<County: Northamptonshire>
<Code: L0562>
<MS reference: London, BL Add. 24202>
<Text: Treatise against religious orders>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 38r>a-3en for seynt poul seiþ . þe seruaunt of god it is . not nedeful
to stryuen but now-a-daies for goddis cause . for synne a-3en hym
we striuen not but for oure owne cause . for wrong a-3en vs-self
a-3en holy writ þat biddiþ . seche þou not veniance . ne haue
no mynde of þe wrong of þi cyteseyns / þanne oure bateil
ben not a3en þe enemys of god . þat ben of mysbileeue ; but
a3en oure neyebores þat ben of good bileue . a-3en holy writ
in which seiþ þe wise man on þis wise / who so wil be vengid
he shal fynde veniaunce of god . & kepyng he shal kepyn his synnes
for3if þi neiebore þat noieþ þe ; & þanne þe synnes þat þu preiest
fore shul ben for-3yuen þe . A+man reserueþ ire to a+man ; & of god
he sechiþ for3ifnesse . þerfore haue mynde on þin ende . & lef of to
ben enemy & siþen cristen lordis . bern þer swerd to encresen holy
chirche bi chasteisyng of goddis enemys . & for goddis cause .
for þe whiche encrese men shul 3elde rekenyng . at þe day
of dom . as seyþ seynt austyn . & oþere seyntis . & now in our~ tyme
we seen oure enemys of mys-bileeue encresen in so myche þat
cristendom is lasse þan it was in tyme of þe foure doctoures of
holy chirche bi þe þridde part ; as it is knowen bi þe encrees
of saracenys . 3he and forþermor þe enemys of god . not one
ly wiþ-owten forþ encresen ; but also wiþ-inne / as ben symonye
nes vsureris & apostatas . þe whiche ben þe chef cause . of alle
þe werris among men þanne oure lordis ou3ten for to dreden
þat ri3t as þer eldris ben sauyd . for þe encres of holy chirche
bi destroiyng of saracenys . & bi lettyng symonyenes vsureris & a
postatas . to dwelle wiþ-inne þer lordschipis / so oure lordis
but if þei ben repentaunt er þei dien . shul ben dampned / first
for þei lesen þe cause of god a-3en þe saracenys & oþere enemys
of hym & pursuen þer owne cause in destrucconn of þer neye
boris & of hem-self þe secounde for þei pursuen þer enemys
wiþ-owte forþ . & lefen to pursuen þer more enemys wiþ-inne
forþ . þe whiche ben þer prestis symonyenes . þer marchundis
vsureris & þer religious . apostatas / & þe þridde for þei sh
wen . boþe in word & dede þat þei louen more þer bodies . þan
þer soulis & þei loouen more temporel godis & lordschipis þan
þer neiebores bodies or soules a-3en þe loue of god : . þat looyeþ
eche creature . aftir is þat he haþ 3yuen it goodnesse þanne for
þe defaute þat men don not to þe bateilis of god : is þe cause
of þis veniance of bateilis & plees among vs-self / 3he &
siþen þe macabees seiden in word & in deede . þat it was
bettere to þem to dien in þe bateile of god þan to seen þe
<fol. 38v>yuel of þer owne puple : myche more au3ten cristene lordis to seyn
þat it were : bettere for hem to dien in bateilis of god . þan to
seen þe yuel . þat regneþ now in cristis chirche . & to seen þe
encrese of Saracenys : þat ben enemyes of oure bileeue & si
þen þoo ben þe moste cause <gap> of þis delful veniaunce of ba
teilis among vs-self / þat ben moste holde to don þe gostli bateil
of god & don þem not . þe whiche ben worldly clerkis & worldly
religious for þei ben most holdon to don penaunce for þer owne
synnes . & for þe puplis & most in ydelnesse lyuen to þe nurch
yng of þer fleish & mayntenaunce of þer worldly worschipis þan
worldli clerkis & worldy religious ben most cause of þes ba
teilis be-twen cristene men / & þerfore seyþ seynt gregeri þat þe
enchesoun of þe fallyng of þe puple ben euele prestis ; whom
þei seruen for to han þoo þat ben cruel lordis . þat mayn
tenen þat . þat now is sacrilege . al-þof in þer eldris tyme
it was almes dede . for þanne þei 3euen possessiouns to
holi chirche . were oneli spendid among cristene pore men
& nedi but now it is spendid in mayntenaunce of symonye
& apostasie & oþer greuous synnes & þerfore lordis in þat . þat
þei meyntenen . þe forseid sacrilege . lettynge þe bateil of
god ; it is skilful þat þei ben punschid bi violent wiþholding
& takyng awey of þer temporel goodis boþe meblis & vn
meblis . þe whiche is cause of þer bateil . for þat þat þei enne
