1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    10 11 12 13    14    15 16 17 18 19 20    21 22 23 24    25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36    37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48    49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56    57 58 59    60    61    62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70    71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78    79 80 81 82 83    84    85 86    87    88 89 90 91 92    93                 94    95 96    97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104    105 106    107    108    109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119    120 121 122 123    124 125 126 127 128 129    130 131 132    133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142    143 144    145 146 147 148    149 150    151 152 153 154 155 156 157    158 159    160    161 162 163    164 165 166 167 168 169 170    171 172    173 174 175 176 177    178 179    180 181 182    183 184    185 186    187    188    189    190    191    192    193 194    195    196    197 198 199 200 201 202 203    204    205 206 207 208    209 210    211                            212 213 214 215 216 217    218    219    220    221    222 223    224    225    226 227    228    229 230 231    232 233    234    235 236 237 238 239    240 241 242 243 244    245 246    247 248 249 250 251 252 253    254    255 256 257 258    259 260    261    262    263 264 265 266    267 268    269    270 271    272    273 274 275    276    277    278    279 280    281 282 283 284    285 286    287    288 289    290 291 292 293    294 295    296 297 298 299    300    301 302    303    304    305 306 307 308    309    310 311    312    313    314 315    316 317 318 319 320 321 322    323 324 325 326 327    328 329    330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337    338    339    340    341    342    343 344    345 346 347    348    349 350 351 352 353 354    355    356    357    358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365    366    367    368    369 370    371    372 373    374    375 376 377    378    379 380    381 382    383    384    385 386    387    388    389 390 391    392

N         N                                                                 N                 N         N                 N N         N                 N                                         N         N                 N N             N N         N     N                                                         N N     N                                         N                                                 N         N N                 N             N                         N                                                                                                                                                                                         N                                                                                                                                                                             N                                     N         N                         N N                                                     N                     N                                                 N                                                     N             N                                                                 N     N                                                                                                 N                                                                                                             N N N

From Cap. XII [Literal and Allegorical Interpretation of Scripture] But it is to wite that Holy Scripture hath iiij. undirstondingis: literal, allegorik, moral, and anagogik. The literal undirstonding techith the thing don in deede, and literal undirstonding is ground and foundament of thre goostly undirstond- ingis, in so myche as Austyn, in his Pistle to Vincent, and othere doctouris seyn, oonly bi the literal undirstonding a man may argue agens an adversarie. Allegorik is a goostly undirstonding that techith what thing men owen for to bileeve of Crist either of Hooly Chirche. Moral is a goostly undirstonding that techith men what vertues thei owen to sue and what vices thei owen to flee. Anagogik is a goostly undirstonding that techith men what blisse thei schal