<fol. 148r>of þe tre of þe whiche god commandide hym þat he xul
de not ete . & so 3ede saule þe kyng from þe cumpany & þe
seruise of god Reg~ xvo . for he wtheld of þe beste schepe
& þe bestys to amalech to offre hem to þe lord / but þt he
dide a-3ens þe heste of god / wherfore samuel seide to hym
<lat>Melior est obediencia quam victima</lat> . þt is bettyr is obe
dience þan offring or sacrifice / & for þu castedest away
þe word of þe lord . þe lord haþ castyn þee a-wai . þat
þou be no kyng also bi þat synne . salamon loste þe loue
of god & 3ede out of his seruyse . for he took many alien
wymmen . as þe dowter of pharao . & moabites . & ammonytes
& ydumees . a-3ens þe heste of our~ lord . as þe bok kynges
tellyþ wherfore seint Bernard seiþ of alle þes <lat>mag
nu~ viciu~ in obediencie . viciu~ quo angelus amisit celum
adam paradisum . saul regnu~ . salamon amorem diuinu~</lat>
þat is to seie / Gret is þe vice of vnbuxumnesse þorou3
þe which þe angel loste heuene . Adam paradijs . saul
his kyngdam . salamon goddys loue . þerfore it is good
to be buxu~ to þe commandis of god / for as þe wijsman seiþ . primus
xxio . a buxum ma~ schal speke victorijs . Also summe
wendyngys out of þe cumpany of god . is on þe <ill><1 word></ill>
wise / & þat is be Enuye . as þei þat ioien of oþer men
nys harmys & ben heuy of oþer mennys welfar~ & so
3ede caym out of þe seruise of god be enuye / for <ill><1 word></ill>
commonly haþ þe eyul man enuye to þe good man / & so
hadde caym to hys broþer abel . for he offride to god
of þe beste þat he hadde & god beheld not to caymys
offryng . for he offride of þe werste to god & þerfore caym
slow his broþer . loo how oo synne folwyþ of an-oþer //
her~ my3te men telle moche mater of enuye / And
certis 3yf caym hadde besou3t god of merci & for3e
ues . he xulde wel mowe haue founden mercy <ill><1 word></ill>
god // Also on þe fourþe maner . men wendyn out of
þe cumpany & of þe seruyse of god be leccherie . or for
curious byholdyng of þing . þat is not <ill><1 word></ill>
<fol. 148v>& so Dyna went out . & was corrupt . & so sche lost hir
maydenhod . Genesis xxxiiijo . <lat>Egressa dyna filia lye videret
mulieres regionis ullius . &c~</lat> . þat is . Dyna gon out þe
dou3ter of lya to see þe wymmen of þat lond þe which whan
sythyn had sen hir . þe prynces sone of þat lond loue
de hir & rauyschede hyr & lay by hyr / Dyna is moche
to seie . as doom / & betokenyþ a feiþful soule . þat
owiþ to deme hirself & hir owne dedis . & not oþir
mennys dedys / But whanne þe soule is curious . as
þei þat holdyn hem-self vertuous þorou3 pride .
better þan oþer . & haue likyng to see þing þat is not
lefful to be coueityd . ofte it falliþ þat bi her curi
ouste sche wendiþ out of þe cumpany of god / for þan
þe deuyl seeþ hir þat is sichym . & rauyschiþ hir . &
makyþ hyr þe fendys strompet . & so sche wendiþ
in to þe seruyse of hym // Also on þe fifte maner su~
me wendyn out by idolatrie / & so 3edyn out of þe chil
dryn of israel whan þei madyn a goldyn chalf
& worschipide it . as it is told in Exodi xxxij co . and
Ieroboam & his sonys 3edyn out from þe cumpany of god
also . & from þe worschypyng of hym bi ydolatrie & þus
wenden out many now on daiys to sechyn & to wor
schipe ymages of stokkys and stonys mad wt mannys
handys & þan þey wenden out of pilgrimage to
worschipe suche mawmetes þat han no lijf in hem .
