys be processe of tyme.
Fyrst he wandrys here in erthe. and sethen he slepys in purgatory.
and aftyr he restys in blysse of crist þat ys here spowse.
And so as sum men thynke. þese popys ne þese prelatys
ar nat part of holy chirche ; but of synagoge [of sathanas]
sythen þey mot leue aftyr crist. ȝif þey schul be sauyd./
þus techis our be-leue. how-euyr antecrist grucchis.
And schul we trowe so. þat eche parte of þis chyrche ;
commovys (commonys) and helpys othir. boþe here and in heuyn.
But in heuyn ; þey schul yn reste haue ioye of here blysse.
And so schul we trow þat eche part of þys chirche ;
schal haue ful remissioun of synne þat yt has don
[and so arise] in body and in sowle [at þe day of doom].
with glorye in ham bothe ; and so euyr lyue in blysse.
Amen.
The be-houys to know þy fyue wyttys þe vttyr and þe ynnyr.
19

and to spend hem in good vse ; and in þe louynge of god./
þe fyrst ys. syȝt of eye. þe toþer. heryng of Ere.
þe þyrd. tast of Mowþ. The ferþe smellyng of nese.
þe fyfte handlynge or towchyng of membris./
Kepe so þy syȝt ; þat þou se nothyng
þat ys not leful to se or may harme þy sowle.
and kepe þy heryng so ; þat þow here no euyl speche
or þyng þat is nat honeste ne profitable./
and kepe so þy tast. þat þou swolow no more
þan ys nede or myster to þy bodily sustynaunce.
And kepe so þy smellyng. þat yt make þe nat to ete ouer moche./
ne delite not ouer mekyl in smellyng. ne vgge þou not with seknesse of þyn euyn-cristyn.
And kepe so þy towchyng ; þat þou with-draw þe fro schameful towchyng
or handlyng bare of man. or of womman.
handyl þou not vnhonestly þy self. ne noon oþer.
ne let non oþer towche þe vnhonestly.
For ȝif þy flesche neghȝe ony towching vnclene ;
þou may not þe dede etthwe or eschewe.//
These ben also þy fyue Inwyttys.
Wyl./ Resoun./ Mynd./ ymaginacioun. and thogth.
lok þat þy wyl. be good and holy.
and loke þat þy Resoun rewle þe. and nat þy fleschly lust./
and loke þat þy Mynde. be good and honest.
And lok þyn ymagynacioun be spedynge in louyng of god.
and not be set to harm or schame.
And loke þy thowȝt be groundyd in þe ioy of heuyn ;
and drede þe peyne of helle.
and þynk not ouer mekyl in þe vanite of þe world.
21

But þynk deuowtly on þe passion of crist in wo/ and in wele.
and he schal helpe þe in al þy nede./
These be þe wittys þe whiche god has geuyn vs
to know hym with. and to rewle vs thorwȝ wysdam./
and leue holy lyf as good seruauntys of god schuld do.
and eschewe perelys of synne. and so to come to þat Ioye ;
þat god has ordeynyd vs to be made fore
to þe wiche Ioy he vs brynge ; þat deyde for vs vp-on þe rode.
amen.
And yf we wyl come þe ioye þat y (haue) spokyn of.
vs be-houys to know god almyȝty.
þe whyche principaly may be schewyd in þese vj thyngys
In þe xiiij poyntis of þe feyþ.
In þe ten comaundementys þat god has comaundyd to vs.
In þe .vij. Sacramentys þat be in holy chyrche
In þe seuen dedys of mercy to oure euyn-crystyn.
In þe .vij. vertues þat yche man schuld vse.
and in þe seuyn dedly synnes ; þat yche man schuld refuse.
And he byddys. and comaundys in al þat he may.
þat alle þat has kepyng or cure vndyr hym.
schuld comaund and charge here parochenys and sogettys
þat þey here and lere ; þese sex thyngys.
23