have in hevene. And these foure undirstondingis moun be taken in this word Jerusalem; forwhi to the literal undirstonding it singnefieth an erthly citee, as Loundoun, either such another; to allegorie it singnefieth Hooly Chirche in erthe, that fightith agens synnes and fendis; to moral undirstondinge it singnefieth a Cristen soule; to anagogik it singnefieth Hooly Chirche regnynge in blisse either in hevene, and tho that ben therinne. And these thre goostly undirstondingis ben not autentik either of beleeve no but tho ben groundid opynly in the text of Holy Scripture, in oo place other other; either in opin resoun that may not be distroied; either whanne the Gospelris either other apostlis taken allegorie of the Eelde Testa- ment, and confeermyn it (as Poul in the Pistle to Galat. in iiij.o co. preveth) that Sara, the free wijf and principal of Abraham, with Isaac hir sone, singnefieth bi allegorie the Newe Testament and the sones of biheeste; and Agar, the hand mayde, with hir sone Ismael, signefieth bi allegorie the Elde Testament and fleschly men that schulen not be resseyved in to the eritage of God with the sones of biheeste, that holden the treuthe and freedom of Cristis Gospel with endeles charité. Also Holy Scripture hath many figuratif spechis, and as Austyn seith in the iij. book Of Cristen Teching, that autouris of Hooly Scripture usiden moo figuris - that is, mo fyguratif spechis - than gramariens moun gesse, that reden not tho figuris in Holy Scripture. It is to be war, in the bigynnyng, that we take not to the lettre a figuratif speche, for thanne, as Poul seith, the lettre sleeth but the spirit, that is, goostly undirstonding, qwykeneth; for whanne a thing which is seid figuratifly is taken so as if it be seid propirly, me undirstondith fleschly; and noon is clepid more covenably the deth of soule than whanne undirstonding, that passith beestis, is maad soget to the fleisch in suynge the lettre.    Whatever thing in Goddis word may not be referrid propirly to onesté of vertues neither to the treuthe of feith, it is figuratyf speche. Onestee of vertues perteyneth to love God and the neighebore; treuthe of feith perteyneth to knowe God and the neighebore. Hooly Scripture comaundith no thing no but charité, it blamith no thing no but coveitise; and in that manere it enfoormeth the vertues either goode condiscouns of men. Holy Scripture affermith no thing no but Cristen feith bi thingis passid, present, and to comynge, and alle these thingis perteynen to nursche charité, and make it strong, and to overcome and quenche coveitise. Also it is figuratijf speche, where the wordis maken allegorie, ether a derk lycnesse either parable. And it is figuratyf speche in i.o c.o of Jeremye: "To day I have ordeyned thee on folkis and rewmys, that thou draw up bi the roote, and distroie, and bylde, and plaunte." That is, that thou drawe out elde synnes, and distroie circumstaunces either causis of thoo, and bylde vertues, and plaunte goode werkis and customys. Alle thingis in Holy Scripture that seemyn to unwijse men to be ful of wickidnesse agens a man himself either agens his neighebore ben figuratyf spechis, and the prevytees, either goostly undirstondinges, schulden be sought out of us, to the feeding either keping of charité. Such a reule schal be kept in figuratif spechis, that so longe it be turned in mynde bi diligent consider- acioun, til the expownyng either undirstonding be brought to the rewme of charité; if eny speche of Scripture sounneth propirly charité, it owith not to be gessid a figuratif speche; and forbeedith wickidnesse, either comaundith profyt either good doynge, it is no figuratyf speche; if it seemith to comaunde cruelté, either wickidnesse, either to forbede prophit, either good doinge, it is a figuratijf speche. Crist seith: "If ye eten not the flesch of mannis Sone and drinke not His blood, ye schulen not have lijf in you." This speche semith to comaunde wickid- nesse either cruelté, therfore it is a figuratif speche, and comaundith men to comune with Cristis passioun, and to kepe in mynde sweetly and profitably, that Cristis flesch was woundid and crucified for us. Also whanne Hooly Scripture seith, "If thin enemy hungrith, feede thou hym, if he thurstith, geve thou drinke to hym," it comaundith benefice, either good doinge. Whanne it seith, "Thou schalt gadere togidere coolis on his heed," it