| ony sermonne.' But I said, Sir, lusty men and worldly louers delyte and couet, and trawell to haue all their witts quickened and sharpened with diuerse sensible solace: but all the feithfull louers and folowers of Christe haue all their delyte to heare Goddis worde, and to vnderstond it truely, and to worke therafter faithfully and continually. For no doute to dreade to offende God, and to loue to please ton songes, and some other pilgremis will haue with them bagge pipes; so that euery towne they come throwe, what with the noyse of their synging, and with the sounde of their piping, and with the jangelyng of their Canterbury bellis, and with the barkyng out of doggis after them, that they make more noise than if the kyng came there awaye with all his clarions, and many other menstrelles. And if these men and women be a moneth in their pilgri-him in all thing, quyckeneth and sharpeneth mage, many of them shall be an half year after great jangelers, tale-tellers and lyers. 6 all the wittes of Christes chosen people and ableth them so to grace, that they joye greatly to withdrawe their eares, and all their wittes and membres frome all worldly delyte, and from all fleschly solace; for seynt Jerome (as I thinke) saith, No body may joye with this worlde, and reigne with Christe.' And the abp. (as yf he had been displeased with myne answere) said to his clerkes, What gesse ye this ydiote will speake there, wher he bath none dreade, syns he speaketh thus nowe here in my presence? Well, well, by God thou shalt be ordened for.' And than he spake to me all angerly. And the Archebishop said to me, 'Leude losell, thou seest not ferre ynough in this mater, for thou considerest not the great trauell of pilgremys, therfore thou blamest that thing that is praisable. I say to the that it is right well done, that pilgremys haue with them both syngers, and also pipers, that whan one of them that goeth barfote striketh his too upon a stone and hurteth hym sore, and maketh hym to blede; it is well done that he or his felow begyn than a songe, or else take out of his bosome a bagge-pype for to driue away with soche myrthe the hurte of his felow. For What saist thou to this Forthe Pointe, that with soche solace the trauell and werinesse off is certified against the, preching openly and pyleremes is lightely and merily broughte boldely in Shrewisbury, that priestes haue no forthe.' And I said, Sir, seynte Paule teach-title to tythes?' And I said, 'Sir, I named ther eth men to wepe with them that wepe.' And no worde of tithes in my preaching. But, the abp. said,What janglist thou ageinst more than a moneth after that I was arreasted mennis deuocion? what soeuer thov or soch there in prysone, a man came to me in to the other say, I say that the pilgrimage that now is pryson askynge me what I sayde of tythes. used, is to then that doo it a praysable and a And I saide to him, Sir, in this towne are many good meane to come the rather to grace. But clerkes and priestes, of which some are called I holde the unable to know this grace; for religious men, though many of them be secuthou enforsest the to lett the deuocion of the lers, therefore aske ye of them this question. people: syns by authoritie of holy scripture And this man saide to me, sir, our prelates say, men maye lefully have and use soche solace as that we ar also obliged to pay our tythes of all thou reprouest. For Dauid in his laste thinges that renewe to us; and that they ar psalme teacheth me to haue diuerse instru- acursed, that withdrawe ony part wittingly fro mentes of music for to praise therwith God.' them of their tythes. And I said, sir, to that And I saide, Sir, by the sentence of diuerse man, as with my protestacyon I say now here doctours expounding the psalmes of Dauid, before you, that I hadde wonder that ony the musike and menstrelcy that Dauid and prieste dare say, men to be acursed without other seyntes of the olde lawe spake of, owe grounde of Goddis worde. And the man said, now nother to be taken nor used by the letter, sir, our priestes say that they curse men thus but thes instruments with their musike ought by authoritie of Goddes law. to be interpreted gostely for all those figures sir, I know not wher this sentence of cursing is are called vertues and graces, with which ver- authorited now in the Bible. And therfore, tues men sholde please God and praise his syr, I pray you that ye will aske the moste name. For saynt Paul saith, All soch thynges conning clerke of this Towne, that ye may befell to them in figure. Therefore sir, I un- knowe where this sentence cursyng them that derstaund that the letter of this psalme of Da- tythe not now is written in Goddes lawe: for uid, and of soche other psalmes and sentences, yf it were written there, I wolde right gladly be dothe slee them that take them now letterally, learned where. But shortely this man wolde This sentence I understond syr, Christ ap- not go from me, to aske this question of anoproueth