7. Item, if Christ had begged wilfully, he had offended in declaryng an vntruth, in so doyng. For he that knoweth in his mynde, that he needeth not in deede that thyng which in word he asketh of other: Declareth in hymselfe an vntruth, as who in word pretendeth to be otherwise then he is in very deede, which Christ without doubt neuer did nor would euer do.

8. Item, if Christ had begged wilfully, that is, hauyng no true neede therunto: then had he appeared either to be an hypocrite, seemyng to be that he was not, and to lacke whē he dyd not: or els to be a true begger in very deede, not able to suffice his necessity. For he is a true begger in dede, which beyng constrayned by mere necessity, is forced to aske of other that which he is not able to gyue to himselfe. But neither of these two agreeth in Christ.

MarginaliaEx vita S. Clementis. 9. Item, if Christ had begged wilfully, then why did Peter rebuke the mother of S. Clement hys disciple, findyng her to stand amōg the beggers, whō he thought to be strōg inough to labour with her handes for her lyuyng: If she in so doyng had folowed the example of Christ?

MarginaliaClements example cōtrary to the Friers. 10. Item, if Christ had begged wilfully: And if the friers do rightly define perfection of the Gospell by wilfull pouerty: then was Clement S. Peters successor to blame, which laboured so much to remoue away beggery and pouerty frō among all them, that were conuerted to the fayth of Christ: and is specially for the same commended of the Church?

Marginalia13. quest. 1. cap. 1. 11. Agayne, why dyd the sayd Clemēt, writyng to Iames Byshop of Hierusalem, commaunde somuch to obey the doctrine and examples of the Apostles: who as he sheweth in that Epistle, had no beggar nor needy person amongest thē, If Christian perfection (by the friers Philosophy) stā;deth in wilfull beggery?

12. Item, if Christ the hygh Priest had begged wilfully, then dyd holy Church erre wittyngly, which ordeyned that none without sufficient title of lyuing and clothyng, should be admitted to holy orders. And moreouer, when it is sayd in the canonicall decrees, that the byshop or clerke that beggeth, bryngeth shame vpon the whole order of the clergy.

13. Item, if Christ had wilfully begged, then the example of wilfull pouerty had pertayned to the perfection of Christian lyfe, which is contrary to the old law: which commaundeth the Priestes (which lyued then after the perfection of the law) to haue possessions & tythes, to keepe them from beggery.

14. Item, if Christ dyd wilfully begge, thē beggery were a point of Christian perfection. And so the Church of God should erre, in admittyng such patrimonies and donations geuen to the Church, and so in takyng from the Prelates their perfection.

15. Agayne, what will these friers which put their perfection in beggyng, say to Melchisedeth: who without beggyng or wilfull pouerty, was the hygh Priest of God, and Kyng of Salem, and prefigured the order and Priesthode of Christ?

16. And, if beggery be such a perfection of the Gospell (as the friers say) how cōmeth it, that the holy Ghost geuen to the Apostles, which should lead them into all truth: told them no word of this beggerly perfection, neither is there any word mentioned therof through the whole Testament of God.

17. Moueouer, where the Prophet sayth, I neuer dyd see the iust man forsaken, nor his seede go beggyng their bread: How standeth this with the iustice of Christ, which was most perfectly iust, if he should be forsaken, or his seede go begge their bread? And then how agreeth this with the abhominable doctrine of friers Franciscan, which put theyr perfection in wilfull beggyng?

18. Finally, do we not read that Christ sent his disciples to preach without scrippe or wallet, and byd them salute no man by the way? Meanyng that they should begge nothing of no man? Dyd not the same Christ also, labour with his handes, vnder Ioseph? Saint Paule lykewise dyd he not labour with his handes, rather then he would burden the Church of the Corinthians? And where now is the doctrine of the friers, which putteth state of perfection in wilfull beggyng.

MarginaliaThe 5. cōclusion of Armachanus against the Friers. The fifth conclusion of Armachanus agaynst the friers was this: that Christ neuer taught any man wilfully to begge, which he proued thus. It is written Actes. 1. Christ began to do and to teach. If Christ therfore, which dyd neuer wilfully begge hymselfe, as hath been proued, had taught men otherwise to do, then his doing and teachyng had not agreed together.

Item, if Christ which neuer begged hymselfe wilfully, had taught men this doctrine of wilfull beggyng contrary to his owne doyng: he had geuen suspition of hys doctrine, and ministred slaunder of the same, as hath bene proued in the fourth conclusion before.