and ofte reherce hem tyl þey cun hem.
and sethen teche hem to here childyr yf þey ony haue.
what tyme þey be of elde.
And þat personys vicars and parysch prestys
a-spye besily of here sugetys in þe lentun tyme
whan þey come to schryft yf þey know and cunne þese sex thyngys.
And yf it be found þat þey cun hem not:
þat þey charge hem on godys behalue
and of peyne of penaunce for to cun hem.
And for non schuld excuse hym
of vnkunys for to cun hem ;
oure fadyr þe archebyschop
haþ ordeynyd and biddis þat þey be schewid
opunly on englysch tonge among þe pepyl.
wher fore aȝens þe fyrste of þese sex thyngys
þat is to knowe þe artyculys þat fallyþ to þe trewþe
as gret clerkys techyn. and schewyn in here bokys
Ther falle to þe feyþ. xiiij poyntys.
Seuen falle vn-to godys godhed.
and oþer seuen vn-to cristys manhed
The fyrst poynt þat we schul trowe of þe godhed.
ys to trow stedfastlyche in o trew god.
25

and noon oþer ys to trow yn.
The toþer ys þis þat þe heyȝ fadyr of heuyn
is stedfast and sothfast god almyȝty.
The thrydde ys þat iesu crist godys sone of heuyn
is sothfast god. and euyn tyl his fadyr./
The ferthe poynt ys þat þe-holygost.
þat to-gedyr commys of hem bothe. þe fadyr and þe sone
ys sothfast god. And euyn to hem bothe.
and nat two goddys þe fadyr and þe sone ;
ne thre goddys. þe fadyr and þe sone and þe holy gost ;
But þre personys. and nat but on god./
The fyfte poynt ys þat þe trinite.
fadyr and sone and holy gost. thre personys and on god
ys maker of heuyn and erthe. and of alle þyngys þat vnder heuyn be./
The .vj. poynt ys. þat holy chirche oure modyr
ys holly on thorwȝ-owt þe world
þat ys comenynge and felaschype of alle cristyn folk
þat comynys to-gydyr in þe sacrament
and in oþer holy þyngys þat falle to holy chirche ;
In forȝevynge of synnes and hele of here sowlys.
For withowten holy chirche is no soule heyl.
27

The .vij. articule þat vs owe to trow
his vp-rysynge in flesch and lyf with-owtyn ende.
For whan þe deþ. haþ sundryd oure bodyes and oure sowlys.
Fro þat tyme vn-to þe tyme þat god schal deme þe qwyk and þe dede.
þan oure sowlys schal turne aȝen to our bodyes.
and we schul þe same and non oþer þan we ar now
sothly ryse vp in body. and in sowle
þat neuer more schal sundyr fro þat tyme forthe
boþe to-gydyr. ȝyf we weel do whyl we be here
wende to god or with god in-to blysse þat euer more schal laste.
And yf we ywyl do ; to endles peyne.

Alij. vij. de humanitate Cristi./

These ben oþer seuen poyntys of cristys manhed
þat ar nedful to trow to al þat ar criston.
The fyrste ys þat iesus crist godyssone of heuyn
was conseyuyd of þe maydyn marie be vertu of þe holy gost.
And tok flesch and blod. and be-com man
thorwȝ myȝt and strenthe of þe fadyr of heuyn
withowtyn ony marryng of hyr maydynhed.
The oþer poynt ys þat we schullen trow /
þat he god and man in on persone
29