but ben figuryd be mannys fantasye as hem likyþ
A3ens hem spekiþ þe lawe of . on þis wyse . <lat>Deuteronomio
xxvijo . co . Maledictus homo qui facit sculptile & conflatile
abhominacionem</lat> þat is . Cursid be he þat makyþ a graue
ymage as a glowen ydol of metal abhominacion
to þe lord // & þe sauter book seiþ / lyke ben þei to hem
þat makyn hem . & alle þat trusten in hem <lat>Simi
les illis fiant qui faciunt ea & similes qui confidunt in
eis</lat> . Also god biddiþ in genesis . þus / <lat>Non facies sculp
<fol. 149r>tile &c~ . non adorabis . neque toles</lat> / þat is þou schalt
not make to þe a grauen ymage ne þou xalt not ho
nour~ hem ne worschepe hem þis seiþ god hym-self //
Also leccherijs & vnclene men & auarouse men . don
idolatrie . as seint poul seiþ . þat þei makyn a strompet
or her~ wordly goodis her~ fals goddys . þe whiche
þei louyn more þan god . as her~ dedis schewyn for
3yf þei louedyn mor god . þan þes dede ymagys
& wordly godys þei wolden leue such fals worschip
pid / <lat>Quia omnis fornicator aut immundus aut aua
rus quod est ydolorum<?> seruitus . non habebit hereditatem
in regno christi & ihesu</lat> / þat is Eueri lecchour or vn
clene man . or auarous man . þat is seruyse of
idolis . schal not haue heritage in þe kyndom of ihesu
crist . & þis is seid boþe to man & womma~ / & þerfor
of suche þat wendyn þus out of goddis seruyse
& of hys cumpany god seyþ bi Jeremy þe prophete . x . co
<lat>Filij mei exierunt a me &c~ . Non est qui extendat ten
toria mea . Qui exigat pellas meas</lat> / þat is . mi so
nys 3eden out from me . & þer is noon to strecche out my
tentys þer ne þat ne reryþ my skynnys // And summe
wende out of cristes seruise & hys cumpany bi wicche
craft & be leue & bi coniurisouns & mysbeleuyngys
& tillyngys of childryn & of bestys // & to hem þt wen
dyn to ariols & to wicchys . for help or for knowyng
of ony preuy þingys . wiþ dreme rederys & lokers
in mennys handys . to deme what xal falle in þe
newe mone or olde mone / Bi suche & by many
oþer mysbeleuys me wendyn out fro goddys seruyse
in to þe deuelis seruyse / & þer-fore seiþ god þus in
leuitico . xxo . co . <lat>anima que fuerint cum eis . pona~ facia~
mea~ contra ea~ . & interficia~ ea~ de populo meo</lat> / þat is .
þe soule þat w bowyþ a-wey to wicchys or ariols &
don leccherie wiþ hem þat is mysbeleuen in hem /
þe wiche is gostly lecherie . J schal put my face
<fol. 149v>a-3ens hir . & schal slee hir of my peple // Also on
þe sixte maner summe wendyn out by symony / & so
3ede out Gie3i elies seruaunt þat ran aftyr naa
man sirus þe whiche Elise his lord . had helid hym
of hys lepre . & took of hym two talentys of siluyr~
& dubbil cloþinge / & þerfore he 3ede out from helye ful
of meselrie as whi3t as snow / for at þe preier~ of
his lord . þe meselrie fel vp-on hym & to al his sed
for euer . Bi Giesi ben coueitous popis & cardynalis
bisschopis prelatis . parsonus . vikers . & prestys vndir
stondyn . þt ben coueitous & symonyentes þat fel
lyn beneficys to bisschopis for þe firste frutys &
to oþer lower men of holy cherche for mony for ser
uyse . or for preier~ . & þei þat sellyn ordris . weddynges
scriftys . absolucouns . indulgences . pardon~ . or ony
of þe vij sacramentys . for halwyng of chirchis of
auters . or of ony oþer gostly þing . as for massis syn
gynge . or for prechyng of goddes word . Alle þes
wendyn out of þe seruyse & þe cumpany of god // in to
þe seruyse of þe deuyl þorou3 symonye . & þei ben
cursyd heretikes . & antecristys clerkys & stynkyng
meselys befor god & his angels / & so 3ede Symon
magus out . þat wolde haue bou3t þe holygost
of þe apostel // Also on þe seuenþe maner . summe wen
dyn out . bi auarice & coueitise / & so 3ede iudas out
of þe cumpany of our~ lord / for þorou3 coueitise he sol
de crist to þe Jewes for xxxti pans . Math xvij & þus
wenden out many of cristys cumpany as prestys
& freris þat sellyn a masse for a peny . & trentel
