<County: Yorkshire West Riding>
<Code: L0234>
<MS reference: London, BL Egerton 842>
<Text: Homily on Ephesians, vi>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 246r><line 12> Als a+bodely knyghte with helpe of his hors feghtes
agayns is enmys yat hym assayles right
so oure gastely knyghte is oure inner mon with .
helpe of his bodi yat hym aboute ledes agayns
ye fende weres with alle his myghte and with helpe
of his bodie sternely with-standes yat with sere
fondynges wodeli hym assayles // when ye foule fende
sese yat mon stalworthly standes & for noght
yat he may do wille bowe to his rede ; hym schames
so with hym scelfe yat he dose not his wille yat he
turnes ye bake and flees als crauant ouer-comen
Jn holy writte is writen yat he yus dose <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> yat is with-stande
ye fondynges of ye fende with alle yhoure
myghte and als aferd coward fro yhou sall he
fle als sone os mon begynnes wynly to life and
flees yoses folies yat he ere loued and bowes hym
vndre ye 3oke of goddes holy lore yen begynnes
his enmye to compasse affter wiles and wrinches
and affter fondynges craftely he forges formowith
hom he ouer-comes yen with ony strenghe
sterenly he styres hym als he wode were to make
hym stynte of his gode and merre hym of
his mede . For-yi what-so-euer yow be yat has
wille god to serue and wille with-stande yat you
<fol. 246v>stondom folohed yat are lykynges of luste syker
be you with fondynges ye fende ye wille assayle
Foryi salomon is son yis lesson lered yat he sulde
foreuer after bewar <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> yat is my dere sone if
you god witte serue loke you stalworthly stand
in rightwissenesse and drede and graythe yi soule
to withstande fondynges sere for yen is ye
fende ouer-comen and schamely schente when
men thoro myghte of goddes grace standes hym
agayn yen he sore pynes ye fende with wrath
and tene // when he fast forthe drahes in
goddes holy yhoke and wille not stynte of his
gode for oghte yat he may do bot laghes ye foule
fend to skorne for he has his swynke forlorne
and mas hym gife ye bake // Nedfull is yen
yis+hors to yis gostely knyghte yat is oure
dedly body vn-to oure inner mon . // To yo knyght
it falles on ye hors als maystre to be sette
ye hors to be vndre and bowe to his wille For sykerly
may no knyghte with his enmye feght
bot his hors yat hym beres be to hym meke
Bot for-yi yat hors is a dombe beste and withouten
vndrestandynge als is his kynde foryi
ye knyghte his maistre yat hym salle gye
A+bridel yat is hym mete dose on his heued and
yere-with he turnes hym whider so he wile foule
enprise it were for-sothe to ony knyght of god .
vndre-take for to fight on an+vnbrideld hors how
may ye knyght hys enmye stalworthly withstand
if his hors yat hym suld helpe agayne hym
stryues or feghtes for-yi behoues yis hors to
haue a brydel for his state if he meke be to his
maystre hande he sall haue a+bridel lighte and
smethe and if he wille be ouer felle with+alle or of
<fol. 247r>ony foule tecche als mony on is . yen be-hose hym haue
a heue brydel wroght and some-dele scharpe to
make hym to bwe to . his mayster wille //
Of swilke wise goddes knyght yat a-gayns ye fende
sall fight be-hose haue a+bridel to his hors mete .
