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 peccata mortalia. |
 | The Lay Folks' Catechism, or the English and Latin versions of Archbishop Thoresby's Instruction for the People |  |
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.
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.
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.
and alwey to euyl ; þat þey do to goode
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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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
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.
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.
for to fulfylle þe lykyng and þe lust of þe flesche/
oþer þan we may goodly lede oure lyf with.
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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.
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
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
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
whan a man schuld do a good dede
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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.
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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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.//
| The Lay Folks' Catechism, or the English and Latin versions of Archbishop Thoresby's Instruction for the People | |