seemith that wickidnesse of yvel wille is comaundid. This is seid bi figuratijf speche, that thou undirstonde that the coolys of fijer ben brennynge weylyngis, either moornyngis of penaunce, bi whiche the pride of hym is mad hool, which sorwith that he was enemy of a man that helpith and relevith his wrecchidnesse. Also the same word either the same thing in Scripture is taken sumtyme in good, and sumtyme in yvel, as a lyoun singnefieth sumtyme Crist and in another place it singnefieth the devyl. Also sour dough is set sumtyme in yvel, where Crist seith, "Be ye war of the sour dough of Farisees, which is ypocrisie"; sour dough is sett also in good, whanne Crist seith, "The rewme of hevenes is lyk sour dough," etc. And whanne not oo thing aloone but tweyne, either mo, ben feelid either undirstonden, bi the same wordis of Scripture, though that it is hid, that he undirstond that wroot it is no perel, if it may be prevyd bi othir placis of Hooly Scripture that ech of tho thingis acordith with treuthe. And in hap the autour of Scripture seith thilk sentense in the same qwordis which we wolen undirstonde; and certys the Spirit of God, that wroughte these thingis bi the autour of Scripture, bifore sigh withoute doute, that thilke sentense schulde come to the redere, either to the herere - yhe, the Holy Goost purveyde - that thilke sentence, for it is groundid on trewthe, schulde come to the redere, either to the herere, forwhi what myghte be purveyed of God largiliere and plentyvousliere in Goddis spechis than that the same wordis be undirstonden in manye maners, whiche maners, either wordis of God, that ben not of lesse autorité, maken to be preved. Austin in iij. book Of Cristen Teching seith al this and myche more, in the bigynnyng therof. Also he whos herte is ful of charité conprehendith, withouten any errour, the manyfoold abundaunce and largest teching of Goddis Scripturis, forwhi Poul seith, "The fulnesse of lawe is charité," and in another place, "The ende of lawe," that is, the perfeccioun (either filling) of the lawe, "is charité of clene herte, and of good conscience, and of feith not feyned"; and Jhesu Crist seith, "Thou schalt love thi Lord God of al thin herte, and of al thi soule, and of al thi mynde, and thi neighebore as thi-self, for in these twey comaundementis hangith al the lawe and prophetis."                                                            *     From Cap. XIII [Dangerous curricular changes at Oxford University]         Thes worldly foolis schulden wite that hooly lijf is a launterne to bringe a man to very kunnynge, as Crisostom seith, and the drede and love of God is the bigynning and perfeccioun of kunnyng and wijsdom; and whanne these fleschly apis and worldly moldewerpis han neither the bigynnyng of wijsdom, neither desyren it, what doon thei at Hooly Scripture, to schenschipe of hemself and of othere men? As longe as pride and coveitise of worldly goodis and onouris is rootid in her herte, thei maken omage to Sathanas, and offren to him bothe bodi and soule, and al her witt and fynding. Such foolis schulden thenke that wijsedom schal not entre into an yvel willid soule, neither schal dwelle in a body soget to synnes; and Jhesu Crist seith that the Fadir of hevene hijdith the prevytees of Hooly Scripture fro wijse men and prudent, that is wijse men and prudent to the world, and in her owne sight, and schewith tho to meke men; therfore worldly foolis, do ye first penaunce for youre synnes, and forsake pride and coveitise, and be ye meke, and drede ye God in alle thingis, and love Him over alle other thingis, and youre neigheboris as youre self; and thanne ye schulen profite in stodie of Hooly Writ. But alas, alas, alas! The moost abomynacoun that ever was herd among Cristen clerkis is now purposid in Yngelond, bi worldly clerkis and feyned religiouse, and in the cheef universitee of oure reume, as manye trewe men tellen with greet weylyng. This orrible and develis cursednesse is purposid of Cristis enemyes and traytouris of alle Cristen puple, that no man schal lerne dyvynité, neither Hooly Writ, no but he that hath doon his fourme in art, that is, that hath comensid in art, and hath ben regent tweyne yeer aftir. This wolde be ix. yeer either ten bifore that he lerne Hooly Writ aftir that he can comunly wel his gramer, though he have a good witt and traveile ful soore, and have good