AL Ingratitude vtterly settyng apart / we owe to calle to our myndes the manyfolde gyftes of grace / with the benefaittis. that our lorde of his moost plentiueuse bonte hath ymen vs wretches in this present transitoire lif. Whiche Remem [...]braunce of right directly shulde induce vs to yuie his god­hede therfore continuale and Immortale louingis & than­kis. and in no wise to falle to thignorance or foryeteful­nesse therof. Emong whiche benefaittis and gyftes is granted vs fre arbitrement. And therby with our good desertes supported and holpen by his moost digne mercy and grace we be enabled to be the children of euerlestyng saluacion / & to possesse the Ioyes of heuen. whiche ar incomp̄ hensible and inestimably blisful and good. And by cause we be so fraile and inconstante / prone to falle / feble and insufficiente of our self to resiste the frawdelente malice & temptacion of our auncien ennemy the fiend. Therfore he hath yiuen vs his mercy to be our Relief. Raison to be our lanterne. and Remembraūce to ordre our guiding. Then̄e first of this precieux gyfte of mercy we may to our greet conforte verily truste to haue it at all tymes in this w [...]rld [...] when̄e we deuely sue & calle therfore. But we must know for certayne / that we can haue no capacite nor power to re­ceiue hit after the saison of our bodyly lif here. Secundly by Raison we owe in the moost extreme loue and drede to knowe and take hym as our creatour & Redemptour. and alle our willes to be subget vnto his playsir. Thriddely we owe to remembre how we may guide vs for to stande in his grace / Considering what we were / what we be / and [Page] what we shal be. And for as moche / as very prudence ad­monesteth & techeth vs how the conclusion of euery thyng shulde be moost souerainely taken hede vnto. T [...]fore I aduise that this traitys here after ensuyng / whiche is of foure last thinges / be wele ouerred and seen. And not oonly seen and red. but also wele conceiued / noted / and often remembred. And if perauenture we finde therin o­ny cause of grouge / or elles ony mocion to blotte or rust [...] the clernesse of our goostly vndrestanding stirring vs to vnmesurable feer / or ony other presumptueux sinistre / or wyne concept. Yet late vs take hit alweyes to the beste entent hauing no dispeir in our lordes mercy / for it is infenite. And knowe for trouthe / that noon suche euil moeuing cometh / but of thinstigacion of our goostly aduer­saire / whom we must vertuously resiste / and catholiquely allewayes reste vppon the moost ferme piller of our faith which is the very assured shelde and moyen of our goostly [...]the And to haue that grace in our necessite calle we for helpe vnto the holy goost. that illumineth and techeth euery sowle for to kepe the wayes of saluacion to the enheriting of the eternal Ioye and glorie. Amen

THis present tretys is deuided in four principal parties Of the whiche euery parte conteyneth thre other sin­guler parties as in the maner folewyng is shewed

  • The first principal parte is of the bodely deth. And ther vnto belongeth thre other singuler parties.
  • The first of the thre is how remembraūce of deth causeth a man to meke and humble hym self
  • The seconde is how Remembrance of deth maketh hym to dispise alle vayne wordly thyngis
  • The thirde is how Remembrance of deth causeth a man vnconstrayned to take vpon hym to do penan̄ce and taccepte it with glad herte
  • The seconde principal parte is of the last day of Iugement and conteyneth in hym self thre other singuler parties
  • The first of these thre is how accusacion̄ that shal be at the day of Iugement is thing to be dred
  • The seconde is how the last day of Iugement is terrible and not without cause / for ther must be gyuen a due rekenyng and acompt of euery thyng
  • The thirde is how the terrible abiding of thextreme sentence causeth doubters to be had of the Iugemnt
  • [Page]The thirde principal parte is of helle or of thinfernal Iehenne and conteyneth in it self thre other singuler parties
  • The first of thoes iij is howe helle after holy scripture is named in diuerse and many wyses
  • The secunde is howe they that descende into helle been punyssh [...]d with many greet and sondry paynes
  • The thirde is howe ther be many diuerse condicions of greuances in the paynes of helle
  • The fourth principal part is the blilsful Ioyes of heuen ther vnto apperteyne thre other singuler parties
  • The first of thoes thre is / howe the Royalme of heuen is loued preysed and recommended for his beaute clernes and lyght
  • The seconde is how the Royalme of heuen is praysed for the manyfolde goodnesses that be haboundaunt therin
  • The thirde is how the celestial Royalme is to be lawded for the perpetuel & infinite Ioye and gladnes therin

Here after folowe [...] the prologue of the four last thinges

MEmorare nouissima et ineternum non peccabis. Ecclesiastici. septimo capitulo. Ecclesiasticus saith in his seuenth chapiter thise wordes folowyng. Bere wel in thy mynde the last thingis. and thou shalt neuer fal in synne. Also. Seynt Austyn. saith in his book of meditacions. That man ought rather haue in fere and eschewe thabhominacion̄ & filthe of synne than ony other crueltees of thinfernal turmentis. Lo then̄e how the knowlege of these four last thinges and frequentyng the memorye and remembraunce of them cal­leth us from synne / and draweth us to vertu / and conformeth vs to alle good werkis. Wherfor by the helpe of the deuyne inspiracion I haue purposed to reherse and saye a lytyl of these four thingis As which they be / and what they be. And also to declare somwhat of euery of them singulerly by them self / precyously and dignely by seyngis and auctoritees of seyntis / and generally by examples and seyngis of auctorised clerkis. It is to be noted that after the seyng of seyntes men seye comynly / ther be foure the last thnigis. And whiche they be it apperith clerly by the wordes of seynt Bernard in a sermon Where he seyth in al thi werkes haue remembraunce of thy last thingis. Whiche be four. That is to wete first. Deth bodely. Se­conde. The day of Iugement. Thirde. The peynes of helle Fourth The glorie of heuen. O what thinge is more horrible than deth. What thing is more dredefull and terri­ble than the day of Iugement. What thing is more im­portable to be suffred / than the gehenne and peynes of helle And what is a more Ioyefull blysse / than celestial glorie [Page] Seint Bernard seyde in the same sermone. These ben the four wheles of the chare / wherof the remembrance bryngeth mannes sowle to the euerlasting glorie of paradys These ben also foure moeuynges / that awake the spiryte of man to that ende / that he disprayse all worldly thinges and retorne vnto his creatour and maker. Lo it is then̄ bothe conuenient and prouffitable that they be had conty­nuelly in remembraunce. And therfor seyth the. Wise man. in the xxviij chapitre of Ecclesiasticus. Bere in thy mynde the last and final thinges. And loke alweye perfyghtly vpon them to thentent that they may be seurely fixed and printed in thy memorie. Now syn al this processe principally and soueraynly enforseth hym self tenduce euery creature to haue an assured mynde and an hole Re­membraūce of these four last thinges / and that they may cordyally be enprinted with in your hertes. Therfor it is consonant and accordyng / yf it so may plese / that this present trayttye may be entitled and bere the name of the. Cordyal.

¶Thus endeth the prologue of this book named. Cor­dyal. Whiche treteth of the four last and final thinges that ben to come. ¶And here beginneth the first parte of the seide four last thinges.

¶The first parte of the four last thinges

[Page]THe first parte of the four last thinges / wherof the remembraūce withdraweth a man fro synne is deth present or temporal. And therfore seith Seynt Bernard in a boke called the Myrour of monkes. The moost souerayn philosophye is to thynke alwey on deth. And he that berith it in his mynde: in what place so euer he goo / shal neuer synne. Seynt Austyn seyth in his book of exortacions. Ther is no thyng that so wele reuoketh and calleth a man from synne / as often Remembraunce of dethe. Certeyn it is that thinge whiche causeth a man to be humble to disprayse hym self / and to do penaunce.

¶Howe Remembraunce of dethe maketh a man to [...] humble and meke ¶The first chapitre

I Seye that recordyng the Remembraunce of deth maketh a man to be meke and humble hym self And therfor seyth. seint Austyn. in the booke that he made of our lord. A man knowyng hym self to be mortall / it shal put from hym al maner of pryde. In very trouthe all our other thinges as wel good as hadde / be in­certeyne. But of deth only we may be wel ensured. And how be it that the hour therof is to vs hidde and incerteyn̄ Yet alwey she is approchyng and shal surely come without longe taryeng. And to this purpose seith. Ecclesiastes. in his xiijj chapitre. Bere wel in remembraūce that deth shal not tary It is also writen in Toby that deth hasteth [Page] and that ther may no fleyng auayle. Also by the comune lawe of nature euery man muste paye his mortal tribute Seynt Bernard. seyth in a sermon̄. O wretchid man whi dost thou not dispose thi self to be redy at al houres think that thou art now dede / syns thou knowest wele that necessarily it behoueth the to dye. Remembre wele how thyn eyen shal torne in thy hede and the veynes breke in thy body▪ and thyn herte shal deuide in two partis by the right sharpe angwissh and payne of deth. Who is he then̄e that ought not to drede and make hym self humble. Whan he knoweth certaynly that he must retorne and become erthe Now truly ther shal be none excepcion of persones. But al shal passe that weye. For as it is w [...]eton in the seconde [...] of kynges. Whe shal al dye / and the erthe shal [...]low [...] vs / as it doth water cast therupon / whiche neuer [...]neth. We rede also that this worde. Mors in [...] may wele so be called. For it is a bitter morsel vnto alle men in so moche as no creature may escape it. And therfore it is said in the book of dispraysyng of the world [...]eth cutteth doun and distroieth all thinges create and made in flessh. She bothe beteth doun the hye men and low [...] for she hath dominacion vpon wordly lyuyng thin­gis. She regneth Imperially ouer the nobles and dredeth no lyuyng creature / for her power is comyn ouer princes and dukes. She taketh aswel the yonge as the olde And whan she smytes / she hath mercy of no creature Alle thinges create in flessh perissheth vnder her honde Nor ther be none so strong / but that she beteth them doun without rescuse. And ther is no thyng beryng lyf [Page] but that she distroyeth and wasteth it without ony escape And she neither taketh mede Allyaunce ne frendship What shal I more seye / euydently dethe spareth no body For nether poure ne riche shal mowe escape out of her cheyne. Certeynly I vndrestande nowe that dethe is thende of alle worldly lyuyng thinges. And therfor it is writon̄ in. Ietha. the poete. That dethe taketh awaye and doth anyntise all quyk thinges. Lo is it not seide that the wise Cathon and the good Socrates been dede. Whiche geuith example / that ther is neyther science ne doctrine that may preserue one fro the ruynous darte of dethe. It is writen in. Ecclesiastes. in the secunde chapitre. Aswel dyeth the wyse man as the fole. It is writon in Isaye in the xxxiij chapitre. Where ar noble come the lettred men. Where ben the prechers of the worde of god. Where be they that were wont to teche the children These questions implied as moche as to seye they lyue not / and begoon & past in the comyn course whith other & dede out of this worlde. Now by cause Ietha named but only the two afore specified. I pray the telle me / where is now Hector of troye / where is become Iulius cesar wh [...] is Alexandre the greet. Wher is Iudas Machabeus Where is the myghty Sampson / where is Crassus the riche / Where is the fayr Absolon. where is Galyen the phisifien / and Aincenne his felowe. Where is the wyse Salomon. where is Aristotle the philosopher. & where is Uirgile the right experte poete. he not al these dede & passed out of this worlde as pilgryms & gestes / and departed hens in a right short space: yes certeynly / ther is not one lefte [Page] a lyue of them / alle their ioyes were but vanitees & ar fayled & their dayes be consumed & passed And as the psalter seith man passed his dayes resembling a shadewe & one tyme he is hole and stronge of al his membres and on the morowe seke / & leyde in the erthe. And as. Cathon seith our lyf is geuen vnto us to be ful of doubte and of fragilite This appereth also clerly by a philosophre named Secundus whom themperour Adrian̄ questioned with of the beyng & the state of man̄. Whiche answerd as foloweth. Man is subgette vnto deth Oost of the place where he is / a voyager passyng / semblably vnto a pece of snowe. Also like a rede bery and like a newe apple by whiche thinge is eui­dently shewid / how frayle / how sleder. and also how lytil enduryng is the lyf of a man And not only the lyf of poure peple. But also the lyf of alle humayn̄ creatures be they neuer so riche or puyssaunt. For deth is a comyn̄ thinge and spareth no body. And all be it she is cruwel and peruers / yet she kepeth egally one lawe in takyng as wel kynges & prynces as poure folkis. Thus geueth she grete cause to wepe yf it be wel red and taken that is wreton̄ of her. And therfor seith Iob in the xx chapitre of hys book of the riche fiers & orguloꝰ man̄. Al though his pride be inhaunsed vnto the skye that his hede shold touche the clowdes / Yet in thende he shal torne to nought and be like a donghill. And they that haue seen hym shal axe wher is he now and no thing shal be founde of hym / no more than of a fleyng dreme passed in the nyght. Baruch in his thirde chapitre demaundeth Where be now the princes of the peple that where wonte to haue dominacion̄ ouer the [Page] beestis / and take recreacion with hoūdes and with hawkes of the ayer. And assembled grete tresurs of gold and siluer / wherin men gyue their affyaunce & truste. What is thende of theym that were besy and diligent here to forge golde and siluer to gadre and kepe it. Certeynly their ty­me is eytermyned and they be descended into hell. and now ben ther other enhaunsed and liue in their places. And therfor seyth Prosper in his sentence. where be the oratours not surmountable. where be they that haue couenably disposed their feestis. Where ben also the palfreymen that kept the shynyng palfreyes in their stables. Where ben the captayns of men of armes. And wher ben the lordes and ty­rantes. Ben not they al consumed and brought to powdre Yes of their dayes: And so shal be of oures. Is not theffect of lif altered into wormes. Beholde and loke into to their graues / whether thou canst knowe there / whiche is the lorde / whiche is the seruaunt / whiche was the poure whiche was the riche. Disceuere if thou can by knowleche the prisoner from the kyng / the stronge from the weke the fayt from the fowle. Crisostom̄. seyth. What hath it auayled them that haue liued in lechery / and in the voluptuousnesse of this present lyf / til their last dayes Auise you now and beholde in their sepulcres. and see yf thou canst aspye therin ony signe of pryde. Yf thou can haue ony knowleche of their richesse or of their le­cherye. Axe where is become their riche araye and their strange disguysed garnementis with their vo­luptuous / and nyce lookis. And where be nowe their grete companyes and nombre of seruauntis / that [Page] folowed them. Where be their lawhynges their playnges and their outrageous gladnesses out of mesurable temperance. Where is al this become. and whither is it passed Beholde diligently first the ende of one thyng and then of that other and drawe the nere their sepultures. And thou shalt fynde nothing therin but only asshes. and the remenaunt stynkyng and ful of wormes. A remembre thy self what is thende of all mortal men / be it so that they haue passed the cours of their lyues in delectable pleasures or ellis in labour or in contynence of their flessh. Yet all must dye. Seynt Bernard. seyth in his meditacions Tel me now where be the Amerouse peple of this world that late were emong vs. In trouthe ther is nothyng left of them but asshes and wormes. Thynke then̄e and remembre often tymes. What thyng they be / and what they haue been hertofore. Parde they haue be men as thou art / they haue eten and dronken / lawhed and made grete chere in their tymes. And after in a moment they descended into helle. And their flessh delyuered for wormes mete / and their sowle geuen into helle. There to be turmented by fyre vnto that the body shal come and Ioyne ageyn ther vnto And to be plunged to gedre in thembracements or peyneful Iehennes sempiternel with them that haue ben their felaws in doyng synnes and committyng vices without repentaunce penaunce and satisfaccion. O what hath it prouffyced their vayne glorie their short Ioye and the puissance of this worlde the voluptuousnes of the flessh the disceyuable richesse the grete nombre of their seruaūtes the vnhappy concupiscens. where be their playes & disportes [Page] their playes and disportes. Where is their bostyng and their worldly pride / The more they had their delectacion̄ and Ioyed therin here / the more shal be their payne and sorow there. And so after a greet voluptuous playsir they shal haue a myserable and a perpetuel paynful sorow And their beyng shal torne them to Ruyne and harde turmen­tes. Lo al that is comyn vnto them may happen vnto yow. Thou art but a man. and homo de humo. That is to seye a man made of erthe. Thou art of therthe / and thou lyuest of the erthe / and to erthe shalt torne agayn̄ Of these forseyd amerouse peple of this world lyuyng flesshly and not dredyng deth / whiche is their neygh­burgh̄ / speketh Seynt Bernard vnto the brethren of the mount of our lorde. O ye myserable synners that suffre the wretchednesse of this present lyf to retorne and lede you from the right weye. And the mene tyme ye passe your dayes in makyng good chere. Ye ar descendyng to helle beyng on lyue. And then̄e eueriche of you may seye the anguysshes of sorowful deth haue enuironned me And I haue founde my self in the peryll of helle. These ben the myserable creatures that this present lif disceyueth Of whom is writen in. Iob. the xxj chapitre. These felons whos lif is inhaunsed in pompe and pride and be comforted by their riches / They thynke that their seed shal abyde alway by the multitude of their frendes and of their neighbours / their houses to be alway assured and in pees The rodde of god not to come vpon them / their s [...]en to conceyue & not to be bareyn / thencrece of them to growe and not to be take from them / they reioyce them self in Iapees [Page] & disportes / they loue the harpe / the taboryn̄ / the organs / & alle vanitees. they contynue a while in that myrthe / and sodenly they descende into helle. O how gretly is he defraw­ded and begyled. O how folisshly is he mocked / that for the flouryng vayn beaute of this world shal descende doun into helle / & lose the dyademe of theternal glorye. Sothly the riche man that by synne hath deserued the paynes of helle had ben better to haue liued vertuously in grete nede and pouerte al his lyf. than to haue grete habondaūce of riches and atte last for his synful lyf to be dampned. Alas what proufiteth it then̄e the grete tresurs and hepes of gold and siluer. whan synners shalbe sent in to lowe tenebres of helle / ther to be payned and tormentid euerlastyngly with out seasyng. Mi right dere brother and frende what seist thou of the riche and myghty peple of this world. Dye they not aswel as other. In good faith̄ me semeth they be nothyng priueleged for as it is wreton in the book of sapience the seuenthe chapitre / the entre of this lyf is one and comune to alle and semblably so is the Issue. Iob seith in his .xxj. chapitre. This man dieth strong lusty and riche / his bowell is be ful of grece and his bones ful of mary. And this other dieth lene and feble ful of sorow and without ony richesse. that notwithstandyng they shal slepe bothe in pouldre and wormes shal ete them. Lo bow the riche and puissaunt men of this world haue their deth comune and egal with the pouer peple. And therfor it is wreton in. Ecclesiaste in the x chapitre. The lyf of of puissant lordship is right brief For this day this man is a kyng / and to morow he is dede / of suche akynge is [Page] red in the seconde chapitre of the first boke of Machabees how his glorie is a foul donghil and as vile as a worme he is to day enhaunsed: and to morow ther is no thing to be founde of hym. We haue an example accordyng of one of the hyghest and moost excellent prince of this world That is to wete. Alexandre. the grete kyng of. Macedone. that subdewed vnto his obeisance the vniuersal world in suche maner. that he was demed to be only lord of the erth. And it is redde that this.Alexandre. the grete somtyme kyng of. Grece. obteigned many uictories in many straunge londes. And in his goyng by diuerse regions subdeued vnto his Iurisdiction al the world And in another place is red of hym that he was kyng of kynges / and that he sawe al realmes subget vnto hym wherby the wis of his renomme and fortune made an hole monarche. That is to sey an hole Empire of al the world For it was ones al bonde and subget vnto hym without disobeissaunce. And so he was grettest of al the large world. But what thing therof ensued. After he hadde tryumphantly goten the only empire of the vniuersal world / was not that the stablenesse of regne / the ꝑpetuite of myght the helth of his body / and the longe enduryng of his lyf naturall: Certeynly no. But he was subdewed by the same thing that is comune vnto al. That is to wete. Deth. Whiche is the last recourse after al fortu­ne and destenyes. Than myght. Alexandre. wele say atte [...]ou [...] of his deth as. Iob. seyde in the xvj chapitre of his book. I am he that somtyme was riche and myghty. and sodenly am beten doun / for he obteyned only his [Page] Empyre. But onely by the space of xij yeres. And therfor it is writen of h̄ym in an other place. That he reg­ned / and was obeyed xij yeres. And after that he was subget vnto deth / of whom liueth yet the renomme & cannot dye. Semblably compleynyng hym self of the deth he myght seye as is writen in Iob the xix chapitre. My glorie hath dispoiled me / and hath taken awey the crowne fro my hede / she hath also vtterly destroyed me / wherthurgh I am lost. Lo howe it appereth manifestly herby / that deth is thende of all men. And also that howe be it. Iulius cesar hadde al the worlde vnder his Empyre / Yet his glorie fayled hym and rested lorde but of a tombe of viij fote longe. Wherby it semeth that the mageste roial al worldly puissance al prosperous thinges / and the ordinaunce of dayes: passe brefly from man without tariyng when̄ ye hour of deth is comyn▪ And therfor seith an other poete If thou be wise thy wisdom̄ departeth with thy deth. If thou be haboūdant in richesse: it leueth the at thy deth. If thou be a prudent man: thy prudence finissheth with thy deth. If thou be honest: by deth it is taken from the. If thou be strong thy myght faylleth the by deth. Certeynly then̄e I nowe know that the yeres that passe / taketh from vs al thinges Wherfor then if thou be riche strong or feyre / what wileth it. If thou be a bisshop a priour or an abbot / what wileth it. If thou be a greet excellent myghty lord / If thou be a kyng or a pope / what vayleth it. All passeth right hastely without longe tariyng / And here resteth but oonly the merites. wherof ye good shal cause vs to be glorified And therfor seide Isidor in an omely. My right welbeloued [Page] brethren̄ / we ought to thinke how breef and shorte is the worldly felicite / how litle is the glorie of this world / and howe frayle and faylyng is the temporal myght therof And therfor euery man may sey. Where be the kinges where be the princes / where be the emperours. where be the riche & myghty men of this world: they be al post like a shadewe / and vanyssed like a dreme of the nyght. for though one wolde seke them they wil not be founde here. what shal I more sey. the kynges be passed & the princes be dede / neuer thelesse ther be many that wenen to lyue long & neuer to dye But alweys to rest in this present lyf. Certeynly they be fol [...]. For it shal not be so. But they shal dye as other princes & men haue doon. For as. Senek. seith in his episteles to Lucyt. The issewe of this present lyf is deth It is wreton by a poete named Ieta. The deth vndoeth al liuyng thing. and euery lif fynysseth by deth. Certeyn the worldly deth concludeth all the vayn felicitees of men For if thou did preche the feith of Abraham. The pite of Ioseph The charite of Moyses. The strength of Samson. The swetnesse of Dauid. The miracles of Elizeus The richesse & prudence of kyng. Salomon. The beaute of Absolon. And in wepyng occupied thextremytees of all thies in declaring their endes: the hystories wolde shewe that ther is but one conclusion̄. That is the sey deth. Here it appereth right manifestly by the thing aforsayd. that beaute lynage condicōns witte richesse nor worship can not kepe a man / but that he must stumble & fall & retorne to asshes for al thing that is engendred. renneth alwey toward his deth. Ouide seith that al thing that is engendred asketh [Page] and requireth to come ageyn̄ to their vniuersal modre That is to seye the erthe. For all that hath been and past afore / may be resembled to a rennyng riuer. Sembla­bly I fele it by my self wretche , that am brought al moost to no thyng , and haue not knowen hit / for my dayes be past fro me litle , and litle as a shadowe. and I am dried as the wydered hey. Certeynly we be no thing but powdre. Mennes dayes be like the floures in a medewe And them self may be likened to the heye. Now auise the then̄e. for man̄ is a thyng that endureth but short space and is of resemblance to the floure , that groweth in the medowe. It is writen in Isaye the xl chapitre. All hu­mayn̄ flesshe is heye / and his glory like the floures of the felde. Verely al peple be hey / and all hey drieth and wydereth , as the floure that is fallyn̄. But the worde of our lorde remayneth and is perdurable. Wherfor then doth a man̄ set hym self in pompe & pride beyng like the widered heye of felde. It is writon by Innocent in the boke of our miserabill condicion̄. That humayn̄ flessh̄ is the vessell of filth , and a vessell of teres , a drye thouht , a stinkyng sakke. The lif of the flesshe is labour / The con­cepcion̄ of the flesshe is but filthe / The ende therof is rotynnesse. And the birthe is but vyle. It was first a sparme. That is to seye. The seed of man̄ / and nowe it is a stinkyng sakke. And after finally shal be wormes mete in the erthe. Nowe wherfor shulde a man then be prowde. Seint Bernard. seith in his booke of Meditacions. Wherfor shulde a man wexe prowde sithen the concepcion of man is in synne. And of [Page] all the birth in payne , the lif in labour , and necessarily al must dye. And after deth turne to wormes , And after wormes to filth and stenche. Lo thus finally euery man is clerely conuerted and turned out of all humanyte. Considre than the begynnyng of thy lyf , the mydle , and also the last ende. And thou shalt fynde therin a right greet occasion̄ and cause to meke and humble thy self Now what seyst thou. what thynkest thou. what rekenyng makest thou of thy self. art thou ought but powdre of the erth. It is wreton in the xij chapitre , but more playnly in the iij chapitre of the same. Ecclesiastes. The powdre retorneth to the erth that hit come fro. That is to wete to right a fowle rotyn erth full of wormes. And therfore writeth. Iob. in his xvij chapitre. I haue seid to rotennesse thou art my fadre and my moedre. and I haue seid to the wormes ye be my brothren & my sustres. It is red in , Ecclesiasticus in the xvij chapitre that euery man is erth and asshes , and therof haue take their beyng And also it was seide to a man. Thou art but powdre / and to powdre shalt retorne And as Aleyn̄ amonysseth & warneth the / when thou shalt lie in the colde erth , thou shalt torne to powdre & wormes mete. & from thensforth ther shal no creature be in will to loke vppon the. For thy flessh̄ shal be more ranke in stinche , than the flessh of a rotyn̄ hownde To this purpose seith that holy man. Seynt Bernard What is a more vile and stinkyng thing than the ca­reyn̄ of man̄. And what is a more odeous thing to be holde than a dede man. the more delectable he hath been in his lyf to the contrary his loke shall be orrible after his [Page] dethe. What shal hit proufite vs richesses: delectacions and worldly worshippis. The richesse defende vs not from dethe / nor delectacions from the wormes / nor the wor­shippes from foule stynkynges. O myghty God eter­nal / in howe myserabile chaunse is man inclosed. Cer­teyne my right dere frende: If thou thoughtest diligently of the thinges aforeseyde: Thou shuldest therby fyn­de a right greet occasion̄ to meke and humble thy self For the remembraunce of dethe causeth humylite in man. It appereth wele by the thirde booke of. Kynges in the .xxj. Chapitre of. Kyng Achab. Whiche when̄ he herde by. Hely. the manassyng of dethe / and that hit approched hym: He meked hym self in suche wyse that our Lorde seyde to the forseyde. Hely. Seest thou not howe. Achab. humbled hym self before me. It is sayde also that somme tyme. Whenne men made and created a pope: ther was brought before hym a pece of flax and ther in set fyre: seiyng thies wordes folowyng. Right thus passeth the vayne glorye of this worlde. Lyke to seye. That as the fire brennes lyghtly the flax: and conuerteth hit in to asshes Semblably the glorye of this worlde fayleth and passeth. Isidore. reporteth also. That aunciently it was accustumed atte coronacion of the Emperour of Constantinoble. When he was set in his moost glory. A mason shulde come before hym and shewe hym thre or four maner of marbyll stones , seiyng that he shulde chese / of whiche of those he wolde haue his tombe made. It is redde [Page] of seint Ioh̄n the aumener that was somtyme patriarke of. Alexandre. that hadde commaunded to make his tombe / and wolde in no wyse it shulde be fully finysshed And ordeyned that in grete and solempne festes. when̄e he was in his hyghest honour , one shulde come vnto hym and sey that thy tombe is not fully accomplisshed nor per­fourmed. giue commaundementes that hit be finysshed For thou knowest not how thou shalt dye / nor whan that theff wyll come / whiche is to vndrestonde the fende That enforceth hym self alwey to destroye soules. And whye dyd the pope the Emperour and the patriark thyes thingis. Whiche were the men moost excellent in astate of al the world / but onely to confesse and knowlege to them self that they were mortall. and that they ought not to enhaunse them self in pride nor fortefye them in hope of longe lyf. Wherby they shulde haue the more power in this vayne worldly glorye. But that they myght haue before hem thenne the remembraunce of deth to cause them to be the more humble in all their werkes And therfor seith a prophete. Knowe all peple that men be comen and made of erthe. And therfor they must necessarely dye. It is also wreton in. Ecclesiastes. in the one & fourty chapitre. All thinges that be come of the erthe: shal be conuerted ageyn to the erthe. Wherof man̄ is comen as it is wele knowen. And therfor seith Iheremyas the prophete in the .xxij. chapitre. Erth erthe. erthe. Nowe herken my wordes. He called man̄ thryes erthe: by cause he may so be named in thre maners [Page] First he is erthe / for he is made of the erthe Secundly his conuersacion is in the erthe / And fynally he retour­neth into the erthe / So is he erthe in his creacion , in his conuersacion , and in his dethe / He is erthe by hys nature in his lyf / And in hys Sepulture he hath sauoured the erthe / he hath liked the erthe , he hath desired and coueyted the erthe / The body of man is taken and doluen in the erthe / And yet he forgeteth the Celestyall thynges / and pleteth for the terrestreall And geueth batayl for the erthe. He gothe / He co­myth , and turneth abowte the erthe to haue the erthe And often in angwysshes payne and labour / nowe here nowe there / And all for the erthe / and neuer sea­syng tyll be hym selff / whiche is come from the erthe be retourned ageyn̄ to hys first modre / That is to seye The erthe / It may be seyde , as it is writon in the third [...] booke of. Kynges. in the secunde Chapitre. Lo howe I departe and passe the comune weye of the vnyuer­sall erthe / And for asmoche as we be bounden with slyme of the erthe , donge of the erthe , and be right vyle thyng. Wherfor shulde we then̄e be prowde of our self / knowyng we be come from the erthe / lyuyng in the erthe / conuersyng in the erthe / and fynally shal retourne into the erthe. as euery daye it appereth euy­dently vnto alle peple:::::

