<County: Gloucestershire>
<Code: L7200>
<MS reference: London, British Library, Harley 2398>
<Text: Treatise on the ten commandments; Wycliffite exposition of Pater Noster>


<fol. 96r>schep & heynesse of þis worlde he deneyde hem þat & or
deynede hem passioun . And byleue techeþ ous he dyde al
for þe betere & so scholde we sue him yf we wille be
his children & loue him more þan þe worlde or oure veyn
name & so god forbedeþ nou3t bodylyche worschep bot þen
ke on manere of ˆ [it] & mesure it by resoun & so it is laweful men
to procure for here children rychesse of þe worlde more þan
þey to hem For as seynt poul seyþ Fadres tresoureþ to
children more þan children doþ to hem for þay loueþ hem
more as god loueþ man more þan man may loue god and
herefore man may neuer loue god to moche . Herefore þis
fader god & holy churche oure moder we scholde worsche
pe ny3t & day praynge to god oure fader to encresce and
to fulfille þe nombre of alle þat schal be saued . Jn þis
manere þou schal worschepe þy fader & moder & þyn el
dres bodylyche & gostlyche & þis is þe fyrste commaunde
ment of þis seuene . <gap>
ÞE secunde commaundement of seuene of þe
secunde table byddeþ þe schortly nou3t slee
þy broþer . and it vnderstondeþ vnskylful sle
þynge and herefore men seyeþ þat men þat~
beþ y-kylled by mannes lawe beþ nou3t slawe of men
bot þe lawe sleyþ hem & here yuele dedes . Bot what~
seyþ a+grete clerke Suppose we he seyþ by oure feyþ
þat god byddeþ þus þat we scholde kylle no man wiþ-oute
auctorite of him . & so many men kylle bestes & wykkede
men boþe by auctorite of lawe & elles no wyse resoun dry
ueþ men to holde þis commaundement . Syþ eche man of þis
worlde is broþer to oþer & eke ney3ebore to oþer by ordynaunce
of god who scholde þanne oþer wyse vnkyndelyche kylle
his broþer . for as we beþ alle þe children of adam oure fa
<fol. 96v>der so we beþ alle þe children of god & alle þat schal be
saued haþ holy churche here moder & so as me þenkeþ no
+man scholde kylle oþer by auctorite of þe lawe bot yf he we
re sykere þat godes lawe bad it & þanne my3te he ywyte
þat he brake nou3t godes heste al yf he kyllede him ne fel
nou3t fro charite syþ boþe loue & sorwe scholde meue
hem to do so & nou3t his owene vengeaunce & þus as me
þenkeþ a man may kylle an oþer as men clepeþ hange-men
& hederys of mannes lawe & þus godes lawe spekeþ whan
we scholde lyue For of þis lawe we beþ certeyne þat it
byddeþ nou3t kylle a man bot yf it be resoun & graciouse
& profetable yf takeþ ˆ [it] wel so þat it were betere him to be
kylled so þan for to lyue forþe vnpunesched for his tres
passe & so yf eny trespasser a3ene mannes lawe taketh
his dey in charite it ys medful for him . Bot muche more
peyne deserueþ man for synne bot . J . can nou3t see þat
eny man scholde putte þis peyne on a+man wiþ-oute auc
torite of god . ¶ Bot wete we wel þis commaundement is
syb to many synnes for seynt+Jon seyþ þat ech man
þat hateþ his broþer is a+man-sleer 3e ofte tymes more to
blame þan he þat sleeþ his body for þe synne is more
& by þis skyle a bacbyter is a mansleer . And he that
scholde 3eue gostlych fode & feyleþ þer-ynne & so eche
man þat synneþ in eny dedly synne . synneþ a3enst
þis commaundement as it is of oþer For who so euere con
senteþ to sleynge synneþ a3enst þis commaundement and
is a mansleer bot as clerkes seyþ . Vpon syxe maneres
ys þis consentynge do & men scholde knowe i&t . He con
