<County: Warwickshire>
<Code: L8010>
<MS reference: London, BL Arundel 286>
<Text: Religious prose>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 30r>¶ Þe ferþe þinge þt schuld stir man to
leue his synne is þe grete mercy of god
þat he schewes to synful man in þis
dedyle lyfe : þat he suffereþ hem &
abydeþ what-euer þei doo : & wol no3t
take veniaunce : but lokes after amen
dynge . þat he euer desyres / ¶ But ri3t
as god is ful of mercy to þe synful
here in þis lyfe : so schal he be ful of
ri3twisnes at þe day of dome / for
als mercyful as mercyful as we fynde
hym . þe whyle we lefen here : Als
ri3twise schul we fynde hym whan
we dyen hennes : for þan his ry3t
wisnes scal dryue to venge hym on
synne : for þe prophete seiþ . / <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> þat god schal ven
ge hym on his enemyes as he were
wode / for grete hastynes & stoyr
nes þat schal seme in god : whan
he schal deme mankynde to helle
þat he 3afe his hert blode fore / /
¶ 3if þou sei3e a+moder kest hyr
childe in-to þe fure : & lette alle
<fol. 30v>oþer þat none my3t helpe it . soþely þu
my3test sey þat sche were wode . ri3t
so at þe day of dome god schal kest
into þe fure of helle þe wicked men
of þis world þat wolen no3t leue
her synne ¶ Þe fifþe þinge þt schuld
stir man to drede synne is þe grete
power & my3t þat god schal schewe
at þe dome . as ysai þe prophete seiþ :
<lat></lat>
J schal take veniaunce & no+man schal wt
stande . for þer is no helpe nowþer wiþ
power ne preyer for none creature
þer schal dure speke a word for oþer . but
ri3t as a+man passeþ oute of þis
world . so he schal þere a-byde þe dome
of god . & for drede her of man schuld
make hym redy er he wente hennes
oute of þis world : for sodeynly deeþ
schal come er he lest wene . & þanne
is no place of redynesse / <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / for after þat he is
deed no+man may worche to encrese his
ioy no medeful werke : And þerfore god
<fol. 31r>dis lawe seiþ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> þat alle þe goode þt man
may doo ; doo it þe whyles he liffeþ :
for noþer werke ne connynge ne wys
dome is at helle ¶ Þe sixte þinge
þat schuld fere a man to do any syn
ne is þe grete wreche þat god
þur3 ri3twisnes haþ taken for syn
ne . first in his feyre angel þat he cast
oute of heuene into þe depe putte of
helle : Also for brekynge his hest
he drofe adam oute of þe ioye of
paradyse into þis wretched world ;
to suffur honger & colde & many
oþer myschefes & to suffur deeþ bo
þe of body & soule : & also for veniaun
ce of synne . how he drenched alle þis
worlde owtake ei3t soules . noe &
his wife & his þre sones & her wy
fes & þerfore leue synne or elles in veyn
þou trowes þat god wol spare þe /
for forto venge hym on synne he suffurd
<fol. 31v>his owne sone to be peyned & suffur
hard deeþ on þe cros . And seynt ber
nard seiþ siþ he wold no3t spare his
owne derworþe sone to peyne hym
for oþer mennes synne . his enemye &
þe synful man how schuld he spare
to peyne hem for her owne syne /
¶ Þe seuent cause þat schuld make us
to drede synne . is þe grete repreue
& schame þat schal be to man þat
is taken in synne for god & alle his
angelis & alle man-kynde þat euer
was or schal be fro þe byginynge
of þe world vnto þe day of dome
schul wondre on hym & schame hym ;
whan þe ri3twisnes of god schal
dampne hym for synne : & oure lorde
god hym selfe schal scorne hym as holy
writte seiþ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> & godis lawe
seiþ þat alle þe world schal . wiþ
god schal fei3t a3eyne þe wodenes
of synnful men þat wold no3t nou3t
<fol. 32r>leue her synne <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / for þou3 synne
be nowe neuer so priuey : hit schal be
þan opun & knowen as þe gospel tel
liþ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> : for as a holy man seiþ
<lat></lat> / þe
