<County: Yorkshire Northwest>
<Code: L0596>
<MS reference: London, BL Add. 25006>
<Text: Lay Folk's Catechism>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 1r>As yat a grete clerk schewes in his buke <lat></lat> .
Of all ye creatures yat god made in heuen and in erthe in water
or in ayer or in oght elles ye soferayne cause & ye skill whi yt
he made yaim was his awen gude wille & his gudenesse . Thurgh
whilk gudenesse sen he es all gude he wald yat som creatures of
yase yat he made were communers of ye blis yat euermare lastes .
and for na creatur myght com vnto yat ilk blis . with-outen knawing
of gode os [yat] clerke teches . <lat></lat> . he made skilwise creaturis
aungels & man of witte & of wisdome to knaw god almyghti
& thurgh yaire knawing~ . luf him & serue him : and soe comm to
yat blis yat yai wer made to . This maner of knawing~ had our~
forme fadir in ye state of jnnocentis yat yai wer~ made jnne
and sa suld we haue had if yai had noght synnid : noght sa
mykill os hali saules has now in heuen@ bote mikill mar~
yan ani+man has now in erthe : For oure forme faders synned
saise ye prophete . / <lat></lat> / and we ber~ wikkidnesse of
yaire misdedes . and For ye knawing yat yai had of godde
almighty yai had itte of goddes gift at yaire beginning~ .
with-owten trauaile or treghe or passing~ of time and all
ye knawing yat we haue of him in yis werld . js of hering
& lering~ & teching~ of other of ye lawe and ye lare yat langes
to hali kirk : ye whilk all creatures yat leues god almyghti
awe to knawe and tokun & lede yare life after . & sa com to ye
blis yat neuer-mar~ blinnes & forthi yat mykell folk now
in yis werld . ne es noghte wele jnogh . lered to knaw god
almyghti . Ne loues ne serues him als yai suld doe : als yar~
dedes of sithes openli schewes Jn perile of yame to lif and
to saule : and peraunter ye faute falles in yame yat hase
yair~ saules to+kepe & suld toche þaim : as prelates persons
vicars & prestes yat er~ halden be dett for+to lere yame our~
fader ye Erchebischop yat god <?> almighti saue yt
<fol. 1v>als sayne paule telles of jhesu crist . will yat all men be
saf & knaw god almighti . And namli yas vnder-loutes yat
till him langes as tretid and ordeynid for ye commune profet
thurgh ye counsell of his clergi yat ilkane yat vnder~ him
hase keping of saules openli on englisshe apon sonondaies
preche & teche yaim yat . yai haue cure of ye law . & ye lare
to knaw god almighti yat principali mai be schewid in yes
sex thinges . Jn ye xiiij . poyntes yat falles to ye trowthe .
Jn ye . x . commaundmentes yat god hase giuen vs : Jn ye . vij .
sacramentis yat er in hali kirk . Jn ye vij . dedis of mercy
vntill oure euen-cristen~ in ye seuen vertewes yat ilk man
sall vse . and in vij . dedeli synnes yat ilk man sall refuse .
And he commaundes & biddes in all yat he mai . yat all at
hase keping~ or cure vnder him en-ioine yaire parischenes
& yaire sugetes . yat here & lere yes sex thinges . and ofte
sithes reherse yame in-till yai cun yame and sithen teche
yaim yaire childer if yai ani haue what tyme sa yai er~
of eld for+to lere yaim . And yat persones & prestes and all vicars
enquere diligentli of yaire sugettes . Jn ye lenten-<mrg>tyms</mrg>
when yai comm to schrifte whethir yai knaw & kun yes
ilk sex . thinges . And if it be fonden yat yai cun yame
noght yat ya eniong~ yame to cun yame opon~ his behalf
& o paine of of penaunce for+to cun yame . And
forthi yat na+man sall excuse yame thurghe vnknawlegeing~
for+to kune yame . Oure fader ye Erchebischop
of his gudenes hase ordeind & biden yat yai be schewid
openli on englisshe emanges ye folk .
<fol. 2r>Yar[fore] onens ye first of yer sex thinges .
yat es to knaw ye articles yat falles to ye trowth
Als grete clerkes teches & schewes in yaire bukes
yar~ falles vnto ye faithe . xiiij . poyntes
ye whilk seuen falles to goddes godhede
And other seuen falles to cristes manhede
<mrg>j .</mrg> ye first point yat we sall trow of ye godhede
Es to trow stedfastli in a trew godd
And yat nane othir es for+to trow in
<mrg>ij .</mrg> ye secund es ye heghe fader of heuen
Es stedfast & sothefast god almighti
<mrg>iij .</mrg> ye third es yat jhesu crist god son~ of heuen
Es sothefast godde euen till his fader~
<mrg>iiij .</mrg> ye ferid point es yat ye hali gast
Sammenli comes of bathe ye fader & ye son~
And yogh wedir noght . ij . goddes ye fader & ye son~
Ne thre goddes ye fader & ye son & ye hali gast
Bote . iij . sere persons & noght bote a god .