senteþ to þe yuel þat worcheþ wiþ þer-to . he þat defendeþ
& conseyleþ þer-to . he by whos auctorite ys þe yuel y-doo
He þat wiþdraweþ his helpe or scharp repreuyng whan
<fol. 97r>he my3te do it & scholde by godes lawe & among alle syn
nes by whiche þe fend begyleþ men non ys more sutyl
þan suche consente . & herefore þe prophetes of þe olde la
we tolde men pereles tyl þay suffrede deþ & in þis cause
þe apostoles of crist were martyred . & we scholde yf we
were trewe men bot cowardyse & defaute of loue of ou
re god makeþ ous sterte a+bak as traytours doo & so yf þe
grounde were sowt in remes þer were fewe prestes oþer
seculeres þat ne were mansleeres vpon som maneres
& specialy prelat3 þat sleeþ here broþer in many weyes
For þey scholde preche hem & teche hem godes lawe : and
by necglygence of hem þey beþ gostlyche sleye & þes schol
de stonde as postes a3enst tyrauntes & telle hem how by
godes lawe þey scholde lede þe peple & þis is a pryuy
synne þat prelates reccheþ nou3t & her-by þay sleeþ of
te boþe lordes & communes & brekeþ þis commaundement~ / /
Alle þes seuene commaundement3 of þe secunde table te
cheþ a man how he schal haue him aneintys his euene
cristene boþe to his frende & to his enemy bot þer is noþyng
more contrarious to þis þan is wrongful manslawte
þerfore euery man skillefullyche & kyndelyche scholde fle &
enchewe suche manslawt for as seyþ þe wyse man in
his boke Eueryche best loueþ þat best þat is lyche to him .
muche more by weye of kynde scholde man þat is resona
ble in alle þynges he scholde do none manslawt & þis
we scholde knowe by pure resoun . For resoun wolde syþ
alle onlyche god 3eueþ putteþ in lyf into þe body whan
him lykeþ . So to him alone it longeþ to take þe soule out
of þat body whan him lykeþ for þou wost neuere whanne
it is goed to þy soule to be take oute : whan to abyde . whan
it is ordeyned to ioye whan to peyne for it is longynge
<fol. 97v>to god to knowe þat knoweþ alle þyng & nou3t to þe~ / /
Wherefore to him alone it longeþ to 3yue lyf & to sle+wham
it best lykeþ . And in tokene of þat þis synne ys so orry
ble & vnkyndely þis on of þe synnes þat in holy wryt
cryeþ to god vengeaunce as wytnesseþ god him-self in
þe fyrste boke of holy wryt . Lo seyþ god to caym þe voys
of þe blod of þy broþer cryeþ to me from þe erþe . For þis
commaundement 3e schulle vnderstonde þat þer is þre maner
of manslawt þat is to seye boþe of honde & of tunge
& of herte or of wyl . Þan man sleeþ a man with his
his honde þat smyteþ his broþer in violence where þurgh
his bodyly strengþes beþ enfybled & his lyf y-schorted oþer
wrongfullyche wiþ-draweþ his bodylyche sustynaunce . And
he sleeþ a+man wiþ his tunge þat conseyleþ or procureþ his
deþ or falslyche lyeþ on him wherfore his profyt is lette or
abreched . Also he sleeþ a man wiþ his tunge þat for hate
enuye or mede bryngeþ a good man or a womman out of he
re goede name or fame wiþ fals sclandrynge of here
tunge & alle suche in as muche as in him is byfore god
þey sleeþ hem . He sleeþ a+man in herte & wyl þat wyl
neþ or desyreþ mannes deþ for eny worldlyche goed or
eny worldlyche cause or trespas y-do to his persone or ha
teþ him in herte . for seynt Jon seyþ . he þat hateþ his
broþer is a+mansleer & þus whan a man oþer womman bereþ
enuye or haterede in herte to here euene cristene willynge
wrongfullyche or enuyouslyche þat myschyf or vengeaun
ce falle vpon hem & þerto curseþ in herte & in mouþ he
is a mansleer & alle suche in þat þat in hem ys þay doþ
