<County: Suffolk>
<Code: L8320>
<MS reference: London, British Library Sloane 3160, Hand A>
<Text: Homilies>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 4v>nessyth . <lat></lat> And
yerfor J lekyn~ a prowde man to ye lyon
For ryth as ye lyon lokyth yt al oyere
beestys schulde worchyp hym & to hym
lowtyn ryth so a prowde man thynkyt
yt all oyer~ men xuld wurchyp hym
drede hym & to hym lowtyn~ . and yer~-for[<?>]
yt may be weylle sayd of a prowde man
as it is wreton in holy scriptur~ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Se now seyth ye prophete & takeyth
heede how he as a lyon . And xall rysyn
vp as a lyon of pride Thys is a synne
yt dystroyyt all vertuowus & most
greuyt god of all oyer vycys . Jn tokenyng
qwere of lucifer~ yt was sumtyme ye fay
rest aungel of heuyn is now for hys
pride be-com ye fowlest deuyl in helle . And
3ow wylte wetyn qwer~ in he schewyd
hys pride . J answer~ & say yus yt he desy
ryde for hys fayrnesse to ben peer~ wyth
god . for as J sayd be-forn . Thanne pride
is nowt ellys but a bad desyyr of hey
wurchyp . And yis maner fo desyyr may
not ben in mannys mynde neythyr i manys
<fol. 5r>herte . And of thees thyngys on it is the
3yfte of kynde . and ye nobylnesse of kynred
Gentylnes of bloode . Plente of chyldyrn
grete of herytage Strenth of heryta
bewte The 3yftys of grace arn yeys .
londys . Rentys . Gold . Syluer . Tresowur . The
3yftys of grace beyn~ sundry wyttes yat
god haue 3evyn~ to man~ . And eloquens
in spekyng~ . kunnyng of craft werkyg~ . And
sweche oyer yer~ beyn~ qwer~ for~ owyth to
ben meke for ye vertu yt god hath 3euyn~
hym to kepe . he turnyt hem to vyces . And yer
for hys synn~ is meche ye more Seynt
gregory seyth <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Pryde he seyth is rote and begynner
of all synne & vicys . For ryght as ne
wer~ ye rote of a tre hyd onder~ ye erde xal
non bravnche growyn owte yer-of . Ryth soo
ne qwer~ pride rotyd in mannys hert yere
xuld non~ braunches of synne spryngyn yerr~
froo fore Owte of pride growyn~ vij . braun
ches of on~ kynde of yis synne pride ye arn~
teld her~ be name . Presumpcon~ . Veynglory
vnbuxsumnesse . Boldnesse . ypocryce Jndig~<?>
nacon~ Schameles . Sturdynesse . Presump
con~ is qwanne a man puttyt hym selfe
<fol. 5v>forderforth in preesse & in presens of pepul
yanne a noder~ man doth ye qwych is as
goode as he lokyng~ aftyr reuerens to
syttyn a-bowyn to spekyn~ fyrst an to take
worchyp of ye worde passyng~ all oyere
demyg~ hym-self parauentur strenger &
more hardi wyser or mory[e] wordy yanne
ony oyer . Off yis bravnche spekyt Seynt
Austyn <lat></lat> Qwer~ it is
rehersyd for it is for ye bettur yt god suffyrth
of tyme a pravde man yt is p<re?>sumptyous .
And seynt Austyn~ puttyt her~ to an exam
pul . he seyth cause qwy yt cryst suffyrd
seynt petur to for-sake hym was for no
thyg~ ell but for grete presumpcon~ yt petyr
schewyd qwan he seyd thees woordes <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> And alle yow apostolus
be sclaundyr be ye J xalle neuer for-sakyn
yine person . her~ seynt petur presumede to
for forth of hym-selfe For he presumede
hym-self gretely more trewere more
trosty better of hert . and mor~ hardy
<fol. 6r>yanne ony of hys felawys . Veynglory
is qwanne a man bostyth of hym self
gretly or ellys r~cordyth qwanne odyr
men moor~ yanne he qwer~ worthy lo
wyng~ flateryg~ & glosyg~ yt oft tyme
wyll rehersyn~ hys commendabyll wordes
or dedes and hatyng~ yo yt for a-mendyg~
of hys defautys tellyg~ hym ye sothe .
