Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 22

+Archbishop.+ Then the Archbishop said to me, "Lewd losell! In the Old Law, before that CHRIST took mankind [_human nature_], was no likeness of any person of the Trinity neither shewed to man nor known of man; but now since CHRIST became man, it is lawful to have images to shew His manhood. Yea, though many men which are right great Clerks, and others also, hold it an error to paint the Trinity; I say, it is well done to make and to paint the Trinity in images. For it is a great moving of devotion to men, to have and to behold the Trinity and other images of Saints carved, cast, and painted. For beyond the sea, are the best painters that ever I saw. And, sirs! I tell you, this is their manner; and it is a good manner! When that an image-maker shall carve, cast in mould, or paint any images; he shall go to a priest, and shrive him as clean as if he should die, and take penance, and make some certain vow of fasting, or of praying, or of pilgrimages doing: praying the priest specially to pray for him, that he may have grace to make a fair and a devout image."

=GREAT BOLDNESS OF THE LOLLARD APOSTLE.=

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, I doubt not, if these painters that ye speak of, or any other painters understood truly the text of MOSES, of DAVID, of the Wise Man [_i.e._, _SOLOMON_], of BARUCH, and of other Saints and Doctors, these painters should be moved to shrive them to G.o.d, with full inward sorrow of heart; taking upon them to do right sharp penance for the sinful and vain craft of painting, carving, or casting that they had used; promising G.o.d faithfully never to do so after, [ac]knowledging openly before all men, their reprovable earning.

And also, sir, these priests, that shrive, as ye do say, painters, and enjoin them to do penance, and pray for their speed, promising to them help of their prayers for to be curious [_cunning_] in their sinful crafts, sin herein more grievously than the painters. For these priests do comfort and give them counsel to do that thing, which of great pain (yea, under the pain of G.o.d's curse!) they should utterly forbid them.

For, certes, Sir, if the wonderful working of G.o.d, and the holy living and teaching of CHRIST and of his Apostles and Prophets were made known to the people by holy living and true and busy teaching of priests; these things, Sir, were sufficient books and kalendars to know G.o.d by, and His Saints: without any images made with man's hand: but, certes, the vicious living of priests and their covetousness are [the] chief cause of this error and all other viciousness that reigneth among the people."

+Archbishop.+ Then the Archbishop said to me, "I hold thee a vicious priest, and a curst! and all them that are of thy sect! for all priests of Holy Church and all images that move men to devotion; thou and such others go about to destroy! Losell! were it a fair thing to come into a church, and see therein none image?"

=THERE IS NO MIRACLE IN AN IMAGE.=

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, they that come to the church, for to pray devoutly to the LORD G.o.d, may in their inward wits be the more fervent [when] that all their outward wits be closed from all outward seeing and hearing and from all distroublance and lettings [_hindrances_]. And since CHRIST blessed them that saw him not bodily, and have believed faithfully in him: it sufficeth then, to all men, through hearing and knowing of G.o.d's Word, and to do thereafter, for to believe in G.o.d, though they see never images made with man's hands, after any Person of the Trinity, or of any other Saint."

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to me with a fervent spirit, "I say to thee, losell! that it is right well done to make and to have an image of the Trinity! Yea, what sayest thou? Is it not a stirring thing to behold such an image?"

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, ye said, right now, that in the Old Law, ere Christ took mankind, no likeness of any Person of the Trinity was shewed to men; wherefore, Sir, ye said it was not then lawful to have images: but now ye say, since CHRIST is become man, it is lawful to make and to have an image of the Trinity, and also of other saints. But, sir, this thing would I learn of you! Since the Father of heaven, yea, and every Person of the Trinity was, without beginning, G.o.d Almighty, and many holy prophets, that were dedely [_deathly, i.e., liable to death_]

men, were martyrized violently in the Old Law, and also many men and women then died holy Confessors: why was it not _then_, as lawful and necessary as now, to have made an image of the Father of heaven, and to have made and had other images of martyrs, prophets, and holy confessors to have been kalendars to advise men and move them to devotion, as ye say that images now do?"

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, "The Synagogue of Jews had not authority to approve these things, as the Church of Christ hath now."

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, Saint GREGORY was a great man in the New Law, and of great dignity; and as the Common [? _Canon_] Law witnesseth, he commended greatly a Bishop, in that he forbade utterly the images made with man's hand, should be worshipped."