¶Howe Remembraunce of dethe maketh a man to dispise alle thynges::: [Page] ¶The thirde chapitre of this first principal part

REmembraunce of dethe causeth a man to myslyke alle erthely vayne thynges , and to repute them as no thyng. Therfore seyth Seynt Iherome. in his prologue of the Bible. That esely he dispiseth alle bad thyng: that alweye remembreth / howe he muste dye. The concu­piscens of eyen is dispysed , whenne oon̄ remembreth that he shal shortly parte and leue alle erthely thynges The concupiscens of the flesshe is dispised: whenne one remembreth , that his body shal become wormes mete In a moment the pompe and pryde of this lyf is set at noght: Whenne a man counterpeyseth in his herte , howe he that wolde be aboue alle other: shal be hastely caste into the erthe vnder the fete of other. For this cause seyth. Seynt Iherome. in a pistle that he sent vnto Cypryane. Remembre the wele of thy dethe: and thou shalt not synne. He then̄ that alweye bereth in Remembraunce , howe he must dye: disprayseth easely alle thinges present: disposyng hym selff to alle good thynges that be to come. Certeynly. Esau. consyde­ryng howe dethe was nyghe vnto hym: dispraysed lyghtly alle worldly thynges. It is writen in Gene­sis. in the fyue and twenty Chapitre. Lo beholde I dye / and what shal proufite me alle thoes thinges that I am born̄ vnto. Isidore. also aduertising hym self of the shortenesse of this prrsent lif / whiche is so sone passed & that all that men̄ seme to haue in possession̄ here shal be [Page] lefte sodenly by deth: exorted euery man to disprayse suche thynges. Sayng if thou wilt be in rest and peas desyre no thyng of this world. and so thou shal be quiete in thy corage , if thou put from the all desyres and corious besynesses of this present lyf. Set a part all thing that may distourbe and lette thy good purpose be thou dede to the world. and the world to the. and as though thou were dede: beholde the vayne glorye of this world. And as a man passed: disseuer and depart the from the voluptuousnesse of this worlde. And as a man fynysshed: haue this worlde in no cheerte And as a man passed out of this worlde , purge the of all maner of filthes. And also whyle [...]thou art a lyue disprayse all that thou mayst not haue when thou art dede. Senek seyth that ther may not thing profite the so moche in that temperance and dyspraysyng of all worldly thinges as shal do to thenke often of the short enduring / and the incerteynte of this present lyf. Thenne my ryght dere frende Remembre often in thy corage: how thou must dye. It is redde in a book made of the gyft of drede. Howe long a go , ther was ryght a wyse philosophre that hoolly abandoned hym to the vany­tees of this world / Whiche in a tyme herd red of the long lyf of Auncient fadres / and of eueriche of them was seyde in the ende he is dede. As is wreton in Genesis. in the fyfth chapitre. Thenne he thought in hym self / that semblably deth shulde happen vnto hym as it did vnto those. for he was right olde. And [Page] hastely he entred into religyon̄: and toke thordre of ffrere prechours: and was after made master of Theologye in Parys. And from that daye forth ly­ved a full holy lyf. O howe wele hadde this man before his eyen the wordes of. Ecclesiastes. in the enleuenth chapitre. Seiyng. That man / whiche hadde lyued many yeres alweye gladde and Ioyefull / h̄e ought to remembre wele his last dayes / and the comyng of the tenebrouse tyme. For thenne it shal be but vanyte / to argue of thinges past for his remedye. Certeynly atte daye of dethe appereth vanyte of vanytees / and howe all thinges shal be thenne vayne and noght For this cause it is writen in. Ecclesiastes. in the thirde Chapitre. Alle thingys here be restyng vndre vanyte: and trewe it is alle thynges of this worlde / and eueriche of them be vayne / For our lyf / and euery worldly creature is but vanyte. And therfor seyth the Prophete. That vnyuersally euery lyuyng man̄ is vanyte. Thou wenest to lyue longe: and many yeres to possesse delicyously thy temporall goodes. Certeyne my right dere frende / It shal be all other wyse For man is made semblable vnto vanyte and his dayes passe as a shadowe. Beholde nowe and see howe thy dayes shal be but short / and an other shal come and take thy possessions. To this purpose seith Chaton. Promitte neuer to thy self that thou shalt haue longe space of lyff / For in what place so euer thou entre: dethe foloweth alwey the shadowe of thy body [Page] And therfor if thou loke vppon the wordes that be seyde. And also conceyue dilygently in thy herte that shal be shewed the hereafter: thou shuldest ra­ther sey thyes wordes than other wyse. I go now to my dethe / and trust to lyue after by a longe space. Al be it perauenture this is the last day of my lyf. The holy and blessed man. Seynt Luke. seith in his xij cha­pitre. O thou foole / this nyght thy soule shal be axed of the and be certeyn that the disposicion̄ of thy tabernacules is but light. As is wreton in the seconde epistle of seynt Petre. in the first chapitre. Thynke then̄e that thou art dede: when thou knowest necessarily that after a nombre of yeres thou art certeyn to dye. Therfor disprayse al transitory thynges that must be hastly lefte / as is to sey without ony tariyng though it to be lothe vnto the. The poete telleth that wysdom / rentis of londes possession of richesse / the makyng of walled townes / the byldyng of houses / the glorious maner of lyuyng at the table as well in plesant drynkes: as in delicious metes. the feire softe beddes: wele hangyd and dressed. the white table clothes the bright burnyssed cuppes the riche garmentis contrary to good maner. the greet flokkes or herdis of beestis The greet contreies of arable londes. the vyneyerdes plenteuously sette with vynes. and the Ioye and the loue of his propre childeren. Yet shal all this be relynquysshed passe and be lost / and no thyng be founde therof herafter. By thies thinges may be seen that in this pre­sent lyf is no thing stable nor permanent. whiche ought [Page] to cause drede. Therfore writeth. Ecclesiastes. in the secunde Chapitre. I haue greetly exalted my werkes. I haue edified me fayre houses. I haue plan­ted vynes. I haue made gardynes / Wherin I haue graffed of alle maner of trees. I haue also caste poondes. and stagnes. and haue sette trees in the forest. I haue hadde seruauntes and chamberers and greet companye in my housholde more than euer hadde ony afore me in. Iherusalem. I haue hadde greet flokkes of shepe / and droues of beestes. I haue assembled for me golde and siluer / and gadred the tresure of kynges / and of the prouynces / my neigh­bours. And also haue herde afore me syngers / bothe men and women. and many delectacions of the chil­dren of men. And haue doon̄ so moche / that I haue surmounted in richesse alle that haue been before me in. Iherusalem. Wysedome also hath alweyes per­seuered in me. and all that euer myn eyen haue desired I haue not denyed them / nor defended / but that they haue vsed alle voluptuousnesse. & they haue hadde no delectacion But in suche thinges / that I hadde ordeyned them. And when̄ that I turned me & behelde wel al thies thinges / & the werkes that my handes hadde wrought / & loked vppon the labour that I hadde many tymes swette in / & al for noght I perceyued then & knewe wele / that al my werkes were but vainte / & affliction of spirite / And that vndre the sonne in this world was no thing permanent nor sure. Now in trougth al thinges passe here like a shadowe. Therfor seith Ioh̄n de garlandia That all thing of this world / yt was [Page] Is and shalbe: perisseth in the moment of an howr. What proufiteth than to haue been. to be now. or to be herafter. Certeyn thies be iij thingis blowyng without floures. for all thnigis that were / be or shal be haue a fynyssyng. The world passeth and the concupiscens therof also. And ther for it is serd. Wherfor taketh a wyseman thought forto gete tresure whiche is sone loste. And Seynt Bernard seith in his boke of meditacions. wherfor maketh ony man tresour here of riches: sethen without delaye bothe that that is assembled and he that gadereth hit passen and be lost togydre. O thou man what auayl entendes thou to haue in this world: when the frute is but ruynouse and the ende dethe. My cordyal and good frende / now wold god that thou woldest vndrestonde wele thise thinges. and suerly ordeyn̄ for thy last thinges. Petre de Bloys. seyth in a pistle. that the disceiuable vayne glorie of this world begileth al thoes that loueth hit. For all that euer it promit­teth in tyme to come / or pretendeth in tyme present fayleth & cometh to nought as water cast vppon the erthe. Beholde then how frayle / how disceiuable / and how vayne is the world and the Ioye therof / that we desyre so mekell. O thou fole wherfor dispisest thou not lightly thoes thinges that thou seest so shortly fayll & passe. Knowest thou not how the world is right nought and furious. And that in languyssyng / it perisseth by the gleyue of the right cruel deth hit is atrouthe that none argument can serue to the contrarie. Wherfore. and by thies thinges afore rehersed: it appereth manifestly how remembraunce of deth sholde cause dispisyng of all wordly thinges and withdrawyng [Page] a man from fallyng to synne.:.:.

¶Howe Remembraunce of dethe maketh a man to take vppon hym penaunce.:.:. ¶The fourth chapitre of the first principal parte

FOlowyng thordre before set. It is now to enquere dilygently , howe remembraūce of deth causeth a man to do penaūce & gladly to accepte it. This appereth clerely by. Ionas. the prophete in the thirde chapitre , spekyng of them of Ninyue. whiche did penaūce for fere of dethe. Wherfore Seynt Ioh̄n Baptiste. enduceth men also to do penaunce. As Seynt Luke writeth in his thirde Chapitre. seiyng. Do ye the dig­ne fruytes of penaunce. And he seyth afterwarde. The axe is sette to the rote of the tree. Whiche signifyeth the thretenynges of dethe. And therfore seyth. Seynt Ambrose. vppon. Luke. Alas lorde yf I haue not he wayled my synnes. Alas lorde if I haue not risen at midnyght to confesse me to the / Alas if I haue begyled my neigburgh̄ / Alas if I haue not alwey seyde trougth. The axe is redy sette to the rote. Euery man therfor then̄e do penaunce / and deserue the fruite of grace. For here comyth the lord to aske the frute of our lif. For this cause Iob considering the shortenesse of this present lif , hadde leuer and chase to haue repentance presently. than afterwarde wherby shulde growe no fruyte. The same. Iob. saide in his tenth Chapitre. Shal not my shorte dayes breefly finysshe. Yes in trougth. The lyf present is right shorte [Page] Alas then a litle while let me compleyn̄ and bewaile my sorow afore my departing into the tenebrous derkenesse of dethe without retornyng. And it is also seid in Iob the xiiij chapitre. That mannes dayes be breef. It is wreton in the first pistle ad. Corintheos. in the vij chapitre. [...]he tyme is breef. Were it not better then now breefly to sustene a litle payne: then afterward when it can not profyt to repent without proufyt and bewaile hit infynytely [...] Seynt Austyn seyth that better is a litle bitternes [...] the monthe: then eternally to suffre payne in al the hoo [...] body of man. Also he seyth in a sermon. That the lyf of euery man from his youthe to his age is but short / though Adam liued yet. and shulde this day dye. what shulde hit auantaged hym to haue liued so long. Sothly litle or noght. but he myght sey the tyme of my lyf is past And also seyth a. Wise man. What shulde it proufyt a man to liue .CC. yeres / when at his dethe / he shal thynke all his lyf is passed as wynde. And. Seynt Austyn. seyth vppon the. psalter. If thou haddest liued sens Adam. was chased out of paradys terestre til now / and that thou shuldest dye this day: thou shuldest thinke thy lyf not longe , which so sone shulde passe. Nowe how long so euer a mannes lyf be , take that it may be lengthed as moche more to cause many yeres: Yet it shal fayle and vanysshe as the shynyng of the morowe sonne. And the same. Seynt Austyn. seith in an. Omely. that we be more frayle and brotyll: then though we were made of glasse. For al be it that glasse is brotill. Yet if it be wel kept , it may endure right long. But mannys lyf be it [Page] neuer so wel and diligently kept it may not long endure Therfor it is wreton to the hebrues in the .ix. chapitre It is establisshed and ordeyned euery creature ones to dye And. Senek. seith in his boke of remedyes ayenst fortune. That our lif is but a pilgrimage / and when one hath longe walked: he must fynaly retorne. This necessite to dye , and shortnesse of the lif of man̄ was wel con­sidered by the paynym. Xerses. Of whom. Saint Iherom. wrote in a pistle to. Eliodorus. seyng that this puissant kyng. Xerses. whiche subuerted the monteyns and couered the sees , beyng ones in right hyghe place loked vppon the infinite multitude of his hoost and tendrely wept / by cause he knewe that none of thoes whom he behelde shulde liue ouer an. C. yeres. It is a thing right necessary in the world / that mannes lif be not long las­tyng. And as. Balam. seith It is likened to a tree hauyng ij wormes fretyng in the rote / the one blak and the other white in the similitude of the day and the night whiche incessantely gnauwe the rote of the tree of lif. Seynt Austyn. vppon the seyng of. Seint Ioh̄n in his thirde chapitre tretyng vppon this question̄. Quid est uita nostra. &c. This lif is a doutful lif , a blinde lif and a nedy lif / humours make hit to bolne / sorowes make hit feble , hete dryeth hit , eyer disposeth hit to sekenesse / mete maketh hit to swelle / fasting maketh hit lene Pleyes maketh hit to erre / wayling destroyeth hit / besy­nesse constrayneth hit / sewerte maketh hit rude / rekles richesse enhaunseth hit / pouerte abateth hit / wepyng aba­ssheth hit / youthe maketh hit wan tun / age maketh hit to [Page] yelde / sekenesse maketh hit to breke. And after alle this cometh dethe / Whiche destroyeth and maketh an̄ ende therof with alle his Ioyes in suche wyse / as when̄e the Ioyes be past: all semeth as they hadde neuer been Also it is redde in the booke of Sapience in the secunde Chapitre. That the dayes of our lif nys but shorte / and yet ar they full of greuance. We be made: and wote not wheerof. And after we shal be: as we hadde neuer been. For our dayes passen as dothe a shadowe. It is redde in the same booke of Sapience in the same chapitre That our lif passeth like the trace of a clowde / and shal fayle as the litle clowde / that is broken by the myght of the sonne beames. It is writen in. Iob. the vij cha­pitre. Beholde howe my dayes be all passed / and I shal goo forthe in the pathe , and shal neuer retourne ageyn Also the same. Iob. seyth in the ix chapitre. My dayes ar pass [...]d more lightly than a Currour or a messanger They ar goon lightly aweye as shippes doon / that be charged with appelles. Or as an egell dothe fle for his mete. Iob seyth also. My dayes be passed more lightly than clothe is cutte from the lome / and they be all wasted wythout ony hope of recouerey. O lord god remembre then is my lif ought but wynde / and shal not my eyen retourne ageyn̄ to see the good thinges to come. To that purpose spketh Petre de Bloys in his boke called Aurora My lif shalbe son̄er out of this worlde , than a webbe of clothe cut from the lome. Remembre the then how thy lif may be re­sembled to the wynde. Lo nowe my right dere frende howe shorte , how litle , howe mutable , howe disceyuyng [Page] is this our lif present / for as it seid in. Ecclesiastes in the xviij chapitre. It is grete age in a man to be C yere olde. But by succession of tyme it is greetly aminysshed It is wreton in the. Psalter. The dayes of our yeres be lxx. and if we may come to. four score. yere: the surplus is no thyng but labour and sorowe. But what is it of .lx. yere: or yet of. C. ought this to be taken for a long tyme and a greet space of yeres: Certeynly nay in regarde to warde the sempiternite. It ought rather be named a moment than a space of tyme. For to our lord a. M. yere is but as yesterday. whiche lightly is past Vereily this lif is short and transitory: payneful and wretched / hit is not onely to be thought nor poysed for the shortenesse. But moche more for the nicerteynte therof whiche is doutefull: and ful of casuel parell: and we be not sure therof daye nor hour. And when̄e it sheweth vs suwerte and peas: thenne sodenly cometh deth. and with hit perauenture that fals thef. Sathan. Therfor seyth to vs a poete. Who is he knowyng hym self to liue many yeres: sens we knowe not whether we shal dye tomorowe or sonner. It is wreton in. Isaye. the xxxviij chapitre seyng. Dispose thy house: for thou shalt dye so­ne: and not longe liue. Isaye. seith also in the same chapitre. That my lif is kit from me as a pece of clothe from the lome. And whenne I began first the liue / then̄ began dethe to approche toward me. For this cause it is seyd in the book of. Sapiens in the fyfth chapitre. We be sone born̄. and sone leue our beyng. To this pur­pose seyth. Senek. in his pisteles. Euery daye [Page] we dye / & euery day is taken awey from vs parte of our lif Than thus what is our lif: ought ellys but a passage , or a rennyng toward deth. And therfor it is not vnresonable yt she be likened to an Orylage , whiche goothe alweye from degre to degre continually mouyng till it come to a certeyn̄ poynt / & then̄e hit striketh sodenly vppon the belle , whiche constreyneth the sowne. Semblably our lif passeth alwey and renneth till hit come to a certeyne poynt. That is to wite. The hour of our dethe whiche our lorde hath prefixed and no man may hit passe / and than our lif falleth and fayleth without remedye. Awake then̄ and entende wysely to the ende of thy lif / For thyn̄ Orylage hath but fewe degrees to renne / and euery houre she ouerpasseth many And when̄e it cometh to the last: thou shalt stomble so­denly into the cauerne or caue of dethe. Nowe herken what a Poete seyth. The present lif is shorte alw [...]ey fle­yng / and fadeth as a shadowe , and departeth & falleth sodenly , when̄e on wenes that she be moost permanent and abidyng / and in the myddes of our lif: we be often at our deth. And therfor haue we in Ecclesiastes in the ix chapitre. That man knoweth not his ende / but as a fisshe taken with a nette , & the bryddes with a trappe. Semblably men be taken at inconuenient tymes. thus cometh our ende & deth is ye last thing to all thinges bering lif. It is writen in a boke of ye lif & of the dedes of greet. Alexandre O how happy shulde a man be if he had alwey in remembraū ce of the eternal Ioyes. & drad dethe yt is ordeyned as wel to the nobles as to the poure peple / Whiche cometh to the greet perell & daungyer of the sowle when̄e it is vnpurueied [Page] Lo here then̄e my right dere frende , thou seest wele that the lyf of man is but a thing dyked about , and enui­rounde with ruyuous deth , our flessh is but asshes. And suche as was the begynnyng: suche shal be the ende Seynt Bernard. seyth. Whenne I Remembre that I am but asshes / and that myn ende approcheth my drede and fere is without ende , and I wex colde as asshes And therfor as. Seynt Gregory. seyth. That man sollyciteth wele his goode werkes: that thenketh alwey vppon̄ his last ende. And we shulde drede that euery day shulde be our last day. And alwey haue in mynde: that necessarily we must dye. Who may haue thenne a bolde corage consideryng [...]he shortenesse the gre [...]t incerteynte of our lyf. the approchyng of our deth whiche is comyng. Who is he also that ought not thenke dilygently that our dayes & our yeres fayle and waste as the smoke. And that man̄ naturelly born̄ lyueth but a short space , and fadeth as a floure , and fleeth a wey like a shadewe. Who is he also that calleth thiese thinges to mynde , and peises them wele in his hert. and so subdeweth the deuell the flessh̄ and the world and re­penteth hym in this short space / To sey you trouth ther be noon that deferre and be negligent so to do: but oonly thoes that be all blinded in malice and lakke of grace. O howe greet a payne shal ensewe of negligens Thappostel. seyth to the. Hebrues. in the seconde chapitre. How shal we flee that dispise so greet an helthe As to seye. we myghte haue heuen̄ iff we wolde. And Seynt Effran. seyth. My ryght dere brotheren̄ and [Page] frendes: If we be necligent in the litle space of tyme yt we haue now: we shal haue no maner of excusacion to allegge for remede of our synnes. Therfor disprayse not the shortnesse of this tyme. But do penaūce whyle ye haue space here: for after it wyll be to late and without fruyte. And better is to do penaūce here / than infenytely & world with [...]ut ende to repente hit. Now haste ye therfore & tary not. Lest yt ye fynally be shet out with ye v fatuat & fonned virgyns Seynt Mathewe sayth in his xxv chapitre. Lo here is ye spouse come , & thoes yt were redy: been entred with hym to the weddyng. Wheruppon seint Gregory seyth. That ye palays of the herte myght wele asauoured how wondrefull was that worde. Here is the spouse which is come. How swete was that worde to them: that entred with hym to the weddyng. And how bitter was ye other worde. The yates be shitte & closed. My dere frende If thou dide sauour & vndrestonde wele all this thinges & beheldest them wele in thyn̄ hert Certeynly yu woldest renne with all diligence for to do pe­naūce. & wolde not lese so vnproufitably , & without fruyte y acceptable tyme & dayes of thy helthe. for no maner of voluptuous plaisers or other ydelnesse. And as it is writen in the Apocalips in ye secunde chapitre. Remembre the fro whens thou art fall or departed , & do penaunce. It is red how in dayes passed it happened in ye Abbey of Cleruaulx yt an holy man beyng in his prayers herde a voys makyng a peteous lamentacion / And as he asked who it was: A sowle answered seiyng. I am the sowle of a dampned man compleynyng myn̄ vnhappy cause of condempnacion̄. And then̄ he demaūded hym of his payne / which answerd yt of al [Page] thinges that causeth moost payne to a dampned sowle was losse of tyme , that god hadde ordeynd man by his grace that he in a litle tyme myght haue doon penaunce. which shulde deliuere hym from the euerlastyng paynes of the gehenne of helle. To this purpose seide. Hugh of seint Uictour. The lakkyng of the sight of our lorde. & fayl­lyng of alle the goodes of grace , that we myght haue had shulde surmounte and be more greuous vnto the. than all the infernal tormentes. Lete vs do good werkes while we haue tyme , lest we seye in repentaunce. As is seyd in. Iheremyas. in the viij chapitre. That is to wite. Heruest is past , Somer is finyssed , and we be not saued. Wherfor my frendes I require and humbly pray you , That ye will amende your self in shorte tym [...] and make you redy in this. x. hour. for the euenyng hasteth hym. And the Rewardeur shal come to yelde euery man after his werkes. Hit may appere by thies exam­ples. howe Remembraunce of deth shulde induce a man to do penaunce. It is redde of a felonous and a cruell knyght. whiche wolde neuer accept nor do ony penaunce enioyned hym by pope. Alexandre. And atte last the pope gaue hym his Rynge / that he shulde bere hit on his fynger: by wey of penaunce. And as often as he behelde hit to thinke on his deth. And whan he hadde born̄ hit a space of tyme with that Remembraunce on a day he come ageyn to the pope sayng / he was redy to shrine hym / & to fulfill eny other maner of penaunce / that he wolde enioyne hym. It is red of an other synner that in like wise wolde do noo penaunce / & atte last his confessour enioyned hym [Page] that he shulde commaunde his seruaunt to present hym euery daye at his table with the first messe / a staffe the rynde scorched of. seiyng. Sir remembre that necessarely ye must dye. not knowyng / where / when̄e / in what maner / nor howe. And as this was a good while contynued , because of that Remembraunce / alle that he ete turned hym to greef and trouble. And thenne he cal­led ageyn for his confessour. seiyng he was redy to do and obeye ony penaunce , that he wolde ordeyne. For his herte v [...]s meruelously brought in greet trouble by the fere of dethe , whiche he was in. Lo by thies thynges aforhersed appereth then̄ clerly I nough̄ howe Remembraunce of dethe causeth a man to humble hym self / to dispise alle worldly thinges / & acceptably take vppon hym to do penaū ce and consequently to eschewe synnes. And therfore my right dere brethren and frendes , remembre you often / ye and right often , that ye shal dye. And if ye bere in your myndes the dethe , ye shalt wele come by that remembryng to the most happy resorte of lyf. That is to wite The herytage of our Lorde Ihesus Crist

And thus endeth the first parte of this tretys de­uided in foure::::::

¶Here begynneth the prologue of the secunde partie of the foure last thinges::::

