Jack vp Lande compyled by the famous Geoffrey Chaucer

¶ These been the lewed questions of Freres rytes and obseruaunces the whych they chargen more than Goddes lawe , and therfore men shulden not gyue hem what so they beggen , tyll they hadden answered and clerely assoyled these questions .

I Jack vplande make my mone to very god and to all true beleuynge in Chryst that Antichryst and his discyples by colour of holynes walkyn and deceauen Chrystes church by many fals figures , where through by Antichrist & his , many vertues bene transposed to vyces .

But the fellest folke that euer Antichrist founde bene last brought in to the church , and in a wonder wyse , for they bene of dyuers , sectes of Antichrist , sowen of dyuers contrees , & kynreddes . And all men knowen wel that they been not obedient to bysshoppes , ne lege men to kynges , nether they tyllen , ne sowen , weden , ne repen woode , corn , ne grasse , nether nething that man shuld helpe , but onely hem selues her lyfes to susteyn . And these men had all maner power of god as they sayen in heauen , and in earth , to sell heauen , and hell to whom , that hym lyketh , and these wreches wate neuer where to bene hemselfes .

And therfore frere yf thyne order and rules ben grounded on goddes law , tell thou me Jack vp land that I aske of the , and yf thou be or thynkest to be on christes syde kepe thy pacience .

SAynt Paul teacheth , that al our dedes shuld be done in charyte , and els it is not worth , but dyspleasynge to God , and harme to oure owne soules . And for because freres chalengen to greatest clerkes of the church , & next folowinge Christ in lyuynge , men shulde for charyte are hem some questyons , and pray hem to grounde theyr answers in reason , and in holy wryte , for els theyr answere wolde not be worth , be it floryshed neuer so fayre , and as me thynk men myght skylfully are thus of a frere .

Frere how many orders be in earthe , and which is the perfytest order ? of what order art thou ? who made thyne order ? what is thy rule ? Is there ony perfyter rule than Chryst hymselfe made ? If Chrystes rule be moost perfyte why rulest thou the not therafter ? wythout more . why shall a frere be more punyshed yf he break the rule that hys patron made than yfhe breake the hestes that god hymselfe made ?

Approueth Christ ony more relygyons than one that saynt James speaketh of ? If he approueth nomor why hast thou lef hys rule , and taken another ? why is a frere apostata that leaueth hys order , and taketh another secte , syth there is but one relygyon of Chryste .

Why be ye wedded faster to your abytes than a man is to hys wyfe . For a man may leaue his wyfe for a yeare or two as many men do , and yf you leaue youre abyte a quarter of a yeare , ye shuld be holden apostatas .

Maketh youre abyte you men of relygion or no ? If it do , than euer as it weareth , your relygyon weareth , and after that the abbyte is better , is you relygyon better , and whan ye lyggen it besyde you , than lyg ye youre relygyon besyde you , and ben apostatase , why by ye you so precyous clothes , syth no man seketh such but for vayne glory , as . s. Gregory sayth .

What betokeneth youre greate hoode , youre scaplerye , youre knotted gyrdel , and youre wyde coape ?

Why vse ye al one coloure more then other Chrysten men do ? what betokeneth that ye bene clothed all in one maner clothynge ?

If ye saye , it betokeneth loue , and charyce , certes than ye be ofte ypocrytes , whan ony of you hateth other , and in that that ye wollen be sayde holy by youre clotynge .

Why maye not a frere weare clothynge of an other secte of freres , syth holynes stondeth not in the clothes .

Why holde ye sylence in one howse more than in another , syth men ought ouer al to speake the good and leaue the euell ?

Why eate you flesh in one house more than in another ? yf youre rule and youre order be perfyt , and the patron that made it ?

Why gette ye you dyspensacyons to haue it more easy , certes ether it semeth that ye be vnperfyte , or he , that made it so harde , that ye may not holde it . And seker yf ye holde not the rule of youre patrons ye be not than her freres , and so ye lye vpon youre selfes .

Why make ye you as deade men whan ye be professed , and yet ye be not deade but more quycke beggers than ye were before , and it semeth euell a deade man to go aboute and begge .