<mrg>v .</mrg> ye fift point yat ye trinite ye fader~ & ye son~ & ye hali gast
Thre persons & a god es maker~ of heuen & of erthe & of all thing~
<mrg>vj .</mrg> ye sext point es yat hali kirk oure modir
Es hali & all-ane thurgh-out ye werld
yat es comming & felischip of all cristen folk
yat commes to-gidir~ in ye sacramentis
And [in] othir thinges hali yat falles to hali kirk
Jn forgifnes of yaire sinnes & hele of yaire saule
For withe-owten hali kirk es na saule hele
<mrg>vij .</mrg> ye seuent article yat vs aw for+to trow
Es vpriseing in flesche and life wt-outen end
For when ye dede hase sondred our~ bodise & our~ saule
<fol. 2v>For a certeyn time as all oure kynd askes
Vnto when yat god sall deme ye quik & ye dede
yan oure saules sall turne againe to oure bodise
And we yas ilk and na nother yan we er~ now
Sothefastli sall rise vp in bodi & in saule
yat neuer-mare sall sonder fra yat time forthe
Bote sammen if we wil doe whils we er~ here
wend wt god to yat life euermare lastes .
And all if we ille doe till endeles paine
¶ yar~ ar~ other seuen pointes of cristes manhede
yat er nedefull to trow to all yat er cristend
<mrg>j .</mrg> ¶ ye first es yat Jhesu crist goddes son of heuen
was sothefastli conseiued of ye maiden Mari
And tok flesche & blode & become man
Thurgh might & strengh of ye hali gast
wythe-outen ani merring~ of hir madenhed
<mrg>ij .</mrg> ¶ yat other pointes es yat we sall trow
yat he god & man bathe in a persone
was stedfastli borne of yat blissed maiden
God getin of his fader be-fore ani time
And man borne of his moder & broght forth in tyme
<mrg>iij .</mrg> ¶ ye third point yat we sall trow es cristes passion@
yat he tholed bodili for sinfull man-kynd
How he was trahed thurgh his disciple
And taken withe ye iwes
and beten wt scourges yat skin noght held
Nailed on ye rode-tree & crounid wt thornes
and mani other paines tholed & dred at ye last
<mrg>iiij .</mrg> ¶ ye ferthe article es yat when he was dede
And his bodi tane downe wonden & doluen
Yhit whils yat his bodi lai in ye Graue
<fol. 3r>Ye saule with ye godhede went vnto hell
And herid it and tok owt yas yat were his
als Adam & Eue & oder forme faders
ye whilk he in his forluke wald yat were saued
<mrg>v .</mrg> ¶ ye fift point es yat on~ ye third dai
after yat he died he rase fra dede to life
Sothefast god & man bodi & saule
For als he died in sekenes of oure manhede
Als he rase thurghe strengh of his godhede
And distroiyd oure dede thurgh his diing~
And quikend vs to ye life thurgh his rising~
<mrg>vj .</mrg> ¶ ye sext point es yat yai[we] sall trow
yat fourti dais efter he rase
Thurgh ye strengthe of him self he steijd in-to heuen
Whare oure kind es now in his blissid persone
Noght aneli euen ne mete vnto awngels
Bote hegh crouned king~ abouen all awngels
<mrg>vij .</mrg> ¶ Ye seuent point es yat right als he died
And eft-ward rase & stei vnto heuen
Right swa sall he com on ye last dai
Bathe for+to deme ye quik & ye dede
Whare all ye folk yat euer war or euer sall be
Sall sothefastli be schewid and sene befor him
And ilk+man answer~ of alkin dedes
And be dampned or saued efter yat he seruid
For als his rightwisenes es now mengid wt mercy
Swa sall it be yan wt-owten merci
ye secund thing~ of ye sext to knaw god almighti
Es ye x . commamentes yat he hase giuen vs
Of ye whilk . x . ye thre at [er~] first .