nemyn oþer men it is skilful þat þei ben ennenemyd þem-self &
þerfore ri3t as sikenesse ˆ <mrg>may not be hald to þe tyme þat þe cause of þe siknesse</mrg> be destroyid ; ri3t so may neuere þis gre
uous veniaunce of bateilis cesen . to þe tyme þat temporel posses
siouns ben taken a-wey fro symonyenes & apostatas & 3yuen
to hem þat ben pore ˆ [&] nedy & membris of holy chirche : & to whom
it is couenable . suche possessiouns to han for in veyn folowen
men or lordis þer title anentis man til þei han stablid þer-tile anen
tis god . þis [þe] wiche is doyng iustice vp-on þe puple / & first vp
on þe prestis of þe chirche . as crist shewide in dede . whanne he ex
saumplide þe lordschipe . & þe regalie of kyngis . aftir þat he had
de takyn his worschipe of þe puple . as for kyng of israel . & very
sone of kyng dauiþ / he 3ede first to þe temple & purgide it
& seide þat his hous shulde . ben clepid hous of preiere : & not hous
of marchaundise / & þerfore biddiþ god bi þe prophete e3echiel / þoo
þat han power to don iustice vp-on his puple . þat þei begynnen
it first . vp-on his seyntuarie / & þus for þis ende . þei han þer lord
shipis & þer power as witnessiþ dauid in+þe sauter booc . & seyþ . / /
/ God 3af to þem regiouns of folk & þei hadden traueilis of puplis
<fol. 39r>for þei shulden kepe his iustice . & for þei shulden ˆ [loke] þat his lawe
were kept / & for it is gret mercy of ˆ [god] þat he haþ 3ouyn his power
of veniaunce doyng for synne . þat for his his puple . bi litil suf
feraunce of peyne 3ouyn of man . my3te scapen þe more pey
ne for þer synne þat shulde ellis ben 3oue bi god one / for
as seyþ seynt petur / it is hidous & ferful to fallen in-to þe
hondis of god / þe whiche whanne he doiþ eny-þing . bi hym-
self ; he doiþ passyngly / þerfore whanne he doiþ eny veniaunce
by hym-self he doþ it passyngˆ [li] þat ony man ˆ <mrg>may</mrg> or can / þerfore
monn lordis seen . if þei chastisede hem . þat ben men of holy chir
che . puttynge hem in þer degre as crist ordeynede hem wiþ
takyng a-wey þe ocasioun of þer synne . þanne shulde oure peyne
þat we han seruyd for our~ synne . ben lesse & gostly bateilis
of god ben don . of þe clergie & bodily bateilis of god ben don
manli of seculer lordis knowlechinge þe power of god . wiþ
macabeis . þe whiche preisynge god . seiden it is li3t to god to
close manye men in þe hondis of fewe / for in multitude of
þe host . is not in victorie of þe bateile . but from heuene is streng
þe & þanne shulde þis veniaunce of bateile cesen & alle oþere .
<gap for initial capital> E ferþe veniaunce is now general discencoun þur3-out al holy
chirche . of whiche spekiþ seynt poul þe apostil to tesalony
sencis . seyinge in þis wise / þat þe day of dom shal not
come but þer come first bi-forn discencoiun & be shewid þe man
of synne . þe sone of perdicoun . þe whiche is aduersarie & enhaun
sid vp-on al þat is seid god or heried . so þat in þe temple
of god he shal siten . shewyng hym-self as þo3 he were god /
þanne now cristene men shul reden in þis veniance & vndur
stonde þat siþen þis veniaunce of discencoun is þe next sig
ne goyng beforn anticrist as witnessen þe forseid wordis of
seynt poul . / þerfore ri3t as þe comyng of crist was bi-forn seynt
Jhon þe baptist . in tyme whan þer was pees ouer al þe world .
as witnesseþ þe gospel of luc . ri3t so in tyme of discencoun ouer
al þe world shal anticrist ben prechid / not on oon messag~ oneli.
as crist seyþ in Jhon þe baptist / but in manye messangeris
ful of deuysioun & enuye . to þe more mayntenyng of þer symo
nye . & apostasie . þane wiþ doing of penaunce / þei shul not pre
chen anticrist as dide seynt Jhon crist : but in pompe & pride of þe
world lettynge in al þat þei monn men to don penaunce in
folowing openli þe steppis of crist . as men mai se now-a-daies
þerfore as seynt Jhon prechide in comyng of crist . þat þe ax of
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 53r>þe fifte maner of folk is . þat defenden to 3yue tribute to lordis lest
þei þei lesen þer fleishly fredam more chargyng þe fredam of
þe fleish . þan þe fredom of þe spirit . as dide þis Judas of galile
wiþ oþere scribis & pharisees . þat sou3ten occasioun how þei my3ten .
