Part 23 (1/2)
”And the man said, 'Sir, our priests say that they curse men thus, by authority of G.o.d's Law.'
”And I said, 'Sir, I know not where this sentence of cursing is authorized now in the _Bible_. And therefore, Sir, I pray you that ye will ask the most cunning Clerk of this town, that ye may know where this sentence, ”cursing them that tythe not now,” is written in G.o.d's Law: for if it were written there, I would right gladly be learned [_informed_] where.'
”But, shortly, this man would not go from me, to ask this question of another body; but required me, there, as I would answer before G.o.d! if, in this case, the cursing of priests were lawful and approved of G.o.d?
”And, shortly, therewith came to my mind the learning of Saint PETER, teaching priests especially, _to hallow the LORD CHRIST in their hearts, being evermore ready, as far as in them is, to answer through faith and hope, to them that ask of them a reason_. And this lesson PETER teacheth me to use, with a meek spirit, and with dread of the LORD.
”Wherefore, Sir, I said to this man, in this wise, 'In the Old Law, which ended not fully till the time that CHRIST rose up again from death to life, G.o.d commanded t.i.thes to be given to the Levites for the great business and daily travail that pertained to their office: but Priests, because their travail was mickle more easy and light than was the office of the Levites, G.o.d ordained that Priests should take for their lifelode [_livelihood_] to do their office, the tenth part of those t.i.thes that were given to the Levites.
=APOSTLE PAUL WORKED WITH HIS HANDS.=
”'But now,' I said, 'in the New Law, neither CHRIST nor any of his Apostles took t.i.thes of the people, nor commanded the people to pay t.i.thes, neither to Priests nor to Deacons. But CHRIST taught the people to do almesse [_alms_], that is, works of mercy to poor needy men, of surplus that is superfluouse [_superfluity_] of their temporal goods which they had more than them needed reasonably to their necessary livelihood. And thus,' I said, 'not of t.i.thes, but of pure alms of the people CHRIST lived and his Apostles, when they were so busy in teaching of the Word of G.o.d to the people, that they might not travail otherwise for to get their livelihood. But after CHRIST's Ascension, and when the Apostles had received the HOLY GHOST, they travailed with their hands for to get their livelihood when that they might thus do for [_on account of_] busy preaching. Therefore, by example of himself, St. PAUL teacheth all the priests of CHRIST for to travail with their hands, when for busy teaching of the people, they might thus do. And thus all these priests (whose priesthood G.o.d accepteth now, or will accept; or did [accept] in the Apostles' time, and after their decease) will do, to the world's end.
”'But as _Cisterciensis_ telleth, in the thousand year of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, two hundred and eleventh year, one Pope, the tenth GREGORY, ordained new t.i.thes first to be given to priests now in the New Law. But Saint PAUL in his time (whose trace or example, all priests of G.o.d enforce them to follow), seeing the covetousness that was among the people (desiring to destroy this foul sin, through the grace of G.o.d, and true virtuous living and example of himself) wrote and taught all priests for _to follow him, as he followed CHRIST_, patiently, willingly, and gladly in high poverty. Wherefore PAUL saith this, _The LORD hath ordained, that they that preach the Gospel shall live by the Gospel. But we,_ saith PAUL, _that covet and busy us to be faithful followers of CHRIST, use not this power._ For, lo, as PAUL witnessed afterward, when he was full poor and needy, preaching among the people, he was not chargeous [_chargeable_] unto them, but with his hands he travailed, not only to get his own living, but also the living of other poor and needy creatures. And since the people were never so covetous nor so avarous [_avaricious_], I guess, as they are now; it were good counsel that all priests took good heed to this heavenly learning of PAUL: following him here, in wilful poverty, nothing charging the people for their bodily livelihood.
=PRIESTS SPEND THE PARISH OFFERINGS.=
”'But because that many priests do contrary PAUL in this foresaid doctrine, PAUL biddeth the people take heed to those priests, that follow him, as he had given them example: as if PAUL would say thus to the people, ”Accept ye none other priests, than they that live after the form that I have taught you!” For, certain, in whatsoever dignity or order that any priest is in, if he conform him not to follow CHRIST and his Apostles in wilful poverty and in other heavenly virtues, and specially in true preaching of G.o.d's Word; though such a one be named a Priest, yet he is no more but a Priest in name: for the work of a very Priest such a one wanteth! This sentence [_opinion_] approveth AUGUSTINE, GREGORY, CHRYSOSTOM, and [GROSSETeTE, _Bishop of_] LINCOLN plainly.'”
+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to me, ”Thinkest thou this wholesome learning for to sow openly, or yet privily among the people!
Certain, this doctrine contrarieth plainly the ordinance of Holy Fathers: which have ordained, granted, and licensed priests to be in divers degrees; and to live by t.i.thes and offerings of the people, and by other duties.”
+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, if priests were now in measurable measure and number; and lived virtuously, and taught busily and truly the Word by the example of CHRIST and of his Apostles, without t.i.thes offerings and other duties that priests now challenge and take: the people would give them freely sufficient livelihood.”
+A Clerk.+ And a Clerk said to me, ”How wilt thou make this good, that the people will give freely to priests their livelihood; since that now, by the law, every priest can scarcely constrain the people to give them their livelihood?”