fynding ix. either x. yeer aftir his gramer. This semith uttirly the develis purpos, that fewe men either noon schulen lerne and kunne Goddis lawe. But God seith bi Amos, on thre greete trespasis of Damask and on the iiij., "I schal not con- verte him"; where Jerom seith, the firste synne is to thenke yvelis, the ij. synne is to consente to weyward thoughtis, the iij. synne is to fille in werk, the iiij. synne is to do not penaunce aftir the synne, and to plese himself in his synne. But Damask is interpretid drinkynge blood, either birling blood. Lord, whether Oxun- ford drinke blood and birlith blood, bi sleeinge of quyke men and bi doinge of sodomye, in leesinge a part of mannis blood, wherbi a chijld myte be fourmed, deme thei that knowen; and wher Oxunforde drinke blood of synne, and stirith othere men of the lond to do synne bi booldnesse off clerkis, deme thei justly that seen it at iye and knowen bi experiens. Loke now wher Oxunford is in thre orrible synnes and in the fourthe, on which God restith not til He punsche it. Sumtyme children and yunge men arsistris weren devout and clene as aungels in comparisoun of othere; now men seyn thei ben ful of pride and leccherie, with dispitouse oothis, needles and false, and dispising of Goddis heestis. Sumtyme cyvylians and canonistris weren devout and so bisy on her lernyng that they tooken ful litil reste of bed; now men seyn that thei ben ful of pride and nyce array, envye, and coveitise, with leccherie, glotonie, and ydilnesse. Sumtyme dyvynys weren ful hooly and devout, and dispisiden outtirly the world, and lyveden as aungels in meeknesse, clennesse, sovereyn chastité, and charité, and taughten treuly Goddis lawe in werk and word; now, men seyn, thei ben as deligat of hir mouth and wombe, and as coveitouse as othere worldly men, and flateren, and maaken leesingis in preching, to eschewe bodyly persecuscoun, and to gete benefices. The firste grete synne is generaly in the université, as men dreden and seen at iye; the ij. orrible synne is sodomye and strong mayntenaunce thereof, as it is knowen to many persones of the reume, and at the laste parlement. Alas, dyvynys, that schulden passe othere men in clennesse and hoolynesse, as aungels of hevene passen freel men in vertues, ben moost sclaundrid of this cursed synne agens kynde! The iij. orrible synne is symonie, and forswering in the semble hous, that schulde be an hous of rightfulnesse and hoolynesse, where yvelis schulde be redressid; this symonie with portenauncis thereof is myche worse and more abom- ynable than bodily sodomye. Yit on these thre abomynacouns God wolde gra- ciously converte clerkis if thei wolden do very penaunce, and geve hem hooliche to vertues. But on the iiij. most abomynacoun purposid now to letten Cristen men - yhe, prestis and curatis - to lerne freely Goddis lawe til thei han spendid ix. yeer either x. at art, that conprehendith many strong errouris of hethene men agens Cristen bileeve, it seemith wel that God wole not ceese of venjaunce til it and othere ben punschid soore; for it seemith that worldly clerkis and feyned relygiouse don this, that symple men of wit and of fynding knowe not Goddis lawe, to preche it generaly agens synnes in the reume. But wite ye, worldly clerkis and feyned relygiouse, that God bothe can and may, if it lykith Hym, speede symple men out of the universitee, as myche to kunne Hooly Writ as maistris in the université; and therfore no gret charge, though never man of good wille be poisend with hethen mennis errouris ix. yeer either ten, but evere lyve wel and stodie Hooly Writ, bi elde doctouris and newe, and preche treuly and freely agens opin synnes, to his deth. See therfore what Jerom seith on Amos. God bifore seith yvels to comynge, that men heere, and amende hemself, and be delyvered fro the perel neighinge, either if that thei dispisen, thei ben punschid justiliere; and God, that bifore seith peynes, wole not punsche men that synnen but that thei be amendid. Jerom seith this in the ende of the j. book of Amos. God, for His greet mercy, graunte that clerkis here the greet venjaunce manasid of God, and amende hemself treuly, that God punsche not hem; for if thei amenden not hemself, thei ben eretikis maad hard in her synnes. But see what Jerom seith agens eretikis and in comendinge of Hooly Scripture. He seith thus on Amos: "Eretikis that serven the wombe and glotonye ben clepid rightfully fattest kyin, either kyin ful of schenschipe." "We owen to take Hooly Scripture on thre man- eris. First, we owen undirstonde it bi the lettre and do alle thingis that ben comaundid to us therinne; the ij. tyme bi allegorie, that is, goostly undirstonding; and in the iij. tyme bi blisse of thingis to comynge." Jerom seith this in the ij. book on Amos, and in iiij. co. of Amos. Natheles for Lyre cam late to me, see what he seith of the undirstonding of Holy Scripture. He writith thus on the ij. prologe on the Bible: "Joon seith in v. co. of Apoc. 