Why wyll ye not suffer youre nouyces heare youre councels in youre chapter house eare that they bene professed , yf youre councels bene trew , and after godes lawe ?

Why make ye you so costly houses to dwell in ? syth Chryst dyd not so , and deade men shulde haue but graues , as falleth to dead men , & yet ye haue more gorgeous buyldiges than many lordes of Englonde , for ye maye wenden through the ted gyrdel , and youre wyde coape ?

Why vse ye al one coloure more then other Chrysten men do ? what betokeneth that ye bene clothed all in one maner clothynge ?

If ye saye , it betokeneth loue , and charyte , certes than ye be ofte ypocrytes , whan ony of you hateth other , and in that that ye wollen be sayde holy by youre clotynge .

Why maye not a frere weare clothynge of an other secte of freres , syth holynes stondeth not in the clothes .

Why holde ye sylence in one howse more than in another , syth men ought ouer al to speake the good and leaue the euell ?

Why eate you flesh in one house more than in another ? yf youre rule and youre order be perfyt , and the patron that made it ?

Why make ye you as deade men whan ye be professed , and yet ye be not deade but more quycke beggers than ye were before , and it semeth euell a deade man to go aboute and begge .

Why wyll ye not suffer youre nouyces heare youre councels in youre chapter house eare that they bene professed , yf youre councels bene trew , and after godes lawe ?

Why make ye you so costly houses to dwell in ? syth Chryst dyd not so , and deade men shulde haue but graues , as falleth to dead men , & yet ye haue more gorgeous buyldinges than many lordes of Englonde , for ye maye wenden through the the realme , and ech nyght welnygh lygge in youre owne courtes , and so mow but ryght few lordes do

Why here ye to ferme youre lymytors , geuynge therfore eche yeare a certayne rente , and wyll not suffer one in an others lymytacyon , ryght as ye were your selues lordes of contreys .

Why be ye not vnder youre bysshops visitacions , and lyege men to oure kynge .

Why are ye no letters of brether hedes of other mens prayers , as ye desire that other men shulde aske letters of you ?

Yf youre letters be good , why graunte ye them not generally to al maner men for the more charyte ?

Mow ye make ony man more perfyte brother for youre prayers than god hath by oure beleue , by our baptyme , and his owne graunte , yf ye mowe , certes than ye be aboue god .

Why make ye men beleue that your golden trentall songe of you to take therfore . r. shyllynges , or at the least . v. shyllinges wyll brynge soules oute of helle or oute of purgatorye , yf this be south , certes ye might bring all soules out of payne , & that wolle ye nought , and than ye be out of charyte ,

Why make ye men beleue that he that is buryed in youre abyte shall neuer come in hell , and ye wyte not of youre selfe whether ye shall to hell or no , & yf thys were south , ye shulde selle youre hygh houses to make many abytes ; for to saue many mens soules .

Why steale ye mens chyldren for to make hem of youre secte sith that theft is agaynst goddes heste , and sithe your secte is not perfit . ye know not wether the rule that ye bynde hym to be best for hym or worst ,

Why vndermyne ye not your brethren for their trespas after the lawe of the gospell , sith that vnderneminge is the best that maye be , but ye put them in presonne ofte whan they do after goddes lawe and by saynt Austines rule , yf ony dyd amisse and wolde not amende him , ye shuld put hym from you .

Why couete ye shryfte and buryenge of other mens paryshens , & none other sactament that falleth to Christen folke .

Why busye ye not to heare shryfte of poore folke as well as of ryche lordes and ladyes ? syth they mowe haue more plentie of shryfte fathers than poore folke maye .

why saye ye not the gospel in houses of bedred men ? as ye do in rych mens that mowe go to churche and heare the gospell .

why couette you not to burye poore folke amonge you ? sith that they been moost holy , as ye sayne that ye ben for youre pouertye .

why wyll ye not ben at her dyryges as ye bene at ryche mens ? sith God prayseth hem more than he doth ryche men .

what is thy prayer worth ? sith thou wylt take therfore , for of all chapmen ye nede to be moost wyse for drede of symonye .

what cause hast thou that thou wylte not preache the gospell ? as God sayeth that thou shuldest , syth it is the best lore and also oure beleue ?

why be ye euell payed that secular Prestes shulde preache the gosgel ? sith god him selfe hath boden hym .

why hate ye the gospell to be preached , syth ye be so muche holde therto for ye winne more by yeare wyth In principio than wyth all the rules that euer youre patrons made And in this mynstrels bene better than ye , for they contraryen not to the myrtes that they maken : but ye cōtrayen the gospell bothe in worde and dede .

