Corpus Christi College (Cambridge) MS. 296 (1375-1400), p. 165.
Of feyned contemplatif lif, of song, of þe Ordynal of Salisbury, and of
bodely almes and worldly bysynesse of prestis; hou bi þes foure þe fend
lettiþ hem fro prechynge of þe Gospel.—
First, whanne trewe men techen bi Goddis lawe wit and {5} reson, þat
eche prest owiþ to do his myȝt, his wit, and his wille to preche
Cristis Gospel, þe fend blyndiþ ypocritis to excuse hem by feyned
contemplatif lif, and to seie þat, siþ it is þe beste, and þei may not
do boþe togidre, þei ben nedid for charité of God to leue þe prechynge
of þe Gospel, and {10} lyuen in contemplacion.
See nowe þe ypocrisie of þis false seiynge. Crist tauȝt and dide þe
beste lif for prestis, as oure feiþ techiþ, siþ He was God and myȝte
not erre. But Crist preched þe Gospel, and charged alle His apostlis and
disciplis to goo and preche þe {15} Gospel to alle men. Þan it is þe
beste lif for prestis in þis world to preche þe Gospel.
Also God in þe olde lawe techiþ þat þe office of a prophete is to schewe
to þe peple here foule synnys. But eche prest is a prophete bi his
ordre, as Gregory seyþ vpon þe Gospellis. {20} Þanne it is þe office of
eche prest to preche and telle þe synnys of þe peple; and in þis manere
schal eche prest be an aungel of God, as Holy Writt seiþ.
Also Crist and Ion Baptist leften desert and precheden þe Gospel to here
deþ þerfore; and þis was most charité; for ellis {25} þei weren out of
charité, or peierid in charité, þat myȝte not be in hem boþe, siþ
þe ton was God, and no man after Crist was holyere þan Baptist, and he
synned not for þis prechynge.
Also þe holy prophete Ieromye, halwid in his moder wombe, myȝtte not
be excused fro prechynge bi his contemplacion, {30} but chargid of God
to preche þe synnes of þe peple, and suffre peyne þerfore, and so weren
alle þe prophetis of God.
A Lord! siþ Crist and Ion Baptist and alle þe prophetis of God weren
nedid bi charité to come out of desert to preche {35} to þe peple, and
leue here sol<it>arie preiere, hou dore we fonnyd heretikys seie þat it
is betre to be stille, and preie oure owen fonnyd ordynaunce, þan to
preche Cristis Gospel?
Lord! what cursed spirit of lesyngis stiriþ prestis to close hem in
stonys or wallis for al here lif, siþ Crist comaundiþ to {40} alle His
apostlis and prestis to goo into alle þe world and preche þe Gospel.
Certis þei ben opyn foolis, and don pleynly aȝenst Cristis Gospel;
and, ȝif þei meyntenen þis errour, þei ben cursed of <God>, and ben
perilous ypocritis and heretikis also. And siþ men ben holden heretikis
þat done {45} aȝenst þe popis lawe, <and þe beste part of þe popis
lawe> seiþ pleynly þat eche þat comeþ to presthod takiþ þe office of
a bedele, or criere, to goo bifore Domesday to crie to þe peple here
synnes and vengaunce of God, whi ben not þo prestis heretikis þat leuen
to preche Cristis Gospel, and {50} compelle oþere treue men to leue
prechynge of þe Gospel? Siþ þis lawe is Seynt Gregoryes lawe, groundid
opynly in Goddis lawe and reson and charité; and oþere lawes of þe peple
ben contrarie to Holy Writt and reson and charité, for to meyntene pride
and coueitise of Anticristis worldly clerkis. {55}
But ypocritis allegen þe Gospel,—þat Magdaleyne chees to hereself þe
beste part whanne she saat bisiden Cristis feet and herde His word. Soþ
it is þat þis meke sittynge and deuout herynge of Cristis wordis was
best to Magdeleyne, for sche hadde not office of prechynge as prestis
han, siþ sche was {60} a womman, þat hadde not auctorité of Goddis lawe
to teche and preche opynly. But what is þis dede to prestis, þat han
expresse þe comaundement of God and men to preche þe Gospel? Where þei
wolen alle be wommen in ydelnesse, and suen not Iesu Crist in lif and
prechynge þe Gospel, þat {65} He comandiþ Hymself boþe in þ_e_ olde lawe
and newe?