conscience schal þanne be knowen
to alle men / / drede
Drede may be lykened to þree ma
ner men . to a porter þat kepeþ
a 3ate . to a ri3twis domesman & to
a waker weyte : first to a porter for
drede kepeþ þe 3ates of þe herte ;
þat no enemye of synne may come
inne : but whan þe fende wiþ any temp
taconn of synne comeþ : drede stekeþ
þe 3ates of þe soule þt no consente
of synne come inne ; & what-so-euer it
be þat he knoweþ is a3eynes ˆ <mrg>his</mrg> lor
des wylle he holdeþ þer-oute & for no
þinge wol sufur none yuel to come
wiþ-inne þe conscience / þat schuld greue
god ¶ Also drede is likene to a+ri3t
wis domesman ; þat þeues & traytours
<fol. 32v>demes to þe deeþ . whereso þei mey
be founden . & peynes hem in prisones / /
so drede peynes þe flesche as a
þefe þat is worþi to be punys
ched : and þerfore dauid preyde our
lord þat he wold pricke his flesche
wiþ drede <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> <gap> ¶ Also drede is likened
to a weyte þat is in þe londe of wer
re emonge enemyes : þat trumpes
& cries up on þe kny3tes þat þei
schul no3t slepe lest þe enemyes
comen on hem & kylden hem : alle
we ben here in þis world euer emonge
oure enemyes : & on þre halfe we
ben beseged . wiþ oure þree enemy
es þat kenely us aseyles . þe world
our flesche & þe fende of helle <smudge> þes
þree a3eynes us han trauþe pli3t
to-geder : þat iche schal helpe oþer
wiþ alle his power : to wynne
us fro oure lord þat bou3t us
so dere : & make us falle gretly
in many dyuers synnes : & so lette
us of oure ioy & brynge us to
peyne : And þerfore it is grete
<fol. 33r>nede þat drede awake us scharply ;
þat we slepe no3t in synne : ne non
fals lykynge þat falles to luste &
wickednesse a3eynes oure lordys
wylle : but euer stande redye in truste
of goddis helpe : strongly to fei3t
a3eyne þes þree enemyes / ¶ Dre
dede serues to mannes soule : as cha
pitre to religion : for as in chapitre
þe religious is acused of of þer trespas .
& mekenes hem to do penaunce þer
fore : so doþ drede acused man of
his synne : & wiþ a gode wille to
do penaunce þerfore : & ri3t as rely
gyon wold sone worþe to no3t 3if
þere were no chasteysynge in cha
pitur / ri3t+so 3if þer were no drede in
mannes hert : sone wold his lyfynge
torne to synne & his soule perisch / /
as salomon seyþ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> 3if þou hold þe no3t in
þe drede of god : sone wol þi hous
be ouerturned : þt is þi soule wol
falle into synne ¶ And foure þinges
a gode religious doþ whan þei
<fol. 33v>comen into þe chapiter lions / : / fyrst he
kneles lowe downe to þe erþe :
Siþe he knowlacheþ his trespas /
After þat he nakens hym of hys
cloþinge and þanne he receyueþ
mekelich betynges for his trespa
ses / ¶ Drede makeþ a trewe cristen
man to doo þes foure þinges in þe
si3t of his god : first he makeþ
hym to lowen hym selfe in alle me
kenes & to hold hym-selfe an vn
worþi wretche : & schameþ so wiþ
hym-selfe þat he schule do so vn
kyndely a3eynes þe wylle of his lord
in many hede synnes þat he is a
schamed to lyfte vp his heued ;
þus dude þe puplycan . þat god for
3afe his synnes . as þe gospel tel
liþ . þat durst no3t loke up to
heuene . but loked mekelyche to
þe erþe . & knocked on his brest :
& seyde þes wordes / lord god for
þi pyte haue mercy on þis synful
wretche . & for his mekenes he
was iustifyed / But þe proude
<fol. 34r>pharasee þat hei3ed hym selfe was
no3t iustified / Siþen dred makeþ a
man as dad dauid dude to know
lache his trespase to god & seyde
<lat></lat>
lord J knowlache þat J haue syn
ned to þe ful myche . wherfore J
axe þe mercy/ & for þis meke confes
syon god for3afe hym his synnes
Also it telleþ in þe ˆ <mrg>secunde</mrg> boke of kynges
in goddis lawe : þat kynge dauid
sende hys kny3ttes into þe lond
of Jude & of israel to noumbre alle
þe men þat were þerinne ˆ <mrg>of elde</mrg> able to
to fei3t : & þe noumbre of þe lond