for xxx pens . & boþe biggeris & selleres ben werse
marchauntys þan Judas was / & also men of lawe
þt sellyn þe trouþe for mony / & trouþe is crist as hym
self seyþ . þt is not now a dedly ma~ . but glorified
in heuene / <lat>Ego sum via & veritas & vita</lat> . þat is J am
<fol. 150r>wei trowþe & lijf & þerfore Jeremye cryeþ & seyþ . <lat>No
lite exire as agros auaricie . nec in via cupiditatis
ambuletis</lat> / þat is . Ne wol 3e not wende out to þe
feldys of auarice . ne in þe weie of coueityse . but
holde 3e þe weye of þe lawe of god / for alle þei ben
blessyd of god as þe prophete dauid seiþ / <lat>Beati imma
culati in via qui ambulant in lege domini</lat> . þat is . Bles
sid ben þei vnfoulyd in [þe] wai : þt gon in þe lawe of
god // Jn þis wei crist kepe vs al þe while þt we lyue
& crist þt is verrai wai . bringe vs to his blis Amen :
<lat><a place for dropped initial, d as guide letter>dJrigite viam domini . Iohn primus // declarauitur <ill><1 word></ill> aduentus domini</lat> :
þis gospel telliþ þat Jewys sentyn from Ierusa
lem prestys & dekanys vn-to John þat þei schulde
axe hym wo art þou / & he knolichede . & denyede
not . & knolechede þat was not crist / & þei axide hym /
what þerfore art þou ; / art þou heli ; / & he seide nai
he was not // . art þou a prophete ; & he seide nai . / þerfor
þei to hym / what art þou . þat we 3eue ansuere to
hem þat sente vs / what seiste þou of þi-self & he
seide / J a vois of hym þat criet in desert // Dresse 3e
or make 3e redy . þe wei of þe lord . as ysaie þe prophete
seide // & þei þat weryn sent . wheryn of þe phariseis
& þei axidyn hyn & seidyn þerfor . what baptises þou
3if þou art not crist . ne hely ne a prophete / John an
suerde to hem seiynge / I baptise in water þe myd
dys for soþe of 3ow . whom 3e knowe not / he is þat
after me is to come . þat is maad bifore me of . whom
J am not worþi . þat j vn-do þe pownges of his
schoon / þes þingys weryn don in bethanye ouer
Jordan . where John was baptisynge // <lat>Dirigite
via~ domini vbi primus</lat> // þes ben þre wordys of þe gospel
þat John spak to þe peple seiynge þus / Make Ge redi
þe weie of þe lord // & 3e schul vndirstonde þat we
owen to make redi þre maner weies to hym þt
<fol. 150v>to our~ herte he mai entre in & fouche safe in our~ hertes
to dwelle // þe ferste wai . is clennes of herte / & þis is
þe wey of chastite or maidenhod & þis is an vnde
foulyd wey . & þe wey of wijsdam . of þe which sala
mon spekyþ primus . iiijo . <lat>viam sapiencie monstrabo tibi</lat> /
þat is / þe way of wijsdam J schal schewe to þe / soþly
þis is þe wai of clennes . & þe wai of wijsdam / for
gret wijsdam it is to kepe þe herte from vnclennes
of leccherie / & gret wodnes is it . longe or lityl whi
le . wilfulli a-visid to dwelle in þe filþe of leccherie
wherfor seint gregorius seþ . <lat>Que est maior infama quius
delectacione momentanea obligar~ se ad eterna sup
plicia . & amitter~ . suple regna celestia Et idem
Breuis est delectatio fornicationis . f<?> perpetua est pena
fornicationis</lat> / Schort is þe lust of fornicacoun . & euer
lastynge is þe peyne of fornicacoun / & þerfore we owyn
to fle þe wei of lecherie / for god knoweþ hem not þat
wendyn þerbi . as salamon seiþ primus xxx þat god vnkno
wyþ þre þingis & þe laste of hem . is þe wei of þe 3on
ge man in his 3onge / & þt is seid / <lat>Talis est via
mulieris adultere que comedit & tergens <?>
dicit . non sum operata malum</lat> / þat is . Such is þe weie
of a womma~ auontres<?> þe which etiþ . & wipiþ hir
mouþ . & seiþ / J haue don noon harm / & dauid seiþ
in þe sau3ter . <lat>via illorum sit lubricionis</lat> / þe wei of hem
is mad derk & sledir / Certis he þat wendiþ bi þis
weie . makiþ redy in is herte a dwellyng place
of þe deuyl // Forsoþe it is not semely þat þe kyng
þat is kyng of kyngis & lord of alle lordys to dwel
le in a derk hostrie ful of styngkynge clay & oþer