=IN WHAT IMAGE, MAY G.o.d BE SHEWED?=

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, "Ungracious losell! thou favourest no more the truth, than a hound! Since at the Rood[s] at the North Door [_of Saint Paul's Church_] at London, at our Lady at Walsingham, and many other divers places in England, are many great and preisable [_precious_] miracles done: should not the images of such holy saints and places, at [_on account of_] the reverence of G.o.d, and our Lady, and other saints, be more worshipped, than other places and images where no such miracles are done?"

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, there is no such virtue in any imagery, that any images should herefore be worshipped; wherefore I am certain that there is no miracle done of G.o.d in any place in earth, because that any images made with man's hand, should be worshipped. And herefore, Sir, as I preached openly at Shrewsbury and other places, I say now here before you: that n.o.body should trust that there were any virtue in imagery made with man's hand, and herefore n.o.body should vow to them, nor seek them, nor kneel to them, nor bow to them, nor pray to them, nor offer anything to them, nor kiss them, nor incense them. For, lo, the most worthy of such images, the Brazen Serpent, by MOSES made, at G.o.d's bidding! the good King HEZEKIAH destroyed worthily and thankfully; for because it was incensed. Therefore, Sir, if men take good heed to the writing and to the learning of Saint AUGUSTINE, of Saint GREGORY, and of Saint John CHRYSOSTOM, and of other Saints and Doctors, how they speak and write of miracles that shall be done now in the last end of the world; it is to dread that, for the unfaithfulness of men and women, the Fiend hath great power for to work many of the miracles that now are done in such places. For both men and women delight now, more for to hear and know miracles, than they do to know G.o.d's Word or to hear it effectuously. Wherefore, to the great confusion of all them that thus do, Christ saith, _The generation of adulterers requireth tokens, miracles, and wonders._ Nevertheless, as divers Saints say, now, when the faith of G.o.d is published in Christendom, the Word of G.o.d sufficeth to man's salvation, without such miracles; and thus also the Word of G.o.d sufficeth to all faithful men and women, without any such images.

"But, good Sir, since the Father of heaven, that is G.o.d in His G.o.dhead, is the most unknown thing that may be, and the most wonderful Spirit, having in it no shape or likeness of any members of any dedely [_deadly, i.e., liable to death_] creature: in what likeness, or what image, may G.o.d the Father be shewed or painted?"

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, "As Holy Church hath suffered, and yet suffereth the images of all the Trinity, and other images to be painted and shewed, sufficeth to them that are members of Holy Church.

But since thou art a rotten member cut away from Holy Church, thou favourest not the ordinance thereof! But since the day pa.s.seth, leave we this matter!"

=THE 3RD CHARGE OF THE SHREWSBURY MEN.=

+Archbishop.+ And then he said to me, "What sayest thou, to the third point that is certified against thee, preaching openly in Shrewsbury that _Pilgrimage is not lawful_? And, over this, thou saidest that _those men and women that go on pilgrimages to Canterbury, to Beverley, to Carlington, to Walsingham, and to any such other places, are accursed; and made foolish, spending their goods in waste_."

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, by this _Certification_, I am accused to you, that I should teach that _no pilgrimage is lawful_. But I never said thus. For I know that there be true pilgrimages, and lawful and full pleasant to G.o.d; and therefore, Sir, howsoever mine enemies have certified you of me, I told at Shrewsbury of two manner of pilgrimages."

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to me, "Whom callest thou true pilgrims?"

=EVERY GOOD THOUGHT IS A STEP HEAVENWARD.=

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, with my Protestation, I call them true pilgrims travelling towards the bliss of heaven, which (in the state, degree, or order that G.o.d calleth them) do busy them faithfully for to occupy all their wits bodily and ghostly, to know truly and keep faithfully the biddings of G.o.d, hating and fleeing all the seven deadly sins and every branch of them, ruling them virtuously, as it is said before, with all their wits, doing discreetly wilfully and gladly all the works of mercy, bodily and ghostly, after their cunning and power abling them to the gifts of the HOLY GHOST, disposing them to receive in their souls, and to hold therein the right blessings of CHRIST; busying them to know and to keep the seven princ.i.p.al virtues: and so then they shall obtain herethrough grace for to use thankfully to G.o.d all the conditions of charity; and then they shall be moved with the good Spirit of G.o.d for to examine oft and diligently their conscience, that neither wilfully nor wittingly they err in any Article of Belief, having continually (as frailty will suffer) all their business to dread and to flee the offence of G.o.d, and to love over all things and to seek ever to do His pleasant will.