Thys bravnche of pride crist techyd hys
folowars to fle be exampyll in the gospel
Math ioo Qwer~ it is rehersyd yat
qwanne cryst helyd ij . blynd men and
3affe hem bodyly syte . he bad hem
yt yei xuld kepyn yat thyg~ prevy . &
that yei xuld spekyn~ to no man~ yer~
of and 3yt yeis men wentyn~ and
told owte alle abowtyn~ in ye cuntre as
yei wentyn~ . Now as clerkys schewyn~
the skyll qwy yt cryst for-bad yeis
men yat yei xuld nowte telleyn~ owte
qwat he had doon~ to hem was to 3e
vynne exampyl to al hys folowars
yis is to fleen veynglory and to sche
wyn~ yt a goode crystyn~ man ow+nowt
<fol. 6v>for lesyng~ of heuyn mede xuld not de
syer to be preysed her~ of hys goode dede
Onbuxsumnes is qwan~ a man wyth-standyth
ye behest of god & holy chyrche ye byddyg~
of Fader & Moder ye laue of hys kyng~
ye ordynavns of hys souerens spirituall
& temperall or wykfully lettyth yt is com
avndyd & doth yt is defendyd . and hathe
no wylle to reson ne rewarde to ye pey
ne yat is lymytyd in ye lawe Thys
bravnche of pryde is grewows as it
semyth be exampul of holy scriptur~
For god in ye elde lawe yt ho so were
rebell & onbuxsum to ye prestes yt wer~
goddes mynystyrs yei xuldon be dede yer
for~ as ye bybyl rehersyth <lat></lat>
Also qwanne 3e be rebell or vnbuxum
to ye byddyg~ of hys fader or to hys
moder the Fader & ye moder xuld pleyn~
hem a-non to ye dome and a-non he
xuld be stonyd to ye deth as it is re
hersyd in ye same boke . and ye same
schappe tyl al so yt is perlus to a man
yat wythstandyth or resystyth a .
<fol. 7r>3ens hys souerens temperal or spirituall
it semyth be holy wrytte . <lat></lat>
Qwer~ it is rehersyd yt yer~ wer~ iij . men
yat is to sey Ghore Datan and abiron
And for yei wt on~ a-sent resyn a-3ens
Moyses & aaron . yer-for god ponysed
hem of her~ pride . Made ye erth to opyn
and swelowd hem alle qweke . And
yer~-of spekyth dauyd in ye sawter~ and
seyth yus <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> yei
tened hem seyth Moyses & aaron yt holy
man~ in her~ leggynges and yer-for~ ye erth
was openyd & swelowed in-to hym yat
man Datan~ and hyllyd hym & hem .
Also yt wer~ gadyryt wyth abiron . yis
knew wele seynt powel qwan~ he wrot
to ye Jewis and to vs <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Be 3e obe
dyent to 3owur souereyns . Boldnesse is qwan
a man synnyt vp trost of goddes mercy
yinkyg~ yt ther~ is but lytyl parel in hys
lyf as long~ as oyere men als ille as
he or wers not dredyg~ neyyer veniauns
<fol. 7v>here ne peyne in helle butte alwey do
yng~ hyse owene lust in hoope to a-schape
yis braunche of pride is perlus as it semyth
well be ensaumpyll For Seyt~ Jerom seyye
and hyse woordes be rehersyd in party in
ye lawe of holy chyrche . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> he seyth
yt men of ye Cite of Niniue at prechyg~
of ye prophete Jonas yei dede penauns for
here synnys and god tok yt Cite to hyse
mercy and grace But aftyrward they
turnyd a-3en to her~ olde synnys trowyg~
yt ye mercy of god was grete & yt yei
schuld a-skape as yei dede a-forn~ And
a-non 3 your ye wrethe of god yat same
Cyte was distroyed be bodyly enmys
And so ye boldnesse of her~ synne was
cause of her~ destruxion . The cyte of
nynyue was solempne & ryall so grete
and so howge yat it was of iij . dayys
Jorne wt-ine . And yere wer~ mor~ yan
an hunderid skor~ yowsand of pepul as
ye bybyll recordyth yer-of Jone iijo and iiijo
cao . Ypocryse is qwan a man~ schewit
<fol. 8r>lessyd of hise disese as hastyleche as he
wold a-3ens yis vice spekyt seynt powell
and seyye yus . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> lat al maner of wreth
heuynesse Jndignacon~ & blasphemyg~
be put a-wey fro 3ow .