was sothfastly born of þe mayden Marie.
god getyn of his fadyr be-fore eny tyme
and man born of his modyr ; and browȝt forþ in tyme.
The þryd artycule. þat we schul trow ys crystys passioun
þat he suffryd bodyly for synful man-kende.
and how he was betrayd with his owyn dyscyple. and takyn with þe iewys.
betyn with scorgys ; þat no skyn held hool.
and naylyd hym to a cros. and crownyd hym with thornys.
and many oþer harde paynys he suffryd. and deyde at þe laste./
The ferþe artycule ys. þat whan he was ded
and hys body takyn doun. and woundyn and leyde on a toumbe
ȝit whilys hys body lay on þe graue ;
þe gost with þe godhed ; went in-to helle.
and harwyd hyt. and tok owt þo þat were þerynne
as Adam and Eue. and oþer former fadrys
þe whiche thorwȝ original synne were in þat place.
and þat he ; thorw his forlok wold were sauyd.//
The .v. poynt ys. þat on þe thyrd day
aftyr þat he deyde ; he ros fro deþ to lyue ;
sothfast god and man in body and in sowle.
For as he deyde in seknesse of our manhed ;
so he roos thorwe strengthe of þe godhed.
And destroyd oure deþ ; thorwȝ hys dyynge.
and qwyknyd vs vn-to lyf ; thorowȝ hys rysynge./
31

The syxte poynt ys. we schul trow
þat þe .xl. day aftyr þat he roos.
thorwȝ strengthe of hym-self ; he stey in-to heuyn.
wher oure kende ys now in his blysful person
not only euyn and mete to his angelys ;
But hyȝ crownyd kyng a-bouyn alle angelys.
þat be-for-tyme was lasse þan þe kende of angelys.
The vij. poynt ys and þe laste ; þat ryȝt as he dyid
and aftyrward roos. and steyȝ in-to heuyn.
ryȝt so schal he come doun vp-on þe laste day.
Bothe for to deme þe qwyk and þe dede
For alle folk þat euer was. or ys. or schal be ;
schal sykyrly be schewyd. and seyn be-fore hys face.
þat day.
And ylke man answere for his owne dedys.
and be dampnyd or sauyd. wheþer-so þey haue seruyd.
For as his ryȝtwysnesse ys now mengyd with mercy ;
so schal yt þan be. withowtyn mercy.//
Þe secunde thynge of þe syx to know god almyȝty
ys þe ten commaundementys. þat he has geuyn to vs.
of þe whiche þe thre þat arn furst. we owe to oure god./
and þe seuen oþer aftyrward we owe to oure euyn cristyne.
33

Primum mandatum /

Thou schalt haue o god and no mo./

Non adorabis deos alienos.


Ouyr al thynge loue hym al-so./
And þy neghebore bothe frend and fo./
[_]

A prose section has been omitted from each of the Ten Commandments.

37

Secundum Mandatum

In ydyl godys name tak þou nogth

Non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum.


swere be no þyng þat god haþ wrougt.
39

.3m. mandatum.

Kepe þy halyday in clene lyf.

Sabbata sanctifices.


with alle þy meyne. and þy wyf.
43

Quartum. Mandatum.

Fadyr and modyr worschipe both.//

Honora. Parentes.


with counseyl confort. and mete and cloþ.//
47

Quintum Mandatum

Sle noman with wykkyd wyl ;

Non Occides


In word ne dede. lowde ne styl ;
49

Synne þou not in leccherye
Consent þou not to þat foly
51

Stele þou not þy neyȝborys þyng
with byinge sellynge ne wrong-getyng
53

Fals wytnesse þow noon beere
þy neyȝbore wyttyngly to dere
55

Thy neyȝbours wif coueyte þou noȝt ;
with here to synne in dede ne þoȝt.
Thy neyȝboris hows. wenche ne knaue
Coueyte hem noȝt. ne his goodys to haue
58

These ar þe comaundementys ten
þat god ȝaf to alle men ;
Mekyl ioy schal be to hem.
þat kepe wel and trewly hem.
61

These ten comaundementis þat y haue reknyd.
ar closyd in two of þe gospel./
The on ys þis. þat we loue god ouer al þyngis./
þat oþer is ; þat we loue oure owyn evyn-cristyn as oure self./
God vs owe to loue for hym self holly with al oure herte.
with myȝt ; and with al oure thoȝt with word. and with dede./
Also we owe to loue oure euyn-cristyn for god.
and to coueyte. and to wille hem þe same good þat we loue oure self to.
þat is ; þat þey wel fare in body and sowle.
and com to þat blysse þat we þynke to come to.
who-so doþ þese two ; fulfillyþ al þe oþer./
Þe þrydde þyng of þe sex to know god almyȝti
ys þe seuyn sacramentys / of holy chirche þat he geuys
63