"Of these pilgrims, I said, 'Whatsoever good thought that they any time think, what virtuous word that they speak, and what fruitful work that they work; every such thought, word, and work is a step numbered of G.o.d towards Him into heaven. These foresaid pilgrims of G.o.d delight sore, when they hear of saints or of virtuous men and women, how they forsook wilfully the prosperity of this life, how they withstood the suggestion of the Fiend, how they restrained their fleshly l.u.s.ts, how discreet they were in their penance doing, how patient they were in all their adversities, how prudent they were in counselling of men and women, moving them to hate all sin and to flee them and to shame ever greatly thereof, and to love all virtues and to draw to them, imagining how CHRIST and his followers (by example of him) suffered scorns and slanders, and how patiently they abode and took the wrongful menacing of tyrants, how homely they were and serviceable to poor men to relieve and comfort them bodily and ghostly after their power and cunning, and how devout they were in prayers, how fervent they were in heavenly desires, and how they absented them from spectacles of vain seeings and hearings, and how stable they were to let [_hinder_] and to destroy all vices, and how laborious and joyful they were to sow and plant virtues. These heavenly conditions and such others, have the pilgrims, or endeavour them for to have, whose pilgrimage G.o.d accepteth.'

=THE SINGING AND JANGLING OF PILGRIMS.=

"And again I said, 'As their works shew, the most part of men or women that go now on pilgrimages have not these foresaid conditions; nor loveth to busy them faithfully for to have. For (as I well know, since I have full oft a.s.sayed) examine, whosoever will, twenty of these pilgrims! and he shall not find three men or women that know surely a Commandment of G.o.d [_i.e., one of the Ten Commandments_], nor can say their _Pater noster_ and _Ave MARIA_! nor their _Credo_, readily in any manner of language. And as I have learned, and also know somewhat by experience of these same pilgrims, telling the cause why that many men and women go hither and thither now on pilgrimages, it is more for the health of their bodies, than of their souls! more for to have richesse and prosperity of this world, than for to be enriched with virtues in their souls! more to have here worldly and fleshly friendship, than for to have friendship of G.o.d and of His saints in heaven. For whatsoever thing a man or woman doth, the friendship of G.o.d, nor of any other Saint, cannot be had without keeping of G.o.d's commandments.'

"For with my Protestation, I say now, as I said at Shrewsbury, 'though they that have fleshly wills, travel for their bodies, and spend mickle money to seek and to visit the bones or images, as they say they do, of this saint and of that: such pilgrimage-going is neither praisable nor thankful to G.o.d, nor to any Saint of G.o.d; since, in effect, all such pilgrims despise G.o.d and all His commandments and Saints. For the commandments of G.o.d they will neither know nor keep, nor conform them to live virtuously by example of CHRIST and of his Saints.'

"Wherefore, Sir, I have preached and taught openly, and so I purpose all my lifetime to do, with G.o.d's help, saying that 'such fond people waste blamefully G.o.d's goods in their vain pilgrimages, spending their goods upon vicious hostelars [_innkeepers_], which are oft unclean women of their bodies; and at the least, those goods with the which, they should do works of mercy, after G.o.d's bidding, to poor needy men and women.'

"-- These poor men's goods and their livelihood, these runners about offer to rich priests! which have mickle more livelihood than they need: and thus those goods, they waste wilfully, and spend them unjustly, against G.o.d's bidding, upon strangers; with which they should help and relieve, after G.o.d's will, their poor needy neighbours at home. Yea, and over this folly, ofttimes divers men and women of these runners thus madly hither and thither into pilgrimage, borrow hereto other men's goods (yea, and sometimes they steal men's goods hereto), and they pay them never again.

"Also, Sir, I know well, that when divers men and women will go thus after their own wills, and finding out one pilgrimage, they will ordain with them before[hand] to have with them both men and women that can well sing wanton songs; and some other pilgrims will have with them bagpipes: so that every town that they come through, what with the noise of their singing, and with the sound of their piping, and with the jangling of their Canterbury bells, and with the barking out of dogs after them, they make more noise than if the King came there away, with all his clarions and many other minstrels. And if these men and women be a month out in their pilgrimage, many of them shall be, a half year after, great janglers, tale-tellers, and liars."

