<County: Yorkshire West Riding>
<Code: L0597>
<MS reference: London, Dr Williams Library, Anc. 3>
<Text: Lavenham's treatise on the ten commandments>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 133va><line 20>Criste that dyed Apon the
crosse for the saluacyon
of mannes kynde . grawnte
vs grace to skape þe sly ensey
lynge of the fende . That we
be not for syn loste when we
schall heuse wende . Two thyn
ges J am purposyd thorow god
dys grace to do in thys lytyll
tretys furste to schewe schortly
the comyn condycion of the vn
deedly synnes as by fygure &
ensampull generall . and aftur
warde to reherse by processe &
by ordur what brawnches
groues owt of thayme . Jn spe
ciall os for towchynge the furst
matur an holy man wrytes in
hys boke . <lat></lat>
<fol. 133vb><lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>. The vij dedly synnes he seys
are lykenes to vij sondry bestes
os pryde to a lyon . Couetyse to
a nurchon . Wrathe to a wulfe .
Envy to a hownde . Slothe to
a nasse . Glotony to a bere . leche
ry to a swyne of the whyche
fygures & ensamples J thynke
to towche myche of in tho vij
dedly synnes be hym-selfe .
PRyde is noght ellys bot a
badde desyre of hegh wyr
schype sent augsten wytnes : <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . There-fore J lykkyn
a prowde man to a lyon . for os
the lyon lokys that alle other
bestes schulde hym wyrschype
hyme drede & to hym bowe .
ryght so a prowde man thynkes
that alle other men schulde hym
wyrschype hym drede & to hym
bow . & therfore that may wele
be seyde of a prowde man os it
ys wretyn in holy wrytt . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Thys is a syne
þat destroes alle vertues & moste
greues god of alle vyces . Jn to
kun where-of þat lucifere sum
tyme was the fayrest angell in
heuen . is now for his pryde be
comen the fowleste fende in helle
And if þu wyll wytte where-in
he schewde hys pryde . J answere
& sey Jn þat hee desyred for hys
fayrenes to haue bene þere wt god .
<fol. 134ra>For J sayde be-fore pryd is noght
ellys bot a bade desyre of hye
wyrschype . & thys maner desyre
mey neuer-more ryse in a mans
herte bot by encheson of on off
these iij . othyr it ys for the gyftes
of kynde or fortune of gyfte of
grace . The gyftes of kynde are
strenthe bewte cumlenes of person
& plente of chyldren . The gyftes
of nobulnes is forton of kynre
den . Gentylnes of blode auaunce
mente of landes Rentes golde
syluer tresoure . Catell clothynge
horse harnes juels . lordeschype
wyrschepe and frenschype . The
gyftys of grace are sondry ver
tues þat god gyfffes a man os
eloquence in spekynge curyosite
os in redynge syngynge os in
syche othyr . These iij manere of
gyftys are oonly case whye a
man waxes prowde there hym
ow to be meke sent gregor seyth
<lat></lat>
þat pryde ys rote of alle vyces
for þis skylle . for nere the rote
of the tre where hyd in the
grownde ellys schulde no bra
wnnche grofe owt of hytte . ¶
Ryght so nere pryde where ro
tyd in mannys harte ellys
schulde no brawnche of synne
sprynge owt of hyme . For out
of pryde groues viij brawnchys
of on kynde þe whyche are her
specefyde be name as presump
cion . vaynglore . vnbuxumnes
boldnes . ypocryce . jndignaconn .
