The PurveyProject

Hors eþer armer of heuen
Pore Caitif

Par Karine MOREAU-GUIBERT
Publication en ligne le 28 février 2013

1/101v/ Almiȝti God seiþ bi holi Joob þat al mannys liif on erþe is fiȝtinge, þat is aȝeins goostly enemyes and synne. And þerfore þe Holy Goost techiþ in þe Book of Wisdom, seiinge to ech man : “Sone, whanne þou bigynnest to serue God, loke þou stonde stifli in riȝtfulnes and drede and make redi þi soule to wiþstonde foondingis and wylis of þi goostli enemyes.”1 And also seiþ seint Poul : “Cloþe ȝou in þe armer of God þat ȝe moun stifli stonde aȝens temptaciouns and disseitis of þe feend”2. Mannes body is as a clooþ wiþ which þe soule is heelid, and as an hors þat beriþ his maister

2/102r/ ouer manye perels. And to þis hors þat is mannes bodi, longiþ manye þingis if he schal bere his maistir ariȝt out of perels. For sikirli mai no knyȝt fiȝte ariȝt aȝens hise enemyes but if his hors be to him buxum and meke. No more mai þe soule fiȝte aȝeins þe wilis of þe feend if þe flesch, þat is his hors, lyue in lustis and likingis at his owne wille. For holi writ seiþ : “He þat norischiþ his seruaunt, þat is his bodi, delicatly eþer lustily, schal fynde him rebel whanne he leest weeneþ”. As soone as a man bigynneþ wiseli to lyue and fleeþ dyuerse lustis and likingis and vanytees þat he bifore uside, and louede and bowiþ himsilf vndir þe ȝok of Goddis holi loore, þanne bigynneþ hise enemyes to cumpasse aftir wilis, wrenchis and foondingis to make him ouerþrowe. And þerfore it is nede þat his hors be meke and helpinge to his maistir if he schal ouercome his ene-

3/102v/-myes. For if þe soule and þe bodi be wel acoordinge togidere and helpe eiþer oþere in þis goostli batel, soone schal þe feend fle and be ouercomen. For holi writ seiþ : “Wiþstonde ȝe þe feend and he schal fle fro ȝou”. But greet foly it were ony man to fiȝte upon an hors vnbridelid. And if þe hors be wielde and of foule tacchis, þe bridil bihoueþ to be heuy and sundel scharp to holde him aȝein ;  and if þe hors be esi and meke to his maister, his bridil schal be liȝt and smeþe also. Þis bridil is clepid abstynence wiþ which þe flesche schal be restreyned, þat he haue not al his wil, for he is wilde and wilful and looþ to bowe to goodnes. Wiþ þis bridil his maistir schal him reffreyne, forto he be mekid and bowe to his wil, for if 'he' wiþoute bridil upon him wil fiȝte, it is impossible but he him ouerþrowe. But þis bridil of abstynence bihoueþ bi wisdom be led, so þat þe kynde be holde bi strenkþe, and wieldnes of þe flesch wiþ his bridil be reffreyned, for ellis wole þe hors

4/103r/ faile in þe moost nede [and harme his maistir] and make him lese his victorie. II. stronge reynes þis bridil bihoueþ to haue, bi þe whiche þou maist wisse þin hors at þi wille, and also þat þei ben euen and neþer passe oþer in lengþe. For if þou drawist þat oon fastir þan þat oþer, þin hors wole glide asyde and go out of his weie. Þerfor if þin hors þe euen wey schal hoolde, þee bihoueþ to streyne euen þe regnes of þi bridil. Þat o. regne of þi bridil is to large whanne þou suffrist þi flesch haue to myche his wil in etinge and drinkinge, in spekinge and slepinge, in idil stondinge eiþer sittinge, and vein talis tellinge, and in alle oþere þingis þat þe flesch desiriþ ouer mesure and resoun, þat oþer regne of þi bridil is holde to strait whanne þou art to sturne aȝein þin owne flesch and wiþdrawist fro him þat resoun wolde þat he hadde. Who þat restreyneþ vneuen ony of þese regnes, it wil make his hors lese þe riȝt wey. If þou suffrist þi flesch his ful liking to haue, he þat