of israel was <add>nyne</add><over erasure by other hand> hundred þou
sandes . & of þe lond of jude fy
ue hundred þousande of strong
men & conynge in bateyl & of wer
res / & of þes grete noumbre & þe
kynge hade pride : & for þis dede
god was wroþe wiþ hym : and
sende his angel : & slowe wiþ-inne
a lytel tyme seuenty þousand of
þat folke þt was noumbrede : and
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 185r>haue nede of gostly comford : 3if þou
kanste þou art holden to teche hem
or to gede oþer þat ben wyser þan
þou to teche hem þe best wey to
leue her synne & to loue god / and
3if þei ben dede ny3t & day to prey
for hem . þat god of his endelesse mercy
& godenesse 3if þei ben in payne of <mrg>body</mrg>
relesche hem of her peyne / And 3e
schul vnderstande þat þer ben twey
maner of faders . bodyle & gostly . bo
dyle as it is before seyde / gostly
fader . as he þat mynystreþ to þee /
sacramentis of holy chirche & te
cheþ þee þe law3e of god & con
seyleþ þee to goode & bryngeþ
þe forþe to be a+childe of god / &
of þi moder holy chirche þat is alle
holy men & wymen þe whiche þu
schalt worschip / & prey to god to
encrese þat noumbre / /
þe fyfþe comaundment
Þe secunde comaundment of
þe secunde table is þis <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / þou schalt no3t slee / /
<fol. 185v>And euer man schuld fle manslau3ter for
it is most a3eyne kynde / for þe wyse
man seiþ in goddis lawe <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> euery vnreso
nable best loueþ þat best þat is ly
che to hym / Moche more þan schuld
a man þat is a resonable best loue
his owne lykenes & fle manslau3ter / /
& man is þe likenes of god : & god
alonely whan hym likeþ puttiþ
lyfe into þe body: & so it longeþ
to god whan hym likiþ alonely
to take lyue fro þe body & And in to
ken þat þis synne is orible in þe si3t
of god / þis is one of þe þree syn
nes þat in holy writte crieþ to god
veniaunce as wittenesse god hym-self
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / Loo seiþ god
to caym . þe blode of þi broþer crieþ to
me fro þe erþe / / 3e schul vnderstande
þat þer is þree maner of manslau3ter . þat
is to sey / of hand . / of tonge / & of
herte / Manslau3t of hande is whan
any man or woman smyteþ an-oþer
<fol. 186r>wher-of deeþ foloweþ Þe secunde manere
of manslau3ter is : whan a man or wo
man for envie bryngeþ a goode man
or a+woman : owte of her goode name
or fame into an yuel name . wiþ fals
sclaundrynge of her tonges / whoso
doþ so in as myche as in hem is þei
sleen hem / / ¶ Þe þridde maner of
of manslau3ter is in herte . whan a
man or woman bereþ envye or hate
in her herte / to her euen cristen : wyl
lynge envyously . þat veniaunce or mys
chefe fel vp-on hem . & 3itte þerto
cursen in hert & in mouþe / and seynt
Jon seiþ he þat hateþ his broþer is
a mansleer <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / for þei sleen here owne soule /
& in þat . þat in hem is oþer mennes
also / /
vj
Þe þrid comaundment of þe
secunde table is þis <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / þou schalt doo
no lecherie . noþer weddyd ne sen
gle / lered ne lewed / man ne womman
do noo lecherie ; for it is a dedyly synne
by-twene a sengle man & a sengle wo
man / it is myche mor greuous synne
of a wedded man or a weded woman /
for brekynge of þe hei3e sacrament
of wedlac / But 3if prestes þat lyue
in chastyte as angelis & be a merour
of clannes to þe puple . þere is myche
more sorowe / Here 3e schul vnder
stande in þis general worde þou schalt
do no lecherie / god forbedeþ al ma
ner vnleueful lykynge / & treetyng
of mannes priue membris or wommans /
& he forbediþ alle maner lecherie . Jn
wille & word & dede / þerfore kepe þi
hert clene for lecherous þenkyng /
þi mouþ fro lecherous kissyng . &
spekynge . for of vnclene speche
cummeþ myche synne . as vnclene yma
ginaconn . / vnclene þou3tes & many
oþer wickenesse / And þi body & alle