THe secunde parte of the foure last thynges wherof frequentyng the Remembraunce reuoketh and calleth vs from synne: Is the last and fynall daye of Iugement of whiche the Remembraunce draweth vs not oonly from the dedely greet synnes. But also from the smale venyall. And therfore it is redde in. Uias Patrum. in the lif of fadres. That an Auncient man seyng a yong man laugh dissolutely: seyde sone we must geue accompte of all our lyf , before heuen and erth Why laughest thou so faste. As who seyth , If thou knewest howe strayte a Rekenyng shal be atte the daye of dome of all synnes aswel greet as smale: Certeynly thou woldest not laughe. But rather sorowe and compleyne. Nowe is here the place to wepe and to put a wey synnes. And thoes that nowe wepe for their synnes shal laugh̄ hereafter. Seynt Gregory seyth in his Omely That the gladnesse of this tyme present ought to be but suche / as therby ye bittirnesse of the daye of Iugement be / [...]ot put out of remembraūce. Therfor it is writen in Ecclesiastes the xxxviij chapitre. Bere my iugement in remembraunce. And also our lord by his ꝓphete in the psalter seith. when̄ I shal se or take ye tyme , I wil deme & do iustice to euery oon̄. And Iohel seyth in his last chapitre. All men arise and come to gydres into the vale of Iosephath For there I shal fitte & Iuge all maner of peple about me [Page] Iheremyas. in his seconde Chapitre seyth that our lorde seyth. I shal amownte with you in Iugement. Of this Iugement is wreton in. Ozee. the iiij chapitre , Ye childe [...]n of Israhel / here ye the worde of our lorde of the finall Iugement that perteyneth to our lorde vppon thenhabi­tantes of the erthe / Sothely this Iugement is greetly to be dowted. Therfor seyth the. Prophete. I dred for thy Iugementes. It is wreton in the book of. Sa­pience. in the fyfthe Chapitre / They that see the greet Iuge / shal be horribly troubled / playnyng and way­lyng the drede of their sowles / Certeynly in this day shal all peple be troubled , and they that dwelle in the vtterest partye of the worlde shal fere thoes tokens and signes / and they shal dowte them , and not without cause / For they shal be merueylously horrible. Seynt Luke. seyth in his xxj Chapitre. When̄e the sone of man shal shewe hym self / That is to seye. The chil [...]e of the virgyn marie comyng in a clowde in mageste with a greet puyssaunce: then̄e shal the sygnes shewe in the sonne , in the mone , and in the sterres / And on the erthe shal [...]e pressure of peple dredyng to be confused with the sounde of the [...]awes of the see / Men vniuersally of all the worlde shal fall downe for the drede and fere that they shal haue thenne. O thou wretched man remembre of the terribil comyng of this Iuge: that is bothe god and man / Whiche afore hym hath a brennyng fire / And a strong tempest. I seye ther shal a fire goo afore hym Whiche shal flame hoolly abowte his enemyes. It is writon to the. Hebrues. in the tenth Chapitre. Right [Page] terribyll is the abydyng of this Iugement. And the fere therof , whiche shal destroye hys aduersayres. And Malachyas. seyth in hys thirde Chapitre. See here the daye that shal come flamyng like a Chemenye. And thenne hit shal brenne alle prowde men: and tho [...]s that haue committed felonye. It is redde in. Isaye. in the. xlvj. Chapitre. Here is our Lorde that shal come and Iuge by fire. And. Iohell. in his secunde Chapitre seyth. He shal haue a fire before his face deuouryng and behynde hym a brennyng flame. For this cause seyth. Malachyas. in his thirde Chapitre. who shal he be thenne that shal mowe see our Lorde. For he shal be as a fire glowyng , sette to make clene , and purge siluer Who is thenne he of deuout corage that shal not drede with all his hert this Iuge & his comyng. And the [...]for seith Seint Gregory vppon Ezechiel. Who may haue that corage / but that shal fere & drede the presens of the eternal Iuge / when̄ all thinges shal come then̄ to ye sight of euery man. & all thinges doon̄ afore by delectacion shal be with right greet drede called to remembraunce. Certeyn̄ as it is writen in the Prouerbys in the xxxviij chapitre The euyll men thinken not of the Iugement. But they ye desiren & dreden god: haue in their hertes all good thinges. Seint Bernard seyth in a prose Truly I drede [...]ore the visage of ye Iuge that shal come to whom no thyng can be hydde / & shal no thing rest vnpunysshed. And who shal he be of vs that shal not dred when̄ ye iuge shal come which̄ shal haue fire brennyng before hym to the destruction̄ of alle synners. Certeynly this last Iugement ought [Page] greetly to be dred and for iij causes. ¶The first thaccusamentes shal be in many maners. whiche all synners ought greuously to wayle. The seconde is the right strayte sentence vppon our gouernance that syngulerly shal be made to euery thyng. The thirde is the horrible feerful abydyng of the Iugement , whiche thenne by the Iust Iuge shal be terribly geuen. These thinges all synners ought tymerously drede. whiche by consequens the Re­membraunce therof sholde withdrawe man from do­yng synne

¶Here endeth the prologe of the seconde parte

¶How the Accusacion that shal be at the day of do [...]e is to be drad ¶The first chapitre of the seconde part

THe first thing thenne. wherby th final Iuge­ment ought specially to be drad: is the ma­ny and dyuerse accusacions. Whiche shal be there ageynst all synners. Wherfor it is to be knowen that we fynde in holy scriptures seuen thinges that accuse synners at the greet daye of Iuge­ment. ¶The firste is our propre conscience. Whiche shal argue ageynst the synner , not secretly: but ma­nyfestly thenne afore all. It is wreton in. Damele in the seuenth chapitr. Thy Iugement is set. and the bookes be open. That is to wete. the consciences whiche thenne be opynly vttered. In those bokes be conteyned the sciences of lif or of deth , of glory and [Page] of confusion , of saluacion perpetuell , or dampnacion eternall. It is redde also in the .xx. Chapitre of the Apocalips. That dede men shal be Iuged of the thynges writen in their owne bookes. That is to seye. in their consciences. Therfore it is writon in the Pistle to the Ro­mayns in the secunde Chapitre. That their consciences shal bere them wittenesse. For as wittenesse of the euyll conscience is thaccusacion , the payne , and the turment of synners: Right so shal the goode conscience be helpe and saluacion to the goode creatures. The secunde thyng that shal accuse the synners / shal be the fendes and the euyll spirites. Whiche falsly and trayterously haue procured and sturred men to synne. And of alle that the synner hath doon they wylle accuse hym / as one thef accuseth an other of oon felony doon by them bothe

It is writen in the. Apocalips. the. xij. Chapitre The fende is called the accuser of brethren. And Seynt Austyn. seyth. They be alle before the Iudiciall sete of Ihesu Criste / And there the deuels shal be redy. Whiche shal reherse the wordes of our profession and shal appose to our face that we haue doon / and wherin we haue synned / and in what place / and what we ought to haue doon / and left it vndoon Truly our aduersary that same fende shal seye thenne O right wyse and Iuste Iuge: Deme this man to be myn for his synnes: For he wyll not be thyne by grace. He is thyne by nature: He is myn by hys mysery. He is thyn̄ by thy passyon̄ He is myn̄ by persua­sions. He hath been disobeysaunt vnto the. He hath been [Page] concentyng vnto me. He hath resceyued of the , the stole of Immortalite: and of me this blakke garment that he wereth of perpetuel deth he hath lefte thy liuere and hath taken myn , he hath lefte thy Ioye and blisse. and hath ta­ken my sorowe and payne. O thou Iuste Iuge. Iuge hym therfor to be myn , and that he be condempned with me perpetually. Thies wordes seyd our lorde vnto. Seynt Austyn. The thirde thing that accuseth synners / shal be angeles , and the happy goode spirites. Certeyne it is to be beleued , that he that hath geuen them our sowles to kepe: shal require to haue Reason of that kepyng And as thoes that neuer lye nor wol take vppon them the synne or faute of other: must nedys seye. they be not to blame. But the gilt is in vs synners. Whiche wolde not obeye nor beleue them: Semblably it is nat the default of the physycien , whiche doth his cure as it apper [...]neth if he hele not his pacient whiche is disobe [...]s [...]unt vnto hym. And therfor it is wreton in. Iheremye. the one and fyfty chapitre. We haue hadde. Baby­lon. in Cure , and yet she is not heled. Thees be the wordes of the Angeles as they will seye. We haue doon̄ all that was necessary to be doon̄ to. Babylon. to thende that she shulde be cured , and beled. But it is in her defaut that she is not beled. This. Babilon is to be lykened to mannes Sowle The fourth thing that shal accuse synners , shal be creatures. And if thou ayed me. Whiche creatures they be. I answere the , all and eueriche oon̄ of them by them self. For and the creatour of all thinges be offended , all the good [Page] creature shal haue hym in hate: that hath displeased hym For as. Iob. seyth in his .xx. chapitre. The heuens shal shewe and lifte vppe the euyll werkes of the synners and the erthe shal adresse hym ageynst them. For our Lorde shal calle vnto hym the heuen aboue , and the erthe be nethe to discerne his peple. And therfor seyth Crisostom̄. vppon the. Gospel of seint Mathewe. There is no thyng that we shal mowe remedye by answere that daye: Whenne the heuen and the erthe the sonne and the mone. the nyght and the daye and alle the worlde shal bere wytnesse ageyns vs for our synnes. Therfore seyth. Seynt Gregory. If thou axe me. Who shal accuse the. I seye to the , alle the worlde. And that the creatures shall not oonly accuse the synners. But also shal require the Creatour of alle thynges to take vengeance on them for their synnes. To this purpose it is writen in the booke of. Sapience. in the fyfth Chapitre. He shal arme alle creatures to take vengeance on his Ennemyes And with hym shal fyght alle the worlde ayenst thoes: that haue been Insensate. That is to wite Ayenst synners. Alle creatures seyng hym that is maker of alle thynges shal chase them to cause turmentes to be geuen vppon thoes that haue not be Iust

The fyue thynges that shal accuse the Synners , they shal be myserabyll persones , that haue suffred so many wronges. For then̄ they shal accuse thoes that haue doon them wrong payne & turmente. At ye tyme shal the worde of the profete be verified which̄ seith. I haue knowen wele [Page] that our lorde wil gyue Iugement. for the poure folkes that haue suffred wrong. and shal auenge the quarell of thoes that be impotent for he that beholdeth the depe botoms of the sees , and sitteth a boue al the Cherubynnes and Seraphyns / and gothe a boue al the wyndes: He is more terrible to be drad in his counselles and willes than is the sonnes of men. He shal Iuge then̄e poure mennys causes that haue been constant. And shal holde ageyns thoes that haue doon them many angwisshes. Then̄e shal the fadre of Orphans , and the Iuge of wydewes benge all wronges , the paciens of poure folkes shal not then̄e perisshe. The subgettes shal also accuse the felones and negligent prelates & curates. And therfor seith Seint Bernard. vppon the. Canticles. O how cruel our lord shal be vppon the sonnes of men. Certeyn̄ the wretched synnere shal sey then̄e all for nought to the monteynes. Fall ye vppon vs and to the Rokkes couer ye vs. They shal come then̄e before the tribunal sete of Iesu Crist where shal be herde ful greuous accusacions by thoes that haue payd their wages , and born̄ their dispenses wrongfully and their synnes shal not be defaced , nor hidde , of thoes that fraudelently haue blynded their doctours and confessours. The vj thinge that shal accuse synners , shal be malice and synne. We rede in. Iheremye. the seconde chapitre. Thy malice shal accuse the , and thy refusyng shal blame the. For the synnes shal then̄e be bounden̄ vnto the nekke of synners. To this purpose seith. Ozee in his xiij chapitre. The iniquite of effraym ys bounde to gedre and his synnes be not hid. We rede myn iniquitees [Page] be trussed and leyde in myn nekke , and as the stolen good taken in the nekke of a thef accuseth hym: semblably synne shal then accuse the wretched synner. It is wreton also in the. Prouerbijs. the fyfthe chapitre. Iniquitees shal take the felon̄ synners and there eueriche of them shal be taked and strayned with coordys of their synnes And the. Prophete. seith the cordys of my synnes haue enui­roūde , and goon roūde about me. By the whiche cordys I sey also the wikked folkes by deueles shal be drawen in to helle: Certeynly they fall into their nettes: and be ta­ken by their baytes. We rede of the proprete of an̄ Irchyn whiche. that when he entreth into a gardeyn: he lodeth hym with apples stikyng on his prikkes , And when the gardener comes: he wolde flee , but he is then̄e so ladyn: that he can̄ not awey. And so he is there taken with all hi [...] apples. Semblably falleth hit to the synner / that is all [...]adyn̄ with synnes , and at the greet day of Iugement he is with them taken & accused. Wherfor seyth the psalter Our lorde shal be knowen in makyng his Iugementes & handweerkes , and the synner shal be taken. Vppon the whiche seith. Crissostom̄. Our owne thoughtes , and specially our werkes shal be afore our eyen , and shal accuse vs afore god. And therfor seith. Seynt Bernard. Our werkes and we shal speke to gydre and sey. O myserable synner thou hast made vs / we been̄ thy werkes , we will not leue the , but go with the to thy Iugement. It is red in. Ezechiell. the .xviij. chapitre. Like as the Iustice of the Rightwys man shal be on and for hym Right so the felony of the felon̄ shal rest vppon hym

[Page]The. Psalter. seyth. Here ye all peple , here / and reteyne wele in your eres all ye that dwellyn in this worlde. Wherfore shal I not be dredefull in that euyll daye. That is to wyte. The daye of dome , Whiche shal not oonly be euyll to me. But it shal be righ̄t euyl to euery synner. Wherunto he answereth hym self sai­yng. I shal drede thenne: For the Iniquite of my fete shal enuyron me. The seuenth and the last thyng that shal accuse synners: shal be the turmentes and instrumentes of the passyon of Ihesu Criste. And also Ihesu Criste hy semlf. Wherfore seyth. Seynt Iherome. The crosse of Ihesu shal fyght ageynst the Ihesu Crist shal shewe and allegge his woundes ageyn the And the trace of the seyde woundes shal speke ayenst the The nayles shal compleyn on the. As Seynt Austyn seith in his trete of symboll. Perauenture our lorde hath kept in his body ye trace of tokenes of his woūdes , to thentent that at the daye of dome , he will shewe them ageynst synners to their reproche. And in venquissyng them seye Lo here beholde the man that ye haue ocucified. See here god and man / in whom ye wolde haue no beleue. Loke vppon the woundes that ye haue made hym / knowelege the side that ye haue wounded and hurt. whiche hath been ope­ned for you. But ye haue not wele entred therin. Ihesu Criste also then̄ accusyng the synners , shal sey as Naum seyde in his thirde chapitre. I shal shewe thy defawtes afore thy face , & shal shewe to the peple thy nakednesse & to ye reames thy shame. Ozee in his secunde chapitre seyth I shal manifeste & shewe thy foly afore ye eyen̄ of thy louers. and [Page] ther is , no man may drawe the out of my handes. O howe desolate and howe sorowfull that the myserable synners shal be in the daye of the greet Iugement. For thenne as it is writon in the first Chapitre of the. Apocalips. Euery eye shal see hym / and all the lynages of the erth shal compleyn on hym. Thenne synners seyng all this shal be full of anguissches and sere

¶How the last Iugement shall be terrible. For then̄e shal be geuen rekenyng of all thing ¶The secunde chapitre of the secunde part

THe secunde thing that shal cause the extreme and last Iugement to be dredefull , shal be the strayte Rekenyng and accomptes of our vyle dedys in all thing. Seynt Luke. sayth in his .xvj. Chapitre. Yelde Reason of thy dedys , for after this lif thou shalt mowe no more werke. My Right dere frend yf thou shuldest geue a Rekenyng and accomptes of a .M.ll. before a temporall Lorde prudent and wyse thou woldest be full wele ware and take good hede howe thou shuldest make hym a Iust and a due Rekenyng Haue thou thenne moche more thouh̄t and be more drede full to yelde good Rekenyng and accomptes of all thing that thou hast commytted and doon , and of thy dute lefte vndoon̄. When̄e thou shalt come before god , his angeles , and all his seyntes. In whoes presens necessarily thou must accompt. And not oonly of the greet thinges: but also of the smale. Ye vnto the leest part [Page] of them. And as it is writon in the thirde Chapitre of. Isaye. Our Lorde shal come to Iuge with all his moost Auncient peple. Zacharyas. in his fourtenth Chapitre seyth. Our Lorde my God shal come , and his seyntes with hym. That is to wyte. To the gene­rall Iugement. Whiche shal be doon before all opynly and not in hydelys. And therfore hit is greetly to be dowted. For it is writen in Zophonyas. in the thirde Chapitre. He shal holde his Iugement in the mornyng by daye lyght. and shal not hyde hym. There shal be then̄e many dyuerse Reasons to geue Rekenyng of all [...] thynges. First of our Sowle / whiche hath been com­mitted and geuen vs by God. Nowe truly yf a Kyng hadde deliuered his doughter to oon of his subgettes that he entierly loued / entendyng to make her a quene in his Reame. And yf the seyde subgette hadde not kept her wele. Who wolde dowte: but that the Kyng wolde haue a Rekenyng , and knowe the cause / how and why , his doughter hadde be so euyll and ne [...]ligently kept. What shal the Kyng of heuen do then̄ to hym that hath taken his doughter to kepe. That is to wite. The sowle. Whiche he loueth specially and entendeth to enhaunse to Roial dignyte in heuen Iff he haue kept her euyll , shal not God therfore axe to haue therof Rekenyng and Reason: Yes hardely It is writen in. Deutronomij. the fourth Chapitre. Kepe thoughtfully thy selff and thy sowle also And Seynt Austyn sayth. It is a gretter losse of oon̄ sowle: then of a .M. bodyes. Seint Bernard seith in [Page] the Booke of his. Meditacions. That all this present world may not be estemed nor valued to so hygh a prico as oon̄ sowle. Also he seyth. Wherfor makest thou thy self fatte and enournest thy flessh̄ with precious stones. Whiche after a fewe dayes wormes shal ete within thy sepulture. And wherfor makest thou not thy sowle fayre with good maners and vertues. whiche atte the daye of dome ought to be presented to God and his Angeles. Wherfor takest thou noon hede to make her fayer and clene ayenst that tyme. And why applyest thou rather to thy flessh̄ , than to her. why put­test thou the chamberer befor the lady as to be gouerned rather by thy flessh̄ , than by thy sowle. It is a greet abusion. Seynt Bernard seyth h̄ym self in the book of dyspraysyng of the worlde. Nowe a dayes the cure and the charge of the sowle is despised and lefte , and thac­complisshement of all their desire is after the will of the flessh̄. they drede not to do synne nor Remembre not howe they shal be rigorously punissed. My Ryght dere frend. wylt thou thenne loue better thinges of litle va­lewe. than thoes that be more dygne and of hier price Enhaunse not thy body / and suffre neuer the lady to become Chamberer. To this purpose seyth. Crissostom̄. If we disprayse our sowle , we may not saue our body Truly the sowle is not made for the body , but the body is made for the sowle. Then̄e he that disprayseth the hyghest and first thing. and enhaunseth the secunde and the lowest: hurteth bothe the oon̄ and the other [Page] But he that kepeth therin good ordre , exalteth & kepeth y that is chef / & disprayseth that , that is secunde. for he he­leth that , yt is moost digne and first. That is for to seye the sowle. If thou wolt than saue thy sowle , & yelde god a good rekenyng therof. Instructe her with seyence , and deuyne vertues. Plato seyth in his booke of Thymeo The sowle is Ioyned with the body , to thentent / that she may lerne science & vertu. If she come with wynnynges she so to be resceyued of her maker. And if not she then̄ to be sent into helle there to remayne in turment and paynes perpetuell. Secundly we must yelde Reason and Rekenyng of our body. It is our Castell committed and deliuered vs by God. Wherefore seyth. Seynt Bernard. He kepeth wele a good Castell / that kepeth [...] his body. There shal be axed Rekenyng of the [...]e [...]yng of this Castell / As wether the Enymyes of [...] Lorde / whiche be vices and voluptuosnesse of the [...]esshe / haue be resceyued therin at ony tyme. And if his frendes and his seruauntes / whiche be vertues and good werkes / haue been shamefully chased out. If we haue doon so: it is a greet signe and suspecion of our perdycion. And we shal nedely yelde Reason and Rekenyng. Therfore our body is as a Mare that our Lorde hath geuen vs to vse for the proufite of our sowle / of the whiche we shal yelde Rekenyng / As in thre thynges / It is writen in. Ecclesiastico. the thre and therty chapitre / The mete / the Rodde and the burdon is geuen to the asse / The brede the discipline and the werke is geuen to the seruaūt / Certeynly our body [Page] signyfyeth aswell a mare and an asse / as a seruaunt vnto whom is geuen the brede for sustentacion of nature The Rodde of discipline , for to refrayne vanytees. And the burdon of good werkes / for the persection̄ of penaunce. Our lord thenne shal axe of this his mare his asse or his seruaunt , yf we haue mynistred to hym his mete discretely not to largely nourisshyng For he that nourissheth ouer deliciously his seruaūt , shal fynde hym after the more fiers and prowde. It is writon in the. Prouerbys. the nyne and twenty Chapitre And also not to yeue the body ouer litle of that , that is necessary to hit. For so we myght be homycides of our owne flessh̄. Ayenst this speketh. Seynt Ber­nard. in a. Pistle. to the Bretheren of the mounte of God. seiyng. Ther be many other exercises of the body , in the whiche it is necessarye to labour as in wakynges fastynges. Whiche impecheth not , nor letteth spirituall thynges. For yf they were lette other by de­fault of spyrite , or by sekenesse of the body / he that so shulde take a weye from his body theffect of good werke The true desire of his spyrit. The good example to be shewed to his neighbour. and the honour to God his maker. He shulde do sacrilege , and be culpable of all this thinges ayenst God. Yet seyth. Seynt Gregory. in his. Moralys. in the one and therty Chapitre. By abstynense shulde the vices of the flessh be quenched. Certeynly yet whenne we put a weye our enemy , we greue our owne flessh̄. Secundly our lorde shal aske vs , yf we haue corrected our body with [Page] the Rodde of discipline in refraynyng hit from Rebellion and other vayne Iolitees. Seint Bernard. sayth vppon the. Canticles. That the disacustumyng of good werkes: must be chastised and holpen by the bytte of discipline. He seyth also in a. Pistle. O how wele good disposicion yeldeth discipline to the state of the body , and the habitacion of the thoughtes abateth the slepe of the hede / she ordeyneth the continuaunce of the visage / she tempereth the tonge / she refray­neth the throte / she appeseth the Ire / and dresseth the goyng. Thirdely our Lorde shal aske , if we haue laboured our body in vertu and in werkes of penaunce. Therof seyth. Seynt Austyn. in his book of. Baptisyng. of children. That. Adam. was chased out of Paradys terrestre / because that delicious place it shulde signifye , that labour which is contrary to delite shulde be shewed vnto the tendre flesshe of the children. And therfore our bodyes may be called a laboryng best / whiche our Lorde hath lent vs to do and accomplisshe the werkys of penaunce. Holde not the body then in Idelnesse , in as moche as thou knowest not , how longe it shal abyde with the. But perfourme the werkes of penaunce. Lest perauenture he asketh hit ageyn that hath lent hit the. Crisostom. sayth Iff thou haue borowed an Oxe or an Horse , thou wilt a none sette hym a werke / leest he be asked ageyn of the on the morowe. Why wilt not thou semblably do wyth thy body , as thou wylt do wyth the Horse or [Page] Oxe. Thus then norisshe discretely thy body / whiche is lent the by Ihesu Criste in suche wyse as thy nature may be sustened , and the vices ouercome and thy body cor­rected by the Rodde of discipline / so as it may be obedyent and Resplendisshyng in Chastite. Instructe hit to good laboures , so that it chase aweye alle Idelnesse and fynally that thou mayste yelde our Lorde a good and a Iuste Rekenyng therof at the daye of Iuge­ment. Thirdely we muste yelde Rekenyng of our next kynnesmen. First the Fadre of the Sone. As is writen in the first booke of. Kynges. in the secunde Chapitre and the thirde of. Hely. that was punysshed for his children because he knewe they dyd a mysse , and corrected not their defautes. Therfore is also writon in. Salomon. the Nyne and twenty Chapitre. Lerne and teche thy Sone. And to the same purpose seyde A wyse man. Iff thou haue a sone , correcte hym yf he synne , lest by right thou abye not his trespace. Se­cundly the Prelate shal geue Rekenyng of his subgette or diocesan̄. For it is writin in. Ezechiell. the egh̄t and therty Chapitre. My sone I haue sette the to be a beholder and ouerseer of men in the Hous of Irahell Whenne then̄ thou herest ony of the wordes of my mouthe shewe them on my behalf. That is to wyte. Iff I seye to a felon. O theff thou shalt dye an euyll dethe And yf thou shewe not my seiyng to hym to thentent that he may amende hym / If he dye in that wykkednesse [Page] I shal aske of thy hande his lyf ageyn. Item the same. Ezechiel. seyth in his thre and therty Chapitre Beholde and see howe I am my self a boue alle my other herdemen̄. And I shal aske my bestayll of their handes

The Lordes or Princes Roiall shal yelde Rekenyng and accomptes of their subgettes. As it appereth in the. Booke of Nombres. in the fyue and twenty Chapitre. Where the worldly princes ar commaunded to be hanged on the galowes for the synne of their peple be cause the peple dyd fornicacion̄ with the doughters of. Moab. Whithe they called their. Sacrifice. As is redde in the seyd Chapitre. Suche then be the princes and prelates. As is writen in. Iheremyas. the fyue and twenty Chapitre. Howle ye herde men̄ and crye strongely , and cast vppon you asshes / for youre dayes be complete , to thentent that ye be slayne and cast in the erthe as precious vessels. Beholde then̄e thies Prelates of the Chyrche , and the Princes vni­uersall of the Erthe , that be constitute aboue alle other [...]oke howe they gouerne by example. Howe they in­structe by wordes. Howe they defende by dede the poure peple , that arne comitted to their gouernaunce. Certeynly the Prelates owen to teche their peple and defende them wysely from the assawtes of Heretikes worse and more cursed than wolues / and from their cawtellys wylyer than foxes. And the temporall Princes owen̄ to do Iustice vppon trespassours and defende their good subgettes , and kepe Wedewes , Orphanes [Page] and wretched persones. And not to greue ony body by vnrightfull exactions , or Iniust causes. They may knowe what is writen in the. Booke of Sapiens the Syxthe Chapitre. How there shal be a right hard Iugement to thoes , that been precellent a boue alle other. Certeynly mercy shal be graunted vnto the good poure man. But the badde riche man shal suffre greet turmente. O ye prelates of the Chirche , and ye Princes of the vniuersall worlde / thies wordes been addressed vnto you , to thentent , ye shulde lerne wyse­dom̄ / and not to fall therefrom / and that ye enstructe gouerne and defende your subgettes so wele / that ye may be sure atte the last daye of the right harde Iugement. where the grettest and strongest paynes shall be to thoffenders , that haue been myghtiest here.