þorwȝ prelatys. and oþer prestys þat haue power þerto./
Of whyche seuen þe fyrste fyue eche man cristyn
owe lawfully to take aftyr þat he old ys./
And tuo ly in here wil þat resseyuit hem.
The fyrste sacrament of þe seuyn ys oure bapteme
þat we take furst. whan we be-come cristyn.
in whiche byrthe. boþe þe fyrst syn þat we be born yn.
and al maner oþer synnys ar waschyn a-way ;
þat we be fowlyd yn ; er þat we yt take.
And þe trewþe of holy chirche ys takyn þeryn.
withowtyn whiche no man þat is sinful in sowle may be sauyd.
And to þis sacrament fallyþ foure þynges
yf it schal ryȝtful be take as holy chirche techys./
On ys ryȝt seyyng and scharp of wordys
þat hym owys for to say þat gyfys þis sacrament þe whiche ar these.
I baptize þe In þe name of þe fadyr. and þe sone. and þe holy gost./
Anoþer is þat yt be don only in watyr
For noon oþer lycour ys lefful þerfore.
65

The þrydde ys. þat he þat ȝeuys þis sacrament
be in wyl and wyt for to ȝeue yt.
The ferthe is þat he þat takys yt
be nyþer of leryd ne lewd baptyȝed be-fore./
And yf þe prest be in dowte of hym þat schal tak hit
wheþer he be Baptyȝid or noȝt ;
þan schal he seye þe wordys in þese wyse./
ȝif þou be not baptiȝid ; I baptyȝ þe
in þe name of þe fadyr. and þe sone. and þe holy gost.
The secunde sacrament ys confermynge
þat þe byschop ȝyuyþ to hem þat ar baptyȝid
in þe whyche he ȝeuyþ þorwȝ his power to hym þat takys hyt
be þe grace and þe gyftis of þe holy gost
þat is of godis graunt to make hem more stalworþ þan þey were be-fore.
to withstonde þe fende and alle dedly synnys.
That sacrament owys noon to do. but þe byschop alone.
þat haþ þe stat and þe stede of cristys apostyl.
The þrydde sacrament is clepyd Penaunce
þat is soþfast forthynkyng þat we haue for oure synnys
67

wyþ-owt wyl or þoȝt to turne agayn þerto./
And þis be-houys haue þre thyngys ȝif hit be stedfast./
On ys sorw of herte of þat þat we haue synnyd.
Anoþer ys opyn schryft of oure mowþ how we haue synnyd.
The þyrde is amendys makyng for þat we haue do.
These þre with good wil for to forsake oure synnys
clensys vs and weschys vs of alle maner synnys.
The ferþe ys þe sacrament of þe awter
cristys owne body in lyknesse of bred.
ryȝt as he tok yt. of þe blyssyd Maydyn Marie
whiche euery man þat ys of elde ;
owe to resseyue onys in þe ȝere.
þat ys to seye at Paske as holy chirche vsyþ.
whan þey ar clensyd clene of synn thorwȝ penaunce.
vp[on] peyne of doyng out of holy chirche.
but ȝif þey for-bere yt for ony skylful cawse.
þat owyþ for to be knowyn to hym þat schal ȝeue hyt.
For he þat takys yt worthyly takys hit to hys saluacioun.
And who þat takys yt vnworþily ; he takyþ hit to his da[m]pnacioun
69

