priesthode: Since by the viciousnes of priestes both Lordes and commons are most sinfully infected and led into þ^e worst.MarginaliaThe viciousnes and pride of priestes infecteth all the world. And because that the couetousnes of priestes and pryde, and boast that they haue and make of their dignity and power: destroyeth not onely the vertues of priesthood in priestes themselues, but also ouer this, it stirreth God to take great vengeaunce both vpon Lordes, and vpon commōs, which suffer these priestes charitably.

MarginaliaA spiteful meeknes that is in skarlet gownes. ¶ And the Archb. sayd to me. Thou iudgest euery priest proud that wil not go arayed as thou doest. By god I deme him to be more meke that goeth euery day in a scarlet goune, that thou in thy threed bare blew gowne. Wherby knowest thou a proud man?

MarginaliaThe signes and markes of proud priestes. ☞ And I said. Sir a proud priest may be known, whē he denieth to follow Christ and hys Apostles, in wilfull pouerty and other vertues: and coueteth worldly worship, and taketh it gladly, and gathereth together with pleting, manasing, or with flattering, or with simony any worldly goodes: And most, if a priest busy him not chiefly in himselfe, and after in all other men and women after his cunning and power, to withstand sinne.

¶ And the Archb, sayd to me. Though thou knewest a priest to haue all these vices, and though thou sawest a priest louely lye now by a woman, knowyng her fleshly:MarginaliaPaule saith, god shall iudge all fornicators, what say you my Lord? wouldst thou therfore deme this priest dānable? I say to thee that in the turnyng about of thy hand, such a sinner may be verily repented.

☞ And I sayd. Sir I will not damne any man for any sinne that I know done or may be done, so that the sinner leaueth hys sinne.MarginaliaPriestes ought to be examples of good lyuing. But by authoritie of holy Scripture, he that sinneth thus openly as ye shew here, is damnable for doyng of such a sinne: and moste specially, a priest that should be example to all other for to hate and flie sinne. And in how short tyme that euer ye say that such a sinner may be repēted: he oweth not of hym that knoweth his sinning, to be iudged verily repentant, without open euidence of great shame and harty sorow for his sinne. For whosoeuer (and specially a priest) that vseth pride, enuy, couetousnes, lechery, simony, or any other vices: sheweth not as open euidence of repentāce as he hath geuen euil example and occasion of sinning, if he cōtinue in any such sinne as long as he may: it is likely that sinne leaueth hym, and he not sinne. And as I vnderstand, such a one sinneth vnto death, for whome no body oweth to pray, as S, Iohn sayth.

¶ And a Clerke sayd then to the Archb. Sir, the lenger that ye appose hym, the worse he is: and the more ye busie you to amend hym, the waywarder he is.MarginaliaClarkly spoken and like a Parasite. For he is of so shrewd a kynde, that he shameth not onely to be hymselfe a foule nest, but without shame he busieth hym to make hys nest fouler.

☞ And the Archbishop sayd to his Clarke. Suffer a while, for I am at an ende with hym, for there is an other poynte certified agaynst hym,MarginaliaForget nothing I pray you my Lord. and I wyll heare what he sayth therto.

¶ And so than he sayd to me. Loe it is here certified agaynst thee, that thou preachedst opēly at Shrewsbury, that it is not lawfull to sweare in any case.

☞ And I said. Sir I preached neuer so openly, nor I haue taught in this wise in any place. But sir, as I preached in Shrewsbury, with my protestatiō I say to you now here: that by the authoritie of the Gospell of S. Iames, and by witnes of diuers Saintes and doctors:MarginaliaNot lawfull to sweare by any creature. I haue preached openly in one place or other, that it is not lefull in any cause to sweare by any creature. And ouer this Sir, I haue also preached and taught by the forsayd authorities:MarginaliaMen ought not to sweare when without an othe he may excuse himselfe that is compelled to sweare. that no body should swere in any case, if that without othe in any wise he that is charged to sweare might excuse hym to them that haue power to compell him to sweare, in lefull thing & lawfull. But if a man may not excuse him without othe, to them that haue power to compell him to sweare, than he ought to sweare only by God, taking him only that is soothfastnesse, for to witnes the soothfastnes.

¶ And then a Clarke asked me if it were not lefull to a subiect at the biddyng of hys Prelate, for to kneele downe and touche the holy Gospell booke, and kisse it,MarginaliaWell sayd Sir Iohn of you, your holy mother stroke your head. saying: So helpe me God and this holydome, for he should after hys cunning and power, doe all thinges that his Prelate commaundeth hym.

☞ And I sayd to them: Sirs, ye speake here full generally or largely. What if a prelate commaunded his subiect to do an vnlawfull thing, should he obey therto?

¶ And the Archbish. said to me: A subiect ought not to suppose, that his prelate will bid him do an vnlawfull thyng.MarginaliaThese prelates wold be thought to be good, be they neuer so bad. For a subiect ought to thinke that his Prelate will bid hym do nothing but that he will aunswer for before God, that it is lefull: And then, though the bidding of the prelate be vn lefull, the subiect hath no perill to fulfil it, since that he thyncketh and iudgeth, that whatsoeuer thing his prelate byddeth him doe, that it is lefull to hym for to doe it.