vnclennesse / & suche ben þe hertys of leccherous men
& wommen / & þerfor . þat crist come in to oure hertys . we
muste caste out al vnclennes of lecherie & þerfore
seþ Jamys <lat>Abicientes omnem mundicia~ & habun
<fol. 151r>danciam malicie</lat> . þat is . castynge a-way alle vnclens
nesse & habundance of malice / Bi vnclennes mai
be vndirstondyn . þe synne of lecherie / & be plente
mouste of malice . is vndirstonde schrewyd desy
ris of herte & euele þou3tys & euyl biholdyngys . &
schrewyd speche . þat corumpyn gode condiciouns //
Alle suche cursidnes . we owyn to caste a wai from
our~ hertys . 3if it be so þt we wole worþili resceyue
crist in to our~ soulis . þat mai make vs saaf & þe
apostil seiþ // <lat>Fornication & omnis mundicia non nominetur
in vobis . sicut decet scons<?></lat> / þat is . Fornicacio forsoþe
& vnclennes . be not nempnyd in 3ow . but puttiþ it
clene a-wai . as it be semyþ holy men / Filþe or foule
speche or harlotrie þat perteyniþ not to honeste . be it
not nempnyd a-mongys 3ou / & so is þe firste way
mad redi . & þat is be clennes of herte & so it is seid
<lat>in ecclesiastico . jo . Qui timet dominum . & primus . xxijo . Cui diligit
cordis mundiciam . habebit amicu~ regem</lat> / þat is . he þat
louyþ clennes of herte . schal haue þe kyng hys frend
þat is crist . þe secunde wai . is þe wai of meknesse
& be þis wai wente crist whan he coom don from
heuene in-to þe maidenys wombe / & þer he took þe schap
of a seruant <lat>Exmaniuit semet prium formam serui
accipiens</lat> Forsoþe more meknes was neuyr schewid
þan god of heuene & of erþe schewide whan he
took þe forme of a seruaunt & þat he wolde be also
a-mongis his seruauntys . as mynyster & a seruaunt
of hem / & þis wei made redy . þe glorius maydyn
to hir sone / & þerfore sche disseruede to conceyue &
bere crist goddis sone of heuene / wherfor sche saiþ
<lat>Refrexit humilitatem ancille sue</lat> þat is . he be-held
þe meknesse of hys hand-maiden / & þis wai of
meknesse . owyn we to make redi in our~ hertys
to god as ysaie seiþ / <lat>Parate viam domino rectas facite
<fol. 151v>semitas dei mi<?></lat> þat is . Make 3e redi þe wai of þe lord
make 3e ri3te pathis of our~ god in desert or wildirnes
<lat>Omnis vallis implebitur & omnis mons & collis humiliabitur</lat>
þat is . Jche valei schal be fillid . & iche hil & topet of hil
schal be bowid be þe valei . is þe make man vndirston
de . þat schal ben maad hi3 in euer-lastynge ioie & bi
montayns ben vndirstondyn proud men & hi3e men
þat is þe ende schul be lowyd in euer-lastyng dampna
cioun . / for as salamon seiþ / <lat>prouerba xxix . humilem suscipiet
gloria . & superbum sequitur humilitas</lat> . þat is . glorie or ioie
schal take þe meke & mekenes folwyþ þe proud ma~ /
& þerfor we owyn in oure hertis to make redi bi remouyng
or puttyng a-way al pride & elasion~ & coueitynge
of hi3 a state from oure hertis / as is is seid <lat>km<?> . vijo . pre
parate corda vostra domino & illi soli seruite . & auferte de
medio mei balam & ascaroth</lat> þat is . Make 3e redi 3our
hertis to þe lord . & only serue 3e to hym / & bere 3e a-way
baalam & ascarot from þe myddys of me / Baalam
is to seie an ouerhi3er or an ouergoer / & þt be-tokenyþ
proude men / for bi her~ pride . þei wole be a-boue alle
oþere & ascarot is to sai a cracche . in þe which ben two
þingis . mete & dunge in mete is glotonie bi-tokned
& in dunge is lecherie / & þerfore mote we bere a-way
from þe middis of oure lijf pride glotonye & lecherie
þat is to seie . from our~ hertys & þe þridde wai . is þe
wai of pees ther-of spekiþ 3acherie iohn baptistis
fadir <lat>Jlluminare<?> domine hijs qui in tenebris sedent ad diri
gendos pedes nostros in via~ pacis</lat> . þat is . lord li3te þou
to hem þat sittyn in derknessis to dresse oure feet
in-to þe war of pees . & salamon seiþ / þe waies of hym
faire weies . & alle þe paþis of hym pesible soþ it is
þt þe waies of crist be pesible