<County: Leicestershire>
<Code: L0299>
<MS reference: London, BL Harley 4012>
<Text: Religious prose>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 1v>A schewing in generall wordis þt a sawle corruptiþe wt+synne . ht must be
waishid and clensid from þe filthe of sinne and þt must be wasshid wt
þe sacrament of penaunce for þe eternall welþe of man-is sawle
<lat></lat> / / Be wasshid and be
clene . a gracious medicen and counsel our lord
hathe yeuenne vs in+theis wordis of þe prophet
First he biddiþe vs and techiþe us in tokening of
mercy . to waissh our saules þt be filid wt synne
by doing of penaunce and wirching of good dedis ¶ He biddith us
also in tokening of loue and to receue grace þt after suche wasshing
we kepe vs in vertue and clene from gostely filþe . When he saithe be clene
¶ Be þu duly waisshid in doing of penaunce and be so clenely clensid
þt afterward ye kepe you graciously from falling agayne in-to syn
then as J said first be wasshid and clensid ¶ Diuerse waisshinges
by doing of penaunce god ordayned to clense manes sawle One was
þe sacrament of baptem and after þt þe sheding of his blood to make þe
baptem so spedefull and vertuous þt in vertu by his passion man shulde
be waisshid from þe corrupcoun of synne of Adam by þe whiche synne
man to-fore was clene and shinyng in the clere light of knowing vnchaungeable
and vndedly in his awne kynde as by þe first creacion
now by synne þt clerenes is blinded now he is chaungeable and also
dedly ¶ Thus fel mankind into myscheuesnes after þt þe first man
Adam had synned doing doing a-gayne þe precepte of all-myghty godd
by þe fals suggestion of þe finde ¶ But almyghty god wiling mankynde
to be reconciled for to reioise euerlasting blisse . graciously ordayned
for remedy to reforme man agayne by grace and by mercy . Whom
by his rightuisnes . from þe sight of god perpetually he myght haue
dampned ¶ For remedy þen he ordayned this first penaunce and wasshing
whiche callid is the sacrament of baptym Jn þe whiche sacrament
by þe vertu of cristus passion man is wasshid from þe bonde of ori
<fol. 2r>ginal Synne Whiche fel to mankinde Thorgh þe sinne of Adam . For þe
corrupcion of þt sinne agayne our will continually cleuithe to vs as long
as we be here in þs present lif . for payne of þe first synne ¶ This wasshing
by þe sacrament of baptem by þe vertu of þe passion of crist sufficet to reforme
vs agayne to euer-lasting blis . ¶ And now more-ouer as moche
as man after þe sacrament of baptem and willingly doþe agayne þe dome
of resoune þt god haþe put in hym and falliþe folely in-to synne . And
synne deseruiþe euer-lasting payne saue only þe mercy of god . ¶ Therfor oure
lord ihesu it of his plenteous grace haþe ordained a-noþer penaunce and
wasshing to purge and clense mans saule Whiche is callid þe sacrament
of penaunce . by þe whiche penaunce all sinfull men and women
haue a speciall remedy and a generall fredom . to be wasshid and clensid
from þe perell of gostely deþe for sinne if þei will and by clenlynes of
saule com to þe blisse of heuynne ¶ Jn þs waisshing þt is callid þe sacrament
of penaunce be iije wasshingis to clense manys saule ¶ The
First wasshing is contricoun ¶ The ijde confession ¶ The iijde satisfaccion
¶ Of þe first whiche þt is contricoun þe prophecy saith <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . J haue trauelid in sorow J shall waish
my bed euery nyght and wt my teris J shall make moiest and wett þe
couering of my bedde ¶ Of þe ijde waisshing whiche is confession þe