ye bridel is caled abstinence in holy writte with ye
whilke ye vtter mon brideld sall be ya is wilde &
wilfull and lothe thynk to bowe and with yis
bridel his maister sall hym full ay to he be meked
and bowe to his wille // jf he with-outen bridel
on hym wille feght . it is drede leste he be
sone ouer-keste bot yis abstynence with wisdome
be-hose be lede so yat ye kynde be halden in
strenghe and foly is for to do for elles will he fayle
in yi most nede And harme his maister or he
leste wene
Two stalworth reynes be-hose yis bridel haue
yat yis knyght may halde in hys handes
to wisse his hors after his wille and yhit yt
yei be so euen yat now3er o3er passe fo if he drahe
ye tone streyter yen ye to3er . he will glente
oute of ye waye on one righte . For-yi if ye hors
ewen waye sall halde ye knyghte be-hose ye
bridel reynes bothe ewen halde // jf ye two bridel
reynes are to mykel or to lytel yat will lette
ye runcy to halde ye ryght waye ye tone is
when he lettes his flesche haue ouer-mykel is
wille of mete or of drynke or o3er what elles
yat ye flesche lustly yhernes ouer reson and
skille . // ye to3er manere of abstinence is when he
is to sterne agayns his owne flesche yat he fro
hym withdrahes yat skille wolde he had and so
for-dose is trewe frende yat he ne may hym helpe
who so haldes vn-euen his bridel reynes two it
wille make is hors to leue ye right way yat is
if he drahe ye ton more streit yen yo to3er it ma
<fol. 247v>kes hym leue ye right way yat gud were to holde for if
ye inner mon folohe ye vtters wille and grauntes hym
his lykynges yat he suld with-drahe yen ye vtter agayns
ye inner arises and begynnes to wax maistreful .
yat suld be knaue if he hym alto-teres and brynges .
hym vndre fote betes hym and prikes hym and dose .
hym litel elles when he haues oght with hym for to do
feyntly will he hym helpe als he nede be-houes Jf we
lete oure flesche is likynge for to haue he yat suld be oure
frende he be-comes oure foe . if we with-halde yere
fro yat hit felle to haue to sustene his kynde als hit right
were ; so we fordo hym myght and mayne yat to
helpe os he schuld may he neuer couer ouer-mykel
and ouer-litel be-twene yise two gud it is mesure wifuly
<?> to halde yat gyues to ilk on yat it falles to haue
and fordose outrage yat neuer dose gud for yen .
wille ye vttre mon ye inner serue to queme and bowe
to his biddynge to wirke all his wille // when mesure
giwes hym yat is kynde askes and with-drahes fro
hym yat to foly myght turne .
Yht falles to yis knyght . a sadel for to haue yis sadel
is calde <lat>mansuetudo</lat> on latyn lede . yis sal ye inner
mon on ye vttres sette yat he may opon hym ye
stalworthloker sute and semelyer bothe to alle mennes
sight yat is what-so a+mon dos yat with auysement
and . a . swete herte mekely he it do and yat wille make
hym lowand and for to be loued // Mansuetus is
for to sey os tame to hande on englis lede yat is suffrand
and mylde yat myldely tholes harmes yat men hom
dose ne non o3er greues with worde nor with dede for
be yose seys ye psalme writen // <lat>Mansueti letentur</lat>
yat is ye mylde and ye sufferand sal in a ioy foreuer
noght yhe wittiest noght yei yat most fastes nor
yei yat most prayes bot ye mylde and ye suffrande
yat dose myldely and with loue what-so yei do yat
alle yeire witer berynge so semely be sette yat hit
be louely lore to all yat hom sees schame yat men
<fol. 248r>haues to be ouer-tane with foly or with synne mas
mon is utter berynge ordaynly to lede .
ANd yhe sall . vnderstande yat when ye inner
mon haues rest with-inne and ye appetit and
ye wille bowes unto yo skille os lower to is heher
yen is ye inner berynge ; a-chesun of ye gode berynge
with-outen // Thof ye hert with-inne be bolned
with ire or if hit be stired with leccherouse lustes
or o3er vntheues his vtter berynge be-hose schewe .