'I sygh a book written with- inne and withouteforth in the hond of the sittere on the trone'; this book is Holy Scripture, which is seid writen without forth as to the literal undirstonding and withinne as to the prevy and goostly undirstonding." And in the j. prologe he declarith iiij. undirstondingis of Hooly Writ in this manere: "Holy Writ hath this specialté, that undir oo lettre it conteyneth many undirstondingis; for the princi- pal autour of Hooly Writ is God Himself, in whose power it is not oonly to use wordis to singnifie a thing as men don, but also He usith thingis singnefied bi wordis to singnefie other thingis; therfore, bi the singnyfying bi wordis is taken the literal undirstonding (either historial) of Holy Scripture, and bi the singne- fying which is maad bi thingis is taken the prevy either goostly undirstonding, which is thre maneres - allegorik, moral (either tropologik), and anogogik. If thingis singnefied bi wordis ben referrid to singnefie tho thingis that owen to be bileeved in the Newe Testament, so it is taken the sense of allegorik. If thingis ben referrid to singnefie tho thingis whiche we owen to do, so it is moral sense either tropologik. If thingis ben referrid to singnefie tho thingis that scholen be hopid in blisse to comynge, so it is anagogik sense. The lettre techith what is doon; allegorie techith what thou owist for to bileeve; moral techith what thou owist for to do; anagogic techith whedir thou owist to go. And of these iiij. sensis (either undirstondingis) may be set ensaumple in this word Jerusalem. For bi the literal undirstonding Jerusalem singnefieth a cyté that was sumtyme the cheef citée in the rewme of Jude; and Jerusalem was foundid first of Melchisedech, and aftirward it was alargid and maad strong bi Salomon. Bi moral sense it sing- nefieth a feithful soule, bi which sense it is seid in lij. c. of Isaie, 'Rise thou, rise thou, sette thou Jerusalem.' Bi sense allegorik it singnefieth the Chirche fightinge agens synnes and feendis, bi which sense it is seid in xxj. co. of Apoc: 'I sigh the hooly citée newe Jerusalem comynge doun fro hevene, as a spouse ourned to hire housbonde.' Bi sence anagogik it singnefieth the Chirche rengninge in blisse; bi this sence it is seid in iiij. co. to Galat.: 'Thilke Jerusalem which is above, which is oure modir, is free'; and as ensaumple is set in oo word, so it might be set in oo resoun, and as in oon, so and in othere." Lire seith al this in the firste prologe on the Bible.                                                            *     Cap. XV [Translating Scripture from Latin into English]     For as myche as Crist seith that the Gospel shal be prechid in al the world, and Davith seith of the postlis and her preching, "The soun of hem yede out into ech lond, and the wordis of hem yeden out into the endis of the world"; and eft Davith seith, "The Lord schal telle in the Scripturis of puplis, and of these princis that weren in it," that is, in Holi Chirche. And as Jerom seith on that vers: "Hooly Writ is the scripture of puplis, for it is maad that alle puples schulden knowe it." And the princis of the Chirche that weren therinne ben the postlis that hadden autorité to writen Hooly Writ, for bi that same that the postlis writiden her scripturis bi autorité and confermynge of the Hooly Goost, it is Hooly Scripture, and feith of Cristen men, and this dignité hath noo man aftir hem, be he nevere so hooly, never so kunnynge, as Jerom witnessith on that vers. Also Crist seith of the Jewis that crieden Osanna to Him in the temple that, though thei weren stille, stoonis schulen crie, and bi stoonis He undirstondith hethen men that worshipiden stoonis for her goddis. And we Englische men ben comen of hethen men, therfore we ben undirstonden bi thes stonis, that schulden crie Hooly Writ; and as Jewis, interpretid knowlechinge, singnefien clerkis that schulden knouleche to God bi repentaunce of synnes and bi vois of Goddis heriyng, so oure lewide men, suynge the corner ston Crist, mowen be singnefied bi stonis, that ben harde and abydinge in the foundement. For, though covetouse clerkis ben woode by simonie, eresie, and manye othere synnes, and dispisen and stoppen Holi Writ as myche as thei moun, yit the lewid puple crieth aftir Holi Writ, to kunne it, and kepe it, with greet cost and peril of here lif.    