himself, putting out the menstrelles, or ther body; but required me there, as I wolde that he wolde quycken the deade damsell. answere before God, if in this case the cursing And the abp, said to me, Leude losell is it of priestes wer lauful and approued of God. not lefull to us to haue organes in the chirche And shortely herewith came to my mynde the for to worship therwitball God?' And I said, learnyng of seynt Peter, teaching priestes espeYe, syr, by mannis ordynaunce, but by the or- cially to halow the Lord Christ in their hartes: dinaunce of God, a goode sermonne to the beinge euermore redye (as ferre as in them is) peoples understondyng were mekill more ple to answere thorowe faith and hope to them saunt to God.' And the abp. sayde, that that aske of them a reason. And this lesson organes and good delectable songe quykened Peter teacheth men to use with a meke spyrit, and sharpened more mennys witts than sholde and with dreade of the Lord. Wherefore, syr, And I sayde, I said to this man in this wise: In the old lawe which endyd not fully till the tyme that Christe rose up ageyn fro dethe to lyfe, God commaunded tythes to be gunen to the Leuites, for the great besynesse dayly trauell that pertayned to their office. But priestes, because | their trauell was mekyll more easy and light, than was the office of the Leuites, God ordeyned that priestes should take for their lifelode to do their office, the tenth part of tho tythes that wer giuen to the Leuites. But naw (I said) in the newe lawe nother Christe, nor ony of his apostles tooke tythes of the people nor commaunded the people to pay tythes nother to priestes, nor to deacons. But Christe taught the people to do almesse, that is werkes of mercy, to poor nedy men, of surpluse, that is superfluouse of their temporal goodes, which they hadde more than them nedid reasonably to their necessary lyuelode. And thus (I said) not of tythes, but of pure almesse of the people Christe lyued and his apostles, whan they were so besye in teachynge off the worde of God to the people, that they might not trauell other wyse for to gett their yuelode. But after Christes ascension, and whan the apostles had receyued the Holy Goste, they traucled with their handes for to get their lyuelode, whan that they myght thus doo for besye preachynge. Therefore by example of hymselfe Seynt Paule teacheth all the priestes of Christe for to trauell with theire hande, whan for besye teaching of the people they myght thus do. And thus all these priests whose priestehode God accepteth nowe, or will accepte or dyd in the apostles tyme, and after their decease, will do to the worldes ende. But (as Cisterciensis telleth) in the thousande year of oure Lorde Jesu Christe, two hundreth and a leucnth yere, one pope the tenth Gregory ordened tythes first to be gyuen to priestes now in the newe lawe. But Seynt Paule in his tyme, whose trace or example all priestes of God enforce them to folow, seyng the coueotusnesse that was among the people, desyrynge to destroye this foule synne thorow the grace of God and the true vertuouse lyuynge an example of himselfe, wrotte and taught all priestes for to folowe him as he folowed Christe paciently, willingly, and gladly in hys Pouerte. Wherefore Paule saithe thus, the Lorde hath ordened that they that preache the Gospell shall lyue of the Gospell. But we (saith Paul) that Couet and besy us to be feithfull folowers of Christ, vse not this power. For lo (as Paul witnesseth afterwarde) whan he was full pore and nedy preaching among the people, he was not chargeous vnto them, but with his bandes he traueled not only to get his owne lyuynge, but also the lyuyng of other poore and nedy creatures. And syns the people was never so couetouse nor so auarose (I gesse) as thei are now, it were good counsell, that all priestes take good hede to this heuenly learnyng of Paul, folowing him here, in wilfull pouerte, nothing charging the people for their bodely lyuelode. But because that new many priestes do contrary to Paule, in this forsayde doctrine: Paul biddeth the people take hede to those preystes that folow him as he had geuen them example. As if Paul wolde say thus to the people, Accept ye none other priestes than_thei that lyue after this fourme that I haue tauchte you. For certeyn in whatsoeuer dignitie or ordre that ony prieste is in, yf he conforme him to folowe Christe and his apostles in wilful pouerte, and in other heuenly vertues, and specially in true preachynge of Goddes worde; though soche a one be named a prieste, yet he is no more but a prieste in name, for the worke of a very prieste soch a one wanteth. This sentence approueth Augustine, Gregory, Chrysostome, and Lincoln, plainly. And the Archebishop said to me, 'Thinkest thou this holsome learninge for to sowe openly or yet priuely among the people? Certeyn this doctryne contrarieth playnly the ordinaunce of holy Fathers, which haue ordened, graunted and licensed priestes to be in diuerse degrcs, and to lyue by tythes and offringes of the people, and by other deuties. And I said, Syr, if priestes were now in mesurable mesure and nombre, and lyued vertuously, and taucht besyly and truely the word of God by example of Christ, and of his apostles, withouten tythes, offerynges, and other dewties that now chalenge and take, the people wolde gyue them freely sufficient lyuelode. And a Člerke said to me, 'How wilt thou make this good that the people will gyue frely to priestes their lyuelode, syns that now by the lawe euery prieste can scarcely constrayne the people to gyue them their lyuelode ?'