Fourthly it behoued to yelde Rekenyng of alle our willes and werkes. And. Anastasye. sayth vppon the Symboll.Quicun (que) wlt saluns esse. &c. How atte comyng of our Lorde Ihesus Criste alle mankende shal arrise bodely , and yelde Rekenyng of their propre werkes. That is hit that is writen by. Thappostle in the secunde Pistle ad. Corintheos. the fyfth Cha­pitre / Where he seyth. It behoueth that we shewe vs alle manyfestly before the Iudiciall sete of Ihesu Crist to thentent that eueriche resceyue there good or euyll accordyng to their merites and desertes. It is redde in Ecclesiastes. in the last Chapitre. Our lorde shal beyng vnto the Iugement all thinges that be doon / And not oonly the greet & greuous synnes / but also thoes yt we [Page] thinke be litle or none. The paas of a man semeth but a smale thyng. Neuerthelesse it shall be Rekened for at the fynall daye of Iugement. Ther for seyth. Iob. in his thertenth Chapitre. Sire thou hast wele marked my weyes and my pathes. and hast beholdyn the Traces of my fete. And after he seyth in the Chapitre folowyng. Thou hast nombred all my steppes. Item also it is wreton in. Ecclesiasticus. the seuententh Chapitre. His eyen behold incessauntly alle the weyes off men. As to seye he will Rewarde alle that they doon̄ accordyngly therafter. We Rede in. Uitis pa­trum. an example of an Angell: that somtyme nom­bred alle the paaces of an Heremyte. Whiche paas is a lesse thing than an Idle worde. Therfore seyth Seynt Mathewe. in his twelfth Chapitre. That men shal yelde Rekenyng and Reason at the daye of dome of euery Idle worde , that they haue seyde. It is wreten in the. Book of Sapience. in the first Chapitre. He that speketh euyll and peruersely , shal not mowe hyde hym atte the daye of Iugement. And correction shal not passe besydes hym. Veyne thouhtes semeth̄ but a lytle thyng. Neuerthelesse it is writen in the. Booke of Sapience. in the first Chapitre. Howe felonous and euyll thouhtes must be answered vnto. For he will serche alle our thouhtes. I [...] is also wreton in Isaye. in the last Chapitre. I shal serche their wer­kes and their thoughtes. and shal come and assemble my self with peple. That is to sey to deme them as I shal [Page] Iuge them. Therof speketh. Iohell also. in his thirde Chapitre. I shal assemble alle maner of peple in the last dayes , and shal bryng them to the vale of.Io­saphath. And ther I shal dispute with them , te­chyng my peple. and myn̄ heritage of. Israhell Alle our though̄tes , our wordes , and our werkys shal be thenne right straytely Iuged. And as Seint Gregory. seyth vppon the. Gospell of Seynt Ma­thewe. the thre and twenty Chapitre. Alle the heres of our hedes be nombred. Semblably God considereth alle our goynges and stappes. And wyll that all our vayne thoughtes and our Idelle wordes shal not rest vndiscussed at the daye of Iugement. Certeyne alle our werkes shal be thenne as manyfestly shewed vnto alle peple: as though̄ they were writen in our forhedes. As it is writen in. Ecclesiastico. in the enleuenth Chapitre. Atte ende of man , alle his werkys and dedys shal be vncouered and made opyn̄. Fyftely it behoueth to yelde Rekenyng and accomptes not oonly of the synnes that we haue doon: but also of the ver­tuous and good dedys that we haue lefte vndone. Seynt Mathewe. seyth in the fyue and twenty Cha­pitre. Thenne shal the greet Kyng seye to thoes on his lyfte hande. Departe fro me ye wykked synners and go into the fire euerlastyng. Whiche is made redy for the deueles and their angelis. I haue been hungred / and ye haue not fedde me &c. which̄ oon of the causes / why the fals riche gloton̄ fonde no water to refresshe hym with / was that he ne wolde suffre the pouer Lazar to haue the crōmes [Page] that fill from his table. Oon shal not Rekynne oonly of thinges doon and forgetyn. but also of tyme lost in ex­ecutyng euyll thynges / and lefte that , that was good vndone. It is wreton in. Ecclesiastes. the .xvij. Chapitre. That our lorde hath geuen man a nombre of dayes / and a season to thentent he shulde vse hit wele and holsemly to his pleasyr , and their owne helthe Wherof many folkys taken noon̄ hede / and Inprofita­bly waste their tyme. Wheruppon. Seynt Bernard. compleyneth hym to his Scolers , seiyng. Ther is no thing more precious here than tyme. But alas nowe a dayes it is most vily lost. The dayes of Saluacion passen / and no man hedeth hit / Ther is noon compley­neth hym of the losse of a daye , and yet it can neuer be recouered. Ther shal not be lost an here of an hede nor a moment of a tyme. But all shal come to a due reke­n [...]ng. O what drede hadde. Seynt Ancelme. in his meditacions. seiyng. O vnprofitable and drye tree. What shal be thyn answere the daye whenne thou shalt be questioned to geue Rekenyng of all thy werke and accompte for the leest twynkylling of thyn eye and all the tyme of lyf that hath been̄ lent the. Howe thou hast dispended hit. And therfor seyth. Sapiens. in Ecclesiastes. the fourth Chapitre. My dere beloued sone , kepe and spende wele thy tyme

¶The syxth and the last thyng that behoueth to geue Rekenyng and accomptes for is all the yeftes that we haue resceyued of our Lorde God. Suerly our lord hath geuen vs no thyng. but that he wyll haue [Page] therof bothe Reason and Rekenyng. Where by hit se­meth rather that he hath but lent hit vs then geuen hit vs absolutely. Certeynly he shall call vs to rekene For alle his gyftes be they spirituell / as the gyftes of grace to the sowle / or temporall as strengthe deliue­rance / and beautee of the body. or worldly richesse power / and worshyppe in this lyff of alle thies thinges

It appereth by Example and by a Parabole in the Gospell of Seynt Mathewe. in the fyue and twenty Chapitre of the fyue talentes. whiche be peces of money And of. Seynt Luke. in the Nynetenth Chapi [...]tre. Howe the noble man deliuered to his seruauntes certeyne richesse. Wherof they were fayne to yelde Reason and do accompte for euery thyng therof pertyculerly As it is writon in. Iob. the .xix. Chapitre. Know [...] ye that atte Iugement alle thies thynges aforseyde shalbe rekened for full streytely. Wherfore seyth Iob in his .ix. Chapitre. What shal I do whenne our Lorde shal ryse vppe to Iuge alle men. And whenne he shal questyone me: what shal I answere thenne O howe lyghtly and howe sone shal he come askyng a due Rekenyng and accomptes of alle our werkys Our perdicion is nyghe / and the tyme hasteth faste and is alweye commyng. That is to seye. Whenne our Lorde shal come and Iuge his peple. For as seyth Abdeas. in his oonly Chapitre. The daye of our Lorde shal come in the euenyng at mydnyght At Cokke crowe / or in the mornyng. As is to seye Iff he come sodenly. That he ne fynde you slepyng [Page] This that I sey to you: I seye it in like wise to all other Be ye wakyng then̄e and slepe not / For if ye wacche not / I shal come to you as a thef. and ye shal not knowe when̄e ne what houre. ¶It is redde in. Apocalips. in the last chapitre. Lo see how I come a non and brnig with me rewardes to yelde euery man after their desertes. Now then̄e my right dere frend / sens thou must nedely of so many thinges and of eueriche of them yelde due rekenyng and accompt be not vnpurueied / but wake diligently. Examyn̄ thy self diligently / and purge wele thy conscience to the bothom / to thentent / that when̄ our lord shal come to Iuge all thing: aswel dede as quik. Thou mayst couenably and resonably answere / and therby to haue his mercy grace and pardon of all thy synnes. And this is that Ecclesiasticus ammonyssheth vs in the xviij chapitre. seyng. Examyne thy self before the daye of Iugement. And that shal be to thy helpe in the presens of our lorde Ihesu Crist

¶How thorrible abyding of the last day and extreme day of Iugement is to be dowted ¶The thirde chapitre of the secunde part

THe last thnig that rendreth the final Iugement to be dredeful and doutable: is the terrible sentence that then̄e shal be pronounced by the Iugement of god the rightful iuge. This sentence shal be terrible & fereful / and specially for in thingys. The first is the doute & the incerteynte of the sentence. for ther is no man sure whether it shal be youen with hym or ayenst hym. And [Page] as it is writon in. Ecclesiastes. the ix chapitre. They be Iust and wyse / and their werkes be in the handis of god how be it ther is no man here that knowes whether he stonde in hate or loue. and al thinges to come / be in nowne cer­teyn̄. To this purpose it is redde in Uitis patrum. howe that an abbot called. Agathon. beyng in the article of deth. And so liyng by the space of iij dayes without meuyng or openyng of his eyen. His brethren seyng hym so liyng / pusshed hym / seiyng vnto hym. Fadre abbot where art thou Atte last he answered / I am in the presens of all folkes / Wherfor they seide vnto hym / Then thou dredest & art aferde. Vnto whom he answered. Though I haue kept the commaundementes of our lord as vertuosly as to me was possible: yet I am a man / & wot not whether my workes be agreable vnto hym for the domes of our lord be all other then the Iugementes of men / and that is the cause of my drede. I haue neeither hope ne wanhope before god. Seint Austijn. seyth. That / that we deme to be Iustice: wele examyned before the deuine iustice: is often inuistice. And therfor it is writen in the Prouerbes of Salomon the xiiij chapitre. Ther is oon̄ weye / whiche semeth iust to a man / but the ende therof ledeth hym to deth And forasmoche as this holy fadre Agathon counterpoi­syng in his hert all thies thinges aforseyd: al be it that he was right diligent to kepe the cōmaundementes of our lorde / Yet alwey he dead ful sore the last day of Iugement It is also red in Uitis patrum howe ther was somtyme an auncient fadre / whiche seide. I drede iij thinges. that is to seye. First when̄ my sowle shal depart out of my body [Page] seclide. when̄ she shal come before our lord. The iij when̄ she shal abide & here the final sentence of the last day of iuge­ment. Lo see how many holy faders haue dead this last day of iugement for the nowne certeyn̄ of ye doutfull sentences yt there shal be geuen. Now certeynly it is a thing which̄ of reason ought timerously to be drad. It is writen in the Gospell of Seynt Mathewe in ye vij chapitre & by the wordes of our lorde Ihesu Crist. Many men shal sey to me Sir sir / haue we not ꝓphecied in thy name / & cast out ye de­uels of men & doon many vertuoꝰ dedis. Then̄ he shal seye vnto them / I knowe you not nor euer knewe you. depart fro me. If ye prophetes & thoes yt haue chased out deuels & thoes that haue doon miracles in ye name of our lord be so put a bakke / who shal then mowe be sure / & who shal conne liue here so holily: but atte day of dome he ought to tremble & fere / Certeynly noon̄ for vppon the erthe is ther no body purely clene without filthe not a childe of oon day olde for it is born̄ in original synne. Therfor it is writen in Isay the lxiiij chapitre. We be all made as a fowle cloth / and we ought to drede al our werkis which̄ shal be shewed befor vs atte dome / al though we thinke them good vertuous & iust. Therfor seith Iob in his ix chapitre. I haue dead al my werkis. Semblably seint powle which̄ was a delectable chosyn̄ vessel / al be it he was then ful clene in conscience in so moche he seide in the xxiij chapitre of Thactes of Apostoles. I haue been conuersant wtth our lorde with al my myght & in good conscience to this day. And yet it is According wherto the same holy Apostle ferefull wrote in his first Pistle ad Corintheos the .iiij. chapitre seyde [Page] I fele not my self gilty in ony thyng / that notwhithstondyng I fere yet / by cause I am not iustified. Seint Gregory seide. The Iust men drede in al their werkes. When̄ they wysely considere howe they must come afore the hyghe Iuge. For as. Thappostel writeth vnto the. Romaynes the xiiij chapitre. We shal come all before the tribu­nal sete of Ihesu Crist. Alas / then̄e I wretched sinner what shal I seye / or what shal I do / when̄e I shal come before so greet a Iuge wtthout goode werkes for my helpe

The secunde thing whiche causeth this sentence to be terrible: Is the harde lamentable and intollerabile vtte­rance of the seide sentence. Whenne our lord Ihesu Crist shal seye. Go ye fro me ye cursed peple. To that purpose is writon in the. Gospel of seint Mathewe. in the xxv Chapitre. Whenne the sone of man̄ shal come in his mageste and al his angeles with hym: Then̄e he shal sitte in the hygh̄ iudicial sete. & al maner of peple shal assemble before hym. And shal deuide the oon̄ from the other as the sheparde kepeth the shepe from the wolues. Certeynly he ordeyneth & setteth the shepe on his rigbt hande / and the wol­ues on the lifte hande / And then̄ shal the kyng of glory seye to thoes that shal be an his right hande. Come ye [...]n with me that be blessed of my fadre / and possesse the royalme of glorie / that is enorned for you from the begyn­nyng of the worlde. I haue been houngry / and ye haue fedde me &c. Theen̄e he shal seye to thoes on his lifte hande Departe fro me ye that be cursed / and go into eternal fire Whiche is arredied for deueles. And theruppon seith a wise man. The wordes of the iuge in sentence ar but short [Page] as come ye and go ye. For he shal seye to thoes that be reproued / Go on your weye. And to thoes yt be iust / come ye with me. O how gracioꝰ shal ye word of our lord Ih̄ūs Crist be. when̄e he shal seye / come ye with me. O how harde bitter and intollerable shal the pronownsyng of that worde be. Departe ye fro me / or go ye fro me. Suerly Go ye fro me is a full sharpe worde. And come ye with me is a full blessed worde. Seynt Bernard seyth. O hou cruel shal thoes wordes be. Go ye fro me / to them on the lifte hande / spoken by the kyng of kyngis geuer of al lif which shal sey to other. Come ye with me. This is the cuttyng swerde with two edges issewed out of ye mouth of the sone of man / as it is writon in ye first and the xix chapitre of the Apocalips. Certeynly he shal then̄e smyte the erthe with the Rod [...]e of this mouth / and shal slee the felonous synner by his werkis. As it is writen in Isaye the xj cha­pitre. O how terrib [...] a thyng shal be to here this voys Therfore seith Seynt Austyn vppon the Gospell of Seynt Ioh̄n. Thoes yt fill bakkewarde by oon worde of Ihesus Crist / when̄e he went towardes his passion. What shal they do / when̄e they here the voys of the same Ihesus Crist / when̄e he shal Iuge all the worlde. for certayne he shal braye like a lyon. As Amos seide in his iij chapitre When̄e the lyon shal braye / who is he / that then̄e shal not be a ferde. Isaye in his v chapitre seith. His bra [...]yng shal be like a lyon. Iheremie also seith in his xxv chapi­tre. Our lorde shal braye from an highe / & from his tabernacle shal descende his voys. Wherof the sowne shal ex­tende vnto thextremite of the erthe / and shal make his [Page] dome and iugement vnto the peple. The voys of our lorde shalbe then̄e in greet magnificens. It is the voys of our lorde that shal breke downe the highe Cedres of the mount of Lyban̄. That is to vndrestonde. His enemyis prowde peple enhaunsed. And yet al be it they haue been so raised It shal thenne fayle and vanysshe as smoke. And at that Iugement they shal be made humble / and reduced to no beyng. This voys so comyng from our lorde shal be like a thundre betyng the erthe. Therfor seyth Iob. tremblyng in his fyue and twenty Chapitre Who shal mowe beholde the thundre / or sowne of the magnytude of our lorde. And the. Psalter. seyth. Our lorde hath thundred from heuen / and the moost hygh [...] hath vttred his voys. Iob. seyth in his .xxxvij. Chapitre. Our lorde shal thundre meruelously by his voys and he dothe many greet thynges / Whiche ought not to be enserched nor mused one. And Seynt Ancel­me. seyth in his. Meditacions. Wherfor slepest thou slougthfull sowle worthy to be cast out of all light [...] that waketh not nor dredeth not this greet thundre slepeth not / but rather is dede. The worde of our lorde shal be in maner a Right hote lightenyng. Wherfor. Zacha­rie. in his .ix. Chapitre seyth. His darte shal depart like a lightenyng / And our lorde shal sowne the trompe certeine as it is writon in. Isaye. in the xxvij chapitre In that last daye shal sowne the greet trompe. And therfor seyth. Crisostom̄ vppon the. Gospel of seint Mathewe. the .xxiiij. chapitre. The vertues of heuen shal be moued. nowe truly that shal be by a greet voys [Page] whiche is of the terrible trumpe / wherunto all wyndes and elementes obeyen. Whiche voys renteth stones and ope­neth helle / and breketh the gates of brasse and breketh the ligatures of dede bodyes / and restoreth the sowles to the bodyes ageyn / & constrayneth them to come to the greet iugement. And all thies thinges be consumed ageyn more lightly then ye flight of an arowe passing in ye ayre. Witenesse of Thappostle yt seyth in his first pistle ad Corin­theos in the xv chapitre. In a moment in ye twynkelyng of an eye in the sownyng of the last trumpe shal be the Iugement. Of this trumpe speketh seint Iherom̄ vppon ye Gospel of seint Mathewe / seiyng. When̄e & as often as I thenke on the last daye of Iugement: I tremble for fere / be it when̄ I ete or when̄ I drynke & in ony of my werki [...] / me thinketh alweyes that terrible trumpe sownes in myn ere saiyng. Arise ye arise ye dede folkes and come to your Iugement. All men troubled or greued / ought by penaunce to thinke of tentymes on this daye and it shal be a greet wele and [...]ase to their sowles. And therfore seith Seynt Gregorye in an Omely. My right dere brethren and frendes / let that daye of Iugement be alweye afore your eyen. For what greuous thyng so euere ye here: it is but softe in comparyson of that sore daye. We ought also to fere and drede the same daye For that is the greet Iourney: the Iourney of wrath and of bytternesse. Sophonyas. seyth in his first Chapitre. The weye of our Lordes Iourney shal be full bitter. For ther shal be no man so strong: but then̄ he shal be troubled / that shal be the verray daye of [Page] wrath tribulacion angwisshe chalange myserie and derkenesse of clowdes of stormes and of the sowne of the trompe Isaye in his xiij chapitre seith. The daye of our lorde shal come / whiche shal be ful of Indignacion wrath & of furour. Iohell. also in his iij chapitre seith. The sonne shal be conuerted into derkenesse / and the mone into blode afore the commyng of the greet and horrible daye of our lorde. O howe drad Seynt Bernard that same daye when̄e he seyde. Whiles I that am a mortall man remembre what I shal be after my dethe: The fere therof putteth me in terrible doutes. For I am not verrely assured of that / that I longe after / for the daye of fere / of wrath of Ire and of furour / the daye of waylyng and the ven­gyng of synners / affrayeth me hideously. Of this same daye seith he also in oon of his sermons. They shalbe al bare and naked before the tribunal sete of Ihesu Criste to thentent that they may here the voys of his Iugement Be cause they haue stopped here eres from the weyes of good conseil. Nowe what seyth our lord God. Do ye penaunce / neuerthelesse ther be many that dissimilingly close their eres and wil not here hit / and thynke it is to harde to do. O remembre ye felons because of your obstinacy / ye shal here therfore the harde and lamentabile worde prominced vnto you. That is to seye. Go ye cursed peple into euerlasting fire. What shal thenne thoes poure wretched perpetuel dampned peple seye. Seyng the holy blessed peple called vppe Ioyefully into the eternall glory and blisse of heuen. And they that be dampned into the Infenite paynes of helle. Certeynly as it is writen in [Page] the book of sapience in ye v chapitre. They shal wepyngly seye in them self for the greet angwysshe of their sowles Let vs do penaunce. for we be thoes that haue blasfemyd hit. And as foles out of all witte and reason hadde in derision the liuyng of the penitent follies / thinkyng it was no worshpfull lif. How be it we see them nowe taken and accepted with the sone of god / and their werkis allowed and cherisshed. so that they be accompanied with the happy & blessed seintes / and we with the dampned fendes of helle We haue erred from the wey of trouthe / the light of iustice hath not shyned in vs / nor the sonne of rightwissnesse risen̄ in vs. We haue lefte the weyes of our lorde Ihesu Criste and haue goon daungerous and euyll weyes. that is to seye. The weyes of Iniquite and perdicion. What hath our greet pride proufited or auyaled vs. or what auantage haue we hadde of all our greet richesse / parde al is past as a byrd fleyng in the skye / or a shyppe glidyng thurgh̄ the water / wherof the traces can not be appersey­ued. Nowe thenne to make confession is ouer late. for their repentaunce groweth but for the payne they suffre And therfore they can̄ obteygne no pardon / also they ar past the place of mercy and grace / and be in the place of equite and Iustice. For whenne the Iuge / whiche ought so greetly to be dowted hath pronounced his Iugement and sentence / seiyng. Go fro me ye wykked / and come to me ye blessed / their Remedye is past. To this purpose rede we in Uitis patrum. How ther was somtime an ho­ly man / whiche was tempted with the spirit of fornicacion and he besought our lorde that his enemy the fende whiche [Page] tempted hym / myght appre visibly vnto hym / and so he did / Then̄e the saide holy man seide vnto the fende. what auayleth the thus for to tempte the peple / parde it is a greet foly / for whenne thou hast broght ony to synne thy trespas is the gretter / and consequently thou augmentest thyn owne payne. To whom the fende answered. Cer­teynly all that is trew. but I knowe wele the mo folkes that I cause to synne / the more I deferre the commyng of the daye of dome. I drede that daye aboue all thinges and the hering thenne of that harde sentence. Go ye wykked and cursed into the eternall fire / whiche is made redy to the deuell and his angeles. And therfore I do my power to prolonge the tyme of comyng of that sentence O goode lorde what cause of drede haue thies fendes and thies vnhappy synners then̄e. If thou wylt be assured in this orrible and dredefull Iourney. Sowe nowe in thy lif the werkes of Mercy Pite and Iustice. O howe blessed and how happy shal he be / that nowe entendeth to the poure langwysshyng nedy peple. For in that harde Iourney our Lorde wil deliuere them therfore from alle daungier. It is writen̄ in the Prouerbis of Salomon in the xj chapitre. The mercifull man dothe greet good vnto his sowle / & doth also the digne fruites of penaūce For they that nowe sowe teres and lamentacions the re­warde therof shal come and bryng them into the lodgyng of Ioye and of gladnesse. But ther be many that so­wen nowe presently thorues and cokill / wenyng to repe & Inne good whete / but ywys foles it wil not be so [...] For as Thappostel seith ad Galathas in ye vj chapitre. Suche [Page] as a man hath sowen here: suche shal he repe then̄e for hym self. And therfor seyth our Lorde by his prophete Ozie in his .x. Chapitre. Ye haue sowen felony and haue reped Inyquite and he that hath sowen synne and euyll werkes / he shal be repyn̄ and Inned into the paynes of helle. But he that hath sowen vertues and the good wer­kes of penaunce: He shal repe and gadre the euerlasting glorye. And all that haue doon wele: shal rest in the Ioyes of heuen. And thoes that haue doon synne and wykkednesse shal go and rest in the paynes of helle. Cer­teynly their werkes folowe them. As it is writen in Thappocalips. the .xx. chapttre. After their werkes men̄ shal be bothe saued and dampned. It is redde in the. Gospel of seynt Ioh̄n. the v. chapitre. An howre shal come in the whiche all that be in Monumentes or tombes shal here the voys of our Lorde. And they that haue doon̄ wele: shal go in the Resurrection̄ of lyf And they that haue doon̄ wykkedly: shal go vnto the Iugement of dethe. It is writon in the secunde chapitre of Thappocalips howe the Iuge shal sey. I am he that ensercheth the hertes of persones and shal geue to euery of you his Reward after his werkes. And as seith Abde [...]s. It shal be doon vnto the: as thou hast doon To the same purpose is writon in Iheromye the .l. chapitre. And thies be the wordees of the eternal Iuge vnto the euyl angell spekyng of the dampned synners / yelde and do hym after his dedis and werkes. And therfor if thou wilt haue a good heruest and habundaunce of frute sowe good werkes largely in the tyme of this present [Page] lif / for he yt soweth them now largely / shal gadre them then̄ habundantly. And he yt now soweth them sparingly: shal then̄ gadre them scarsely. And he yt soweth them with blissingis: shal gadre them with greet Ioye & gladnesse. As it is writen in the secūde Epistle ad Corintheos in the ix chapitre. For he that soweth his sedys in synne & maledi [...] cions / semblably shal Inne & gadre them. And as it is writen in a Prouerbe. The sede yt man sowes in this p̄sent lif / shal be his hous / when̄e the Iuge shal seye. Come ye & go ye. The thirde thing. why the dome of the Iuge shal be terrible: Is to remembre how dampned sowles shal be by the mournyng sentence / full of all sorowe eternally separated and departed from god and his seintes of para­dys / and put on the lifte hande vnto the fendes of helle Certeynly incontinent and without tariyng that this o [...]rible sentence shal be pronounced by the mouth of Ihesu crist The perpetul deueles shal be there arredied and redy for [...] take and rauayne the sowles of the wretched synne [...] Whiche they shal lightly bryng vnto the euerlasting turmentis and paynes. This may appere vnto vs by a figure in the boke ef. Hester. the vij chapitre of the my­nestres of kyng Assuer. Whiche were desirous and re­dy to take Amon. as it is conteyned in the same Chapitre. How the worde was not all out of the mouth of the sayde kyng. But that the mynestres hadde couered the visage of the same Amon. In like wyse the deueles in this hideous Iourney shal be more then̄ redy to resceiue the sowles of thies wretched synners. And this is writen in ye lamentacions of Iheremy in ye first chapitre. All his [Page] persecutees haue taken hym. Ioh̄n Crisostom̄. seyth in the booke of Repayryng of forfeiturs. Remembre thies cruel and terrible turmentours that neuer may shewe mercy on ony body and ledeth downe the vnhappy synners vnto eue [...]lastyng tormentes. And Hugh̄ of seint Uictour. seith. That the horrible minystres of helle shal be appareyled and arre died incontinent as the sentence is geuen / to take the condempned vnto tormentes. And then̄e the wretched vnhappy caitiffes lamentably shal sey they haue caugh̄t me like as a deuoryng lyon̄ lurkyngly hath taken his pray. O what sorowe & payne / wherof may not be estemed in mannes mynde nor by tellyng pronounced. Wherfor Seynt Bernard seyth in his. Medi­tacions. What thynkest thou / What wepyng / What waylyng / and what sorowe shal be when̄e the synners shal be expulsed out of the companye of Iust men / and put from the sight of God and deliuered and cast vnto handes of the deuels to go with them into euerlastyng fire. and vtterly banysshed from all the Ioyes of heuen to abide in the derkenesse there sufferyng paynes for their demerites after the quantite of their synnes. And then̄e the myserabile synners beyng in despeir of the Re­dempcion̄ shal entre into the lowest parties of the erthe in the handes of our lordes glayue there to remayn without seyng of ony light. Of this payne of separacion̄ or de­partyng seyth also. Crisostom̄. Som̄ foles wene and thynke to haue their wisshyng yf they may escape the ge­ [...]ne of helle. But as to me I seye that ther be other turmentes moche more greuous. That is to seye to be [Page] estraūged & cast a wey from the grace of the souereigne glory / and I deme that the banisshyng therfrom is the moost egre and greuous turment. Wheruppon seyth Seynt Gregory. He is greetly tormented that is constrayned to be put a parte from the presens of our lorde. And I deme that it is the moost greuous thyng that may be / and passeth all the gehennes of helle. The same Seint Gre­gorye seyth of this worde of the Gospel of Seynt Ma­thewe the xvj chapitre. He shal be cutte and sent into ye eternall fire. Certeynly the gehenne of helle is a thing in tollerable and noon̄ can̄ comprehende how intollera [...]le it is Neuertheles yf there were a M gehennes in helle: ther is noon̄ so lamentable payne / as to be exempte from ye honour of the blessed glory of heuen / and to be hated of our rede mour Ihesu Crist maker of al thingis. For as seint Austyn seith. The wikked reproued shal leuer sustene alle the turmentes of helle / then to beholde the rightfull iuges face angred with them. Iohel seith in his secunde chapitre The erthe hath trembled for his face and meuyng of his eyen / the sonne & the mone haue derked / the sterres haue withdrawen their shynyng / the peple haue been turmented beholdyng his visage. Certeynly synners shal then̄e pe­risshe before his face. thorowe the greet sorowe they shal haue of them self. And when̄e they shal see hym turnyng his visage from them: it shal meue them to myserably. And thenne the Iuge egrely shal saye / as is writon in. Iheremye. the .xviij. chapitre. In the daye of ther [...] perdicion I shal shewe them my bakke / and not my face. O what shal be that seperacion. O how bitter and [Page] sorowful shal it be to the synner to departe fro the face of our lorde When̄e he shal horribly sey. I tell you I knowe you not. And therfor seyth a wise man. The departing of frendys is right sorowful. But the seperacion of the body and the sowle from the presens of the deite is the moost sorowful thing. For all this thinges aforseyd and many other / whiche infenitely myght be rehersed / for breefnesse of tyme I passe them ouer. But yet awake ye awake ye my dere frendes: and lifte vppe your hedes / abhorryng and fering that tymerous and dredeful day of Iugement. For as. Sophomas. in his first chapitre seyth. The daye of our lorde approcheth nygh and shal not tary. It is writon in. Isaye. in the xiij chapitre. Sorow ye & crye for the daye of our lorde is nygh̄. Slepe not then̄e. For ye knowe not the daye ne the hour. as is writon in the. Gospel of seint Mathewe. the xxv chapitre. It is also writon vnto the Tessalonyes in the last chapitre of the first epistle. My brethren ye knewe wele that the daye of our lorde shal come by nyght as a thef. and whenne men̄ shal thynke them self assuredly in peas. He shal come sodenly and take them in a mortall default. Wherfor my bre­thren Rest not in the synne of wretchednesse. Leest that daye supprise you not sodenly as a thef / Surely we be all the children of daye / and the sones of light. Then let vs not slepe as other do. But let vs awake and be sobre as it is writon in the same chapitre. It is writen in the Gospel of seint Luke. in the one and twenty chapitre Geue attendaunce in your self. Lest perauenture your hertes be fulfilled with gloteny & drunkshippe and in other [Page] vayne werkes of this present lif. And lest that the for­seide daungerous daye fall not sodeynly vnto you / whiche shal fall vniuersally to all thoes yt shal be vppon the erthe Be ye then̄e in your prayers / so yt at al tymes ye may be the more digne and able to flee all the daungers that be to come when̄e ye shal be afore the sone of man. As it is writon in the same chapitre for a trougth. There shal be then̄e tremblyng fere and sorowe intollerable. And therfore seide Iohell in his secunde chapitre. Our lordes daye shal be greet & right terrible. And who shal be he that shal mowe sustene or suffix it. Isaye seid also in his ij chapi­tre. they shal entre into ye cauernes emonges stones and hid places of the erthe for drede of our lordes face & of the glory of his mageste. When̄ he shal arise to smyte & pu­nisshe the erthe. And as it is redde in Abacuk in ye thirde chapitre. In his fersnes he shal trede down̄ the erthe: & the peple shal be abasshed of his furour. Isaye in his. x chapitre seith. What shal ye do in ye day of visitacion and of calamite comyng from ferre parties / to whom shal ye renne to haue socour & helpe. Certeynly ye synner shal haue then̄ no refuge solace nor socours. And therfor seid An­celme in his boke of meditacions. On ye right hande shal synnes be accusing ye wretched synner / on ye lifte hand infenite nombre of deueles / vndrenethe the confusion of helle which̄ is greetly to be dowted / & ouer this ye p̄sens of the wrothfull iuge / and without al the worlde brennyg / and within this the consciences glowyng. This ought to be remembred. Alas the miserable synners taken in that trappe / whyther shal they flee. It shal be then̄e impossible [Page] to hide them. It shal be an intollerable dredeful thing to appere in that daye. The seyd sentence is more fereful and daungerous / be cause it iugeth not oonly the body. but also it condempneth the sowle. To that purpose is ther red an example. how that ther was somtyme ij brethren̄ / wherof the oon̄ was a fole & ignorant / and the other was wise / which̄ went to gedres in a weye / and as they walked / they come atte last to a forked wey: whiche ledde to sondry places Wherof the oon̄ was fayer and pleasaunt / and the other sharpe & no thing inhabited / And when̄ the fole sawe the faier & delectable weye / he seid. Brother go we this weye Then̄e the wise brother answered. I knowe wel that this wey whiche thou wilt lede vs is fayer & delectable / but na­thele [...] in the ende it wil bryng us to right an euell logyng And therfor I counseil that we take the other wey. For al be hit that it be sharpe and not inhabited / finally it wil being vs to right a good & honest harberough̄ and full of rest. Wherunto the fole answered. I wil rather trust myn̄ eye in that I see / than thyn̄ in that thou seest not / And so sette hym [...]orthe in the softe and delectabile weye Which thing the wyse brother seyng that he cowde not make hym relinquisshe his purpose: folowed hym. And when̄e they hadde goon̄ to gydre a litle space / they fortuned anon̄ to be taken with soldeours. whiche disseuerd them and put them into diuerse prisones. Nowe it happened that the kyng of that contree comaunded on a day / that all priso­ners shulde be brought afore hym that he myght iuge them according to their demerites. And when̄e thies two bre­thren̄ came afor hym / and echeon̄ knewe other. the wyse [Page] brother seyde. O sir kyng and our Iuge / I compleyne me greetly of this man my brother / for as we went to gydres in a weye he beyng reputed a fole and I wys / Yet neuer theles / he wolde not beleue me nor go after me the good weye that I tough̄t hym / but hath made me to folowe hym in the euyll weye wherin we were taken / and so he is gylty of my dethe. And to the contrarye the ignorant fole seide to the same kyng. Sir I haue gretter cause and strenger Reason to compleyn̄ me ageynst my brother. for where he ought not to haue beleued me nor folowed me lightly in the weye / which̄ he knewe wele was euyll and daungerous for & he wolde not a folowed me: I wolde haue retourned ageyn & folowed hym. whereby I shulde in no wyse haue fallen in this daungier. and therfore he is verrey gylty of my dethe. When̄e thies wordes were hadde on eyther partye The kyng pronounsed & gaf a sentence / seiyng. Thou fole thou woldest not truste thy wyse brother / and yu wyse hast folowed this fole in his euyl weyes. wherfore ye bothe shal be hanged & condempned to dethe. Semblably shal it be at the daye of Iugement in the consummacion of this worlde when̄ by ye almyghty power of god the sowle of euery man & woman shal retourne ageyn & be reioyned to their owne bodyes appering before the hyghe Iuge to resceiue dome & iugement of al thinges knowen & forgotin. for the folissh̄ body because it wolde not folowe ye counseil of ye wise sowle And ye wyse spirit because it wolde not resiste but ensieu the folissh̄ body / they shal be bothe dampned to gydre in the last extremite of iugement. For this cause the sentence of the Iuge is called a swerde with two edges. as is writen in [Page] thapocalips in ye first chapitre. For it shal strike the wretched synner bothe in body & sowle. It is writen in the gos­pel of seint Mathew in the x chapitre. Drede him yt shal mowe lese & put bothe the body & the fowle in the gehen̄e of hell. The qualite of the saide iuge yeldeth & sheweth the said sentence to be dredeful & daūgerous. Certeinly it shal be pronoūced by a circumspect & a right prudent iuge / which̄ shal neuer faile / for euery thing is notarily to him knowen. for god knoweth ye hidde thingis of the herte & sercheth the werkis of men. Wherfor it is writen ad hebreos in the iiij chapitre. All thinges be opyn̄ to his eyen / for he lokith into the hertes / as it is redde in ye first book of Kingis in the xvj chapitre. Also it is redde in ecclesiastico the xxiij chapitre The eyen of our lorde be moche clerer then the son̄e. for they beholde all the wayes of man / & the profoūde depnesse & the hertes of men / & see all the hidde thingis of the erthe. And as Boece de consolacione saith. Greet curiosite to do wel is introducte vnto vs / because al yt we do is doon afore him that seeth all thingis. Iheremy seith in his xxij chapitre Thyn eyen be open vpon all the wayes of the children of Israhel / & I shal yelde to euerich of them after his wayes and after the fruite of his administracions. Certeinly the Iuge is greetly to be d [...]ad / whiche loketh vpon all thingis bothe opyn̄ & shette / and al secreet thingis to hym knowen alle derke thingis to him be clere / all dom̄ thingis answere vnto hym. and all thoughtes speke to hym without voys and all silences confesse them vnto hym. This sentence is to be geuen by the Iust Iuge / whiche w [...]l not be bowed and he shal Iuge al the circuite of the erthe. and the peple [Page] in equite. He gruggith not atte ye myght of ony body / nor he excepteth no persone what so euer they be / nor he ne wel be appesed then by ony gyftes. It is writen in deutronomij in the x chapitre. God is greet mighty & terrible / whiche wil fauour no ꝑsone nor he resceiueth no giftes. Certeynly a pure and a clene conscience then̄e shal be more worthe / then the purses ful of siluer. The habondance of riches shal not proufite then̄e / nor ony thing that longeth to riche peple. But only shal proufit [...] the werkis of Pite and of Iustice. It is writen in Ezechiel in the vij chapitre. Their mony shal be then̄e their donghil / neither their golde nor their selues shal mowe deliuere them in the day of furour of our lorde. Then̄ shal appere the frawde and the falsh [...]de of this worlde / & the vilenesse of al richesse. O how swete a thing and how greet a Ioye shal it be then̄ to thoes that haue hated this worlde / and how sorowful & bitter shal it be vnto them yt haue had it in lust & in delectacion. This sentence is also to be geuen by the iuge yt wil not be corrupte then̄ by prayers nor appesed by desires. And as it is wri­ten in ye Prouerbis of Salomon in ye vj chapitre. He wil not obtempee then nor bowe to ony requestes what so e [...] they be. Crisostom seith the angeles wil not then̄ intercede nor pray for the men / for the iust iuge wil shewe there no misericorde / but wil yelde to euerich̄ after his merites & de­meritis egally not bowyng iustice. And therfore seith he by his prophete Ezechiel in the vij chapitre. I shal do the right after thy weyes & shal iuge the after thy iugementes and I shal make the knowe yt I am thy lord. For ye cause seid Iob al dredefully. Irefine al my werkes knowyng yt [Page] thou ne wilt spare ony thing the delinquētes or trespassours Of all thies thinges speketh Seint Bernard in a prose which he made / saiyng. Certeinly our lord shal iuge iustely & shal except no ꝑsone / nor shal be corrupt by ony prise / nor gyftes. Semblably he shal not bowe for ony man of praier O my right dere frende labour then diligently to bere iustice thyder as yu shalt fynde no misericorde. For as it is writen in the Prouerbis of salomon. The richesse shal not proufite in the day of vengeance / but iustice shal cause then̄ deliuerance from dethe. And if the scolers that can not their lessous drede greetly to be examined of their maister / left they shulde be egrely punisshed: how moche shulde the sin­ner [...] drede then̄ thextremie examining of the soueraygn̄ iu­ge. when̄ they haue not studied in the book of iustice & of trouthe. Certeinly in ye apposaile is examined al thingis that now be nought. the vniust synners shal be punisshed & the seed of felons shal perish. and to the contrary the iust peple shal be then̄ in the eternale memory and shal not drede in ony wise ony euil accusacion. It is writen in Ecclesiastico the xviij chapitre. Make redy Iustice afore the Iugement. This final sentence shalbe also geuen by a iuge cruelly moued / whiche in no wise shal mowe be appeased For our lord Ihesus Crist that naturally is now amyable & meke as a lambe shal appere then̄e as a lyon right cruel & greetly moued. And therfore saith Ozee in his xiij chapitre. It may wel be the wordes of our lord by the couetous gletons & prowde peple at the day of iugement / saiyng thus They haue fulfillled them self in their pastures and arreised vppe their hertes / and forgotyn̄ me / I wole be to them [Page] as a lionesse & as a leoparde in the weye of assirience. I shal come ageynst them as a she bere / whiche hath lost her whelpes / and shal breke their Iugementes within & shal destroye them like a lyon. How myght oon remembre a more cruel thing then by thoes beestes. Our lorde shal sey to the felons yt shal be condempned / as is writen in Ezechiel in ye vij chapitre. The conclusion is come / & now cometh the ende vppon the / & I shal sende my furour into the Certeynly sir as the fire brennys the forestis & the mystis breke vppon ye moūteynes. Semblably in ye tempest thou shalt then ꝑsecute thy synners & trouble them in thyn̄ Ire And then̄e thy wrath shal be chased like fire & shal abassh [...] the peple in thyn̄ anger. It is writen in Isaye in ye xxx chapitre. The name of our lorde shal come from right ferre his fersenesse shalbe [...]rennyng & greuous to bere / his lippes shalbe fulfilled with indignacion. and his tonge shalbe like a deuoring fire. & his sperit shalbe like a broke renning ouer the brinkes for to distroy peple and to bryng them to no thyng. Iob toke somtyme this furoure in a vision when̄e he seide. Who shal be that liuyng man that shal do so mekel with the that thou wilt defende me from hell and hide me till thy furour be past. Certeynly the furour of the Iuge shalbe so greet then̄e / that it can not be expressed by ony wordes nor thought by ony corages. Verely al the iugementes and sentences that haue been ageynst & vppon the humyane lynage sith the begynnyng of the worlde / be but like a litle flame or a sparke in regarde to the furour of Ihesus Crist. whiche he shal exercise in the last daye of Iugement. And how straytely shal he yt is rysen deboneir [Page] & past vp into heuen retorne to do iugemēt / and therfor seith seint gregory in an omely vpon the worde of seint Ioh̄n euangelist that seint thomas oon of ye xij apostoles called didimus / which̄ is to say long douting seide thus. My brethren & frendes ordre your lif your werkis & your condicōns and puruey. for he that is rysen meke & amyable shal come harde & strayte at the day of Iugement / Certeynly at ye day of examinacion / which is so greetly to be douted / he shal shewe hym self clerely emong angeles & archangeles & emong ye trones & dominacions / emong the principals & potesta­tes / & al ye skyes shal be moued / & the erthe & the other ele [...]mētes in ye fere & drede of his seruice. Set then afore your eyen this iuge yt is cause of so greet abasshement / and fere & d [...]ed [...] him bothe now and herafter. To thentent yt when̄ he [...] come / ye shal not see him in fere / but be wel assured he ought to be dred now to the ende that he shulde not be douted thenne. Certeinly if oon of you hadde to saye or allege a cause ageyn̄ your enemy and s [...]ulde to morowe p̄sent you to my iugement / perauenture ye wol passe al the nyght without greet slepe / remembryng your self in grete payne and thought what thingis myght be aleged ageynst you / & what ye wolde answere to thobiections / and shulde drede greetly lest I shulde be sharpe vnto you / & wolde fere lest it shulde be thought that ye were culpabill / and wolde serche what I were / and whether I shulde be come. Certeinly not long after I haue be man / I shal become wormes / and after wormes powdre. Now then if the Iugement of hym that is but powdre is to be drad and hadde in so greet fere. By what entencion is it to be thought [Page] that fere must be moost dredefull / whiche is of the Iuge­ment of the moost grettest & higest magestee. All thies thinges saide Seint Gregory in the chapitre aforsayde. Yet is ther som̄ thing more concerning ye said sentence. that is to wite / that ther is no puissaūce can resiste it. And as it is writen in the book of sapience in ye xj chapitre. who shalbe he yt shal resiste the vertu of thyn̄ arme. Isaye also seide in his xlvij chapitre. I shal take vengeaūce on theym and no man shal resist me. Veryly noon shal mowe re­siste it. but nedely al must appere there generally wil they or not. they shal abide before the angeles ye sentence of the souerayne Iuge / whiche spake by Isaye hym self in the sayde chapitre to the synners that ar to be condempned. & thus thy shame shal be knowen and thy vylen̄ reproche shal be seen. wheruppon I wil take vengeance and shal no man mowe resiste hit. Iob saide in his ix chapitre. God is he that in his wrathe no man may resiste. And as it is writen in the book of Hester the xiij chapitre. Fair lorde god king omnipotent all thingis be set vndre thy Iurisdiction and is non yt may resiste thy wil. Certeyn̄ thou hast made the skye the erthe & all that is conteyned in the circuyt of the worlde / thou art lorde of al thingis / and is non that may resiste thy wil / This is the greet mighty & puyssaūt lorde / of whoes gretnesse & myght ther is no nombre nor ende and he shal drede non be they neuer so myghty. It is writen in the booke of Sapiens in the vj chapitre. Our lorde shal drede no body / what so euer he be. for he hath made bothe greet and smale. It is redde in the Apocalips in the vj chapitre. Our lorde shal not d [...]ede the gretnesse of [Page] man what so euer he be. The kingis of ye erthe / the princes of the worlde / the tribunes / the riche / the strong & all men aswel bonde as fre / shal hyde them in the caues & emong stones of the roches / saiyng to ye moūteines. fal̄ vpon vs and hyde vs from the face of him yt sitteth in trone / & the wrath of the lambe / for the greet day of Ire is come. It is redde in ye same apocalips in ye xviij chapitre. The kingis of the erthe shal wepe / & they shal specially compleyn̄ that haue made fornicacion with Babilon & haue liued in delectacions. when̄e they shal see ye smoke of his embrasingis & shal wil them to be ferre for fere of the tormētes / Certein̄ as saith seint mathew in his xxiiij chapitre. Ther shal be then̄ greet tribulacion / and so greet / ye sythens the begyn­nyng of the world til now wa [...] ther neuer none like. Secundly ther is an other thing that agrog [...]th the said sentēce That is to saye / yt ther is no place there for sīners to hide them in. And as seint Ancelme said. It shal be then̄ a thing impossible oon to hyde him / And therfor he saith in his xxiiij chapitre. Ther shal no tenebres be there nor no shadowe of dethe that they may hyde thoes that haue doon iniquite. Seint Benard said in oon of his sermons That before the iudicial cheire of Ihesu crist shal they stonde al naked / that haue stopped their eres to the voys of coū seil. wherfor they shal here the voys of the Iugement / as it is before alleged. My right dere brother & frende drede this daye and dowte cordyally the saide Iuge and lord that shal deme alle thingis / to thentent that thou mayst the more diligently eschewe alle synnes. And it is redde in [Page] an other place / That in dredyng our lorde it withdraweth euery man from euil doyng. Ther is yet an other thing whiche agrogith this sentence / ther is no place to apele to ony other / nor space for to flee. To that purpose saith the Psalter. Whyther shal I goo bakward from thy spirit / & how shal I fle bakward from thy face / if I mount vp into the skye / thou art there / if I descende into hell thou art present there besides me. And therfor seith our lorde of syn­ners by Amos in the xix chapitre. They shal fle / and ther shal be noon saued of them. If they descende into hell my hande shal pul̄ them vp from thens. and if they hyde them in the mounteyne of Carmele / I shal seke them til I haue put them thens. And if they hyde them in ye botom̄ of the see / I shal sende a dragon whiche shal deuour them And if they goo into seruage emongis their enemyes / I shal sende a swerde which shal sle them. and shal cast myn̄ eye vpon them in wrath & not in loue. Iob saith in his x chapitre. Our lorde ought to Iuge all thingis / and is noon that may escape his handes. Certeinly I see clerely the hande of our lorde almyghty wyl̄ fynde vs ouerall And therfore saith the Auctour of the chare of the sowle What wilt thou riche man do / that neuer shalt liue surely whyther shalt thou retraye the / whyther wilt thou turne thy body / for thou art not sure here nor ellis wher. fore and thou stye vp into the skye / or descende into hell. he that hath dominacion is that cruell and myghty kyng. If thou goo into the see / that kyng hath gouernaunce there / thou shalt not mowe thenne goo no part surely / for thou shalt [Page] be founde euery where. Certeynly thou shalt haue no place to flee to. nother in thy dethe / nor in thy lif. O how wele comprehended this Elezearus / that saide. I wil neither fle qui [...] nor dede from the handes of the almighty. As it is writen in ye secunde book of Machabe the vij chapitre. Lo by thies our lordes saiyngis it appereth in many maners that finall Iugement is to be redouted of all / and shalbe for thaccusacion of diuerse thinges / whiche must be vio­lently suffred sustened and born̄. and for the iust Reason that must nedes be yelden singulerly and generally of al thinges. And for the diffinitif sentence that shal be then̄ pronounced right horribly by the Iust Iuge. The Remembraunce then of thies thinges diligently continued. that is to seye of the finall Iugement and of the sentence that shal be geuen there / as it is seide / shal preserue and defend [...] and not without reason euery man from fallyng into sy [...]ne / and eschewe to do euyll to the ende / to come finally to the glorie with the happy seyntes of Paradys▪

