Part 24 (1/2)

=WILLIAM TO EXPLAIN CHRYSOSTOM'S _HOMILY_.=

+William.+ And, certain, I was somewhat afraid to answer hereto; for I had not busied me to study about the sense hereof: but lifting up my mind to G.o.d, I prayed Him, of grace. And, as fast, as I thought how CHRIST said to his apostles, _When, for my name, ye shall be brought before judges, I will give into your mouth, wisdom, that your adversaries shall not against say_ [gainsay]; and trusting faithfully in the Word of G.o.d, I said, ”Sir, I know well, that many men and women have now swearing so in custom, that they know not, nor will not know that they do evil for to swear as they do: but they think and say, that they do well for to swear as they do; though they know well that they swear untruly. For they say, 'They may by their swearing, though it be false, [a]void blame or temporal harm; which they should have, if they swore not thus.'

”And, Sir, many men and women maintain strongly that they swear well, when that thing is sooth that they swear for.

”Also full many men and women say now that 'It is well done to swear by creatures, when they may not (as they say) otherwise be believed.'

”And also full many men and women now say that 'It is well done to swear by G.o.d and by our Lady, and by other Saints; for to have them in mind!'

”But since all these sayings are but excusations [_excuses_] and sin, methinketh, Sir, that this sentence of CHRYSOSTOM may be alleged well against all such swearers: witnessing that these sin grievously; though they think themselves for to swear in this foresaid wise, well. For it is evil done and great sin for to swear truth, when, in any manner, a man may excuse him without oath.”

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said that ”CHRYSOSTOM might be thus understood.”

+A Clerk.+ And then a Clerk said to me, ”Wilt thou tarry my Lord no longer! but submit thee here meekly to the ordinance of Holy Church; and lay thine hand upon a book, touching the Holy Gospel of G.o.d, promising, not only with thy mouth but also with thine heart, to stand to my Lord's ordinance?”

+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, have I not told you here, how that I heard a Master of Divinity say that, in such a case, it is all one to touch a book, and to swear by a book?”

=ARCHBP.'S VIEWS ENFORCED BY FORCE.=

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, ”There is no Master of Divinity in England so great, that if he hold this opinion before me, but I shall punish him as I shall do thee, except thou swear as I shall charge thee!”

=SPECIMEN OF THE ARGUMENTS OF SCHOOLMEN.=

+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, is not CHRYSOSTOM an ententif Doctor?”

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, ”Yea!”

+William.+ And I said, ”If CHRYSOSTOM proveth him worthy great blame that bringeth forth a book to swear upon, it must needs follow that he is more to blame that sweareth on that book!”

+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, ”If CHRYSOSTOM meant according to the ordinance of Holy Church, we will accept him!”

+A Clerk.+ And then said a Clerk to me, ”Is not the Word of G.o.d, and G.o.d Himself _equipollent_, that is, of one authority?”

+William.+ And I said, ”Yea!”

+A Clerk.+ Then he said to me, ”Why wilt thou not swear, then, by the Gospel of G.o.d, that is, G.o.d's Word; since it is all one to swear by the Word of G.o.d and by G.o.d Himself?”

+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, since I may not, now, otherwise be believed but by swearing, I perceive, as AUGUSTINE saith, that it is not speedful that ye, that should be my brethren, should not believe me: therefore I am ready, by the Word of G.o.d (as the LORD commanded me by His Word), to swear.”

+A Clerk.+ Then the Clerk said to me, ”Lay, then, thine hand upon the book, touching the Holy Gospel of G.o.d; and take thy charge!”

+William.+ And I said, ”Sir, I understand that the Holy Gospel of G.o.d may not be touched with man's hands!”

+A Clerk.+ And the Clerk said I fonded [_fooled_], and that I said not truth.

+William.+ And I asked this Clerk, ”Whether it were more to read the Gospel, or to touch the Gospel?”

+A Clerk.+ And he said, ”It was more to read the Gospel!”

=GOSPEL HID IN THE LETTER OF SCRIPTURE.=