The fyfte sacrament ys. þe last anoyntyng.
with oyle þat is halwyd and handlyd of prest
to hem þat arn of skylful elde.
and semyn in perel of deþ ;
in lyȝtnesse and aleggaunce of here seknesse
yf god wile þat þey turne agayn to þe hele /
and also in forȝefnesse of venial synnys.
and in lessyng of peyne yf þey passe hens.
The sexte sacrame[n]t of holy chirche is. ordyr
þat geuys power to hem þat ryȝtfully takyn hit
for to serue in holy chirche aftyr her stat ys.
and to hem þat takyn þe ordyr of prest
for to synge messis. and for to mynystre þe sacramentes of holy chirche
þat to hem fallyn aftyr þe stat þat þei han and here degre askyþ.
The seuent sacrament and þe last ys. Matrimony.
þat ys a lawful fastnynge be-twyx man and womman
at here bothe assent. for to lyue to-gydyr
whyle here boþe lyuys wyl laste withoute eny partynge
in remedy of synne and getynge of grace ;
yf hit be taken of good entent ; and clennesse of lyfe.
71

Septem opera corporalia misericordie

The ferthe thyng of þe sex to know god almyȝthi
is. þat vs be-houys to knowe
þe seuen dedys of mercy bodyly and gostly.
and to fulfylle hem in al þat we may.
and do hem to our euyn-cristen vp-on peyne of dampnacioun.
For god schal reherce hem to vs at þe day of dom.
and se how we haue don ham to our euyn-cristyn.
as seynt Mathew seyþ in þe gospel./
Of þe whiche þe fyrst ys to fede hem þat be hu[n]gry.
That oþer is. to ȝeue hem drynke þat be þursty.
The þridde for to cloþe hem. þat ben cloþles.
The ferthe is. to herberwȝe pore men. þat ben herberwȝles.
The fyfte to conforte and helpe men in prisoun.
The sexte is to visite and conforte hem þat be seke.
The seuent is. to bery hem þat have nede.
Al maner of men ben holdyn be godys lawe
to do þese seuyn bodyly werkys of mercy.
vp-on here power. and who-euer do þese werkys of mercy trewly
be his power ; he schal haue þe blysse of heuyn
as crist sayþ in þe gospel. and schewis opunly.
72

Therfore sayþ Crist whan þou makyst a feste or a soper
calle noon to þe ryche men.
but pore men. Febyl. Crokyd. and blynde.
And hit schal qwyt to þe in þy laste day.
And also be þe prophete ysaye god seyes.
Breke þy bred to þe hungry and bryng in-to þyn hows nedy men.
and þo þat haue noon hous of here owne.
whan þou seist a nakyd man hele hym:
and dispise not þy broþer.
lord how cursyd be þe ypocritys. þat be fals ypocrisy.
ravischyn ryche mennys almes fro pore nedy men.
where god byddis almes be don ; and drawys yt to hem self to make nedles howsys.
and grete festys to ryche men. and oþir vanitees.
Hit semyþ þe fend bryngis yn suche ypocritys to disseyue þe ryche men
of here almes. and of feyth. and of cristis gospel.
For in almes wel don ; stondys moche remissioun of synnys.
þerfore þe fend castys be sotel ypocrisy ; to fordo þys almes.