<fol. 134rb>schamles and sturdynes . / Pro
sumpcyon ys when a man put
tys hym-selfe fordyr in presse in
presence of pepull then a-nother
man dothe wyche þat is als
good os he lokynge aftur reuer
ence as to syt a-bouen hym &
to speke furste & to take wyr
schype of þe worlde passynge
alle other demynge hyme-seluen
stronger or more hardye wyser or
more wytty or elles bettur or
more worthy then any othyr
Of these brawnches of pryde
spekes sente Austyn . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Where
he seythe þat it is for the better
þat god suffurs oftyn tymes
A prowde man wiche þat is
presumptuos of hyme-selfe to
falle in-to sum grete syne for
these skylles be-cause þat Ane
man schall suner se <ill><1 char.></ill>s awn
sekenes and be radyr euyll
payde wt hyme-selffe a-nother~
tyme that he was so presump
tuos . And sente Austyn preues
ensamples in the same place
& sayse thus . The cause why
that criste suffurde sente Pe
tur to forsake was þe grete
presumpcon@ þt petur schewde be
fore when he seyde these wor
dys. <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . here sente Petur pre
sumes hyme to far furthe
<fol. 134va>of hyme-selfe demynge hym-selfe
more tresty bettur hartude & more
hardy then any of hys felowse
UAynglory is when a man
bostys hyme-selfe or elles
reioyses hym when any magny
fyes hys person more then he wer~
worthy luffynge flaterers & glo
sers that oftun tymes reherses
hys comendable dedes & haten
also those þat in amendment
of hys defawtes tellynge hym
sothe . Thys brawnche of pryde
criste taght hys dissipule to
fle by the ensawmpull in the
gospell . <lat></lat> . where it
ys rehersyd þat when criste
had helyd ij blynde men and
gaffe thayme bodely syghte
þen he badde home that thay
schulde kepe it preuye & speke
to no man þere-off : And 3ytt
these ij men wente & tolde it
alle abowte in the cuntre os
thay wente . Now as clerkes
sayue þe skyll why þat criste
forbade þe men that thaye
schulde not telle owt what
he hade done to home was to
gyffe ensawmpull to all his
foloers to fle vaynglore &
for to schewe þat a gode cristen
man schulde for lesynge off
heuen mede not loke to be pra
ysed here of hys gode dedys
Unbuxumnes ys when a
man wtstandes þe byd
dynge of god & holy kyrke
þe byddynge of Fadur & modur
<fol. 134vb>þe lawes of þe kynge the ordy
nance of hys soferayne spirituall
& temperall wylfull lettynge
þat is commawndyd & doynge
þat ys defendyd as wylfull
hauynge rewarde to reson
ne to payne þat ys lymyted
in þe lawe . Thys brawnche
of pryde ys full greuowse os
hyt semys be holy scripture
For god bade in the olde lawe
þat who so were rebell & vn
buxum to þe preste þat was
goddys mynester þat he schulde
be dede þere-fore the bybyll re
herses <lat></lat> . And
also what man þat were rebell
& vnbuxum to the Fadyr & to
the modyr þe fadur & the modur
schulde go & compleyne to the
dome of hyme & a-non he schuld
be stoned to dede therfore as it
is rehersyd in þe same boke .
<lat></lat> . Also that it is
perliouse for A man to wtstande
or to ryse A3eyns hys suffereyn
spirituall or temperall os hytt se
mes be holy wryte . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . where it ys rehersyd þat
þere were in+certen men . þat is
to say . Chore Datan And Abyron
& for thay wtowte assente rose
agayne moyses & aaron þerfore
god punyschyd hom of thayre
pryde . he made þe erthe to opon
& to swalo home alle quike &
of thys sayse Dauid in þe sawter
thus . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<fol. 135ra><lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Thys
knewe sente Paule when he wro
te to þe Jewes & seyde thus . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> <lat></lat>
Baldnes is when a
man synnes of triste off
goddis mercy & grace thynkynge
þat it ys but lytell perell in his
lyue . Als longe os a-noþer man
dothe as ylle os he or wers dre
dynge noþer vengaunce here nor
payne in helle bot alwaye do
ynge his awne luste in hope
to askape ¶ This brawnche of
pryde ys perlious os it semys
wele be ensamples for seynte
Jerome seys þes wordes whych
in party are rehersyd in þe law
of holy chyrche . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . The men he seyse of the cy
te of Niniue at þe prechynge
of þe profet jonas dyde pen
naunce for þare synnes . And
þere-fore god toke the cyte to
his mercy & to hys grace . bot
afterwarde þay turnyde a3eyn
to þer olde synnes trowynge pera
uenture that þe merce of god
was grete & that thay schuld
askape als wele afturwarde
as thay dyde be-fore . And a
none thoro goddys wreche þt
same cyte was distroyde be
boddelye enmys & so þe bold
nes of thayre synnes was
þe cause of thayre awne de
strucconn . The cyte of Niniue
<fol. 135rb>was solemme & ryall so grete
& so longe þat it was iij days
iurney wtin . And þer-in were
mo then A C skore thowsand
of pepull os the bybull rehersys .