Moreouer in so teaching, he had taught contrary to the Emperours iust law, which expresly forbiddeth the same.

MarginaliaThe 6. conclusion of Armachanus against the friers. The sixt conclusion of Armachanus agaynst the Friers was, that our Lord Iesus Christ teacheth vs, that we should not beg wilfully, which he proueth by seuen or eight reasons

First where it is written Luk. 14. When thou makest a feast call the poore, weake, lame, and blind: and thou shalt bee blessed, for they haue not wherewith to rewarde thee agayne.

To this also perteineth the decree of the apostle 2. Thes. 3. He that will not worke let him not eat. Furthermore þ^e same Apostle addeth in the same place: For you haue vs for example how we were burdenous to no mā;, neyther did we eate our bread freely: but with labour and wearines, toiling both day and night, and all because we would not burthen you. &c.

4 Item, where we read in the scripture, the slothful man reprehended, Prou. 6. Why slepest thou O sluggard, thy pouerty and beggery is commyng vpon thee lyke an armed man. &c. And agayne in the same booke of Prouerbes. The slouthfull man (sayth the Scripture) for cold would not go to the plough, therfore he shall beg in Sommer, and no man shall geue hym. &c. Also in the sayd booke of Prouerb. last chapter. The diligent laboring woman is commended, whose fingers are exercised about þ^e rocke and spindle. And all these places make agaynst the wilfull begging of sturdy Friers.

MarginaliaThe rule of frier Fraunces. 5. Item, Frier Frances their owne founder in his owne testament sayeth: And I haue laboured with myne owne hands, and will labour, and will that all my frierlings shall labour and liue of their labor, wherby they may support thēselues in an honest meane. And they that cannot worke, let them learne to worke, not for any couetousnesse to receyue for their labour, but for example of good workes, and to auoyde idlenesse. And when the price of their labour is not geuen them, let them resort to the Lords table, & aske their almes from dore to dore. &c. Thus much in his Testament. And in hys rule he sayth: Such brethren to whom þ^e Lord hath geuen the gift to labour, let them labour faithfully and deuoutly. &c. Wherfore it is to be marueiled, how these friers with their wilful beggyng, dare transgresse the rule and obedience of frier Frauncis their great graundfathers testament.

6. Item if Christ at any tyme did beg or did lacke, it was more because he would vse a miracle in his own person, thē because he would beg wilfully: as when he sent Peter to þ^e sea to finde a groate in the fishes mouth. Which thing yet he thought rather to do, then to beg the groat of the people, which he might soone haue obteined.

Item, by diuers other his examples he semeth to teach the same, as where he saith: The workmā; is worthy of his hier. Also the workeman is worthy of his meate. Math. x. Luke x. And when he spake to Zache, that he would turne into his house. And so likewyse in Bethanie and all other places he euer vsed rather to burden his frendes thē to beg of other, vnaquainted.

8 Item, with playn precept thus he sendeth forth his disciples, willing them not to go from house to house, Luke. x. so as Friers vse now to go. Many other Scriptures there be, which reproue begging: as where it is sayd. The foote of a foole is swift to the house of hys neighbour, Eccl. 29. And in an other place: My child sayth he, see thou wā;t not in the tyme of thy life, for better it is to dye then to lack. Eccl. 21.

9 Item, where Christ counsailing the yong man, bad him go and sell that he had and geue to the poore and folow him if he would be perfect: doth not there call him to wilful begging, but calleth hym to follow him, which did not beg wilfully.

MarginaliaThe seuenth conclusion of Armachanus agaynst the Friers The seuenth conclusion of Armachanus is: that no wyse nor true holy man can take vppon hym wilfull pouerty to be obserued alwayes, whiche he proueth by foure reasons.

First, that wifull beggery was reproued both by the doctrine of Christ and of the Apostles, as in the conclusion before hath bene declared.

MarginaliaWilfull beggery not to be promised. 2 Item, a man in takyng vpon him wilfull beggery, in so doyng shoulde leade himself into temptation, which were agaynst the Lordes prayer. For as muche as Salomon Prouerb. 30. saith: O Lord, beggery and great riches geue me not, but onely sufficiencie to lyue vpon: least if I haue to much, I be driuen to deny thee, and say: who is the lord. Agayne, if I haue to little, I be forced therby to steale, and