And thus endeth the secunde parte of this tretys deui­ded in four parties:::::

Here beginneth the prologue of the thirde parte of the four last thingis to come

[Page]THe thirde of ye iiij last thingis wherof the remembraūce p̄serueth from sinne is hell or thinfernale gehenne. And therfor saith Anastasie of seint anthonie ye heremite / when̄ the deuell tempted him to ony sinne / he remembred the paines of hell due vnto synners which̄ thought was so enprinted in his herte that finally he therby venquisshed the deuill & was delyuered from his temptacions & rested free from al̄ sinne. It is to be noted how touching this matier p̄sent iij thingis ar principally to be considered. First the diuerse nominacion of ye peinful̄ places of hell. Secundly the manifolde afflictions of thinfernal̄ minestres. Thridly the strange & diuerse maners of the tormētes of hell of the which̄ iij thingis ye remembraūce ꝓfiteth greetly & withdraweth a man from falling to sinne

¶How hell is named by holy scripture in diuerse wise ¶The first chapitre of the thirde part principal

IT is now first to be declared prīcipally the nominacion of the peinful̄ places of hell. Wherfor it is to be knowen that helle is a place ful̄ of fire & is so called de infero infers / That is to saye to bere in / for the sowles of sinners be born̄ into it for to suffre peine ther eternally. And therfor saith Iob in his vij chapitre. He that shal descende into hell shal not come ageyn ne euer retorne vnto his house. And also hell is oftentymes called gehenne of fire. The forsaid Seint Gregory in his fourth boke of his dyal̄ogis saide. Certeinely it must be beleud yt there is oonly but oon fire in the gehen̄e of hell but it tormenteth not all sinners after oon maner / for [Page] euery man shal haue payne after the quantite of his gilte and trespace. Isidorus in the book of souerayn goodnesse seith that the fire of ye gehenne of helle shal shyne & leight to the dampned folkes in encrecyng of their paynes to thentent that they may see their owne sorowes / it shal neither light nor shyne to their consolacion nor geue them cause of ony reioysing. The payn̄ of thoes yt be dampned is doubled by sorowe & paynes that tourmentith the sowle and fire that brenneth ye body. Of this fire of hell speketh the saw [...]r saiyng. The coles shal fal vppon synners whiche shal be cast into ye fire hauyng no conforte in their miseries / our lorde shal tourmente them with his Ire & the fire shal de­uour them. Wherfore it is writen in Isaye in the ix chapitre. The peple shal be as meete vnto ye fire / it is also seid to euery synner in Ezechil in the xxj chapitre. Thou shalt be fire [...] meete. In Iheremy the xv chapitre saith our lord to the dampned folkes. then brasyng fire inferrour shall broil & brenne vppon you all▪ this fire is of ye nature that [...]petually it s [...]al bren̄ & shal neuer haue nede to be renued It is writen in Iob the xx chapitre. The fire whiche can [...] be quenched shal vtterly deuour them. O how sore shal our lorde venge hym then̄ vppon the dampned synners As it is saide in Ec [...]lesiastico in the vij chapitre. The flesshe of synners shal haue vengeance by fire. This fire of the gehenne of helle is different from the materiall fire principally in [...] thinges. First in fyersnesse & egernesse fo [...] ye power of it in brenning is infenite. wherfor seith seint Sebastian̄. When̄ the angel of heuen rowned hym in the ere. he seyde that our sensible fire is no more like the fire [Page] of hell then the fire peynted vpon a wall is like our materiale fire. Secundly in enduring. For our materiale fir [...] may be quenched / and so may not that. It is writen in Isay in the last chapitre. that the fire for sīners shal no [...] be quenched. Thridly in wasting. for our sensible materiale fire may consume & wast al thingis as ye philophre seith but the fire infernal may not wast nor consume neither the body nor the sowles of sinners by brennyng. Iob sayth in his xx chapitre of the synners beyng in helle. He shal bye full dere now that he hath doon & yet he shal not be wasted. Ioh̄n Crisostom saith also that our materiale fire consumeth al thing that is leyd in hit / but the fire of hell tourmenteth continuelly thoes that be therin / & yet it preserueth them alway in lengthyng their peines. Therfor it is said yt it is not to be quenched not oonly because it can not be put out but that it shal not sease to distroy them yt shal come therin. For that cause saith the holy scripture that ye sīner shal be clothed with corrupcion not oonly of their lif but in languisshing & tormemendes alway com̄yng. Cer­teinly no voyce coude expowne nor no word coude expresse the greetnes of ye peine / nor the feruentnes of that fire. Alas what shal we do therfor there / & what shal we answere for in hell shal be but grinding of tethe / yowling / criyng / & we­ping in payne / but then̄e penaunce is to late / and from all partes shall comforte and helpe be put away. there shal be no thyng but augmentacions of peynes. as that fire of helle is not of nature to deuour. no more is it to geue no comfortable lyght / It is an obscure fire / and the flam̄ therof tenebrous. Secundly hell is called locus inquietus [Page] that is to sey / a restles place euer enduring & shal neuer haue ende. wherfor it is seide in this lif yt ther is one place which is alwey stil. that is to wite the centre of the skye Other be somtyme troubled as mene partis of ye ayer / semblably it may be proued yt the lowest parte is alweyes in trouble without rest. And therfore it is called tartarus For afterpapy tartarus is as mycle to say as troubled & obscure. Certeinly ye vnrest & tribulacion comyth there specially of iij thingis. First ye variance of paynes as one seith ye weder is troubled / when̄ it is now medled with reyn̄ now with haill / now with snowe / or such stormes which as it is sayd / be of al thoes maners in hell as witnessen̄ prophetes sayng. It shal rayn̄ vppon synners bothe fire & brim [...]on / & the spiretes of tempest shal geue them parte of their [...]urmentes. Secūdly of ye ministres infernal. As it is writen in Iheremy ye xvj chapitre. Thoes deueles that ye haue serued. nether nyght nor daye shal suffre you in rest Thirdely of thentercheaūged cry. as it is writen in Isay in ye lxv chapitre. ye shal wepe for sorow & by contricion of sowle howle. In trouth our lord shal answere to al thoes yt so shal howle & cry. as it is seid in Iheremy ye xxx chapitre Wherfore criest y and howlist thou now by contricion sithe thy sorowe is not to be heled I haue punisshed the thus for thy wikked felonous synnes. Thridly hell is called a place right distempred. as Auernus / that is as mykel to saye as a thing without a temꝑance of delite for ye pay­nes be no thing moderated there / but continue in grete excesse / of trouth there is therin without mensure excessesiue tenebres. whiche be called exteriores. as seint Mathewe [Page] saith in his xxij chapitre. We haue example of this in Exode in the x chapitre by the maniable tenebres that were somtime in Egipte. O how mykel shal the tenebres of helle be more greuous than thoes. It is writen in Iob in the xx chapitre. Alle horrible tenebres shal com̄e on him Ageyn thenne shal the synners saye / as it is saide in the Psalter. They haue cast me into the lowest lake and in the tenebrous place and in the shadowe of dethe. they haue logged me in the obscure place as dede fro this world / wherfore my sowle is angry with me. Semblably it is writen in theLamentacions of Iheremy. They haue logged me with thoes that be sempiternally dede / there is therin an excessife hete. As Iob saith in his xiiij chapitre The hete is greet therin. & the cause is that it breketh not out but is closed in / as the hete in an ouen. The Psalter saith. When̄e thou art an angred thou shalt put the synners in an ouen full of fire. Also our lord shal tormente them with his wrath. & fire shal deuour them. there is ther also a right sharpe coolde / as is writen in Iob in the said chapitre. It is said the water of snowe is colder then al other waters / yet ye waters of helle may not be compared with of chilling nor coolde. And therfor seith Fulgencius in his pistles. Ther is in hell ij principale maner of tormentes that is to wite by intollerable coolde & by inquencheable hete It is writen in ye xxiiij chapitre of seint mathew. There shal be in hell bothe weping & coolde. certeinly the effluccion of teeris by weping com̄ith of hete / but the inward sorowes is caused by coolde. To this purpose witnesseth Iob in the said xxiiij chapitre. the sinner oupassed with the coold water [Page] of snowe / goeth after into the greet firy heates. It is founde also in a litle book of the dedis of Alexandre the kyng of Macedon̄. That when̄ he was for clomme [...] with the Isse & with the colde of ye snowe he wolde goo to ye fire of colis. O how myserable & paynfull shal this trouble be to thoes that shal not dye nor haue lightnyng in ye prison of helle. but be tourmented there infenitely. Fourthly hell is called a noyfull wayling place / and therfore after Papie it is named Acheron / that is as mycle to seye as a place without Ioye lackyng all goodnesse. For this cause saith ye Comentator Aueroys in the iiij chapitre of poetrie. That hell hath a continuell sorowe & wepyng with out consolacion. In trouth the dampned folkes ther bene­the haue no counfort in the worlde for ye orisons & prayers that been saide in the chirche mylitant may profeite them no thing / and from aboue comyth there no helpe to them / ther falleth on them no misericorde. wherfore they be in dispaire of ony grace in tyme comyng and knowe certeynly yt they without Remedy and not to be qui [...]ee out of the prison / & so they rest sempiternally in waylyng in sorowe and in desolacion. It is writen in the boook of Sapiens in the iiii chapitre. That the dampned sowles shal be vtterly in desolacion. Also the dampned sowle seith in the first chapitre of the Trenys of Iheremye. I am cast in desolacion & am conuicte into wepyng. It is writen in Isaye in the xxxiiij chapitre. That the wretched synner shal be in desolacion during ye worlde of worldes. Alas alas what payne is yt to be endured. O moost cruell payne. O desolacion ful of al turmentes. & therfor o thou man remembre [Page] the and printe often in thy herte and mynde thies thinges abouesaid to thentent / thow may eschewe and withdrawe the from synne. and ther by haue the moost precious glorye and felicite perdurable.