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 140ra><line 12>Rechleshede is when a man
does not hys diligens
vn-to his god warde ne to
hys euen-cristen & takes no
hede whethyr þat he goo to
þe kyrke or not . whedyr þat
he here matens or messe or
notte . Also he does not hys
denyt to knowe how his euen
cristen fares ne whethyr that
thay farre welle or not hee
takys no hede to no creature
bot to hyme-selfe . And ther
fore syche a man loueth not
hys god nor dredes not god
And therfore salomon seyse
thus . <lat></lat>
Delaynge ys not ellys
bot a tarynge þat a man
makes at suche tymes os he
lyes longe in synne . And a
bydes longe or he wille be
schreuen or repente hym of
hys mysdedes demynge and
trowynge þat þer~ is bot a
lityll perell or noon in latte
repentance here of spekes
salamon & sayse thus in hys
<fol. 140rb>boke . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Jn thys vice fallen alle tho
þat contynewe þayre syn fro
day to day . fro 3ere to 3ere thyn
kynge þat it is no grett perell
to thayme if thay may haue
thryffte howsull & repentance
in thayre laste ende . Bot in that
thay putte home-selffe in grette
perell to thayme if thay maye
haue schryfte howsull & repen
tannce in thayre laste end . Bot
in that thay putte thayme-selffe
in grette perell os Saynt Austyn
seyse in þe lawe of Canon . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Where he seyse he
darre nott by hette þat man sy
kerly to be saued þe whyche con
tenud in hys synne Als longe
os he myght þerof alle he toke
þe sacrament of holy kyrke &
dyed wt repentaunce cause why
he wolde neuyr~ leue hys synne
vn-to þe tyme þat seknes off
dethe fell vpon hyme . And ther~
fore seythe seynt Austynne þt
thowe that arte a synfull man
& repentys the not of thy mys
dede ne does no penaunce ther
fore whyls þu hase thy bodely
heyle . þen þowe arte lyke to be
dampned þere-fore . if thowe
repente the what tyme that
thow myght no lenger~ synne
then thy synnes hathe forsakyn
the & not thow thy synnes .
<fol. 140va>Arghnes of drede is when
a man leues the good pur
pose for drede of perell thatt
may falle os thus . Sume man
thynkythe þat it wer~ medfull
for hyme to go certeyne pylgre
mage bot afturwarde the sa
me man demeth & casteth perels
þat perauenture he myght falle
in-to sum gret sekenes or ellys
dye in hys pylgramage goynge
wher~-fore he wyll then of bot
falles a-way fro hys purpose
Also sume men purposythe hyme
in harte for to gyffe corten Almus
to poure men for to make thay
me to pray for hyme . bot aftur
warde þe same man thynkes
þat the worlde is herde & þat
he may lyghtly be-come poure
hyme-selfe . wherefore he fal
les away fro hys furste pur
pos . Off this vice spekys sala
mon & says thus . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> <lat></lat>
Wanhope ys
when a man holdys hym
selfe so wykkud that he maye
not be amendyd thynkynge
that his frelete & his febulnes
is so grette þat he may with
stande no temptacyon bott
euyr he demythe hyme-selffe
worthy to be dampned . And
therfore he suffurs the fende
to wurche & to folow alle þe
luste of hys flesche & als ofte
os is tempyde . hee cryes tem
<fol. 140vb>ptacyon bot euyr he demythe
hyme-selfe worthy to be damp
ned . he wylle not schryue hym
hys lyue nor repente hyme of
his synne wenynge that it ys
impossible a-3ens Ryghtwysnes
of god to gyffe hyme grace
& mercy to praye or to faste
there-fore or for to do anye
Almes dede alle thys he thyn
kes bot folye . Suche men ar~
often tymes tempyde to honge
or drownynge or to sle thaym
selffe . Off thys spekes seynte
jerome & says thus . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Judas he seyde
trespasyde more when he han
gud hyme-selffe then when
he be-trayde cryste . And the
skyll is thys . For & he had
not fallen in wanhope hee
schulde neuyr~ haue hangud
hyme-selfe . then when he be
trayde criste þen felle he in
wanhope . Nowe endles wan
hope it is þe moste syn þat is
for hit ys so grette a synne þt
os criste recordythe . <lat></lat>
þat hit schall neuyr be for
geuyn in þis world nor in non oþer .