sumdele ye vtter geres of ye vnstable herte when ye
herte is stired with tene or with wayke wille Alle
is body trembles als hit frentike were ye tunge fayles
hym so yat he ne may grathely speke . his eghen
brennen in his heued als . a brennand bronde
and alle his lymes he stires als he wode were Foryi
be ye vtter berynge may men somdele deme // what
mon is with-inne be he gud or iwel for he yat is
witles and with-outen grace nedely he it schewes
vt+with in dede . // yis uertu yat mansuetude is calde
mas mon graciouse to god and semely mas ye
utter mon to alle mennes sighte ;
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 251r><line 21> Sithen it mase mon als dauid dide sothely to
knowe is gilte als in . a+boke of kyngges witterly
it telles . yat dauid sent his knyghtes in-to yo
land of jude and of israele bothe to noumbre alle
ye folke yat of elde were founden when yei haued
yise two landes alle thoro-soght . hom to yeire lord ye
noumbre yei broghte Seuen hundreth thowsand
of israel was founden of ye land of jude fyue thowsand
euen of stalworth men and konand of were
. Of yis mykel folk ye kynge haued pride
and so was god wit hym wrothe for yat ilke dede
<fol. 251v>yat with his aungel he slohe with-inne a . litel while
seuenti thowsand of ye folke yat noumbred were .
when ye aungel haued done yat he wolde yere he
come to israel and began to slee . dauid yat yis see
haued sorowe enohe and cried tille oure louerd with
sykynge sore // <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> // J am he seyde yat haues synned . j . know
. i . haue done iwelle yise als meke schepe what
iwell haue yei done turne agayns me yi hand
of wreke lord if it be yi wille and lette yis vngilti
folk with-outen wreke be stalle Sythen it makes
mon to naken hym as ye apostell biddes .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
Nacken you ye of ye olde monne with alle his
synfull werkes yat is nacken yhow of ye olde+lise
<sic, for life> yat yhe han lywed in synne and forsake it for euer
yat yhe neuer mete and yat yhe ere done
with sorow it be-rwe and yen wille god thoro
his grace new yhow agayn and clippe yhow be-twene
his armes als his dere spouse for yis it is yat
he seis in ye lofe-boke you yat fro me is turned .
with werkes of synne ; stynte of yi syne and turne
ye to me and als my dere spouse . i . will receyue
ye . And drede mas mony his flesche for to
teme and reues hym lykynge yat lust wolde haue
He betes hym he dunches hym als he were his thralle
and teches hym of fastynge more yen he
couthe and gares hym steke ye poke or yat hit
be full He mesures his drynke yat he suld note
and forbedes hym outrage in what-so he dose yus
dide seynt poule be his scelfe als in ye boke it
<fol. 252r>telles <lat></lat>
J . chastie my bodye with paynes sere and make
hym thralle to yo spirit in helpe to serue oure lord .
Grete lofe god schewes to yat soule to whom he
sendes yis drede for als ye wise mon seis <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . yat is begynnynge of wisdome
sothely is yat mon in goddes stabel is herte
als ye holy mon seys seynt bernerd . lore gyues
witte . bot drede wisdome yat stires mon to drede
god to loue god . to fele hym to knowe his rightwisnesse
his myghtfulnesse to witte fully to ilkone .
after yei haue serued so rightwis yat hym be-hose
so myghtfull yat he may and so gode yat he wille
do yat to hym falles One is for to witte . a . thynge
a-nother for to haue it fully at wille . 3ofe . a . mon
witte where mykel tresur is . for yat wittynge is
he neuer yo richer . bot yo yat haues richesse at wille
be swilke men seis yat yei are riche So knowynge
of witte mase mony noght mon wise bot dose drede
yat sauors and gyues mane to fele and dose in
werke yat falles to hele of soule . if a . mon had als
mykell witte os mony men myght haue . if he haued
pride yere-ofe and wasted hit in synne . if you
seide yat mon were wise you seyde o3er yen sothe
for god wittenesse be swilke yat yei are foles bot drede
gyfe sauore and sauore wisedam vn-to monnes
soule yis sauor mase mon for to know and fele .
how rightwise god is how myghtifull . yis sauor
teches ye how god wrekes synne ; what mede ansuares
to ilke gud dede . So yis cely sauore frothers
ye sowle yat hit mase yoo yat sotheli hit feles ;
haue lykynge and ioye in what-so yei do ; yat yei .