do crist to deþe þe sexte maner of folc . is þat feynen hem-self
to don al þing þat þei don . in þe gostli seruyse of god . for þei
wolden not traueilen wiþ þer hondis . ne ben sogetis to lawe of
lordis as þis Judas of galile mouyde þe Jewis of whiche maner
of men spekiþ dauid in þe sauter seiynge . þat þei ben not in þe
traueile of men ; & wiþ men þei shul not be scurgid þat is to seie .
þat is þur3 iustise of seculer lawis / & þerfore heeld hem pride & ben
couered in þer shrewidnesse / & þerfore telliþ dauid þer destruccoun in þis
wise . what maner wise þei ben maad in desolacoun . sodeynli þei
faileden for er wickidnesse . lord as slep of men þat risen in
þe cite : þer ymage þou shalt turne to nou3t / þanne siþen oure re
ligious ben of þe firste maner men not oneli defending þem-self
& preisyng to ben clepid prophetis in þe puple . but to ben clepid
most holy men þat ben lyuynge . 3he as þei seyn bi monye in
maner of lyuyng for holier þan þe apostelis . in-as-myche as þe
apostelis lyueden not so contemplatif lif as don oure religi
ous . now þat ne caren not for þer bodili liflode . as muste ne
de þe apostelis . for þer grete porenesse / & þis þei defenden wiþ
multitude of oþer men þat þei clepen þer good doeris . more
þanne bi resoun of bileeue / and also siþen oure religious ben
of þe secounde maner of men in þat . þat þei besegynge þe
flodis of Jordan þat is lettynge þe ryueris of ri3t wesdom wil
not suffren any of hem alle to ben opynli punshid whanne he
opynly trespasiþ . ne wil not seyn to holy chirche aftir+two vn
derid nymyngis . ne+putten hem out of þer felowshipe as
an etnyk & a publican . whanne þei witen hem worse þan ony
seculer as þei were holde to don . bi þe lawe of god : but lest
þer ypocrisie were knowen wiln priueli puttyn hym in prisoun . for
men shulde wene þat þer were none but goode men
among hem more chargyng þe schaundre of speche of
men . þanne þe sclaundre of synne anentis god / also siþen
þei ben of þe þridde maner of puple . turnynge awey þe
puple aftir hem . & not aftir crist . in þat . þat þei maken þe pu
ple more to bileeue in yer lettris of fraternytes . þan graun
tid bi men & not bi crist : more þanne in cristis grauntyng . þe whiche
3yueþ mercy : & for3yuenesse of synne after þe mercy & for3yue
nesse . yat þei don to þer neieboris . / / Also siþen þei ben þe fer
þe maner of puple doyng al þing þat þei don of hem-self
<fol. 53v>& for hem-self . in þat . þt þei of þer owne wil & of þe autorite of holy
writ beggen or procuren to þem more wordly good . þan is nedeful
to þe pore sustenaunce of hom for þei wolden feden wel þer owne wom
bis . & of þat . þat leeueþ . þat wil not gon in þer wombis maken
hem curious chirchis curious housis costli cloþis & wast mene ; for
to ben holden noble . holy & worshipful . seruynge god in þis wo
rld . as diden þes pharisees for þei wolden be semeli in þe
si3t of þe puple : also þei ben of þe fifte puple lettyng tribute to be
3yuen to lordis . lest þei lesen þer fleshly fredom . in þat þat þei be
inge more riche þan þe pore puple wil not helpem hem to paien
þer dettus þat þem owe to don to þere lordis . as rente or tribute as
þe pore puple helpen hem whanne þei weren more nedi . 3he & whan
ne þei ben folowynge & defendinge . þe fleshly priuylegijs of men
leuen þe priuylegis of crist . þat is looue of porenesse & of pacience
ben of þis fifte puple . þat more chargen þe priuylege of þe fre
dam of flesh þan priuylege of þe fredom of spirit Also þei ben
of þe sixte puple . in þat þat þei chalenge þe seruyse of god
to þem-self . for þei wolden not ben sogetis to þe seruise of þer
lordis . as whanne men seyn . þat þei shulden traueylen . wiþ
þer hondis . þei answeren þat mari chees . þe bettur~ part þat
is contemplatif lif is bettur~ þan actif . þe seruyse of god
bettere . þan þe seruyse of men / but whan men seyn . þat þei
shulden not pleten . as seiþ seynt poul / þe seruant of go it is