=THE ARCHBP.'S CURE FOR A TOEACHE.=

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to me, "Lewd losell! thou seest not far enough in this matter! for thou considerest not the great travail of pilgrims; therefore thou blamest that thing that is praisable! I say to thee, that it is right well done; that pilgrims have with them both singers and also pipers: that when one of them that goeth barefoot striketh his toe upon a stone and hurteth him sore and maketh him to bleed; it is well done, that he or his fellow, begin then a song or else take out of his bosom a bagpipe for to drive away with such mirth, the hurt of his fellow. For with such solace, the travail and weariness of pilgrims is lightly and merrily brought forth."

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, Saint PAUL teacheth men, _to weep with them that weep_."

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, "What janglest thou against men's devotion? Whatsoever thou or such other say, I say, that the pilgrimage that now is used, is to them that do it, a praisable and a good mean[s]

to come the rather to grace. But I hold thee unable to know this grace!

for thou enforcest thee to let [_hinder_] the devotion of the people, since by authority of Holy Scripture, men may lawfully have and use such solace as thou reprovest! For DAVID in his last _Psalm_, teacheth me to have divers instruments of music for to praise therewith G.o.d."

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, by the sentence [_opinions_] of divers Doctors expounding the _Psalms_ of DAVID, the music and minstrelsy that DAVID and other Saints of the Old Law spake of, owe [_ought_], now, neither to be taken nor used by the letter; but these instruments with their music ought to be interpreted ghostly [_spiritually_]: for all those figures are called Virtues and Grace, with which virtues men should please G.o.d and praise His name. For Saint PAUL saith, _All such things befell to them in figure._ Therefore, Sir, I understand that the letter of this _Psalm_ of DAVID and of such other _Psalms_ and sentences, doth slay them that taken them now literally. This sentence, I understand, Sir, CHRIST approveth himself, putting out the minstrels, ere that he would quicken the dead damsel."

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to me, "Lewd losell! is it not lawful for us to have organs in the church, for to worship therewithal G.o.d?"

+William.+ And I said, "Yea, Sir, by man's ordinance; but, by the ordinance of G.o.d, a good sermon to the people's understanding, were mickle more pleasant to G.o.d!"

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said that "organs and good delectable songs quickened and sharpened more men's wits, than should any sermon!"

+William.+ But I said, "Sir, l.u.s.ty men and worldly lovers delight and covet and travail to have all their wits quickened and sharpened with divers sensible solace: but all the faithful lovers and followers of CHRIST have all their delight to hear G.o.d's Word, and to understand it truly, and to work thereafter faithfully and continually. For, no doubt, to dread to offend G.o.d, and to love to please Him in all things, quickeneth and sharpeneth all the wits of CHRIST's chosen people, and ableth them so to grace, that they joy greatly to withdraw their ears, and all their wits and members from all worldly delight, and from all fleshly solace. For Saint JEROME, as I think, saith, _n.o.body may joy with this world, and reign with CHRIST._"

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop, as if he had been displeased with mine answer, said to his Clerks, "What guess ye this idiot will speak there, where he hath none dread; since he spaketh thus now, here in my presence? Well, well, by G.o.d! thou shalt be ordained for!"

=THE 4TH CHARGE OF THE SHREWSBURY MEN.=

And then he spake to me, all angerly, "What sayest thou to this fourth point that is certified against thee, preaching openly and boldly in Shrewsbury, _That priests have no t.i.tle to t.i.thes?_"

=CHRIST & HIS APOSTLES TOOK NO t.i.tHES.=

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, I named there no word of t.i.thes in my preaching. But, more than a month after [? _June_, 1407] that I was arrested, there in prison [_at Shrewsbury_], a man came to me into the prison, asking me 'What I said of t.i.thes?'

"And I said to him, 'Sir, in this town, are many Clerks and Priests; of which some of them are called Religious Men, though many of them be Seculars. Therefore, ask ye of them this question!'

"And this man said to me, 'Sir, our prelates say that we are also obliged to pay our t.i.thes of all things that renew to us; and that they are accursed that withdraw any part wittingly from them of their t.i.thes.'

"And I said, Sir, to that man, as with my Protestation, I say now here before you, that 'I had wonder[ed] that any priest dare say _men to be accursed_, without ground of G.o.d's Word.'