hope be to ye wille and to ye paye of yeire derewor
<fol. 252v>thi louerd yis sauor mase mon wise als lore mase mon
witti and here-bi+salomon in his boke spekes yere he yus
seys <lat></lat> yat is corone of wisdome
is ye drede of god . Als corone worschipes mykel .
monnes heued . so drede enbelisses ye wisdome of ye
mon for drede of god is a-cheson of ye corone of ioye yat
is it wynnes to yoo yat wissely dredes ; ioy yat neuer sal
haue ende . For haue mon neuer so mykel witte with-outen
yis drede . it is bot foli what-so he dose .
For right it is be ye synfull yat liwes with-outen drede
als he a dronken mon yat in tauerne is sette
yat spendes all yat he haues at ye dises and drynke ay
to he haue spended all yat he haued whiles he sittes in
tauerne in ribaudye and ribaude route . He laghes
and makes hym myri and thynkes on noght elles
and letes alle wele done what-so he dose noght he feles
ye grete losse yat he is fallen inne bot he haldes his scelfuen
noblest and wisest of alle bot after when he is comen
to his scelfe and haues geten witte . yen haldes he is scelfe
als he is a nedefull wretthe . yen wares he ye tyme
yat he to tauerne yhede . and demes yen yat he was more
yen wode for he haues is godes losed he flytes with .
his scelfe and be-rwes with sykynge sore yat he ere lohe
for he madly wasted is godes nowe be-hose hym begge and
lede his lyfe in pouert vn-to his lyues ende . ye holy goste
of ye synfull thre thynges askes when he stires hym with
drede and gifes hym his witte and makes hym gostly
to see in whate perile he is . First he spekes to yo synfull
and askes hym where arte you ; als if he seyde . vnderstand
you vnworthe wretthe in whate parile in whate
soroe you art falne inne thoro yi synne . sorely you .
arte falne in yine enmys handes yat noght elles wille
bot to wirke ye wo and fro yine enmys handes non may
ye twynne bot yi dereworthi louerd yat you haues forsaken
. Sythen he askes hym wheyen yat he comes
<fol. 253r>als if he saide you vnhappe wretthe be-halde alle yi life
how sorely you haues wasted alle yi tyme in synne .
you comes fro ye dewles tauerne of helle and yere haues
you lost alle yose godes yat god ye haue gyuen to .
helpe yi scelfe and worschipe hym with . // And sythen he
askes hym whider he gose . yat is . you gose to ye awefull
dome nil you wille you he schall ye deme yat you
haues wrethed with yi lothely synnes for he is rightwise
right be-hose hym do right wille he deme ye after you
haues done and yhitte he is so myghtifull yat non
may hym lette to deme ilke mon after he haues serued
for yi bot if you rewe it here yat you haues mysdone
with-outen ony gayne-come you wendes to helle with
yat lothely feleschipe for-euer to dwelle .
FOr-yi if you will witte what is for to loue and what
is for to drede what is gud and what is iwell
wende here oute of yis worlde and lere here for to dye
yat you ne dye not for-euer . // Twynne yi soule fro yi
body with an inwarde thoght and send yi hert before
ye in-to yo to3er lande yat is for to say owther in-to
heuen or in-to helle or in-to purgatori . // And dose als
a mon wolde do yat nedely be-hode of two dwellyngestedes
on of hom to chese in ye whilke he haued ferst
ones sette inne his fote yere-inne be-hued hym dwelle
worlde with-outen ende . // Sertes if he wise were
he wolde be-fore-sende of his pryue frendes to spie of
yo stedes whilke yei were or yei wente yeire scelfe
in owther to dwelle . // Two stedes are ordeynde to
mon inne to dwelle after he is parted oute of yis dedly
life jn yis life may he chose whilke so he wille bot
when he is hey3en wente may he not so for to whe3er
so he furst comes how-so-euer it be nedely be-hose .
hym dwelle worlde with-outen ende hope he neuer