¶How thoes that descende into helle be cruelly punysshed ¶The secunde chapitre of the thirde parte principal

NOwe to procede folowyngly by ordre it resteth to be expouned how there be many and diuerse afflictions geuen by the soldeours of helle. Thoes soldeours been to vndrestonde the deueles / whiche been tourmentours and hangemen full abhominable to beholde and cruell in their dedis / neuer wery to tourmente nor to geue paynes. I say first that thoes deueles be horrible to be holde And therfore they be so paynted in the chirche with hideous and orrible figures. To this purpose it is redde that where som̄ tyme / a religioꝰ man was lying in his dortor among his brethren / It happened in a nyght that he cryed orribly where thorow all the brethren of his couent resorted vnto hym / and they founde hym staring & his eyen fixid vppon a wall firmely without moeuyng / and wolde answere to no question̄ that they demaunded hym. he was so meued with a meruelous fere. and in the morowe his prior came vnto hym and asked what hym ayled that nyght. and he answered / He hadde se [...]n the deuell. And then̄e it was questioned hym / what shappe he was of. And he answered that his shappe ne mought lightly be descriued. and [Page] saide. If ther were here an ouon ful of fire and yondre the figure of the deuill / I hadde as leef entre into ye ouon / as long to beholde on his moost horrible figure. And as seint Bernard saith in the Psalme of Qui habitat in ad­iutorio. O my right dere brethren what thinke ye / if it were a thing sittyng / that oon of thies princes of tene­bres / that be of so many hydeous and meruelous shappes shulde come and appere emongis you with his greet cru­elte and vnformed tenebrous body / what temporale or spirituale witte mought susteyne to beholde hym. It is redde in the book de Uitis patrum. How ther was somtyme an auncient man that said. I trowe ther is no ly­uyng Creature / but and he sawe the deuyll in the same fourme that the dampned Sowles see hym / he sholde no more lyue after / but shortly shulde dye. Also Seint Gregory saith of oon callid Crisso [...]ius / whiche beyng full seke sawe beside hym a greet multitude of Deueles wherfore he cryed full hydeously after helpe / he turned hym this waye and that waye / to thentent he shulde not see them / but he was so feruently troubled with them in fere / that right sone he dyed. Certeynely all thoes that see the deueles be in suche greet trouble that all men drede the fight of them. and not without Reason / for there horrible figure tourmenteth thoes to deth that beholdeth them. It is writen in Iob the xx chapitre. Horrible thingis shal̄ goo and come vpon them. And that Seint Bernard sheweth whenne he saide. O my sowle what fere shall thou haue / whenne thou shalt leue the presens of alle thingis wherin thou hast Ioye / the syght of that [Page] that is agreable vnto the and all thy familiarite / and shalt entre allone ferfully into the regyon / whiche is to the vnknowen / when̄e the right terrible and orrible monstres shal come in greet companies ayenst the. O how grete a deformite shal be in thoes orrible deueles that shal appere in figures of right cruell bestis. And as it is wreten in the xj chapitre of Sapiens. Because they permitted errours as doon serpentes and other superflue beestis thou hast sent them a multitude of doum bestes in vengeaunce to thentent that they may knowe wherin they haue synned / they to be tourmented by the same. Certeyn̄ it is not impossible that the moost myghty hande that hath create & made all the vniuersall worlde of thyng vnsene / shulde sende a multitude offers beres of hardy lyons and other many furious beestis of diuerse shappes casting v [...]pures of fire geuyng styn­kyng smokes puttyng out of their eyen sparkis brennyng of fire / but al thise thinges shulde be to ye hurte of sinners and also the beholdyng myght slee them / as it is writen in the chapitre aforsaid. Iob sayde in his xvj chapitre Myn̄ ennemy hath beholde me with terrible eyen. He also saith in his xlj chapitre. His loke & beholding is like a glistring of fire out of his mouth stremyng as it were brennyng lampes / and popilli [...]h as water boiling out of a potte. Therfore seith a poete that there be therin serpen­tes vomyshyng out of their mouthes bren̄yng flames with the which̄ blastis ye sowles of the miserable sinners ben̄ al perisshed. Secundly the fendes be cruell by effecte / where as it is writen in Iob ye xvj chapitre. They ar assembled ayenst me / they haue opened their mouthes vppon me [Page] as a rauissyng lyon / they haue tempted me / they haue mokked me and grennyngly & felonesly shewed me there teeth Also in Ecclesiastico in the xxj chapitre is said. Theeir tethe be like the tethe of lyons / whiche deuour the sowles To this purpose is writen in the first epistle of seint Pe­tre the v chapitre. That how the deuill is like a brayng lyon / whiche gothe sekyng to deuour som̄ sowle. Certein̄ the deuill shal be appoynted at the last daye for to deuour synners. It is writen in Isaye in the lvj chapitre. O ye alle beestes of the feldes and wyldrenesse come ye for to deuour. Iheremy in his xij chapitre saith. Come ye all beestis and assemble and make you redy for to de­uoure. Seint Gregory in his Dyalogis talketh ther­of and saith. That ther was somtyme a monk not yet verily monke in dede but so named / whiche was called Theodorus. It was right displeasant vnto hym / when̄e oon spake to hym for his saluacion / he wolde not oonly leue to do good / but it lothed hym to here speke therof. and as Theodorus was at the article of deth alle his brethren of his couent assembled about him in prayers & deuoute orisons that they myght helpe & defende his sowle atte departur from his body. then̄ he began sodenly to crye & with a greet voyce hade them breke of & leue their orisons and prayers & departe / for he was gyuen vnto an orrible dragon for to be deuoured / whiche he saide for their prayers myght not deuour hym / & yet he hadde swalowed his hede / & prayed them therfor go thens & pray no more / but lette hym do that / that he purpos [...]d to do / sens he was geuen vnto him / and the forsaid Theodorus seid / why suffre ye me so long to be in this case [Page] Thenne sayde his brethren vnto hym. What is it that thou seyst / make the figure of the crosse vppon the. To whom̄ the sayde Theodorus answered with a lamenta­ble crye. I wolde feyn blesse me / but I can not / for I am to hardly prikked and oppressed with the vyolence of this dragon. And whenne his brethren herde hym seye so they fyll flatte to the erthe with wepyng teeres / and began ageyn their prayers and orisons deuoutly for the helpe and Redempcion of this Theodorus / whiche sone after sodenly began to crye with a lowde voyce saiyng. I yelde louyng thankis and grace to god my creatour / for nowe that dragon / whiche shulde haue deuoured me is driuen and chased away fro me by your good and deuoute prayers and orisons. Also Seint Gregorie telleth an example in the fourthe boook of his Dyalogis that how in the partes of Anchone in a monastery called Congolathon be fell somtime that there was therin a monk which was taken for a very holy man meruelously wele disposed towarde god / But when̄e his brethren went that he hadde fasted he was accustumed secretely to ete. And when̄e he was atte the batayl of deth / he called generally for alle his brethren / saiyng vnto them. I am deliuered nowe vnto a dragon to be deuoureed / whiche with his taill hath knytte to gydre my fete & also my kneys & putteth his hede into my mouth / & draweth my sowle out of my body. and after he hadde saide thoes wordes he dyed forth withall. It may seme thies wordes be for ye condempned sinners which ben writen in Iheremy in the lj chapitre. He hath eten me like a dragon. This dragon is hideous and greet and [Page] hath vij hedes & x hornes in the same as it is writen in the Apocalips in ye xij chapitre. Ther hath been a greet bataile in the skye so that seint Michiel & his angell hath fought with ye dragon & his angell which̄ might not resist / & sith their rowmes in heuen coude not be foūde but were cast down̄ and so ye dragon auncient serpent / which̄ is called the deuil̄ sathan enforceth him self to make warre vpon the uniuersal̄ world here. And for that cause is it red in ye same chapitre That harme come to the erthe and to the see / for the deuill is descended emong you with al̄ his greet furious anger / This deuil hath a meruelous greet hate vnto al̄ good peple / which disposeth them to take possession in the rowme of heuen / from whens he was put out & chased into theter­nal paines. and the more yt the day of [...]ome approcheth the more tempteth he more cursedly & more forseth him self to do euil in distroyng of sowles. O how greet is the wikkid­nesse and the malice of this deuil̄ of hell. Wherof Seint Bernard talketh in a prose saiyng. O how felonows shal then̄ this tormētours be / which shal paine & tourmente synners / how terrible shal their vengeance be in vengyng vices wretchednes & sinnes. Certeinly their cruel malice is yet augmented in diuerse maners. First because they be so in­numerable and of so diuerse soortes. The Psalter saith Why be thoes so multiplied that tourmenteth me / and ther be many that dresse them ayenst me. And as it is writen in Iob in the xix Chapitre. They haue asseged my Tabernacle about me. It is writen in Uitis pa­trum. That ther was a good Auncient Man that sawe the deuill enuyronyng the Peple and were as [Page] thik as beis yt make hony. Wherfore it is saide also in the Psawter. They haue compassed me as beis be cause they be many & of grete myght / as Thappostle witnessith in his pistle ad the epheseos in ye vj chapitre. wher he calleth them princes & potestates & gouernours of ye world be cause they be subtil & myghty to noy sowles. The psalter seith. The strong haue sought my sowle. this strength is vndrestonde by the deueles. It is redde also of ye strength in Iob the xlj chapitre. There is no myght vppon ye erthe to be compared with yt / that hath doon so that it dredeth no man sauf hym that seith all thing from aboue & is king ouer all the children of pride ye deueles shal ernstfully exorcise their might in pride to the pumisson of synners & them shal cruelly tourmente. It is writen in Ecclesiastico the xxxix chapitre. Ther be spirites that be ordeyned to take vengeaunce & hath confermed the tormentes in their furour enduringly till the consummacion of the worlde. Iob seith in his xvj chapitre. He hath compassed me with his fperis & hath not spared me / but hath hurte my reynes / he hath cast my bowell to the erthe / and geuen me woundes vppon wounde & this come shuldering ayenst me like a gyand. Thirdely the malice and cruelte of the deuell is comforted & is more greuous be cause they ar neuer wery of tormenting. As it is writen in the book of Daniel in the iij chapitre. The mynistres shal not seasse in sturryng the fires of the fourneis to the causing of paynes. Therfore said a wise man that there be tormentours / whiche be more to be lothed then serpentes / and they be blakke and defourmed and will not be beten downe. And they be neuer wery to do harme [Page] but newly encreasen their malice al way redy / and boyling desirously to put soules to payne. and incessantly they excersise their cruelte more and more. And it is saide to all sinners in Deutronomy in the xxviij chapitre. Thou shalt serue for thyn̄ enemy whenne our lord shal sende the naked vnto him in honger and thirste and in alle pouerte / And the [...]e shal thy sore woundes enereace perpetuelly O how greet shal the paynes be there to dampned folkes whiche shal last continuelly in anguish̄ and miserie with­out intermission lacking peas or reste. It is red of the sinners in Ezechiel in the vij chapitre. That when̄e they shal fele th [...]es anguisshi [...]ꝰ paine / they shal desire and requir [...] to haue peas / but then̄e they gete non̄ / for they shal h [...]ue conturbacion and sorowe vpon sorowe. It is writen in Thapocalips the xiiij chapitre. That thoes that haue been b [...]estly shal therfore haue no rest by daye nor nyght Then̄ mowe the sinners wele say / as it is writen in Isay in the xxxviij chapitre. I shal not see our lord god in the kuyng lond / nor I shal no more beholde ony man. that is inhabitour of rest. Semblable as it is writen in Ihe­remye the xlv chapitre. Alas I am vnhappy / for oure lord hath addid in me sorowe to sorowe / for I can finde no reste. Sorowe shal be then̄e cast at his hede. and alle Iniquite shal descende vpon him. Now by thies thingis aboue said it manifestly appereth how suche as descendeth into hell be punisshed with many diuerse paynee [...]. & therfor me thinkith dere brethren how it shold be often in your remēbraūce to defende you from fallyng to sinne / whereby ye shulde l [...]se the companye of the [...]py and blisshed sein [...]ee [...] [Page] and the celestiale glorie / whiche is perourable and shal dure world withouten ende

¶How there be many condicions of tormentes encreasyng the peynes of Helle ¶The thirde chapitre of the thirde part principal

NOw resteth to declare the thirde parte of this ma­tier / whiche is in shewyng the condicion of thin­fernale tourmentes / whiche be full diuerse. Cer­teyne there be sondery condicions that specially encreace by occasions the peynes of helle. ¶The first is / bitternesse wepyng / grindyng of teeth / compleynyng / the perpe­tuell dethe / peynfull languissing in despaire / and the wrath and blamyng of the creatour of all thingis with other many tourmentes and paynes innumerable to be recited / whiche doubteles shal be wel felt and vndrestonde there by sinners / as it appereth in diuerse places of holy scripture. and as it is writen in Thapocalips in the xvj chapitre. They haue eten their tonges for greet sorowe and haue blasfemed the god of heuen for their anguisshys and their woundes Seint Gregory saith that he that is condempned to the tormentes findeth more paine there then can be supposed or thought. Seint Iherom̄ saith that the force of the sorowe in hell shal be so [...] greet that it can not addresse his corage / but as the force of the said sorowe wil constrayne. Certeyn the sinner shal say then̄ as is writen in Iheremye in the viij chapitre. My woo encreaseth [Page] in sorowe vppon sorowe. The egrenesse of the paynes of hell shal be so greet that sinners shal hate and disprayse [...]f which vniuersally is delited & with a bren̄yng desire wisshe to fynde deth / which e [...]y man wolde flee. As it is writen in Thapocalips in the ix chapitre. A day shal come that men shal desire & wisshe for deth / and shal not haue it / they shal require deth & it shal flee away fro them. In trouthe our lorde winesseth y egrenes of the peynes of hell in Iheremy in the ix chapitre / where he seith. I shal fede my peple with absinth / comūly named worm wode the whiche is a bitter herbe / & I shal geue them to drink galle. Wherby is signified the bitternes of the tormentes of hell. It is red yt this egrenes was wele considered by a yong man which was deliciously norisshed / Neuerthelesse he entred into then­ [...] of pr [...]chers / and whe [...]e he hadde been in the saide ordre a while / there cam̄ a man from his kynsfolkes to amonissh hym to depar [...]e thens or he were professed / shewyng hym how deliciously he hadde ben brought vp. and therfore he myght not susteine the dures paynes & troubles perteinyng to the saide ordre. The yong man answered. I haue entred into this ordre knowyng wele that I was voluptuously norisshed and myght not wele suffre. But I remembre wele that ye troubles paynes of hell shal be importable. wherfore I hadde leuer susteyne the litle peyn̄ of this ordre / then the paynes which ar incomparable. For Iob seith in his vj chapitre The snowe shal fall vppon them y shal drede the litle myst This consideracion moued an heremite callid piers to en­terprise a meruilous penaunce / which he accomplisshed. as seint gregory sheweth in the iiij book of his dyalogis this [Page] heremite dyed by a sekenesse / & yet after his deth his sowle was restored ageyn to his body. Also Seint Gregory saith. that ther was somtime a monk borne of Irelond called piers / this monk affermed how he had seen ye greuous tormētes of hell / the innumerable peinful places & flame [...] of fire. & tolde how he had seyn there certeyn mighty men of this world honged vp in the saide flames. And he seide as he was brought for to be cast in: sodenly appered an angel clothed al in white / which saued hym and hade him go thens and attentifly to remembre how he shulde liue from thens forthward to kepe him out of the danger of the peines. After that he had herde that voice he reuiued and came to hym self litel and litel / and shewed vnto his brethren ther all the thingis yt he had feled & seen. and from that day forthward he vsed & liued a blessid lif in fasting & doyng penaunce / so yt by his conusacion after it myght wel seme the paynes of hell ar to be dred. The secūd condicion encreasing the paynes of hell is ye multipliyng of the tourmentes there. In certeyn̄ they be innumiable. And as the psalter saith. The paines / whiche be without nombre haue enuiround & be clipped me. It is writen in deutronomy the xxxij chapitre. I shal assemble many diuerse paynes vpon them / & I shal accomplish or spend the schot of myn̄ arowes in them. and as it is writen in Isaye ye v chapitre His arowes be ful sharp & all his bowes ar bent. our lorde hath many arowes in his quiuer / which̄ he hath not yet shot forth / but after the Iugement he shal smyte all sinners with them. Thies arowes ar the diuerse paines of hell where as sinners shal be then̄ tormēted in many mans. the [Page] Psawter seith. The arowes of the myghty. That is to saye of our lorde be sharpe amonges the colis of desolacion Our lorde satth in Deutronomy ye xxij chapitre. I shal embrwe myn̄ arowes in their blode / my swerd shal deuour their flesh / they shal perish̄ by famyne / & the birdes shal strangle them with a full bitter morsel. I shal sende ayens them the teeth of wilde bestis with ye furour of thoes that rampe & deuoure vppon the erthe. Owtward the swerd shal destroye them / and inward fere and drede shal waste them Off this multitude of paynes speketh Seint Gregorye in the viij chapitre of Seint Mathewe / saiyng. They shal be cast out into thuttermeste tenebres / yt is to say helle where shalbe an vnsuffrable colde / an vnquencheable hete an inmortale worm̄ / an intollerable stinche / a derkenesse mamable / & an orrible vision of deuels thresshing & beting / a confusion of sinners / a sepacion of all ioyes. And therfor said a wise man / that hell is a mortifiyng pit ful & accompl [...]sshed with alle paines & miseries. The psalter seith. It shal reine brimston vpon sinners & the spirites of tempestis whiche be part of ye sorowes & tormentis of hell. And that saiyng is to be noted by cause yt there be many other partes of tormentes impossible to be expressed / al yt euer we haue spoken of ye peines of hell is a ful litle thing in regarde of the grete infenite multitude of them. but to thentent that the multiplicacion of these peines may be y more expressely declared. It is also to be noted how dāpned sowles shal be ful of all miseres & sorowes / for they shal [...]u haue weping eyen grinding of their teeth / stinche in their noses wailling in their voices fere in their eres / beenning of fier in all their [Page] membres / & therin shal be boūden hande & foot. Lo how the wretched sinner descending into helle shal be fulfild with alle tormentes. It is writen in Iob the xv chapitre of the dampned man how tribulacion shal holde him / and anguish̄ shal enuyron̄e him. And in y xiij chapitre of Isay How all mennys hertes shal be abasshed & ferd for the sorowes and torcions that shal holde him hauing the payne ye women suffre traueling of chylde. eche on shal sorowe vpon̄ his neighburgh / and their broyled faces shal affraye eue­riche other. Therfore Baruch saide in his vj chapitre Their faces be blakked with smoke / for the faces of all sinners shal be brought to the likenesse of a rownde pot / as it is writon in Iohel the ij chapitre. Also it is saide in Ecclesiastico the xlviij chapitre. The peines of a woman traueling shal come vnto them. The same also is writen in Ozee the xiij chapitre. So as it appereth ther be many scorges and fleyles in hell for to bete sinners ther with Certeynely the dampned sowle shal mowe saye with the Psalter. The sorowes of deth haue compassed me / and the paynes of hell haue foūden me. It saith. It hath compas­sed me for this cause. For it is to him a vestiment or couring of malediction / whiche shal be bothe within hym and without hym. O what vestiment shal this be that shal be wouen with so paynfull thredes / and thoes without nombre / whiche can neuer be vndoon nor taken away / For with an inmortale string it shal be insepara­bily boūden vnto the synner. This shal be a sore and a biting vestiment to be suffred. This is the vestiment that is writen of in Isaye in the thertenth Chapitre [Page] sayng. Thy vestiment shal be wormes. The consideracion of these manifolde paynes reuoked & callid Dauid from synne & caused hym to do penaūce. And therfore he saide to our lord How many sore tribulacions hast yu shewed me / & thou conuerted hast reuiued me. The consideracions also of these forsaide paines moeued somtime an heremite forto take vppon hym a right sharpe peinfull lif / whiche he ledde in his heremitage / as is redde in Uitis patrum. It was axed of him / why he wolde so slee him self. And he an­swered. All the labour of my lif is not sufficient to be compared to oon of the dayes of tormentes that be ordeig­ned and reserued for sinners in time to come. Beda she­weth vs in his writing of Englande / how that in the ty­me of yong Constantine ther dyed a knyght about the yeres of our lorde eght hondeet & vj. whiche knyght reui­ued / and after for the paynes that he hadde seen / he fledde into an heremitage / as it is redde in Uitis patrum. and he made hym a litle hous by a Riuier side. In the whiche Riuier he wolde renne often times al clothed in the wynter time / and wolde suffre his clothes to frese vnto his flesh and thenne after he wolde [...]epe into a bayn as hoot as hit was possible to hym to suffre. And this lyf he ledde vnto his dethe. And whenne folkes sawe hym do so / they blamed hym therfore / and he sayde to them. If ye hadde seen that I haue seen: ye wolde do as I do / and rather more. Seint Gregory sayth. The visyon of the paynes of helle is the moost excellent moeuyng that can be to penaunce and contricion. The thirde condicion en­crescing the paynes of helle / is the euerlestyngnesse therof [Page] It is writen in the book of sapience ye iiij chapitre. Our lorde shal mokke them / That is to vndrestande / sinners after they shal fal from their worship emong them that be sempiternally dede. Seint Mathew saith the xxv chapi­tre. They be thoes / that shal goo into tormentes. In Iudith the xvj chapitre is redde. That our lorde shal sende wormes of fier ayens their fleish / that they may brenne and yet lyue and fele the paynes for euer. To that pur­pose speketh Isaye in his last chapitre thus. Their wor­mes shal not dye / nother their fier quenche. And therfor saith our lord in Deutronomy in the xxxij chapitre. The fier is kindeled with my furour and shal been̄e into the lo­west part of helle / and that shal be perpetuelly and ende­lesly. Isaye in his xxxiij chapitre saith. O whiche of vs shal mowe suffre and endure the deuoring fier / who shal mowe be emong those / that shal be bren [...]e sempiter­nally. In the xxxiij chapitre of the same Isaye is saide The gronde / where they shal dwelle shal be conuerted into brēnyng piche nyght and day / and shal not quenche / and the smoke shal be from generacion to genacion vpon them during the world of worldes. It is writen in thapocalips in the xx chapitre. The deuill shal be sent into the lake of fier and of sulpher and brymston / where the euyll brest and the false prophete shal be tourmented nyght and day in the world of worldes. And he / that shal not be fonden in the book of lif / shal be sent into ye lake of fier there forto dwell in the shadowe of deth / where is noon ordre / but sempiter­nale horrour and sorowe. It is writen in Iob the x chapitre. and also seint Gregory saith in his moralis a right [Page] horrible worde. That is to wite. Then̄e shal the miserable synners suffre a greet payne with a greet feer / a greet fla­me with a derkenesse / and deeth without deeth / an ende without finisshyng / for that deeth shal euer liue / and that ende shal begynne alwaye ageyn & that faulte shal neuer faile. And a Poete sheweth how that miserable deeth can not dye nor finisshe. but semeth alway that it begynneth and reneweth wepnigis and languisshingis. Petre de bloys saide in a pistle. There shal be non ordre of ony maner of tormentes nother sparing, but endelesly the paynes shal renue & begynne ageyn / dethe can not dye there / for it shal be alway permanent and neuer cessing to thenten [...] that the condempned sowles may miserably alway encrece in their paynes & sorowes and be norisshed in eternal deeth The Psawter seyth. They be casten into helle as shepe [...] & dethe fedeth them. Mowe then̄e these synners haue their feding of dethe: what shal be their drink: Herkene what is writen in deutronomij in the xxxij chapitre. The bur­ging of the grape and ye vine that they shal haue, shal be aisil and galle of dragons / and the venym of the Adder called aspe / whiche is incurable. O wherwith shal the synners be norisshed, seest thou not how they be perpetually tormented with the moost cruell dethe / they shal liue then̄ in dying / and shal be dede liuyng. Seint Bernard saith in a book that he sent vnto pope Eugeny. The by­ting worme / and the liuyng dethe I grouge and feere greatly. I drede to falle into the handes of the dethe / that euer lyuth / and of the lif that neuer dyeth. Seynt Girgorye seith. That the felon synners shal dye of [Page] inmortale deth. O good lorde eternal why hast thou suffred me do contrarie thy will and werke myn owne sorowe, why helpest thou not me out of synne. wherby I myghte escape this perpetuel dethe. O how happy / o how blissed shal he be yt shal not be fowlid nor smouged with ye filthes of synne / & that hath not reioysshed him in the sensuale voluptacions of this transitorie worlde / nor in temporale vanitees. Certayn̄ I am feerd that we miserable synners haue erred from the waye of lif / and that the light of Iustice hath not shined vpon vs. We haue not folowed the wayes of our lorde. but haue taken the vnhappy wayes of iniquite and perdicion It is writen in Isaye in the xlix chapitre. We haue la­bured in vayn̄ & for nought we haue wasted al our strength What hath our pride auailed vs / what hath proufited our pompe / and the vanite of the richesses of this worlde / what be we amended by our Iewelles, or precieux garnementes by our delicious meetes and drinkes, our glotomies / our lawhingis and ydle disportes. Now what auantageth vs all thinges, wherin we haue vaynely / vnproufitably / and dampnably spent our tyme. Alas alas / we haue lost and passed our dayes without fruit, and may be likend to were then a donghil / and all thoes thinges be past. but our wretchednesse shal remaine to our eternal tormentes. Our lorde shal saye to euery dampned sowle / as is writen in Iob in the xx chapitre. He shal suffre tormentes & peines after the multitude of his wikked operacions. and in the xviij chapitre of thappocalips is writen. As moche as he hath glorified hym self in delites and plaisers: as moche torment and peine shul be yeuen hym therfore to remayne [Page] therin eternally. Now is it not a greet folye for the riche or vayn̄ pleasir of this world or ony other miserable thing a man to submitte him to perpetual tormētes bothe of his body & of his sowle. Ioh̄n crisostom saith in his book titled of the reparacion̄ of defaultes / what continuance of lecherie & space of delectacions wilt thou compare to ye sempiternal paines. Now take that yu liue C yeer in delectacions sette therto an other C & yet C / & after ye ten hondert if thou wilt. yet what comparison is this to theternite. May not all the tyme of our bodily lif / though we entended neu so voluptuously be resembled vnto a dreem of the night in regarde of the sempiternale lif. Is ther ony persone that aughte wil to haue oon playsant and delectable night in dremes / and therfore to finde the sempiternale paines / and so change for a playsant dreme so litle enduring / to haue the paines of hell / which be perpetuel. What shal we speke of this playsir, or of these paynes. The playsirs passe lightly away / and the paynes must remaygne euerlestingly. Now take it / that the tyme and the space of the playsirs and of the paynes were egale. Is ther ony that aught to be so mad or so folysshe / as to chese for to haue for oon daye of playsir here a day of dampnacion in hell Remembre how that oon houre of bodyly sekenesse in this world putteth a waye alle playsir for the sayson. right so remembraunce how the perpetuell paynes ought to resist ayens alle synnes. O how greet tourment and payne shal be to the dampned sowles / their euerlestyng dampnacion and perpetuell dethe is so harde and so sore / that I wore not how / that I coude expresse hit greuousely I now [...] [Page] for certeinly it can not be sufficiently spoken / conceiued in mynde nor comprehended in herte. Now take we / that ther [...] were a pece of metall as greet as mighte be comprehended withinne the concauite of the viij spere. and euery M yeer ther shulde be taken from hit a litle pece like agreyn̄. and so consequently til it were all brought to no thing: shuld not the eternite be finisshed by that time. and the dampned sowles deliuered out of their paynes. I answere and saye you nay / for the perpetuite shal be then̄e but at the begyn­nyng / there can be no proporcion in a thyng infenite. as Aristotile the philosophre saith in his viij book of his phisikes. Certeynly if dampned sowles mighten knowe and vndrestande that they shulde be deliuered out of thin t [...]llerable paynes of hell assone / as the saide pece of metalle were so wasted and goon, as is aboue saide / yet they might haue hope of their redempcion ayens that saison / and haue som maner of confort / knowyng that their tormentes shulde somtime taken ende. yet the yeers wolde be incompre­hensible and innumerable. Now surely oon of the grettest paynes is the desolacion and defaulte of hope euer to be redemed and deliuered out of theternall tormentes. For as it is writen in Isay the xxxiiij chapitre. The sinner shal be in desolacion tyme and worlde withouteen ende. It is writen in the boook of Trenis the thirde chapitre. Myn̄ ende and myn̄ hope in god is perisshed. Iheremy in his xv chapitre asketh. Why is my sorowe made imperpetuel and my woundes in desperacion. Wherunto is answereed in the x chapitre of the Prouerbis. That when̄e the felon sinner is oones dede / there is thenne noon hope to be hadde. [Page] Entende & remembre this all ye that be forgeters of oure lord / lest that this moost cruell and sorowfull place of helle swalowe you / from whens ye may neuer be puld out. Lo now ye may see clerely / how the wretched syn­ner can not be redemed out of helle. Wherfore my right dere frendes I amoneste and require you / bere that Re­membraunce wel in your myndes / and conceyue wel they ample of the pece of metall aboue specified. And now tell me what thou felist / and what thyn̄ owne herte demeth and iugeth in this matier. I wene certeinly thy discrecion wo begyue therunto credence. for trewe it is / & to trouth by Rea­son then must nedis applie. Also bethink the of the diuerse prouinces of londs & ymagine euery Region of them Considere the sees the Riueres / and the poondes. Enclose in thy mynde the circuite of the wild / and goo euery where therof / Flie vp into the ayer / and thenne descende into the lowest parte of therthe. and of all this thinke in thy mynde. thou hast made an hool substance and ymagine and extende how greet a thing this shulde be / and yf hit myghte not be consumed by [...] of tyme. and thenne telle me what thou thinkist of thinfenite paynes of sinners Whether shulde be longe enduring the consumyng of the same substance / or the relessing of the perdurable paynes I trowe thou wilt agre / that ther can no thyng be compared to a perpetuite. wherfore we ought all in our cora­gis timerousely to tremble and fere it. Now who is he that dredeth hit not. who to he / that alussheth not therof. Who is he / that hadde not leuer abyde the consu­myng of the forsayde substance / than the tyme of eternite [Page] Late this saide substance and this tyme of eternite be cowched vppon thyn̄ herte / and thou shalt fynde it aproufitable thing & greetly to thyn̄ auantage. For if thou wilt not correcte and reuoke thy self from thy sinnes by the loue that thou owest to bere vnto god. Yet the mirour and Remembraunce of thintollerable and infenite paynes shulde reuoque / sequestre & withdrawe the from sinnes. O lorde god that this perdurable peyne is to be eschewed and drad And wepyngly we ought to remembre oure sinnes by grete contricion / that we myght therby come to the euerles­ting saluacion. Lo here afore hath be shewed thencrecing of thinfernal paynes / and how they may neuer cesse nor finisshe. whiche was well considered by oon somtime callid Fulson of Mercelles. Whiche was in his dayes an ex­cellent Iougulier al abandouned and yuien to the vanitees of the worlde. In a daye he be thought hym of the peines of helle and of theternite therof / and remembred in his herte. If he were compelled to lye in a faire and a softe bed wel hanged and plaisantly dressed and for no necessite might departe out of it / Yet al were it neuer so delicious / it coude not lye in his power continually to endure hit And theruppon remembred hym how he shulde then̄ mowe susteigne thintollerable perpetuell peines of helle / whiche ar languereuse and from thens none may departe. This forsaide Fulson considering that / left all his vaine worldly delites and made him self a monque. and sithen was archibsshop of Tholouse / where he liued and gui­ded hym right holily in the seruice of our lord. The consideracion of the perpetuell peines of helle shulde enduce and [Page] comforte euery gode sowle to fighte & resiste mightily ayens his goostly enemy / for if the fende venquisshe and ouerco­me hym / he may be sure to lye therfore without greet Re­pentance and grace in the sempiternale paynes of helle And therfore for Ihesus sake with alle your myght fight and resiste viguorously ayens the cruell enemy of alle mankinde / whiche dooth nought but lyeth in a wayte forto brynge vs alle to dampnacion. Egelippus saith in his book of the destruction of Iewys. How that oon̄ of the greet capitaynes of Kyng Alexandre beyng chief of an hoost / sawe on a tyme an innumerable armee coming [...]ens hym to sight with hym. And whenne his peple sawe them come / they disposed them to ete and drinke forto make them of the more bodily myght and put therin their trust. This goode c [...]pitayne [...] that they yaff more hope to their bodily strengthes / than to the power of hym / whom alle other myghtes can not [...] / sayde in this wyse. O ye noble and worthy men [...] haue vs dyne now to gydre / for we be like to souppe this nyght in Helle alle in a companye. This peple hering these wordes to eschewe that heuy soupper / put their affiaunce in our lorde and set on / and fought so viguorousely / that they with Triumphe and Honour ouercome their Enemys. Con­sidering that Remembraunce of the paynes of Helle shulde withdrawe vs from wordly Delytes. Hit is redde in Uitis Patrum. How there was an auncient man / that sayde. Whenne a woman wole weene her Chyld and make hit to lothe the swetenesse of hire Milke / she wole put vppon her pappys heed a litle mustard [Page] or som̄ other bitter thing. When̄e the childe feleth that / it withdraweth and putteth away his appetit from the swete milk. So semblably the soure Remembraunce of the perpetuelle tormentes and paynes of helle ought to reuoque a man from alle the vayne delectacions of this wretched worlde. Iob saith in his vj chapitre. May not a man taste of a thing / whiche shulde cause hym the right bitter dethe. That is to saye / the peynes perpetuell. Prosper saith. In this present lif the temporall delites be full plaisant / and the tribulacions ful bitter. But who is he that shulde not gladly suffre tribulacions in this lif for fear of the sempiternal paynes of helle. And who is he that ought not to dispise the deliciouse plaisiers of this world for to haue the moost happy Ioye of euerlesting blys. It is saide also in the Legende of seint Iohn Euangelist That riche and myghty folkes were conuerted by his perdicacion̄ / and relinquisshed alle their worldly richessee Yet they sawe after som̄e / that were their seruauntes reised in the flatring glorie and fortune of this worlde. Wher­fore they repented them / that they hadde lost alle their goodes so. Whiche thing Seint Iohn vndrestood by the holy goost / and prayed vnto our lorde for their saluacion. and then̄e our lorde changed certaine reces of tymber vnto fyn golde / and harde flinte stoones vnto preci­ouse Ieweles. and so they were restoreed vnto gretter tresour and richesse / than euer they hadde lost for our lordes sake. Thenne it happened / that Seint Iohn reuiued from deeth a yongly man / which shewed vnto thoes folkes theternal glorie / that they hadde lost for the richesse of this [Page] world / and how the paynes of hell dide but abyde them / When̄e the folkes herde and vndrestood that / they were so abasshed and in so greet fere / that forth with all they mispraysed / despised and refused all worldly richesse and delites / and wilfully retourned vnto their pouerte for their saluacion. It is red in Uitis patrum. How ther was somtyme a yong frere that saide vnto a fader of his ordre. I am sloutheful and wery to sitte alway thus still in my celle. To whom this good fader answred. thou hast not seen nor vndrestande the tormentes that be to come in hell / whiche shal be perpetuelly enduring / & therfor if thou [...]inte that wel in thyn̄ hert / though thy celle were full of wormes / thou sholdest not grouge / but woldest abide in hit paciently forto eschew these perdurable paynes. For euery synner muste endure theternale tormentes of helle or the right sharpe paynes of purgatorie / or elles he must do and suffre suffisant penaunce in this world. Then̄e what vnhappy creature is he that is so blinde and so haltred with vngrace and lak of Reason / that had not leuer suffre here suffisante penaunce than in helle to be tourmented and punisshed withouten ende. Isidore saith. Thinke in thyn̄ herte alle the sekensses and paines of this world alle the bitternesses and sorowes what so euer they be. comparyng them distinctely with the gehenne of hell / and thou shalt mowe wel knowe that alle paynes here be in Regarde as no thing vnto those. Seint Bernard sayth in a Pistle. Thou dredest to wake on nyghtes / to faste and to labour with thyn̄ handes. But remembryng the perpetuell flam̄es all that ought to be but light vnto the / [Page] Certayne all solitarie lif is to be conforted by that Remembraunce. And if thou knewest thextreme discussing of alle Idle wordes / silence shulde displease the no thing Seint Austyne in a sermon̄ sayth. How delectable thoughtes cause ofte humayne nature to be conquered and ouercomen with the delites and the veluptuouse concupiscence of this worlde / whiche eschewe alle labours / and axe nought but playsirs / and folowe alwayes delectaci­ons. But whenne that thoughtes falle to Remembraūce of the necessite and daungerous last Iugement with theternale Paynes. What other for fere of those tormentes / or somtyme for hope of the moost riche Rewarde hit m [...]eueth a man from alle the passions of his playsirs and voluntayrely to rise vppe in Batayll ayens them entendyng to haue victorie vppon his first delectable vaine playsante thoughtes. Abacuk sayth desirousely in his iij chapitre. Rotynnesse will entre into my boones / and springue vndre me in my lyf by cause I shulde reste in [...] the day of tribulacion̄. Beholde here my right dere frendes how fructuouse and how hoolsom is the Remem­braunce of thinfernal paynes. The Psalter sayth. Synners they be transported into Helle. Wherfore by goode meditacions euery man in his lyf entende to the resistence of that daungier. Or ellis they must liuyng dye perpetually. It is redde How he is eureusely happy / that beholdeth the dyepe tenebres. That is to say. To regystre in his herte the infernale tormentes / and that with a continuale remembraunce in contemplacion to frequente that sure memory. Now me thinketh I haue suffisantly [Page] shewed you the manifolde maniers of the diuerse paynes of helle. and how vaillable and to what proufite groweth the memoriale Remembraunce therof. O mortal man wt haerrour / what folie / and what faulte is in the / when̄e it lyeth in thy fre arbitrement to haue Ioyes euerlesting and willyngly castist thy self into the infernale tormentes and peynes / from whens noon may retorne / but brenne there in fire worlde without ende