☞ And I sayd, sir I trust not thereto. But to our first purpose: Sir I tell you, that I was once in a gētlemās house, and there were then two Clarkes there, a maister of diuinitie, and a man of law, which man of lawe was also communing in diuinitie.MarginaliaA communication betwixt a lawyer and a diuine. And among other thinges, these men spake of othes, and the mā of law sayd: at the bidding of his soueraigne, which had power to charge hym to sweare, he woulde lay his hande vpon a booke, and heare his charge: and if his charge to his vnderstanding were vnlefull, he would harstely withdraw his hand vpon the booke, takyng there onely God to witnes, that he would fulfill that lefull charge, after hys power. And the maister of diuinitie sayde then to him thus. Certayne, he that layeth his hand vpon a booke in this wyse, and maketh there a promise to doe that thyng that he is commaunded: Is obliged therby, by booke othe, then to fulfill hys charge. For no doubt, he that chargeth hym to lay his hand thus vpon a booke (touching the booke, and swearing by it, and kissing it, promising in this forme to do this thing or that) will say and witnes, that he that toucheth thus a booke, and kisseth it, hath sworne vpon that booke. And all other men that see that man thus do, and also all those that heare hereof, in the same wise wyll say and witnes, that this man hath sworne vpon a booke. Wherfore, the maister of diuinitie sayd, it was not leful neither to geue nor to take any such charge vpon a booke: for euery booke is nothing els, but diuers creatures, of which it is made of.MarginaliaTo sweare by a booke is to sweare by creatures Therfore, to sweare vpō a booke is to sweare by creatures, and this swearing is euer vnlefull. This sentēce witnesseth Chrisostome plainly,MarginaliaChristostom blameth booke oth. blamyng them greatly that bring forth a booke for to sweare vpon, charging Clarkes, that in no wise they cōstraine any body to sweare, whether they thinke a man to sweare true or false.

¶ And the Archbishop and his Clarkes, scorned me, and blamed me greatly for this saying. And the Archbishop manassed me with great punishment and sharpe,MarginaliaHere now lacked Boner, to scratch hym by the face. except I left thys opinion of swearing.

☞ And I sayd: Sir, this is not myne opinion, but it is the opinion of Christ our sauiour, and of S. Iames, & of Chrisostome, and other diuers saintes and doctours.

¶ Than the Archbishop bad a clarke read this Homely of Chrisostome: which Homely, this Clerke held in his hand writen in a role: which role, the Archbishop caused to be taken from my fellow at Canterbury. And so then this clarke read this role, till he came to a clause where Chrisostome sayth, that it is sinne to sweare well.

And then a clarke, Maluern (as I gesse)MarginaliaEther Malueren, or els Syr Bryan Blowcole. said to þ^e archbishop: Sir, I pray you wete of him, how he vnderstandeth Chrisostome here, saying it to be sin to sweare well.

And so the Archbishop asked me, how I vnderstoode here Chrisostome.

And certaine, I was somwhat afrayd to aunswere hereto: For I had not busied me to study about the sense therof, but lifting vp my mynde to God, I prayed him of grace. And as fast as I thought how Christ said to his Apostles:MarginaliaChrist promiseth & geueth mouth & vtteraunce When for my name ye shall be brought before iudges, I shall geue into your mouth, wisdome that your aduersaries shall not agaynst say.MarginaliaThe place of Christostom expounded, how it is sin to sweare well. And trusting faithfully in the word of God, I sayd: Sir, I know well that many men and women, haue now swearing so in custome, that they know not, nor will not know, þ^t they do euill for to sweare as they do: But they thinke and say, that they do well for to sweare as they doe, though they know well that they sweare vntruely. For they say, they may by their swearing (though it be false) voyde blame or temporall harme, which they shoulde haue, if they sweare not thus.MarginaliaWhat it is to sweare well. And sir, many men and women maintayne strongly that they sweare well, when that thing is sooth that they sweare for. Also, full many mē and women say now, that it is well done to sweare by creatures, when they may not (as they say) otherwise be beleued. And also, full many men and women nowe say, that it is well done to sweare by God, and by our Lady, and by other saintes, for to haue them in mynde. But since all these sayinges are but excusations, and sinne: me thinketh sir, that this sense of Chrisostome may be alleaged well against all such swearers: witnessing, that all these sinne greuously, though they thinke themselfes for to sweare in thys foresayd wise, well. For it is euill done and great sinne, for to sweare truth, when in any maner, a man may excuse hymselfe without othe

¶ And the Archbyshop sayd, that Chrisostome might be thus vnderstand.

And then a Clerke said to me: Wilt thou tary my Lord no lenger, but submit thee here meekely to the ordinaunce ofMarginaliaPope holy Church.