ENvye is qwan~ a man~ hath sorow
in hert of a-noyer mannys welfar~
Or ell qwan~ a man~ hath gladnesse
yt a-noyer man faryt yuele . yerfor is the
enuyous man lykned to ye hound . For
rith as it greuyt ye hound yt a man
goth be ye wey yow yt a man do hym
no harme and ell he wold not berk
at hym . Rith so it greuyt an enuyus man
yt a-noyer goth be-syde hym yow he yt goth
be-syde hym doye hym non harme And
ell wold not ye enuyous man bak-byte
hyse euen-cristeyne and speke euel of
hyse neybour . Ther~ is su@ hownd of thys
condycon~ yt he wylle qwylys a man is
present fawne hym wt hyse tayle . But
a-non as ye man turnyt hyse bak ye
same hound wyl byte hym be ye hele
Rith so an enuyous man~ in presense of hym
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 14r><lat></lat> Betere he seyye is ye seyynge
of ye vij psalmys wt clennesse of herte and
a goostly gladnesse yer-wt yan ye seyyg~ of an
hole sawter wt heuynesse of herte and car~
Also yerfor seyye ye prophete . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Haue yu lykyg~
in our~ lord god And he schal 3eue ye askyg~
of yine herte
Glotonye is a talent wt-oute tempere &
mesour~ to mete or drynke A gloton~
is lykned to ye ber~ for ij skelys on is yis . ye
beer~ hath alwey a talent in hise tunge to
serchyn~ metys yat he louith And yt makt
hym ofte to lykke hise tonge as experiens sche
wyt at eye Rith so a gloton~ hath alwey a
talent in hyse tungge to tast metys yt arn
tender~ and deyte A-noyer skele is yis ye ber~
hath so gret delyte to hony yt he wele come
to a place qwer~ he gessith to fynde a swarm~
of beene and lyke a-wey her~ hony yt yei
haue trauayled a-boute as ye mayster of
propirtes rehersith . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Rith so a gloton~ delyt hym so
gretly in swete metys & drynkys yt he is
not a-schamed to goo qwer~ he may deuour~
yt oyere men haue sor~ trauayled for~ . But
<fol. 14v>he may be asked a questyon & is yis . Qwedyr
it is ony synne to a cristen man to ete deynty
metys and drynk deynte drynkys . To yis question
answerith seynt Gregorie <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> and seyye nay For qwy he seyye yus do we
manye tymys wit-outyn synne And if yere
were ony treespace as towchyng~ yis mater it
lyye not in ye mete ne in ye drynke but in ye appe
appetite and in ye talent of hym yt delityt to
moche in swethe metes & drynkys . And seynt
gregorie specifieth in ye same place . v maners
qwerby a man may falle in to glotonye . Fyrst
is . 3if a man byde not r~sonable tyme but
sunner etith yan he schuld . ye secunde is 3if a man
coueyte to mekyl to haue metys yt be deyntes
ye iij . is if A+man~ ordeynne yt hise mete be
ouyr delicatly di3th . ye iiij . is if A+man be ouer
gredy in etyng~ . ye v . is if he passe ouer mesoure
in mete takyng~ And ye v . maner~ may be
brou3th and comprehendyd in iiij . braunchys yat
growyn~ oute of glotonye qwech yt ben her~
entyteled . lustyhed . Surfet in etyg~ & dryn~
kyng~ and coryoushede of cury Gredynesse is
qwan~ a man etith or drykyt ouer hastyly
and wele not mesur~ hym-self Jn yis vice
falle yo yt on fastyg~ dayys wyl not a-byde
<fol. 15r>ye our~ of none And syt lenger~ at mete and
etith mor~ at ye mele yan yei wold ellys . Sumtyme
yay engrotye hem-self so ful ouyr euen for
dred of hungyr on ye worwe~ and brake ye fastes
yt owe to be holden~ as apostelys euyn~ys vigi
lijs embirdays and all ye frydays of ye 3er~ ye
aduent & ye lentone . yai also quenche her~ honger
wt spices and counfetys or ell wt crostynge of
brede and ouer-moche drynkke qwan yei schuld
faste A3en yis vice spekit salamon~ And seithe
yus <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> wele yu not he seyye be gredy in euery
mele . Lustyed is qwan a man settith hyse herte
al to-geder~ in delytys and hath no ioye but
qwan he herith telle of welfar~ and ben serued
wt deyntes and delicat metys & drynkys carynge
at euery mele how lustily he may far~ at ye nexte
sparynge for no cost ne lettynge no good so wele
spent as on der~ metys & drynkys . And it fa
rith be yo men yt 3euen hem to lustihede as it
dede be a certeyn secte of philosfr~s . Ferst
