breaketh this commandment in killing his own soul; and is therefore "in
danger of judgment."

Now, to the second part of these three: That man that is moved with ire
against his neighbour, and in his ire calleth his neighbour "brainless,"
or some other like word of displeasure; as a man might say in a fury, "I
shall handle thee well enough;" which words and countenances do more
represent and declare ire to be in this man, than in him that was but
angry, and spake no manner of word nor shewed any countenance to declare
his ire. Wherefore as he that so declareth his ire either by word or
countenance offendeth more against God, so he both killeth his own soul,
and doth that in him is to kill his neighbour's soul in moving him unto
ire, wherein he is faulty himself; and so this man is "in danger of
council."

Now to the third offence, and last of these three: That man that calleth
his neighbour "fool," doth more declare his angry mind toward him, than
he that called his neighbour but "brainless," or any such words moving
ire: for to call a man "fool," that word representeth more envy in a man
than "brainless" doth. Wherefore he doth most offend, because he doth
most earnestly with such words express his ire, and so he is "in danger
of hell-fire."

Wherefore you may understand now, these three parts of this card be three
offences, and that one is more grievous to God than the other, and that
one killeth more the soul of man than the other.

Now peradventure there be some that will marvel, that Christ did not
declare this commandment by some greater faults of ire, than by these
which seem but small faults, as to be angry and speak nothing of it, to
declare it and to call a man "brainless," and to call his neighbour
"fool:" truly these be the smallest and the least faults that belong to
ire, or to killing in ire. Therefore beware how you offend in any kind
of ire: seeing that the smallest be damnable to offend in, see that you
offend not in the greatest. For Christ thought, if he might bring you
from the smallest manner of faults, and give you warning to avoid the
least, he reckoned you would not offend in the greatest and worst, as to
call your neighbour thief, whoreson, whore, drab, and so forth, into more
blasphemous names; which offences must needs have punishment in hell,
considering how that Christ hath appointed these three small faults to
have three degrees of punishment in hell, as appeareth by these three
te