And thus endeth the thirde parte of this tretys deuided in four parties

partie of the foure last thingis / whiche be forto come And here beginneth the prologue vppon the fourth

[Page] [...]His thirde part of the four last thingis which be forto come. wherof soueraynely the Remembraunce withdrawith a man from synne / Is the mynde of the euerlesting celestiale Glorie And if a man refreygne hym self from mourdeur or from ony criminale cause for fere of losyng of his honour or temporale goodes. how moche more ought he refreygne / drede & eschewe alle sinnefull operacions / wherby he myght lese the moost blisful sempiternale Ioyes. Seint Austyn saith in a book of his confessions. There is a Ioye / whiche is not to be gyuen to the felon sinners / but to those / that of their fre will loue and worshippe the lord god / and thou thy self art that Ioye. For this cause it is writen in the first Epistle ad Corintheos the vj chapitre. The felon synners shal not possesse the Kyngdom̄ of heuen / but shal confusedly be put therefrom / as the vile glotons and dishonneste folkes be chased out of themperour his courte and not suffre to sitte emong kingis & princes at their excellent and solemne tables. And Callidore seith yt euery man is put & cast from the deite after the quantite of his synnes. And certeynly his casting fro / is mesured after the delectacions that he hath had in them. Now shulde not thenne euery creature eschewe to do sinne / and haue hit in abhomynacion as a mortale thing / knowyng that therby is lost the celestiale eternale Glorie. O what shal I poure wretche barein of knowlych saye / or how shall I talke of this Glorie incomprehensible. Certeynely their was neuer Eye / that sawe / nor Ere / that herde / nor Herte / that thought the Ioye / that god hath ordeygned [Page] for those that he loueth. As is writen in the first Epistle ad corintheos the secunde chapitre. Therfore what shal I now more saye or write / in this werk I am as oon born̄ blinde that disputeth in colours hauing no confidence to myn̄ owen propre witte. But therfore I muste referre my self to the testimonies of scriptures / by the whiche I wole speke / It is to be noted / how albe it in the heuenly glorie there be innumerable thingis playnely approuing the ioye and felicite therof. Yet I wole specially shewe how it is to be recomended for thre thingis. The first / for the souerayne and excellente clernesse therof. Secundly / for the the moost habundance of the goodnesses that be therin And thirdely for the most blisful Ioye therof perdurably enduring. The beaute therof / nor the clernesse can not be mesured. The infenite goodnesse can not be estemed Nor the [...]ernale Ioye can not be compared nor sufficiently prased. Of these iij thinge [...] I shal traite be [...]fly by ordre in this last parte:::

Thus endeth the prologue of the fourth and the last parte of this book::::

How the Royalme and kingdom of heuen is praysed for his beaute and clernesse

[Page]fIrst the kingdom̄ of heuen is to be recom̄ended for the souerayne beaute & clernesse therof. as it is writen in the book of Sapience the v chapitre wherin it is callid the royame of Beaute. The Psalter saith. Lord I haue loued the beaute of thyn̄ hous. It is also writen in Thoby the xiij chapitre. I shal be happy yf the Reliques of my sedes may see the clernesse of Irlm wherof the gates be made of Saphires and emerawdes and other precious stones. The circuite of the walles with faire brighte stones / and all the places paued with fyn gold. It is writen in the Apocalips the xxj chapitre That cite was made of fyn gold pure and clene as glas The fondement of walles enourned with alle precious stones. The twelue gates shal haue twelue Margarites. & the stretes of the Cite shal be of fyn̄ gold shinyng as bryghte as glas. The tempell is not yet spoken of. Cer­taynely almyghty God is the tempell therof / and the Lambe is the light. The forsaide Cite hath no nede of the Sonne / nor of the Mone to lighte hit with all. For the clerenesse of oure Lord shall Illumine hit. and the Lambe shal be the lanterne / and the peple shal mowe walke by that clerenesse. It is also redde in the xxij Chapitre of Thapocalips. It shall neuer be nyght there Wherfore there nedeth no candell nor lanterne / nor light of the sonne. For the bryghtnesse of our lord shal lighte and illumine them enduringly world withouten ende Whiche saiyng may wel accorde with that. that is wri­ten in Isaye the lx chapitre. Thou shalt haue thenns no nede of the shynyng of the sonne / nor resplendisshing of [Page] the mone. For our lorde shal lighte and illumme the sempiternally. In trouth he is a glas without ony spot and a light illumining euerlastingly. As it is writen in the book of Sapiens the vij chapitre. Also our lorde shal be the rsplendisshing of glorie. As is writen to the Hebreos in the first chapitre. Whiche resplendisshing shal be an hooll light. Abacuk in his thirde chapitre saith of this resplendisshing alle the seintes shal take in the royalme of heuen clernesse and sempiternal light. wherwith all they shal reioyse them incessantly in greet felicite. It is also writen in the boook of Iugis the v chapitre. Those that loue the / shal shine and resplende / as the sonne doth in his rising. Also is writen in the book of Sapiens the third chapitre. How thoes that be Iuste shal shine in their s [...]dees Royalme like the son̄e. O lorde sempiternal grond of all vertu / how good and how glorieuse is thy royalme and how ought thy tabernacles to be beloued. how greet is thy beaute / how habundante is thy Resplendisshing in thy ci [...]e / how meruyleuse is the brighte clernesse therof / and how souerayne is the swetenesse of thy celestyal contraye For this cause saith Seint Austyn in his book of fre [...]trement. So greet is the beaute of Iustice. so greet is the swetenesse of thyn̄ eternal light / That yf it were not expedient to delite therin but oon̄ our of a daye forto haue that Ioye oonly. The innumerable dayes of this present lif full habundante of alle temporall goodes ought therfore raisonable to be mispreised and forborne. Nowe certeynely it is not vnraisonably spoken / nor without a a greet gronde / that better is to be oon̄ daye in that courte [Page] than a. M. in this world. O celestial Ihrlm. O shinyng hous ful of all brightnesse I wisshe my pilgrimage to reche vnto the / & to be possessed in the by him that made bothe the and me. And therfor saith Seint Bernard in in his thirde book vpon the Gospel Millus est angelus Gabriel. O how glorious is the royalme of heuen. The kingis haue assembled them in a mont. that is to vndre­stande / to loue prayse & glorifie him that is king aboue all kingis & lord ou all lordes. In the resplendisshing contemplacion of whom ye iust peple shal shine as the sonne in the royame of their fader. To this purpose saith y psalter thou shalt replenish̄ me with gladnes in thy face. Iob saith also in ye xxxiij chapitre. his face shal be seen in greet ioyeful gladnes. Al̄ those shal beholde & haue sight of ye most swete visage / that haue trewely serued our lord & saueour Ihesu crist in humilite of herte / in good labours & vertuoꝰ werkis Isay saith in his xxxiij chapitre. they shal see the king of kingis in his greet beaute. O how blisful / o how aggreable o how swete & how happy shal be ye beholding of our saueour Ihu crist to those yt haue ꝑfaictly loued him. Certeinly they shal mowe ioyefully say as is writen in abacuk the iij chapitre. I shal reioyse me in our lord & disporte me in Ihu crist my god. O how greetly shal those reiose them yt shal be ful­fild with ye celestial ioyes / & what gladnes shal they haue yt shal be illumined with ye vision of ye resplēdisshing face of our lord god / The whche ioye & gladnes shal be ꝑmanent and abiding world without ende

How the celestial̄ royame is to be com̄ended for the goodnesse that is ther in

[Page]THe Royalme of heuen is secundly recomended for thabundante goodnesse therof. Seint Austyn saith in his book de ciuitate dei. That / that god hath ordeigned for those that he loueth / may not be oonly atteigne [...] by hope without it be comprysed with charite & so it may wel be atteigned. The rewardes of the happy seintes can not be nombred nor estiemed. thabundance therof is without ende / & is so precieux / yt it can not be sufficiently preysed. Of the superhabundante riche goodnesse of this celestial Royalme is writen in Deutronomii in the viij chapitre thus. Our lorde god shal lede the in a good con­tray / which is indewed with waters / with fontayns / with springes / with feldes / with montayns. Out of the which shal come flodes & riuires. He shal lede the also into a lande / where groweth whete / barly / and vynes. and where growe figues & appeles / grayns and olifs / oyll and hony and there without ony necessite thou shalt cete thy br [...]ed with habūdance of all goodes. Now certain̄ this is a right comodieux contray fulfilled with swetenes / this is the contray / to the whiche were sent the sones of Adam. As is writen in the book of Iugis the xviij chapitre / whiche saide at their Retorne. We haue seen a comodieuse plenti­full contray right riche / wole ye not mispreyse it nor cesse we not / but late vs goo take possession therof. For there is no labour / and our lorde shal gyue vs aroom̄ therin Wherby we shal haue noon necessite nor lak. For there is no thing that enoyeth. and alle goode delectacions be there. Seint Austyn saith that theternale beatitude and wele be specially in two thinges. That is to wite. In [Page] thabsence of all euil and in the presens of al wele. Now if thou wilt axe me / what thingis be in heuen. I can an­swere the non other wise / but all thing that is good / is there / and all thing that is nought can neuer come ther And therfore seith Seint Gregory There is no good [...] thing desired noe lakked there / nother there is ony thing within̄e hit / that hurteth or enoyeth. It is writen in the last chapitre of Thappocalips. They shal no more haue honger nor thirst / nor the son̄e nor the hetes shal no more hurte them. For the lambe of god / whiche sitteth in the middle of the trone shal gouuerne & bringe them to the fontayne of the water of lif. And more is folowyng in the same chapitre he seith. Shewe me the flode the riuier of the water of lif. Who hath thirst / come and drinke / who wole haue of that water of lif come and take it. And he that hath of that water / shal neuer be thirsty. as it is writen in the Gospel of seint Iohn in the iij chapitre. O how happy and how blissed is that contrey / where god shal b [...] al thing in all thing / and where is no pouerte / nor la [...] of ony thing / that is good. This contray is the celestial pasture / wherin shal nede no thing to be wisshed. For in this pasture shal our lorde bayte and fede his trewe louers whom he wole beclippe perpetually. Therfore seith our lorde in Ezechiel the xxxiiij chapitre. I shal put them into their contreyes and fede them in the montaynes of Israhell Now certainly the happy seintes of heuen be wele fedde with knowliche of the souerayne trouthe / whiche is to them aful fructuouse pasture. be it when̄e they entre in contemplacion of the diuinite / or in considering the grace of the humanite [Page] And in bothe these they shal finde cause to be saciate & fed with delectacions. And they shal fele the fruit of souerain̄ swetenesse. And as the Psalter saith. He hath yiuen the thy fill of the fine fatnesse of ye flour of the whete. The fatnesse of ye flour of the whete is delectacion of swetenes caused by the loue of god. Of the whiche flour of whete by the same loue mote my sowle be fulfild / & then̄e I shall reste in theternale ioyouse surete alwayes wexyng grene & neu to drie. Here is now shewed how good is this contray wherin the happy men shal be fed / whiche is so fruitful and plentiueuse. Certeynly this is the contray of lif. In the whiche we must hope to see the goodnesse of our lord. The Psalter saith. We shal all be fulfild with the goode [...] of thyn̄ hous. Now what be the goodes / that sainctes shal be fulfild with. but oonly the grace of thin comprehensible glorie. Seint Bernard saith in a sermon of the Dedi­cacion. The Resonnable Sowle made after thymage of god may wel be occupied with all other thingis / but it may not be all fulfild. Certeynly she comprehending god may not be fulfild with lesse thyng than god. We shal not oonly be fulfild with this vnrecitable glorie. but also we shall be dronken and assorted theron. It is redde in Iheremye the xxxj chapitre. I shall make dronke the sowles of the priestes of grace. that shal be at the greet soupper which is ordeigned for good folkes / He shal sette and administre them mete of glorie / and yiue them drink of meruelouse ioye and swetenes. Then̄e it shal be saide to those that shal ete there / as is writen in the Canticles the v chapitre My right dere frendes. Ete and drinke and make you [Page] dronken. In Isay the xxix chapitre also is writen Make you dronken / but not with wyn̄. and wherwith then̄e shal they make them dronken. with Ioye and with gladnesse and with felicite / and with many maniers of the celestiale glorie. O good lorde / god eternal / how swetely shal thy goode and trewe seruauntes be dronken with the plentiueusnesse of thyn̄ hous / and with the voluptuousnesse of the For in the is the fontayne of lif / the fontayne of beatitude and of glorie permanent and neuer failling. Certeinly al swetenesse belongeth to thyn̄ hous. It is the hous of our lorde / the cite of god / whiche is ful of al richesses / and resplendisshed with alle goodes. Therfore saith Isay in h [...]s xxiij chapitre. Thyn̄ eyen shal see Iherusalem full habundant of all goodes. The greet multitude of the copi­ [...]use habūdance of the thinges beforsaide of this cite shulde not hoolly satisfie to calle vs thydre / but also right speci­ally the restful multitude of this peas. wherin those / that be happy / shal delite them enheriting that contrey aboue specified. The same Isay saith in his lv chapitre. Ye shal passe out in Ioye / and shal be brought into peas. O how grete shal the habundance of this peas be in Iherusalem wherin it shal remaine perpetuelly without ony werre. Isay yet saith in the ix and xxxij chapitres. My peple shal be in the beaute of peas / and in the tabernacles of confidence and in the riche habundance of Reste. Also Thoby saith in the xiij chapitre. O Iherusalem Cite of god / happely blissed be those that loue the / and reioyse them in thy pess It is in Ezechiel the xiij chapitre. The seintes see in the vision of peas / there is ioye & peas with peas / which is so [Page] precious / that it surmoūteth / and is by yonde all humaine vndrestanding. Now then he that wole be participable of so greet a Ioye and peas with the saynctis eternally an hyghe in heuen / he muste lerne now to suffre humbly and haue pacience here a lowe in erthe. For as it is writen in a book callid Aurora drawen out of the Bible. By souffrance is wonnen that moost noble rest. and ther is noon̄ so wise that can reioyse that peas / but oonly it is had by trauail and suffring of tribulacions and paines paciently in this mortale world [...]

¶How the Royame of heuen is praysed and lauded for the Ioye and blis that is therin euerlestingly ¶The thirde chapitre of the last parte