perylous manslawt . for þey sleeþ here owene soule and
also here euene cristene & þerfore god byddeþ þat þu schalt
noþer wiþ honde ne wiþ tunge ne wiþ herte do no manslawt
<fol. 98r>Þe þrydde commaundement of god in þis secunde
table forfendeþ men & wommen to synne in eny
manere of lecherye . And þis commaundement of god
seweþ wel þat oþer goynge next by-fore þe why
che forfendeþ to sle man in his persone . and þis forfendeþ
to sle man in his felawe . For as þe gospel techeþ Man
& womman wedded beþ on persone by þe lawe of god & þer
fore þes lechours þat fouleþ on of þes sleeþ in a maner
þe felawe of it . and as we seyde of mansleynge so it
ys of lecherye . som is bodylyche & oþer is gostlyche : Bo
dyliche lecherye is in many maneres somtyme vnwed
ded man fouleþ vnwedded womman & þis is cleped com
munlyche symple fornycacioun . And yis word lecherye
enemy contrarye to þe vertue of contynence & of chastyte
is a+brennynge appetyte oþer a+coueytyse of a lecherouse
wyl hyynge fulfille þe lecherous delectacioun of consen
tynge of resoun . For whenne þat resoun wiþ þe whiche eue
ryche cristene man & womman scholde gouerne hemself
wiþstondeþ nou3t þylke lecherous appetit bot 3eueþ ful
consent to do þulke synneful dede anon he synweþ ded
lyche þey he be let fro þe dede doynge . for in þre-fold
manere a+man or womman may synwy dedlyche on leche
rye ¶ Furst on herte wendynge & turnynge wytyng
lyche & wylfullyche vnclene & wykkede lecherous þou3
tes by-cause of schrewed delectacioun in þou3te . for þe
wyse man seyþ in his bode þat wykked þou3tes departeþ
a man fro god . Also crist himself in þe gospel seyþ . He
þat seeþ a womman in suche entente to coueyty to tres
passe wiþ hure anon he seyþ þat man haþ y-do leche
rye wiþ hure on herte & þis same resoun may be vn
derstonde of wommen . ¶ Þe secunde manere ys whenne

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 168r>& oþer poyntes of holy wryt nedeful to here Soules and
þey to do þer-after wheþer it be y-tolde to him or wryten in
latyn or in englyssch or in frensche or in duchyssch oþer
in eny oþer langage after þat þe peple haþ vnderston
dynge & þus clerkes scholde ioye þat þe peple haþ knewe go
des lawe & trauayle hem-self busylyche by alle þe goede
menes þat þey my3te to make þe peple knowe þe treu
þe for þis was þe cause þat ihesu crist bycam man & suf
frede deþ on þe croys so þat by kepyng of his lore þe pe
ple my3te ryse fro deþ & come to þe lyf þat haþ none
ende & yf any clerke wolde contrarye þis who schal be
dampned bot such a quyke fende &c .
ÞErfore þe seuene askynges of þis prophetable pray
er scholde men lerne & reule hem-self þer-after .
Þe firste askyng þat is answeryng to þe fader is seyde
on þis maner Fader oure þat art in heuenes yhalwed
be þy name
Of þis wytty lore of crist may be meued þre
questiouns . þe firste why we seye oure fader & nou3t my
fader . þe secunde why we seye þat art in heuenes . raþer
þan in heuene . þe þrydde why we seye halwed be þy
name seþþe þe name of god in him-self may nou3t be
appaired noþer amended . ¶ As to þe firste we schulle y-wy
te þat crist whanne he tau3te ous to seye oure fader he be
toke ous mekenesse & bad ous fle pryde & þat we so lowe
& so synful wrecches whanne we hadde mynde of hey
nesse & þe power of oure god & þerto of grete grace of þis
ryche lord we scholde loue him þe more & myldelyche as
ke of him as þe childe of þe fader þyng þat ous nedeþ .