þi membris fro vnclene towchynge
or vnleueful dedys doynge / euery man
& womman in hys degre / 3if þou be a
sengle man or womman . by þenke
þe ny3t & day : þat þou wolt neuer
<fol. 187r>forsake god : to bytake þe to þe deuel
body & soule : to haue þat cursed
lykynge of lecherie / þe whoche
þou may haue resonable vsed in law
ful matrymonye / & þerfore kepe 3ow
clene to þat 3e come to þt holye
sacrament ¶ And 3e þat haue ta
ken þe hei3e sacrament of matri
monye kepe 3ou fro vnleful doyn
ges & vse 3oure doynges wiþ
drede of god to his worschyp / /
And neuer for noo erþely gode bre
ke þat hei3e sacramente & bounde
of treuþe þat god ordeyned in para
dyse . byfore þat adam or eue dude
synne / But oþer sacramentes were
ordeyned in remedye for synne / So
þat þis sacrament was ordeyned
of god : & confermed of crist in þe gos
pel of Matheu . ix . co wher crist an
swered þus to hem . þat asked of
hym : <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / 3if it be leueful
to a man to forsake his wife for
any maner cause / & crist answered &
seyde / <lat></lat>
<fol. 187v><lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Rede 3ee no3t
þat he þat made hem at þe bygyn
nynge . male & female he made hem :
and seyde to hem for þis schal a man
leue fader & moder : & holde hym to
his wyfe . for þei schul be on boþe
one þat þat god haþ ioyned man
schal no3t depart Loo how þis
hei3e sacrament of matrimonye is
confermed by crist / And herfore seiþ
seynt paule / <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> / þat men loue her wyfes as
her owne bodies : he þat loueþ his
wife loueþ hym-selfe : & no+man ha
teþ his flesche but norischiþ & fediþ
it / and also he seiþ . wymmen be su
gete to her huboundes as to her
lord / <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<fol. 188r><lat></lat> And seiþ seynt paule þis
sacrament is grete : but J seiþ he seiþ
in crist & in þe chirche / þat is to sey
þis sacrament bytokeneþ knyttyng
to-geder of crist & of ˆ <mrg>holy</mrg> þe chirche by
grace : and þat bytokeneþ þe trouþ
pli3ttynge at þe chirche dore / And
þerfore siþ þis sacrament is so hei3e
þat it bytokeneþ ioynynge of crist
& of alle seyntes & cristen soules to
geder by studefast loue & grace / /
Þou þat wolt wytyngly make a
ny fals deuors / or ellis þur3 synne
breke þis hei3e sacrament / in as
mychel as in þe is / þou puttes vp
on crist þat he is falsly knytte wiþ
mannes soule : & þat he wol wiþ
oute any cause forsake mannes sou
le / And þis is a synne of blasphe
mye . of a dispite done to þe godhed
of god / and þerfore for þe loue of cristis
flesche & his blode : spendes no3t 3oure
flesche & 3oure blode in seruice of þe
deuel : þat was 3euen to 3ou to be
spendide in þe seruice of god / & to
<fol. 188v>3oure owne sauaconn : / & kepe 3ou cle
ne fro lecherie Jn þou3t & worde
& dede . for þe most pryue þou3t of
3oure herte is present to god / <blank line>
Þe furþe comaundment of þe secunde
table is þis <lat></lat>
þou schalt doo no þefte / þefte
may be done in dyuerse maneres : as to
take þi ney3bores goode fro hym
wrongfully a3eynes his wille : oþer
by priue stelynge . or by opun robbynge
by ny3t or by day / or by fals slei3t
tes of mannes lawe . or fals pleyn
tes . or fals enditement or any
wrongwise manere . or by slei3tes in
bying or in sellynge wytyngly to
bygyle þi euencristene . / or by fals
wei3tes ; oþer þan þou schuldest re
sonable wilne . þat þi nei3bore du
de to þee in þe same caas / For þou3
it be leueful þat a champman or a
marchaunte may selle derre þan þei
<fol. 189r>bye in resonable maner to wynne her ly
uelode by / / it is no charyte ne trouþ
þat þei coueyte to wyne as my
che as þei may . by any slei3e or
cautele . but onely to wynne to sus
teyne hem resonble in her traueyles
And whoso doþ oþerwise : doþ a3eyne
þis comaundment takynge his nei3
bores goode a3eyne his wille ;
& þat is þefte /