5/103v/ schulde be þi frend bicomeþ þi ful foo ; if þou wiþholdist þerfro þat þat it ouȝte to haue to susteyne his kynde as him neede bihoueþ, þanne þou distriest his strengþe and his miȝt, þat to helpe þee as he schulde mai he neuere couere. Þerfore susteyne þin hors þat he feynte not neþer faile at þi nede, and wiþdrawe fro him þat þat myȝte turne þee to folie. Ȝit þin hors bihoueþ to haue a sadil to sitte upon him þe moore stidefast and semeli to oþere mennes siȝt. Þis sadil is mansuetude eþer esynes, þat is, what so þou doost it be do wiþ a good avisement and wiseli to þinke of þe biginnyng and eending and what mai falle þerof, and þat it be do sweteli and mekeli and wiþ mylde semelaunt, þat is þat þou myldeli suffre sclaundris and scoornes and oþere harmes þat men aȝeins þee doon and neþer greue þee in word neþer in deede. And þouȝ þi flesch be agreeued, kepe myldnes in herte and lete

6/104r/ not out þi mouþ ne þi tunge wiþ no wickide wordis. And þanne þou schalt be gladid as þe profete seiþ : “þe mylde and þe meke suffringe schulen ioie for euere þat doon myldeli wiþ esynes and loke what so þei doon, þat her outward and inward semelaunt and chere be so loueli and mylde in word and deede þat oþere bi her ensaumple moun be turnyd to gode”. Þis vertu þat mansuetude is clepid, þat is myldnes of herte and of semelaunt, makiþ man gracious to God and semeli to mennes siȝt, as a sadil makiþ an hors semely and preisable. Two sporis it bihoueþ þat þou haue to þin hors and ȝit it bihoueþ þat þei ben sundeel scharp to pricke þin hors if þee stonde nede þat he stynte not in his wey, for manye horsis ben slowe but if þei ben prickid. Þese .ii. sporis ben loue and drede whiche among alle oþere þingis stiren men moost to þe wey of heuen. Þe riȝt

7/104v/ spore is loue þat Goddis derlingis haue to þat lastinge wele þat neuere schal haue eende; þe lift spore is drede of þe peynes of purgatorie and of helle, þe whiche ben wiþoute noumbre and neuere moun be toold out. Wiþ þese .ii. sporis, pricke þou þin hors if he be dul and of leþi wil o stire him to good. And if þe riȝt spore of loue be not scharp inouȝ to make him hiȝe in his iourney, pricke him wiþ þe lift spore of drede, him to awake. Departe þi soule fro þe bodi bi inward þoȝt and sende þin herte bifore into þat oþer lond and do as a man wolde do þat nede bihouede of .ii. dwellinge placis oon forto chese into whiche hadde he oonys entrid, þere bihouede him to dwelle world wiþouten eende. Certis if he wiis were he wolde sende bifore summe of hise priue frendis to aspie whiche of þese placis weren 'best'. Two placis ben ordeyned men to dwellen inne aftir þis liif, and while he is here, he may chese bi Goddis merci to wheþer þat he wole. But be he oonys hens

8/105r/ went may he not so, for to which he first comeþ –like it him wel or yuel– þere him bihoueþ to dwelle for euermore. Schal he neuere aftir his dwelling chaunge, sitte it him neuere so yuel. Heuen and helle ben þese .ii. placis and in oon of þese nedis bihoueþ ech man to dwelle. In heuen is moore ioie þan wiþ tunge mai be toold eþer wiþ hert þouȝt and in helle is moore peyne þan ony man mai suffre. Wiþ þese .ii. sporis awake þou þin hors and sende þin herte bifore as a pryue freend to aspie of þese dwellinge placis whiche þei ben. In helle þou schalt fynde al þat herte mai hate, defaute of alle goodis and plente of al yuel þat onyþing mai greue in bodi and in soule: hoot fier brennynge wiþouten ony liȝt, brymstoon moost bittirli stinkinge, foule stormes  and tempestis, gredi deuels as wode lyouns wyde ȝomynge, hungir and þirst þat neuer schal be quenchid, addris and todis on þe synful gnawynge; þere is wepinge and ȝellinge and gryntinge of teeþ, and so þicke derknes þat men moun it grope, smoke and smorþer þat