For þe grettere þat a+lord is & þe more gracious þat he is
to pore men þe more he is to be loued . And þerfore seyth
crist . Lerneþ of me for . J . am meke & mylde of herte & 3e
<fol. 168v>schulleþ fynde reste in 3oure soules . ¶ Wherefore we
alle scholde be mek & specialych prestes & nou3t boste of
here holynesse & goede dedys þat þey supposeþ þat þey
haue y-do bot wylne for to haue of gode dedys of here
broþeryne as here broþeryne desyreþ to haue part of
herys & so fulle þey nou3t to oþere part of here meritys
na+more þan þey wille bye part of oþer mennes for boþe
it is symonye & also it longeþ to god to partye suche
meritys & it is nou3t in erþelyche mannes powere . late god
þerfore dele as him lykeþ . þus techeþ god in <rbd><gap></rbd> the
gospel & seyþ þus whanne 3e haue do alle þyng wel
seyeþ we be vnprofetable seruant3 . & þus knowynge
oure owen wyckednesses mekelyche in þis prayer we sch<?>l
de clepe god oure fader & nou3t my fader by stynkynge
pryde holdyng ous self worþyer to god þan oþer trewe
men . ¶ As to þe secunde poynt . why we seye þat art
in heuenys raþer þan in heuene . we schulle vnderstonde
þat heuenes in þis place beþ vnderstonde cristen men
nes soules þe whiche as holy wryt seyþ beþ þe see
tes of god & so alle þylke yat schulleþ be in blysse af
ter þe dome . ry3twyslyche may be cleped holy churche
bot now holy churche is seyd to be disposed on dyuers
maners . First it fy3t here in erþe & resteþ nou3t clerly
che fro synne bot 3it by trauaile & sorwe of herte de
syreþ to come to blysse . wherefore it is ry3tfullyche y
clepyd þe fy3tyng churche to þis churche spekeþ crist &
seyþ . beþ stronge in bataille & fy3teþ wiþ þe olde ser
pent þe deuel & 3e schulle take euerlastyng kyngdom .
¶ On þe secunde manere is þe churche y-seyd to be
disposed for þulke þat beþ passed out of þis worlde &
3it beþ nou3t come to reste of lyf in blysse bot resteþ
<fol. 169r>in purgatoriee & suffreþ peyne for synne abydeþ þe mer
cy of god to delyuere hem oute of peyne & whanne þe chur
che is þus disposed it is ycleped þe restyng churche and
her of spekeþ seynt poul whanne he seyþ þat fuyr
schal preue þe work of eueryche / / ¶ On þe þrydde manere
is holy churche y-seyd to be disposed for þulke þat beþ
y-passed fro sorwe & payne to ioie euer lastyng haue
ouercome þe synne & sorwe of þis worlde & beþ pas
sed payne þat comeþ bot for synne & haue wonne þe
reste of euerlastyng blysse & herefore it is y-cleped the
churche of ouercomyng . of þus churche spekeþ þe prophete
& seyþ . Seyntes schulle ioye in glorie & so al holy chur
che schal be ouercomyng after þe day of dome & be oute
of myschef of þe worlde & alle oþere paynes & be in ioye
wiþ here spouse crist ihesu þat techeþ man to be meek
& to suppose oþere as goed or betere þan he by þe dedys þt
he seeþ reuled by cristes lawe & so to seye mekelyche
in prayer . oure fader þat art in heuenes & nou3t in he
uene as yf he supposeþ nou3t his broþer as goed as
him-self . ¶ As to þe þrydde questioun how þe name
of god in him-self may nou3t be holyer þan it is & 3it
it is seyd to be maad holy whenne cristen mennes
soules lyche þe holy trinite is reuled by brennyng lo
ue after cristes lawe for take a berille ston & holde it
in a cleer sonne & so þat ston wol take hete of the
sonne & þanne maist þou wiþ tendre gete fuyre of
þat ston to do þer wiþ what þe nedeþ . Ry3t so put al
þy mynde al þy soule to þe verray sone of crist ihesu
& þou schalt cacche hete & brennyng loue to þy god &
þou schalt haue ly3t of vnderstondyng by þe techyng
of his lawe as muche as is nedeful to þe & ensample
<fol. 169v>of goede lyuyng to þy ney3ebores bysyde & ry3t as the
berille ston take nou3t hete for to 3eue ly3t bot by the
sonne & þe sonne schyne nou3t in þe berille ston for to
make him-self bry3tere or hattere bot þat þe berille may
take hete & 3eue ly3t by þe sonne . Ry3t so crist techeth
ous nou3t to praye þat his name be halewed for þat we
scholde make him more holy in him-self bot þat we
þurgh presyng of him & trewe reulyng after his lawe mo
we be maad holy & brennyng in charite to god & to oure
euen cristen as þe vntendere wex makeþ no preynte in
þe seel bot þe seel makeþ a preynt in tendere wex .