—And I said, Sir, it is now no wonder, though the people grudge to gyue priestes the lyuelode that they aske; for mekill people knowe now how that priestes shulde lyue, and how that they lyue contrary to Christe and to his apostles: and therefore the people is full heay to paye (as they do) their temporall goodes to persones, and to other vicares and priestes, which sholde be feithfull dispensatours of the pareshes goodes, taking to themselves no more but a scarce lyuing of tythes nor of offrynges by the ordinaunce of the comon lawe. For whatsoeuer priestes take of the people, be it tythe or of fering, or any other deutie or seruyce, the priestes ought not to haue thereof no more but a bare lyuing, and to parte the residew to the poore men and women specially of the parishe, of whom they take this temporal lyuynge. But the most dele of priestes nowe wasteth their pareshes goodes, and spendeth them at their owne will after the worlde in their veyne lustes, so that in few places poore men haue dewly (as they sholde haue) their owne sustenaunce, nother of tythes nor of offerynges, nor of other large wages and foundations that priestes take of the people in diuerse maners aboue it, that they nede for nedeful sustenaunce of meat and clothinge. But the poore nedy people ar forsaken, and left of priestis to be susteinyd of the paroshenis as if the priestis toke nothing of the paroshenis, for to help the poor people with. And thus, syr, into ouer great chargis of the paroshenis they pay their temporal goods twice, wher ones myght suffice, if priestis wer trew dispensatours. Also sir, the paroshenis that pay ther temporal goodes (be they tythes or offeringes) to priestis that doo not their office among them justely, are parteners of euery synne of those priestis; because that they susteyne those priestis soly in their synne with their temporall goods. Yf these things be well considerid, what wonder is it than, syr, if the paroshenis grudge ageinst thes dispensatours? Than the Archebishop said to me, Thou that shouldest be judged and reulyd by holy chirche, presumptuously thou demest holy chirche to haue erryd in the ordinaunce of tythes and other dewties to be payd to pristis. It shall be long or thou thryue losell, that thou despicest thy gostely mother, how darist thou speake this losell among the people? Ar not tythes geuyn to pristis for to lyue by ?'—And I said, Sir, Seynt Paul saith that tythes wer gyuen in the old lawe to Leuites and to the priestis, that came of the lynage of Leui; but our priest he saith came not of the lynage of Leui, but of the lynage of Juda; to which Juda no tythes were promised to be geuyn. And therfore Paul saith, syns the priesthode is chaunged from the generacion of Leui to the generacion of Juda, it is necessary that chaungyng also be made of the lawe. So that priestis lyue now without tythes and other dewties that they now claime, folowinge Christe and his apostles in wilfull pouertie, as they haue geuyn them example. For syns Christe lyued all the tyme of his preaching by pure almes of the people, and by example of hym his apostles lyued all the same wyse, or els by the trauell of their handis, as it is said aboue, euery prieste whose priesthode Christe approuyth knowith well, and confessith in worde and in werke, that a disciple owith not to be aboue his master; but it sufficeth to a disciple to be as his master, symple and pure, meke and patient; and by example specially of his master Christe, euery priest should reule hym in all his lyuynge, and so after his connyng and power a prieste sholde besy him to enfourine, and to reule whome soeuer he myght charitably. And the Archebishop said to me with a great spyrite, Goddis curse haue thou and myne for this teaching; for thou woldist hereby make the olde law more fre and perfect than the new lawe. For thou saist that it is lefull to Levites and to priestis to take tythes in the old lawe, and so to enjoye their privilegies; but to us priestis in the new lawe thou saist it is not lefull to take tythes: and thus thou geuiest Leuites of the olde lawe more fredome than to priestis of the new lawe.' And I said, Sir, I mervell that ye vnderstonde this playne text of Paul thus. Ye wote well, that the Leuites and priests in the olde lawe that tooke tythes, wer not so fre nor so perfite as Christe and his apostles that tooke no tythes. And sir, there is a