prophecy saiþe also . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Lord þu shalt spring me wt Jsop and J
shall be clensid þu shalt wasshe me and J shall be made white aboue
snawe . ¶ And as for þe iijde waisshing whiche is satisfacconn
a figure J finde of þe wordis whiche were said to Naaman<lat>
</lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Go and be wassid vij tymes in ye water of Jurdan
and þi flessh shall receue helþe and þu shalt be clensid ¶ Theis iije
auctoriteis whiche J haue takynne for the grounde of þeis iije was
<fol. 2v>shingis J will declare more playne to þe purpose of eche wasshing in eche
party . whenne J com to þe same mater and þt is þe cause why J shew þem to here
bt shortely in þe beginnyng and passe forþe to oþer maters . And first to shew you þe
nobilnes and worthenes of þe saule in his awne kinde if ht had not benne corrupte
wt þe filþe of sinne . Oure saueoure al-myghti god by þe myght and þe
Wisdom of þe holy trinite made mans saule to his Jmage and to his likenes
þt man in so moche more+feruently in loue shuld loue hym in as moche as he perceuith
by gosteli knowing þt god haþe made hym meruelusly ¶ Take hede þen
þu sawle and concider þi worþines and þi nobilite for as god is ouer all þing
in euery~ kinde . And as god haþe being leuithe and sauorith gostely by euer lasting
wisdam . Right so in þi kinde after þi maner þu hast being lif and þu sauorist
gostely by knowing of inwarde vnderstanding and right as in god be þere
parsons þe fader þe sunne and þe holy gost . likewise þu hast iije gostely strenghis
The first is callid mynde þe ijde resoune and þe iijde will . And as þe sunne comith
of þe fader and as þe holy gost comeþe of þe fader and of þe sunne right so of mynd
comeþe resoune . and of mynde and resoune comeþ will . As god is þe fader
god is þe sonne and as god is þe holy gost not iije goddis but one god and iije
persons . so is þe sawle mynde resoune and will . and not iije sawles bt one saule
and iije gostely strengthis ¶ Whiþe þes iije strenthis as for þe most excellent
myghtis in the saule . we haue in+precept of god to loue him wt all þi hert and
wt all þi sawle þt is to say wt all hs inwarde vnderstanding ¶ Yt take hede
þu nobill sawle and creature of god . se þi dignite and þi beute . þu art not only
made after þe Jmage of god . bt þu art also rechely araied wt beute of his likenes
. is charite god righfull . mylde bening . softe pacient . mercifull . and
full of all goodnes as scripture makiþe mocion . right so þu art made for þu
shuldist haue in þe Charite . and þu shuldist be clene . holy . fair . honest mylde
. meke . bening . Debonour . pacient . and lawly . whiche vertues þe more
perfetly þu hast in þe lickenes of þi godd and þi maker ¶ Behold þen þu sawle
þu so noble so faire a creature of god be-holde and se besili þe excellence of
þi creacoun . and þer þu maist know in þe by þe myght of good . þe ymage of þe trini
<fol. 3r>te . By þi minde resoune and þi will . Whiche Be þe mightis of þi sawle to gouerþe
to serue god ¶ Take þen hede ententiely and seke hym besely to whos likenes
þu art made . for resonable a man sekiþe to whom he is like . seke þu þen
god vsing þe mightis of þi sawle in hs seruice shewing and spending þi vertues
for hym and to his worship . For to þt ende þu were made and in þe
dignite and beute rechely appareld as J haue shewid þe in þi sempill maner
after þe vnderstanding þt J haue in scripture and if J haue errid in
any point J submit me to þe correccion of doctoures and hole liuerz ? .