Causa monens ad opera misericordie

A general steryng be Crystys lyf and Resun
for to fulfylle þese werkys of mercy.
Furst men schuld wilfully fede pore hungry men and þrusty.
For in þat ; þey fede iesu Crist as he hym self sayþ in þe gospel.
And also Iesu crist gyfys body and sowle lyf and catel to vs for þis ende.
and fedis vs wyþ his flesch and his blod in þe sacrament of þe awter.
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and gaf hys precious herte blod on þe cros
to bryng vs owt of Mischef of synnys and paynys.
þan resonnably ow we to ȝeue mete and drynke
to nedy men of his owne goodis.
For hys loue and reward of heuyn blysse. and more encrese of wordly goodys.
Also skylfully we owe to cloþe þe nakyd pore men
sethen crist gyfys gloþis to þis ende.
and he hym self was strepid nakyd.
and betyn. and suffryd moche cold for our nede.
And ȝif we do þis wel he wyle cloþe oure sowlys
with vertues and grace in body and sowle
with þe stole of vndedlynesse and blysse of heuyn.
And we owe wel to herberwe pore herberwȝles men for cristys loue.
sethyn crist for oure nede com doun fro heuyn
and leuyd in þis world pore lyf.
and had non hous of his owyn be worldly tytyl.
and offrid al hys body on þe cros.
and his herte to be pynyd and persyd with a spere.
for to bryng vs in-to þe hows of holy chirche.
and in-to þe hows of heuyn in blysse with-owtyn ende.
Be gret resoun owe we to vysite seke men
sethyn crist for oure nede deyd on þe cros.
to bryng vs out of seknesse and synne. and kepes vs out of bodily seknesse ;
for we schuld help oþer seke men. and be þis help deserue þe blyss of heuyn.
Also we owe be gret resun to comfort men in presoun.
Seþen crist was þre and thyrty ȝere in gret presoun and paynful in þis world.
and sparid not for no cold ne hungyr ne oþer peynys
to visyte vs. þat were in prisoun of synne.
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ne sparid not to visite men þat were in helle for horrour of þat place.
Lord whi schuld venym or stynk lette vs to visite men in presun.
sythyn þey be many tymes presonyd for hate and for trewthe þat þey mayntene.
and many tymys for ensampyl of vs ; god suffrys hem þus to be pynyd
for we schuld drede gretter þe peynys of helle.
We owe to bery pore dede men in tyme of nede.
sythyn crist wilfully suffryd so hard deth
in þe mount of caluerye for oure synnys
And þese werkys of Mercy be vndon.
he schal dampne vs to helle with-outyn ende.
And yf we do hem trewly ; he wil bryng vs to heuyn with-outen ende.
Amen.

.vij. opera spiritualia misericordie

Þer be seuen werkys of gostly mercy.
þat god chargis more þan þe werkys of bodily mercy.
and þey be bettyr and esyer to fulfylle.
The fyrst is to teche men þat be vncunnynge of goddys lawe.
The secunde is to counseyl men in dowte whiche is sekyr. wey to plese god.
The þridde ys to chastyse hem þat be rebel aȝenst godis comaundementys.
þe ferthe is to conforte men. þat be in care and disese.
The fyfte is to for-ȝeue rancour of herte. hate. and envye
The sexte is to suffre paciently.
whan men be out of pacience, resoun and mesoure.
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The seuent and þe last is to pray erly and late for oure enmys. as crist byddys in þe gospel.
Euery man pore and riche may do alle þese ; whaneuer he wyl
in o maner or in anoþer. and he is neuer þe porer.
and þey bryngge sowlys out of mischefys of synne.
Therfore as þe sowle is better þan þe body ;
So þese gostly mercyes be better þan þe bodyly mercyes.
A / lord how cursyd be þey. þat may lyȝtly do þese werkys of gostly mercy
and do not.
sythen þey be so cursyd of god þat do nat þe werkys of bodyly mercy.
þat ar not so esy ne so profytable.
But how moche more be þei cursyd of god ; þat bynde hem-self wilfully.
and takyn moche mede to do þese werkys of gostly mercy.
As do Curatis and prelatis. and ȝit do hem nat.
but lettys oþer men to fulfylle hem be feynyd iurisdictioun
whan þey hem-self may not. con not. or wyl not.
for worldly bysynesse or ese of here body.
hyt semyþ be many resonys. þat þey be more cursyd þan scariot or Symon magus.
and deppyr schul be dampnyd.
but yf þey amend hem fully in þis lyf.

Septem virtutes.

The fyfte þyng of þe sex to know god almyȝty
is þe .vij. vertues þat holy writ techys.
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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 ;
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.
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For with oute goode dedys ; we come neuer into heuyn.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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 ;
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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
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.
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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.
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.