doctour (I thinke that it is Seynt Jerome) that saith thus, The priestis that chalenge now in the new lawe tythes, say in effecte, that Christe is not becomen man, nor that he hath yet suffered dethe for mannis loue. Wherfore this doctour saith thys sentence, Syns tythes were the hyres and wagis limyted to Leuites and to priestes of the olde lawe for bearing about of the tabernacle, and for sleayng and fleayng of beastis, and for burning of sacrifice, and for keeping of the temple, and for tromping of battell before the oste of Israel, and other diuerse obseruauncis that perteinyd to their office; those priestis that will chalenge or take tythes, denye that Christe is comen in fleshe, and doo the priestis office of the old lawe for whome tythes were graunted; for els (as this doctour saith) priestis take now tythes wrongfully. And the Archebishop said to his clerkes, Herde ye euer losell speake thus? Certeyn this is the learnyng of them all, that wher so ever they come, and they may be suffered, they enforce them to expunge the freedome of Holy Chirche.' And I said, Sir, why call you the takyng of Tythes, and of soche other dewties that priestes chalenge now wrongfully, the fredome of Holy Chirche ? syns nother Christe nor his apostles chalengid nor tooke soche dewties. Herefore thes takyngis of priestis now ar not callyd justely the fredome of Holy Chirche; but all soche geuyng and takyng ought to be called and holden the sclaunderous couetousnesse of men of the Holy Chirche.-And the Archebishop said to me, Why losell wilt not thou and other that ar confedered with the, seake out of Holy Scripture, and of the sentence of doctours, all sharp authorities ageinst lordis, and knyghtis, and squyeris, and ageinst other secnler men, at thou doeste ageinst priestes?' And I said, Sir, what so euer men or women, lordis or ladies, or ony other that ar present in our preaching specially, or in our communyng, after our connyng we tell out to them their office and their charges, but syr, syns Chrisostome saith, that priestis ar the stomake of the people, it is needfull in preaching and also in communyng, to be most besy about this priesthode, syns by the viciousnes of priestis both lordis and commons ar moste synfully infected and ledde into the worste: And because that the couetousness of priestis, and pride and the boste that they haue and make of their dignity and power, destroieth not only the vertues of priesthode in priestis themselfe, but also ouer this, it stiereth God to take greate vengeaunce both upon lordis and comons, which suffer thes priestes charitably. 'Thou And the Archebishop said to me, judgest euery prieste proude that will not go arayed as thou doste. By God I deme hym to be more meke that goeth euery day in a scarlet gowne, than thou in that threde bard blew gowne. Whereby knowest thou a proude mam-And I said, Sir, a proude prieste may be knowen when he denyeth to folowe Christe and his apostles in wilfull pouerte and other owght to sweare only by God, takyng him onely that is sothefastenesse, for to witnesse the sothefastenesse. And than a Clerke asked me yf it wer not le full to a subjecte at the bidding of his prelate for to knele down and touche the holy gospell booke and kysse it, saying, So heple me God and his holy Dome;' for he sholde after his connyng and power do all thyng that his prelate commaundeth hym. And I said to them, 'Sirs, ye speke here full generally or largely: What if a prelate commaunded his subjecte to doo an unlawfull thyng, should he obey thereto? A sub vertues, and couetith worldly worship, and taketh it gladly, and gatherith to gither with pletyng, manasyng, or with flattering, or with simony ony worldly goodes: and moste if a prieste besy hym not chefely in himself, and after in all other men and women, after his connyng and power to withstond synne.-And the Archebishop said to me, 'Though thou knewest a prieste to haue all thes vices, and though sawest a prieste louely lye now by a woman, knowing hir fleschly; woldest thou herfore deme this prieste dampnable? I say to the, that in the tournyng about of thy hande soche a synner may be verily repented.'-And I said, Sir, I will not dampne any man for any synne that I knowe done or may be done, so that the synner leueth his synne. But by au thoritie of holy Scripture, he that synneth thus openly as ye shew here, is dampnable for doying of soche a synne, and most especially a prieste that sholde be example to all other for to hate and flie synne; and in how short tyme that euer ye say that soche a synner may be repented, he oweth not of hym that knoweth not his synnyng to be judged verily repentaunt, without open euidence of greate shame and harty sorow for his synne. For whosoeuer, and specially a prieste that vseth pride, enuy, couetousnes, lechery, simony, or ony other vices; and shewith not as opyn euidence of repentaunce as he hath gyuen euyll example and occasion of synning, if he contynew in ony soche synne as long as