=CHRIST LIVED WHOLLY UPON ALMS.=
+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, it is now no wonder, though the people grudge to give the priests the livelihood that they ask! for mickle people know, now, how that priests should live; and how that they live contrary to CHRIST and His Apostles. And therefore the people are full heavy to pay, as they do, their temporal goods to Parsons and to other Vicars and Priests; which should be faithful dispensators of the parish's goods, taking to themselves no more but a scarce living of t.i.thes nor of offerings by the Ordinance of the Common Law. For whatsoever priests take of the people, be it t.i.thes or offering, or any other duty or service, the priests ought not to have thereof no more but a bare living: and to depart [_give away_] the residue to the poor men and women, specially of the parish of whom they take this temporal living. But the most deal [_greater portion_] of priests now waste their parish's goods, and spendeth them at their own will, after the world in their vain l.u.s.ts: so that in few places poor men have duly, as they should have, their own sustenance, neither of t.i.thes nor of offerings, nor of other large wages and foundations that priests take of the people in divers manners, above that they need for needful sustenance of meat and clothing. But the poor needy people are forsaken and left of priests, to be sustained of the paroshenis [_paris.h.i.+oners_]; as if the priests took nothing of the paris.h.i.+oners, for to help the poor people with. And thus, Sir, into over great charges of the paris.h.i.+oners, they pay their temporal goods twice; where once might suffice, if priests were true dispensators.
”Also, Sir, the paris.h.i.+oners that pay their temporal goods, be they t.i.thes or offerings, to priests that do not their office among them justly, are partners of every sin of those priests: because that they sustain those priests' folly in their sin, with their temporal goods. If these things be well considered, what wonder is it then, Sir, if the paris.h.i.+oners grudge against these dispensators?”
+Archbishop.+ Then the Archbishop said to me, ”Thou that shouldest be judged and ruled by Holy Church, presumptuously, thou deemest Holy Church to have erred in the ordinance of t.i.thes and other duties to be paid to priests! It shall be long ere thou thrive, losell! that thou despisest thy ghostly Mother! How darest thou speak this, losell! among the people? Are not t.i.thes given to priests for to live by?”
+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, Saint PAUL saith that t.i.thes were given in the Old Law to Levites and to Priests, that came of the lineage of LEVI.
But _our priest_, he saith, _came not of the lineage of LEVI, but of the lineage of JUDAH; to which JUDAH, no t.i.thes were promised to be given_.
And therefore PAUL saith, _Since the priesthood is changed from the generation of LEVI to the generation of JUDAH, it is necessary that changing also be made of the Law_. So that priests live now without t.i.thes and other duties that they now claim; following CHRIST and his Apostles in wilful poverty, as they have given them example. For since CHRIST lived all the time of His preaching by pure [_the simple_] alms of the people, and (by example of him) his Apostles lived in the same wise, or else by the travail of their hands, as it is said above; every priest, whose priesthood CHRIST approveth, knoweth well, and confesseth in word and in work that _a disciple oweth_ [ought] _not to be above his Master, but it sufficeth to a disciple to be as his Master_, simple and pure, meek and patient: and by example specially of his Master CHRIST, every priest should rule him in all his living; and so, after his cunning and power, a priest should busy him to inform and to rule whomsoever he might charitably.”
+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to me, with a great spirit, ”G.o.d's curse have thou and thine for this teaching! for thou wouldest hereby make the Old Law more free and perfect than the New Law! For thou sayest it is lawful for Levites and to Priests to take t.i.thes in the Old Law, and so to enjoy their privileges; but to us priests in the New Law, thou sayest it is not lawful to take t.i.thes! And thus, thou givest the Levites of the Old Law more freedom, than to priests of the New Law!”
+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, I marvel, that ye understand this plain text of PAUL thus! Ye wot well, that the Levites and Priests in the Old Law, that took t.i.thes, were not so free nor so perfect as CHRIST and his Apostles that took no t.i.thes! And, Sir, there is a Doctor, I think that it is Saint JEROME, that saith thus, _The priests that challenge now in the New Law, t.i.thes, say, in effect that CHRIST is not become Man, nor that he hath yet suffered death for man's love._ Whereupon, this Doctor saith this sentence, _Since t.i.thes were the hires and wages limited to Levites and to Priests of the Old Law, for bearing about of the Tabernacle, and for slaying and flaying of beasts, and for burning of sacrifice, and for keeping of the Temple, and for trumping of battle before the host of Israel, and other divers observances that pertained to their office; those priests, that will challenge or take t.i.thes, deny that CHRIST is comen in flesh, and do the Priest's office of the Old Law, for whom t.i.thes were granted: for else_, as the Doctor saith, _priests take now t.i.thes wrongfully_.”
=”HEARD YE EVER LOSELL SPEAK THUS!”=
+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to his Clerks, ”Heard ye ever losell speak thus! Certain, this is the learning of them all, that wheresoever they come, and they may be suffered, they enforce them to expugn the freedom of Holy Church!”
+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, why call you the taking of t.i.thes and of such other duties that priests challenge now wrongfully 'the freedom of Holy Church'; since neither CHRIST nor his Apostles challenged nor took such duties? Herefore these takings of priests now, are not called justly 'the freedom of Holy Church': but all such giving and taking ought to be called and holden 'the slanderous covetousness of men of the Holy Church.'”
+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said to me, ”Why, losell! wilt not thou and others that are confedered [_confederated_] with thee, seek out of Holy Scripture and of the sentence of Doctors, all sharp authorities against Lords and Knights and Squires, and against other secular men, as thou dost against priests?”