Frere , whan thou receyuest a peny for to say a masse , whether sellest thou goddes body for that peny or prayer , orels thy trauail ? yf thou sayest thou wolt not trauayle for to saye the masse but for the peny , & certes yf this be soth than thou louest to lyttel mede for thy soule , and yf thou sellest goddes body other thy prayer , than it is very symony and art become a chap man worse than Iudas that solde it for thyrty pens .

Why wrytest thou her names in thy tables that yeueth the money ? Sith God knoweth all thynge , for it semyth by thy wryting , that God wolde not rewarde hym , but thou wryte him in thy tables , god wolde els forgetten it .

Why bearest thou God in honde and sclaundrest him that he begged for his meate ? sith he was lord ouer all , for than hadde he ben vnwyse to haue begged , and no nede therto ?

Frere after what law rulest thou that ? wher fyndest thou in goddes law that thou shuldest thus begge ?

What maner men nedeth for to begge ?

Of whom oweth suche men to begge ?

Why beggest thou so for thy brethren ?

If thou sayest , for they haue nede than thou doest it for the more perfection or els for the least , or els for the meane , yf it be the moost perfeccion of all , than shulde al thy brethren do so and than no man neded to begge but for hym selfe , for so shuld no man begge but hym neded . And yf it be the least perfeccion , why louest thou than other men more than thy selfe ? For so thou arte not well in charytye , sithe thou shuldest seke the more per feccion after thy power , lyuynge thy selfe moost after God , and thus leauynge that imperfeccion thou shuldest not so begge for hem . And yf it is a good meane thus to begge as thou docste than shuld no man do so but they ben in this good meane , & yet such a meane granted to you may neuer be grounded in goddes lawe , for than both learned & lewd that been in meane degre of this worlde , shuld go aboute and begge as ye do , & yf all suche shuld do so , certes wel nygh al the world shuld go aboute & begge as ye do , and so shulde there be ten beggers agaynst one yeuer .

why procurest thou men to yeue the here almes , & sayest it is so nedefull , and thou wylt not thy selfe wynne the that mede ,

why wylt thou not begge for poore bedred men that ben poorer than ony of youre secte , that liggen and mow not go aboute to helpe them selfes , sith we be all brethren in God and that bretherhed passeth ony other that ye or ony man coulde make & where moost nede were there were moost perfeccion eyther els ye holde hym not youre pure brethren or worse , but than ye be imperfyte in youre begginge .

why make ye you so many maysters amonge you , syth it is agaynst the teachynge of Christ & his Apostels

whose ben all your rych courtes that ye han , & all your ryche yewels , syth ye sayen that ye han nought improper ne cumune yf ye sayne they ben the popes , why gether ye then of poore men & of lordes so much out of the kynges honde to make your pope ryche . And syth ye sayen that it is great perfeccyion to haue nought in ꝓper ne comune ? why be ye so fast aboute to make the pope that is your father rych & put on him imperfeccion ? sithen ye sayne that youre goodes ben all his , & he shulde by reason be the moost perfite man , it semeth open lych that ye ben cursed children so to sclaunder youre father , & make him imperfyte , & yf ye sayne that tho goodes be yours , them do ye ayenst youre rule , and yf it be not ayenst your rule than myght ye haue both plough & carte and labour as other good men done , & not so to begge by lesyngery & ydell as ye done , & yf ye say that it is more perfeccion to begge than to trauayll or worch with youre hand why preach ye not openly & teach all men to do so ? sith it is the best & moost perfyte lyfe to helpe of her soules as ye make chyldren to begge that myght haue be ryche heyres .