he may, it is likely that synne leaueth hym, and he not synne; and as I vnderstonde, soche a one synneth unto dethe, for whome no body oweth to pray, as Seynt John saith. And a Clerke said than to the Archebishop, Sir, the lenger that ye appose him, the worse he is; and the more that ye besy you to amende him, the waiwarder he is: for he is of so shrewde a kynde, that he shamyth not onely to be hymself a foule neste, but without shame he besieth him to make his neste fouler.' And the Archebishop said to his clerke, 'Suffered, is obliged there by booke othe than to fulfill a while, for I am at an ende with him: for there is one other poynte certified ageynst hym, and I will heare what he saith thereto.' And so than he said to me, Lo it is here certified ageinst the, that thou preachidst openly at Shrewisbury, that it is not lefull to sweare in ony case.--And I said, Sir, I preached neuer so openly, nor I haue not tauchte in this wise in ony place. But sir, as I preachid in Shrewisbury with my protestacion I say to you now here; that by the authoritie of the Gospel and of Seynt James, and by witnesse of diuerse Seyntis and doctours, I haue preachid openly in one place or other, that it is not lefull in ony case to sweare by ony creature. And ouer this, sir, I haue also preachid and tauchte by the forsaid authorities, that no body sholde sweare in ony case; if that without othe in ony wyse he that is charged to sweare myght excuse hym to them that haue power to compell hym to sweare in lefull thyng and laufull. But if a man may not excuse hym without othe to them that haue power to compell hym to sweare, than he And the Archebishop said to me, jecte ought not to suppose that this prelate will bidde him doo an unlaufull thing; for a subject' ought to thinke, that his prelate will bidde hym doo nothing but that he will answere for before God that it is lefull; and than though the bidding of the prelate be unleful, the subject hath no parell to fulfill it, syns that he thinketh and judgeth that what so euer thing his prelate biddeth him doo, that it is lefull to hym for to doo it.' And I said, Sir, I truste not hereto. But to our firste purpose, Sir, I tell you that I was onys in a gentill mannis house, and there war than two Clerkes there, a master of diuinite, and a man of lawe, which man of lawe was also communing in diuinite; and among other thinges thes men spake of othes, and the man of lawe said, At the bidding of his souereign which hadde power to charge bym to sweare, he wold lay his hand upon a booke, and heare his charge: and if his charge to his understondinge were unlefull he wolde hastely withdrawe his hande from the booke: and if he perceived his charge to be lefull, he wolde holde still his hande upon the booke, takyng there only God to witnesse, that he wolde fulfill that lefull charge after his power. And the master of diuinitie said than to hym thus, Certeyn he that leyeth his hande upon a booke in this wyse, and makyth there a promesse to doo that thing that he is commaund his charge. For no doute he that chargeth hym to lay his hande thus upon a booke towching the booke and swearing by it, and kyssing it, promisying in this fourme to doo this thyng or that, will say and witnesse that he that towcheth thus a booke and kysseth it, hath sworne upon that booke: and all other men that see that man thus doo, and also all tho that heare hereof in the same wyse, will saye and witnesse, that thys man hath sworne upon a boke: wherfore the master of diuinite sayde, it was not lefull nother to gyue nor to take ony soche charge upon a boke, for euery boke is nothing els but diuerse creatures of whiche it is made of. Therefore to sweare upon a boke, is to sweare by creatures, and this swearinge is euer unlefull. This sentence witnesseth Chrisostome, plainly blaming them greatly that bring forthe a boke for to sweare upon, charginge Clerkes that in no wise they constrayne ony body to sweare, whether they think a man to sweare true or false. And the Archebishop and his Clerkes scorned me, and blamyd me greatly for this salyng. And the Archebishop manassed me with great punishement and sharpe, except I lefte this opinion of swearinge. And I saide, Sir, this is not myne opinion, but it is the opinion of Christe our Sauyour, and of Seynt Jamis and of Chrisostome, and other diuerse Seyntes and doctours. boke, and to sweare by a boke? And the Archebishop said, There is no master of diuinitie in Englond so great, that yf he hold this opinion before me, but I shall punishe him as I shall do the, except thou sweare as I shall charge the.' And I said, Sir, is not Chrisostome an ententyfe doctour? And the Archebishop said Ye.' And I sayde, Yf Chrisostome proueth bym woorthy great blame that bryngeth forthe a boke to swere npou, it muste nedes folowe that he is more to blame that sweareth on that boke. And the Archebishop said, Yf Chrysostome ment accordingly to the ordinaunce of holy chirche, we will accepte him.' And than said a Clerke to me, 'Ys not the worde of God and God himself equipollent, that is, of one authorite?' And I saide, Ye. Than he said to me, Why wilt thou not swere than by the gospell of God, that is Gods worde, syns it is all one to sweare by the worde of God, and by God himselfe?'' And I said, Sir, syns I may not nowe otherwyse be beleued but by swearynge, I perceyue (as Augustine saithe) that it is not spedefull that ye that shold be my brothern sholde not beleue me: therefore I am redy by the worde of God, (as the Lorde commaunded me by his worde) to sweare.