THirdely the Royame and Kingdom̄ of god is to be recom̄end [...]d for the greet Ioye and gladnes that is therin eternally enduring. And ther­uppon saith Seint Gregory in an Omelye. Who hath that tongue / that can suffisantly declare and expresse the Ioyes of that souerayne Cite. Or who hath couuenably the vndrestandyng to comprehende / how greet those Ioyes be to the companyes of Angeles / and to the happy sowles. And how inestimable is that moost blis­full eternale Ioye and glorie in beholdyng the visaige of our lord god hauing no manier of trouble ne feer of dethe but liue in reioysing them of that moost preciouse yifte of grace. which shal euer be permanent and without corrupcion̄. Certaine that Royame that Cite of our lord must [Page] be vndrestande Iherusalem / whiche Ihrlm is moost bontiueusely plentiueusely & blissedly edified. O cite of citees / whiche is so habundantly ful of blisful ioyes to the happy sowles loued be thou. It is writen in Isay the last chapitre. Reioyse you with Ihrlm / and disporte you in her to thende / yt ye may knowe & be fulfild and fedde with the pappe of consolacion. and that ye may be habundant in all maniers with the delectacions of that glorie. Of the which̄ inmesurable felicite & glorie of that noble cite speketh Seint austyn in his book of the cite of our lord saiyng O how greet shal the felicite b [...] there / where shal be nother payne / nor harme / nor wele / nor good thing hidde / but entending hoolly vnto the louynges and praysingis of our lord. It it is writen in Isay in the lxiiij chapitre. Ther was neuer eye / that sawe without the that ioye / whiche yu hast ordeigned to them that abide the / nor more grete gladnesse can be / than yt thou wilt yiue those that thou lou [...]st which they shal possesse perpetuelly. It is redde in the same Isaye the xxxv chapitre. They shal come into syon and alle louinges & sempiternal ioyes vpon their hedes. The Psalter saith. Our lord hath knowen the dayes of those that be pure and not smouged / and their heritage shal be perpetuelle. It is writen in Thoby the xiij chapitre Lord thou art right greetly eternal / and thy Royalme is in all worldes. Seint Austyn saith in his book of the cite of our lorde. We shal be vndrestanding and shal see / preyse and loue our lorde. This shal be in thende / whiche is withouten ende. Now what shulde we desire to be our ende but to serche and seke the wayes to atteigne the [...]omyng [Page] into ye royame / wherin ioyes haue non̄ ende / which̄ royame is the royame of all ye worldes. & certainly thy power & lordship is vpon al̄ genacions. Toby saith in the xiij chapi­tre. Blissid be our lord / which̄ hath so high̄ reised Irlm to thentent / that his royame be aboue in the world of worldes. O how glorious is the Royame / wherin the blissed sainctes reioyse them with Ihesu Crist. and they cladde as in white aulbes folowe alwayes the lambe. Now of this worlde to come speketh seint austyne in his book of the deb [...]te bitwix vertues & vices saiyng. The loue of this p̄sent world is departed from me. for ther is no creature / but he must nedis finisshe and dye here. Hit al̄ other wise of the loue of the world / that is to come. In the whiche alle be so viuified / that they can neuer dye after therin And therin is noon aduersi [...]e / no trouble / non anguish̄ no payne / no disease ēnoyng / nor werynesse / but therin reignen sempiternale Ioyes. The Psalter saith. The Ius [...] folkes eten and drinken / and reioysen them in the presens of our lord deliting them in gladnesse. And all sorowe and waylingis flieth from them. It is writen in Thapocalips the xxj chapitre. Our lord shal̄ drye the teeres of their eyen. More ouer / there shal be then̄e no wepyng / criyng / sorowe / nor dethe. for all that shalbe passed before. Isay saith in his xxv chapitre. Our lord shal take away the teeres of euery face / and shal take away the repreuys of his peple in euery londe. And then̄ the folkes shal saye. Here is our lord god / whom we haue abiden whiche shal saue vs / we haue susteigned and suffred for hym. And therfore we reioyse vs with and by him [Page] in saluacion. O how greet shal be that ioyeful gladnesse to thoes that shal be glorified not oonly in sowle / but also in body. It is writen in Isay the lxj chapitre. They shal be dowble possessed in their lande. And in the Prouerbis the last chapitre is writen. All his familiere housholde [...] seruauntes shal be cladde double. That is to wite with two aulbes. that oon is the body / whiche they now possede. thother the sowle / and they shal not haue oonly ioye of their owen propre good werkis. but also singulerly of the merites of the happy seintes. Our lorde saith in Iheremy the xxxiij chapitre. I shal enhabite them assuredly / and they shal be my peple. I shal be their god / and shal yiue them an herte and a sowle / not oonly by the vnite of substance / but by the bonde of charite. Beholde me right dere frendes / If the sowle of a martir / of a confessour / of a virgyn and yours be alloons. Consequently it semeth that ye shal reioyse you in their Ioyes / and that your sowles shal be semblable unto thapostles or ony other saintes Seint Gregory seith how charite shal be so plentiueusly there that / that wele / whiche he hath not for hym self / he shal reioyse in seyng an other to haue it. Certeinly those meruileuse and manifolde Ioyes can neuer entre mannis herte here. and there euery herte shal be replenisshed and fulfild with them. For withinne and without / aboue and benethen / and in euery parte the happy sowles shal meruelously reioyse them. In thinwarde parte by the purenes of their consciences. In the outwarde parte by the glorifiyng of their bodyes. In the lower parte by the renoueling beautees of the heuens and of the creatures there. In the [Page] higheste parte by the clere and visible sighte of our lord god. And in alle other partes by the ioyeful and delectable compaignie of all the sainctes of heuen. Now trewely ther is no man / that can ymagine or thinke the greetnes of the Ioyes that be there. I ne can telle the reioysing of thinhabitantes in heuen reignyng there emong thangeles of our lord god perpetuelly. It is writen in the Gospel of seint Mathew in the xxv chapitre. Entre thou into the ioye of thy lord. entre thy self into that ioye / and with al thyn̄ herte entre therin. Of those inmesurable quantitees of the celestiale ioyes speketh Seint bernard in his boke of meditacions. Their gladnesse hath all thing in possesse on. therin all festinges be possessid / and the men accompa­nied with angeles shal remayne there perpetuelly without h [...]uing ony manier fleshly infirmite. There is infenite ioyeusenes. there is sempiternale beatitude. & after that oon is there to receiue it / he shal remayne therinpe rduraby. ther is rest without labour / peas & frendship without ēuye / quietenes & surete without dangier. & the most playsant swetnesse in the vision of our lord god. Seint bernard saith The ioyes and swetnes of ye contray is so greet / that if a man were therin but oonly the space of an houre all the ioyes & delectacions of this p̄sent of mighte comparabily by reason he impraysed / & all ioyes swetenes & beautees that coude be thought & had here / be but paines bitternesses & filthes in regarde of those / right as the might & boūte of our lord god excedeth and surmoūteth all other worldly thingis O good lord god what haue I wessed to haue in this erthe when̄e in seuen alle thingis shulde be moche more desired [Page] than ony power here / gold / siluer / or ony precious stoones Now what shal I more saye of this contray and holy Cite of Iherusalem. where in the stretes is songen incessantly Alleluya with ioyeuse & [...]wete melodieuse tunes. as is writen in Thoby the xiij chapitre. It is red also in Isay the lj chapitre. Al ioye & gladnes shal be founden in that contray with actions of graces & voyces of louingis & all shal say in his temple / louing honour & glorie be to ye lord And therfore the voys of gladnesse & helthe shal sowne in the tabernacles of iust folkes. In ye cite of our lord sowne continuelly thorgons of the sainetis / which haue vtterly for yeten the tribulacions / paines / labours / & wretchednesses of this world vsing & ēioying ye celestial blis. O how swetely / how playsantly / & how clerly singe those in delasol that before haue wept in gāmoth & in a [...]e. Of this cite speketh seint Austyn in his book of meditacions saiyng. O cite which is a celestiale hous & a sure contray conteigning all thing / yt may cause delectacion. Ther is thinhabiting of rest The peple is there without murmeur or grouge. O how maany glorious thingis be saide of this cite. thinhabitacion of our lorde is in yt as in a thing enioying all good thingis / Ther is peas / pite / boūte / clernes / light / vertu / honeste / glorie / reste / louing / loue / goode concord / ioye / swetenes / blis & ꝑdurable lif. Of all those & the ꝑdurable lif shal ye happy sowles be certaine & sure without ony lesing therof. Isay saith in his xxxij chapitre Ther shal be furete for euer. Ezechiel saith in his xxxviij chapitre They shal inhabite fermely in eternite without ony maner of feer. It is red in the ꝓuerbes of salomon in the first chapitre. he that hath wel [Page] herkend / shal reste without fere and enioye in habundance Seint Austyn saith. That theternale surete enourneth and fulfilleth the beatitudes of all the celestiale goodnesses where if that sempiternite shulde faille / all the other celestiale goodnesses be they neuer so swete / shulde be the lesse to be praysed. Seint Ioh̄n saith in his xviij chapitre In assuring vs / there is no man / that shal byreue you your Ioye. O hous of our lorde / Cite of the greet king. how innumerable and how greet be thyn̄ eternale Ioyes with the mamfolde gladnesses of those happy sowles / that be enhabited with the. Now surely lorde they be wele blissed that be inhabited in thyn̄ hous in louing the during the worlde of worldes. who is he hauing an hoole Remembeaunce that is so ignorant / that he thinketh not / that all the compaignie of heuen loueth the not [...]uiinely in heuen. Thassurance of this perpetuel celestiale Ioye and gladnesse may be vndrestande in that / that it is compared vnto tholifue tree. As Ozee saith in his xiiij chapitre. His glorie shal be like an olifue tree / whiche is and continueth grene winter and somer. Of this eternal glorie saith also Iohn crisostom in his book of the Peparacion of the fal of man How greet shal the whiptuosnesse be / how greet shal the Ioye and gladnesse be to the sowle to be with Ihesu Criste retorned to his propre generacion & assuredly and vndoubtely to beholde and see our lord. The greetnesse nor the quantite of that ioyeful blys can not be tolde nor recited For oon reioyseth him not oonly of that wele and playse [...] that he vseth and hath presently in ocure / but moche more by cause he may be sure. Those Ioyes playfiers and blys [Page] shal neuer adminish̄ nor ende. Lo who is he y shal be parti­ner to that ioye / whiche is endeles. Certain̄ it is orde [...]gned for all folkes / lordes & other shal reioyse them in the glori of our lord / yt haue folowed his traces in this world, wher by they shal regne with him glorified worshipped & crouned eternally in heuen. O my right welle loued brethren / how greetly shal ye reioyse you / if ye be transported vnto that eternale glorie. Certain̄ ye shal saye then̄e in criyng & syngyng as it is writen in Isay the lxj chapitre. I glad & ioyeful shal reioyse me in our lord / and my sowle shal be myry in my god / by cause he hath clad me with the vesthment of saluacion. Of trouthe as it is writen in Iob ye xxij chapitre.. Thou shalt be habundant then̄e in the dele [...] tacion of the most mighty lord / & shalt lifte vp thyn̄ eyen towarde god / & the light shal shine in thy wayes. Of this light is writen in Ecclesiastico the xj chapitre. It is a delectable light to see ye son̄e. that is to vndrestande Ihu crist which to knowe & beholde ꝑdurably passeth & surmonteth al the ioyes of this world. and is no meruail. for ye know­lich̄ & vision is the fode glorie & lif sempiternale of ye happy sainctis. Seint Ioh̄n saith in his xviij chapitre / eternale lif is this / to knowe ye sool veray god & Ihu crist / whom thou sendest down̄ into this erthe for our redempcion. Now then he that may obteygne & come to that blisful kn [...]wlich after diuine lecture and to see god face to face / that shalbe the most eycellente ioye & a springyng of all ioyeful gladnesses. Seint Bernard saith in his sermon. Meraily that is a trewe & a souerain̄ ioye / which is conceiued and had not oonly by oon creature. but also by the creatour [Page] and maker of all creatures / whiche ioye thou shalt haue when̄ he shal shewe the his face. Wherfor the ꝓphete desiringly saide. Lorde I require the / late me see thy gracious faceful of all ioye & gladnesse. Alas my delectacion is prolonged from me til I may haue ye greet weele / and til I may be drawen vnto god my saueour / I shal shede teeres night & daye. Certeinly the vision by the whiche our lorde is seen face to face is in yu thirde heuen. and if it might be saide / it is the paradise of .M. heuens. wherin ye fontayne of clere water is seen by the happy lif. Isay saith in his lx chapi­tre. Thou shalt see then̄ the face of our lorde / and shalt be habūdant in delectacions and ioyes sempiternally. O how good art thou lord of Israel to them / that haue rightful hertes / whiche wole yiue them so grete / so riche / and so playsante ioyes. My right dere brethren ye here gladly speke of these delectacions & ioyes / and take playser therin. Neuerthelesse ye ought not to be ignorante to vndrestande that the blessed seintes come neuer to these ioyes / but by grete peines & labours. Seint Gregory saith in his Omely. The greetnesse of the rewardes yiueth me corage and my labours ought not to feer me. for oon may neuer atteigne to the greet rewardes but by greet labours. That noble precheur seint Powl in the secunde epistle to tymothe the secunde chapitre saith. How that there shal be non crouned. but suche as haue manfully foughten. Veryly euery man shal receiue his Rewardes. whiche shal be after his labours. Ther be diuerse that wole not liue wele / and yet they desire to dye wele. They may knowe the dethe of seintes is ful preci [...]se in the presens of our lorde / they may [Page] knowe also yt when̄ our lord hath yeuen reste to his sowles they shal dwelle in his heritaige ꝑmanently by cause they haue be those that alwayes haue folowed him in resisting temptacions. Many of you wolde regne with Ihesu Crist but ye wole suffre no thing for his sake. Balaam ariolus was such oon / for in considering the castel of the children of Israhel he entended the hauing of theternale beati­tude / and saide in him self. Die my sowle as iust folkes die / & be my last thingis semblable vnto theirs / he delited greetly their glorious ende / but he grouged to take their labours & paynes / wherby they hadde deserued the glorie eternale. O god lord Ihesu we wolde gladly regne with the Neutheles we wol not labour nor be participable to thy suffrances. Thou chasest miserie & pouerte / & we haue taken vs vnto voluptuousenesses & delectacions / Thou hast taken vpon the & suffred bitternesses & sharpenesses to thy body / & we haue chosen & folowed our sensuale plaisirs. Seint bernard said. The sone of god is born̄ / to whoes wil was granted al yt might please him. He chose to be born̄ in the moost grieueuse tyme / & the blissid litle babe born̄ of a poure moder vnne thehauing clothes to wrappe & coure it in the cribbe Certeinly Ihūs crist / whiche neuer is deceiued chace that / that moost molested & grieued his flesh Lo then̄e it is best / swettest and moost profitable to chese the hardest paine in this world. And who so euer amonesteth or techeth other wise oon oughte to beware of him and yiue him litle credence. It was oons promisid by Isaye alitle childe / that coude repreue the euyll and chese the good The euyll was the voluptuose playsir of the body / and [Page] the good was the peine & affliction therof. A trouthe this child is the sone of god / which̄ chose thafflicti ons & repriefued and forsook the voluptuous plaifiers. As seint Bernard saide. O right dere child. thou hast chosen from thy beginning here corporale afflictions. & in suffrance hast entred into thy glorie. whiche was proprely thyn̄ owen. & we lyuing in delectacions wolde entre into that glorie. wherin we be but strangiers and not digne to come thidre / but by thy grace. Ther ayens speketh Seint Austyn / saiyng If it haue behoued Ihesu crist lord & king / whoes name is aboue alle names to haue suffred & therby hath entred into his eternal glorie. what hope or trust shal we haue to come thidre without suffrance. sithen we be strāgiers / & can haue none entre there but by hym. O how folish & how hard herted we be to trust in reioysing vs in this world & after to regne with Ihū crist in heuen. he entred therin al naked. yet was he therin lord. and we wolde entre therin yt be al charged with supfluous garnementis with richesse of golde & siluer and precious stones. He entred therin chast & fasting. & thou wilt entre th [...]in ful of glotonie & lecherie. He dyed vpon ye crosse forto redeme the / that deliciously slepist in thy bed. Shulde then̄ the seruaūt haue yt the master hadde not and wole not bye it / as he dede. Certeinly nay. and me thinketh it were a thing to vnraisonable. Herkene now what a poete saith. The lorde hath swet vpon the crosse shal not the seruaūt do the same: Now bere your crosse for he hath born̄ his. Taste of the vinegre / as he dede. The reuerence nor the case of ye seruaūt shulde not be more than that of the lorde. If yu wilt folowe him / thou must ensue [Page] his tormentes / and holde for certaine / thou canst not come in heuen by delites & playsirs. And therfore when̄e yu shalt paye vnto our lorde thy dette of naturale dethe whiche thou owest vnto him / fle voluptuousenes / breke thy delites / re­freigne thy flesh̄ / & dye then̄e in the loue of Ihesu Crist. Seint Iherom̄ saith in a pistle yt he sent vnto Iulyan how it was a greet difficulte and a thing as impossible a man to vse & haue the welthe and playsier of this world pure / & also of that to come / and yt the filling of his bely here shulde fede his sowle / & that he shulde from delites and playsirs here / go to delites & playsirs there. and yt he shulde appere glorified in bothe worldes. He saith also in an other place. that it is impossible a man to be habūdant in worldly richesses / and ensue Ihu crist. For nature wole not that two contraires be medled to gydre. Certeinly we may not bothe be seruauntes vnto god & to the deuill. Other I am deceiued / or in thende they shal be begiled / yt beleueth it not Thinke how yt richesses of this world torne to necessitees in thother world. the dāpned diues ete & dranke & liued delicieusly wering p̄cious garnemētes here. but when̄ he was dede / because he wolde not beleue moyses / he aꝑpceiued his defaultes & felt them wel when̄e he was in ye tormētes of hell Seint bernard shewed this also by a speche yt was betwix crist & seint petre. wheer he saide thus abraham saide to the fals riche gloton / Thou hast had many greet welthes in thy lif / & the lepre hath suffred many paynes / but now he is in Ioye & consolacion / and thou art in paine & torment euerlesting. what shal we more saye. After that we ende so must we beinged / wepyng is theytremite of ioye & ye may [Page] not haue Ioye in this worlde by aduersite / but by aduersite here ye may haue theuerlesting Ioye. Certeine it is manifeste / yt this worldly goodes be not ver [...]y goodes / nother they be trewe / that so accepte them. The sentence of Salomon is iuste. His sentence is / that it is better to be in ye hous of lamentacion / than in the hous of worldly felicite For those that in their lif here haue receyued worldly pros­peritees / shal after therfore be tormented. & for reioysing in their consolacions here / is ordeigned them a sempiternal peine. What may be thende of those / that haue here so gre [...]t multitude of solaces and plaisiers. Doubteles no thing but afflictions and sorowes. Consequently those / that reteigne the plaisiers and solaces of this world / that not withstanding / the vniuersale tormentes and sorowes re­maynen vnto them. They haue taken vnto them the coragis of wretch [...]s. and alle suche as their corages be ledde by their good angeles / despise and refuse the goodes of this present lif / & chose to suffre penance therin. Wherby they atteigne the goodes of our lorde with all solace. Seint Bernard seith. Late thy sowle then̄e renonce to be in consolacion here in this valleye of teers miseres and sorowes for tormentes and peines shal come vnto th [...]es / that receiue here their ioyes and solaces. Now then̄e disprayse and despise those transitory v [...]nitees / & flee the worldly delecta­cions & Ioyes. and beware / that thou glorifie not thy self but in the crosse of our lorde Ihesu Crist. Petre de blois wroot vnto a Kyng of Engelande vpon the book of Iob Wenist thou / that oon may haue Ioye in this present liff and also in that / that is to come: Nay. without his [...] [Page] here be sprengled with bitternesse and sorowe. Thou art deceiued to presume to haue perfaicte Ioye bothe here & there to vse this world and take the delites therof / and neuerthelesse to obteigne the richesse of the glorie celestiale / and to ioye with Ihesu crist. Herkene more / what is saide in the Gospel by the riche man. whiche was tormented in the fire of helle that desired a drope of water for the refreisshing of his tongue. It was answered him. Thou hast receyued the welthe of the world / & Lazar the [...]eine. therfor he hath now delectacion̄ & ioye / and thou art in the peine & torment The said Petre de bloys saide. We myght wele repute & calle fooles the holy kingis and prophetes / thapostles / the martirs / the confessours / and the delicate & tendre virgyns whiche all haue mispraysed and fled from the worldly richesses / and haue offred & taken them to the tribulacions and shamouse dethes for the loue of Ihesu crist. If they myght haue obteigned by voluptuouse delectacions the Io­yes of heuen / whiche they haue not guoten but by anguys and peine in this worlde. Verily frendes / what so euer be saide beleue fermely and holde for certeine. Ye shal neuer entre heuen / but by the wayes / that the disciples of Ihesu Crist haue taught you. That is to wite / by tribulacions by good wordes / good werkes / and good faith. And what haue the disciples taught. haue they not shewed vs to liue soberly and iustly and to reteygne with al our power humilite / charite / pacience / constance and all other vertues. To misprayse the world & alle the partes therof / to ffle riches­ses and delectacions / to do penaunce / and vigureusly to reioyse in tribulacions. Now do then semblably after them [Page] and their doctrine / an̄d ye shal liue for euer eternally. Be ye of constante coraiges in alle your anguisshes and la­bours hauing hope in the helpe of our lord / and he shal soone hele and relieue you. Labour manfully as good knyghtes with Ihesu Crist. and wery not in your self saiyng. Our labours be greet / & we so feble / that finally we may not perseuere in this purpose. Recomforte your self / and herkene wele the wordes of Seint Gregory saiyng. There oughte no tyme be thought long. nor ony labour greet / wherby is goten the glorie eternale. Ioh̄n Crisostom saide vpon the gospel of seint Mathew. If one er he haue begonne his Iourney / thinke the waye laborieuse / he ought to be thought slouthefull / if the perileu [...]e wawes of the see be thought easy and sure to the maroners by the delectacion / that they haue to their owen profite for winning of temporale goodes therupon. Semblably the stormes frostes and reynes to the labouriers of therthe for their winning / the woundes and strokes to the good knightes and champyons for their honour and auantaige. If all thies be thought easy / moch̄ more payne ought to be taken without feling ony grouge for the recouure of the celestiall blys / whiche is ordeigned for the Rewarde of them that wole deserue hit. Take noon hede of thy peynfull lyf here. but beholde whydre it wole bede the. Take Regarde to the playsant lyf here. but remembre how soone it wole faille the. Trewely / ye may wel thinke / that the royame of heuen is no thing appertinent vnto sluggardes nor theternale beatitude ordeygned to rechles & yole folkes [Page] As Pope Lyon saide in a sermon. And the Gospel of seint Mathew saith the xj chapitre. The Royalme of he­uen is wonnen in suffring of force & violence in this world And it may wel be beleued. for Ihesus crist saide. that suffring of violence geteth it. A poete saide. Your lyuyng must be sharppe / your labour peinful / & your clothing grie­uouse / and so must all your other thingis be here / if ye wole be logged there aboue in heuen. This may appere manifestly vnto you. Also in thactes of thapostles the xiiij chapitre is writen. How our entre into heuen must be by many tri­bulacions. O how wel was it vndrestande by Seint Austyn / That oon may not entre the blys of heuen but by tribulacion & peine in this worlde. For he saide. A my sowle if we shulde alweyes supporte and susteine tormented and peines here / and also suffre by a longe space the gehenne of helle / to thende that we might therby surely see our lorde Ihesu crist in his glorie and be accompanied with his seintis Now were it not an excellent digne thing to haue so greet a wele / as to be partiners to so perfaicte a glorie. Petre de bloys saide. My membres faille me by age / & be enfebled by fastingis / and broken with labours / and I melte with teeres of myn̄ eyen. But if al my brayn and the mary of my boones were conuerted into teeres / yet were it not suffi­sant passion in this present tyme in comparaison to atteigne therby the glorie to come. whiche shalbe shewed vnto vs If a man knewe what thing he is / and what it is of him and of god. he wolde thinke that suffring of. M. dethes for his sake were but as no thing. Beholde now how good & how proufitable it is to suffre penaūce for our lordes sake [Page] Susteigne it then gladly & endure it benignely taking an exāple by mordereurs & theuys condēpned to deth / which wolde greetly reioyse them self / if they might by the kitting of of oon of their eres haue their liues saued. Reioyse your self semblably in greet gladnes. for in doyng of a litle penaūce here ye may escape & exclude the deth of your sowles & winne theternale ioye. Then yu man that art mortall suffre forto atteigne the lif that is ꝑpetuell / suche paine as yu woldest endure forto saue thy self temporale ▪ which̄ is incertaine & of litle enduring. To this purpose it is writen in Ecclesiastico the vj chapitre. Thou shalt a litle laboure and here in this world is the litlenesse of penaunce. and thou shalt soone ete and drinke the generacion therof. that is to vndrestande / the fruites of the glorie / whiche be en­gendred with the labour of penaunce. It is writen in the book of sapience the iij chapitre. Ye that be wery of a litle yet dispose you wel / and your remuneracion and rewarde shal be right greet. Seint Effram saide. My right dere and beloued brethren / the labour of our institucion is but litle / and the rest is greet. our affliction dureth not longe / but oure Retribucion / that is to wite / the delites of Paradyse. The Ioye and gladnesse there shall endure world withouten ende. The wise man saide in Ecclesiastes the last chapitre. Beholde how litle I haue laboured / and I haue foūde for me greet rest. By the re­asons aboue writen it appereth manifestly / that though̄ oure labours here be but litle and good / our rewardes in heuen may be greet and many. for the Ioyes there are im­possible to be comprehended or declared by vs. for there was [Page] neuer erthely herte / that coude ymagine the playsirs therof nor to ony comparison eye coude see / nor ere here the delectacions melodyes and swetnesses that be there. and the goodnesses ywys can not here directly be sauoured nor felt / but it may wel be surely thought / that all that euer is felt de­lectable or good in this present worlde is but as the resplendisshyng and a shadowe of the goodnesse of heuen / whiche we ought to take as an allectif desiring to come to the originale and rote therof / and to haue parte of that moost preciouse blys / whiche is our enheritance. Now in conclu­ding finally it may appere by grete euidence and inuincible raisons / that the four last thingis aboue alleiged. whiche is to wite / the bodyly dethe / the daye of Iugement / the gehenne of helle / and the glorie of paradys defenden and withdrawen from synne in many maniers suche / as haue the same four last thinges withouten obliuion in a conti­nuale remembraunce. Wherby they atteygne and edifie their sowles to remayne eternally in the moost glorieuse blys of heuen. And when̄e ony falle to synne / it is by cause they haue not the saide four thingis cordially enprinted in their myndes. And alas nor the suffrance of our lord. There be to fewe that considere and poise the sayd four last thingis. Many there be that thinke to lyue long and to repente them in their eage / and therby appeyse the Iuge / and flee the daungier of helle. And in that hope liue in delectacions and Idelnesse. And yet after they thinke to possede heuen eternally. O what presumptuouse folye is hit to beleue and truste therto. That argument concludeth not. but maketh and deceiueth alle suche / as [Page] haue hope or confidence therin. Therfore do penaūce to your saluacion / or ye shal perish̄ and dye in your sinnes to your dampnacion. It is writen in Ecclesiastes the ij chapitre If we do no penaunce / we shal falle in the handes of our lord / and not into the handes of man. Alas now who is he / that suffisantly bewayleth his synnes / that hath goode pacience with his enemy / that hath compassion vpon the poure peple / & relieueth them in their necessitees / that deuly ministreth iustice / and that for no vayne glorie ne lucre of the world wole offende his conscience. Oure generacion is so wretchid / and so fraile / that our hertes can not addresse to the weell / but rather to the harme. we saueure and delite worldly thinges / and seke not after Ihesu Crist. We loue vices / we flee vertues / and ly [...] and reste in our owen synnes as beestes do in their owen dong / and therin rote miserably. Our lord loketh vpon the sone of man / and beholdeth if therbe ony axing grace or in good disposicion. but wel away / he seeth to fewe in­clined therto / and many disposed to the contraire in all s [...]nne and wretchednesse. wherby is to be drad / that the miserable tyme of this world is nygh̄ comen. whiche Micheas prophecied of in his vij chapitre saiyng. Holinesse is perisshed in therthe / and emong the men is ther noon that is right wise. O remembre wel how euery man al­moost now a dayes seketh for his owen particulere cause & lucre / the sheding of blood and the wrongyng of other What shal I more say. fewe ther be that wole entende to ony good perfection / nor opene their eyen for their saluacion. so be they blinded in their malicious folie. O cursed [Page] malice and vnhappy folye / wherby the lif is voluntairely loste / and the dethe wonne / the wele despised / and the harme accepted / our lord displeased / and the fende obeyed. Now then my right dere brethren and frndes strike not of your hedes with your owne swerdes / as to saye late not your owen dedes be your destruction perpetuale. Rise out of sinne. loke vp and remembre you what difference is bitwix eternale dampnacion and perpetuale ioye and blys. Forsake and renoūce your synnes / and defende you from the fendes power / whiche ye may surely do with contricion / and in axing helpe and grace of our lord. Iwys it is meruail that man / whiche aboue all erthely thing is a creature raisonnable / ensueth not the veray originale of raison. but disprayseth & forsaketh that / that is most profitable & eternally good for that / that is mortale and moost harmful. O good lord what vnhap causeth it and wherfore shulde we by out folye lose thoo sowles that thou hast bought so dere with thy moost precious blood. Certainly the cause is lak of prudence / good counseil / grace / & cordiale remembraunce of the saide four last thingis. O our redemptour almighty and merciful Ihesu / graunte vs so thy grace / that we may yet surely pourueye for our last thingis / & so cordyally frequente the remembraunce of thy godhede that it cause vs here after to repelle & reuoque our synnes / resiste our goostly enemy / & conforme vs in alle good werkes vnto thy blissed wil / to thobteigning finally with the happy sainctes of thyn̄ eternale glorie. To whiche beinge vs the fader / & the soone / & the holy goost reigning [Page] in vnite sempiternally world withouten ende. AMEN

THis book is thus translated out of frenshe into our maternal tongue by the noble and vertuouse lord Anthoine Erle Ryuiers / Lord Scales & of the Isle of wight. Defenseur and directeur of the c [...]u­ses apostolique for our holy fader the Pope in this Royame of Englonde. Vncle & gouernour to my lorde prince of wales. which book was deliuered to me william Caxton by my saide noble lorde Ryuiers on the day of purificacion of our blissid lady / fallyng the tewsday the secunde day of the moneth of feuerer. In the yeer of our lord. M. CCCC lxxvijj for to be enprinted / and so multiplied to goo abrood emonge the peple / that therby more surely myght be remembred the four last thingis vndoubtably comyng. And it is to be noted that sythen the tyme of the grete tribulacion and aduersite of my saide lord / he hath been ful vertuously occupied / as in goyng of pilgremagis to Seint Iames in Galice. to Rome. to Seint Bartylmew. to Seint Andrew. to Seint Mathew. in the Royalme of Naples. and to Seint Nicholas de Bar in Puyle. and other diuerse holy places. Also hath procured and goten of our holy fader the Pope a greet and a large Iudulgence and grace vnto the chapel of our lady of the pielle by seint stephens at west mestre for the relief & helpe of cristen sowles passed out of this transitorie world. whiche grace is of like vertue to thindulgence of Scala celi ▪ And not withstonding the gre [...]t labours & charges yt he hath had in the seruice of the [Page] kyng & of my said lord prince / as wel in wales as in Englonde. which̄ hath be to him no litle thought & besines bothe in spirite and in body / as the fruit throof experimently sheweth. Yet ouer that tenriche his vertuous disposicion / he hath put him in deuoyr at all tymes when̄ he might haue a leyser. whiche was but startemele to translate diuerse bookes out of frensh̄ into english̄. Emong other passid thurgh myn̄ honde the booke of the wise sayinges or dictes of philosophers. & the wise & holsom̄ ꝓuerbis of xpristime of pyse set in metre. Ouer that hath made diuerse balades ayenst the seuen dedely synnes. Furthermore it semeth that he conceiueth wel the mutabilite and the vnstablenes of this present lyf. and that he desireth with a greet zele and spirituell loue our goostly helpe and perpetuel saluacion. And that we shal abhorre and vtterely forsake thabhominable and dampnable synnes. whiche comunely be vsed now a dayes / as Pride / periurye / terrible swering thefte / murdre / and many other. Wherfore he took vpon hym the translating of this present werke named Cordyale / trusting that bothe the reders and the herers therof sholde knowe them self herafter the better / and amende thair lyuyng or they departe and lose this tyme of grace to the recouure of their saluacion. Whiche Translating in my Iugement is a noble & a meritorious dede. Wherfor he is worthy to be greetly com̄ended. and also singulerly remembred with our goode prayers. For certaynely as well the reders as the herers well conceyuyng in their hertes the forsayd foure last thinges may therby greetly be prouoqued and called from sinne to the greet & plentiuouse [Page] mercy of our blissid saue [...]ur / whiche mercy is aboue all his werkis. And noman beyng contrite and confessed nedeth to fere thobteyning therof / as in the preface of my saide lordes booke made by hym more playnly it appereth Then̄e in obeying and folowyng my said lordes coman­dement. In whiche I am bounden so to do. for the manifolde benefetes and large rewardes of hym had and receyued of me vndeseruid. I haue put me in deuoyr [...]ccomplisshe his saide desire and comaūdement / whom I beseche almighty god to kepe and mayntene in his vertuous and laud [...] ble actes and wakis. And sende hym thaccomplisshement of his noble and ioyous desire and playsirs in this worlde And after this short daungerous and transitory lyf euer lasting permanence in heuen Amen. Whiche werke pre­sent I began̄ the morn̄ after the saide Purificacion of our blissid Lady. Whiche was the the daye of Seint Blase Bisshop and Martir. And finisshed on the euen of thannunciacion of our said bilissid Lady fallyng on the wednesday the xxiiij daye of Marche. In the xix yeer of Kyng Edwarde the fourthe.

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