Why make ye not your feastes to poore men , and yeueth hem yeftes , as ye done to the rych ? sith poore men han more nede than the ryche .

what be tokeneth that ye go tweyne and tweyne together ? If ye be out of charitie , ye accorden not in soule .

why begge ye , & take salaries ther to more than other prestes ? sith he the moost taketh moost charge he hath .

why holde ye not saynt Fraunces rule & his testament ? sith Fraunces sayth that God shewed hym this lyuig & this rule , and certes yf it were goddes wyll the pope might not fordo it orels Fraunces was a lyar that sayde on this wyse , And but this testament that he made accorde with goddes wyll , els erred he as a lyar that were oute of charytie , & as the law sayeth he is cursede that letteth the rightfull wyll of a dead man lacke , And thys testament is the least wyll of Fraunces that is a dead man , it semeth that all his freres ben cursed .

why wil ye not touche no coyned money with the crosse ne with the kynges hedde , as ye done other Jeuels both of golde & syluer ? Certes yf ye despyse the crosse or the kynges heade than ye be worthy to be despysed of God and the kynge , and syth ye will receaue money in youre hartes , and not wyth youre handes , it semeth that ye holde more holynesse in your hondes than in your hartes , & than be ye false to God .

Why haue ye exempte you fro our kynges lawes , and visytinge of our byshoppes more than other christen men that lyuen in this realme , yf ye be not gyltye of traytery to our realme , or trespasers to oure bishoppes ? But ye wyll haue the kynges lawes for trespas done to you , & ye wyl haue power of other byshops more than other prestes , and also haue leaue to pryson youre brethren as lordes in youre courtes more than other folkes han the ben the kinges lege men .

Why shal some secte of you freres paye eche yeare a certayne to her generall prouynciall or minister , or els to her souerayns , but'yf he steale a certayne nomber of chyldren , as som mēsayne , and certes yf thys be soth , than be ye constrayned vpon certayne payne to do thefte agaynst goddes commaundement . Non furtuin facies .

Why be ye so hardy to graunte by letters of fraternyte to men and women that they shall haue parte and merite of all your good dedes , & ye wyten neuer whyther god be payde wyth youre dedes , because of youre synne , Also ye weten neuer whether that man or woman be in state to be saued or damned , than shall he haue no meryte in heauen for hrs owne dedes ne for none other man , and all were it so that he shuld haue part of youre good dedes yet shulde ye haue no more than God wolde geue hym after that he were worthy , and so much shall eche man haue of goddes yefte withoute youre lymytacion . But yf ye wyll saye that ye ben goddes folowes , & that he maye not do wythout youre assent , than be ye blasphemers to God .

what tokeneth that ye haue ordeyned that when suche one as ye haue made youre brother or syster , & hath a letter of your seale that letter mought be brought in youre holy Chapter , and there be redde , orels ye wyll not praye for hym , but & ye wyllen not praye specyally for all other that weren not made youre brethren or systren than were ye not in right charyte , for that ought to becōmne , & namely in goostely thinges

Frere what charyte is this to ouer charge the people by myghtie begginge vnder coloure of preachynge , or prayeng , or masses synging ? Sith holy write byddeth not thus , but euen the contrary , for al such goostly dedes shulde be done frely as god geueth hem frely .

Frere what charite is this to begyle children or they commen to discrecion , & bynde him to youre orders that bene not grounded in goddes lawe , agaynst her frendes wyl , sithen by this foly been many apostatase both in will & dede & many ben apostatase in her will , during all her lyfe that wolde gladly be dyscharged yf they wyst how , & so many ben apostatase that shulden in other states haue been trewe men .

Frere what charite is this to make so many freres in euery countrey to the charge of the people ? sith personnes & vycares alone , ye secular prestes alone , ye monkes & chanons alone , with bishops aboue him were ynough to the church to do prestes office , & to adde mo than ynough , is a foule erroure and greate charge to the people , & thys is openly agaynst goddes wille that ordeyned all thinges to be done , in , weyght , nomber , & measure & Christ hymself was payd with twelue Apostles and a few disciples to preache and do prestes offyce to all the hole world , than was it better done than it is now at this tyme by a thousand deal , and right so as foure fyngers , with a thumbe in a mannes hande helpeth a man to worche and double nomber of fyngers in one hand shulde let hym more , and the more nomber that there were passyng the measure of goddes ordynaunce the more were a man letted to worke . Ryght so as yt semeth it is of these newe orders that ben added to the church without grounde of holy wryte and goddes ordynaunce .