seynt Austyn~ tellith . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> yt yere wer~ ij . sectys of phi
losofers in ye Cite of Athenis be-twix hom
was a grette altercacon~ & debate for dyuerse
opynyouns . yo of ye ferst secte wer~ clepid
<fol. 15v not transcribed; reproduction not available>
<fol. 16r>he spekit a-3ens reson~ Jn yis vice falle all yo
yt in riot and in rer~ soperis wast mor~ yanne
nede wer~ oute of tyme & oute of mesour~
dystroyg~ vetaylys & cristenmenys lyf-lode be
qweche many a por~ man mi3te be r~fr~sched
Of yis vice spekit Jon~ Crisoston~ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> and seyye yus <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Surfet of metys wastit & rotit
a manys body and pynyt it wt log~ seke
nesse and aftyrward it bryngit hym to a
stylle deth and yerfor seynt powel conseylit
vs for ye bettere & sey-ye yus . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> walkeith 3e now
as in the dais your honest lyuynge And not
in surfete of mete and drynkke . Curiosite
of curye is ye ferst braunche of glotonye
yis is qwan a man ordeynyth many cury
ouse metes eche dyuerse from oyer to a-grege
hise appetite yan to a quenche hise honger And
can not hold him payd wt esie far~ & comon
maner~ of seruyse Jn yis falle yo men yt
<fol. 16v>wast her~ goodes in etyng~ and drynkyng~
And in grete festes makyg~ of yis vice spekith
a grete clerke <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> qwer~ he seyye yus
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> yis clerk r~preuith
sweche wast in metes & seyye yus Mene maner
of metys he seyye in seruice bene dispised .
And surfet is coueytyd and broute up in diuerse
of metys and variacon~ of sauourres . Gredy
nesse can no mesur~ yerfor he seyye it is yat ye
stomak is greued and disesed wt sturbelyd
and vndirstuntyd and oppressed her~ of he seyye
comt no helthe but sor~ seknesse & deth And
yerfor seyde salamon~ in hise boke Be yu not
gredy in eche mele ne schet not oute vp-on
eche mete yt yu seest For many metes schal
be cause of manye seknesses And for sweche
<fol. 17r>surfetes many men haue deyed a-forne yis tyme
LEcherie is an vnleful lust yt comyt
of the frelte of ye flesche and defou
lyth ye soule yat is yer-to knet . A lecherous
man is lykened to the hog~ For rith as ye
hog~ is a beest yt louith wele to in foule place
Rith so a . lecherous man louith to be in cumpanye
yt is disonest and in bad place qwer~ he
may fulfylle hise fowle lust yerfor it is
rehersed in ye boke of philosofris prouerbys
yat yer was a . man yat was lecherous yat
spake to ye philosofr~ pictogoras And seide
yat hym you3t meryer to be conuersaunt wt
wommen yan wt clerkys & philosofrys . And
ye goode man answerd and a-3en ful+wy
sely and seyde in yis manere yis he is he seyth
to me no wondir~ For a sowe or an hog hath
leuere to walwen in a foule sloth yan to wasche~
hym in a fayr~ watyr . Oute of lecherye
spryngit viij . braunchis qweche arn~ entyte
led her~ be-nethe as symple Fornicacon~
Spousebreche . Jnceste . Rauyschyg~ of wommen
from her~ housbondes Violacon~ of maydenhod
Abicon~ . Pollucon~ . Synne a-geyne keende
Sympyl fornicacon~ is a trespas be-twyxe
sengylgyl man and sengyl womman~ you3 it
<fol. 17v>be ye leste braunche of lecheris 3it it owt to be
echewed for yis skele for as a certeyn~ clerk
seyye <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Alle oyer synnys
he seyye defoulith but only ye soule but for
nicacon~ & lecherie hath of hym-self to de
foule bothe body & soule . Spousebr~che is
a trespasse in the wedded+man yt takyt a-noyer
yan hise owene wyf or ell in a weddyd wyf
yat takt a-noyer yan her~ housbonde yis braunche
of lecher~ is greuous for as moche as god
made wedlok in hye paradyse qwan he schope
ye womman and made hir~ of one of ye manys
bonys and knet yere a knot be-twene hem
yt he wold not eft-sonys vnknet yan is
it a perlious yig~ to breke yat knot yt god him
selfe made And wold neuer haue it vnknet
Of yis braunche of lecherie J fynd a . dred
ful+woord And it is putte in ye lawe canon .
<lat></lat>
qwer~ it is rehersed how yt Boneface ye
martir wrot to the kyng~ of yngelond
& seyde yus it is puplisched to us in fraunce