not nedeful to pleten . þei answeren contrariously to hem-self þat
actif lif is bettere . þanne contemplatif . lif & þe obeisaunce don to þer
priour is bettere þan obeisaunce don to holi writ . or to þer ow
ne rewle þerfore as þingis contrarious to hem-self . & as a kyndam
deuydid be-twen hem-self & as stondyng more bi þe ordenaunce
of men þan bi þe ordenaunce [of god] mut nede sodeynly pershen / but
who þat is Gamaliel abiding þe 3ilding of god . loke þat heie
not . but abide god & wirke [3ee] manli & his herte shal ben confortid
for god comynge shal comyn & shal not tarien ;
<gap for capital t>O þis þei seyn a-3en þat in þis wise profesiede of vs lincoln
Bradewardyn armacan kilmyngton wiclyue & manye
oþere & in torne . þat þer prophecie is but desiryng of veniaunce
of þer owne enuye þei hem-self persheden & we ben euere þe len
ge þe strenge / but to þis we answeren / þat lincolne aftir þt
he hadde 3yuen his bokis to þe frere menouris & myche
of his oþere godis in tokne þat he loouede hem if þei wolde
be stronge in þe cause of god & aftirward seyng in spirit &
in experience þat þei weren cowardis in ye cause of god & þat þey
sou3ten more þe preysyng of men in þis world þan þe preising of god &
<fol. 54r>þt+signes outward weren ful of lesyngus . he prophesiede no-þing of hym
self but declaride þe prophesie of þe holy gost : þat speeken peter
& poul & oþe seyntis . þat clepen þem sectus of predicoun many wynter
or þei camen & þus dide armacan & wiclyue & alle þese oþere
not of enuye but of looue þat þei hadden to ye lawe of crist
& to encrese of ye puple in kepynge it / & þerfore þei perschiden not .
but as we hopen ben grete seyntis in heuene for ri3t as in þe ty
me of crist . it was medeful to shewen & openen crist to þe puple
& þerfore þo þat diden it were seyntus ; ri3t so a3en þe comyng
of antecrist it is nedeful to shewe & openen þe malice of anticrist
& his sectus whiche ben þe forseid religious now & þerfore lin
colne & armacan þat hulpen þer to ben now seyntis in heuene
& in-as-myche as þes seyntis . & oþere men þat ben now han told
oftere & more openli þe defautus of oure religious now & þei
amende þem not but encresen þer malice . as þe pharisees a3en
crist . þe more ; þe more þei tresoren to þem þe wraþe of god / & þer
fore ri3t as þe more <exp>s</exp>i<exp>3</exp>t is enclosid in ye cloude : þe feerliere it
brestiþ out . & makiþ þe grettere þundur~ & a grettere leityng /
ri3t so þe more þes religious . þei tresoren to hem of þe wrathe
of god in þe cloude of þer lyues ; þe feerliere it shal bresten out
vp-on hem þat þei shuln not witen it to þe more knowyng
of þer malice to alle men . in-as-myche as mo men han told it
þem before . & to þe grettere þundryng of wundryng vp-on hem
þerfore þe multipliyng of hem now . is to þe more confusion of
hem . & also it is but witnesse of þe world & of false men & not
witnessyng of god & of trewe men . þat seyn þat manye men
ben clepid in signes & fewe men ben chosun in deedis / & siþen
cristene men witen wel . þat þanne god wil wirkyn wel for his
puple ; destruccoun of his enemys & þeris . whanne his glorie mai
ben most shewid & knowen & þis is whanne his enemys ben most
strong to þe si3te of þe world & most sikir . & his puple most
meke & left of power . þanne if oure religious ben now herest
in þer malice & most strong & siker as anentis þe world & þe pu
ple of god þat shulde wiþstonden hem most of vnpower &
bi þer persecucoun m[e]akid : þanne now þe glorie of god shulde most
ben shewid to wirkyn his ri3t wesdom vp-on hem [&] to þe confu
sioun . of his puple . Jn þis wise god ledde his puple in-to þe lond
of bihest destroinge his enemys whanne þer synne was most &
his puple mekid bi traueile as of nonnpower of hem-self / þerfore
siþen our~ religious now-a-daies . blasfemen a3en god gnra
ting part of þer desertis & conspiren wiþ þe prinsis of pristis . to þe
quenchyng of þe lawe of crist . & to þe destroiyng . of hem þat