¶ Also þes proude clerkes symoniours silleres of per
doun & indulgences of confessiouns & oþer holy dedys . false la
wyours wyckede Juriours & cursede aduocat3 disseyua
ble notaries & alle fals aquestes grete swerers vengea
ble fendes proude men & coueytous glotouns & lecheours
bacbiters & pursuers of godes trewe seruant3 & oþer su
che lymes of þe fende may nou3t medefullyche seye
Fader oure þat art in heuenes yhalwed be þy name
tylle þey amende hem of here euel lyuyng & þerfor seyþ
crist in his gospel . / / ¶ Nou3t euery man þat seyþ to me
lord lord schal entre in-to þe kyngdom of heuenes bot
he þat doþ þe wil of my fader schal entre in-to þe kyng
¶ dom of heuenes

ÞE secunde part of þis / /
worþy ˆ <mrg>prayer</mrg> þat in a+maner is apropried to þe sone is seid
in þes wordes . Come to þe þy kyngdom þe kyngdom of
god in holy wryt is vnderstonde on dyuers maners & so he
re it may ry3tlyche be take for þe fy3tyng churche þe whi
che wolde desyre to regne in blysse wiþ ihesu crist her spou
se as sone as it is his wille for vpon þis condiciioun we
scholde desyre as seynt poul techeth ous to passe out
<fol. 170r>of þis wrecchede lyf & come to þe blysse euere lastyng
for þat is muche betere & syþþe crist is þat noble man
þat cam fro heuene into þe lowe erþe to take ous fro
þis kyndom þat byfore were y-lost þurgh Adam-is syn
nes & þat suffrede deþ on þe rode tree . & bou3te ous al
le a3en to ioye of þe fader for sauacioun of mankynde
wel may þe trewe cristen peple be clepyd godys kyng
dom and ry3t as we beþ tau3t in þe fyrst axynge to
destroye pryde by verraye mekenesse whanne we seyeþ
Fader oure þat art in heuenys halewede be þy name .
ry3t so we beþ ytau3t in þys secunde axynge to des
troye enuye a3ens oure euene cristen wiþ parfite cha
rite whanne we seyeþ ˆ [come] to þe þy kyngdom and as it is
nedeful in þe firste axynge specialyche to haue profyt
feyþ þat god oure fader is in heuenys so it nedeþ spe
cialyche in þis secunde axynge þat we haue hope þat
alle þylke þaty we supposeþ be his kyngdom schulde
regne wiþ him in+blysse of heuene .
ÞE þrydde axynge of þys holy prayer þat is an
sweryng to þe holy goost is y-seyde in þese wor
des . Be þy wylle y-do in erþe as it is in heuene By þe
se wytty wordes we beþ y-tau3t to haue goede wille to ou
re euen cristen & to reule oure soules after þe holy gost
& nou3t after þe luste of þe flesche . for þe spiryt co
ueyteþ contrarious to þe flesche . & þe flesch to þe spi
ryt as seynt poul telleþ & ry3t as in þe firste axyng
we beþ y-tau3t to haue perfy3t feyþ & in þe secunde go
ede hope . So in þe þrydde we beþ ytau3t to haue par
fy3t charite to god & oure euen cristen for þe most of
þese þre vertues as seynt poul techeþ is charit For
feyþ & hope schulle cesse in man whanne he comeþ