Also þis p_e_sible herynge of Cristis word and brennynge loue þat
Magdeleyne hadde was þe beste part, for it schal be ende in heuene of
good lif in þis world. But in þis _world_ þe beste lif for prestis
is holy lif in kepynge Goddis hestis, and {70} trewe prechynge of þe
Gospel, as Crist dide, and chargid alle His prestis to do <þe same>.
And þes ypocritis wenen þat here dremys and fantasies of hemself ben
contemplacion, and þat prechynge of þe Gospel be actif lif; and so þei
menen þat Crist tok þe worse lif for þis world, and nedid alle His
prestis {75} to leue þe betre and take þe worse lif; and þus þes fonnyd
ypocritis putten errour in Iesu Crist. But who ben more heretikis?
Also þes blynde ypocritis alleggen þat Crist biddiþ vs preie euermore,
and Poul biddiþ þat we preie wiþoute lettynge, and {80} þan we prestis
may not preche, as þei feynen falsly. But here þes ypocritis schullen
wite þat Crist and Poul vnderstonden of preiere of holy lif, þat eche
man doþ as longe as he dwelliþ in charité; and not of babelynge of
lippis, þat no man may euere do wiþouten cessynge; for ellis no man
in þis {85} world myȝte fulfille þe comaundement of Crist; and þis
techiþ Austyn and oþere seyntis.
And siþ men þat fulfillen not Goddis lawe, and ben out of charité, ben
not acceptid in here preiynge of lippis,—for here preiere in lippis
is abhomynable, as Holy Writt seiþ bi {90} Salomon,—þes prestis þat
prechen not þe Gospel, as Crist biddiþ, ben not able to preie <God> for
mercy, but disceyuen hemself and þe peple, and dispisen God, and stiren
Hym to wraþþe and vengaunce, as Austyn and Gregory and oþere seyntis
techen. {95}
And principaly þes ypocritis þat han rentes, and worldly lordischipes,
and parische chirchis approprid to hem, aȝenst Holy Writt boþe old
and newe, by symonye and lesyngis _on_ Crist and His apostelis, for
stynkynge gronyngys and abite of holynesse, and f_or_ distroiynge of
Goddis ordynaunce, and for {100} singuler profession maade to foolis
and, in cas, to fendis of helle,—þes foolis schullen lerne what is
actif lif and contemplatif bi Goddis lawe, and þanne þei myȝtten
wite þat þei han neiþer þe ton ne þe toiþer, siþ þei chargen more veyn
statutis _of_ synful men, and, in cas, <of> deuelys, þan þei {105}
chargen þe heste of God, and werkis of mercy, and poyntis of charité.
And þe fende blyndiþ hem so moche, þat þei seyn indede þat þei moten
neuere preie to p_le_synge of God, siþ þei vnablen hemself to do þe
office of prestis bi Goddis lawe, and purposen to ende in here feyned
deuocion, þat is blasphemye {110} to God.
Also bi song þe fend lettiþ men to studie and preche þe Gospel; for siþ
mannys wittis ben of certeyn mesure and myȝt, þe more þat þei ben
occupied aboute siche mannus song, þe lesse moten þei be sette aboute
Goddis lawe. For {115} þis stiriþ men to pride, and iolité, and oþere
synnys, and so vnableþ hem many gatis to vnderstonde and kepe Holy
Writt, þat techeþ mekenesse, mornynge for oure synnys and oþere mennus,
and stable lif, and charité. And ȝit God in all þe lawe of grace
chargiþ not siche song, but deuocion in {120} herte, trewe techynge, and
holy spekynge in tonge, and goode werkis, and holy lastynge in charité
and mekenesse. But mannus foly and pride stieþ vp euere more and more in
þis veyn nouelrie.