9/105v/ makiþ hem to wepe, mo glowinge teeris þan watir is in þe se. Ech hatiþ oþer as þe foule feend and euere cursen þe tyme þat þei synne wrouȝten. Ouer alle þingis þei desiren to dien, and þei ben euere diynge and fulli die schulen þei neuere, but euere diynge, lyue in peyne and wo. Þei hatiden deeþ while þei lyueden here but now þei hadden bettere to haue it þan al þe wyde world. Soulis þat schulen be þere schulen be derk and dymme, hydousli stinkinge and wlatsum to se. Þe bodies schulen be heuy and chargid wiþ synne þat þei ne schulen remoue bodi ne lyme but haue almaner wo þat hem mai greue. Þei schulen þinke upon no good ne haue no knowing  but on her peynes and synnes þat þei han wrouȝt, and of alle þese peynes and manye mo sorowis þan we cunne telle schal neuere come eende. Whanne þou vndirstondist þat deedli synne þat man haþ wrouȝt and is not amendid wiþ bittir forþinkinge or he hens weende schal be bouȝt so derer in þat lastinge peyne, þou woldist leuere lete þere þi skyn fro þe flesch and þi body

10/106r/ al to hewe raþer þan þou woldist do wilfully a deedli synne. Þis spore of drede schulde make oure hors wake and holde him in euen wey and spede him faste forþ and euere fle deedli synne þat is þus dere bouȝt and makiþ man þus bitterli peyned for euere. Whanne þin hert haþ þoru souȝt alle þese feerdful peynes þat þe synful schulen suffre þat wolen not leue her synnes, þanne sende hem to purgatorie and loke how þei schulen fare þat þere schulen be clensid. Þere þou schalt se what peines þei suffren þat leften her synnes wiþ bittir sorowe of her herte but weren not fulli clensid as it bihoueþ to be, and þerfore abiden in purgatorie til to þei ben clene purgid. In þat clensinge fier bihoueþ hem to dwelle forto þei ben clensid as clene of synne as whanne þei weren newe cristnyd. Þis peyne of purgatorie is so hard to suffre þat alle þe peynes of þis world to it moun not be euenyd. For þe fier of purgatorie ouerpassiþ alle þe peynes þat euere martris suffriden in þis world

11/106v/ eiþer wommen trauelinge of childe as seint Austin seiþ. Þe soulis þat ben þere schulen euere abide þere til þe fier haue clensid hem of alle yuele þouȝtis, wordis and deedis þat þei here wroȝten and til þei ben as fiyn and clensid as clene as ony reed goold in whom noþing is left þat þe fier mai greue. Þere ben clensid alle venial synnes þat we clepe smale synnes whiche we doon alday, as idil þouȝtis, ydil wordis, idil pleies and alle oþere vanitees þat defoulen þe soule and maken it spotti by siche blake vicis. And of siche as summen clepen smale synnes, it is ful nedeful to be war. For seint Austin seiþ þat manye venial synnes drawen a man to perdicioun as o. deedly synne dooþ, as manye dropis of reyn maken a greet flood and watir entringe lytil and litil bi þe schippis botme and, not cast out, drenchiþ þe schip at þe laste as a greet wawe drenchiþ it sodeinly. And siþin God is displesid and dishonourid bi ech synne, ech synne is ful greet þouȝ summe synne is litil synne in comparisoun of grettir syn-

12/107r/-ne as seint Anselm seiþ. Þe fier of purgatorye is so kene and of sich a kynde þat al þe while it fyndiþ ouȝt in þe soule þat to synne touchiþ, myche eiþer litil what so euere it be, he stintiþ neuere til he haue al clensid al clene þat ony þing defoulide þe soule. Alle þilke þat ben quikened wiþ Goddis merciful grace dreden þis fier and kepen hem bi her myȝt fro almaner synne in her bodi and soule, and her fyue wittis fro alle vnþewis þat þei supposen to be aȝeins Goddis wil. But for þe kinde of mannes flesch is so freel þat he no dai passiþ wiþoute sum synne, as þe wiis man seiþ, þerfore wiþ moornyng and ofte forþinkinge of herte, wiþ fasting, deuoute preier and almes deedes, siche venial synnes schulen be clensid and cast out of soulis as seint Austin techiþ. Herfore, summe þat han defoulid her soulis wiþ manye deedli synnes and also wiþ venial þat ben vnnoumbrable, ofte tymes, for drede to offende God moore and to gete forȝifnes of alle þese synnes and to fle þe peynes