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 6r>And in ye lessing~ of paine if yai passe hethen
<mrg>vj .</mrg> ye sext sacrament of hali kirk es order
yat gifes power to yaim yat rightwiseli takes it
For+to serue in hali kirk after his state
and to yaim yat takes order of prest for+to sing~ messe
And for+to ministre sacramentes of hali kirk to yame yt falles
after ye state at yai haue & yaire degre askes
<mrg>vij</mrg> ¶ ye seuent sacrament es matrimoyne
yat es a+lawfull festening~ be-twene man~ & woman@
At yaire bather assent for+to lif sammen
Withe-outen ani lowsing~ whils yaire life lastes
Jn remedi of sinnes and geting~ of grace
Jf it be tane in gude entent & clennes of life
<mrg>iiij .</mrg> ¶ ye ferthe thing of yes sex to knaw god almighti
& yat hus behoues fulfill in all yat we mai
ye seuen dedis of merci till oure euen-cristen@
yat god sall reherce vs on~ ye dai of dome
and what how we haue done yaim here in yis life
Als saint Matheu mase mind in his gospell
<mrg>J .</mrg> Of ye whilk ye first es to fede yame yat er hungri
<mrg>ij .</mrg> ye tother to gif yame dring~ yat er thirsti
<mrg>iij .</mrg> ye third for+to clethe yame yat er~ clatheles
<mrg>iiij .</mrg> ye ferthe for+to herber yame yat er houseles
<mrg>v .</mrg> ye fift for+to viset yame yat life in sekenes .
<mrg>vj .</mrg> ye sext for+to help yaime yat in prisoun es
<mrg>vij .</mrg> ye seuent to beri dede men yat hase mister~
yes er seuen bodili dedes of merci
yat ilk man~ awe to do . yat es mighti
<lat></lat>
yar es of merci alswa seuen gasteli dedes
yat vs aghe to do till yame yat hase nede till vs
<mrg>j .</mrg> Ane es to counsell & wise yame yat er~ will
<fol. 6v><mrg>ij .</mrg> Another es to withe-drawe yame . yat will wirk ill
<mrg>iij .</mrg> ye third es: <gap in ms> to solace yame yat er soroufull
<mrg>iiij .</mrg> ye ferthe es to prai for yame yat er~ sinfull
<mrg>v .</mrg> ye fift es to be tholemode when men misdose vs
<mrg>vj .</mrg> ye sext es gladli forgif when men hase greuid vs
<mrg>vij .</mrg> ye seuent es when men askes vs to lere yame
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
yes till oure neghbur ar ful nedefull
and to yame at does yame wander medefull
For he sall find merci yat mercifull es
& man withe-owten merci of merci sall mis
¶ þe fift thing~ of ye sex to knaw god almighti <mrg>v .</mrg>
Er ye seuen vertus yat hali kirk teches
Of ye whilk seuen thre first yat er~ hede thewes
Teche vs how till haue vs vnto god almighti
And ye foure teches vs swa for+to lif
Bath anence oure self and oure euen-cristen@
yat it be bathe likand to god & till man
¶ ye first vertew es trowthe wharethurghe we trow
Aneli in god yat all thinges
Wt all ye tother~ articles towchand befor~
And yis nedefull yat xpenli liues
For trowthe es beginning of all gude werkes
Ne ne werk wt-outen trowthe mai pai god almighti
ye tother~ gude vertew or thew es hope
yat es siker beginning~ of all gude werkes
Thurghe goddes gudenes and oure gude dedis
For to comme to yat blis yat neuer blinnes
Noght aneli in traiste of goddes gudenes
Ne aneli in traiste of oure gude dedes
Bote in traist of yame when ya ar bathe samnen
<fol. 7r>For nowther sall we fall sa ferre in-to wanne-hope
yat we ne sall haue blis if yat wele doe
Ere when sall com~ to fare in-to oure hope
yat we ne sall traist so mikell of goddes gudnes
yat we sall hope to haue yat blis wt-owten gudenes
ye third vertew or yen es charite
ye whilk es ather luf yat vs aw to haue
Vntill god almighti & oure euen-cristen@
Vnto god almighti all for him-seluen
And till oure euen-cristen@ for god almighti luf
ye tane may noght be wt-owten ye toyer~
For as saine jone saise in his gospell
yat commaundment haue we of god almighti
yat wha-sa euer lofes god he lofes his euencristen@
For he yat leues noght his brother wham he mai see
how suld he lof god whame he mai noghte se
ye ferthe vertew or then es rightwisenesse
yat es to yheld ilk man@ yat we aghe him
For+to doe till ilk man@ yat vs aghe to doe
For+to wirchip yame yat ar werthi
For+to helpe ye pure yat are nedi
For+to gile ne wrang~ to na man@
Bote for+to doe yat right es vnto ilk man@
ye first vertew or then es sleght or sleghenesse
yat wisses vs to+be werre withe wathe of yis werld
For+to ken vs to knaw ye gude fra ye ill
And alswa to sonder~ ye tane fra ye tother~
And for+to leif yat es ill & tak ye gude
And of twa thinges to chese yat es better
ye sext vertew es strenghe or stalworthenes .