The sexte vertu ys Strengthe

not only of þe body. but also of þe herte. and of þe wyl.
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Stalworthly. and tholedmodly. to suffre wo and wele.
seknesse and hele. tribulacioun and temptacioun.
mekly to suffre ; wheþer so falle wo or wele.
and þat oure herte be not to hyȝ. for no welfare.
ne to heuy ; for no euyl fare.
But styfly to stond aȝen our foys bodyly and gostly.
so þat no foly fondyng make vs to falle
ne to be fals in oure feyþ aȝenst almyȝty god.
But hertely in godes querel to withstonde
yn our Euyn-cristyn in al þat we may./
The seuent vertu. and þe laste ys Mesure.
þat kepys vs fro vtrage and holhis vs in Euynhede.
and lettys fowl lykyng. and lustys of þis flesch.
and kepeþ vs in clennesse of þe body and sowle
For mesure ys mede to vs in al þat we do.
ȝif we lyue skylfully as goddys lawe vs teches.

Septem peccata mortalia.

The sexte þyng. and þe laste to know god almyȝty ys.
þe seuen of hed synnys. or dedly.
þat euery man ow to know to fle and forsake.
For noman may fle hem ; but he know hem
These þey arn./ Pryde. Envye./ Wrathe./ Glotonye. Couetyse. Slewþe./ and Leccherye.
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Herfore þey be clepyd ; þe seuen hed synnys.
For al oþer synnys. comyþ of hem.
and þey be callyd dedly synnys.
For þey sle gostly euery mannys sowle. þat is bound in ham.
For þat synnys in On ; synnys in alle.
wherfore þis man Ecclesiastes. byddys in his boke.
As fro þe Neddyrys face fonde to fle synne./
For as þe venym of þe neddyr ; sleys mannys body ;
So þe venym of þe synne ; sleys mannys sowle.
The fyrste of þese synnes ys Pryde.
þat ys alykyng (sic) of mannys herte and heynesse
of offycys. or of hey stat. or nobleye
þat he has of kyn. kende. or of grace.
or þat he wenys. he haue more þan anoþer.
And of þis synne ; cometh many sere spicys.
Bostynge. Auaunt-makyng. vnbuxumnesse.
despit. and ypocrisy. proud schame. and fool drede.
and oþer many þat regne among prowd men.
The secunde synne ys. brennynge Envye
þat is a sorwe and forþynkynge of oþerys welfare.
and ioy. and a lykyng of here evyl fare.
wheþer þey be frendys or foys.
And her-of comys many spycis.
On ys hatred to speke or here owȝt be spokyn.
þat may sowne in-to good to hem þat þey hatyn./
Anoþer is fals Iugginge. or demynge of here dedys þat þey hate.
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and alwey to euyl ; þat þey do to goode
The þrydde ys bakbytynge. to sey behynd a man ;
þat he wyl not sey. ne avowe be fore hym.
For nat only he þat spekys þe euyl ;
but he þat herys yt spokyn. synnyþ þer-yn.
For were þer noon hererys ; þer were noon bakbyters
The thryd dedly synne ys. Wrath.
þat is a wykkyd sterynge of boldnesse of herte.
whe-þorwȝ a man coueytys to make wreche
or wykkydly venge hym on his euyn-cristyn.
And of þis comys. stryuynge. and chydynge.
with men. fals othys. and many fowl wordys.
slaundrys. for to for-do a mannys good fame
fyȝtyng and felony and ofte manslawȝter.
and many mo þan her be rekenyd
The ferthe dedly syn ys Glotony
þat is an vnskylful lykyng or loue
in tast. or tastynge of mete or drynke.
and her-yn men trespace on many wyse.
On is to ete or drynke ouer erly or ouer late.
Anoþer for to ete ofte or drynk but nede mak yt
Anoþer for to lyue ouer delycatly.
to ete or drynke ouer mokyl or ouer hastly.
or to kast on what wyse we may gete delycious mete. or drynke.
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for to fulfylle þe lykyng and þe lust of þe flesche/
oþer þan we may goodly lede oure lyf with.
The fyfte dedly synne ys Couetyse. þat is a wrongwys ȝernynge.