But now breþerne and sisterne alas alas we may all cry wt grete drede
and compassion of þs precious creature þt is mans sawle painefully
to fele how þees gostely myghtis of þe sawle be meruelusly febelid wt
corrupcoun of sinne and piteusly to se how þe beutees of vertue be horibill
defacid wt þe filþe of vices ¶ Neuertheles to þt good lorde in oure
dolefull morning lawly we shuld aske mercy and geue hym laude &
þankingis þt so graciously a-gayne oure dredefull myschif haþe ordayned
for us remedy .Remedy he haþe ordayned for us . if we will waissh vs
clene from sinne and foule filþe . and so clerely to be clensid þt we may be
recouerid wt excercise of vertue and wher wt þe helpe of ihesu but or J shew þe waisshing sumwhat J wil speke of þe filþe of sinne what ht is þt so febeliþe
þe myght and so blemeshiþe þe fairenes of þt worþi sawle
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 8v>in dede and þt is not properly callid Vertue bt raþer þe worke or dede of vertue þt is
to say þe worke of inward penaunce . and þt inward penaunce is þt vertue which
god only worchithe in vs by speciall grace whenne he puttiþe in vs an inward
sorow in repentaunce of our sinnes in our hert be-cause we haue offendid
in our hert . Penaunce also is sorow of þe hert and bitternes of þe saule for
sinnes þt a man haþe doo . and þerfor pennaunce is as moche to say as an holding
of payne for by þt payne inward and outeward a man ponisshid þt he
haþe don vnlefully he ponisshiþe venging hs synne alway þt he haþe doo wt
weping and continual sorow of þe hert in+will neuer for to falle or to turne
agayne to þt synne / / Wherfor said oure lord to þe woman þt was taken wt þe
sinne of aduotrey . <lat></lat> . That is to say
go and be in+will no+more to sinne Oure lord saiþe not sinne no more bt will no
more to falle in sinne . Jf we shulde nomore wille to synne þen shulde we be loþe to sinne . Jf we will kepe þs loþing no+more wille to synne þen shulde we be
loþe to sinne . Jf we will kepe þs loþing of synne þen ht is spedefull euermore too
sorow by continuall penaunce for synne þt is donne and ioy in þe sawle for
inward sorow . and to be sory þt we make not alway sorow or+els not sufficient
sorow fully to venge our synnes .For if we contineþ in suche sorow in loþing
of synne þt is very penaunce . For as sent Ambrose seith very pennaunce is
for to sees fro synne ¶ But now to knaw ferþermore . whenne a man is repentaunt
for synne ye shall vnderstande after þe wordis of sent Gregory
þt very repentaunce for synne is to make sorow and to wepe for synnes þt
be donne tofore and not to do þo synnes for whiche he must wepe and sorow
. Bt þees wordis ye shuld take þis þt in tyme we make sorow for synnes
don tofore we be not in will to do þo synnes agayne ne non oþer for
whiche we shuld wepe and make sorow for as þe same doctour he þt sorowith
sum synnes in þt maner þt he be in will to do oþer synnes . neuerþelater afterward
suche a man cannot it do pennaunce ne be repentant or+els
he fayneþe hym and and makþe dissmulacoun litell ht prophetiþe to a man
to make sorow for þe synne of lechery and in þe same tyme settiþe his
hert and his willis wilfully aboute þe synne of couetes . Therfor
þei bene foule Deceuyd and blyndid þt wenyngly almes and oþir
<fol. 9r>dedis of mercy to make redempcoun Wt-oute oþer pennaunce . for horible synnes
by þe whiche a man besith þe blis of heuynne .To þs recordiþe Doctours þt
saiþe ht profitiþe not as to þe blisse of heuynne . a man to fall and pray and oþer
good dedis bt þe wille of þe sawle be turned away frow wikidnes . He þt turnethe
his hert and his will fraw synnes þt . and maþeth sorow for sinnes þt+is
donne and be not in+wille to turne agayne and be not negligent to do satisfaccoun
suche a manne is very repentaunt . But it for al þis þt is not very
penaunce For as J said tofore very penaunce is to chese clene from synne ¶
And it þis manne þt is very repentaunt lightly . vnauised by freelte or infirmite
casually may falle in to sum synne agayne . ¶ And it as for þt
tyme he was very repentaunt for inasmoche as he was sory and in
full+wyll to do satisfaccoun and not wilfully to falle in to synne agayne þen
in þe maner be repentaunt and do youre besines to do very pennaunce ¶
For very penaunce as J rede makiþe ayen+lif þt is wonne and recouerid . As
for þe first . þt penaunce maþiþe . þo sawles alif agayne and heliþe þem þt were
ded by synne which makiþe þe synner sorowfull in hert by contriconn &
maþe hym do pennaunce in dede by satisfacconn .Of þees iije J toche no more
for J will declare þem afterwarde . Bt shortly be þees wordis ye
may parceue þt sorow ye must make for synne and nedis ye must shew
or be in+will to shew for sinne and to do pennaunce þerfor . Thenne shall
þt pennaunce make þe sawle aliue agayne þt was ded tofore in+sinne . To
þis accordiþe the appostell and saiþe ¶ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
That is to say -Jf a wikid manne do pennaunce of all hs synnes whiche
he haþe do and kepiþe þe preceptis and doþe dome and rightuessenes he shal
+lyue and not dy . þus þenne penaunce makiþe a-liue þt was ded. J said
as for þe jjde þt penaunce recoueriþe and wynneþe agayne þt was lost .