For these resons and othere, with comune charité to save alle men in oure rewme whiche God wole have savid, a symple creature hath translatid the Bible out of Latyn into English. First, this symple creature hadde myche travaile, with diverse felawis and helperis, to gedere manie elde Biblis, and othere doctouris and comune glosis, and to make oo Latyn Bible sumdel trewe; and thanne to studie it of the Newe, the text with the glose, and othere doctouris as he mighte gete, and speciali Lire on the Elde Testament, that helpide ful myche in this werk. The thridde tyme to counseile with elde gramariens and elde dyvynis of harde wordis and harde sentencis, hou tho mighten best be undurstonden and translatid. The iiij. tyme to translate as cleerli as he coude to the sentence, and to have manie gode felawis and kunnynge at the correcting of the translacioun. First it is to knowe that the best translating is out of Latyn into English to translate aftir the sentence and not oneli aftir the wordis, so that the sentence be as opin (either openere) in English as in Latyn and go not fer fro the lettre; and if the lettre mai not be suid in the translating, let the sentence evere be hool and open, for the wordis owen to serve to the entent and sentence and ellis the wordis ben superflu either false. In translating into English, manie resolucions moun make the sentence open, as an ablatif case absolute may be resolvid into these thre wordis, with covenable verbe, the while, for, if, as gramariens seyn; as thus: the maistir redinge, I stonde mai be resolvid thus, while the maistir redith, I stonde, either if the maistir redith, etc. either for the maistir, etc. And sumtyme it wolde acorde wel with the sentence to be resolvid into whanne either into aftir- ward; thus, whanne the maistir red, I stood, either aftir the maistir red, I stood. And sumtyme it mai wel be resolvid into a verbe of the same tens, as othere ben in the same resoun, and into this word et (that is, and in English); as thus, arescent- ibus hominibus prae timore, that is, and men shulen wexe drie for drede. Also a participle of a present tens either preterit, of actif vois eithir passif, mai be resolvid into a verbe of the same tens and a conjunccioun copulatif; as thus, dicens, that is, seiynge, mai be resolvid thus: and seith eithir that seith. And this wole, in manie placis, make the sentence open, where to Englisshe it aftir the word wolde be derk and douteful. Also a relatif, which mai be resolvid into his antecedent with a conjunccioun copulatif; as thus, which renneth, and he renneth. Also whanne oo word is oonis set in a reesoun, it mai be set forth as ofte as it is undurstonden either as ofte as reesoun and nede axen. And this word autem either vero mai stonde for forsothe either for but, and thus I use comounli; and sumtyme it mai stonde for and, as elde gramariens seyn. Also whanne rightful construccioun is lettid by relacion, I resolve it openli. Thus, where this reesoun, Dominum formidabunt adversarij ejus, shulde be Englisshid thus bi the lettre, the Lord hise adversaries shulen drede, I Englishe it thus bi resolucioun, the adversar- ies of the Lord shulen drede him; and so of othere resons that ben like. At the bigynnyng I purposide, with Goddis helpe, to make the sentence as trewe and open in English as it is in Latyn, either more trewe and more open than it is in Latyn; and I preie, for charité and for comoun profyt of Cristene soulis, that if ony wiys man fynde ony defaute of the truthe of translacioun, let him sette in the trewe sentence and opin of Holi Writ, but loke that he examyne truli his Latyn Bible, for no doute he shal fynde ful manye Biblis in Latyn ful false, if he loke manie, nameli newe. And the comune Latyn Biblis han more nede to be cor- rectid, as manie as I have seen in my lif, than hath the English