to haue ony maner good þat vs owyþ not.
and þis is pryncipaly don ; on two wyses.
On is wrongfully to gete ony þyng
þat oure lykynge or oure lust ; lustys vp-on.
as be Sacrilege or Symony.
Stelyng. Falshed. or Okyr. or oþer gylery.
þe whyche. þese wordly men be wonþ to vse.
þat kastyn here lykynge so to couetyse ;
þat þey rekke not wheþer it be with ryȝt or with wrong.
So þat þey may gete ; þat here herte desirys
Anoþer is. wrongfully to holde.
þat is whan we wil not do to god almyȝty.
ne to holy chirche. ne to oure euyn-cristyn ;
þat vs owe to do be dette. and be lawe.
But only holde þat we haue to oure owne ese.
Not only we synne in Couetyse but also in slewþe.
and not only he þat wrongfully getys
but also he þat wrongfully holdys / fallys in þat synne
The .vi. ys. accidys./ þat is slownesse.
whan a man schuld do a good dede
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hastly and with good wil. for þe loue of god.
drawith yt on lengthe and heuy is þer-with
and ys hertles in eny gostly good þat he schuld do.
and of þis syn. comys many sere spycis.
On is latsumnesse or delyt to draw on lenthe
ony maner good dede þat we schuld do
þat may turne vs to helpe of oure sowlys
Anoþer is ydilnesse or heuynesse of herte
þat lettyþ vs for to loue our lord god almyȝty:
or eny lykyng to haue in his seruyse.
Anoþer ys coldnesse of herte and ydylschip þat ouer mekyl is vsyd
þat maketh vs loþ to be-gyn ony good dede.
and lyȝtly maketh vs to leue of whan eny is begunne.
and þerfore we be kendly born to swynke ;
as þe foul is born to fle kendly.
hyt holdys vs euermore in ese passynge kende.
For ydylnesse is enmy to mannys sowle.
stoppynge and staunchyng grace and good thewys.
and hit is witte wyssynge and wey to al maner synnes. and vices.
The vij. dedly synne and þe laste ys leccherye
þat is stynkynge lykyng or lust of þe flesche.
and of þis syn comyþ many sere spicys.
On is fornicacioun of fleschly synne
be-twene a sengyl man and a sengyl womman
and for þat is gayn þe law.
and leue and þe lore / þat holy chirche holdis ;
yt is dedly synne to hem þat doþ yt.
Anoþer is avowtri. þat ys spowse-brekynge
wheþer it be bodyly or gostly.
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wel greuouser yt is and gretter þan þe oþer./
The þridde is Incest. þat is whan a man synnyþ
fleschly with ony of hys kyn. or ony oþer þat is of his affynyte
gostly or bodyly whedyr so yt be.
Oþer spycis many may spryng of þat synne.
þat ouer mekyl ys customyd. and know in þis world
with hem þat lede here lyf as here flesch wyl.
And al þe grettyst synne is in prestis þat leccherye vsyn.
for it passyþ þat oþer in despit þat is do to god.
And euer gretter and gretter as þei be of degre.
and þe stat of þe oþer party þat þey syn with.
These be þe sexe thyngys þat y haue spokyn of
þat þe law of holy chirche lys most yn.
þat þey be holde to know and to kunne ;
yf þey schal knowe god almyȝty and come to þe blysse of heuyn.
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And for [to] ȝeue ȝow þe better wyl for to cunne ham.
Our Fadyr þe archiepischop grauntys of hys grace.
forty dayes of Pardoun. to alle þat cunne hem
and rehercys hem. and tellys hem to oþer.
and confirmys al þe pardoun þat oþer men ȝeuys to.
So moche coueytyþ he ; þe hele of oure sowlys.
For yf ȝe cunnyngly knowe þese sexe thyngys;
þorwȝ hem ȝe schull knowe god almyȝty.
And as seynt Ion seyþ in hys gospel.
Kunnyngly to know god almyȝty ;
ys endles lyf. and lastynge blysse.
He bryngge vs þerto. þat bowȝt vs
With hys herte blod on þe cros Crist Iesu.
Amen.//
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