First men ordeyned songe of mornynge whanne þei weren {125} in prison,
for techynge of þe Gospel, as Ambrose, _as_ men seyn, to putte awey
ydelnesse, and to be not vnoccupied in goode manere for þe tyme. And þat
songe and o_u_r<e> acordiþ not, for oure stiriþ to iolité and pride,
and here stiriþ to mornynge, and to dwelle lenger in wordis of Goddis
lawe. {130} Þan were matynys, and masse, and euensong, _placebo_ and
_dirige_, and comendacion, and matynes of Oure Lady, ordeyned of synful
men to be songen wiþ heiȝe criynge, to lette men fro þe sentence
and vnderstondynge of þat þat was þus songen, and to maken men wery,
and vndisposid to studie {135} Goddis lawe for akyng of hedis. And of
schort tyme þanne <weren> more veyn iapis founden: deschaunt, countre
note, and orgon, and smale brekynge, þat stiriþ veyn men to daunsynge
more þan <to> mornynge; and herefore ben many proude lorelis founden and
dowid wiþ temperal and worldly {140} lordischipis and gret cost. But þes
foolis schulden drede þe scharpe wordis of Austyn, þat seiþ: 'As oft
as þe song likiþ me more þan doþ þe sentence þat is songen, so oft I
confesse þat I synne greuously.'
And ȝif þes knackeris excusen hem bi song in þe olde lawe, {145}
seie þat Crist, þat best kepte þe olde lawe as it schulde be aftirward,
tauȝt not ne chargid vs wiþ sich bodely song, ne ony of His apostlis,
but wiþ deuocion in herte, and holy lif, and trewe prechynge, and þat is
ynowþȝ and þe beste. But who schulde þanne charge vs wiþ more, oure
þe fredom and {150} liȝtnesse of Cristis lawe?
And ȝif þei seyn þat angelis heryen God bi song in heuene, seie þat
we kunnen not þat song; but þei ben in ful victorie of here enemys, and
we ben in perilous b_atai_le, and in þe valeye of wepynge and mornynge;
and oure song lettiþ vs {155} fro betre occupacion, and stiriþ vs to
many grete synnes, and to forȝete vs self.
But oure flecshly peple haþ more lykynge in here bodely eris in sich
knackynge and taterynge, þan in herynge of Goddis lawe, and spekynge of
þe blisse of heuene; for þei {160} wolen hire proude prestis and oþere
lorelis þus to knacke notis for many markis and poundis. But þei wolen
not ȝeue here almes to prestis and children to lerne and teche Goddis
lawe. And þus, bi þis nouelrie of song, is Goddis lawe vnstudied and not
kepte, and pride and oþere grete {165} synnys meyntenyd.
And þes fonnyd lordis and peple gessen to haue more þank of God, and
<to> worschipe Hym more, in haldynge vp of here owen nouelries wiþ grete
cost, þan in lernynge, and techynge, and meyntenynge of his lawe, and
his seruauntis, {170} and his ordynaunce. But where is more disceit in
feiþ, hope and charité? For whanne þer ben fourty or fyfty in a queer,
þre or foure proude lorellis schullen knacke þe most deuout seruyce þat
no man schal here þe sentence, and alle oþere schullen be doumbe, and
loken on hem as foolis. And þanne {175} strumpatis and þeuys preisen
Sire Iacke, or Hobbe, and Williem þe proude clerk, hou smale þei knacken
here notis; and seyn þat þei seruen wel God and Holy Chirche, whanne þei
dispisen God in his face, and letten oþere Cristene men of here deuocion
and compunccion, and stiren hem to worldly {180} vanyté. And þus trewe
seruyce of God is lettid, and þis veyn knackynge for oure iolité and
pride is preised abouen þe mone.
Also þe Ordynalle of Salisbury lettiþ moche prechynge of þe Gospel; for
folis chargen þat more þan þe maundementis of God, and to studie and
teche Cristis Gospel. For ȝif {185} a man faile in his Ordynale,
men holden þat grete synne, and reprouen hym þerof faste; but ȝif a
preste breke þe hestis of God, men chargen þat litel or nouȝt. And so
ȝif prestis seyn here matynes, masse, and euensong aftir Salisbury
vsse, þei hemself and oþere men demen it is ynowȝ, þouþ þei neiþer
{190} preche ne teche þe hestis of God and þe Gospel. And þus þei wenen
þat it is ynowȝ to fulfille synful mennus ordynaunce, and to leue þe
riȝtfulleste ordynaunce of God, þat He chargid prestis to performe.