Bible late trans- latid; and where the Ebru, bi witnesse of Jerom, of Lire, and othere expositouris, discordith fro oure Latyn Biblis, I have set in the margyn, bi maner of a glose, what the Ebru hath, and hou it is undurstondun in sum place. And I dide this most in the Sauter, that of alle oure bokis discordith most fro Ebru; for the Chirche redith not the Sauter bi the laste translacioun of Jerom out of Ebru into Latyn, but another translacioun of othere men, that hadden myche lasse kunnyng and holynesse than Jerom hadde; and in ful fewe bokis the Chirche redith the translacioun of Jerom, as it mai be previd bi the propre origynals of Jerom, whiche he gloside. And where I have translatid as opinli or opinliere in English as in Latyn, late wise men deme, that knowen wel bothe langagis and knowen wel the sentence of Holi Scripture. And where I have do thus or nay, ne doute - thei that kunne wel the sentence of Holi Writ and English togidere and wolen tra- vaile, with Goddis grace, theraboute - moun make the Bible as trewe and as opin, yea, and opinliere, in English than it is in Latyn. And no doute to a symple man, with Goddis grace and greet travail, men mighten expoune myche openliere and shortliere the Bible in English than the elde greete doctouris han expounid it in Latyn, and myche sharpliere and groundliere than manie late postillatouris, eithir expositouris, han don. But God, of His grete merci, geve to us grace to lyve wel and to seie the truthe in covenable manere, and acceptable to God and His puple, and to spille not oure tyme, be it short be it long at Goddis ordynaunce. But summe, that semen wise and holi, seyn thus: if men now weren as holi as Jerom was, thei mighten translate out of Latyn into English, as he dide out of Ebru and out of Greek into Latyn, and ellis thei shulden not translate now, as hem thinkith, for defaute of holynesse and of kunnyng. Though this replicacioun seme colourable, it hath no good ground, neither resoun, neithir charité forwhi this replicacioun is more agens Seynt Jerom and agens the firste LXX. transla- touris, and agens Holi Chirche, than agens symple men, that translaten now into English. For Seynt Jerom was not so holi as the apostlis and evangelistis, whos bokis he translatide into Latyn, neither he hadde so highe giftis of the Holi Gost as thei hadden; and myche more the LXX. translatouris weren not so holi as Moises and the profetis, and speciali Davith, neither thei hadden so greete giftis of God as Moises and the prophetis hadden. Ferthermore Holi Chirche appreveth not oneli the trewe translacioun of meene Cristene men, stidefast in Cristene feith, but also of open eretikis, that diden awei manie mysteries of Jhesu Crist bi gileful translacioun, as Jerom witnessith in oo prolog on Job and in the prolog of Daniel. Myche more late the chirche of Engelond appreve the trewe and hool translacioun of symple men, that wolden for no good in erthe, bi here witing and power, putte awei the leste truthe - yea, the leste lettre either title - of Holi Writ that berith substaunce either charge. And dispute thei not of the holynesse of men now lyvynge in this deadli lif, for thei kunnen not theron, and it is reservid oneli to Goddis doom. If thei knowen ony notable defaute bi the trans- latouris either helpis of hem, lete hem blame the defaute bi charité and merci and lete hem nevere dampne a thing that mai be don lefulli, bi Goddis lawe, as weeryng of a good cloth for a tyme either riding on an hors for a greet journey, whanne thei witen not wherfore it is don; for suche thingis moun be don of symple men, with as greet charité and vertu as summe that holden hem greete and wise kunnen ride in a gilt sadil either use cuyssyns and beddis and clothis of gold and of silk, with othere vanitées of the world. God graunte pité, merci, and charité, and love of comoun profyt, and putte awei such foli domis, that ben agens resoun and charité. Yit worldli clerkis axen gretli what spiryt makith idiotis hardi to translate now the Bible into English, sithen the foure greete doctouris dursten nevere do this? This replicacioun is so lewid that it nedith noon answer no but stillnesse eithir curteys scorn; for these greete doctouris weren noon English men, neither thei weren conversaunt among English men neither in caas thei kouden the langage of English, but thei ceessiden nevere til they hadden