Noght aneli of bodi bote of hert & will
<fol. 7v>Euenli to sofer ye wele & ye wae
welthe or wandrethe whedir sa betides .
And yat oure hert be+noght to heghe for na wele fare
Na noght oure mikell vnder~ for na ill fare
Bote stifli for+to stand againes oure fase
Whethir yat yai be bodili or gastli
Swa yat na fowle fanding~ mak vs to fall
Or befalles in oure faithe againes god almighti
¶ ye seuent vertew & ye last es methe or methefulnes
yat kepes vs fra outregenes & haldes vs in euen@
lettes foule likinges & lustes of ye flesche
& yhemes fra yherninges of werldli gudes
And kepes in clennis of bodi & of sawle
For methe es mesur & met of all yat wele does
Jf we lif skilfulli as ye law techeches
<mrg>vj .</mrg> ¶ ye sext thing~ & ye last of ya j first towched
Er seuen hede sinnes & dedeli sinnes
yat ilk man aghe to knaw till fle & for-houe
For nane mai fle yame bote if yai knawe yame
Pride enuy wrethe & glotoni
Couetise & sleuthe & lichori
yarfor yai er called seuen hede sinnes
For all other commes of yame
For-thi er yai called dedeli sinnes
For yai gastli slaes ilk man saules
yat es hanked in all or in ane of yame
Whare-fore ye wise+man@ bides in his buk
Als fra ye face of ye neddir fand to fle sinne
For als ye venom@ of sinne slaes man saule
ye first yan of seuen es called pride
yat es a+likand heghenes of mannes hert
<fol. 8r>Of office or of he state or other noblai
yat he other hase of kind or of grace
Or yat hopes yat he has mare then another
And of yis sinne commis many sere spice
Bost & auaunting & vnbousomnes
Dispite & jpocrisi & vnschamfulnes
& many other~ yat er oft sithes sene amang~ prowde men
<mrg>ij</mrg> ye secund dedeli sinne es called envy
yat es a sorow & a site of ye wele-fare
And ioy of ye ille-fare of oure euencristen@
Of ye whilk sinne mani spices spredes & springes
Ane es hateriden@ to spek or here oght be spokyn@
yat mai sound vnto gud of yame yat we hate
Another es fals deming or iugeing of yaire dedes
And ai turne one vnto ill yat yai do till gude
ye third es bakbiting to sai behind yame
yat we wil noght abowe & sai befor yame
Whare noghte aneli he yat spekes ye ill
Bote he yat heres it be spokin es for+to blame
Fore ware yare ne hereer yar war na bakbiter
<mrg>iij .</mrg> ¶ ye third dedeli sinne or hede sinne es
Writhe yat es wiked sterring~ or bolning of herte
Whare thurghe a+mannes will es for+to tak wreke
Or wikedli to venge him on his euen-cristen@
And of yis synne commes struing & fliting~
Withe mani false athes and mani fals wordes
Sclaunder~ for+to fordoe a+mannes gude fame
Feghting & feloni & oft mans slaughetir
And many yan ar now nede to+be neuened
<mrg>iiij</mrg> ¶ ye ferthe dedeli sinne es glotoni
yat es ane vnskilwise liking~ or luf
<fol. 8v>Jn tast or taking of mete of drinke
And in yis trispas men opon@ sere wise
Ane is ouer-arli or ouer-late or ouer-oft sithe
Fort ete or for+to drink bote if nede gar it
Another es for+to lif ouer-delikately
ye third es for+to ete or dring~ ouer-mikill
ye ferthe es for+to ouer-hastili ete or drinke
ye fift es for+to compas on what wise
We mai gete delecious metes & drinkes
For+to fulfill ye liking & ye lust of oure full flesche
<lat></lat>
<mrg>v .</mrg> ye fift es dedeli sinne es couatise
yat es a wrangwise willing~ or yherning to haue
Anikinse gudes yat vs awe noghte
And yis es principalli done on~ twa wise
Ane es wrangwiseli to gete ani thing
yat oure liking~ or oure luf lightes opon@
Als be sacrilege and be Symony
Stolthe falshede or oker~ or other~ gilrei
Whilk yer werdli men es wont for+to vse
yat castes yare conandes so on couatise
yat yai ne reke whethir it be right or wrang~
Bote at þai mai gete yat at yaire hert yhernes
A-nother es wrangfulli to hald yat es getinne
yat es when we wil+noghte do till god almighti
Ne till hali kirk ne till oure euen-cristen@
yat vs aghe for+to doe be det or be lawe
Bote aneli hald yat we haue for ese of oure seluen@
Whare noghte aneli he yat wrangwiseli getes
Bote he yat wrangwiseli haldes falles in yat sinne
ye sext dedeli sinne es slewthe or slawnes