Frere what charyte is this to lye to the people & saye that ye folowe Christ in pouertye more than other men done , & yet in curious & costly howsynge & fyne and precious clothing , & delycious & lykinge fedinge & in treasoure & iewels & rych ornamentes freres passen lordes and other rych wordly men & soonest they shuld bring her cause aboute , be it neuer so costely though goddes lawe be put abake .

Frere what charyte is this to gather vp the bokes of holy wryte & put hem in tresory & so emprysonne hem from secular prestes , & curates , and by this cautel let him to preache the gospell frely to the people without wordely mede , & also to defame good prestes of heresy & lyen on hem openly for to let hem to shew goddes lawe by the holy gospell to the Christen people .

Frere what charyte is this to fayn so much holynes in your bodely clothing that ye clepe your abyte ? that many blynde foles desyren to dye therin more than in an other . & also that a frere that leaueth his abyte late founden of men , maye not be assoyled tyll he take yt agayn , but is an apostata as ye sayne , and cursed of God and man both , The frere beleueth treuth & pacience , chastyte , mekenesse , & sobryete , yet for the more parte of hys lyfe he maye soone be assoyled of hys pryor , and yf he brynge home to hys house much good by yeare , be it neuer so falsly begged and pylled of the poore and nedy people , in courtes & aboute , he shal be hold a noble frere , o lorde whether this be charite ?

Frere what charyte is this to prease vpon a ryche man , and to entyce hym to be buryed among you from hys parysh church , and to suche ryche men geue letters of fraternyte confyrmed by youre generall seale , & therby to beare him in honde that he shall haue parte of all your masses , matins , preachynges , fastinges , wakinges , & all other good dedes done by your brethren of youre order both whyles he lyueth , & after that he is dead , and yet ye wyten neuer whether youre dedes be acceptable to god , ne whether that man that hath that letter be able by good lyuyng to receaue ony part of youre dedes , and yet a poore man that ye wyte wel or supposen in certaine to haue no good of , ye ne geue no such letters though he be a better man to god than suche a rych man neuertheles this poore man doth not reche therof . For as men supposen suche letters , and many other that freres behesten to men be full of false deceytes of freres out of reason , and godes lawe , & Christen mens fayth .

Frere what charyte is this to be confessoures oflordes and laydes , and to other myghty men , and not amend hem in her lyuing , but rather as it semeth to be the bolder to pyl her poore tenauntes , and to lyue in lechery , & there to dwel in your of fyce of confessour for winning of world ly goodes , & to be holden greate by coloure of suche goostly offyces , thys semeth rather pryde of freres than charite of God .

Frcre what charyte is thys to sayn that who so lyueth after youre order lyueth mooste perfytely , and next foloweth the state of Aposteles in pouerte and penaunce , and yet the wyseste , and greatest clarkes of you wende or sende , or procure to the court of Rome to be made Cardynales , or bysshoppes , or the popes chappelaynes , and to be assoiled of the vowe of pouertye and obedyence to your my nysters , in the which as ye sayn standeth moost perfeccyon , and meryte of youre orders , and thus ye farē as Pharisees that sayen one and do another to the contrarye .

why name ye more the patron of youre order in youre Confytcor whan ye beginne masse , than other sayntes as Apostels or marters that hol churche holde more gloryous than them , and clepe hem youre patrons , and youre auowrycs .

Frere wheter was saynt Fraunces in makyng of his rule that he set thyne order in , a fole and lyar , or els wyse and trew ? If ye sayne that he was not a fole but wyse , ne a liar , but trew , why shew ye the contrary by youre doyng ? whan by youre suggestyon to the pope ye sayd that Fraunces rule was made so harde , that ye might not lyue to holde it , wythout declaracyon , and dyspensacyon of the pope , and so by youre dede ye lete your patron a fole that made a rule so harde that no man maye wel kepe , & eke youre dede proueth hym a lyar , where he sayeth in hys rule that he toke and learned it of the holy gooste .