13/107v/ of þese .ii. placis, han forsake al þis world and þe cumpanies þerof and flowen into deseert placis to lerne to loue Ihesu and biweilen her owne synnes and oþere mennes also. Summe soulis ben clensid here and han her purgatorie wiþ fier of tribulacioun and persecucioun mekeli suffringe for þe truþe of God, and myche dissese han for þei wolden lyue wel. Summe ben purgid also þoru þe fier of Goddis loue, for þe loue of mannys soule miȝte so fully be sett in God þat God þoru his greet grace wolde clense him so in þis world, so clene fro ech spot of synne þat aftir þis liif we schulden feele litil or noon. And þis is þe riȝt spore þat schulde qwikene þin hors to spede him in his weie þat þou lerne to loue Ihesu Crist in al þi lyuyng. And þerfore, sende þou þi þouȝt into þat lond of liif  where no dissese is of no maner þing, neþer age, ne siiknes, ne noon oþer greuaunce ; curtesie and wisdom þere moun men lerne for þere al vilony is schit wiþoute. And whoso þidir weendiþ, a gracious felawschip þere schal he fynde: þe ordris of aungels and

14/108r/ of alle holy seyntis and þe Lord aboue hem þat gladiþ hem alle. Þere is of alle goodis plente at wille and wanting of alle þingis þat ony man mai greue; þere is fairnes and riches, honour and ioie þat ech man mai feele, loue and wisdom þat euere schal laste; þere ben no dissesis þat men here suffren, ipocrisie ne losingerie ne noone vnþewis, enuye and ire fro þens ben flemyd; þeues and tirauntis, gruel men and gredy þat pilen þe pore, proude men and bostours, couetous and bigilers, slouȝful and lecchours: out of þat cely lond ben al siche flemyd. For þere is no þing þat man may fere but liking and ioie and murþe at willis, melodie and song of angels briȝt and lastinge blis þat neuere schal ceesse. Þere mannes bodi schal be briȝtir þan euere was sunne to mannes siȝt and haue swiftnes at his wille to be where him likiþ in twinkelinge of an iȝe, for no þing schal wiþstonde ne lete him of his wil. As þe liȝt of þe sunne mai sodeinli fle out of þe eest into þe west, so schulen þe blisful wiþoute ony trauel ben where hem likiþ. And þouȝ þei

15/108v/weren siike and feble while þei lyueden here, þei schulen be so stronge þere þat no þing schal aȝenstonde her wille. Þei schulen haue so greet fredom þat no þing schal be contrarie to her liking. Þe saued bodies schulen neuere haue siiknes, ne angir, ne greuaunce, but liking and heelþe þat euermore schal laste. Also þei schulen be fillid wiþ ioie in alle þe fyue wittis, for riȝt as a vessel þat is dippid in watir eþer in oþer licour is weet wiþinne and wiþoute, aboue and byneþe, and also al aboute, and no moore licour wiþinne it may be, riȝt so schulen þilke þat schulen be saued be fulfild wiþ al ioie and blis aboute. Also þei schulden haue eendelees liif in þe siȝt of þe holy trynyte and þis ioie schal passe alle oþere. Þei schulen be in ful sikirnes þat þei schulen neuere faile of þat ioie ne be put out þerof. Þei schulen also be fillid of wisdom for þei schulen knowe al þat is, was, and schal be. Þei schulen haue ful knowing of þe holi trinite, þe miȝt of þe fadir, þe wisdom of þe sone and þe good-

16/109r/-nesse of þe Holy Goost. For in þe siȝt of þe blessid face of God, þei schulen knowe euery þing þat mai be seen of ony creature. For as seynt Austin seiþ, þei schulen se him boþe God and man and þei schulen se hemsilf in him also and al oþer þing lasse and moore. Al þing þat is now hid fro man, he schal se and knowe þan. Þei schulen also haue perfiȝt loue ech to oþere for euery schal acoorde wiþ oþeris wille. Also þese ioies and manye mo þan ony tunge of man can fulli telle schulen þilke haue þat schulen be saued af'tir' þe dai of doom, in bodi and in soule. Þis is þe riȝt spore þat schulde stire men ioifulli to loue Ihesu Crist and haste in heuenli wey. For so swete is þe blis þere and so greet wiþ al, þat who so myȝte taste a seli drope þerof he schulde so be raueschid in likinge of God and of heuenli ioie, and sich a longynge he schulde haue þidir to weende, þat al þe ioie of þis world schulde seeme to him peyne. Þis loue schul-

17/109v/-de moue sich a man moore vertuousli to lyue and forto fle synne bi an hundrid deel þan ony drede of peyne of purgatory eþer of helle, for perfiȝt loue puttiþ out al drede and clensiþ þe soule fro filþe and makiþ it to se God and ofte to fle to heuen bi desier, hopinge to dwelle þere, world wiþoute eende.

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