But, Lord! what was prestis office ordeyned bi God bifore {195} þat
Salisbury vss was maad of proude prestis, coueitous and dronkelewe?
Where God, þat dampneþ alle ydelnesse, charg_id_ hem not at þe ful wiþ
þe beste occupacion for hemself and oþere men? Hou doren synful folis
chargen Cristis prestis wiþ so moche nouelrie, and euermore cloute more
to, {200} þat þei may not frely do Goddis ordynaunce? For þe Iewis in
þe olde lawe haden not so manye serymonyes of sacrifices ordeyned bi
God as prestis han now riȝttis and reulis maade of synful men. And
ȝit þe olde lawe in þes charious customes mosten nedes cesse for
fredom of Cristis Gospel. But þis {205} fredom is more don awei bi þis
nouelrie þan bi customes of þe olde lawe. And þus many grete axen where
a prest may, wiþouten dedly synne, seie his masse wiþouten matynys; and
þei demen it dedly synne a prest to fulfille þe ordynaunce of God in his
fredom, wiþoute nouelrie of synful men, þat lettiþ {210} prestis fro þe
betre occupacion; as ȝif þei demen it dedly synne to leue þe worse
þing, and take þe betre, whanne þei may not do boþe togidre.
And þus, Lord! Þin owen ordynaunce þat Þou madist for Þi prestis is
holden errour, and distroied for þe fonnyd nouelrie {215} of synful
foolis, and, in cas, of fendis in helle.
But here men moste be war þat vnder colour of þis fredom þei ben betre
occupied in þe lawe of God to studie it and teche it, and not slouȝ
ne ydel in ouermoche sleep, and vanyté, and oþer synnes, for þat is þe
fendis panter. {220}
See now þe blyndnesse of þes foolis. Þei seyn þat a prest may be excused
fro seiynge of masse, þat God comaundid Himself to þe substance þerof,
so þat he here on. But he schal not be excused but ȝif he seie
matynes and euensong himself, þat synful men han ordeyned; and þus þei
chargen {225} more here owene fyndynge þan Cristis comaundement.
A Lord! ȝif alle þe studie and traueile þat men han now abowte
Salisbury vss, wiþ multitude _of_ newe costy portos, antifeners,
graielis, and alle oþere bokis, weren turned into makynge of biblis,
and in studiynge and techynge þerof, hou {230} moche schulde Goddis
lawe be forþered, and knowen, and kept, and now in so moche it is
hyndrid, vnstudied, and vnkept. Lord! hou schulden riche men ben excused
þat costen so moche in grete schapellis, and costy bokis of mannus
ordynaunce, for fame and nobleie of þe world, and wolen not {235}
spende so moche aboute bokis of Goddis lawe, and for to studie hem and
teche hem: siþ þis were wiþoute comparison betre on alle siddis, and
lyȝttere, and sykerere?
But ȝit men þat knowen þe fredom of Goddis ordynaunce for prestis to
be þe beste, wiþ grete sorow of herte seyn here {240} matynes, masse,
and euensong, whanne þei schulden ellis be betre occupied, last þei
sclaundren þe sike conscience of here breþeren, þat ȝit knowen not
Goddis lawe. God brynge þes prestis to þe fredom to studie Holy Writt,
and lyue þerafter, and teche it oþer men frely, and to preie as long and
as {245} moche as God meueþ hem þerto, and ellis turne to oþere medeful
werkis, as Crist and His apostlis diden; and þat þei ben not constreyned
to blabre alle day wiþ tonge and grete criynge, as pies and iaies, þing
þat þei knowen not, and to peiere here owen soule for defaute of wis
deuocion and charité! {250}
Also bysynesse of worldly occupacion of prestis lettiþ prechynge of þe
Gospel, for þei ben so besy <þer>aboute, and namely in herte, þat þei
þenken litel on Goddis lawe, and han no sauour þerto. And seyn þat þei
don þus for hospitalité, and to releue pore men wiþ dedis of charité.
But, hou euere {255} men speken, it his for here owen couetise, and
lustful lif in mete and drynk and precious cloþis, and for name of þe
world in fedynge of riche men; and litel or nouȝt comeþ frely to pore
men þat han most nede.