For how myght ye for shame praye the pope to vndo that the holy goost byddeth , as ye prayed hym to dyspense wyth the hardnesse of your order .

Frere which of the foure orders of freres is best to a man that knoweth not which is the beste , but wolde fayne enter in to the beste , & none other ? If thou sayest that thyne is the best than sayst thou that none of the other is as good as thyne , and in thys eche frere in the thre other orders wolle saye that thou lyest , for in the selfe maner eche other frere woll say that his order is beste . And thus to eche of the. iiii . orders ben the other thre contrary in this poynte in the which yf ony say south , that is one alone , for there may but one be the best of foure , so foloweth it that yf ech of these orders answered to this question as thou doest , thre were false , & but one trew , & yet no man shulde wyte who that were . And thus it semeth that the moost part of freres ben or shulde be lyars in this poynt and they shulde answere therto . If you say that an other ordre of the freres is better than thine or as good , why toke ye not rather therto as to the better whan thou myghtest haue chosen at the beginning , & eke why shuldest thou be an apostate to leaue thyn order , & take the to that that is better , & so why goest thou not from thin order into that ?

Frere is there ony perfiter rule of religion than Christ goddes sonne gaue in his gospell to his brethren , or than that religion the saynt James in his epistle maketh mencion of ? If you saye yes , than puttest thou on Christ that is wysdome of god the father vncunyng , vnpower , or euil will , for eyther than he coulde not make his rule so good as an other dyd his And so he hadde been vncunnyng , that he might not make his rule so good as an other man might , and so were he vnmyghty and not god , or he wolde not make his rule so perfyte as an other dyd his , and so he had ben euyll willed namely to himselfe .

For yf he might , & coulde , & wold haue made a rule perfyte without de fate , & dyd not , he was not goddes sonne almyghty . For yf ony other rule be perfyter than Chrystes , than must Chrystes rule lacke of that perfeceyon by as much as the other weren more perfyter , and so were defaute , and Chryst had fayled in makynge of hys rule , but to put ony defaute or faylynge in god , is blasphemy . If thou saye that Chrystes rule , and that relygyon that saynt James makcth mencyon of is the perfytest ? why holdest thou not than thylke rule wythout more . And why clepest thou the rather of saynt Fraunces or saynt Domynyks rule or relygyon or order , than of Chrystes rule or Chrystes order ?

Frere canst thou assygne ony defaute in Chrystes rule of the gospell wyth the whiche he taught al men se kerly to be saued yf they kepte it to her endynge . If thou saye it was to harde , than sayest thou Christ lyed for he sayde of his rule , My yoke is softe , and my burthen lyght . If thou saye , Christes rule was to light , that may be assygned for no defaute , for the better may it be kept . Yf thou sayft that there is no defaute in Christes rule of the gospell , syth Chryst hym selfe saith , it is lyght and easye , what nede was it to patrons of freres to adde mor therto ? and so to make an harder religyon to saue freres than was the relygion that Christes Apostels and hys disciples helden and we ren saued by , but yf they wolden that her freres saten aboue the Apostels in heauen for the harder relygyon that they kepen here , and so wolde they sytte in heauen aboue Christe hymselfe , for the moo , and strayt obseruaunces : than so shulde they be better than Chryst hymselfe wyth myscaunce .

Go now forth & frayē youre clerkes , and ground ye in goddes lawe and geue Jack answere , and when ye han assoiled me that I haue sayde sadly in treuth I shall soyll the of thyne order , and saue the to heauen .

If freres cunne not or mow not excuse him of these questions asked of hem , it semeth that they be horrible gylty against god , and her euen christen , for which gyltes and defautes it were worthy that the order the they calle her order were fordone .

And it is wonder the men susteyne hem or suffre hem lyue in suche maner . For holy wryte biddeth that thou do well to the meke , and geue not to the wicked but forbyd to geue hem bread leste they be made therby myghtier through you .

Finis .