Holi Writ in here modir tunge, of here owne puple. For Jerom, that was a Latyn man of birthe, translatide the Bible bothe out of Ebru and out of Greek, into Latyn, and expounide ful myche therto. And Austyn and manie mo Latyns ex- pouniden the Bible for manie partis, in Latyn, to Latyn men, among whiche thei dwelliden, and Latyn was a comoun langage to here puple aboute Rome and biyondis; and on this half, as Englische is comoun langage to oure puple, and yit this day the comoun puple in Italie spekith Latyn corrupt, as trewe men seyn that han ben in Italie. And the noumbre of translatouris out of Greek into Latyn passith mannis knowing, as Austyn witnessith in the ij. book Of Cristene Teching, and seith thus: "The translatouris out of Ebru into Greek moun be noumbrid, but Latyn translatouris either thei that translatiden into Latyn, moun not be noumbrid in ony manere." For in the firste tymes of feith, ech man, as a Greek book came to him and he semyde to him-silf to have sum kunnyng of Greek and of Latyn, was hardi to translate; and this thing helpide more than lettide undur- stonding, if rederis ben not necligent, forwhi the biholding of manie bokis hath shewid ofte eithir declarid summe derkere sentencis. This seith Austyn there. Therfore Grosted seith that it was Goddis wille that diverse men translatiden, and that diverse translacions be in the Chirche; for where oon seide derkli, oon either mo seiden openli. Lord God - sithen at the bigynnyng of feith so manie men translatiden into Latyn, and to greet profyt of Latyn men, lat oo symple creature of God translate into English, for profyt of English men! For if worldli clerkis loken wel here croniclis and bokis, thei shulden fynde that Bede trans- latide the Bible and expounide myche in Saxon that was English either comoun langage of this lond in his tyme; and not oneli Bede but also King Alvred, that foundide Oxenford, translatide in hise laste daies the bigynning of the Sauter into Saxon, and wolde more if he hadde lyved lengere. Also Frenshe men, Beemers, and Britons han the Bible and othere bokis of devocioun and of exposicioun translatid in here modir langage. Whi shulden not English men have the same in here modir langage I can not wite - no but for falsnesse and necgligence of clerkis either for oure puple is not worthi to have so greet grace and gifte of God, in peyne of here olde synnes? God for His merci amende these evele causis, and make oure puple to have, and kunne, and kepe truli Holi Writ to lijf and deth! But in translating of wordis equivok - that is, that hath manie significa- cions under oo lettre - mai lightli be pereil; for Austyn seith in the ij. book Of Cristene Teching that if equivok wordis be not translatid into the sense (either undurstonding) of the autour, it is errour. As in that place of the Salme, the feet of hem ben swifte to shede out blood, the Greek word is equivok to sharp and swift; and he that translatide sharpe feet erride, and a book that hath sharpe feet is fals and mut be amendid. As that sentence unkynde yonge trees shulen not geve depe rootis owith to be thus: plauntingis of avoutrie shulen not geve depe rootis. Austyn seith this there. Therfore a translatour hath greet nede to studie wel the sentence both bifore and aftir, and loke that suche equivok wordis acorde with the sentence; and he hath nede to lyve a clene lif, and be ful devout in preiers, and have not his wit ocupied about worldli thingis, that the Holi Spiryt, autour of wisdom, and kunnyng, and truthe, dresse him in his werk, and suffre him not for to erre. Also this word ex signifieth sumtyme of, and sumtyme it signifieth bi, as Jerom seith; and this word enim signifieth comynli forsothe and, as Jerom seith, it signifieth cause thus, forwhi; and this word secundum is taken for aftir, as manie men seyn, and comynli it signifieth wel bi eithir up, thus bi youre word either up youre word. Manie such adverbis, conjuncciouns, and preposiciouns set ofte oon for another, and at fre chois of autouris symtyme; and now tho shulen be taken as it acordith best to the sentence. Bi this maner, with good lyvyng and greet travel, men moun come to trewe and cleer translating, and trewe undurstonding of Holi Writ, seme it nevere so hard at the bigynnyng. God graunte to us alle grace to kunne wel, and kepe wel Holi Writ, and suffre joiefulli sum peyne for it at the laste! Amen.