Heuenes is when a man
hathe no lykynge to serue
god ryght . And if hee seye mo
ney bedys 3ett he hathe þer wt
no deuocyon . As seynte Jerom
seythe . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<fol. 141ra><lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . And there
fore seyse the prophet in thys
wysse . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
The synne of Enuy .
Envye is sorow þat os a
man is sorofull in hys
herte þat a-nother fares wele
or ellys þe gladdys that hee
fares ylle . There-fore is the
envyous man lyknede to A
hownde . For ryght os it gre
uys a hownde þat a man
gose by þe way þoffe þe man
do hyme no harme & ellys
he wolde not barke vppon
hyme . Ryght soo hitt grevose
a envyous man þat on oþer
gosse be-syde hyme thoffe
he þar gothe besyde hyme
to hyme no herme . And els
wolde the envyous man not
bakbyte hys neghburs nor
speke euyll of his euen-cri
sten . Ther is sume hownd
of this condicion þat hee
wille whiliste a man is pre
sente fawne hyme vppe &
denne with his tayle . And
a-non os a man turnys his
bakke þe same hownde wyll
byte hyme bye þe helle .
Ryght so an Envyous mann
in presence of hyme þat he
hate the wille speke fayre
<fol. 141rb>wt þe tonge . Bot alsone os þe
same man turnethe his bake
þen þe envyous man is redye
to bakbyte hyme & to speke
euyll of hyme in hys absence
And therfore itt is good to
fle the compenye of envyous
men as salamon cownselyth
in hys boke and seythe thus
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> .
Bot here may be askud a
question a demawnde how
that a man myght skape so
hysse lyffe þat no man hade
envye at hyme . And thys sa
me questyon askud plato of
hys mayster socrates as cler
kys rehersythe . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . And socra
tes sayde to hys dyscypuls
thes wordes . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . ¶ Owt of envye spryn
ges iiij . brawnches the wyche
bene tytylde here be name
Gladnes of a-nothyr mannes
myscheffe . heuynes of hys
booncheffe . Bakbytynge and
schewynge of discorde .
Gladnes of a mannes mys
cheffe is when he sees
hys brothyr losse hys goode
for go his frendes or falle in
sekenes or in angur or in da
wnger of lordeschype in pouerte
in sclawnder or in any othyr~
dysesse & is ther-of glade &
joyfull in hys herte of þat
<fol. 141va>man spekys salamon & seys þus
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . This
brawnche of Envye hathe a
condicion contrarius to chari
te . For hitt farethe be two men
þat luffyn to-gedyr & a-cordes
to-gedyr as it does by þe stryn
ges of an harpe þat acordyth
to-gedyr in tone for lette one
strunge of þe harpe be towch
yd and a-non a-nothyr stryng
þat is consonante a-cordynge
wt hyme in tewne wyll & be
menyd at þe towche of his
felowe . Ryght so hytt farythe
goostly for lette a good cristen
man be in bodelye sekenes
or in othyr myscheffe and a
non ther~ is a-nother cristen
man steryd ther~-by & hathe
there of rewthe & pece in his
herte . Thus ferde seynte
Paule when he seyde thes
wordes . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . And this
maner of perfecconn he taght oþer
men when he seyde thus .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> .
Heuenes is when a man
sees his brodyr encresse
in vertues in good name in get
tynge of good loue in wyn
nynge of worschype or in
any other goode happe of
fortune & he is heuy in hys
herte there-offe . And castys
a wyle for to hynder hym
<fol. 141vb>and to apayre hys name .
Off this maner of envye spekys
þis wyse man socrates . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . And seys thus . wolde
god þat envyous men hadde
thayre eyne to see & eyrys
to here in alle grette cytes
& townes that thayre her
tys myght be more dysesyde
& þe more full of care thoro
herynge & seynge of other
mennes welfare .