A trespasser or a sinner in temperalite after satisfaccoun and ponishing is
restorid to dignite and to worship of þe worlde . right so in offence too
<fol. 9v>to god by sinne . after pennaunce for sinne and satisfacconn a man is
receuid to grace agayne . and sumtyme to more especiall grace þenne
he hadde be-forne . herof J myght shew many ensamples . Bt one speciall
exsampell J shew you of sent Peter whiche for drede by infirmite
forsoke oure lorde ihesu bt for þt synne he wepte and made grete sorow and afterwarde
he was restorid to þe number of þe xij apostoles and to þt dignite and to
more grace þen he had before . vponne þs saiþe sent Ambros þt sent Peter was
made more true in faiþe after tyme þt he had made sorow þt he hadd synned in þe
faiþe Also for þt sorow he founde more grace after þen he lost before . This ensampelle
shewiþe suche comforte þt we shulde neuer mystruste of mercy and grace
after we haue be in synne for after a sodenne fall a manne may rise agayne
. For like as a maser þt is brokenne and is sewid wt siluer wyer or plate
by þe whiche he is richer þen he was tofore . Right so a man þt is a synner
and is a-mendid by contriconn and sewid wt confession and bounde wt satisfacconn
. To þs purpose we haue exampelle of sent Paule þt sinned by ignorance
. wt what grace he was possessid al holy cherche knoweþe well
Many oþer exampell we haue he þt is sory for synne and doþe pennaunce . he
shall finde grace and com to þe kingdome of heuen . hereto þe gospell witnessiþe
and saiþe <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> That is to say . Do penaunce . þe kingdom of heuyn shal
nygh . Thus þanne penance recoueriþe and wynneþe agayne þt was lost ;
J seide also for þe iijde þt penaunce kepiþe þt is founde and wonne . þs ye shall
vnderstonde by þe blis of heuyn for after tyme þt grace is recouerid by penaunce
ht shal+be kept wt very pennaunce . for þt may not be lost bt by dedly
synne . And if we do very pennaunce we falle in no dedly synne . So þen
wt very penaunce we shall kepe still þt grace whiche by very pennance is
recouerid . þis þenne very penaunce kepiþe þt is recouerid and wonne ¶ . J .
haue shewid you here in þs chapeter . what is penaunce . and how ye
shulde be repentaunt and what profet is in penaunce . Seiþe now of
diuerse spicis of penaunce and what perell is to tary penaunce or to do
Late penaunce
<fol. 10r>Of thre maner spicis of penaunce . What is nedeful or what longithe
to do very true What perell is in doing of late penaunce
JN þe Sacrament of þe auter whiche callid is
þe sacrament of penaunce be iije spicis . One is callid
solempne penaunce . A-noþer is callid penaunce publishid
or openne penaunce . The iijde is callid a preue penauns
or a secrete penan<exp>a</exp>ce ¶ That penaunce whiche is callid solemp . is penaunce
geuyn~ or enioyned on ashwenysday by þe bisshop in þe cathedrall cherche
. Wt grete solempnite for openne crime or horible synne knowen openly
to al a cite or al a region . This penaunce must be gouen of a Bisshop
or of sum oþer man þt haþe auctorite . or commaundement of þe bisshop . Also
solemp penaunce may be callid þt . whiche is donne in oþer tymes in þe cherch
before þe people wtoute suche solemnyte as is donne on aisthewenysday in cathedrall
cherchis þt is no proper penaunce solempne For ht haþe no suche solennite
¶ The ijde penaunce . Whiche is callid penaunce publishid or opened .
is þt penaunce whiche is done openly in þe cherche not wt suche solempnite