But þes prestis schulden sue Crist in manere of lif and {260} trewe
techynge. But Crist lefte sich occupacion, and His apostlis also, and
weren betre occupied in holy preiere and trewe techynge of þe Gospel.
And þis determinacion and ful sentence was ȝouen of alle þe apostlis
togidre, whanne þei hadden resceyued þe plenteuous ȝiftis of þe Holy
Gost. Lord! {265} where þes worldly prestis <ben> wisere þan ben alle þe
apostlis of Crist? It semeth þat þei ben, or ellis <þei ben> fooles.
Also Crist wolde not take þe kyngdom whan þe puple wolde haue maad Him
kyng, as Iones Gospel telleþ. But if it haade be a prestis office to
dele aboute þus bodi<ly> almes, {270} Crist, þat coude best haue do þis
office, wolde haue take þes temperal goodis to dele hem among poeuere
men. But He wolde not do þus, but fley, and took no man of þe aposteles
wiþ him, so faste He hiede. Lord! where worldly prestis kunnen bettere
don þis partinge of worldly goodis _þan_ Iesu {275} Crist?
And ȝif þei seyn þat Crist fedde þe puple in desert with bodily
almes, manye þousand, as þe Gospel saiþ: þat dide Crist by miracle,
to shewe His godhede, and to teche prestes {280} houȝ þei schulden
fede gostly Cristene men by Goddis word. For so dide Cristis aposteles,
and hadde not whereof to do bodily almes, whan þei miȝten haue had
tresour and iuelis ynowe of kynggis and lordis.
Also Peter saiþ in Dedis of Apostlis to a pore man þat to {285} him
neiþer was gold ne siluer; and ȝit he performede wel þe office of a
trewe prest. But oure prestis ben so bysye aboute worldly occupacioun
þat þei semen bettere bailyues or reues þan gostly prestis of Iesu
Crist. For what man is so bysy aboute marchaundise, and oþere worldly
doyngis, as ben {290} preostes, þat shulden ben lyȝt of heuenly lif
to alle men abouten hem?
But certes þei shulde be as bysy aboute studyinge of Goddys lawe,
and holy preyer, not of _Famulorum_, but of holy desires, and clene
meditacioun of God, and trewe techinge of {295} þe Gospel, as ben
laboreris aboute worldly labour for here sustenaunce. And muche more
bysie, ȝif þei miȝten, for þey ben more holden for to lyue wel,
and <ȝeue> ensaumple of holi lif to þe puple, and trewe techinge of
Holy Writ, þanne þe people is holden to ȝyue hem dymes or offringis
or ony {300} bodily almes. And þerfore prestis shulde not leue ensaumple
of good lif, and studyinge of Holi Writ, and trewe techinge þerof, ne
<for> bodily almes, ne for worldly goodis, ne for sauynge of here bodily
lif.
And as Crist sauede þe world by writynge and techinge of {305} foure
Euaungelistis, so þe fend casteþ to dampne þe world and prestis for
lettynge to preche þe Gospel by þes foure: by feyned contemplacioun, by
song, by Salisbury vse, and by worldly bysynes of prestis.
God for His mercy styre þes prestis to preche þe Gospel in {310} word,
in lif; and be war of Sathanas disceitis. Amen.
[Foot-note: 7 fend] fendis _MS._]
[Foot-note: 66 þe] þo _MS._]
[Foot-note: 67 pesible] posible _MS._]
[Foot-note: 69 world] lif _MS._]
[Foot-note: 98 on] & _MS._]
[Foot-note: 100 for (1st)] fro _MS._]
[Foot-note: 105 of (1st)] & _MS._]
[Foot-note: 108 plesynge] preisynge _MS. altered later_.]
[Foot-note: 126 as (2nd)] and _MS._]
[Foot-note: 128 oure] oþer _MS._]
[Foot-note: 154 bataile] baitale _MS._]
[Foot-note: 198 chargid] chargen _MS._]
[Foot-note: 202 not so] _repeated MS._]
[Foot-note: 228 of] & _MS._]
[Foot-note: 275 þan] of _MS._]