-Than the Clerke said to me, 'Laye than thyne hande upon the boke, touching the Holy Gospell of God, and take thy charge.' And I said, Sir, I vnderstonde that the holy gospell of God may not be touched with mannes hande. And the Clerke saide, I fonded, and that I sayde not trewthe. And I asked this Clerke, whether it wer more to reade the gospell, or to touche the gospell. And he said, it was more to reade the gospell. Than the Archebishop badde a Clercke rede the Homely of Chrisostome, which homely thys clerke helde in his hande written in a Roll, which rolle the archebishope caused to be taken fro my felow at Canterbury; and so than this clerke redde this Roll till he came to a clause, wher Chrisostome saithe, that it is synne to sweare well. And than a clerke (Malueren, as I gesse) said to the Archebishop, Sir, I pray you wete of him, how that he vnderstondeth Chrisostome here, saing it to be synne to swere well.'-And so the Archebishop asked me how I vnderstode here Chrisostome. And certeyne I was somewhat afraide to answere hereto, for I had not besyed me to study about the sense thereof; but lyfting up my mynde to God, I prayed him of grace. And as faste as I thought how Christe said to bis Apostles, Whan for my name ye shall be 'brought before Judges, I shall gyue into your mouth wisdome, that your aduersearyes shall not ageynst saye; and trusting feithfully in the worde of Gode, I said, Sir, I know well that many men and women haue now swearing so in custome, that thei know not nor will not knowe that they do euell for to sweare as they do; but they thinke and say that they do well for to sweare as they do, though they know well that they sweare vntruely. For they saye, they may by their swearing (though it be false) voide blame or temporall harme, which they sholde baue yf they sweare not thus. And, Sir, many Than I said, Sir, by authorite of Seynt Jemen and women maynteyne strongly that they rome, the gospell is not the gospell for reding sweare well, whan that thing is sothe that they of the letter; but for the beleue that men sweare for. Also full many men and women haue in the worde of God, that it is the gospell now say, that it is well done to swear by crea- that we beleue, and not the letter that we tures, whan they may not (as they saye) other- rede: for because the letter that is touched wise be beleued. And also full many inen and with mannes hande is not the gospell, but the women now say, that it is well done to sweare sentence that is verely beleued in mannis hart by God, and by our Ladye, and by other is the gospell. For so Seynt Jerome saith, the seyntes, for to haue them in mynde. But syns gospell that is the vertue of Goddes worde is all these saiynges are but excusations and synne, not the leauys of the boke, but it is in the root me thinketh, sir, that this sentence of Chrisos- of reason. Nother the gospell (he saith) is in tome may be alleged welle ageinste all soch the writing aboue of the letters; but the gosswerers, witnessing that all thes synne greuous-pell is in the marking of the sentence of scriply, though they thinke themself for to swear in this forsaid wyse well. For it is euyll done and great synne for to sweare trewthe, whan in ony manner a man may excuse him without othe. And the Archebishop said, that Chrisostome might thus vnderstonde. And than a Clerke said to me, Wilt thou tarye my lorde no lenger, but submit the here mekely to the ordinaunce of holy chirche, and laye thyne hande upon a booke touching the holy gospell of God, promysinge not onely with thyne mouth, but also with thyne barte to stande to my lordes ordinaunce? And I said, Sir, haue I not told you here, how that I herde a master of diuinitie say that in soche a case it is all one to touche à VOL. I. tures. This sentence approueth Seynt Paule, saiynge thus, the kingdome of God is not in worde, but in vertue. And after Dauid saith, the voice of the Lorde, that is his worde, is in vertue. And after Dauid saith, thorow the worde of God, the Heauens were fourmed, and in the spirite of his mouth is all the vertue of them. And I pray you, syr, understonde ye well how Dauid saith, that in the spirite of the mouthe of the Lorde is all the vertue of angells and of men? And the Clerke said to me, 'Thou woldest make us to fonde with thee: saye we not that the gospellis are written in the masse-boke?" And I sayde, Syr, though men use to saye thus, P |